Tag Archives: strength training

The Power of Mindset to Reaching Your Fitness Goals

Posted on by

At a gut-check level, isn’t it true that when you decide to do something – like exercising or eating better – the level of commitment you have at the outset pretty much determines that goal’s failure or success?

To set the stage, my husband/fellow Koko FitClub co-founder, Mike Lannon, believes that  with the right mindset, you can accomplish anything. He applies it to running this business, to working alongside our Koko owners and most importantly, the approach we take to give our members the best shot possible at successfully reaching their health and fitness goals.

Imagine how excited he was to come across this research to back up what he knew in his gut to be 100% true.

Making a long term commitment to health and fitness improves success

The research showed that simply making up your mind at the outset that you are committed for the long term versus the short term determined the level of success. Wow. Progress wasn’t correlated to any other measurable trait or aptitude.Simply this mindset.

Think about what this means for YOU and your goals to get healthier!

Koko FitClub is designed to make exercise time-efficient to fit into your life, to be simple so you to show up and get it done, and to be fun so you’re motivated along the way. Health is not a sprint, it’s a lifestyle choice. Adopt the mindset that you will exercise and make healthier choices from here on out. Koko FitClub is here to help.

Be patient, be consistent, decide that you’ll stick with it for the long haul. You will be successful!


o)< STAY STRONG

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising

Strengthening the Mind / Body Fitness Connection at Koko

Posted on by

Exercise the mind body connection at Koko FitClubEvery time I workout on the Smartrainer, my goal is 1000 points. Something about that goal is extremely motivating for me. I’m not the only one…but there are also equally dedicated Koko Nuts who aren’t as “focused” on earning 1000 points every time. That’s ok, because Koko points are just one part of a much bigger motivational environment. We want to do everything we can, through Smartraining technology, supportive FitCoaches and the serene training studios they inhabit, to engage your mind as well as your body. And how we accomplish that is going to be a bit different for every one of you.

Typical fitness scenes include armies of people lined up on treadmills, all zoned out to the television screens in front of them. On the weight floor, folks go through the motions at a such speed you know they just can’t wait to be finished. The whole purpose seems to be to distract from the unpleasantness at hand or get it over with ASAP because it’s boring. Working out like this helps you achieve your fitness goals no more than living like this helps you achieve your life goals. It’s very simple: engaging your mind in whatever you are doing translates to better results. In exercise, thinking about your form and the muscles you engage with each movement allows you to work them more efficiently and effectively.

Mindful exercise is essential for success.

Here are a few of the ways Koko encourages mindful exercise:

The Pace Bar- even I can’t explain exactly why, but the Koko pace bar is absolutely mesmerising and we all try very hard to follow it. No more racing through reps. No more daydreaming. Following the pace bar results in optimal time under tension for your muscles, making the most out of every rep.

Koko Points- They are little rewards at the end of each Smartraining session or ways we compete with ourselves and others to stay motivated. Bottom line is, the more engaged you are in your workout, the more points you’ll earn. Maybe even 1000!

Smartraining Form Tips- Available for every exercise, every workout, with a reminder about how important the right form is to your results.

Michael Wood, CSCS- The awesome Boston baritone of our Chief Fitness Officer has coached Koko Nation through hundreds of thousands of hours of Koko Cardio workouts, and we can’t help but pay attention! (Even our Louisiana contingent has grown fond of his “Yankee” accent, haven’t you?) Shoulders back? Arms pumping? Abs in? Always positive, Michael keeps us thinking and encouraged.

No TVs- No need for the distraction. We are too busy following the pace bar and listening to Michael.

Variety- Every workout is different so you never go on fitness autopilot, repeating the same exercises over an over without a second thought.

FitCoaches- They make sure you feel welcome, supported, and well oriented. Most importantly, they are your BIGGEST cheerleaders!

Spa-like Atmosphere- There really is nothing worse that trying to exercise in a giant warehouse full of equipment, noise and REALLY LOUD MUSIC. And let’s not even talk about the smell. Koko FitClubs are intimate, attractive, quiet an clean. Perfect for mindfully reflecting on you and your workout.

All this is designed to help YOU get and STAY STRONG! Is it working?

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising

Strength Training Improves Flexibility

Posted on by

Koko FitClub keeps you strong AND Flexible

Results of a study conducted at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks fly in the face of many things we thought we knew about stretching, strength training and flexibility. Most of us grew up believing that stretching is THE way to improve flexibility. Something we need to do prior to exercise or other active pursuits to prevent injury and improve performance. In fact, a lot of the old “truths” about stretching have been disproven in recent years. For example, we now know that static, “old school”, style stretching will actually diminish athletic performance. Dynamic warm-ups, like those you are guided through before you begin your Smartraining sessions, are the way to go.

These new findings on flexibility, though, are truly revelatory. They suggest that resistance training, with attention paid to using a full range of motion- as you know a critical element of a Smartraining workout- is as good, if not better at improving and maintaining flexibility than static stretching! Your Koko Smartraining workouts are not only making you stronger, they are also improving your flexibility. Just another reason to Koko. Here’s  the article:

http://bit.ly/aTm5YW

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising

Happy 4th of July! Watch Koko’s Declaration of Fitness Independence o)

Posted on by

Happy 4th of July Koko Nation!

We are feeling extra revolutionary today. In the spirit of our forefathers who knew they could create a country that worked better for everyone –  Koko FitClub has created fitness that works better for the 84% of us for whom gyms just don’t cut it. Here’s a little something we call the Declaration of Independent Fitness.  Enjoy! :)

If the player doesn’t show above, you can watch it here - http://youtu.be/jfFiMqid1RE

Enjoy the Day’s Festivities!

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising 

 

The Diet you Choose After Weight Loss Affects your Metabolism

Posted on by

The food you eat after weight loss affects the likelihood of putting weight back onAs Chief Fitness Officer at Koko FitClub, part of my role is pouring through the mass of diet and exercise research out there to discover for you the best information from the most credible sources to help you succeed at your health and fitness goals.

This week, a very intriguing study was published in one of the most credible sources: The Journal of the American Medical Association. The title may be a mouthful ( “Effects of Dietary Composition on Energy Expenditure During Weight-Loss Maintenance”) but this research is big news, so I am going to boil it down for you.

The basic premise of the study was this: Reduced energy expenditure (a slowing of  metabolism) following weight loss is thought to contribute to the tendency to gain weight back. However, no one had yet studied how the type of food people eat when they are trying to maintain weight loss affects their energy expenditure. That is what the researchers set out to do here.

The study looked at the effects of three, very common weight -loss maintenance diets on energy expenditure among a group of overweight men/women aged 18-40 years old. Researchers also looked to see what affect these diets had on certain hormone levels and components of metabolic syndrome.

The diets were as follows:

  • Low fat (60/20/20)
  • Low glycemic index (40/40/20)
  • Very low carbohydrate (10/60/30)

(  )  =  % CARBOHYDRATES/FAT/PROTEIN in diet

The study demonstrated that of the three, the low fat diet fared worst. Producing changes in metabolism and hormone levels that would predict weight gain as well as worsening many components of metabolic syndrome.

The low carbohydrate diet fared best in terms of  metabolism and the beneficial effects it had on many of the metabolic syndrome components. However,  increases in the stress hormone cortisol and CRP were seen. (CRP or C-reactive protein, is found in your blood stream and at certain levels can indicate inflammation and a risk of developing coronary artery disease.)

The low glycemic index diet showed similar benefits as the very low carb diet, but to a lesser degree. But, those benefits came without  the negative effects of the very low carb diet – the increase in cortisol and CRP – making it, in the minds of the researchers, the most “advantageous for weight-loss maintenance and cardiovascular disease prevention.”

So what should you do with this information?

First, keep on strength training! The lean muscle you are building and maintaining with Koko Smartraining boosts your metabolism. Second, be conscious about the food you are eating and focus on eating foods that are low on the glycemic index while staying away from fast food, refined carbs, and “white” foods that are high on the glycemic index.

It is one more simple strategy to help you on the road to success – improving your health  and vitality!

Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer
Koko FitClub

Koko FitClub Franchising