Leaner-Living

Cardio!
A useful tool or a waste of time?
Like most questions when it comes to weight loss it very much depends on the individual utilising it.
...Continue Reading

MY FITNESS FAILS
Episode 2: No Carbs After 6p.m
#freshstart #leanerliving #myfitnessfails

Group Exercise Classes:
What are the pros and cons for group classes and how effective is it really?
Well this all really depends on the individual and their goals.
... If they are just looking at becoming more active but lack self confidence when it comes to knowing what to do, then group training can be a great learning tool in a place where the focus isn’t just on you.
Some people believe that group sessions such as Zumba and legs, bums and tums won’t help you reach your goal.
I personally don’t believe that because if your goal is to lose weight then burning calories however which way will help you get there along as you are burning more then you are consuming.
Remember first and foremost establish that calorie deficit exercise thereafter can very much be personal preference.
Others feel that people in a group class don’t put in as much effort as those who follow a set plan or have a personal trainer.
Again its down to the individual.
It all depends on how much you want that goal and how good you are at pushing yourself to get the most out of that session. No matter wether you are in a studio or the gym floor, we all have days were we try harder or do not feel as motivated and just go through the motions.
Some of the reason people go to group classes might be:
To meet new people as they have just moved to the area and want to surround themselves with likeminded people.
To get a cardio session in because they cannot stand uphill walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes. I personally used to go to a dance class as my cardio during my competition prep.
Could it be because they want to gain the confidence with exercises before heading onto the gym floor?
Is it just because they love classes and having it as part go their routine whatever their goal.
Maybe it’s to get that extra boost and motivation from others working hard around them.
Whatever it is, doing something when it comes to exercise is always better then nothing.
Group training is a great way to get moving, motivated and can be a lot of fun whilst doing it. Although essentially specific weight training is always going to be better for body composition, if thats not your goal then do what makes you happy.
I also feel like the instructor pays a massive part in it all as I used to go to a Zumba class which let me tell you was flipping hardcore and yet I’ve been to others where I barely feel like I am moving apart from an occasional step to the side and shimmy.
As anything there is some controversy around this topic but we cannot reiterate enough that getting up and pushing yourself to attend a class whatever the ability level is always going to trump staying home every evening and sitting on the sofa.
Let me know your thoughts on the matter in the comments below.
Ruth Leaner Living Coach
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Not everybody will order the soufflé!
A soufflé for those unaware (have you been living under a rock) is a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert.
……
... A beautiful dish when prepared correctly and arguably one of the real treats to come out of a pastry kitchen.
A chocolate salted caramel soufflé has a soft chocolate spongey texture on the outside with a warm gooey caramel centre a small cornel of vanilla bean ice cream and you have a desert that is truly hard to beat!
So……
Now I have you drooling over the thought of a delicious calorific chocolate desert let me explain why this is relevant to you and your weight-loss goals!
Lets compare the soufflé to a muller corner yoghurt (not the Mississippi mudpie one or Ruth would go mad!)
The muller corner is ready in seconds, takes zero effort and you are left feeling fairly satisfied after it.
The soufflé however takes time, a controlled oven, multiple ingredients, patience and precision. We all know you will be 100% satisfied after it
But…..
Is it worth the hassle?
Or……
More importantly what it ultimately comes down to is, are you willing to put in the hard work for something amazing or are you happy to settle with just ok for a quick fix?
The Fresh Start programme is your soufflé, it takes hard work, patience and consistency. Sure there are muller corner programmes out there that might get you started but are you looking at a sort of short fix or long term satisfaction?
The Fresh Start programme starts at a minimum 12 week commitment BUT if your goal needs more time support and guidance then you can jump into our graduate programme for as long as you need us!
Don’t settle for average, become fluffy, gooey and delicious!
Ok clearly I need to eat something.
If you have any questions about the soufflé…. I mean Fresh Start programme please ask away :) our doors are open.
Steve Leaner Living Coach
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Place your bets, place your bets!
What topic do you want us covering this weekend?
We are starting to get some great feedback and response from these lives so lets keep them going!
... Ruths topic.
HIIT vs. LIIS
Steve's topic.
Fasted vs. Fed cardio
Get those votes in now!
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We cover the need to know basics on why you should prioritise strength training when your goal is weight loss!

5 simple buffer box suggestions:

Know when dieting and tracking your calorie intake it is easy to get into a pattern of eating similar meals on a weekly basis.
...
If this helps you stay on track and you enjoy eating this way then that is fantastic.

If you prefer to mix things up and try different meals each week then that is fantastic too.

Along as you have found a way that suits your lifestyle and you are sticking to your calories then keep up the hard work.

But sometimes that chicken breast wasn’t as big as you thought or you didn’t add any butter that day or you ran out of your usual fruit snack whereupon you find yourself in a dilemma in the evening when you have various micronutrients and calories to hit before you hit the hay.

Below are 5 simple foods you can keep in your cupboard for when you need some top ups and buffering for your remaining calories.

Snack a jacks:
Now with around 40 calories in each Snack a jacks it is a great way to hit those remaining carbohydrates. They come in a variety of flavours and are a delicious buffer in my opinion

Greek Yoghurt:
Greek yoghurt such as Total, Skre and Liberte provide you with a nice balance of carbs and protein. They actually also go very nicely on top of a caramel snack a jack and a dribble of calorie free syrup.

Peanut Butter:
When you realise you haven’t even got close to your fat intake and still need a few grams of protein then peanut butter will be your best friend. As we mentioned before in a previous post, peanut butter is very high in calories but a spoonful here and there can help you reach your calorie targets at the end of the day.

Dark Chocolate:
A square or two of dark chocolate in the evening was my all time favourite when dieting. It provided me with that sweet craving when relaxing watching tv at night and helped me reach those fat goals in a beautifully tasty way.

Halo Top Ice cream:
Another sweet craving remedy for you here. Halo top ice cream comes in many flavours now and has a great balance of carbs and protein. Just maybe don’t eat the entire tup if you only need a few extra calories even though the entire tup isn’t that much when dieting it may add up to an entire meal.

Keep a selection of the above items in your cupboard and fridge and you’ll be thanking us later when you’re desperately trying to rummage around at 11pm to find something to help you hit your calories and give you a nice nights sleep.

If you have any good buffer box suggestions then comment below as we love trying new things.
Ruth
Leaner Living Coach
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MY FITNESS FAILS
Episode 1: CLEAN EATING

"When you feel like quitting, remember why you started"

Today I was getting my daily addiction of Pinterest, (nowadays it consists of wedding inspiration) and I came across a weekly challenge post...
Fab
Like many I love a challenge and become highly irritated with myself if I don't succeed with flying colours.
... As I started reading I worked out it was about health and weightloss goals.
Fantastic, right down my street I thought!...
Although it wasn't, it was just a pile of unsustainable nonsense which could have been great if it was a completely different article...
The list went a little like this:
No meat Monday Tiny Tuesday Weightless Wednesday Thirsty Thursday Fruity Friday Savory Saturday and Sunday.
So first off I have nothing against Vegetarians but why Monday? Unless you're not replacing it with anything then yes you will reduce your calories but still....Monday is a great day for meat (especially after a weekend bbq where you have loads of the stuff left over)
Tuesday is all about tiny portions and nothing else which lets be honest works perfectly for weighing in on Wednesday for your "Weightless Wednesday".
Thursday is the day when you are only allowed water and no teas/coffees etc .....
Okay! Where is this going?
Friday you are only allowed to eat Fruit and nothing else....
Which leaves us with the weekend where you are allowed ONE (Yes that's right in capital letters) treat!!
So who is up for this weekly challenge?
Something you want to repeat continuously in order to reach your weightloss goal?
Yeah me neither!
It has some great key elements in encouraging you to drink more water and eat more fruit but the rest is ludicrous! Why can't you drink water or eat Fruit on any other day but Friday....??
Confusing I know and just another little fad which is appealing to so many but unsustainable and de-motivating when you then decide to have a salad on Friday.....
You rebel you!
Like I said I love a challenge but I also like to set myself up for success and not failure. This is exactly what we do for our clients who have signed up for the Fresh Start.
What crazy challenges have you tried in the past? Let me know below.
Ruth Leaner Living Coach
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Our topics for this weekend's live!
1. Understanding BMI and Metabolic rate
2. Strength training and fat loss
... As usual we will do our best to go into as much detail as possible while making it very digestible.
Get voting now!
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📽🎬NEW LIVE SERIES! 📽🎬
This week will be the first in a weekly series I am calling:
MY FITNESS FAILS!
... I will be discussing all the gimmicks, mistakes and mumbo jumbo that i have bought into over my 10 years in the health and fitness industry and why you should run a mile from it.
Learn from my mistakes!
Steve Leaner Living Coach
#freshstart #myfitnessfails #leanerliving
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Weight vs Bodyweight Training considerations.

At 12:30 Today we go live!!
You voted for it, now its up to you to turn up and be educated on:
Weight vs bodyweight training.
... We will be breaking down the pro's and con's for both, how programming may vary and our personal opinion on what's best!
Tune in at 12:30 to find out and ask us any questions you may have.
#freshstart
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"Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey"

Oh dude that’s NEAT!


...
NEAT is a term used to collaborate all those extra calories someone burning on a daily basis and YES you guessed it, this is different for every individual and every single day!

It stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenisis.

Basically calories you burn just living your average day to day life. I.e.

Fidgeting
Walking around your house doing chores
Cooking
And your general lifestyle.

Pretty neat right?

…..

Pauses for laughter


……


Moving swiftly on….


Ultimately if weight-loss is your goal then NEAT is a great component in this especially if your opportunities to get to the gym are minimal.

Consider upping your NEAT to help you reach that goal.

Yes YOU can up your own NEAT

This can be achieved in many different ways, here are just a few to get you started:


Walk to the corner shop instead of driving.

Suggest a game of rounders or football with the kids in the park instead of just being in the garden.

Tracking your steps and setting a daily target is also a great little extra to consider, as this will increase that NEAT without completely changing your daily routine.

The reason NEAT is such a broad term and works so differently for everyone is because everyones lifestyle is different and there are thousands of things you can do to up your NEAT.

Let’s say there are 2 identical people who work in an office, they are exactly the same weight and have both decided to go on a weight-loss journey.

Their calories have been set and off they go.

But…..

One of them is loosing more weight then the other and it’s confusing the other so much they start to question things.

This can literally be down to the smallest things that remain unseen once they have left the office.

One takes the train home and lives 5 minutes from the station.

The other gets the bus and jumps off 3 stops early to enjoy a 20 minute stroll.

One has 2 teenage kids who spend a lot of their time round their friends houses on the weekends.

The other has twin toddlers who love running around the park and going swimming with their parents every weekend.

Just from these two examples you can already see the massive difference between both lifestyles and why even if two people are on the same calories and have the same job what goes on around these times can differ so much.

Any neat questions on the topic comment below :p

Ruth
Leaner Living Coach
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🎣🎣Fisherman can be so superstitious!🎣🎣
I have been an avid angler since my early teens and specifically over the past couple of years have started to really get into the sport (yes it is a sport before you say anything!).
I have been lucky enough to catch some cracking fish across different parts of the U.K and I am always looking for my next carpy adventure.
...Continue Reading

Keen to learn?
Want to hear our views on everything nutrition and training?
Then vote on our next LIVE topic!
... Options:
1. Weight training vs. Body weight training pro's and con's for both.
2. Supplements the billion dollar glass house
See More

Mindset when dieting: 🧠🧠
Mindset can literally be the difference between success and failure no matter what the goal!
When beginning a weight-loss journey you should always start by asking yourself.
...Continue Reading

Thoroughly enjoy working with Steve as he has all the knowledge and experience that I need, but most importantly he understands what you are going through and is a great source of support. He really gets that it is about balance and practices what he preaches. An absolute star!

I’ve been working with Leaner Living for around 18 months and strongly recommend them. I’ve had great results.



I was the typical person who regularly flirted with exercise, was always unfocused, never managed to sustain a regular routine and always found that “life got in the way”.



That’s all changed since working with Leaner Living. The guys have worked around my lifestyle, set achievable flexible plans, and kept things interesting. Weekly feedback has given me the accountability and focus I needed. I’ve also learnt a lot about nutrition & lifestyle as well as the obvious workout side of things.



I can genuinely credit Leaner Living for helping me become more focused and motivated, feeling 10 years younger, and being in the best shape of my life!



Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants something different to the stereotypical shouty gym based personal trainer

Oh dude that’s NEAT!


...
NEAT is a term used to collaborate all those extra calories someone burning on a daily basis and YES you guessed it, this is different for every individual and every single day!

It stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenisis.

Basically calories you burn just living your average day to day life. I.e.

Fidgeting
Walking around your house doing chores
Cooking
And your general lifestyle.

Pretty neat right?

…..

Pauses for laughter


……


Moving swiftly on….


Ultimately if weight-loss is your goal then NEAT is a great component in this especially if your opportunities to get to the gym are minimal.

Consider upping your NEAT to help you reach that goal.

Yes YOU can up your own NEAT

This can be achieved in many different ways, here are just a few to get you started:


Walk to the corner shop instead of driving.

Suggest a game of rounders or football with the kids in the park instead of just being in the garden.

Tracking your steps and setting a daily target is also a great little extra to consider, as this will increase that NEAT without completely changing your daily routine.

The reason NEAT is such a broad term and works so differently for everyone is because everyones lifestyle is different and there are thousands of things you can do to up your NEAT.

Let’s say there are 2 identical people who work in an office, they are exactly the same weight and have both decided to go on a weight-loss journey.

Their calories have been set and off they go.

But…..

One of them is loosing more weight then the other and it’s confusing the other so much they start to question things.

This can literally be down to the smallest things that remain unseen once they have left the office.

One takes the train home and lives 5 minutes from the station.

The other gets the bus and jumps off 3 stops early to enjoy a 20 minute stroll.

One has 2 teenage kids who spend a lot of their time round their friends houses on the weekends.

The other has twin toddlers who love running around the park and going swimming with their parents every weekend.

Just from these two examples you can already see the massive difference between both lifestyles and why even if two people are on the same calories and have the same job what goes on around these times can differ so much.

Any neat questions on the topic comment below :p

Ruth
Leaner Living Coach
See More

Thoroughly enjoy working with Steve as he has all the knowledge and experience that I need, but most importantly he understands what you are going through and is a great source of support. He really gets that it is about balance and practices what he preaches. An absolute star!

I’ve been working with Leaner Living for around 18 months and strongly recommend them. I’ve had great results.



I was the typical person who regularly flirted with exercise, was always unfocused, never managed to sustain a regular routine and always found that “life got in the way”.



That’s all changed since working with Leaner Living. The guys have worked around my lifestyle, set achievable flexible plans, and kept things interesting. Weekly feedback has given me the accountability and focus I needed. I’ve also learnt a lot about nutrition & lifestyle as well as the obvious workout side of things.



I can genuinely credit Leaner Living for helping me become more focused and motivated, feeling 10 years younger, and being in the best shape of my life!



Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants something different to the stereotypical shouty gym based personal trainer

Oh dude that’s NEAT!


...
NEAT is a term used to collaborate all those extra calories someone burning on a daily basis and YES you guessed it, this is different for every individual and every single day!

It stands for Non Exercise Activity Thermogenisis.

Basically calories you burn just living your average day to day life. I.e.

Fidgeting
Walking around your house doing chores
Cooking
And your general lifestyle.

Pretty neat right?

…..

Pauses for laughter


……


Moving swiftly on….


Ultimately if weight-loss is your goal then NEAT is a great component in this especially if your opportunities to get to the gym are minimal.

Consider upping your NEAT to help you reach that goal.

Yes YOU can up your own NEAT

This can be achieved in many different ways, here are just a few to get you started:


Walk to the corner shop instead of driving.

Suggest a game of rounders or football with the kids in the park instead of just being in the garden.

Tracking your steps and setting a daily target is also a great little extra to consider, as this will increase that NEAT without completely changing your daily routine.

The reason NEAT is such a broad term and works so differently for everyone is because everyones lifestyle is different and there are thousands of things you can do to up your NEAT.

Let’s say there are 2 identical people who work in an office, they are exactly the same weight and have both decided to go on a weight-loss journey.

Their calories have been set and off they go.

But…..

One of them is loosing more weight then the other and it’s confusing the other so much they start to question things.

This can literally be down to the smallest things that remain unseen once they have left the office.

One takes the train home and lives 5 minutes from the station.

The other gets the bus and jumps off 3 stops early to enjoy a 20 minute stroll.

One has 2 teenage kids who spend a lot of their time round their friends houses on the weekends.

The other has twin toddlers who love running around the park and going swimming with their parents every weekend.

Just from these two examples you can already see the massive difference between both lifestyles and why even if two people are on the same calories and have the same job what goes on around these times can differ so much.

Any neat questions on the topic comment below :p

Ruth
Leaner Living Coach
See More

Thoroughly enjoy working with Steve as he has all the knowledge and experience that I need, but most importantly he understands what you are going through and is a great source of support. He really gets that it is about balance and practices what he preaches. An absolute star!

I’ve been working with Leaner Living for around 18 months and strongly recommend them. I’ve had great results.



I was the typical person who regularly flirted with exercise, was always unfocused, never managed to sustain a regular routine and always found that “life got in the way”.



That’s all changed since working with Leaner Living. The guys have worked around my lifestyle, set achievable flexible plans, and kept things interesting. Weekly feedback has given me the accountability and focus I needed. I’ve also learnt a lot about nutrition & lifestyle as well as the obvious workout side of things.



I can genuinely credit Leaner Living for helping me become more focused and motivated, feeling 10 years younger, and being in the best shape of my life!



Would definitely recommend to anyone who wants something different to the stereotypical shouty gym based personal trainer