Coach Mo- Future Fitness Superstar

Last month, June 2019, Mo hit his one year mark training at McCohn Muscle, the top training facility in Worthington, Ohio.

There had never been a trainer that lasted longer than three months with us, so naturally Mo has created more IMPACT on our fitness family than anyone else other than Q.

From his first full day as a trainer, Mo has brought a unique set of gifts to our training family. First he is sculpted better than the ancient Roman and Greek statues, and it shows his obsession of putting himself through grueling workouts and practicing disciplined nutrition. His physical appearance represents the way a trainer should look.

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His workouts and training style don’t just come out of thin air either. He learned different training styles from working at a gym and observing how serious competitors and power lifters came in and maximized their training with the equipment they had available to them. Mo has a gift of creating exercises for “hard to reach muscle groups” using equipment outside what it was originally intended for.

He’s also shown different ways to use resistance bands for training. For many years, McCohn mostly used bands for basic resistance moves and stretching. After Mo started, it became a common thing to turn basic moves into exceptional ones by adding resistance bands.


Even though Mo is not loud and ra-ra, he still has lots of enthusiasm, and he loves to have fun even if he looks a little silly in the process.



It is uncommon for someone so young to be so good at training. Working at McCohn Muscle and helping the diverse group of people that train here has helped Mo develop his skills in coaching, his ability to deliver challenging workouts, and his voice in the fitness industry.

Even while training mornings and evenings at McCohn Muscle, and sprinting the home stretch of his Public Health degree at Ohio State, Mo hasn’t lost his passion for the pump. After attending the IDEA World Fitness Convention for the first time in Anaheim, CA, Mo stayed in Cali and worked out at the legendary Gold’s Gym on Venice Beach.


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Q. McCohn told Mo one time that he would break down walls in the fitness industry. We’re not saying that he’s a dangerous force, but there wasn’t anything on the news about earthquakes in California this year until Mo went out there.

It’s important to know that Mo has had his challenges like the rest of us. He wasn’t born on swoll. He did not just show up with six packs abs and cuts in his legs. He was a small, skinny dude that had a hard time gaining weight. He made the decision to be disciplined with his training regimen and nutrition, and that’s why he’s on the level his is today. Just like he made the decision to take action, you can do it too.

Mo, we appreciate all the gifts and good energy you bring to McCohn Muscle, and the strides you make to for the best team of personal trainers in Columbus. Hopefully we will continue to build on this momentum for many years to come.

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June 2019- Client of the Month

Five years later……she’s earned Client of the Month again!

Five years later……she’s earned Client of the Month again!

Jess has been working with the best trainers in Columbus since February 2013. When she started she was over 200lbs, and 40% body fat. After training hard for over a year she earned McCohn Muscle Client of the Month- June 2014. She dropped 8lbs, 6.5% body fat and improved her 1-mile run time by four minutes. You can read more about her first success story here:

https://qmccohn.blogspot.com/2014/06/mccohn-muscle-client-of-month-june-2014_18.html

There was a lengthy amount of time after her accomplishments where Jess was training to stay fit and healthy, but wasn’t locked all the way in on her nutrition. We all know what that’s like. She also was not getting pushed to be her best and receiving inspiration from her coach like she should have.

So that took us back to the drawing board starting with Gameplan 2019. In January, almost 30 McCohn Muscle members signed up for their “gameplan.” They met with Q. McCohn for an hour or more to go deep and write down goals, the amount of time they wanted to achieve them by, the action steps they would take to get there, and an affirmation that they could accomplish it.

Then they got to work!

Then they got to work!

For Jess, consistency is the name of the game. She set a goal to lose 10lbs by the end of March, and she dropped 15lbs. She also had a goal to cut another 10lbs by the end of June, and she hit that mark before the month of May was over. Overall she’s down 22lbs, 3% body fat, and 4 inches. Besides the stronger legs and less pain in her joints, Jess has enjoyed her improved cardiovascular endurance.

Q. McCohn says that his favorite part of Jess’s journey was the day before her birthday, at his wedding. He walked across the room to pay Jess a compliment after noticing her in a pretty blue dress. She told him that she’s had the dress for 10 years and had never worn it. She cut the tags off it that morning.

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There is still more work to do. Jess isn’t going to quit now, but she deserves the recognition for not being average. The average person doesn’t follow through with the health and fitness plans they make after the new year. The average person does not train with McCohn Muscle for over six years, and the average person will give up after setbacks and become complacent. Jess is still striving for overall health and fitness improvement. Congratulations Jess on being McCohn Muscle’s first 2x Client of the Month.

Mo has handled a lot of Jess’s training in 2019. Props to you both. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Mo has handled a lot of Jess’s training in 2019. Props to you both. Teamwork makes the dream work.






Ways to Prevent Summer Weight Gain

So you spent the winter working hard and staying in decent shape.  You exercised consistently, and you were careful to eat more healthy foods as you watched your portion sizes.  Why?  So you would look great at the lake and have plenty of energy to enjoy summer.  You greeted summer with a healthy, toned body.

But summer, in spite of all the fun and relaxation it brings, can be tricky and deal us a cruel blow when it comes to our fitness.

Have you noticed the scale creeping up a little over the last couple of months?  If so, you are not the only one. Summer is a very easy time to overindulge and pick up those pounds that you shed during the winter months.

That’s not what we want, right? We aren’t trying to undo all that we’ve worked so hard to accomplish.

Remember that bad habits creep in slowly.  Perhaps you are skipping your workouts a couple days each week, because ‘You have so much to do.’ Or maybe you have been indulging in unhealthy food or drinks a little more frequently when you are with friends.  It happens-little by little.  It happens one small choice at a time.  But those choices add up fast.

If you realize that you have been slipping up, it’s not too late to turn around and get back on track. Really!  There is still plenty of summer left for you to regain whatever ground you might have lost and get back to awesome.

Here are a few common reasons that people gain weight in the summer and how to remedy them.

1.  Disrupted sleep cycle.  Summer brings with it more daylight and longer days.  This extra sunshine can cause our circadian rhythms to change which causes us to sleep less.  But if we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies will respond by packing on a few extra pounds!  The solution?  Be diligent to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.

2.  Baby, it’s hot out there!  When it’s hot and humid, we tend to move around less.  Our energy is lower and besides, who wants to sweat even more, right?  But the less you move, the slower your metabolism is and the fewer calories you will burn.  Be intentional about keeping up with your exercise.  Find indoor exercise alternatives like our fitness training or maybe even take up swimming.  Just keep moving.

3.  On the road again.  Summer meals travel and travel means healthy eating just got harder.  Eating on the road presents big challenges if you are trying to eat clean.  Before your summer trips, brainstorm some ways to reduce the amount of fast food that you will consume while you are away.  Consider packing a cooler with hummus, nuts, lean proteins sources like chicken, fresh fruit and raw veggies.

4.  Caution:  Cookouts!  Ahhh…summer cookouts, parties, family reunions.  All this spells danger because the food at these festivities is usually about as unhealthy as you can get!  Make sure you pass on the hotdogs, potato salad, oily salad dressings and rich cakes.  Look for grilled vegetables, fresh fruit and lean cuts of meat prepared without greasy marinades.

Don’t let the summer creep undo all the hard work you’ve done to get you where you are right now.  Decide to fight back.  Make up your mind to finish well this summer.  Your future self will thank you!

There are still opening for you to come and work with the best personal trainers in Columbus. We want to learn more about your fitness goals and exercise history. Work with us to build your strength, lose unwanted pounds and body fat, and feel great about yourself when you look in the mirror.

Use this link to schedule your FREE VIP fitness assessment

calendly.com/mccohnmuscle

 

McCohn Muscle- May 2019 Client of the Month

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In January 2018, Chris suffered a horrific injury. He was left with 2 herniated discs in my back: L4-L5 and L5-S1.

The latter of these 2 discs ended up being ruptured (torn) which leaked fluid out and against his right sciatic nerve.  For a few months, his side effects included muscle spasms (down my right leg- once triggered by a simple sneeze which sent him to the ER), constant nerve pain, muscle atrophy, weight gain, and permanent numbness and nerve damage down parts of my right leg and foot.


Chris probably wasn’t flashing this smile while enduring all that pain.

Chris probably wasn’t flashing this smile while enduring all that pain.

After 4 trips to the ER, maxed out insurance visits to Physical Therapy, doctors appointments, and Injections, Chris no longer had pain in his leg on a day to day basis sometime around July/August.

At this point, he felt his injury shouldn't hold him back and that he needed to build up muscle and get back in shape. He tried getting back into the gym 3 times a week on his own, but eventually gave up due to related issues in his back and leg where the nerve symptoms would flare up for a few days or more.

He continued his own program for a couple more months not making much of any progress and at the very end of December he decided he needed a professional to make sure he was lifting properly, pacing himself, and help shed some of the weight he had gained.

At this point he acted with urgency. He knew that one of the best things for compromised spinal discs (per my Neuro surgeon, ruptured discs don't ever fully heal, its all about preventing spillage going forward) is to build up the supporting muscles- back and core.

He found McCohn Muscle online by simply doing a Google map search of trainers near his residence. The numerous online reviews seemed legit and the facility was clean and complete. When he came in for his assessment, he ended up almost passing out and even threw up. He was ready to sign up and leave 2018 in the past where it belongs. 

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During the four months he’s been training at McCohn Muscle, Chris says “Hands down, the number one thing that training here provided me in terms of improvement has got to be the technique. I come in and leave with the peace of mind that I am doing exercises properly- with correct form. For me this was crucial because simply bending over or twisting my back incorrectly or lifting even a light dumbbell improperly could have shot my progress back 10 months.”

We took the time to understand his injury from the start, and we made sure that we build his core stability and strength before getting to the fun stuff. He also told us, “you gave me more effective exercises and means to strengthen and relieve my back/nerve issues than my physical therapists did, which I was shocked by. Without you guys there, I would have been going straight for the heavy weights and for sure getting into some trouble. Aside from that, having that extra push for accountability as well as energy which you get from the trainers as well as the other trainee's is priceless.”

So far he’s lost 30lbs and 8% body fat, but more importantly he’s had absolutely no back issues since the first week of training, where as prior to signing up he could have slept funny and woke up needing to lay down for 3 days.

Chris isn’t planning on stopping his training any time soon, and we asked him if he has any advice for someone that has been contemplating starting a training program.

He said, “if you're at the point where you are contemplating whether to start a training program or not, then your wasting your time until you actually do it. You have probably realized the benefits of accountability and professional, certified guidance. Your health is not a joke and you owe it to yourself (and your family if applicable) to do everything you can to improve it. Plus you'll have a damn good time (after the first couple days of soreness)!”

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Pregnancy Nutrition 101

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One of the easiest things that you can do to ensure your baby’s health is just eating the right kinds of foods. Eating a balanced diet is the key element to pregnancy nutrition. When you are pregnant, it will be vital to eat foods with high nutritional contents. This will not only make your body in top shape but will also guarantee your baby’s development.

No matter what angle you look at it from, pregnancy nutrition has no magical formula that you can simply subtract and add. In fact, pregnant or not, the basic principles of eating healthy remains the same. An ample supply of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of proteins. However, the irony is that only few of us practice healthy eating even before conception that is why it becomes a task to eat right when you are pregnant.

In pregnancy nutrition and health, although the formula is the same, some nutrients should be given special attention. Here are the ones on top of the list.

Folate and Folic Acid. Folate is a B vitamin subsidiary that prevents fetal abnormalities like neural tube defects and spinal and brain damage. Lack of Folate increases your risk in preterm labor, poor fetal growth, and low birth weight. Folic acid is the synthetic form of Folate found in most supplements. At average, a pregnant woman will need 100 milligram of folate or folic acid per day.

Calcium. In pregnancy nutrition, calcium is responsible for the development of strong bones and teeth. Calcium also improves blood circulation, and allows muscular and nervous system to function normally. If there is not enough calcium in your diet, the calcium that your baby needs will be taken against your own, resulting in weaker teeth and bones. Nobody has time for that.

Foods high in folate include: asparagus, broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, avocado, and eggs. Foods high in calcium include almonds, broccoli, kale, seeds, beans and lentils. If you are pregnant, and even if you’re not, we have partnered in a worldwide program that includes over 100 nutritionists. We can design the perfect meal plan for your lifestyle and goals. Email me today mccohnmuscle@gmail.com for more information on your perfect meal plan.

Hey Mama

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Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?

No doubt about it, exercise during pregnancy is a big plus for you and your future baby.

It is not just acceptable, it should be promoted. Pregnant women are encouraged to maintain an exercise program all throughout their 9 months of conception. This is even more significant to women who were living active lifestyles prior to their pregnancy. It is suitable to continue with regular exercise but with a few simple modifications.

If you are an athlete or perhaps a rigid runner, you can continue but you may want to think about slowing down the pace a little bit, although your body is used to the rigorous training that you had, exercise during pregnancy is something that should be done in moderation. On the contrary, if you are a couch potato and have been sedentary for a while then this is not the time to engage in more active sports. Regular walking and stretching would be enough.

Exercise during pregnancy is the best way to stay in shape and obtain a feeling of wellness all throughout. Despite all the differences in each of your bodies, exercise still plays the biggest role towards a healthy pregnancy. Researchers have found that exercise during pregnancy leads to an easier and a shorter time in labor and delivery with less possibilities of any complications. It also results to less weight gained and less time taken is returning to your pre-pregnancy weight.

Today, due to the widespread of the significance of exercise during pregnancy, innumerable ways to stay fit have emerged so women don’t have to lock themselves down and stick to one routine. However during this entire time, it would be appropriate to consult your doctor to further discuss with options that would work best for your delicate body. This way, your health care provider can adjust the level of intensity of your workouts depending on your level of pre-pregnancy fitness.

The truth about exercise during pregnancy has been a widespread amongst all would-be moms. Its profound purpose has long been deemed to be achieved by most women. If you are not used to exercising, then you can just engage in light exercises such as walking. Begin slowly and then gradually pace up as you gain more strength. Whatever fitness level you may be in, it will never be too late to start and build a much healthier habit for you and your precious little angel.