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An Interview with Chris Pregony

Jun 15th, 2011 Comments Off

KEEPING IT REAL:  FITNESS TIPS AND ADVICE FROM SWEAT LIFE FITNESS MASTER TRAINER CHRIS PREGONY, BS, ACSM.

Every once in a while you meet someone who is in the profession that they were made for – you can tell immediately – they love what they do, they are good at it, and they make everyone around them better.  That, ladies and gentlemen, perfectly describes Sweat Life Fitness Master Trainer Chris Pregony, BS, ACSM.  He strikes a great balance between motivator, educator, and instructor.  He can push you beyond limits you ever thought possible – all with a smile on his face which lets you know he is in your corner.

Below is an excerpt from a one-on-one interview I did with Chris last week.  Get ready to learn from one of the best.

Dan:  What inspired you to make a career of personal training?

Chris:  I have always been an active person.  Growing up I would play outside all day – and when it was time to come home I was usually late because I wanted to stay out as long as possible. I became involved in organized sports at a young age and I really took to it. I enjoyed football the most, so that’s what I focused on through middle school and high school. Most of my training was centered around football.  I would lift weights, run, and do a lot of speed and agility training to get better. I attended camps and had an excellent weightlifting coach. My coach was extremely knowledgeable and taught me proper form and technique at a young age.  My passion and enjoyment of all things active carried over to college where I obtained my degree in Exercise Science.  I began using all the things I learned to help others find the same enjoyment that I have with fitness and training. The appeal that personal training has for me is that it allows me to empower others. It is very rewarding to help others build self confidence and take control of their health.

Dan:  You do an outstanding job of incorporating variety into your training programs – mountain biking, hiking, running – in your opinion, why is variety in a fitness routine so important?

Chris:  We live in a dynamic world where things are constantly changing. If you don’t add variety to your routine then you will become stagnant or good at only ONE of the MANY aspects of fitness. For example, a power lifter who can bench 400lbs and squat 750lbs is pretty strong. But can he run 3 miles?  How many pull ups can he do? Can he swim?  Adding variety to your program allows you to adapt to the different challenges life throws at you.  Here is a great example of how my fitness came into play a week ago: my flight was delayed which put me behind when trying to connect in Charlotte. By the time I got off the plane they were already boarding the connecting flight. I literally ran across the airport in 8 minutes (while carrying my luggage) and made my flight. If I wasn’t fit, I would have missed that flight.  Doing a variety of exercises will help you carry groceries, chase kids, do yard work, and have fun on vacations. For me, it helps me run, bike, swim, play football, basketball, tennis, Frisbee, rock climb, and hike.

Dan:  Motivation is a big part of achieving results and being successful.  What are some ways that you keep your clients motivated?

Chris:  One thing I have learned about motivation is that everyone is motivated by something different. Some people are motivated by me getting in their face and pushing them hard to the point of failure. Others are completely turned off by that and need more positive reinforcement. I find what works for each individual – whether it is weight loss, pants size, a race/fitness event, or a wedding – I find out what motivates them and then we focus on that.  Then, we constantly measure and track progress and re-evaluate their goals on a regular basis.

Dan:  Planning ahead and preparation are two necessary ingredients for avoiding plateaus and exceeding fitness goals.  Will you share your favorite tips for planning and preparing for success?

Chris:  Planning ahead is imperative to achieve your goals. However, I also like to leave room to “fill in the blanks” as you go.  Here are my Three Components for planning for success:

  1. YOU MUST MAKE TIME for your health and fitness – that means fitting it into your schedule no matter what.  “I don’t have time” is not a valid excuse.  Plan your workouts the night before, pack your workout bag the night before, and then DO IT!
  2. MAKE IT FUN.  Find things that you enjoy. I enjoy working out, but I’d much rather do something that is both physically challenging and fun – like running and biking on trails, playing sports, and canoeing and swimming at the springs.  All of these things are very physically demanding, but I don’t look at them as work because they are fun and I look forward to them.  Make a list of the activities you enjoy and incorporate them into your routine. 
  3. PREPARE YOUR MEALS IN ADVANCE. This is the only way to make sure you are eating and fueling your body properly.  I know my diet needs to consist of fruits, veggies, lean meats, nuts, and a little bit of dairy. So, I choose my fruits and veggies depending on the season (the Farmer’s Market is great for this) and I vary my meats with fish, chicken, beef, and turkey.  Plan ahead, choose real foods (not processed garbage) and be creative (try new foods and break out of your comfort zone).

Dan:  What advice would you give someone who is participating in an exercise program and wants to lose body fat and gain muscle mass?

Chris:  I feel that the formula for losing body fat and gaining muscle mass is relatively simple.  I am not saying that it is easy – if it were, we would not have 2/3 of our population overweight – but it is a simple concept.   If you eat right, like stated above, do at least 30min of moderate to vigorous activity a day, and lift weights at least 2 times a week, you will lose body fat and gain muscle mass.  More than anything you need to be active on a daily basis. That means doing some form of exercise EVERY DAY. Americans have become more and more sedentary which is the main culprit in the obesity epidemic.

Dan:  Thanks Chris, that was AWESOME!

Chris Pregony, BS, ACSM, is a Master Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc. in the Haile Plantation Village Center.  He can be reached at chris@sweatlifefitness.com for more information and training consultations.  We always appreciate and welcome your feedback and comments.

 

 

An Interview With Art Waters

Jun 7th, 2011 Comments Off

SECRET TRAINING TIPS FROM ONE OF THE BEST TRAINERS ON THE PLANET – AN INTERVIEW WITH SWEAT LIFE FITNESS TRAINER:  ART WATERS

I am sitting here with Sweat Life Fitness Master Trainer, Art Waters, MS, CSCS, CES. We are discussing training, nutrition, goals, obstacles, motivation, and movie quotes (of course) – just the regular everyday conversation topics around here.  Then, we have an idea.  Let’s turn this chat into an interview.  This way everyone can benefit from the discussion.  So that is what we did.  You are about to read some of the best advice out there from one of the best personal trainers on the planet.  Get ready to learn and be inspired.

Dan: Let’s start at the beginning, why did you decide to make a career of personal training?

Art: I’ve always had a passion for sports and fitness. I grew up playing organized baseball, basketball, football, and I always would spend my free time running around outside. I really enjoyed physical activity and started to learn about strength training in the 8th grade.  In college I became certified as a personal trainer to make extra money and learn about training others since I enjoyed training myself so much. It was a gradual process that lead me to becoming a career oriented personal trainer. From lots of learning and self discovery, I realized that my passions and talents were best suited to change others’ lives for the positive through personal training. I really enjoy empowering other people to improve themselves and overcome obstacles they never thought possible.

Dan: You have helped hundreds of people lose thousands of pounds of body fat and achieve amazing results, what are your keys to being a successful trainer?

Art: Wow, that’s a great question.  Here are my Four Factors for Success.

Discovery/Communication: It is imperative from the start to understand why that person is sitting in front of me. It is obvious they need my help for a reason. It is my job to find out what they are looking to accomplish and why they have not been able to do so on their own.

Setting Expectations/Communication:  I must explain to a client what to expect from me and what I expect from them.  Most clients should expect to keep a food journal for a certain period of time, work hard every session, and communicate any obstacles or barriers they are experiencing. In turn, they will expect me to check their food journal and provide constructive feedback, motive them every session to be their best, and establish mechanisms to overcome potential barriers. Finally, if a client does what I expect of them, they should expect to see phenomenal results.

Follow Up/Accountability: After settings expectations with clients, it is important to follow through and hold clients accountable.  As mentioned previously, if I ask a client to create a food journal it is important that I review the journal to hold clients accountable. If I ask a client to finish a training session with 20 seconds on the battle ropes full speed, they need to finish FULL SPEED on the battle ropes for 20 seconds.

Adaptability: As a trainer I must be able to adapt. Sometimes I have a vision for a client and we may hit a roadblock or obstacle. For example, maybe a client sprained their ankle playing a softball game and we had planned to complete a leg circuit the next day. Do we cancel the session? No. We can still train by adapting our program to rest/rehab the ankle and still complete a high intensity training session.

Dan: What advice do you have for someone who wants to ‘get in shape’ and lose body fat?

Art: Not to be cynical, but it is quite simple. Eat less and move more. People should adapt their nutrition intake to limit refined carbohydrates (e.g. White bread, Danish, Cookie), eat more lean protein (fish, chicken, lean beef, eggs), eat more fruit and veggies (apple, banana, spinach, tomato). Move more by finding an activity that is enjoyable (strength training, running, dancing, biking, chasing your kids at the park) and complete some form or combination of exercises for at least 30-60min 3-5x per week.

Dan: “I don’t have the time to exercise and eat healthy.”  We hear this often.  What do you say to someone in this situation?

Art: Why don’t you have time? Do you have time for yourself? Do you have time for your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend? Do you have time for your kids? If you don’t, who does? I likely would not be that harsh with a new client. The point is you have to make time. We all are busy; some of us are busier than others. Exercise is not just going to happen unless it is an inherent part of your career, so you have to schedule it in your day to make sure it takes precedence. If you don’t have your health, what do you have?

Dan: What are some of your favorite quick and easy to prepare meals?

Art: Simple and portable meals are what I like.  I choose organic and buy local when possible.

Some examples:

Low fat Greek yogurt (plain) with walnuts/almonds and fresh berries

Egg (whites), turkey, spinach, low fat cheese whole wheat muffin sandwich

Protein shake and a piece of fruit

Lean beef burger on 100 calorie whole wheat sandwich thin topped with fresh avocado and tomato

Reduced fat string cheese and an apple

Dan: Many of your clients have to travel for their jobs?  How do they stay on track while they are on the road?

Art: Simple.  Just follow the principles that we have established from the beginning.  Preparation is key.  Find out in advance if the hotel has a gym, what restaurants are nearby, and if there is a supermarket in the area where you can buy healthy food.  Then, you must:

Plan your meals/workouts ahead of time.

Eat every 3 hours or as close to this as possible.

Always eat a lean protein each meal.

Limit/avoid refined carbohydrates.

Stay hydrated (drink ½ of your body weight in ounces of good clean water daily).

Avoid/limit alcohol consumption (be sure to have a glass of water after each adult beverage!).

Dan: Awesome stuff so far.  Any final words of wisdom or advice?

Art: Take action and kick ass!

Art Waters, MS, CSCS, CES is a Master Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc. in the Haile Plantation Village Center.  He can be reached at art@sweatlifefitness.com for more information and training consultations.  We always appreciate and welcome your feedback and comments.

Live the Sweat Life!