In the past, I’ve had 3-4 dedicated sessions for cardiovascular exercise (cardio) as part of my weekly routine. Later on, the busier I got with school and work, the less flexibility I had with my schedule, and the more I prioritized strength training over cardio. Throughout the years I learned that, contrary to popular belief, conventional cardio isn’t the only way to maintain/ lose weight, or is even needed for heart and lung health. Most people will hop on the treadmill w

“That’s it. This time, enough is enough. I’m tired of being tired all the time. I’m tired of feeling out of shape. I want to lose my stomach and I want slimmer arms. I want to have energy again”. Does this internal monologue sound familiar to you? Throughout my personal training career, I’ve encountered many women (and men) who all desired the same goals. They wanted to feel strong and look better. Why is this so hard to achieve, especially today? Why do obesity rates consi

"You eat chocolate? But how? You're a health professional. You should set an example." I've heard this so many times throughout my career that I want to explain my diet philosophy and why I think no foods should ever be 'off limits'. 'Health' is defined as: 1. The state of being free from illness or injury. 2. A person's mental or physical condition. Let's look at two aspects of health: Physical Health What determines your health is your overall diet, lifestyle and genetics .

The most extreme, suboptimal type of diet/ exercise program would ‘work’ up to a point. Decided to lose weight and eat 800 calories a day? You'd lose weight. Decided to start running every day to trim down? You'd trim down. Decided to start strength-training with a really inefficient, injury-promoting exercise technique and programming? You'd gain muscle and get stronger. Decided to eliminate one specific food or a food group because some writer in a fitness magazine said

This is the cover of the ‘NCCPT certified weight management specialist’. For $199 , you can become a certified weight management specialist just in one day. For those who aren’t well informed, this certification may sound prestigious (‘specialist’) but don’t let it fool you, a one-day course isn’t equivalent to the credentials of a registered dietitian (or a certified sports nutritionist). At best, this certification is equivalent to a week’s worth of a 3 credit class (one w

Despite the increasing number of people who regularly strength train, majority of the global population associates strength/resistance training (ST/ RT) with bodybuilders. The first picture that comes up to one’s mind when talking about RT is of a muscular guy lifting some really heavy weights while grunting at the gym. Unfortunately, this is not the best association to have in mind and is definitely not the best represenation of whatST is all about. Therefore, the purpose of