Overindulgence...

It's the season for overindulgence, but hey Ho (Ho, Ho. Pun intended). This time of year we are susceptible to using the excuse of "it's Christmas once a year" and you promise yourself you'll get back on it come January... Is that really a good enough excuse.... 

On average on Christmas Day alone one person can consume up to 18,000 calories in all sorts of foods, okay now time that by let's say 4 (Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and Day.) 72,000 calories in the space of 4 days... WHAT!! That's pretty much 24 days normally... Okay so now I've made you feel guilty as you put that Quality Street in your mouth. Don't be guilty!!!! YES don't be, we all have to indulge in certain things now and then otherwise we deprive ourselves of a lot of things. Just don't OVERindulge on everything take a step back and ask the question do I have to have my 16th Chocolate, your answer will probably be no?! But in all honesty we are all only humans after all. 

My one tip this christmas is... 

ENJOY!! 

Take time to enjoy the little things we don't appreciate during the year, take the time to look after yourself with some TLC, take the time to stop and think about what you are eating and if you do need that extra piece of Christmas Pudding!! 

Have a great one!! 

Cheers then, See ya. 

Beth 

xoxo

A Year In Review 2016.....

As lots of you know 2016 hasn't been a smooth year for me, but lets not dwell on that. 

I have my fave person! It's all okay.

From now on I'm taking the F*** this attitude and saying "Oh well, these things happen." it's just a part of life that hasn't been the best and needed to bring myself up to scratch and working on my own mentality. So with the year coming to a close and another crappy chapter closed it's time for me (And Sean) and our life to pick up speed again. Who cares what happens in the world nowadays, we've all had crap pass us by and also hit us straight in the jaw leaving us a few broken teeth so to say. But now with this attitude and taking a step back and looking at my own reflection it's all okay, what's to lose now - pride and sanity (well that went a while ago now). 

So a year in review... What does that mean, does that mean we can all look back o those resolution we made and forgot or the size 10 jeans we vowed to get into by summer and never did. Who cares?! Are you happy at this current point in time? Are you healthy? If you answered yes to both then why the hell do we get so down about these resolutions that failed and always look on the past year in a bad light. As a fitness professional in January/ February I get everyone asking/telling me their New Years resolutions and me agreeing yes that's a great idea and totally thinking "I should do that too you know..." but I don't because I always, always get hung up on them and then become a complete sociopath on my mission to gain self domination (if I can even call it that??). As a matter of fact more people break there resolutions and regret it than people actually achieving them. In fact never look back and think about the past in a bad light, it has shaped you to who your are now and will forever shape and change you throughout your life may it be long and happy. Things always change our paths and you may find you stray and go awry, but you will always be lead right back to where you belong. 

So here are a few pointers on how to go and get results in whatever it is you want to do in life. 

1) Smile... It can get you pretty much anything. 
2) Laugh... It's infectious. 
3) Make your own designs and never second guess yourself. 
4) It's okay to say No.
5) You are your own being, no one (society, peers etc.) can tell you who or what you should be like. 
6) Do things in your own time (Unless it's work related and needs to be done... You may lose your job!!) 
7) Be sensible, chose wisely and think of the repercussions. 
8) Eat well and healthy, it will add years onto your life for more fun. 
9) Speak your mind let yourself be heard. 
10) Be selfish, you are allowed to it's not wrong. 
11) Put yourself first (unless someone is going to die... That's not good.).
12) Be F****** Happy. 


You will be hearing more from me and my plans this coming year whether they happen or not but I am more than likely to update you and keep you all guessing. In all honesty who knows what may come but I hope and wish it's a brighter outlook. Mission Bring Back Beth is on. 


So I hope you have a amazing Christmas and spoil yourselves rotten with alcohol and food, be merry and bright. And make the right choices for you and those that love you.

Cheers then, See ya. 

Beth 
xoxo

Female Mentality...

Let's all admit Girls we all judge each other, we all look at each other and think what has she got that I haven't.

It's an all too common thing to see in the female race nowadays, especially young women (from as young an age as 6/7), SHOCKING isn't it. Now you'll look at a magazine covers and see a young woman/girl with a face full of make up and barely clothed, with the title normally running along the lines of "How to achieve the perfect body!". Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, OK, Grazia, Vogue, the lot all promote a unhealthy lifestyle of starvation and limited foods and gruelling gym sessions twice a day to achieve the "Perfect" body. What ever happened to feeling perfect in your own skin not one manufactured by social media, peer pressure, government guidelines, general perception of women? You're right we don't know anymore!

In all honesty it makes me sad seeing women on a day to day basis tell me they aren't happy in their own skin, they want to look like Scarlett Johansen or they want to shed pounds but not have to put in the effort because how many times do you see a girl in the gym sweating buckets because she has just worked her ass off grinding away with a barbell or sprinting on a treadmill, not often enough!! Nowadays you see girls turning up to the gym fully made up, hair all pretty, eyelashes on because one wrong look from another person thinking they look disgusting could send them into turmoil. Who cares when you're a hot sweaty mess after that boxercise class or spin session with the girls on a Sunday morning, not me, not anyone, in truth most people would find it admirable and an inspiration to see another female working her ass off. Because not everyone can eat what they want and be stick thin, not everyone is paid to look good twenty four seven. Go back to my previous blog post on Idolisation and have a read of what it's like to see and hear girls wanting to be like celebrities who get paid extortionate amounts to look good.

What I am trying to highlight here is the female mentality that society has engraved into our brains through social media, news, TV programmes, films etc... Even I have that mentality nowadays because I see how good (in my opinion) some women look in Photoshopped photos on Instagram and social media outlets. I feel that little pang of jealously that yes may spur me on to strive to be like them but in all honesty the person I'm looking at is unrealistically not my body type and never will be, so why keep pushing that way. I can't even give you a reason, I do however believe it is our natural ability and selection that has been passed down for years and generations to make us strive to be society's "Normal". Yet we have to come to realise that how much society has change on their perspective of how a woman should look, for example Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and was considered the most beautiful woman of her time, now look at our time you have models such as Cara Delevingne, Karly Kloss, Suki Waterhouse all of whom are considered beautiful at a size 6/8 but in essence if they were at a size 14 they wouldn't be considered desirable. Everyone is desirable in every-which way, but society has changed the perspectives of women around the world.

What I'm getting at is society is leading to more and more women who are unhappy and can go to drastic measure to have the "perfect" body, this is not the right way to bring up young women and for older women to follow suit too. Be happy with yourself but always strive for a better version not the perfect version because we all have flaws which can be aesthetic or internal/mental. Ask any woman and she will say she wants to feel happier in her own skin but doesn't know how to go about it the right way, she knows the wrong way which is detrimental to her health and wellbeing which can lead to debilitating side effects and sometimes even cause loss of life.

This doesn't just happen to females, boys! Take note.

In my next few blogs I'll be writing up tips and tricks to be a healthy, confident, better version of yourself without being drawn in by social media and society.

Cheers then, See ya.

Beth xoxo

Feeling Blue....

Alright then, I've been quiet recently. That's purely because my stupid other half spilt juice, yes juice, all over the keyboard and damaged the internal parts of my laptop. Major calamity in my life. Buttttttttttt.....

So as we all know by now we are hitting those dark months and times where we won't want to get out of bed and do something or we'd rather be snuggled in bed with a hot choc than a black coffee. In all fairness, yes we would all love that life style but sadly we can't all do that.

I've heard so many clients say I don't want to train in this or I've got a cold I can't do it. Well push right on through that cold and sweat it out, get a move on. By now you've probably registered that winter and autumn is where everyone gets ill and germs are about, but did you know by keeping an active healthy lifestyle can improve your immune system and help keep those nasty little germs away from you.

The best things to improve your immune system are:

1) Eat plenty of green veg. Broccoli, Spinach, Asparagus... THE LOT!

2) Stay hydrated, water is your best friend to flush out unwanted toxins and bacteria that can cause you harm.

3)Exercise and sweat it out. By sweating it all out you will rid yourself of all the nasty toxins and bacteria combined with staying hydrated.

4) Most of all stay positive, we all know how easy it is to let the dark nights and dark mornings make us feel down and blue about it all.

Let's kick Autumn and Winter's backside and smash our goals.

Cheers then, See ya.

Beth xoxo

Confidence....

This is a bare all post so be warned....

To be confident... What do we mean?! 

- To be able to strut around wearing whatever we like?! 

- To be able to lay on the beach and not feel like complete crap?! 

- To understand that we are all human and have flaws and hey yes you may have a little podgey belly but that doesn't stop your confidence?! You're still amazing - do what you want!! 

In all honesty as much as I am a happy person recently I'm never happy in my own skin, whether it's I catch myself in the mirror and look like a fat lump. Whether I put on clothes and just feel like it never looks right. I have this everyday, I haven't felt like this for a long time, recently it has been centred around my job and feeling like I am out of shape. (When I really no I'm not at all) But still I do however think badly of myself regularly!! Being this low on self confidence is damaging, even I can see it! You may not see it that way but think about it! 

I have many clients who come to me saying they're unhappy with their bodies and want to look like a certain stereotype which is quite frankly is unachievable for them because of their build/shape/lifestyle/target. I've seen so many success stories when people have been taken away from their ideals and just taught great nutrition and exercise! And yes life gets in the way, I'm not one to judge my life has gotten hectic and I've slipped. 

Recent stigma on the female form and social media have caused a surge in women being slandered for their shape and size.(See previous post on Social Media) Which yes I am a size 10 but even women the same size are being criticised in photos and social media?! Being someone who does check social media regularly for both work and boredom, I've seen the negative effects first hand in myself of my own confidence being attacked by my own critical thoughts! I've been so critical of myself of late and in all honesty it has been so negative on my health and well being,. I can honestly say don't ever let yourself get into this place, if you feel you're being too hard on yourself then take a step back and do these three things. 

1. Do something you love doing, realise how happy it makes you, you'll love yourself for it! 

2. Remove all social media for a day/night and be with yourself and/or others. 

3. Write down things that you are proud of in your life! i.e My business, my determination to succeed at something I love, my other half and our life now. 

Even I'm trying to find a happy medium with my body and yes it comes with time, and sometimes its just too much and you give up! But fight it and love yourself and embrace all the details! 

Cheers then, See ya

Beth xoxo

Idolisation....

So thanks to my lovely client this morning I have actually come to realise how much the general population idolise the celebrity culture and all that it is worth. 

Let's take a long hard look at our world:

We all have jobs - either working 9-5 or shifts.

We don't have disposable income - living week to week sometimes.

We all have busy social lives and family we don't get to see often. 

We try and fit in at least 1/2 gym sessions a week around work etc. 

We can only have a few days holiday a year because we either can't afford time off or we can't afford to go anywhere expensive. 

We have to make our own food and make sure we are all prepared for the week ahead. 

Celebrities... 

Don't have to work 9-5.

Have LOTS of disposable income.

Their social lives are with other celebrities who all don't worry and work and money. 

Have time to fit in 4/5 gym sessions a week.

Have lots of expensive holidays as they have so much time off. 

Most don't have to make their own food or have to prep for the week. 

So why do we idolise their physiques and try and push ourselves to be like them?

Why do we watch their social media and put ourselves down when we see where they are in the world, how hard they work at the gym, the colourful plate of food they have before them and that quote they write out to give us hope that one day we can be just like them?

In this day and age social media reprints only the fun, exciting, colourful parts of everyone's lives. How many people have you seen taking a picture of them loading the washing machine or doing the dishes... None. 

The "Squat Guides" or "Fitness Guides" on Instagram and Facebook showing glamorous, scantily clad women who are paid to train everyday, given their food by their chefs or nutritionists. 

The glamorised shots of them taken by their PR team in their "Real Life" day to day, it's all for publicity. 

Well known celebrities such as Charlotte Crosby from MTV programme Geordie Shore has recently lost a hell of a lot of weight. (Good on her, it's great to see her do it. And this is not a post to put her down, just to make people think more about trying the achieve a body like hers in 6 weeks or less and striving to be like her.)

Photo from Dailymail.co.uk 

Charlotte has a daily life the doesn't include a 9-5 job, that doesn't have many time constraints... She also has a very disposable income that she can have a Personal Trainer and Dietician to help her lose weight and fast. Yes she still has her hilariously boozy nights out, but she also trains 4/5 times a week with a PT and also eats ridiculously healthy so she can have her boozy nights out and still be they way she is. 

In no way am I being horrible about her, She was merely the subject of conversation this morning as my client was attached to her social media, I'm actually really impressed at what she has achieved and all her hard work has paid off but....

Sadly with all celebrities they are able to have the time to train and work hard, also some are paid very highly to look the way they do. Think of it this way, if you were being paid to train everyday and eat healthy foods preprepared for you, would you be in that gym everyday? Yes you most probably would because you have nothing much else to do. 

People like Khloe Kardashian, Kim, Kendal, Kylie, Lucy Watson and her sister Tiffany from MIC, Millie Wilkinson, Ellie Goulding, Jessica Alba and the likes. They are all able to get to the gym majority of days as they have time to take those few hours to push themselves and they have the means to cook well and eat well. 

Compare that to us, we have cleaning to do, work to do, a full time job, limited time to cook a meal, social lives that we maintain all while squeezing a few quick gym sessions in here and there. And everyone says make time for the gym how on earth there are only 24 hours in the day we can't magic another hour out of nowhere if we are busy with other priorities in life. 

Celebrities aren't having to finish work at say 7:30 and then cook and eat all before going to be at 9/10pm, celebs aren't running a hoover round at 7am because it hasn't been done all week, these people we idolise don't have to lead the same life we do. 

So next time your whining why you don't have a body like a celebrity think as to how they have that body. 

Cheers then, See ya.

Beth xoxo

B.M.I.... WAIT I'm Fat.... NOT!!!!

We've all been to the doctors at some stage in our lives and had to be weighed for whatever reason, but have they ever told you, you need to lose weight. Well they have to me and some of my clients because we don't fit into their specific guidelines that tell them what's heathy or not. 

The funny thing about doctors is they think they know healthy is in a  BMI range of 20-25, well they are wrong by putting it into a select bracket. 

First off what is BMI? 

B.M.I is a persons body mass index, which only takes into account their height and weight and is compared on a scale axis with different brackets that show healthy ranges and stages of obesity. 

What it doesn't take into account....

BMI doesn't take into account whether you exercise regularly, your Body Fat Percentage, where you carry your body fat, whether it is internal or superficial, Muscular content, function of the lungs, resting heart rate, optimal fitness levels, etc.... 

In all honesty yes if you weigh over 20 stone and your body tells you you are unfit then maybe you need some help, but all in all whether your a size 8-10 and weigh 80kg with mostly muscle you will most likely be told you need to lose weight by your GP. But don't take it to heart, your best thing to do is a completely Body Stat Analysis which can easily be found in most pharmacies, gyms and even your PT can do it for you. 

The healthy body fat percentage range for an adult is roughly between 17% and 30% dependant on height and body shape.

Can you go up the stairs without getting breathless, can you lift heavy weights, can you run a marathon, can you do 10 lengths with a heavy prowler sled? YES! Well you;re fit then aren't you and it's time to ignore the BMI lark and jump on the body fat % and use measurements to track your progress and journey.

Now don't be too hard on yourself next time the doctor says lose weight and thrown this in their face, it feels great knowing something more than them. Crack out the tape measure, take a picture and share your journey without the worry of the dreaded doctor talk on your BMI being high. 

Cheers then, See ya 

Beth xoxo