New Year, New You...

You wanna change, right?

You wanna be different this year?

Try this six-step approach to change…

1. Decide WHAT do I want to do and what is preventing me from making that change (this must be clear and specific)

2. Get leverage – Understand WHY. Vividly associate pain and discomfort with NOT changing. Create a sense of urgency. Then it becomes a matter of WILL. Will you change? Are you willing?

3. INTERRUPT the limiting pattern. Be BOLD. Best way to change is to do something unexpected. A big and bold interruption. The bigger and bolder the better. If you feel depressed become overly happy and outgoing. Stick to your guns at this point people struggle. To help vividly imagine yourself differently. Change your image of yourself. Perceive yourself differently. Thinking differently is fundamental to change.

4. Create a NEW empowering alternative. Replace it! Find a new way of being. Replace it with a new pattern. Model or hang around with people with your desired trait or who have made lasting changes.

5. PRACTICE the new pattern until its consistent. Practice, practice, practice until it becomes second nature. You need to condition yourself to become different.

6. Test or measure new pattern. Have you really changed? Does it work every time? Sitting down to review is important. If it matters that much you will.

Dax Moy Ruins Christmas (Joke!)

Today, in the backdrop of a snowy winter wonderland, along with 35 of the countries top fitness professionals, I had the distinct pleasure of spending an action packed day with Dax Moy.

The inaugural Elimination Certification Course, designed to educate the participant about the finer points of Dax’s very own Elimination Diet, was a great opportunity for like minded fit pros to listen to the big man speak and to gauge his opinion on certain aspects of nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and many other subjects (of which I will come onto in a mo).

Now, I consider myself fairly well read on this subject, having studied metabolic typing (and seen its shortfalls) and having studied a great many books on diet and nutrition, but this guy blows me away.

Within the first hour of the course we had dismissed the calorie controlled diet and got into more meaty subjects such as how the toxic nature of foods, or indeed the unique biochemistry of an individual is more relevant to a persons’ health.

Biochemical individuality is not a new subject to me, but the ease and comfort in which it was relayed was a joy to behold. This combined with his now customary lessons on endocrinology really makes his courses invaluable.

By covering issues such as cellular health and gastrointestinal issues with slides entitled ‘Bollocks’ and ‘How to get sick and die,’ Dax’s style is refreshingly simple and complex both at the same time. It is for this reason that his courses are such good value. The take home message is always clear, easy to interpret and packed full of use next day information.

Particular highlights of the day for me include the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the countries finest personal trainers, the banter between participants (I will never go in a sauna after Paul Mort!) and Dax’s characteristic grope of a participant in front of the whole class (poor Jenni!)

The reason for the title is this. The food you eat has huge implications on you health, how you look and how you feel. Dax obviously highlighted this in his no-stone-unturned-tell-a-storey approach and so the tin of miniature Heroes and the crate of Peroni I had stashed away for Christmas will not taste quite the same. I’m sure I’ll get over this :-)

In the snowy backdrop, this was a fantastic course. It was most definitely worth braving the elements and it reinforced my principle driven approach to training. Brilliant.

FIVE Tips for Staying in Shape Post-Party

So you’ve had an AWESOME night out but don’t want to turn into a fatty over the Christmas season. Here are my top FIVE tips for staying in shape post party…

1. Don’t feel guilty! You had a good night and ate and drank some things that were bad for you – don’t feel guilty! Providing you really did have a good night and take responsibility for what you eat day-to-day (meaning you try and eat healthily) it is not an issue to overindulge every once in a while. Get over it.

2. Drink lots of water. Chances are you drank a couple of drinks and your liver is under a little bit of pressure to detoxify your body. Cleanse your liver and flush out those toxins with 2-3L of water. You’ll feel much better for it.

3. Stick to protein (leftover turkey is good!), veggies and good fat today limiting sugar, caffeine and starchy carbs. You NEED to get your blood sugar back in balance or you will continue to eat badly and feel terrible. By stabilising your blood sugar you will store less fat and in the long run (maybe not immediately…) feel better.

4. Do some exercise. This, like points two and three, helps detox the body and balance blood sugar. Even if it’s just a walk - but preferably something that makes you sweat! And even if you come home and have a snooze straight after this will lessen the impact of fat storing hormones and with the burst of happy hormones will distract you from you killer hangover!

5. Get an early night. With all those horrible toxins floating around your body you will undoubtedly had an awful nights sleep (if you got to bed at all!) So make your excuses and hit the sack. Remember an hour before twelve counts for two after. Get to bed by 10 and you will feel better in the morning.

Shopaholics Anonymous

It is that time of year.

The time of year when I get dragged around the shops…

All my favourite shops have queues… **

However, one thing that fascinates me at this time of year is this.

Most women are PETRIFIED of strength training. Yet when it comes to carrying bags full of shopping they don’t seem to worry. I regularly train using heavy weights, weighing over and above my bodyweight, yet after just 30 minutes shopping I am dragging my heels and losing the will to live.

EJ on the other hand, who is normally a very girly girl, and struggles to take the bin out, can manage numerous shopping bags for hours on end with not a care in the world. Incredible.

H&M, Boots, The Body Shop, Waterstones, Debenhams, Primark, H&M (again!) …these shopping trips are relentless!

It would be easy for me at this stage to highlight the benefits of strength training for women such as improved body composition, a well-balanced physique or an injury-free lifestyle, but I wont. However, I attribute this superhuman feat of strength and stamina to one thing. MOTIVATION!

Instead I will simply say that the motivated woman (or man!!) can do anything they want. That might involve dropping two clothing sizes and having the figure they always wanted, this might involve changing the way they look or feel and having the lifestyle they always dreamed of, or in this particular example it might involve speed marching around the shops with 40kg of Primark in each hand!!

My point is this being motivated to do something is the difference between your ability to do something or not. If you have strong motivation (or indeed a goal or target) you are more likely to do it. You just have to decide what you really want.

The motivated people WILL find the time to exercise, the motivated people WILL eat healthy, and the motivated people WILL achieve their desired figure. They just make the decision.

* The picture at the top is one of my shopaholic Bootcampers Jan. She has clearly made an outstanding effort to try and empty Primark.

** My favourite shops are Nandos, Café Central & Starbucks!?

A healthy Pumpkin Cheesecake. You're welcome.

I love desserts!! This time of year can be a little tricky so try this diet friendly Pumpkin Cheesecake…

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
4-5 dates
dash of salt

Grind all ingredients in a food processor until crumbly and sticky.
Press in the bottom and sides of a pie pan.

Filling
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup greek yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 cup honey
1 T lemon juice
1 T cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix ingredients together in a food processor and pour into crust.
Bake at 350 for 50 to 55 minutes until no longer jiggly. Cool and
enjoy.

Simples.

First one to make it and bring me a piece wins!!!

Can a weakness be a strength?

I love this storey! I received this via email from a friend. A reminder that sometimes a weakness can actually be a strength…

A young boy who was born without a left arm was sent to Judo lessons by his mother in a bid to help with his confidence. So he began taking lessons with an old Japanese master.
Ever practice session the master taught the boy one throw. Just one technique over and over again.
Every so often the young boy would see the other students learning different techniques and ask the master why he wasn't learning anything else.
The master always replied - "Just focus on this one throw. Keep practicing"
Several months later, it was the state Judo championships and the old master entered the young boy.
The young boy was terrified.
The first match began and the young boy grabbed his opponent and to the shock of all the spectators - easily flipped him to the ground. Instant win!
The second round was a little harder but the one-armed boy again pulled off the technique - the only technique he knew, and won.
The third and fourth round amazingly went the same way and the young boy found himself in the tournament final facing a much bigger, stronger and tougher opponent, who had won the tournament for three straight years.
The young boy was overmatched it seemed. Te referee and the organizers of the tournament spoke to the master and asked him if he wanted to withdraw his student..
"No" said the master. "We will fight".
As the final match began the entire crowd were on the edge of their seat. The opponent stepped and grabbed the young one-armed boy and pulled him towards him. For a second it looked as if it was all over...
But then the one armed boy reached with his right hand, stepped in and BOOM - he threw his opponent flat on his back, to win the match!
The crowd went nuts - the one-armed boy was the state Judo Champion!
On the drive home, the young boy asked his teacher - "Was this a set-up? Did they just let me win because I only have one arm? I only know one technique - these guys know hundreds!"
The teacher replied "No - you won fair and square. But there are two reasons. You won because you mastered one of the most devastating techniques in Judo. And the only known way to defend against that throw is to grab the left arm!"
What appeared to be an incredible weakness - was in fact his greatest strength.