Warning: Undefined array key "sharing_networks_networks_sorting" in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/monarch/monarch.php on line 3904
Let’s face it, during and after the holidays is when we often think a little more about our diet and workout habits. With the many treats, holiday parties, and a break from our daily routines, sticking to healthy eating and working out can be a little tricky. We’re all for treating ourselves and enjoying the holidays, but we also love getting back on track and working hard to reach our goals. There are many options out there; personal trainers, gym memberships to the new craze which seems to be growing in popularity, fitness apps. We’ve chosen the fitness app 8fit for Fitness Friday.
The fitness app 8fit can help you do just this; set goals for yourself and help you achieve them with customized nutritional plans and workouts. For this week’s Fitness Friday, we talked to one of 8fit’s coaches, Marife Sanvictores, about starting a healthy lifestyle, customizing a fitness app’s plan to fit you, and focusing on both nutrition and training.
What does being a coach for the fitness app 8fit entail?
Marife Sanvictores: As an 8fit coach, I’m part of the team working to develop new fitness content for the more than 15 million people who have downloaded fitness app 8fit. The app is perfect for any level, whether you’re a total newbie or a regular gym-goer looking to mix up your routine, because the 8fit workout experience is focused on both establishing the fundamentals, and being customizable to you and your body. In developing the in-app workouts, we’ve put a lot of emphasis on education around good form and technique, and the app also provides options for each move if you’d like to take it to a more basic level to really nail down good form, or kick it up a notch to push yourself. In addition to helping to design those quick, effective workouts that people do at home, I’m also leading 8fit’s 12-week in-person transformation challenges with a small group of 8fit members throughout the year. That’s the best part of my job — working with our members, going through struggles and celebrating success together, and seeing how much their outlook on life can change in just 12 short weeks.
You have had a long fitness journey, how do you think the fitness app 8fit could have benefitted you when you first started out?
MS: Fitness app 8fit can be the perfect place to start if you’re new to fitness and eating healthy. The app makes it so simple to incorporate fitness into your daily routine, and if you’re not used to cooking healthy meals for yourself, it helps you to start to build that habit as well. Before I started my own journey, I was relying heavily on prepared foods, eating out almost every meal. I probably couldn’t have made a healthy dinner if you’d asked me to, and I definitely had no clue about what a healthy portion size was. With the 8fit nutritional plans, we take a lot of the guesswork out of eating healthily to make sure you’re getting the exact nutrition you need with delicious recipes that are easy to make, so you can master the basics of eating well for your body and are better equipped to make healthy choices on your own, without counting calories or doing macro math. Now that I’m further along in my fitness journey (I’m never really “done” — it’s a lifestyle, after all!), the app is great to incorporate quick, intense workouts into my busy schedule and help me meal plan for the week in a way I know is helping me toward my goals.
What do the programs in the app focus on?
MS: The app features custom meal plans, tailored to your nutritional needs and your tastes, in addition to HIIT-style workout plans and yoga to help you achieve a healthier, happier life. Our in-app workouts are all based on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), one of the most effective ways to improve your overall fitness level, get stronger, and transform your body with minimal time commitment — our workouts are all 20 minutes or less. The nutrition program allows you to adapt your personal meal plan in a number of ways to make sure it works for you and fits into your life.
How is the 8fit plan tailored to its members?
MS: There are so many ways to make 8fit your own. With the fitness app 8fit workouts, you start with a fitness assessment to determine the appropriate level for you to start working out, and then you progress with time to more challenging levels. In each workout, you have the option to seamlessly swap individual moves for alternatives that might be better for you before you press “Start.” The 8fit meal plan is designed by our in-house nutritionists and is also completely tailored to you and your goals, so you can be sure you’re getting the right amounts of protein, carbs, and healthy fats in each recipe to fuel your progress, but it goes so much deeper than that. You pick your preferred diet type, like standard, vegetarian, vegan or even paleo, and you can select from options like “meal-prep friendly” or “simple” (5 ingredients or less) or quick (total prep time under 10 minutes”) so that your plan is one that works for you and your lifestyle.
How can this app help people start out their fitness journey?
MS: 8fit is truly the most customizable, simplest way to achieve healthy habits through nutrition and exercise. Most of the people I speak to who are just getting started are looking for guidance to take those first steps, and 8fit is a perfect resource for that. Between our meal plans and the workouts that are perfect to do at home, without equipment, any newcomer to fitness and nutrition will feel supported and guided through their journey.
Who is the fitness app 8fit for?
MS: The app is ideal for people who are just getting started, or those looking for ways to better incorporate healthy habits into their existing routine. Because the fitness app 8fit makes it so simple to fit working out and preparing healthy meals into any schedule, it’s great for busy professionals who find it challenging to make their wellness a priority, and for parents who need to squeeze in workouts during nap time or between carpool pickups. It’s great for people who travel too — the workouts are easy to knock out in a hotel room!
The app also comes with a nutritional plan, why is nutrition so important?
MS: I always say, “you can’t out-train a bad diet.” If you’re working out consistently and not seeing results, it’s probably because you’re neglecting the nutrition side of the equation. Fueling your body effectively is key to feeling great and seeing the results you want, which is why we recommend pairing any fitness program with a nutritional plan that helps you reach your goals. The meal plans are made of up delicious recipes for each meal, and you won’t find any boring “diet” food here.
Is it easily adaptable to your lifestyle?
MS: Absolutely! It’s a breeze to exclude food groups or specific ingredients in your meal plan. As part of building your custom plan, after we ask you a few easy questions about your body, habits, and goals, we’ll also ask you about your dietary preferences or restrictions. If you’re vegan or want to go paleo, you can select those options, and you can also customize your plan by excluding food groups related to common allergens, like dairy, gluten, soy, or shellfish, in addition to being able to exclude specific ingredients. Allergic to dairy or shellfish? No problem. Hate eggplant and just don’t want to see it in your plan? That’s cool too, we’ve got your back. All these options mean that no plan is the same as another, which makes perfect sense — your nutritional needs and tastes are as unique as you are.
For the busy New Yorker, why would you recommend 8fit compared to other fitness apps?
MS: Fitness app 8fit draws on the powerful combination of fitness and nutrition to put health at your fingertips. In addition to being one of the easiest ways to achieve your health goals, the app saves time, since you won’t have to trudge to and from the gym to get your workout in, and you’ll be saving on gym memberships and takeout bills too. The 8fit app is also designed to progress with you, so you can continue to strive for your goals and challenge yourself instead of becoming stagnant in your routine.
What is your number one advice for people who are thinking about signing up?
MS: Don’t wait! There’s no better time than the present to get started on a path to a happier, healthier lifestyle, and fitness app 8fit is the easiest way to get started.
Sounds like the right fit for you? Find out more about the app, plans and how to sign up on their website.