PT Magazine July 14 - The PT In Your Pocket

JULY 2014 // £4

WORLD CUP

WORKOUT

STAYING IN SHAPE WHILE WE’RE GLUED TO THE TELLY

INTERVIEW WITH STEVE MILLER FROM TV’S FAT FAMILIES HOW HYPNOSIS CAN HELP PTS AND THEIR CLIENTS

CHILDHOOD

OBESITY TOO MUCH FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

welcome

PUBLISHER Myles Davies

EDITOR'S LETTER

PTmagazine

Hello Everyone!

We have had an amazing response on social media about the last issue, hopefully you like this issue as much.

Welcome to our July issue!

The first week of July is National Childhood Obesity Week, and our issue is packed full of useful features on this growing problem.

EDITOR Torah Dee torah@ptmagazine.co.uk REGULARS EDITOR Poppy Davidson poppy@ptmagazine.co.uk DESIGN Juliet Symes studio@ptmagazine.co.uk MULTIMEDIA DESIGN Adam Daniels adamd@ptmagazine.co.uk DIGITAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Jay Jerome jay@ptmagazine.co.uk ADVERTISING MANAGER Adam Reynolds adam@ptmagazine.co.uk SENIOR ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Yasmine Brown yasmine@ptmagazine.co.uk GENERAL info@ptmagazine.co.uk ACCOUNTS Emma Rayner accounts@ptmagazine.co.uk

We have features from Lizzie Havers (p.18), Kris Boyson (p.19) and Dan Fivey on the subject of training children, weight management and working with obese clients.

We also have an interview with Steve Miller, host of Fat Families on Living TV, who discusses his ideas about hypnotherapy for weight loss (p.18) and Kate Percy (p.26), author of Go Faster Food For Kids, offers her thoughts on weight issues and modern living.

And if your World Cup enthusiasm hasn’t quite been sapped, we’ve got a World Cup Workout for you on page 38 so you can maintain your fitness and still watch the footy!

@PTMagazine /PTMagazine ON THE COVER: Childhood Obesity...

Too much food for thought? (p26)

Torah Dee

I hope you’re all enjoying the World Cup at the moment. Have a look at our new article, Try Something New this Month (page 70), which we’ve given a football theme in celebration.

This month’s issue is all about weight loss so make sure you check out some of our healthy recipes to cook with the kids this summer. Get them involved and loving healthy food with recipes from Netmums on page 50. Don’t forget to keep us up-to-date on any events you’re getting into and if you don’t have any planned yet, turn over to page 30. Keep in touch, and let us know what you think!

Poppy Davidson PT MAGAZINE WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

PUBLISHERS: Magic Fountain Media Ltd, Office 10-18, Epsilon House, Masterlord Office Village, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9FJ PRINTED BY: The Magazine Printing Company PLEASE NOTE: Points of view expressed in articles by contributing writers and in advertisements included in PT Magazine, do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy if information contained in PT Magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for incidents arising from use of information published. All rights, including moral rights, reserved.

COPYRIGHT: No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievable system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. ©Magic Fountain Media Ltd T/A PT Magazine.

Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company using only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers www.magprint.co.uk

Subscribe to PT Magazine now for only £20 and be sure to never miss an issue! Visit www.ptmagazine.co.uk to find out how

CONTENTS

06 INDUSTRY FOCUS

The latest news from the industry

08 PT JOB BOARD

PT and fitness pro vacancies in the UK

11 CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND THE PERSONAL TRAINER

09

WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS?

Richard Callender gives advice on how to connect with your clients

Kristoph Thompson gives guidance for PTs tackling this issue

13 READINESS TO CHANGE

Greg Sellar on listening to your clients’ needs and knowing that they’re ready to change

15 WORKING WITH PARKINSON’S CLIENTS

What you should know about working with this disease

16 OBEAST - FINDING BEAUTY IN THE BEAST OF OBESITY

Lizzie Havers gives her insight into helping obese clients to reach their goals

17 HELPING CLIENTS WITH WEIGHT PROBLEMS

Kris Boyson shares his experience of helping clients to lose weight

18 TV WEIGHT LOSS EXPERT OFFERS HIS MIND OVER PLATTER ADVICE We caught up with Steve Miller from TV’s Fat Families for his thoughts on using hypnosis for weight loss

20 CHILDHOOD WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Dan Fivey talks about working with children and tackling the sensitive subject of weight management

26 CHILDHOOD OBESITY ... TOO MUCH FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

Kate Percy, author of 'Go Faster Food' and 'Go Faster Food For Kids' gives her take on the growing obesity problem

24

THE MENTAL ASPECT OF WEIGHT LOSS

Georgina Spenceley explores body image, mental barriers and the recipe for achieving personal weight loss goals

29 CHILDHOOD OBESITY NEEDS TO BE NIPPED IN THE BUD How focusing on prevention instead of treatment could be the key to a healthier society

32 POPPY’S PICKS…

Our own Regulars Editor, Poppy Davidson reveals her favourite kit for making smoothies

34 BOSU WORKOUT

Check out Kristoph Thompson’s latest new workout

36 HOW TO STAY FIT

60 KNOWING YOUR

Jamie Lloyd gives his World Cup workout tips

Making sure you’re recommending nutritional products for the right reasons

DURING THE WORLD CUP

38 THE ROLLER COASTER

WORKOUT

Make sure your clients are mixing up their workout routines with this handy template!

40 Q&A WITH SONIQUE SMITH, CLUBBERCISE INSTRUCTOR

All your questions answered about becoming an instructor with Clubbercise

43 AB KIT

Check out some of this great kit to help get you ripped

45 FIT LIT

A selection of anatomy and sport literature for PTs and fitness enthusiasts

47 HOME MADE BREAKFAST BARS A yummy fuss-free recipe for you or your child’s breakfast

NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS

62 GIVEAWAYS

Your chance to win a bundle pack of Cyclone Milk

64 CORE TRAINING: ARE YOU TRAINING MOVEMENT OR ANTI-MOVEMENT? Joanne Elphinston talks about the benefits of functional force management

66 WHERE ARE ALL THE

MALE DIETITIANS?

An exploration into why the profession is so heavily femaledominated

67 TACKLING OBESITY ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

YMCA Fit discuss the benefits of specialist courses to help people with obesity problems

68 OBESITY – MIND THE

GAP

48 BEST ON TEST

A look at how society is contributing to the obesity crisis

50 EAT FIT

69 WHAT SHOULD YOU DO TO CLIMB THE PERSONAL TRAINING CAREER LADDER?

We review healthy ready meals for PTs on the go Check out these healthy recipe ideas from NetMums

How PTs can stand out in the industry

55 HOW TO AVOID

70 TRY SOMETHING NEW

Make sure you’re not vegetating for the rest of the World Cup with these tips

71 10 MINUTES WITH …

GETTING A LAGER BELLY DURING THE WORLD CUP

56 HEALTHY HABITS FOR

We suggest new and exciting sports to try this summer Tarryn Severn, winner of USN’s 12 Week Body Makeover Challenge

KIDS

Take a look at some of Marie Felton’s tips for making sure your kids are happy and healthy

58 ARE DIET PILLS GOOD FOR YOU?

How to tell the good from the bad when it comes to weight loss supplements

experts Steve Miller As well as being a presenter of the hit TV show Fat Families, Steve is also a weight loss motivator and hypnotherapist.

Off-screen he spends time working with Personal Trainers helping them to coach their clients in self- hypnosis to lose weight.

Kristoph Thompson Previously worked as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with professional baseball and basketball teams in the USA, and now runs his own PT business in the UK continuing to train athletes and those of all fitness levels.

Richard Callender Richard has over 18 years experience in the health & fitness industry, and has become a widely respected and approachable fitness expert, tutor and presenter both nationally and internationally.

Greg Sellar Greg is a Nikesponsored presenter with instructor training experience in over 40 countries worldwide. He works in marketing and business development as a consultant to several fitness brands through www.gregsellar.com

Tom Godwin Tom is the Managing Director of Foresight Fitness Services.

He specialises in exercise referral and corrective exercise and helping other personal trainers improve their business.

Kelly Du Buisson

30

EVENTS

Discover upcoming sports events and boot camps across the UK

Elite personal trainer and Creator of the City Workout online.

She trains profile models and TV presenters as well as being a published fitness write for local and national press, including Zest, Grazia and Red Magazine.

INDUSTRY

FOCUS WELCOME TO THE INDUSTRY FOCUS PAGE. IF YOU’VE GOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT, GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT EDITOR@PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Bring out the animal in you!

Protect your headset microphone when teaching a class and make a statement, with an Urban Fitness Zebra or Leopard print pouch belt!

These funky new designs are now in stock here at Sound Dynamics and they’re driving fitness instructors wild! Priced at only £18.99 (excluding vat), these pouch belts are a must for your fitness wardrobe! ssl.sound-dynamics.co.uk

Kicking the Sugar Habit Made Sweet Do you want to have more energy, glowing skin, feel lighter and better? Who doesn’t? We all know that we are what we eat and latest research has identified sugar as diet culprit number one.

Cutting down on the sweet stuff might sound bitter but it has undisputed benefits – on long term health, overall wellbeing and not to mention looks too!

Don’t be put off by restrictions and limitations – a diet very low in or free from sugar is at the basis of healthy eating and might be easier to stick to than you might think. It is about returning to your natural appetite, enjoying the foods your body really craves and that nourish it. Feeling lighter, better and stronger will empower you to make better food choices day after day and you won’t feel that you are missing out on anything. www.purition.co.uk

SkillsActive launches its new Quality Training Portal The number of jobless 16 – 24 year olds remains higher than the national average, meaning today’s youth are facing consistently high levels of competition in getting onto, and progressing up the career ladder. In recognition of this, SkillsActive is launching its new Quality Training Portal (QTP) to assist those wishing to enter and develop their careers in sport, fitness, outdoors, playwork, and hair or beauty sectors acquire the relevant skills and qualifications.

The portal, available to the general public, hosts a database of three thousand pieces of quality assured training courses and qualifications from Endorsed Training Providers. It has been designed to assist individuals with finding industryrecognised qualifications, aiding those who are either just starting their career ensuring young people are well-placed to embark on their chosen career.

To search for endorsed training visit the Quality Training Portal at: www.qualitytraining.skillsactive.com.

Getting Involved In A Summer Of Cycling

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This summer across the Peak District, many events are being held as part of the Summer of Cycling 2014. Following the success of last years event, since April various cycling days have been put on across the Peak District and will continue until October.

The event is designed for people of all ages and abilities, including families getting involved together. The cycles offer a fantastic opportunity for everyone to explore the Peak District, get some exercise and have lots of fun. A few highlights from across the summer include the Peak Epic Sportive held at Lady Manner School, Bakewell. This cycling route has 14 categorised climbs with the long ascends of 4000m in just 165km.

FieldandTrek.com have a vast selection of cycling clothing and accessories, these can be found online at www.fieldandtrek.com/cycling.

Fitness First Announces Partnership with British Olympic Association Fitness First has announced a partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) as Team GB’s first-ever Official Fitness Partner.

An industry leader in health and fitness, Fitness First will support Team GB athletes with its state of the art facilities as they embark on their road to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

As the National Olympic Committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the BOA selects Team GB from the best sportsmen and women to compete in the 28 summer and seven winter Olympic sports at the greatest sporting competition in the world. One of the biggest fitness brands in the world, Fitness First has 377 clubs worldwide reaching over 990,000 members in 16 countries.

Fitness First will support Team GB with their 76 clubs, 2,200 staff and 189, 000 members in the UK.

World leading groin injury specialist, Mr Jerry Gilmore, launches ‘breakthrough’ compression shorts to help prevent and aid management of common sports injury Shorts available exclusively at physioroom.com World-renowned groin injury specialist, Mr Jerry Gilmore, who has treated professional sportsmen from around the world, including hundreds of Premiership and England international football players and other sportsmen, has, for the first time, created a pair of compression shorts in partnership with physioroom.com and the Harley Street Sports Enterprise (Gilmoresupportshorts.com). The shorts are specifically and scientifically designed to help prevent and manage one of the most common sporting injuries.

There are two different types of shorts, the support shorts (£99.00) and the training shorts (£29.00). The training shorts are a lighter weight version, making them more suitable for warm ups and post work out recovery.

Both shorts are available to buy exclusively at PhysioRoom.com and Gilmoresupportshorts.com.

Compression shorts are coming soon.

www.fitnessfirst.co.uk

POWRX Gym Ball Exercise posters POWRX UK has launched a set of 2 Gym Ball Exercise posters (Beginner and Advanced Level) that offer a progressive Total Body Gym Ball Workout. Each exercise is featured with 2 images of (A) correct start position/ posture and (B) end/range of movement . The charts also hold training recommendation in sets and repetitions as a training guide for the user. The posters (A1 size) are an ideal training tool for any home training, gyms, health and fitness studios.

Try BOSU 3DXTREME at Fitpro LIVE! BOSU 3DXTREME is an exciting new fitness class created by industry titans; Jay Blanik, Douglas Brooks, Candice Brooks, Julz Arney, Keli Roberts and Greg Sellar. The 50-minute session combines functional training with explosive calorie blasting cardio to provide XTREME results. Based on the concept of ‘Triplex Training’ BOSU 3DXTREME fuses cardio, conditioning and core exercise to achieve a lean and strong physique in the minimum amount of time. The class, which is a smash hit in the states, launches at Fitpro LIVE on Friday 18th July.

Internationally renowned presenter Greg Sellar will be teaching the first ever UK session of BOSU 3DXTREME at 11:45 on Friday 18th July. Are you brave enough to give it a go?

@PTMAGAZINE

07

PT Job Board UPDATING YOU ON NEW VACANCIES IN THE INDUSTRY

Personal Trainer £14,000- £40,000 | Welwyn Garden City www.cv-library.co.uk/job/201123976/Personal-Trainer An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Personal Trainer to join The Wellness Centre, based in Welwyn Garden City, Harpenden and Potters Bar in Hertfordshire. The Wellness Centre provides valuable support from day one, offers a naturally positive and lively atmosphere to work in and encourages their Trainers to up skill themselves to become highly qualified. The key to their success is that they are a team. When you join the Centre you become part of their family. The Wellness Centre offers the perfect combination of supportive employment and an opportunity to grow a successful 1:1 self-employed business.

Kids Sports Coach £DOE | Leicester and Rugby www.cv-library.co.uk/job/201105919/Kids-Sports-Coach This position is to be part of a company that organises a range of school holiday camps for 3 to 17 year olds. For those who love to play sport, sing and dance, paint and draw or like a bit of everything, there is a camp that is safe, fun and inspirational. Found in 10 fantastic schools around the UK. Kids Sports Coaches are responsible for planning and coaching fun, active, safe and inspirational sessions in a variety of sports on a morning and delivering a specialist sport on an afternoon. Kids Sports Coaches follow the Curriculum and report to the academies manager.

Fitness Instructor / Personal Trainer - London £20K - £30K | Nationwide www.cv-library.co.uk/job/201030470/Train-to-become-a-Personal-Trainer Lifetime is the most respected name in the fitness industry, and if you want to change your life by pursuing a career as a fitness instructor or personal trainer, then do so with us! We are now recruiting for enthusiastic and passionate people to take the next step to becoming a personal trainer, and with Lifetime it’s easier than you think. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is, we want to hear from you. Whether you’re a gymgoer who wants to make their hobby their job, or if you simply want to leave behind the 9 to 5, becoming a personal trainer with Lifetime could be your new lease of life.

Personal Trainer £30/hour | Nottingham www.cv-library.co.uk/job/201103559/Personal-Trainer This company is looking for Personal Trainers to join their team in Nottingham.

Earning a minimum salary of £30 per hour once qualified plus excellent benefits. Do you have a passionate interest in health and fitness, a positive mental attitude and a strong desire to help others? If so, becoming a Personal Trainer and joining one of their nationwide gyms could be the ideal job for you! Once you have passed your assessment you could be a qualified Personal Trainer in just 5 weeks. To get started click apply today and one of their experienced fitness industry professionals will help you to discover how you become a Personal Trainer.

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trainers there are out there that do not have a clear and definitive idea of who their customers are or how to attract them. This should be a priority - how can you sell something/ yourself when you don’t know who you are selling to or what they actually want?

“BY CREATING A PROFILE OF YOUR CLIENTS, YOU WILL BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO ISOLATE YOUR STRENGTHS” You literally will need to set aside some time today to write down a list of what you offer in terms of USPs (unique selling points) and services, match that up with a profile of your typical client and cross reference that with your location and pricing structure. Too difficult and time consuming? Well how about simply looking at these factors that will help you create a profile for your current client-base and enable you to either focus or expand your demographic: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

By Richard Callender

WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS?

A

fter having my regular weekly social media browse to see what is going on in and across the fitness industry, I found myself reading many messages from people asking about how to grow their businesses and generate more income. It’s the age-old question and one I have tackled many times before, but this time I’m going to place the ball firmly in your side of the court and ask a simple question.

age gender marital status background occupation income level location what does your client want?

What problems do they have?

What services of yours are used the most?

How long have they been with you?

Why did they leave?

What do you charge them?

By creating a profile of your clients, you will be in a better position to isolate your strengths and develop your business as you can gear yourself towards attracting many more clients of the same ilk. Now this is great if you want to establish a niche market (i.e. middle aged, professional men with disposable income requiring assistance with middleaged spread) but many PTs want to attract a wider range of clients and not pigeonhole themselves when it comes to making money.

You will find that sometimes your market will appear in ways you can never predict as your business develops and it is essential to keep doing market research by asking existing and potential clients why they opted for you in the first place.

If your social media profile is of you topless, flexing your sixpack, covered in baby oil, looking exceptional and yet you have less revenue coming in due to few clients, then you have to ask yourself, why? If your website is more about selling supplements than selling you as a personal trainer, then you have to ask yourself these questions. What is the profile of the person I am appealing too? Will these people want to pay me for my services? And most importantly, if they don’t, why not?

Who are you trying to attract?

It is amazing how many fitness business owners and personal

www.armageddonfitness.com

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9

IDEAL FOR PERSONAL TRAINERS, GYMS & HEALTH CLUBS

CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND THE

PERSONAL TRAINER

by Kristoph Thompson

T

he childhood obesity epidemic has been well documented with the most recent figures from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) showing that almost a third of 10-11 year olds and over a fifth of 4-5 year olds were overweight or obese.

The media is quick to point out that obese children and adolescents are at an increased risk of developing various health problems, and are also more likely to become obese adults. Concerned about the activity levels of their children, there is a growing trend for parents to engage the services of a personal trainer to help get kids more active.

For the PT, working with children represents a relatively new market with many benefits. Children are free to train at times when you might not otherwise have clients, helping to fill the quieter times during the day. A large proportion of your existing clients will have kids, so you may not even need to invest significantly in marketing these additional services.

Many schools offer activities outside of the school day, run by external providers. This represents a further opportunity to target an entirely different market and environment that you do currently.

sessions for children. Once qualified, instructors are able to take out the necessary insurance to work with children in a variety of settings. Those keen to expand their skillset even further might be interested in the Children’s Psychology, Nutrition and Obesity course. This qualification covers specialist areas such as psychology and nutrition, helping the trainer to educate both the children and parent. Both courses are REPs accredited (and therefore carry CPD points).

Fitness Industry Education (www.fitnessindustryeducation. com) offers two courses designed for those working with children. The Level 2 Children’s Fitness course includes everything needed to plan and deliver safe and effective

www.sideways8training.co.uk

One final word of warning though, working Children and adolescents are special with children is not for everyone. You “CHILDREN ARE populations, and as such, those working need to enjoy working with children and MOST OFTEN with them on a regular basis need to hold overcoming the challenges they present. the specialist qualifications and insurance to LACKING IN FITNESS, You will also need to satisfy two sets of do so. Legal implications aside, completing clients with very different needs and wants.

CONFIDENCE AND a specialist qualification will give you much One set consists of the true clients—the MOTIVATION” greater knowledge and therefore mean you children, and the other of the bankrollers— are better able to deliver more effective the parents or guardians. sessions. You will also be more confident about making Often the children’s goals are not the same as the parents’ recommendations and suggestions. goals. Parents tend to enroll their children in personal training There are a range of providers offering various qualifications. because they want them either to excel in a sport or to lose The Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instruction with a Working weight. In short, parents tend to be results-oriented on the with Children emphasis is the ideal starting point. This other hand—especially preadolescents—may just want to qualification shares four units with the level 2 gym or ETM have fun. That said, children are most often lacking in fitness, course so for most it will only involve studying two additional confidence and motivation, and the sense of satisfaction in units. From there, additional CPD courses are available to seeing them progress is perhaps greater than that gleaned further add to your skillset. from training their adult counterparts.

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11

MSc Health Rehabilitation and Exercise Developed in close consultation with health and exercise experts, this course will help give you a comprehensive understanding of health rehabilitation through physical exercise, combining contexts from the UK and Europe.

You will: • learn to administer suitable fitness tests • study the pathophysiology of non-acute health conditions • design appropriate exercise programmes for cardiac patients, diabetics, hypertensive individuals and the obese • examine exercise behaviour and adherence • complete a dissertation project, based on your work practice.

The course is delivered through ten workshops (Friday and Saturday all day) over two years and utilises an online learning facility for support in between the workshops.

Places still available for this September.

Find out more today.

0800 0565 660 advice@bucks.ac.uk bucks.ac.uk/hre

to us to prescribe the appropriate weight, reps and sets with possibly some nutritional advice thrown in for good measure.

Job done.

What trainers leave out of the equation much of the time is the client’s abilities and barriers to actually create long-lasting change. It really is the difference between ‘training’ someone and ‘coaching’ someone, where we take on the responsibility of supporting clients via a strong and meaningful relationship.

We need to allow clients to create a vision of what their ultimate fitness or wellness goals look like. Since the majority of people who seek our services want to lose weight or get fitter, sometimes we assume that’s all we need to know. But there is much more to it than that.

“TO CREATE LASTING CHANGE, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY IF THE CLIENT IS ACTUALLY READY TO CHANGE” Some of the things we need to consider include:

by Greg Sellar

READINESS TO

CHANGE H

ow many times have we seen clients achieve amazing transformations with a specific goal in mind, only for them to regress once the heat of the moment or spotlight is no longer on? As trainers, it’s important to understand our client’s readiness to change, otherwise their constant ‘yo-yo’ dilemma could start reflecting badly on you.

As trainers, we too often take on the role of ‘expert’, adopting the ‘we know best’ attitude when it comes to clients. They turn up to a session, we give a basic PAR-Q and then it’s over

Values – what people value determines how they wish to live.

From there, we can point them in the right direction. Asking “why is it important to you that you lose weight or get fitter?” helps identify what the client holds dear to them and can provide motivation towards their vision. Make sure you let the client know you’ve heard them by reflecting their values back to them.

Possibilities – are those exciting things that sometimes people haven’t really gone after before. They may not have even heard of them! The cue “so that?” works a treat. For example, if a client wants to lose weight, you ask “so that?” and they are able to explain that losing weight is actually going to build their confidence. You then ask “so that?” where the client is then able to think and explore the possibility of changing jobs and doing something he or she loves as a result of increased confidence.

Creating a Vision Statement – these include outcomes (what you want), motivators (why you want it) and obstacles (what could get in the way) and the strengths (what strengths you could bring to the process) .

The more I look into the areas of positive psychology and wellness coaching, the more I’m convinced that most trainers are only getting the ‘training’ side of their session right. To create lasting change, we have to identify if the client is actually ready to change and get around those barriers first, otherwise the prescription of exercise will ultimately become meaningless if the mind isn’t engaged beyond your session.

For more information on any of this (and there really is a lot more to discover), visit www.wellnesscoachingaustralia. com.au and take a look at their online Level 1 Wellness Coaching Certificate which has recently been accredited with REPS CPDs here in the UK.

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13

MEET YOUR DREAM JOB

Want to run a successful business but be part of a successful company too?

Want to earn thousands of pounds every month for working part-time hours from home?

We're looking for passionate fitness professionals like you!

“I got involved in the business just over 8 months ago. As a PT I earned approx £45,000 per year. My income is now looking more like £120,000 this year. Never in a million years would i have thought I could earn this much for very little work” - Donna form Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Contact 07954604684 | info@nolippybootcamp.com | ownyourlife247@yahoo.co.uk

by Tom Goodwin

WORKING WITH

PARKINSON’S

P

arkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects the levels of the neurotransmitter, dopamine. The condition becomes more obvious when the levels of dopamine drop below the 80% mark. There is no known absolute cause for this condition, however there are a number of factors which possibly increase risk of suffering such as repeated head trauma, tyrosine deficiency, and exposure to certain toxic environments/drugs.

CLIENTS

prescription of exercise for Parkinson’s clients. These are detailed below: AEROBIC FITNESS It is recommended that clients do some form of aerobic activity three to five days per week, working at around 6075% of maximum heart rate. It is recommended that this is done for thirty minutes per session.

RESISTANCE EXERCISE

The condition manifests itself as It is recommended that clients look at “AS AN EXERCISE spontaneous tremors of muscles training with some form of resistance on PRACTITIONER, THE (dyskinesia) particularly in the hands between two to three days per week this MAIN FOCUS IS TO and arms, this is coupled with jerky and should be done using one sets of eight uncoordinated movement. This then MAINTAIN RANGE to twelve reps. An emphasis should be has an effect on increasing muscle tone, OF MOTION AND placed on working the back muscles to particularly in the chest, which then leads counteract the effect of the spontaneous FUNCTIONALITY” to a stooped posture. There is a general tremors that affect the chest and arms. slowing and reduction in the levels of Additionally there should be a focus on coordination of movement as the condition becomes more the building of functional strength to reduce falls risk and advanced. This makes the patient find balancing difficult and improve self-sufficiency. therefore increases the risk of falls.

FUNCTIONALITY There are medications that can help to control the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. However there Functional training should be carried out on a daily basis, this is currently no known cure for this condition. This means should be aimed at maintaining independence for as long as that the treatment pathway normally centres around the possible. Key areas to be considered are the prevention of falls management of the condition and can include things such as and the maintenance of gait. physiotherapy, speech and language therapy. As an exercise Working with Parkinson’s clients can help to improve practitioner, the main focus is to maintain range of motion movement patterns, but most importantly can improve and functionality, as the condition leads to an increased level functionality and outlook. This can really improve the quality of tone in the body, an extensive stretching regime is a vital of life that the client experiences. part of maintaining function.

In the long term the condition leads to speech, gait and general movement issues. There will be an increase in the level of bradykinesia (slowness or movement) and dyskinesia (tremors).

There are some guiding principles when it comes to the

Tom Godwin (@TomForesight) is the managing director of Foresight Fitness Services. He specialises in exercise referral and corrective exercise and helping other personal trainers improve their business. He is also involved with personal trainer education as a tutor/assessor, course developer and IQA. www.TomGodwin.co.uk

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OBEAST FINDING BEAUTY IN THE BEAST OF OBESITY W

ho is this PERSON and what DROVE them to you? How do they FEEL? What do THEY want to change? How did THEY get this badly out of shape? What medical COMPLICATIONS do they have? What are THEY prepared to DO and what can they DO? WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT? These are some of the questions that will run through your head when a nervous metabolic time bomb appears looking for help losing weight.

It is our job as trainers to understand how the client feels, be empathetic and discover their background history and what motivates them before setting goals stepping on to the gym floor or the scales.

These questions are important for all clients but when a person has achieved a BMI of 30 (medical classification) and body fat of 24% in men or 35% in women they’re considered obese and should be referred back to their doctor for clearance before changing nutrition or exercise programs.

WHY? 1. Cover your ass! REPs level 3 PTs, you’re not legally qualified to work with them, do not discourage them to be active just send them to be checked out first and refer them to a REPs Level 4 Obesity specialist.

2. They carry a ton of baggage; physically, psychologically and medically.

Co-existing medical problems such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and asthma, for example are the norm and massively changes the ball game when prescribing nutrition and training advice.

Training a client in this category is challenging and rewarding, it’s about changing their lifestyle, in a holistic way, taking successes and building on them.

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Nutrition: Small changes in diet make big differences in the obese. I look at what food is consumed, the frequency, quality and consider digestive/ hormonal issues before setting guidelines.

Food diaries and frequent eating plans are vital, along with whole unprocessed foods and plenty of water but improving food timing and quantity is often more important initially than quality or type of foods eaten. Often there are issues with food timing or not eating enough!

Training: Look at how your client is moving, use safe functional exercises considering any medical contraindications. Just moving their body weight around will be plenty to trigger a sweat initially.

Use variety to keep them interested; I use boxing, balls, and bodyweight movements keeping the session constantly moving. Home circuits and daily low intensity cardio activities keep the client active during the week too.

Weights are banned until movement patterns improve, because they’re heavy enough already. Loading up joints, on top of bad movement, is a recipe for disaster. The same goes for running.

When I see improvement I introduce big lifts, functional compound movements with added load because they’re already strong. Lifting weight is empowering, it plays to their strengths; gives them identity and inner strength, its beautiful to see.

Transform the O’beast mentality into beast mentality and set people free.

Based in Hampshire, Lizzie Havers is an Advanced Personal Trainer at REPs Level 4, specialising in obesity and diabetes management. www.fitnesschrysalis.com, 07891646667.

HELPING CLIENTS WITH WEIGHT PROBLEMS A

lthough I specialise in weight loss, I have clients from different backgrounds, varied weights, fitness levels, shapes and sizes. Every individual not only has their own goal but reasons as to why they want it. This reason is key!

This is going to be the driving force when times get tough.

Losing weight can be tough, we have ups and downs, it’s how we deal with the downs. In my experience sometimes it’s having someone at the end of the phone for support, whether it be to assist them in nutritional advice or even to give them that little bit of motivation to keep going. I believe the main cause for obesity is lack of knowledge and clever marketing of foods and drinks, this is why keeping in contact helps.

“IT’S WHAT COMES WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS THAT IS LIFE CHANGING”

Being a head teacher, Karen had an issue with addressing the school during assembly time due to her lack of confidence, now the only issue she has is trying to make use of all the new dresses she keeps on buying.

Any PTs will tell you there is no better feeling than seeing a client start their journey to success and hitting the goals they’ve set out to achieve, after all, this is why we do our job.

As much as it is predominantly in the clients hands nutrition wise and what they do at home, it’s extremely important that the PT not only tailors their program and eating plans to each individual’s needs but also to keep training sessions fresh and specific. Remember our clients need fewer reasons to give up and more reasons to continue.

Losing weight, increasing fitness and reaching goals doesn’t happen overnight, it’s important we set goals, celebrate achievements and most of all remember...It’s not a ‘diet’, diets are temporary...It’s a LIFESTYLE!

Build your goal: What do you want? Why do you want it?

What are you willing to do to achieve it? Answering the above questions should paint a picture of their journey. For example, ‘I want to lose three stone because the doctors said I have high blood pressure. I’m willing to change my eating habits and increase my exercise’. Now their goal is set, it’s important we keep a log of how we are doing. I regularly measure and weigh all my clients, this way they can accurately see their achievements, keeping them positive and on track to achieve more results. It’s important we remind them how far they’ve come, not how far they have to go.

I’m going to use a client of mine as an inspirational story and although I’ve had clients that have lost up to eight stone, Karen has lost an amazing four stone but it’s what has come with the weight loss that is life changing. Karen has gained confidence, improved fitness levels, increased strength and has adopted an all round happier and healthier lifestyle.

Kris Boyson Professional Weight Loss Specialist & Master Trainer. www.krisboysonweightloss.co.uk

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TV WEIGHT LOSS EXPERT OFFERS HIS MIND OVER PLATTER ADVICE

S

teve Miller is the UK’s straight talking weight loss motivator and hypnotherapist. As presenter of hit TV show Fat Families, he also works with Personal Trainers helping them to coach their clients in selfhypnosis to lose weight. In this exclusive interview he shares with us the secrets of his success and offers his words of wisdom on how PT professionals can use hypnosis to ensure their clients lose weight.

1990s and use it with all my clients. Hypnosis is a focused mental concentration where the client will embed a control over food, increase their level of motivation level and become excited about the end result.

What are the key steps in a weight loss hypnosis session?

There are five steps. Firstly the client sits in a comfortable seat, closes their eyes and takes some deep breaths. Secondly I relax the client so that the mind rests and positive suggestions Thanks for talking with us Steve. How did you end up can be embedded. Thirdly it is all about using a creative mind running a business helping people to lose weight? program such as visualisation to program the client’s mind Years ago I was fat myself. In those days I was very unhappy, to control food and the amount they eat. Fourthly I will then had no confidence and stayed at home deliver some strong motivational most of the time. Having lost four suggestions before finally awakening “LOSING WEIGHT IS ALL stone I soon realised the difference them formally.

ABOUT MINDSET AND being slimmer made to my life.

Can Personal Trainers use selfImmediately I just knew I wanted to MOTIVATION” hypnosis? help people ditch fat and live a better Absolutely! They can learn the art of life. self-hypnosis and then teach it to their clients. It really adds How did you end up becoming the presenter of your own value to what a Personal Trainer offers. They could do it at TV show? the end of a PT session to finish off the good work they will When I wrote my first weight loss book, it sold really well so have done. the media picked up on me. Before I knew it I was then being How do you work with Personal Trainers? asked to present a TV show helping families to lose weight.

In two ways. I coach Personal Trainers in the art of selfPlus I seemed to be a natural on camera. hypnosis and will often refer my clients to them.

Did you enjoy presenting Fat Families?

What’s next for Steve Miller?

I loved it. Even though it was long days, I had so much fun.

Seeing families change their lives over the time I worked with I will continue to do what I love which is helping people to lose weight as well as doing regular media appearances on them was incredibly inspiring. and off screen.

Were Personal Trainers brought in to help the families?

If there was one piece of advice you would give to Absolutely! I arranged a Personal Trainer for every family and Personal Trainers what would it be? they were a real asset to the show. The families bonded with them and they played their part in helping the families lose That’s a difficult one. However I guess it is to continue doing what you do best but add additional services onto what you weight. offer so the client gets an all round service and you increase I hear you use hypnosis in helping your clients to lose your revenue streams. weight? How does that work?

Losing weight is all about mindset and motivation. I trained to become a registered Hypnotherapist in London in the

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How can people contact you if they want to work with you? The best way is through the website www.yourweightlossmaster.com

CHILDHOOD WEIGHT MANAGEMENT 20

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O

ver the last thirty years the number of children an increased risk of cancer including cervical, kidney, pancreas, struggling with obesity has doubled and it colon, breast, gallbladder and prostate cancer. continues to steadily rise. It is a growing concern Research also shows that children who are a healthy weight for the population as a whole that a generation tend not only to be fitter and healthier but are also more able of overweight children is being raised and action needs to to learn, more self-confident and have higher self-esteem; so be taken sooner rather than later. Following a significant it’s no wonder that the parents I encounter in my gym are amount of research into the epidemic, a number of factors really keen to get their children involved in a more active have been identified as reasons for our growing young adults lifestyle. including inactivity in kids, inactivity in adults, processed To begin with, I was conscious of being foods, the affordability of bad foods, extremely sensitive when talking to the loss of the family dinner table, two “ENCOURAGE THEM BY parents about their children’s weight working parents, increased popularity issue – it’s a highly emotive subject EXPLAINING HOW MUCH of computers, reliance on prepared and it’s very important to me that I meals, the list goes on. However FITTER THEY WERE THAN didn’t cause any offence. However it fundamentally and at its most basic, BEFORE AND HOW THEY was quickly obvious that as they were the cause of obesity relates to an ARE IMPROVING” approaching me to talk about it they imbalance between energy intake and have generally got to a point where energy expenditure.

So what can we do to address this imbalance? What’s the impact on the future life of an overweight child? How can we tackle a child’s weight problem? Should children be encouraged to see Personal Trainers? What are the implications of Personal Trainers working with children? Dan Fivey, Personal Trainer and Owner of The Gym Cheltenham, gives us his thoughts on the subject: Weight management in children is something that I am becoming increasingly aware of. I was initially approached by a couple of parents about seeing their children once a week to encourage them to be more active and I noticed that it is a growing concern among many parents and an area where my Personal Training expertise can be applied. I love helping people to reach their full potential and the idea of inspiring and motivating children to live a happier, healthier lifestyle really appeals to me.

Recent studies show that children are getting significantly less exercise than the recommended amount of one hour per day and along with the rise of consuming empty calories, it’s no wonder children are getting heavier. As well as the effect that this has on children when they are young, it is widely known that their habits are developed at a young age and are often continue into adulthood, which is a worry for the adult population of tomorrow, as well as the NHS, which will need to support them. It is also concerning that although obesity can be tackled through increased exercise and better diet, for those who are already obese, the health consequences are severe. On average, being obese at a young age can decrease life expectancy by nearly ten years and worryingly parents could soon outlive their children.

As well as a rather frightening decreased life expectancy, obesity in children can also have short term effects including being at an increased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease and being at a greater risk for joint and bone problems, sleep apnea and psychological issues. The long-term health effects of obesity in children include Type II Diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis and

they are worried and so are keen to soak up all of the advice I can give. I also feel that it is essential to make them realise the importance of leading by example, a lot of this inactive lifestyle and unhealthy eating is a learned, ‘copycat’ behaviour from parents and so it is essential that they become healthy role models. Suggesting they try to all eat together as a family, take part in outdoor activities or even just a kick around in the park at the weekend can all be a good place to start.

DANGERS OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN Obesity in children can have the following short term effects: an increased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease and a greater risk for joint and bone problems, sleep apnea and psychological issues.

There are numerous things to think about when opening Long term health your doors to children as effects of obesity a Personal Trainer and in children include: none more important than Type II Diabetes, making sure that the way heart disease, you speak to the children osteoarthritis and encourages them and an increased risk boosts their confidence. of cancer including As well as offering one-tocervical, kidney, one personal training for pancreas, colon, children from the age of 6, I breast, gallbladder also run a children’s exercise and prostate cancer. class on a Saturday morning and one of the issues that I was cautious of when tackling a child’s weight issue is how to talk about it with them without highlighting it too much and further adding to potential body issues.

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What I have found is that it is very similar to dealing with an adult with the same issues, you have to be very aware of the types of words you are using (not ‘fat’, or ‘thin’ more healthy’ and ‘fitter’), encourage them by explaining how much fitter they were than before and how they are improving, and constantly offering them gentle encouragement whilst being motivational.

Kids obviously don’t think of exercise as exercise as long as you are making it fun. I truly believe that the best way to get children exercising is by focussing on fun, fun and more fun!

If you can make activities as interesting as possible whilst getting them more active, they will naturally want to take part.

I try to make them laugh as much as I can at the beginning of the class so that they can start to feel as relaxed as possible and break down any inhibitions that may initially be there, I then set up some games for them to play such as games that

“ON AVERAGE, BEING OBESE AT A YOUNG AGE CAN DECREASE LIFE EXPECTANCY

BY NEARLY TEN YEARS”

TOP TIPS FOR PERSONAL TRAINERS WHEN WORKING WITH KIDS:

MAKE EXERCISE FUN Children respond much better to fun activities and it’s more likely that they will stick at it if it is a fun thing to do. They don’t realise that playing fun, active games is actually exercise.

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK It goes without saying that it’s hugely important to ensure that we don’t further add to a child’s potential body image issue by using the wrong language. Using words such as ‘healthier’ and ‘fitter’ is better than ‘fat’ and ‘thin’.

OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT

involve running around cones, using ladders and hurdles is also a favourite, as well as a good old game of catch or heading the ball. I also find it useful to set children small goals during their exercise as they respond really well to having something to aim for. It’s also another great opportunity to pile on the encouragement and let them know how well they are doing.

As well as the obvious exercise that my classes provide it’s also great for improving children’s hand-eye co-ordination, getting used to working as a team and for exploring elements of sport that they otherwise wouldn’t have got to experience.

All of these types of games and methods of exercising aren’t new and they aren’t bucking a trend, they’re things that parents can do with their children but unfortunately in this day and age parents just aren’t finding the time to slot these activities into their working week. A number of children who I see on a Saturday morning attend my class whilst their parents use the gym and they see it as a great way of making sure they’re finding time to do their own exercise whilst their children are benefiting too. As a Dad myself, I am extremely aware of these time pressures and I know that parents just want to do the best for their children.

In the same way that adults have to address their diet alongside their fitness, it is also important that parents look at a more holistic approach to a healthier lifestyle for their children and make improvements to their eating regime.

Alongside exercise plans and ideas, I also offer tips on diet changes that can be incorporated into their lifestyle and as a healthy vegan myself, I feel that I am well placed to suggest better, healthier alternatives to many of the processed or fatty foods they are consuming. In addition to this, I always provide a free piece of fruit at the end of my exercise class and personal training sessions and encourage all of the children to eat it – I quite often find that as long as one child eats some then the rest will join in!

Children struggling with their weight may have low self-esteem and not a lot of self-confidence. Giving them plenty of encouragement can help that and give them more motivation.

SET SMALL, ACHIEVABLE GOALS Children enjoy having something to aim for and once they reach their goals it gives another opportunity to pile on the praise and give more encouragement!

It’s really important to encourage children to be more active, far too many are spending too long in front of the TV or on computers and we need to get them moving. As well as a healthier lifestyle, it’s crucial that we encourage children to play with other children to develop social skills that can’t be achieved from computer games and experience elements of sport that may spark an interest and provide them with a hobby that they can continue throughout their lives. As well as the huge rewards that training children can bring, as a Personal Trainer, it’s also important to remember that these children are potentially our customers of the future.

Children’s exercise is a growing market and could potentially be a significant revenue stream if handled in the correct way.

Dan Fivey is a highly qualified PT, owner of The Gym and specialist in weightless training with AlterG’s Anti-Gravity Treadmill. www.danfiveypersonaltraining.co.uk

THE MENTAL ASPECT OF

I

WEIGHT LOSS

t’s no secret that obesity is an issue in the UK, in England 42% of men and 32% of women are classed as overweight, and 24% of men and 25% of women fall into the obese category (statistics from the 2012 HSCIC Report).

men and women with, largely, unattainable figures. Seeing these pictures plastered all over social media can instill feelings of failure and self-criticism, and health and fitness professionals are often the biggest culprits of posting them.

Yet the diet industry is booming, and we are now armed with more knowledge than ever on just how to lose the extra fat pounds, so just where are we going wrong?

Unfortunately the average UK woman is very unlikely to be able to carry a low enough body fat percentage to have six pack abs. And similarly, without a consistent effort, and more than likely years of training, the average UK man is unlikely to be able to carry the muscle mass of a fitness model.

Programmes like Channel 4’s Secret Eaters prove that habit often overrides awareness, with the belt-busting outcome of constant overeating but as well as forgotten calories, there are the psychological issues that men and women on a diet often neglect to consider.

With most Brits choosing to focus on what they are eating as opposed to why they are eating, is it surprising that more than 95% of diets are said to fail?

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS One aspect of diet psychology is the impact of expectations on feelings of success. Most diet inspiration pictures are of

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Setting a goal such as fitting into a certain size dress or pair of jeans, or feeling confident enough to wear a particular outfit, is much more achievable and individual.

SUPPORT SYSTEMS It is often said that people with good support systems around them are more likely to achieve their goals. This is especially true of weight loss. However, when dieting it can often be seen that there are more barriers than there are supports.

Diet saboteurs come in various guises, but the most common fall into opposite ends of the spectrum; there are those who

constantly offer up sweets and chocolates in an apparent attempt to break the diet, and those who question every morsel of something that a “non-diet” food, often greeted with “I thought you were on a diet?”

Diet enablers offer support to the dieter, arming them with the tools with which the dieter can say no confidently to the feeders, and stand up confidently to the diet judges.

Some people may cut out entire food groups, or become fearful of consuming more than they had planned to. This can lead to avoidance of social eating situations, obsessively eating the same “safe” foods, and also over-exercising.

“MOST DIET INSPIRATION PICTURES ARE OF MEN AND WOMEN WITH, LARGELY, UNATTAINABLE FIGURES”

Personal trainers are diet enablers, but can’t always be around to support the dieter when they need it. By finding out more about the dieters’ friends and family, personal trainers can help the dieter identify supports and barriers in their every day lives and teach them how to work with them to support their progress.

These, sometimes subtle, disordered eating patterns can be dangerous and should be tackled early on to help avoid them developing into an eating disorder, and for the best chance at a full recovery.

If some of the following symptoms are present, then it is important to talk to someone and consider getting help.

• Intense fear of gaining weight • Feeling emotional

Even more likely to help a dieter succeed is the support of a diet buddy. According to one study, people who wrote down their goal, shared it with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend, were on average 33% more likely to accomplish their stated goal, than those who just stated their goals.

• Obsession with dieting

POSITIVE MIND-SET

• Feeling guilty after eating

Many athletes use visualisation to prepare them for a race or event, and there’s a good reason for this: the positive influence on the brain of visualising success is astounding, and it reflects in performance. Rather than visualising a certain look or shape, dieters can picture themselves being happy and confident in their body.

• Feeling ashamed, depressed and guilty

Another great technique to improve positive mind-set is having a mantra that can be recited aloud or in private.

Mantras have been known to help sports people through hard races and training, so why not when the cakes appear at work or the buffet table is looming? Paula Radcliffe has told about how she used her daughter’s name as a mantra throughout her World Record marathon race.

• Mood swings • Distorted perception of body weight and size • Thinking about food all the time

• Feeling out of control Visit www.b-eat.co.uk the UK eating disorder charity website, for more information.

THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS For the greatest chances of a successful fat loss programme, and the lowest risk of a diet developing into disordered eating, it is important to: • Choose goals that are realistic and achievable, yet challenging enough to motivate change

DISORDERED EATING

• Avoid cutting out entire food groups (unless food allergies dictate so)

Just as positive mind-sets can kick a weight loss programme into the next level, negative mind-sets can have an equally powerful effect in the opposite direction.

• Eat a varied diet, consisting of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein sources and starchy carbohydrates (preferably from whole food sources)

Often dieters can fall into the trap of “failure” behaviour.

Eating something off plan can bring about guilty feelings.

“I’ve messed up now; I might as well start again tomorrow/on Monday”. The dieter then goes off the rails for the rest of the day, or week, and ends up feeling far more of a failure for not having stuck to the diet.

• Identify friends and family who can provide support

The danger with this thinking is that a diet has to be all or nothing. This often comes with those of a perfectionist nature; if the diet isn’t perfect, it causes feelings of failure, leading to self-sabotage.

For some people, however, dieting success leads to further restriction. The thrill of being complimented yet again on an ever-decreasing waist line can trigger addictive behaviour, with the dieter always wanting to lose more and more weight.

• Choose foods that satisfy and satiate • Try not to restrict food intake too much • Be wary of out of control overeating and comfort eating • Be relaxed about social eating situations • Know that going off plan occasionally is ok!

Georgina is a freelance writer, sports therapist, fitness instructor and nutritionist.

For more information go to www.fitcetera.co.uk

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CHILDHOOD OBESITY ...

TOO MUCH FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises childhood obesity as one of the most serious global challenges for the 21st Century. According to Food for Fitness expert and author of Go Faster Food for Kids, Kate Percy, we’re in for the long haul in the fight to reduce our children’s waistlines.

Britain has one of the fastest-rising obesity rates in the developed world. Over the past twenty years, the proportion of obese children in England has doubled. In some areas, children are even more obese than adults, like in Westminster, where the percentage of obese children aged eleven or under is a staggering 28%! It doesn’t take a genius to recognise that our overfed lifestyles are condemning our children to a dismal future; medically, psychologically and economically. According

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to Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, children who are obese at the age of ten, and still obese at the age of twentyfive, treble their chance of an early death.

Some good news! The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), which measures the height and weight of around one million school children in England every year, found that although there’s been a steady rise in childhood obesity since 1995, this has levelled since 2011. That said, the latest count from 2012/13 found that 18.9% of 10-11 yr olds were obese, and a further 14.4% overweight.

Welcome to 21st century life...

Mike and Clare live in Bristol. Both overweight, Mike has just been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, whilst Clare is about

to have a knee replacement. Their son, Jack*, 16, who with a BMI of 30 is classed as obese, spends his leisure hours alone in his room, gaming. He doesn’t ‘do sport’, and generally skips breakfast at home, preferring to buy an energy drink and a pastry en route to school. The growth in obesity correlates perfectly with the modernisation of our world over the past twenty years. We are so clever! We’ve created technology to carry out pretty much every mundane task; machines to do our washing, cars to drive us to work and school, computers to do our shopping. The result? We spend too much time sitting.

And that’s what we’re allowing our children to do. For hours on end, completely immobile, in front of the screen; gaming, social media ... even homework.

running workshops with BBC Learning and in primary schools, simple methods like using well-known sports personalities as role models helps children connect with the food they eat.

If a star like Jessica Ennis-Hill eats fruit for breakfast, what better incentive for them to do the same? Through local and national initiatives, kids are now getting engaged with food, learning that healthy can also be delicious, through planting their own vegetable plots, keeping chickens, and discovering the delights of tasting and cooking with fresh ingredients.

Fit for life. Whilst anti-obesity measures focus principally on diet, sustained weight management cannot be achieved while our children remain sedentary.

Once we can encourage our Jack to get physically active, then fitness, weight loss, self-esteem and longterm health will naturally follow. We just need to get him active in the first place. Even small steps, such as losing 3% body weight can, if maintained, represent a significant reduction in future obesity-related health problems. According to Prof Hermann Toplak, President-elect of the European Association for the Study of Obesity, “... all the technology around us, has led to physical inactivity on all levels...children and adults are not building up enough functioning muscle mass”. Investment in sport, official recommendations on physical activity, initiatives such as ukactive’s “Start Young, Stay Active” are getting children moving across the UK. We need to see more investment in the promotion and provision of physical activity at grass roots level, however, such as GP referrals to free programmes at local sports centres for overweight children.

“OVERWEIGHT HAS BECOME ‘THE NORM’“

We eat differently now, too. The food industry has seduced us, manipulating our taste buds with processed foods high in sugar, saturated fats and salt. For many, the classic ‘meat and two veg’ eaten at table has been replaced by uncontrolled eating throughout the day. Cooking from scratch is TV entertainment; children no longer learn basic cookery skills at their mother’s knee. In a 2011 study by Cancer Research of the diets of 2,635 eleven to sixteen-year-olds in England and Wales, 6% had eaten no fresh fruit or vegetables in the past seven days! What’s more, we’re surrounded by temptation.

Calories on tap wherever we go. The grotty British Rail cafe at the station is a distant memory, we’re now treated to an international feast; sushi, French patisseries, burgers or bagels!

Overweight has become ‘the norm’. And we’re adapting to fit our new proportions, super-sizing to satisfy our expanding bellies. We’re even making buggies to accommodate bigger kids. Why then, for a country so concerned about children’s welfare, are we allowing our children to eat their way to selfdestruction? We can’t, and don’t want to, turn back the clock, but we can influence the future. Fitness professionals may assume the answer is obvious; eat less, move more. If it were only that simple! Our Jack won’t have the motivation to change his lifestyle without education, encouragement, and most importantly, support, from all levels of society.

Tough times, tough measures ... In 2012, France introduced taxation on drinks with added sugar and artificial sweeteners.

No one likes ‘big-brother’ intervention, but is it time for the government to follow the lead with tougher measures such as health warnings and taxation on foods and drinks high in sugar, salt and saturated fat, and greater regulation on the promotion of junk foods targeted at children?

Get kids on message. Get kids excited about food early on, they’ll quickly understand how eating different foods affects how they perform and feel. That childhood obesity figures have stabilised since 2011 is perhaps proof that educational initiatives such as the National Healthy Schools programme are making an impact. With the introduction of healthy eating into the school curriculum from September 2014, things can only get better. From my own experience of

Cruel to be kind. As a mother, I admit it’s often hard to give an outright “NO!”. But the ultimate responsibility for a child’s lifestyle lies with the parent(s). Kids are naturally active; they just need a little encouragement sometimes! Taking control isn’t all about tough love, however, it’s also about having fun, going out for walks, skipping in the yard, preparing and shopping for food and cooking together.

Public Health England’s Professor John Newton rightly points out, “Obesity is a complex issue that requires action at national, local, family and individual level; everyone has a role to play...”. Overweight children are likely to have overweight parents, so getting the likes of Jack onto the right path will need more than a few government health warnings! He’ll need education, time, commitment and support from others to find the motivation to change. No quick-fix solution, but hopefully current efforts will eventually filter through to where they are needed the most. *Mike, Clare and Jack are fictional Go Faster Food for Kids, £16.99, top nutrition advice for active children with 101 irresistible recipes, is available on amazon.co.uk, in all good bookstores, and from Kate Percy’s website, www.gofasterfood.com

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CHILDHOOD OBESITY

T

NEEDS TO BE NIPPED IN THE BUD

he NHS spends more than £5.1billion a year treating Those who provide activity for children in games, sports, and obesity related illnesses, this money could be much physical activity should be qualified to deliver high quality better spent on keeping children healthy and instruction and create positive sport experiences for children. establishing good eating and exercise habits early in If properly qualified and accredited, professionals engaged in life, stopping children becoming overweight and reducing the delivering physical activity for children can inspire children to likelihood of turning into obese adults. The numbers show that engage in sport and activity and equip them to stay active this problem requires urgent attention; more than a quarter into adulthood. of children are overweight or obese. Too much investment Schools have in fact been given additional budget in a is currently devoted to treatment £450m programme - PE and sport rather than prevention – with 10% of premium for primary schools - to all deaths now related to obesity and “TOO MUCH INVESTMENT employ trained professionals who are being overweight. This spending needs IS CURRENTLY DEVOTED specifically qualified to deliver physical to be invested in addressing lifestyle activity to children and create an TO TREATMENT RATHER habits in children (both in terms of enjoyable, effective experience for THAN PREVENTION” food and exercise) to buck the current pupils. Schools should use this budget trends. to make informed decisions, help Primary schools, with the support of Government, can have establish physical literacy and create a positive relationship a very important role in getting children on the right health with exercise for its pupils. trajectory. Currently one in every ten children is already Childhood Obesity Week, which runs from 7th – 14th July, obese in the first year of primary school and by the time they should be welcomed for its efforts to raise awareness of leave, this number has grown to one in five. Children are this urgent and dangerous issue. No country has managed more likely to be overweight and inactive if their parents are to reduce the upward trend in obesity levels, which continue and currently 77% of parents of children with weight issues to rise. With just 51% of children reaching the daily exercise refuse to accept that there is a problem. target for young people and a staggering 60% of teenage If schools could provide an overall positive experience of girls obese by the time they reach 16, there has never been a health and exercise this would help educate children about the greater need to arm children with the basic skills to take part importance of a healthy lifestyle, even if they are not getting in sport to keep them active into adulthood. the knowledge from home. It should be perceived as normal to be active, not sedentary and it should not be perceived as normal to be overweight and obese. Schools need to start By Greg Small, Head of Membership at SkillsActive prioritising PE and games and Government needs to support www.exerciseregister.org them in making these changes.

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EVENTS//

Great Scottish Swim Saturday 23 August 2014 | Scotland, Loch Lomond Taking place in the picturesque waters of Loch Lomond, this stunning freshwater loch offers the chance to swim in Britain’s largest stretch of inland water and you can choose to swim 0.5 miles, 1 mile or 2 miles. The Great Scottish Swim is Scotland’s biggest outdoor swimming event taking place in the picturesque waters of Loch Lomond. This stunning freshwater loch offers the chance to swim in Britain’s largest stretch of inland water and you can choose to swim 0.5 miles or 1 mile.

There are two ways to sign up to the Great Scottish Swim: 1. You can secure a place at the Great Swim website. There’s an entry fee, which will be taken by credit/debit card when you apply. You’ll then receive a confirmation email from the event organisers to confirm your place.

2. Sign up for a Macmillan guaranteed charity place via Macmillan.org.uk (minimum sponsorship of £175 applies).

No.1 Boot Camp Get the body you dream of at the UK’s No.1 Boot Camp The No.1 Boot Camp, based in north Norfolk, close to the Queen’s Sandringham, helps clients lose, on average, one pound per day.

Tough Mudder – Yorks and South West 2-3rd August 2014 | Yorkshire and South West Tough Mudder courses are designed by the special forces to test your all round strength, stamina, determination and camaraderie. Don’t turn up without your sense of humour, it’s hard to take yourself seriously when you’re covered in mud!

This event is the ultimate in teamwork and camaraderie and no one gets left behind. www.macmillan.org.uk

Specialist trainers and chefs have whipped many famous faces – and heir bodies – into shape, including actress Tamzin Outhwaite, socialite Caggie Dunlop and Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews.

Spencer – who shed a stone in a week comments: “It was beautiful and also very tiring, but the end result was great.”

Each day at No.1 Boot Camp consists of interval training, which is varied to keep motivation levels high. www.no1bootcamp.com 0208 5021144 or 0208 5041109

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Hadrians Wall Trekathon Saturday 16 August 2014 | Northumberland, Hadrian’s Wall Join Macmillan. This challenging hiking marathon sees Macmillan journey 26 miles along the spectacular remains of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. The Trekathon is a unique way to celebrate and remember loved ones affected by cancer, while taking on your own personal challenge. From the moment you register to the day itself, you get full support from Team Macmillan, which includes a complimentary Macmillan T-shirt to train in and wear while you trek. On the day, you also receive the support of experienced leaders from Discover Adventure. You get a packed lunch with tea and coffee, and there are marshalling stops with water and snacks, as well as an optional transfer from Lanercost to the start point. And once you finish, you’ll receive a Macmillan finisher’s medal and certificate to say well done and thank you for all your hard work.

Just £25 to enter and £175 sponsorship required. www.macmillan.org.uk

The Grand Union Canal Half Marathon Sunday 9th November This lovely point-topoint race from Cowley Recreation Ground, Uxbridge follows the Grand Union Canal to Cassiobury Park, Watford.

Voted 5th place in Runners World Races of the Year 2012 - ‘scenery’ category.

Its’ flat, scenic, unusual, & multi-terrain course make it a must do race for the Autumn and it’s traffic-free (apart from one minor road crossing).

The Grand Union Canal Half Marathon takes place on Sunday 9th November at 10:00am and you can sign up at www.purplepatchrunning. com/races/grand-union-canal-half-marathon

Introducing The River Rat Race - London’s First Water Obstacle Course INCREDIBLE CHALLENGE WILL RAISE VITAL FUNDS FOR HOMELESS CHARITY Rat Race Adventure Sports, in partnership with the charity Shelter, are delighted to announce that they will be holding London’s first ever aquatic obstacle course ‘The River Rat Race’ on Saturday 16th August.

The 10km water course will see participants run, jump, swim, kayak and climb their way around The Docklands in East London.

Entry to the event starts from £48, with a minimum of £10 from each entry going to Shelter to help people across the country struggling with homelessness with further money going to the charity through the sponsorship funds raised by each participant.

To enter online please visit www.ratrace.com and for more information on Shelter please visit www.shelter.org.uk

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POPPY F

Our own Regulars Editor, Poppy Davidson reveals her favourite smoothie-making kit.

PICKS

Rinse&Chop™ Plus is the latest version of this hugely popular, folding chopping board, incorporating an improved, curved colander feature and a non-slip base. When folded and locked, its unique, innovative design creates a small colander at one end enabling food to be rinsed and drained.

When opened and laid flat the design becomes a knife-friendly, non-slip chopping board.

RRP £15.00, available from josephjoseph.com and leading department stores

or the money, you cannot go wrong with the Andrew James Smoothie Maker. This is a very powerful blender for its size and weight which easily cuts through fruit, nut, ice and vegetables. However, do make sure you cut the ingredents into cubes, as if you cut slices they sometimes seem to miss the blades resulting in a bit of a shock when you come to drink the smoothie. The handle on the jug is slightly flimsy but the size of the jug and attachments are perfect. Love the product and would recommend it.

I have chosen these products for this smoothie recipe as I think they are the perfect product to do the job, I pick...

Andrew James Smoothie Maker

Twister Electric Vortex Shaker

This multifunctional appliance is an all-in-one smoothie maker, blender, juicer and grinder, designed to cater for all your kitchen needs. The large 1 litre blending jug is great for making smoothies, and when used with the juicing filter, turns into a centrifugal juicer. You can also grind coffee, nuts and spices, and store them, using the grinder jar attachment.

The compact design of the Twister Electric Vortex Shaker from Vital Energy enables you to drink straight from the cup, making it ideal when travelling, at home, at work or at the gym.

www.andrewjamesworldwide.com

TIP

an Green tea c sa a rk o w also itution good subst le for the app juice.

The 600rpm motor is so powerful; it will not leave lumps when mixing powdered drinks. You are left with a smooth, soft shake that is easy to drink!

Twister Sport is handy, lightweight and mobile. Buy from www.tropicanafitness.com

Fat-burner Smoothie with Ginger Serves 1 Strictly speaking, this smoothie doesn’t burn fat. Guarana, however, is said to speed up our metabolism • 25 g (1 oz) strawberries, hulled Recipe Smoothie Heaven, published by Apple • 25 courtesy g (1 oz) of cup raspberries Press. Available in all good bookstores.

• 25 g (1 oz) cup blueberries

• 25 g (1 oz) cup cranberries • 50 ml (2 fl. oz) cup apple juice • 1 tsp Guarana powder • 1 tbsp aloe vera juice 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

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Place the berries, apple juice, powder, aloe vera juice and ginger in a blender and process for 1 minute or until smooth. Pour into a glass to serve.

PTW is a brand new directory and social media marketing tool for Personal Trainers. The platform gives YOU greater access to potential clients all for free!

Take advantage of this fantastic offer today. Sign up and create your profile to be listed on the directory. Check out some of these major benefits: • Profile Wall • Full Bio • Upload Workout Videos • Upload Workout Photos • Blog • Client Reviews

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BOSU WORKOUT

T

o celebrate the launch of BOSU 3DXTREME (www.3d-xtreme.com), the exciting new group exercise class from BOSU, we’ve put together a workout which will give you some new ideas on how to use this fantastic piece of kit with your clients.

The BOSU Balance Trainer is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment on the market. With hundreds of exercises to choose from you can create a challenging workout for any client.

Equipment provided by www.physicalcompany.co.uk Model’s Clothing by www.lijastyle.com Photography by www.cjenkinsphotography.co.uk

by Kristoph Thompson

Model: Jayne Brockwell

Burpee + Overhead Press Stand with the BOSU just in front of you, dome side down. Squat down and take hold of the outer edge of the BOSU. Jump feet back into plank position. Jump feet forwards back into a squat. Stand up, then press the BOSU overhead.

To increase the challenge, add a push up after jumping the feet back into the plank position.

Dome Run Stand with the BOSU just in front of you then squat down to lightly touch it with your fingertips. Come back to standing then quickly place one foot, and then the other onto the dome. Quickly step one foot then the other off the dome to return to the start. Repeat, performing a running motion as you step onto and off the dome.

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Dive Bomber Press Start in a downward dog position with your hands on the outer edges of the platform. Lower your chest to just above the BOSU, keeping the hips lifted. Drop your hips down and straighten your arms to come into a cobra position. Reverse the movement, dropping the head and chest, pressing the body back with the arms and lift the hips back to the start position.

Rock + Roller

Scissors Stand to one side of BOSU with one foot in front of the other. Squat down to sit on the BOSU, placing your hand on the dome for support. Straighten the hips and knees to come into a side balance then scissor the legs x2. Bend your hips and knees, placing your feet back on the floor and return to standing.

Begin standing in front of the BOSU. Squat down to sit on the BOSU. Rock back into a supine position, with the arms extended out to the side. Rock forwards to sit up straight. Stand up to return to the start then repeat.

To increase the challenge, extend one or both legs as you rock back.

Alternatively, stand up using just one leg.

Two point Bicycle Touch Begin in a dead bug position with arms pointing straight upwards. Simultaneously extend one arm and the opposite leg to they are parallel to the floor. Reverse the movement to return to the start then repeat on the other side.

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HOW TO STAY FIT DURING

THE WORLD CUP

by Health and Fitness Coach- Jamie Lloyd

K

nowing how much we love our footy, most of us will be tied to the arm chair for the rest of the World Cup and will probably hit the lager and crisps and forget about going to the gym or even doing exercise. So here’s my ‘Arm Chair Workout’ and how to stay fit during the World Cup...choose to do the workout in either the first half of a match or the second half of the match. As time goes by, you can do the full 90 minutes if 45 minutes is too easy.

So you get a full body workout whilst watching the greatest tournament on earth Try it with your mates, and have fun, and as always, warm up and cool down before any exercise.

IF THERE’S A FOUL...

... you have to do suicide planks for 30 secs.

IF SOMEONE HEADS THE BALL IN A GAME...

IF SOMEONE SCORES A GOAL...

... do spidermans x10 each side

IF THE BALL GOES TO KEEPER

... do x15 pushups

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... celebrate by doing a lap of honour, so you have to do running on the spot/high knees for 30 secs

IF THE BALL GOES OUT OF PLAY...

IF THERE’S A SUBSTITUTE...

... you have to do x10-15 jacknifes

IF SOMEONE GETS SENT OFF...

... do x15 squats

IF THERE’S A YELLOW CARD...

... you have to do burpees. No one likes to see a red card so do x20 Burpees

IF THERE’S A CORNER...

... you have to do x10 jump squats

IF THERE’S A FREE KICK...

... you have to do x15 Get Ups

... you have to do Spider Rotations x 10 each

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THE ROLLER COASTER

WORKOUT H

ere is an interchangeable client template for personal trainers to use with their clients.

After each session, the PT would fill it out and the client would complete it in their own time between sessions (sort of like home work)

EQUIPMENT

1 dice, 1 coin

NO. OF PLAYERS 1 TIME

20mins

AIM

Set the best time possible

METHOD Step 1: Roll the dice then complete the exercise that relates to the number rolled. (ie. if you roll a 1 then you complete exercise number 1) Step 2: Now flip the coin: heads = 3 press ups, tails = 6 press ups Complete steps 1 + 2 for 12 rounds EXERCISE REPS

This can dramatically increase the value of a personal training package sold by the instructor.

1. Chair dips

The template can be changed up in hundreds of different ways by changing the exercises (obviously determined by the clients specific goals).

3. Forward lunge

You can modify it to suit your own interests.

10

2. Sit up 10 10

4. Squat 10 5. Jumping jack 10 6. Abs (leg raises)

10

Who is the template for 1. PT’S to use with their clients 2. Fitness enthusiasts in general

By Leon Melnicenko, Owner of Sound Fitness Ltd & Founder of Unique Bootcamp Workouts

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REPITITIONS PER ROUND: Beginner: 10 reps - complete 12 rounds Intermediate: 15 reps - complete 14 rounds Advanced: 20 reps - complete 16 rounds Time the event and see if you can beat it in a future training session.

Package Prices start from ÂŁ350

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Our PT launch packages provide you with everything you need to build and grow your client base.

Branding, stationery, social media graphics, website, video & photography.

Visit our website for more information www.sievecreative.co.uk

In association with PT Magazine Quote code PT001 to claim your 15% discount @sieve_creative

sievecreative

0845 459 0506

QWITH SONIQUE A SMITH &

CLUBBERCISE INSTRUCTOR How did you first hear about Clubbercise?

A friend of mine posted a link to Clubbercise on my Facebook page saying that it would be the perfect class for me to teach.

She wasn’t wrong! It sounded like the ideal dance class for my current clients so I found them on Twitter, sent a tweet to ask for more information and took it from there. I haven’t looked back since!

What made you want to become a Clubbercise instructor?

Firstly the branding really stood out and made an impact on

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me. The neon graphics made it look like a fun brand to be involved in and sums up the nature of the concept. I already teach other dance-based classes such as Zumba and Bokwa and knew that I had to give Clubbercise a go. It matches my personality and teaching style perfectly.

Do you have a dance or fitness background?

Both! I first started out in martial arts and then as a kickboxing instructor, but I had to give them up when I become pregnant with my second child. I later went on to teach Boxercise, Zumba, Street Fit and Bokwa. I like the fact that becoming

a Clubbercise instructor is fairly straight-forward. If you’re not already a qualified fitness instructor you can complete an additional online training course to enable you to teach people of all abilities. You also have to submit a video to show that you’re capable of taking a class and co-ordinating all the different moves. It shows that Clubbercise care about the quality of their instructors.

What was the training course like and was it easy to follow?

forum where you can talk to other instructors and share best practice. You can contact the team via phone or email at any time and they always respond quickly. You can download marketing materials for free and if you have any suggestions that’ll help other instructors then they’re open to ideas and often implement them immediately.

They’re also very big on feedback, so they ask us to fill out an online survey at the end of each instructor training course.

We also get an online survey link to share with our clients too.

Feedback helps to drive the programme forward, whether it’s positive or negative.

The training course is a one-day intensive course but it’s nowhere near as intense as some of the other training courses I’ve been on! The whole ethos of Clubbercise is to bring a nightclub The class includes the use of glow sticks, “IT’S MORE experience into the fitness world, so are these provided for you or do you have ABOUT MAKING it’s more about making a connection to buy them?

A CONNECTION between movement and music and Instructors have to buy them, but they’re showing your client a good time in a BETWEEN MOVEMENT reusable and battery operated so once safe environment. The course was split AND MUSIC” the battery dies you only have to replace between practical and theory work. It it rather than buy the sticks all over again. was really informative and gave a great You can also sell them on to clients so insight into what it will be like as a Clubbercise instructor. there’s the chance to generate additional revenue. I try and sell a pair to all my new clients to ensure they come back the following week!

Has it helped you attract more clients and grow your own business?

Yes massively! I’ve taught a lot of different programmes over the years but this is the class that’s in the highest demand.

I even have a waiting list of people wanting to join the class each week. I think the music and the atmosphere has a lot to do with it, as well as the fact that you’re doing it in a darkened room. This is a huge plus point for people who are new to exercise, or even new to dance-based classes. They can really let their hair down and have a good time without the pressure of other people in the class seeing what they’re doing.

Where do you currently hold your classes?

At the moment I’m holding classes at Xercise4Less in Doncaster, but I also host quarterly fitness raves in a nightclub.

These have been incredibly successful, especially for those who can’t attend my daytime classes due to work or other commitments. The nightclub environment is brilliant for this type of dance workout as you can easily forget that you’re working out. Healthy clubbing is definitely the way forward!

Would you recommend it to other fitness/dance instructors?

Absolutely! The feedback I receive from clients is incredibly positive and the fact they keep coming back for more is all the feedback I need! Clubbercise is fun, unique and really helps you stand out from other instructors in your area.

How much ongoing support do you receive from Clubbericse?

We know that Clubbercise donates money to Oxfam each time a new instructor qualifies. Did that influence your decision to become an instructor?

I do quite a lot for charity anyway so it was more of a bonus than an incentive, but it makes you proud to be a part of something that helps give something back to people less fortunate than ourselves. I’ve never heard of any other training provider offering something similar, so it just helps the brand to stand out even further.

Any final thoughts?

Since qualifying as a Clubbercise instructor I feel like I’ve joined a really welcoming community. Being able to talk to other instructors on the forum to share ideas and best practice is brilliant. It also means that you have a ready-made panel if you have any issues that you’re struggling to resolve.

As a class concept it’s also incredibly collaborative as they allow us to make comments and suggestions on how the training course or routines can be enhanced. I didn’t mention it earlier but if you become a ‘Clubbercise Pro’ you can even create your own routines to submit. If approved, the routines get added to the choreography playlist for all of the other instructors to use, wherever they are in the world. How cool is that?

www.clubbercise.com

You get masses of support. You have access to a private

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THE GORILLA SPORTS AB AND BACK ROLLER

The Gorilla Sports Ab and Back Roller has been expertly designed for you get the most out of your core workouts, whilst putting minimal stress on your back and neck. This ab trainer provides an intense workout for your abdominal muscles and with the added bonus of interchangeable resistance springs, you can customise your workout to suit you.

Find this plus many more exciting products at www.gorillasports.co.uk

MEDICINE BALLS

If we would recommend one key item to develop abdominal strength, it would be the medicine ball. The medicine ball is an excellent fitness tool to help you develop your strength. Exercises with a medicine ball will help increase abdominal strength and overall core stability.

SLENDERTONE Slendertone is a world leader in providing products that improve muscle tone and body shape. The Premium Slendertone Abs Beltdelivers stronger, flatter, more toned abs in just four weeks, when used 5 times a week. In fact, clinical trials showed that 100% of users report firmer, more toned abs and it delivered an average of 1.4 inch waist reduction due to toning of muscles*. RRP £149.99 www.slendertone.com *Source: clinical trials, conducted by Slendertone and the University of La Crosse, participants wore Slendertone Abs belt for the recommended usage of 20 minutes per day, five days a week.

A key exercise is the basic crunch. This involves sitting on a bench with your legs against the pads supporting your legs in a 90-degree angle. Hold the medicine ball with both hands at chest level and lower your upper body down to the bench. Slowly raise your shoulders up a few inches off the bench as you hold the medicine ball to your chest. Slowly lower back to the bench to complete one repetition. Do 10 to 12 repetitions. www.pullumsports.com

66FIT WEIGHTED HULA HOOP - 1.5KG Hula Hoops are not only fun to use, they are fantastic for improving your core muscle tone strength and can help with weight loss.

The hoops have a padded EVA surface to provide cushioning to the user and also have moulded ridges on the inner circle. The reason for this is that as the ridge passes over your abdomen area it applies extra pressure to the area that in turn gives the user an intense workout.

The Hula Hoops come packaged in a small box, and are easy to assemble by simply clicking each section together. They are ideally suited to adults and come in varied weights (1.2k, 1.5kg and 2.0kg) and all 100cm in diameter.

AB KIT CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE GREAT ITEMS TO HELP YOU GET RIPPED

www.physiosupplies.com

ESCAPE INDIVIDUAL CAST IRON KETTLEBELL (UP TO 32KG) Kettlebell - a cast iron weight that looks like a basketball with a suitcase handle!

Its centre of gravity extends further than the handle making it an exceptional tool for ballistic exercises. Build a strong cardio base and exceptional strength in the legs, lower back and shoulders whilst increasing grip strength at the same time. www.bestgymequipment.co.uk

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®

Where Kettlebells meet M artial Arts

IT’S NEW! IT’S DIFFERENT! IT’S DYNAMIC! IT’S UNIQUE! Already sweeping across South West France, it is being introduced to Spain this Summer and has established classes at venues across the North West of the UK. It uses only 1 piece of equipment, a lighter Kettlebell, in an aerobic format, in conjunction with specially structured Martial Arts exercises.

Within a class, the musical element and BPM, changes dramatically from popular music to that of tribal rhythms, to accompany the change in exercise format.

The introduction of KETTFusion’s KETTFusion Group Instructors innovative ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop’ form of presenting, means that the class can accommodate all levels of fitness.

All of these additions, and many others, are the secrets behind the success and popularity of the KETTFusion system, which was developed by Michael Ross Already, the two previous KETTFusion 1 day Instructor courses have been fully booked, more are planned for

later in the year.

To register your interest, or for more information, including a demo video of a KETTFusion class, visit:

WWW.KETTFUSION.COM 01663 747494 (24hrs) | kettfusion@gmail.com www.facebook.com/kettfusion

@kettfusion

Anatomy of Exercise for Women 9781408189979 | £16.99 A unique guide to training specifically for women. The illustrations and design make Anatomy of Exercise for Women accessible to anyone interested in improving their fitness.

The Complete Guide to Aqua Exercise for Pregnancy and Postnatal Health 9781408192740 | £25.00

FIT

LIT

9781472904041 | £14.99 A complete guide to incorporating cycling into your life and making the most of the many benefits to health, fitness and yes, happiness that it can give you.

9781408187210 | £25.00 A yoga guide for fitness professionals and instructors outlining the different stages to yoga practice, acknowledging the physiological principles, history and how to teach it.

LITERATURE ON ANATOMY AND SPORT FOR FITNESS PROS AND ENTHUSIASTS

An authoratitive guide to exercise in water for pregnant women, a popular form of pre-natal exercise with many health benefits. Packed with exercise ideas and essential safety considerations for when working with pregnant clients.

Get on Your Bike

The Complete Guide to Yoga for Fitness Professionals

Anatomy of Functional Training 9781408189986 | £16.99 An essential guide to functional training programmes, brought to life with accessible 3D anatomical illustrations.

The Pop-Up Gym 9781408196328 | £12.99 How to keep fit wherever you are – an exercise programme for the busiest people

The Fat Burn Revolution 9781408191569 | £16.99 Complete general fitness guide on the best way to exercise in order to shed fat.

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pt’s to add self defence to their offering Combat Academy

1

become a certified instructor

We are looking for the best PTs to start teaching self defence and join our instructor training programme...

You could be running your own self defence courses and classes within 8 weeks...

An amazing opportunity for fitness instructors to add a self defence string to their bow and start running their own courses, seminars and classes.

With increasing healthy competition (no pun intended) in the health and fitness industry, diversifying and adding new and interesting classes has never been more important.

Combat Academy has launched the Certified Self Defence Instructor Training Programme.

This programme is designed to turn PTs into self defence instructors within 8 weeks.

The system provides full head office support and a nationally recognised brand in Self Defence Instruction. You will receive all of the training and support that you need to launch your self defence business and become successful.

Reece Coker, Chief Instructor says “The demand for self defence is massive, particularly among women. Parents are also concerned about knives, drugs and all kinds of other perils which opens the demand right up into the youth and schools agenda”.

The income potential is substantial, Matthew Oakley PT and Combat Academy Instructor comments “The training was fantastic but even more than this, the support that I received to launch my business was phenomenal. This was the best decision I have ever made since qualifying as a PT”!

Just running ten classes of 20 students each per week can bring in over £6,000 per month!

No previous martial arts experience required

the opportunity

As a trained instructor, you will be able to deliver self defence classes, courses and seminars with the following content: Personal Security Theory - A

detailed look at the latest personal security equipment and tactics.

Victim / Prey Behaviour - An in-depth study of the victim mentality, behaviour and body language to understand how to avoid being targeted.

Fear and Anxiety Control - The ability to control fear and anxiety in any crisis situation is essential and can be learned. We

use advanced NLP techniques and verbal reasoning skills.

Physical Techniques and Training - This is the fun part for most people! It’s time to get physical. You will learn and perfect a range of the most simple and effective techniques during the course. You will AMAZE yourself!

Body Language and Threat Assessment - Being able to read the

to use your voice. REMEMBER it’s what you say and how you say it that can make all the difference.

Our exciting military branding is a big draw and the public love donning the combats and getting involved in the military style boot-camps.

for further info - contact: Antony Baker

body language of a potential aggressor is essential, as is controlling your own to influence the outcome.

antony@combat-academy.co.uk

Voice Commands - You will learn how

www.combat-academy.co.uk

0843 289 1632

TIP

To keep them fresh, store in a zip lock bags or a n air proof contain er HOW TO:

HOMEMADE

BREAKFAST BARS We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Try my Homemade “Grab and Go” Breakfast Bars enjoyed by kids and adults alike!...

Recipe courtesy of Marie Felton, nutritionist, fitness trainer, writer and top UK food blogger.

YOU WILL NEED: • 1 Cup Organic Oats • 1/2 Cup Coconut oil • 1/2 Cup Sweet freedom natural sweetner • 1/2 tsp Vanilla • 1 Cup Strawberries or Blueberries • 1 Free range Egg • 1/2 tsp Salt (lo) • 1 tsp Baking Powder • 2 Cups Whole wheat pastry flour

Step 1) Make the dough, Wrap the made dough in cling film, and chill for 1 hour.

Once chilled, roll out on grease proof paper, using a little dusting flour where necessary so it doesn’t stick to your rolling pin, or the work surface. Wash and de stem and chop your strawberries.

Pop strawberries in to a small saucepan with a tbsp of water, using the edge of a wooden spoon, slowly break the strawberries down. After around 5 mins cook time return to the blender, Blitz until smooth. If you would like it a little thicker, at this point, return your pureed strawberries to the saucepan, and add 1/2 tablespoon of corn flour with a few drops of water enough to turn the corn flour to liquid. Add to the strawberries and stir over low heat until it begins to thicken.

Step 2 ) Cream the coconut, sweet freedom, vanilla and egg, with an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, combine your flour, oats, salt, and baking powder.

Step 3) Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, a little at a time, mix with an electric mixer, until it is well combined.

Step 4) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the ready made dough, and using a knife or pizza wheel, cut into 3X3 inch squares. Pour strawberry sauce mix down the one side of your dough, and fold over and pinch firmly to keep the filling in.

Step 5) Place on to a baking sheet pop in the oven and bake at 350 degrees celsius for 15 minutes.

Suitable for home freezing.

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BESTONTEST Natural Ketosis

Sport Kitchen Protein Oats

Skinni Takeaway

www.naturalketosis.co.uk

www.sportkitchen.com

www.boossh.com

Natural Ketosis produce meals that support the Natural Ketosis bespoke weight loss programme. I tried a couple of these packs and they were really nice, with a great variety of flavours, including beef and peppercorn sauce, Tex Mex soup and Thai Red Curry. The meals are easy to prepare, taking about three minutes to cook in the microwave. I thought they were a great alternative for people watching their figures.

Prices start at around £7-£9 per day.

We tried some of Sport Kitchen’s protein oats, which we thought were a fantastic way to start the day! One of the best things that stood out to me was the easy to understand nutrition on the label. Each pot has an average nutritional value - 30gProtein, 36g Carbs, 5g of fat, rich in Omega’s, 310 Kcal.

Sport Kitchen also do savoury ready meals.

RRP: £2.49

Skinni Takeaway comes in loads of exotic flavours, including vegetable biryani, chicken teriyaki and Thai green curry. The meals are freeze dried and the preparation is pretty simple, the meals take six-eight minutes to stand, which is longer than most of the others. It smelled delicious but the taste didn’t match. RRP: £3.99 or cheaper in a bundle offer.

Nutripak

Body Plus Nutrition

www.nutripak.co.uk

www.bodyplusnutrition.com

Natural Performance Meals

I tried the Lean Beef Chilli with kidney beans and it was delicious. It contains 38g of protein, it fills you up nicely and I would recommend it for people who want a lot of protein in a small meal or people trying to build their physique.

I’d definitely eat these again.

It just takes a minute or two depending on your microwave and there’s no need to put them in the fridge.

Body Plus Nutrition is different to the other meals as they are freshly made healthy meals delivered across London, so there is no preparation required. Body Plus offers a range of meals for muscle gain, weight maintenance and weight loss. They have a large range of meals and when they arrive they look just like the images on the website and taste good too.

RRP: £4.50 or cheaper in a bundle offer.

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WE GIVE OUR OPINION ON HEALTHY READY MEALS FOR PTS ON THE GO

WWW.PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK

RRP: £4.99

www.naturalsportsnutrition.com I tried the Mexican Style Beef flavour of these and it was very nice. I found it difficult to tell whether I liked this or the Nutripak beef meal more. The preparation was simple, just taking two and a half minutes in the microwave. The Moroccan Chicken was also very good, with plenty of meat but was a little watery. I would recommend these meals to others.

RRP: £4.99 Look out for online offers on their website.

*The views expressed on this page are that of the editorial team and are in no way meant as a guide to nutrition.

Always refer to the manufacturer for advice on using healthy ready meals.

EAT

FIT

TRY THESE GREAT RECIPES FOR CHILDREN, COURTESY OF NETMUMS

CHICKEN JAMBALAYA This recipe is one of our family favourites. My little boy who is 4, loves it, and asks for it at least once a week. It’s got the added bonus of being a one-pot dinner, so saves on too much washing up!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove with a perforated spoon and transfer to a plate.

• 900g/2lb chicken, chopped into small chunks • 1 onion finely chopped • 2 red or green peppers, seeded and chopped • 2 garlic cloves, chopped finely • 275g/10 oz long grain rice • 2 tbsp tomato puree • 1tsp dried thyme • 1tsp dried oregano • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes or chilli sauce (optional) • 225g/8oz chorizo sausage cut into chunks • 1 tin chopped tomatoes • 570ml/1 pint chicken stock • 3 spring onions chopped finely

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Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 5 mins or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the rice and cook for 5 mins stirring constantly.

Add the tomato puree, thyme, oregano, chilli, chorizo, and tomatoes. Season with black pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Return the chicken and any juices to the pot. Stir in the hot stock.

Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 25 mins over a low heat, or until the rice is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with spring onions and leave to stand for 10 mins before serving.

ORANGE CREME BRULEE INGREDIENTS • 600ml/1 pint double cream • 6 egg yolks • 95g or 3 and 1/4 oz castor sugar (plus extra to caramelise the top - 1 tsp per ramekin) • 1 vanilla pod (or a dash of vanilla extract) • Zest of 4 oranges • Zest of 1 lemon METHOD Split the vanilla pod and scrape the inside to remove the seeds.

Pour the cream into a pan and add the vanilla pod and seeds, orange zest and lemon zest. Bring this to the boil and put aside. (The longer you leave the vanilla pod, orange zest and lemon zest to infuse the cream, the stronger the flavour will be) In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar together with a whisk.

Bring the cream back up to the boil and pour this over the egg yolks, whilst beating vigorously to make custard.

Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a jug. With a ladle, carefully skim the foam from the surface.

Serves: Approx 5, depending on size of ramekins Cooking time: 2 hours high

Pour the custard into ramekins and loosely cover them with foil and place them in the slow cooker.

Carefully pour boiling water half way up the ramekins and cook on the high heat setting for 2 hours.

Chill the set creme brulees in the fridge for at least 2 hours (over night if possible). Add the extra sugar to the top and caramelise either under the grill of using a chef’s mini blowtorch.

Serve with shortbread biscuits and garnish with a twist of fresh orange.

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CHICKEN NUGGETS INGREDIENTS

• Chicken breasts (or fish fillets for fish fingers) • Plain flour • Egg (beaten) • Fresh breadcrumbs • Black pepper and dried herbs (optional)

HOT FRUIT KEBABS 52

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METHOD Cut uncooked chicken breasts into pieces (either strips for chicken fingers or chunks for chicken nuggets).

First dip them into flour (seasoned with pepper and herbs if you like), then into beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs - this can be fun if you set up a conveyor belt system and have your children helping.

The best way to make the breadcrumbs is to put some day-old bread in a blender, although you can crumble it by hand so that it becomes fine breadcrumbs.

Brush with a little oil and cook under the grill for 10 to 15 mins, or bake in the oven at 190C/Gas 5 for about 15 to 20 mins, turning halfway through. Alternatively fry in a few tablespoons of oil for around 5 mins.

Serve with vegetable hash, cheesy mash or potato & cauliflower cakes and vegetables.

For a hot alternative, heat 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp honey and a good pinch of ground cinnamon in a small saucepan until just bubbling. Brush the orange juice glaze over the fruit and grill or BBQ the kebabs for a couple of minutes each side. Pour the remaining glaze over the fruit and serve.

TODDLER DADDY’S VEGETABLE CAKES INGREDIENTS

METHOD

• A cube of frozen spinach

Boil everything together in as little water as possible, until the vegetables are soft. Drain and mash the vegetables. Add a bit of olive oil, and enough flour to make sticky dough. Mix with a fork. Leave to stand and cool. Make into burger size patties Place on greased baking tray Cook in a preheated oven at 200C for 10-15 minutes

• 1 small turnip • 2 small potatoes skin on • 1 grated carrot • half grated fennel • some olive oil • a bit of plain flour

Daddy recently felt adventurous and decided to make some food for our two year old girlie, hoping to get her to eat some vegetables. The result was great, we all love them and eat them. I imagine they will even be nice to eat cold, but we never have any left to try them cold... we eat them as soon as they come out of the oven... Yummy!

BEEF+BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

Make a tasty beef stir fry for dinner with only a few ingredients. This stir fry recipe is good when you are in a hurry. Simple and tasty!

INGREDIENTS • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tsp ground ginger • 1/4 tsp sugar • 2 tsp corn flour • 3 minced cloves of garlic • 1 tbsp cooking oil • 1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces • Cooked beef cut into strips METHOD Mix soy sauce, ground ginger, sugar, cornstarch and garlic; set aside.

Heat cooking oil in a pan, add broccoli and cook for 3 minutes.

Add beef and cook for 3 minutes.

Add soy sauce mixture and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring all the time.

Serve with rice or noodles.

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HOW TO

by Health and Fitness Coach, Jamie Lloyd

AVOID GETTING A LAGER BELLY

O

DURING THE WORLD CUP

k it only comes around every four years, but most of us will still be hooked to the TV for the next week or two watching our favourite sportfootball! So to avoid getting a lager belly follow my top seven tips:

1

Don’t drink alcohol during the week - save it till the weekend. Drinking alcohol not only puts on the pounds but also deprives you of sleep. So if you are going to drink, save it till the weekend! And be careful.

2

Make sure you plan at least three workouts a week so you don’t forget to hit the gym. Yep we’ve all done it but exercise first thing in the morning then it’s done out of the way- so there’s no excuses when the footy comes on!

3

Stock up on healthy snacks - not crisps and Doritos. Get yourself some fruit salad, make some energy balls, or graze on almonds or cashew nuts - not salted or roasted nuts!

4

If you forget to hit the gym in the mornings, you can always do my armchair workout (p.38) or even do a quick bodyweight blast at half time when the commentary is on to avoid putting on the pounds.

5

400ml pomegranate juice, 250 ml grape juice, 250 ml ginger ale, fresh blueberries. Pour chilled juices into large punch bowl and stir and sprinkle blueberries into it! Yum!

6

Make sure you eat before 7pm. Eating late at night will again add on extra pounds very fast!

So why not prepare a nutrient dense meal to stop you from feeding the carb monster when the late matches are on? You could do a healthy salad, fish and vegetables, or even a ribeye with roasted veg.

7

Help reduce belly fat by eating foods that are high in Vitamin C to reduce cortisol, or belly fat. Eat foods like berries, kiwi fruit, red or yellow peppers, broccoli, guava or kale. These are rich in vitamin C and will taste great in a smoothie too!

Jamie Lloyd is a Fitness Writer and a Health and Fitness Coach based in London. He is the Co-author of the best selling book ‘Total- Body Breakthroughs’. He is available for private coaching, Nutrition and coaching.

Check out www.iamjamielloyd.com.

Make a healthy Pimms, non- alcoholic of course and here’s a quick recipe…

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HEALTHY HABITS FOR KIDS M

ost children by the time they reach school age are eating a similar diet/meals as the rest of the family but as they are still growing, their needs are not the same as your own or other members

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of the family. They may require a few “extras� so we as parents/ carers must ensure they are getting all the right foods and nutrients in the right quantities to produce energy, sharpen their minds and even out their moods. By encouraging healthy

habits now, we can tackle the obesity epidemic and make a huge impact on children’s future development, creating a lifelong healthy relationship with food, these are the first and the best steps we as parents can take to allow them to grow into healthy, happy confident adults. This can be easily achieved by making sure the whole family is setting a good example and are eating a well balanced diet.

DEVELOPING HEALTHY HABITS Children develop a natural preference for foods they like the most, so the biggest challenge we face is to make healthy choices appealing. Children will develop healthy eating habits if good examples are being set by the whole family! You must act as a good role model, there’s no point asking your child to eat carrot sticks if your munching on biscuits, whilst sat on the sofa gulping down a fizzy drink.

MAKE TIME FOR REGULAR FAMILY MEALS. It’s a worthwhile time to bond as well as satisfy your hunger. Sit down together at the table and eat as a family, turn off all phones/devices etc. (NO DISTRACTIONS).

artificial colourings, flavourings, salt and sugars/sweeteners opt for fresh fruit salads/ Greek yogurt, peanut butter and banana pancakes or eggs. Make your own healthier cereal mixes using organic oats, dried fruits, nuts, fruit smoothies.

Children who eat a good quality breakfast are much more likely to concentrate and do better at school.

LIMIT SUGAR AND SALT As parents, one of the biggest challenges we face is how to limit sugar/salt in our children’s diets. The British Heart Foundation recommends that sugar and salt intake for children should be limited to 85g sugar and 4 g salt per day. Cutting back on sweets and biscuits is only part of the solution. Large amounts of added hidden sugars/salts are in some of the most surprising of foods, like bread, canned soups, ketchup’s, tinned vegetables (unless in water) and of course fast food.

WEIGHT AND SELF ESTEEM

“Food is not love” reward them with praise and your time!

Children who are over weight are at an increased risk from heart disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, “EATING HOME-COOKED Cook more meals at home, eating poor self esteem that can carry on home-cooked foods is not only FOODS IS NOT ONLY through to adulthood. Child hood healthier for all the family, it’s better HEALTHIER FOR ALL THE obesity doesn’t always lead to adult for your purse! It also sets a great FAMILY, IT’S BETTER FOR obesity but it does significantly raise example, educating your child about the risks, most with careful nutrition YOUR PURSE!” the importance of food - not just and regular exercise out grow the cooking it but where it comes from, problem. Addressing weight issues how it’s grown and the benefits. in young people is a delicate matter, and should never be GET KIDS INVOLVED addressed by a non professional! A coordinated plan of action They love nothing more than being hands on whether it’s is the best way to go, your goal should be to halt or slow the baking, shopping, preparing lunch boxes or cooking dinner. It’s weight gain down by increasing physical activity and careful your chance to educate them about the different nutritional meal planning. Encourage your kids to play outside, cycle, values of different foods. Making your child’s food look more swim, skate, take all the family out on adventure walks, help appealing goes along way, be creative make fun food faces, your kids find activities they enjoy, you are creating lifelong habits that benefit your child’s future development. Regular collages, frozen fruit lollies. exercise can motivate your kids into making wiser and I’m an expert in hiding veggies in things, although neither of healthier food choices. my children are picky eaters. My hubby is, so if in doubt blend it up. What they don’t know can’t hurt them! It also doesn’t PACKED LUNCHES give them opportunity to identify it and say “I don’t like that”. When my kids were little i preferred to pack them a lunch so I could monitor what they ate as quality ingredients and PORTION SIZE how much they ate as quantity, here’s a few ideas instead of a In a super sized culture, it’s easy to overfeed your child even boring sandwich try a yummy samosa, pitta stuffed pockets, on healthy foods, especially if portion sizes are too large and fresh and dried fruit, veggies sticks, yogurt try do to keep eating is not offset with physical activities. Your child needs unhealthy snacks to a minimum they are empty calories that at least Ninety Minutes a day. Don’t insist your child cleans lead to weight gain. his or her plate, and never use food as a bribe or a reward.

Familiarise your self with RDAs -There are portion plates you Check out www.pinterest.com for inspiration! can purchase if you need help with this. www.amazon.co.uk/The-Diet-Plate-Child-Bowl/dp/ Useful links: B000H1HYCY www.funfoods4all.co.uk BREAKFAST www.nourishinteractive.com/kids Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Shop bought cereal bars, though convenient, are the worst thing you could possibly give your child to start the day with loaded with nasty

Marie Felton is a nutritionist, fitness trainer, writer and top UK food blogger.

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opinion need to be discredited immediately, contain chemical compounds that bind to fats preventing their absorption.

The problem with this is type of product is that it removes a decent portion of your daily intake of fat, which if already reduced as part of a calorie controlled diet, can lead to various vitamin and hormone deficiencies over time (Female Athlete triad), as the body’s hormones are more or less derived from fat. If your fat intake is too high and this is a method for reducing fat intake, then surely it would be easier (and cheaper) to reduce the amount you put in your mouth. If the fat is not absorbed by the body it has to come out somewhere, and the rumors of users of these products needing to take extra pairs of pants around with them are true.

“THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS TYPE OF PRODUCT IS THAT IT REMOVES A DECENT PORTION OF YOUR DAILY INTAKE OF FAT”

ARE DIET PILLS

GOOD FOR YOU? ‘S

limming pills’, ‘fat-burners’ and ‘thermogenics’; these are the affectionate names for the products associated with weight loss or physique control. Believe me when I tell you that to the untrained eye it’s a minefield out there. In recent years many of the products sold in the UK have been marred by unscrupulous importers of illegal products from the USA and China containing an array of controlled and dangerous ingredients, such as high levels of caffeine (500mg +) and ephedrine, which is often one of the main active ingredients in an ecstasy tablet. The EU has a solid structure in place to ensure the products sold by reputable UK companies (such as Medi-Evil, SmartTec Nutrition and Maximuscle) are safe to use whilst still being very effective.

There is much confusion due to the many different ways in which these products work. ‘Fat binders’, which in my

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Fat burners and thermogenics work in a slightly different way. They raise the body’s core temperature slightly, which naturally improves metabolism due to increased enzyme activity and over a prolonged period tricks the body into thinking it is dehydrated. The normal mechanic of sweating hasn’t done the job of cooling the body and so the brain assumes there is not enough water available for sweating to occur. The response to this is to break down the body’s stores of fat to produce carbohydrates, salts and water and is one of the reasons that sweating is accelerated. Most decent thermogenics on the market use an ingredient called ‘bitter orange’ or ‘citrus aurantium’, which contains a natural level of ‘synephrine’ that studies have shown targets receptors in the brain, stimulating the metabolism of stored body fat. By incorporating ingredients such as ‘L-Carnitine’, which is a fat transportation molecule, the effects are further increased.

Some high-end products even incorporate digestive-aid technology to help the body increase its carbohydrate digestion and protein uptake. ‘L-Tyrosine’ used in higher quality products, has been shown to improve mood and sleep whilst dieting, by regulating serotonin and dopamine levels.

In truth, these are no wonder pills which half your weight by sitting on the sofa. However these products when used correctly will maximize and increase the speed in which you get results from exercise and diet improvements alone.

Alex Zulewski is an ex international decathlete, desert ultra runner and expert in performance nutrition and nutritional manufacturing with fifteen years industry experience. www.medievilfatburner.com

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KNOWING YOUR NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS A s a Personal Trainer, you need to believe in a product if you are to endorse its benefits. With so many products on offer, all making various claims, how can you be sure that you are recommending the right one?

LET’S START WITH ‘WHY’?

KNOW THE PRODUCT QUALITY As a professional coach, you should demand an indisputable level of transparency when it comes to nutritional products.

Look for fully traceable products and the Informed-Sports certified logo to be sure that products are not only safe but effective. Many companies will hide behind proprietary

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GIVING YOU THE EDGE

Endorsing the right product means your clients can see faster results but it can also mean that you can prevent them from purchasing supplements haphazardly as they strive to reach their goals. You “ENDORSING THE RIGHT must be confident in the products PRODUCT MEANS YOUR you recommend, and be absolutely CLIENTS CAN SEE FASTER sure of their quality and that they are free of banned and side-effect related RESULTS” substances.

Before you even consider endorsing a nutritional product to your clients, it’s important to understand that even though you may recommend eating an individually appropriate diet, most clients are still missing key nutrients and could benefit from using anutritional supplements on a regular basis.

60

blends, and these will not have met with regulatory approval from the correct channels so always be vigilant.

SO, IS MSC NUTRITION THE BRAND TO RECOMMEND? We believe that our ability to deliver a combination of premium standard products forms the firm foundations for sporting success. Working alongside us gives you access to a team of nutritional experts, making nutritional guidance accessible to both you and your clients, as and when you need it. www.msc-nutrition.co.uk

PROTEIN PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

PREP: 8MINS | MAKES 8 BALLS INGREDIENTS • 185g peanut butter • 60g honey • 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla Probiotic Whey • 115g raw oats METHOD Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and roll into 8 balls.

Place in the fridge for a few hours and enjoy

BROWNIE-IN-A-CUP

PREP: 3 MINS | COOK: 1 MINS | MAKES 1 BROWNIE INGREDIENTS • 1 egg • 1 scoop chocolate Probiotic Whey • 1t peanut butter • 1t water METHOD In a coffee mug or ramekin dish, mix all the ingredients.

Cook in a microwave for 1min.

Using a knife, remove the brownie from the cup.

OAT PROTEIN COOKIES

PREP: 5MINS | COOK: 15MINS | MAKES 24 COOKIES INGREDIENTS • 1 cup oats • 1 cup raisins • 1 cup shredded coconut • 1 scoop vanilla Probiotic Whey • 2 egg whites • 1/2 mixed crushed nuts • 1t vanilla essence • 1 banana • 1T honey or sugar-free maple syrup METHOD Mix all the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then combine.

Form approximately 24 cookies and bake at 180ºC on a greased cookie tray for 10-15mins until slightly brown.

Giveaways MaxiNutrition, the UK and Europe’s leading sports nutrition brand, has just launched the World’s 1st Creatine Milk delivering 3g creatine and 30g protein. MaxiNutrition Cyclone Milk is the first ever ready-to-drink protein milk to boast liquid creatine, an amino acid normally found in a powdered state.

Creatine is known to increase the body’s performance capability, giving high intensity exercisers the ability to train harder, in short successive bursts and MaxiNutrition’s Cyclone powder is the UK’s No.1 Protein product. The newest addition to the range is Cyclone Milk, which is now available as a convenient, ready to drink performance drink with protein to support muscle growth and creatine for explosive exercise.

Each 330ml bottle of Cyclone Milk contains 201 calories, packed with 30g of protein, 3g of creatine, 16g of carbohydrate and is fat free. Creatine is the only ingredient proven to improve an exercisers strength and power in successive bursts of short term, high intensity exercise. Cyclone Milk should be used after exercise as it contains protein to support muscle growth and recovery.

HOW TO WIN THESE GOODIES! If you’re not already a subscriber and you want to win this fantastic bundle pack, go to PT Magazine go to www.ptmagazine.co.uk/ subscribe/. Like our Facebook page www. facebook.com/PtMagazine and sign up to our newsletter to be entered into the draw www. ptmagazine.co.uk/email-subscription.

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Win!

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We’ve Have teamed with Pauline Mitchell owns Studio Central Fitness, a fitness Pauline’s story sound familiar? you up suffered training in Clydebank, recently from late payments? taking cardthe payments customers werecompany increasingly turningScotland. up to She classes WorldPay to offer a coupleCould of lucky readers chance accepting payments her at studio because help to boost yourWorldPay cash flow?

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Letting them pay at a later to win their very own WorldPay Zinc Chip & PIN keypad. the WorldPay Zinc pay as you go system, she has seen a giving away an iPad Mini 3G to go with each prize too! date was in hitting her income The keypad also works with iPads which is why we’re significant boost her cash flow. hard, but since discoveringTo be in with a chance of winning your WorldPay Zinc the WorldPay Zinc pay as you go system, she has seen a

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You simply pay quick a smalland price for to each transaction in luck! the subject line. with my make. smartphone andisthe Chip & PIN small, The service really quick andkeypad easy toisuse, it works Good luck! withand my smartphone and the IChip PIN payments keypad is small, lightweight portable, meaning can &take lightweight portable, meaning I can take payments outside of my studioand too. outside of my studio too.

“Since I started taking card payments using WorldPay “Since I started takingpaying card payments WorldPay Zinc, customers have been on time using and more Zinc, customers have been paying on time and more people are buying fitness sessions in bulk. I hope that people are buying fitness sessions in bulk. I hope that as my business grows I will be able to use it more often.”

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By entering this prize draw you agree to Worldpay and its associated companies sending you information about its products and services which By entering this prize draw you agree to Worldpay and its associated companies sending you information about its products and services which it thinks will be of interest you, astowell thirdofparties by post, telephone, email, SMSSMS or other electronic means.

IfIfyou it thinks will be ofto interest you,as asthose well asof those third parties by post, telephone, email, or other electronic means. youdo donot notconsent consent to receiving this information, please state “no marketing” when you make your email entry. *We and WorldPay may change the eligibility to receiving this information, please state “no marketing” when you make your email entry. *We and WorldPay may change the eligibilitycriteria criteria and/or cancel, amend oramend suspend the prizethe draw atdraw any time anyfor reason and without liability for for doing so.so.

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CORE TRAINING: ARE YOU TRAINING MOVEMENT OR ANTI-MOVEMENT? The “core” has enjoyed unparalleled publicity over the last decade, but is core training always performance enhancing?

L

et’s take a look at a little core mythology. It is frequently quoted that ‘all movement starts at the core’. Well, it isn’t necessarily so if we look at biomechanical studies of sporting movement. Let’s take the tennis forehand for instance. Force is generated in the legs, transferring via pelvic rotation through the torso to the shoulders, which initiate their rotation just slightly later to take advantage of elastic energy potential in the abdominals. This is the ‘stretch and ping’ that creates efficiency through effective force transmission. Forces are finally funneled out through the arm.

The role of the ‘core’ here is to connect and transfer forces between the upper and lower body, and the action is a coiling and uncoiling. The abdominals are not acting at a fixed length – instead they maintain connection while lengthening and shortening.

will not be the prime choice for rotational activities like tennis, golf or running.

Viewed through the lens of a new approach to function specific training called functional force management, this movement pattern is called the spiral elastic strategy.

So what does this mean to us in practice? Fundamentally a clear rationale based on functional force management principles can avoid the traps of an unbalanced programme, potential injury or loss of performance. There are so many possible options, so mix it up in the programme by blending different rotational challenges alongside your zone stacking tasks, in order to ensure that the client is meeting their performance needs.

Think now of the perennial gym favourite: the plank. It teaches the abdominals to contract consistently at a fixed length.

This is a functional force management strategy called zone stacking, where the upper, central and lower zones of the body maintain a non-compressive but consistent positional relationship. A plank is essentially an anti-movement. Antimovements are designed to create a still, stable platform for force production, such as in cycling, where a quiet trunk and pelvis helps to channel pressure down through the legs, or throwing discus, where the trunk and pelvis must rotate as a unit around a secure central axis to generate speed and power.

A plank therefore has direct relevance to these functions, but

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So what happens then when a tennis player has trained hard using anti-movement techniques, or carries too much tension in his or her mid section?

This is straightforward when you look at the flow of forces.

The player will still generate force in the legs, but now he effectively stops the motion through the centre of the body by locking his ribs and pelvis together and moving them as a single unit. This has the effect of slamming the brakes on force transmission, because it prevents the elastic mechanism, the ‘stretch and ping’ through the centre of the body, which requires independent rotational motion of pelvis and shoulders.

Joanne Elphinston is the author of Stability, Sport and Performance Movement: Practical Biomechanics and Systematic Training for Movement Efficiency and Injury Prevention (Lotus Publishing, RRP £29.99, www.amazon. co.uk). She is a performance consultant, physiotherapist and the director of Joanne Elphinston Movement Systems (JEMS).

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WHERE ARE ALL THE A

MALE DIETITIANS?

lecturer in dietetics at The University of Nottingham has helped to start a campaign to encourage more men to consider taking up careers in the field of nutrition.

well as pursue research projects that are directly related to nutrition and human health.

The number of male students currently stands at a ratio of approximately one in every twenty students.

As part of Dietitians Week — the world’s first awareness week profiling the work and value of dietitians — Dr Duane Mellor, a dietitian at The University of Nottingham is looking at why the profession is almost exclusively female.

Ravi Nagar is about to complete the second year of his Masters in Nutrition. His Asian background led to a keen interest in diabetes, which is predominant in people from ethnic backgrounds. As part of a summer placement scheme Dr Duane Mellor said: “There should be more diversity in the he carried out a research project on the effects of a healthy profession. Food is important to everybody and food and diet on Type 2 Diabetes prevention and management. The health is important to everybody. results, presented at the recent Men are interested in food, men are British Conference for Undergraduate “LESS THAN FOUR PER interested in health, but for some Nutrition in Nottingham, showed a CENT OF DIETITIANS IN reason men are not looking to dietetics significant improvement in weight as a career. It is an exciting, changing management and glycaemic control in THE UK ARE MALE” people with Type 2 Diabetes. career and there’s no obvious reason why men shouldn’t be interested in Paphani Chalashika is a PhD student from Botswana. He is qualifying as registered dietitians.” researching the nutritional status and feeding practices of Less than four per cent of dietitians in the UK are male. That HIV exposed infants born in his home country with babies means less than 280 of the BDA’s 7,000 plus members are who haven’t been exposed to the virus. He originally trained men. The BDA says this is not just a UK phenomenon, men as a dietitian in Australia and has worked in Botswana before represent a tiny minority of the profession globally. coming to Nottingham to undertake his research training. He is hoping to register as a dietitian in the UK later this year.

The University of Nottingham offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses run by the School of Biosciences for Dr Mellor said: “A more balanced and representative workforce students interested in the field of nutrition. These include the may have more in common with the communities they work UKs only integrated undergraduate within, as communities tend to exist on a 50/50 female to masters course (Master of male ratio. Dietetics is a growing and vibrant profession in Nutrition), which leads to the UK, using messages of enjoyment of food to improve eligibility to register as health. A more diverse profession should benefit and further a dietitian. With close this growth.” links to the Schools of Siân O’Shea, Chairman of the BDA, said: “In some shape or Medicine and Pharmacy another, we all ‘do’ food and nutrition in or lives, regardless of and local hospitals across gender, race, age, geographical location or any other factor, the East Midlands and yet the dietetic profession seems to be an almost femaleSouth Yorkshire there are only profession. I have often wondered why this is and would opportunities for students genuinely love to hear any feedback on this interesting fact. to clinical placements as “I would strongly encourage anybody thinking about their future career, with an interest in food and nutrition, to think about dietetics as it is such a broad and wonderful career, working in the NHS, private practice, the food industry, education, research, sport, media, public relations, publishing, Non-Government Organisations and government, the list just goes on and on.

“Dietetics is a great and growing profession, as such it should be an obvious choice to both men and women.”

www.nottingham.ac.uk

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TACKLING OBESITY

P

ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

ersonal Trainer qualification? Check; Ability to plan long-term periodised programmes? Check; Knowledge and competence to provide nutritional advice and guidance? Check. Theoretically we should then be in a position to play our part in reducing the nation’s obesity crisis and in doing so, boost our client base and income. Unfortunately as time and education develops, we are understanding more and more about the causes and potential solutions to this UK and western epidemic, highlighting that a little more education and action is needed.

now living with the obesity related Type-2 variant of diabetes.

Obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome are disease conditions that are prevalent across the world. It’s important to remember that they are just that, a disease.

Obesity itself is a complex multifactorial chronic disease that develops from an interaction of genotype and the environment. Those suffering with obesity are often criticised or seen as making poor lifestyle choices such as overeating and living a sedentary lifestyle. This is too simplistic a view.

Preventing and managing obesity is a complex problem with no straightforward answer because it can present with a number of causes, effects and co-morbidities.

• The design and delivery of weight management programme

In response to the need for more instructors to specialise in weight management, YMCAfit has developed an Obesity and Diabetes course, our first Level 4 course, which is designed for practitioners wishing to work in obesity and diabetes management.

Figures show that 3.2 million people have been diagnosed as overweight or obese, so making a major difference to the health of the nation will constitute lots of work. Those who are diagnosed as obese are also more susceptible to diabetes, with recent research showing over four million people are

Tackling the ‘obesity crisis’ is not about crash diets and quick fixes and so with this in mind the Obesity and Diabetes course was put together following the NHS obesity goals and focuses on the following core areas: • Establishing the causes underlying the rise in obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome • Identifying treatments for obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome

• Identifying long-term behaviour change strategies “Our Level 4 Obesity and Diabetes course will teach students how to deliver in both one-to-one and group situations” observes Lesley. “The ability to be able to tailor sessions to the individual’s needs is crucial as some people prefer a oneto-one consultation whilst some prefer being part of a weight loss group”.

The course is YMCAfit’s first at Level 4 and students who complete the course will receive a CYQ Level 4 Certificate in Weight Management for Individuals with Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus and/or Metabolic Syndrome entry to REPs as a Level 4 instructor and 20 REPs points to boot.

Visit www.ymcafit.org.uk to find out more about the course.

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a body mass index of 41.8kg/m2 it is beyond dispute that the physical and mental health of this youngster is seriously compromised.

The twenty stone father of the child blamed genetics for the size of both him and his son, stating: “There’s nothing we can do about it. I only eat occasional kebabs. Our son’s favourite snack is steamed broccoli – and he’s still big.”

The child abuse discussion aside, it is now more important than ever that the right information is available for all regarding the causes and approaches to dealing with obesity. The myths, prejudices and dysfunctional beliefs surrounding obesity need to be robustly ousted.

It is time for society to have a full debate about the obesity epidemic and determine what to do about the powerful social, behavioural and environmental contributors underpinning this global occurrence. The solutions to this

“THE HEALTHY CHOICE SHOULD BE THE EASY CHOICE; OR THE LEAST COSTLY”

OBESITY

MIND THE GAP O

besity is an educational failure, not a medical failure. Education that is, in the widest sense, including school curricula, the media, societal signals to parents, general misinformation surrounding weight management and a total apparent lack of understanding at governmental level obstructing the development of a cohesive national approach. This then, is the education and skills obesity gap.

Recently The Sun newspaper (6th June 2014) reported on its front page a story about a mother and father that were arrested (on suspicion of cruelty and neglect) in relation to the weight of their 11-year-old son. At fifteen stone and with

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seemingly intractable problem are surely there if we care to look closely enough. Perhaps what is not there, is the political will to take the unpopular decisions to shape our environment, so that the healthy choice becomes the easy choice; or the least costly. What to do about parents damaging their children by continual overfeeding, is perhaps a further discussion that ought to be had.

Most personal trainers instinctively understand that it is primarily lifestyle factors that cause obesity but that is not to say that exercise is not important in a long-term weight management programme; it is essential. The health benefits of regular moderate intensity exercise are now incontrovertible.

Exercise provides immense protection from the wave of chronic lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and mental health problems.

However the positive effect of exercise on a weight control programme is not necessarily calorific (although clearly there is a small contribution). The major driver in this case is the improved mental health and self-esteem that increased physical activity provides. This leads to greater self-efficacy and conscious control over other lifestyle (feeding) choices.

The greater confidence, social interaction and normalisation of regular exercise provides a solid platform for long term lifestyle change.

Discovery Learning aim to close the skills gap on obesity and to this end offer accredited courses for personal trainers including sports nutrition, clinical nutrition level 3 weight management and level 4 obesity and diabetes management. www.discovery.uk.com

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO TO CLIMB THE PERSONAL TRAINING CAREER LADDER? Ben Jackson, Operations Director at Focus Training, one of the UK’s leading providers of training for fitness industry professionals, talks about what you need to be a top performing personal trainer.

I

n our expanding industry, it’s not difficult to work out why experts predict further growth in the employment of fitness professionals over the next few years.

Spurred on by health statistics and regular news about the dangers of leading a sedentary lifestyle, the UK population is getting into shape. Not only have we seen a surge in gym memberships but millions are using personal trainers to help them in their quest for fitness.

So the demand is there and increasing but what can you do, as a personal trainer, to make sure you stand out from the crowd and make your career a resounding success?

EDUCATION It’s true, anyone can claim to be a personal trainer, but without REPs accreditation and Ofqual qualifications, anyone doing so could seriously damage someone else’s health.

Often holding a degree in exercise physiology, physical education, health and wellness, sports medicine, or anatomy verifies that the trainer possesses an in-depth knowledge about both exercise and the mechanics of the body.

CERTIFICATION Many if not, most, personal trainers claim to be professionally certified. Sadly it’s not always the case. In today’s society, potential clients are not afraid to do their homework to ensure that their prospective personal trainer is professionally qualified to work with them. They’ll ask about the types of requirements you had to fulfil in order to become certified.

in knowledge – claiming to have nutritional expertise when in fact, a trainer has neither the experience or the training to support such a claim might prove to be dangerous to the client. Indeed the mark of excellence is understanding limitations and directing the client to an appropriate source who does possess the expertise.

GREAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS A quality personal trainer should be able to clearly communicate the exercise process. There should also be a mutual communication process between client and trainer, and goals should be revisited on a periodic basis. The goals of the client, provided that they are realistic, should be paramount.

EXPERT MOTIVATORS Truly effective motivators use positive reinforcement, from focusing the client on their ideal image, injections of humour, challenges or other methods tailored to the psyche of the particular client. They encourage you to perform better than you believe that you can, and they share your delight when you do.

MEDICAL CONNECTIONS A quality personal trainer often has ties to the medical community and should refer the client to the proper medical professional when a matter is outside their expertise.

Personal trainers who ignore this point can seriously injure a client.

EXPERIENCE Lack of experience is always a problem for emerging PTs. So be honest, have the ability to admit when there are gaps

Ben Jackson is Operations Director at Focus Training. Talk to the team at Focus Training about maximising your fitness career with a number of further training options!

Visit www.focus-training.com or call 01204 388330.

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TRY SOMETHING NEW THIS MONTH …

ZORBING FOOTBALL W

ith World Cup Fever taking the nation by storm, how about trying something fun, zany and great for fitness. It’s not quite football but it’s certainly something everyone an enjoy. Why not take a look at trying zorbing football?

You can try this crazy activity at Zorbinghire UK. Zorbinghire UK set up organise and referee, all our zorb football matches at a selection of venues in Essex and London.

Zorb football is the lastest craze to hit the UK. It is so popular because it’s football with absolutely NO RULES! Anything goes, you bash, smash, knock and muscle your opponents off the ball. Safe in the knowledge that you are 100% safe and protected from harm in your suits. This is also great as it is for everyone boys girls kids and grandads!

So what are you waiting for? Get involved today. It’s great fun, great for fitness, and a great way to get together with your friends. zorbinghire.com

Live For Today Adventures similarly offer their version of “Bubble Football” in Leeds, which is is the most bizarre and random activity ever!!! Changing the beautiful game into an energetic, physical and damn right hilarious battle of bubbles.

These body Zorbs will protect you from waist upwards and allow you to be equal to any other man, big or small…..your Cristiano Ronaldo football skills won’t help you out in this game!!! www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pIEp8zQKyI The Zorb Zone also offer this activity. They are Alternative Sports specialists offering Skiking, Aeroball and, of course, Zorbing! Try a Bodyzorb Football match – or go really alternative and prove that football can be played on water with a Waterzorb pool tournament!!! www.thezorbzone.co.uk

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10 minute interview with

N R E V E S N Y R R A T ver Challenge

y Makeo winner of USN ’s 12 Week Bod WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO ENTER THE USN CHALLENGE? The best way to explain why I decided to embark on the 12 week USN Body Makeover Challenge would be to describe what 2012 was like for me. By the end of that year I had lost my best friend - Ilona, who I considered flesh and blood, to Bowel Cancer.

From that summer onwards I watched Ilona’s health dramatically deteriorate and by December she peacefully passed away in her home town of Mildura, Australia. On top of this, I was also dealing with my own health problems and after my constant badgering to any specialist who would listen to me, I finally had explorative surgery which in turn led me to being diagnosed with severe Endometriosis. I had the majority of the cells lasered out, but due to this my recovery was slow. I was bed ridden for two full weeks and it took me a good 6 weeks to recover.

I even ended up back in hospital as I was having ongoing abdomen pains. Ilona passed away as I was recovering and therefore I wasn’t able to fly back home for her funeral. My boyfriend Dom had already mentioned that he was planning on doing the challenge at the beginning of 2013 and so I decided to enter it with him. I desperately needed something to focus on as I was in a very bad place mentally and physically and knew that Dom would support me if we did it together.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT DID YOU LOSE FOR THE CHALLENGE? I started at 68kg and went down to 59.4kg. I lost 10.4% body fat, 11cm from my waist, 9.7cm from my hips and 9.3cm from my chest!

HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO SHIFT THE POUNDS? I shifted the weight by overhauling my whole

lifestyle. I ate a healthy varied diet of vegetables, meat, good fats and complex carbohydrates (5-6 small healthy meals a day) and exercised with weights training, high Intensity interval training and cardio.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU FOUND SINCE LOSING THE WEIGHT? The way I view and eat food. Before I was worried that if I ate too much I would put on weight so in-between my food binges I would live on carrot sticks. Now I eat every 2.5 - 3 hours. I never thought it would last, but to this day I still prep for the entire week on a Sunday and cook all my meals.

HOW ARE YOU STAYING MOTIVATED NOW? The final was over a year and a half ago, so there have been plenty of things that have kept me motivated since then. I think the fact that I had such a transformation made me want to continue with it and not just go back to the way I was. I felt good in myself, my skin cleared up, my nails looked healthier and I had energy that I hadn’t had before – why would you want to give that all up for a bit of food and alcohol?! Also, for me personally, I need goals as I do find that they keep me in check since I am quite competitive.

> Tarryn is a 25 year old Aussie from Sydney.

After quitting her job and saying good bye to her friends and family, she went travelling on her own and ended up moving to London.

5 years on, and she is still trying to come to terms with saying flip flops rather than thongs!

She has hopes of becoming a personal trainer and will get her qualifications once she moves back to Sydney.

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Fitness Match is an App that helps you find a personal trainer who has the outlook and expertise that meet your specific needs.

WITH FITNESS MATCH, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSONAL TRAINER WHO WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS. IF YOU’RE A PERSONAL TRAINER, FITNESS MATCH PROVIDES YOU WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET YOURSELF TO CLIENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE JUST LIKE YOU – SOMEONE WHO HAS THE KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. LET US KNOW ABOUT YOUR EXPERTISE AND WHAT DRIVES YOU TO HELP OTHERS. IF POTENTIAL CLIENTS LIKE WHAT THEY SEE, THEY’LL FILL OUT A CONTACT FORM AND THE MESSAGE WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

Personal Trainers – Why create a profile on Fitness Match?

Fitness Match is FREE to download and there is no charge at all for having a profile on our App. Promote yourself to a wide audience of fitness enthusiasts looking for personal trainers.

A better working relationship or a better “match” between you and your client. Users of Fitness Match are able to select and contact personal trainers based on various criteria such as knowledge and expertise, along with passion, outlook and attitude. Clients can therefore choose an ideal personal trainer who meets their specific needs, resulting in further benefits: • • • •

Greater chance of success with clients Repeat business Enhanced reputation The opportunity to distinguish yourself, demonstrate your uniqueness and inspire others.

• Quick and easy sign up at www.fitness-match.co.uk/sign-up

www.fitness-match.co.uk/sign-up