The last 2kg …….

Can you relate to this? Just want to loose the last 2kg? But it’s hard right?

So why is that?

Well, there could be a number of reasons but where I am taking this blog is not about the number 2kg but rather what it represents.

Watch out, it’s about to get deep …..

A few years ago I was running an 8 week challenge and had a Psychologist come and speak to my group and the very question came up about a girl and her yellow dress. Much the same as the last 2kg, she was convinced once she could fit into that yellow dress again, life would be restored. She would feel happy. She would have finally arrived. The battle would have been won.

The question the Psychologist proposed was “why is the yellow dress so important?”

The girl went onto explain how she FELT when she could fit into the yellow dress.

So after some discussion, it was evident she was chasing a FEELING not a number. But she just happened to be a particular number on the scale when she was wearing the yellow dress.

By now you are wondering, so what’s the secret to getting the last 2kg off?

Well, back to the Psychologist, she explained that if you move from a perfectionist mindset (has to be this way or else I won’t be happy) to a slightly more relaxed mindset (ok, so if I am 1-3kg around my normal body weight life can go on) it is more likely to be sustainable and realistic.

The number on the scale is only as powerful as you want it to be. And sure you may still want to loose the last 2kg, but let me ask you this : “what will your life look like 2kg lighter? Are you a completely changed person? Are you more successful?”

If it is a feeling you are chasing, maybe you need to look somewhere else other than the scales.

In my experience with clients, when I can convince them to shift their focus and stop being so resistant to the weight, they loose the last 2kg anyway. But by then it’s not the 2kg less that make them happy, it’s looking at life beyond the scales.

Hope this helps  x

 

Mobility. What is it and do I need it?

Mobility is about increasing the range of motion around the joint.

Stretching is about lengthening the muscle.

So what you we need and why?

 

Mobility allows your body to move easily and freely without any hinderance or pain caused by the muscles moving around the joint.

Muscles get shortened by contraction (which happens during exercise) and daily patterns (eg: sitting). Lengthening the muscles helps to relieve pain and give the muscle the flexibility it started with before it was shortened.

 

Good mobility therefore gives you a better range while performing strength exercises. Quite often people struggle to get into position (eg: bottom of the squat or deadlift) and it increases the changes of injury, or just limits their potential for greater strength gains. And we are not just talking about lifting big weights for bigger muscles, but lifting heavier increases core strength as well. And this is what can help with a lot of injuries – having a stronger core.

 

The downside to having reduced or restricted mobility can mean that other muscles overcompensate. For example if you have a left hip that is restricted and less mobile, then when you go to do a deep squat you are likely to move to the right side as you lower and therefore load not only your right glute and also your right lower back and hip. The more you do it, the bigger the problem becomes. While we might not all be trying to squat deep and squat heavy, we do all sit at some point in the day. It’s the same movement pattern, same issue.

 

Performing mobility as part of your warmup is a great solution for getting warm and increasing range of the joints you are going to use during your exercise session.  An additional mobility session throughout the week is an added bonus especially on a rest day. A day when your body is recovering from all of the load you have put it through throughout the week while giving it some love.

 

Check out here when our mobility session is on :

Timetable

Why 8 week challenges are so good!

Why does the 8 week challenge work so well?

 

8 weeks offers a short enough time to stay focused but long enough to get some really good results.

They also typically give you a different type of training program which is a big reason why, if you commit to everything within the challenge, you see and feel the full effect of the results.

When you train the same, you get the same. And if you don’t “surprise” or “shock” the body every now and again, you will plateau and this is why, if you commit to the program, you can really get the transformation they offer.

Eating is a big part of the challenges too, whether you are trying to gain muscle or lose body fat. You can’t out train a bad diet. So with some good quality nutrition advice, coupled with a great exercise program and a length of time that you can focus for, it’s the perfect mix for a solution most people are striving for.

Throughout the year people can get distracted with work, life and everything in between, so it’s a really fun and easy way to get results when you have a simple, effective plan to follow and you train with like minded people. Being around the people who are striving for the same result and a really positive atmosphere provided by the trainer, sometimes your hard work can feel more like fun! And if it’s fun, you are more likely to commit to it long term.

So how do you keep the results you get from your 8 week challenge?

Find a challenge and a trainer that educate you. So it’s more than just eat this and do this. It’s the WHY behind everything you do and some knowledge around the mindset of habits. Because your daily habits determine your outcome.  🙂

Our next challenge starts Monday 17th January.

We would love to have you with us 🙂

 

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