Personal Training Master

By the way... 🤔 have you ever stopped to wonder whether the health advice you're reading online was written by someone who has spent years studying nutrition science and working with real people... or whether the text was generated in seconds by AI?

It's a question I've found myself asking more and more.

🤖 I have nothing against AI.

In fact, I think it's one of the most remarkable technological advances of our time, and I use it myself for selected parts of my research, which are then, of course, double-checked by me or my medical team.

But like any tool, its value depends entirely on the knowledge, integrity and experience of the person using it.

📚 Long before AI-generated content became commonplace, I was already writing evidence-based articles on health, rehabilitation, nutrition, athletics and human performance.

My goal was never to publish the most articles or chase clicks.

It was, and still is, to take complex scientific research and translate it into practical information that people can genuinely understand and apply to improve their health.

🌿 Recently, I reread this article I wrote back in 2019 about Moringa.

Looking back and reflecting on how I carried out the research at the time, it made me smile.

What struck me was that every sentence represented hours of reading research papers, comparing evidence, questioning claims, making notes, double-checking everything, and asking myself one simple question:

"Would I confidently recommend this to someone who trusted me with their health?"

That question has guided everything I've written and everything I've done with my clients over the years.

🔬 I've always believed that science gives us the foundation, but experience teaches us how to apply it safely and effectively to the individual standing in front of us.

Every person is different.

Every nutrition goal is different.

Every injury is different.

Every rehabilitation journey is different.

That's why I've always believed that no two people should receive exactly the same advice.

🎯 To be truly effective, every nutrition or injury rehabilitation programme, and every recommendation, should be precisely customised to the individual.

As AI continues to change the way we create and consume information, I don't believe genuine expertise will become less valuable.

I believe it will become more valuable than ever.

When someone is frightened because they've been diagnosed with osteoporosis...

When someone has just been told they have a herniated disc...

When someone is living with persistent back pain and doesn't know who or what to believe...

They aren't looking for the most impressive-sounding words.

❤️ They're looking for someone who deeply understands the science, has spent years applying it in the real world, and can translate that knowledge into practical, safe and effective advice they can trust.

That's something I've tried to do throughout my career, and it's something I'll continue doing.

Technology will continue to evolve.

Scientific evidence will continue to evolve.

But one thing shouldn't change.

💡 Our responsibility to think critically.

📖 To keep learning.

❓ To question our own assumptions.

🙏 And to put people's health before popularity, algorithms or clicks.

My commitment to evidence-based practice, lifelong learning, and helping people make informed decisions about their health won't.

For anyone who's interested, here's the article I originally published in 2019:

Moringa – A New Superfood

https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/moringa-a-new-superfood/

🌱🥦💚

After consulting and advising at least 10 people every week about their osteoporosis, I've realised that most have been given the wrong advice about building stronger bones.

🚶 "Just walk more."

Walking is fantastic for your ❤️ heart.

It's excellent for your 🧠 mental health.

It's one of the best things you can do for longevity.

But if your goal is to maximise bone strength...

🚶 Walking alone is often not enough.

Here's why...

🦴 Your skeleton doesn't simply respond to movement.

💥 It responds to force.

Research shows that walking typically generates ground reaction forces of around 1.2 times your body weight.

Running increases these forces to approximately 2.5 - 2.6 times your body weight, while many jumping and landing activities generate forces of around 4 - 6 times body weight (and sometimes even higher), creating a much greater mechanical stimulus for bone adaptation and remodelling.

❓Why does that matter?

Because your bones contain remarkable cells called osteocytes.

Think of them as tiny mechanical sensors buried deep within your skeleton.

🔬 When they detect mechanical loads that exceed your body's usual daily demands, they initiate biochemical signalling that helps coordinate bone modelling and remodelling, allowing your skeleton to continuously adapt throughout life.

💡 Did you know this concept forms the basis of Harold Frost's Mechanostat Theory, one of the most influential principles in bone biology?

Here's the interesting part...

Many people with osteoporosis aren't necessarily moving too little.

⚠️ They're simply not exposing their skeleton to the right type of mechanical loading.

But there's something even more important...

🚫 This does NOT mean everyone with osteoporosis should start running or jumping.

In fact, for many people, that could be the wrong approach.

If you have:

• Osteoporosis

• Previous fractures

• Severe spinal degeneration

• Poor balance

• Significant pain

• Multiple medical conditions

• Significant postural imbalances

..high-impact exercise may be inappropriate until your body is prepared for it and, depending on the severity of your osteoporosis, your fracture history and your overall physical capacity, it may increase your risk of fragility fracture if introduced too early or without appropriate supervision.

🎯 This is where personalised rehabilitation becomes critical.

The objective isn't to perform the hardest exercises.

The objective is to expose your skeleton to the greatest amount of safe, progressive mechanical loading that YOUR body can currently tolerate.

✅ That's how safe rehabilitation should work.

❌ Not fear.

❌ Not guesswork.

❌ Not generic exercise sheets.

✅ Individualised progression based on your body, your medical history, your movement quality and your current capacity.

Because the safest exercise programme isn't the easiest one.

It isn't the hardest one either.

💪 It's the one that's precisely matched to your body, your bones and your current capacity.

That's what personalised rehabilitation should look like.

📖 If you'd like to understand how we individualise rehabilitation for people with osteoporosis, I've explained our approach here:

https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/osteoporosis-rehab-london-personalised-exercise

Recovery is the restoration of normal movement.

📚 References available on request. The evidence behind this post includes work by Frost (Mechanostat Theory), Robling et al., Kohrt et al., Weeks & Beck, Keller et al., and Daly et al.

🏃🏃🏃 Marathon Training Recovery

I found myself reading this paper twice because one particular finding really made me stop and think.

Like many runners, I've often judged my recovery by how my legs feel the following day.

But what if feeling recovered and actually being recovered aren't quite the same thing?

I think this is something many recreational runners underestimate (myself included).

After a half marathon, your legs may feel much better the following day, your muscle soreness may be settling (especially if you've been consistent with your training), and mentally you may already be thinking about your next run.

But has your movement fully recovered?

That was one of the questions the researchers wanted to answer.

They investigated how a simulated half marathon affected muscle performance, landing mechanics, proprioception (your body's awareness of joint position) and lower limb biomechanics in recreational runners, as well as how long these changes took to recover.

One finding, in particular, caught my attention.

Although most of the measured changes returned to baseline within 24 hours, hip joint proprioception took around 48 hours to recover.

The researchers also observed temporary changes in running mechanics immediately after the half-marathon, together with evidence of super-compensation in thigh muscle strength by the second day.

From a physiological perspective, this makes a great deal of sense.

As we become fatigued, the brain has a problem to solve.

It still wants to keep us moving forward.

To achieve that, it begins making subtle adjustments in the way our muscles work together.

The timing between muscle groups changes, proprioception becomes less precise, and our movement patterns begin to adapt.

Most of those changes happen without us ever noticing.

Looking back over the last 15 years, I now wonder how many runners I've seen return to training because they no longer felt sore, while their movement quality was still recovering.

Of course, this study doesn't prove that returning to training within 24 hours will cause an injury.

Every runner, every training programme and every recovery strategy is different.

What it does remind us is that recovery is about much more than muscle soreness.

Recovery is the restoration of normal movement.

Read that again.

Recovery is the restoration of normal movement.

I think that's one of the most important messages from this paper.

Training with purpose is incredibly important, but that's a discussion for another post.

Sometimes, the smartest training decision isn't pushing through another hard session.

Sometimes it's giving your body just a little more time to restore the quality of its movement.

If you're training for a half-marathon or marathon, don't just ask yourself:

"Do I feel recovered?"

Also ask yourself:

"Has my body fully recovered its ability to move well?"

Sometimes, the difference between continuing to improve and picking up an avoidable injury isn't another training session.

It's allowing your body enough time to recover the quality of its movement.

I found this genuinely fascinating, and I hope you did too. 💚🏃

Study:

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/60/11/828

Emma case study results:

https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/testimonial/emma-robinson-calibre-lifestyle

What are your running and fitness goals?

https://www.PersonalTrainingMaster.co.uk/ContactMe

🧠 Did you know that, in many cases, we can have a very accurate idea which nerve is affected before even looking at an MRI scan?

This is one of the questions I'm most often asked, and the answer lies in the remarkable way our nerves are organised throughout the body.

For example, as you can see in this picture, the L4 nerve root generally supplies sensation to the inner (medial) side of the lower leg and continues towards the inside of the foot. 🦵

But...

Did you also know that the L5 nerve root usually supplies the front and outer part of the lower leg and extends across the top of the foot? 👣

And...

The S1 nerve root generally supplies the outer side of the foot.

From a clinical perspective, this information can be incredibly helpful.

If someone tells me they have numbness, tingling or pain across the top of their foot, it immediately makes me think about possible involvement of the L5 nerve root, requiring further physical assessment and specific clinical tests. 🔍

In many cases, this may be associated with a herniated disc at the L4-L5 level.

On the other hand, if the symptoms mainly affect the outer side of the foot, I begin to consider whether the S1 nerve root may be involved, which is commonly associated with a herniated disc at the L5-S1 level.

Of course, symptoms alone never tell the whole story, which is why a thorough assessment is so important.

Your consultation with me consists of three parts:

📋 A detailed medical history.

🩺 A comprehensive physical assessment using specific clinical tests.

🖥️ A careful review of your MRI findings.

It is the combination of all three that allows me to build the clearest possible picture of what is actually happening.

During the physical assessment, I also evaluate how well the muscles supplied by these nerves are functioning.

For example, someone with L5 nerve root involvement may have difficulty lifting the big toe or pulling the foot upwards towards the shin (ankle dorsiflexion).

If the S1 nerve root is affected, pushing the foot downwards (plantar flexion), such as when standing on tiptoes, may become weaker, and the Achilles tendon reflex may also be reduced.

When we combine your symptoms, the findings from your physical assessment and your MRI scan, we can usually identify which nerve is involved and, more importantly, determine what is most likely causing your symptoms. ✅

One of the most important things I've learnt over the years is that an MRI scan should never be interpreted in isolation.

The scan is just one piece of the puzzle.

Your symptoms, your medical history and the findings from your physical assessment are equally important when building an accurate clinical picture. 🧩

If you'd like to learn more about whether home rehabilitation or in-person rehabilitation is the most appropriate option for your particular case, you may also find this article helpful:

👉
https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/herniated-disc-rehab-home-vs-in-person

💚

🧠 One research paper I revisited recently reminded me why we should never underestimate something as simple as regular exercise.

Most of us accept that our memory gradually declines as we get older.

To some extent, that's true.

But did you know that after the age of 50, the hippocampus - the part of the brain heavily involved in learning and memory - gradually shrinks over time?

What I found particularly interesting is that one of the landmark studies in this field showed that this process isn't necessarily fixed.

In this study, the researchers followed healthy older adults for 12 months.

One group completed regular moderate aerobic exercise, while another performed stretching exercises.

At the end of the study, the aerobic exercise group had actually increased the size of their hippocampus by approximately 2%, whereas the stretching group continued to lose brain volume, as we would normally expect with ageing.

Even more encouraging, the people whose hippocampus increased the most also showed the greatest improvements in memory.

From a physiological perspective, this makes a great deal of sense.

Exercise doesn't simply strengthen our muscles or improve our cardiovascular fitness.

It increases blood flow to the brain, stimulates the release of growth factors such as BDNF, supports mitochondrial function, helps regulate inflammation, reduces oxidative stress and improves the health and function of our blood vessels 💪💪💪 all of which help create an environment in which brain cells can function, adapt and communicate more effectively.

This is one of the reasons I always encourage people not to think of exercise as something that's only good for their muscles or their heart.

Your brain is constantly adapting to the signals you give it, and regular movement appears to be one of the strongest positive signals you can provide.

One thing I often notice is how much attention is given to supplements marketed for brain health.

Some may eventually prove helpful, and research in this area continues to evolve.

However, when we look at the strongest evidence available today, regular exercise and good-quality sleep remain two of the most consistently supported lifestyle habits for maintaining long-term brain health.

Sometimes the simplest interventions are also the most powerful.

If you're currently inactive, don't worry about trying to be perfect.

Start with a brisk 10-minute walk.

Build gradually.

Move into jogging.

Progress to running and sprinting if appropriate for your health and fitness level.

Aim for around 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week, alongside some form of strength training.

Your muscles will benefit.

Your heart will benefit.

And your brain may benefit far more than most people realise.

If you'd like to learn more about the relationship between exercise, cognition and mental health, I explored this topic in greater detail here:

👉 https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/best-exercise-for-mental-health

📚 References

• Erickson KI et al. Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2011).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3041121

• Northey JM et al. Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018).

🥑 "Avocados are fattening."

I've heard that sentence more times than I can count.

During nearly two decades of working as a clinical nutrition consultant, body transformation expert and advising businesses on health, I've been asked this question countless times...

And it's one of the biggest nutritional myths that still influences the food choices of millions of people.

The problem isn't that avocados contain fat.

🎯 The problem is that we've spent decades teaching people to fear all fat, instead of understanding that different fats can have very different effects inside the body.

🥑 Nutrition has never been as simple as counting calories.

Two foods can contain a similar number of calories...

..yet have completely different effects on our metabolism, cholesterol, appetite and long-term health.

🎯 That's why judging a food by calories alone can be incredibly misleading.

Back in 2017, I wrote one of my most comprehensive articles explaining:

🥑 The truth about avocado calories.

❤️ Their potential role in supporting cardiovascular health.

🌿 The difference between healthy and unhealthy fats.

🥗 Why avocados have earned their reputation as one of nature's most nutrient-dense foods.

🧠 Why looking at foods in isolation often leads to the wrong conclusions.

Although this article was first published in 2017, the principles discussed remain just as relevant today.

If you've ever wondered whether avocados are genuinely healthy - or whether you've been avoiding them for the wrong reasons - I think you'll enjoy this read.

📖 Read the full article here:

https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/nutrition-consultant-in-london-spells-out-the-avocado-calories-facts-and-the-effects-on-our-health

🥑 I'd love to hear your thoughts...

How often do you eat avocados?

🟢 Every day
🟡 A few times a week
🟠 Occasionally
🔴 Rarely or never

👇 Let me know in the comments.

🥑 🌿 💚 ❤️ 🫒 🧬 📚 ⏳ 💪

💥 "I had surgery... so why does my back still hurt?"

It's one of the most common questions my clients ask.

Many people believe that once a herniated disc has been operated on, the problem is solved.

The reality is...

Recovery is often more complex than many people expect.

✅ Surgery can remove part of the damaged disc.

✅ It can reduce or even eliminate pressure on a nerve.

✅ For the right person, at the right time, it can be life-changing.

However, surgery doesn't necessarily address all the biomechanical, functional and behavioural factors that may contribute to persistent or recurrent symptoms.

It doesn't automatically restore:

❌ Muscle strength

❌ Spinal stability

❌ Healthy movement patterns

❌ Mobility

❌ Posture

❌ Balance between muscle groups

❌ The way your body distributes force when you walk, bend, lift or sit

❌ The asymmetries and compensations that may have developed over months or even years.

If these underlying issues remain...

Your spine may continue to overload the very same structures that became injured in the first place.

This is one of the reasons why some people continue to experience pain, stiffness, recurring sciatica, or develop new problems months or even years after surgery.

Recovery isn't just about what happened in the operating theatre.

It's about what happens afterwards.

The most successful long-term rehabilitation is built upon:

🔍 A correctly informed, comprehensive assessment

🎯 A highly personalised rehabilitation plan

💪 Progressive, customised strength development

🧠 Relearning efficient movement patterns

⚖️ Restoring balance, function and confidence

🚶 Helping you return to full function and the activities that matter most to you

The goal isn't simply to recover from surgery.

The goal is to understand WHY the problem developed, identify the factors that may still be placing unnecessary stress on your spine, and build a stronger, more resilient body for the future.

Because every spine is different.

Every body is different.

Every rehabilitation programme should be different too.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

If you're struggling with a herniated disc, sciatica or persistent back pain and want a successful, comprehensive, evidence-informed assessment and rehabilitation plan designed specifically for your body...

📩 Email us with as many details as possible using the link below, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

🌐 https://www.PersonalTrainingMaster.co.uk/contact

👣 Follow Spine Method UK for evidence-informed advice on spinal rehabilitation and long-term recovery.

❤️🫀 Most people think cholesterol is controlled mainly by medication. 💊

🔬 The science tells a different story.

🥗 What you put on your plate every day will have a surprisingly powerful effect on your LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

📚 According to the National Lipid Association, these five evidence-based strategies can each help lower LDL cholesterol:

🥑 Replace saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats.

🫒 Swap butter, coconut oil, palm oil and fatty processed meats for extra virgin olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocados.

⬇️ Potential LDL reduction: approximately 5 - 10%

🌾 Increase soluble fibre.

🥣 Foods such as oats, barley, beans, lentils, chia seeds and apples 🍎 help trap cholesterol in the digestive tract, reducing how much is absorbed.

⬇️ Potential LDL reduction: approximately 6 - 9%

🌱 Add plant sterols.

🥗 Around 2 g/day, taken with meals, can reduce cholesterol absorption from the intestine.

⬇️ Potential LDL reduction: approximately 5 - 8%

🫘 Choose plant protein.

🌿 Replacing animal protein with beans, lentils, soy foods and other plant proteins will dramatically improve your cholesterol profile.

⬇️ Potential LDL reduction: approximately 3 - 5%; however, if animal products are avoided completely and replaced with healthier plant-based sources, the reduction is dramatically bigger. 📈

⚖️ If you're carrying excess body weight, losing just 5% can make a measurable difference.

⬇️ Potential LDL reduction: approximately 3 - 5%

🤝 When these strategies are combined consistently, they don't simply work as well in isolation - they work much better together, providing much stronger compounded benefits.

⭐ Even more importantly...

📉 Research has consistently shown that for approximately every 39 mg/dL (1 mmol/L) reduction in LDL cholesterol, the risk of major cardiovascular events falls by around 22%. ❤️

💪 That's a remarkable return from relatively simple lifestyle changes.

❤️🍽️ Food should always be the foundation of cardiovascular health.

⚠️ However, lifestyle changes are not always a replacement for medication.

👨‍⚕️ Many people benefit from combining both approaches, and any medication should only be changed under the guidance of your doctor.

❓ The question isn't simply:

"Should I avoid fat?"

🤔 It's...

"Which fats should I be eating?"

⚖️ Not all fats are created equal.

🚫 Some contribute to cardiovascular disease.

✅ Others actively help protect your heart. ❤️

📖 I explore this in much greater detail in an article I published in 2021 at the link below:

👉 https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/fats-a-double-edged-weapon-for-your-heart/

💬 Which healthy fat do you eat most often? 🥑🫒🥜

👇 Inbox me or let me know in the comments!

❤️ 🫀 🥗 🌱 ❤️ 📚 🫒 🌿 🥑





Research:

📚 Kirkpatrick CF, Sikand G, Petersen KS, et al. Nutrition interventions for adults with dyslipidemia: A Clinical Perspective from the National Lipid Association. J Clin Lipidol. 2023;17(4):428–451

💭 "I suppose I'm just getting old."

This CEO of one of London's largest banks didn't book an appointment with me because he wanted six-pack abs.

🛍️ He came because carrying the shopping had become a struggle.

🪜 The stairs felt steeper.

😖 His back really hurt.

🦵 His knees complained after a longer walk.

💺 Even getting out of his executive chair took a little longer than it used to.

"I guess it's just my age," he shrugged.

"But my mind is still sharp," he added with a smile.

🙂 I smiled too.

"Maybe...

But I don't think your age is the biggest problem."

The real culprit often has a name most people have never heard of.

💪 Sarcopenia.

The gradual loss of muscle mass, strength and function that quietly begins as early as our 30s.

The frightening part?

It creeps in so slowly that most people don't notice it...

Until one day they avoid carrying heavy bags.

They choose the lift instead of the stairs.

They stop getting down onto the floor because they're not sure they'll get back up without aggravating their back or knees.

🎂 Then they blame their birthday.

Here's the truth.

🛂 Your passport might say you're 60... or 70.

💪 Your muscles couldn't care less.

They only respond to what you ask them to do.

When muscle is lost, it rarely travels alone.

📉 A slower metabolism.

⚖️ Poorer balance.

🦴 Weaker bones.

😣 Back pain.

🦴 Osteoporosis.

🦵 Osteoarthritis.

💥 Herniated discs.

⚡ Sciatica.

⏳ Longer recovery times.

❤️ And, little by little, a loss of confidence and independence.

After more than 20 years helping people rebuild strength - from world-class athletes to people who simply wanted to walk, travel, play with their grandchildren or live without pain - I've learnt one lesson above all others.

💪 Muscle isn't just something that changes how you look.

It's one of the most remarkable organs in your body - it behaves like an endocrine organ.

🩸 It helps regulate blood sugar better.

🛡️ It supports your immune system.

🦴 Protects your spine.

⚙️ Stabilises your joints.

🌿 Supports healthy ageing.

✨ And helps you remain stronger, sharper and independent for longer.

The good news?

✅ Sarcopenia isn't an inevitable part of ageing.

In many cases, it's preventable, and it can often be significantly improved.

📚 Research consistently shows that people in their 70s, 80s and even 90s can build meaningful strength and muscle when resistance training is tailored to them and properly prescribed.

🏋️ You don't need to become a bodybuilder.

You simply need to give your body a reason to stay strong.

I often think back to that CEO.

He thought he was losing to age.

He wasn't.

He was losing to something he could still influence.

🛍️ One day you'll carry your shopping.

🧳 Lift a suitcase.

👶 Pick up your grandchild.

🤸 Catch yourself before you fall.

🏥 Recover from an operation.

🪑 Or simply stand up from your favourite chair.

None of those moments will care how old you are.

They'll only care whether you kept your strength.

🚀 Your future isn't decided by your birthday.

It's shaped by what you choose to do today.

- Jazz Alessi

Founder of Personal Training Master | Creator of The Spine Method™

📍 London, United Kingdom

💬 If this resonated with you, save it for later, share it with someone who needs the reminder, or drop me a message if you'd like to start rebuilding your strength.

Read more:

https://www.personaltrainingmaster.co.uk/how-40-plus-benefit-from-smart-workouts/