Interview: Garrett Watson

I love doing these interviews. Mostly because I get to talk to some of my favorite people involved in the fitness industry, that have also influenced my fitness goals.

This next interview was with a trainer near and dear to my heart, Garrett Watson. He is on my fight team and my first ever personal trainer. This guy kicked my butt. I was constantly challenged and he helped me out so much. He runs the most amazing bootcamps ever and if you want a trainer that listens to you and helps you reach those goals (and you live in Louisville), find this guy.

1) Please introduce yourself. What you do, where you're from all the good stuff. 
Hi, My name is Garrett Watson and my fitness business is called G-Fit. I am from Louisville KY. I would call my self a Fitness Professional. My first title that I ever held in the fitness business was a personal trainer, but over the last 8 years or so, my business has turned into so much more then personal training. Now I am Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Personal trainer, Russian Kettlebell instructor (RKC), Certified TRX trainer, Level 1 Cross Fit instructor, and I am working to be certified through USA Weightlifting as a level 1 Sports performance Coach.


2) How did you get started as an athlete, trainer and coach? How has that evolved into more than just a hobby? 
Training all started for me after a severe tear to my PCL ligament during high school soccer . I had always been an athlete by rarely took it upon my self to train on my own. I would lift weights or run only if my team was made to do it. At that time, I didn’t understand the impact that the extra training could have on improving performance and overall well-being.Before my injury I was a perspective college soccer player. After the injury those dreams really became in question. It was know up to me to get what I wanted. I wanted to play in college so much that I trained hard every day. After rehabbing the knee, I dedicated my self to running, lifting, and reading everything I could about training the body. After awhile, I liked training for performance as much or more then the sport itself. I still played a lot of soccer but I also began to practice with the Louisville Rugby Team. Rugby was a natural fit for me and it really allowed me to use my knowledge of performance training to help transform my body into a more Rugby type frame.I move to Richmond KY to attend Eastern Kentucky University. I continued playing on EKU’s Rugby club team but never forgot my love for performance training. I soon became the consultant to all the players on the team and a lot of people around the campus. After graduating College with a criminal Justice degree I begin working on my first personal training certification. I was asked to stay on as the EKU rugby strength and conditioning coach. I loved that job and I never turned back after that. 

3)  A lot of people look for quick fixes, fad diets and such, what is your outlook on quick fixes?
There are no quick fixes. Fitness is so honest. There are so many things in life that my not give you a return or recognition for all your effort. Your work, your relationship, fanatical investments, etc my not yield a return for what you put into them. Fitness for the most part will. If you put a real effort into exercising and you put a real effort into regulating your nutrition then you will most of the time see some really good results. The notion that you can get what you want with minimal effort is almost offensive to me. There are no quick fixes, only hard work and discipline will get you what you want.


4) I can speak personally and say that there have been spells of lack of motivation, what keeps you motivated to maintain and progress?
 Personally I do not want to have any regrets. I do not want to look back at my life and think that I could have done better. If I put my best foot forward most of the time I should never have those regrets and I will be pleased with myself.


5) What are some basics steps to beginning a healthy lifestyle? 
Step 1- Set realistic goals and have a time frame for completion.Step 2- Give you an honest assessment of your successes and failures. Ask yourself why am I not meeting my goal? What realistic changes can I make to move toward success? Don’t sugar coat it because you’re only lying to yourself by doing so.Step 3- Get rid of everything that is jeopardizing your success. If you’re a sweets person, don’t keep sweets in the house. If you’re a drinker, don’t buy it and don’t put yourself in situations that you may fail. Don’t hang out with your drinking bodies. No one said it will be easy, but you can do it if you really want it. Also, it’s only for the time period you set up. At the end of that you can assess if it was worth all the trouble or if you are willing to continue the SACRIFICES that you have made for your healthy lifestyle.Step 4- Record everything. This is important for accountability and it can also be used to assess results. If you didn’t get the results you wanted, you can look back and see why you did get the results you wanted then you can always reproduce them if needed by doing what you did before.


6) What other words of wisdom can you give our readers to encourage their growth and success in this type of lifestyle change?


The Game is never over! I talk to so many people from former high school athletes to housewives who seem to think that they will never be able to be fit because they are a little older and the task seems overwhelming. They are really wrong with this thinking. The human body is amazing and it will respond to the training very well and it will get stronger and healthier if you just get started. We were made to exercise, not just for our first 20-25 years, but for our entire lives. Don’t worry about being 20 again; you should concentrate on being the best you that you can be. If you think like this and try to enjoy the pursuit of fitness, then I think you will be pleased with our results and yourself

Thank You so much, Garrett, for emailing back and forth with me. Also, thanks for the few years of training. Even though, I argued and fought you. 

You can check out Garrett's website, getgfit.com. 

I'm So Hungry!!!

I don't know about yall, but I'm a snacker. Part of the reason I've struggled with my weight. I never chose the right snacks.

Since I've started this journey, I'm much more conscious of what goes into my body. I started making much more of my own food, especially my favorite snacks to have on hand. I've mentioned several times in this blog that my schedule is insane, so all the food I eat has to be portable.

My morning snacks are usually a mix of fruit, grain and protein. Granola is my favorite way to get that.

I make this a lot. My brother requests it all the time. It's great as a cereal, yogurt topper, or by the handful.

My base recipe is fresh oats. Not quick oats or any of that. Fresh raw oats. I fill a mixing bowl and get to work adding the rest.

I add cashews, almonds, candies (if I have them), raisins, craisins, any other dried fruit and add it in.

When it comes to dried fruit, I go for organic and natural. Basically, read your labels. Don't get anything with names you can't pronounce. Deal?

Now, on the stove heat up a cup of maple syrup (real stuff) and a cup of honey. Let it boil for about a minute and add to your mix o' stuff.  Then spread onto a greased cookie sheets.

Place those cookie sheets in a preheated oven of 350. I usually bake it for 25 minutes, just keep an eye on it.

It's so delicious. I keep it in my desk drawer at work. Makes it easy to grab between clients and meetings.

Enjoy!

As If You Couldn't Get Enough Breakfast

I know I've blogged a couple times about breakfast. It's my favorite. Not just because of the health benefits, but because it's comforting to me. My mother makes the best breakfasts, especially around the holidays. Sausage bread, quiche, fresh fruit, all the good stuff.

A few months back, I hosted "Illinois Dinner" at my house. "Illinois Dinner" was created by my friends here in Nashville that have all relocated from somewhere in Illinois (I'm honorary because I went to college there). My best friend was in town, also from Illinois, so I thought it to be a great night to host. I made my favorite meal, breakfast.

Nice spread, huh? I made mini-versions of my mom's sausage bread, mashed sweet potatoes, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and egg "cupcakes".

The pumpkin cinnamon rolls were my favorite. If they were healthy, I'd eat them daily. The recipe is way easy. 


Preheat oven to 375. 


1 can of pureed pumpkin (not PIE)
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup of brown sugar
3 tbsp. of cinnamon
1 tbsp. of nutmeg


Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash. Set aside.

• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately. Add dry ingredients to wet slowly to make dough. Roll out to desired size. Spread pumpkin mixture inside dough and roll. Cut into 1 inch rolls and place in a 9x12 greased baking pan. 

Bake for 40 minutes in the oven. 

I used a standard cream cheese frosting. And you get these!

They're dangerous. 

The Egg Cupcakes..Probably the easiest thing you'll ever make. 

I found the recipe on Pinterest. I thought it was clever because I could make these at the beginning of the week and just reheat every morning. Since my schedule is crazy and my breakfast is usually on the go. 

You just need egg beaters and whatever you fancy to fill them with. 

I used peppers, onions, salsa, black beans, cheese and some left over sausage. Fill each muffin cup with filler, then fill remaining space with egg beaters. They bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Pop out and eat. So delicious! The reheat so well. 

I hope this gives you a couple ideas for easy and delicious breakfasts. It is the most important meal of the day.