inerTRAIN Blog
April 26, 2011
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Sleep
Getting enough sleep is probably the most important component of your training routine. During sleep your body facilitates both fat loss and muscle recovery, two important aspects of your fitness program. Sleep is right up there with nutrition in terms of importance; it’s a time for your body to reset, retune, and repair.
In fact, I find that sleep, exercise, and nutrition are intertwined. The more/better I sleep, the easier I find it to eat well. The harder I exercise, the better I sleep and the better I sleep, the harder I can exercise. Healthy habits reinforce each other.
How much sleep do you need?
For most people, it’s 7.5 to 9 hours per night… and that’s just to keep from going further into sleep debt. Most of us actually need more hours than that if we want to overcome the sleep debt that we’ve racked up by years of burning the candle at both ends. Since most of us have a set endpoint for waking up—courtesy of the alarm clock that screams “Get up and get to work!”—that means you have to go to bed earlier.
Task for the Day: Create a Bedtime Routine
Today, create a bedtime routine that you will try to follow most of the time. A bedtime routine signals to your brain that it’s time to start winding down and get ready for sleep.
Helpful Tips:
- Every hour sleep you get before midnight is worth two hours after.
- Try to make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and comfortably cool.
- Place your alarm clock so you cannot hear it ticking or see the time.
- Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine for several hours before bedtime.
One thing to note: the computer and TV need to be off at least 30 minutes before you intend to fall asleep and preferably about an hour before. The blue spectrum light put off by the screens interferes with the production of melatonin and keeps you awake. Alarm clocks with blue displays are also bad news. I usually tuck any alarm clocks out of sight just to make the room darker and to make sure I am not looking at it in the middle of the night to see how much time I have left to sleep.
In Health,
February 3, 2011
24 Reasons to Exercise
 At the beginning of the year, many people set goals to get fit and lose weight. However, by the time February rolls around, the demands of home, work, school, and life in general may start to get in the way of becoming a healthier you. The best thing you can do when it comes to reaching your fitness goals is to focus on starting small and work on being consistent in your program. Then, and only then, should you start adding more to your workouts.
Remember all of the great things that exercising can do for you, too! To get you started, we have assembled a list of 24 reasons to exercise. There are certainly more than what we have listed, but we are sure that you will find at least a few on this list that will inspire you to get moving.
1. Feel better
2. Look great in a bathing suit
3. Keep up with your kids and grandkids
4. Prevent disease
5. Reduce aches and pains
6. Have fun
7. Lose fat
8. Build muscle
9. Prepare for an adventure vacation
10. Improve your complexion
11. Sleep better
12. Improve your sex life
13. Look great on your wedding day
14. Find a mate
15. Live longer
16. Build confidence and a better self image
17. Improve your disposition and attitude
18. Remain independent (for the older folks)
19. Be more productive at work
20. Avoid injury
21. Have a better quality of life
22. Improve balance
23. Reduce stress
24. Make friends
In Health,
 & 
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:
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,
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