The Sugar Tax is a smokescreen

In the past few days we've had the budget which brought many 'Sugar Tax' supporters out in joy at the Conservative's announcement of the introduction of a Sugar Tax which will come in to play from 2018, delayed until then to give the company's enough time to change their damaging mixtures, or find a way around the tax.

Let's just dwell on that point for a second. The Government are admitting there's a problem with sugar and that something drastic needs to be done, highlighted by the fact they said they didn't want any new taxes only a few months ago and that David Cameron really didn't want this tax, but are not willing to take immediate action. They will protect the financial interests of these companies and put their profits OVER the public's health. In no other situation can i see how the authorities would take this stance. "we know what you're doing is bad, but we'll let you carry on until you figure out how to change so as not to damage your profits."

Whilst many will argue that a sugar tax is a positive step, the reality is that this is simply a smokescreen and deflection tool aimed at pacifying people in order for the government to be able to show they are doing something at least to protect and positively influence the nations health, whilst implementing many more damaging cuts to welfare budgets affecting many of societies most vulnerable.

This week i have also sat in on meetings where the focus was public health, nutrition, poverty and food issues. What i have come away with feeling is that no longer can we as individuals or communities afford to rely on the government to protect us or even look after our health. I have a genuine worry for the nations health. Obesity rates are only heading one way as are diabetes. In addition to this 'lifestyle diseases' which covers many more health issues including cancer is on the rise. The NHS is crippled, on it's knees and is now destined to live out the rest of it's existence merely funnelling funds in to profit driven organisations. If you think of getting ill and your first thought is to think how a hospital will look after you or the NHS is your safety blanket, then you really need to wake up. The NHS is now a lottery with very few winning tickets, do not entrust your health with this organisation. Sadly it is still full from the bottom up with people who want to help and make a difference, such as junior doctors forced to strike due to poor pay and working conditions, as well as many nurses now stretched from working in smaller teams. Let us also take this chance to look at the food on offer in hospitals, if you are unlucky enough to find yourself staying over in a hospital you'll need to be fed, if you are ill and weak your body is crying out for good nutritious foods, that will support recovery with the right vitamins and minerals. But no, what you will likely get is nutritionally poor food made with the focus clearly on costs and keeping them low. As a nutritionist, this absolutely disgusts me. It sickens me that we sit back and allow this. We allow the sick and elderly to be fed food which is not fit for purpose, it does not aid recovery and it certainly does not taste great. At the very least if you're going to eat poor quality food you want some flavour from it.

Anyway, back to the sugar tax. The expected revenue generated from this will be £520m per year. A sum of money most people can only dream of and could probably never really comprehend, but it is a very small drop in the ocean of a near £16 BILLION industry. What the industry has been really worried about though is that a sugar tax will lower consumption, this is what really hurts profits. Therefore, expect more than a fight from the companies, more corners will be cut and more artificial sweeteners with effects we'll not be able to find out about to be rushed through for use by the big companies.

The increase in sugar consumption over the years has played a huge part in the current obesity crisis, to deny this is flat out stupidity. Some senior members of suspect boards will however stand firm on the main issue being calorie consumption, whilst they ignore that it is way too easy to over consume on sugary products than it is fruit and vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbohydrate sources, pulses and beans.

If we are to put a dent in the major health issues there needs to be more done than just taxing sugary drinks. There needs to be a strong and robust plan to follow through on this, it needs to be a spring board for action and not token gesture. Public Health England has proposed that weaning the nation from it's sugar addiction would save in the region £15bn and almost 80,000 lives in a generation. Those are huge figures. The £520 million generated from the Sugar Tax per year doesn't look all that impressive now does it.

Ultimately this post is not about the problems we are facing, but the actions we need to take. The actions you the individual need to take. The chances are if you become ill you will not be looked after to any decent standard, you are now just a number, a report, a case and a statistic. Do not be fooled in to thinking the NHS, your GP or Public Health bodies have the resources to keep you alive, keep you well and support recovery from lifestyle diseases. If you are lucky enough however you'll drop on an individual with enough fight and energy left to help you through your problems, but are you really willing to take that chance with your health and life? The reality though is longer waiting times, less consultation time, less time with your GP, increased pressure on staff meaning slipping standards (they are human after all) and ultimately a system where the people it serves become the ones which suffer. All in the name of money. If the government can magic money out of thin air for wars to send troops to then why can't they simply magic some funds for the war on a much bigger killer than terrorism, lifestyle diseases?!

Do not wait to fight illness until it comes to you. Your fight should start now with an improved diet. Eat more fruit and vegetables, drink enough water, cut down on sugary snacks and foods laden with trans fats. Become a conscious eater and care where your food comes from. You would not put red diesel in a Ferrari so why fuel your body with junk. You only get one life and watching it pass you by whilst you are out of breath, sat on the sofa, unable to sleep and addicted to junk food is not living. It is existing to pay taxes to a government that does not care about you. Exercise is key too. Give your body a reason to live; move more, find an activity you enjoy and push yourself on a regular basis.

The Sugar Tax is a start, but unless there's more to come it is nothing more than a smokescreen. Your health is in your own hands and you only have yourself to blame if you don't look after it.

Canelo Alvarez Vs Amir Khan - How much difference will the weight make?

It's fair to say that not many people saw this fight coming, but like many it is definitely one i am excited about. Having become, like many other boxing fans, quite despondent over the direction of Khan's career especially in light of his refusal to grant the UK fight fans the fight we all really wanted to see against Kell Brook, i can now say that i am firmly back on the Khan fan train and i would love to see an upset against Canelo.

However, there are some real issues and concerns regarding this fight as boxing can be quite a brutal sport. The key questions relate to the weight difference and what the affect of that could be with Canelo known for coming in up to 20lbs heavier than what he officially weighs in at. There's also the power difference too, Canelo showed against James Kirkland he can really bang and that was against a natural middleweight too. Can Khan really stand up to that power? Well with his questionable chin many believe this will be an easy night for Canelo and will be over as soon as he connects with any real venom.

Compare this to Khan who's power is questionable as well as the fact he is really coming up from light welterweight having only ever fought at 147lbs against Collazo the only true welterweight and then Alexander who was really a light welterweight and Algieri who again was really a light welterweight. This shows how big a step up this is for Khan and whilst there were concerns about him making light welterweight himself and growing in to the 147b division the question remains as to whether he can really hang with a powerful big hitting guy at the heavier weight, so far that has been left unanswered and what a fight for him to have to answer all of these questions!

Some will argue that Mayweathers speed and agility/reflexes made Canelo look flat footed, even lacking ideas and at times easy to hit but Khan is not Mayweather and he's also not shown the consistent discipline needed to strategically beat an opponent with many advantages over him. Khan's speed will no doubt be his key advantage but as with any boxer moving up in weight and going from 147b to 155b is a big jump then Khan will lose some of his speed.

From a nutritionist point of view Khan will not have to endure the lengthy dieting which can seriously affect a boxers performance, with his nutrition being more focussed on performance aspect such as strength, fitness and recovery it's fair to assume Khan will enjoy this training camp a lot more. It would be expected though that his nutritionist and S&C team have monitored him enough to be able plan out and measure progress to ensure he's not slowing down with the extra weight, the blueprint of speed being key against Canelo is there from Mayweather, Angulo and Lara. Khan's team need to ensure that he carrie more power but his speed remains. You would also expect that Khan will come in at the weight easy without the drying out process. Whilst many boxers with a good drying out protocol under the guidance of a nutritionist should not feel any negative affects from dropping up to 8% of their body weight to make the weight those who struggle or think once they've made the weight they can eat what they want are the one's who will suffer come the second half of a fight. The weight draining undertaken by Canelo has been questioned as a reason for him sometimes labouring through the final rounds of a fight.

Having worked with many boxers and understanding the key aspects of making weight the safe way as well as knowing of many who make it the wrong way my belief is that if there is a check weigh in requested from the Khan camp for the next day then Canelo may in fact slow down in the latter rounds. If Khan can keep on the move in the early rounds, make Canelo miss and catch him with counters then take control with his superior speed and conditioning in the latter rounds then he may just be able to win.

So from a nutritionist point of view this fight makes for very interesting viewing, with 13 weeks to go i'm sure their nutrition and S&C teams already have their plans in place. Ideally Canelo will make the weight comfortably and regain the weight sensibly from drying out and Khan's speed and conditioning will be improved through a less restrictive diet and we, the fans will see 2 of the best fighters around at their peaks come May 7th.

We are either going to see Canelo steamroll and KO Khan who struggled to adapt with the extra weight early or Khan will make it interesting and take Canelo in to the late rounds to see if he can hang with real speed and counters for 12 rounds.

For British fight fans i'd love to see Khan take this one and set up the fight against Brook, someone who surely only has a handful of fights left at 147lb himself.

Some general musings on the likes of Herbalife/juice+/body wraps etc

Whenever you see the opening line "i'm often asked..." the writer is probably fabricating that bit and just using it to flex their knowledge or simply push their services. Now this is no different for me right now, so "i'm often asked...." about herbalife, juice+, raspberry ketones, body wraps etc and whatever other fad type diet is out there at the time, my response is to send them a few links to read from other people i respect, whats the point in me typing out what's already been said so many times.

I have refrained from commenting publicly and writing an article on these for a good few years now, despite being asked by magazines or online publications, so many people, some who are just regurgitating what they read without understanding, have an opinion on these types of companies and love to shout about it, love to be seen as being against these companies, like it's some sort of credibility badge. Deal with these people the same as you deal with reps, push them on their reasons, their knowledge and understanding, it is up to you to gather all of the information and make an informed choice. Chances are a high % won't actually understand and most will just say "Errr pyramid selling" but is that worse than 'regurgitated information shouting' not in my eyes. The person who needs to understand, who finds themselves in a situation where they are considering these products, probably through desperation or insecure feeling is actually no better off.

So what about my sell? Well consider this. Herbalife and the such cost you around £100 per month. Envisage paying that for the rest of your life, well you wouldnt would you? So you're already subconsciously stating you're looking for a quick fix and in agreement that it's not a long term solution to your current situation. Let's go one step further, what after that quick fix? Do you know anymore, understand any better about your body or food, do you think you'll have made progress in any way other than losing some weight? No you probably wont and you won't have advanced your knowledge that you could pass on to your family and friends either. You'll understand that one aspect, be it a shake, juices, detox or wraps. But you can't and won't enjoy living like that for the rest of your life. Plus your partner, kids and family won't benefit from it (unless you become another rep and push it hard on them. Seriously don't do that).

"So i get asked a lot..." do i do nutrition and training plans and what do they entail. The amount of people on my friends list i get messages from, sometimes 2, 3 or even 4 times over a number of years, all people i know i can help hear my prices see my explanation of it not being a quick fix but a lifestyle change and then just don't even say thanks or reply, well i've lost count. Do you think i don't check their progress every time they message me again?! I always do and zero improvement has been made. Sometimes these are the same people who will post up asking their friends about herbalife/juice+ etc, you can almost read the desperation.

So they're happy to pay £100 a month for a fad, something that has loads of negatives written about it, but when i quote £150 a month for full nutritional coaching which will change the way you eat, arm you with recipes to suit any situation, change the way you look at food, won't sell you shakes, juices or supplements, will positively impact your families nutrition, give you an education you can pass on and definitely won't wrap you in cling film. I have a proven track record with an academic background and can get the results you want. I'm also pretty well respected by my peers. People still compare me to the fad diets?!

Now i'm not the only one who can do that for you, there are plenty of other highly qualified people out there who can coach and help you make the changes you want or need to in your life. It really is just about finding the right person for you to work with.

So when you need to sort your nutrition out ask yourself whether you need to go and see someone who knows about all aspects of nutrition including shakes, juices, detoxing, low carb, performance nutrition, paleo, gluten free, atkins etc or do you go to someone who understands and is 'selling' just one option.

The reason not to use one size fits all, fad options is because by the end of it you'll actually be no better off and the money invested helps only you for the time using it.

The key 'good' nutritional habits to implement

One of the key aspects of any nutrition plan i work on with clients is to initially break and form new habits.

A habit is defined as a regular tendency or practice, hard to give up.

We obviously do not want to break good habits, we want to form new one's but bad habits are one's we need to break in order to make progress. The reason for this is because a good nutrition plan focussed on goals should always have an underlying base of good healthy nutritional habits.

The key habits i always initially work on with clients are:

1) increase fruit and vegetable intake - Predominantly from green veg to begin with. It is evident with many people that they are not eating enough fruit and vegetables, the notion of 5 a day being enough is dated and misunderstood, if you train hard then you'll need more than a granny, but the government still recommends the same amount, go figure?! Aim to eat vegetables with every meal to begin with, usually 2 palm sized amounts. Fruit can follow a meal as a dessert and is great with crushed nuts and some greek yoghurt.

2) Hydration - make sure you are drinking enough water. This is simply the most important nutrient for the body above all others, you'll die sooner without water than without food! Males aim for 2 litres per day and females 1.5l as a starting point. Add 0.5l per hour of training.

3) Increase the protein you eat. To make this easy eat some protein at every meal. It should be the first nutrient that you think about when putting your meal together. Prioritise this and vegetables and your body composition will naturally improve as will your energy levels. Protein helps boost metabolism, keeps you feeling fuller for longer and helps with recovery and building of lean muscle from strenuous work outs. Males aim for a fist sized portion with each meal, half of this for females (3-5 meals per day). Most people are hugely under eating protein too and the research which suggest eating too much protein is bad for your health is actually incorrect and always fails to stand up to the scrutiny of real science.

4) Embrace fats - Healthy fats that is, just like people not all fats are created equal. Avoid artificial trans fats, usually found in processed foods. Eat mainly oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocado's, eggs and real butter. Not only will these fats give you plenty of nutrients they will also help improve body composition. The old adage of all fats being bad is dated and incorrect.

5) Learn to love the kitchen again - This one is key, way too many people have detached from the kitchen and are cooking only a few meals from scratch each week. Overhaul your kitchen, fill it with single ingredient (non-processed) and whole foods and buy some good healthy recipe books. Making the kitchen a place you enjoy being is a habit that will serve you well for the rest of your life. If you can't cook, don't worry, a good recipe book along with Youtube instructional videos will see you competent in the kitchen in no time. Confidence comes from consistency.

6) Sleep - you can eat the perfect diet for you, train as hard as you like but if you don't rest enough your body will never run optimally and stress will become a limiting factor. Aiming for 8 hours a night is a great starting point. If you have trouble sleeping you may notice this changes when you move to other healthier eating habits as vital nutrients used to aid sleep are no longer deficient. However like all other habits, you have to be consistent. This means going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning, allow your mind to relax before bed too, minimise distractions such as the internet, your phone or TV at least 30 minutes before bed.

Habits generally take 3 weeks to adopt and become a 'habit' therefore take your time implementing them, there's no rush to adopt all the one's listed above immediately, remember eating healthy is a lifestyle choice not a quick fix. The results you get from adopting healthier habits will last you longer than any fad diet will.

What about breaking bad habits? I'll cover that in the next article.

An insight in to what i will cover is:
Have a go at implementing the good habits and watch the old bad habits drop off.

If you have any questions about the points above or your own nutrition in general then please feel free to ask.

David

Introduction to Sports Nutrition workshop - Saturday 6th September

This one full day workshop will introduce you to the science of sports nutrition used in order to promote exercise and sports performance. You will learn how to use diet and nutritional strategies to optimise performance and look at ways to enhance your/clients sporting goals.

Having studied Sports Nutrition at degree level I have worked with many different athletes of varying levels and capabilities, using sound scientific research I have always delivered for my clients. From working with professional boxers needing to drop weight fast through to professional footballers coming back from injury. What I have learned over the last decade since I started studying nutrition is that the level of misunderstanding across the board around key sports nutrition strategies is huge, with physios, S&C coaches, and sports coaches in general being influenced by their own surroundings. This has led to many conflicting practices, with the athlete being the one losing out.

This one day workshop will give you the tools to assess athletes and make recommendations where you see fit. I have brought together all of my experience of achieving results and my own learning and research techniques to put together a course which not only gives you a great underpinning knowledge or sports nutrition but also acts as a spring board to constantly improve your knowledge. Had this course been available to me when I started out on my journey of studying nutrition my learning experience would have been much quicker.

My aim is to empower you with real world, usable skills and knowledge that you can instantly implement in to your own diet or that of your clients. An understanding of the basic principles of nutrition is required, however this is not a barrier to entry, you will be supplied with your own reading list for before the event.

The one day workshop will include, presentations, discussions, case studies and post course reading with 1-2-1 feedback.

The workshop will take place over a full day (9am-6pm) and all food will be included, this will be held at Nourish in Sheffield.

The workshop programme has been constructed and reviewed by leading nutritionists and dietitians. By the end you'll be confident to understand sports nutrition's key principles and how to apply them.

The course content includes:

• Basic Nutrition - The importance of being healthy first

• Hydration - 
• Factors influencing fluid needs
• Calculating fluid needs
• Achieving optimal hydration

• Macronutrients - 
• Carbohydrates 
• Debunking CHO myths
• Why CHO is important in sports nutrition
• Requirements for different settings/disciplines
• Carb loading, depletion, cycling and timing 
• Protein 
• Understanding the role of protein in the diet
• Sport specific requirements
• protein turnover
• optimising recovery and timing
• Fat 
• Understanding the types
• The role of fat in athletes diet and health
• High fat diets - recent research
• Nutrient timing and the importance in sport

• Assessing the needs of an athlete
• Looking at the methods used to assess the needs of an athlete
• What data is required
• Physiological assessment 
• Interview and questionnaire protocols 

• Nutritional strategies - what, when and how to use them (Myth debunking)
• Competition prep and optimising recovery

• Supplements - what, when and how to use them

• Meal planning - case studies and discussions, putting it in to practice 

Once completed you'll know how to get better results with yourself or clients, apply and implement the scientific knowledge you've gained in to real world settings instantly, improve your professional development skill set and set yourself up to understand the growing field of sports nutrition and it's importance.

This workshop is aimed at:
PT's
Sports coaches
Osteopaths
Chiropractors
Physio's
Nutritionists 
Any therapist who works with clients who exercise - from casual gym users to elite athletess 

This will be an intense day of learning, with breaks for food. You will be expected and encouraged to discuss your own views and beliefs around nutrition. There will be limited places available in order to keep the interaction levels of high quality. Questions will be encouraged.

You will also be given a list of recommended reading as well as a blog, social media and journals list to keep your knowledge updated. Please note the workshop will be recorded, if you wish to not be in the recording then please state so at the time of booking. 

Dates:

Saturday 6th September (early bird book by 9th August)

Future dates TBC

Cost 

Early Bird booking (4 weeks before date) is £80 (£10 donated to Archer Project Sheffield)

Standard booking £100 (£10 donated to Archer Project Sheffield)

Webinar booking

This option will be available later in the year. Once you have attended one of the workshop dates you will be given access to one of the following dates streamed webinar 

To book your place simply email me david@totalbodydevelopment.co.uk

Payment
50% non-refundable deposit will be require upon booking with the remainder to paid on the day.

If you have an interest in sports nutrition and want to accelerate your learning and your clients results, then this course is for you. Do not wait to book on until the last minute, strictly limited numbers.

Updated client packages - July 2014

Having now worked with many clients of all levels, i have of late found myself taking on clients in need of a quick fix, results within a matter of weeks or client enquiries with unrealistic goals. This i believe has sprung up from the countless dehydrated, carb depleted fast turnaround photo's which social media seems to be full of. 

In the past year i've been so busy with Nourish that my client work has had taken a back seat, in that time i've worked with many of clients to get great results, of which i'm very proud. The one's i really enjoyed working with were the one's i worked closer with to achieve their goals. Some have been the type of clients who want to show their photo's off, others it's been about changing their life for the better. I've also worked with a handful of clients i'd consider to have 'slipped through the net' and by that i mean if i'd have been solely doing client work i would have not taken them on, i have chosen to learn from these clients too though. The one's who make excuses for not sticking to a diet, for prioritising their unhealthy habits over making real change, the one's who thought payment alone equalled results. In essence the one's who wanted it but didn't want to do what it takes to really change. Those are the people i'm moving away from working with.

All of this has lead me to assessing how i view client work, my working day is long and my main goal is Nourish, my healthy fast food restaurant. But i will always enjoy working closely with clients and so i have decided that i will limit the number of clients i work with at any one time, i'll be more selective and each client i work with must have an understanding of what it will take to achieve their goals. The important bit is they must have a real goal. I do consider myself to be above the usual PT, i have achieved a lot more than the average trainer or even nutritionist, i put that down to the fact i work hard to constantly improve and i'm a believer in the science, not the fiction of nutrition. I do not want to become another guy that just sells 6 pack packages and makes this a numbers game. It's not and never has been about turning out programmes for as many people as possible. I'll leave that to the cookie cutter/copy & paste trainers.

This is why from now on the only rule i will have with clients is we get the job done. It's not about programmes at arms length, i do that with my elite clients who don't get paid if they don't perform so have to stick to my nutritional plans, it's about working with more real people who really need to change.

My whole ethos and outlook has changed. If you want to get ripped for a holiday hit google, have some discipline and stop whining. If however you want to be the fittest you've ever been, get out of a rut, feel the best you can, enter a race or competition you never thought you could even enter or you simply want to live a much better life and want my help on that journey then that's what i want to do more of.

The only package available from now in will the guaranteed results package. Minimum packages will be £2000 for 6 months.

David

Metabolism, wild claims and more misunderstandings from the Nutrition world

A really hot topic for a while within the health and fitness industry has been metabolism; damage, improving it or just repairing it. i have spent a lot of time researching this from reading dated research to discussing it with the lead researchers in the field. Now all of a sudden there's fitness professionals popping up saying they can repair your metabolism and making claims of losing weight on very high calorie diets. The simple fact is to lose weight you need to burn more than you consume and your metabolism is never far off what most of the scientific formula's predict anyway, maybe up to 6% maximum, only more in very very few and strange cases in my experience, it will always return to very close normal range too in the majority of people. If you want to eat loads and still lose weight then you need to train very hard and for long periods of time, to burn the calories off. The people who can do this are professional athletes. Using fitness competitors to prove metabolic damage or recovery is flawed too, getting that lean is unhealthy in the first place and requires a period of almost starvation in the week leading up to comps. Of course there will be a rebound, from eating barely anything and dehydrating. Don't buy in to the scaremongering, there's still no secret metabolic repair team out there. It's still about calories and quality of food.

Fasted Cardio - Applying a little bit of logic to the debate

Firstly there needs to be some context, this is only really useful for fat loss. Note the word 'useful' NOT 'optimal'. HIIT, strength training, circuits and such like have all been proven to be more effective for fat loss over fasted low intensity cardio. However this doesn't mean fasted cardio has no place in a training programme. If fat loss is your goal, then one session, one meal and even one day or even one week is not what's important, it's consistency. That consistency being to burn more calories than you consume over a period of time to reach your goal look or weight.

There are 3 steps involved in losing fat:
1) Mobilisation - getting stored fat out from the fat cells, mainly under control of insulin and catecholamines
2) Transport - of the free fatty acid within the blood stream (free as mobilised from the fat cell)
3) Oxidation - which relates to the burning of the fatty acids in skeletal muscle, liver and heart.

Now this where a bit of understanding of the human body really helps, those leaner folks trying to get leaner do have more of a problem with the mobilisation stage, because there's less of it, those with more fat it stands to reason will mobilse fat far easier, because they have more. However for those considered very overweight oxidisation is impaired. Those in between really have neither of these problems.

So for those people very lean trying to get leaner fasted cardio is probably needed, this is due to the fact that long and very intense training sessions are not manageable due to the low calorie diets they need to follow. for those in the middle, well for them it doesn't really matter, they just need to be consistent, one things for sure though, fasted cardio can be useful and does have it's place, it's also not really that detrimental you'll not lose muscle if you have plenty of fat to lose.

It's all about balance and finding what works for the individual. Some of my clients never do fasted cardio, some do. What they all have in common though is that their programme works around their needs and what they are able to do. Not everyone can smash out 5 AM weights sessions a week with 5 PM HIIT sessions either.

So does fasted cardio have it's place, yes & no. In some instances it is perfectly acceptable.

One session, meal or day is not what counts, it's the whole approach and execution of a consistent plan to achieve your goals.

What changed since leaving University?

Before i started studying nutrition at university i was of the opinion that my views and opinions from what i had learned would not be validated without the credibility of a degree behind me, the only part of me that still believes that is my ego when i look to question others beliefs or agenda, although i try not to let that influence me these days. Upon leaving university i'd had numerous successes with clients, however i'd felt that because i was 'unqualified' then i didnt really have a place putting my name to the clients i had worked with. What i did think though, was that i had finally become a Nutritionist, the fact i'd been practicising nutrition for nearly 4 years didnt really mean much to me, the 3 letters after my name did though. Oddly.

The harsh reality though, is upon leaving university, my education really excelled. What univeristy really gave me was the analytic mindset to break something down and evaluate it based on sound scientific reasoning, or logic as some may call it. I have always read a lot, books, journals, blogs, forums, basically whatever i thought i could learn from. I quickly developed my own bullshit-o-meter, which allowed me to skim over articles, journals or press pieces with an agenda and file them under 'worthless' this to me was a real learning curve, i'd come out from under the structured learning of university and was in at the deep end, defending my own views (often against myself), evaluating new methods and research for the benefit of using with my own clients and progressing professionally to stay ahead of the game.

So after leaving university and entering the world of practicing nutrition, of which i'd decided against the conventional routes of either sports teams/programmes or NHS, here's what really changed:


1) My attitude to those without a degree in Nutrition

I'd basically become brainwashed in to thinking that without a degree in nutrition or dietetics then your opinion was actually worth less than someone with a degree. This soon changed and to be honest the 2 people i most admire for their nutrition knowledge, neither have a degree in the field, one is my mentor and amazes me every time we talk with what he knows, strangely i still go back and check/validate what he says though, the other is someone who's personal journey was similar to my own and who's thirst for good health helped inspire me to go in to nutrition. With all of the information available through social media, these days it is much easier to gain an understanding of nutrition, saying that it is also much easier to become brainwashed in to thinking only one method works. A good understanding of science is the most important tool you can have when starting to study nutrition.


2) Peer reviewed research holds all of the answers

Well it does but it's not always the best way to practice if you're always being lead by this. The fact is without research our beliefs will never be qualified or fully understood, however it really is a chicken and egg situation when it comes to research. We need forward thinkers who will test theories out before research and we also need researchers to test them to prove whether they are valid theories or not. In all honesty they both need each other. One thing i will say though is that if you only ever practice nutrition based on the available research then you'll usually be 2-3 years behind whats really going on in the world of nutrition. You only have to look at how long it has taken the WHO (world health organisation) to heed the warnings about cutting sugar to see how long you can be waiting for the official line to changed (10 years). Our job should always be to assess methods and make the safest but most effective decisions possible for our clients. This applies very much to myself, i've used methods which would be shunned by many to have bodybuilders place on stage or fighters drop more weight than they should, but i have always fully understood the methods and never would i do something i deem unsafe. A clients health is always the most important thing. I was also taught at University that there is no such thing as a good or bad food, just good or bad diets, i now think this was one of the worst things i have ever been taught, it's nearly as bad as being taught a calorie is just a calorie. They're not.

3) My view of 'the bigger picture'

The health of the nation is and probably never will be that important again to those that make decisions, it will be always come second to money, and unfortunately ill health is a profitable business. I used to believe that we lived in a country which cared about it's people and their health, that we had the best health service in the world and we as a nation were progressing. Now, i believe the opposite of all of those things. Our government don't care about our health, if they did then companies which aggressively peddle foods that are harmful to our health would be fined or at least taxed more to pay for the burden they add to our broken NHS, which is only a matter of time away from becoming fully privatised and less effective at looking after our dying nation. Nutrition aside, the gap between the wealthy (healthy) and the poor (nutritionally) is widening, the rich get richer at the expense of the poor, and to me this is not progress at all. We're in a downward spiral of ill health, through obesity and diabetes (type 2), both illnesses which could be eradicated completely, if we did enough about it. But we won't because too many companies have a vested interest in keeping our nation unhealthy.

4) I learned to give a shit

Probably the most important thing for me on a personal level, people that knew me when i was at university and a few years ago probably had few nice things to say about me, i'm the first to admit i wasn't a very good person, in fact i'm probably still not in some people's eye's, i cared only for what i chose to care about and that was, what i felt directly affected me. What i have also learnt is that caring about money, gadgets, possessions and status makes you feel quite poor. Now i care and want to make a difference through Nourish, i never want to go to sleep and every person we help makes me realise just how important it is to care.

It's always good to finish a blog with a Ghandi quote too....

2013 - A real honest reflection part 1

At the end of each year i write up what went well, what i would have done differently and what my plans for the next 12 months are.

Looking back on 2013 i dont think i could have ever have predicted what happened, the up's and down's and the steep learning curves i had to overcome. Overall though i look back on the year as being one where i accomplished nearly every challenge i took and exceeded even my own expectations. So here's a recap of my year...


January -

I was supposed to be in India and Thailand over Christmas and New Year, however, my New Years Eve of 2012 was spent in Fuerteventura working with Kell Brook in the lead up to his rescheduled World Title fight for 23rd February against Devon Alexander, i was in bed by 10pm as was the rest of the team, due to 6am training sessions. So 1st of January i was up at 4.45am to prepare and make breakfast for Kell and other members of the team, sort out the days supplements and ensure Kell was ready for an early morning gruelling pad work session with Dominic Ingle and a few of the other Ingle gym fighters. Giving up nearly all of my Christmas and choosing to spend my New Year like this was just part of doing the job i loved. One mistake i did make was not taking any new clients on through the New Year rush, i put all my eggs in one basket so to speak and this cost me over the course of the year in terms of lack of client work and variety, something i absolutely love.

January 4th saw Sky Sports arrive to film part of their promotion show 24/7, a feature of this was an interview i did discussing the dietary requirements needed for an elite level boxer as well my role within the team. Here's a photo taken from the filming, a cheeky plug for S1 Supplements in there!

Looking back, January was a tense month but the mood was improving and everything was falling in to place. As a team we were working well together and the results were beginning to show.Working with people such as Dominic Ingle, Dave Hembrough, Ian Grant and Alan Ruddock makes you realise just how elite a level we are operating at, this was a team that in my opinion could make good fighters in to great fighters, it was a privilege to be involved with such a team and i owe many thanks to them all for helping with my own professional development. Mid January we flew back to the UK for 2 weeks before heading back out to Fuerteventura. The set up out there was one of the best i've been involved with in terms of training camps. Unfortunately i have been involved in some terrible camps. Big shout out to Adam Bailey, who simply couldn't do enough for us while out there, a real unsung hero of the team too.


February -

The beginning of February was very exciting, with Kell Brook we'd hit a very good run of consistency with his training, skill work and his diet. The result was Kell weighing 11st 1lb three weeks before his fight date, a weight he nor any of his team thought possible. The below photo shows him in peak condition, post training, hydrated and on a high carb day. I'll admit, at this point the £20k i had riding on him winning was pretty much being spent! We all knew he was good, we all knew he was destined to be a world champion but this moment it all felt like just a formality.

2 days after the above photo was taken we were notified that Devon Alexander had pulled out of the 23rd February fight due to a bicep injury. The whole team was distraught but we concentrated on keeping Kell motivated and awaited the rescheduled fight date. I'll be honest, being so close to a bunch of guys and working so close with Kell, this was one of the hardest moments of my professional career thus far, i truly felt for Kell, having watched him train so hard and having to stick to a diet for so long it was hard to see his dream slip away from him in such a fashion. However, i was back in my home working at S1 Supplements, advising the customers on their diet and training and enjoying being sat behind the till again. I also had time to go on a date and meet a woman (on valentines day!!) and fall in love, but that's not training or nutrition related so we'll leave that one there! During my time away i had also tweaked and perfected my accelerated fat loss programme, a few more tweaks on test subjects and i would be ready to roll it out, it was tough though, more details in the link 2 week accelerated fat loss programme

February also saw our offer go in for Nourish, 8 months hard work developing the business plan and we were now at a point of making an offer on our preferred location.


March -

The new fight was scheduled for 19th of May and having had a few weeks off we were now back in training, during the first part of March i had met with Lee Freeman and had decided to work with him. It takes a lot for me to work with someone on a 1-2-1 basis, they have to be committed and 100% trust me. I want results and i'm not the kind of trainer who will tell you everything is going well when it's not, 4 sessions in and i told Lee if he was late once more then he would be sacked, luckily he took it on board and was never late again, fortunately so as the journey we embarked upon was a highlight of 2013. Below is a photo of Lee the first day he turned up for training.

At the end of March while away on a stag do in a very cold Dusseldorf (don't go for a stag do, it's very average) i was notified that Kell had sustained an injury to his foot. On my return to the UK it had been decided to seek out a professional opinion.


April -

By the middle of the month and despite conditioning work in the pool, on the bike and rower the team met with a specialist who confirmed that Kell had suffered a broken metatarsal and he advised him not to fight. Those that chose not to believe he was genuinely injured, i wish they could have witnessed the atmosphere at the hospital when we were notified. Once again all our own feelings were nothing compared to what Kell was going through. I'll never believe anything but a win would have been the outcome for Kell and i was sure he would come back and prove anyone who doubted him wrong.

Nourish was starting to pick up steam too, we realised by the end of April that it was getting very real, negotiating rent on the premises was getting very intense and i knew a deal was there to be done


May - 

As we came in to May my own work picked back up, i'd turned down 2 big consultancy contracts early in the year due to my commitment to working with Kell 24/7, everything seemed strange, going back to my real life. I'd worked out that from October i'd spent only 35% of the time in my own bed! I was still missing client work, that being working with many clients as i really buzz off working with new clients and achieving results with them. By now Nourish was really gathering pace too, the dream i'd had of making a difference and taking on the big fast food boys was starting to become a reality, one which i wasnt sure i was the right man to lead! I also took a holiday at the end of May, for the first time in a long time i really switched off and detached from work, it felt great, for about 5 minutes!


June - 

The month of June seemed to fly by, i was focussed on working with Kell in the lead up to the Carson Jones fight and although my online coaching work was going, i really was starting to miss working with a variety of clients. At this time i'd only worked with 7 people all year, usually it would be 15+. June also saw meeting with various potential stakeholders for Nourish, a trip to London for research as well as working in S1 Supplements, overall a good month!


July - 

Training with Lee had really picked up, he was moving much better around the bar and his strength was rocketing, his progress was great to watch, the more he made the hungrier he got for it. Lee was also undertaking my mentor programme, his aim was to learn the why's of the diet and programme. Details of my mentor and coaching programme can be found here 12 month coaching and mentoring programme

Mid July also saw Kell Brook take on Carson Jones in a rematch of their closely fought match up the year before. A lot was said about Kell's fighting weight being set at 10st 12lb, however the people who questioned this really dont understand the modern day aspects of the sport. Kell was coming back from a serious foot injury, to push him on his fitness drills to make weight would have meant risking damaging the recently healed bone. As it was Kell dropped from 13st to 10st 11lb weigh in day weight in only 5.5 weeks, he also went on to obliterate Carson Jones in 8 one sided rounds. Proof if needed what a difference the whole team had made in a short space of time.

Kell Brook weighing in at 10st 11lb, dropping from 13st 1lb in 5.5 weeks

The end of July also saw the completion of the solicitors work for Nourish. The keys were imminent!

That concludes part one, as you can see a lot of time was taken up working with only a few clients, the latter part of 2013 was all about making a difference to many more people on a much bigger scale!

As always if you have any questions or would like any advice then please email me  Email link

Thanks for reading!

David

Are supplements really worth it (27th July 2012)

Are Supplements really worth it?

If you don’t want to read this article in it’s entirety then the most important take home message is this: no amount of supplements will make up for a poor diet. They are not magic potions but products that you should use to enhance or complete your diet and training.

The real question should however be “are your expectations realistic” most people’s are not and they expect wonder results because either the supplement companies promise them or they’re looking for a quick fix. Addressing every supplement on the market and detailing it’s real world value would take too long, maybe a full issue so here we’ll simply look at the reasons to take supplements in general and what you should be doing before taking the leap and investing your money in products to ensure you are getting value for money.

It often amazes me how young men new to the gym think that adding a protein powder to their diet immediately qualifies them as a ‘real gym’ goer, it’s almost as if the two are synonymous and the rest of the diet can remain the same.

Before we go any further I should clarify that when I speak about supplements I am not solely talking about protein powders, Creatine, pre workout formula’s etc but the health and wellbeing side too including vitamins, minerals and digestive supplements which are all too often ignored by young men, other than popping the daily multi-vitamin.

A word of warning, the supplement industry is awash with spurious claims and marketing hyperbole, sifting through it can be very intimidating and lets be really honest if we could take a supplement and look like a cover model with minimal effort in the gym and kitchen, then most of us probably would as it would give us more time to show off the easily attained physique rather than busting our b***s making sure every aspect was near perfect. It is this that vulnerability the supplement companies hone in on, they are masters at appealing to the ‘quick fix’ character trait we have within us.

The key with supplements is to start off keeping it simple, once your diet has been addressed look at areas which need attention, times when a supplement might be easier than a meal or you need to balance out the macronutrient profile of the meal, if you need to increase your EFA’s through supplementation because you’re struggling to get them in, if the foods you are eating are nutritionally adequate or whether you want to use a multi-vitamin to cover your bases or if the increase in food you are eating means you want to use a digestive enzyme such as acidophilus. The same logic should be applied to sports supplements; is recovery from training becoming harder therefore utilising a recovery product would benefit you, are you wanting to get more reps from your sets and thinking Creatine or beta alanine can help with this and even to the more extreme side of the market of fat burners and what place they have, for some they become reliant on them while others utilise them to help them get in to the mindset of dieting, curbing appetite and cravings and supplying a ‘lift’ when calories are low.

You see many supplements and their use can be justified but what really matters is if you feel they are worth adding to your diet. Question and reason everything you think about using, think of the bigger picture of how it fits in to your diet and lifestyle and whether you are doing enough to get the most from it and if you stick to viewing supplements like that you will never feel ripped off or short changed. Approach them with caution and question the claims made and you cant go wrong.

4 week online fat loss programme

Going on what is commonly accepted as a diet is a hugely flawed concept, largely because it involves extreme restriction from your normal or current routine. Examples of unsuccessful dieting can be seen throughout modern day society, bodybuilders being one extreme who diet for months only to 'rebound' after a show through to the club 18-30 crowd who diet for their summer holiday only to undo all the hard work and revert back to pre holiday appearance upon return to blighty.

Henry Ford famously said "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got" wise words and i like to think this applies to nutrition, and health too. If you always eat junk and don't exercise you'll always be unhealthy, similarly, if you always crash diet and revert back to inconsistent eating then you will never look or feel great all year round.

To look good is only one piece of the puzzle. As humans our aim should be to have more energy, sleep better and feel healthy on the inside as well as look it on the outside. Back to Henry Ford, if you do not like what you see in the mirror, struggle with energy or sleep and find exercise a struggle then what you are doing is not working for you and you need to change it.

A quick fix diet will not result in long term success, this is because it is so far removed from what we currently do that we will ultimately give in and revert back to our comfort way of living, away from the intense hard graft.

This is why my 4 week fat loss and healthy lifestyle transition programme is set up to not only blast fat in stages but also change your current habits to one's that are both achievable and results producing. Results are no good if they only last a few weeks of the year, if anything the yo-yo dieting can be detrimental to you, not just physically but psychologically too as it will manifest a feeling of failure, which in turn makes each effort harder.

My 2 week accelerated fat loss programme has now become very successful and popular, the results for some are lasting but it's very much geared towards looking good for a short period of time, this is why i developed the protocol to include a further 2 weeks which can be tailored to ease in to the diet and then at the back end set up good dietary habits which can be taken forward to push on with a healthier lifestyle.

The diet you receive will be tailored to you and worked around your schedule, as with all new healthy lifestyle programmes there is sacrifice and you will have to be mentally strong at times, nobody ever looked or felt great from eating junk, the 2 weeks fat loss phases are tough but rewarding and all my previous experience and expertise has gone in to refining this part of the programme.

As with all my programmes and due to my other work there are limited spaces available and i will be selective as to who i choose to work with on this programme, i am after all in the results business and failure is not an option!

The cost is £149 and from payment being received you will be given your full programme via email within 7 working days.

You will receive full support from me throughout the programme and report to me daily on your progress.

If you are wanting to shift some post christmas weight gain and push on to a healthier lifestyle, which you can stick to then this programme will suit you. However it is very much in your hands, i only supply the programme and it is up to you to implement, if you feel you may need more support then please check out my online or 1-2-1 programmes.

To register your interest on this programme then please email me by clicking the link Email address

I look forward to hearing from you

David

2014 programmes and course

I am often asked how much i charge. For me this is a hard question to answer as i always prefer to tailor my programmes to the individual, which means the time spent working with each client is always different.

However, there is an obvious need for potential clients to see what kind of services i offer. Below i have highlighted the work i prefer to take on and the cost of such programmes.

4 week fat loss and lifestyle programme - £149
This 4 week programme involves a detox period followed by my 2 week accelerated fat loss programme and finishes with a 1 week transitional diet to lead you on to a healthier eating lifestyle out of your diet. This is a great way to kick start any healthy lifestyle change or diet. This course is offered all year round. More details can be found here: 4 week fat loss and healthy lifestyle programme

2 week accelerated fat loss programme - £99 
For more details see here:
This programme is not for the faint hearted, the drop out rate is 35%, however, should you stick it out you'll rapidly lose weight, gain control of your appetite and cravings. This programme is ran twice a year, early june is limited to 25 people and late November is limited to 20 people. More details here: 2 week accelerated fat loss programme

12 month online coaching and mentor programme 
Each year i take on a few clients who i work with solely online, coaching throughout the year. This programme includes full training, nutritional and supplement support. Weekly updates via Skype, phone and email are included. The programme is aimed at those who want a full lifestyle change but without the 1-2-1 training element. It is most suited to those who want to make real progression with my my full support. Please see here for more details: 12 month online coaching and mentor programme

Monthly online coaching programme - £150 per month (minimum 3 months)
Similar to my online coaching and mentor programme but without the education and mentorship aspect. I work with you very closely to achieve results through non-fad like nutrition and training. You'll be accountable to me weekly and report in regularly on your progress. This is intense but it yields results time and time again. By the end not only will you have achieved the results you want but you'll understand your body better and have the tools to keep improving.

1-2-1 training and nutrition coaching - £400 per month
This is my most extensive programme for which i work with only 3-4 clients at any one time. I will personally train you 2-3 times a week, write all of your nutrition and supplement plans and supply all training programmes too. If you have seen my transformation programmes you will know what can be achieved with me as your coach.

Group nutritionist - price to be discussed
As part of my current work with various professional sports teams i also work with groups. This can range from family nutritional programmes through to sports teams. For more information contact me directly.

Corporate Health & Well being programme - price dependant on company and project size
Having delivered health and wellbeing programmes throughout the UK to many different multi national and local companies i have devised my own Total Body Development corporate health programme. This includes staff nutritional seminars on health in the work place, as well as managing stress and productivity using nutrition. Each programme is devised specifically for the company in question, no one size fits all.

Elite athlete nutritional programme - 12 week programme - price available on request
This programme is for elite athletes only and is my most extensive programme. I will work with your coaches to plan your nutritional programme, assess your performance, meet with coaches weekly to set performance targets. This programme is for those under extreme pressure, at the top of their game where every 0.01% counts.

12 month online coaching and mentor programme - 2014

If 2013 showed me anything, it's that i simply do not have the time to do all the work i'd like to do. Total Body Development has over the years been held back simply by how much time i can commit and how much other work i have on. Launching S1 Supplements and then Nourish have meant that the amount of client time and work i can do had to be limited. 

My intention has always been to expand, pass on my knowledge and experience and build a team of people i trust to carry through the message of what Total Body Development is. Big ideas right?!

My greatest success with clients has always come through spending more time with them, as you would expect, however i have always noticed my best clients are one's that want to learn the why's of what we are doing, to understand the nutrition and training principles and learn why their body reacts certain ways.

My track record is proven and my list of previous clients is vast, now i want to grow with the right team around me and i want to build a core of people who i can trust to work with my clients and represent Total Body Development. My client list speaks for itself, world champions in 4 different sports, consultancy work with some of the UK's top businesses, numerous cover models as well as many average joe and jane's turned in to anything but average!

This is why in 2014 i am launching my own mentorship and coaching programme with the sole intention of growing a team who can go on to represent Total Body Development.

The programme will include the following:

• Full Human Nutrition education programme with monthly modules to complete
• Full advanced nutrition programme with assessment
• Sports and Performance Nutrition education programme
• Exposure to all the clients i work with
• Monthly group meeting in Sheffield or via Skype 
• Access to my private online coaching programme
• Quarterly seminars with leading coaches 
• Full coaching for your own goals by me and my team
• Full guidance through the ISSN CISSN programme
• Weekly/fortnightly phone calls with myself to ensure you are working towards your goals

So as well as learning from me through a structured programme you will also be coached to develop for your own training goals. By the end of the course those successful and driven will be chosen to become part of team Total Body Development and carry the flag for what Total Body Development is all about. Work hard enough and show enough mettle and you'll be working WITH me and have access to all my past work and future clients.

Your success will be down to you, i can only supply the tools, it is up to you to use them and get the best out the course and my time. Those that apply themselves will improve their skill set, increase their knowledge and above all else increase their income.

This programme is aimed at those wanting push on to the next level with their learning and career development. ideally you will already be level 2 and 3 qualified and be practising as a personal trainer or at least have the intention to be level 3 qualified very quickly. If you are not currently studying or qualified then i will provide you with details and contacts for these qualifications at a discounted price. If you are wanting a full lifestyle change and the prospect of learning why's of what you need to do then this programme is for you.

The cost of the course is 11 monthly payments of £150 with an initial payment of £250 up front. The course starts in February 2014 and i will be taking a limited number of people on. 

The closest thing i have to this has been my work with Lee Freeman who has transformed his physique under my guidance and now has plans to use the knowledge he has learned under me to also help others achieve their goals. Through my mentorship he has been able to understand his body and the training and nutrition principles needed to live a better, healthier life. In 2014 Lee will undertake his ISSN accreditation as well as competing in fitness and physique competitions, when he came to me in January 2013 for advice on training again after major surgery on his neck he wasn't able to lift any weights at the time. His squat in March was 12kg dumbell for goblet squats, now he comfortably squats well over 100kg for sets of 12 and has a physique many people could only wish for. He is the perfect example of what happens when you mix determination with top level knowledge and experience. 

If this course interests you then feel free to email me so we can discuss this further, then click the link to email me TBD email

I look forward to hearing from you!

David

2 week accelerated fat loss programme

Having worked with many people to help them lose weight, at times i have been required to produce programmes which drop weight very quickly for competitions, fights or even modelling shoots.

This has enabled me to perfect a weight loss method which focusses on getting results fast.

With any weight loss programme there is sacrifice, you cannot eat big macs daily and expect to lose weight. This programme however is extreme and that is why it is to only be used for a couple of weeks, after which point you will resort back to a healthy balanced diet.

The diet resembles that which i use for clients who have to make weight or get ready for a photo shoot. It focusses on high nutrient, workout recovery methods which enable you to train hard and recover for the next training session.

Your diet will be specific to you and written based on your routine, weight and body composition. It will be hard work and is not for the faint hearted, BUT it's only 2 weeks. You can use to look good at an event, squeeze in to a dress or to kick start your new diet.

You will also be provided with a full 2 week training programme free of charge to go along with the diet.

As well as this you will get full support from me, with emails every day. You'll also report in to me updating me on your progress each day.

There limited places available (only 20) and the cost is £99. Every time i have ran this programme it gets snapped up very quickly.

To sign up for this programme simply email me david@totalbodydevelopment.co.uk