Positive client update...

A client of mine has severe arthritis that can cause debilitating pain when left unchecked. 2 months ago I got him to try a gluten free, low sugar diet for one week - with the promise that his stomach would be a little flatter by the end of the trial week. ( Sidebar: if you go gluten free for even a week and then eat a bowl of pasta, you will be at least slightly constipated for 24-48 hours, and also feel sluggish for about a day. Part of the reason a low gluten, low sugar diet will help flatten your stomach is that you will eliminate waste and toxins more effectively.) Once said client completed a week and saw/felt positive results from the diet week, I then added a a pharmaceutical -grade fish oil and Pharma-grade Vitamin D twice a day. We then added a 3rd day of weight training and a 45 minute session on the Pilates Reformer while eliminating cardio (besides an occasional spin class). Weight training days are circuits comprised of multi-joint lifts, core strengthening movements and balance/mobility work. 2-4 exercises per circuit, with 1- 1 1/2 minute rest periods. We keep things moving throughout the training which helps relieve the need for him to do "cardio days". The results thus far: lost 7 lbs, much improved hip mobility, HUGE improvement in ROM of the mid-thoracic spine, +25 on bench, + 40 squat and most importantly has cut the frequency of medication in half and doesn't have to deal with the pain associated with inflammation. I'm not a doctor and you should never change meds or dosage without consulting your doctor. I just wanted to share the positive experience of one person.

Hacking your health, a lifelong journey...

I try not to write in finite terms on here. Meaning I rarely say, "if you do x then y will definitely happen for you". My rationale for this is; 1.) I'm not trying to sell a book or a product and it does me no good to dig my heals in on any one particular diet or style of training. 2.) After 11+ years in the fitness I've seen first hand that everyone's muscle fiber breakdown and metabolic type is as unique to each individual as their finger prints. 3.) Anything I believe in, and have seen work in person, has thousands of articles one Google search away with evidence to the contrary. This is why it's important that each individual does a certain amount of bio hacking. I strongly encourage everyone to keep a food log or utilize an app such as myfitpal.com to keep, track of where your kcal are coming from. It also allows you monitor macronutrient breakdown - which in my opinion needs to be addressed before worrying about micronutrients. While keeping a track of your food, you should make sure to take brief notes on how you feel the 2 hours after every meal or snack. Make notes on energy,satiety need to go to the bathroom urgently, gas, bloating, heartburn etc. Within 5 days you will see patterns in high energy and low energy and also patterns in foods that cause gas, bloating ( often indicating food sensitivities ). Now, the information about diet and exercise is coming at us from a bunch of different directions at 100 miles per hour. It can be somewhat intimidating, but should in no way serve as an excuse to not try anything. There are always those people that ask me for information about diet and then when I give my answer - which usually involves me pointing out the 18 beers, pizza and bagels are going to make it difficult to achieve weight loss goals - they quickly reply with, " yeah but my dog walker said that they heard Dr. McDummy say that beer is just carbo loading and not that bad if you limit it to 4 nights a week." These are the people that want something for nothing. They are the people that use really strong, negative adjectives to describe how they feel about their current weight/looks and then melodramatically claim that all of the existing information is "overwhelming". It's only overwhelming if you want it to be. I, on the other hand, love the process of figuring out what works for me - and then what will work for each individual client. You've probably heard that gluten isn't great for you - btw, I agree. So if you really want to know if that's true, take a week to find out if it's true in regards to you. Learn what foods contain gluten (there are hundreds of apps, the information is available within seconds at any given moment), then eliminate those foods for a week. During that time monitor your energy, take notice of how your stomach reacts, do you have less mucus, has your joint pain diminished, measure yourself around the belly button before and after. Then take a week to do this with dairy, different ratios of macronutrients at all of your meals etc... You should also learn how to monitor tangible physical results while experimenting with different exercise programs. We all have different breakdowns of fast twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers. So any programs that claim their way is the only way, and will get everyone their desired results, is totally gas-bagging and probably has a bridge they'd like to sell you. Exercise programs should be given at least 4-8 weeks. This takes time. This where I think working with a professional really becomes valuable- especially if you have a time sensitive goal. This should serve as an interesting ongoing process throughout your life's journey. Figuring out what combination of food and exercise is going to result is the best version of yourself, is so incredibly exciting. You just have to want to see it that way... To really stop and realize that health is a gift and needs to be cultivated like a garden. It's now 230 in the morning, this was meant to be 2 paragraphs, but this shit excites me, and I hope that it excites even 1 person that reads this - if it does, then me falling asleep at work tomorrow will feel worth it. Keep the emails and feedback coming, it means so much to me and it's an absolute joy and honor to help you.

New name. New company. New location.

I am beyond excited to announce that Bellator Fitness and Health is now The F.I.T Lab Inc and our new location is 550 Observer Highway in Hoboken (corner of Newark and Madison ). F.I.T stands for; Functional. Integrated. Training. Our mission is to create a tight-knit community of healthy and fit individuals dedicated to reaching goals. My job as owner and president, is to make sure that myself and the other trainers help you reach your goals, safely and effectively, by teaching not yelling. Since the inception of Bellator Fitness, I've been grinding out weeks filled with one-on-one sessions scattered all over Hoboken and Manhattan. From January 2010 until August 2011, I was in constant pain from a neck injury that lead to chronic migraines, almost daily. My doctors urged me to go on disability numerous times. I moved to my beach house an hour away in order to have surgery and actually lived down there and commuted back and forth, beginning one week after the procedure. I refused to take time off or give up clients so that I could keep working towards this day and owning a space like this. After years of research and learning from my mentors, I've decided to change my business model to better suit the current economic climate and to create an environment where our clientele can best give support and be supported. Thus, on April 1st I will unveil a full schedule of semi-private training a small conditioning classes. Most research indicates that clients get better results when working with others and this also allows me to have a much lower price point that the local gyms that only do one-on-one training. So not only will clients save hundreds of dollars a month by training with 2-4 other dedicated individuals, but they will get the results of private training while getting much, much more individual attention than they would at a Crossfit or a niche gym that only does classes. I will post pictures and more details later this week after the brand new equipment gets delivered. I will still be doing a full load of private training for the month of March and private training will always be available, just during off-peak hours. Please email gmorrone301@gmail.com with any questions.

PPNF Health Guidelines...

1.) Whenever possible eat fresh, non-GMO foods that are organic, locally-grown, unprocessed, and whole. For example: Fresh fruits and land and sea vegetables, in season. Whole grains: traditional wheat (kamut, spelt, emmer) rye, barley, oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth, teff, buckwheat, rice, and corn (soak, sprout grains or sour-leaven flour). Nuts (raw): walnuts, peanuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, coconuts, macadamia nuts, and pine nuts. Legumes: peanuts, soaked beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas Seeds (raw): sunflower, pumpkin, flax, and sesame. Raw (unprocessed) whole milk and butter from healthy animals; cultured yogurt, kefir, sour cream and cheeses. Animal proteins from pastured animals: poultry, beef, lamb, game, organ meats, eggs; wild fish and seafood. Prepare homemade meat stocks from bones of naturally raised chicken, beef, lamb, or fish and use liberally in soups and sauces. 2.) Avoid foods with additives and preservatives. 3.)Use traditional fats and oils : Fats: butter, ghee, lard, goose/chicken fat Oils: olive, coconut, palm, and minimally processed seed and nut oils (no cottonseed or canola) Use unrefined inland and sea salt with no additives. 4.) Enjoy sweeteners in small amounts from unrefined and natural sources. 5.) Drink and cook with pure, non-chlorinated, unfluoridated water. Avoid using water stored in plastic bottles. 6.)Drink herbal teas and fermented beverages. Cook and bake in glass, ceramic, porcelain, seasoned cast iron, or stainless steel instead of aluminum, silicon or non-stick cookware. 7.) Store food in glass instead of plastic containers, bags, or wraps. 8.) avoid using products that contain fragrances around food (hand and dish soap, lotions, air fresheners). 9.) Get plenty of sleep, exercise, and natural light. 10.) Think positive thoughts and minimize stress. 11.) Practice forgiveness. 12.) Optimal health is not merely a matter of good nutrition. Making a conscious effort to eat well is a decision we make daily once we have decided to “get healthy.” We often neglect to add other necessities to our busy schedules. Proper rest, exercise, and exposure to natural light are extremely important as are good emotional and mental health. Thinking positive thoughts, reducing stress, and practicing forgiveness can go a long way toward improving overall health.