Posted on

Friday, 3rd February

I know i have posted on a lot of different issues regarding health and fitness, there are some i tend to mention more than others.

One of the ones that is very relevant to the month of february is the fact that today in the press, a story was focusing on people’s lack of success in terms of weight/fat loss since christmas, and the lack of success in terms of new year’s resolutions too.

In fact, some papers have christened this month as “FLABRUARY”!!!!

The vast majority of those questioned had failed miserably on their plans to get rid of the christmas weight, not only that but the weight from the previous year too!! People were feeling flat, disappointed, fed up and all the usual negative feelings that leave a lot of us disillusioned.

If you have been following this blog for a while, we always examine why people do not succeed in their “get in shape” plans.

We have gone through a million reasons by now, and we have come to the conclusion that success can only come from sustainable training efforts, sensible healthy eating in smaller portions and at regular intervals, drinking less alcohol, drinking enough water, sleeping well and having a bit of what you fancy occasionally so you don’t go totally mad!!

So expect to see stories such as these in the media all the time. There is no one faddy tactic that’s going to solve the puzzle for you, its a combination of different tried and tested factors that will make the difference in the long term, so being in shape never becomes a struggle again.

Working out for life sounds like a tall order for some, but why not treat every week and day as it comes, try to do your best when you become educated about food, try and not make excuses to exercise, try not to overdo it on the food or booze, try and hit the sack at a decent time in the week and try and stay positive at all times, even when roadblocks come up and test our patience to the full!

Forgot the marketing rubbish you hear daily and let’s put the foundations in place to be very successful with your health full stop!

Twitt
Posted on

Thursday, 2nd February

Hands up who has jacked it in for this very cold spell of weather?

If you did, it probably leads to a pattern of behaviour that has stopped you getting into the shape you’re really capable of.

Did you quit last summer in the really hot spell of weather because it was “too hot” to train?

When it rains, do you find it easier to stay in the house and not do anything?

If your training is governed by the weather, then as I always say, you had better write off nine months of the year. This will be a serious obstacle to getting into any kind of good physical condition!

This type of weather usually dictates who you will see out exercising too. The coastal paths in mumbles, Swansea marina, Llanelli and burry port are always full on a nice day, full of individuals or groups dressed in the latest workout gear, and this is to be applauded.

Week’s like these though when it is brutally cold always sort out who’s serious about their training and who’s not. Im not trying to make some kind of “we are better than you because we train in the freezing cold” comment either (I actively encourage everyone to exercise as many of you know), its just that you need to realise that the weather REALLY DOES NOT and should not make a difference to your ability to train.

One less excuse is always welcome and the weather seemingly is a big excuse for many.

Your inside options in terms of workouts should really be firing on all cylinders now, and when you do resistance/strength training like you would inside, your levels of body hardness and staying lean in general should be at their highest.

What I like about inside workouts as well is that they are measurable.

5 press ups in week one can easily turn into 30 press ups in week 6, and this along can lead to a difference not only in performance, but in terms of results of course.

If you never measure your performance, then how do you know you’re improving. Most people have not got a great memory so this is why its vital you write things down, especially in your early stages of training experience.

When you write things down, your goals will become much more real and you will be focused much more on every workout, because you know the pressure will always be on to try and improve.

Use this weather as an opportunity, rather than an immovable object that stops you in your tracks!!

Twitt
Posted on

Tuesday, 31st January

The very end of the month and some of you i know have had excellent months, some of you have hardly got going for various reasons, but its never too late and theres absolutely no time to waste.

A hidden danger of inactivity and not eating so well is blood pressure problems.

A lady approached me today saying hers was going up to borderline figures, and the doctor had ordered her to do something about it.

I have had great success in the past with individuals with blood pressure issues, and i always try to apply a simple formula that works pretty much every time!

The three things you need to address are the following.

Number one is exercise. If you are not active, you are not keeping your circulation going, you are not bringing the fresh quantities of oxygen in, and your body will not function quite so well without it, this is a fact so you have every incentive to get going!

Number two is salt and salt ridden products. For example, if you cook with salt, you need to stop it right now as this will be a big help. You definitely need to stop adding salt to your food, this is a massive no-no when it comes to eating, this will push your blood pressure right up over time.

Another factor is food already prepared such as ready meals and fast food. These are always loaded with salt that will destroy you over the long term, and contribute to blood pressure problems in a big way. Take this rubbish out of your life, replace it all with fresh natural food and you will be amazed at the difference!

Number three is alcohol. If you are trying to reduce blood pressure, please either eliminate or certainly keep your alcohol to an absolute minimum!!! This will have a tremendous effect on your blood pressure, and get your internal system working far more efficiently.

I know i have been brief but change these three vital things straight away, and your blood pressure problems will significantly improve!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Friday, 27th january 2012

A great today for running, walking or just about anything outside, even if it is brutally cold!

You should ignore the fact that it’s cold, and simply brace yourself for the first five minutes of sheer cold, then you will soon get used to it! There is nothing like it to blow away some cobwebs!!

If you get used to these temperatures, then ANY weather is going to be okay for you. I used to get my chest wheezing pretty hard at the first sign of cold weather in the winter, i actually now find this good for me as it truly breaks me in for the winter.

If weather was a factor in allowing or stopping us training, then we wouldn’t get much training done in this country at all. If i were you, i would factor in that 9 months of the year is going to be terrible weather, and anything better is a bonus.

This gives you the mindset that you will train in any weather, as long as its not too icy and unsafe, and you will be totally willing NOT to make any more excuses about why you are not in shape.

There is nothing worse than making excuses not to train for bad weather.

My other favourites include not making it to the gym because i didn’t have the car, even though you could easily walk.

Then there’s the one about not having a “training partner” or this ficticious training partner always let you down!!!

So say for one minute anyone believe these excuses, i have given you a million ways on how to train in the house, THERE IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO!!!

If you forgot all of those lame excuses right now, and promise yourself you will NEVER make an excuse again not to train, then your mindset will take you to great heights and great shape in particular!!!

Use this weekend for getting out, whatever the weather because you know you’re going to be proud of yourself when you get back, and you’ve had a hot bath or shower.

The power of actually “DOING” is all powerful and will bring fantastic results out of you not thought previously to be possible!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Tuesday, 25th January

Good workouts always come from a good night’s sleep, and you can never underestimate their importance.

If you struggle with sleep, then you are going to have to address that before you start getting the very best out of yourself.

Some people are early birds when it  comes to sleep, others can’t go to be before 11 or even midnight. As long as either get a good night’s sleep, then it doesn’t really matter when they go to bed, although going to bed earlier gives you more options when it comes to getting up earlier.

Missing sleep can always increases hormones in your body to increase body fat. Your body very much goes into defensive mode when it comes to lack of rest because it has to protect it’s immune system and not get broken down too much.

If you think of all these SAS survivial programmes, the one thing they say that breaks you down more than anything is lack of sleep, and the people who torture you will often use the method of keeping you awake to make you give in, and to even make you delirious!

Sleeping in the day for even small 10-15 minute periods can be of enormous help when it comes to making up somewhat for lost hours at night for whatever reason!

“Power naps” as most people know them can bring you added power during your evening workouts too. Athletes at all levels, and all sports use this tactic of bringing added freshness into their days and performances, and schedule them in as part of their day.

When you feel rested and fresh, you are usually capable of a lot more and you are sending messages to your body that you expect big performances out of it.

Don’t forget ever that you only improve when you rest and sleep, and not when you train. You break down your muscles and body during training, but when you recover, you heal, your immune system builds again and its only then that your body hits new heights of development.

The perfect formula of training smart, eating well and good rest can never change if you want optimum levels of health and performance.

Twitt