More Than a Gym... It's a Community!

Most gym's around the area are great places where people go, "get there work in", sweat, and go home.  While Fitness Evolved does have those components to it, we like to pride ourselves on a few things that really you, our members, add to it to make it the wonderful place that it is. 

#1:  Fitness Evolved is a welcoming place full of accepting and supportive people.  We are all on a journey together.  And though we may have different starting points and different backgrounds, we all share the same goal:  We want to be better than we currently are.  Recognizing the above, you all have made this facility a wonderful place to come to everyday, and a warm, welcoming place for anyone new to come to and jump right in!

#2:  We're not Just a Gym.  We're a Community.  While we all come here to "practice" and get better, Fitness Evolved is reaching beyond our doors and infiltrating the Berkeley area.  This is evidenced in the Sunday Morning Group Runs that some of our great members have organized and are welcome to all-comers of all levels. (If you'd like to join them, sign up here!)

Andy has had the privilege of speaking to and educating over 60 members of Berkeley's Police Department and Dispatchers, sharing our message of an "evolved approach" to exercise, health, and life- the first steps towards helping to develop a wellness program for our officers and dispatchers who serve our community to help them perform their job better and more safely which benefits them and our community.

And, 20 generous ladies got together a few Saturdays ago and hosted a baby shower complete with a great meal at Scott's

Seafood and gifts for FE Team Member Mary Rocha.  What a wonderful and generous way to spend a Saturday afternoon!  A community does more than just "workout" together- they do life together.  As this begins to happen, we not only make things better for ourselves but also for those around us who we come in contact with every day.  

Thank you for helping make Fitness Evolved the community that we are today.  We look forward to many more years of growing with you and finding more creative ways to live healthfully and fruitfully!

Brain Freeze... Make it Stop!

It's June!  The weather's warming up.  It's almost Summer, and cold drinks, smoothies, and desserts are on their way.  (For some of our members, the frozen treat above has actually been "prescribed" as part of their nutrition plans....)  We thought it imperative to talk about a very important subject that can hinder your refreshment strategy... Brain Freeze!  You know- that searing headache you get when you eat or drink something cold too quickly?

• What is it?
• How do I Make it Stop?

I'm glad you asked!  Brain freeze is actually your nervous system putting the brakes on (an action signal telling you to do something different-Click Here).  No, it's not telling you "Stop- you're bad!", which is what most of us think.  It's actually saying SLOW DOWN and enjoy it.

This article in Science Daily explains what brain freeze actually is.  You are actually "rapidly changing the temperature in the back of the throat at the internal carotid artery, which feeds blood to the brain, and the anterior cerebral artery, which is where brain tissue starts."  It goes on to explain that while we don't actually have pain receptors in the brain itself, the tissues that surround it do.  The rapid change and constriction is what causes the pain.

So how do I make it stop?  Drinking a warm beverage can help, but who want's to do that on a hot day?  Actually pressing your tongue on the roof of your mouth will quickly transfer heat from your tongue and re-regulate the temperature sensors.  

Don't let Brain Freeze ruin your summer!  Slow down and enjoy!  And if it does come about, use this quick trick to send it away so you can keep on going.  

Shoes- For More Than Just Style?

This is a question we get asked A LOT, and one of our favorite topics!  If you've been at Fitness Evolved for at least 30 minutes, you've probably been shown an exercise for your feet, or at least asked about your shoes.  There's a reason for that!  The feet are very important for how we move through the world, align our posture, maintain balance, and many other functions.  And the shoes we wear in the gym and through the day have a tremendous impact on all of those functions.  Here's a quick video explaining why we do what we do with the feet, and how to pick out the shoes that work for you: Z Blog - Shoe Basics If you have questions or need help or recommendations, please ask any of us.  We're here to help!