How to make Exercise a Habit

Firstly what is a habit?

Habit definition

Habits are routine attitude done on a regular basis. They are recurrent and often foolish patterns of behavior and are acquired through frequent repetition. Many of these are unconscious as we don’t even realize we are doing them.

So there are some tips that can make it easier to stick with an exercise habit and to help you to look forward to doing exercise each week.

Be germane and Set a time for your workouts

consistency is critical if you want to make a habit stick. Going just one or two times a week will make it harder to form the habit. Each week decide whether you’re going to exercise in the morning, lunchtime or evening, and stick with that time and do not to vary from that time. If you don’t set a time, you’re more likely to put it off.

Mix it up

multicolor is the key. That way, you won't get bored, and you'll enjoy exercising more, so you're more likely to stick with it.

Make exercise a priority.

"It has to be a non-negotiable"

Reward yourself

Making and sticking to behavior changes is hard and rewards tendentious you to stick at your exercise routine. So infer on a goal and a reward and work towards that.

Invest in some new workout gear

If you have something that looks good and you feel good supremely, you will want to put it on and exercise. Go and get some new bright leggings or shoes!

Log your activity/ workouts

It could be how much time you exercise each day, how many steps you walked, how far you ran or cycled, what you weighed, etc. It might be a good idea to invest in a fitness tracker.

Layout your training clothes before you go to bed.

If you are planning to exercise first thing in the morning, lay out all your workout kit before you go to bed, that way you can wake up and get avowedly out the door to start your workout.

Find something you enjoy.

If exercise is fun, you’ll look forward to doing it. To find an activity that you enjoy doing and go and do it!         

Workout partners and make exercise a social thing.

Find someone to hold you liable, arrange with a friend to go for a swim or a run instead of a drink after work. Exercising alone can sometimes be lonely, so having a workout partner can help cheer and motivate you plus it will make exercising more enjoyable.

More Than Just Bone Health

The Many Reasons Why Your Body Needs Vitamin D
Vitamin D might just be the most popular nutrient to ever exist; products that contain high amounts of this vitamin, such as milk and breakfast cereals, proudly boast this fact on their packaging. This immense popularity is well deserved, as vitamin D is essential to ensuring prolonged bone health. In fact, the reason your favorite brand of milk contains vitamin D is to protect your bones. Starting in the 1930s, the US government began fortifying milk with vitamin D to combat rickets, a then widespread condition that causes bones to become soft and weak.

Despite its sterling reputation, many Americans fail to get enough vitamin D on regular basis; the National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 36 percent of Americans fall into this category, though a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine put this figure at a much higher 77 percent. Regardless of the actual number, it is safe to say that the diets of many Americans are sorely lacking in Vitamin D.

The problem of vitamin D deficiency is magnified when all of the benefits of this nutrient are taken into consideration. While it’s common knowledge that vitamin D helps build strong and resilient bones, research has linked vitamin D consumption with reduced risks of depression, muscle pain, and even cancer. Below are some of the lesser-known benefits of the wildly popular vitamin.

Depression – Neglecting vitamin D might be the reason for your downbeat attitude. A team of researchers from the University of Texas recently concluded a massive study on depression and vitamin D, observing 12,500 participants over a four-year span. The researchers found that subjects with exceedingly low levels of vitamin D were most at risk to suffer from depression. These findings were echoed by another study conducted by an American-based doctor, who found that her patients’ depression symptoms improved dramatically after taking significant amounts of Vitamin D supplements.

Dementia – A study released in 2010 suggested a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and dementia. This particular study examined 858 adults over the age of 65 and found that subjects with the lowest levels of vitamin D were also the most likely to suffer from dementia symptoms. Specifically, elderly subjects deficient in vitamin D were 60% more likely to experience a general decline in cognitive abilities, and 31% more likely to have problems organizing their daily activities.

Muscle and Bone Pain – Do you frequently deal with pain in both your muscles and bones? The blame for this persistent problem might lie with your diet. A 2003 study sought to explain why 150 children and adults suffered from chronic bone and muscle pain. The one common factor in all 150 subjects? A noticeable deficiency in vitamin D.

Six years later, a report issued by the prestigious Mayo Clinic reinforced this theory, noting that patients afflicted with chronic pain had worse symptoms if their diets lacked vitamin D. According to Mayo Clinic doctors, subjects low in vitamin D required twice the amount of pain medication as other patients.

For those suffering from joint pain, a vitamin D supplement might prove especially useful. One such supplement with an impressive track record of success is Arthri-D3®, which contains 1000 IU (individual units) per serving.

Being Overweight and Obese – Extra body weight is typically associated with a junk food-heavy diet. While this notion is usually true, new evidence indicates that low levels of vitamin D can also lead to a bigger waistline. A researcher from the University of Michigan found that people lacking in vitamin D were particularly susceptible to rapid gains in weight. Likewise, a study authored by the University of Minnesota reported that increasing vitamin D consumption could assist with weight loss. Of course, vitamin D alone won’t shed those excess pounds, so people who are overweight or obese should still exercise regularly and eat healthier.

Top 10 reasons to join a fitness club

Everyone knows we should be keeping fit and healthy but many of us put off exercise and find excuses about why we are too busy or can’t afford to keep fit. For some, a health club membership is an additional expense they would rather do without. Here are 10 reasons why you should invest in that membership, and why you can’t really afford not to.

1. You’ll look better

Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, which is a big motivation for getting a gym membership, regular exercise will still tone muscles and give your body definition. Think you have a great body even without the gym? Your skin can still benefit from the increased circulation involved in vigorous exercise.

2. You’ll feel better

This is surely a big factor to sway you towards a gym membership. The fitter you are, the better you’ll feel. Your body will be strong to cope with stresses and strains, your heart will be in better condition and you won’t get out of breath in your day to day life. Not only that but exercise has been shown to help people sleep better, which will help you feel refreshed and ready to take on what your day throws at you.

3. Improved stamina

As you exercise more, your heart gets used to pumping blood faster and for longer periods, and it won’t feel as much effort over time. Your newly toned muscles will also be able to achieve greater weight resistance.

4. Better immune system

Fitness will improve your general overall health and you can fight against colds and other germs when they arise.

5. Lose weight

This can come under look better, but it is a vital element drawing people to gyms around the world. A regular to the gym will be burning more calories than they consume which results in weight loss.

6. Lower blood pressure

Exercise can help to lower your blood pressure, which decreases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks.

7. More energy

Your fitness level, endurance, and stamina will all be improved by regular exercise, so you can go about your day with less tiredness and more energy.

8. Increased bone strength

To strengthen bones and cartilage weight-bearing is essential at the gym.

9. Expert help

Motivation to achieve your weight loss/fitness goals will come in the form of fitness experts at the gym, who can guide you inset out a plan, and show you how to use machines. You may also meet likeminded people at the gym, who will provide moral support and make achieving goals a team effort.

10. Classes

Many health clubs offer classes, and

this is a great way to meet people if you’re new to the gym. Classes will provide motivation and help you to enjoy exercise, as you pick the classes which suit you, and are

tailored to your goals. Finding a class you look forward to is a great way to ensure steady weight loss and improved fitness.

Being a Personal Training in Clapham

It's my 5th year in Clapham running my own business as a Personal Trainer, and I've loved every day. Working for yourself has many pros and cons but its something that I heighten on and I couldn't think of anything else that I would rather do. 

I absolutely love being a personal trainer, and I wouldn't change one thing. 

I train clients rain and shine, summer and winter, morning and night, every session is unique and personalized to my client and I look forward to every session. 

I’ve trained so many people over the years and everyone has a story to tell (some juicier than others) and it’s been amazing I love hearing everyone's stories! However, getting up at 5am is never easy and anyone who tells you “you get used to it” is lying!! 

However, when the session starts at 6am you’ve already forgotten about the slander(coffee certainly helps!) and when I start training my client, it becomes all clear how much I really love my job so getting to at 5pm makes it all worthwhile.

Being a personal trainer has definitely made my life more colorful as I witness clients: change shape, get married, fall pregnant, change careers, overcome injury or fears, reach milestones, get a divorce, re-marry, move house the list goes on... I really connect to my clients and make strong and lasting relationships, I see them more like friends than clients. 

So I just wanted to say a big thanks to all my clients, past present and future, you are the reason why I love my job.

Thank you all, I am excited for the next 5 years as a personal trainer in Clapham!!

Training Clapham Common

There’s no doubt that exercising outdoors can benefit your mind, your body, and your health. This post will cover all the benefits and tips for training outdoors in the Summer and Winter months, and will hopefully give anyone who has any negative thoughts a more positive outlook on training outdoors, whatever the weather.

Training outdoors in the middle of the Summer season can be delightful, but training in the depths of winter is too cold and dangerous!? Feeble excuses range from ‘it’s too dark and wet’ to “you could end up freezing in the cold’. Next up will be ‘melting in the rain”! Just NO, please stop! Training outdoors during the Summer and Winter seasons can be fun and exciting, although each of them comes with different benefits and challenges. By taking the right approach and the necessary precautions with your training, you can workout effectively and efficiently whatever the season!
Benefits of training outdoors during Summer.

The science behind training outdoors in the summer is that training at a high temperature burns more Calories and Fat. Why? The reason for this is that in the heat, the body is working harder than usual to cool down - when training in warm weather, we sweat a lot more than usual. Sweat comes from blood being transported to your skin – the more you sweat, the more blood being pumped around your body and the harder your heart has to work, which results in more calories being burned.

The nice warm weather gives you the freedom to exercise in different ways and be more adventurous with your workouts. One place that will keep your training interesting is on the beach. Try a PT workout on the beach, and finish it off with a cool dip in the sea. The temperature is often plus 30 degrees on our french retreats, even first thing in the morning.

Increased Vitamin D is also a big advantage of exercising outdoors in the Summer months when the sun is shining. Vitamin D has been proven to contribute to the prevention of illnesses such as Cancer, Depression, and Strokes. Many people have a Vitamin D deficiency, so it is a cheap and effective way to increase your Vitamin D intake.

Training in the sun in warmer weather has been proven to improve a person’s mood, which will make training a lot more enjoyable, or for some, bearable!
Finally, you can get a Tan!

Revolution Personal Training

Benefits of training outdoors during the Winter
Similar to training in the heat during the summer, training in the cold during the winter can lead to more calories being inflamed. In this case, the science shows more calories are being burned as a result of the body working harder to produce sufficient heat to regulate your core temperature in order to keep the body and muscles warm. While you won’t burn as many calories as you would in the burning heat of the Summer, you would burn more than working out indoors.

Increased Vitamin D, once again. You can never have enough Vitamin D, right!? Although it may be cold and frosty, during the Winter season there tends to be a good amount of sunlight. Working out during the daytime and getting some extra exposure to the sun will not only make the training that bit more enjoyable but will also give you the extra health benefits.
Often people complain about their breathing while exercising in cold weather, saying it is sore on their lungs or throat. Studies have shown that this cold effect on your lungs will actually help to train them to transport oxygen more efficiently and effectively which can result in better performance – put in the ‘hard yards’ over the Winter and come the Summer season you will cut the benefits.

You get a bigger sense of accomplishment compared to training in warm, sunny weather. Those long winter nights sitting in cozied up by the fire are great, but wouldn’t it feel even more rewarding after being out in the cold and frosty air working out improving your health and body? Training outdoors in the winter gives you a psychological edge.

Training in the winter, swift fitness boot camp in London
Tips for working out in the Summer/Winter
Before training, the most important thing is to always warm up and get the blood flowing to your muscles to prevent any chance of sustaining an injury, particularly in the Winter.
When working out during the summer and the temperature is high, wear lightweight clothing that won’t weigh you down and lead to your body overheating. A pair of lightweight runners that allow your feet to breathe can also be very beneficial when running.

It is important to hydrate adequately before exercising outdoors, a pint of water half an hour before exercise would fill the bill. During summer adding ice, or in part freezing your drinks of choice can be a refreshing treat during breaks while training in the heat!

Personal Training For Kids

Personal Trainer

6 months ago I started training a 16-year-old client and few clients of mine had this reaction: 16-year-old and he needs a personal trainer? some people are comfortable financially more than others. should you get your kid a personal trainer?” My answer? Why not? Kids and teens can have fitness and health goals just like the rest of us and, with so many of them fighting weight battles and just like the rest of us personal training has become just one more option for helping kids get fit and to provide a fitter and healthiest future, I am sure you are thinking now if this was you! would you be here? the answer is probably yes with the difference that you would be here now as a result of having a weak body and with the weak body comes illness unlike starting to look after your health or your kid's health at a young age. The benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability.

Need more believing to exercise? 

Exercise can help maintain weight loss or prevent excess weight gain. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. With exercise

proven to war health conditions and diseases, if you are worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. 

This 1 2 hours workout a week keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, falls, more strength, Protection from injuries, Better health, and Higher self-esteem and confidence.

When it comes to taking care of your health and your child’s health, fitness, and quality of life there is the number of things you can do to support them but Personal Training is just one more option you have for managing weight problems and teaching your child how to live a healthy life.

Author: Imad Zeidan

5 Reasons why you should go on a Fitness Retreat

If you’re into health and fitness (who isn’t...?!), we think everyone should go on a health & fitness retreat at least once. We’ve just come back from our trip to Clapham Common

London and the trip were amazing.

We’ve come up with our 5 best reasons why your next holiday should be a fitness retreat.

Check them out... 

1. It’s all about you! Take some time, and focus on you. Not just for an hour after work either. We’re talking at least 3 days of pure you time. Turn off your phone, don’t check facebook, and tune into your body. Being on a Fitness retreats gives you the time to think about your goals, what’s important to you, and clears your head for what you need to do when you get back home. We spend so much of our lives doing things for other people, it’s good be selfish sometimes.

2.  Domino effect - We talk about momentum a lot in the fitness industry, both good and bad. The more you do of something takes you further down that particular path. Give yourself a chance to build some positive momentum, get used to eating well and pushing your body physically. These positive decisions have a knock on effect that can lead to a huge shift in your thinking and finally results.

3. Try something new - Mix things up and experience something that you’ve never done before. On our trips to London, our activities range from river crossing (via a zip-wire), to rock climbing and lots more in between. The buzz you get from achieving something new is marvelous. We often find our clients taking up rock marvelous when they get back home as a new part of their fitness programme. multicolor is key as you know, so mix it up and try something new!

4. See the sights - You can see some amazing places on your fitness retreat. Beautiful beaches, stunning mountain ranges & peaceful lakes are all perfect backdrops to any workout or recovery session. Many retreat holidays give you plenty of free time to enjoy the local area, so you get to do a bit of sight seeing whilst getting in shape.

5. The Ultimate Kick start - There’s no doubt about it, fitness retreats are one of the best ways to kick start a fitness plan. It’s all about being around like decisive people, having time to ask questions to your trainers, and generally soaking up the positive vibes. Being solely focused on your health for a few days can open up new ideas and ways of thinking that can stay with you for months after. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, if you have certain issues or problems, no doubt either your PT will have come across it, or a fellow client will have. Use your fitness holiday as the ultimate kick start for when you get home. 

For more information on our retreats in the Clapham Common

London, find out more right here.