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Showing posts from December, 2017

How to set resolutions you can stick to this New Year

It's that time of year when people start to think about how they want their future to look. Do you have any New Year resolutions? Setting yourself new goals and aspirations is a great way to start making positive changes in your life. But are you falling into the trap? THE TRAP! A lot of people start out their year with sincere and heartfelt goals, but struggle to keep up with them. Then they stop working at it, don't reach the goal and feel bad. They couldn't do The Thing. They will never reach The Goal. They feel like they have failed. This year, you will not fall into The Trap, because I'm here to help. Your 3 step guide to great resolutions 1. Set an achievable goal Be realistic. Is is something that is physically possible? Will it require changes or resources that you are ready, willing and able to action? Let's have a look at some examples. Let's say your goal is to run a marathon, in 4 weeks time. Let's be honest, unless you a

Fairytales from the gym - Discipline

Is it a will of iron, or are you chained to your routines? A while back I was having a conversation with a bodybuilder. He was, in line with many people in fitness , strictly focussed on his passion, and how it was superior to other strength training. "Powerlifters" he said to me, "they eat all wrong and they're too fat, they've got no discipline see." He said this, gesticulating with his fork, as he ate his usual meal of chicken breast with cold rice and broccoli. As a powerlifter I thanked him for sharing his perspective and went on with my day! Reflecting upon this from a coach's perspective, I started to look past his assumption that an individual's choice not to be as lean as they can and to eat in a way of their choosing could only be a lack of commitment. I started to consider the nature of "discipline" and how this works. Meal plans and meal prep Eating pre-prepared meals to the same recipe, multiple times a day, e

Changes are afoot

I'm adding amazing new value to my online nutrition coaching. It's a bit subtle so I thought it would be good to break it down  here. Reflecting upon improving my coaching practice. I've been working for a while with people who want to focus solely, or principally on their diet and lifestyle, rather than the "traditional" exercise focused Personal Training. As with all my work I have been considering how I can do this better. Deliver a better service, be more efficient, get better results etc. This is what I found.... I really enjoy working with individuals, talking them through the issues they are encountering and helping them to see their way past their personal roadblocks. Checking in and regular accountability is great. While many exercise based clients find between-session check ins unnecessary, nutrition clients tend to need consistent support and more frequent reminders. While I am great at the theory stuff, and always a teacher at heart,

Your quick and easy guide to eating healthy from a restaurant menu

Ok, so last time I totally saved your lunch box, and now I'm here to save your lunch out. Eating out is fun. It's a classic example of how food is so much more than fuel for our bodies - and that is one of the reasons why making dietary changes can be hard. It's not just about what you put in your face, it's also about your culture, the people you hang with, your habits and your emotional or sensory connections with food. Eating in restaurants can be fraught with difficulty for people trying to adjust their eating patterns. You might have established preferences on the menu, you can't control the portion size or the ingredients in your dishes. You might feel pressured to drink alcohol and studies suggest that people actually eat more when eating in company. This is why many people on strict weight loss diets, or athletes prepping for competition often choose to sacrifice social eating for their final goals . But you might not have that option if your jo