PHAT Training

WEEK ONE OFFER - 10% OFF JUST FOR LIKING US!

Just stop by our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phat-Training-Inc/204721349590193 and like us. It is that simple... then just go shopping, and we will give you 10% off!

Posted on: 2012-01-02

Personal Training

Our group fitness classes are pretty awesome, if we may say so. Phat's trainers will push you to your max day after day, and if you stick with it, results will be yours. Did you know, though, that there's a better, faster, harder way to get where you want to be? Did you know we can design a personalized package for you that will make you yearn for the easy days of bootcamp?

Personal training is shedding its stigma as being only for celebrities and athletes, but signing up for a personalized package at Phat will have people mistaking you for one or the other. Here are a few reasons a personal trainer might be right for you.

It’s uncomfortable.

Most of us require a little warm up before we disrobe for strangers, but there’s no grace period with a trainer. During the first meeting, you’ll be asked to bare your jiggly bits to be measured and charted, and you’ll get a printout that tells you exactly how out of shape you are as of that day. On your trainer’s computer screen, an especially unflattering silhouette of your frame will pop up and make you want to die.

After that embarrassing encounter, you’ll spend the next month or two being pushed to and past your physical limits by someone who won’t stop staring at you. Think it’s awkward to work out in a group? Try doing it for an audience of one.

Now, who in their right mind would sign up for this? You, we hope. You’ll join dozens of Phat clients who have had it with fitness plateaus and leftover baby bellies (to name just a few), and you’ll be among the brave elite who realized, To hell with discomfort. I want to get fit.

Besides, the awkwardness doesn’t last. You’ll have chosen your trainer in the first place because the two of you get along and understand each other, and it doesn’t take much to realize that he or she is not staring at you in judgment, but in support. Your trainer wants you to succeed maybe even more than you do, which comes in really handy when you feel like throwing in the towel (and throwing up on the way).

It’s cheaper than going to therapy.

Choosing side lunges over chaise longues has the unexpected side effect of being a total mind trip. You’re going to accomplish things during each personal training session that you never through possible, and the straightforward act of lifting more weight than you thought you could is going to help you realize things about yourself other areas of your life.

Feel like quitting when a cycle sprint gets too hard? Chances are you feel like quitting when your day job gets too hard, too, right? A huge percentage of personal training is mental, and tapping into what you can do in spite of yourself is your trainer’s specialty. You’re going to walk out of each session feeling like you know yourself better than you did when you walked in.

There’s no escape.

We offer some pretty stellar group classes, all of which we recommend at various points on your fitness journey. But when you’re ready to kick it up, a personal trainer will make sure you can’t fake your way through that last set of burpees. Because he or she won’t be distracted by the other students in the class, the only card you’ll hold is total collapse. According to our president, personal training will makes your already-intense group classes seem adorable.

No more blind sprints to the gym after work.

A personal trainer works around your schedule, so there will be no more squeezing extra hours out of your day just to get to the gym in time for class. Can’t make bootcamp at 6pm? No problem; come in afterward, or on your lunch break, or first thing in the morning. We’ll work together to find timeslots in the week that work for you.

Measurable results.

As uncomfortable as you’ll be during that first weigh in and round of measurements, you’re going to love that you did it when it comes time to chart your progress. Group fitness classes don’t include a before-and-after body composition, but the same service is included in personal training, and it ensures you’ll know exactly how you’re doing and what you’re achieving. (P.S. The printout you’ll get at the end totally makes up for the one you got at the beginning.)

Customized fitness for a customized body.

There are all kinds of circumstances that might alter your goals and capabilities while exercising, many of which simply can’t be addressed in a group setting. If you’ve had children or sustained an injury, if you want to run a marathon or just be able to play soccer with your kids … whatever your circumstances, a personal trainer will customize a fitness plan that accommodates you.

Accountability is inherent.

It’s pretty easy to choose the snooze button over a 5am treadmill date with yourself, and no one’s going to call your house if you don’t show up to tonight’s yoga class. It’s a lot harder, though, to get out of a scheduled session with a personal trainer. The fact that it’s easier just to go than to stay home and reschedule has a lot to do with why so many clients get fitter, faster in a one-on-one environment.

You get what you pay for.

Hiring a personal trainer costs more than signing up for group classes. It should cost more than it does, actually.

We can all probably convince ourselves that this is a luxury, that it’s prohibitively expensive, but it comes down to the value we place on our own well-being. We always find time and money for the things that are important to us, so the question is, What is more important than your own health? Without it, you cannot care for those around you, you cannot enjoy what life offers.

Further, hiring a personal trainer is rarely a permanent arrangement. At Phat, we’d consider ourselves failures if you didn’t know what to do with yourself after twelve or twenty-four sessions, so all you have to trust us with is a month or two.  We’ll set you up for a lifetime of fitness, and we’ll still be around if you want to switch things up down the road.

So, back to the beginning. A trainer is for more than celebrities and athletes; a trainer is for you. We’ve got XX of them on staff, and almost all of them have openings right now for clients who are ready to go from fat to phat. Give us a call to set something up.

Posted on: 2011-08-10

Lets Take It Outside

We don’t want to be the bearers of bad news, but…it’s time to start thinking about the last of the warmer weather for this year. Shorts, bathing suits, tank tops … is your body ready for the fall? For many of us, the answer could be no, but now is exactly the right time to change that. It’s August, people! Give us two months (eight weeks! Twenty-four hours!), and you’ll be hotter than July by Thanksgiving Day.

The catch: we’re going to do it differently this year. Better. Instead of logging miles on a treadmill, fumbling with the iPod for a jam that better suits a 30% incline (pro tip: there isn’t one), we’re going to take the whole deal outside.

It’s a mind shift, we know. As Edmontonians, we’re so used to our indoor lives that it’s almost offensive to suggest you use a park bench instead of a weight bench, or the Glenora stairs instead of a stair climber. But hear us out. We’re the pioneers of indoor/outdoor fitness in the city, so we know what we’re talking about when we suggest you break out of the four walls of the gym (at least until we get snowed in again).

Why should you consider outdoor training?

Fresh air and sunshine are good for you. Do we sound like your mother, telling you to get outside and not come back ‘til dark? We make no apologies. Our studios are well ventilated and air conditioned, but there’s no substitute for fresh air and natural light when you can get it. The oxygen concentration alone will maximize your efficiency, and the Vitamin D you’ll absorb from being in the sun will help reverse your almost guaranteed deficiency.

You’ll get fitter, faster. Some studies suggest you’ll lose more weight while working out outdoors, but we caution that it’s not simply the act of being outdoors that automatically signals your body to burn more calories. You’ve still gotta bring it! At Phat, we’re partial to the fusion approach --- our classes are indoor/outdoor hybrids --- not only because weather is so unpredictable around here, but also because the constant change in scenery and exercises promotes muscle confusion and mental stimulation. Not letting you get too comfortable in your surroundings is our secret weapon.

You’ll gain terrain. After a full day on the crazy treadmill of your work/home life, there’s no more acute a relief than escaping outside for an hour of devoted “you” time. Why trade that for an hour on an actual treadmill? The varied, unpredictable terrain of an outdoor training session will work dormant muscles in new ways, and the natural elements we use as props will give your kettlebellitis a rest.

The scenery. Edmonton is a beautiful city, and outdoor fitness can help you get acquainted with it in a new way. A connection to nature is more important to overall well-being than you might think, especially if your only connection to it at the moment is frostbite.

Because you can, finally. Look, we’re all Edmontonians here. We all know we’ve got approximately two days of summer before the snow flies again, so outdoor fitness is a great way to maximize your enjoyment of the season.

At Phat, we focus on results, eliminating the military bravado that turns off so many who want to get fit fast. We won’t yell at you, but we will yell with you when you reach the top of that epic stairway and start doing the Rocky dance. Hell, we’ll probably even dance with you.

Ready to sweat? Phat’s indoor/outdoor bootcamp starts are running all summer and into the fall. Call us to register, dress for the weather and bring water. We’ll see you on the trail.

Posted on: 2011-08-10

Pitches 4 Inches

We at Phat Training Inc. are excited to announce a new charity fundraising event with the Boys & Girls Club of Edmonton! We are approaching our corporate friends and challenging them to enrol in our "Pitches 4 Inches" bootcamps. For every inch lost, we donate a dollar...

Posted on: 2011-08-10

Fit Preganancy

Woohoo, you're pregnant! Time to park yourself on the couch with a pint of ice cream for the next nine months, yeah?

Uh, no.

Never mind what you've heard about having carte blanche to treat your body like a garbage disposal while you're expecting. Pregnancy is arguably the time during which you should be most serious about getting or staying fit. Why? And how?

First, the why:

Staying active while pregnant will make it easier for you to birth, recover, and bounce back quickly. There are more obscure benefits, too, like joint lubrication and colon cleaning, but overall, it’s just easier to stay active than to wait until you’re postpartum to look for your old body and realize it’s disappeared.

Benefits to your baby are pretty great, too. Research indicates the babies born to active mothers are leaner, less stressed, and more alert. They may take to nursing easier, be healthier as children, and grow up to be active adults, too. Hard to argue with that.

As for how to stay active, it’s not as complicated as you might think. If you’re already engaged in regular exercise, there are very few modifications you’ll need to make as your belly grows. If you’re a runner, for example, chances are good you’ll be able to run or jog almost until (or even right up until) you deliver; if you’re into contact sports, though, it’s best to find another physical outlet until D-day. In general, you can probably continue to do whatever you’re already doing, but check with your care provider to make sure. Don’t worry too much about exercise hurting the baby; in reality, we should be a lot more worried about our sedentary lifestyles during pregnancy.

Getting active if you’re currently not is different, but not impossible. Keep your expectations realistic (i.e., you’re not going for six-pack abs here), and you’ll find the pressure that accompanies exercise when you’re not pregnant all but disappears during these awesome months. Joining a prenatal yoga or fitness class will help ensure the activities you undertake are safe, as long as you have an instructor who specializes in prenatal and postpartum fitness. The community of fellow moms you’ll meet in these classes cannot be understated.

Prenatal and postpartum fitness is not a gimmick or a money grab, in case you were wondering. It’s not an attempt to rob an expecting woman of the joyful marriage between pickles and ice cream, and it’s not another thing to feel guilty about as a mother. It’s just common sense, and it’s easier than you think to get going. Just stay tuned to this monthly column for articles dedicated to you, your baby, and your body.

How can Phat help moms get and stay fit?

• Check out our group class calendar for daytime prenatal and postpartum fitness classes. We’ve got a host of offerings to suit your style and schedule.
• Our very own Edmonton FitMom, MaryBeth Thompson, is here to answer all your questions and lead weekly classes.
• Your toddlers and older children are welcome to accompany you to prenatal and postpartum fitness classes. They’ll get a kick out of our onsite playroom (at no extra cost), and you’ll love that you can watch them through the window while working out.
• Think bringing your baby nixes the chances of getting a good workout? Not so. Strap the little one into a carrier, and you’ll instantly turn every move into a weight-bearing exercise. We’d venture to say that using a carrier almost guarantees a better workout.

Posted on: 2011-08-10

Green Smoothies

Hey, how’d you like some kale for breakfast? A few cups spinach? Some arugula? No?

If the thought makes you gag and look around frantically for the nearest drive-thru breakfast sandwich, you obviously haven’t heard about green smoothies. They’re the perfect way to start your day in the warmer months, and if you do it right, you’ll get an entire day’s worth of vegetables in one shot, without even tasting them. Cue Chandler Bing: could this be any more awesome?

Go ahead and Google green smoothies, and you’ll see how popular these things have become lately. The pioneer was the late Dr. Ann Wigmore, who realized back in 1988 that people were really missing out on the cleansing, energy-giving, beautifying properties of green, leafy vegetables thanks to the fact that … well, that we don’t eat them. We tend to avoid things that taste awful or boring, after all, hence the popularity of cheesy sausage over, say, endive.

But that cheesy sausage has hidden costs, as we all know. We won’t go into that here, but we will go on for a bit longer about green smoothies. Stay with us, or at least scroll down to the end for a couple recipes.

Green smoothies can easily fill a gap in our daily nutritional habits, and while they cost more per unit than your average donut, this is another example of getting what you pay for. Not that you should forever shun the pleasure of a donut in the morning, but let’s consider a green alternative on a somewhat-regular basis. (On that note, please don’t look too closely at the empty to-go cups and containers in our studio garbage cans.)

We promise that it’s easier and quicker to make these every morning than it is to detour through the drive-thru on your way to work, but give yourself a little extra time on your maiden voyage. It may get messy until you find a system that works for you, and not cleaning up the mess right away is just asking for blueberry stains on your counter and dried smoothie splatters on your backsplash. We learned the hard way, so consider yourself warned.

All you need to get started is a blender, your chosen fruits and greens, a cup, and a straw.

Basic Green Smoothie

Here’s a basic green smoothie recipe to get you started. For best, most smoothie-like results, blend the greens and liquids together until it looks gross, then add your berries and mix until just blended. You can substitute the listed fruits for your favorites --- just keep the approximate ratios the same.

• 1 cup greens (spinach, arugula, endive, chard, etc.)
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups frozen blueberries

Ultimate Green Smoothie

If you want to get an entire day’s worth of greens in one smoothie, break out your biggest blender and a 32-ounce to-go cup. (You’re going to be drinking this one for awhile.) Again, sub out the greens and fruits if you want, and feel free to add in other ingredients that support your wellness goals. Blend the greens and liquids together until it looks gross, blend in your fresh fruits, and then mix in the frozen berries until just blended.

• 2 cups fresh orange juice or water
• 4 cups spinach
• 5 kale leaves
• 1 banana
• 1 kiwi
• 1 cup frozen berries

Posted on: 2011-08-10

DealFind Bootcamp Cancelled

We are sorry to inform you that our Dealfind bootcamp is cancelled for Friday Aug 19/2011.  Our instructor has fallen ill.  Please stay tuned for any updates moving into next week

Posted on: 2011-08-05

The Group Fitness Mecca

Check out the group fitness mecca by clicking here.  We will be blogging and sharing all the inside information about our group fitness classes.  Stop by often for free classes and other awesome stuff!

Posted on: 2011-04-22