Why you're not getting the results you want...

Besides being a passionate bodybuilder I also am a personal trainer.  I work personally with clients to help them achieve their overall fitness goals. I absolutely love being a personal trainer , I am able to fuel my passion into others and help them reach their goals.

Bottom Pic 2010 > Top Pic 2018

I work both as an online coach and in person trainer and work with a variety of people. Individuals looking to increase size, individuals who need help losing weight, people who want to grow muscle, etc.

However I have a few key things I want to point out to those who have been working hard in the gym and are still not seeing results.

- Stay Consistent: although you may work hard in the gym  when you show up, you cannot just sporadically come and go to the gym. Coming to the gym and working out hard 4x a month unfortunately is not going to get you the results you want. I always tell people to start slow. Challenge yourself to come 2x a week at first and slowly work up to 4-5x . Mix it up with weight training, cardio,  yoga, spin, etc. Do something to stay moving, it doesn't have to be tedious or boring.

- Food Matters: It's totally true, you are what you eat. Whether you're a bodybuilder, a vegan, vegetarian, or a person with no dietary preference; what you consume is what your body is fueled with.  When I start working with someone one of the most common things I hear someone say is "I'm not eating carbs" and I always ask why?! Why?  Carbs, fats and proteins are all essential nutrients your body needs to build into a solid physique. Pulling certain nutrients out can be detrimental to the body in the long term so be aware of how you are fueling your body. It is also true that everyones genetic makeup differs. Some individuals can run on lower carbs effectively (like myself) and others need a higher amount of carbohydrates to maintain a homeostasic balance within the body.

- Attitude and Mindset: Understand that any goal or lifestyle change takes time and consistency. Patience, ambition and a positive attitude will help you achieve your goals faster. Keeping your mindset straight and positive will help you stay focused. I get it though, life happens, slip ups occur. Remember we are all human. Do NOT beat yourself up about losing your routine. Simply get back up and keep moving forward.

-Time Management.  Two little words that are critical to achieving your goals. Two little words that have meant so much to me in order to get to where I am today.  It is something that we take for granted.  Time, we always think we have enough, we procrastinate and make excuses on things that we put off.  The statement "there is always tomorrow", "there is always next week" , " I'll start next year".  All these statements coincide with achieving your goals and getting to where you want to be in life.  In order to do what you need to accomplish, you must set yourself up to be successful.  This means creating a timeline for yourself and giving yourself accountability in reaching your goals.

Blah, Blah, Blah...  I know some of you want to yawn reading this because it is something that we hear all the time.  But as you are reading this, are you really listening to what I am telling you?  Create accountability, a timeline of sorts to keep you on track and routined to accomplishing what you always wanted to accomplish.  I get asked all the time, how do I find the time to get all that I do in. I time manage myself.  Scheduling to create effective results is essential for success. I am on the go from 5 a.m to 11 p.m. daily.  During that time frame I am getting meals in, training clients, getting my workout in plus 2 rounds of cardio.  I schedule yoga time, mediation time and even sleep time.  It is crucial for me to remain consistent with my schedule.  It keeps me on track and accountable.

Being 25, I love always being on the go and having things to do.  Keeping busy (especially during contest show prep) keeps my mind focused on my day ahead and never wandering to what needs to be done later on in the week.  I try to keep a day to day mentality.  Only letting the day ahead tasks influence my demeanor and letting the next day wait until it is time to come around.  This has not only allowed me to handle my stress much better as well, but things that are not in my control for the rest of the week are left alone until the time comes that I need to stress about them (if that makes sense).

How do you get into a routine where you manage time and consistency better?  I always tell people to start by trying to manage your bedtimes and wake up times.  Stay consistent and keep to the same schedule daily.  This also allows your body to adapt to the sleep schedule pattern making your bodies ability to utilize the sleep recovery from the day that much better.  Personally I had an issue when I first started trying to get to bed on time regularly, I used melatonin drops to help get my sleep pattern more regular.  From there start setting a routine for yourself - DO NOT OVERWHELM YOURSELF.  This means set a routine to start that is managable, and slowly you can implement additional elements as you begin to get acclimated with your new routine.