Q&A with Gunnar Olson F
Owner and Founder of GO LifeFit Interviewed by: Nathan Steere
or many individuals, January 1, 2012 is the start- ing line for their “get in shape” New Year’s reso- lution. Having a sense of déjà vu?! Many of these
same people have made this exact same resolution be- fore in years past. So what can you do differently this year to make positive fitness changes stick? Gunnar Ol- son, owner and founder of GO LifeFit in Naples, shares his insights with Pulse Magazine SWFL.
How does someone successfully transition to a more ac- tive lifestyle? Usually the decision to hit the gym comes after some self-evalu- ation. People decide something is wrong with their appearance, forcing them to re-examine their current lifestyle. For most it starts with eating... and looking closely at their diet. So they’ll control their food, cut back on the happy hours, and eventually join a gym. It’s a good concept in theory, but many make the mistake of not having someone there to direct them along the way. At Go LifeFit, we train you how to train yourself. It’s not really about training in a gym, it’s about wellness. In the end, no matter how much you improve your fitness or physical ap- pearance, there’s always another goal – the journey never ends!
What is most important in a workout? Our goal at GO LifeFit is to take care of mind, body, spirit, and connect them. During a workout, we’ll tell clients to ask themselves, “How do I feel?” The answer should be that you feel good; exercise should be enjoyable, and even though un- happiness might be a motivating factor in your initial decision to work out more, the changing process should be positive. To me, it’s not so much about, “I will work out for one hour” as it is about utilizing a block of time to make yourself feel better. Exercise changes not only your physical appearance, but also something inside of you.
How long does “change” take? Unfortunately, everyone wants a complete transformation in eight weeks or even less. Realistically, I think it takes 12-16 weeks. So you should enjoy the process. We aim for the type of environment where you can be hooked up with a group of people that you like, and actually look forward to coming to the gym. Even though GO LifeFit offers “boot camps,” I don’t see how being so hardcore about it is beneficial. I look at the “Sarges” of the world who try to push people past their limits by berating them and shouting. Some people think they need that kick in the butt. But why would I demand that you give me 20 pushups when you don’t know how to do a pushup right? I’d rather educate my clients and show them the proper techniques to maximize their fitness.
What do you see as being smart fitness goals, and what’s the set-up for failure? Failure is walking in the gym and saying, “I want to work out five days a week for two hours each day, and I want a nutrition plan.”
Those sound like all good things. What’s the problem? You’re asking your body for too much too soon; for more
than it can handle. Most people come to the gym as a last resort – they’ve already tried to diet or have seen a nutritionist; some have even turned to plastic surgery. Don’t get me wrong, nutri- tion is very important, but I personally don’t talk about nutrition with a client until they’ve been with me at least eight weeks. Why? In order to make major changes, your body needs time
16 | Pulse Magazine SWFL
to adjust – your body and your brain will actually be fighting these change initially. Your body tries to stay in balance and there will be resistance, particularly from when going from be- ing sedentary to being active. So the worst thing you can do is to “lock in” all these demands of yourself and think that it will happen in 6-8 weeks. Look at the transformations of certain movie stars... sure,
Brad Pitt regularly has amazing transformations, but keep in mind that he’s working out twice a day, has a team of nine nu- tritionists, and the motivation of millions of dollars per movie contract. Looking good is his full-time job. The average person doesn’t have that luxury. We have stress, work obligations, the demands of daily life; it’s important to work out in a way that doesn’t add more stress. That’s why I recommend starting out with just two workouts a week. Sure, it would be better for me monetarily to tell clients that they need to start working out ev- ery day to be successful. But ultimately, GO LifeFit will be most successful by building a base of clients who experience success and maintain their membership for years. I genuinely want my clients to look at themselves and say “wow,” but that comes from learning, good form, and is diligently built on a foundation of patience.
Form and patience are the cornerstones – what advice do you have for readers who are working out for the first
time or re-starting their workout in January 2012? Try different classes, even different trainers. If a client doesn’t like me, or if I’m not connecting with the client, I won’t continue working with them personally. It’s not to be mean – I don’t want to waste their time. I could just take their money, but I’d rather they find a trainer they click with and who will help make the most of their time at the gym. Speaking of which – put your cell phone down! I see so many people who should be working out chatting on their phone. That’s you not being there in the mo- ment. I tell my clients, “It’s only 30-60 minutes. Take this time for yourself. Don’t worry about the job, the kids, or anything else.” This time is for YOU, so work on you. A better you will ultimately be a better friend, employee, entrepreneur, mother, father etc. Keeping a 100% focus is the most important element when working to improve your health and fitness.
…any parting words for readers? In some ways, joining a gym on January 1st is silly. It should be something that you just do. Want to see a change? Start to- morrow! But if you really want to make it stick, start slowly. I will reiterate – once, twice a week to begin. Then, after a couple of weeks, take a break if needed. Don’t change your body to a Ferrari, only to take it out too soon and wreck it. Fitness is im- portant, but it’s only one component of changing the whole self.
What is the philosophy behind Go LifeFit’s “referral only” membership policy? GO LifeFit is an exclusive gym, and our policy is that new mem- bers either have to be vouched for by an existing member or go through an interview process. This ensures that GO LifeFit will truly benefit their fitness goals, and also makes sure that each new client fits into the matrix of Go LifeFit’s belief system – We Train People to Train Themselves.
GUNNAR OLSON: 239-564-1616 /
gunnar@golifefit.com GO LifeFit – 2493 Linwood Avenue – Naples, FL 34112
(239) 234-6557 –
www.golifefit.com
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