Everyday we are faced with a myriad of choices for beverages. And it can be challenging to know which ones we should pick. Last week, we talked specifically about sports drinks and the best way to hydrate after a workout. This week, we want to talk about the rest of the beverage choices you make each day. Especially in regard to how they can affect your goals! Hydrating Beverage Choices Water Approximately 60 percent of the body is made up of water, so it is crucial for optimal health and function to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is the easiest choice when it comes to a beverage that ..read more

With so many choices of drinks available today, it gets confusing trying to navigate which ones can be the best decision to get you through your day. Whether you’re looking for a pick-me-up to get you through your training, the end of your workday, or something to hydrate and replenish you after a hard workout, our drink guide has you covered. PFP Drink Guide: Water! Let’s start simple. Water is essential to our life. The human body is made up of almost 60% water, it aids in digestion, regulates body temperature, is needed in hormone production, and the majority of the rest of our bodily funct ..read more

What’s up fitness family?! Let’s face it, we all have our favorite exercises to do in the gym. There’s nothing like getting off work on a Friday, hitting the gym, and crushing your favorite session going into the weekend. It’s a huge mood booster. Although most people’s favorite go-to exercises will differ, there are a few that I have grown quite fond of over my 5 years as an athlete and coach. Here are my top 5 go-to exercises for the athlete, powerlifter, or bodybuilder. My Top 5 Go-To Exercises 5. GTE Goblet Squat The goblet squat is a fantastic exercise that involves holding a dumbbell or ..read more

Social distancing restrictions forced us to find new ways to maintain our well-being. Chances are, you had to significantly change your routine and adopt some new pandemic habits – some good, some not so good. As things start to return to normal – albeit a new normal, it provides us an opportunity to examine some of the “pandemic habits” that you want to keep, and those that you want to kick. That being said, here are some healthy habits worth continuing after we move on from pandemic life. Pandemic Habits You Might Want to Keep Getting Outside Many people turned to the outdoors as a way to le ..read more

I just got a new Garmin watch for my birthday.   A newly added feature was a daily stress tracker.   Did I need that?  Yet another metric to look at?  I have no time for stress! Stress Effects Covid has given everyone a rough ride over the last 18 months.  We’ve all felt the effects, both personally and professionally.  Long-term stress can affect us mentally and physically:   Mental Stress When our minds are stressed, we don’t think as well.  We can be more easily distracted and become less efficient in our work.  We forget things.  ..read more

Hello there fitness family! My name is Will Minnick, I’m a personal trainer here at the Pittsburgh Fitness Project. I would like to welcome you all to our new Saturday morning class, PFP Primal! PFP Primal – What You Will Do! Primal is the name for our new strongman and endurance-based class.   It lasts one hour and uses full-body exercises specified to build strength and improve conditioning. Primal stands out from our other classes because we apply non-traditional strength methods to accomplish the workout.  We use equipment such as sandbags, steel maces, kettlebells, ropes, s ..read more

Vaccines Work!  New CDC Mask Guidance Today the CDC stated that people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 no longer need to wear masks for most indoor activities.   The PA Department of Health has adopted the recommendation for the state as well. If you are two weeks past your second vaccine dose or single-dose J&J shot, you no longer need to wear a mask while inside our facility.  You may continue to wear a mask if you are more comfortable doing so, of course. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated members should continue to wear a mask until they are two weeks out past t ..read more

Looking for a way to reduce stress? Focus on breathing.      With the average person being busier than ever, we are all looking for ways to relax. When things get hectic, we have a hard time focusing on the now and staying in the present moment. Do you need to reduce stress?  BREATHE By shifting the focus to our breathing, we can reduce stress and increase mindfulness. Deep and intentional breathing is the fastest and easiest way to calm an overactive nervous system.   Benefits of breathing exercises     Below are just a few of the benefits that can be achiev ..read more

Meet Trainer Angela  Angela is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is also currently working on a certification to instruct mat Pilates for all levels.   After almost a decade of working in a corporate office environment, Angela decided to make a change and pursue her passion for health and wellness. She started her journey into fitness as a young child by creating different dance routines in her living room. With no surprise to her family (that was forced to watch the routines), she remained active as a child and teen ..read more

When most people start a programmed fitness regimen, they usually also consider a diet plan as well. It only makes sense to check your diet, right? If you want to take care of your body, whether you’re losing weight or gaining muscle, you have to watch what you put into your body so you can get the most out of it.   Your Diet is More Than Food and Drink What if I told you that your diet isn’t just the food and drink you consume on a daily basis? When we say we’re going on a diet, our brains automatically associate it with food and drink. But in reality, when I define ‘diet’, I define it a ..read more