Fat Man Walking Steve Vaught has gotten a lot of publicity for that strategy this month, including stories in the Washington Post and on MSNBC, an interview with Katie Couric and a feature on AOL. But asthe Post article points out,

Doctors, certainly, would call it inadvisable. A seriously overweight person who embarks on any kind of strenuous physical activity could place dangerous stresses on his joints and heart, said Samuel Klein, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.

And such activity is especially worrisome in an area of environmental extremes, without someone to support him, Klein said. Even if he weighed 100 pounds, "walking across a desert without someone standing next to him with an umbrella and a fan and Gatorade might really be a problem."

Vaught’s justification for the long walk is that it is the “hard way,” as opposed to “high dollar fast fixes” like “miracle weight loss drugs or fad diets that never seem to have lasting results or dangerous surgeries that cost about the same as a luxury car.” The problem with this reasoning (as the doctors said), is that his alternative is too hard, and lot riskier than the surgery. There may be health benefits for the first few vultures who spot this walking feast coming their way, but it seems that “worrisome” is an understatement for the fate likely awaiting Mr. Vaught. What point he’s trying to make about the costs I don’t know, since he admits that the walk will bankrupt him: “I am not in the best condition financially to go six months without income and have resigned myself to the fact that I will lose my car and property.”
Wouldn’t an hour or two a day in gym at 5 a.m. be a relatively inexpensive option, and just hard enough to satisfy Mr. Vaught’s taste for suffering?

Vaught also says that he hopes the walk will motivate him to change his behaviors and inspire others. It’s true that setting a concrete goal, even if unrealistic, can encourage a person make genuine progress. Mr. Vaught may be especially motivated now that his goal has been so widely publicized and the eyes of the world are upon him. But if he does succeed, it will probably be because his task will made easier, not harder, by concerned volunteers intervening along the way to motivate him to slow down. But future Fat Men Walking won’t likely get the same level of media and public support, so they’re best off not being inspired to follow in his footsteps. And gyms shouldn’t let themselves be too inspired either -- blasting the heat to 110, setting the treadmill to 3,000 miles and abandoning clients on it for six months won’t do very much for the membership.

Here, it’s actually worse than it sounds: the guy attempted to murder his client by drugging her and then trying to suffocate her with Saran wrap. And take a look at these facts:

Wenskunas [the client] said Kelavos [the trainer] came to her Orange Tree condominium on April 4, 2002, to help her try to sell her treadmill. Wenskunas nine months earlier had hired Kelavos as a personal trainer through 24-Hour Fitness.

When he came to her home, Wenskunas said he offered her a pill to help her lose weight.

She later said during an interview that the pill made her feel as if someone had given her anesthesia, and the next thing she knew she was in her upstairs bedroom with no clothes on and wrapped in a blanket.

She was able to struggle free from Kelavos by jumping off a 12-foot high balcony, she said.

Can you imagine the kind of advice he had been giving her for nine months if he was able to convince her that selling her treadmill and taking diet pills were good fitness moves?

And it gets worse: although the original story said he faced almost five years in jail, this follow-up piece indicates that he served only 120 days. However, one silver lining is that the victim was so outraged by the outcome that she’s founded a victim’s support group, Crime Survivors Inc.

Kristi Stanfield wanted the expertise of a personal trainer. But after spending more than $1,000 for a trainer, she was unhappy with the results and wanted her money back.

Stanfield is a busy young professional who likes to hit the gym and get the most out of her workout. That's why she plunked down big bucks to hire a professional trainer through Beyond Fitness.

"I paid them approximately $1,200 for the year and began having problems almost right away."

Stanfield said her trainer was not showing up for sessions, didn't know much about workouts on the exercise machines and knew even less about nutrition.

"There was just a great amount of turnover and I felt that a lot of the people who were supposed to be training me knew less about fitness than I did," she said.

So far, so bad. But the headline seems wildly misleading when read in the context of the very last line of the story:

Stanfield has had several sessions with Rosen [a new trainer] and now she's turned down the refund we got for her from Beyond Fitness because she said he is what she's been looking for.

I guess the point of these consumer “Action” reports is to highlight the efforts of the crusading reporters on behalf of wronged consumers. But the real news here is that the new guy was so good that the client even turned down money offered for the missed sessions and bad advice. Why wasn’t the headline “Overjoyed with Fitness Trainer, Woman Refuses Refund”?

We all know that fitness trainers are in high demand these days. But if your personal trainer is obsessed with UFOs and worships the Egyptian Sun God Ra between sets, he might be the Most Wanted of all:

According to the FBI description, “Addis is extremely health conscious, physically fit, and an avid body-builder who has established himself in health clubs as a member or personal trainer.” This account indicates that he killed a woman he met at the gym. Does he train you? If not, how about this guy:

Says www.mugshots.com (not a fitness certifying agency): “John Julian is not as innocent as he looks . . . [a]lso known as "John John", he is a fitness trainer that used to work at "24 hour fitness" club. All things considered, however, I think it’s a credit to our profession that only one fitness trainer is among the approximately 500 fugitives who have made the FBI’s Most Wanted list (Mr. Julian was on a state rather than FBI list).

I’m certified by one of the organizations on the Dummies’ “best known” list -- NASM -- and am working on my AFAA credential. I hold a number of others, including one issued by the gym I work at, and I’m considering certification by ASCM.

What’s the advantage to multiple certifications? It’s not just the increased credibility that comes with having a string of acronyms after your name. Although there’s a certain overlap in what’s taught by each certifying organization, there are differences in focus, perspective and principles which make for a more well-rounded personal trainer who can serve varying populations of clients. Furthermore, the overlap itself is important: the process of repetitive learning makes understanding and speaking and the language of fitness second nature. And on the more practical side is greater job mobility -- some employers require particular certifications, or that their trainers hold multiple certifications.

I realize that my participation in these activities involves potential risk of injury, including but not limited to bodily injury, heart attack, stroke, or even death. I also recognize that there are other risks associated with exercise and personal training and that it is not possible to list every one.

Dummies, pp. 95-96.

Getting a lawyer is the easy part. What personal trainer doesn’t already have her own attorney? None that I know. In fact, most of the master trainers at my gym have entire law firms on permanent retainer. At $600 an hour, legal counsel is one of the best bargains going.

The tricky part is getting the waiver signed. Once the client apprehends the grave threat you pose to his life – risks so varied they can’t even be enumerated -- he may want a lawyer of his own. But this doesn’t have to put a chill on things. Most health clubs have conference rooms to accommodate waiver negotiations, typically adjoining the pilates studio. Pick the right caterer, and things can be quite civilized as counsel negotiate through the night towards a fair and equitable level of client injury and disability.

Due to the increasing popularity of pre-training legal summits, it’s now common practice for a client to dispatch counsel to your club in advance of the introductory free session. Ideally your own counsel will be advised of the arrangements so you can simply make the necessary introductions and go about your business. If the client appears as well, feel free to put him on a scale or whip out the calipers – but no training until the waiver closing has occurred.

Be aware that if your gym is running special promotions you may be called upon to execute paperwork concerning sweatshirts, mugs, tee shirts and the like early in the evening. Don’t mistake these for the waiver, which generally presents itself in a large black binder.

Leave it to the lawyers to thrash out the details. But don’t lose sight of the big picture. Given what’s at stake, it might be prudent to suggest an updating of the client’s will and health care proxy. Questions over who has the ultimate authority to remove life support – the trainer, the client’s spouse, or the assistant manager – should be fully addressed. Similarly, the agreement should cover whether training sessions are suspended for the duration of the lawsuit or merely on the days of the parties’ depositions.

Finally, some issues will require the participation of the club’s corporate counsel, such as whether the full membership fee or merely the discounted retaining charge is due when the client is in a coma.

Don’t underestimate the power of minimizing your exposure. A strong legal position makes for a stronger client, when the trainer is free from the spectre of litigation. Make sure that pushing your client beyond his physical limits doesn’t push you beyond your financial means!

. . . if you had seen the endless masses of flabtastic American physiques on hideous display in tiny scraps of Lycra and Spandex on that beach. Going to a popular tourist beach for vacation is even better than a trip to Wal-Mart for solidifying one’s commitment to eating healthy and exercising regularly. The number of chubby children I saw was just plain wrong. Parents can make their own choices about diet and exercise, but there’s no excuse for letting your kids start out life overweight or even obese. It’s setting them up for all kinds of social cruelty when they get to junior high or high school as far as I’m concerned, not to mention all of the possible health issues that come with being out of shape at such an early age.

Parents get away with hurting their children on the inside in a way they’d never get away with hurting them on the outside. A couple of years ago Madelyne Toogood made national headlines after she was caught on videotape hitting her child in a parking lot; she plead guilty to felony battery. But when 13 year old Christina Corrigan died of congestive heart failure in 1996 weighing 680 pounds, her mother was convicted of only a misdemeanor – and not for nutritional abuse. It was for what they found on the outside of the child’s body – bedsores – not her weight. The prosecutor had brought felony charges, but he stressed that even those were “based on the condition of the child's body, not the size of the child's body," And this is how the the defense attorney summed things up: "This is a case about fat prejudice. It's absolutely about that, a prejudice we don't even know we have.”

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TRAINER PUNDIT: It's hard to build muscle while on a low calorie diet. I know that fitness is prioritized by the Jenny Craig program -- how can it be made to work for someone trying to build mass and stay lean?

GARVEY: You are more likely to maintain muscle and reduce fat if you combine physical activity with a moderate menu plan like the one we offer at Jenny Craig -- one that provides adequate calories to "spare" protein to preserve muscle and other vital organs. To achieve fitness goals, take a two-pronged approach -- combine cardio activities like walking to burn calories and reduce body fat, with resistance activities to tone/build muscle. At Jenny Craig we offer a range of products to match any fitness level.

TRAINER PUNDIT: Would you recommend that someone trying to maintain muscle on Jenny Craig try something like a low-calorie protein shake, and if so, how should this item be substituted or added to the diet?

GARVEY: No, we wouldn't recommend using one. The beauty of the Jenny Craig Program is that it's designed to provide adequate protein to maintain lean muscle mass for clients at all levels of fitness.

TRAINER PUNDIT: What is the ratio of carbs to fats to protein in the program? Is it possible to do a high protein version?

GARVEY: The nutritional composition of the Jenny Craig Menus is approximately 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-30% protein, and 20-30% fat, depending on the client's actual food selections. Jenny Craig offers a customized carbohydrate approach. Clients have the option of selecting the classic menu or a lower carbohydrate/higher protein menu. This menu will provide approximately 30% protein calories. Both menus are nutritionally balanced and include all essential food groups.

TRAINER PUNDIT: How should a person adjust for the ratio when eating in a restaurant (say, Thai or Chinese) that doesn’t separate the three nutrients?

GARVEY: It's not necessary, as the nutritional ratio is for the entire day. If clients make dining out selections that model the Jenny Craig Menu, they will achieve the same healthy ratios.

TRAINER PUNDIT: Does the program differentiate between good carbs and bad carbs?

GARVEY: At Jenny Craig, we don't believe in the concept of "good" or "bad" foods, of any kind. Our philosophy is that if you build your foundation on a base of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, there is room on your menu for moderate amounts of favorite foods, like French fries, chocolate cake, chips, etc.

Learning how to balance food choices to create a healthy, enjoyable eating plan is a hallmark of the Jenny Craig Program.

TRAINER PUNDIT: Speaking of whole grains, I understand that they raise the level of insulin in the blood slower than white sugars, and am trying to incorporate them into diet plans for my clients using a software program that ask for the glycemic index of each item. Are the breads in the Jenny Craig sandwiches (or cereals or the recommended add-ons) whole grain, and is there a good place to find that information on the included and recommended menu items?

GARVEY: While the research on glycemic index is certainly intriguing, the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not recommend the use of glycemic index for proving dietary guidance due to lack of definitive evidence of their value. The Dietary Guidelines do recommend emphasizing whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and this is the basis of the Jenny Craig Menus.

TRAINER PUNDIT: What is your experience with clients who work in the fitness industry and are already in good shape, but just want to maintain their weight and lose fat?

GARVEY: At Jenny Craig, menu calorie levels are calculated based on a variety of factors, including level of physical activity. If the goal is to lose fat and maintain muscle, we would of course encourage the client to continue with both resistance activity to maintain muscle and cardio activity to burn calories for fat loss. In order to be able to monitor the difference between overall weight loss and a reduction in body fat percentage, we would encourage the client to utilize our Tanita body fat scale, which we offer in centre to more accurately track their progress.

TRAINER PUNDIT: Clients of course check their weight at Jenny Craig at least once a week. How often should they have their body fat measured?

GARVEY: We recommend that clients measure their body fat once a month in order to allow time for body composition changes and minimize the possibility of fluid fluctuations falsely affecting the day-to-day results.

TRAINER PUNDIT: Does the program differentiate between clients engaged in various types of fitness activities (say, weight training vs. cardiorespiratory), or is exercise just exercise?

GARVEY: When clients enroll on Jenny Craig, we elicit their current level/type of physical activity, asking more detailed questions regarding cardio activity as it more profoundly affects calorie requirements for moderate weight loss. If a client is a heavy weight lifter, consultants can work with our staff of Corporate Dietitians to determine the need for increased protein. If a client is circuit weight trainer working out at a higher intensity, our RD staff can also modify calorie levels, if necessary.

Generally, though, the Program provides adequate protein to meet the needs of most clients, and a flexible calorie level to result in 1-2 lbs or 1% of body weight, the rate recommended by health experts.

TRAINER PUNDIT: In adjusting the diet for a person wanting who wants to increase lean muscle while burning fat (rather than just losing weight), would the increased protein needs be met by additional menu entrees, the use of outside supplements, or a combination of both?

GARVEY: There would be no need to add outside supplements, as the increase in protein would be provided by the higher protein Jenny's Cuisine foods and possibly modifying the added foods if recommended by a Corporate Dietitian.

When you’re training a dog and the dog does something you want him to do, like sitting on command or not peeing on the floor, you reward him with pats and doggie treats. It works the same way with people . . . [w]hen they’re rewarded for a certain behavior, they want to do it more often.

(Dummies, p. 144). Playing catch with a client on a stability ball is more like training a circus seal than a dog, but the Dummies are otherwise on target. Clients need positive reinforcement. And since we can’t toss them fish (they’re too uncoordinated to catch it in their mouths), all we have is words.

The Dummies authors suggest saying things like “good going” and “good job on the cardio today” and “good form.” That might be to much of a “good” thing, though. Clients who hear the same kind of compliment after each exercise might start to question your sincerity, viewing you like the kindergarten teacher who gives out the same gold star to every kid no matter how badly they trace the letters of the alphabet. If you’re going to be that unoriginal you might as well reward your client’s performance with a yawn.

The authors do suggest more specific, complicated forms of praise, but those might be hard to remember unless you bring their book along. And that would be a terrible mistake. You can say the nicest things in the world, but you’ll have no credibility left if you’re caught reading them out of a book, especially one written for dummies.

The most direct approach would seem to be to ask the client what he or she would like to hear. After all, even a trained chicken gets to choose which colored button to peck to send that tasty pellet down the chute. Unfortunately, with humans that’s the worst option of all.

Never, I repeat, never, have a discussion about praise-words with your client. Once you’ve brought that issue out into the open it’s all over. The notion that it’s all a big game will forever hover over your relationship like a dark cloud. You’ll feel awkward and self-conscious offering any words of encouragement at all, knowing that your client knows you’re just a parrot repeating the phrases you’ve been taught. You won’t be able to save things by trying to say something off the script. The client will see right through that, viewing it as a sad attempt to escape the predicament you’ve created, or possibly a form of disobedience. And if you give up and go back to just saying “good” you’ll be laughed out of the gym.

Got it? Good job!

(1) Not being recognized by relatives

(2) Not being recognized by co-workers

(3) Not being recognized by the guy at the coffee truck who used to call out “large grits, extra butter” to the cook as soon as he saw you coming

(4) Not being quite sure you recognize a relative because she got fatter – and realizing that walking in front of her a few times to see if she’ll recognize wouldn’t work because you’re unrecognizable thin

(5) Feeling insulted at being instantly recognized by an old acquaintance makes no comment about your weight loss – and then realizing that it’s because you look exactly like you did twelve years ago when you last saw him.

The more leisure time you have available, the more time you have to read up on nutrition and lifestyle tips, to experiment with cooking, to exercise, to prepare for the next day. The more money you have available, the more of a safety net you have-- money to pay for the fresh fruits and vegetables, money to restock after those fruits and vegetables go bad before you thought they would, money to stock up on Lean Cuisines for as long as it takes to get the lunch-packing thing figured out, money to pay for a gym membership that's convenient for you, money to pay for proper running shoes, money to buy a sports bra and a pair of dumbbells. Like it or not, money and leisure time make this journey a lot easier.

I agree. Fitness should be for everyone, but that’s not necessarily how the industry always works. Personal training can be expensive, and according to IHRSA statistics it is by far the largest profit center for sports clubs. (Note: For the clubs, not the trainers). The average household income for a club member was $79,300 (as of 2003).

Not that one must have a personal trainer to be fit. There are many fine bodybuilders in prison. I don’t think the authorities provide trainers, and on wages averaging 17 cents a day it would take an inmate over a year to pay for just one session. So I’m not sure how they learn the proper technique, Maybe they read us fitness bloggers online. (I’ll ask my parole officer about it). Unfortunately, some states ban weight lifting in prison, in part out of concern over incidents involving assault on guards. It’s a shame that just a few bad apples in the SuperMax can spoil it for everyone.

I understand that not only does it rob your body of its own natural energies, vitamins and nutrients, -- it's addictive, it’s an unnatural stimulant and it alters your moods.

Personal trainer Debbie Rossi also says you should cut down on the caffeine.

Maybe so. But what if you get up before 5 a.m. to train? I drink a big cup of Dunkin’ Donuts latte with skim milk every morning, on the mat, right in front of my clients. And now that they have nine flavors -- blueberry, caramel, cinnamon, coconut, french vanilla marshmallow, raspberry, toasted almond, I don’t plan on giving it up soon. (I don’t care that what that most of these people suveyed by Newsday gave the taste bad grades – only Janine Tedesco, who gave it an “A,” is right. My favorite flavor is toasted almond, followed by marshmallow, caramel and coconut).

Am I setting a bad example? I can’t always do the healthiest thing possible. For example, I know it would technically be healthier to run the three miles to work, but at 5 a.m. I’m still going to drive. There are some sadistic personal trainers who demand coffee-less workouts at 4:00 a.m., but I’m not one of them.

Plus, coffee may not be as bad as some people say. The new flavored ones are only about 20 calories per cup. And over at CoffeeScience.org, they say that coffee is good for athletes:

A number of studies have demonstrated the potential benefit of coffee to enhance physical performance. The research shows coffee may be especially useful for athletes who are engaged in endurance sports like running or cycling. It may increase stamina, reduce fatigue and even reduce muscle pain. For many, a cup or two of coffee a half-hour to an hour before a workout, may do the trick. You also may be surprised to learn that coffee is just as hydrating for the body as water.

I want to believe this, but something about the organization’s name suggests a bias. If you click on the coffee bean-shaped links on their left sidebar, you’ll also discover scientific studies claiming that coffee prevents Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. And this study of theirs “question[s] the widely accepted notion that caffeine acts chronically as a diuretic.” Medal-winning competitor and personal trainer Jon Gestl offers a more balanced view of the pros and cons of coffee on working out.

From all I’ve read, I’m still stopping by Dunkin’ Donuts before work. In my opinion, the great risk that one cup poses is a coffee spill. Which is much easier to clean up that a grease stain from their 480 calorie bacon cheese and egg croissant.

Trainers, on the other hand, are required by their jobs to be all fit and no fat. Usually a “diet” to a fitness professional means mega-calorie weight gaining program meant for bodybuilding. It’s rare to find trainer down at Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers, or in The Zone.

Rare, but not unheard of. While trainers aren’t lazy, they do get busy with studies and other non-physical activities which cut into gym time and encourage late-night snacking. One trainer I know found herself packing on the pounds -- and while it didn’t show much on her otherwise athletic frame, she decided to stop it before it did and went shopping for a weight loss program.

First she considered The Zone. She rejected it because having the food delivered was too expensive, and trying to follow the diet and cook the meals on her own would be too time-consuming. She ruled out Nutri/System over concerns about food quality. Finally she settled on Jenny Craig, knowing that one of my clients who lost 60 pounds in five months on it, and having sampled someone’s extra entrees from that program.

When she got to the center she’d thought they’d be surprised to see someone who was basically starting with a body that few of their clients ever dreamed of ending with. However, they were very understanding of her goal to keep muscle while losing fat. (Even so, she’s still convinced that the staff, and particularly the clients who come and go, think her crazy doing any diet at all).

Her goal is to get down to 126-28 pounds of pure muscle. She’s within a few pounds of that now, having lost 10 pounds and three percent body fat in five weeks. However, because both fat loss and muscle are required, she estimates it’ll be another 2-3 months before she gets the results she’s looking for.

Having been dieting on and off for years on every fad imaginable, she’s satisfied that her nutrition is now as balanced as it’s ever been. The cakes satisfy her craving for sweets and she especially likes the french toast. The food is relatively inexpensive (at or below her $100 a week budget) and there’s no significant cooking or preparation time involved.

The weekly trek to the center for the weigh-in meeting and meal pick-up is the main inconvenience. She also finds that it’s not as easy to eat out anymore. Over all, however she reports that the Jenny Craig experience has been surprisingly hassle-free and pleasant and would recommend it to other trainers with objectives similar to hers.

I wonder if Jenny Craig has ever considered a special program tailored to fitness professionals? Obviously the majority of their customers are people who are simply overweight, and there are enough certainly enough of those support the business for the foreseeable future. But the company does seem to involve trainers in some of their operations (see here and here, for example), so maybe someone inside will drop a hint. I’ll ask Kirstie Alley (or what’s left of her) about it next time I see her.

Note: For further reading from a trainer’s perspective: Check out Randy Herring’s Rating Diet Programs: The Inside Scoop at BodyBuilding.com.

Looking around the Blogosphere for inspiration for this site, I was surprised to find so few weblogs devoted to fitness and nutrition. After all, there are over 600 blogs devoted just to knitting and yarn diets. So with getting into shape a national obsession in America, I thought I’d find thousands of sites about working out and eating right.

In particular, I thought I’d find an endless supply of blogs by personal trainers like myself. However, I could only find a handful that are still active. I did find a number of sites by bodybuilders and other gym regulars, but still fewer than I imagined. Here are a few that caught my attention:

CAUSTIC MUSINGS, run by Maggie Wang, seems to be one of the most popular sites. Although Maggie’s a full-time video game level scripter, she writes frequently about working out, posts her weight, fitness routine and menus, and her site boasts an extensive list of fitness resources. At 5’6”, her current goal is to reach 128 pounds with 15% body fat by July 1. You can track her progress (from every angle) at her muscletank.net profile. Notable recent post: The Truth about Morning Cardio.

GET FIT WITH TDKWARRIOR is a fitness/diet blog created by a “martial artist and fitness geek.” Many of his posts are reprints of helpful articles by other fitness experts, although he offers his own opinions, together with recommended exercise routines, on occasion. He’s mentioned his “clients” so I assume he’s a trainer of some sort. Notable recent post: Proper Strength Training.

GETNLEAN is “on a journey to ultimate fitness.” She’s a legal secretary, cosmetologist and mother from Illinois who recently celebrated her first year of solid gym workouts. Check out her before and after comparison photos! Notable recent post: 1 Year Anniversary.

PT TO BE GIRL is the internet home of Jacqui, a sales administrator from Connecticut who is an AAFA certified personal trainer. She posts her routines, writes about life at the gym and keeps a list of her favorite running blogs. Notable recent post: The Evil Ice Cream Stand.

Renee of SKWIGG BLOG looks amazingly good for an 80-year old, unless that 1925 birthdate in her profile is a typo. Among other things, she’s interested in macronutrient ratios and martial arts. Notable recent post: Body for Life for Women (book review).

Congratulations to Kyra of FIGURING IT OUT, who just yesterday passed her exam to become a certified personal trainer. She’s a professional artist and a mom with an “obsession for fitness” who maintains a separate recipe blog as well. Notable recent post: Better Off Tomorrow than Today.

I’ve listed a few other fitness sites of note on my blogroll. Hopefully the list will grow in the months to come, and I'll be added to a few lists myself.

I’ll also be making lists of non-fitness bloggers who write occasionally write about working out or eating right. Although I bet many bloggers have turned into “blobbers” sitting all day in front of their computer screens, I’m sure some find time for the gym. In fact, my vote for the fittest non-fitness blogger goes to one of the biggest: Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit. I don’t have any medical proof, but anyone who regulates his exercise with a heart rate monitor is on the path to good health. Plus, his wife was once a personal trainer, so he’s probably getting all the help he needs.

Trainer Pundit, a/k/a Kristen, is a certified personal trainer. A New Yorker by way of Pennsylvania, she serves a diverse clientele in a respectable metropolitan sports club. A student of nutrition, she employs the latest in computer-assisted diet and exercise technology.

Kristen holds certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the the International Sports Conditioning Association, and the American Aerobic Association International/International Sports Medicine Association. Specifically, she is qualified in personal training (NASM), stretching (NASM), pre-natal/post-natal exercise (AAAI-ISMA) and kickboxing (ISCA). She has also earned a 2nd degree brown belt in American Kempo from the American Karate Studios, and is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and ECA World Fitness. And she dances.