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

Teeenneeeyyy Tiny Waist

Waist Training... You've seen it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Celebrities, The LOT... Anyone who is anything is jumping on this fad. Well here's the truth about it all. 

Kim Kardashian Supports Waist Trainers. 

What is a Waist Trainer supposed to do... 

- Reduces Back Pain

- Improves Posture

- Reduces Bloating

- Aids in Weight Loss

Oh wow, I'd love to do all that, well read further to see why not to!

Why do people use them? With the promise of shrinking you waist down with consecutive use for hours on end to be able to look like Kim K or her sister Khloe... 

But unlike having a healthy lifestyle and eating well people think they can cheat the hard work out of it all and just wear this constriction machine. Prolonged use of these contraptions has been shown to damage internal organs, restrict breathing and also can push the lower ribs further up the cage which could lead to penetration of the lungs (NOT WHAT WE WANT). 

In all honesty the body will not adapt to these things and after use will just return to original shape and you will has just created a whole lotta problems. In a society run by celebrities and their shape or size it is giving women and young girls the wrong impression on life and being healthy. You don't have to be a size 6 with a waist smaller than your thigh, you don't have to have a gap between your legs, you don't have to be a VS model walking the catwalk with tiny ankles that may just break if you take one more step. You don't have to just eat 1 single apple a day and starve yourself of everything. 

The only thing that is going to get your waist tiny or as small as it will taper in to is hard work, dedication and healthy eating. Yes you can splurge on the odd foods just so you're not depriving yourself of everything?! Don't think you have to conform to what celebrities are doing to get the body you deserve. 

Cheers then, See ya 
Beth xoxo

A Little Bit M.I.A....

As some of you have probably seen already I'm been a little bit M.I.A on the Blog front. I do have my reasons, I left my commercial gym job at a large branded gym and moved to a small private personal training studio, where I am super happy and seeing some amazing results. During my time at said commercial gym I slightly lost my way and may have been just off rock bottom, luckily enough I had a great client base and an amazingly supportive family and boyfriend. With my move I brought majority of my clients over but I did lose a few in the process but that has since built up with the fantastic support from my Team/Boss, I honestly couldn't have asked for anything more. I have since moved out of my family home and into a flat with my other half and life has just gotten so busy, but now is the time to be more proactive on this front, with busy mornings and evenings I have a few hours spare to get some serious time down on some blogs and paperwork so you will be seeing a lot more from me now, maybe some videos and chats will be happening. 

Don't forget to follow my Twitter @__Bethh and my Instagram @__Bethh for life updates and my general goings on. 

Cheers then, See ya 

xoxo

About me...

Why on earth would I write about myself.... Well I thought I would give you a bit of my background and how I came about to do the job I love. 

Reverse the clocks back 7 years ago... I was at a good level of Athletics competing for schools and county. When on my birthday (of all days) I decided it would be a great day to go and ruin my athletics career (if ever there was one). After sprinting full on at the long jump pit and missing the board on my second jump (my first jump still got me second place) I managed to jam my leg into the sand and hyperextend my knee thus snapping my ACL and damaging ALOT of cartilage. With an impressive few flips and laying in agony for 10 mins I was carried off and taken straight to an emergency doctor. "Oh no you've just sprained it!!" At this point my leg in swollen and my knee won't move and dangles. GROSS. 

9 months later, after trying to walk on it and persevere through the agony and get up after it collapsing on me when walking and the constant grinding. I managed to land myself a private doctors appointment which confirmed what we all thought SURGERY. Day operations are a life saver. In and Out on the same day. 3/4 months on crutches and a extra 3/4 months of Physio and I was able to run again. 

Netball seasons, Hockey, Football teams the lot I hit team sports hard. 

Then about 5 years ago I went to the gym for the first time ever... I'd lifted small weights for sprinting and all of that but not like I do now. 

I headed on over to the weights and did my bits. Then smashed cardio. I was your typical Cardio Bunny, I had a typically straight body with a butt and boobs. 

And then.... 

During the last 5 years I've qualified as a sports coach, PT, nutritionist, sports psychologist, rehabilitation coach and general agony aunt. 

But only in the last 2 have I turned myself into a Power Lifter. 

I lift heavy things just for the hell of training, as you do. 


Beth xoxo

Lifting - Is It For Me?

With today's day and age plenty of people are giving their advice on just about anything and everything. I have a small bit of impartial advice, GET LIFTING! 

Why lift??

THIS IS WHY!!!!!

Well with lifting come form and a change in shape these two things are great for the body and muscle and losing weight. The heavier you go the better it will be for you. Let's explain this... 

By lifting at a 65% - 80% of your maximum weight for any given exercise it will increase fat loss and tone by 40% - 60%. WOAH that's a lot. 

The purpose of this lifting heavy is to cause the muscles too fatigue and cause microscopic tears in the muscles, (yes, tears it's a good thing.) By causing these two factors it increases the need for energy to repair and recover the muscles, during recovery the body will use its primary stores of energy to provide the muscle cells with the energy to repair themselves. So it's true after a weights session you will be burning more energy during and after you finish, you can be burning energy stores down up to 48 hours after. (Obviously it will be slower but still burning off)

What are the best exercises to do for the female form?? 
SQUATS
DEADLIFTS
PULL UPS 
CORE (Not ab exercises)

All of these exercises are needed to be done at 60% - 80% of your maximum lift with a minimum rep range of 8-12. With all of these exercises they will increase core manipulation and also increase basic strength. You can also incorporate all of these exercises into a weighted cardio circuit which will hit that horrible cardio part of exercise. 

Happy Lifting!!!!!

Cheers then, See ya 
Beth xoxo

Oh no.... I don't want to be bulky and butch....

Yep that's right ladies I'm aiming this at you!!! (Okay and some men?!) Nearly every week I have about 5 out of 10 clients tell me they don't want to get bulky or butch, always a different one each time. Lets all just take a minute to sit and think about this..... Done??

First things first, you will not get big and butch by lifting weights, well yes you will but thats with a different training style, High Volume - Low Reps combined with a appropriate diet to bulk! Yes to shift some weight you may have to lift a big heavy weight or two. Do you know why? No you don't well why the hell not?? Let me explain...

Strength training for women has been shown to decrease body fat percentage by 3% in just a matter of 10 weeks for those lifting twice a week for an hour each time. That's because you get more calorie burning pump for your time, and after you have finished your workout. A study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that women who did an hour of strength training burned about 100 calories more the day following their workout than they did when they didn't lift weights. That amounts to about four and a half pounds of fat burned per year for women who lift weights three times a week! When you replace 10 pounds of fat with 10 pounds of lean muscle, you can effortlessly burn up to 50 calories a day. I mean who doesn't want that?!

Strength trying also decreases the risk of several things such as Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Weight Gain, Muscle Dystrophy etc. Healthy I know!!!

The Fear- That awful fear of looking like a bloke...

It;s common for women to fear looking manly and bulky as that is a typical thing to happen to the men during training. But due to those awful female hormones and the high presence of Oestrogen in the majority of women it will not effect the density of muscle and the size, so thus will not cause that butch look. For women to train with weights, their muscles will more be inclined for more tone, endurance and strength in stead of size. As you will hear what those female body builders go through to get in the shape of their lives, they will miss certain things that our hormones bring along due to their low body fat percentage, as their body is unable to produce oestrogen quick enough for them to be able to function as a female which is why you will see more of a definition in their muscle structure. 

So lifting a heavy weight will not make you big and bulky if the exercise is right for what you want to achieve. 

Training techniques are key when it comes to training with weights. Best exercises the enhance the female body are:
Squats (OH YEAH)
DeadLifts (Big boy stuff)
Pull Ups (Assisted of course)
Core work (That does not mean ab workouts girlies*) 

So how about giving those 4 exercises a go and see how it can change your body. 

Cheers then, see ya. 

Beth xoxo

Training in Winter...

So everyone hates the winter right?? Well I mean it has it's perks and that, who doesn't love cosy nights in under a blanket and a nice big open fire (My favourite). 

But as everyone knows the seasons don't change the fact that we go to the gym or do they?! Studies have shown that during winter months moods and desires for training have depleted in individuals. With darker evenings and darker mornings I mean why would you want to drag yourself out of the warm sheets to be faced with the pitch black and having to de-ice your car to get to the gym! To be healthier and fit? Maybe or just so you can have a little bit more chocolate on those nights in? Yes I thought so. 

Well Winter months shouldn't change your training habits because of the mood you're in and the darker mornings and evenings. In fact it would be a great way to lift those low moods of winter. 

So here are my Top Tips for beating the Winter Training blues. 

Number 1

Grab a buddy!

Why should it be just you who has to get out of bed on a cold winter morning, why not get some motivation from a friend and train together. We all know how bad we feel when we let someone down so being lazy in bed isn't an excuse when you've arranged with "Sophie" to train at 6am to get the session done and off to work! Plus you get a bit of motivation to train when you actually get to the gym, you partner is ready you're dusting away the sleepy dust from your eyes and you're faced with the daunting task of running on the treadmill. You'll also find you try new things because you have someone to laugh with when it goes wrong. 

Number 2

Get to an early morning class. 

Spin, Pump, Combat, Yoga (yes yoga) etc, all of these classes will help your training. Group classes mean your all in the same boat trudging out of bed through the snow to get to the spin class and feel fresh and ready for the day. Another good thing about group classes you don't have to think about what you are doing someone else tells you what to do. Great huh?!

Number 3

Plan ahead. 

Always plan ahead when it comes to training, so that way you can't get all comfy in bed when the alarm sounds. If you have to set 3/4 alarms to get up! DO IT! 

Number 4
Wear warm training gear... Always a good one. Even if you pack on the layers and shed them off when you get to the gym you'll be all toasty and warm ready to face that treadmill (AHHHH)! 

Number 5 
If you are a coffee drinker like me! Drink away, its a great Pre-Work Out. That caffeine will hit you and you'll be smashing those PB's by 6am!!! 

Number 6
Those BIG hearty comfort food meals in the evening, make them healthy! Casseroles with plenty of veg and meat, open top pies, stews, soups.... The lot!! Make them from scratch so you know exactly whats going in them. 


That's all from me for today. Make the most of winter, those Christmas and New Years parties are just around the corner. 

Cheers then, See ya. 

Beth xoxo

Bigorexia... What is it??

Have you heard of this thing that guys and possibly some girls have in the gym?

Bigorexia or Muscle Dysmorphia is a serious case, not just one of those stupid sayings it's real... When the BBC did a post on it i decided to look a little more into it. The only way I came across their piece was while I was typically being a female and getting myself ready while my other half was still in bed reading articles on the internet. He played it out loud so I could listen while he watched, I suddenly became all geeky again a started to google cases and subjects, believe me I have come across a few in my time. Even when I was back training harder for that time I said I would compete but became riddled with injuries I suffered from it, I thought my muscles weren't becoming more defined and more aesthetically pleasing to myself, it became a daily struggle until I pushed it too far and had to take 6 weeks out in which I lost a lot of motivation the spark went away. 

Back onto the subject when people generally suffer form this "disease" they are more likely to turn to steroid use or other substance abuse. This I have seen in my gym, some people are very open about their desire for that BIG body and BIG muscles. but the other thing I had to laugh at (seriously I laughed) their training was well out of the window, even if they were or weren't using steroids their shape was not changing at all... (I wonder why??? Diet?!) 

So those guys that do a rep and check out their views in the mirror or worry about how big they are or how small they are, ever thought about how much damage you are doing to your mental attitude on your body. 1 in 10 gym going males suffer from this, that's quite astounding really if you think of how many guys go to your gym... 

Those with Bigorexia have been known to suffer with depression and other mental illnesses, in another study it was shown that steroid use has increased over the years and is becoming more and more viable and easier to get a hold of. (There's always that one guy in the gym?! Right?!) But on another note Muscle Dysmorphia is another form of Body Dysmorphia. 
To read more on the subject check out the BBC's Newsbeat video from the 21st of September 2015. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/34307044/muscle-dysmorphia-one-in-10-men-in-gyms-believed-to-have-bigorexia

Body Dysmorphia is more commonly found in women, (See my last post.) as women have become more oppressed by society and how more women are being told that they are out of proportion and larger. With the country becoming "larger" in general this may be either a better thing as I'm hoping more and more campaigns will go on for larger sizes and models will be changed. Which in a tech savvy generation is all you see on commercials and apps, out of proportioned women that have stupidly larger butts and skinny tiny waists that are so impossible to achieve without either dying or being seriously ill. Yes I'm talking about that one called Kim K, I have a a lot of things to say about her but let's not dwell on her fake butt. When women are being told to conform to "socially acceptable" sizes it becomes more prominent and can be detrimental to health and well being. Don't get me wrong if you need to lose a few pounds go for it but know your limit.

 I've seen stupid amounts of girls striving to achieve bodies that are complete opposite to their bone structure and shape, yes I'm a typical hourglass and I find it easy to lose weight but I will always have that little bit on my stomach I hate (oh well). You will always see a girl with her inspirations to be a size 4 model but simply if you aren't designed to be that shape rethink and be more responsible. Recent campaigns that have caught the media's attention have been very interesting to see the effect it has on society and how we behave when posed with those questions of "Are you beach body ready??" "Get that beach body with our 4 week plan!" 4 weeks... hmmm?! In comparison to seeing before and after shots of a clients steady progress, people will aspire to be as thin as they can be in the quickest amount possible. 

Society itself actually rebelled against these campaigns with such things and internet campaigns and graffiti on the tube lines. This was the campaign by Protein World and their Weight Loss Collection for summer 2015.

Sourced from Proteinworld.com Summer campaign 2015

From the campaign all hell broke loose across the UK, with back handed comments and Facebook petitions to remove all of the branding. This was simply due to the nature of the campaign in some eyes it was seen to be saying that if you didn't look a certain way your weren't "beach ready" or worthy as other people said. Which don't get me wrong it's great marketing and a great question but it also created a unrealistic goal for young women between the ages of 18-30 due to their branding and age bracket that they aimed at. If I could look like that yes I would be strutting my stuff on the beach in a tiny bikini but sadly I do not haver the predisposition of having a small frame and being able to get the skinny without looking ill or being ill. I would also have a great modelling contract and probably be strutting runways instead of being on the tube lines for every male and his girlfriend to obsess with. 

Dove then gave a good comeback to this and used the same kind of branding and stated that everybody is beach body ready no matter what size. 

Sourced from Dove's combat campaign Summer 2015

Which is something I totally agree with, in my job I see all sorts of people going on holiday or not. The majority of them just want to feel good in themselves and be healthier. Yes don't get me wrong the vast majority want to lose weight for some reason but it's not all about size and looks. Something I even have to tell myself daily. 

But in all honesty I believe that the media and everything else that we deal with in this day and age isn't good for the majority's mental stability and health. We all set ourselves on high ideals which can sometimes become unattainable. Once we realise this society should hopefully no longer be so false and advertising will be softer and less demeaning to the vast and ever changing majority of people. 

So don that bikini or shorts whether you're a size 0, size 6 or a size 22, (or guys a XS, M or a XXXL if you're comfortable in it and love your body as much as you should, then GO FOR IT, what's stopping you. 

That's enough of my ramblings. 

Cheers then, See ya. 

Beth xoxo

Make me thin....

When I'm sat at work on a break I happened to come across a piece in Cosmopolitan Magazine on whether women would rather have a pay increase of £1,000 or lose a stone. What??

Throughout this article it was said that during a survey most women would rather be thinner than take a £1,000 pay rise on their annual earnings. Don't get me wrong I'm sure if I was able to shed a few pounds more I would but I'm happy, now another £1,000 would make all the difference it could mean that I could go on that holiday we've been planning for ages or go and revamp my wardrobe without worrying about money. 

This survey showed that still in the majority women aren't happy in their own skin and still focus on the ideals which may or may not be achievable. Don't get me wrong but seriously how much difference would you feel if you had an extra £1,000 every year, compared to being that extra stone lighter. That weight loss may change your life for only a few weeks but you'll son get annoyed by having to maintain it with a strict diet and exercise regime, it doesn't come easy believe me (I tell my clients this everyday!). 

Think about it this way, would losing that stone get you the job you've always dreamed of doing? No.... Why not surely it would mean that everyone excepts you... No... The only way to get that dream job it to WORK for it just like you would have to to lose that stone. You don't get judged on your looks for a job unless you are a model or in the entertainment industry whether it's on the west end or on TV, they will judge you on your choices and qualifications that you have worked damn hard for. If you would rather be thinner an have a job that you are bored in go for it, but I would take that pay rise because if you needed that £1,000 to say set up your own business you can't turn it down, what if that £1,000 was the best way for you to save for that deposit on your house or pay off your mortgage a bit quicker, tough decisions. 

Being thin shouldn't be the be all and end all of society, I have seen plenty of thin girls that have been so caught up on being a certain shape and type fall at the wayside and become unhappy. If you are happy and you think it wouldn't make a difference at all why not take that pay rise and do something you love to do. 

What's a stone going to do to make you happy, yes you might feel comfortable for a while but think about it long and hard compared to how you feel £1,000 richer every year. That stone may make you healthier but it's also all down to diet and exercise and maintaining it for the long run. Sure you're not going to get bored eating the same sort of things everyday and having to trudge to the gym most days to keep up that Beach Body you traded for that £1,000 that could of got you in the beach in a beautiful country every year. 

I know which one I would take.... 

Think about it.... 

Cheers then, see ya.

Beth xoxo

Baby Steps....

Recently I have had a few new clients who have never been to the gym or who only exercised during their school years. This has lead me to thinking as to why we either go off exercise as we get older or as life starts to get in the way! If anything thats when we need to be strict with ourselves. 

Let's start with the early years, when we were all in school we had to suffer mandatory PE lessons, yes they were awful and some people didn't enjoy them. Yes I was one of those sporty girls who did Athletics and Netball and I have indeed stayed sporty. Sorry not sorry. During those lessons some girls and boys just used to sit on the sidelines and watch either too "cool" or just downright lazy. Hormones playing a major part of this, body conscious teens, boys being boys, girls getting scared of their feelings and thoughts. 

If you don't find your niche at school you struggle to find it in the future dismaying you from getting into it more in later life. If anything during my time in school if hadn't found my part in Athletics then I would not be where I am today, doing what I love. 

For someone who was sporty as a young adult and child I can understand that life takes it's toll and takes over things that aren't a priority. But to be healthy and lead a long life exercise is the best and most productive method. Even if said person exercises 2 times a week and walks to work that is enough to sustain a healthy lifestyle along with sustainable eating habits. 

Let's start with someone who lacks confidence in themselves and finds that they haven't got a healthy relationship with their body. The gym or even having a personal trainer could be the best option to help them achieve their goals by building their confidence up session by session! This has become all to well know to me recently, I have since had an amazing client who signed up 3 years a go and has not used it since getting in contact with me, this client panicked when stepping through the door on her first time back and had to sit down and chat with me for an hour or so to get them through the door. Sessions are progressively getting more and more complex and taxing working alongside her confidence levels. Even just with a weekly check up text to help keep them motivated is working well, having them now in once more for either a class or a small session on their own. Considering the mass of emotions on their first visit we now have so many laughs and jokes whilst training, which has helped their confidence so much. 

By just creating baby steps we have created a healthier lifestyle and body image. 

For anything those little steps mean everything, they can be the best stages of any journey. 

That's it from me this week. 

Cheers then, see ya. 
Beth xoxo

Drop It Like A....

Squat!!

Those things every girl goes on about, booty and leg training go to exercise. Those ones you see grown men screaming at in the middle of the gym in squat rack with over 100kg on their back. 

Whether you are on a "squat challenge" app or you've seen the picture on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram or you are simply keen to learn how to squat, this is what I will touch on  in this post. 

For someone that does tend to lift heavy weights I do take days out to focus on form and natural movement, I will still do weighted exercises just not as heavy as I would normally do. 

There has been much debate in and out of the gym, off and on the net about how to squat correctly. Depth, weight, reps, position, form, knee tracking, loading, timing and rest... Just a few of the things that people do not understand. 

Let’s start with a touchy subject, “Squat like a baby!”. This quote has been used so many times in varying ways and plenty of research blogs and published articles. 

Yes, if you watch a small child squat and crouch down to do something on the floor they have a perfect technique and seem very comfortable in that position. 

 nicktumminello.com

This is due to their joints having more space in between the bone, as a child develops and grows the gaps between joints become smaller and smaller until the extra bones (just an extra 94) fuse together to make longer larger bones. Some of the 300 original bones in a baby are made of regular bone and some are made of cartilage. Cartilage is soft and flexible to start because in babies and children, bones have to be strong enough to support the body, but soft enough to permit continued growth. But over the years the cartilage grows and slowly hardens into bone. Also, some bones fuse together. All of this is part of the normal growth process. By the time they are 8 they have smaller joint space which will limit their rage of motion in comparison to a toddler. To help prevent this limitation doctors and child therapists have recommended that a child continues to play sport and stretch throughout a young age to help stabilise the muscles and bones. As an adult you may not have the same range of motion as a small child, this is due to general wear and tear to the muscles ad joints. Also during adulthood the joint fluid breaks down and sifts away and joints become more immobile. 

Another point is that adults and children/babies have different centres of gravity due to they proportions. Look at a baby and you will see that their head and shoulders are the majority of their body weight in comparison to an adult with a majority of bodyweight coming from their lower torso and legs. By having a different centre of gravity it allows a child to maintain a  base for a squat making it easier to perform, whereas in an adult our centre of gravity is in our lower limbs/torso making us more stable to run and move properly and perform movements like squats with a more controlled manner and less risk. Babies can’t move like adults. (Period!)

You will probably notice that some PT’s will get their clientele to place their heels on weights to raise their heels, this is mainly due to short or tight hamstrings which are effecting quad activation. By raising the heels it will allow for greater quad recruitment thus building strength in these areas as it places greater pressure into the heels using the quads as the primary driving force during a squat. This is a great move for Body Building and a great activation exercise to help define and grow the quads. 

Depth… 

 

Yes thats me....

Everyone goes on about the whole “Ass to Grass” saying. Yes that is right for a full squat you would go all the way down. But what if you only wanted to recruit certain muscles during your squat?? Well that my friends would be why you change the depth of your squat, so for quad development you may decide to go for a heavier half squat and hold, or for say Hamstrings/ Quads/ Glutes you may choose a full depth squat. For some people until they master a bodyweight squat and instilling the no lifting of the heels rule they may not be able to perform a full squat in comparison to someone who has mastered the technique. Also when going heavier you may find your range of motion decreases due to pressure and weight transfer through the lower body, thus decreasing your ability to go right the way through the motion. 

BeforeI bore you all on this I'm going to leave it there. This is another one of those posts that can be split into two and addressed at another time. 

Happy Squatting. 

Cheers then, See ya. 

Beth xoxo

Back To Business...

Okay, Okay, Okay... 

Let's get this show on the road. 

For some time now I had been planning on making a big career change which would have meant I left my current job as a Self Employed Personal Trainer working out of Fitness First, to go and do something along similar lines but for a brand new concept company out in Hemel Hempstead. This was an opportunity asked of me by a good friend and professional colleague, but I have however had to cease this idea and pursue my dream career of being my own boss as a PT due to health reasons and stress. I enjoyed my time helping them get on track for preparing to launch and I wish the team a prosperous year ahead and hope that they all achieve what they expect. Good Luck! 

Some of you may or may not know that for sometime now I have suffered from horrendous migraines which can sometimes cripple me and cause me to have to cancel everything for the day. This all stems from 2 years ago when I went through a lot of stress and insomnia, which then led onto me being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease... (Doctors are useless) After passing out due to migraines and being crippled by them and seeing doctors who could not understand what I was suffering with. Finally something to work with. The pain of a migraine would knock me for six and put me back to square one, I have since been able to control this up until recently when I had two bouts of these beautiful things. 

 This does however lead onto this weeks post... 

Stress Management.

By being able to manage your stress levels and continue with life it helps a lot. Here are a few tips and tricks I have learnt and had to incorporate into my daily routine. 

1) Write a list of things you need to do for the next day the evening before. 

2) Get to the gym, its a great stress reliever, who ever thought lifting heavy things or sprinting it out on a treadmill will clear your head but it works.

3) Plan ahead.

4) Set yourself targets. 

5) Write it down, cross it off. There's something therapeutic about writing it down and then having the power to scribble it away. 

These are just a few things that have worked for me, you might find that something else works for you, and I would love to hear about it! 

Don't forget to follow my Twitter: @__Bethh 
YouTube (coming soon) search: Beth Cole PT

As always be healthy and happy! 

Cheers then, see ya. 

Beth xoxo

Missing Me???

OH MY LORD...

I've been so quiet, recently I've been under a lot of pressure which has meant I haven't had a chance to get on here and do what I can to blog. 

Let's just say I'm in over my head at the moment, hopefully I will be returning back with "vengeance". 

I have had so many new ideas and things in the pipeline that I want to work on, so watch this space. 

Keep a look out on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook for updates. 

I'll leave you with one thing... 

Keep following my Twitter and Instagram for more updates

@__Bethh

Cheers then, see ya.

Beth xoxo

Weekend away...

As you all may have heard on my social media I went away to Butlins in Bognor Regis for a 90’s Ibiza weekender. This was a party weekend but also I managed to turn it into a healthy weekend as I was staying in a Self Catering apartment that allowed me to cook for myself and Lily (well she cooked most of it), we also had a dining pass set up by one of my amazing clients who I will be introducing you all to and his amazing story! 

My first issue was how do I stay fit and healthy throughout a weekend of some drinking and partying… Well let’s start with my first day, I travelled down to Bognor in my own new car (LONG) but a fantastic drive down with my cruise control! That morning I started off with a nice 10k run, I don’t normally run but I had horses to do, so got home said goodbye to my parents when they went to work and off I went for a run (which meant I was late getting ready and packing) ooooppppsssyyy!!! Then for my 160 mile drive with a cheeky costa stop in the middle. Dinner that night was chicken drumsticks coated in honey and maple, with gluten free pasta, OM NOM NOM, whilst listening to some Deep House music as I waited and typed this part of this post up! A couple of glasses of Rosè wine (Fortunum and Mason, a gift from a client) then off we went to party our first night away watching Dave Pearce and Judge Jules till the early hours. 

The next morning, a little sore and achey, nothing a glug of Dioralyte won’t fix and off for another run…. The looks I got from those getting breakfast from the restaurants and shops, I'm obviously a alien! 

That day we also had a pool party which meant a fun time splashing around and swimming, we also had a huge game of volley ball, I may have nearly drowned a few times when diving for the ball... Ooooppppssss. 

This was then followed by a vegetarian meal from the restaurant of a mixed veg and quorn chilli! yum yum! 

Sunday well I have to admit I was so tired i didn't bother getting out of bed till 11am.... Then sat listening to some balearic music that afternoon and played on the games machines before a quiet journey home on the M25 (yes I survived)! 

Monday brought on a whole new lot of clients and a new beginning for my training, clients are beginning to want to train more and a few are now on the pathway to training for competitions. This progressions and exercise plans will follow in upcoming blog posts. 

i hope this makes you think that no matter what you have planned there is always time to exercise and stay healthy!!! 

To see some pictures and other aspects of my life follow my Twitter and Instagram.

@__Bethh 

Cheers then, see ya. 

Beth xoxo