10 tips to start a successful fitness regiment

We interviewed the gym manager at Lausanne’s Holmes Place, an international chain of high-end fitness studios operating in 10 countries. Alvaro de Vicente Contreras holds a bachelor’s degree in Sports and Physical Sciences and is an expert in running technique. Here are his 10 tips to starting a successful fitness regiment:

1. Start with a training assessment

How should someone who is out of shape start?

“We schedule a training assessment, during which we measure your body as well as your goals. Then we decide what to put in practice to reach the goals. The assessment is really important. Everybody thinks they are better than they really are. Objective measurements include weight, body fat percentage and balance. Everybody wants to lose weight, but they don’t understand what that really means. They often focus on the scale number, and forget that muscle weighs more than fat.”

2. Know that training one hour per day equals 6% of your day

How can busy professionals fit trainings into their days?

“It’s a fact that training one hour per day equals 6% of your day. It’s not that much. Training improves your capacity to perform in other areas of your life. Energy, efficiency, concentration will improve. Training has a domino effect: feeling good affects the rest of your life. If training one whole hour is too much, go for 30–45 minutes. After a shower, you can be on your way in an hour.”

3. No burn, no loss

How much of losing weight is exercise and how much is food?

“Some say 80% is food and 20% is exercise. I say yes and no. Why? We all need to eat, but if we don’t burn, we won’t lose weight. You can decrease eating, but you need a minimum. If you don’t eat enough, the body will go into survival mode and decrease your metabolism. Yes, you will lose fat but you will also lose energy.”

De Vicente points out that our caloric intake has to be high enough to fuel our metabolisms and provide energy, by making the following comparisons:

Take a typical diet: 2000 calories burned — 1000 calories eaten = 1000 balance. This leaves you with no strength and no energy.

Take a healthy way of living: 3,500 calories burned — 2000 calories eaten = 1,500 balance. You will have a higher metabolism, strength, and energy.

If there’s no burn, there’s no loss.

4. Stay away from crazy diets; change your lifestyle instead

What’s the biggest mistake people make with their diets?

“Extreme dieting such as these one- to two-week diets is the biggest mistake people make with their diets. You become crazy. I am against the concept of dieting, in general. Instead, create the habit of proper nourishment. It’s a lifestyle change. Make sure you include the things you love. Just exercise moderation, by allowing yourself to eat that burger and those fries, but just eat them once per week or eat fewer fries. We need to educate people.”

5. Learn the proper techniques

What’s the biggest mistake people make in training?

“Do you know how to run?”

I nod.

“Few people know how to run properly. Take the following tax return comparison: I can fill it out myself. The job will be done, but I won’t take advantage of all the deductions and benefits that hiring an expert would give me. How to run for fat burning? What’s the right technique? There’s always something to learn. This is why there are professionals in the room. It’s safer, and more efficient than doing it alone.”

6. Something is better than nothing

How often should someone go to the gym? The American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) suggests that people exercise 20 to 60 minutes, three to five days a week.

“In an ideal world, we should exercise every day. But if you do something, you’re already winning. If you can’t do five trainings per week, do four. Create a habit. Something is better than nothing. Once you start doing it, you’ll feel the pleasure of it. The motto of Holmes Place is about making health and fitness enjoyable.”

7. Morning is best

When is the best time to exercise?

“Morning. Why? Honestly. It’s scientifically proven. In the evening, you’re activating your metabolism. Your body will be excited. You’ll go to bed too late. You won’t sleep that well. In the morning, you activate your body before work. You activate your brain as well, helping you to focus more.”

8. Lift weights to lose weight

Is there such a thing as the best exercise for weight loss?

“Strength training, because it requires you to use more muscles, which will require more energy and burn more fat, than using fewer muscles. It is more efficient to lift weights and do cardio for 20 minutes than being on the elliptical for one hour — if you do it right. But most people do it wrong.”

9. Look for gym ambiance, philosophy and quality of trainers

What should you look for in a gym (besides cleanliness and good equipment)?

“First, make sure it’s not too crowded to ensure you get access to the equipment you want. Second, make sure it’s a place with good ambiance and a shared philosophy of respecting each other and of wellbeing, a place where you will feel good and welcome (i.e. no overbuilt guys throwing weights around). Third, make sure you check the professionalism of the personal trainers.”

10. Start slowly

Anything else?

“Get into it and enjoy. Start slowly and little by little, at your own rhythm.”

“If I can improve the life of someone, that’s a bigger success than finishing first in a race.”