Do The Work Coach
Often when people begin a new regime of weight loss they experience a fairly substantial loss of weight in the first couple of weeks. I think it’s important firstly that I address why this happens because often it can be misconstrued and can cause disappointment down the line.
“I first contacted Dale after all the information he put out on social media during the lockdowns. His enthusiasm and willingness to help people make the most of their health and fitness at that time really motivated and inspired me. I was impressed by his knowledge. His kindness and how much he cares about his clients was clear to see. So I knew I could trust him.”
Back in March 2021 Niamh decided that it was time to start working with me. I’d known Niamh for a little while before that as we’d interacted in the gym and she’d followed my content. Niamh initially had one goal in mind…
To deadlift 100kg.
Her previous PB was 85kg but she wanted to join the 100 club. Our training commenced just before the gyms reopened due to Covid so we had the first couple of sessions outdoors before being able to hit the gym a couple of weeks later and that’s when the real work started.
The undeniable truth is that energy balance dictates whether or not you will lose weight or not. If you are not in-taking less calories than what you burn, you will not lose weight. There are literally no outliers. Before you say it, yes it is harder for some people, yes people with thyroid issues or P.C.O.S find it more difficult but the energy balance equation remains the most important thing to conquer.
Basically, you must ingest fewer calories than the amount you expend for weight loss.
I’ve covered weight loss a few times now but I want to give you some insight into how you can still achieve this during the lock-down. Before I go on, I want you to know that it is ok to still work toward weight loss, it is ok to work toward maintaining weight and it is even ok if you gain weight. This is a tough time for us and therefore there are some people that will find it more difficult than others to adapt.
For those that do still seek weight loss however I want you to know it is absolutely possible and in this blog I will discuss how I believe this to be the case. The important thing to remember is that we have to manage all three of the main principles in order to lose weight. Number one is nutrition/calories, number two is overall movement/NEAT and number three is exercise. In this blog I want to specifically address the exercise principle behind weight loss.
I’ve had a few suggestions for blogs that are based on the current period in time being locked down. In this blog I will talk about how it is possible to remain motivated whilst being at home, it is possible to continue to lose weight and also keep your sanity.
I will also let you into a little secret as to how those that consistently exercise, well… consistently exercise.
With everything that is going on in the world right now, I know exercise for some is difficult. I know that some of you are in isolation, some are simply avoiding the gym and that is understandable, some are still attending but now lost because classes has been cancelled. I want to do my bit to give back to the community. I want to do my job and positively contribute to peoples health & fitness when they need it the most. Therefore I will be offering 2 x FREE Live Workouts per week until further notice. These workouts will be available for you to complete multiple times and even if you cannot make the live time, you will be able to complete at your leisure, no equipment or investment will be required. You will just need to have Facebook and a screen that you can see the workouts from e.g. an ipad, laptop or even better a smart TV.
Without further ado, to sign up click here and I will be in touch.
Let me add, if you are already working with me as a client you DO NOT need to sign up via this link.
I look forward to working with you.
Stay healthy, stay fit, stay positive.
Dale.
Over the past 12 months I have developed a huge interest in hiking and I want to share with you why I believe everybody should give it a go. I will be sharing the positives that I get from it but also the benefits that it has given those that have attended with me.
I, amongst others that have joined me have conquered the following over the last 12 months Coniston Old Man, Snowdon, Scafell, Pendle Hill as well as a couple more. The first thing that I love about hiking is that I see it as an achievement, I see it as that I have conquered something. I make it competitive, in the sense of it is me against the mountain, my full attention at that time is on exactly that and nothing else. I can look back on those events and know that I achieved something that isn’t related to work, family etc but it is something absolutely personal to me. Having achieved that gives me positive energy which lends to improving the other areas of my life, if I am feeling fulfilled then the rest of my life will follow, it helps me be better for those around me. I fully believe it is important to achieve things that do not involve work or mundane day to day activities and you can do this through hiking. That of course is the long-term feeling but the short-term euphoria once you get to the top and then back down is worth every step of being out of breath and feeling uncomfortable, not to mention the pint in the pub at the end!
A knock on effect of having your attention solely on defeating the mountain also means that your mind gets a break from all the other stuff going on e.g. work stresses, family issues, relationship worries and even anxiety and depression. I am not saying it cures any of the above but what it does do is take your mind elsewhere, it diverts your attention onto something else giving you total reprieve of all of those things. I promise you that when you are working hard to climb the mountain whilst engaging with other like-minded people that you will not worry about any of this, that is the beauty of it.
Speaking of beauty, of course a benefit of hiking is that you get to see some spectacular views, you really get to see what this planet has to offer, away from the four walls of the office and your house. You get to experience something different, it can be breath-taking at times. On a similar subject, most of us do not get enough fresh air and sunlight because we spend our lives in air-conditioned environments and away from the sun. The majority of the western world are deficient in vitamin D and although the UK weather doesn’t always lend well to support this, we can certainly do more to get outside. I bet there are days go by that you do not step outside for any more time than getting in and out of your car? Hiking provides a huge opportunity to change that.
On the subject of the great outdoors, it is absolutely free, all of the above benefits you can get for free, what else in life could you say is true to that?
Then of course there are the health benefits that come along with it, what better way to improve your heart health, lung capacity and therefore improve your fitness than in the great outdoors with beautiful views? The bonus is that along the way you will burn a fair amount of calories too which will more than make room for the post hike pint!
The final brilliant thing about hiking is that it gives you a new challenge every single time, because as soon as you have completed one, it leaves you wanting more, it leaves you wanting a bigger more challenging climb next time, which is why my walks have progressed to the biggest in the UK. On March 28th myself and a bunch of people will take on Helvellyn ahead of Ben Nevis in June. Once that is complete I know that I will want to venture further afield hiking in different countries around Europe and beyond.
I am not saying you have to be the person that spends hundreds of pounds on a Rab jacket and the best hiking boots nor am I saying you have to come with me into Europe (of course you are most welcome if you wish to) but I am saying that you should give it a go. As humans we are not designed to be cooped up in an office slouched into our computers, we are not genetically engineered to do that so if you haven’t tried it, maybe it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and use your body for what it is perfectly designed to do. It is going to be tough at first, I wouldn’t lie to you about that, but it is worth it and like with anything you only get better by doing and taking action. Maybe it is time you did something just for you, something that challenges your beliefs, something that challenges you both physically and mentally, something that pushes you out of your comfort zone but something that is so rewarding that you will never look back. And the thing is, if you don’t try it, you will never know…
“A life without challenge is not only a life not worth living but also a life devoid of meaning.”
To check out some pictures from some of my previous hikes click the links below…
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