Try This Trend? Online Personal Training For the time-and-money-crunched, a virtual trainer can be the perfect solution.

by Charlotte Andersen

It's not hard to find a personal trainer; walk into any local gym and you'll likely have plenty of candidates. So why are so many people turning to the Internet for exercise guidance? And more importantly, is it as safe and effective as in-person training sessions?

"I believe the biggest advantage lies in both the affordability and flexibility," says Tina Reale, who runs the online personal training site Best Body Fitness. "Since the sessions aren't done in-person, the client can choose the best time to complete the workouts. Plus, clients can choose to do the workouts at home using the equipment they have available. The cost is typically significantly less too. For example, my online training programs cost less per month than most hour-long in-person sessions."

Yet there's one important thing that online trainers lack: physical contact. Can you really train someone—check form, provide motivation, and prevent injury—if you're not there with them? Franklin Antonin, personal trainer, author of The Fit Executive and founder of iBodyFit.com, says he has to make an extra effort to ensure his clients are getting the workout they want.

"At iBodyFit, each user gets several custom video workouts that they can do on their own time, including HD video and slow motion exercise samples." He adds that clients can reach their trainer day or night via "phone, text, IM, Facebook, Twitter, and more."

"I compensate through constant communication via email and phone calls," says Amanda Loudin, a running coach and blogger at MissZippy1.com. "I write up a weekly schedule for each client and ask that they provide me feedback at the end of the week detailing how it went. The more feedback I get from them, the more effectively I can make up the following week's schedule for them," she says.

The million-dollar question: Are the results as good as what you would get from a real-life trainer? In terms of running, "I do think online training is as safe and effective as in person training," Loudin says. "Running doesn't require a lot of form instruction but rather pace and distance instruction."

Reale takes it one step further, saying online training can be even better in some circumstances. "The effectiveness relies a lot on how motivated the client is to achieve his or her goals—and that would still be a factor when working in-person. Online training can have some extra positive affect on motivation because I'm always just an email away for support and will regularly check in with clients or drop them a line with a motivating thought or quote for their day," she says.

As someone who has tried both in-person and online personal training, I think there are definite advantages to both. If you're a beginner or someone who enjoys face-to-face interaction and/or a set structure, in-person training is probably best for you. But if you just need a little nudge or some extra expertise, an online trainer is a great way to make your investment last a lot longer.

Have you tried online training? Leave a comment and tell us about your experience!

PROS / iBodyFit offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed, so you're most likely to find something that fits your needs.

CONS / This online fitness service doesn't offer a companion app, which would help you work out when you don't have your computer with you.

VERDICT / iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service.

iBodyFit is an adaptable online personal training program that offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed. It has a wide variety of exercise videos, custom workout and diet plans, and personal trainers, plus a dietitian on staff. This online personal trainer doesn't offer a companion app, which can be great for workouts when you're away from your computer, but this doesn't detract from its many excellent features and services. For its superb customer support and numerous services, iBodyFit earns our Top Ten Reviews Gold Award.

This online fitness service offers three levels of membership, and the amount of personal support you get increases with each level. iBodyFit has over 40 custom diets plans to choose from, so you can find something to suit your special needs or goals. You can also contact a personal trainer through the website to discuss your specific needs.

At the higher levels of membership, you can get personalized online fitness training plans. You have access to trainer feedback and advice at every level of membership, just not as individualized as the personal attention that comes standard with other services if you're not paying for a high-tier plan. The plans include routines for weight loss and strength training. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep you motivated, and iBodyFit's member section has a place for tracking your progress. Its interface is simple: You just take your measurements, such as weight, biceps and waist, and input them into the site.

The site has a team of certified personal trainers with expertise in specific areas of exercise or sports, such as Pilates and weightlifting, and they create the videos and fitness routines. A certified dietitian makes the diet plans. As with most online fitness services, you can stream workout videos, but you can't download them, so you can't watch them without internet access.

There are over 400 videos on iBodyFit, demonstrating exercises such as Pilates, aerobics and machine workouts. The videos demonstrate the exercises clearly and have modifications for your level of fitness, though some lack sound. You can adapt the workout plans to a wide variety of fitness goals and needs, such as senior fitness or injury recovery. You'll also find programs for specific needs, such as wedding day, triathlon and youth workouts. iBodyFit has a program for you, regardless of your situation or needs.

This online fitness program offers detailed written instructions you can print and take with you to the gym, as well as printable diet plans and grocery lists. You can also get the routine on your mobile device. However, this online personal trainer lacks an app, unlike Daily Burn, so the transition might not be smooth.

During our evaluation process, we found that iBodyFit offers excellent customer support. It answered every email we sent promptly, often within an hour, and with all the information we needed to move forward confidently.

One of the major benefits of online fitness services over traditional gym memberships is that most online services allow you to cancel at any time. iBodyFit takes this concept and makes it even better by forgoing automatic billing. Each term of service lasts 30 days, without contracts or the fear of letting an online subscription go unnoticed and charged to your account month after month.

iBodyFit has a blog where you can find motivational articles and helpful information on fitness and nutrition. This is also one of the only online fitness services that offers telephone support, which can be very helpful when you need to speak to someone directly, as opposed to through email.

iBodyFit is a strong online exercise program with a wide selection of fitness videos, accommodations for particular dietary needs and support from qualified trainers. Depending on your plan, you can't always expect the highly customized workouts you might receive standard with other services, but iBodyFit is still a comprehensive program for meeting your specific fitness goals and needs.

If circumstances permit, we recommend you get away this summer – even if it's just a couple hours away for a weekend. There's nothing quite like a timeout and reset for the soul, so we snagged some travel tips and tricks to make sure your trip goes off without a hitch.

Tip: Be Prepared

"My advice for stress-free travel is to be prepared," says Camille Hoheb of wellness travel consulting company Wellness Tourism Worldwide. She offers seven quick and easy tips for a successful trip:

Pack healthy snacks
Stay hydrated
Wear comfy clothes
Listen to your favorite music or podcasts
Be flexible
Be nice to those around you
Enjoy the ride!
Trick: Bed and Breakfast

Part of being prepared is making a plan before you travel.

"Something I always do when in the planning phase of a trip, is to seek out accommodations that offer breakfast," says Katie Dickinson, who blogs about budget-friendly travel at The Budget Backpack. "I prioritize places that have healthier options."

She suggests checking out review sites like TripAdvisor if you can't find menu information on the establishment's website. "Doing a little research beforehand can save you from consuming a lot of junk!"

Tip: Explore on Foot

Once you've fueled up on a hearty breakfast, you'll be ready to start exploring wherever it is you're visiting.

"One of the best ways to see a new city is walking," says Franklin Antoian, ACE personal trainer and founder of the online personal training website, iBodyFit.com. "One of the best forms of cardio is walking, so it's a perfect match," he adds.

If you're not visiting a city, Antoian suggests trying out a hiking trail, swimming, surfing, canoeing or paddle boarding to explore and get a fun, outdoor cardio workout in at the same time.

Trick: Make Walking Fun

If walking sounds like a good idea to you, check out Sidewalk, an app that delivers guided walk experiences to help you discover more about where you are. The app navigates from point to point, based on topics you choose – architecture, foodie, local culture, street art, spooky, etc. – and gives you an insider look at the neighbourhood you're wandering through.

"[Exploring a new city on foot is] the best way to absorb and explore a new place," says Sidewalk co-founder and CEO Jason Donahue. "And [it's] certainly the healthiest way to do it. Often, one does not realize how much they walk because they are so engaged with their surroundings."

Sidewalk is available on both iOS and Android.

Trick: Use a Cooler Bag

While you're out exploring, don't forget to eat – and eat well. Kara Landau, a New York-based dietitian and the founder of Travelling Dietitian, swears by the Fridge To Go cooler bag.

"It's this savvy little cooler bag that allows you to keep refrigerated products cold for at least eight hours!" Landau says. "I find this means I can pack some of my usuals, such as skyr [an Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt], berries, and even some salad with a protein source, without worrying that it will go bad or not taste as good upon consumption on my trip!"

Tip: Bring the Gym with You

Landau also emphasizes the importance of staying active and getting enough quality sleep while travelling.

"Have a few small at-home exercise equipment pieces that you can take with you and utilize whilst on your trip," Landau suggests. "I like to take a couple resistance bands, my light hand weights and a small barre ball."

You can also pull up a workout online to follow along, she adds.

Trick: Wear an eye mask

Last, but most definitely not least, remember to rest. This is supposed to be a vacation after all!

"Schedules can definitely be knocked off path when on holidays, and rest is one of the most overlooked important factors of health!" says Landau. "If you don't know what the light situation is going to be like in your room, or you think you are likely to be out late and [then] trying to sleep in the morning when the sun is rising and lighting up your room, pack an eye patch with you."

She explains that making the room super dark helps the body release the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, meaning you will get better quality sleep.

We hope these tips and tricks help you on your next trip. Happy travels!

Can Virtual Coaching Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals?

It’s a common scenario: You’re traveling for work and want to exercise, so you check out the hotel gym. Unfortunately they don’t have the same equipment as your home gym, but no worries. You FaceTime your trainer, who checks out what is available and customizes your workout on the spot.

That’s a promise of some online personal training coaches. Predicted by consumer insights firm Club Intel to become more popular this year, this is what it sounds like: You get a workout plan from a trainer you most likely never actually meet in person at the touch of your fingertips.

“As people become more comfortable using digital interfaces for all things in life, this makes sense,” says Pete McCall, an ACE-certified personal trainer and host of the All About Fitness podcast. “We order food and manage our finances this way, so why not use it to get an effective fitness program?”

HOW ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING WORKS
Just as every gym, studio and trainer is different, so is every site that offers personal training. Some only offer a workout each month — often with video demonstrations of the exercises — that are more or less tailored to your goals. You may also have access to a private Facebook group where you can find support and perhaps engage with a trainer via Facebook Live once a week. And many offer nutrition plans to pair with your training.

Still others give more personalized attention, having you fill out a questionnaire about your goals, health history, injuries and more. Then the trainers design a workout just for you, and you do your sessions with them over Skype or FaceTime. That way they can watch you, correct your form and give you feedback as you do the exercises.

You may also be able to email or text your coach anytime for help. “If you want to send a video on your phone asking if you’re doing an exercise correctly or if something is the right piece of equipment, you can,” says personal trainer Franklin Antoian, founder of iBodyFit.com. “Or if you have a general fitness question, you can ask via text or social media.”

THE PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING
As with all things, there are pros and cons to training this way. Here’s what you need to know before you consider mobile virtual coaching, as some call it.

PRO: CONVENIENCE

Clearly that kind of anytime, anywhere access is a perk — one you may not get from meeting a trainer in person. Convenience is another reason many like this type of training. “It allows you to exercise on your time frame, and you can do it at home or at a gym” using the equipment you have, McCall says.

PRO: PRICE

Depending on the plan you choose, it also tends to cost less, says Antoian, who charges about as much for one month online as he does for one in-person session, and it’s a great option for people who may feel intimidated by the gym. You get an effective workout that helps you meet your goals without, say, worrying about people looking at you while you lift.

CON: CUSTOMIZATION

Still, virtual training isn’t for everyone. Not all programs are specific to you. “It may be a canned workout that’s not tailored to your needs,” says McCall, adding that you also don’t get exercises specific to the way you move. “If I can see you move, I can say, ‘try this or that instead,’” he explains. But you can only do that if you do the Skype or FaceTime sessions, which not everyone can afford.

READ MORE > 10 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR PERSONAL TRAINER

HOW TO FIND YOUR BEST ONLINE TRAINER
With the different options online, if you decide to try this, you want to be sure the trainer you pick is certified. Check their site for their credentials, as well as any nutrition certifications if you get a food plan, too. Then, look for any reviews, testimonials and information on what kind of support they provide.

Narrow your options to about three and contact them to ask questions — then see how quickly they reply. If they answer right away, great. “But if they take longer, if you have a question after you pay them, they may take long to reply then as well,” Antoian says. Also be sure they answer your query thoroughly. “You can see if they care about you and your goals or if they’re just trying to get your money from 1–2 emails, Antoian adds.

If you find an online personal trainer you want to work with, go for it. “I think it’s great way to get fitness advice,” McCall says. “It’s more personalized than a book or magazine, but you get more autonomy than seeing someone one-on-one in a gym.”

An energy boost, a slimmer, toner body, and a better mood are all benefits of exercise. Looking to gear yourself up? Try these tricks.

Exercise Even If You Can't Afford the Gym
The gym is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to exercise, says Joan Pagano, owner of Joan Pagano Fitness in New York City and author of Strength Training for Women ($15, amazon.com). You can get in a workout virtually anywhere. Do push-ups and leg lifts at your kitchen counter while waiting for coffee to brew. Get in your cardio with a brisk lunch-hour walk. Do sit-ups during TV commercials. "If you make yourself active during all of your extra minutes, they'll add up to a stronger, fitter you," says Pagano.

Compete With a Spouse, Partner, or Friend
"Challenging a partner to a fitness contest can help keep you motivated and focused on your fitness goal," says Franklin Antoian, creator of the personal fitness site iBodyFit.com and author of The Fit Executive ($10, lulu.com). See who can perform the most repetitions of a specific exercise at lunch, on the weekends, or even during commercial breaks. Competing with someone else makes getting in shape more fun, and you're more likely to stick with exercise if you're enjoying it.

Set a Specific Goal
Having a goal to work toward—being able to run a half-marathon, for instance—is a great way to keep yourself motivated, says fitness expert Jennifer Cohen, Weight Watchers spokesperson and author of No Gym Required: Release Your Inner Rockstar ($16, jennifercohen.com). "It creates a sense of purpose because you have the feeling of getting ready for something." Plan how to achieve your goal, breaking down your strategy into small, specific steps with a set goal date for each. So if you're training for that half-marathon, you might first aim to run a mile, then work up to two or three, then five, etc.

Bribe Yourself
Build rewards into your routine, so you'll look forward to exercising, advises registered dietician Bethany Thayer, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org.). For example, treat yourself to one (that's one) Hershey's Kiss for every 30 minutes of exercise, or book a massage for each month in which you successfully complete your fitness goal.

Be Accountable to Your Kids
Tell your children all about your New Year's resolution, says personal trainer Robert Reames, a spokesperson for Gold's Gym: "This creates great motivation for parents as we never like to disappoint our kids." Children are honest and will let you know how well you're progressing (or not). Bonus: They may also be motivated by your goal-setting and accomplishments..

Did you know February was first designated as American Heart Month my President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1963. Since then, scientists and health experts have learned a lot about how we can strengthen our heart health.

According to the American Heart Association, making healthy diet and lifestyle choices can lower your risk of heart disease by as much as 80 percent. While we're already at the end of February and American Heart Health month, cardiovascular health is something to keep in mind all year round. That's why we spoke to some health and fitness experts to find the top exercises you can do to promote a healthy heart.

Cardio Workouts

Franklin Antoian, 1 of Shape Magazine's Top 50 Trainers in America and founder of the #1 ranked online personal training website, iBodyFit.com.

For him, the best machines for heart health are the ones that require you to move all parts of your body. Examples include the elliptical or treadmill (as long as you don't hold on to the sides). "The best way to train your heart is with cardio exercise that involves all (or most) muscles," explained Franklin. He also recommended swimming as another great exercise for heart health.

PROS / iBodyFit offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed, so you're most likely to find something that fits your needs.

CONS / This online fitness service doesn't offer a companion app, which would help you work out when you don't have your computer with you.

VERDICT / iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service.

iBodyFit is an adaptable online personal training program that offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed. It has a wide variety of exercise videos, custom workout and diet plans, and personal trainers, plus a dietitian on staff. This online personal trainer doesn't offer a companion app, which can be great for workouts when you're away from your computer, but this doesn't detract from its many excellent features and services. For its superb customer support and numerous services, iBodyFit earns our Top Ten Reviews Gold Award.

This online fitness service offers three levels of membership, and the amount of personal support you get increases with each level. iBodyFit has over 40 custom diets plans to choose from, so you can find something to suit your special needs or goals. You can also contact a personal trainer through the website to discuss your specific needs.

At the higher levels of membership, you can get personalized online fitness training plans. You have access to trainer feedback and advice at every level of membership, just not as individualized as the personal attention that comes standard with other services if you're not paying for a high-tier plan. The plans include routines for weight loss and strength training. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep you motivated, and iBodyFit's member section has a place for tracking your progress. Its interface is simple: You just take your measurements, such as weight, biceps and waist, and input them into the site.

The site has a team of certified personal trainers with expertise in specific areas of exercise or sports, such as Pilates and weightlifting, and they create the videos and fitness routines. A certified dietitian makes the diet plans. As with most online fitness services, you can stream workout videos, but you can't download them, so you can't watch them without internet access.

There are over 400 videos on iBodyFit, demonstrating exercises such as Pilates, aerobics and machine workouts. The videos demonstrate the exercises clearly and have modifications for your level of fitness, though some lack sound. You can adapt the workout plans to a wide variety of fitness goals and needs, such as senior fitness or injury recovery. You'll also find programs for specific needs, such as wedding day, triathlon and youth workouts. iBodyFit has a program for you, regardless of your situation or needs.

This online fitness program offers detailed written instructions you can print and take with you to the gym, as well as printable diet plans and grocery lists. You can also get the routine on your mobile device. However, this online personal trainer lacks an app, unlike Daily Burn, so the transition might not be smooth.

During our evaluation process, we found that iBodyFit offers excellent customer support. It answered every email we sent promptly, often within an hour, and with all the information we needed to move forward confidently.

One of the major benefits of online fitness services over traditional gym memberships is that most online services allow you to cancel at any time. iBodyFit takes this concept and makes it even better by forgoing automatic billing. Each term of service lasts 30 days, without contracts or the fear of letting an online subscription go unnoticed and charged to your account month after month.

iBodyFit has a blog where you can find motivational articles and helpful information on fitness and nutrition. This is also one of the only online fitness services that offers telephone support, which can be very helpful when you need to speak to someone directly, as opposed to through email.

iBodyFit is a strong online exercise program with a wide selection of fitness videos, accommodations for particular dietary needs and support from qualified trainers. Depending on your plan, you can't always expect the highly customized workouts you might receive standard with other services, but iBodyFit is still a comprehensive program for meeting your specific fitness goals and needs.

Create S.M.A.R.T Goals
Your approach to a program should vary depending on whether you're striving to lose weight, gain strength, increase cardio endurance or training to compete in a 10K. Your fitness goals should be personal for you, according to Franklin Antoian, trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com. "If you hate running, don't make completing a marathon your goal for next year," says Antoian. "Sometimes a good goal is to simply workout every day (or most days)." Antoian recommends creating S.M.A.R.T. goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relative and time-sensitive. For example, a typical goal may be "to lose weight." A S.M.A.R.T. goal may be: To lose 10 pounds by January 1st by running five days per week, lifting weights two days per week and eating 1600 calories a day.

Since 2006, iBodyFit has helped thousands of people all over the world achieve their health and fitness goals. Developed by Franklin Antoian (named in the top 50 American trainers by SHAPE magazine), iBodyFit continues to move from strength to strength. Franklin has featured in countless publications including Men's Fitness, WebMD, and Muscle & Fitness, sharing his valuable insight and providing workout advice. With an approachable persona, Franklin is always happy to take questions via email.

iBodyFit is ranked number 1 on Top10Reviews, garnering the highest level of praise for its well-rounded fitness service.

"iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service."

Over at iBodyFit, you will find three ludicrously priced plans. Each online workout plan was designed by Franklin to help you achieve maximum results in the shortest time. Alternatively, if you prefer, or need, a PT gearing you up, then go for the online personal training. You'll receive a highly personalised workout and diet plan and get priceless feedback and support directly from Franklin.

Breakfast used to be the most important meal of the day. Then, somewhere along the line, it was decided that our first meal after waking up was the culprit for our weight gain.

Franklin Antoian, the founder of iBodyFit.com and one of SHAPE magazine's Top 50 Trainers in America, rejected this idea completely. "Skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism, which in turn causes your body to burn less calories and retain more body fat. When you skip breakfast, your body acts as if you are going into starvation mode and conserves energy, which is basically fat."

Read More: https://www.thelist.com/57002/false-facts-believe-dieting/?utm_campaign=clip

PROS / iBodyFit offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed, so you're most likely to find something that fits your needs.

CONS / This online fitness service doesn't offer a companion app, which would help you work out when you don't have your computer with you.

VERDICT / iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service.

iBodyFit is an adaptable online personal training program that offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed. It has a wide variety of exercise videos, custom workout and diet plans, and personal trainers, plus a dietitian on staff. This online personal trainer doesn't offer a companion app, which can be great for workouts when you're away from your computer, but this doesn't detract from its many excellent features and services. For its superb customer support and numerous services, iBodyFit earns our Top Ten Reviews Gold Award.

This online fitness service offers three levels of membership, and the amount of personal support you get increases with each level. iBodyFit has over 40 custom diets plans to choose from, so you can find something to suit your special needs or goals. You can also contact a personal trainer through the website to discuss your specific needs.

At the higher levels of membership, you can get personalized online fitness training plans. You have access to trainer feedback and advice at every level of membership, just not as individualized as the personal attention that comes standard with other services if you're not paying for a high-tier plan. The plans include routines for weight loss and strength training. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep you motivated, and iBodyFit's member section has a place for tracking your progress. Its interface is simple: You just take your measurements, such as weight, biceps and waist, and input them into the site.

The site has a team of certified personal trainers with expertise in specific areas of exercise or sports, such as Pilates and weightlifting, and they create the videos and fitness routines. A certified dietitian makes the diet plans. As with most online fitness services, you can stream workout videos, but you can't download them, so you can't watch them without internet access.

There are over 400 videos on iBodyFit, demonstrating exercises such as Pilates, aerobics and machine workouts. The videos demonstrate the exercises clearly and have modifications for your level of fitness, though some lack sound. You can adapt the workout plans to a wide variety of fitness goals and needs, such as senior fitness or injury recovery. You'll also find programs for specific needs, such as wedding day, triathlon and youth workouts. iBodyFit has a program for you, regardless of your situation or needs.

This online fitness program offers detailed written instructions you can print and take with you to the gym, as well as printable diet plans and grocery lists. You can also get the routine on your mobile device. However, this online personal trainer lacks an app, unlike Daily Burn, so the transition might not be smooth.

During our evaluation process, we found that iBodyFit offers excellent customer support. It answered every email we sent promptly, often within an hour, and with all the information we needed to move forward confidently.

One of the major benefits of online fitness services over traditional gym memberships is that most online services allow you to cancel at any time. iBodyFit takes this concept and makes it even better by forgoing automatic billing. Each term of service lasts 30 days, without contracts or the fear of letting an online subscription go unnoticed and charged to your account month after month.

iBodyFit has a blog where you can find motivational articles and helpful information on fitness and nutrition. This is also one of the only online fitness services that offers telephone support, which can be very helpful when you need to speak to someone directly, as opposed to through email.

iBodyFit is a strong online exercise program with a wide selection of fitness videos, accommodations for particular dietary needs and support from qualified trainers. Depending on your plan, you can't always expect the highly customized workouts you might receive standard with other services, but iBodyFit is still a comprehensive program for meeting your specific fitness goals and needs.

For every exercise opportunity, there's an excuse waiting to thwart it—and we've heard them all, including "I'm too old." If that's the case, though, how do you explain Monty Seidler or Bev Pressman? It's never too late for a fresh start, and there's no time like today to take that first step.

Of course, working out in your 60s is a bit different than it was in earlier decades. As you age, you're more prone to soreness and stiffness, and may have less mobility, flexibility and bone density. But the benefits of physical activity far outweigh any potential challenges or risks—and there are always modifications for any exercise.

According to the CDC, healthy adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, and at least two days of muscle-strengthening activities. From physical perks to mental health, there are dozens of reasons to stay moving throughout the golden years.

"You're never too old to start building muscle." Fitness trainer Franklin Antoian, iBodyFit

There are countless excuses for failing to exercise or eat right, from "I don't have time" to "It's too expensive" to "I'm too old/overweight/tired." But there's one unspoken excuse that you probably won't see on the message boards, but could very well be the biggest obstacle of all:

"I'm scared."

Seems silly at first, right? Why would anyone be afraid to lead a healthy lifestyle? But think about it: Change is scary, even when it's good for us. Embarking on a promising new career path, ending a toxic relationship, joining a new group or club—it's all daunting at first, but it's outside of our comfort zone where the real growth happens.

The same holds true in the nutrition and fitness arena. If your creature comforts include fried foods, drive-thrus and cozy, couch-bound nights with Netflix, it can be tough to let go and take the leap into healthier territory. For many people, the land of mindful eating and working out is unchartered territory that promises some pretty awesome rewards, but also poses an unnerving risk of the "F" word.

If you're feeling uncertain or downright terrified about taking that first step, know that you're not alone. By acknowledging the things that make you wary about taking that first step toward health, you'll start a conversation with yourself that could change your entire life.

For many people, hitting the big 5-0 represents a fresh start of sorts. In many cases, the kids are grown or in college, the pace of daily life has slowed and there's more time to spend on self-improvement, making this stage of life ideal for starting or furthering fitness and nutrition goals.

That said, those in their 50s may face some challenges or limitations they didn't as 20-somethings—especially if they're just climbing on the healthy living bandwagon for the very first time. Fortunately, plenty of experts agree that with the right mindset and some helpful insights, anyone can make this their fittest decade yet.

Adjust your goals. "A 40-inch chest and six-pack of abs may not be the best choice as we get older. Instead, choose goals like staying healthy, enjoying life and continuing to play the sports and do the activities you love." Franklin Antoian, ACE-certified trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com

On the path to losing weight, many people spend a lot of time envisioning the skinny life. They might assume that shedding pounds will be a surefire path to overall health and happiness, and that once they reach that magic number on the scale, they'll slide comfortably into their new skin. Maybe they imagine themselves buying a new wardrobe, finally wearing a bikini at the beach, receiving a clean bill of health following every checkup and enjoying all of the perks and pursuits their excess weight has kept at bay.

In reality, losing a significant amount of weight comes with a few curveballs along the way. For every expected advantage, there might be a handful of "a-ha" moments—some pleasant, some not so much.

"I've heard this often from clients: 'I was surprised at how much easier it was to walk up the stairs after losing the weight.'" Franklin Antoian, founder of iBodyFit.com

What brought you to SparkPeople? Maybe you were on the hunt for weight loss tips, nutritious recipes for your family, motivation from a supportive community—or all of the above. Whatever your goals, they probably fell into the bucket of adopting a healthier lifestyle, and the benefits of that go far beyond dropping a few inches or a couple of clothing sizes.

Getting healthy doesn't simply equate to dropping lots of weight, however. It means gaining strength and confidence, and moving through life with a poise and purpose you never knew you possessed. According to psychologist Lisa Bahar, healthy living includes five key elements: Getting proper nutrition for mood and body, exercising for your body type, recharging with adequate sleep, building mastery by challenging yourself daily, and taking care of your mental health and spiritual well-being.

The next time you find yourself stymied by a setback or discouraged by an inability to break through a stubborn plateau, remember there are dozens of good reasons to continue on your journey, speed bumps and all.

"Healthy living makes me and my clients feel confident. The fact that they feel strong, fit, lean or simply 'worked out' in the morning seems to give them confidence in themselves." Franklin Antoian with iBodyFit

When you're looking to drop pounds, the basic formula is pretty simple: eat less and move more. But there are obviously ways you can optimize this formula.

When it comes to moving, "two types of workouts will burn more calories than the 'traditional' workout," says Franklin Antoian, personal trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com. "Endurance-type workouts—think a marathoner or long-distance swimmer—burn a lot of calories, simply because it takes a lot of energy to work out for 2 hours or so." The other type is a little easier on your schedule: short, high-intensity bouts, which burn calories both during and after, thanks to that metabolism-boosting effect known as the "afterburn."

These 10 workouts—from Antoian and coach Lisa Reed, M.S., C.S.C.S., owner of Lisa Reed Fitness. in the Washington, D.C. area—get your calorie burn up and your waist size down. Plus, they don't require two hours—except for maybe the last one!

Before your session of choice, Reed recommends a simple dynamic warmup to get your muscles ready and help prevent injury.

One of the most common reasons people stop going to the gym is time. There just never seems to be enough of it. Between work, family, friends and all the other things there are to do on any given day, keeping up with your gym schedule can fall low on the list of priorities. But that's why at home workouts have become so popular.

Being able to stay in shape from the comfort of your own home, at your own pace and in your own time helps you cut the excuses and make your fitness a priority again.

I talked with four home fitness experts, all of whom have helped thousands of people through their home fitness programs, to see what they have to say about at home fitness.

Franklin Antoian is one of Shape Magazine's Top 50 Trainers in America and the founder of iBodyFit.com.

Since launching in 2006, iBodyFit has helped thousands of people get fit from the comfort of their own home, without needing expensive equipment. iBodyFit's workouts are designed with the equipment you have – dumbbells, resistance bands or just your body weight.

There are three basic plans you can choose from. The Fat Burner Plan is a 4-week plan complete with daily fat burning workouts, a custom low fat/weight loss diet with a grocery list, and access to trainer support. If you want to focus on toning muscle, the Bundle Plan is more up your alley. It includes the Fat Burner workout plan as well as an 8-week Muscle Toner plan. Finally, there's the Premium Plan, where you get the Fat Burner workouts, the Muscle Toner plan and a 12-week Beach Body Shredder plan.

Wondering what makes iBodyFit different from other home workout programs? You get personal access to Antoian's 20-plus years of personal trainer experience.

"I'm the designer of all the workouts on iBodyFit and I answer most of the fitness questions that come in from our clients," says Antoian.

For a total body workout and an expert trainer right at your fingertips, iBodyFit is the perfect choice!

We're masters at self-distraction: If you walk into any gym, you'll likely see people's gazes fixed on magazines, TVs or phones as they chug away on treadmills or ellipticals. When jogging outside, you might run through a mental to-do list or listen to a podcast to take your mind off the miles looming ahead. And, for some, attending group fitness classes or exercising with friends provides a social diversion from the discomfort.

It's not that there's anything wrong with multi-tasking. There are times when you need to sneak exercise into a busy day any way you can, and a distracted workout is better than no workout. That said, for those who aren't getting the desired results or are ready to take their fitness to the next level, it may be time for a more mindful approach to exercise.

Focusing on Bite-Size Goals

Larger fitness goals--such as running a 5K, losing a certain amount of weight or adopting a healthier lifestyle--are very motivating. But when you're in the trenches of your daily workouts, it's easy to lose sight of those goals or become overwhelmed by them. When a mile feels incredibly difficult, the idea of tripling that distance in a race may seem next to impossible.

When engaging in mindful exercise, you focus on each individual movement during your workout. Instead of thinking about the race that's six months away, focus on the quarter-mile in front of you. Rather than getting discouraged by the super-buff people working out at the gym around you, pay attention to how your own biceps respond to each curl, and how much stronger they become with each rep.

"Mindfulness gives you a purpose for your workout," says Sarah Bright, a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist. "There might be a larger goal, but focusing on your current movement and experience can help you remember the smaller, immediate goal. It might be to go farther or faster today than last week, or lift a weight for one more repetition. Focusing on a simple purpose for your workout can help propel you to achieve your larger goals."

Making the Mind/Muscle Connection

Wouldn't it be great if you could just think about exercise and see results? Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy—but mental focus has been shown to boost the effectiveness of workouts. In a 2015 study, participants showed increased muscle activity when they concentrated intently on the muscle being worked. Although a lot of the research focuses on strength training, experts believe that the same principle applies to any type of exercise.

Franklin Antoian, one of Shape Magazine's Top 50 Trainers in America and founder of iBodyFit.com, maintains the importance of the mind/muscle connection. "When working out, always be mindful of what muscle is responsible for performing the move(s) that you are doing," says Antoian. "Focusing on this muscle will force it to work 100%, instead of recruiting other muscles for help."

As an example, think about the last time you did crunches or sit-ups. Were you focused on your core muscles, or were you thinking about how much longer until you could stop? According to Francis Ramsden, owner of Ramden Elite Fitness, the abdominals are one muscle group that commonly suffers from a bad mind/body connection. "During a sit-up, most individuals use momentum to produce the movement instead of contracting the abdominals," says Ramsden. "By simply telling yourself to 'squeeze and suck in my abs,' it produces more muscle activation. I use this instruction cue with my clients on a regular basis."

Fitness benchmark: Pushups to failure
Test yourself: Do as many full pushups as you can until you lose form and/or can no longer continue. Start in the "down" position; reps only "count" if your elbows go to 90 degrees and the chin reaches the ground, so the range of motion isn't compromised. More than 36 is excellent if you're aged 20 to 29, more than 30 for ages 30 to 39, and more than 25 for 40 to 49.

To improve: Pushups and chest work, like bench presses, are important, but "you should also concentrate on strengthening your core muscles," says Franklin Antoian, personal trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com "Your core has a bigger role in pushups than you may think."

PROS / iBodyFit offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed, so you're most likely to find something that fits your needs.

CONS / This online fitness service doesn't offer a companion app, which would help you work out when you don't have your computer with you.

VERDICT / iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service.

iBodyFit is an adaptable online personal training program that offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed. It has a wide variety of exercise videos, custom workout and diet plans, and personal trainers, plus a dietitian on staff. This online personal trainer doesn't offer a companion app, which can be great for workouts when you're away from your computer, but this doesn't detract from its many excellent features and services. For its superb customer support and numerous services, iBodyFit earns our Top Ten Reviews Gold Award.

This online fitness service offers three levels of membership, and the amount of personal support you get increases with each level. iBodyFit has over 40 custom diets plans to choose from, so you can find something to suit your special needs or goals. You can also contact a personal trainer through the website to discuss your specific needs.

At the higher levels of membership, you can get personalized online fitness training plans. You have access to trainer feedback and advice at every level of membership, just not as individualized as the personal attention that comes standard with other services if you're not paying for a high-tier plan. The plans include routines for weight loss and strength training. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep you motivated, and iBodyFit's member section has a place for tracking your progress. Its interface is simple: You just take your measurements, such as weight, biceps and waist, and input them into the site.

The site has a team of certified personal trainers with expertise in specific areas of exercise or sports, such as Pilates and weightlifting, and they create the videos and fitness routines. A certified dietitian makes the diet plans. As with most online fitness services, you can stream workout videos, but you can't download them, so you can't watch them without internet access.

There are over 400 videos on iBodyFit, demonstrating exercises such as Pilates, aerobics and machine workouts. The videos demonstrate the exercises clearly and have modifications for your level of fitness, though some lack sound. You can adapt the workout plans to a wide variety of fitness goals and needs, such as senior fitness or injury recovery. You'll also find programs for specific needs, such as wedding day, triathlon and youth workouts. iBodyFit has a program for you, regardless of your situation or needs.

This online fitness program offers detailed written instructions you can print and take with you to the gym, as well as printable diet plans and grocery lists. You can also get the routine on your mobile device. However, this online personal trainer lacks an app, unlike Daily Burn, so the transition might not be smooth.

During our evaluation process, we found that iBodyFit offers excellent customer support. It answered every email we sent promptly, often within an hour, and with all the information we needed to move forward confidently.

One of the major benefits of online fitness services over traditional gym memberships is that most online services allow you to cancel at any time. iBodyFit takes this concept and makes it even better by forgoing automatic billing. Each term of service lasts 30 days, without contracts or the fear of letting an online subscription go unnoticed and charged to your account month after month.

iBodyFit has a blog where you can find motivational articles and helpful information on fitness and nutrition. This is also one of the only online fitness services that offers telephone support, which can be very helpful when you need to speak to someone directly, as opposed to through email.

iBodyFit is a strong online exercise program with a wide selection of fitness videos, accommodations for particular dietary needs and support from qualified trainers. Depending on your plan, you can't always expect the highly customized workouts you might receive standard with other services, but iBodyFit is still a comprehensive program for meeting your specific fitness goals and needs.

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What constitutes a cardio workout? For Don Bahneman, certified strength and conditioning coach and director of fitness at The Energy Club, time-efficient HIIT workouts aren't limited to the likes of treadmills and bikes. "To break-up boredom, I opt for total-body HIIT workouts that maximize calorie burn using equipment options like battling ropes and kettlebells."

Not only do you do you get the benefits of increased strength, but studies show that training with tools like kettlebells also offers improvements in terms of aerobic capacity similar to what you would find in a regular cycling program. Plus, incorporating these types of non-traditional tools into your cardio routine can quickly turn traditional training sessions into fun, high-intensity cardio workouts that produce serious results, notes personal trainer Franklin Antoian, founder of iBodyFit.com. (Get started with The 9 Best Kettlebell Exercises.)

As you run on the treadmill, you notice the personal trainer next to you carefully noting the information on his watch. It makes you wonder…you use your digital tracker to check your heart rate and calories, but are you missing something important?

What do the fitness pros monitor to help them look so good and hit their fitness goals, anyway?

Well, we decided to find out! We interviewed fitness experts on how they use digital devices, and several key tracking-elements came up – along with some great recommendations for you!

1. Heart Rate

Tracking your heart rate to get the best workout possible was at the top of the list.

"I started using digital trackers to remove bias," states Henry Halse CSCS, CPT of Halse Strength and Fitness. "As a trainer, I have my own opinions about how my body should respond to exercise. Tracking heart rate in the morning allows me to monitor my recovery and whether or not I can go hard in the gym that day."

He recommends tracking heart-rate variability for recovery, overall daily-activity and calories.

2. Calories Burned

He's not alone. Tracking calories was also popular.

"By tracking both my calories burned (using a digital tracker) and my food intake, I was better able to workout the way I needed to get the results I wanted," states Courtney L. Alexander, fitness instructor, personal trainer, model and founder of Flaunt Your Fitness.

"I recommend tracking calories burned, steps taken, sleep pattern (you need to get a good amount of sleep each day to help your body recover), and use a digital device that works well with a food-log app so the information can sync together, giving a more well-rounded account of your diet and exercise."

3. Hours Slept

In addition to Courtney, other experts believe that tracking sleep is essential for success.

Greg Justice, international best-selling-author, speaker, fitness entrepreneur and founder of AYC Health & Fitness, found that he was more aware of the quality of his sleep when he started using a digital tracker. "My initial motivation was to track the quality of my sleep, and I really appreciate having that information," he states. "But, it has been very enlightening to see the other areas such as daily steps, miles, and calories burned."

"I'm a firm believer that implemented knowledge equals power, and the knowledge I've gained with my fitness tracker has empowered me to greater health. I believe that tracking your sleep is crucial, so I would recommend that component. I also recommend each of the other components such as, daily steps and calories burned."

4. Steps Taken

"Steps taken" came up frequently during our interviews. According to David Crooch, personal trainer, nutritionist and owner and founder of Crave Protein and Osteobroth, it's about accountability.

"When people see how many steps they are taking a day and convert that into calories burned, they quickly realize that you can waste a workout with one bad dietary decision," he says. "It becomes a baseline to judge your activity and a good reference to look back on."

5. Miles

While you are taking those steps, just how far are you going? The experts also track miles.

"If I'm training for a certain distance (5k, 10k, etc.), I need to know how far I've gone," states Franklin Antoian, personal trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com. "Plus, it's simply fun to know how far I ran or walked."

If your goal is to restart your New Year's resolutions, or to shape up for summer, your first stop should likely be a personal trainer or another certified fitness pro.

Learning from a professional is the first step toward a lifetime of safe, healthy exercise. Although each trainer has his or her own perspective on which exercises are top-notch, there's one fitness trend that's nearly pervasive: a return to bodyweight or functional movements.

"The bottom line is people need to get off machines, and actually learn how to move their body in space," renewed physical therapist and trainer Kelly Starrett told weather.com. "This is probably the most important thing they can do. ... As human beings, we're designed to move."

These movements can typically be performed anywhere, at any time. Inside or out, no matter the weather.

Functional fitness can mean air squats, which mimic the motion of standing from a chair; deadlifts, which can look like picking a heavy object from the ground (think your kids or bags of groceries); or burpees, which at their core really just mean picking your body up from the ground in an efficient manner.

Appropriate movements can be found in yoga or Pilates class, Starrett said, or through a kettlebell training or weightlifting program. Fitness is about finding what works for you.

"All roads lead to Rome," Starrett said. "[As long as] you are exposing the body to all of its positions that are fundamental to who we are as humans."

Just as you should walk before you run, you should learn to run well before you go fast or far, he continued.

This focus on functional fitness has lead many industry experts to shun so-called traditional gym exercises for a back-to-basics approach.

Here, top trainers from across the country share some of their favorite moves — along with old-fashioned exercises to drop from your routine.

Franklin Antoian, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer; Founder, iBodyFit.com:

Skip: Traditional Sit-ups. Holding your hands being your head and pulling your body up into a full crunch is not only ineffective, it can also result in an injury to your neck or lower back.

Swap: Crunches with reverse curls. Most people want six pack abs, or at the least, a flat stomach, so I recommend these. They will work your abdominal muscles without added stress on your neck or any another body part.

Try it: Lay on the floor on your back. Bend your knees, and keeping your feet on the floor, place your hands at your sides, palms facing down. Slowly curl your head and shoulders off of the mat until you feel your abdominals contract, and at the same time, bring your knees towards your chest to work your lower abdominal muscles. Lower both, and repeat.

If you have 15 minutes, then we have the workout. We challenged local fitness gurus to come up with complete workouts that clock in at 15 minutes or less. Learn the art of tabata from CrossFit CityPlace. Find your core and stretch your spine with Sunset Pilates Fitness. Channel your inner Zen while still burning calories courtesy of Yoga South. Or get virtual and follow video instructions for two 15-minute workouts from iBodyFit.com. We've supplied the workouts—you just need to bring the motivation.

Franklin Antoian knows a thing or two about fitness on the go. As the founder of Delray Beach-based iBodyFit.com, he helps people stay fit through online video workouts and mentoring. "If you think you don't have time to workout, think again," Antoian says. He has provided us with two 15-minute workouts—one for beginners and one for advanced exercisers—as well as online instruction. You can view the accompanying videos for both routines here.

Beginner Workout Steps:

Perform each exercise for 45 seconds, take a 15-second break and move on to the next exercise. Repeat this workout three times.
Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms out in front of you. Bend you knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push yourself back up to starting postion and repeat.
Modified Pushups: Get on your hands and knees. Bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the floor. Push back up and repeat.
Drawbridges: Lay on your back on a gym mat. Bring your feet towards your body so that your knees are bent at 45 degrees. Lift your left leg in the air. Press your hips off the floor using your right leg. Slowly lower yourself and repeat. Repeat on the left side.
Plank: Get into traditional pushup position. Hold for as long as you can without your hips dipping or sagging towards the floor.
Crunches: Lay on your back on a gym mat. Bring your feet towards your body so that your knees are bent 45 degrees. Cross your hands on your chest and lift your head and shoulder off of the mat. Slowly lower yourself and repeat.
Advanced Workout Steps:

Perform each exercise for 60 seconds. Take a short break after competing all five exercises. Repeat this workout three times.
Squat Jumps: Perform the first half of a traditional squat. While you're still in the squatted position, jump as high as you can. Repeat.
Star Pushups: Perform the first half of a traditional pushup. When your body is low to the floor, instead of pushing up and performing another pushup, rotate your upper body to your right so that you are in a traditional side plank. At this point, you should be balancing your entire body on your two feet and just your right arm. Your left arm should be pointing towards the sky. Lower and repeat on the opposite side.
Side Lunges/Balance: Step to your right side with your right leg. Lower your body into a squat. Push off of your right leg and return to starting position, but keep your right leg off of the ground. Repeat for 30 seconds and then perform the same exercise on your left side.
Plank with Leg Lift: Get into pushup position. Lift your left leg off of the floor as high as you can. Hold for 30 seconds, lower and do the same with your right leg.
V Sit Ups: Lay flat on your back on a gym mat. Raise your legs 45 degrees into the air. While keeping your legs in the air, perform traditional crunches.

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New year, new clients. New health and fitness goals, and the opportunity to incorporate some new equipment into your training sessions. Expand your fitness arsenal in 2015 with these 10 tools that top trainers swear by.

Training tool: ActivMotion Bar

Why you should check it out: "I love the ActivMotion Bar because it's simple yet super effective. This training tool automatically creates instability so it's perfect for my clients, especially golfers who want to improve their balance and engage their core during each phase of every exercise," shares Franklin Antoian, ACE Certified Personal Trainer and founder of the online personal training website iBodyFit.com.

Interested in adding variety to your workout routine? Fifteen of the country's top trainers share their favorite TRX exercises that'll challenge your fitness and strengthen your entire body using one of the most popular and versatile pieces of exercise equipment.

"This move includes balance, core, stability, strength and rotation -perfect for the year round surfing and golfing in South Florida," says Franklin Antoian, certified golf fitness instructor and online trainer at iBodyFit.com.

A. Face TRX and grasp both handles with left hand. Raise right arm out in front of you slightly higher than 90 degrees.


B. Keeping legs and hips as stationary as possible, slowly turn upper body to the right. Lean back and down, using left arm to support your entire body weight. Reverse the movement and return to starting position.

To develop an impressive set of biceps you need to target the muscles from every angle. That's right, we said muscles. The biceps brachii (long and short heads), as well as the medial head and brachioradialis (forearm) must all receive some (tough and exhausting) love in order for you to achieve attention-grabbing guns. How do you do that? With proper exercise selection and rotation, and consistently altering things like rep speed, weights used, and sets completed.

"Generally six to eight reps is for strength, and 10 to 12 reps is suggested for muscle maintenance to keep the tendons strong and healthy," says Franklin Antoian, ACE Certified Personal and founder of iBodyFit.com. "With tempos, executing reps faster can allow you to get your workout done quicker while elevating your heart rate and burning more calories. Using slower tempos allows you to use more of the muscle [fibers] and rely less on momentum."

We asked Antoian to walk us through the benefits of a handful of curls that you may or may not currently use in your repertoire. We also requested that he skip longwinded execution explanations since, in general, curls are performed the same way: keep your arms at your sides, elbows close to the body, and bend your arm from the elbow as you bring the weight to your shoulder.

Downsides to Big Moves

Not even the almighty squat is a perfect exercise. What's arguably the best move in the catalog can turn into a crippler if you allow your chest to sag, knees to buckle, or lower back to support the entire load.

That doesn't take away from the squat's ability to beef up your quads quad squad squat and leg press or ignite your core muscles. It's just that, like all exercises, it has potential downsides. From user error to lack of efficiency, we asked ACE Certified Personal Trainer Franklin Antoian, founder of iBodyfit www.ibodyfit.com to highlight some drawbacks of other popular exercises.

Deadlift

Downsides: Difficult move to perfect with a high risk of injury.

Antoian says: "Common problems with the deadlift include performing the movement too fast, using too much weight, and using only the back during execution. Your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings should all be used during a deadlift. So if you're only using your back, you're not doing the deadlift properly, and that will eventually lead to lower back pain."

Barbell Bench Press

Downside: Weight control can be problematic.

Antoian says: "We've all seen it in the gym, and most of us have done it before — you load too much weight onto the bar and you let it drop to your chest really quick. Doing that can injure your shoulder. Another problem is when you're struggling to push the weight back up and you're arching your lower back. You should control the weight, it shouldn't control you."

Pullup

Downside: Use of momentum diffuses the movement's primary focus.

Antoian says: "Other body parts often wind up helping out when people struggle with pull-ups. They begin to sway, kick their legs out, or arch their back, and all of which elevate the risk of injuring your back. Also, when you kick your legs out and your body is in some weird contorted position, how can you properly use your back muscles? You can't."

Upright Barbell Row

Downside: Improper wrist and elbow placement can injure the shoulders, traps, wrists, and rotator cuffs.

Antoian says: "You want the elbows to remain higher than the wrists during the entire motion of the exercise to reduce the risk of injuring your shoulders or elbows. When the elbows dip and the wrists comes up above them, you're allowing small muscles to handle all of the weight."

Old-School Situp

Downside: Not as effective as other abs exercises.

Antoian says: "When people put their hands behind their head and pull the neck forward, that's dangerous. Cross your hands on your chest or put them at your sides, and there's no chance of pulling your neck."

Behind-the-Neck Pulldown

Downside: Not an effective exercise.

Antoian says: "There isn't much benefit to behind-the-neck lat pulldowns. You can pull the bar down too hard and hit your spine or vertebrae with the bar, and there are also issues with range of motion. You're bending your neck forward to pull the bar to down, and that's not a natural position for your neck. Your neck isn't in that position when you're sitting, so why put it in that position when you're lifting heavy weight?"

Abs Rollout

Downside: Overextension can compromise lower back muscles.

Antoian says: "When your core is solid you can go into a full stretch. But beginners or people who don't have such strong core muscles risk hyperextending their lower back. Start by going to the halfway point and then back, and progress from there."

From plateaus and overuse injuries to boredom and lack of motivation to physical and mental fatigue, workout burnout comes in many different forms. All of which can easily never happen to you—if you have the proper fitness plan, which involves more than knowing how many days a week you'll dedicate to cardio versus weight lifting and how many minutes each session will last.

Check for these clues that your exercise regimen may cause you to go from breaking a sweat to breaking yourself, and learn what adjustments to make to ensure you never fall into a fitness funk.

Your motivation to put on your sports bra may vary from one day to the next, but you shouldn't find yourself consistently hating the thought of spending one more minute exercising. If you're forcing yourself to run on a treadmill when you'd rather be dancing, forget your running shoes and bust a move in a hip-hop dance class to get your cardio. If you're merely going through the motions using weight machines, breathe excitement and challenge into your strength training by trying CrossFit or bootcamp. There's no shortage of ways to rekindle your love affair with fitness, and one of the easiest ways to discover something new is to recruit a workout buddy to help you expand your exercise repertoire and reignite your passion, says Franklin Antoian, a certified personal trainer and founder of the online personal training website iBodyFit.com.

http://www.fitbie.com/2014/03/20/march-madness-moves-thatll-whip-you-shape?blog_cat=juice-bar

https://www.sears.com/community/health-fitness/meet-our-new-fitness-expert-franklin-antoian/

PROS / iBodyFit offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed, so you're most likely to find something that fits your needs.

CONS / This online fitness service doesn't offer a companion app, which would help you work out when you don't have your computer with you.

VERDICT / iBodyFit offers excellent customer support and a varied selection of services and fitness programs, making this the best and most well-rounded online fitness service.

iBodyFit is an adaptable online personal training program that offers more workout programs than any other fitness service we reviewed. It has a wide variety of exercise videos, custom workout and diet plans, and personal trainers, plus a dietitian on staff. This online personal trainer doesn't offer a companion app, which can be great for workouts when you're away from your computer, but this doesn't detract from its many excellent features and services. For its superb customer support and numerous services, iBodyFit earns our Top Ten Reviews Gold Award.

This online fitness service offers three levels of membership, and the amount of personal support you get increases with each level. iBodyFit has over 40 custom diets plans to choose from, so you can find something to suit your special needs or goals. You can also contact a personal trainer through the website to discuss your specific needs.

At the higher levels of membership, you can get personalized online fitness training plans. You have access to trainer feedback and advice at every level of membership, just not as individualized as the personal attention that comes standard with other services if you're not paying for a high-tier plan. The plans include routines for weight loss and strength training. Fitness trackers are a good way to keep you motivated, and iBodyFit's member section has a place for tracking your progress. Its interface is simple: You just take your measurements, such as weight, biceps and waist, and input them into the site.

The site has a team of certified personal trainers with expertise in specific areas of exercise or sports, such as Pilates and weightlifting, and they create the videos and fitness routines. A certified dietitian makes the diet plans. As with most online fitness services, you can stream workout videos, but you can't download them, so you can't watch them without internet access.

There are over 400 videos on iBodyFit, demonstrating exercises such as Pilates, aerobics and machine workouts. The videos demonstrate the exercises clearly and have modifications for your level of fitness, though some lack sound. You can adapt the workout plans to a wide variety of fitness goals and needs, such as senior fitness or injury recovery. You'll also find programs for specific needs, such as wedding day, triathlon and youth workouts. iBodyFit has a program for you, regardless of your situation or needs.

This online fitness program offers detailed written instructions you can print and take with you to the gym, as well as printable diet plans and grocery lists. You can also get the routine on your mobile device. However, this online personal trainer lacks an app, unlike Daily Burn, so the transition might not be smooth.

During our evaluation process, we found that iBodyFit offers excellent customer support. It answered every email we sent promptly, often within an hour, and with all the information we needed to move forward confidently.

One of the major benefits of online fitness services over traditional gym memberships is that most online services allow you to cancel at any time. iBodyFit takes this concept and makes it even better by forgoing automatic billing. Each term of service lasts 30 days, without contracts or the fear of letting an online subscription go unnoticed and charged to your account month after month.

iBodyFit has a blog where you can find motivational articles and helpful information on fitness and nutrition. This is also one of the only online fitness services that offers telephone support, which can be very helpful when you need to speak to someone directly, as opposed to through email.

iBodyFit is a strong online exercise program with a wide selection of fitness videos, accommodations for particular dietary needs and support from qualified trainers. Depending on your plan, you can't always expect the highly customized workouts you might receive standard with other services, but iBodyFit is still a comprehensive program for meeting your specific fitness goals and needs.

It's no secret that virtually every area of society has expanded with the advances of technology, and fitness is no different. Instead of being left to your own devices to try to lose weight, gain muscle and generally feel better, there are myriad online resources to consult in order to shape your workout. While many of these sites charge for membership, all offer workout program information that you can easily access with just a few clicks of your mouse. Here are 10 great online workout resources.

Number 4! iBodyFit.com

What is it: With iBodyFit, you can view workouts, customize workouts to suit your schedule, and learn fitness and nutritional tips.

Too busy to design your own workout routine? Once you've signed up for iBodyFit, you can converse with fitness experts who'll design the routine that will help you reach your goals. This website offers everything from intense, multi-step workouts to quick exercises — and includes videos for most of them. You can use the site's calendar feature to schedule each day's workout and help reach your goals.

The IDEA Inspired Blogger program is designed to recognize bloggers who inspire and motivate others to live a healthy lifestyle. Below is the group of outstanding IDEA Inspired Bloggers who are dedicated to Inspiring the World to Fitness.

For women, weightlifting can be an intimidating term. Why? Because we fear our shoulders will become too broad and our arms and legs too muscular. Well, according to Franklin Antoian -- personal fitness trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com -- that's one of the biggest myths in the fitness world.

With over 400 online workout videos and 1,000 exercise demonstrations, iBodyFit.com remains as one of the largest workout and online personal training websites for men -- and for women. Being an expert in fitness and weightlifting, Franklin Antoian was kind enough to share his wealth of knowledge to help learn how to incorporate weightlifting into your workout routine.

Fit and Fab: What are the benefits of weight lifting?

Franklin Antoian: In addition to the above mentioned, a well-rounded weight lifting program will help you burn calories all day long, give you more energy as well as help prevent osteoporosis.

FF: How would you encourage women who are worried about getting too muscular to weight lift? Is this a myth?

FA: Thats one of the biggest myths in the fitness world. Women simply do not have enough testosterone to get bulky or too big. If you want toned arms, rounded shoulders, 6 pack abs or simply a round butt, you'll need to lifts weights. Diet and cardio wont achieve those results.

FF: What are some general guidelines and tips on how women can incorporate weight lifting?

FA: If you've never lifted weight before, its best to start simple. The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) recommends 1-2 days per week of weight training for adults. Simply perform one set of one exercise for each major muscle group 1-2 times per weeks for a couple of weeks. Gradually, add in additional training days and more training on your "trouble spots."

FF: Lastly, how should women go about choosing the weight they start lifting with? And how should women increase the amount of weight in a healthy way?
FA: Start by lifting a weight that will allow you to manage 20 reps or so. This will get your body used to moving through motions with resistance. After two weeks, bump up the weights so that you are challenged to complete 10-15 reps per exercise.
With that being said... let's start lifting, ladies.

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We went on a major manhunt to find the finest looking men of fitness from around the nation (plus a few Canadians we couldn't bear to cut. You'll see why!)

38, ACE-certified personal trainer and founder of iBodyFit.com, Delray Beach, Fla.

Fitness philosophy: There is no "perfect workout" for everyone. The perfect workout is one that is designed around your goals, ability, budget, and desire.
Pushups before exhaustion: 99
No. 1 pet peeve in the gym: Sweat left on equipment
Power song: "Call To Arms" by Angels and Airwaves
Relationship status: Single
Celebrity crush: Jennifer Aniston
Night club or dive bar? Dive bar
Ski slopes or sandy beach? Sandy beach
Favorite chick flick: Where do I begin? Let's go with The Notebook and then anything else that stars Rachel McAdams.
To learn more: iBodyFit.com

With benefits from reducing stress to increasing focus and concentration, these exercise programs that can be done right from a dorm room are tailor-made for college students.

Between finishing classes, prepping for final exams and planning end-of-year parties, squeezing in gym time might be low on your priority list.

But studies show that exercising improves cognitive brain function, making it easier to recall the countless calculus equations and obscure Roman history facts you spent hours memorizing. Working out also decreases stress, anxiety and moodiness.

In other words, exercise could be the key to surviving college. We're all crunched for time when May rolls around, so instead of dragging yourself to the gym, grab your laptop, phone, tablet or TV and try some of these at-home workout services. No excuses.

Service: iBodyFit

Price: Some videos are available for free, but the Basic Plan is $29, the Premium Plan is $69, and Premium+ Plan is $99.

Benefits: iBodyFit has more than 400 workout videos and 1000 exercises available online, and also offers customized diet plans and trainer guidance. This site works best for people who are too busy to design their own workout routine, but want personalized advice from a trainer.

Bonus: Redeem iBodyFit's "FitPoints" for fitness-related products and services.

Basketball is an American classic watched, played and loved by people all around the country. The sport also inspires one of the best times of year for college fans – March Madness. Use this exciting time as motivation to explore new basketball-inspired moves that challenge your entire body.

A strong upper body is important in just about every sport, including basketball. By using a basketball as an unstable surface, you can kick up the intensity of the traditional push-up and give your core a whole new challenge.

Step one: Begin in a kneeling position and place both palms on a basketball.
Step two: Slowly shift your weight forward until your shoulders are positioned over your hands and press up into a plank position with toes on the ground, or opt to keep your knees on the ground with the feet lifted.
Step three: Keeping your core engaged and head aligned with your spine, and slowly lower your chest toward the basketball, keeping elbows close to the sides of your body or flaring outward slightly.
Step four: Pressing upward through your arms, return to your starting position.

Take a look at any basketball player and you'll see that the muscles of their legs and arms are extremely well conditioned to meet the demands of the sport. Performing this combination of a squat, overhead press and calf raise will help you strengthen everything from your ankles to your shoulders.

Step one: Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width distance apart with your core engaged and knees slightly bent, holding the basketball in your hands close to your chest.
Step two: Shifting the weight into your heels, push your hips back and bend your knees as you squat, lowering down until your thighs are parallel or almost parallel to the floor.
Step three: Slowly press through your heels as you straighten your legs and rise up to a standing position, pressing the basketball above your head as you straighten your arms.
Step four: Complete the move by rising up onto your toes before lowering back down to your starting position.

Speed, endurance, agility and coordination are essential skills, both on and off the court. Cone dribbling is a classic basketball drill that can help give you a new reason to take your workouts outdoors.

Step one: In a gymnasium, driveway, parking lot or basketball court, set up five cones in a straight line, spaced about 5 feet apart from each other.
Step two: Starting at the first cone, beginning dribbling the ball with your right hand as you run in between the cones until you reach the end.
Step three: Turn around and weave back through the cones, except this time use your left hand to dribble the basketball.

Just as speed is needed for basketball, the ability to quickly stop and change direction is also important.

Step one: Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding the basketball close to your chest, as if you were about to throw a chest pass.
Step two: Without lifting your left foot, take a lateral step out to your right and stop, keeping the ankle, knee, hip and shoulder in alignment.
Step three: Return back to your starting position and repeat this movement with the left foot, stepping out to the left side as you keep the right foot planted.

In addition to looking cool on the court, no-look, cross court, and behind-the-back passes all involve some sort of rotation. Practice this exercise to increase the strength and range of motion of your torso.

Step one: Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and hold the basketball in front of you at about chest height while keeping the core engaged.
Step two: Lunge forward with your right foot, lowering your hips down toward the floor while at the same time rotating your upper body to the right.
Step three: Rotate back to center and firmly push off with the front leg to return to your starting position and repeat on the opposite side, leading with the left leg as you twist left.

Franklin Antoian is an ACE-certified personal trainer, writer for Sears FitStudio.com and fitness expert for MangeMyLife.com. As author of "The Fit Executive: Fitness for Today's Busy Professional" and founder of the online personal training website iBodyFit.com, Franklin has been featured in SHAPE Magazine, Fox News Online, INC.com Magazine and The Palm Beach Post.

Exercise Even If You Can't Afford the Gym

The gym is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to exercise, says Joan Pagano, owner of Joan Pagano Fitness in New York City and author of Strength Training for Women ($15, amazon.com). You can get in a workout virtually anywhere. Do push-ups and leg lifts at your kitchen counter while waiting for coffee to brew. Get in your cardio with a brisk lunch-hour walk. Do sit-ups during TV commercials. "If you make yourself active during all of your extra minutes, they'll add up to a stronger, fitter you," says Pagano.

Compete With a Spouse, Partner, or Friend

"Challenging a partner to a fitness contest can help keep you motivated and focused on your fitness goal," says Franklin Antoian, creator of the personal fitness site iBodyFit.com and author of The Fit Executive ($10, lulu.com). See who can perform the most repetitions of a specific exercise at lunch, on the weekends, or even during commercial breaks. Competing with someone else makes getting in shape more fun, and you're more likely to stick with exercise if you're enjoying it.

The iBodyFit30 Challenge offers users a unique chance to perform 30 workouts using only body weight in 30 days, talk with a trainer and get a custom diet.

http://kred.com/iBodyFit

It's not hard to find a personal trainer; walk into any local gym and you'll likely have plenty of candidates. So why are so many people turning to the Internet for exercise guidance? And more importantly, is it as safe and effective as in-person training sessions?

"I believe the biggest advantage lies in both the affordability and flexibility," says Tina Reale, who runs the online personal training site Best Body Fitness. "Since the sessions aren't done in-person, the client can choose the best time to complete the workouts. Plus, clients can choose to do the workouts at home using the equipment they have available. The cost is typically significantly less too. For example, my online training programs cost less per month than most hour-long in-person sessions."

Yet there's one important thing that online trainers lack: physical contact. Can you really train someone—check form, provide motivation, and prevent injury—if you're not there with them? Franklin Antonin, personal trainer, author of The Fit Executive and founder of iBodyFit.com, says he has to make an extra effort to ensure his clients are getting the workout they want.

"At iBodyFit, each user gets several custom video workouts that they can do on their own time, including HD video and slow motion exercise samples." He adds that clients can reach their trainer day or night via "phone, text, IM, Facebook, Twitter, and more."

"I compensate through constant communication via email and phone calls," says Amanda Loudin, a running coach and blogger at MissZippy1.com. "I write up a weekly schedule for each client and ask that they provide me feedback at the end of the week detailing how it went. The more feedback I get from them, the more effectively I can make up the following week's schedule for them," she says.

The million-dollar question: Are the results as good as what you would get from a real-life trainer? In terms of running, "I do think online training is as safe and effective as in person training," Loudin says. "Running doesn't require a lot of form instruction but rather pace and distance instruction."

Reale takes it one step further, saying online training can be even better in some circumstances. "The effectiveness relies a lot on how motivated the client is to achieve his or her goals—and that would still be a factor when working in-person. Online training can have some extra positive affect on motivation because I'm always just an email away for support and will regularly check in with clients or drop them a line with a motivating thought or quote for their day," she says.

As someone who has tried both in-person and online personal training, I think there are definite advantages to both. If you're a beginner or someone who enjoys face-to-face interaction and/or a set structure, in-person training is probably best for you. But if you just need a little nudge or some extra expertise, an online trainer is a great way to make your investment last a lot longer.

Have you tried online training? Leave a comment and tell us about your experience!

Ambassador Spotlight: Franklin Antoian

How do you define FitFluential?
I define FitFluential as any person who embodies, embraces and embarks on a permanent health and fitness journey. It doesn't matter if you are entering your 10th Ironman Triathlon or you are taking your first step in a journey to lose 100 pounds.

It matters what you do next. After all, FitFluential's motto is Eat, Sleep, Move and Enjoy.

What is your main motivation to be fit?
It's simple for me. I like to look good and feel good. Longevity is an additional motivator for staying fit.

FitFluential believes the keys to balance are Eat, Sleep, Move and Enjoy. What is your favorite way to enjoy life?
If it's beach related, you can find me there. I enjoy everything under the sun and on the sand from surfing to kayaking to laying in the sun.

Change your workout and the time of day you workout, says Franklin Antoian personal trainer and founder of www.iBodyFit.com. Different workouts (Zumba, cycling, interval training) at different times of the day shakes things up and provides some additional calorie burn.

Limit your carbs to non-starchy veggies, beans and whole grains (with the endosperm, germ and bran intact), says Ann Kulze, M.D., author of the Eat Right for Life series. "Cut out all fruit and any flour-based grain products including 100% whole wheat or whole grain varieties for a few weeks even after you reach your goal. This helps boost insulin action, which kicks up metabolism."

Incorporate at least two days of HIT (high intensity interval) exercise, says Kulze. HIT alternating very brief (30-second to 1-minute) bursts of intense aerobic activity with three-to-four minutes of very light activity. "Even a couple of HIT intervals twice a week will get you off the plateau," Kulze says.

This is the song I use for a run. The first two songs start slow and rev up. They are perfect for a warm-up. The next U2 song picks up the pace as I start my run while the next three keep me at a fun, steady place. As I finish my run, the Angels and Airwaves song is good for sprinting. The last three are fun, slow grooves that help me cool down.
Franklin's Run Playlist

Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N Roses
Vasoline by STP
Elevation by U2
Vertigo by U2
Amen by Kid Rock
Rock n Roll Jesus by Kid Rock
Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shattered by O.A.R.
Call to Arms by Angels and Airwaves
Joker by Steve Miller
Crush by Dave Matthews Band
Blue Sky by Allman Brothers

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It's no secret that virtually every area of society has expanded with the advances of technology, and fitness is no different. Instead of being left to your own devices to try to lose weight, gain muscle and generally feel better, there are myriad online resources to consult in order to shape your workout. While many of these sites charge for membership, all offer workout program information that you can easily access with just a few clicks of your mouse. Here are 10 great online workout resources.

What is it: With iBodyFit, you can view workouts, customize workouts to suit your schedule, and learn fitness and nutritional tips.

Too busy to design your own workout routine? Once you've signed up for iBodyFit, you can converse with fitness experts who'll design the routine that will help you reach your goals. This website offers everything from intense, multi-step workouts to quick exercises—and includes videos for most of them. You can use the site's calendar feature to schedule each day's workout and help reach your goals.

Keep a Checklist "Each morning, before you begin work, write down the items that you need to accomplish by the end of your day. It helps to rate each item according to priority, from high to low. Even if you don't complete your list, the high priority items will get done first. Remember, you can't blame unfinished work on your co-workers!" -- Franklin Antoian, IBodyFit.com

http://blog.fitstudio.com/2011/02/morning-workout-for-the-busy-executive/

http://www.managemylife.com/mmh/user_profile/2200417585/franklin