"I NEED to go to the gym" - Speed bumps Vs Hurdles

A healthy lifestyle and effective training and nutrition routines can  be heavily influenced by your perception of problems that may arise and your approach to conquering them.

Picture these two scenarios and how different people react depending on whether or not they see "hurdles" or "speed humps" in front of them.

 Scenario A: You usually finish work at 5.30pm and go to the gym before you go home. Today you finish at 6.30pm. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I'll give the gym a miss today otherwise I won't get home until late!"

SPEEDHUMP?  "Well I don't want to get home late... so I'll go to the gym and do a quick circuit rather than my usual workout."

Scenario B: You usually train on a Thursday after work. You're obliged to go to dinner after work as a colleague is leaving. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I can't go to the gym Thursday as I'm out and I'll also be too hung over Friday to go in the morning."

SPEEDHUMP? "I'm going to have to get up early and go to the gym before work on Thursday morning. I'll probably drink on Thursday evening so I'd better make sure my food is flawless this week."

So whats's the difference? It's two-fold:

1) Some foresight:

Inevitably "things crop up". So, in order to have a successful routine with your food and training it's essential to look ahead each week, understand where changes are necessary to your standard routine and makes the necessary amendments in order to stay on track and compensate for unavoidable deviations. Create a calorie deficit if necessary when you realise that heavy eating and/or drinking is on your schedule. Train at alternative times when you know your usual sessions aren't all possible this week. Without this forward planning things will always "pop up" and there will be opportunity after opportunity to fall away from your original plans for training and nutrition.

2) Language you use with yourself:

Another important thing to utilise is the language you choose to use with yourself. Be positive and be assertive. If you say "I should..." do something, this already suggests that you're unlikely to do it. For instance "I should go to the gym in the morning before work as I'm out in the evening." Part of you is already planning on not going. Instead try: "I need to go to the gym in the morning...." or "I can't eat badly this week as I'm drinking on Thursday" or "I have to do an extra session this weekend."

There needs to be a level of certainty and positivity in your own affirmations. Make your plans and statements absolute.

So each week make sure that you A) Look ahead and understand your week. Then, make sure you see speed humps, NOT hurdles. Then, where changes are necessary make an amended concrete plan that's air-tight and non-negotiable.

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube.

The Power of Habits

I have a saying that I use with some people:

"Most of what we do in life is a habit."

That's to say that the majority of people (not all) are in the career they're in, not because they actively chose it but because they've ended up there, they eat the food they eat because "it's just what I eat" and heck, some people are with their life partners because they seemed to "end up with them." They're living by their habits.

High aspirations, I think not...

If you repeat something often enough it becomes a habit rather than a conscious thought.

I saw a quote recently:
"Nobody ever wrote a plan to be broke, fat, lazy or stupid..."

And that's exactly my point. Much of the life we posses has come to us not by proactive mapping of our life, aspiring to various milestones along the way and moving along stepping stones towards an end goal. instead, they have come as a result of our habits; habits that we haven't intentionally chosen with an end goal in mind. But what if we looked at these habits and made a conscious effort to amend them in order to impact our future selves?..

By proactively choosing your desired outcome, you can put in place some conscious actions which eventually, become your habit.

It was Aristotle who said:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

Start with something obvious - your physique. Do you look exactly how you want to look?

You look the way you look not by accident or chance, but because of your choices, lifestyle and habits.

If you can actively change your mindset, alter your actions I guarantee your body will follow. Here's what I mean....

THE POWER OF 21
It's said that in order to form a habit, you need to do something 21-28 times consecutively (depending on who you ask). The key part here is consecutively. Too many people try to alter their eating habits and weekend one comes around and shock horror they've picked up on the term "cheat meal" / "treat meal" and they're knocking back McDonalds like it's about to go out of business. At this stage you cannot have a cheat meal - you do not have the habit of healthy eating yet. Therefore, this isn't a "cheat meal" - it's simply your normal habits rearing their unwelcome face again.

PLAN OF ACTION
If your current diet is your issue set that as your 21 days to focus on it. Some people may call it a "detox" but I look at it from a different point of view. Don't do it with the intention of detoxifying your body (as if that's just a 3 week process), do it with the intention of switching your mindest and, as a result, your bodies setting to healthier habits.

ABSTINENCE MAKES THE HABIT GROW STRONGER
For 21 days, allow yourself no treats, no alcohol, no sweats, nothing that you probably describe as "exciting" or "fun". You're not a dog - get your excitement elsewhere - not from food. "But it's boring not drinking"... I tell you what is boring: trying on clothes and nothing fits properly, being in a group of friends and feeling conscious of the way you look, feeling uncomfortable every time you might need to reveal certain body parts in front of people, looking at yourself in the mirror and not liking what you see - THAT'S boring!

WHAT TO EXPECT
Week 1 - Immediately you will have the "forbidden fruit" feelings. Just because you've consciously said, "I can't have it", you want it even more. This is natural and will only last a couple of day. Change your mental approach and rather than say "I want it and can't have it."
Say: "I CAN have it... but I choose not to."
Week 2 - Now you ACTUALLY want it. Week 2 is the tipping point. Most people can make it here fairly comfortably; it's those that strive to conquer week 3 that actually change their habits with any longevity.
Week 3 - Defeat week 3 and you're there. You should really start to notice a change in what your body is saying to you. For instance, if you've managed to swap your daily bowl of (not so) Special K for 21 breakfasts of eggs and turkey then your desire for the old breakfast should have depleted. You probably aren't craving alcohol by now and, you might EVEN be considering adding on week 4... GO FOR IT! The longer you can abstain during your habit building phase the better!

SUSTAINABILITY
Don't worry - this isn't forever.  But... It's not a short-term fix; it's an intensive period designed to adjust your bodies cravings by adjusting your thoughts and actions. This should allow you to take better control of your eating habits and build an awareness of your habits and eating cravings or desires. You may even choose to re-visit this technique later in the year if for some reason you've fallen back into old habits (often after Christmas, a stag/hen do, a holiday or even a festival).

This isn't designed to be sustainable for the rest of your life. You are going far beyond what you would do on a daily basis. For these 3-4 weeks you might even live what you consider to be an unsustainable lifestyle. That's fine - it's just a few weeks!

If you DO manage to make significant changes to your habits then that's great. You can now move on and apply the same method to other less desirable habits. For instance:

- How often you visit the gym
- Drinking habits
- Smoking
- Sleep patterns
- Attitude and positivity
- Confidence through self affirmation

The possibilities are endless! Go forth and explore the power of 21!!!

Here E.T / Eric Thomas aka: "The Hip Hop Preacher" talks more about "The Power of 21"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBtz7TUwkdA

UFC Commentator and all round spiritual guy, Joe Rogan puts it slightly differently (including some rude words) but take note, particularly his points on the benefits of exercise and his final point "The brain is the general, the troops are the body..." Spare 4 minutes and watch this
http://educateinspirechange.org/health/need-motivation-exercise-get-shape-listen-joe-rogan/

Don't forget, you can follow me on www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT and www.youTube.com/user/BigMikePT

WARNING: The dangers of skipping

With the weather being as it is - typical January, and the inevitable winter blues setting in, you won't be the first person to consider skipping an exercise session. DON'T! It's a really bad habit!

Easier said than done right?.. Here's a few suggestions of things that you can do to help you make your sessions and not wake up wondering where January went...

Train with someone...
If you can make arrangements to train with someone while the weather is tough you're likely to encourage/blackmail one another to show up for a session. Try and pick someone pretty motivated though!..

Pack it up...
Pack up your kit the night before. If it's staring at you in the morning you'll go to the gym then. If you train after work and it's sat on the passenger seat of the car staring at you, you're far more likely to head to the gym rather than straight home.

Don't sit down!..
If you go home to change after work, don't sit down! It's THE worst thing to do! Even if it's "just for 5 minutes" it will significantly lower the chances of you exercising. If you REALLY want to force yourself to avoid the sofa, leave your kit out in your hallway and get changed there.

Change something...
Exercising CAN be boring... when you do it wrong! Change your usual routine, spice it up, change the exercises, environment, tempo or style. If you're stuck for an idea, either try any of these workouts... OR, buy a reputable magazine such as "Muscle and Fitness" and take on their most recent challenge or programme. It will give you a renewed focus and reason for going to the gym.

Team up...
Join a team of some sorts. You're much more likely to turn up for training if you feel there might be repercussions, such as letting others down or not being selected for your new team next time around.

Pen it...
Write yourself a schedule at the start of the week and stick to it. Don't write "Gym 3 times a week". Instead you need to know what days, what time and what you plan on doing in each session down to the very last repetition. Have this done before the week starts and then you have something to work towards.

Get purpose...
Train for a reason. if it's the new team (as above) or an event such as a marathon, your next holiday, a wedding or whatever it may be. Training with a set date and target in mind is likely to spur you on to not miss sessions through fear of failure.

Pay for it...
Not many people like wasting money. So make sure you don't by putting money on your sessions. Either pay a personal trainer for a few sessions to get you through the winter months. Make appointments with them and then you're obliged to show up. Doing this you'll also get a bit more variety and hopefully learn a few bits. Or, make a bet with yourself a the start of the week. If you don't do your planned sessions then you'll pay for...something! Dinner for someone, money to charity, for your friend or partner to get their car washed. Whatever it is, a little something like this may be what you need to encourage you to make an exercise session when you're not 100% keen.

Class...
Take a class. This can help for a few reasons. A) You usually need to book so you will feel as if you have a more concrete appointment and are obliged to show up B) When the last thing you want to do is think about what to do in the gym, the instructor will take care of this for you C)It's cold, miserable and dark and you want to go home. Luckily for you the class is probably no more than an hour, if that. Get in, get out, and go and snuggle up in some warm clothes at home - Perfect!

Take it outside...
This might be the complete OPPOSITE of what you had in mind, given the weather. But, it's not THAT cold! Put a hat on and a coat on and get outside. There is no greater feeling than returning home after a worthwhile and tough training session outside. fresh air, the elements, sweat and muscle pain - what a perfect combination!

And if all else fails...
I would advise you to get some of these tracks from the linke below on your music system of choice and get yourself so royally "pumped up" that you need to vent this new lease of energy at the gym rather than your home. Or, just click this link and think of some other motivating music to accompany your workout and pre gym "Should I? Shouldn't I?" thoughts to help you over this rut.
Music: click here...Don't forget to follow me on Twitter and subscribe to my YouTube channel

New Year's Resolutions... oh yeah!!!

As the end of March nears, days become longer and evenings become lighter, the Christmas season seems a long, LONG time ago.

Perhaps the fact that we can't even remember the previous Christmas season shows how easily people can forget their New Year's resolutions.

According to research (Some research, some more research, and one more bit) losing weight is the number one resolution for 2011 in the UK.

In January the gym where I work was HEAVING! So much so, that at peak time it could resemble sale season in the high street stores, with people constantly moving around one another and often losing out on what they wanted because someone else got there first.

So 3 months on, whats changed? The gym is still busy but not to the same degree. The majority of the January do-gooders have all fallen off the fitness wagon and back to their old ways. But why?...

Here are a few tips for anyone who has veered off from their plan for 2011, anyone who is starting to flag a bit, or perhaps anyone who feels they need to be put back on the gym track...

Plan your time...
If you make a schedule which includes your workouts then they're far more likely to happen. Don't just say "I'll go the gym 3 times this week". Be more exact, "I'll go to the gym on Monday, Spinning on Tuesday and swimming on Thursday." Then when other things come up you're much more likely to schedule them around your exercise schedule. Remember, "fitness" is your new priority!

Pen and paper...
Write it down!! All of it. Write down your goals, your motivation, the reason you started training and above all write down the times and days that you're planning on going to the gym and what you'll do when you get there. Don't just rock up and do a bit of everything. leave nothing to chance.

With the same pen and paper...
Keep track of what you've achieved. It can be easy to feel that you haven't got anywhere, but if you keep a track of your own measurements, weights you use and, level of activity and times that you complete cardio in then you'll be able to look back a few months at a time and see how you've progressed and improved.

Train with a purpose...
If you feel "what's the point?" Get a point! Why not find an event that interests you such as a charity run? Or join a sports team? Or even book a holiday with a goal of feeling good on the beach. If you have this as your motivation and it's something that sticks in your mind during your time at the gym then you're much more likely to attend the gym and work hard when you're there.

Get it out of the way...
If you find the concept of going in to the gym daunting and it can play on your mind, or if you're at work thinking "I really should go to the gym tonight" but never do, then go first thing in the morning. Yes, you'll need to get up early, and yes, you might need to get to bed a little earlier but it's a great way to just get it done. If you REALLY try, it's usually doable, not easy but doable. Think about it, then you can stay at work as long as you need to, you've got your exercise out of the way and ticked off for the day and you've kick started your metabolism! Why not workout early?.. After all, you've missed the dark mornings in January now! :-)

Set yourself a time frame for success...
If you're just going to the gym indefinitely then you're bound to become demotivated as you won't be achieving anything. Set yourself a long-term goal with milestones along the way which you can gauge your success against. Set "SMART goals" (see "Be inspired - set yourself goals and train for a reason") so that you can see that your work at the gym has a reason and is helping you to be what you want to be. 

Bring a friend...
If you have a training partner, as long as they're the right person for you (see "Training Partner Chemistry") then they're likely to make you feel pressured to get to the gym on those days when you don't really fancy it. They can also push you while you're there, help you lift more, work more and move faster than ever before.

Put money on it...
People don't like wasting money, and in many gyms there are arrangements where members are rewarded for frequent use. In the U.S there are gyms that reduce your membership the more you use the gym, while sites like this: http://www.stickk.com/ let you set yourself goals that, if you fail, will cost you money. In short, figure out a way to put money on yourself, make a bet with a friend to reach a goal, lift a weight, run a distance or lose body mass percentage and aim to win. Bring out the competitor in you!

Commit to get fit...
If you think you could or you have already packed in the gym within a short time why not commit to a longer term arrangement? Sign up for a year's membership or sign up with a personal trainer. You've committed the money to it and you'll notice that you'll start to commit your time to it. Personal training and classes can also be a good commitment which mean that once you have an appointment then you're more obliged to show up at the gym and less likely to have an "I'll go tomorrow" moment.

Remember... 
Whatever happens in the human body is a science. It's simple, when it comes to the gym no one can lift a single weight for you, run a step for you or eat a meal for you BUT, you get out EXACTLY what you put in. If you work hard and eat right you won't be disappointed.

www.Twitter.com/MichaelD_PT
www.YouTube.com/User/BigMikePT

"What's the point of personal training?.."

I often explain to people that having a job such as a personal trainer can be difficult. You don't have any tangible products as such to sell; instead your offering a concept, your time and a new way of life.

The customer pays their hard earned money and doesn't receive a nice piece of clothing or electrical goods; more often than not after that first transaction, they get nothing!

Once that barrier is crossed, there are still some people who aren't quite sure what it's all about.

So...

"What's the point of personal training?.."

Well, there's no one-size-fits-all answer; just like the training, it's personal. Here are just a few of the things that working with a personal trainer can offer:

KNOWLEDGE...
Despite what you may think from visiting some of your gyms, you can't just be a personal trainer without some study. Sure, some trainers are better than others, and some are very average to say the least. But they have one thing in common - knowledge.

I'm forever telling people that when I first joined a gym, I probably wasted 2 years of training incorrectly. I did a bit of this, some of that, some of what I read somewhere, some of what my friends were doing and tried to copy big guys in the gym.

You wouldn't buy a car and "just figure it out" without having lessons. So why join a gym with no experience and go it alone?..

If you can find a well educated and knowledgeable PT, train with them for a little while, take notes, get a program out of it and release yourself into the world of fitness with a bag full of knowledge. Don't be afraid to have tastes and ask questions to get a feel for their knowledge.

BUILDING GOOD HABITS...
When you've always done something one way, it's very difficult to correct or amend this. They say, "to form a habit you have to do it the same way 21 times consecutively". Imagine you've done something incorrectly for years, the issue is probably much bigger!

It's hard to put into words the importance of good technique in the gym. Good technique reduces the risk of injury, offers greater benefit from the exercise, will allow you to progress and lift more in the long term, isolates muscles and doesn't allow for compensation from other muscle groups. In short, with the correct technique you'll improve faster an won't hurt yourself at the same time. Training alone or with friends often leads to less focus on tidy technique and instead emphasis on lifting larger weights. A personal trainer can get you on track, improve your technique and offer you timeless pointers to use in the future and set you on the right path for a successful gym career.

These guys could really do with a technique check or two:
- Home gym amusing video
- Deadlift fails and funnies

MAKING THINGS REGIMENTED...
Some people work best to a timetable. They aim for three gym visits a week, then someone asks them out for a drink one night after work, one day they work late and one day their too tired to go. As a result, they're lucky if they get one visit a week to the gym. For these people PT can be ideal. Making appointments which they need to stick to, with, or without enthusiasm. It's a great way to add structure to your week and make sure you get the exercise you need and want.

Some people will even go further than this and say things to their trainers such as "I need an ass kicking". They have an old school idea of PT's shouting at them in a militant fashion and the think that's the kick they need in order to make them work hard. If that's what you want and need, most trainers will be happy to help. But don't worry, that's not the way most personal training sessions work!

MOTIVATION OR FEAR OF FAILURE...
There are certain mind sets which, without anyone watching, will cut corners. We've probably all done it at some point. If this happens in the gym, you do 10 repetitions when you'd set out to do 12. Ten minutes into your 15 minute run you decide "that's probably enough", or when you look at the biscuit jar you think "one or two can't hurt - I've earned them!" Then PT can really help you.

Knowing that you're going to be measuring your success by gains or losses and will be re-tested/measured/weighed on a regular basis can be a great deterrent from cutting corners. More often than not we know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, it just helps if someone points it out every once in a while.

VARIETY...
The gym can be a boring place. But it really doesn't have to be! Doing the same thing over and over is not only boring, but it's also ineffective. The body adapts to demands over time and if you keep up the same gym program, exercises, weights, tempo etc, your body will figure this out, no longer be tested or shocked and no longer forced to evolve.

There can be ENDLESS exercises and variations on exercises that can be performed to help avoid boredom and maintain progression. But, if you don't know them or don't know which ones work best then you need to ask.

Make sure when you approach a PT, you let them know from day one exactly what it is you want to get out of it (they should ask to be fair). If it's some more variety and new moves you need then tell them what you do and what you're looking to gain - why not book a taster and see just how much they know?..

A TRAINING BOOST...
So you've been training on your own for "X" number of years and you've done well; shed some weight and built some muscle, but it all seems to have slowed down a little.

Progression isn't coming as fast as it did and your body doesn't seem to be changing. Working with a personal trainer with new ideas, moves, structure to sessions and weekly workout can really shock your system and offer a great boost to your usual regime.

"PERSONAL" TRAINING...
Personal training is exactly that - "personal". If you train with someone, or you've been taken under the arm of your more experienced gym buddy then the likelihood is, you do the exercises just because that's what they do and advise you to do.

Personal training should be specialised to everyone dependent on their current level of activity, previous history and knowledge, capabilities and end goals. Your training might be getting you somewhere, but is it exactly where you want to be heading, do you struggle with specific areas of your body, knowledge of how to improve certain aspects, organise your workout schedule and what and when to eat? A good PT can advise you through all of this and even offer information on how to adjust and improve your other sessions during the week.

SO... 
In short, there's a heap of reasons why personal training can work for you. Whether you're taking your first steps into a gym, you've trained for 20 years in a gym, or you're a competitive athlete, that individual attention and "personal" approach can be applied to you in order for you to increase the benefits of your training and keep you motivated.

Perhaps ask yourself: Are you 100% confident that your training schedule, exercises, techniques and intensity mean you're getting the most from your training?...

As I will continue to say, "No one knows everything" so why not bend the ear of one of a personal trainer, see what they have to offer and see if you think they could help you improve your training?
This isn't a sales pitch, it's just fact...

DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON: www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT

Be inspired - set yourself goals and train for a reason

When I first started using a gym it was so that I could become stronger in order to make me a better rugby player.

YES, I wasted probably the first two years of gym visits as I didn't know what I was doing and so I'd dabble with a few machines, copy a big guy at the gym and maybe try something I'd seen in Men's Health or similar.... not good!

BUT... at least I had a reason. This kept me focused, determined and meant I came to the gym each time with something in mind.

This is ESSENTIAL for anyone, though you may not think it, if you're making progress in the gym you probably have an inspiration.

Find yours. Try...

EMOTIONS
Think of your emotions. How does the gym make you feel afterwards? How do you feel when you haven't been to the gym for a while? Was there an event in your life which spurred you to join the gym? Are you training to improve yourself for something which means a lot to you? How does it feel when you've trained hard for a while and someone compliments you? Many of the people I meet train simply to lift their mood. If it's what keeps you coming through the door, go with it!

FUNCTION
What will going to the gym help you do physically? If you're a keen sportsperson then this is much easier to imagine. I want to be faster, stronger, fitter etc.. This will also help you focus your style of training much more easily. Even if you don't have a sport, function is still important. Consider your job, lifestyle and hobbies. How can you focus your gym work to improve them? ie: if you drive for hours and hours it's important to strengthen your core and back in order to avoid postural problems.

HEALTH
A number of people exercise for health reasons. To avoid disease, aid recovery, lengthen life, improve cardiovascular strength and generally feel more awake, agile and youthful. However, training to "feel healthier" can be a difficult goal to gauge success against. Make sure you have some more tangible goals that can be targeted. Look at your recovery time during cardio work or even make sure that you have regular medicals conducted with particular focus on body fat percentage, resting heart rate and blood pressure. I see too many people visiting the gym to improve their health but in fact hardly break a sweat. Walking through the gym door does NOT make you healthier!!!

AESTHETICS
Aesthetics shouldn't be viewed as a dirty word. Looking around my gym, I'd estimate that well over half of the members use the gym as they want to make their bodies look better and nothing else. If that's for you then that's fine, but don't go to the gym so that your body looks "better"; you need to be much more specific! Focus on areas such as, you want bigger legs, or smaller hips or more definition on your arms, whatever it is, be specific. If it helps, use a visual guide to keep you on track. This should take two parts:

1) If you find a picture of someone, anyone, who has a body that you crave, keep it. They can be a celebrity, model or random from a magazine; either way you need some kind of target
2)Keep a photo log of yourself. This will show your progression more clearly than any other method if "looking good" is your goal. It will also show you where you have fallen short and areas to focus on in the future

Remember: What the mind can imagine, the body can achieve.

IN SUMMARY...
There are MANY reasons why a person might join a gym. To get a healthier lifestyle, lose weight, build muscle mass, appear more toned or improve cardiovascular capabilities.

Whatever the reason, make sure you have a S.M.A.R.T goal

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timed

If you can follow these guidelines then you'll soon notice an improvement in your focus in the gym, commitment to each session and hand-in-hand with that, your results.

Make a note of your goals, making sure the stick to the S.M.A.R.T guidelines and highlight how and where they fit in. Create a timeline and stick it up somewhere that you'll see it. Without a clear timeline in mind, weeks will pass and session after session will go unnoticed. Work to a timeline and you'll feel like you're in control of where you're going and you will know what you can expect.

Don't forget to follow me on www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT