Energy Systems, GO! Choose The Right Workouts to Burn The Right Fuel!

By |2017-03-29T11:32:04+00:00March 29th, 2017|Categories: Training|Tags: , , , , |

Energy Systems can be a really complex topic, or a really simple one. As I don't expect any of you looking for information to write a scientific paper here, I'm going to make it as simple as possible. In short, we have different energy systems that we use for different activities. Some use creatine for fuel, some carbohydrates (glucose) and some fats (lipids). Depending on what type of activity you focus on, you can choose what type of fuel you use. Although nearly all activities will use a combination of all fuel types, there will definitely be a dominant fuel source.   The Energy Systems Our energy systems are broken up into sections depending on how much power an activity requires. As you can see [...]

Cardio or CardiNo?! What to do for your goal.

By |2017-03-09T09:58:31+00:00March 9th, 2017|Categories: Training|Tags: , , , |

Cardio, you know you love it or you hate it. But is it a necessary evil? Moreover, does the type you do make a difference to your goals and performance? Of course it does!   The Cardio Conundrum If it's something you don't really enjoy doing, then why spend a large chunk of your training doing it? Yes there are benefits cardio training but do you really need to be doing it for endless hours to see results? There are major health benefits to doing cardio based workouts, for those wanting to improve their endurance, health and build muscle. How much, how often and what type you do is completely dependent on your end goal. Whatever your goal, you don't have to spend endless hours [...]

Try Vitamin D if the Winter Blues are Getting You Down…

By |2016-11-28T22:28:00+00:00October 16th, 2016|Categories: General Health|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 10 years ago, found that between 70-80% of people are deficient in Vitamin D.  Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.  This Vitamin is rarely found in our food supply, so supplementation is key. What is Vitamin D? Our bodies synthesise this vitamin/steroid when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Studies show during summer months our bodies produce 6IUs of vitamin D per CM2 of exposed skin. Given the fact that most of us are in the office during the summer, or slathered with SPF50 when we're not, means that we rarely produce sufficient amounts for optimal health. In the winter we get even less. We’re covered from [...]

Warning: Don’t have another drink until you read this!

By |2016-10-26T10:23:11+00:00June 18th, 2016|Categories: General Health|Tags: , , |

5 Ways Alcohol is blunting your Fat Burning efforts! When you start a new diet, it's completely normal to think about cutting calories.  In most cases this comes from alcohol, because  alcohol is just empty calories, right?  You'll look to slim-line tonics, low-calorie spirits and ditch the fruit juice cocktails.  All as a way to trim down without sacrificing a Friday night out with friends.   But looking at drinks on a night out as a number of calories is a classic novice nutrition error.  What we consume reaches further than just energy balance.  And here are 5 ways that looking at alcohol a little differently will affect your fat loss efforts this year...   1/ Burger or Kebab? Alcohol lowers inhibitions; nothing new there.  Apart from making us do [...]

Eat More, Lose Fat!

By |2017-01-01T18:27:57+00:00February 12th, 2016|Categories: Guest Writer|Tags: , , |

Lose fat by eating more? Crazy right? Keep reading. Eat less, move more and you'll lose weight and improve your health right?  Bullshit! 'Health Professionals' have been trying to sell this one for a while. Yet, obesity is at a high, heart disease is rampant and people are still failing at fat/weight loss. You've definitely heard it, definitely tried it and if you're here, you didn't get the results you wanted. So where do you go now? Lose 10 lbs in 10 days! When consulting with clients we often hear about diets they've tried: fasting, juice cleanses, ultra-low calorie diets and others. After the 'quick fix' plans have been tried and have failed, it's up to us to pick up the pieces. What most novices [...]

The cost of being lean: what are you willing to do?

By |2016-10-26T10:30:19+00:00October 10th, 2015|Categories: Guest Writer|Tags: , , , , |

Do you have what it takes to be lean? My reason for posting this infographic should come as no surprise.  Many people are convinced they want to achieve a particular physique goal but generally they have no idea the sacrifices and planning needed to achieve the body of their dreams.  It's very easy to set out on a goal, and it's also pretty simple to move from one level to the next, but in order to get super lean, or even close to it, requires more than most people are willing to give. There's a reason why very few will build a lean cover model body, because the work, effort and dedication required will take a lot out of you.  Hopefully this infographic will be [...]

Sleep Like A Baby; Grow Like A Pro

By |2016-10-26T10:31:57+00:00July 13th, 2015|Categories: General Health|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Sleep, so simple yet something many can’t seem to get right. Whether it’s due to ridiculous working hours or a hectic social lifestyle, sleep is the one thing that if most people fix would change the playing field completely. Whether the goal is to get leaner, stronger or to grow more muscle; proper sleep has so many benefits that it affects all goals equally. Change your sleeping patterns and see what it can do for you. The mechanics of sleep… Most people need anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep a night but when taking averages of the people that train with me, the average seems to be more like 4-7 hours a night. With demanding jobs either having people work late or being so demanding [...]

Workout, get strong, lose fat!

By |2016-10-26T10:32:28+00:00June 12th, 2015|Categories: Training|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

For most people, fitting in a workout several times a week is just not a viable option.  And for those who are new to training, jumping onto a program that involves a complex body part split it way too much, way too soon. When starting out with resistance training, it’s usually a good idea to start with something a little more simple, that allows you to train the whole body and have an adequate number of rest days allowing your body to recuperate from the new stimulus the body is experiencing. Generally when someone is starting a resistance program, I like to prescribe something that works the upper and lower body in the same session, and usually between 3-4 of such workouts a week. These [...]

Digestion matters, chew your food!

By |2016-10-26T10:33:06+00:00June 10th, 2015|Categories: Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Most people come to a personal trainer with one of two goals, they either want to be stronger and put on muscle, or they want to lose weight and get leaner.  And although they’re eager to get into the weights room and start working towards their goal, it’s usually not where they should start.  Most people that come to me for some sort of dietary intervention or advice usually have leaks in their diet and nutrition that need to be plugged before we can start doing the fancy stuff. You see your digestion is the most important aspect of overall health; it controls which nutrients are absorbed into your body and more importantly what toxins are blocked from entering.  Yet the ability to digest efficiently [...]

What Do You Want In 2015?!

By |2016-10-26T10:35:59+00:00March 25th, 2015|Categories: Guest Writer|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Now is the time to set some goals and get cracking… The Christmas period is behind us, so it’s time to pack away the professional eating utensils and get yourself back to the gym and set yourself some 2015 goals.  No doubt many of you have set yourself goals which involve some sort of body transformation, entering a race, or just undoing some of the damage done at the latter part of 2014, but do you know how to set out about achieving these goals effectively? In the first ever Own Your Fitness newsletter, I will be looking at a few of common mistakes people make when trying to lose a bit of weight and get leaner.  These are the most common I’ve seen amongst gym [...]