If your New Year’s fitness and wellness resolutions are already a distant memory, you’re in good company.
Thankfully, the trainers at LIFT have designed a platform that lets you take group classes or personal training sessions virtually, making it easier to stick with working out — or at least harder to make excuses about getting to the gym.
The LIFT training sessions are livestreamed, so you can interact with instructors in real-time without ever leaving your living (or hotel) room.
We asked Ariane Monast-Dupuis, one of the the trainers at LIFT, about how she’s sticking with their 2018 fitness goals.
Did you make any New Year’s fitness or wellness resolutions this year? Yes! Since I’m already very active and workout almost everyday, I’ve decided to focus on my nutrition for this year. I’m always in a rush between clients and group sessions so I end up snacking on not so healthy things. Now, I dedicate my Sunday afternoon to meal prepping! I cook healthy snacks for when I’m on the go, meals for my lunches and my smoothies for the next 3 days. It saves me so much time during the week and I’m sure to keep my meals lean, clean and green. Remember, success is achieved through 80 percent diet and 20 percent fitness!
Now that we’re about a month into the new year, what do you think are the best ways for people to stay focused and motivated to stick with their fitness resolutions? It’s all about dedication and consistency. I love writing down my goals and look at them every week to remind myself how important those goals are for me. I feel like vision boards and goal setting are key to stay dedicated and consistent with your fitness resolutions. If your goal is to loose weight or gain strength, tone, etc… I’d recommend taking progress pictures. Forget the scale for one second. By looking at these pictures, you’ll be able to see your progress, how much leaner, stronger or toner you’ve become and you’ll be much more motivated to keep going.
What are your best tips for getting back on track, if someone hasn’t been keeping up with their resolutions? Don’t be so hard on yourself. Just start fresh the next day. We’re only a month into the new year, you still have time to get back at it. Plan your week accordingly. Plan your workouts, your meals, etc. Failing to plan is planning to fail! Make time for your workout. We are all busy and I know it’s hard sometime to squeeze a workout in, that’s why LIFT Session is AMAZING! You may sign up for sessions all day with live coaches. You will get the best sweaty workout in only 30 minutes. You can choose between Yoga, MetPower or cardioblast sessions. No excuses!
In what ways do you think LIFT’s virtual platform is changing how people workout?LIFT is such a great platform. People are busier than ever and they’re looking for something quick and effective. Gym memberships are expensive and people lose their motivation pretty quickly. With LIFT, you have the ‘accountability factor’. When you register for a class, you know your coach and the other LIFT members are counting on you to show up. Plus, 30 minutes goes by so fast when you have a live coach pushing you. Workouts are always varied so you don’t get muscle memory and bored. You’ll see results pretty quickly! It’s completely different than workout dvd’s and stuff like that.
What is your favorite part about training people through video classes? “Personally do you like group training or personal training? My favorite part is by far seeing the client’s progress. How they’ve gain strength and confidence. How they go for the extra rep or try a movement they’ve been afraid to try. It always makes me really proud. Even though I don’t see them in real life, I get to connect with them almost every day and get to know them. I’m proud to say that I have clients all over the world and that’s awesome!
Personally, I love personal training, but I’d say the group training is my favorite. I love seeing everyone giving their best and pushing past their comfort zone. The energy of the group is so great!
What is the most challenging part of working out online?
Opening your computer to start your session! Haha no but to be honest, LIFT is so convenient for everyone. Moms, students, parents, athletes, Anyone! All you need is a good wifi connection and you’re good to go. Since you’re probably doing the workout at home or during your lunch break at work, the hardest part will be to show up on time and take 30 minutes for yourself. But the fact that there’s a coach waiting for you is going to keep you accountable.
How do you make time to workout in the winter, especially when it feels like it’s too cold to go outside, and as we’re approaching Valentine’s Day — which means lots and lots of chocolate — how would you encourage people to stay healthy?
You plan your workouts for your schedule. Since LIFT has many classes at different times of the day, it’s easier to get your workout in. I love running outside, but I hate the cold. I’m a big fan of morning workouts. So I wake up early, get my workout in and get to work after. Lift has classes as early as 6am! I know it’s tough during winter with mornings being so dark and cold, but you’re going to feel great once it’s done and ready to tackle your day. It gives you a little “kick” and it boosts your metabolism. Plus, when you finish your day, you can go home, relax and appreciate the time with your family, forget about your workout because it’s already done! And don’t stress too much about Valentine’s day. It’s only one day during the year. If you’re craving that chocolate, eat it. Make sure your meals are healthy for the rest of the day and start fresh the next day. It’s all about balance 😉
| You can follow Ariane on Instagram @arianedupuis |
