Cookie cutter exercise and nutrition plans don’t work for most people. This is something personal trainer Gary Dhillon knows from experience.
Dhillon, owner of U Rise Personal Training in Richmond, developed his own fitness routine through studying and research before opening his studio. He was also certified as a personal trainer by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Now, he and his employees work to create a personalized plan for each client.
“Everything's done based on that individual, so there’s no generic plan, there's no 12-week program, those don't even exist,” he explains. “We create the program for you based on your goals, age, lifestyle, and availability.”
The trainers at U Rise focus on listening to their clients and helping them ease into their routine without straining or injuring themselves.
“You have to start at your own pace. You just can't dive in. You really need to ease into all of this stuff – then increase difficulty,” he says. “They can't just jump into this one day and go do a two-hour workout. They won't be able to move the next day, they're going to be so sore, and they’re going to hurt themselves.”
The other major focus is food, even over exercise, according to Dhillon.
“You can work out seven days a week, it doesn't matter. The food is the most important part,” he says, adding if a client is only going to stick with one thing, he’d rather they follow their food plan than come to the studio three times a week.
It’s best that clients incorporate healthy eating into their lifestyle, Dhillon says, instead of going the diet route, which isn’t sustainable.
Dhillon and his staff warn their clients against under-eating, since cutting too many calories can badly affect their metabolism.
Calorie cutting is when a person is eating healthy but not eating enough throughout the day. For example, only eating one or two meals a day.
“Even though they're eating healthy, they're actually gaining weight,” Dhillon explains.
Whatever challenges clients face in meeting their goals, Dhillon and his team work with them to overcome them in a private, welcoming setting at the studio.
“People feel really comfortable here because there's no one watching them, no one judging them,” Dhillon says. “This is about them. Everything is made for them, designed for them.”
U Rise Personal Training is located at Suite 141 6151 Westminster Hwy, Richmond. For more information on the services provided by the studio, contact them by email or go to the U Rise website.
