Posted on

Wednesday, 10th October

Being optimistic about your progress is one of the most important habits you need to get into, or you will forever be like the economy, you will be going through “boom and bust” for the rest of your life, in health and fitness terms.

For example, you can do really well in your training, and be really pleased with your progress.

Then all of a sudden it may take one thing to doubt your progress.

You could have an illness, an injury or just go through a period of training when you’re not able to reach your previous highs in terms of performance in your training.

During all of these times, you still could be losing inches off your waist, losing body fat, and your heart rate may still be getting stronger all the time.

Despite all of this, you will doubt your progress somehow!!!

I have encountered many individuals like this, and I think it’s a human trait to doubt ourselves even when evidence suggests we should never doubt for one second!

This is when hard numbers have to take over!

If your waist measurement is coming down or already in healthy range, then you are DOING VERY WELL!!!

If your body fat is coming down or in a healthy range already, then you should be very pleased at your level of conditioning.

If you have a healthy strong heart rate 72 beats per minute or less, then you are doing everything right, and you are performing and recovering well from exercise.

Like I said, despite all of this overwhelming evidence, people sometimes still doubt themselves. This is exactly the time to change your mindset and start celebrating where you are, and be optimistic that not only can you sustain this progress, but you can actually improve it each month!!

Justified optimism is the one big thing that will take you forward, and keep doing so. Doubt is the only thing that can hold you back!!

Reinforcing your optimism on a daily basis is vital so get practicing right now!!!

Twitt
Posted on

February 21st 2011

I dont know about you but i find myself at my heaviest weight on monday morning. I try to relax more the weekend and although i do slam in a run every sunday morning, i tend to allow myself a treat on saturday and eat a bit of what i fancy. Also, nothing wrong with having an odd beer or two the weekend either, and everyone needs to unwind at least once a week.

That process of the weekend undwinding brings me back to monday, and makes me determined to get the week off with a bang.

There is a tremendous amount of drive within myself and most people i train to get the week off to a flying start. My idea of a flying start involves some running, sometimes cycling, some weight training and plenty of good food and water throughout the day. Making my mark early on in the week is hugely important for my mind too, and resets my thoughts to huge positivity for the rest of the week.

Have you noticed sometimes if you drink more than once a week, your thoughts become a little more cloudy. Your training is nowhere near so good and the “i will sweat it out” mentality doesn’t really work does it? Nothing can make up for messy eating and drinking habits, you need a structure in place and implement it right now!!!

The conditions of a successful healthy week don’t often change. Please don’t waste your money by going in some health shop, spending a fortune coming out with two big bags of supplements, and expecting to look great in a couple of weeks, thats the most ineffective route you could ever take.

 Most people are looking for the easy way out, and there’s a whole range of people looking to take your money and run, because they know they can’t really back up their promises. Most of them make me want to throw up, and most of them have holes in their programme so big that you could dry a bus through them.

Its monday, its back to work time, lets put it in and kick it off in a big way!!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Feb 4th 2011

A massive day for anyone who likes sport today, wales versus england at the millennium stadium and it doesnt get better than this surely!!

The game has been spiced up by various comments on different players and as i write this, i hear than ben foden, who is england full back today, claims that it is time england put its “little brother” wales in their place!!! This will surely get most welsh people’s blood boiling as we read this!!! God knows what effect it will have on the players, but my wild guess is that it will add even more fury to tonights game, which is great in my book and will only add to the entertainment and the whole occasion in general!!!

Anytime you get riled by something, its good to use it as a tool and not let it control you and you become your worst enemy.

For example, if tonight when a lot of people in pubs are drinking quite a bit, then its not beyond the realms of possibility that a fight could break out in some places. This is sad of course and the next day, both parties would probably regret it.

A lot of people actually get motivated to do positive things when they are riled and angered in some way. Wales in rugby tonight will probably be best to use those verbal taunts as a positive and play their very best rugby, instead of using it by being ill-disciplined. This is probably what england expect of course and i really think tonight that discipline will win the game tonight, who can keep their head’s when everyone else is losing theirs!!

Making the most of negativity towards you can be a great tool for you. If someone makes fun of your weight, then prove them wrong and use that anger to get into great shape, it will literally make those same people making the comments speechless and you will probably or make that definitely earn enormous respect for your transformation.

There is a positive out of every negative situation, all you have to do is read it properly and use the angle you want to properl you to new heights!!!

Twitt
Posted on

Monday, January 17th 2011

If you have started the new year with a bang, then good luck to you but its important to keep your structure going throughout January and beyond.

For example, if you haven’t trained for a while and started off 3 times a week training, then thought if 3 is good, then 6 times a week must be much better, possibly twice as good!!!

While you may get great results for a couple of weeks doing it this way, the likelihood of you reaching a plateau will be extremely high, or even getting an injury because your body will not be used to all of the extra work, I am talking 6 high quality workouts, not 3 good workouts and 3 good walks.

If you ask most people about their training, they seem to be pre-occupied to telling you how MANY times they have trained that week., the actual performance is usually never mentioned.

We never mentioned last week about 4 minute workouts, and the possibility of going from around 5 press ups in week 1, to easily 25 press ups in week 6. This way of training has to be totally focused on performance and focus on making measurable progress, this is what creates improvement in your body.

The ability to make improvements training 6 times a week is reserved for those who have excellent sleep every or most nights, those who are extremely good with their eating and have been training at a high level for a long time. Not saying that you can’t get there, but it does take a while and a lot of dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.

Bottom line this week is to make your workouts count in a big way. I you’re doing sprints up hill and you’re currently managing 4 sprints up a steep hill and 4 sprints backwards, then that total could easily be up to 8 sprints forwards and backwards by now, if you have been consistent since the new year.

If you have been cycling and had to keep it flat cycling, then it won’t be long before you’re strong enough to attack some hills, in the process becoming a much better and stronger cyclist.

If you have been doing some circuits in the gym or at home, then not only will they feel a lot more comfortable but you should be looking at adding some extra weight to a few of the exercises, creating a much more intense workout.

Assess your progress in training terms once a week, and look to make small gains every week, however small, and try not to get in a rut and don’t go through the motions.

Improving can become a very good habit, just as staying the same can become the norm. Always look to change things around and keep your body guessing. Keep your programme fresh and you will become a much better athlete full stop!!!

Twitt