This one should be blatantly obvious to most of the readers at this stage.  We all know that you can lose weight by literally eating nothing.  However, the effect it has on your health and metabolic system can be drastic.  I am a big advocate of intermittent (or controlled) fasting but completely starving yourself is a big no no.

Perform too much cardio and not enough weights

In my opinion, from a fat loss point of view, the benefits of weight training far out-weigh those of steady state cardio.  If performed correctly, weight training can place a much larger demand on your body thereby creating a state of change which usually leads to fat loss.

Pick short-term goals

I have spoken about this before on a few occasions.  In my opinion and from my experience in working with numerous clients, focusing on a short-term goal like getting in shape for your wedding or holidays etc… tends to work out fine initially, however once the event is over, the person is usually left scratching their head because they cannot seem to achieve the same results that they did initially.  The reason – the initial motivation is no longer there.  As I mentioned in last month’s blog – the key is to make working out and eating healthy a core part of your lifestyle that does not require you to have motivation to get results because in 99% of cases, motivation will eventually dissipate.

Yo-Yo dieting/exercising

Jumping from one diet to the next again is a big no no.  The same can be said for jumping from one workout regime to the next.  Firstly, with the dieting, these kinds of eating patterns send your metabolism into a frenzy that usually leads to weight gain or loss of muscle tissue.   With the exercise, I have found that when people are not getting results they tend to blame the type of exercise they are doing.  Whether this is denial of the real issues or not (usually poor nutritional habits or mind-set), who knows, but in 95% of cases exercise is never the real issue.  Sticking to an exercise regime long enough to allow it to work in conjunction to eating healthy is vital to success.

Purchase ridiculous fat loss remedies

In recent years the health market has been flooded with various remedies promising you incredible results in super super fast time.  As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true it usually is and the majority of these products are no exception.  The suppliers of these products like to prey on peoples vulnerabilities by promising them these amazing results.  Usually to make it more appealing they make the product appear very exotic – a very rare plant root from the Philippine’s etc.…

I’ve been meaning to write this blog for quite some time now and I think the start of the week is an appropriate time to do so.

So why am I writing this??

As we approach the halfway point of 2017, the hype that surrounds the start of a new year and a new you can sometimes tend to become a distant whisper.
So what are the reasons we lose this initial motivation and find it so difficult to stick with our fitness plan?

“Motivation gets you started, habit keeps you going”

What I have found over the past several year of working with clients is that we all need some reason to begin a workout program or to eat healthy.

These reasons can vary widely depending on the person;

• I want to fit into my jeans I bought 2 years ago
• My doctor gave me a wake-up call
• I am recovering from a serious illness and finally realize it is time to get my life in order
• I want to be able to feel good about myself
• I have a big event coming up that I want to get in shape for
• Holidays are only around the corner and I NEED to be in shape
• I want to be able to play with my kids without feeling so out of breadth all the time

No matter what the initial reason is, they all begin with an initial motivation.
We all need motivation to do things in our lives, and this is fine but, what I have learned is that motivation eventually fades for the majority of us.
The problem, in my opinion with using motivation solely as a tool to achieve your goals is that it is too short-term and as most of you who are reading this know, PROPER health & fitness goals are usually slow to achieve, never go in a straight line to success and never usually as we want them to go…

So what is the solution?

The solution in my opinion is that we have to make a mind-set shift and incorporate patience and persistence and focus on the long-term.  What I mean by long-term is to make regular exercise and eating healthy a part of your life, just like going to work is, or waking up in the morning is – and do not settle for anything less.
Once you make this mind-set shift you will notice that things will start falling into place very quickly, and, more importantly, very easily.

• Working out will no longer be a chore, rather something you love to do as it makes you feel good
• Prepping and planning your week food wise becomes easy and second nature
• All the old excuses you used to have disappear

I have seen many clients go through up and down periods with their fitness goals, but overall they persevered, because this way of living is part of their life now.  These are the people who inevitably ALWAYS reach their fitness goals.

So let me leave you with this thought;

Your desire or willingness to achieve your health & Fitness goals is directly related to the excuses or lack of excuses you make which in turn is directly related to the quality of habits you have…

To your health & Fitness

Ciaran

In recent times the benefits of eating a moderate to high protein diet are becoming more mainstream and understood…

• Protein keeps your metabolism running efficiently.
• Protein is the building block of our muscle tissue so is vital for muscle growth and repair.
• It helps you LOSE weight.
• Protein helps increase satiety, thereby keeping you feeling fuller for longer, thereby reducing the risk of overeating and snacking.

In the fitness industry protein seems to have become the latest buzz word in the fitness industry – why you may ask?
Well, in the last number of years there has been a big shift in people’s views on exercise and nutrition and not necessarily in a bad way either…
Women are starting to slowly venture into the weights rooms in their local gyms after realizing the benefits of strength training and how it can dramatically change their physiques, AND THEIR HEALTH.
With this new gym culture comes slogans like –

“Strong is the new skinny”
“Strength is not only for men”
“Lifting weights doesn’t make women huge, cupcakes make women huge”
“Look like a beauty, lift like a beast”

The days of long bouts of cardio, pounding the pavement or the treadmill have almost become a thing of the past.
Because of this new focus on a different kind of training, more emphasis has also been put on the protein and the importance of it in our diets.

So how much protein do we actually need?

Well, the average person will require around 0.5g of protein per pound of lean body mass.
However, people who exercise a lot (especially strength training) will require more – usually anywhere between 1-1.5g per pound of lean body mass.
So let’s take a 25 year old female who has recently started an intense weights training program.
Her overall weight is 126 lbs (9 stone) with a lean body mass of 91lbs (6 stone 7 lbs).
Her goal is to increase her lean tissue to get more lean and toned.

This would put her at the higher end for daily protein intake.
So if she started at 1g of protein per pound of lean body mass, this would put her daily protein intake at 91g.
How could she get this in through her diet??
Well, if she aimed to eat 6 small meals/day the protein could come from the following sources;

Breakfast: 3 eggs (In an omelette): 18g protein
Snack: Protein shake: 20g protein
Lunch: Tuna/mackerel (in salad format): 20g protein
Dinner: Chicken/turkey fillet (with veg): 20g protein
Snack: Protein shake: 20g protein.

Here are some signs to look out for if your current diet is low in protein (especially if you are training hard);

• Anxiety/depression (amino acids fuel the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine that prevent depression and anxiety)
• Poor injury recovery (protein fuels muscle recovery and regrowth)
• Hair Loss/Breakage (protein supports collagen production in the hair, skin, and nails)
• Inability to focus (amino acids support brain performance)
• Constant muscle pain (protein helps muscle recovery and aids in repair)
• Brittle/Breaking Nails (protein supports collagen production in the hair, skin, and nails)
• Poor muscle tone, even with exercise (protein builds and maintains lean muscle mass)
• Constantly fatigued (protein is needed for a healthy metabolism)
• Digestive issues (protein aids in digestion)

However, it is important to get balance in our diets.  I find, as humans that we can tend to go to extremes and  the food industry happily follows suit in response to our demands.
For example, fats were and are still to a large degree deemed bad and are the cause of fat gain.  Peoples response was the cut fats from their diets completely (which has its own health implications) and the food industry followed be offering numerous products that are low in fat or contain zero fat.
Then followed carbohydrates which led to gluten free and low carb products filling supermarket shelves.
You can already see with protein where things are going.  Producers are coming up with anyway they can to label their products a “high protein product”.  We now have a high protein Weetabix shake for breakfast, high protein milk, high protein mars bar…..I mean, where does it stop??

Protein is essential for health and longevity but don’t get too fixated on it as the solution to your health problems.  Yes, it plays a vital part but it is not the ANSWER all on its own, just like cutting carbs and fats isn’t either.
Learn to understand and listen to what your body needs and use the warning signs above to monitor your protein intake and adjust accordingly.

To your health & fitness
Ciaran

• But I have been really GOOD the past few days…
• I don’t have the TIME to workout and prepare healthy meals…
• Monday is the START of a new week and a new me…
• I STRUGGLE in the evenings with snacking when I get home from work…

I am here to tell you that you are by no means on your own or on the wrong path.
We live in a word of abundance (fun, entertainment, food, beverages etc…), a world that has created a faster pace of life with marketing campaigns and social media all fighting for our attention.
Inevitably, the world doesn’t want you to reach your fitness goals, whether it to lose weight and/or build muscle etc.….

Think about this for a moment

How many businesses do you think would not exist if everyone was a fitness mad??…the fast food industry would be wiped out overnight, not to mention all the so called “Quick Fix” solutions to getting in shape that prey on people’s insecurities.

I am here to tell you that not being “Perfect” is OK!!

You can still achieve your fitness goals and still live in the real world, the world where it is OK to binge every so often, to eat your favourite foods, the world where restriction and deprivation are myths.

Now let me be 100% honest with you – this does not mean that making excuses, partying every weekend, putting in minimal effort with your workouts and not taking responsibility with what you eat will suffice….
You get out what you put in…

This counts for all aspects of life (Business, Work, Relationships, Health & Fitness etc…)
I have been guilty of pushing restrictive diets and regimented work out programs on clients in the past only to realize the hard way that this does not work in the long run.
To create a healthy lifestyle, good habits have to be implemented and become part of your life, they have to become part of who you are and be as important as eating to stay alive – and let me tell you right here right now that if you are one of those people who is looking for that quick fix solution, you are on the wrong path….

99% of us are not elite athletes, bodybuilders etc… we just want to look good and feel good in who we are without completely sacrificing our lives to the cause. Let me tell you that making a structured workout program part of your life and eating a healthy but enjoyable diet will achieve this- but only if you think long term.

So here are some tips to help get you on the road to SUCCESS;

• Think long-term – quick fixes simply don’t work  because they don’t FIX the correct habits in place
• Don’t be too restrictive with your diet – life is to be lived, learn to enjoy what you eat and how it makes you feel
• Make a structured workout program part of your life – focus on getting stronger and/or improving your technique with a particular exercise in each workout.  These act as LITTLE WINS that help keep you mentally focused, especially if your goal seems so far away from being achieved right now
• Have a specific goal – to lose weight and tone up is not a goal.  How can you know where you would like to be if you cant actually see what it looks like at the end.  This step is VITAL

If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your Health & Fitness, please fill out the form below to book your free consultation.

To your Health & Fitness
Ciaran

Here are my top 5 Fitness Myths Exposed:-

Myth 1: Spot Training Helps You Burn Fat in Specific Areas

This is one I get a lot. Some people believe that focusing exercise to certain muscle groups and parts of the body can help burn fat in those areas. Unfortunately, fat loss doesn’t work that way.
For example, doing any form of core (abdominal) exercise will certainly help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles, however, it will not burn fat specific to that area.
Fat is distributed relative to the individuals unique body type, therefore, the pattern of fat gain or loss has more to do with each person’s unique body than it does with the type of aerobic exercise or spot training exercise they perform.
Does this mean that you should not perform these spot training exercise? Absolutely not.
Muscle will still tone and develop when hit with a certain stimulus from exercise. The key is to incorporate the correct type of diet for your body type in order to burn the fat around those problem areas.

Myth 2: Eating Carbs Makes You Fat

The latest thing in the fitness world is that fat no longer makes ‘Fat’, CARBS do.
This is complete nonsense to a certain degree.
Here are the reasons why in my opinion –
Some people are more fat dominant than others. What I mean by this is that they utilize fat more efficiently than carbs as an energy source
On the other hand, some people are more carb dominant than others.
The problem arises when an excess of carbs, primarily the wrong carbs are consumed by someone who is fat dominant and vice versa.
Also, if an individual consumes a lot of fat and carbs in their diet, naturally they are going to put on weight.
For carbs to make one fat, they would need to work in concert with a poor diet and lack of exercise which makes those latter two more readily blamed.

Myth 3: Eating Fatty Food Makes You Fat

Even though it may seem obvious that eating fat makes you fat, this is not necessarily true. Fat in moderation is a necessary part of any healthy and balanced diet. Fats are essential for cellular function.
Putting on more weight in the form of fat is a result of energy imbalance. In other words, too many calories in relative to calories required. You will gain weight if you take in more calories than you burn. Fat is a concentrated source of calories, but it is not necessary to eliminate fat from your diet completely.
Fat can make you fat, but so can carbohydrates and (to a much lesser degree) protein; it just matters that you over-consume the source of calories. Granted some fats are seen as ‘better’ than others (such as coconut oil and fish oil relative to trans fats) which accounts for some variability in weight gain, but weight gain will occur when ‘excess’ is consumed (whatever that may be to your body).
So fat won’t make you fat, unless you eat too much of it.

Myth 4: The Scale Is a Good Way to Help You Manage Your Fat Loss Progress

When you diet and exercise, you want SOME proof that your efforts actually matter. Traditionally, we’ve stepped on the scale to see our weight decrease and considered that progress. For a variety of reasons, your weight will mislead you. You’re made of a lot more than just fat—water especially—so losing a pound can mean progress or it can mean nothing at all.
Using the scale is not the best way to track the progress of a healthy diet and exercise. The scale treats both fat and muscle the same way – a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle. If you’re strengthening your muscles during your exercise regimen, you might actually see a small amount of weight gain rather than weight loss, which is not a bad thing. A better way to track the progress of diet and exercise is to monitor how you feel and how you look.

Myth 5: Muscle can be turned to fat

Think about how ridiculous this statement is! There is no biological pathway for muscle to “turn into fat”. Like all myths, this one has a grain of truth. If you stop working out you lose strength and muscle mass, no mystery here. Exercise uses calories, if you stop working out and don’t decrease your food intake then you get fat. Put those two facts together and you see why this myth got started.

If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your Health & Fitness, please fill out the form below to book your free consultation.

To your Health & Fitness
Ciaran

Our Fitness Centre is for like-minded people who don’t want to workout in a traditional gym.This program is for the average go-er, steady guidance to help them finally get the health and fitness results they deserve.

Have you ever felt a little out of place in a gym?

Perhaps you’ve felt a little unsure of what is the best form of exercise to build lean muscle while burning serious fat at the same time? Maybe you’re unsure of what foods you should eat to get these results as quickly and effectively as possible?

Ciaran, owner of 360Fitness.ie is a specialist Transformation Coach and has decided to unleash a program specifically for women and men who want to burn serious body fat and build lean tissue and FINALLY get in the best shape of their lives.

If you’re ready for a HUGE change, the guidance, help and support needed to get on track and are finally ready to get real help, then this could be for you…

This is a 16 Week RESULTS driven programme which consists of:

• 4 x Sessions per week that are done in 4 week blocks, so after each 4 weeks things are changed up to help accelerate results. These sessions include strength training days and HIIT days for a complete body and fitness overhaul.
• A step by step Nutrition Basics Programme – Often diets are made too complex, we’re going to give you JUST what you need to get started and on your journey, without starving you, giving you shakes OR having you go cold turkey
• Weekly assessments with your coach
• Guidance, Support and Accountability

You’ll become part of a like-minded team of people who are driven for common goals.The programme usually costs €640, but we have a SPECIAL OFFER for the first ten people who book get this for €599. Book here today!

Applications close soon so apply now!

However, either way, the big question is, is it as beneficial as the majority of us think or has it become an addiction for many of us in recent years?

Firstly, lets look at what (in my opinion) counts as effective exercise?

To really understand PROPER exercise requirements for a strong and healthy body we firstly need to firstly look at what I call ‘The PH of Exercise’

We are all familiar with the PH scale for foods – what is acidic or harmful to the body and what is alkaline or good for the body. On the same scale, not all exercise is necessarily good for the human body and it is important to get a fine balance or remain neutral.

So what do we need for this?

In my opinion, a healthy (Not excessive) mix of strength, high intensity bursts, explosive speed and mobility. SIMPLE.

We are all familiar with the phrase ‘fight or flight’. As humans we are designed to hunt, gather, fight and/or sprint out of danger, plain and simple.

In the words of Mark Sisson author of The Primal Blue Print;

“lift heavy things and sprint once in a while”

If you look at most fitness fads now, they are all designed on these basic principles.

• Crossfit is basically a strength and high intensity endurance programme that is smartly married with a community/family feel.
• Circuit classes and bootcamps:- a mix of short duration strength training and high intensity endurance training.
• Zoo:- a mix of flexibility, mobility, bodyweight strength and high intensity endurance that mimics animal movements.
• Kettlebells:- strength and short term endurance.
• And so on…..

Is there much difference between these fitness programs? The simple answer is no, they all follow the same basic principles and that is why, if followed consistently they will all work.

So, back to my original question, is exercise as beneficial as the majority of us think or has it become an addiction for many of us in recent years?

For many of us we have this dying belief with exercise that the more we push ourselves, the more we endure, the more we suffer, the better it is for us while for others, exercise will always remain an uncomfortable necessity.

Certain forms of exercise have nearly become an addiction, the modern day COCAINE or HEROIN. People seem to get a great release from doing them but they may undoubtedly be playing havoc on their health. For others, it has become a daily battle of trying to motivate ourselves to do something that has been genetically built into us, however, the world always seems to get in the way – too much temptation, too much comfort, too many food supplements, pills, and diets offering quick results, too many EXCUSES… In other words, the NECESSITY TO SURVIVE is no longer the motivating factor.

We have become more domesticated and comfortable in our lives, and in turn have completely forgotten the basic principles of exercise and what is beneficial to the body.

What I mean by this is, firstly, why do we even need to give it a label, i.e. Exercise, as if it is something alien or foreign, not something that has been built into our DNA from day dot to help us survive and thrive?

Simply put, we all have our own Health & Fitness demons that we need to conquer.

So, on a final note – Let’s try not to change what we were genetically designed to do. Exercise does not need to be a chore or a painful experience. Once you understand the basic principles of what works best for the human body it can become exciting as you feel yourself getting stronger, fitter, more lean and all this does not require hours and hours pounding the road or in the gym.

If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your Health & Fitness, please fill out the form below to book your free consultation.

To your Health & Fitness
Ciaran

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I really do hope you get some value from it, whether it’s to educate you on effective exercises to target your abdominal region or put you in the right mind-frame to get a flat and toned tummy for once and for all.

Some of what you may read here may be against what you have been told over and over again in fitness magazines, social media and other marketing portals but I urge you to read through it thoroughly and with an open mind.

Before we get into any exercises, I think it is important to get a grasp of what your abdominals and core region actually do and why certain popular ab exercises do not target it effectively. Let’s face it, out of all muscle groups, the abs are probably the one area that people are most conscious of and want to have looking well. Nobody wants a flabby tummy region right??

The Core

The core is made up of a number of different muscle groups including the abdominal muscles (rectus abdominals and oblique’s), pelvic floor and the lower back muscles.

Your core has a number of functions;

1. Stability

Your core region helps stabilize the body during most movements including running, sprinting, squats, deadlifts etc… This is a vital function of the core muscles.

One big flaw I see with core exercises is that people try to target it with flexion and/or extension exercises like crunches. If you think of your core as a powerhouse for generating force you will begin to understand how little you are activating these muscles with these types of exercises.

Think of your core region like a balloon. As you push air into a balloon it expands, stretching the material and making it more firm. Your core acts in pretty much the same way. Once you tighten your core region it creates an area of strength and stability. The problem with flexion exercises like the abdominal crunch and sit-ups is that they are not generating this contractual force that really activates the core region. The core region is designed for stability, not flexion. Now, this does not mean that you cannot flex at your abdominal region, we all know you can, but it is not the most effective way to target these muscles. We probably generate ten times more abdominal force performing stability exercises rather than contemporary flexion/extension exercises.

2. Protection

Our core region is designed to protect the spine and internal organs. This would be very difficult without a strong stable core. Without good motor control (engaging the core effectively at the right time) this region can be left very vulnerable and prone to injury. We are all aware of how to lift properly right?? Get down low, use the legs and hips whilst keeping the back straight. But if we are not engaging our core at the same time we are putting our lower back in a very weak position.

So let’s get onto the good stuff…

To make it into my top 5, all the exercises I have chosen are based around strength and stability of the core region, rather than flexion.

So without further adieu, here are my top 5…..

Number 5: The Plank Hold or Prone Bridge 

Method

1. The starting position for the prone bridge is similar to the push-up, except the elbows are bent and the forearms are flat on the floor.
2. The palms can either rest on the floor or they can be together with the fingers interlaced.
3. Next, use your elbows and toes to hold the body up off the floor.
4. Once in position, push the chest up and rotate the hips forward to properly engage the abdominal muscles. Tense the abdominal muscles.
5. A good hold would be anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds.

Progression

1. Step the elbows out in front, thereby increasing the distance between the elbows and toes.
2. Take one foot off the floor.
3. Perform from an exercise ball.
4. Place a light weigh on your upper back.

Number 4: Pallof Press

Method

1. This exercise can be performed using a power band or cable machine with a single-grip handle.
2. For the cable machine, position the cable to either shoulder height or at its lowest setting.
3. Grab the handle or power band with both hands and step away from the tower until you can feel tension in the cable or band.
4. With your feet positioned hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, hold the cable to the middle of your chest. This will be your starting position.
5. Press the cable away from your chest, fully extending both arms. You core should be tight and engaged.
6. Hold the repetition for several seconds before returning to the starting position.
7. At the conclusion of the set, repeat facing the other direction.

Progression

1. Step further away, thereby adding more tension to the band.
2. Progress to a stronger band.
3. Put feet together, thereby reducing stabilization with the feet and putting more emphasis on the abdominals.
4. Hold for longer at the fully extended position.

Number 3: Rollouts

This exercise is definitely a step up from the plank hold and should only be introduced once a good level of core stability and strength has been developed.

Method

1. Hold the Ab Roller with both hands and kneel on the floor.
2. Position the ab roller of front of your body while keeping your arms straight. This will be your starting position.
3. Slowly roll the ab roller straight forward, letting the arms lead and the hips follow so that everything is moving in sync. Tip: Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. Breathe in during this portion of the movement.
4. After a pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out through the mouth. Tighten or tense your abdominal muscles throughout the full range of motion.
5. This exercise is not advised for people with lower back problems or hernias.

Progression

1. Move the ab roller to the sides in a diagonal fashion as opposed to straight forward, thereby activating the oblique’s more.
2. Perform with a weighted Olympic bar. The more weight on the bar, the tougher it will be to get back in, thereby activating the abdominal muscles more.
3. Place a light weigh on your upper back.

Number 2: Deadlifts

Another unconventional core exercise but definitely in my top 5. In my opinion, this is the king of exercises, not just to target your core but as a complete body workout.

A deadlift is what it says, plain and simple, a DEAD LIFT from the floor.

1. Walk to the bar. Stand with your mid-foot under the bar. Don’t touch it with your shins yet.
2. Grab the bar about shoulder-width apart.
3. Arms vertical from the front-view, hanging just outside your legs.
4. Bend your knees. Keep going until your shins touch the bar. Don’t move the bar. Keep it over your mid-foot.
5. Lift your chest and straighten your back while taking the slack (play) out of the bar.
6. Take a deep breath in, tense your core and lift smoothly through the hips.
7. Don’t shrug or lean back at the top. You’ve finished your Deadlift when you’ve locked your hip and knees.
8. Return the weight to the floor by pushing your hips back first.
9. Don’t bounce the weight off the floor, pull each rep from a dead stop.

Number 1: Chin Ups

Yes, you read it right, chip-ups. This, in my opinion is one of the best core exercises you can do, FACT. The amount of contractual pressure generated by your core while performing chin-ups is difficult to match, but one thing is for sure, abdominal crunches and sit-ups don’t come anywhere close.

Method

1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso.
2. Keep your grip approximately shoulder width apart.
3. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out.

Adaptation

1. Place one foot in a power band. The purpose of the band is to help lift you up by taking some of your weight.
2. Begin with a lat pulldown machine and gradually progress to assisted chin-ups with a power band.

Progression

1. Use a dips belt to add more weight.

If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your Health & Fitness, please fill out the form below to book your free consultation.

To your Health & Fitness
Ciaran

Correct Mindset

Believe it or not, not having the correct mind-set can and will severely affect your weight loss efforts.

I have met a lot of people who,

1. Look for quick results,

2. Give 40-50% effort with their training and nutrition and are usually the first to point the finger when the scales does not budge.

So what is the overall problem here?

They do not want the results they seek badly enough.
Also, these people tend to focus on the negatives:

• I am not losing weight, I cannot exercise 4 times/week.
• I cannot commit to changing my eating habits 100%.
• I don’t have the time to live a healthy lifestyle.

 

We all know people like this who skip from one fad fitness regime to the next year after year and never quite seem to reach their fitness goals. Having said that, there are some people who will really put in the effort with diet and exercise but tend to beat themselves up a lot of the time (I should of lifted more, I shouldn’t of eaten that cake and now I will not lose weight this week), thereby jeopardizing their results. Attaining your health and fitness goals is about focusing on the long-term success by taking daily steps towards it, without constantly beating yourself up – yes, you will have good days and bad days, yes you will pig out every so often, yes you will miss exercise sessions, but once your mind is focused on the end goal/s with a burning desire, you will inevitably achieve success.

Let me give you an example of what having the correct mind-set looks like-

Conor McGregor

Now before I start, I would like to point out that I do not call myself a McGregor fan by any means. However, one thing I do admire about this guy is his burning desire for success in his preferred discipline. This guy created a vision and dream in his head of becoming a UFC world champion. He eat, breath and slept this dream over and over until it became a raging furnace inside him, and he believed 100% that he would achieve it in spite of all the doubters and haters who tried to side track him and put him off his goal (now I agree, I don’t think his mouth helped here).

He focused his mind on success. He probably visualized each and every fight before it happened, went through the moves and visualized the outcome so much so that it became a certainty that this would be the way it would enfold. All in all he had the correct mind-set.

Consistency & Persistence

Really these are just sub-pillars of having a correct mind-set. Without the correct mind-set you will not have the consistency and persistence to keep going when things get tough, when results are not coming as quickly as you would like, when daily life gets in the way.

Accountability

Having someone to report to is a vital part of the weight-loss puzzle. In my own business I have seen this time and time again.

My small group and personal training clients tend to be a very consistent with their training regimes. One of the reasons for this is they know if they miss a session there is someone there to pull them up and question them compared to a commercial gym model where people are usually left to their own devices.

It is not an easy thing to do on your own and having a coach or someone else there to motivate and push you on can be the deciding factor between success and failure in the weight-loss game.

Exercise & Nutrition

Probably the least two important of the six pillars as without the others, these two would be of little value.

The most important fundamentals with nutrition and exercise are that you are eating and exercising according to your fitness goal/s and body type.

Eating refined carbohydrates every day is not going to help you lose those extra pounds but probably have the opposite effect, just like running 20 kilometres 4/5 times a week will not tone up those problem areas.
Understanding your body type is key.
Whether you’re an ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph or fat or carb dominant, knowing these will make a huge difference in your weight-loss goals.

If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your Health & Fitness, please fill out the form below to book your free consultation.

To your Health & Fitness
Ciaran