Training For The Special Day!

Congratulations to my clients David & Karen who have lost a ton of weight in preparation for the special wedding day on Saturday 1st October 2016!


Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS
Edinburgh Personal Trainer

Shape Up for Christmas!

One of the reasons why January is such a busy time for gyms and Personal Training is that many people tend to reach Christmas reconditioned and with weight to lose! Throw in 3-4 weeks of poor dieting and limited exercise and people feel awful in January (not to mention the cold and dark mornings and nights!)

We are have many Personal Training clients at our Studio in Edinburgh looking to lose weight for Christmas. 12 sessions start from £267.48 inc VAT. Contact asap to get started: info@mikeheatliepersonaltraining.com


Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS
Edinburgh Personal Trainer

Ten Key Things Celebrities Do to Stay in Great 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. I know many Personal Trainers at my Studio in Edinburgh who can help! :-)

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!

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!