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TELLING IT LIKE IT IS: An Interview with Katie Roberts, MS, USAW-CSPC, TRX

Jul 21st, 2011 Comments Off

Katie Roberts, MS – Physiology/Kinesiology, USA Weight Lifting Certified Sports Performance Coach, TRX Suspension Training Certified Trainer, is a Master Level Personal Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc.  Katie is the real deal!  She practices what she preaches and gives it to you straight.  She has a unique ability to command hard-work, dedication, and a lot of sweat from her clients, but at the same time, cultivate a sincere and caring relationship that goes beyond the gym.  Katie is always in your corner – educating, coaching, and pushing you to thresholds you never thought possible – and with a smile the entire time!  Today, Katie shares with you a few of her training secrets and guidelines to get you (and keep you) in the best shape of your life.

Dan:  What are your keys to living a healthy and active life?

Katie:  Setting priorities and doing something I truly enjoy are my keys to living a healthy & active life.

I talk to countless people every day who want to live healthy, but are afraid to start.  The most common reasons I hear for not starting a healthy and active life are: a lack of time and a ‘dread’ for going to ‘the gym’.  Although these may be valid excuses sometimes, you cannot allow them to dictate your desires to live healthy. I avoid these excuses in my own life by acknowledging that an active, healthy lifestyle is a priority that pays off.  When an active lifestyle is the priority, the other things that are important to me seem to fall into place–I am more productive at work, I have a positive attitude towards those around me, and I have a lot more energy!

Also, I have to enjoy what I do—this is just as important (if not more important) than prioritizing the important things.  I have been in that place where I dread the gym.  I used to think I needed to run miles and miles on a treadmill at the gym to be fit; it was not until I realized that I could be fit doing what I love, that I began to enjoy being active and exercising on a regular basis.

Dan:  What advice do you have for someone who is looking to lose body fat and gain muscle?

Katie: Neither goal will come without focus, hard work and a diet that is on point.  I say “focus” first and foremost because I believe one must prioritize the two goals—because that is exactly what they are—two goals.

While the training program and its specificity are important to both goals, the diet component is huge.  When I talk to my clients about what they should be eating, I consider their goal as the basis for any guidance that I give.  When fat loss is the goal, a caloric deficit (calories in<calories expended) is necessary.  When a client wants to gain muscle, I recommend a higher intake of quality calories that will support muscle building and fuel the training sessions.

In general, one must be willing to work hard and remove the word “shortcut” from his/her vocabulary.  Training hard and keeping the diet full of “whole,” un-processed foods is a good start to achieving both of these goals.

Dan:  A follow-up question.  We all know that proper nutrition is an integral component for success, so what are some tips that you follow to make eating “clean” a little easier?

Katie:  Plan and Prepare! I find that when I follow these simple rules of thumb on a weekly basis my ability to eat clean sky-rockets! You must put in some work on the front end, but the payoff throughout the week is fantastic!

  • Make a grocery list- Think ahead about what meals you will prepare for the week.  In addition, break down each day to estimate how much and what type of “snack” foods you will need.  Fruits, Veggies, Nuts, Hummus, and other WHOLE foods are great for snacking.  Shopping from a list will help prevent you from buying a bunch of random foods that you don’t need or foods that can sabotage your efforts.
  • Pre-cook your chicken/protein- I keep cooked chicken breasts on hand so that I have them prepared for 2-4 days.  This is a great way to have easy access for a snack (yes, I eat chicken as a snack J) or a meal.  You are more likely to make a good choice if that good choice is convenient.
  • Find variety- I continually try new fruits and combinations of foods to keep my diet varied.  This prevents boredom and also helps to give my body a variety of vitamins and nutrients.  Go online and find recipes to try—I have found many great new “clean” meals through Google: “Paleo Recipes.”
  • Buy Tupperware- I find that when I pre-wash and/or pre-cut my fruits I am more likely to incorporate them into my diet throughout the week.  When I pre-wash, cut, and put the food in a container, it keeps me from wasting those fruits/veggies that may otherwise spoil.

Dan:  What are a few of your favorite result-getting, calorie-burning exercises?

Katie: I am a fan of the classics—Squats, Deadlifts, Push-Presses, Pull-ups and Lunges!  The main reason I love these exercises is because they are deceiving to most clients.  Squats may seem like strictly a lower body exercise, but believe it or not, they train the whole body and recruit many more muscle groups than those in the legs.

As a trainer, I enjoy “tweaking” the classics to cater to each client.  Some of my favorites are:

  • Lunges with an overhead press or overhead hold
  • Push Press Burpees
  • Burpee Pull-ups
  • Squat to Jumping Pull up

The list goes on, but I have to keep some magic tricks to myself!

Dan:  Great information Katie, thanks for sharing it with us.

Katie Roberts, MS, USAW-CSPC, TRX, is a Master Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc. in the Haile Plantation Village Center.  She can be reached at katie@sweatlifefitness.com for more information and training consultations.  We always appreciate and welcome your feedback and comments.

Live the Sweat Life!

 

An Interview with Kourtney Gallivan: Fitness Tips and Secrets from a Full-time Working Mom

Jul 12th, 2011 Comments Off

 

Kourtney Gallivan, MS, ACE is a former University of Florida gymnast and has been a certified personal trainer for 11 years.  Oh yeah, and she is also a full-time working mother of two beautiful young twins!  So, when Kourtney speaks of making time to eat healthy, train consistently, and set goals – she is a living and walking example of how to do it.  Kourtney greets all of her clients with a big smile and a contagious enthusiasm that lets them know that she is dedicated to them and their goals.  She educates and inspires them along the way, helping them break through barriers and create lasting physical and mental change in their lives.  In our interview, Kourtney shares some of this knowledge and her secrets to success.  Enjoy!

 

Dan:  When and why did you decide to become a Personal Trainer?

Kourtney: I became a certified personal trainer in 2000, starting at the local YMCA in upstate NY between undergraduate and graduate school.  Fitness has always been a part of my life.  I was a competitive gymnast from the age of 5 through college.  I had a passion for gymnastics, but as I got older I really enjoyed the strength and conditioning aspect of being an athlete. I am fascinated with getting the body to respond to training to increase fitness and prevent injuries. At the University of Florida, I had excellent strength and conditioning coaches who were a positive influence on me as well. I decided to become a trainer because I have a passion for fitness and wanted to share it by helping others reach their health and fitness goals and feel good about themselves.

Dan:  Based on your experience, what are the most common fitness mistakes/myths that you encounter from clients?

Kourtney: There are a lot of myths out there, but these are the ones that I encounter the most:

  • “Lifting weights will make you look bulky” – Many women think weight training will bulk you up – it takes the right hormones (testosterone) to bulk up and women’s testosterone levels are much lower than males. Strength training will help you lose weight (fat) faster and keep it off in the long run.
  • “Spot training” – the notion that it is possible to train specific areas for body fat loss. When you lose body fat, you are unable to choose the area in which the reduction will occur. Your body predetermines which fat stores it will use. For example, doing sit-ups will strengthen your abdominals but they will not take the fat off of your stomach. A well balanced exercise plan with good nutrition and hydration are the key to fat loss.
  • “Bodyweight is the end all, be all” – too many people get obsessed with the number on the scale.  Body weight can be an important indicator for progress, but it is even more important to look at overall body composition, strength and endurance progress, energy levels, sleep quality, and how your clothes are fitting.

Dan:  You are a full-time working mom with two small children (twins!), so you know a thing or two about being busy. How do you still find time to eat healthy and train regularly?

Kourtney: I find time to eat healthy and train regularly by making it a PRIORITY in my life.  I know that eating healthy and training is the key to being healthy, energetic, and the best I can be in all aspects of my life.  I know how good it makes me feel and that keeps me motivated.  I train at 5 am before my kids get up and I schedule it just like any other appointment in the day.  I set goals to work toward and reward myself when I reach them. I have competed in fitness competitions and last year I trained for a half marathon. To keep myself motivated I change up my workouts all of the time and do little things like downloading a new song to my play list or running a new route. I also prepare healthy meals ahead of time for the week to ensure that I have healthy foods available at all times for me and my family.

Dan:  We know that getting optimum results takes discipline and consistency.  What are a few of your expert tips for keeping clients disciplined and focused?

Kourtney: Here are a few of my favorite guidelines for success:

  • Set Goals – set short term goals leading up to your long term goals, write them down and look at them daily.
  • Plan Ahead – keep a planner and schedule times to exercise so that when something comes up your workout time already has priority.
  • Prepare food ahead of time and keep a Food Log
  • Rewards – reward yourself when you reach your goals.
  • Stay positive – if you get off track with your fitness or nutrition, don’t give up; start back fresh the next day.

Dan:  Great information!  Any final thoughts or words of advice for our readers?

Kourtney: Commit yourself to making your health and fitness a priority and it will have a positive impact in all areas of your life.  Fitness is beneficial to your mind, body and spirit.

Kourtney Gallivan, MS, ACE is a Master Trainer at Sweat Life Fitness, Inc. in the Haile Plantation Village Center.  She can be reached at kourtney@sweatlifefitness.com for more information and training consultations.  We always appreciate and welcome your feedback and comments.

Live the Sweat Life!