5 Simple Steps To Fat Loss

Lets not overcomplicate this….

1. Reduce the amount you eat – whilst I don’t advocate counting calories we are all a little bit greedy, right? Start by reducing the amount you eat gradually by putting less on your plate.

2. Support your muscles by eating more lean protein – choose good quality sources of lean meat, chicken and fish. This will speed up your metabolism, help you feel full and provide you with amino acids.

3. Gradually reduce starchy and sugary carbohydrates – these foods are typically energy dense and nutrient poor meaning they are high in calories and low in vitamins and minerals. Sugars and starches can play havoc with your hormones too.

4. Be healthy – eat more vegetables – try replacing some of the sugars and starches with vegetables. This will give you an abundance of fibre, vitamins and minerals.

5. Support your metabolism – replace bad fats with good ones – include more extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and fish oil.

So, there you have it – five simple steps to fat loss. Eat a little less, eat a little more protein, swap the sugars and starches for veggies and replace bad fats with good ones.

Don’t Waste Your Time! The Effects of Abdominal Training on Abdominal Fat

You want to get rid of the wobbly bits around your middle?

Don’t bother doing sit-ups.

Over the last year or two I have done my very best to discredit the use of stomach crunches for developing muscle tone for the simple reason they don’t really work, and research in last months Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research appears to support my claims.

When tested in a six –week program in which participants performed seven different exercises (bent-knee sit-up, lateral trunk flexion, leg lifts, oblique crunch, stability ball crunch, stability ball twist and abdominal crunch) twice over for ten repetions five days a week the participants experienced no reduction in body weight, body fat, abdominal fat or waist circumference.

Oh dear.

So what’s the storey?!

If you are looking for the most bang for your buck (or in normal terms to make best use of your time) you would be better off following a higher-intensity multi-joint program that includes squats, lunges, press ups, etc.

Doing sit-ups, although they may feel like they are hard work, DO NOT require huge energy demands by the body. Therefore will not burn much fat.

On the other hand, big multi-joint exercises done at an appropriate tempo DO. Not only will you burn fat BUT if you engage your muscles correctly you can activate those muscles in your abdomen, lose inches, and develop a much more balanced healthy physique.

…and lets be honest if your abdomen is covered in a layer of body fat nobodies going to see it anyway!

I’m not saying don’t do sit ups again. The research suggests that those participants who followed the six-week program significantly improved strength in their abdomen. However, for most of my clients this has never really been a goal.

If you want a slim and toned middle you would be better off finishing your session with ten or fifteen thirty-metre sprints with 20sec recovery. Doing this will get you seriously hot and bothered and burning calories for the next 36hrs.


If you want to find out more read the research yourself… Vispute, S., Smith, J., LeChiminant, J., Hurley, K. (2011). The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

What's Your Excuse?

reason noun (explanation) the cause of an event or situation or something which provides an excuse or explanation.

excuse noun 1. a reason you give to explain why you did something wrong. 2. a false reason you give you give to explain why you do something.

Knowing the difference between a reason and an excuse can make a HUGE difference to your weight loss, fat loss and fitness goals…

Perhaps the major difference between the two is accountability

You shouldn’t feel bad about this. If your goals are genuine you will not find this a problem. However, if you are not focused and dedicated towards your goal that’s when excuses might slip in.

Fundamental to this is taking responsibility. By taking responsibility and NOT offloading it onto other people is important. It’s all too easy to blame your children, the traffic, lack of time an unsupportive spouse or even weather.

Take responsibility, be accountable and know the difference between a reason and an excuse and you will soon find you achieve your fat loss and fitness goals.

If you need an extra push check out this.