Life has taught me to have a healthy sense of skepticism when people begin making grandiose claims - especially when there's money to be made. While the body is incredibly adaptable, going to the extremes is often not a successful long-term strategy for health or success.  Cutting carbs out of your diet is no different. The truth is being skewed whenever we denounce an essential nutrient or begin naming 'bad guys'. So let’s go over what you need to know about carbs and take a healthy perspective on the topic.

Emily and Kate were coworkers in a nearby finance firm. The hours were long, the work was hectic, and after a few months, they noticed the toll it had taken. They felt weak and sluggish, there bodies had grown in all the wrong places, and there dissatisfaction grew with it. Finally they decided it was time to hit the gym and make a change.  

In three months time, Emily dropped 4 inches off her waist, lost her goal of 10 pounds and increased both her strength and muscle tone. As a trainer,  these are the transformations that make waking up at 5 am worth it. Kate however did not see any change in her appearance. I chose this story because both women came to the gym 2-3 times a week and faced similar work constraints but why did one see great results and the other didn't?

This relationship between the food you eat and how you feel afterward creates a feedback loop.  This feedback teaches us what can be coined as nutritional wisdom. To be nutritionally wise is to be able to listen to the needs of your body and respond appropriately - It's how humans have survived for millennia without the nutritional guidance of Cosmopolitan magazine and Dr. OZ.  

The fitness industry has no quality control. If you can pass a multiple choice test and have a few hundred dollars you too can be a personal trainer. I have seen too many people hurt by inexperienced trainers prescribing ill-advised exercise and I want better for you.

While there are many poor trainers in the industry, there are also many good ones. Ones who got into the industry for the right reasons and are passionate about their craft. Working with a good trainer is the best way to get fast results while learning how to take care of your body.

Today I want to show you what to look for so you can choose a quality trainer and avoid getting hurt or wasting your money.

Results. Results. Results. The fitness industry is all about results -promoting lean sexy bodies, rapid muscle gains, and dramatic weight loss. You’re either a winner or a loser in this industry. Paradoxically it's this obsession with results that is preventing most people from achieving them.

Animal Farm is a satire written by George Orwell that reflects the events leading up to the Russian revolution and the rise of Soviet Union. It's a fantastic and thought-provoking book like his other - 1984 - and I recommend everyone read it. While I was reading it though there was a character named Boxer whose attitude reflects many gym goers. There's a valuable lesson we can all learn about staying healthy, questioning authority and being successful in the gym.   

Boxer is a well-intentioned but naïve horse in George Orwell's book Animal Farm.

He is a powerful horse regarded for his strength, stamina and work ethic.

Boxer lives by two slogans - “I will work harder" and “Napoleon is always right”

Eventually, his body breaks down from the hard work in the fields and instead of retiring in the pasture as Napoleon (The farm's tyrannical leader) promised, he is instead fooled and sent to his death.

While unintentional, Boxer’s mantra's reflects the two most common mistakes most people face when they try to get healthier. His story serves as a warning for all of us.

Over the course of my training career, I’ve come across several exercises that are simple, effective, and low risk. They're my cheat sheet for working with clients who have injuries or little experience exercising. So when it came to building Sarah a program, I pulled out my cheat sheet and got to work.  

Below are the 7 cheat sheet exercises I chose, which you too can use to get started. Together they make a workout that addresses strength, posture, core stability, mobility, and work capacity, all while being simple to learn and perform on your own.

Books are a fantastic way to learn about a topic, and every year I take a get to take a journey where I learn and deepen my knowledge.

This year yielded some great titles and I would like to share the books that I feel would best help you on your fitness journey.

When I decide whether or not to recommend a book I first look to make sure it meets certain criteria

1. It’s understandable
2. It’s impactful and will help you
3. It changes your perspective

With that said, here are my top 5 recommendations for this year.

“Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or sugary drinks are leading sources of added sugars in the American diet. Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis.1-4 Limiting the amount of SSB intake can help individuals maintain a healthy weight and have a healthy diet.”

Breakfast is the worst meal of the day. That's right, I said it.  Rather than breakfast being a meal of sustenance meant to nourish and prepare you for the upcoming day, it does the opposite. It leaves most people tired, hungry, bloated, and fatter.  The typical American breakfast is a glorified dessert masquerading around as the "most important meal of the day".