Blog — NW3PT

How to do New Year’s Resolutions the Right Way.

New Year's resolutions are a time-honored tradition for many people, as the start of a new year often feels like a fresh start and an opportunity to set goals and make positive changes in their lives. If you're considering making some resolutions for the new year, here are some tips and ideas to help you make them successful.

First, it's important to set realistic and achievable goals. While it's great to aim high and strive for big changes, setting unrealistic goals can set you up for disappointment and make it harder to stay motivated. Instead, try to focus on small, achievable steps that will help you move closer to your ultimate goal. For example, if you want to lose weight, start by setting a goal to exercise a few times a week or to eat healthier meals instead of trying to completely overhaul your entire diet and exercise routine all at once.

Another important factor to consider when setting New Year's resolutions is to choose goals that are meaningful and important to you. If you're not truly invested in your resolution, it's easy to lose motivation and give up when things get tough. Take some time to think about what's most important to you and what changes you really want to make in your life, and use those as the basis for your resolutions.

It's also a good idea to be specific when setting your goals. Instead of resolving to "be healthier," try setting a goal to eat a serving of vegetables with every meal or to go for a walk every day. Specific, measurable goals are easier to track and provide a clear sense of progress, which can help keep you motivated.

One of the biggest challenges of sticking to New Year's resolutions is staying motivated, especially as the excitement of the new year starts to wear off. To help keep yourself on track, try breaking your goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks and celebrate each small victory along the way. You can also enlist the help of friends or family members to provide support and accountability, or consider finding a Personal Trainer, a support group or an online community to connect with others who are working towards similar goals.

It's also important to be flexible and to give yourself permission to make mistakes. No one is perfect, and it's natural to have setbacks and setbacks along the way. Instead of beating yourself up when you slip up, try to view it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Remember that the point of New Year's resolutions is to make positive changes in your life, not to be perfect.

Overall, the key to making your New Year's resolutions a success is to set realistic, meaningful goals, break them down into manageable tasks, and stay motivated and flexible along the way. With some planning and perseverance, you can make the new year a time for positive change and growth.

For help with goal setting, breaking down goals into manageable actions and to get started with one of our NW3 Personal Trainers - get in touch now. Wishing everyone a happy and HEALTHY 2023!

Staying Busy Is Easy - the Art of Staying Well Rested is the Real Skill!

Rest is an essential part of our daily lives, yet it is often neglected or pushed aside in favor of productivity and busyness. While it is important to be productive and to accomplish tasks, it is equally important to take time for mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual rest. This type of rest allows us to recharge and refresh, which can improve our overall health and well-being.

Mental rest is crucial for our brain to function at its best. Our minds are constantly processing information, making decisions, and problem-solving, and without mental rest, we can become overwhelmed and burnt out. Taking breaks throughout the day to rest our minds can help us to stay focused and more productive. Strategies for mental rest include practicing mindfulness, taking a break from technology, and engaging in activities that allow us to disconnect from our busy lives, such as meditation, journaling, or reading a book.

Physical rest is also important for our overall health and well-being. Our bodies need time to recover and repair after periods of physical activity. Without adequate physical rest, we can become exhausted, which can lead to physical injuries and decreased immunity. Strategies for physical rest include getting enough sleep, engaging in regular, but light to moderate intensity, physical activity, and taking regular breaks throughout the day to stretch and move our bodies.

Emotional rest is essential for managing our emotional well-being. Our emotions can be affected by a variety of factors, such as stress, anxiety, and trauma, and without emotional rest, we can become overwhelmed and burnt out. Strategies for emotional rest include practicing self-care, engaging in activities that bring us joy and relaxation, and seeking support from, and contact with, friends and family.

Spiritual rest is also important for our overall health and well-being. Our spirituality is a part of who we are, and it can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. Engaging in activities that nourish our spirituality, such as prayer, meditation, or spending time in nature, can provide us with a sense of peace and inner calm.

In conclusion, the importance of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual rest cannot be overstated. Taking time to rest and recharge can improve our overall health and well-being, and can help us to be more productive and focused in our daily lives. By implementing strategies for rest, such as mindfulness, self-care, and activities that nourish our spirituality, we can prioritize our well-being and lead happier, healthier lives.

A very interesting short read in this week’s New Scientist Magazine – on the subject of snacking!

Give Your Metabolism a Break

Is it time to ditch the snacks?

The Romans ate one meal a day, and any more would have been considered gluttony. They wouldn’t think much, then, of our modern propensity for snacking. And they would be right. As we collectively fill our shopping baskets with morsels to keep us going between meals, even the most health conscious among us could be munching our way to an early grave.

The idea that snacking is healthy is heavily promoted by an industry that packages and brands snack products as a good way to fuel your day. Marketed as high in protein, or containing only fruit, for, the idea is that eating small amounts more regularly can improve energy and prevent overeating at mealtimes. Even governments and health bodies advise us on the best way to snack.

That may all seem logical, and, yes, there are times when we might all need extra energy. But the latest research reveals a hidden problem with this apparently healthy habit and, according to Tim Spector at Kings College London, our tendency for snacking is downright dangerous. There are several reasons why.

The first is a growing understanding of the importance of giving your body regular breaks from digestion - in particular from dealing with sugars, including carbohydrates - so that it can burn through the stores available. Failing to give your digestion this rest can leave you at risk of metabolic problems.

“Even the healthiest of snacks can cause dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels”

Secondly, Spector’s own work has revealed that even those who, by all measures, are healthy and eat well can be susceptible to dangerously high blood sugar spikes as a result of even the healthiest of snacks. Eating the same food with the meal is a much better approach.

Finally, constant grazing can cause an unhealthy uptick in the body's immune response, causing inflammation that we know is implicated in all manner of health problems. The science is still young, but the evidence is compelling. So next time you are tempted by a mid-morning pick me up, channel your inner Roman! Your metabolism will thank you for it!

Cold Water Immersion (CWI) – Physical and Mental Benefits.

Safety – CWI SHOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE BUT NOT UNSAFE. If you have a history of heart problems or any other health issues which may affect your ability to withstand stressful conditions, please consult your doctor before trying CWI.

It is important to gradually acclimatise to cold temperature. Full immersion is not necessarily a good idea 1st time. At no point is it advisable to jump into very cold water or go out of your depth.

You should always have a plan to get dry, change your clothes, get warm and get home! Be wary of an ‘after drop’ in temperature – your body temp will not rise as soon as you exit the water, it may keep dropping. Your hands may be numb which can make getting dry and changing clothes impossible. Don’t be that guy who has to ask a stranger to undress and dress them! This actually happened to someone I know 😊

Until you are familiar with the process and your reaction to CWI, always be cautious and do not push things to the limit.

How to define CWI – full body exposure (neck to feet) to water temperatures which you find difficult to withstand and acclimatise to, thereby resulting in physical and mental stress responses.

CWI, over time, helps you to acclimatise physically and mentally to stressful situations.

Mental Benefits

The stress of immersing yourself in cold water will lead your body to release large amounts of norepinephrine and dopamine. It does this to set in motion metabolic processes designed to heat your core body temperature and to keep you alert enough to get yourself out of the situation.

Norepinephrine is known as a positive stress hormone which will increase focus and mental acuity.

Dopamine is responsible for feelings of happiness and motivation. Studies have shown dopamine will stay elevated for up to 2 hours post immersion.

So we can see why CWI is a very positive addition to your routine!

Interestingly CWI has not been shown to increase levels of cortisol which is a stress hormone with a more negative affect on the mind and body.

Physical benefits

A significant increase in calories burned during and after immersion.

Turning white fat cells into brown fat cells.

White fat cells are used for storage – they have negative health implications – they lead to obesity, are inflammatory and contribute to many chronic diseases.

Brown fat cells have positive health implications – they are metabolically active, counter inflammation and help you to stay lean. Combining CWI with being in a calorie deficit is a very effective weight loss strategy.

Decreased recovery time after training. If you suffer from muscle soreness after training, then CWI is a great way to speed up your recovery.

How long should you stay in the water?

This depends on the temperature of the water and your tolerance to it. It is important to measure the temperature and the duration of each immersion as you need these data points as reference as you progress. If you are getting into an ice bath then 1 minute will be a challenge, especially at first. If you are getting into the North Sea then maybe 5 minutes is a good aim initially.

There are 3 ways to increase the stress of CWI over time, in order to keep getting the benefits:

1. Colder water 2. Longer exposure 3. More frequent exposure

Hacks to Fast Track/Supercharge Progress

CWI fasted, for example in the morning before you eat, has been shown to further increase levels of norepinephrine thereby increasing the benefits compared to unfasted CWI.

A coffee 30-60 minutes prior to CWI has been shown to increase dopamine receptors giving you a bigger hit of dopamine than CWI without the coffee.

For maximum thermogenic and metabolic benefits, reheat slowly and naturally after immersion. So no hot shower and no hot drink. (It is always advisable to have a flask of hot drink to hand for afterwards - so that if you do overdo it and need to reheat more quickly you can)

For experienced CWI’ers exposure to the point of shivering is necessary to maximise the benefits. This shivering burns an incredible amount of calories and contributes to the conversion of white fat cells to brown fat cells.

The top half of your head, palms of your hands and feet are the main points of heat loss. For beginners keeping these covered with a wetsuit hat, gloves and socks can help you to acclimatise. For experienced CWI’ers this will curtail the benefits, so it is not advised.

DryRobes or similar are a great idea for post CWI as they will dry you and keep you warm, helping you to reheat. You can effectively get changed inside of the robe.

Note for anyone who is training for muscle and strength gains – CWI within 4 hours of training can negate your goals.

Survival Pack for CWI: Waterproof bag, Towel, DryRobe, Dry Clothes including Hat and Gloves, Hot Drink, Sugary Snack.

How often should I train?

This is one of the most common questions I get asked.

The main factor to consider is the duration and intensity of your training sessions.

You can train every day if the intensity is low and you don’t train for too long.

Studies show more regular, shorter sessions are more beneficial for overall health (longevity.) This is where the 30 mins/day Government advice comes from. If your goals are to build strength, build muscle, burn fat and/or train for an event then those 30 minutes of light exercise may not be enough to get you to your goals. That would call for some structured training.

Structured training = 30 to 90 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise planned out in advance and incorporating a plan for good nutrition, sleep and stress management to maximise the benefit of the exercise.

So how many times per week should you engage in some structured training. For a large majority of people my answer would be 3 or 4.

Why?...

One training session per week = bare minimum. Enough to maintain a low level of fitness IF nutrition, sleep and stress are all managed successfully. In all honesty for most people one session per week will not be enough to maintain fitness therefore fitness and body composition will deteriorate over time

Two per week – enough to maintain your current fitness levels IF nutrition, sleep and stress are on point. You are unlikely to improve your body composition or fitness levels training twice a week. But you can maintain current levels.

Three times per week – this is where you get into the realms of improving your health and fitness. You will get good bang for your buck from 3 moderate to high intensity sessions per week. Especially if you are staying on point with your nutrition, sleep and stress.

If you recover well and can fit in a 4th session then you will see results faster with 4 sessions per week.

5 sessions and above most people will struggle to fit into their schedule and also the lack of recovery can be detrimental to your goals of improved body composition and health and fitness levels. So I will not suggest any 5 session plans. However on non-training days it is still highly recommended to get in 30-60 minutes of light exercise such as brisk walking. This will aid your recovery amongst the other obvious health benefits.

Potential training day splits for 3 or 4 Session per Week…

Every Other Day.

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Train one day, rest one day, repeat. This will entail 3 sessions one week, 4 the next week and so on.

Busy Weekends

For those that prefer not to train at weekends for whatever reason then it is essential to tailor your weekday so that you can train either before or after work, or on your lunchbreak.

Suggested Training Days, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

Rest on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday

Busy Weekdays

For those of you who find it difficult to train during the week and prefer weekends then you can prioritise weekend training.

Suggested Training Days Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

Rest Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

We train lots of clients with families, businesses, long workdays etc who do manage to fit in 3 or 4 sessions a week. They value the benefits of their improved health and fitness. Imagine how much more effective and productive a healthier, fitter you would be at work. How these positive changes in you would affect your family life and relationships.

Our NW3 Personal Trainers will come to you, at home, at a nearby Park or online. So you can cut down on travel time to and from the gym. We can give you real world advice on the best, most efficient way to fit in your exercise around work and family life.

For more advice on training schedules, intensity, nutrition, sleep or stress do not hesitate to get in touch and find out how one of our experienced NW3 Personal trainers can help. Get in touch now to book your free consultation.

Staying Active in 2022 and beyond!

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing well and have had a healthy and positive start to the year!

I often reach out at this time of year to offer some advice around New Year’s resolutions and aims for 2022 in terms of your fitness and health. So, as I racked my brains to think of the one piece of advice or strategy which I think would be the most useful to as many of you as possible. One thing stuck out...

Now there are 100's of training and nutrition trends and fads which come and go and they all promise fast and everlasting results. Most of these will work for a while, most won't stick and then not adhering to them will at best stall your progress, maybe even knock you back to square one.

However, one thing which cuts to the very basics and in fact, when I thought about it, I know that a lot of you are missing, is this...

Have some form of purposeful, structured exercise every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY.

If you live in the Kensington, Notting Hill, Chelsea, Swiss Cottage or St Johns Wood area and are looking for Personal Trainer who can help you with this then do not hesitate to get in touch. We also offer Kickboxing coaching, Boot Camps, Nutrition Coaching and everything else you need to get into peak fitness.

I am presuming that your goals fall within the following areas... body composition, increased energy levels, stress relief, cardiovascular health, strength gains, overall health. You may have very special circumstances such as training for a specific sport or event or recovering from an illness or injury. If not then this applies to you.

No matter your age, current health levels or ability you should be doing some form of structured exercise daily. What do I mean when I say 'structured'? Anything ranging from a 20-minute brisk walk to 60 minutes of intense Cross
Training or a sports game. If I am being totally honest, I have not pushed this enough or held my clients as accountable as I should have done to adhere to daily exercise. Sometimes it's easy to overlook the simple solutions.

I challenge everyone to make space for this no matter how busy you are. If you are truly too busy to spare 20/30 minutes a day to look after your health, then your work/life balance needs to be addressed.

The last couple of years have been unique in the challenges they have thrown up. This is especially relevant to work/life balance, daily routines and schedules and how nutrition and training fit into all of this.

Now that things are settling down and many of us are finding our structure and balance. And you should be making sure that daily exercise is a part of that.

Obviously for a 25-year-old sports player that daily exercise will look different to someone on the older end of the spectrum. But it is equally as important.

A good starting point could be this...

Monday - 20-minute brisk walk

Tuesday - 60-minute PT session

Wednesday - 20-minute brisk walk

Thursday - 20-minute exercise bike

Friday - 40-minute home workout with stretching

Saturday - 20-minute brisk walk

Sunday - 20-minute exercise bike

And then each week you can add some extra load and work on from there.

At the top end of the spectrum, for someone with the time to fit it in, a very intense training schedule could look something like this...

Monday - 40-minute brisk walk

Tuesday - 60-minute PT session

Wednesday - 5 a side football

Thursday - 30-minute exercise bike

Friday - 60-minute PT session

Saturday - CrossFit

Sunday - 5km Run

Without good health and fitness your performance at work and your quality of life suffers, so prioritising training is essential to be at your best in these other areas of life.

If your health and fitness suffer long term then ill health will eventually make you sit up and take notice and then you will be forced to prioritise looking after it. At that point it is much harder to get back to a high level of fitness.

So, this is something I challenge every one of you to incorporate into your life this year. Plan for it. Make it a habit. And then watch how it improves many other aspects of your day as well as your long-term health and fitness goals.

If anyone has any specific questions about what is appropriate for them, or you would like some help in planning this out. then let me know!

all the best for 2022,

Andy

Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Hi guys, here I am going to talk about two things which are absolutely vital to fat loss - Inflammation and Insulin Resistance.

By understanding what causes these two things and understanding how to combat them through your nutrition you will learn the key to improving your body composition (lowering % body fat) and feeling more energised. At the end of the email I am going to outline a sure-fire way to lower inflammation and improve insulin management.

Inflammation

Inflammation causes weight gain, and also weight gain causes inflammation. So this can become a vicious cycle which is hard to break. Luckily I am going to explain to you exactly how to break the cycle, lower inflammation AND improve your insulin management which will lead to weight loss.

What causes inflammation?

Overeating. Eating and drinking sugar. Too high carbohydrate intake. Drinking too much coffee (in moderation coffee is anti inflammatory - max 2 cups per day) Alcohol and other toxins. Stress. Lack of sleep. Overtraining.

Inflammation symptoms

(almost every single chronic disease has inflammation at its core so by lowering inflammation you are lowering your risk of short term and long term illness significantly)
Low energy levels. Weight gain. Muscle and joint pain. Stomach issues. Low mood. Hunger cravings.

How does that relate to weight gain/weight loss?

If cells are inflamed then it is very difficult for your body to access the stored energy in them (fat) this makes it nearly impossible to lose weight. When your body is inflamed everything will seem harder, exercise will be more uncomfortable, usual everyday things will make you ache and sap your energy) An inflamed body will not freely give up stored energy to use as fuel. We need to reverse this process and turn your body into a fat burning machine.

What is insulin?

Insulin is secreted by the pancreas to signal to our body to take sugar from the blood and store it in muscle tissue and fat cells. Our body will produce insulin when we eat. The higher carb and higher sugar a food is the more insulin we will produce. First energy stores in muscles are filled. then fat cells are filled, new fat cells are created when all available ones are full.

What spikes insulin levels?

Overeating. Eating too many carbs/sugar

What is insulin resistance?

If we continually stimulate insulin production then our body becomes less sensitive to it. At first our body will not react to the insulin we produce when we eat and blood sugar will remain high. So we produce more insulin. When we do start to react we then take too much sugar from the blood and store it. This makes us feel like we have very little energy.

Think about a day of energy highs and lows, reaching for sugary snacks to prop up your energy. This works initially but soon you are low energy again. This is insulin resistance at work and will lead to a pattern of weight gain and energy ups and downs. At the extremes insulin resistance causes diabetes. In most cases of weight gain there is some form of impaired blood sugar management and a degree of insulin resistance. Reversing this process will lead to more steady energy levels and fat loss.

Luckily for us the process of improving insulin sensitivity is the same as lowering inflammation levels...

To combat inflammation and improve insulin management do these two things:

1: eat only natural foods

2. have a consistent calorie deficit.

What counts as 'natural?' ...

Anything which is the way that nature intended it to be.
Meat, Fish, Nuts, Seeds, Vegetables, Fruits.

Also drink plenty of water. Tea. And more water!

Some foods may be classed as minimally processed - I would suggest that things like peanut butter, rice crackers, high % dark chocolate (75%+) maybe even fruit and nut bars such as KIND bars should be allowed as long as they fall within your Calories and Macronutrient target.

Stay away from artificial sweeteners and definitely stay away from gluten.

I will go into more detail on Calorie and Macronutritnet targets in the next blog and propose a 7 day challenge of tracking to get you started!

Stay Mindful, Stay Healthy and Exercise as much as you can.

Andy

7 DAY CHALLENGE

In theory, eating for Wellness and Fitness is simple and can be summed up in 25 words.

'Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, a little starch, no sugar. Keep intake at levels that support exercise but not body fat'

In practice this is more difficult and will require a little preparation, planning and adoption of new habits. As with anything worth achieving in life it will take an investment of time and energy! However, it becomes easier very quickly and will soon become second nature, you will develop habits which will keep you in Wellness and Fitness for the rest of your life.

The 1st step is deciding on how many calories you should eat and what percentage of proteins, carbohydrates and fats this should be made up of.

There is then an equation you can use to calculate your overall calorie intake. If you are looking to lose weight then use your current weight and be conservative when choosing activity levels, this way you will be in a small deficit, and this should help you to lean out. If looking to build muscle use a weight a few kg above your own and be generous when choosing activity levels.

Take your bodyweight in LBS (to convert from KG then multiply KG by 2.2)

Then multiply by one of the following numbers:

0.8 - you are not active at work (desk job) and do less than 3 hours of exercise per week

0.9 - you do between 3 and 5 hours of exercise per week and are moderately active most days, eg. lots of walking.

1 - you do more than 5 hours of exercise per week and try to stay active every single day

Then use the following macronutrient split to calculate how many of those calories should be for protein, carbs or fat…

A good starting point is 40% Carbohydrates, 30% Protein, 30% Fat. Other than calorie and macronutrient numbers there are a few other important rules.

Important Rules

1: eat only natural foods (I have attached a nutrition document which goes into more detail around food choices and strategies)

2. have a small but consistent calorie deficit (see attached macro chart to find your numbers)

3. track everything

4. aim for a maximum of a 12 hour eating window (eg.10am-10pm)

What counts as 'natural?' ....Anything which is the way that nature intended it to be.

Meat, Fish, Nuts, Seeds, Vegetables, Fruits.

Drink plenty of water. Tea. And more water!

Some foods may be classed as minimally processed - I would suggest that things like peanut butter, high % dark chocolate (75%+) maybe even fruit and nut bars such as KIND bars could be allowed as long as they fall within your Calories and Macronutrient target. These will help with convenience and also give you that added variety.

You will need to track everything you eat (and drink if it is not water) on the MyFitnessPal app (or another similar app if you have one.)

I want you to stay away from artificial sweeteners and definitely stay away from gluten, both of which have negative effects on gut health, inflammation and insulin resistance.

It will help to prepare food and snacks to carry with you at times when you are working long hours, out of the house etc

I would suggest a 7 Day Challenge following the plan I have outlined above. Then after 7 days you can assess the plan and adjust it if needed. If you feel the benefit after 7 Days I would recommend setting a goal of 30 Days to really move you along the SWF Continuum. Important to remember, when setting longer term goals, the chance of having an off day or missing your numbers will increase, you will have to be more flexible around eating out, social occasions etc. Just remember that every single day you hit those numbers, you are taking a big step in the right direction.

Absolutely any questions at all just let me know!

The CrossFit ‘Sickness - Wellness - Fitness Continuum’

Hi all,

I have kicked off this year by studying for the new CrossFit Nutrition Certification. While nutrition was covered in the CrossFit Coaching Course it has now been expanded significantly and is offered in much greater scope as a stand alone course. It has been super interesting so far and has really helped to focus my mind around my core belief that for optimal health - nutrition is absolutely key.

I will summarise what I have learnt so far as succinctly as I can in this email.

Eating is something we are guaranteed to do frequently every single day of our lives.

The choices about what, how much and when to eat impacts every area of our lives.

As consumption of processed foods and overconsumption of refined carbohydrates have increased so have many Disorders of Structure (arthritis, bone thinning etc) and Disorders of Metabolism (High blood pressure, T2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Obesity etc)

A precursor for disorders of metabolism is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is driven by overconsumption of dietary carbohydrates, especially refined and processed carbohydrates.

What you eat determines, metabolically, what happens within you.

What you eat affects whether you store fat or burn it.

At any point in your life your health exists somewhere on the Sickness-Wellness-Fitness continuum.

At the Sickness end, one or more chronic diseases are present and all risk factors for chronic disease are increased. At Wellness chronic disease is absent, other health markers are normal. At Fitness health markers are optimal, you are performing at the peak of your physical ability and fulfilling your full physical potential.

If you arrive at Fitness you would need to experience a long decline before you arrive back at Wellness, never mind fall into Sickness. Achieving Fitness therefore acts as a strong buffer to chronic disease and sickness.

Nutrition plays a huge role in where you are on the S-W-F Continuum. My 1st email this year focused on staying active - your level of activity is the other main factor in where you sit on the Continuum.

There are a variety of health and performance markers which can illuminate your health status. One which is a very accurate predictor of overall health and health in other markers is body fat percentage and muscle mass.

Decreasing non-essential body fat will improve your health significantly.

1. Reductions in excess body fat improve insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and glucose tolerance while reducing inflammation, which results in improved metabolic function.

2. Body fat reduction has been associated with decreased cardiovascular disease risk; improved neurological function, autoimmunity, and cancer protection; and increased life spans.

3. Each individual’s body-composition endpoint depends on their goals.

4. Improving body composition requires long-term behavior change, which consists of dietary improvements often coupled with an increase in exercise.

Any questions just let me know,

Andy

5 Top Tips To Finding a Good

Personal Trainer in Chelsea

We have all been in the struggling mindset of “Oh, I want to get fit, I’ll start on Monday”, and

then what happens? Monday never comes. But when you are genuinely dedicated to getting

into shape, that goal is admirable and achievable, but it can be extremely difficult for some.

Getting fit and healthy is not just about the body. It’s a mindset and a new lifestyle, which

can be a lot of change to put onto one person’s shoulders. That’s why having a personal

trainer can alleviate some of that stress and hold you accountable for staying on track with

your new healthy way of life.

But then, there is another hurdle, how do you find a good personal trainer in Chelsea? Now

there are many leading personal trainers in the Chelsea area that can help you. Covering

from the SW3 area to the SW10 postcode, various trainers help you with your differing goals.

But how do you choose the right one? Well, we have five top tips on making sure you find

the right personal trainer in Chelsea for you!

#1 - Experience & Knowledge

You need someone who is going to understand what you want. Being a PT isn’t just about

helping get you fit; they should be qualified and knowledgeable about the body, muscles and

how everything works to best help you achieve whatever goal you have set out for yourself.

Whether that’s a total transformation or you just want big arms, an experienced personal

trainer should advise and guide you in the right direction to reach those attributes.

#2 - Credentials

You wouldn’t sit in a dentist’s chair that has never looked at a pair of teeth before, so the

same goes for a personal trainer. Make sure to check out other clients’ success stories,

where they went to get their qualifications and that they are legitimate personal trainers

before jumping into your first session with them.

#3 - Costs & Affordability

Having a personal trainer can be expensive, so you have to ensure you get what you are

paying for. But there are ways you can make it more affordable.

Have a look at the smaller gyms in your area. They are just as good and have qualified PTs

on hand to help you, but they might be just slightly less costly for your wallet than going to a

big branded gym.

#4 - Work Ethic & Drive

You want a personal trainer that is just as invested in your fitness journey as you are. You

want someone dedicated to finding you the best diet plans, the most effective fitness

routines for your body.

You don’t want a personal trainer who is just there for their paycheck, has minimal input into

what you are doing fitness-wise, and will only contact you when they have to. That shows

they don’t have the proper ethics and don’t have the drive to make you better, which is the

complete opposite of what you need from a PT.

#5 - Reputation

If they are an excellent personal trainer, they will have a great reputation. Whether that is on

social media showing off their client’s success stories or the gym they work at showing their

skills and accolades off, look out for those signs of a good personal trainer.

But reputation works both ways, so you can quickly determine if the PT has a bad reputation.

This could be bad online reviews, no reviews at all or no sign of any experience or

credentials. Finding out if they are legitimate is just as easy as finding out if they are not.

Finding a personal trainer in Chelsea can be a challenging process, but hopefully, these tips

and tricks on what to expect and look out for have helped you gain the confidence needed to

take the next step on your fitness journey.

How To Become A Good Fitness

Coach

So you want to be a good fitness coach? You have done your time in the gym, achieved

both the fitness goals and healthy dieting balance, and seen the results of your hard work,

and you want nothing more than to pass your knowledge onto somebody else.

You have the itch to help others achieve their new fitness lifestyle, but how do you stand out

from the wave upon wave of upcoming new fitness coaches? Well, we have some tricks that

may help you!

Do Your Research

Like with any job, you have to know what you are talking about, but also to stay relevant, you

have to do your research on not just what other people want but what are the latest trends.

Trends and fads change all of the time, so you will stand out from the rest by staying up to

date and being willing to change and mould your routines.

Have a look at different fitness magazines, social media and online articles. Doing this

research will pay off because you will stay ahead or on track with every other fitness goal

and healthy eating diet.

Get Qualified

Depending on what type of fitness coach you want to be will help you find suitable courses

and training to take. Without these credentials and qualifications, you can’t even take on

your first client until you have these in most countries.

So you must understand what courses you have to take, what they will cover and what other

additional education may help you become a good fitness coach.

Flexibility is Key

When you start having your own clients, you are your own boss, but you have to have

flexibility with your clientele. Sometimes your clients might have to cancel or reschedule due

to their busy lifestyles, so you have to know how to handle this and adapt to those changes

of plans.

You do have to learn how to set boundaries, however, so creating a cancellation policy is a

good way to allow your clients the flexibility they may need if they have to reschedule. It also

gives you the peace of mind and organisation you need to have a successful fitness coach

career.

Develop Individual Programs & Advertise

Being a fitness coach isn’t just about showing up, telling someone to do some push-ups and

then going home. Being a coach is about moulding yourself to your client’s needs and

listening to what they want to achieve. Then you need to build a personalised plan to fit their

body goals that won’t just work short-term but can be implemented into their lifestyle long-

term.

Then by being able to create these individual client programs, you can advertise your work

online, show results via social media and show off your hard work and dedication.

Final Thoughts

Being a fitness coach can be the most rewarding job in the world. You get to change

people’s lives every day and be forever part of their stories. You get to see someone

completely flip mindsets, get the body they always wanted and even make new life-long

friendships. Like any career, being a fitness coach will have ups and downs, but you can be

confident in knowing you are helping change the world one session at a time!

Why Should you Employ a Personal Trainer?

A personal trainer will help you set and achieve realistic goals and identify the best exercises for you, and the frequency of your exercise plan. Your personal trainer in Notting Hill will want to motivate you to meet your exercise goals. Without this motivation and support, many people never achieve their aims.

As every person is different, your trainer should tailor the exercise to the individual. It is easy to waste valuable time in the gym when unsure which routines are best for you and which activities will bring the highest rewards. You are spending your time in the gym and your money on subscriptions, so it makes sense to get the best out of both. Your personal trainer will provide a personalised evaluation and workout plan, giving structure, support, help in setting goals, and motivational support.

New gym members are frequently overwhelmed by the facilities and even the atmosphere. Your personal trainer will be familiar with all the facilities and support you through your initial sessions. The support provided builds self-confidence and confidence in the equipment. This early introduction to the correct way to use the equipment and other facilities gives you a higher probability of continuing your fitness journey.

With your individualised workout plan, your trainer can slowly bring the familiarity of what to expect from your gym sessions. Using someone else's ineffective workout plan could cause new injuries or exacerbate old ones. Because of this, the trainer must individualise your workout plan. Your personal trainer will question your past and current health conditions, injuries, and medications to ensure your method is safe and effective.

Understand your workout

Knowing essential health information will assist your personal trainer in personalising your training plan.

You should be armed with basic information such as your resting heart rate, blood pressure, weight, height, body fat percentage, and lung capacity. These tests can all be performed at your local GP surgery, and it is best to advise your GP that you are planning to exercise and ask for any advice.

Health indicators such as previous or existing injuries and joint mobility are used to create a bespoke fitness plan which encompasses your goal and methods to track progress.

Progress reviews are critical to managing your exercise routine, as your trainer can make adjustments based on the plan's effectiveness.

Mental challenges

Physical changes are essential to your health and fitness, but you must have a "ready for change" mindset. Without a positive outlook on your new health routine, you will find results hampered and performance reduced.

Regular sessions with your personal trainer will make positive thinking stick. You will reap the maximum benefits by removing negative thoughts and imagery around exercise. Your trainer will help remove ideas that the movement will "hurt", create discomfort or be unpleasant.

Your personal trainer is in your corner to push, encourage and support you the whole time and will never be judgmental or insulting regarding you or your progress. Your personal training in Notting Hill is managed by a professional. It will develop your gym skills, your fitness and your mental well-being.