Trainer Tell-All: What have I learned about health and fitness

1. Push-ups are a great upper body exercise. They can be done anywhere, you can easily measure progress and don’t cost a darn thing.

2. 80% of your results come down to your diet – from gaining muscle to losing fat. And yes, this includes flattening your tummy.

3. Working out too much does not lead to better results. In fact, it can have the opposite effect. It is more important to work out efficiently.

4. Intensity is more valuable than time, frequency and duration when it comes to cardio and weight lifting.

5. Carbohydrates and fats are not the enemy. Complex carbs, like sugar is.

6. There are healthy fats and they don’t make you fat.

7. There is no such thing as spot reduction.

8. Lists, like this one you are reading, are more easy to read and learn from.

9. Always eat breakfast (although I disagree that it is the most important meal of the day).

10. Drink enough water.

11. Body size and type is not an indicator of a person’s true strength.

12. Choose whole foods over taking a multivitamin. Choose individual vitamins and minerals vs a multi vitamin.

13. Take an Omega 3 supplement, like a fish oil supplement daily.

14. Visit your doctor and get your hormones checked. No one likes putting in effort and not seeing results.

15. A low-fat diet is not the way to go, and neither is a sugar-free diet.

16. It is good to try different approaches and programs before settling. It is a great way to see what works for you and to take bits and pieces from each to customize a plan that works for you.

17. Consistency is key – follow a program right to the end before changing plans and direction. 18. You will have more success sticking to something you like. Get clear on what you don’t like but don’t mistake it for stepping out of your comfort zone.

19. The scale is not a predictor of the kind of day you will have or the kind of person you are. It is not a good indicator of muscle building. Stepping on the scale should always be accompanied with taking measurements and pictures to give you a better idea of the progress you are making.

20. Goals and priorities change over time and changing direction does not mean you are a quitter. Robin Sharma said it best: “Sometimes setting new goals is a way to escape the accountability and discipline needed to do your old goals.”

21. If you want to get better at something, like running, include it in your program. It does not, however, mean that you should neglect everything else!

22. There is no right or wrong way of doing things, but it is important to find what works for you.

23. Longevity isn’t just about working out and losing weight, but creating sustainable habits and a mindset shift. There are two approaches: physique change or a mindset change. The latter has more longevity.

24. Don’t get absorbed in self-help aisle at the bookstore. It is fine to seek support and validation, but if you do it too much you may start to feel inadequate.

25. Fads sell. At their root, they are generally the same - just packed a bit differently.

26. Abs are not about ab work

27. Stretching, rest days and foam rolling have tremendous value. Same with including flexibility and balance into your program.

28. Lifting heavy does not make you bulky or manly (for the female readers)

29. Enjoy what you eat. It is always better to ask “What do I want to have” vs. “What can I have?”

30. There is pressure as a trainer or leader to look a certain way.

31. Understand that regardless of if you keep an accurate record of what you eat, your body will do it for you.

32. Comparing yourself to someone else such as the way they exercise or the way they eat does not mean the same lifestyle and results will show up for you.

33. Supplements are meant to enhance your diet, not replace proper eating.

34. There are some people that benefit from a gym membership. They are confident in their abilities to push themselves and set up a balanced program to achieve their goals. There are others that benefit from hiring a coach or subscribing to a program to learn the basics or to utilize their membership more effectively. Just because you belong to X gym doesn’t mean anything. It is about the work you do.

35. For me, working out makes me feel accomplished, balanced and better equipped to manage stress.

36. The main goal is to be healthy, happy and confident!

I could go on….would you add any to the list???

I haven’t always gotten it right; heck, I wasn’t always active! Over the years I have belonged to three different gyms, have had five different trainers and have tried numerous fitness classes. I have changed my focus from running marathons to bodyweight workouts using TRX to weight lifting. I believe that experimenting has allowed me to deliver the type of programs I offer to clients and to achieve the results I have for myself. I have gone through various phases: lift light weights; only run; eat sugar-free and fat-free; avoid carbs…From each phase I learned a lesson…and the most important one I learned that they were not for me!

I’m sure next year, when I re-visit this post, I will take a look at this list, expand on some, add others and delete some. I’m in a continuous state of learning, as all of my clients are too! Learning about what works for them, what they like and what their goals are.

But no matter door you choose you live, you learn and take bits and pieces with you to open the next door to a new approach. Ultimately you end up in a great room full of opportunity, excitement and happiness. Leave no door unopened.

“You live. You learn” (Alanis Morissette )