YOU CAN HAVE RESULTS OR EXCUSES NOT BOTH

Why aren't you at your goal weight today? It's not like you started your fitness journey yesterday. This has been a goal that you've been working towards for years.

So why haven't you achieved it yet?

Now listen really closely to all the reasons that are popping into your mind right now. Grab a pen and paper and jot them down. These reasons you're giving for failing to reach your goal are really very clever excuses. So clever, that you convinced yourself that they were legit. That's right. You're not at your ideal weight at this moment because you've given in to excuses. I can understand your frustration because those excuses that you cling to tend to be very convincing. 

Now it's time to push your frustration aside and to really focus in on your goal. If you lose focus on your goal for even a second, excuses will take over – leaving you without progress and without the sweet satisfaction of accomplishment.

The first thing you need to do is make a plan. There's huge benefit to having a step-by-step plan when working toward a goal. Write out exactly how many times you'll exercise per week, for how long, and make a list of acceptable foods. This plan will be your follow-along-guide to arrive at your goal, so put a lot of thought into it.

Your next insurance against excuses is to enlist as much accountability as possible. Try to find people who will actively check up on you (like a trainer) rather than people who aren't likely to follow up on your progress. Share your detailed plan with these accountability partners and explain the importance that your goal has for you.

All good things must come to an end, and so does the journey to your ideal body. How long should the process take? Well, that's up to your unique situation. How much fat you have to lose, and how hard you are willing to work to get there. Find a reasonable timeframe in which to accomplish your goal, and then focus all your energy on meeting this deadline.

Call or email me today—I'd love to sit down with you to go over your best plan to get you into amazing shape.

Justin D’Olimpio

Just Train Boot Camp

www.justtrain.ca

I Hear it All The Time

How many times have you told yourself that you'd workout, if only you had the time? 

If I had a dollar for time I've heard that excuse... New and exciting research is coming out in favour of shorter, more intense workouts. The old way of exercising at a slow speed, for long periods of time, is over and done. Short and intense exercise sessions that utilize High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) get you better results with way less time invested. So there goes the “I don't have time” excuse. You don't have to spend hours in the gym to get awesome results. A simple 30-minute workout is all you need. 

So what does this magical 30-minute workout consist of?

As mentioned above, there's a little secret in the fitness world called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This means rather than doing the same cardio exercise your entire workout; you'd alternate between short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, low-intensity periods of recovery.

The research makes it clear that this method of training burns more calories and builds fitness quicker with less time invested.

Not long ago, elite athletes were the only ones benefiting from this method of training, but now the cat is out of the bag, and everyone is open to reap the rewards of interval training. And you don't even need fancy equipment or special training to start seeing results with interval training.

So how long should your intervals be?

There are no real rules with interval length. Varying lengths bring varying benefits, so it's important to find which length works best for you.

Beginners should aim for no more than 30 seconds of high-intensity bursts. If you're feeling strong and are in good shape, then go ahead and push yourself a bit longer.

An interval-training workout involves four variables that can be modified to meet your goals: intensity of intervals, duration of intervals, duration of recovery intervals, and the number of interval repetitions.

Interval training can be casual, spur of the moment bursts of activity depending on how you're feeling that day or if you're working towards a specific sports or fitness goal then you can take a more sophisticated, scientific approach.

The more popular, and effective, form of interval training includes alternating between resistance training exercises and high intensity cardio exercises.

So it turns out that we really do have enough time to get an effective workout in each day. That old excuse about not having time is no longer going to work.

Justin D'Olimpio - Just Train Boot Camp

www.justtrain.ca

D.Justtraining@gmail.com

If you would like to try one of my awesome 30-minute sessions for free, please feel free to contact me. I'm here to be your resource and your coach for all things fitness.

How Effective Are Your Workouts?

"How effective are your workouts? Do you push yourself to the limit every time you workout to the point where you have no gas left in the tank? Do you feel the burn with each repetition you do? Do you find yourself doing the same old routine and barely breaking a sweat?"

Since you are spending some of your valuable time working out, I would assume you are looking to have a slimmer and more toned body. If you had the option to achieve that slimmer and more toned body in less time that you would say,” yes please!”

The following tips I am going to share with you are going to show you how to spend less time working out, while achieving quicker and more noticeable results.

I think the first thing you have to do is be focused. It sounds obvious but it is crucial to an effective workout and often overlooked. Don’t be one of those people who stand around chit chatting and working their jaw muscles more than any other muscle. When you are working out focus on the specific muscle group you are training. Research has proven significant increases in muscle activity when you are focused on the muscle group you are working on versus an unrelated topic.

It’s ok to be confused or should I say for your muscles to be confused. Change up your routine often so that you don’t hit plateaus and make sure you continuously challenge your body. Try new exercises at different intensities and weight ranges.

Make sure you stay nourished and well hydrated. Drinking enough water and eating real, whole foods, directly affect your results.

The time of day makes a huge difference in your results as well. Now there’s no perfect time of day to workout. But figure out the time your body works best and consistently try and workout at that time.

There’s a benefit to working out in a group setting. Researchers saw a significant increase in strength and endurance in the people who had an audience versus those training on their own.

Caffeine has been shown to help burn fat and increase endurance. If you have no medical issues that would prevent you from drinking caffeine then consume one caffeinated beverage an hour before your workout.

Get pumped for your workout. Researchers found that music motivated weightlifters to complete two more repetitions on average than those who were not listening to music. That’s a great reason to listen to upbeat music while you exercise.

Be smart about your training. If you are not already one of my valued clients, then now is the time to become one. Working with a professional ensures that you are being challenged and are seeing the results you deserve.

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to exercise, I am here to help. It’s my passion to make exercise a part of your life that you look forward to and are rewarded by. Wouldn’t you like all of the healthy rewards of being fit?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Justin D’Olimpio

Certified Personal Trainer

www.justtrain.ca

Getting Back on Track After Summer Vacation

By: Justin D'Olimpio

Summer is filled with family vacations, visiting friends and family and going to BBQs. It is a time that is filled with eating, drinking and relaxing but sometimes we slip up and eat things we shouldn’t, drink things we shouldn’t and we tend to overdo it. That’s ok it happens to the best of us. Now that summer vacation is over it is back to reality. I have just the tips to get you back on the fitness fast track.

The first thing you need to do is regain your focus. You can’t deny that summer holidays happened. You ate, you drank and now it’s over. It’s time to put your foot down and tell yourself that the bad eating stops now. If you’re serious about your fitness goals then it shouldn’t be too hard to get back on track. Don’t beat yourself up for letting loose this summer. Simply get back to your goals and get focused.

Summer vacation can take on many forms though most days often end in dehydration, which can lead to water retention. The first thing you should do to restore your balance is to get hydrated. Your first priority should be to drink plenty of water throughout your day. Start with a tall glass of cold water first thing in the morning to get your metabolism going. The best thing to do is to carry a water bottle with you that you can sip throughout the day and refill.  Just don’t go adding any artificial sweeteners, as this will hinder your hydration efforts. Instead add lemon, lime or fresh fruit to your water.

Now that you are getting back on track you need to be super picky about what you eat and work on cleansing your body. Stick with whole foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats.  Whole foods will not only help restore balance but they will also help block out cravings. That means no processed foods, dairy, baked goods or alcohol. 

As relaxing as summer vacation days can be most leave you feeling exhausted. Make catching up on sleep a priority. When your body needs sleep and is low on energy it makes it easier to make poor food choices and makes you less likely to get back into your workout routine. Aim at letting your body rest and get a full 8 hours of sleep at night.

Lastly, it is time to put on your workout clothes, lace up your shoes and sweat out those summer indulgences. When you start your first workout though it is important to ease into it slowly. Take time to warm up your muscles before getting into your workout routine and make sure you stretch afterwards. If you are looking for an excellent workout routine that is only 30 minutes and guarantees results then I have just the plan for you. It will not only help you recover from summer vacation, but will keep you motivated to reach your goals.

Justin D’Olimpio
Certified Personal Trainer
www.justtrain.ca

Getting to your fitness goals

By: Justin D'Olimpio

You want to get into better shape, to drop the fat and to increase your tone and strength. It is possible to achieve any fitness goal when you strive towards it every day.

When you’re feeling motivated, and decide to set a goal, it’s tempting to become over-ambitious by setting multiple goals. While it’s great that you want to improve many things about yourself, the pressure of trying to achieve more than one goal at once will cause you to drop all the goals.

Focus in on the one goal that you really want to achieve first, and focus all of your efforts onto this goal. There will be plenty of time in the future to see to your other goals, but for now see your number one goal all the way through to completion. 

Another downfall that often results in dropped goals is the act of starting out too fast and too strong. If your goal in fitness is to drop 20 pounds and exercise 5 times a week, do not go out and hit the gym hard for the next 5 days in a row. You’ll be so sore that I guarantee you’ll stop all progress. Take a deep breath and remember that this isn’t a race. Start out slow and steady and gradually build as you progress toward your goal. 

Why is this goal so important to you? There are probably many reasons, and you should know every single one of them. Write down each and every possible reason you can come up with as to why your goal needs to be met. 

Get to know the reasons why this goal is so important to you. Along with thinking about your reasons for accomplishing your goal, it’s also helpful to focus your mind on how you’ll feel once you’ve done it. Dedicate some time each day to picture your new post-goal life. 

How awesome are you going to feel when you’ve accomplished this goal that’s been on your mind for so long? Pretty amazing. Fill your mind with that feeling of accomplishment well before you’ve finished the work. The more you feel connected to the end goal, the more likely it is that you’ll make it through. 

It is time to put your money where your mouth is. Invest in something that will help propel you toward your goal. When you shell out some of your hard earned money to aid in your progress, then you are going to take this process that much more seriously. If your goal is to lose weight and to get into amazing shape then invest in my awesome guaranteed fitness programs. 

Justin D'Olimpio

www.justtrain.ca

Is this missing from your workout?

By: Justin D'Olimpio

​ You’re going to love me for this tip because it’s so simple and yet it makes all of the difference when it comes to your fitness results. The sad truth is that more than 90 percent of gym goers fail to achieve the level of results they want—even after a full year of faithfully going through their routine. Maybe you can relate. It doesn’t have to be this way. 

I believe that you deserve to get the highest level of results possible from that valuable time that you invest in exercise. The simple concept below has the power to dramatically accelerate your fitness results... 

The results you achieve are equal to the intensity of your workout. 

In other words, you get what you give when it comes to exercise and results. If you simply go through the motions, while staying in your comfort zone, then results will always be a hope for tomorrow and not today’s reality. 

 So what exactly do I mean when I say intensity? Intensity is a measure of how much energy you’re expending while exercising. The harder you push yourself, the higher your intensity. When you’re simply going through the motions of a routine, without digging down and giving it your all, the workout lacks intensity and your results will disappoint. During your workout pay attention to how you feel. Could you be working harder? If the honest answer is yes, then step it up a notch. 

In addition to seeing awesome results quickly; there are two more benefits to bringing up your exercise intensity. 

The first benefit is that when you bring the intensity you’re able to shorten exercise time. This means less time spent sweating away in the gym and more time doing the things you really love. All while getting even better results.

The second benefit is the after burn that you’ll experience after an intense workout. Simply put, this means that your body will continue to burn extra calories long after you have finished exercising. Talk about supercharging your results!
Just imagine how quickly your body could transform when you begin to harness the power of exercise intensity. 

One thing to remember though is that it’s important that you never sacrifice proper form in favor of intensity. As soon as your form starts to be compromised, reduce your intensity to where proper form is achieved. I’m here to help transform your body. 

Call or email today to get started on a fitness plan that will bring the intensity and deliver the results.

Justin D’Olimpio
Certified Personal Trainer
www.justtrain.ca

Supporting the optimal you: By Justin D'Olimpio

By: Justin D'Olimpio
    

Many of us strive to live healthfully, but often we don’t know how to take that next step. Being in a culture of wellness and positive thinking can help individuals make great steps towards wellbeing. People seeking to improve their lifestyle can find support from a personal trainer. 

I don’t think I would be as healthy or as fit as I am today if it wasn’t for the personal trainer I hired four years ago. My trainer motivated and pushed me to levels I had never thought I could reach. He helped me lose weight, gain muscle, and build my confidence and self-esteem. 

My trainer’s effect on my life is the main reason I got into personal training in the first place. Individuals find there are many reasons why it is good idea to hire a personal trainer or join a group-training program.

Your personal trainer is someone you can be accountable to in times when sticking to your health goals is a struggle. Having scheduled sessions or set workouts with your trainer makes it harder for making excuses not to workout. Plus your trainer constantly reminds you of why you are training and pushes you to stay on track to achieve your optimal health. The relationship that can grow between a trainer and client is one of support to reach desired goals.

One of the main goals for a personal trainer is to motivate you to push yourself to your optimal workout limit. A personal trainer will help you overcome any obstacles that may be in the way of you reaching your goals, while planning personalized programs to challenge and support personal needs. Motivation is also gained in varied exciting fitness plans that get clients hooked on fitness.

Personal trainers are there to make sure you get the results you want by designing workout programs for you. These programs target areas of personal need and focus on building endurance and strength. Trainers can educate you on the benefits of proper exercise and nutrition, supporting you to build healthy habits for life. Personal trainers encourage you to stay on the path towards a healthier lifestyle.

My mission as a trainer is to help change the shape of this city. Stats Canada reports that in 2010 overweight or obese Hamiltonians was at staggering 60%! This is well above the national average of 52%, making Hamilton one of the most obese cities in Canada. Moving forward, I am looking to further educate people on proper exercise and nutrition and to help this city make a change for the better. 

 Justin D’Olimpio

 Certified Personal Trainer

 www.justtrain.ca