ARTICLES
The latest articles and news items

NUTRIENT TIMING: PRE AND POST-WORKOUT QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
By LEE MURPHY Diet and exercise are the primary pillars of a healthy lifestyle plan. But can coordinating eating and workout schedules improve our fitness results? And if so, how should our eating patterns differ before, during, and after activities? Melding a...

TO CHEAT MEAL OR NOT TO CHEAT MEAL: THE GREAT DIETING QUESTION
By NICOLE GOLDEN One of the most common questions I am asked as a nutrition coach is my feelings on cheat meals and whether I encourage clients to take them. Cheat meals are, by definition, a meal that does not follow the prescribed nutrition plan. Generally, these...

NORMAL WEIGHT OBESITY: HOW TO MANAGE A ‘SKINNY FAT’ BODY COMPOSITION
By NICOLE GOLDEN Many of us (and our clients) have a fixation on the weight scale. We judge our fitness, progress, and unfortunately, at times, self-worth, based on that number that appears on the scale when we step on it first thing in the morning. While the bathroom...

6 TIPS FOR AVOIDING AND RESPONDING TO FOOD CRAVINGS
By DANA BENDER “Why do I have no self-control with unhealthy foods?” is a common question a person might ask themselves after he or she makes the impulsive choice to eat junk food. This is especially true if there is an established goal related to eating healthier,...

EXERCISING WITH CHRONIC PAIN: HOW TO ALLEVIATE STRESS ON THE BODY
By NICOLE GOLDEN Chronic pain is defined as any pain from an injury or condition lasting more than 12 weeks. Many potential clients seeking a certified personal trainer, yoga class, or corrective exercise specialist do so in hopes of using exercise to mitigate chronic...

6 FITNESS TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2022
by DANA BENDER Adaptation was a key theme while navigating the impacts of the pandemic. This adaptation was a necessity related to various aspects of daily life such as how we grocery shopped, spent time with family and friends, and even worked out to stay fit and...

IMPORTANCE OF A FITNESS ROUTINE FOR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
By DANA BENDER There is a multitude of reasons why individuals commit to a regular exercise routine. Engaging in a regular exercise routine is not only a tool used to improve the physical dimension of wellness but also its emotional one. Often the choice to engage in...

REPS IN RESERVE (RIR): WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
By KINSEY MAHAFFEY Most lifters are familiar with calculating percentages of their 1 Rep Max (aka, 1RM, the maximum amount of weight that you can lift for 1 repetition of an exercise) to choose the appropriate weight for an exercise based on their desired intensity...

8 OF THE BEST SQUAT ALTERNATIVES FOR STRONGER LEGS
By KINSEY MAHAFFEY You’ve looked up different fitness routines for stronger legs, but every single one includes squats. Maybe you’re feeling a little burned out on squats, or you just want to add some variety to your workout routine. What leg exercises can you do to...

THE 8 BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR MUSCLE GROWTH YOU SHOULD TRY RIGHT NOW
By JACQUELINE KAMINSKI If you go to the gym regularly, you want every workout to count right? You don’t spend all that time exercising to just waste your time and energy! So, to get the most out of your workouts and maximize your muscle growth, we’ve compiled a list...

SELF-CARE: 5 TIPS FOR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
By Dana Bender Self-care is a word that keeps emerging in news articles and company-wide employee emails during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the unprecedented stress many individuals face, some companies are re-establishing their Employee Assistance Program (EAP)...

How To Design Group Fitness Programs
By Christine Woods So you are a group fitness instructor who wants to create your own group fitness programming? Great! It sounds like you are already headed in the right direction. You have a vision for the type of class you want to teach. You understand the outcome...