Getting Fit Online: The Good, the Bad and the Alternatives

I am doing absolutely all of my Christmas shopping online this year, and most of my personal shopping is done online too.

I pay my bills online, I work online. This past summer I took a course online. Except for the fact that I love to travel, I really don't need to leave my house anymore (I can even order groceries online and have them delivered).

The one thing that I thought I would always have to leave the house for were my appointments with the personal trainer at my gym.

Well, think again. He has recently gone online too!

No matter where I am in my travels, we can keep our appointments. I have to admit, I didn't have a good feeling about this -- sure, it was cheaper, but could it be effective?

My answer is "yes." Yours may not be. There are definitely pros and cons to this, but they all boil down to the individual.

How It Works

Among the biggest benefits of having an online personal trainer is that the training sessions are often scheduled via Skype or other video conferencing tools, video courses of specific exercise plans to suite your needs, along with dietary plans. In between videoconferences, there is regular email communication for questions and issues, and always the opportunity for additional video-conferencing. Unlike the usual gym sessions you can always ask that burning fitness question anytime. Or ask to have a look at your diet plan for next week.

The initial conference includes the "coughing up" of lots of physical information - specific information that the client will provide by following instructions for garnering it. Then the trainer will develop the individual program, based on the client's goals for weight and fitness. As the program moves forward, the client is expected to keep a log of workouts and daily food intake, which is shared with the trainer via video conferencing, or email one a week.

The Good

Access to the Best Trainers in the World.

Online workout programs been gaining popularity in the last few years and are now named as one of the key fitness trends in 2016.

Many of the world-class trainers have gone online. So if you want the best, and he is in South Africa, you can now have him. And if you are really into a specific fitness category, you can now find a personal trainer online who could not be found in your location. I have a friend who only wants Pilates training. She lives in a small town in upstate New York and her perfect trainer is in California.

Easy Access to Trainer Information and Evaluation.

Online trainers do advertise and they do belong to "clearinghouse" networks. Before you make a choice, you can get all kinds of information about them -- client reviews on social media, for example. You can access their social media pages and their websites. So, you really are not making a "blind" decision.

They Cost Is Less.

A top trainer is often booked solid. And as he gets booked, you not only wait for an opening, you are also going to pay a lot for their time - up to $300-400 per session. If they go online, however, this may be the cost of a month's worth of a program or even two months.

Flexible Time and Location.

I travel because I want to. Others travel for business -- a lot. Having online access to your trainer from any location is a pretty big benefit, especially if you have questions and don't want to continue with a specific workout until you get an answer. And you do not have to wait until you get back home to have your program adjusted.

Support Outside of Actual Training Times.

It's hard to get trainers to respond to calls and emails outside of your hour of time with them. In fact, most won't do it without extra fees. Online trainers operate differently. They are available during reasonable hours and will respond to your calls and emails. In my case, I was getting replies as early as 6:00 a.m. and as late as 23.00 pm.

The Bad

You've probably figured most of these out already, but just in case I think it's worth reminding of the cons.

No One Spotting for Technique.

Using the wrong technique negates a workout and can even be harmful. For this reason, most online trainers do use Skype and initial video instructions, however they can't be with you during each workout session and monitor all your actions.

Possible solution I have practiced -- recording myself doing an exercise on video and sending that to my trainer for assessment.

How Progress Is Evaluated.

This requires honesty from the client, because it's easy not to be honest. A trainer can only go by the information provided, so if a client "fudges," it is the client who will suffer, and an online program won't work. So, yes, you'll need a lot of motivation and self-diligence to make it work for you. After all, like with any other type of training -- you need to have a clear vision goals if you want to succeed.

Motivation.

This is the other element of potential failure. Clients who meet with their trainer face-to-face will be motivated to keep up the program, or face the criticism. And skipping sessions is so easy when no one's exactly watching you. So, yep, you need to have a huge tone of fitness motivation when you choose to workout online.

The Alternatives

There are some middle grounds between going to the gym and going fully online.
For instance, getting a fitness plan from a personal trainer and nutritionist consultations and using YouTube to find video exercises. There are plenty of amazing channels to follow!

Some companies are now offering on demand video exercises and guides that are custom-made for you.

It almost seems as if this is a natural extension of the earlier and still-used video workouts and exercise programs that customers order and play at home while they workout. Taking things to the next level by hiring a remote personal trainer is a bigger commitment. It is definitely not for everyone. It works for me because I am really committed.

It hasn't worked for a lot of my friends, because they just don't have the self-discipline to work out and stay on a diet without face-to-face supervision -- sort of like the student who misbehaves when the teacher leaves the room.

What are your thoughts on online personal training?

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The Link Between Stress And Gray Hair

It's been said that Marie Antoinette's hair turned white the night before she was beheaded. The assumption is that the stress caused by her impending date with doom caused her locks to lose their color within hours. For what it's worth, most scientists debunk the story but at the same time, do acknowledge that stress can play a role in the gradual process of hair turning gray.

Women start to go gray around age 35; men turn silvery around age 30. Depending on genes and overall health, gray hairs can make their first appearance in high school or come as late as age 50 for some people.

To understand whether your teenager can actually be blamed for causing you to go gray, you need to understand a bit of our physiology. A typical human head has about 100,000 follicles, each one capable of sprouting several hairs in a lifetime. At the bottom of each follicle is a little hair-growing factory where cells work together to assemble colored hair. The color comes from a pigment called melanin. Hair that has lost most of its melanin is gray; hair that has lost all of its melanin is white.

But the jury is still out on whether stress actually causes hair to turn gray, and for the most part, at least anecdotally, you'd have to separate chronic stress -- ongoing stress that lasts for a few years -- from the kind Marie Antoinette was feeling as the guillotine loomed large.

A 2013 New York University study published in Nature Magazine claimed a link between long-term ongoing stress and hair color. In that study, the researchers found that hormones produced in response to stress can deplete the melanocyte stem cells that determine hair color. They found that stress causes the stem cells to leave our hair follicles, leaving hair gray or white. 

Other research though says that the process of going gray is a multi-variable equation. Stress hormones may impact the survival and/or activity of melanocytes, but no clear link has been found between stress and gray hair, reported Scientific American.

All of which is to say, whether it makes you go gray or not, there are plenty of other reasons to try and reduce the stress in your life. Stress leads to high blood pressure, heart attacks, anxiety and depression -- which is why it's called the "silent killer."

And as for Marie Antoinette, one theory is that she had actually been gray all along and merely shunned her wig for the occasion of her beheading. Yeah, there's that.

Also on HuffPost:

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How to Stay Fit and Healthy During the Holidays

It's that time of year, which signals it's almost the end of the year and also the time when your calendar becomes bombarded with holiday events. Whether you're attending an event being hosted by friends, families or being hosted by you yourself, your nutrition and exercise regime may become wayward..

With such a hectic and quite possibly erratic schedule, you ask, "How am I suppose to fit exercise and healthy eating in such a festive season?"



If you're accustomed to training at least 60 minutes a day how about reducing this time to 20-30 minutes instead. Short bursts of high intensity workout can do wonders for your metabolism and of course leave you feeling energized and refresh to mingle with pals and family. They are also fun as they can be done anywhere, anytime.

Try this quick interval circuit routine. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds then repeat the same circuit two to three times. (Please make sure to warm up prior to exercise and cool down after).

Jump Squat
Plank
Wide Leg Squat
Run On The Spot
Mountain Climber
Jumping Jack
Close hand push up

Next on your checklist is to find the time during this hectic time to eat healthy. Some may opt to skip meals or even drastically reduce their caloric-intake in hopes of indulging later during their festivities. This will actually derail your progress instead of helping you stay on track.

With late nights due to celebrations, early mornings to complete the day's work and dinner parties (yet again!), your focus on preparing and eating healthy may get stretched a little too thin.

Instead of pulling over to a fast-food joint and fueling your body with unhealthy quick fixes, how about fueling it with healthy snacks? Most grocery stores offer extended hours during this busy time of the year... So there's really no excuse!

Fruits as well as raw, unsalted nuts and seeds are healthy options and they will keep you full. Make sure to fuel up on these before heading out to any of your events (you'll be less inclined to lose control and inhale unhealthy appetizers once you get there)!

Remember, holidays are about having fun with friends and family. And, of course, this fun usually includes way too much food and a few alcoholic refreshments. Don't be hard on yourself.

You can certainly indulge and have a few cheat meals... just be careful not to go overboard. Remember that getting back on the wagon is often harder than falling off of it.

Let me know if you tried any of these tips, how they worked for you or if you have any other great tips to keep on track over the holidays.

Happy Holidays from Body Envy!

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You're Doing Lunges All Wrong

The lunge is one of the foundation movements for fitness workouts. When done correctly, lunges can help strengthen the hamstrings and the glutes -- which is why they are commonly used in running warm-up routines.

More: How to Meet Your Fitness Goals on a Budget

In this week's installment of Rodale Wellness' Right Way series, we're going to break down perfect lunge technique:

1. Start standing tall, feet together, core engaged, shoulders back.

2. Lift one leg off of the ground, and take a large step forward. Then, begin to lower your body toward the ground until your thigh is parallel to the ground below, forming a 90-degree angle at the knee. Make sure your back knee is only a couple inches above the ground, and your front knee is directly above your front ankle.

More: What's the Best Time of Day to Exercise?

3. Push back to your starting position with the heel, not letting the toes drag on the ground.

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I'm Male, I Have a Six Pack, I Teach Fitness, and I'm Insecure

I hate being called skinny. I also hate slim. Svelte is growing on me but it isn't my absolute favorite. If I had my way I would look like Dwayne Johnson. Muscle mass that sits on top of muscle mass. My name is Matthew Johnson Harris and I am a fitness instructor in multiple formats. Men and women compliment me on my body on a daily basis. Little do they know I struggle with my own personal body image.

Tyler Kingkade (Huffington Post Senior Writer and Editor) made waves with his article "I'm a Man, And I've Spent My Life Ashamed of My Body" on the Huffington Post. As I read his piece I instantly empathized with him. I wanted him to know that the guy with the six-pack he admires is just as insecure.

(Group Fitness Instructor Matthew Johnson Harris -- Photo By Chelcy Harrell)
I spent my high school years overweight. I attended a predominantly white high school in a suburb in Texas and I was cast as Santa in the annual school Christmas Concert. When your weight trumps racial tensions and "traditional" ideas of Santa you know you are overweight, so I decided to make a change. My mom owned an old fashioned stepper that she purchased at a garage sale. Every morning I would do an hour step aerobic workout and before the summer had ended I had dropped 35 pounds. I knew nothing about weight training or gaining muscle so I purchased a copy of Men's Health magazine and used it as second bible, and I became obsessed with fitness. My life has been filled with devastating obstacles and my workouts became my therapy. Three years ago I decided that I wanted to share my passion for fitness with others. I have worked at some of the best gyms in the New York City and still find myself struggling with my body image. Due to the high velocity of cardio classes that I teach, it is hard for me to maintain muscle and I constantly struggle with the idea that my body is too skinny and not masculine enough.


(Graphic By Matthew Johnson Harris)
November or "Movember" is a month dedicated to getting men to take better care of themselves with fitness boutiques all over the country offering special promotions and events to get men moving and thinking about their overall wellness. I used my platform to pick the brains of my favorite male students. Often, when approached, men just don't know how to talk about body image. It is almost shameful to acknowledge such an insecurity. They may ask you how many reps it took you to get your arms or abs but they won't flat out say that they feel areas on their own bodies are inadequate. I reached out to some of the fittest guys I know to gauge their thoughts on male body image and asked for advice on how they deal with their own insecurities.

(Group Fitness Instructor Jamal Smith)

Jamal Smith is a fellow fitness instructor and friend of mine. He is 6'3 and 220 pounds. If I went to bed tonight and woke up as Jamal tomorrow; it would be a dream come true. He is my ideal body type. On top of that he carries himself with a laid back charm and exudes an extremely approachable energy. Everyone who takes his class leaves inspired and wanting to be more like him. I assumed he of all people must be comfortable in his own skin. I was stunned when he told me that he wasn't a fan of his own body. "There are other body types that I aspire to have," Jamal simply stated. His honesty was refreshing.

As men, we are expected to be both physically and emotionally strong. To express negative thoughts about body image comes across as trivial, effeminate, and selfish. We fail to realize that unless we mentally and physically take care of ourselves, we are not fully able to take care of others. Edwin Velez says the right amount of selfishness and honesty about your self image is the most important key to making any kind of change.

(Personal Trainer and Spokesperson Edwin Velez)

In April 2014, Edwin Velez made national news when he lost 100 pounds in four months (Watch him discuss his journey on Good Morning America). He did it all with no trainer or guidance. Just a determination to get things done and an ability to put his health at the top of his priority list. He offers his advice to people who would want to make the same journey. "I would say you have to make the decision to change for yourself. We tend to try to make everyone happy and do the thing for the wrong reasons. There is nothing wrong with placing yourself first." Edwin currently resides in Alabama and I have no doubt that he will be one America's top trainers.


(Former Body Builder and Personal Trainer Keyon Roman Powers)
So what happens when you place yourself first, put in the work, and reach a physique that is "admirable"? Do the insecurities quiet down? Keyon Roman Powers is a former professional body builder and takes on this question. "I am admittedly insecure about my body. Once you have reached a certain level of fitness aesthetics you are held to the standard of maintaining or being better than where you are." Gentlemen, Keyon Roman Powers, who I playfully call Mufasa, is insecure with his body. His quads look like they swallowed to Watermelons!

So what can we do to help battle these never ending thoughts of inadequacy? I think the answer lies with Zach Miko. Zach and I used to serve tables together in New York City and now he is making a name for himself as America's First Male Plus Size Model. He is 6'6 and 275 pounds and has always been the "big guy". He endured years of disappointments while pursuing his acting career because of his physique. This year he landed his breakthrough moment modeling for Target. His message is simple. Love yourself and realize that your body is specific to you.

(Actor, Model, and Musician Zach Miko)
"I like being the big guy. I'm happy being the big guy. I've been trying to change for years because that is what the industry has told me I should do. I just want to set a different standard." says Zach.

There is always going to be some type of idealized fantasy on the perfect male form. Some are based on societies ideas and others are based on our own definition of masculinity and attractiveness. If you don't like something about your appearance then there are many options to change it. Just know that it starts a race to perfection that never seems to end.

Some physical goals won't ever be achievable. I won't bore you with talk of genetics but some goals are not achievable based on good old fashioned science. When men approach me with admiration for a certain physical attribute I do something that isn't popular in my profession. I let them know that results may vary. I try to shift their fitness goals to being more functional and efficient in day to day life. Can you pick up your toddler without blowing out your back? Can you walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded?

I haven't fully come to terms that I will never look like Dwayne Johnson but I am happy to report that I am getting used to being Matthew. Whether there is a six pack or a keg under your shirt -- self acceptance is the ultimate goal.

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How to Not Gain Weight During the Holiday Season: An Unconventional Approach

I bet this is on your mind this holiday season. Maybe not the front of your mind, but at least the middle, or for sure the back.

Because, let's be honest, you clicked on this link and started reading this article for that very reason, right?

You wanna know. Everybody does.

What's the secret to not gaining weight during the holidays!?

I can tell you what you think I'm going to say:

• Fill your plate with whole foods (80/20 rule)


• Get some protein with each meal or snack


• Lots of greens, veggies, and fruit


• Moderation... allow yourself treats in small portion sizes


• Hydrate, often thirst can be disguised as hunger


• Prep ahead to make sure you always have access to healthy options


• Move your body in some way that feels satisfying and fulfilling every day


• Get proper rest

This is pretty much the go-to list, right?

But if it were that easy -- to just follow a list -- then why does everyone struggle so much?

We've all heard the statistic that the average person gains 7 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The reason we still struggle even though we all "know" what to do is because we often treat the question of "how do I not gain weight over the holidays" kind of like jumping out of an airplane and THEN searching for our parachute.

The time to start addressing this is NOT in the midst of the holidays. It's way before that.

The question isn't, "How can I not gain weight THIS holiday season?" But instead it's, "How can I get my body and mindset to a place where, holidays or not, I've got this?"

Where I won't ever be tempted to binge.

Where some bread, mashed potatoes, and pie won't bloat me up for days.

Where I know exactly how to prepare for and support my body so that it can thrive in any circumstance.

Where I don't feel like this is a free for all but rather, like any other day, where I get to eat whatever I choose to eat and always know how to nourish myself properly in a way that never feels depriving.

The holidays are no different than any other day. The problem isn't the excess of treats, the problem is that we set ourselves up for failure when we don't approach how and what we eat as a lifestyle.

We focus too heavily on day-to-day and put pressure on ourselves to measure up to the idea of perfection that we have in our heads.

Perfection is not the answer.

Consistency and a long-term, realistically do-able plan that factors in "real life" IS the solution. Because, you need something that you can stick to, right? That's the goal.

We focus so much on black/white, right/wrong, good/bad, rather than broadening our view and asking ourselves what we truly want.

Really. When was the last time you asked yourself what you REALLY want?

A life of freedom, flexibility, and sustainable health.

OR

A life of restriction, deprivation, and living inside a tiny little box of prescribed meal plan prison forever.

I think we both know the answer.

Take your focus off of what's gonna happen this next month, and decide what you want for the long-term. What does your vision for "winning" look like for you?

You're not supposed to avoid everything that tastes good forever. I for sure don't. I eat sugar AND bread, and I don't feel bad about it at all because it's a small piece of my bigger-picture healthy lifestyle plan.

If your goal is to be healthy and maintain your ideal weight, then give yourself the time, space, and permission to decide what that looks like for you. Learn what kind of plan works best for you long-term.

Figuring this out doesn't happen over night and it certainly doesn't happen by either obsessing over gaining weight during the holidays (like I used to) OR by giving yourself a free pass to go buck wild because "it's the holidaaaaayyyys."

You want to create a better body or life than you have now? Do something different.

Be deliberate with your actions. Take responsibility, get committed and focus on what really matters to you. And if you haven't been able to do that yet on your own, invest in your future. Get a coach or someone that can hold your hand and take you through the steps they know inside and out to get you to where you want to go.

And think about this.

Next year, during the holidays, how cool would it be to have achieved and maintained your dream body goals for some time, not even questioning whether or not you'll be able to "handle" the holidays, because you know... you've got this.

Sheila Viers is a Health and Life Coach.

Get her free guide, 3 Steps To Losing Weight Without Restriction.

Follow Sheila on Instagram at https://instagram.com/sheilaviers.

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