Matthew Carmona’s Guide to a Personalized Fitness Process
In the world of fitness, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Every individual, every body, and every goal require unique strategies. Matthew Carmona, a NASM-certified trainer based in LA, highlights the importance of periodically reassessing one’s training process to align with personal goals, current lifestyle, and physical demands.
1. Revisit Your Goals Regularly
Matthew begins his training process by asking himself a few essential questions each quarter, focusing on how he can optimize his weightlifting, cardio, diet, and recovery plan. For instance, if his goal is to build muscle, he might reduce cardio, but if he’s leaning towards staying lean for the summer, he increases his activity level, even if that means sacrificing some strength.
This approach emphasizes the need to align your fitness strategy with your current objectives. Aiming to build strength and add muscle? Prioritize weightlifting and reduce cardio. Trying to stay lean? Increase cardio while finding a balance that maintains your hard-earned strength.
2. Adapt Your Diet to Your Lifestyle
Diet isn’t just about macros or calorie counts; it’s also about what works within the reality of your life. Matthew makes adjustments based on his professional and personal demands. For example, if he’s focused on gaining muscle, he prioritizes high-protein foods or even adds a shake when needed. On the other hand, when leaning out, he might cut back on alcohol or adjust his meal plan to suit his goal.
The takeaway? Tailor your diet to both your fitness goals and your lifestyle demands. Sometimes, that means meal prepping for busy weeks or opting for a simpler approach that ensures you’re hitting your nutritional targets.
3. Assess the Sustainability of Your Routine
One critical aspect Matthew discusses is sustainability. Training is a marathon, not a sprint, and an unsustainable routine will only lead to burnout. Matthew shares how, during a period of intense stress and sleep deprivation, he found himself constantly exhausted, even upon waking up. The solution? An earlier bedtime and switching his workouts to the afternoon, maximizing his rest.
If you’re struggling with fatigue, it’s worth considering if your current routine is sustainable in the long run. A well-rounded approach includes enough sleep, recovery, and flexibility to adjust when life throws challenges your way.
4. Self-Reflection: The Key to Long-Term Success
Matthew encourages us to ask, “Is my current process serving me and my goals?” If the answer is no, it might be time to make some changes. For those struggling with consistency or seeing progress despite effort, reevaluating your training process can lead to breakthroughs. Adjust one small thing—whether it’s your bedtime, workout time, or meal prep routine—and see the ripple effect on your results.
Matthew Carmona’s training process isn’t just about lifting weights or hitting cardio targets; it’s about creating a fitness strategy that evolves with him. By frequently revisiting his goals, adapting his diet to his life, ensuring his routine is sustainable, and practicing self-reflection, he’s able to maintain a path that truly serves his body and ambitions.
