Getting Fit Online: The Good, the Bad and the Alternatives

I am doing absolutely all of my Christmas shopping online this year, and most of my personal shopping is done online too.

I pay my bills online, I work online. This past summer I took a course online. Except for the fact that I love to travel, I really don't need to leave my house anymore (I can even order groceries online and have them delivered).

The one thing that I thought I would always have to leave the house for were my appointments with the personal trainer at my gym.

Well, think again. He has recently gone online too!

No matter where I am in my travels, we can keep our appointments. I have to admit, I didn't have a good feeling about this -- sure, it was cheaper, but could it be effective?

My answer is "yes." Yours may not be. There are definitely pros and cons to this, but they all boil down to the individual.

How It Works

Among the biggest benefits of having an online personal trainer is that the training sessions are often scheduled via Skype or other video conferencing tools, video courses of specific exercise plans to suite your needs, along with dietary plans. In between videoconferences, there is regular email communication for questions and issues, and always the opportunity for additional video-conferencing. Unlike the usual gym sessions you can always ask that burning fitness question anytime. Or ask to have a look at your diet plan for next week.

The initial conference includes the "coughing up" of lots of physical information - specific information that the client will provide by following instructions for garnering it. Then the trainer will develop the individual program, based on the client's goals for weight and fitness. As the program moves forward, the client is expected to keep a log of workouts and daily food intake, which is shared with the trainer via video conferencing, or email one a week.

The Good

Access to the Best Trainers in the World.

Online workout programs been gaining popularity in the last few years and are now named as one of the key fitness trends in 2016.

Many of the world-class trainers have gone online. So if you want the best, and he is in South Africa, you can now have him. And if you are really into a specific fitness category, you can now find a personal trainer online who could not be found in your location. I have a friend who only wants Pilates training. She lives in a small town in upstate New York and her perfect trainer is in California.

Easy Access to Trainer Information and Evaluation.

Online trainers do advertise and they do belong to "clearinghouse" networks. Before you make a choice, you can get all kinds of information about them -- client reviews on social media, for example. You can access their social media pages and their websites. So, you really are not making a "blind" decision.

They Cost Is Less.

A top trainer is often booked solid. And as he gets booked, you not only wait for an opening, you are also going to pay a lot for their time - up to $300-400 per session. If they go online, however, this may be the cost of a month's worth of a program or even two months.

Flexible Time and Location.

I travel because I want to. Others travel for business -- a lot. Having online access to your trainer from any location is a pretty big benefit, especially if you have questions and don't want to continue with a specific workout until you get an answer. And you do not have to wait until you get back home to have your program adjusted.

Support Outside of Actual Training Times.

It's hard to get trainers to respond to calls and emails outside of your hour of time with them. In fact, most won't do it without extra fees. Online trainers operate differently. They are available during reasonable hours and will respond to your calls and emails. In my case, I was getting replies as early as 6:00 a.m. and as late as 23.00 pm.

The Bad

You've probably figured most of these out already, but just in case I think it's worth reminding of the cons.

No One Spotting for Technique.

Using the wrong technique negates a workout and can even be harmful. For this reason, most online trainers do use Skype and initial video instructions, however they can't be with you during each workout session and monitor all your actions.

Possible solution I have practiced -- recording myself doing an exercise on video and sending that to my trainer for assessment.

How Progress Is Evaluated.

This requires honesty from the client, because it's easy not to be honest. A trainer can only go by the information provided, so if a client "fudges," it is the client who will suffer, and an online program won't work. So, yes, you'll need a lot of motivation and self-diligence to make it work for you. After all, like with any other type of training -- you need to have a clear vision goals if you want to succeed.

Motivation.

This is the other element of potential failure. Clients who meet with their trainer face-to-face will be motivated to keep up the program, or face the criticism. And skipping sessions is so easy when no one's exactly watching you. So, yep, you need to have a huge tone of fitness motivation when you choose to workout online.

The Alternatives

There are some middle grounds between going to the gym and going fully online.
For instance, getting a fitness plan from a personal trainer and nutritionist consultations and using YouTube to find video exercises. There are plenty of amazing channels to follow!

Some companies are now offering on demand video exercises and guides that are custom-made for you.

It almost seems as if this is a natural extension of the earlier and still-used video workouts and exercise programs that customers order and play at home while they workout. Taking things to the next level by hiring a remote personal trainer is a bigger commitment. It is definitely not for everyone. It works for me because I am really committed.

It hasn't worked for a lot of my friends, because they just don't have the self-discipline to work out and stay on a diet without face-to-face supervision -- sort of like the student who misbehaves when the teacher leaves the room.

What are your thoughts on online personal training?

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Holly Holm Meets Jay-Z and Beyonce, Promptly Forgets Beyonce's Name

Mrs. Jay-Z?

Holly Holm meets Beyonce and promptly forgets her name.

Morning, gents. Here's the latest in cool stuff from around the Internet to kick off your Thanksgiving weekend on Wednesday, Nov. 2:

"Mrs. Jay-Z" Is the Wrong Answer: Holly Holm might have shocked the world with her second-round knockout of Ronda Rousey, but the newly crowned MMA champion is still adjusting to the spotlight. Case in point: On the red carpet at the Cotto-Alvarez fight in Vegas on Saturday, she introduced herself to Jay-Z and then asked Beyonce—a woman so famous she doesn't even use a last name—what her name was. "As I am shaking her hand, I am thinking, 'Why did I just say that?'" she told KRQE. Oh, and for future reference: You bow before the queen, Holly. [Washington Post]

Your Pre-Thanksgiving Workout: Just in time for the holiday season (and all the associated food binges), we're rolling out the Holiday Gut Check Workouts, a series of quick workouts designed to incinerate all those extra calories with plenty of time to shuttle between holiday parties. And if you choose not to celebrate this most American of holidays, the workouts are still perfectly good. [Men's Fitness]

The Ultimate Recovery Meal: This might sound like heresy, but it's 100% possible to craft a flavor-packed Thanskgiving meal without loading up on all those unnecessary fat-and-sugar bombs. For the best Turkey Day recipes that won't wreck your six-pack, check out our "Feast Like a Beast" feature. [Men's Fitness]

For Everyone on Your List: Look, even if you're one of those guys who enjoys shopping, there's a certain amount of stress that comes with picking out the so-called perfect gift for everyone on your list during the holidays. We're here to say: It doesn't have to be that way! Check out our 2015 Gift Guides, hit up the Internet, and retake your gym time on Black Friday. [Men's Fitness]

Crushin' Some Nuts: Jim Harbaugh, the famously khaki-clad coach of Michigan football, took part in the team's ritual smashing of a buckeye seed—the symbol of arch-rival Ohio State—on the grave of his predecessor, Bo Schembechler. It's an annual tradition for the Wolverines, but the first time a coach has joined in. If none of this is making any sense, that's okay: It's college football. [The Detroit News]

Manziel Benched: Johnny Manziel, better known as "Johnny Football" from his days quarterbacking Texas A&M, has been demoted from starter to third-string status on the Cleveland freaking Browns. Sucks, too, because "Johnny Benchwarmer" just doesn't have quite the same ring to it. [CBS Sports]

Marvel News, Part I: Marvel just dropped the hotly anticipated first trailer for Captain America: Civil War, the third movie in the Cap franchise, which sees the star-spangled hero (a somewhat thinner-looking Chris Evans) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) face off against Tony Stark's Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.). Watch closely and you'll catch a glimpse of Black Panther.

Marvel News, Part II: The comic/film studio juggernaut announced yesterday that the wheels are in motion on Doctor Strange, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular hero (some combination of Sherlock Holmes and Alan Turing, probably), plus Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, and Mads Mikkelsen.

 

Doctor Strange begins production! Get the full cast list and more, now: http://bit.ly/1NbIJNS

Posted by Marvel on Tuesday, November 24, 2015

The Real Reason You Want to Nap After Thanksgiving Dinner

Food Coma

Turkey may not be the cause of Thanksgiving sleepiness.

For as long as anyone can remember, turkey has gotten the blame for our post-Thanksgiving nap. But it turns out, the bird may not be guilty after all.  The all too familiar “food coma” we experience is due to the large quantities of food in general. That includes turkey, but also stuffing, potatoes, and pie, according to research from the Loyola University Health System.

That means tryptophan, the essential amino acid protein building block, is off the hook. 

Kim Sasso, a registered and licensed dietitian at Loyola University Health System, said in a press release: "Because of transport and breakdown, not enough tryptophan will reach the brain to cause sleepiness after a holiday meal. Likely, the stressful hustle and bustle of the holiday, travel schedules, alcohol indulgence and cooking tasks will contribute more to fatigue than a few slices of turkey."

Plus, turkey doesn’t really have exorbitantly high levels of the amino acid when you compare it to other common foods, like soybeans, eggs, and even chicken.

So, enjoy your turkey on Thanksgiving in a moderate portion and you won't need the nap. That said, naps are actually pretty great for you. Here are 20 reasons you should take one after Thanksgiving dinner, or really any time. 

Just be sure you get back on the wagon come Friday. Here are the do-anywhere routines you need.

 

How to Stay Fit and Healthy During the Holidays

It's that time of year, which signals it's almost the end of the year and also the time when your calendar becomes bombarded with holiday events. Whether you're attending an event being hosted by friends, families or being hosted by you yourself, your nutrition and exercise regime may become wayward..

With such a hectic and quite possibly erratic schedule, you ask, "How am I suppose to fit exercise and healthy eating in such a festive season?"



If you're accustomed to training at least 60 minutes a day how about reducing this time to 20-30 minutes instead. Short bursts of high intensity workout can do wonders for your metabolism and of course leave you feeling energized and refresh to mingle with pals and family. They are also fun as they can be done anywhere, anytime.

Try this quick interval circuit routine. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds then repeat the same circuit two to three times. (Please make sure to warm up prior to exercise and cool down after).

Jump Squat
Plank
Wide Leg Squat
Run On The Spot
Mountain Climber
Jumping Jack
Close hand push up

Next on your checklist is to find the time during this hectic time to eat healthy. Some may opt to skip meals or even drastically reduce their caloric-intake in hopes of indulging later during their festivities. This will actually derail your progress instead of helping you stay on track.

With late nights due to celebrations, early mornings to complete the day's work and dinner parties (yet again!), your focus on preparing and eating healthy may get stretched a little too thin.

Instead of pulling over to a fast-food joint and fueling your body with unhealthy quick fixes, how about fueling it with healthy snacks? Most grocery stores offer extended hours during this busy time of the year... So there's really no excuse!

Fruits as well as raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are healthy options and they will keep you full. Make sure to fuel up on these before heading out to any of your events (you'll be less inclined to lose control and inhale unhealthy appetizers once you get there)!

Remember, holidays are about having fun with friends and family. And, of course, this fun usually includes way too much food and a few alcoholic refreshments. Don't be hard on yourself.

You can certainly indulge and have a few cheat meals... just be careful not to go overboard. Remember that getting back on the wagon is often harder than falling off of it.

Let me know if you tried any of these tips, how they worked for you or if you have any other great tips to keep on track over the holidays.

Happy Holidays from Body Envy!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

You're Doing Lunges All Wrong

The lunge is one of the foundation movements for fitness workouts. When done correctly, lunges can help strengthen the hamstrings and the glutes -- which is why they are commonly used in running warm-up routines.

More: How to Meet Your Fitness Goals on a Budget

In this week's installment of Rodale Wellness' Right Way series, we're going to break down perfect lunge technique:

1. Start standing tall, feet together, core engaged, shoulders back.

2. Lift one leg off of the ground, and take a large step forward. Then, begin to lower your body toward the ground until your thigh is parallel to the ground below, forming a 90-degree angle at the knee. Make sure your back knee is only a couple inches above the ground, and your front knee is directly above your front ankle.

More: What's the Best Time of Day to Exercise?

3. Push back to your starting position with the heel, not letting the toes drag on the ground.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

Jon "Bones" Jones Reveals His Insane Body Transformation After Powerlifting for Only 7 Months

Muscle and Bones

Jon Jones has transformed his body in just seven months.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones seems to be making a transformation with his shredded new physique—and with his life.

Jones—once the “youngest champion in UFC history,” per his website—has faced a tumultuous year. In April, he was arrested for fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run car accident, for which he was suspended from UFC and stripped of his light heavyweight title belt. He ultimately pleaded guilty after turning himself in to authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

6 UFC Full-Body Workouts For Strength, Endurance, and Fat Loss >>>

But Jones, arguably the best UFC fighter in the sport’s history, is on the path to redemption. After serving his sentence of community service and being reinstated to UFC, Jones is making a comeback with his new training regimen—and he’s sharing the results for everyone to see.

 

 

Started powerlifting June 1, 2015. In just about seven months of training four days a week, my body has made a complete transformation. I want to send a sincere thank you to @mr_nfp @nez_hoover @zia_nfp for being such an amazing program and pushing me to this new level of fitness. Off season 2013 vs off season 2015. Five more months to prepare for this win. I'll be sure to be at my best April 23rd #NewLevels 

A photo posted by Jon Bones Jones (@jonnybones) on Nov 18, 2015 at 9:22pm PST

 

As he hints in his Instagram post, Jones is preparing for a championship fight in April—UFC has made no formal announcement—when he plans to get his belt back. He’s been powerlifting to get back into shape, and it shows: He looks utterly shredded.

And this is only phase one of his transformation. “Many good times to come @mattcarroll_ct #TeamGat #GAINS weighing 228lbs right now excited to see how I feel when I start to cut,” reads the caption of another post uploaded by Jones just a day earlier.

Conor McGregor Thinks Donald Trump "Can Shut His Big, Fat Mouth" About Ronda Rousey's Loss >>>

I'm Male, I Have a Six Pack, I Teach Fitness, and I'm Insecure

I hate being called skinny. I also hate slim. Svelte is growing on me but it isn't my absolute favorite. If I had my way I would look like Dwayne Johnson. Muscle mass that sits on top of muscle mass. My name is Matthew Johnson Harris and I am a fitness instructor in multiple formats. Men and women compliment me on my body on a daily basis. Little do they know I struggle with my own personal body image.

Tyler Kingkade (Huffington Post Senior Writer and Editor) made waves with his article "I'm a Man, And I've Spent My Life Ashamed of My Body" on the Huffington Post. As I read his piece I instantly empathized with him. I wanted him to know that the guy with the six-pack he admires is just as insecure.

(Group Fitness Instructor Matthew Johnson Harris -- Photo By Chelcy Harrell)
I spent my high school years overweight. I attended a predominantly white high school in a suburb in Texas and I was cast as Santa in the annual school Christmas Concert. When your weight trumps racial tensions and "traditional" ideas of Santa you know you are overweight, so I decided to make a change. My mom owned an old fashioned stepper that she purchased at a garage sale. Every morning I would do an hour step aerobic workout and before the summer had ended I had dropped 35 pounds. I knew nothing about weight training or gaining muscle so I purchased a copy of Men's Health magazine and used it as second bible, and I became obsessed with fitness. My life has been filled with devastating obstacles and my workouts became my therapy. Three years ago I decided that I wanted to share my passion for fitness with others. I have worked at some of the best gyms in the New York City and still find myself struggling with my body image. Due to the high velocity of cardio classes that I teach, it is hard for me to maintain muscle and I constantly struggle with the idea that my body is too skinny and not masculine enough.


(Graphic By Matthew Johnson Harris)
November or "Movember" is a month dedicated to getting men to take better care of themselves with fitness boutiques all over the country offering special promotions and events to get men moving and thinking about their overall wellness. I used my platform to pick the brains of my favorite male students. Often, when approached, men just don't know how to talk about body image. It is almost shameful to acknowledge such an insecurity. They may ask you how many reps it took you to get your arms or abs but they won't flat out say that they feel areas on their own bodies are inadequate. I reached out to some of the fittest guys I know to gauge their thoughts on male body image and asked for advice on how they deal with their own insecurities.

(Group Fitness Instructor Jamal Smith)

Jamal Smith is a fellow fitness instructor and friend of mine. He is 6'3 and 220 pounds. If I went to bed tonight and woke up as Jamal tomorrow; it would be a dream come true. He is my ideal body type. On top of that he carries himself with a laid back charm and exudes an extremely approachable energy. Everyone who takes his class leaves inspired and wanting to be more like him. I assumed he of all people must be comfortable in his own skin. I was stunned when he told me that he wasn't a fan of his own body. "There are other body types that I aspire to have," Jamal simply stated. His honesty was refreshing.

As men, we are expected to be both physically and emotionally strong. To express negative thoughts about body image comes across as trivial, effeminate, and selfish. We fail to realize that unless we mentally and physically take care of ourselves, we are not fully able to take care of others. Edwin Velez says the right amount of selfishness and honesty about your self image is the most important key to making any kind of change.

(Personal Trainer and Spokesperson Edwin Velez)

In April 2014, Edwin Velez made national news when he lost 100 pounds in four months (Watch him discuss his journey on Good Morning America). He did it all with no trainer or guidance. Just a determination to get things done and an ability to put his health at the top of his priority list. He offers his advice to people who would want to make the same journey. "I would say you have to make the decision to change for yourself. We tend to try to make everyone happy and do the thing for the wrong reasons. There is nothing wrong with placing yourself first." Edwin currently resides in Alabama and I have no doubt that he will be one America's top trainers.


(Former Body Builder and Personal Trainer Keyon Roman Powers)
So what happens when you place yourself first, put in the work, and reach a physique that is "admirable"? Do the insecurities quiet down? Keyon Roman Powers is a former professional body builder and takes on this question. "I am admittedly insecure about my body. Once you have reached a certain level of fitness aesthetics you are held to the standard of maintaining or being better than where you are." Gentlemen, Keyon Roman Powers, who I playfully call Mufasa, is insecure with his body. His quads look like they swallowed to Watermelons!

So what can we do to help battle these never ending thoughts of inadequacy? I think the answer lies with Zach Miko. Zach and I used to serve tables together in New York City and now he is making a name for himself as America's First Male Plus Size Model. He is 6'6 and 275 pounds and has always been the "big guy". He endured years of disappointments while pursuing his acting career because of his physique. This year he landed his breakthrough moment modeling for Target. His message is simple. Love yourself and realize that your body is specific to you.

(Actor, Model, and Musician Zach Miko)
"I like being the big guy. I'm happy being the big guy. I've been trying to change for years because that is what the industry has told me I should do. I just want to set a different standard." says Zach.

There is always going to be some type of idealized fantasy on the perfect male form. Some are based on societies ideas and others are based on our own definition of masculinity and attractiveness. If you don't like something about your appearance then there are many options to change it. Just know that it starts a race to perfection that never seems to end.

Some physical goals won't ever be achievable. I won't bore you with talk of genetics but some goals are not achievable based on good old fashioned science. When men approach me with admiration for a certain physical attribute I do something that isn't popular in my profession. I let them know that results may vary. I try to shift their fitness goals to being more functional and efficient in day to day life. Can you pick up your toddler without blowing out your back? Can you walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded?

I haven't fully come to terms that I will never look like Dwayne Johnson but I am happy to report that I am getting used to being Matthew. Whether there is a six pack or a keg under your shirt -- self acceptance is the ultimate goal.

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