Things that bother me about Personal Trainers

I visit a lot of gyms and there are a few types of trainers that drive me nuts. Here are a few.

1. The rep counter. I watch some of these people sit there and do nothing but count the reps you do on a machine. Many don’t pay attention to if you’re doing it correctly. My 9-year-old can count reps!
2. The social Director. This is the guy who spends your time visiting, joking or selling a different person in the gym while your paying him!
3. The phone trainer. We’ve all watched this guy. He answers the phone while you’re being trained, so much for focusing on you. I watch one guy take a call and walk away from his client while he made plans for his birthday that night.
4. The one size fits all trainer. This guy does the same program for everyone. He’s harder to spot unless you go when you don’t have a scheduled appointment. This trainer rarely knows that training a post-menopausal woman and 23 year-old male athlete is different.
5. The mirror trainer. This is the one I laugh at the most. You know the trainer who looks at himself in the mirror more than he spends putting a program together that will work for you. You’ve seen him, buff bod, polished teeth and a perfect tan.
6. Seat-of-the-pants Trainer. This trainer meets with you and goes around the room looking for the next available machine. No plan (let alone a written plan) for your hour. But hey, we’re flexible around here. No problem you might get a better workout “next time.”

These are a few of the trainers that make it hard for professionals. It’s these trainers than many people believe "are" the profession. They’re not. It takes focus, experience, education, certification and creativity that make a trainer professional (not to mention being on-time).

Dinner?

How about being sure you have lots of color on your plate. While in Las Vegas in March (2009 NSCA PT Conference) my wife and I ate most nights in our room. We shopped at a local market to be sure we had lots of choice, color and nutrients. Try this for a night you may learn that it's as much fun as it is healthy.

Eat up.

Want to Lose some Weight?

So many of us work hard to stay in shape, but sometimes we put on a few pounds just because we do. We get older, we lose muscle tissue, kids, jobs, travel you name it get in the way and we gain some unwanted weight.

Here are a couple things to try to help get your weight back where it should be.


1. Brush your teeth after every meal. Your dentist will like this idea, but think about putting food in your mouth after it's minty fresh.

2. Change that bad habit. Think about the place you do your mindless eating and drinking. For some it's late while you watch TV or in the kitchen while you prepare dinner. Be honest, you know when your doing it (include that wine while you cook).

3. Stop having seconds! Wait; drink some water while you finish your dinner conversation, but stay away from seconds.

4. Reduce your screen time. It used to be just TV but now it's the TV, computer, gameboy, even your phone. Try a book at least you'll turn a page after a while.

5. Fire the gardener, OK, maybe not fire him but do something active around the house. I'll bet your dog would love to go for a walk (again).

6. Eat breakfast. You name it but a lot of bad stuff has been linked to not eating breakfast, including weight gain.

7. Perhaps the most important is to chart what you eat (yes write it down).

I use www.my-calorie-counter.com/ a free online service.

Runners Bad Eating Habits: Part 2

6. The Protein Pounder

You believe protein is power so you replace the carbs with protein.

While extreme amount of protein can damage your kidneys and liver the main problem is protein is used to replace other much-needed nutrients. How about a refocus on carbs since protein in most cases only need to be about 15% of our total diet.

7. The Supplement Abuser.

Much like the protein pounder the same goes for the supplement abuser. For some if a little is good more must be better! We need to remember that our body can only use so much before our body says that’s enough and gets rid of it colorfully. The other side is it stores it as a toxin. What! Too much zinc can lead to high cholesterol and too much iron is linked to liver damage. Not a good thing.

I don’t think sups are a waste but think less is more.

8. The Chronically Dehydrated

This is a biggy. Whether you are a runner or just trying to lose some weight most Americans are under-hydrated. Think about how much water you drink after your morning coffee? Just remember that a high intensity exercise cannot be maintained without hydration. I like to tell my high school athletes never walk by a drinking fountain without taking a drink. If you’re a runner think about pre-run weight and be sure to drink 16-20 oz of water for each pound of weight lose (that doesn’t bean do it all in 20 minutes, think over 2 hours)

Now go get some water.

9. The calorie-Deprived

Say what. You burn more than you eat.

If you’re trying to lose weight and using running as a method you need a Kcal deficit. If you’re a runner or maintaining your weight you need to eat! If you don’t your body will go into a cannibalistic state and eat itself. That’s not so good for maintaining health runner or not. Remember to eat more on heavy training days. When I go on a long ride (bicycle) I will burn upward of 4000-6000 Kcal. You can be sure I eat for that ride.

Before beginning any exercise or nutritional program you should consult a medical doctor (MD).

Runners and Their Bad Eating Habits. Yikes!!!

Runners World Magazine recently published an article about the eating habits of 35 runners. The runner were asked to keep a food journal for a week, yes only one week. What the runners found were their bad habits!
Here are 5 of the 10 bad habits.

1. The Night Feeder. (sound familiar)
You eat little all day and gorge at night. Well this is just a poor eating plan for the day. This creates out of whack calorie and nutrient consumption. This will really affect you if you run or workout in the morning. You just don't get refueled for your next run. Proper recovery depends on breakfast and lunch the next day.

2. The Sports-bar Junkie.
You eat so many bars that your food groups are no longer carbs, fat and protein but the last bar you ate.
If you sacrifice whole food you lose out on many nutrients you need during the day. Fiber, carotenoids and phytochemicals are found in fruits, whole grains and vegetables and not getting enough of these could lead to issues.

3. The Train-Hard-Party-Harder Personality
You binge drink as a reward for a good race.
According to a study in Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise serious recreational runners drink alcohol more than sedentary counterparts. Yikes!
Many studies indicate one to two drinks carry some health benefit but more than two, not so much.
How about starting with water before that beer.

4. The Fat Phobe
Some runners believe fat will make you fat.
Lots of studies determine fat is your friend. Good fats aid with hormone production, assist digestion, aid in vitamin absorption and regulate metabolism to name a few.
So a little olive oil on a salad or an avocado never hurt anyone.

5. Running on Empty
Some people believe that running on and empty stomach mack you feel lean and mean. Grrrr
Studies show that a pre-run meal improves performance and energy levels. You don't need a huge meal to have the benefits.
I usually eat a meal two hours prior to my workout. I use a GU, Honey Stinger or Hammer Gel pack about 15 minutes prior to my run or ride (90-120 Kcal)

Habits 6-9 Tomorrow.

Before beginning any exercise or nutritional program you should consult a medical doctor (MD).