Covid 19 Lockdown
During the Covid-19 level 4 lockdown I'll be regularly updating body weight style workouts every week. These workouts will be free to use during this period. Once the lockdown period finishes and we all have access to equipment again I'll be updating more gym-based HIIT circuits, tests and training programs as part of an online on-demand training option for clients. So for those who prefer to train at home independently then I can provide personalised training programs that you can follow whenever and wherever you want. This is ideal for people who are self-motivated and know what they want to achieve but just require the direction on how to get there. If you're looking for a fresh-start, want to train independently and are up for a new challenge with your exercise then on-demand training is for you. More information to come. If you are interested in future on-demand training then use the enquiry form at the bottom of the page to register your interest.
Nutrition
The key to your level of success ultimately comes down to good choices and clean eating. Sorry to tell you there's no short cuts. Whether you know it or not, if your diet hasn't been great it will take some initial sacrifice to recalibrate your taste buds and to change your body's preference to quality nutrient-dense foods. A lot of convenience and heavily-processed foods today are designed to be addictive and are packed with all sorts of additives, sugars, artificial sweeteners and preservatives that get you hooked and wreck havoc on the way you feel through the day, lead to depression and will shorten your life expectancy. Just like someone who is addicted to smoking or alcohol stepping away from highly processed food will take willpower and a dedicated approach - but it can be done. Once you've begun and made the adjustment to eating quality nutrient dense foods you'll only realise how good you can actually feel. A good diet should not feel like you are actually dieting - learning the 'what' and the 'how much' are the key factors in being able to reset your eating habits for your long term health.
The main focus of my nutrition plan is to encourage you to have a sensible and balanced intake from all the main food groups: carbohydrate, protein and good fats. I don't believe in crash-dieting or to omit entire food groups for short or long periods of time. This approach isn't sustainable and will promote long term metabolic damage. There are two types of carbohydrate; complex and simple. In order to feel better and have more of a longer-lasting source of energy to exercise you need to eat complex carbohydrates. Simple carbs (sugars, biscuits, soft drinks, white breads) all provide only a short-term supply of energy and promote inflammation, leaky gut, create cancers etc. We need to minimise these as much as possible in our diet. By eating complex carbs (potatoes, kumara, grains, oats) we restore our body's insulin sensitivity (our body's ability to process the simple sugars that we do eat), reduce the storage of body fat around our belly and will increase our willpower to say no to sweet treats. I recommend taking in sufficient protein from animal and plant based sources. Protein is an essential requirement of a healthy diet as it's important for muscle repair and helps to form the building blocks to which muscle is built. Without enough protein your body's ability to become stronger, add muscle and recover between workouts will be reduced. Good sources of protein comes from; chicken, beef, fish, tofu and vegetables. Good fats sourced from fish, nuts, seeds and avocado is also essential. A diet sufficient in healthy omega-3 fats relative to omega-6 promotes better hormone health, clearer skin, better heart health, better immunity and will reduce inflammation of the body.
Unfortuntely I don't promote a secret weight loss pill or a magical line of supplements that will transform your body overnight. Supplements will only be of benefit as an addition to a good eating plan - they cannot mask a poor one.