Personal Training Blog

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It should even help you live longer. Here are some of the main benefits that engaging in regular exercise can have on your overall health. 
 
1. Weight loss/maintenance
Engaging in regular activity, such as walking, running or lifting weights is the best way to maintain and lose weight, depending on your specific goals. Inactivity is a major contributor to weight gain and obesity, which emphasizes the importance of regular exercise. Exercise is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.
 
2. Improved sleep
Sleep is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing. Exercise has been shown to help us relax and improve our quality of sleep.
One review of six studies found that participating in an exercise training program helped improve self-reported sleep quality and reduced sleep latency, which is the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Regular physical activity, regardless of whether it is aerobic or a combination of aerobic and resistance training, can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day.
 
3. Helps reduce your risk of falling ill
A lack of regular exercise is contribution factor to disease. Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, heart health, and body composition. Exercise can also help prevent or reduce health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. Daily physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
 
 
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A question we get asked a lot is what type of strength training workout should I do? And the answer is: It depends!
 
It depends: on your goal
It depends: how long you have been training. A beginner/ somebody new would be very different than a person training a while
It depends: how often you want to workout. If you are only training once per week, then a full body workout maybe more appropriate than focus on upper body one day/ lower body next time
It depends: Are you training for particular sporting event/ activity e.g. a person training for GAA will be very different than person wanting to compete in a weight lifting competition
 
Some key things to consider:

1. Safety: No matter what, ensure everything is safe: your posture, the equipment, the environment
2. Consistency: Get into a consistent frequency of strength training. Ideally 2-4 times per week. Pick your days & times and turn up no matter what (unless you are sick!!)
3. Progression: Use progressive overload to build muscle (i.e. do more reps/ weight/ frequency). You are aiming to do a little bit more than the last time.
4. Focus on the fundamentals: Always include the compound fundamentals in your program, such at benchpress, squat and deadlift.
5. Focus on the core body: It is really important to have a strong core body. Always include some core workout into your program
6. Quality over quantity: No matter what, always prioritise doing things right i.e. right posture, right technique. Don’t rush it, and don’t put the emphasis on the weight lifted or quantity of reps if the posture/ technique isn’t right or starts being poor
7. Focus on breathing: The better you control your breathing, the better you will be able to do most techniques and ultimately the more you will lift and the stronger you will get.
8. Rest & recovery: It is critical to have good rest & recovery between training. Ensuring your sleep well and you are eating well.
9. Enjoy and have fun!

 
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We are half way through January already! How are you doing now versus your New Year Resolutions? If you are going off-track, or need a reminder, here are some top tips in order to improve your health, fitness and well being for 2023:
 
Nutrition:

• Avoid processed foods as much as possible (they are addictive, devoid of nutrients and we tend to eat more of them).
• Eat your meals slowly and more mindfully. Aim to chew your food 20-40 times. This helps you feel fuller from each meal.
• Prioritise getting high amounts of protein and eat protein at every meal (protein helps you build & retain muscle).
• Eat your meals on a  regular schedule. This will help you train your hunger and circadian rhythms.

Walking:

• Aim to get 8000 to 10000 steps per day. This improves your health and burns calories.

Weight training:

• Lift weights 2-4 times per week. Use progressive overload to build muscle (i.e. do more reps/ weight/ frequency).

Water:

• Replace snacking with water and drink it before meals. Water helps you feel full and increases energy.
• Aim to drink 2-3 litres of water per day.

 
Alcohol:

• Minimise/ avoid/ moderate alcohol intake. Alcohol contains calories, impacts sleep, and you have less energy next day.

Sleep:

• Aim to get 7-8 hours sleep per night. Sleep helps you recover and increases energy.
• To improve sleep think of the 3, 2, 1 method: No food 3 hours, no liquids 2 hours, no screens one hour before sleep.

Support/ habits/ patience:

• Find a support network, be that your partner, family, personal training group. You will get encouragement and encourage each other.
• Focus on creating good consistent habits. This will enable sustainable results.
• Be patient. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Think sustainable, long term consistent habit.
• Stop comparing yourself to anybody else. We are all different. We are build different, have had different challenges and different journeys throughout our life.
• Aim to be just a bit better than yesterday. Do that everyday and you will make great progress that is sustainable.

The Christmas season is in full swing, and that means plenty of parties, family gatherings and social occasions in general. It's important to enjoy these occasions of course, but moderation should be the goal over the festive period. With that in mind, here are three ways to enjoy your Christmas with a sense of balance and moderation.
 
1. Ensure you get a few gym sessions in 
December can be a quiet month for working out. However, more and more people are recognizing the need for exercise over the Christmas period. It's important that we keep our training ticking over during December, so that we have a good foundation heading into the new year. Believe me, you'll be happy you kept up your exercise when January comes around! 
 
2. Control what you can, when you can 
Of course, we don't expect you to be logging your meals into a calorie counter over Christmas but it's good to have some awareness around your food and drink choices. Why not try non-alcoholic beer or prosecco this Christmas? Try to limit the sweets and treats, too. We've all been there, the box of chocolates is passed around and next thing it's empty. Don't fall into that trap. Think moderation. You'll feel a sense of pride knowing you had a plan and stuck to it! 
 
3. Enjoy yourself 
This is the time of the year to completely switch off and enjoy good quality time with family and friends. Embrace the Christmas period, nights out, food and drink and enjoy them fully. Just don't go overboard and you'll feel good! Get your morning walks/coffee in, sprinkle a gym session in here and there and drink lots of water. This will go a long way to ensuring your Christmas is both enjoyable and relaxing. 
 
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What step are you going to do today to better your health? Not tomorrow, not next Monday, not January 1st. What are you going to do today?
It is easy to say I’ll start tomorrow, or next week, or in the New Year! It is easy to put off what we have wanted to do for a long time, or sometimes cause we don’t know where or how to start. But don’t put it off any longer. Make the first step. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, or multiple things, or a complete overhaul. But take the first concrete action – gradual actions/ steps are the best way to build sustainable and consistent life changing habits.
 
It can feel nerve racking and anxious taking on something new and different, especially if we are stepping outside our comfort zone. But think of the reward and feeling you will have when you start to see the improvement in your health, well being, energy, fitness, and strength.
 
A few examples to make it easier to take the first step:
If you want to focus on your nutrition, switch from white bread/ pasta to wholemeal bread/ pasta.
If you want to lose weight, eat less by using smaller plate and chew your food slowly.
If you want to exercise, go for a walk today and everyday.
If you want to get stronger, make a call to a Personal Trainer and arrange your first appointment.
If you want to sleep better, go to bed 30 minutes earlier tonight.
 
Make the deliberate choice to act now and not to delay any longer. One step/ action at the time and build on it in the days and weeks ahead. You will be amazed with the results and it will be sustainable for the future.
 
#personaltraining #personaltrainer #weights #weighttraining #strength #gym #fitness #fitnessjourney #fitnessmotivation #cardio #weightloss #coach
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When it comes to getting the most out of your training, it's important to keep things varied and fresh! Thankfully, there are lots of ways you can train the same muscle groups. For example, are barbell rows the same as dumbbell rows? Or do they have different benefits? What about dumbbell shoulder presses? Are they better than barbell overhead presses? Read below as to why you should train with dumbbells..
 
Dumbbells are most commonly used for isolation exercises and are great for upper body work as well as exercises such as lunges, walks and carries. The main benefits of using dumbbells are. 
 
1. Ease of use
Dumbbells don’t take up much space and you don’t need a Squat Rack to use them. So, if you’re looking to get a decent strength workout in at home, then dumbbells are a great way to train! 
 
2. Training efficiency 
Dumbbells are much quicker to change over than loading and unloading a barbell. So, in terms of getting in more reps, dumbbells can be really advantageous.  
 
3. Muscle Imbalances
Dumbbells are perfect for isolation work. And because you’re using your arms independently, there’s no risk of your stronger side carrying the weaker side. This is beneficial for anyone wanting to keep an eye on any imbalances they have.  
 
4. Flexibility 
Using dumbbells gives you a little more flexibility in terms of choosing the angles that you train at. This can be great for anyone who struggles with joint mobility as you can maintain a more neutral grip. Dumbbells allow you to move more naturally, which is not only more comfortable but will also optimize your workouts. 
 
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It's that time of the year where there are a number of events or night outs in the lead up to Christmas. One of our clients asked us during the week: "Can I go to the Christmas party if I am trying to lose weight?" What do you think? Of course they should!  One day, or one evening isn't going to undo all your good work. Here are a few tips to make the most of it:
 
1. Plan ahead
If you know you are going to have a night out, then think ahead. For example, think of your total calories for that week, and have little less on the days leading upto your night out, then you can have bit more on the day/ night of your event. Also, maybe get some extra steps/ walks/ run in that week.
 
2. Be smart with what you eat
On the night out, one can be smart about what you eat. For example, maybe not have any bread at the start (if it is served), maybe have 2 courses instead of 3. Maybe go with a plant/vegetarian option, or with fish.
 
3. Alcohol
Alcohol can be a tricky one. This time of the year in particular there may be a lot of alcohol flowing. There may even be a "free" bar, or bottles of wine at the table. Ideally drink in moderation. Bear in mind there are calories in alcohol, and often we eat more when we drink, we sleep worse, and we usually don't feel like working out next day! So be mindful of it, and try and decide in advance what/ how much you want to drink and stick with it.
 
4. Exercise/ Workout
Still aim to get your regular workouts and training in that week. Again, some pre-planning maybe required. For example, if you normally workout the morning after your night out, that might not be realistic, but schedule it for that evening, or another day.
 
5. Enjoy yourself
Most important thing is to enjoy yourself. You have worked hard all year, this is a time to celebrate and to have bit fun, catch up with people in an informal setting and enjoy yourself. Remember you didn't put the weight on in one day, and a night out isn't going to cause you to undo all your good work. Get back to it next day!
 
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Do you know 340 million kids are overweight? Read that again! 340 million kids are overweight!
The research shows that children emulate their parents. What they see their parents doing, more than likely they will copy and do over time themselves. For that reason it is very important not just for your sake, but if you have children, then for your childrens sake that you are living a healthy lifestyle.
 
How can you best model healthy lifestyle?
 
1. Eat well.
This is so important for yourself, but also for your children to get into the right habit. Simple things like plant based, natural foods, rather than processed food. Ensuing priority on protein intake. Loads of fruit & vegetable. Talking about energy balance (calories in versus calories out), and minimise snacking.

2. Go to the gym/ lift weights
Strength training is one of the best things to be role modelling for your kids. Why not get them involved early? For example, show them pictures of you working out, or better still have them come along occasionally to see you workout (if that’s possible), or meet you towards the end of your session. Or you could show them some of the exercises at home. As a minimum, talk to your children about it and how you feel about strength training.

3. Walk
Walk wherever and whenever you can. Keep the focus on getting at least 8000 steps a day. If possible, walk you child to and from school.

4. Sleep
This maybe a hard one, especially if your children are young and are not sleeping great, but it is such a vital one. Again you need to be leading by example, aiming for that 8 hours quality sleep per night.

5. Drink Water
Show your children the value of drinking at least 2 litres of water a day. Demonstrate the value in water and show there is no need for sugar fizzy drinks!
 
Show these to your children from an early age. What the child sees/ does in childhood will persist with them into adulthood.

Some people think (or hope) when they set off on weight loss journey that they will lose set amount of weight every week e.g. lose 1lb every week, and that it will follow a straight line. They tend to get frustrated if this doesn’t happen, and some times they may stop because they think they are not making progress.
The reality is that there will be ups and downs, but if you do the right things, over time there will be a downward trajectory .
 
A few tips for holding the course:
1. Trust the process
​If you have studied what to do, or got good advice, then trust the process, especially if the process involved looking at it holistically and not just focussing on one element. For example, if one just focussed on diet/ food alone, and one is not getting enough sleep, then sooner or later the sleep deprivation will get the better of things and undo all the good work on the nutrition side.

2. Any change takes time
This is very important. The body takes time to adjust. Any significant change can take 1-2 weeks to start showing up. So don’t stop, or don’t radically change the plan everyday without giving it enough time to show up. Ideally make one major change and allow 2 weeks to see if that makes an improvement. If it does, continue, if you feel it is not, then make another adjust and allow that another 2 weeks to settle in before making any other change.

3. Be patient with yourself
​It is vital that if you want to sustain the improvements for the long term, that you are patient with yourself. One might be able to drop a large amount of weight in short term, but often that involves special diets, or restrictive food. This can make life more challenging, or may not be as enjoyable to live life e.g. you may not go out for dinner to celebrate special event, or if you do go out you may not eat what you would really like to eat. Life is for living, so you should be able to enjoy what you do on an ongoing basis. So be patient with your weight loss journey and cut yourself some slack so that it is sustainable for the long term.
 
#personaltraining #personaltrainer #weights #weighttraining #strength #gym #fitness #fitnessjourney #fitnessmotivation #cardio #weightloss #coach
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Fueling your body with the right nutrients prior to exercise will give you the energy and strength you need to perform better. To maximize the results of your training, try to eat a meal containing carbs, protein and fat 2–3 hours before you exercise. In some cases, you won't be able to get such a meal in! This is where we turn to a quick snack, that will sustain our energy and focus for a challenging workout. Here's four main ones!

1. Rice cakes (2) with peanut butter/banana This is the perfect way to ensure you'll have energy for a tough workout. The rice cakes provide carbohydrates while the fats from the peanut butter will help ensure a slow release of energy. Add a chopped up banana to the mix and your good to go!

2. Bagel with peanut or almond butter
A quick and simple snack to ensure your energy needs are met. Try adding some chopped apple on top and you will be ready for your session.

3. Coffee
This is a good idea for those training in the morning or early afternoon. If you train in the evening or at night, the caffeine probably won't do your sleep that night any favors, so best to avoid it. Try a quick espresso or a normal coffee to give you that boost that's sometimes needed to workout! You'll find your focus will be on point too, so thumbs up for coffee.

4. Cereal with milk
A quick and easy source of carbohydrates and protein. This will give you energy to get you through your session, just make sure to pick a balanced cereal such as weetabix, oatmeal or protein granola. You'll burn off the extra calories that this snack provides, so don't worry if it isn't one of the above!

#personaltraining #personaltrainer #weights #weighttraining #strength #gym #fitness #fitnessjourney #fitnessmotivation #cardio #weightloss #coach
#maynooth #kilcock #clane #celbridge #leixlip