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March 31, 2019

Why you may not be seeing results || Part Two ||

Last week I shared a post around why you many not be seeing results from your weight loss/weight gain/body recomp or whatever you'd like to call it journey. This post is the second part to this mini series. Thank you for all the great feedback on that post. I'm happy a lot of you enjoyed it and I plan to share more on my experiences going forward. Just remember, everyone is made differently so progress for everyone looks totally different.

So let's just jump right into it: 

Mind over matter
I believe a big part of loosing weight (or gaining weight) is about your mental outlook on fitness and your capabilities. It takes a lot of will power to make healthy choices when it comes to your diet especially when people around you are doing the opposite. It takes a lot of will power to wake up at 5am to go to the gym when all you want to do is sleep in for another hour or 2. Your mind controls your body. If you tell yourself and convince yourself you can't do something, you never will and this applies to most things in life. Overcoming self doubt is such an important thing. So stop being lazy and stop talking yourself out of things you haven't tried. You can't lift that weight? Well how do you know if you haven't even tried and if you have and failed, try again! You don't always get things right the first time.

I remember last year I was trying so hard to Squat 60kg and I was stuck at 30 for the longest time not knowing how to progress. I let fear get to me because seeing others lift that weight looked so heavy to me and I didn't look/feel half as 'fit' as they did so in my mind there was no way in hell I could. It took a random guy at the gym to notice a strength in me that I didn't know existed and within 3 sets in the same session, I moved from squatting 30 to 60kg. Granted I only did 3 reps of 60 at that point but just being able to do 1 blew my mind. Never let fear get the best of you.

And never let others opinions get the best of you either. So you look stupid doing a particular exercise because it's your first time and you haven't yet mastered the form or it's one of those weird but effective exercises. Well, chances are you do look stupid! But does the exercise work? Yes?! Then who cares? I've just introduced Sumos into my workouts this year and my god do I look stupid doing it. They just look and feel weird and it's all down to the fact that I am new to it. I also do frog pumps, silly crab walks and sometimes I record myself at the gym to track progress and form and I get all kinds of looks from people. You know how many fucks I give? Zero!

Because I know it works, I feel the burn and I see the results so everyone's opinions and thoughts don't and shouldn't matter! And feel free to make friends at the gym (coming from the girl that trains alone and mind's her business lol) and utilise your PTs. Ask questions, learn from others, if you're not getting a technique or don't know how to use an equipment don't be shy to ask for help. Most people are very welcoming and happy to help than you think and those that aren't are just twats and you don't need them anyway.

Rest
Training is fun, training is good but your body needs time to recover. If you want to see results, if you want your muscles to grow, you need to rest. During your training session, your body response to Stimulus by breaking down the specific muscle you're working on. It then rebuilds the muscle (during your recovery) to make it stronger and prevent future Stimulus by making the muscle bigger. So working out 7 days a week for long periods of time or working the same muscle group for 3 or 4 consecutive days at a time  will effectively stunt your growth. So Rest! Rest is just as important as an intensive workout.
https://www.deviantart.com/the-yellow-snake/art/Stretch-Animation-130067398
the yellow snake art
Consistency & Patience
Now, you've read all these points, you've started to incorporate some or all of these tips in your routine. The only way you're going to see results is if you're consistent. Just keep doing it until you see a change and when it starts to work and you start seeing a difference, keep at it. The key here is to find something you like and that works for you and just stick to it for as long as you can. I've been eating the same meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week for the last 9 weeks. There has been some variations within my training but the core stays the same and for 9 weeks I've lost weight, body fat% and gained muscle mass every single week. No joke! Don't over complicate things. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.


And the occasional cheat meals are okay btw. Lacking motivation and missing a day or two at the gym isn't the end of the world. The key thing is not stressing about it and getting right back on track ASAP. It takes a long time to gain weight, believe it or not. I know usually it feels like the fat just creeps up on you. Like you blink for a second and your clothes don't fit you anymore but it takes a lot longer than that, so it's bound to take you even longer to loose it. 

Look at it this way, it's taking you 5 or 10 years to build a habit of eating junk most of the time, sitting on your ass Netflix and chilling, going to one or two gym classes here and there, so why do you think it will take you 6 months to break this habit? Unless you decide to go cold turkey on everything you love & dedicate all your time to training (which isn't feasible for a lot of us), you just have to be patient and remember that it takes time. Don't throw in the towel just yet.

Summary
Eating healthy is not always fun and sometimes I'd rather be anywhere else than at the gym. But if you want something, you have to be willing to put in the work. So prepare yourself mentally, physically and fuel your body for change. I know it's hard but I know you can do it. 

I hope you found this mini series informative. If you'd like more information about my experience or you have any questions, feel free to direct message me via my email or drop me a comment down below. I love reading them. 


If you have a particular topic you'd like me to discuss, research or share my experiences on, drop it all down below and I'll be happy to read through them. 

You can find me on instagram for more up to date content.

As always, I love you for stopping by and don't forget to subscribe for more content like this xoxo.



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***Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional (e.g. Personal Trainer, Dietician, Nutrition etc.). Content of this post is based predominantly on my personal experiences (and things I've researched and learnt over the course of my 'fitness journey'). Please consult your doctor/physician or fitness professional for any concerns you may have. Thank you.
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March 24, 2019

Why you may not be seeing results || Part One ||

First post of 2019 and first post in a very long time and it's a fitness post?? Whaaaaaaaat?! Yes! My blog has always evolved with me; from my ranting-nothing-makes-sense posts days in uni, to my makeup obsession phase (well I still love makeup. that hasn't changed) and now to this. Fitness!

I know, I know, just hang in there and ride along with me. It'll make some sense in the end. I promise!

For this post I wanted to share with you some key things that I've learnt that has shaped my outlook on fitness, the way that I train and overtime has helped me attain the best results physically (& mentally). So if you've been training for some time now and you are currently or at some point fallen into a slump or you feel the way you look isn't a true reflection of the amount of time/effort you're putting in, this might be helpful to you.

Not to make this post too lengthy, I've split it into two. Part two will follow next week. So enjoy and let me know your thoughts:

Nutrition
When it comes to weight loss, I'm sure you've heard the rule '80/20'. Meaning 80% nutrition, 20% exercise or 80% healthy foods 20% less healthy foods and I cannot stress how important and how true this is. Hitting the exact ratio doesn't matter but knowing and understanding that your diet is the primary catalyst to your progress is crucial. So if you've been focusing a lot on exercising and you've got to a point where you've plateaued or you're not seeing any results, I suggest you take a second look at your diet. Ask yourself - Are you eating right? Are you eating to match your goals? Are you consistent?

Food is life! Food is fuel! We all need to eat to live. Or in my case I live to eat lol. Whichever way round you look at it, the key is eating the right types and amount of food to fuel the body. Now when I say 'types' I don't mean the misconception around which nutrients are good and bad for weight loss. Carbs are good for you, they are your main source of energy, Protein is good for you to build your muscles. Believe it or not Fats are also good for you. They help reduce the risk of heart disease and decrease inflammation. The type I'm referring to here is the difference between healthy & unhealthy foods. Stay away from processed foods, stick to the produce section at the grocery store and incorporate more fresh, wholesome foods into your diet. You don't have to give up the things you love and have salads & smoothies everyday to see a difference. Cheat meals are okay, I have one every Saturday but I try to eat 'clean' Sunday through to Friday. It's all about having a healthy balance.

https://keils.com/collection/appetizers/?recipe_id=1159584
Loosing weight is just simple mathematics and I'll go into it in more details in my next few posts. But if you want to loose weight - eat at a deficit (i.e. eat less than you currently are) and if you want to gain weight - eat at a surplus (i.e. eat more than you currently are). It's all about trial & error. Start slow, find out what your current calorie intake is and reduce it by 5%-10% at a time and see how your body responds to it. If you're not dropping the pounds, reduce it further and compare. Keep going until you hit a healthy deficit that fits into your current lifestyle/activity level. And remember, it takes time. You can't loose weight overnight & even if you did, you still have have to work hard overtime to maintain that weight.

Make a Plan & Train SMART
If you're more advanced, you probably have the experience and the knowledge to go to the gym and just wing it. But for beginners/intermediates like myself, having a plan  is very beneficial:

  • it helps you strategise your workouts so you don't end up overtraining or under-training.
  • you're mentally prepared because you're organised and already know what you're doing beforehand.
  • you're more likely to spend less time at the gym faffing around or waiting on equipments (especially during peak hours).

One of the most effective ways I found to plan my workouts is through a Training Split. What this is, is basically targeting a specific muscle group each session. When I first started training, this helped me to pay close attention to my form and focus on one muscle group each day rather than a full body workout. Plus it gave my muscles the time to recover, repair and rebuild before working on them again.

https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/104209-squat-vector
Training smart is all about utilising your time to get the best out of your workouts. Are you incorporating supersets and tri-sets into your workouts? Are you grouping your exercises according to your muscle groups (as well as the layout of your gym)? What about your intensity? Are you pushing yourself hard enough? Don't just go through the motion just to complete a session and tick a box to say - 'Yes, I went to the gym today'. Focus on your formuse your mirrors, check your tempo (slow down the movement if you have to). Get that mind to muscle connection.

And make it fun! Going to the gym can be daunting and it can be hard to find motivation especially on our off days. So incorporate variations in some of your compound movements. For example, try some squat pulses, squat jumps, squat hold, curtsey lunges, single leg deadlift, throw some concentric and eccentric movements in there as well. Maybe do a drop-set with your Lat Pulldowns. Doing the same thing over and over again will eventually get boring and might make you want to quit.

Summary
These are the two main drivers when it comes to weight loss (or weight gain). If you manage to nail these two things down, you're more than halfway there. I want to go into more details about how I train, what I do, what my current training split looks like and why. What I'm currently eating, what calories and macronutrients I'm currently on and what the heck that all even means but this post will never end. So for now, try introducing these into your routine and keep at it until it becomes second nature. And if you think you already are, take a step back, have a look at what you're doing and be true to yourself - does your effort match your expectations (and goals)? You only get as much as you put in and that goes for everything in life.


If you have any tips, advice or any changes you've made to get the best results, I would love to read them so leave me a comment down below. And if you have any questions, feel free to drop them down below in the comment section as well. Feel free to share this post and let me know if you have a particular topic you'd like to see on here.

 You can find me on instagram for more up to date content and videos.

As always, I love you for stopping by and don't forget to subscribe for more content like this xoxo.




***Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional (i.e. Personal Trainer, Dietician, Nutrition etc.). Content of this post is based predominantly on my personal experiences (and things I've researched and learnt over the course of my 'fitness journey'). Please consult your doctor/physician or fitness professional for any concerns you may have. Thank you.
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July 24, 2018

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MARSEILLE

This summer, I got the chance to check another item of my list. Travelling with one of my closest, childhood friends. Jackie and I have been friends, Jesus, since I can remember. We've known each other since we were like 6. We grew up together back home in Ghana. We lived in the same neighbourhood (sort of), we went to the same church, our parents have known each other (I'm sure) before we were even born. We went to the same school up until high school, then I moved to the UK and we lost contact. 

But somehow by magic (and I really, truly mean by magic) we met up again in University. I had no idea at that point she'd moved to the UK and the odds of us attending university in the same city and bumping into each other by accident was very small. I'll have to go through it in detail another time but we've been planning (since we were in University) to one day travel together. But work, adulthood, circumstances and just life in general got in the way!

But this year, we finally made it a REALITY!
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