5 Things I no longer do as a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach

As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I have learned many things throughout my career. One of the most important lessons I have learned is that it's okay to change your mind and adapt your approach. With that in mind, here are five things I no longer do as a personal trainer and nutrition coach.

1. Use of a One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Every individual is unique and has different needs and goals. Therefore, I no longer use a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, I tailor my coaching to each individual's specific goals, preferences, and lifestyle. This personalized approach not only respects the uniqueness of each client but also ensures that the programs are effective and beneficial for them.

2. Focus Solely on the Scale

While weight can be an important factor in overall health, it is not the only measure of success. I no longer solely focus on my clients' weight loss or gain. Instead, I encourage them to track their progress in other ways, such as increased strength, improved energy levels, and better sleep quality. This diversified focus helps clients appreciate the full spectrum of health benefits they are achieving.

3. Push Extreme Diets

Fad diets and extreme restrictions may provide quick results, but they are not sustainable or healthy in the long term. I no longer push my clients to follow extreme diets or eliminate entire food groups. Instead, I help them make small, sustainable changes to their diet that they can maintain over time. This approach promotes long-term dietary habits that contribute to overall health and wellness.

4. Ignore Mental Health

Mental health is just as important as physical health. I no longer ignore my clients' mental health when designing their programs. Instead, I prioritize stress management, sleep, and self-care practices to help them achieve overall wellness. By incorporating these elements into the programs, I ensure that my clients are not just physically fit, but also mentally and emotionally healthy.

5. Neglect Education

As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I believe it is important to educate my clients about the why behind their programs. I no longer neglect to educate my clients about the science behind their workouts and nutrition plans. Instead, I empower them with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about their health and wellness. This education helps clients understand the value of the health choices they make and motivates them to stick to their programs.

Conclusion

As a wellness coach, my goal is to guide my clients along a path that leads to optimal health and wellbeing. This path is not always straightforward and can require some changes in direction. However, by avoiding the pitfalls mentioned above, I believe we can all reach our health and wellness goals and lead happier, healthier lives.

The power of positive self-talk

Transforming Your Mindset: The Power of Positive Self-Talk
It's easy to tune out motivational speakers at business meetings, but what if I told you that our biggest obstacle is ourselves? Let's take a moment to reflect on the words we use to speak to ourselves. What did you say to yourself this morning when you looked in the mirror? Was it negative or critical? If so, it's time to make a change.

Think about how you speak to your friends and family when they're not feeling it. You lift them up with kind and encouraging words. So why not treat yourself the same way? Instead of saying "I have to work out," try "I get to work out and have some 'me' time." Change those negative words into affirmations and watch how your mindset shifts.

Start your day with a few deep breaths and positive self-talk. Say to yourself "I am a badass and I'm ready to take on the day!" or "I know that sticking to my routine will help me rock that dress I've been eyeing." With a little practice, you'll see a change in your confidence, energy, and the way you interact with others.

Try this for a week and see how you feel. Remember, you are your own biggest critic, but you can also be your own best friend.

Fall in love with the journey!

Fitness isn't just about looking good, it's about feeling good too. Many people start their fitness journey with the goal of achieving a certain body type, but this mindset can be discouraging. Instead, shift your focus to the journey itself and the positive changes it can bring to your life.

Here are some tips for falling in love with the journey

1. Embrace the process: Fitness is a journey with many ups and downs. It's important to embrace the process and not get discouraged by setbacks. Recognize that progress takes time and enjoy the small victories along the way.

2. Find your motivation: Everyone has different reasons for starting a fitness journey. Maybe you want to be healthier, have more energy, or be able to keep up with your kids. Whatever your motivation is, use it as fuel to keep you going.

3. Set realistic goals: Setting goals is important, but it's also important to set realistic ones. Don't set yourself up for failure by aiming too high. Start with small, achievable goals and work your way up.

4. Find activities you enjoy: Fitness doesn't have to be boring. Find activities that you enjoy, whether it's hiking, swimming, or dancing. When you enjoy what you're doing, it's easier to stick with it.

5. Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. Join a fitness group or find a workout buddy to keep you accountable and motivated.

Remember, fitness is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the process and the positive changes it brings to your life.

I wish I knew these things at the start of my fitness journey.

There will always be things we wish we knew earlier, in both life and in health and fitness but like anything, training, effective movement and conquering your goals takes time.

When we first enter a gym we are often overwhelmed by the multitudThe of things to focus on. Am I going too fast? Is my form correct? What rep am I on?

But as time goes on, our knowledge expands, our skills strengthen and eventually these things become second nature.

But if I was to go back I wish I had known these things. I’m here to help you so you don’t struggle like I did.

Tempo Is Key

Focus on each rep! The speed at which you perform your reps helps manipulate the time your muscles spend under tension. A faster tempo usually means using a lighter weight and focusing on endurance, and a slower tempo means you can challenge yourself with a heavier weight and harness that control.

By focusing on your tempo you can increase your training intensity, ensure you are performing each exercise correctly and ultimately get the most out of your session.

TIP: Tempo simply refers to the speed at which you should perform an exercise.

Technique Is King

When it comes to exercise - technique really is king! By focusing on technique and performing movements correctly you can ensure that the load is placed on the muscles and joints that are specifically being targeted through the movement. Ultimately this will help you avoid injury and make sure you are receiving the full benefit intended from the exercise.

For every exercise in the App we provide you with a visual demonstration. If you’re unsure how to perform a particular movement, reach out we can hop on a zoom call and show you in more detail . You can also record yourself performing an exercise with or without weight so you can visually see how you are performing and make adjustments from there.

Training With Intention

It’s all about quality over quantity - more training is not better, better training is better.

You may be training 5 days a week but when you are training you aren’t focusing all your attention on completing the best possible session. This is where quality over quantity comes into play and you may be better at completing 4 really good workouts rather than 5 half attempted workouts.

Time & Consistency Matters

Little by little, a little becomes a lot.

I’m here to remind you that you are not what you do sometimes but what you do consistently. Stop stressing over that meal you overindulged in or the workout you missed.

People get health and fitness all wrong because they think it has to rule your life when really it should compliment it. Life is to be enjoyed, so don’t stress the small stuff.

Find a style of training you love, eat to feel good and show up consistently. I promise you that if you keep at it consistently you will be AMAZED at what you can achieve both physically and mentally.

Recovery is not optional, you need it to progress. We often neglect recovery while we try to optimize our training sessions however it is just as important, if not more important, to focus on what you do after a session in order to maximize your results.

Exercise is a stressor so by allowing our bodies the right amount of time to adapt and recover post workout, our body can focus on restoring energy, replenishing cells as well rebuilding muscle tissue.

When you give your body the rest it needs, you will be rewarded with ongoing results and be able to sustain  consistently high energy levels, so don't neglect or feel guilty about taking rest days - they are important

Transform your life with this mindset

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.