Countdown to 35: Part 3

Countdown to 35: Sliding Back, Pushing Forward

February may have been the shortest month, but for me it’s been the hardest so far. Between Valentine’s Day treats, many busy working days, and cold weather that makes me feel like snuggling down on the couch, I’ve really struggled to stay on track this month.

Did I back slide a little? Yup. I had a few days (ok maybe more than a few) where all I wanted was pasta. The combination of lack of sleep and stress made me crave comfort food. And I indulged in that craving a few days.

However, what I find important to remember is that just because I may have gained back a pound or 2 this month, it doesn’t mean I should throw it all away.

I think that’s a common trope when it comes to dieting. Maybe you sneak a piece of bacon or a donut in the morning. And once that happens, it feels like the rest of the day is screwed so you might as well just eat whatever you want.

I know this, because I think like this too.

However, during this process I’ve been really focused on not only shifting my habits, but shifting my mindset on how I look at food and “dieting”. And this way of thinking has been one of the biggest challenges for me.

I mean, if you spilled a little coffee on your shirt in the morning you wouldn’t say “screw it” and pour the rest all over you, right? Instead, yes, is a little coffee stain annoying? Absolutely. But is being covered in coffee going to impact your life significantly more? Also, yes.

I think that’s my message to myself this month. I had quite a month in February. It flew by quickly and contained a lot of very good and very stressful moments. A lot of the month I was just trying to function day-to-day, and I think I did a pretty damn good job.

As we head into March, instead of feeling guilty or down about not losing the weight I wanted to last month, I’m going to refocus and go back to the best practices moving forward. Will it be perfect? I can guarantee it won’t be. But it will be my best try!

FREE PT Screen at JTab!

Join Peter from DPR Dynamic at Jtab Training 9/17 from 9am-1pm for a FREE 20-minute screening session. Learn about exercises to prevent injuries, and stay at the top of your game. Scan the QR code below or click this link to save your time: https://calendly.com/staff-34/20-min-injury-screen?month=2022-09

The Power of 1

With Back-to-School right around the corner, everyone’s schedule is about to change. For some, Back-to-School season means more free time and a break from the crazy summer. For others, it means the return to tight schedules means less time for the “extras” like working out.

That’s where the Power of 1 comes in.

Don't sleep on "only" one HEAVY strength session a week. What it does is nothing short of amazing for your body and health.

• It keeps tendons, ligaments, muscles strong and resilient to injury, better prepares you for accidental falls, keeps you in the game (of life or sport).

• It "keeps" muscle while attempting to lose weight (at least one heavy lift a week is super necessary for a proper fat loss phase).

• It keeps you as strong as possible during a super busy time so when you get back to 2-4 times a week, you won't be too far behind.

What it doesn't do... it won't get you jacked, super muscular or ripped due to not enough volume or frequency. But if once a week is all that you can fit in, the pros far outweigh the cons.

Please reach out to me soon to set up an assessment to get going on your Fall schedules and fitness! You can text me at 401-529-5089 or email jtabstrength@gmail.com.

I can help, I will help, if you put the effort in. I'm motivated to help more people, are you in? Will you be one of the new Jtab members?

A Female Athlete’s Toughest Competitor: Food

Before I begin this blog, I would like to introduce myself. I am Catherine Schultz, a Junior Exercise Science student with a minor in Psychology and Nutrition. I am interning with Joey this summer to complete my second internship required by my college, Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. I am passionate about helping athletes reach their potential whether its in the weight room, nutritionally, or mentally. I have struggled with staying injury-free the past year and a half which is why I care so much about this topic. Eating quality food is what has helped me grow as an athlete on the track/course and in the weight room. I am now able to lift more than I could have imagined (also shoutout to Joey for the guidance) and feel stronger hitting my times on the course. With that being said, I hope that this blog answers some questions you may have and offers guidance to those who need it from someone who has struggled too!

Now, let’s dive into the real topic of this blog: food. I am sure many of you reading this question how, what, and when to eat. Don’t worry I have the same question too, but hopefully I can provide some incite on how I tackle these questions.

As a female college athlete, I have to make sure I fuel properly not only to achieve my potential athletically, but also to succeed in the classroom. If I am not fueling enough to exercise, I will never be able to do well in school. This is why staying on top of eating enough carbohydrates, protein, and fat is critical. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the three key macronutrients and are essential to our body’s functioning. Without them, health issues could occur, too much of them and health issues could occur too. Finding a perfect balance for YOU is going to be a game changer, literally and figuratively.

Let’s break it down further and give you a run down of how a day could go. I typically have classes in the morning to mid-afternoon. Starting off the day right with a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit like an apple or orange are my go-to. The oatmeal offers carbohydrates, more specifically with a low glycemic index to give me energy (carbohydrates are your main source of energy and low glycemic foods are able to be digested slower and cause a slow progression of sugar into the blood stream), adding a scoop of protein power or some nuts cover your protein needs (this helps with muscle growth, cell growth, hormones, and basically keep your body functioning), and finally adding some honey for fat (also helps with cell function and energy). In between my classes I try to add in a protein bar or a banana for a quick source of protein or carbohydrates. After my classes I eat a pretty big lunch before I do homework and then practice around 5. Making sure I properly fuel for practice is very important so I can run the times I want to. I try to eat a salad with some chicken and almonds for protein, quinoa for carbohydrates, and some vegetables too. I will also add in a small sandwich with meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato to cover the remaining needs. Right before practice typically 30 minutes before, I will either eat a high glycemic index carbohydrates (these cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and are digested rapidly) to provide a quick energy boost such as a fruit snack or a banana, but if I feel like I will not digest it in time, I will take a few sips of a Gatorade. After practice is the most important time to fuel! Helping your body’s muscles synthesize or in more simple terms heal and grow stronger is protein’s main job. A key point to understand though is to eat carbohydrates before you eat protein or your protein that you just consumed will be utilized as restoring energy. Carbohydrates are prioritized over any other macronutrient. On top of that, it is recommended that you consume about 20-30 grams of protein per meal to make sure you can achieve your nutritional needs. To achieve this, I may eat some salmon for my protein needs, rice or quinoa for my carbohydrate needs, and peanut butter for my fat needs. Finally, a tip to adding remaining protein may be eating a smoothie bowl or protein shake before bed.

To wrap this up, I would like to point out a few key takeaways. First, eating is personalized, no one person is going to be the same. With that in mind, you may think that you are eating too much, but trust me, you probably need to eat more than you think you do. Second, timing is important! Eating carbohydrates before you eat protein. Eating high glycemic index carbohydrates before you work out and low glycemic index foods at night and morning to help with your body’s processing of energy. Lastly, make it fun. If you eat the same food all day every day, it may be difficult to stay disciplined to eat the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat you need. Cancel

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing this blog

 if you have any comments or concerns feel free to contact me at:

Cschultz@mail.endicott.edu or (401) 644-2859

Guilt Doesn't Work

How many times have you overeaten and felt guilty about it? You’ve indulged in a large or high calorie meal and then immediately think that you have “burn off” those extra calories or you’re going to get “fat”. Well I’m here to tell you that the guilt trip doesn’t work. You’re still going to feel guilty, and you’re still going to overeat the next time. Instead, shift your mindset to “use” those calories for good, instead of just trying to get rid of them. Check out the video below to learn more!

Myth Busters: Strength training will make you look like The Hulk

I don’t want to look like the Hulk/Arnold/etc.

If I had a penny for every time someone (mostly females but some males also) said this to me, I think I’d be able to retire now.

Here’s the deal - raw and brutally honest. You can not, and will not, look like a bodybuilder by “accident”. There is 0% chance of it happening, and yes I will take those odds. This is especially true for people just starting out into strength training, however it applies to even advanced weight training people. Take me for example - Last time I’ve checked I don’t look like a big huge bodybuilder, and I’ve been lifting for over 22 years.

I know people see these huge bodybuilders in magazines/commercials/TV and think, “wow I don’t want to look like that, so I don’t want to strength train”. It’s Dr. Spencer Nadolsky says (aka the Dr That Lifts) - “When people tell me they are scared to lift weights because they think they will look like a pro bodybuilder…. I tell them that’s like being scared to drive because they think they will becomes a nascar driver.”

You don’t “become” a bodybuilder overnight, or even after years of consistent weightlifting. Simply ask all the people that are actually TRYING to become one. It doesn’t happen by chance. In reality, it takes years of heavy training (think 2-3 hours PER DAY) and super strict dieting (think 500-1000 calories a day) to achieve results like that - and most people don’t do those things on “accident”. 

In addition to the above it also takes….

LOTS OF STEROIDS! Yes, you heard me, female bodybuilders are all on steroids, male bodybuilders are obviously all on steroids.

So unless you are going to start lifting 3 hours a day, cut your diet to 500 calories and start sticking a needle of high dose testosterone/deca/steroid then you can COMPLETELY forget about looking like a “huge bodybuilder” any time soon.

OK, so now that we’ve addressed this myth can we focus on lifting heavy for all the health benefits that come from proper strength training? Besides weight loss/body toning strength training has also been shown to help you burn calories more efficiently, lower your risks of falls/injuries, improve your heart health, reduce your risk of diabetes, promote greater mobility, make your bones stronger, boost your mood and improve your brain and mental health.

Have you run out of excuses yet? If so and you’re ready to get started, reach out to Joey at jtabstrength@gmail.com or swing by the gym to learn more about a strength training regiment that will provide all of the benefits above, and won’t turn you into The Hulk.

My Fitness Journey - Weddings, Pregnancy and a Pandemic

I started my journey with Jtab Training in the spring of 2015. At the time my goal was to lose weight and tone up before my wedding that summer. I had never weight trained before, but as someone who had never been a fan of exercise, I was always on a mission to find something I could stick with.

I fell in love with strength training. In my 20’s it was a way to keep my weight down and look good in a dress. It was easy to stick to my 2 day a week routine, because the results were obvious and visible.

When I got pregnant with my first child in 2017, I used my time at Jtab to ensure I had a healthy pregnancy, free from as much discomfort as I could possibly be. And it worked! Toward the end of my pregnancy, I was in the gym just days before my daughter was born. The strength training I did while pregnant allowed me to have the endurance to push through 18 hours of unmedicated labor. I credit each of those workouts as giving me he strength I needed to get through those first few overwhelming weeks with a newborn.

After her birth, I was back  in the gym 8 weeks later. This time my goal was to get as close as  I could to my pre-pregnancy body. I used my time to restrengthen muscles that had laid dormant for weeks, and shed the excess fat that had accumulated from a few too many pregnancy cravings. It was tough at first, between balancing life with a new baby, a business, and a body that couldn’t do the things it used to. It felt like “starting over” again, building slowly back to up to weights that would have been easy for me pre-baby. But by sticking through it, I was able to hold an increasingly heavy baby, which become chasing after an increasingly mobile toddler.

Then the pandemic hit. And my goals shifted again. Working out no longer was strictly about how my body looked. It became an outlet for my sanity. It provided me a way to work through my frustrations at being locked in a house for months with a bored toddler. It was a way to process my emotions about losing my clients, one by one, as their business doors were shuttered from pandemic closures. It was a way to shift my attention away from the fear, and anxiety, and uncertainty, at least for a little while, and focus on self care.

However, like all businesses, the shut down of the Jtab gym and quarantine, meant I had to find this outlet at home now. And while that was good at the time, it meant that when the gym finally reopened, it felt like restarting again in a way. I didn’t have heavy weights at home, and going months without lifting them meant starting back towards the beginning again.

When I got pregnant again in early 2021, the plan was to continue to workout through my entire pregnancy. However, this time, things didn’t go completely as planned. Between a car accident that put me in early labor (and subsequently on multiple rounds of rest), and a toddler whose school was consistently being shut down during a Covid spike, I didn’t make it in nearly as much as I wanted to.

When my son was born in December, I realized what a toll this pregnancy took on my body. I had gained significantly more weight this time around, and now months of not working out  lead to a weak back, diastases separation in my core, and arms and legs that tired easy.

Now 11 weeks postpartum I finally returned to the gym. I am still 20 lbs heavier than I want to be, and can lift significantly less than I could before I left, but I’m ready to start over again.  My strength training journey has been a series of starts and restarts, but it’s been the only thing I’ve been able to stick with for all these years now. I may not always be where I want to be physically, but I know that staying consistent in my workouts is the only way I’m going to achieve my new goals. Goals which now include a little bit of everything - to stay strong and healthy for my kids, to maintain my sanity, and of course, to fit back into my jeans again.

I think the point of my story is to show that everyone’s relationship with working out changes and evolves over time. Your exercise journey is never a straight line up. It often includes hills and valleys, and could include multiple restarts, like mine does.

It doesn’t matter if your coming off of a pregnancy, an injury, an illness, or just a busy time in your life. It doesn’t matter if your goals are mental, physical, or to be able to button up  your jeans again. Jtab welcomes everyone, and will create custom programs to help you achieve those goals, and maybe surpass what you even thought you would be able to do.

My Favorite Upper Body Landmine Exercises

Today I thought I would start a new series where I show you some of my favorite exercises, and I thought I would start with a classic gym staple, The Landmine.

First, let me intro the drills with why I believe so strongly in The Landmine and why I use it with my gym. It is such a versatile piece of equipment that can be used in both upper and body movements. It also offers a variety of modifications that people of varying strengths and physical needs can adapt to.

The first of these movements is the shoulder press. Again, this movement comes with a variety of versions including a one armed press, overhead press and half kneeling. Check out the video below to learn more about these exercises.

The second movement would be rows - including a bent over row that takes pressure off the lower back for those who are sensitive there. You can do this both double and single arm. Check out the video below to learn more.

Want even more great exercises? Reach out at Jtabtraining@gmail.com to schedule an assessment and get into the gyme.

Change Your Rules, Change Your Body

I pride myself on being a simple person with simple rules. To me, there are some simple rules that should be “followed” if you want to be successful in life. Well, it is the same in the fitness/wellness/nutrition world also. For most of the US population, sticking to these simple and basic rules could get them the benefits they are looking for.  

Other than marathon trainers or competitive athletes, the rules I outline below will help you achieve your goals of looking better and feeling better (did I guess those right!?).

A quick note: When I’m talking weight loss what I really mean is FAT loss and MUSCLE retention.

Now, let’s get down the list:

1)    Walk and walk. If you are serious about losing fat, the recommended amount is 10-20K steps a day. Now why walk instead of jog or running? Again, we aren’t trying to get better at a 5k here, we are simply trying to lose bodyfat and retain muscle mass. Jogging and/or running tends to increase your hunger, which in turn leads to overeating and actually INCREASING bodyfat. Walking has minimal effect on hunger and cravings, yet will still get you the calorie burn you are looking for. So, WALK WALK WALK!

2)    Retain muscle mass. That’s a fancy way of saying LIFT WEIGHTS/STRENGTH TRAIN. Strength training has been proven to be the best way to retain/keep muscle mass, EXPECIALLY during a fat loss phase. Why is that important? First off, muscle mass helps your metabolism run, and doesn’t have as high of a hunger signaling as running/steady state cardio does. This means it helps you burn more calories all day, without making you want to eat significantly more. In addition is helps starve off age related injuries and diseases to help you still be able to do things well into your later years. Strive for 2-4 days for strength training per week. While strength training is important, you don’t want to overexercise during a fat loss phase as you’re going to be lowering your calories. Which leads to my next point…

3)    Lowering calories. You must lower calories to lose fat. There is no way around it and there is no secret way to get out of it. You can not out train a poor diet. To do this you can break it down into 3 sections: Protein- strive for about bodyweight in grams. Carbs- strive for about bodyweight in grams. Fats- strive for about half bodyweight in grams.  

As an example: 160lb, 50yr old Female trying to change their body composition without losing muscle mass

150    Grams of Protein

150    Grams of Carbs

60-70 Grams of Fats

Again, this takes into consideration that they sit at a desk job and only doing 1-3 hours of strength training per week (walking doesn’t count as exercise and should be done “most” days.  

Ready to start your fat-loss/body change journey? Reach out to me to learn more about how you can get individualized nutrition and workout plans to help you along the way.

Juices, Smoothies and Shakes - Oh My!

When it comes to losing weight, replacing meals, or creating a healthy diet, people often turn to shakes, smoothies or juices. They can all be included in a “healthy” diet but differ greatly. The ingredients, sugar count, and benefits can vary but can also overlap in different reciptes. Today, I’m giving you the basics of each and how you can incorporate them into your diet in the best way.

1)     Juices are most of the time vegetable, fruits, or a combo of the two blended or “juiced” together. Within this group one of the best options to choice from are the typical juices you usually get at a “juice bar” over a bottled one or juice box from the grocery store. These are usually the healthier of these options because you are getting most if not all of the fruit and vegetable (fiber, pulp, etc). This helps lower the blood sugar spike of these more concentrated straight fruit juice, and contains most of the “good stuff”. If you’re looking to hydrate with a juice, I’d suggest looking for a juice bar/shop to get your fix. 

Positives: Great phytonutrients/vitamins/minerals/antioxidents

Negatives: Can be high in sugar, especially if store bought or pre-made. Look for options that include the benefits from fruit, not just the sugar or taste. Juices are usually  low in protein and Macro dependent.

2)     Smoothies are tricky to categorize as they can range in their benefits.  Some with a straight fruit blend, can pack in the calories and sugar, but not much else. Others can incorporate protein powders or other good addatives. In this case you are getting a better blend of macros and not just carbs and a blood sugar spike.

Positives: If they contain protein then it can be a refreshing way to add to your total protein intake.

Negatives: Like juice, smoothies can contain a lot of sugar and calories, which can quickly add up to extra fat.

3)     The shakes we’re talking about here are short for protein shakes (not the ones you get at the ice cream shop). Although these can be the best Macro friendly option they can still be a sugar/carb bomb if not done right. Finding quality protein can be harder than you think, and certainly much harder than finding quality carbs and fats! Look for a mix that packs in the protein but isn’t flavored with sugary flavorings, and watch what else you add to it. Most of the time shakes have protein powders as a base then add other things like milk (or nut milks), fruit, nut butters, oats (or other carb powders for athletes), veggie powers, or even spinach. Done right you can add 20-50 grams of daily protein from one shake! This makes it perfect for those looking to increase their protein while still staying low in calories, carbs and sugar. A great meal replacement or additive to any diet. 

Positives: High protein and a lower fat/sugar option for many. Can be customized to taste or athletic needs.

Negatives: It can be hard to identify quality with the array of protein powders available.

If you have any questions or are looking to incorporate more protein shakes into your diet, check in with me over at Jtab Training for some suggestions. We stock a variety of types and flavors and can give you ideas on how to mix it into your daily routine.

Your Glutes Can Take a Shit Ton of Pounding: Are Your Glutes REALLY Strong?

Last week I was under the barbell doing glute bridges, taking a break after one of the 8 sets of 15 reps I was set  up to do that day of them. It got me thinking; How many reps was I doing? (120 to be exact) And how much total poundage (lbs) was I glute bridging? (around 24,750lbs combined, just on my glutes)

Now this may not be the norm for most people, but it really made me think that our glutes can handle some serious work (at least 12 tons in my case!).

Why am I bringing this up? Not every muscle can withstand a total beating like this. The glutes can. If you do too much quad work you can get an imbalance that might lead to back pain. If you do too much chest work you might get an imbalance that can lead to shoulder pain. The glutes (and the upper back) are muscles that can take a lot of work.

A big part of allowing your glutes to carry a heavy load without pain is proper stretching. Tightness in the lower body can often be attributed to hip flexors, and most of the tightness in lower body can be alleviated by stronger glutes. A very smart person once told me “Your hip flexors are stupid, just get your glutes stronger”.

Most people have tight hip flexors and constantly stretching them out is not the only answer. There might be a reason they are always tight (like your Glutes are WEAK). They are one of the major muscle groups that can, and probably should, get extra attention and extra work. They don’t need their own day (although some fitness competitors actually have a glute day) but definitely can take some extra hard work. And by work I mean heavy intense glute bridges, tons of lateral walks, and single leg glute bridges (among others).

Who doesn’t like a nice set of big strong glutes? The extra glute work you put in now will pay dividends in  the fall when it comes to filling out your jeans and leggings. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t want, or appreciate, and nice set of glutes. They make all the difference in your physique when you have a nice set.

So as we melt into the gym floor, let’s not forget that our glutes NEED and CAN HANDLE a shit ton of pounding and really get after them in the weight room. Add in some glute bridges, hip thrusts, and lateral band walks, and be sure to do high reps to make up for maximum toning. These three exercises in particular will work the glutes but not tax the hamstrings or quads as much. This means the glutes will get extra work from all the deadlifts, squats, lunges you are already doing… which I  know you are doing them already, right?

What the Avengers can teach us about life now, the pandemic and fitness? Pt 1. Life in a Pandemic

1)    “I still believe in Heroes” – Nick Fury, Avengers

And by heroes we mean all the people like the Doctors, Nurses, all Hospital staffing, grocery store employees, delivery drivers, cleaning crews, restaurant staff, and the many others who are keeping this country (and world) running. If you are trying to help out in any way, you are the Heroes and we believe in you!  

2)    “Whatever it takes” – Captain America, End Game

We are being called on to do whatever it takes to rid this country (and World) of this virus. Join together and let’s do whatever it takes to overcome!

3)    “There was an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if we could become something more” – Nick Fury, Avengers

Usually great things come from a group effort, so let’s keep united and fight as one! We can’t have people doing one thing and half the people doing another to fight this.

This also means keeping others in your thoughts when making decisions. Don’t hoard things you don’t need so other people don’t have to go without. Offer to pick up food for a neighbor who can’t leave their house. Share resources with those around you whenever you can.

4)    “Cause if we can’t protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we’ll Avenge it” – Iron Man, Avengers 1

If this isn’t relative now with protecting the Earth from this Virus, I don’t know what is. We can’t protect everything but we can avenge the pain that some have felt.

5)    “If we’re going to win this fight, some of us might have to lose it” – Barton (Hawkeye), Civil War

Unfortunately this rings true right now. Some of us have lost the fight but we will win the war over this Virus.

6)    “The city is flying and we’re fighting an army of robots, and I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense” He later goes on to say “But if you step out those doors, you are an Avenger” – Barton (Hawkeye), Avengers Age of Ultron

Make a decision and stick to it to be all in and help out during a crisis or stay inside and someone will come get you. If you can help, then decide how you are going to help and be “all in”.

7)    “With all that’s happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might need a little bit of old fashion” – Coulson, Avengers 1

After this is over, I think going back to old fashion communication might be in order. Re-connect with people, re-introduce yourself to neighbors, and town folk. Let’s re-learn how to speak in close proximity to people again.

It’s also the time to get back to some “old fashion” fitness in our homes. A lot of us no longer have access to fancy gyms and equipment anymore – but it doesn’t mean that you can’t stay strong.

8)    “No mistakes, no do-overs. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives” – Captain America, End Game

We don’t get do-overs in this life. Look out for your family, friends, co-workers during this crucial time. We are literally fighting for our lives or our family’s lives here.

9)     “The World has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is start over” – Peggy Carter, Captain America

We might not be able to go back to pre-virus days but we will start a new better life after this is over! Write it down, the World will be better when we “start over” and create a fresh start.

On a micro level, you can apply this to your day-to-day. Had a bad day? You can start over tomorrow. It doesn’t mean you have to totally give up on your fitness and nutrition goals, personal goals, or work goals because today didn’t work out as plan. Wake up tomorrow with a fresh start.

10)  “Today we don’t fight for one life, we fight for all of them” – Black Panther, Infinity War

Although we have lost people, we are still fighting the good fight to save as many as we can! So do your part to help the fight. Stay home as much as possible, social distance from those not in your immediate family, support local businesses when safe to do so, and look out for those who are the most vulnerable in our communities.

Don't make the wrong resolutions this New Year

It’s officially 2020! We made it to another year, and you’re probably doing the same thing you did at the start of 2019, 2018, 2017, etc..  You promise yourself that this year is going to be different. You’re going to eat better, lose weight and change your life around.

There’s an old saying that if you keep banging your head against the wall it’s going to keep on hurting. So, if these “resolutions” didn’t work in the year’s behalf, how is this year truly going to be different?

So many people have been riding the “fat loss program” rollercoaster forever. On January 1st they decided to go to the gym and just do all the cardio machines in an attempt to undo all their bad habits from the year before.

January, February, March, and April, they ride the “cardio train” with minimal body change results. They quickly become frustrated and give up, falling right back into some old bad habits.

During that time they’ve lost important muscle mass, destroyed their metabolism so it starts to work against them, gotten overuse injuries from “pounding the pavement”, and just ended up more tired and hungry from all the cardio.  That’s right, studies show that doing tons of cardio makes you eat more, makes you more hungry and usually crave carbs (to replace the energy you just expended.

Now the question becomes, if starving yourself and doing tons of cardio isn’t the best way to lose weight, how can you meet your goals in 2020 the right way?

Enter Strength Training….

When the focus is on getting strong(er) (getting more jacked, lean muscle, ripped… whatever you want to call it) there is a shift in your whole body and mind connection. You lose the stress of “worrying about losing weight” and instead know you are strictly focused on increasing weight and getting better each week/workout. Getting stronger is bettering your body = win/win!

Stressing out about losing weight all the time takes a negative toll on your body. It raises your cortisol levels to the extreme (which causes you to actually hold on to/gain weight) and kills your hormones.

Strength training helps to create a positive hormone response that will help increase your Testosterone levels and Growth Hormones levels, and regulate your Grehlin, Cortisol, Leptin levels needed for optimal performance, recovery, and health. All of these hormones are pivitol in losing weight and changing body shape.

Strength training also helps keeps (and increases of course) the muscle mass you have. This added muscle mass helps with metabolism, health, athletic performance, and even normal everyday tasks like going up and down stairs, walking around, carrying laundry, grandkids, etc.

And for those of you that just cringed at me using the term “muscle mass”. Gals (and even some guys) muscle mass does not been becoming a huge body builder. Can we stop fearing something that is so powerful, makes us badasses, strong(er/her) and more functional? Muscle mass is what literally changes your body composition and body in a good way. It’s literally what “shapes” us, whether you’re looking for long and lean, or bulky and muscular.

So in 2020, are you ready to finally make that positive shift in body, health, mind over to focusing on getting strong(er), more athletic, creating more muscle mass? If you are, then my team at Jtab Training is ready for you!

Jtab Training: 2020 News, Updates and Classes

1) Jtab Superhero 3 Day a Week Program is online for sale! $60/month, there are 4 total months worth of progressive power, strength, and functional muscle building workouts! If you start the beginning of January by end of April/beginning of May you will have a killer Superhero Body for Summer! Nutrition will be an additional service but discounted if you buy the Superhero Program. I will send you videos each month or coach you up on the lifts for the month when you purchase. The price reflects that coaching.

2) Speaking of Nutrition consults, I am available off hours for Nutritional Coaching one on one and soon will have group nutrition sessions.

3) Superhero Class will start up again on Sundays, 11am-12pm. Drop-ins are welcome, at least 1-3 months previous lifting experience is required but I can tailor it to intermediate (there are actually very few advanced lifters around, I wouldn't even be considered advanced). Price is $10/person. If you bring in 2 or more people I will give you a discount on your class.

4) Men's Power Hour will resume Wednesdays (starting January 8th). 7pm-8pm. This will be a 4 week package class, $40/per month. If you miss a class, it's on you to make it up during the week). Any additional info on this please message me directly.

5) I will take a few more online coaching clients. I will customize a program to fit your gym/home setup and ability. The next few clients will be $100/month if you sign up for 6 months.

6) I have a few more spots for in house training. This is where I have eyes on you and can coach each set and keep you progressing the way you should be. It is all semi-private training. First appointment is an assessment $60, then training is monthly "memberships" of $110/4 (once a week), $180/8 (twice a week), $235/12 (three times a week). I have not raised my in-Jtab prices since the get-go.

My prices for professional training and services are beyond super "cheap". I've had many people tell me I should be charging more, twice, three times as much. Although I know I should be, I don't so you WIN if you take that opportunity and train with me. You will not regret it! I've trained hundreds if not a thousand or two people and they will ALL tell you I'm worth it. Isn't it time to start investing in your health? 2020 can be the year you get in the BEST shape of your life or just another year you "get by" and sludge through it feeling weak, not able to do the things you really want to, not feeling confident at the beach, not being the best you, not living your best life as the kids say nowadays.. the choice is yours, all you have to do is be willing to put in the work and let me Coach you!

Don't have time to work out?

It’s the classic excuse. We can’t work out because we don’t have enough time. There’s always a meeting, an errand, a kid’s sport that takes precedent over exercise.

One of my clients recently wrote this note describing her struggles with finding the time to commit to working out, and how a slight mindset shift completely changed her perspective and got her in the gym.

“For many years, I struggled with how to balance my family, the commitments of being a sports mom, working full time and making time for exercise. Schedules/appointments/work/sports commitments ruled my days. It was a struggle and ultimately the other commitments were deemed to be more important. No time to exercise. I would make it to the gym whenever I could around my jammed calendar. I was stressed, tired and frustrated about life in general. I NEEDED that gym time.

My “a ha moment” came one day when I was looking at my busy calendar for the week What would happen if I scheduled my time in the gym on to my appointment calendar? If it’s on my calendar, I have to do it. Right? So, I scheduled my two days in the gym- just 2 hours- that first week for two days right after work. I

protected that time and treated it like any other doctor/dentist appointment, hockey/lacrosse practice or game , or any other commitment. It worked! That time in the gym was just what I needed. I felt better- less stress and frustration- and I was getting the exercise I needed.

So, I scheduled my “gym appointment”times into the calendar for the next several weeks in with all the other activities. That gym time -my time- was just as important as any other appointment on the calendar. Of course things pop up unexpectedly that may interfere with the schedule. I am very careful to schedule in a make up day ( Thank you for Sunday make-up days, Joey!). The gym time is that important to me. “

Sometimes You Have to Stop and Ask for Directions

Somewhere in the past it was “expected” that men knew how to do all the “manly” thing. This includes things like changing tires, fixing things around the house, “making” stuff out of wood, and lifting weights. And if you couldn’t do these things, you were looked at as a less of a man.

Although times have changed, this stigma hasn’t completely gone away. Here’s the deal, regardless of gender, people know how to do different things based on life experiences. Just because you haven’t had the chance to learn something yet, doesn’t mean your any less “manly”. Let me tell you a story:

It all started out in college as I was pulling into the parking lot in a hotel with my good friend Lauren. Yes Lauren is a female, which will prove my point in a second. I was about to take my first personal trainer certification test down in Miami (we were living in St. Pete at the time still). My tire blew and needed to be changed. I was a nervous wreck already having to take my test in the morning for something I was super passionate about, and didn’t want to deal with this now on top of it. Luckily I had my trusty friend Lauren there as she just started changing my tire in the parking lot.

I didn’t know how to change it or didn’t have the confidence in myself to do it all alone. At the time I felt embarrassed and like everyone that could see me was laughing at me. I wasn’t taking the lead in doing a thing every man “should” know how to do, right? But, regardless of who did it, “we” got it changed (yes I did help!), I got a good night sleep without having to worry about my tire, and passed my test in the morning! That is just one example of my short fallings (yes I’m short also) of knowing how to do basic things men are “supposed to be able to do”.

But, while I may not be able to change a tire, many other men do not know how to properly lift weights. (Another thing a man is “supposed” to do). The one thing I spent the most of my adult life learning and perfecting my technique and coaching skills is lifting weights. That is the area I can HELP men out. Sometimes it’s helping them with form. Sometimes it’s helping spot them during a heavy lift. And sometimes it’s just helping them streamline what a program should look like instead of just going to the gym and doing “everything and anything”.

I am here to say it’s ok to ask for help from a strength coach in designing, implementing and executing a good strength program. Sometimes we have to put down our “macho-ism” and ask for help in areas that we need it or don’t specialize in. I’ve had to ask for help many many times when I needed something done in the gym or even putting together a piece of equipment. We as men can’t be good at all handy things and it is ok to ask for help sometimes.

Your One-Stop Fitness and Nutrition Coach

Nowadays everyone like the one stop shop idea, cause everyone is super busy with life. Between the internet, social media, and binging Netflix our days are chock full. So a one stop shop for your fitness would be a great idea, right? Well if you go into your local favorite strength facility and work with a good strength coach, you get that…. Let me explain.

Strength coaches aren’t just useful when it comes to picking up heavy things. We’re also good at a few others:

1)    We make you strong(er)..  duhhh. That’s the obvious one so we will start here. Tendons, ligaments, bones, muscles, all connective tissues will become strong(er) using a simple progressive overload principle that most strength coaches employ.

2)    We help with Mobility/Yoga Flexibility. Would you believe me if I said stretching/moving through a range of motion under load is more beneficial than just stretching normally? It’s amazing when people say they are more mobile/looser after strength training. We also include some “traditional” stretches before you start or in between your heavy lifts to put the icing on the flexibility cake!

3)   We give you power. Why do we need power as we get older? We are not playing HS sports anymore, so it’s not important, right? Absolutely wrong and maybe more wrong than you think. Adults need MORE power work than HS athletes that have optimal power output due to their younger age. We lose power as we age, which is super important to try to maintain. Power output will help you go up stairs, help you catch yourself from falling down, and help you keep up with your Grandkids as best as you can. It also lets you create lots of “energy” or “force” with what you muscle you have. Power also helps with elasticity of your tendons and muscles. It helps your muscles bounce back and power forward when you have to go up multiple stairs or do multiples of the same movement.

4)    We teach you nutrition basics. There is tons of nutrition “info” out there but it can be really confusing. There are also many people that aren’t totally sure what a carb/protein/fat macronutrients are and why each one is important for proper health. That is where a Strength Coach comes in. How can you expect to eat “healthy” if you have no idea what to eat or what’s the best for your goals? We can go over the basics while lifting to get you a some great knowledge of how to fuel your body. If you want more info or a custom plan we can sit down together and map it out. Start with knowing the basics and it will lead to better nutritional health right away!

5)    We get you some great cardio work. Look no further than some finishers from your local strength coach AFTER you lift for your strength and hypertrophy work. Or you can include/count your hypertrophy work as your cardio if done correctly for more conditioning emphasis. Either way, a good Coach should be able to give you enough conditioning work for general fitness while still keeping it under your time constraints/needs. If you are training for a marathon or long race, it might need to be longer on some days keep in mind but for general “cardio” health it can and should be able to be completed within 15 minutes of your strength work.

Ready to dive in? Shoot Coach Joey an email at jtabtraining@gmail.com to schedule a time to come in!

Benefits of Strength Training for the Older Population

Strength Training is not only for the working class and athletes. It MIGHT be most important for the population that is heading into, or already into retirement and beyond.

Let me explain why it’s SO important for the baby boomer generation.

 1)    Power output- While we normally think that athletes are the only ones that need to train for power for their sport (baseball swings, volleyball spikes, hard football hits and powerful lacrosse shots), it turns out that this is just as important for non-athletes as well. As we age (some say anyone past 30) we lose power output (ability to generate force). This is crucial to get back as much as we can because power output has many benefits for older adults. Falling is one of the main concerns getting into our 70s, 80s, and 90s. If we have some powerful legs and hips still we can usually catch ourselves so we don’t fall and break or fracture bones. In addition, nominal tasks become much harder without power output. Powerful lower bodies will make even going up a flights of stairs. let alone carrying a basket of laundry up them, much easier.

2)    Strong(er)- Want to carry your grandkids around? You need to be strong to be able to do so. Want to be able to play around with your grandkids up and down on the floor and around the house? You need to be strong and mobile, all things strength training does for you.

3)    Injury prevention- Carrying your grandkids (or laundry, or other household items) around will bring big problems to your back, neck, shoulders if you aren’t resilient and strong. Getting strong(er) will help prevent injuries while doing these every day “life” tasks. You also want to be able to do those kinds of things long into the future, and strength training will allow you to be able to do those for years to come!

Those are 3 of the main, most important points to think about heading into retirement in terms of living your best life (as all the cool young kids say nowadays). Looking to stay strong and do so in a safe environment tailored for you? Every Tuesday 10am I am teaching this class, anyone retirement age and older is welcome! At $10/person per class it’s a steal to learn proper strength training fundamentals. Simply show up, or email jtabtraining@gmail.com for more information.

A Quick Circuit to Regulate Hormones

This circuit hits all the major exercises for maximum exertion and hormone regulation. High intensity workouts (like this one) help increase a variety of different hormones to help decrease stress, improve sleep, and balancing mood swings. It works all areas of the body and gives a great overall workout that you can do when you’re short on time.

It combines 4 different exercises that you should do in 12 reps for 4 sets.

1 - Goblet squats with moderately heavy weight - 12x4

2 - Bench press - 12x4

3 - RDL’s into Rows - 12x4

4 - Push Press - 12x4

Benefits of Strength Training Part 1

Yes, strength training can help you to look like a jacked superhero. I’m going to talk about some of the lesser known or even more important reasons we all SHOULD be strength training. Time to dive right in.

1)    Body awareness- We learn much about our bodies while exercising, and weight training might be teaching us the most. Learning to move well, with a good range of motion under load, teaches us coordination and movement patterns that will keep us limber.

As an example: We pick up objects up off the ground all day long, and probably use our lower backs every time. When you strength train, you learn through dead lifting how to move through your hips and pick things up with your legs, instead of your back. By bracing for external loads, strength training teaches body awareness better than any other type of exercise.

2)   Calories in/calories out, right? Not so fast Batman. Intense strength training also helps burn more calories in EPOC than most other forms of exercise. After a heavy strength training session, your body now has to repair muscle fibers which is metabolically demanding on your body. This in turn means your body continues to burn calories long after your workout has finished. It also helps you keep your muscle during a “cut” or “fat loss” period. As my friend Tony Gentilcore says, “What makes muscle, keeps muscle”. Strength training does both pretty well!

3)    Weight lifting helps your body use and burn off extra blood sugars and gives your body a better response to insulin. Blood sugars are the main sugars in your body from the foods you eat. Your body uses these sugars for most of its energy production. Weight lifting helps your body normalize blood sugars better than someone who is not strength training. Insulin is the hormone that controls how your body uses your glucose (blood sugars). Strength training improves your body’s sensitivity to insulin, thus creating a properly functioning system. When these things get out of whack, you increase bodyfat. (I am not getting into Type 1 Diabetes here).

4)     Self confidence. Like I said above, strength/weight training obviously helps you look more like a jacked superhero. But, even if this isn’t your aesthetic goal, you will notice differences in the way you carry yourself. Either from the pure fact you will be strong(er) and lifting some good weight, or from the small changes in your body composition, you will hold your head a little higher overall. Trust me, start hitting PR’s in the gym and see how your confidence goes up. Start seeing some muscles pop where they didn’t before and see how your confidence goes up. And to all this I say, “It’s ok to want to look better!” Working out doesn’t just have to be for your health (although that is an important reason)! Looking better and increased self confidence are amazing side effects as well.

There you have it, part 1 of my blog on the benefits of strength training. Join me back here soon for part 2!