Special Edition: Being Fit For A Fight
My intention for this blog was never for it to go down the road of a 'self-help type blog'. The idea of putting this together grew very much organically in that I had something right at the end of my finger tips I knew would motivate others as much as it has me.
Natasha has inspired me to be able to stand still and appreciate the 'relatively' good health I am in and how easy it is for me to take for granted that I simply just function day in day out. My heart beats, my lungs breath.
How would I react if all of a sudden that were to come crashing down?
Natasha was 30 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bowel Cancer back in 2015. Earlier that year she had already achieved a sub two hour half marathon, cycled 310 miles from Newcastle to London riding through the night for over 24 hours.
Is it fair that someone so health conscious, someone who has so much respect for their body can be struck down with such a life threatening illness?
Why is it that only in moments of misfortune do we realise how lucky we truly are. We are more concerned with where the nearest socket is to charge a phone rather than what we have right in front of us.
Having been diagnosed with stage 3 Bowel Cancel (I can assure you stage 3 is definitely a stage you do not want to hear) to be lining up with hundreds of others for the 2018 London Marathon in under a month I knew I had an incredibly empowering story I needed to share.
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month and Natasha is currently raising money with the aim that fewer and fewer people will hear similar life changing news.
If you wish to donate please do so here;
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/natanddomrunlondon
Natasha’s blog page 'Fit for a Fight' is dedicated to spreading the message that being physically and mentally fit is essential in, not only warding off disease and ill health but also so you will be best placed to fight with everything you have in the event that the worst luck befalls you.
Fat Loss Food For Real People Volume 3: Fat Loss Strategies For The Normal Bloke
Question. Can you get leaner without starving yourself? Can you build muscle and drink beer? Can you drop body fat and still look a carbohydrate directly in the eye? Can you be in a more confident place with how you look and feel whilst still enjoying your life and seeing your mates?
The answer is yes of course you can. The below before and after images are not going to break the internet, nor will they make the front page of Men’s Health, but it does prove a point that with a combination of training hard, being focussed on what it is you want…and importantly why you want it, you can achieve such things without any drastic changes to your lifestyle.
With my above client we simply implemented what I call 'Fat Loss Strategies for the normal bloke'
That is a little tongue in cheek, and there was a lot of sweat and hard work but if you’re willing to train hard 2 to 3 times per week, be more aware of what you’re eating, cut the crap where you can and move more you can actually look pretty good.
Below my client trained with me 2 to 3 times per week, added in a run or two now and again, upped protein levels because they were a little low, focussed a little more on rest, recovery and sleep and achieved pretty good results in a 6 weeks period.
What is important here is that there was little to no calorie deficit, calories were not tracked and carbohydrates were consumed. You don't need to completely transform how you look, a drastic transformation requires drastic changes in lifestyle, nutrition and training and its bloody hard.
If you're however willing to make a few lifestyle changes that'll actually benefit your overall health you can.
We kept the process simple. In order for fat loss to occur, which was the primary goal either energy in (food/drink) we consume or energy out (exercise) had to be manipulated. During this particular process output was going to be the main focus.
Increasing TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) so for example moving more throughout the day, lifting weights 2 to 3 times per week and adding some steady state cardio in which worked well for this particular person lead to some fantastic changes.
I have worked in the City long enough now to know that client entertaining, socialising with friends, travelling for extended periods of time with work is something that cannot be escaped. And it is not my style to tell someone they can't enjoy a wine or beer with their partner or friends, I certainly do. It's not realistic. But that does not mean to say that great things cannot be achieved.
Think about what it is you want and why you want it. Delve deep into that. And lastly don't be afraid!! You don't need to be a size 4 or have wash board abs to improve your confidence and how you feel about yourself. Make a number of small adjustments to your lifestyle and if done consistently you'll see results.
The False First Step
It’s December 1st and it would appear the festive season is already underway. With what is a super social month, various coughs and colds lingering around everywhere its sure to be a month the body will take a big hit on. It’s a boozy fun filled month after all and should be enjoyed.
If you survive the next 4 weeks like thousands of others you would have had enough, and like the beginning of this year will force yourself into some detox for a set period which like every year will likely not last very long. Commercial gym memberships will sky rocket and you will do your upmost to make yourself feel as healthy as you possibly can.
The False First Step albeit good timing with 2018 approaching can be applied to any day, week or month of the year. It’s to do with making the initial correct decision for you to get into that healthy place you seek. It’s about not joining a gym you will never use, but more about delving deeper into what will keep you on track consistently and feeling better about yourself all year round.
Firstly, get up off your ass and start moving around more each day. If you’re impressed with your 4000 steps in a day you need to check yourself. Your body is built to move and its more than likely you'll sit on it for a minimum 7 hours per day. So start tracking how much you move and do it. It will literally not cost you a penny and wont fill you with guilt an unused gym membership might.
Secondly, maybe go for a light jog 2, 3 or even 4 times per week. Doesn’t need to be a crazy marathon distance, 20 minutes will be enough to make you feel you’ve achieved something and will make you feel a whole load better. Again, free. Enquire about your local Park run on the weekend and join others.
Third, try something new. Take up yoga, pilates, go to a class. There are hundreds of options now in London from Crossfit to Strongman classes to yoga practised in a sauna. There will be something readily available to you you will more than likely really enjoy and meet some people but you will have no idea unless you try.
Fourth, boozing. The 30-day booze free month is practically useless if you’re going to smash it again for the following 11 months. Don’t get me wrong, your body will benefit from the break but think about how you can manage your alcohol intake better each week. Cutting down midweek alcohol intake and binging at the weekends or at least every weekend.
Ultimately, it’s down to you, and I could list a bunch of bullet points on how to survive the festive period which you would have read 100 times elsewhere when only you can make things happen. Don’t jump on the ‘join a gym’ bandwagon in the New Year and go hell for leather. It not sustainable, and who gives a s*** if our body fat percentage increases after Christmas. Remember you have 365 days / 52 weeks in every year so relax, you aren't going to get the body of your dreams in the first few weeks of January.
Nail the basics first of simply moving, managing your alcohol, eating and sleeping better and you will feel a whole load better.
8 Week Body Composition Programme
I had frustratingly gained considerable weight having sustained a dislocated shoulder playing rugby which had a huge impact on my training. As a result my nutrition also suffered. As soon as I felt the joint could get back into resistance training I assessed my current diet/nutrition.
I had been consuming far too many foods that had either been processed, or came from a sugar/carbohydrate source. My first action was to remove this completely from by diet.
‘A diet high in carbohydrate will result in the body reserving fat as a fuel’
Having assessed what had led to my body fat increasing, I reverted back to a high protein/fat diet. I had always maintained a high level of fitness and was shocked to see how poor my physique had become having not trained for 6-8 weeks. What was more disappointing was that my nutrition had been massively affected. I sometimes felt lethargic die to what I was eating, and waking up in the morning had almost become a chore again.
If fat is not apart of the diet, then the body will store any fat it can which is predominantly done through carbohydrates which leads to weight gain.
Shocking my body by removing all sugar/carb sources it had become accustomed too, promoted my body into having no choice but to tap into my fat stores. Our bodies will use any carbohydrates/sugar we consume as an immediate source of fuel as well as being stored as fat. This could therefore no longer continue.
A low carbohydrate diet will force the body to use its fat sources as a fuel
For any body composition/fat loss programme its essential to manage insulin. A diet high in protein/fat allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugars. Providing a slower release of energy rather than a spike and then drop carbohydrates would do. This had a most noticeable impact on my in the mornings, after 2 weeks I was again able to wake up at 6am and not feel tired.
I was consuming healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil) with every meal, a portion of protein (chicken, beef) and always a dark green vegetable. Dark green veg (spinach,kale) are dense in mineral, vitamins and nutrients. Nuts are also a great source of healthy smart fats that also allow blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time. I would consume around 60 grams per day and vary the nuts I was eating.
Including a green vegetable is important as they are nutrient dense, low in sugar and high in antioxidants which assists with digestion and gut health
After 4 weeks I could see a noticeable difference not only aesthetically but in myself, I felt great, had more energy and was training harder than ever. By the end of the 8 week programme I had reduced 4% in body fat and my weight had dropped 1.1kg. I am now aiming to get down to 12.% in the next 4/6 weeks.
Week 1
91.3kg
18% Body Fat
Week 8
90.2kg
14% Body Fat