Group Classes vs. Personal Training – Which is better? I already know I’m going to ruffle some feathers with this one. I know this because I have seen enough personal trainers and group fitness instructors (and even fitness directors) battle over this topic. As a personal trainer and a group instructor I’d like to share…
You know what one of the most powerful tools in life is? Being MENTALLY STRONG. And the only reason I feel qualified to say this or share these thoughts with you is because I spent too many years being mentally weak. I could tell you my story about the years I spent in mental weakness…
Ahhh, the summer months… In my house, summer means lots of sunshine-filled days, later-than-usual movie nights with the kids, and a little more downtime than usual. I love the slowdown of our schedules and taking things at a more relaxed pace for the summer. Not only do our schedules shift into a more relaxed mode,…
Have you ever wondered why fitness trainers are constantly preaching about protein and gym-goers are religiously drinking their protein shakes after they work out? Is it really that important and does it benefit the body that much? If you’re looking to build muscle, the short answer is YES. *And as always friends, I’m a fitness…
If you’ve ever been in the middle of a workout and felt totally sluggish or like all of your energy was drained, there’s a good chance it could be blamed on what you ate…or didn’t eat. The foods we consume are literally our fuel (energy) for our bodies. Think of it as putting a low-quality…
How many times should I exercise per week? If you took a group of ten people and asked them this question, you’d likely get answers all across the board. And none of them are really wrong because there is no one “right” answer. When you’re trying to determine how many times a week you should…
“Arm flab” — the arch nemesis of women around the world. Not to mention, “flab” is a horrible word. Who came up with that? When I’m training a female, flabby arms are always on the top of the list for their “areas of concern.” Why does excess fat seem to automatically go there and how do…
The squat is arguably the mac daddy of lower body exercises and is extremely effective for strengthening those lower body muscles and joints. Not to mention, it’s a basic functional movement pattern — something we do in our everyday life. Whether it’s in your workouts or just living normal life, we bend and lift (squat) a…
There once was a time when it was perfectly normal to have abnormalities or unique features that set us apart. In fact, some of those unique features were even considered beautiful. Take Cindy Crawford for example. Before she hit the big time, she wanted to have her now infamous “beauty mark” removed but her mother…
No, I don’t have a magic pill or hot new diet to share. And really the “secrets” aren’t really secrets, but I find most people have little to no understanding of how our bodies lose weight. If we don’t know how the body operates or functions, we’re left guessing on how to tackle weight loss….