5 power packed, highly nutritious breakfasts.

When it comes to changing the way we eat habits are tough to break. This is especially true of breakfast. We are told from an early age that it’s the most important meal of the day, and for many of us our staple diets were a bowl of breakfast cereal and milk. Or as I like to see it these days, a bowl of processed sugar and skimmed milk! Seriously, you will probably find more nutrition in the cardboard box they come in. The marketing job that the major cereal companies have done is outstanding. Just think if all that commercial acumen was dedicated to spreading the word of good health then I and thousands of other Fit Pro’s wouldn’t need a blog (although I’m sure we’d find something to write about!).

We haven’t just been conditioned to expect a certain type of food in the morning, but we’ve also got used to the low preparation time of just mindlessly pouring cereal into a bowl and pouring on milk.  Then there are the people who stopped eating breakfast in their late teens/early twenties. This is either due to being obsessed with weight loss and calorie restriction, or due to working patterns that mean they eat too late, drink too much and have no time or appetite to think about breakfast as they’re rushing out the door to start their commute to work. Either way, these people will end up stuffing their faces mid-morning with high sugar foods from vending machines, coffee shops or the staff cafeteria once the hunger pangs kick in.

Below I have listed 5 power packed breakfasts that I often eat myself and use at different times and for different circumstances. Some of these breakfasts are low carbohydrate and some are high, but all of them contain a good protein portion and are packed full of healthy fats, so will give you lots of energy to start your day. Not only that, all of them are nutrient dense, they are made from scratch, are not complicated to make and can be adapted to suit your own particular macro-nutrient protocol.

If you are worried that they are going to take too long to prepare in the mornings, then GO TO BED EARLIER so you don’t need to snooze your alarm.

Banana and nut Loaf	Method
Ingredients for 1 loaf (10 slices) 100g raw pecans 100g raw almonds 2 large bananas  4 medium eggs  2 tsp coconut oil  1 tsp honey 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg ½ tsp baking soda  ½ tsp cream of tartar	Ground nuts in a food processor until they are a fine powder. Add to a mixing bowl, then stir in nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and cream of tartar.  Add eggs, bananas, honey and coconut oil into a blender and process until smooth.  Pour mixture into dry ingredients and stir in until.  Line a loaf tin and pour in mixture.  Bake in oven at 180⁰C for approximately 40 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out.
2 slices with spread with almond butter: 386Kcal, 18g carbs, 17g protein, 40g fat
Good for people who struggle to get their heads round a meat or a fish breakfast.

Bacon & Spinach Omelette	Method
2 free range eggs              2 slices organic bacon 75 g raw baby spinach 15g organic butter ½ small onion Seasoning	Slice up the bacon into small cubes. Finely chop the onion.  Whisk up the eggs. Add the butter, onion, bacon, spinach and seasoning to the pan until bacon is browned.  Add the eggs and cook until the bottom is formed into an omelette. Finish off the top under a hot grill. Serve with salad.
414 Kcal, 9g carbohydrates, 26g protein, 29g fat
Perfect for those who are on low carb diets or on a fat loss programme.

Avocado, smoked salmon and poached egg on rye toast.	Method
1 slice of toasted rye bread   ½ large avocado 50g smoked salmon 1 large poached egg	Crack a large egg into a poaching pod and boil until egg is poached to your liking. Spread the avocado onto the toasted rye bread. Add the smoked salmon, then the egg on top. Season to taste.
368 Kcal, 23g carbs, 23g protein, 19g fat
Great for a weekend to impress your partner with a healthy cooked breakfast.

Protein porridge	Method
50g gluten free oats   1 scoop of Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder 1tbsp ground flaxseed  Drizzle of honey 80g frozen berries Water	Mix the oats, protein powder and flaxseed powder into a saucepan. Pour in enough water to just about cover.  Stir under heat until simmering.  Add the berries and continue stirring until a thick paste. Add the drizzle of honey and serve.
419 Kcal, 50g carbs, 11g fat, 29g protein
Really quick to make, perfect for high carb days and as a pre-workout meal.

Avocado, banana and berry smoothie	Method
400 ml coconut milk 1 medium banana   ½ large avocado  1 scoop of Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder  1tbsp ground flaxseed 100g mixed berries	Add all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
1 large glass: 521 Kcal, 51g carbs, 22g protein, 23 fat
Simple to prepare, great as a pre-workout meal and for those with low appetites in the morning

Stay healthy!!

Four healthy things I have learned this month.

One of the most important parts of being a health and fitness professional is to keep yourself well-read and on top of your game. It would be quite easy to learn just enough to get me by, but after many years in an ever changing industry with new science and new methods coming into the public domain constantly, you can never stop learning.

On that note, here are four healthy things I have learned this month;

1)  How to make a tasty, savoury, gluten free bread.

I am always trying out new recipes and as someone who is a big fan of the Paleo movement and the message they promote, I often try gluten free breads. However, I find that most of them have been very sweet and almost cake like, so I was really happy to find this fantastic savoury option, which is really simple to make.

Here’s the recipe:

• 200g almonds
• 260g pumpkin seeds
• 200g brown rice flour
• 85g sunflower seeds
• 3 tbsp. psyllium husk powder
• 3 tbsp. dried mixed herbs
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds
• Salt & pepper

• Place the almonds and 175g of pumpkin seeds in a food processor and blend until a flour forms.
• Pour the flour in a large mixing bowl with all the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add in 600ml cold water, stirring the mixture together.
• Leave the bowl to one side for about an hour to let all the water absorb into the mixture.
• Turn the dough out onto a baking tray and form into a loaf no thicker than 5-7cm tall and bake in an oven at 180 degrees centigrade for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

2.       How to make your own organic chicken liver pate.

Recently I have been made aware of the benefits of eating organ meat on a regular basis, especially livers for their superior nutritional profile. Chicken livers are packed full of protein, healthy fats, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and iron. The problem with buying shop bought pate is it is often full of rubbish ingredients and you cannot be 100% sure of the quality of the livers used – these must be organic as the liver is the chemical plant of the body, therefore if the animal has been fed rubbish then you can guarantee the liver will be rubbish.

So here is a link to a delicious organic chicken liver recipe I have tried and tested and can confirm it’s delicious.

3.       I should spend more time at the athletics track.

This is not something I have learned this month, more reminded myself of. I went for a little track session this week with a few colleagues and after 30 minutes of a mix of 400m, 300m, 200m and 100m sprints at full intensity I was more than ready for a sit down and couldn’t bring myself to jog back up the hill to work. WOW! 

I have been so focused on improving my Olympic lifting technique over the last 18 months, coupled with the fact I no longer play football on a regular basis means my sprint sessions have been few and far between. 

Sprinting is the ultimate high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. HIIT workouts have been widely promoted for their health benefits, including fat burning, improved cardiovascular health, strength gains and time efficiency. The 4 days of DOMS I experienced after this is personal testament to how effective they are for a workout.

4.       Why sleeping naked is good for your health.

    The last thing I have learned this month is something I guess I have always known intuitively as I always sleep more soundly and comfortably this way. Now I have the evidence to back me up I can convince the other half that science is why I insist on this policy at night :-)

Stay healthy!

How a fitness enthusiast does Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching this weekend and couples are frantically booking up romantic meals for two at restaurants full of over-priced food and hitting the high street for novelty gifts and second rate boxes of chocolate. As a fitness, nutrition and lifestyle enthusiast (maybe even stretch to labelling myself as an aficionado),  I’ve always had a slightly different approach to preparing for the sexiest day of the year. So I thought I’d share my tips on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day without compromising your healthy lifestyle.

Pre-date workout

You can’t go on your date without having a workout first. It de-stresses you, clears your mind, it gets you in the zone and more than anything it makes you feel confident before putting on your evenings outfit – and we all know that CONFIDENCE = SEXINESS.

Guys, I like to call this workout “the party pump”. It’s the only time I ever purely focus on aesthetics when I’m working out, but if I don’t feel like my t-shirt has been sprayed on after this upper body blast then I haven’t worked out hard enough. Here we go:

Push-Ups X 10 – Pull-Ups X 10 – Incline Push-Ups X 10 – Parallel Bar Dips X 10

Repeat: 10 rounds followed by 100 bicep curls with a light barbell!

Ladies, I haven’t forgotten you. Getting your booty firmed up and ready to look drop dead gorgeous in a pair of slim fit jeans is a must before your date turns up. So follow this classic legs and bum blaster:

Dumbbell Lunges X 10 – Bar Squats X 10 – Hip Raises X 10 – Dumbbell Bench Step-Ups X 10

Repeat: 8 – 10 rounds followed by 100 front kicks (50 each leg) on the heavy bag.

The main meal

Let’s state this loud and clear; EATING HEALTHILY DOESN’T MEAN EATING BORING! In my opinion there is nothing more perfect for a Valentine’s meal than a good slab of grass fed protein packed beef steak (I prefer rib eye) – I mean who doesn’t find the marbling of a prime cut of steak sexy? I like my steak medium rare, seasoned with salt & pepper and accompanied by the well-known aphrodisiac and antioxidant-rich super-food asparagus (pan fried in coconut oil), and a glass of Sardinian Red wine, which is famed for its life-preserving and anti-ageing qualities.

The indulgent dessert

I mentioned earlier that there are many second rate boxes of chocolate out there, but if you or your partner are health, fitness and nutrition enthusiasts then you haven’t lived until you’ve treated yourself to some Booja Booja chocolate truffles; they are organic as well as gluten, dairy and soy free and are absolutely delicious! If the steak and asparagus hasn’t hit the spot, then these indulgent delicacies will seal the deal for you.

Post-meal mood setting

You’ve eaten some good food, you’ve drunk some good wine, maybe even sipped a few glasses of champagne and most likely sat through a light hearted Hollywood chick flick, so now it’s time to set the mood for love. So is there a better way than treating your other half to a hot detox bath?

Here’s my fool proof bath recipe that will cleanse their skin, relax their muscles and with the right essential oils, ramp up their hormone levels a notch!

Fill your bath tub with hot water adding 1 kg of magnesium rich Epsom bath salts, a small handful of bicarbonate of soda and a generous drizzle of Lady Sclareol oil (a mix of ylang ylang, geranium, rosewood, jasmine, clary, sage and sandalwood oils) which is the perfect sensual oil.

Soak in this for 20 minutes to really let the oils and salts absorb into the system and take effect. If you’re feeling particularly sensual after this bath then maybe use the oil to treat your partner to a back, neck and shoulder massage in the bedroom – careful not to use too much oil or you’ll soon be slipping off the bed.

Evening cardio

Now this is the part of the evening we’ve been working up to. You look good, you’ve shown off your culinary skills and are feeling great after a hot detox bath, now’s time to show off your skills in the bedroom as well as proving that the gym has been good for something, by opting for a more adventurous and physically demanding position from the Karma Sutra.

Here’s one for the guys to make use of that upper body party pump; Stand and deliver!

Ladies, you’ve worked on those pins and booty for hours in the gym, now it’s time to show off those strong legs with the erotic accordion.

So, to all you lovers out there, have fun and…

… Stay healthy!

10 character traits of healthy people

1. They sleep enough. 

Did you know that sleeping less than 7 hours per night makes it 3 times more likely that you’ll catch a cold? Not only that, people who don’t get enough sleep are likely to eat more due to the fact their leptin (an appetite hormone) levels fall, promoting an appetite increase. So, forget watching that late movie, get an early night and start reaping the rewards of a full night’s sleep.

2. They plan their meals.

Have you ever made the mistake of food shopping when you are hungry? That’s right; you end up with a basket full of high sugar or convenience foods that do nothing for your waistline. For some people planning meals sounds boring and time consuming, but it actually helps you make healthier choices, regulates your portion size and is great for long term health.

3.  They exercise without being told by their trainer.

Scheduling in regular sessions with a PT is the best way to make sure you have an effective exercise programme. However, the healthiest people and those who achieve the most results don’t just rely on 1 or 2 hours per week of exercise; they find time for extra gym sessions, yoga classes or go that extra mile to be as active as they can every day.

4.  They set themselves exercise goals.

For some exercise is a chore and for some exercise is something that just needs to be ticked off in the diary, but for the healthiest people there needs to be a goal. Not because they want to continuously break records, but because they understand that it makes it more exciting and gives the sessions structure and purpose, which stops them giving up.

5. They always ask questions.

Why is it that many people stop asking ‘why?’ after they leave school? If we just accept things as fact without finding out why or how, then you never really learn for yourself. Healthy people want to understand how to improve their health. They read books and newspaper articles, they ask health professionals for advice and are willing to research the latest facts on health and wellbeing.

6.  They eat fatty foods.

Fat, particularly saturated fat, has been demonised for decades as the cause of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Finally, the mainstream media are beginning to spread the word that fatty foods, such as oily fish, avocados, nuts, seeds and coconut oil, are full of the essential nutrient required for energy, regulation of hormones, and absorption of minerals and protection of the immune system. Healthy people have known this all along and live by the mantra, “fit people eat fat”.

7. They’re always trying new things.

Humans are habitual by nature; it’s an evolutionary mechanism that has helped us survive by staying safe and conserving energy. But we live in a very different environment these days and it’s much safer to break out of your comfort zone and reap the healthy rewards. Healthy people eat a variety of food; they try new activities and are always looking to seek ways of stimulating their mind to look after their mental and emotional health.

8. They drink alcohol in moderation.

There have been some studies out recently that have shown that drinking alcohol in moderation can help reduce the risk of heart attack, particularly with certain red wines (Sardinian and Sicilian), even compared against those who don’t drink. The key word though is moderation. There won’t be many reading this who don’t get drunk sometimes and that’s fine. It just has to be sometimes, not all the time, not even every week. Healthy people know how to let their hair down too; it’s just not the only way they unwind.

9. They laugh often.

According to Dr Michael Miller, a cardiologist from Maryland, laughing for 15 minutes per day has the same positive effect on blood flow and dilation of the arteries as 30 minutes of exercise – that’s not even mentioning the positive effect it has on your mood and mental health. So, if you want to keep your health on track then make sure you get your daily dose of comedy!

10.  They manage stress well.

Healthy people don’t bottle up their emotions; they seek out people to talk to or find a healthy way to channel the tension. They don’t run themselves into the ground physically; they receive regular massage, osteopathy or whatever drug-free method is needed to make sure they’re pain-free. Healthy people are aware of how environmental pollutants can adversely affect health, so eat clean food and use paraben-free beauty products. So whether your stress is emotional, physical or environmental, for a healthier life it’s important you recognise it and learn how to deal with it.

Stay healthy!!

5 exercise trends you must try in 2015

1. Calisthenics.

Calisthenics is not a new trend, but over the last couple of years it has made a massive comeback and is fast becoming mainstream. It involves no apparatus and consists of exercises designed to increase your strength, mobility, flexibility and in some cases improve cardiovascular fitness at the same time. 

The exercises can be tailored to your needs, so whether you are a complete novice who is looking to be able to get through their first set of perfect push-ups or a gym veteran who wants to bulletproof their core so they can do a human flag, then calisthenics will be the workout for you in 2015.

2. Myofascial release.

If you have ever seen someone in the gym looking in agony as they roll their legs over what looks like an oversized swimming pool noodle, then you may have an idea what myofascial release is.  It is in-fact a soft tissue therapy for the treatment of skeletal muscle immobility and pain. 

Over the last few years certain health and fitness experts such as Dr Kelly Starett have raised the game and highlighted the importance of soft tissue release in maintaining a healthy, injury free, pain free body and the techniques are now widely used by Fitness Trainers to get their clients good results. So next time you see your PT get out a lacrosse ball or foam roller don’t shy away and say no because it could be exactly what you need to help you hit your fitness goals.

3. Outdoor fitness.

It’s all too easy to stay in the comfort of a warm gym and forget about the great outdoors as the perfect playground for getting fit. I don’t mean just going for a jog around the park or go for a bike ride (although they would be perfectly suitable options for a workout), I mean using the surroundings to challenge your body in different ways, for example; using adventure playgrounds and designated outdoor gyms for climbing frames, monkey bars and balance beams to test upper body strength, balance and co-ordination. Jumping over fallen trees in the woods and climbing steep muddy hills on all fours to test explosive power and cardiovascular fitness. 

You could even enter yourself into one of the many outdoor adventure/obstacle races that are becoming the gold standard of fitness achievements. Whatever way you choose to get fit this year, make sure getting outside is part of it.

4. Weightlifting.

Olympic weightlifting is a sport that promotes strength, co-ordination, mobility, flexibility and mental strength, it is the ultimate competition. It is also made up of a range of movements and transitional exercises that if taught correctly and progressively can be hugely beneficial to someone’s strength and overall fitness. 

Whether your goal is to have an athletic physique, improve your flexibility, improve your power and endurance for sports or just want to the satisfaction of learning how to pick up something heavy above your head then learning the foundations of Olympic lifting will be perfect for you in 2015.

5. Combat sports.

Adding a combat sport such as boxing or kickboxing to your exercise regime is a no-brainer. They improve cardiovascular fitness, speed, agility, strength, co-ordination, are a great way of burning fat and firming up your midsection as-well as acting as a great cathartic outlet to improve your mood. 

Many gyms have heavy bags available and most PT’s will be able to provide you with some pad-work to learn the basics, but if you do want to step it up to a good level then there are plenty of dedicated boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts clubs out there. So download the Rocky soundtrack, get your gloves on and make 2015 the year you get fighting fit!

Stay healthy!!

What is the Thomas Sport PPA?

Thomas assessment tools empower coaches and athletes/clients to realise potential and maximise performance. Building self-awareness and achieving a greater personal understanding boosts confidence and self worth and encourages individuals to take ownership of their performance.

The Thomas assessments give leaders insight into their people – what motivates them, their core strengths and limitations, how they may behave under pressure, how best to communicate with them and much more.

All this information is vital for a coach to understand when planning an effective fitness, nutrition and lifestyle programme for their client and the improved self awareness allows the client to maximise their strengths and work around any limitations.

What’s involved?

http://www.thomassport.net/ourassessments/PPA.aspx

The science bit...

http://www.thomassport.net/thescience.aspx

What now?

If you’re embarking on a new fitness and lifestyle mission, have hit a plateau or are just interested in improving your self awareness, contact me at james@hutchisonpt.co.uk or jamesh@thomas.co.uk and I can send out the link for your online assessment and schedule a time to give you your feedback.

Do I really know what my clients want? Using psychometrics in the fitness industry to improve communication.

The fitness industry is fast paced, has an ever-changing face and an abundance of fitness professionals in every town offering their services to make you a healthier and happier person. So I ask the question, in such a results based industry, why do we often see such a lack of results (I am of the belief that 'results' can mean different things to different people, not just to look like fitness models)? Personally, I believe that there is a lack of understanding of how to communicate with the customers on a deep enough level to really understand what they want and many are not looking at the four Rs that will bring long term success to their fitness business:

1.       RAPPORT – knowing your client inside out and bonding with them will improve motivation.

2.       RESULTS – this is what they are paying for, so the quicker you get there the better.

3.       RETENTION – if you hit 1 & 2, then you have a happy, long-term client.

4.       REFERRAL – if you hit 1, 2, & 3 then the existing clients will bring you new business week after week!

I’ve spent 14 years in the fitness industry and have conducted thousands of hours of 1-2-1 time with clients, so it’s safe to say my communication skills have been honed over time. Importantly, I recognised early that it was a key skill that could help me be successful in this business and directed many hours of study to improve it, including taking a psychology degree at university. Sadly, I look around the industry and can see that it is an area that is often overlooked by many fitness professionals and is not even on their radar of skills to work on to improve their performance. Quite frankly, there is absolutely no point in having a brain full of the best fitness, lifestyle and nutrition advice if you can’t communicate your message to your clients.

Last year I looked into how many businesses in the corporate world use psychometric assessments to understand their staff and improve performance in the workplace, so explored how this concept could work with my clients and if it can be used to improve the chances of them achieving results. Thomas International Sport's PPA (Personal Profile Analysis) assessment has provided a perfect fit for what I was after. In just a short 8 minute online assessment, I have access to a wealth of information about the candidate's behaviour, including: how best to communicate with them; how to manage them; how they might behave under pressure; their biggest fears; how to maximise their potential, to name but a few. This type of insight into unique behavioural traits could otherwise take months to recognise in some cases.

I know what you are thinking, “surely this can be found out in a standard consultation”. Of course it can, but I have found over the years that many people just tell you what they think you want to hear. This may be due to nerves, pressure, feeling intimidated, or the fact they are acting on a burst of new found motivation. Whatever it may be, I’ve personally found that using a psychometric assessment approach removes the chance of this happening and gives you tangible information to adapt your approach to your client, or if you are placing clients within a team of fitness professionals, provides valid data to help you match them to an appropriate trainer. Ultimately it raises your level of customer service to new heights, which can only be good for your business.

Here are a few scenarios where using the Thomas International Sport PPA has helped me:

• New clients who are after short-term goals; If you have limited time for rapport-building then the PPA gives an abundance of information to really help get to know your client before you get them in the gym.

• Clients undertaking significant lifestyle changes; Analysis of the PPA gives an understanding of how someone may act under pressure. Introducing significant exercise and dietary changes could create a lot of stress in someone who has never done it before, so being aware of how your client might react is vital.

• Existing clients who have hit a plateau; PPA analysis reveals how the client might be feeling at that precise point in time. It may uncover emotional or work related problems that are adversely affecting their ability to focus in the gym or stick to a nutrition plan. Your client may not want to talk to you about specific issues, but at least with this objective information you are able to recognise and manage the situation by adapting your approach.

I’m not saying that incorporating psychometrics into your methodology is the only answer to getting results for your clients; I’m not even suggesting that it will suit every customer you have, but I am asking you to look at your fitness business and ask the question, “Do I really know what my clients want?".  I’d be very surprised if there was not something more that every single fitness professional could do to improve their communication skills. I know it’s helped me.