inerTRAIN Blog


December 17, 2010

Jingle all the way… to the gym

After the cookies, calories, and carols, lift your holiday spirits (and your energy) while you’re working out with these not-so-traditional jingles:
·         Christmas Hits Remixed
·         Christmas Workout
·         Cardio Christmas
·         Super Cardio Christmas
 
Try one of these playlists or create one with all your festive favorites. You can enjoy the atmosphere of the season and get moving at the same time!
 
In Health,
 

December 11, 2010

“I’m loving the results!”

Wondering if “online fitness training” works? Not sure if it is possible for a trainer to kick your butt from hundreds or thousands of miles away?
 
It does work and (believe me!) it is possible! 
 
But, I don’t want you to just take my word for it. One of our first clients, Chris Vaisnoras, sent me an email talking about how much he loved the inerTRAIN service and asked if I wanted him to tell his story on our website. He is a true road warrior and wanted the motivation and expertise that a personal trainer can provide, but had to be able to work it into his 100,000-mile-a-year-frequent-flyer lifestyle. Enough from me… Read and watch his testimonial below.
 
In Health,
 
 
I am generally a very fit person and compete in triathlons each year. However, what I have found is that if I do not have accountability and a set plan each week that is customized to my needs I really do not see the best results in my fitness (i.e.: it makes it 10x easier to slack off, miss a workout, not push myself, etc.). 
 
I signed up for inerTRAIN back at the beginning of September 2010 and have been using the service for the last 3 months and plan to continue using it going forward. My trainer customizes 2 workouts for me each week. I have been very impressed by the results I am seeing from my workouts and from the professionalism of my trainer and the overall site.   It has definitely pushed me much harder and given me a plan of what to accomplish each and every time I go to the gym which allows me to make the most of my limited time.
 
I have established a great relationship with my trainer even though I have never met her or even talked to her! She knows exactly the types of workouts I need and does a great job of pushing me each and every workout. One of my main concerns when signing up was whether or not I would know what the exercises are or how to properly execute them. The video explanations of each exercise have really helped me complete them with the correct form and have also helped me expand the amount of lifting routines I can do.
 
The combination of the personal customization, the videos for the correct form, having a plan each time I have gone to the gym, and the psychological factor knowing that someone on the other end is holding you accountable for completing each workout have really made a significant difference in the results I have seen over the past few months.
 
Thank you again Caitlin (my trainer)!  I’m loving the results!
 
Chris Vaisnoras
Entrepreneur, Consultant, “Road Warrior”
Chicago, IL
32 years old
 
Watch Chris’s video testimonial here:

November 25, 2010

3 Easy Tips to Avoid Overeating

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? After dinner today, you roll yourself onto the couch and then feel as if someone will have to put you on a truck and haul you away. You did not realize you were eating that much, and you wish now that you hadn’t gone for that second (or third) helping. You may be uncomfortable for hours and swear you will not eat like that again.  But, just when you start to feel better, it’s time for pie!
 
Yes, it’s time for the annual procession of all things food.  Thanksgiving, however, doesn’t need to be a reason to stuff yourself. I look forward to the holiday as much as anyone, including the eating, but I make sure I do 3 things:
 
1. Control the portion sizes.
This will help with caloric intake.  Generally, the smaller your portions, the fewer calories you are consuming. Taste just a little bit of everything instead of piling the food on your plate.
 
2. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite.
Eating slowly helps with digestion and it will take less food for you to feel full. We have all heard the expression, “You are what you eat”.  It should actually read, “You are what you digest”, because if the food is not broken down completely into its simplest form, it will pass unused through your body.
 
It all starts with the teeth.  By chewing thoroughly, you increase the surface area for the digestive enzymes to do their job.  Try to chew a minimum of 20 times with each bite until the food is like an applesauce consistency.  By using this strategy, your body will digest more of the food, and you will feel more satisfied eating less.
 
Take your time when you eat by putting your fork or food down between bites. Take at least 15 minutes to eat anything. If you eat too fast, you will most likely eat too much. When you eat more slowly, your stomach has a chance to send a message to the brain that it has had enough before it’s too late.
 
When you sit down to eat, do it consciously. Focus on eating, chewing, and tasting your food and don’t worry about cleaning your plate.
 
3. Go for a walk after dinner.
If you ever eat more than necessary, go for a leisurely walk afterward. The reason is simple: when you overeat, your body starts sending you signals that it wants you to go relax so it can digest and store all those calories.  Avoid crashing on the sofa and go for a walk to change the signals you are sending your body.  Now, instead of storing the calories, you are telling your body to burn them up. Sounds much better than putting on more fat around your waist, doesn’t  it?  Plus, you will feel much better once you get moving.
 
It will also help to drink extra water before, during, and after your big meal and walk to help the digestive process.
 
Enjoy the non-culinary pleasures of the holidays, the atmosphere, relaxation, and socializing with your friends and family, not just the food.
 
In Health,
 

 

November 22, 2010

The triVANTAGE Advantage

One of the features that makes the inerTRAIN training experience unique is the way we instruct clients on proper form and technique for all of the exercises included in each client’s individual, customized workouts. Each of the exercises used in our clients’ individual, customized workouts contain a written/pictorial description of how to do the exercise, an audio file to guide you while you’re working out (simulates your trainer standing over you reminding you what to do), and our revolutionary triVANTAGE™ fitness videos which demonstrate proper form and technique in a highly innovative way.
 
As we developed the concept for inerTRAIN, I was especially interested in finding a way to revolutionize the exercise video because, as a client myself, I wanted to find a way to learn proper form and technique as simply as possible while avoiding all of the common errors that most people make when working out. I couldn’t find anything that met all of my criteria, so we developed the triVANTAGE video. It is more than just an everyday fitness “how to”… our videos show each movement from 3 angles at the same time and guide you past the most common errors that clients make when first doing the exercise.
 
Instead of trying to describe how great the videos are to you, I would rather have you see for yourself:
 
Bicycle Abs:
 
 
Supine Pike:
 
 
In Health,
 

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,