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We live in a world where everything we want to know about is easy to find, either on your laptop, tablet or mobile phone, even the things we are not that interested in will pop up on our social media feeds.  This can be a good thing, but it can also be bewildering.

The Fitness industry is massive and you can find any workout, training programme, nutrition advice at the end of your finger tips and whilst this can be very helpful if you know what you are looking for it can be very confusing for some, even a little scary at times.  There are also so many images on social media that can make your goals look really daunting. 

We humans like to stick together.   When faced with the prospect of going out alone for a run, or dragging ourselves to the gym, we can easily be swayed into staying in the warm and sitting on the sofa.

There are many reasons why it’s better to work out with others.  For starters, exercising in a group is more motivational. You will find that you’re spurred on by others, and an encouraging pat on the back is sometimes all it takes to keep you going.

When you plan to exercise with friends you feel obliged not to let them down. It’s much easier to just cheat yourself out of a workout, but when a friend’s relying on you for a lift, or to help get them past a physical challenge, it’s so much harder to back out.

It’s also more sociable training with a group, we respond better to interactions and in turn our serotonin levels are increased (that’s the chemical messenger that makes us feel happy!)  When you join a club, all of that support comes as part of the package. There’s an opportunity to share your highs and lows and set new challenges with new friends. You’ll never feel like you’re on your own when you join a club to train with.

Part of the beauty of boot camp and many of my other classes is that everybody has different capabilities, but everyone recognises these differences and encourages and supports. You won’t be left at the back, you’ll be actively encouraged to push beyond your boundaries and experience new challenges.  The support of others is a wonderful tool to help motivate and inspire, and who knows what new challenges you’ll achieve as part of a team.
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I offer a number of boot camp sessions which focus on including everybody, regardless of age and ability. Be brave, come along and be part of something bigger – who knows what you may achieve!

All shapes and sizes – train right for your body type
So listen up guys, when you next start saying, “oh I’m too fat,” “I’m too skinny”, or “I’m just the wrong shape”, remember this: everyone is different and each of us has a body type which responds better to certain types of training.

Here’s the lowdown on the different types of body:

Ectomorph
An ectomorph is typically a light build with small joints and lean muscle.  Usually ectomorphs will have long thin limbs and “stringy” muscles. The shoulders of an ectomorph will be thin and narrow.  They will generally have trouble gaining weight due a fast metabolism.  In order to gain weight ectomorphs need to consume a high number of calories and workouts should focus on the large muscle groups and be short and intense.

Eating before bed can help an ectomorph prevent muscle catabolism (breaking down of muscle tissue). Getting back to lean muscle is easy for this group, and they can lose weight easily.

Mesomorph
Mesomorphs are naturally better equipped for bodybuilding as they tend to have a large bone structure, big muscles and are of a naturally athletic physique. Gaining and losing weight is not so much of a challenge for them and they are naturally strong giving them a perfect start to building muscle.

With weight training mesomorphs tend to see very quick gains – however as they gain fat far more easily than ectomorphs they need to be careful with calorie intake.  A combination of weights and cardio works well.

Endomorph
The endomorph tends to be of a solid build and gains fat very easily. They are usually of a shorter build with thick arms and legs, and strong muscles (especially the upper legs.) Endomorphs find they naturally excel in leg exercises such as squats.

Due to a slow metabolism, endomorphs can gain weight very easily – usually fat rather than muscle. Endomorphs need to focus on cardio to counteract this weight gain, as well as build muscle with weights.

Mixing it up
Most people actually have a combination of two body types – generally either ectomorph/mesomorph or mesomorph/endomorph. This means it is perfectly possible to be a mesomorph who gains weight as an endomorph would do.

Identifying which body type you are can help you tailor a training programme suited to your goals far more easily.  Also, you can tailor your diet to suit your body type.

So now stop making excuses and getting down about your body – embrace the differences and train right for your type.

Can you tell what your body type is from this information? Let me know what you think you are!

 Well what can I say..... Let me start from the beginning.

I have always wanted to do the moonwalk, it has been on my bucket list.  Amazing people coming together to raise awareness for Breast Cancer whilst raising money.  I didn't even need to think about doing it this year. I had been personal training a great lady who had recently lost people very close to her through the dreaded disease and so I put it to her that we do it together. There was no hesitation from her either, so as soon as registration opened we were on it and we got our place.

I was very excited to get a place and thought nothing more of it, life carried on, kids, work and family. The moonwalk was months away! It was always in the back of my mind that we were doing this huge walk – 26.2 miles in total in the middle of the night!  A training plan had to be put together, but still at this point I thought, oh well we have ages, it cannot be that hard to walk 26.2 miles.  I had done a marathon!!!

We Started our training in February, this gave us 3 months.  Our first walk was 8 miles around the Somerset countryside. We did find this quite challenging, 8 miles seems like nothing when you are going for a run, but takes so long when walking.  We did 3 more long walks which included a 10 mile an 18 mile and a 15 mile. They got easier as we got more used to walking the long distances.  It is essential to train, no matter what your fitness levels. Whilst on the walks we took snacks to keep up our energy levels, such as  nuts, dried fruit, flapjack and protein bars and lots of  water, on some walks we were out for 7 hours so it was important we looked after our bodies, I had bought new trainers also as your feet are the main component when walking!! Blisters need to be avoided at all costs, so the right socks and footwear are so important

Saturday the 14th May arrived, we were full of anticipation and trepidation. Would it be cold? Would we hit the wall? All these things we were unsure of. We had our bras fully decorated but we also had a few other layers as we were told it can get nippy at night, especially along the river.  And it was very nippy.  Another tip I was given was to get some long socks and make them into gloves, these were very handy.

With it being the moonwalk you do not start walking until late in the evening, there are 5 different waves, number one wave starting at 10.30 (this is the one we were in), so make sure you fuel up during the day, I had a big breakfast before I left which was scrambled egg, avocado, wholemeal toast and cherry tomatoes.  Lunch was a salad and some snacks of nuts and fruit, then around 5.30 I had soup and bread, when you arrive at Moonwalk site they give you food, you have a choice of pasta or rice.  I had the rice and they also give you flapjack (which I saved for later in the night).   

There were people clapping, cheering and some tears. Everyone marched off, there was no stopping anyone!!! We made our way onto the streets of London.  To start with it felt normal just walking along the streets of London with a load of women and men in their costumes and Bras, there were so many of us that it did not feel any different to walking in London on a busy day.  But it then became a bit more surreal, I looked around and there were no NORMAL PEOPLE  (the only way I can describe it)!!! it was all moonwalkers, talking, singing, laughing, crying.  I heard so many different snippets of conversations.

There was so much to see. Of course I had been to London before, but to see it all lit up and quiet (just moonwalkers) was surreal.  There more miles we covered the thinner the crowds became.  The marshalls were amazing, cheering us on and giving us a clap, a wave, a hello.  The marshalls all volunteer and they are absolute stars, it was not a warm night, especially by the river and to stand there for a very long time, giving words of encouragement was amazing.  They were all so happy.

As the night wore on and the more miles we covered I did not feel at all uncomfortable or tired.  I was actually a bit buzzy!!! It was the middle of the night I wasn't in a pub or a club, I wasn't getting drunk but I felt like I was OUT OUT!!!! It was amazing to see the sights and see the occasional person/people spilling out of a club or on the party boats on the Thames.  I wanted to say hi to everyone, I wanted to let everyone know what we were doing (Mary thought I was mad)!!! 

There was so much to take in that I can't actually remember some of it, walking past Harrods at 3.30 am in the morning was weird.  There were still cars on the road, and  life on the streets with the walkers and the occasional "normal person" but to see Harrods when the streets are not bustling with tourists, shoppers etc was weird. It started to get lighter around 4.40 am. the dim light made everything look amazing.  I do love this time of the morning when you know most people are in bed. We went through Sloane Square, Belgravia, Chelsea.  I had never been to these parts of London before and OH MY I will be visiting them again (when I have lots of dosh!!!). 

As we crossed the finish line at 6.15am and it was an odd feeling, the sparse crowds that were there waiting for loved ones seemed to be half asleep themselves (well who would blame them it was early).  The fantastic
marshalls were there yet again cheering us on and giving us our medals congratulating us on our achievement.  Mary and I hugged, we were dazed, tired but elated. Coffee was needed!!!!!

It was an amazing journey, one that I would do again.  If anyone is thinking of doing it I would say "do it", it is an amazing experience.  But make sure you train!!!

Choosing a workout programme can sometimes be just as challenging as the exercise itself. With so many different names for classes and training methods, you might be hard pushed to decide which one suits you best, or even what they mean.

To cut out the jargon and to make life simple, I’ve put together a guide to the top ten training types, so you can decide for yourself which workouts suit you best!
As with all these things, always remember to work “within yourself” to avoid injury and eat well to complement your training.

1.    Strength Training: Also called resistance training, this type of workout uses the resistance of your own bodyweight, resistance bands, free weights and weight machines. Strength training gives tone and definition to muscles and helps balance out your fat to muscle ratio; it improves posture and gives all-round conditioning. It can take time to build up your strength so it’s important to start lifting weights you are comfortable with. Exercises include dumbbell lifts, shoulder press, and tricep dips. 

2.    Aerobic Training: Anything that raises your heart rate is considered to be an aerobic exercise, so common examples would be running, swimming, dancing, and jumping. With your heart rate and breathing increased the cardiovascular system kicks in, and there are proven benefits to carrying out aerobic training for a sustained amount of time (typically more than 15 minutes), including a lowered risk of heart disease, some forms of cancer and Type 2 Diabetes. Most people can carry out some form of aerobic training, even if it’s just gentle walking.

3.    Circuit Training (Boot Camp): Traditionally called circuit training, boot camps also follow the principal whereby strength and aerobic training is combined.  Often there will be individual stations which require you to try different exercises, covering flexibility, dynamic strength and static strength. Jogging or running adds to the aerobic element, and often a class may last for up to an hour. A great choice for all round fitness, boot camps and circuit sessions typically include exercises like squats, shuttle runs, sit ups and burpees.

4.    HIIT Training: The idea with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is that short bursts of high intensity physical exertion have the same, if not more benefits than more drawn out training plans. The strategy is to alternate short bursts of anaerobic exercise (where you workout so hard that you’re short of breath and lactic acid is produced in the muscles), with less intense recovery periods. Sessions can vary in time, from four-30 minutes and can improve athleticism. The regime can prove tricky for those who are less motivated and it’s been suggested that it’s not the best method for those who are starting out on their fitness journey, but more aimed at athletes and those with a high level of fitness.

5.     Tabata Training: Tabata is a form of HiIT training, but is the time you work hard is reduced, with a total workout time of just four minutes. The idea behind it is that you work to capacity for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 and complete eight rounds of this. Due to the shorter time carrying out the exercises, this is favourable for many people over and above HiIT. You can apply Tabata training to almost any exercise, using squats, sprinting, lifting, press ups or kettlebells.

6.    Plyometrics Training: Focussed on power-building, reaction time, explosiveness and coordination, plyometrics are essentially jumping, or “bouncing” exercises. Lateral jumps, high knees, forward jumping and double leg hops are some examples. This type of training should be done in conjunction with other sports.

7.    Tempo Training: We all fall into our own comfort zone, and when you reach a certain level of fitness it’s easy to not push yourself. Tempo training requires you to maintain a pace that is just beyond your comfort zone so you increase your “lactate threshold” – the point at which the body tires. Try lifting slightly heavier weights, or running that little bit faster.

8.    Fartlek Training: Yes, it’s an amusing name! But comedy aside, this training method is a great way to improve speed and endurance. The word fartlek literally means “speed play” in Swedish, so the idea is to have variations in your speed. You may start running slowly, then have a section of “moderate” running and then the next section will be fast, where you go all out. Then drop back to your moderate pace, and then drop again to slow. Continue this for your whole run.
 
9.    Flexibility Training: Often overlooked, flexibility training includes all the exercises which involve stretching and lengthening the muscles. Perfect examples of this are Pilates and Yoga. Other exercises such as weight lifting, and many martial arts including kick boxing can cause the muscles to shorten and tighten, so these flexibility sessions are great to counteract that and ensure that injury is less likely.

10.    Endurance Training: Taking your training to the next level is something that many people enjoy doing when they have reached certain fitness goals. As part of pushing ourselves we are often spurred on to run marathons, take part in triathlons or take our fitness to the next level. Endurance training involves building on your base fitness level, so gradually adding to your weights if lifting is your thing, or to increase your mileage if running is a passion. With endurance training you need to take into account your nutrition and also you need to think about recovery times to avoid injuries and stresses to the body.


Don’t forget to talk to me about any fitness goals you have, and check out my boot camp, personal training and Zumba sessions!

Increasingly we are becoming more aware of just how bad sugar is and the addictive hold it has on us. For a long time we were all led to believe that fat was the real issue in food, but it seems that sugar is the real bad guy. All too often it’s hidden in processed foods and condiments, tins and jars of sauces, and we don’t even think about what we’re eating.

I’m really keen to try and ditch the “ready-made” sauces that we add to our meals which contain a crazy amount of sugar. The latest news is that we should only be consuming one jar of “pasta sauce” each week – although in my opinion I think they are completely unnecessary.

It’s easy to make a simple tomato sauce from scratch that you can use as a base sauce for so many dishes, the good thing also is you can make up a huge batch and freeze it.  All you need are tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, if you want to then make this into a pasta sauce add basil and oregano or add anchovies to get an extra depth of flavour.

Processed foods will make you feel sluggish, no matter what your body shape. Too much sugar will make you feel sluggish, make your skin and hair dull and have a negative effect on your mindset. What you put into your body affects your inner workings and if your inside is in turmoil, so will you be!

Try eating whole foods, or what is termed as “clean eating” which basically means eating food as it is in its natural state. Try and check labels and see how much sugar is added, it’ll open your eyes!
 
Sugar free ambassadors, such as Sarah Wilson of www.iquitsugar.com, Ella Woodward of www.deliciouslyella.com/ and Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley www.hemsleyandhemsley.com/ all have some great tips on starting out on your journey to cut down on sugar, and it’s all delicious food. So if you still don’t feel you have time to cook your own sauce from scratch, I’ll talk you through it with this easy recipe and in five minutes you’ll be done!

Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce
- Good glug of olive oil
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 5 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Herbs

Method:
Add the oil to a heavy based saucepan and heat gently. Add to it the garlic and red onion and stir until softened. Add the tomatoes, puree, anchovy and any herbs, and gently bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for two minutes and then simmer until sauce has thickened.

 Follow my Facebook Page, Nutty about Health and Fitness for more recipe ideas and nutrition tips.