Avoid these mistakes for optimum workout results Making the time to exercise is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being. Anyone who is putting in the work for improving their health and fitness deserves a high five! However, maybe you've been putting in the work in the gym, but you're not seeing the results you were hoping for. That can be very frustrating, especially when you're certain you're doing all the right things.  But there is a possibility that you may have some things to improve on to optimize your results from your workouts. Here are some common workout mistakes you may be making and how to fix them.  1. You use exercise solely as a means to burn calories.      Yes, exercise does burn calories and can help you achieve a caloric deficit a little easier. But when you go into your workouts with the belief that your only purpose is to burn calories, you limit what you can actually accomplish in those workouts. I've had m...

  Why setting performance-based goals helps for long-term success One of the most common phrases I hear as a personal trainer is " I want to lose   X lbs ".  Most people like to put a specific number on their weight loss goals, whether it's a number they want to lose or a number they want to weigh, it's usually the first goal that comes to mind.  This usually stems from stepping on the scale and seeing the number creep up and up and seeing in the mirror something they don't exactly love, so they decide that they want to lose "X" number of lbs and that will be the ultimate goal for them to achieve.  As much as I love it when people have some goals in mind, I'm here to play a little devil's advocate when it comes to setting a specific weight loss goal. You may wonder, what's wrong with setting a weight loss goal? It's not so much wanting to lose some extra body fat or get in better shape that's the problem. The problem comes up when you...

You've decided to start lifting weights! First of all, I'll welcome you to the dark side!  Now that you're ready to start lifting some weights, you may want to know, should you start with free weights or on the machines? Whether you're at the gym or looking for equipment for at home, is one better than the other? What is the difference between free weights and machines? And does one really provide more benefits over the other? To  help make this decision a little easier, I will give clarity on both in this article. I will give you all the details so you can make the best decision for yourself and I will also give my recommendations based on my experience not only for myself in my own fitness, but as a trainer and what I do with my clients.  First, let's go over the basics, what exactly is a free weight and what is a machine? A free weight is classified as any workout equipment or weight that is not on a fixed track, machine, seat or cable. Examples of free weights  ...

It seems that over the past couple of years, protein has become a big topic for nutrition and diet.  But protein isn't just a fad that one day showed up on the internet and muscle-bound bodybuilders started pounding it in shakes. Protein is actually a very important essential nutrient that many of us are lacking in proper amounts in our everyday diets. What is protein and why is it so important?   Protein is one of the 3 main macronutrients we require in our diets, the other 2 being carbohydrates and fats. They are classified as "macro" because we require them in large amounts in our diet.  The 3 macronutrients make up all of our foods, with many of our foods being a mixture of at least 2 macronutrients. For example, potatoes are mainly carbohydrates, but also have a little bit of protein.  Most animal protein sources have protein and fat as well. Protein plays a large role in your health and fitness goals. Whether those goals are weight loss, weight or muscle g...

Over the years of being a personal trainer, I've worked with dozens of people, each of them needing their own custom programs, and coaching.  Each with a goal in their heart that was theirs alone and needing my help. Although each of these people are so different in their own ways, over time you start to have common themes, conversations and issues come up. When I talk to other trainers, they also find that they have similar conversations, issues and themes brought up between their different clients.  There are things when I will discuss with other trainers that we share the same thoughts that we just wish that our clients knew.  Things we want to tell each of them to help them understand where we are coming from and how we want to help them succeed. So I've compiled that list.  A list of things we as personal trainers want you, our clients to know.  A list that I want to send to each of my current, past and future clients.   Here it is, the 10 things ...

Scroll through any fitness Facebook Page or Reddit group or search weight loss on Google and you'll see this question pop up every time. "What is the best exercise for weight loss?" All the time, we are searching for the "hack".  The secret that trainers and doctors are hiding from us that is the secret to your weight loss struggles!  If you search this question on Google, you'll find about 1000 different answers on this "fat-blasting" exercise, the 10-minute workout, e lliptical, walking, weights, HIIT, cardio, Zumba... You get the idea. But the actual answer isn't what you think, despite all the answers you might find on Google.  It's time that we break it down to what is really the best for weight loss.  This is why you and I need to have a chat about it. The actual answer is... There is no such thing as a "best exercise" for weight loss.   (pause for audible gasp) There's only one way to lose weight and that is through a...

Since this COVID 19 situation started,  we have all being confined to our houses and  all the gyms have closed, it has made it challenging for some (present party included) to get the workouts we want to have at home. I don't know about you, but I find working out at home just not the same.  I don't have a lot of equipment at home and I miss the comradery and focus the gym gave me.  But alas, we are stuck with what we have at home for the foreseeable future! You may be stuck in the same boat as I am, not a lot of equipment and a need to move your body.  Exercise and activity have been helping to keep me sane and balance my moods in an overly-emotional time.   So it has forced me to be creative, which really isn't the worst thing in the world.  I've been finding ways to make my workouts different and more challenging, so I will share my tips with you on how to change up your workouts to help make them more challenging, especially if you ...

A common statement I hear is "I just need more motivation!"  or "How do I get myself motivated to workout/eat healthy"   I am certain you've had these thoughts, as has everyone!  You may be thinking to yourself, what's wrong with me, why aren't I motivated like the people I see on Instagram?  Why can't I seem to motivate myself to get off the couch, and why can't I stay motivated?! What's the secret behind motivation?  How do you actually achieve your goals?   The big secret is, you can't rely on motivation!  You don't need "motivation" to do anything in life, especially weight loss.   Why?  The answer is simple, motivation is fleeting and it fluctuates.   Take this extremely common example, that I guarantee has happened to you before: Some weeks/months you're all full of energy and excitement for your goals.   You start the diet, you meal prep all the things, do all the workouts, double your wo...