Category Archives: Inspiring

Chocolate and ice cream for dinner will help you lose weight

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Ok, not really but there is a new shift in my nutrition now that allows us to have our carbs at night and to also burn fat more efficiently and build a little muscle in the process.

We first should talk about the more practised method of “no carbs after midday “ approach or carbs for breakfast is best. I’m not even going to get started on the breakfast thing, I will save that for another post. You should at least remember that starting your day with breakfast is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

But the carbs at midday rule pretty much came about from the golden rule of that only carbs can be used as energy, which is an absolute crock of bull s#&t!!  It’s called Lipolysis, but check it out here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipolysis

So the whole theory of needing carbs through the day for energy is a bit of a joke, don’t get me wrong you can still get results eating that way, but wouldn’t you want your body to burn your fat stores throughout the day and while you sleep?

So let’s look at it from a few different perspectives, the first one is the whole carbs at night, how does it not store as fat. It’s a really good question and the biggest reason is for increased release of insulin at only one part of the day, a rise in insulin can make you anabolic or in simple terms make you grow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabolism

The main problem here is, is that it can make fat and muscles cells grow, so if we consistently feed insulin then we run a higher risk of increasing growth rates in our fat cells as well as our muscle cells, that’s not what I want. The other point here is that when we are asleep we release growth hormone http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23447518 and this is also another hormone that will help us burn more fat.

As far as a social standpoint it’s also another great thing to be able to have your carbs at night and not feel guilty. There is also another good window for carbs and that is post workout, due to our muscle cells being open and exposed this is a good time to take on extra nutrients that will help re build and also help performance.

But at the end of the day if you don’t like the way this is then that’s fine, go and continue your method, it may work fine for you. I just want to list a few disadvantages to having carbs early in the day other than post workout

  • Weight gain
  • Insulin resistance
  • Make you sleepy
  • Depression
  • Increased hunger levels

But like I said this is just my opinion and I stand behind it, not only with studies as long as my arm, but also trial and error on a personal level and also with clients.

Beat Your Plateau In 5 Simple Steps

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It happens to all of us at some point.

You have your workouts down pat, and your body is rapidly becoming leaner and more attractive. Friends and family notice and you feel fantastic.

And then it stops.

You are doing everything exactly the same as before except your body no longer responds.

You, my friend, have hit a plateau. It’s a frustrating place to be parked, so read the following 5 steps to get your body back into results mode.

Step #1: Reduce Sugar. A very effective way to restart your results is to reel in your sugar intake. Inspect all of your food for added sugars and eliminate items that contain high calorie sweeteners. This means no sugar, honey or maple syrup.

If you’ve already eliminated processed sugars from your diet, and have still hit a plateau, then it’s time to dig a little deeper by eliminating some of the natural sugars from your diet. Limit your intake of sweet fruits and eliminate dried fruits.

Step #2: Get More Sleep. We are supposed to get an average of eight hours of sleep each night. If you’re not getting adequate amounts of rest, you’re more likely to be hungry, overeat, and gain weight.

When you’re tired, you don’t feel like cooking a healthy meal, and you’re more likely to opt for fast (fattening) food. Then your lack of energy causes you to skip your workouts. And to make matter worse, sleep deprivation causes your metabolism to slow down, slowing or reversing your results. To beat your plateau, make sleep a priority.

Step #3: Drink Only Water. To restart your results you’ll need to make some changes. Sorry, but some of the changes aren’t going to be fun. If you’re one of the millions hooked on soft drink, alcohol, or other sweetened drinks, then your plateau will stay locked in place until you replace these drinks with water.

Keep in mind that your brain often confuses thirst with hunger. So at the first sign of hunger, don’t grab a snack or calorie-filled drinks. Instead, grab a glass of water.

Step #4: Eat Healthy Breakfast. But not just any breakfast. Your plateau-breaking breakfast should be low in carbs and high in protein. Try eggs, lean breakfast meats, a protein shake, or a mini-muffin made with almond flour.

Fitting breakfast into your busy morning may take some work, but research shows that the habit of eating a healthy breakfast is key to losing weight and keeping kilograms off. Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier to give yourself time to eat breakfast.

Step #5: Increase Exercise Intensity. It’s time to start taking your workouts more seriously. No more going through the motions, it’s all-out for you. If you want to get back on track with your body transformation, and to keep the fat melting away, then increase the amount and intensity of your exercise routine.

For most people, this is the most difficult lifestyle change of all, but the benefits are enormous. Try to get 30 to 60 minutes of intense exercise on most days of the week. When exercise is a normal part of your everyday routine, you’re more likely to stick with it, and your body will become slimmer and more toned.

The quickest and most permanent way to beat that plateau is through a combination of healthy eating and consistent, challenging workouts.

I’m here to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals. You deserve that fit and attractive body—I can help you get it.

Call or email today and together we will overcome your fitness plateau.

 

Best Foods Before and After Exercise to maximize fat loss.

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Working in the fitness industry brings many challenges as we try and help our clients reach their goals. The majority of clients I assist are people seeking to lose weight and shape their body but I also assist athletes looking to build their strength to perform at their best and many triathletes looking to better themselves when competing. Whilst I could offer general advise that could cover everything from body building, weight loss, endurance and much more the purpose of this article is to provide a solid base of options to assist you in maximizing your weight loss through nutrition that supports your lifestyle and aids your recovery from exercise.

It must be noted that a ‘clean’ diet is required to maximize results as well as getting the bets possible nutrition you can to aid your body. If you do not get enough calories you affect your bodies ability to burn fat as well as if you get to many calories your body many not be able to burn the calories and you start storing the left over calories as fat.

I therefore give you some simple things you can follow to get maximum results.

 

Removed the unwanted
In today’s society we are bamboozled with terms like low fat, reduce fat, sugar free, low carb, high protein etc but what is really best for us. Whilst there are some great foods out there that come packaged “I love cheese and yoghurt” some if not most are best consumed in small quantities and/or on special occasions. Below I list the foods I suggest you remove or limit from your diet if you want to get maximum results with your fat loss.

  • Sugar
  • Fructose
  • Wheat
  • Grains
  • Dairy
  • Milky Coffee
  • Trans & Saturated fats
  • Fast Foods
  • Alcohol

 

Add to your fridge and pantry

  • Oats – Contain a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are a great source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron. The high soluble fibre content leaves you feeling fuller for longer and may be useful for lower LDL cholesterol levels.
  • Red Meat – Great source of protein and iron as well as zinc and B vitamins. Avoid cuts high in saturated fat.
  • Coconut oil – contains short term medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), which is a “healthy” form saturated fat compared to trans fat. It is also know to ease digestion, help reduce weight, support immunity, boost your metabolism and many other things. Start cooking with coconut oil today.
  • Cinnamon – Studies suggest it may play a role in lowering blood sugar levels in diabetes.
  • Chilli – Known to raise metabolic rate and high in antioxidants.
  • Green Tea – Studies have shown it to increase metabolism as well as the bodies ability to burn fat thereby aiding weight loss. It is also high in antioxidants which can help reduce the risk of some cancers. Some studies also show reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and improved cholesterol profiles.
  • Blueberries – Contains the highest levels of antioxidants of all fresh fruits and have been show to reduce belly fat and improve blood sugar control. They also promote urinary tract health, preserve vision, maintain brain health and prevent heart disease and cancer. Raspberries are another great choice.
  • Celery – Promotes a healthy immune system due to high levels of vitamin C and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels due to its pthalides. Also contains coumarins which have been shown to prevent cancer and may have anti- inflammatory properties. It helps to flush out excess fluid and reduce belly fat.
  • Cranberries – Very high in antioxidant content and a rich source of dietary fibre. Used for many years in the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections, they are now also thought to help reduce the hardening of arteries and levels of bad cholesterol.
  • Goji Berries – Contains all essentials amino acids and have the highest levels of protein of any fruit. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They also contain natural anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal compounds.
  • Almond Milk – a fantastic milk replacement that is packed with good fats and is very tasty.
  • Nuts and Seeds (Almonds
Brazil Nuts Cashew Nuts Macadamia Nuts Pecans
Walnuts, Chestnuts Hazelnuts Pistachios Pumpkin Seeds Sesame Seeds Pine Nuts
  • Avocado – Can increase levels of good cholesterol and decrease levels of bad cholesterol as they contain oleic acid. Also contains high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin which protects your vision. They help to improve the absorption of other nutrients when included in meals and may offer protection against some forms of cancer.
  • Sweet Potato – High in flavour they aid digestion and increase fat burning. Full of antioxidants which protect from cancer, boost the immune system and may have anti- inflammatory effects.
  • Cottage Cheese – Nutrient rich, high in protein and low in saturated fat. High in calcium which can protect bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporisis.
  • Goats Cheese – is far better than cheeses made from dairy, it’s lower in fat and calories, higher in protein, great for your brain and a metabolic booster.
  • Acia Berries – High concentration of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Thought to combat the aging process and aid in the absorption of fish oils.
  • Water – suppresses appetite, speeds up metabolism, reduces water retention and calorie free.
  • Eggs – High in protein. Studies now show that there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease and that in fact they may help prevent blood clots, stroke and heart attacks. They are a good source of choline which helps regulat the brain, nervous system, cardiovascular system and contain lutein and zeaxanthin which protects vision.
  • Fish – Rich in omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to the health of the brain and eye tissue as well as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. May also lower the risk of developing depression and help diabetics control their sugar levels. May relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and autoimmune disease.
  • Dark Chocolate – Contains multiple compounds which promote the release of endorphins having a positive effect on your mood. High in antioxidants which protect from cancer and aging as well as flavoniods which help control blood sugar. Promotes blood flow to the brain and can help lower blood pressure, and as it contains caffiene may also boost metabolism.
  • Broccoli – High in vitamin C, folic acid and fibre as well as calcium. As such it aids iron absorption, prevents catoracts, improves immunity, may help to control high blood pressure and cholestorel levels. High in antioxidants and has a strong, postive impact on the body detoxification system.
  • Black Coffee – you enjoy your workout more, research has found. It can also enhance your energy and reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.  Black coffee is rich in antioxidants which protect against cancer and ageing as well as a metabolism booster. Can improve athletic endurance and performance and promotes digestion. Can help to treat headaches and decrease the risk of depression and Parkinson’s disease.

 

You need to exercise
My most important tip is to find an activity that you enjoy doing. You are much more likely to stick with it if this is the case, whether it is walking, running, swimming, boxing, or aerobic classes. Once you find something you enjoy doing you just need to make sure that you do it at a moderate intensity level (you should feel slightly short of breath but still able to carry on a conversation) in order to maximise your fat burn.

If you want to increase your muscle mass, and therefore your metabolic rate you can also add in some resistance exercise. This does not have to mean lifting heavy weights, even light resistance exercise can have benefits. However It is important to have the right technique to prevent injury with these exercises, so if in doubt make sure you seek assistance from someone trained in the field.

 

Before Exercise
To optimize your performance, you need to eat a minimum of 1-2 hours before. Research has established that carbohydrate intake during exercise delays the onset of fatigue and improves endurance exercise performance. This happens because carbs enhance the availability of blood glucose to active muscle. Roughly 70% of the energy in your pre-workout meal should come from carbs, but choose low-glycemic carbs like oatmeal, veggies or sweet potatoes instead of simple sugars or lollies to avoid wild fluctuations in your blood-sugar levels. Protein is the next important nutrient to consider in order to decrease muscle breakdown during and after your workout. Fat takes the longest to digest, so a pre-workout meal should be relatively low in fat.

 

A meal of 150-300 calories depending on how you feel, how quickly you digest and how close to a workout you are is ideal for a pre workout feed.

Some examples are

  • A bowl of oats with some berries
  • Yoghurt and berries
  • Coconut water
  • Some sweet potato and chicken (this is great post workout too)
  • Black Coffee

It need not be complicated, just have a wholesome afternoon snack a few hours before you workout and you should be just fine.

 

After Exercise
I usually suggest to my clients that after a workout to consume a protein shake to start the process of replenishing and repair their muscles. I also encourage that they consume food 30-60minutes after their workout to maximize the fat burning process.

Unless you have the goal of gaining muscle where I suggest you consume carbs post workout I recommend a good Whey protein be consumed. A whey protein is usually enough for most people to recover. With whey protein the increase in melatonin causes a stress response but it is a good source of glutathione. However you cannot beat a post workout meal if you are not into liquid meals. You get the calorie burn form the actual digestion without the negative effects of liquid meals. I recommend something like chicken, a bunch of greens and sweet potato after a workout.
Closing Statement
I think it is important to remember that there are a multitude of diets and each to their own on what they follow as long as it is safe. I like to keep things pretty simply. Healthy unprocessed foods daily in the right portion sizes and I always feel satisfied. I do not tell my clients you need to consume 1200 calories per day I advocate healthy living. You can have great food without it being in a wrapper but if you must have something (and we all do) think about it, make plans for it, and look at what needs to be done to ensure it does not impact you (or your waist line).

Life is for living but eat right and make every training session count.

Why women should use weights

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I am sure you have heard the adage, “Girls that lift weights get bulky.” I am sorry to tell you but this just isn’t going to happen, unless you are increasing your testosterone levels beyond your normal levels. Women just do not have the levels of testosterone that men do, so instead of bulking up, they are replacing fat with lean muscle mass.

The combination of resistance and cardiovascular workouts is designed to enhance a woman’s figure. The idea of resistance training is to help you replace fat with muscle, and we do this by working with your body, rather than against it. This is done through strength based training and by targeting specific muscle groups.

Many women fear resistance training, especially with weights. They are afraid that they will develop manly looking muscles. The exercises that we get our female clients to do are designed to meet their individual goals, whether that be for strength, in order to compete, or to enhance their figures. The exercises will also accentuate your curves and tighten your core, for the lean sexy look that most women desire.

Resistance exercises can be carried out at home or at a gym. Initially, you do not need a lot to add resistance. In fact, for some just using their bodyweight can achieve the desired result. You can also use everyday household items, such as water bottles filled with sand or cans of baked beans; the options are endless.

To get positive results you need to do a minimum of 30 minutes of resistance training. We recommend that you back it up with a Tabata HIIT workout to increase the amount of fat you are burning. Remember, in order to build and tone your muscles, to achieve muscular definition, you need to work your muscles to the point of muscle fatigue.

We have a range of programs that are specifically targeted towards women and they incorporate the use of weights, which tone the body and strip off fat and cellulite. These exercises are designed to build, strengthen and stretch your muscles, through a series of repetitions and a predefined number of sets. They will fatigue the muscles and encourage fat burning, as well as the building of lean muscle mass.

Resistance training can help you to achieve muscle definition quickly, but you need to start slowly or lighter if you have never lifted weights before, or you have not done so for a long time. You will notice, after a period of time, that your body becoming leaner and more defined. It should be noted that a well-balanced and clean diet is an essential part of any training program.

It is a proven fact that resistance training burns fat, and the more muscular your body the easier it is to burn the calories you intake. In addition, incorporating resistance training into your workout schedule will see you burn fat even while you sleep, since your body will be working hard to repair the muscles.

The Role Of Leptin In Weight Loss

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Leptin is a hormone that is naturally produced by the fat cells in the body, also known as adipocytes. Leptin plays a major role in suppressing the appetite and regulating metabolism. When released into the bloodstream it acts on receptors in the brain, signalling that the body has had enough to eat. A feeling of fullness is experienced, which helps regulate our eating behaviour and helps control our energy balance. It is widely known that leptin helps the body utilise fat stores. Your leptin levels need to be high in order to burn fat, and when leptin levels decrease, your fat stores increase.

When people lose weight through food restriction alone, there is a subsequent reduction in metabolic rate because there is a loss of both fat and lean body tissue. Leptin levels decline and the metabolism slows down in response to receiving less food energy. However, leptin may play a role in sparing lean muscle mass when dieting, by causing weight to only be lost from fat deposits. Additionally, leptin does not decrease the metabolism, even when caloric intake is reduced.

Leptin and Obesity
Many obese people make attempts at weight loss but eventually gain the weight back. This is likely to be due to the fact that leptin production is reduced when weight is lost through dieting alone. Low leptin levels trigger fat storage rather than fat burning, as low food intake triggers the starvation mode. Leptin supplementation, when taken alongside a caloric-restricted diet, does not produce a decline in metabolism and is a more successful method in maintaining weight loss in the long-term.
Leptin Insensitivity
A leptin insensitivity is commonly considered the underlying cause of obesity in humans, predisposing affected individuals to easily gain weight. To naturally boost leptin levels, eat small meals that are evenly spread out throughout the day and consume adequate amounts of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and other nutritionally valuable foods. Maintaining proper metabolic function is the key to keeping hormones in balance and producing ideal levels of leptin for appetite regulation and weight management.

Fat Loss
When Leptin was first discovered it was considered the anti-obesity hormone. Through decreased food intake and increased energy expenditure, which results in rapid weight loss, lean muscle mass can be preserved.

Appetite
Most people have noticed that a diet usually starts out quite easy, particularly if one is obese. However, as the duration of the diet is extended, cravings start to set in and they become more and more intense. We recommend that “cheat” days be employed to prevent this, as they reset hormonal levels and glycogen levels, but also for your mental wellbeing.

Decreases in leptin are strongly associated with increased sensations of hunger. The lower your leptin levels go, the more severe the sensations of hunger are.

Energy Expenditure
Like hunger control, fat loss is remarkably easier at the beginning of a diet. However, it invariably slows, and if appropriate steps are not taken, it stops. Low leptin levels are correlated with decreases in resting energy expenditure.

In dieters, it is a common practice that when they reach a plateau (leptin levels are low) they cut their calorie intake even further, while increasing their physical activity. Unfortunately, this is just going to decrease leptin levels even more, making things that much worse.

What you should be doing is the exact opposite. We do this by employing a cheat meal into our clients’ plans. The cheat meal is a planned ‘non calorie restricted’ refeed. These refeeds should be done before signs of low leptin levels become apparent. We recommend this be every 7 days, and it is usually followed by an intermittent fasting period.

The Refeed
The primary purpose of the refeed is to boost depleted glycogen levels and therefore your metabolism. There are arguments that any refeed should only be 50% higher in calorie intake than the diet you are on. We believe that restrictions on refeeds are not necessary, unless your leptin levels are drastically low, in which case you would refeed more regularly. With a high calorie refeed, usually in the form of quality carbohydrates, proteins and good fats, you can keep your metabolism firing and leptin levels at a more sustainable level.

Assuming we have not created drastically low leptin levels, our refeed will be 20-50% ABOVE maintenance, for 12-48 hours. The higher the calories, the shorter the refeed, and there are arguments in support of this. If they are drastically low, 5-7 days of 20% above maintenance, is recommended. In general, the lower you are below your natural body fat set point, and the longer or more drastic your diet, the more frequent the refeed.

Our primary macronutrient will be carbohydrate, which enters the blood as glucose. Insulin also potentiates glucose stimulated leptin production, therefore high GI carbs are most ideal. Protein should be 1g/lb, and a bit of fat and fructose from foods that you enjoy is acceptable, but the rest is non-fructose carbohydrates.

The Fed State
Leptin is responsible for the anabolic hormonal setting that is associated with the so-called “fed state”, and the lack thereof during underfeeding. Therefore, in addition to its high importance in our fat loss efforts, it is extremely important in increasing and maintaining muscle mass.

The reason we lose muscle mass when dieting, despite resistance training and adequate protein intake, is hormonal. Hormones are also the reason we cannot gain our maximum amount of muscle without over eating, which in turn leads to some fat gains. With the exception of insulin, leptin controls these anabolic hormones and both insulin and leptin are mediated by glucose, therefore they go hand in hand.

Increased leptin levels lead to preferential refilling of liver glycogen stores, which is a prime indicator of the fed state, as well as an increase in testosterone and human growth hormone. It also blunts ACTH, which signals cortisol secretion in the adrenals and inhibits cortisol synthesis directly.

Beyond Leptin
Though leptin is the master hormone, there are numerous other signals involved in adipostatic control — and this is where it REALLY gets complicated. Some of these signals are directly modulated by leptin (anorexic peptides are increased and orexigenic are decreased), while some are not. Some are redundant (meaning if they are taken out of the equation, something else takes over), while others are not. At last count, there were about 15 of them — cortisol, ghrelin, neuropeptide-Y, orexigen a & b, melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), cotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) are a few that come to mind — and there are almost certainly many more that we are not yet aware of.

 

 

Stop Making Excuses And You Will Get Results

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I am frustrated today after having no one turn up to my group session, due to it raining. A little bit of rain is not going to hurt anyone, yet my group was more willing to part with their money rather than turn up and work on hitting their goals.

Every day I hear people make excuses about:

  • Why they cannot eat well
  • Why they ate at Maccas
  • Why they fell off the wagon
  • How peer pressure forced them to drink
  • Why they can’t train due to bad weather
  • Why they cannot lift as much weight as someone else
  • Why they don’t want to work certain muscle groups
  • How their finances are preventing them from training (yet they can afford to eat out every day, which indicates they do not have their priorities right)

Does this sound like you? Are you the person that knows all about fitness and yet you are 20kg overweight? We are all experts, yet many of us do nothing about it.

To be honest, it all gets a bit boring. Excuses, excuses and more excuses. Let me tell you something: I am the expert. I know how to train you to lose weight, since I have done it myself and helped many before you, and will continue to help people achieve their goals. I live and breathe this industry, and like many of my peers, I strive to make a difference.

Look, lets get serious now. If you want to change, you need to make changes. Thinking healthy and being healthy is all it takes. Do not make excuses for your actions. You ate chocolate because you did not have the willpower to say “No”; you ate at Maccas because you were too lazy to prepare a meal in advance, or simply go home and cook (it probably would have taken 20 minutes anyway).

People ask me, each and everyday, endless amounts of questions regarding fitness, and I will continue to answer them until I am blue in the face.

I get questions such as:

  • When do I train?
  • What times do I eat?
  • What do I eat?
  • How many carbs should I be eating?
  • What is the best way to count calories?
  • Why am I not losing weight when I trained 3 times this week?
  • How do I keep fit and maintain my ideal weight?
  • What’s your secret?

The list goes on…

I love the last one, “What’s your secret?” It’s simple really:

  • I make good decisions
  • I make good food and drink choices
  • I exercise everyday, even if only 20 minutes
  • I make good decisions that affect my lifestyle
  • I plan my week
  • I am consistent
  • I do not starve myself
  • I do not calorie count
  • I know what works for me

Lets put it simply… Life is about decisions.

Everyday you wake up and you start making decisions, we make hundreds everyday. Yet when it comes to our lifestyles, we seem to make excuses, and lots of them.

Now I am not some sort of fitness freak that never eats anything bad. I am happy to admit there are times I step outside my normal plan, but I make a positive decision, stand by it and move forward. As I teach my clients: you can have a cheat meal every week, just not everyday.

Now, you may have a personal trainer who says, “Count your protein, carbs and fats, and do everything to moderation.”

Whilst I agree with this, to a degree, it is not sustainable. You cannot count calories, proteins, carbs and fats (PCF) all the time. You need to live your life. You cannot look at every meal and wonder if it exceeds your PCF’s. Instead, look at it very simply: does the meal contain the right portions of protein, carbs and good fats?

Why not focus on being healthy instead. Eat clean food and don’t be fooled by a packet  with“Healthy”written on it. If it’s in a packet, it’s not healthy, in my opinion.

I hear people say all the time, “I went out for lunch/dinner with friends/family/colleagues, and I just ate what everyone else was eating, and I drank alcohol too.”

You know what, it’s a BS excuse. You know it, and I know it.

Why do you need to eat a rubbish meal when you go out for dinner?

  • You could replace chips with veggies
  • Get sauces/dressings on the side
  • Cook a meal for your friends instead
  • Replace wine with soda water & lime

Stop making excuses, it’s as simple as that. Yes, tomorrow is another day, but why not make today a good day.

People ask me, “How do you do it?” It’s simple: I plan. I plan my food; I plan when I will have a cheat meal; I plan what I will buy at the shops.  It’s all in the planning.

If you have a good PT, he or she should be able to help you with this, if not, you can do it on your own:

  • Grab a piece of paper and draw a table for 7 days, with 6 meals a day
  • Write down when you will exercise
  • Write down all your events, dinners etc.
  • Add your meals and snacks, making sure you are eating good food
  • Don’t forget to drink 3 liters of water per day

You have now, very simply, planned your week out. Best of all, it probably took less than 30 minutes to do.

Now you can create a shopping list. You can make food in advance and freeze it if you want.

Heed my best advice: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”

Well that’s it guys, I am pretty passionate about this stuff and I know you can do it. If you do need help look me up, since helping people is what I do for a living.

 

Hormones & Fatloss

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Put simply fasting = results because it burns your fat stores rather than the food you give your body.

Times have changed from days when you had to eat a carb breakfast, and so has science. Look at the word BREAKFAST = BREAK FAST, when we eat we break our fasting. Why would we do this if we were trying to increase the bodies efficiency to burn fat.

Let’s look at timing, most people wake up around 6-7am and at this time Cortisol is at an all time high, this is a good thing. Cortisol is known to tear down muscle tissue, which is bad but it also destroys fat, helping release fat from fat cells. We want Cortisol to attack fast cells and ideally happen when inssulin levels are naturally at their lowest; i.e. in the morning. In the morning when Insulin levels are low, Cortisol levels are high allowing the fat burning to take place.

The role of cortisol in the body

  • Help the body to manage stress
  • Convert protein into glucose to boost flagging blood sugar levels
  • Work in tandem with the hormone insulin to maintain constant blood sugar levels
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Contribute to the maintenance of constant blood pressure
  • Contribute to the workings of the immune system.

Now if all is well we would want Cortisol to be at its highest possible levels for the longest period of time, it trigges triglycerides into free fatty acids for your metabolism and this is what we call FREE FAT LOSS. However this can only happen if we do not eat carboyhydrates when we wake.

I hear you ask the question well if we cannot eat carbs how about proteins and fats. When we sleep there is a hormone that is released throughout the night, its called Ghrelin. This hormone is often referred to as the hunger hormone and is often at its highest levels when we wake in the morning which is why (as my son loves to put it) starving or put another way ravenous.

Whilst Gherlin is released during the night while you sleep so is growth hormone, as your growth hormone levels rise so too does the bodies ability to release fat. This released fat is used as a fuel source and therefore decreases the bodies ability to break down lean muscle tissue. If we have high Gheril, mixed with growth hormone we reach an ideal state with your Cortisol levels being high in the morning, what happens is your lean muscle tissue is preserved and as a result you only break down fat cells. By fasting for 3-6 hours upon waking we use these hormones at their peak and burn more fat. Upon eating the peak of your hormones will stop burning fat cells and start burining the carbs, protein or fats you give your body.

Want a fat burning machine, the answer is simple push back your first meal of the day by 3-6 hours and intermittently fast, don’t forget to exercise and you will see massive results.

Lets not forget there are many variations of fasting, Lemon Detox, Water Diet, African Mango and many many more. Fasting needs to be controlled and done in the right fashion to gain the benefits. If I eat crap I do this exact program for between 2-4 days and cleanse my body, I feel healthier, lighter, my skin is clearer and I have an amazing ability to think clearly and absorb information.

Ditch the gym and get outdoors

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After years of training in gyms even when I was not a personal trainer, I branch out of the stifled environments of gym and took my training and my business outdoors.

I found the benefits to be hugely rewarding and even noticed that I lost more weight, felt and looked healthier and even went on to achieve a dream of a lifetime and become an ironman.

Now I am not suggesting that you need to spend numerous hours pounding the pavement, riding a bike or swimming to become and ironman but I will give you 10 great reasons to rip up your gym or indoor PT membership and step outdoors and reap the rewards.

Long term contracts
An indoor studio or gym will lock you into a membership for 6 months or more (usually 12 months) they do this to have a positive cash flow. It is detrimental to you because most people stop going to the gym after only a few weeks and most after a few months yet the monthly debit from your account still comes out whether you like it or not. Save yourself hundreds of dollars and the joining fee and head outside.

Additional money savings
So you happen to be one of the rare people that continue to use the gym, you get into it and find yourself spending more money. You pay $6 for a protein shake, enjoy a protein bar for $4.50, sign up for additional classes that conveniently are not covered in your membership and much more.

Need protein then look no further than your local fish monger or meat supplier. Plenty of protein to be had in these healthy choices and your body is not consuming processed crap that you cannot pronounce.

Repetitive music
I worked in a local PT studio for a while and the thing that annoyed me and many of the clients was the repetitive music. Over and over again the same CD would be played. We thought things would improve with the installation of Foxtel but alas our worst fears came true. It to had 15 channels of the same music on an infinite loop. By training outdoors you can mix your own music to fire you up and get you moving.

Sunshine
Much of our populate are reportedly vitamin D deficient. If you are deficient you need to do something about it because being deficient means unhealthy bones and muscles.

Don’t be supplement and feed a pharmacy industry that is worth billions, get outside in the sun and get your vitamin D for free. It should not be forgotten that if you are training outdoors it is very important to wear a hat, apply sunscreen and wear a shirt.

Television, iPhones and other electrical devices.
Walk into any gym today and you will find several people sitting on bikes tecting, updating their Facebook status or the person on the treadmill who is alerting everyone via twitter what they are doing, to the person comatose by the TV and is barely moving on the equipment and lets not forget the gym junking who takes a selfie photo after a set alerting the world to how huge they look. Get outdoors and run, take up a boxing or bootcamp class or engage an outdoor personal trainer. You will be moving in no time, feel healthier and your friends will notice.

Gyms can be scary
Are you afraid to enter the Zumba or BodyPump class because you afraid you cannot keep up, or worse yet the class is so full that you attempt the exercises at the back of the room and get frustrated because the instructor is too busy talking to their favourites at the front to teach you properly. Are you sick of seeing the tanned posers who spend more time look in the mirror than actually train and look you up and down because you are not like them.

Then get outdoors, you will always be greeted by a friendly smile or wave of another person who is working out and acknowledges your efforts to do the same on a cold wintery morning. Outdoor training is invigorating and welcoming and poor attitudes are left at home for we all have a common goal to be healthy. I would even bet that you are more likely to achieve your goal by surrounding yourself with fun welcoming people at a local park doing a bootcamp than you would at a local gym.

The first step is always the hardest but it could be as simple as a morning fat burner walk or a 45 minute boxing session with a skilled instructor who ensures you are looked after and the program is tailored to you. Get out on your bike, go for a jog, head down to the beach and run on the sand even find some stairs and run up and down them several times and perform some body weight exercises.

You do not need fancy equipment or the latest gadgets, you can do a workout with a skipping rope, a kettlebell, sandbag, medball and much more. At most local parks now they have equipment so you can do chin ups, pull ups and work your abs till your heart is content.

Becoming a outdoor personal trainer was the best decision I ever made, sure I have clients I train indoors in my garage or at the local gym but the majority of my clients train outdoors with me and on their own. I say give it a try because I am betting once you have you wont go back to paying huge fees, being stifled in a room with others all fighting for the machine or weights and you will probably meet some quality people with similar goals to yourself.

Don’t be the one to let your goals slip by, get involved and get active and see your life change for the better.

Transforming lives has arrived

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Welcome to Body Transformations for Life.

We have launched with a bang with a highly successful offer at Breakfast Point Country Club and our weekly boxing and bootcamp groups are making plenty of noise.

We offer a range of services including:

  • One on One Personal Training
  • Group boxing and bootcamps
  • Run coaching and clinics
  • Exercise and nutrition consultation
  • Food and exercise plans
  • Many customised options available

If you would like more information please contact Brad on 0404 049 320 or brad[at]bodytransformationsforlife.com