I have worked in more than my fair share of gyms in Leicester over the last 10 years. You would think I had got used to it by now, but every day when I turn up to work I am face with a gym overflowing with overweight gym goers. This may seem obvious to you, but the reason I am bothered by this is that a large percentage of these Leicester gym members have been going to the gym for years and haven't managed to lose a single pound of fat.
Now those of you who know me will know that I am not on the search for new clients, as my books remain full. However this does not mean that I can not help those Leicester gym bunnies that need help with their fat loss goals. So If you or anyone you know need help losing weight in Leicester (or anywhere else for that matter!) feel free to ask my advice. My advice is honest and most importantly it's FREE!
Successful push-ups with man on back
(Chest, Triceps + Core)
Sunday, 20 March 2011 03:48
Question: Is it best to lose the weight first then tone up?
Lets start with toning
It is common for people to ask me "If I do lots of reps with a light weight will I get more toned?" and "If I lift heavy weights will my muscles be big and bulky?" The answer to both of these questions is no. Training with light weights will do very little for you if anything at all. Also you cannot change the shape of your muscles by changing the resistance.
Toning as a form of exercise is a myth and the spread of this myth has been caused by magazines, television and inexperienced gym instructors. That does not mean that you cant have a lean defined body. It just means you need to take a different approach.
Your muscles are already "Toned"
If you haven't got that lean defined physique you are looking for, chances are you either have too much fat or two little muscle, but in most cases... both. Muscle is already firm or "toned" as you often hear it referred to. However your muscles will feel soft if they are surrounded by fat.
How YOU can get that defined physique
The way I train my clients is to work in cycles. For most people I train losing weight is top of their agenda so this is what we focus on first. We have 5 weeks to strip off as much fat as we can and its then onto strength training for a further 5 weeks. add one more cycle like growth or power training and then they return back to fat loss. Our goal then is then for them to become much leaner than before. There are many different approaches but I believe this to be the most effective way to achieve a lean, defined and "toned" body.
How can you apply this to yourself? You need to follow a strict training routine and eat a very clean and healthy diet (The diet is essential). There are lots of training routines on the net and obviously some are better than others. If you struggle to find a decent programme that suits your needs you can get one from me. Just send me a message explaining your goals fitness level and any specific requirements you may have and I will put a programme together for you. However I am not trying to sell programmes and if you do your research you should be able to find one online that will give you some decent results.
If you are one of those people that look in the mirror and don’t see what they want to see, this could be exactly what you need to change your life for good!
Why am I telling you this?
I see weight loss as a disease that to most people will last a lifetime. Without the right guidance the outlook is bleak! I aim to help as many people as possible to achieve that goal, just as I had to do before I started teaching others.
Why did your previous efforts fail?
First of all it wasn’t your fault. You just lacked the necessary guidance. Unfortunately the media has a habit of telling us what we want to hear. This means if you think sit-ups may be what you need to get rid of that belly, those magazines are more than happy to tell you how to do them. But take it from me sit-ups are not going to help you!
How am I going to help you?
Over the next few weeks I am going to tell you exactly how you can lose your excess weight and all you have to do is follow my posts. I will explain about the training and diet myths, but most importantly I will teach you the exercises you need to do to destroy that excess fat and how to understand your diet so that you can stop worrying about your weight and start enjoying your life with confidence!
Saturday, 12 March 2011 02:17
To Count or Not to Count?
Should YOU count calories if you want to lose weight?
The short answer is no. This is why....
The Furnace Myth
You have heard that fat loss is all about calories in vs calories out. However it is not that simple. All foods are not created equal and different foods have a very different effect on the body. Your body uses energy in many different ways and can literally change it's "calorie requirement" at will. This is why calorie controlled diets have been shown to be ineffective. Remember this! Your body doesn't burn calories, it digests them, Big Difference!
So how do YOU lose weight?
Its actually quite simple. It's time to go back to basics. Eat mostly fruit and vegetables!
Fruit and veg are so important to our survival and yet people seem to want to avoid them. There are so many theories why they help you lose weight, but maybe one of the simple ones is that the energy to nutrient ratio is in your favor. If you lack nutrients your body will crave and eventually you will give in. You don't have to be a genius to figure out what happens next.
How to adapt your diet
It's time to get down to the supermarket!
As I mentioned you want to get most of your nutrients from fruit and vegetables. Now ideally most of these will be RAW! This means that you will not be killing off the goodness of the foods you eat. Trust me, the more Raw food you eat, the less hunger you will feel and you will find it so much easier to control your diet. Also raw food has an alkalizing effect on the body which will not only help you to lose weight but it'll benefit your health as well!
