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Practical Fitness for the Everday Person. Cost effective 1-on-1 personal training without the stress Private personal training is by appointment only.

07/28/2026

Why to be in shape for vacations - Part 2

Continuing from my last Alcatraz post.

When we got to the "Rock" the first thing I noticed was how bad it smelled. It smelled of urine. I had no where it came from. I found out later.

We then did an audio tour. It was educational.

Another observsation was how small the halls were. In the movies it looks much larger.

The recreation yard was freezing cold as you walked through the hallway.

After the tour we headed to the boat BUT

We had a long, long walk back. We hightalied it back and went to grab some dinner.

It was a long stressful day and went I tried to sleep my hamstrings kept cramping BAD, so sleep was not good that night.

Even in shape that was a lot of walking and a lot of extra stress for the day.

Alcatraz is definetly worth it. BTW, the terrible small was from the birds. There are thousands.

Here's a question.

Do you think those guys who supposedly escaped, made it?

After being there I just don't know...

If you want to get in shape for your next vacation...dm me the word "alcatraz". : )

07/25/2026

Potato salad at the cookout? Yes, please!

🥔 Here’s why it’s a healthy (and tasty!) choice.

When you cook potatoes and let them cool, the starch changes structure and becomes something called “resistant starch.”

That means it acts more like fiber than a carbohydrate, helps keep you full longer, feeds the good bacteria in your gut, and has less impact on your blood sugar than a freshly cooked potato.

Plus, it’s delicious.

Simple Summer Potato Salad
Serves 4 to 6

2 lbs (900 grams) small red or yellow potatoes, cubed
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional add-ins: chopped celery, red onion, fresh herbs, hard-boiled eggs, capers, or whatever sounds good to you!

Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until just tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool completely. (Don't skip this step... it's what builds the resistant starch!)

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Toss with cooled potatoes and any add-ins you like. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Estimated macros per serving, based on 6 servings, potatoes and dressing only: 180 calories; 3g protein; 27g carbs; 7g fat; 3g fiber

Customize it: Add hard-boiled eggs for extra protein, toss in fresh herbs for brightness, or mix in whatever vegetables your family loves.

Save this post so you have it for your next cookout, and follow me for more recipes that help us all reac goals!

07/23/2026

Here's my Alcatraz trip and why it's super super super important to be in shape!

My Thursday mid June looked like this.
Get up at 2:30 am because I'm in a 2 hour different time zone.
Sermon work - This is part of my daily routine

Train Clients online.

Walk alone to the gym which is 6 minutes away. It's a beautiful walk and the weather is great but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the homeless problem. It's pretty prevalent and you do have to be aware but i had no issues.

Go to do the Rotary and here's where it gets interesting, we then are ooff to Alcatraz.

My budy knows the city well and suggests we take B.A.R.T. which is public transportation. At this point I'm skeptical but I'm committed.

He says whe we get off the tram it's only about a mile to the pier we need to get to.

Prolly 5 miles later I'm getting a bit fatigued and hungry so we stopped and ate. (Cheeseburger and Fries as I needed anything I could get at that point - expect to pay up to 20 for a burger as everything is expensive)

We then board the boat and it's so windy. You go from hot to really cold as you go out, I was both sweating and shivering.

As we approach and I see the Island I pretty much felt likeBruce Lee as he approached Han's Island (Some of you will get that reference0 and the boat was throwing me around so balance and strength was essential. It really was as I saw people who were really struggling.

I also got a really creey feeling.

More coming after a good recipe.

07/21/2026

Non Fitness/Fitness Vacation stuff!

My last month incuded what I call a "Blur" trip to Oakland/San Francisco.

I was scheduled to speak at the third oldest Rotary Club in the country and I've discovered that Rotary is huge! I was awarded some kind of "Rotarian Honor" for my participation.

and as Carl Spackler (from the Movie CaddyShack) said when he caddied for the Dali Lama, "And I say, 'Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.' And he says, 'Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.' So I got that goin' for me, which is nice."

So I guess I got that Rotarian thing going for me.

The really cool thing for me (It's important to celebrate any wins you can) is how this book thing has taken me to both the East and West coasts.

I can feel the different vibes from each city I'm in.

Going into San Francisco my take was how eclectic and artsy it was. Really cool things to see. I really enjoy that.

Here are some photos.

Can you name the statues outside Oracle Park? (Used to be called "Candlestick Park")

07/18/2026

Do I work out when I’m on vacation?

Well… it depends. On a lot of things!

One thing is for sure: I definitely do my best to stay active on vacation, because if I don't, inertia can set in and make getting back into a routine at home that much harder!

At the same time I love to stay moving.

If I'm somewhere with a gym and I feel like using it, I will.

But honestly, vacation workouts for me usually look a lot more like [what you do – ex. "long walks exploring a new city, or going to

ACATRAZ! I'll share my expereince over the next few days. : )

As far as workouts, what I don't do is stress about it.

Being active doesn't have to look like a workout to count. Taking a few days off from structured exercise isn't going to undo the work you've put in.

What WILL set you back is coming home feeling guilty and burned out instead of rested and recharged.

A few things I try to keep consistent no matter where I am:
Walking as much as possible.

Staying hydrated, especially when traveling.

Finding at least one solid meal a day with good protein and vegetables.

Protecting my sleep as much as I can.

And as a bonus, all of that keeps my energy up so I can make the most of every vacation day… and not miss a beat when I return home!

👉 Follow me for more fitness strategies!

07/16/2026

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but…

You don't have to have it all together before you ask for help.

A while ago, a potential client told me he wanted to work with me… but he wanted to wait until he got his workouts and nutrition in check before he started.

That's like cutting your finger really bad and then saying, "I'd like to go get this stitched up but I need to put a bandaid on it first and give it a few days to heal".

I think he was worried he might not be able to keep up, or that he wasn't "ready" enough to make it worth it.

Here’s the thing that should feel like a relief.

Coaches aren't there to help you only when things are easy and going smoothly.

They're there to help when it isn’t so easy… like when you don’t know where to start, when your schedule is wacky, and also when your motivation is low.

Arguably, that's the most important time to have support in your corner!

That applies to any part of your life. As I've been sharing over the past few days about my recent trip, there was one area where I decided to "Ask Questions".

I hate traveling, especially traveling alone, Jen is usually with me and she's my travel guide who pays attention to details (I don't) but she wasn't with me.

When I went to the airport I was trying to read the boards and thought "Who came up with this?", and in my frustration I decidied to simply ask someone in a uniform.

I see a lady and show her my boarding pass and she looks at me, with condescending body language I might add, and says "You don't travel much, do you?" and I say absolutely nothing and i just smiled....as there's no reason to waste any energy on those types of comments.

The asking of the question wasn't perfect but I got where I needed to go.

All the stars don’t have to be aligned before you can start. You just have to decide.

If you've been waiting until the "right time" to invest in your health, my 3-W Approach to Fitness is your best option!

07/15/2026

You ever walk into a new gym and you get overwelmed by the amount of equipment?

Maybe you're on vacation or just visiting a place as I was last month.

It's hard to get a good feel for the equipment.

Here's a few simple tips.

1 - Keep the workout basic. No need for fancy movements, just the major body parts. Chest Press, Pulldown, Press, Rows, Curls, Leg Press.

2 - Start very light and do the exercis but do it with your eles closed and try to "feel" how the machine works. You'll feel different forces during the range of motion.

3 - Add weight, move slowly and train hard but safe.

That's what I did when I went to the gym when I was out of town.

My workout was:
Leg Curl
Leg Press
Chest Press
Row
Press
Abs
..and I was out the door walking the streets of Oakland, Cal. taking photos so I could share my mini getaway and bore you woth all my pics. : )

07/11/2026

This less than 10-minute workout is designed for those who want to stay consistent with their fitness, even on vacation… and even if they don’t have any gym equipment!

All you need is a little floor space and a timer.

Here's how it works: set a timer on repeat for 90 mins and move through the exercises with a ten second rest between each exercise.

Do the exercises as slowly as possible and keep tension on the muscle the whole time.

Your less than 10-Minute Vacation Mode Workout:
Squats
Push-ups
Lunges
Glute bridges
Plank - isometric hold

Save this post so you have it next time you need a quick workout

Share this with a friend to keep them motivated.

07/09/2026

As I've gotten a bit older...actually more than a bit : )

I've had to change how I work out and eat over the years.

What worked for me doesn't work the same way now... and yes, it can be frustrating.

But it's also 100% normal.

The danger is not understanding how to adapt. If you continue to try to do what you did before you'll und up frustrated and wiped out.

There’s a long list of reasons why what used to get you results no longer works as well, hormones, activity level, schedule, goals, stress… you name it!

So when people tell me they’ve tried everything and nothing seems to work… I get it.

What I've found after 35+ years of coaching is that you have to look at the big picture when you’re aging.

Strength training that works with your age, which really makes a difference.

Individual nutrition that keeps you full and energized. (Simple tips, for example, if you want to know how many calories to eat per day, just take your goal weight and add a zero)

Overall lifestyle adjustments to understand optimization.

If you're ready to stop guessing and start seeing real results, my "3-W Approach To Fitness"
Really makes everything understandable.

As a matter of fact I just spoke at the third oldest rotary club in the country on my west coast trip!

DM me and let's come up with a plan that works for you.

07/07/2026

Last month I took a blur of a trip to California. I was in Oakland and San Francisco.

I visited two different gyms that are similar to mine and I learned a lot.

There were a lot of things we all do the same...

We train people with both intensity and safety in mind. We also look at progression.

There are some things we do differently and this is more based on space.

They have enough space to have more than one trainer at a time and in my space we generally do private 1-2-1 sessions. Both are great, just different plans.

There are several takeways that we shared with each other, i.e. how we approach injury rehab, diet suggestions and some new training protocols that we will test.

This month we will explore some of how that trip went and some of the ideas we shared.

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