Training & Exercise
Gain Muscle With Drop Sets
WHAT ARE DROP SETS?Drop sets are a training technique geared towards increasing muscle mass by performing an exercise, then reducing (dropping) the weight, and continuing to perform more reps until you reach failure. They were a favorite of Arnold Schwarzenegger and...
The Ideal Ranges For Time Under Tension
Varying the tempo on an exercise to manipulate the time under tension (TUT) is an excellent tool for building muscle and busting plateaus. It is also a great trick for making your in-home workouts more challenging if you are limited to a few lightweight dumbbells. TUT...
Muscle vs. Fat: What’s The Difference?
Which weighs more, muscle or fat? If you answered “they weigh the same”, you are correct. The difference is that muscle is denser so it takes up less space. To put it another way, if you gained 5 pounds of muscle and lost 5 pounds of fat, your body weight would stay...
Close Grip Bench Press: Build Triceps Strength
As opposed to the traditional bench press, which primarily targets the chest, the close grip bench press primarily targets your triceps. In fact, aside from parallel dips, this exercise is in my opinion the best exercise for your triceps when performed correctly. When...
Should You Lift To Muscle Failure?
You may be wondering, “Should I be lifting to muscle failure? How do I know if I’ve hit failure?” In strength training, lifting to muscle failure means performing a specific resistance training activity enough times that the primary muscle cannot perform one more rep...
HIIT: The Most Efficient Way To Burn Fat
HIIT... No equipment needed! Are you missing out on one of the most efficient ways to burn fat and build lean muscle? High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, can be described as any workout that includes short bouts of intense activity followed by short...
Are You A Half-Repper? – Why Full Range Of Motion Matters
We’ve all seen it before, some of us might even be guilty of it ourselves without even knowing it! I’m talking about “half-repping” an exercise. Too much weight, poor technique, and not using full range of motion. This is usually due to one of three reasons: Simply...
Hex Press For Bigger Pecs
The dumbbell hex press is one of those exercises that is often forgotten when it comes to training the chest muscles. Most people look no further than flat bench and incline chest press or different angled fly movements when changing up their chest routines. If that’s...
What’s The Best Home Workout Equipment?
Whether you have a gym membership or not, there is no excuse for not working out. It’s a lot easier than you think to turn your living room into a gym with a few pieces of home workout equipment. In fact, working out from home: Saves time Saves money Allows...
Bodyweight Circuit Workout For Busy People
In today's society, multitasking is common place. Every single day we juggle kids, commutes, deadlines, and commitments. Still, this is no excuse for not exercising at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days a week. Anybody, from top performing CEO’s to the President of the United...
How To Safely Test For Your One-Rep Max
Your one-rep max (1RM) is the most weight you can lift one time for a particular exercise. This is one way to track increases in strength and is also helpful to give you an idea of how much you should lift in other rep ranges. It’s important to note that you don’t...
Muscle Confusion: Fact Or Fiction?
Contrary to what some of the big name fitness programs like P90X would like you to believe, constantly changing up your workouts to “confuse” your muscles does not allow enough time to build upon the progress you’ve made on each exercise week after week. Although...
A Sit-Up That Improves Your Squat?
Want a great core exercise you can do anywhere to help you tighten up that midsection before Summer is officially here? The butterfly sit-up is one of my favorites! Here are a few reasons why this is not your average sit-up: They actually help with your squat,...
Does Lifting Heavy Weights Make Women Bulky?
"I am afraid that if I workout, my arms will get bigger. They are so big already and resistant to losing weight. If I gain muscle and I don’t lose any fat from that area, I can’t imagine…" I understand the concern my new Instagram friend has. After all, fear of...
How To Structure Your Workout Program
While there is no “single right way” to structure your workout program, below are some common strength training splits, based on days per week, that may help you to get started. These obviously do not take into account any specific goals, injuries, or restrictions you...
Compound Exercises vs. Isolation Exercises – Which Is Better?
When it comes to efficiency, burning fat and building muscle... compound exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and pull-ups are superior to isolation exercises such as bicep curls and leg extensions for a handful of reasons. To start, they...
The Difference Between Muscular Strength And Muscular Endurance
“What is the difference between muscular strength and muscular endurance?” Most of us have an idea in our head about what fitness results we are trying to achieve, but unknowingly sabotage those results with workouts that are either contradictory to those goals or...
How Many Sets And Reps Should You Do?
How many sets and reps should you do? The truth is, there is no single best rep range for fat loss, gaining muscle, or “toning up”. There’s actually no such thing as “toning” at all but I’ll save that for another post. The reason it’s not so clear cut and dry is...
Should You Use Exercise Machines?
All things being constant (same weight, same exercise), you will get more benefit from using free weights than you will from a machine. Two reasons: Because free weights allow for a full range of motion. We all come in different shapes and sizes, machines don’t. So...
Why You Should Always Warm-Up
Most of us workout to lose weight, build muscle, and feel more confident. Unfortunately, most of us also skip the warm-up. I get it, there’s nothing particularly sexy or fun about warming up. But the truth is, when you bypass the warm-up and go straight into your...
How To Lose Fat Not Muscle
There are a few key things that need to be taken into account in order to lose FAT and not lose MUSCLE. Your body does have the ability to “catabolize” your own muscle, which you want to avoid at all costs if you are spending time putting in work at the gym. Simply put, if you are not doing the things I am about to list below, you risk not only LOSING muscle, but slowing your metabolism down and making yourself more prone to injury.
How To Actively Engage Your Core Muscles During Exercise
Protecting The Lower Back With Core Engagement You have probably heard the term “engage your core”. But what does that really mean? Many people mistakenly equate engaging the core with sucking in the stomach. However, this is the opposite of what you want to do and...
How To Properly Track Your Fitness Progress
If You Are Not Assessing, You Are Just Guessing Tracking your progress is an important part of staying on track with your fitness goals. Keeping a food log, workout log, taking "before and after" photos, recording body weight, body fat, circumference measurements, and...
Fat Loss: Is Fasted Cardio Superior To Regular Cardio?
The Fasted Cardio Debate The jury is still out on whether or not fasted cardio is ideal for burning body fat. The short answer is...it’s complicated. There is research to support that your body can burn up to 20% more fat following a fasted bout of cardio in the...
Optimal Rest Time Between Sets
Different fitness goals require different periods of rest time between sets. Always time your breaks with a stopwatch or a timer. For fat loss and muscle endurance, circuit workouts and metabolic conditioning with 30-60 seconds or less between exercises are great for...
Gym Etiquette 101: Mistakes To Avoid
While this gym etiquette list could be A LOT longer, here are some basic unwritten rules to abide by when in a crowded gym. Some of these may seem obvious to my fellow gym goers who’ve been at this a long time, but remember that we were all beginners at one point...
Squats: The King Of All Exercises
There are few movements as effective for building muscle, gaining strength and increasing power as the squat. They are one of the most fundamental compound movements in strength training. If you are not currently including them in your workout routine, you need to be....
What Is Functional Fitness Training?
Functional Fitness Training Defined Functional fitness training can be described as any program that includes exercises designed to mimic and/or help you to perform daily tasks or activities safely and efficiently. Examples of these types of tasks or activities...
How To Prep For A Fitness Photo Shoot
Tips On Preparing For A Fitness Photo Shoot Six weeks from my fitness photo shoot, I was 178.5 lbs., around 12% body fat, and in decent shape, although not camera ready. By following a few steps outlined below, I was able to get those numbers down to 169.5 lbs. and...
Health & Nutrition
Change Brings Opportunity
Not being able to go to the gym or attend your favorite fitness class due to COVID stinks, but it also presents an opportunity to improve in other areas. Here are a few of them: Nutrition The “I’m too busy” excuse can no longer be used. You may still be busy, but...
Quarantine 15: Tips To Avoid Mindless Snacking During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Some have dubbed the 15-pound weight gain during the coronavirus pandemic the “Quarantine 15”. If you have recently found yourself struggling with mindless snacking or overeating during self-isolation, here are three tips to help you avoid the dreaded Quarantine 15...
Coronavirus: How You Can Help
We are dealing with a serious issue that is about to get worse before it gets better. I don’t believe we’ve dealt with a virus of this magnitude since maybe the polio epidemic of the 1940's and 1950's. So, if you want to hear my take on COVID-19, here it is… Right...
Should You Skip Breakfast?
As much as 25% of the American population skip breakfast. Why? Don’t they know that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? Or do they know something we don’t? Breakfast proponents would argue that eating breakfast keeps you from...
5 Essential Holiday Fitness Tips
Holiday Fitness Tips The average American gains anywhere from 5 lbs. to 12 lbs. between Thanksgiving and New Year’s! So before we kick off this month and a half marathon of good times and overindulging, let me weigh in with 5 tips to help you minimize setbacks and...
How To Count Calories And Macros
“I workout and I eat well, but I can’t seem to lose any weight. Can you help me?” A new member of the Online Fitness Coach Facebook Group stated that her goal was to lose 10 pounds. She runs 10 miles a day almost every day of the week, participates in veteran...
Which Starchy Foods Should You Avoid?
Did you know that white bread, bagels, and pancakes are actually higher on the Glycemic Index than table sugar?!Just like sugar, starchy foods have the potential to elevate blood sugar levels quickly. When this happens, your body releases the hormone insulin. Insulin...
Top Sources Of Vegetarian Protein
A high protein diet is ideal for both weight loss and muscle growth. High protein diets not only help to suppress appetite, but your body also burns more calories digesting protein than it does carbohydrates or fat, helping you to feel fuller for longer and on fewer...
How To Eat Less (Without Counting Calories)
Counting calories and tracking daily macronutrients is a great way to dial in your nutrition, identify areas that need improvement in your diet, and keep you on track with your goals. If you’re new to fitness or just starting a weight loss journey, I would strongly...
How To Assess Your Fitness Progress Without The Scale
Do you know how to assess your fitness progress without the scale? Body weight is certainly important, especially if your main goal is weight loss. However, most people make the mistake of relying solely on the scale as their ONLY indicator of progress. Let me ask you...
Use Your Hand For Portion Control
Tracking calories and macronutrients with an app like MyFitnessPal is a terrific tool for portion control and staying on top of your fitness goals, especially for those who are just starting a fitness program and need to dial in their nutrition, or those who need to...
The S.M.A.R.T. Approach To Goal Setting
Have you ever set a goal or a New Year’s resolution, and did really well sticking to it only to fizzle out and fall back into your old habits 3 or 4 weeks later? I know I have. Breaking old negative habits and replacing them with new positive habits is never easy, but...
10 Tips To Eat Healthy When Dining Out
If your job requires you to wine and dine clients frequently, or you simply enjoy eating out often, but you also have weight loss or fitness goals you are trying to accomplish, then you need to have a plan in order to eat healthy when dining out. Most restaurants...
Find Your “Why”
When it comes to working out and eating right, you are going to have plenty of days where you don't feel like going to the gym, or you are tempted to eat the bad food. If you don't have a compelling enough reason WHY you want to get in shape, making a lifestyle change...
How To Drink Alcohol And Still Lose Weight
If you’re not careful, the weekend and vacations are where you can fall off the wagon and sabotage a lot of your weight loss efforts and fitness progress you’ve made. You normally work hard. So when the weekend and vacations come, you just want to relax and have a...
The 80-20 Rule And Flexible Dieting
The best plan is the one you can stick to. This goes for training and for nutrition. If you hate it, if you can’t stand the thought of doing it, you’re probably not going to be able to maintain it. This is why fad diets like Keto, South Beach and Atkins don’t work...
Weight Loss Expectations Versus Reality
The picture above is an actual progress chart showing the 20 pound weight loss trajectory over a 3-month period of one of my online coaching clients. I show this to illustrate that while you might expect weight loss to look a little more linear (see the red line), in...
Benefits Of Supplementing With Creatine
Creatine is the most researched supplement in the health and fitness industry. To date, studies do not indicate that there are any long-term health effects resulting from creatine supplementation and it is deemed safe.
Why You Should Take A Greens Supplement
Greens supplements, also known as “superfoods”, are fruits, vegetables, algaes and/or grasses that have been compacted and distilled into powdered form. They typically contain an assortment of nutrient rich foods like spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa, vegetables, fruits, barley grass, wheat grass, herbs, and legumes.
Multivitamins: Are They Necessary?
An increasing number of the world’s population is now eager and interested in looking after their health and well-being. The question is, do multivitamins actually work?
Winter Weight Gain. The Reasons And The Cure!
Studies show that the average American gains between 5-7 pounds over the holidays. It seems that every winter we acquire a few pounds, and come summer we don’t always lose them. A few of them tend to stick around, adding to our overall weight every year. It can be quite hard to lose to those extra pounds! Why does this happen and what can we do?
The Benefits Of Whey Protein
When it comes to protein powders, all are certainly not created equal. In the world of fitness, whey is king. The benefits of whey are numerous and it is an excellent source of protein for individuals of all age groups and fitness levels, not just gym goers and fitness fanatics. What is whey protein?
Probiotics And Their Use As A Dietary Supplement
Many people are unfamiliar with probiotics, but there are studies to show that these supplements may be beneficial in the treatment of various ailments. Probiotics are dietary supplements that contain possible beneficial bacteria. Certain types of yogurt, for example, contain probiotics in therapeutic quantities. This simply means that some foods contain enough of this supplement to be helpful and is measured in quantities where it cannot be overindulged. Probiotics are be…
Is Fruit Juice Bad For You?
Which is healthier, whole fruit or fruit juice? To start, whole fruit has a natural layer of fiber that fruit juice does not. Fiber is not only linked with health benefits that include reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it also helps you feel fuller...
21 Nutrition Tips To Keep You On Track
Here are 21 fitness and nutrition tips to keep you on track with your health goals.
The Health Benefits Of Fish Oil
A lot has been made of fish oil over the last few years. When the words oils and fats are mentioned, health-conscious individuals tend to run for cover. What they fail to realize is that there are good fats and bad fats. Complete avoidance of oils and fats would actually be detrimental rather than beneficial to their health.
How To Recover From An Unhealthy Weekend
For many people, Friday through Sunday can involve some pretty unhealthy choices. Finding a balance between allowing yourself to splurge a little after a week of clean eating and overdoing it can be tricky. If you do end up overindulging, here are 5 tips to help you...
What You Need To Know About BCAA’s
The Benefits Of Branched-Chain Amino Acids BCAA's, or branched-chain amino acids, are among three of the nine essential amino acids for humans. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot synthesize on its own...
2-Week Intermittent Fasting Challenge
As popular as intermittent fasting has become over the last decade, fasting has actually been around for thousands of years and is practiced by many across different cultures and religions all over the world. Proponents for intermittent fasting claim that it is an...
Gain Muscle With Drop Sets
WHAT ARE DROP SETS?Drop sets are a training technique geared towards increasing muscle mass by performing an exercise, then reducing (dropping) the weight, and continuing to perform more reps until you reach failure. They were a favorite of Arnold Schwarzenegger and...
The Ideal Ranges For Time Under Tension
Varying the tempo on an exercise to manipulate the time under tension (TUT) is an excellent tool for building muscle and busting plateaus. It is also a great trick for making your in-home workouts more challenging if you are limited to a few lightweight dumbbells. TUT...
Muscle vs. Fat: What’s The Difference?
Which weighs more, muscle or fat? If you answered “they weigh the same”, you are correct. The difference is that muscle is denser so it takes up less space. To put it another way, if you gained 5 pounds of muscle and lost 5 pounds of fat, your body weight would stay...
Close Grip Bench Press: Build Triceps Strength
As opposed to the traditional bench press, which primarily targets the chest, the close grip bench press primarily targets your triceps. In fact, aside from parallel dips, this exercise is in my opinion the best exercise for your triceps when performed correctly. When...
Should You Lift To Muscle Failure?
You may be wondering, “Should I be lifting to muscle failure? How do I know if I’ve hit failure?” In strength training, lifting to muscle failure means performing a specific resistance training activity enough times that the primary muscle cannot perform one more rep...
HIIT: The Most Efficient Way To Burn Fat
HIIT... No equipment needed! Are you missing out on one of the most efficient ways to burn fat and build lean muscle? High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, can be described as any workout that includes short bouts of intense activity followed by short...
Are You A Half-Repper? – Why Full Range Of Motion Matters
We’ve all seen it before, some of us might even be guilty of it ourselves without even knowing it! I’m talking about “half-repping” an exercise. Too much weight, poor technique, and not using full range of motion. This is usually due to one of three reasons: Simply...
Hex Press For Bigger Pecs
The dumbbell hex press is one of those exercises that is often forgotten when it comes to training the chest muscles. Most people look no further than flat bench and incline chest press or different angled fly movements when changing up their chest routines. If that’s...
What’s The Best Home Workout Equipment?
Whether you have a gym membership or not, there is no excuse for not working out. It’s a lot easier than you think to turn your living room into a gym with a few pieces of home workout equipment. In fact, working out from home: Saves time Saves money Allows...
Bodyweight Circuit Workout For Busy People
In today's society, multitasking is common place. Every single day we juggle kids, commutes, deadlines, and commitments. Still, this is no excuse for not exercising at least 30 minutes, 3-5 days a week. Anybody, from top performing CEO’s to the President of the United...
How To Safely Test For Your One-Rep Max
Your one-rep max (1RM) is the most weight you can lift one time for a particular exercise. This is one way to track increases in strength and is also helpful to give you an idea of how much you should lift in other rep ranges. It’s important to note that you don’t...
Muscle Confusion: Fact Or Fiction?
Contrary to what some of the big name fitness programs like P90X would like you to believe, constantly changing up your workouts to “confuse” your muscles does not allow enough time to build upon the progress you’ve made on each exercise week after week. Although...
A Sit-Up That Improves Your Squat?
Want a great core exercise you can do anywhere to help you tighten up that midsection before Summer is officially here? The butterfly sit-up is one of my favorites! Here are a few reasons why this is not your average sit-up: They actually help with your squat,...
Does Lifting Heavy Weights Make Women Bulky?
"I am afraid that if I workout, my arms will get bigger. They are so big already and resistant to losing weight. If I gain muscle and I don’t lose any fat from that area, I can’t imagine…" I understand the concern my new Instagram friend has. After all, fear of...
How To Structure Your Workout Program
While there is no “single right way” to structure your workout program, below are some common strength training splits, based on days per week, that may help you to get started. These obviously do not take into account any specific goals, injuries, or restrictions you...
Compound Exercises vs. Isolation Exercises – Which Is Better?
When it comes to efficiency, burning fat and building muscle... compound exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and pull-ups are superior to isolation exercises such as bicep curls and leg extensions for a handful of reasons. To start, they...
The Difference Between Muscular Strength And Muscular Endurance
“What is the difference between muscular strength and muscular endurance?” Most of us have an idea in our head about what fitness results we are trying to achieve, but unknowingly sabotage those results with workouts that are either contradictory to those goals or...
How Many Sets And Reps Should You Do?
How many sets and reps should you do? The truth is, there is no single best rep range for fat loss, gaining muscle, or “toning up”. There’s actually no such thing as “toning” at all but I’ll save that for another post. The reason it’s not so clear cut and dry is...
Should You Use Exercise Machines?
All things being constant (same weight, same exercise), you will get more benefit from using free weights than you will from a machine. Two reasons: Because free weights allow for a full range of motion. We all come in different shapes and sizes, machines don’t. So...
Why You Should Always Warm-Up
Most of us workout to lose weight, build muscle, and feel more confident. Unfortunately, most of us also skip the warm-up. I get it, there’s nothing particularly sexy or fun about warming up. But the truth is, when you bypass the warm-up and go straight into your...
How To Lose Fat Not Muscle
There are a few key things that need to be taken into account in order to lose FAT and not lose MUSCLE. Your body does have the ability to “catabolize” your own muscle, which you want to avoid at all costs if you are spending time putting in work at the gym. Simply put, if you are not doing the things I am about to list below, you risk not only LOSING muscle, but slowing your metabolism down and making yourself more prone to injury.
How To Actively Engage Your Core Muscles During Exercise
Protecting The Lower Back With Core Engagement You have probably heard the term “engage your core”. But what does that really mean? Many people mistakenly equate engaging the core with sucking in the stomach. However, this is the opposite of what you want to do and...
How To Properly Track Your Fitness Progress
If You Are Not Assessing, You Are Just Guessing Tracking your progress is an important part of staying on track with your fitness goals. Keeping a food log, workout log, taking "before and after" photos, recording body weight, body fat, circumference measurements, and...
Fat Loss: Is Fasted Cardio Superior To Regular Cardio?
The Fasted Cardio Debate The jury is still out on whether or not fasted cardio is ideal for burning body fat. The short answer is...it’s complicated. There is research to support that your body can burn up to 20% more fat following a fasted bout of cardio in the...
Optimal Rest Time Between Sets
Different fitness goals require different periods of rest time between sets. Always time your breaks with a stopwatch or a timer. For fat loss and muscle endurance, circuit workouts and metabolic conditioning with 30-60 seconds or less between exercises are great for...
Gym Etiquette 101: Mistakes To Avoid
While this gym etiquette list could be A LOT longer, here are some basic unwritten rules to abide by when in a crowded gym. Some of these may seem obvious to my fellow gym goers who’ve been at this a long time, but remember that we were all beginners at one point...
Squats: The King Of All Exercises
There are few movements as effective for building muscle, gaining strength and increasing power as the squat. They are one of the most fundamental compound movements in strength training. If you are not currently including them in your workout routine, you need to be....
What Is Functional Fitness Training?
Functional Fitness Training Defined Functional fitness training can be described as any program that includes exercises designed to mimic and/or help you to perform daily tasks or activities safely and efficiently. Examples of these types of tasks or activities...
How To Prep For A Fitness Photo Shoot
Tips On Preparing For A Fitness Photo Shoot Six weeks from my fitness photo shoot, I was 178.5 lbs., around 12% body fat, and in decent shape, although not camera ready. By following a few steps outlined below, I was able to get those numbers down to 169.5 lbs. and...
Change Brings Opportunity
Not being able to go to the gym or attend your favorite fitness class due to COVID stinks, but it also presents an opportunity to improve in other areas. Here are a few of them: Nutrition The “I’m too busy” excuse can no longer be used. You may still be busy, but...
Quarantine 15: Tips To Avoid Mindless Snacking During The Coronavirus Pandemic
Some have dubbed the 15-pound weight gain during the coronavirus pandemic the “Quarantine 15”. If you have recently found yourself struggling with mindless snacking or overeating during self-isolation, here are three tips to help you avoid the dreaded Quarantine 15...
Coronavirus: How You Can Help
We are dealing with a serious issue that is about to get worse before it gets better. I don’t believe we’ve dealt with a virus of this magnitude since maybe the polio epidemic of the 1940's and 1950's. So, if you want to hear my take on COVID-19, here it is… Right...
Should You Skip Breakfast?
As much as 25% of the American population skip breakfast. Why? Don’t they know that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? Or do they know something we don’t? Breakfast proponents would argue that eating breakfast keeps you from...
5 Essential Holiday Fitness Tips
Holiday Fitness Tips The average American gains anywhere from 5 lbs. to 12 lbs. between Thanksgiving and New Year’s! So before we kick off this month and a half marathon of good times and overindulging, let me weigh in with 5 tips to help you minimize setbacks and...
How To Count Calories And Macros
“I workout and I eat well, but I can’t seem to lose any weight. Can you help me?” A new member of the Online Fitness Coach Facebook Group stated that her goal was to lose 10 pounds. She runs 10 miles a day almost every day of the week, participates in veteran...
Which Starchy Foods Should You Avoid?
Did you know that white bread, bagels, and pancakes are actually higher on the Glycemic Index than table sugar?!Just like sugar, starchy foods have the potential to elevate blood sugar levels quickly. When this happens, your body releases the hormone insulin. Insulin...
Top Sources Of Vegetarian Protein
A high protein diet is ideal for both weight loss and muscle growth. High protein diets not only help to suppress appetite, but your body also burns more calories digesting protein than it does carbohydrates or fat, helping you to feel fuller for longer and on fewer...
How To Eat Less (Without Counting Calories)
Counting calories and tracking daily macronutrients is a great way to dial in your nutrition, identify areas that need improvement in your diet, and keep you on track with your goals. If you’re new to fitness or just starting a weight loss journey, I would strongly...
How To Assess Your Fitness Progress Without The Scale
Do you know how to assess your fitness progress without the scale? Body weight is certainly important, especially if your main goal is weight loss. However, most people make the mistake of relying solely on the scale as their ONLY indicator of progress. Let me ask you...
Use Your Hand For Portion Control
Tracking calories and macronutrients with an app like MyFitnessPal is a terrific tool for portion control and staying on top of your fitness goals, especially for those who are just starting a fitness program and need to dial in their nutrition, or those who need to...
The S.M.A.R.T. Approach To Goal Setting
Have you ever set a goal or a New Year’s resolution, and did really well sticking to it only to fizzle out and fall back into your old habits 3 or 4 weeks later? I know I have. Breaking old negative habits and replacing them with new positive habits is never easy, but...
10 Tips To Eat Healthy When Dining Out
If your job requires you to wine and dine clients frequently, or you simply enjoy eating out often, but you also have weight loss or fitness goals you are trying to accomplish, then you need to have a plan in order to eat healthy when dining out. Most restaurants...
Find Your “Why”
When it comes to working out and eating right, you are going to have plenty of days where you don't feel like going to the gym, or you are tempted to eat the bad food. If you don't have a compelling enough reason WHY you want to get in shape, making a lifestyle change...
How To Drink Alcohol And Still Lose Weight
If you’re not careful, the weekend and vacations are where you can fall off the wagon and sabotage a lot of your weight loss efforts and fitness progress you’ve made. You normally work hard. So when the weekend and vacations come, you just want to relax and have a...
The 80-20 Rule And Flexible Dieting
The best plan is the one you can stick to. This goes for training and for nutrition. If you hate it, if you can’t stand the thought of doing it, you’re probably not going to be able to maintain it. This is why fad diets like Keto, South Beach and Atkins don’t work...
Weight Loss Expectations Versus Reality
The picture above is an actual progress chart showing the 20 pound weight loss trajectory over a 3-month period of one of my online coaching clients. I show this to illustrate that while you might expect weight loss to look a little more linear (see the red line), in...
Benefits Of Supplementing With Creatine
Creatine is the most researched supplement in the health and fitness industry. To date, studies do not indicate that there are any long-term health effects resulting from creatine supplementation and it is deemed safe.
Why You Should Take A Greens Supplement
Greens supplements, also known as “superfoods”, are fruits, vegetables, algaes and/or grasses that have been compacted and distilled into powdered form. They typically contain an assortment of nutrient rich foods like spirulina, chlorella, alfalfa, vegetables, fruits, barley grass, wheat grass, herbs, and legumes.
Multivitamins: Are They Necessary?
An increasing number of the world’s population is now eager and interested in looking after their health and well-being. The question is, do multivitamins actually work?
Winter Weight Gain. The Reasons And The Cure!
Studies show that the average American gains between 5-7 pounds over the holidays. It seems that every winter we acquire a few pounds, and come summer we don’t always lose them. A few of them tend to stick around, adding to our overall weight every year. It can be quite hard to lose to those extra pounds! Why does this happen and what can we do?
The Benefits Of Whey Protein
When it comes to protein powders, all are certainly not created equal. In the world of fitness, whey is king. The benefits of whey are numerous and it is an excellent source of protein for individuals of all age groups and fitness levels, not just gym goers and fitness fanatics. What is whey protein?
Probiotics And Their Use As A Dietary Supplement
Many people are unfamiliar with probiotics, but there are studies to show that these supplements may be beneficial in the treatment of various ailments. Probiotics are dietary supplements that contain possible beneficial bacteria. Certain types of yogurt, for example, contain probiotics in therapeutic quantities. This simply means that some foods contain enough of this supplement to be helpful and is measured in quantities where it cannot be overindulged. Probiotics are be…
Is Fruit Juice Bad For You?
Which is healthier, whole fruit or fruit juice? To start, whole fruit has a natural layer of fiber that fruit juice does not. Fiber is not only linked with health benefits that include reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes, but it also helps you feel fuller...
21 Nutrition Tips To Keep You On Track
Here are 21 fitness and nutrition tips to keep you on track with your health goals.
The Health Benefits Of Fish Oil
A lot has been made of fish oil over the last few years. When the words oils and fats are mentioned, health-conscious individuals tend to run for cover. What they fail to realize is that there are good fats and bad fats. Complete avoidance of oils and fats would actually be detrimental rather than beneficial to their health.
How To Recover From An Unhealthy Weekend
For many people, Friday through Sunday can involve some pretty unhealthy choices. Finding a balance between allowing yourself to splurge a little after a week of clean eating and overdoing it can be tricky. If you do end up overindulging, here are 5 tips to help you...
What You Need To Know About BCAA’s
The Benefits Of Branched-Chain Amino Acids BCAA's, or branched-chain amino acids, are among three of the nine essential amino acids for humans. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot synthesize on its own...
2-Week Intermittent Fasting Challenge
As popular as intermittent fasting has become over the last decade, fasting has actually been around for thousands of years and is practiced by many across different cultures and religions all over the world. Proponents for intermittent fasting claim that it is an...