Maybe, this should be titled – “things I wish I knew when I walked into the gym, but do now, and want to share with you.”

 

Read it all now, or come back to it over time and digest it one piece at a time, but this is stuff that’s taken me over 10 years to figure out!

You are not being selfish!

The best present you can give every single person in your life is – the best version of you, a version that jumps out of bed, a version that is full of energy, the version that is happy to go for a walk in the park, play with the kids, do some gardening. The only way that version of you arrives in their lives, is if you take the time to make that gift – to them. That is what going to the gym is – not being selfish, but making the best gift you can give to them, a happy, self-confident, strong version of you that has the energy to be present in their lives. So, come in and work your ass off!

 

 

 

 

The best exercise program is the one you will do consistently.

Crossfit, running, Zumba, boxing, Pilates, yoga, strength training, body building (Recomp, powerbuilding HIT and so forth), it’s about what you enjoy – and, have the drive to do consistently. If you don’t enjoy something, if it makes your joints/back hurt, makes you feel tired all the time, chances are, you won’t continue to do it, so ultimately, won’t see long term results. Exercise is about making lifelong changes, that bring lifelong positive results, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Exercise should be a part of your life, not a 6-week challenge.

Personally – My preferred path is strength training, as that has been shown to have the greatest lifelong benefits of any type of exercise. Done properly, with good technique, nutrition and recovery, it will make you look and feel great now, and as you age protect you from many common ailments that are associated with aging.

​The best diet is the one you will do consistently.

I am NOT for "the person shake" full of chemicals and promises, the carnivore diet, paleo fad, TikTok, Instagram and so forth, I am about keeping it simple with strategies like:

Step 1 - Identifying where there is sugar in your diet, replacing that with healthy, tasty alternatives.

Step 2 – Portion control – getting a set of scales and using them to weigh portions, sounds simple, and it is, and very powerful.

Step 3 – Snack attack! What do you snack on, when and importantly – why? What can we swap those snacks out with? What is missing from your diet that makes you feel snacky – or is it like smoking, fidgeting? Understanding these things helps us beat them.

Step 4 – Prepping – I can give you cheap, delicious, easy to make recipes, and tips on how to prep food so you only need to spend ½ a day once a month cooking, then the rest of the month is pulling a variety of delicious meals out of the freezer, popping them in the microwave and eating, don’t need to think about it, or calorie count. It is guaranteed to save you time every day and money from every pay packet.

 

 

 

 

The Square!

As someone who has pushed their body to breaking point many times, I have learned that there are 4 things that contribute to being able to be consistent at the gym, if you neglect one of them – eventually, your body will just shut down, this can take a number of shapes, but for me it’s usually what seems like a mystery flu.

 

So here are the four corners of the square:

Training

Set a program that your body is capable of doing – e.g. don’t try and add 10kg a week to your bench press, think more 2.5kg a month, at the end of a year – that is 30kg added to your bench press – that’s a HUGE increase – and achievable for most people

Diet

When you are pushing your body hard, the right nutrition is key, enough protein to build muscle, enough carbohydrates to fuel workouts and enough healthy fats for all the good reasons. I think it is important to also incorporate yogurt for gut health and a range of vegetables for fibre and the range of vitamins they provide and guess what else... Salt is not the enemy, its actually important to make sure you are getting enough, you only get too much if you are eating processed garbage too often (so no – I am not a fan of the Chicken/Broccoli/Rice diets)

Recovery

Most people need at minimum 7 hours sleep per night, some people 8. If you are pushing your body hard, 8 is the minimum you need, so set a bedtime that ensures you get your 7-8 hours and stick to it! If you are overweight/snore, feel tired all the time – get a sleep apnoea test, and if you have it – get a CPAP – Its utterly life changing, I know from experience.

The 4th part – and this is the often neglected one – is your mind!

Being in a positive frame of mind really impacts your ability to perform your best physically, if you are always stressed or depressed, I guarantee your physical performance will suffer! I don’t have a magic wand for that, but it’s something to be aware of – if something is bringing negativity into your life – and you can – get rid of it! Lighten the load on your shoulders. Looking after your mental health is just as important as your diet, rest and exercise program. Circle back to - you are not being selfish...