It can come very easy at times but then never seems to stick around and at other times it just never seems to want to get going.

Most fat loss diets fail before they even begin.

Simply because the person doesn’t comprehend the fundamental principles of how to lose the fat and keep it off.  This is why I see so many Yo-Yo dieters who are frustrated and fed up with seeing progress only to slip back to their old self a few months down the line.

Once you have a set of principles you can use a whole host of methods to make something work (I should know, I have been up and down on that Yo-Yo a few times myself).

You must have heard the proverb – give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him and his family for life”?

Well, it is the same thing. Give someone a diet plan, they follow it with success only to struggle when they return to their normal habits. Teach someone principles to guide their eating habits by and they can adapt their habits to ensure prolonged and sustained fat loss, health and well-being.

I could ramble on all day about things you need to know. However, all that would achieve is you getting lost in a swamp of information, you wouldn’t know where to turn and I end up pushing you further away from where you want to be.

Therefore, what I have here are 4 basic principles that can certainly set you off on the path to your goals and desires. These are the things I wish I knew when I started trying to lose fat:

#1 Forget the good food vs bad food, organic food, gluten free and sugar-free hype

You need to be in a calorie deficit to lose fat.

I am assuming you understand what calories are. We hear about them all the time. TV shows seem to go on about them almost relentlessly. But how does a calorie fit into the bigger picture? Surely you just need to eat all these healthy foods to lose weight right?

How does the amount of calories compared with eating healthy foods during the day influence if we lost fat? To understand this we need to understand energy balance:

Energy Balance (Calories in versus Calories out)

Calories = fuel.

We burn Calories to fuel our daily activities and this includes eating, sleeping and loafing around on the sofa watching TV. Everything we do in life burns calories. It gets more complicated than this but for this article, I am just going to say that if you use more calories than you consume then you will lose weight (ideally fat).

Put another way, this means if you eat less than your body requires then it will use its own fuel reserves to provide energy.

A topic for another time, but participation in a well-structured strength training program will go a long way to raising the level of calories burned during a day/week/month/year.

Eating healthily just doesn’t cut it

When a lot of people go on a diet they try to eat healthily. What this means is that they drink coconut water and almond milk, swap butter for coconut oil and eat things like nuts, dried fruit and lots of cracker breads. These all still contain calories and some of which are extremely dense and can be over consumed.

What this results in is you actually consuming more calories than your body needs. You believe you are eating healthily but in fact you are just staying where you are or worse, you are gaining weight.

Has that ever happened to you?

#2 Fat loss is never linear

So many people start a diet and plan to lose ‘X’ amount of weight each week.

Unfortunately, fat loss doesn’t work like this for a whole host of reasons. What most people experience is a sudden drop in weight over the first few weeks followed by a few weeks steady weight loss and then a stall on the scales 6-8 weeks into a diet and maybe even a rise in weight.

The immediate success followed by periods where nothing happens or there is an increase in weight often leads to frustration and succumbing to temptation. Here is an explanation of why this happens:

Don’t be fooled – Initial weight loss is almost always water

When people go on a diet, they go ultra strict with their eating and they tend to cut out the junk food, bread, pasta, rice etc. These foods all contain carbohydrates, commonly known as carbs. Carbs require water to break them down to be used by the body (approximately 4 grams of water for 1 gram of carbs).

Therefore the body can use 300 – 500 grams of water to break down the average bowl of pasta consumed. That’s a quarter to half a kilo of retained weight to break down that Spaghetti Bolognese you had the other night. And that’s not including the garlic bread!

Because we routinely eat carb rich meals, the body will keep hold of the water to break the meals down (it is clever like that). When we start a diet we predominately get rid of these food types so after a week or so the body will also get rid of the excess water it uses to break down (I did say it was clever like that). The result is rapid weight loss in a short space of time.

A lighter body requires less energy

When you lose weight, the body then requires less energy to maintain itself. If you keep eating the same amount of food the chances are the body will adapt and you will end up eating at your energy maintenance, resulting in no weight loss.

Therefore, the amount you eat should be staggered so it can be reduced over time. Liken it to walking down a flight of stairs. The decrease should be one step at a time.

There are also unexplainable factors that we need to consider. Having spent countless months in the trenches with fat loss myself I have been frustrated on many occasions by things that science has no explanation for. For example, I went 5 weeks without a budge in scale weight, which frustrated the hell out of me.

Trusting the system I was using, I was patient. My strength numbers were fine, I had good energy and I was not being tempted by sweet treats so all was good.

On the 6th week I stepped on the scale to find I had lost almost 1.5 kilos overnight! I cannot explain how or why this happened. All I know is that the body acts in strange ways sometimes and we need to show patience and trust in what we are doing.

You need to be patient. You need to accept the bad with the good. You need to trust the system you are on and give it time.

#3 It is normal to be hungry when on a diet

You will see adverts these days informing you that you can stuff yourself silly whilst losing weight. These people are either trying to sell you something or they are idiots…usually both! To lose fat you need to be in a calorie deficit, period. This often means eating less overall, resulting in feelings of hunger. However, there are ways to combat this:

Use strategies to take your mind off being hungry at that moment in time

Hunger as we know it is not true hunger. To be truly hungry we would have to go a long time without food. Ask some of the people in 3rd world countries about real hunger. Our hunger is more to do with routine and hormones.

The brain expects food at midday because that is what you have done most of your life, therefore come midday your brain signals the stomach to get into gear and expect food. That is the hunger we feel and this is easily suppressed through simple tactics. Now, the purpose of this email is not to provide you with a boat load of tactics.

This article is about bigger picture principles and strategies. That way you can implement some of your own tactics that work for you. Not wanting to be a cop-out however so here are a few I have found to work for me:

• Drink a glass of water – feelings of hunger are sometimes a sign of dehydration
• Get stuck into some work – your mind will often tell you the body is hungry simply because it is bored. Occupy your time and you will likely find the hunger disappears. Have you ever lost track of time and not even realise you have missed a meal?
• Go and train – when training your body will stop thinking about ingesting food.
• Have a low-calorie snack that you can use as a last resort – if you cannot stand to stay away from the fridge or cupboard any longer, you must have strategies that minimise the damage of snacking and allow you to stay on the right side of your energy balance.

Look at low-calorie food types that will fill that gap if you can’t wait any longer

The video below shows the difference between 200 calories in a few different food types and the difference in volume. Just look at all those strawberries. Who is telling me they won’t be even slightly satisfied eating all of those. There are other food types, which are amazing too. Vegetables of any description are usually a great choice. You can add herbs and spices to them to really make them taste amazing.

If you think veg is bland and boring, go and get yourself a meat-free cookbook. These people are masters of making veg sexy.

#4 You will stall from time to time so be patient

This one kind of speaks for itself but is worth a mention as this is the reason why so many people give up on their fat loss goals. Basically, they stop seeing results after only a few short weeks and no longer trust the system without giving it sufficient time.

Fat loss should be a slow burner but modern society means we are no longer willing to wait for anything these days. We want it all and we want it now (I am definitely guilty of this by the way)!

A stall in weight during a diet is a very normal thing and no movement in fat loss during a diet over a period of time usually indicates that the body has adapted to your current situation. This is what the body does and after millions of years of evolution, it has got very good at it. What you need to do then is change things around a little and keep the body guessing.

However, what we actually do is we lose patience. The cast iron plan that we have followed for a few weeks now has suddenly stopped working, therefore we deem the plan is rubbish! Clearly the plan can’t be that bad as it has got you some results. It is simply a case of the body understanding the rules of the game. This means you change the game slightly. Keep progressing and be patient and results will come. Those that lose patience are likely to give up and therefore not gain the results they desire.

Well, that’s about all for now.

Keep things simple and concentrate on nailing these principles. If you do then all the smaller things will all fall into place.

You won’t need the next best instant results FAD diet.

You won’t need all those ultra-expensive supplements.

We all have a habit of concentrating on the smaller things in life, which hardly make a difference when our strategy is not in place.

Remember:

1. You have to eat/consume less than you burn….period.

1. You will not lose weight/fat every week…accept it. It is the long term progress that counts.

1. Expect to be hungry at times and know how to deal with it. When you succumb to the snacking bug, have low calorie go to foods you can have without ruining your calorie intake.

1. Be patient! Accept stalling is part of the process and look to make subtle changes over time.

Get these 4 things dialled in and I guarantee you will see results you can maintain.

If you are struggling with your fat loss and have become frustrated with your continued lack of results then get in touch for a clarity call and we can chat and see what is going wrong and what you can do to make it right.

What are you waiting for? Get to it!

Speak soon,

Gaz

But conversely, we have never been as unhealthy, or unfit.

We long for the look of a cover model but don’t really do much about it or we try and try but to no avail.

We buy into the latest fat burning supplement or fitness FAD that is going to TRANSFORM us in just 28 days…without us having to put much effort in.

These companies are making so much money from us with this.

They have us hooked on HOPIUM!

Reliant on the drug of OPPORTUNITY. Hooked on their products with the expectation that the NEXT ONE will deliver on it’s promise.

Have you fallen for this? I know I have.

By 2022 the global dietary supplement market is estimated to be worth over 250 billion dollars. It’s no wonder we can barely walk, drive or even sit down for a brew without some kind of dietary supplement, exercise craze or new magic herb being crammed down our throat.

But what if I was to tell you there was a way…

But it required a bit of effort, some focus, commitment and some consistency?

If you want to improve your health, don’t buy into these new schemes and trends that are nothing short of scams.

Here are five habits to improve your health and fitness.

1. Drink More Water

The human body is made up of about 60 percent of water!

You need  WATER!

We use it for digestion, nutrient absorption, circulation and much much more. It not only helps muscles and organs but it also makes your skin look younger and clearer! I don’t know any supplement that can promise AND actually deliver all that!!

Another bonus is when you’re hydrated with water you suppress hunger and it can also prevent the temptation of drinking the wrong fluids like fizzy drinks, cordials and juices.

These are more than often riddled with sugar, high in calories and have very little nutritional value.

Things are improving out there with zero sugar this and zero sugar that but be careful as even with flavoured waters and juices, a lot of them can have as much sugar as ordinary coca cola.

2. Go For a FAT Option

One of the oldest mistakes in the book is avoiding fats! Yeah yeah, I get it…saturated fats, especially in abundance aren’t particularly good for you. However, there are also other natural healthy fats to be taken in and the benefits are quite surprising to most!

As well as other factors like protecting and functioning your organs, muscle growth, nutrient absorption, lowering your cholesterol and reducing the of the risk of heart disease…. it also burns FAT!! And stubborn fat too! It has twice the amount of energy as a carb and should not be over indulged but most certainly needs to be implemented into your diet.

Get some FAT  down you!

3. Sleep More!

Who doesn’t want to sleep more?

The benefits of sleep are unimaginable! Especially considering you literally just lie there and close your eyes!

There have been multiple studies that show people who got more sleep had improved lifestyles, more energy and overall better health.

Also, you are likely to burn more fat with a decent amount of sleep in comparison to the lack of sleep which has been proven to burn more muscle than fat.

Performance and fat loss are all well and good but there are other reasons why it’s absolutely crucial you get your hours in.

It prevents stress, depression and reduces inflammation – this isn’t just about recovering from being sore from the gym.People who get less sleep have higher inflammatory proteins which can cause heart disease, strokes, diabetes and a lot more.

4. Eat More Fruit & Veg

Sounds obvious right!?  Well, you will be surprised!!

Even with the NHS’s 5 a day in everyone’s face, the past few years people aren’t having enough fruit and veg.

Vegetables really are a miracle food. They cure disease, reduce the risk of hundreds of health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease as well as so much more. They even reduce the risk of cancer. They’re also nutrient-rich and low in calories. The ideal food right?

A big problem is a lot of non-veg lovers have a lack of imagination. People tend to find veg boring and often relate it to rabbit food etc.

Just because you add veg it doesn’t mean you sacrifice the meals you love and have a plate of dry raw carrots.

Vegetarian/plant-based food diets have an amazing result with fat loss and increased health. However,  I don’t  believe it’s the lack of meat getting these results, it’s the increased amount of fruit and vegetables.

You don’t have to become a rabbit or a vegetarian, just add some blooming veg into your meals! Dress them up and add some flavour!

5. Exercise

An obvious one! But most of us don’t do it.

Why is that??

The issue we see is that people don’t know what they are doing and are intimidated in big gyms when alone, therefore they don’t enjoy exercise and end up giving up before results start to take effect.

It’s not all about getting to the gym and using a treadmill three times a week either. You need to train your body in different ways with variety in order to keep your brain engaged.

Exercise is great for mental health and a huge stress reliever. Gym memberships are even prescribed by GPs to people who suffer from depression.

So if you are going to train, pick something you’re going to enjoy. Something that will last.

A great way to enjoy exercise is to do it in a group format where you have challenge yourself against others, whilst having a laugh at the same time. Very similar to what we do here at Forever Strong.

Aim for around 3 session per week which challenges your body with resistance added.

I have known my friend since we were in middle school (for those that remember middle school) so we go back a long way. She is as fit as a fiddle but just can’t shift that weight around her problem areas.

She is the queen of Boxercise, Zumba, Body Pump and all those other super cool sessions that most gyms run these days. Yet she is still super frustrated that these problem areas are there, will not budge for love nor money and she is almost resigned to the fact she will have to accept her lot in life.

I asked if she had tried strength training…….I got a blank stare as though I had just spoken a foreign language

“I don’t want to be big and bulky” came the reply.

I realised that I had just hit on the biggest problem with women and strength training.

Strength training for women has had a bad rap for years. Ever since I was a lad, watching Thin Lizzy on breakfast TV get her thing on in dayglo lycra, bouncing around advocating aerobics I have heard the negatives of strength training for women:

It makes you huge like those body builders.

Let me tell you those women that look huge have devoted their entire lives to trying to look like that. What makes you think training a few times a week without eating to get huge will make you look like they do. I would hazard a guess they have had to go through pain, the majority of their income and sacrificed their social lives to get to that point. Not to mention they MAY have taken the odd substance you can’t buy in the shops. Trust me, you won’t look like that with simple strength training.

It won’t tone your muscles like lifting lighter weights

Lifting lighter weights for lots of repetitions doesn’t tone your muscles in the way you understand tone. Losing weight will provide you with the toned look you are after. Lifting lighter weights lots of times WILL provide you with strength endurance. The irony is that you require strength first before you attain strength endurance.

When you lift weights you get STRONGER muscles, not necessarily BIGGER muscles. Strength training improves the speed at which the muscle speaks to the brain and vice versa, making your movements more efficient. If you lift weights and eat to lose weight, you will get STRONGER, move more efficiently and become more TONED.

It isn’t as good as cardio for losing fat

Popular consensus seems to be that you need to do cardio to lose weight/fat and this is the best method to adopt. You only need to observe the streets in January to see this (New Year’s resolutions and all that).

This is also the message that the massive, ‘low fee’ chain gyms tell you. The reason being is that they have invested heavily in rows and rows of cardio machines that you see people toil away on then day after day, week after week. These gyms can get away with hiring a low paid attendant to monitor it whilst raking in the cash.

Go back a year later and you will probably see different people (as the others gave up) who are built the same, doing the same thing, achieving the same results (going nowhere fast).

Sure, cardio can be used to help shift body fat but I would argue that strength training does a better job of it, due to the high energy demands placed upon the body for recovery following the training session (this is known as Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption or EPOC – but enough of that science stuff).

What you need to know is that the demand for energy from the muscles also increases your metabolism in general following repair.

This means that your body will continue to burn more calories for DAYS following your strength training.

What you put in your mouth as way of food has a greater impact than either cardio or strength training but that is a story for another day. Just be aware that cardio is not the be all and end all for fat/weight loss and that strength training will not only help lose fat but it will have you moving better and enable you to carry out more daily functions, which I go into below.

The majority of the reasons you hear hitting on strength training are utter nonsense!

• Lifting weights will not hurt your back. Lifting weights (or any other object for that matter) incorrectly will hurt your back.
• Neither is bad for your knees. In fact, stronger connective tissues and tendons may relieve joint pain.

I can point to hundreds of studies printed in reputable journals that advocate the benefits of strength training for women.

3 Reasons Why Women Should Strength Train

However, I realise you don’t have all day and you certainly don’t want to read my ramblings as I drone on and on about these so called benefits, so I have picked out 3 very important reasons why women of all ages should conduct some form of strength training each week.

1. It will improve your physique without you having to focus entirely on it

So many women worry about their physiques and how they look. This is not a bad thing by any means! However, women will restrict themselves from a whole host of enjoyable real life activities, foods and treats in the attempts to look great in the mirror.

Strength training has huge benefits for your physique that you may be unaware of. Firstly, your muscles will burn more energy when repairing themselves and afterwards too when they are stronger.

This will result in a greater amount of fat burned without actually having to do anything other than eating intelligently. Secondly, you can focus on something else other than what the scale weight says. You will start to count how many repetitions you are able to do in any given exercise or how long you can work without needing a rest. This will give you a much needed mental break from worrying about the fat loss.

So long as you eat consistently well, strength training will result in burning fat without thinking too much about it. That doesn’t mean you can eat what you want and lose fat. I am saying you can focus on something else instead and have the benefit of losing fat at the same time. How cool is that?

2. It will help you move better, reduce risk of injury and increase bone density, therefore, minimising the risk of osteoporosis

When someone strength trains, the process strains the muscles. These strains cause micro-tears in the muscle fibres, which the body repairs to withstand the same stress should it happen again.

When this happens the muscle comes back stronger and more efficient. It is more capable of doing more and withstanding stress, aiding in the prevention of injuries.

What people don’t know is that the same happens to your bones. Strength training also causes tiny little micro fractures in the bone, which are repaired to withstand the next bout of stress. The result is more dense, stronger bones. The stronger bones will be able to withstand the rigours of life more and will offset the risk of osteoporosis as you age.

The end result is you age beautifully and are able to get the most out of life, regardless of your age.

3. It will make you feel like a bad ass

Close your eyes for a second and imagine taking that jar of peanut butter off your other half as he struggles to open it. You grip tightly, strain a little and open it pops…

Obviously, he loosened it for you! Either that or you are stronger than he is. How cool would that be?

Or, you are in the gym in a group class and you are blasting the guys off the floor with how much work you are able to smash out. Strength training consistently will make you stronger than most of the nation (including guys).

I have indicated that strength training will help you to move better, be resistant to injury, allow you to do things you were previously incapable of and it will help you look great in the mirror. Imagine the confidence that would give you! What else could you do in life if you were brimming with confidence and feeling like a bad ass?

Bonus
It will inspire other women to improve also!

Despite many women now taking part in strength training, it is still seen as a guy’s activity. However, take a look at those ‘normal’ women doing it and see how fantastic they look.

How easy they move and how they are able to do superhuman feats normally reserved for men, such as moving furniture around the house, mowing the lawn and changing car wheels (sexist I know – tongue in cheek though).

Seriously though, think of all those shopping bags you could carry!

The simple fact is that strength training is good for you for a whole host of other reasons that I have previously mentioned such as improving posture, improving movement efficiency, making you look great in the mirror as well as many other health reasons too.

You could do all of those things and you could have all those benefits….if you strength train.

All you have to do is release those pre-dispositions.

The more women who do it, the more exposure to strength training women will get, which will lead to even more women doing it.

This means, even more, women moving, feeling and looking great. It is a circle of inspiration.

Be one of those who inspires others whilst being a superwoman bad ass at the same time!

What an amazing thought.

That and the thought of having a boatload of super strong chicks walking around mowing my lawn and changing my car tyres does it for me.

Take care and speak soon.

Gaz

You see, my friend wants to be Skinny. She has a perception of perfection with regards to her body.

Physically she cannot attain this ‘perfection’, but she craves it anyway.

My assessment of her is that she is super fit and can outpace the majority of the men in circuit sessions, she is extremely dedicated and is constantly looking for ways to improve.

She has energy in abundance! She is a mother of 2 (or 3 if you count the dog, which is her little baby) and runs her own business. Both kids have 3 or 4 classes a week, which she also attends n support of them and she will drop whatever she is doing at the drop of a hat to go and help someone.

She is an amazing person and mother, and 99% of people would love to have half the attributes she has.

The issue is she wants that 1% that she can NEVER have.

She wants something that is physically impossible as she is born of a certain body shape but desires what is advertised as sexy and what is socially perfect in terms of female physique.

My question to her, although I have not asked it yet……is why?

At this point, I turn to myself for some hard learned lessons.

As a teenager, I was overweight. People used to tell me that it was ‘puppy fat’ and that I would grow out of it. The problem is, I wasn’t a puppy and when I grew up I was still fatter than I wanted to be, which really got me down. No matter what I did, I couldn’t shift it and this became extremely frustrating.

When I turned 16, I joined the Army. I thought this would end my troubles and get me super lean. Only it didn’t. I spent the first year of my Army career on what we called ‘remedial PT’, which is extra exercise sessions due to not being able to pass the minimum standard required.

Not only was I overweight but I wasn’t strong enough either.

As you can imagine, this added to my frustrations and struggles. To compound the issue, I was one of only 2 guys on this extra training, which brought ridicule and torment from the other lads.

Eventually, through hard work and commitment, I passed the test, allowing me to progress with my Army career. This solidified the need to be lean and strong. This episode of my young life fuelled my fire and my desire to be strong, muscular and shredded.

In my late teens and as I went through my 20’s, I flirted with strength training and dieting. I wanted to look like these models you see on the front of cover magazines, as I believed that this was ‘perfection’.

Using the latest and greatest ‘diet secrets’ and ‘advanced training formula’s’, which promised to give me amazing progress in 28 days. I also spent a small fortune on supplements that again, promised to work wonders on my belly fat.

Unsurprisingly, none of this worked and I soon lost motivation to stick with a plan for any period of time and I could never really get to where I wanted to be. This continued for years.

Being in the Army, I was fit. I could run all day and played sports, but that wasn’t enough for me.

People would tell me that I looked fine, that I didn’t need to lose weight. But these people were not me. These people were not feeling my frustrations. They did not understand my struggles, my wants and my desires.

Before I knew it, I was in my mid-thirties. I looked at myself one day and said to myself ‘right, it’s now of never sunshine. Get your backside in gear and do something about it’.

So I did.

I decided that this time would be different though. I don’t know which switch I flicked inside my head, but I decided that I would go out and search for real information, from credible sources on how to make a difference and how to shift this layer of fat which had plagued me since the time when I could remember.

A long story short, this is exactly what I did. I scoured books, sought out people who knew their thing and gained as much information as possible to make things work. And work they did.

I lost the most amount of fat I had ever lost in my life and I felt great. Once I got there though, I decided I would ‘bulk up’ and proceeded to put quite a bit of fat back on in the process.

Thus started a period of time where I yo-yo’d up and down with my fat loss in an attempt to look like one of these cover models you have seen on the front of popular men’s magazines.

In 2012 I got in great shape, but couldn’t maintain it and so the cycle continued

In 2014 I cracked it! Not only did I lose the fat but I also managed to pack on muscle (in my late 30’s) without piling the weight back on.

As a result, I decided I would go even further and diet down so that I was ‘shredded’! In March 2015 I got to a really low body fat percentage. A BOD POD machine (an extremely expensive and complicated machine which is apparently very accurate), informed me that I was 6% body-fat.

I had finally achieved my goal of what I always told myself I wanted from being a young lad. Almost 3 decades down the line, having crossed many hurdles and trod many false paths I had achieved what I wanted.

I should have been over the moon right? So why wasn’t I?

When I looked back at the path I had travelled, I recalled the recent years.

• The time I spent counting out each shell of pasta to ensure I got exactly 400 calories in that meal.
• The arguments with my long suffering wife as I demanded that I needed a separate meal otherwise fat would bolt itself to me
• A number of social occasions I missed out on because I didn’t want the temptation to drag me in and steer me from my dream goal.

I looked back and realised that this is not what I wanted at all. I never wanted to be the uncompromising Ogre who was difficult to live with. I didn’t want to sacrifice the time I had with my friends and family and I certainly didn’t want to be chained to the Kitchen as I turned 40.

But this is exactly what I had turned into, and it was my obsession with attaining what I thought was perfection and something that didn’t really matter when it came down to it.

• Was I going to get a modeling contract, which would set me up for life? No.
• Was I competing at physique competitions where there were thousands of pounds on the line? No.
• Was I trying to attract members of the opposite sex? I hope not as I am happily married. And even if I was free and single, how many women demand that the guy MUST have a muscular, shredded body? Not too many really.

It was only when I got to the top of the mountain, did I realise that it was not my mountain at all.

It was the mountain built in my mind by all the influence I had assimilated throughout my life. Through the media, my own insecurities and what I thought other people wanted of me, I had created a beast which I was not actually in control of.

It was at this time that I realised that it was time to let the beast go and concentrate what was actually important.

Sure, I wanted to be lean. But not at the expense of my life and those I hold dear.

I wanted to look great in the mirror and feel great moving around. But not if it meant that I would never get out and about to appreciate those feelings.

It was only when I asked myself these questions did I realise:

• Why did I have to be so lean?
• Why did I have to sacrifice friendships and miss out on fun stuff?
• Why did I believe that I had to look perfect to gain respect from others?
• What was it I was trying to achieve from it?
• What was it I was willing to sacrifice to get there?

It is the answers to the why and the what that made me realised:

That the media was telling me what I should look like, not what I felt great looking like.

My inner demons had driven me to obsession and I am sure I am not only with this.

It took me the best part of 18 years to realise those inner demons were not actually worth listening to in the first place and that I had much better voices in my head, with the potential to carry me much further and leave me much happier.

It took me that long to realise that I did not have to chase perfection at all.

But then what is perfection anyway? If you listen to the media you will see that it is stereotyped.

Everyone seems to have different ideas though but it all boils down to what you are willing to accept when you look in the mirror.

I am now able to accept a body that is not ‘perfect’ and still be ultra happy with the results.

Now don’t get me wrong. My story is not one of extreme change from really ‘big’ guy to Mr Universe. My change was comparatively small from an outsider’s point of view, but inside, the chasm was huge and it had remained huge for decades. This is what made this so significant to me.

Some people will say I was stupid or silly to quest after such things. In hindsight, they are probably right. But at the time, I was not to be swayed and it was only much later in life have I realised that perfection is not possible, nor is it even required.

Today, satisfied that I look great without the need to be super shredded, I now have more energy, I have more time to spend with friends and family and I am no longer chained to the kitchen preparing my next meal (or seven) or stopping myself from going to a restaurant because I can’t control what is being served to me.

I realised my why and my what for, and I am comfortable with that.

I now work with others to try and get them to understand their why.

Sure, I am all about helping people transform their lives to reach a goal they want. But it is a goal they have stopped, considered and asked themselves ‘the why’ many times before they agree it is worth chasing and WE set off towards it.

Why don’t you ask yourself your reason why….

I must go and ask my friend her why because I am letting her down by not doing so.

Speak soon, Gaz

The question is, how is your night?

In particular, how are you sleeping?

Are you sleeping like a baby?

Your body does most of its recovery when it rests and the time you spend asleep is the most important time of all to ensure your cells repair properly ready for the challenges that face you in the next day.

A series of poor nights sleep will lead to:

• accumulative fatigue – leaving you feeling drained with little energy to enjoy the day
• poor moods and becoming irritable – meaning you snap at people for little reason and are constantly grumpy
• poor decision making – which can lead to a whole host of issues and can impact on the foods you eat too
• a greater appetite – meaning you eat more than you intend to or mean to
• less adherence to eating well and subsequently putting weight on

As you can see, this can affect your work, your relationships and also your ability to lose weight and achieve your goals.

Good quality sleep really is that important.

I am not just talking about one night here though. I am talking about getting CONSISTENTLY good sleep over a prolonged period of time.

Below I have listed 4 mistakes that may be troubling you but more importantly I have included the solutions to over come them.

Mistake 1: Too much TV or Tablet/Phone use before bed

What used to happen in ages gone past is that when dusk came, our bodies told us it was time to go to bed by releasing hormones that made us tired and sleepy.

When the sun came up and light encroached the sky, other hormones are released which wake us and fill us full of energy, getting us ready for the day and the challenges ahead.

Today, technology has advanced so much that our bodies can become unaware of when it is daylight and darkness.

Light is everywhere and if we expose ourselves to it too much, then we will suppress the hormones that make us sleepy and thus stop us from having a good night’s sleep.

This results in an over active body, right when we want it to settle down and relax. The knock on effect is that we feel lethargic the next morning, we have a greater appetite and we gain more energy as the day turns towards night, right when we should be settling down for sleep again.

The TV, Phone and Tablet emit what is known as ‘BLUE LIGHT’, which is brilliant at suppressing the hormone we need to help us sleep!

As you can see, exposing yourself to the TV, Tablet and Phone before sleeping can become a vicious circle which deteriorates the more it happens.

This can have disastrous affects on your lifestyle, which I have briefly touched already.

Now, you may think I am laying it on a bit thick here, but this is serious stuff and it REALLY IS having that great an impact on your daily activities.

So how do we beat it? Luckily for you the answer is simple…

Solution 1: Ditch the TV, the phone and the tablet at least 30 mins before closing you eyes

Like I said, this is simple. Not easy!

Turn the TV off and go and get ready for bed at least 30 mins before you shut your eyes.

Adopt a routine that takes you about half an hour and you have this one cracked easily (this could be as simple as having a wash, cleaning your teeth, using the toilet, doing some light stretching  and reading a fiction book before closing the eyes).

Plug your phone in before you start the routine and have it on a dressing table that is out of reach from the bed. That way you will not be tempted to reach over for one last look at social media to see what other people are up to in their lives.

Dim the lights in your bedroom if you can or switch on sidelights to minimise exposure to bright light. This will lower the mood and again help get the body ready for bed.

Simple stuff to do…..not easy though.

Mistake 2: Filling your mind with too much information before sleeping

Again, technology has allowed us access to unprecedented amounts of information.

As a result our minds are constantly racing and we rarely have time to ‘switch off’.

Today, many people work until late at night and others pour over detail after detail well into the late hours.

Our minds are constantly active with information racing around it all the time.

If we attempt to sleep whilst our minds are racing, we will be constantly disturbed and we will ‘toss and turn’ all night at the things that we are thinking about.

The result will again be a poor nights sleep.

Solution 2: Learn to ‘Switch Off’ at some point before sleeping

This will be different for each person but it is important that you stop the influx of information at least 30-60 mins before sleeping.

This can be tied into your 30 minute pre-bed routine quite nicely.

Firstly, switch off the TV, Social Media outlets and stop reading any non-fiction material. This means stop pouring over that work and learn to relax. Your body is unable to prepare for sleep if it cannot relax.

Write a short journal each night as you prepare to get into bed or whilst you are actually in bed. This journal can include things such as:

• Your frustrations from the day. What has bothered you that day?
• Your demons looking forward. What is filling you full of dread as you look into the future?
• Your successes from the day. What have you achieved and what are you proud of from today?
• Your gratitude. What are you grateful for in life and what makes life worth living?

Writing this stuff down on paper each night will release your pent-up frustrations, your worries and your fears from your mind and capture them onto paper. Research has shown this may actually do some good and clear the mind ready for some sleep.

It also highlights to you all the good things you do during the day and all the things you have to be grateful for in life.

We often neglect and forget these things.

Mistake 3: Too much heat and noise before bed and during the night

Our bodies like it to be cool when we go to sleep and we obviously don’t like too much noise either.

Have you ever gone to a hot country on holiday and struggled to sleep on the first night as it is ‘too hot’?

Or have you tossed and turned as your other half snores away or there is a house/car alarm going off outside?

Whilst we complain and moan about these things we have little control over, we often find ourselves creating environments where we generate huge amounts of heat or noise that we can often eliminate.

If we eliminate these things and create an environment that prepares our body for sleep then you will find yourself much more rested and refreshed when you wake the next morning.

Solution 3: Create a cool and dark environment before and during your sleep time

Step 1 : STOP WATCHING TV IN BED!

Not only are we suppressing our sleep hormones but we are also making the bed hot and uncomfortable. This is a double whammy and is doing your good night’s sleep some serious damage.

This also goes for watching stuff on the Tablet and/or Phone too. STOP IT!

Only get into bed right before you intend to use it.

Your bed should be used for one of 2 things. Sleeping and sex. Keep to this basic rule and you will be fine. This means no lounging, no TV watching, no lying there on the phone chatting for hours with your mates….

Step 2: Get some blackout curtains

Our council have installed some new street lights which are brighter than the sun! This shines straight through our curtains and keep the room light at night.

Not only is this bad for drifting off to sleep but it also has the chance of waking you up during the night.

We invested in some black out curtains and hey presto, we have a dark room again and the problem of being disturbed has gone away again.

If this doesn’t work for you then buy an eye mask and see how it works. You will be surprised.

Step 3: Remove the pet from the bedroom

A large number of people allow their pets to sleep in the same room as them at night.

Pets emit body heat just like we do.

Pets snore and fart just like we do.

This all goes some way to disturbing you at night and knocking your rhythm.

Banish the pet to another room and you will likely find your sleep improves.

Step 4: If need be, wear ear plugs

If there is sustained noise outside or if your partner snores louder than an plane taking off, then invest in some small foam ear plugs.

Keep these steps simple and they are likely to work a treat.

Mistake 4: Not investing in a quality bed and bedding

When I was younger, I prided myself on being able to sleep on a washing line, such was my ability to sleep anywhere.

As a result, I never saw the point on spending money on a decent bed or bedding. It was better invested elsewhere, like on some junk or down the pub on several ales or at the take away.

Considering we spend around a third of our lives in bed and how important sleep is to our existence, you would think we would invest some money into it…..but for some reason, the majority of us don’t.

Put it another way. If you do a lot of walking, you are likely to buy a good pair of shoes.

If you drive a lot and put the miles in up and down the country, you are likely to buy a good car that can handle the journey.

The same should go for your bed and bedding.

Solution 4 : Invest in a good bed AND bedding

My wife finally put her foot down last year and informed me we were having a new bed and bedding.

We went to a specialist bed maker and ended up walking out having ordered a hand made bed and mattress, along with top of the range pillows.

Whilst the iron was hot she frog marched me to a home store and I splashed out on a good duvet and some ‘Egyptian’ cotton sheets and pillow cases.

I felt like I had been ambushed and relieved of all my money……well I had.

I moaned, I resisted and I felt awful at spending money on these things.

Until I actually got into the bed for the first time…

Oh my god! I have never ever slept so well.

The bed is unbelievably comfortable and the sheets and duvet feel great against the skin. It is like getting a massage in bed and my sleep is amazing.

Granted, the other tactics that I have also adopted have helped massively, but the bed and bedding have gone a long way to helping me get a great night’s sleep.

Now, I am not saying go out and spend all your money on a bed. What I am saying is get the best bed and bedding your budget can afford.

You will be glad you did.

Right,

I have rambled on for long enough.

I am sure you are feeling sleepy just from reading this!

If so then I have done a good job already.

There are plenty more tips and tricks to help you sleep better.

Some of these I will reveal in part 2….

Until then, adopt one or all of these solutions listed above and sleep tight.

Thanks for reading and speak soon,

Gaz

When I get out of bed, I jump around like Tigger on speed.

I have TONs of energy and often wake up a few minutes before my alarm clock goes off.

My missus on the other hand HATES mornings.

All I get first thing in the morning is a grunt!

“Morning” I say, as she comes down the stairs…

“Urrghh” comes the response.

Then there is silence for the next hour until she comes round.

It wasn’t always like this.

At the start, I used to get in trouble by talking far too much in that ‘wake up hour’ and often far too loudly.

It took a while but I trained myself how to act in the morning.

I had to curb my enthusiasm for the day.

I had to approach things differently

I have to re-train my brain to act this way……if I was to keep my marriage intact.

The key thing here is that you CAN retrain yourself.

It is a case of re-training the brain.

So many people I speak to, who start to train in the mornings come through the door looking like a Zombie!

Again, I am greeted with a grunt.

And all I get from these guys and girls is that “I’m not a morning person”

Sounds like an excuse to me!

The thing is you can re-train yourself.

You CAN become a morning person.

If you want to lose weight, get fitter, improve your confidence and self-esteem, get in those clothes you wish to wear again then you need to make commitments, sacrifices and apply some will power.

If you are busy at work during the day and have a family to look after at night, then this only really leaves the mornings.

That is why my 6 am morning crew is packed out.

It is full of committed people, striving to reach their health and fitness goals.

Thing is, they can also train themselves to be MORNING PEOPLE……..and so can you!

Here are a few tips to help you strive through the morning and maybe even be alive enough to get your fitness done with enthusiasm and vigour.

#1 Start telling yourself you can

So many people tell themselves that they can’t do something.

Research tells us that this negativity plays on the mind and if we say this enough to ourselves then we actually start to believe it.

If you tell yourself that you can’t do it…..you probably never will.

However, on the flip side, those that are positive and tell themselves that they can do something and actually BELIEVE it, are much more likely to be successful.

Be a positive person and tell yourself…

“You are a morning person”

You actually have to believe it though.

#2 What is at stake?

Look at what the goal is.

What is it you are actually trying to achieve?

What is it worth?

What does it mean to you?

If the goal is worthwhile then this process of re-training will be much easier.

Just keep reminding yourself what is at stake.

#3 Get Enough Sleep

Cheers Captain Obvious. I hear you say.

We all know about the importance of sleep, what will all the exposure and coverage it now gets.

The point is…the message mustn’t  be getting through as we all still seem to be content to forego sleep for reading our iPad, scanning Facebook on the phone or watching TV in bed.

The bottom line is that if you want more energy in the morning then you must rest up at night…..period!

You will have heard it all before, but you require between 7-9 hours a night. If this means you go to bed at 9 pm to get u at 5 am, then so be it.

Having adequate sleep regularly provides a huge number of health benefits, which will not only make you feel better but will also provide you with much more energy.

Sleep has also been suggested to suppress appetite and curb hunger, improve moods, make you more alert and aid your memory.

Much more at stake than-than you might think.

Why zombie walk your way through life……get your sleep.

Other useful tips

• Drink Coffee upon waking – this will obviously give you a perk and may just be enough of a kick to get you going
• Get a partner or coach to keep you accountable – give you a reason and motivation to get going…even if you don’t want to
• Set your next day up the night before – journal your next day as you prepare to get down for the night
• Do it for a month – research suggests that it takes around a month to unlearn habits and learn new ones. Stick at it.

You will be surprised at what you can achieve first thing in the morning with a little energy and drive.

I get most of my work cleared in the morning, leaving me to think and plan for the future….keeping me one step ahead of where I want to be.

Being active in the morning also allows you to get your physical activity in.

Like I said earlier, my 6 am crew love the feeling of getting up first thing, crushing their exercise and then going about their business knowing they have already kick started their healthy day.

Why don’t you try it and let me know how it goes.

Speak soon,

Gaz

This is a real problem that is plaguing men and women all over the country who TRY and diet to lose weight in order to look good and is a major roadblock on their journey to success.

Men and women all around (and maybe you are one of them) will practically eat like a Buddhist monk during the week and long for the weekend when they can have what they want ‘because they have been good’ all week!

How often have you heard or said that:

“I’m fine during the week……it’s the weekends when I come unstuck”?

I always used to have a real tendency to binge eat.

I think this came from when I was a child and my mum always used to tell me to clear up all the food on my plate as it would otherwise go to waste. This put me in the mindset that food shouldn’t go to waste and got me into the habit of eating more than I should.

I don’t want to sound like I am blaming my mum here because I’m not. It was me who put the food in my mouth so it’s ultimately my fault, but we all have influences in life and this was mine.

When I got older and I got into health and fitness and wanting to look good, I fell into the trap of eating well all week and then I would have a ‘cheat meal’ at the weekend. The problem was that my ‘cheat meal’ quickly turned into a ‘cheat day’ and then my tendency to binge eat turned the day into a weekend.

The result was that I never lost any weight and ended up getting really frustrated at my lack of results from the amount of effort I was putting in.

When I found the path to success, overcoming this obstacle was one of the major things I had to address and I would say was certainly up there as one of the main contributing factors to getting great results.

Today, it is one of the most common things people say to me when we are talking about their diet and how they need my help to lose weight.

And it is certainly one of the things I spend a lot of time covering during my time working with people.

When you think about it though, it’s kinda crazy and arse about face.

Most people are off work at the weekends.

Therefore you theoretically have more time to

• Shop for your food
• Prepare your food
• Enjoy eating your food

To that end, we should be able to be more on point’ during the weekend.

Time cannot be our excuse…

Too busy is not it either…

So why do we?

(And I include myself in this category)

Tend to fall down when it comes to the weekend?

I have come to the conclusion that there are 3 main reasons:

#1 Lack of structure or a routine at the weekend

Weekdays are more likely to have a routine.

You arrive at work at a regular time, you eat your lunch at a regular time, you get home at a regular time and so on.

At the weekend, there is less routine, less structure and more potential to go off track.

Therefore it is important to have some sort of plan when it comes to the weekend.

I am not talking about a rigid routine that doesn’t allow you to go off and have fun.

What is a weekend if we can’t relax and have some fun?

But how often has one bad meal or a night out on a Friday night turned into a whole weekend of eating and drinking things you shouldn’t have?

#2 – You feel guilty when you have indulged

I think we have all been here with this one.

During a diet, you break from what we should be eating and indulge in something that you ‘believe’ to be ‘bad’ for you.

This makes you feel guilty for what you have done.

You believe you have betrayed yourself and this leads to feelings of guilt.

Whilst in this negative state, temptation creeps up and hits when you are most vulnerable.

This lead to the further indulgence of something on our ‘taboo’ list.

We then just crumble, say “sod it, I will start again on Monday”!

And thus we travel in this vicious circle of dieting stalemate.

What I get my guys and girls to understand is that it is what is achieved over the long term that matters.

Therefore, eating something ‘bad’ every so often (once ever 3 or 4 days) will not have any negative return if they control the portion size they care consuming.

Another thing we discuss is that they shouldn’t just live for the weekend…

#3 – You have a mindset issue

The weekend has become synonymous with relaxing, partying, unwinding and generally letting go of the weekday shackles.

Therefore we already have it in our minds that the week is there to be good and strict, and we can be liberal at the weekend.

This is the major stumbling block I face with people.

“You have to work hard at it so you can let go at the weekend” was a response I got from one of my athletes.

And this is repeated by most if not all of the people that come to see me.

This in itself is a massive mindset issue.

You see, to be successful long term, you need to shift your mindset to thinking over the period of a month, rather than a week and then over a year, rather than a month.

Your body doesn’t reset itself at the end of each day, week, month…..the calories we consume carry over to the next day and so on. Therefore if we over indulge excessively at the weekend, we are very likely to undo all the good work during the week.

You are even likely to go over you weekly intake, meaning you put on weight!

What I work on with my guys and girls is to learn to fall off the wagon. Whenever this may be (Tuesday morning, Wednesday lunchtime, Thursday evening and maybe even at the weekends), but also how to get straight back on the wagon and remain focused for another 3-5 days before they feel the need to fall off again.

This way they control it and don’t feel as though they have to battle to the weekend.

But how can YOU solve/minimise this problem so it has an instant effect on YOUR situation?

Here are my top tips to avoid weekend bingeing or to at least minimise the damage:

1 – Exercise at the weekend

I don’t like to give this one as advice normally as you can never ‘out exercise’ a poor diet and this is very much in the damage mitigation category.

Earn your indulgence with an intense workout. At least this way, your body will be primed to handle the extra calories more effectively.

2 – Eat regularly

This will programme your stomach to accept that food will be coming at regular intervals and thus it will not release signals to the stomach that it is hungry all the time.

It will also add routine into your weekend and will stop you from eating big as you can tell yourself that the next meal is not too far away.

3 – If you are going out, adjust your food intake to accommodate the indulgence

If you are going out for a meal, then adjust what you eat during that day BEFORE the meal. Stick to a few portions of protein and lots of vegetables. Stay clear of sugary foods and starchy products. Basically, we are leaving room beforehand for the extra grub that is coming your way.

4 – Initially say no

I know, easier said than done at the weekend, but if you are meeting a group of friends, why not try saying no if you are offered a drink or a slice of cake.

Instantly say no!

Then come back to it 15 minutes later. Did you really want/need it? If so then have it.

You will probably find that you never really wanted it anyway and it was just the fact it was offered to you that made you desire it.

This all being said, I am not asking you to be a saint.

I have written on this topic before and I say to my clients all the time that there is no such thing as good food and no such thing as bad food….just how much we eat of it!

One burger never got someone fat. The Pringles, occasional sweets, chips and several pints of booze on a regular occurrence did!

What I am saying though is that you need to learn to control when you say….’sod it’ and you have strategies to:

1) minimise the damage and
2) learn how to get immediately back on the waggon and continue with your eating plan.

This is something I work closely with my clients and it is having a great response.

If you have any cool strategies you wish to share with people then post them below and help others out.

Speak soon, Gaz

Those I see succeed in the long term have it.

Those that see short-term success, then a month later are back where they started don’t have FOCUS.

I am a firm believer in the power of FOCUS and it’s benefits.

As usual we have 5 HOT PRINCIPLES!

#1 Framework

You HAVE to produce a plan of how you are going to do this.

Sure, you may see a few results by aimlessly wandering into the gym and eating ‘healthy’ foods. But this will only get you so far. After a short period of time, the beginner gains will stop and you will be stuck.

The longer you stay stuck, the more frustrated you will become and the likelihood is that you will give up.

Failing to plan is planning to fail…..simple as that.

Now, it doesn’t need to be the most complex plan in the world.

In fact, the more simple it is, the better it usually is.

#2 Outcome

You have to know what it is you want to achieve.

But more importantly, you HAVE to know WHY you want to get there…

This is your driver, your motivation, your light at the end of the tunnel.

If you have an outcome in mind, then you have a destination point.

You can then plan your route along the journey…how you are going to get there.

But when things get tough and challenging, which they will! Then your reason WHY will pull you through.

It may be to be around for the kids or grandchildren, it may be to fit into that wardrobe, or get ready for that party. The reason is yours and is the fire in your belly.

Have it and use it. Those that succeed spend time on this.

So many people that I speak to that don’t succeed are missing this point.

Don’t be one of them.

#3 Commitment and Consistency

I dipped out here and have 2 principles…but they are closely related.

And both are linked to motivation….but for very different reasons.

Commitment is easy when motivation is high; the eating of salads and chicken breasts is a breeze and consistency seems natural. Staying off alcohol is not a problem either. You can get up at 6 am in January in the cold and dark and go out running…

But this will only last so long.

This is when commitment becomes a problem and motivation wanes. I know because I have been there…many times! I know you have been there too. And it’s a bitch!

This is where consistency comes in.

Consistency is all about routine. It is all about building and maintaining habits.

This is the key to sustainability and making everything easier. If you adopt habits and adapt your lifestyle gradually over time you will find things are easier.

Through years of feedback, review and reflection I have seen that those who look to consistently plod forward over time and be patient will make great results.

It is not about how fast you can strip 14 lbs (although it would be nice to do it quickly), it is about whether you can keep that 14 lb off for the next few years and even continue losing weight after that.

#4 Understanding

Let me ask you a question…

Have you ever followed a meal plan or a 28 day FAD diet only to wonder what the hell you are doing at the end of it.

You follow the plan like you are on a rail track, consistently and religiously and see great results.

But it is hard work.

And then when you get to the end of the line you are stuck. You don’t know how to move forward. You don’t know how to adapt this plan to suit your lifestyle and as such your decision is to repeat the plan.

But the plan is hard work, or worse … boring.

It is important that you understand WHY things have happened how they have.

It is important that you understand HOW you can consistently make changes over time as your body adapts.

It is likely you cannot sustain a plan forever and understanding of how you can take a break and what will happen. Or if you go for a number of social occasions, you can then make INFORMED decisions on how to approach them and as such succeed with your long-term approach.

If you understand the system, then you can map out a plan.

If you map out the plan ten you can execute it…long term.

As you execute, you will see results.

And you will understand WHY these results are happening and you can adjust for the long term.

#5 Support

A wise man once said to me:

“If you want to go FAST go alone…if you want to go FAR go together”.

Motivation is easier when you have someone to answer to.

Consistency is easier when you have people expecting you to do something.

Do you drag yourself off the sofa to do something for the kids, even if you can’t be bothered?

Do you drop things for a friend when they are in need?

This is the power of support…you do things you wouldn’t normally do.

In your journey for long term health and fitness, support is a key factor and comes in many forms.

It could be a personal trainer, or training buddies, or family members helping to keep you on track.

The power of support is immeasurable.

At Forever-Strong we have a fabulous community of people who train together. They also support each other. They push each other on. They pick each other up. They hold each other accountable.

I get text messages from people who can’t make sessions that tell me they feel like they are letting the side down. They want to turn up to help others as much as they do for themselves.

To Close…

The power of FOCUS is great.

If you can FOCUS on your health and fitness then I guarantee you will see positive results.

More importantly, you will see long term and sustainable success.

This will unlock doors in your life and enable you to be able to do things you enjoy.

This could be going out socialising, putting on clothes you have not worn in ages, or the feeling of looking at yourself in the mirror and being happy.

Perhaps it is outward emotions and you want to play with the kids more or you want to get out and go for walks with your loved ones.

Whatever your reason WHY is, it will be easier if you FOCUS.

Here at Forever-Strong, we FOCUS on what matters. Therefore we guarantee results with our 100% money back guarantee.

If you feel you need help to FOCUS and you want a risk-free way to do it then get in touch.

We can then get on the phone and see if we are a great fit.

How did all your previous attempts go?

Maybe some of them were good and you had success..

Others maybe bombed altogether?

I have seen many people come to our gym feeling stuck with their health and fitness and not knowing which way to turn.

Stuck at the same place with regards to their weight and fitness for years and every attempt at the next, latest craze usually ends in further failure.

One of the main reasons for this is that they don’t have a plan beyond the first few weeks….and everything works for a few weeks.

They don’t know how to effectively approach things to make it work for sustainable success.

What we like to do is strip the plan back (if they even have one) and get them to follow a set simple rules.

Here are a few of the rules we cover with our gym members:

Don’t just rely on exercise to help you fight the fat

So many people come to me and explain that they need exercise to lose the fat they are carrying.

Although exercise is an important part of the process, it is not the main contributing factor.

Have you ever heard ‘abs are made in the kitchen’?

Maybe you are not after ‘abs’ but the term implies that nutrition plays a MASSIVE role in fat loss.

For example, you can burn anything up to 400 calories in a typical 60 minute gym session.

It takes around 3500 calories to burn a pound of fat.

That would mean that you would have to do 9 hours in the gym to shift a pound of fat.

A Starbucks loaded latte with a few trimmings will be around 500 calories.

A chocolate brownie will be around 400 calories.

Therefore the most effective way to lose body fat is to eat in a calorie deficit (less calories than your body needs) by planning out your meals and then supplement it with quality resistance training.

Don’t rely on exercise whilst still eating a poor diet.

You may as well give up now if you do.

Get some quality sleep

Sleep is massively underrated.

Your body recovers and repairs itself when you sleep.

This means that the better quality sleep you get and in the right amounts, the more focused, the better prepared and the more motivated you will be to tackle the struggles in your life…which includes getting in shape.

If your body is well rested then it will be more effective in losing body fat as well as making you more focused and determined to carry on.  It will also allow you to train harder and make better decisions (meaning you eat less junk).

Pick up, push and pull heavy objects

I don’t really want to get into the science of all this stuff.

It can get complicated enough as it is, without adding further complexity.

Lifting weights essentially damages the muscles (in a good way). The body then repairs the muscles to withstand the stress applied to it next time.

This improves your lean muscle, which in turn burns more calories and increases your metabolism.

Hence, you burn more calories at rest and following the weightlifting period for anything up to 72 hours.

There are other advantages to lifting weights too:

• Your core strength will improve greatly, improving any old back injuries and limiting the chance of further injuries.
• You will find everyday activities easier such as lifting the shopping around, playing around with the kids
• I have even been told by some gym members that their golf has improved due to the increased power and core strength.
• It also helps improve bone density, especially good for ladies who are over 35…

This is to name just a few benefits to your everyday life.

Lifting weights will also go a long way to help give you that lean physique with all the curves and bumps in the right places.

It will definitely get rid of the saggy bits!

Consistency is Key

Everyone is after the quick fix these days.

That magic pill that will take them from zero to hero in just a few short weeks.

Let me tell you from years of failing with this mindset that it simply doesn’t exist … unless you take drugs to help you of course.

What I am going to say next isn’t sexy and it sure as hell won’t sell many programmes….but it will get you long-term results.

You need to stick at the workable plan.

Base it on the points above and stick at it for at least 80% of the time for 6-12 months.

A few small steps may not seem like much progress, but those same few steps taken again and again and again over the space of a year will get you much further down the road than you have been before.

Progress of 1 lb of fat loss per week is considered good progress, however, I see so many people disappointed with this.

My question to them is ‘what if you lost 1 lb per week for 52 weeks straight’?

That’s around 4 stone in weight.

If someone offered to guarantee that you could be 4 stone lighter a year from now I am sure you would take this.

These are just 4 of the simple but effective rules we follow at Forever-Strong.

Our approach is all about helping people to get leaner, fitter, healthier, more confident and comfortable in their own skin….Forever!

Although we get results fast, we focus on the long term and want you to be in the best shape of your life for the rest of your life.

For me it took a crappy looking holiday photo.

I didn’t even have my top off on the photo to know how big I had got.

Why would I even consider taking my top off looking like that?

I ‘never’ had the confidence to take my top off in that state.

The thought of people staring at me, looking at my gut and my moobs.

It was red hot in Australia that summer, but there is still no way I was removing that top.

It was looking at that photo and seeing my missus with ‘that stranger’ that did it for me.

Up to that point I had been drifting through my 30’s in 2nd gear.

I was mid thirties at the time.

It was at that point I had the lightbulb switch on…

Some don’t have that ‘lightbulb’ moment until much later.

Often in their 40’s and possibly approaching their 50’s.

It may be due to health reasons…

Diabetes, high blood pressure, doctors advice or possibly even worse.

These things used to be ‘old people’ diseases. But today they happen to people much younger.

These things now happen to people in their 30’s and 40’s.

Some of my friends are already suffering.

Those that survive a major scare seem to change.

Things no longer get taken for granted and morality takes over and becomes a huge motivator.

Positive things start to happen:

• Less time at work
• More time with family
• Being more active

But this is difficult when stressed, out of shape and overweight.

Dropping some weight.
Becoming more active.
Building some muscle and getting toned before it becomes too late.

But Why Does It Have To Take Something External to Provide the Wake Up Call?

Why should it take something major for that lightbulb to switch on?

Why should it take waking up one day, overweight, out of shape and afraid to get into swimwear before you do something about it?

You feel unattractive and your confidence to project yourself has gone.

You have lost years with the kids.

They run around the park and say ‘chase me’ as you think of 20 different excuses other than ‘I am too tired’ to explain your inability.

This may sound harsh……but is likely true.

I have been through the mill myself.

Maybe not these exact scenarios…..but similar enough to understand.

And I can tell you that getting lean and fit has so many advantages.

• Improved well being.
• More focus at work
• Inner belief that anything is possible
• Sense of adventure
• Inspirational role model to kids
• Better relationship with spouse
• More energy
• More fun
• Sense of gratitude for what we have
• Much better chance of living longer

….and probably a load of other stuff that I can’t think of right now.

How does that measure up against the current situation?

Now I know what you are thinking….‘it’s not that bad for me’

‘I will just cut out the junk and go running……‘TOMORROW’

Problem is that Tomorrow never comes….

And time keeps ticking on….

We convince ourselves that we will get round to it eventually.

The problem is, we never do.

We are very good at convincing ourselves that

‘it is not too bad’ or ‘there is someone out there who is worse of than me’ 

The issue is that as we get older and we start to ‘age’, it becomes harder to get that shape back.

We pick up niggles….Our backs go, we get sore knees and we make excuses not to go out and get fit.

And life goes on…

Inches continue to grow around our waist, our moobs sag that little bit more, those t-shirts get a little tighter and walking up the stairs gets a little harder.

At the same time, our hair starts to grey, works stresses us out more, we get less sleep than we need and the hair we lose from our head grows in places you don’t want it to!

So why wait?

It was this thinking that shook me out of this situation.

I would love this to strike a nerve with you too.

To set some goals, follow a plan and nail them.

To make a change without having ‘the scare’ first….like I did

To realise that being fit, healthy and in better shape will unlock so many doors as you continue your journey through life

To help you realise that you’re capable of so much more.

Yeah, but…..

You may be reading this, nodding your head in agreement and without realising it you are saying…..

“yeah, but…….”

and then finishing that sentence with

“I have to travel for work”

“Our kids are still so young”

“I don’t have the time”

“I can’t afford it”

“I’ve got a bad back”

…..blah, blah, blah!!!

There is a solution to every single one of those excuses

….and you know it.

I stopped making these excuses…and got this:

And if you continue to make these excuses, you will stay where you are….or worse!

If nothing else, take my simple and free advice

1. Set a realistic 8 week goal – make this challenging but achievable (lose half a stone for example)
2. Commit to exercising 3 times per week for anything between 20mins and 45 mins….just get moving
3. Cut down on processed foods
4. Eat a majority of whole foods (things that grow from the ground or moved at some point)
5. Drink at least 2 litres of water per day (stop at about 7 pm though or you may be up in the night….)

If you do nothing else other that the above you will notice a huge difference in energy levels and waist size within just 8 weeks.

Regardless of what first step you take – just make sure you do something.

Don’t wait for something too serious to happen first.

Good luck, Gaz.