GetFit Top Tip

This one has been prompted by one of the most commonly asked queries about joining both ForestFit and JessBoxing!

I can’t come to XXXXXX, I am not fit enough!

I totally understand why it comes up. I appreciate there is a level of apprehension with joining a group training program when you think you are not going to be able to keep up, complete all the moves, do all the exercises etc… no one wants to be left behind, or stand out and be the one struggling the most.

I suppose it is like a mirror, we always think that someone else looks slimmer, stronger, fitter, faster than ourselves. We hate testing our theory out as well, for fear of being right!!

The problem is unless you actually test out your theory you’ll never find out that you are actually WRONG. I generally find that most people massively underestimate their physical abilities.

You have a choice right now, you can continue to fear the unknown and get more worked up by your worsening physique and physical condition, OR, you can get off your butt and prove yourself wrong. No brainer really!

Tim

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I am officially the biggest Kid out there, so I went and got Myself, Sorry I mean My Kids of course, a Trampoline! And Man is it good Fun. I just love it. So there I am bouncing away in rain and sunshine whilst the kids are getting impatient waiting for their turn- Mum, is it 5 min yet….. - Nearly, just 1 more minute…..Oh, sorry just 1 more, I promise….

Anyway,as Fun as it is..it actually have some other great Benefits. I found this article about this wonderful thing and it made me Love it even more.

Apparently, there are a few Superstars, like Heidi Klum who does this for exercise…Just bouncing the pounds away. So I kept reading. Not only is it a great way to burn fat and calories ( 5 min bouncing is apparently equal to 20 min on the treadmill…how cool is that:)) It can also help improve your over all health.

1 It’s a low impact workout so its nice to your joints and according to this article it can even prevent the onset of osteoarthritis by strengthening your bones and muscles.

2 According to the article NASA has found that G-force jumping creates help to stimulate the fluid transportation, (the lymphatic system), giving you the same benefits as a detoxing massage.

3 The jumping also stimulates the internal organs which can help digestion and help to ease bloating and trapped wind (maybe only jump on your on if you have a dodgy tummy then:))

4 According to research from University of Konstanze in Germany, you learn new motor skills when you are on the trampoline, which tires your brain out, which gives you a better nights sleep, which means you’ll wake up full of Energy the next day ready for more bouncing!

Now if this is not enough Positives to go and get a Trampoline I don’t know what is. But while you are at it, You should probably get a separate one for the kids…Cause otherwise they might never get the chance to have some Fun:)

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I seem to get asked at least once a week which books I would recommend for training, fat loss, nutrition, goal setting etc etc…

I do read lots of this stuff, in fact I tend to be reading non stop… strange I never used to be like that…

Anyway, I have created a page on the GetFit.lu website with all my recommended books and where you can get them from. I have added Amazon links or retailer links so you can get all these products shipped to your door in double quick time.

Summer holidays are a great time to catch up with some interesting reading, pick one or two that you can pack in your suitcase…

http://www.getfit.lu/book-recommendations.html

Tim

PS. You’ll see some other links to the left hand side of this page, which will take you to some of our most trusted resources and partners, make sure you try these too!

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I love reading some of the so called health pages on various news websites, and it becomes clear what propagates ineffective methods of fat loss and weight control.  This article at the BBC health webpage gets my juices flowing because as with many articles/studies/papers/reviews etc etc in relation to fat loss, they bear little resemblance to the real world.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7530345.stm - Hour’s exercise to lose weight.

The article states that women should be exercising 5 times a week for at least an hour to lose weight and keep it off.

Sounds like a hell of a lot of training!

Obviously these guys have never heard of interval training where 25 minutes of total workout time can produce a much greater fat burning effect.

They have probably never heard of doing resistance based routines as well, not lasting more than 40 minutes, to boost your metabolism creating a much more sustainable body shape and better structural health too.

Combine the 2 together 3 times a week and you’ll be still out the gym before these guys!

In the real world getting the most out of training is not about time spent in the gym, but more the effectiveness of the routines you perform.

In the real world myself and other top quality fitness professionals from around the globe get amazing results from short intensive routines.

In the real world we don’t have time to waste hour upon hour doing “moderate” exercise

In the real world we are never going to maintain that level of training for the rest of our lives.

Get Real BBC, University of Pittsburg, Professor Paul Gately! Start studying how real results are obtained!

Tim climbs gently off soapbox :o)

If you are interested in the kind of training that works, check out Craig Ballantynes fantastic digital book Turbulence Training or join us for the 45 minute ForestFit workouts

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Starting a week later than the 7am groups, we are running a 09:30 group again, once all the schools are back in session.

To register for this popular group get over to http://www.forestfit.com/forestfit-0930.html

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So I have opened September ForestFit already. The main reason for doing it this early is because I am away for half of August and the first week in September so I want to get this rolling now to avoid to much computer time during my “holiday”

So to save my sanity and keep my wife from nagging me to get off the damn internet, I am asking you guys to sign up for ForestFit September nice and early

We start on September 9th at 07:00. and continue for 4 weeks.

We are going to try a slightly different approach with 2 groups of 15 people and split the experience/fitness levels a little to cater better for the slightly less fit members…

We already have 10 people signed up from the existing groups so only 20 places left at this point. July sold out in ONE WEEK! So I urge you to register online today to secure your place.

Go to http://www.forestfit.com to sign up right now!

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So much for doing ForestFit regardless of the weather…

Sadly this morning we had no choice but to cancel the workout because of the thunder and lightening. Certainly the right decision despite the fact it cleared about 15 minutes later, and it was actually quite pleasant!

So like any “crazy” individual I set out into the Forest by myself to catch a quick intervals session.

Splashing through the deep pools of water, mud splattering up the back of my legs, dodging the heavy, low and very wet branches, leaping from one side of the trail to the other to avoid the slippery roots and rocks. Charging up the hill using every ounce of energy to get to the top, refusing to be defeated by gravity and that awkward, uneven slope. As I walked back down the hill I started thinking about those poor souls stuck in the gym…

Pounding away at their treadmill, in their pristine white training shoes and colour coordinated workout attire. The only thing to dodge is the choice of music and the mindless crap on the tv screens. The pre-programmed, laser sharp accuracy of the angle of slope on the treadmill, knowing to the meter the distance you have traveled, the exact number of calories burnt and how much longer you have to stay on that thing to really start burning fat!

Who was enjoying the act of losing body fat more?

I wonder ;o)

Tim Goodwin
www.getfit.lu
www.forestfit.com

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Joining forestfit is now really a no-brainer.

We are in the last week of ForestFit May, and all but two participants have re-joined plus we have almost filled the 07:00 group, when I last checked we had only two places available.

The 09:30 group still has a number of places available, but we are hopeful of filling this group too!

Just think, by 10:30 every Tuesday and Thursday you’ll have had your healthy breakfast, got the kids to school AND finished a fun and rewarding, fat burning workout. On Saturday’s we’ll start a little earlier giving you the rest of the weekend to do all the things your weekends are filled with.

Get over to www.forestfit.com to register today.

Tim Goodwin

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One of my ForestFit clients was asking me the other day why even though she had trained for a marathon, she had not lost any weight, or more importantly not seen any significant change in shape. This throws up a whole discussion on the effectiveness of aerobic type workouts, and what your overall goal is. Once again I’ll try not to bore you with the science of this but hope to clarify what happens to the body when you are training for an endurance event like a marathon.

Your body is more clever than you, it does everything in its power to survive despite its owners best efforts :o)

If you starve yourself, your body does everything to economize, holding on to all energy, and breaking down all substances that use fuel too much.

When you run a little your body burns fuel of which you have a limited amount.

If you run for a long time your body will burn all its immediately available fuel as well as some of the stuff that is reserve.

If you keep eating into your reserves your body will start to go into that economy mode as if you where starving yourself, breaking down substance that uses fuel(muscle), and start trying to store more of the fuel that goes into your reserves(fat).

Prolonged training of this nature over a period of 6 months, whilst great for burning calories whilst doing the training, causes massive damage to your metabolism, breaking down all that muscle, thats why elite marathon runners are all skin and bones and really low levels of muscle mass.

As a side thought, it is very common to see retired elite marathon runners, cyclists etc pile on huge amounts body fat when they stop their doing the huge number of kilometers training each week.

For the ordinary guy and gal on the street training for a marathon may be a great goal, and something that I am happy that people do. BUT, and this is a BIG BUT! Unless you are training to go and do the Olympic marathon, I would certainly advise you to do other styles of training that promote fat loss and boost your metabolism, otherwise you will be disappointed.

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A quick post to tell you all that Jess and I will run a 2nd ForestFit group for the month of June.

As well as the Early Morning group starting at 7 in the morning, we are also offering a 09:30 start time to accommodate those who have family priorities early in the morning.

So pack you kids off to school and join us for some energising workouts in the woods, and you’ll done before 10:30.

Go to the ForestFit website to register today for your place.

Tim

P.S. Places are limited, once they are all gone we cannot accept any more!

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