Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie and Bruce Willis are just a few of the famous faces personal trainer Gunnar Peterson works with every day in his Beverly Hills luxury gym. One of LA's most sought-after trainers, Peterson talked to Relaxnews about his no-nonsense approach to getting to the gym, eating well, and feeling your best.
Relaxnews: What are some of the biggest fitness or diet mistakes that you see your clients making?
Gunnar Peterson: People trying to right a lifetime of wrongs two weeks before a deadline. Overhauling their lives instead of improving it piece by piece in a way that will work for the long-term.
R: How can a busy person commit to a workout when it's so easy to let it slip through the cracks?
GP: Write it in PEN! Treat it like an appointment, a job interview, or an oversold airline flight -- don't be late and don't miss it.
R: If you could offer one piece of advice on achieving better fitness, what would it be?
GP: Strike a balance between resistance training, intervals, longer duration cardiovascular work, and flexibility. Don't stick with one approach then flip after a few weeks. Mix it up weekly, daily.
R: What are you some of your favorite post-workout snacks?
GP: Gatorade's G-Series Protein Recovery Shake. Oatmeal, egg whites, blueberries.
R: What does a typical breakfast for you look like?
GP: Vegetable juice, egg whites, hot sauce, blueberries, oatmeal, water.
R: What is your top advice for a better, more balanced diet?
GP: Protein is key in my opinion. Vegetables are a must. Complex carbohydrates have to be used at the right time. Stay away from processed foods, refined sugars, and fruit juices.
R: Do you have a workout or life mantra?
GP: "Have to." My brother said it to me once and it stuck. We do things because we are compelled to do them. We have to. There are no shortcuts.
R: Any guilty pleasures? And how often do you succumb to them?
GP: Peanut butter. Any time it's in the house.
R: Do you have your own motivational struggles, and how do you overcome them?
GP: I wouldn't call it motivational. I get tired when I keep shorting my sleep but I always make it to the gym. In our house, we live by this: "Never quit, never cancel, never be late." We've found it's a great way to live.
R: What is your approach to a happy life?
GP: Kids first, work second, everything else works out.