Exciting Times Ahead!

Hey everyone,

Apologies for the silence.  Just wanted to drop a quick note to reassure you that I haven't disappeared, just really busy working on some great new stuff!  So what's going on....?

- Launch of my new online fitness info product.  Full details are still under wraps but this is a complete at home exercise, nutrition and lifestyle product designed specifially for really busy people who want to shed body fat.  This will be launching in a couple of weeks and is a 28 day program - so watch this space and you could be a dress size smaller (or more) in time for the festive season.  What's even more exciting is that I'm producing this product under the watchful eye of Dax Moy (Uk's leading personal trainer and fitness coach).  He is coaching me and a small group of other FitPro's through the entire product development.  We're being worked VERY hard but it will be so worth it.

- Sign up for the Cambridge Half Marathon  is now open and places are going fast.  I am really proud that a huge number of my clients have already signed up, most of whom have never done more than 5k.  So this will really keep them focussed over Christmas and send them into 2012 with their goals already clearly mapped out.  If you're interested in partaking, the race is being held in Cambridge city centre on 11th March.  Individual places have now sold out apparently, but relay spots are still free.  More info at:
http://www.onestepbeyond.org.uk/cambridge-half-marathon.php

- Clean Food Delivery Service Trial Week.  Since her last trial in August, Jenny Cattier and her sister have pitched their business idea to a local dragon's den competiton and WON!  So Cambridge Superfood will officially be launching in Jan 2012, offering 5 day menus delivered to your door.  Jenny and her sister, Sophie, are doing another trial this week and I am very excited to be taking part.  It's only day one but I am already impressed, and really looking forward to my moroccan lamb and quinoa for dinner!

If you have any questions about any of the above then please leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Stay happy and healthy :)

Amber

Client transformation - one person's 26 day journey, trialling the "Cleanse" principles

These are the words of one of my clients, describing her recent journey with me.  As a preface I ought to add that she came to me after losing 5 stone with Slimming World (over the same number of years), and then getting stuck at the same weight / dress size / shape for the past 12 months despite sticking to their food plan (most of the time) and taking up running.

Then she decided to take action, and that's where our incredible 4 week journey began....  The rest are her words 100%.  Have some tissues to hand because you are going to cry with laughter.  And, no, she's not a writer, but I think she should quit her day job and become one.  Over to you, Nim......

It started with the overwhelming feeling that, despite half hearted efforts, I wasn't making much impression on my ever spreading gut. It was beginning to spill out like pizza dough that had been left to prove too long. I decided to give khai-bo a go one Wednesday night and found that, despite not being able to do all of the exercises and there were some that left me sitting on the floor in despair, I really enjoyed what I could manage and I wanted to do more.  Every week I thought to myself how great it would be if I could do a similar exercise routine more often than once a week by myself instead of running. I hate running with a vehemence that's hard to express in words. Whilst others talk of the exhiliration of running and the 'natural' highs, I am filled only with dread beforehand and sheer rage during the whole terrible experience. It must be apparent to the onlooker as someone once stopped in their car and offered me a lift. I feel only mild relief at the end that it's over. I prefer to get my highs from a couple of swiftly downed glasses of wine on an empty stomach. The thought of exchanging a run for 'something else' was attractive. I checked the bank balance, worked out how many sessions I could afford and emailed Amber to see if it was possible to sign up for a limited number of sessions rather than to join up as a longterm client. I wasn't really after motivation - I needed some new routines, some inspiration and lots of advice.

 

Amber wanted to know if I would consider a strict eating plan for 4 weeks in addition to the personal training. I am expert at diets, really, I'm brilliant at them. I've done all kinds and so I agreed to try it out. At my first meeting to assess my needs Amber outlined the principles and it was, frankly, shocking. Almost as shocking as my alcohol units on a quiet night in which almost got mistakenly recorded as a weekly total but I wanted to be honest and so ensured I bared all (more of that later). My diet overall is quite healthy but cheese and distilled goods feature heavily with the essential bodem of coffee to recover. The eating plan was simple, no caffeine, wheat, dairy, alcohol, sugar or anything not in its natural form. Cold pressed oils like organic olive oil and coconut oil were in. Fry light was out,really out. Coconut milk was in. Redbush tea was in. Green tea was out. Meat and fish were in. Nak'd bars were ok but not more than 2-3 times a week. A conversation about what I would eat at 9pm when I normally had a plate of cheese and biscuits and a vat of red wine finished with Amber conceding that I could, if I liked, have a small handful of seeds. Humph.

It was Friday and I had until Monday to get to a health food shop, stock up on fresh food or attempt to leave the country. But she was relying on me and I don't like to disappoint. Something in the gentle but uncompromising way she had outlined the deal left me unable to back out. I couldn't pretend it would be fun. I'd only been in a health food shop once before at an airport terminal when I mistook 'World of Wellness' for 'World of Wellies' and stumbled in for some rubber based footwear. Amber warned about the headache from coming off caffeine. I wondered about counteracting it with a line of coke but where can you buy pure coke these days?

The first two weeks I enjoyed the novelty, the allotment provided all the fresh stuff I needed, the redbush tea was palatable (though it tastes good for you and I try to stick away from such things). The morning smoothy of mixed berries and fullfat greek yoghurt (this is allowed so you don't slit your own wrists within the first hour) and coconut milk was divine. Unusually it also really did serve me ok until lunchtime. Lunches were mainly salad and cold meat or tuna and a teaspoon of greek olive oil. Alternatively I had lentil and tomato soup (the bread dipping hand felt a bit redundant) or rice salad. It requires forethought to plan the meals for the next day and sometimes it was easier to cook the rest of the family something they liked and do my own ( a batch of chicken and coconut curry in the freezer was really useful). Mostly, however, we all ate the same.  Stir fries were really tasty, quick and suited all of us. Steak and salad with sweet potato chips also didn't taste like diet food. There was no restriction on quantities so I ate plenty at mealtimes and didn't feel hungry in between which is unusual for me. I slept well and woke early every morning feeling refreshed. I even began to irritate myself with  my reformation.

After the first week I felt great and had a sense of achievement, I had lost 6lb and proved my detractors wrong. The exercise was some of what I was already doing and some extras. I had more energy generally and, without a long evening of drinking ahead of me, quite frankly I was glad of something to pass the time. My obsatcles to this regime were that I work almost full time and have my son to look after.  He started secondary school on the day I began.  I would arrive home needing to clear up from breakfast, put washing in, cook tea and do all those things which bind us to the house. After one day of not getting out to run until dark I decided that for 4 weeks I would get home, go straight upstairs and change into running gear and go out of the house without 'seeing' any mess.  Otherwise it wouldn't have happened. Unbelievably we all still got fed, some hoovering got done and hygiene levels were sufficiently maintained that none of us succumbed to dysentry.  I did find this aspect needed self discipline to achieve. I was always tempted to 'just empty the dishwasher' or 'just put the washing out'.

The training with Amber was definitely the highlight of the week, I was completely staggered not only by the weight loss but also by the speed at which my fitness increased. I worked hard but it was always achievable and in any case Amber was always on hand to stop me dropping the bar weight through my forehead. That was reassuring. I thought that I would be basically doing the same things each week but I don't think I ever did the same thing twice and I thrived on the variety. I was allowed back on the rowing machine twice but only for good behaviour. The rowing machine was my friend, the sliding seat and the pleasing display panel, I tried to hide my enjoyment in case it got mistaken for 'easy' but it got harder. Oh yes. Amber was genuinely really encouraging both with the diet and the exercise and I could feel myself improving more than I have ever done before. Everything progressed to keep pushing me forward and Amber would think of new ways to torment me each week. I loved it.

By week three I was beginning to look forward to a cup of tea.  I had been very fortunate not to suffer the withdrawal headache despite previous high caffeine intake. An afternoon in the pub with my family was difficult but Amber was on text hand to keep me focussed. I never felt I was going to give up as I was getting too much from it.

Week four was easy, I was in the swing of it but had the end in sight.  I felt fit, was 10lb lighter and was really enjoying the unexpected benefit of truly great sleep (rather than unconciousness) and waking early to face the day.  Everything seemed more organised and I realised, whilst not alcoholic, how much my life was affected by drinking too much.

On the last day I went for my measurements to be taken to compare with the pre assessment. I think the results even surprised Amber. I had lost 4 inches from my waist alone and inches from thighs and arms. It was so much more than I expected, though I had already had to buy new jeans and a dress and so I knew quite a bit had shifted.

I wish I had known how easy it was to do for 4 weeks I should never have been concerned that it was too difficult. I think we are all prone to making these things so big in our heads that we fail to even start. I hate the slogan 'Just Do It' but I can't think of a better term. You can get your head around it and overcome the feeling of being deprived for the few hours that temptation is in the way. Yes, I felt deprived for a few hours in the pub but it was nothing to the great feeling that I got in the end. Now the 4 weeks is over and I can begin to introduce foods back I am even a bit sorry. The rules were so simple it was easy to shop and cook with some forethought. I envy those who have yet to discover this plan.

 

Would I do it again? Tomorrow (well, maybe not tomorrow) but soon.