How to make your 'beach body' last for 12 months!

How to make your ‘beach body’ last for 12 months 

The term ‘beach body’ comes up year after year, as predictable as Christmas. If you’re a bit sick of going through the same cycle of diet and exercise for 3 months of the year, it might be time to start planning a more long-lasting, sustainable way of getting fit. Here’s how to do it.

Decide on your definition of a ‘beach body’ 

Despite what a lot of advertisers tell us, there isn’t one acceptable body type to aim for. However, it’s perfectly natural to want to look and feel your best when you’re wearing comparatively very little.

Your age, metabolism, and gender can have a big impact on how muscle and fat develops and dissipates in your body, and the ‘ideal’ isn’t always achievable. Instead, focus on what you want to achieve. Not only is it far better for your mental health, it’s also easier to achieve and maintain.

Set small, achievable goals 

Your weight loss and muscle building goals should be attainable and specific. Reaching too high will set you up for disappointment, so it’s far better to aim for small improvements over a longer period of time. It also gives your body and brain time to adjust.


Crash dieting and fasting gets quick results, which is why so many people try it on the run up to their holiday, but it leaves your brain and body starved of energy. When you do eat more calories, your body gains weight even more quickly than before.

Eat the right foods consistently, exercise at the right pace, and your body will improve in a healthy, sustainable way.

Take the pressure off 

Many fear the dreaded ‘beach body’ because the effort of achieving it feels massive and the means can be really dull.

Choose an activity that doesn’t feel like exercise, or get the one-to-one help and advice of a personal trainer so you feel supported. If burning calories is your priority, find something you love to make the time fly. If your focus is building muscle, seek the guidance of someone who knows what they’re doing.

One-to-one personal training can help you achieve and maintain your fitness goals. Contact us on 07925787883 or fill in our contact form to get started.

How to boost your energy

How to boost your energy when you can't be bothered to workout 

Sometimes Nike’s famous tagline ‘Just do it’ doesn’t cut it. That endorphin high might feel good after you’ve pushed yourself, but even putting your running shoes on can feel like too much some days.

You’re capable and you’re strong, but your brain is telling you different. Here’s how to fight the inertia.

Choose your most energetic time of day 

If you’re a natural morning person but you’re only making time for exercise at 6pm, you’re fighting with yourself. We all have a 24-hour internal clock called circadian rhythms, which affects when we feel alert and when we feel drowsy.

Shift workers and people working nights will find their circadian rhythms have probably become difficult to read, but it’s still possible to form a routine. Take stock of when you feel more energy and start to tailor your exercise regime around it – you’ll find it much easier to get up and get out.

Avoid high sugar foods before exercise 

Carbohydrates and sugary foods might feel like they give you lots of energy, but they’re really short-lived. It’s a fairly complex process, but your cells are fuelled by the energy in your food. If that food is packed full of sugar, the energy is absorbed really quickly, your blood sugar goes down again (making you feel drowsy and sometimes a bit shaky), and this sends signals to your brain that you need more.

The steadier your blood sugar, the more sustainable your energy levels will be. Eat protein, veg, nuts, and fruits like melon and blueberries, and avoid processed sugars, white pasta, and bread.

Have reasonable expectations of yourself 

Some fear failure when it comes to fitness because they’ve already set steep expectations. It’s easier to put it off completely rather than not meet your own high standards. No one sees instant results and stamina can take a long time to build, so lower your expectations and take it one exercise at a time.

If you have to drag yourself to the gym like a toddler to bed, consider a different activity or routine. Who says you have to go on a cross trainer?

Start small 

Starting something is often harder than actually doing it. Your motivation levels will continue to rise as you feel active, break a sweat, and then before you know it you’re all done.

Instead of anticipating a full hour of exercise, think about what you’re going to do for the first 10 minutes and digest it in chunks. You’ll see it as much more achievable and the time will fly.

For a one-on-one, tailored exercise programme, contact us through our website, or call us on
07925 787883, to discuss personal training programmes and prices

How to get back into exercise after an injury and stay motivated

 

The two most common types of sports and exercise injuries are overuse injuries and traumatic injuries. Overuse injuries can include muscle and tendon damage, and other familiar terms like ‘tennis elbow’ and ‘swimmer’s shoulder’, which have been caused by persistent use. Traumatic injuries are sometimes more visible, such as bruising, muscle strain, and dislocations, and are usually because of a singular event or fall.

Both types of injury can be harmful over a longer period, but overuse injuries in particular can flare up again and again if they’re not treated properly. Your training regime doesn’t have to come to a complete halt, and can be continued safely with the right advice. 

Prepare for it to take some time

If you’re the kind of person who’s used to getting straight into something at full speed, you’ll have to ease off this time. Your injury needs to completely heal before you can fully return to your usual activity.

Gradually increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your exercise, do some stretches before you start your workout (no cheating), and make time for rest days. If the pain intensifies or changes, stop immediately.

 

Work on specific areas

If you injured yourself playing a specific sport, there are various exercises you can do to get back to peak fitness, but they won’t necessarily involve kicking a ball or picking up a tennis racket. Working on balance, muscle strength, your core, and endurance running are excellent ways to build your general ability back up.

Don’t go it alone, work with a specialist

Overuse injuries can be caused by poor technique, inflexibility, poor muscle strength and even the wrong footwear. If you don’t consult with an expert, you could repeat the same cause and effect until it becomes a permanent problem.

Our Total Sports Injury Rehabilitation programme includes the following treatments and more:

·       Deep tissue and sports massage – aids the healing process and manipulates deep layers of muscle and connective tissue. Also improves lymphatic circulation, relaxes the body, and breaks up adhesions.

·       Dry needling – acupuncture technique to control pain and restore function.

·       Cryotherapy – uses freezing temperatures to treat nerve damage.

·       Thermotherapy – uses high temperatures to increase blood flow, oxygen uptake, and speed up tissue healing.

·       Kinesiology taping and strapping – provides rigid support for musculoskeletal injuries without restricting movement.

·       Proprioception exercises – balance exercises to help you control how you move on and around an injured joint.

If an injury is affecting your ability to exercise, proper diagnosis is really important. Contact us on 07925787883, email totalsportsrehab@live.co.uk, our fill in our contact form to start your rehabilitation process and get the best, hands-on advice.

The Benefits of 1 to 1 Personal Training

Why one-to-one workouts can help you stay committed 

Back in 2009, a report found that “nearly 40% of people surveyed said they used their home exercise machines far less than they had planned”. And despite there being 9.7 million gym members in the UK, many feel their commitment start to wane because of a lack of time or motivation. 

Whether you’re working out in the gym or at home, you’re generally doing it on your own. For those who lack direction, need supervision, or just want a well-meaning kick up the backside, one-to-one workouts are essential. 

You will never waste a workout 

It’s been estimated that 55% of gym-goers are wasting their workout time. Harpers Fitness asked 1000 gym members what they do in the gym between exercises and found “only 39% of every hour is spent on exercise”. Considering the amount many gym memberships cost, and how much effort it takes for some to get to the cross trainer in the first place, it’s a fairly significant waste of money and time. 

With a one-to-one workout, an hour of exercise really is an hour of exercise. No time is wasted waiting for machines and you’ve made the most of the session. 

Being supervised stops procrastination in its tracks 

When we put things off, we generally do it because the thing we need to do isn’t much fun. The long-term rewards might be worth it, but if it’s not appealing in the short-term, we’re much more likely to drag our feet. 

The guidance and expectations of a real person standing right in front of us kills procrastination quite quickly. For many, the impulse to not let someone down is far stronger than the impulse to stay on the sofa. 

Support = more motivation 

The psychology of motivation is really complex, but a few simple things can improve it. Being directed by someone else prevents ‘analysis paralysis’, where indecision and uncertainty stops you from doing what you need to do. Being too hard on yourself can actually be counter-productive, rather than motivating, so positive encouragement and reinforcement is also essential. 

Don’t look to Instagram for advice 

If we believed the advice of every single fitness Instagram model, our workouts would last all day and our diet would be a complete contradiction. 

A recent Guardian article highlighted that many fitness celebrities don’t have personal training qualifications, are highly paid to promote specific products, and sometimes recommend workouts that are particularly bad for those with existing injuries. One interviewee damaged her sciatic nerve “doing an online squats challenge”. 

Fitness information can be unreliable when you don’t check the source, so be aware that the DIY approach is a risk. 

Total Sports Rehab provide one-to-one personal training sessions in central Manchester in a specialised, purpose-built studio. You’ll work through structured exercise plans, sport specific sessions, and benefit from unlimited email, text and phone support. 

Find out more about prices and sessions on our personal training page.