Author Archives: Matt

About Matt

Mathue Johnson has been a certified personal trainer for nearly ten years, working closely with clients across the country to help them effectively reach their goals. He also vied for Jillian's heart in The Bachelorette season five.

Top April 2024 Marathons Near You

There are over fifty marathons scheduled across the country in the month of April. If you are having trouble choosing which one is right for you, here is our list of the top marathons in April.

  • Running Fit Martian Marathon: This race takes place in Novi, Michigan on April 2, 2024. Along with the marathon, a marathon relay, half marathon, 10k, and 5k are also available for registration. Hurry and sign up now before prices go up!

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Posted on January 2, 2024 by Matt

The Perfect New Year’s Workout

2024 is finally here! If you are like most Americans, your resolution for the New Year is to lose weight. Well, what are you waiting for?

Below is a workout that targets the entire body while keeping the heart rate up. By keeping the heart rate elevated, your body will burn more calories and you will see results faster.

The goal of the exercise routine is to continually move from one exercise to the other without stopping. This style of exercise is a form of circuit training, but you will be doing multiple sets grouped together, which are called super sets. For example: the first exercises are a seated row and squat jumps grouped together. Preform 10-20 reps of rows, then 10-20 squat jumps and repeat, then move to the next group of two exercises: the prone leg curl and push-up combination. The goal is to perform two or three sets of ten to twenty repetitions without stopping, except for water, of course.

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Posted on January 1, 2024 by Matt

Top Marathons In March Near You

March is a great time of year to run outdoors due to the beautiful spring season. Below are the top marathons around the country in the amazing month of March!

Top Marathons In March:

  • Red Rock Canyon Marathon and Half Marathon: Held in amazing Las Vegas, Nevada on March 5, 2024, this race takes place in one of the most beautiful locations in the nation, Red Rock Canyon.  Hurry and register now before the fees go up.
  • Los Angeles Marathon: This marathon is held in the one and only Los Angeles, California on March 20, 2024. I was there last year for this race and it is one that you can’t afford to miss. Either come out and run or come out and support all the participants. Always a good time no matter what.

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Posted on January 1, 2024 by Matt

Common Gym Injuries For Beginners

Beginning the gym process is often scary for most people- they fear the unknown. Don’t let the thought of joining a gym for the first time scare you. Everything will be alright and you will soon feel that you a part of a gym family.

Finding the right gym is often the toughest part. You definitely need to take in to account the distance you will be traveling, whether or not the gym has the right equipment (weights, day-care, fitness classes, etc.) to help you meet your needs, and reasonable memberships rates. The next step is to familiarize yourself with the workout process. Beginning a new fitness routine is rather challenging and often hazardous to the body if you’re not completely careful. I recommend contacting a fitness expert with questions or help with setting up a new fitness routine. Recent studies show that beginner gym “go-ers” are more likely to injure themselves compared to the entire gym population. Below is a list of injuries that you need to be aware of so you can be sure to steer clear of them.

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Posted on December 31, 2023 by Matt

Alcohol Also Slows Your Metabolism

A lot of people think alcohol is such a dieting disaster because of the excess calories, but it harms your weight loss efforts in a different way, too.

The majority of the population today fails to lose weight or stick to a weight management program due to the fact that they refuse to make the simple lifestyle changes necessary to do so. Everyone knows the difference between a high fat diet, full of hamburgers and french fries, and a low fat diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. Everyone knows the benefits of exercise and how it can impact their lives for the better.

Another big issue today is alcohol. Alcohol is a total diet killer and completely harmful to the body. Alcoholic drinks are not only diuretics, but full of empty calories, loaded with sugar and salt, hinders performance, and can lead to severe liver diseases.

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Posted on December 31, 2023 by Matt

Top 10 Worst Foods for Your Workout

Below is a list of the top ten foods that you shouldn’t eat, especially if you exercise consistently every day.

Each food below is known to hinder the results of exercise. Most of the foods below will make you feel sluggish, fat, and will reduce your overall energy levels throughout the course of your exercise routines. Food for thought!

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Posted on December 29, 2023 by Matt

Back Exercises You Can do at Home

Back exercises are often over-looked due to the popularity of abdominal exercises. Below is a list of back exercises that can be performed at home or anywhere that you feel inclined to exercise. The exercises mainly target the lower back, but also help improve core stability, balance, and coordination.

Core stability is defined as the ability of the muscles of the trunk to stabilize the spine during movement. Dozens of muscles help stabilize the core and most are isolated in the exercises below. Balance is defined as the state of equilibrium and the following exercises help improve  the strength and endurance levels of your muscles that help make balance possible. Coordination is defined as the skillful and effective interaction of movements. In order to maximize coordination, you must challenge the body by performing coordination based exercises and movements that allow the body to work and move more efficiently. Each exercise below targets a slightly different part of the back and helps improve coordination.

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Posted on December 29, 2023 by Matt

Top 10 Diet Tips for Weight Loss

Diet season is here and why not start it off with a bang? Below are the top ten diet tips that will help you be successful in 2024. Good luck and enjoy the new you!

Keep hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is not only vital for normal body functioning, but it helps keep cravings to a minimum.

Add to diet, don’t take away: Try adding the recommended servings of each food group to your diet instead of cutting calories. The ability to maintain a diet is crucial for the long-term weight loss process.

Limit night-time snacks: Make good choices about late night snacking. Obviously, cookies and a large glass of milk is not the way to go. If you do have a late-night craving, snack on a low fat, low calorie food like a piece of fruit.

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Posted on December 29, 2023 by Matt

The More Protein The Better is a Common Nutrition Myth

Protein is essential for normal body functioning and crucial to help build and repair muscle tissue after strenuous workout sessions. Protein is defined as organic compounds made of amino acids that are arranged in a linear chain, typically found in meat, fish, nuts, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and protein supplements. They are considered to be the building blocks for your muscles and immune system. Protein can also be used as a form of fuel to provide the body with energy if you are not getting enough fat or carbohydrates, which are the primary energy sources.

The recommended daily value (DV) of protein based on a 2,000 calorie diet is 50 grams. For those who exercise frequently, it is recommended to get .8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For instance, a 200 pound (90.9 kilogram) male is recommended to intake 72 to 108 grams of protein per day. If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your immune system may become weakened, you can lose muscle mass, experience growth failure, and even weaken the heart and respiratory system. So, please make sure you are getting enough protein in your daily diet.

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Posted on December 28, 2023 by Matt

2024 New Year’s Butt Blast Workout

2024 is rapidly approaching and it’s time to ask yourself, is your bottom half where you what it to be?

This 2024 New Year’s Butt Blast is a workout designed to target every muscle of the lower body and push it to the max. Every muscle is challenged, both strength- and endurance-wise. The front squats and squat jumps are designed to target the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and calves, all while increasing your heart rate to burn calories and build endurance. The lunges, backward lunges, and side lunges are designed to target the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip flexors. The step-ups are designed to target the quadriceps, calves, glutes, and hip flexors all while increasing your heart rate and, lastly, the bend over kickbacks are designed to target the glutes and hip flexors.

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Posted on December 28, 2023 by Matt

600 Second Body Blast is Fast and Effective

The following 600 second body blast workout was designed to target the entire body while increasing the heart rate at a rapid pace. This is a short, but perfect little workout for the holidays due to the lack of time, unpredictable weather, and the versatility to be performed at home- and to get a jump start on that New Years resolution!

600 Second Body Blast Workout (each exercise appears below for easy instruction)

Jumping squat thrusts (90 seconds): This exercise increases your heart rate while challenging your upper and lower body. Try to perform this movement for 90 seconds straight.

Bicycle crunches (90 seconds): This exercise targets your entire core region while helping improve your stamina and endurance. The hip flexors are also isolated. Try to perform this movement for 90 seconds without stopping.

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Posted on December 24, 2023 by Matt