Finding a Personal Trainer in New York City

While our Supreme Court Justices debate the constitutionality of Obamacare, our country isn’t getting any healthier.  It is important to remember that whether it passes or not, this healthcare law will not make us healthier as individuals or a country.  This bill is about how much money healthcare costs and how to lower the cost of care. What we really need is a proactive approach to healthcare that makes us a healthier people and therefore helps us to save money on healthcare costs.

According to some of the most recent data available, it is estimated that 36% of adults are obese.  Two-thirds of adults are considered overweight.  By 2030, predictions have obesity statistics showing that 40% of adults will be obese.  This is a self-inflicted disease that will only lead to more health problems down the road.  It is the equivalent to scraping your leg on a rusty piece of medal, not cleaning the wound, and watching it turn red, and still doing nothing about it.  Eventually, the wound becomes totally infected and could become so dangerous that even medication cannot help it.  As a final act, the leg has to be amputated.

One of the biggest reasons for individuals and American families are claiming bankruptcy is the cost of medical care.  As is well documented, the cost of medical care is getting more expensive.  In 2009, healthcare costs were 17.3% of our gross domestic product. By 2017, it is estimated that more than 21 cents of every dollar spent in this country will be on healthcare.  On an individual level, healthcare costs an average of $1,500 more for an obese person than that of a person maintaining a healthy weight.  If we have learned anything from families, it is that medical costs will bankrupt you as it overtakes your ability to cover other expenses.  Eventually, medical costs will bankrupt the good old USA if we don’t do something about it.

Fortunately, there is a major bright spot. Obesity, which is responsible for increasing a lot of risk factors for certain diseases is preventable in most cases.   Approximately 80% of obesity related illnesses are preventable simply by diet and exercise and living a generally healthy lifestyle.  Thus, if individuals learn how to make smarter health and fitness choices, we can start saving our healthcare dollars for those people who really need it.  Those individuals whereby diet and exercise alone cannot help themselves.  Thus lowering our overall healthcare expense.

How does someone make the change for themselves? Get connected with an fitness or nutritional expert.  Learn what works best for your body and lifestyle.  In my utopian world, a site like NeighborhoodTrainers can help people realize that personal trainers NYC, Pilates and yoga instructors, nutritionists, and health coaches are accessible anywhere and ready to work with people with all different types of issues and goals. Your success is their success.  Now that is a much better way to spend money on healthcare and get an incredible return on your investment.

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It is undeniable, the majority of people who exercise go to a gym. But on the days they don’t go to the gym, they do not workout. For most it is an either/or scenario. Either I go to the gym and workout or I don’t go and do nothing. My question is why can’t you have both? Give yourself the option to exercise at the gym and also on days you don’t go, you can do your exercise at home.

My ultimate question that needs an answer is do we really need a gym to workout or do we just need a place where we can forget about everything else and focus on our exercise program? I have been to a lot of gyms in New York City. I have been in the large chain gyms, as well as several independent personal training gyms around New York City. What is interesting about going into to the personal training gyms, is seeing the lack of standard gym equipment offered for use. Rather the gym floor looks almost barren compared to a standard gym most of us are used to being members at. It littered with dumb bells, kettlebells, balls, bars, bands, ropes, and straps. Simple, small versatile equipment that doesn’t take up a lot of space, yet is very versatile.

What is also interesting about the personal training gyms is the results being achieved by those who utilize the facility. For the most part, everyone who exercises at the facility is with their personal trainer. Plus, even the personal trainers train their personal training colleagues. It is an intense, results driven atmosphere that may be short on standard gym equipment, but not short on knowledge on how to use the equipment provided.

So, knowing that it leads me to believe that we don’t necessarily need to belong to the gym. What I think it is that people really need the gym for, is that it is their fitness “fortress of solitude”. The same type of place that Superman heads off to, to find his inner strength and knowledge is exactly what we crave when it comes to gym time. People want a place where they can put away everything else, lace up their sneakers , turn on their ipods, and not be interrupted during their workout. So, the question becomes, can we build our own fitness fortress of solitude at home.

Without question, this can be done on the equipment end. Many items found at a typical personal training facility could be brought into the home. Very easily, you could go to your local sporting goods store and pick up various bands, a jump rope, a physio ball, a step, and more. All those items could slide right under your bed. The second part of this is a little bit harder. Trying to create the workout environment takes several steps. One, you have got to block out the time. Two you need to learn how to use the equipment in effective and varied ways, so as not to get bored. Finally, and most importantly, you need to eliminate distractions. Too be successful at doing that, you need to follow the second step closely. Using non-traditional gym equipment means learning non-traditional exercises. Have a Brooklyn personal trainer come to your home for some sessions. A series of five to ten sessions should be sufficient enough for you to learn several exercises and routines. Your personal trainer Brooklyn should also be able to help you scan the house for possible distractions and formulate ways to eliminate them from disturbing you. Thus, it can be done. You can create your fitness fortress of solitude with the right equipment, focus, and safeguards

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I loved building with Lego as a kid.  Now my kids love building with Lego.  We spend hours building sets on wet days.  Some of the sets have so many pieces, it takes multiple days to build the set from start to finish.  We even have one set, the “Attack Cruiser”, that we built a little at a time over a couple of months.  Now they spend hours having fun with them. Finishing one of these goliath sets, is a lot like accomplishing your fitness goals.

If you haven’t built Lego before, the idea may take a quick explanation.  Every set comes with instructions.  Each step in the instruction book includes a picture and list of the exact pieces you will need for that step and an illustration of how they fit together.  Each step builds on he last step.  With each step you get the next list of pieces and you see how they connect to the existing structure.  This is not unlike the precision one should take in designing their fitness program.  The structure you are building is your fitness goal.  Each step is the equivalent of the exercise program for the day.  Each life of the step is the equivalent of the particular exercise to perform.

The main facet in this process is defining your goal from the beginning.  When you purchase a Lego set, you purchase it for what you see on the box cover, but what you are really buying is a jumble of pieces. True, they help you complete the finished product you see pictured on the box.  But when you get the box home and open it, it is still a bunch of loose pieces.  That’s why they give you the instruction booklet.  Those loose pieces are like the hundreds of exercises you can do when you walk into the gym.  The issue is to combine them into a program that you can execute in a way that allows you to accomplish your goals.  During the early stages of construction, you might not see how the loose pieces become the picture on the box. All the more reason why you need to picture the finished product.  As you put the pieces together, or go through your fitness sessions, don’t lose site of that end goal.  Some days are harder than others.  You might have trouble seeing the finish line in the current state of construction, but as you add more pieces or rather string together your sessions, you will see your end goal coming into focus.  If you think you will need assistance with putting together your own set of fitness instructions, or program design, consider hiring a New York City personal trainer.  If personal training is not your cup of tea, then maybe your fitness routine will consist of pilates or yoga.

Built to last for hours of fun and enjoyment.  Building a healthy lifestyle for years of enjoyment and good quality of life.  Once you build a Lego set, now you get to have fun playing with it.  Hours of fun for days on end.  It is just like when you have reached your goal weight and are enjoying your new lifestyle.  But, don’t get too comfortable.  There will always be maintenance work needed.  Pieces get loose, pieces fall off.  Sometimes you might accidentally break it.  This is not much different from the maintenance phase of your training.  You need to keep going to the gym if you want to maintain your current level of health.  Some days will be better than others.  Expect that once in while you may have an interruption in your routine.  Realize that the only way to get back to your goal weight is to break out the instructions again.   Call up your personal trainer NYC and get some sessions scheduled.  Like Lego, if you wait too long, the pieces get lost and it is harder to find them and rebuild the set.

As children we may never have thought about how our love of Lego could parallel our fitness programs.  As parents watching our kids build that truck or car to spaceship and then going all out in the gym it becomes a weird observation that actually makes sense.  Building Lego structures and building a healthy you take intense, work, focus, and commitment before you can enjoy all of the benefits.  Remember, before starting any fitness program, see your doctor for a proper medical clearance.

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If you believe that one, then maybe you can understand your clients when they say after two weeks that this isn’t working and they aren’t seeing results.  Just like there is no quick and easy way to see your fitness goals achieved, there is no magic pill marketing that will give you all the clients you need quickly and with little effort.  Nothing gets done without hard work, dedication, and determination.  The key element is to have a plan and execute it.

I talk to a lot of fitness professionals.  Those that wisely don’t rely solely on word of mouth for attracting new clients, have tried many products promising a quick influx of clients.   I think many fitness trainers expect marketing products or software to work right out of the box and that is simply not true.  If it did work that way, everyone would become a personal trainer, purchase the product, and go from rags to riches.  It isn’t to say that they don’t work, because that would not be the truth.  The simple fact is that you have to learn how to use the product and then actually use it.  Once you know how to use it, then you can formulate a plan to use the product’s strengths to promote your business.

The other trick is not to give up to quickly on it.  Just because something doesn’t work in the short term, doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.  Again, it could come down to your knowledge and use of the product.  As you become more familiar with it, you may begin to have more success with it.  If necessary, contact the company and tell them about the issues you are experiencing.  The extra insight may illicit some additional creative ideas for your marketing strategies.  More importantly, you need to follow through on your plan for a window of time that will give you a full indication of the product’s effectiveness.  There is a sports term for all of this, that is follow through.  Place kickers, basketball players, soccer players, if you want to be successful you need to follow through on your kicks and shots.  You marketing efforts should employ the exact same principle.

You don’t just put up a Facebook page and expect to get a flood of likes.  If you send out a Tweet, you don’t immediately get thousands of followers, unless if you are a celebrity.  When you start a website it doesn’t just shoot to the top of every relevant keyword search.  These are huge efforts and they take planning, time, and effort.  The best marketing that you can do as a personal trainer is to provide a clear look at who you are as a personal trainer NYC and what you offer people.  Also, give your clients 110% during your sessions.  Word of mouth is powerful, but remember there is always someone else watching your session.  Make sure that you have the tools for those people to learn more about you.  If you are at a session and another person at the gym asks for information, have a one-page document ready to handout in exchange for their contact information.  On that handout, be sure to have a website that you can refer them to.  As stated before, this place should be somewhere that spells out exactly who you are and what you offer.  Then when you speak again, you can ask what made them ask about your services.  It isn’t a stretch and it is a great to get the conversation started.

Remember, marketing of any kind takes planning, time, and effort.  You can’t expect to fill up your schedule in one day.  If you aren’t willing to make the effort, do not expect any marketing to be effective.  If you execute it correctly, it should bear some fruit.  Find personal trainer marketing tools that will offer you a great return on your investment through value built on features and effectiveness.

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As parents, and for the purposes of this article, fathers, we spend a lot of our time doing things for others.  Whether it be pickups, drop offs, playdates, music classes, sports classes, diaper changes, shopping, cooking or something else on the never-ending to do list, there are few things that we do each day for ourselves.  But are you being fair to yourself?  Sounds selfish, but what if that something could make us better at all of those daily tasks’  That something is exercise.

No else can exercise for you.  No one else can lift a weight.  No one else can get on the treadmill.  No one else can attend a group fitness class for you.  Exercise is something that only you can do for you.  You can’t ask someone to do you a favor and workout for you.  You can’t delegate exercise to someone else.  The benefits of exercise have been well documented.  Most studies I have read, relate to on the job performance, but it isn’t hard to transfer that over to parenting.  And for those of us for whom daddy duty is a full time job, our daily performance is all the more important.  People who exercise are more productive each day.  They accomplish more, more efficiently. They are more alert and able to make better, clearer decisions, with improved multi-tasking skills.  Show me a dad who doesn’t try to multi-task to get everything done.

Then when the work is “done”, you will have more energy for the fun stuff, like playing games and rolling on the floor with your kids.  The bonus is you get sick less. Making it easier to sail through the day with an on time arrival record rivaling the best airlines.  This means extra days with your kids and being able to give them 100% at every moment.  Healthy check ups beat out sick visits any day.  This all rounds out to say that by exercising, you will be setting a healthy example for your kids.  Our kids see my wife and I coming back from the gym several days a week.  They see the extra energy and smiles it brings out when we come through the door.  Does that mean that they are asking to join the gym?  No.  But they know, from that and our conversations, that its good to run around and be active.  They look forward to getting outside and getting their own exercise.  As we all know they will have plenty of time to sit when they are older.  For now they can enjoy all the playgrounds, fields, and gymnastics studios that New York City provides.

The biggest excuse I hear about not exercising is, I don’t have time.  My advice is think small at first.  You can get a great workout done in 20 minutes.   For some reason, people have this idea that if you don’t have one-hour everyday to workout, then why bother.  Yes, fitness classes and personal training sessions can last up to an hour, but that doesn’t mean that every workout has to last one hour.  Set aside 20 minutes a few days a week for fitness.  Exercise is contagious.  Some days you may have the opportunity and motivation to stay an extra 20-30 minutes.  Other days you might dread the entire 20 minutes. (But you’ll feel better when you’re done.)  More importantly, if you can go on a consistent basis, you will see change.  If you need help figuring out what to do for 20 minutes, there are people who can create a program for you.  Just be consistent.

“Parenting can be frustrating at times,” says Lance Somerfeld.  I believe that exercise makes me a better father.  That may not be true for everyone, but it is for me.  Some days I can get in 45 minutes, and on others only 15-20, but I am in a better frame of mind having done some exercise instead of nothing.  It is the one thing I enjoy doing for myself each day that has so many benefits for my family.  I gotta run.  Literally.  Enjoy your workout!

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Mazel Tov to the new father! Your new bundle of love is sure to bring many moments of joy to your life, along with many stressful and sleepless nights. At this time, now more than ever, giving your body the proper nutrients is so important.   Even at full strength, keeping up with the needs of a newborn is taxing on a physically fit new parent. Add in the stress of a job and commuting in New York City along with poor nutrition and you have written a recipe for a rough patch! Before your baby comes it may be best to focus on what you need to do to eat right the first few weeks after bringing your child home, because it is in your best interest, and your child’s, to do so for many reasons. Here are a few highlights.

Proper nutrition can help you keep up your energy levels throughout the day.  Healthy snacks in between meals, like fruit, nuts, or yogurt, can help keep blood sugar levels from whipsawing and creating energy lulls. Newborns require a ton of energy. All of those late night feedings and diaper changes take a toll on your body. By eating right, you ensure your body is getting all the proper nutrition it needs to keep up with your newborn’s demands. It is in your best interest to seek out the help of a professional Nutritionist NYC. These professionals have the credentials to properly assess your individual needs based on your lifestyle, and will develop a custom eating plan to keep you on top of your game.

A New York City nutritionist will also strive to create a customized eating plan that will help lower your risk of future health problems. Should you be struggling with any health issues, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or pre-diabetes, a customized healthy eating plan created by a certified nutritionist NYC can help get these issues under control. By properly managing your health through diet, you ensure that you will be around for your child for many years to come.   If your situation does involve any of these issues or another, it may be important to consider a fitness component to your new lifestyle.  For a proper exercise program design, ask your nutritionist to recommend a good NYC personal trainer for your situation.  You may even be able to involve your family in your fitness activities.

Many people don’t necessarily associate eating habits with sleep, but the two are very connected.  Whether it be the types of foods you eat or the time you eat them, this can have a serious effect on how soundly you sleep through the night.  The New York City lifestyle is one of the nation’s most fast-paced and stressful. This makes it especially hard on new fathers who also work long hours. Eating healthy will ensure your brain gets the nutrients it needs to keep you on your toes at work and play.  When you combine poor nutrition with sleep deprivation, it will result in forgetfulness and your productivity will decrease.

Give your child the gift of a father who will be there for them for many years to come.  Feed your body the fuel it needs to push through the hard times.  Good food at the table sets a good example for your children.  When you fuel your body right, you can better handle the stress of events like being a new parent or the parent of a newborn.  Your children will learn to eat from your eating patterns.  Proper nutrition will help you keep up your energy level, reduce your risk of future health problems, and keep you focused.  Contact a Nutritionist NYC today.

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Living in New York City means tolerating the busy and chaotic daily grind. With all of the frenetic activity, staying healthy is not an easy task. Establishing and maintaining good lifestyle habits is essential to having a healthy life. However there are many people who are stuck in their busy life and have trouble maintaining the healthy habits needed for optimal health. Sometimes it makes better sense to seek the assistance of health professionals. More and more, people are seeking guidance from health coaches and nutritionists.

Nutritionists and health coaches assist individuals in very important and specific ways. The nutritionist is primarily focused on a person’s food choices and habits. This tends to spill over into other aspects of lifestyle, however their primary concern is what you are eating on a daily basis. NYC Nutritionists are experienced in creating a palatable, nutritious daily diet that fits within the busy lifestyle most of us lead. Nutritionists strive to help their clients develop strong healthy habits. Once these habits are established, then it becomes easier to make the smart choices that lead to optimal health.

A health coach is another type of wellness professional an individual may enlist to help identify and correct some unhealthy habits. A health coach looks at a person’s life through a panoramic-like lens. A health coach wants to help you identify triggers that cause you to stray off the wellness path and make poor choices.  Whereas a nutritionist looks specifically at a person’s diet, a health coach looks at every aspect of a person’s life to help their health. Health coaches may help analyze living arrangements, sleep habits and a person’s daily schedule.  The health coach will help make suggestions on how to improve on a day to day and week by week basis. Dietary and nutritional habits are also explored as part of this. However the health coach is not looking specifically at the diet as a nutritionist would. In some cases, the health coach wants to get the individual to realize on their own that changes need to be made in there life in order to achieve the goal of a healthy lifestyle. Living healthy needs to exist outside the conversation you have with your doctor. Living healthy involves making the right choices everyday.

Is it necessary to use the services of both a nutritionist and a health coach?  Probably not.  If you can take the time to ask yourself a few questions and identify what your needs are, you may come to your own conclusion on who to choose.  Another option is to seek out some initial consultations with some nutritionists and health coaches in your neighborhood.  The conversations will help you get a better idea of your needs, while at the same time getting to know your potential guide on your journey to better health.  What you will find is that many health coaching certification programs have a nutrition component.  Additionally, many certified NYC health coaches either start with a nutritionist certification or get one after they are certified as a NYC personal trainer.

If you feel that your life in general is a bit out of control and you need to get many things under control which in turn can help with your nutritional issues, than start with a health coach.  If you are looking for a more specific food plan and not to concerned with other lifestyle habits, then start with a nutritionist NYC.  If you really want to incorporate a fitness aspect into your program, you may even find a personal trainer with additional certifications in nutrition or health coaching.

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Food is fuel in the most basic sense of the word. People who live and work in a place as dynamic as New York City need to give their bodies the best fuel in just the right amount in order to get ahead. That’s not easy for the active professional who’s on the run from early in the morning until late at night. They know that granola bar and a can of Red Bull is not a healthy meal, but often it’s what’s most convenient. If this sounds familiar then it’s time to speak with a Nutritionist NYC.

Busy people face many challenges to keeping their energy up.  Everyday they are faced with the demands of a hectic schedule.  A nutritionist understands that.  Nutritionists are experts in the nutritional science. At a minimum, a nutritionist should be certified by an independent fitness agency.  However, you will find many holding a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related subject.  Almost all of them have taken courses in biology, mathematics, statistics, psychology and sociology.  Nutritionists are trained to know which foods or groups of foods/ingredients are healthy and which are not. They can create a healthy eating plan for various fitness and wellness goals.  They can range from helping people lose weight, train for grueling sports competitions or help in the fight against diseases like cancer.  They can even help design a diet for those who need to eat a nut-free or gluten-free diet.

A proper diet is a key factor in preventing many diseases and other health problems. A nutritionist can help the busy professional tailor an eating plan that’s the first step in taking charge of his or her own well-being.  Whether the goal is to lower blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol, a nutritionist will help educate their client on making healthy and safe food choices when sticking to the prescribed menu just isn’t possible.  This can often happen when traveling or at a business dinner.

Nutritionists should be advocating good health through healthy eating of whole foods.  If the nutritionist emphasizes vitamin pills and other supplements over diets rich in fruits, vegetables, or lean cuts of meat and fish, that should be a good indicator that alternative motives may be in place.  A committed nutritionist knows that good health comes from good food choices.

There are a few great ways to find a Nutritionist NYC.  Many people enjoy success through a referral from a friend or colleague who has used nutritional services successfully in the past. Often, fitness professionals network business with each other, so your NYC personal trainer could be a great resource, as they should know you and what your body needs pretty well. In special circumstances, it may be necessary to go through a physician or medical professional.  If you are starting at square one, you may find success by searching an online fitness directory for your New York City neighborhood.

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If you’ve ever been desperately searching for a rubber band in your desk drawer, exalted when you found one, but feel deflated the next moment when you begin to stretch it and the rubber band begins to crack and rip in an unnatural way for one you at not alone.  This should be easy to visualize and serve as an example of what happens to muscles that go unused, unstretched, and then are suddenly called into action.  The sudden call of duty can have painful results, that could have been avoided with a regular stretching routine.

The first positive you will derive from beginning a stretching routine is an improvement in flexibility and movement.  Nobody enjoys those first few steps when they get out of bed and everything feels stiff.  The last thing you would want is for that feeling to stick around all day.  Like a Weeping Willow tree, your posture is terrible.  If you have been stretching regularly, this type of early morning stiffness will dissipate shortly and you’ll be standing up erect quickly.  equally as important, improved flexibility allows you to reach more easily for things.  Your range of motion is better and your reach may even be extended by an inch or two.  For some who have taken pilates, they have even reported getting taller after a few months of performing the exercises.

A direct benefit of the elasticity that your muscles develop through stretching and the one I most closely associate with is injury prevention.  Reaching for and pulling on everyday items is when most people get in trouble from not stretching.  Simple gestures like reaching to open a door for someone or trying to get a box on a high shelf are typical beginnings for the story of the injured.  For me, it was in the middle of the night when I had to change bed sheets, that I overextended and hurt my back.  I do stretch regularly, but this moreover exemplifies what can happen when your stiff.  Out of a still sleep, I was performing reaches and pulling the mattress when my body was just jostled from sleep.  My back hurt the next day.  After a few days of stretching (ironically), heat, and ice I was back to feeling 100% again.  On a regular day, changing a bed sheet is not a problem at all, because I stretch regularly.  As an avid runner, I do not experience muscle pulls as a result of regular stretching.

Increased circulation can provide a number of benefits, including oxygen flow to the muscles.  The increased flow of oxygen can improve muscular endurance, because it provides more of the things your muscles need.  On the other end, the increased flow allows for the removal of lactic acid, other toxins, and waste to be done more rapidly preventing any buildup, thus carrying away carbon dioxide and other waste that can slow your muscle’s recovery.

We can’t all be like the cartoon character Plastic Man, nor are we expected to be contortionists. Whether you choose to work with a personal trainer NYC, or with an instructor who teaches yoga NYC, or pilates NYC, you can create and perform a great stretching routine to increase your flexibility and enjoy the benefits.

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