Surprising Fitness Facts from a Personal Trainer

Some things in life are hard to come by. Fitness advice is not one of them. We’re constantly bombarded with advice about when to exercise, the “best” workout to lose weight, the “real” secret to staying motivated, etc., from blogs, magazines, morning news shows—even the know-it-all on the treadmill next to you. It’s hard to know what (or who) to believe.

While many fitness tips are a matter of opinion, a certified personal trainer can be a good source for safe, effective workout facts. Trained in exercise physiology and anatomy, and working with clients of different shapes, sizes and ages, personal trainers know and see a lot more than the average fitness enthusiast.

Case in point: check out this advice from personal trainer Cristina Cianci. A long-time fitness buff, Cianci shares nine things she learned after becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, which she’d never have realized on her own. We highly encourage you to read them all—this insider info may be just the intel you need to make your workouts more effective and enjoyable.

A few bits of conventional fitness wisdom you can ignore

We were fascinated to find that several long-standing thoughts about exercise and fitness have come into question in recent years.

First, the popular “220 minus your age” formula to find your maximum heart rate (and from that, your target heart rate zones) isn’t terribly accurate. In fact, heart rate is highly individualized, and one person’s maximum heart rate may be 20 or more beats per minute higher than another person of the exact same age.

Here’s another one: ever been told that your knees shouldn’t go past your toes during squats? Turns out, depending on your leg length and hip and ankle flexibility, you could do more harm than good by following this advice. It’s more important to develop ankle flexibility and hinge correctly at your hips to avoid injury.

And one tip to remember: self-efficacy is key to success

Spoiler alert: we loved Cianci’s last piece of advice the very best, and it’s about “self efficacy.” What’s that, you’re probably asking? It’s a person’s belief in their own ability to succeed.

The importance of self-efficacy was reiterated dozens of times in Cianci’s training manual because research has proven it’s absolutely key to following a fitness program. In other words, “mind over matter” is real: if you truly believe in yourself and your ability to follow your workout routine, you will be far more likely to do so.

The right support can help you get there faster

Believing in yourself doesn’t mean going it alone. For example, a personal trainer can help you learn safe, effective workouts, plus keep you accountable to your commitment on those days when you’re just not feeling it.

If you want to lose weight but struggle on your own, an experienced weight loss doctor can help you navigate your options, from a healthy diet plan to bariatric surgery. At Surgical Arts of Inland Empire, we take a comprehensive approach, providing support before and after procedures to ensure patients have what they need to succeed in their weight loss goals. If you’d like to learn more, we invite you to contact our Rancho cucamonga weight loss surgery team today.