Fitness FAQS, Answered

Starting a fitness journey can feel overwhelming. Between advice on social media, trendy diets, and countless workout programs, it's hard to know what's actually true, what actually works, and what applies to you. To help cut through the noise and set you up for success, we'll answer some of the most common questions we hear from clients who are just getting started.

Q: How many days per week should i workout?

ANSWER:

The best workout schedule is the one you can stick to consistently. For most beginners, 2-4 days of resistance training per week is enough to see meaningful progress in strength, muscle gain, and overall health.

More isn't always better so starting with a realistic schedule allows your body to recover while helping you build sustainable habits. Once consistency is established, you can gradually increase training frequency if your goals require it.

To give you an idea on what to strive for, below are the CDC guidelines for cardio and strength training per week:

• Aerobic (Cardio):

  • 150 minutes of moderate activity (e.g., brisk walking, swimming, cycling)

    OR

  • 75 minutes of vigorous activity (e.g., running, interval training, jump roping)

    
    

• Strength Training:

  • At least 2 days per week of resistance training (lifting weights, bodyweight exercises, resistance bands), hitting each major muscle group

Q: Do I need to take rest days or can i train every day?

ANSWER:

Your body doesn't get stronger during workout—it gets stronger when it recovers from them. Training creates stress on your muscles, joints, and nervous system. Allowing your body the time it needs to recover gives it the chance to adapt and improve.

That doesn't necessarily mean you need to spend entire days on the couch. Many people benefit from active recovery, such as walking, stretching, yoga, or other low-intensity activities. The goal is to challenge your body enough to improve, while giving it the time and fuel to recover and adapt.

Q: What's more important: exercise or nutrition?

ANSWER:

Both matter but if your primary goal is weight loss, nutrition typically has the bigger impact.

It's often much easier to reduce 300 calories from your diet each day than it is to burn an extra 300 calories per day through exercise. However, exercise provides benefits that go far beyond calorie burn, including increased strength, improved cardiovascular health, better mood, and muscle preservation. And even though exercise alone isn't enough for meaningful weight loss alone, the benefits can make weight loss easier—muscle burns more calories at rest, reduced stress keeps your metabolism working, and resistance training lowers insulin resistance.

The best results come when nutrition and training work together.

Q: What should i be eating?

ANSWER:

While nutrition can seem complicated, the basics are suprisingly simple. For most people, the foundation of a healthy diet should consist primarily of whole, minimally processed foods like lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Rather than labeling foods as "good" or bad," focus on balance and consistency. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats all play important roles in support energy, recovery, hormone function, and overall health. Demonizing entire food groups often creates unnecessary restrictions that are difficult to sustain long-term.

While the type and quality of food is important, so is the quantity. Yes you can eat healthy, whole foods and still not lose weight if you're overeating. If your goal is weight loss, you'll need to maintain a calorie deficit, meaning you consume fewer calories than your body burns.

Instead of searching for the perfect diet, focus on building meals around protein, fruits and veggies, quality carbs, healthy fats, and within your daily caloric intake. The best nutrition plan is one that supports your goals and is realistic enough to follow consistently.

q: Do i need protein shakes?

ANSWER:

No. Protein shakes are a convenience, but not a necessity.

Your body doesn't care whether protein comes from a shake or a chicken breast. However, whole food protein sources such as lean meats, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, and tofu, should be the foundation of your diet. Aside from key micronutrients that whole foods provide, the act of actually eating food is often more satiating than drinking your calories.

Protein shakes can simply make it easier to hit your daily protein goal when you're busy and on-the-go.

q: Should I be taking creatine?

ANSWER:

Creatine is one of the most researched and effective supplements available. It helps your muscles produce energy during short bursts of high-intensity activity, which can improve strength, power, and training performance.

Aside from the performance benefits, it may also support recovery, muscle growth, and newer studies have even shown promise for cognitive function. For most healthy adults, a daily dose of 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate is considered safe and effective.

It's important to understand that creatine isn't a magic solution. Think of it as a supplement that helps support a solid training and nutrition program—not replace one.

Q: Why isn't the scale moving even though i'm exercising?

ANSWER:

The scale only tells part of the story. When you begin exercise, especially resistance training, your body may build muscle while simultaneously losing fat. You may also experience temporary increases in water retention from training.

Instead of relying solely on body weight, pay attention to other indicators of progress:

• How your clothes fit

• Strength improvements

• Progress photos

• Energy levels

• Body measurements (e.g., waist circumference, body fat percentage, etc.)

Many people are making great progress long before the scale reflects it.

Q: How long will it take to see results?

ANSWER:

It depends on your starting point, goals, consistency, and lifestyle habits. Many people notice improvements in energy, mood, and strength within the first few weeks. Visible changes in body composition often take longer and may require several months of consistent effort.

A sustainable, healthy rate of weight loss is 1-2lbs per week. While this may not be as quickly as we'd all like, it's important to note that attempting to drop weight faster often leads to muscle breakdown, nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and regaining the weight. Early strength gains are usually neural adaptations (or your ability to recruit existing muscle fibers), but after several weeks/months of consistent effort, muscle fibers begin to enlarge and connective tissues (like tendons) strengthen.

The key is to focus on behaviors you can control: showing up for workouts, eating well, sleeping enough, and staying patient. Fitness is a long-term investment, and the people who achieve lasting results are usually the ones who stay consistent the longest.

The bottom line

Fitness doesn't have to be complicated or feel overwhelming. Focus on the fundamentals: train consistently, eat a balance diet, prioritize recovery, and be patient with the process. The more you understand and implement the basics, the easier it becomes to tune out the noise and make progress towards your goal.