Fitlab Studio

LESS ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER

One of the things I've been talking to clients about recently is calories. And there's one sentence that keeps coming up when I give someone their target.

“I can't eat that many calories.”

And I completely understand why people think that way. If you've decided you want to lose weight, it seems logical that eating less must mean losing more weight. So if 1,800 calories is your target, surely 1,500 would be even better. And 1,200 must be better still.

But that's where we need to stop and think about what we're actually trying to achieve.

Here's the science bit...

Your body needs energy every day just to keep you alive and functioning. That's your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Then there's everything else you do during the day — walking, working, training, moving around, digesting your food and generally getting on with life.

When we're trying to lose weight, we generally need to create a calorie deficit. In simple terms, that means taking in less energy than you're using over time.

But that doesn't mean the bigger the deficit, the better the diet.

If you make that deficit unnecessarily aggressive, you can end up much hungrier, with less energy, poorer training and a diet that's becoming harder and harder to stick to.

And this is the bit I really want people to understand.

Your calorie target isn't a number you're supposed to beat.

If we've worked out that 1,800 calories is an appropriate target for you and you decide you're going to eat 1,200 because you think less must be better, you've not found a better diet.

You've just made the plan harder.

And I've seen this so many times. Someone starts off determined, cuts their food right down, spends their days thinking about what they can and can't eat, gets tired and eventually reaches the point where they can't keep doing it.

Then they eat more.

They feel like they've messed up.

They try to compensate by eating even less.

And the whole cycle starts again.

That's not necessarily a willpower problem. Sometimes the approach is the problem.

At FitLab, I'm not interested in teaching you how little food you can get away with eating.

I'm interested in helping you understand what you need, why you need it and how we can make it work with your life.

Because losing weight isn't about seeing how miserable you can make yourself for the next few weeks.

It's about finding an approach that gives you a calorie deficit, supports your training and your day-to-day life, and is something you can actually stick with.

So if you've been looking at your calorie target and thinking “I can't eat that much”, I'd ask you to stop and think about why.

Maybe the number isn't the problem.

Maybe your idea of what weight loss is supposed to look like is.

And if you're not sure whether your current target is right for you, don't just start cutting it further.

Come and talk to me.

Let's look at it together.

Because less isn't always better.

Sometimes better is better. 🧡

RESTART

Sometimes you don't need a new plan. You don't need to throw everything away and tell yourself that this time it's going to be different. Sometimes you just need to restart.

The school holidays are over, the kids are back at school and normal routines are starting to come back. And maybe, if you're honest, your own routine has taken a bit of a hit over the last few weeks.

Training hasn't been as consistent, food has been a bit more relaxed and you've probably enjoyed the summer. And do you know what? That's okay.

You haven't failed. You haven't ruined anything. You've just stepped away from your routine for a while.

So now it's time to restart.

Get back into the routine. Get yourself moving again. Start making the choices you know make you feel better and give yourself a chance to build that consistency back up.

And you don't need to wait for Monday. You don't need to wait for the perfect time.

You can restart today.

Because it's not about being perfect. It's about recognising when you've drifted off course and having the confidence to pick it back up.

RESTART. 🧡

The kids are back at school. What are you going to do with the next 16 weeks?

The kids are back at school. The summer holidays are pretty much done, the routine is starting to come back and, for a lot of us, life suddenly feels a little bit more organised again.

And it got me thinking... Christmas really isn't that far away. I know that sounds ridiculous when we're still talking about summer, but we're now looking at around 16 weeks. And 16 weeks can make a hell of a difference.

Maybe the summer hasn't quite gone how you planned. Maybe you've had a few too many meals out, a few more drinks than normal and training hasn't exactly been at the top of the list. Or maybe you've just been enjoying yourself. And that's okay. I'm not interested in telling you that you've been bad or that you need to undo the summer. You don't. What's happened has happened.

What interests me is what you do from here. Because this is actually one of my favourite times of the year. The kids go back to school, the routine starts to return and suddenly you've got a decent stretch of time in front of you.

You could wait. You could tell yourself you'll sort it in January, like we do every year. Or you could look at those 16 weeks and think, “Right, let's see what I can do.”

I'm not talking about being perfect or living in the gym. I'm certainly not talking about going on some ridiculous diet because Christmas is coming. I'm talking about getting yourself back into a routine and, more importantly, sticking with it.

Because imagine getting to that Christmas party in December knowing you started in September. Knowing you didn't leave it until January again. Knowing you actually gave yourself a proper chance to see what you could achieve.

That's a very different feeling.

And that's what I'm interested in. Not what you look like on day one, but where could you be 16 weeks later?

The kids are back. Summer's done. You've got 16 weeks until Christmas.

What are you going to do with them?

Let's find out. 🧡

Operation Me starts again...

The kids are going back to school.

And I think for a lot of us, that means life starts to find a bit of a routine again.

Let's be honest, the summer can throw everything out a little. Holidays, days out, late nights, meals on the go, a few more drinks, a few more snacks and generally just doing things a bit differently.

And that's absolutely fine. That's what summer is for.

But somewhere amongst all of that, the things we normally do for ourselves can get pushed to one side.

Training gets missed. Food becomes a bit more hit and miss. Sleep goes out the window and before you know it, you're saying to yourself, "I'll get back to it when things settle down."

And that's where I think this time of year can actually be a really good opportunity.

Not to suddenly go all in and try to change everything.

Not to start some ridiculous diet because you've had a few too many ice creams over the summer.

Just to reset a little.

Get yourself moving again. Get back into your training. Start making a few better choices with your food and get your sleep back into some sort of routine.

Because it's very easy for the kids, work, family and everything else to come first.

And before you know it, you're somewhere near the bottom of your own list.

I'm not saying you should put everything else to one side. Life doesn't work like that.

But you are part of your own life too.

So if the summer has knocked you off track a little, don't beat yourself up about it.

The kids are going back.

The routine is coming back.

Maybe it's time Operation Me does too.

Nothing extreme. Nothing perfect.

Just start doing a few of the things that make you feel like yourself again.

And see where that takes you. 🧡

**FitLab Studio | Lichfield**

Getting comfortable...

I think one of the easiest things to do in life is become comfortable with something you never actually intended to become comfortable with.

You might not be as fit as you were a few years ago, but you've got used to it. You might be more tired than you used to be, but you've got used to that as well.

Training used to be something you did regularly, but then work got busy, the family needed more of your time, you went away on holiday, something happened and before you know it, training has become something you keep meaning to get back to.

Then there's the food.

A few crisps here, something sweet there. You haven't really changed what you eat that much, have you?

Well, maybe you have.

But because it happens gradually, you don't really notice it.

And that's the problem with a lot of this stuff.

You don't suddenly wake up one morning and think, "Right, I'm now unfit, tired and heavier than I want to be."

It happens slowly.

A little less movement, a little more food, a few missed sessions, a bit more stress. Then eventually what started as a temporary phase starts to feel like normal life.

That's the bit that interests me.

Because sometimes we aren't actually happy with where we are.

We've just become comfortable with it.

We tell ourselves we'll sort it out when work calms down. When the kids are a bit older. After the holiday. Next Monday.

And there is always a reason.

I'm not saying those reasons aren't real. They are. Life gets busy and sometimes other things genuinely have to come first.

But I think it's worth asking yourself a slightly uncomfortable question.

Are you actually comfortable with where you are, or have you just become comfortable with not changing it?

Because they're two very different things.

And if you've realised that you're not quite where you want to be, that's actually a good thing.

Because noticing it means you can do something about it.

You don't need to turn your whole life upside down. You don't need to suddenly become obsessed with training or completely change everything you eat.

You just need to stop telling yourself that you'll deal with it someday.

Maybe today is the day you decide that looking after yourself matters again.

Not perfectly.

Not all at once.

Just enough to start moving in the direction you actually want to go.

Because sometimes the hardest part isn't making the change.

It's admitting that you're ready for one.

And if this sounds a little too familiar, maybe that's where you start.

Have an honest conversation with yourself.

Then see where it takes you. 🧡

FitLab Studio | Lichfield

Somewhere along the way...

I've had a few conversations with clients this week about holidays, food and training, and it got me thinking about how easily things can change without us really noticing.

You go away on holiday and of course you relax. You eat a bit more, have a few more treats, probably have a few drinks and training isn't really at the top of the list. And that's absolutely fine. It's a holiday.

But the conversation actually went further than that.

Life gets busy.

You might have a family, work gets more demanding, or maybe you've decided to start your own business and suddenly you're working longer hours than you ever imagined. There always seems to be something that needs doing, someone who needs your attention or another reason why looking after yourself can wait until tomorrow.

And I'm not saying that's wrong. It's just what happens in life.

The problem is that sometimes tomorrow becomes next week, next week becomes next month and before you know it, something that was only supposed to be temporary has become your normal.

You stop training as often. You're stressed and tired, so you start picking at food a bit more. A few crisps while you're making dinner, something sweet because you've had a stressful day, maybe just grabbing whatever is easiest because you haven't got the time or the energy to think about it.

None of those things on their own is a problem.

But they can become a problem when you stop noticing them.

And I think that's where we can all get caught out.

You can become comfortable with feeling a little more tired. Comfortable with not being as strong. Comfortable with not training. Comfortable with telling yourself you'll get back to it when life calms down.

But when does life ever really calm down?

There will always be work, family, holidays, deadlines, responsibilities and things that need doing.

I'm certainly not suggesting you put any of those things to one side. They're important.

But somewhere in all of that, don't forget that you're important too.

Maybe you don't need to change everything.

Maybe you just need to start noticing what's changed.

Ask yourself when you last felt really good about your training. When you last had the energy you wanted. When you stopped doing the things that used to make you feel better.

Because you don't have to wait for January, Monday or the perfect time.

You can make a change whenever you're ready.

And if you're reading this thinking, *That's probably me," then don't beat yourself up about it.

Have a think about what you've let slip and pick one thing to start bringing back.

Sometimes that's all it takes to start moving in the right direction again.

And if you want to talk about it, send me a message.

No judgement, no pressure.

Just a conversation.

Sometimes that's the best place to start.

🧡

FitLab Studio | Lichfield

You don't have to enjoy every workout.

I know that probably isn't what you expect a fitness coach to say. We are supposed to tell you that exercise makes you feel amazing, that you'll love every session and that once you get started you won't want to stop.

But if I'm being honest, that's not how it works.

There are days when you walk into the studio and everything feels good. You have energy, you're moving well and you actually enjoy the session. Then there are other days when you really don't want to be there and you're already thinking about getting home before you've even started.

And that's okay.

I've had those days myself.

I think sometimes we put far too much importance on motivation. We wait until we feel motivated to train, motivated to eat better or motivated to make a change. The problem is that motivation doesn't turn up every day. Sometimes it disappears for a while, especially when life gets busy.

Work gets in the way, the kids need you, you've had a rubbish night's sleep or you've simply got too much going on. That's life.

So what happens then?

Do we just stop?

This is where I think consistency becomes far more important than motivation.

Consistency doesn't mean you never miss a session. It doesn't mean every workout has to be brilliant and it certainly doesn't mean you have to be perfect.

Sometimes consistency is simply turning up when you don't really feel like it and doing what you can.

And sometimes it's recognising that today isn't the day to push yourself and changing the session because that's what your body needs.

That's something I want people to understand about training.

You don't have to love every workout.

You just need to understand why you're doing it.

Because the results aren't built from the one amazing session where everything went perfectly.

They're built from all those ordinary sessions in between.

The ones where you turned up anyway.

That's where progress is built.

How many times have you said...

"This time I'll stick to it."

I've lost count of the number of times I've heard those words over the years.

It's usually followed by a story about another gym membership, another app downloaded or another promise made on a Monday morning. Not because people don't care about their health, but because somewhere along the way they started believing they had to figure it all out on their own.

The truth is, very few people walk through the doors of FitLab because they don't know exercise is good for them. They already know that. They know they should move more, eat better and look after themselves. What they don't know is where to start, what to do next or whether they're even doing the right things.

That's where people begin to lose confidence.

One week becomes two. Two weeks become a month. Before long, they convince themselves they've failed again, when in reality they were just trying to navigate the journey without a map.

I've never believed that people need more motivation.

Motivation comes and goes. Some mornings you'll have plenty of it. Other days you'll have none at all.

What makes the difference is having a plan.

Having someone who knows when to push you and when to hold you back. Someone who notices the small improvements that you can't see yourself. Someone who keeps you accountable on the days life gets busy and reminds you why you started in the first place.

To me, that's what coaching has always been.

It isn't about counting reps or standing there with a stopwatch.

It's about building trust.

It's about creating confidence.

It's about helping someone achieve things they never thought they could.

That's why I've never seen FitLab as just another gym.

It's a place where people come to stop guessing.

To stop starting again.

To finally have someone in their corner.

If any of that sounds familiar, maybe the next step isn't joining another gym.

Maybe it's finding the right coach.

🧡 FitLab Studio | Lichfield

Most people would look at this photograph and see gym equipment.

I don't.

When I look at it, I see conversations.

That kettlebell reminds me of someone's first goblet squat, when they were convinced they wouldn't be able to do it. Those dumbbells remind me of the member who could barely press them overhead six months ago and now picks them up without a second thought.

The resistance band isn't just a band. It's helped someone move without pain. The massage ball has been the difference between walking into the studio stiff and walking out feeling like themselves again.

None of these things change lives on their own.

They're just tools.

What changes lives is what happens when somebody walks through the door, trusts the process and keeps coming back.

That's why I've never believed it's about the equipment.

You could spend thousands on the latest machines, but without good coaching they're just pieces of metal and rubber.

Give those same tools a purpose, a plan and someone to guide you, and they become part of somebody's story.

Every scratch on that kettlebell tells me it's been picked up hundreds of times.

By beginners.

By people rebuilding confidence.

By people proving to themselves they're capable of more than they first believed.

That's what I see.

"Breathe."

It's probably the word I say more than any other during a coaching session.

Not "one more rep."

Not "keep going."

Just...

"Breathe."

This morning at 6am we spent time talking about breathing because most people don't realise how much it affects the way they move, lift and feel.

When a set starts to get difficult, the natural reaction is to hold your breath. Your shoulders tense, your neck tightens and before you know it, you're fighting yourself as much as the weight.

Breathing isn't just something your body does automatically. It's a skill.

Learning when to brace, when to exhale and when to take a controlled breath can make you feel stronger, more stable and far more in control. It can even help you finish a set you thought you couldn't.

What many people don't realise is that every breath fills millions of tiny air sacs in your lungs called alveoli. This is where oxygen passes into your bloodstream before being carried to your muscles. If you haven't exercised for a while, it's not that your lungs have stopped working or that you've lost these air sacs. It's that your whole oxygen delivery system has become less efficient. The more you move and train, the better your body becomes at delivering and using oxygen where it's needed.

But it goes beyond the gym.

Think about the last time you felt stressed. Chances are your breathing became shorter and quicker without you even noticing. Your body responds to that. Your heart rate rises, your muscles tighten and your mind races.

Sometimes the fastest way to regain control isn't to do more.

It's to breathe better.

It's a simple reminder, but one we all need from time to time.

Take a breath.

Reset.

Then move forward.

One breath at a time.