Why do we make simple things so difficult for ourselves? Get more sleep. Drink more water. Eat less processed food. Cut down on alcohol consumption. It's not bloody ground breaking stuff and we know it will do wonders for our health so why is it still so hard for us to act on?
Is it lack of willpower? Laziness? Or is it because we obviously don't want to reach our goals that much?
I really wish I knew the answer, truth is it is probably a combination of things that are different for everyone. However, I'm going to talk about how our habits and routines that have been ingrained in our day to day lives over the years can help us make these lifestyle changes.
Habit is a powerful thing.
Everyone knows that getting out of a bad habit is a difficult task, well picking up new habits can be even harder. One study suggests that it takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to stick and become automatic. That is of course assuming that the activity is repeated consistently.
Take the task of drinking more water each day for example. It infuriates me that looking at that statement written down, or even saying it out loud makes it seem like such a small, simple thing to change... So why is it difficult for some people to reach their target intake?
I can personally relate to this one! I guess it has never been a habit or part of my daily routine to drink at regular intervals. I have in the past set smart watch notifications to remind myself to drink, and used an app to track my water intake throughout the day, but it didn't really help it become something I do automatically without consciously thinking about.
Instead, try tacking a new habit on to an existing habit. It's a sneaky way to make the new habit part of your usual routine. For example, it may be an automatic habit of yours to grab a coffee at the start of your work day. Use this as a cue to also get a glass of water with that coffee. Or, make putting a bottle of water by your bed part of your usual night time routine, so that it's ready and in sight first thing in the morning to serve as a reminder to drink. If the cue is there, it will make the action become habit much easier. So why not give it a go if you're struggling with making simple changes, and see if it helps you.
As always, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about this or anything else!
Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Tuesday, 24 October 2017
Dealing with failure
I loved my first 12 weeks with my trainer teaching me how to train with weights effectively. I learnt some
movements I had never done before, but more often, I learnt how to correctly execute movements which I had thought I already knew. Once I had form down we'd gradually increase the load in order to progress. The rule
was, if I could complete 12 - 15 reps for multiple sets with good form then I would up the weight. With
consistently training 3 times a week (and diet changes) I was able to increase the weight quite regularly
without a huge amount of struggle. I wouldn't say it was with ease but I was definitely walking out of the gym
smiling and feeling pretty pleased with myself (most days anyway). If this was how it was going to be for the
entire journey, it was going to be a sweet ride! (Yay for the anatomical adaptation phase!)
Alas, this isn't the case anymore. Things have got a lot more challenging! The best way I can explain where I am right now is that it feels as if I've reached an intensity (as in a heavier weight range) that makes me think holy sh*t this is actually quite tough. I wasn't quite prepared for this and some training sessions left me feeling frustrated and disappointed in myself. Especially if I couldn't complete the target number of reps for certain exercises. My brain was thinking; what was happening to me? Where had my strength gone? WTF, I am not used to failing!
I'll explain what I mean using the momentous deadlift as an example. My progression from 12kg KB hip hinges to 35kg barbell deadlifts was a smooth ride with fairly linear increments of weight over the 12 weeks. All good stuff as you'd expect! But, it just so happens for me that now I've reached 40kg, things are a bit different. It actually hurts, I struggle, and I fail. (I blame my poor grip strength for this particular exercise to be honest.)
My options? Carry on feeling like shit and potentially give up, or, accept that this isn't meant to be easy and stick at it until it is. I'm going for the latter, I had my strop and I'm over it. I'm not too concearned that I'm not increasing the weight on the bar with each session anymore and I'm just going to work on these 40kg DLs every week until I can complete my full 12-15 reps for 4 sets fairly comfortably. It might take longer than the ideal, but hey, every body is different and patience is key!
In addition, as I've identified my grip as a limitation for the progression of some exercises, I did a bit of extra research on how to increase grip strength. I now incorporate a couple of extra exercises to my routine each time I'm at the gym to help.
So there you go - it's a cycle of pushing yourself, failing, hard work and improvement - but it's all with an upwards trend on the progression chart, and that's what it's all about.
Anyway, I hope I didn't make too many people laugh at the fact that I'm struggling with a 40kg DL!
Alas, this isn't the case anymore. Things have got a lot more challenging! The best way I can explain where I am right now is that it feels as if I've reached an intensity (as in a heavier weight range) that makes me think holy sh*t this is actually quite tough. I wasn't quite prepared for this and some training sessions left me feeling frustrated and disappointed in myself. Especially if I couldn't complete the target number of reps for certain exercises. My brain was thinking; what was happening to me? Where had my strength gone? WTF, I am not used to failing!
I'll explain what I mean using the momentous deadlift as an example. My progression from 12kg KB hip hinges to 35kg barbell deadlifts was a smooth ride with fairly linear increments of weight over the 12 weeks. All good stuff as you'd expect! But, it just so happens for me that now I've reached 40kg, things are a bit different. It actually hurts, I struggle, and I fail. (I blame my poor grip strength for this particular exercise to be honest.)
My options? Carry on feeling like shit and potentially give up, or, accept that this isn't meant to be easy and stick at it until it is. I'm going for the latter, I had my strop and I'm over it. I'm not too concearned that I'm not increasing the weight on the bar with each session anymore and I'm just going to work on these 40kg DLs every week until I can complete my full 12-15 reps for 4 sets fairly comfortably. It might take longer than the ideal, but hey, every body is different and patience is key!
In addition, as I've identified my grip as a limitation for the progression of some exercises, I did a bit of extra research on how to increase grip strength. I now incorporate a couple of extra exercises to my routine each time I'm at the gym to help.
So there you go - it's a cycle of pushing yourself, failing, hard work and improvement - but it's all with an upwards trend on the progression chart, and that's what it's all about.
Anyway, I hope I didn't make too many people laugh at the fact that I'm struggling with a 40kg DL!
Monday, 9 October 2017
My experience with the "Keto Diet"
So, in my mid twenties during the lead up to Christmas 2016, I stumbled across the ketogenic (or "keto") diet. I've decided to write about it now as I've noticed the diet has gained popularity more recently - for both good and bad reasons. As with anything that fascinates me, I spent a good few hours researching how it worked and the science behind it first (I'm an all or nothing kinda gal). If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, here's a really simplified explanation from bodybuilding.com:
The idea is that you eat a strict low carb & high fat diet which is designed to result in 'ketosis'. This is when your body uses fat to produce fuel molecules called ketones when blood sugar (glucose) is in short supply. It's suggested that when in ketosis, fat stores are more easily burnt, resulting in fat loss.
Eat fat to lose fat. I was convinced so I gave it a go...
I used MyFitnessPal to track my macronutrients, I was surprised at how quickly I was reaching my carbohydrate limit. 0-10g of carbs is not much at all. It was fine(ish) giving up the bad/processed carbs, but it was very strange to me to have to limit consumption of fruit and vegetables as well, I was eating very little fiber. A plus side for me was eating more foods high in fat. It did seem to fill me up and keep me satisfied, even in small amounts. I tracked my calories as I knew fat is higher in calories per gram than carbohydrates, so I wanted to be careful not to go over my recommended allowance. I never did, if anything, I was actually eating fewer calories than before.
A couple of months in and I'd reached the lowest weight I'd ever been in my twenties: 58kg. I felt pretty pleased. But in reality, I'm pretty sure most of the weight that I'd lost came from muscle and water mass, it could even have been a result of eating fewer calories in general. I can't say what would have happened if I'd stuck with the diet for a longer period of time, but, I decided the keto diet was not for me. I wasn't exercising very much, I had little energy and I'd bloat if I had a 'cheat meal'. I wouldn't recommend it to other active, healthy people either. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy, and we need to be consuming them, preferably in the form of whole foods like beans, potatoes, grains, in order to perform at our best.
Saturday, 16 September 2017
The power of change
Today I lifted some weights and then ate a carby meal. Just like I have been doing 3 times a week for about 8 weeks now. My diet now includes potatoes, beans, rice and other whole grains. All the good carbs, as in, unprocessed or complex carbs - mostly).
So what? you're probably thinking.
Well, rewind a year or so and I would have done my 30-45 minutes of medium to high intensity cardio, like I did 5 days a week, maybe followed by downing a protein shake. Oh yes, and I avoided carbs like the plague. I did this for a looooong time. Guess where that got me! Yeah not far.
I'm now eating more than I probably ever have, while this is still a mental struggle for me (after years of believing I should be eating less and less), I feel 10x better in myself than before. More energy, better workouts, and I'm definitely stronger, healthier and happier. Oh, and I haven't weighed myself in a long time, because, quite frankly, who cares what the scales say when you feel this awesome. Progress doesn't always have to be visible.
Bottom line is, your routines/habits/beliefs have to change if you want to progress. More to the point, you have to allow them to change (hi, my name's Captain Obvious). Trust in change even if it scares you, it could be the best thing you ever do.
 |
| My homemade veggie chilli :) |
So what? you're probably thinking.
Well, rewind a year or so and I would have done my 30-45 minutes of medium to high intensity cardio, like I did 5 days a week, maybe followed by downing a protein shake. Oh yes, and I avoided carbs like the plague. I did this for a looooong time. Guess where that got me! Yeah not far.
I'm now eating more than I probably ever have, while this is still a mental struggle for me (after years of believing I should be eating less and less), I feel 10x better in myself than before. More energy, better workouts, and I'm definitely stronger, healthier and happier. Oh, and I haven't weighed myself in a long time, because, quite frankly, who cares what the scales say when you feel this awesome. Progress doesn't always have to be visible.
Bottom line is, your routines/habits/beliefs have to change if you want to progress. More to the point, you have to allow them to change (hi, my name's Captain Obvious). Trust in change even if it scares you, it could be the best thing you ever do.
Wednesday, 6 September 2017
Willpower and small wins
A tub of chocolate mini rolls are staring me in the face on the counter next to my desk at the office.
They've been there all week (it's Wednesday now) and the past two days I have given in and eaten a couple after my slightly sad looking Tupperware salad. If I were to take my own advice, I wouldn't feel guilty for eating them, after all I clearly made the conscious decision myself to pick them up and put them in my mouth. But the difference here is, is that I know if they weren't in sight, in arms reach - I literally didn't even have to stand up out of my chair to grab them - it absolutely wouldn't have happened.
It's realising this now that will stop me from eating any more. Me being the stubborn person I am, will not move them to another part of the office in an attempt to hide them - although it's probably a good idea to be honest - I'll instead exercise my willpower and resist them for the remainder of the week. After all, willpower is like a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger it will become. If I get to the end of the week without having touched the mini rolls, I'll count this as a small win for the week and will feel pretty good about it. Like I said in my last post, it's the small wins that will add up to bigger successes.
On that note actually, I was asked by my trainer yesterday what has been a win for me over the past week in my health and fitness journey - as well as being put on the spot, nothing immediately sprung to mind, which wasn't a great start let's be honest. I hadn't particularly had an outstanding week of healthy eating (hence the mini rolls fiasco), and I didn't manage to get to the gym as much as I should have done due to personal reasons. The point being, it's much easier for us to dwell on failures or things we haven't done so well, than appreciate the positive things we've achieved.
So, I've decided to start jotting down in my note pad anything that I have accomplished that I can feel proud of. Not to necessarily show or tell anyone, but again to keep my mind on track and stay positive. Hopefully by the end of the week I can proudly say that I successfully resisted reaching for those damn chocolate treats at work!
They've been there all week (it's Wednesday now) and the past two days I have given in and eaten a couple after my slightly sad looking Tupperware salad. If I were to take my own advice, I wouldn't feel guilty for eating them, after all I clearly made the conscious decision myself to pick them up and put them in my mouth. But the difference here is, is that I know if they weren't in sight, in arms reach - I literally didn't even have to stand up out of my chair to grab them - it absolutely wouldn't have happened.
It's realising this now that will stop me from eating any more. Me being the stubborn person I am, will not move them to another part of the office in an attempt to hide them - although it's probably a good idea to be honest - I'll instead exercise my willpower and resist them for the remainder of the week. After all, willpower is like a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger it will become. If I get to the end of the week without having touched the mini rolls, I'll count this as a small win for the week and will feel pretty good about it. Like I said in my last post, it's the small wins that will add up to bigger successes.
On that note actually, I was asked by my trainer yesterday what has been a win for me over the past week in my health and fitness journey - as well as being put on the spot, nothing immediately sprung to mind, which wasn't a great start let's be honest. I hadn't particularly had an outstanding week of healthy eating (hence the mini rolls fiasco), and I didn't manage to get to the gym as much as I should have done due to personal reasons. The point being, it's much easier for us to dwell on failures or things we haven't done so well, than appreciate the positive things we've achieved.
So, I've decided to start jotting down in my note pad anything that I have accomplished that I can feel proud of. Not to necessarily show or tell anyone, but again to keep my mind on track and stay positive. Hopefully by the end of the week I can proudly say that I successfully resisted reaching for those damn chocolate treats at work!
Wednesday, 16 August 2017
What I've learnt
I've just about been in to this whole fitness thing for over a year now, and as I explained in a recent post, I thought I would be well on my way to a brand new body by now. The truth is, you can't just wake up one day and decide to change your life and start exercising with an end goal in mind with no real knowledge of what the hell you're actually doing! (Maybe you can, in which case congrats, but it didn't work for me.) The past 14 months has been a journey of discovery and learning, breaking habits, and realising I shouldn't believe everything I read on the internet(!) That's not to say I now know everything there is to know, no way, not even close. I will never stop learning, but that's what I enjoy so much!
Here's a few things I've learnt throughout my journey so far, which will hopefully help others too!
This is an important point to make and is something that everyone should consider at first. In order to make changes, you need to start small. Setting yourself an end goal which is inevitably going to be too difficult to reach, will more often than not result in failure, which can be disheartening and you'll probably beat yourself up about it, adding to your discontent. Instead, set simple, easily attainable goals, no matter how small, and go for it. Achieving these will build your self esteem and set you up with a positive mindset.
So to put that into a bit of context, if you jump straight in the deep end with the mindset that you want 6-pack abs in time for your summer holiday in 6 months time, then I'm sorry, speaking from experience, it ain't gonna happen, and you will feel let down. A better starting goal would be to aim to get a workout in at least twice a week consistently for the next month. When you've achieved that, set yourself another!
I must have tried, or at least researched, a million different diets in my lifetime. I've gotten myself in to a right old pickle reading the vast amounts of conflicting advice on nutrition and diet - to the point where I just wanted to throw my laptop out the window and cry into my tub of Ben & Jerry's. I could write a dissertation on this topic, but maybe that's for a future post...
What I've since learnt though, through trial and error and educating myself via the right platforms, is that it really doesn't have to be that complicated. Keep it simple, and more importantly, something you can stick to. There's definitely a balance to be achieved between what you should eat, and what works for you. There is no value in giving up foods you enjoy, or certain food groups because 'xyz' says so, if it isn't something you can commit to for the foreseeable future, there's no point. If it works for one person, it doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you. Yep life's hard.
Everyone knows the importance of keeping active to maintain a fit and healthy body. However a healthy mind is also just as important, if not more so. What I mean by this is that it's not wise to unwillingly force yourself to go to the gym to grind away day in day out if it's not enjoyable for you. It will just make you miserable, and that's no way to live! Similarly, I've learnt to not look at exercise as a form of 'punishment' for your body after eating that extra slice of cake the day before. That will just make you start resenting the gym and eventually giving up.
For me, I can't stand long distance running (so boring - sorry runners!) so I don't put myself through that chore, but I happen to really enjoy other forms of cardio - like circuit training and kick boxing classes. More recently, I'm enjoying the challenging of resistance training and learning what my body is capable of. There are so many other ways to keep active and in shape; various team sports, dancing, gymnastics, yoga, martial arts... the list goes on. It's just finding one you enjoy enough to stick to and to make a part of your every day life.
...I've learnt that change takes time. Be patient, love yourself and remember that any step in the right direction (no matter how small) is something to be proud of. We all have bad days - no one is perfect!
Here's a few things I've learnt throughout my journey so far, which will hopefully help others too!
1. Set realistic goals
This is an important point to make and is something that everyone should consider at first. In order to make changes, you need to start small. Setting yourself an end goal which is inevitably going to be too difficult to reach, will more often than not result in failure, which can be disheartening and you'll probably beat yourself up about it, adding to your discontent. Instead, set simple, easily attainable goals, no matter how small, and go for it. Achieving these will build your self esteem and set you up with a positive mindset.
So to put that into a bit of context, if you jump straight in the deep end with the mindset that you want 6-pack abs in time for your summer holiday in 6 months time, then I'm sorry, speaking from experience, it ain't gonna happen, and you will feel let down. A better starting goal would be to aim to get a workout in at least twice a week consistently for the next month. When you've achieved that, set yourself another!
2. Don't over complicate your diet
I must have tried, or at least researched, a million different diets in my lifetime. I've gotten myself in to a right old pickle reading the vast amounts of conflicting advice on nutrition and diet - to the point where I just wanted to throw my laptop out the window and cry into my tub of Ben & Jerry's. I could write a dissertation on this topic, but maybe that's for a future post...
What I've since learnt though, through trial and error and educating myself via the right platforms, is that it really doesn't have to be that complicated. Keep it simple, and more importantly, something you can stick to. There's definitely a balance to be achieved between what you should eat, and what works for you. There is no value in giving up foods you enjoy, or certain food groups because 'xyz' says so, if it isn't something you can commit to for the foreseeable future, there's no point. If it works for one person, it doesn't necessarily mean it will work for you. Yep life's hard.
3. Exercise for the right reasons
Everyone knows the importance of keeping active to maintain a fit and healthy body. However a healthy mind is also just as important, if not more so. What I mean by this is that it's not wise to unwillingly force yourself to go to the gym to grind away day in day out if it's not enjoyable for you. It will just make you miserable, and that's no way to live! Similarly, I've learnt to not look at exercise as a form of 'punishment' for your body after eating that extra slice of cake the day before. That will just make you start resenting the gym and eventually giving up.
For me, I can't stand long distance running (so boring - sorry runners!) so I don't put myself through that chore, but I happen to really enjoy other forms of cardio - like circuit training and kick boxing classes. More recently, I'm enjoying the challenging of resistance training and learning what my body is capable of. There are so many other ways to keep active and in shape; various team sports, dancing, gymnastics, yoga, martial arts... the list goes on. It's just finding one you enjoy enough to stick to and to make a part of your every day life.
Most importantly...
...I've learnt that change takes time. Be patient, love yourself and remember that any step in the right direction (no matter how small) is something to be proud of. We all have bad days - no one is perfect!
Tuesday, 8 August 2017
Tuesday thoughts
It's cold, it's wet, my knee is aching and I just feel a bit miserable.
What's with my knee you might be thinking? It's a long-ass story for a different day but the crux of it all is that every now again for the past 15 years it likes to randomly swell up and cause me a bit of gyp. OK so it's not so random as to when this actually happens, it's more as and when I decide to skip my prescribed medication because I am (quite literally) sick of the side effects. Tiredness, nausea, and generally feeling run down for 4 out of 7 days a week. I have to decide between that, and having a less than fully functioning knee joint. You can imagine my dilemma given my current love affair with exercise.
So what am I going to do about it? Firstly I can't change the weather so I'm just going to have to deal with that with my unicorn umbrella and a smile on my face. As for my second moan, I'm going to re-evaluate my diet and look to the healing power of whole foods. Something I've read a fair amount on but never really committed myself to properly experiment with. It's got to be worth a shot right? So, I've been searching and reading up on the best anti-inflammatory foods to incorporate into your diet to alleviate symptoms of inflammation related diseases or even potentially cure them.
I happened to come across this great website Dr. Axe, and he has created this easy to digest info graphic listing the top 15 anti-inflammatory foods with a brief explanation of their anti-inflammatories and benefits. Well worth a look if you are suffering with any sort of disease caused by inflammation and want to give the diet a go. This is the list I will be working from, adding these food items to my weekly shop and cooking with them everyday. And maybe the most important point to make is that I'll also be cutting down/out on simple refined sugars and carbohydrates and other processed foods (Lord help me - this will be the hard bit).
No doubt I'll give an update on my progress in due course and maybe even share some new recipes I cook up. On a side note, if this works and helps my knee, even just a little, it begs the question, why wouldn't my Doctor just tell me to try this before prescribing me toxic drugs? Surely they aren't just after my £9 prescription fee each month to keep them in business...?
What's with my knee you might be thinking? It's a long-ass story for a different day but the crux of it all is that every now again for the past 15 years it likes to randomly swell up and cause me a bit of gyp. OK so it's not so random as to when this actually happens, it's more as and when I decide to skip my prescribed medication because I am (quite literally) sick of the side effects. Tiredness, nausea, and generally feeling run down for 4 out of 7 days a week. I have to decide between that, and having a less than fully functioning knee joint. You can imagine my dilemma given my current love affair with exercise.
So what am I going to do about it? Firstly I can't change the weather so I'm just going to have to deal with that with my unicorn umbrella and a smile on my face. As for my second moan, I'm going to re-evaluate my diet and look to the healing power of whole foods. Something I've read a fair amount on but never really committed myself to properly experiment with. It's got to be worth a shot right? So, I've been searching and reading up on the best anti-inflammatory foods to incorporate into your diet to alleviate symptoms of inflammation related diseases or even potentially cure them.
I happened to come across this great website Dr. Axe, and he has created this easy to digest info graphic listing the top 15 anti-inflammatory foods with a brief explanation of their anti-inflammatories and benefits. Well worth a look if you are suffering with any sort of disease caused by inflammation and want to give the diet a go. This is the list I will be working from, adding these food items to my weekly shop and cooking with them everyday. And maybe the most important point to make is that I'll also be cutting down/out on simple refined sugars and carbohydrates and other processed foods (Lord help me - this will be the hard bit).
No doubt I'll give an update on my progress in due course and maybe even share some new recipes I cook up. On a side note, if this works and helps my knee, even just a little, it begs the question, why wouldn't my Doctor just tell me to try this before prescribing me toxic drugs? Surely they aren't just after my £9 prescription fee each month to keep them in business...?
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