About ME

Growing up, and even to this day, I have battled with depression. It often made it difficult for me to want to try new things, or make new friends. It even escalated to a point where I didn’t want to do the things I already did, or keep the friends I already had. Finding a passion was always something I craved, but no matter where I looked, I couldn’t find one. As a kid, I was constantly battling with my inner demons. My mindset was purely negative and I had no self confidence. The worst part was, I had no idea how toxic it had become to my life.
At the age of 18 I had a job which was very physically demanding. Being a 120 lb., petite female, I didn’t have the strength required. I then took it upon myself to start lifting weights at my local gym. At first I didn’t totally know what I was doing. How do you lift weights? How do you isolate muscles? What is a super-set?... Weight training was all so new to me, but I found the journey fascinating. Almost everyday after work I’d go to the gym. It quickly became a huge part of my daily routine. It did’t take long until I started craving more.
My workouts became longer and more frequent as the weeks went on. I began to introduce myself to other gym members who I noticed had much more experience and knowledge than me. I needed more. I was hungry for it. I fell in love with feeling strong and the journey of becoming stronger. I loved the way it transformed my mindset. I learned how to think, “One more, ok, I can do this..” I surrounded myself with those who inspired me and with that my confidence grew. With persistence, my results followed. I was watching myself grow, physically and mentally, and then it clicked. If I can find peace with myself and learn how to cope with my depression through fitness, so can anyone. That's when I chose to make it my job to share and pass on the knowledge I’ve gained, so others can find themselves too.
I have now been a personal trainer for 5 years and my love for this job continues to grow everyday. I'm perpetually motivated by all my clients. Though each client can be so different from the next, they all seem to find inspiration within their own lives to commit to a healthy lifestyle, regardless of their individual obstacles. How could I not be motivated by that?? I can confidently say that personal training is my passion. Sam Rae Fitness is my way of sharing as much information with you in every way I know how, so I can help you accomplish each one of your goals. Whether you want to lose 100 lbs., gain muscle, shred and tone, or just find what makes you feel the most confident, I'm here and ready to give you 100% of my effort in order to guide you there.

How I Train

Everyone's body is unique and that should never be ignored. Especially when exercising! Whether you're male, female, have a new/pre-exisitng injury, are an athlete, or are a total newbie to working out... your personal trainer should always be more than capable of tailoring each exercise and workout to your specific body type, training level and physical limitations. When you become my client, I make sure that every workout and meal guide I prescribe to you is structured in a way that helps you reach your personal goals efficiently and effectively. There are many styles of training that each have their own diligence and focus. Not one style outweighs another. Each workout I will prescribe to you will be different than the last in order to keep your body truly engaged. True physical health is a combination of strength, flexibility, and proper nutrition. If we only train our bodies in one way, there is so much room for injury down the road. With a well-balanced diet and exercise program, you can achieve a strong, sculpted, healthy body. Now with all that said, here are a variety of techniques that I use to incorporate into each custom training program.

STRENGTH TRAINING

This is where it all begins. no matter your age, gender, limitations or training level, strength training will always be beneficial to you. compound movements are essential to building a stronger body. they help to create the foundation necessary to achieve your goals.

Squats, deadlifts, rows, bench press, bicep curls, dips... these are a few of the most fundamental compound lifts that exist. I incorporate each of these strength training exercises into every program in order to maintain and maximize your strength.

Don't worry, not every compound lift will be prescribed in each workout. Every workout is unique from one another by highlighting only one or two parts of your body, but still giving you enough movements to have a total body workout.

In order to keep strength training stimulating and enjoyable, I use different counting methods and super/compound sets (this means combining 2 or more exercises into one workout). I design each program in a way that Engages and challenges you while still letting you have fun with your fitness journey.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

HIIT is how we burn unnecessary fat and keep our hearts healthy. While we strength train to sculpt our bodies, we also interval train in order to enhance our endurance and promote lean muscle. HIIT is a valuable component to the way I train because it requires more than one muscle group to perform each exercise properly. Incorporating HIIT into your workout gives your entire body an opportunity to make progress towards your goals each time you train.

There's no doubt about it, interval training makes the heart stronger. How cool is that? But in order to give our hearts the proper amount of strength necessary to properly perform each workout, it’s important to give ourselves a rest period between sets. I personally don't like to count seconds or minutes... I believe that when you feel your heart rate has come down to an almost resting state, that is when you should begin to exercise again.

The constant increase and decrease of your heart rate throughout interval training is what kicks your body into survival mode, which results in activating your metabolism. Your body will continuously burn fat for the rest of the day after a session of HIIT, using every last bit of its accessible resources. Yes, it's true, your metabolism is going to kick into high gear from these workouts, so when it's time for you to eat, please don't be shy.

YOGA

Yoga has one of the most complex backgrounds of any other form of exercise that i've encountered. Not only is it physically demanding, it is also mentally stimulating and incredibly healing (both emotionally & physically).

As a personal trainer, i strongly believe that exercising requires a mind/body connection. I incorporate yoga into my training programs for that exact reason. to keep your body flexible as it acquires more strength, yoga movements are mixed into each program in order to prevent injury as well as strengthen smaller, harder to reach muscles.

Along with the physical benefits of yoga, you will also develop a mental awareness of your body that you can train to turn on as you begin your workout. When you have complete focus throughout your workout, that is when you will truly excel and reach your goals.

NUTRITION

There's no way around it, your body will thrive the most off a plant based diet. As long as you consume enough calories for your body weight, you will never have to seek out any extra nutrients. Not sugar, not carbs, not even protein. I find plants to be so remarkable because they obtain everything you need to survive. plus, they are incredibly tastey!

My goal is not to "recruit new vegans", but to help spread information on how a plant based diet can be your missing puzzle piece. We all want a diet that allows us to eat without guilt and find peace with our bodies. To some, this concept may seem foreign and impossible. It is not unusual to feel uncomfortable and frustrated with your body, but that doesn't mean it's ok. By taking control of your health, you will reach your aesthetic goals and most importantly, achieve a healthy body. when you're truly healthy on the inside, there's no doubt that you will look your best on the outside.

REST DAYS

It is very important to let yourself rest. I normally recommend taking 2-4 days off, depending on your training level. Rest days aren’t there to make you feel lazy. If anything, you should feel accomplished that you worked hard enough to give yourself a break. Resting, just like exercising, is another form of taking care of your body. It is crucial that your muscle fibers are given the tie needed to repair, so they can make you stronger.

When you take your rest days, make sure you are still maintaining a healthy diet. You don’t want to go wild and start eating all sorts of junk. Even though you aren’t exercising on these days, your goals should never go on the back burner. This also means staying active. Whether you stretch in the mornings, take walks after work, or play yard games with your friends, it’s important that you keep moving. Just make it fun and relaxing. The point of staying active during your rest days is simple. Having a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy, so let’s train our bodies to be more than capable of doing the things we love on a regular basis.

Like I previously stayed, you should use your rest days to repair your muscles as well as your mental stamina. Willpower is a muscle located within your mind. For many of us, it can be our weakest link. Rather than training every day and burning yourself out (physically & mentally), use your rest days to regain your strength as well as your focus. You can thank me later.