27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips, Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Reveals

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Reveals

It’s New Year’s Day, and you have a clean slate.

I don’t know if you are one to make New Year’s Resolutions or not, but either way you’re probably thinking about how you can become fitter, healthier and happier than you are right now.

These 27 Fitness and Fat Loss Tips will get you on the right track for this New Year:

1. Visualize the accomplishment of your goals each and every day. Experience the taste of success and feel that sweet satisfaction.
2. Push the intensity of your workouts. Don’t kill time, burn calories by maintaining a challenging intensity.
3. Use smaller plates at home. This effortlessly reduces calorie intake and promotes weight loss.
4. Build accountability into your workouts so that you resist the temptation to take days off. The best way to ensure accountability is to work with a personal trainer either one-on-one or in a group training setting.
5. Believe in yourself. Know with conviction that you CAN accomplish your goals.
6. Drink water throughout your day. Do this by carrying a water bottle and opting for water rather than calorie-filled beverages. This simple action is extremely beneficial.
7. Maintain your metabolism by eating a healthy snack or meal every three hours. This food should be unprocessed, low in fat and high in fiber.
8. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
9. Incorporate High Intensity Interval Training into your cardio workouts by performing bursts of high intensity rather than exercising at a single steady pace.
10. It’s not about will-power, it’s about want-power. You have to want it.
11. Do not eat processed foods. These items are high in empty calories and contain a plethora of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
12. Stop talking about losing weight. Start doing it.
13. Fat contains twice the caloric density of carbohydrates and protein, so limit the amount that you consume. Fill your diet with lean protein and carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
14. Be wary of products that are labeled as ‘health food’. Always read the nutrition labels.
15. Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet work with a personal trainer to guarantee dramatic results.
16. Make a habit out of reading nutrition labels. Avoid items that are high in fat and carbohydrates.
17. Destroy negative self talk.
18. Avoid the trap of high-calorie beverages after your workouts.
19. Be consistent with your workouts. Exercise three to four times each week.
20. Expect more of yourself.
21. High fructose corn syrup should not be in your diet. It is high in calories and will quickly derail your weight loss efforts.
22. Challenge your body with each workout. Use different weights, do different exercises and break through plateaus.
23. Eat lots of whole plant foods. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are filled with fiber and antioxidants, vital for your good health.
24. Do your cardiovascular exercise after weight training to ensure more fat burn. Your stored sugars will be depleted during the weight training then your body will rely on fat stores to get you through the cardio workout.
25. Set specific, measurable goals.
26. Start each day with a healthy breakfast. This important meal should be a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat to get your metabolism going strong.
27. You deserve better…go get it.

After writing these tips, I realized how powerful and inspiring they are. Print this list and place it somewhere that you’ll see often – this will keep you motivated and pumped up to accomplish your goals.

If your New Year’s Resolution has to do with losing weight and getting into great shape (and whose isn’t?) then guarantee your success by working with a fitness expert who can guide you to success.

I’d love to team up with you – together we will transform your body in 2010!

Call or email to get started today.

The New Year’s Resolution Trap

Are you making a New Year’s Resolution today? If you do, keep this in mind: It has been reported that 92% of New Year’s Resolutions end in failure. Why? Because most people make resolutions that are simply unrealistic. They quickly get discouraged and then abandon the idea entirely.

To ensure that you accomplish your New Year’s Resolution, stick with a goal that is realistic rather than intimidating. Check out these examples:

• Instead of resolving to lose 70 pounds by summer, commit to exercise 3-4 times each week.
• Instead of resolving to give up all carbs, commit to bring healthy lunches to work instead of going through a fast food drive thru.
• Instead of resolving to drop 3 sizes in 3 months, commit to losing 1 pound each week until you reach your goal weight.
• Instead of resolving to never eat out again, commit to eating healthy all week and rewarding yourself with one meal out on the weekends.

Committed to your success,

Kevin Hensel

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Pays It Forward

Dan Dychtwald has been a superstar client for the past 18 months.  At his last evaluation he had lost over 115 lbs and over 50 inches.    His results are absolutely amazing.   Dan isn’t satisfied,  now he wants to helps others do the same thing.  

Check out his video below after his first few months with us – he doesn’t even look like the same person).  Then listen to Dan D. The Trainer tell you in his own words what makes him a good trainer.

        Dan D. After 2 Months With Us                                        Dan D. The Trainer Tells His Story

 This past May, Dan mentioned he’d like to become a personal trainer.  I told him to take a few college level courses including functional anatomy, exercise physiology, and nutrition so he could get a solid foundation.  To be perfectly honest I never expected him to actually follow through with it.  

A few months later and over 15 college credits later, he says OK what’s next and by the way I’m gonna be a registered dietitian (which is the gold standard in nutritional counseling – he’s about halfway through the program right now). 

Then I said you should get certified by a nationally recognized organization.  2 months ago Dan passed the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) personal trainer certification.  They were so impressed by Dan that he was actually invited to be on a special NASM committee.  NASM in my opinion is the best certification organization in my industry – they are extremely thorough and methodical in their evil testing process. 

 Since May, he’s logged in over 500 hours of hands experience at Fit-4-Life Personal Training Studio.  Matt and I have been grillin’ him on a daily basis.  He really knows his stuff.  He’s also been running several of our bootcamp workouts - (getting a ton of really great feedback). 

He wants to use his inspiring story to help others lead a healthier life.  He’s especially excited to work with kids.  Dan struggled with his weight his whole life, now he has invaluable insight into the mental and physical issues involved with being overweight and how to overcome them.

I want to welcome Dan to the Fit-4-Life Trainer Family with a bang!!  So I’m going to give away FREE one-on-one and small group (2-5 people with one trainer) New Years Gut Busting Workouts.  Sat 1/2 and Sun 1/3 from 9AM – 3PM, Dan will be performing FREE 60 minute workouts.   Just bring a can of non-perishable vegetables in exchange for a FREE Gut Busting Workout.   It’s  a no brainer you get to welcome Dan to the family, lose the holiday gut, and you also help Philabundance give to families in need.  

Call us ASAP 856-751-0033 or email me at kevinhensel@fitlifeinc.com to reserve your time.

Nov/Dec 2009 Client Success Story of the Month

Joe Stezzi is our November/December Client of the Month.  Joe has been whining that he’s been working out with us once a week for the past 12 years and never once has been selected as our Client of the Month.  He’s always busting my chops that he’s going to gain 50 lbs and then lose it so he can be selected as our Client of the Month. 

 

 Now Joe doesn’t really need to lose any weight, he’s in great shape (Not bad for a 46 year old).  He reached his goals and is now in  a maintenance phase.  He gets in one workout/week with us and then exercises at home for the rest of the week with his 7 year old son Dillon (who definitely keeps him on his toes).  During tax season he might even sneak in a 30 minute massage with Pam. 

 

  Joe and I have become pretty friends over the last 12 years.  I attended his wedding a few years back with Meg.  We play golf together a few times per year –he’s not bad for an old guy.   Joe’s workout philosophy is if it hurts I don’t want to do it.  Obviously we butt heads from time to time over this.

 

  I hate to admit it and don’t tell Joe I said this, but he’s right.  Real fitness success isn’t about losing weight and inches as quickly as possible.  It’s about the long haul.  Discipline, dedication, and persistence are the real keys to success.  Fitness and health are a life long process not just a few months.  Joes’ 12 years of being tortured by us are a testament to that, he is a good friend and a great example of what real success is.  Great Job Joe!  You can stop whining now!

You could be our next success story, fill out the webform at the bottom of this page to set up your FREE Fitness Consultation.

Committed to your success,

Kevin Hensel, Cherry Hill Personal Trainer

856-751-0033

Summer Time Gazpacho, Haddonfield Personal Trainer Reveals

Gazpacho is a tomato based, raw vegetable soup that is served cold. This recipe makes a light and refreshing summer meal, and is quick and easy to make. Feel free to simply chop the ingredients for a thicker soup if you’d rather not use a blender.
Yield: 4 servings

Here’s what you need…

• 1 pound ripe tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups cucumber chunks, peeled and seeded
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• * Optional * Cayenne pepper to taste

1. Core the tomatoes, and cut into large chunks.
2. Place all ingredients, except cayenne, into a blender. Puree until smooth.
3. Transfer to a container, add cayenne. Cover and chill.
4. Serve cold.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 71 calories, 4g fat, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 4g protein.

Enjoy!!!

Kevin Hensel, Owner Fit-4-Life

Located just minutes from Haddonfield, NJ in Cherry Hill.

Haddonfield Personal Trainer

Showing Up Is Half The Battle, Cherry Hill Personal Trainer August 2009 Success Story

Lori Bagell is our August 2009 Client of the Month.  Lori started with us 15 years ago, wow I feel old just saying that.  When she came in for her consultation we didn’t even have our equipment delivered (we had a Reebok Step in the corner).  Her husband also came in with her because he was a little skeptical of personal trainers (I don’t blame him, I still don’t trust personal trainers).   I feel like part of their family.  We watched her daughter, Lindsay, transform from a shy little girl into a beautiful woman.  Her son Matt was a talented high school baseball player and is now a CPA taking over the financial world,  (We used to train the whole family, her skeptical husband Carl has been a client for over 10 years now too).    

Over the past 15 years we’ve hit a few road blocks.  A few road blocks might be putting it lightly.  Lori is in a pretty good place right now, but for years she was in complete misery.

The first major road block was and is fibromyalgia.  Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points.  Basically you hurt all over, and you frequently feel exhausted.  We have to focus on flexibility, good posture, core, and light strengthening exercises.  You have to walk a tight rope – too much exercise causes Lori intolerable pain, too little exercise has no real benefit.  Our Medical Exercise SpecialistCertifications really come in handy.  Fibromyalgia has no known cause, often never diagnosed, and thank goodness it is not progressive – severity of symptoms can change day to day.

As if fibromyalgia isn’t bad enough, Lori also has chronic neck pain because of a few disc herniations in her neck.  She’s been to several physical therapists with little benefit, but the latest PT gave her a tremendous amount of relief.  We incorporate the rehabilitative exercises into each of her workouts to make sure her neck doesn’t go back to the bad place.

I won’t even go into her major allergy issues (I’m not talking about the sniffles every spring, I’m talking about major congestion, headaches, blurry eyes, etc. almost every day).  But I think you’re starting to get the point. 

Half of the equation to getting results with your exercise routine is just showing up.  Lori is the most consistent client we ever had.  For the past 15 years, Lori hasn’t missed more than a week or two (Gotta have a vacation every now and again).  Fibromyalgia, neck pain, and alleries make everyday a battle with fatigue and muscle/joint pain.  Her workouts make her pain manageable.  Lori comes in feeling horrible but she feels a million times better after her workout.  “I have many medical problems, and I know I would have a hard time functioning if I didn’t go to Fit-4-Life.  I get the best workout with the most knowlegable staff.”

No matter what has gotten in Lori’s way, she just keeps on going.  Her dedication, perseverence, and mental fortitude serve as a role model to all of us.   The secret to Lori’s success is that she sought the proper medical advice and we constantly adjust her routine to make sure it is safe and in accordance with medical professional guidelines.   

Now if Lori can literally drag herself to her workouts each week when she legitimately feels like crap, then what’s your excuse?  You aren’t alone if you can’t stick with an exercise routine.  We’re here to help.  We can get you over that hump, so you can make exercise a part of your life (Even if you have issues).  You don’t have to come to us for 15 years to get major benefit like Lori has.  We can easily set you up on a program you can do at your home or gym and then you can visit us periodically to evaluate your progress and adjust your workout routine.   You just need a little fitness jumpstart!!

Call to set up your free consultation or complete the form below.

I Hate Cardio, Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Cures Cardio Burnout

I absolutely hate cardio. Walking on a never-ending treadmill, riding a stationary bike to nowhere, or steppin to oblivion on the elliptical stepper gets really old really fast. I know I’m not alone. Cardio burnout is the kiss of death to any weight loss program. I see it everyday with my personal training clients.

Let’s face it mind numbing cardio 5-6 days/week for 30-60 minutes per day is a tall order to fill let alone on a long term basis. The simple truth: if it’s not fun you have no chance for long term adherence.

So how do you have fun and avoid cardio burnout?

Let me introduce you to my little friend the pedometer. A pedometer is a very small device (approx. the size of a pager) worn on the hip or in your pocket that is designed to measure your every step (most pedometers also measure calories burned and total mileage – functions differ with each model).

Last year we did a Step Challenge with all of our clients. I started wearing the pedometer so I could test it out for the Challenge. Now I’m totally addicted. I’ve been wearing one ever since. I wear it everywhere and I’m constantly checking it to make sure I’m on track with my daily goal 10,000 steps (approximately 5 miles). I love the constant feedback and it gives me a daily goal which is alot easier for me to wrap my head around instead of doing 60 minutes of cardio all at once.

You don’t have to do 30-60 continous, boring minutes of cardio to get awesome health and fitness benefits. You can get awesome body changing results by just parking further away, taking the stairs, taking a short 15 minute walk after lunch/dinner, and marching in place watching commercials. Your daily activity level is what matters the most when it comes to losing weight and staying healthy. Bill Smith our 2008 Step Off Challenge Winner lost over 14 lbs in just 30 days, he hated cardio but the Step Off Challenge really fired up his competitive juices and made him a cardio madman. He maintained his cardio fever even after the Challenge ended.

Well guess what. The Step Off Challenge is back on, it starts Monday, August 10 and ends Sunday, Sept 6. We’ve got some really awesome weekly and Grand Prizes to giveaway. It’s totally FREE and everyone is welcome to join. All you need is a pedometer (if you already have one you’re all set, you can easily pick one up at Target/Walmart, and if you’d like I could set you up with one too). Check out all the details at www.cherryhillstepchallenge.com

Committed to your success,  Kevin Hensel

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer, 856-751-0033

25 Year Landmark Study

Shaklee in collaboration with the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health showed that people who used Shaklee Supplements had markedly better health than both other multi-vitamin users and those who used no supplements.  {No competition has the research budget, been in business for 25 years, or has the balls to test their products long term} 

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer LandmarkStudy_Summary

“The study results were very impressive and support the potential benefits of long term use of dietary supplements” Gladys Block renowned nutrition researcher and Professor of Epidemiology & Public Health Nutrition”

Your Most Neglected Bodypart

I can’t figure out why, but people universally neglect to train their legs. It’s a funny thing, since proper leg training will dramatically deliver total body results.

Walk into any gym and you’ll see the bench press taken, the dumbbells being curled-and an empty squat rack in the corner.

Leg exercises are tough, I won’t deny that, but the benefits are more than worth the exertion.

A Case for Your Legs

Your legs are a major muscle group, so it’s no surprise that training them will get you big time results. Training your legs will…

1. Melt fat from your body. As I mentioned above, leg exercises are tough. Your legs are a large part of your body, so each exercise literally moves your whole body. This is precisely why a good leg workout will fire up your metabolism to melt fat away. You’ll burn more calories while exercising your legs than any other body part.

Due to the intense nature of a leg workout, your metabolism becomes elevated for more than 24 hours. That means that for an entire day your body continues to burn extra calories without any extra effort on your part. Who wouldn’t love that?

2. Build strength for everyday life. How often do you use your legs? Most of us depend on our legs constantly throughout the day-so wouldn’t it make sense to strengthen our individual mode of transportation? Kind of like putting a super charger on the engine of your car.

Exercising your legs isn’t only about increased strength; you’ll also improve your coordination and balance. This means that you’ll be able to do and experience things that you otherwise would have missed. You only live once, right?

3. Uncover natural muscle shape. Let’s be honest, toned legs are attractive. I’m not saying that you’re legs will bulge with muscles (unless we trained you for that), but I am saying that consistently training your legs will uncover your natural toned shape.

Many of my clients discover a whole new level of confidence after getting their legs back into shape. Women especially enjoy the freedom to wear shorts or a skirt without feeling embarrassed to show their legs. Wouldn’t you love that freedom?

Oh, and I should tell you that as you strengthen your legs you’ll also reduce the risk of injury to your lower back because you’ll actually learn to pick things up off the ground the right way.

Best Leg Exercises

Now that I’ve convinced you to pay more attention to your legs, here are three of the top exercises you should do. Each of these exercises have dozens of different variations, so have fun and always keep your workouts fresh and challenging.

The Lunge: Start with your feet together, take a large step forward and bend your knees down into a lunge position. Exhale as you press yourself back up to a standing position, or continue through with your step into another lunge.

The Squat: Start with your feet shoulder width apart, inhale as you bend your knees, keeping your back straight. Be sure to keep your knees from going past your toes. Exhale as you push back up to a standing position.

The Dead Lift: Grip the barbell with a mixed grip (one palm faces you, one doesn’t). Allow the barbell to hang down in front of you as you stand on the platform with your feet shoulder width apart. Lean forward at your waist, keeping your back flat, and bend your knees, bringing the bar down past them. Exhale as you straighten your legs and lift the bar up. When you are standing upright lean back slightly and squeeze the muscles of your lower back. Hold this contraction for a moment. Inhale and slowly return back down to the starting position.

By no stretch of the imagination are these three the ONLY leg exercises out available. And that’s the other great thing about training your legs… you have tons of options and variations.

Want to know more about leg exercises and which ones are the best for you? Are you finally ready to get into the best shape of your life? Let me help.

Reply to this email or fill out the form below we’ll schedule a consultation where you and I can assess your goals and I can show you the fastest and safest way to reach them.




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Committed to your success,
Kevin Hensel
Fit-4-Life
Cherry Hill Personal Training Studio