TJ Johnston Personal Training Co.

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Canada
Newmarket, ON
TJ Johnston Personal Training Co.

Let's make fitness a priority and transform your life together!

With over 20 years of personal training experience and a deep passion for coaching, I specialize in helping busy parents and professionals achieve their fitness dreams.

05/11/2026

Discipline looks boring…
until you see what it builds.

One thing I’ve learned over years of coaching—

the exercises that create the biggest long-term changes
usually aren’t the flashy ones.

A lot of my clients spend time mastering:
• Squats
• Carries
• Hinges
• Tempo work
• Controlled strength training

Because the goal isn’t just to get tired.

It’s to:
→ move better
→ feel stronger
→ build confidence
→ stay healthy long term

My approach has always been about meeting clients where they’re at and building from there.

Simple. Structured. Sustainable.

And over time, those basics add up in a big way. 👊

– TJ

04/20/2026

It’s easy to fall into what people call the comparison trap.

Scrolling…
Seeing someone stronger, leaner, further ahead…

And feeling like you’re behind.

But here’s the truth most people learn the hard way:

👉 Comparison doesn’t build progress. It distracts from it.

The only standard that actually works long term?

You vs you.

If you want to stay out of that trap, here’s what I’ve found works 👇

1. Track something that matters
Strength, workouts completed, steps, protein—anything that shows your progress.

2. Focus on consistency, not intensity
Most people don’t need to go harder… they need to show up more often.

3. Limit the noise
If your feed makes you feel behind, clean it up. Seriously.

4. Build your own baseline
Your lifestyle, your schedule, your starting point—your plan should reflect that.

5. Zoom out
Day-to-day doesn’t mean much.
Last year vs this year? That’s where real change shows up.

This clip is a small piece of that mindset.

Not perfect. Not flashy.
Just better than I was before.

DM me if you want help with your fitness and nutrition goals!

04/05/2026

Happy Easter, everyone!

04/04/2026

This is what midlife fitness really looks like.

Not shredded year-round.
Not perfect.
Not linear.

There have been phases where I’ve leaned out…
and phases where I’ve put some weight back on.

That used to frustrate me.

Now I see it for what it is —
part of playing the long game.

Because the goal isn’t to go all-in for 6 weeks…
then disappear for 6 months.

It’s to stay in the game.

➡️ Train consistently
➡️ Eat well most of the time
➡️ Adjust when life gets busy (because it will)

That’s how you actually build something that lasts.

Especially in your 30s and 40s.

You don’t need more intensity.
You need more consistency.

Less extremes.
More repeatable habits.

That’s how you stop the cycle of
“on track → off track → starting over.”

And start building real, long-term results.

If that’s the approach you’ve been missing,
send me a message — I’ll help you build it.

04/02/2026

I swear this happens every week…

Carrots dying a slow death in the drawer.
Half an onion.

And a half-eaten rotisserie chicken carcass sitting there.

Most people toss it.

I don’t, I throw it in a Dutch oven with:
• carrots, onion, celery
• garlic
• chicken broth
• a Parmesan rind
• garlic salt + Italian seasoning

And here’s the key…

let it simmer
Not rushed.

Give it time and it turns into that
rich, silky, “why is this so good?” kind of soup.

Then I finish it with:
• leftover chicken pulled off the carcass
• cooked rice
• grated Parmesan

(Based on ~6 servings)
• Calories: ~300–350
• Protein: ~25–30g
• Carbs: ~25–35g
• Fats: ~8–12g

👉 High protein
👉 High volume
👉 Easy to adjust (more/less rice depending
on your goals)

You don’t need a new diet.

You need 2–3 meals you can repeat without thinking.

This is one of mine.

Sourdough on the side…
Now it’s elite.

Want more simple, real-life meals like this?
Book a free consult
👉 www.trainwithtj.ca

03/21/2026

No, your metabolism didn’t just disappear overnight.
And no, you don’t need some special “over 40” program.

But you also can’t train like a reckless 20-year-old anymore 😅

As you get older:

Recovery slows down a bit
Muscle takes longer to respond
And if you stop training… you lose it

That part is real.

But here’s what most people get wrong…

👉 The same things that built muscle before
still work

Lift. Eat protein. Be consistent.

In fact, strength training and proper nutrition can slow, even reverse, age-related muscle loss

So no, you’re not past your prime.
You just need a little more finesse:

Train hard without wrecking yourself
Actually recover (sleep, stress, food)
Follow a structured plan

A little more intention…
a lot better results.

Still lifting. Still building. Still getting after it.

👉 DM “COACHING” or hit trainwithtj.ca

02/08/2026

Strong for those who need me.

This wasn’t always how I lived.

When the kids were younger and I was running a brick-and-mortar business, I thought grinding harder was the answer. Longer days. Later nights. Burning it at both ends and calling it responsibility.

But I was tired all the time.
Less patient.
Less present.
And constantly wondering why I couldn’t stay intentional with the things that mattered most.

Truth is, I wasn’t taking care of myself.

Staying up too late.
Partying too hard on weekends.
Ignoring my mental health.
Battling insomnia quietly.
Using alcohol to “decompress.”

None of that made me stronger. It just drained my capacity.

What changed wasn’t motivation - it was perspective.

I started treating a few things as non-negotiable:
• Move every day (even a short walk counts)
• Train 2–3x/week, even if it’s only 15–20 minutes
• Eat in a way that supports energy, not punishment
• Protect sleep and manage stress instead of numbing it

And just as important - I got better at setting boundaries.

Saying no to things that drained me.
Limiting habits and conversations that pulled me off track.
Protecting time and energy so I could show up better where it mattered.

At work.
As a dad.
As a friend who’s actually there.

Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish.
It’s how you stay strong for the people who need you.

If you want help with simple strategies to improve your health through fitness and nutrition just send me a msg, Id love to help.

01/13/2026

Between work, kids, shift schedules, and life chaos —
time isn’t the problem.

Decision fatigue is.

As a dad of four, a firefighter, and a coach, I get it.
Most people don’t need more motivation — they need fewer decisions.

Discipline isn’t grinding harder.
It’s removing friction:
• Planning ahead
• Training with purpose
• Nutrition that’s simple, not extreme

Same 24 hours.
Better systems.

That’s how my clients stay consistent without burning out.

If you want a plan that fits your real life,
📩 DM “24” or book a free consult at trainwithtj.ca

12/18/2025

The holidays don’t ruin progress.
All-or-nothing thinking does.

Between kids’ schedules, parties, work, and zero routine, trying to be “perfect” is the fastest way to fall off completely.

Here’s the rule I use for myself and my clients every December 👇

The Minimum Effective Effort Rule

You don’t need your best habits — you need small, repeatable ones.

Focus on these non-negotiables:

✔️ Protein + fiber at every main meal

✔️ Drink water before you eat

✔️ Move your body most days (even 20 minutes counts)

✔️ Enjoy the holiday foods — stop when you’re done enjoying them

That’s it.

No “I’ll start in January.”
No guilt.
No trying to earn food with workouts.

Progress through the holidays isn’t about restriction — it’s about not spiraling.

If you finish December:

sleeping okay

feeling good in your body

still training sometimes

You’re winning.

Save this for the busy days ahead.
More practical holiday survival tips coming.

— TJ

https://www.trainwithtj.ca/free-stuff/the-no-bs-holiday-fitness-survival-guide-for-busy-parents

10/31/2025

Straight from the dog pound. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Address

539 Veale Place
Newmarket, ON
L3Y8H9

Telephone

+19058534166

Website

http://www.trainwithtj.ca/

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