Is your NYR really just an ADS?

I've talked a bit before about why I generally find the whole "New Year, New You" thing bloody annoying. In case you missed it, in a nutshell it's because most people make the same "Resolutions" year after year, and have given up by Paddys day if not much sooner.  

Not so much of a New Years Resolution then, as an Annual Delusional Statement. It might sound harsh, but it's probably true. So, how can you tell if you're delusional in terms of your health, fitness and/or weightloss goals for this year? You start by asking yourself the following questions:

What's your goal?

Why are you doing this?

What does your plan look like? 

What are you gonna focus on first?

What are you missing?

What are you doing but shouldn't be?

What aren't you doing but should be?

If you haven't answered those questions, then your resolution is more of a delusion, at the moment.  The good news is that going through this process every few weeks will help you to focus on what's important to you so that you get better results, faster. 

If you'd like my help to make sure this year you really do achieve your goals, get in touch and we'll see what your next steps should be. 

Malachy.

Why your New Years Resolutions fail again and again.

You'll hear lots of talk over the next few days about 'New Years Resolutions', and to my mind, it seems that the people making such a big beal about setting NYR's seem to be the same people who are making the same resolution year after year... 

"This year, I'm going to lose weight & get fit" 

This will usually last for a couple of weeks before 'New Year, New You' has become Same Shit, Different day.

The reason for this is often because there's no plan on HOW to achieve it, or even thought behind WHY it is important. 

When making the decision to take action on your health & fitness, it can be helpful to approach it like you were planning a holiday.

For example, this coming July, i'll be going to Dubrovnik, Croatia. I can take a flight, go by bus & rail across europe, or drive. Each way of getting there has its own pro's and con's. (in terms of speed, cost, simplicity, comfort, safety, enjoyability [other?] ) .

If you want to lose weight, put a number or clothing size on it and thats your destination. You can achieve that weightloss through dieting, joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer or health and fitness consultant, taking up a sport, taking dangerous "diet pills", having painful and expensive surgery etc., each of which comes with its own set of pros and cons. 

Along the journey there will be setbacks, moments where your willpower fails you,  you just say "f*ck it!" and roll over in bed listening to the rain beating against the window instead of going to the gym, or where you cave in and have the delicious cake that someone brought into work. I like to think of these things as being like getting a puncture on the way to the airport; it's unfortunate, and it's certainly going to slow you down a bit, but it's not the end of the world, because you started out in plenty of time, so you change it and get on with the journey.

What absolutely mystifies me is that when it comes to new years resolutions, it seems like most people would rather slash the other 4 tyres, set fire to the car and roll in the gutter feeling sorry for themselves instead of just changing the f*cking tyre! If you don't know how to change the tyre, call someone who can help you change it. Someone like me, for example, can help you plan your journey, and teach you how to deal with a puncture in a way that doesn't involve setting fire to the car.

Taste the green this St Patricks weekend

Why not celebrate St. Patricks day by consuming something nice and healthy, instead of green Guinness!!!

Okay, back to normal colour text, the green gives me a headache ;-)

 To make this a little easier for you, here are a couple of green recipes for you to try, one soup and one smoothie. Enjoy.

Green soup with Broccoli, Spinach and Ginger.

This easy soup can be thin or thick, depending upon the amount of water you add. Best of all, it cooks quickly.

 Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 inch of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cups fresh broccoli, cut up

Whats your BFG factor?

No, i don't mean big friendly giant,  I mean Big F**king Grin.

Someone trying to lose weight does so for lots of reasons.

• The doctor said i need to lose weight
• I saw a photo of myself  :(
• I'm too out of breath to play with the kids
• My favourite clothes don't fit anymore

There are many more but one thing remains pretty constant. The need to lose weight. It's not something we ever want to do, it's something we need. An obligation, not a desire. What we desire is the end result. And there are going to be setbacks, because losing weight is not an event. It is a process, with distinct stages, and it takes time, if you're serious about keeping excess weight off long term. 

I'll go into more detail about those stages another time. Back to the BFG..

On those days where it feels like your get up n go got up n went, but left you behind, it pays to think back -  or perhaps think forward. Think about what it is about being 'x' much slimmer that puts a BFG on your face.

• Is is being healthier, and seeing less of your doctor?
• Is it seeing yourself in photos and thinking "Damn, I look good!"
• Is it being able to play with your kids till they're out of breath too
• Is it getting into that little black dress for the staff 'do' and seeing that bitch from work turn green?

Whatever it is that gives you a BFG,  find it and hold onto it. That's your BFG factor. That's what'll get you through the hard times. It's what gets you back on track after a setback. Now, whats Your BFG factor?

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F.A.Q. Frequently Asked Questions

With so many sources of information out there, many trying to sell you something, it can be difficult to determine what's genuine and what's triumph of marketing over facts.

 In this section, I'll be addressing some of the most common questions I've been asked over my years in health and fitness. If there is something you'd like to see covered, please let me know in the comments & if I'm unsure, I'll check the scientific literature and figure out the facts on it. These questions are not in any particular order.

1. I've heard that diet pill 'x' can make fat disappear, is this true?

This is a question i hear again and again, & while the name sometimes changes, the answer rarely does. As a general rule, the answer is No.  Sometimes, the answer is yes but with a cost to the users health. Some have been shown to be slightly effective, but in the process cause the same amount of liver damage as 30 years of severe alcohol abuse. Heroin or amphetamines will help you lose weight, but that doesn't make taking them a good bloody idea. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be aware that the whole area of supplements is completely unregulated, and weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry.

2. I want to bulk up, do i need to take a protein/creatine shake?

The answer depends mainly on 3 factors; training, lifestyle and nutrition. No amount of protein shakes will help you gain muscle mass without following a well designed, long term training plan. It takes about 2,700 calories for the body to create 0.5Kg of muscle, and thats on top of the regular nutritional requirements. It can be difficult (but not impossible) to eat often and regularly enough to obtain this amount of nutrients and energy from food, depending on the daily grind. It takes considerable planning and preparation to be able to achieve significant muscle gain without resorting to some form of sports supplement, but it is possible.

3. Should I be drinking a sports drink to give me energy for my training?

This depends on what your goal is. If you're trying to lose weight, then I would say absolutely not. There is no point in going to the gym and burning 300 calories, if your sports drink contains 450. Drink water instead. If you're training for a marathon or triathlon, by all means grab a sports drink,  or better yet, make your own.

4. I'm trying to lose weight, should I spend longer than 30 minutes doing cardio?

That depends on how you're spending that 30 mins. If you're spending that 30 mins at the same pace all the time, thats not the best use of your time, and you're more likely to bored to death after a few weeks than you are to see any major results. On the other hand, if that 30 minutes is broken down into short bursts of high intensity followed by short periods of low intensity, this is a much more effective use of your time, and much faster way to get results.