Are you fed up with putting in so much effort and not seeing any results at the gym?
It’s not uncommon for people to have the drive, determination and consistency but fail to achieve their goals. This is a common scenario. Next, you should find a personal trainer who has proven experience.
If you aren’t ready to make that leap, or if it’s more comfortable for you to do it on your own, you can still do it.
We spoke with some of the best personal trainers in America to help us out. These 25 tips and strategies are designed to help you gain strength, increase muscle mass, lose weight, improve endurance, and promote healthy eating habits.
1. Healthy Eating Habits are Important.
Any personal trainer will tell you that healthy eating is essential to your success. You can’t achieve your goals if you don’t eat well. A balanced diet should include fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, complete proteins, healthy fats, flaxseeds, and fish oils.
2. Prepare for the Future
Micah LaCerte is a personal trainer and a world champion in fitness competitions. He recommends that you prepare your meals ahead of time to maximize your chances of reaching your nutritional goals. He says that this will allow you to avoid eating unhealthy food or skipping meals. Here are 10 of our top meal-prep favorites.
3. Get More Healthy Food
Do you eat only three meals a day? This is a bad idea. Mike Duffy, a veteran personal trainer, says that half of the people he works with don’t lose weight because they don’t eat enough. Duffy recommends to his clients that they eat five times per day, approximately every three hours to stimulate their metabolism. This includes two mini-meals in between three main meals. Duffy advises that activity levels decrease throughout the day and that you eat less each day.
4. Limit your Portions
Because you’ll eat more frequently, it is important to pay attention to the portion sizes. Jay Cardiello, who is a personal trainer for many celebrities and professional athletes, says that chicken breasts (and) meats should not be larger than your palm and pastas should not exceed your fists. Because studies show that people “serve themselves 20%-40% more food if they use larger plates and cups,” he also recommends using smaller bowls, plates and cups.
5. Eat with Purpose
You should get a lot of nutrition from everything you eat. Dan Trink, C.S.C.S.S.A, a strength coach, and trainer, says, “You want to get the most nutritional bang from your buck.” Every food you eat should have a nutritional purpose, fuel your workouts and (be) geared towards optimizing your body.”