Ever wonder what tips fitness trainers give to thier clients? We did. So we asked a few personal trainers what advice they give to clients. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Snack Smarter

Planning out your snacks for the day is a smart way to prevent eating junk food.  Keep your desk drawer at work stocked with healthy snacks like almonds. Once or twice a week cut up vegetables like carrots & celery so you always have them on hand. Enjoy them with a savory low fat dip. Snacks like string cheese or yogurt pack a protein punch and will help curb your hunger.  Don’t wait until you’re famished to snack.  You’ll be easily tempted to devour a donut or candy bar for a quick sugar fix.

Eating small, frequent meals and snacks promotes weight management by keeping your metabolism running. Whey protein is one of nature’s secret appetite controllers. So next time you hear your stomach rumble between meals, treat yourself to a Designer Whey protein bar!

2. Don’t get caught up in Fad Diets

We all know what happens after dieting – the weight, and then some, comes right back. Avoid fad diets, diet pills and any quick-fix scheme that sounds too good to be true. Eat healthy, tasty food every day and it won’t feel like you’re dieting at all.

Every meal should consist of lean protein (fish & poultry are great choices, lentils are perfect for vegetarians), add a healthy carb—the whole-grain and unprocessed kind. Sweet potatoes are also a great side dish. They’re loaded with vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Most important of all, eat your veggies. Veggies should make up ½ to ¾ of your plate.  

3. Consult a Personal Trainer for Best Results
Even if you’re on a tight budget, working out with a personal trainer just once can make a world of difference. Book a one-hour session and get a workout plan that suits your fitness goals. Don’t forget to take lots of notes!

4. Refuel Your Muscles with Protein
Research has shown that post-workout muscle building is maximized when whey protein is consumed within 20 minutes post-workout. To get the best possible results, drink a DESIGNER WHEY post-workout or add a Protein 2GO pack to your water bottle immediately after your workout.

5. Mix up your workout routine
Weight training, cardio and flexibility training – such as yoga or stretching – should all be part of your weekly workout regimen.  Weight training will give your sculted muscles, cardio will help you burn fat & calories, and yoga or stretching will help prevent injury and keep your muscles long and lean.

6. Never skip breakfast
People who think they’re saving calories or don’t have time for breakfast are making a huge mistake. Eating a healthy breakfast sets your metabolism for the day and will help stabilize your blood sugar. Start your day with scrambled egg whites with veggies, and a piece of whole-grain toast. A protein smoothie packed with fruit and even spinach (See Green Protein Machine Recipe) is a great alternative if you’re pressed for time.

7. Set Goals
Challenge yourself by setting fitness goals that will keep you motivated. Remember – goals must be realistic and measurable & attainable.

8. Don’t Drink Your Calories
If you’re really trying to make progress in the weightloss department, don’t sabotage yourself with high calorie, sugar-laden beverages. What’s the #1 worst way to wreck your diet? Alcohol. Full of empty calories, it can really dampen your progress affecting muscle growth and recovery. When you do drink, try lower calorie drinks like light beers and wine spritzers. And remember to drink in moderation.

Skip sugary sports recovery drinks and “vitamin” waters. You’d be better off eating a snickers bar.

9. Partner up with a Workout Buddy
Need extra motivation? Find a fitness buddy who will keep you accountable to get yoru workouts in. Fitness partners make great company if you’re running, hiking and power walking. And weight lifting is so much easier and effetive with a buddy to help you through those tough sets.

10. Challenge Yourself: Sign up for a 5K, Half or Full Marathon
One of the best ways to keep your fitness on track is to sign up for a run. What could be more rewarding and exciting than crossing the finish line? The hot body you got from all that training! And here’s the cherry on top: sign up to run for a charity. There’s nothing better than giving back while getting in shape.

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Maintenance. That has been quite a scary word since my finale last December. Everyone warned me about it, but I would always think to myself that it would be a whiz. Peace of cake! Truth be told, the daily struggles of maintenance are something that I believe I will deal with for the rest of my life. 

Like I’ve stated before, I went back to lifting weights soon after my finale. I hit the weights hard and put myself on a muscle building program with the help of ProteinBlitz’s 60g of protein per serving. I figured I would need all the calories I could get while building, so my eating got a little out of control. Now, it is nearly physiologically impossible to pack on a bunch of muscle without adding on a little fat as well. So for three months I bulked and bulked and bulked. I was working out a lot so I felt as though I needed those calories to add muscle, but I took in more than I could handle, so my weight jumped up more than I expected. It was kind of like a slap in the face when I stepped on the scale. 

I needed to change things up. For the last two months I have been in the cut phase of my program. I had to trim a little more than expected, but I knew it had to be done. I increased my cardio and actually added more protein shakes with the Protein Blitz while dropping my overall caloric intake. I’m proud to say I’ve actually dropped more than 15 pounds, but more importantly, I’ve packed on even more muscle than before. I’m two notches in on my belt, my pants are a lot looser, and I’m actually starting to see abs again! Who knew they would come back. 

I feel unbelievable right now. There are two weeks left until the next Biggest Loser finale and I will be the on stage correspondent for DietsInReview.com. I was almost dreading doing it in the shape I was in a couple months ago, but look forward to doing it in the shape that I am in now. I can’t wait to wow everyone with my new muscular frame. I pick things up and put them down! 

Note: Mark Pinhasovich received free product in exchange for his blog. 

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One of the great things about living in Utah is we have four beautiful seasons. However, I think we may be the only state to have two seasons in one week. We had frost and snow on Monday and today its going to be 80 degrees. Yesterday, as I sat at my daughters track meet watching my son eat a snow cone I couldn’t help be a little jealous (because I am trying to watch how much sugar I eat) that I was “enjoying,” plain water. Well, this morning as I was preparing for day two of the track meet I decided I could also have a frosty treat. I’m going to attempt to make a Lemonade Designer Whey Protein 2Go®  icee. Doesn’t sitting in the sun sipping frozen lemon aide sound wonderful! I love Biggest Loser Protein 2Go® Lemonade!

Enjoy your weekend

Burgandy

 Burgandy Keel received free product in exchange for her blog.

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Who’s making your decisions?

Have you ever felt out of control? Lately I tell you I feel like I’m not getting it all together as if I can’t get anything right. I was talking to a friend and we were talking about the different pressures we put on ourselves that are often unattainable and then we never get a chance to celebrate or be done or take a break. Lately I have felt as if a teenager has been making my decision’s and trust me when I say I wasn’t the most pleasant teenager. I was that “WHATEVER” teenager and that is how I’ve been feeling lately and honestly it’s not ok, not anymore.

I realized that at different points in my life when I have felt uncomfortable or alone or scared or nervous or sad or out of control or even just bored I have let that teenager inside me that wanted to be noticed make decisions for me or shall I say sabotage me. Well there is nothing I can do about my past but I can stop the cycle and do something different. I refuse to let my insecurities sabotage me.

I have been at this point in my life many times before and I’m sure I’ll be here many times again I just hope that each time I catch myself a little faster than the time before and as long as I do that I will continue to win. As I continued the conversation with my friend and tried to pinpoint why I might be sabotaging myself, I realized that I need some new goals, I need to break it done to basics!

I need to rest my weekly plans and get focused on some specific goals that I am achieving each and every week so I can feel proud of my accomplishments. I realized that a lot of my “whatever’s” as of lately is because I haven’t been feeling the greatest about my self, about my body. I have been feeling weak, out of control and soft. I realized that I was experiencing what probably many others are feeling at this time of year…. I’m dreading swimsuit season!!!! I don’t feel as strong as I have in recent years years so I took a look at that and to tell you the truth there were some obvious voids in my routine that will help me feel better with just the simplest of tweaks.

So my swimsuit ready routine is going to be focusing on building more muscle, I want to hit it hard and really start to see all the definition that I love again. When I am able to see the definition in my body I truly feel BEAUTIFUL, with that having my definition which is strength and confidence. There are some transitions in my life right now and I want to feel prepared to address them head on. Hit me up on the Biggest Loser Protein  FaceBook page and tell me what kind of strength training programs and ideas you have as well as any new shake recipes for summer protein shakes! I’m trying CrossFit and just bought the TRX system so I’ll let you know how it’s going.

Till next time,

Ali xo

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The month of May is filled with many reasons to celebrate from Mothers Day to Memorial Day..and my birthday somewhere in the middle! :)
 
This month I want to celebrate, give thanks to and honor someone very special in my life. The Biggest Loser show brought us together and through the magic of the casting process and a little help from the internet, a bond was created that holds strong to this day!
 
I met Joeinne after her brother, Captain Tom, had attended and received a “call back” interview for Season 10 of the Biggest Loser…I attended the same casting call and received a “call back” interview also.  The casting call turnout was huge-3000 people…just trying to put into perspective how amazing it was ! We stood maybe a dozen people away from each other in line that day but it wasn’t until after the casting call that we all met!
 
Through the social networking process and our love of all things Biggest Loser and the desire to become healthy, Joeinne and I met via the internet! Joeinne was on a crusade to help get her brother, Captain Tom, on the show since he was well over 300 lbs and heart disease runs in their family.
 
Over the next several months friendships blossomed, our families all got together …Captain Tom took us for a sail on his boat, an authentic Sternwheeler! With season 11 Biggest Loser casting call now fast approaching, Captain Tom and I decided to apply for a spot on the show as a team! Joeinne had recently lost 125 lbs and was doing well with maintaining her weight loss. She not only was rooting for her brother to get on the show but was rooting for me now, too..I often told her that she was our “cheerleader” !  She was and is so much more then that though, she once drove over 400 miles just to help me make my casting video! She was and is our rock through this whole process!
 
In the end when neither Captain Tom or I were selected for Season 11,  there was Joeinne once again encouraging us to stay strong. She feels that we can lose weight and get healthy on our own. Her positive energy never ends and is quite infectious as well!
 
Three months ago Captain Tom and I attended the Season 12 Biggest Loser casting call. Joeinne was helping to attend to every little detail and cheering us on as usual! Joeinne had been so focused on being there for both her brother and I that she hadn’t noticed that she had gained back 36 lbs!  She had once weighed 320 lbs and gotten down to 187.
 
Joeinne noticed she wasn’t feeling as energetic as usual, so she visited her Doctor for a check up. One month after the Season 12 Biggest Loser casting call, she found herself in Double Bypass Open Heart surgery to correct a severely clogged artery.  She had also suffered a mild heart attack as well.
 
Almost 6 weeks post surgery, Joeinne is healing and looking forward to getting back on track with eating healthy. She has begun walking to stay fit. 

I can’t think of a nicer person that I have ever met in my life as Joeinne. When my family and I visited Joeinne and Captain Tom in their hometown for the first time, it was as if we had stepped back in time to a story book fairy tale….it was enchanting and beautiful….just like Joeinne!

Sometimes we want to help others so much and in doing so, we lose sight of ourselves. Keeping ourselves in focus helps us to be able to keep doing what makes us happiest, like helping others.  I’m sending Joeinne a “get well/care package”…not flowers, not candy….but, something that will help her get healthy ….a basket of ‘Biggest Loser Protein Products!’  She knows it on the way and couldn’t be any more excited!
 
Have a wonderful May everyone! See you back here in June!
Stephenie

Stephenie received free product in return for her blog.

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Wow everybody! What an amazing journey its been since my time on The Biggest Loser! Between being a full time husband, a daddy to 3 amazing kids,  a full time pastor, and traveling the country telling my story to any and everybody, its hard to get the nutritional aspect on lock.  I love how The Biggest Loser Protein products keep me so in check with my nutritional goals!  A lot of people think that The Biggest Loser Protein Powder is a magical weight loss powder you add to some milk or some water but you would be wrong! It starts in your head! Having a great workout plan, a great nutritional plan and incorporating The Biggest Loser Protein is the right way to balance out your life! It is an amazing tool to help you on your weight loss or weight maintaining journey, however, your best tool is a having a great plan.  Remember to sit down and plan out your meal times and your snack times.  Also, remember to add some time  for working out or working up a sweat, and remember to add some you time in there to balance out the equation. I believe in you, believe in yourself.  I am currently in Owasso Oklahoma training for a few half marathons, some 5K’s and a 10K.  Its always good to work toward a goal.   So, be sure to set yourself a goal!

Do good work, find me on facebook and tell me all about your amazing lives with The Biggest Loser Protein.

Sean Algaier received free product in exchange for his blog.

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:  ”After an Intense work out, when I feel quenched and drained of energy I grab a packet of PROTEIN*2GO out of my gym bag and mix it with my water or when I work out at home I put 1-2 cups of ice in a blender add a packet of Lemon or Red Raspberry PROTEIN*2GO and blend it with 8oz. of water for a quick pick me up, and to help in the rebuilding process of my muscles! It’s a great refreshing Frosty!

Frado Dinten received Free product in exchnage for his blog.

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Well folks, it’s been three months since the finale.  Life after the Biggest Loser is indeed difficult.  I really found myself going through the process of the show, but now I need to get on with my next stage of life. 

            My schedule has been crazy!  I’ve been traveling to some beautiful (and warm) parts of the country to lend a helping hand to those in need.  It’s hard to cook for myself when I am on the road, so keeping around Biggest Loser protein bars really helps me fight hunger between meals and in a healthy manner.  I honestly don’t know what I would do without them.

            Another facet of my life that I have been working on is muscle gain.  I actually got a little TOO skinny for the finale.  I was actually told I had to GAIN twenty pounds.  Never thought I would hear those words in my life.  When I got home from California, I went back to what I loved doing, lifting weights.  As much as doing cardio was essential to my weight loss, weights are what I truly enjoyed.  Now in order to get bigger muscle wise and not go up waist wise, I had to look for a good source of protein post workout.  That is were Protein Blitz came in.  60g of protein per servings with very low carbs, plus 8g of leucine and 16g of BCAA’s for recovery? That is a hit in my book.  I have gotten my arms up to 18″, hoping to get to 20″ by the season 11 finale.  My chest is popping as well and I feel like a million bucks.  Still a 36″ waist too!

            As this crazy journey of life continues I hope to inspire many others out there that you can overcome any obstacles.  Follow me on twitter @BLMark and feel free to leave me a message on facebook at Mark Pinhasovich Biggest Loser!

Mark Pinhasovich received product in exchange for his blog.

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Hello again!! I have been out of the blogging loop for a while, but for good or bad I’m back Since the events of last week in Japan my thoughts have turned to how grateful I am for my health, family and the safety I take for granted every day. For a while I have been a bit preoccupied with losing the last 20lbs and now I find myself so grateful for the healthy progress I have made and less concerned with my future perfect body.  With the risk of sounding somber I would like you to take your loved ones in your arms tonight and tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life. Life is so precious and fleeting and truly at the end of the day our greatest blessings are our health and our loved ones.

On a separate, but important note I have taken the events in Japan as a good reminder to be prepared in the event of an emergency here. As I was researching things I should include in my families 72 hour emergency kits I thought how easy it is to add Biggest Loser Protein Bars and Protein 2Go® packs as a quick and healthy addition to our home or cars emergency kits. I know my kids love them and during an emergency I know they will be getting the nutrition they need.

Enjoy your week and remember whats important!

Burgandy

Burgandy Keel received free product in exchange for her blog.

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Through my time on the Biggest Loser, I have realized exactly how important diet and exercise are to having a high quality of life. Believe me, the difference in my life now as compared to this time last year are night and day. The Biggest Loser Protein shakes and bars really help me to get through my workouts. They taste fantastic. My two sons love the protein shakes. I have to make 2 shakes every morning now because they got used to drinking some of my shakes, and I was not getting all the protein I needed. So now, I make 2 shakes and share them with my boys. I also really love the vanilla almond protein bars. They are so easy to take with me on the road now when I travel doing motivational speaking engagements and appearances. I can pull one out on a airplane and have a great snack, instead of having to eat peanuts or pretzels. It really helps me to keep my diet in check while I am on the road all over the country.

Patrick House has received free product in exchange for his blog.

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