Improve Your Personal Training Business

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I consult personal trainers across the country by phone and in-person. The one hour session costs $75 and covers the following topics:

• Getting started in the personal training industry
• Educational and certification options
• Starting your own personal training business
• Marketing, advertising, and strategies for growing your business in your market
• Overcoming roadblocks and avoiding common mistakes

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Don't Be Afraid To Make Mistakes

As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, realize that not every action will be perfect. Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work. Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right.




 

What is food displacement?

There's a big difference between a healthy diet to which treats are occasionally added and an 'all-treat diet.' In the former, unhealthy foods are consumed rarely and in addition to healthy foods. In the latter, unhealthy foods are consumed often and instead of healthy foods. This is called 'food displacement' and must be avoided if optimal body composition and health are your goals. Don't displace nutrient dense food with empty calories!

Challenge Your Workout

Are You Still Munching On Your Thanksgiving Feast?

If a food is in your possession or located in your residence, you'll eventually eat it. If you wish to be healthy and lean, you must remove all foods not conducive to those goals from said residence and replace them with a variety of better, healthier choices. If you know someone whose house is stocked only with optimal food choices and yet who is not healthy and lean, look under his or her bed.

Is It Ok To Cheat?

Cheat meal frequency should be minimized when you're over 15-20% body fat. Basically, the fatter you are, the more likely that any excess food will be shuttled toward body-fat storage rather than muscle mass. So skip the cheat meal unless you're lean. And even then, think of it as an alternative food meal - not a cheat. Cheat meals are usually glorified forms of dietary debauchery. Alternative food meals allow for something a little different from the norm without the trough.



 

Mix It Up

To challenge your body and also help prevent overuse injuries caused by doing the same exact action over and over, occasionally try a totally new and different workout. For example, if you always jog or walk give rollerblading a try. You'll find that the new exercise may be a lot more challenging and therefore burn more calories in the same amount of time.

Make Your Body Your Machine

Healthy Holiday Recipe Exchange

Recipes (Photo credit: pirate johnny)

Start a new tradition: Healthy holiday recipe exchange. Instead of the traditional cookie exchange or sweet treat preparation party, challenge friends and family to makeover a favorite holiday recipe. These days it is rather easy to search the Internet to find a healthy alternative recipe for one of your favorite holiday treats. Have everyone share a sample of their healthy treat along with the full recipe.

Related articles

• Happy, Healthy Holiday Meals
• Web's Best: Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Which Diet Delivery Service Is Best?

It Is OK To Make Mistakes

As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, realize that not every action will be perfect. Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work. Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right.

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Challenge Your Workout

Should you be eating pasta?

pasta (Photo credit: flavorrelish)

I have to admit that I love pasta. But, as a gut-fearing personal trainer, I definitely have to choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake (higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day. During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and fruit and veggie intake.

Restaurant Portions

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Restaurant potions tend to be huge. To help control your portions ask the waiter to immeditaly put half of your meal in a take home box and the bring the rest to your table. Chances are that half portion will satisfy your hunger and you can save the remainder for another day.

Muscle and Weight Loss

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Even when your sitting still muscle burns more energy than fat. So weight training is a very essential part of a healthy weight loss/maintenace program

Preventing Shin Splints

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To prevent or relieve shin splints, stretch and strengthen the muscles of the lower leg.

Consider A Charity Fitness Event

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Consider registering for a charity fitness event (e.g. a walk that benefits a specific disease). This will help provide you with additional motivation to get more fit because you will have a specific goal to achieve on a pre-determined future date. With that date looming over you, it will help you stay motivated to get more fit in time for the event. Plus, you will also be helping a charity.

Is Your Ab Workout Effective?

Abdominal Crunch with Oblique Twist 2 (Photo credit: Scott & White Healthcare)

When doing abdominal exercises be sure to concentrate on using just those specific muscles. And, think about pulling your belly button to your spine, which will make the exercise more effective.

What Are The Benefits of Exercising?

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Remember, there are numerous benefits of regular exercise besides just losing weight. So, don’t base your fitness results purely on whether you are losing pounds or inches. Other important factors include having more energy, sleeping better, increased stamina and increased endurance. Or, even simply being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting as winded

Watch Your Posture

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We tend to spend most of our time with our back in flexion position (bent forward). For better back health, be sure to occassionally arch your back slightly (don't hyperextend). This will help keep your back more in balance.

Are You Breathing Correctly?

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Here are some swim breathing technique tips: As you put your face in the water, release some of the air once through your nose to keep the water from entering your nose. Also, be sure your mouth is closed whenever your face is in the water.

Water and Swimming

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Although it may seem strange, you can easily suffer heat exhaustion while swimming. Remember that the water you are in does not help you stay hydrated. You still need to drink the same amount of water and as frequently as you would when performing any other exercise.

Running Your First Race

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If running a first race be sure to pace yourself. Many people start the race by running too quickly and then find themselves too fatigued to finish the race or even find themselves throwing up on the side of the road. So while it may be tempting to start off fast with the rest of the crowd, the best thing you can do is try to run a consistent pace. Determine ahead of time how fast you want to run and try to stick with that pace throughout. You'll be more successful if you speed up toward the end of the race rather than the beginning. Also, if possible eat a light carbo/protein mix snack about an hour before the race and also consume some water then too (unless you find that food that close to working out causes you problems).

Are You Ready For Your Race?

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It's common for people to purchase new running shoes just before a race or event. However, it's best to wear shoes that aren't brand new. It's best to break-in shoes about a month before an event. New shoes can cause discomfort from blisters or just not fit right. It's best to find that out BEFORE race day.

Are You Lifting Correctly?

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When strength training be sure to use full range of motion. This means that for each exercise you should move your joint through its maximum extension (just be sure not to "lock-out" a joint -- for example when doing a bicep curl don't lock-out your elbow as this could cause an injury). Your muscle should always bear the weight workload, not your joint. If you don't use full range of motion, then your muscle won't work as hard and consequently won't get as strong as it could.

Don't Forget Your Veggies

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At every meal eat a rainbow of colors. The more variety of colors in your food, typically the more well-balanced it is. For example, try to include several vegetables of different colors: green, orange, red, and more.

What Should You Drink?

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Don't waste your calories on drinks. One can of cola can pack 150 - 200 calories! Drink low/no calories drinks like water, decaf tea, sparkling water, etc. Switching to low/no calorie drinks can really reduce your daily caloric consumption. Of course, water is always the best choice.

Are You Breathing?

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Breathing is an often overlooked practice that can really help your workout routines. Try to breathe more from the lower abdomen then from the chest. Try to practice breathing in a slow, rhythmic and consistent manner.

Stay Positive

Image by Thai Jasmine (Smile..smile...Smile..) via Flickr

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. If you consistently concentrate on things you don’t have, then it will be more challenging for you to achieve the other things you really want. If you focus on what’s wrong in your life, you won’t see what is right. This is good advice not only for the health/fitness area of your life, but for all aspects of your life.

Slow Down

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When eating a meal try to take 20 minutes or longer to finish eating. It takes 20 minutes of chewing before your stomach signals your brain that you are full. It also is better for your digestion.