Blue Tortuga Fitness

🚤💪 Please join me in congratulating Ted Brooks on completing Loop Strong℠!

Ted is a Looper in the planning stage, preparing for the adventures ahead with his wife as they train on their new boat. He understands that being adventure-ready means building a strong foundation before casting off.

One of the things that stands out about Ted is his attitude and commitment. As he shared:

"I also know the good feeling one gets when completing a difficult workout, so I try to let that motivate me — but it’s not always easy."

That mindset is what creates long-term success. Showing up, pushing through the challenging days, and staying consistent are the keys to building strength, confidence, and resilience.

Ted is now moving on to Loop Strong Advanced℠, continuing to build the strength, stability, and endurance needed for life on the water and the adventures ahead.

Congratulations, Ted! Keep putting in the work — your future adventures will be better because of it. 🌊💪

Interested in becoming Adventure Ready | Body Ready? Learn more by contacting us at [email protected]

🚴 The Goal Was Never Just Exercise... It Was Freedom.

I recently heard from one of my clients who was excited to share that she and her husband had just purchased new bikes.

What made her the happiest?

They're not e-bikes.

Not because there's anything wrong with e-bikes—they're a fantastic option for many people—but because she realized she no longer needed the extra assistance.

Over the past several months, she's consistently built a solid fitness foundation by focusing on the things that matter most:
✅ Strength
✅ Stability
✅ Cardiovascular fitness

The payoff goes far beyond the gym.

Today she's living the active lifestyle she loves—hiking mountain trails, skiing, sailing their boat, and now enjoying long rides on a traditional bicycle with confidence and energy.

That's what Blue Tortuga Fitness is all about.

We don't train just to get better at exercising or looks. We train so the adventures we love become easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

Adventure Ready | Body Ready

If you'd like to build the strength and endurance to fully enjoy your own adventures—whether that's boating, RVing, hiking, cycling, or simply keeping up with the people you love—I'd love to help.

📧 [email protected]

🎉Congratulations, Marina Thompson! 🎉

Consistency beats perfection every time, and Marina Thompson is living proof.

Please join me in congratulating Marina in successfully completing Loop Strong Advanced—and the best part? She's already committed to doing it again as she begins training for the Disney Half Marathon in the coming months.

Here's what Marina had to say about the program:
"This program has very much suited my current boating lifestyle and has definitely helped with my overall fitness. It is just the right amount of time and difficulty. And is enjoyable to do!"

As full-time boaters know, staying fit while living aboard can be challenging. Marina's dedication shows that with just 30 minutes 5 days each week, you can build strength, improve fitness, and stay ready for whatever adventures lie ahead.

Congratulations, Marina! Your consistency, discipline, and positive attitude are inspiring. We can't wait to cheer you on as you train for—and conquer—the Disney Half Marathon!

Blue Tortuga Fitness: Proud AGLCA Sponsor

Interested in building strength wherever your travels take you? Contact Blue Tortuga Fitness at [email protected]

Adventure Ready | Body Ready

💪 What’s the best core exercise?

Forget endless crunches and sit-ups.

If I could recommend just one core routine to almost everyone, it would be the McGill Big 3.

Developed by spine biomechanics researcher Dr. Stuart McGill, the McGill Big 3 focuses on what your core is actually designed to do: stabilize your spine, not repeatedly bend it. Decades of research have shown that core endurance and stability are often more important than maximum strength when it comes to protecting your back and improving everyday performance.

Dr. Stuart McGill is one of the world's leading experts in spine biomechanics and low back health. As a professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo, he spent more than 30 years researching how the spine functions, what causes back pain, and how to prevent and rehabilitate injuries. His evidence-based approach has influenced healthcare professionals, physical therapists, strength coaches, and elite athletes around the world. The McGill Big 3 exercises are among his most widely recognized contributions, designed to improve core stability while minimizing stress on the spine.

The three exercises are:
✅ Modified Curl-Up
✅ Side Plank
✅ Bird Dog
Here’s a demonstration of each one: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/blGEukvgf1Q

Together they train your body to resist unwanted movement, improve posture, transfer force more efficiently, and build a resilient spine. Whether you're lifting groceries, hiking a trail, climbing into your boat or RV, playing with the grandkids, or hitting the golf course, a stable core makes everything easier.

At Blue Tortuga Fitness, we're less interested in chasing six-pack abs and more interested in helping you stay Adventure Ready | Body Ready. Most clients of Blue Tortuga Fitness know the McGill 3 well.

Have you tried the McGill Big 3? I'd love to hear your experience.
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://pro.everfit.io/Blue-Tortuga-Fitness

The Best 3 Exercises To Strengthen & Pain-Proof Your Back | Dr. Andrew Huberman This is shorts from the Huberman Lab Clips “Strengthen & Pain-Proof...

"What's the best exercise?"

Every week someone asks me: "What's the best exercise?"
My answer is always the same: The one you'll actually do consistently.
A perfect workout you never do is worthless. A good workout you stick with for years is life-changing.
That said...

If I could only choose two exercises for the rest of my life, they'd be:
💪 Push-ups
🏋️ Turkish Get-Ups

Why these two?
Because they aren't just exercises—they're movement patterns that train your body the way it was designed to move.

Push-ups develop:
• Upper-body pushing strength
• Core stability
• Shoulder health
• Scapular control
• Total-body tension

Research consistently shows that push-ups build strength similarly to the bench press when performed with sufficient effort. They also improve muscular endurance and require your core to stabilize your entire body.

Turkish Get-Ups develop:
• Balance
• Coordination
• Mobility
• Shoulder stability
• Core strength
• Hip strength
• The ability to safely get up from the floor

The Turkish Get-Up looks simple until you try to do it well. It demands strength, mobility, balance, coordination, shoulder stability, core control, and body awareness—all working together through multiple movement patterns. There's no place to hide a weakness. Tight hips, limited shoulder mobility, poor balance, or a weak core will quickly become apparent. That's why it's such a valuable exercise: it doesn't just build fitness—it reveals what needs improving while teaching your body to move efficiently and safely.

Here's the reality:
Most Americans struggle with both.
Studies suggest only about 25-30% of adults can perform 10 consecutive standard push-ups, and that percentage drops sharply after age 60.

Here’s a short video on the proper push-up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IODxDxX7oi4

The Turkish Get-Up is even more challenging. While there isn't national data, most adults who haven't trained it cannot perform a controlled get-up from the floor while holding even a light weight overhead. In fact, many older adults struggle to get up from the floor at all without using furniture—a skill strongly linked to maintaining independence.

Here’s a short video on the Turkish Get Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaRuPaWPhn0

Neither exercise is easy.
That's exactly why they're so valuable.
The good news? Both can be scaled. Wall push-ups become incline push-ups, then knee push-ups, then full push-ups. Turkish Get-Ups can start with no weight, then a shoe balanced on your fist, before progressing to a kettlebell or dumbbell.

Your challenge this week:
Can you perform:
✅ 10 quality push-ups (using a version appropriate for your ability)?
✅ One controlled Turkish Get-Up on each side?
If not, don't be discouraged.

Make them part of your weekly routine. A few months from now, your strength, balance, and confidence may be dramatically different.
The best exercise is still the one you'll do—but if you're looking for two that deliver the biggest return on your time, these are hard to beat.

Blue Tortuga Fitness is here to help you achieve your fitness and sustain your adventure.

Adventure Ready | Body Ready
— Blue Tortuga Fitness

What's Your Protein Really Costing You?

Protein plays a key role in maintaining muscle, supporting bone health, speeding recovery, and keeping you satisfied between meals. As we get older, hitting adequate protein intake becomes even more important for preserving strength, function, and independence.

While the standard minimum recommendation (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg/day is based on a person’s “reference” or ideal body weight, not necessarily current body weight—especially in cases of higher body fat or obesity. In practice, this means it reflects the amount needed per kilogram of healthy body mass to avoid deficiency, rather than optimize performance or aging outcomes.

For example, a 160 lb person (≈73 kg):
• RDA (0.8 g/kg) → about 58 g of protein/day
However, for active adults and older adults aiming to maintain muscle and strength:
• 1.2–1.6 g/kg → about 88–117 g of protein/day

When it comes to choosing a protein source, most of us focus on grams of protein—but rarely consider what those grams actually cost. Whether your goal is building muscle, maintaining strength as you age, losing weight, or simply eating healthier, getting the most protein for your dollar can make a big difference over time. The comparison below looks at the cost per gram of protein, making it easy to see which foods deliver the best nutritional value. While convenience foods like protein bars and ready-to-drink shakes certainly have their place, whole foods and a few smart staples often provide far more protein at a fraction of the cost.

Protein Source Cost (¢ per gram of protein)
🥇 Dry Lentils 1.4¢/g
🥈 Dry Black Beans 1.9¢/g
🥉 Pork Loin 2.9¢/g
Chicken Breast 3.8¢/g
Whey Protein Powder 4.4¢/g
Plain Greek Yogurt 5.6¢/g
Tofu 6.3¢/g
Lean Ground Beef 6.7¢/g
Core Power Shake 12.5¢/g
Protein Bar 12.5¢/g
Protein Water 14.3¢/g

Takeaways
🥩 Whole foods win. Pork, chicken, beans, and lentils provide the most protein for the least money.

🥤 Whey is the best convenience value. It costs only slightly more per gram than chicken while requiring virtually no prep.

💸 Convenience comes at a price. Ready-to-drink shakes, bars, and protein waters cost 2–5 times more per gram of protein than whole foods. Shakes aren’t “bad”—they’re just expensive convenience. If you’re using them daily for convenience, you’re paying roughly $65 more per month versus whole food protein like chicken.

Strength doesn’t always look big.
These alpine wildflowers I photographed today thrive in harsh conditions—thin soil, cold nights, and a growing season measured in weeks. Resilience isn’t about having perfect conditions; it’s about adapting to the ones you’re given. That’s true in nature, and it’s true in fitness.

What Is Metabolic Health, Really?

"Metabolic health" gets used constantly in fitness and medicine—but most people don’t actually know what it means.

A research-based definition used in preventive cardiology and metabolic science describes metabolic health as:
The absence of metabolic syndrome–related risk factors and the ability of the body to maintain normal regulation of blood sugar, lipids, blood pressure, and inflammation without medication.

In simpler terms:
Metabolic health is how efficiently your body produces and uses energy while keeping key systems—blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation—in a healthy range.
It’s not a single lab value or diagnosis.
It’s a system-wide picture of how well your metabolism is functioning.

Common markers used to evaluate it include:
• Blood glucose and HbA1c
• Insulin sensitivity
• Blood pressure
• Triglycerides
• HDL cholesterol
• ApoB (cardiovascular particle risk marker)
• Waist circumference
• Liver health markers
• Physical fitness and muscle mass

The good news is that metabolic health is highly modifiable.
The biggest drivers are everyday behaviors:
✅ Move your body daily
✅ Strength train regularly
✅ Prioritize protein
✅ Minimize highly processed foods
✅ Limit added sugars
✅ Get quality sleep
✅ Manage stress
✅ Maintain healthy body composition

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s direction.

Small consistent improvements shift your metabolism in the right direction over time.
Good metabolic health doesn’t just extend lifespan.
It improves energy, strength, resilience, and the ability to stay capable in daily life.

Adventure Ready | Body Ready

Questions? Email [email protected]

Your Environment May Matter More Than Your Willpower

Dan Buettner, known for his work studying the world's longest-lived people in the Blue Zones, recently interviewed author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs. One lesson stood out:

Willpower is overrated.

Most people think healthy, fit individuals simply have more discipline. But the reality is often much simpler: they've created environments that make healthy choices easier.

Think about it:
✅ Fruit on the counter gets eaten until you’re reasonably full
❌ Cookies on the counter get eaten too, until you’re beyond full

If your friends meet for a morning walk, you'll likely walk more. If every social gathering revolves around food and drinks, those habits tend to follow.

The healthiest and longest-lived people don't spend every day fighting temptation. Instead, they build routines, relationships, and surroundings that naturally support good decisions.

At Blue Tortuga Fitness, we see the same thing. Success rarely comes from heroic acts of self-control. It comes from small actions repeated consistently:
• Keeping exercise equipment visible and accessible
• Scheduling workouts like appointments
• Stocking your kitchen with foods that support your goals and minimizing candy and cakes that don’t
• Surrounding yourself with people who encourage healthy habits

Your brain loves the easy option. The trick isn't to fight that reality—it's to make the healthy option the easy option.

What is one change you can make this week to make the healthy choice the easy choice?

Ready to build habits that support a stronger, healthier, more adventurous life?

Contact Blue Tortuga Fitness: [email protected]
Adventure Ready | Body Ready

Your Legs: More Than Just a Muscle

A client recently told me, "I like doing calf raises because they help my lymphatic system."

As it turns out, there's some truth to that.

Your legs do far more than help you walk from one place to another. In fact, the muscles of your lower body—especially your calves—are often called your body's "second heart."

Every time you walk, climb stairs, rise from a chair, or perform calf raises, those muscles contract and help push blood back up toward your heart. Since blood in your legs is working against gravity, strong leg muscles play an important role in keeping circulation moving efficiently.

The lymphatic system benefits as well. Unlike the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system doesn't have a pump like the heart. Instead, it relies heavily on muscle contractions and movement to help move lymph fluid throughout the body. Strong, active legs help keep that system working effectively.

There may even be benefits for your brain. Regular movement and exercise improve circulation throughout the body, including blood flow to the brain. Research consistently shows that people who maintain leg strength and stay physically active tend to preserve cognitive function better as they age. Exercise also stimulates the production of compounds that support brain health, learning, and memory.

But the benefits don't stop there.

Strong legs can help:

• Improve circulation
• Support lymphatic flow
• Enhance balance and stability
• Improve walking, hiking, and climbing endurance
• Reduce fatigue during daily activities
• Support brain health and cognitive function
• Maintain mobility and independence as we age

This doesn't mean calf raises are a miracle exercise, but they are a great reminder that fitness is about much more than appearance. Building stronger legs improves the body's ability to perform countless functions that keep us healthy, active, and capable.

The next time you're doing calf raises, squats, step-ups, or simply taking a walk, remember: you're doing more than strengthening your muscles. You're supporting circulation, helping your body's natural fluid movement systems, promoting brain health, and investing in your future independence.

Your legs are more than muscles.

They're one of the keys to staying active, capable, and adventure-ready for life.

Adventure Ready | Body Ready