Archive for December, 2009

Well, I have to say I had a great time in Orlando on my business trip, even though it took 29 hours to get there.

 It  was just like the first road trip I  did to the Gold Coast all the way back in 1987 when I was selected to represent NSW in the All Schools Australian Tennis Titles (although this last trip didn’t include sneaking around into the girls rooms), - but hey, I was only 15 back then and things have changed over the years…).

 With all the travel and hotel stay, I felt inspired to write a post with a few tips and things you should consider before the next work/road trip.

 Here are a few things you should do on a business/road trip to help you stay lean…

 Train Before you Leave  

 In order to set myself up and wear myself out a bit so I could sleep on the plane, I got up very early and went to the gym for a “burn fat fast session”. That’s what I’m calling my new style of workout (will be online very soon) that focuses on burning maximum calories in a short amount of time. With little or no rest.

 After a 10 minute warmup, I did 20 minutes of various functional movements ( the basis behind the ‘burn fat fast’ program and then got back home so I could hit the road ( or the air I should say).

And it doesn’t matter how early you have to leave, all you need to do is get up an extra 30 minutes early to squeeze in a short 20-minute burn fat fast workout.

 Eat up Before Leaving

 When I came home from the gym, I had a big breakfast of a 4-egg omelet (with  broccoli, capsicum, mushrooms and spinach) plus a serve of porridge & mixed berries.

  Eat at the Airport before Leaving and Take a few Snacks

 I had packed some fruit, a nut mix & water for the first leg of my trip.

We all know that plane food is not the greatest and you will have a much better chance to find a nutritious meal at the airport. You just need to select a protein source & a basic salad at one of the food outlets. This will save you eating the snacks & plane food that comes out.

  Plan a Cheat Meal for When you get There… Gives you Something to Look Forward to  

 Eating a solid breakfast , snacks, then a decent pre flight meal, I was never hungry and tempted to eat junk food on the flight. It helped that I had an awesome book to read and notes to take, which kept me occupied.  Plus, in the back of my mind I had planned to have a cheat meal at some stage in the first day I got there, which kept me going.

 And it worked out perfect. I go to the Hilton in Orlando and one of bus was there waiting for me and kind enough to take me to dinner. So I ordered  Pork Shanks with a salad and mash potato + a few beers.

 Not too much damage, and still had protein & vegetables in it.

 Find a Hotel with a gym in it

 If possible find a hotel that has a gym and a pool in it. I was fortunate that the Hilton had both which made life for me very easy. I was able to hit the gym & pool  most mornings.

No major drama if you can’t though, I will have my “Travelling Boot Camp” program up online soon that requires no equipment at all.

 Choose Wise Meal Options at the Take Away Restaurants

 I don’t recommend eating at McDonald’s every day, but a couple of time I was left with no options for food whilst overseas. Instead of the double cheeseburger meal deal ( upsized of course the American way), with chips, coke & a cookie, I just ordered a couple of chicken wraps. At the end of the day not too bad…

 Plan ahead, and you don’t have to worry about gaining weight on the road.

 I spent 10 days on the road and came back 1kg lighter than when I left.

 What’s the best business/road trip you’ve ever went on? Let me know in the comments section below.

Losing fat the easy way

 Scott Williams

As we head to the holiday season, it’s not uncommon to put on a few kilos. So the desire to hire a personal trainer seems like a good idea, if the price is right.

 But if the times are as tight as your pants, there’s a new fitness trend that’s good for your waistline as well as your wallet.

Caz and Terry are both workout buffs. They would each love to have their own personal trainer but individually can’t afford one. So, they decided to share one using a GPTXpress membership.

“I’ve been doing mini-group training for four months now,” said terry. “This is really the only way I could afford to get interaction with a trainer and some of the other gym members.”

“This way I can be with the trainer and also get the training that I need for a discounted price,” said Caz.

It’s simple. Instead of one-on-one Personal Training sessions, a trainer takes two to four clients together and charges each for less.

A recent survey by the American College of Sports Medicine shows this mini-group personal training is a trend to watch.

It’s beginning to happen all over the country, actually, it’s happening all over the world.

Please note, group fitness classes aren’t the same as group personal training. With group fitness classes, you’ve got choreographic movement and music with about 20 to 30 of your not-so-closest friends. But with group personal training there is no more than six people, so the instructor can pay close attention to your workout.

The friendly rivalry, and training beside other people provides better fitness incentives as well.

So you’re still getting personal attention, you’re improving your technique, your form, your knowledge, like working with your own personal trainer, but at a much less expensive cost and with the fun of a group,

“You motivate each other, so if I’m going to go with you to a personal training session, and you tell me you’re not going to go, well I’m going to try to motivate you to go because I want you to exercise,” said Terry.

“It’s much more dynamic, it’s much faster paced, so I feel like it’s an excellent workout,” said Caz.

While prices vary across the country, Here at Succeed we offer group sessions at around $20 - 25 per session, which is helpful to those watching their wallet.

For more information don’t hesitate to contact the Succeed Team on 1300 671 171

Hey All,

Sorry I haven’t posted a fitness session for a while, we have had a busy time with various things on at the moment.

Check it out here:

Here is rundown of the cross fit session:

20 x 40kg Thrashers

20 x double unders

20 x 40kg Deadlifts

20 calories - Rower

20 x 20kg D/B Swings

x 3 rounds for time

Time: 22.46

Had one of my Personal Training clients at Club Lime Tuggeranong also do this on modified weights and she did a fantastic time of : 25.06. Well done Jess this was a tough session.

Wht not give it a try and post your time in the comments below.

P.S. After getting a heap of requests, I will also be posting the Beach Body Boot Camp Workout soon for you all to use on your Christmas break so you keep the kilos off.

Yours in Fitness

Scott  

Succeed Personal Training

Guest Post by my business partner - Jesse

Traditionally, the Christmas/New Year period is one of all-out excess, mainly in the areas of food and drink but the old credit card can also take a hit too as it can become all too easy to fall into the trap of ‘pay for it later’ thinking!

 At the same time, for us living down under, it’s also summer time and a time when a lot more flesh is generally bared - either by choice or necessity!

So, as we head into that period, I encourage you to stay focused on your goals and the bigger picture. Remember, the more of your hard work you let slide, the harder you have to work to get it back.

 Below I have listed a few pointers to preserving your hard earned gains over the festive season:

• Pre-plan your training over the period. If you plan on taking a break over Xmas, crank up the intensity now to maximize the 2 weeks you have left. If you are going to train through that period, get organised and plan your sessions now. This will give you structure and something to look forward to. This is also a great time to try some new training techniques, some new exercises or maybe a totally different style of training.
• If you are going to have a few drinks, look for options that will contain less calories: low carb beers are a good option and there are plenty of choices on the market; if drinking spirits, look for low sugar mixers such as soda water. Use natural fruits such as limes to add flavour rather than relying in sugar-laden cordials.
• Go the BBQ! Generally, the good old Aussie barbie can provide low carb meal options: focus on meats and salads, and minimise intake of breads, chips and snacks
• Plan your ‘off days’ - wherever possible, plan the days where you will treat yourself but remember, this principle only works if you keep your food clean on the other days.
• Keep your incidental activity high - many people take time off work over this period, so use your ‘down time’ wisely: walk the dog more often, play with the kids, walk to the local shops - all those little things that tend to fall into the ‘not enough time’ basket when you are in your normal routine

 Well, as you will see these tips are certainly not rocket science, rather basic common sense.

If you wish to recieve our ‘beach body bootcamp’ program for you to use whilst away, then let us know and we will send it out to you FREE of charge (our gift to you).

 Take time to enjoy the company of family and friends, enjoy some good food and a few drinks but at the same time, remember the bigger picture and where you are heading - make sure over Christmas that direction is not “backwards”!

 Jesse

Ok, a few days a ago I gave you an understanding of emotional eating and the triggers. Now you need to learn how to break those habits. When you start to reach for food in response to an eating trigger, here are a few activities you can try before reaching for the chocolates:

The best thing you can do for yourself is:

• take a walk, go to the gym (exercise will give you endorphins which will make you feel better and give you time to calm down)
• treat yourself to a movie
• listen to music
• read a book or call a friend (talking can take your mind off the fridge)
• Plan enjoyable events for yourself to keep busy
• Clear the house of unhealthy foods and comfort foods you ay go looking for
• Avoid the shopping if you are hungry, or angry (only go to the shops on a empty stomach
• Keep a supply of healthy options around

Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose low-calorie food more natural products, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving (don’t make them a habit though).

Eat a well balanced diet throughout the day. If you’re not getting enough calories from your set meals to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to graze on unwanted foods or give in to emotional eating.

Be sure to make it a habit to eat at around the same time each day and whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast.

 Include foods from the basic food groups in your meals. Focus on whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you’re more likely to feel fuller, longer.

Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it’s fit and well rested.

Be open to trying alternative ideas. Sometimes distracting yourself from eating is not enough to manage the emotional distress that leads to excessive eating. To more effectively cope with emotional stress, try body balance, meditation, yoga etc.

These are just a few techniques may assist to alleviate the emotional problems that cause you to ‘comfort eat’.

Next time you feel one of the emotions give it a go. What have you got to lose?

Scott Williams

Ausstralian Fitness Expert

Bootcampdownunder.tv workouts of the day.

Well after a busy week with the Sydney Swans, I am trying to get myself back into the swing of things before I head off for Christmas.

Here are the latest Bootcampdownder fitness training sessions:

Session 1: Fight Gone Bad Version

Keg clean & press (was an empty keg and no I didn’t drink it) or tyre as an alternative

Burpees

K/B swings (can use D/B or plate)

Air Squats

25m Sprint

All stations run for a minute. You count your total number of reps at each station and add them up for a total score x 3 rounds.

Session 2: Tabata Session consisting of:

20kg O/H Squat (you can use a bar, keg or light truck tyre)

Double Unders (double skip)

Chin Ups

Rower (count lowest metres) (could do 20m sprint as an outdoor variation)

Ring Dips (bench dips if outdoors)

Tabata - 20 sec work time with 10 sec rest x 8 sets.

You record your lowest amount of reps of each station

As you can see these sessions can be done outdoors and also in the gym.

Why not give them a try and see how you go…

If you are looking to take your training to the next level then why not come and try Australia’s Best Fitness Company? Contact us to book in for your FREE session

Sorry no video of these sessions, will film this week and post up at a later date

Scott

Well after the pleasure of spending a week with the Sydney Swans, it has really opened my eyes to the life of a full time football player.

I was amazed at how much of a finely tuned machine both player and organisation were at the Sydney Swans.

A big thank you to the club, coaches and players for making me feel at home and allowing me in to their lives for a few days.

I have to say I am amazed at the fitness levels of these guys.

Depending on the day it starts around 8am as the players start rolling into Swans HQ. Those that need, head down to get rubs and strapped up for the session ahead.

They hit the track at about 8.30am where it is a solid 30 - 45 minute series of stretching and light warm up drills.

From there it was amazing to see the structure of the players and coaching staff as they are having to deal with players that have done the full pre season, to players coming back from injury and of course the new draftees that have only been at the club for a week.

How they have it all set up for each player at various levels so as to avoid the possibility of injury was amazing and my hat goes off to the Strength & Conditioning Coaches for such a professional structure.

The session goes on average for about four hours with a fantastic mix of conditioning and skills combined for the players. By the end of the session they average around 10km (take me a week to run that far).

They then head off for massage, lunch etc before being required back for the second session of the day about two hours later. It is mix of things for recovery from a tough morning session.

As it was pre season and players at different levels I was very fortunate to get a look at the different styles of fitness sessions that were conducted based on how long they had been in the pre season program for.

Each day was very different and to much to mention here, but the Sydney Swans have an awesome strength and conditioning program for players.

I now have a better understanding why football is a full time sport. With training up to two sessions a day six days week, I get tired thinking about how much they do in a week (take me a month).

The environment and culture of the club is also something that really stood out for me. It feels like a real family when you have been with them for a few days. The players seem to have a knack to really switch on to training together and lift each other. They all get along really well and it was evident, when going to lunch etc when they all just hang out together.

As most of you know I am into giving to charity where possible and doing my bit for the community, and the Sydney Swans are no exception, with players going either going to hospitals or schools on a weekly basis to either help out with their AFL skills or to just cheer them up a bit.

Some of the senior players like Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Nick Malceski etc create an environment around the club that is fun and relaxing for all the players.

some of the boys in training

I wish the Sydney Swans all the best for the 2009/10 season even though we will be trying to knock their reserve grade side off in the ACTAFL.

Scott Williams

Australian Fitness Expert

I was at the supermarket last week getting some items for a thai beef salad, when an interesting thing happened…

 I went straight to the supermarket after training  clients at the gym. Well, as I was grabbing my items, a lady whom I recognised and she knows that I owns a fitness business here in Canberra, asked me for some help to choose some frozen pre prepared meals for her. You know those prepared frozen meals are usually highly processed, loaded with sodium and other chemicals your body just doesn’t need.

 What concerned me the most was what she said to me next:

 ”I have tried everything to lose weight and decrease my body fat and have always failed”.

 Now I will say that this woman was quite overweight.

 It is not the first time I have had someone tell me they’ve “tried everything” to get in shape. The problem that they don’t realize is that they are barking up the wrong tree for results…so many people are trying the so called quick fixes and fads that are out there instead of just doing it the old fashioned way and doing a bit of hard work and taking the time to prepare meals and just leading a healthy, active lifestyle.

 Back to the woman in the store…

 I had a bit of time up my sleeve so I offered to help her out with the shopping list for day. We began with going through what was already in the trolley. The following list were some of the items she thought werethe best healthy options:

• Slim fast shakes (not really that healthy…they’re loaded with high sugars, fructose syrup, hydrogenated oils, and a bunch of chemicals)
• Fat Free Rice Cakes (ok…despite so many people believing these pieces of crap are healthy…they really are nothing but pure refined starch with zero fiber, which basically breaks down immediately into sugar in your body, spiking insulin and promoting fat storage…doesn’t sound so good anymore, huh)
• Protein bars “Low or No Carboydrate” or some BS on it like that (I had a look at the ingredient list of these so called “healthy” protein bars and sure enough… enough sugar alcohols, fructose + many other useless chemicals to give you diarrhea for a week!)
• Tinned fruit in syrup (Not the worst option…but, why not just eat fresh fruit which still contains the skins, fiber, active enzymes, etc, instead of resorting to processed, tinned fruit that’s been cooked and loaded with syrup)
• Low fat Muffin Mix (ok, so these are loaded with artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, preservatives, and a chemical ingredients, say no more)

 This is the same thing that I see all the time.

 People are too easily mislead by what they see or hear, leading them to believe what they are buying is healthy or good for them. On face value many items have great sounding things like “fat free”, “low carb”, “reduced sugar”, “high protein”, etc.

 However, the TRUTH is on that little panel on the back! Yes, the nutrition info is where the real truth is at. However, most people don’t really fully understand the nutrition info or can’t be bothered looking cause they don’t want to know the truth, so they believe the advertising claims on the front of the package to guide them.

 BIG MISTAKE!

 Here is the problem most people are facing, the woman in the shops honestly thought she was doing great with her grocery shopping and buying all kinds of healthy stuff for her and her family.

 But to be honest, most of the products she was buying was highly processed and full of chemicals and refined ingredients. No wonder “nothing has worked” for her to get in shape and lose the body fat… She’s been mislead by all of the confusing marketing, labeling and conflicting nutrition info in the media.

 If you want to know more or would like advice and guidance with your nutrition and learn what it takes to eat  healthier and maximize, your metabolism, reduces cravings, and strips off that excess body fat, then hesitate to contact us. We are more than happy to help you out.

 Remember there is no rocket science to good, healthy eating. Always look to buy your food in as natural state as possible.

 Yours in Health & Fitness

Why is it that most people really know what they want, but just refuse to go after it??

The starting point for everybody and the number 1 reason where most people fall down is:

• 1. most people procrastinate, are lazy, and have a poor mental attitude about what they BELIEVE they can actually achieve.
• 2. reason for failure at fat loss & achieving their dream body is most people have ineffective training routines

3. poor dietary habits.

 The reason I put beliefs in front of the actual details of training/nutrition for weight loss is because your brain and your mental status is the true starting point for success in anything.

 This involves:

* BELIEVING that you CAN actually achieve it

* DECIDING exactly what you want (how you want your body to look, how lean you want to be, how much confidence you want to feel, how much energy you want, etc)

* Making sure you actually have a BURNING DESIRE for what you want to achieve

* Setting/documenting EXACT GOALS for what you want to achieve ( body, ideal weight)

* VISUALIZING and “feeling” what you want to achieve

* Taking massive action NOW to start achieving (no procrastination)

 In order to be successful at anything, excuses must be thrown out the window… there is no such thing as bad genetics, no such thing as “not enough time”, no such thing as “it’s just too hard”… no excuses at all for not achieving what you desire.

 This is the stuff nobody ever wants to talk about, but this is more important to get right first before ever dealing with the “details” about workouts and how to eat for fat loss or any goal.

 You must learn to work from the inside out. If you cannot change the inside then the outside desire will not appear.

 If you want to get your mindset straight, and also set yourself on the right path with the “details” of your workouts and dietary strategies, then we can help you.

 Simply send us an email and we will assist you down the right path, but remember you have to want to do it and be willing to change.

 Scott Williams

AustralianFitness Expert

Well as I write this I am trying to multi task and pack a bag at the same time.

No surprise to the ladies because I suck at doing more than one thing at a time…

Here is my Office at the moment

Anyway as most of you know I have been fortunate enough to have been invited to go and work with the Sydney Swans this week, which will be a great experience.

 This will be a great learning curve for myself and how a professional football club runs and operates on a daily basis.

It will be great to learn and implement various training ideas to all of my Strength & Conditioning roles that I have with local clubs and individuals.

 I would like to say a big thank you to the Sydney Swans for allowing me in to their Pre Season training.

 I will also be doing my final lming audition in Sydney for the new Fitness Lifestyle Show coming to Australia in 2010 (yes, I know what some of you are thinking… I don’t have a face for TV), we will soon see….

Can’t say too much else at the moment, but we will see how I go once I get in front of the camera. Really looking forward to it and very excited at the prospect of being involved in what seems will be an amazing journey and show. I may become the next Shannon Ponton. Some people say we look the same??

Stay Tuned for more….

On the training front, I haven’t been lazy.

 Have had a few cracking sessions this week, but haven’t been able to shoot bootcampdownunder.tv this week due to the arrangements with me going to Sydney.

Favourite fitness session this week: Tanya

15 x K/B Sumo Deadlift High Pull

30 x burpees

15 x air squats

30 x 20kg k/b swings

15 x push ups

30 x Double Unders

400m run

x 3 rounds for time

Time: 27.27

Also had a friend come and do this session and posted an awesome time of 28.38.

Session was done outdoors and all that was required equipment wise was 2 kettlebells and 2 skipping ropes.

As you can see  minimal equipment required (just the way it should be).

Well gotta get back to packing the bag.

See you all next week.

Wish me luck!!!!

Scott