Go Hard or Go Home!

I was covering a circuit class this week and was astounded by how many thought they could just turn up and put minimal effort into it and would still miraculously achieve their fitness goals somehow.

I come from a martial arts background and maybe I'm a bit unusual that I love to push myself to my limits and feel a sense of achievement when I have come out the other side fitter and stronger, both physically and mentally for it.

My attitude is what's the point of turning up if you don't work hard enough to gain the results that you've come there to achieve?  You might as well stay at home and save your money!

During the hour I did get them to work hard and a couple did appreciate the extra push I gave them, minus a couple of silly girls who found it too hard and sneaked out.

They do say people gravitate to those people that are similar to themselves and hold the same views and beliefs.  That's maybe why many of my regulars come from a martial art or army background or those not scared of putting themselves into the forge of fitness and becoming a better, stronger person for it and the gym bunnies who can do 5 classes in a row and not produce a drop of sweat (because they're only playing at it) tend not to like my classes.

Well give me 5 people who are willing to go hard in a class than 30 who are just there fooling themselves and should just go home.


  

Doggie Fitness

This week I've done something that I haven't done before which is to run a exercise class for both dog and their owner.

This came about when during my time as a fitness professional I've spoken to various dog owners who say they've walked their dogs for exercise but have still struggled with their weight.

After asking some open questions I normally find out that they just walk the dog and they're not pushing themselves enough to get the health benefits of exercising.

The health benefits for both human and dog are helping to prevent or reduce obesity, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, mental conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress and for humans, diabetes type 2 and certain cancers.  It also helps increase stamina, muscular strength, flexibility, bone density and motor skills such as agility and balance.

In order to do enough to get the full benefits you have to use moderate intensity which is feeling slightly out of breath, slightly uncomfortable and slightly perspiring and ensuring you keep active for a large part of the day rather than being sedentary and eating healthily.

I approached my good friend Tony Cruse, who is a dog trainer situated in Galleywood, Chelmsford and ran it by him and he thought it a good idea to use it as a one off at his regular Tuesday Club, where I'd be guest instructor.

Before we started I asked the group if they felt that when they took their dogs out that they were doing it at a moderate intensity and most of them thought that they were.

 During the class I was encouraging them to reach their moderate intensity levels and afterwards they could see the difference of what they had thought was 'moderate' intensity and what they had really been doing, which had been exercising at a much lower intensity and would therefore grant them at best little health gains and at worst no health gains at all! 

In the future they will adopt a slightly more vigorous approach where they will be performing at a higher rate and start to gain the health benefits of exercising.

Exercising with your dog can help increase the bond between owner and dog, communication,  reduce a dog's destructive behaviour, reduce boredom and increase feelings of wellbeing for both.

Dogs and owners alike enjoyed the morning class and I look forward to returning to do something similar again.

Thanks to Tony for letting me hi-jack his class for the morning and if anyone wants to contact him for dog training or buy his best selling book, 101 Doggie Dilemmas can contact him at:-

http://www.tc-dog-training.co.uk/

Another Great Article by James Clear

This is a great article by James Clear with an emphasis on what my blog was about last week, regarding how small things can build up to big things over a period of time .

I am a great fan of this guy and he publishes 2 blogs a week with great advice like this.  Why don't you sign up for them like I have and get some sound tips to help organise and improve your life for the better.

Enjoy- and tell me what you think.

http://jamesclear.com/marginal-gains?__s=xusjsdsuuf4sgmgsmqbb

Little Things Add Up To Big Things

During our busy lives we are often looking for the big payoff, dismissing things that seem of smaller value.  However it's these little things that can build up over time to make a huge difference.

 This way of thinking reminds me of the question 'would you take £5 million right away or be given 1p that would double in value every day for one month and at the end of this time you would keep the amount.' 

Most people would take the £5 million and run thinking the 1p a day doubling in value every day couldn't add up to very much.  However they would be greatly wrong because if they chose the 1p  doubling in value each day (day 2- 1 + 1 = 2p, day 3, 2 + 2 = 4p) at the end of the month you would have accumulated over £10 million!

So the small things that we consider of no real value, in this case 1p, over a relatively short time has become worth more than the £5 million that was originally offered.

We can use this concept in our daily lives and make our lives 'richer' for it.  Here are 5 examples of how seemingly small things can add up to big things to help you get fitter and healthier.

1.) Swap full fat milk for semi skimmed:- you would save 42 calories and 4.4g of fat per serving.   Over 1 year  swapping 1 serving per day would add up to saving you over 15,000 calories and 1.6kg of fat!  If you went from full fat to skimmed you would save over 24,000 calories and 2.7 kgs of fat! That's about as much fat that's in 270 mars bars!

2.) Swap regular crisps with low-fat- eating a bag a day over 1 year you would save yourself 24,966 calories and lose 3.2kg of fat if you made the swap.

3.) Swap 1 meal a day with a Herbalife nutritional shake:- over 1 year instead of having your chicken salad sandwich, full fat crisps and bottle of Coke and have a shake instead, you would save 205,495 calories (equivalent of 366 hours on the treadmill) and between 10-14lbs of fat loss!  You'd also save yourself the best part of £600!

4.) Swap 1 tablespoon  to 1 teaspoon of oil per person in a dish:- doing this and you'd save yourself 32,850 calories and lose 4.3kg fat (savings based on 1 serving per day over 1 year).

5.) Swap deep- fried chips with home made chunky chips with spray oil:- Do this with your 2 servings per week and you'd save 18,475 calories and lose over 2.3kg fat over 1 year.

For more information on Herbalife products, business opportunities or personal training please get in touch.