inerTRAIN Blog
September 14, 2010
Stop the seasonal sneezing sweetly
Do you have seasonal allergies?
This is one of the times of the year when allergies seem to be a big problem for a lot of people. In fact, just the other day I was reading about this very problem…and the solution presented, surprising enough, was to take one of the popular medications, or if it is really serious, to go get a shot from your doctor.
This is crazy! Why not look to nutrition instead of pills or shots?
The answer: HONEY! I am not talking about the kind you buy in a regular store. You need to go to a farmers’ market or a local health food store and find RAW LOCAL HONEY. You should look for honey that has never been heat treated, and darker is actually better because it has more antioxidants.
Take 3 tablespoons of honey a day – one in the morning, one at noon, and one before bed.
Give it a few days and see how you feel; I think you will be very pleased. The more you read about the benefits of honey, the more impressed you will surely become.
In Health,
September 1, 2010
I AM inerTRAIN: Client Number Zero
Two years ago, I was dreaming of a way that I could take my personal trainer and my customized workout program with me wherever I went so I could keep working toward my fitness goals even when I was on the go. Today, with inerTRAIN, this dream has become a reality. Anyone can now benefit from the expertise and motivation that a personal trainer provides without the limitations of time or place.
But, I don’t want you to take it just from me. Today we have a guest blog post from Rob Armstrong, who jokingly refers to himself as “inerTRAIN Client Number Zero”. (When he heard about inerTRAIN, he made me promise that I would let him know the minute we went live so he could be “Client Number One”. However, we recruited him early to be one of our beta test clients, so he became “Client Number Zero”.)
Rob is a young corporate professional who travels frequently for his job. After working with one of our trainers over a very hectic month, he successfully kept up his fitness program and made progress toward his goals. Now he plans to keep his workouts going with the help of inerTRAIN.
I am looking forward to many more stories like Rob’s in the future.
In Health,
Growing Up is Hard to Do
Remember when we were kids, and all we wanted to do was grow up, with the promises of freedom, autonomy, doing whatever we wanted, going wherever we wanted, eating whatever we wanted, staying up as late as we wanted? And now we find our adult lives full of busy careers with constant travel, limited healthy dining options while entertaining clients at business dinners, the joys of jetlag, and the occasional 18-hour workday. At least back then, we were young and our bodies could absorb as many calories and as much physical punishment as we could dole out. But now that we're older, our bodies can no longer "roll with the punches" as well as they used to, stress takes a toll, and we begin to slow down, wear down, and soften up.
Growing up sure turned out different than I thought it would be…
Don't get me wrong, there are many great things about it – happy marriages, good careers, the opportunity to see the world and experience things you never even imagined you'd have the chance to enjoy when you were younger -- all things that I am so lucky to enjoy today as a (relatively) young, happily married, successful professional. But in all of this growing up and building a family and a career, I really lost sight of what got me here – namely, me.
Over the last 4 years, I've traveled 70% of the time, with a large portion of that time spent internationally in Asia and Europe. I've transformed from what used to be a relatively fit and athletic guy to a much softer and rounder version of myself than I ever thought probable, or even possible. Improper work-life balance, regular 70-hour weeks, nearly 30 pounds of extra weight, and the first warning signs of high cholesterol – is this really who I wanted to be when I "grew up"?
I've done some thinking recently about priorities and about taking better care of myself. I've spoken to my wife multiple times over the last two years about wanting and needing to make a change, and though I would see some limited successes, it was only until the next fire drill at work, or long international business trip, or holiday celebration that I would lose focus, falter, and fall back into my bad habits. If I really was going to be successful, if I really was going to be who I imagined and hoped I would be when I was younger, something was going to have to change.
I needed something to keep me accountable and motivated, something to keep me focused on myself and my health among all of the other demands of adulthood. Luckily enough, through a close business colleague and personal friend, I had the opportunity to be what I jokingly refer to as "Client Number Zero" for inerTRAIN as a pre-launch test user, and I jumped at the opportunity. It's worth a shot, right?
I never could have a personal trainer with all my business travel, and I'm relatively frugal, so I wasn't sure if I could afford one anyway, so I figured this was a good way to try out something new and different. I got setup in the system, answered some questions about my current health, my workout preferences, and my future goals, and I got matched with my trainer, Kevin. Kevin sent me a note that very same day, asked a few questions to clarify what I wanted to accomplish, and I had my first workout within days of signing up. I was ready to give this "healthy lifestyle thing" a shot with renewed energy.
Within the first two weeks of working with Kevin virtually, I was able to shed 4 pounds and start to feel a difference in terms of functional strength and overall energy. He had me using equipment (or not any equipment at all) in ways I had never used it before. If I had questions about a particular exercise or if I found that the suggested weight was too much or too light, I adjusted my routine, documented how things felt, and sent Kevin a note after the routine so he could help coach me and adjust things for the next time.
The first two weeks went by very quickly and smoothly… but I wasn't worried about the first two weeks, I was worried about the two-week long marathon business trip to Asia for which I was preparing. Sure, inerTRAIN could work at home at my regular gym during my regular hectic schedule, but could it work as I traveled across 8 cities in 5 countries halfway around the world to attend 38 meetings in the course of 12 days? This was the ultimate test – for me and for inerTRAIN.
I am not easily impressed, but when I touched down in Australia and had my first workout waiting for me designed specifically for the fitness equipment available at my hotel in Brisbane, I was. And then when I had similar experiences in Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou – all different and unique based on where I was staying and what progress and gains I showed in my last workout – I was sold.
I was exhausted and tired, I had hundreds of unread emails in my inbox piling up every night , but just having Kevin there with my next workout in the queue, asking how things were going really helped me make my fitness a priority when my regular travel routine (and general inertia) would have had me prioritize work instead. That level of customization, paired with the level of accountability that I felt, was what made the difference for me. It wasn't me deciding whether I had the energy or the willpower to go down to the gym for a single workout – it was more than that. This was part of an overall customized fitness plan that I needed to stick to and was being held accountable to by someone else.
It was a pretty cool experience (and needless to say much more enjoyable) to be able to travel halfway around the world and have a very successful business trip without sacrificing my health. How many people can say they took their personal trainer with them on a business trip? Now I can. It is not something I would have ever imagined as a kid, but now as an adult with a busy career, and someone who appreciates what technology can do to improve lives, it really is something awesome and unique that hasn't even been an option in the market… until now.
I didn't know that I was a potential user for this type of service – and was skeptical of the likelihood of my success pursuing it. But I put myself up to the test – and put inerTRAIN to the test – and both came out the other side for the better. Because of that, I can say…
… and I'm not done yet! Next up is Belgium in October and Brazil in November. I'll guess I'll need to brush up on my German and Portuguese…
(I had hoped and planned to do a video recording in each of my international destinations during my trip, but technical difficulties prevented me from successfully recording any – except for my first attempt in the airplane while here in the States. Check it out here.)
August 24, 2010
I AM inerTRAIN: Becoming a better trainer
Being in the fitness business for the last 28 years, I have come to realize my practice is more than just a job; it’s my passion. My clients are my top priority and their successes are my life’s work.
On the surface, my job is to train clients, but I like to view my training as a physical metaphor for habits and attitudes that will foster success in all areas of life. The lessons learned through physical training are universally applicable to all endeavors. Perseverance, sacrifice, self-control, discipline, integrity, honesty, and commitment are all learned in the gym. Mastering these things will improve not only training but also all aspects of life.
Motivating clients to reach their goals requires that I become involved in their lives, sharing good conversation, ideas, and knowledge. I like to think that I am a personal friend of nearly every one of my clients. But ultimately, I, like many personal trainers, have always wanted to reach more clients to be able to share this knowledge as broadly as possible. With inerTRAIN, we can do just that.
When I was first approached with the idea of virtual training I thought, how can this work? Personal training is about being personally there, so how can you do that online?
I thought about the idea a lot, and then one evening while drifting off to sleep, it hit me! Not only is it possible to do it, but I now think it is possible to do it far better than traditional personal training. Think about it this way: if a person loses his or her sight, the other senses will become far more acute. Blind people can hear things most people cannot, they can pick up scents that others are not even aware of, and they can even read with their fingers!
So now imagine that a trainer is training a client online. The trainer is forced to find other ways to communicate his or her thoughts, ideas, and instructions. The trainer will actually become more in-tune to the client’s wants and needs because—without the ability to be in the same room with the client—the trainer must now really listen.
Trainers and clients can connect on a much deeper level because of the inerTRAIN system. Trainers will have the opportunity to answer clients’ questions with great confidence because now they have the time to prepare a complete and thorough response and utilize the resources that the inerTRAIN system provides, rather than being caught off guard during a face-to-face training session.
The more you think about this, the more you will understand what I am talking about. All of the important details will be remembered and considered in the online training environment; each and every client will get the same great personalized training experience. Most importantly, all clients will feel like they are their trainer’s only client, while accomplishing their fitness goals at a fraction of the cost of traditional face-to-face training.
In Health,
August 18, 2010
Embrace your weight… use it TO lose it!
When I first started training, I used mostly free weights and machines with the goal of lifting more and more weight while hoping to put on muscle, increase my strength, and become more fit. And while I did improve, the overall results were always somewhat disappointing. In addition, I always had these nagging little aches and pains that I did not think someone who was working out should be experiencing.
For the last 24 years, I’ve experimented with all different training styles and exercises—varying the intensity of effort, techniques, and the volume of exercise from one extreme to the other. In that time period, I personally did every kind of training you could imagine.
Then, starting about 6 years ago, I took my training in a different direction. I stopped using almost all machines and free weights and focused on bodyweight-only exercises. The results, it turned out, were very surprising. Not only do I physically feel much better but my confidence and conditioning have shot through the roof!
The best thing about this style of training is that you do not need any special equipment, mostly just your own bodyweight. It is very empowering to be able to move your body through different movements and positions.
At 49 years old, I am now in better shape than I was 15 years ago! I am more flexible, stronger, and have more endurance. My knees and shoulders no longer ache and my on-and-off-again lower back pain has disappeared. In the end, what does it matter how much weight you can lift if you cannot even handle your own bodyweight? It is one thing to push and pull weights around—it is quite another to master your own bodyweight from every conceivable angle and direction.
Think of getting fit as gaining control of your body and broadening the range of what it can do. When you start training in this fashion, you will feel the difference after your very first session. These basic bread-and-butter exercises will not only build your strength, flexibility, and endurance but will also fill in the other missing pieces of the puzzle such as keeping your lower back, shoulders, and knees healthy and, if necessary, stripping way unwanted body fat.
When performing body weight exercises, a valuable secret is to move through the exercise movements in a slow, controlled fashion. By keeping constant tension on the muscles, an exercise becomes both more effective and more efficient. Most of all, the exercise also becomes much safer.
So try a few workouts using just your own body and you might be surprised by the results!
In Health,
July 18, 2010
Pillars of a Healthy Lifestyle
 The four main pillars of a healthy lifestyle are nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and recreation. By actively incorporating each of these pillars into your daily routine, you will have a solid foundation for being healthy and fit for life. When all four pillars come together, you will see great results for body and mind.
Nutrition
Eating healthy is something often discussed, but do you know what it really means for you? How does it really help you? Without proper healthy fuel from food, your body will age quicker and wear down much faster than normal.
Learning healthy eating skills and making better food choices takes practice. You probably know that you should eat a balanced diet with lean protein and the proper assortment of fruits and vegetables. Yet, many people find themselves eating conveniently and poorly. Fast foods high in empty carbohydrates and bad fats will cause your body and mind to slow down, leaving you tired and depressed. Do not let bad foods add to your stress and make you feel worse. Keep your body and mind in peak performance by making informed and healthy nutritional decisions.
Think about what you eat and when you eat. Eat more vegetables and low sugar fruits – vegetables fill you up with fewer calories and have many health benefits – and consume smaller meals more often to keep your blood sugar stable and prevent your body from storing fat.
Physical Activity
With properly informed nutritional practices in place, you will experience increased energy levels. When you feed your body and muscles well, you must also make sure you are keeping them in top shape. Structuring proper physical activity into your life provides many health benefits. Aside from looking better and feeling sexier, muscular strength and tone help many important body systems as well.
The five major killers in the USA are due to lifestyle problems, mostly a lack of activity and the wrong diet. Aging is mostly due to inactivity: as muscles shrink, body fat increases. By making your muscles stronger, you can prevent many diseases and slow the aging process.
An important aspect of life is your ability to move. Getting out of bed, going about your daily routine, working, and playing are all examples of activities that most people take for granted. In the fitness industry, these activities are called Functional Ability. In order to improve your Functional Ability, you need to focus on improving your muscular strength. Believe it or not, it is by far the most important thing you can do for your health.
The number of calories you burn everyday is directly related to how much muscle you have. This is otherwise known as your metabolism, which you can think of as the speed in which your body burns calories. As your muscles get stronger and larger, they will need more calories. A pound of muscle at rest will burn about 25 calories per day. A pound of fat only requires about 2 calories. If fat loss is your goal, making your muscles stronger will cause your body to burn more calories, even when you are asleep!
With proper nutrition and exercise you will have more energy, a stronger healtiher heart, lower blood pressre and stronger bones, with the added benefits of reduced tension, anxiety, stress and depression, and a better sex life.
Sleep
After taking time to have a great workout and an even better meal, make time for a good night’s sleep. Getting the necessary 7-8 hours a night is not a myth as sleep has benefits that many people do not realize. At night your body rebuilds the wear and tear it took on any cells during the day. It heals itself of diseases and boosts your immune system and both your body and brain undergo growth and repair processes. Sleep is vital for you to completely restore and rejuvenate.
Recreation
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it is important to remember to stop and take some time to relax by finding a recreation activity that you enjoy. Make sure to take some time out of every day, whatever you can, whether it is 10 minute or an hour, to do an activity that puts you at ease, something that allows you to clear your head of some of your stress and worry. Find activities you enjoy and want to do.
You do not need a trainer to stand and watch you walk, bike, run, jog, skate, or play with your kids. If you like the activity, you will be more inclined to continue it, and it will become part of your lifestyle. An overall active and healthy lifestyle is important in keeping fit, and it makes life more enjoyable.
In Health,
 & 
|
|
 
|