A stretch too far?

Tight, weak muscles are commonplace both in exercise newbies and seasoned athletes, and devoting some time to flexibility and corrective protocols is always a good thing. However, it's important to understand which muscles actually require attention. Stretching both sides of the body in the presence of an asymmetry will, at best, maintain that imbalance, whilst stretching all muscle groups regardless of your postural status could potentially exacerbate any shortcomings.

Take neck pain for example. Whilst it is possible to have compromised connective tissue or joint alignment in and around the cervical spine (the 7 vertebrae at the top of your spine), a common cause of neck pain (the smoke) can also be a lack of shoulder mobility or scapular stability (the fire). This results in the shoulder doing less work than it really should, leaving the muscles of the neck doing overtime and becoming fatigued. So whilst the problem is in the shoulder, the neck is the part that complains. Therefore doing a ton of neck stretches is not the answer. Regaining proper function of the shoulder is.

My advice here is to seek expert advice if you have tight, sore muscles or loss of mobile range. A thorough movement screen and kinetic chain assessment will soon highlight where the real problem lies and enable you to establish an appropriate course of action, which will ultimately lead to faster, pain free results. Hurrah!

Will Ab Exercises Help Me Lose My Belly?

Research says not!

A study recently published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (1) looked at the effects of specific abdominal exercise on anthropometrics, body composition, and abdominal muscular endurance for 5 days a week for 6 weeks, as compared to a control group. All subjects followed the same diet during the study.

The results showed that there was no significant effect of abdominal exercises on body weight, body fat percentage, android fat percentage, android fat, abdominal circumference, abdominal skinfold and suprailiac skinfold measurements in the abdominal exercise group compared to control. Indeed, the only difference between the two groups was the ability to perform a significantly greater amount of curl-up repetitions in the abdominal group.

So what does work for reducing abdominal fat?

If you want to beat the abdominal bulge, take note of the hierarchy of fat loss:

1) Good Nutrition (you can't out train a bad diet)
2) Resistance training: compound movements under load recruit maximal muscle fibres and illicit a large metabolic response - think squats, lunges, deadlifts, overhead presses, pull-ups and pull downs, for example..
3) high intensity interval training, interspersing fast bursts of exercise with low intensity rest periods
4) low intensity interval training
high intensity steady state exercise
5) Low intensity steady state exercise

(1)The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat. Vispute, Sachin S; Smith, John D; LeCheminant, James D; Hurley, Kimberly S Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: September 2011 - Volume 25 - Issue 9 - pp 2559-2564 doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46

Strategies for Aging Well

Both genetics and environmental factors play a part in age-related changes to our structure and function, but there are things you can do to ensure that you stay healthy, mobile, maintain quality of life, and even increase your life expectancy.

There is a saying, 'if you don't use it you'll lose it' so physical activity is vitally important for maintaining functional ability to perform both basic and complex movement tasks.

Training should include flexibility and mobility work, resistance training (which will offset age-associated muscle loss and also encourage maintenance of bone density), aerobic conditioning, power development (medicine balls are useful here) and proprioceptive (balance) work.

Caloric restriction is also implicated in the research in warding off a variety of age-related pathologies, but a more palatable alternative is just to ensure you get plenty of exercise!

Fasted Exercise For Fat Loss

The subject of fasted exercise for fat loss continues to be a controversial one. Proponents of the technique suggest that performing low intensity exercise on an empty stomach will increase utilisation of stored fat rather than recently ingested carbohydrate. Indeed, this is the preferred strategy of many bodybuilding enthusiasts.

 However, whilst fuel is a key component of the body's response to exercise, it is certainly not the only one, with hormonal activity and enzyme secretion, amongst other factors, all affecting fat burn during exercise. Whilst previous studies have shown increased breakdown of fatty acids in fasted individuals performing long duration, low intensity cardio (>90 minutes) no difference has been found between fasted and non-fasted individuals performing moderate intensity exercise (1).

 Fasting does, however, pose a risk to energy output and reduced performance under this intensity. Research shows that fuel type plays a more significant role in fat oxidisation, with low GI foods such as legumes supporting greater endurance running capacity than high GI alternatives such as potatoes.

 The take home advice, therefore, is to consume a meal roughly 2-3 hours prior to training, or a smaller one around 30 minutes out (depending on personal preference) unless your workout will be long, slow work of more than 90 minutes duration (ideally first thing in the morning, with breakfast to follow straight after).

  (1) Schoenfeld, B. Does cardio after an overnight fast maximize fat loss? Strength and Conditioning Journal, 33: 23–25, 2011.

How Often Should I exercise for Fat Loss?

People often ask me how many times a week they should exercise if they want to lose fat. A study conducted by Buck et al (2009)* looked at the effects of exercise frequency using a subject group of 90 subjects ranging in age from 22 to 74.

The 8 week study compared the fat loss results of the exercisers adhering to exercise frequencies of less than 2 times per week, 3-4 times per week, and more than 4 times per week, with each exercise bout lasting 30 minutes. The results showed that whilst fat was lost across the board, only those who exercised 4 or more times per week showed a significantly higher change in body fat percentage, with no significant difference between ages or genders.

Whilst this study only examines one variable in reducing one's body fat, it does indicate the importance of frequent physical activity. Add in a fat loss tailored diet, the right exercise intensity and type, and additional duration, and you have the answer to optimal fat loss!

*Frequency of Exercise for Body Fat Loss: A Controlled, Cohort Study,
Willis, F Buck; Smith, Forrest M; Willis, Adele P Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: November 2009 - Volume 23 - Issue 8 - pp 2377-2380
doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b8d4e8

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Was it worth it?

You've probably found yourself asking this question after a diet or exercise pursuit. Maybe you tried a new training program, or maybe you stuck to a diet for a couple of months. Perhaps it didn't work. What then? Was it worth it? Well, it really depends on what 'it' was. If you're solely focused on the end result, then perhaps not. But if you also focus on the process, what you learnt from doing it (even if it was only that that particular endeavour didn't work for you) or the enjoyment you got out of applying yourself wholeheartedly, then you might take a different perspective. There is something to be gained in everything, even if it is just taking a step closer to finding out what does work for you.

4 reasons you're not losing weight

I often get asked to look over people's programs and help them understand where they're going wrong/ have hit a plateau. From my observations, there are 4 main reasons people don't lose weight.

1) You don't have a program. You have a haphazard collection of trips to the gym, and when you get there you perform haphazard exercises, or just ride the stationary bike for an hour. There is no plan. A program provides a road map to success. It allows you to see whether you did what you needed to or not. Without it you are leaving your results to chance and, it my experience, that rarely works.

2) Your diet isn't in tune with your goals. Either you're eating the wrong things, eating too much, or eating things that don't agree with you and send your body into a metabolic tailspin. As with programming, there are a number of nutritional protocols that work and the key is finding the one that works for you.

3) You lack motivation. Or you have Fat Loss ADD and keep coming off plan to follow another, exciting looking strategy. The key here is to find someone to keep you accountable. A gym buddy, a coach, a class... whatever it takes to keep you on track.. a study by Nicolai et al (2009), which compared the results of two groups of obese individuals, found that the group who worked out under a coach lost on average 362% more fat than those who were just given advice and access to equipment. 362%!

4) You're focusing on the number on the scale rather than your body fat %. This is particularly true if you've just got a little bit of fat to lose. The number on the scale becomes less and less revealing or important the nearer to optimal you get. Weight at this point is immaterial and can be manipulated dramatically via water intake, which isn't even vaguely representative of progress and only lasts a day or two. It isn't reflective of bodyfat % either, which is what you should ultimately be focused on if you want to achieve a fit, toned, athletic looking body.

Fat Loss ADD

In our world of instant gratification, it's not surprising that more and more people are falling foul of training ADD. With magazines, fitness gurus and dieticians all vying for your attention with the latest quick fix solution to your body woes, it can be very hard to stick to a plan and see it through, and thus find out what really works for you.

It's that typical 'too many cooks' scenario, leaving you flitting from one strategy to another and never really seeing anything through.

The truth is, whilst there are principles most trainers and nutritionists agree on, there are a number of ways to achieve any fitness pursuit. The key is to set yourself a goal that really inspires you and find a strategy that you are pretty sure is principally sound and, importantly, enjoyable. Then see it through. Don't get swayed by articles, posts, and marketing promises. There are no super quick fixes to maintainable fat loss, nor improved sporting performance. But if you have a plan in place and stick to it, you'll get there.

Defeat

It's easy to get downhearted when you give something a really good go and it doesn't work out. Perhaps you fell off the diet wagon, perhaps you started running and gave up, or perhaps you just can't fit into those size 10 jeans no matter what you try.

The thing about success is it doesn't usually happen overnight. And it usually takes a whole lot of failed attempts in order to find the way that does work for you. From my experience, the people that achieve the most in pretty much every aspect of life are the ones that never give up, the ones that keep on failing and getting back up, and the ones that refuse to accept defeat. These people see failures as being a step closer to discovering what will work, rather than taking it personally and deciding they just can't do it..

The key is to never give up... find people who've done what you want to do and let them help you, try a different angle, keep learning, but never give up... do that and you will reach your goal. Very few people hit the jackpot right away, but those who persevere almost always do..

How to Stay Motivated

One of the most common reasons people don't achieve their goals is a lack of motivation. It's usually easy to start out on a new and exciting endeavour, but when the going gets tough and the initial novelty wears off, it can be hard to keep going.



Finding motivation isn't easy, but it can get easier. Like most things, it's a habit, and one you can actually learn to be good at. In fact, there is a very blurred line between motivation and discipline.

Getting disciplined takes effort..especially when you are used to giving up and hence lack confidence. The first few weeks of getting into a new diet or exercise regime can be uncomfortable and challenging.. even scary.. but over time it becomes easier, then a habit, and eventually something that you miss if you don't do it...

There are a few things to remember if maintaining motivation is sometimes hard for you. Firstly it's really important to have a goal that inspires you - one that gets you fired up and that actually matters to you that you succeed. Excitement, visualising yourself being a success and talking about your goal will all help to keep you focused and on track.

Then it's important to get some social support. You can go it alone, but your success rate will be much higher if you've got people around you who will encourage you to keep going when you're running out of puff. Remember that you don't have to be perfect. Nor do you have to be 'as good' as anyone else. This is your journey, your happiness, and the way you go about things will be different to anyone else, so don't compare. Do however find inspiration. People, quotes, pictures.. whatever it takes to keep you moving forward. A vision board can be useful here.. it's a visual representation of your goals and what they will mean to you when you achieve them.

Remember that motivation will ebb and flow. It doesn't remain consistent for anyone, so if you feel yourself dwindling a little, hang on in there.. seek help... just don't quit.. your motivation will return again, and this is where it's important to have a support network to help and support you.

Finally, think positively and surround yourself with positive people. You WILL get there!

If you want to get in shape but lack motivation come and join the team Phoenix Pro Fitness for a 30 day trial. For just £69 we will show you exactly how you can start seeing serious results in under a month.. for more information email info@phoenixprofitness.com or visit our website by clicking here

3 every day items that could be stopping you from losing weight...

When it comes to optimal fat loss, or indeed optimal athletic performance, I'm a real advocate of dotting every i. From macronutrient timing through to ensuring socks are on smoothly and laces tied right, taking care of the little things day to day will ensure that you get the most out of your training and dietary endeavours.

However, for most people, there is no point sweating the small stuff if there are some huge obstacles in the way of your fat loss progress. These may not seem all that obvious, but most people will still be partaking in at least one of the following fat blocking activities on a daily basis... here's 3 of the most common daily items I see that just arn't helping you lose weight, and why...

1) Computers. Sadly pretty much everyone spends too much time in front of their PC, which often results in postural compromises such as kyphosis (rounding of the upper back), short hip flexors and quadriceps, forward head position. These in turn lead to head, neck and shoulder tension and pain, lower back pain, improper breathing patterns, nerve compression, and increased potential for disc herniation and even arthritis. Needless to say none of the forementioned are particularly conducive to efficient movement or increased caloric expenditure.



2) High Heels. Ok guys, most of you can skip this one ;) Ladies, I know when it comes to fashion there's an element of 'no pain no gain', but wearing sky scrapers on a regular basis is really quite bad for your body.. studies show that teetering around in stilettos can place up to 26% more pressure on the medial (inside) of your knee, prompting degeneration and arthritic onset. Wearing high heels might make your calves look better, but they can also leave them in a permanently shortened state which can in turn lead to foot, knee and hip pain. Finally, wearing high heels shifts your body's natural alignment out of whack, tilting your pelvis forward and increasing the likelihood of lower back pain... (this is made worse if you carry a lot of weight on your chest).. and if you're in pain, it's unlikely that you're going to want to train, and if you do, you won't move as effectively as you would if you were pain free.. The only pain I consider to be 'good' in terms of losing fat is that resulting from muscular overload.. anything else will slow you down and needs to be addressed...



3) Microwaving food. There are a multitude of reasons why microwaves are bad for your health, and if something is bad for your health the chances are it's not going to be good for your fat loss goal either. Microwaves heat food by causing water moelcules in it to resonate at very high frequencies and eventually turn to steam, which in turn heats your food. Unfortunately, this also changes the chemical structure of your food, causing it to lose much of its nutritional value. Another problem with microwaving is that it can often lead to leaching of carcinogenic toxins from plastic and paper containers into your food. A toxic body is often a fat body.. so avoid the microwave where possible and if you absolutely have to use it opt for a low frequency setting.

Leptin; a key piece in the obesity puzzle?

When scientists discovered the hormone leptin in 1994, a wave of excitement spread about it's potential to be the antidote to obesity. Commonly referred to as the obesity or fat hormone, leptin is a protein that is made in our fat cells and is actually designed to protect the body against starvation.

Leptin has a simple but key role in metabolism in that it is responsible for signalling the brain that there is enough energy available within the fat cells to engage in metabolic processes. Each individual has a genetically determined 'leptin threshold' which, providing your body's leptin levels stays above that threshold, indicates to the brain that adequate energy is available, that energy can be burnt at a normal rate, and that it is safe to engage in metabolically expensive activities such as heavy exercise..

Where leptin becomes an issue is in instances such as when people diet heavily; fat is utilised from the fat cells as energy and as a result leptin levels drop, sending your brain into 'starvation mode'. Several protective processes then ensue, including stimulation of the vagus nerve which runs between the brain and the abdomen. This nerve has a role in energy storage and once stimulated, is designed to encourage increased energy uptake to reinstate leptin levels above the optimum threshold. This then leads to over-eating and the commonly known yoyo diet effect...



So is leptin supplementation the answer to obesity?

Well, no. Unfortunately as people get fatter, their leptin threshold can increase dramatically but, just as with insulin (another hormone responsible for controlling blood sugar) in type 2 diabetes, the body can become resistant to leptin, leading the brain to think it is being starved even though that isn't the case. The issue isn't that the body is deficient in leptin, but rather that it is no longer sensitive to it. Also, in people who are leptin resistant, the usual hunger satisfaction people experience from high levels of leptin is extinguished, so that hunger persists even after eating sufficient amounts. This leads to continual overeating in an effort to attain the normal 'reward' sensation of eating.

So how can we increase leptin sensitivity and help combat obesity?

There is no magic pill for addressing obesity, but the role of leptin is certainly an important one and steps to improve leptin function are highly advised. In order to improve leptin sensitivity, steps to reduce resistance to insulin and reduce levels of blood trglycerides are key. The reason for this is that insulin resistance actually triggers leptin resistance, whilst triglycerides interfere with the leptin transporter responsible for carrying leptin from the blood to the brain.

How do I increase my insulin sensitivity and reduce blood triglycerides?

Cut sugar out of your diet. Too much sugar is the number one culprit of insulin resistance and the resultant high blood triglyceride levels and leptin dysfunction. Eating a clean diet free from added sugar products will help to restore your body's natural hormonal function, boost energy levels and help combat obesity.

Training With Injuries

I just wanted to write a few quick thoughts on training with an injury today, as I think there is a real tendency for people to cease all training when they get injured, which has a number of disadvantageous consequences... (By the way, when I talk about injuries, I'm referring to pretty much anything that puts a limitation on your movement, so it could be anything from a sprained wrist to a fractured leg... the principle is still the same).

So, what happens when you stop training is that you get weak, right? Not rocket science. And if you have a broken leg there's not much you do about losing muscle mass, strength, power etc in that limb. However, common advice is that you shouldn't train the other limb either because you don't want that side to get unequally strong. This is misguided.

You see, the body is an amazingly smart tool, but it's not so smart that it can split itself neurologically in two and only create/ maintain adaptation on one side - indeed, research has shown that there is a 20% transfer of neurological development from the trained limb to the non trained limb, so even if, for example, you break your leg, you continue training the uninjured side you will retain a lot more strength on BOTH sides.

I can personally attest this information from when I broke my ankle in three places 9 months ago. Having continued to train upper body and core as normal and performed a variety a single leg exercises whilst I was in plaster, my recovery post cast removal was much quicker and I am now back to full fitness almost a year earlier than my consultant predicted. Incidentally, I didn't put on a pound during my convalescence either, and thanks to single leg intervals on the airdyne combined with my lifting and mobility program, managed to maintain a great deal of cardiovascular fitness too.



(Check out my personalised Phoenix Pro cast :)

Getting injured can be frustrating, but the take home message is to work around your injury and not let it undo all your hard work. The more strength, power and cardiovascular conditioning you can retain whilst injured, the faster your recovery and return to full capacity will be.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit




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The importance of an unload week

I was coaching one of our members at Phoenix Pro today who had just returned from holiday and was worried that she hadn't trained for a few days and might have lost strength and fitness and put on a few pounds. On the contrary however, her weight was the same despite a few holiday splurges, and we were able to continue her load progressions, which she blitzed through.

This highlighted the fact that it is actually important to schedule both unload and active rest periods (low demand recreational activity) into your training schedule. They allow for both muscular and neural regeneration, and subsequent gains in both strength and cardiovascular capacity, thus leaving you in a better physiological and psychological place to really give your all.



The picture above gives a simple representation of one of the most basic forms of periodisation, using a step loading progression with an unload in week 4.

At Phoenix, our programming system integrates a natural unload week during what we call 'intro week', which is the first week of any new phase, usually occurring every 4 or 5 weeks depending on each individual client. By unload, I mean a reduction in stress through load (weight), volume and intensity. Adaptation still occurs during this first week thanks to the new stimulus provided by the changed routine, which usually involves more demanding exercises than the previous phase. Likewise, we actually recommend a week's break from training every 12 weeks, to allow the body to rest and repair and reboot the immune system. Without a scheduled rest, the likelihood of injury and illness increases due to prolonged overload. It goes without saying that during unload weeks and rest periods, maintaining a supportive diet is paramount to goal achievement. Whether you are aiming for fat loss, performance or simply stress relief, you will optimise your results by following a clean diet compromising lean protein, plenty of fruit and veg, carbohydrates of primarily low GI variety (sweet potato, legumes and oats are good examples) and lots of water.

5 Training & Diet Fat Loss Myths Exposed!

I'm writing this to the back drop of some serious fat loss action going on on the gym floor at Phoenix Pro! There are ropes banging, balls bouncing, airdynes racing and a lot of laughter going on and that makes me very happy indeed, especially on a friday evening when many people will be out drinking and eating empty calories and adding to their fat loss woes...

Anyway, today I want to quickly highlight 5 big fat loss myths that you're probably not aware of...



1) Use high repetitions to burn fat.

Big fat X. If you've been following our blog for any length of time you'll know that in order to build muscle you need to overload it, and the best way to do that is to lift heavy (with good from). Muscle is crucial if you want your body to turn into a fat burning machine, and high reps just won't cut it. Aim for reps in the 8-12 rep range for fat loss.

2) Crash dieting is not an effective dieting strategy... not even for a party in one week's time.

In fact, denying your body of calories will quickly lead to catabolism (breakdown of muscle tissue for fuel) and subsequently slump your metabolism. You'll also be hungry, tired and far more likely to binge - not conducive to looking or feeling good and usually a sure fire ticket to soul destroying yo yo dieting. Instead, focus on eating really clean, high protein, high veg, small meals on a very frequent basis. If you really have left it last minute and need to get results ultra quickly, then eat 6 small meals a day following the 'greens and faces' protocol - consuming only green veg and things that have or would have had a face (ie eggs, lean meats, fish).

3) A radical training regime every day will blitz my fat.

It may, but it's probably more likely to break you into a thousand tiny pieces, especially if you haven't exercised for a while, and leave you sore, tired and at high risk of injury. A far more sensible approach is a total body resistance training program 3 times per week if you are a beginner, combined with 1 or 2 metabolic or high intensity interval sessions. This will allow for plenty of recovery, which is essential for building lean tissue (remember muscle is built outside of the gym, not in it). If you have time, a brisk walk on non workout days will keep you mobile, flush tired muscles and clear your head without overly taxing the system or affecting recovery.

4) Foods labelled 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' are always good for you.

Sadly they're not. Legally, foods that carry these labels have to have less than half the fat content of their full fat counterparts, but that by no means makes them healthy. Ask yourself if the food is clean, or whether its had a bunch of artificial sweeteners etc added to it. Also remember that clean foods will fill you up and help stop you craving sugars and fatty foods if you eat them at regular intervals throughout the day.

5) Cutting out snacking will help you shift fat.

See 2) and 4) above. Eating regularly (every 2-3 hours) is CRITICAL to your fat loss success. What you snack on is also a key issue - again keep it clean - and incorporate protein into your snacks as they have what is known as a higher thermic effect of feeding and thus keep you feeling fuller for longer.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

Training Economy: How to burn a lot of fat in minimal training time

One of the 'problems' many people face when it comes to getting in shape is time, or lack thereof. Whether it be work, kids, life....everyone is busy these days, and an awful lot of people use being busy as an excuse as to why they haven't got the body they really want. Truth is, if you REALLY want to change the way you look (and feel) you can. It's a choice. There are 168 hours in the week, and it takes approximately 4 to get into fantastic shape. If you can't spend 4 hours per week on it, then perhaps you're not really that bothered about changing your body after all... (obviously diet is key too, but it takes the same amount of time to eat badly as it does it eat well, so no problems there).



So if you are really keen to change your body shape, I have good news. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to spend hours in the gym to achieve a lean, functional physique that you are proud of. What it does require, is that the time you DO spend in the gym is efficient, and that means focusing on serious bang for your buck exercises. What I mean by this, is exercises that hit a number of body parts simultaneously, thus illiciting the fastest results in the shortest possible time. Not only will these exercises yield a greater EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and subsequent elevated consumption of fuel (ie big calorie burn even after you've finished training, aka afterburn) but they'll also encourage a flourish of metabolism boosting, lean muscle mass all over body.

Take the deadlift for example. It works the glutes, hamstrings, traps, erector spinae, glutes, adductors and quads all in one fell swoop. Other big bang for your buck exercises include squat variations, deadlift variations, bench presses, overhead presses (providing your shoulders are sound), rows, pull ups, dips and a variety of core stability and anti-extension exercises.

Exercises to be ditched unless you have a LOT of time to train in (6hrs per week plus) include bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, leg extension and curls. These are really only of use to you if you have additional time after the fore-mentioned compouhd exercises to work on smaller muscle groups that won't give you any afterburn.

Also remember that training DOES NOT equal straining. Too many people think that if they don't leave the gym absolutely dripping and ruined then the program was not doing it's job. This is not the case. Efficient training should illicit big physiological adaptations without breaking you mentally or physically. If you enjoy pushing yourself to those extremes then good for you, but first and foremost ensure that your program won't break you, because a lot of 'hardcore' army/ old school type bodybuilding protocols will.

For those of you looking for a seriously effective program that will get you in incredible shape in minimal time, keep your eyes peeled on our blog and newsletter. We have a new program coming soon which will knock your socks off!

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

Cheat meals; the answer to dietary adherence and faster fat loss?

We all know that, just like changing any habit, sticking to a new dietary protocol can be tough. Here at Phoenix Pro, we recommend an adherence level of 80-90% to the set diet depending on each individual's goals and starting point. This means that each of our members is allowed at least 1 cheat meal per week where they can have anything they like, and we do this for a number of reasons.



Benefits of Cheat Meals:

• Psychologically it really helps to stick to a healthy eating plan for the long haul if you know that you have a day or a meal where you can have anything you like. This means that you can still go out to a nice restaurant, a wedding or other event and not feel deprived.

• Secondly, an increased intake from the daily norm actually induces an increase in basal metabolic rate, which means that your cheat meal/day will BOOST your metabolism and increase your rate of fat burning. Indeed, studies have shown that the caloric surplus of a cheat meal can elevate BMR by 9%, and potentially more.

• Thirdly, those on a reduced calorie diet tend to produce less of the metabolism regulating hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine (T4 and T3) and a strategic overfeed helps to upregulate production of these hormones from the thyroid gland.

• Finally, being in caloric deficit tends to result in a decline in the hormone leptin, which plays a key role in the regulation of appetite, energy expenditure and metabolism. Once again, a cheat meal increases leptin production, with the knock on effect of increased thyroid activity (see above), increased BMR and increased thermogenesis (heat production resulting in increased caloric expenditure).
It's obviously important to remember that in order to benefit from cheat days, you have to adhere to a calorie moderated, healthy diet in the first place. And whilst it is fine to have a little of what you fancy on your cheat days/meals, binging your head off on high fat and high sugar articles isn't advised purely because it will probably make you feel rubbish.

Generally speaking, the stricter your diet, the more frequently you can schedule cheat days. A good rule of thumb for those aiming for general fat loss is 90% adherence, which means that if you are eating 6 times per day as you should be for optimal fat loss, you can have 4 cheat meals per week.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

Phoenix Fit Mums!

Our brand new Phoenix Fit Mums course is just around the corner and we're super excited to be holding this course as we KNOW it's going to help all you mums out there get fantastic fat loss results!

To give you an idea of what you can expect, our mums regularly drop 14lbs of fat in a month... how? Simple, easy to stick to nutrition and exercise.

Now don't get me wrong, you have to have commitment and you have to work hard, but the Phoenix Fit Mums program is designed specifically to enable you to drop body fat, tone wobbly areas and have better energy levels along with it. As with all of our courses, numbers are limited to ensure that each and every student has plenty of individual coaching and support, so it doesn't matter if you haven't exercised in years or are totally unconfident - we will look after you and help you get your pre-baby body back, or better!

About the Program

The Phoenix Fit Mums program begins on Monday 5th September and classes take place every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30 - 10.15am for 8 weeks. The program includes a comprehensive group training program (including corrective, strength, metabolic acceleration, flexibility, mobility and regeneration training), individual goal setting, nutrition program, food journals and weekly accountability checks to ensure you stay on track with your goals.

The course is just £99 per person for the whole 8 week course. To book your place please contact us on 01483 801150 or email info@phoenixprofitness.com

Spaces are limited, so book now to avoid disappointment!

Bodybuilding from the Sidelines

by Sarah Gundry, Phoenix Pro Fitness Office Manager


“Then I'm walking in Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale”

Well on Sunday Charlotte’s feet weren’t quite 10 feet off the stage, but they were certainly encased in the highest heels I’ve ever seen her in – affectionately referred to as the ‘stilts’! Char was competing in her first ever body building competition, a mere 7 weeks after deciding to do it, and she was doing a damn fine job of it too. Yet just 9 months previously, her left ankle had been encased in another man-made material – a bright green plaster cast – after a severe fracture to her ankle. Back then, I would never have imagined that I would be sitting in a darkened auditorium watching Char strut her stuff to Marc Cohn’s Walking in Memphis.

As I said, Charlotte’s journey to the competition on Sunday was unusually short. Most of the other girls on that stage had not only been competing for quite a lot longer than Char, they had also been training and preparing for significantly more than 7 weeks! Yet Char’s preparation was incredibly thorough and disciplined. She stuck to her diet 100% without deviation – when I offered her a taste of a sample protein bar that we had been sent, she took and bite and then spat it out immediately saying she didn’t want to break the diet. (And no, it wasn’t because of the taste of the protein bar – it was pretty good!) Even on her birthday, the ‘cheat’ portion of Charlotte’s meal was the addition of a singular boiled new potato to her grilled salmon and green veggies. She then had to watch whilst the rest of us demolished a chocolate fondant that the restaurant had very kindly put a birthday candle into for her! All of this was done very stoically and with a great sense of humour. Even at the lowest calorie stage of the diet Char was motivated and disciplined, and just got on with it.
Charlotte’s training was also very thorough. On the days that her shift at work started at 7am, she still got up to do her fasted cardio session before coming in.

Even Ludo, the most energetic dog I have ever met, was struggling to match Charlotte’s pace. And he has the advantage of four legs! In addition to fasted cardio, Charlotte also put herself through gruelling metabolic and strength training sessions. Every day, she could be seen working hard at the Olympic lifting platforms, pushing her body to the limit and ploughing through, even when lack of energy made the littlest movements a bit of an effort at times!

One of Charlotte’s signature sayings is “man up” and she certainly demonstrated this as she rose to the challenge during her 7 week body building journey. Her accept no prisoners approach has been inspiring to watch, and judging from comments from our Phoenix family, I’m not the only one to feel so. It certainly made me think twice about whinging about my diet, or how hard I was finding a workout! So well done Charlotte, for trying something new, for throwing yourself into it with guts and determination, and for looking absolutely gorgeous in 3 layers of fake tan. She did us all proud, we’ve learned a lot from her journey, and we all look forward to seeing her take on your next (mad!) challenge.

From Figure Dream to Dream Figure: My first Bodybuilding Comp

I did it!!!!!!!

After 7 weeks of training and dieting (which in bodybuilding terms is a pretty short prep period) I stepped out onto the stage yesterday at the NPA Midlands Champs.

With my spray tan having turned almost black overnight (the subject of great hilarity and many oompa loompa jokes :) I set off to Stratford yesterday morning with my wonderful friend and Phoenix Pro manager superstar Sarah in tow.



We were greeted in Stratford by the rest of what turned out to be an absolutely incredible support team, and made our way backstage to start applying make up and taming hair. Being one of those people who tends to look significantly worse the more make up I put on, I must say I really enjoyed slapping on various layers of eye shadow, glitter and mascara, and the atmosphere backstage was friendly and fun, with a slight hint of nervous apprehension.




The tense moments before the show begins!





My class, ladies trained figure (or 'untrained figure', as my pal Jimmy misheard!) was one of the bigger classes with 8 entries. Due to some very hotly contested men's novice classes, we weren't called up for our first round until around 5pm, by which point, having been nibbling on tiny bits of chicken all day, I was feeling somewhat spacey, all be it surprisingly relaxed! That was, until, I was about to set first high heeled foot on to the stage, at which point my heart rate shot up, my legs turned to jelly, and I wondered whether I would make it up the T walk, let alone be able to hold any poses!



Now, when I first thought about entering a bodybuilding show, I really didn't have any appreciation of how hard it is to hit the poses well. Presenting your structure, musculature and leaness whilst minimising your weaknesses is a real art, particularly under the pressure of hundreds of eyes, spotlights and adrenaline. It is safe to say that this is an art I have yet to master!! But this show for me was really just about getting out there, doing it and enjoying it, and that's what I did.

Once the whole class had performed a series of quarter turns and compulsory poses, it was then time for a quick dash backstage, change of bikini into a more glitzy affair, and back on again for our individual routines. This for me was by far my biggest challenge, as anyone who knows me well will know that I am not a great extrovert, nor a poser, and definitely not someone who would happily strut about on a stage, on my own, in my BIKINI, in front of a ton of people!!! But therein lay the real reason for doing it... to step way out of my comfort zone and find some new boundaries to break through...



I did my routine to one of my dad's favourite songs, 'Walking in Memphis' and was really pleased that I remembered the whole thing. The sound of my friends cheering and hollering from the audience was absolutely amazing and reminded me how lucky I am to have them all. As I struck my final pose, there was a huge sense of relief that I hadn't fallen off stage, broken another ankle, made a fool of myself etc etc, but also a sense of, 'what next?'... because whilst tough at times, I have really, really enjoyed my bodybuilding journey. It's been awesome working with a coach I greatly respect, former British Champion Annie Ottey, I have honestly loved the discipline of hard dieting and the challenge of training hard on low calories, and I've met some fantastic new people along the way. I've also learnt some new things (particularly in the kitchen where I formerly spent as little time as possible!) and am now back to my pre ankle break training loads for pretty much all lifts.

A lot of people have asked me whether I will compete at bodybuilding again and I think the answer has to be yes, although with a holiday coming up and a fairly manic coaching schedule, it's unlikely to be again this year. Like everyone, however, I do need a goal, so this morning I embarked on the next challenge, hopefully a 26 mile run in London next April. Whether my ankle will ready for a marathon this early on remains to be seen, but I'll give it my best shot - after all if you don't start, you'll never know what you're capable of..

So, all in all a fantastic journey. But now I'd better crack on and do what I love most - helping the folks at Phoenix achieve their goals :)

But did I go from figure dream to dream figure? Almost :)

Char

From Figure Dream to Dream Figure: Day 48 and the final countdown!

Today is the final day of prep before my first bodybuilding competition tomorrow, and I'm just about to embark on 3 rounds of spray tanning..

The past 7 weeks have actually gone surprisingly quickly, and whilst there have been moments of fatigue and a couple of 'I can't stand on stage in a bikini!' wobbles, on the whole it has been a thoroughly enjoyable process.

Having had my biosignature assessment done yesterday I am pleased to have measured in at 11% body fat, although resisting the temptation to wonder what I could have done with a longer prep.. maybe next time ;)

And so, all the training and dieting is now done and I am now really looking forward to tomorrow's show, and particularly the post comp meal which I have been salivating over for around three weeks :)

Thanks to everyone who has supported me in my bodybuilding debut, and I will post some pics of the finished article in due course!

Good luck to everyone competing this weekend!


Char

Fat busting action from the gym floor at Phoenix Pro Fitness, Godalming!

The Fat Loss Echelons: How to Prioritise Your Training to Blitz the Bulge!

There's a saying 'You are lukewarm and I shall spit you out.' I would quote the speaker of the saying if I knew it but I don't. The fact remains, however, that this little phrase sums up fat loss perfectly. Fat loss isn't something you want to do day in day out forever. It's something you want to get done and then get on with your life, right? So my advice is to make an absolute, all out, raging war against fat for 30 days and make a MASSIVE impact. Because let's face it, everyone loves fast results, right?



As I said in my previous post on gender related fat loss, there isn't too much difference between male and female total body fat loss, and when it comes to diet and training, the same basic principles apply. Below is a quick run down of the 'Fat Loss Echelons' that we use with great success at Phoenix Pro.

1) At the head of the Echelons is your diet. You've heard the saying 'you can't out train a bad diet' and it's true. The 5 basic guidelines we recommend for everyone seeking fat loss are:

- Eat every 2-3 hours
-Eat lean, complete protein with every meal
-Eat veg with every feeding
-Save starchy carbohydrates (bread, rice, potato etc) for after training only
- Eat healthy fats daily

2) Lift weights, and by weights I mean weights that actually challenge you. As I mentioned in my previous post, muscle tissue is the metabolic furnace of the body and the more of it you have and the harder you work it, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be and the more calories you will burn. A study by Bryner et al (1999) on the effects of resistance training vs aerobic training on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate whilst on a low (800kcal) calorie diet, found that whilst the aerobic training group lost significantly bodyweight, most of it was lean muscle tissue, so they consequently experienced a decrease in RMR, whilst the resistance training group maintained their lean mass whilst also INCREASING their RMR (2.6 to 3.1 O2 ml/kg/min). (On a side note, this really goes to show that bodyweight really isn't the best indicator of progress).

So, top of the training for fat loss echelons are exercises that builds and maintain muscle mass, and boost metabolism, ie strength and hypertrophy training. This should be your number one priority if you want to lose fat and look lean and defined.

3) On the next echelon we have metabolic work, or high intensity interval training. Whilst not quite as effective at increasing RMR as resistance training, intervals elevate metabolism far more than any other form of cardio and increases what is known as EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption) which describes the rate at which metabolism returns to normal resting state post exercise. This can take several minutes after light exercise, and several hours following intervals. Obviously several hours is what we are looking for!

The landmark study on high intensity intervals was carried out by Tremblay et al (1994) where they compared the impact of 20 weeks of endurance training vs 15 weeks of interval training. What they found was a NINE times greater loss of subcutaneous fat per calorie expended in the high intensity interval (HIIT) group than the endurance group. When we look at the energy expenditure of the two groups (28661 for the endurance group and less than half at 13616kcals for the HIIT group) the findings equate to the HIIT group dropping 3 X more subcutaneous fat than the endurance group despite expending half the calories. Time to reroute that jog you had planned in the direction of the track for some sprints, right?!

4) Next in our fat loss echelons we have high intensity aerobic interval training. This is the same as HIIT, but not such high intensity. If you are new to training, this may be a better option for you combined with weight training to start with.

5) High intensity steady state exercise. This is basically hard cardio, but steady state. It's not enough to increase EPOC or muscle mass, but it will burn some calories, and it all counts.

6) Bringing up the rear is good old low intensity aerobic training, or long slow duration exercise as we like to call in in the strength and conditioning world. If your training time is restricted this this definitely shouldn't feature on your training plan, but if you have the time it can be a great destressor, and the more we move the better.

Putting it all together:

First of all, therefore, you need to get your diet in order. Start keeping a food diary and if you have a coach, they should be reviewing it and giving you feedback on a weekly basis. If you don't have a coach then maybe find a fat loss buddy and submit food journals to each other. Accountability to someone else is a much under rated adherance tool.

Training Time Availability:

3-4 hours per week

If you only have 3 or 4 hours a week to train then strength/ resistance training needs to be your priority. If you're not competent in writing periodised programs and don't have a coach, consider investing in having a program written specifically for you that will ensure you don't plateau or injure yourself, particularly if you are new to lifitng. Or, if you are in the Surrey area, why not come and join us at Phoenix Pro Fitness for a 30 day trial?

4-5 hours per week

If you have 4 or 5 hours available per week, then focus on resistance training and high intensity intervals (HIIT) (or high intesity aerobic intervals if you're new to training - so pushing hard, but not flat out).

5-6 hours per week

If you have 5 or 6 hours per week you can add some steady state high intensity aerobic training to your schedule of the above...

7 hours+

Few of us realistically have 7 hours of training time available per week, and to be honest if you are training 5 or 6 hours a week and not losing fat then there is probably an issue with your diet. But, if you have the time and inclination, then this is where steady state low intensity activity can be added in.

In a nutshell, if you're training for fat loss, go at it HARD and make an impact. Don't fool yourself that you can get away with a crappy diet if you train - you may see some progress but you certainly won't get optimal results. Lift weights. Then add in high intensity intervals. Everything else comes in only if you have the time after weights and HIIT.

To Your Success!



Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

The skinny on gender related fat loss and how it affects YOU!

Did you know that your gender affects the way in which you store and lose fat and, subsequently, your health?

Research studying gender differences in energy balance, insulin resistance and body composition show that, for a given body mass, men have a higher proportion of metabolic boosting lean tissue whilst women have a higher level of adiposity (fat cells). Men, however, were found to have more visceral fat (intra-abdominal fat which is closely linked to heart disease, coronary artery disease as well as other health pathologies) whereas women had more subcutaneous fat (beneath the surface of the skin).

These differences, combined with differences in sex hormones and adipokines (cell to cell signalling proteins secreted by adipose tissue), may contribute to greater insulin sensitivity in women than in men.

Geer, E.B & Shen, W. Gender differences in insulin resistance, body composition, and energy balance (2009) Gender Medicine, 6 (Supp. 1) pp.60-75


Not surprisingly then, another study published in the International Journal of Obesity, found that for a given reduction in body weight or waist circumference, men demonstrated a greater loss of visceral fat and lower loss of subcutaneous fat. What is interesting, however, is that the total body fat lost for a given bodyweight or waist circumference was the same for both sexes.

KUK, J.L, & Ross, R (2009) 'Influence of sex on total and regional fat loss in overweight and obese men and women.' International Journal of Obesity, London, Jun 33 (6) :629-34

It is well established that women generally have a higher % bodyfat than men, with a healthy range for women being cited at 20-25% and 10-15% for men. And because women tend to have a lower propensity for lean mass, it becomes even MORE important for them to build it if fat loss is the goal. Muscle tissue is the body's metabolic furnace after all. But don't worry. Unless you are seriously genetically unique, the majority of women can't 'bulk up' even if they try. In fact, I have personally tried to gain muscle size in prep for my upcoming bodybuilding contest, and despite the fact I am naturally of athletic build, I STILL don't look bulky, even with a concerted effort. But I am getting leaner and leaner, and you will too.

So, whilst it is clear that there are distinct differences in the metabolism, mobilisation and storage of fat between genders, dietary and training implications remain largely the same. In the next day or two I will post the 'fat loss echelons' - the ranking system that will help you prioritise your training schedule for faster fat loss, and protection against excess fat related illness.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

A little less conversation a little more action please!.. research on why fat talk should be hushed...

You're probably already aware of how crucial self talk is to success in any aspect of your life, whether it be fat loss, sport, business success or relationships. We have approximately 70,000 thoughts on average each day, pretty much all of which our subconscious takes to heart, and I'm sure you've probably heard the famous Bob Proctor quote, 'thoughts become things'.

So it may come as no surprise that a recent study published by SAGE Publications, found that the more people tended to talk about fat, being fat, being worried about being fat etc, the more likely they were to be dissatisfied with their bodies, REGARDLESS of waist circumference.

SAGE Publications. "Frequency of fat talk associated with increased body dissatisfaction, regardless of waistline." ScienceDaily. 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 8 Aug. 2011

Now I accept that it's impossible to regulate 70,000 thoughts or every word that leaves your lips, but what we can all do is start becoming more aware of the images, particularly self images, that we project, and acknowledge when a thought is not conducive to our ultimate well-being. And let's face it, trying to convince others or yourself that you are carrying excess weight isn't going to make you feel good in any way at all, or indeed help you get the shape you want to be in. So, when you next catch yourself thinking or speaking 'fat thoughts' say 'cancel!' and replace it with something positive, like, 'I'm putting the effort in to feel great about myself by....'



And, as I always say when there is too much chatting and not enough moving going on at Phoenix Pro, 'A little less conversation a little more action please.' :)

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

Research says Cut down on carbs for faster fat loss and better health

A new study published in 'The Endocrine Society. "Cut down on 'carbs' to reduce body fat."Gower et al, 2011. ScienceDaily, 24 Jun. 2011. Web. 7 Aug. 2011 demonstrates that even a modest reduction in your consumption of carbohydrates may promote loss of harmful deep abdominal (visceral) fat and total body fat, which is great news if you are looking to slim down and reduce your risk of diabetes II, stroke and coronary artery disease.

The study, which used 69 overweight but healthy male and female subjects, split the group into two, with subjects either eating a standard lower fat diet, or one with a modest reduction of carbs but slightly higher fat than the standard diet. The latter group were also given carbs that had a relatively low glycemic index, a measure of the extent to which foods raise blood glucose levels.

The study found that, whilst both groups lost weight, those who consumed the moderately carb-restricted diet had 11% less deep abdominal fat than those who ate the standard diet, as well as a 4% greater loss of total body fat, indicating that the lower carb plan encourages preferential loss of fat rather than lean tissue (the latter of which is key to maintained metabolic efficiency).

So, the take home message is, reduce your carbs for faster fat loss! At Phoenix Pro Fitness we find the easiest way to do this is to limit starchy carbs (ie bread, pasta, rice, potatoes etc) to the post-training 2 hour window, when glycogen stores are depleted and insulin sensitivity is high.

To Your Success!

From figure dream to dream figure: Day 41, and no excuses...

Today is day 41 of my bodybuilding competition prep and it seems like a good day to talk about overcoming obstacles and not giving in to excuses. For the last couple of weeks my diet has become increasingly strict, with calories now on the very low side, so the last couple of days have been a challenge owing to the fact that I have had to work around being out late last night watching the diamond league athletics at Crystal Palace and attending a fabulous wedding today. It would have been quite easy to succumb to the amazing smell of chips wafting around the stadium yesterday, but not nearly as easy as it would have been to indulge in the amazing wedding dinner of thai prawns and noodles, lamb and gratin potatoes and incredible chocolate cake (not to mention the vino)! As it was, I managed to stick vigilently to my diet and enjoyed some smoked salmon (thanks to the awesome caterers for making these for me specially!), tons of veg and a protein shake instead.

This is me with my 'dessert'...


and my yummy canapes...


Now I'm no dietary martyr. I enjoy bad foods as much as the next person and can think of excuses as to why I couldn't stick to the plan as well as anyone. But at the end of the day, there are a few reasons why I was able to stick to my diet despite considerable temptation, and I am certain these things will also help you whenever you are close to falling of your fat loss plan..

1) Having a goal that is really important to you. A goal is not really a worthy goal if in your heart of hearts you're not really fussed about achieving it. That doesn't mean it will be easy, but it will make you think real hard before you jeopardise your progress.

2) Having people to be accountable to. I have my coach, my friends who are coming all the way to Stratford next week to support me, and the team and members at my gym to be accountable to. When I stand on stage next week I will know that I have done everything I can to be my best on the day and that is all I can do. If I'd let excuses get in the way I would have not only let myself down but them as well, which adds extra weight to the goal. So if your goal doesn't have a definitive date yet, then give it one. It adds urgency to the process and will make you think twice before giving in to temptation. Temptation is much like anything else, once you've overcome it a few times, it becomes a habit and you become confident in your ability to handle it.

3) Preparation. I had my nutrition for last night and today all mapped out before I left the house, and pre-empted temptation by ensuring I had access to the right foods at the right time. This meant packing a cool bag with salmon and beans and a protein shake and finding out what was on the menu as soon as I arrived so that I could plan ahead and ensure I wasn't hungry and had an alternative to eat. I couldn't let what other people would think act as an excuse for spoiling weeks of hard work, and nor was I going to miss my good friends' wedding, and as it happened it was the subject of much interest at my table anyway :) So always plan in advance, both training and nutrition, and never skip meals... that way you won't get hungry or even have an excuse for eating something off plan because there was no alternative... all you need is a cool bag!

It's now just one week until my competition and I am looking forward to what will undoubtedly be a challenging week or training, diet and preparation. Bring it on!

Charlotte

Owner
Phoenix Pro Fitness

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

3 Reasons You're Not Losing Fat..

Fat loss can be a difficult thing to master due to the fact that there are so many variables involved to success, all of which can be limiting factors for certain individuals.

There are 4 main factors to consider initially. Firstly, there's the exercise part. Secondly, there's the diet part. Both of these play an essential role in the fat loss equation. Thirdly, there's the psychology part, which can be a real stumbling block for some, and finally there's the social support part, which can also be a limiting factor if those around you are not on side.

Let's suppose that you have all of the above sorted, but you're still not losing fat. What then? Well, for the majority of people , if the above 4 factors in line, chances are you'll be changing shape successfully. But there are a small % of people who have their diet and exercise sorted, head screwed on and great support system, but still can't shift fat.

For these people we need to delve deeper and look at what is going on at a deeper physiological level. A bit like farming, you can plant the best seed and add water and sun, but if the soil isn't healthy then the harvest will fail. Your body is the same.

The first fat loss limiter is the adrenal system. The adrenal glands are responsible for releasing hormones in response to stress through the synthesis of corticosteroids such cortisol and catecholamines such as epinephrine. The primary role of cortisol is to increase blood sugar levels so the muscles, organs and brain have enough sustenance. Problems occur when you experience chronic stress because chronically elevated cortisol levels result in increased insulin levels and preventing you from burning fat, regardless of your diet or exercise protocol. Stress is not just limited to emotional and mental stress, but also food intolerance, disease, overtraining and severe caloric restriction. You can find out whether adrenal fatigue is an issue for you by a simple pupil dilation test or adrenal salivary test.

The second fat loss limiter is the gastrointestinal system. If you experience symptoms such as gas, bloating, IBS, feeling uncomfortably full after meals, constipation, acid reflux etc, it is likely indicative of a food sensitivity, which can severely hamper your chances of fat loss. In addition, gastrointestinal dysfunction can result in reduced libido, altered stress hormone production and disrupted blood sugar levels. The easy answer to gastrointestinal upset is an elimination diet for a period of at least 4 weeks, which allows your body not only to cleanse and heal itself, but also allows you to identify which foods are creating a problem when you start to reintegrate them.

The third fat loss limiter we are going to discuss today is oxygen transport system. In order to function optimally, the body's cells require two things, glucose and oxygen. Any deficiency of either of these two essential components in your body will result in less than optimal function. Inside your cells, a process is constantly going on whereby a multifunctional nucleotide called adepnosine triphosphate is produced via phosphorylation and cellular respiration, and transports chemical energy around the cells for metabolism. ATP is the body's basic form of energy, and without it nothing works properly. One if the key components in the production of ATP is oxygen, so if your body isn't receiving enough oxygen, ATP manufacture is impaired, bodily function is restricted and fat loss is consequently halted. So how does a lack of oxygen affect fat loss? Well, you've probably heard if the condition anaemia, where the body lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells, or haemoglobin inside RBCs, to transport oxygen efficiently. Symptoms of anaemia include chest pain, dizziness, light-headiness, as well as a wide range of other clinical consequences. If you think anaemia may be affecting you, a simple blood test at your GP's will test your levels of iron, ferritin, transferrin, vitamin B12 etc, and tell you whether there is an issue that needs addressing.

If you read my previous post on insulin resistance, you'll know that your ability to manage blood sugar levels can also be a major limiting factor to fat loss.. if you missed it you can find it here

Remember though, that if you are struggling to shift fat, the first ports of call is to get your exercise, diet, psychology and support network in check. If you can honestly say all these things are aligned with your goal but you're still not losing fat, then there may be a deeper seated physiological issue at hand. Once your bodily terrain is healthy, fat loss will resume.

To Your Success!


Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Follow us on twitter at @charlotteord and @phoenixprofit

Tired, stressed or anxious? Adaptogens may help..

One of the hot topics at this year's UKSCA convention was the use of adaptogens in improving athletic performance and body composition.

Adaptogens are herb products that are plant derivatives and are thought to increase resistance to fatigue, trauma, anxiety and stress. One herb in particular, Rhodiola Rosea, is gaining notoriety as an effective combative treatment for depression, lifting mood and helping the user to cope with everyday stressors. I have personally been taking rhodiola as part of my bodybuilding supplementation program and have found it to be very effective at keeping mood levels even despite heavy training combined with a low calorie diet.

Indeed, clinical studies have found that adaptogens such as Rhodiola exert an anti-fatigue effect and increase mental work capacity, affording the user tolerance to mental exhaustion and enhanced attention.

P, Alexander & G, Wilman. (2011) 'Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress--Protective Activity'Pharmaceuticals 2010, 3, 188-224.

So, if you suffer from stress, low mood or fatigue, it might be worth giving RhodiolaRosea a try. It's inexpensive, and in my opinion, works!

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

Lessons Learnt from Bodybuilding..

If you've been reading the Phoenix Pro blog recently, chances are you'll know that I am currently preparing for my first bodybuilding competition, which takes place a week on Sunday in Stratford. Although I'm doing the trained figure class, which is more like a fitness physique class than a very muscular look, my diet and training have had to be carefully designed and monitored so that I drop a significant amount of body fat whilst preserving lean muscle tissue. One of my main motivations for embarking on bodybuilding was that the pursuit of significant body transformation is a goal of many of our clients at Phoenix Pro Fitness, and I wanted to personally experience what happens when you take diet and training to an extreme and purposeful level... something that is quite unique to the bodybuilding world. Here are some of the things I've learnt so far that might be of interest to you and hopefully help you in your own body transformation journey:

1) Having a coach makes sticking to even the toughest dietary protocol easy. I know that, being a coach myself, I would say that, but it's true. Bodybuilding is new to me so it made perfect sense to enlist the help of someone who knows it like the back of their hand, and my coach, former British Champion Annabel Ottey, has made the whole process a pleasure. As I am experienced in program writing I designed my own training schedule, but my diet, routine and all other prep has been down to Annie. This has been brilliant, not only because I have had access to Annie's experience and knowledge with regards to 'cutting', posing and preparation, but also because there's no way I would ever allow myself to diverge from a plan set by someone else and have to explain why my body fat hadn't dropped; never underestimate the accountability factor if you have a big goal to achieve...

2) You can get stronger, faster, fitter, leaner and more flexible simultaneously and on a 'bodybuilding program'. I decided to use my foray into bodybuilding as a bit of an experiment to see whether it was possible to drop fat, build muscle and improve a variety of fitness components simultaneously. This meant that my program incorporated a number of facets including:

a daily 'computer reboot' warm up protocol, aimed at preparing for more strenuous activity but also encouraging correct biomechanics for sprinting, jumping etc etc.

Dynamic flexibility aimed at maintaining (and in the case of my recently broken ankle, improving) good joint range of motion in a functional capacity

Olympic lifting to develop explosive strength and ensure that my new found mass was more useful to me than just looking good..

Multi joint compound lifts such as back squats, deadlifts and presses to develop large muscle groups in both strength and size.

Med ball circuits to develop proprioception, co-ordination, power and co-contractile efficiency.

Isolation exercises synonymous with bodybuilding to develop specific areas, although in reality it is impossible to literally isolate any specific muscle.. the body simply doesn't work that way, but I must admit I have really enjoyed doing bicep curls! :)

Fasted, low intensity cardio (usually with dog in tow and leaflets in hand - multi-task is my middle name)
I will post my before and after pictures following my show so you can see for yourself whether I have managed to simultaneously drop fat and build muscle. Strength wise my loads have continued to increase on a weekly basis despite weekly reductions in caloric intake, and my snatch (4x3 @27.5kg >> 35kg) and clean and jerk (4x3 @32kg >> 40kg) have also been making fairly linear positive progression (helped by the fact my ankle and surrounding structures are becoming more mobile and explosive again :) The take home message here is that an athletic training program, incorporating the best protocols from both strength and conditioning and bodybuilding, can achieve a variety of objectives simultaneously whilst correcting, rather than creating, imbalance.

3) Posing is harder than it looks. Aside from the confidence challenge of standing on stage in sweet F.A, the 'poses' themselves are actually pretty hard to nail and a workout in themselves. I have newfound respect for those who can do this well - it is quite an art - don't knock anything until you've tried it..

4) It IS possible to be on a really strict diet and have a life! I have been out for dinner three times this week alone (birthday week :) - to Pizza Express, Loch Fyne, and Bistro Cote - and managed to have diet compliant meals at each by asking for small adjustments to what was already on the menu. Remember that 'decision' is latin for 'to cut off from..' - decide that you are going to achieve your goal and cut off from all excuses that might stop you - when you do that, abstaining from little things like dough balls becomes much easier than you think.



5) If your friends are trying to boycott your efforts, chances are that they are not bad people but rather that your determination and goal trigger feelings of guilt or lacking for them. It's a bit like smokers who try to boycott their ex-smoker friends - if their friends can do it there's no justification for why they can't and that's an uncomfortable and uninvited feeling. So, if you find yourself being boycotted by your friends or family, turn it around and realise that you may actually be inspiring them to make a change too. And if they REALLY try to lead you astray, explain the importance of your goal and why you would really appreciate their support. I must add here that I've been really fortunate in that my friends have been super supportive and have even adjusted their own diets and training to accommodate mine! But I have spoken to others who haven't been so lucky (thank you my friends!)

6) Finally, in my humble opinion, lean, fit and strong really does look better than thin and scrawny. I've been both, and I've seen and trained a lot of women who've been both, and I can categorically say that people are happier, sexier and healthier with great muscle definition, great fitness levels, and eating proper fuel on a regular basis.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

3 easy ways to boost your insulin sensitivity and burn more fat!

If you're looking to shed fat, then you may already know that insulin sensitivity is a serious ally in your fat loss arsenal. Insulin sensitivity describes your body's hormonal responsiveness to glucose and your ability to metabolise that glucose. When this function is impaired, we call it insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, which is the state in which the cells have a diminished ability to respond to insulin secreted in response to sugar in the bloodstream. Consequently, the pancreas produces and releases an abnormally high level of insulin in order to process glucose and regulate blood sugar levels, with associated health issues, including excess fat storage (particularly in the abdominal region), diabetes 2 and hardening of the arteries.

So, what can we do to increase our insulin sensitivity?

Well, firstly, we can exercise more. I know being a trainer it was kind of inevitable that I'd say that, but research on 'Exercise and Insulin Sensitivity' in the International Journal of Sports Medicine (Borghouts & Keizer 2000) found that in both insulin sensitive and insulin resistant populations insulin sensitivity was increased for up to 16 hours after a single exercise bout, as well as illiciting a multitude of adaptations in glucose metabolism and transport.

Secondly, we can add a little spice to our lives. Adding just 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon to your diet per day has been found in numerous studies to lower blood glucose post meals, reduce fasting insulin levels, speed up gastric emptying and counteract sleep deprivation induced temporary insulin resistance. And it tastes great in a protein shake - WIN!

My third tip for optimising and taking advantage of your insulin sensitivity is to never miss a post workout shake. Taking a post workout drink immediately after training has been found to up protein synthesis (essential for repair and restoration of your metabolic furnace and fat burning action station, lean muscle tissue) by a whopping 300%, compared with only 12% if you leave eating until a few hours after training.

So, the take home advice on increased insulin sensitivity and faster fat loss is to up your exercise (the RIGHT sort of exercise though - more on this to come..), supplement with cinammon and don't forget your post workout shake when you next hit the gym.

To Your Success!

Charlotte

www.phoenixprofitness.com

From Figure Dream to Dream Figure: Day 32

A lot has happened on my rollercoaster 7 week bodybuilding expedition since my last post! I am now 32 days in and am pleased to say that despite a massive wobble last weekend, where the idea of standing on a stage holding poses that are not nearly as easy as they look virtually paralysed me with fear, I am now positively looking forward to my first contest in 2 weeks time! My tan is booked, music chosen, and I'm pleased that my clean and jerk and snatch have continued to improve, which is more than can be said for my ability to walk in very high heels (compulsory for the figure class I'm doing, but not that complimentary to my still slightly sticky ankle)..

I'm amazed how much I've enjoyed the discipline of dieting and training, even though my calorie intake has dropped significantly in the last couple of weeks in order to be ready for the comp. Although 7 weeks seems like a long time, I've realised why people generally prep for a lot longer - getting lean is one thing, but getting ripped is quite another, and I am having to diet aggressively to see distinct changes in my physique as the big day approaches. Having always considered myself reasonably muscular, I have also found myself looking in the mirror and thinking I look a bit weedy; a not all together disatisfactory feeling, although the point of the competition is, of course, to have muscle!!

Posing wise, as previously mentioned, I had a complete and utter meltdown. I may be a leo, but I am definitely not a natural strutter or poser, and one particular pose, the lat spread, seems to elude me almost completely. I always thought I had relatively good scapular control, but apparently not... Indeed, late last night was the first time I momentarily managed to spread my lats, by which time I had exhausted deltoids, nail marks and bruising to my obliques (self inflicted in an attempt to contort myself into position) and an aching back. My heavy lifting sessions are WAY easier than this... Bruce Lee obviously found it a bit more natural than I... :)



And so there are now just over 2 weeks to go until my comp and I am excited to see what I'll look like at the end of my 7 week preparation stint. There is still a hell of a lot of practice to be done both on my walk, poses and routine to music (the last time I did a routine to music was in the school house gym competition, where, if I recall correctly, my piece de resistance was a succession of backward walkovers... I don't think I'll be attempting that again this time around...).

This weekend I am heading up to St Albans to watch my first bodybuilding show and hopefully pick up some tips for performing well on stage, as well as sorting out my bikinis! And that is where I will leave this post, the terrifying thought of standing on stage in a micro bikini, with everyone watching... the things I put myself through.... :)

Char