“The promise of spot reduction is an obsession that many in our culture just won’t abandon.” – Charles Poliquin

I was on a course and was told that to get a 6 pack is easy! It’s a by product from training hard in a functional way that engages all the body muscles working and eating clean.

Now the hard answer…

I believe you can by correcting the imbalances in your hormones if that is the identified problem by your personal trainer – it could simply be that it is your diet. Remember everyone is an individual and a full assessment by your personal trainer should be carried out, if you’re not assessing you’re guessing! For a deeper look at troublesome spots and links with hormones it is worth having blood samples taken to be analysed by a professional. Poliquin shows that the advancements in exercise endocrinology may give new tools for combatting site specific fat storage and the system to do this is called BioSignature Modulation. I haven’t studied this course as of yet and I am hoping to get on it later in the year. I know plenty of trainers who have undertook this course to learn the system and swear by it.

From what I have found and researched the main aspect to achieve correction of imbalanced hormones is to address your lifestyle and eating habits. This may involve detoxing or cleansing your system by expelling the toxins being store in your body along with using strategies such as carb cycling, fasting and shorter work outs etc. This can lead to the restoring of the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Once its healed and your beginning to work correctly in the way we were designed to do you will be at full centralisation.

Paul Chek recommends having an organic diet otherwise you’re eating dangerous food. Remember, fat is where you store toxins (and excess hormones) that you can’t break down due to not having enough nutrition on board to run the detoxify pathways. By getting your metabolic rate to optimal and you can do this by moving at least 20 minutes a day, even walking. You need eight hours of sleep at night from 10pm in order to restore the body systems and you need to get enough water into you.

As you may be aware I follow teachings by Paul Chek, Charles Poliquin, Robb Wolf, Paul Mort, Travis Jones and have researched this topic from Patrick Holford, Nish Joshi and Shawn Talbott to name a few and I am by no means a leading world expert but I have done work with individuals based on the learning from the above and has seen much better results than that of other methods I used when I worked in gyms.

To stress the importance of hormones  I’m going to quote Paul Mort…

“Neither diet or nutrition matter if your hormones are out of sync.”

Hormones are involved in most physiological processes thus making them very relevant to many aspects of exercise. They influence where and how you store body fat, research has shown that cortisol and insulin promote fat collection and that testosterone increases fat loss.

The research that I have looked into and what I have been taught on courses proves that it is more than likely the imbalance of hormones that cause certain areas to store body fat and the 6 most common stubborn fat spots are:

1. Love Handles
2. Stomach Fat
3. Bra Bulge Fat
4. Bingo Wings
5. Big Thighs & Bottom
6. Moobs

Before I go into each of the fat spots mentioned above I will first highlight in basis terms what hormones are and how they work. In order to do this I will direct reference two definitions that I feel sum up hormones:

“Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted into the blood by one tissue or organ and act on target cells in other parts of the body.” – J.Kang, 2012

“Hormones act as chemical signals throughout the body.” - J.Wilmore & D.Costill, 2004

So hormones are messengers that travel around your body via blood to give orders to your cells to do things. Hormones can be broken down into two types;

Steroid hormones: These hormones have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol and are lipid soluble and diffuse easily through cells membranes. These are hormones form the adrenal cortex (cortisol and aldosterone), the ovaries (estrogen and progesterone), the testes (testosterone) and the placenta (estrogen and progesterone).

Nonsteroid hormones: These hormones are not lipid soluble so they can not diffuse easily through cells membranes. These hormones can be divided into two further groups: protein or peptide hormones and amino acid-derivative hormones.

Hormones can affect your growth, puberty, metabolism, weight, figure, shape, physical appearance, reproductive behaviour and emotions.

The thyroid gland is located below the larynx and secretes two important nonsteroid hormones which regulate metabolism by increasing the metabolic rate of most tissues and the basal metabolic rate by  as much as 100%. These hormones according to (J.Wilmore & D.Costill, 2004) also promote rapid cellular uptake of glucose and enhance lipid mobilisation, increasing free fatty acid (FFA) availability for oxidation, this is something I want you to think about as you read on.

Another you have properly heard of is the Adrenal gland this sits directly atop of the kidneys and is made up of the inner adrenal medulla and the outer adrenal cortex and each one secretes hormones that are different.

So how do they do this and affect the body to such a degree?

As I’ve mentioned earlier hormones are secreted into the blood in order to be transported to target cells, these cells are where hormones have their effect. Target cells are able to work hand in hand with hormones because they have receptors that blind and lock them together, much like a lock and key. Only the correct key can unlock the action within the cell, Wilmore & Costill (2004) refer to this as a hormone-receptor complex. When there is an increased amount of specific hormone there is a decrease in the number of cell receptors available to it, making the cell less sensitive to that hormone as less hormones can blind due to the fewer amount of receptors. Wilmore & Costill (2004) refer to this as down-regulation or desensitisation. The opposite effect is called up-regulation, these two processes change cells sensitivity to hormones.

Believe it or not there are some receptors that promote the breakdown of fat and some that actually block the breakdown of fat and research shows that there are two types of adrenoceptors that control not only fat cell metabolism but also blood flow into and out of the fat cell.

If we look at Beta-receptors these are the ‘good’ receptors, they increase lipolysis and adipose tissue blood flow while the naughty alpha-receptors inhibit lipolysis and adipose tissue blood flow.

So why tell you this and does it really matter?

Yes it matters, especially when different areas of body fat have different distributions of alpha-2 and beta-2 adrenoreceptors! This basically mean that fat can be mobilised and transported out of them by the blood in an effective or ineffective manner. A clear example of this is the lower body fat found on the hips and thighs – which have been found to have roughly nine times as many alpha-2 receptors as beta-2 receptors = stubborn fat or in scientific terms “elevated alpha 2 trap” and studies have shown that the blood flow in your lower body fat can have 67% lower blood flow than other depots. So with 67% lower blood flow you now have 67% less chance of removing the fat compared to areas of the body that are not storing fat as these areas transport fat away more effectively to be burned up.

So lets now have a look at two of these common stubborn fat spots!

Love Handles

Love handles can be typically seen on the area above your hips (as seen in the pic). The cause of this can be put down to an insulin issue indicating that your body need help handling the carbohydrates and sugar that is in your current diet. Normally insulin regulates blood glucose levels and directs excess glucose to the liver and muscles where it is stored as glycogen ready to fuel the demands of the body. In Robb Wolf’s simple terms “insulin puts nutrients into our cells.” Wolf goes on to explain that “insulin is released from the beta cells of the pancreas primarily in response to increasing blood levels of glucose and amino acids playing a significant role in micronutrient storage and conversions.”

Foods that absorb into the blood stream slowly are classed as having a low glycaemic load while foods that absorb fast have a high rating based on the glycaemic index rating of food and portion size. If you chose a clean and manily low GL foods you can prevent sugar peaks and energy dips. Keeping your blood sugar stable will great for love handle control.

The problem arises with your diet or better put modern day diets which are high in sugar, just look at the cereals and drinks below! You may not even be aware of these hidden sugars and on average we can consume as much as 30 teaspoons every day!

This abnormal amount of sugar found in the modern diet can lead to a condition called insulin resistance which leads to adult onset diabetes due to not managing blood sugars correctly or storing glucose properly. When this happens more insulin is produced in order to control any excess glucose this means fat accumulates in the fat tissue. Where as if insulin levels are low, fatty acids are mobilised from the fat tissue and fat deposits shrink. In some some people with obesity for example the number of insulin receptors on their cells appear to be reduced. Their bodies response by increasing insulin as mentioned above to obtain the same degree of plasma glucose control as normal healthy people.

Even worse is high-fructose corn syrup which is found in every processed food imaginable and according to Loren Cordain PhD “powerfully promotes insulin resistance.”

So did our stone age ancestors never have sugar? In actual fact they did have sugar in the form of honey, dates and figs – these sources of food weren’t always available due to the seasons. Loren Cordain PhD and Joe Friel MS show in the paleo diet for athletes that you don’t have to ban all sweets and can “eat all the fresh fruits that you like, and have certain spices such as vanilla, ginger, mint leaves, cinnamon and nutmeg to recipes.”

Stomach Fat

“The thickness of your umbilical skin fold (belly button) is a reflection of your cortisol output and is a direct reflection of your stress levels and their ability to handle it” says Charles Poliquin.

Stomach fat can be caused by stress (burnout), lack of sleep, bad diet etc. So when Joe Bloggs decides it’s time to get fit and hit the roads or joins a gym and starts doing lots of cardiovascular training and a bit of weights here and there he could in actual fact first benefit by following a more mindfulness programme, to help manage his lifestyle better and get happy, Alejandro Junger mentions in his book Clean that the adrenalin and cortisol created during stress also speed up the acidifying process and backs up the use of following a mindfulness practice.

It is in the adrenal gland that we will find the zona fasciculata which is responsible for the production of cortisol. We will also find the adrenal medulla in the adrenal gland which produces adrenaline. Both cortisol and adrenaline are produced when we find ourselves in stressful situations.

If we look at adrenaline first: adrenaline is produced in small amounts to regulate normal blood pressure, check out the picture below and take note at the size of the vessels and the size of the white arrows which is adrenaline. Nothing going on there to worry about but…

During stressful situations or during a event where we are forced in to a fight-or-flight response.

From watching the video you can clearly see that large amount of adrenaline are produced very quickly and have a dramatic effect on the body. All in case we need to run away or fight, basically so the body is ready for action.

• Raises blood sugar levels by stimulating the liver to change glycogen into glucose
• Causes fatty tissue to release fat into the blood along with protein
• Increases the heart rate
• Increases the speed of breathing
• Increases blood flow to the muscles
• Reduces blood flow to the skin and the intestines
• Widens the bronchioles
• Dilates the pupils

Look at the difference in the size of the vessels which have now vasodilated, which means there has been a widening of the blood vessels and the flow of the blood is increased which in turns carries more adrenaline hence one reason why the white arrow are bigger. The adrenal gland also produces more adrenaline which is the other reason the white arrows are bigger, so more adrenaline produced to fill a wider vessel results in ill health.

Shawn Talbott PH.D has a paragraph in his book The Cortisol Connection that I’d like to share with you now.

“In our fast paced, hurry hurry, twenty first century world, almost of all us are stressed out, sleep deprived, and hyper concerned about our diet and food choices. Because of this chronic stress unfortunately  most of us are also fat.”

This shows in today’s world, people suffer from stress (in different ways and over different things) and whatever way it is the body will respond to it in the same way which is to produce adrenaline. So this is happening in situations where no physical activity happens and the list for this is endless:

• Sitting exams/deadlines
• Even increasing society and family issues that we read about in the news and see on Jeremy Kyle day in day out
• Work-related pressure and balancing this out with home life
• Money
• Living conditions
• Our appearance
• Driving
• Lack of sleep
• Our status in society working class to upper class

All these and more issues can lead to an unhealthy release of sugar stores into the blood and cortisol causing ill health. Most people relate cortisol to being a stress hormone which is a little misleading Robb Wolf states that cortisol is critical to life and a lack of it results in health problems! you can’t win can you! well in actually fact you can so read on.

The graph above by Robb wolf shows  how a normal day starts for a non stressed person or how it started for our paleolithic ancestors. Am starts with high cortisol levels and this is intended to make sure you are alert and ready to go and by pm when we are winding down its drops. Now how many of us have a normal non stressful day every day or for at least longer than a month? Doesn’t happen does it? Look above again at the list of why people get stressed. How many things did our paleolithic ancestors get stressed over on that list?

Now please don’t think our paleolithic ancestors never got stressed because they did but it most likely never lasted long (acute) or was as chronic as we have as they were too busy surviving the elements. We were built to cope with stress on an acute level that’s why we have the fight-or-flight response. Can we respond to missed mortgage payments in a fight-or-flight response? No we can’t as it has further implementations on what we do or can do in future. This means that our graph above would look more like the one below.

Cortisol wants to break down your muscle and increase body fat, the very things that you hope to avoid. So when the sugar is released into the blood it is then taken by insulin to the cells for energy. The only thing is the cells don’t need the sugar for energy as we are not in a fight-or-flight response as we are just dealing with any of the issues listed above, so where does it go? The body does not want to waste it so it is simply stored as body fat. If we were dealing with a real fight-or-flight response the body would use the sugar up and the body would begin to sort it self out and find its balance.

Long exposure to cortisol according to some leading researchers is where real damage can occur, you can experience any of the following:

• Accelerated ageing
• Stomach fat deposition
• Loss of muscle mass
• Loss of bone mass (Can increase the risk of osteoporosis developing)
• Heart disease
• Potential damage to brain cells

Having a coffee or a cigarette can stimulant your body and produce more cortisol. The real problem with cortisol is the way that it forces itself on to cells, it will dock onto hormone receptors by fighting off progesterone (steroid hormone involved in the female menstrual cycle and it’s also in the male body at lower levels). Cortisol will win over progesterone due to the receptor favouring cortisol, this means the progesterone in woman who are permanently stress is less active. Researchers now believe that progesterone helps to burn fat and stimulate bone building cells called Osteoblasts.

Now once the cortisol is attached to the receptor guess what your body does? It sends a signal to the brain to produce more! and not only that but cortisol increases the production of oestrogen the list below shows how the progesterone and oestrogen effects mostly balance each other out.

Too much oestrogen can lead to oestrogen dominance:

Oestrogen dominance can occur at any age but it is more likely to occur in the years preceding and during the menopause. Just as the progesterone hormone is found in small amounts in the male body so too is the male hormone testosterone found in small amounts in the female body. To much production of testosterone in the female body can lead to a lack of ovulation, low sex drive and development of male characteristics such as facial hair.

According to Jerry Brainum cortisol also plays an important role post-exercise, by helping to supply fat in order to power muscle-protein-synthesis reactions. So cortisol is definitely not all bad it is just a matter of how you manage your lifestyle and training. Jerry goes on to state that an easy way to manage cortisol is to get sufficient rest between exercise sessions, and also enough sleep. Research also shows that a higher protein intake and in-particular branched-chain amino acids, also helps with recovery.

I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg here everything that I have talked about can lead to you being very unhealthy. This could even cause you to be put in a life threatening situation and that’s one thing we all want to avoid. The good news is that by addressing the situation your in correctly and make key achievable positive changes your body will change for the better.

I hope you have enjoyed this article? If so, please your comments in the box below.

Stay healthy,

Proats (Protein Oats/Protein Porridge) have been made popular by those looking to add an extra shot of protein into their diets. This powerful porridge packs a punch by using protein powder mixed with porridge oats. This combination is quick, easy and ensures you get the protein your body needs to go harder in your workouts. Proats really are the perfect way to get more protein into your diet!

If you needed any more reasons to start making your own Proats, the oatie experts over at MOMA have put together their favourite protein porridge facts below!

Experiment with Proat flavours

Protein powders now come in a huge variety of different flavours, from banana, chocolate, to more extravagant flavours like creme brulee and peanut butter cookie. Simply mix a scoop of your protein powder into your porridge oats before adding a splash of boiling water. You might need to add a little bit more than you usually would due to the protein powder.

Proats keep you fuller for longer – perfect if you’re working out!

We all know that porridge oats are amazing for releasing energy slowly and consistently throughout the morning – meaning you’ll keep hunger at bay for longer. Additional protein can ensure you don’t reach for less healthy snacks whilst waiting for your next big meal.

The body takes longer and uses more energy to digest protein, which makes it great for filling you up. Not only is it good for keeping you fuller for longer, but protein is also essential for repairing and building muscle, making Proats the perfect pre/post morning workout meal.

Quick and easy to make and eat!

It is reported that many of us don’t get enough protein in our diets and with our busy, fast paced lives getting in the way, Proats are the perfect quick and easy breakfast solution. Just like overnight oats, Proats can be made the night before in a bowl or jar and eaten as soon as you wake up in the morning. Pre-preparing your Proats can also be handy for when you are rushing to and from the gym, and need a quick post workout meal.

Easy to transport

If you’re using porridge sachets to make your Proats, consider making them in a jar or an easy to carry tub to make them easy to eat on-the-go! You could even add your protein powder to an instant porridge pot such as the MOMA Super Seeds Porridge Pot, which already contains 13g of protein per serving – perfect for eating on the go!

The benefits of a high protein diet

Skipping breakfast increases your chances of snacking on unhealthy foods throughout the day so adding in a protein rich meal in the morning could help you keep both your weight and cholesterol down.

High protein meals are essential for fuelling pre and post workout. Whether you hit the gym in the morning, or prefer an afternoon session, starting your day out right can make all the difference to your training.

Many of us have the wish not just to exercise more but to unlock our true sporting potential. We want to explore whether we have talent, ability and the potential to take our chosen sport to a higher level than ever before. If you have reached a stage where you are passionate about your chosen sport and want to unlock the wealth of your true potential, consider some of the suggestions below.

Nutrition

The food we eat has a direct relationship with our energy levels and ability to recover after exercise. To fully unlock our sporting potential, we must ensure that we are fuelling our body correctly with the right nutrients and hydration. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, a meat eater or anything in between, there is a sensible and effective way to live on any diet. Seek out reputable sources of information both online and in print, and try to implement the advice you are given. Do not hesitate to seek the guidance of a professional too, such as a doctor, dietician or nutritionist, for specific advice on your needs.

Qualified Coaching

All of the most successful athletes have received regular qualified sports coaching to help them achieve their true potential. Sports coaches are not merely a way of staying motivated: they can have a huge impact on our habits, technique and overall sporting development. Sports coaching can identify and nurture talent, help us to prevent or correct bad habits in form or technique and provide objective advice on how to improve. Sports coaches can be one of the most valuable assets in taking your talent to the next level.

Injury Prevention

However talented or experienced we are, all our sporting prowess will come to nothing if we are frequently injured. Injury can strike even the most skilled professionals, but it is still important to do what we can to prevent it. An effective warm-up and cool-down routine can help us to stay supple. Taking our rest and recovery seriously can also minimise injury damage and ensure we return to our sport faster. We should regularly check our form and technique too to ensure we are not causing unnecessary strain.

Goal Setting

One of the greatest challenges in sport for both amateurs and professionals is staying motivated. Whether we progress alone or under the guidance of a sports coach, setting goals can be an excellent way to stay on track. They provide a framework for our progress, keep us focused and also give us a sense of accomplishment when we complete them. We can then use this momentum to progress and improve even further, reaching new heights of success.

One option is always to indulge, but to plan to indulge. Put your evening’s excess in your diary ahead of time and work to minimise the impact with exercise and controlling your intake throughout the week to balance it all out.

If that’s not an option for your fitness goals, no problem, here’s a battle plan for you to follow:

Don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions: Salad or seasonal vegetables rather than fries, skipping the cheese, having the burger without the bun… there’s plenty you can do to make dishes healthier, and most establishments are willing to be flexible. 

Focus on fish: As long as it’s not fried, fish is a great choice for a healthy main course and is usually rich in protein, vitamins and good fatty acids.

Sauces and dressings can be secret weapons for diet sabotage: They’re too often filled with calorie-heavy oils or sugars, so ask for them on the side and use them sparingly.

Consider ordering an appetiser as your main course: By design starters are less substantial than main dishes, so consider having a starter dish as an entrée with a side of vegetables. Once you’re full of veggies, you won’t be craving the big main meal quite so much.

Ignore the bread, keep the butter: While the bread is full of starch and empty calories, milk and butter get a bad reputation when it comes to health; butter especially is associated unfairly with being overweight. Butter is, however, rich in vitamins and good cholesterol and in moderation is good for you.

Don’t trust the menu implicitly, especially when it comes to the ‘healthy’ section of their menu: Chefs will do their best to make tasty, healthy food, but it doesn’t mean it’s right for your specific health goals. Ask questions about contents and preparation if you’re not sure or the menu isn’t clear.

Share your meals with others: Sharing dishes with friends can give you the option of controlling what and how much you eat without having to make a fuss over substitutions.

There’s an almost shocking amount of calories and carbs in alcohol, so skip the plonk: While you’re at it, you probably want to avoid the dessert menu as well!

Look up the restaurant online before you go and try to put your plan of action together. This will allow you to plan a healthy meal and get all your substitution questions in order so you’re ready to blaze through them when it’s your time to order.

Lastly, enjoy yourself!

The Contenders

Cardio: Anything involving light physical exercise of a relatively low level of intensity is classed as cardio. It is a form of aerobic exercise, which refers to the usage of oxygen to meet the demands of the activity.

Cardio has a range of proven health benefits and can provide a great boost to fitness, in addition to bolstering endurance.

Weight Training: Weight training is an age-old form of developing muscle strength. One of the oldest recognised forms of exercise, this method uses the force of gravity to put strain on the muscles and tends to use a range of specialised equipment, designed to target different areas of the body.

Diet – The third Man: It’s worth noting that whichever training you do, you’ll need to back it up with proper nutrition. It’s hard to over-emphasise the role of diet in getting fit and losing weight so you neglect this factor at your peril.

Cardio

Cardio’s key advantage comes in the weight loss category of fitness, in that it’s unbeatable when it comes to burning calories. If you do a sufficient amount of cardio exercise to burn more calories than you intake – you’re bound to lose weight.

This method is also brilliant for beginners. It requires no special equipment or training and can take a form that can suit almost any palette – from jogging, to cycling, to various sports and gym equipment.

However, cardio isn’t the be-all and end-all of exercise and with good reason. Many find the repetitive nature of cardio to be a bit of a drag, it doesn’t adequately prepare the heart for extreme changes and stress, and is not efficient at burning calories when you’re not exercising.

Weight Training

Weight training is arguably the most effective – when combined with a good diet – in helping with weight loss. However, the caveat to this is that you need to target the right muscle groups and do an incrementally harder level of repetitions as time goes on to achieve the best results. Weight training also tends to have more of an impact on the body than cardio, necessitating an increased recovery time.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking to gain fitness with your exercise regime, you’ll definitely want to investigate cardio and possibly combine it with a dabble of interval training. While cardio can be of some help with weight loss, those focused solely on shedding the pounds should definitely opt for weight training (although a spattering of cardio won’t do any harm in this regard).

I’ve been fortunate enough to never feel the need to diet. I don’t even like the word to be honest. I think that being on a diet suggests it’s something that people do sometimes and not all the time. How many times do you hear people say “I’ve booked my holiday, I’m now going on a diet.” I believe in eating sensibly and use common sense every day.

To me, if you are educated in a way so you understand the food you consume and you know their nutritional value. You should never need to go on a diet. You will know that if you have a bad day, you can make it up the next and so on.

I also believe that people should always exercise, even if it’s just a little. If you can’t run or lift weights like me, just walking to the shops will help. Exercise combined with healthy eating, will help with your weight loss and increase toning.

Stacey wrote a great article a few months ago called ‘The Best Diet Ever.’ The title was just an attention grabber. Of course there’s no one diet that’s the best, it’s a combination of them all. We’ve all heard of people deciding to go on various diets, but are these realistic and sustainable? I don’t think so. I think whatever you decide to do needs to fit in with your lifestyle too. I have 2 young kids so having meals together is very important. How would it work if I was to say try Intermittent Fasting? I strongly believe in setting an example to my kids so is the right example to fast for numerous hours in front of them? If it’s good for me it should be good for them but it somehow seems crazy to ask them to do this. Whether these reports say it’s healthy or not, I’ll stick to giving my kids what I know works and that’s a balanced diet containing all the vitamins and minerals they need at regular intervals throughout the day.

There is one programme that I would recommend to you and it’s something my Wife used on the run up to our Wedding. It’s called ‘Weight Watchers’ and to me this is not a diet, it’s an education. The programme simply gives food a points system and you have so many points allocated in one day. As long as you stick to the points system, you’ll lose weight. You also get bonus points if you exercise, these points should still be used up in my opinion so you are correctly refuelling your body. Weight Watchers is also a realistic and sustainable programme. It’s something that fits in with your lifestyle too. You can sit around with the family and all eat together. On Weight Watchers you can eat food normally and count out the points before or after your meal but for convenience they also offer their own ready packaged products. The variety is huge and ranges from low fat breads and spreads to cakes, frozen desserts and fresh ready meals, all of which can be found in most major supermarkets.

I recently introduced a great website to my Wife to compare prices, it’s called mySupermarket. Here you can compare the prices of thousands of products. So for any Weight Watchers products, it’ll show you the best prices and deals in all the major supermarkets so you know which store is selling at the best price that day. They also have a special dietary food shelf which shows tons of diet, low fat and low sugar products. You can use the brand filter option on the left side of the screen to show only Weight Watchers items but it’s worth having a look at everything else for inspiration as well, you might get some meal ideas out of it. People think that it costs a lot of money to follow a diet like Weight watchers but with all the special offers out there it doesn’t need to be. On the mySupermarket dietary shelf there’s also an ‘on offer’ filter which you can use to see all the special offers available. As of today there are 71 Weight Watchers offers in Asda, 14 in Tesco and 30 in Sainsbury’s.

If you feel the need to diet and you are jumping between different methods, why not try Weight Watchers and see if they can transform your life? It may just work for you and don’t forget to shop online and use mySupermarket to get the best deals too.

Thanks as always,

I guess what I’m getting at here is that you want to have some idea as to whether you are trying to stay nice and lean or push for strength and size development. Each of these will have a pretty significant impact on your diet and you’ll do well if you know how. In my 8 years around sports and athlete training, I’ve come across countless athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts that preach about gaining muscle. When asked about diet, they either don’t have a solid plan or follow a plan that is better suited to someone who wants to lose fat, not gain muscle.

The reality of it is that if you want to drive strength or muscle adaptations to training you have to eat enough food in the way of carbohydrates to drive your workouts and protein for recovery. It’s not uncommon for me to speak with athletes that actively avoid fat in their diet. Fats are worth more than twice the calories per gram of that found in protein or carbs. Removing fat from the diet can quickly leave you in a caloric deficit which is the opposite of what you want as a person trying to gain weight. Along with that, fats are vital to a number of bodily processes including the synthesis of testosterone. Monounsaturated and saturated fats are key to testosterone synthesis. This isn’t to be confused with Trans Fats which are manmade and should be avoided.

So without an in depth knowledge of the science, here are some tips to help you add get moving with those gains. Firstly, make sure you have a source of protein with each meal. Good choices include Chicken, Turkey, Fish, Beef, Egg Albumen (the white part), beans, Lentils and Legumes. Having protein with each meal of the day will provide frequent sources of amino acids which are vital in the production of cells. If you are struggling to meet your requirements from whole foods, you can include a whey proteinpowder to supplement your intake.

Next up is the carbohydrates. Forget the diet fads and try to have a source of carbohydrates with each meal. If possible, avoid refined and simple carbs like white rice, white potato and sugar. Sugars from fruit sources are okay but don’t overdo it as they will still have a negative effect on your fat mass if taken in excess. Instead opt for sources like sweet potato, which though high in sugar has a lower glycaemic index than most carbohydrate sources. Wholegrain rice; my preference is basmati as it feels less like pellets and has a softer texture when cooked. Quinoa which is a grain that is also high in protein with a complete amino acid profile making it a super food. This one is a great addition for vegetarians in particular. It won’t be long before you notice strength increases and even size gains.

Lastly are fats. As I mentioned they are a key factor in the synthesis of testosterone. Good sources of fats are nuts, oils like olive, flaxseed and coconut oil. Eggs, avocados and red meat are also great sources. Remember that fats are very calorie dense so take care not to take on too many.

Just a quick one today, why do I train? The answer is a simple one, I want to stay fit and healthy. For anyone reading this who does train, you’ll know one of the other positive things about exercising is that you’ll end up looking as well as feeling great but I didn’t start training to get ripped abs. Ask yourself this, why do you train?

For those of you who are thinking about starting to train, remember that I was in your position a few years ago. I’ve always been an active person so I didn’t have loads of weight to lose but I needed to change my mindset. I was getting myself into a bad routine and I felt if I didn’t change it soon, I could end up putting on weight without even knowing it. I needed a training and nutritional programme in place that would help and maintain my health and fitness levels.

When I started to train, I wasn’t just doing this for a few months leading up to my holidays and then forgetting about it. It was for life. As well as changing my routine and my lifestyle, I needed a realistic training programme in place. I don’t have the time to train everyday and this is something I don’t agree with anyway. I believe your body benefits just as much from your days off as it does on the days you train. I’ll leave this opinion to another article so watch this space. I currently exercise 4-5 times a week. This is perfect for me and more importantly, it doesn’t interfere with my family time. I train during the week once my kids are in bed and parkrunis early on a Saturday morning. When I completed my Pier to Pier run back in May, my family was with me so it was great!

I’ve never and never will be on a diet. I believe in using common sense and eating anything in moderation will lead to a balanced diet. I don’t calorie count and I don’t use supplements.

Having said all of that, what works for one won’t necessarily work for another. Everyone is different, so you must find what works for you. This article is about why I train so you need to ask yourself the same question or hopefully, why should you train? Deano, I and the rest of our writers are here to help you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like any advice.

Stay fit and healthy folks,