Reducing lower body fat around hips and thighs in females

·       Females have large amounts of alpha receptors in their lower body and that’s why they store large amounts of fat around these areas. Alpha-receptors are distinctly bad, inhibiting lipolysis (break down of fats to release fatty acids) and adipose tissue (fat) blood flow.

·       We want a higher level of beta receptors. Beta-receptors can be thought of as the ‘good’ receptors, increasing lipolysis and adipose tissue blood flow

·       Circulation is usually a problem here as it is quite hard to mobilise the fatty acids from those areas (bum, legs)

·         Stop storing fat first before you focus on burning it!

·       To stop storing fat we have to optimize the level of androgens and support the production of those hormones by supplementing with Zinc and Magnesium and keep your diet high in foods that are rich in those minerals (nuts, seeds, green vegetables, shellfish, beef, dark chocolate)

·       Improve your gastrointestinal health for better estrogen detoxification.

·       Strength training for women is also very important as it optimizes androgens and minimizes estrogens.

·       Supplements that are good for lowering and detoxing from estrogens are flaxeeds, DIM-(diindolylmethane) (a food-based compound found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussel’s sprouts), Calcium D-glucerate.

·       By keeping estrogens low and androgens high we are stopping fat storage and it is easier to burn fat from those areas.

·       Another huge issue with most females is cutting calories or dropping them too low, by doing so your cortisol levels go up and your body goes in a fat storage mode because it needs to protect the reproductive system and stores fat around those areas.

·       Excessive and obsessive exercise with females is also a massive issue, women usually tend to do a lot of cardio which in turn elevates the cortisol levels too high which will increase estrogen levels too high.

·       Minimize stress, keep training short and intense, use high intensity weight training to mobilise the fatty acids and then use low intensity cardio at the end of a workout to burn the fat (eg. cross trainer rather than bike)

First Step To A Great Body

When it comes to successful body transformation there are a couple of very important steps that you should consider before you hit the gym and start dieting. 

Start with your gut

Second brain

Your gut is your second brain. It is the place where all the action happens; neurotransmitters are produced, food gets digested, nutrients get absorbed and the acid-alkaline base gets established.

In order for your gut to work well we have to make sure all the processes mentioned above are happening without any disruptions. Let’s have a closer look at neurotransmitters, the brain’s chemical messengers. The main four produced in the gut are Dopamine and Acetylcholine these are the energising ones  and GABA and Seratonin which are the relaxing ones. 

These neurotransmitters are responsible for the way we feel and function. We want to have the right level of the energizing neurotransmitters during the day and right level of the relaxing ones in the evening to help us sleep.

Choose wisely 

The food choices we make on daily basis will hugely impact our mental, physical and emotional state. Consumption of foods that irritate our gut or foods that might cause sensitivities for example: (wheat, gluten, diary and soy products, etc.) will compromise our digestion and disrupt the level of neurotransmitters production which as a result can lead to problems like depression, insomnia, mood swings, bloating and ‘leaky gut syndrome’ to name just a few.

Detox

In order to achieve a healthy gut and bring everything to balance a good place to start is to do a gentle detox.

Now, I am not talking here about starvation for days on end, liquid diets, juicing etc.

I am talking about bringing your gut to optimal health through elimination of certain foods from your diet, foods that cause discomfort, bloating, and irritation etc.

Rotation of foods on daily basis in order to avoid eating the same foods over and over again which may cause deficiency in production of certain enzymes responsible for breaking these foods down and ultimately inefficiency in digestion and nutrient absorption which as a result leads to all the problems we talked about in the above paragraph.

Nourish

I am talking here about nourishing your body through consumption of good quality, nutrient dense foods and organic produce that contains all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes necessary to ensure healthy digestion and nutrient absorption. A combination of best quality meats, fish and poultry to satisfy your body's needs for protein, ideally organically sourced fruit and vegetables for best content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber and good quality fats from sources like oily fish for Omega 3's, also cocnut oil, butter from grass fed cows, nuts etc.

Supplement

Supplementation with digestive enzymes and probiotics is also very important and a great way to ensure healthy gut flora. The process of cooking may negatively impact our digestion and strip the foods of of its enzymes. 

Probiotics are good live bacteria that naturally occur in the gastrointestinal tract. Supplementing with them will not only help us keep our gut healthy but will also help us with fat loss. 

Healthy gut equals no additional stress from food and no problems with digestion which means right levels of neurotransmitters produced in the gut that leads us to better brain function, better mental, physical and emotional state which as a result lowers the level of cortisol (stress hormone) production and in the end no fat storage.

If you experience any of the symptoms mentioned above it is probably time to ‘listen to your gut’ and take care of it as healthy gut is the foundation of good health and first step to an amazing physique.

Don't fear butter!

People commonly associate butter with obesity, high cholesterol and all sorts of other problems and diseases but they couldn’t be further from the truth.

Good quality, organic raw butter from grass fed cows has a lot of health benefits including:

• Improved gut health and function – butyric acid contained in butter feeds good bacteria in the gut, helps maintain a healthy intestinal lining, lowers the risk of colon cancer and is known to relieve symptoms of inflammatory bowel syndrome.

• Strong anti-fungal properties due to its content of palmitoleic acid that also protects us from infections.

• Improves adrenal and thyroid health and function due to high bioavailable form of vitamin A content that is easily absorbing by the body.

• It is a precursor for all sex hormones and has strong antioxidant effects due to cholesterol content. Cholesterol present in butter protects us from heart disease and repairs our sex hormones.

• Contains Vitamins and minerals: is rich in vitamin A, vitamin E, iodine, selenium and beta-carotenes.

• Contains CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that has anti-inflammatory properties and anti cancer properties.

High Protein, High Fat Breakfast

High Protein, High Fat Breakfast

The best way to start your day is to eat breakfast first thing in the morning. A lot of people tend to skip breakfast which elevates cortisol the stress hormone and slows down metabolism which results in fat storing process.  Others tend to eat something quick and easy and at the same time in most cases something they shouldn'tbe eating in the morning – carbs. Most people start their day with sandwiches, cereals and other processed grains.

Eat high protein, high fat and low carb breakfast for optimal body composition and better brain function. Good animal source of protein like organic meat, fish and eggs, are also fantastic sources of good fats that are very important for brain function. Good fat will also keep the level of appetite hormones very low and will give you sustained energy.

If fat loss is the aim, we need to preserve as much muscle as we can, as it is crucial for the metabolism. The less muscle mass we carry, the fewer calories we burn. Most weight loss programs aren’t concerned with how the weight is lost, so calories are often cut too low, which results in loss of lean muscle tissue. The metabolism slows down, and then when an individual returns to normal eating, the lost weight quickly returns – and usually the person will end up heavier than they started.

I recommend that all my clients aim to consume some form of solid animal protein at each meal, to help keep blood-sugar levels stable and avoiding those energy crashes. The body has to work harder (burn more calories) to digest and utilize protein than it does carbs or fat. Protein also keeps us feeling fuller for longer, and studies have shown that those people who increase their protein intake tend to eat fewer calories throughout the day.

Protein is also a primary source of amino acids, the building blocks for healthy hair, muscle, nails, etc. – so don’t skimp.

Low glycaemic fruit and vegetables are great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day and prevent insulin spikes, energy crashes and sugar cravings. Mix them up with your proteins and you are on the 'highway to health’.

*Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day; it’s the foundation. The better the breakfast the more productive your day will be.

*Nuts are great for stabilizing your blood sugar levels for a long time and fantastic source of magnesium, an essential mineral required for maintaining normal muscle and nerve function, keeping a healthy immune system, maintaining heart rhythm, and building strong bones.

Transformers - part 5

For someone who had never been to the gym before and used to spend most of his time working in front of the computer screen, Anthony had one very important ingredient for success; his work ethic! He would literally give me 150% effort in every single training session. There were times when I almost had to kick him out of the studio because he was so "hungry" for achieving his goal, that he would ask for more work,even though he could hardly move.

Anthony is a typical example of someone who just needed some help and guidance around nutrition, training and lifestyle (I know what you're saying right now: "Don't all your clients need that"?). The answer is "yes" but he hardly needed any motivation, he constantly wanted to test himself, and he wanted to prove that his promise to me in our initial consultation was worth all the time and money!

He loved his booze and social events, takeaways and everything that goes with this sort of lifestyle. No structure, random meal times, in fact not eating was his problem. Working crazy hours everyday, forgetting about food and hydration and binging massively in the evenings. To be honest, he wasn't any different to most of my transformation clients or most of the people out there. Unfortunately this is the typical lifestyle people have these days; no life and work balance, tremendous pressure and stress at work, no time to do anything and the way to counter attack all the above seems to work through "de-stressing" in the pub after work.

Fortunately, Anthony fell in love with his new lifestyle and became addicted to lifting weights. I am very proud of this man for what he achieved and how he turned his life around.

Transformers - part 4

Adrian contacted me about my Body Transformation Program back in September 2012. He was clearly fed up with the way things were going in the "health and fitness department" and decided to take action. He messaged me via my facebook page and basically said that he wanted to transform his body.

Adrian works as an IT manager for one of London's well known bakeries. Let's face it, not the best place to be in everyday when you decide to do the body transformation! But as I always say "the tougher the circumstances, the greater the sense of achievement" and I was totally determined to prove that if you put your mind into something nothing can stop you from achieving the desired results.

My body transformation program is a unique deal between You (my client) and I, we both put 120% of work and dedication into this process and we both want it as bad! I am there every step on the way to help you achieve your desired body and health and you are there to do exactly what I tell you to do. I hold you accountable 24/7. I check on you every day and I make sure you do what you are supposed to do! I become your best friend and your worst nightmare because I want it as bad as you do and more.

Adrian's top 3 problems were:

1. Lack of structure and discipline
2. He was gradually getting fatter
3. He was unhappy about his body and the lack of results from training on his own.

My top 3 solutions for Adrian were:

1. I structured his lifestyle:

• I locked regular training times for him every week for 12 weeks
• I gave him instructions on what to eat, when to eat, where to shop, what food to buy, how to cook and prepare his meals, how to plan his days and meals in advance, what food choices to make when eating out and socializing, when to sleep etc.

If you want to be successful at transforming your body, you have to commit to certain structure. Commitment and perseverance are the key!

     2.  We covered all areas:

• In order for his body to respond well to the training, we had to get all aspects of his lifestyle covered.
• Introducing wholesome foods into his diet, foods that are nutrient dense and come from organic sources.
• Getting his sleep patterns under control in order for his body to fully recover and deal with the demands of tough training.
• Proper hydration for optimal performance
• Controlling his stress levels

Body transformation is a process of putting together all pieces of the puzzle. You can't sustain a great healthy physique without controlling all these factors;  hydration, nutrition, stress, sleep, training.

      3.  Mental focus:

• I kept him motivated in every training session so he could get 120% of whatever he needed to do!
• I kept him accountable 24/7
• I made sure that he knew that whenever he struggled, he could ring, text or email me and I would be there to help!
• I made this a challenge and the prize was his new body.
• I made sure he stayed positive all the time and that he appreciated all the changes he made to date. 
• I kept reminding him of the reason he was doing it for.

 

This is what we achieved in 14 weeks

                                                                           

           Week 1                                                                        Week 10