THE LIVING FREE GYM
ESTIMATED OPENING DATE: November 1, 2023
Living Free and Nye County’s second therapeutic workplace employing primarily people in recovery from addiction and other related challenges.
LIVING FREE GYM
Preliminary information
WE WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
We have about 1/2 of the equipment we need already in storage. We are working on procuring the other 50% or so. We’re looking at monthly fees of about $25 to $30 and probably a “card key” fee of $10. We also plan to avoid all the nitpicking admin, quit, etc. type fees and fine print we all hate about signing gym memberships. And that price will be for everyone with all-inclusive access for all the hours we are open. It will likely start with hours limited to 4am to 11pm. (Note:All subject to change as we finalize things.)
Health
Feed your brain and body!
What you EAT can help prevent relapse.
Even a few, minor changes to your diet can strengthen your brain and “re-wire” your hunger to diminish cravings. This is due to how most processed foods can be “triggers”– so learn to avoid them!
It’s actually simple: “Good” foods are those that you buy by the pound, “bad” are found among those that are processed and packaged.
Stay stopped by selecting healthier foods.
Healthier eating translates into fewer cravings, easier weight management, a sense of well-being, and overall better health!
Easy nutrition basics
- Never shop for food when hungry
- Never skip a meal
- Always have healthy snacks available and with you (carrots, nuts, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
Food Categories (basic)
Below is a guideline for healthy eating. The “+++” food groups should be staples in your diet. Foods in these groups that can serve as easy snacks to keep your energy up are in green. The other groups should be eaten sparingly.
| Protein | Vegetables | Grains/Nuts | Fruits | Starch | Oils/Fats |
| +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | ++ | + |
| Beef | Artichoke | Almonds | Apples | Bread | Butter |
| Chicken | Asparagus | Beans | Bananas | Grits/Polenta | Canola Oil |
| Cheese | Broccoli | Lentils | Berries | Pasta | Corn Oil |
| Cottage Cheese | Carrots | Rice | Oranges | Potatoes | Grape Seed Oil |
| Eggs | Cauliflower | Quinoa | Pears | Margarine | |
| Fish | Eggplant | Walnuts | Olive Oil | ||
| Lamb | Tomatoes | Avocado | |||
| Pork | Olives | ||||
| Shellfish | |||||
| Tofu | |||||
| Yogurt |
Fitness
Exercise changes brain chemistry and helps prevent relapse.
Your brain on exercise
Even a small amount of daily exercise can change and strengthen your brain and “re-wire” it to diminish cravings. This is due to the re-balancing of concentrations of pleasurable neurotransmitters, including:
- Dopamine
- Endorphin
- Serotonin
Stay stopped by adding routine exercise to your daily life.
Just like any other habit, repetition reinforces the behavior – good or bad. Exercise not only helps you stay in recovery, it also has the obvious benefits of weight and disease management, delivering an overall sense of well being, and looking and feeling better!
Exercise Plans (basic)
Below are ideas for those who haven’t yet started exercising (Beginner/LIGHT), and for those who are already in shape (In Shape/MODERATE).
Each contains 4 key components:
| Beginner- LIGHT | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up (5 minutes) |
Walk, dynamic stretching | rest | Walk, dynamic stretching | rest | Walk, dynamic stretching | rest | rest |
| Aerobic (15 minutes) |
Brisk walk | rest | Cardio equipment | rest | Hike, bike, or swim | rest | rest |
| Strength (10 minutes) |
Calisthenics | rest | Upper, lower body weights | rest | Resistance training | rest | rest |
| Cool down (5 minutes) |
Walk, stretch | rest | Dynamic stretching, walk | rest | Dynamic static stretching | rest | rest |
| In Shape-MODERATE | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm up (10 minutes) |
Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | rest | rest |
| Aerobic (30 minutes) |
Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | X-country run, hike, bike, or swim | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | X-country run, hike, bike, or swim | Walk, easy jog/cardio, stretching | rest | rest |
| Strength (20 minutes) |
Weights, chest, back, legs | Weights, shoulders, arms, abs | Calisthenics, resistance, Pilates, yoga | Weights, chest, back, legs | Weights, shoulders, arms, abs | rest | rest |
| Cool down (10 minutes) |
Walk, stretch | Walk, stretch | Walk, stretch | Walk, stretch | Walk, stretch | rest | rest |