‘It isn’t gonna cut itself down, is it?’

I am fortunate to have a wife who is always right, even when she’s not.

Not only is she always right, but also she’s actually very profound (in an unusual way).

Last week she arranged with the council to have the big protected tree outside our house to be cropped. The tree surgeons turned up and managed to find the most awkward place to park outside our house. They then spent the next hour and a half looking at the tree, smoking and drinking tea.

When I arrived home they were still ‘in planning’ mode. EJ told me the storey, and then much to my delight, shouted out the window ‘It isn’t gonna cut itself down, is it?’ I couldn’t help but laugh as the guys picked up their oily chainsaw (which they had left on out garden…) and got to work.

The point of the storey is this. Whilst I agree a planned approach to what you want is best, sometimes you just need to get started or take action.

Sometimes it’s difficult to see the wood from the trees (excuse the pun), but once you have got started sometimes you get clarity.

If your goal is to get fit, lose weight or get ‘toned’ this summer, you need to know ‘it isn’t gonna cut itself down’ so to speak. If you pull your finger out and get started or take action you will more than likely find you get clarity and it’s easier than you think.

High Blood Pressure - No Problem!

I really love training Tracy. She most definitely keeps me on my toes. When she gets tired boxing sometimes she misses the pad and hits me... she insists this is an accident?! I'm not so sure...

Check out what we did to get her in great shape

Last year a routine check-up with my GP showed that my blood pressure was on the high side. With a family history of heart disease and stroke I was keen to see if I could reduce it. “Well done you” said my GP today as my results show a significant improvement. I have spent the rest of the day grinning from ear to ear. What was the key to my success? I met Steve. Steve trains a number of my work colleagues in the office gym and I bumped into him shortly after my first visit to the GP. We sat chatting for some time talking about me, my health, lifestyle and what I wanted to achieve for myself. He was positive that making a number of small changes to my lifestyle and diet would bring my blood pressure down.

So what did I do?

1. Cut the caffeine from my diet.
Coming from a family of tea-aholics I was dreading this. How would I cope without my morning cuppa. Astonishingly this was really easy to do. I tried a number of different herbal options and have settled on redbush tea without milk. I found the weirder the ingredients the worst the taste. I do have the occasional coffee but go for the decaff option when available.

2. Train weekly with Steve.
I can’t say it’s the highlight of my week. I don’t have the self motivation to repeat the torture on my own but at least I am honest with myself and Steve. Steve has a strange obsession with lunges and rollers but I am starting the see the benefits from a vanity point of view with more shapely shoulders.

3. Taken up Yoga.
Now this is the highlight of my week. A lot of lying down in a darkened room doing nothing. After a hard session with Steve on Wednesday, yoga on Thursday takes away any muscle pain.

4. Improved my diet.
I’ve always been a carb lover whereas Steve is a meat-man and suggested a similar diet. Buying lots of lovely organic meat and fish was nice at first but the bank balance started to suffer. My husband and I decided that if we had to choose between organic meat or organic veg we would put animal welfare first. I’m a believer in supporting British farmers so I will buy British ahead of organic but still buy good quality meat and veg.

I enjoy cooking so it was an excuse to go out and buy some new cook books that fitted Steve’s ethos. One of them was so good that I bought a copy for Steve for Christmas and he’s started cooking from it too.

Could I have done it on my own?

Possibly, but probably not. As a working wife and mother I am always putting others first. With Steve he puts me first. If I’m having a bad day he will cheer me up. It’s not about radical change but small tweaks that together make a big impact.

A Quick Healthy Delicious Meal

More often than not it’s the quick meals people do that get them the best results. Having a couple of meals you can cook and eat in less than 30 minutes will help get lean and stay lean. One meal EJ and I love is this simple vegetarian chilli. I used to be seriously against vegetarian stuff, but with the beans this dish provides a good amount of protein and will keep you full for a long time. My top tip is to do it with homemade guacamole. This dish is also great for a reheat the next day. Serve with quinoa.

Prep 10 mins
Cook 20 mins

Ingredients
1 can black or pinto beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced (any color)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
dash cayenne pepper (optional)
dash red pepper flakes (optional)


In a medium to large pot, sautee the onion, bell pepper and garlic in the olive oil.

Add tomatoes, vegetable broth and chili powder and stir.

Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Stir occasionally and cook for at least 20 minutes.

For a spicier chili, add extra cayenne and red pepper flakes. Makes 6 servings.

Let me know how you get on...
This recipe comes from my cookbook which is coming out in the next couple of months…

Lost 9.5 inches and 10lbs in 30 Days!

I've been meaning to post this for a while. Maithili is currently in my top 10 favourite people (alongside Charlie Sheen, Flavia from Strictly and Dr Karl Kennedy from Neighbours) and in just 30 days lost 1.5i from her bust, 2i from her abdomen, 1.5i from her waist (belly button) 2i from her hips, 2.5i from her thigh and an incredible 10lbs on the scales. Not bad considering she weighed in at just 7st 12lbs when we started. But before I get thousands of complaints from miserable frumpy women claiming 'she is an unhealthy weight,' check again... her weight falls within a healthy range. It might also be of interest to know that during this period our goal was never weight loss, she ate more than she ever usually did at this time and at no point was she hungry. I'll let her explain...

I am 32 years old, 154cm and a mother of 3. I came to Steve 6 months after having our youngest baby wanting to lose the baby weight and a bit more. I’d spoken to a few PTs but decided to go with Steve because he had some brain to go with his braun. Being a scientist at heart I always need to know why and how things work, so his inner geek appealed to me. I also liked the fact that his approach is holistic, dealing with nutrition, sleep and exercise.

I was upfront and honest with him and my terms were clear:

· My motivation is vanity. Shallow I know but at my height, every extra pound looks like 2.
· I don’t have much time, so what I do needs to count.
· I am impatient and will lose interest if I don’t see results within a couple of weeks
· I would cry if he made me run or do anything outdoorsy in anything below tropical temperatures.
· In return I would do whatever he told me to with blind faith and total commitment.

I did his 30-day detox; no carbs, caffeine, alcohol, wheat or dairy leaving me with meat, fish, veg, nuts and occasionally fruit. It wasn’t easy by any means, particularly as I do so much baking with my little girls but I can honestly say that although I craved, I was NEVER hungry.

I went to bed by 10pm on 4 or 5 out of 7 days

I trained with Steve one or twice a week and additionally attended a spinning class and an aerobics class each week.

I signed up for 12 sessions, but within 2 weeks, I saw results and within 4 I had exceeded my personal goals losing 2 to 2.5 inches for each measurement. Most importantly, Steve has transformed the way I approach eating and exercising. I am more knowledgable about what I personally should be doing and how I should be doing it. My core strength is better than I could have hoped, giving me a flat tummy without a single sit-up. I was doing this to achieve a result but I now genuinely enjoy exercising again and am energised by it.

I can now wear what I want in my wardrobe rather than limit myself to the 20% of it that was baggy enough for me not to appear bulging. It’s a real release. I feel like I have reclaimed my body, my confidence and my zest. Even my husband, (who thought there was no need for me to firm up in the first place) admits that it’s a foxier, happier wife he has on his arm these days.

Steve is cheeky, sarcastic and relentless. He will poke fun at you and laugh outrageously at his own jokes but if you can give as good as you get and truly commit, he will absolutely transform your body and you will even begin to find his jokes mildly amusing! I’ve really enjoyed the journey and wouldn’t have wanted to make it with any one else. Steve was the best investment I’ve made in myself in a very long time – thank you!

Maithili realy deserved her incredible results - Well Done!

If you want to achieve similar results give me a call today on 07786 513388 or check out www.stevekeywood.co.uk for mor details.

Four Things That Have Rocked My World This Week & A Funny Video

The title hardly rolls off the tongue but it is what it is...

1. A New Book
I try to read at least two books a month that are fitness, nutrition, personal development or business related. Finding time to read with work, training and home stuff is always a challenge – I get busy like everyone else – but like anything else if you want to do it you can find the time! However, this week I opened a book that I just cant put down. The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris is AWESOME. I’m only 100 pages in (after 1 day!) and I love it. I thought it would be more business orientated but it seems to be like life coaching without the wanky connotations.

2. Pancakes
I love Pancake Day. Earlier this week I put a great recipe for pancakes on my blog and have had some brilliant feedback. I came home to find EJ knocking up some regular pancakes, and man they were goooooooood! I went off the rails and scoffed them with lemon and sugar. I’m mental I know. But you can’t be good all the time, right? I love Pancake Day. I think it should be a Bank Holiday. What do you think?

3. Killer Swim and New PB
Monday morning I made my way to the Surrey Sports Centre to do my first swim session of the week. I’ve been making good progress in the pool and have stopped being overtaken by middle-aged women trying to keep their hair dry. With this in mind I got in the fast lane. I tailed in behind a couple of guys from Guildford City Swimming Club and instead of my usual swim set I decided to try and stick with them as best I could. I ended up working really hard and was pleased to see that I finished my 3000m swim in 50 minutes. This is a brilliant time for me bearing in mind my PB for a mile was about 28 minutes. This is just shy of 2 miles and so I’m pleased.

4. The Small Things
I’ve really started to appreciate the smaller things in life – I think it’s a sign I’m getting older! This week I’ve enjoyed the days getting longer – the bright weather puts everyone in a better mood. I’ve enjoyed seeing people get small but really significant breakthroughs in their health and fitness. Like Tracy getting a massive thumbs up from her doctor about her blood pressure, Steve (not me!) waking up without back ache and Liz kicking ass with her training program – even if she still squats like a girl!


Finally for your enjoyment check out this video of a Panda Sneezing.

Have a great weekend :-)

Some Flippin' Brilliant (Healthy) Pancakes

You've gotta love pancake day. I can't believe it's not a bank holiday. Heck, I'd swap one of the days at easter for this one. That being said, it's no excuse to eat like a horse. As Mr Motivator said 'what you eat today, you'll wear tomorrow.' (I don't agree, but it's good for a bit of banter). So check out this recipe for healthy pancakes... They're best served covered in sugar and lemon (joke).

Apple Flax Pancake (1 serving)

1 egg
1 tbsn natural yoghurt
1/4 tspn vanilla
2 Tablespoons flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1/3 apple - chopped into 1/4-inch or smaller pieces (you can also use roughly mashed bananas or blueberries)
Sprinkle of cinnamon and/or other spices as desired

Beat egg with yoghurt and vanilla until well mixed and fluffy. Add in flax meal, apple or fruit, and desired spices; stir until mixed. Let sit for 2-3 minutes while you preheat a non-stick skillet with a bit of coconut oil.

Pour batter into bottom of small skillet and cook a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Serve spread with natural peanut butter (my personal favourite), or some yoghurt and fruit together!

They're flippin' brilliant!

Can A Trainer Accelerate Results?

Sifting through the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness (as you do...), I stumbled across a piece of research that was very interesting.

The study compared a ‘supervised training program’ (for example working with a trainer) with just ‘advice’

When split into two groups, one group met with a trainer twice a week for four months (as a group) whilst the other group was given basic advice and access to a fully equipped gym and left to their own devices (unsupervised).

By the end of the study, the supervised group had lost a staggering 362% more fat on average as a group than their unsupervised counterparts. (per person the equivalent of 6.2kg compared to 1.7kg)

These results become even more interesting when you realise that neither group were given dietary advice.

These results are neither a surprise nor a new finding. My personal training clients and Bootcampers all kick serious ass under my watchful eye. However, the study does quantify to what extent this happens.

Although, for what reason cannot be sure. Is it because of the expertise of the fitness instructor involved? Was it the social support that came from working with a group? Or was it a combination of the two?

I don’t know, but one thing is for sure if you want to get super-fit or change your body shape enlisting the help of a coach, a training partner or a team appears to be scientifically proven.