Wrapping up the year…

As we go into the New Year many of us are thinking of resolutions, goals, and new beginnings.

Whether you think 2017 was the best year or the worst year, always remember that you are the creator of your own destiny. You have every right to learn from the past. Pain and struggle are our most powerful teachers.

Make your goals concrete! Write them down. Every day try to do something that puts you in the right direction.

If your goal is to be healthy-start with the small goals. Start drinking more water every day. Cut out all empty calories for 4 weeks and see how you feel. Make a point to sweat every day. Load up on veggies and stay away from processed foods. GET BETTER SLEEP. Make your health the absolute priority in everything you do. The sum of all of these small things will lead to great results over time! Stay consistent!

Here are my goals for 2018 in case you wanted to know:

1) Get better sleep

2) Love myself more

3) Read a good book every month

4) Save more money by cooking at home more

5) Donate more time to charity

6) Do something terrifying that I know will make me a better person despite my fear

As always please know I am here for all of your health and fitness needs!

In DM FITNESS news-I have very few spots left for new clients in 2018. If you want to be on my client list, time is of the essence. Contact me to set up your free consultation today. 💪🏼

In Health….and HAPPY NEW YEAR! •2018•

Demi

Client Spotlight-Ray Evens

This weeks client spotlight had to be without a doubt, Ray! I started working with him at Exemplar Fitness three times a week about 2 months ago. To date he has lost 12 pounds, but most importantly over 14 inches overall. That tells me his body composition is indeed  changing, and we are on the right track to pursue his goal of putting on more muscle and getting more fit overall.

Let me tell you: Training with Ray has been a great experience.  He came in with a GREAT mindset, super motivated and ready to go. He hasn’t lost any of those qualities either. With our monthly measurements he becomes more and more HUNGRY to reach even more goals. He is EASILY coachable, and always puts out a 110% effort in on every single session. I’m super proud of him!

Ray has a certain quality in him in that he’s “comfortable with being uncomfortable” in our sessions. He trusts the process and never questions anything with our training program. He always asks how to be better to maximize his results; not just in the gym, but outside of the gym too. I say these things because if you are going into a training program with a trainer, definitely adopt this mindset. Mindset is EVERYTHING if you are looking to achieve your goals. A half a$$ effort will yield you half A$$ results. Come in motivated, try your absolute best and trust the process. You will have ups and downs, good days and bad days, and that is NORMAL. 🙂 Don’t let those days derail you from the task at hand. TRUST, BELIEVE, and GIVE IT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE and you will succeed in your goals and then some. Your health and the ability to MOVE with purpose and function is a beautiful thing. Don’t let it go to waste and know that it’s never too late to start. The hardest part is just STARTING.

Take that first step!

In health-Demi

Are you putting too much focus on cardio to reach your goals?

Ask yourself:

What are my specific goals?

What am I doing to attain these goals?

Am I just doing cardio “to feel good?” i.e. ‘endorphins’

There are a TON more questions you should be asking yourself-but one thing I do talk a lot to my clients about is NOT overdoing your cardio. It truly does not matter how much weight you want to lose. Anything over 60 minutes a day is counter productive and will lead to overuse injuries, making you more susceptible to colds and upper respiratory infections because your immune system will be compromised from high levels of cortisol. If that sounded foreign to you: just think that when you do too much cardio your body gets stressed out (cortisol is released) and can make you weak in many ways. The repetitive nature of running, elliptical, etc can put pressure on your joints and ultimately cause an injury over time. You may get into the symptoms of over training, which is a legit illness that can last 3 months and it’s only cure is rest.

When you look at your body-think of it like a sculpture. Draw an outline of your body on a piece of paper if you must. Get out a pen and actually draw where you’d like to see improvements that make sense. I.E. narrower waist, rounder glutes, more defined shoulders, etc and add a weight loss goal if needed.

*Fun Fact:  I used to be a cardio addict. It also was the time when my body fat was very high and I had NO muscle definition.  Cardio truly can be an addiction: because we all know that runners “high” is legit. Fear not-you can break that addiction. Remind yourself that weight training does NOT make you bulky (unless you are male and train a certain way).  On the contrary-it shapes your body. Training with resistance makes you strong and injury proof.*

I will use one muscle group as an example here or else this will turn into a book. 🙂 Let’s say one of your goals is to have bigger and rounder glutes. Your plan of attack should include hip thrusts, squats, deadlifts, kickbacks, step ups, lunges, sprints….and about a dozen different varieties of all of these movements. (No matter what the goal-remember not to neglect other areas of your body of course in your training, just train your specific area of interest differently to attain your goal. This is why having a personal trainer is a bonus). Notice ‘sprints’ in bold. If you want bigger and rounder glutes, SPRINTING is your cardio. Along with sprinting on an incline, among MANY other variables. If you do too much steady state long cardio and your goal is bigger and stronger glutes, that cardio will eat that muscle that you are trying so hard to build for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you will see minimum results.

 All this being said, EVERYONE is different, everyone has different goals, and everyone has different abilities.  Personal trainers that are capable streamline plans for each individual that they are training to make your goals a reality. Also-when you are trying to build any muscle, REST is critical for muscle recovery. If you are hitting that muscle every damn day with some sort of cardio-it will never get a chance to recover and get stronger (GROW), plus you MUST EAT EAT EAT the RIGHT way (usually more FOOD if you make the right choices: again this is why a personal trainer is a fantastic investment) if you want any muscle group to get strong and have some growth.

Now speaking of weight loss-this cardio principle still rings true! If you train INTENSE, add in some HIIT (high intensity interval training), and lift with absolute FERVOR, then your training session is pretty much all you need! In 30 minutes I can train a client and leave them dripping with sweat, which means their heart rate went up, which means THERE WAS A CARDIO ELEMENT to it, therefore they burned calories and will be burning calories long after the session is over (after burn effect) SO IN TURN …. they lose weight over time while getting strong. 🙂

THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS…actually THINK about your goals. Get specific! Do NOT chase skinny! Chase HEALTHY. Chase STRENGTH. Chase FUNCTIONAL FITNESS. You train hard in the gym so you can live with vitality outside of the gym and not injure yourself! Once you get in this MINDSET everything else “magically” falls into place. 😉

More questions? Feel free to contact me for anything. If you live in the Charleston area, I offer my first session at Exemplar Fitness for free. There are always corporate specials, hospital employee discounts, as well as veteran discounts to train with me personally.

I also offer a “Sweating for the Wedding” training package for Brides and/or their bridal party: 3 month and 6 month packages available.

In Health-Demi

Best Of Charleston Reflection/Results

The Best Of Charleston has come and gone for 2017-and I am happy to tell you I came in as the 1st Runner up for Best Trainer in Charleston!

Of course I would have loved to win, but I am exceptionally pleased with where I placed! The competition was strong and fearless, and I was among some of the best trainers that Charleston has to offer.

As an added bonus I was invited to the official “Best of Party” held by the City Paper at the BEAUTIFUL Gaillard Center and it definitely did not disappoint! My boyfriend Chris AKA DJ Rehab provided amazing music as always, and multiple vendors provided delicious drinks and fantastic food. The theme was “Fairytales” as you can see in the picture. 🙂 As a sweet bonus; Chris also took home 1st Runner up for Best Club DJ.

I was also able to network with other incredible business owners in Charleston and it truly inspired me to just keep doing my best in everything I do.

My passion is truly helping others live healthier lives and just to show anyone that YES, you can be the best version of yourself in every way possible. I feel extremely honored and humbled that the Charleston community saw that and supported me in this journey!

From the bottom of my heart-THANK YOU.

Demi

Supplement or nah?

Definition of supplement

1. 1a:something that completes or makes an addition

   Some Synonyms: additive, addendum, addition, appendix, compliment, extra, option

Now that the definition is out of the way, I think you have a pretty good idea what a SUPPLEMENT IS. In what I’m specifically talking about today is naturally; dietary supplements to enhance your performance and/or natural well being and overall  health.

These include but are not limited to:

Protein bars, shakes, etc

Fish oil

Amino Acids

BCAAS

Pre-workout

Fat burners

The list goes on and on…

There is a REASON why I prefaced all of this with the definition of what a SUPPLEMENT is, which is what all of the above fall under. This is why:

TO ADD SUPPLEMENTS TO YOUR LIFESTYLE MEANS THAT YOU HAVE VERY SPECIFIC GOALS AND YOU HAVE A PLAN. TO ADD SUPPLEMENTS TO YOUR PLAN MEANS THAT YOU ARE ALREADY ON A HEALTH AND FITNESS PLAN AND LIVE THIS LIFESTYLE OR YOU ARE BUILDING NEW HABITS, AND AGAIN YOU HAVE A PLAN.

If it sounds like I’m yelling, I am.

Supplements are NOT for anyone who thinks they can take a pill, patch, shake etc *NO MATTER WHAT IS PROMISED TO YOU THROUGH FAKE MARKETING* and just continue on with your sedentary lifestyle eating whatever and thinking you will have any positive results!!!

If any supplements tells you, “All you have to do is drink this every day and you will lose weight without changing your lifestyle! or All you do is take this pill in the morning, and wear this patch and BAM a bikini ready bod is on the way!”

RUN FAR FAR AWAY WHEN YOU HEAR OR SEE THESE CLAIMS! Because that is all complete BS and they are just stealing your money. #FACTS

Now! On the flipside: there are some GREAT supplements out there, and I recommend certain ones to my clients all the time. There is even a shake I recommend to my clients and it’s the ONLY one I endorse because it helped me feel super healthy and supplemented my own weight loss journey where I  lost 60 lbs 3 times in my life.  Again: this shake didn’t make me lose the weight. It HELPED me and made me feel good in my fitness journey. Check it out here or not; it’s all good. Remember; supplements are to ADD and enhance your healthy lifestyle. Think of them like the cherry on top of your icecream (probably not the best analogy for a health and fitness blog but you get my point), supplements just make everything a little bit better and more enjoyable for you when used the right way.

I do recommend Shakeology to everyone if they are looking for a protein and super food drink to SUPPLEMENT their healthy lifestyle. Depending on the client in front of me, I will also recommend other products depending on their specific goals. It’s all very subjective and all of this is another reason why having a  personal trainer is so important.  It’s not just about your workout, but everything else you consume during the day that can make or break your results. All of this being said-there are a ton of clients who choose no supplements whatsoever-and that is completely ok as well.

**Remember-supplements are to ENHANCE your journey to a healthier and fitter you…they are NOT a quick fix, they are NOT just a pill you can pop and magically lose weight.  No weight loss patch will curb your appetite and therefore help you lose weight. It’s NOT going to happen. If there was a quick fix that worked-wouldn’t everyone on planet earth be fit and healthy?**

Truth is: you gotta work. You have to put in the TIME, blood, sweat, and tears. You have to be PATIENT, you have to be CONSISTENT. There will be ups and downs. You have to roll with it. That’s why it is called a JOURNEY. You will have set backs. You will mess up. It’s in these moments that define your character and how bad you want to live a healthier lifestyle. You simply just have to keep going. There is no magic ANYTHING…stay hungry, stay focused, do the work and you will see the results that you’ve always wanted.

As always, I am always here for your questions or concerns-if you’d like to meet up for a free consult in the Charleston area-just send me a msg via my contact tab.

In  Health-Demi

Details can make or break your sweat session…

Sometimes, a singular success really does lie in the small details.

And the small but MIGHTY detail I’m talking about today is MUSIC.

I attached this photo collage above taken by the fabulous Abigail Marie photography because I wanted to illustrate this very point. In this photo shoot the memory still rings clear. The music was THUMPING, and I was simply dancing…it got me to loosen up and we captured some pretty rad images.

Yes-this is still a fitness blog. Bear with me. 🙂

“Research consistently finds that listening to music distracts athletes from their “bodily awareness” (read: discomfort). And a recent study found that not just listening, but controlling and creating music in time to one’s pace had an even more profound effect on perceived effort during a workout.”

This is straight up science.

Many of you reading already know this-you cannot bear to go on a run or to the gym without your favorite tunes in tow, and I am the same way! When you have your music lined up all ready to go, you’re workout is different. You feel motivated, stronger, and it can push you when you feel like you want to stop. Music is such a powerful tool!

One of the best things ever to happen to me besides this man being my boyfriend, was when he came out with his own music app. 🙂 Chris A.K.A DJ Rehab knows exactly what kind of music I like and he created me some amazing workout mixes under their very own section labeled “Workout Mixes” on his free music app that you can find in the app store under his DJ name.

The biggest thing with making new and healthier habits is building a positive mindset that aligns with your goals. If you can find ANYTHING that helps you on your fitness journey-USE IT. For me if I don’t have my music, I’m not going to the gym. It’s apart of my routine and gives me a positive mindset and motivation to get the job done. Sometimes having that “certain song” at just the right time in your workout when you are feeling like you want to give up is all you need to keep going and finish strong. It works for me. Anything that works for me, you better believe I’m going to share with you!

As always feel free to ask me anything. Wedding season is in full swing-so if you need some help getting ready for your big day; I’m here.

In Health-Demi

Variety inspires consistency

Variety=RESULTS!

You need it. Everyone does. Why?

It is the only way you will stay committed for the long haul in your fitness journey. No one wants to be going to the gym everyday and doing the same routine, week after week. That is a sure fire way to get in a mental rut that can possibly halt your motivation altogether.

One thing that I have really embraced over the years is that I will never know it all, and neither will you. I strive to keep learning from everyone around me and I use all of it somehow. There’s a saying that goes; “If you’re not learning, you’re dying” and I truly believe that. Stay humble-learn and grow.

As a fitness professional I encounter a lot of the same split routines with gym members. Usually it goes something like this: Chest, Back, Shoulders/Arms, Legs. Or a combination of some of those spread out over the week. While this is very effective and DOES have it’s place in our fitness regimens-I do encourage variety with myself and my clients for many reasons.

Main one is that you can get mentally bored. Another reason is if you really do the same thing week after week…month after month..you’re body will start to adapt and you may encounter that dreaded “plateau” where you will stop seeing results and/or improvement.

Start to think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to ask others for help or research different workout ideas on your own. Think of stability AND resistance training at the same time. Sports specific drills such as football and soccer drills can be very effective for speed training, burning calories while being seriously fun! Take a group fitness class here and there to shake it up a bit and to inspire ideas for yourself in your training. While it can be a bit scary to step outside your workout “box” and take out your ear buds…I promise you will gain some benefit from it.

As  always feel free to ask my anything-I’m here for you.

In Health-Demi

Comparing

You do it.

I do it.

We gotta stop doing it.

From all the social media platforms and the images that tend to be “big hits” always plastered in front of us…it’s no wonder we can be insecure at times. We always run around trying to be this IDEA of the perfect image we want to put out into the world. We obsess. We are never happy, never satisfied. When is enough…enough?

Positive Self Image is something I work on with myself daily. I struggle with it…because as much as anyone will appreciate the way I look, there have been many “unsavory” things written and said about me. I know that I’ll never be good enough for everyone…and that is okay. Because that is impossible.

I don’t have the big boobs, the big @ss that is so on trend right now, and I don’t have that hourglass figure.

AND THAT’S OK.

Here are the things that I am: I am strong. I can lift heavy weights, safely. I am functionally fit. I work hard in the gym so I can play outside with vigor. I can go on hikes where I can see the most beautiful places in the world. I can jump off of waterfalls. I have a strong core that protects my back so I am better protected against injuries. I CAN HAVE MORE FUN. I get bruises, scrapes and bumps along the way, and that is fine with me. As long as I am having fun with the ones I care for, well that is what makes me happy.

*I suggest you write a paragraph about yourself like the above so you can see all of the things you ARE.*

This is what is important. Pay no attention to those who glorify the things that you or I will never be. Because who we are right now is just fine. Being TRULY healthy and fit-no matter what society pegs you as-is what truly matters.

Ask yourself:

Are you healthy?

Are you strong?

Do you feel good?

Are you fit? Are you working your way towards being fit and healthy?

If you said yes=you are beautiful.

(P.S. if you’re thinking of becoming healthy and fit, you’re totally kickass too. Now is the time to get started on your journey).

 You are beautifully and wonderfully made.  Period, end of story-bottom line.

I know it can take time to accept that about yourself. Its really hard sometimes to see what the masses are drooling over, and realizing that you are the complete opposite of the “ideal state of beauty.” But we are unique as hell and that’s what makes us beautiful. You don’t want to strive to be a barbie.

Be the anti barbie who kicks ass and takes names.

In Health-Demi

Integrity

This word carry’s A LOT of weight, and applies to everything in our life; personal life, relationships, business, all of it.

It’s hard to do the right thing when no one is watching sometimes. There are just moments when we must be our own personal COACHES, and have discipline with not just our bodies, but our minds as well.

Because I am a personal trainer, and this is a fitness related blog-I am going to stick to the health related side of this word.

Do you think on the weekends that calories don’t count?

Are you still consuming those empty calories, i.e. soda, juice, etc?

Do you think you are hydrated enough, but deep down you know you only had probably a glass of water today?

This is where we need to keep our focus. When we are out and about, do we cave in to the social norm of eating and drinking in America? We need to get real with ourselves and take control.

80% of America is obese or heading in that direction. If we want to change our lives not just for ourselves but for generations to come, we have to have integrity with what we eat and drink every single day, and what our lifestyle portrays. We still must workout of course, but as everyone will say, that tends to be the easier part. After all, a workout is only 2-4% of your day. The rest of your day is what is going to make or break the results that you want so bad.

Let’s start the week off with integrity in everything we do. When no one is watching, let’s try to make the right decisions. In the end, that’s when the real pay off will come.

P.S. Have you voted for me in the Best of Competition yet? No matter where you may live, I could really use your vote for Best Personal Trainer. Currently I’m in the top 5, and I just need all of your wonderful support to seal the victory. I truly am so grateful! Go Ahead and vote HERE! (Once you click there, scroll all the way down to “Best Personal Trainer”…then click on “VOTE” next to “Demi Eliese Fitness” and you are good to go after verifying your email address so they don’t think you are a robot. 🙂 

In Health-Demi

Trust and finding your “Why”

As I go through my personal training career, I always try to put myself in the position of the “consumer.”

Why would they hire me?

How can I convey that they can trust me?

The “why” and the “trust” are very important.

Let’s talk about trust.  I think it’s safe to say that within minutes of meeting someone you have already decided if you are going to trust them or not. For some people-trust is something that has to be proven. Both of course are very understandable. I know that when trust is broken, it’s pretty impossible to repair. Which is why it’s at the top of my priority list.

I want to get to know my clients. I don’t just want to be the “repair man” that just comes and fixes something, get’s paid, and leaves. Absolutely not. We’re in this for the long haul. This is about commitment. I want to look (for example) at YOU in the eyes and really listen. LISTEN for those cues as to what will be enjoyable for you, what you may not like, and what really makes you “tick” in a sense. It’s hard to describe as you can see! But you are essentially trusting me to change your life. I do NOT take that lightly. Every night I plan for the next day’s workouts, I dream about them, I will change them at the last minute if need be. I’m NOT a clip board holder and I will NEVER be going through the motions of just telling you what to do. Far too often-my time with clients always seems to go too fast because I lose track of time since I’m so absorbed in your experience. I’m WITH you, with every grunt, every bead of sweat, every properly executed rep-I am your biggest fan. I will also step in and tell you that you can do better when I know you can at certain times. I am results oriented. There is a method to the madness. I envision your goals as my own. If you can’t trust me to push you to your personal best, that wall of trust can be broken. And that is simply not going to happen with me. Your success is my own success.  My passion for you to succeed and be happy with your experience with me is what makes my eyes open in the morning. Period. End of story.

After establishing trust, we can move on to finding your WHY.

I have a very simple explanation of how to get to the root of your WHY.

Your WHY should make you cry.

Or at least a little contemplative.

Not trying to get sappy here; but before committing to me, spending time with me, sweating with me, and putting in the work: this must be established.

Are you doing this to look good in a bikini or for the summer? If that’s the answer you give yourself-you need to sit your butt back down and think again.

Forget about how you want to look. FORGET ABOUT IT. You need to establish a vision for yourself.

How do you want to feel?

Do you want to be able to keep up with your kids/nephews/nieces/grand-kids etc and play with them?

Do you want to be more confident?

Do you want to lower your cholesterol so you can live a long life for your family?

Do you just want to be healthy so you can not just survive, but really and truly THRIVE?

Do you want to set an example for someone you know because you care about them?

These are just examples of the type of questions I want you to ask yourself. Write it down in 3-4 sentences. BE SPECIFIC. Tape it to the bathroom mirror. Put a copy in your car. Do what you need to do to have this important reminder of why you want to change your life.

It’s not all about just losing the lb’s…but after implementing these 2 simple mental tasks, the weight-loss and strength gains are an added bonus effect and that’s when you will start to see results.

It’s about thriving and being truly happy with yourself. This is something you have so much control over, unlike many circumstances in life…THIS…you CAN control! You’re at the steering wheel here. I can help steer you in the right direction.

In Health-Demi

Friendly reminders…

Twitter: @demi_eliese

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trainerdemi

Instagram: demi_eliese

Also: Voting for Best Personal Trainer is still open! My name is at the top of the list-just head on over HERE and scroll down to “Best Personal Trainer,” “Demi Eliese Fitness” is listed right at the top. Click on “VOTE” and you are good to go and I am eternally grateful.

Thank you!