How Working with a Registered Dietician Can Change Your Life!

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How Working with a Registered Dietician Can Change Your Life!

Do you know you want/need to make some changes to your nutritional habits but just aren’t sure where to start? Ever wondered what it would be like to work with a registered dietician to help forge a path ahead and make some real improvements? In this ~30 minute video I chat with my pal Tarah Valenti, RDN with CustomFit, about what it’s like working with her and how a custom nutritional program can help with so many different goals including body fat loss, visceral fat, muscle preservation/growth, improved energy, health, vitality, longevity as well as managing a variety of issues from high cholesterol, blood sugar or blood pressure to perimenopause and other life transitions.

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Food Is Medicine! JJFit Book Club: Good Energy

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Food Is Medicine! JJFit Book Club: Good Energy

There is growing mainstream attention to the fact that many of today's health issues (obesity, dementia, diabetes, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue and so many more) can be linked to issues in the gut biome and dysfunction in the metabolism. I recently listened to a two and half hour podcast with Dr. Casey Means, MD. She wrote a new book which was released today. I was like, dude. TWO AND A HALF HOURS?! No way this will hold my attention. Not true. Likely the most informative, exciting and empowering podcast I've heard in a very long time.

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Supplement Spotlight Update: Creatine for Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Brain Function

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Supplement Spotlight Update: Creatine for Muscle Growth, Athletic Performance and Brain Function

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements in the world but is often one of the most misunderstood. Experts in the fitness community agree that creatine supplementation can be a safe and effective way to increase athletic performance, muscle growth and even brain health. I last updated this post in June 2023 and am updating it again to include this fantastic Whoop podcast which includes a discussion of the latest protocols and benefits of creatine supplementation featuring Dr. Darren Candow, Professor and Director of the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina, Canada.

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Benefits of Vitamin B12: A Quick Guide to Boosting Your Health

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Benefits of Vitamin B12: A Quick Guide to Boosting Your Health

In the realm of essential vitamins, Vitamin B12 stands out as a powerhouse that plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. From boosting energy levels to supporting mental health, this vitamin can be a key player in maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Check out this guide with everything you need to know about B12 and how to get enough of it.

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Why and How to Consider a Turmeric Supplement

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Why and How to Consider a Turmeric Supplement

I have noticed since hitting 40 my body is changing. My joints get more sore, recovery from tough workouts can take longer and sometimes my brain feels foggy. All normal stuff that smart people I trust have told me turmeric can help with. So a few years ago I did what any logical person would do. I crowd sourced it to social media and cross referenced it with scholarly research and got a bevy of solid advice here.

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Why Are People Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar?

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Why Are People Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar?

A few years ago a bodybuilder, a pastor and a pilates instructor each told me they drink apple cider vinegar every day. The bodybuilder said he kicks back a shot of it in the morning for its alkalizing properties to help offset the acidic effects of a high protein, low carb diet. The pastor dilutes 1tbs in 8oz of cold water and drinks it down to manage hunger and for weight loss. The pilates instructor sips on a diluted solution and swears by its ability to improve digestion and gut health. I did some poking around the Interwebs and asked some trusted experts for their thoughts on the stuff. Is this a case of placebo or is apple cider vinegar a true miracle elixir? Let’s explore.

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Rainbow 10 Challenge: Add Some Colors to Your Day

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Rainbow 10 Challenge: Add Some Colors to Your Day

This post isn’t about how to eat to lose fat or gain muscle. Those are great goals and I help people do that all the time. You can get that for free in my guide. This is about something different. This post is about looking at your routine and what you’re eating in a day and making incremental, manageable improvements. The goal is simply to do something kind for your body not so you look better, but so you feel better physically and emotionally because you know you are doing something good for your health.

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Try This Killer Bicep Bootcamp to Make Those Gunz Grow

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Try This Killer Bicep Bootcamp to Make Those Gunz Grow

Looking to get a great bicep pump and stimulate hypertrophy (muscle growth) of your gunz? My good friend Marcia Robles, the Maestro of Arm Programming, created this kick ass series of bicep exercises pre-pandemic and I’m bringing it back to my own routine to prep for tank top season (well, it’s always tank top season n my world, but you know what I mean)l

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5 Supplements You Need to Know About

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5 Supplements You Need to Know About

While a well-balanced diet will often provide you with the nutrition you need for daily life and function, a fitness program or regular exercise might mean that you need a little more of a boost. I've put together a list of five supplements that you probably need to know about.

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How To Protect Your Skin When Working Out

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How To Protect Your Skin When Working Out

Exercise means sweating and sweating can lead to skin-related issues like irritation, inflammation and breakouts. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can follow to avoid these problems and protect your skin without sacrificing your fitness goals. I used to get terrible adult acne. And it really upset me. So I saw a dermatologist and esthetician and they gave me some great tips for keeping skin in great shape when working out.

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3 Free Ways to Get JJFit Safely at Home

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3 Free Ways to Get JJFit Safely at Home

Are you struggling to find a fitness routine during all this? Does your diet need help but you’re not sure where to start? Is your body crying out for more stretching and mobility? You’re not alone and I have three free ways to help.

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Dr. Ashton Perroni, ND Explains How Naturopathic Medicine Can Strengthen Your Immune System

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Dr. Ashton Perroni, ND Explains How Naturopathic Medicine Can Strengthen Your Immune System

Now more than ever it’s critical that we practice preventative care to boost our immune systems, manage stress and tend to our body’s needs. I’ve been curious for a long time about Naturopathic Medicine and how/if it integrates with traditional Western Medicine. Can Naturopathic modalities help reduce our chances of contracting COVID-19 or minimize its impact if we do contract it? I interviewed Dr. Ashton Perroni, ND to help shed some light on these questions and more.

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Is Intermittent Fasting (IF) RIght for You? Q&A with Trainer Michael Bonella

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Is Intermittent Fasting (IF) RIght for You? Q&A with Trainer Michael Bonella

There are a lot of nutritional strategies being popularized in the news and on social media these days: fasted cardio, macro tracking, elimination diets, keto, etc. It can be hard to make heads or tails as to whether these are legit or just some whacky protocol designed to sell you supplements and pipedreams of ripped abs. In this post we’re going to talk about one very legitimate strategy for fat loss, digestive health and improved energy that has been around for quite some time but may be misunderstood: Intermittent Fasting. 

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Supplement Spotlight: Can CLAs Help Me Lose Fat?

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Supplement Spotlight: Can CLAs Help Me Lose Fat?

I get asked by a lot of clients, friends and family what supplements they should take. First of all, I never tell anyone what supplements they should take. I’m a personal trainer, not a nutritionist, dietician or doctor. I don’t “prescribe” supplements or specific diet plans. I do, however, provide information and experience that can help them make the best choices for themselves. Previously I covered BCAAs for recovery. Today we’ll look at CLAs and whether they can help shed unwanted body fat.

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90s Video: How to Make the Perfect Smoothie

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90s Video: How to Make the Perfect Smoothie

Whether for pre-workout or post-workout, breakfast or dinner or just as a quick pick me up, smoothies are quickly beginning to nudge juices out of the limelight for better health, body composition and performance. So you decided to replace less healthy options like processed cereals, meats high in saturated fat or skipping meals altogether with a healthy smoothie. WIN. But you don’t know what to put in it or are putting the wrong things in it. FAIL. Here’s a quick 90s video from the fantastic Manuel Villacorta (nutritional expert, author, M.S. and R.D.) to explain how to make the perfect smoothie.

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Supplement Spotlight: Should you take BCAAs?

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Supplement Spotlight: Should you take BCAAs?

I get asked by a lot of clients, friends and family what supplements they should take. I don’t “prescribe” supplements or specific diet plans. I do, however, provide information and experience that can help them make the best choices for themselves. So over the coming weeks I’ll spotlight various popular supplements here on the blog, give my experience and provide resources to help educate you. First up are branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Here’s the deal, BCAAs, especially leucine, may help: build muscle (anabolism), prevent muscle breakdown (catabolism), reduce soreness and help burn fat.

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