Summer's a time for friends, family and fun – and junk food. Whatever the occasion this summer, there’s sure to be plenty of delicious food to enjoy that's sure to break your calorie budget. Summer holidays (ahem, 4th of July) slap you with more reasons to celebrate and more food to eat. How do you enjoy these celebrations without ruining your diet? Check out these three tips for avoiding calorie pitfalls at your next summer shindig.   

Don’t Leave The House Hungry

Ever gone to the grocery store on an empty stomach? You end up with more junk food than you can fit in the trunk of your car. The same logic applies for summer get-togethers. If you know there’s going to be loads of unhealthy food where you’re going, snack on something healthy before you leave the house. While you don’t want to seem rude by not eating if a full meal is being offered at the party, having a pre-emptive healthy snack allows you to partake in the meal without overindulging.

Allow Yourself Room to Cheat

Health experts suggest allowing yourself an occasional “cheat” while maintaining a healthy diet. Doing so keeps you from feeling deprived and prevents discouragement. Some recommend an entire cheat day, while others advise sticking to one meal or snack. Either way, when you know an event is coming up, consider making the event your cheat for the week. Maintain your calorie restrictions the days prior, and only eat low-calorie foods the day of the party.

Another way to adjust your calorie budget is by fitting in an extra workout session. Burning more calories the day of the party gives you a little wiggle room and a bit of diet flexibility. While this idea is certainly not recommended as a daily ritual (eating healthy and exercising regularly are crucial not only to your waistline, but also to your health), it’s fine to do on occasion.

Indulge In Alternatives

If you’re asked to bring a dish, bring something you know you can munch on without breaking your diet. This way you’re sure to have at least one thing to eat. Additionally, consider offering to make and bring one of these delicious low-calorie cocktails:

• Spiked Pomegranate Lemonade - For just 136 calories, you can enjoy this crisp drink and the health benefits of pomegranate.
  
  
• Blueberry Lemon Breeze - Whether you choose champagne or club soda to add some bubble, this drink is sure to please for only 205 calories.
  
  

To learn more about how you can stay fit this summer, check out Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo today.

Experience the burn with a kettlebell workout at the Downtown Athletic Club from June 29 - July 11. Learn new moves at this introductory Kettlebell Class taught by Nikki Fellenz, our newest massage therapist.

The first week of this class is free for members and non-members alike, so bring your friends and get in shape together. Designed to sculpt your entire body, this awesome workout will benefit beginners and advanced.

Class Schedule

6/29: 11 a.m.
7/1: 7 a.m.
7/2: 7 p.m.
7/6: 8 a.m.
7/8: 3 p.m.
7/10: 10 a.m.
7/11: 8 a.m.

Meet The Instructor

Nikki graduated from Globe University with an A.A.S. in Massage Therapy in 2011 in Wisconsin, where she was raised. Nikki specializes in therapeutic, deep tissue and myofascial release, but she is also a kettlebell instructor certified through StrongFirst. Nikki is a Sergeant in the Army National Guard and has served for the past 6 years.

She is certified in:

• Deep Tissue
  
• Trigger Point
  
• Myofascial Release
  
• Swedish
  
• Hot Stone
  
• Thai Massage
  
• Kettlebell Instruction
  

Meet Nikki through the free, introductory Kettlebell Class, or schedule a massage with her.

As parents, we all want to make sure our kids develop healthy habits. Whether it’s a family vacation with a long drive or you’re just spending the day at the park or beach, bringing your own snacks makes a lot of sense. Outings and vacations often bring opportunities for poor food choices you wouldn’t normally make. And it’s easy for kids to end up with tummy trouble or mood swings because of it. Here are suggestions for five healthy snacks to satisfy your kids hunger.

Granola Bars

Choose low sugar and high fiber varieties. Besides eating them just the way they are, you can also crumble them on top of yogurt.

Celery With Nut Butter

Put some peanut butter or almond butter in the bottom of a jar, stand celery sticks on end in the nut butter and put the lid on. When it’s time to eat, just use the celery to scoop up the nut butter. The protein will keep their tummies satisfied and give them the necessary energy to enjoy the day.

Cheese Sticks

These are very portable and most kids love them. You can also wrap a piece of lunchmeat around them for extra protein.

Fruit And Veggies

You can easily take these on the road. Find single serving size packages of apples, baby carrots and celery in most produce departments. If you prefer to buy fresh and package them yourself, use a 32 oz. yogurt container or other similar sized plastic container with a baby food jar inside for dip. Find an example of this technique here. 
You could also try making a homemade version of fruit snacks, fruit leather, or veggie chips if your kids like those.

Popcorn

You can make your own or buy it in little single serving bags. If you opt to buy it, watch the sodium content and skip flavors like caramel corn or chocolate drizzle since they’re more like candy.

There are many other options too and you’re sure to find something your kids will love.

The Downtown Athletic Club can help you make healthy choices and lifestyle changes that can have you looking and feeling your best. Contact us today for more details.

When you’re on a tight budget, it may seem easy to just run through the nearest fast food restaurant and grab something off the dollar menu. Cheaper foods, however, tend to be loaded with sugar, sodium, saturated fats, and carbs that lack any nutritional value. Eating healthy on a budget can be done, with the following tips.

Eat Before You Shop

Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach can cause impulse buys of grab-and-go treats that could potentially bust your waistline, as well as your budget. Even eating just a small snack before your grocery trip can help tremendously.

Plan Meals Around Sales

Make sure to sign up for any savings cards at your local grocery stores. You also need to keep an eye on the sales flyers for the newest deals. Instead of shopping for groceries based on your weekly meal plan, plan your meals according to what’s on sale that week.

Head Down The Bulk Aisle

Meal staples, such as brown rice and beans, are less expensive when you scoop them directly from bulk bins. You can cook big servings of these fiber-packed foods, and use them in meals throughout the week, like stir-fry, tacos, chili, and much more.

Visit The Farmers’ Market at A Later Hour

Local growers usually have the best deals for fresh produce, because they aren’t having to ship the food out. By visiting the Amarillo farmers’ market at the end of the day, you are more likely to score great deals because the sellers want to unload as much as possible before they close up shop.

Buy In-Season, Ripe Produce And Freeze it

Produce is always a necessity in healthy nutrition, but the cost can add up quickly. Consider stocking up whenever you find a good deal, and freezing it in Ziploc bags. You can freeze it whole, but cutting it in smaller pieces will save more freezer space. You can also purchase already-frozen goods, locked with the same nutrients as fresh produce. Consider even purchasing frozen meat and fish in bulk to save even more money.

Eat Eggs

Eggs are packed with protein, and are less expensive than most protein sources. They can be incorporated into many meals, not just breakfast. Eggs also consist of all of the essential amino acids.

Overall health is not only weight training, cardio, and maintaining a certain weight, but it is also putting the proper nutrition into your body. For more information and advice about fitting in proper nutrition into your fitness regimen, check out the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo today.

Bloating is an uncomfortable, frustrating situation that happens even to the best of us. With bikini season in full swing, you don’t want to deal with this issue if at all possible. Most of the time, bloating is the result of eating too many hard-to-digest foods, and not enough bloat-reducing foods. Keep reading to learn what to eat and what to avoid in order to fight that bloat.

Foods That Reduce Bloating

Contrary to popular belief, water is the best thing you can take in if you’re experiencing bloating. Bloating is your body’s way of holding on to water to avoid dehydration, so making sure you’re well-hydrated is an easy way to reduce your puffy belly. Because of this, consuming plenty of water, as well as foods that contain plenty of water, helps prevent bloating. Here are some examples of things you should add to your diet to avoid bloating:

• Water with lemon
  
  
• Celery
  
  
• Watermelon
  
  
• Cucumber
  
  
• Parsley
  
  
• Summer squash
  
  

In addition to the water-containing items mentioned above, there are a few other foods you can eat that will help reduce bloating. These include, but are not limited to:

• Rosemary - This treats intestinal gas and is good for digestion in general.
  
  
• Turmeric - Fights pain and inflammation, also eases upset stomach.
  
  

Foods That Cause Bloating

Even if you eat all the good-for-your-belly foods we’ve mentioned here, you may still experience bloating if you’re consuming certain other foods that are difficult for your body to digest. While some of the bloat-inducing foods listed below are crucial to a healthy diet, it’s wise to limit them if you experience bloating on a regular basis.

• Brussel sprouts
  
  
• Cabbage
  
  
• Cauliflower
  
  
• Prunes
  
  
• Artificial sweeteners
  
  
• Whole grains
  
  
• Dairy products
  
  
• Carrots
  
  
• Apricots
  
  
• Fructose
  
  
• Fatty foods
  
  

Fructose and artificial sweeteners have many additional health risks aside from bloating, so try to avoid them whenever possible. The others on this list, however, are actually good for you. It’s not necessary to eliminate them completely; simply be mindful of how much of them you’re consuming.

Choosing bloat-reducing foods and avoiding – or limiting – those foods that cause bloating is a simple way to get rid of that puffy belly. To further ease your symptoms, get plenty of exercise, which keeps the fluids in your body moving freely, and aides in digestion. At Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo, we can help you get in shape and keep bloating at bay. To learn more, reach out to us today.

You want to workout and get healthy, you really do. But finding time to get some exercise in seems nearly impossible – especially when you spend so much time at work. After all, you have to pay the bills. What if you could get a good workout at work? With just a few office-centric moves, you can be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

Desk Chair Swivel

You can easily perform this move while sitting at your desk reading emails or reviewing documents. Simply sit in your chair with your back straight, lift your feet slightly off the ground and swivel left and then right. This will work the abs and help stretch out your lower back.

Real Stair Stepper

This is one of the easiest exercises to perform at work. If you have a meeting on a different floor, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take the stairs when you arrive to work and you can get this exercise out of the way early. If you have a few minutes on your break, walk up and down one flight of stairs for a quick workout.

Break Room Kickback

Whenever you go to the break room, whether it’s for a cup of coffee or a healthy snack, you should perform this simple leg exercise. Stand up straight and balance on one foot. Then lift the opposite leg straight back, keeping it as straight as possible. If you need help balancing yourself, hold on to the counter. Complete 10 reps for each leg.

Desk Squats

Every time you return to your desk perform five reps of this exercise. Stand in front of your chair with your feet shoulder width apart. Place your hands on your hips and lower your bottom down until it just touches the seat. Then push yourself straight up through your heels back to a standing position. This is great for the thighs and glutes.

Printer Pushups

Waiting for the printer can be a time-sucking endeavor. Use this time to get in a quick set of pushups. You can perform incline pushups against a counter or even the wall. Keep your back straight and your hands slightly wider apart than your shoulders. When lowering your body, keep your elbows close to your body. Do one set of 10.

Doing these simple exercises will turn your workday into a more productive one. When you’re ready to workout outside of the office, stop into The Downtown Athletic Club and speak to one of the many certified personal trainers who can help design a personalized exercise program that will help you reach your fitness goals.

If you’ve grown tired of going through the motions when you work out, it is time to change things up. You will be motivated to engage in physical activity on a regular basis if you have fun while doing it. Let's take a look at a few ways to help you enjoy your workout.

Enjoy The Process

If you find yourself bored with your exercise routine, it’s probably become too static. Incorporate new sports and activities to spice it up. Some people will even enjoy the approach dubbed “Primal Play” in which re-purposed childhood games are paired with functional movements. The key is to live in the moment and stop watching the clock. If you are not into sports, join an exercise group, like step aerobics or Zumba.

Know Your Personality

Some people prefer to exercise alone with a long walk or bike ride. Others can't get motivated to exercise unless they’re surrounded by others. Figure out which type of environment works best for you and stick to it. Do not resort to the most easily accessible activity. Find a sport or means of exercising that matches your style. If you are highly competitive, racquetball might appeal to you. If you are more laid back, a brisk walk might be best.

Establish A Diversity Of Activities

If you find a sport or activity that matches your personality and tastes, do not stop there. Keep searching for additional activities that you can enjoy as you’ll eventually grow tired of the same sport/exercise after you repeat it hundreds of times. Your body needs a diversity of exercises for a comprehensive workout. Bodies eventually fall into a lull if exercise habits remain the same. Strive to introduce new activities to keep your mind and body stimulated.

Your Motivator

Spend some time thinking about what really motivates you to exercise. Some people only exercise to maintain their physical appearance. Others exercise for health reasons. Another segment of people engages in physical activity because they love a particular sport. The trick is to find a sport or activity that you are naturally inclined to participate in. If you find an exercise that you determine to be “fun,” you will be less inclined to go overboard with sugars, fats and salty foods afterward.

You can find a myriad of exercise equipment and activities at the Downtown Athletic Club. We have personal training, group fitness classes and all sorts of cardio/weight machines. We invite all residents in the greater Amarillo area to visit us to learn more.

If you are looking for ways to maximize your workout, or you are just looking to get started, you may be wondering when the best time for your workout is. A lot of people prefer to work out in the early morning hours to get it out of the way or to start their day right. Some can't squeeze it in until evening, but wonder if exercise will inhibit sleep. Still others may not be able to do it at the same time every day. Is this OK?

What Is The Best Time For Me To Work Out?

As it turns out, it does make a difference when you hit the gym. A phenomenon called diurnal variation seems to influence how effective exercise can be at different times of the day. Research indicates that for those looking to increase strength, muscle mass and workout efficiency, afternoon and evening workouts may be better.

While there was little difference in endurance found from morning until nighttime, strength was increased during the later hours. More strength equals a more vigorous workout, for starters, so it makes sense that exercise later in the day would increase both performance and results.

This seems to apply mostly to strength-based workouts such as weight lifting or bodyweight workouts. A study that analysed fat loss in groups of walkers found that the people who walked in the evening saw more progress than those that walked in the morning.

Should I Work Out At Night?

With all that said, if you prefer or only have time to work out in the morning, don't turn your schedule upside down because of this.

When it comes down to it, the best time to work out is when you are most likely to do it. If getting exercise out of the way first thing in the morning works for you, by all means, keep doing it. If you enjoy doing your fitness routine in the evening, then keep doing it.

Will Working Out At Night Interfere With Sleeping?

This is a common concern, and while it makes sense that physical activity in the late afternoon or evening might mess with your sleep schedule, this doesn't seem to be the case. In fact, some people seem to sleep better after a workout. Again, this is highly individual, and you might find the opposite to be true for you.

If you are trying to get fit and healthy, and would like some pointers and some motivation, head on down to the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo, a state of the art fitness facility with friendly personal trainers.

The Downtown Athletics Club’s annual Peak of Fitness Challenge starts today and runs through September 6. During the Peak of Fitness Challenge, DAC members can opt to collect points for activities and get rewards based on total points.

We hope to inspire our members to reach for fitness (even in the busy summer months) through this challenge.

How Does Peak Of Fitness Work?

If you’re a DAC member, all you have to do to enter is to simply start tracking your activities in the logbook at the check-in desk.

Here’s how to earn points:

• For every 30 minutes spent doing a cardio activity (e.g. treadmill, cycling, elliptical, rower); playing active sports, such as basketball and racquetball; and doing resistance training (e.g. weights and TRX), you will receive 1 point.
  
  
• 30 minutes of massage therapy equals 2 points, and 30 minutes of personal training equals 2 points.
  
  
• Group fitness classes are 3 points, and group training sessions lasting at least 30 minutes will earn you 2 points.
  

You can earn a maximum of 15 points per day through these activities, but can earn points on top of that maximum with an additional weekly activity that will be announced on Facebook, Instagram and the DAC board at the check-in desk.

So, What Are These Rewards You Mentioned?

We tally up all the individual points members have earned through September 6 at 6 p.m. Members who earn 125 points will receive a $10 credit to the Pro Shop; those with 250 points get a $25 credit to the Pro Shop; and those who earn 400 points will receive a DAC t-shirt and a $50 credit to the Pro Shop.

The top 10 male and top 10 female points earners will then be entered into a drawing to win a piece of jewelry. The male and female winners will be announced at a customer appreciation party at the end of the competition.

If you have any questions or concerns, the DAC staff will be happy to answer or address them.

This week’s bonus point can be earned by joining the Peak of Fitness challenge. Each time you log an activity this week, you’ll receive an extra point. Make sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram to get bonus point updates each week.

Good luck!

The DAC reserves the right to correct any miscalculations in points. Current point standings will be updated weekly. You must be a DAC member to participate. Off-site activity is not eligible for points.