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kelly@everygymsnightmare.com
Every Gym’s Nightmare
Personal Trainer Advice Without the Membership Fees
Welcome!
I'm Kelly T. and I am an ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified personal trainer. I work at an elite, private, one on one studio in Seattle. I love what I do, and I feel everyone deserves access to personalized fitness information, no matter how much money you make. So here I am. Ask your questions, leave your opinions, and most importantly, put what you learn on this blog into practice. Get Moving!
NOTE
While I am a certified personal trainer, nothing on this blog should take the place of a doctor's medical advice. That's why they make the big bucks.
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I saw your pics- you seem to be in fantastic shape!! What is your typical workout like?
Thanks
Hi! I just posted a question on Kath’s blog and she refered me to your site..i was hoping you could answer my question! I work out everyday and have pretty much toned up most of my body…except for these stupid lovehandles/lower back fat! Do you have any suggestions on how to get rid of these? any information would be appreciated
Hello. I know there’s no such thing as spot-reducing but I was wondering if there were certain exercises to avoid so I don’t bulk up. I have thicker thighs and a bigger butt, so should I not do lunges and squats? I run often so my legs always get a workout but my exercise seems incomplete when I don’t use actual weights.
Hi Kelly!
First, I would just like to say what an inspiration you are. I really enjoy your blog and the comments that I have noticed, you left, on other’s blogs. I have a question for you, and I totally understand if you don’t want to answer. I use to suffer from anorexia (about 8 years ago). I was intensive inpatient/outpatient treatment. I learned so much about issues, why I did it, etc. During that time, I gained back all of the weight, and then some. About 3 years ago, I got into the “habit” of binge eating. And, despite my best laid plans/intentions…I CAN’T stop. I eat plenty during the day so I don’t think it’s physiological. I feel like I have this compulsion to binge. It’s like, I don’t feel like I will ever get pleasure out of life, so I seek it out in food. Have you ever felt this way? If you did, how did you overcome it? How did you get to such a healthy mindset with food? Again, I understand if you don’t respond. Either way, you are such an inspiration and I wish you the best.
Thanks and God Bless!
Karly
How long did it take you to study for the ACE exam? I’m planning on following the 20-week guide since I work full time. Do you think I would be able to make it if I study about 4 days a week and 2 hours per night? I don’t want to wear myself out. Thanks!
Hi, I love your blog! I have a question for you. I’ve been working on building upper body strength for about 6 months but I still can barely do ONE push-up so I’m not building strength in the right places I guess. I take yoga and can barely do the poses that are similar to a push up or that involve lowering yourself down. I really want to build my strength so I can do these poses. I have no problem with plank, side plank, etc. Aside from yoga, I do about 30-45 min of cardio a day plus 20 or so minutes of weights. I do bicep curls, hammer curls, lateral raises, tricep extensions, and some kind of shoulder press (can’t remember the name). Anyway, to get to the point of my question, I was hoping you might have some suggestions of exercises to help build the strength I’m looking for? Thanks!!
Hi Kelly! I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your blog! It’s really nice to read because earlier this year, I was hospitalized for 3 weeks for an eating disorder (I was hospitalized in March and I turned 16 in June). I’m definitely at a healthier weight now, but my doctor still needs me to gain a few pounds. I’m also a dancer, so throughout the school year I exercise regularly. However, summer dance classes are only in July and I’ve been stranded home alone with my mom at work, and I feel so lazy. I definitely want to gain more muscle as well, but I was just wondering any advice you might have. Oh, and I don’t know if you’re able to get my email from this, so its hanabanana609@yahoo.com
Thanks! Keep up the great work
You need an RSS feed at this new site. Are you planning to set one up?
the RSS feed button is right at the bottom of the page. first button.
Hi Kelly!
I have been following your site for just a little while, but I am loving it! It is informative, entertaining and motivating and is helping me along in my goal to improve my physical fitness.
I was wondering if there is any way to work up to full sit-ups and pull-ups if you can’t even begin to do either? I have seen programs to increase the reps you can do of each–but it’s hard to increase reps when you can’t even do one! Are there certain exercises you can do to target the muscles to get to the point where you can do at least one rep of each and then increase? I do not belong to a gym and would be looking for something I can do at home.
Thanks so much for your help, the information you provide on your site, the motivation you are giving your readers!
Hi,
Love your blog. I am studying to be a personal trainer through ACE. I am wondering about the classes you took. I don’t feel like I’m absorbing the info with just the book stuff. Any advice? I looked on there website and saw some online courses. Is that what you did? I appreciate any direction. Thanks.
Hello. Wanted to start out by saying I love your site. Just found it while viewing another bloggers site. I read a lot of blogs on food and diet, but very little geared toward the exercise part. Glad to have found you and enjoying the site.
I have been weight training for a year now. I love it! I currently go to a personal trainer one day a week and do weight training on my own two additional days a week (kettlebells, dumbells, smith machine etc.). I usually weight train 30-45 minutes a session and also do 45 minutes of cardio three addtional days during the week.
I sometimes worry that I am tiring myself out and not getting enough rest and recovery. I have considered taking something for muscle recovery. What do you think? I currently take no supplements (other than a multi-vitamin and Calcium pill). I use to drink whey protein, but got tired of being a slave to it and really just want to eat real food. I also fear adding the additonal calories into my day. I eat a real meal within a hour of lifting. I have considered L Glutamine - any thoughts on that? I just don’t want to waste my time or money on these supplements if I am going to reap very little results. I just want to get the most of the time I spend working out.
Really enjoy reading your writings. I’ll bet you a million your grandparents are really proud of you! You’ve come a long way, baby…
Kelly,
I love your blog! You have such a great, balanced approach to fitness and health. So I feel way more comfortable asking you than some of the bro science-addled personal trainers that populate my gym.
I’m trying to gain weight after cutting down too far. I’m 5′4″ and around 110 pounds. I’m not clinically underweight, but my shoulders and back are way too bony. I’d like to gain around 5-10 pounds, but I’d want it to be muscle, not fat.
So, a few interrelated questions:
- How much should I eat so that I can get hypertrophy but not just be packing on weight?
- What is a good rate of increase (where I know that the gain is healthy)?
- How much does food quality count? I eat clean most of the time, but since I have a liiittle extra room right now, would eating a few extra Newman O’s derail my muscle goals?
- How hard do I need to be working out to grow muscle? I lift weights 3x a week, but should I leave the gym wanting to collapse, or just be fatigued?
- What do you recommend for cardio? I walk around my campus all day and jog to the gym and back (it’s a about a 1/4 mile each way), but other than that I’m not doing much…bad, I know. Do you find adding some cardio helps healthy gains, as long as it’s not creating a deficit?
Thank you!
- Mimi