Woodlands Fitness Centre

Hi, Improved self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric."That feeling, known as a "runner's high,"can be accompanied by a positive and energising outlook on life. Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.…

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Hi, Some people say that "healthy" weight loss means losing one to two pounds per week. So if you're losing more - or less - than that, are you doing something wrong? As long as you’re consuming a healthy amount of calories by eating nutritious foods and exercising more, you’ll lose weight at an appropriate speed for your body. A lot of people have different versions of what "healthy" weight loss might look like. The truth is that the answer isn't so cut and dry. Weight loss occurs differently for everyone and that's okay. Healthy weight loss is usually 1-2 pounds per week. This would require a deficit of approx 750 calories per day (assuming 3,500 calories per Ib of fat). Let’s say someone…

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Hi, We need to learn how to eat, learn what foods makes us feel good, we need to listen to our bodies and worry less what everyone else is doing. I think you will find the most power in taking control of your own body. I think life is too short to be lived with restrictions. I think healthy weight loss is something that needs to be talked about more and fad diets talked about less. Healthy weight loss is usually 1-2 pounds per week. This is sustainable - so 10 Ibs could be lost in 6-7 weeks. And you’ll probably keep the weight off if you lose it slowly. But if you do manage to lose 10 Ibs…

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Hi, I regularly get asked about 6 week weight loss plans, often featured on the front of fitness magazines. I get asked if they work. Well, yes. Any plan that involves a calorie deficit for 6 weeks (42 days) will work. Of course it works. It can’t not work. Let's say we use a man as an example. He is 40 years old, lightly active and has a daily maintenance level of 2,553 calories. To lose fat you need to couple a calorie deficit with high-level energy expenditure. We all know this, right? For 6 weeks, we’re going to increase his activity levels to extra active. This increases his daily maintenance level to 3,528 calories. This will likely involve lots of HIIT classes…

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Hi, I want you all to be able to eat healthily and not feel like you're always on a diet. I wouldn’t want my son to have a negative relationship with food. We have lost the ability to know how to just eat. Because of all the fad ‘diets’ out there, food has become so confusing. We have some resources telling us only to eat 20 grams of carbohydrates a day (including vegetables). We have some experts telling us that eating bacon is totally fine. But - for some bizarre reason - eating fruit is not. Why? Are pomegranates the embodiment of inexorable evil? Do coconuts harbour bigoted views? Are apples haunted..? Grapes make derogatory remarks about your children...? So when some people look…

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Hi, As much as social media can be a place for inspiration, motivation and education, we get to choose who we follow and what we see. We have control over our social media feeds. We are in the driver’s seat and have full control on the content we see. We have to take what we see and read with a grain of salt. How one person loses weight, what one person eats is not necessarily how it works for everyone. I think this is the trap most of us fall into “if it worked for her, it’ll work for me” If you do want to lose fat, you'll need to eat fewer calories than you need to maintain your current weight.…

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Hi, According to social media, there are an endless amount of shortcuts (i.e. diet pills, weight loss programs, books, exercise routines) claiming you can lose weight with minimal effort. LIES! There are no shortcuts! None. Creating a calorie deficit (through moderate calorie restriction and increase in physical activity) is the only way to lose weight. Any plan that does not require sacrifice, consistency and effort is unrealistic - and will lead to failure. There are some general guidelines, rules of thumb, and ways of viewing a diet program that will allow you to decide, once and for all, if it’s the right diet for you. You may not always like what I have to say – but it will be the truth. If you are sick…

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Hi, There’s a meme that seems to regularly do the rounds on social media that explains why you should respect fit people. Of course, you don’t have to respect someone just because they’re fit. However, you could respect the effort that’s gone into them being fit. Because fit people with a physique is much more than how good they look. Because the number one reason body transformation journeys fail long term? People giving up. I know right, who’d have guessed? The numbers don’t lie; the vast majority of people who lose weight will regain it – and often exceed what they lost. True story. A well-built physique is a status symbol. It reflects you worked hard for it. No money can buy it. You…

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Hi, Looking over some of my old newsletters, which I’ve been writing, I see that beliefs about weight loss come and go each season. But there are a few basic unavoidable truths that do not. It’s important to face the facts if we want results that last beyond the latest exercise and diet trends. Advice should always be specific to the individual client – but to get in shape and look better, follow these basic rules: 70% nutrition: A 20% calorie deficit will maximise fat loss, minimise muscle loss. If you’re unsure how to calculate this, please just ask me. You are what you eat - so it’s important to eat good food in order to be healthy and fit. If you eat rubbish then…

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