Is Intermittent Fasting (IF) RIght for You? Q&A with Trainer Michael Bonella

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Is Intermittent Fasting (IF) RIght for You? Q&A with Trainer Michael Bonella

There are a lot of nutritional strategies being popularized in the news and on social media these days: fasted cardio, macro tracking, elimination diets, keto, etc. It can be hard to make heads or tails as to whether these are legit or just some whacky protocol designed to sell you supplements and pipedreams of ripped abs. In this post we’re going to talk about one very legitimate strategy for fat loss, digestive health and improved energy that has been around for quite some time but may be misunderstood: Intermittent Fasting. 

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Welcome Sumner Weldon to SoulCycle NorCal

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Welcome Sumner Weldon to SoulCycle NorCal

It's no secret that when I can snag 45m-60m away from the gym I love a good SoulCycle class. When I stumbled into Sumner Weldon's class recently I knew I hit gold. Her energy is awesome and her class is a solid workout. She includes some really awesome stretches and mobility drills after the weights section that no other instructors are doing and are MUCH needed for today's rider. So I was thrilled to connect with her after class to learn more about her.

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The Best Stretches to Help with Back and Hip Pain

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The Best Stretches to Help with Back and Hip Pain

Lower back and hip pain is incredibly common thanks to the hours and hours we spend sitting and toiling away on computers and devices. Finding the right stretches, mobility drills and strengthening exercises that will help reset your body and spending a few minutes each day consistently performing them can help keep you pain free and tracking toward your fitness goals. If lower back and hip aches and pains are slowing you down, give these exercises a try. 

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JJFit 2018 Workout Mix

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JJFit 2018 Workout Mix

I've compiled over 100 of my favorite workout songs from my Body Challenge class and personal playlists into one master 2018 mix on Spotify. Here's the link. Enjoy! And if you have a song you'd like to add, please email me the Spotify link and I"ll keep the mix growing! 

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Introducing JJ's Guide to Eating Clean and Getting Lean

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Introducing JJ's Guide to Eating Clean and Getting Lean

This has been a year in the making and I'm stoked to launch my first e-book: JJ's Guide to Eating Clean and Getting Lean. In this guide, I’ll provide you with a framework and tools for eating to your body composition goals that will still allow you to enjoy your life. My coaching methods have helped hundreds of clients reduce their body fat, get strong and become healthier and more energetic. Ditch the diets and learn a practical and effective way to approach eating for safe, long-term results. On sale now for $4.99. www.JJ-Fit.com/guide.

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Here’s Where You’ll Be Hurting After Starting to Work Out Again

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Here’s Where You’ll Be Hurting After Starting to Work Out Again

Thanks to my pal Andrew Fiouzi for including me in this feature in MEL Magazine on how you can avoid unnecessary pain from your workouts. It’s a new year and perhaps you’re like the millions of other people around the world dedicated to finally getting, like, totally ripped, brah. What this means in practical terms is that if you haven’t worked out since fourth-grade gym class, you’re going to be hurting in a lot of new and interesting places this month. But what kind of pain does your journey to You 2.0 (or 1.1) have in store? Jonathan Jordan, an award-winning trainer, explains how each type of workout will hurt, and how to heal more quickly.

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If You're Too Busy to Follow This Advice, You Should Follow This Advice.

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If You're Too Busy to Follow This Advice, You Should Follow This Advice.

My awesome editor at Law.com gets the credit for this headline but the tips are all mine. Not a Bunch of Hooey: Stress-Management Techniques for Lawyers (link to full article and PDF). Check out these practical and effective stress management tips that can improve your health (and productivity) in as little as one minute/day. Lawyers, and anyone stressed and stuck at a desk, can benefit from this scientifically proven advice. 

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10 Simple Ways to Reduce Chronic Stress for Improved Fitness

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10 Simple Ways to Reduce Chronic Stress for Improved Fitness

Thanks to today's fast-paced, technology-centric world coupled with sedentary lifestyles, we are bombarded constantly with low and high levels of mental, physical, emotional and physiological stress. These chronic stresses are inhibiting our bodies' natural self-repair mechanisms that fix broken proteins, kill cancer cells, retard aging and fight infections. We are the most overweight, under active generation in history existing on diets of processed foods and suffering from damaging mindsets. In this post I'll explore some practical, scientifically proven methods for reducing stress that can take as little as one minute/day. 

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Building a Solid Leg Day/Leg Week

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Building a Solid Leg Day/Leg Week

I love leg day. As someone who has struggled with his weight and suffered through back injuries, having strong legs and executing powerful squats and deadlifts makes me feel good and working the big muscles of the lower body keeps me lean. But I get that a lot of folks dread leg day. In today's post I'll show you how to build a balanced leg workout whether your goal is general fitness, weight loss, hypertrophy/muscle growth or strength. 

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3 Overrated Weight-Loss Tips You Need to Stop Following

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3 Overrated Weight-Loss Tips You Need to Stop Following

When it comes to losing weight, there are things we’ve been told over and over again. While certain things hold true (calories matter, interval training works and deprivation doesn’t), there are other long-held beliefs that recent research has shown to be a little iffy. In some cases, things we’ve always thought to be true about weight loss have turned out to either be wrong or vastly oversimplified. I was honored to be asked by Moira Lawler to shed some light on some of these topics for her article on LiveStrong.com where we dive into three common misconceptions and explore what the latest research says. Spoiler: There’s still no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight.

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Meal Delivery Recommendations: Fuel and Farm Hill

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Meal Delivery Recommendations: Fuel and Farm Hill

Many of my clients and followers want to eat healthy and are trying to make changes to their diets to reduce body fat or gain muscle mass. While your exercise program is key to eliciting physical changes, your nutrition is equally as important. I cater to busy professionals and often they just don't have time to grocery shop and meal prep. They prefer to outsource cooking but want to make sure they are getting nutritious and tasty meals that fit their caloric and macronutrient needs. These are my two favorite meal deliver services that won't disappoint.

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How This Husband-To-Be Changed His Internal Dialogue to Get Fit

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How This Husband-To-Be Changed His Internal Dialogue to Get Fit

Thanks to the loving encouragement of his fiancé, a passion for outdoor cycling and the occasional nudge from yours truly, my client Alejandro has made incredible strides on his bike, in the gym and in the kitchen this year. His efforts have not only improved his physique, but also improved his health, energy levels and mental outlook. In this post he discusses what changes he had to make to shift his mindset and what keeps him going when the snooze button beacons or the hills get steep. 

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What We Can Learn from Metabolic Testing

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What We Can Learn from Metabolic Testing

I'm a big fan of knowing what's going on with my body. And if there are simple, affordable tests I can take that can give me useful, actionable data to improve my health and inform my fitness program I'm all for it. So I recently engaged a local office of DexaFit to obtain a Dexa Scan Body Composition Analysis, RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) Test, V02 Max Test and  Fit3D Posture Scan. In this post I outline what I learned from these tests and how I am applying that knowledge to optimize my fitness program. I've also included links to my full reports and photos from my experience to help you decide if similar testing makes sense for you.

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Train with JJ Anytime, Anywhere with the Vivo Fitness App

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Train with JJ Anytime, Anywhere with the Vivo Fitness App

I am thrilled to announce that after months of hard work and collaboration with some of the industry's most talented fitness coaches and tech gurus, the Vivo Fitness App is now available for download in the App Store. Now you can train with me 1/1 through personal training, as a team in my group fitness classes and anytime, anywhere through Vivo. 

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Looking for Fresh Exercise Ideas and Demos? Checkout #jjfit247exerciselibrary on Instagram

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Looking for Fresh Exercise Ideas and Demos? Checkout #jjfit247exerciselibrary on Instagram

Each week I post a variety of barbell, dumbbell, cable, resistance band and bodyweight strength, stability and mobility exercises to my Instagram account under the hashtag #jjfit247exerciselibrary. If you are looking for fresh exercise ideas to try in your own workouts, form tips and demos, be sure to follow me. And don't hesitate to comment with questions or your own variations. 

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SF's Top Swim Coaches Share Their Tips for a Better Stroke

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SF's Top Swim Coaches Share Their Tips for a Better Stroke

Swimming can be one of the safest and most effective forms of cardio. Whether you are trying to lean out or to get stronger, swimming is easy on the joints, scalable to your goals and an excellent way to connect your brain, breath and body. But it can be a big drag (literally) if your stroke or breath are off. Michael Bonella, Claire Love and Megan Nazareno are three of San Francisco's top swim coaches and personal trainers. I asked them "What is the most common issue you encounter with form and how do you help your clients through it?" 

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Why Returning to the Gym Is So Tough After a Long Break

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Why Returning to the Gym Is So Tough After a Long Break

If you're making it back to the gym after an August hiatus (or longer), you may be in for an uncomfortable reacclimation period. If you've been on a break, don't expect to jump right back in where you left off. You may need to cull it back a bit and be prepared for some soreness and possible nausea or dizziness. My pal and writer Ian Lecklitner chronicled his return to the #fitfam life in his MEL Magazine story You’ll Feel Like Crap for at Least Two Weeks After You Start Working Out Again. Check it out for tips from me on what you can expect and how you can minimize your pain. 

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Are Slower Workouts the New Fitness Trend of 2017?

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Are Slower Workouts the New Fitness Trend of 2017?

I'm not one to jump on every cockamamie fitness trend that crosses my Instagram. Quite the opposite; I base my training recommendations on science and experience. Everyone knows I'm a fan of high intensity workouts. They are excellent for time-strapped professionals with hefty goals and not a lot of time. But it's important to ensure you're not abandoning lower intensity, steady-state work. If your goals include losing body fat, managing stress hormones and injury/overtraining prevention then check out my interview with LiveStrong.com. 

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How CrossFit Helped This Trainer Be The Best Version of Herself

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How CrossFit Helped This Trainer Be The Best Version of Herself

I've had the pleasure of working beside the beautiful and amazing Ashley Rutherford at Equinox for the past year. Watching her grow and challenge herself physically, mentally and spiritually through the sport and community of CrossFit has been eyeopening for me. I challenge anyone to read her story and tell me that CrossFit isn't a positive force for the many athletes working with experienced and reputable coaches. 

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

As a personal trainer in the heart of San Francisco's financial district, I've worked with hundreds of stressed out, A-type technology junkies (and I love them all!). Every day I see firsthand the negative impact computers, cell phones and other devices is having on our mental and physical health. Whether you are reading a scathing email from your boss or scrolling through funny cat videos on Facebook, the impact on the body and central nervous system can be damaging.  But there are some simple inventions/lifestyle adjustments you can do to help mitigate these effects without going completely off grid.

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