Have you heard yourself saying any of the statements below?

What if I don’t like it?
I’ll be the least fit/fattest there.
What if I don’t fit in?
I don’t know if I can afford it.
I don’t want to get injured.

No need to worry, if you do your homework you can easily find your forever gym. Let us walk you through the three bits of homework to do and finally get over your gymtimidation and start living the fit healthy life you have always wanted to.

1: Identify the gym culture

Not every gym will be the right fit for you but just like with goldilocks and her porridge, there will be the perfect gym for you. You just need to find the right culture to match your values. The culture within the gym will be clearly seen with a little bit of research. Where to research?

Facebook page. Look at their posts, reviews and photos/ videos. Does this look like your type of people? Does it look fun and inclusive?
Google reviews. Have their members taken the time to review them and what did they say? Is it only about the intensity of the workouts, the blood and tears or it all about how they feel part of something special, a true accepting community?

Gyms will not write up their flaws so look deep behind everything and find the gyms authentic culture. A good gym culture will make up for any of their shortcomings.

2:Change your thinking around who gyms are actually for.

Gyms are there to help people get fit and healthy. Normal people, like you.

Though instagram would lead us to believe that gyms are full with ultra lean, half-naked gym bunnies and topless shaved and tanned man-gorillas the reality is quite different.

90% of the time you will be surrounded by likeminded individuals that offer nothing but support, encouragement and a hand up when you need it.

3:Pick a gym type that suits your needs.

Just like anything in life not all gyms are created equal. Sometimes we can look at a group of gyms and think they are all the same, the only difference being the price and the colour of the walls. In truth, there are as many different types of gym as there are options on the McDonalds pound saver menu….so I’ve heard.

Here are a few different types of gym/ class set ups and the pro’s con’s of each.

The Open Gym.

Free run of the gym floor to do work on your own and complete your own programme.

Pros:
Work at your own pace.
Have flexibility with your start and finish times/ session duration.
Wide variety of equipment. (gym dependant)
Low price point.

Cons:
Limited/ no accountability.
Once again, you have flexibility with your start and finish times/ session duration. Not always a positive.
Training experience, personal motivation and technically expertise required.
Not ideal for beginners.
No guaranteed results.
High chance of injury.
Many more….

Big Group Sessions

Large group offerings normally are run as a part of a gyms operation or can also be the main offering of a facility.

Pros:
Big group atmosphere/ energy.
A level of instruction/ motivation.
Different class style options.
Flexibility of time slots.
Low price more than likely.
Training with others.

Cons:
Limited level of coaching.
Easy to fade into the background.
No follow up if you dont attend. (accountability)
No personalised plan.
One shoe fits all approach.
Not ideal for beginners.
No guaranteed results.
Increased chance of injury in larger groups.

1-2-1 Personal Training

Personalised programme and coaching delivered in a private studio or on a gym floor.

Pro’s:
Perfect for beginners.
High level of accountability.
Perfect for those with special training requirements.
High level of programme personalisation.
Higher actuality of achieving results
Coaching can adapt on a minute to minute or day to day basis.
Lower chance of injury.

Cons:
Higher price range.
Limited flexibility when it comes to changing slots.
Most likely you will need a gym membership on top of PT fee so as you can train more often throughout the week.
Accountability in some cases can break down over time as ‘friendship’ type relationship grows and trainer-client relationship breakdown.

Small-Group Personal Training

Personalised programmes delivered in a small group format. For those that want the results and personalisation of 1-2-1 Personal training at a lower price point and more community.

Pros:
Most cost effective method of training personalisation and results.
All community relationship benefits of training with others. Normally 4-6 people in each session.
Flexibility of session times.
Normally memberships are structured to allow you to train every day of the week if your plan requires it.
Monthly 1-2-1 goal setting consultations with your trainer.
Results based programme design.
Nutrition guidance.
Ideal for all levels of experience.
Low chance of injury.

Cons
Not the same level of 1-2-1 attention for those with certain special medical conditions.
Not for those who want to train on their own.
Not for those who want to design their own programmes.

The take away.

Over all you want to find the gym that will solve the problems you want solved. All money spent on gyms is a waste if you don’t get the results you are coming for, remember this.

Finalise your choice by identifying the right culture for you. When you find the one for you, commit as hard as you can, use the trainers experience alongside the sessions to get where you need to be.

The biggest and last bit of advice is take action, do it today, start your journey and change your life for the better.

Pete

The post Advice on overcoming Gymtimidation appeared first on Source Gym.

Though busy parents are blessed with an awful lot, one of those things is certainly not an excess of time, that they can afford to waste. So when it comes to getting results, being time efficient, having flexible routines, and providing a next level experience, then there is only one clear winner — small group personal training or SGPT for short.

Heres 4 reasons why SGPT is ideal for busy mums

1: The best of both worlds
In our experience, when it comes to busy mums training, it’s as much about the social aspect as the training itself. 1-2-1 personal training is great when it comes to the personalisation of a plan and the attention to detail within that hour. Group fitness sessions will not be personalised, so will never get the same results, but are great for a social exercise experience, lots of fun, laughing and sweating. Small group personal training is the best of both worlds.

Small group personal training is personal training delivered in a small group format. This leads to an experience that is fun and social alongside the benefits and personal touch of a 1-2-1 session.

2: It’s more flexible than 1-2-1 personal training.
The 1-2-1 version of Personal training is great when it comes to building a relationship with the trainer, they know you inside out, and this can lead to some great things. That being said, it is the most expensive, and it is the least flexible when it comes to moving your slot. As you must attend a specific time every week and also have an entire family to take care, then this can lead to missed appointments, weeks where you dont train and a bad experience/results overall.

Most SGPT facilities will have booking apps that allow for a lot more flexibility. This will enable you to pick and choose a routine that suits your continually moving lifestyle — no more missed slots, no more wasted time.

3: Higher quality experience, quality of coaching, no time to waste
Small group personal trainers, on the whole, are the best qualified and experienced trainers that you will find. These trainers if hired for 1-2-1, will be the most expensive in their market. Semi-private personal training allows you to get the highest quality coaching and service at a fraction of the cost due to splitting the trainers time with a few other people in that session. These coaches specialise in getting results, so if you have no time or money to waste, make sure to hire the right people to get the results you need.

4: An un-intimidating environment
SGPT is for all abilities. In larger group sessions, it can quite often be sink or swim. If you can’t keep up with the rest, it can be a demoralising experience leading to a short time at the gym. SGPT tailors sessions to whatever level the participants are at. On top of this, most SGPT facilities like SOURCE, have beginner level sessions that allow members to get to learn the basics in a workshop environment before going into the more advanced sessions. So possibly if you have been out of fitness for a while, taking care of everyone else and your confidence is low, these beginner sessions will be ideal.

If you need to start, need a change or want a little help, then look into SGPT.
A personalised, results-driven fitness experience for those with busy lifestyles and no time to waste.

Pete

The post 4 Reasons Why SGPT Is Perfect For Busy appeared first on Source Gym.

Fast forward 6 weeks and sure, you’ve made some progress, not as much as you’d hoped but it’s too late now as holidays are a go! You jet off, have a great time, make some memories and maybe get a little bit too much sun on the last day but overall it was a massive success.

You arrive home feeling refreshed and step on the scales “just to check”, the needle is a couple of points further to the right than it was before you left and immediately your post holiday glow has turned into a dark cloud of guilt and shame.

I can’t tell you how often I hear “I was SO bad on holidays” or “Yeah, I had a great time but I’ve just undone all the hard work I’ve put in”.

So how do you make sure your holidays don’t throw you off the wagon? Here are a couple of things you can do during and after your holidays to ensure you stay on track with your goals.

Drink! I’m not talking Moscow Mules here, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a couple of cocktails, but make sure water is your priority. Especially if you’re in a sunny country where dehydration is far more likely to occur quickly. My advice would be to buy a re-useable water bottle, you will be more likely to hit your water target (2.5 L water every day minimum), you can travel with these through airport security (empty) and are reducing plastic waste at the same time. Win win!

Move! Hit 10,000 steps everyday, all modern phones have step counting features now so make sure you’re keeping track of this on holidays. It’s also a great way to explore the local area, go on foot and you will barely realise you’re getting in all that activity.
Don’t stress over the scales. Yes, body weight can be a useful measure of how well your progress is going but it’s not the only measure of progress. After a week of eating salty food, drinking sugary drinks and sitting in airplanes of course you’re coming back heavier. That doesn’t make you a bad person and it doesn’t mean you’ve failed at fitness. I bet if we took body measurement sizes before and after your holidays there wouldn’t be a change in one week.

Get straight back to being consistent. One week of eating pizza and drinking wine won’t destroy your progress. Allowing that week to de-rail you for the rest of the year will. No-one ever got fat from eating one donut and by the same token no-one gets the body of a Greek Goddess/God by eating one salad. Body composition changes take time, consistency and patience. Find someone to keep you accountable (a friend, partner or friendly local trainer) after this holiday and you’ll be far happier in your skin and guilt free by holiday 2020.

Enjoy your holiday! Part of what we do at SOURCE is to prepare our members for life outside the gym. We want our members to be happy, healthy and strong in their daily lives, physically and mentally. Beating themselves up after a holiday doesn’t factor into their heads now, they’re straight back in the gym on Monday morning, a little more tan yes, but with the same consistency and dedication they left with.

If you are having trouble sticking to your training program, pop by to meet the team and see how we can help you today!

The post Post-Holiday Weight Gain – What can you do to avoid the guilt? appeared first on Source Gym.

We have 50,000 thoughts a day, 40,000 of which are negative. In this BLOG we will discuss a common scenario which you will all be able to relate to in everyday life, followed by tips on how to turn a negative situation into a positive one.

On wakening, you realise you have slept through your alarm, you get up in a panic, get yourself and the kids dressed in a rush. No time for breakfast, you have to drop the children to school/ creche. On route you have snapped at them for no reason because you frustrated you’re in a rush.

Already late on the way in to work you hit traffic, the news is on the radio full of negative life stories/ events. You’ve arrived to work 15 minutes late, still no breakfast and your stomach is rumbling like thunder. Behind with your morning schedule, you turn to a colleague and say, ’COULD THIS DAY GET ANY WORSE?’

OKAY, its at this point were you need to put the morning behind you, STOP, take a deep breath and flip the situation on its head, if you continue on this negative path your day will certainly go from bad to worse.

‘WHAT YOU GIVE OUT, YOU GET BACK’

So ask yourself ‘how can I turn this into a positive?’, ‘what can I learn from this experience?’. How can I see life through a different lens?

There is a very simple exercise you can do everyday to help with this. It’s called A GRATITUDE JOURNAL.

Try to use this exercise to help conquer these scenarios over the summer months ahead.

‘REMEMBER HOW BLESSED YOU ARE, INSTEAD OF HOW STRESSED YOU ARE’
THE GRATITUDE JOURNAL’
Write down ‘3 things’ that you’re grateful for each day.
The more simple it is, the better.
Everyday has to be something different. That’s maybe a challenge for most people at the start because we aren’t used to this little task yet, but you’ll get there, just give it time.

It’s common to think of obvious things first. Things such as:

1. My family
2. My house
3. My job

The harder you have to think, then the things you’re grateful for become even more simple.
Smaller things such as:

1. Lunch with a friend.
2. Diesel in your car.
3. Sunglasses

No need for a full description on why, just a quick note of what comes to mind at that time. You already know the why’s in your head. Don’t make it Robotic, if you’re struggling to enjoy the process at first, then it can be reduced to 2-3 times per week. Then once you’ve got into the swing of things make it a daily routine.

‘WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A GRATITUDE JOURNAL?’
You will start each day better by opening up your mind to a more POSITIVE way of thinking.
You will APPRECIATE even the smallest things that you would never see, masked by the busy lives we all live.
You will stop thinking of the things that are going wrong for you and be more GRATEFUL for the things that are going great for you.
You will become more AWARE of the good and not just the bad.
You will develop GOOD RELATIONSHIPS
You will learn to remain CALM in situations
You will have lower levels of STRESS
You will be HAPPIER on a daily basis
You will be more PRODUCTIVE with your time
If you PERSIST with this daily exercise, then you will have gained a habit. A habit that can help you instil everything listed above continuously. That can’t be a bad thing right?

CONCLUSION

Remember, a parachute only works once it’s open, much like the mind. Try this simple exercise each day or as much as possible for the summer ahead.
Let your parachute open up and get ready to see life through a different lens.

Today my picks where:

1. Sunny morning
2. Staff
3. Hot cuppa tea

What 3 things are you grateful for today?

The post A SIMPLE EXERCISE TO MAKE THIS SUMMER THE MOST UPBEAT YET! appeared first on Source Gym.

I’ll be the first to say that I’ve embarked upon panicked crash diets spurred on by packing my bags and seeing a mountain of bikinis staring back at me with three weeks to go before baring my pasty legs on a beach in Europe.

Some of you reading this may be tempted by sensationalist statements (as I previously would have been ) like “Drop a dress size in three days with this tea that Kendall Jenner uses!”

“Abs in 3 minutes with this product that has definitely been endorsed by a celebrity but they almost certainly don’t use”. Let’s have a look at 5 common summer fitness myths and what you can do instead to feel comfortable in your own skin, for your holidays and beyond.

1. Fit Teas for Fat Loss
Unfortunately this appears to be the modern version of selling snake oil. It’s tempting to believe in an over priced herby water that’s being pedalled by a seventeen year old instagram influencer with the metabolism of a hummingbird, abs under just the right lighting and a vested interest in selling this product. Behind the scenes she’s watching her energy balance (calories in slightly less than calories out), lifting weights and maybe doing a little bit of cardio.
What can you do instead?
Ditch the Fit Tea and hydrate your body more effectively and less expensively by drinking 2.5L water everyday. You’ll have better energy levels, less cravings and will have more spare cash for that eighth bikini you knew you needed, just in case.

2. Spot reduction of fat.
You can actually buy a cream for this. You can, but should you? I wish it was true but no amount of body cream will reduce fat from one specific area of the body. Unfortunately our bodies just don’t work this way. Fat is reduced at uneven rates around the body and can even depend on factors such as gender and genetics. Overall fat loss is still the best (and only non surgical) way to see fat loss from a specific area.
What can you do to see fat loss from a specific area?
– Be in a consistent, mild calorie deficit (you take in a little bit less energy through food
and drink than you expend daily)
– Drink 2.5 L water everyday
– Sleep 6-8 hours every night
– Strength train 2-3 times a week
– Be patient

3. Juice Cleanses.
Juice Detox companies have excellent marketing so understandably a lot of people still believe the hype about cleansing your body through their means but the science backing up their claims is shaky at best. The main claims juice detox companies make are weight loss and detoxification of the body. The weight loss often occurs because of the restrictive nature of the ‘diet’, you lose fluid and have eliminated all solid foods so of course there will be weight loss, but this quickly comes back on again when you start eating properly again as 700 calories of fruit juice is neither a healthy nor sustainable diet.
The detox side of things has been widely thrown out by medical professionals the world over, your liver, kidneys, colon and lungs do all the detoxing your body requires.
What can you do to see fat loss and detox your body?
Limit the amount of junk food (processed foods, alcohol and sugary drinks) to reduce the amount of detoxing your internal organs have to do as well as benefitting from the fat loss that comes from reducing these kinds of food. Win win!

4. Sit ups for a flat stomach
Unfortunately doing 500 sit ups a day might give you more of a sore back than a six pack. Though sit ups and crunches may strengthen your abdominal muscles, they actually only target a very small portion of the muscles that make up your core and so aren’t even particularly efficient at building core strength because of that.
Having a strong set of abs doesn’t necessarily mean you have visible abs. Sit ups do nothing to reduce abdominal fat which is what we need to do if we want to reduce the size of our midsection and improve our overall health.
So what to do for a flat stomach?
For this, we need to
Adjust nutritional habits by reducing the amount of processed, sugary foods we are consuming. There’s no out training a bad diet!Learn how to use weights safely. When you build more muscle, your ability to burn calories throughout the day increases and this helps massively with overall reduction of body fat.If you want to do ab-specific exercises, consider switching from sit ups to Planks and Dead Bugs as these recruit a lot more of the muscles of the core and give you more bang for your buck without the stress on the low back.

5. Crash Diet to get holiday ready
Crash diets are extremely restrictive meal plans that can vary from only eating one kind of food (ever heard of the banana only diet?), to severely restricting your calories to as low as 500 calories a day in some cases which is extremely unhealthy and will make you very, very unpleasant to be around. (Hanger is a real thing :/ )
The problem with crash diets is that maybe you’ll see a small short term change on the scale but this is always short lived. Crash diets are, by definition, restrictive and so, unsustainable for long term fat loss. Added to that, with crash diets it’s extremely difficult to ensure you’re getting enough of the nutrients your body requires to function properly. Long term reduction of these compounds can mean impaired cognitive function and reduced bone health to name only two of a whole list of health indications.
What can you do instead?
Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. The fitness industry thrives on selling the newest diet craze or program that promises fast results but there is no substitution for a well balanced diet comprised of nutrient rich, whole foods, an active lifestyle including some strength training and drinking plenty of water.

If you want to find out more about the way we do things at SOURCE, don’t hesitate to contact me there!

Rachel

The post 5 Summer fitness myths (and what you can do instead) appeared first on Source Gym.

For the purpose of this blog post ill stick to ‘SOURCE gym’ when generally referring to ‘the gym.’ We know what we do and the ethics we run or gym by, but cannot speak for everyone.

Everyone had to take the steps through the gym door and deal with the fear, doubts, and uncertainty of what was to greet them.

Firstly, you are new, just like everyone was ‘new’ at one stage. Everyone had to take the steps through the gym door and deal with the fear, doubts, and uncertainty of what was to greet them. There would be no reason to think that people will forget this moment when they see you coming in on your first day. We are so proud of SOURCE’s members and the way they nurture and support new joiners. We are very fortunate.

Trainers have chosen their career to help people in need. Being a trainer is a vocation. To make sure that members get lasting results a trainers duty goes far beyond the need to be a waiter for dumbbells. The trainer’s commitment to you will be to sit down and talk to you as a new member, figure out where your start point is, what your worries are, what your goals are and then lay out, precisely what you will need to do to achieve your goals. They will need to support you, check up on you, guide you and make sure that this lives up to the fitness experience you had hoped for.

If you are a beginner, you will have no bad habits. This fact may sound quite strange. One of the most significant issues that a trainer will need to overcome in their career will be trying to rewire a member that has trained incorrectly before and is unaware of what’s actually required to get into shape. If you are new to fitness, you can self profess a lack of fitness knowledge and are ready to work then you are a dream client for a trainer.

The 3 steps in starting your fitness journey

1: Start a fitness programme that is progressive. Make sure the gym has beginner classes and then intermediate level classes that you can progress onto as you get stronger, fitter and more confident. A programme needs to first start you in a group full of people like you, grow with you as you progress and allows you to move at a pace that you are suited too just like the SOURCE Gym 30-DAY BEGINNER PROGRAMME

2: Make sure that you enjoy not only the classes and the trainers but also the company of the other members of your sessions. These people will be your new team members. They will help motivate you, help you come in on days where you cant get yourself in, help celebrate your wins and pick you up when you fall. This team will be a big part of why you will succeed so choose carefully.

3: Start now. As simple as it is, the need for you to take action while the motivation is there is vital. Strike while the iron is hot. Whatever your first step, make sure that you take it now.

This could be your time. If you start today this time next year, you can look back with admiration to the timid, scared and uncertain version of yourself that took a brave decision to face your fears and take the first step towards a better version of you, a better life and a better future.

Enjoy the journey. Im rooting for you.

Pete

The post “I want to start the gym, but I’m afraid everyone will be fitter than me” appeared first on Source Gym.

When it comes to getting results, it will always come down to a few vital points. One of which is that at regular intervals throughout your plan you are hitting new benchmarks of success.

In short, if you cannot see you are getting results, then it’s only a matter of time before you fall off the wagon. You may think to fall off the wagon is just a matter of time.

Understanding the above will lead us to what you need to do to make sure you don’t fall off. Simply put, there are three stages.

1: We need to put a program into play, (be consistent)
2: We need to track progress
3: We need to adjust the program depending on the results we get.

Tracking progress for today is what we will discuss and more specifically what to do when using scales to judge progress.

Are scales a complete disaster for tracking weight loss?

In short, No. Scales are simple, they tell the weight of things, that’s their job, and they are very good at it (brand depending). If a weighed object gets lighter (you?) then the scales will show it as so. Don’t worry, there is no one with a voodoo doll, force feeding it doughnuts to make your scales tell you lies about your progress. They are a nonpartisan inanimate object; they are a useful tool and if used correctly…….they work.

Scales get a bad name through incorrect use. The old weekly weigh in mistake, the once in a blue moon terrible idea, the “I just had a big pee so it must be time for a weigh-in” option or maybe even “I haven’t been training or eating well, but sure ill weigh in and see if the birthday candle ‘blow out wish’ worked this year”

Needless to say none of which are a good idea.

So how do we gauge progress via the scales?

Avoid: Weighing in at different times of the day.
What to do?: Make sure to weigh in in the morning, in the nip, before consuming any food or drink.

Avoid: Weighing in on different scales
What to do: Use the same scales on the same floor each time.

Avoid: Weighing in on randomly selected days or once a week.
What to do: Depending on your relationship with scales, use them consistently. Every day? Though extreme, it will let you see natural fluctuations over a week and appreciate the erratic nature of the fat loss. This solution is not for everyone and not what we recommend long term. Every month, this is useful though best to do alongside other methods of progress like measuring tape and photos so as the gap between weigh in’s is not too great and changes can be made to a plan that is not working.
Ideally, if in a fat loss phase weigh in three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) Then take an average of these results and plot on a graph to gauge the general direction of your progress. Is it up one week and down another, yet on average going down? Then this is natural; you may refine the plan but move forward with no stress obsession or panic.

Use weigh in’s as an average over time. Look at results beside all other information tracked like body measurements and progress photos. Make a rational conclusion about progress and then make adjustments. do not weigh in and base your self worth of the result.

Conclusion: Scales work, we are the ones who use them wrong. If we get a wrong answer for a math equation, due to the fact you put the numbers into the calculator wrong. The calculator is not to blame.

Are you training correctly? Are you getting advice and guidance on your diet? Are you working on stress management? Are you drinking enough water? Are you improving your sleep? If all your answers to all the questions are yes, even then, the scales are not optimal. Scales tell weight, not the breakdown of fat bone muscle water, etc. So use them but look at the results objectively.

Take care, enjoy your training, don’t let the number on a machine dictate your self-worth and get in touch if you need any help by sending us a message HERE.

Pete

The post Are the scales why you are not losing weight? appeared first on Source Gym.