So get yourself down to Performance Foods (opposite Hove Library on Church Road) where you can get it with a 20% discount in celebration of their recent opening.

If you live too far away you can order it online at www.performancefoodsbrighton.com

Boot camp for Brighton – my style

Boot camp-style training exploding within the fitness industry but how many people are willing to be pushed like this to achieve their goal? It isn’t for everyone, for sure. To achieve really dramatic results it takes a bit more than three times a week pounding the treadmill or lifting a few weights at the local gym.  Let’s face it most people are after fast results and if you see those results quickly it often leads to more motivation to stick with an exercise programme.

I’m approaching boot camp with a view to fitness.  I don’t shout.  I won’t ridicule you. But I will push you.

So, what is a fitness boot camp and how can it help towards your goals?

This is what Wikipedia has to say;

A fitness boot camp is a type of physical training program conducted by gyms, personal trainers, and former military personnel. These programs have been increasing in popularity for the past several years. The training often combines running, interval training, and many other exercise using weights and/or body weight to lose body fat, increase cardiovascular efficiency, increase strength, and help people get into a routine of regular exercise. Many programs offer nutrition advice as well’

Normally these programmes are conducted as a group and often in remote locations with meals and accommodation provided. After parting with anything in the region of £1000-£1500, you come back after a week a dress size smaller. Fantastic! What happens when you go back to your normal routine of a stressful job, busy social life, family etc? How easy is this new weight to maintain

In my experience the truth is often that after spending a large wodge of cash on guaranteed weight loss, you’re pretty much guaranteed to put most of it back on, that is unless you can learn an entire new pattern of eating and exercise in one week that you instantly maintain upon return. Nice idea!

I believe that the key to long term healthy weight loss is in the understanding of sound nutrition practices and exercise as part of your daily life.  As humans we are designed to exercise to keep us feeling energetic and vital. Anyone who thinks they can exercise a couple of times a week, the rest of the time maintaining a sedentary job and feel healthy, is in denial!

I’m not talking about putting hours in at the gym every day.  It can be as easy as a simple walk one day, some gardening the next, a jog in the park or some resistance training all counts, just as long as you move every day.

So my fitness boot camp involves the application of all types of exercise, to some degree, depending on the client’s goals:

• Resistance training – develops strength and power and endurance, to a lesser degree. Examples: push ups, pull ups, sit ups, body squats, any exercise using dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands and tubes.
• Cardiovascular training – develops heart and lung efficiency and endurance. Example: running, cycling, swimming, aerobics and any activity done at an elevated heart rate for an extended period of time.
• Agility and speed training – develops fast movement and precision reflexes. Example: sprints, running side ways or backwards, running tires and obstacle courses¸ shuffles, martial arts movements.
• Plyometrics – develops power in movement and resilience. Example: vertical jumps, long jumps, medicine ball exercises, hopping, skipping.
• Stretching – develops flexibility. Examples: Hurdler’s stretch, most yoga poses, toe touches.

Types of exercise will obviously depend on your capabilities and any possible pre existing injuries or limitations and tailored to you as an individual.

Above all the nutrition planning that goes with this is crucial to the success of the programme and having the support to see it through is invaluable when changing your life for the better.

I have quite a few clients on my fitness/ weight loss boot camps at the moment and you can see their testimonials on my website.

Here is an example of a boot camp training plan. My female client is pretty advanced and has a good training history.