James Wilson- Faith, Family, and Fitness

James Wilson- Faith, Family, and Fitness Fitness solutions created by first class fitness professionals. The pathway is laid out, all you have to do... is do it!

04/09/2026

Oh my it's been awhile! Let's talk NUTRITION!!!

I'm going to have to split this up into several posts because there is no way I'd be able to express all of what you ought to know in a single post-- So stay tuned.

1. Study after study have shown, NO DIET IS SUPERIOR for weight management when total calories are the same. Name your trendy diet (Keto, Low carb, Vegan, Mediterranean, Flexible dieting, Intuitive eating, eating for your blood type, Carnivore). When it comes to weight management, it is calories in vs calories out for your specific body and your bodies energy needs.

2. With all of that being said ^^, the key factors for success are going to be determined by-
a)Your ability to stick with a diet long term, or diet adherence
b) Satiety or feeling full to help you stick to it
c) Promotes a healthful body

Some diets are extremely difficult to stick with. Keto, as an example, for most people is really difficult because the likelihood of you never eating fresh bread, fruit, or any other carb again for the rest of your life is pretty tough. I tend to direct people in the way of "flexible dieting" as it provides the most variety of food choices. Quite literally eat the foods you currently love and enjoy, but do so by managing your total caloric intake. You may need to measure out portions initially, but after a bit, you'll intuitively know portion sizes and can "eyeball" from there.

If you're on a lower calorie target to lose body fat, you're going to get hungrier quicker. This is where your dark green leafy veggies, are going to come in clutch. They provide bulk to your diet. My favorite go-to is tomatoes, cucumbers, a little avocado, ground pepper and Olive garden dressing (or Italian)and mix it together. Stand alone veggies like Celery or peppers to snack on are also great options. All of which help hydrate, are low calorie, have good fiber, and a symphony of micro nutrients to help your bodies cells do their jobs better.

Tagging on the back of the veggies for bulk, the healthful diet. We know that you can lose weight on a tw***ie and doritos diet, It's been documented and done. I would argue that it isn't ideal though to have a diet revolving around treat type foods. You don't have to eat fruits or veggies you don't like, but you should stock up and rotate through a variety. The nutrients fruits and veggies provide will significantly improve your bodies internal health, which will then become reflected on the outside.

01/18/2026

I have been a personal trainer for 22 years now. In the two decades that I have done this, I've narrowed progress into 5 different categories to help optimize progress-

1- Nutrition. Arguably the most important element for progress. If you're a regular gym goer, you'll see the same people day in and day out for years and they never seem to change. That is because they are not getting their food right. There isn't a magical diet or way of eating, it largely boils down to hitting calorie targets appropriate for your goals and being consistent with that.

2- Resistance Training. I don't care what form you prefer, there just needs to be consistency. 3 days per week is simply a minimum, in my opinion. 4-5 days tends to be the sweet spot for progress. While it isn't necessary to shoot for PR's each workout, there needs to be genuine effort and muscle fatigue.

3- Cardio. Heart health is consistently one of the largest markers for mortality. We should be looking to move our body every single day to some capacity. Circulation is imperative for general health and longevity. Getting blood moving helps push waste and dead cells out, also shuttle nutrients for optimal cellular health and muscle repair.

4- Supplementation. This isn't vital, but helpful, especially if we are shooting for fat loss and our calories are reduced. Supplements help fill in the gaps from the holes in our nutrition. I will always encourage a quality multivitamin, fish oil supplement, and creatine for all genders across the board. Look for brands that carry the GMP or USP stamps on the label. This indicates the product was made to carry pharmacy grade standards for potency, purity, and delivery.

5- Support. This comes from a trainer/coach as well as a community. You may not always get support from home. In fact, you might even get some resistance! If you can find support through hiring an in person trainer, online trainer, or belonging and involving yourself in a community- this will be HUGE for progress and longterm maintenance. You won't always be motivated, that is normal, so having an appointment to meet or a community that inspires you will help when you're not in the mood.

Which of these do you struggle with? What would you like to know more about?

I'm here to help, don't be afraid to ask!

When I started down the fitness path, I was immersed in the belief that one should always choose what I perceived as “op...
01/06/2026

When I started down the fitness path, I was immersed in the belief that one should always choose what I perceived as “optimal.” Optimal training, optimal nutrition- all in the name of aesthetics.

As I have aged and gained a bit more wisdom, my definition of optimal has shifted a bit. Injuries, energy, recovery times, I recognize that my days of PR’s are probably behind me.

What I am more interest in is movement. Bad programming done consistently is going to be supremely more beneficial than optimal training that is simply skipped and not done.

With the new year-new you; I’d suggest that instead of jumping 100% into something you won’t maintain in the long term, that you simply jumpstart with moving your body. Walk, bike, do some circuit training. You don’t need to do an hour of cardio. Start off with 15-20 minutes. You don’t need to body part-body building split resistance train, again, just get some weights in, and challenge yourself a bit for 25-45 minutes 3 days a week.

Over time the results will come with consistency and I would bet that someone that doesn’t know what they’re doing, but does 3 days of workouts per week for a year will have vastly better results than the individual that goes hard for 2-3 weeks and then doesn’t go back.

I don’t care what form of exercise, just move your body!

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