Prevent Rebound Weight Gain From Dieting

The last person you want to be is the one who took off 20 lbs and put 30 back on.  Here are some tips and tricks to help prevent that.

1.     Have an exit strategy from the “diet”

Lets say you have a wedding or your 10 year class reunion coming up and you want to look great for it so kicking it up a notch on the diet and workouts is the best way to get that done.  After all that hard work and time you put in. the night you have been waiting for has come and you look great.  But then what after that? So you end up putting back on all the weight plus some.  I personally have been there done that and have the T-shirt (because I had to buy “fat” clothes).  The reason I allowed this rebound happened was that I didn’t go in with an exit plan, all I had was that date in mind then after that no more reason to keep the body I had worked so hard for. 

2.     Focus on habit change

Before I start on this one I am going to qualify by saying that I know that we all just want to have amazing bodies and not have to work really hard at keeping them, however for many of us that is not the case, we have to work hard and pay special attention to our habits.  Take one of your habits at a time and work on changing them and in some time you will have the body you want and the habits to keep it but without the agony of “dieting.”

3.     Don’t to back to the way you were eating

If you want to the perfect body and are willing to go after it I commend you however you can never go back to the way you were eating and skipping workouts.  Trust me when I say it’s a lot easier to keep what you have then to have to work to get it back again.

4.     Have a treat meal each week.

Treat yourself to a treat meal every week.  It will give you something to look forward too and help keep the sanity of the strictness.

5.     Treat your “diet” and weight loss as a lifestyle and not a temporary thing.

Please. Please. Please, change your habits and not just go on a diet.  I would much rather it take you 2 years to lose 20 because you took you made lifestyle changes, instead of taking 3 months to lose 20 then putting 30 back on to take it back off over 4 months  then put 40 back on.  At the end of all that you are 20 lbs heavier then when you started, have had to lose twice as much, and in a much worse off spot health wise.

Please be smart about your “diets” and your weight loss, do it the right way.  If you have any questions, I would love for you to leave a comment or you may feel free to email me directly at fitnesswerqs@gmail.com ttys!!

Drop the Excuses

Drop your excuses

This isn’t the place for sugar coating or empathy when you tell me why you don’t workout and eat right.  Nutrition and exercising is that most important thing you can do for yourself.  Let me put it to you this way, when you’re 50 and have a stroke or a heart attack because you didn’t take care of yourself then you’ll be wishing you had just taken the time now. 

Excuse 1:  I don’t have time.  Really?  So you’re telling me that you don’t have 30 minutes a day to workout?  You can’t wake up 30 minutes earlier? I know a lot of people who have 20 hour days AND still make it to the gym.  Schedule it and stick to it.  For those of you who are parents running your kids all over the place, I am also a firm believer of leading by example.  Whether you are a boss, a parent, or a coach it is your responsibility to set the bar for personal expectations, so heading to the gym and taking care of yourself 100% should be a priority, because that’s where it all starts.  My parents made it a priority for themselves, which taught me to make it a priority for myself, and since I make it a priority I am setting the example for my clients and some day my kids.  I have crazy busy days with long hours but I still make the time to go.  Where there is a will there is a way, so figure out how to make it happen.

Excuse 2: I don’t feel like it.  Then hire a trainer!  I find a lot of people know what they are doing but just can’t make themselves do it, for those of you that have that problem.  I do accountability check-ins (shameless plug) with clients that aren’t in my area or who know what to do and just need the extra push.  I call/text/email them to make sure they are going to the gym and to remind them that I am watching and keeping track of what their commitment.

Excuse 3:  I don’t have the money.  Well, either make more money or cut something out of your budget.  I hear a lot of people tell me they don’t have the money to join the gym or get a trainer and then in the next breath tell me about how much they go out to eat in a week.  I personally have two coaches I work with, one who does all of my workouts and meal plan for me and the other, Harris Kern, who keeps my ass in line and mentors me with business and life.  I have had to cut back on a lot of things to pay for these professionals to help me become as efficient and as successful as I can be at everything I do.

Excuse 4:  I feel like everyone is staring at me at the gym.  I’ll let you in on something, the gym is the most vain place IN THE WORLD right next to all of the celebrity award shows.  The people who are there are to busy checking out themselves to even notice you.  As long as you don’t wear an all spandex outfit or wear a head band and a fanny pack, you’ll blend right into the back ground. 

Excuse 5:  I don’t know how to use the machines. Check your ego at the door for this one, don’t ever be too proud to ask for help, especially when it comes to working out.    Even as a seasoned professional I still ask for other people how to do things, or read about it, or watch YouTube videos if there is a workout I am unfamiliar with or want to incorporate something new into my sessions.  So just ask!

Excuse 6.  I don’t like to eat healthy.  Then learn!!!!  Broccoli won’t kill you, stop being a brat and eat the green stuff!!

Excuse 7: Eating healthy is expensive.  Sad but true, a bag of potato chips is cheaper than a bag of apples, BUT there are program that make it cheaper or but in bulk.  When I buy food I go to Sam’s Club because it is really expensive but buying in bulk like I do I can buy a months worth of wholesome food for $200 easily.

Excuse 8:  I don’t have time to cook healthy.   Cook in bulk for the whole week, then you can take your food with you, save money on eating out, and save time because you’re already prepared so you can go workout!  See how that works?

Whatever other excuse you have isn’t worth the cost of your health.    All of these excuses are just that excuses, it will take time to get around them and learn a new way of living and lifestyle, but it will be totally worth it!!!

I’d love to hear more from you!  Please leave me a comment or shoot me an email fitnesswerqs@gmail.com

How to lose weight effectively: it's not the answer you expect.

If you're looking for a quick fix diet, just stop reading now.  If you're looking for some serious habit changes, keep reading.  First and foremost, STOP DIETING!!!  I have been a personal trainer for over 10 years and the best and longest lasting results were from those that made lifestyle and habit changes.  There is no quick fixes to your body, the 20+ you're trying to pull off didn't go on over night so it's not going to come off in one week.

The wrong way to diet:  Anything that is promising you quick results, none of those diets are safe enough to stay on them, and if you think for a moment that you are going to stuck to that diet for the prescribed time frame and then go back to way you were eating.  Think again.  This is what we call a rebound, and I'm sure you've heard of this or gone through it.  You or someone you know goes on a diet and then bounces right back up to their original weight or more.

The right way to "diet:"  Alright, so if you still haven't caught on,  STOP DIETING and start making lifestyle changes.  This is not a fast process it is not and easy process but it is a long lasting process.  What I want you to do right now is make a list of all of your bad habits surrounding what you eat and how you eat, then write down a a list of new habits you would like to have (if you'd like to add in working out, because this IS YOUR new habit list).  I'll give you a moment to write this list:

OK got it?  Ok, now pick a habit to work on for the next 3 months.  Yes, I said three months, my reasoning for this is to give you plenty of time to let the habit go and create a healthier habit in its place. Then for the next three months work on the next habit, within a year you will have four new habits.  When I have clients that need a lifestyle overhaul this is what I have them do, for instance one client I am working with who has not been able to "stick to a diet."  I have revamped the way we are approaching her weight loss and eating habits.  This is what her schedule looks like:

Nov 8 - Feb 8- No sugar

Feb 9 - May 9 - No sugar and include protein into 3 meals

May 9 - Aug 8 - No sugar, include protein into 3 meals and portion control

Aug 9 - Nov 8 - No sugar, include protein into 3 meals, portion control, and only eat in.

So far so good, she is able to manage her cravings, stick to the plan, and is only focusing on one thing.  Even though this process is going to take her a full year to get though it is going to be worth it at the end, because she will not have to worry about a rebound and it will be a healthy way to maintain her life.  These changes are so small and so spaced out that it gives her time to learn new ways of eating without really having to stress about "sticking to a diet."  

Please leave a comment below!  I'd love to hear what you think or have to say, or feel free to email me at fitnesswerqs@gmail.com.  

3 Reasons Why You Should Dump Your Accountability Partner.

I am here to tell you that you need to dump your "accountability" partner.  In all of my years of training myself and clients I have seen only about .5%, and that is a gross over estimation, of accountability partners actually hold each other accountable.

1.  No follow through.  Now don't get me wrong accountability partnerships are REALLY well intentioned and I definitely see why they seem like such a good idea but lets face it they last about 2 weeks.  I have even fallen into this trap and thought "Oh if I have a friend keep me on task then I will definitely reach my goal."  The fact of the matter is that the friend I usually have to keep me on track is working towards the same goal and has the same down falls.  You'll have to excuse the crudeness of my example but I am about to give but it's to prove my point, its like a crack addict trying to keep another crack addict away from crack.  Did you really think that was going to work?

2.  Not that committed.  Lets face it, your "accountability" partner more than likely has commitment issues to their goals like you do!  Do you really think that someone who has a hard time making time to go to the gym or following their diet is going to be committed to your success.  No not so much!  After the third or fourth week that partner is HOPING you'll forget so that they can "forget" also or hoping you forget because they are getting tired of pulling your ass.

3.  Not today.  Its easy to say "I can't make it today" or "I'm going to cheat on my diet tonight" when you have an accountability partner.  Here's the thing with that, if you decide that you just CAN'T make it to the gym tonight and you'll meet up with your partner the next time, usually the accountability partner won't really argue with you and will let it just happen because who are they to tell you you can't miss, or if they are good about telling you that you have to make it to the gym, you don't want to hear it so you let yourself fall off... Because again who are they to tell you anything!

The fix:  You can't commit to anyone if you can't commit to yourself first on top of that you can't commit to a person who has the same bad habits as you.  Your best bet is to hire a trainer or a coach, someone who will stay on your ass, will see through your bull shit and call you on it, on top of that there is a financial investment that you are making which greatly increases your chance for success because not only do you have the constant reminder of having to pay someone for their service towards your goals but the person you hired is going (or should) give you the best of themselves so that they keep you as a client and keep their money rolling in.
OR,  you can find someone who already has the habits you want and use them as a mentor and a role model they have a lot to teach you about how they do it.  However you need to add value to them, don't be that person who is a motivation sucker.  If you do become one of those suckers it real good way to get yourself uninvited to be around that person.  Be attentive, listen, learn, react, and drop the accountability partner.

Please leave your comments, questions, concerns at the bottom or email me fitnesswerqs@gmail.com I'd love to hear from you!

When is the Best Time of Day to Workout?

So when is the best time of day to workout?  The best answer I can give you is that depends.  Let me explain:

When do you have the most energy?  

• In the morning:  If you are one that hop out of bed and ready to get this day started with then the morning is the best time for you to go. 
• evening? If you are one that takes their time to wake up and doesn't really feel good until later in the morning then afternoon is definitely the best time

What's your schedule like?

• If you're one of the very few people who can predict their day and have complete control over their schedule then you can obviously take the liberties with your schedule and hit the gym whenever you want.
• If you are one of the many that has things "pop" up then it is probably best for you to hit the gym in the morning before anything "pops" up and you can't make it. 
• Note:  Consistency is SO key to all of this.  Find a time that is consistent across the board to get to the gym if you can.  Using myself as an example, The only time that I have consistently free throughout the week is 4a... So that's when I go to the gym.  

What kind of results do you want?  

• Trimming down.  It is an old school thought to do cardio when your first wake up and before you eat anything "fasted cardio."  Which in theory, your body doesn't have to burn through any of the calories from food and will use its stores of energy (aka fat).  However, there is a new school of thought that doing cardio without food consumed before is setting yourself up for failure because your body has no sources to pull energy from so it will use pull from your muscles which will make you look scrawny.  Again using myself as an example, I can not do cardio with ANYTHING in my stomach, even to much water makes me feel nauseous so I have to get my cardio done first thing (and watch my water intake until after I'm done), plus I know if I don't get it done I will never make it back to the gym to do it (yes-even being a personal trainer and knowing its importance).
• Now weight training:  Best time is again when you feel at your best.  A few different things about weight lifting, hormones are a little higher in the morning than in the afternoon making the results happen a little faster, but pain tolerance is usually higher in the afternoon making it easier to push through a tougher set.  A lot of people I know usually lift in the evenings because they aren't early birds so its what's best for them.

What kind of person are you?

• Morning person:  If you're like me and hop out of bed with a pep in your step then morning is probably best for you.
• Night Owl:  If you're someone who takes a while to wake up and get moving and mentally wake up afternoon and evening are obviously better for you. 

Best time of the day to actually go to the gym.

• The middle of the afternoon there is almost literally no one at the gym so you could have it almost all to yourself.
• Evening is always the busiest, because everyone seems to go then. 
• The morning is always a good time.  It isn't very busy, people are usually there to get in and out, it's the same people all the time so after a few day there is a comfort level, people in the mornings are usually really (probably because they haven't hit rush hour traffic yet or got a call from their boss).

So this answer is more of a personal thing more than there is actually a right and wrong answer.  

Please let me know if you have any questions or have a comment.  Leave them below or feel free to email me at fitnesswerqs@gmail.com I would love to hear from you!!!

5 Killer Workouts to Spice Things Up At the Gym

If you’re looking for a way to spice up your workouts with something new a creative try these out.  They are awesomely hard and you leave the gym feeling like a million bucks.

1.     3 weight lifting exercises 10x10 with 10 plyo jumps in between sets.

 I love giving this to my clients.  It offers a high intensity and still a lot of room to switch up the exercise to make a different workout each time

2.     20 x Centennials.

     This does not mean do sets until you get to 100 (like my bf seems to think it is).  This means 1 set of 100 straight reps.  Another favorite of mine to give clients its REALLY hard but REALLY rewarding

3.     300 Workouts x 3.  The 300 workout is 10 exercises for one set of 30, but for the extra twist do 3 sets.

4.     Sprint 25 plyo jumps 10 push-ups x 10.  This one kind of speaks for itself… Because you won’t be able to by the time you’re done with this one! 

5.     10 supersets 4x20 with a 2 minute sprint in between each superset.  Better clear your schedule for this one because you’re going to have to take a nap after this one.

Let me know how the workouts went for you!  I'd love to hear from you or feel free to email me at fitnesswerqs@gmail.com

6 Best Exercises to Build Your Glutes

Who doesn't want an amazing derrière? I know I do, but the truth is I have to work REALLY hard to get my booty to grow!  So I have compiled a list of exercises that are my favorite and really get the job done. A lot of it is the mechanics of how you do the exercise since everyone is different and how their body works, I will though explain to you how to make it work for you.

1. Single Leg Leg Press.  This exercise is pretty self explanatory get on the leg press and instead of two legs just press with one, here's the catch though move your foot up on the platform your ankle and knee should be in alignment.  Not only is it proper positioning for your joints to remain injury free but its also the best way to use your glutes and hamstrings and less of your quads.  The next important part is to press through your heel and not your toe.  Pressing through your toe is awful form and takes away from the muscles that should be getting the workout.

2. Cable Squats.  You can use any attachment (I prefer the rope) on the cable machine, place it on the lowest setting, grab the rope take a step back, place your feet in a sumo stance which will work the upper and outer glutes or in a narrow stance which will work your hamstrings and the tuck of your glute, then squat.  Again keep your knee inline with your ankle and also with this exercise keep your back really straight with good posture, keep your chest up and press through your heels.

3. Straight Leg Cable Kick Backs.  My biggest problem is the top part of my booty its stays flat so I have to do a lot of moves that work my gluteus medius and straight leg cable kick backs are just what the doctor ordered.  I try to avoid using the cuff  because the metal loop would bang on my shin which hurts so instead I use the single handle that you'd use for cable curls.  Put the handle around the toe of your shoe and kick back.  Helpful hints for this one, get an aerobics step to stand on it"ll give you a few more inches to push through the full range of motion.  Also as with everything else keep a very straight back and hold onto the cable machine as you kick back.  The higher you kick back the better really squeeze that booty at the top.

4. Deep Sumo Dumbbell Squat.  Stand on two benches far enough apart so that you can have a wide sumo stance, hold the dumbell with both hands and squat.  I'll say it again keep your knees in line with your ankles, sit back into your glutes, and press up through your heels.


5. Deep Barbell Squats.  Ok so this exercise has come under a lot of scrutiny, there is a  school of thought that this is very bad for your knees, but since then there has been quit a few studies that have been conducted that this isn't accurate.  What I will tell is accurate is that bringing your knees over your toes WILL injure your knees so DON'T DO IT!!!  Going past parallel is really great for booty growth because your glutes are going to have to do all the work to press back up through the range of motion.

6. Cybex Arc Trainer.  For a cardio glute burn getting on the Arc.  Keeping the incline on a lower level helps the cuff between the hamstring and the glute moving the incline up past six it'll hit the booty deeper and higher.  Be sure to change the resistance too, the higher the resistance the more it hurts but thats the point.  Make it BURN!!!!

As with anything if you don't know what you're doing don't be afraid to ask for help or get a trainer to show you proper form because complex leg exercises like these can be really tough to get right but worth the extra effort. So good luck with everything and if you have any questions please email me fintesswerqs@gmail.com or leave a comment at the bottom.  GO HAM