As a fitness coach for over 10 years, I have had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of exercise not only on the physical aspects of my client’s lives but also on their mental well-being.

One client I work with suffered post-partum depression following the birth of her child, over the course of our sessions I started to see a shift in her thinking and eventually stopped taking antidepressants. She credits her fitness journey as being a massive part of that. 

For me, fitness is not solely about physical appearance or performance but also about nurturing mental health. Helping my clients understand the release of endorphins and hormones during exercise and its positive impact on mood, stress reduction, and overall well-being, sets the foundation for mental empowerment through fitness coaching.

Lots of people start their fitness journeys because they want to look a certain way, and I was one of them too. But you know what’s even more important? How good it makes you feel overall. When I talk to my clients about what keeps them going, they tell me it’s things like having more energy, feeling happier, being less stressed, thinking more clearly, and sleeping better. It’s all about the Mind-Body Connection, and it’s important to know that both mental and physical health are key to being happy and healthy.

I think it’s super important to create a space where everyone feels safe and comfortable to share their thoughts, feelings, and dreams without fear of being judged. Mental health is just as important as physical health, so when people feel supported, it helps us to communicate better, build trust, and personalise our coaching approach to fit their unique mental health needs.

As a fitness coach, I know how important it is to set goals for mental resilience. I work closely with my clients to determine specific and attainable goals that align with their mental health aspirations, like reducing stress, boosting self-confidence, or managing anxiety. This helps emphasise the message that taking care of our mental well-being is just as important as our physical achievements.

On rest days, I always suggest my clients try some mindful movement or mind-body practices like taking a walk or doing light yoga. These activities have been proven to be super helpful for boosting mental power, increasing self-awareness, reducing stress, and improving focus. By learning to be more mindful during these sessions, my clients can enjoy the benefits long after their training sessions are over and make a positive impact on their daily lives.

As someone who has spent 20 years in the fitness industry, I am constantly inspired by the positive impact that just one hour of physical activity per day can have on all aspects of my client’s lives. Consistency is key, and making the choice to exercise even when you don’t feel like it demonstrates mental fortitude and a commitment to living a healthier, happier life.

There’s an old saying, there’s no such thing as over-training, just under recovery and although that can be debated in different ways, the sentiment remains. Recovery is very important.

You don’t need to train to within an inch of your life every time you hit the gym but if you are never at least a little sore after workouts from time-to-time, you’re probably not pushing hard enough. The body is incredibly resilient and making progress takes a lot of effort so maximising your time in the gym by working hard and then needing quality recovery is the way to go. 

Here are some of my favourite tips for recovery after strenuous workout activity.

1. Rest. As a genuine rule it’s best to leave a muscle group 24-48 hours to recover after training it, especially if it’s intense resistance training and close to muscle failure in multiple sets. I would also go as far to say that if you’re someone who trains regularly and vigorously then it’s good to have longer breaks from training all together every 18-20 weeks where you don’t train for around 3-7 days for deeper muscle recovery.
2. Relax in a bath. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath after your workouts can prevent inflammation and significantly shorten your recovery time.
3. Use muscle oils. I particularly like Hong Hua You, Muscle and Tendon Trauma Oil by Dermatology M. I swear by this muscle oil as it has a very soothing effect, it feels warm on the body and instantly relieves my sore muscles post-workout. What’s even better is that it’s 99% natural made from active Chinese herbs and botanical extracts. Smells great too and leaves my skin feeling so soft! I tend to use this when I’ve done a particularly good workout and my DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness) are feeling quite sore as opposed to every day which feels like even more of a treat.
4. Sauna followed by cold shower cycles. Both of these are great independently from each other but I find them particularly powerful when combined. Both time in a sauna and taking a cold shower help reduce inflammation and boost blood flow around the body. I also personally find saunas or steam rooms very relaxing and a great place to reflect and meditate which is another big bonus.

When you are looking to make a positive change in your life you have to understand that it won’t happen by accident. You have certain habits and autopilot behaviours that you do day to day that often will take a concerted effort to adjust and change. Absolutely it can be done but you have to make it somewhat easier for yourself so you don’t meet too much resistance (otherwise you will unlikely follow through) 

One really great way to do this is to create and surround yourself with an environment that makes it easier for you. If you can set your outside world up somewhat to help you with your quest for change you stand a far better chance of succeeding. 

Small examples of this are things like not keeping unnecessary snacks in the house that are going to erode your willpower and making sure you have easily accessible clean gym clothes so there doesn’t feel like there’s additional blockages to training when in the moment you feel rather indifferent towards it. 

Larger and arguably even more important examples of this can be things like the books you read and influences you feed into your body which can include your friendship group. This can be a delicate conversation as you don’t necessarily need to be completely single minded and cut people from your life but if you are spending time with people who don’t value what you value in regards to health and fitness or have a negative outlook on life then there’s a substantial chance you will get pulled into this direction. 

The main point I want you to take from this is that time is precious and it’s not easy to change, if it was everybody would be walking around with the body of their dreams. Changing human behaviour consistently is a complex and tricky task so try and make it as easy as you can.

In my humble opinion there aren’t too many fitness goals that wouldn’t largely benefit from introducing some resistance training. By this I mean something that actively strengthens your muscles against a load whether it be free weights, machinery or even your own body weight. 

Any goal that involves the improvement of a physique like losing weight or body fat or dropping clothes sizes will be largely dictated by building muscle. That’s where this style of training becomes invaluable. 

When you stress your muscles you burn calories in the moment but also later whilst your body is recovering and repairing making it a very efficient style of training – one workout can often see you continuing to expend calories for hours or even days after. 

Coupled with this once you start to build some muscle the game changes and tips into your favour. Having muscle on your body means you will burn more calories at rest (not doing anything) this makes it easier to create a calorie deficit day to day. The more muscle you have the more you burn so the rich get richer so to speak.

Strengthening the body through resistance training is the closest thing that exists to slowing down the ageing clock as it is also a great way to improve the health and density of your bones, this in turn making your body more robust and decreasing the risks of injuries. 

These blog posts are too short for me to explain every benefit of this style of exercise but it’s something you should look to incorporate immediately if you aren’t already. Strengthening the big muscle groups like your glutes and legs is a fantastic way to start as well as your core which will in turn help your stability, balance and posture. 

If you are regularly more of a cardio person that enjoys exercise like running or cycling you will find adding some of this style will only help and enhance your capabilities there really is no disadvantage to strengthening the body in this manner. 

See you in the weights area!!

Making a change can be daunting and when you feel like you’ve made a decision that you want to be a better version of yourself it can be difficult to start because you feel like there’s so much to do and you are bombarded with ideas from left and right.

Here’s some key things that you can implement immediately that will give you a lift.

Start Using Supplements

I understand that this can be seen as a bit of a minefield with lots of different things presented as ‘miracle cures’ with superpowers to answer all your prayers. I have been recommending certain supplements to my clients for many years and use several regularly myself. Eating a well balanced diet of foods is never a bad idea and in my view adding in some supplements to your diet should not be an excuse to regress in this area.

Here are some supplements I would recommend using immediately if you are not already.

Vitamin D – This is great for boosting your immune system and for the strength of your bones. It’s difficult to obtain from food sources and with the weather as unpredictable as it is it is a must for all year round. 

Vitamin C – Again this will boost your immune system by helping your body repair and grow tissue as well bone and cartilage strength. 

Zinc and Magnesium – If you don’t eat a particularly nutritious diet, supplementing minerals like these can help aid your metabolism and digestion and studies have  shown them to significantly lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 

Nutritional Tweaks To Your Diet

Eat protein rich foods – One of the first things I will quickly address when working with a clients lifestyle and diet is how much protein they are consuming and often give them a target to hit. Not getting enough protein means that your diet will have a too high percentage of carbohydrates which will over time impact you hormonally and lead to insulin issues and bodyweight and bodyfat gain. Not only that but your body burns more calories digesting protein than fat or carbs and it contributes to the growth and repair of your muscles which we always need (Even if you aren’t a gym goer) 

Aim for nutrient dense foods as opposed to empty calories – Foods high in protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals are better choices vs processed, high sugar foods that don’t give the body much benefit.

Consider eating all your daily meals in an 8-10 hour window – The little and often grazing throughout the day can work for some people but having a period of abstaining from food like skipping breakfast, I find will lead to you eating less overall through reducing your hunger. This approach is called intermittent fasting.

Moderate your alcohol and fizzy drinks intake – Not fun I know, but this is such a quick win. I have seen so many clients do nothing else different with their diet or exercise but make a reduction here and get a positive result within a few weeks.

Watch the carbs – As a general rule you don’t want your diet to consist of much more than about 40-50% carbs as a maximum, in particular if you are not exercising regularly and are sedentary more often than not for work. You can use free apps to help you identify what foods are carbohydrate rich.

Be prepared by planning your meals in advance – High carb high sugar foods are going to more often than not be your default options if you’re busy day-to-day and eat from a convenience perspective. Take some time to prepare food with spare time at the weekend so you can get the right things in consistently.

Sleep Quality

And last but not least try and get good sleep…

When we don’t sleep we often get stressed and that is a problem in itself. Sleep is super important for the body’s recovery process and affects our blood sugar levels and mood massively when we don’t get enough of it. You can now get devices that can help track your sleep amount and quality which I would definitely recommend but it’s often the staying up late at night watching television or using iPhones or tablets just before we go to bed that cause us problems. As humans we need to recognise light and dark as a symbol to the brain of when we need to be active and when we need to rest. This is known as your circadian rhythm. If we are online shopping at 11.30pm looking at a big dose of artificial light then don’t expect to fall soundly asleep 10 minutes later. 

My advice here is to turn all electronic devices off around 2 hours before bed time, try to sleep in a dark room and maybe try a magnesium based supplement just before bed if you struggle with your sleep quality and pattern.

If you have been giving some thought to the idea of starting up in the gym, but the whole scenario just feels rather daunting, here are 5 tips to help you push through the uncertainty and get going.

1. Find a workout buddy

Training with a friend is fun and a great way to keep each other on track. There’s a lot of value in keeping some accountability between you and to give each other a much needed boost from time to time. Arranging to meet someone who is also committed and keen to learn is always a good idea. A training partner who is encouraging and supportive is invaluable. Don’t necessarily focus on their ability level though, choose someone who is committed and enthusiastic. You can help each other to motivate and support in order to achieve your goals. 

2. Take a class

Booking on to something specific like a gym class, or even better, a personal training session makes it easier to stick to and means it’s less likely that you will prioritise something else after a long day at work and when it’s cold outside. Put the event in your diary so it’s set in stone. Most gyms offer a wide range of different types of classes so try several and see what you like. Working in a group environment generally means you are more likely to push yourself harder and somewhat plays to a friendly competitive spirit and can be a great way to meet new like minded people. 

3. Try one thing every week that is a little out of your comfort zone

This isn’t always easy but if you are new to the gym, returning after a long leave of absence, or even have an extensive training background, keep yourself guessing by making an effort to experience something new. For example, if you naturally gravitate to cardio equipment like treadmills or cross trainers historically because it’s familiar, then say to yourself you are going to learn and practice one resistance training exercise every week using dumbbells to expand your skillset. 

4. Get organised

Make it easy for yourself to stick to your commitment to exercise. Pack your gym bag the night before and leave your trainers by your bed so they are a quick grab in the morning if you’re in a rush. Cold dark mornings and nights  can mess with you and it may not seem such a good idea to go back out once you are home from work and settled. Little hacks like this can help you form the habit that will run on autopilot after a few weeks when you’ve built momentum and enjoying the feel good factor. 

5. Set goals

Setting a few measurable targets for your results I think is crucial to your excitement for the gym which will massively impact your consistency and continuity. Start with something that seems achievable in a relatively short period of time and then repeat and stack wins on top of each other. This will really boost your motivation. It could be lifting a certain weight, performing cardio activity in a certain amount of time, or something appearance based like a fat loss or weight loss target. Making it something compelling to you that will spur you on.