Fitness

Working hard but can’t shift the pounds?

I am sure most people trying to lose a few pounds have wondered why they can’t shift it. Could you change up the workout? If you always do the same thing then your muscles adapt and the body is more efficient – using less energy, and therefore burning less calories. Or maybe it’s your diet? A few tweaks could make all the difference. Work smart, eat well and be consistent.

Have a look at these tips! 

Healthy habits

Sticking to a detox/diet/clean eating plan of any sort takes lots of willpower. And at this time of year it’s even harder…

These tips show how a few simple tweaks to your everyday life can make all the difference. A bit more exercise (easy – walking around Christmas shopping!), cutting down on treats (but not cutting them out so you can still have the odd mince pie), and swapping your daily fix of coffee to a healthier option (you can still have coffee  just reduce the size or extra syrup/toppings).

And don’t forget to get your health checks done – knowing what’s going on inside will help you make the right choices for you.

Circuit training newbie

If you have never been to a circuit style class before, these pointers might highlight why you should give it a go. Note – they might not be called circuits anymore but HIIT, Bootcamp or Tabata all have the same thing in common – they are effectively a circuit.

It’s a great way to train – you can get through lots of exercises – strength and cardio – in a set amount of time, just set a timer for each station (and rest) and you’re good to go. To do a lot of strength work you may need to add in weights, but to get started just use your own body, keep it simple and you’ll get a good workout.

3-minute blast

Perfect way to end a session A 3-minute blast – simple exercises that will make you work hard but for only three minutes. 

It’s also a perfect blast for when fitting in any kind of exercise seems impossible!

Read through the feature to make sure you understand any variations, watch the video and then give it a go! Once you’ve got the hang of this one, tweak it with other exercises (burpees, walking lunges, mountain climbers & bicycle crunches are a few examples), but keep to the format. Focus on your technique and push yourself hard – it’s just 3 minutes!

Core challenge

We all need to keep our core strong, as it sounds – it’s the core of our body, like a trunk for a tree, and if it becomes weak it causes all sort of problems with our posture and ability to carry out everyday tasks.

Here’s a great addition to your workout to keep the core strong. As with any exercise, start at your own level and progress – so you might not achieve all of it first time round but after a few times you can add in more.

80/20

The rule you hear is 80% diet and 20% exercise to lose weight, but is that right?

Well yes cutting out unhealthy options will ensure you are able to lose some of those pounds – but it’s a battle. By adding in exercise you can rev up your metabolism and help your body burn the stored fat. It also means you don’t have deprive yourself of everything you like. So the truth is you need both!

Have a read and see how you can incorporate small changes into your daily life to get you to your goal.

Reach your goal

Reaching your goal, whatever it may be, can seem impossible at times. This article has some great tips and inspiration from people who set their goals and met them. Everyone has a different method, finding one (or a few) that work for you will help you stay on track until you get there…and you will.

Remember it will take time and effort, but if you don’t make any changes, then nothing will change. Take inspiration and beat that goal!

12 week taster

Here’s a taster of something from my 12-week programme, why not try it this week as part of your usual routine and if you’d like to see more. you can sign up here.

Upper body:

Beginner: 8-12 repetition. Intermediate: 12-16 reps. Advanced: 16-20 reps. Rest 30-45 secs and repeat another once or twice.

Make sure you choose a weight you can complete the repetitions with using good form – but that are hard enough for your last two repetitions to feel tough!

Bicep curls

Tricep dips

Shoulder press

Side raises

Push up (can be done on knees)

Bent over row or single arm row

Tips for a healthy balanced life

There are hundreds of tips for weight loss, some better than others, but some of these tips are just good common sense, or helpful hints for a general healthier lifestyle, whatever your goals are.

This article does that too, some of the points such as getting more sleep, changing your workout routine and eating from smaller plates, are useful and well-known tips. However, being reminded to focus on our daily non-exercise based activities are a simple way to keep us healthier. For people who don’t like gyms, this is a godsend – if you like walking, gardening or spend a lot of time doing chores – it all counts! Just keep active!

Hard work makes you hangry

Working out first thing in the morning is not only a great way to start the day, but it makes sure you get your exercise in before the day really gets under way (and therefore less likely to skip it). But, you could undo your hard work if you get too hungry post workout.

These tips highlight the pitfalls and suggest easy solutions to fix them.  You know that pre and post workout eating is important, but what should you eat? Have you  had enough sleep and drank enough water… All these little things can help ensure you don’t eat more than you work off! Which means results will come quicker.

Making exercise your priority

We all know that good exercise and eating habits make you healthier and can improve your life in all sorts of ways – from self esteem to living longer, so I was pleased to read this interesting piece, which is well worth reading if you are struggling with your work/life balance (who isn’t), and could be worth forwarding to your manager! 

It also reminded me that I have to focus on the balance of my life too. I might train other people to make my living but fitting in my own training can be really tough and I am not alone! That’s why trainers often hire other trainers – because the commitment means you won’t forego it.  I am making that time – even if it means I have to adapt my training plan – so far so good!

Fat-busting Tabata

Tabata workouts are quick, simple but very effective. Here’s a few ideas that may surprise you! The bike, treadmill or swimming can work if you are at the gym, but so can high knees, mountain climbers or box jumping (or step) and they can be done at home. Mix it up to keep it fresh. All you need is 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of rest – repeat 14-20 times and you’ll have completed a touch workout in 10 minutes  Who doesn’t have 10 minutes?

 

Boost your metabolism

As we get older we notice many outward changes, but just as many happen on the inside. A particularly annoying one is that our metabolism slows – which can help cause weight gain. Unfortunately the usual reaction to weight gain, is to try to lose it, but a slower metabolic rate makes it much harder.

While reading, I saw this article and how to help yourself, not all of the points are groundbreaking, but there are some very interesting points which could help. Such as, lifting weights (nothing new – we are constantly being reminded we need to increase bone density, better posture etc), but what about doing it in the morning – setting your metabolism up for the day. Small changes could make a difference. Definitely worth a try!

Take your abs to the next level

 

How about taking your abs to the next level.?  We all get stuck in a rut – repeating the exercises we  know, but you need to change it up if you want to see results. Easier said than done – well here’s a helping hand – some truly tough abdominal exercises to keep your ab workout fresh for a while.

Some of these may be too extreme for right now, but take a look and build up to them.

Workout nutrition

For people into serious training the nutrition element is really important, this article talks you through, pre, during and post workout nutrition, including supplements. 

While supplements might not be something you’re interested in, the article gives a good explanation of what your body needs and the reason why.

At the very least, consider the pre and post workout nutrition of protein and carbohydrate to help your work out and recovery.

What is a portion?

Counting calories was always seen as the key for managing a healthy balanced diet, but like all health and fitness news, something else always comes along to change our thinking. Portion control now being used as the way to keep your meals and snacks under control.

Ultimately it’s what works for you – counting calories or managing portion sizes. But are your portions right? This article is a simple guide.

If you want to look into further help with portions the British Heart Foundation guides are interesting.

Non-diet diet tips

Sounds good…. Sometimes concentrating too much on what you’re not having makes it even harder, so how about living a healthier lifestyle, improving fitness, losing weight or just improving your general mood as a by product of a few tips that make you feel good?

Try these tips and see what a difference it makes.

Break your work day up with a walk. Yep even a few minutes every few hours, walking around the office will improve your overall health and can help reduce the risk of later life chronic conditions. To take it further, take the stairs, walk or cycle your commute (or part of it).

Water as you know is vital, but drinking it plain for some people is just too dull. Add in pieces of fruit – berries, lime, lemon, mint, cucumber – whatever you life, if it tastes good you’re more likely to keep hydrated.

Watch an hour less TV a day…. What if you used that time to do gardening or house chores (burning calories while you’re at it), spent time with friends or family, went for a walk? It would give you a bit more time to hit the gym too…..

Most importantly, spend less time being critical of yourself. Too much time telling yourself you aren’t able to do something or you can only do it/wear it/be it if you lose weight isn’t going to help you achieve your goal – it will only help stop you. Be your own cheerleader.

 

Eat right & Workout – not just for weight loss!

If every you need motivation to keep up the healthy lifestyle, this article can help.  It highlights so many benefits to eating well and exercising regularly. There are the obvious ones you’ve heard a million times, but what about improving your self esteem, boosting your sex life, having better sleep, clearer skin and reducing mental health issues.

There are so many more reasons, not just to beat the scales (or beat yourself up about them). It’s not all about weight loss – there are so many positive health benefits for your everyday life (and for your family too).

Why do people have Personal Trainers?

Sometimes it may seem like an indulgent expense. Everyone has their own reason – mostly it’s because if someone else tells the what to do they will do it! But this article points out why you might want to consider it and what you should consider. Cost is one issue but most trainers do offer deals on block bookings and added value by including nutritional support.

If you feel inspired contact me!

What’s the difference?

If you’re unsure of what counts as circuits and intervals or you’ve never heard about pyramid training methods, this simple guide can help you create your own short exercise routine – which can be done anywhere.

If you’re stuck for exercise ideas – try theses:

Cardio:

skipping (with or without a rope)

high knees

jumping jacks/star jumps

running on the spot (or between to points)

Strength:

Squats (add a jump to make it cardio too)

lunges

press ups

tricep dips (off a sofa/bench or on the floor)

Core:

bicycle

leg raises

curl up

plank (if you do only one core exercise do this one!)

GOAL!

So when you’ve hit your fitness/weight goal – what happens? It’s hard to know how to maintain – you’ve spent so long trying to achieve the goal, to finally make it (or at least this goal), you need to learn what to do next – this article keeps it simple and achievable.

But don’t forget to set yourself another goal – it keeps you motivated, ideally something that keeps you fit and healthy without excess. Maybe take part in a charity event or become a workout buddy to a friend that needs a little extra motivation……

Eating post workout

So you hit the gym for an hour, worked hard, and you’re really hungry, but haven’t planned ahead……

You’ve probably made at least one of these mistakes, as highlighted by Women’s Health. .

Eating a pre-planned snack or meal (depending on the time of your session) is key, you need to replenish your body with healthy food, but sometimes (and we’ve all done it), what we actually do isn’t always the best option.

 

Time out

There are times when a work out should be put off or a different work out tried instead of the usual hard session. If you’re unwell, exhausted from lack of sleep or injured, then you need to take some time out – working your body hard in any of these circumstances could do more harm them good, rest and recovery are important.

If you’re trying to cram in too much, have a light head cold or can’t get to the gym then you need to either take an active recovery day (cycle or walk) or maybe fit in a quick high intensity workout like this one. 

Read more on when and why you need to take time out here.

Progression

If you’ve been near a gym, you will have heard about progression, if you had a programme written for you or have had personal training you’ll also have heard about progressive overload.  Terms which could seem terrifying if you think that means you’re suddenly going to be lifting seriously heavy weights….but have a read of this article, I think it explains the idea of progression well and how to do it. 

The weight you lift/squat/press is irrelevant – the idea is the same however much you can do, this will lead to results. Sometimes understanding the principal makes more sense and can help you get a better work out. If nothing else, it will explain why gym instructors leave notes reminding you to increase weights/reps/sets!

Not just about abs

Most of us know we need to work our abs or more precisely our core. Abdominal muscles aren’t just to make us look great, they are part of our core – which as it sounds – is the core of our body, think about a tree – the trunk has to be strong to keep it upright whatever the weather and to support the branches. Well your core is doing the same job, so while it’s great to keep working those abs – you also need to make sure you are strong in the back too. Here are a few simple back exercises which can be done anywhere and easily form part of your exercise routine. And if you’re short of time – plank! It works the full core and can be done on your knees until your strong enough to so the full version. Ask an instructor or watch this to help you perfect the pose. 

Weight loss blocks

Easter is over, the eggs have been eaten. Now you’re getting back to your healthy lifestyle, but if that seems harder than usual – or Easter was a good excuse to let go because the plan wasn’t working, have a look at these tips.

Some are obvious and well documented, but did you know that your mental health may affect how successful you are with weight loss or that eating too little could cause you a problem, or that it could be your exercise regime.

 

 

Bounce back after a break

Or maybe you have been injured, unwell or just overtrained and needed some rest. Recovery is key to build and repair muscles and to ensure you are ready for the next hard work out

If you’re just recovering from a hard work out – you can keep active even on rest days, if you’ve been unwell or injured then ease yourself back in slowly and follow these tips for recovery.  Foam rollers are a painful investment – but worth it! And don’t forget the protein!

Gym shy

If you’re just starting out, have been away for a while or maybe just moved – going to a new gym can be intimidating. Or maybe, you just hate the idea of them! But you don’t need to worry – most people are too busy focusing on themselves to notice what you’re doing, but the thought is often worse than the reality. Here are some tips that could help you. 

And if they don’t convince you –  you can still do a work out at home.

Cardio calamities

If you’re spending hours on end in the gym or pounding the pavement, yet you still don’t seem to have reached your goal, maybe you’re making some of these mistakes.

  1. Not fuelling up – getting up and out there is a great way to start the day and to make sure you get your exercise in, but, if you aren’t fuelled up for a long run or hardcore gym class or session, then your body is using up protein stores to keep you going. That means it’s using the energy needed to create lean muscle. Either do a light cardio session if you can’t face eating early or have a least a banana or granola bar (carb based snack) before you head out so your body can use it’s preferred fuel (Carbs) which will help you work out better.
  2. Keeping it fun and varied – hating what you do at the gym isn’t going to keep you motivated. Try out classes, get a programme written specifically for you and tell the trainer what you don’t like so they can find an alternative. Keep your body guessing with regular changes to your workout.
  3. Pay attention to what you’re doing – why turn up to the gym and sit on a bike for an hour reading. You won’t be paying attention to your technique, let alone if you’re actually working hard enough. Yes an hour of light cycling is better than sitting in the pub reading with a drink, but if you are focused on what you’re doing you could do it in less time.  A 20 minute more intense workout would boost your heart rate, burn fat and still allow you time to sit and read AFTER you’ve been to the gym (it’s your recovery – just don”t undo your hard work). You’re also less likely to fall off the treadmill……yes it does happen!
  4. Changes – to see changes you have to make changes. Mix up your routine, from your walks or runs outside, to the weekly classes and gym sessions – it all keeps your body guessing and therefore working harder, which is what will give you results.