Christmas Gift Vouchers available!

At the Mike Heatlie Personal Training Studio we have Christmas gift vouchers available for Personal Training for your loved one! These vouchers are available from £30.00 - £395.00. For all enquiries email me or call us on 0131-661-8357. For the best Personal Training in Edinburgh, there is only one place to be! :-)

The Top 8 Fitness Myths Exposed!

Myths is the fitness industry can act as priceless moments of humour to the Personal Trainer but they can also produce consistent banes of frustration as well regularly witness exercisers practicing ineffective or useless protocols on the basis of mythical rumour. Many fitness myths come and go, however some seem as if they’re here to stay. Only through dependable promotion from trainers and the fitness industry will we hopefully see these ridiculous myths finally put to bed.

1 Muscle weighs more than fat

It is almost ludicrous to suggest that one thing weighs more than another. One pound of fat weighs the same as one pound of muscle. How on earth can fat weigh more than muscle, or vice versa, without giving a tangible example? Muscle tissue is denser that fat tissue and this is where the myth emanates. Five pounds of fat will be larger in size than five pounds of muscle, but they still weigh the same. A person who weighs 10 stone and has 15% body fat will look smaller than a person of the same weight but has a body fat percentage of 30%.

2 When you stop exercising muscle turns to fat

Muscle and fat tissue are two separate components. You either gain or lose muscle and fat tissue depending on diet and exercise.

3 High reps and low weight for toning

Women are highly concerned about gaining bulky muscles which is why in many gyms and health clubs are occupied with female exercisers who either avoid weight training completely, opting for cardio instead, or they use light weights with many reps to “tone” their muscles.

Light weight with more reps leads to poor results due to the lack of stress placed upon the muscle tissue. Muscle and fat cells either gain or decrease in size. To “tone” muscle one must stress the muscle tissue enough so hypertrophy occurs. The level that one wishes to increase their muscle cells, and decrease their fat cells, will determine their training programme, protocol and diet.

4 The more sweat, the harder you’re working

Ever wondered why some people sweat profusely and others don’t despite exercising at a similar intensity? Sweating is produced through and number of factors and conditions. Fitness level, age, weight, gender, genetics and environment all influence how we sweat, but when you consider that the human body has between 2-4 million sweat glands it’s easier to understand why some people sweat more than others. Generally fitter individuals will sweat more proficiently but even just because an individual is sweating profusely doesn’t mean they are training at a high intensity.

5 Cardio training is the best method to burn body fat

Firstly cardio training needs to be defined properly. If one is performing 50-60 mins of cardiovascular training using the cross trainer, running, cycling etc. at the same moderate pace then this is not an effective fat-burning protocol even if one is burning 600 calories. This type of training does not stimulate the powerful fat-burning hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, and can actually breakdown muscle tissue resulting in a fall in metabolic rate. Additionally if the same cardio workout is being performed consistently then the body will adapt to it in time leading to less stress on the body.
Weight training, performed correctly, and cardio interval training, are better methods of training for burning body fat.

6 Eating before bed will lead to greater fat storage

Eating late at night will not affect fat storage unless you have consumed an excessive amount of calories that day. The amount of total calories you eat each day is more significant and has a greater effect on weight loss than eating late at night.

7 Crunches and sit-ups will help you gain a six-pack

A well-defined six-pack is the result of quality dieting and exercising to decrease body fat levels to the point where the abdominal muscle is completely visible. No amount of crunches will be effective if the diet is average, your abs will forever be hidden behind the body fat.

8 Stretching prior to exercise reduces your risk of injury

There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that stretching prior to exercise reduces an individual’s risk of injury. Stretching prior to strength training can actually weakened the muscle and reduce the lift. This is not to suggest that stretching is not necessary, it is, but stretching should be performed at the end of a workout in order to promote pliability within the muscle tissues.

Fitness myths are here to stay unfortunately. However if enough promotion is conducted in gyms and health clubs then this can lead to fewer people performing ineffective training protocols and gaining training effects more rapidly.

Critique of a singer's diet and exercise plan

Candidate: XXXXX late 20s, singer & songwriter

Background:

Played volleyball and reactive sports during school days. Does little for arm strength (no biceps and triceps) as these are not a priority in her training, but she welcomes exercises for them. She does some yoga, which helps open up her chest. She has an artistic personality, not athletic. She doesn’t do DVD work outs, yet likes listening to instruction. Health affects her creativity.

My goal:

“To improve my cardio for singing and trumpet playing without losing weight, and to gain five pounds of muscle mass to bounce quarters off my butt.”

My workout:

“Healthy Habits [a boutique fitness studio] in Toronto designed my workout. I like free weights and body-weight workouts. Once a week, we’re strengthening the upper back and shoulders so that it pulls me back because everything I do is leaning forward. When I write I’m hunched over keyboard, the computer.

As well we’re doing very deep abdominals and obliques exercises with weighted long-arm crunches. My small, flat stomach runs in my family, and I play trumpet, which keeps a strength people can’t see, so I’m internally strong. But it’s not the kind of strength that holds my core up, my supporting muscles.

My trainer changes the routine every week, but I do three sets of 15 repetitions of these exercises: medicine ball squat and press, side shoulder cable raises, standing abduction, cross step-ups and side walking with bands for glutes. Yoga once a week stretches me backward.”

My lifestyle:

“There are weeks I don't see daylight when I'm in studio for 3 days straight working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. There are days where I'm in meetings, doing interviews, at the keyboard or computer, writing. Travel, gigging and rehearsals don't happen predictably, so many aspects are sedentary, then rush, rush, rush.”

My motivation:

“My grandfather passed away several years ago and I put some of the money he left me into my health. Since then, if I’m not physically healthy, it affects my mood and my ability to write with a clear head.
Gwen Stefani is very strong on stage. Her fitness seems to give her boundless energy, not just an aesthetic [look], it’s about being healthy.”

My anthem:

“If I had anthem I’d choose White Snake’s “Here I Go Again.”

My challenge:

“Discipline. Establishing consistency within an inconsistent schedule.”


The Critique by Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS

When designing exercise and diets programs a trainer focuses solely on one thing: the client’s goal. If XXXXX’s goal is to gain 5lbs of muscle mass without gaining body fat, in addition to maintaining or improving cardiovascular fitness, then certain changes in her workouts and diet need to be implemented.

Exercise

For muscle to increase in size, a process known as hypertrophy, then it needs a degree of stimulus that exceeds squats with a medicine ball and bodyweight exercises. To target the buttocks and legs I would recommend XXXXX be coached to perform deep squats, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, sumo squats, and Romanian deadlifts. You have to love these eastern European exercise names! ☺ These exercises, performed correctly, stimulate the metabolic and endocrine systems far greater than most other forms of exercise. There is no real need t perform direct abdominal training if a client is performing squats, deadlifts, chin-ups etc. as the recruit of the “core” muscles from these exercises is far greater than popular “functional” exercises.
These exercise will stimulate far more muscle motor units and will stress the tissues significantly, which, when combined with a higher protein intake, will results in hypertrophy. It would be wise for Ivana to have her body fat percentage taken prior and then if she gains 3-5 lbs she will know if those extra pounds are body fat or muscle tissue by having the measurements taken after the intervention.

Some other great exercises for Ivana would be assisted chin-ups, pull-ups and dips, as well as bench press, dumbbell flys, cable bent-over lateral raises, and hyperextensions. As Ivana is predominantly in a forward flexed position with rounded shoulders, she should perform pulling exercises more often than pressing exercises, perhaps a 2:1 ratio. She should also focus on quality stretching of the chest and neck after each workout.

In order to boost cardiovascular function, Ivana could superset her exercises or even perform tri-sets so 2-3 exercises in a row without rest. An example would be, keeping in mind the pulling/pressing ratio:

A1) Chin-ups 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A2) Dumbbell chest press 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A3) Bent over rowing 8 reps 75-80% 1RM

XXXXX would need a frequency of 3-4 times per week, no more than 50 mins per workout. Her repetition range should drop in order to promote hypertrophy so more weight can used to increase the intensity. Yes she’s going to have to work hard!

Diet

I would recommend Ivana consume close to 100 grams of protein per day and cycle her carb and calorie intake. On days she does not train she should consume more carbs and calories, depending on the results she was receiving from the diet and training program. A breakdown of her daily intake would be:

1464kcals per day

Nutrient ratio: 35% Protein, 55% Carbs, 20%, Fat
366 kcal. protein per day (91.5 grams)
805 kcal. carbs per day (201 grams)
293 kcal. fat per day (33 grams)

Lifestyle
Having trained the singer Gwen Stefani and the band No Doubt I fully appreciate how difficult it can be to organise any type of schedule at times but I would encourage XXXXX to avoid working through the night as I imagine this will upset her sleep, exercise and eating pattern. Even if the working schedule could be compromised to 8pm – 4am if she feels more artistic and productive later in the evening as opposed to daytime.

Meals could be prepared prior to the Studio work and she would be wise to keep well hydrated at all times. Protein shakes are excellent for consuming quality proteins without having to prepare meals and these could be implemented also. It is difficult but quality sleep and rest and vitally important for hypertrophy so XXXXX would have make sure she gets enough rest when she has the time to do so.

How do you know if what you’re doing is getting you anywhere? The obvious answer is feedback, what results are you getting for your efforts both in terms of dieting and training? How are you monitoring your results?

Believe me the best way to monitor your progress is by what you see in the mirror and how your clothes are fitting you. The scales are good, very good, but when you’re trying to lose the last 5-10 lbs they can provide frustrating feedback at times.
Body fat calculations are very good, providing you have an experienced individual measuring the skinfolds. Waist, hip, thigh, measurements are good also, but again as long as the individual taking the measurement is consistently accurate.
If you are not getting the results you’re after then without question you need to elevate what you need to change, and believe me you need to change if you plateau.

How do you break through plateaus? Well bust your way through them! It may be a few things in your diet need tweaked, or maybe a new strategy is required. The recent strategy I suggest in my last post was the fat loss strategy of exercising in a fasted (or part-fasted) state. Personally if I want to get really lean, this is one method I adopt regularly.

Another aspect that may need re-evaluated is your training. I’ve rarely followed a training programme in all my years of training, which seems strange I know. I go with how I feel on that day. I’ve tried some training programmes but when I’m scheduled to train my upper body sometimes my shoulders will feel a bit tight but my legs feel great so I’ll blast the heck out of them! I go with the feeling, but obviously I’m fully aware of resting muscle groups and over-training.

The one aspect of training I fully grasp is that of intensity and applying the overload principle, without it you’ll get nowhere. We have to keep challenging ourselves. I’m stronger now at 38 than when I was 28 or 18, basically through experience.
Every training session I do I put my heart and soul into, as I want quality results, what’s the point otherwise? I smiled the other day when I saw a trainer talk about people walking more, taking the stairs at work, or increasing your physical activity in other ways. Now make no mistake about it, this is good stuff, well to a certain extent. It’s great in the sense that it will make your heart and lungs stronger, it will lower your blood pressure, make you live longer (maybe), and make the quality of your life better as you’re fitter and have more aerobic endurance, but guess what? It won’t strip away the fat on your arms or your butt! To get a really lean physique, you need to be training consistently (4-5 times a week) for up to 60 mins per session and maintain a quality diet.

Getting in good shape is not easy, in requires discipline, organisation, time-management, motivation, and a commitment for weeks, months and years. Does it sound like a lot of work? Maybe. But I love every minute of it as I feel absolutely fantastic after I exercise, my stress levels are way down and I’m totally relaxed. I sleep well, I handle all aspects of business well (most of the time!), I’m able to deal with all situations far better because I’m in shape. I like how my body looks, it gives me confidence. I love being able to squat 50 kgs more than guys who are heavier than I am, and I’m able to do so because I have accumulated thousands of intense workouts over the years and I am reaping the rewards for all my hard work.

One hour a day, dedicated to you, is not a lot to ask for given the benefits you receive at the end of the day. And it’s an hour for you, you’re doing it for you, nobody else, you deserve it, your body needs it, and it will thank you for it, for the rest of your time. Add in some quality fuel into the mix and you’ll be soaring!

Re-ignite your efforts, get back into the gym with more fire and intensity, change the songs on your IPod and fire it up. Get back to that clean diet you’ve been wavering with and dedicate some days to getting great results for your food and fluid consumption.

Start tomorrow, there’s no stopping you!

Mike Heatlie MSC CSCS
Expert Celebrity Personal Trainer
www.lose10poundsin5weeks.com

Fasted Cardio for Weight Loss – Is It Worth It?

Ever thought about getting up first thing in the morning and doing some cardio training before breakfast? Many individuals perform this ritual in order to burn more body fat and attain that wonderful, lean physique!

The theory behind cardio training before breakfast is that as you don’t eat anything at all for perhaps 10-12 hours prior to exercise, your body will be in somewhat of a fasted state. Your levels of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) will be lower than normal and therefore if you train first thing in the morning you will be using a lot more fat for energy as this is the body’s second preferred source of fuel. Sounds simple enough right? Well not quite.

Many fitness experts are divided on the merits and success of training in a fasted state with many stating that it is not effective and many swearing by it. The confusion lies in the fact that training in the fasted state is effective for some goals but not for others, there is no black and white, just many grey areas!

Let me give you some examples. If an individual wanted to increase muscle mass then performing cardio training in the morning is a bad idea. Why? Well if glycogen levels are low, or lower, then the body will begin to use more fat for fuel. However the body will also dip into muscle tissue to extract proteins (amino acids) in order to convert the proteins into energy, a process known as gluconeogenesis. This is bad news for bodybuilders or anyone looking to increase muscle mass (hypertrophy) as your body will basically be eating away at your muscles!

If an individual wished to lose body fat however, and didn’t mind losing a bit of lean muscle tissue, then cardio training in a fasted state is good news. The intensity can only be that of low-moderate as it would be difficult to train highly intensely in a fasted state, although it is possible, it just depends on how much stored energy you actually have.
For individuals involved in weight training I would recommend at least two meals prior to exercise in order to produce a quality training effect, however many individuals have demonstrated quality gains through weight training first thing in the morning without breakfast.

Personally I have found that to get lean, cardio training in a fasted state 2-3 times per week is excellent and I have seen wonderful results from it. I have seen even better results if your last meal in the evening prior was a protein meal with no starchy carbs and a stimulant, such as caffeine, administered prior to morning training. The stimulant will do two things. Firstly it will spark the central nervous system into action firing up your cardiovascular system for exercise which is highly beneficial if you’re getting up at 6am!

Secondly a stimulant will help free fatty acids in the blood stream that will contribute to the burning of body fat, all good news. If you’re still sceptical over it’s merits, then simply try it for 4-6 weeks and monitor your results. Remember your goal must be to get lean, lose weight and body fat. If you are wishing to develop muscle tissue or are involved in anaerobic sports such as sprinting or weight lifting then avoid it at all costs!

Food supplements - Lose Your Money, Not Your Weight!

Weight loss supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry with so many people (mainly women) seeking the "get rich quick" solution to their weight loss desires. Unfortunately for most they are simply wasting their hard-earned money as the supplements do not do as they say on the tin.

Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School at the universities of Exeter and Plymouth reviewed a number of studies into the effectiveness of nine supplements and found no evidence they work. The UK team reviewed existing data on guar gum, bitter orange, calcium, glucomannan (a dietary fibre), chitosan (listed as a fat absorber), chromium picolinate (sometimes sold as an appetite suppressant) and green tea. Their findings prove that as far as weight loss supplements go they're mostly worthless!

Another study conducted in Germany looked at the nine most common weight loss supplements sold over the counter. They took 189 overweight individuals and spilt them into 10 groups. The groups were given either the weight loss supplements or placebo. Even though those taking the weight loss supplements did lose weight it was really no different from those taking the placebo.

Weight loss supplements are in general a waste of your money. Some containing caffeine can assist in your training and dieting for weight loss, but the bottom line is that if you're looking to lose weight, a specific exercise program combined with a quality diet plan is the only way you will succeed.

Low carb, low calorie diet for weight/fat loss

Below is the diet of one of my on-line clients looking to lose weight/fat:

Thursday 24-June
1 – 7:15 am: Protein Shake post workout (1 scoop protein powder, water & ice)
2 – 10:15 pm: 3 egg whites, 2 rye crisp crackers
3 – 1:30 pm: Grilled chicken salad (4 oz chicken breast over 2 cups mixed greens, 5 black olives, onions, cucumbers)
4 – 4:30 pm: Atkins Protein Bar
5 – 7:30 pm:
Water: 3 Liters

Friday 25-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake post workout (1 scoop protein powder, water & ice)
2 – 10:30 am: 2 rye crisp crackers, 1 lowfat string cheese
3 – 1:30 pm: Protein Shake - RTD
4 – 4:30 pm: 4 oz. lean beef, 1 ½ cup green peppers and onions
5 – 7:30 pm: 10 mixed nuts
Water: 3 Liters

Saturday 26-June
1 – 10:00 am: Protein Shake ( 1 scoop, water & ice)
2 – 1:00 pm: ½ Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce & tomato
3 – 4:00 pm: 3 oz. Chicken, 4 Shrimp and 1 cup Chinese Veggies
4 – 7:30 pm: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water, ice)
5 – 9:30 pm – 10 mixed nuts
Water: 3 Liters

Sunday 27-June
1 – 10:00 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water/ice)
2 – 1:30 pm: ½ Turkey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread with Lettuce & Tomato
3 – 4:30 pm: 3 oz. Grilled chicken breast, 4 grilled shrimp, 2 grilled scallops, 5 asparagus spears
4 – 8:00 pm: 10 mixed nuts
Water: 2 ½ Liters

Monday 28-June
1 – 10:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water & ice)
2 – 1:30 am: 3 oz. salmon, 1 cup mixed veggies (peppers, onions, squash, carrots)
3 – 4:30 pm: 2 rye crisp crackers with 1 tbsp. almond butter
4 – 7:30: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup mixed veggies
5 – 9:30 pm: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water & ice)
Water: 3 Liters

Tuesday 29-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water,ice)
2 – 10:35 am: 2 rye-crisp crackers, 1 lowfat string cheese
3 – 1:30 pm: 4 oz. salmon, 1 cup mixed veggies
4 – 4:30 pm: Greek yogurt
5 – 7:30 pm: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup grilled veggies
Water: 3 ½ Liters

Wednesday 30-June
1 – 7:30 am: Protein Shake (1 scoop, water, ice )
2 – 10:30 am: 2 rye crisp crackers, 1 ostrim
3 – 1:30 pm: 4 oz. chicken breast, 1 cup mixed veggies
4 – 4:30 pm: Greek yogurt, 3 strawberries
5 - 7:30 pm: 4 oz chicken, 1 cup red pepper and snow peas
Water: 3 Liters

My Workout Today! Arms of Death!

Great arm workout today, biceps and triceps:

Close-grip bench press 4 x 12

Cable Preacher curls 4 x 10

Dips 4 x 10

Standing barbell curls 4 x 10

These four arm exercises are the big exercises for quality muscle activity and are the major arm exercises. The next four exercises I performed as supersets so I did one then immediately went onto the other without rest. This increases the acidity within the muscle cells and subsequently stimulates the release of the powerful anabolic hormones growth hormone and testosterone:

Lying barbell tricep extensions 4 x 10

Incline seated dumbbell curls 4 x 10 (the stretch on my biceps from this exercise allows for greater contractions)

next superset:

standing cable bicep curls 4 x 12

tricep pushdowns 4 x 12 (did the ast two sets using a rope)

Arms completely shredded to bits! :-)

Raoul Moat's Steroid Rage!

A lot has been said recently, especially on SKY news, that one of the contributing factors as to why Raoul Moat killed his ex-girlfriend's partner Chris Brown, shot her, and the attempted murder of PC David Rathband, was that he was using anabolic steroids which causes individuals to rage with anger, violence and hostility. This is completely untrue with no sound evidence to support this. Basically if you're an idiot without steroids, you'll be an idiot on steroids!

Anabolic steroids are simply a synthetic version of testosterone which is a naturally producing substance in our bodies. For men wishing to gain a lot more muscle size, steroids help enormously, and quickly, for that cause. They can't work on their own, the individual has to train hard, very hard, and diet well for the muscles to get bigger, steroids simply magnify the gains. The problem is that when men come off steroids they lose a lot of their gains which is why many men are addicted to them.

Steroids in the medical world are a wonder drug. For individuals experiencing a great deal of atrophy (muscle wasting), from burns, AIDS, HIV, cancer etc. steroids help people gain more weight. The amount of deaths per year in the US from alcohol? 75,000. The amount of deaths per year from tobacco? 475,000. The amount of deaths from steroids in the US per year? 3!!

In terms of emergency room visits from drug use, alcohol comes first obviously, aspirin comes 25, and steroids come in at 142! That's even lower down the list than your multi-vitamins!

Incredible how steroids get such a bad rap and yet we let people drink alcohol freely which leads to an unbelievable amount of problems many of which are never reported such as domestic violence and rape.

The problems with steroids, like most drugs, is they are abused by men wishing to enhance their gains as quickly as possible. Steroids for 90% of exercisers are completely unnecessary as the gains that most would like to make can be made without steroids. Only those involved in very serious training, and have training experience of at least 5-10 years, and have pushed their genetic potential to it's heights, would benefit better from steroid use. For everyone else, no need.

Exercisers should be aware that anabolic steroid use in certain countries such as the US is illegal and many have been prosecuted for steroid use. Alcohol is legal in the US and available to purchase almost anywhere! Maybe we need to re-think things??? :-)

The Slow Metabolism Myth – Not A Factor For Gaining Weight!

A common remark to justify weight gain is for one to claim that they have a slow metabolism and even though they do not eat a great deal of food, they still manage to store a lot of body fat and subsequently gain more and more weight.

People are often quite surprised to discover the even though having a slow metabolism does exist in theory, it is very rare and not considered a factor at all for contributing to weight/fat gain.

Studies have shown clearly that obese and overweight people actually have a higher metabolic rate and burn even more calories at rest than lean people! This is due obviously to the body have to deal with a lot more mass in order to function properly, but even when body mass is taken into account, there is still no difference in metabolic rate people obese people and lean people.

So why do people put on lots of weight despite not eating very much? Well firstly, it is common for obese people to under-estimate the amount of energy they are consuming every day. When I ask my heavier clients to write down everything they eat and drink every day, they are often surprised at the amount of calories they are consuming.

The main reasons why people gain fat/weight is because of genetics, too much energy consumption, lack of regular physical exercise, medication, stress, emotional eating, and medication.

Your metabolism does indeed drop as you age but this is due to losing lean muscle tissue which increases your metabolic rate which is why resistance or weight training is very effective, more so than cardiovascular training, for burning body fat.

Don’t look for reasons as to why you may be gaining fat/weight, get out there and do something positive about it. Everything is possible, it all depends on your determination, desire and attitude.

Best Celebrity Workouts 2: Tri-Sets!

As a Celebrity Personal Trainer I am constantly looking for techniques and methods to increase the intensity of my client’s workouts in order for them to burn fat and achieve a lean and wonderful physique.

Celebrities do not have an abundance of time, contrary to public belief, they need time efficient workouts that produce quality results.

Adding on from the Best Celebrity Workouts 1 we now have an extension to super-setting with a method known as Tri-Sets. As if super-sets were not hard enough, tri-sets involve a third exercise being added in order to increase the intensity even further!

Supersets involve training opposing muscle groups without any rest between sets. So a celebrity could train chest and combine it immediately with back, or quads and hamstrings. Tri-sets can involve either three sets performed immediately each other using the same muscle group, or three exercises performed immediately after each other.

If one were to use tri-sets for the same muscle group then this is an advanced method of training and I would only perform this method with experienced exercise users as the intensity is very high. An example of a tri-set using the same muscle group would be:

Barbell squats
Lunges
Leg extensions

Or

Bench press
Dips
Flys

One cannot use a heavy load for this method of training and it would not be possible to complete the tri-set. Sets of 0f 8-12 reps are good approx 75% of the maximum one could lift for one repetition (1RM).

Another method of training using tri-sets is to use different muscle groups therefore reducing the high intensity on one particular muscle group making the workout more tolerable but still intense. An example of this would be:

Deadlifts
Chin-ups
Decline sit-ups

Or

Shoulder push-press
Lunges
Seated rows

If a celebrity wanted to work heavily on their legs and butt then I may design a tri-set workout for them using just leg exercises. If I just need more a a general application but focused on burning fat then I would opt for the latter tri-sets using various exercises, especially if the client was less advanced.

Tri-sets stimulate the release of the powerful hormones testosterone and growth hormone and can only be performed for about 30-45 mins due to the intensity of the workouts.

Celebrity workouts require a higher intensity and tri-sets are a great training tool in order to burn fat and create quality lean muscle tissue!

Why Eating Breakfast Is Important For Weight Loss!

I have looked over hundreds of food diaries and it is fairly common for many people to skip breakfast as they don’t feel hungry then or do not have the time to eat breakfast first thing before work.

A study by the Journal of International Medical Research (2008) demonstrated three good reasons why eating breakfast is important if you are looking to lose weight.

1. People who eat breakfast have a reduced appetite and reduced eating throughout the rest of the day

2. Compared to people who do not eat breakfast and eat later in the day, people who do have an overall reduced appetite.

3. Men and women who do not eat breakfast, or who eat very little in the morning, end up hungry during the day and the evening and subsequently eat more during this time, consuming more calories than they need.

Good ideas for high protein, low-carb breakfasts, are:

Eggs on toast
Egg omlettes
Whey Protein Shakes with a raw egg added
Cream cheese and smoked salmon
Peanut butter on toast
Organic yogurt with nuts
String cheese and hard cooked eggs

Eating breakfast will go a low way to reducing your overall appetite for the rest of the day and prevent you from loading up on calories during the day and especially in the evening.

Best Celebrity Workouts 1: Supersets

Supersets are a fantastic method of training to increase the intensity of your workouts. By increasing the intensity of a workout, we are burning more calories, more fat, losing more weight, releasing powerful fat-burning hormones and creating quality lean muscle tissue!

Supersets involve performing two exercises, of opposing muscles groups, without any rest between them. So you would train biceps and then triceps, or chest and then back.

Supersets are used in celebrity workouts for many reasons. Firstly they save time, which is advantageous for celebrities as sometimes they have very tight schedules and may only have 20-30 mins for execise. They stimulate the release of powerful anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone that will help you burn more body fat.
An example of a celebrity workout using supersets for chest and back would be:

Bench press + Incline T-Bar rows
Incline dumbbell chest press + Chin-ups
Dips + Lat pulldown
Flys + Bent over dumbbell rows

Another celebrity workout using supersets for biceps and triceps would be

Standing barbell curls + overhead barbell extensions
Preacher curls + dips
Seated dumbbell curls + lying triceps dumbbell tricep extensions
Cable bicep curls + tricep pushdowns

In terms of sets and repetitions, one would perform 3-4 sets and use 12-15 reps. You do not want to perform anymore than 15 reps, 12 being optimum, and your twelve rep needs to be a failure rep meaning that you would not be able to do anymore reps above that. Session duration: 45-60 mins maximum.

Celebrities use supersets due to the high intensity nature of the protocol as it produces such wonderful results! Now get to it!

Ten Key Things Celebrities Do To Stay In Shape!

1. They’re motivated

Celebrities get motivated, usually through pressure, maybe vanity, but they know they’re under scrutiny, some more than others, but regardless of the stimulus, in order to exercise with the required intensity, you need to be up for it, and know why you’re training so hard.

Goal-setting can be a powerful motivator, so write down some short-term and longer-term goals for yourself then get to work!

2. They’re consistent

Building the pyramids, building Rome, building whatever, it all took time, but consistency with time. Every quality workout, every quality meal, all adds up to a better you, a lighter you, a more confident you. Good results are achieved over time through consistent daily efforts. Great bodies are the ones from years of training and dieting, not a quick fix.
You can certainly drop 10 lbs in only a few weeks but to develop a great figure takes more time and consistency. As long as you are doing more every day to help your figure than to hinder it, then you will always be working in the right direction.

3. They’re disciplined

Discipline is everything. Discipline moves us forward in our lives and careers in the most positive manner. Doing, at times, what others are not prepared to do is the making of a champion. What are you prepared to do to reach your goal? Can you find the time to exercise five times per week? Can you stay on your diet six days a week? The greater discipline you have in your life, the more productive you will be and faster you will reach your goals.

4. They make time to exercise

Every day organise your schedule as if you don’t you will soon find time for other things other than exercise. Gain good time management skills and fit in a time most days for exercise. Contrary to popular opinions, celebrities do not have infinite amounts of time to exercise but they do organise their time well and fit it into a busy schedule. Make time to exercise, no excuses.

5. They’re organised

Granted many celebrities have assistants to keep a tight organised schedule, but there’s no reason why you can’t either. Pack your gym bag the evening before, make sure you have everything. Know what workout you are about to do, the exercises, the order etc. Plan your meals for each day and have your fridge and cupboard stocked up correctly so don’t have to rely on something else.

6. They hire Personal Trainers

Most people cannot afford to have a Celebrity Personal Trainer with them for every workout, but hiring a Personal Trainer even once a week, month or even just to update your exercise program will save you a lot of time and energy and will enable you to reach your goals faster. Knowledge is everything. I can give someone one piece of advice that could make them lose 10 pounds more in one month than they would do by themselves! Get some good advice, hire a trainer that will fit your budget.

7. They know their foods

Celebrity diets are actually not too dissimilar. Some may prefer a faddy diet plan, but the fundamentals to a fat loss diet are the same. Maintain a calorie deficit, meaning that you need to have a limit on the total amount of calories you are consuming every day. You need to be eating non-processed foods, opt instead for organic foods as much as possible and avoid refined carbohydrates such as white pasta, potatoes and rice. Eat vegetables for every dinner you have, especially from the cruciferous family.

8. They occasionally cheat

Celebrities aren’t robots, they’re human. They crave pizza, ice cream, burgers, and chips just like everyone else. The key is though that they eat these treats on occasion, not on a regular basis. Sometimes you have to eat some tasty fatty foods just to keep you sane, but don’t beat yourself up over it. As long as 90% of the time you’re doing things to aid your fat loss they’re no problem. The 10% won’t matter.

9. They keep a positive environment

There’s a saying, “It’s hard to soar like an eagle, if you hang around a bunch of chickens!” Make sure the people you spend the most amount of time with are positive people who are encouraging your efforts and not ones who always eat poorly at restaurants, the moves etc. and make you feel bad for not eating the bad foods they are eating.

10. They’re in it for the long haul

Fad diets don’t last. Quick fix diets don’t last. Find a balance of good, clean, quality nutrition and not trying to yo-yo as often. Celebrity diets are consistent and long-term. Yes they occasionally go on a particular diet for a tour, movie, or red carpet, but they will revert to their normal diet which is manageable long-term.

Use these ten key tips for staying in celebrity shape, they will keep you well ahead of the game!

You gotta love the caffeine!

I'm a big fan of caffeine as an ergogenic aid. I use it prior to exercise and it has great benefits! It's better to take it on it's own rather than coffee so supplement form is better. Here is a review from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition:

"The scientific literature associated with caffeine supplementation is extensive. It is evident that caffeine is indeed ergogenic to sport performance but is specific to condition of the athlete as well as intensity, duration, and mode of exercise. Therefore, after reviewing the available literature, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• Caffeine is more powerful when consumed in an anhydrous state (capsule/tablet, powder), as compared to coffee.

• The majority of research has utilized a protocol where caffeine is ingested 60 min prior to performance to ensure optimal absorption; however, it has also been shown that caffeine can enhance performance when consumed 15-30 min prior to exercise.

• Caffeine is effective for enhancing various types of performance when consumed in low-to-moderate doses (~3-6 mg/kg); moreover, there is no further benefit when consumed at higher dosages (≥ 9 mg/kg).

• During periods of sleep deprivation, caffeine can act to enhance alertness and vigilance, which has been shown to be an effective aid for special operations military personnel, as well as athletes during times of exhaustive exercise that requires sustained focus.

• Caffeine is an effective ergogenic aid for sustained maximal endurance activity, and has also been shown to be very effective for enhancing time trial performance.

• Recently, it has been demonstrated that caffeine can enhance, not inhibit, glycogen resynthesis during the recovery phase of exercise.

• Caffeine is beneficial for high-intensity exercise of prolonged duration (including team sports such as soccer, field hockey, rowing, etc.), but the enhancement in performance is specific to conditioned athletes.

• The literature is inconsistent when applied to strength and power activities or sports. It is not clear whether the discrepancies in results are due to differences in training protocols, training or fitness level of the subjects, etc. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to establish the effects of caffeine vis a vis strength-power sports.

• Research pertaining exclusively to women is limited; however, recent studies have shown a benefit for conditioned strength-power female athletes and a moderate increase in performance for recreationally active women.

• The scientific literature does not support caffeine-induced dieresis during exercise. In fact, several studies have failed to show any change in sweat rate, total water loss, or negative change in fluid balance that would adversely affect performance, even under conditions of heat stress.

The scientific literature associated with caffeine supplementation is extensive. It is evident that caffeine is indeed ergogenic to sport performance but is specific to condition of the athlete as well as intensity, duration, and mode of exercise. Therefore, after reviewing the available literature, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• Caffeine is more powerful when consumed in an anhydrous state (capsule/tablet, powder), as compared to coffee.

• The majority of research has utilized a protocol where caffeine is ingested 60 min prior to performance to ensure optimal absorption; however, it has also been shown that caffeine can enhance performance when consumed 15-30 min prior to exercise.

• Caffeine is effective for enhancing various types of performance when consumed in low-to-moderate doses (~3-6 mg/kg); moreover, there is no further benefit when consumed at higher dosages (≥ 9 mg/kg).

• During periods of sleep deprivation, caffeine can act to enhance alertness and vigilance, which has been shown to be an effective aid for special operations military personnel, as well as athletes during times of exhaustive exercise that requires sustained focus.

• Caffeine is an effective ergogenic aid for sustained maximal endurance activity, and has also been shown to be very effective for enhancing time trial performance.

• Recently, it has been demonstrated that caffeine can enhance, not inhibit, glycogen resynthesis during the recovery phase of exercise.

• Caffeine is beneficial for high-intensity exercise of prolonged duration (including team sports such as soccer, field hockey, rowing, etc.), but the enhancement in performance is specific to conditioned athletes.

• The literature is inconsistent when applied to strength and power activities or sports. It is not clear whether the discrepancies in results are due to differences in training protocols, training or fitness level of the subjects, etc. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to establish the effects of caffeine vis a vis strength-power sports.

• Research pertaining exclusively to women is limited; however, recent studies have shown a benefit for conditioned strength-power female athletes and a moderate increase in performance for recreationally active women.

• The scientific literature does not support caffeine-induced dieresis during exercise. In fact, several studies have failed to show any change in sweat rate, total water loss, or negative change in fluid balance that would adversely affect performance, even under conditions of heat stress.

Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2010, 7:5doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-5

http://www.jissn.com/content/7/1/5

Diets lacking in key micro-nutrients

A recent study looked at four popular diet menu plans (Atkins For Like, South Beach, DASH, Best Life Diet) and concluded that they were failing to reach many of Recommended Daily Intake for 27 micro-nutrients. Best Life Diet was 55.56% sufficient, DASH diet 51.85% sufficient, Atkins was 44.4% sufficient, and the South Beach diet was only 22.22% sufficient! This means for the South Beach Diet that it only reached the RDI for only 6 out of 27 micro-nutrients!

Basically all diets (including mine!) do stipulate a calorie reduction and therefore a reduction in key nutrients. However I always recommend a multi-vitamin, Fish Oils, zinc, magnesium, and for women calcium with vitamin D.

From the study the researcher concluded:

"the conclusion of this researcher that an individual following a popular diet plan using food alone, has a high likelihood of
becoming micronutrient deficient, a condition shown to be scientifically linked to a higher risk of dangerous and debilitating diseases including cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease, birth defects and overweight/obesity. Based on this study’s findings, the belief that a healthy, balanced diet can consistently deliver, to a typical dieter, all of the essential vitamins and minerals they need, through whole food alone, is in dire need of revision. It would appear that supplementation should be considered as a viable, low cost method to achieve micronutrient sufficiency and reduce the risk for some of today’s most prevalent and devastating health conditions and diseases. In conclusion, this study recommends that all individuals, particularly those following a popular diet plan, would benefit from and should take a daily multivitamin supplement to fill the nutritional gap between where their whole food diet leaves off and micronutrient sufficiency is achieved."

Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2010, 7:24 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-24 Jayson B Calton

http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-7-24.pdf

Fat Loss Exercise!

One thing I really loathe is the infomercials advertising the most ridiculous productswith fake testimonials and promises they know they can’t keep. I even remember a while back a woman who purchased expensive chocolate bars which promised to burnfat and lose weight as they had “special” herbs in them! Not that takes it to a new level, eating chocolate for weight loss???

Weight loss, fitness, and getting in shape is really quite straight forward. But because it’s a multi-billion (yes billion) dollar industry, there’s so much spin and BS because so many companies do not care that they’re offering a terrible product to a desperate consumer, they just want the money. Every time I go to the gym I see the worst exercise performance by many individuals. Now this is not surprising, as everyone is not a fitness expert.

It’s a bit like taking your car to get repaired and having a go yourself. Or try cooking a meal without the correct recipe. The most common problem I see in gyms around the world is people doing the same workout week in week out without much intensity. Only the other day I saw a woman on a lifecycle reading a book with a RPM of 40, 40!! This pace was soslow that the monitor started to flicker as it thought noonewas using the lifecycleand it was trying to shut down. What on earth was she hoping to achieve from this workout? She was quiteoverweight so presumably weight/fat loss was her goal.

Well she was achieving neither, and quickly! Let me tell you some of the worst exercises I see being performed in gyms today: Tricep Kickbacks, Swiss/Gym ball situps, (well mostly any sit-up exercise), Seated Leg Extensions/Leg CurlsAbductor/Adductor machine, Upright Rows, Pec Deck, Rear Pulldown.

I might as well give you the some of the best exercises that everyone should be doing:

Squats
Deadlifts
Woodchoppers
Pullups
Romanian Deadlifts
Travelling lunges

An exercise routine should be based on resistance exercises using a moderate load with minimal rest intervals. Long and slow cardio training is not conducive for weight loss,and unfortunately is an overused method of training, especially by women, in health clubs around the world. To stimulate the body to burn fat and develop lean muscle tissue, the overload principle must be implemented.There must be a higher intensity within exercise sessions to promote the metabolic cost and in particular the excess post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC is simply the accumulation of physiological processes that bring the body back to homeostasis after exercise.

The greater the EPOC, the greater the energy expended post-exercise which is highly advantageous for weight loss. Using fixed weight machines, single-joint exercises, and slow cardio training reduces the EPOC and doesn't produce the physiological state necessary for losing weight. One crucial aspect of exercise commonly overlooked is the conditions required to stimulate greater hormonal release, in particular testosterone and growth hormone. Women especially need to stimulate these anabolic hormones and they can only be produced only under certain physiological conditions. The build up of metabolic by productssuch as lactic acid causes a sustained increase in testosterone and growth hormone release. To achieve this state, a higher intensity exercise protocol must be administered. Rest intervals between exercises must be reduced to allow a more demanding workout which produces a greater metabolic build up which stimulates the anabolic hormones.

Below is an ideal exercise drill for burning fat and developing lean muscle tissue. Perform each exercise 3-4 times for approx. 12-15 reps.


1. Squats with shoulder press
2. Deadlifts with bicep curls
3. Assisted pullups
4. Romanian deadlifts with Cuban press
5. woodchoppers
6. Sumo squats with lateral raises
7. Tricep dips
8. Split squat with rotation
9. Sledgehammers
10. Russian twists

This type of circuit incorporates many multi-joint, multi-muscle exercises that recruit more muscle motor units, expend more energy, and stimulate the greatest metabolic and hormonal response. This provides the ideal physiological environment for stimulating fat loss.

The key with this type of program is to keep the rest intervals to aminimum (15-45secs). The circuit can be performed up to four times depending on the training quality andage of the individual. Too much resistance coupled with too short a recovery time will ultimately lead to complete fatigue and a non-enjoyable workout. If the resistance is too light and the rest interval is too long, an incorrect stimulus will be produced leading to ineffective results.

There is an abundance of exercises available to use; it is simply a case of getting creative and selecting challenging exercise drills. This type of protocol is highly appealing for women who do not like the blood pump into the muscle that men enjoy from bodybuilding training. If you wish to do more cardio training then running on the treadmill, boxing, rowing, or cycling can be incorporated between circuits, as long as the intensity remains moderately high. These sessions should last approx. 45-60mins.


Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS

www.mikeheatlie.com
www.lose10poundsin5weeks.com
www.mikeheatliepersonaltraining.com
www.loseyourpregnancypounds.com

Calculations for weight/fat loss

Sometimes people ask me how many calories, carbs, proteins, fats etc. they should be eating in order to lose weight. As a guide I always go with:

1400 calories per day for weight/fat loss
100 grams carbs per day (none after 5pm)
120 grams proteins per day
57 grams fats per day (from good sources monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats)

Good breakfasts are eggs on toast, smoothies/shakes, omelettes.
Salads are great for meals lower in carbs and fats
Dinner should include a protein such as chicken, fish, turkey etc. with a variety of vegetables, try and rotate these every evening (easier said than done I know)
Some examples of snacks taken from uk.askmen.com

1- Beef jerky
On average, one ounce contains about 70 calories and one gram of fat, but delivers 11 grams of protein. Make sure you get them from health food stores as others can be high in salt.

2- Eggs and egg whites
One egg white has only 15 calories, is fat-free and contains four grams of protein. Throw two or three in a pan (with some peppers and onions if you want to make an omelette) for a quick, nutritious mini-meal.
Don’t be afraid of eggs or the fat in eggs though if you need something to boost your fat intake, they are highly nutritious! My protein shake includes protein powder and raw eggs, marvellous!

3- Cottage cheese and fruit
A half cup of 2% cottage cheese contains on average 16 grams of protein, yet only has 102 calories and two grams of fat (as opposed to other types of cheese, which can be extremely high in saturated fat).

4- Tuna
Tuna is a great source of protein with approximately 25 grams per can. Plus, one can of tuna in water contains approximately 111 calories and is fat-free. But go easy on the mayonnaise if you're making a sandwich -- it's full of fat.

5- Protein bars
Although there are hundreds of varieties on the market, keep in mind that all protein bars are not created equal. Obviously, protein bars should be a high-protein snack, but be careful and avoid bars that are high in carbohydrates. A good choice is a 75-gram bar which contains a full 30 grams of protein, with only six grams of carbs and five grams of fat.

6- Shakes
I’m a big fan of protein shakes. Use isolates or casein when using during the day but you’ll need more carbs (approx 30 grams) after your workout. You can turn them into smoothies by adding natural yogurt, eggs, and fruit!

7- Lentils
Although they may not seem appetising on their own, putting a handful of them in your soup or salad will give your snack a protein boost. One cup of lentils has about 230 calories, one gram of fat and 18 grams of protein.

8- Peanut butter
One tablespoon contains about four grams of protein, eight grams of fat and 95 calories. For an energy boost, spread it on a slice of whole-wheat bread (60 calories and one gram of fat) and top it with banana slices.

If 1400 calories per day is too much of struggle then cycle your calorie and carb intake so you have a greater intake on other days. Please check out my ebook for how to do this correctly:

www.lose10poundsin5weeks.com

One of my clients said something to me recently that I just loved! He is studying for his PhD and also works part-time to make some money. I asked him if he was working at the weekend and he said, “I work every weekend Mike.” I said that that was incredible but his answer was awesome, he said, “You have to do what it takes to get you where you want to go.” So true.
Consistency is the key though with diet and exercise, this ultimately leads to successful weight/fat loss. Consequently consistently eating poorly and being inactive leads to fat gain, strive for the former!

Keep fighting the good fight.


Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS

Weight loss is food.....not exercise.

One of the biggest challenges I see day in and with individuals looking to lose weight is that they are focusing too much on exercise, and not enough on food. Weight loss is food and fluid intake, period. Yes of course exercise helps, and we should obviously be exercising regardless if we have weight too lose, but the majority of individuals who take out gym memberships, they’re looking to lose weight, and they’re driving their energy down the wrong road.

When one joins a health and fitness club, for the most part they’re looking to lose weight. What happens though is that they sit down with a trainer and talk about their exercise habits. Sure there is talk of diet and nutrition, but most of the trainers don’t know too much about diet or simply don’t address it enough. The basic advice is usually, “Try and be careful with what you’re eating.” There usually isn’t any food diary administered and an accurate assessment of calorie intake as well as carbohydrate, fat, and protein analysis.

This is why dieticians and nutritionists should be employed in health clubs as it is food that is the problem. Let me give you an example. If you look at food and exercise in terms of calories you’ll see why food and fluids should be address first. If you ate a snack such as a chocolate bar and a coke, that averages about 350 calories. To expend that many calories through exercise, you would have to run for about 25mins, depending on the intensity. Which is easier? Running for 25mins or not eating a chocolate bar and coke?

Men and women are consuming too many calories above their recommended daily allowance; they’re eating approx 1000 kcals more daily. It is for sure easier to reduce your calorie intake than it is having to exercise more. Always think about food in terms of exercise calories, it will put things into perspective. Three pints of beer is about 600 kcals, a few glasses of wine will be over 300 kcals. Some of the meals were consuming are over an incredible 1000 kcals!

If weight loss is your goal, it will all come down to your food and fluid intake and the types of foods you are eating, bottom line. Remember even if the food is small, it may well be energy dense and hold a lot of calories. Control what you’re eating and you will reach your ideal weight.

Remember you create you habits, and then your habits will create you!

How Strength Training can Reduce or Eliminate Back Pain!

There was an interesting study published recently in the American College of Sports Medicine journal that looked at how strength training reduces or eliminates back pain. The study looked at 240 men and women who didn’t have any major problems with their backs such as injuries to the vertebrae or surgery etc. but they did have back pain associated with muscular injuries, I’ve had a few clients come to me with this type of problem before. Normally people with back pain take pain killers and rest, but rest causes muscles to become weakened and if you stay in bed they will become stiff. In this study people who had back pain started a strengthening program exercising the back, chest and legs. Back pain was reduced and strength increased through all three exercises which is an important factor worth considering. By strengthening the muscles in your body you can then tolerate daily physical activities much better and fatigue will not be produced as quickly. Stress will not be placed on your back if your legs are strong and your upper body is strong.

The take home message from this study is that if you injure the muscles in your back do not stop exercising. Keep strengthening the major muscle groups with lighter weights and lower repetitions and progress throughout the weeks. Obviously you wouldn’t start lifting heavy weights with a back injury, the key is progression.

10 weight-loss tips

I’m not a big fan of Christmas and New Years (ba humbug!). Well that’s not strictly true. I love spending quality time with my family and reflecting on another year gone by and what’s in store for the year ahead. As a Personal Fitness Trainer though it’s a disaster. Clients are basically hit for six over the festive period with many of them struggling to find the time to get to the gym and they are also faced with numerous social responsibilities where they are now faced with all types of bad foods and fluids, many of them hard to resist!

The biggest problem then comes after the New Year where it can difficult to just swing right back into things. Some of the chocolates and alcohol given to us for Christmas are still with us in our homes and we find it hard to get back to low-carb meals as we normally have had a good carb surge over Christmas and New Years and our bodies are craving them again!

I’ve listed below ten great weight-loss tips for 2010:

Set realistic goals

You should aim for 1-2 lbs per week and just looking at the bigger picture. I always show my new clients weight loss progress from my current successful clients and it’s a simple case of chipping away every day. One of my clients has lost two stone (28 lbs) and seven inches off her weight. She didn’t do this in 5 weeks, it took her 16 weeks. Some weeks she would weigh-in the same weight as the previous, some weeks she weighed a little less, and some weeks she put on a little weight.

It really is a case of chipping away every day and doing more to help you lose weight than to hinder it. Committing to exercising on a continuous basis and eating well on most days of the week. You will have your up and downs but keep fighting the good fight and in time the riches will be yours, don’t give up.

If you have 10 lbs to lose, set a target of losing it in 5-10 weeks, not 5 days! J

Read the food labels!

This makes a big difference believe me! Make sure you look at the weight of the food and calculate the total amount of calories, fat, sugar and salt. Some food labels are sneaky, it may give you the amounts for 100 grams and you may think everything seems ok, but your dish may be 300-400 grams! So if the label reads sugar 12 grams and you think it’s fine, it may be that the dish is actually 3-4 times more than this!

Try and have no more than 40 grams of sugar a day, saturated fat at 20 grams per day, sodium about 24 grams and try and get at least 100 grams of protein a day.

Get into your favourite music!

Listen to your favourite music whilst exercising. Music stimulates us, makes us want to dance, and it can generate powerful emotions. Spice up your IPod with great music, get right into it. Don’t listen to the same tunes you have been for months, new music, like new exercises can really liven up your workout.

You don’t have to stop eating bad food!

Just because you’re trying to lose weight it doesn’t mean you have to stop eating your favourite treats. As long as the majority of foods and fluids you’re putting in your mouth are helping you lose weight then you’ll be in a positive balance. It’s when you’re doing more harm than good on a consistent basis that your weight goes up.
So by all means enjoy some pizza or ice cream, just make sure these are not consistent indulgencies.

If you’ve hit a plateau then you need to change things!

If my clients have not lost weight in three weeks then we change things. Insanity as defined by Albert Einstein is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If you’ve hit a plateau, then change things, turn the heat up on your workouts, add more physical activity, or make a few changes to your diet, just don’t keep doing the same thing.

Know your numbers!

You don’t have to calorie count necessarily, but it’s good to know how many calories you’re aiming for on a daily basis. If you’re trying to lose weight are you shooting for 1800, 1600? Cycling your calories and carbs is a great weight loss method that I use in my ebook, where you have 1800 on certain days and 1600 on others, depends on a few factors obviously, but you get the jist.

Don’t beat yourself up over your crashes!

It’s inevitable that you’re going to crash and have a big night out and just let yourself go. If it happens then just acknowledge that you’ve had a blip and get right back on track. Remember it’s not what you do once in a while that matters, it’s what you are doing every day that counts.

If you don’t drink enough water you’ll retain it!

There are so many benefits to drinking water that I could be here all day writing about it. One myth that is around is that if you drink a lot of water that you’ll retain it and get heavier. This is nonsense. In fact the opposite is true. If your body thinks it’s not getting enough water then it will go into survival mode and hold onto it, so drink up! At least 3 litres a day.

Stick to the colours!

Maybe I should put it another way…avoid the whites! White pasta, bread, rice, etc. Stick to the colours, colourful fruits, vegetables, etc. the white stuff just contributes to big time fat storage.

Do not eat 2-3 hours prior to bed!

I like people to eat smaller meals more frequently, but if you’ve got some stubborn pounds to lose then have your evening meal and then eat nothing more 2-3 hours prior to sleep. Your body still has to work even when you’re sleeping so you’ll be burning energy during this time. If you can workout first thing in the morning with some caffeine you’ll be in a full throttle fat burning zone!!

The 5 ‘Must Know’ facts about Women and Weights!

1. Weight training will reduce the risks of osteoporosis

One thing that really frustrates me is the amount of postmenopausal women who are still performing a lot of cardio training such as walking on the treadmill, using the elliptical machine, or cycling. Billions (yes billions) of dollars are spent each year on medical care treating women with hip fractures. Women need to be doing a lot more weight training, or resistance exercise, in order to strengthen bones and increase bone density. What people need to understand is that bone tissue is just like any other live tissue such as the heart or the kidneys. It is constantly remodeling itself. You don’t have the same skeleton you had a few years ago, your bones are being broken down and built up again on a daily basis. The problem lies in the fact that the build-up process is less efficient than the breakdown process down known as “resorption”. Over the years bone mineral density becomes less and less, making your bones more and more fragile. With the reduction of the hormone estrogen in postmenopausal women, less bone is formed thus increasing the risks of osteoporosis. Weight training places quality stress on bone structures more so than just simple aerobic activity. Don’t get me wrong walking etc. is good also, but make sure you follow a quality weight training or resistance training program on a regular basis with a quality intake of calcium, approx. 1200 mg/day and also Vitamin D (400-800 international units) which you will need to absorb calcium.

2. Weight training will NOT produce large, bulky muscles.

Women cannot produce high levels of testosterone which is needed for large muscle gains; they simply do not have the genetic makeup for it. When you see a woman with very large muscles this is achieved through a combination of weight training, anabolic steroids, and a large calorie intake. What women will gain from weight training is lean, strong muscles, that burn more fat.

3. Weight training will reduce your risk of back and hip injuries.

By performing exercises such as squats and lunges, the muscles of the back and hips will become much stronger which makes women less susceptible to falling. The increase in bone density from weight training mentioned earlier will further decrease the risks of injuries.

4. Weight training produces greater fat losses.

Weight training will stimulate your metabolic rate far greater than aerobic exercise will. Once your aerobic session has ended there is little post-elevation of your metabolic rate. Weight training however raises your metabolic rate far higher and as you gain more lean muscle tissue your metabolic rate will increase also. Muscles have a high energy requirement, so even when your sitting or sleeping, your muscles will be burning calories for you, so the key is to develop quality lean muscle tissue, turning you into a fat-burning machine!

5. Weight training makes you look sexy.

By working with weights, women can develop sexy and curvy muscles, improving their physical appearance enormously. Well rounded shoulders, a strong and curvy posterior, and lean legs can all be achieved in a matter of weeks through correct exercise prescription. We lose approx. half a pound of muscle tissue every year after the age of 25 which explains why we put on weight, develop more body fat, and lose our physiques and figures. Weight training fights to reverse this process, so get off the cardio machines and ask your personal trainer for a fat-burning, body conditioning, resistance exercise program!

The 90/10 Rule for Fat Loss!

One of the major challenges individuals face with regards to healthy eating and dieting, is that almost every diet program just simply isn’t sustainable. They’re either too restrictive, or don’t allow you to consume your favorite foods and drinks. Can Personal Trainers expect their clients to immediately stop eating chocolate, ice cream, lasagna, pizza, or burritos? Behavioral change does not occur overnight and any diet that eliminates ones favorite foods is one that will set them up for failure.

Weight loss is all to do with balance and cycling your calories correctly. The 90/10 rule works well for allowing your favorite tasty foods and drinks whilst you’re still working towards losing weight. One of the best weight loss strategies is to consume regular smaller meals per day; 5-6 is very good and realistic. The 90/10 rule would work like this: 90% of the time you are consuming foods for health, energy, vitality and to make you look absolutely fantastic! 10% of the time you consume your favorite meals which are higher in fats, sugar and salt. You understand that these foods may not be too good for you, but because you are not eating them regularly, they won’t hinder your weight loss too much.

You are what you eat. You are what you repeatedly do. If you practice bad eating habits they will come back to haunt you in the form of weight gain or ill health, or both! If you were to consume 5 meals daily that would average out to be approx 35 meals per week. Using the 90/10 rule for weight loss, you would be able to consume three meals and one snack of your favorite foods. This however, doesn’t mean that the remaining 90% of the meals you consume are bland, boring, and should on the diets of farm animals. There are plenty of tasty healthy foods available and some tremendous substitutes for some of the foods you may be eating right now that will hinder your weight loss.

Burgers are a classic example. They are one of the worst foods you can consume. Very high in calories and saturated fats. Veggie burgers or soy burgers however, are an ideal substitute as they are low in fats and are a good source of protein. Pizzas can be cooked using thin based crusts, tomato sauce, lowfat mozzarella cheese, and can then be added with grilled chicken breast, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and any other healthy vegetable. We just need to be more organized and make healthier choices.

Plan your week ahead for the meals you will be having, and pinpoint days and times for you to consume 10% of your favorite foods and enjoy them to the full. You must however, balance those meals with a 90% diet of healthy and highly productive foods to have you looking and feeling absolutely fabulous!