Try this weird little tip when doing crunches: put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.  It will help you align your head properly which will in turn help to reduce neck strain.  Give it a shot, it can't hurt!

Your recovery meal or snack should have just the right mix of carbohydrate and protein. This is easily attainable with a smoothie or shake, but not everyone has a smoothie bar around the corner or a blender in their backpack.

Fortunately, you don’t need a fancy drink to meet your nutritional needs. A simple and economical option is low-fat chocolate milk.

Your body absorbs animal protein most efficiently. And milk contains all of the essential amino acids needed to facilitate protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth. Its natural protein works with the carbs to restore glycogen, essential for muscle function. Chocolate milk, which has more carbs than plain milk, provides just the right ratio of carbohydrates to protein (about 3-4:1).

Milk is also renowned for having lots of calcium and vitamin D, both needed to keep bones strong. Another bonus is vitamin B, which helps keep your energy levels up. And don’t forget electrolytes—imperative for re-hydrating.  Milk contains sodium, potassium and magnesium, among other elements.

So next time you finish an intense workout or a tough game, try a cool glass of low-fat chocolate milk.

A muscle strain typically involves inflammation or swelling.   When an injury first occurs remember R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression (with an elastic bandage – not too tight or left on for more than four hours at a time) and Elevation of the body part.  Then, once inflammation goes away and you’re on the mend (about 48-72 hours after the injury) heat can be applied to speed healing.  Heat can also be soothing if you’re just sore from your workout but don’t have an injury.  A hot bath makes you feel better by increasing blood flow and relaxing your muscles.

ASSESS THEIR TRAINING STYLE
The first, most obvious thing to evaluate is physical appearance. A trainer who stands at 6'2", 200 lbs. with 5% body fat is impressive—but is that what you want for yourself? Worse, of course, is if he’s out of shape. Make sure any trainer you size up can articulate the differences in his regimen from what he envisions for yours, and make sure to ask if he practices what he preaches.

Also, how are you best motivated? Do you require fatherly encouragement and gradual progress or does your inner fire come from being called a weak and worthless maggot? Know whether a trainer is Sergeant Slaughter or Dick Sergeant.

GET PERSONAL

Can you still be motivated to train if you hate your trainer? Get to know him by asking about his personal motivations for getting into fitness. Can he relate to you? Does his disposition and general outlook align with yours? Don’t be afraid to get personal and see if this is someone you wouldn't mind knocking you around.

SET GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS
Losing five pounds in a week is a goal; losing 20 pounds in a week is an amputation. Have a realistic idea of what you want from your training and know how your trainer plans to monitor your progress. How will he test you? What are his daily, weekly and monthly goals for you? Asking these questions will hold him accountable to deliver on his promises.

GAUGE HIS COMMITMENT
A training session may only last an hour, but the challenges of leading a healthy lifestyle are 24/7. Ask if you can reach him by phone, text or e-mail after hours. You never know when you might need some quick advice on what to eat at a restaurant or a tough decision between breads at the supermarket. How about a motivational email or message? A great trainer might be busy with other clients, but most will put forth the extra effort to be on hand in a pinch.

DEMAND A PORTFOLIO
Remember: you're hiring someone for a job. Solid, tangible evidence immediately increases a trainer’s credibility. So ask if he has a website, any published articles (only those appearing in reputable outlets apply) and/or testimonials from clients, which should be accompanied by before and after photos, details on how long it took to accomplish goals and the type of diet and training plan used to achieve them.

GET A TRIAL
Seeing him in action is the best way to know how well you work together. During this trial period observe:

• Does he use his cell phone while training? If so, cut.
• Does he engage in distracting conversations? If so, cut.
• Is he actively by your side for every rep, set and stride on the treadmill? Protein brownie points.

There are a lot of good trainers on the market, but the great ones go the extra rep. If you want to be really bold, make them put their money where their muscles are and request a money-back guarantee.

It has been seen that people achieve far better results when they do core exercises at the beginning of their workout instead of at the end.  The reason is that when training your core when your muscles are fresh you achieve the fastest gains in strength.  Focus on core strengthening exercise that allow you to prevent your spine from rounding, such as planks, mountain climbers, and even push-ups.  These type of exercises allow you to not only strengthen your stomach muscles, but also you side and lower back muscles.

Exercising with a partner has its pros and cons. If you decide to workout with somebody you should  select that person wisely. A good partner will have similar goals to you, be committed and on time, and have a similar level of fitness insuring that they neither pressure you to do more than you’re currently capable of, nor hinder you from progressing. A little bit of close healthy competition can go a long way.

Hiring a Personal Fitness Trainer can be a great decision too when starting out or to "shake up" your routine. Studies suggest that those who have a Personal Fitness Trainer achieve results 80% faster than those who don’t. A good Personal Fitness Trainer will provide expert advice on an exercise program flexibility, agility and balance, as well as ongoing motivation, and accountability to suit your changing needs.

You might have read how I lost 7 pounds in 5 days doing the Master Cleanse. But you should have also read that I do not recommend this method for weight loss. While you can lose a good amount of weight in a short period of time, in the long run it can actually be unhealthy and chances are you will gain the weight back and then some. I will say it again, "fad" and "crash" diets are not safe or effective. To lose weight and keep it off you should do it gradually by making lifestyle changes. Look at it this way: 1 pound of body fat is equivalent to approximately 3,500 calories.  If your goal is to lose 1 pound of body fat per week, you would need to consume an average of approximately 500 fewer calories than your body actually requires each day. This is considered a realistic, safe, and ‘muscle-sparing’ rate to lose body fat. If you drop calories too drastically, you risk your body breaking down hard earned muscle for emergency energy supplies which will only leave you with a slower metabolism in the future, which in turn means it will be easier to regain fat! Check your weight periodically, and adjust your level of calories and/or exercise accordingly if necessary.

Use the best piece of equipment on the planet that everyone has... your own body! Body weight exercises are just as good as any fancy gym equipment at getting a lean and tone body. Here is a quick body weight exercise routine that you can do anywhere in 30 minutes, so no more excuses. Enjoy!

5 Minute Cardio Warmup

10 Squats

10 Forward Lunges

10 Side Lunges (each leg)

10 Reverse Lunges

10 Jump Squats

30 sec Elbow Plank

15 sec Side Elbow Plank (each side)

20 Toe Tap Elbow Planks

30 sec Superman

10 Sea Turtles (jumping jack laying on the floor)

30 sec Hand Plank

10 Push Ups with Hands Wide (can be done on toes or knees)

10 Push Ups with Hands Close to Sides (can be done on toes or knees)

5 Minutes of Stretching (full body)

If you have any questions or are unsure about how to do some of these exercises, please feel free to contact us.

If your schedule allows, exercise first thing in the morning before you eat a healthy & balanced breakfast. Overnight your body depletes your food based energy sources so it utilizes your fat based energy source for fuel more quickly. This will help you shed the fat and pounds at a faster rate. 

One of the most fundamental training principles is the SAID principle. The body will produce Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands (SAID). In short, you will apply a stimulus to the body (exercise) which causes an adaptation (physical improvement) to occur. The adaptation is simply a response to the stress of the exercise. For the adaptation to occur, the training load must be above normal or be new to the individual. When the exercise no longer presents a challenge, you will not adapt with positive improvements. When you become accustomed to a particular exercise, it is time for a change. This simple philosophy is essential for continuous improvement. When the exercise no longer contributes to improved performance, it is time to move on.

Awareness. Be aware of your body and how it works.

Back to the core!! (no pun intended) Your core is not just the Rectus Abdominus (the part that gives the "6 pack" look). The core is all of the muscles that wrap around your spine and organs to provide support to and movement of the trunk as well as to assist in breathing. The muscles are connected at various points along the ribs, hips and spine. The core also includes the deeper internal muscles (Transverse Abdomiuns and Obliques) as well as the surface muscles you can see. So to sum it up, the core is not only the front of your stomach. Don't forget to exercise your sides and your back in addition to the front, so you gain a balanced core and perfect posture.

Use the stairs! Practice taking 2 steps at a time and squeeze your butt muscles at the top of each step. This will help strengthen your thighs as well as shape-up your butt.

Engage your core!  As you are walking down the street or sitting on your couch, practice having a straight back and tight abs.  This will help strengthen your core, improve your posture, and help to avoid back injuries.  If you notice yourself slouching, straighten up!