A Personal Trainer’s Answers to your 4 Biggest Health and Fitness Questions
Introduction
Trying to unravel the complicated approach to achieving your best health? A Denver personal trainer answers your four biggest health and fitness questions.
What are some of the most common misconceptions about getting in shape?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: The most common misconception about getting in shape is the idea that fitness is the primary focus. While fitness plays a pivotal role in your strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, and cardio endurance, it still relies heavily on your nutrition. Without the proper nutrition for your body type, you will not have the energy or building blocks to sculpt the healthy body you want. Any nutritional deficit or inflammation will undoubtedly affect your ability to get in shape, live to 100, or reduce your risk of injury.
What single piece of personal training advice do you have regarding form and technique?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: With the endless circus act of exercises found online and in magazines, it would take years to point out every little piece of the form you should keep in mind while exercising. While you should study your body's response to different positions and movements, there are basic rules you should keep in mind for whatever you approach:
-Keep your feet hip-width apart and straight to maximize stability and glute/abdominal activation.
-Keep your shoulders above your hips to maintain a neutral position and reduce pelvic tilting.
-Maintain a neutral spine by periodically checking your lumbar curve (lower back) and cervical spine (neck).
There are certainly exceptions to these rules. Nevertheless, they will generally guide you through a safe workout routine.What is the best way to get a personal training client motivated when they feel like giving up?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Considering that each person is different, there isn't a single strategy to motivate a personal training client when he or she wants to give up. While some personal training clients persevere when given a strict structure to follow, others are intimidated and are less likely to push themselves. Add in societal pressures, personality traits, family and work demands, and natural limitations, and, surprisingly, anyone can sift through these factors and push through. The best advice is to help your personal training client become a human scientist—to study their physical selves and their habits, decision-making processes, and problem-solving approaches. By using this strategy, you reduce ambiguity in the process and identify the personal training client's strengths and weaknesses to achieve the most efficient approach. The personal training client will feel more control over his or her situation and will be able to target the undermining reasons for giving up with more confidence.
What is the best advice you’ve ever learned about staying in shape?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: After nearly 15 years of personal training and research in Chicago, I have learned that your mental approach is the steering factor of staying in shape. You will most likely reach your goal, but whether or not you maintain this success is questionable. Who can blame you! There are too many distractions and pulls in life —holidays, work, and family —that can easily pull you from your new healthy routine. The best advice is to clearly define boundaries based on your needs, not your wants, and to use these rules as you navigate the unknowns of life. I don't think it's reasonable to assume that you'll make perfect choices each day. With reasonable boundaries based on your body and habits (not anyone else's), you'll keep yourself in check and stay in shape.
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
