Manhattan Fitness Blog

 Hal Miller - NYC Personal trainer uses the Gravity training system to target his shoulders, core and triceps.

Since my career began as a NYC personal trainer 8 years ago I’ve had the great opportunity to train many novice clients and usher them into fitness, some are excited and others, well………not so much. Either way I find it an honor to introduce them to the thing I’m most passionate about, especially the people that ‘hate’ the gym, I look at it as a challenge and want to get them hooked like I am.
Many challenges face the novice, endurance issues, technique and developing neuromuscular coordination, these all take time, but there is one that they can control immediately and that one thing is being properly fueled for a work out. Some people will show up for an evening work out and the last thing that they’ve had was a cup of coffee at 1 and can’t even remember what they’ve had for breakfast, this is a recipe for failure. There is no gas in the tank and you’re going to get stranded, frustrated and sick. A trainer can do a lot of things for you, but he can’t stand by and make you eat.
Let’s keep this really simple, and just address food regarding your work out. Optimally you should eat 1-2 hours before, consuming a meal of about 40% protein, 40% complex carbohydrate and about 20% fat ( these are only estimates). These can be comprised of almost anything, but try and stay away from those deli bars, as you don’t know what’s used in there preparation. Please also understand that this is a process of trial and error and it will take time to figure out what agrees best with your body.
Post workout meals for my clients are dictated more by time. if they’ve trained in the morning or afternoon, I’ll use the formula above, If training took place in the evening I’ll modify the carbohydrate intake depending on the intensity of the workout. To be a little more clear, if you hit the weights hard, you can eat more good carbs, but if it was more cardio intensive, or a light weight circuit, I’d cut the carbs in half and add more protein. See it’s getting complicated already, don’t get discouraged and remember, ‘progress not perfection’.