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Thank you for your continued support. On Friday, Governor Baker announced that Phase 3 would begin no earlier than July 6. We have updated the email below which was originally sent on Tuesday June 16th with the latest information. Please review the new information fully and fill out this form by the end of the day on June 23, 2020 if you are not ready to come back to the club in July. This will allow us time to submit change requests to our billing company before the cut off.
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From the bottom of our hearts we thank you for your support over the last few challenging months. We temporarily closed our doors 3 months ago and cannot wait to see you in person again in one of the safest and cleanest clubs in the world. Over the last few months, we have been inspired by your stories of keeping fit away from the gym, our team members’ commitment to keeping you healthy in less than ideal circumstances and your kinds words of encouragement.
We have said it many times over the last 43 years, but our amazing community of members and team members is second to none. Your support over the last few months has allowed us to keep over 100 team members on our payroll, procure the best cleaning and disinfecting equipment, reconfigure our clubs and train our team on these new standards and procedures. Please take a look at our reopening and disinfecting plans and videos.
Gyms are included in Phase 3 of the Massachusetts reopening plan and if Phase 3 starts on the earliest possible date, we will open Healthworks and Republic Fitness on July 6.
For those of you who have been supporting us in full throughout this temporary closure, your billing we continue as it has been. For those of you who have switched to a virtual membership or put your membership on freeze over the last 3 months, normal member billing will resume a few days after the clubs reopen. We hope to see you or even if you do not feel comfortable coming in, that you will consider supporting us.
If you are not quite ready to return to the club, we encourage you to try or continue a virtual membership to stay active. We will also be extending the no-cost freeze option for an additional three months to those who request it. If you would like to take advantage of either of these, please fill out this form by end of day on June 23, 2020 to allow us time to submit change requests to our billing company before the cut off.
If you have already requested a freeze extension and received a confirmation email from our system, you are all set and do not need to take further action.
I am so grateful for your continued support throughout this very difficult time; I cannot thank you enough for your loyalty.
We have been using this time while we have been closed to work with public health officials and experts in the field to thoroughly prepare for our reopening. Additionally, we have been in close communication with other gym and health club owners and operators from Asia, Europe and around the country, and are learning from their experiences as they start to reopen and allow members back into their clubs. We are stocking hospital grade disinfectants, developing procedures for disinfecting and effective social distancing and training every one of our team, from Front Desk, to Trainers, to Cleaning Crew on these new protocols.
Please visit this page for details on our plans for cleaning and sanitation protocols, club operations, HWX and community expectations. Our team will be working extremely hard to keep our clubs safe but we will not be able to do it without you. Please pay particular note to the updates to our club polices and member expectations.
We expect that Governor Baker will provide additional details on Monday on when it will be safe and appropriate to reopen. We expect our standards and processes will be more stringent then what the state lays out as requirements. It is our priority to keep you informed on every update as it comes to us. The health and well-being of our members and staff remains our top priority. We cannot wait to see you all again.
Please let us know if you have any questions. While we will continue to offer Virtual options once we reopen, our entire team is eager to see you again at the club!
Mark Harrington, Jr.
President, Healthworks Group
Topic: The Afterburn Effect
Afterburn, also known as EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption) is a term used for the effects that take place after your workout has been completed. Even though you have completed your workout and are on to the next item on your agenda, your body is still working its way to recovery.
Here’s some science behind it!
EPOC – EPOC describes the amount of oxygen required to get your body back to its resting level of metabolic function.
Your body uses oxygen to replace the energy and muscle glycogen (carbohydrates) you used while working out. The more oxygen used, the more calories you will continue to burn post-workout. The amount of oxygen used will be different for every individual, therefore you won’t know exactly how much afterburn will take place. Some factors that play a role in calories burned include; gender, age, lean body mass, fitness level and the intensity of the exercise.
Studies have shown that HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts and Tabata workouts tend to produce the most afterburn effects vs. a workout that is in a steady state. Typically, if you are working out somewhere between 70-85% of your max heart rate, you will have more success in achieving afterburn. Don’t be confused, you can still benefit from afterburn while lifting weights! Be sure to keep up your intensity throughout the duration of your workout.
How can our gym assist you with hitting HIIT training during your workouts? Republic Fitness offers a Myzone belt which allows people to track their heart rates. This belt will notify you once you are at 80% of your heart rate capacity. These belts are offered right here at the gym, so no need to go searching! Use the links below to take a look at some of our Myzone team training classes as well as more detail about the Myzone belt!
https://healthworksfitness.com/teamtrainmyzone/
Overall, it seems as though afterburn is influenced by intensity vs. the duration of the exercise. Great news is you could potentially cut down on the hours in the gym, BUT you need to be putting in additional effort during your workout.
Your metabolism is constantly working to help the body function, so keep in mind your body is constantly burning calories…yes, even when resting! But, afterburn is a major factor in burning those extra calories and burning away some excess fat.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to submit your 2019 health insurance reimbursement by the end of March to your insurance company. Reward yourself with up to $300 in reimbursement for working out at Republic. We make it easy for our members to save! We have provided links to major insurance provider’s reimbursement forms and directions here.
For those Massachusetts plans that require a receipt or contract, the process is listed below:
For access to your receipt history:
1) Log into the member portal
2) Go to My Account
3) See the left navigation for Payment History to obtain a receipt
For access to your contract:
1) Go to My Agreement Information
2) Click on Documents
3) “Previous Motionsoft Document” is a copy of your contract form
If you are a part of AllWays Healthcare, please let us know and we will share additional info with you.
Refer a friend or co-worker this month and when they join, you receive $100 club cash!
Jumping up out of bed once the alarm goes off to get to the gym? Trying to get a quick workout in before work? Many times, people will head to the gym early in the AM and then go right to work. For many, the morning is the best time for them to get their workouts in. Early workouts make people feel accomplished, relieves stress of the after-work workout and leaves them feeling energized and ready to seize the day!
One thing people tend to forget is their breakfast! Once you have completed your workout and get to the office, it is important to make sure you are fueling your body. Having a carbohydrate and protein filled meal after your workout is one-hundred percent necessary. Not only will it refuel your body, it will provide you with energy and stop you from overeating during other meals throughout the day.
Two items that can be a staple for your morning “on the road” breakfast, could be a protein bar and a banana or apple. These items take up very little space in your gym bag and can leave you feeling satisfied after a workout. Protein bars come in tons of different varieties and flavors which could help you with any cravings you may have. Eating a fruit source along with the protein bar provides you the carbohydrates your body needs as well as some micronutrients (which are always a huge bonus).
If you’re someone who isn’t hungry after a workout, try drinking a protein shake. Shakes will be much lighter on the stomach. All you need to do is throw the protein powder into a shaker cup the night before and put it in your gym bag. Before you leave the gym, just fill the cup up with some water, shake it up, and you’re ready to go! If you prefer to have a thicker consistency, try adding some almond milk and ice with the protein and blend it up the night before. You can keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to head to the gym. While you are working out, the shake will begin to defrost and will be perfect by the time your workout is complete!
Overnight oats can be made with quick oats and almond milk and placed in the refrigerator overnight. If you want to add some flavor try adding cinnamon, cocoa powder, peanut butter or any of your favorite flavors! Making a PB&J on a bagel is a tasty option as well! You can pretty much make any food you may want to eat for breakfast the night before. Planning ahead the night before will save you time and stress in the AM.
If you follow nutrition information on Instagram, Facebook, and other media outlets, you’ve probably heard the recommendation that you should be eating high quality protein. It might make you question your own choices for protein in your diet — are they high quality?
The inevitable follow up: what is a high quality protein?
Depending on what’s important to the writer of that information, “high quality” can mean a lot of different things. Try to determine based on the context, before questioning your own protein choices, whether the source of the info may subscribe to any of the following values:
Environmental concerns. In the context of environmental concerns, a “high quality protein” might be one that has a minimal environmental impact on climate change and the environment. This would mean a plant-based protein such as lentils, beans, peas, tofu/tempeh, and whole grains would be considered high quality.
Food Industry concerns. For some, the processing of food is the highest indicator of quality. Here, this typically means how protein sources are raised or grown: are they organic or genetically modified (in the case of soy products), are animals raised with or without antibiotics, allowed to eat a “natural” diet or corn fed, and so on. Organic protein raised free range without antibiotic use would be considered highest quality in this case.
Ethical concerns. High quality protein can refer to ethical treatment of animals, and therefore plant-based proteins would most likely top the list. For ethical animal treatment, a certified humane certification or indication of free-range or pasture-raised would likely constitute a higher quality protein than those that are conventionally raised.
Maximum physical performance and medical diets. For those interested in muscle growth, performance, and optimal nutrition, bioavailability is often considered the main criteria for a “high quality” protein. Scientific research indicates that protein digested from animal products is more efficiently digested and utilized by the body compared to plant-based proteins. Within this context, a faster-digesting protein would be considered higher quality, and animal sources of protein would win out over plant-based.
Given the conflicting views and opinions, it’s impossible to have a definitive answer for what a high-quality protein is. This decision is up to each of us individually; it’s about deciding what’s important to you and making choices based on those values.
Not sure yet where to land on this issue? My general recommendation in nutrition counseling is to aim for a mix of both plant- and animal-based proteins on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis – whatever feels right to you!
You’ve cleaned up your diet, you’re exercising 3-4 times per week or more, and despite a great initial weight loss over the last 6-9 months you have seen results grind to a halt. What gives? A weight loss plateau is a real phenomenon for many people looking to lose weight, and it can be an incredibly frustrating experience that makes us want to throw in the towel and take a break from the diligence.
Here are a few major signs to help you confirm you’re in a weight loss plateau, along with two surefire ways to get out.
- You’ve gone low/no carb, keto, paleo, vegan, cut out all flour/sugar, etc. One of the primary reasons we get stuck in a weight loss plateau is cutting out too much. When we cut calories too low, we get a huge benefit in the beginning (maybe the first or second time you tried it) and then see diminishing returns. This is because our body, over time, learns to adapt to a “famine” environment and will stop burning fat for fuel. Instead, it will switch into primarily fat storage which, for our biology, is a long-term survival tactic. Will your body burn fat for energy? Yes, but it will also retain and store as much fat as it possibly can, as well. Kind of a zero-sum game, in the end. In the meantime, muscle mass is broken down for a more efficient source of fuel, and as a result, your resting metabolic rate drops meaning you need even less food than when you started.
- You’re not hungry anymore. In “diet mode,” hunger can sometimes be taken as a signal that things are going well. We resist and fight hunger, we don’t eat in response to it, and we think, hah, yes! Burn your own calories! There’s plenty there! Over time, in ignoring those signals, our brain will eventually stop producing them anymore. It gives up on trying to find food from the environment. It shifts into creating its own energy, which it is not efficient at (see #1.)
- You’ve slept a full 8 hours, but you could sleep more. All our most basic metabolic reactions that produce energy require nutrients from food: B vitamins, iron, folate, choline, zinc, iodine, etc. Without adequate calories, we aren’t likely to be getting adequate nutrients; the result is feeling run down and exhausted. Supplementation with a multivitamin can potentially be a band-aid for this, but over time it will wear us down.
- You’re frequently sick, cold, experiencing hair loss, or have irregular periods. All the above indicate a major biological system potentially impaired by lack of nutrients, protein, and calories. These conditions are considered a progression of #3 and should be a sign to increase food intake immediately. Visit a dietitian and get a professional to calculate your calorie needs. If this does not resolve the above conditions, consult your healthcare provider.
- It hurts to eat. Sometimes, going extended periods without eating (over 5 hours) can lead to discomfort or even severe pain when eating again. Think of this the way you would after sitting down for several hours: upon getting up, your muscles are likely to be stiff and sore. Your digestive system is one extremely long muscle group; it too, can experience cramping and soreness after long periods of not eating. To avoid or minimize discomfort aim to eat every 4-5 hours minimum or eat small frequent amounts if going large periods of time without eating.
If any of the above apply to you, talk to a dietitian about how to evaluate whether you’re in a weight loss plateau and how to address it to meet your individual needs. Your metabolism is likely in a slow, altered state and needs to be kicked back up again. In a general sense, there are 2 very important things that will be prescribed to you in order to reverse it.
- Eat enough. Counterintuitively, eating an adequate amount of food for your body and your exercise program will be the key to kickstarting your metabolism for weight loss again. A dietitian can help you calculate your needs and come up with a meal approach and nutritional strategies to get there, along with customized recommendations.
- Exercise regularly. Exercise will maintain and build muscle, as long as nutrition is adequate. This will increase your metabolic rate, meaning more calories are burned at rest and body fat is better managed. Continue an exercise program that is appropriately challenging, progressive in nature, and contains a mix of strength training and cardio conditioning. A personal trainer can assist with developing a customized program that meets your needs for your specific goals and movement patterns.
Looking for exercise ideas? You might enjoy “5 Tabata Moves and Why You Should Close Out Your Sets With Them“
