January 12th, 2011

So how’s your resolutions going you made on new year’s eve? Are they going well or have they even got going yet? Is it turning into yet another disappointment already or do things seem really “different” this year?!!

There’s heck a lot of difference between making a resolutions like everyone makes at the end of the year, and A DECISION and COMMITMENT. Resolutions to me are like a shot in the dark, a hope that somehow something may come off, or even like a lottery chance that something good will happen in your life this year, somehow it will happen even without any recognised plan, “somehow” or “someday” often leads to a town called “nowhere” as the old saying goes.

If you regard final decisions and big commitment as always being acted upon, and resolutions as fairy tales, you won’t go too far wrong!!!

How about those long term goals that are never reached? The answer is to focus on the short term instead and look to implement meaningful actions that are likely to bring results and quickly. Instead of saying you want to lose 2-3 stones and getting obsessed with the scales, lets focus on the stuff thats going to get you there and give you long lasting results.

For example, if lunch is a disaster zone for you right now, then its an obvious area you can change RIGHT NOW. Instead of something fried for lunch in a cafe, ask them to grill something healthier or you, most cafe’s want the extra business these days and will satisy your request, especially if you’re a regular, good businesses always look after good customers in my book.

If you are in a bakery, its doesnt have to be tuna white rolls with lots of mayo or chicken with mayo with butter and margarine, ask them for a wholemeal roll with no butter or margarine and no mayo in the tuna if possible, if you ask nicely they will do it and the same with the chicken with no mayo, health and good health at that has never been more fashionable and tell yourself you’re working hard on your exercise and you don’t want to blow all of that hard work on needless calories at lunch time!!!

To make sure you keep these habits up, write down for 7 days what you usually eat, and from that you can easily see where you’re going right and where you’re obviously going wrong. Goals and actions have been proven to be successul when you write things down, it sort of makes you far more accountable than you normally would be so give it a go!!!

January 11th 2011

I didnt see it but the story on The One show last night provoked some reaction. To cut a long story short, the studies they had on the show said that shorter, more intense periods of exercise were more valuable or at least as effective as longer drawn out exercise. The study i think they used was the one when 4 minutes of intense exercise was demonstrated to be as effective as 20 minutes of moderate exercise, in fact the results were better when studies were conducted over a 6 week period, in terms of lost body fat, increased volume of oxygen and weight loss.

I must first comment that i wouldn’t recommend anyone go into a 4 minute programme of high intensity straight away, this is for experienced trainers only, and we did a piece on 4 minute workouts some time ago in this blog if you look through past month’s blogs.

The whole point was that you can make a whole lot out of not much time, its the performance that counts and not how long you exercise for. They had Johnny Wilkinson on saying he only trains for 30 minutes at a time now, but at ultra high intensity and he finds the results much, much better!

Most people who have trained with me will know i have always liked to work in shorter, more brief sessions myself, due to not only superior results but more convenient sessions too. Nobody has the time to be working out all day anymore as we have busier lives these days and it seems to be getting busier every single year!!!!

It shouldnt really have taken the scientists all these years to figure this one out. WE, the athletes and fitness professionals knew this for years that more intense sessions are the way to go, it doesnt take any doctor to tell us that what we have done for years really IS working and producing amazing results.

The great news is that those of you who say you havent got time really havent got this excuse any more, the advice you have been given all these years is actually true, you CAN get it and healthy in a fraction of the time you thought you need so what are you waiting for!!!

It is great to know though that after all of these years, that the medical community is finally jumping on board and backing our experiences and results up.

10th january 2011

The start of the first full week for many people this week and thats great news if you thrive on routines and being busy. Life is busier for most people these days and that means you need an ever increasing supply of energy. With the general population getting more and more overweight, something needs to give here and if you keep following the majority of this country, living a normal life is going to become increasingly tough. Your new refreshed attitude will be key in determining how successful you are this year.

Since this site is not about january gimmicks, january is a month either to get fit and healthy properly for the first time, or build on the success you had last year, or put right where you went wrong last year, and maybe many years before that.

Joining a fancy gym is NOT enough to get you into shape and their fancy salesmen techniques. You can get fit in the most modest of surroundings as long as you work hard and keep putting in that work all this year, in fact by the end of this year you could be in incredible shape if you really want to!! Most people think perfection is impossible and of course it is, but you CAN get pretty damn close if you apply yourself more than you have ever done, 2011 can be that exciting for you as long as you show constant self-belief and develop an action plan to make it happen!!! Its about being YOUR best and nobody else’s!!!

I have been with several people this morning who have already promised to give their best again. The habits that developed over christmas again, alcohol more often than usual, chocolate for the first time in a long time, more processed food, more party food, less exercise, less sleep, less time for exercise etc etc ALL have to be rectified if these individuals want to get back to their massively high standard!!!!

Im pretty fired up and its only monday, but creating an energetic monday for yourself sets the tone for the rest of the week. I always have a great week if i have a good monday, so lets make sure you get out there and have a great workout today, some fresh natural food too, plenty of water throughout the day and some good sleep. You won’t do better than that on a dark and gloomy january monday!!!!

Set the tone right now and make it happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Explore the site and see how you can change it right now!!!!

January 8th

A huge weekend to get some workouts in, no excuses out there right now!! I have even trained on a saturday this week, which is highly unusual for me but i feel so much better for it. The reason was i didn’t get a run in yesterday, again highly unusual!!

Lots of reasons to get fit this year and start right now. In my own, mind, next week is a full week so its an ideal opportunity to get a full week of training in too. This means a whole week of fat-burning workouts, fat-burning foods and maybe alcohol free week for you?

Most people are trying to be healthier right now and its an ideal time NOT to against the crowd for a change! Feel lucky you have the opportunity to be fit and healthy and use it to do your very best!!! Have a look at the rest of the site in sections to see what you can do in training and dietary terms, see how you get on!!

Thursday, January 6th 2011

The efforts you may be now making with your diet ought not to be wasted, and you need to be adopting some simple strategies to make the most out of your new exercise and dietary habits.

The most important difference you can make right now is to give alcohol up for a while. The improvements your liver will see in the next month will be huge if you avoid drinking for the next four weeks and it’s a great month to do it, with not a lot going on.

Hopefully, after the four weeks, you will be feeling so good that you won’t want to go back to a lifestyle of excess alcohol and the dangers that come with it.

Absolutely nothing wrong with having a drink but moderation is the key. We all overdid as kids and some of us are learning now that perhaps its not such a great idea anymore to try and drink like an 18 year old into our old age!!!

Another huge disadvantage of alcohol consumption is the hunger it suddenly gives you. You start craving things you never thought possible, and those cravings are usually high fat and high sugar items, the very foods and drinks that are guaranteed to put a lot more weight on.

The statement that is perhaps factually correct more than any other is that ALCOHOL MAKES YOU FAT FULL STOP!! A bit harsh for some to take perhaps, but very true in my experience nonetheless!!

 If you give up alcohol for a month, you will notice the bloated feelings going almost straight away. Any problems you have with blood pressure will subside a bit and substantially over the longer term, any overeating problems will be helped no end, any irritable behaviour you may have developed will subside too hopefully.

There are only positives to giving up alcohol this month and your enthusiasm for exercise can literally go through the roof!!

What are you waiting for!!