Easy Vegetable Stir Fry

One of the nutritional principles I first teach my clients is the importance of a high vegetable intake.

Vegetables provide important fibre, vitamins, minerals, and other phyto nutrients that help with detoxification and estrogen balance (especially Cruciferous vegetables)

Vegetables also quite low in calories meaning that you can fit quite a lot of them into your daily targets. Keeping hunger at bay becomes especially important when eating in a deficit when loosing body fat.

Variety and rotation of colours is important to get a broad spectrum of different health promoting nutrients and also avoid developing food sensitivities. 

Go Organic

I recommend to choose organic vegetables whenever possible because although some studies have shown they don’t have any more nutrients in them than non organic produce the fact that you are going to be exposing yourself to less pesticides and fertilisers is only going to be a good thing.

If you are truly budget strapped then spend the time to properly clean your non organic vegetables before preparing them.

"I can't eat vegetables, I don't like the taste"

I hear excuses all the time about how vegetables don’t taste good but I find this is often due to lack of creativity with cooking. 

Yes I agree if I were to attempt to eat only plainly steamed or boiled vegetables I would not enjoy the taste andget pretty sick of it too.

Ensure not to over cook your vegetables and make them too soft otherwise this will also negatively affect the taste. 

Combing The Vegetables Into A Balanced Meal and Limited On Time?

I understand that limited time can be a factor for the busy professional so following the below tip can save you around 10 minutes of preparation-

• Use ready cut and washed vegetables.

• Ready Cooked meat/fish or tinned fish-  Look in the packet for the least amount of ingredients and additives as possible. 

• Canned beans, lentils, ready cooked quinoa,  potatoes or rice are valid carbohydrate sources.

• Healthy fats are easy to add in the form of adding nuts or oil to your meal. 

Using tinned food is not ideal as there are some concerns surrounding the BPA (a form of plastic) they use to line the can's. Some studies have shown this can leak into the food however tinned food is a better option than not eating at all or opting for more processed ready meals if you really don't have the time to prepare fresh food. 

The quantities of food you use are of course always in the context of hitting your macro nutrient targets for the day. It only take a small amount of time figure this out and quantities can be adjusted as needed.

Ingredient's

1 large Onion (92 grams)

2 large Carrots (192 grams)

12 Asparagus Spears (146 grams)

2 large sticks of Celery (224 grams)

1 head of Cauliflower (408 grams)

1 bunch of Chard (140 grams)

8 grams of Butter Oil (Ghee)

Fresh Garlic and Ginger.

1 MSG free stock cube mixed in to ½ a cup of hot water.

Salt, pepper, chilli’s and other herbs and spices to taste etc

3 other vegetable combinations ideas-

1, Broccoli, Red Onion, Spinach, Sweet Pepper, Parsnip and Green Peas

2, Brussels's Sprouts, Spring Onions, Mange Tout, Mushrooms, Turnip and Zucchini 

3, Non cooked version - Romaine Lettuce, Jerusalem Artichoke, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber, Beetroot and Bell Pepper.

Cooking Instructions

1. Wash then cut up the vegetables into relatively even sizes, the smaller you cut them the faster they will cook. 
2. Using a large wok pan, stir fry the onions in the butter oil for 2 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add the vegetable stock cube liquid and Cauliflower and stir fry for 2 minutes
4. Add the Asparagus and stir fry for 2 minutes
5. Add the Carrots, Celery and stir fry for 2 minute.
6. Add the Chard and stir fry for a further 2 minutes
7. Finish off by adding the fresh garlic and ginger and any herbs and spices you wanted.

Macro nutrients per serving (4 servings) work out to be approximately (I rounded up)-

104 KCAL

5 grams Protein

18 grams Carbohydrate (7 grams fibre)

2 grams of Fat

There we have it,  4 delicious and filling portions of vegetables prepared in 15-20 minutes if you washed and cut fresh vegetables and 10 minutes of you use ready prepared vegetables.

Boost Your Health With Kefir

Looks a bit like cottage cheese but don't eat the grains!

Kefir is one of the best natural sources of pro-biotic’s, Kefir fermented for only 24 hours contains around 3 billion CFU per ml. So for example if you were to have 100 ml’s of this twice a day it would give you 600 billion CFU, that’s quite a boost to your friendly bacteria and will provide numerous health benefits.

The bacteria breaks down lactose, so Kefir is suitable for people who are lactose intolerant to unfermented milk products.

How to make Kefir, it’s dead easy!

The beauty of Kefir is that it’s so easy to make. All you need to do is put some Kefir grains in a jar topped up with whole milk - preferably raw unpasteurised dairy from Guernsey cows, goat or buffalo (A2 Milk).

You can find your nearest supplier here - http://www.naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/unpasteurised-raw-milk-uk

Leave the sealed jar in a cupboard for at least 24 hours. You will find the kefir will separate from the milk after a period of time. Give it a shake to mix it back together.

Give the jar a shake to mix it back together, hold the lid closed!

The longer you ferment, the higher content of good bacteria and the more ‘tart’ flavour it’ll have. Therefore you can adjust this according to your taste.

Once this is completed, scoop out the Kefir grains (you can use a sieve or I use a pasta fork) and transfer them into a new batch and repeat as often as needed.

Refrigerate the Kefir and aim to consume 25-100 ml in the morning and evening with a meal.  Start of with small quantities and steadily increase the dosage to avoid any gastric disturbance or upset.

The finished product!

Remember to fit it into your macro nutrient targets; it’s only around 67 kcal- 4 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates and 3 g Fat per 100 ml so it’s easy to incorporate into your daily intake.

The Kefir will multiply over time so please share with friends and family. The best place to find fresh Kefir grains (better than a dry Kefir starter kit) is on ebay. Here is and example of a seller-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Organic-Milk-Kefir-Grains-1-teaspoon-/271150577174?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Natural_AlternativeTherapies&hash=item3f21d57616&_uhb=1

If you want to improve your gut health while enjoying a delicious alternative to yogurt then make the effort 

and start incorporating Kefir into your daily diet.

Source of information - http://heal-thyself.ning.com/profiles/blogs/probiotics-pusher

'Healthy' Eating Doesn't Mean Boring Eating

I thought I would post up some examples of what is cooked up in the Sklayne kitchen to illustrate that whether following a diet or not the food that you eat certainly doesn't have to be bland or boring.

You are only limited by your imagination.

If you feel your cooking skills suck then the best way to get better action is with PRACTICE! Invest in a cooking course if you really are clueless.

Stir Fried Squid with vegetables

kcals: 414kcal | fat: 13.26g | carbs: 32.14g | prot: 44.54g Per Serving

Stuffed Cabbage with Spinach and Carrots

kcals: 412kcal | fat: 17.08g | carbs: 28.60g | prot: 35.38g Per Serving

Sea Bream with Broccoli and Carrots

cals: 385kcal | fat: 8.77g | carbs: 15.16g | prot: 60.66g Per Serving

These are just a sample and I will post more up in future if I get enough requests. With the required effort to educate yourself on food and it macro nutrient content your 'diet' never has to be boring.

If you would like to know more and are interested in coaching then please visit www.upfitness.co.uk or email caroline@upfitness.co.uk

Results of Teodora's mini pre holiday cut

Teodora decided for the sake of looking better on the beach to do a mini diet just before we went away recently on holiday. Here were the results-

This was achieved mainly through subtle manipulations to her eating over a 6 week period.

Three Fundamental Principles To Getting Results

I find that most people do not get the results they want at the gym because they fail to focus on three key aspects and instead get distracted by the little things such as 'wonder supplements'.  No pill or powder will fill in for not getting these 3 key principles right.

1, Train consistently in the gym with the required frequency and effort every training session

You must train hard and be prepared to bust your ass in the gym. This is one of the secrets of why facilities such as Ultimate Performance where I coach get our clients such great results. We push people harder than they have previously ever done when training.

Training harder also means getting stronger. There must be progression of some sort, whether it be using more weight, doing more reps or reducing the rest period which would serve to increase training density.  Muscle is metabolically active a tissue so the more you build of it the better your metabolic rate will be which increase your bodies demand for nutrients at rest. Its also not easy to build so don't concern yourself whether you are male or female about getting 'too bulky'. Being 'bulky' is normally because your body fat is too high.

Consistency means getting to the gym enough times per week in order to stimulate an adequate training effect. Put the date in your diary, block out that hour at least three times per week. Your body will thank you for it.

The type of programme you use is important but in my opinion is secondary to actually putting in effort. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect programme’ and many people have created great results with less then stellar exercise regimes because they dug in worked hard!

Keeping a log of your training is an important aspect as you need to be able to access how you are progressing and adjust future programmes accordingly to enhance the training effect. If you don’t bother to write down your performance how are you supposed to target to beat that in the next workout? Every one responds differently to a style of training so without this critical analysis it’s like shooting a shot gun into a dark room in the hope you hit something.

This guy knew that he had to put in the work to see results

2, Eat to support your training goal.

If your goal is to add muscle then you must consistently intake a small positive nutrient intake to provide your body with the raw materials to build new muscle tissue.

For fat loss you must create a deficit in order to encourage your body to use body fat as fuel. Yes there are lots of arguments about “is a calorie a calorie” however that is a deep topic I won’t expand on in this article. 

Whether you try to create a positive or negative calorie intake accuracy is important here. For fat loss it’s very easy to overeat and ruin the deficit you are trying to create even when eating primarily whole foods. Typically this happens when someone over consumes nutrient dense foods such as nuts and oils which can quickly add a lot of calories to a persons overall intake. 

This is why I give students specific numbers or weight of nuts/oils they are to consume rather than a guideline of ‘a handful’ as there is far too much variability in what someone would consider a handful. 

Creating a deficit is most effective when it is created through a combination of diet and exercise.When trying to add muscle its also very easy to overeat, putting on too much body fat at the same time which in future can be troublesome to remove.  

Whether it be a positive or negative intake you are trying to create you have to choose to make the effort regarding your food choices. You always choose how much you eat; it will never magically jump into your mouth. 

If you over consume food and ruin the deficit you need to create to encourage fat loss or eat too much when adding weight and make yourself over fat then you should take responsibility for this and accept that you choose to make this happen.

This guy confused creating a positive intake for muscle gains with preparing for sumo wrestling

3, Ensure adequate Recovery

Sleep

Sleep is crucial to support recovery as it is the most restorative time for you body. Lack of adequate sleep has a whole host of negative side effects including interfering with hormone balance in, increasing inflammation and reduced cognitive function.

In my experience there is no way to get around not sleeping enough, you simply have to make the effort to prioritise this and ensure that you get enough hours of quality sleep that includes full sleep cycles.

If you find that you have trouble getting off to sleep or wake up during the night then this needs to be investigated more deeply as to why this is happening and then addressed.

Artificial lighting and over stimulating entertainment (TV, Computers) have contributed to interfering with the evening time which should be focused on winding down and relaxation.

Stress

Managing stress is the second area and this is a combination of emotional, physical and environmental based stress.

Emotional based Stress

How you hold your stress in important too. The stress response as explained excellently in this book ‘why zebras don’t get ulcers’ by Robert M. Sapolsky is largely governed by how you react to things.

Elevated stress affects many bodily functions including digestion, blood pressure and cognitive function. This is the ‘fight or flight’ response which gives you the ability to get out of danger quickly and then be able to resume a normal level. The mechanism was never designed to experience a constant ‘background’ level of stress over an extended period of time.

Environmental Stress

We unfortunately assaulted daily with environmental stressors including air pollution, chemicals contained in cosmetic and cleaning products, artificial additives in food and contaminants in water. This area is very important to address as its becoming an ever growing problem. 

A book I recommend on this is subject is ‘Achieving Victory In A Toxic World by Dr Mark A Schauss

Physical Stress

Exercise in itself is a stressor on the body. Its this stress which is planned correctly promotes the body to adapt and get stronger so that it can better deal with the same stressor the next time. This is the basis of progressive overload. 

That being said the ‘prescription’ of exercise needs to be appropriate and needs to encourage a positive adaption. Excessive exercise through bad exercise programming is actually negative and the lack of recovery from will halt someone’s progress very quickly.

Creating too great a deficit with your food intake is another sure fire way to quickly stress out your body physically. Dieting needs to be done at the appropriate speed that doesn’t lead to the body perceiving the event as ‘famine’ and putting the stoppers on fat loss.

Ways to improve recovery

There are many ‘force multipliers’ that you can use to enhance recovery which include massage, magnesium baths, contrast showers and soft exercise such as some forms of Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi gong or even gentle swimming and walking.

There are also some supplements which can assist in promoting recovery such as adaptogenic herbs and certain vitamins however I feel that without addressing the key psychological aspects of stress that these are no better than a band aid and might only work temporarily.

Recovery also means if you are genuinely training hard you cannot expect to go 100% in the gym all of the time and the need for periods of ‘de-loading’ and active recovery where you do some less intensive forms of exercise are important to ensure continued progress and avoid burning out.

Investing the time utilise active recovery methods such as foam rolling, massage, Yoga, Tai Chi or just ensuring you give yourself enough 'you time' to relax is crucial

To wrap up if you are not getting the results that you expect first relook over what you are doing and ask yourself if you are doing the right things in the three key areas outlined above?

Flavouring your food- Spicy Combinations

A question I often get from students is how to use herbs and spice to flavour there food so it tastes good. Food when eating for fat loss doesn't have to be bland at all if you put some simple thought into your cooking. 

There is a belief and stereotype promoted by some bodybuilder's that you must stick to only to plain chicken breast, tuna, rice and broccoli when on a fat loss mission in order to get in shape. This in my opinion is unnecessary and in fact negative from a health and psychological point of view

It no wonder that most bodybuilder's who follow this kind of regime then after their diet binge on what they perceive to be flavoursome food (Junk). Then again I find that a lot of people who are deep into body building are dealing with some issues relating to their psychology and health is often the last thing on their mind but that's a different topic that is worthy of its own article.

Back to flavouring your food. Here are five tips that I think will help improve the taste of the food that you eat.

Tip 1- Make sure your flavourings are real!

I advice to avoid all ready made sauces as they are heavily processed and normally contain excess sugar and  artificial flavour enhancers. This includes chinese plum and sweet and sour sauces, ready made bolognese or creamy sauses. Organic Passata and tomato puree which is only made from tomatoes is acceptable to use. 

Learn to read the label. If there is something on there that you don't know what it is then avoid it. Anything containing Mono Sodium Glutamate should be avoided like the plague.

I'll use wholegrain mustard for example. A real mustard should contain mustard seeds, vinegar water and salt and not much else. If you look on most mustards in supermarkets they will contain dextroses, flavour enhancers and all sorts of other crap. 

Tip 2 - Use good quality herbs and spices

I would to use organic herbs and spices where possible to get them. Your best bet to find these is at farmers markets. I further recommend to use fresh herbs as the taste they impact is markedly superior to the dried varieties. Fresh herbs are seasonal but can be frozen to extended storage life.

Herbs and spices also provide numerous health benefits as they contain trace amount of micro nutrients and also many have an anti inflammatory or anti parasitical properties.  Here is a good site listing some of the health properties - Health Benefits of Herbs and Spices

Tip 3 - Choose a flavour theme

I find the easiest way to plan flavouring is to stick to an ethnic theme. Here are some of my favourite basic combinations. These of course can be massively expanded on and I understand that I have left out many options.

Indian

Cumin

Coriander

Garam Masala

Turmeric

Chilli Pepper to taste

Thai

Thai 5 spice

Lime or lemon

Garlic

Ginger

Turmeric

Chinese

Garlic

Ginger

Gluten free soy sauce

Italian

Basil

Oregano

Garlic

Tomato Puree

Black Pepper

Sea Salt

Tip 4- If using salt use the right type

I personally highly recommend Pink Salt as it contains more trace minerals and adds a very nice flavour. 

Avoid processed table salt (sodium chloride) as this is chemically made and often contains anti clumping agents which are toxic to the body (aluminium).

Tip 5 - Don't over flavour you food

Practice moderation with the amount of spices you use in your food, its easy to over flavour food and thus ruin its taste. This is especially true for pungent spices used in Indian cooking.

Of course there are many varieties and the above are only some easy basic combinations. You are only really limited to your flavouring by your imagination.

Pretty much any recipe can be modified to fit into your eating whether you are eating a high or low carbohydrate routine. Here is a site I like for some recipe ideas - http://www.paleofood.com/

Fats can be added in appropriate amounts as needed. I recommend to cook with either ghee (clarified butter) or extra virgin coconut oil as both have quite a high smoke point. I would recommend to add extra virgin olive oil or macadamia nut oil to your food at the end as these are damaged by excessive heat.

One book I recommend which gives you lots of information and ideas on the best things to use in your cooking is Jonny Bowden’s The-150-Healthiest-Foods-Earth.

Wrap Up

I'm a bit believer that food is the best medicine and if you base your eating primarily on REAL whole foods that your health will be a lot better. Variety is important to provide a wide range of nutrients. The human body is a incredibly smart organism and if you give your body the right raw materials it will use them in a positive fashion.

A caveat to this is that you still need to eat the appropriate amount of whole foods, you will still put on fat or sabotage your fat loss goals if you eat too much of them for what your body needs.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-150-Healthiest-Foods-Earth/dp/1592332285/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343461444&sr=8-1

Simple guide to Batch Cooking

As a strength coach and nutrition adviser the biggest complaint I head from students is their ability to be consistent with their eating habits. This is a key area that to get right consistently over a period of time in order to see fantastic results.

Yes I understand that we all work a lot of hours and have family commitments but I doubt that its impossible for someone to find a spare 45 minutes to prepare food if they also can somehow find time to watch their favourite television show or spend an hour on Facebook.

 Preparing multiple meals in advance with just a bit of planning ahead allows you to have the meals ready to eat. With a small bit of planning to figure out hitting your macro nutrient targets which is easy to do with online tracking software you then have a plan of attack in which to cook up the food that you need. Like anything this takes practice and gets very easy over time. I recommend coming up with four to five variations of batches and then simply rotating them. This covers your bases in regards to getting a broad range of nutrients.

Here is how to put it all together-

1, Protein First

Whether you choose salmon, chicken, beef or another meat I find the best two ways to cook meat up in bulk is to either bake it or stir fry it. The key to making meat taste good is not to overcook it and dry it out, this is why I am not a fan of grilling lean meats.

The Stir fry simply chop the meat into small pieces so they cook quickly and then use a wok with a teaspoon of coconut oil and whatever herbs and spices you choose to flavour the meat. It should take not more than 5-10 minutes if you stir it vigorously to ensure even cooking. You can add a bit of chopped onion here for extra flavour.

To bake meat or fish in bulk chop it into small pieces and then place in a baking tray with added herbs and spices to your taste. Add a very small amount of water in the bottom of the tray, this allows the meat to ‘steam’ and prevents sticking to the tray. Cover with silver foil and then bake for around 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius until the meat is tender and cooked through. For added tenderness place the meat in a pot and cover and leave for another 20-30 minutes while you prepare your vegetables and other food. This will serve to tenderise it further as it will ‘steam’.

2, Vegetables

To preserve the nutrients in your vegetables I recommend to either steam or stir fry your vegetables. Cook them for the minimum time so that they still have some ‘bite’ to them and are not soggy. I recommend to choose at least three different vegetables and combine them so that you get a broad range of nutrients. Some of my favourite options are - broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout's, spinach, chard, kale, green beans, red peppers, tomatoes, green peas, carrots, beetroot, celery.

3, Fats

Having adequate fats in your eating crucial as they are used everywhere in the body for processes such as hormone production and cell growth. If you have used a lean source of protein above then you will need to add some extra fats.

This can come from adding nuts to the side of your meal or your could add extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil or organic ghee to your meal. Its good to vary your fat sources in order to get a broad range of nutrients.

4, Add additional carbohydrate as required

The amount of carbohydrate I recommend for you will be very specific to you. The general rule is that the leaner you are the more carbohydrates you can eat.

My preference for complex carbohydrate are from the highest to the lowest fibre content-  lentils, beans, chick peas, butternut squash, turnip, sweet potato,  potato, quinoa, millet and wild rice.

Its best to choose sources that are high in fibre as this will lead to a more steady release in the body and negate and bit spikes in blood sugar. This will serve to keep you feeling fuller for longer and lessen the likelihood of cravings. I recommend to avoid pasta and other processed sources of carbohydrate.

5, Combining the above

Once you have all of the above its simple a case of combining them. You could keep it all in one large food container (BPA Free please) or you could divide it into individual containers for each meal. Its your choice, the main thing is to keep it cool to avoid food poisoning  so either use a cool bag with ice packs or keep them in the fridge.

Fermented foods for a healthy gut

I would further recommend to add to above a serving of Sauerkraut or Kimchee to each meal (mono sodium glutamate free) as these are foods which are high in 'good' bacteria which will help nourish your digestive tract and keep your gut healthy.

Batch Example

My protein goal is 250grams. I know that in a 100 grams of most meats contains around 20-25 grams of protein. I decide I will prepare for 2 days so I bake 2000 grams of chicken breast. I use ‘Dunn’s River Jerk Seasoning’ with the chicken as this doesn’t contain any added sugars and will add a delicious flavour to the chicken breast. I will also add a bit of turmeric as this enhances the flavour and has anti inflammatory benefits.

To this I decide that on day one I will add broccoli and green peas and carrots. On the other day I will have green beans, red peppers and tomatoes. I prepare 250 grams of each veg and steam them if needed. 

The 750 grams of vegetables will ensure I have a high fibre intake, will keep me full and also that I get a broad range of nutrients

The chicken breast is very low in fat so I add 100 grams of cashew nuts to my meals this will give me around 48 grams of fats. On my other day I add three table spoons of olive oil which will give me around 45 grams of fat.

I have some allowance for carbohydrate so I add a tin of chick peas (400g weight) to one batch and a tin of kidney beans to the other batch which will add around 60-65 grams of carbohydrate.

Finally I combine all of the above and add extra fresh garlic and ginger to the batches for extra taste and season with sea salt and pepper.

So the two batches looks like this-

Day 1

1000 grams of chicken breast ‘flavoured jerk style’

250 grams of broccoli

250g grams of green peas

250 grams of carrots

100 grams of Cashew nuts

400 grams (1 tin) of chick peas         

Day 2

1000 grams of chicken breast ‘flavoured jerk style’

250 grams of green beans

250g grams of red peppers

250 grams of tomatoes

45 ml grams of extra virgin olive oil

400 grams (1 tin) of kidney beans

Job done, I have just prepared food for 2 whole days and its taken more no longer than 45 minutes. This can of course be expanded in the quantities and you could prepare a week ahead if you choose. I have students who do all of their cooking on Sundays and then freeze half of the batch cooked food.

There is no excuse, start cooking

As you can see from the above the whole process is very simple to follow however you have to choose to put in the effort. Making time in the kitchen to nourish your body is a key component for both fat loss and muscle gain.

Your results are always reflected by the choices that you make. Learning to cook for yourself is a skill that is  crucial to learn if you are to guarantee long term fat loss. Choose to invest the time and you will reap the rewards.

How to Avoid Overindulging over the Easter Holidays – 8 Useful Tips

By Teodora Sklayne

Easter Holidays – filled with family and friends, lots of fun and lots of food. As we all know in those happy days gathering with our loved ones we do tend to over-indulge ourselves and regret it once the holidays are over. Well, we can make the choice not to and here are 8 tips that will help you to achieve a fantastic and full of energy Easter weekend!

1. Eat a good high protein breakfast every day

Many studies have proven that high protein breakfast does benefit your energy and productivity levels not only morning till noon, but throughout the whole day. Having a high protein breakfast combined with healthy fats will set your day on a positive start and will help you make the right decisions later during the day.

Traditionally on Easter people would eat boiled eggs, 2-3 would be plenty, however if you feel that is too bland whip up an omelet and combine with some onion and mushrooms. Or you could aim for a serving of chicken or smoked salmon about a palm size served with some vegetables. Combine that with some healthy fats –a palm full of nuts or half an avocado should be plenty.

2. Avoid nibbles and snacks

Snacks and nibbles are usually full of sugar or processed fats. It can be easy to underestimate how quickly the calories add up when snacking on Easter treats. Did you know that in 4 Quality Street candies there are 157 calories which is equal to two apples in calories but not in nutrients. Not only will you will consume unnecessary empty calories, but this will affect your sugar blood levels leading to lower energy and sweet cravings later in the evening.

3. Drink plenty of water

Dehydration has been proven to promote sensation of hunger. Make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day as well as between alcohol beverages to feel fuller, less fatigue and with clear mind (no headaches). To improve the taste, add a splash of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice.

4. Start Easter lunch/dinner with good protein and lots of vegetables

According to tradition in UK a lamb roast dinner is consumed on Easter day. Whether you will have that meal or any other - start with the meat and vegetables. The protein in the meat, combined with the fiber from the vegetables will fill you up more and it’ll be less likely you will go over the top with dessert.

5. Listen to your body! If you are no longer hungry - stop eating

Obviously step 1, 2, 3 and 4 will support your body in regards to energy levels and healthy food choices throughout the day. It’s very important also to just listen to how your body feels. Don’t eat until you feelyou would explode, eat slowly and once you’ve had enough and you are no longer hungry, just simply stop eating! Don’t feel inclined that you have to finish you plate for the sake of politeness.

6. Stick to dark chocolate in reasonable amounts

We all know that chocolate is almost impossible to avoid over Easter holidays – chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, chocolate cakes and mousses. What we can do however is limit the amounts we have. The best choice is have ONE piece of cake or 20-30 g of chocolate as dessert after a solid meal. Stick to organic dark chocolate, ideally over 70% cocoa, as it contains health promoting anti-oxidants.

7. If you decide to drink alcohol stick to red wine, and try not to drink any alcohol 2-3 hours before bed to avoid sleep disturbance

Holidays always come hand to hand with lots of alcohol, making us feel horrible the next day. In order to avoid over-consumption of alcohol drink some water in between, this will not only reduce the number of units you would have, but also will keep you hydrated, which is very important, as alcohol is a toxin which dehydrates our body and hence leads to unpleasant headaches in the morning.

Ideally stick to red wine, as it contains the health boosting anti-oxidant Resveratrol. Try to avoid any alcohol 2-3 hours before bed in order to minimize sleep disturbance. Drink a pint of water before bed as this will help you detoxify and feel more energized the next day.

8. Keep a reminder of your goals and don’t let friends/family judge you

Whether your goal is losing fat, maintaining the physique you’ve already achieved or gaining lean body mass, keeping a reminder of it will help you stay focused and motivated. You can write a note of your main goals and have a look at it every now and then or set a reminder on your phone every 2-3 hours. Visualize yourself the next day, feeling proud of yourself for not over-indulging and therefore getting closer to your goals.

I understand this can be difficult if you are lacking support from your family/friends, however you must not let them affect your decisions. At the end of the day, you will be the one suffering or benefiting from the consequences of your own decisions, so take ownership, be brave and make the right choices for yourself!

Following these 8 simple rules will make the difference between feeling great and awful after the holidays. Make the decision today to stick to the rules all the way through. Have fun and let us know how it went!

Things I learned at Charles Poliquin’s Hypertrophy seminar held at Ultimate Performance Mayfair.

I just spent the weekend at Ultimate Performance Gym in Mayfair.

On Saturday we had a private seminar only for Ultimate Performance Trainers on the subject of improving results for clients.

I then went back on Sunday for a seminar on Hypertrophy training.

Being the always avid note writer I took detailed minutes of the events.

Here is a tidbit: 5 things I learned from each one –

Saturday

• When getting someone to change their eating habits never use the word DIET, this implies restriction and something short term.
Instead teach them a lifestyle, this is a non threatening approach.

• Don’t overload the client, start them off small. They have to buy into the process step by step when they perceive a benefit from the advice you are giving them.

• The first 40 grams of protein you eat supports detoxification and the immune system. These are a priority to the body before it considers less essential functions such as repairing/growing lean body mass (muscle).

• Male clients like to see figures and numbers, women clients are more interested in abstract concepts and ‘feel’.

• Only having artificial source of light all day lowers dopamine, acetyl choline and suppresses serotonin production.

Sunday

• Bio mechanical factors and restrictions in soft tissue are one of the greatest limiting factors in muscle growth.

• Soft tissue tolerance has decreased in last 20 years due to environmental toxicities according to functional medicine expert and lecturer Bob Rakowski

• Multiple Training sessions per day are superior for muscle hypertrophy

• The more you control cortisol the better you progress with strength development.

• If training for hypertrophy you want to create an acidic environment as possible so its not a good idea to use an alkalinising drink such as primal greens during a hypertrophy workout.

Overall I found the seminar very interesting and I stayed back afterwards to talk to Charles for longer. It was entertaining to hear Charles stories on some of the most dangerous gyms in the world he has visited.

The next Poliquin event I plan on attending will be a 5 day Hypertrophy boot camp which will entail training 3x per day and result in copious amounts of muscle soreness and growth.

How to boost your magnesium levels

If you are eating lots of processed food or ready meals or have a history of alcoholism then you are more likely to not be getting enough magnesium in your diet.

What role does magnesium play?

Magnesium is an important element in the body because it activates or is involved in many basic processes or functions, including:

cofactor for over 300 enzymes
oxidation of fatty acids
activation of amino acids
synthesis and breakdown of DNA
neurotransmission
immune function
interactions with other nutrients, including potassium , vitamin B6, and boron

How to up the intake

A simple tip to boost your magnesium intake is to eat more dark green vegetables. These are important sources of magnesium because it is the central atom in the structure of chlorophyll.

Other dietary sources of magnesium include nuts; dried peas and beans; whole grain cereals such as oatmeal, millet, and brown rice; bone meal; blackstrap molasses; brewer's yeast.

Magnesium as a cure

Many naturopaths believe that the official government recommended daily allowance (RDA) of magnesium is too low. They think that it should be doubled to about 600 or 700 mg daily for adults. Most recommend the use of dietary supplements containing magnesium to make up the difference.

Naturopathic practitioners regard magnesium to be important in the relief or cure of the following conditions:

Mitral valve prolapse: Magnesium deficiency may lower the body's ability to repair defective connective tissue, including defective mitral valves.

Atherosclerosis.

Certain psychological conditions, including apathy, decreased ability to learn, memory loss , and confusion.

Kidney stones : Magnesium increases the solubility of certain calcium compounds that form kidney stones if they are not excreted in the urine.

Hypertension: Hypertensive people often have lower levels of magnesium within their cells than people with normal blood pressure.

Angina pectoris: Magnesium is thought to relax spastic arteries and help prevent arrhythmias.

Osteoporosis : Many osteoporosis patients have low levels of magnesium in their bodies.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual cramps: Some women report relief from the symptoms of PMS when taking magnesium supplements.

Naturopaths also treat asthma, epilepsy, autism , hyperactivity, chronic fatigue syndrome , noise-induced hearing loss, insomnia , and stress-related anxiety with supplemental magnesium.

Wrap up

I recommend to everyone to up their intake of dark green vegetables. As well as providing magnesium, they also supply a host of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and dietry fibre.

I further recommend supplemental magnesium taken 45 minutes before bed if sleep is an issue for you.

The Bio Signature Method

Here is Charles Poliquin explaining the Bio Signature Method-



Please drop me an email if you have any questions about Bio Signature Modulation.

Healthy food is not boring food

When discussing eating and nutrition with people they often hold the belief that eating ‘healthy’ has to consist of the same boring foods.

I think this stems from the fact that many competitive bodybuilders will literally eat egg whites and porridge for breakfast followed by dry chicken breast, rice and broccoli for years upon end.

The above example is not a balanced diet; you would be missing out on a significant amount of nutrients if you limited yourself to those food groups. Then again modern bodybuilding is not really about health.

The second problem with the above example is that eating the same foods all the time makes you more likely to develop food sensitivities.

When you become sensitive to a food you body develops an inflammatory reaction to it. This over time can lead to symptoms of IBS, bowel disorders bloating, depression and other neurological disorders. The gastrointestinal tract is a prominent part of the immune system. Are you starting to see how a dysfunctional gastrointestinal tract can cause a host of problems?

I recommend people to vary their sources of food regularly. This serves to provide them with a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. With food ever available buy these days it’s possible to eat a different food every day.

How to put it into action

Step 1: Vary your sources of protein

Protein is made up of Amino acids and different amino acids have varying pharmacological effects upon the body. Different meats contain different levels of amino acids and this consequently gives them their distinctive tastes.

For example Turkey is high in tryptophan which has shown to be reasonably effective sleep aid, probably due to its ability to increase brain levels of serotonin (a calming neurotransmitter when present in moderate levels)[21] and/or melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone secreted by the pineal gland in
response to darkness or low light levels).

So choosing turkey as your last meal of the day before bed would be a wise choice.

Good sources of protein: grass fed beef, free-range chicken, free-range turkey, new Zealand lamb, free-range pork, fresh or deep water fish, seafood, eggs, wild meats

Step 2: Vary your sources of vegetables

Vegetables contain varying levels of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. It’s important to get a broad spectrum of these compounds for optimal health. The simplest way to make sure your bases are covered is to vary the colours regularly.

Here is a list of some good options you can eat-

Alfalfa Sprouts
Artichokes
Asparagus
Bean sprouts
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Celeriac
Collard greens/ spring greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Fennel
Green beans
Kale
Leek
Mange tout
Mushrooms
Okra
Peppers
Radishes
Rocket
Romaine Lettuce
Sauerkraut
Seaweed/Kelp
Spring onions
Spinach
Swiss chards
Tomatoes
Swede
Water chestnuts
Watercress

Step 3: Vary your sources of Fats

Using different types of fats to cook with or accompany a meal will again provide different health benefits. The most important point of fat intake is having the right balance.

Here is a brief on fats, I will go into more detail in another article-

Monounsaturated fats

These fats are generally high in Vitamin E and are found in foods such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seed, cashews, almonds, avocado, olive oil and olives. Providing essential fatty acids they are also believed to lower cholesterol and aid in reducing heart disease.

Monounsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature

Polyunsaturated fats

Usually liquid at room temperature, polyunsaturated fats can be found in sources such as fish, sunflower-seed and plant oils, safflower, soy and corn

Omega 6

In general most peoples intake of Omega 6 fats has increased to an unhealthy level in the last 60 years with the increased availability of plant based cooking oils and also the shift of diet of farm bred animals that we now eat. Cows and chickens are not supposed to eat grains and when they do their fat becomes too high in omega 6 fatty acids.

Sources of omega 6- cooking oils, nuts, and grain fed animals

Omega 3

Our intake of Omega 3 fatty acids has also decreased due to the shift in what the animals we eat are made of. Grass fed animals and Wild meat is naturally higher in Omega 3 and I highly recommend investing in eating only these types of meat. I

Sources of omega 3 – oily fish, flax seed, supplements

Trans Fats

These are the byproducts of food manufacturing and unless you have been living under a rock you should be informed by now that these are bad for you and should be avoided as much as possible!

Sources of trans fats- processed food, baked goods, re-used fast food oils

Saturated Fat

This has also unfortunately come at the expense of using good fats such as grass fed organic butter and animal fats which have been demonised as a source of heart disease by some very clever food manufacturers with an interest in selling you their vegetable oils.

For the skinny on saturated fat please go here and read these series of articles-

http://www.spacedoc.net/saturated_fat_is_good_for_you_1

Sources of saturated fat- butter, coconut oil, animal fats, dairy products

Step 4: Vary your sources of carbohydrate but limit gluten

Carbohydrates are by no means evil; you just need to eat them relative to your daily energy needs and individual metabolism.

For someone who is gifted with good tolerance of carbohydrates (and also normally a very lean sub scapular) these people can get away with murder in regards to how many carbs they can eat without putting on any body fat. If you are a carboholic then to you they are the lucky bastards of the world, get over it!

For the majority, sometimes estimated at up to 75% of the population; carbohydrate intake needs to be limited to sticking mainly to fibrous vegetable sources and limited fruit with strategic use of starchy carbohydrates based around times of exercise.

This is especially true if with people who are overweight or obese and having markers of metabolic syndrome. At a certain point for these people their body will stop responding properly to utilising carbohydrate effectively and become much more likely to store it as more fat. As a person gets leaner they can reintroduce more carbohydrates into their diets.

Get rid of the Gluten

I am not a fan of Gluten due to its Lectin content. Lectin’s have been shown to irritate the gastrointestinal tract and can contribute to autoimmune disorders. The number of people who also have issues with wheat has also increased over the last 60 years due to the mass expansion of harvesting grains using seed with the same genotypes. Again having the same food all the time causes a problem. In the past where people could be eating dozens of different species of grains before mass standardisation this was less of an issue.

For more on Lectin’s go here- http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html

Wrap up

So there you have it. The take home point is that a healthy diet doesn’t have to consist of the same foods; in fact a diet that consists of the same foods is not so healthy. A healthy diet should consist of a huge variety of foods in order to maximise your intake of nutrients.

Im also a strong believer in balance and the occasional treat of foods we know are not so good for us is ok to have.

I am by no means a food Nazi and enjoy my bit of cake every so often as much as anyone else. Its when that bit of cake becomes part of the daily intake along with biscuits, pizza, donuts etc.

Don't fall victim to mass marketing and become a sheep eating whatever the adverts promote into your living room. You have the power to choose!

Five ways to waste time at the gym

1, Focusing on small isolation exercises only

Using exercises that only activate a small number of muscle fibres is going to get you nowhere when trying to loose fat and improve muscle tone. For women this normally involves using 2kg dumbbells for redundant shoulder exercises and for guys its often spending 45 minutes to an hour training only arms with isolation exercises.

Solution- Instead focus on big compound exercises that recruit the most muscle groups. This will give you the best bang for buck return for your efforts in the gym. Yes they feel hard, but that’s why they work!

2, Performing too much cardio, especially at steady state

Excessive cardio not only raises stress hormone levels further but it will actually make you fatter in the long run as your body breaks down muscle for fuel. Don’t be a cardio queen or make the mistake of doing cardio to ‘loose weight’.

Solution- Drop the cardio, especially performing it before you lift weights. Lifting more weights will not automatically turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger or Zena warrior princess. The majority of guys who go to the gym struggle to build muscle despite their efforts. It takes years of specific and targeted training and nutrition to build appreciable amounts of muscle. Weight training will however increase your metabolic rate and make you stronger.

If you still insist on doing cardio then leave it to the end and limit it to 10-15 minutes of gruelling interval training. Intervals are best performed in a park as getting some fresh air and natural light is good for you.

3, Doing stupid stuff because its different and looks cool

Jumping on a bosu ball to perform 1 legged squats or doing bicep curls on a vibrating plate is not going to get you any closer to weight loss success. This is no more than entertainment training. Sure it might feel difficult due to the balance involved but so would a tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon. Would tightrope walking help you loose weight more effectively though, certainly not!

Solution- Ignore the stupid stuff and stick to the basics, and especially don’t let amateur personal trainers misdirect your efforts in the gym trying to show you cool stuff. You want maximal return for your time invested in the gym.

4, Getting stuck in Ground Hog Day and doing the same thing all the time

Humans are creatures of habit and routine and like to do things a certain way. Unfortunately so is the human body and it will adapt to any physical challenge you give it within 6-12 weeks. Performing the same routine for too long is a game of diminishing returns, especially if you are not pushing yourself to make performance improvements, i.e. get stronger or do more work in less time.

Solution- Change your bloody routine and stop being so OCD about doing the same thing all the time! Give yourself some fresh exercises to do that are compound in nature and you’ll be surprised how quickly it has an effect on your body.

5, Trying to make up for an inadequate diet with more activity in the gym

If you eat like crap unless you are exceptionally gifted with a fast metabolism to burn it off then you will look like crap too.

Unfortunately even those gifted with a fast metabolism cannot stop the internal damage done by trans fats and nutritional deficiencies created by the lack of nutrients in processed/fast foods. Eventually it will catch up on them in the form of inflammatory conditions and illnesses such as, IBS, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, mental conditions and abnormal cholesterol levels. The clock is ticking.

If you want your body to be healthy and function well then you need to provide it with the right nutrients for it to function properly. Only YOU put the food in your mouth, making excuses because of cultural and social pressure is no excuse.

Rather than bitch about how you find it difficult to eat healthier when around your family why not take command and start steering those you love to you to a healthier diet. How many years of good health do you want to spend with them?

With over 60% of the UK population overweight these you need to be doing something different from the majority. Don’t let yourself remain part of the overweight and sick herd of sheep.

The government guidelines on how to eat quite simply suck and are not working. People are getting fatter and sicker than ever and health policies are heavily influenced by big food manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies profiteering and filling their pockets at the expense of your health. Open your eyes!

Solution- Seek expert from a Bio Signature Practitioner or functional medicine doctor on correct nutrition. It you have been eating badly for a number of years then you are already going to have some nutritional deficiencies and imbalances that need to be corrected if you are to improve your health and loose body fat. A healthy body will drop excess body fat once it has been brought back into nutrient and hormone balance.

Abdominals are made in the kitchen

There are 2 huge mistakes people make when attending the gym in an attempt to get rid of their gut or burn off the love handles.


Mistake 1- Training abs, training abs and then training abs some more

Performing multiple exercises for abdominals is a waste of time unless it is for a sports specific reason involving certain movement patterns. You CANNOT spot reduce fat from your stomach by performing lots of exercises. Training abdominals more frequently is also another mistake. Abdominals are like any other muscle group and best respond to progressive overload with adequate rest in between repeat bouts of training.

People as me how I get my stomach muscles looking so good? Here they are for examples sake-



Well It certainly isn’t though performing lots of stomach exercises, I typically spend 5 minutes perform 2-3 sets of stomach work per week!

Mistake 2- Performing lots of cardio

Attempting to sculpt their stomach muscles by performing lots of cardio to loose weight is another bad strategy. Cardiovascular training although helping you to burn calories is not generally a good long term strategy to create a calorie deficit as it takes a hell of a lot of effort relative to the ease of eating calories. A more sound strategy is to not ingest those excess calories in the first place. Extreme amounts of cardio is also counterproductive to any weight training you are performing to improve muscle tone and strength.

Examples

A Mars bar contains 234 calories, consisting of 4.05 grams of protein, 31.35 grams of carbohydrate and 11.5 grams of fat.

This would take a 60 kg (9st4) women 30 minutes walking at 5mph to burn off. An 80kg (12st5) man would have to walk at 3mph (moderate pace) for 53 minutes. That’s quite a lot of effort to work off a chocolate bar that typically is eaten in less than a minute!

A typical piece of cheese cake contains 520 calories, consisting of 9 grams of protein, 54 grams of carbohydrate and 31 grams of fat.

This would take a 60 kg (9st4) women 52 minutes running at 6mph(10 min/mile) to burn off. An 80kg (12st5) man would have to run at 6mph(10 min/mile) for 39 minutes.
running, 5mph (12 min/mile). Maybe sharing your piece of cheese cake with someone would be an ok strategy if you must have it?

My cardio

I do not perform lots of cardio. I go for a 30-45 minute walk outside on my rest days from weight training, listening to an audio book while doing this a great way to learn, get some fresh air and some sunlight. I also avoid using the bus or tube when I have the time or option of walking. I live on the 5th floor of my apartment block so I also always opt to use the stairs. The human body is designed to move, so use it more!

How I get in shape

What is different in my strategy is that I use adjustments in my nutrition to affect changes to my body fat levels. Loosing body fat is not only easy, its very simple to do when you have a bit of DIETRY DICIPLINE. Creating a subtle calorie deficit over a period of time to maximise retention of muscle while loosing body fat at a steady rate is the best strategy from my many years experience as a personal trainer. This strategy has worked for hundreds of my clients and it can work for you to.

So to sum it up if you want your abdominals to show more, follow these 3 steps-

-Adopt an effective programme of eating to create a subtle deficit

- Track your intake of food consistently. Most people either underestimate how much they eat or end up under eating; starving themselves. They loose weight too fast, eating away at muscle and then rebound with a slower metabolism. How many times have you yo-yoed??

-Stick to it for at least 12 weeks

Your results will always be directly proportionate to your effort!

Fitness food doesn't have to be boring

There is a widespread mistaken belief that in order to attain or maintain a lean toned physique year round that your food has to consist of the same bland, tasteless food.

This could not be further from the truth as it’s the number of nutrients contained in the food and what it adds up to which is most important, not the type of food per say. This is why you often see these crazy McDonalds, maple syrup, cabbage soup diets etc actually work for people. Yes they are certainly not optimal in regards to the nutrients you are getting and you would certainly loose muscle using one of these but they are have a common trend in that the people doing them are ingesting less calories than they are burning.

So called ‘healthy eating’ doesn’t have to be limited to chicken, rice and broccoli people!

Now for someone who is uneducated on food and its nutritional content, sticking to bland foods which can be more easily tracked might be a good idea as it will make it easier for them to hit their target intake for the day. But this is certainly not the only way.

I also believe that sticking to bland foods is only a short term strategy is not sustainable. You often see people come off diets and then indulge in all the things that they have denied themselves for so long only to put back on all the weight they lost.

The long term benefits of educating yourself on nutrient content of food groups will in the long term help you make better food choices. If the food can fit into the overall target intake for the day then there’s nothing wrong with a bit of indulgence. Consistently hitting your target nutrient intake for the day is more important.

Here is an example-

Say you fancy a bit of chocolate cake. An average slice of chocolate cake contains between 300-400 calories. If you can account for this into you overall calorie intake for the day and the rest of the days food consists of an appropriate division of protein, carbohydrate and fat then I there is nothing wrong with having the piece of cake. Err on the side of caution and estimate high when in doubt. Most nutrition information is readily available at the click of a Google search, ignorance is not an excuse.

Now obviously the flexibility will be reduced when on a calorie restriction as you have less calories to play with but there are few foods that have to be totally eliminated. Nutrition and ‘healthy eating’ like so many things in life is about balance. It’s not about living like a monk and restricting your self from all pleasures in life.

There is also having flexibility when cooking. Again use of herbs, spices and condiments shouldn’t be restricted provided they are accounted for in the overall nutrient intake for the day.

Here are some examples of the food I cook, food porn for the foodies-



Chicken liver casserole with potatoes, green beans and saukraut.



Baked coley fillets





Pepper steak with potatoes and mushrooms

Mixed berries with sweetner



Baked whole gammon joint




Homemade chocolate cake

Would you like to learn how to track your food so that you can maintain a lean, toned physique year round without having to restrict yourself from food?

I will post more examples of my cooking in future. Please email me if you have any questions

Why Protein is number one

Protein is a word of Greek origin meaning ‘of first importance’ for a good reason. Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies that are necessary for the proper functioning of the human body. They are essential in the diet of all animals for the growth and repair of tissue and have be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.

Protein is also extremely important in regards to body composition. The human body has a daily requirement of protein whether you get enough of it in your diet or not. The human body unfortunately unalike fat and carbohydrate doesn’t have much of a store for excess protein, it has to either used or burned off as energy. A diet deficient in protein will lead to your body breaking down its own body source of protein which is muscle.

Protein requirements go up when exercising or on a calorie restricted diet as your body struggles to repair tissue you damage during exercise with less resources. It will also to an extent use protein as an energy source which if not provided from the diet will come from muscle tissue. The reason we want to avoid muscle from being broken does is that muscle tissue has a strong factor on your metabolism. Basically the more of it you have, the higher your calorie requirements are.

Protein is superior to carbohydrate and fat in providing a feeling of fullness in both short and long term hunger suppression. Protein also has a high ‘thermic effect of feeing’ (TEF) which is the increment in energy expenditure above resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for storage and use.

So when planning meals, especially when trying to loose weight always consider your protein source first. If the goal is weight loss then lean sources of protein such as chicken, turkey and white fish are preferential to use. Make sure to get between 30-60 grams of protein per meal (depending on your weight). A piece of meat approximately 100 grams or 3 oz will provide you with around 25g’s of protein. If you are eye balling your portion size then this is about the size of a deck of cards. The protein requirements for someone on a calorie restricted diet can vary from 1.5g-3.3g per lb bodyweight per day depending on activity level.

Aim to eat around 3 times per day, always thinking about your protein source first. This is especially crucial during your first meal of the day which commonly consists of either cereal or toast. These breakfast selections are woefully deficient in adequate protein so accompany them with meat, eggs, quark, cottage cheese or a protein shake if you are rushed for time. Yogurt although containing a bit of protein will generally not give you enough unless you eat of a lot of it. Yogurt mixed with one to two scoops of protein and a few berries however is an excellent choice!

I know it will take some getting used to eating meat at breakfast but suck it up and stop procrastinating! Doing something different from the rest of society is what’s needed when most of society is becoming overweight!

A Clients Fantastic Results!

I thought I would share the results one of my clients as he is having such fantastic results.

Ray is 52 years old, 5'8/176cm. He didn't have any history of exercise or attending the gym. He came to me on advice of his doctor as he was quite depressed and wanted to try exercise to improve his outlook and state of mind.

Here are his measurements-

Date	28/06/2010	30/07/2010	30/08/2010	06/10/2010
Weight	12 stone/76.2kg	11.13 stone/70.6kg	11.13 stone/70.6kg	11.8 stone/73.8kg
Measurements
Chest	37 3/8"/94.2cm	37"/94cm	37 4/8"/95.2cm	37 4/8"/95cm
Waist	39 4/8"/100cm	38 4/8"/97.8cm	38"/96.5cm	35 7/8"/91cm
Calipers
Chest	-	-	11.5	11.1
Subscap	-	-	13	12.7
Lower Back	-	-	19.6	17
Tricep	-	-	13	9.5
Bicep	-	-	5.7	4.1
Abdomen	-	-	25	19.2
Supralliac	-	-	12	9
Thigh	-	-	12	10.7
Calf	-	-	11	8.8
Total	-	-	122.8	102.1
Body fat %	-	-	21.30%	16.97%
Lean body mass	-	-	122.32lbs/55.6kg	135lbs/61.8kg
Fat mass	-	-	33lbs/15kg	27.55lbs/12kg
Difference Lean	-	-	-	13.64lbs/6.2kg+
Difference Fat	-	-	-	6.6lbs/3kg -

As you can see when he started he weighed 12 stone/76.2 kilos. I didn't have my calipers at the time but I would have estimated his body fat to have been at least 25%.

In the first month of training his weight dropped from 12 stone/76.2 kilos to 11.13 stone/70.6 kilos. Again I didn't yet have calipers. His weight remained steady from July to August at 11.3 but I was not concerned as he was still visibly loosing body fat and increasing strength on his exercises. The measurements we did in August this time included the use of calipers. His body fat reading was 21.3%.

We measured again this week (October) and his body fat has now measured at 16.9%, but what is more dramatic than just his drop in body fat was his increase in muscle mass in the same period. He has lost 3 kilos in fat mass while gaining 6.2 kilo's in muscle.

I’m quite ashamed I didn't take photos from the start to track his progress as his transformation has been so dramatic. He always mentions that he can no longer fit in any of his clothes and his outlook on life has become a lot more positive and sunnier!

He is the perfect example of what results to expect when you train consistently and get your eating habits in order. Ray has been spot on with the eating plan I created for him from the start bar one KFC and this has contributed a massive part to his success. Well done and thank you Ray!