Coaches Corner

With the unexpected passing of our friend and gym member Jamee Balvin a little over a month ago, it has forced me into a wild amount of thought and reflection. Both about life and about what we are doing here at Fortified.

Spending time in reflection is great, but is a futile exercise unless we are able to gain from it. So what have I learned through all of this time in my head?

For starters, it has made me more deeply appreciate the relationships that are fostered through our community. I also more fully realize that we are all incredibly privileged with the opportunity to workout for our health where we welcome the soreness and adaptations happening to our bodies compared to others in the world that either don’t have the luxury or have a job that itself is backbreaking. Trying things outside of our comfort zone is a good thing. Effort is more endearing than results, and that attitude is everything.  

I saw a list of affirmations that Jamee had written that I thought were very poignant and described her very well. Here they are verbatim. 

Affirmations

1. I have an abundance of energy!
2. I am free of pain.
3. Today is my day.
4. Today I will change my life!
5. I am STRONG!
6. I am beautiful!
7. I am loved.
8. Unlimited energy will fill me today.
9. Today, I am a magnet for ideas.
10. I will be a giver of love today.
11. The sunrise fills me with confidence.
12. Whenever challenges come my way, I can overcome them!!!
13. Today I will learn and grow.
14. I will be a better person today.
15. Today I will connect with a family member … or customer.

Jamee was lavish with praise, quick to thank me and the rest of the coaches, telling us how we were changing lives. On the flip side, I have a massive debt of gratitude to give Jamee regarding what she taught me. The most ironic thing about all of it is that she did it unknowingly with an infectious smile and a positive attitude. Her affirmations are a good summary of how she looked at life and took everything as an opportunity for something good and exciting, which is something I want to better manifest in myself and in our community.

Let's Celebrate!

Congratulations to the 100 Class Club Inductees

• Amadeo Martinez 
• Jarrett Mitchell 
• Jeff Hickey 
• Marina Novak
• Tim Allen

Birthdays

April

Becca Holt - April 2

Brandon Chegwin - April 6

Sarah Backus - April 10

Yazmeen Ybarra - April 10

Kirtis Butler - April 14

Jeff Wareing - April 15

Jim Nelson - April 20

Ben Wells - April 23

Brandon Vogel - April 25

May

Dylan Allen - May 7

Lauren Lofy - May 14

Rob Candra - May 15

Richards Shields - May 18

Jose Leon - May 25

Michael Henderson - May 26

Andrew Belcher - May 26

Upcoming Events!

• May 29 - MURPH! Look for the signups at the gym! 
• Aug 12 @ 11:30am - Feed My Starving Children

Anatomy Optimized

Is Dry Needling Safe, What Does The Data Suggest?

Dry needling (with or without the use of electric stimulation) is the practice of inserting a non-injectate filiform needle into live organic tissue. The purpose is to stimulate a response or create an environment for tissue change to occur (blood flow, motor coordination, pain mitigation, etc.).

Dry needling does have unique risks and the goal is to mitigate them as much as possible. Some of the most recent data (< 5 years ago) suggest that the following are possible risks to dry needling:

• Bleeding, bruising, soreness (minor adverse event)
• Re-aggravation of symptoms (minor adverse event)
• Feeling faint/Headache/Nausea (moderate adverse event)
• Pneumothorax and Nerve Injuries (major adverse event)
• Minor adverse events have less than a 5-10% chance of occurring.
• Moderate adverse events have less than a 4% chance of occurring.
• Major adverse events have less than a 1% chance of occurring. For context, opioids and over the counter NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) have a 60-77% chance of creating a minor adverse event.

What is the take-away?

Although dry needling should be considered a minimally invasive procedure with unique risks, those risks are not only small, but are even smaller by magnitude, compared to over the counter medications. Here at Anatomy Optimized, we mitigate those risks even further with an in-depth level of anatomical knowledge, advanced dry needling education, and a high exposure to a variety of conditions that can be treated with dry needling.

Mom’s Corner

Why did the banana go to the doctor?

Because he wasn't PEELING well.

Hi, my name is Tahnee Halverson and I have a funny, very intelligent and wonderful 3 year old son named Max and a pretty great husband, Spencer. They both love coming up with jokes together so I thought I would start this off with my son's favorite one. 

I started Crossfit at the beginning of the year with my husband. We thought that we had fallen in love with Crossfit, so we came 3 times a week for a couple of months. Come to find out after visiting Park City, Utah for a couple of weeks and multiple other crossfit gyms, what we actually fell in love with was Fortified Fitness and the incredible community, owners, coaches and people there. They are 10 out of 10 across the board! We love Fortified Fitness! 

I became a Holistic Nutritionist after struggling with health issues of my own and losing our daughter at 24 weeks in 2012. I am the owner of the Institute of Healing where we specialize in gut health and women's health. You can find me on Instagram under the handle @thegutmechanic. I love what I do, but what I LOVE even more is being a mom to my incredible son. Spencer, Max, and I love to take our lab to the lake, go on bike rides, attend the farmers market on Saturdays, golf and just hang out with friends and family. 

I am a semi-new mom but if I had to give any advice at all it would be; try not to be perfect, none of us are. Do your best and forget the rest. I tell my son this all the time. I think when we strive for perfection as moms we will always fall short and always be disappointed, but if we strive to be our best selves, even if that means working out 3 times per week like me instead of 5 or 6, that's truly all that matters. 

Also, drink lots of water, get out in nature and enjoy the moment! This time as a mom, with kids at home, passes by so quickly! 

Tahnee

Weigh Ankor

Countdown to Skin Removal

After three years of being on this weight loss journey and dreaming of getting my loose skin removed, I finally have a surgery date.

Losing a significant amount of weight has been an incredible accomplishment, but it has left excess skin that hides the results of my hard work. This surplus of skin also causes physical discomfort that limits my ability to enjoy the full benefits of weight loss. This is the reason I’m choosing to do a 360 body lift skin removal procedure.

Benefits of 360 Body Lift Skin Removal

A 360 body lift skin removal procedure is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and fat from the entire midsection of the body, including the abdomen, hips, thighs, and buttocks. This procedure not only improves the appearance of the body but also enhances the quality of life by reducing skin irritation and discomfort.

In addition, this procedure can help patients see the results of their hard work and dedication to a healthy lifestyle. It also gives an increased ability to participate in physical activities and wear clothes that were previously avoided due to the excess skin.

The Procedure

The 360 body lift skin removal procedure typically takes between 4 to 6 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make incisions around the entire midsection of the body to remove excess skin. The remaining skin and tissue are then lifted and tightened for a smoother and more toned appearance.

There will be some discomfort and swelling after the surgery, but this is managed with pain medication and compression garments. There are also post-operative instructions provided by the surgeon to ensure proper healing for optimal results.

FitFam Down Payment

The cost for plastic surgery procedures like the 360 body lift skin removal is expensive and can come from various sources. Some patients choose to pay for the procedure out-of-pocket, while others may opt to finance the surgery through a third-party provider.

In some cases, insurance may cover the cost of the procedure if it is deemed medically necessary to improve a patient's quality of life. Unfortunately for me, insurance believes this procedure is cosmetic.

This is where the fit family has come to my aid. While looking for a new gym to go to in 2021, Dave reached out to me and talked to me about my fitness journey. I still had some weight to lose before hitting my total weight loss goal, but Dave was already thinking about the second phase of the journey. I talked to him about my desire to eventually one day get skin removal surgery and get rid of the excess skin to be able to step fully into the new life I was building for myself.

He wanted to set-up the Weigh Ankor Family Plan. It saved the money from my membership and $40 from anyone who was on the family plan to put down for my skin removal surgery. We raised $12,000.

I still have $27,000 to raise over the next year, which is a lot, but I have picked up teaching extra classes and have started Hund Park & Co. which is a doggy boutique. Hopefully, I will be able to raise the rest of the needed money. 🤞🏼

I’m On the Calendar

I never thought I would be able to lose the weight, let alone be on the calendar to have all the skin removed. When I got the text message from Elle at Athenix saying that I was all set and on the calendar, I just started crying. This has been a long journey so far, and I’m so ready for the next phase of this journey.

In the coming months, I hope to start planning where I am going to stay, all the things I need for the surgery, and answering all the questions I have now that I know this is really happening.

Here We Go

A 360 body lift skin removal procedure is a life-changing procedure for those of us who have lost a significant amount of weight but are left with excess skin. The benefits of this procedure go beyond cosmetic improvements and can greatly enhance the quality of life for patients. If you have any questions or are interested in knowing more, please reach out to me.

Follow me on instagram: @weighankor

Visit the site: weighankor.com

MAV Real Estate Team

Can You Really Count on Those Online Home Listing Price Estimates? Ask The MAV Team!!

Madeline and Vincent here again, this time discussing all of those pricing estimates on homes you see online. Buying a new home is an exciting time, and you’re likely to find yourself scouring through home listing price estimates to determine which houses are in your budget. However, these estimates are not without their flaws. They are often user-submitted and based on market trends, and they may not always be current since they depend on the source of data and when it’s submitted. Instead, they should serve as an idea of how much a house may cost. Learn more about home listing price estimate inaccuracies and how to maneuver the housing market

Keep an Eye on the Market

If you’re house hunting for quite a while, update your calculations regularly—the housing market changes with the seasons, and supply and demand ebbs and flow. You can expect a home appraisal to be valid for roughly two to six months, and appraisal numbers lose their accuracy even faster in hot markets where prices change quickly. However, the reverse is true for home listing price estimates. For example, estimates tend to be more accurate in hot markets since real estate listing websites have more data to utilize. However, markets with little housing turnover might need more information, which causes the home listing price estimate inaccuracies.

Tech v. Professional

There are two ways to estimate the price of a home: online tools or real estate experts. While online calculators are easy, convenient, and quick, they only consider your square footage, recent sales history, and other publicly available data, and you receive an estimate in seconds. Even with all the technology and AI assistance, you can’t top a real estate expert to get an accurate picture of a home’s value. Real estate agents have deep knowledge of the area, local market conditions, and current housing market trends. While technology is fast, real estate agents have that human touch that can’t be duplicated and The MAV Team is always available to help you with any questions that you may have!

A Few More Tips

Remember that home listing price estimates might have yet to learn about recent updates that could impact the home’s value. Also, not all home renovations are equal, and some might not boost the home’s value! If mistakes are made in the property taxes that have been paid or any exceptions to tax assessments, the home listing estimate will likely be inaccurate. Look at comparable homes to see what they’ve sold for and how current prices trend.

If you have any questions on the real estate market or are thinking of buying or selling, we are always just a quick call or text away! Or you can usually catch us at the 6:15 pm class!

~ Madeline & Vincent Fiore

The MAV Real Estate Team

As always, you can find more AZ specific real estate info, helpful tips and tricks at MAVrealestate.com or visit us on IG @MAVrealestate.

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