In The Gym with Sharon Chamberlin

FFFC:  Please introduce yourself to our readers.

SC:  My name is Sharon Chamberlin, and I’m an ACE-Certified Personal Fitness Trainer specializing in metabolic conditioning, and a NESTA Fitness Nutrition Coach.

FFFC:  How did you get interested and started in fitness?

SC:  Growing up, I was active in sports – primarily soccer and basketball. After college, I played in recreation leagues but was working full time in the corporate world where I was a commercial facilities manager. I was given incredible opportunities and loved it – dealing with anthrax scares, bomb threats,  working with SWAT teams, managing government buildings during 9/11 and during the Cincinnati riots, just to name a few. However, after nearly 20 years in that industry, I realized I no longer looked forward to going to work each day. It was at this time that I decided to change careers and pursue my passion by opening my own private fitness studio.

FFFC:  What do you like most about what you do?

SC:  Everything. It continues to astound me that I’m helping people build their self-esteem and self-image, lose fat, build muscle, surprise themselves, and at the end of the session or class, they thank me. They are the ones doing all of the work – they follow my meal plans, they commit to exercise, they change their lifestyles – and they thank me.

FFFC:  What is your favorite exercise routine?

SC:  I enjoy metabolic conditioning, and this is the structure of the Metabolic Explosion Training classes and Boot Camp classes that I teach.  With this being said, I also like strength training and as heavy as I can. There is no better feeling than “the pump”.

FFFC:  What do you consider the most useful workout equipment?

SC:  The human body is amazing. You can run, jump, perform a push up and pull up, squat, lunge, perform mountain climbers and burpees, and then progress or modify these movements and so many others, depending on your fitness level. You can workout anywhere and at anytime. No excuses.

FFFC:  What do you think is the biggest misconception about what healthy food is?

SC:  The media is the root of this problem. Because of their need to attract readers, viewers, users, and sell ads, they grab tidbits of studies and glamorize them into catchy headlines. These headlines direct us to stories that are usually not based on double blind studies or administered by third parties, and they rarely give all of the information so the viewer is then unable to make educated decisions.

An example – many media outlets have reported that cinnamon will increase our metabolism. Subsequently, a lot of people started adding cinnamon to the foods they eat. However, these stories don’t share the data from the study such as the quantity of cinnamon we need to take on a daily basis or how much it will affect our metabolism. They don’t tell us how many people participated in the study, who managed the study, who paid for the study, and the length of the study. We’re missing the big picture. A proper diet is much better for you than adding a little cinnamon each day.

This isn’t limited to print or online media, this applies to celebrities as well, from Dr. Oz to the next self-proclaimed “fitness guru”. Americans are quick to look for the path of least resistance, and losing weight or building muscle is no exception.

FFFC:  What do you think are the most harmful and helpful fitness fads today?

SC:  Any fad is harmful. The only method that is tried and true, safe and effective, is leading a healthy lifestyle. Consistency is key.

FFFC:  What general tips do you have for the average woman balancing family, career with health and fitness?

SC:  My advice applies to everyone – women, men, married, single – for fitness, find what you like and you are more apt to stick with it; for nutrition – find what is sustainable. Any diet can make you initially lose weight. The question each person should ask is what nutrition plan they can follow for the rest of their life. Eating cookies on the cookie diet, or drinking pickle juice, or beer, or whatever the latest fad diet is, will only provide a short-term response when, in fact, you need a long-term solution.

FFFC:  Are you hosting any special fitness events or have any coming up?

I’m holding two special TRX / Rip Trainer Classes in the beginning of February. While we incorporate both the TRX and Rip Trainer in my Metabolic Explosion Training classes and in personal training sessions, they are two of many pieces of equipment we could use during a class.  These classes will only utilize the TRX and Rip Trainer.

I’ll host a free Nutrition Workshop later in the first quarter of this year. I do this periodically for my clients and their guests.

FFFC:  How can our readers learn more about the services you have to offer? 

SC:  Please visit my website at www.catalyst4fitness.com or contact me direct at (513) 255-7927.