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Unhappy Employees? How You Can Help

Why are some employees happy and others miserable? Answering that question is on the mind of every leader, manager and business owner who is trying to reduce staff turnover and improve productivity. Learning to be better managers can help us create a more positive working environment, which is good for everybody in our business.

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The Top 14 Rising Stars in Fitness

Within the fitness industry there is a breed of up-and-comers who are redefining the way the world views fitness. These are true innovators—mavericks poised to become the next generation of thought drivers and path pavers. IDEA Fitness Journal reached out to top names in fitness to learn who they believe are the rising stars who will push the industry toward greatness. This list is by no means exhaustive; think of it as representing the kinds of talents and ideas that will strengthen the industry in decades to come.

the Trailblazers

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Ready, Set…Mud!

Does the idea of running a mud race appeal to you? Anyone who signs up for an obstacle challenge—whether for the fun, the teamwork (or, sometimes, the beer!)— will soon confront the substantial physical and mental demands of these races.

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30 Seconds to Victory

After spending much of his young life at a healthy weight, Lee Jordan began steadily gaining mass in his 20s. He reached a top weight of 450 pounds and was living what he refers to as a “nightmare of a life.” Inspired by his friend Beth, an ACE-certified personal trainer and now his wife, Lee began his journey to health and fitness by walking 30 seconds every morning down the hallway outside his apartment. Now, more than 275 pounds lighter, Lee is an ACE-certified personal trainer and health coach who specializes in helping people who need to lose 100 pounds or more.

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The Mind-Body Man

John Manrique, cofounder of Revolutions Cycling Studio in Jupiter, Florida, is an indoor cycling instructor and sports enthusiast. “I knew I needed to add flexibility training to my routine and was interested in yoga, but . . . I never seemed to have time for [a class],” he says.

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IDEA’s Top Articles On Outdoor Exercise

In recognition of National Park and Recreation Month and its 2014 theme “OUT is IN,” we have assembled some of IDEA’s top articles on outdoor exercise. Use the ideas presented here to get your clients exercising outdoors, to keep them safe while doing so and to spice up your outdoor programming.

Mother Nature’s Gym

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Question of the Month

What nutrition-focused programming changes have you made at your gym or studio? Have you added a teaching kitchen? Have you taken clients on field trips or held cooking classes? Share your story with editor in chief Sandy Todd Webster at swebster@ideafit.com

Share your story with swebster@ideafit.com.

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Star-Spangled Salsa

Three team members from San Diego–based Jimbo’s…Naturally! Natural Foods Grocer recently treated the IDEA Tribe to an informative Lunch and Learn session as part of IDEA’s ongoing wellness initiative. The Jimbo’s team demonstrated three delicious recipes and shared samples of all the food. This inspired several IDEA staffers to get in the kitchen and try their hands at these healthy eats.

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Ask the RD

Question: A friend of mine suggested I take an apple cider vinegar shot in the morning to increase my metabolism and decrease my appetite throughout the day. Is there any truth to that?

Answer: Health claims associated with apple cider vinegar range from suppressing appetite to lowering blood pressure to aiding in digestion. As for your friend’s claim— that a shot of apple cider vinegar reduces appetite—a study examining the effects of apple cider vinegar on postmeal blood glucose and satiety didn’t show an impact (Chezem et al. 2012).

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IDEA Food and Nutrition Tips Garners Second Maggie Award

IDEA’s newest publication, IDEA Food and Nutrition Tips, recently won its second consecutive Western Publications Association “Maggie” Award, for excellence in magazine publishing. The special November–December print edition of the magazine was named Best Print Supplement in the trade publishing category.

Congratulations to IDEA’s editors, authors and designers, who have won a total of nine Maggies over the past 10 years.

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Don’t Judge Food Healthfulness by Texture

There’s no accounting for individual taste, especially when it comes to experiencing food flavors. But in the case of textures, a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that test subjects mistakenly believe that harder or more roughly textured foods have fewer calories.

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How Do You Manage Your Clients And Leads?

In a recent “Tricks of the Trade” column, IDEA asked some of its members how they manage their clients and leads. Read on for Raleigh, North Carolina, member Karin Singleton’s ideas. How do you manage your clients and leads? Please share your answer in the comment box below.

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Appetizers

The recent Culinary Trend Tracking
Series from market researcher Packaged Facts says Peruvian products are seductive ingredients for chefs these days. Look for creative uses of superfood building blocks such as aji peppers, amaranth, pichuberries, purple corn, purple potatoes and, of course, quinoa on a menu near you this summer.

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