Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you belong to a gym, but find it impossible to motivate yourself to go?

Are you confused with all the conflicting information in the media on what is the best option your body type or fitness goal?

Are you disappointed with the results of all your current workouts? Have you hit a plateau or brick wall in your training and don’t know what to do next?

Do you currently not exercise at all, and would like to improve your fitness but don’t know where to start?

Do you go by the adage “no pain, no gain” or “more is more” and wonder why you are always sore, injured, run down and don’t seem to be getting anywhere?

This year has been very successful for me in the bodybuilding circuit. After many years of being told I was too big for WFF and then the same time by others that I would never be competitive in NABBA, I made the move up to the big boys.

On October 10th I entered the Mr Victoria Class 1 open. 7 years earlier, my first ever contest was the NABBA Mr Victoria where I did the novice category.
I came second by 1 point but ended up beating the winner to come 3rd the following weekend at the Mr Southern Hemisphere.

It was the only time I had both my older and younger brother along with my mum and dad in the audience. After that I had one or the other or neither at my international shows.

So in 2010 it was great to look down and see them all in the front row along with my mentor and friend, the legendary Don Mahoney. The reason for the big family turnout was that I was to be presented a very special award. To understand what this award is for and what it represents I need to give you a little bit of history.

I have been with the WFF for about 5 years now, and won my first ever WFF title in 2008 – The Mr International Overall. That year I also entered my first ever overseas show – The Mr Universe – placing 5th.

The day after the show I sat down and wrote a list to myself about all the things I needed to do to at least place in the top 3 in 2009. I refocused and set out a plan to win the Mr International again. Do one better at the Mr Southern Hemisphere and win at least my class.

By May 2009 I had made the improvements I thought I’d need to win the 2 Australian based shows. I ended up taking out both overalls and found myself a real contender for the Universe. I was very happy with my conditioning and would be happy to place 2nd or 3rd.

Winning that show was a surprise but also the culmination of a very intense and successful preparation. Sitting in Burger king and enjoying my King XL I thought “why not take out the Mr Australia in the same year and have a crack at the Worlds?”

4 months later I’m in Sydney holding up the WFF Mr Australia Overall trophy and mentally preparing for the final contest in what was a very, very long year of dieting.

For 3 years now I’ve been personal training here in shanghai and during this time I have seen very little change in most of the people around me.
I get new clients after they’ve seen me turn people from skinny to big (men) or fat to fit (women/men) in a relatively short time.

There is no real secret to this. It’s basically knowing what to do, when to do it and most importantly why you are doing it. Without knowing why you will ultimately not feel the need to continue it.

Day after day I see the same people come to the gym and perform the same exercises (incorrectly), in the same sequence, using the same weight. End result is they all look the same. Maybe they are happy with this, maybe they find comfort in the specific exercises and don’t want their body to change anymore.

If so then they are going about it perfectly. But if you are one of the people that isn’t happy, yet continue the routine you read in cosmo or muscle and fitness 2 years ago, ask yourself when will I see the change eventually? Why should next week be any better than last week? I’m not knocking these programs. They are all better options then sitting on the couch watching dvd’s. But the body has an amazing ability to adapt to change.

Does this sound familiar? You chose a specific exercise sequence after reading or hearing it will change you quickly. First session you are sore for a few days. After a couple weeks when the initial post-workout soreness goes away you go into auto pilot, using less effort than you did at the start. What’s happened? The body has adapted.

Just like learning Chinese. Once you start using certain phrases often they become easy. Do they help your overall ability to speak Chinese? No, just the handful of sentences you initially thought were hard. They haven’t helped you to learn additional sentences. That only happens when you select new ones.

Just like exercise, the first few times it doesn’t come naturally. It takes extra effort. It takes extra concentration. It takes extra brain power. In the case of exercise this takes extra calories. It requires new muscle to be used in movement patterns which are strange. You will again feel the soreness you haven’t felt for ages.

We like to look at famous people or sports stars and think why can’t I have a body like that? Well the first thing you need to do is establish which body type you actually are. We can break body types up into 3 initial categories: Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph.

For women there are 4 sub categories that may help you to further understand your body type. Android, Lymphatic, Thyroid and Gynaeoid. Each one has a different rate at which you metabolize food, store fat and build muscle. So let’s look at what they are and how to work best with what you are.

Ectomorphs/Thyroids have light joints/bones and are slight in build. They’re not naturally powerful and have to work hard for muscle gain and strength. Their shoulders are the same width as their hips. They can eat basically whatever they want and not worry about it. They aren’t prone to cellulite. Workouts for Ectomorphs could include Kickboxing, Running, and High Impact Aerobics. They can eat bread, rice, pasta, etc. All the stuff everyone else wants to eat but can’t. It’s very important that they add protein into their diet. Famous Ectomorphs include
Kate Moss, Nicole Kidman, and Brad Pitt.

Gynaeoid bodies are the classic hourglass shape, curvy, large butt, hips and thighs, but small waists. Due to excessive hormones they are prone to store fat around the hips, thighs and butt. Excessive refined carbohydrates increase their sensitivity to oestrogen, leading to cellulite. They should replace these foods with fruit and foods that reduce the estrogen dominance.

A low fat diet can help with fat loss from the breasts, shoulders and arms, but not from the butt and thighs. Toning exercises like Pilates, Yoga and Kickboxing are perfect for shaping the legs and hips. Good examples of a Gynaeoid body type are Marilyn Monroe and Nigella Lawson.

A few months back I talked about goal setting. Making sure you know why you are doing that extra rep or extra km on the treadmill. So I thought I’d emphasis the importance of communicating those desires to our body.

For most people, myself included, we look in the mirror and see faults in our body. Too much fat around the waist or thighs! We then think or even say “I’m fat, or “I look terrible”. It’s good that we are not ignorant about our fitness levels, but it is also detrimental to beat ourselves up over our appearance.

Remember, you got this way by doing what you have done for a long time. Your subconscious will not change if your conscious gives it negative feedback. “Garbage in, garbage out”. If you had a boss that always said you were lazy and useless, why would you excel at your job if it’s never recognized? The same goes for your body and fitness goals. Your conscious tells your subconscious that they’re too fat.

Very few people will respond positively to this. Your body does what the mind tells it. Write down your fitness goal. Make it a fitness “will” not want. When you “will” something it will happen. Very few people write goals as they fear failure. Don’t view failure as a personal attack. It was a method that didn’t work, analysis why, then move on. Don’t dwell on the failure. You didn’t fail, the method implemented didn’t work. Make your goal measureable, that way you can see when you achieve it.

You’l always want to lose more weight or feel fitter, but if you can fit into that red dress, then it is something that you have achieved. You are only in competition with your old self. The old self that said you were fat.

Living in Shanghai for most expats means a change in the usual diet from back home. I, for one, miss the variety of foods cheaply and readily available.

Supposedly the Asian diet is very healthy, but I’m sure they were not referring to the standard shanghai fair of fried, oily(reused oil) pork dishes.
I live next to a market with a wide variety of fresh vegetables, but I always question the soil in which it was grown.

If a certain plant is grown over and over again in the same soil, it’s possible that the vitamins and minerals will be low. Then we have to thoroughly wash them which can additionally remove nutrients. Nutritional tables on products may list percentage of RDI (referenced daily intake). These were based on RDA’s (recommended daily allowance) established in the 1940’s for the minimal requirements for civilians and the armed forces to keep them fighting fit due to food rationing.

The problem is that they were the bare minimal requirements. As the world has evolved, and as our professions have become more sedentary, we are all guilty of over eating certain food groups and under consuming the minerals and nutrients our body craves.

The FDA’s daily referenced values suggest people over 4yrs eat approx 2000cal a day comprised of the following breakdown. 300g crabs, 65g fat, 50g protein. 300g of carbs for an office worker is a lot. 50g of protein is a very low, It’s not enough for active gym goers.

The benefits of protein are it keeps you feeling full and blood sugar levels more consistent. Importantly it’s essential for maintaining muscle mass for increased metabolism. 1.5 -2g of protein per kg bodyweight is preferred. It also contains the same amount of cals per gram as carbs and less likely to be stored as fat.

Recently I had a client run the Great Wall marathon. This had been her goal since we started together. Wrapped with her initial accomplishment and personal achievement she later found herself feeling a little aimless as to what her next goal will be.

This is a very common scenario. Working for so long for a specific event/day, then suddenly it comes and goes and now what? When we have deadlines set it gives a sense of purpose and urgency. Without them why do another rep or another set? Why go heavier?

The problem with a lot of recreational trainers is their intensity is not enough to achieve their goals. When training we either perform within our bodies comfortable abilities, or we try and do something it has never done before. The latter option forces the body to adapt to deal with this new demand. Then we respond by pushing even further and the body plays catch-up. Simple.

So how do we get that intensity? My client had the marathon. I had the Mr Universe. What do you have? Goal setting is easy to do, but useless unless you believe in them. Ask yourself these series of questions. It really works.

What is your no 1 goal? Ie. weight loss, muscle gain? Where do you want the fat to come off, or muscle to go on? Be specific by choosing a couple key areas.
Ie butt and hips. Why do you want the change?
Be honest now. What is wrong with the way it is now?
Is it because you don’t feel slim enough? If so how do you feel now with this extra weight? How does it make you view yourself?

I thought I’d discuss a couple training principles that might spice up your training. One is for cardio fitness the other is for muscle gain.

The first is PHA – peripheral heart action. This is the basis of many circuit classes. It can be completed in 60 minutes or less, and uses all the muscles, including your heart. When training your upper body, blood flow is focused in the muscles above the waist. If the focus is then shifted to lower body, the blood must be shunted down quickly to the lower limbs, requiring increased energy expenditure via the contractions of circulatory system.

A simple plan would be two rounds of: 10 reps of push ups, walking lunges, lat pulldowns, step ups and dips. Followed by 5-10min of walking/jogging on the treadmill. Then another 2 rounds of 10rep bicep curls, squats, tricep pushdowns, weighted lunge and shoulder press. Followed by 5-10min on the rower.

You can add your own exercises making sure the focus alternates from upper to lower, followed by an active recovery cardio exercise.
Perform this twice a week including warm up and cool down/stretching, and you have given your body a great work out. You can always switch in new exercises and it’s great for working out with a friend as you alternate exercises.

I’ve been getting a lot of great feedback from the training tips. The biggest setback to fat loss in most people’s lives however, is their diet. Eating is such a passive thing compared to the strenuousness of exercise that theoretically it should be the easiest of the two.

Don’t put it in your mouth! You probably wish it was that easy. We all have cravings for certain foods that make us go back for 2nd and 3rd helpings. So I will share some of the tips that help my clients and I lose lots of bodyfat. Breakfast should be substantial. It should be low in fat, high in complex carbs and protein.

It’s hard to convince people to switch from a fatty/sweet muffin to a bowl of oats, so make gradual steps. From muffin to toast, then to whole grain toast, alternating with an occasional serve of oatmeal.

Muesli is next as it is not cooked. Eventually you’re eating muesli more often than toast and consider toast a cheat meal. Your body has adapted and has improved performance on oats. Alternatively if you are already eating cereal like weet bix, then add a handful of oats to the bowl.

The reason for the use of uncooked oats is they use up a lot of calories to digest, are slow absorbing, then provide long lasting energy. Weet bix are a soggy slop that uses little time in the stomach, making you hungry again soon. The goal is oats with milk and fruit.

I am often asked “what is the best exercise to help you get in shape?” Obviously the answer is dependent on the goal. The average person though is most likely referring to losing body fat and feeling fitter and stronger.
Last column discussed the steps in which to lose the last few stubborn kg’s. So I think it’s important to address the lack of relevant weight/strength training performed by the majority.

Everyday I see people in the gym performing isolation exercises i.e bicep curls and dumbell lateral raises. I have asked a few people as to why they do them. Their answer is that they were shown it by a PT.
Side lat raises have their place along with other advanced exercises for people like myself that compete in bodybuilding and need to increase the width of our shoulders to gain symmetry.

Is that the reason you are doing it? If not, then you are more likely after all round functional strength that will aid you in sport and day to day activities. The key is functional exercises.

How often do you lay on your back and push something away with your feet? It’s more likely you bend down, grab an object and then lift with your legs. Isolation exercises involve one joint moving and a minimal amount of muscle groups.
Compound exercises involve 2 or more joints and several (most often large) muscle groups. So let’s keep it simple.

Here’s a common problem that was put to me.

“I have lost a lot of weight over the past six months but now, even though I exercise and eat well (with some treats), I can't seem to shift the last five kilos.
I haven't lost any weight in two months.
What should I do?”

Sounds familiar? I have been asked this so many times. What is the reason for the initial weight lose and then the wall you hit? Could be several reasons, so let’s examine some of the causes and solutions.

1. You went from untrained to athlete mode, meaning you’re now very effective at exercise. Ever notice ex Olympic swimmers can get a bit chunky when they stop? They swam 6 hours a day everyday and their bodies became very good at doing that whilst using the least amount of energy. So they developed metabolic efficiency, exercising using the least amount of calories. We all adapt so we need to constantly change the stimulus by increasing the difficulty. Ie faster, heavier, more intervals.

2. You lost bodyfat through cardio. Which is great, but will only help you lose weight to a point. The biggest key to fat loss is strength training. If you measure EPOC (exercise post oxygen consumption) you will see the greatest amount of oxygen is consumed after weight, rather than cardio training.Why is oxygen so important? You can only use fat as a fuel if oxygen is present in the required amounts.
If you are feeling the burn or really huffing and puffing you are not getting enough oxygen. So it’s most likely carbohydrates rather than fat you are using. So if you really want fat loss, do weights FIRST, then cardio.

Working in the supplement industry for a long time, I’d always get the typical guy question

– “how do I bulk up AND get ripped?”
I’d jokingly ask: - " Do you want to look bulky?”
- "NO WAY" - they’d answer.

So let’s address the term bulk up. It means adding both fat and muscle to your body. This is not really what the average person wants. They’d rather add lean muscle. So this month’s column will cover 5 tips for adding lean muscle whilst to your frame.

5. HEAVY WEIGHT!
Muscles get bigger if you give them a challenge. Lifting a weight you can handle, the body is comfortable with no stimulus to make the muscle fibers thicker. Give it a difficult weight, it will say “this week we just weren’t strong enough, so let’s repair/rebuild so next week it will feel easier.”
In a way it’s like a callous - the skin toughens up.
The fibers thicken up so they have more force.

4. Decrease your reps.
To lift heavy weights, you need to keep the reps down. The traditional 4 sets, 15/12/10/8 sequence is a great way to build up lactate in the blood. Your last set of 8 reps, due to too many warm up reps, will suffer. Only the last set creates stimulus as it’s the heaviest. Why lift so many reps with a weight your body CAN do. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE TIRED FROM A WARM UP SET!!

Last issue we discussed 5 important tips when it comes to training for muscle tone/mass. The gym is the ideal environment to exercise safely, intensely and progressively. However the food we put in our body is more important.

Food is used prior to give us energy, and after to allow us to recover our muscle fibers. So let s look at some of the simple as well as advanced nutrition choices to aid you in training.

Carbohydrates have been made out to be the bad guy in the diet wars. However glucose (sugar) is most useful energy source we have when exercising with high intensity. Carbs can be either simple (fast) or complex (slow). Timing them is important:
- Oats, rice, potato (complex): at least 2hrs prior to exercise and again an hour after.
- Fruit and sports drinks (simple): during and immediately after exercise.

Protein post work out is essential with some added simple sugar ie juice, fruit or glucose powder. The body craves sugar and will turn protein into sugar if it doesn’t get any. Plus sugar is needed to force protein into your muscle cells. Try and get 1.5 - 2g protein per bodyweight kg.

When I first considered listing the top 5 fitness myths I thought it would be easy. But the more I thought about it the more I realized how much misinformation is out there. Some of these may be very obvious but others may come as a bit of a surprise. So lets count them down.

No.5 Skipping meals will help you lose weight.
Few people realize that eating is a workout for the smooth muscle of the digestive system. On average 150 kilocalories are used in the digestive process. If you’ve ever noticed overweight people sweat whilst they eat, it’s because their unfit body is exercising their smooth muscle.
Also eating more often lets the body know that it doesn’t have to go into fasting mode and store it all as fat eventually.

No.4 Protein shakes will makes you big.
You’re body will only utilize the protein it requires to rebuild muscle after exercise. Increasing protein intake beyond your requirements may be converted to sugar and/or if not used stored as fat.
On avg 1.5 - 2g / kg of bodyweight is your RDI for protein.

No.3 Sit ups will flatten your stomach.
You can't spot reduce - your body decides where to store fat and a lot of that is based on your genetics. The best way to get a flat stomach is to burn calories to reduce fat in the first place. Crunches will simply tone areas under the fat.