The golden standard for a personal trainer is a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree in an exercise related field such as exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology, and or athletic training. These 4 year curriculums guarantee a base line level of knowledge pertaining to functional anatomy and guidelines for exercise prescription. Personal trainers can be sneaky with their credentials, so always confirm what their specific college degree was in. A college degree in political science will offer no insight into functional anatomy or exercise prescription.
The second ranking for a personal trainer is certification. Just being certified isn’t enough because there are literally hundreds of different personal training certifications. Several certifications are complete scams, if you have a few hundred dollars you can obtain certification online. Make sure your trainer is certified through a nationally recognized organization such as the American Council on Exercise (ACE) www.acefitness.org, American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) www.www.acsm.org, National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) www.nsca-lift.org, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) www.nasm.org. Several of these certifications also have trainer locators on their sites to find local trainers near you. Also each certification above mentioned also has several different types of certifications each specializing in something different. Make sure the certification your trainer has is the most appropriate for your goals. If you are unsure if the certification is valid go onto the website and find out what credentials are required to become certified and find out about the testing procedure. The more qualifications required to even take the test the better and be very weary of any certifications done online exclusively.
Does the trainer have experience in fitness training? 2-3 years of full time training experience should be enough time for a trainer to have experience with a wide variety of different populations. Trainers working part time should have 3-5 years of experience. If you have a special medical condition or orthopaedic concern, inquire if they have experience with that specific condition. Obtain references from those specific clients that have similar conditions. Most certifications require you to complete a certain number of hours of continuing education each year. Find out if he or she keeps current with research through association memberships, journals, or educational events such as IDEA or NSCA. If a trainer has not attended an educational event in 1-2 years you can be rather self assured they are not certified by a reputable organization and are not keeping current with personal training research and other training modalities.
Is the trainer CPR certified?
Does the trainer require a health screening or release from your doctor?
Can the trainer provide you with references from other clients or established industry professionals familiar with the trainers knowledge and abilities?
Will the trainer keep a record of your workouts with a tracking system and update your medical history periodically?
Does the trainer have liability insurance?
Does the trainer provide you with clear cut cancellation policies, billing procedures and any other policies in writing? A 24 hour cancellation policy is quite standard in our industry.
Is the trainer within your budget? Trainers can vary in price from $25 to $125 and verify the length of each workout most are either 30 or 60 minutes. Education, experience, and how booked they are play a major component on trainer pricing. If price is a concern find out if the trainer offers small group training discounts or half hour sessions. If you have more specific goals or have special medical/orthopedic concerns it is well worth paying a few dollars more for a more qualified, experienced personal trainer.
Is the trainer available when you want to work out? Finding out all of this other information is useless, unless the trainer is available when you want to train. Working around your trainers busy schedule and not working out when you have time is going to wind up in failure.
Does the trainer help you set safe and realistic goals without promising unattainable results? As a rule of thumb 1-2 lbs of weight loss per week is safe and effective. Anyone promising more than that is not practicing safe weight loss techniques or is a liar. Use common sense as your guide. If it sounds too good to be true you already know the answer run for the hills.
Is the trainer willing to explain and put in writing his or her workout methods and the principles and reasoning behind exercise program decisions and nutrition philosophy. Be very cautious if a trainer sells supplements because it is beyond the scope of practice of a personal trainer to make recommendations on such products.
Craving something sweet? This recipe is the perfect summer dessert. If you don’t have nectarine or pear on hand, be creative and use other fresh fruits. Servings: 2
Here’s what you need…
1 white nectarine, chopped
1 pear, chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon chopped dates
Dash of cinnamon
Mix the nectarine, pear, pecans, and dates in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and mix until well coated.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 119 calories, 3g fat, 24g carbohydrate, 4.5g fiber, and 1.5g protein
Yours in health,
Kevin Hensel, Owner
Fit-4-Life, Inc.
Cherry Hill, NJ
856-751-0033
www.FitLifeInc.com
Posted in Weight Loss at 11:03 am by Administrator
A summer trip is easily one of the most anticipated events of the year-the chance to get away from work and to relax with your loved ones is priceless.
With all of the excitement, it’s not surprising that most people unknowingly end up gaining a pound each day of their vacation. And if you’re going on a cruise then your weight gain may be closer to two pounds each day.
But wait, your summer vacation doesn’t have to end in weight gain. Keep the following tips in mind as you embark on your summer adventure and you may come home fitter than when you left.
Tip One: Have a Plan
Vacations are the perfect place to gain weight since it’s the last thing on your mind. Your best line of defense is to keep your fitness goals at the forefront of your mind. Before you leave for your trip sit down and set a goal.
A realistic goal is to maintain your current weight or to lose a pound or two. Get the whole family on board and keep each other accountable throughout the trip.
Tip Two: Make Exercise a Must
So often exercise is looked at as a chore, but vacations are the perfect time to really enjoy a good workout. You won’t be rushing home from work trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the gym, rather the vacation workout can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
Virtually every hotel these days has some type of workout room equipped with cardio machines, dumbbells and a universal machine. If you are taking a cruise then you are in for a real treat – most workout facilities on cruise ships have huge windows that look out onto the ocean.
Vacations are also a great time to take your workout outdoors; take a run on the beach or do sprints, pushups and crunches on a grassy field. If you want more ideas of workouts you can do using just your body weight then give me a call or send me an email.
Tip Three: Maintain your Metabolism
When traveling it is easy to go for hours without a meal-between flights and long drives food sometimes isn’t readily available. The problem here it two fold. First your metabolism slows from the long absence of food. Secondly you are more likely to indulge in a high calorie meal when you get around to eating next.
Avoid this yo-yo of starvation and overindulgence by carrying healthy snacks with you and eating something every three hours. A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit or a small protein bar are fantastic options to keep on hand.
Tip Four: Eat Smart
While we all know that eating in is usually healthier than eating out, on the road you simply don’t have a choice – all of your vacations meals will be eaten out. So take the time to order with your health conscious mind, and not simply your taste buds. Watch out for extra large portions-don’t be afraid to take a doggie bag back to your room (assuming of course that you have a refrigerator).
Another thing to keep in mind is to keep fried food consumption to a minimum. Fried foods contain more fat and calories than other options, they are also likely to give you heartburn and indigestion-two things you don’t need spoiling your vacation. Stick with dishes that contain veggies, lean meats and whole grains.
Enjoy your vacation! And when you get back into town call or email me for a fitness and fat loss consultation and I’ll show you a step-by-step plan for getting you the body that you deserve – in less time than you think.
Committed to your success,
Kevin Hensel, Owner
Fit-4-Life, Inc.
Cherry Hill, NJ
856-751-0033
www.FitLifeInc.com
You have 3 ways to lose weight. I will not even discuss the surgery option, if you are interested in that option you are on the wrong blog.
1. Cutting calories
2. Increasing physical activity
3. Resistance training
But which way is faster at losing weight? I’m going to throw a little science at you, it takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. Lets weigh the pros and cons for each weight loss strategy and see which is better.
Cutting Calories: By cutting 350 calories from your daily caloric intake you can lose approximately 3 lbs in one month using our scientific fact. The only way to really know you are cutting your calories correctly is through the religious use of a food journal. Use your food journal a few days without cutting your calories to get a good baseline of your daily caloric intake. Write down everything in your journal including beverages, condiments, and all the little extras that add up. Then cut your calories by 350 but never below 1200 daily calories . Don’t go overboard by cutting your caloric intake in half to see even faster results, your body doesn’t work that way. By drastically reducing your calories your body does the exact opposite and stores fat. Too few calories is way more damaging than too many, always remember that.
Cons: Filling out a food journal and counting calories can be time consuming and annoying. Eating a small meal every 3-4 hours takes time and preparation every day. Changing your dietary habits is the single most difficult habit to change.
Increasing physical activity: Burning 300-400 calories each cardio workout approximately 5-6 times per week will result in a loss of 2 pounds after 30 days. If you are using a cardio machine such as a treadmill or elliptical stepper enter you weight into the machine to get a good idea of how many calories you have burned. Here’s a good gauge a 165lb person will burn 360 calories walking at a brisk pace (4.0 mph). Jogging at 5.0 mph will burn 720 calories per hour.
Cons: Cardio is time consuming and needs to be done almost every day of the week. Your metabolism is only elevated while you are doing cardio. If you have joint pain, cardio can be difficult to do at an intensity high enough or long enough to burn the recommended number of calories.
Resistance Training: 1 lb of muscle burns approximately 50 calories each day. 1 lb of fat burns approximately 5 calories per day. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even when you are not working out. Strength training can include your body weight, dumbbells, elastic tubing, and/or selectorized machines. In the first 30 days strength training 3-4 times per week, 10-12 upper and lower body exercises, 8-12 reps, and 1-3 sets can produce 1-2 lbs of muscle gain which burns almost one pound of fat. Compound movements should be used to utilize as many muscles as possible instead of isolated muscle groups. Specific strength exercises geared towards your core and postural muscles need to be included. The second and third month you can usually add another 3-5 lbs of muscle that will burn 3-4 lbs of fat a month. Very smart idea to stretch before and after your strength workouts to promote recovery and prevent injury. Sorry ladies this is why it is easier for a man to lose weight versus a woman. Testosterone allows men to have more muscle mass.
Cons: You do not burn as many calories during strength training as doing cardio. Time constraints can make it difficult to get in 3 workouts per week. Figuring which exercises are best can be difficult.
So which weight loss strategy is best? You already know the answer, do all three and you can lose 6-8 lbs a month. Losing more than 1-2 lbs per week usually leads in losing muscle which by now you already know that less muscle burns fewer calories in the long run
If you burn more calories than you put in, you lose weight. It’s that simple. Your age, genetics, nutritional content, and metabolism do play a role. That’s why you need a qualified health and fitness professional to guide you in the right direction and save you countless hours reading, researching, and wasting time with non-effective exercises. Call for your free workout testdrive today to see what a difference we can make in your life 856-751-0033
Committed to your success,
Kevin Hensel, Owner
Fit-4-Life, Inc.
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
www.FitLifeInc.com
Serve this delicious grilled chicken at your next barbecue. The honey-mustard glaze has a wonderful tangy flavor. Remember to add healthy side dishes for a summer meal that will satisfy without weighing you down.
Servings: 6
Here’s what you need…
4 Tablespoons honey
4 Tablespoons spicy mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Pre-heat your grill. If using coals, heat until the coals turn gray and there are no longer strong flames, 35-45 minutes.
Combine honey, mustard, lemon peel, soy sauce and garlic. Mix well. Reserve a few tablespoons of the sauce. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.
Cook the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side. Brush with the reserved sauce, and continue cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes per side, until chicken registers 170 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 183 calories, 2g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 28g protein.
Posted in Weight Loss at 10:04 am by Administrator
Do the lazy days of summer have you worried about your waistline? You should be.
If you haven’t noticed, it is officially bathing suit and shorts season, a time during which most people actually gain weight. Rather than joining the ranks of those who will put on another few pounds this summer, you can decided right here and now to drop weight during the hottest months of the year.
All you have to do is have a plan.
Most of the time extra pounds sneak up on you when you least expect it. Use these three tips to make this the summer that you slim down.
Slim Tip 1: Get Moving
During this time of year the summer sun beckons, drawing us to our favorite outdoor destinations. Instead of spending your day flopped out in the sun, make your outdoor day an active one - your waist will thank you for it.
At the Lake: If you are an able swimmer, there is no better way to burn calories than by taking a vigorous dip.
At the State Park: State parks were made for calorie burning activities! Take a hike that matches your fitness level, or bring your bike for an all-day adventure.
At the Beach: Be a beachcomber for the day as you walk along the water. After your walk start a game of volleyball or Frisbee on the shore.
Slim Tip 2: Surviving Starbucks
It is hard to avoid Starbucks these days - there seems to be one opening on every corner - and most have a line out the door. During the summer coffee drinkers everywhere have one thing on their minds: the frappuccino. Now while I can’t endorse any sugar-filled drink, I would like you to know that not all cold beverages were created equal
Your Best Bet: If you want a refreshing caffeine boost look no further than an iced coffee. It is just as refreshing as any cold beverage and it contains less than 20 calories (even the Venti.)
Frappuccino Fix: If you have to have a frappuccino, then order a tall Light Blended Frappuccino without whip. This contains 140 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Way less fat than a regular frappuccino.
Lose the Whip: If you are standing up right now you may want to sit down for this one. The average plop of whipped cream on a blended coffee beverage contains 13 grams of fat! Do I even need to say more?
Your Worst Bet: If you are wondering just how detrimental a coffee beverage can be to your weight loss effort then let me introduce the Venti Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Blended Creme with whipped cream. This beverage weighs in at 720 calories and 25 grams of fat. Yikes! That’s like losing the benefits from an entire week of working out.
Slim Tip 3: Lighten Up
Summer heat can give you a unique edge towards your fitness efforts since increased temperature is a natural appetite suppressant. Use this knowledge to your advantage by purposely cutting back your calories at each meal.
When you dine out cut back your portion by splitting an entrée with a friend. Most restaurants will be happy to do this for you and your friend will benefit from the cut in calories too.
Chisel down your breakfast calories by exchanging your breakfast sandwich or eggs and pancakes for a refreshing cup of yogurt.
Who said soup was only good in winter? Soups (ones that are not cream based) make a satisfying and filling dinner with fewer calories than your typical fare.
Like I said, when it comes to dropping pounds this summer you need to have a plan. This means ditching the excuses and asking a qualified fitness expert like me for the right program for you.
Is it really that easy? Yes.
So where do you begin? Just pick up the phone and give me a call at 856-751-0033 or click here http://fitlifeinc.com/Free_Workout_Testdrive.html to get started ASAP with your Free, No-Obligation Workout Testdrive.
You can do that, right?
Committed to your success,
Kevin Hensel
Owner Fit 4 Life
Cherry Hill, NJ
856-751-0033
www.FitLifeInc.com
