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This is an exciting time of year for many because it is starting to signify the changing of the seasons. Not only that but the premiership football season starts tomorrow too, and we have many sportsmen who are already playing their pre-season games and looking to open the season with all guns blazing!

For those of you who have been on holiday, you will be anxious to get right back into it and lose any body fat you would have likely gained on your time having fun whilst away.

Although it is still close, there is definitely a chill in the air at times so this should signal to you a fresh opportunity to get into great shape in slightly cooler conditions which are my own personal favourite training conditions!

Food starts to change at this time of year too, from the lighter foods a lot of people gravitate to the heavier foods, more of the “dinner” variety rather than the “salad” options.

So if you had a pretty all over the place summer, the upcoming autumn will give you structure once again. The new structure will help you set goals, your body will feel a lot more at home with regular workouts and regular good foods, all done on a more normal working schedule or school/college schedule.

I for one, am determined to get big results for everyone I train this upcoming autumn, so set yourself up for success by shopping well for good food, and getting some great nights of sleep for the massive workouts to come!

Not having a strong foundation in your training is a problem that will catch up with you sooner rather than later. Many people just look at certain magazines or internet sites and assume that they can too exercise like the model used in the photograph or video.

Most people don’t realize a couple of things that are hugely important!

1. The exercise being shown as a wonder exercise may not be the right thing for them.

2. Re-creating that exercise without proper instruction is much harder than imagined, with injury a very real possibility.

3. The exercises shown are never explained in the context of how they fit into your programme, in a workout or a week full of workouts.

There are many other reasons but no need to go on and on about the lack of suitability of these methods in photos and videos.

The whole point of this piece is to re-enforce the importance of training hard but properly for a substantial period of time. This will indeed give you the foundation on how to train hard, efficiently, make progress and very importantly, NOT GET INJURED!

This site is all about doing things the RIGHT way and stopping you waste time on faddy exercise programmes, both in print and videos online. Not all are bad of course, but a substantial number are after a cheap buck produced by charlatans of the highest order.

It’s vital to get proper instruction especially when you begin and exercise programme, and when you are ready to make that next step up so don’t be afraid to ask a qualified professional!!

Catherine’s question about “do you need protein shakes” and does it depend on who you are and what you are doing in terms of activities to justify drinking these shakes, is a very interesting one and a question I have heard more and more over the last couple of years in particular.

The real truth of the matter is that IF you are getting enough balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, then you do not need all of these extra supplements including protein.

If you are skipping meals though, and have trouble getting enough protein into your day, then protein shakes can be handy, and in the case of certain athletes, much more necessary depending on their chosen sport, which we will talk another time about.

The lean protein sources from natural foods include chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, cottage cheese etc.

If you feel you cannot get most or any of these into your day, then you either need to look at your planning and preparation, which means making your next day’s food the night before and putting it in the fridge ready for your next working day, or you can make it first thing in the morning to make it even fresher!

OR

If you have a job that involves very little time for eating for whatever reason, its this situation that can be perfect for the convenience of protein shakes, and will make sure you get regular meals even if they are in liquid forms for 1-2 meals a day.

It must be remembered that food supplements are exactly that, SUPPLEMENTS and not REAL FOOD. So real food is the first choice but protein shakes can be a substitute when no other food option is available.

Protein shakes only all day are seen by many as a quick weight loss tactic, unfortunately this is another short term method that will set you up for longer term failure.

Protein shakes can be very useful when used properly and when used to suit whatever lifestyle you lead.

The hottest day of the year again, and this is a day to view your exercise sessions with extreme caution.

Definitely a day to take it easy, to work within yourself and to avoid training in the warmest time of the day, which is means early morning workouts, and evening workouts tend to work better.

If you get through what you planned to do, then that should be enough, don’t be tempted to go for records, stop when you think you have had enough, and stop immediately if you feel any light-headedness or dizziness, because this can be a sign that you are already dehydrated and you need to take action to remedy the situation immediately, before your decision making ability totally leaves you.

Sip water throughout the day, and you’re going to need a lot more during your workouts that’s for sure.

These are basic sensible guidelines for working out in extreme heat.

Seven days from now you will likely be back in much cooler conditions, and then you can go back to normal training intensity. Doing the right thing in these ultra-hot conditions will prepare you well for the more normal conditions to come.

Stay cool and enjoy the weather in the right way!

Finishing off this toughest of weeks in terms of weather in good form will perhaps be one of your toughest challenges!

You have had a tough week of training or have you avoided training completely because it is so warm? I know of plenty of people who have battled through it, and I know some who feel incapable of getting their kit on in this weather.

I see week’s like this as pivotal. They put your mind to the test, and they put your commitment in question. Are you really hardcore in terms of training, or does the pub hold too much influence on you in this weather?

If you have stuck with the training side this week, and eaten fairly well, then you will be entitled to a beer at the weekend, and I am sure you will enjoy it greatly. You can have a bit of what you fancy in terms of food too, enjoy your sunday lunch in the knowledge that you have had a great week, and you can have a treat whenever you want, as long as it doesn’t form the majority of your week of course.

This is indeed the mindset you need to develop if you are going to get into the shape you really want. It should be no hardship, it shouldn’t be a struggle, just give it some time and you will soon be into it and feeling absolutely on top of your game pretty much all of the time!!!

Balance in your lifestyle is always welcome especially on a boiling hot week like this. You can have it all as long as you put the work in during the week first!