Why Habits Are More Important Than Motivation
Why Habits Are More Important Than Motivation
Squat Tutorial
Squat Tutorial
[Story Time] - Cardio vs Weights
Cardio vs Weights
So, I’m in the gym minding my own business, shoulder pressing the 50’s..... okay the 25’s, and a guy on the bench next to me says “they’re not going to get anywhere doing that are they!?”
Now, as I looked, I could see he was referring to the people on the treadmills.
I believe he was suggesting that they will not achieve great physiques by just walking on treadmills, he might be right, if he was suggesting that they’re not going to cover any real distance whilst walking on a consistently revolving running belt, then he is definitely right! From his tone I highly doubt the latter, although that is a new gym joke people can now use, you’re welcome.
I was wondering why he was trying to have this conversation with myself, he didn’t know me nor my opinions on cardiovascular exercises. I can only assume he was talking to me because at this point there was a copious amount of blood pumping into my shoulders due to the 50’s.....25’s, this made them shine like Orion’s Belt, he must have thought, this guy knows his shit. I responded with a smile and a slight nod, this isn’t because I agree with such judgmental beliefs, I’m just a nice guy. It did, however, get me thinking, how does he know what everyone’s goal is?
Maybe, that person wants to be able to walk 1km on a 10-degree incline at an average speed of 1km an hour, if that’s the case they’re all fucking smashing it!
Maybe they prefer having a slightly above average body fat percentage.
Maybe, this is the only time they have away from family and work stresses and they just want to walk on a treadmill, turn their brain off and watch Jeremy Kyle on the gyms big screen.
Now, all joking aside, none of us know the goals of people in the gym, some people just want to move more and be a bit healthier, and that’s awesome!!
The gym can be a scary place for a lot of people and it becomes scarier when people are openly judging them!
If we look at what is optimal, then cardio can be great for fat loss and body composition. Weights can be great for fat loss, body composition, strength and are generally more beneficial long term, so generally more optimal for most people, but nutrition is what will fuel the changes. Having said that, we all have got to take the journey that we enjoy and we’ll stick with! Health and fitness aren’t just about trying to look a certain way, it’s about constantly trying to improve yourself, investing in yourself, and becoming the strongest version of yourself both physically and mentally!
P.S for my clients reading this thinking “Hey Andy! You always give me a hard time if I don’t train right!” Yes, this is true, but I know your goals and it’s my responsibility to get you there 💪
2018 Fat Loss/Shredded Guide
Fat Loss/Shredded Guide
Step One - Get rid of the leftover chocolate, alcohol and party food, not easy I know
Step Two - Start tracking your food (Use MyFitnessPal), don’t get me wrong, you can achieve great results without tracking your calorie intake and just focusing on eating healthy, but let’s not be ignorant to the biggest factor regarding body composition which is indisputably the calories
Step Three - Search the internet for the latest meal replacement shake, diet pill, or unicorn magic supplement, something like Herbalife…. wait…. is Herbalife still around?
Step Four - Realise that step three is bullshit and do it the real way, with real food and real results!
Step Five - Join a gym, don’t get me wrong you can get great results training at home, but joining a gym is a massive positive commitment to your goals and lifestyle
Step Six - Stop eating shit!
Step Seven - Stop Drinking shit! Majority of what you drink on a daily basis should be water, if you want the odd treat everyone and then I would advise a low/zero calorie drink, like Coke Zero. I would also recommend coffee, it’s been shown to increase your metabolism and…. well…. I just like drinking coffee.
Step Eight - Focus on increasing strength in the gym by progressively increasing the weights you lift and gradually increasing the volume, trust me when I say the results will follow.
Step Nine - Finish your workouts with a bit of HIIT, you don’t always need to do endless amounts of cardio, especially when your calories are in check, 4 minutes of HIIT is plenty for most people
Step Ten - Set up a brand new gym playlist, stop listening to "Big Shaq - Mans Not Hot" and set up a playlist containing music that will really get you working hard, this is obviously personal preference, but some personal favourites of mine are:
Korn - Right Now
AC/DC - Back In Black
The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black
Linkin Park - Numb
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
The Who - Baby O’Riley
The list goes on….
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
Now, many people out there say you should avoid carbohydrates altogether, others say you should avoid them after certain times (6 pm), others say that they are simply one of the three major macronutrients and you should utilise them for what they are… the body’s main source of fuel!
Personally, I agree with the latter, but we do need to look into carbs in more details to make sure we are prioritising the best types of carbohydrates and not ones that will spike up your blood sugar levels and leave you feeling lethargic later on, otherwise one minute you are deadlifting 200kg, the next minute you’re struggling to lift your eye lids.
So, let’s start with breaking carbohydrates into their three categories:
Simple
Complex
Fibrous
Simple carbohydrates
Simple carbohydrates usually come from food items with a noticeably "sweet" flavour. Chocolate, sweets, fruit and sports drinks are all examples of simple sugars. Simple carbs provide short term energy and are quickly broken down by the body, they don't make you feel satisfied for very long!
Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, predominantly come from foods without such a noticeably sweet flavour, such as rice, bread, potatoes, oats, pasta and things of that nature. In general, since the body takes a little longer to break these down, they give you energy for a longer period of time than their simple sugar counterparts.
Fibrous Carbohydrates
Fibrous carbohydrates come predominantly from roughage such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli and the skins of various vegetables and fruits, hence the term.
When you ingest carbohydrates, your pancreas secretes a hormone called Insulin. Simple carbs (for the most part) cause a quick insulin spike, and then drop you rather quickly, hence you crave more carbs soon after your insulin levels drop. These carbohydrates will be the ones you will want to avoid when reducing body fat.
Complex carbohydrates cause a more gradual insulin spike. This allows you to feel fuller for a longer period of time, typically for the two to the three-hour duration between meals, these have been great assets to marathon/triathlete nutrition plans for many years.
Fibrous carbohydrates have a very small effect on blood sugar levels but act more as a cleanser for your intestinal tract, providing you with a much-needed tool for pushing food through the system. When you’re mum tells you to eat your vegetables, she’s talking about these.
The biggest factor to address concerning the effects of the carbohydrate you choose and the effect on your body composition is the Glycemic Index (GI), the higher the Glycemic Index, the more of an insulin spike you’re likely to have and the more likely that food will get stored as fat. Having said that, unless you’re in a caloric surplus you will not gain body fat by choosing the wrong carbohydrate, that doesn’t mean you can have a Mars Bar a day just because your calories are in check though!
In summary, eat carbohydrates that optimise your health markers and leave you feeling satisfied with sustained energy levels for a long period of time, a Mars Bar will not do you any favours when trying to reduce body fat.
