Regardless if you're wealthy or poor, skinny or fat, in great health or are immunocompromised, in a relationship or single, life can be difficult at times for all of us. Obviously some of us are dealt better hands in life than others. Some of us have more opportunities available to us than others. And some of us are just more fortunate and genetically gifted than others.

I've always believed that there are opportunities to be made out of any and every situation I encounter. And as cliche as it may sound, I've always tried to make the best out of these situations whenever possible. I acknowledge the negatives but I seek out the positives. When it comes to making difficult decisions, I don't make them lightly. And when it comes to giving up on a project or quitting on a goal, I rarely if ever accept defeat.

I never had aspirations to work in the Fitness Industry. The only reason I started lifting weights in the first place was to build a physique that would stop me from getting my ass kicked daily at school and would attract girls at the same time. Little did I know at the time that you can still get your ass kicked if you’re big and that most women could care less about how muscular a man is. Unfortunately, intelligence and developing a personality take precedence over chiselled abs and bulging biceps.

Although my initial goal was purely out of vanity and perhaps even a bit misguided at first, it still got me into the gym. Training taught me how to remain disciplined, committed and consistent toward achieving my goals. The more I trained the more results I began to notice with my physique. As other people around me started to notice these results as well, they began to ask me for advice on how they too could develop their physiques. Soon after, I had gym members asking me if I could teach them how to train properly. I remember having a small roster of twenty clients before I even had my Personal Training License!

This of course is what eventually propelled me into my career as a Business Owner/Personal Trainer/Online Coach. And after two decades of working in the fitness industry, my passion for helping people improve the quality of their lives through diet and exercise continues to remain at an all-time high.

Ah, the age-old question that I'm sure many of us ask ourselves when enlisting the services of any professional - Which is more important - Education or Experience?

Arguments could be made for both sides and obviously, it would be ideal if the person or person(s) you are hiring are both educated and experienced. However, as industries evolve, so typically does the education process it takes to become licensed, certified and insured. At the same time, someone who has years of experience working in their field of choice can usually problem-solve and troubleshoot more efficiently than someone who might be more educated but less experienced.

So when given the choice between education vs experience who should you choose?

As usual, I have some thoughts which I'm going to share below.

Ask any of my clients who work with me on their Nutritional Plans and they will tell you that I am a huge advocate of incorporating weekly and sometimes even bi-weekly cheat meals into the programs. I've always used cheat meals as an effective tool for fat loss, muscle building and as a source of motivation and normalcy for a client who is following a strict diet regimen for a prolonged period. Not only can cheat meals help reset hormones responsible for metabolism and insulin regulation, but they can also replenish glycogen for increased energy which in turn will allow the body to burn calories more efficiently throughout the day/night.

With that being said, I do have a few guidelines in place that I recommend to my clients to follow when choosing a cheat meal. Some clients follow these guidelines while others ignore them and have whatever they please. Ultimately, the final decision on how you decide to cheat on your diet is up to you. However, if you're like me, and prefer not to feel bloated and lethargic the day after a cheat meal, then I strongly advise you to read on.