Training for a marathon like this one takes patience, work and the right strategy. Read on to learn the most successful approach to your marathon training program.

Runners who are planning to compete in their first marathon often become members of private personal training gyms because they want the guidance and expertise of the best personal trainers.

This is a very good idea since many runners make a lot of mistakes when training for their first marathon. Some mistakes actually cost them the marathon because they injure themselves and are unable to train properly.

Assess Your Condition

Before you even sign up for a marathon, assess your physical condition, running abilities and overall desire and ability to complete 26.2 miles safely. This is where personal trainers come in handy because they can help you decide whether you should make the commitment or whether a half marathon might be a good goal to tackle first.

You also have to make sure you are mentally prepared for a marathon. Many personal trainers have already completed marathons and can give you great insight into preparing for the mental challenge. Running a marathon is as much in the head as it is in the legs!

Give it Time

Once you are sure that training for a marathon is the right goal for you, select a race that will give you plenty of time to properly train. You shouldn’t feel incredibly rushed or pressured to get prepared in a short period of time as that will lead to bad decisions that lead to injuries.

Don’t Push It

You have to reasonably assess where you are as a runner and with physical conditioning right now, and then, gradually take it up a notch. You shouldn’t go out tomorrow for a 15 mile run if you can only comfortably run 6 miles. Assess your starting point and don’t push too fast or too hard too soon.

Personal trainers are excellent resources for gradual programs that prevent injury while allowing you to progress toward your goals.

Get in Form

It is very important not to skip the warm up or cool down phases of a run. You should also check with your personal trainers if you aren’t certain you are using the most effective running form. The small details become extremely important when you are pushing your body to run that first marathon.

The right personal trainers will be able to make small tweaks or even big improvements to your form which can make you a more efficient runner. This makes training easier and will improve performance on the big day.

Have a Plan

Finally, you can’t train for your first marathon according to whatever you feel like doing from day to day. When you decide to push yourself to train for a marathon, you need a proven plan to get you from wherever you are now to where you need to be on race day.

You can find some programs online for free, but the best marathon training programs are those that are designed for you personally. Personal trainers can assess your starting point and help you come up with a complete training program that caters to your individual needs.

When you have a smart training plan and resist temptation to run ahead of schedule and push yourself too hard, you will actually enjoy marathon training. Many people actually find it addicting, so don’t be shocked if you find yourself visiting your personal trainers for your second, third and even fourth marathon in the future!

Get in shape for summer in the city.. with Method Fitness!

Personal trainers do much more than just deliver intense, effective workouts to lift your butt and shape your thighs. They also recommend foods that will help intensify the results from those workouts. The best trainers at the world’s finest private personal training gyms in NYC often recommend foods that are readily available in the market during the summer because they are nutritious and delicious.

Following are the top five personal trainer-recommended summer super foods that you should be eating up while they are in season:

#1: Watermelon

Watermelon is so packed with watery goodness that it should be consumed year round even if you have to pay big bucks to find it where you live in the middle of winter. Not only is it a watery fruit that will keep your body well hydrated, it is packed some of the most powerful antioxidants.

Antioxidants have been proven to clear the body of disease-causing free radicals and are critical when it comes to fighting off signs of aging such as wrinkles and fine lines.

Plus, watermelon is extremely low calorie and naturally fat free. No wonder it is recommended by all the top private personal in NYC

#2: Berries

Berries of every variety are probably your personal trainer’s best friends! Toss some fresh blueberries on your oatmeal in the morning or slice up some strawberries for a cool evening treat on the front porch.

Berries that are dark in color, such as blueberries, are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that will energize your body prior to a workout or help it rejuvenate afterwards. You can throw berries on practically anything (even veggie salads) to get a quick energy lift. Over time they will protect your body from disease and sickness and help you fight off the signs of aging as well.

#3: Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi has a very unusual taste and makes a delicious, energizing snack that can be taken with you absolutely anywhere. It is jam packed with vitamin C which will help your body fight off infection and illness. It also contains a lot of those powerful antioxidants which will keep your body free from disease-causing free radicals.

Trainers at the best private personal training gyms in NYC embrace kiwi fruit year round for it’s nutritious, energizing properties.

#4: Tomatoes

Did you plant your own veggie garden this year? If not, head on out to the farmer’s market and stock up on tomatoes because they are one of the most healthful foods to be consumed year round, but especially in summer when they are in season. Pick them off the vine and eat them like apples…yes, they are that good for you!

Besides a wide variety of vitamins that your body constantly needs, you get something called lycopene from tomatoes. Lycopene is such a powerful substance it is being touted as a way to prevent cancer and a variety of other very serious diseases.

#5: 100% wheat free corn tortillas

Personal trainers recommend whole grains year round, but high fiber whole grain wheat free corn tortillas are perfect for summer because you can create delicious wraps filled with fresh veggies for quick lunches, snacks and dinners. They will give you long term energy to get through your sessions at our private personal training gym in NYC!

Looking for more food tips for summer? Talk to Method Fitness personal trainers in NYC today and see what else they can recommend! Also, please check out the new Method Fitness Facebook Fan Page for great fitness/health tips and tricks!

It is incredibly difficult to get yourself to workout after a hard day of work or dealing with the children, but what if it is the only realistic time you have to burn some calories and get rid of that extra flab? Personal trainers hear all the excuses and understand all the dilemmas from clients complaining about evening workout schedules and trying to explain away missed sessions.

The difficulties trying to get yourself to actually workout in the evening are completely understandable, but they don’t have to ruin your efforts to lose weight, tone up, or otherwise improve your life and your body. The following are some basic tips to help get your body in motion for that after-work workout!

Make it Routine

If you do the same thing at the same time day after day, it will eventually become routine. You will start to do it without thinking much about it, which means doing it without excuses! If you can determine a specific time that you will workout after work and do it daily for a solid week it will start to feel a bit like second nature. Do it for two weeks straight and you will feel it is routine and the excuses should be out the door.

Join a Personal Training Gym in NYC

Personal training gyms in NYC are different from regular gyms because all members come in to work with personal trainers for scheduled appointments. Since you actually have a personal trainer waiting for you to show up you can’t easily tell yourself that you’ll “just go tomorrow.” You have paid for the sessions. Your personal trainers are waiting for you. There is more incentive to show up! When you join a personal training gym in NYC you are guaranteeing that you will workout after work at least a couple days a week. You will still be able to workout from home on other days, if not having to travel is easier for you.

Make it Fun

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring or difficult. If you find something that you really enjoy doing it will be much easier to make yourself do it. Spend some time trying out different workout tapes or head to the gym and try out all the different equipment. If you can afford to hire a personal trainer for just one session they will be able to introduce you to a variety of different workout options that you might enjoy.Try out some group exercise classes. Go for an outdoor fitness boot camp class in NYC one night and Pilates or yoga the next. You never know what you will find enjoyable until you try it.

Reward Yourself

Set small rewards that can be collected after each full week of exercising every evening consistently. Try to make the rewards fitness related, such as a new pair of cross trainer shoes, workout clothes, or a new fitness DVD.

Out of all these recommendations, joining a personal training gym in NYC so you have access to skilled personal trainers is the best one. Not only does this help get you out the door for your after-work workout, but it ensures that your workouts are going to be effective so you really see results. Seeing those changes in your body will serve as constant motivation to keep you going for those after-work sessions!