Chris Freytag has been sharing her tips and advice on TV, radio and in print for years.  She is a health and fitness contributor for the Minneapolis/St Paul local NBC affiliate. Chris is the Fitness Expert and a monthly columnist for Prevention Magazine.  She is also member of the Board of Directors for the American Council on Exercise.

Chris has been teaching fitness classes for over 17 years including such formats as kickboxing, step, strength training, spinning, Bosu, Yoga and Pilates to adults and kids.   Chris continues to teach classes each week because “That’s what keeps me going!  I’m energized by being with a group!”  She has 13 fitness videos currently on the market, Just Move to Lose™ Vol 1 and 2, Weight Loss Yoga for Dummies, Living Well Series with Montel Williams, and many Prevention Fitness Systems ( www.preventionfitness.com). 

Her book, Move to Lose (2004 Penguin Press), gives practical tips, advice and guidance for keeping a positive mindset and incorporating healthy eating habits and exercise into daily life. Her second book, Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss, (2008 Rodale Publishing) is about 10 minute workouts that help shed 30% more weight.  Being a mother of three, she understands first hand how tough this can be with our busy schedules.  She gives real information for real people.

Chris, age 42, lives in Minneapolis, MN with her husband and 3 kids’ ages 15, 14, and 10. She is active in the schools and volunteers in her community to help educate groups on health and fitness.  

Name: Chris Freytag 

Birthday:  1965 (rather give my year not the date)

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Website: www.chrisfreytag.com

Diet Detective: Hello Chris, thanks again for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us and our readers – we appreciate it.  My first question for you is, how did you get started being a personal trainer? What was your trigger?

Chris: I’ve been into exercise my whole life.  I am wired to be active and I think I subliminally connected that exercise made me feel good at a very young age. I majored in Journalism because that interested me and still does.  But after college, I started teaching aerobics for fun and became very intrigued with weight training, something kind of new for women in the late 80’s.   I began paying more attention to what was happening in the weight room and studying exercise physiology.  I got married soon after college and we decided to start a family.  I thought Personal Training would not only be a rewarding career but would also be a great job to have while raising a family – a little more flexible in hours if necessary.  My kids, now teenagers, know I am really focused on my career and I tell them all the time it is a blessing to have a job where you get to combine your hobby (working out) with helping other people and hopefully bettering our world!  (PS – I’ve now been able to combine my Journalism degree with my fitness background and I love it.)

Diet Detective: What do you think is the one most important thing that makes or breaks a diet/fitness program?

Chris: “Strive for progress, not perfection.”  We are such an “all or nothing” society –people follow drastic diets and strict exercise programs hoping for miracles. Their expectations so unrealistic that they can’t uphold them so they not only toss them aside; they go overboard the other direction. 

Diet Detective: What makes it so difficult for moms to keep to a diet and exercise routine?

Chris: Two words – NO TIME.  Moms put everyone else first before themselves and there is no time left for their own needs.  We moms often end up with less than 10 minutes a day dedicated to ourselves!   Time management becomes one of the best skills needed to make it through motherhood! 

Diet Detective: You just put out a new book and DVD called Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss – can you tell us a bit about it? Why is it a “shortcut?”

Chris: Short Cut is meant to be a “play on words”.  Everyone who knows me knows that I am about doable and realistic exercise and nutrition plans.  Short Cut means “work smarter not longer”.  The book teaches many short cuts or smart choices in time management, exercise intensity, food choices and goal setting.  I cover ‘how to fit it in’, ‘how to make it worth while’, and ‘how to still enjoy your life’!

Diet Detective:  Can you tell us a bit about some of the shortcuts – like the “telephone twist,” “Mall-Ercise” and “Car Pool Cardio?”

Chris: They all work with the theme of time management and mutli- tasking.  Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean that you’re doomed – find short pockets of time to think more activity minded!  Do the twist while talking on the phone or just walk around your house – keep moving rather than slump in a chair.  Power walk through the mall – don’t just stroll and take the steps not the escalator.  If you spend tons of time in your car waiting to pick up kids (the basic story of my every weekday evening) than do some Pilates while sitting idle.  Pilates is all about alignment and getting in touch with your transverse Abdominus.  Learn to contract your low abs and do your breathing exercises. 

Diet Detective: You offer quick results in you book and DVD, claiming you can drop 2 dress sizes in 4-6 weeks-- why the rush?

Chris: 5 pounds of weight loss can equal one dress size.  1-2 pounds a week is realistic weight loss.  So 10 pounds in 4-6 weeks is doable for those who need to lose a large number of pounds.  Why the rush….like I stated earlier, Americans want results fast…..4-6 weeks may not seem fast to some – but it is FAST in the world of weight loss.  The rush is to see some initial results and KEEP UP YOUR MOTIVATION for another 4-6 weeks!  Human psychology says it takes about 60 days to form a human habit….

Diet Detective: You also promise: “30% more weight than a 40 minute workout” -- how’s that possible?

Chris: Again, this goes back to the idea that you will get better results with consistency and intensity.  The statistics show that a large percentage of middle aged women just can’t stick with an exercise program for more than a few weeks.  The key to the short workouts is that they are easier to mentally approach and therefore have more sticking power.  If women follow my advice of picking up the intensity because it is only a few short 10 minutes, they will burn calories at a higher rate.  Psychology shows that it is mentally easier to do a few short workouts a day than one big long one….it’s perceived as less painful….therefore if you do 2-4 Short Cuts a day and stay consistent, studies have shown that you get better results over the long haul.  Truly it is because you worked harder and stayed with it for a longer period of time.  My message to beginners is “calories in vs. calories out”.  At the end of the day, it’s all cumulative and if you were more apt to do the short workouts than that one big long one, you will get better results!!!

Diet Detective: I saw that you sell a fitness blender – why a blender? Is it the same as other blenders?

Chris:  I have a sweet tooth and I’m a smoothie freak! In addition, being a “real food” advocate, it bothers me that all the health cafés and smoothie shops advertise “healthy treats” but many of their concoctions have more calories than a personal pan pizza! Therefore, I love to make my own blender drinks and know exactly what’s in them.  I also started my kids on smoothies years ago as a way to get more fruits and vitamins and into their diets.  Once they became teenagers, my boys wanted to building muscle and they starting asking for a scoop of protein powder too.  Another reason is that I just hated the big blender being dirty all the time and sitting on my counter needing to be hand washed.  And my last but not least reason for the blender was that I tend to eat breakfast on the go in my car and I spilled one too many blueberries smoothies on my leather seats – a to-go cup with a top was needed. 

I came into contact with a wonderful company, Back to Basics Products, and we put together a single serving, dish washer safe blender with a convenient drip free to-go top. 

What makes it different?  The cup you blend in is the cup you drink from – single serving and easy to use!   Did you catch the price $19.95!

Diet Detective: Do you think that women need to exercise and train differently then men? If so, how?

Chris: Yes…Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus…remember?  We are different in our physical makeup and our minds.  Women also tend to be the care takers of their immediate and extended families…therefore need different time management skills and different types of workouts…hence my Short Cuts programs.  Also – women experience many hormonal changes as they approach menopause and often need to combat abdominal fat and extra weight gain.  Often men are interested in increasing size whereas women are interested in toning and firming without adding girth to their arms and legs….I set up different programs based on the desired outcome.

Diet Detective: How do you get someone motivated to stick to a fitness program?

Chris: Olympian athlete, Jim Ryan, said “Motivation gets you started.  Habit keeps you going.”  Motivation is the first step. I try to motivate through positive reinforcement.  Passion means you really care about something …so are you passionate about getting motivated?  I require goal setting and journaling with new exercisers.  Feedback is motivating – when you can feel good about your commitment, and see how consistent you’ve been, you feel better about the chance for results.  I am also a big fan of heart rate monitors…immediate feedback about your intensity and calories burned.  Feel confident that your exercise minutes are worthwhile. 

Diet Detective: In all your years of training, what do you consider the best non-weight related exercise (e.g. lunge)? Can you also explain how to do the exercise?

Chris: Well, I’d say the lunge, not just because you mentioned it!  It works on legs and buns as well as core body and posture.  There are also so many variations of the lunge and I like to change them up – forward, reverse, diagonal, curtsy, etc.  Good form for a basic forward lunge would be to step forward onto right foot, lower down till your right knee is bent over your shoe laces and left back knee is pointing down at the floor. You are on your back toes, torso is upright and abs are tight. Then press back up through your legs and gluts.  Repeat several times on each side. 

Diet Detective: If you could only do only one strength training exercise (using weights) what would it be?

Chris: Hmmm…I would do a multi-muscle group exercise – get as much bang for your buck with one move.  Step left foot back into a reverse lung while holding hand weights, come back up to starting pulling your left leg up to a balancing knee lift while simultaneously pressing your arms into an over head press – then lower left leg behind to start over.  Of course do several on each side.  You are getting your glutes, legs, core body (with the balance) and arms (shoulders). 

Diet Detective: What is the worst strength training exercise for women? Or one that is the most frequently done incorrectly?

Chris: Squats are by far one of the best exercises but often done incorrectly.  Women have a harder time with squats based on our biomechanics…women tend to have a wider pelvis and a larger "Q" (Quadriceps) angle - the angle at which the femur (upper leg bone) meets the tibia (lower leg bone).  Therefore, our legs don't go straight down from the hips to the knees to the ankles like men's but rather our legs go in at an angle instead. Exercises like squats put more stress on women's knees than on men's knees for that reason. In addition, women push forward with their weight, pushing their knees over their toes putting unnecessary stress on the knees joints.  (I often hear women complain, “My knees hurt from those squats”.)  The key is to push back into an imaginary chair, using your gluts and think of your knees as a hinge.  Keep your toes over your shoe laces.  This requires strong legs and a strong core body so I encourage women who are just starting to exercise to ease into a full squat – start with a smaller range of motion but using good form. 

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite “junk food” – I realize that you don’t believe there are any “junk” foods – but indulge us?

Chris: ICE CREAM!   I love real ice cream especially with fresh fruit on it or with oatmeal raisin cookies mixed in.

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite healthy breakfast?

Chris: A blueberry smoothie – frozen blueberries and ½ a banana, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and soy or almond milk.  Add a few ice cubes if necessary and blend!    A cup of fresh brewed coffee is my vice also!

Diet Detective: What do you consider the world’s most perfect food?

Chris: HMMM…oatmeal – I love real oats – you can make cereal, mix into a protein shake in the morning, add to meat loaf, pancakes, cookies, muffins, bread. I make my own homemade granola with oats.  It is one of the best complex carbs around.  Offers heart health benefits and tastes yummy. 

Diet Detective: Who do you respect most, or who motivates you?

Chris: SO many people motivate me….I respect so many of the women athletes who are determined to reach new heights through their dedication to training.  I also love celebrities like Oprah who came from nothing, promote and care about improving the lives of others and reach out to make our world a better place.   Maria Shriver, Kate Couric….I am inspired by these working moms….I guess I follow a lot of the women journalists. 

Diet Detective: If you had to choose a specific song or band to get you excited for your workout, what would it be? What other songs are on your iPod?

Chris: Music is my main motivator when it comes to exercise.  I am totally jazzed by a new play list to use when I teach my classes or to listen to during my own workout. I tend to like pop and rock best and I often download the extended dance remixes….then tend to be faster and have a great beat.  Latest playlist includes Kanye West – Stronger, Christina Aguilera- Candyman remix, Finger Eleven - Paralyzer, Britney Spears – Radar,  Rihanna -  Don’t Stop the Music , Justin Timberlake – Lovestoned,  and Timberland - Apologize. 

Diet Detective: What do you do to reduce stress/relax/center your mind? Do you participate in an organized relaxation activity such as yoga, meditation or tai chi?

Chris: I teach both Yoga and Pilates and I must say, if I am traveling and miss my classes, I really feel it.  I need to do both at least once a week to keep my stress levels in check and to stay injury free. 

Diet Detective: What's the most bodacious chance you've ever taken?

Chris: From a career standpoint, making my first fitness DVD on my own.  It was a huge financial commitment to create and pay for production on my own without the backing of a good distributor. Thankfully, by being tenacious, I was able to get several channels of distribution through a few wonderful colleagues and my first DVD really opened many doors for me.  It was risky because there was no guarantee I would make the money back – I went into it knowing that.

Diet Detective: What was your worst summer job?

Chris: I was a waitress from the summer I turned 16 till I graduated from college.  I wouldn’t say it was the worst job, but lots of hours, and lots of hard work.  The worst part was cleaning up at closing time…. I chose to waitress because it was the best hourly pay I could get. Good service usually equaled good tips! 

Diet Detective: Define failure.

Chris: QUITTING.  Mistakes are learning experiences.  Quitting is permanent. 

Diet Detective: What’s the best book about health that you’ve read? (aside from your own)

Chris: I’m a non-fiction junkie. I love reading about health, fitness, nutrition and human psychology.  I recently read Wisdom of Menopause by Dr Christiane Northrop which I found extremely informative and very useful for my clients and myself. I also just picked up a little book, The Cult of Perfection, by Cooper Lawrence.  I listen to her radio show and enjoy her light-hearted nature.  The book explores the subject of overachieving women and how constantly being competitive can be harmful or helpful depending on its intention and mental spirit.  It is an easy read and very thought provoking as to what makes women tick.  After all, mental health is a big part of our overall health!

Thank you!!!!

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