Don't be upset with the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do..

The Real Reason You Aren't Getting Results…

I'm a diet guy. A self proclaimed nutrition geek so to speak.

I've lost count of the times I've said to clients, friends, training partners, or anyone that cares to listen to me,: 'You can't out train a bad diet'

It's a cliched phrase but I stand by those words 100%.

But something else has been really grinding my gears lately. 

And it's the flip side to that coin.

Enter my new favourite phrase.

'You can't out eat a shitty work ethic'

In my opinion there seems to be a growing trend in the number of people who focus so hard on their diets as a substitute for genuine hard work in the gym.

I need to state clearly at this point that I am aiming this rant at the people who train regularly and complain they aren't seeing the results they expect.

The ones who spend hours toiling away, exercising, NOT training. Program hopping every few weeks because their bicep hasn’t grown 6 inches or they haven’t lost 10lbs off their backsides in the past 6 days. People who have trained for years and not seen the expected improvements in their bodies.

Everyone is looking for the magic pill when it comes down to nutrition and performance. I get that.

There is always a new ‘superfood’ or ‘revolutionary new diet approach’ being banded around in the press that people are talking about and trying to take advantage of. But to think that we can all eat the same because a magazine or tv show tells us to is just plain crazy.

Our diets need to be as individualised as our training programmes. We all have different body types, food preferences, tolerances, and goals. What works for one person will not work as well for the next.

And when it comes to 'doing the work' in the gym. Well quite honestly too many people are afraid to push themselves further than they think possible of themselves. They are afraid to step out of their comfort zone and go to the place where real change occurs. Where the stimulus you put on your body triggers the adaption required to promote significant change.

I’m going to burst a few bubbles here and tell you that there are no magic pills, supplements, training plans, or secrets!

If there was we would all walk around looking like that cover model or action hero that we all dream of being.

The truth is there is no substitute for good old hard work, logical thinking, and getting the basics right consistently over a prolonged timeframe.

The problem is we love to make things complicated for ourselves. We don’t want to believe that the basics work. We don’t want to accept that everything in moderation really can be the answer. We don’t want to admit that we lack the will power to make a few habit based changes and stick to them long enough to modify our behaviours.

This magic ratio I keep hearing about that success in achieving our athletic and body composition goals lies in 80% diet, 20% exercise is also a load of bull.

Success comes from giving 100% effort in each.

If all you want to be is a healthier version of your current self then yes I agree that cleaning up your diet and focusing on good nutrition will go a long way in achieving that. And that is a massive step in the right direction for the vast majority of the population.

But for those of us that want more. Those of us who want it all! Then we need to give a lot more.

And that means giving as much effort in the gym as we are putting into our diets.

Stop focusing so hard on hitting every gram of protein we think we need. (It's probably a lot less than you think anyway). Stop worrying that you may have consumed 10 extra calories than you should have. (Train a little harder and you can have more). And for f**ks sake stop demonising certain foods because I can assure you that carbs don't make you fat. (Too much of any food will make you fat).

Instead shift your focus for the next 4 weeks to training like a beast and see what happens. Add some extra weight to your next set of squats and really push so hard that you are afraid you might just push something else out on the way up!

In your next HIIT session if you don't want to give up after 5 minutes then you aren't going hard enough. After 8 minutes you should want to die. After 10 minutes you should be finished and think you ARE going to die! (You won't by the way)

For 4 weeks work harder than you ever have before. Whilst still eating well but not like a diet obsessed lunatic.

Then come back and tell me that you are doing everything you can and still not getting results.

Because whilst you can't out train a bad diet. 

You most definitely can't out eat a shitty work ethic.

​
Mark...

​M1 FITNESS & NUTRITION

Phat Fudge...

Had a few requests for the recipe for these little nuggets of fatty joy!... One thing you should note however is that they are VERY calorific.. They might be made with "good fats" and provide an awesome little energy spike but fat is fat which comes with high calories at the end of the day so always remember to consume foods in accordance to your goals.. In other words don't munch the lot in one sitting!!...

Now this recipe makes ALOT.. By that I mean 3-4 ice cube trays full so adjust the quantities to however much you want to make.. And they won't be to everyone's liking either so might be worth making a small batch at first and seeing what you think.. Personally I love them and do well on a higher fat/lower carb diet so they are a perfect treat for me!..

Anyhow on with the show..

Ingredients:-

220g Kerrygold Unsalted Butter.

220g Coconut Oil or Coconut Butter. or a mixture of the two which is what I used.

200g Tahini.

2 Tbsp Cacao powder.

2 Tbsp Organic Honey.

1 Tbsp Ground Coffee.

2 packets/2 tsp Stevia or other sweetner.

1 tsp Vanilla Extract 

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Cinnamon 

Method:-

Melt everything in a large saucepan on a low heat until it's combined well in liquid form.

Pour into ice cube trays or a large slightly greased baking tray and put in the freezer for at least 30 mins or until set.

I suggest you keep tasting the mixture as it is melting and adjust the recipe based on your taste preference. Some people may like the fudge a bit sweeter. Or if they are wimps may not like the heat from the Cayenne!!

Full of healthy fats and metabolism boosting ingredients these are little energy bombs and all you need are a couple for a pre workout boost or mid day pick me up!..

Enjoy!...

New Years Revolution....

No that's not a typo... Revolution, not resolution... 

That's because New Years resolutions are bullshit... They never last.

 

Never.

Well sorry, maybe for a week or two at best but then it's back to normal.

Back to the old ways you decided you were unhappy with and really wanted to change on January 1st.

But a revolution. Now there's something powerful. There's something that could work!

Every revolution begins with a spark...

I want this to be the spark that ignites a revolution in us all.

Forget the token grand gestures you make every January of starting a new fitness regime, diet, life changing modifications to your current ways of living.

Forget the empty promises you make to yourself that from now on you will stop eating crap. No more takeaways. Become a macdonalds free zone. 

Forget the half arsed attempts to quit chocolate, cigarettes, alcohol, swearing. Or whatever else you fucking know you will never give up.

I mean I once declared I would stop swearing as a New Years resolution...

Fat fucking chance!...

No. It's time to get real. It's time to start a revolution.

It's time to start a movement towards something you truly believe in. 

A different way of thinking about how to achieve our goals.

Something that will gradually make you better, inch by inch, day by day.  

Something that may eventually lead you to the grand changes you have tried and failed so many times before to make.

But how do you start a revolution you are probably saying right about now?...

Well first of all you need a clearly defined goal. A purpose. A goal you whole heartedly believe in. 

Because this goal is the heart of your revolution.

Something that will keep you going and working towards when January has come and gone.

Something along the lines of committing to eating more nutritious foods because you want to live a healthier life and inspire your kids to grow up living healthier lives too...

Or something like committing to exercise one day per week. 30 minutes on a Sunday morning while everyone else nurses hangovers and feels sorry for themselves. Because you know that this is going to make you feel and breath better and get your week off to a brilliant start. 

Then maybe you can gradually increase that to two or maybe even three days of exercise when you feel comfortable with it...

Next you need to grow support for your revolution. Because you can't do this alone. 

This can come in the form of friends or family members. People you trust and can rely on to back you through thick and thin.

You must be united under a common goal and shared fundamental principles.

You must commit to being accountable to one another and remind each other of your purpose when the going gets tough....

Next you must educate yourself about every aspect and idea of the revolution. 

Know what and why this fight must happen and how it can be won. Identify the goals and the most efficient means of achieving them without compromise. 

Your revolution must be directed towards making things better!...

Next its time to take action. This is the most important step as without action your revolution will die.

Make a start working towards your clearly defined goal. Small actionable steps that edge you closer day by day to what you want to achieve.

And once you make a start do not let up. Often you may be discouraged by loss or lack of morale but remember, many others have revolted against something that made them unhappy and after several losses have still overcome overwhelming adversity to achieve their mission...

Remember this...

To be successful you need to be totally committed. Compromise is failure!

There is strength in numbers. The greater the mass and unity of your movement the greater your chance of success.

Keep your eye on the 'big picture'. Don't drown yourself in the details.

Listen to your heart and think about what is needed most.

If you want to change the world around you, you must change yourself first.

Its time to make a stand. It's time to stop accepting the bullshit things in our lives that bring us down and make us unhappy.

It's time to stop accepting second best.

It's time to put ourselves first and rid ourselves of any negativity in our lives.

Stop worrying about what other people think and what other people do. What other people have and what other people say. You are not living their lives. 

This is your life and you have to live it for yourself.

It's time to make a change.

Forget New Years resolutions...

Vive La Revolution!!!....

Scratch that itch....

It starts with an itch...

Something that just doesn't feel right deep down inside of you. 

Kind of niggles at you constantly but you can't quite put your finger on it.

At first you don't know how to scratch that itch so you just ignore it until it goes away.

But it keeps coming back....

And this continues to happen until you realise what that itch really means.

It turns out it's your body and your mind subtly telling you that it's time to change something.

Change something you aren't happy with.

Change something that is holding you back in your life. 

Change something that will make you feel better. Improve your outlook on life. Help you grow. Make you a better you.

But in order to change something you have to do some work. 

Some work that requires you to do something that is not 'normal' to you.

So you ignore the itch again...

And again...

Until the itch becomes so unbearable that you finally decide to do something about it.

Because the only time you'll successfully make a change is when your desire to change outweighs your desire to stay the same.

Now it's time to create a 'new normal'.

But how do we do that?....

Well first you start by creating a vision. 

A vision of what you want your change to look like.

What you want your future to look like.

And that is unique to each and every individual.

Then you must find your 'why'.

'Why' you want to change.

Not why someone else wants you to change, or why you think you have to change.

Why YOU really want to change.

And once you've done that you can now start making inroads into creating your vision.

By building new habits. 

Small habits, one at a time. 

Baby steps you might call it.

This won't feel 'normal' at first, and it will require some work to keep the momentum of change going.

But slowly, over time, these new habits will be formed.

Until you are doing things that once felt difficult or strange without even realising.

You have started to create your 'new normal'.

So now you start to surround yourself with people and things that fall in line with your new normal.

Others who share your vision for a better future. 

People who support your vision and understand what it feels like to make positive change.

People who inspire you and also have a desire and drive to improve and be better every day.

Then a little further down the line you begin to realise how different you feel. 

How far you have come.

How different your new normal is to the life you were living only a short time ago.

Your now comfortable doing the work  you once feared. 

You realise that progress comes one inch at a time. 

By consistently doing the things necessary to make the changes you want to see.

Your on your path now. 

You can see your future. 

You are becoming your vision....

If you have an itch. If you have something in your life that you aren't happy with. If you want to change something.

Then you absolutely can make that change.

You just need to be prepared to do the work necessary.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable for a little while.  

Because nothing worth having ever comes easy.

But when progress happens you realise what once seemed impossible now really is possible.

And your world is suddenly a better place to live in.....

If you have an itch.

Go scratch it!.....

Act like a baby!...

For the past few weeks I've been watching something amazing happen. 

My 10 month old daughter has been teaching herself to walk. And she's been relentless at it! 

Up, down, up, down, just watching her is tiring at times. But no matter how many times she went over she would pop right back up and try and try again. Thank god for nappies or her backside would be black and blue!

But she's now able to balance really well, take unaided steps, and basically roam free with a huge smile on her face as the the world has just become her playground.

Sitting watching all of this play out has got me thinking about the innate human desire to learn, to improve, to grow and get better at things. 

As humans we are born with this. It's an automatic response in our brains to respond to a challenge that is set out in front of us.

As babies, first we learn to brace our little bodies. Then to sit unaided. Then to prop ourselves up, to role, then to shuffle, to crawl, to pull ourselves up, and finally make those momentous first steps that is our first real taste of freedom. 

It's human evolution.

I'll never ever forget the look of joy on Mila's face as she took those first few steps. The feeling of accomplishment was plain to see in her eyes even if she didn't even know what that feeling really meant yet.

When we are growing up we are constantly eager to learn new things. Walking, talking, reading, writing. We persevere almost relentlessly until we achieve what we set out to do. I've never really thought about it that much until watching Mila go through this learning process over the past 10 months.

So now I'm wondering at what point then do we sometimes lose this desire to improve and learn new skills as adults. At what point does our mind just give up on something we've been trying to achieve when it becomes too difficult instead of persevering until we 'get it'

Maybe it's because we become lazy? 

Maybe it's because things are handed to us too easily these days? 

Made too convenient for us?

Maybe we don't even need to learn new skills anymore to survive?

Let's be honest. If we really didn't want to we could quite easily sit on our arses and never leave our own front rooms. The internet, mobile phones, Online shopping, remote working, email, laptop computers, a million different tv channels.  

The sad thing is this is actually happening. And probably a lot more than we actually realise.

People are become hermits!

Even kids these days don't leave the house nearly half as much as in the past due to online gaming, Xbox, blue ray players and the likes. The vast majority aren't anywhere near as active as they should be. But that's a rant for another day. And one things for sure, that shit ain't happening on my watch with Mila!...

So anyway.

In my opinion we need to get back to what we once were. Creatures that want to evolve. Learn new skills. Progress in life. Not give up on shit when the going gets tough. 

We need to get back to having some good old fashioned 'grit' and 'determination'

Whatever we want to improve in our lives we need to just get on and do it. Keep at it until we achieve it. 

Get back to feeling a sense of achievement for completing something we set out to do. 

I bet some people can't even remember what that feels like.  

We all have something we keep saying we want to do or learn or get better at. Well there's no time like the present. 

Because once we give up on self improvement and learning new things we just idle along in life. Going nowhere in a sense. Just coasting without a direction. In essence, without progression in our lives we are just preparing for death. 

Yes I know that sounds a bit dramatic and our final day may be many years away but the brain is now being conditioned for it. Down regulating bit by bit. 

What is the point in a life without challenge. Something to aim for. Something to improve at. 

It doesn't have to be a huge thing either.

Maybe something as simple as learning a few new recipes in the kitchen to improve the quality of our food intake.

Taking up a new sport. 

Learning a new language.

Learning to drive.

Reading some books.

Turning off the tv, getting off the sofa, and fucking moving a bit more. 

I am of course a big advocate of all things health, nutrition, and fitness. And I believe everyone could benefit from prioritising their health a bit more.

For a while though I didn't make it a priority and I ended up feeling like shit about myself.

Luckily I got my passion back.

I've reconnected with my baby brain and have the relentless will to improve at things again. To better myself as a person.

So the next time my wife tells me to stop acting like a baby I can tell her that's exactly what I want to be doing!!

Maybe we could all take a leaf out of a baby's book and rekindle our love for learning and self improvement?

Get busy living or get busy dying!...

The choice is yours....

Protein Cheesecake....

Had a lot of love for the protein cheesecake I made at the weekend and it was pretty damn awesome if I do say so myself!

One happy taster said he couldn't believe it wasn't full of sugar and bad for you like normal cheesecake is. 

It just goes to show that eating healthily can still be full of awesome treats and not bland and boring like a lot of people seem to think.

Anyway here's the recipe if you fancy giving it a go. It's so easy to make honestly. I slightly modified a recipe by @Protein_Chef, you should check her twitter account out for loads of top notch protein related cooking ideas.

Ingredients:-

Cake:-

2 scoops white choc Muscle mousse.

2 scoops strawberry Bio Whey protein.

500g plain quark.

300g reduced fat cream cheese.

Handful fresh Blueberries.

Base:-

200g reduced fat digestive biscuits.

1 heaped tablespoon peanut butter.

1 tablespoon coconut oil.

1 egg.

Topping:-

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt.

50g melted 85% dark chocolate.

Handful sliced almonds.

Method:-

Blitz the digestives in a food processor or bash them up in a sandwich bag. Melt the peanut butter and coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave and mix in the digestives. Crack the egg into the mix too and combine all well.

Press this mixture down well into an 8inch loose bottom cake tin to create the base.

In a separate large bowl combine the quark, cream cheese, muscle mousse, and whey protein. Beat it all up really well and then carefully fold in the blueberries.

Pour this mixture over the base and spread to level out.

Bang in preheated oven at 180 degrees (160 fan assisted) for 30 mins. If the top starts browning reduce the heat. (It should still be a bit wobbly when you take it out the oven). Remove from oven and leave to cool to room temperature for an hour or so.

Spread the Greek yogurt over the top of the cake and pour over melted dark Choc. Marble it up with the back of a spoon. Finally sprinkle the almonds over the top and stick in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. 

The cake actually sets better the longer you leave it in the fridge and I think it tastes even better after a day or two of chilling.

Enjoy a slice guilt free at any time of the day, but I love it as an awesome post workout protein hit!.....

Getting Deep!.....

Going to get a bit deep here, but don't worry, I'll not bore you to tears!

'What is the meaning of life' that age old question that everyone finds themselves asking at one point or another. 

Well I've been thinking about it a lot lately and here's my take on it.

I actually don't think there's a single best answer to this to be honest. Because everyone will have their own opinion on it and rightly so. We've probably all seen or heard different peoples opinions on it but for me we all have to find our own answer to the question.

My personal belief is that the meaning of life is to find happiness. To find our 'bliss' as they say. Sounds simple enough but at times it's far from it.

For some people that may be something as simple as making it through the day in one piece. To be able to find food, water, or shelter.

For others it will be to complete a goal, an objective, or a personal challenge.

For some it may be to find peace in their lives, to feel loved, to find a sole mate.

For some, they may not have found their meaning yet.

But for me, once we have found our 'bliss', then we have found the meaning of life.

I consider myself very lucky. I have a great life. I have my health, my sanity, my wellbeing. 

I have a brilliant wife, an unbreakable relationship with someone I can endure anything with.

I have a gorgeous daughter, who I love so much more than I have the vocabulary to explain in written words.

I have my own home, a job, a loving family and brilliant friends.

I have found my true passion in life. Health, fitness, nutrition. Things I strive to improve on a daily basis.

For me, I have very nearly found my bliss, and I am extremely greatful for it. 

I say nearly because there are still things I want to change in my life. Things I am working hard on, every day, to get to exactly where I want to be.

I have an insatiable appetite to get better. To improve. To grow. Only the people closest to me understand how I'm feeling and see what I'm doing and I'm greatful to them for understanding. I'm on a path and I will get to my destination. I'm well on my way.  

For years I was lost but now I can say I'm happy.

I also realise that not everyone is as lucky as myself. That's why I never take my life for granted. Even when I'm having a bad day I'm still greatful for what I have. And we all have bad days from time to time. I just trust in the saying 'one storm doesn't ruin a summer'.

But I also think that a lot of people are luckier than they realise. I once read a great quote which is 'in general people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be'.

People who live their life with a positive mindset are so much closer to finding their 'bliss' than someone who has a negative frame of mind and are always seeing life as a chore. 

Learning to have a positive mindset even when life gets a little tough can make so much of a difference.

I'll leave you with some ideas that I hope can help you on your road to find your own meaning of life if you feel a little lost.

Of course these are only my opinions but I certainly felt lost only a matter of a few years ago and if I can help just one person with this post then it will be worth it.

** Find a passion. Absolutely everyone should have something in their life that they are passionate about. It doesn't matter what it is just find it.

** Look after your health. It is the single most important thing we have control over. Eat well, exercise frequently, be active. 

** Be positive. A positive mindset makes life so much easier. In all sorts of ways. 

** Surround yourself with like minded positive people. Negative people are like a cancer to your wellbeing. There is a lot of mileage in the saying 'you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with'.

** Be open minded. Never close your mind to new or different ideals or ideas. Even if at first you aren't convinced. Learn new things often and realise not everyone is the same as you are.

** Let go of the past, embrace the future. There is absolutely nothing you can do about what has already been and gone. You absolutely do have the power to influence your present and future.

In your quest to find your own meaning of life I wish you nothing but success!

Enjoy the journey.....