January at Corestrong

YOU READY FOR THIS?
It's hard to believe that we are starting a whole new year again!
​Here's just a few highlights we have planned for early 2025!  

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#1 - Two more Megas and two more Versas 
We'll have 14 spots in classes starting Monday, January 6th.  

#2 - New format for Mega/Climb Combo Classes
Starting in the Mega Studio for a 25 minute routine designed with a combination of foundational and advanced moves, challenging variations and quick, smooth transitions, and then over to the Versa Studio for 20 minutes of low impact, high intensity, cardio.  Build your endurance and coordination and love every minute of it!  

#3 - Winter Challenge begins January 12th
Sign up on your app (click on the trophy icon at the bottom of your screen).
In Body - get your first reading at the front desk, anytime between January 1st and 12th.
Download the Macrostax App and use your same email and password that you use for your CoreStrong app.  

ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETING 32 CLASSES RECEIVE A PAIR OF CUSTOM CORESTRONG GRIP SOCKS!  AND ARE ENTERED INTO THE DRAWING TO WIN 10 FREE CLASSES

#4 Face Foundrie will be at CoreStrong once again!
Take a class on January 3rd or 4th and receive discounted products and services at Face Foundrie.  You'll also get to spin the wheel for a chance to win a free facial, product samples, free tools, goodie bags, swag, etc.
 
#5 MODIFIED SCHEDULE FOR LAGREE CERTIFICATION - JANUARY 17 - 19  
Thanks for your understanding!

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 14 Spots in Class BUT Only 11 Parking Spaces
Please plan ahead!  If our lot is full, nearby street parking is available.  Please do not park behind our building or in other private business lots.  Our Instructors or our Front Desk will be happy to show you the best street parking options. View alternate parking map.

Snow is on the way!
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If driving conditions are dangerous, we will be canceling classes.  Please check your emails to get updates on class cancellations.

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A monthly feature in our newsletter, thanks to Briana Crotinger LMT!  Briana has a wealth of knowledge and loves to research and share her findings!  With over a decade of bodywork, kinesiology, and pain management experience, she weaves her knowledge into her barefoot myofascial massage practice at Mend Bodywork.

HABITS OVER RESOLUTIONS

I know New Year’s resolutions aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I LOVE them. I have made a resolution every year since grade school and look forward to a new one every year. Some have been wildly successful, and some have flamed out within the second week of January. I’ve run the gamut of cold-turkey cut offs to completely unattainable expectations. Through it all, I’ve learned a thing or two about what sticks and what doesn’t.

And so if you are a resolution maker like myself, I offer you some insights.

1. Make your resolution habit based. No resolution, no matter how small, will survive unless you build a framework of practical habits. If you want to get stronger, you have to go to the gym at least three times a week. Now take that goal and break it into three small, sustainable habits. For example, block your calendar to go to the gym every Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 9 am, leave a pair of grip socks in your car, and make sure you have a protein bar in your purse for after class to maximize recovery. The secret is to make the habits so easy and so automatic you don’t have to expend a single brain cell thinking about them. 
2. Focus on addition, not subtraction. Cutting things out is often unsustainable. Let’s say you want to cut out bread because you feel awful after eating it. Instead of ghosting it completely, make it a habit to eat a fruit or a vegetable before you reach for the bread. Chances are, you won’t want the bread after. Replacing one thing with another option is not only a more sustainable habit to maintain, you also avoid a scarcity mindsight which leads to broken resolutions. 
3. Focus on intrinsic motivation, not extrinsic. In other words, focus on your own internal drive rather than outside expectations. The most unsustainable and unrealistic resolution I see crop up every year is, “I just want to look hot!” Ok, that’s great, but beauty standards are ever shifting and, here’s the bad news- you will never be happy with the way you look if the goal posts keep shifting. Instead, focus on goals that make you feel powerful. How much weight can you lift? How much muscle can you gain? Can you get to sleep every night at the same time?

It’s been an absolute pleasure working out with you this year and I look forward to hearing about all the goals you have planned for yourself in 2025. Until then, Happy New Year and see you in class!!

PROTEIN HACKS

Alright my friends, after months of warning and preparation, the day has finally arrived! We begin our Macrostax challenge starting…now! Many of you have already explored the app, asking lots of questions in preparation for this challenge. Still, the most popular question I’ve gotten is the same question I asked myself- “How on Earth am I supposed to eat this much protein?!” 

I won’t kid you, it’s a learning curve. To help, I asked a few of the instructors what their favorite protein supplement was and why, as well as a few tips to sneak protein in when you physically cannot eat any more. 

Instructor Hanne
“I find that it’s hard to find whey protein powders with clean ingredients that aren’t insanely expensive so I’m excited to try to hear what others prefer! My go to is Orgain organic vegan protein powder. For a whey powder, Ballerina Farm is delicious and while I’d love to drink it all the time, it’s so expensive I can’t get myself to keep it stocked and drink consistently.”

Orgain 

• Protein per serving- 21 g
• Cost per serving- $1.00
• Main protein source(s)- organic pea and rice protein
• Purchase here 

Ballerina Farm

• Protein per serving- 24 g
• Cost per serving-  $2.23
• Main protein source- grassfed whey protein
• Purchase here

 
Instructor Hailey 
“Fairlife CorePower protein is my fav protein! I drink one every morning- it legit tastes like ice cream!

Fairlife CorePower

• Protein per serving- 26 g
• Cost per serving- $3.99
• Main protein sources- filtered lowfat milk
• Can be found at Costco or Albertsons

 
Instructor Kerry
“Equip Prime Chocolate Protein! I love the flavor and picked this brand because it got the highest rating for most digestible as I have a sensitivity to whey. It’s not gritty and there is no after flavor.”

Equip

• Protein per serving- 20 g
• Cost per serving- $3.20
• Main protein sources- grassfed beef protein
• Purchase here

I’ve made mention in previous articles that my favorite is Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides. The flavor is the least “proteiny” of all the brands I’ve tried and it’s so easy to digest. 

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

• Protein per serving- 18 g
• Cost per serving- $1.22
• Main protein sources- beef collagen
• Can be found at Costco

It’s been a few months since I’ve been experimenting with getting enough protein- I still have yet to hit that 154g goal- and have had to trick myself into eating protein multiple times. Here are some protein cheat codes to use if you are feeling completely over it. 

1. Use your protein powder of choice as cereal milk. When the thought of chugging a straight protein shake makes my stomach turn, I’ll mix it up and pour it over plain rice chex. My brain thinks it’s Cocoa Pebbles and it goes down a lot easier. 
2. Speaking of cereal, you can also use your favorite mix as a base for overnight oats. 
3. Make it the base of your iced coffee. If you already reach for an iced mocha or vanilla latte in the morning, swap the chocolate syrup for chocolate protein milk. Hailey’s choice of FairLife is perfect for this.
4. Instead of a plain smoothie, blend it and use it as a replacement base for an acai bowl. I go bananas with mine (literally) and top it with grainless granola, coconut shavings, and drizzle it with honey. 
5. If you have a Ninja Creami, you can use your protein as an ice cream base. I have done this with FairLife as well and can attest- it tastes exactly like a Wendy’s frosty. 
6. If you can handle whey protein, you can actually get clear protein! Kerry showed me a brand called Clean Simple Eats that you can find at The Vitamin Shoppe. I was skeptical at first. My brain wouldn’t accept the idea of protein that has no consistency and goes down like water. But truly, it’s like drinking gatorade! 

And finally, a non food related protein hack. If you don’t have a shaker bottle (like me- I HATE washing shaker bottles) you can get a smooth protein blend by adding two to three tablespoons of your liquid of choice to your protein powder and stirring it with a fork until you get a smooth syrup consistency. Then add the rest of your beverage. Voila! No grainy, separated nonsense. 

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A NEW YEAR - A CLEAN SLATE!

If you've been attending CoreStrong for a while, you know that we have a pretty strict cancellation policy.  Our policies are in place to ensure that you can get into class.  in 2024 we had over 500 no shows, 2936 late cancels and 763 of those were less than 2 hours before class.

I want to challenge you to save your money in 2025!  It's a chance to start fresh!  Beginning January 1st, you will no longer be charged an extra fee for cancelling class less than 2 hours before class.  The fee will be a flat rate of $15 for cancelling less than 12 hours before class.  However, we will still be monitoring last minute cancellations and if you've cancelled less than 2 hours before class more than 3 times after January 1st, 2025, you will receive a notice and you will be charged an additional $20 for any additional cancellations within the 2 hours before class.  Cancel as soon as you know you have a conflict.  

I encourage you to wait to sign up for class until you know for sure you can attend.  Checking your app for available spots during that 2 hour window before class, will surprise you.  We almost always have room! 

Our no show fee will remain at $50.  A no show prevents anyone else from joining class and disrupts the flow of the studio.  The instructors and I work very hard to produce the very best class possible, and I'm sorry, but it just hurts our feelings when you don't show up!

We are sorry if you are sick and we appreciate you not trying to come to class and infecting others, however, we cannot offer refunds or exceptions.  Please do not email or call the studio.  Cancel your class immediately.  

Not everyone likes to check their emails, but I have no other way of communicating with you, so please read your emails.  Every time you sign up for class, confirm the date and time with the confirmation email you receive and make sure to add it to your personal calendar.  If you've cancelled a class, check your emails for a confirmation of your cancellation. 

Our scheduling system is the best of the best!  We've added 2 more Megaformers and 2 more Versa Climbers and reduced cancellation fees.  Now it's your turn!  Please take charge of your personal schedule.  

Your positive experience at CoreStrong is our #1 priority!  We care deeply about your health and fitness and want nothing more than to see you succeed!

Cheers to 2025!

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