Blog
November 29, 2018

Why do we train barefoot?

Why train barefoot? Quick summary: Training without shoes helps our instructors to better see everything that your body is doing so that we can provide more effective coaching feedback while you train. Barefoot training helps to improve joint-by-joint movement quality for safer training and a stronger, more resilient body. Yes, at Barefoot we really do train without shoes. Obviously, a lack of footwear is only one small piece of the overall picture, but our gyms are outfitted with dense MMA mats, and the majority of the workouts we do take place barefoot on those mats. You might be wondering – “Why train barefoot?” Well… Our training philosophy centers on a handful of principles. Quality comes before quantity. Before you do an exercise a lot, it’s critical that you do it well. We master a movement pattern first, and then we apply stress to it. Once we apply stress, we do it with… read more »

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March 19, 2018

Set Yourself up for Big Lifts

In a previous post, I talked about how posture and good exhalation gives you strong abs. Today, we are going to talk about how these things improve your big lifts. (See: The Key to Abs. You may want to read it first for to get some background and visuals) What does your posture have to do with lifting? Well, everything. We need a well balanced core on all sides to get the most out of our ab exercises. We also need that balance plus an appropriate starting position to produce a strong lift. Imagine a fit, strong looking person who can move some heavy weight. (Maybe you are that person.) But in order to get those big lifts, they twist, turn, or sharply arch their back. Our bodies are smart and will compensate for us. When one area isn’t doing its job, another spot will kick in and give you… read more »

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December 7, 2017

The Key to Abs

What if I were to tell you that to get strong abs, you must first master breathing? Specifically, you have to get better at exhaling. Most of us are dysfunctional when it comes to breathing. This affects our posture and we get stuck in a state of hyperinflation (hyperextension) that we can’t get out of. Sounds kind of silly right? If you are reading this, you’re still on this earth. So, you must be doing something right when it comes to inhaling and exhaling air. 🙂 Starting any ab exercise in a hyperinflated “stuck on the inhale” state makes it less effective. If you aren’t in the right starting position, your core exercises aren’t working as well as they could. I can hold a plank with poorly engaged abs for several minutes. But a plank in a better starting position is a whole different beast.          … read more »

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May 2, 2017

Why I Broke Up With Paleo

In my early stages of learning to eat healthier, I started the Paleo diet. I went cold turkey and adopted this as my new healthy. I was so into it! People would often get in touch with me to help them in their Paleo journey. I still seem to carry around the Paleo Girl title.   If you aren’t familiar with Paleo, here are the very basics: Remove dairy, grains, processed foods, sugar, and legumes. Your diet revolves around protein, fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. I’m not writing this to persuade you one way or the other. I have had several conversations about this recently, and I want to share my experience because it applies to many restriction-based plans. Keep in mind that we’ve all got a unique path and mine may not look the same as yours, but I hope there are some useful nuggets here for you. I… read more »

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back in the box
January 21, 2017

Meal plan ebooks

“I want to eat healthily but I don’t know what to make.” “I don’t know how to cook.” “Healthy food tastes so boring.” “My life is so busy I don’t have the time to cook healthy.” “My kids won’t eat the healthy food I make.” Can you relate to any of those statements? Maybe all of them? That used to be me. I went from not knowing what to make, to trying to pick the “right thing” and hating it. Then attempting to make advanced meals that were time consuming,  caused me stress, and ended up tasting awful anyway. I would buy fresh produce to watch it rot.  How frustrating. I’ve learned a lot since then. Like how to make nutritious, good tasting food that the whole family will like. Meals that aren’t complicated or time-consuming. And how to plan well so I no longer have wasted, unused food or… read more »

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10 Amazing Holiday Baking Recipes
December 22, 2016

10 Amazing Holiday Baking Recipes

The holidays are a time of giving and sharing.  And we have something delicious to share with you! 10 delicious holiday desserts! Download our free book of amazing holiday baking recipes. (<– click here for the recipes) And guess what?  We have 2 versions of every dessert. A traditional version with ingredients like butter, flour, eggs, milk A “healthified” version made with more non-traditional or “paleo-esque” ingredients Surprised?  Well, that’s why we’re doing it this way.  Many times people are puzzled to find out that we deliberately don’t eat 100% perfect all the time: That we sometimes go out for ice cream or pizza.  That during the holidays, we don’t bring a kale smoothie to a holiday gathering.  We enjoy (without guilt) the real deal goodies. In fact, our families enjoy holiday baking together.  And we know how good it feels to see our kids’ eyes light up when they have holiday treats!… read more »

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December 12, 2016

How to Bomb a Fat Loss Contest

How to bomb a fat loss contest Back in 2010 I did a 28-day diet that consisted mostly of protein shakes along with a few other supplements.  I had a healthy meal made from whole foods once per week.  I followed it to a T and had awesome results, losing 7 lbs of fat and gaining 4 lbs of muscle.  My fat percentage dropped to 14.8% and I was very happy with where I was at, finally! Fast forward six years.  I was involved in an instructor fat loss contest at Barefoot.  It was a 60-day contest with a $900 prize going to the winner!  We  measured body comp with a bod pod.  I was determined to win and so excited to finally have something to “get me back on track.” The results? I failed. Miserably. I actually gained almost 1 pound of fat.  What the what?!  Completely embarrassing and… read more »

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December 9, 2016

Q&A Barefoot Fitness Nutrition Coaching

Make changes that last a lifetime. Barefoot Fitness Nutrition Coaching Q&A:  Get your questions answered Barefoot Fitness now offers nutrition coaching with the Precision Nutrition ProCoach program. Our nutrition coaching helps you make important changes to your eating habits and lifestyle choices, so you can improve your health and get the body you want. With personalized help from us, you’ll overcome challenges that have stopped you for years and get in the best shape of your life — for the rest of your life. Q:  What is this program about? A:  Barefoot Fitness Nutrition Coaching is a 12-month body transformation program that guides you through important, sustainable changes in your eating and lifestyle habits with help from an expert coach.  The Precision Nutrition program has been tested with more than 45,000 people, who’ve transformed their bodies and health profiles in amazing ways.   Diet and exercise fads come and go…. read more »

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Kelli Keyes
September 26, 2016

How to make long-term changes from a short nutrition challenge

Every year we do a nutrition challenge as part of a fat loss contest. Participants follow a series of guidelines that progress as the weeks go by, and many of them make some pretty dramatic changes to their body in a relatively short period of time. This approach is not without its drawbacks. Short-term rule following is difficult to transform into long-term “unconsciously competent” habitual behavior. The encouragement of the former can even impair development of the latter. The physical changes you make in a 4 or 8-week nutrition challenge will be temporary unless the process also informs knowledge and behavior that lasts long after the guidelines are no longer taped to your refrigerator. In this sense, the most valuable part of the nutrition challenge is what happens in your mind, not what it does to your body. The physical transformation is always transient, but changes in perspective are usually… read more »

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back on track
August 15, 2016

My Top 2 Skills to Get Nutrition Back On Track

By: Abby Keyes I love summer.  After long South Dakota winters, we finally get sunshine and warmth.  But it always fiddles with my nutrition habits.  Bonfires, grilling out with friends, and days at the lake.  I enjoy it all.  But it also means s’mores, cocktails, and snacks.  To get back on track I have two, never-fail-me nutrition skills that I always use.  They helped me get and stay lean. I was once confused, overwhelmed, and unsuccessful with nutrition.  You can see more about it in my Perfect Diet blog.  I tried elimination diets and many forms of all-or-nothing plans.    When you are relying on rule-following only, it is hard to make anything stick long-term.  You may find yourself getting caught up on the little details. “I only eat sweet potatoes on workout days.” “Can I eat lentils?” You’re measuring every bite, counting every macronutrient, or taking an outrageous amount… read more »

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