Fit FREAK of the week!

Well even though there are sooo many motivating and inspirational females out there in the fitness world I figured this week it was time to share the title with the guys :)

This weeks' winner was someone I came across on one of my three favourite "go to" sites for anything fitness, nutrition, bodybuilding etc www.cutandjacked.com. His name is Tavi Castro and he is a Spanish born fitness model/bodybuilder.

Like many who get into the fitness industry he grew up playing sport. Soccer in fact and he initially wanted to become a professional soccer player. He represented both Canada and England before at 19 deciding to return to University where he now studies Aerospace Engineering (wow). Tavi first came across bodybuilding due to missing training towards a goal. He came across Musclemania (a natural bodybuilding circuit) and he committed himself to not only training but doing this alongside his already packed schedule of studying 10 hours a day and working weekends.

After only a year and a half of committing to his goal and training hard Tavi has achieved the title of first place in the Junior Bodybuilding and second place in the fitness modelling at this years' Musclemania Britain.

The reason he stood out among many of the different interviews I read was because I really liked his  committment to and also principles in his training. Tavi admits that he had to learn to check his ego and really do his research to start making serious progress. This is something that I have seen so many people struggle with "checking their ego at the door" and realising that knowledge = power in the gym just as it does in everyday life.

It was also Tavi's advice at the end of the interview which really stood out. The three pieces of advice that he gives are:
1. Humility grows curiosity, curiosity grows intellect, intellect grows MUSCLES Keep that ego in check!
2. How often have you passed an exam without studying? Do your research, learn how your body works, if you leave nothing to chance, success is inevitable.
3. Keep your head in the sky, your feet on the ground, your heart on your sleeve, and some whey in your hand!

Could not agree more! This guy is in the right head space and his body and success in a small period of time shows it. Definitely a deserving winner of the fit FREAK title for this week.

You can check out the full interview by following this link
http://www.cutandjacked.com/CutAndJacked-Interview-Tavi-Castro

Or you can check some more images of him out below :)

Stepping out of your comfort zone

Hey Everyone :) another busy and interesting week training with some new clients and beginning a new 8 week session of bootcamp. It's always a little bit exciting for me to take some new people in and help them to either begin or continue their journey to being fit and healthy.

I have said before and I will say it again I LOVE my job and I believe to be truly successful within the health and fitness industry you have to love it and be passionate about it. Some people think that the job of a personal trainer is easy, you walk in and put a client through a series of different exercises for an hour and you go home. But over the past year and a half of doing this job I've learnt that as a PT you take on many different roles. You have to learn to read people in a way because if something is bothering them in their personal life they aren't going to be focused on their goals in the gym. You have to take the time to talk to and listen to them, know when to be hard and when to be empathetic and essentially you don't just help a person on their journey but you JOIN them on that journey. For me I want my clients to reach their goals as much as they do themselves.

Today's post has come about by one of my clients who has hit a crossroads in her training. She has achieved so much more than I think she ever thought she could yet she still holds on to self doubt and therefore is rarely willing to step out of her comfort zone unless I really push her.

All of us should be able to relate to this whether it be in the gym or just in our lives. Stepping out of a comfort zone is scary because lets face it we all like to feel comfortable and the unknown is well.. unknown.

 In the gym it is easy to get stuck in comfort zones or comfortable routines because we are scared to push our bodies to new limits in case we fail. Nobody likes the feeling of failure or disappointment yet people rarely think about the fact that failure is not definite, just because you fail once doesn't mean you can't try again. When we get stuck in a comfort zone or routine then our bodies also get comfortable and we more than often plateau. The results we were once seeing are not there anymore and this is the perfect indication that it's time to step out of that comfort zone and shock your body by trying something new.

This week I can safely say I have stepped out of my own comfort zone. I had an interesting experience going on my first push bike ride since I was maybe in primary school. One of my clients asked me to go for a bike ride with him and I agreed although for the first 10 minutes or so I wondered why. Bike riding has never been somthing I have done much of and therefore I was not in my comfort zone. Some people think that working in the fitness industry means you are naturally good at all things fitness related but this is not true. I managed to fall off before even leaving his street lol lucky he missed it otherwise I would be hearing about it forever. Once I got over the initial factor of being out of my comfort zone though the next 60 minutes were fun. We went again today and I managed not to fall (I did have a near miss at a busy intersection) but I felt more comfortable.

That's the thing about stepping out of comfort zones we challenge ourselves and then when that zone which was once uncomfortable and unknown becomes comfortable, you know it's time to step outside again and challenge yourself to something new. Basically you will never know if you can do something unless you try and it's always better to try and fail than not to try at all and always wonder if you could do it.

So why not step outside that comfort zone in this coming week. It might be lifting heavier weights, running for longer or faster than you have before on the treadmill or trying something completely new or different that you might have always thought about but never given a go. Don't be disappointed if you fail because like I said failure is not definite, there is no limit on how many times you attempt somthing and if you commit yourself, work hard and perservere you will reach your goals :)

Keep an eye out tommorrow for this weeks fit FREAK and as always remember to eat CLEAN, train MEAN and you will live LEAN :) 

 

 

Burning the FAT

Hey Everyone :) what a busy week, hard to believe it's already Thursday and we are almost back at the weekend!

Today I want to talk about something I get commonly asked as a trainer "What's the best way to burn fat"? because lets face it, NO-ONE likes their excess body fat.

Look at any supplement store online and you will find a series of several different fat burners and appetite supressants, pick one and order it and then when it arrives start taking it and the weight will fall away...ha ha KIDDING! DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT by any means think that any kind of fat burner on the market is the key to losing and more to the point KEEPING OFF that unwanted body fat.

Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying that products such as Body Science Hydroxy Burn, D-Fine8 and of course, the name I'm hearing EVERYWHERE at the moment, Albuturex don't work. Of course they work, otherwise they wouldn't be selling like crazy out of supplement stores across the country. But let me tell you WHY they work and WHY you should consider the factors below before deciding they are the answer.

First of all, most fat burners contain things known as fat blockers which keeps fat in foods from being absorbed into the body. Great you say? well not exactly. They can also then prevent your body from absorbing other vital nutrients not to mention the fat is still in your system and needs to leave the body which it often does in not the most pleasant way..I'll leave that one to your imagination!

Secondly fat burners tend to supress your appetite. Now for all of you who have read my post about fuelling your body you will know that we don't want our body working out on empty and that diet is important in helping us work to our full potential in the gym. Of course if you are taking these simply as an alternative to exercise then the other downfall is that these chemicals that are working to supress your appetite are still messing with your body's natural hormones and have been known to lead to anxiety. Not to mention after awhile your body adapts, as it does to exercise and the same effects will not occur unless you change it up.

Thirdly many fat burners contain caffeine as a method to artificially increase a person's metabolism.  When the body is stimulated by caffeine, it releases hormones into the bloodstream to cue a quickening of metabolism. These hormones are not in infinite supply, and constant stimulation can change the body’s ability to regulate itself and its weight. Overuse of metabolism stimulants can also have the opposite of the desired effect, causing the metabolism to slow down in self-preservation.  Basically the effects of caffeine based fat burners will not last the distance.

Now while I don't judge people who want to use fat burners- each to their own I always say, they aren't something I would recommend to any of my clients or anyone who asked me the best ways to burn fat because in my opinion they aren't sustainable. So for anyone who asks here is what I like to do..

1. Light to moderate cardio before breakfast: Keeping my heart rate around 60-70% of my maximum heart rate (MHR= 220-age) my body will be burning fat as it is the most readily available source of energy having depleted carbohydrate stores overnight.

2. Weight Training: As I have said before the more muscle you have the more fat you burn even at rest.

3. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This method is quick and effective. Get on the treadmill, turn the speed up to a sprint, sprint 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds and repeat for about 20 minutes. Not only does it elevate your heart rate to burn more calories (and fat) at that present time it also increases your resting heart rate (RHR) for up to 24 hours after you finish meaning you are still burning calories long after you go home.

So before you go looking for the next greatest supplement to hit the market or the "easy option" when it comes to burning that unwanted fat, how about trying some good old fashioned HARD WORK, exercise consistently and stick to a clean diet and see where that gets you. Any questions regarding this post or any of my others I am happy to answer so please feel free to comment :)

Until next time remember eat CLEAN, train MEAN and you will live LEAN :)

Fit FREAK of the week!

Hi Guys, sorry about the delay on the Fit FREAK from last week- Kate took extra care with her choosing!

Kate has chosen a favourite model of hers to be crowned this weeks' Fit FREAK. She was lucky enough to meet her at the 2011 Fitness Expo...the smoking hot IFBB Bikini Model Cristina Vujnich!

 

 

Cristina has been competing since 2009 but made the change to Bikini competitions in 2010. She is sponsored by Optimum Nutrition. Cristina struggled with panic and anxiety disorder for 10 years and now uses the gym as her "sanctuary" where she can focus on her training and forget about everything else.

 

She trains hard and heavy with a 5 day split weights program. She trains like a bodybuilder and like me, she agrees she has seen the best results from lifting heavy with her weights. Being hypoglycemic (susceptible to low blood sugar) Cristina includes both carbs and sugars in her diet but mostly sticks to high protein and eats 5-6 meals a day.

 

The photos below outline just how hard this chick works in the gym and sticking to a good not to mention CLEAN diet. Her body is awesome!

 

 

 

 

Definitely a deserving winner of this weeks Fit FREAK! Thanks to Kate for sharing :)