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In this episode, Jenny welcomes certified Trainer Charles Gardner to the show to share his experience from getting started at Gold’s Gym to building a solid book of business, consistent clients, and a great reputation some 25 years later! Every personal trainer has a unique journey- hear from one who has weathered the storm and lived to tell the tale! Blogs by Charles: https://www.elitefts.com/author/charles-gardner/ www.synergystrength.net https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-gardner-7b981633/ IG: @synergyceo_800

Such a great episode today with ISSA student, gold medal-winning pentathlete, fitness studio owner, and nutrition lover Tibor Deme! Jenny and Tibor dive into nutrient density, practical strategies for helping people better understand what’s in their food, and fueling for performance. Be sure to check out the show notes for Tibor’s reading recommendations! Tibor Deme: “I believe it is easier to achieve a healthy lifestyle and prevent diseases, rather than becoming ill and try to take corrective actions.” IG: https://www.instagram.com/lifeboostfit/ Website: https://lifeboostfit.com/ Reading List: The China Study, PHD T Colin Campbell Food - MD Mark Hyman Pure, White and Deadly - Nutritionist and Dr. Queen Elisabeth College - John Yudkins Whole - PHD T Colin Campbell UnDo It - MD Dean Ornish and Anne Ornish The Hungry Brain, PhD J Guyenet Stephan Plant-Based Sport Nutrition - PhD D. Enette Larson - Meyer Atomic Habits - James Clear Cooking Book - Blue Zone Kitchen by Dan Buettner, Favorite Bean Soup three ways, green and onions, Quick

The research and real talk keep rolling in! Join Jenny and John yet again as they dive into some new revelations on creatine, amino acids, and (love it or not) artificial intelligence. Staying up to date with new information is critical, but so is understanding how, if, and when to apply it! References:  Xu C, Bi S, Zhang W, Luo L. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2024 Jul 12;11:1424972. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972. Erratum in: Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 17;12:1570800. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1570800. PMID: 39070254; PMCID: PMC11275561.Aileen H. Lee, Lucie Orliaguet, Yun-Hee Youm, Rae Maeda, Tamara Dlugos, Yuanjiu Lei, Daniel Coman, Irina Shchukina, Prabhakar Sairam Andhey, Steven R. Smith, Eric Ravussin, Krisztian Stadler, Bandy Chen, Maxim N. Artyomov, Fahmeed Hyder, Tamas L. Horvath, Marc Schneeberger, Yuki Sugiura, Vishwa Deep Dixit. Cysteine depletion triggers adipose tissue thermogenesis and weight loss. Nature Metabolism, 2025; 7 (6): 1204 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-025-01297-8Jeanette A.I. Johnson, Daniel R. Bergman, Heber L. Rocha, David L. Zhou, Eric Cramer, Ian C. Mclean, Yoseph W. Dance, Max Booth, Zachary Nicholas, Tamara Lopez-Vidal, Atul Deshpande, Randy Heiland, Elmar Bucher, Fatemeh Shojaeian, Matthew Dunworth, André Forjaz, Michael Getz, Inês Godet, Furkan Kurtoglu, Melissa Lyman, John Metzcar, Jacob T. Mitchell, Andrew Raddatz, Jacobo Solorzano, Aneequa Sundus, Yafei Wang, David G. DeNardo, Andrew J. Ewald, Daniele M. Gilkes, Luciane T. Kagohara, Ashley L. Kiemen, Elizabeth D. Thompson, Denis Wirtz, Laura D. Wood, Pei-Hsun Wu, Neeha Zaidi, Lei Zheng, Jacquelyn W. Zimmerman, Jude M. Phillip, Elizabeth M. Jaffee, Joe W. Gray, Lisa M. Coussens, Young Hwan Chang, Laura M. Heiser, Genevieve L. Stein-O’Brien, Elana J. Fertig, Paul Macklin. Human interpretable grammar encodes multicellular systems biology models to democratize virtual cell laboratories. Cell, 2025; DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.048

In this episode Jenny reconnects with the team at API fitness insurance. You don’t know you need insurance until you NEED it… and by then, it’s too late to get it!  Doug and Jim explain the type of insurance a fitness professional may need to carry to protect themselves, their clients, and their business. PLUS, we dive into some real-life examples of when someone needed insurance to cover a situation and some real cohort cases where insurance saved the day! Don't forget to check out this link https://team.apifitness.com/wordpress/ for a special offer from API!

Today, Jenny and Mr. John dig into some new research and more real talk yet again! From optimal resistance training or results to ultraprocessed foods and putting an end to type 1 diabetes, the research is coming in hot! And don;t miss John’s Real Talk about education in the fitness fields- it comes in many shapes and ways! Happy listening! References:  1. Comparable Strength and Hypertrophic Adaptations to Low-Load and High-Load Resistance Exercise Training in Trained Individuals: Many Roads Lead to Rome Kristoffer Toldnes Cumming, Ingrid Cecelia Elvatun, Richard Kalenius, Gordan Divljak, Truls Raastad, Niklas Psilander, Oscar Horwath bioRxiv 2025.04.28.650925; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.04.28.650925 2. Samuel J. Dicken, Friedrich C. Jassil, Adrian Brown, Monika Kalis, Chloe Stanley, Chaniqua Ranson, Tapiwa Ruwona, Sulmaaz Qamar, Caroline Buck, Ritwika Mallik, Nausheen Hamid, Jonathan M. Bird, Alanna Brown, Benjamin Norton, Claudia A. M. Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott, Mark Hamer, Chris van Tulleken, Kevin D. Hall, Abigail Fisher, Janine Makaronidis, Rachel L. Batterham. Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial. Nature Medicine, 2025; DOI: 10.1038/s41591-025-03842-0 3. Mayo Clinic. "This sugar molecule could stop type 1 diabetes, by fooling the immune system." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250802022917.htm (accessed August 2, 2025).

So, you wanna start a fitness business do ya? Well, this is your episode! Join Jenny and returning guest Doug Katona of American Barbell as we discuss the pros and cons of starting a fitness career in a health club or stepping out on your own! There is so much to know and explore in this industry and they’ll reveal some of the obvious (and not so obvious!) considerations for any fitness professional as you grow and thrive! American Barbell (ISSA Partner) - They are our official equipment and live seminar partner http://www.americanbarbell.com/ISSA Get in contact with Doug! [email protected]

Assessments and Nutrition Coaching- two critical elements a fitness professional should master. However, many personal trainers don't know how to apply all thai information! Join Jenny as she and Dr. J Mike reunite to discuss practical strategies and applications for fitness and movement assessments, nutrition needs, and advanced nutrition strategies for the advanced training client! https://www.instagram.com/drjmike/

In our 17th episode of Research and Real Talk, Jenny brings back John Bauer, now of Lionel University, to discuss the newest and latest. From nutrition to gene editing and burnout to muscle memory- nothing is off the table! Join us down the rabbit hole of the ever-evolving science in fitness and wellness. References: 1. TED Radio Hour https://www.npr.org/2025/04/18/g-s1-60989/how-crispr-is-changing-the-way-we-grow-our-food 2. Azumi Yoshida, Hironobu Takahashi, Tatsuya Shimizu, Morphology and functionality in biomimetic cultured meat produced from various cellular origins, Biomaterials Advances, Volume 169, 2025, 214179, ISSN 2772-9508 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2025.214179 3. Juha J. Hulmi, Eeli J. Halonen, Adam P. Sharples, Thomas M. O'Connell, Lauri Kuikka, Veli‐Matti Lappi, Kari Salokas, Salla Keskitalo, Markku Varjosalo, Juha P. Ahtiainen. Human skeletal muscle possesses both reversible proteomic signatures and a retained proteomic memory after repeated resistance training. The Journal of Physiology, 2025; DOI: 10.1113/JP288104 www.Lionel.edu Lionel University

So many fitness professionals are experts in the body and movement, but are completely lost when it comes to marketing, building a brand for themselves, and even creating a website that is attractive, engaging, and helps their business grow. Join Jenny as she digs into the details behind effective website building, creating a logo that people will never forget, and more with her guest, Jolinda Anderson of Shapes & Colors in Richmond, Virginia. Let’s demystify marketing together! It all comes down to building awareness and this episode is loaded with intel to help YOU invest in yourself and your business the same way you ask your clients to invest in themselves! www.jolinda.com Do you have general marketing questions Jolinda can help with? Schedule some time to pick her brain (for free!) here: https://bit.ly/ShapesColorsMarketingAMA

John is making a guest appearance with Jenny to continue the tradition of Research and Real talk! Join this dynamic duo as they explore a litany of topics including prebiotics, Carbs and cancer risk, genetic factors for obesity, coaching burnout, client retention, trainers and social media, and traits of a bad coach! References:  1.Yutaka Nakazawa, Masumi Kageyama, Tomohiko Matsuzawa, Ziqin Liang, Kaito Kobayashi, Hisaka Shimizu, Kazuki Maeda, Miho Masuhiro, Sei Motouchi, Saika Kumano, Nobukiyo Tanaka, Kouji Kuramochi, Hiroyuki Nakai, Hayao Taguchi, Masahiro Nakajima. Structure and function of a β-1,2-galactosidase from Bacteroides xylanisolvens, an intestinal bacterium. Communications Biology, 2025; 8 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-07494-1 2. Bhupesh Kumar Thakur, Yann Malaise, Saurav Roy Choudhury, Anna Neustaeter, Williams Turpin, Catherine Streutker, Julia Copeland, Erin O. Y. Wong, William W. Navarre, David S. Guttman, Christian Jobin, Kenneth Croitoru, Alberto Martin. Dietary fibre counters the oncogenic potential of colibactin-producing Escherichia coli in colorectal cancer. Nature Microbiology, 2025; DOI: 10.1038/s41564-025-01938-4 3. Natalie J. Wallis, Alyce McClellan, Alexander Mörseburg, Katherine A. Kentistou, Aqfan Jamaluddin, Georgina K. C. Dowsett, Ellen Schofield, Anna Morros-Nuevo, Sadia Saeed, Brian Y. H. Lam, Natasha T. Sumanasekera, Justine Chan, Sambhavi S. Kumar, Rey M. Zhang, Jodie F. Wainwright, Marie Dittmann, Gabriella Lakatos, Kara Rainbow, David Withers, Rebecca Bounds, Marcella Ma, Alexander J. German, Jane Ladlow, David Sargan, Philippe Froguel, I. Sadaf Farooqi, Ken K. Ong, Giles S. H. Yeo, John A. Tadross, John R. B. Perry, Caroline M. Gorvin, Eleanor Raffan. Canine genome-wide association study identifies DENND1B as an obesity gene in dogs and humans. Science, 2025; DOI: 10.1126/science.ads2145

Exercise programming is both an art and a science—and the best trainers know how to balance both. In this episode, Jenny and John dive into the essentials of program design, client assessments, and the science behind effective training. We break down common programming mistakes, the importance of assessments, and strategies for selling and retaining clients through well-structured, personalized fitness plans. Plus, we take a deep dive into ISSA’s Purpose Driven Training Model (PDTM)—what makes it different, why we created it, and how it can help trainers design better programs and grow their business. Whether you're a new trainer or a seasoned pro, this episode contains actionable insights to level up your programming skills and client success. Tune in now and learn how to create smarter, more effective training programs!

In this episode Jenny reconnects with long-time fitness professional and education advocate Amy Thomposon of IDEA Fitness. The fitness industry is rebounding well from the pandemic, but one thing that never went away was the need for health and fitness education and mentorship. Amy discusses the growing opportunities for online and in-person education for fitness professionals as well as the benefits and opportunities for impactful mentorship in the field. 2025 IDEA World- July 2025 Learn about Mentorship Opportunities HERE! www.ideafit.com IDEA Fit on Instagram IDEA Health & Fitness on YouTube IDEA Fit on Facebook Idea Health & Fitness Association on LinkedIn Amy Thompson on LinkedIn Amy Thompson on Instagram Hear more! Amy shares insights on The Wellness Paradox Podcast

What makes a great runner? Is it genetics, training, or something more? In this episode, Jenny and John chat with Dr. Jason Karp—renowned running coach, exercise scientist, and author of 15 books—to explore the fascinating world of running performance. From coaching elite Kenyan runners to training everyday athletes, Dr. Karp shares insights on what truly separates top runners from the rest. We dive into common myths about running, the role of science in performance, and how personal trainers can integrate running into their programming for better client results. Plus, we tackle key questions like: Is there really such a thing as a “non-runner”?Should you go barefoot or stick with high-tech running shoes?How does running impact mental health and longevity?How can personal trainers leverage running to build a more successful coaching business? Whether you're an endurance athlete, a personal trainer, or just someone who wants to enjoy running more, this episode is filled with valuable insights. https://www.instagram.com/drjasonkarp/

What does it take to succeed as a college athlete in today’s evolving sports landscape? Strength and conditioning coach from Seton Hall University Angelo Gingerelli joins us to dive deep into athletic development, recruiting, NIL deals, and the realities of college sports. With experience training athletes across multiple sports, Angelo shares his insights on sport-specific training, the importance of recovery, and how sports science has changed the game. We also discuss his book, The Next Four Years, which offers a must-read roadmap for student-athletes (and their families) navigating college recruiting, NIL opportunities, and the transfer portal. If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach, this episode is packed with essential insights on what it really takes to thrive in college athletics. Tune in now and connect with Angelo!

What does it take to be a great trainer, educator, and leader in the fitness industry? In this episode, Jenny and John chat with Miguel Vargas, TRX Senior Master Instructor and TRX Training and Education Manager, to dive into his journey from passionate trainer to international educator. With over a decade of experience leading TRX workouts, workshops, and courses around the world, Miguel shares insights on what separates good trainers from great ones, how to build confidence on the training floor, and what it takes to transition into coaching and education roles. We also get into some fun "Would You Rather" fitness scenarios—because let’s be honest, we’ve all had that client who insists on their magic fat-burning detox tea! Tune in for expert advice, industry insights, and a few laughs along the way. https://www.instagram.com/migueltrxsf/ https://www.instagram.com/trxtraining/ https://www.trxtraining.com/pages/education