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Good nutrition provides and helps improve concentration, enhances your physical performance, improves your quality of sleep and helps slow down the ageing process. It is also an important aspect for those wanting weight loss. For example, if you consume fewer calories in a day than you burn then you WILL lose weight. However, it is difficult to get that balance right. SlimStart sessions focus on different aspects of nutrition so that you have the knowledge and willingness to continue eating healthily for the rest of your lives, reaping the benefits along the way! Each 1 hour session includes:
This session is free to members or £5 per session for non-members.
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10 tips for training and nutrition
To get the most out of your training and reach those life changing goals it is important to get things right. Here are 10 tips for training and nutrition to get you started on the road to success. Read on to get a FREE 7 DAY GROUP FITNESS TRIAL!
1. GOAL SETTING
Before starting any training routine it is important to think about what your goals are that you want to achieve. If there is more than one then list them in order of importance. Then device a plan of achievement, paying particular attention to the goal that is most important to you. Set regular, realistic targets and set ways of measuring them, for example take measurements if you are looking to lose inches around the waist.
2. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
The benefits of staying fully hydrated are endless, and as it is such an easy and painless thing to do there are no excuses for you not to do it. Try drinking two litres of water a day and it will help you… be more energized for you day and workout, lose weight easier as it will increase your metabolism and reduce hunger cravings, prevent bloating, flush out toxins, have healthier skin, reduce the risk of heart attack and disease and keep your muscles and joints in good condition.
3. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH SOME EXERCISES!
There are many fun and effective exercises to choose from to include in your routine. But on the other hand some are of no benefit and can increase your risk of injury. For example if you are looking for a six pack don’t waste you time doing hundreds of crunches, but try instead more functional all over body exercises such as lunge with oblique twist. This will work you abdominal muscles as well as working the rest of your body at the same time therefore burning more calories. To isolate the mid-drift muscles try using a fit ball as this will also work your deeper core muscles therefore giving you a flatter stomach.
4. INCREASE YOUR TRAINING SLOWLY
If you are new to exercise try not to get over enthusiastic in the beginning. Think of your long term goals and aim to get there gradually therefore reducing your risk of injury and/or losing interest. A way of increasing your training is to keep frequency, time, weights and effort easy to begin with and increase everything by ten percent each week.
5. EAT BEFORE YOU TRAIN
If you don’t have any fuel in your body then it won’t function as effectively and training won’t be as productive. By having a snack about an hour before you train your energy levels will be much higher. Try snacks like a banana, raisins, cereal bar or malt loaf.
6. TRY INTERVAL TRAINING
Periodic bursts of high intensity cardio training followed by moderate recover will burn one and a half times more calories than just doing steady cardio for the same amount of time. Also, you will burn 75-125 additional calories after the workout. A good example of this is fartlek running. Try running steady for 3 minutes and then run 20 percent faster for 2 minute, and keep repeating this for 30 minutes. However, don’t train like this all of the time as it does put additional stress on your body therefore increasing the risk of injury.
7. FREE WEIGHTS AND CABLES vs MACHINES
Although there are benefits to using fixed weights machines such as they are easy to use, you would get a much better workout by using free weights or cable resistance machines. This is because you are required to stabilize and control all movements, therefore involving more muscle groups, including your core. They are also great because you can perform functional, sport specific, rehabilitation and unlimited movements, making your workout varied personalized, progressive and most of all fun!
8. EAT SEVERAL SMALL MEALS/SNACKS THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY
Eating healthy small meals/snacks every couple of hours throughout the day will boost your metabolism, control your appetite and will give you more energy to exercise. A great and easy tip for anybody whether you’re intending to lose weight, in training for a marathon, or want to build up muscle.
9. EAT FEWER CALORIES THAN YOU BURN
To lose weight you will have to consume fewer calories in a day than you expend. However very low calorie diets will slower your metabolism and the initial weight loss will be put on again when normal eating is resumed. The healthiest way to lose weight is to burn as many calories in a day as you can. This doesn’t just mean what you burn in the gym, you should also think about being more active throughout the rest of your day by walking more, using the stairs instead of the lift and doing the housework!
10. REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN!
If you don’t enjoy the activity that you are doing it is highly likely that you will give up. By keeping your workouts varied, challenging and by trying new things you will break up any monotonous routine.
GET A FREE 7 DAY GROUP FITNESS TRIAL
Get in touch: Tel: 0808 1082164
Email: stuarthyams@backontrackltd.com or leannehyams@backontrackltd.com
We’ve got so much going on at Back On Track
We’ve got so much going on at Back On Track. Free 7 day trial anyone? Here’s your voucher to help kickstart you into shape.
Checkout our exciting new timetable, and remember you can get a FREE 7 day trial.
Just call us on freephone: 0808 108 2164
OPEN DAY BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 21ST APRIL 2014
Lot’s going on at Back On Track, Hitchin, come and give it a go.
Bring friends, & family. Come in your sportswear & get ready to join in as many great classes as you like!
Back on Track Fitness Studio
and Sports Injury Clinic
72 Wilbury Way
Hitchin
Hertfordshire
SG4 0TP
Tel: 0808 1082164
Email: stuarthyams@backontrackltd.com or leannehyams@backontrackltd.com
Checkout our video: CLICK HERE
Question and answer sessions with Back On Track owner, Stuart Hyams
When did you open Back On Track and what did you think you could offer that other local gyms couldn’t?
My wife and I opened Back on Track Fitness Studio in January 2012. We had both spent many years working in commercial gyms and became disillusioned with it all. There was very little support offered to members which ultimately lead to them failing to achieve their fitness goals. I got the impression that this wasn’t an issue to the gym, and instead their focus was on signing up new members on long contracts! Our aim was to have as many active members (those that use our facility 2/3x a week) as possible. We can now proudly say that 80% of our members are active and achieving their fitness goals! Our next aim is 90%.
What certifications do you have, and where did you study?
I initially followed a fitness route and became qualified in Personal Training as well as many group fitness certifications such as Spinning, Pilates, Crewing, Circuits,…. Later in my career I decided to become a Sports Therapist studying for 3 years at Hertfordshire University.
How do you keep your fitness training knowledge up to date?
This weekend I am on a 2 day boxing fitness course which I can’t wait for! As a trainer going on courses and checking out crazy you tube exercises keeps it all fun and interesting.
What group courses have you taught?
Our latest idea is ‘Starter Group Fitness’. We wanted to offer a course which gives those people that need extra support an opportunity to get fit. The way it works is simple… We modify group fitness sessions such as Kettlebells, Boxing, Spinning, Bootcamp, TRX Fusion, so that beginners can cope with the intensity of the session and understand the techniques. When they are ready they can integrate into the main group fitness sessions.
What diet and nutrition education have you received?
Over the years I have studied how to eat healthily. I have resisted the temptation to try out fad diets. Our SlimStart weight loss club is a 10 week course that will teach you basic nutrition such as calorie counting, truth about fats, balanced nutrition, food label reading. Learning how to eat healthy and sticking with it is the only way to lose weight and keep it off! Our members get this service for FREE!
What experience do you have with customer service?
During my career I have worked closely with my clients while helping them lose weight, run a marathon, recover from injury, etc… Therefore the relationship tends to be quite personal.
Back on Track is limited to a relatively small number of members therefore we are always able to meet customer needs. For example we know if a member hasn’t attended for a while so we contact them to nudge them back in the right direction!
What evaluations do you conduct on a new client who wants to begin a fitness regimen?
We offer a 7 day free trial which entitles potential clients to a fitness and nutritional assessment, unlimited group fitness sessions, use of our training zone and a Personal Training session. Before they begin we have an informal chat about their current fitness levels, health, diet and health & fitness goals. The PT session teaches technique on the equipment that is used during group fitness sessions and in the Training Zone such as TRX, Kettlebells, Bosu/Fitball, spinning bike etc… During the 7 day trial we monitor new clients during group fitness offering support when needed. We understand that coming to us can be a stressful experience so we try to make you feel as welcome as possible.
How do you simultaneously help clients at different levels of physical ability during a workout class?
This is a question I get asked a lot. Firstly most people have little confidence in their own abilities, so they are soon surprised how much they are capable of with a bit of direction. After a couple of sessions our clients soon have an understanding of how much weight they can lift and how hard they can push themselves. Therefore the whole group can train together while working to individual limits.
Imagine a client is discouraged during a training session. How do you keep them motivated?
The key to being a good instructor is keeping people motivated. This involves a lot of energy being put into each session, as well as making it fun! I haven’t found anybody yet that doesn’t enjoy hitting the punchbags!! It’s also important to make the session interactive so everybody also has the support of a partner or small group.
What training/nutrition regimen would you offer a client who says they strictly want to lose weight?
Losing weight simply involves consuming less calories than you burn off each day, and it is far more effective to try and burn more calories than it is to reduce calorie intake too much. Nowadays it is much easier to monitor intake/expenditure. I recommend using the phone App ‘My Fitness Pal’ which scans food and predicts calorie expenditure. Once a client decides how much weight they want to lose it is simply a matter of sticking to the recommended calorie allowance, and the more they exercise the more they can eat! It also helps steering clear of the high calorific foods.
Give Back On Track a go – Book your FREE TRIAL on
Freephone: 0808 1082 164
EXERCISE? Are you kidding? Do you want us to help you get Back on Track?
We all know that we should do more exercise. Well, don’t we? The Government tells us, the NHS and probably our GP tell us, even the media tells us. So why don’t most of us take much notice? It is a fact that 80percent of members of the big gyms rarely, if ever use them! So what does that prove? Probably not much, but it does suggest that most of us really don’t enjoy exercising for its own sake. And I’ll bet that most of us find it rather boring. There are those, of course, who get a real buzz from exercising and good luck to them. But the statistics tell us that they are in the minority. And even when we understand that exercise is good for the heart, muscles and general wellbeing and will possibly help us live longer, we still don’t do it.
So what can us at Back on Track do that could persuade you that actually exercise can be fun, even when it hurts, and needn’t be boring? Firstly, we are most certainly not a big impersonal gym, full of sweaty people on row after row of machines. Which, by the way, need a PhD in physics to operate? We adopt a very personal approach, whether in our one on one personal training sessions or in our small group classes. All our group fitness sessions offer a varied series of exercises including kettle bells, boxing, TRX, circuits, rowers and so on. We do not use treadmills, cross-trainers or any of the other big machines. We also have Pilates and Zumba classes and intense spinning sessions. Our very modest monthly member ship fee, currently £33 pm can include any or indeed all, of these sessions. And we don’t tie you into long contract periods; you pay monthly, but can leave without penalty at any time. And come back again later when you realise how much you miss us!
We also offer personal training sessions, for one to four people and we have a number of husband and wife couples who enjoy this approach. It is more expensive, of course, but for those who may feel intimidated by working in large groups and prefer a more private environment, it is very popular. The sessions are led by one of our staff, so the individual elements are tailored to your needs and you can work at your own pace, gently pushed by us!
In the last couple of years, we have organised week long “boot-camp” trips to Lanzarote in the Canaries. And it is really not as tough as it sounds, unless you want it to be! The exercise regime is much the same as here in Hitchin, with the addition of cycling, swimming, tennis, running – all the things you can do outdoors in a good climate. The groups are relatively small, never more than twenty of us, so as well as the exercise, the social bits are fun too. Indeed, most of our clients who have joined the trip have come back a second time, so we must be doing something right.
We are running the Lanzarote trip again next year, and in addition, taking a second group to Tignes in the French Alps in June. So you’ll get all the usual stuff, plus mountain scenery, glacier walks (you can ski or snowboard, even in June, if you like), kayaking, and all at altitude; Tignes is at over 2000m, so imagine how fit you’ll feel back at sea level!
So, if you think we could offer you something a bit different, why not come and see us at 72 Wilbury Way, Hitchin (it’s in the industrial estate), maybe give us a call, on 0808 1082164 first. We understand that coming to us can be very daunting so we introduce you to our facility with a personal training session that will give you a chance to try out all of our kit. You can then have a 7 day free trial which will give you the opportunity to try out our group fitness sessions and try our Training Zone if you wish. Each of you will have individual goals and we will advise you on how to achieve them. If weight loss is your goal we will take your body stats with a plan to compare them in 10 weeks usually with pleasing results.
Check out our website www.backontrackltd.com or follow us on Facebook to check out our fitness tips and see what our members have to say www.facebook.com/backontrackltd
Welcome to our new blog
Welcome to our brand new Back On Track blog. We’re going to be bringing you news, fitness tips, training ideas, events and offers.
Get a free 7 day trial. http://www.backontrackltd.com
It gives us a bit more flexibility to update photos and tell you more about what we do than we can on platforms like facebook. So remember to sign up for the blog, and don’t be afraid to join in with comments, and suggestions. Book your FREE 7 day trial here
Back On Track Blog 