Be like Dave!

On Saturday I went to see Hugh Jackman in concert.........I will be honest it wasn't something I was interested in going to but went with my Mum and a family friend. I hadn't even seen the Greatest showman prior to going to the concert ( I have since watched it on Sunday night!) I can hear all those die hard 'Greatest Showman' fans gasping in disbelief lol!

Anyway it only took one concert for me to develop a crush on him! I didn't realise how fit he is (physically) and ripped......looking great at 50!! There was one point in the show where he had been dancing then a 'Wolverine' vein popped out of his bicep! (see below image).

He put on a great show which I really enjoyed, despite not knowing all the songs!

In part of his show he went down into the audience and started talking to a couple Val and Dave......eventually after a few one liners from Dave, Hugh got him up on stage. Now what I loved was how Dave embraced the experience and didn't care that he was dancing around on stage with a fit guy in front of thousands of people! The audience loved it, Hugh loved it and most of all Dave looked to be having the time of his life!

Often when people start group training they worry about what everyone else will think of them, what they look like, will they be fit enough, are they wearing the right gear.......many thoughts and anxieties can creep in when starting something new. All I can say is 'be like Dave' act like no-one is watching, because nine times out of ten no-one is (other than the instructor to make sure you are ok). Everyone is too busy doing their own thing or busy worrying about exactly the same things that they don't have time to watch anyone else.

Fit 4 Force sessions let you work at your own pace, we cater for a range of fitness levels and we really don't care if you have 'last seasons' trainers on! 

So get on your own 'stage' of fitness and become the star of your own show!

Click here to be like Dave

Click here to lose fat and 

Andrea (got a new crush) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk

Hill of Pain!

The last couple of Sunday's have involved road trips to North Yorkshire to do some trial running. The run that I did this Sunday was a 10k and had been in the diary for a while, the run that I did the previous week was a last minute leave of senses 10 mile off road run! Have you noticed how I have said run and not race!? #therewasnoracinginvolved

Now I did something which I would never advise anyone to do which was rock up with very little activity specific training, I haven't run 10k in a very long time let alone 10 mile!

So the ten miler last week, was fairly enjoyable to say that I didn't have the miles in my legs, however I went with the mindset that it would be nice scenery and if I needed to walk I would do so. Now I was absolutely shattered for the rest of the week but I did it. So rocking up to this Sunday's run didn't seem that bad even though I didn't have the best prep as I had spent the day at the races on the Saturday in high heels and didn't get to bed till 1am!

Now there was no option to start out steady as it was hill start, then off road (which I am not great at) and then another hill, there was some respite on a few downhills and back on tarmac before it finished with the 'hill of pain!' There was a sign at the bottom of the hill which did exactly what it said on the tin! I think I could have walked up it faster, but knew if I stopped I would never get going again. After the trauma of the hill it was a downhill and flat finish so I managed to do a sprint(ish) finish!



Now you might be wondering why I am telling you all about my idiotic weekends (other than I want you all to think I am a warrior!).......well the one event I did this weekend can resonate with so many fitness journeys.......

1. Start off a bit apprehensive
2. Then you set off and it feels quite good
3. You then hit your first struggle and wonder if you should quit
4. Then it starts to feel easier
5. Then wham it hits you like a bloody brick, you feel tired, you wonder how you are going to carry on and wonder if it is worth the pain
6. Then you reach your peak and are onto a flyer....
7. The finish line is in sight and you feel fantastic when you cross it
8. Then you treat yourself to a piece of cake before you get back on track :)

Keeping fit is hard, training sessions are hard, eating healthy consistently can be hard - however hard work = reward. Whatever that reward may be is personal, for me it is being fit & healthy, it is being able to stay active, it is keeping a healthy weight and feeling confident in myself and most of all it is being able to have that piece of cake when you have done a mental Sunday morning run! 

So whatever your reason is, just know that at some point in your journey you will come to your 'HILL OF PAIN!!........it is what you decide to do half way up the hill that counts!

If you want to combat that hill click one of the links below

Click here to combat the 'hill of pain'

Click here to energise your training sessions

Andrea (no crazy running for me this week) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk

Workout because you love your body!

This week is Mental Health Awareness week and this years theme is body image......so it only seemed right to do this weeks blog on something which we all have.....a body and a perceived image of said body, whether that is positive or negative.

The mental health benefits that exercise gives me is much more than a healthy perceived body image

• It helps me switch off from the stresses of everyday life and keeps me sane..,.(ish)
• It increases my confidence and helps me feel good about myself (even on the days I feel pretty crap!)
• Its social which can help improve mood - every gym where I have trained i have made friends which leads to an increased social life. I also have some great friends and customers who I have met through bootcamp.
• I have some great friends which I have made through Running which brings a whole set of laughs - when I was dragging my backside round Ripon ten mile on Sunday it was those friends who got me round..... if you haven't had a 'team wee' behind a tree are you even friends!?

We live in a world where social media promotes the 'ideal' body.......or the 'ideal filtered' body? Now its strange how you don't see any instagram posts of people in Next changing rooms..... cos bloody hell you might think you are slim till you have four way magnified mirrors around you whilst you are trying to pull on that pair of skinny jeans. #notthebestlighting

From my experience perceived body image changes over time.....mine has changed as I have got older and more confident. When I was at school I got called 'dinghy lips' so all I wanted when I was at school was thin lips....if only I knew then what I know now! People pay to have their lips pumped up to dinghy heights!

I also hated that I had a 'curvy bum' I longed for the flat bum look so people couldn't see it in my jeans....again if I only knew back then what I know now! I would say that it's probably one of my best assets (after my cracking personality of course!)

There are parts of my body I still don't like (like my granny knees) but I have learned to accept them and realise they are part of me!

Now I know that you can't just flick a switch and start to love yourself, however, if you exercise & eat healthy on a regular basis it will help you to feel more confident, feel more positive and gradually start to love your body. We only get one body so it needs looking after!

For further reading on Mental Health Awareness week and body image click here.

Click here to exercise your way to a happier body image

Click here for mood boosting food

Andrea (loving the granny knees) Springthorpe

07949 959 547
info@fit4force.co.uk
www.fit4force.co.uk

Never trust an Instructor who doesn't exercise!

Hope you have all enjoyed another bank holiday? I could quite easily get used to these four day weeks....however that extra day off is really testing my memory as I can't seem to recall what happened before the long weekend! #anotherjoyofturning40 Before I start on this weeks blog I suppose I should mention that some guy called Harry and some lady called Meghan did something so extraordinary that it is all over the news......they had a baby!! Anyway back to the life of real people......a couple of weeks ago I was waiting outside the Sports Hall ready to take my boxing bootcamp and I bent down to get something out of my bag and I could hardly move. I had started a new gym programme that week and I felt like I had been in a tumble dryer as I ached all over. A couple of clients laughed as I think they like to see me in pain ;) One client said it was good as Karma was working and getting it's own back on all the times I make them ache.......then added that you wouldn't actually trust an instructor who didn't exercise! I loved the fact that my clients see the benefits of having an instructor who practices what they preach....don't get me wrong there are some fantastic coaches/instructors out there who can no longer train through injury, however, they have practised what they preach in the past. One thing I mention often in my blogs in consistency, in order to get results you have to be consistent. I train before work every morning and it is now my way of life. Yes i am human and there are the odd days I press snooze and skip my work-out, however, I could count on one hand how many times I have done that this year. As an instructor I like to motivate my clients and the only way I can honestly do that is by doing everything I promote to my clients - train regularly and eat healthy. Yes have treats, but keep them to a minimum. I also like to share my pain with my clients, if I have sore legs they get a leg session ;) The best thing for me about that comment was that my clients are comfortable enough and see me as approachable enough for them to take the mickey! So if you want to train with like minded people who like to have banter before training and are out of breath during then click one of the links below :) Click here to be trained by instructors who practice what they preach Click here for the 80% that gets you results Andrea (enjoys inflicting pain through exercise!) Springthorpe 07949 959 547 info@fit4force.co.uk www.fit4force.co.uk