Few people know more about the fitness industry than Dr. John Spencer Ellis. Active in the fitness and health community for more than 20 years, and a renowned member, Ellis is known for a variety of things, including his stint on the Real Housewives of Orange County, the creation of NESTA, and most recently the launch of DietGuru.com.
We had a chance to speak with John and catch up on a few goings-on in the fitness world right now. We talk about making the resolutions last (yes, there’s still time!), identifying the best personal trainer for your needs, and how Diet Guru can help you become an A+ eater.
John’s hope is that people are still motivated to stand by the resolutions they made a mere 38 days ago. He notes that, statistically, we don’t see people give up completely until March 15. He says that’s when you’ll see “more room on the cardio equipment on a Monday night” at the gym! Whether you’re externally motivated by your appearance or an event like a vacation, or internally motivated to feel better about yourself, he encourages everyone to identify that motivation and hold on to it.
If part of your weight loss plans are to work with a personal trainer this year, John stresses how important it is to shop carefully. As the founder of NESTA, a national personal training certification, he’s highly educated in what identifies a good trainer from the less qualified. He says there are a lot out there who think they are knowledgeable, but aren’t “sufficiently knowledgeable,” and the result is that they could hurt you more than they’ll help you.
His tips for shopping for a trainer:
1. Make sure they have a nationally recognized training certification.
2. Veryify their testimonials, which can sometimes be “embellished.”
3. Interview potential trainers, and be sure that your personalities mesh.
Once you’ve got your trainer selected and your fitness regimen on track, you’ll want to turn your focus to what you’re eating. That’s where John’s Diet Guru comes in. He partnered with his friend, a former robotics scientist at NASA, to develop a customized meal planner that grades your choices as you go. John said everyone starts at F, but everyone gets a chance to move to an A. As you build meals, the grade will gradually improve; the healthier and more nutritionally balanced, the higher the grade.