All You Need: Staying Active Through Coronavirus – COVID-19

Staying active whilst isolated at home due to the Coronavirus

Through this crazy time, one of the first things we are trying to emphasise is although we can’t stay connected through normal means we can, of course, keep our spirits high and community going virtually.

Here at No1 Fitness we have tried to turn things around quickly and get some things in place for those of you already stuck at home.

We’ll be putting sessions on daily, there’ll also be some Facebook groups so please feel free to join them, even if you’re not a member.

Facebook Group - Click Here

Below are some quick links to our recommended home equipment list

Any questions please let us know.

Stay safe.

Mini-bands - Click Here

Resistance band mentioned - Click Here

Suspension trainer - Click Here

Kettlebell - Click Here

or Dumbbell - Click Here

Ladies - 8kg - 16kg, Men above 12kg

Invest in some of these, and transform your workouts at home. To take up some of our virtual training classes you will be access to the Remote Coach app, you can find out more here Remote Coach Personal Trainer App Please note the app is free for clients, so good news all around.

Proper Exercise and Sleep: How to Find the Time

“I have a demanding job.” “I take care of my kids right after work.” “I’m so busy.” “I’m tired!” …If your morning commute is to the famous Bank, Moorgate or Liverpool Street areas, then a long day of work ahead can mean you make the above excuses on a regular basis. These are just a few of the daily complaints we hear from new clients around the reasons they either don’t exercise or don’t sleep. Does that sound like you? If so then the first question I would ask is, do all your colleagues, clients and partners around you suffer the same lack of motivation? With a high functioning career comes a lot of responsibility and sacrifice. But don’t let that sacrifice your health.

Mindset for You

Most of the time, all it takes is just a good and proper mindset. No matter how busy you say you are, you have to admit that you still have time to socialise, browse through your social media accounts, and chat with a friend. It may be true that you don’t have time in your own perspective, but, you can always make time if you prioritise. Remember, having “me” time regularly in a form of workouts will ultimately help you blow off some steam, unwind, and relieve stress and depression, making you more efficient at work, more active for your partner or kids, and gives you more energy throughout the day. It’s this shift in mindset that the exercise and sleep routines make you more productive and in turn it becomes almost your own meditation.

Training as your Meditation

Here at No1 Fitness we realise that personal training needs to be convenient, personal training needs to be near you and your work and it MUST give you much more than just a workout. Through training you should gain a much better understanding, a much better education of your body, mind and where you can make changes. It’s not enough to just sweat - through training you will learn to connect mind with body.

Sleep is the Most Powerful Supplement!

If you’ve been working in the City for over 12 months there will be more complaints than the above, but you’ll also perhaps be struggling with the cornerstones of good healthy habits, your sleep, nutrition and training. Sleep above all is the cheapest “supplement” to what you are currently doing that you can in fact immediately impact. Unlike the gym, you can’t get away from it so to use your sleep as a tool to improve rather than destruct should be fixed and cemented into your regime. Training is and always will be another cornerstone that needs focus, however due to physical demands this does need to fit into your daily schedule, whether it be our 6 week challenges which incorporate all or a 1-2-1 approach tailored to your ‘LIFE’. Let’s dive a little deeper into Sleep and Training!

The Importance of Sleep

As mentioned above sleep is something you will either tell your body to do or ultimately have your body tell you, you need. A natural occurrence to your day-to-day living. You sleep when you’re tired, you sleep after a day of work, sometimes you fall asleep when you’re on your way home while riding a bus or train. You need to sleep not just to rest but also for your body to recover and regenerate. It maintains physical health and mental health, and it also strengthens the immune system. It’s as important to our body as exercise, and by the way, do you know that being in a state of lack of sleep encourages weight gain? Too little sleep increases the production of ghrelin, a hunger hormone, that may lead to unhealthy cravings to fatty and junk foods. While these foods are already unhealthy themselves, they also make you feel depressed and sluggish enough to be less motivated to work and also to exercise. Have a quality and good night’s sleep for a more productive day ahead.

Train to Sleep

Before you proceed to make time to “train”, you must know how to train yourself on little things.

1. Train yourself to wake up earlier than usual

Morning exercise and workouts have lots of benefits, for one, your children could still be sleeping during these hours. Moreover, it is medically proven that fat oxidation occurs naturally when you exercise prior to breakfast and it helps your body to burn more fats and calories.

2. Train yourself to limit screentime.

Checking Instagram, browsing through your newsfeed, and browsing Netflix channels aimlessly is a sure way to waste your time. It’s okay to relax, but you have to set a time limit for yourself.

3. Train yourself to maximise the time you spend on every activity.

When you wake up earlier than usual, you can do warm-up activities and sweat while brewing your coffee. You can even walk or run your way to work, just make sure you always bring changing clothes and/or shower stuff with you.

4. Train yourself to eat healthily.

This is by far the easiest trick to keep yourself fit despite your busy schedule. When we’re too busy, it’s always easy for us to turn ourselves into unhealthy habits, this includes stress-eating and eating too much of our so-called “comfort foods” which are usually unhealthy. Keeping yourself on the right diet would help you keep your weight at the least.

5. Train yourself to delegate tasks; train your family to help you.

Don’t carry all the burden on your shoulders. You are not alone! You know the saying, “teach them young”? If you have children and you find it difficult to make time for yourself, delegate little tasks to your children, appropriate to their age. For example, at least a high school age young one can do the dishes, teach the little ones to wipe the dining table. If you’re a parent, then your partner should also be involved in your road to fitness so try to set turning shifts with them in taking care of the kids most especially on weekends, or ask them to cook the dinner for the family. This way, you’ll find time to work-out and ultimately work as a team to do so. There are a lot more things you can do to be fit even if you’re very busy, and being busy is unfortunately just an excuse. If you need that extra push, our starting packages are from £120 per month for 30 minute class sessions, if you’re reading this then take advantage of 50% off your first month - just speak to a member of the team and mention the article. Anything is possible, just don’t look for excuses.

Top 5 tips to keep motivated

Let’s be honest, not everyone has the motivation to work out all of the time, especially with winter setting in.

Those cold, dark and wet mornings will soon be the norm and crawling out of your comfy pit to go and workout can be a tedious task.

If you find yourself to be one of these people, then here’s 5 quick tips you can use to boost your motivation to exercise.

Training buddy

You don’t have to exercise on your own. Why not join forces with your partner, friend or work colleague to workout and encourage each other along the way.

This can change your mindset towards exercise dramatically; don’t think about it as a workout, see it as you’re going to meet your friend for a catch up. The more people you can connect with whilst exercising, the more likely you’ll look forward to going to see them for a workout.

After all, its easy to hit that snooze button and rollover back to sleep if the only person you’re letting down is yourself, but if hitting the snooze button means your friend will be waiting for you at the gym on their own, I’d put money on you lacing up your trainers and making your way to the gym.

Set Training Goals

This is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of health and fitness in the general population. The majority of people who exercise do just that, exercise.

They have no specific plan or target to work towards, they just turn up, get sweaty and go home. So what happens when they get bored of just getting sweaty? That’s right, they jack it in. But if they had a target to work towards they’d be more motivated to stick at it.

When goal setting, it’s important to have ambitious yet realistic goals, these can be anything from fitting into that old pair of jeans, running your first 10k race or losing 5kg. Whatever it is, write it down, put a date to complete it by and revisit it everyday to remind yourself of how important it is to you. Have small milestones along the way to track your progress and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals. Exchange your goals with your training partner and be accountable to each other to reach these goals.

Have fun with Training

Personally I love the gym, hence why I chose a career as a personal trainer, but I know that the gym isn’t for everyone and I don’t expect it to be, after all everyone is their own person.

For me, I don’t enjoy hockey, so I don’t play it, simple as that. So why do people force themselves to go to the gym when they hate it so much? There’s a plethora of other activities you could do besides going to the gym that you might actually enjoy doing, here’s a few: cricket, rugby, yoga, pilates, football, mountain biking, cycling, running, hiking, boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, skateboarding, tennis, swimming, badminton, volleyball, squash, dodgeball, dancing, American football, softball, baseball, dog walking, trampolining, gymnastics, table tennis, surfing, extreme ironing (yep, that’s a thing), basketball, ice hockey, lawn bowls - ok I think you get the picture!

In all seriousness though, exercise releases endorphins (happy hormones), can help aid weight loss, maintaining strong bones and muscles, increase energy levels and can help you sleep better. So it makes sense that you do it on a regular basis, and you’re more likely to do that if you’re doing something you enjoy doing.

Exercise Routine

Creating good behaviour patterns can be the missing link to you staying motivated and can help eradicate some of those excuses you tell yourself to not exercise.

Firstly, pack your gym bag before you go to bed so in the morning you can’t ‘accidentally on purpose forget your kit’.

Secondly, prepare some healthy lunches for 2 or 3 days in advance to skip the mid-day trip to Pret for a baguette.

Lastly, at the beginning of each week, set aside times in your diary for exercise, having them planned into your week where you know you’ll be able to exercise will increase your chances of actually going. If you’re new to this then maybe try to exercise twice a week, once you’ve completed twice a week for a few weeks then move up to three times a week.

Going all in five or six times a week at the beginning can set you up for failure. Making incremental changes to your daily routine can be adhered to far easier as opposed to completely changing it.

Wake Up Early

If you plan your workouts for lunchtime or after work, but struggle to get motivated for them or you find you have too many distractions I.e unexpected work meeting, a spontaneous invite to lunch or just a stressful day in the office; then this one’s for you.

Pencil in your activity for first thing in the morning, not only are there less reasons for you not to get a bout of exercise in, but there’s also a myriad of health benefits too. The boost of endorphins will put you in a better mood so you can approach your day with a much more positive attitude.

Getting out in natural sunlight early in the morning also resets your circadian rhythm (your bodies wake and sleep cycle), doing this for 15 minutes in the morning can also increase your melatonin levels in the evening to help you get an even better nights sleep.

*Motivation for exercise won’t always come from your inner self, so surround yourself with like minded people who will encourage you along the way. Put all of these tips together and you’ll have the motivation to get up out of bed and get active. At Number1 we provide personal training in London and strive to educate, motivate and get results in a way that is sustainable. For more information get in touch today.*

Why group training is good for results?

No worries. We all do! And we have a solution for you: Our 30-minute group fitness classes! Walking into a class, having people smile at you, chill to the same music, execute the same workouts and sweat together with you can instantaneously make you feel less lonely in the world. This is the recognition that life’s trials do not have to be confronted alone. Training with a group can surge levels of commitment, motivation and hold members responsible, all of which help you accomplish your fitness goals. With our results-driven training programs here at No1 Fitness, we offer a sense of belonging and strong community-vibe.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1574684423670{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="1484" img_size="full"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]All things considered, a group workout is a super formula to keep you coming back for more. But our our trainers at No1 Fitness know that they need to encourage and support not just the body, but the mind and soul, too to keep people coming back. Whether you’re working out shoulder-to-shoulder with companions or merely looking throughout the fitness floor at recognisable faces, there lies a resilient motivation in the sensation that “we are all in this together”. Group training not only stimulates a feeling of community and togetherness but also, normalizes the requirement to uphold efficient health-and-fitness performance. If you’re feeling tested or trailing behind through a workout, you can glance around and discover a bit of understanding or reassurance from your peers to power you through.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1574684423670{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text]We here at No1 Fitness have transformed the traditional class design by proposing our distinctive take on Group Training. Our results based sessions are capped at 6 people per session lasting only 30 minutes- making it easy for all you workaholics to come and catch a quick workout during work breaks! These sessions are devised to aid you in accomplishing your health and fitness goals with the help of our devoted trainers guiding you from start to end. Not only do we welcome ALL fitness levels, but we also have a variety of different class styles – Strength, Cardio, Boxing, Movement, Suspension etc on offer for you to hand pick from with more than 12 sessions PER DAY! So why not come try something new with some of the best trainers at No1 Fitness? Book now here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

5 classes you shouldn’t miss at No1 Fitness!

[vc_row full_width="stretch_row_content"][vc_column][vc_column_text]When it comes to getting into shape, strength, cardio and resistance are key into any training. No matter what your goal is it's safe to say that it's best to do it with a helping hand. Through the past ten years we’ve developed a methodology to ensure maximum results. - That’s why at No1Fitness we have specially designed 30 minute classes which combine everything from strength based training to athletic conditioning. All sessions are achieved with aspects of athleticism focused on – mobility, strength and fat loss.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]No matter what you looking for, at No1fitness we have a class designed just for you![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text]How many calories can you burn in 30 minutes? Cardio and resistance training means you're going to get one sweaty workout and may need a little extra motivation to get you through our Burn 30 class. Burn over 400 calories and win a free smoothie on us! This class incorporates a mix of work on cardio machines (bike, ski erg, rower) and strength training with big movements on the floor (think lunges, squats, and full-body movements). This is a high-intensity class, so be prepared to work hard, and have FUN doing it![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="1457" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="1456" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="1455" img_size="full" alignment="center"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text]How many calories can you burn in 30 minutes? Cardio and resistance training means you're going to get one sweaty workout and may need a little extra motivation to get you through our Burn 30 class. Burn over 400 calories and win a free smoothie on us! This class incorporates a mix of work on cardio machines (bike, ski erg, rower) and strength training with big movements on the floor (think lunges, squats, and full-body movements). This is a high-intensity class, so be prepared to work hard, and have FUN doing it![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Leg work? More like full body work! Our Full body conditioning workout uses a certain torture device known as the TRX! Throughout the 30 minutes, you will be taken through a FULL range of exercises, working through strength movements and a cardio blast, all whilst using the TRX cables focusing on both upper and lower body exercises. You will sweat and get a cardio burn throughout the 30 minutes so get ready![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Have you ever tried suspension training? Our TRX Vibe using Power Plate Vibration Training and TRX bands is one of our foundational classes where our No1 coaches will put you through a tough 30 minutes. This high speed workout uses multi-directional vibrations to contract and relax your muscles and in combination with the TRX band, this is one of the MOST effective workouts we have to offer! Expect strength movements and bring a strong core - you'll need it for balance on the power plate![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_single_image image="1458" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_empty_space height="42px"][vc_column_text]It seems unfair that pain is the reward for putting ourselves through a strong workout. But in fact, DOMS can be a sign that you did something right during yesterday's session. DOMS stands for delayed onset muscle soreness, and trust us, you'll FEEL the hard work days after the session! This strength training class will focus on high reps through giant supersets and trisects of activities. You should expect both upper and lower body work; strength training work for majority of the class and a small cardio burst in between sets so prepare yourself for a low impact class, with muscle fatigue instead of cardiovascular fatigue![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="1459" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Are you ready for a full hour? Our exclusive Saturday Sweat Session - Spectrum is a 50-minute class that will make you feel the BURN! Incorporating the No1 Fitness ethos - well rounded health through a variety of styles of fitness- you will go through a full spectrum of training styles from strength and conditioning to; kettlebells, loaded movement, power, bodyweight, cardio blasts and suspension - all whilst your heart rate is monitored! Be prepared for a sweaty session and a high heart rate! And if you burn over 500 calories- WIN a free smoothie! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_single_image image="860" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=".vc_custom_1573144114549{margin-top: 25px !important;}"][vc_column][vc_column_text]So why should you train with us? We’ll tell you!

30 Minute group sessions burning up to 400 calories- perfect for all you hard workers out there to come sweat it out on your lunch breaks!
With a maximum of 6 people per class ensuring a super personal feel.
A great fun studio community where ALL Fitness levels are welcome!
A Variety of different class styles – Strength, Cardio, Boxing, Movement, Suspension etc. and we will help you UNDERSTAND each and every one!
With over12 sessions to pick from per day we will monitor progressions!

So what are you waiting for? book in now to Move Well, Move Forwards! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Staying healthy around Liverpool St Station

It is very easy to eat unhealthily in the city, in deep fried options on every corner, a new burger joint offering the latest juice burger or milkshake. Luckily now more so than ever for Londoners there are awesome options now in place. In our previous post, Harry showed some great healthy options from around our London Bridge studio. To complement that, Ben has pulled recommendations from personal trainers at our Liverpool Street gym for some of their favourites: tasty food with a focus more on health.

Farmer J's

Liverpool Street station is up there when it comes to being busy, you only need to walk through at rush hour to know that. First stop will be Farmer J, the forkin’ good food allows you to choose your tray of food! Farmer J is a fantastic new restaurant cafe where you can choose from healthy selections of food which vary from tailoring to vegan needs all the way to chicken, steak or turkey. After you have picked your ‘main protein source’ you can select your sides as you build your Farmer J-tray. They have a delicious selection of salads, roasted vegetables and other healthier options. If you are looking for a tasty meal and with balanced nutrients, then this place is for you. Something to note however is you’re not getting a lunch for under £7.00 if deciding on Farmer J. But like all good things, you pay for the quality.

Crussh

Crussh is undoubtedly an option we can highly recommend to people for breakfast and lunch. They have a good selection of scrambled eggs, and you can choose your toppings! They have other morning favourites such as oats and porridge options. You can also get your raw juice, booster shots, healthpots, and salad.

Haz

Another option is to check the restaurants. With lunch time traffic not their normal busy hours there are some great deals to be had. If you are looking to get your protein fix for the day, Haz is undoubtedly another good option. It is a fantastic Turkish restaurant that serves Mediterranean and European cuisines. They offer everything from mixed grills to delicious aubergine dishes, which you can pair up with the traditional Turkish cuisine. Get your carb fix with rice, bulgar or lovely salad.

Leon

And lastly, our must-go-to place is Leon. With the majority of their foods oven-baked, you know you’re not going to have those unwanted deep-fried fats that are doing nothing for you. They have a wide selection of vegetarian meals and protein dishes, as well as a fantastic vegan burger, which comes in a gluten-free bun if you wanted tick that box. So that’s our top 4 picks in eating healthy in the city. If you know some of the great healthy places nearby, let us know on our blog or Facebook!

Quick & Healthy Food Options Around London Bridge

As personal trainers, we of course know the importance of eating well. It’s one of the first things we assess at No1 Fitness. But as mentioned in our previous post on what makes a great personal trainer, we also inherently know that our clients have to fit healthy eating into their lifestyles - and that it’s not always easy. So in that spirit, we’ve selected 3 tips and restaurants for healthy on-the-go food options around the area of our London Bridge gym - and for those of you who are visiting our city gym - look out for another post from Ben shortly. We hope these tips can have you ‘hacking’ your London nutrition right away!

Lean and Mean with Leon

Located on Tooley Street, Leon is one of our favourite quick food options. Their slogan ‘Naturally Fast Food’ sums them up nicely, and we like the selection of clean nutrition and the wide range of catering for some of our vegetarian or vegan clients. The Chicken Salad is a simple classic, and absolutely chock full of protein from avocados and chicken to help you recover from a tough gym session!

Protein from Pret A Manger

Oh reliable Pret; always there when you need it! With a Pret seemingly located every few meters in London, it’s always an option, and also has some really great meals for when you’re in a rush. When visiting Pret you want to go for the leaner options, which will keep you sharper for the afternoon and generally deliver better nutrition so you don’t accidentally overeat - the enemy of on-the-go! The Tuna Nicoise Salad is a selected staff favourite. It contains a ton of fresh tomato, tuna, eggs, olives and more, and at under 470 calories it’s a winner from us! When it comes to Pret, generally try to avoid the sandwiches and pasta, which will deliver a lot less protein per meal and often have you easily eating 500+ calories without feeling satisfied (or ‘satiated’ as we trainers call it; something protein does very well). A great vegan option from Pret is the Sweet Potato Falafel & Smashed Beets Veggie Box which runs in at only 407 calories and is absolutely delicious!

In a Rush at Starbucks

Okay, we know this might sound like an odd one out. Starbucks for good nutrition? We’re certainly not saying you eat here every day, as the temptation from the pastry selection is pretty high! But we also know that sometimes you will be in a very quick hurry and will inevitably nip into a Starbucks, as they are so readily available. In this situation, it’s a great pick-me-up and nutritional hack to look for the small bags of fruit and nuts Starbucks do; their Almonds, Cashews, Cranberries & Raisins is a great go-to. It won’t replace a meal, but paired with a black coffee is a good mid-morning alternative to a sugar filled pastry, with the nuts and fruit delivering a bunch of vitamins, minerals, some healthy fats and a little protein hit too. Cafe Nero, Costa and similar coffee venues will have something close to this. When in Starbucks you will want to try to keep your coffee lean too - not an easy feat! Try to avoid any of the “Frappuccino” range which often have lots of added sugar meaning you are often consuming a ton of extra calories without even realising it. Black coffee without sugar will contain virtually no calories and give you that often desired energy boost.
These are some ‘quick and dirty’ tips for staying on point with your nutrition when in a hurry. What are some of your nutrition hacks whilst on the go? Share with us here or on our Facebook page!

How To Know Your Personal Trainer is Seriously Epic

There are so many personal trainers in just London, let alone the rest of the country, all performing seemingly great jobs. So how do you know that your Personal Trainer is seriously epic? How do they stand out from the crowd? Here are the seriously key points from our founder Harry to look out for that will put them in the epic section. We look for these in all of our trainers - if your trainer doesn’t fit in with this criteria, ask yourself how are you going to be epic! The best personal trainers are the ones that love what they do. They have a genuine passion for health and fitness and helping people. When you arrive to the session, are they full of energy and do they motivate you throughout the session? Their attention should be focussed on you throughout the workout, paying attention to your form, they are engaged in your conversations and their body language suggests that they want to be there. On their phones? Call them out on it! They are also constantly promoting health in their own lives. It is important that your trainer is practicing what they preach. Are they training for competitions or taking part in races? Are they pushing themselves like they push you? Are they achieving things outside of the studio that inspires you to keep pushing forward too? Are you proud to tell other people that they are your trainer? Do you want to show them off? These questions often have obvious answers with a good personal trainer. Are you getting results and do they get results with their other clients too? Everyone initially will chose a personal trainer to help them achieve a goal or reach new targets. Personal training can be a big investment, so you want to be confident that your trainer can help you hit these targets. Do they have a portfolio of examples where their clients have achieved results? Do they have before and after photos, or a track record of showing progress? Most importantly are you making progress, are they tracking this, and if so, is it going the way you want? These points are all really important. Communicating with you outside of the sessions is really important. An epic trainer is with you every step of the way. They should be checking in to make sure that you are completing your homework or making sure that you are on point with your nutrition. Does your trainer send you a text out the blue, congratulating on your achievements or letting you know how well you did in the last session? Does the text change your mood for the rest of the day? The level of care trainers should bring extends further than the one or two hours you spend with them in the gym. An epic personal trainer will spend time outside of the gym creating programs for you to follow and almost coaching you in other areas, such as sleep, nutrition and day to day habits. There is so much more that goes into personal training than the workout. Finally is your personal trainer educating you? Are you actually learning about why you are doing certain things, or are you just told what to do? The most important thing about personal training is being shown how to take ownership of your own choices, but understand what that does to you when you make them. An epic trainer will explain to their clients what is happening every step of the way. This is the difference between getting a workout that just makes you hot and sweaty and learning as you go along. If you are looking to get a trainer or currently training with a personal trainer in London, use these 5 points to establish if you are with an epic trainer, you will realise right away. If not, why not give us a call?

What Really Makes a Good Personal Trainer?

Are you thinking about using a personal trainer? Finding the best can often be a daunting task. Not only do you want incredible results, but you need the right personality for you. There are so many Personal Trainers in London alone, so what separates the best from the rest? Over the years since opening No1 Fitness I have worked with and employed some of the most incredible trainers, and here is what I feel makes a top personal trainer.

Adaptability

Adaptability is absolutely crucial and this is where many trainers fall short. Personal Training is all about the client and their goals. Many trainers specialise in certain areas such as strength and conditioning, rehabilitation, transformations, pre and post natal etc. This is great if you client has any of these specific goals and comes to you for that. However, the problem is where the client’s goals are more generic; for example losing weight, and the trainer starts coaching them based on their own approach and not paying attention to the clients needs. A good Personal Trainer needs to be able to change their approach to each client, which many find difficult. I always say give the client what they want first, and then coach and educate them along the way. If your trainer isn’t adapting to you, how are you going to feel comfortable? Personal Trainer in London

Communication and Coaching

There is much more involved in truly coaching someone than simply what happens during workout sessions. Most trainers charge by the hour, and most of the time that’s all the client gets: an hour workout. A good trainer will do so much more than this. Communication outside of the sessions for me is one of the most important things for a client. Remember, you are likely to spend 2-3 hours per week training with your coach, and the rest of the time you will be on your own. Having a trainer who is regularly checking in with their clients makes such a difference. In the same respect, a great coach will also focus on other areas of your life such as nutrition, activity, habits and sleep. This gives so much more value, and also a much better experience for you as a client, resulting in you increasing the likelihood of getting better results. A good trainer will take over the whole journey and want to know how you’re doing in and out of sessions.

Organisation

Working in an office is generally a job which requires a high amount of organisation, and the same should apply to your personal trainer. The most successful trainers have always been those who are really well organised. Diary management becomes important when managing lots of clients, especially if they are training in different locations. As a customer of a personal trainer, you will always remember the times that trainer is late to a session! Programming, communicating with clients, and even dealing with payments and invoices all need good organisation. Trainers should always set aside admin time into their weekly schedules; if you feel neglected by your trainer, perhaps it’s time to get a new one who works around your schedule.

Getting Results

This is the reason most people get a personal trainer in the first place. People want to lose weight, get ripped, get fit, increase muscle, improve their health etc, and they need a professional to help them achieve their goals. Results are the most important thing and this for me is what makes the difference between an average trainer and a great trainer. A trainer should have a portfolio of results to showcase. This will give credibility; it will also motivate others as it will show that it is possible. If you are looking to work with a trainer, make sure you ask them to show you results from previous clients. If they have nothing to show, ask them why? You deserve it.

Care

Above anything else, a personal trainer should have a genuine care for what they do and for helping others. If they purely do this for work with no love for the job, they will not go far and not get the best for their clients. Clients will always work better with people that show an interest in them and their progress. Some of the most knowledgeable trainers struggle to build a successful PT career in London because they do not have that care that is needed for their clients.

Practice what they preach

Finally a trainer who is at the top of their game will practice what they preach. This does not mean they have to be impeccable shape, but it does however mean that they are promoting a healthy balanced lifestyle. Clients will look up to their trainer, and its great when they are inspired and motivated by the example they have set. Good trainers will always keep learning as well, and you should ensure that your trainer feels like they can never know enough. The fitness industry has changed so much over the past few years, so it is important trainers are staying up to date with the research and developing their craft on a constant basis. Do you have examples of an excellent personal training trait? Let us know in the comments.

WHY FOCUSING ON A ‘HEALTHY’ DIET MAY BE STOPPING YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT

When I was growing up, food didn’t come with information about calories or salt or sugar content. You just used a bit of common sense, a bit of guess work and left a bit to chance. Now it’s a legal requirement for any supermarket food to have nutritional information attached. Look at any label and you’ll see rows of numbers and descriptions – but do you actually know what they mean? The term ‘calories’ is now ubiquitous, with diets urging you to consume fewer of them and apps available to count them. But one thing I’ve learned working with clients at No1 Fitness is how little people really know about calories, and how quickly they can get results when they’re better educated. When people are trying to lose weight, calories are the most important metric. The simple fact is, if you consume more calories than you expend, you will put on weight. If you burn more than you eat, you will lose weight. In this respect, it doesn’t matter what form those calories take: low fat, no carbs, gluten free, sugar free, organic, ready meals – it all comes down to one number. People associate bad food with overeating, but just because someone eats chocolate every day, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re eating more. I’m not suggesting you should eat your daily calorie allowance in sweets and chocolate, because calories aren’t the be-all and end-all (you’ll end up with rickets and rotten teeth for starters), but if you want to drop a belt notch or two, you absolutely need to pay attention to how calorific your diet is. I often hear people saying something like: “I don’t need to pay attention to calories, I only eat healthy foods”. But ‘healthy’ doesn’t necessarily mean low in calories. Just because your diet consists of avocados, hummus and cashew nuts, doesn’t mean you’re not over-consuming (these are three of the most over-consumed calories in our studios). Remember: if you’re otherwise healthy and struggling to lose weight, you’re eating too much. Here are example food diaries from two of our clients. One you would typically label as ‘bad’ and one ‘good’. This should help you understand how diet is all about calories, and how being ‘healthy’ won’t stop you putting on weight. Diet 1 Breakfast Granola, honey, fruit Lunch Home made chicken salad, avocado, olive oil, walnuts, spinach tomatoes, figs Dinner Grilled fish, green veg Snacks Almonds, hummus and carrots Calories 2,500-3,000 Diet 2 Breakfast Nothing Lunch Pret sandwich Dinner Microwave meal Snacks Bar of chocolate Calories 1,200-1,500 It’s like the age-old question, “What weighs more, a tonne of feathers or a tonne of lead?” Obviously they both weigh the same. In the same way, 200 calories of broccoli will have the same impact on weight-loss as 200 calories of chocolate. I would love my clients to eat more broccoli and less chocolate, but 200 calories is still 200 calories. It’s worth bearing in mind that foods like fresh veg are less calorie dense than carby or sugary foods, so 200 calories of broccoli will leave you feeling pretty full, whereas a Snickers might leave you with room for another Snickers. Everything we consume has an energy value, including drinks. In fact, alcohol and coffee are often key factors for people who achieve results, and people are shocked when they realise how much they are consuming from their liquids. Let’s take a look at coffee: Medium Americano 5 Medium Cappuccino 120 Mocha 260 Flavoured latte 250 Hot Chocolate 290 Starbucks double chocolate chip frappuccino blended crème - 420 (!) For those of you with a three-a-day latte habit, that’s 750 calories right there, before you’ve eaten a single mouthful. Alcohol is another big reason people struggle to lose weight. In an ideal world, I would recommend going tee-total, which can work wonders. City clients in particular tend to drink a huge percentage of their calorie intake, and this has a big impact on potential weight-loss. But cutting out booze altogether is often unrealistic, with many of you drinking while entertaining clients or as a central part of your social life. So let’s take a look at how many calories you might be consuming through alcohol: Gin and tonic 90 Champagne 84 Margarita 168 Glass of red wine 125 Glass of white wine 121 Pint of beer 250 Bottle of wine 555 Pina Colada 490 Wine and beer are pretty high on that list, and I don’t know a single City client who stops after one pint so that’s a big old chunk of your daily allowance. This is okay if you account for it and reduce calories from somewhere else – I have a few clients who will go out for drinks but will skip breakfast a few days a week to compensate for the over-consumption. If you think of it in terms of a simple energy game, you won’t have to remove anything from your diet right away. Gluten free and organic vs “normal” foods. When it comes to weight loss, eating gluten free or organic makes no difference. I’m not saying one is better or worse – although the health benefits of non gluten-intolerant people going gluten free are debatable – but for weight loss purposes they’re the same. The marketing on these types of foods can be powerful, giving you the idea that you’re eating something healthy, when in reality the organic/gluten-free option may in fact be more calorific. I encourage using the MyFitnessPal app to keep track of calories. If the only thing you do over the next month is to pay more attention to your calorie intake, I guarantee you will start seeing some positive results.

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Zara Had Never Seen Results Before! | No1 Fitness

Zara had never seen results and always got it ill when training. She has been trained by personal trainer Tony Peacock for 3 weeks so far [12 week transformation]. Early results have shown she lost 2 1/2 inches of waist and also nearly 3% body fat, mainly from adding weights and the right nutrition. The session was based around a push/pull workout with metcon elements like the prowler to shred body fat, increase endurance and develop muscle tone. At No1 Fitness it’s all about rediscovering and reshaping the body beneath your clothes – creating a more confident and comfortable you. Whether you're looking to transform your body for a special occasion, improve your fitness for a challenge that lies ahead, lose fat or simply want to gain a better quality of health, we can help you reach your goal. We know not everyone has the confidence to bare it all in broad daylight—especially in front of a significant other or a new love interest. However, that’s not to say that you can’t get there. With our results driven PT training programmes, you can beat the bloat, trim your middle and start feeling more confident with the lights on! Tony's simple mission is to get Zara the body she deserves! Watch Zara's training session HERE. For more workout videos just visit No1Fitness Youtube channel. Written by : no1Fitness

Boxing Will Help You Burn An Insane Amount Of Calories | No1 Fitness

Boxing often called "the manly art of self-defense originated when a person first lifted a fist against another in play. Different eras of the sport have been distinguished by the use or nonuse of fist coverings. The ancient Greeks believed fist fighting was one of the games played by the gods on Olympus; thus it became part of the Olympic Games in about 688 BC… Because of its violent nature and its identification with betting, boxing has had a controversial history. Boxing is one of the toughest sports around, but it is an effective way of getting incredible fit. It burns an insane amount of calories! It incorporates high intensity interval training, provides variety for cardio, what makes it a total body workout. It requires a combination of agility, speed, power and strength. It's also one of the best forms of stress relief. It requires mental exercise and skill and it boosts confidence. The health benefits of boxing for the cardiovascular system include reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, reduced blood pressure and reduced risk of stroke. Try our boxing classes every Tuesday at Tower Bridge studio with Carl Ozimkowski, was 5 time National Kick Boxing champion. Carl’s achievements: 5 Times National Champion (2000-2006 Poland) Bronze Medal in the 2003 European Cup No.5 in the World Cup and World Championship SE Senior Div Champion 2010 Haringey Cup Finalist 2010 Belfast Cup Gold 2012 NE Senior Div Champion 2012 NE Senior Div Finalist 2014 England Rep v Ireland London Rep v Germany London Rep v Denmark London Rep v Scotland London Rep v Ireland Visit No1Fitness Youtube channel for boxing video sessions. Written by : no1Fitness

My Favourite 5 Abs Exercises | No1 Fitness

No1Fitness personal trainer Ben Harper takes you through his 5 favourite abs exercises. Leg hold - Stretch your legs out in front of you, with your feet together. With your hands by your sides, slowly lift your legs about six inches off the floor. Hold this position, using your stomach muscles to keep you stable. Hold the position for three seconds and rest. Hanging leg raise - is a core strengthening exercise that targets the entire abdominal region with an emphasis on the lower abdominals and hip flexors. This exercise also improves stability in the lower back. Mountain climbers - are a full body exercise that strengthens multiple muscle groups and the cardiovascular system. To perform mountain climbers you must activate the core abdominal muscles. Russian twist - Grab a medicine ball, dumbbell, or weight plate and sit on the floor with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees. Hold the weight straight out in front of you and keep your back straight (your torso should be at about 45 degrees to the floor). Cable wood chops - is an explosive, multi-joint exercise that develops strength and power throughout the core and obliques. This exercise also improves hip and shoulder stability and strength. Click HERE to watch full abs video Which ab exercise is your favourite? Always remember that to get rid of that layer of fat covering your abdominal muscles, you need to pay close attention to your diet.

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Why Your Workout Is Unlikely To Get You Match Fit | No1 Fitness

Health has become and integral part of the modern life, with more people working out than ever before. The last decade has been an exponential rise in numbers of gyms, especially in central London. People go for all sorts of reasons: to lose weight, get fit, tone up, improve sporting performance. But the exercises they do tend to be fairly limited. Look around you next time you're in the gym and you'll see almost all of movements people are doing are either "forward/back" or "up/down". Squats, lunges, rows, bench presses, runs, biceps curls. You get the idea. Don't get me wrong, this style of training works, and it's something we all should be doing within our routines, especially if you're trying to build muscle or lose weight. However, even if these are your goals, there are huge benefits to mixing things up. Many of our clients want to change their shape, but they also like to play sport. If they stick to building muscle in a forwards/backwards motion, it can hinder performance and also increase the risk of injury. This is actually quite a radical shift in the way we think about training. For years, and to this day, we have looked at the body muscle by muscle - which ones need to be strengthened, which are fatigued, which need to be stretched - rather than looking at the body as a whole. But the body is interconnected, and people are only just waking up to the fact that there's a lot more to getting fit than building muscle. Here are examples from sports many of us in the city like to play... Article written by Harry Thomas

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Personal Training: Daniel | No1 Fitness

At No1 Fitness it’s all about rediscovering and reshaping the body beneath your clothes – creating a more confident and comfortable you. Whether you're looking to transform your body for a special occasion, improve your fitness for a challenge that lies ahead, lose fat or simply want to gain a better quality of health, we can help you reach your goal. We know not everyone has the confidence to bare it all in broad daylight—especially in front of a significant other or a new love interest. However, that’s not to say that you can’t get there. With our results driven PT training programmes, you can beat the bloat, trim your middle and start feeling more confident with the lights on! No1 Fitness is not like your typical gym. Forget paying for a membership for months on end, our personal trainers work with you to set goals that work for you, a timeline in which to achieve these and monitor your progress every step of the way. Our simple mission is to get YOU the body you deserve and hopefully our client success stories speak from themselves. Click HERE to experience one of our personal training sessions. PT Jon Turton, taking his client Daniel through a hypertrophy workout focusing on the back and ending with some triceps!

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TRX Pike | No1 Fitness

Pike helps to maintain muscular endurance in the upper body and develops the ever necessary core strength and stabilisation ability for training. Increased upper body strength from holding a strong plank position can even help one to get up from a fall, move around effectively. - Starting Position: Place your feet securely into the foot cradles positioned directly under the anchor point. Apply downward pressure with the tops of your feet by pointing your toes. Lie flat on your stomach with your hands placed shoulder-width apart, under your shoulders and fingers facing forward. Brace your torso by engaging your core/abdominal muscles. Keep the glutes and quadriceps (thigh) muscles engaged and strong. - Exhale and slowly press your body off the floor until your elbows are straight (plank position) Keep your head and spine aligned. Do not allow the low back or ribcage sag or arch. Do not allow the hips to hike upward. Keep the glutes and quadriceps contracted to maintain hip stability. Your feet should be together throughout the exercise and avoid any back and forth swinging of the TRX straps. - Upward Phase: On an exhale, engage your abdominals. Bring your hips toward the ceiling and pull your legs toward your chest. Keep the legs straight and strong and toes pointed. Your feet should be glued together throughout the exercise. Continue the movement until your hips move directly over your shoulders in somewhat of a handstand position. Keep the torso rigid. Do not allow the spine to arch or bow. - Downward Phase: Inhale and slowly lower your body back to a plank position. Keep the torso rigid and head and spine aligned. Do not allow the low back or ribcage to sag. - Exercise Variation: The intensity of this exercise can be increased by lengthening the straps and positioning your body further away from the anchor point of the TRX. Watch full video HERE

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Switching Up Your Routine Is The Secret To Results | No1 Fitness

As a firm believer of never letting your body get ‘comfortable’ with your fitness routine, I was eager to try a Fitness Slot over at No1 Fitness. According to the expert Harry Thomas, co-founder of No1 Fitness, Fitness slots were designed to give maximum results in just 30 minutes and conveniently timed so that they can be ‘slotted’ into your schedule, so even on your busiest day you can still make time to work-out. Last week I headed over to their London Bridge venue to try out a TRX Fitness slot; a suspension based, body-weight exercise class that develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability. Perfect for an all-over body workout. After just 5 minutes of training, Harry had us sweating and pushing ourselves to the max. The class featured a range of compound movements and HIIT exercises, designed to challenge each area of the body in a time-efficient and effective way. With a maximum of 8 in each class, or just 2 in my case, you can really get that 1 on 1 tuition to help improve your form or to just give you that little confidence boost. I was a little sceptical at first as I normally spend 1 hour to 1 hour 30 mins in the gym and so I wasn’t sure whether I’d really get a beneficial workout in just 30 minutes. Trust me, I was wrong and I left the class feeling extremely positive and energised. As TRX ropes aren’t always available in gyms/or free to use, I asked Harry Thomas what his alternate top 5 exercises that he recommends packing into your workout to really see results. Harry Thomas’s Top 5 Exercises to Pack into YOUR workout These essential exercises are great to pack into your workout as they all have amazing benefits no matter what your goal is. Using a number of different muscle groups, they are all burn calories and will challenge you to the max! “We like to incorporate exercises that work a number of muscles at once but also work the body through 3Dimensions”, says Harry. “If you think about more the exercises that we do in the gym – running, pressing, lunging squatting, rowing – our body only moves forward and backward. In everyday life we also move side-to-side and rotate. Therefore our training routines should ensure that our body is working through all of these dimensions – which is also great for the joints and increases flexibility.”

Lateral lunges with a dumbbell hold

Hold a dumbbell or kettle-bell in front of your chest. Step out to the side and aim to get your bum as close to the floor, keeping your opposite leg straight and chest high. This is great because it challenges the hips and really attacks the glutes. If you do 10 on each side with good depth, you will see if will become super tiring and taxing on the legs.

Courtesy lunge into one arm press

Another great full body exercises especially for the glutes. Using one dumbbell or kettlebell, perform a courtesy lunge whilst reaching across with the same side arm. When you come back up from the lunge, step back to the side and press the weight above your head.

Transverse squat + weights on shoulders

Standing in a neutral position keeping the weights on both shoulders, take a step outwards with one leg as if you are stepping over a gate whilst the other foot stays still. I try to get people imagining they are stepping on to quarter or twenty-past on a clock (if you are facing twelve). As your foot hits the floor go into a deep squat and as you rise up you step back to the starting position. Repeat on both sides. This is a great movement to improve a number of things including different muscle fibres in the inner thigh and glutes. It is also amazing for the pelvic floor and will also help improve hip flexibility. For those who love heavy squats, this exercise can also be a good to help increase your depth.

Overhead Swing with reverse step

Ab exercises over the years have mainly come from crunches. The problem with most crunches is that you will find that the abs are not switched on to full capacity and you actually end up working your hips much more. This is not good due to the amount of time most of us are sitting at a desk for the period of the day. If we can encourage more extension through the abdominals, your abs will get much more of a workout. Whilst swinging a light pair of dumbbells above the head, you are aiming to take a step back simultaneously. Aiming for 10 on each leg stepping back.

Clockwork press ups

The aim is to perform as many press-ups whilst changing the hand positions. Starting from your hands facing in and for each rep slowly move your hands more and more out so the finishing position is that your hands are the opposite way around. This challenges the chest in a number of ways but is also great for wrist, elbow and shoulder function. For those who get shoulder pain during a press up, we suggest to play around with your hand positions to find a place where it doesn’t hurt and then perform the press ups like this. Find article from Belle Magazine HERE

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Jason Ball | No1 Fitness

I want to firstly say how much I greatly appreciated the work and effort put in by Ben Harper in helping me lose my weight. Having peaked at 122.5kg on the scales and knowing that previous efforts as losing weight via a gym have not worked, I am glad that I chose to come to No1 Fitness. Naturally there was a lot of hard work, but it did surprise me how effortless Ben made the workouts seem and how it was suited and adapted to me and my abilities. I found the workouts provided by Ben perhaps a step-up to what I was used to. Of course, this only benefited me in the long run and I have to say I hold him in high regard for showing me what I can be capable of. The nutrition advice provided was of great benefit and there was always someone around that could provide further support on that front if needed. Overall, working out at the Tower Bridge studio has been a positive experience, aided further by the welcome provided by Michelle or the friendliness and encouragement that is provided by the other trainers on the floor (David, Andre, Sam, to name a few). I now have the knowledge and ability to make better choices, keep up regular exercise and ensure that I maintain my weight around the current level (90kg), and for that I am truly grateful. The biggest surprise from the body transformation experience is that despite requiring commitment and hard work on my part, you guys made it seem easier than I expected and made it an overall pleasant/enjoyable experience. The biggest challenge for me was the food. Either fighting cravings, choosing better options when out, forgoing drinking at times. Balancing it all, which eventually became easier over time with support provided by you guys. TOP TIP = It needs commitment, you have to turn up and try hard. But also use the resources that No 1 offers, it makes it easier. [Watch video interview HERE]

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Why Protein Is Important? | No1 Fitness

Protein is basically the building blocks of the body. It is made up of amino acids. These are split into 2 categories; essential and non-essential. It is responsible for muscle growth, breakdown and recovery. The body cannot store protein when it does not need it. The body will excrete any excess protein through urine. This also means that your body needs a constant supply of protein to help it function properly (nerve function, hormone production, muscle contraction & encourages a healthy immune system). Basically, without an adequate protein intake, our bodies cannot function as they should be. Consuming protein will also help you keep fuller for longer, increasing satiety and help to keep your hands out of the biscuit tin because of it! Now, a common question among women would come across like this 'But Andy, if I eat lot's of protein, will it make me all big and scary?' The answer is no. In order to put on a significant amount of muscle, you need to be strength training very hard and eating A LOT of calories. If half the guys in the weights area are struggling to increase the size of there biceps, and they're trying to get big, what chance do you have? The reason why we advocate consuming protein after exercise? So you can preserve your muscle tissue and allow your body to burn fat. If we don't do this, the body will then break down your muscles….and leave the body fat. You don't want that to happen right? Written by No1Fitness personal trainer Andy Farquharson

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3 Steps To Healthy Meal Choices | No1 Fitness

1 - Hydrate with water. Try to drink plenty of water, roughly between 1.5-2litres. You will feel more awake, increased energy levels and even improved skin! An easy way to increase your water intake is to add 1 extra glass of water per day on top of what you already drink. After 2 weeks, add another. 12 weeks later you've added an extra litre of water per day! 2 - Prioritise lean protein sources. Don't worry ladies, you won't look like Arnie after 3 bits of chicken. The protein will help keep you full whilst also increase your recovery after exercise. Doing this will mean that your body will burn fat as opposed to breaking down muscle. Plus who doesn't like a nice bit of steak? Add an extra portion of protein every day and you will straight away feel the benefits. 3 - Eat more vegetables. Your grandparents weren't wrong, vegetables are good for you! Shock, isn't it? The increased fibre will help your digestion and the added micronutrients, vitamins and minerals will help improve overall health. Easiest way to incorporate this is to add 1 extra portion of vegetables a week. Simple enough and after only a few weeks, most people would've doubled their vegetable intake! Written by No1Fitness personal trainer Andy Farquharson

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3 Tips For Five A Day | No1 Fitness

These 3 tips are to help you if you struggle with your vegetable intake. Any tips or tricks that you have found helpful, please share! 1. Add in extra veggies to meals where they are essentially hidden! Meals such as shepherds pie, Bolognese, omelettes and stews. This can include small vegetables like peas, onions, peppers, carrots. Or, vegetables that wilt and become smaller when you cook them, such as spinach, kale (if you’re one of the few people who like kale!) 2. Smoothies! Adding in a mixture of fruit and vegetables into a blender, you can easily increase your intake by 2 or 3 portions per day! I will be posting a couple of smoothie recipes in the coming weeks if you’re stuck for ideas. 3. Greens Supplement. These are essentially dry, powdered vegetables and fruits that you add to water and drink, and can come in a variety of flavours (some, even chocolate!) Ideally we want your fruits and vegetables to come from the real thing, but if you struggle then a greens supplement is a good way to top up your intake! Any questions that you may have or topics that you’d like me to cover in the future, just leave a comment down below! Written by No1Fitness personal trainer Andy Farquharson

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How You Can Burn Belly Fat | No1 Fitness

How you can burn belly fat Joel Dommett: How star went from sex tape to SIX PACK JOEL DOMMETT, a comedian who appeared in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, displayed his ripped physique in the I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here jungle and on his social media account leaving the public admiring his muscled frame. Working out and caring about health and fitness has never been so trendy – and having a gym-honed body on the beach this summer is still the in-thing. Stars of screen and stage are often pictured showing off their ripped torsos and muscular bodies; this personal trainer believes you too can have the body of your dreams, but you'll have to put in the work. Joel Dommett, 31, shot to fame in Channel 4 cult show Skins; sadly the actor-come-comedian was duped into into having internet sex with someone posing as a Russian model. The star has spoken openly about the incident since the 'sex tape' was leaked online. In late 2016 he wrote an Instagram note to his fans urging anyone who had been affected by a similar incident to seek help with the Samaritans. His fans rallied around him during his time of need - with one tweeting during his time in the I'm A Celebrity jungle: "Everyone has seen what a true gent you are and that defines you, not this video." Thankfully Joel appears to have come out of the other side of his 'catfishing' experience as strong as ever - especially when it comes to his ripped torso. And the star isn't afraid to show it off on social media.

HOW LONG SHOULD I SPEND IN THE GYM?

No1fitness.co.uk PT Ben Camara said: "To maintain Joel’s physique, I'd expect you should be doing a 60 minute of training, three to five days per week."

WHICH EXERCISES SHOULD I BE DOING IN THE GYM?

Ben said: "The key to maintaining a toned and ripped body is core muscle building moves such as squats, deadlifts, presses – simple focused moves that keep you lean. “For a similar look and to keep it balanced your sessions should combine split routine days of focussing on a set muscle group such as chest but also working a lot on keeping your body fat down with some cardio of choic Ben believes workouts that include short and intense bursts of exertion also help to create Joel’s uber-toned look. “High intensity bursts are also a favourite and recommended,” Ben said. “Finally you should be focussing a lot on his abdominal muscles. Usually the last five minutes of a sessions these are like any muscle and need to be worked.”

WHAT SHOULD I EAT TO GET JOEL DOMMETT'S BODY?

Everyone knows abs are made in the kitchen, and Joel probably doesn't feast on pizza and chips to get his physique. Ben said: "If you want to build muscle while keeping your waist slim, focus on nutrient timing and cut off your last meal around 7pm. “Sleep is also critical, especially if you can get your head down by 10pm to 6am as sleeping with your circadian rhythms is essential to hormone production.” Loose Women viewers were in uproar as Gloria Hunniford flirted up a storm with Joel Dommett as they practiced their mock Fifty Shades of Grey audition. The Loose Women panel - which consisted of Martine McCutcheon, Andrea McLean, Gloria and Jane Moore - told Joel that he looked a lot like Jamie Dornan; who plays Christian Grey in the much-talked about franchise.

INSTAGRAM What you eat is important if truing to create a look like Joel’s They then proceeded to dim the lighting, while Gloria acted out the skit, which has since been slammed as "cringeworthy" by viewers. Telling Gloria what he does, Joel explained with a wiggle of his eyebrows: "I'm a comedian," as Gloria stared at his face and replied: "What exactly does that mean?" Taking things up a notch, Joel told her: "That means I want you to willingly surrender yourself to me," as Gloria asked: "Why would you want me to do that?" The comedian then said: "To please me." Find full article HERE

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Scales: Good Or Evil? | No1 Fitness

Since pretty much the dawn of time, we had a society have been obsessed with our weight. If I'm heavy, I'm fat, right? Not all the time. What do scales do? They measure your overall body weight. Not your body fat (although some fancy ones can) Your OVERALL WEIGHT. This includes fat, muscle, bones, organs, water, food consumed, waste (disgusting right?), hair, nails etc. So if in the space of 2 hours a set of scales reads a higher number than before, this does not mean that you have put on body fat What could this mean? A number of things; 1)You consumed water 2)You consumed food 3)You've changed you clothes 4)You been sweating a lot 5)For a female, you're on a certain point in your cycle. For the most accurate way to track you body weight at home, weigh yourself first thing in the morning, before consuming any food or water and record the reading. Then do the same for the rest of the week and take an average of all 7 days. For women, always note at what point in your cycle you're on, as this will affect the readings on a day to day basis. This will give you the most consistent way of knowing if you're gaining body weight and losing body weight. "Scales: Good or Evil" by personal trainer Andy Farquharson

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How To Survive The Holiday Season | No1 Fitness

Did you survive the party season? Every year during the Christmas period, we find lots of drinks available every way you go, but when eating healthy or dieting, always the same question: Should I allow myself another drink? should have a break from it? may as well start again in January right? The answer is: Wrong. During this time of year, the choices you make with your drinks can dictate your body composition. Below are a couple of tips will help limit any excess calories being consumed whilst on a night on the p**s 1) Drink plenty of water before and after to keep hydrated. Some electrolytes will also help. 2) Keep the mixers to the diet variety. They're much lower in calories compared to the full fat version. 3) Avoid any food after your night out. A couple of drinks won't contain that many calories if you make the right choices, but adding a kebab to the mix is a whole different story So how many calories are in each drink? 1 x Vodka (single) & Diet Coke: 57kcal 1 x Gin (single) & Slim line Tonic: 54kcal 1 x Pint of Lager: 256kcal 1 x Large glass of Red Wine: 228kcal You can still go out and have a few drinks, just be aware of how much you're putting into your body Click here to watch a video explanation on "How to survive the party season with minimal damage". [How to survive the party season with minimal damage by No1Fitness personal trainer Andy Farquharson].

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No1 Fitness Featured In Square Mile Magazine | No1 Fitness

London-based private studio No1Fitness is responsible for transforming the bodies of some of the top City execs – helping them to juggle high-flying jobs with 5am workouts, lifting weights at lunchtime and protein balanced diets to excel not only on the gym floor but also on the trading floor.

A PLANNED DIET IS A GOOD DIET

When it comes to your daily nutritional intake, better and worse decisions made throughout the week are always an option waiting to happen. By adding in some structure, such as planning ahead where you may be eating each lunchtime and evening meals can help you focus on days you may want to increase your calories slighter and add that dessert or cheese board. At No1 Fitness we look at calories over the course of a week rather than just “have you had a bad day?

10,000 STEPS AND ABOVE

Making sure you are always staying mobile is crucial to keeping the bulge away. Generally speaking, people that have a higher level of NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) throughout the day will have a better chance of keeping un-wanted body fat off. These are actions that we wouldn’t put into the exercise category but involve us still using energy and, thus in this case, will be burning fat.

HEY SIRI

In the age of the smartphone we are now best equipped with tools and technology to help and guide us. Apple’s Siri smartphone personal assistant is the perfect aid to get you moving and eating throughout the day. Try starting off with “Hey Siri, remind me at 2pm to grab some water”...

DRINK MORE WATER

Generally speaking our bodies are pretty good at telling us when we need something and, with water, it’s pretty much the same thing. What’s more, drinking between 2-3 litres per day and also moving our body throughout the day is going to help hugely with hydration of everything within the body, especially our tissue health.

SLEEPING FOR FAT LOSS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT

Sleeping is key to any City slicker. The days of ‘I can operate on four hours sleep’ are long gone with numerous research showing productivity can be hugely affected by lack of sleep. Having a good amount of sleep will also help one of the body's stress hormones, cortisol, which is crucial to fat loss. If the cortisol stress hormone is floating around the body uncontrolled it can have a huge effect on losing the weight or maintaining the slick slimmer.

AND BREATHE

Yes I said it. Meditate, why? Because even 20 minutes of breathing and meditation time through the day is a great way to find focus and mindfulness. No, you’re not a Shaolin Monk but you can certainly listen to some of their teachings. Breathing techniques are going to help the body tap into the PNS (Parasympathetic Nervous System) which has a primary role of gut health. Keeping the gut healthy is a bonus as we want our foods to be digested and metabolised the right way. Try this simple technique – breathe in for seven seconds and out for 11 seconds and focus your mind on the breath. Repeat for 5-10 minutes.

VARY YOUR TRAINING

Exercise is going to be the fundamental thing you need to add to your working week. That doesn’t mean you need to do bicep curls with Jonny in front of the mirror everyday but it does mean you’re going to have to get up and move. Here at No1 Fitness we deal with complete novices to professional athletes and we always recommend adding some variability to your training to avoid boredom. It’s great for not only keeping you motivated until you get your mind focused on something a little more structured such as one of our body transformation packages. Your week should consist of traditional training, adding in some high intensity mixed with some movement-based exercise that will help with your body’s health and longevity. Varying your training does not mean make it up as you go along though – have a structured plan of what you are doing for the next upcoming weeks.

GO FOR THE FILLET IF KNOCKING BACK A FEW GLASSES OF MONTES

When drinking wine and having a nice juicy steak we want to ensure that the other food choices we make are good ones. Your body’s natural response is going to be that the liver metabolises the ethanol straight away as it enters your body. Whilst this is happening this will override the metabolism of any other macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates), so ensure the protein you eat is nice and lean and go for the fillet. Protein has the largest thermogenic effect of all the macronutrients creating more heat as your body metabolises it – leaving less energy as the end product. So keep in mind when you are having a drink to opt for lean proteins rather than starchy carbohydrates and fats. This will result in less energy being stored in adipocyte cells (fat cells).

L-GLUTAMINE

L-Glutamine is definitely a ‘go to’ for the team at No1 Fitness. We don't advocate shoving large amounts of supplements down your throat because in reality a lot of them do not work. We do however, believe in a good quality fish oil if you’re not eating enough fish and, of course, L-glutamine. This powerhouse will not only help with muscle building and recovery but will also help with any sort of gut digestion problems that may be occurring.

FASTING THE RIGHT WAY

Research has shown that populations with a reduced amount of calories tend to live longer. If living longer doesn’t tickle your fancy then you should still look at fasting as it’s a great way to manage your weekly caloric intake. As mentioned, we look at calories over the course of the week rather than just daily, so add a 16-hour fast (e.g. don’t eat past 8pm the night before and then eat again at midday) which means that you’ve in essence cut a certain amount of calories for that week giving you some headspace and room to enjoy some additional food later in the week. Ultimately your weight loss journey and weight management is going to have a lot to do with your caloric intake throughout the week. There’s no need to go on an extreme diet that you’ll never sustain after you’ve finish BUT you will have to take control of this and look at how it can be managed and sustained. At No1 Fitness we offer anything from a one-to-one consultation all the way through to 12 week full body transformations. Find article at: http://www.squaremile.com/city-worker-training-tips/

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How To Do The Perfect Deadlift | No1 Fitness

At first glance, it doesn’t look like a super complicated move, but deadlifts use nearly every muscle group in the body. It’s a hip-dominant exercise, so it’s great for targeting your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. But it also works the quads, abdominals, upper back, arms, forearms, and shoulders. By strengthening so many muscle groups, deadlifts also help prevent injury in the knees, hips, ankles, and lower back. They’re also a great all round core move, engaging more than just your abs; deadlifts engage your lower back and the supporting muscles around the waist and hips responsible for correct posture. When an exercise works that many muscles, it’s not just a great calorie burner, it boosts production of beneficial hormones that make it easier for the body to lose fat and build muscle.

Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight ahead or slightly outward. The balls of the feet should line up under the bar.

Keeping the bar close to the body, straighten your legs and drive through the heels to bring the weight up past the knees. Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement.

Once the bar is past the knees and the arms are straight, gently rest it against your thighs and maintain a straight back, without rolling shoulders back.

Maintaining a straight back, slowly hinge forward at the hips (allow knees to bend a little at the same time) and lower the bar back to the ground. That’s rep one.

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The Best Way To Boost Your Endurance | No1 Fitness

Endurance allows people to work out at certain intensities or for an extended amount of time. Although the endurance ability is mostly a matter of genetics, maximal oxygen uptake can be improved with targeted training. High intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts have been shown to do the trick. It's possible for virtually anybody to improve his or her endurance. Endurance athletes often have a higher proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers, which work best with activities like running by using oxygen efficiently to generate more energy. Running long can train slow-twitch muscles to fuel such workouts more efficiently and to fight fatigue more effectively. A constant practice of long-distance running can also help convert fast-twitch muscle to slow-twitch muscle, which will enhance endurance. Try these tips to help improve your endurance.

Eat right. When it comes to exercise nutrition, eating right is key, make sure you eat before you work out.
Do some HIIT. High intensity interval training can help improve endurance with traditional training
Add some strength. When it comes to endurance training, variation is important. Resistance training can strengthen our ligaments, tendons, and muscles, helping improve overall fitness.
kettlebells, dumbbell, and bodyweight exercises to help improve stamina
Turn on the tunes. Listening to music has been shown to boost endurance performance while walking.
Slowly and steadily increase the weight you lift or the duration of your set. This is a great way to build endurance.

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Feeling Hungry After Eating? | No1 Fitness

Do you always feel hungry after you eat? This might be why. When people start to diet or eat healthy they believe this new change means eating very little food or choosing a low calorie “healthy” version of your normal meals. Many people eat more than their recommended daily allowance, but having an extreme calorific deficit or starving yourself is not the solution. For example, if you eat an apple for breakfast and a vegetable salad with no meat for lunch and then have a little pasta with sauce and broccoli for dinner, you are not consuming enough calories. Starving yourself is not a good way to lose weight as it will slow your metabolism, making your body go into hibernation mode which will make it even more difficult for you to lose or maintain your weight. Another reason for not being satisfied with your healthy meals is not adding enough protein. Protein can be added to meals through meat and nuts etc. So not eating enough will definitely contribute to feeling hungry straight after a meal. Protein is the best nutrient to help you feel full; each of your meals should have a minimum of 20 - 30g of protein, which equals either 2 eggs with 2 pieces of cheese, 2 chicken breasts or beef/pork that fills at least 1/4 of your plate at dinner. Don’t forget to add the all-important fibre, for something we can't even digest to be so good for us!

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Meet Roger | No1 Fitness

The team at No1 Fitness are putting Roger through his very own 12 week transformation. Usually our clients are assigned to one/ two trainers. We are mixing it up however and with Roger's transformation. During the next 12 weeks, every single trainer will be taking him through sessions. It is a huge team project, and one that we are all confident in achieving some great results with him. Meet Roger Some of you may have seen Roger at the City studio in the office. Roger is head of business development for No1 Fitness Education. He has now been with us for around 6 months and is ready to see how far he can push himself. Roger's day to day roles involve speaking with potential new students who are keen to become a personal trainer. Roger currently trains at his local gym around 4 times per week, but has never done personal training before. His 2 main goals are do reduce a serious amount of body fat. His words exactly were, " I want to get completely shredded that I almost look ill" If you look at his Boditrax reading (below), his Body fat is currently 15%. Roger would like to get his percentage down to 8. Roger also has a number of issues with his shoulders and back and has mentioned that he would really like to improve his mobility here. Here are his before photos (look above). Usually we wouldn't show these, however we want to create more pressure for both Roger and the team. By allowing everyone else to see these will make that end result even more important. Like all of our clients, Roger went to see mark for his nutrition consult. Mark said: Roger came into his consultation with the primary goal of body fat reduction and had one big question on his mind...what do I need to eat to get absolutely ripped? Before we delved to deep into that question I had him take me through his current eating routine to see what habits he was already in that we should look to continue with, highlight any areas where we could look to make improvements and calculated what his calorie intake would need to be over the coming weeks to achieve the physique he is looking for. Once this had been done we started to look at the breakdown of those calories and what types of foods he'd need to introduce into his diet. Making these changes can often be difficult and require a fair amount of will power, so it's important we try to turn any necessary behaviours needed for change into habits as quickly as we can. To do this I gave Roger 3 key habits to focus on that would also have a positive knock on effect with these rest of his nutrition and training, they were; 1. Eat protein with every meal. This will ensure that Roger hits his protein minimum target for the day and holds on to as much muscle mass a possible whilst in a calorie deficit 2. Eat vegetables with every meal Whilst we want to make visible changes to Rogers physique, it is also important we make sure he stays healthy. A wide variety of fruit and vegetables will ensure his micronutrient intake is covered. 3. Walk 12,500 steps per day Even though he is training 5 days a week, that is only 5 hours out of 128 in a 7 day period, so it is important that he focuses on staying active and burning energy outside of his training session. I will be having fortnightly catch ups with Roger to check he is adhering to his nutrition recommendations and make any changes necessary to get him to where he wants to be. Roger's office based role presents perfect examples of areas in both postural and physical weaknesses, and by his own admission, his dietary monitoring is lacking. Or in other words, Roger will be a great example of what huge and retainable improvements can be made to someone who's occupation is typical of many who work in the City. We're really looking forward to getting Roger taller, broader, and leaner in his transformation and can't wait to show you the results of our sustainable techniques and his dedication to the plan. Track Roger's progress on our Instagram, twitter, and Facebook, you'll also see him at our City studio training every day. His Final photos will be taken on 9th December.

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Establishing A Goal | No1 Fitness

Walking into a fitness environment can be very intimidating at first. You’ll see plenty of fit trainers and their clients working hard to get results and you might wonder how you’ll fit in. Below we have a few ways you can maximise your results while training at No1 fitness. To start with you need to establish why you want to start training? If you say you’re looking to ‘lose weight with minimal effort’ or ‘it was an impulsive moment’ you might let yourself down. This journey isn’t going to be easy and you’ll have to put a lot of effort in. You need to outline exactly what you want to achieve and give yourself a deadline to reach your goal. Write down why you are training - this is very important, if not more than just having a mental goal. If you want to drop a dress size in order to improve your self-esteem at work or be healthier are solid reasons to help you persevere when it gets tough. Write down your goals to reinforce them to yourself. You will make mistakes however; it's part of the process. If you're planning to wait around for the perfect program to achieve the perfect goal you’ll set yourself up to fail. The best way to achieve sustainable results is to find out how your body works, adapt your training program and stay focused! If you've always had the fear being at the gym, take action by introducing a few ways mentioned above and you'll be a step further. Don't let procrastination or lack of motivation stop you from achieving your desired goals and staying healthy. Want to start personal training and speed up your results? Book in for a consultation with one of our senior trainers.

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How Many Meals Should I Eat A Day? | No1 Fitness

We’ve all heard conflicting advice about how many meals we should be eating in a day. We’re told we should eat up to six meals a day to increase your metabolism, while others say we should just eat one meal a day to lose fat. So which is it? Intermittent fasting is one way people aim to lose weight by eating as little as one meal a day. A common reason people lose weight this way is because it’s surprisingly difficult to cram 2500 calories into one meal and they end up in a calorie deficit, which makes them lose weight. It is said that eating up to 6 meals a day improves your metabolism and controls your blood sugar. The longer you wait between meals, the hungrier you get; which is why you should eat more often. Many people feel hungry after eating due to their blood sugar levels dropping. After 5 hours your blood sugar level plummets and you crave calorie dense foods. This is why breakfast is so important. After 7 hours of sleep without food, you need energy to get you moving. Your best bet is to cut your daily calories. If you want to eat more often, you can as long as you keep your calories in check or increase your activity levels. Of course there isn’t much difference between people who eat very frequently or not as long as the amount of calories they’re consuming stays the same. If you eat one meal with 2500 calories a day you might feel a little uncomfortable by the evening but you won’t gain or lose any more weight than someone who consumes 2500 calories in 6 meals a day. So the rule is eat as many meals as you feel comfortable with.

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Take Shorter Rests Between Sets | No1 Fitness

Shorter rests between sets? Should you have only a few minutes between sets to intensify the workout or should you wait a little longer? The optimal amount of time to rest between sets depends on what you're training for. You need to think about if you want to be stronger, more muscular or if you just want to increase your overall fitness. If you want to get results, naturally you’ll want a training program that gets you those results as fast as possible. It’s useful to know that each type of program has its’ own time limit on rest periods. To get stronger faster, the best rest period is 3 to 5 minutes between each set; this is because the energy your body consumes during your strength training workout is replaced in around 3 minutes. Some people find that their body cools down too much after 5 minutes and by keeping up the pace they’re able to increase their strength more quickly. To increase muscular endurance as quickly as possible, the best rest period is 45 seconds to 2 minutes between your sets. Endurance draws much of its energy from aerobic metabolism. This means your body burns carbs and fats in the presence of more efficiently during this time. To gain muscle quickly, the most suitable rest period is 1 to 2 minutes between sets. How much muscles grow is strongly linked to the amount of hormones your body produces after weight training. Short rest periods of between 1 and 2 minutes cause a greater release of hormones than long rest periods. Shorter rest periods also add other bonuses like increased blood flow to the muscles you’re training.

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Naturally Improve Sleep | No1 Fitness

It is important to clarify that people should always rely upon “natural” ways of improving sleep without the use of supplementations. Here are some tips to naturally improve sleep:

Have a high carbohydrate meal before sleep. Research shows a greater REM sleep (deep sleep) with a 130 gr of carbohydrate meal compared to a low (47 gr) or a no carb meal.

Limit the amount of caffeine consumed between 4-6 hours before bedtime or switch to a less caffeinated drink.

Avoid Alcohol, research shows a decrease in REM sleep due to the metabolism boosting effects of alcohol, other consequences are tachycardia, headaches, full bladder which may increase the “toilet trips” and consequently interrupt sleep cycles (so limit fluid consumption before bed).

Turn off all electrical devices (especially the ones with LED light) at least 1 hour before bedtime and try to sleep in a very dark room.

Have a balanced meal before bed time and make sure to consume enough protein due to the satiating effect, which makes you feel fuller for longer.

Now let’s look at possible supplementation:

Melatonin - is a hormone that controls the natural “body clock” (circadian rhythm); supplementation of between 1-3 grams per night has been shown to aid sleep quality.

Valerian or valerian root - is a plant used to treat insomnia and anxiety.A recent meta-analysis showed sleep improvement consequent to valerian ingestion.

All in all whether you sleep at night with the aid of supplements or not, getting at least 6 full hours of sleep each night is paramount in achieving your weight loss goals. - Bruno

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The Good Bad And The Ugly | No1 Fitness

Fats are an essential part of our diet and one of the nutrients that we cannot live without. There are a lot of people who don't know that there are ‘GOOD’ fats and there are ‘BAD’ fats. Consuming too many bad fats have been shown to increase the risk of diseases such as obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. However, where there is bad, there is always good and the fats that are good have been proven to be extremely beneficial for us. The bad fats are known as saturated and trans fat which go through a process called hydrogenation, which is used to create artificial fats. Hydrogenation is sometimes used in the food manufacturing industry to improve the shelf life and culinary properties of foods. Saturated fats are slightly different to trans fat because they are more readily found in natural food and it does not go through the same process as trans fat. As stated, trans fats and hydrogenated fats typically are manufactured although some natural foods may contain small doses. They are used in processed food and have been found to increase the risk of high cholesterol and coronary heart disease. Therefore, consuming trans and hydrogenated fats are not advised. Generally, we should shy away from consuming processed foods with additive’s, preservatives and other materials, which have been show to be extremely detrimental to our health. As shocking as it seems the normal population aren't the only ones who consume a lot of process foods, some well known athletes and teams still do not understand the importance of the correct nutrition which is not only detrimental to their overall health, but their performance too.

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Does It Matter What Oil We Cook With? | No1 Fitness

Every cooking oil has its own unique boiling point and as such some are able to withstand very high temperatures. Olive oil for example is best used as a dressing because when heated to boiling point it turns into a trans fat, which is a bad fat. Olive oil also loses the majority of its benefits when it is heated. In comparison to this, coconut oil is able to withstand the highest temperatures whilst holding onto all of its benefits and studies have shown it to have high amounts of healthy fats; which help satisfy our appetites. So which is better? We recommend cooking or frying in coconut oil! WHY ARE GOOD FATS SO ESSENTIAL? It’s well accepted and proven that eating good fats is vital if you want to lose weight. People tend to go to low-fat food for fat loss and replace natural fats with carbs, while food manufacturers replace fat with sugar, leading to a huge increase in nutrient poor calories. Here are the benefits of fats and why they are important in a balanced diet: - Better reproductive health - Better brain function and mood with less risk of depression - Stronger bones and decreased chance of getting osteoporosis - Better cholesterol ratio and reduced heart disease risk - Increase satiety Bottom line... Healthy fats help you lose fat by improving your metabolism and eliminating cravings.

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Remember Your ‘Why’ | No1 Fitness

Everyone who enters the fitness world has a reason. Maybe they want to get in shape to attract the opposite sex, or perhaps for a special event, or maybe they want to be able to see their children grow up. They know what they have to do, and how they are going to do it, but why are they doing it? After many weeks or months in the gym, people start to forget why they are training in the first place. Somehow life gets in the way – work gets too busy, events start coming up, or they are just too tired. Training starts falling down in the priority order, until they fall off the wagon and quit. This happens because people forget their why. Your why is what motivates you to keep carrying on when times are tough. You, and only you, know your why. A why is very personal and will differ from one individual to another. You cannot continue to do something if there is not a goal that drives you forward. Take the time to reflect on your why. The journey towards what you want to achieve will always have obstacles. But as long as you remember your why, it will spur you on to greatness. Work hard at it and be consistent, and you will end up where you want to be. Remember your why. -Jamie Vuong

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DO LOW CARB DIETS WORK? | NO1 FITNESS

The low carb or no carb diet has to be one of the most popular diets around, and because of this there is a lot of confusion. It is true that cutting out carbs will make you lose weight. But this could simply be because cutting carbs is just cutting calories. It is also argued that some people react differently to carbs and that cutting them out altogether is more effective than restricting calories. Removing carbs from your diet will definitely make you to lose weight, but not necessarily body fat. So, why do people on low carb diets appear to lose weight so quickly then? Well this is because of water weight, it is said that for every gram of carbs consumed twice the amount of water is retained. So by cutting carbs you are essentially cutting your water weight. But you don’t only lose water, your glycogen levels are depleted which is why people on low carb diets find they have low energy levels and feel tired. This is why it is important to eat carbs and not cut them out completely or for an extended amount of time. When these theories have been tested it was found that people who restricted their calorie intake and people who cut out carbs lost the same amount of weight overall. But those who removed carbs from their diets often gained back the weight and then some. So all in all it’s really the calories in a low carb diet that matter. As well as the amount and type of carbs you are eating. So what are the right types of carbs you may be wondering? Focus on eating carbs that are high in fibre such as vegetables, beans and fruits.

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Healthy Eating Doesn’t Mean You’re On A Diet | No1 Fitness

It’s a common misconception that healthy or mindful eating is a form of dieting. Dieting is cutting out or restricting certain types of food in order to lose weight. Healthy eating is changing bad eating habits by consuming less processed food and eating more vegetables, fruits and fibre. Healthy eating is about balance, moderation and variety. But it’s important not to become obsessed with healthy eating as some people do with dieting, don’t take it to the extreme. Instead, it should be about enjoying nutritious food in a way that tastes great and helps you along your fitness journey. This is why having a nutritionist is so beneficial, our nutritionists find the right tools specifically for you; which is very effective as it’s better to have a tailored plan and one on one support than a one size fits all “slimming guide”. Feel free to adapt the recipes we send to make them work for you; replace ingredients to make them fit into your daily allowance. If you want to make changes to your entire diet and incorporate less processed ingredients then this is a great way to start, but don’t feel you have to change everything you eat or cut out entire food groups!

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Sleep And Recovery | No1 Fitness

It is anecdotally known that sleep is at the top of your priorities when trying to optimize recovery. Frank (2006) highlighted a variety of effects of sleep on the human body both psychological and physiological. He found a relationship between duration and timing of sleep and the immune system. To strengthen this point, Hausswirth and Mujika (2013), showed that a direct consequence of lack of sleep is an increase in pro inflammatory factors, which can promote immune system dysfunction. He also proved that sleeping has an effect on the nervous system for both restoration and detoxification on top of cognitive functions such as: learning, memory and neurotransmission. In regards to sports, swimmers that slept only 2.5 hours for fours nights, showed a significant change in mood state, increased depression, tension, confusion, fatigue and anger, however no change was seen in lung function or swimming performance. It has also been shown that sleep might have a more detrimental effect on long lasting activities/sports compared to short single effort activities (Reilly and Edwards, 2007). Recovery strategies such as hydrotherapy can influence skin temperature, which positively influences sleep quality. Recent studies show that cold-water immersion can potentially improve sleep quality therefore improving recovery and subsequent performance. Whereas several nights of sleep deprivation, corresponds to an increase in pain perception, decreased sociability, increase in “body discomfort” and pain, which were all reversed after sleeping habits returned to their normal status. So what can we learn from this? That it is important to have a good nights sleep and there is a considerably greater risk (1.7 times more) of injury in people who have less than 8 hours sleep every night. - Bruno

How To Get Better At Pull Ups | No1 Fitness

Pull-ups are difficult at first but once you master the challenging exercise they’ll be a piece of cake. So how do you go about that? Well here’s what our trainers have to say. Use elastic bands: elastic bands are useful because they help lift part of your body weight taking some work away from your arms depending on the thickness of the band. Tighten your grip: this one seems obvious but if your grip is loose then the weight is put on the tendons in your arms instead of your back which can cause injuries. This way you are actually training your target muscles. Engage your core: this one is often underestimated; by engaging your core you are recruiting many more muscle groups to help lift your body. Many muscles make lighter work. To increase the amount of reps you can do start by writing down the most reps you can do and the next time you do pull-ups, do 5 more reps. The more you do this the more reps you’ll be able to do. Top Tips:

Eccentric pull-ups - hold your weight and lower yourself down for 3 seconds.
Use the eccentric part of the lift to help you get back up
Do assisted pull ups using a band or someone to help you
Set a bar on the squat rack and pull up with your legs on the floor

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Sticking To Your Goals | No1 Fitness

I talk a lot about the aspect of getting your head right and looking at setting achievable goals to stay consistent and stay on track. My previous blog post of 5 reasons why you’re NOT keeping up with your fitness goals touched on the reasons generally speaking why clients and gym goers find it hard to stick to their goals. Going into the summer now is a great time to step your game up and use the sunnier and warmer weather to start your days right and progress day by day to achieve the end goal. My tips mentioned before are all about creating good habits and setting these in place to make things easier and I do believe in them. I also however believe that to make these changes you need to start with yourself first. Working closely with New Balance UK you may have seen we’ve brought forward the #Iamthecompetition campaign to not only motivate people that may have fallen off the wagon but also to give the clear message that you ultimately have the responsibility to make the change to your body, health and mind. I myself had started to allow work commitments and running the business start to creep into times that I would usually be looking at either continuing on a holistic approach, a new style of training (currently back on joint mobility and the moment, I am fascinated by movement and biomechanics) or going back through a periodised program to get me as best shape as possible. Allowing other priorities to interrupt your usual routine is dangerous and will ultimately end up in your gym performance being effected and you won’t get to the goal you’ve been searching for, trust me I’ve been there and you’ll end up being demotivated. We all have commitments and all have a social life which is always encouraged from our end here at No1 Fitness, keeping sanity in check again will help with results. Holding yourself accountable is the only way the social life doesn’t start over take your passion and emphasis on making the change you set out to achieve. Here’s some other quick tips to get your head in the game and make sure that you join our #IamTheCompetion campaign. Snooze or lose! Scrap tapping the snooze button and stick to the alarm time you set the night before. If you set the alarm at 6:30am to get up and train then stick to it. My tip on this is when the alarm sounds and you wake up sit upright in the bed pop your feet on the floor beside your bed and just sit there for one or two minutes. Waking up doesn’t need to be stressful or a rush. Take the time first thing to be sure you’re fully awake and ready to go! Meal Choices Make Tomorrow Seem That little bit more bearable!Take time to understanding that fuelling your body to help with repair, energy and if needed fat loss are all decisions you need to make. If you don’t like meal prepping then at the very least take time to plan where you are going to eat the following day and what potentially you may be able to eat from their to match your diet/goals. Programs are to be finished! Consistency, I have said it time and time again and will continue to do so. There are numerous places you can now get a gym, health and holistic program from to follow. Time and time again I see people complain about a program but on asking if they finished it the answer a lot of time is “no”. Commit to starting the program and finishing it and see how the changes come to not only your body but also your focus. It’s time to step and pat yourself on the back, #IamMyOwnCompetition are you? Check out my latest video with #NewBalance on how to improve your speed. - Ben

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Interview With PT David | No1 Fitnes

David competed in and won the Miami Pro Competition 2015 while working a full time insurance underwriting job. This has given him invaluable knowledge when it comes to transformations as he can fully appreciate what clients will have to go through in their own transformations and fitting it around their work lives. Below we will be asking him a few questions about his experience. Tell us a little about yourself? I used to work in an office environment for 5 years and it just wasn’t for me. So about a year ago I decided to change careers, fitness has always been my hobby and it’s one of the only things I actually care about enough to have as a career. What made you want to become a PT? The opportunity to help others feel better about themselves and improve their quality of life. How often do you train? I train 5 to 6 times a week and always have Sunday off ready to start again on Monday. Tell us about the Miami Pro competition? Miami Pro is one of the biggest fitness physique shows in the UK. I signed up to compete about 4 months before the competition. As I had such a short amount of time to prepare I had to be really strict with my nutrition and training. To add to the challenge I didn’t take any supplements so this took an enormous amount of discipline. I thought going through a transformation myself and going onstage, competing will give me some exposure and experience. In the end the hard work and sacrifices paid off! I won the under 75kg fitness model category. How often did you train for that? I had 6 weight training sessions a week with some cardio on 3 of those days. Would you do it again? Yeah! Having won the amateur competition and winning my pro card I’ll compete in the professional competition next year, which I am currently training for. How does being in a competition influence your personal training sessions? I can fully empathise with clients, as I know that training around full time work can be pretty stressful. But I encourage my clients and let them know how much better they’ll feel after the training session and how much more focused they’ll be in their work. Being in competitions has made me pretty competitive so I want to get the best transformation results for my clients. What advice do you give your clients? Stay consistent! Don’t under value the importance of nutrition and training. Get your sessions in and over time you’ll see your results. A transformation is so rewarding.

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MISLEADING FOOD LABELS | NO1 FITNESS

It is said that nearly 60% of people have difficulty understanding nutrition labels. Are you one of them? A common misconception is that rice contains gluten. In reality rice is gluten free; but some companies have gone as far as labelling their product as gluten free when in fact the product contained no gluten to begin with! The 21st century has seen the rise of the ‘Natural’ diet. Many people don’t know that the word natural does not mean organic, and it certainly does not mean the food contains less saturated fat or is healthy for you. For example, look on the back of a ‘natural’ protein bar and see if you can find any ingredients containing the letters ‘lose‘ these are types of added sugar. We also need to watch out for the word ‘Organic’ itself. If the label says ‘100% Organic’ then the product is 100% Organic. If the label just states the word ‘Organic’ then the food can be as little as 95% organic. With the other 5% being preservatives or emulsifiers. Supplement labels can give you a headache just by looking at them; with ingredients only a biochemist would understand. Because of this many supplement producers have been called out for misleading labels. So as a precaution make sure you keep a look out for reviews online as a way to determine the authenticity of a product, remember cheaper isn’t always better.

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Fad Dieting Is Not Always Good For You! | No1 Fitness

Almost everyone who goes on a fad diet will regain the weight. Fad dieting may seem like it works for the majority at first, but it the long run many people put on more weight than they have lost. Weight fluctuation brings a load of related side effects that can harm your physical health. Not surprisingly, fad dieting has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Due to the increased stress and worry about dieting most people increase their binge eating and often eat more than they did before they started the fad diet. It also promotes an unhealthy relationship with food, where food soon seems like the enemy. We all have a natural awareness of when we’re hungry and when we’ve had enough to eat. But as people go over that amount or under, they become more vulnerable to new dieting fads. Dieting is not good for your self esteem if you value yourself according to how much you weigh or how much weight you’ve lost in the past week or so. There are benefits to dieting of course. Dieting can control excessive eating and for most people reduces their intake of saturated fat. Lowering the amount of saturated fat you consume not only helps you lose weight it lowers your risk of heart disease. But you must be careful not to let the diet take over your life.

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Improve And Focus | No1 Fitness

Work the weaker side first When performing unilateral exercises you should always begin with the weaker side first. Unilateral exercises are movements performed one limb at a time. For example a lunge or a standing single arm shoulder press. Naturally we tend to have a dominant side, hand in which we write or carry a bag for instance. Due to the reliance of our dominant side we are susceptible to overuse injuries as well as altered lifting patterns when performing bilateral exercises (using both arms or legs at the same time) like on a barbell bench press or a squat. We will always try and compensate more in favour of our dominant side. So with this in mind we have what is known as a structural imbalance between left and right side. In order to bridge the gap between our imbalances we always start with our weaker side. The reason being if we started with our dominant side and completed the prescribed amount of reps and then switched to the weaker side and only managed half the reps we would be compounding the imbalance and widening the gap. So starting with the weaker side first is better if we only manage to complete half the reps, therefor we will only do half on the dominant side. Lift with a purpose How often have you seen people working the exercise instead of focusing on the contractions of the muscles for that same exercise? Sure you will be burning calories, but laying down quality muscle tissue? Not a chance also not to mention aimlessly moving is more likely to cause yourself an injury. So with every exercise first think ‘what is the primary muscle that I want to work?’ Then when you perform the exercise really concentrate on the tempo. By doing this you will improve your mind muscle connection, which makes you more aware and in control of your body. The greater the mind muscle connection, the greater the control and contraction, which leads to greater results. I hope you find these tips useful and can incorporate them into your workouts. - Jon

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Pre Workout Nutrition & Stretching | No1 Fitness

We all want to succeed and achieve our goals. However good our intentions are for the journey, the execution of the process may be the issue that stops us from achieving our desired results. Here are 5 tips that have helped me stay focused and improve. Pre workout nutrition Similar to a car the limit, how far we can go depends on the amount of fuel we have. We’ve all been there. Either not eating at all or going for a prolonged time before our workout without food. More than likely 100% of the time the session had been below par in strength and energy. So just like a car if your journey requires a full tank of fuel and you only have half it’s not going to work. That being said there’s also the danger of over eating so there will be a bit of trial and error to find what works best for you. For me personally I like a portion of protein in the form of meat, a tablespoon of coconut oil, and a black coffee. My reasons for these are that protein contains essential amino acids, which help prevent catabolism (a process where the body breaks down existing muscle tissue to use as an energy source). Coconut oil because the body easily absorbs it. Which means it can be converted into energy quickly. And if you’re cutting out/down carbs this is perfect. Coffee because it has been shown to improve circulation, which in turn increases blood flow, which gets more oxygen and nutrients into muscle, not mention that I really like it! Mobility and Targeted stretching When we perform an exercise the goal for each rep should be to move in a full range of motion (FROM). In doing so, we will increase the strength of tendons and ligaments, which help prevent injury. The use of strength training with FROM will increase flexibility, burn more calories, and have a positive impact on anabolic (muscle building) hormone production. Now as I I’ve experienced with clients previously; poor posture obtained from sedentary lifestyles, such as sitting at a desk or sofa for prolonged time or sleeping on too many pillows can cause muscles to become hypersonic and adaptively short. Evidence of this happening can been seen in the form of forward head posture, rounded shoulders, hunched upper backs, anterior pelvic tilt, sciatic pain. Any one of these can prevent FROM being achieved. So the use of foam rolling, dynamic stretching and band assisted mobility drills can help free impinged joints, and deactivate inhibiting muscles which will help improve posture and aid the process of greater muscular growth. - Jon

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Does Cooking Vegetables Remove Nutrients? | No1 Fitness

Can cooking vegetables remove all their nutrients? The answer is no. While cooking can reduce the amount of some nutrients, it does not strip your food of them all. Cooking your vegetables and eating them raw are both beneficial to your health. Carrots, spinach, tomatoes, peppers and many other vegetables supply more antioxidants cooked than they do raw. Cooking vegetables increases the level of antioxidants they contain such as carotenoids (which give them their reddish colour). Our bodies convert these antioxidants into vitamin A, which aids reproduction, bone growth and regulates our immune system. But vitamin C levels can decline by up to 30%. Different kinds of cooking affect nutrients differently; frying your vegetables is one way to greatly reduce a vegetable’s nutrient content. This is because the antioxidants are used up during frying to stabilise oxidation. An interesting fact is that raw tomatoes contain fewer nutrients than cooked ones. This is because many plants have thick cell walls, which are broken down during cooking. Boiling or baking tomatoes releases nutrients because the heat breaks down the cell walls and helps our body absorb the nutrients. Top tip: If you prefer raw vegetables, try blanching them to help preserve the nutrients and get rid of any nasty bacteria.

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Zakiya’s Full Body Transformation | No1 Fitness

Zakiya has been one of the most dedicated clients we’ve had at No1 Fitness. She came to us weighing 110kg and has since lost 45kg!! Her journey shows that losing a large amount of weight is possible and achievable with a personal trainer who knows what they’re doing and client who does not give up at the first hurdle. Read below for Zakiya’s testimonial. “I remember the first time walking into the Tower Bridge studio scared, nervous and worried. I had always battled with my weight. Signing up to gyms and ending up not going - I then found No1 online and decided to give them a try. My biggest weight was 110kg and at the time of joining no1 fitness I was 100kg and very upset about myself image. I met Jamie who reassured me that we together will get the results I wanted. It wasn't easy and indeed looking back was certainly a rollercoaster of a journey. The constant tears and melt downs where a weekly occurrence in my training sessions with Jamie, whom probably should of had someone support him too. There was a point where I wanted to give up but Jamie kept me going. He was determined to get me to where I always wanted to be, a healthy, toned slimmer me. And here I am 65kg, feeling great and oozing with confidence. I cannot thank Jamie enough for giving me my life back. I am not quite at my final goal but the life style changes and the fitness routine I have is apart of me now. I would like to also thank the entire team for their warm, friendly attitude and on going support, the smiles on their faces each time I reached a goal just proved how much they wanted to see me achieve my goals. I am truly grateful for all No1 studio has done for me. Special thanks goes to Jamie for putting up with me and getting me results that speak for themselves. Thank you so much!” - Zak

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Squats! | No1 Fitness

Everyone loves a good squat, especially us at No1 Fitness. Squats are quick and easy and can be done in varying ways almost anywhere. Squats are classed as one of the best workouts for your leg strength and general fitness. Squats work so well because they stimulate your hormones promoting muscle growth. They involve most muscles in the body so if you are looking to reveal a toned tummy exercises like squats should be a part of your regular routine. By moving your body through a full range of motion, you not only build your strength, you boost your flexibility as well. Deep squatting helps to increase the range of motion in your entire hip area. The benefits you can expect from deep squats are: back mobility, hip mobility, pain management and daily activities becoming easier such as climbing stairs. Squats build your glutes, quads and hamstring muscles. Strengthening these muscles and muscles around your knees, hips and ankles reduces your chance of injury when doing most ordinary activities. Ladies squatting does not make you become bulky but it is great for toning up your rear and gentleman you will not suddenly grow an extra large one however your leg muscle definition will improve and shape up too. Squats are a great way to kick-start your metabolism and start burning loads of calories. Top tip from trainer Simon – Always dig your heels in the ground when squatting for added stability. Keep your back straight and don’t move your hip position on your way down

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Macronutrients | No1 Fitness

Macronutrients We all learnt in our school years that nutrients provide us with energy important to our growth and wellbeing. Macronutrients are nutrients that are needed in large amounts. For instance we utilise sodium in our diet but it is not needed in large quantities; it can even be harmful if we consume too much. There are 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins and fats; the amount of energy each macronutrient provides is different. Carbohydrates - Come in the form of starch and sugar, these are the macronutrients needed in the largest amounts. When eaten and broken down, carbs provide the most energy - which is why we crave them the most. Some apps like My fitness pal recommend carbs make up 50% of your diet, while others completely remove carbs from your diet. This is done to reset your body, teaching it to utilise carbs more efficiently. Proteins - Are broken down to produce amino acids. Our bodies use these acids in 3 main ways: in the production of new proteins needed for the growth and repair of tissues, making essential hormones and enzymes and to support immune function. If you want to gain muscle like many at No1 Fitness, boosting your protein intake will help you do this. Fats - Some fat in the diet is essential for your health and wellbeing. It is recommended that 20–35% of our diet should be made of fats and oils; this is not an excuse to pig out on McDonalds! Try to replace saturated fat and trans fat with healthier unsaturated fat.

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Micro Nutrients & Water | No1 Fitness

Sitting in the middle of the table is micronutrients; otherwise know as vitamins and minerals. Micronutrients are named as such because the body only needs them in small doses. Yes it’s true you can lose weight and gain muscle without having a high level of those in your diet. But don’t underestimate the importance of these tiny morsels, as they are vital to maintaining healthy bones, ligaments and your immune system. Don’t take any risks I recommend stocking up on a healthy sized portion of fruit and veg with every meal. Water I don’t have to go in to how vital this is for life and we all know humans can’t go for more than 3 days without water. But how important is water to training, weight loss and muscle gain? Well water makes you feel full for longer and stops you snacking. But most important is water’s effect on performance. Being dehydrated by as little as 3% of your body weight before a workout can:

Inhibit performance up to 30%+

Reduce blood flow volume
Decrease perspiration
Increase muscle glycogen use

These are just 4 reasons why being dehydrated affects your performance. So how much water do I recommend you glug down a day? Well the truth is I am reluctant to give an exact amount. How much you sweat and the climate you live in are all factors. Lyle McDonald a fitness and nutrition expert says a good rule to go by is if you have 5 clear pees a day you’re on the right track, I recommend starting from there. So make sure you keep a couple litres of water by your desk ;)

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THE IMPORTANCE OF MEAL TIMING | NO1 FITNESS

Since the dawn of age we have been discussing the importance of meal timing on body composition. I’ve heard arguments from eating one meal a day to more popular ideas you should eat 5 small meals. So what’s the truth about meal and nutrient timing?

You don’t need to eat breakfast to lose weight. If eating breakfast stops cravings later in the day great eat it, if not you don’t need to and missing it might be a good strategy to reduce your intake.

You don’t have to eat carbs around your workout to fuel your workout, you body stores energy in the form of glycogen and unless you’re an elite endurance athlete or you have not eaten in days (which we hope not) then it’s unlikely those stores will be deleted.

You should aim to eat 25-40 grams of protein per meal and they should be spaced out 3-4 hours, this is the amount of protein your body will roughly use for protein synthesis which is the process in which your muscle grows and repairs.

Basically apart from trying to spread protein out to maximise muscle growth, which is important for men and women, meal timing is not that important. Find a strategy that works for you and try to keep your daily intake down, as that’s the real culprit here. Making sure you eat within a 1-hour window after a workout. There is limited research on this subject, and until recently evidence did point towards muscle gain by eating fast carbs and protein within 1 hour of working out. But with most things as our understanding of a subject grows, our views on it change. So although food is the most important factor when wanting to build muscle you have a lot longer than a 1-hour window to eat.

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Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff | No1 Fitness

peak to me for a prolonged period of time about fitness and you’ll no doubt hear the phrase ‘hierarchy of importance’. This is a vital concept that puts things into perspective; for example beetroot has been shown to have some cardiovascular benefits, but who cares. Worrying about meal timings before you’ve addressed calorie intake is a recipe for failure, and too many people sweat the small stuff. The picture above highlights what’s important and in what order when it comes to nutrition, everything else doesn’t work, has not been proven to work or its effects are marginal at best. Over the next few newsletters I will be discussing the topics that make up the hierarchy starting with the least important – supplements. Creatine Creatine is a compound found in the body responsible for energy production predominantly stored in the muscles. Creatine is probably one of the most researched supplements in the health and fitness industry. To cut a long story short Creatine works, it has been shown to help with strength and overall energy output. Making this bad boy one of my favourite sups but be careful of going all gooey eyed over the latest and greatest do it all formulas. Creatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most effective version and you don’t need to pay over the odds for this, 5mg a day will be enough for most although some people like to do a loading phase of 20mg for 7 days and then 5 mg there after, this may saturate the muscle quicker but is by no mean essential. Caffeine Caffeine is another well-researched and effective supplement with proven improvements in energy, focus and performance it’s a must pre workout ingredient. Anything from 5mg plus has been shown to help, although your body can be desensitised to caffeine so only take it when needed. Protein Protein is arguably the most important macronutrient, without it good luck gaining muscle or recovering from sessions or even losing fat (as your muscle mass makes up a large chunk of your daily energy expenditure). Although unnecessary to supplement if you’re eating enough, in this hard and fast world we live in that’s not always easy and if you’re serious about making progress 1 gram per pound is going to be your bench mark. So whey protein supplement might have to be a main stay in your supplement draw. These three supplements are tried and tested and will hold you in good steed.

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Re-Feeds Vs Cheat Meals | No1 Fitnes

We’ve all heard of both, but what is the difference between the two? Firstly we don’t like the term ‘cheat meal’, if it’s planned and you’re happy to consuming it, you should never look at it as cheating. Now let’s look at the science between why we would have either. When we start to diet and lose body fat we are effectively starving our body as we put ourselves in to a caloric deficit. The body then uses a basic survival mechanism and compensates for the low calorie intake by lowering our demand for energy. A lot of our usual functions start to slow down and therefore many hormones that influence metabolic rate start to reduce. The idea behind a refeed day or cheat meal is that we sacrifice fat loss for a day to increase it in the long run by consuming high calorie meals to help restore these normal levels of function as well as restoring glycogen stores in the muscle. This isn’t to say that everybody or every weight loss programme requires either; the more overweight you are the less we’d recommend applying them and if you are losing weight at a steady rate, there is also no need. However quite often people find dieting difficult as they often restrict themselves from food they enjoy and find that a cheat meal at the end of the week gives them a psychological break and often means they can go out and socialise with friends. (Restriction on certain foods isn’t necessary; you’ll know that by now if you’ve read our previous newsletters). Refeed days are more structured and planned out. They often revolve around an increase in carbohydrate consumption of about 50-100% with fats and protein either dropping marginally or staying the same. This can allow for more calorie dense foods that are often hard to fit in on a fat loss diet, helping satisfy any cravings you may have as well as doing the necessary job of bolstering the necessary fat loss hormones. Some self-control is still needed however to ensure chronic carb consumption doesn’t occur. Which is better? That’s not for me to say as both have their own pros and cons; like so much with nutrition it needs to fit into your lifestyle and goals. If you want the psychological break from tracking food every day and are happy to lose some optimality when it comes to losing weight then a ‘cheat meal’ may be more suited to you, if not then try going for a reefed.

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Setting Yourself Achievable Goals | No1 Fitness

Setting achievable goals in 2016 can be hard work. A lot of people walk into PT studios and expect to lose 20 kilos in 8 weeks! This is nearly impossible to do naturally and often people are disappointed when they find they’re not losing weight as fast as they thought they would. I think we all need to realise that losing weight takes time and effort and we should adjust our goals to allow us enough time to realistically achieve them. First you should assess how big your goal is, and if it is only achievable in three months or more, make smaller goals to get you to the big goal. Think about what does it takes to achieve your goal, and question how hard you’ll have to work towards it. If reaching your goal requires five workouts a week, but you can only train two days a week, then you need to make your goal smaller. Be realistic about how much time you have to spend on your goal and your fitness level. If you can you see yourself reaching the goal, it must be a programme you can stick to without giving up at the first hurdle. Be completely honest with yourself and ask yourself if you can realistically see yourself doing what it takes to achieve it! I think the most important part in setting a realistic and successful fitness goal is rewarding yourself when you achieve your goals. These treats range from buying a new gadget to treating yourself to a spa, or buying a new pair of shoes. There should be a time where you treat yourself for your hard work and enjoy your success, not only will it improve your self-esteem but your happiness will improve too.

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Why Am I Gaining Weight After Weight Training? | No1 Fitness

This is a common question we’ve heard time and time again. Many women and men included are put off weight training because they are afraid they’ll gain too much muscle or they think weight training does not include enough cardio. Weight training builds muscle and muscles burn calories; weight training builds a lot more muscle than cardio based training. And it takes a heck of a lot more training for the average women to look like the lady above than it would take a man to look like the equivalent. Many people worry when they step on the scale and find they’ve gained weight. This happens because strength training can make you gain weight, as muscle weighs more than fat. But gaining muscular weight does not look the same as gaining fatty weight. It looks better, you’ll look a lot better when your arms are firm and your gut is tighter. What people really mean, when they say they want to ‘lose weight and shape up’ is that they want to lose body fat and make their muscles firmer. They hope that by doing so they change the shape of their body from a soft and round shape into a muscular and athletic shape. Ultimately, when it comes to losing weight the most important thing is diet. So if you’re looking to lose weight via body fat, then you need to watch what you eat. Don’t forget you can book individual and follow up sessions with our nutritionists to help keep your weight loss goals on track.

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Does Sleep Affect Weight Loss? | No1 Fitness

Almost definitely. We pay a lot of attention to weight training/nutrition and they are of the utmost importance in the search for your inner Adonis. One vital but almost forgotten factor in shifting that spare tyre and to reveal your abs, is sleep. Sleep plays a pivotal role in fat loss; studies have shown that less sleep leads to less fat loss. In one particular study it was shown that when calorie intake was matched between people that slept for just under 5.5 hours, in comparison to those having 7.5 hours sleep, the same amount of weight was lost. However the amount of that weight which was adipose tissue (fat) was significantly less then the group who had 7.5 hours sleep. The group with less sleep lost a lot more muscle to make up that weight loss. This is a double edged sword, not only will less muscle not make you look any sexier, a decrease in muscle mass also means a slower metabolism. Less sleep also messes with your hormones. It increases your stress hormones and the hormones responsible for appetite such as cortisol, leptin and ghrelin making you hungrier. And as you’re awake for longer, you’re hunger is there for a longer period of time, leading to a higher chance of midnight snacking and an overall higher calorie intake than recommended. Consequently, less sleep puts your body under more stress making it harder for your body to recover and train at the same intensity. The more you look into it the more you can start to see just how important sleep actually is and how it can be hindering your goals. But how many hours should you sleep? It’s near impossible to give an exact numbers of hours, but the national sleep foundation recommends 7-9 hours for a regular adult and slightly less for if you are over 65. But the best thing you can do it to judge how you feel. Do you need coffee or any caffeine drinks to get you through the day? Are you craving high calorie foods or feeling depressed or sluggish? These are all signs that you are not sleeping enough. Try to get to sleep 8 hours before you need to wake up, set your alarm half an hour later as a back up and see if you can wake up naturally, this is a great method to find out how much sleep your body needs. So relax have a bath and get an early night and let the sand man bring you them gains! - Darren

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How To Deal With Festive Snacking | No1 Fitness

The big day has come and gone, but there are still tonnes of mince pies, roast turkey and supermarket canapé’s left over; being healthy is the last thing on many people’s minds. It is said that the average person consumes around 6,000 calories on Christmas day alone! And it’s not just Christmas day we need to worry about, the left overs last for days. Start the day right with a healthy breakfast, preferably one that is going to keep you full, such as porridge or a nutritious smoothie. This way you won't be tempted to dip into the snacks, and when it does come to snack time have vegetables with low fat dips instead of crisps or stick to unsalted popcorn if you must. A great alternative to party canapé’s is a small pot of plain yogurt with sliced banana. The protein in the yogurt slows down the digestion process in your stomach, helping delay the effects of a glass of wine. Whilst the potassium in the banana helps balance the increase in salt intake through processed snacks. This is especially helpful for those who love olives or salted nuts. Remember to make a conscious effort to drink 8 glasses of water a day; you can even supplement a glass for a nice warm cup of herbal tea. Dehydration can lead to headaches and paired with the effects of alcohol it can really hurt your health. Make sure you get back to your normal routine as soon as possible and enjoy the holidays while it lasts!

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Tis The Season Of Indulgence | No1 Fitness

Christmas is tomorrow and I’m certainly not going to preach or tell you not to enjoy the odd glass of malt wine and a mince pie. But if you have lost weight from dieting this year and you don’t want to put on substantial weight during the holidays your going to need a plan. Nothing excessive but you do need to practice mindful eating. Be aware of how much you’re eating and try to stop at 1 or 2 mince pies. Binge eating for 2 or 3 days is okay as long as you’re mindful not eating excessively it’s not the end of the world and neither is going berserk on the old christmas pud. Eat it, enjoy it, don’t obsess or feel guilty about it and get back on the bandwagon as soon as possible. Set a date to do so and stick to it. The reason most people put on weight is not because they spent 3 or 4 days slightly over eating its because they spend 2 weeks or more seriously over eating. One reason for this is what I like to call ‘in for a penny in for a pound’ attitude. You have done it now you might as well eat the rest to fill in the blank with delicious treat. This is a dangerous attitude to have and leads to a feeling of guilt and yoyo dieting and a bad relationship with food. Go in with a plan stick to it eat until you’re full, consciously ask yourself if you have had enough, if the answer is no have some more but if you’re satisfied put your feet up and watch the Queen’s speech. And have a happy Christmas :D

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No1 Fitness Education | No1 Fitness

Happy Thursday Everyone! It's been a little while since I last spoke to you all. Last Wednesday, No1 Fitness Education ran another successful networking event in the amazing We Grill restaurant. For those of you who don't know, we set up the education side of the company around 2 years ago. Over this time, Ben and I worked with a large number of trainers. Unfortunately there are a number of terrible trainers within the industry and they give all personal trainers a bad image. Personal training is a big investment for clients and they deserve to have a decent trainer. All the tutors on our courses are successful trainers as well as great teachers. We believe that this is so important, as their experience and stories really help the students learn what actually happens in the industry. We also push the nutrition side of things too and as you can see from the results at the studio, nutrition is essential. Who can do the course? Anyone can do our course, you do not need any qualifications, however we encourage you to have an interest in health and fitness. Our students have ranged from university graduates, those who want to change their career, ex sports professionals and fitness enthusiasts who want to learn more. We have a number of weekend and intensive courses scheduled in 2016. Weekend courses run over 11 weekends - one day per week, and our intensive courses run over 6 weeks - Mon/Tue/Wed. I believe that once you are fully qualified from No1 Fitness Education, you will be much further ahead than those who have studied with other training providers and you will be ready to take on clients right away. Please check us out at no1fitnesseducation.co.uk and contact us for more information.

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A Neat Way To Lose Weight | No1 Fitness

What is neat? Neat stands for None Exercise Active Thermogenesis. Neat is everything you do that does not count as physical exercise: such as cleaning, shopping and even standing. Neat is comprised of two occupational and social components - it accounts for roughly 15% of calories burned in a day for a fairly active person. That’s a lot and it can be increased. How? You guessed it, by moving more. So move more to burn more calories. On the surface this may seem obvious but studies have shown it can vary from person to person depending on their occupation and hobbies they can burn upwards of 1500cals per day. Basically Neat’s a massively useful tool to have in your weight loss arsenal. Ways to increase neat

If you’re emailing a colleague in the building put down the mouse and take a stroll over to their office to pass on the message.
Get off the train a stop early from work; plug in those headphones and power walk the rest of the way.
Stand up more, when taking calls on your mobile phone stand up to take the call. This might seem like a small thing but it makes a difference.
Scrap modernized laziness such as online banking and shopping delivery. If you must, make a conscious decision not to buy milk or bread meaning you will have to take a trip to the shop instead.
Build a fort with the kids. Playing with the kids can massively increase activity levels.
Most importantly track your steps with a pedometer.

TRACKING NEAT It can be very hard to track many aspects of Neat since it’s comprised of many components from fidgeting to running for a bus. But one if not the most important component that can be tracked are your steps. Download an app such as pedometer and it will keep track of your daily activity. See what you average over a normal week is, then make a conscious effort to increase that by a couple thousand. This can be very important especially when on a diet. Studies have shown that when you decrease calories your body makes adjustment to make you more energy efficient and instead tries to save calories thus hindering your weight loss efforts. Don’t be foiled by this smart biological trickery. Keeping track of your steps will give you a rough enough estimate of your daily Neat ultimately shifting those pounds. P.s The more lean muscle you have the more calories your body burns when moving so keep hitting the gym for them gains.

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Why Is Sugar So Bad? | No1 Fitness

The hardest part about being fit for most is healthy eating. As you know giving up your favourite chocolate treats and weekend nights out is the most difficult part of changing your old lifestyle to a more healthy one. Most people eat too much sugar which is no surprise when you see the amount of sweets and fizzy drinks displayed around tills in supermarkets and off-licenses. Sugar is naturally in foods such as fruit and milk but we don't need to cut down on these types of sugars. The sugars you need to cut down on are added to most of the food we eat, you’ll find it added to sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and juice drinks as well as the buns on a fast food burger. These are the types of sugary food you need to cut down on not only to save your teeth but save yourself from heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Sugary food are high in energy and eating these foods often can contribute to you becoming overweight. To maintain a healthy and nutritious diet, you should eat sugary foods only occasionally, and you should aim to gain most of your calories from starchy foods and fruits and vegetables. Fruit juice is still a healthy choice, and counts as one of your recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables. But it is best to drink fruit juice at mealtimes to minimise damage to your teeth. Tips to cut down on sugars: Replace fizzy drinks with water or unsweetened fruit juice. If you must have fizz, try diluting fruit juice with sparkling water. Swap cakes and biscuits for a fruit or a scone with low fat spread. If you take sugar in hot drinks or add sugar to your breakfast cereal, gradually reduce the amount until you can cut it out altogether. Rather than spreading jam, marmalade, syrup, treacle or honey on your toast, try a low-fat spread, sliced banana or low-fat cream cheese instead.

Written by : no1Fitness

How Many Times A Week Should You Train? | No1 Fitness

How many times a week should you train? This can be any form of exercise, whether its Weight training, Cardio or Pilates etc. ‘How much should I train?’ is a question we hear a lot of No1 Fitness clients ask. There is a small difference however between the frequencies of how many times you weight train per week and how many times you train each muscle group or body part per week? The difference being you can train more often if you train a different body part, rather than training both arms and legs each day of the week. If you're a newbie to weight training, doing full body workouts two to three times per week is optimal. Once you bypass the initial soreness and DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) your trainer might decide for you to train your upper body one day, your lower body the next, and to take a day off on the third day. The golden rule is to take at least one day off per week from all types of exercise. Most people should be weight training 3 to 4 times per week. If you are training for fat loss, focus on working out 3 to 4 times per week. Strength training utilises large movements, which uses up a lot of energy and burns calories. This can leave you feeling fatigued if you don’t give yourself enough recovery time. HIIT, weight training and a proper diet all have different effects on results, but we have to meet that equilibrium and try not to over train or train too little. Some common signs of overtraining are decreased strength, lack of sleep and increased water retention. It’s all about the balance and rest is just as important to your results.

Maximising Muscle Growth | No1 Fitness

Are you dropping a dress size to fit into your favorite dress, improve your self-esteem or are you just looking to gain muscle? The days are getting shorter and the weather colder; don’t let this distract you from your end goal. Below are a few tips on maximizing muscle growth. A standard set of 10 reps for an average person can take between 25-35 seconds to complete depending on your speed. The duration of the set and your tension are key factors in determining your muscle growth. By putting the muscle under strain longer, you can cause more muscle breakdown leading to those lean and defined muscles we all want. If you don’t have a lot of time an alternative to the barbell is the kettle bell. This is almost certainly a quick and easy way to get your quick squat fix instead of the lengthier barbell setup. The placement of the kettle bells and the increased use of your core makes this one of the best for maximizing your gains quickly and is great practice for when you use the actual barbell. Make sure you spend more time on the eccentric portion of the movement. This is the lowering part when your muscle is lengthening slowly. Slowing down the eccentric part of a lift causes more muscle damage and encourages more growth. The best way to achieve sustainable results is to experiment. Figure out how your body works and don’t be afraid to tweak your training program. No1 Fitness. Here to help you achieve your fitness goals.

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What Is The Difference Between A Super Set And A Giant Set? | No1 Fitness

You may have heard a few trainers talking about super sets and giant sets and wondered what they are. Super sets are two exercises completed consecutively without rest between them. Each movement usually works opposing muscle groups. Giant sets are longer and can be three or more exercises completed consecutively without rest between them. A giant set exercise usually targets one part of your body and are still considered to be a type of super set. The purpose of super sets is to shock your body, they can also serve as a way of pre exhausting a muscle group by super setting an isolation move and a compound move for the same muscle group. Another purpose of a giant set is to encourage fat burning since giant sets can be much more taxing to your cardiovascular system. When done correctly super sets are useful for intensifying muscle shock (in order for them to grow) and fat burning; super sets can be a great cardio workout itself involving a wider range of motion than your average treadmill in gyms. Giant sets combine a greater amount of work into a smaller time frame meaning you’ll burn even more calories and speed up your metabolism while you’re at it. Super sets are also great if you want to finish the workout as fast as possible and for full body workouts. To improve your sets it is important you get adequate rests after the workout to allow your body to recover. Gradually increase the amount you are lifting or use the same weight as your last workout but increase the amount of reps instead.

Written by : no1Fitness

6 Bench Press Tips | No1 Fitness

Bench pressing activates many muscles, working everything from your chest to arms and upper back muscles. It is a compound lift that can improve your upper body strength and size. The bench press is one of the most respected exercises used to develop upper body strength and size; it is also an exercise that is rarely performed correctly. Your trainers will show you the correct way to do a bench press here at No1 Fitness but I have a few tips that you may want to keep in mind when you are next on the bench.

Grip the bar evenly shoulder width apart

Lower the bar all the way down to chest, just above the sternum.

Keep your elbows tucked in as you lower the bar down.

As you press the bar back up, drive the feet into the floor to improve stability.

Keep your chest up throughout the movement; this is known as thoracic extension and retains a strong back while instilling proper bench technique.

Keep a tight grip on the bar, a tighter grip on the bar equals more tension in your lower arms, back and chest. It also means you won’t drop the bar on your face

Keep your core tight to create a stable platform. Shoulder, core and hip stability are all required to execute a perfect bench press. You’re less likely to get into a bad position if your core is strong having a strong core also allows you to lift more smoothly.

Nutrition Is Important: Easy Ways To Stay On Top | No1 Fitness

Sticking to a nutrition plan can be the hardest part in changing your lifestyle for the better. To some getting up at 5am every morning to have an hour-long personal training session three times a week is easy. While cooking a nutritious meal from scratch or having a leafy green salad for dinner is the hardest part. Exercise may seem to be gruelling to those looking in from the outside but you’ll be surprised to find that sticking to a new food plan while still having all the temptations around you can prove to be too difficult for some. So here are a few tips on sticking to your nutrition plan. Tip 1. Eat food you actually like to eat! Don’t force yourself to eat food you don’t enjoy, if you don’t like eggs and eat them because you think that sacrifice is the only way to lose that weight, you will cave in. You can’t stick to a plan that involves food you find unpleasant. Eat real foods that you enjoy and are not processed and are as close to their natural state as possible. Tip 2. Plan ahead for birthdays, dates or drinks with work friends. If you know you have one of these events coming up don’t wait until you’re there being pressured to order a dessert or an extra glass of wine. Say no then and there or plan ahead and leave early or choose to go to a restaurant with a more healthy selection of food. Some people would count these nights out as a cheat meal but don’t use this as an excuse to have a cheat meal all the time. Tip 3. Educate yourself about calories and what contains a lot of them, drinks such as pressed apples and non-alcoholic drinks you can buy contain more calories than you would think. So I will stress the importance of checking the amount of calories on the drink’s packaging and tracking them on an app such as ‘My Fitness Pal’. Tip 4. Teach yourself the difference between hunger and cravings. Once you can identify when you’re actually hungry and when you’re bored you can begin to curb the cravings and stick to the right track on your nutritional plan. Motivate yourself every day by writing a list of reasons you want to lose weight and read them aloud to yourself every morning.

Dietary Fibre | No1 Fitness

The best and weirdest thing about dietary fibre is the fact that our bodies cannot digest it. Dietary fiber is the edible part of a plant that is not absorbed in the small intestine but passed into the large intestine intact. Once it reaches the large intestine it is fermented by your gut bacteria and the by products from this process are where the short chain fatty acids and gases are formed. These are the main beneficial effects of dietary fibre on your health. Sources of soluble fiber are fruit, barley, oats, vegetable and beans. Wholegrain cereals and bread are rich sources of insoluble fibre. Fibre provides bulk in the diet without all the extra calories; this is why food with high fiber content has a filling effect on your appetite. Helping you with diet and weight management. Whilst fiber does not have any magical fat burning properties it is the filling feeling that will help you curb any binging habits. Next time you’re having jacket potatoes for dinner make sure you eat all the skin. Not only does it have fewer calories than baked or fried chips, you’re less likely to feel hungry an hour later. It’s the soluble fiber found in beans and oats that help lower your overall blood cholesterol levels by lowering your bad cholesterol levels, which in turn reduces blood pressure and inflammation. The insoluble fiber found in dark leafy vegetables, green beans and celery do not dissolve at all and help add bulk to your stools. Helping food move through your digestive tract quickly so you’re ready to master that squat rack!

Managing Your Sugar Intake | No1 Fitness

Many of you will have heard this week about the government advisory body that is now recommending we all cut our sugar intake by half and a tax should be introduced on sugary food and drinks to help control the health crisis that is crippling the NHS. While many people are aware that fizzy drinks and sweets contain a lot of sugar, less people realise that their favourite fruits taste so great due to their high sugar content. Overall fruits are a lot better for you due to the various vitamins and minerals they have compared to highly processed and refined sugary snacks. There are three types of carbohydrates, fibre, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars; the carbohydrates in rice and milk (lactose) break down into sugar. So finding a way to cut your sugar intake is not as easy as it sounds, but you can cut your intake right down by not adding any sugar to your food. This means no sugar in your cereal or tea, eating unsweetened food and experiment with other flavours. When you next go shopping look on the package to see the foods sugar content, sugar is sometimes listed by its chemical name ‘Sucrose’. Sugar in fruit is also known as ‘Fructose’ and the sugar in milk is called ‘Lactose’. You can recognize other sugars on labels because their chemical names end in ‘ose.’ For example glucose is also known as ‘Dextrose’, Fructose is also known as ‘Levulose, Lactose and Maltose’.

QUEST BARS | NO1 FITNESS

An amazing on the go high protein bar that tastes amazing! Favored by all our trainers due to the small amount of ingredients used. Quest bars can be used as a substitute for your mid afternoon snack and will boost your protein intake with minimal effort. As you know protein is needed for muscle growth so eating a Quest bar after a grueling workout will aid and quicken recovery. If you find you have a problem with cheeky snacking during the day, Quest bars are a great alternative for someone who loves to snack and is looking for a healthy alternative. The bars come in a variety of flavors, from cookies and cream to peanut butter and chocolate. They are very high in fibre and contain 20 g of Protein, which can serve as a quick fix when you’re on the move. This will help keep energy levels up until you can make yourself a full healthy meal. The fibre in the Quest bars have prebiotic properties, meaning it stimulates growth of healthy bacteria and short chain fatty acids in the gut, which can compete with harmful bacteria, promoting digestive health. Make sure you get your quick protein fix after an intensive fitness slot. Uncertain of what supplements are right for you? Book in for a nutrition consultation today to get your very own personalized nutrition and supplement plan.

EATING IN MODERATION | NO1 FITNESS

Everybody loves to have a bit of bacon with his or her Sunday breakfast or a cheeky bit of tomato sauce in his or her salad. But we’ve been taught to treat it as a guilty secret. A bit of bacon will not pile on the pounds nor will a small spoonful of tomato sauce. Not knowing where to stop is what will cause the most damage when a small bite turns into a full on binge. You have to find a good middle ground with eating healthy foods such as: fruits and vegetables, beans, fish, whole grains and lean meat and then eating more indulgent foods in smaller quantities but only occasionally. If you feel like having a dessert every night learning to have a small portion will make a tremendous difference to your health. You might find that your favourite Italian restaurant meal is something you want to indulge on less regularly but the next day you may find you crave the healthier meals again. The lesson here is to learn to eat those delicious treats in moderation; you don’t have to completely eliminate them from your diet. This is near impossible for some, but having a small amount of your favourite treat with a healthy meal is absolutely fine. If you would like to know more about our healthy options, or would like a free consultation and discussion about what No1 Fitness could offer you, then please contact us at info@no1fitness.co.uk

WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT METABOLISM? | NO1 FITNESS

Your metabolism is the chemical processes going on inside your body that keep you alive and your organs functioning. Numerous things can determine your metabolic rate such as your age, body size and gender. You may have found yourself looking at old pictures and saying how slim you once were. This is because when you were younger your metabolic rate was faster, as you get older you tend to gain fat and lose muscle. Muscle requires more energy to maintain itself than fat cells, so people with a higher muscle to fat ratio tend to have a higher metabolism. This is why we focus on strength training at No1 Fitness because not only is your strength and overall fitness increased but you gain muscle and it’s the muscle gain that helps your body burn more calories long after you’ve left the studio. Men tend to have a faster metabolism as they have more muscle and less body fat than women on average, which is why men have larger appetites and their daily calorie allowance is higher. But more often than not, the reason you’re putting on weight isn’t because of a slow metabolism, but because you’re consuming more calories than you're burning. It may be hard to accept, but your nutrition is very important when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.

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