31/01/2022
5kg pulled off Ben in the month of January.
He wanted a little challenge so I told him I'd keep him accountable. The goal was to strip back a lot of body fat in a short period of time. Which has been executed well.
Some pros of doing this
-Less time spent in a calorie deficit
-Results come fast so the client can have a high buy-in
Some cons
-Compromised recovery in some cases
-Hunger
I don't recommend everyone tries to lose weight at this rate but sometimes it is necessary. It very much depends on your training experience, current body weight, past and present relationship with food whether you go slow and steady or aggressive.
Ben has plenty of experience when it comes to training and nutrition being a coach himself however it's always beneficial to have someone in your corner.
If you are looking for someone to hold you to a higher standard drop me a DM with the word ''STANDARD'' and let's chat.
17/05/2021
How do I know what weights to lift when I go to the gym?
If you are returning to the gym or haven't been to the gym in a while. There is no answer to that question.
You just need to get in there and find a starting point. When you go to the gym have a structured workout in place, once you have that structure you find your groove the first/second week.
You lift a weight that's challenging maintaining good form throughout and now you have your baseline to work off. You should do your best to keep the tempo and your set up variables the same.
Over the next couple of weeks, you aim to progress from that start point. It's not rocket science don't overthink it.
Another thing that is important is exercise selection. If you are trying to build your chest but feeling everything in your anterior delt (front of the shoulder) your chest isn't going to grow optimally.
If you want to improve certain body parts make sure you are making that body part do the work.
For people returning to the gym on June 7th who haven't been training start with full-body workouts. Find your set point and build intensity over time.
16/05/2021
Habits are created based on repetition and frequency.
Often you will hear it takes X amount of time to create a habit.
But that's not true.
Habits are not a finish line to be crossed, they're a lifestyle to be lived.
It would be great if it did only take X amount of days. We'd probably have a lot less people addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling then. And life would be so much easier.
Once you stop doing a habit it's no longer a habit.
When people think about habits they want to build they consider the outcome they want to achieve rather than the person they need to become.
I want to lose X amount of weight. Rather than aiming to be a person who doesn't miss workouts or a person who values their health.
If you are just getting into the gym and somebody asks do you go to the gym? You'd probably say well I've started going rather than yes I go to the gym. You aren't identifying as someone who goes to the gym.
Identifty as the person who doesn't miss workouts, who stops eating when their full, who enjoys a balanced lifestyle and the results will follow.
27/04/2021
Sometimes you have to go off track to realise how good it is to be on track.
Relapse is part of the process of change.
Last week I spoke to one of my clients about falling off track. They were honest and open with me (which I always appreciate) and I could understand where they were coming from. I told them that I had fallen off track as well but we both agreed that it makes you realise how good it feels to be on track.
Nothing beats having direction and waking up everyday having something to strive for. You've all felt it before when you got into the swing of exercise you've thought I feel great I'm going to keep this up.
A lot of people stop when they relapse. They throw in the towel. They may have had a big weekend and they dodge Monday, dodge Tuesday and then before they know it they've stopped.
If you have had big weekends for the last 5-10 years of your life and decide today you want to reduce them it's very rare there won't be relapses. What's important is we learn from these relapses. We re-evaluate that weekend. What happened that you would like to rectify.
Maybe you drank more than you wanted? ordered too much?
If more people sat down and took time to reflect on what they have been doing and what they need to do they'd be far more successful. Next time you fall off track have a look back at the mistakes you've made don't let them go unrectified.
25/04/2021
You know what a calorie deficit is but you don't know how much of a deficit you need?
Setting calories is a tough one. If the deficit is too big it can affect your adherence because you will be tired, and hungry and if the deficit is too small you might get impatient because you aren't seeing results fast enough.
Adhering to a large deficit long-term isn't sustainable for most but results come quickly and sometimes people have a high buy-in. Although some people have done some crazy things, search Angus Barbieri who went 382 days without eating and lost 125 kg. Pretty much debunks everyone that thinks the problem is they don't eat enough. What they actually mean is they don't eat enough some days and then they overconsume other days.
I do not recommend what Angus did this is an extreme example of a starvation diet. A smaller deficit can be adhered to better for most because you aren't starving, you have more energy, and you sleep better. There is also more chance of you building some lean body mass in the process(better workouts).
Here are some things you need to consider when you are choosing a big deficit or a small deficit (This topic is really person dependent, a calorie deficit may not even be what you need now).
-Your relationship with food if you have a poor relationship with food a bigger deficit may not work well for you (may not even be the time for a deficit at all). Aiming for a smaller deficit and still incorporating your treats might be the way forward.
-Your relationship with yourself/Dieting history: If you are very self-critical of yourself the chances are you may have tried fads in the past, failed and ended up worse off. Aim for a small deficit prioritise nutrient-dense food, incorporate treats, and stay consistent.
-Your current energy levels: If you are tired, fatigued, and managing a lot of stressors. A small deficit and focusing on your health may be the answer.
-Your current health status: In some cases, for health reasons some people may have to lose a large amount of weight in a short time, a large deficit may be necessary. If it isn't urgent though I would say slow and steady wins the race.
24/04/2021
Protein post-workout is required to facilitate muscular repair and remodeling.
Previously we thought consuming protein as quickly as possible post-workout was optimal for gains. We know now this isn't true.
Back in the day, you'd see everyone leaving the gym shaking their protein terrified of missing the anabolic window. You should consume sufficient protein a few hours before training and a few hours after training. Protein distribution is important.
What is protein distribution?
Protein distribution refers to the relationship between the quantities of dietary protein consumed meal to meal to the overall intake.
Muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
Muscle protein synthesis is a naturally occurring process in which protein is produced to repair muscle damage caused by intense exercise.
MPS is a transient process. When we consume a bolus portion of protein (20-40g) we spike muscle protein synthesis and it returns back to baseline again. It takes 1.5 hours for MPS to peak before returning to baseline by 2hrs. The muscle becomes refractory in this period which means its resistant to stimulation. So if you are drinking BCAA's all day you are actually negatively impacting your ability to put on muscle tissue.
22/04/2021
Who's in your corner?
Who holds you to a higher standard?
Who do you learn from?
The best way to skyrocket your results is to have someone in your corner. Even when you know what you need to do. Accountability is so important.
''The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) did a study on accountability and found that you have a 65% of completing a goal if you commit to someone. And if you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed, you will increase your chance of success by up to 95%.''
Disclaimer: Just seen this in an article haven't looked it up.
If you are thinking about getting a coach you'll also want to find a coach that understands you as an individual. When I was looking for someone to keep me accountable I thought who is knowledgeable but will understand me. Someone can have all the knowledge of anatomy and training but if they lack empathy and compassion they will struggle to get 98% of the public in shape.
My coach ticks all the boxes and gives me logic when I need it. Having him in my corner has kept me on track, held me to a higher standard, and keeps me pushing forward. It's something I can see myself doing for a long time. I've had coaches previously and it hasn't worked out as well. Just because you've tried once doesn't mean you've found someone who suits you as a person.
There's only a small amount of people in my opinion that succeed with the drill sergeant mentality, the David Goggins of the world. Majority of people aren't built like Goggins. We can use him as inspiration or whatever but he's in the 2%.
I read his book, some things I don't agree with he called himself fat until he changed and encouraged others to do the same. You'll find this doesn't work a lot of the time. In fact, it's the opposite that works for the majority of people. Self-kindness rather than hating on yourself.
If you are looking for a coach to hold you to a higher standard DM me ''STANDARD'' and let's chat.
06/04/2021
Have you been making the most of your training sessions? Are you just showing up for everyone? How hard on a scale 1-10 have you worked in your sessions? (be honest)
Most people don't train hard enough in their sessions. If you want amazing results, you need to put in the graft. Every session should be performed to the best of your ability that day. It won't always be linear and some sessions won't go your way, but if the majority of your sessions are half-arsed you will feel like you've wasted time.
If you are committing to 3-5 hours a week of exercise make sure you make the most of that time. Get tuned in, and get after it. Prioritise nutrition and sleep coming into it so you can push the boundaries. Otherwise, you'll find yourself spinning your wheels.
Jenna trained really hard to get such great results in a short time. Sleep and nutrition were always a priority for her. Not only was she an action taker she also liked to learn more about nutrition and exercise.
I'm looking for more action takers to join my online team. If it's something you'd be interested in fill-in the application in my bio and we can chat!
24/04/2021
22/04/2021
06/04/2021