Eat your heart out, Jane Fonda

DOUBLE TROUBLE - Duo blog from Ben & Megan
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From Megan!

I love saving money.

I do.

I cannot remember the last time I bought an article of clothing that either wasn't on sale, or wasn't second hand. My mom raised me to be a frugal gal, and as such, I've learned how to get fit on a dime.

Today, I'm posting a few of my favorite at home workouts, as well as links to places you can utilize to build new ones.

The biggest enemy in at home fitness...

 ACCOUNTABILITY. 

When you have a class to go to, or a personal trainer you're meeting, or money you've invested in a gym, you're more likely to go. So when you're working out by yourself at home, holding yourself accountable becomes the biggest challenge.

We can help with that!

Let us help you!

For the rest of May, we are offering a 2 for 1 for our goal coaching sessions!

For $15 you get 2 - 20 minute phone sessions with us to map out a plan for your wellness goals, and hold you accountable to them! You are WAY more likely to stick to your goals if you have someone holding you to the commitment you want to make.

So check out these work outs, and send us a message so we can help you make the most of them.

Workout 1 - ALL BODY WEIGHT (12 minute)
(Inspired by my fav online fitness channel: Fitness Blender)
Get a circuit timer app on your phone (I use Seconds Pro)

Set the following:
12 rounds of 50 Seconds on, 10 seconds rest
This workout = 3 sets of 4 exercises

High Knees - 50 seconds (10 second rest)
Side Plank Burpees - 50 seconds (10 second rest)
Hand Release Tricep Pushups - 50 seconds (10 second rest)
Single Leg V-Ups - 50 seconds (10 second rest)

Workout 2 - LIL MO CARDIO (30 minutes)
(Inspired by a workout I did on Aaptiv)
Get a circuit timer app on your phone (I use Seconds Pro)
You will need a Treadmill for this

Set the following:
6 rounds of 3 minutes on, 2 minutes off
This workout = 6 sets of running and conditioning exercises

3 minutes - Pace around 5.2 (solid jog), incline of 1.0
2  minutes - Sumo Squats
3 minutes - Pace around 5.6 (faster job) incline of 1.5
2 minutes - Calf raises
3 minutes - Pace around 6.0 (solid run) inclune of 1.5
2 minutes - Tricep Pushups
3 minutes - Pace around 5.5 (slower run) incline of 3.0
2 minutes - Side Plank Switches
3 minutes - Pace around 6.0 (solid run) incline of 2.0
2 minutes - Sit ups
3 minutes - Pace around 5.5 (slower run) incline of 4.0
2 minutes - Plank

Cash out with 1 minute at 7.0 pace 1.0 incline

Workout 3 -  Just a Quicky
No Timer Needed - should only take about 10-15 minutes
(Inspired by a workout I found on Pinterest)
You will need a jump rope

100 single under
15 Pushups (your choice)
100 single under
15 Sit ups
100 single under
15 Lunges (30 total, 15 each side)

This is great to tack onto a Weight Lifting day, so that you can have a little bit of cardio as well.

And here's a video of me doing this workout!

There's tons of resources out there on doing at home workouts, but they can be a bit overwhelming and confusing at times.

If you want some guidance or are ready to build a game plan for long term success, it's time to set up a session with myself or Ben!

- Megan
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From Ben!

Hey all! Ben here! I got a home workout for you, as well! 

This is a 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, timed workout, doing each exercise 8 times!
You should be good and sweaty by the end of it. 
Here's what I got for ya:

Demonstration Video:

• Air squats: Heels into the floor, chest and head up, exhale coming up. Make them explosive on the drive up! 
• Walk-out + shoulder taps + push up: Legs fully extended, bend at the waist, walking the hands out to a plank. With legs at a wide spread, take the right hand to the left shoulder, then the left hand to the right shoulder twice each. Then, with your elbows in and pointing straight back, lower yourself to the ground and push back up. Then slowly walk your hands to you legs, rolling up slowly! Boom! 
• Bicep curls w/resistance band: Feet shoulder width apart, standing on the middle of the strap, elbows at the waist, curl each arm once and then both arms together. Try your best to isolate the bicep muscles. 
• Flys: Feet together, knees slightly bent, chest leaned forward, take both handles and extend them to your side, trying to make your shoulder blades touch! 
• Knees-to-elbows: In a plank position, take the right knee to the left elbow, then the right knee to the left elbow! 
• Forward lunges: Raise your arms up overhead to help with your core! Feet together, take a big step forward, letting your back knee lightly touch the ground. Make sure your front knee doesn't pass over you front ankle! 
• Scullers: Balancing on your tailbone and your legs either slightly raised off the ground and placed on the ground, lean back, extending your legs and engaging your abdominals, then lean forward, flexing your feet, and bending/tucking your knees to your chest! Take it slow!

That's it! Remember to breath, and recover properly with some protein! Here's a link for the powder I use, which is low in sugar and high in whey:

Even if you only get in 20 minutes a day, it'll make a world of difference! Let us know if you have any questions!

-Ben

The Gospel According to Juice

We've all heard about Juice Cleanses.

I remember when I was in my early 20s, I bought a Jack Lalanne juicer.

I had seen infomercials with all of these healthy people drinking thick green juice with Jack, looking super happy and very fit.

A light bulb went off in my head and I thought - That's it! All I need to do is drink juice! I'll have more energy and get thin and feel great. This was going to be the start of a brand new Megan.

Here I am at 32, and I have no idea where it is.

At any rate, juicing has made a come back in a big way.

Juice it Real Good

Juice Bars are popping up left and right.

You see crazy expensive 12oz bottles of beet/kale/lemon/apple mixtures in grocery stores and fitness studios.
People are selling juice cleanse programs online to those looking for a reboot.
Even the Walgreens here in New York have some pretty fancy looking juice bottles!

But is the juice worth the squeeze? What are we aiming for by going on a juice cleanse? When you pick up a pint of liquid greens, what is your intention?

I did some research and found that the most common adjectives used around a juice cleanse are:

- Energy
- Detox
- Restoration
- Clean
- Alert

Ultimately, people will drink liquefied kale because they want to have more pep in their step through the day, and get rid of whatever toxins are making them feel constantly sluggish.

And that makes sense! One of the most common complaints of a typical desk worker is having low energy throughout their day.

But why turn to the juicer?

It's just juice, right?

The Juice Cleanse craze started picking up speed in the 1990s on the West coast. It claimed to help people feel better, rid their body of unwanted toxins, and ultimately press a reset button on your body.
It took hold fast, moved across the country and was in full blown swing by 2010. 

Ever since then, people have been willing to shell out anywhere between $150-400 for a few days worth of cold pressed gold. And the marketing for this is genius.

Detox your body!
Burn clean!
All natural energy!

Who wouldn't want that?

Drum roll, please...

Start your blenders!

I did a LOT MORE research (links posted at the bottom of the page) to find out if these juice cleanses back what they promise, and the overwhelming opinion everywhere I looked was: 

Juice cleanses don't work. 

At least not in the way we want them to.

Now let's not shame juices all together - Majority of people don't get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet (no secret there) and juicing is a quick and easy way to get those supercharged superfoods into our system.

So there is a benefit to having fresh juice in your regular diet!

But why wouldn't a cleanse of just superfoods give us the super results we want?

Let's tackle some of these adjectives...

I have to Detox!

For the most part, the words Detox and Cleanse are just buzzwords that don’t actually hold that much weight.

Your body (hopefully) already has what it needs to rid your body of toxins: 2 Kidneys and a Liver.

These organs are purposed with keeping your body in optimal health.

“Doctors typically define (toxins) as something that enters the body that has a damaging effect on its own — like pesticides, lead or antifreeze — or in large quantities, like alcohol or medications such as acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol.” - New York Times

So unless you are specifically focusing on a Last-Friday-Night Cleanse or a Las-Vegas-Regrets Detox, or LITERAL REHAB your body doesn't have a ton of extra toxins to get rid of.

But what about more energy!

This comes down to addressing the culprit of the issue, and not the symptoms.

We all LOVE the fresh feeling of waking up and not feeling uncomfortable in our own skin (internally or externally).

But if you aren't getting 8 hours of sleep, and aren't eating right, and drink tons of coffee, and don't work out etc etc etc... it's no wonder that you're feeling sluggish and foggy.

Your body will burn on the fuel it's given, and will recover with the rest it's provided. If you're not supporting your body on a consistent daily basis, you'll start feeling slow.

So, should I do a juice cleanse?

Ultimately, it's up to you!

Some people think a juice cleanse is a great mental reset on your view of food. Kind of like jump starting your way into a healthier lifestyle of clean eating.

If you're looking to lose weight fast, your body naturally fluctuates anywhere between 5-10lbs of water weight. So you'll lose that, and gain it right back.

My opinion? I think a fresh pressed juice is just a great way to replace a midday snack, or get that morning boost so that you're having more fruits and veggies instead of a bag of chips or a muffin.

If you're going to do a juice cleanse, consult a nutritionist to help you with it. This way you're working together on your food plan, and coming up with a game plan to help you work towards your ultimate long term health goals.

(We provide goal coaching as well!)

Liver Laugh Love

The best thing you can do is support the organs that are responsible for keeping your system clean. And that means supporting your kidneys and your liver.

How do you support your Kidneys and Liver? It's really simple, but not always easy:

•  Cut out alcohol - Alcohol slows everything down, from metabolism to liver function. So keep your spirits to a minimum (my trick - Kombucha! Still has a fizzy strong taste, and a tiny bit of alcohol, but not anywhere near as hard on your system)

• Avoid pain killers such as acetaminophen - If you find yourself taking a lot of pain killers, see what you can do to help lessen this. I have an all natural pain reliever that I love, here's some more info about it.
• Take a Probiotic - most people that are diagnosed with kidney disease are prescribed supercharged probiotics as this helps with kidney function. This isn't the first time we've told you to try a probiotic!
• Low sodium diet - This one is trickier than you'd think. Most prepared foods are much higher in sodium than we realize. Take time to read the label of your fav foods, and keep an eye on your daily intake. 

So don't be ashamed of your green drink! 

Just keep in mind that juice cleanses are not necessarily the sole answer to feeling healthier.

Fresh fruits and veggies, in whatever form, are important to your health. And juice can be an incredible tool to help you nourish your body in new ways.

But just please don't do a juice cleanse to lose weight quickly...

Cheers!

Megan

Links to where I got my info:
http://www.projectjuice.com/how-to-cleanse

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/fashion/28Cleanse.html

http://www.refinery29.com/juice-cleanses

http://www.prevention.com/eatclean/never-do-juice-cleanse-detox-diets

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/your-body-juice-cleanse

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-juice-cleanse-20150131-story.html

http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/best-reason-do-juice-cleanse/

Are You Getting the Best Sleep Possible?

Are You Getting the Best Sleep Possible?

No matter how active you are or how well you eat, NOTHING can replace a good night's sleep.

A proper night's sleep has immeasurable benefits, including reduction of stress, weight loss, allowing the body to heal, repair, and detoxify itself, keeping your heart healthy, boosting memory retention, and lowering the risk of depression, just to name a few!

But are we truly getting the most out of our sleep? Since we spend literally 1/3 of our lives sleeping, we should take every measure we can to ensure we're feeling rested when we wake up.

Over the last many years, I've come up with a structure and some good habits in preparation for my bedtime. The results and benefits have been nothing short of life changing, and I hope they'll do the same for you!

How Much Sleep Should You be Getting?

According to the National Sleep Foundation (yup. That exists.), the ideal amount of sleep varies with age. I can't say there's a rhyme or reason to any of these numbers, but here's what they recommend:

Ages 14-17 = 8-10 hours
Ages 18-25 = 7-9 hours
Ages 26-64 = 7-9 hours
Ages 64-beyond = bonus time / you're still alive?!?

In an ideal world, we'd all find this allotted amount of time to rest. Unfortunately, life can be busy as well as unpredictable, not to mention that we're all hustling to slay our daily dragons. With that said, how do we ensure that we get the proper amount of sleep each night? Well, the answer it quite simple:

Make it a priority.

Yeesh. It just got super adult in here. But fear not! The following suggestions are practices I've implemented into my daily life, so much so that NOT doing any of these things would feel weird. These will all help ensure you get the most out of your night's rest:

- Stick to a schedule
Even though life can get busy, in making sleep a priority it's important to try and have your bedtime at or around the same time each night. In doing this, your body, will know and feel when it's time to start shutting things down for the night.

- Take inventory of your 'Bedroom Environment'
Living in an NYC studio, our bedroom is pretty much a part of the rest of our apartment! Fortunately, our layout has given us a small nook in which to place our bed in. We were also able to hang some drapes about 2/3 of the way down the length of the mattress so we can block out any excess light and a minimal amount of noise. We also have some plants in the apartment, providing fresh oxygen to the entire space.



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Lighting is also an important part of establishing your sleeping environment. We have a single candle lit with a very soothing scent, as well as some soft hanging lights above our windows and behind our bed frame, making the majority of the apartment dark. Mood lighting, if you will. It does in fact feel romantic in a way, except this date is a date with yourself. This all ties into making yourself and your quality of sleep a priority.

Another helpful perk is soft music! My personal favorites are the Sleep Meditation music videos on YouTube, most of which are 8 hours long!

-(this might be the toughest one) UNPLUG from your electronics


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I've made it more or less of a habit to unplug from all electronics 1 hour before I wanna be asleep. If you're like me, you spend a lot of time either in front of your TV, computer, or phone. It's a part of our daily lives now, which has a lot of great benefits! But when it comes to shutting your brain down, staying glued to any one of these devices does the exact opposite.

One of the greatest settings on my IPhone is the 'Do Not Disturb' function, which shuts off all alters to you while you prepare for bed. You can modify it for certain people to be able to contact you in case of an emergency. There's also a night light setting on it, which softens the light from your phone, making it easier on your eyes! If you MUST check your phone before bed, the night light setting is a great alternative to keep stimulation at a minimum.

Another great tip regarding your phone is keeping it as far away from your bed as possible. The electromagnetic waves that pass through your phone can still stimulate your brain the closer it is your body, even if you're not holding or using it. I place mine on the opposite side of the room, out of reach and out of mind.

-Exercise regularly



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Do some type of exercise at least once a day, even of it's walking! An hour total is preferential, keeping your heart healthy and your stress levels low! This is especially beneficial if you work at a job that has you sitting most of the day.

-Stretch for a few minutes

If you have an open area to do so, give yourself 5 minutes to do a full body stretch before bed. This will help release any lactic acid in your muscles, as well as provide them some much needed oxygen through deep, focussed breathing. It makes ALL of the difference, believe me.

-NO alcohol or caffeine late in the day



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These can both keep your heart pumping and the sugars flowing through your bloodstream. Try to keep caffeine intake before noon, and if you're going to drink, give yourself a few hours before you go to bed, allowing it to digest properly and help your body shut down. If your digestive track is still working, then you'll be awake!

These are all great ideas for constructing a 'Bedtime Routine.' As an actor there are certain habits and traditions I've adopted when preparing for a shoot or a live performance, none of them to be skipped over or missed. I know that if I make time for these things, make them a PRIORITY, then I feel secure in the task set before me, even if it's sleeping and recharging my body!

LASTLY, dear reader, there are a few supplements that can greatly help you find the perfect nights sleep, which include probiotics and omega oil! Below are descriptions and benefits for both supplements, as well as links to the ones Megan and I use:

ProBiotic - Most professionals recommend taking a probiotic either in the morning or at night before bedtime. The reason being is because the acid levels in your stomach, as well as the pH balance are both very low, allowing the bacterial strains in the probiotic to attach themselves to the intestinal lining with ease and work more efficiently. We carry EVERYTHING in our guts, including our emotions! If it's not balanced properly, our entire system is thrown off.

Click here for ProBio5!

Omega Oils - These oils are proven to help with joint and and arthritic issues, and taking them before bed helps minimize chronic joint pain, be it from overuse or old age! And when you wake up the oils help you out in the morning, helping fight dry eyes, gum health, and again, aching joints.

Click here for MegaX!

There are multiple options for these kinds of supplements online, but the ones above are the ones we take regularly, and we absolutely swear by them. :)

The world is a crazy place, now more than ever. We need to be kind to each other and ourselves, and that starts with creating good habits and taking the absolute best care of ourselves, mind, body, and soul. I hope these tips will be helpful for you in getting the best night's sleep possible, so that you can indeed Rise & Be Well!

Love, light, and blessings to you all, today and always.

-Ben


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Welcome to Rise and Be Well!

Ladies and Gentlemen - 

Benjamin Farmer and I are proud to announce the start of our new business: Rise and Be Well!

Earlier this year, Ben and I were talking about our Plexus Business, and how we wished we could do more for the people we were working with. 

We loved the products and how much they helped our clients, but we felt we weren't doing enough just by encouraging people to try these (awesome) supplements.

Sure, supplements are a big part of a person's overall wellness. But so is staying active, and eating right, and managing stress and so on and so on...

So we decided to open our scope even further - We decided we wanted to help in any way we could.

We wanted to help people who felt intimidated walking into a gym, and didn't know how to build a work out plan.
We wanted to be there for people who needed ways to destress from a busy life, and find ways to regain some composure and inner strength.
We wanted to coach others by helping them create plans for the next big milemarkers in their lives, and hold them accountable to their dreams.

Quite simply, we felt that we wanted to do more and be more for those who wish to rise to a new level of wellness.

And so we decided to launch our new business: Rise and Be Well.

We are here to provide support, coaching, supplements, advice, workouts and even some life hacks for everyone who needs a little help!

We are incredibly excited for this venture, and sincerely hope you'll join us.

Please like our Facebook page: click here!
Join our Facebook group: click here!
And follow us on Instagram: click here!

Be well,