Frequently Asked Questions

How long will my program last?

Your bespoke plan will last 12 weeks, often but not always (client dependent!) made up of 3 separate 4 week phases.

Why am I doing the same workouts each week during a phase?

To achieve results we need to be able to track progress to ensure we are always moving forwards. By basing the main part of your workout around the same exercises in each phase we can apply progressive overload to these exercises week on week, track this progress and make sure we are always getting closer to your goal. Two of the key elements of ensuring a successful outcome is to implement a tailored structure & then apply consistency. Random workouts & taking a stab in the dark is not the way to achieve results!

Can I mix things up so I don’t get bored?

You absolutely can mix up your other daily movement and cardio, although we will plan and track this to a certain extent. However, the base of your plan will revolve around a structured resistance training program which I would not advise mixing up. Yes it will involve some repetition and adjusting to this can often be difficult at first. However, hopefully you will understand the reasons behind why we are using this strategy and as you start to see results this will motivate you to keep going. You might even start to enjoy it!

Do I have to send you everything about my workouts?

You do not have to send me anything if you don’t want to! However the more we can work together the better potential you will have to achieving the results you are after. If you are on the full support package then the more information you provide me with then the more I can assist you with making sure everything is working for you ie. if something is not working then we can swap it out & not lose any time.

If you are on the non-support package then please use all the resources in the online portal as much as possible and email me if you need help or are unsure.

I don’t feel like working out today - what do I do?

Firstly - it is completely normal to sometimes not be feeling it so do not stress! I definitely have these types of days. For all of us - some days it just isn’t going to happen - BUT if you are NOT feeling it more often than you ARE feeling it then a few things could be up:

Are you at the start of your journey and you haven’t got into it yet? It can take time to implement new habits so the more you work on pushing yourself to keep going at the start (even when you don’t want to!) then the quicker it will become habit & a wonderful way of life! Remind yourself that you will feel amazing after you workout with the release of those endorphins – you just have to get started.

Maybe you haven’t seen results yet so you don’t feel motivated? Know that motivation will not be present for every single workout you do. This is the moment to remind yourself of your goal and how badly you want to achieve that goal. Picture how you will feel once you have achieved it. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into just doing the first exercise and then you often find it’s easy to carry out the rest. The more you implement your workouts, the easier it will become. Remember that this is a hugely positive thing you are doing for your body, your mind, your energy, your mood and so much more! I sometimes think - I don’t love brushing my teeth but I do it anyway because I need to look after my teeth…..and it’s the same for my body. Sometimes that’s enough to help me start!

If on the other hand, you are exhausted, too stressed or you aren’t feeling it today but you usually are….then maybe take the day off. I like to look across a week at what I’ve achieved, not daily. One day missed will not make a difference. Success comes through a compound effect – our consistent actions over the days, over the weeks, over the months is what gets results – one or two missed workouts is not going to derail your progress.

Can I mix up my training & rest days that you have programmed?

Absolutely. It is just a guide based on what we have discussed about fitting things into your lifestyle. The only thing I would avoid if possible is 3 full body strength days in a row.

Should I be doing fasted cardio?

If you like to do fasted cardio then you can! If you don’t then don’t. The research shows that training fasted has no superior effect on fat burn over non-fasted cardio.

An exercise doesn’t feel right - what do I do?

If it feels painful (in a bad way) or you get any sharp pain then please stop the exercise straight away and contact me. It may be we need to tweak your technique or swap out the exercise completely. If it’s more a muscle ache (in a good way!) because the muscle is working then crack on! Muscle soreness doesn’t last long. However you might want to check with me by filming yourself doing the exercise so I can view your form.

I’m going on holiday – what should I do about my training?

It is completely up to you but do let me know this as soon in your plan as you can so we can factor it in in regards to your end result.. It might be that you fully take the week off (don’t worry – this shouldn’t derail your progress too much but there are things to consider). If there’s a gym where you’re going you can carry on. If there is no gym then you can contact me and I can give you bodyweight/banded replacements. We would also look at other tools such as step count etc.

If you are away for 2 weeks or more we may have to formulate a bit more of a specific plan!

What is a calorie deficit?

Simply: expending more calories than you consume so that your body will have to turn to your fat store for energy. If your goal is fat burn then a calorie deficit is what you will want to achieve!

What is energy balance?

You energy balance is the input (food) & output (body processes/movement/exercise) of energy. If your goal is fat burn then we will work together to understand approximately how much energy (or ‘calories’) your body requires in a day to support: your body’s functions & process to keep you alive, daily movement, processing food, exercise etc (it differs for everyone depending on many variables). We can then apply movement & exercise levels to achieve a calorie deficit in order to burn fat.

How do we track progress?

This is individual and dependant on your goal. For strength we will of course track: reps/sets/resistance as it increases & utilise tools such as tempo, range increase, pauses and half reps. For fat burn & muscle build - overall I think photos are the best way to track progress as you can lose inches off your body or build muscle whilst burning fat and the scales may not move! Weight can fluctuate a lot daily so it’s not always a great indicator of progress & I feel we can get hung up on our ‘weight’ when it really doesn’t matter! Other options are: how you feel, clothing, measurements – sometimes you can pick more than one to create a whole picture which is very useful.

Should I see change every week?

It’s important to note that you may not see change each week. Progress is rarely a linear process so please do not feel demotivated if you do not see change every week! However I would expect to see some change across 2-3 weeks so if this is not happening then we will look closely at the plan and your nutrition to address any areas that might need attention.

What do I do if I fall off track?

You pick yourself up & get back on again without delay & don’t sweat it! The worst thing you can do is wallow in the fact you have fallen off & then let that derail you further.

However, this is one of the reasons I fully favour a more flexible dieting approach as it is more sustainable and therefore you cannot really ‘fall off track’. If you fall off track too often then maybe you are being too restrictive so please contact me to discuss!

Say you had something like a wedding where you cannot control nutrition then don’t worry! Just enjoy the day & try to exercise in the morning if you can. Afterwards, get back on track with your workouts & nutrition ASAP. It takes more than a day like this to ruin your progress but you don’t want to let it run on too long!

Also - if I knew I had a day like this coming up & I was on a fat burn program then I might look at adjusting my nutrition the week leading up to it to try and balance things out. Remember we are looking at things across a weekly basis, not daily.

I feel demotivated - what do I do?

It is a myth that you have to have motivation for every workout you do. Let’s be honest – sometimes you just won’t be feeling it and you will really have to dig deep to complete your workout! That is life. In situations like this it’s HUGELY important to go back to your WHY. Why are you doing this? What is your goal? How will you feel when you have achieved your goal? Picture how you will feel once you have achieved it – actually envisage it with your eyes closed. It’s actually these moments that really set apart the people that achieve their goal and those that don’t. This is why so many people do not succeed – it’s as much a mindset game as it is physical sometimes.

The more you work on creating habits and tapping into that feeling you get post workout, the easier it becomes.

Sometimes you have to trick yourself into just doing the first exercise and then you often find it’s easy to carry out the rest. The more you implement your workouts, the easier it will become. Remember that this is a hugely positive thing you are doing for your body, your mind, your energy, your mood and so much more! I sometimes think - I don’t love brushing my teeth but I do it anyway because I need to look after my teeth…..and it’s the same for my body. Sometimes that’s enough to help me start! Don’t forget to use me too – I am here for you to help you at these moments so get touch!

I don’t feel like I’m making progress - what do I do?

Firstly – let’s look at the facts. This is the reason we track progress – is there progress you can see or feel? Secondly – whilst results will come at different speeds for different people (depending on your adherence but also just your personal situation ie. Age or how much muscle you have etc) – it is almost ALWAYS slower than you think. Me included, often we do 3 weeks of adherence and expect dramatic changes when in reality it takes real time and effort. Once you get your head around that, relax into it and work on consistency over time then this patience will often help you see the progress you are actually most likely making! Finally – please do contact me so I can assist you with this and reassure you OR maybe we do need to make some changes and look more closely at your nutrition & movement levels.