Why This Former Athlete Turned White Collar Pro Refocused His Approach to Fitness

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Why This Former Athlete Turned White Collar Pro Refocused His Approach to Fitness

From the minute I met Chris C. I was impressed. This former college athlete turned white collar finance professional has some very admirable goals and a commitment to them that is inspiring. He wanted help developing a program that would make his body more mobile, more endurant and strong for the long haul. There’s nothing wrong with aesthetic goals. I have them myself. But it’s uncommon these days for a man in his 20s to tell me he wants to move better, longer and stronger. That he doesn’t want his desk job to destroy his body and that he just wants to be the best version of himself possible. I am so lucky to work with clients like Chris (including his roommate and gym buddy Chase) and I’m honored he took time from his busy life to share his thoughts and reflect on his progress with me for this Q&A.

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JJFit in the News: How to Clean Up 8 Notorious Gym Moves (Oxygen Magazine)

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JJFit in the News: How to Clean Up 8 Notorious Gym Moves (Oxygen Magazine)

When you arrive at the gym, there’s probably a lot on your mind — from stress over neglected emails to excitement about weekend plans. While you certainly get bonus points just for showing up, if you’re working out while distracted or haven’t been trained on proper movements, your workout could lead to unintended consequences. Based on years of observations, I've identified the main moves people execute incorrectly time and again — and provided instruction on how to perform them properly. Thanks to my amazing friend and writer Jill Schildhouse for including my tips in this Oxygen.com article and to my beautiful clients Erica and Sarah for demoing good form.

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How This Husband-To-Be Changed His Internal Dialogue to Get Fit

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How This Husband-To-Be Changed His Internal Dialogue to Get Fit

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. 

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

As 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.

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5 Signs That Fitness Tracking Has Become Bad For Your Health

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5 Signs That Fitness Tracking Has Become Bad For Your Health

Wearables 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.

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These Work-Life Balance Strategies Help Even In The Most Demanding Jobs

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These Work-Life Balance Strategies Help Even In The Most Demanding Jobs

Work-life balance is a big challenge for a lot of folks and can be a huge obstacle to health and fitness goals. Check out this article from FastCompany.com, These Work-Life Balance Strategies Help Even In The Most Demanding Jobs. It includes interviews of successful professionals in industries known for insane hours and find out how they manage to maintain a personal life amidst the intensity of their careers. Included was my awesome client Tom, the office managing partner of law firm Nixon Peabody’s San Francisco office. 

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Q&A With Trish Tobin: "Making Time for Fitness Gives Me Back More Time"

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Q&A With Trish Tobin: "Making Time for Fitness Gives Me Back More Time"

On any given Tuesday or Friday at an ungodly hour between 6a-630a you can find me and the amazing Trish Tobin warming her up for her training session. And while from an outsider's perspective it may sound like we're having way too much fun, she's serious about her health and fitness. She shows up for every early morning session despite, as she explains, not always being stoked to be there. But she shows up for herself and does the work. And she feels better for it every time she does. So read on to learn why this busy professional makes time for fitness in her very full life and how doing so actually gives her back more time in the energy it provides.  

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Overcoming ACL Tears: Don't Let Injuries Rob You of Your Passions

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Overcoming ACL Tears: Don't Let Injuries Rob You of Your Passions

This is the story of my client Phil. Though only in his mid-20s years of high level volleyball left him with a damaged knee. Three ACL tears and five knee surgeries later the doctors put him on the bench and told him to wait until medical technology improved enough to offer him a solution. No more hiking, surfing or rock climbing. Simply stepping off a curb presented a challenge. Fast forward less than a year later and, after consistent hard work, Phil has safely summited Half Dome and can hike over the most rugged terrain. To learn some specific exercises for how we strengthened his knee to accomplish this, read on.

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30 Minute Meal: Low Carb Chicken Caprese with Zucchini Noodles

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30 Minute Meal: Low Carb Chicken Caprese with Zucchini Noodles

One of my awesome clients Jason gave me a challenge last week. He wanted a quick (30 minutes or less) meal he can make at home with ingredients he can pick up at practically any grocery store (not just Whole Foods) that will fit his macros. Normally he meal preps and is open to the occasional food delivery service but wanted something he could make himself and hopefully have left overs. Challenge accepted! Try this low carb, high protein and healthy fat spin on a comfort food favorite.

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If This Busy Law Firm Partner and Husband Learned to Make His Health a Priority, You Can Too!

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If This Busy Law Firm Partner and Husband Learned to Make His Health a Priority, You Can Too!

I started training Tom Gaynor about two years ago. And looking back at how far he’s come I can barely remember some of the challenges we used to face. If I squint my eyes and think back really hard I can vaguely remember a heavier guy with an inhaler in one hand and a Blackberry in another frequently complaining about how his back hurt. Now when I see Tom, I see a man with a body that moves pain free, is 25# lighter and has greater capacity lungs. And he still gets to enjoy the occasional steak frites and martini. Tom is the kind of client that inspires me with his genuine commitment to his health while still successfully managing a thriving law practice, clamoring clients and a family (husband - who I now also train - and dog, Louis) in Marin. If you don’t think small changes over time can really add up, then you have to read his story below.

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Sarah Schulze on Making Better Choices, Vegetarianism and Why She No Longer Hates Going to the Gym

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Sarah Schulze on Making Better Choices, Vegetarianism and Why She No Longer Hates Going to the Gym

Bright-eyed, blond and beautiful on the inside and out. That describes Sarah Schulze. I can hardly believe that it’s been over two years since this amazing woman walked into my gym and into my life. We’ve trained consistently during that time and she’s become not only one of my strongest and most committed clients (she can deadlift, back squat, front squat and hip thrust like a champ and is building up her pull ups now!) but also my friend, my spin sister and my yoga buddy. Sarah embodies the fitness principle of balance. I love her story and her energy and I’m so glad she took the time to share it with us. 

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Q&A: Jason Levy Tells Us Why Fitness Is One of the Best Investments of Time, Money and Energy He’s Ever Made

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Q&A: Jason Levy Tells Us Why Fitness Is One of the Best Investments of Time, Money and Energy He’s Ever Made

I met Jason shortly after his 30th birthday (our first six weeks were a gift from his father). In the eight months since, the dude has worked hard, followed advice and focused on what’s important: long term health and balance. He has lost 26 pounds and 10% body fat, improved his energy, learned how to eat healthy and become strong. He has come to like big lifts like back squats, deadlifts and bench press (despite what he might tell you) and has improved his endurance for running, spinning and even the dreaded Versa Climber. Jason is one of those clients who inspires me, others in the gym, his family and even his officemates to be better. And he was kind enough to share some of his insights and experiences. 

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Q&A with Eric Steiner: Fitness Provides Balance, Focus and a Way to Contribute to the Community

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Q&A with Eric Steiner: Fitness Provides Balance, Focus and a Way to Contribute to the Community

It takes a strong resolve to commit to a consistent fitness regime, particularly one that includes training at lunchtime when most FiDi professionals are either slumped over their desks eating a takeout salad or waiting in line at a food truck or Philz. Over the past year my client and friend Eric Steiner has run multiple marathons, recovered from knee surgery, maintained an impressive weightlifting training program and decided to once again ride the 545 miles from SF to LA in 2016 to help raise money for, and awareness of, our continued fight against HIV/AIDS. So I asked Eric to share his insights on how training helps him maintain balance and what his upcoming AIDS/Lifecycle ride means to him.

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Q&A with Nicole Lana Lee: Fitness and Nutrition Are Helping Her “Be the Best Version of Herself”

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Q&A with Nicole Lana Lee: Fitness and Nutrition Are Helping Her “Be the Best Version of Herself”

I’m fortunate enough to train some pretty amazing people. Among them is the lovely (both on the inside and out) Nicole Lana Lee. In addition to being a financial wiz, she is also the force behind NicoleLana.com and a force to be reckoned with in the gym, on the surfboard and in the yoga studio. She was kind enough to share her insights on how her fitness journey and personal training have affected her life. Enjoy!

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Warning! Side Affects May Include Bikini Bod and Uncontrollable Happiness

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Warning! Side Affects May Include Bikini Bod and Uncontrollable Happiness

Why is Kim smiling and glowing so bright in this picture we took at 5:30am on October 12?! Because it was reassessment day. We already knew her training program and nutritional tweaks were working because she was feeling stronger, had more endurance and her clothes were fitting great. But it's a good idea to check the numbers and make additional tweaks as needed for optimal results. 

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