If you had one flat tyre would you slash the other three?

Hi Guys,

Almost the weekend......time flies when your having fun, or getting older lol.

Its been a couple of weeks now since my competition and I have put half a stone in weight on since I did it arghhh!! I can't believe it, I feel rounder too which I don't like :( I had a week eating what I wanted and the last week and half I have been eating healthy and I will be back on strict prep after next weekend before my next competition.

When I was training to do my competition I was doing it with the intention to win! I wanted a trophy lol. Now I know I worked my hardest and the decision was out of my hands. Afterwards I could have given up on getting a trophy or carry on make myself better and try again. One set back wasn't going to make me quit!

I think the hardest part of any health and fitness plan/regime is when you have hit a goal. You might have completed that competition or race, you may have hit your weight loss target or you may have just started exercising on a regular basis. 

For me this is when reality kicks in, the focus goes and you lose motivation. I know in the past when I have trained for marathons or other races, the motivation and drive was there as I had an end goal. When I didn't have any races planned I didn't have the same 'need' to run. Same with my competition........after being so strict and structured for so long the week I was eating what I wanted & had a rest from training I felt lost, it was like I couldn't decide what I wanted to eat and my day felt weird without training being included! The same might happen when you hit your goal weight, after that you can never be too sure what or how much to eat.

Now for me fitness and health should be a lifestyle rather than a short term thing. Yes there will be periods of time when you have to be stricter than others, however it shouldn't be two extreme lifestyles that you lead. Be consistent and allow yourself the odd treat when you want. For me having a goal makes me more focused. The goal doesn't even have to be that big. Something as small as exercising x amount of times a month is a great place to start.

So if you want help with achieving your goals, or maintaining your current ones then click one of the links below.

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Lifestyle changing diet

Make us part of your weekly routine

Andrea (looking forward to me next prep) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

Red, Red Wine

Hi Guys,

Hope your all having a good week so far? On Sunday I was sat in my second office (aka Costa Coffee) I sometimes go to do some work as I find I get more done away from the home distractions. Anyway I was sat there drinking a coffee thinking how strange it was, because until December last year I have not drunk coffee in years as I didn't like it.

Over the years there are lots of things that I didn't used to like which I now do...... I used to hate peanut butter and now I love it. In fact I used to hate it that much as a kid, my brother once 'force fed' my it when we were having an argument lol.........don't worry guys I have got him back as i now personal train him ;) I used to hate dark chocolate, now I prefer it to milk as milk chocolate is too sweet, I used to drink normal tea and when I did the LifeForce plan and cut out normal tea I now only drink herbal. The most recent thing which I have started having is Red Wine! I never liked it and now I am starting to like it. Recently I also realised that someone who I was once really attracted to, I now have zero attraction to them (great result!).

Going back to the red wine, I started drinking it as I was due to have some the morning of my competition, now having not drank it in the past (and when I tried some not really liking it) I thought I best get used to it as i didn't want to be sick as I got on stage!

Now I wouldn't say I love it....yet, however, I do like it which I am quite surprised at. Sometimes you just have to give things a go, try them out and you never know you might actually like them. It is the same with exercise and healthy food. Healthy food can delicious and it is amazing how quick your tastes change when you follow healthy eating. I can't hardly eat anything too sweet without feeling sick afterwards....which is a good thing lol.

So if you want to give something new a try, click one of the links below. 

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Peanut butter included

Try something new......you might enjoy it!

Andrea (loves peanut butter) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

Passion & Profundity

Hello Troops,

Hope you have all had a good weekend? I had a lovely one, went to Cawthorn Park for my friends little girls birthday. Was great to see the kids running round enjoying themselves, climbing trees, jumping on and off tree trunks and it didn't cost a penny. Just shows that when kids are allowed to be they are quite old skool......they don't need fancy computers, fancy toys or parties, a ball, grass trees and open space is enough to keep them happy for hours!

Anyway I was on facbook the other day, if you are anything like me you can go days with hardly going on then sometimes be on there for ages looking blankly at the screen! I clicked one of these links, you know the ones, what the first letter of the guy you will marry be, or what your first baby will look like blah blah. The one I clicked was what is the 80's song that was created for you. Now the song that came up was Say Say Say......now not a song I particulary know or like, however I liked the reasoning behind it.

I will be honest and I had to look up the word 'profundity' and what it meant, here's what google came back with :)

profundity
noun
great depth of insight or knowledge.
"the simplicity and profundity of the message"
synonyms: wisdom, (deep) insight, intelligence, sagacity, acuity, depth, profoundness, perceptiveness, penetration, perception, percipience, perspicuity, discernment, thoughtfulness; raresapience

Now I know it is only a random computer generated thing, however, it rang true to me at the time. I am passionate about what I do and passionate about helping other people. In the past I believe I have been too soft in both my personal and professional life.

Now if you want me to help you become the best you can be then click one of the links below :)

 Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Intensity training sessions

Don't hide behind your phone

Andrea (wise) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

Can't tell my a**e from my elbow

Hi Guys,

Well I have been in my new job three weeks now and my contracted hours have been increased already. This is great, however, this week has been nuts, I have worked extra in my new job, I have had two new PT clients on top of the ones I already train, boot camp going great and I now have new enquiries from Schools to run my junior sessions! I suppose work and men are like buses, there is either none or they all come at once!

So as my hours have changed to my last job, I can no longer fit my gym session in on an afternoon which I used to do after work. My office is over a gym so I thought I might as well go to work early and train before work so I know I get my training done, plus I miss all the rush hour traffic. Now for someone who is a creature of habit this has taken some getting used to. Now the original gym I trained at, I knew most people there and I knew all the equipment they had so I could plan my sessions accordingly. Starting at the new gym has taken some getting used to, I don't know anyone, I don't know where all the equipment is and it is a military operation on an evening making sure I have everything I need for the following day in my gym bag......plus I now have to prep my breakfast so I can take that to work too.

It has made me be more organised (apart from the fact it is 11.45pm and I am typing this up!) And I'm up for training in the morning. The first half the week my days are long...9am-9pm with only the odd hour to pop home, change and get all my things for bootcamp. Now for most this would be an excuse not to train, not to food prep/eat healthy or not to be motivated. For me it is just another challenge in an already busy life and it is making me even more focused.

Today however made me realise that I need to get on top of things as I turned up for a sports massage and it wasn't until tomorrow, which I have booked another meeting in that day.

One excuse that a lot of people use to not exercise is that they are too busy or that they don't have time.........now if you are honest with yourself, how many hours do you waste a week on facebook or social media? I know I used to waste alot of time looking how 'amazing' everyone else's life is instead of concentrating on my own. So my priority is to make myself fit, healthy and ready for my next competition and also to help other people become fit and healthy too! So say goodbye to social media and hello to boot camp.

We have real people there, who train together and sometimes socialise together too.

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Easy prep, healthy eating plan

Don't hide behind your phone

Andrea (needs a PA) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

Mrs Motivator

Hi Guys,

Just a quickie today........I had a long day today, working in my new job doing business support and PE coaching then I had three PT clients back to back, so a late finish tonight. It is 11.07PM and I am typing this up!

Anyway I was in the gym and bumped into a member who I have not seen for a while, she said how I looked great when I did my competition and she had read Monday's blog and it had inspired her to get back to the gym. Now that is why I do what I do and why I write my blog. The more people that take action then the happier I am.

It feels great to have made a positive impact on someone, especially if it has made them take action.

So if you want some inspiration or motivation then click one of the links below and make a change to your lifestyle.

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Take action to make changes

Be your own inspiration

Andrea (happy to inspire people) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

From unhappy & letting myself go to stepping on stage!

Hi Guys,

Hope you have all had a good weekend? I was quiet last week with my blog however back on it this week. 

Now if you have been reading my blog you will know that I have been training to compete in my first bikini fitness competition, which was last weekend. Now unfortunately I didn't place boooo! However I had a great experience and it has made me more determined to improve and I have decided to compete again in November.......and I want a trophy this time lol! Last week I ate my body weight in food and gained 5lb in one week arghh! So back on the strict regime this week.

It was this time last year that our family got the bad news that my Mum had secondary cancer, so from then on the stress of worrying about my Mum, my business and sometimes feeling lonely turned me into an emotional eater which lead to me pilling on a few extra pounds.....well a stone in fact!

 I was unhappy with my life, the way I looked and it was a vicious circle of eating crap, feeling crap then eating more crap. I was still training however no amount of training can out weigh a bad diet. So mid May I decided to compete after having some  encouragement from a friend/coach. I needed a new challenge and a new focus.

I can honestly say it was the best decision I made, now when I put my mind to something I am quite stubborn so I knew that I would stick to it. The training was the easiest part, the hardest part was sticking to a strict diet, not drinking when I went out and socialising with friends whilst watching them eat delicious meals whilst I took my own food. The other hard thing was listening to negative comments about what I was doing from some people.

Now I didn't get a trophy (this time) however I changed my body back to one that I am happy with, I completed the process and felt like a winner just by getting on stage in a bikini in front of lots of people........and believe me that is the smallest bikini I have ever worn lol!

I have also got happy again and things have started to improve in other areas of my life. If you think negative, you attract negative things and vice versa, so I got fit, happy and fought the flab lol. I went out at the weekend, drank two glasses of wine and a beer and felt drunk! So I am now an even cheaper date than before haha. I can honestly say I don't miss the feeling like crap the day after a night out. Perhaps at 37 I have finely grown up and want different things out of life

Last week when I was off plan I felt lost, I was eating what I wanted (and often for the sake of it) and felt sluggish, so I am happy to get back on track.

Now I know what I have been doing is very strict and not everyone has the same goals, however, if you are even the slightest bit unhappy with the way you look then small changes in diet and fitness can have a big impact on how you look.

The picture that I have put in today's blog is in the space of three months! Now diet and fitness is not a short term goal it should be a lifestyle change. I have finally got back to my previous lifestyle...the one that makes me happy.

So if you want to make changes to your lifestyle & body then click on one of the links below. I know from experience how easy it is to let things go. Also with help and support it is easy to get back on track!

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

The get back on track eating plan

Become the best version of yourself

Andrea (can't wait to get on stage again) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

New Beginnings

Hi Guys,

On Monday I started a new part-time job, it is working for a company who provides PE provision and clubs to Junior Schools. I have a mixed role of doing admin and coaching. Perfect!

So this week is going to be a tough (well is so far) I am on my final weeks prep so I am tired as my diet has changed, I have the stress of starting a new job and I also had to find a new swimming venue to do my fasted cardio so I could get to work on time. Going into work on my second day with goggle marks still etched into my face is not a great look lol!

Now sometimes breaking from our usual routine seems alien and something we don't always like. However sometimes it can be for the best, changing an old routine can be great for the mind and body when it comes to exercise. Doing the same training all the time isn't good for us. We need to mix it up and challenge the body and mind.

So if you want a change why not click on one of the links below.......each bootcamp session is different and varied. The LifeForce plan has delicious meals and varied food. So why not give us a try!?

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

The healthy varied diet

Variety of training

Andrea (new start) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

When it gets hard is when you need to stick to it!

Hi Troops,

Hope you have all had a good weekend? This weekend I went to my friends house warming, this was the first social event since starting my prep that I found really hard. To be honest it is not the alcohol I am missing this time it was the food. It smelt so nice and I found it hard. I think with only a week to go I know I am on the count down till I can have a curry!!

One of my friends said surely one chicken piece wouldn't ruin everything, now this might be true, however, 1. I know if I got the taste for something different I would want more and 2. what if I didn't place.....I would blame that chicken piece lol!

I think the hardest thing when trying to follow a healthy diet and fitness regime is social situations, it is so easy to get drawn in to eating and drinking too much. However like with everything if you plan for these situations they don't have to ruin your best efforts. Another friend at the party was slimming and ate her tea before going so she wouldn't be tempted and counted the alcohol she was having.

When your journey feels hard this is when you need to stick to it, the results will be worth it!

So if you want help when things get tough click one of the links below :) 

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

The easy to stick to diet

Support based training when things get tough ;)

Andrea (dreaming of chocolate buttons) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk

You ever hit the wall?

Hi Guys,

It's September!! When the hell did that happen?! This year has flown, dare I say that we are on count down to Christmas!!

Last week I was talking to a colleague of mine and he was telling me how he hit the wall when he went on a bike ride as he hadn't fuelled up properly. He asked if I had ever hit the wall when I did my Marathons. Now I don't think I have ever hit the wall in the endurance sense......I mean yes I have felt completely knackered when I have been doing it and I have wanted to cry when I have finished but I never have had the exhausted, limp cant control your body feeling that people often talk about.

Now I gave my colleague the disapproving look of why on earth didn't you eat and the told him off lol!

Now not everyone has to do an endurance event to feel like they have hit the wall, I know there have been many occasions when I have been in the gym and I have felt like death (normally after leg day).

What if you have hit the wall with your motivation? Or you want to try something new in your training?

Well why not click one of the links below and let us help you, get your motivation to push yourself and let us advise you on how to fuel properly for your training! Don't train alone, be part of a team!

Life Support......let the SWAT team help 

Fuel your training here

Group training at its best

Andrea (never hit the wall) Springthorpe

07949 959 547

info@fit4force.co.ukwww.fit4force.co.uk