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Peak Performance Fitness members and staff are teaming up to support the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. Here is the perfect opportunity for you to help a great cause while shedding a few centimeters off your waist! For every centimeter lost, Peak Performance will donate $2 to Ronald McDonald House.

Here is a little background about this charity:

The mission of The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island is to give comfort and shelter to families experiencing the pain of having a sick child in local hospital facilities. A “home away from home”, the House provides the parents and siblings of these children with a temporary haven in a secure and comfortable environment among other families sharing a similar burden.

Located on the campus of the Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York (formerly Schneider Children’s Hospital), the House accommodates families in a warm and supportive environment. Since opening in 1986, approximately 18,000 families from the United States and more than 80 countries around the world have been served. Many of the families are from Long Island and other parts of the Metropolitan area.

http://rmhlongisland.org/mission-vision/

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

– Come into Peak Performance starting this FRIDAY August 14th from 10am-6pm!

– Have one of the Exercise Physiologists measure your waist circumference.

– Come back in 4 weeks to have your waist re-measured.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

EVERYONE! Our gym members, physical therapy patients, Peak staff members, and your friends and family! It’s FREE! The more people who are involved, the more money we can raise!

Like our Facebook page (Peak Performance Fitness Center) and Instagram (@peakptfitness ) for continued updates about the event, including: stories of families of the Ronald McDonald House, Peak members getting involved, and check-ins as we progress towards our donation goal!

Want to know more about the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island?

Click here to read some stories about the families of the Ronald McDonald House.

NEED SOME EXTRA HELP WITH YOUR EXERCISE AND NUTRITION?

TRY OUR 4 WEEK WAIST AWAY THE SUMMER SPECIAL!

• Full Use of Fitness Facility
• An Individualized Exercise Program
• 4 Personal Training Sessions
• All for only $169

*New members only

Coconut water, not to be confused with coconut milk (the milky-white liquid made from coconut meat), is the clear fluid from young, still-green coconuts. Coconut water was first marketed as a miracle drink able to fight viruses, kidney disease, and other ailments such as osteoporosis. The beverage claims to keep you better hydrated and be more beneficial than plain water. Global sales are hundreds of thousands per year and most consumers believe that the beverage has a wide variety of health benefits. It’s important for consumers to know that the drink’s marketers have sharply scaled back their claims.

The minerals found in coconut water prompted the early claims of curative power; however, the quantities of these minerals are quite modest and widely found in other foods. As an example, one banana has 422 milligrams of potassium, compared with 660 milligrams in an average container of coconut water. Coconut water’s big three minerals are potassium (19 percent of the daily recommended intake), calcium (4 percent) and magnesium (4 percent).

Vita Coco, a leading brand, once boasted that it had 15 times the electrolytes —sodium and potassium that are lost in sweat — in sports drinks. In 2011, a class-action lawsuit stated that some of the mineral contents on its packages were exaggerated. Vita Coco agreed to stop saying that it rehydrated better than sports drinks.

Coconut water’s biggest rival is plain old water. How do they compare? There is little research looking at the impact coconut water has on rehydration. And while scientific research findings vary, water looks just fine for most people. A study from 2012 (funded by Vita Coco) in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that neither coconut water nor sports drinks were better than water in hydrating young men after an hour long exercise bout.

In terms of hydration, plain water, coconut water, and sports drinks, when consumed in adequate quantities, are all comparable. For enhancing water absorption, there is little physiological basis for consuming drinks with added sodium if your diet contains adequate sodium. To stay truly hydrated, you need to drink a larger volume of coconut water compared to regular water.

For the majority of us who are trying to lose or maintain our weight and work out for 60 minutes or less under normal conditions (i.e., not in extreme heat and humidity), water remains the smartest, and most affordable, hydration choice. For those exercising vigorously for more than one hour or in extremely hot conditions, sipping on coconut water or a sports drink may promote fluid retention during exercise.

Everyone has heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day; however, many become confused about what they should be eating. It has been shown that those who regularly consume a healthy breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and normal cholesterol levels.

After our nights rest, our metabolism has dropped and our body begins to conserve its energy. Breakfast allows our body to jumpstart our metabolism and restores our glucose levels for the day’s activities. Both our muscles and our brain utilize glucose in order to have ideal sharpness, concentration, and energy.

In addition, it is important to ensure that protein is included in our breakfast foods in order to feel satisfied throughout the day. The daily recommendation of protein is .8g/kg (of body weight) for the average individual in accordance with the RDA; and 1.2-1.4g/kg for endurance athletes according to the ACSM.

There are numerous sources of protein that are often overlooked, so below are a list of suggestions that are quick and easy but will also help maintain that waistline.

BREAKFAST IDEAS

• *1-4oz serving of 2% cottage cheese PLUS – 102 calories | 15.5 g of protein
• 1 slice of pineapple – 28 calories | .2 g of protein
• 1 medium peach – 38 calories | .9 g of protein
• ½ cup of strawberries – 27 calories | .6 g of protein

• *1 hardboiled egg – 78 calories | 6.3 g of protein
• 1 slice of whole wheat bread – 60 calories | 4 g of protein
• 1 pat of unsalted butter – 36 calories | 0 g of protein

• *2 egg whites – 34 calories | 7.2 g of protein
• 1 english muffin, multigrain – 100 calories | 4 g of protein
• hot sauce OR – 0 calories | 0 g of protein
• 1 tablespoon of salsa – 8 calories | 0 g of protein

• *1 Greek yogurt – 120 calories | 14 g of protein
• 1/4 cup of granola – 95 calories | 3 g of protein

• *1 tablespoon of smooth peanut butter – 4 calories | 4 g of protein
• 1/2 banana – 45 calories | 1 g of protein
• 1 slice of whole wheat bread – 60 calories | 4 g of protein

An acronym for “Both Sides Up,” BOSU Balance Trainers or BOSU Balls are a piece of fitness equipment which adds an element of instability to exercises. The idea behind the ball is that it is strengthening key stabilizing muscles and creating a stronger foundation for all movement. Movements can be performed on the dome or the platform, as well as, in a standing, seated, kneeling, or lying position.

In this class, exercises are going to be performed both utilizing the BOSU and on the ground. Participants will perform both standing exercises and some on the floor. Any exercise can be modified for either a higher or lower intensity, or modified from the BOSU to the floor.

HURRY! SPOTS ARE LIMITED! SIGN UP TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT IN LOUISE’S BOSU FOR BREAKFAST CLASS! A FREE TRIAL CLASS WILL BE OFFERED ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 7.