When to Get a Personal Trainer

Hey there! If you’re on the fitness journey and wondering whether to bring a personal trainer into the mix, you’re in the right place. Getting fit is all about finding balance and figuring out what works best for you. Let’s dive into when it’s time to consider hiring a trainer and how they can help you level up your game.

1. You’re Just Starting Out

If you’re new to working out, a personal trainer can be a total game-changer. They’ll help you learn the basics—like proper form and technique—so you don’t end up feeling lost or overwhelmed. Think of them as your guide to navigating the fitness world, making sure you start off strong.

2. You’ve Hit a Plateau

We’ve all been there—hitting the gym regularly but feeling stuck in the same routine. If you’re not seeing progress, it might be time to call in a trainer. They can help change things up, introduce new exercises, and push you to reach those next milestones. Breaking through that plateau can reignite your motivation!

3. You’re Training for a Specific Goal

Whether you’re prepping for a race, trying to build muscle, or aiming to lose weight, a personal trainer can tailor a program just for you. They’ll set up a plan that aligns with your specific goals, making sure you stay on track and focused.

4. You Want to Learn Proper Technique

It’s super important to know the right techniques when working out. A trainer can guide you through exercises, ensuring you’re doing them safely and effectively. This not only helps prevent injuries but also maximizes your results. No one wants to waste their time with bad form!

5. You Need Extra Accountability

Sometimes, motivation can wane, and it’s easy to skip workouts. A personal trainer adds that layer of accountability, encouraging you to stay committed. Knowing someone is there to check in can make all the difference in sticking to your routine.

6. You’re Recovering from an Injury

If you’re coming back from an injury, it’s crucial to approach your fitness with care. A trainer experienced in rehabilitation can help you safely regain strength and flexibility. They’ll create a plan that respects your recovery process, allowing you to recover stronger.

7. You Want a Fun and Varied Workout

Doing the same routine can get old fast. A personal trainer can bring fresh ideas to your workouts, keeping things engaging and fun. Variety is key to staying excited about fitness, and a trainer can help you explore new exercises and techniques.

Conclusion

Bringing a personal trainer into your fitness journey can really elevate your experience. Whether you’re starting fresh, hitting a plateau, or just looking for some extra motivation, they’re there to help you reach your goals. If you’re ready to take the next step, click here to start your health and wellness journey!

Why Fitness is Important

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time for fitness can seem challenging, but the benefits it offers make it an indispensable part of a healthy lifestyle. Engaging in regular physical activity is not only essential for maintaining a healthy weight but also plays a critical role in enhancing various aspects of overall health. From cardiovascular improvements to muscle growth and injury prevention, fitness provides a comprehensive range of advantages that contribute to a stronger, more resilient body. Let’s explore how incorporating regular exercise into your routine can positively impact your health in several key areas.

Lowering Blood Pressure

One of the key benefits of regular exercise is its ability to lower blood pressure. Engaging in physical activity strengthens the heart, enabling it to pump blood more efficiently and reducing the strain on arteries. This improvement in cardiovascular function is complemented by increased elasticity of blood vessels, which lowers resistance and stabilizes blood pressure levels. Exercise also aids in weight management, reduces stress by lowering cortisol levels and boosting mood-enhancing endorphins, and enhances insulin sensitivity, further supporting healthy blood pressure. Additionally, it promotes the production of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation.

Burning Fat

Beyond cardiovascular benefits, fitness is crucial for burning fat. Physical activity ramps up the body’s energy expenditure and metabolic rate, leading to the burning of stored fat for fuel. Activities such as cardio, strength training, and high-intensity interval training boost metabolism and promote the afterburn effect, where the body continues to burn calories post-exercise. Building muscle through strength training also increases resting metabolic rate, as muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain than fat, contributing to more effective fat loss and long-term weight management.

Gaining Muscle

Muscle gain is another significant benefit of regular exercise. Targeted resistance and strength training create micro-tears in muscle fibers, which the body repairs by rebuilding these fibers thicker and stronger. This process not only increases muscle mass but also enhances overall strength and physical performance. Strength training further supports a higher metabolic rate, ensuring adequate nutrient and energy supply to muscles for optimal growth. Consistent fitness routines, combined with proper nutrition and rest, are essential for muscle development and achieving a well-defined physique.

Improving Stability and Injury Prevention

Moreover, fitness enhances stability and helps prevent injuries. Core-strengthening exercises, such as planks and bridges, build the muscles around the abdomen, lower back, and pelvis, essential for maintaining stability and proper posture. Balance exercises and functional movements train the body to engage stabilizing muscles, improving coordination and proprioception. This increased awareness and control reduces the risk of falls and injuries, making daily activities and physical tasks more manageable and safe. By incorporating strength, balance, and coordination exercises into your routine, you lay a solid foundation for overall stability and injury prevention.

In summary, fitness is integral to maintaining a healthy blood pressure, burning fat, gaining muscle, and improving stability, all of which contribute to a more vibrant and resilient lifestyle.

Click here to get started on your fitness journey today!

Are workout bands effective?

There are so many types of workout equipment. There are dumbbells, kettlebells, trx straps and more. I can see why many people have a challenging time choosing which type of workout equipment to buy. Especially if they have a tight budget. Workout bands in my opinion are a great choice for any level of fitness.

 In general most effective exercises can be done with any type of fitness equipment. For example, every fitness program needs a rowing type of movement for proper back strength and to improve posture. Without getting too technical, you can do a row with a dumbbell, kettlebell and an exercise band. 

Most resistance bands come with an attachment that allows you to utilize a closed door as a stable axis point to execute every exercise you need. Bands are also compact, so you can pack them easily for when you need a way to exercise while you travel. 

So to answer your question “Are workout bands effective?” The answer is yes.

Here's an amazon affiliate link to a set or resistance bands I recommend! https://amzn.to/3XJMuVe

Here is a free guided workout you can do with exercise bands. Enjoy!

Story of the neon shoes

Story of the neon shoes

A picture that took 4 months to capture.

So, here’s a funny story. As you can see, me and a couple clients have some really bright shoes. Would you believe me if I told you it took 4 months to take this picture? Let me explain…

So my client to the right of me, Karan… walked in one day to train and he was wearing bright neon orange Adidas shoes. Me and the client to the left of me, a client of one of the other trainers, his name is Roger… commented on how bright Karan’s shoes were.

I stated that I have bright yellow and orange Hoka running shoes that I only wear to run that I can wear to match him the next time he comes in. Roger said he also has a pair of neon yellow Brookes running shoes he could wear to match. We made a deal to wear them the following week… same day, same time.

The next week came around and Karan wore his bright orange Adidas like he said he would, I wore my bright yellow and orange Hokas like I said I would, Roger on the other hand… forgot his neon yellow Brookes. We were jokingly upset, but we see eachother every week so we planned to wear them again the following week.

Now this had been going on for a couple weeks. Things kept getting in the way, whether it be someone rescheduling their personal training session or someone forgot their shoes. So we all made another pact to wear the shoes the following week.

The next week I remembered while going to bed that I have to wear my bright yellow and orange Hokas the next day to work. On my drive into work I realized I wasn’t wearing my Hokas and hoped that maybe someone else had forgotten as well. But when I walked into work both Roger and Karan were wearing their neon running shoes. I had explained how I thought about it the night before and only realized when I was in my car on the way to work that I had forgotten my shoes. So from this point forward I never forgot my shoes again.

I then went to Argentina to visit my fiance and her family for a month. So that was another month of not wearing my bright yellow and orange Hokas to work.

When I got back Karan and I both wore our Hokas but I was informed by Rogers trainer that Roger was sick, so he called out. The following week Roger said he misplaced his shoes and me and Karan said we would keep wearing the shoes until we all lined up.

Present day:

Earlier this week when I walked into work wearing my bright yellow and orange Hokas I saw Roger wearing his neon yellow Brookes. Karan wasn’t there yet but I prayed that he would be wearing his bright orange Adidas. I don’t think Karan missed a week, so I was pretty confident he would be wearing his shoes… 

Karan walked in and…

HE WAS WEARING HIS SHOES!

We were so excited we had to take a picture of the rare occurrence.

And that is what you can see in the picture above.

How I developed my fitness program

Hey everyone! I haven't posted a blog in a while so I figured I’d update everyone on what’s been going on at Fitness By Design!

I’ve been busier than I’ve ever been for the past couple years and it’s all thanks to my amazing clients!

Through this 2-3 years I’ve developed a new program that has essentially streamlined clients muscle strengthening and weight loss.

Working with 100’s of clients has led me to find valuable consistencies. These consistencies helped me design my most efficient program to date!

I really look forward to helping more clients with this program (which can be tailored to individuals needs).

Also, if you have questions or are interested in starting your fitness journey, please feel free to contact me through my Contact Page

Thank you to all my clients!

Online Personal Training

It seems as though the pandemic is on the rise again, in terms of new cases. So If you're looking for a way to get effective workouts from home then look no further I have the solution for you!

Fitness By Design is offering remote personal training sessions. I've worked with clients through FaceTime calls since the pandemic started and it's been working flawlessly!

Most of my clients don't even want to go back to in person training. They love the fact that they don't need to leave the comfort and safety of their home!

The convenience is unmatched!

I can work with what you already have at home and even suggest a couple of low priced fitness gear options. (resistance bands, weights, stability ball etc.)

With the sun setting at 4:20pm everyday, it's going to be a long cold winter with this pandemic.

Let me help you stay active!

If you're interested or have any additional questions please feel free to contact me here!

Find your passion

We are what we think about. The brain is always moving and needs something to chew on. If we have nothing positive in our life for our brains to chew on it will chew on whatever it can get it’s teeth on. This generally leads to chewing on miss guided marketing (Instagram and Facebook feeding us what we are “supposed to care about”) that causes us to constantly think we’re not good enough because we don’t have certain things others do. Once we let our brain chew randomly we realize we aren’t where we wanted to be. We’re not aligned with what’s true to us. This then makes us panicked and causes us to feel lost. Consequently more negative thoughts flood the brains feeding troth and the sequence repeats itself.

I believe people are anxious and depressed because they haven’t found there passion. They haven’t found something productive for there brain to chew on. 

One of my goals is to help people find there passion wether it be Fitness or something else. If I can do this, I believe I can design a new sequence for people to live there life by. This sequence will be a never ending positivity reinforcement loop. This will help people build and live a happy productive life.

Spring time motivation

So spring is here and summer is right around the corner!

I hope everybody’s sticking to their new year’s resolutions!

Whether it be to lose some weight or to get physically ready for fun summer activities.

I would also like to say that just because your goal is in sight or achieved already, does not mean you should slack off now!

If you’re not there yet don’t settle for good enough!

And if you’re there already, don’t slack and let your hard work go to waste!

Set bigger goals and knock them down!

Happy spring everybody!

Summer is right around the corner!

Set Small Goals

I have a client who started at 224 pounds. His goal is to be ready for a hunting trip.

Now one the thing he needs to make sure of is that he can hike for long periods of time without needing to stop.

So there are two parts we are working on. Building muscle so he can be strong enough for a long hike as well as lose body fat so that he doesn’t have as much weight to carry.

We set his goal at 180 pounds. The small goal we set was that when he makes it to 200 pounds he can eat chicken wings.

Today he sent me a text message saying he is at 199.8 pounds and a picture of the chicken wings he’s about to eat!

He’s not exactly where he wants to be, but he set a small realistic goal, stuck to it and now he’s halfway there!

So for anybody having a hard time reaching their health and wellness goals. Set small realistic goals along the way to keep yourself motivated!

It’s okay to relax

This time of year can be difficult for a lot of people.

Tax season and working your job through the winter can be very stressful.

It makes you forget that summer is right around the corner. In no time you will be smiling and care free.

So here are some ways to get through the winter blues.

1. Self Help Books

One thing you could do is read self help books like The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale or The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

These types of books help you to understand that happiness comes from within. These books will help you to relax and stay focused through stressful situations.

2. Meditation

Meditation may seem foreign to a lot of people. But one way to start would be to sit in a comfortable place, close your eyes and count backwards from 20. Now when you’re counting you should be visualizing the numbers. The catch is any time you think about anything besides the numbers you start over.

This technique really helps to clear the mind and relax.

3. Put first things first

One way to rid yourself of stress is by getting the most stressful thing out of the way first. Or as my father would say. “Swallow the frog” - Meaning if you had a bunch of activities that needed to be done… and one of the things was to swallow a frog… you should get that out of the way so you’re not thinking about it all day.

Stressing out about the frog would mess up your efficiency towards your other tasks.

So get it out of the way!

4. Stretching

Stretching is incredibly under utilized. I have clients that come in with all sorts of lifelong aches and pains that are due to tight muscles.

Some of them old some of them young. Even the younger crowd should stay ahead on there stretching so that they do not end up in pain later in life.

Now all of these things may seem counterproductive when you think about fitness and getting in shape. But It is very important to be slow and steady when trying to achieve your goals.

Life's too short, why be stressed out all the time when you can just be relaxed and productive?

Avoid Cabin Fever

We are right in the middle of winter.

For some of us there isn’t much of a reason to go outside.

So we don’t get the same type of stimulus as the warmer months.

These types of things can lead to cabin fever.

Here are a couple of ways to avoid cabin fever.

One way is you could participate in outdoor winter activities such as snowshoeing, skiing or snowboarding.

Another way is you could find a hobby to work on indoors to keep your mind occupied.

You could also look into finding an indoor activity such as racquetball or basketball to keep your body moving and your mind focused.

All these suggestions relate on the basis of mind body stimulation.

To avoid cabin fever this winter I suggest staying active with your mind and body through  mental and physical activity.

Super Bowl Sunday

Hey guys!

I just want to start by saying, I hope all of your New Year's resolutions are going great!

I also want to remind you that the super bowl is this weekend.

Like you didn’t already know...

This means, hanging out with your friends and family, cheering for your favorite team.

It also means.

Beers with your friends and family endless amounts of chips, candy and junk food.

Now I don’t want to sound like a Debby downer…

I don’t even know who Debby is.

I just want to say don’t let one fun night with your friends and family get in the way of your New Year's Resolution.

Optimism And Fitness

The definition of Optimism is hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.

Most people think happiness comes from outside sources.

Most people think they will only be happy once they meet their fitness goal.

But when they find out that it will take longer than a month to succeed, they quit because they think what they’re doing is a waste of time.

Optimism is what you need.

Optimism works from the inside out.

Optimism is a mindset.

You can either workout/diet thinking, this will never work, this is hard, I hate this or you could think, I will make this work, this is part of the process and I love bettering myself.

An optimistic perspective is key.

If you want your dream body, you can either complain the whole time or think about it optimistically.

Both involve the same amount of work but complaining and dreading the work is your choice and will only make things seem harder to you.

If you think about the work optimistically everything will just be part of the process and obstacles will be perceived as opportunities to try something new.

Giving up and not working towards your fitness goal won’t get you the results you want.

So why not perceive obstacles as opportunities to learn the things that won’t work so you can clear your mind to find something you haven’t tried that might work.

I hope this information helped! I hope everyone stays optimistic while working towards their fitness goal!

3 simple tips for an effective new year’s resolution.

So every year on new year’s you decide to aim for the stars.

You say “This is the year that I lose 20 pounds”

So you go to the gym and beat the crap out of yourself for a month and then give up and wait for next year.

I’ve noticed people aim very high and never set micro goals that will lead them to succeed in the long run.

So here’s 3 resolution tips that you can set for the new year that are easy and effective.

Number 1

Drink more water.

The average person does not drink enough water.

Let’s just set your macro goal at 8, 16 fluid ounce water bottles a day.

Let’s set you micro goal at 2 a day for the first week, and go up by 2 bottles every week so that after a month you reach 8 a day.

Make that a habit.

Number 2

Cut out sugar and processed junk foods.

Think of one thing you eat each day that you feel needs to change.

The Macro goal would be to slowly wean of that thing.

The micro goal would be to start with allowing yourself 4 days a week to consume that thing and every week following wean it off one more day. So after a month you no longer consume that thing.

Make that a habit.

Number 3

Get up early and stretch.

Stretching gets blood flow to your muscles and also requires balance.

Now the macro goal would be to get up every morning and stretch.

The micro goal would be starting with 4 days a week at first. Then every week following at another day until you are at 7 days a week.

Make that a habit.

Now I know everybody's resolution is different.

I would just like to say that these three simple tips will change your life immensely,

They will create a snowball effect that will eventually land you in a healthy lifestyle.

They will also fill you with energy so that you can be more effective in the gym.

I hope this information helped and I hope everyone has a successful year in 2018!
 

Family Fitness Snow-tivities

On christmas… or let’s say the week of christmas, if we’re being realistic, is full of all sorts of sweets and great food.

Also we tend to sway from our normal routines because of obvious reasons, family time and relaxation.

People gain a ton of weight around the holidays especially Christmas.

So instead of being a hypocrite, preaching about over indulging on Christmas. 

Let me give you some fun ideas to burn some extra calories during the christmas week. While also spending more time with your family.

1. Be the one to make the treats.

Not only can you choose a healthy choice of treats.

For example: Banana bread, Oatmeal or peanut butter cookies, instead of brownies, chocolate chip or sugar cookies.

But you are also moving around and staying active to make sure those delicious treats come out the way you want them to!

To make sure your bonding with your family make it an event for you and a couple family members.

2. Go for a walk,

Think about how nice the snow covered outdoors will look. Not only will you relieve stress, you will be walking and burning calories.

Invite your family to go with you! Make it an event so it makes it less of a chore.

3. Have a snowball fight.

If you are someone who’s not looking to get wailed in the face with an ice block. Play with younger kids. Or play with people you can trust and agree with that it’s just a game, not a means to injure each other.

This way you are having family fun while getting a little running in, which is essentially high knees because of the deep snow. Also you’ll be working on core stability because of the dodging and trying not to slip on the snow.

4. Go snowshoeing.

If you’re up for it, snowshoeing can be a great use of energy. Go for a walk that challenges you. This works like a walk, but you can usually adventure into more untouched terrain.

5. Ice skating.

Find a local ice skating rink to go to with friends or family. If it’s cold enough go to a pond and skate for free. Also if you feel stable enough try and hit a puck around for hand eye coordination.

6. Go skiing or snowboarding.

Skiing or snowboarding takes a lot of effort and will burn tons of calories. Using core stability and a focused mind body connection the whole time will ensure you make it down the mountain in one piece.

I hope these ideas for Family Fitness Snow-tivities help you get through the week of christmas feeling confident you tried your best to stay on top of your healthy living goals. Also remember all of these things can be done alone or as a family! Whichever works best!

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Breaking the ice, Just get started!

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Been planning on working out and just never get around to it?

Do you constantly make attempts to set up a gym membership, get a trainer, or do a home workout?

And you constantly say Tomorrow? Or after this weekend… or after the holidays...

And deep down you know you won’t get around to it until it’s a big problem?

Here’s what i have to say.

Just get started.

6 months from now you’ll wish you started today.

Time will pass no matter what.

So why not exercise today.

Like right now? Before or after you go to work depending on when you read this.

Don’t you wish you worked out yesterday?

Think about this...

Today’s work ethic will determines tomorrow's yesterday.

So break ice and get started!

There’s no doubt in my that you will be happy you got things out of the way and genuinely feel that you are taking steps towards a positive, healthy lifestyle.

Alright guys, I hope this information helped! If it did please give this a LIKE and SHARE it you your page, so your friends and family feel motivated to break the ice and get started on their fitness journey! :)

 

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Workout frequency

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Workout frequency

Starting a workout program can be tough.

In the beginning you might think that you have to workout everyday of the week, which eventually leads to you burning out and discontinuing your workout routine.

What you might not realize is that there is a more efficient way to reach your goal without burning yourself out in the process.

If you are just starting off, it may only take you 30 minutes 3 times a week to be completely exhausted.

And that’s okay!

This doesn’t mean that you’re lazy, it just means that you’re pacing yourself and listening to your body.

Now as you continue to workout 3 times a week, you may start to feel that 30 minutes isn’t long enough.

So you bump yourself up to 3 hours a week.

Eventually this may seem easy as well so you decide to workout an hour 6 days a week.

I would advise to take at least one day off a week so that your body can heal.

Everybody has to start somewhere.

Workout frequency depends on your individual stamina and experience level.

Listen to your body,

Increase or decrease frequency to find a firm foundation to build from and to avoid burning out.

 

Alright guys, I hope this information helped! If it did, please leave a LIKE and SHARE it to your page so your friends and family can learn about the importance of workout frequency.

Dieting on a budget

It’s a common misconception that eating healthy is expensive.

People blame their weight gain on cost and on not knowing what to eat.

They end up buying fast food or frozen dinners thinking it’s the cheapest option.

People will pay 5 dollars a day on coffee and let’s just say 5 dollars on lunch and dinner.

That’s $15 a day.

Or $105 a week.

What they don’t realize is that if they went to the store and bought,

Eggs, oatmeal, and milk for breakfast

And Chicken, rice, and broccoli for lunch and dinner, maybe switch the meat and vegetable every week.

They wouldn't be spending more than $40 a week.

And they would lose weight and feel healthier.

And if they meal prep for the whole week they could save yourself a couple hours a day when they’d usually be cooking.

Alright guys! I hope this information helped. If it did, please leave a LIKE and SHARE it to your page so your friends and family can save money while eating healthy!

Why Fitness By Design over a corporate gym?

Why Fitness By Design over a corporate gym?

When most people realize they need to workout, they usually go to a corporate gym and get a $20 a month membership

They feel great about taking this step, but soon realize these types of gyms are packed with people and there is no equipment to use.

Then they will go on the only cardio machine open and walk for an hour.

They will do this for a month and then stop because they don’t see the results they want.

At Fitness By Design Personal Training you will have a personally designed program and me as a personal trainer to walk you through the exercises.

You will always have the proper equipment to use for whatever we’re working on that day.

So that same hour/month waisted at a corporate gym. Can be a life changing experience with Fitness by Design Personal Training.

I hope this information helped! If it did, please leave a LIKE and SHARE it to your page so your friends and family can see the benefits of Fitness By Design Personal training over a corporate gym! :)

Patience

Patience is a big part of working out.

It’s so common for people to start a workout routine super motivated.

And then quit a week or month later.

They quit because they see little to no results.

They are discouraged because they think that, if they haven’t reached their goal after a week or month of going to the gym, then they might as well give up.

But it takes time and patience.

Say you put on weight at some point in your life.

It may have taken 2 years to put on the weight. Or maybe even 6 months.

You can’t expect 1 month of exercise to reverse 2 years of weight gain.

So the initial workout spark might be there.

But you have to stay patient and continue working towards your health and fitness goals if you want to succeed.

Alright guys hope the information helped, if it did, please leave a LIKE and SHARE it to your page so your friends and family can remember to stay patient while they work towards their health and fitness goals! :)