A List of my Personal Training Clients’ Worst Habits from the Last 13 Years (and Why it Affected their Weight Loss and Fitness Efforts)
After nearly 20,000 hours of one-on-one personal training sessions, here is a list of my client’s worst habits that have quietly affected their weight loss and fitness goals. Are you a prisoner of these habits, too?
THEY EAT THE SAME AMOUNT AS THEIR SPOUSES
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Your weight loss or fitness success will always depend on how well you understand your body, determine your needs, and set appropriate boundaries. It’s safe to assume that your partner in crime will have a very different combination (and need) from you. It’s as simple as this: You determine how much fuel you need….no one else. If you eat exactly the same amount as your partner, you may be overeating or a little.
THEY EAT SNACKS
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Please remember that “snacks” are really filler foods or indulgences that rarely meet your entire nutritional need at a given time (such a tease!). You’re probably seeking food because you’re hungry, and a small meal is ideal (even if it’s only 100-300 calories). Since you now eat with intent, you want to choose a nutrient balance of vitamins, fiber, protein, fat, and more.
THEY DEPEND ON EXERCISE FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Remember that usually, the one thing you're avoiding doing is probably the one you need to do the most. You can exercise two hours per day, seven days per week, but it will still be avoiding the dietary change you need to make. Eventually, you should figure out what you can get away with (drinking beer, restaurant dinners, etc.). Right now, though, you should figure out how you should eat. And if you read Dr. Fuhrman’s book End of Dieting and begin disqualifying the claims, you should consider where those opinions stem from. Are they threatening your current habits? Would you rather believe a theory closer to your wants?
THEY EAT TOO MANY SIMPLE CARBS (AND THE GOOD CARBS AT TIMES TOO)
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Is more than 25% of your meals fruit, whole grains, and simple carbs? Ever wonder why vegans and vegetarians struggle with weight loss? It's most likely a result of their consumption of fruit, sugar, whole grain, and simple carbs (delicious Girl Scout cookies, ALL bread, rice, crackers, chips, candy, ice cream, and everything else devilish that you crave). Anything above 15 grams of fruit sugar per meal will spike your blood sugar levels...not ideal for losing weight and maintaining stable insulin levels (refined sugars have a worse, quicker-acting effect). Simple carbs, as well as whole grains, can do the same. Disclaimer: The fiber in the whole grains will offset this effect in smaller amounts. What is the refined and fruit sugar breakdown of your favorite meals? Are there more nutrient-dense alternatives than your typical fruit sugar, grain, and simple carb choices that will provide the fiber you need?
THEY DRINK MORE ALCOHOL THAN THEIR BODY CAN HANDLE
Personal Trainer Wisdom: How many calories do you think you consume in a single week from alcohol? Eating and drinking are most likely part of your culture (not your fault :) ) if you live in the Midwest. Since alcohol is a liquid grain packed with a lot of sugar (of course, there are exceptions), it will also spike your blood sugar levels. If drinking alcohol is part of your diet, what are you willing to exchange in return? In other words…when you order alcohol, what other simple carbs or sugars are you exchanging (i.e., one beer instead of two scoops of rice)? What low-calorie, low-sugar alcohol options are you willing to consider to achieve your weight loss goals?
THEY DON’T DEVELOP AN EATING ROUTINE
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I’m sure you can imagine that life on the edge of a cliff could be destined for trouble with a big enough wind. That’s precisely what happens when you don’t develop a healthy eating routine as a foundation. While most of us would like to think we shouldn’t have to think about food constantly, I have bad news: We’re human…and this is what we need to survive. Luckily, a solid, consistent routine with the right system in place will help you operate on autopilot (which means that you don’t have to obsess over food consciously). If you choose to do otherwise, any big event or binge will undoubtedly send you into the weight gain abyss.
THEY BELIEVE THAT INJURY PREVENTION BEGINS INSIDE THE GYM
Personal Trainer Wisdom: No matter what any personal trainer tells you, the most significant indicator of your success isn't what you do inside the gym-it's what you repeat daily. Your body is a unique, excellent adaptive system that loves to learn quickly. Although you don't realize it, you've been training your body to handle various movements and postures in auto-pilot over a lifetime (after all, your body doesn't have 10 minutes to fully assess your movement as you sit in a chair every time). How wonderful! Now you can think about the other things you need to do instead!
While this ability is a great strength, it most likely has led to the weakness, discomfort, pain, or injury that you have experienced. Your body wants to work efficiently and can be easily convinced. Suppose you always drive your knee forward to pick an object off the ground while lunging. In that case, your body will most likely (automatically) guide you the same way the next time you do it without thinking (even though the movement overuses your quads and imposes additional force and stress onto your knees). Call it the "Fight or Flight System." It wants to learn quickly so that it can react quickly (when demand is placed on it).
"Fair enough, Michael...I appreciate your lecture. Can we just workout now?" Well, maybe. I could throw you into a circus act of a fitness program (a crazy Cross Fit, ballet, Cirque de Soliel, bodybuilding, marathon extravaganza), but do you know your body well enough to confidently say that it can handle this demand on the body? Have you ever studied the way you move? Have you identified all of your imbalances and weaknesses? Most likely, I'm afraid the answer is no. If you are like my 20-year-old self, you probably haven't stopped and listened to your body. Instead, you jumped into the hottest new program that Joey the Trainer (not real) is selling and ended up hurting 1-3 months later.
I have nothing against Joey, but you don't need a personal trainer to achieve a lifetime of injury and imbalance. You can choose a new workout on Men's Health, YouTube, or anywhere and blindly attempt it. If you truly want to minimize ALL pain and tightness and achieve peak fitness, now is the time NOT to take a haphazard approach. It is the time to rewire your system. Understand you so that you can efficiently and effectively adapt ANY program to fit your needs. Look at how you sit, stand, run, walk, sleep, etc. Become a human scientist and identify your tendency to move out of a neutral position. Your observations might shed the true narrative on your physical self and what you need to change.
Photo Credit:
Matt Armendariz (2015) and Whats Gaby Cooking .com–Are granola bars really healthy?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
