​✔You look ill, you've lost too much weight.
✔ You've always been big, why change now?
✔ Don't bother you'll never lose or keep the weight off.
All very inspiring because it all  eventually spurred me on to eventuality get into the best shape of my life!
Never, ever allow anyone's view of what you're trying to achieve distract you from YOUR goals. Bottom line is, they're your fitness goals, not their's. It's your health, not their's end of! 
If they persist, tell them very politely...
"Thanks for your comments, now how about you let me crack on and we'll see who's alive and healthy in 10 years time!" 🤣

So here's the thing with a commercial gym, if you're new to it, it's one of the most intimidating places to try and get started in.  ​Most decent gyms will offer you an induction, if you're unsure of what you need to do to achieve your goals, this might be a good place to start. Ask to speak to a Personal Trainer or Fitness Instructor. Another option however is trying out classes or group exercise.

​Why Group Exercise? 
When I first decided to start training properly (as in planned weekly programs and tracking progress), I found it easier to commit to the process by training with a training partner. We met and went for a run before the gym opened and then trained in the gym afterwards. We grew into a group of 3 a few months later. Our routine was 2 days of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and 3 days of Resistance Training (Weigh Training) 1 Lower and 2 Upper body sessions
Eventually, the group grew to 17 (yes, SEVENTEEN!) It was made up of a group of folks aged from their teens through to their 60's, male and female. 
Most of us have since become longterm friends and still keep in touch.
The point I'm getting to is, more than 50% of that group would not have continued to train IF they did not have that group continually pushing them on. 

We set up a text group, and the chat on this group was not just effective in keeping everyone in touch with each other, but it also served as a way to keep everyone motivated, and on track. 
All of a sudden, people started packing their gym bags the night before, leaving it by the front door, eliminating the excuse of not being ready in the morning.
Next, we started turning up 10 minutes before the gym opened, meeting in the car park to strategise, and get pumped up before starting the workout!

We became very efficient with our time, maximised every minute, and always walked out of that studio feeling great every time! 
It's fair to say we became more than an exercise group, we became a community of friends!
I see this in classes I have taught in the past and in ones I teach now. There are people in these classes who would probably NOT have come into the gym that day, but because they know they'd be letting the group down if they don't make it in, they make that extra effort to show up and give their all!​

So, just to wrap up, try out group exercise if you're not confident enough to get started on your own in the gym, and can't afford a personal trainer. Try and make friends with some other regular class goers to keep abreast of which classes and instructors are best for your goals. Just don't become that person who starts stalking other members! Have a good week!  ​😂

Getting yourself fitter and healthier starts with making sacrifices. You have to be selfish and forgot certain things you currently do to get the results you want. Also, be prepared to have to deal with some friends and family being resistant to this as well as ridiculing you as they don't want you to change because your changes will be changing  their worlds as well. Not everyone will be supportive or understand your journey.
That's ok though, because it's YOUR journey not theirs. So get in touch today, so we can get started on your journey! 
Have a good week. 👊🏾

​1. Be prepared to make sacrifices. The results you want aren't going to come from where you're currently sat, or else you wouldn't be looking to make changes! 
2. Start planning and tracking. None of the results I achieved were from guess work. Get into the habit of training 4-5 times a week and prep your meals for at least 2-3 days at a time. To eliminate boredom I suggest variety in your prep. Try and prep 2 different options for each meal and alternate daily. 

3. Be patient and consistent. Of course your discipline will be tested, you just need to continue to stick to your goals whatever the temptation. You're doing this for a good reason, because you want/need to. So ignore any temptations or any sayers and keep going.  The 1st 3 weeks will be the hardest, but once you've got through those it gets a bit easier. Plus you should start seeing little changes/results by then. 
4. Sleep - One of  the most overlooked aspects of your day is how much sleep you're getting. You need a minimum of 6 hours for your cortisol levels to remain at a manageable level. Cortisol is a hormone that has an effect on (among other things) stress levels, metabolism and blood sugar levels.  The higher your  cortisol levels, the higher the chances of weight gain & high blood sugar. So get some Sleep!! 
5. Enjoy it, because if you don't, all you'll do is revert back to your bad habits. So prep and eat meals and foods you like. The same goes for exercise, if you hate running, why would yo then head straight for the treadmill upon walking into a gym? Don't get me wrong, as I've stated before, you'll have to step out of your comfort zone for all this to work, but you don't want to take on things you don't want to do to start with as all this will do is put you in a negative state of mind and prepped for ultimate failure. Start in your comfort, but accept that eventually you'll have to step out of it.

Almost two years later and I still start my week training with lou. The nutrition side of things may have eased up, but I can’t skip the gym. Being able to do exercises I thought were impossible at the start of this feels amazing. Beating personal bests, finding things easier than the last time I did them, feeling confident enough to walk into a gym, train amongst the “gym bros” - all of hers things mean way more than the numbers on the scales.

Personal training is a huge commitment - time-wise and financially. But it is the biggest investment you can make in your health, and although it may sound cliche it is so very true. Unfortunately I’ve had family members who have suffered from heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, and I’ve realised that by being overweight and unfit I was making myself vulnerable to all these things. Simply losing weight has reduced the risk of these preventable illnesses which I don’t want to suffer from when I’m older!

My advice to anyone contemplating starting their own journey is to remind themselves constantly why they want this change. It will keep you focused and determined. Once you start seeing and feeling the changes you’ll have all the motivation you need to keep going. Having a guide, someone who’s been through their own journey, definitely helps. Experience is the best teacher - and Lou has tonnes of it!
​

Trust me, I'm not one to get all preachy and pass judgment on others and there views, but...

My consultation process has changed over the years, I try and have become quite adept at filtering out time wasters, people who might feel what i do is right for them when it's actually not. Also, people who generally just want to be able to say to friends 'I've got a Personal Trainer"! That's right they exist! 
Anyway, back to my process...
Below is an actual exchange I've had with someone who made an online enquiry about my service.. 

So please feel free to get in touch for an initial conversation, it's free with no obligation to sign up to anything. Just remember, you have to be ready for the work required to get the results you want!
Have a good week! 

​Getting better with age? Maybe

This is an example of an average days activity for me, tracked by Fitbit

Activity Tracking - Why? 
Tracking activity is useful especially in instances where your normal lifestyle/day to day activities are quite sedentary.
​
There are quite a few good trackers available. Also, most phone manufacturers now also produce watches that double as trackers.

Most activity trackers/apps will start you off with a daily target of 10,000 steps. This is a good starting point IF you don’t tend to be active, and it is quite useful to try and hit that target everyday including weekends. 

Example of the activity stats from an Apple watch......other brands are also available.

I task most of my clients to try and get to 12,000 steps a day, if this is easily achievable, we then look to up that to 15,000. The reason I make this higher than the usual 10,000 is to allow for any inaccuracies with the tracking device and also to ensure the level of activity daily is quite challenging.
​
I also target my clients to ensure they hit between 30-50% of your daily steps from activities that increases your heart rate like strength or resistance training, Cardio (ideally HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training).
​
If you need some motivation to get your activity levels up try challenges with others (friends and family for instance), most activity apps have challenges you can create or join to assist with this. Plus you can even sync your data to a social media profile to get more people involved. 
 
Finally, not tracking your progress is more or less the same as driving somewhere you’ve never been before with no direction, map or Sat Navigation. If you do end up at your planned destination, it’s more through luck than anything else!

However, whatever you do, make sure you enjoy the process. For instance, if you're not a keen runner, it's pointless running because you'll probably get bored/fed up with running, stop and go back to square one.  So, make sure you track people, and have fun with it!

I also suggest using your activity app to track weight and resistance training (reps, volumes, rest times and recovery), because it's just as important to measure this type of progress!  I'll cover this in more detail some other time. 

So the simple message is this "move more eat less, increase your activity, reduce what you eat and you will lose weight." 
 
To Recap – The essentials To Start Your Tracking Journey
Food diary app (e.g. My Fitness Pal)
Activity Tracker (e.g. Fitbit)
Digital Kitchen Scales

First off, it’s been a while since my last blog so apologies!
 
I’ve had discussions with people in the past who say they eat healthy, but can’t seem to lose weight. In some cases, they have no idea of how much they eat and how much they actually need to eat to lose or maintain their weight. 

The simple science behind weight loss is this –
If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight. In other words, you need to be in a calorie deficit to achieve weight loss.
For example, if you burn 3,500 calories per week or 500 calories per day less than you eat you will lose a pound of fat per week.
However, unless you know your current calorie intake and activity levels, how will you know if/when you’re consuming less and moving more?
 
To get a clearer picture of all this you need to be able to measure/track both Nutrition and Activity.
Part 1 of this blog will cover Nutrition. 

Nutrition
As I’ve mentioned in the past, what you eat (both the quality and quantity) is the most important part of any weight loss, gain or maintenance plan.
The simplest way to measure your food intake is by calculating how many calories you consume daily/weekly. As explained above, if you’re aiming to lose weight, you need to have a calorie deficit. Also, if you’re looking to gain weight, the opposite becomes the case. To establish a baseline, it’s useful to understand how many calories you actually need to start with.
The average Man needs between 2,300 and 2,500 calories daily for maintenance. The figure is 1,800 to 2,000 for the average woman.

​An easy formula I found worked to help calculate my daily calorie target was: 
Your weight in kilos multiplied by 17.5 or in pounds multiplied by 8 = daily calorie target. 

Once you’ve calculated this, you then need to establish what percentage of your macronutrients or macros (Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats) will make up your daily calorie intake.  You need the right type of calories for not just fat loss but also recovery, maintenance and muscle growth.
 
If you're looking to calculate your daily macro requirement, a simple equation I’ve used in the past while trying to achieve fat loss (weight loss) is :
Daily protein In grams = 2.5 multiplied by Bodyweight in Kg
Fat 1 X bodyweight in Kg
Carbs = Balance
 For example, an 80kg person would need:
Protein 2.5 x 80g = 200g
Fat 1 x 80g = 80g
Carbs  = Balance of calories remaining of 1,400 calories (80kg x 17.5 as above) a day 

 *Please note that these are estimates, if you want to calculate the exact number of calories you require daily there are scales, apps and online calculators available that can be used to achieve this.

A high protein/low sugar or carb diet will lead to fat loss, as well as improved satiety and lean muscle growth.
Once you’ve established this, you now need to be able to track your calories and macronutrients. Some do this via a food diary, however the easiest way to do this is via an app like My Fitness Pal or Lose It. Both apps are easy to use, and also have barcode scanners to scan food labels, so the food tracking process is very simple. The apps in some cases also give you a summary of what your weight will be in say a month’s time IF you continue consuming calories at the rate you’ve logged. The calculation is achieved by synching your activity levels with the calories you’ve consumed and giving you your calorie and macronutrient balance. Which brings us to activity tracking which I’ll discuss next time. 

​​So I've been at this PT lark for a while now and trained all kinds of people….young, old, male, female so on and so on.  There is however one thing that has made the whole process of me going from being an office dwelling desk jockey to a fully-fledged fitness professional justified...Getting people results!
Helping people achieve their goal is just the best feeling. 

​

​So what results are we talking about here? 
So far, every client I have had the pleasure of working with has come to me looking for at least one of the following:
1. Improved Fitness
2. Knowledge/Education
3. Improved Confidence

​I’ve managed to achieve this with my clients by keeping to the old adage I’ve preached right from the first blog I posted on this site Keeping it simple.
See most people who have limited or no knowledge of how the body transformation process works look at the whole concept of getting fit and think… ‘that looks hard’, ‘I’m never going to be able to do that’ or ‘I just haven’t got time’
Tell me you haven’t thought the same?! Exactly!
So to get started the best thing will be to take baby steps (find exercises and healthy foods you actually like and start incorporating these into your routine) and then introduce the harder and less liked ones along the way.
Anyway, back to results!

Results
These mean different things to different people. For instance, my speciality is Fat or Weight Loss. However, over the last year I have had clients who needed to gain weight, get toned, or just get educated on what kind of exercises they need to be doing to get to a particular level of fitness or strength.
Some even needed exercises to correct posture from years of sitting, walking and carrying bags in an unnatural position (been there!)
Each client I have trained (so far) has managed to get the result they wanted mainly by me gradually guiding them through every session, providing online support, providing educational material and also by motivating them through dark days when they wanted to give up!
In the end, they got what they wanted, by not giving up, taking on-board all the advice given and practicing everything we agreed together.

​
So in the last 10 months, some of my clients have the following results

• Client 1 lost 4 inches off her waist and hips and lost 3% body fat
• Client 2 lost 8 pounds and 2 inches off her waist
• Client 3 lost 14 pounds, 4 inches off her waist, and 8 inches off her hips
• Client 4 lost 12 pounds, 2 inches off his waist, & gained 2 inches in his chest
• Client 5 lost 56 pounds and 6 inches off her waist
• Client 6 lost 2 inches off her waist and gained (YES GAINED!) 5 pounds
• Client 7 gained enough confidence to learn to train on her own for the 1st time in her life!
• Client 8 got into her wedding dress and looked the best she’d ever looked without losing or gaining any weight! 

​Yes, results differ from person to person!
 
You might think everyone looking to get into Personal Training is just doing so to try and lose weight, No!  What each person wants from hiring a PT is different, different reasons, different targets! Going on holiday, getting married, training for an event (marathon, obstacle course etc.)
 
Whatever your goals are, be it fat loss, toning, or just guidance or reassurance to confirm whether you’re heading in the right direction, why don’t you get in touch and we can come up with a plan that suits your needs. 

So You're A Personal Trainer Now Huh?! 
Can you sense the sneer in that question? Well it's there trust me! 
It's in there for real! That snarky judgemental tone I get from certain friends and family when I tell them what I now do. As you can tell from the rather humorous image above, everyone has a different view of what a Personal Trainer (PT) is these days! So much so that each and every client and personal trainer you ask would probably give you a completely different explanation of what they expect or provide as a personal trainer. 
So to coin a phrase from back in the day....Let me break it down for ya! 

Personal Training - How Do you Pick
When most people look for a Personal Trainer the first thing they do is look for a point of reference. For instance, in a commercial gym, available Personal trainers are advertised online, on notice-boards, or via enquiries from reception. You can also find out about available Personal Trainers by watching them work with their clients in the gym. The gym member then decides based on what they've seen or been told. In some cases, some gym members watch a personal trainer train themselves, and make a decision based on either how hard or how well they see the Personal trainer train. This is not always a great way to decide, as someone who trains well or looks great doesn't necessarily make a great Personal trainer! 
If you're searching online for a Personal trainer, you make your decision based on location and recommendations/reviews. Again, a rather simple process.
The issue with all this is you don't actually know how you and your prospective Personal Trainer will gel once you sign up for sessions. Which is why it is always advisable to ask for a trial package.  This isn't an unreasonable request and I actually tell prospective clients who enquire about my services to pay for 2 sessions to start with, and decide afterwards on whether they want to book more sessions, mainly because both parties have to be sure the relationship will work long-term. 

What do you get from YOUR Personal Trainer?
When you engage a Personal trainer, you should be getting a fitness professional ready to offer you not just exercise sessions (online or one on one) but some reassurance and support away from the gym/exercise session covering your nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Granted some Personal Trainers aren't qualified to give nutritional advice, but they should still be able to tell you what foods you should be staying away from to help ensure you hit the goals you've set between you. 
Also, you don't necessarily want a Drill Sargent (unless of course that's your preference!), you want someone to show you the right amount of support and drive, as well as empathy when applicable. For instance, I've had sessions where the first 10 minutes were spent talking to a client, whether it be for reassurance, to review the days between the last session, or to talk about nutrition. there always has to be a balance between actual training and all the other facets that all make up the whole Personal training experience. Remember, the session you've paid for is Personal to YOU. The Personal Trainer should therefore NOT be delivering back to back identical sessions! I've seen Personal Trainers literally take their clients through a session with no small talk in between sets, just a quick hello, back to back exercises for the whole duration and done! 

Last Word...
So whether you're looking in your local gym, online, or anywhere else, don't make a hasty decision, ask for a taster, and also don't go looking for the best looking Trainer around (although this would make yours truly even busier! hehehe!), look for the one with best recommendations, and results! A personal trainer might look the part, the question is do they get their clients looking the part as well?!!
Until Next Time! 

This topic might sound like a very simple one to most, but believe you me, if it was that easy, everyone who ever decided to lose weight,  lower their body fat percentage or get healthy would do so in no time and with minimum effort! 
However, as we all know, the reality is something completely different. 

The Truth is most people start off on their fat loss journey thinking about how much they want to lose, and over how long. Nothing wrong with that all. However, you end up putting yourself under pressure by focusing on a round number and timescale right from the unset! Just aim for shorter term targets, and review periodically! So instead of 5 stone in 6 months, start of by aiming for say 10 pounds or a stone in 2 months for starters, and review at the end of that period! Another easier option would be to start off by weighing yourself NOW, and forgetting about weighing yourself again until you feel you've accomplished a major milestone. How will you know this? Easy! Your clothes and your physical fitness is always a simple way to gauge this.

Small Changes Lead To Big Results!
For Example - I start off with every new client I take on with a conversation about their goals, we then look at their main drivers/reasons, how long they want to take to achieve this, what barriers they foresee getting in the way of this, what they're prepared to do to achieve this, and also how realistic they feel their goals are. 
We then start with some subtle changes, as opposed to wholesale changes to their lifestyle/nutrition/fitness regime. Why?  Because changing everything in one clean sweep will ultimately lead to cravings and regression. So instead of changing an entire diet, we start with a single meal (for example, start eating a healthy breakfast every day!) We then review after a week, and then change another meal, or add healthy snacks.
Adding small changes over time makes dealing with change a lot easier to manage, and it also makes achieving  long-term changes more sustainable. Trying to force yourself to change everything straight away will only lead to you relapsing and heading back in the same direction you've just come from!! Take baby steps towards your goal, and you'll find it easier to cope with the little changes you've made.
Don't get me wrong, I've seen instances where people have made complete changes, and stuck with them, but this only works for a small percentage of people.  In most cases where a person has lived an unhealthy lifestyle for years or decades, it'll take time to make  amendments to change this, it therefore works better if small and frequent changes are introduced over time.

Never look back
Once you've made these subtle changes, try not to look back. Don't dwell, always remember the reason why you decided to make the changes, and keep going! Don't look back, keep looking forward to seeing the subtle changes you've made leading to long-term success. Granted there will be days, or periods when you feel like the small changes aren't working, and nothing seems to be changed, but keep persevering, keep getting up and going, and eventually the small steps will lead to big strides towards that big body transformation! 

One thing I've learnt over the years is that a lot of people struggle to eat right. By this I mean, they struggle to figure out what version of a particular food is the healthiest or cleanest one.
What doesn't help is the mountain of misinformation, and false advertising out there that further complicates matters!
Now I'm not saying I'm about to put an end to all that, but what I'll do is give you some bits of advice and information to help the decision making process a whole lot easier! 

Nutrition  - What's Good? 
I follow one simple rule when I'm on my strict nutrition days, by preparing and cooking everything I eat myself, and also making sure my snacks are simple things like fruit and nuts. You just can't best knowing exactly what's in every single bite you're having. 

I get asked a lot, 'which protein shake, which protein bar, which this which that by this company and that nutrition company is the best?'
My answer remains the same....Eat real food for real results. Granted, it will take longer to achieve those results you're after, you will however feel better for it, and also the results you've achieved will be at a healthy, steady rate, and at no point will you have to worry about side effects from using supplements you haven't researched properly!! Why? Because you'll be eating real food with no worries about additives, and any other toxins. 

Studies & research in the past have proved there are unhealthy levels of toxins like arsenic and lead in SOME supplement powders available to the general consumer for use, so why put yourself at risk taking something you're not fully versed on, just because you want a quick fix and/or want to fit in with the rest of supplement takers?!! 
It really is baffling seeing some people do a minimal amount of exercise and go straight to their shaker/bottle and down some odd coloured powder to help with their fitness process! Even those who swear by ''pre-workout'' shakes for that extra edge to their training session.

The only pre-workout I have is a small coffee or espresso, no milk, no sugar, I then get warmed up and GET ON WITH IT!! Fair enough this might not be for everyone, but you get my point. 

But I haven't got the time?!!
​
Here's the thing with eating healthy and clean.....It's not as hard as you think! Find a 1-2 hour window (and please don't tell me you can't find 2 hours in your ''busy schedule''!!) to prep your meals for the week. If you can't do the whole week in one go, try to find 45 minutes on a Sunday, and try and find another 45 minutes during the week to prep the rest of your meals. Invest in decent tightly sealed tupperware or meal prep containers  and you're there! 
It's definitely a lot easier than you think!
Once you get into the habit of doing this, repeating it becomes easy. Remember, you only have to be uber strict for 75% of the week, that's 5 and a quarter days a week. the other 1 and three quarter days can be your treat days (cheat days sound too much like a negative, and if you've been good for that much of the week, you need to see your down 1 and three quarter days as a reward!!)  

Make Time And Make It Yourself! 
As I've said all through this, keep it simple, make it yourself, and make time! This may sound corny, but... You've only got the one body, look after it and it'll look after you. 
Stay away from fast, cheap meal options such as ready meals, store bought smoothies, (get a blender and make your own! Sheesh!) supplements you have no understanding of, and believe me, you WILL still get the results you desire! 

Yup!! 
​That's a genuine and regular request I get from prospective clients, and I'm sure most Personal Trainers get it as well!
With Summer more or less upon us, there will be more and more people trying to achieve that dream summer body, which always invariably includes...you guessed it wanting washboard abs!
So let's have a closer look at the reality behind the process.  

Sit-ups Or Crunches
I see a lot of people doing dozens and dozens of sit ups every time they come into the gym , most tend to do these at the end of their workouts. 
The main issue I notice with people doing this is the form/technique they adopt while trying to perform the exercise. As you perform a sit-up, and fatigue sets in, the one thing you'll do over and over again is start using muscles and joints you shouldn't be using JUST so you can complete a set. So what tends to happen is people end up with sore necks from crunching their necks more than their abs, and also a sore lower back as the abdominal muscles have stopped working (or in most cases a re weak to start with), and as a result the back starts taking a pounding!
                                                                                                              
As an alternative, try one of the most underused exercises around....The plank.
There are so many variations to this that even if you have problems doing a high plank, you can start low (on your forearms) or on your knees, and progress it with time to the high plank, and even add a side plank later on for good measure!

There's a vast array of exercises you could be doing as an alternative to sit-ups, for more options, check out my Instagram Page.  https://www.instagram.com/gravis_fitness/

Time Scales & Results 

Each person's body is different and unique in the way it will respond to exercise and nutritional changes. So the first thing to do is ignore the 'one size fits all' approach of campaigns such as ''6 minutes abs in 6 weeks!''
So many buy into the ads you see on TV claiming using a particular machine or routine will sculpt your abs in no time!! 
If 5 different people picked up the same kit and did the same routines, it's more than likely that they'd all get different results! 
​Your genetics plays a huge part in the process, and as such plays a big part in what results you'll get from any exercise.
You also need to allow yourself a realistic amount of time to get the desired results, so, don't get despondent if you don't get them,  not everyone gets a 6-pack, no matter how had they try! You'll end up with strong abdominal muscles, but not necessarily the definition to end up with a 6-pack.
It's also worth remembering that as with any other muscle group you work on (Legs, arms, chest) growth occurs eventually, as long as you persist! 


​I'll use my experience as an example here, I started with a 42 inch waist, and got to 28 inches, the process included a complete overhaul of my nutrition, a revamp of my fitness regimes, so in essence a change of lifestyle! How long did this all take? The best part of 2 years! 

So if you don't get your 6 pack in the same time as your mate, or in the same time the infomercial claims you should get it, don't give up, keep going, keep eating right and keep hitting the gym. Just remember, the 6-pack shouldn't be the objective.....getting and staying fit IS THE OBJECTIVE! 

​Nice cold glass of the good stuff? Don't mind if I do!






Been a while since my last blog! Apologies, but I've been busy trying to get the world fit, one client at a time! Haha!
Anyhooo.....

Water
Let's start with the basics.
​Water makes up more than 60% of our body, which means it needs to be constantly replenished by ensuring we consume....you guessed it, more water. NOT fizzy drinks, NOT ''fat-free'', ''sugar-free'' or ''diet'' versions of fizzy drinks and NOT alcohol. Just good old fashioned water.​

• ​Water serves so many other important purposes in the body, a lot of these are integral to all round wellbeing and helping to enhance our day to day performance and nutrition.

​For instance, did you know that drinking enough water (as a rule 2 litres or 8 glasses of water a day is a good place to start) helps oxygenate the blood, flush out toxins, AND ensure there's enough oxygen in the body to aid recovery, improve kidney function as well as improve digestion.

All that from ensuring you drink at least the amount of water recommended above!

​What I've found quite amazing is the amount of times people have told me they would find it difficult to take in that much water during the course of a day, the same people would however have no qualms in downing 6+ pints of larger at one seating at home or down at the local pub....Hmmm.....

​The benefits are endless!
​​Not only do you get higher energy levels from the  oxygen release into the body from water, it also aides fat loss, and helps to suppress appetite, and reduce the need to eat.  This is because a lot of the times what you might feel is hunger is actually your body telling you it needs water. 

​It's also the best and easiest way to stay hydrated during and after exercise (step away from the ''sport'' juice!)
​A well hydrated body in turn leads to a well hydrated brain, improved brain function and a reduction in instances of headaches.

​Plus, it improves bowel function, AND drinking that much water will also help your steps and cardio  per day as you'll keep popping to the little boys (or girls room) to offload! I jest​

So all in all, I see absolutely no reason why you'd do anything but drink water on a regular basis all through the day to help you achieve the benefits I've mentioned above.

​You don't even have to keep investing in the bottled variety if this is unaffordable,  just get yourself a water filter (you can even get portable ones these days!) and fill up directly from the tap, and Bob's your uncle!

​Until next time.......

Most of us have been there at some point in our lives…. We decide we want to lose weight, and set a target of X amount of pounds or kilos.
Most will think - ‘well there’s nothing wrong with that!’
There is however a slight flaw to this way of thinking when you’re looking to set and achieve your fitness goals.
You should NOT get bogged down with losing weight, and continually weighing yourself! Instead, focus on reducing body fat and getting healthy.
There’s a distinct difference between trying to lose weight and trying to lose fat. 

​With weight loss, an individual is focused on the numbers that come up on the scales each time they get on. So progress is classed as a drop in weight over periods of time. In most cases where the focus is on weight loss, how this is achieved is by a reduction in food intake (or as is commonly referred to by most “on a diet”) and an increase in cardio exercise.
 
In most cases, this will produce the desired weight loss target, but it will also lead to some or all of the following – An eventual decrease in fitness and strength, reduced immunity, a reduction in muscle mass and early aging. Its scary that this all happens as a result of the individual focusing on losing weight, and not on being healthy! 

​Now, if the focus is on fat loss, i.e. to reduce fat, and gain lean muscle, the process will involve a training regime encompassing both cardio and strength training (this will lead to improved peak fitness and strength!) It will also include adopting a nutrition plan that recommends a reduction in food that has little or no nutritional value, as well as an increase in food that are high fibre, and increases satiety levels - satiety being the feeling of being satisfied or full up.
 
This is why I advise most of my clients not to focus on weighing themselves, but to focus more on changes in their body shape. When they adopt this approach, what they find is their clothes begin to fit differently, fat stores around the body (mainly around the waist area aka muffin top/love handles) start to shrink, and lean muscle definition becomes more prominent in other parts of the body. 

So change your focus NOW!!

Instead of measuring Kilos and pounds, focus on losing inches and centimetres where it matters!
​
Concentrate on changing your body shape by doing these two things… eating the right stuff - Food rich in Fibre, lean protein and drink loads of water, AND also, tweak your fitness programme to include both cardio and strength training, and don’t be scared to throw some HIIT training in there as well!

Most importantly…don’t forget to have fun with it! 

My first purchase with this in mind was a pair of Nike Max TR’s. Now these trainers turned out to be quite comfortable for everyday use in a HIIIT class, and also during my self-designed high impact circuit sessions. They did however seem quite heavy and I did find that I wasn’t moving as fluidly as I would have liked to and also found that I was having to make allowances for the weight in the sole each time I did a Plyo jump (not ideal when you’re in the middle of a fast paced workout!). Don’t get me wrong, they did serve a purpose, and safe to say they helped me through the initial stages of my fitness regime but I thought I needed to find something that suited me better.
​

Reebok Crossfit Nano
 
I finally decided to do more research on shoes most people were wearing for Insanity workouts across the globe, and came across a few blogs that suggested the best footwear would be ones that replicated training barefooted! This didn’t appeal to me (funny that!) so I kept looking, and narrowed down the options to the five Finger Glove shoes, and the Reebok Crossfit Nano 3.0
 
I was fortunate enough to be heading off to New York on holiday a few weeks after I discovered the Reebok Crossfit Nano range, and popped into an Outlet while I was away, and picked up a couple of pairs at a bargain price.  When I returned to England, I gave them a test drive during my first Insanity session, and have to say they were brilliant!!
 

 ​The first thing I noticed was that I was completely focused on my workout, and did not have to make any kind of allowance for my footwear, and well, just got on with my workout! This was a new and truly exciting experience for me (doesn’t take a lot I know!)
I eventually ended up buying 1 more pair, and even decided to try out a pair of Nano 4.0’s, which proved to be just as comfortable, and, I now own 2 pairs of those now as well. 
Owning 5 pairs of the same trainers might seem excessive, but as I teach circuit classes 3 times a week, trained 6 times a week myself as well, I needed the choice to ensure I didn’t end up ruining one pair, and having to go out and buy new ones every couple of months.
 
3 years down the line, that strategy has served me well so far, and all 5 pairs are still ticking over nicely, and I even manage to do sprint sessions in them comfortably without having to revert back to my specialist running shoes!
 
I have since recommended them to numerous clients, friends and colleagues, and they say the same thing about how comfortable they are to use for all kinds of fitness routines. From running, to circuit classes, to just general everyday gym use.  My wife used to struggle with the arches of her feet when she trained, however after moving to Crossfit Nano's she doesn't get the pain anymore and complains less about her feet when she's training (she does however find other things to moan about).
 
I’d recommend trying out a pair of Reebok Crossfit Nano’s either 3.0 or 4.0, and see how you get on. Don’t think because of the name they’re specifically designed for Crossfit, and feel free to drop me a line if you want any more info on how I continue to get on with using them!

​​Let’s talk about fat in this the third instalment of the Food Glorious Food (FGF) blogs.
 
Fat is another of the three main macronutrient food groups (Carbs and Protein being the other 2); it therefore also serves a very important role in the preparation of our day-to-day nutrition.
 
Despite the fact that some might immediately look at ‘Fat’ as a negative in terms of nutrition, the right sort of Fat is needed for a healthy and balanced diet. It is only when too much, too little or the wrong kind of fat is consumed that it can then become detrimental to health, and lead to ailments such as coronary heart disease.  
Let’s have a closer look at Fats categorisation to get a better understanding of what kinds of fats we need, and the kinds we need to avoid. 

Fats & Oils – Intro
As I mentioned before, Fats are essential to our everyday survival and well-being, the quality and quantity we consume is therefore key!
When consumed appropriately, Fats act as a major energy source, insulate the body and also act as a shield/cushion for vital internal organs. They also slow the digestion process down, and instil a sense of being full quicker. Safe to say the health benefits are quite vast.
Fats are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, it is how all these elements are bonded that ascertains what category each kind of fat falls into. 

Bad Fat
 
Saturated Fat
Saturated Fat is generally fat that remains hard at room temperature, and comes from animal products like cream, cheese and the fat from meat products.  It can also be found in nut oils like Palm and Coconut.
Over consumption of Saturated Fat can lead to higher cholesterol and obesity levels, as well as risks of heart disease. It's worth noting that a small amount of saturated fat is acceptable in a healthy diet. 

Trans Fat
Trans Fat (Trans Fatty Acids) appear in small quantities in a wide range of foods. They provide very little or no health benefits, and invariably lead to serious health issues (like high levels of cholesterol) if consumed in high quantities.
 
Trans Fat is created by heating up (hydrogenation) liquid vegetable oil to make them more solid.  It appears present in a lot of takeaways and food like fried breaded and battered foods like Chicken Nuggets, Onion Rings and Fish & Chips.
Trans Fat does also appear in small quantities in some dairy products like cheese, cream and butter and some, as well as animal fat.
 
They appear in baked snacks such as pizzas, pies, cakes, crackers, sweets, pastries and biscuits as partially hydrogenated oil (you should be able to spot this on the food’s ingredients list/label) Although the amount of Trans Fat appearing in food has dropped over the years, however it is still useful to check. ​

Unsaturated Fat - Good Fat
 
This is the type of fat most beneficial to a healthy diet, as it offers the benefits I covered before – Energy Source, Higher Levels of satiety. Over consumption can however still lead to a risk of heart disease. There are 2 types of Unsaturated Fat, these are Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated.

Monounsaturated Fat contains one unsaturated carbon bond (or double bond) in its structure, and tend to be liquid at room temperature, and turn solid in colder conditions. It can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, by reducing bad cholesterol levels.
Monounsaturated fat examples include Avocado, and Olive Oil as well as nut oils like almond, rapeseed and corn, these are rich in monounsaturated fats and also contribute the antioxidant vitamin E to the diet.
 
Polyunsaturated Fat contains multiple carbon bonds, and is always liquid at room temperature. It can also have a beneficial effect on the heart if consumed in moderation by reducing bad cholesterol levels. It also contributes Vitamin E (antioxidant) to the diet, and helps develop the body’s blood cells.
 
It is mostly found in algae, nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish Oils (Omega-3 & 6)
Examples include Seaweed, Chia & Sesame Seeds, Soybeans, Sardines, Mackerel and Salmon.  

Conclusion
It’s almost impossible to tailor your diet in such a way that you completely avoid Bad Fat as all foods will have a combination of different Fats. The predominant Fat category defines whether the food is bad or good fat. For instance, most animal fat contains some saturated fat, although chicken and turkey contain far less than red meat, while plants and fish is generally unsaturated.
So to keep the right kind of Fat in your diet, stick to Good Fats, cook your own food as much as possible, and try and eliminate takeaways, baked and fried foods!

My initial bulking meal plan consisted of 6 meals per day: 

• Meal 1-100g of Porridge oats, 1 1/2 scoops of Whey Protein Isolate and 1 table spoon of organic peanut butter,
• Meal 2- 200g of Red Meat (steaks), 100g of white rice (won him over in the end lol), 1 portion of Broccoli and 1 table spoon of Udo's oil or 1 handful of Brazil nuts or cashew nuts, 
• Meal 3- 200g of chicken, 100g of white rice and 1 table spoon of Udo's oil,
• Meal 4- 200g of Turkey, 100g of white rice and 1 table spoon of Udo's oil, 
• Meal 5- 200g of salmon, 100g of white rice and a 1 portion of broccoli or asparagus and final meal
• Meal 6- 5 whole eggs, four eggs whites, 100g of white rice and a portion of broccoli or asparagus.

All my meals were prepared with no salt, seasoning or sauces. They were extremely bland, this was difficult especially as my previous diet of traditional Nigerian food was extremely flavoursome.
The first day following this diet was tough. The bland food was extremely hard to swallow, literally, and I needed a lot of water to keep the dry tasteless meals down. I knew then and there that if I was serious about this competition my relationship with food had to change, gone are the days where I ate for enjoyment, food was now a tool, a tool my body needed to transform.

Although I had to stick to this diet religiously, there were days were I picked at my girlfriends plate or binged on cakes, jerk chicken and rice, Chinese and Thai food. Little did I know that these regular cheat meals will make me work even harder during the shredding phase. So please don't make the same mistakes as me. 
All my meals were prepared a day in advance by my lovely girlfriend Kate aka Head Coach (Here she is opposite doing her most muscular poses backstage at the NPA British Finals ) 
Although a primary school teacher with piles of work to do, she always made time to support me, with food preparation, encouragement on days when I was ready to pack it all in and chief camera woman during my posing practise. I guess she probably knew my routine more than me and deserves a medal for putting up with me.
​

                                                               The final Product - SHREDDED BABY!!

I know, I know! It’s been so long since I covered FGF Part one, that a lot of you are probably thinking, ‘‘what was Part one then?’’ To answer that, please click on the image above. 

Anyway…
 
Here’s the thing about protein, it comes in so many shapes, sizes and guises that there are enough options available! Whether you’re vegetarians, pescetarian and so on!
 
As it’s one of the 3macro-nutrient food groups that we all need for every day sustenance, its importance cannot be overlooked at all! 
 
Firstly, let’s start by having a look at what protein actually is....

Protein – Intro & Amino Acids
 
As I said before, Protein is essential for every day functions. This is because it carries out many purposes within the body especially the growth and repair of the body’s tissues. For example, you will find certain people consume some form of protein straight after a work out, as it is believed that it helps aide or accelerate the recovery process.
 
Protein is made up of Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Hydrogen and most importantly Amino Acids (some of these are also manufactured by the body) which all help aide the body’s repair and growth process.  
Amino Acids however form the most important component of proteins, they are commonly referred to as the building blocks that link together to help form or build protein in to its final form.
​
Amino Acids fall into 2 categories Essential (Amino Acids that cannot be produced by the body and therefore have to come from food consumption) and Non-Essential (naturally occurring in the body, and not required via protein consumption)
In total, there are 20 types of Amino Acid, that fall into these 2 categories, this is however quite subjective, depending on who you ask, so I’ll leave the classification topic to the 2 aforementioned categories.
 
Coming back to Protein, it also serves as a fuel/energy source, hormones and enzyme regulation, and also the creation of some antibodies that help fight against infection.
There is however also a chance of over consumption of protein, this in itself can also be quite detrimental to your health, as it can lead to a risk of dehydration, kidney failure, and also an increased chance of weight gain. This is because foods high in protein sometimes tend to have a high level of fat as well, this is then converted by the body into fat and stored.
 
The recommended protein intake for an average Male adult is 55 grams and 45 for a Female.  There are exceptions to this rule, mainly pregnant females (in which case the intake would need to be higher) and individuals with specific nutritional needs based on health, as well as physical activity (e.g. Body Builders and Professional athletes)
 
So all in all, its importance cannot be overstated, which is why the protein we consume has to be of the highest quality at all times, to enable it to serve the purposes mentioned above.  So let’s look at some good protein sources. 

​Protein Sources
 
There are various sources of protein, the most commonly referred to tend to be from red and white meat, seafood and diary products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. Protein can also be sourced from eggs, seeds, nuts and Tofu.
 
The sources available are mostly down to each individual’s dietary preferences, which can be determined by factors such as allergies, religious beliefs, personal preferences, and protein sources available.
 
High Quality Protein Sources
 
Protein sources are fairly well known to all of us, we do however need to make sure as stated before that we are getting it from the best possible source.
 
Based on the individual’s dietary and personal preferences the following are examples of the best sources of high primary protein.
 
Diary
Milk
Greek Yoghurt (preferably 0% Fat Free)
Swiss cheese
Eggs
Almond Milk
 
Plants & Grain
Quinoa
Spinach
Asparagus
Broccoli
Green Peas
Edamame
Nuts - Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts (raw, roasted, NOT salted of course!)
Chickpeas
Lentils
Beans (examples Kidney, Cannellini, Black Turtle)
 
Seafood
Fish - Tuna, Salmon, Tilapia, Sardines,
Squid/Octopus
Shellfish – Crab, Lobster
 
Meat & Poulty
Lean Steak
Lean Lamb
Lean Mince
Beef Jerky
Skinless Chicken
Skinless Turkey
The general rule is to ensure there is no skin or fat on any of the above, also, grilled, baked, steamed and NOT fried.
 
Whey Protein is another popular protein source, especially among athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and bodybuilders. It is a high-quality protein naturally found in some dairy products, and is low in lactose. There are different brands, compositions available, I’d suggest reading the product composition thoroughly before purchasing any of these, and also look at reviews by actual users as well.
 
Use the above as a guide when deciding what to use as your protein source, and keep in mind measures as well, supplement with good carbs, fat and you’re on your way to a heading towards healthier nutrition. 

For quite a few years now, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT for short) has become more and more prevalent in the fitness industry.
 
To simplify, the term refers to short periods of high intensity exercise. It can be performed as a session on its own, or as part of a workout routine. The session/routine will also include short or active rest periods. Active rest period referring to periods of rest during which you remain mobilised (for example slow jogs or skips)
 
The point is a HIIT workout can be anything you want it to be, as long as you stick to the principle of short rest in between performing exercises.  

​As I mentioned before, the objective of a HIIT workout is to push yourself at max capacity for short intervals, rest for a short period, and then repeat. The exercise to rest ratio tends to be 2:1 for beginners, and then progressed incrementally as fitness levels improve.
 
For instance, one minute of exercise, at pace, followed by 30 seconds rest, and then increase exercise time if comfortable, keeping rest time the same. This can also be done over a sustained period (of weeks/months) once cardiovascular levels have improved.
 
A simple HIIT example is doing 1-minute sprints at top speed (outdoors or on a treadmill) followed by a 30 second slow jog. So in essence, you can carry out such a workout anywhere, anytime, and with or without gym equipment.
 
I myself am a huge advocate of this particular workout, as most of my fat/weight loss was achieved by coupling HIIT workouts with a strict nutrition plan.

An example of HIIT (some actually refer to it as the origin of HIIT training) is Tabata training, so named after one of its inventors Dr. Izumi Tabata, who along with an Olympic skating coach Irisawa Koichi at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo Japan came up with a form of High Intensity Interval training which involved training flat out for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second rest.  This is then repeated eight more times and adds up to a four-minute workout in total. Various modifications can be made to these to suit individual needs, by either increasing exercise time, number of rounds or rest times to suit.

Another good example is a bodyweight-based circuit, for example the Insanity Workout. Some of you will already know how much of a fan of the Workout I am; this is mainly because it is a classic example that works and gets results.
The workout’s format is based on the same idea, which is a burst of intense exercise for a few minutes, followed by 30-second breaks. I can safely say it works!! 

HIIT can be classed as both Aerobic and Anaerobic exercise rolled into one! This means it gives you both a Cardio (Aerobic) and Strength (Anaerobic) workout at the same time.
HIIT workouts therefore impact our 3 energy systems, these being the Aerobic, Lactic Acid and Creatine Phosphate Systems. The two later systems are jointly referred to as the Anaerobic System (I’ll talk more about this in another blog, for now back to HIIT!!).

​Eventually, if the HIIT routines are carried out frequently, an improvement in aerobic capacity will occur. Meaning the body becomes more efficient in taking in and delivering oxygen. Putting it simply, breathing and stamina improve, and so does the body’s metabolic rate.  
 
At the same time, the anaerobic capacity is improved as strength in the muscles engaged during exercise is increased.  Again put simply, muscle growth/toning will occur, and higher levels of intense exercise will eventually become possible over time. 

So all in all, I’d say HIIT is a “must”, not withstanding what your fitness goals are, as you can tailor it to your own needs, levels of fitness, time, location and modify accordingly over time.
 
I will however urge caution and advise that you start off with one sessions a week to start, and progress gradually, ensuring that there is at least a 48 hour break in between sessions, until you get to a stage where you can comfortably get through 3 sessions a week, performed on alternate days!  
 
As with any exercise, please ensure you don’t go from basically doing nothing for years to attempting HIIT! Especially if you a have a history of or are prone to any form of cardiac illness.
 
If you fancy joining me in person for a 30 minute HIIT session, click on the link/logo below for the details of the sessions I run.

Happy New Year all!

Below is a guest post from a Dave Brockway of Before 2 After to help with your nutrition goals as you start the new year afresh. 

As much as I believe that you need to have started your journey towards a new you before January 1st, and not attach importance to one particular date on the calendar, this piece will definitely help you gain a better understanding of the nutritional side of things.

Over to you Dave! 

If you are looking to lose weight, then to some degree you need to be in a calorie deficit. 

If you cut them too low for too long then you are setting yourself up for a massive fat gain. Sometimes with calories lower than half your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) you can start gaining
weight.  

Fat loss is controlled by a cascade of hormonal reactions in the body. This is a very complex and clever system designed to make you survive famines and droughts. I always monitor my clients calorie intake for several reasons. But the main reason is to see if they are getting enough nutrients and calories to make sure they can function effectively, not only in the gym but in real life. So often I will meet clients, especially women, on 1200 calories when their BMR should be around 1900-2000. The problem with this is hormones like Thyroid and Ghrelin go haywire and slow down your metabolism making you very hungry. This is also very stressful on the body and stress hormones like Cortisol become elevated which also has an effect on fat loss.

The issue with most people is they start by cutting their calories to 1200 from the beginning and get great results. The results are a bit Emperors New Clothes as it’s mainly water and lean muscle tissue (Depending on how large you are) with some fat. Then the hormone system designed to survive sends chemical signals around the body indicating you are going into starvation mode. That then makes fat storage much easier and the hormones that become active to help oxidise fat down regulate. Any scale weight lost at this point will be muscle. This with slow your metabolism down. 
With all that said, the hormones will also continually send signals to the brain saying ‘You are starving, eat!’. After a period of time you will either have a massive binge or give up totally. We are designed to survive not starve.
If I have a client sitting in front of me and I look at their nutrition diaries and they are consuming really low calories with maybe excessive cardio. They will have to raise the calories slowly to return everything to normal. I will also make sure they are having a full spectrum of nutrients before we even discuss lowering calories. This can be difficult to convince someone if at the beginning of a phase they had great results. Psychologically most resist something they think will gain weight. The truth of the matter is sometime there are phases where fat loss peaks, which is actually productive as you regulating hormones to speed metabolism.

Work out you BMR and start monitoring your calories from here. I’m not a huge fan of numbers like this as we are all different and we produce energy differently due to gender, genetics and environmental aspects. But this is good place to start. Then if nothing moves after a week, drop 50 to 100 calories. If you start cutting too low beware.

Signs That You Are Cutting Too Aggressively

• You constantly hungry. It’s ok to be hungry now and again or at the beginning but it should subside after 2 or so days.
• You hit plateaux for fat loss. Raise your calories at a rate where fat loss doesn’t gain or lose much to up regulate the hormone cascade.
• You continuously crave sugar treats. The body will urge you to find energy. If you are in nutrient starvation then it’s going to look for foods with the quickest forms of available energy to create ATP(the body energy system). That usually comes from carbohydrates like sugar
• You bodies temperature goes up and down. Thyroid is not optimal.

Maybe go back to the drawing board. Most people fail because they think the more they restrain the quicker the results. Look at you diet, and take away the things that cause the most harm to your fat loss 1 per week. Don’t be someone who throws in the towel January 2nd. Look at getting realistic results with small changes over an extended period of time. HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dave Brockway is the owner of Before 2 After Training.