Now is the time to examine what you want for your health and wellbeing.  Now is the time to develop some new habits.  Resolutions lack commitment and are often fuelled by New Year’s hangovers or guilt.  They generally don’t work.

Developing a new habit however does work.  There are many ways to achieve this and Leo Babauta does stirling work in the advice stakes over at Zen Habits, with his article “A Compact Guide to Creating the Fitness Habit.”

I don’t agree with everything he says about diet (I advocate a paleo dietary regime) but the principles are good and sensible. However, it is my experience that many of us lack the necessary motivation and drive to maintain a new habit completely on our own.

That is where I come in.  I am passionate about helping you get back to wellness.  I’m a personal trainer today, but I wasn’t always well.  For a long time I wasn’t fit and for a few years I felt that something awful was going to happen to me.  But I took action – I’ve done the hard work and now I want to share it with you – not by writing about it but by working with you one to one.

If you live in St Albans or Harpenden and the surrounding area, or even Buckingham or Leighton Buzzard and you need help then I’d like to hear from you. I work with a range of clients, but weight management is my specialty.

Call me on 0800 612 5870 for an initial consultation. Or get in touch via the contact page

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a single recipe for surviving the challenges of the Christmas period or for achieving wellness!  In reality each of us needs to find the combination of lifestyle choices and eating habits that works for us.

It took years for me to realise that grains really upset my stomach and what I thought was IBS was simply a poor tolerance for wheat and similar grains.  My (seven) years as a vegetarian and vegan were my most uncomfortable, not because I was consuming too many vegetables but because of an increased consumption of grains, sugars and soya protein.

Choosing to be well is simply that: a choice.  Most of us know what we are doing wrong or perhaps that we are doing something wrong. Making the choice to be well is relatively easy but we do need support along the way as so much of our culture is hell bent on making us fail.

My choices

The way I keep well is through a combination of movement and diet that I set out below.  This is my personal combination and it works for me. Why does it work? Simply because I enjoy each of the components individually and I like the likestyle that the combination yields for me.  It doesn’t feel like a hair shirt thing at all and I have a level of fitness, strength and health that has only been surpassed in my teenage years.

1. Paleo diet
2. Yoga and Pilates
3. Kettebell strength training
4. Barefoot running
5. Jado Kuin Do

This combination works for me.  The paleo diet has eliminated bloating and any traces of IBS.  I feel hungry less and I really enjoy my food. Yoga and Pilates are fantastic for strength through flexibility – I love these activities and intend to pursue them in the long term.  Next year I will train as a Pilates instructor with a longer term aim of training as a yoga teacher too.

Kettlebells provide phenomenal strength and conditioning.  Proper use is essential which is why I added Kettlebell and Medicine Ball training to my studies as a (REPs) Personal Trainer.  For most of my clients, medicine ball, kettlebell and bodyweight exercises are all I need to use with occasional core stability exercises using the swiss ball, the pilates ball and a wobble board for good measure. I love the work I do and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly clients make differences to their physical strength, fitness and posture with these interventions.

Barefoot running is relatively new for me.  I’ve been wearing minimalist shoes (only) for 2 years now and started running in them during the past year.  Come the Spring/Summer I will venture into full barefoot (no shoes) running.  I love the freedom in running – it can be truly exhilarating, something I never thought I’d hear myself say having struggled with running for years!

Jado Kuin Do is my chosen martial art.  Starting this was life changing for me and I’ve been incredibly lucky to be able to work at close hand with Master Jake Ogden founder of the World Jado Kuin Do Organisation and recently inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.  I came to Jado relatively late in life, starting in my early 40s.  I’d last studied a martial art in my early 20s so it was a bit of a shock coming back to one.  But it has been fantastic and now I teach many children and adults on a weekly basis through my own Jado Kuin Do academies.

My chosen combination provides endurance, flexibility, strength, power and balance supported by high quality food.  Nothing feels like an exercise or workout, it’s all just fun and challenge.  I work with amazing colleagues, clients and students and feel blessed every day!

Failings and Compromises

It’s not all roses though.  We all have a bad day sometimes and there are days when I just don’t want to go out for that run.  So I just don’t.  I never force myself into an activity – it’s not about willpower, but about tapping into what makes us tick.  For me five years ago, feeling unwell was the thing that I was least happy about so I knew that my lifestyle had to change.  And it has, but I still occasionally eat a cake, or skip a training session or drink a bit too much wine.

You have to live the life you want to live and look back on it and be happy.  For me that is about feeling well in myself, being there and being a good Dad for my children, and enjoying great relationships and experiences with family and friends. The compromise is that my life can’t be about material success and huge wealth – there seems to be an inherent conflict to me in doing all the things I do want to do and career success.  So I choose a more minimalist approach to life and I’m happy with that.

Future

I’m on a mission to feel in the best condition of my life by the age of 50 and keep it there as long as I can.  Im going to help as many people as I can do the same. I enjoy working with all ages from 4 to 84.  A lot of what I do is really about play which I feel has huge validity for both children and adults.  Learning or re-learning to enjoy moving around and being comfortable in our bodies is hugely related to being at peace with ourselves.

I look forward to adding to my life experience in a way I can share through my pilates and yoga training and MovNat training later in the coming year.  I don’t have any New Year resolutions so much as a list of a few exciting new things to try out with the people I engage with.

I hope you find your way in the coming year and enjoy the festive period.  If you want some tips for getting started please do sign up and download the Christmas Survival guide, or if you missed it, download the Weightloss factsheet here.

Happy Christmas!

Make it through Christmas, sign up and download the Christmas factsheet!

Obesity Leaders

This week Eurostat, the EU’s statistics agency reported that 23.9% of British women and 22.1% of British men are clinically obese making us the most obese women and second most obese men in Europe (across 19 measured states).  More disturbing is that the growth rate of obesity suggests that things are likely to get worse before they get better.  The Lancet medical journal indicates that the population of obese people in the UK, some 15 million today, will increase by another 11 million over the next 20 years unless there is a radical change of direction. This is going to put an unprecedented, and possibly unmanageable, loading on the health service.

We read about diets and weight loss all the time and have a burgeoning “low-fat” market and yet we in the UK have a serious problem with our weight and particularly with our body composition particularly excess body fat.

The Old Model is Broken

For 50 years we’ve had a growing problem and throughout that time the government and others have tried to encourage us to follow a low-fat diet.  But this strategy isn’t working.  Neither is calorie counting, points, weight loss clubs …..

A new approach is needed and it’s rooted in our ancestral heritage.  We need to move more, we need to sleep more and we need to eat an ancestral diet.

Eating real food need not cost more than the cost of eating junk food added to the cost of eating convenience food added to the cost of drinking and smoking.  And yes it may take extra time to prepare food.  But this is time we are going to reap back when we avoid a curtailed life or at least a very poor quality ill life.   The health service will not be able to repair the damage that long-term obesity causes – no matter how angry we may get later in life, it is now that action needs to be taken.

Take Personal Action Today

This action needs to be taken on a personal basis; nobody but you can make this decision – no-one else is going to take responsibility for your health and wellness.  But there is plenty of guidance along the way.

As we prepare for 2012 and the Olympics, why not think about making this your Olympic year to deal with your weight problem?

New Habit will be producing an Olympic Weightloss Programme to help anyone that wants to lose weight succeed in 2012. Signing up today will give you access to first free factsheet and more factsheets will be published throughout the coming 9-10 months to help you. The basics will focus on a paleo based approach to eating, simple movement and exercises and tips and hints to support you on your journey.  The second factsheet will be published in early December to help you through the seasonal period and get you started before New Year.

Beat Obesity and Save Our Children

If nothing else, we must tackle obesity for the sake of our children.  It’s one thing to make ourselves obese, but is it right for children to suffer as a consequence.  As parents and adults we act as role models for children so if nothing but for them, we need to take some action and get the UK back on track to a healthier lifestyle.  It starts with each of us.

Get started today, sign up and download the first factsheet!

Want to shed the love handles or move a beer belly?

Do you need to get into that little black number for a Christmas party?

If you haven’t already got it,  head over to this page and grab your free e-factsheet. It’s perfect to get your pre-New Year weight loss campaign kick started!

Today!

Do it now…

Yes I want to lose body fat today!

There are a few foods that we would do well to avoid in order to minimize the amount of extra work we will need to do later. Actually, when I say “food” I have to use quote marks as many of these items aren’t really foods in that they don’t give us high quality nutrition.

Mince pies

I know mince pies are tempting and taste good. But how many did you eat last year? Hold off eating mince pies at every opportunity is just storing problems, literally, for later. Resolve to have no more than two across the whole season and really enjoy them if you do eat them.

Beer

Beer, especially for men, is a real problem. Beer belly, man-boobs, sky high glycemic index: none of these is desirable. But we drink gallons of the stuff and especially at this time of year. Over indulging alcohol generally is a separate issue, but beer causes particular dietary challenges and Christmas Ales or Winter Warmers just add to the problem. I know a beer tastes good in mouth, and especially the first few mouthfuls of that first pint, but after that does it really taste as good? Try a different tipple, one that isn’t loaded with phytoestrogens and spare yourself pounds of extra weight.

Canapés

Office parties and corporate entertainment is a den of canapés. These little treasures are often mysterious items and we really have no idea what is in them. Commonly supported by bread, biscuit or other unidentifiable combinations of wheat and trans-fats, they neither do us any good nor satisfy so we end up eating afterwards anyway. Do yourself a favour and leave the canapés alone and just eat later.

Mulled Wine

The problem with mulled wine is the huge amount of sugar dumped into it. If you can make your own and hold the sugar, you’ll have a little more control but generally, and especially with the pre-mixed variety you will end up drinking as much sugar as you would from a soda or soft drink coupled with low quality alcohol: not a great combination. Not good for your head and definitely not good for your body weight. Give it a miss unless you can make it yourself.

Christmas Sandwiches

Traditionally, Christmas was a feast on those one or two days, we literally ate ourselves to sleep. I think that’s a tradition that is good to preserve as is someone in the family making sandwiches with turkey leftovers late on Christmas Day. But it’s not OK to run into Turkey, Sausage and Cranberry sandwiches throughout November and December. Think of these products like a food version of crack cocaine. They are designed with one thought, and only one thought in mind and that is not your health. They are designed to be addictive so that you literally buy these things every day. Do yourself a favour and just say no!

How boring!

I’m not saying that we can’t have fun at this time of year. There is plenty of excellent fresh produce at this time of year – great meats and vegetables and yes some treats in there too. With my paleo orientation, I will be enjoying the seasonal game available at this time of year.

It isn’t fun to feel like a stuffed pig come 31st December wishing you’d just have a bit more restrait. Practice that restraint today and everyday throughout the coming months, enjoy yourelf, party and have fun!

Why not come along and say hello and have a chat about your wellness needs whether those be for the short term (like your wedding) or longer term goals.

New Habit is happy to work with all members of the wedding group, brides, grooms and the parents of course!  See you there on Sunday or call us on 0800 612 5870.

Of course most if not all of those resolutions will fail.  It’s actually still a long time until New Year and if we are concerned about our weight or fitness then deferring to the New Year is not the way.  What is needed is ACTION – NOW!

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”

Benjamin Franklin

Between now and the end of the year, a huge increase in health is possible – just start a programme straight away.  Eat differently, do some exercise, move around a lot.  Refuse to just lose willpower at every single opportunity – if you can’t say no now, it’s not likely to be different in three months.

But we need help doing this.  We are social beings and going alone often doesn’t work.  Workout with a friend, get a personal trainer or join a class.  The motivation comes from being part of something greater than yourself and it’s much more likely to work out for you.

Many of the people I work with are either time pressured through work, or are busy parents; some just aren’t sure how to start.  The important learning is that they all do make time to exercise and move and eat well.  It’s not about total denial, but it is about learning a bit about balance.

My circuit training classes are always entertaining – it’s hard work but it’s fun.  And the honest truth is that a trainer, whether in a personal or group environment, WILL push you further than you would manage on your own and that will give you better results more quickly.  In between sessions of course it is up to you – but once you’ve started to feel better, you will want more of that feeling.

So get ready for the party season, start training today – call me to book on a circuit sesssion, for personal training on your own or with a friend.

If you thought that the best source of carbohydrates and fibre was whole grains, then think again.  The best source of carbohydrates and fibre is actually green vegetables. Not only that, green vegetables reign supreme in providing vital nutrition in the form of minerals and vitamins.

The human body is capable of producing carbohydrates from our main food sources, protein and fat.  We need to consume very little or none to live. However, it is important that we consume adequate soluble fibre to minimise the risk of stomach and bowel cancers and to maintain a healthy digestive tract.  Green vegetables are an excellent source of fibre, unlike abrasive grain based foods.  And importantly, green vegetables contain an abundance of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients.  This contrasts with grain based foods which will often be described as “fortified with vitamins and minerals” which the body will not be able to use as effectively as those provided in real whole foods. Green vegetables are naturally low in sugars and do not stimulate the body to produce insulin – this is a good thing.  The glycemic load of vegetables is non-existent to the point of irrelevance.

Of course it’s best to eat your vegetables lightly cooked or raw as over-cooking will destroy the nutrients that we value so much. Coupled with some grass-fed organic meat and a little melted butter you’ve got top grade nutrition that your body will thank you for.

The table above gives an indication of the easy load vegetables provide for our bodies – they truly are super-foods.  Fruits are in comparison, loaded with sugars, particularly fructose, and don’t provide the nutrient diversity that vegetables can.  If weight loss is your aim, cut out fruit and eat 5-10 portions of vegetables per day and feel the benefit in your body.

Paleo is better understood and developed in the USA, (over the past decade) and this culminated a week ago with the first Ancestral Health Symposium, held in Los Angeles.  This conference was a first of its kind regarding paleo lifestyles and is the stone thrown in the lake of contemporary views of healthy eating and lifestyles.  Hopefully the ripples will reach the UK and the long-promoted “eat low fat and lots of grains” government mantra will bite the dust. Then perhaps we can start attacking the real obesity and diabetes problems in this country.  I have written about paleo before in articles such as “eat fat!” and “50 ways to lose body fat” but I will be writing a lot more in the future about this subject and especially from a UK perspective.

My main role continues to be that of personal trainer, but I weave a paleo outlook into what I do and have been doing so for the past two years.  Now seems the right time to come out and put my cards of the table stating that this is my approach.  My clients have lost weight whilst maintaining muscle mass, dealt with pre-diabetic fasted blood glucose levels and seen significant increases in health, fitness and confidence.  A paleo approach is a lifestyle choice and it is both sustainable and enjoyable.

In months to come, this website will become a resource base so please use it and feel free to ask me questions or make suggestions anytime – feel free to email me at mark (at) newhabit (dot) org with your query and I’ll do my best to help or direct you to someone that can.

At the moment in the UK, doctors, nutritionists and our government are wedded to their “eatwell plate” and any NHS professional will automatically steer you in this direction for a “balanced approach” to a “healthy diet”.  But if you’ve struggled with weight problems or poor health for years, there is advice now available that turn this approach on its head and provides real evidenced approaches to your lifestyle that will work.  It’s my job to do that research and make it available to you along with better movement and rest habits – get in touch when you are ready!

But the simple truth is that the biggest barrier to regular exercise, fitness and health is your motivation and attitude. If you tell yourself that you don’t have time or that you are too busy, then for sure, nothing is going to happen. But there are countless examples of busy people who do somehow make time for exercise. Same 24 hours, same busy schedule but somehow time for exercise is found. In fact, those who exercise daily are more likely to be more productive at work, suffer less stress, and generally smile a lot more.

But if you really can’t face the gym and the prospect of working out alone is too grim, then why not think about training with a friend. There are plenty of friends out there who will encourage us to have one more biscuit, one more glass of wine – what we need now is a friend who has similar motivations and barriers. Encouraging each other to success is a much better strategy than going it alone as countless examples of friends who’ve run the “Race for Life” can attest.

At the start of the school summer break, it’s easy to give up on exercise – so why not set yourself a target to make this summer your summer school.

10 Summer Strategies

1. Find a friend to train with
2. Split up daily exercise into manageable 5-10 minute chunks
3. Play with your children
4. Turn off the TV and exercise instead or workout in front of the TV
5. Go and try that Zumba class you’ve been talking about for the past month
6. Dig the bike out of the garage and go out for a ride with the children
7. Set the alarm clock 45 minutes early and go out for an early morning walk – it’s light by 430am at the moment!
8. Try not to drink too much alcohol too late in the day – it will corrupt your sleep and sap your energy the next day making everything more difficult
9. Try and yoga or pilates class
10. Go and talk to a personal trainer

Above all just start and enjoy the summer!