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Food: The Final Changes

In these last few days my food has changed quite dramatically in an attempt to present the leanest physique I am capable of next week. Before I share my daily food intake I want to stress that this is not a sustainable long term food plan and I want to highlight that I am pushing myself for a specific purpose (to look like a fitness model in a magazine) and I am finding it hard and challenging but very aware that it is not ideal, nor do I want this diet plan to be what my daily food consumption looks like for eternity! In no way am I advocating the last few eating days as a plausible solution to long term weight loss. I have calculated what my body needs based on the amount of energy I use up each day. This takes into consideration my long working hours, the number of sessions I am delivering in a row, the workouts I have planned for that day, what is safe and will keep me focused in my work environment and other daily commitments.

What is different?
-I am eating fewer calories
-I am eating less carbs and the sources I am choosing are low calorie options
-My fat intake is coming from almonds/walnuts and egg yolks
-My protein sources are eggs, white fish (mainly cod) both easy on the digestive system, complete protein sources, and the high protein/no sugar combination I am after these last two weeks as well as protein shakes post training
-I am eating lots of (water dense) salad such as tomatoes, cucumber, iceberg lettuce and celery
-My vegetables are solely spinach and asparagus- both of which are diuretics, low in salt, low in calorie and high in fibre

These food choices are the final stage of making my goal a reality and will result in my body looking like it belongs in a fitness magazine and I will have the satisfaction of knowing I have gotten into the best shape possible. It is in these last two weeks when I am following a restrictive food plan that I naturally expect to see the final tightening up of my physique with all measurements decreasing significantly and I will then be looking forward to reintroducing my favourite food back into my diet.

SUNDAY 22nd APRIL
8am: dbl espresso, 1/3 cup of oats made with water and 2 egg whites
9am: gym session- legs and cardio
10.30am: protein shake and apple
2pm: grilled swordfish and salad,
4.45pm: 2 rice cakes (KALLO brand- no sugar and no salt, 18kcal per cake) with 2 eggs
7.30pm: small cod fillet (Baked in spices) and asparagus
3 green teas and 2 black coffees, 3 litres water

MONDAY 23 APRIL
5.15am: dbl espresso
5.45am: bike hill sprints and ABS (Sipping BCAAs)
7am: apple, 3 rice cakes and 2 hardboiled eggs
10am: Yakult + 10g almonds 12pm: 10g almonds + celery
2.15pm: Baked cod and asparagus with mixed salad (cucumber, celery, plum tomatoes)
4pm: Full body fast weights sessions
5pm: post training shake
7pm: small cod and cucumber and celery stalks

TUESDAY 24TH APRIL
5.15am: dbl espresso
5.45am: 30mins incline walking
7am: 3 rice thins, 2 eggs + raw salad 9am: 20g walnuts
11.45am: baked cod and salad
2pm: Yakult
3pm: 3 egg whites with 2 rice cakes
6.20pm: veg and backed cod
Couple teaspoons of coconut manna to finish off the day when I was struggling, had very low energy all afternoon.

WEDNESDAY 25th APRIL
5.45am: Double espresso
7am: 2 hard boiled eggs, 3 rice thins and 20g walnuts
9am: Yakult
10am: Full Body Fast weight session
11am: post training protein shake
1.15pm: Baked cod and salad, 10g almonds
3pm: 30mins steady cardio and abs
5pm: 3 egg whites, 3 rice thins with cucumber and celery
7pm: 10g almonds

On a positive note, tomorrow (Thursday) is a high carb day where I will be having oats in the morning and sweet potato at lunch time so I felt much better by the end of today knowing that I would have more energy by tomorrow. I just want to reiterate that the food times and choices are personal preferences to my lifestyle and specific to me but I hope it gives you an idea of what calorie reducing and leaning out in the final stages looks like.

By Rebecca Maslin

Consistency is Key

As a personal trainer I am regularly asked what are the best methods and diets when someone wants to lose weight/fat from not only clients but also friends and strangers.  I have exhausted this response in the past with various answers, some slightly premature and other ideas too complex for the audience but from experience and further development, I have attained a better understanding and knowledge of what actually works and the best advice I have received and practised is very simple: consistency is key…

Essentially you find a plan and routine with your food, exercise and various health commitments that work for you and you stick to it.  This can be as dynamic as what time of day you train, how often you exercise with a trainer and by yourself, the days you know you can control your food, the days you are subject to other responsibilities, what time you eat your meals/snacks, counting calories, etc There is no set rule as to what is right and wrong when it comes to managing your diet and whilst as a trainer I can offer what I think are the best options that will bring you closer to your goal, they may not be ideal for your work/life environment. It is not perfection that we are chasing but a better and hopefully healthier lifestyle to the current situation you find yourself in.

If you can maintain a diet plan, naturally inclusive of good quality foods consisting of complex carbs, protein and fats (which is what Revolution advocate and encourage clients to undertake) and know that you can commit to training X number of times per week and you can practise this weekly with few hiccups then this is the best option for you. Expecting to give more than what you are capable of will lead to unrealistic goals and a feeling of hopelessness and negativity when they cannot be met. When faced with a reasonable and doable solution towards dieting and exercising, weight loss and developing a leaner physique will have the chance to become progressively consistent.

On a personal level, this is one of the most important lessons I have learnt from having personal training with Ryan weekly these last two years. It took a while to accept that not every workout would be my best and therefore I put in the effort when I am full of drive (a good quality Ryan can detect from my moods) and go through the motions on low energy busy working days. This is why personal training works; you have a coach who develops a relationship with you and they seek to find your capabilities and make sure you perform to the best of your ability on that specific day (in my humble opinion!) This has taught me that it is consistency and progression in my workouts as well as following a clean and lean food plan (most of the time!) that has seen my physique and shape dramatically change since I started working at Revolution.

You should not feel intimidated by a proposed action plan to lose weight/lean out but rather feel full of excitement and be prepared to embrace the positive changes you can make to improve the quality of your life. If you can practise it, it can become consistent and you will have success in reaching your goal. Find what YOU CAN DO rather than what you cannot and then APPLY IT.

By Rebecca Maslin

Eating Out!

Grilled Swordfish and Salad (no dressing)

Last night I met with a good friend for dinner and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to highlight that you can still participate in social occasions and eating out despite following a diet. The key is to make sure that whilst still enjoying your meal, you limit the damage you can do by making smarter choices.

We had dinner out in Gallipolli on Upper Street, a menu I am already very familiar with and I therefore had a vague idea what I could select that was suitable and fitted in with my goals.  To start I had a few grilled pieces of chicken breast and some salad and for my main I ordered the grilled swordfish (see picture).  This was not a cheat meal- I changed a few things round from what was being offered on the menu, asking for no risotto and no dressing on the salad. It tasted lovely and provided me with a high protein, low carb and low fat meal.

Under normal circumstances, the evening would have been a cheat night and there would have been pre-dinner cocktails, copious amounts of wine, a bread basket and desert but this did not seem appropriate or appealing so close to my goal. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable social evening and I didn’t feel like a leper locked indoors on a diet on a Saturday night. Finding the right balance and having an open mind towards a menu will provide you with the ability to still be outgoing with family and friends and at the same time not resent your food plan.

 Here are a few tips on making better choices when eating out:

1. If possible, research the menu before you go out. Many restaurants now have their menu on their website and this will help affirm your food choice and prevent procrastinating and being rushed into the less desirable option when out.
2.  Do not be afraid to change and be selective with what is being offered. The menu is not set in stone.
3.   If your meal comes with starchy carbohydrates such as chips, bread, pasta, ask for additional salad/vegetables instead of these. Avoid letting them sit at the table as this is when you will pick and one piece turns into a bowl very quickly! Out of sight, out of mind.
4. Opt for the meals that are fundamentally lean protein based such as steak (filet is the better option), chicken breast and fish.
5. Meat that is marinated and then grilled or baked is a better choice then something swimming in sauce or fried in oil.  
6. Ask for balsamic vinegar/olive oil over the offered salad dressing. Every restaurant has it and the dressings are usually high sugar and high in calories.
7.  Skip the bread basket completely if you are serious about your weight loss.
8. If you are eating somewhere and you already know they serve big portion sizes, ask for half their normal size before it comes to the table. This will prevent mindless eating ‘just because it’s there’.
9. A curry is still a curry regardless of how it is served. This is probably the most commonly discussed food options from clients when they are trying to justify eating an Indian/Thai meal socially. Accept that this will be a cheat night and enjoy it. There are too many foods off a diet plan involved in these meals such as white rice, naan breads, noodles,  poppadums’,  chutneys and high sugar, high fat, high calorie sauces so have this is a cheat and stick to your diet fully the rest of the week.
10.  If your meal out is a cheat meal, take pleasure in it and order what you want, making sure you get back on the wagon the next day. 

Two Weeks To Go!

I am now in the final two weeks leading up to my goal on the Saturday 5^th May and although my body is feeling slightly drained, I am still mentally strong and seriously up for it! For those who do not already know I am having a fitness photo shoot by a well-known photographer in the health and fitness industry, a goal I have shied away from in the past but decided to embrace in 2012 and I am feeling motivated, positive and self-fulfilled with all the other advantages that having direction and leading a fit lifestyle can deliver! There is no denying that I have had a personality transplant these last couple months, something those who have known me and see me on a regular basis can verify.

Now, enough of Miss Motivator and back to vital statistics…I am now in the “final push” towards my goal and these last two weeks will be the most demanding yet. My food plans will progress from this Sunday 22^nd April; protein sources will change, my calorie distribution will be tweaked and my food portion reduced. I have been preparing myself mentally for a while and I will be honest now and say I am not going to love it nor necessarily enjoy it.

But I know it is only for two weeks. I know my body is tightening up daily and I can see my definition and lines coming through. The picture above was taken today and my shape has noticeably improved since my first blog two weeks ago. I’m enjoying the feeling of going to bed knowing that I have accomplished something by sticking to my food plan and most importantly, and shallowly from a personal level, I am feeling aesthetically pleasing, fit and healthy, positive and happy with my body changes. This is far more important than the instant gratification of a chocolate treat and will remind me to see through the next two weeks with an iron will and smile!

Tomorrow evening (Saturday) will be my last ‘hearty’ meal with one of my good friends. It will still be sensible but I intend to relish the good food and enjoy their company and go into Sunday on a high. On this note, I have been fortunate enough to have a fantastic support system around me with friends and family who support and encourage my goal and go out of their way to accommodate me. I would like to thank all those people who have had green teas and Tupperware in their social occasions with me these last few weeks and especially the whole Team at Revolution including trainers and clients alike who continue to show an interest and provide words of encouragement. A special mention to the brothers Grim at Revolution, my colleagues and friends- Rob who has tracked all my progress and measurements throughout the process and shared his extensive knowledge with me and especially to John who has coached, encouraged, inspired and motivated me every day from when I first set my goal. His support and experience has been both generous and invaluable. 

By Rebecca Maslin

The Last Three Days: Food & Training Info!

This is my food and training information for the last three days. Tuesday was a higher carb day but the last two days have been higher in fat to compensate for fewer carbs. I still need the additional energy to complete my workouts. From Saturday my food plans will change around again as I hit the last two weeks leading up to the 5^th May. Please feel free to post any questions…

Tuesday 17 April

5.15am: Double espresso

5.45-6.30am: Leg circuit session (sipping BCAA’s)

6.45: Protein shake, 1/3 cup of oats with water and ¼ cup blueberries, 1 apple

10am: 6 walnut halves and Yakult yogurt drink

12pm: ½ sweet potato, ½ chicken breast, 1 egg , green beans and asparagus (small portion)

1-2pm: cardio circuit with Ryan

3pm: ½ sweet potato, ½ chicken breast, 2 egg whites, green beans and asparagus (small portion)

7.30pm: Bowl of cucumber, red Romano pepper, plum tomatoes and celery.

Wednesday 18 April

6am: black coffee, 1 apple and 6 walnut halves, 6 almonds

8.45am: 1/3 cup of oats with water, 1 TBSP flaxseed, 3 egg whites (hard boiled)

12pm: 12 almonds, 1 small egg, 1 banana (in between sessions and pre-training snack)

12.50-1.40pm: Upper Body Weight circuit, emphasis on isolating shoulders to bring out striations

1.45pm: Post training protein shake

3.30pm: 1 chicken breast, 6 pimento olives, mixed salad (celery, cucumber, red pepper & plum tomatoes, 3 artichoke halves) and 2 rice cakes

5-6pm: half hour steady cardio incline treadmill walking and AB workout, 4 exercises, 15 reps, 3 sets

7.10pm: Baked haddock with mixed salad (celery, cucumber, red pepper and plum tomatoes) drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Thursday 19 April

5.15am: double espresso

5.45am: 30mins incline power walking on treadmill, 350kcal (sipping BCAA's)

6.45am: 1 apple, yakult, 6 walnut halves, 6 almonds

8.45am: 1/3 cup oats made with water, 1 TBSP flaxseed & 3 egg whites

12pm: 20g almonds (in between sessions)

1-2pm: Full Body circuits including kettlebells and some arm and abdominal isolation.

2pm: Post training protein shake and apple

3.30pm: 1 chicken breast (baked), 6 pimento olives, mixed salad: cucumber, celery, red pepper and 3 artichole halves. I also had a couple mouthfuls of salt popcorn. Personally I find it helps kill a sweet craving when I’m scratching the walls and is low in calories and low sugar.

7pm: 1 hard boiled egg and mixed salad (same as above)

These last few days my work day has been quite busy, hence some of the sporadic food choices throughout the day. I plan my meals/snacks based on my sessions and when I have a break as well as what will give me the energy during training and the appropriate nutrition for recovery post exercise. I also drink 3 litres of water daily and my hot drink of choice is a black coffee first thing and green tea for the rest of the day.

Food Prep!

After a few nonstop days at the gym: many sessions in a row, fitting in workouts and generally keeping the boys in check, I was reflecting about how preparing my food in advance and planning WHAT I am going to eat and WHEN has made sticking to my goals so much easier. "Food prep" and taking control of all my meals on a daily basis has contributed greatly to determining the successful outcome of my goal. Weight loss becomes far more achievable when you personally take the initiative and responsibility over your food. If I’m honest, it can be slightly time consuming and I do feel like an idiot when I am hitting strangers on the bus first thing on a morning with my cooler bag full of my food for the next 14 hours, but the rewards far outweigh the aforementioned negatives which is only my ego talking!

The Advantages of Preparing your Own Food:

-You control the portion sizes

-You know exactly what has gone into the food- no nasty surprises such as poached eggs arriving to the table swimming in hollandaise sauce, a healthy breakfast with good intentions can turn very calorific and sugary when you do not know what is on the menu or the details of how it is served.

-You can stick to your diet plan with no excuses

-You are not leaving your meals to chance

-You enjoy your food more when you know you have put time and consideration into its preparation

-You can be selective with the food quality if it is something you are concerned about, i.e organic, free range meat and eggs and fresh salad leaves. There is nothing more disappointing than soggy three day old salad when you are paying to eat out!

-It is more cost effective than buying out everyday

I am perfecting preparing my food for the week as an art form and it does not have to be an all time consuming event every evening of the week. You do however have to make it a priority and have a vague idea of what your work week looks like: Are you in meetings? Do you have work lunches/dinners? Can you take a snack at your desk/workplace? Knowing your daily routine and planning for it, takes the guesswork out of your meals.

Here are a few tips on efficient food prep:

-Make enough food in your evening meal to take to work with you the next day

-On a Sunday evening, hard boil 6 eggs and keep in the fridge eating two a day as a snack/meal over the next three days.

-Bake chicken and sweet potato in batches. They will hold in the fridge for up to three days in a Tupperware container and still taste great.

-Buy a bag of apples on a Monday and keep it with you at work, having one each morning as a snack.

-Soak porridge oats overnight in water. They cook much faster once they have had a chance to absorb liquid which is perfect for anyone rushing in the morning.

-Keep your kitchen cupboards and fridge organised so you become familiar with where your food is located.

Once preparing your food becomes part of your routine and you discipline yourself to make the effort to prioritise it, it becomes much easier to find the time to ensure it is done. This is one of the key lessons I have learnt since working at Revolution and something I would encourage anyone with an interest in achieving a slimmer and leaner physique to pursue. YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOUR NEXT MEAL IS!

Later this week I will be writing about eating out and smart food choices when socialising for those (myself included)who enjoy meals out with friends but are working towards a goal.

The Top Ten Foods For Weight Loss

After spending 6 minutes and 42 seconds talking about and recording my food shop, I have since experienced some technical difficulty (mainly I didn’t talk loud enough!) and unfortunately cannot put up a video blog today and will have to try again next week. Instead, I will recommend the top ten foods that I think are staples in any shopping basket, but especially if fat loss and developing a leaner physique is your goal.

PORRIDGE OATS: a perfect start to the day as it’s a high fibre (provides the feeling of satiety, fuller for longer) complex carbohydrate that slowly releases energy throughout the morning. It has very little sugar so you will not get that mid-morning slump that many breakfast cereals guarantee as well as being a great energy source for fuel for exercise.

SWEET POTATO: they taste delicious and their natural sugars are slowly released into the blood stream making it a superior choice carbohydrate throughout the day providing a regular and balanced source of energy. It is the sudden insulin spike from high sugar ‘white’ foods such as bread and pasta that lead to weight gain.

CHICKEN BREASTS: they are high protein (approx. 25g of protein in a medium breast- palm size) but also incredibly lean and low in fat. If you are serious about seeing some abdominal definition you want to opt for the leanest cuts of meat such as chicken and turkey rather than lamb/pork.

EGGS: they are a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids as well as good fats and vitamin D found in the yolk. They are incredibly versatile in the kitchen and easy on the digestive system.

WHITE FISH: Like eggs, the body can process flakey white fish such as cod and haddock very easily. They are low in fat and sugar and high in protein making them an ideal food choice at the end of the day.

COLD WATER FISH: these include salmon, mackerel and sardines. Salmon especially is a great source of Omega 3 (an essential fatty acid that the body can only get through ingestion) as well as being high in protein. Fats serve important functions in the body including cell formation, brain structure and function as well as being great for skin and hair care.

NUTS: another great fat source but they are also very nutrient dense. Almonds especially have the most nutrients over any other nut and walnuts are the best source of Essential Fatty Acids

APPLES: they are high in fibre and satisfy hunger for very few calories so are a great boost in aiding weightless. Apples are both nutrient and vitamin dense, especially in vitamin C, iron and calcium but much evidence shows that they provide many health benefits that can help prevent degenerative diseases.

LEAFY GREENS VEGETABLES: they are the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food (calorie for calorie) providing the nutrients and vitamins that the body needs for optimum function. They are low in carbs but high fibre making them slower to digest and have little impact on blood glucose. Kale, Broccoli, Chard and Spinach, Lettuces are good examples

GREEN TEA: a natural antioxidant and a good source of caffeine which promotes elevated metabolism making fats more mobile and easier to use as a fuel source.

By Rebecca Maslin

The Refeed

By Rebecca Maslin

Today has been my cheat day, or as I am looking at it a chance to refuel and feed up my muscles after my demanding training today (LEGS and PT with Ryan) and also to prepare for the next big workouts coming up over this weekend. I am using the term ‘cheat’ very loosely as I am sure some will see my food plan and wonder what is so special or naughty about today. I will not pretend to be holier than thou and can openly admit to some serious carnage with food in the past on my days off from my normal eating routine: a bottle of wine or three, G&T’S, percy pigs, caramel slices, pizza, takeaways, bags of kettlechips and spending a million pounds on pick ‘n’ mix at the cinema are a few of my indulgences on previous cheat days and at times whole weekends! In these final stages of my preparation however my cheat days are high in complex carbohydrates and calories and serve a more purposeful role than my normal sugar fix!

These last four weeks I am following a food plan that personally works well for me that consists of rotating my carbohydrates so I have higher carb days such as today (when I am training legs) and the last four days have been low consumption days (See Tuesday 10^th April Blog) My fat intake on the low carb days has been higher so my calories do not drop too low. Today, I had the pleasure of really enjoying some good quality carbs in the form of fruit, two servings of baked sweet potato as well as my normal oats. This was a real treat for me and I knew I was ready for the reload for two reasons: The first was that I wanted a hot lunch yesterday (a sign of comfort food for me) and despite looking for something out in Angel, I came back with my tail in my legs to my trusty cooler bag and had my Tupperware chicken and veg! The second sign is that I bought oatcakes and made my way through a couple packs (Not boxes which is surprisingly doable!) This was not part of the plan. My body was craving the most efficient energy source (carbs) and I tried to combat that with what I thought would cause as little damage as possible. What I needed was real food and I am now feeling very satisfied. This is how I am viewing cheat meals over the next few weeks- a necessity- more calories, more good carbs.

The benefits of cheat days/meals:

You re-set your metabolism: Thyroid hormones are activated when we reefed/overload/cheat on our normal clean diet and these in turn elevate our metabolic rate and this produces increased heat generation when the body is working efficiently.

The body is working hard for the next 24-48 hours post cheat: The elevation in calories means the body has to work harder than normal and the body is burning fuel fast.

They are good for you psychologically: You can justify following a restrictive food plan when you know that at some stage you can have a day off from it. Following a diet can sometimes be very tough mentally and the cheat day provides you with the opportunity for some guilt free indulgence.

They are enjoyable: A three course meal with good wine and good friends.. Bliss.

The cheat day is earned and is most successful if you have followed a clean eating plan for the other six days in the week. It is also worth remembering how your body will react to your cheat on both your digestive and hormonal system when you are eating very well for the majority of the time.

THURSDAY12TH APRIL: Food Plan & Training

5am: Black Americano

5.30am: 1 apple and Yakult

6.45-7.30 Leg Circuit: 3 circuits, 3 exercises in each, 15 reps each exercise x 3 (bike sprints to finish)

7.45: Post training protein shake, 1/3 cup oats made with water,1/3 cup blueberries, small banana

11.45am: sweet potato, chicken breast, salad

2pm: Cardio Circuit and 20mins ABS with Ryan (Sipping BCAA mixture)

3pm: 1 small banana, 6 pack plain oatcakes (Straight after training)

5.30pm: Sweet potato, chicken breast, salad

8.30pm: 2 hardboiled eggs

This is a high-carb day which will set me up until my next one in a few days’ time. I ingest the majority of my carbs straight after training, especially the fruit which has high sugar content and will help restore the body to a fat-burning state. I take a high carb day when I train legs as they require more energy than any body part when trained so will naturally benefit from the additional fuel. My fat intake is lower today so I don’t ingest too many calories. I am really looking forward to my training tomorrow to see how the boost in calories will have a positive impact on my performance.

Tuesday 10th April

By Rebecca Maslin

Thank you so much for all the positive feedback and kind words I have received from friends, clients and colleagues since the first blog yesterday. It is a great feeling to know that so many of us have individual goals that we are striving to achieve and that with hard work, dedication and consistency can see them come to fruition.

Here is my Training and Food diary from yesterday. I took advantage of the slightly later start and bright morning and walked into work (the incidental exercise us trainers blab on about!) and by doing so first thing on an empty stomach the body will use fat stores as its preferred fuel source. When my working day allows I will also double train for the next four weeks (twice in one day) and cardio circuits with Ryan and an upper body weight circuit later in the day were on my schedule. I am still lifting as heavy as I can with weights but now aiming for 15 reps per exercise and completing between 3-5 exercises one after the other. An example of this would be Standing DB Shoulder Press, Lat Pull Down, Press ups and Bicep Curls hitting all the main upper body muscles. As a point I still take rest days in the week.

My carbohydrate intake was slightly lower with the majority being consumed before my intense workout so I could still perform to my maximum when it matters the most. However, my fat intake was slightly higher with some form being consumed with every meal: almonds, flaxseed, olives, egg yolks and olive oil. Fats (Good fats/Essential Fatty Acids) are an essential macronutrient and provide an important role in so many bodily functions and should not be excluded. I am keeping my protein intake relatively high as I want to maintain as much lean muscle tissue as possible whilst losing body fat (protein is the building block of muscles.) I put in too much effort with the weights in the lead up to now to lose all my gains through carless dieting and restricting the right foods the body needs and I also feel fuller for longer when I include it in my meals/snacks.

Food Intake & Training:

6.30am: double espresso

Fasted cardio including hill walking and walked into work (1 hour)

8.30am: 1 apple, 20g almonds and Yakult

10.30am: 1/3 cup of oats made with water, 1 TBSP ground flaxseed and 3 egg whites (hard boiled)

12-1pm Cardio Circuits with Ryan:

1min boxing pads (15secs off)

1min skipping (15secs off)

1min random cardio (tucks/sprints/burpees/squatjumps etc)

90secs recover and complete 6 times

Bike Hill Intervals (1min on hard/1 min off recover) x 4

Plank Variations

2pm: Organic Chicken Breast (baked with chilli, pepper, paprika, garlic, olive oil), steamed green beans & asparagus spears, 10 pimento olives

3.30-4.15pm Upper Body Weight Circuit

4.30pm: Post Training Shake

7.30pm: 2 hard boiled eggs and mixed salad (lamb’s lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and red pepper) Balsamic and olive oil dressing.

1 Americano, 4 Green Teas and 3 litres of water throughout the day

Four Weeks and Counting

by Rebecca Maslin

I am currently winding down after the Easter weekend and have had the pleasure of some much needed rest, a few days off work and time spent catching up with family and friends. Despite thoroughly enjoying this down time, the one thing that has remained consistent is my nutrition plan (GASP, I didn’t even have an Easter egg!) and training schedule.

My reasons for this are that I am four weeks away from a big goal I set myself at the start of 2012, and I am feeling more motivated now to achieve that goal - looking what I hope to be my best shape and condition yet. It was one of my New Year’s Resolutions to have fitness photos taken by a professional photographer this year and to pursue the path of an aspiring fitness model. The date of my photo shoot is Saturday 5^th May and rather than slowing down I am only building momentum and enthusiasm as the date draws closer.

What has compelled me to share the last four weeks of my training, food plans and preparation with Revolution was my own personal experience and feedback from clients who also underwent the Revolution 12 Week Transformation. What I found (and this is not the case with everyone) is that as they go further into the 12 week plan and their goal draws closer, they are often side tracked and tired after dieting, watching their food and making exercise commitments for 8 weeks. Clients can at times lose motivation or lack inspiration, miss socialising and drinking alcohol/eating out regularly and revert back to old habits that they feel comfortable with.

What has always amazed me is knowing how some people have trained in the gym and committed themselves to following a food plan, but in the last few weeks before their 12^th week measurements or an important date, where they should be pushing harder and giving a little more of themselves to their goal, they seem to fall off the wagon and become disinterested with very little justification the majority of the time.

This is something I hope to shed some light on and to the best of my ability demonstrate how the final weeks leading up to a big goal - be it an important social occasion such as a wedding, beach holiday or the last push in your Revolution 12 Week Transformation - should be executed.

There are a few things I would like to share with you in this first blog post so that you know where I currently am with my training and diet.

I have followed the exercise principles of the Revolution 12 Week Transformation. Once I felt my body was conditioned and ready, I followed a five day split lifting weights since the start of 2012. My split was training legs twice a week in a high rep range and then my upper body split was chest and triceps, back and biceps and shoulders and abs - lifting as heavy as I could without injury and maintaining correct form for 10reps each set. I also had a boxing/cardio circuit with Ryan weekly to maintain a base level of fitness. The muscle definition that I am starting to see now is a result of my training with weights prior to circuits which is the training phase I am now in, leading up to 5^th May.

However, you cannot out train a bad diet and I have also been following a food plan in the last 8 weeks, and sticking to the main nutrition principles that Revolution advocate for fat loss. These include choosing complex carbohydrates throughout the day with my main meals, mainly oats and sweet potato with lots of leafy green vegetables, eating every few hours to keep my metabolism revving, choosing lean proteins such as white meat and fish, and especially choosing good quality fats in my diet such as almonds and walnuts, olive oil, flaxseed and egg yolks. I have eaten lean and clean foods (no non/low fat products - these are high sugar!) and for the last five weeks I have been booze free....this has been the hardest part of all of the above.

These last four weeks, I will be hitting weight and cardio circuits hard as well as including some steady state cardio work to expend additional calories. My diet will also be tightened up as I am now following a carb rotation plan. This is not a ‘no carb’ plan, but rather I vary the amount of carbs I eat depending on my training that day. For example, I eat more carbs on a day when I am doing leg circuits, as they require me to use up more energy so I will need extra fuel on these days.

The key point I want to get across is that I personally feel that I have done the hard part and broken the back of my goal. These last four weeks will be an education, as this is when I start to learn a little more about myself and how the body works, what it is capable of when pushed and diet tweaked and food plans adhered to. I know these next four weeks will fly by as quickly as the last 8 weeks, and I feel excited and incredibly determined to see through every workout and give 100% to seeing through my goal with success. I am hoping that Revolution clients will get a better understanding of how important the last four weeks leading up to a goal are, and that it should now be a snowball effect gathering pace rather than a slowing down mentality.

The picture below was taken on Friday 06 April. I am starting to slim down nicely, and as my body fat is decreasing more muscle tone is being revealed. I will be uploading another photo in a fortnight so you can see the progress. Please feel free to post any questions or approach me in the studio if you have any queries with your own nutrition or would like any more explanations from my blog.

Rebecca Maslin

Muscle Meal on Pancake Day.

Hey there Folks.

As if you hadn't guessed, Pancake Day is upon us.
Now, rather than deny yourself the pleasures of the pancake, why not use it to your advantage?
By tweeking the original recipe, you can make a quick, simple and nutritious meal to aid your muscle-gain and recovery.
By making your own from scratch, you can also make the pancake as calorie-dense or as lean as you like, so that it suits your goals.

The simple recipe (that I tried and enjoyed earlier on) is listed below, but you can add or substitute various ingredients to cater for your needs.

Ingredients:

• 3 x Egg Whites (approx. 6g Protein per egg)


• 1 x Small Cup of Wholegrain Oats (Porridge Oats, but relatively fine)


• 1 x Small Handful of Blueberries


• Small drizzle of Olive Oil

Recipe:

• Firstly, whisk the eggs at room temperature until they are white but not a completely foamed substance. You want some liquidity.


• Mix in the oats into the beaten egg whites until you have a porridge type of consistency.


• Once to your desired viscosity, add the blueberries to the mix.


• Heat a non-stick pan on the hob with a drizzle of olive oil or real butter to lubricate.


• Pour the mix onto the pan, wait until it solidifies and then do your best Ainsley Harriott impression to flip it.


• Once satisfied, serve and enjoy!

To garnish you could try a squeeze of Lemon Juice. The Blueberries will add some sweetness to the pancake, but you could always add some Cinnamon, or chopped Raspberries for a change. By adding some natural, unsweetened Protein Powder, you can also enhance the protein content of the mixture.

Enjoy experimenting with this dish, and let us know how it goes!

Aaron and Team Revolution.

The 10 Weight Loss Commandments

Click on this link to see our latest newsletter, which gives you our 10 weight loss commandments thatRevolution client Bob Merckel followed in order to achieve his amazing 12 week transformation.

Our Top 3 Transformations in 2011

Anna lost 3 stone in 12 weeks

"When I started training at Revolution, I felt a little bit nervous about a new experience, but the atmosphere was so welcoming and encouraging that I soon became very excited about starting my training. I received a lot of motivation and support from my personal trainer, Bex, as well as all the other trainers in the studio. Everyone is happy about my achievements and that keeps me going. The trainers are friendly and full of joy, the atmosphere is great - it is nothing like training in a regular gym, where everyone looks at the TV and listens to their own music. Training at Revolution is for me like a social time which does not leave me with big hangover the following day, but with a great boost to my energy levels.

I love training with Bex. Every session with her is hard work, which brings great results and big satisfaction. I never would have thought I could do some of the things I can do now, but with Bex’s experience, skills, patience and reassuring approach it seems anything is possible.

I have been training at Revolution since the end of January 2011. My lifestyle has changed. I have been eating more sensibly, I have been exercising more, my energy level has gone up, I have been generally more positive and happy. I feel great. I feel healthy, fit, strong and more confident. I can say that one of my wishes has come true. Before I started training at Revolution, I was one of those people who wanted to be slim and fit but I did not believe I had strength to do it. Now I look at myself in the mirror and I say: ‘I did it!’

The team at Revolution will be able to help you to achieve your goal. I highly recommend their services. So what are you waiting for?"

Anna Kotek



Dan lost 7% body fat and gained a 6 pack in 12 weeks
"I recently turned 30 and to convince everyone - not least myself - that I was still young, I decided to run a marathon and couple of triathlons.

‘All the gear and no idea’ summed my approach up. But I did manage to whip up some self-discipline from somewhere within, and ramped up my training over the past 16 months.

I was training 6 times a week and getting good results; I lost weight, felt fitter and was able to improve my race times, but it was a long, hard slog. And I couldn't shift the tyre round my waist, no matter how many crunches I seemed to do. You could definitely pinch an inch or two or three.

I then hooked up with Will at Revolution. His motivation, training plan and secret diet tips were honestly a revelation. I burnt that tyre away in under 8 weeks, improved my flexibility and general fitness, whilst maintaining muscle mass. It happened all really quickly and pretty effortlessly, particularly when compared with the hard training I had being doing over the previous year.

I love the buzz in and around Revolution. The team are really motivating and make the sessions fun. Will varied each work-out and gradually increased the intensity over the 12 weeks. I honestly can't believe the results.

I'd like to thank Will and everyone at Revolution for helping me with my goals over the past 12 weeks. And for making it really fun too. There's a lot of great banter in the studio, which helps you to forget how hard they're making you work."

Daniel Larcey



Erin went from size 16 to size 8 in 12 weeks

"After 3 years of a 'work hard, play hard' lifestyle in London, I realised that I had become a slightly "jigglier" version of my former self. I had always been quite active, involved in dance, beach volleyball, ice hockey etc, but at the age of 34, I had graduated to a dress size 16 - the largest I have ever been. With an imminent move back home to Toronto, I needed to spring into action. After weeks of dabbling in cardio, classes at the gym and altering my calorie intake (with minimal signs of improvement), I decided to seek guidance from Revolution Personal Training Studios.

I had seen their advertisements at Angel tube and outside the Business Design Centre, and was skeptical that they could really make that much of a difference, but what did I have to lose? The specific measurable goals that I set with Giuseppe's coaching during our first session seemed quite daunting, but I was assured that they were realistic and achievable. After the first week I began to feel the difference in my energy levels, and by week 3 I was well on my way to seeing real results. My Wednesday and Friday evening sessions at Revolution quickly became the highlights of my week. I was feeling great, getting results and having a fabulous time. Everyone at the studio took a real interest in my progress and I truly felt that both Giuseppe and I had ownership of achieving my goals. The results I have achieved have not come without hard work and commitment, although Giuseppe's coaching and motivation were the catalyst. I smashed my goal at 12 weeks. Praise and gratitude to everyone at Revoluton PTS!!!"

Erin Cooney

End of my 12 Week Transformation

Before and after...

So the end of my 12 weeks has finally arrived, and for once I'm not going to write too much as I think my after picture (on the right) speaks for itself.

Just wanted to thank all the trainers and clients at Revolution for their continued mickey taking, banter and at times support. Particular thanks go to Neil McGuigan, Giuseppe DiCredico and my brother John, but most importantly a big thanks to Mrs G for putting up with my moods when I couldn't have a caramel slice.

I'm going to summarise my 12 week transformation over the weekend, as I'm too busy promoting the Revolution white collar boxing show on Thursday night at the Troxy (for tickets call 020 7288 6121) to do it this week.

Cheers
Rob G

Never go out drinking with a mad Irishman and a crazy northern lass!

On Thursday night, I was invited to celebrate the Business Design Centre being open as a business centre for 25 years. Over the 6 years that Revolution has been open, I’ve built up great relationships with the Morris brothers who own the BDC, and Dominic Jones who is the CEO, and thought it would be great fun to join them for their celebrations.

With this in mind, I ate perfectly all day and had a plan to say ‘no’ to all the lovely food on offer, but to say yes to 2 glasses of red wine. I was joined by my good friend and senior Revolution trainer Neil McGuigan. For those of you who don’t know Neil, he is someone who works hard but likes to play even harder.

The party was fantastic, and as a business owner I found it really inspirational. Stories were told of how the family business started and how - against all odds - it succeeded to become a huge success and also one of London’s iconic buildings.

I was on track to stick to my 2 glasses of wine, but then Neil hit me with the old classic “one for the road mate”. Well, it was never going to be just one more, especially when you’re out with Neil. After several glasses of pink champagne (I was including that under the ‘red wine’ banner) and more wine, we headed out of the party and down to the gym to grab our bags and head on home. Not sober by any means, but certainly not sozzled.

That’s when we bumped into Bex Maslin, London's top female trainer, locking up the gym after a late finish. We all looked at each other and said “one drink in the nags head?”. Well, the rest is a blur but I’m going to call it power drinking. Within no time at all, there were 3 empty bottles of red wine on the table, more drinking followed but I can’t honestly remember what it was.

I was in no fit state to get a tube home, and thought sleeping in the gym was a good idea. I sneaked past the BDC security and went to sleep on the physio’s couch. A terrible night’s sleep was followed by a horrific hangover. How Bex was back in the gym for her 5.30am session, I’ll never know.

Yesterday was damage limitation, and considering my hangover I ate well yesterday, and to coin a phrase from ex football manager and TV pundit Ian Dowie, I’m going to show my ‘bouncebackability’. This is exactly what I’m going to eat today.:

7.30am – black coffee, no sugar
8am – porridge made with water and squeeze of Manuka honey
12 noon – 1 organic chicken breast, sweet potato, carrots and broccoli
3pm – 2 Brazil nuts, 4 almonds and a black coffee
6pm – baked fillet of cod with stir fried green vegetables
9pm – green tea

What lessons have I learnt?

1. There’s no one so easy to fool as yourself. I was never going to have just 2 drinks. Once you’ve fallen off, don’t worry about it, just get back on track as quickly as possible.

2. Never go out for a drink with an Irishman and northern lass on a school night.




Cheers,
Rob G

Week 11, Day 3 of my 12 Week Transformation

Nutrition
6.30am - 2 Brazil nuts, 4 almonds and a 35ml Yakult yogurt drink

7.15am - white Americano, no sugar

10am - 4 poached eggs, a large handful of spinach and half a tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce



12 noon - 10 almonds and a spoon of organic coconut

2.15pm - Mexican black beans, peppers, onions, chicken breast, steak, sour cream, cheese and avocado

4pm - white coffee

6.30pm - large fillet of salmon with a Greek salad and avocado

9.30pm - mug of green tea

Training (legs and shoulders)
Deadlift - 6 sets of 10 reps at 80kg
Arnie press - 4 x 12 at 17.5kg

Shoulder blast, called 'around the world':
- Lat raise, hands start at hips, 3 x 7 at 4kg (super set with below)
- Lat raise, hands start at lower back, 3 x 7 at 4kg (super set with below)
- Db reverse fly, 3 x 7 at 4kg

Cheers,

Rob G

Week 11, Day 2 of my 12 Week Transformation

Long day and late finish, so I'm just going to write down what I ate today:

8am - 2 Brazil nuts, 4 almonds and a Yakult yogurt drink

8.30am - porridge made with water, and squeeze of manuka honey

9am - white americano coffee with no sugar

12.15pm - micro whey protein shake after training

2pm - chicken breast with salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, sprinkling of feta cheese and three quarters of a tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce.

4.45pm - black coffee with no sugar

5.30pm - a mouthful of chicken breast with a very small bit of salad left over from lunch

8.30pm - 4 egg omlette with side salad and a cup of green tea


Training
6 x 2 minute boxing rounds on the pads with my brother John
4 x 600m runs at 18km an hour (with 1 minute recovery in between) on the treadmill


Cheers,

Rob G

Week 11, Day 2 of my 12 week Transformation

The Final Push!

After a great trip to see the sights of New York, I return with just 2 weeks left of my 12 week transformation. In my last blog post I spoke about how I was finding the training and nutrition easy, but I’m challenging myself to eat super clean for the remainder of my 12 week transformation and I’m going to blog exactly what I eat and what I do for training every day for these last 14 days to keep myself honest.

Here is what I ate yesterday:

5.30am – Yalkult yogurt + 2 Brazil nuts and 4 almonds

6.30am – black coffee with no sugar

8.30am – porridge made with water and small squeeze of honey

10.00am –Micro whey protein shake straight after training

12.30pm – organic chicken breast with sweet potato, broccoli and carrots and half an avocado

3pm – black coffee with no sugar

4pm – 8 almonds and a cup of green tea

7.30pm – Fillet of baked cod with stir fried vegetables cooked in organic butter (broccoli, red pepper, asparagus, courgette)

8.30pm – green tea and slice of lemon

Training
As you may remember, the last 4 weeks of the Revolution 12 week transformation is where we enter the circuit phase of training. I’ve tailored my programme so I do 3 weight training days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and two days of very high intensity cardio training (Tuesday and Thursday) of either 6 x 600m sprints or boxing.

Today was chest and back, and even though that is classically used for hypertrophy I created the circuit-style feel by increasing my rep range to 15 or over, and by super-setting every exercise.

Bench Press (4 x 20/15/15/15), superset with chin ups (4 x 15/12/10/8)

Incline bench press (4 x 20/15/15/15) superset with seated close row (4 x 20/15/15/15)

Db chest flys (4 x 20/15/15/15), superset with wide bent over row (4 x 20/15/15/15)

Dips (3 x 15), superset with close grip chin ups (3 x 15)

I was taken through my workout today by my business partner Giuseppe, and when I was unable to get to my 15 rep goal he made sure I did. Believe me, Giuseppe is not a man to be messed with!

Cheers,

Rob G

Week 9, Day 3 of my 12 Week Transformation

Routine
I’ve been trying to work out why I haven’t blogged more over the last few weeks. Is it my inherent laziness? Or is it some other reason that is perhaps entirely reasonable?

And then I realised - and I want to say this in a way that doesn’t sound too arrogant - that the truth is, I’m finding the training and eating plans all very easy. I must clarify this by saying that it’s not that I’m not pushing myself every time I train, as I can honestly say that I’m training harder and harder. It’s just that I know exactly what is required in order to get results.

I have found that seeing my progress through my measurements is highly motivating, and once you have built a platform of success to build from it is really encouraging, which makes continuing to make the right nutritional choices and getting out of bed to train seem routine.

And routine is indeed the right word. Here is the routine I have at the moment in relation to food, and I hope you might find it of some use yourself. Obviously adapt it to suit you and your life. You can also read more about the Revolution 12 week transformation diet, in the words of my brother and business partner John, in our latest newsletter.

• On Sunday, I go shopping and buy the following: 7 Yakult yogurts, Brazil nuts and almonds, 2 chicken breasts, white fish, eggs, porridge, salad and plenty of vegetables.

• On Sunday night I cook a chicken breast, sweet potato and broccoli for the next day’s lunch.

• On Monday morning, when I wake up I have a Yakult yogurt, 2 Brazil nuts and 4 almonds (I start every day like this), and 2 hours later eat porridge with water and a squeeze of honey. 4 hours after that I have the chicken breast etc that I made the night before. For my evening meal, I will have oven baked white fish with green veg and try to avoid carbohydrate. If you do feel like you need some carbohydrate, have a small portion of brown rice.

• On Monday night, I will also prepare my lunch for Tuesday - cook one chicken breast, one portion of brown rice (75 grams approx) and put together a salad.

• On Tuesday, I have the Yakult etc then porridge etc (you see why I’m finding it so easy), then 4 hours after I’ve eaten the porridge I will have the chicken breast etc which I cooked the night before. And for my evening meal, I’ll have a 3 egg omelette with a side salad.

• On Wednesday, I buy my food out as I’m growing tired of making my food in the evening by now. So I’ll have the Yakult etc as usual first thing. Then later I treat myself to one slice of granary toast with 2 poached eggs and 2 rashers of well done bacon. At lunch, I go to my local cafe (the same one I had breakfast in) and have grilled chicken with a Greek salad and half a jacket potato. In the evening I get back to cooking again, and have a chicken stir fry with vegetables (you’ll need to go shopping on Wednesday to buy Thursday and Friday’s food).

• For Thursday, Friday and Saturday, just repeat Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I personally will have salmon on Thursday night instead cod, and feel free to mix up the vegetables as you see fit.

In reality, I’m a fairly boring person. I like my routine and I just find this so easy to stick to, and my results are quite honestly excellent. And my point is this. If you want to have loads of fun, then don’t read my blog and don’t follow the Revolution eating plans. If, however, you do want to transform your body and you do want to feel healthier than you have in years, then follow our advice because it works.

Don’t forget that Sunday is the day you can eat whatever you want, and I like to eat so much rubbish that come Monday morning I don’t want to see another piece of chocolate for at least.......... well at least another 6 days.

I was going to talk about my training now, but I fear I’ve lost people already so I’ll save that ‘til next time, which is just after I get back from New York. “New York?” I hear you say. Maybe I’m not as boring as I thought I was!

Cheers,

Rob G