Checkout my 7 practical tips for not blowing it this holiday season. Thanks to my pal and leading fitness writer @jillschildhouse for putting this helpful piece together for @oxygenmagazine.
Read MoreI love leg day. As someone who has struggled with his weight and suffered through back injuries, having strong legs and executing powerful squats and deadlifts makes me feel good and working the big muscles of the lower body keeps me lean. But I get that a lot of folks dread leg day. In today's post I'll show you how to build a balanced leg workout whether your goal is general fitness, weight loss, hypertrophy/muscle growth or strength.
Read MoreWhen it comes to losing weight, there are things we’ve been told over and over again. While certain things hold true (calories matter, interval training works and deprivation doesn’t), there are other long-held beliefs that recent research has shown to be a little iffy. In some cases, things we’ve always thought to be true about weight loss have turned out to either be wrong or vastly oversimplified. I was honored to be asked by Moira Lawler to shed some light on some of these topics for her article on LiveStrong.com where we dive into three common misconceptions and explore what the latest research says. Spoiler: There’s still no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight.
Read MoreMany of my clients and followers want to eat healthy and are trying to make changes to their diets to reduce body fat or gain muscle mass. While your exercise program is key to eliciting physical changes, your nutrition is equally as important. I cater to busy professionals and often they just don't have time to grocery shop and meal prep. They prefer to outsource cooking but want to make sure they are getting nutritious and tasty meals that fit their caloric and macronutrient needs. These are my two favorite meal deliver services that won't disappoint.
Read MoreI am regularly asked who I trust for chiropractic and soft tissue work. For many years I've worked with the amazing team at SF Custom Chiropractic (SFCC) led by Dr. Adam Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs and his wunderkind associate Dr. Brad Bailey have not only helped me, but have helped dozens of my clients achieve pain free movement, better range of motion and structural symmetry though an integrative approach that includes soft tissue work like ART, chiropractic adjustments, clinical massage and kinesiotaping. They have become my trusted partners for my own body and the bodies of my clients and we often collaborate together to ensure treatment and training programs are aligned.
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Thanks to the loving encouragement of his fiancé, a passion for outdoor cycling and the occasional nudge from yours truly, my client Alejandro has made incredible strides on his bike, in the gym and in the kitchen this year. His efforts have not only improved his physique, but also improved his health, energy levels and mental outlook. In this post he discusses what changes he had to make to shift his mindset and what keeps him going when the snooze button beacons or the hills get steep.
Read MoreI'm a big fan of knowing what's going on with my body. And if there are simple, affordable tests I can take that can give me useful, actionable data to improve my health and inform my fitness program I'm all for it. So I recently engaged a local office of DexaFit to obtain a Dexa Scan Body Composition Analysis, RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) Test, V02 Max Test and Fit3D Posture Scan. In this post I outline what I learned from these tests and how I am applying that knowledge to optimize my fitness program. I've also included links to my full reports and photos from my experience to help you decide if similar testing makes sense for you.
Read MoreI am thrilled to announce that after months of hard work and collaboration with some of the industry's most talented fitness coaches and tech gurus, the Vivo Fitness App is now available for download in the App Store. Now you can train with me 1/1 through personal training, as a team in my group fitness classes and anytime, anywhere through Vivo.
Read MoreEach week I post a variety of barbell, dumbbell, cable, resistance band and bodyweight strength, stability and mobility exercises to my Instagram account under the hashtag #jjfit247exerciselibrary. If you are looking for fresh exercise ideas to try in your own workouts, form tips and demos, be sure to follow me. And don't hesitate to comment with questions or your own variations.
Read MoreSwimming can be one of the safest and most effective forms of cardio. Whether you are trying to lean out or to get stronger, swimming is easy on the joints, scalable to your goals and an excellent way to connect your brain, breath and body. But it can be a big drag (literally) if your stroke or breath are off. Michael Bonella, Claire Love and Megan Nazareno are three of San Francisco's top swim coaches and personal trainers. I asked them "What is the most common issue you encounter with form and how do you help your clients through it?"
Read MoreThis is a new twist on my old curry chicken salad recipe and it's a favorite of mine and several of my clients. It's easy to prep for the entire week and is a great way to get in protein and healthy fat. I used walnuts and grapes in this version but you can also use almonds and apples. It's great on its own, as a topper to a salad or in a wrap as shown here. At 300 calories it packs 40g of protein and only 7 carbs per serving. Give it a try; you won't be disappointed.
Read MoreIf you're making it back to the gym after an August hiatus (or longer), you may be in for an uncomfortable reacclimation period. If you've been on a break, don't expect to jump right back in where you left off. You may need to cull it back a bit and be prepared for some soreness and possible nausea or dizziness. My pal and writer Ian Lecklitner chronicled his return to the #fitfam life in his MEL Magazine story You’ll Feel Like Crap for at Least Two Weeks After You Start Working Out Again. Check it out for tips from me on what you can expect and how you can minimize your pain.
Read MoreI'm not one to jump on every cockamamie fitness trend that crosses my Instagram. Quite the opposite; I base my training recommendations on science and experience. Everyone knows I'm a fan of high intensity workouts. They are excellent for time-strapped professionals with hefty goals and not a lot of time. But it's important to ensure you're not abandoning lower intensity, steady-state work. If your goals include losing body fat, managing stress hormones and injury/overtraining prevention then check out my interview with LiveStrong.com.
Read MoreIf you work in an office like most humans these days, you probably spend a large portion of your day at a desk. This means you can be sitting for hours and hours throughout the day which can be uncomfortable if you don't have the right computer chair or posture. I was pleased to contribute to this Ultimate Guide to Ergonomic Workstations along with 14 other health and fitness pros to explain the best tools for your office and the best ways to maintain great posture throughout your day. Get all 15 tips here.
Read MoreI've had the pleasure of working beside the beautiful and amazing Ashley Rutherford at Equinox for the past year. Watching her grow and challenge herself physically, mentally and spiritually through the sport and community of CrossFit has been eyeopening for me. I challenge anyone to read her story and tell me that CrossFit isn't a positive force for the many athletes working with experienced and reputable coaches.
Read MoreAs a personal trainer in the heart of San Francisco's financial district, I've worked with hundreds of stressed out, A-type technology junkies (and I love them all!). Every day I see firsthand the negative impact computers, cell phones and other devices is having on our mental and physical health. Whether you are reading a scathing email from your boss or scrolling through funny cat videos on Facebook, the impact on the body and central nervous system can be damaging. But there are some simple inventions/lifestyle adjustments you can do to help mitigate these effects without going completely off grid.
Read MoreMy amazing client Sarah is a vegetarian meal prep all star! And she gets extra credit for this roasted eggplant, beet and cauliflower salad with spinach, almonds and Greek yogurt. The veggies can be roasted in a big batch and kept for the week and the salad can easily be tossed together at the office. This is a great way to get in your fibrous veggies and also a great way for vegetarians (and carnivores!) to get in ample protein (thanks to the Greek yogurt) and healthy fats (thanks to the almonds and olive oil). This recipe yields enough for 5-7 servings. Om nom nom!
Read MoreWith all the hype and media attention given to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) over the past few years, you’d think everyone was doing it—and maybe they are. If they’re not, they may not be doing anything, believing if they’re not killing themselves during a workout, they’re not really gaining any benefits. But here’s the thing: Recent studies show that moderate-intensity activity still has many benefits. Check out my interview in the August 2017 issue of American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified News for details on the latest research and tips for now to incorporate steady-state cardio back into your program.
Read MoreIt seems like all people talk about these days are their macros, as they use some app on their smartphone to calculate whether they can eat the bun that came with their burger. But what exactly does it mean when they say something does or doesn’t fit into their macros? And how do you know what your allotted macros should be? And why is this suddenly so trendy? Read my interview in Oxygen Magazine for a break down behind the mystery of macros and determine if this advanced nutritional strategy is right for you (because it might not be).
Read MoreWearables and fitness trackers can provide the motivation and accountability many people need to become less sedentary and lose excess weight. But for those prone to obsessive thoughts and behaviors, the same tools can turn dangerous. How do you know if you've crossed the line? Checkout my interview in Prevention Magazine for signs that you may be taking your pedometer checking, calorie counting, and other health tracking too far.
Read MoreOnce a month I gather the best fitness and nutrition news, tips and videos from my blog into one handy email. I never share email addresses with third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time. Check out past issues.
