Motivation gone wayward?

Ok guys so you’re training really hard, eating as well as possible, putting in loads of hard work and getting results and then something happens, it’s like a wind of change and the motivation vanishes as quickly as it came.

You feel as if you can’t explain it really and you start to feel guilty about letting everything go, then your results start to diminish and so does your enthusiasm by the bucket load.

All of this is normal, it’s okay don’t be too hard on yourself! Things can happen in life (and they generally do all at the same time) that can move our training and fitness down the pecking order of things to be done.

The best thing you can do is take a step back and have a look at ways you can deal with everything piece by piece. Would you be happier if you get some release from ‘life’ if so use exercise as this, now it doesn’t have to be back to full levels but just do some form of exercise and build it up again.

Get some support by  using online forums, facebook pages, family and friends to encourage you to keep going. You could even start a blog and write a daily diary of your weight loss and thoughts so others can get help from it, this also makes you accountable which is one of the best ways to keeping on track.

Another option is to change things up a bit and tinker with your programme, increase sessions and the type of training and also look to get professional training, yes you may feel like you can train yourself to a point but when you stop getting results you need us guys.

Finally if you already have a trainer and you feel that you’re just not in the right frame of mind anymore and have let things slip, please talk to them. It doesn’t mean you have have a bad trainer or you are a bad client – chances are you just need a chat for reassurance and need some strategies to help things run smoother all of which your trainer will be happy to do for you.

Slow it down for ultimate results.

I know how you all love to lifts weights, you all know that I am a huge fan of them for ultimate fat loss and muscle building.

If it’s weight training or even bodyweight training when you look around the gym some people will be pumping iron at Usain Bolt speeds and others will be lifting it at the speed of Peter Ebdon – have you ever had to stay up late watching him play a snooker match ?? I know I nearly always fall asleep before he has finished!

So what is the best way to be lifting weights? Remember this applies to bodyweight exercises as well such as push ups, squats, lunges etc etc

The name of the game is to recruit as many muscle fibres as possible, this give the muscle a thorough workout which means it will be more effective and need more calories to fuel it’s growth which paves the way for a higher, faster fat fighting metabolism.

When you lift anything, you go through a lifting phase when the muscle shortens and a lowering phase when it lengthens or relaxes.

Thinking of a bicep curl, when you lift the weight that is the muscle shortening and lowering the dumbbell is the lengthening phase.

What you need to be doing is ‘powering up’ when you lift and then controlling the weight nice and slowly as you lower it – make sure you are the boss of the weight, not the other way round!

Ideally when you lower the weight it should take between 2 and 3 seconds to complete, this will give you much better results

Best tips for weight loss

 

Hi,

With the New Year still in it’s infancy here is a select few tips to help you to lose fat and get lean this year.

(1)     Get support

Get in with positive people who know their stuff and are living the healthy lifestyle. Talk or connect to them on a daily basis to learn from them both training tips but probably more importantly the successful mindset to succeed at your training goals. It is well documented that support both online and in real life will help you succeed. You could even start a discussion on this page facebook page to help you.

(2)     Shift in thinking

To get the body you want, to do the Great West Run, to build up or lean out whatever you want to achieve that is new for you or different to what is normal for yourself there has to be a change in your mindset. Instead of dreaming about what you want to do or look like the only option is to start doing what you NEED to do to get there. Every cause will give an effect so you have to eat right / train right to get the desired effect.

(3)     Take the plunge – diary your food intake

This is a really effective way to help you lose weight. It gives you a great way to self help and realise where possible problems are and see for yourself where you can make changes to eat better.

 

(4)     Get a good training programme

When you go to a gym for the first time it’s all nice and cosy and they look after you by giving you a general gym programme to get you started (which they give to everyone).

These tend to be very ineffective and generic in all reality they won’t get you to your goals anytime soon if ever. Feel Good Fitness do professional programme design that only relates to you and you goals, and will deliver results far quicker and keep you training past February unlike many other people who will have let their New Year resolutions slip.

(5)     Be ready

To get want you want the vital thing is that you are mentally ready for the challenge, to see it, believe it and achieve it. There will be ups and downs unless you can handle these and see the bigger picture to not get too down when things don’t quite go your way please wait until you are ready, if you are not just wait until you are.

A new start? make it last with this…

The idea for this post came from a visit to the gym last week it was a bit of a random scenario but here goes and it’s all about positivity which is vitally important at this time of the year to help you stick with your resolutions.

I was in the gym at 8.00am and if I am honest with you still half asleep walking around the free weights section feeling a bit sorry myself after a poor night’s sleep. Anyway I was watching the same guy use the squat rack, bench press and all the other equipment that I wanted to use simultaneously – this frequently happens with the said guy and does tend to annoy me lust a little!

But this time it was a pleasant experience. He called me over and said can you spot me, yeah no problem I happily replied. He then said something that really made me positive. Your a personal trainer aren’t you? Yes, how did you know that I asked. Oh saw you in the paper a few months back well done you did you a great job with your client.

He then asked me how long I had been working a a PT, oh just seven months I replied. He was shocked as he thought I had been doing it for years and this is a guy who worked as a trainer for over ten years!

Well we had a chat and he will now be another guy i shall talk to at the gym and what a boost those few simple words gave me. It just goes to show that a better positive mind really will cheer you up and get you moving on things  / areas of your life.

Use positive thoughts to get you to where you want to be, if your training and nutrition plans are frustrating you look at the positives you will have initially gained and then use them to push you to the next level.

Recharge the batteries

Hey Guys,

Just a very quick one today on Christmas Eve. Thank you to you all who have looked up the blog, commented on it and viewed it since I started it back in April this year, it means a lot to know that my work is getting viewed.

In 2011 I will pushing on with numerous projects in the pipeline while I continually work on getting this business running smoothly and getting more coverage.

Could I ask you all a favour?  It would be really great if we could get some dialogue and interaction going on this blog as it helps to know what your general questions are and areas of interest so don’t be shy just leave a post on anything and I will do my best for you. I will be placing more emphasis on this blog in the New Year and have just got a video aswell so expect a lot more content and I will be aiming to post something twice a week as consistently as I can.

One last word, it’s Christmas so have a great time and enjoy yourself remember, everything in moderation is fine:)

Happy New Year,

Best wishes

Nathan

A food with no nutritional value!

With one of my training groups recently I was asked  the following question which really shows all the confusion there is out there with regard to the industry I work in.

‘ Someone told me that cheese has no nutritional value – is this correct?’

After composing myself a bit after the daft claim, (you got to realise that it isn’t the persons fault who asked the question ) I soon set about putting this straight and pointing the group to this blog and also just in the genereal direction of good quality websites that give sensible info.

The answer to the question though is that cheese although can be quite high fat if consumed  in large quantities is also a protein source which is needed for muscle building, growth and repair – protein is a vital nutritional component in my fat loss method of training. With all these weird and wonderful claims around just check up on what you read and get a second opinion, in the case of cheese use it as an ‘add to’  so lightly sprinkle some on salads etc which is ideal for your lunchbox.

Get the very best advice.

Bit of a health warning in this post.

We are coming up to the beginning of the New Year and let’s face it we may well start to think about getting fitter and losing weight for 2011. I know I will be trying to tidy up my nutrition for optimum size and changing my training routine.

But in this desperation to finally do it this New Year just be careful to look over all your options check out the best deals where you will get value for money but also good safe advice and proper training programmes which will work towards your goals. There is no doubt about it a lot of people see this time of year to make a lot of money!

To this end i thought I would give you an update on what is happening here with us at feel good fitness.

We are looking at taking some extra instructor training in February so we can offer a new outdoor group programme for mature adults and those who want to get active but are unable to take part in high impact activities.

In addition to this, the New Year will start off with a bang for us as we are currently working with a local tennis club to offer a new exciting programme that we have developed called fit zone tennis.

Aswell as these exciting times we hope to start work on our website which will open up a lot more opportunities for us to help many more people and get our message out there.

Finally, as some of you may know I have been working on writing  a book since September. The book as yet untitled will be available as an Ebook and also in paperback and gives fantastic advice in the format of a journey for those looking to boost their confidence and happiness through improving their body. The book aswell as giving great tips on how to stay on a training/ weight loss programme also looks at many of the psychological hurdles we face in trying to stick to a fitness regime and offers great clarity and advice.

I have sent out a few copies for review and the feedback has been excellent. If you would be interested in gaining a copy of the book please leave a comment at the bottom of the post and email me at nathan@feelgoodfitnessandperformance.com

Have a great Xmas.

Nath