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Tony Lauto Tony Lauto

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Online Fitness Training
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  • 9️⃣0️⃣ % 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞. ⠀ You take a breath about 2️⃣8️⃣ thousand times a day. With this much practice you’d think you’d be pretty good at it. Maybe even expert status. ⠀ But despite the regularity, most of us are pretty bad at breathing. ⠀ Fortunately, breathing doesn’t require any thought. Your body just knows to do it to keep you alive. ⠀ All thanks to your autonomic nervous system. ⠀ Your autonomic nervous system is like the Siri of your body. Just as Siri takes care of routine assignments like setting your morning alarm, your autonomic nervous system takes care of recurring tasks such as regulating your heart rate, breathing, and digestion. ⠀ The importance of these systems can’t be understated. Both make life easier, freeing you up for more thought provoking and enjoyable activities. ⠀ But the problem is sometimes Siri fucks up. I mean who hasn’t accidentally texted someone “nipple” instead of “dimple” due to Siri’s autocorrect. ⠀ Similarly, your autonomic nervous system can glitch. ⠀ This is due to a program that is hundreds of years in the making known as “fight or flight.” ⠀ When we perceive danger, the fight or flight system triggers a series of responses. These include increasing your breathing rate to improve oxygenation, increasing your heart rate to enhance perfusion, and rerouting your blood supply to activated muscles (like your legs) allowing you to move faster. ⠀ The system worked great when humans faced significant threats like starvation or bear attacks. ⠀ But these days we rarely are in serious danger. Unfortunately, the system doesn’t know the difference between being late to a meeting and a preemptive bear mauling. ⠀ Luckily, when Siri thinks you said “call boss” instead of “call Ross” you can override that shit. You can also override your autonomic nervous system. ⠀ The key component is your breath. In fact, even Navy Seals use the techniques I’m about to show you to improve focus and keep cool in the most stressful situation. ⠀ Swipe ⬅️ to learn the techniques America’s most elite fighters use.
  • “𝙈𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣 𝘽𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙜𝙮𝙢.” ⠀ While it’s improbable you’ll live forever, medical advancements have increased the average life span. ⠀ And although living longer has it’s benefits, older age is associated with a poorer quality of life. The aches, pains, and chronic diseases that arise are usually blamed on aging. ⠀ It has long been assumed that the aging process is a natural part of life. The cost of living. ⠀ But we now know this theory is drastically flawed. ⠀ The equalizer is exercise. ⠀ Scientists have been able to objectively measure the aging process by evaluating levels of skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and protein quality control. ⠀ Sure they sound like made up terms from Star Wars, but they do provide us some useful data. Both levels decrease during aging. ⠀ Exercise has shown a unique ability to reverse the decline of these two lab values to stop aging in its tracks. ⠀ Perhaps, Indiana Jones’ quest for immortality might’ve not been as far fetched as we thought. ⠀ Additionally, we know that increased strength, better balance, improved flexibility, and enhanced mobility can alleviate many of the pains that reduce quality of life. ⠀ Only if there was a way to evaluate ourselves without fancy labs tests. ⠀ Introducing the Sitting Rise Test. ⠀ This test evaluates for all of the above mentioned fitness components, while also predicting your future life expectancy. ⠀ Swipe ⬅️ to see some examples of this test and determine how you measure up. ⠀ Fair warning, it’s harder than it looks. ⠀ How it works: Everyone starts with 10 points. Every time you lose your balance you lose 1/2 point. Every time you use your hand, arm, side of your leg, knee, or place your hand on your leg to assist you, you lose 1 point. ⠀ How do you measure up? 10 = Perfect 8.5-9.5 = Good 3.5-8 = 2x as likely to die in the next 6 years 0-3 = 5x as likely to die in the next 6 years ⠀ #exerciseismedicine #onlinefitnesscoach #physicianassistant #cardiacsurgery #fitspo #doctorswholift
  • I’ve recently received a series of questions on confidence. ⠀ Although this isn’t your typical fitness topic, it’s still worth discussing. After all, confidence is important to overall well-being. ⠀ Most us were born into this world pretty self assured. As infants, all it took was mumbling a few sounds that MIGHT represent a word to receive admiration. A pretty good way to condition a confident individual. ⠀ But, the world has a way of knocking us down. ⠀ There’s two common perspectives on body image and how it pertains to self confidence. ⠀ One argument says “looks don’t matter.” ⠀ The second group claims becoming jacked is key to developing confidence. ⠀ Like most debates, the truth likely resides somewhere in the middle. ⠀ Despite what IG may have you believe, your self worth is based off of more than your one rep max. ⠀ But it would be unfair to discredit your work in the gym completely. ⠀ It’s well known that working out releases endorphins. These endorphins trigger a series of events that positively impact your mood by improving sleep quality, reducing stress, and diminishing pain. ⠀ Accomplishing goals is an effective way to build pride. Caring for your body is the single most impactful thing you can do for yourself. ⠀ It demonstrates to the world that you value yourself. This impacts how others treat you. ⠀ Additionally, feelings associated with a job well done can be contagious and build momentum. ⠀ Interestingly, studies demonstrate a connection between positive emotions and body language. Feeling confident triggers confident body language, but confident body language also leads to feeling confident. ⠀ Exercise can drastically improve posture. It stands to reason that as someone’s posture improves they will stand more confidently and feel more confident. ⠀ Lastly, body transformations often lead to compliments from family and friends. This reinforcement helps condition confidence, much like the positive feedback we received as infants. ⠀ So again, your worth as a human is uncorrelated to your bicep size. That said, taking control of your body through exercise can create a sense of pride and empowerment that resonates through all areas of your life.
  • Many of my clients have a history of struggling to lose weight. But after we make a few changes, they start to see the results they’ve been craving. ⠀ Although their stories differ in some ways, there’s also similarities to their struggle. ⠀ One of those parallels is an affinity towards the bells and whistles of the fitness world. ⠀ Tools like carb cycling or reactive neuromuscular training can be useful. But they aren’t the meat and potatoes of losing weight or getting in shape. ⠀ Like most businesses, the fitness industry uses marketing to enhance the appeal of their products. It’s easier to try to sell you on a brand new modality that will solve all your problems than to convince you to just get better at the basics. ⠀ Advanced exercise techniques and sophisticated diets have their place, but they aren’t the main course. Some of them aren’t even a side dish. They are the seasoning on top. ⠀ Instead, we focus on the habits that will yield the greatest return first without avoiding all your favorite foods and becoming a gym slave. ⠀ I call these the “Essential Principles.” These 4️⃣ tools are the foundation of any well designed fitness program. ⠀ They seem basic because they are. But without them the other fancier techniques won’t matter. ⠀ Choose one of the “Essential Principles” that you aren’t already doing consistently. Make it a goal to incorporate it until it’s an ingrained habit. ⠀ Swipe ⬅️ to see each principle. . . #onlinefitnesscoach #essentialprinciples #fitspo #exerciseismedicine #thevessel #nycarchitecture
  • Cᴀʀs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴀsᴄɪɴᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴜs sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʟ T ᴅʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴏɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴄᴇɴᴇ ɪɴ 1908. ⠀ All things being equal, if you had the choice between driving a beat up Kia or a brand new luxury Mercedes, the Mercedes would be the obvious choice. ⠀ The Mercedes is more reliable, faster, and you’d be riding in style. Leather interiors, heated seats, 500 horsepower — the finer things in life. ⠀ Most people have a variety of expenses ranging from childcare to student loans putting luxury cars out of question. ⠀ Fitness coaching presents a similar dilemma. Although the long term benefits surely out weigh the costs, in person coaching is expensive. It can easily cost $80-100+ per workout. ⠀ We know that personal training turbocharges your results in the gym like a V8 engine. All while making you look like a Bro who knows what they’re doing. ⠀ There has to be a better way to make preventative care affordable. ⠀ The automotive world has found a solution to the typical high costs of dependable and stylish cars. The release of Tesla’s Model 3, aka the car of the future, is changing what we know about driving. ⠀ The Model 3 is not only stylish, fast, and reliable, but also doesn’t rob the bank the way most luxury cars do. ⠀ But what really separates a Tesla is it’s efficiency. It’s 100% electric, meaning you never have to pay for gas, and it doesn’t require costly maintenance, like oil changes, that a typical car would. ⠀ Fitness coaching has experienced a similar revolution lately know as Online Personal Training. You might even say it’s the Tesla of the fitness world. ⠀ Online training provides most of the features as in person training such as nutritional guidance, exercise programming, supplement recommendation, etc at a fraction of the cost. ⠀ More importantly it provides long lasting benefits by creating a body you can be proud of through accelerated fat loss and intense muscle gain. Basically it’s cost effective, but still gets you to your goal fast like a Tesla going 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. ⠀ So now you can get the best of both worlds. Affordable tools that get you to your destination faster. We might just be looking at a key player in the healthcare revolution.
  • One of the most difficult things for me to discuss as a fitness coach is my struggles with back problems. ⠀ After all, the fitness industry is exploding with superficial propaganda promoting inauthentic perfection. ⠀ Often hidden behind these Adonis-like achievements is a personal struggle. ⠀ Many fitness coaches have overcome a great deal including physical and emotional pain to achieve their body of work. ⠀ But riddled with shame, we hide it. ⠀ Fitness coaches are held to a higher standard. Perhaps rightfully so; you are, after all, a walking business card. ⠀ But what is disguised as easy success often hides struggles with anorexia, difficulties with self-esteem, or in my case physical limitations. ⠀ Many times I’d feel defeated, even hatred towards my failing body. The slightest movement the wrong way could throw my back out for days. ⠀ At my worst I found myself requiring multiple weekly treatments ranging from acupuncture and manipulation, to massage therapy and trigger point injections. ⠀ Unfortunately, back pain is not well understood. The role of surgery is questionable at best. And imaging, such as MRIs, doesn’t tell the full story. In fact, studies show that people with herniated discs often live back pain-free. ⠀ Many doctors are quick to offer bandaid solutions like addictive narcotics. While a real solution requires digging deeper. Back problems are multifactorial with causes ranging from emotional triggers to structural damage. ⠀ Fitness has been so much more than a body sculpting tool to me. It’s provided an outlet for stress relief, a support system of like-minded individuals, and most importantly a key ingredient in fighting back pain. ⠀ Now, after 10 plus years, my back problems are mainly kept in check thanks to a combination of strength training exercises, breathing techniques, and neuromuscular resetting techniques. I am able to deadlift and press and everything in between. Most observers would see the ability to do these things as no big deal, without knowing the true extent of my journey. ⠀ Bottom line: Fitness is NOT about being PERFECT. Each of us is starting at a different point. Instead, strive to be an improved version of YOU.
  • 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑴𝒆 𝑨𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒄𝒍𝒆 ⠀ In 2005, I took my first economics course, during my junior year of college. ⠀ When professor X arrived he caught the entire class by surprise. By this point in our academic careers, we’d been conditioned to expect the first session to begin with a typical banal introduction. ⠀ But instead of, “welcome to Econ 101,” our professor opened with, “I know most of you probably went out this weekend, stayed out way too late, and drank way too much.” ⠀ He had our curiosity. ⠀ Professor X continued, “I also know you guys are college students and fairly experienced drinkers. I can safely conclude you probably know your limits—the right amount to drink to still be able to show up to class the next day. As evidence of that, you’re all here.” ⠀ If at first he‘d piqued our curiosity, now he‘d grabbed our attention. ⠀ Next, he took the opportunity to teach a room full of hungover students one of the fundamental principles of economic theory. ⠀ This was our introduction to the concept of Diminishing Marginal Returns. ⠀ Or more simply, the more you have of something (such as beer), the less value each additional unit will provide you. ⠀ Professor X went around asking us how many beers we typically drank to get the perfect buzz. Answers ranged anywhere from a reasonable 3 to an impressive-but-dangerous 15. ⠀ He then asked us what happened beyond our ideal number. The responses ran the gamut of consequences ranging from vomiting to getting arrested. ⠀ It became clear that after a certain number of beers, each additional beer was less beneficial then the previous. ⠀ A similar concept can be said for your fitness workload. There’s an ideal amount of stress your body can handle. ⠀ Beers styles can vary from boldly flavored microbrews to bland American piss water. Similarly, stress can come in all shapes and sizes from emotional strains to physical irritants. ⠀ If you drink enough beers, regardless of the type, you’ll eventually vomit. If you go beyond your optimal workload you’ll inevitably plateau. ⠀ The key is performing at a workload that is challenging enough to see substantial gains yet efficient to provide adequate recovery.
  • 4️⃣ Ways Kettlebell Deadlifts Will Help You Build More Muscle And Avoid Injury (𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝐼𝑓 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝐴𝑛 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟) ⠀ Despite the periodic surges and declines in popularity of kettlebells over the years, they have always remained an effective fitness tool. Most prominently, they’ve been praised for their versatility. Efficient enough to provide a cardiovascular fat torching workout. But also potent as a targeted strength and power development tool. ⠀ Any accomplished kettlebell user knows the origin of the kettlebell dates back three hundred plus years to Soviet Russia. Where they were initially used as a counterbalance to weigh dry goods. Farmers quickly discovered these handled cannonballs could also be used to get jacked. ⠀ One of the best uses of the kettlebell is performing the deadlift. Whether you are an experienced deadlifter or a complete novice the kettlebell deadlift is a great move. ⠀ Swipe ⬅️ to see 4️⃣ ways how the #kettlebelldeadlift will supercharge your workout. ⠀
  • 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗳𝗳 👚 ⠀ Convertible season is upon us as the calendar does its yearly twist. ⠀ Some prefer the diverse vibrant colors of Fall, replete with pumpkin spiced everything and the dynamic rivalry of football. ⠀ Others embrace the glistening whites of Winter. Complete with winding ski trails and familiar conversation around a crackling fireplace. ⠀ Still many enjoy the sun-soaked weather of Summer. Embodied by rolling beach waves and charcoal fragranced air. ⠀ Despite the apparent advantages of each season, my proclivity has always been towards Spring. ⠀ Nothing quite represents Spring like its distinct sounds: kids laughing on a playground, lawn mowers chewing designs into beautiful landscapes, robins chirping in a nearby oak tree, and the sweet crack of a baseball bat along with the thunderous roar of the crowd. ⠀ The warm breeze of Spring, just cool enough for a cozy hoodie, is a welcoming change from the chilling bite of Winter. ⠀ And as the melting snow gives way to blooming tulips, it’s easy to see our own opportunity to blossom. ⠀ Hope SPRINGS eternal. ⠀ As the Earth’s orbit reaches the first point of Aries (a celestial coordinate that’s part of the Aries constellation) we celebrate the first day of Spring. ⠀ The Spring Equinox. ⠀ Equinox is translated from Latin to mean “equal night.” During this time, the length of day and night equalize; a unique moment reminding us of the importance of balance. The yin and the yang we all search for in our lives. On this special occasion, even an oval shaped egg can find balance. ⠀ So my friends, cherish the opportunity that Spring provides. Maximize your extra hour of light by unearthing your untapped potential. And use its symbolic nature to continue your search for balance. Most importantly celebrate the return of freezy pops. ⠀ What’s your favorite thing about Spring? ⠀ #firstdayofspring #balancedlifestyle #exerciseismedicine #springequinox #fitspo #onlinefitnesscoach
  • [Start Rant] ⠀ "Humans are moral idealistic creatures that resonate love for other humans" ⠀ It really doesn't matter if you're a Republican or Democrat, an Uber user or Lift user, a Mets fan or Yankee fan (ok, fine that last one matters). This shit will effect you at some point. ⠀ I grew up the son of a doctor. Expectation were high as you might imagine and moral code was the law. I've watched my father for years stick to his guns to continue to practice medicine the way he knows is right despite corporate America's greatest efforts to stop him. He's managed, but not easily, and not without major consequences. ⠀ Other facilities have not managed. One by one medical practices have fallen unable to compete with the enterprise medical groups of the world. As a practitioner in one of these enterprises you are little more than a number to the administration sitting high atop their corporate throne. As a patient...forget it. The human interaction element of a doctors visit is quickly being eliminated and replaced with algorithms and computer screens. ⠀ When I decided to expand my skillset from being a fitness coach to also learning western medicine, I did so knowing I was entering a broken system that desperately needed repair. My goal was to learn everything I could about both sides and ultimately help "Bridge the Gap Between Modern Medicine & Healthy Living." Today I watch a gap that is widening and medicine that sometimes does not feel very modern. ⠀ Decisions about YOUR healthcare are being made at a political level by people with no medical background with less than your best interest in mind. While Doctors, PA's, NP's, Nurses, etc are being bogged down by administrative tasks instead of direct patient care. ⠀ There’s a better way! ⠀ Look I get it; this discussion is not as exciting as the latest Kardashian's drama, there's certainly no smoking hot babe wearing yoga pants, or an adorable puppy doing tricks. But social media is where a large majority of our population gets their news now and this is a message that needs to be heard. ⠀ [End Rant] ⠀ TL;DR: Make time between your 3rd cup of coffee today & your Netflix marathon to watch the video in the comments.
  • 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝟭𝟮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗹𝗱, ③Ⓓ 𝗽𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲𝘀 🧩 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲. ⠀ From pint-sized Taj Mahals to miniature Eiffel Towers, every toy store had an extravagant example on display. ⠀ After much deliberation, I convinced my parents to get me my own. I couldn’t wait to get started building my towering castle! ⠀ I was in for a rude awakening when I excitedly upended the contents of the box, spilling 400 pieces of confusion onto my dining room table—and nothing else. ⠀ An instruction manual, it turns out, weren’t a part of this arrangement. ⠀ I tried to pair pieces together for what seemed like hours before ultimately getting frustrated and closing the box. ⠀ Every few months, in a fit of boredom, curiosity, or arrogance, I‘d dust the puzzle and make another attempt—always to be met with the same result. ⠀ Fitness is similar to a puzzle: tons of little pieces, all important in their own way. ⠀ Like a puzzle, there’s no one right way to put it all together. But unlike my #3DPuzzle, which had NO instructions, getting in shape has too many; a surplus of options and opinions. ⠀ It can sometimes be difficult to know where to start without a clear roadmap. A well-intentioned effort ending in frustration. ⠀ People trying to lose weight often make multiple efforts, but ultimately have difficulty sustaining over the long haul. Injuries due to improper form, lack of motivation, and uncertainty over which exercises will be most effective are some of the examples that cause derailment. ⠀ When you open a puzzle box, you instantly have access to every piece needed to build your 3D castle. But having access to all the puzzle pieces is often not enough. The puzzle may sit in the box and never get built. ⠀ Similarly, having access to a never-ending supply of workout material, nutritional information, and diets doesn’t guarantee you’ll successfully lose the weight or get the six-pack. ⠀ Without proper guidance, dedicated accountability, and a specific plan, it’s an uphill battle. That’s not to say it’s impossible to get in shape without a mentor or coach, but you’ll probably waste hours of your life trying and wind up with mediocre results. ⠀ What puzzle piece isn’t fitting with your journey?
  • The GREATEST story of all time ⠀ Let’s talk about Creed II. ⠀ Despite having seen (and mostly loved) all 7 movies in the Rocky series, I went into the latest addition to the franchise assuming I wouldn’t like it. ⠀ My thought was that all Rocky movies follow the same basic plot line. ⠀ It’s something like this: ⠀ 🥊Boxer faces a seemingly insurmountable obstacle 🥊Boxer is close to giving up with all odds stacked against him 🥊Boxer ultimately realizes he can’t ignore his calling and seeks a mentor 🥊Boxer overcomes and prevails ⠀ Knowing Creed II was going to follow that model, I went in with hesitation. Repetition can become boring. Watching the same story play out can seem redundant. ⠀ As predicted, the storyline for Creed II was quite close to the above outline. ⠀ But, surprisingly (or not), I LOVED it. ⠀ Despite knowing how the movie would play out and having almost NO sense of surprise or suspense, I left the theatre fired up and ready to spar any willing participant. ⠀ The creators of the Rocky series know what they‘re doing. They capture our attention, stoke the flames of our emotions, and connect with their audience. ⠀ Like most films, the Rocky series follows the model of the Hero’s Journey—a (mostly) universal story outline detailing a character’s development through 1️⃣7️⃣ stages of transformation. ⠀ Along the way, the Hero faces trials and tribulations, encounters a wise mentor, and ultimately returns to slay the dragon and restore peace and justice to the galaxy. ⠀ And although you may not encounter any mythical creatures, your life is amazingly similar. ⠀ You get to be your own hero. Whether you‘re trying to land a new job, build a business, or improve your health and fitness. Anything worth having is worth fighting for, and requires hard work. ⠀ When we observe a character achieving greatness only after overcoming adversity we see a bit of ourselves. The struggle is always relatable, even when the obstacle is otherworldly. ⠀ And thus, we have the greatest FORMAT for a story ever told. ⠀ The greatest story may have yet to be written. It may be still be developing and yet to completely unfold. Your greatest story, may, in fact, be the story of you.

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