30 Fitness Questions Asked By Almost Every Client
Below you’ll find the valuable answers to 30 questions that are asked by almost every active, passionate thing-doer at some point in his or her journey.
I’ve covered just about everything, so odds are good that we’ve addressed your burning fitness question or problem somewhere here.
This resource is for everyone. Be those who want to learn how to train, those who already train and those want to train smarter for results (not harder).
So go ahead, give it a try. What do you really want answers to?
Additionally, a polished version of this resource, called the Fitness Guide has been put together in an ebook format available to my email list if you wish.
*Not everyone will take action on the below. Many will even disregard some points made. I can assure you though, those that take action will get results. You wont if you’re not willing to learn, grow and move.
Fitness FAQ’s
This resource is broken down into the following four categories: on getting started right, day to day success, train smarter to make the most of your time, getting results to start losing weight, gaining muscle and feeling confident).
GET STARTED
For the most part it is supposed to be both challenging and enjoyable. We’ve all been at the beginning. So you can trust that there is always a community that understands and will support you.
You will easily find nutrients by eating a variety of vegetables (in type and colour). The moment you get enough nutrients you significantly reduce a lot of the common problem people have, like cravings, large appetite, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, mild health challenges.
Eat protein and fuel your body with healthy complex carbohydrates (examples include but are not limited to, whole grains, beans, brown rice, oatmeal) because otherwise you will eat A LOT of sugar.
Above all, don’t make it complicated. Stop looking for the “magic solution” that will get you there. It’s literally right in front of you.
The harsh reality is, if you can’t take my word for it you are in for a long journey. I’ve trained many clients over the years, many group fitness classes and established a fitness balance for myself. I’ve studied fitness. I’ve literally made it my business to know how you get can results.
One is to find someone who you can talk to about your journey and make yourself accountable to. Often all we need is someone we trust and feel comfortable enough to talk to without feeling like they are telling us what to do or how to solve our problems.
Two is to fake it until you make it. Act confident and no one will question you. There is no magic pill. You have to decide how badly you want to make a change. Start small and progress from there. Above all, remember that everyone starts somewhere (or has already started someone). There is always a community of people who will be able to relate to you. You just have to find them.
Three is to educate yourself (and be willing to do so). You can do this both for free if you want the long route or pay for services for the shorter route. No matter who you learn from, make sure you select someone who you know is educated in the field in which they are offering knowledge and services for. This is really important.
Four is to act positively. There is something positive in EVERY situation (I truly believe that). I write down every morning; 3 things I am grateful for, 3 things that would make the day great and 3 affirmations.
More importantly though, just start moving everyday. Each time you move focus on the task at hand. This is actually proven to be more affective then thinking about the end goal.
Lastly on a side note, I recommend that you check out this video. It’s not my own, it is a great resource to help us understand confidence (so that we can improve it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tk82hEHNnY&t=171s
You might however be someone who is already comfortable exercising and wants to make better use of their time training. The rules are different for everyone depending on your goals. Generally, for passionate thing-doers I recommend a combination of HIIT training, LISS training and strength training.
I always encourage my clients to be intuitive to what your body needs. You can only do this with some knowledge though. If you are tired then opt for a session that is reduced intensity but still gets the blood pumping. Fatigue can negatively affect progress and increase risk of injury.
But the goal is to get the blood pumping intense or not, everyday.
NOTE: Science has shown that someone who completes 30 minutes of exercise a day but is sedentary for the rest is at just as much risk of health diseases as someone who is not active at all. So I recommend you get up on your feet often throughout the day.
I personally “train” everyday. I usually complete about 2 – 3 strength session, 1 – 3 HIIT / cardio sessions and my rest days involve walking, adventure mode, stretching or intuitively knowing that for my rest day I will be getting up on my feet at least every hour if I can. This is usually 1 – 2 days of the week depending on my lifestyle and schedule at that time.
Looking at training over a whole year, I go through different seasons of training as should you. Depending on:
- Lifestyle changes such as; types of activities and adventures I am doing outside seasonally.
- Stages of training such as; muscle building, cardiovascular focus, maintenance, flexibility & mobility.
- Personal circumstances such as; high stress situations or what I may or may not have access to equipment wise.
As a general guide, if you are looking for lean muscle (or muscle endurance for sports) 2-3 sets by 12-20 reps is great. If you are hoping to build strength and muscle mass then 4-6 sets by 4-8 reps.
If you want to lose fat, you want to build muscle (whether it is endurance or strength). Muscle helps burn fat. Always.
*The world of repetitions and sets is a lot more complicated and scientific then that, however it is a great guide to get started today.
At home you would likely need to – over time – invest in some basic equipment and you usually need some more self discipline.
Some people are more comfortable under their own roof. Some people love to be social and get out of the house and in a gym surround by other people. You need to decide for yourself.
Whatever you choose, commit to it.
DAY TO DAY SUCCESS
TRAIN SMARTER
Be intuitive and know when to adjust the plan. It’s about creating a program that is really well thought out. Every session should have a really clear purpose and fit nicely into you training for the rest of the week.
Be willing to learn and find tools and resources that you want to learn from. There is a lot of noise out there. This is the hardest part. Trust your gut.
Also, see what you like. You can improve your muscle strength from bodyweight only training too. The possibilities are endless. Balance and consistency are key.
I highly recommend you sign up to my email list and read this provided ebook resource: How To Use RPE & Heart Rate Training Zones Properly
GET RESULTS
Depending on your goals and consistency, you can start to notice changes within a week or two. However, I recommend reviewing every two months for your state of mind and also to allow enough time to see if what you are doing is working or not.
A month (absolute minimum) gives you a much more statistically reliable measure as to how your body responds to certain things. Anything less then that you can’t truly say it didn’t work because you have not given it enough time.
I can almost guarantee you, if you looked at it properly over a month you will discover you did not move everyday and you didn’t eat 3 – 5 cups of veggies a day.
I also think you’ll find that you had some bad days, and tried to over compensate the days following. Then you got extremely overwhelmed at how difficult it feels because you spent 3 days overcompensating.
Write down every single day, what you ate and how you trained. Worry less about immediate results and trust that they will come with consistency.
Or seek help, get a personal trainer or someone on board to help you assess.
As a personal trainer, when someone asks me this question. The first thing I do is sit down and look at what they are doing. Almost always, they are not being honest with themselves, lack consistency and want to see results yesterday.
The common problem with not being able to see your abs is the body fat “covering” them. Do full body strength sessions and lose body fat to get abs.
I recommend you check out the goal setting post above though. Look a little deeper into the reason why you might want to see your abs, it will either help you get there with a lot of hard work and dedication. Or make you realise that getting abs aren’t actually that important to you. Either way, it’s worth doing.
Don’t calorie count. Because you don’t have to. I’ve seen adherence significantly drop and it can put most people in a very unhealthy and negative mindset. We know energy balance determines body weight (calories in vs calories out). There are MANY variables that make this confusing and shaded; perceived input vs output, genetics, physiology, metabolism, sleep, stress, hormonal factors, medications, health issues.
The above method from precision nutrition works. It will help you lose weight, build muscle, it’s practical, it allows you to look at your food and what you eat in a positive way. It works because it fuels your body and your health.
Purely because you get stronger so you work harder. A workout that is easier won’t get you results. Remember though, LISS training is often just what the doctor ordered if you are in need or a rest day or are particularly tired and stressed.
There are only a few of us trainers out there who don’t want you to diet and we get results. You need to learn how to eat the right nutrients and micronutrients for your body, health and mind. I guarantee the results will come when you fuel your body right.
You don’t need to diet. You need to make changes that will work long term lifestyle and create habits that work for you. I can honestly say I live a happy, body confident life and I love the foods that I eat (and drink).
Currently, science tells us that you can’t target fat loss.
How everyone gains fat and where individuals store fat (and lose fat) is different. I do recommend you include toning exercises, for that area, into your program to ensure you feel strong and tight in those areas if it is a concern of yours.
Eat right, move everyday and focus on strength exercises. The weight will start to come off if you trust the process and you will feel more fit, toned and body confident.
On your journey through health and fitness it is particularly important for you to acknowledge your own personal small wins.
Stop focusing on and comparing yourself to what everyone else is doing and achieving.
I have to make a conscious effort to do this regularly, it works and allows me to stick with program and never give up.
Seriously, you know that quote “don’t compare your chapter one to someone else’s final chapter”?
The best tool I have for you, is to take time every day at the beginning of the day to write down three things you are grateful for. Most people won’t do this. I promise if you make a commitment to try, you will notice a difference.
You’re welcome.
I thought you would never ask. You can apply below, complete the contact form and within 24 hours I will get in touch so we can see if it’s a good fit.
*Serious applicants only, who are ready to make a change today 🤙