Hollywood’s favorite trainer shares fitness tips
There’s only one personal trainer to the stars whose client list is as diverse as his training methods and his more than 28 years of experience in the fitness industry, whose resume boasts a dynamic attitude, boundless energy and humor: Gunnar Peterson (yes, Jennifer Lopez and Khloe Kardashian’s body shaping teacher). Needless to say, he knows a thing or two about fitness and how to achieve fitness goals (and look good while you’re doing it).
Whether your Pilates or hot girl walk streak has hurt because your couch and Netflix binged too many times, you’re up to your neck in deadlines at work, or your motivation could use a serious pep talk, it’s time to jump back. There’s no end date on the exercise bandwagon. Lucky for us, Peterson gave me her best tips for kickstarting my fitness routine again. Ahead, six of her tried-and-true techniques you’ll want to try for yourself (that practically makes us workout friends with J.Lo, right?).
Gunnar Peterson
Personal Trainer, #TeamBiosteel Athlete, and F45 Head of Athletics
Gunnar Peterson is a Beverly Hills-based personal trainer whose clients include celebrities, professional athletes, and everyday people. He is widely recognized for his expertise in functional training and his commitment to developing and implementing innovative fitness techniques.
Hollywood’s favorite trainer shares fitness tips
1. Hydrate
I hate to break it to you, but you probably aren’t drinking enough water. Ask any expert and I’m sure they’ll tell you that staying hydrated is fundamental to your overall health and well-being, and Peterson is no exception. “Hydration and recovery are often overlooked as major players in your fitness routine, especially ongoing hydration,” he affirms. “Yes, you should actively hydrate and focus on your fluids during your workout, but most people don’t maintain their hydration throughout the day.” If you’ve found yourself mentally and physically fatigued halfway through your workout, chances are you haven’t downed enough H20 already. “It’s plain and simple: If you’re not doing your best, you’re less motivated to move forward,” Peterson attests.
How Much Water Should You Drink Daily? As a general rule of thumb, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommend that women consume about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day. Start with a glass of water first thing in the morning, flavor your water with fruit, cucumber, or herbs like mint, and set small goals to drink a certain amount of water in an hour, starting at lunchtime. , Etcetera. “Definitely drink more water than you think,” he advocated. “My favorite way to stay hydrated is BioSteel – it’s a clean, healthy hydration drink that contains zero sugar and only 10 calories. It supports your healthy routine with essential electrolytes and your body can function more efficiently when properly hydrated.” is able to do.
2. Think of Every Day as a New Beginning
You put a pause on your gym sessions (still paying that monthly gym membership) and convince yourself that you will start tomorrow. Familiar? The hardest part is getting started, so why not get started today? “If you’ve been finding yourself off track, there’s no better day than the present to get back into it,” Peterson recommends. “We’re all busy, but you should never be too busy to prove yourself. Don’t think too much about how long it’s been since you last worked out, just start today.”
Re-thinking why you want to make fitness a priority in the first place can help rekindle that fire in you. Is it to boost confidence, improve your mood or sleep better? Write it down, and remind yourself of your “why” whenever you struggle to find the motivation to hit the gym (think: put an image or word that represents it on your bathroom mirror).
3. Focus on Basics
When you’re starting fresh with either a new job, relationship, or workout program, it’s tempting to go for the gold right out of the gate. But doing too much too quickly can lead to burnout and depletion, and before you know it, you’re back to where you were before. “You don’t need to push hard every time to get a good workout — you just need to challenge yourself and enjoy what you’re doing,” Peterson said. “When it comes to finding success in fitness, it’s up to you to find what works best for your body and what challenges you, but remember, if you stick to the basics of motivation, movement, and consistency, Live, you’re already off to a great start.
Take a lesson from Peterson: Make sure your sweat sessions are enjoyable and listen to your body. If your go-to exercise has you yawning more than anything else or you’ve hit a plateau, it’s time to change it (Taylor Swift treadmill workout, anyone?). (i.e. you’re tired AF out of the gym, getting sick more often, experiencing more injuries), go for a walk, do some yoga stretches, or rest for a day or more (they’re just are important, FYI). Bottom line: Prioritize movement that you enjoy and can stick with healthfully and realistically.
4. Don’t minimize your achievements
We’re addicted to instant gratification (looking at you, the snooze button, TikTok, and Amazon Prime), so it’s no wonder that when we aim to get fit, we get frustrated when we don’t get instant results. “The psychological aspect of fitness can be the biggest stumbling block; We’ve always been our harshest critics,” expressed Peterson. “Don’t let yourself get in the way and give yourself credit for what you’ve already done.” Peterson reminds us to celebrate the small victories. Delivered, even if we have not yet reached our ultimate goal. “Focus on what you have done and what you will continue to do!” he said.
Track your progress using a journal or app and reward yourself for each micro-goal you achieve. Biologically speaking, when we give ourselves positive reinforcement, our brains release dopamine, which motivates action towards our desired goals. So consider buying a new workout ‘fit, taking a PTO day to take care of all things self, or ordering in your favorite takeout for a pat on the back.
5. If It’s Not Working, Try Something New
Progressing toward your fitness goal (or any goal, for that matter) isn’t always linear; Sometimes you need to change course to achieve this. “If you don’t feel like whatever fitness routine you’re doing and aren’t seeing results, it may be time to change it,” suggests Peterson. “This is especially true if you do the same workout over and over again, lift the same weights, go for the same run; Both your mind and body already know what to expect. This doesn’t mean you have to completely abandon your current training regimen. Instead, Peterson recommends trying to add in small stimuli, such as increasing your weight, experimenting with the number of reps you do, or adding hill runs to your treadmill routine.
But if your mind and body are craving something different together, sign up for a type of workout class you haven’t tried, such as rebounding or dance cardio, or a fitness platform that offers a variety of workouts. Provides workouts (see: Elo Moves, the Sculpting Society, or Nike Training Club). You might find a new form of exercise you look forward to doing and get stronger while you’re at it!
6. Keep Moving
There’s a common misconception that you have to sweat for hours or intensely for it to count (I should know—I used to buy it). But Peterson made it clear that’s far from the truth: “I’m a firm believer in small doses every day,” he said. “Even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes, if you commit to yourself and get your body moving, you’ll feel the benefits of your endorphin release throughout the day.”
A recent study found that daily short bursts of physical activity throughout the day reduced death from cardiovascular problems by 50 percent, compared to those who didn’t exercise. Translation: Small amounts of motion could mean longer life expectancy. Try exercise snacks of push-ups, squats and lunges, a 15-minute workout on one of the above fitness platforms, or a brisk walk around the block to break up your work day. Still using the no-time-to-work-out excuse? I didn’t think so.
