3 Reasons Why You'll Look Amazing This Summer

You have every reason in the world to look and feel your best this summer!  
After all, you'll be traveling, perhaps by the water, doing physical things...

You'll see people you don't often see...

You'll be at major events....

You're sure to want more energy, right?

So, what's stopping you?

What's keeping you from burning off every undesired inch?

What's preventing you from having a strong posture, toned muscles and a ton of energy?

Before you come up with reasons why you can't, we're going to provide the three big reasons why you positively can:

#1.  You have access to some of the most knowledgeable exercise & health coaches in the industry!  
Your exercise time is precious!  Why waste a minute?  Make your time exercising as effective and as safe as possible with the combined power of your PPT personal fitness trainer and Perfect Personal Training's clinical team of degreed, accredited & certified experts.

#2.  It's not just the exercise itself, but your lifestyle that makes the difference:  This refers to more than just drinking water and trying to "move more".  PPT will create 20 or more tangible suggestions to keep your daily decisions nurturing your fitness goals between workouts, with the specifics that make the difference! 

#3.  With thousands of tremendous client successes under our belt, each success story boils down to one critical factor:  Meal planning!
Serious results sometimes involve more than just healthy eating and reducing portion size.  With added advantages such as nutrient timing, protein requirements, and specifics involving types of dietary fat and quantites of carbohydrates, you can give yourself the edge that you may need to get through to the next goal.

The choice is always yours, but if you're willing to learn more about a detailed PPT meal plan then your successes will absolutely soar - and you'll look & feel better than you probably ever have before.

Get the most out of your PPT fitness & wellness program!

Reach Client Services Director Val Fiott at (877)698-3648 ext 7018 to discuss any of these topics and to get the help you deserve.

Procrastination vs Eye on the Prize

There are those who can't wait to get closer to their goals.

And, there are those who "can't" bring themselves to make their dreams a reality.

Let's face it:  We all have fitness or wellness goals that we'd like to achieve, don't we?  If you're already at an ideal body composition and weight, then you likely have other goals that you're working on:  Perhaps you're not getting the 5 days of recommended cardiovascular training each week, or your muscles aren't getting enough exercise volume to keep your bones, metabolism and joints healthy for the long run.  Or, perhaps nutrition is short on the recommendations for vegetable or protein intake.

Whatever your goal, it takes inspiration to make it come to fruition.  So the question is, are you inspired?

Procrastination is the result of viewing your exercise time as an unhappy, unexciting time, acute time. But, that's not really what it is, is it?  After all, each session you complete is another huge step forward!

Remember what your goals will lead to: For example, "I want to lose twenty pounds" just sounds like work... Boring work, frankly,  But that goal might really mean, "I want to have a better sex life and feel more confident." Or, "I want to build muscle" might be more about posture, confidence and energy than it is about the muscles themselves.

After all, we don't seek out fitness and wellness for the sake of themselves, but rather to use them as  keys to better quality living.

Think of the energy you can have each day.

Think of the calmness you'll feel when you're thinner, stronger and healthier all-around.

Imagine looking your best on the boat or when you're traveling this summer.

Maintain a level of  health that minimizes risk for hospitalization in older age




Make a promise to yourself to no longer think of your fitness sessions as "workouts", but rather as steps toward (insert your goal here)

So perhaps you're not just "trying to build muscle" anymore, you're improving metabolism and strengthening the heart & lungs

And, it's not just "weight loss" that you're really after, but a descreased risk for heart disease, arthritis & cardiovascular problems

Our actions can only be as strong as our intentions!  Remembering the big picture of what you're accomplishing is the key to enjoying your fitness program, staying the course, and building an inspiration to succeed.  Remember, you deserve the BEST life possible!  Invest in YOU and keep your eye on the prize!

3 Easy Ways To Burn More Calories!

We all know how hard it can be to find time for exercise.

So, why waste a second of the time you can invest?

Our belief is simple:  Make the most of your exercise time, and don't miss opportunities to BURN MORE CALORIES!

#1.  Don't count.  Listen!  While it's always good to have a guide, the actual number of repetitions performed in strength training isn't as important as you might think.  Sometimes that "magic number" is higher than what the body really wants and sometimes it's too low.  Depending on your health and goals, we'll help you determine whether you should be exhausting your muscles for more calorie burning or stopping to move on to something more productive.

#2.  Manage your rest periods.  Not all rest is created equal.  While the body's systems need recovery, too much will damage your training and too little will prevent your next exercise from being as calorie-burning as it could be.  There are many parameters determining the time for adequate rest between muscle training sets or cardio intervals, and we'd love to apply them to your health and fitness plan.

#3.  Plan your meals effectively.  Not only will this keep off excess calories from food, but it will help you to burn more when you train.  Proteins, carbohydrates and fats all have roles to play in your exercise.  They'll do their jobs beautifully with the right intake.

Not yet a client?  Visit our SignUp form for your free consultation!

Already with us?  Please touch base with your Client Services specialist so we can help even more!

Perceived Limitations

Human will is fascinating, isn't it?  When you're deeply inspired, you find the energy and the drive to overcome any obstacle.  Whether in school, in your job, or in reaching a new phase of life, being accomplished really boils down to being motivated.  For the most part, it can be that simple.

But, some won't let that inspiration develop... Some people, and perhaps this is you, have trouble letting their dreams flourish into reality due to perceived limitations about life, happiness, and who they really are.

Essentially, we all feel some ability to predict our future: We feel some connection between who we are now and who we will be.  In terms of fitness, losing weight, firming up and becoming sexy just doesn't feel like it can be a reality for some people... It doesn't feel like them; it doesn't feel like home.  Rather, many have come to think of existence as a series of limits.




"I'll never look like that."                    "I could never have that kind of energy."

"I'll never be rich."                              "I'll always be fat."

Do you catch yourself thinking these things?  It's these limiting beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward and living the life that you were born to live.  It's that "same stuff, different day" type of thinking that prevents people from achieving, and keeps them stuck in the mud of who they think they are and always have to be,

For our friends throughout the country who are questioning how successful they can be in fitness and heath, I'd just like to leave you with a few reminders:

• You can be as fit and healthy as you'd like, as long as you're willing to follow the plan to get there
• Happiness, energy and sex appeal are yours for the taking, for a better life!
• Each accomplishment will open doors to exciting, new possibilities!

If you're not yet a PPT client, just click SIGN UP from our website to tell us more about your goals and availability and to request a free consultation.

Already with us?  Let's ensure that your goals are current and that you're enjoying the road to success.

Questions or comments?  Please post below or email us from our website!



blog written by Val Fiott, Director of Operations and Client Services

Fast Solutions to Problem Areas

Life's too short to feel less-than-awesome.

Do you find yourself feeling diminished by the less-attractive parts of the your body?

Whether it's arm flab, belly-bulge, a big butt or saggy features, problem areas can rob you of your daily happiness and sex appeal.

On one hand, it's important to love yourself, no matter what you look like.  On the other, it's time to get healthier and address your "problem areas" once and for all!

"The term problem areas usually refers to areas of excess bodyfat", explains Brian Walters, exercise physiologist and long-time staff manager with Pefect Personal Training.  "Sometimes, the term refers to a particular lack or normal musculature.  Example of this are very skinny legs or arms, or poor posture."

So, what is the fastest way to solve these problems?

"First, it's best to identify what the problem really is," begins Val Fiott, health coach, PPT director and regular contributor for the American Council on Exercise. "It's not always obvious whether the solution is fat loss, muscle growth, or both.  Flabby arms, for example, really don't require the conditioning of those muscles, but rather a fat-loss solution, as the flab is excess bodyfat."


But don't we need to tone muscles in problem areas?

"It's helpful, but it's not always the key solution. The muscles, themselves, aren't the big problem when it comes to flabby or saggy areas," continues Fiott.  "Rather, we need to burn the fat that surrounds them."

"One thing we'd like our clients to know is that the ability to spot-reduce is a myth," explains Walters.  "Exercise won't melt fat in one specific area.  Fat loss happens throughout the body."

So what do we do with problem areas that require fat loss?

"The bad news is that we can't isolate where we burn fat," begins Fiott.  "The good news is that when we're using the right formulas, we can burn a lot of fat in a short time, throughout all areas of the body that have excess fat.  In short, if there's unslightly, unnecessary bodyfat in any given part of your body, we can burn it off with the right PPT program, consisting of meal planning, cardiovascular exercise, strength conditioning, and flexibility."

A common, general starter plan for healthy adults is outlined as follows:

• At least 30 minutes of pain-free cardiovascular exercise (swimming, elliptical, biking preferred) four or more times weekly, at approximately 60-70% of your maximum heart-rate (determined through testing)
• At least one warm-up set of strength exercise for each muscle group at a low intensity (to approximately 15 reps), followed by at least one moderate-to-high intensity set for each muscle group (approximately 8-15 repetitions to fatigue)
• generally 1200-1500 calories per day, depending upon body size and exercise volume (protein specifics, fat specifics and nutrient timing all assessed by PPT)
• 30 seconds or more of flexibility per muscle group following exercise 

And, what about those who have low muscle in particular areas?

"Generally speaking, a person will benefit from total-body strength training, " begins Walters. "But, if they don't have the time or the commitment, we can write a plan to target mainly the muscles that are weaker than normal.  Usually, just once or twice per week for about 15 minutes will produce moderate results if the client has good heart health and if their joints are flexible and strong enough to support the required movements."

PPT weight management coaches, personal trainers and nutritionists are all eager to help!  If you're NOT yet a client, then request your free consultation.  Already a client?  Reach client services director Val Fiott to discuss your goals and the scientific aspects of your program at (877)698-3648 ext 7018.

5 BIGGEST Weight Loss Obstacles

We all want fewer obstacles to our fat burning.  After all, there is hardly enough time in a busy day to get in half the exercise and meal planning that we need.  So, why get slowed down?

Obstacle #5 - Ab exercises:  Contrary to popular belief, exercising your abdominal muscles (the "stomach area") isn't really going to burn much body fat at all.  Caloric intake and vigorous, rythmic large-limb exercise are the keys to fat burning successfully.  See more on this in this PPT video!

Obstacle #4 - Intensity selection:  Casual walks, some extra stair-climbing at work, and being generally more active are all helpful steps forward; but for great long-standing contributions, your heart-rate needs to be within the appropriate zone for you, your health history, and your current levels of fitness.

Obstacle #3 - Exercise duration:  If you're not achieving the 2-pound-per-week fat loss that science expects from a well-crafted program, then one issue is likely the total duration of exercise.  Twenty to thirty minutes can be helpful for the heart, blood vessels and lungs, but significant fat loss (enough to make you happy) often doesn't begin until the 40th or 50th minute.  While this varies based on nutrition, hormones and other factors, you may need to exercise for over an hour at a time before you start regularly hitting your targets for fat loss.  Our greatest fat loss successes, by far, come from clients who choose our 90-minute sessions.

Obstacle #2 - Sleep:  Sleep quality and quantity both have an awfyu lot to do with fat loss success.  Why?  Because the hormones that are a big factor in weight loss/management are actually suppressed when deep sleep is minimal.  Aim for a minimum of six hours per night, preferably more, in total darkness.

Obstacle #1 - Metabolism:  While the practice of "calories in, calories out" is crucial, your metabolism is the critical factor between fast results and slow results.  Fortunately, we have tremendous control over your metabolic rate.  Protien intake, muscle strategies, herbal consumption, and meal timing all boost metabolism when implemented with the appropriate care.  This all falls under the category of health coaching and is included free on non-session days to those who purchase our 40-session commitment packages for fitness training,  Please reply or call to learn more!

Perfect Personal Training employs the highest standard of fitness and wellness science, with degreed, certified professionals of exceptional experience.  To request your free consultation and fitness/health-risk assessment, visit http://perfectpersonaltraining,com

Testimonials, rates, and much more company information is all available online!

5 Exercises That Are More Harm Than Good

"Any exercise is good exercise, right?"

"Every little bit helps, right?"

Well, not always...

Not all exercises are created equal!

Below is our important list of 5 exercise strategies that are more harm than good!

#5:  Sit-ups:  While an old staple of fitness training, this exercise actually creates tremendous stress (unhealthy stress) on the hips and spine.  While the abdominals can get a decent workout with this exercise, it's just not worth the damaging forces that it also creates.  Crunches are better (though still not quite ideal for most), and there are a slew of other core conditioning strategies that are very safe and very effective when performed for the right duration.

#4: Super-Fast Strength Training:  This is a common trend, but exercising "as fast as you can" is more stressful on the joints and muscles than it is helpful.  Unless your joints are highly-adapted to the stresses working against them, this super-fast training should generally be segmented into only certain parts of each exercise.  For example, pushups can be performed fast on the way up, but not on the way down.

#3:  Running:  Contrary to popular opinion, running creates a lot of stress on the ankles, hips, low back, bones and other areas.  Do we need it for cardiovascular training?  Not at all.  Swimming, the elliptical, and total-body aerobics are just as helpful on the heart and lungs without all the danger.

#2:  Jumping Jacks:  For the same reasons as listed in #3 above, jumping jacks create negative forces for most.  Why risk it?  Move on to "walking jacks" or similar aerobic exercises such as kicks, shadow-boxing or other such movements without jumping, pounding or heavy impact.

#1:  Deep Squatting:  We see this a lot - squatting into a position where the upper leg (femur) is not parallel to the floor, and to where the butt gets close to the floor.  Why is this so dangerous?  While its true that the muscles see a bit more conditioning, the knee joints go through a very unhealthy stress on the way back up from such a low position.  This ages the knee prematurely.  While some bodies can handle it well decade after decade, most do not.  Play it safe and limit your squatting to 90 degrees at the knees.  They'll thank you for it in the long run.

Questions about your PPT program?  Looking to get more involved in stress relief, heart health, core conditioning, or other aspects of health and wellness science?  We are here to help!  Call (877)698-3648 and dial 7018 for our client services director and national health coach.  We look forward to your success!