My 3 pillars of success
Moti vation
NOBODY'S PERFECT
Nothing is ever linear. There will be ups and downs.
Working with me there will be way more ‘wins’ than losses on your journey. We’ll use the ups to motivate you for further progress. Taking time each evening to decompress, reflect on all the small improvements and not focus on the end goal is part of the immediate battle! But for obvious reasons we will aim to find a smile on your face. Admittedly some of them are harder to see but don’t worry, I can help you recognize some of them along your journey.
The downs?! Use them to get better – because working with me, you will get better.
BUT YOU’RE A MAN, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE MONTH TO MONTH FOR A WOMAN.
I’d say I have a better understanding of what it can be like for a woman, than most men, the vast majority. I have worked with women who experience PCOS, Endometriosis, Mothers to be and New Mums, Perimenopausal Women and those who want to simply figure out what works best for them. I spare no detail and ask for all relevant information that will help us make the most of our time together. Did you know, the best time to take measurements is the 2-4 days after your period and that while you’re on your period we can edit your training to reduce discomfort but still keep you on target to reach your results?
LET ME MOTIVATE YOU
Once you have decided to become a client of mine I promise to stand by your side throughout our duration together. In addition to the ongoing dialogue we have, you are always welcome to write to me when it gets difficult. I’ve said this for years and I stand by it, ‘there is no question to silly sounding, personal, broad or small that you can’t ask me’. I am here to guide you, like a big annoying brother someone you can trust and who’s got your back!
REMEMBER HOW IT STARTED
It always started with a goal. A goal that we must pursue, I don’t want to wake up when I am 70 and wonder, ‘What if?’, we don’t have second chances. It might take a little longer than expected, but together we can find a way and reach the goal that is sustainable, not temporary. Fad diets, 8-week transformations are no good. There are no easy solutions and quick shortcuts to a healthy lifestyle and a well-trained body in balance. Happiness, health, confidence, that big smile staring back it you in the mirror and longevity – Lets do this!
Exer cise
TRAIN FOR A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE
This is the fun part! Hands on equipment, raised heart rate, connecting with your body and breath, away from work and all that life throws at you. You can move at home, you can exercise in a gym, you can go to your favorite class or go for a long walk. There is no limit to physical activity. This is your time, nobody else’s!
PERSONAL TRAINING PLANS
All your training plans are personal, my time goes into putting together specific routines for you that compliment your lifestyle and goal. On our initial call I’ll find out what equipment and facilities you have access to and plan from there.
In some cases, I may ask you to invest in some home equipment, convenience is key for many people. Supplementing your planned exercise (the work I set you) with additional movement is advantageous. Aiming for 10,000 steps per day is an amazing target to help our cardiovascular health. I can also edit sessions for if you’re traveling and want to take 45 minutes a day to move your body.
Your training program has to fit perfectly into your everyday life, it’s my job to help you do this.
Regarding your progression. I will be asking you to steadily increase the intensity by lifting heavier, moving slower or increasing the range of motion for certain exercises. It’s the only way we’re going to achieve progress with fat loss and an increase in muscle tone.
CHANGES IN THE TRAINING PLAN
The first training plan you receive is a draft, exactly like the nutrition plan. It will be considered and specific, but we’ll communicate (depending on which tier you choose) via face time or in the messaging service in the app.
Communication is vital for us to keep you progressing. The app allows you to record your data e.g. how much weight you lifted on each set. You are also required to tell me how you feel on any given day. This gives me an insight to how you’re feeling. This journey is physical, it is nothing but emotional too.
SKILL ABILITY LEVEL
Every exercise can be regressed, adapted, and progressed. Any fear of you not being able to ‘do it right’ or that you’re not capable, is a conversation we must have. I’m here to help progress your skill, ability and health.
BE PATIENT
It takes time and there are no shortcuts to a toned body or sustained fat loss. Also remember that good exercise must be combined with a healthy diet. There is no point in exercising hard and eating poorly, we must reduce the risk of failure, and stay on plan! Training hard increases your… everything. Pushing through perceived barriers, getting comfortable being uncomfortable, learning just how well and strong you can physically be, it all transfers, radiates into other aspects of your life. Being physically present and not absent is the most fulfilling part of my day, and although that might sound like a stretch for you, you will taste what I mean and boy does it taste sweet!
Nutri tion
GETTING STARTED - FAQ’s
SHOULD I WEIGH BEFORE OR AFTER COOKING?
You should be aware that all quantities in the recipes are in raw weight. This means that everything must be weighed before cooking!
WHEN SHOULD I EAT MY MEALS? AND DO I HAVE TO CHANGE THE ORDER?
As much as possible, try to eat your meals so that they are evenly spaced during the day. This will usually mean you should eat every 3 hours or so. BUT the most important thing is that you get to eat ALL the meals in one day (and no more) – and if that means you must change when you eat or the order, then you must do so in order to suit your day better. The most important thing, as I said, is that you get what you need daily. Don’t fear calories or skip meals (unless we’ve discussed this), because it’s likely that you’ll hinder your progress. You should aim to hit your calorie ceiling so you don’t become overly hungry, potentially irritable and lose performance.
DO I HAVE TO STICK TO THE DIET PLAN EVEN ON WEEKENDS? WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOL?
I subscribe all my clients to the 80:20 principle. If you’re near perfect 80% of the week, then you can exercise a little ‘educated flexibility’ for the remaining 20%. If you have a goal date in mind however, 80%+ commitment will yield quicker results.
Alcohol can knock your progress, make you reach for poor quality foods on a hangover and/or add a day’s worth of chewable calories to your week in a single sitting. That being said, neither do you need to wave a white flag and not touch a drop, nor fear an indulging at an event. Communicating and tracking those calories with me, we can work out how to keep you in a deficit (if you’re looking to lose unwanted fat).
LIQUID, SALT AND SPICES
You should aim to drink approx. 4 liters of fluid a day (where the majority should be pure water) light products without calories are okay but should not make up the majority of fluid intake. Coffee and tea do not count in the 4 liters of liquid.
You should have approx. 1 gram of salt per. liters of fluid you drink. So, try as much as possible to get about 4 grams of salt a day.
As for other spices and herbs then everything you want to add is perfectly okay. Just be aware that there is salt in many blended spices.
WHAT ABOUT REPLACING INGREDIENTS?
If you want variety, feel free to replace low-fat chicken, turkey and beef with each other from time to time. You’re also welcome to switch between rice, pasta, cous cous, bulgur, lentils and quinoa.
Vegetables, like the meats, should remain as close to the recipes as possible, from a macro and calorific stand point, they were also selected because they contain specific micronutrients to help with gut, hormone and general health.
Vegan and Vegetarians, I cater for you too. However, you’ll see that a lot of the recipes I will put together for you will have ‘like meat’ options such as Seitan, Quorn, and Tofu. These again can be traded one for another. Pulses and Lentils should be tracked specifically and consumed as directed, mmm I’m getting hungry writing this.
They do not contain 100% the same energy level (calories) and macro distribution, but if you can feel that you need a little extra variation, then that’s ok, but again please be mindful, 80:20!