Tuesday, September 17, 2019

I Want a Personal Trainer Near Me, But What About That Big, Fancy Gym?

95% Of Gym Members Never Go 
Have You Ever Considered Keeping The Membership Cost?

Large gyms literally cater to people who won't actually use the facility very often. If you look at the membership roster, you could see 1,000 members at the gym in which you are currently enrolled. How often do you see one hundred people there? Or fifty people? It would be a crowded mess. All the machines would be full, because there's only about 20-30 of them. More than three people in the weight lifting area? A disaster!

What exactly are you paying for?
Large gyms exist because people like the idea of going there, without actually going. It would be cheaper to pay for the drop in rate, but it's a better deal if you join and go at least twice a month. That just doesn't happen. Why? Because big gyms are betting on you NOT to actually come there. They couldn't handle having even one-tenth of their members on site. So you're subsidizing the experience of a very small group of people

What is my goal in belonging to a fitness facility?
This is something only you can answer. I would hope that the answer is something close to: "I have my best interests in mind, and being in good health and feeling well is a priority of mine." Sometimes, making time for our priorities is difficult. That's when getting coaching can be important because another person can look at your schedule objectively and say "we can fit exercise into your schedule here."

Why should I need a personal trainer near me?
Have you ever seen someone drive out of their way to get coffee? Or a meal? Convenience is the cornerstone of much of our decision making. Especially if we want to include something into our life on a regular basis, it has to work with some convenience into your schedule. Your personal trainer near you, close to home or work, is a great way to stay committed to the coaching you'll receive from a personal trainer.

Do I need accountability and my own space?
Accountability means that you are taking charge of an aspect of your life. That sense of ownership can make you feel accomplished because you made it yourself. Owning your health and wellness is in your best interest, and taking control of your space gives you pride and satisfaction that you have met your goals.

Does a private training studio save me money?
Absolutely! We're not out here to impress you with big machines and fancy locker rooms. We're here to help you on a personal level, with something meaningful every time you come in for a session. Whether it's weight loss, muscle gain, or overall fitness, our programming is designed with you in mind. People are different, and their programs should work for them.

Can I try it out to see if I like it?
Definitely! Give us a call at 240-630-0298 or send a text to schedule a free initial session.
Book online at https://walls-fitness.youcanbook.me/

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Common weight loss struggles - changes for success

A common issue facing many exercisers is that, even after having committed to a regimen of nutrition and exercise, the goals of weight loss and muscle gain just aren't lining up. You'll ask "why am I not losing weight?" and the answers seem elusive. If you have a wellness coach or a trainer whom can coach you, then talk to him or her about the issue. Just remember that this process is challenging and it's not your fault if its not working immediately.
Here's a few possible things to consider:
Talk to your coach or trainer. Share your concerns.

  • Adjust the meal planning - your meals may be leaving you hungry, and that's a recipe for disaster. Review your meal plan with your coach to see if there's adequate protein, fat, or hydration in your plan
  • Exercising too often or too hard - completing a challenging routine may make you feel accomplished, but if your metabolic rate is getting too high, then your body will signal the need to consume more food for energy. Start with monitoring your heart rate to stay in the 60-80% zone of heart rate reserve.
  • Anxiety or Stress - Stress fires up the adrenal glands, which increases our cortisol levels in the body. The excitement and elevated heart rate call out for something to help calm the body down. Eating is one of those things triggered to lower cortisol levels. You know what can help? Dark chocolate. It can raise serotonin levels to help you relax and possibly sleep better too.
  • Medications -  talk to your coach about your medications again. It may be time to schedule another appointment to talk to your doctor if weight gain is a side effect of a prescribed medication. 
In all of these situations, try to share with your coach or trainer what's bothering you. Try to come up with a plan that works better for you. The best plans are ones that you enjoy completing and feel like you are a part of the process. 

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Four Tips for Improving Your Health and Fitness

Four Tips for Improving Your Health and Fitness

Idea #1 See What's For Sale This Week!

You can see for yourself what Amazon is offering this week to help get you going, like a new set of Bluetooth headphones or a device to help improve your crunches

Idea #2 Put "Going for a walk" on your calendar

Once it's on there, then you can invite friends and co-workers to join you. Studies have shown conclusively that most fitness programs and pain relief starts with getting up and walking for 15-30 minutes at a comfortable pace.

Idea #3 Plan Ahead For Every Meal

Schedule your meals, or at least get an idea of what they should look like. Make sure that your meals have a fist size serving of protein, and a large bowl size of vegetables. Having at least these two features can make sure that you get enough good fuel into your body.

Idea #4 Try reducing stress in green spaces

Going for a walk in the forest or spending time enjoying a garden was recently studied, and showed that it can help reduce stress and levels of anxiety. Reducing stress is a great way to help with your wellness and reduce chances of heart and lung problems.

Friday, January 11, 2019

Celebrate the New Year and the Same You!

Celebrating yourself makes effecting change easier

A recent article discussed the negative effects of denying who you are at the beginning of the year. 
"New Year, New You" has been a common message in the fitness and body building community for several years. However, I agree with the author cited above, that we need to be more accepting of who we are and of how we look instead of aspiring to something outside of ourselves.

For this year, or even really this week, if you are considering a fitness program, just know that change is really, really difficult. That's why we're here to help you. There's no mythic body type to which you must aspire. We believe that fitness and healthy eating is a smart decision with which we want to help you. We'll do that by accepting that getting a workout into your routine can be difficult, but we're here to support that change.
Self-acceptance means looking in the mirror and telling yourself that you love you for who you are, but there's something you'd like to try differently than what you are used to doing. And it's ok to try new things to see if you like them.

Our fitness programs use data and information from your interview to help create a program that you'll want to try and to stick with it. If there's something you don't like, share it and we can work around it. We're here to facilitate success and give you a product that you'll enjoy. It'll be something you'll look forward to on the schedule. We'll look forward to seeing you!

WHETHER your goal is weight loss, more energy, improved health, better eating, help with choosing healthy meals, or just want to demystify the exercise routine and experience, we can assist with creating that supportive workout environment.
Give us a call or send a text at 240-270-8350 to schedule a free consultation or to register for our free class, Wednesday evenings at 5:30 pm until 6:00 pm



Thursday, November 29, 2018

Exercise is one part Science

Exercise Is One Part Science

Anywhere I go, I usually get asked about "what's the best exercise for [insert body part or medical issue]?" I have a standard response for this: "well, is there any issue associated with [said part]?"

No, it's not fair to answer a question with a follow-up question, but exercise should be based on data. If you are just looking for exercises, then a Google or YouTube search will turn up plenty of options. The question we should be asking first is, "what is the best exercise or are the best exercises for me?" 

Exercise is one part science. Too often, it focuses on aesthetics and this is unfortunate because how you look doesn't always tell us the whole story. "Being thin" doesn't always equal healthy, especially if there are underlying issues being ignored because right now you look just fine.

You Can Just Start Exercising on Your Own

Exercise is a broad enough term that you can start with anything to get yourself going. Walking, hiking,biking, running, joining an exercise class, participating in a team sport are all examples of exercise related activity that can address your body's metabolic needs. Your body needs exercise to regulate processes in the body, such as heart circulation, maintain bone density and muscle mass, digestion, lymphatic function to prevent disease, transport energy throughout the cells, just to name a few! You don't need a coach for this type of activity. 

Hiring a personal coach or trainer should be to help educate you and motivate you. You should feel comfortable sharing any concerns you have with your trainer or coach. A good coach spends their time listening to your issues and helping you find the resources to address them, either through their own knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) or via a referral to another specialist. Bring in a trainer just like you would go to the doctor or dentist: for preventative measure and examining the data.

A Personal Trainer Is There to Help You Make Healthy Decisions

Your meeting with your personal trainer should have assessments to see if you've been missing something from your current life decisions. Assessment types include:
Looking at all of the data!
  • Mobility -  can you accomplish tasks like bending over to reach the floor, looking behind you, or reaching over your head?
  • Balance - do you have difficulty ascending stairs without holding on, stepping onto a raised platform, or stepping down off a curb?
  • Strength - can you easily lift yourself from the floor, climb a ladder, move heavy objects, or carry luggage?
  • Endurance -  can you walk uphill for an extended period, complete a hike, or walk from the far end of a parking lot?
  • Safety -  can I perform my workout without risk of injury?
We conduct a fairly broad screen to rule out any possible injuries, metabolic disorders, or any other factors that could create problems relating to your increase in exercise activity. We consider it our role to collect enough data about you using screens and body analyzing technology to create an effective and safe workout for you at our facility or at your own.

We consider it a privilege to build you an exercise program that you will enjoy and empower you to provide as much feedback and ask as many questions as you would like. Program building is done best with plenty of client input. Clients should continue to be well-informed about their care, be able to sustain their workout programs, and feel they are successful in sticking with the program.

Should You Hire A Trainer? 

Give us a call and let's see if now is a good time 240-270-8350 call or text

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Come Visit Our New Personal Training Studio!


A Studio Dedicated to Personal Training in Chevy Chase

Using the latest technology and research to get results designed just for you!

Fitness is a science of human movement and we can break it all down to foundational movements to improve walking, running, playing sports, or just staying healthy. We use your data to build a safe, effective, and fun fitness program you will WANT to come back for regularly.


Our address is 4445 Willard Ave Chevy Chase, MD Call or Text 240-270-8350

All of our individually designed fitness programs include a total body analysis, meal planning and accountability chart. 

We want to help you reach your goals, and so we are offering an introductory New Year's Special to get started off right!


Don't feel lost in the workout room!
Work with one of our certified personal trainers to build a program for use at our studio or at home.

All of our sessions are half-hour. I explain the science behind this in another post.
To get you jump started this winter, we have the following offers!


Grand Opening Discounted Pricing

Individual Sessions 30% less than competition

Winter Jump Start!
8 Sessions 5% off our discounted rate

Frosty Workout Plan:
16 Sessions 10% off our discounted rate

Spring Back (Takes you Through to Spring):
24 Sessions 15% off our discounted rate