Why I Only Help Women Lose Weight...

Okay so it’s a question I get asked a lot of the time…

’Ian,why do you only train women?’

So today I thought I’d let you in on how and why I help frustrated women get out of the diet cycle.

Did you know when I first started out as a fit pro, I targeted men with my big tyre, battle rope style of training but the people who were interested in that was women. Women loved the ruggedness off it and I buzz that they were flipping tractor tyres and breaking their nails to drop weight.

You see I soon found out that men are dicks to train, they know best and rarely listen to advice (sound familiar LOL). I was never that into to testosterone fuelled ‘getting massive’ mindset...for me there was no satisfaction out of that, I’ll tell you what satisfied me the most later on…

After I had my realisation moment of training women, I needed to know exactly what made them tick. You like most women are scales driven – if the scales don’t move down the diet shit right?

But here’s the thing most women are fucked up, years of dieting jumping from one thing to the next will play with your emotions, hormones and mindset <<< Here’s where I knew was the deep down underlying issue!

I’ve spent years looking into every aspect of weight loss for women - hormone manipulation, spot reducing (yes it can be done), The dreaded time of the month effects on your body, water retention, mindset, habitual coaching to name a few things because I believe in this simple thought process

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SIMPLE THOUGHT PROCESS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

If I needed to have a brain operation (maybe a brain transplant ;P) I would want a brain surgeon Not a general practitioner.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SIMPLE THOUGHT PROCESS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

Do you get what I’m saying!?

I’m not a jack of all trades, master of none type of fit pro. I read several books, re educate myself regularly, make sure I know that if a women comes to me with a problem I know exactly how to deal with the situation.

Would you pay someone £99 a month to throw you a general food plan and chuck some exercises your way?

'Pay peanuts, get monkeys'

 

I actually love training women, the reward for taking them out of the diet cycle that they’ve been in for years and helping them achieve their goals is what satisfies me the most.

That sense of achievement when I receive a text to thank me for fitting in a dress size they never thought possible again.

Growing their confidence, helping them enjoy life again, all of it makes my ‘work’ worth while. Could I do this if I was ‘specialising’ in helping men & women with muscle growth, fat loss, strength building & rehabilitation??

To some it all up read below...

-------------------------MISSION STATEMENT----------------------- 

I help women over 25 come out of the diet cycle to free their inner self’s and finally achieve the goals they set out with by taking them on a journey of accountability and guidance so that they can once again feel healthy, toned and energised.

-------------------------MISSION STATEMENT-----------------------

If you want freeing from the cycle, you can download my free weight loss report on the right >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

And give us a like on our facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/#!/TLFFitness

 

95% Of People Secretly Eat...Are You One of Them?

Hey

So today I want to talk about a subject that’s quite close to the bone, something you may or may not have experienced or be experiencing.

SECRET EATING

95% of people secretly eat in some way, I’ve done it in the past and it’s not a nice feeling at all. I personally felt like shit doing it but it is addictive. I want to share my experience with you and hopefully  reach out to you.

I’m gonna tell you why I secretly ate, how it made me feel and why I did it & what I did to overcome it

During my low period I secretly ate. Main reason was that I’m a fit pro and eating shit is not cool!

I used it to comfort myself, it was like a double life sometimes. In one world I’m a fitpro who’s healthy, fit and full of energy,. The other world I’m a binge eater, moody and sneakily shuffling food down my gob.

Sometimes it felt like a split personality!

Do you feel like this? Does it tear your world apart?

I believe there’s one of two reasons why we secretly eat. One is the getting away with it factor, secretly eating is like a buzz to know that you’ve got away with eating something that no one knows about, I think that’s why it becomes addictive.

Or two that you don’t want the outside world to see what you eat you want to portray that your something, which your clearly not

It can be quite hard to keep it up, hiding wrappers, binge eating when you have the chance to eat alone, lying to yourself about what your eating and justifying it in some deranged way.

Do you get anxious when your hungry and want a binge feed  but people are around?

So how do you get out of this dark cycle?

It’s tough I’m not gonna lie and it’s gonna take a lot of strength to break out of it but it’s do able with the right support network

It all starts with you, you are the problem and you are the solution. Want to stop something you, need to stop jusitying it.

Be open with your closet person in your life make them aware of why you do it, you’ll feel relief and a sense of openiess to the world. Secret eating is like a habit to break, the habit you have to look back at the path in which led you to where you are now.

Whats the point that you started?

Work back, then work forward.

Let people into your life and let them help – reap the benefits.

You’d do the same for your friends right?

Look I know its hard, I’ve been there, I’ve fought it (and still fighting it sometimes), I felt the buzz but I’ve had to break the habit and let others help me on my journey.

If your not ready to let people in yet

I’m always here to reach out to, email me, facebook me, tweet me – whatever I’m here if you need.

Stay strong and fight the fight

An Inspiring Story From Member of the Month - Afsheen

Hey there, I just got this amazing story from January's member of the month - Afsheen Ashraf, I can't praise her and her efforts enough, have a read and be inspired!

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Afsheen <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

 

Well, I’m just going to get right into the meat of it…It was at the age of 3 years old when I was diagnosed with a having a ‘growth hormone deficiency’, which basically meant I was injecting growth hormone into my body until I was around 15-16 years old.  I had 6 monthly check-ups with the doctors at the hospital and from around the age of 13, I was told I needed “to lose weight”.  Apparently with my lack of natural growth hormone, it was harder for me lose the excess weight!

So as a kid who knew absolutely nothing about nutrition, I dived straight into it with the “starvation diet”, I thought by not eating much, I would lose weight.  Which yes, I did!  However, I would only last around 2-3 days before I would give in and have a MASSIVE binge!!  When I was around 15 years old, the Doctor’s offered me some free slimming club vouchers, so obviously, I gave that a go! I was pleasantly surprised….I ended up losing around 2 stones.  But as soon as I got to my goal, a “comfortable weight/size”, I started to eat the way I did before.  I hadn’t really been educated about foods properly, in fact as long as I lost a little bit of weight, I would get a pat on the back by the slimming club “leader” (it didn’t really matter to them HOW I lost the weight, just as long as the number on the scales was going down)!!  So I ended up piling all the weight back on….plus some extra, so back I went to the slimming club, only to do  the exact same thing as I had done before – I did this for around 8 years!!  I could definitely be classed as a yo-yo dieter!! I have tried every fad diet out there and all that would happen… was that I’d pile the weight back on twice as quick!  I then joined the gym…what I thought was my last hope of getting in shape and actually getting somewhere with my body.  I was given the conventional workout programme as everyone else, around 20-30 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the crosstrainer & rower.  I would do the workout and think I had earned myself that extra slice of cake!  No wonder I NEVER got anywhere near achieving the goals I had set out to!!

THEN came the turning point, my friend had sent me a picture of me on a friends party.  I thought I looked ok on the day, but when I saw that picture…..well let’s just say I got a HUGE dose of reality!!  I couldn’t hide from it (like I did from the mirrors every day) – it was staring me in the face and I KNEW I needed to do something about it….and pronto!!  This was the time I found TLF Fitness, they were doing a 28 day Coaching Programme (FYI – Find Your Inner-self), and I instantly knew I needed to jump on board!! What attracted me to them in particular, was the fact they incorporated exercise AND nutrition into their programme, unlike the slimming clubs! You can see my results below ;) 

They helped me a lot on my mindset, as well as encouraging and motivating me so much so that I’m still there today (3 months later)!  I was given the help & support to break away from the vicious diet cycle that I was stuck in.  Slowly, slowly I was encouraged to change my habits, rather than plunging me into the deep end!  A major factor I overcame was breaking away from the emotional attachment I had with food!  I no longer turn to food to ‘solve any of my problems’….I have totally changed the way I view food & drink! I was always worried that I would miss my “junk foods”, but I was always given an alternative for my favourite foods: burger & chips, spaghetti bolognese, fish and chips etc…I even enjoy chocolate within my set nutrition plan.  My main point is, is that it NEVER feels like I am missing out or being deprived…which avoids any binging!!!  I have been taught so much about food – their positive and negative effects on my body!  Education has been a key factor!!  I think that’s why I have been able to stick to this nutrition plan; I simply ENJOY eating the foods on it!

If I faced any problems in my personal life, I was always given the encouragement I needed by you guys, to just carry on and look out for number one & to overcome any issues I had WITHOUT using food as an emotional blanket.  You’re so right, if I’m happy with myself, it is so much easier to make the people around me happy too!! ;)

To date I have lost over 40 inches & 25lbs and I’m STILL going…the fact I enjoy it, it just feels like the best and most natural method of getting into the best shape of my life.  Getting your dream body takes time, but on this coaching programme I have been taught the correct methods of achieving my goals…my dream body!!  It’s the balance between…good nutrition & exercise – I have been taught this is at the base of achieving my long term goals. 

You’ve helped to turn my life around for the better, and I can’t thank you enough for that!  I KNOW I will achieve the goals I set myself.  Even if there are ups & downs throughout my journey, with your help & support, I’m sure I’ll get through them all and will get the body I have always desired :)

My results from  the first set of 28 days….

 

My results from the second set of 28 days….

Why Juice Plus and other fads will die of death in 2013

Today is the day I make the biggest claim to date -  Juice Plus and other quick fixes will die of death in 2013!

Over the years from as early as cavemen times to right now in 2013 clean eating has been a way of life. Live of the land and avoid man made foods = Pretty simple lifestyle choice to me!

 Over these times fad diets and crazes have come and faded – slimfast, dukan, Cambridge, atkins, cabbage soup, juice plus to name a few

/--------------------------------Bold prediction----------------------------------/

Clean eating will rule all and leave everything in it’s wake

/--------------------------------Bold prediction----------------------------------/

While fads work for a short time but the long term effects are not worth it

Everyone’s always looking for a quick fix and will spend £££££ on them because they're the easiest way to lose weight with out the hard work – how much do you think you’ve spent over the years on fads?

I see the clean eating lifestyle is becoming more and more popular. It seem the nation wants to get fitter, stronger and leaner not just looking to drop weight and become saggy, choosing their clothes wisely and not constantly living in their leggings.

They want to be healthy, toned and energised

I wanted to get it this out there and off my chest, it’s been on my mind for months and observing recently from a different more, satisfied point of view.

While these quick fixes come and go so does your weight with it, the amount of women I’ve spoke too over the years that have tried every diet under the sun in order to achieve their ideal bodies and are still looking for that one thing to work.

When they finally dive into a lifestyle of clean eating and training - they stick with it.

They choose it as a lifestyle, it’s easy to adapt, me & Lianne spend a lot of time making it as sociable and ‘normal’ as possible and guess what they achieve amazing results.

/-----------------------Random Thought-------------------/

 Why waste years investing your time into a vicious diet cycle when you could go in one  straight line directly to your dream body?

/-----------------------Random Thought-------------------/

Being the most ‘expensive’ fitpro in Heywood,  I get a lot of shit for not complying with your £5 a throw slimming club weigh in or zumba class, but I believe if you won’t invest in yourself you don’t want the best for your body .

If you want a tablet you go for an iPad not an Acer right?

Lets flip the script for a moment

The average household spend £206 a month on takeaways & meals out. Obesity levels in Heywood are above the national average.

So by giving them up these extras and enhancing your life is this not worth it? Do you not see investing in yourself as a good thing. Not just with me but in general, do you not want the best for your body, the best for your kids?

Do you not think all these quick fixes will not have an effect on your hormones, digestive system, mindset later on in life

This saying is very apt – ‘buy cheap, buy twice’

Will you still be doing the same fad diet in 3 months or would you have moved on to the next big craze?

Think and plan longer than your next event or night out, think long term.

Get out of the ‘the diet starts Monday’ mindset , free yourself from the tomorrow attitude

Live a lifestyle not a cycle

This Is Where I Am Now - 3 Months After My 'Breakdown'

Where am I now!??

So since my last reveal all article back at the end of November

(check it out here - http://ianforanpersonaltrainerheywood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/never-done-this-before-but-heres-my.html)

 I’ve been on a journey of finding my true self, create a new blueprint and trying to face my demons

It’s been a tough ride!

The supportive messages I received after that blog took me by surprise, I was expecting criticism  left, right & center. I had people I’ve not spoke to in ages inboxing me. Maybe it related to there own personal battle in some way it defo give me a huge boost.

I’d like to think In some way I inspired some people to open up a bit more & realise it's ok not to be perfect. I know from a fitpro point of view it’s sooo much easier for me being open and honest with NOTHING to hide. I’m not a robot, I’m human.

I'm finding I can interact with people a lot more, I don't have to have a persona or a fake front. I can finally be myself! 

So recently I’ve had a plenty of people asking how I’m doing with my journey or where I’m at with things, so I thought I’d give you all an update…

I’ll be honest it’s been hard work, emotional eating and addiction isn’t something  that I could over come within weeks.  I still have mental battles with myself most days - sometimes the devil wins sometimes it doesn’t but it’s all progress. I’m more aware of it nowadays and I think that makes it easier to make the right decision.

I’ve also had like 2 takeaways this year which is a MAJOR improvement because last years mentality was 2 a weekend!

I still go out every Thursday with the boys but I’ve swapped my lager for gluten free strongbow and sometimes I even drink water and spice it up with some lemon, the lads are really supportive of me and don’t give me toooooo much shit haha. (they are lads after all)

I’ll be honest it took me a lot to start training again in 2013 but I threw myself into it this week, I know I missed 7 weeks but I’ve started, better to start late than never at all. I'm rocking out with some weight training and man am I sore! (yeah probably payback, I know)

Here’s the one thing I’m MADE up with - is my body…no more fat trainer for me!!

I’ve worked a lot on my nutritional habits, like I said it’s been tough but this isn’t a quick fix this is long term, I’m gonna stumble but my recovery is miles better nowadays.

Here’s me now…

On the left is me in 29^th November 2012,

On the right is me on 27^th Feb 2013

Recently I’ve become the ‘naked fitpro’ with the Naked truth about weight loss

(Episode 1 here-http://youtu.be/M99xtQ6JWsU)

 

 

I basically came up with this idea to show I have nothing to hide, this is my body, you’ll see it transform thoughout the episodes…plus I think it’s a buzz :D

I’ll keep you updated on my progress throughout the year but be sure to check out the naked truth each week on a Friday to see my continued transformation and learn some uber cool shiz

Thank you for your support you have all kept me going!

Ian

An art collage of 28 days in the life of my clients

This is a post with a difference today - it's aimed purely at my clients who have worked their asses off this past 28 days and got some amazing results! Each one of them make my job worth it and it never gets old or tiring to hear thank you

It's crazy and humbling to hear what difference we as fit-pros make to people's lives.

100+ Ways To Drop Weight

Recently I was honoured to be asked by the great Dax moy to contribute to his mammouth article on weight loss

Some of the best fitpro's around have each given thier 3 top tips to weight loss

Find out what they are here --

http://www.daxmoy.com/london-personal-trainer-top-fatloss-tips-from-top-fatloss-trainers/

With over 100 tips after readfing it you should have a massive advantage on your journey to reach your target

happy reading :)

http://www.daxmoy.com/london-personal-trainer-top-fatloss-tips-from-top-fatloss-trainers/

22 random facts about me

Today I thought I'd give you some random facts about me, so here goes...

I have an extra lump of skin near my left ear - I was always told as a kid that it made me individual, I've never had a problem with it and you'd probably would never notice it.

I used to live in Portugal working in my Dad's bar 'RAMBOS' - Back in 2000 I moved to Portugal the day after my final exam, stayed there on and off for a couple of years. Absoluty loved it!

I have a seven year old daughter named Tiana-Lilly - She's my little princess and who the companies named after (TLF Fitness). She changed my life for the better

If I go out to restaurants I have to have a steak -  I don't care if it's Chinese, Greek, Italian I have to have steak, it's like a default that comes out of my mouth.

I like all my tin labels facing the front - My OCD kicks right in after we've been shopping, everything in the cupboard HAS to have the label facing the front.

I have misophonia - Do you know when someone eats near you and there really noisy!? I have that with everyone to the point I want to straight up punch them in the face. I've had it for about 15 years now and it doesn't get easier. NOTE Do not eat near me ;)

I support Man Utd - I started supporting United when I was about 6/7 just to piss the rest of the famly off because they all supported City. It just stuck

I also have a season ticket with Tiana - We sit in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand with my mate Barnsey and his son. Tiana LOVES match days

I hate wearing suits - The only time you'll see me in a suit is either a wedding, race day or court haha

I love wearing shorts - I wear shorts 365 days of the year, If it's really cold you won't see my legs

I need 8 hours sleep other wise I'm a grumpy sod - True story I also like a cat nap in the afternoons, always have since high school

My favourite tipple is Disarranno - Disarranno, straight out of the bottle, no ice, no mixer - just gimme it

Before personal training I was a plasterboarder for 8 years - Fell into it after Portugal ended up doing it for 8 years. Loved the crack on site with the lads didn't like the travelling though.

I love girls aloud & the pussycat dolls - Seen them both aswell, Can't whack a bit of Nicole.

I manned up in 2004 and got into rock music - I love Motley Crue! Been privilged to see them twice now. I use rock to pump me up for a workout.

I have 4 tattoos - 2 geckos - both on my right arm, 1 lion on my left shoulder, Tianas name on my left forearm & 'The way of the warrior' in Bushido writing on my right hand

When I was in school I wanted to be a chef - I loved cooking, still do but my cooking teacher was a bitch and put me off

During school I wanted to be a truck driver - In my careers advisor interview they asked me what I wanted to be - I replied a truck driver, didn't go down well.

I have 2 ears pierced -  Left one when I was 13, Right at 16. My Dad has them both done and I wanted it done to.

I've grew my hair 3 times in my life - It doesn't take long to grow and sometimes I'll get bored with shaving every week so I'll let it grow...then get bored with it so I shave it again.

I once spray painted a disabled parking space outside my house pissed up to stop the neighbours parking there - That was a fun hangover! Just remember looking out of my window in the morning and then the moment of realisation kicked in. To be fair the neighbours always parked so I couldn't get near the house.

When I did my paper-round I knicked milk - Best milk I ever tasted!

How I went from living in Portugal to being a FitPro

   Let me tell you about my story from leaving school, to moving to Portugal to where I am today so you don’t think I’m just some personal training robot.

 When I left school, I moved to Portugal to work in my Dad’s bar 'Rambo's', it was an amazing experience at just 16.

I had no ambition to do anything at the time so this lazy lifestyle suited me just fine. For a very strange reason, still un beknown to me I decided to come back to the UK when I was 17 and fell into a job of plaster boarding due to my dad knowing a guy you needed someone to be a dogs body.

I cruised through life at that point playing football, drinking, socialising etc but I was always in the gym working out. I was like a lamp post back then , I could eat or drink anything and wouldn’t put any weight on.

To be honest In the gym I usually just messed about on the treadmill or did the simple circuit the instructor had planned out for me just to keep trim, I knew I didn't have to do much.

Fast forward a couple of years to the age of 21 and I found out I was going to be a dad! (I know young right?) in that same year I ruptured my cruciate ligament in my right knee (I’ve never been able to play football since)

Throughout that life changing year I piled 3 stone on, it seemed all my eating and drinking had caught up with me. I wasn’t doing any exercise due to being on crutches and my knee being in such a bad way. I went up to 16 stone + which for a lad who’s always been around the 12/13 mark this was a lot.

I felt very unhappy, unconfident & self concious.

   The only thing I could do for my weight loss was nutrition but I didn’t have a clue about that, so I researched different ways. I ended up getting into weightlifting as it was something static and I could build strength in my knee. I use to devise my own programs to follow and nutrition plans.

To be honest I read a lot of Muscle & Fitness magazines and took influence of them.

   Over time I lost around 2 stone of fat but had built some muscle in the process. I really got into the training and wanted to help my friends out when they asked advice. I’d take them to the gym with me and train them while I was training.

I’d gone back into plaster boarding by this point and was on a job over in Bolton when I heard an radio advertisement asking for people to apply for a course to become a personal trainer in a new government funded scheme, now I’d looked into getting qualified before but it was around 6-8k and that was something I just couldn’t afford, after hearing this I jumped at it with both hands.

I was 1 of only 20 people who got on the first ever course back in 2008. Once I was qualified I started work at fitness first in Rochdale, I’ll be honest I shit it at first but loved it.

After about six months or so I started getting the feeling working in a box gym wasn’t for me, I hated being indoors when it was sunny, I couldn’t stand the same old machines over and over again, I couldn't be doing with the pressure to sell shit pointless programs to people just for monthly numbers - I used to do a lot of my session in the studio with functional bodyweight training.

I'd already started planning on getting out after a year and setting up by myself, which is exactly what I did! I moved outdoors in the march and did my personal training in the park for the summer month, When went winter came around I moved indoors (I don’t like the cold) in to my garage but here’s the thing I was working 6am-9pm, I was missing family time and a social life I knew I needed to change it.

I adjusted my direction from personal training into bootcamp, again outdoor in the park for summer, inside for winter. This was awesome as I could help so much more people and spend time with my family & friends.

It’s very much adapted over the years into what it is today. I’m not a bootcamp any more I’m a coaching program, a coaching program that helps women come out of the diet cycle to free their inner self’s and finally achieve the goals they set out with by taking them on a journey of accountability and guidance so that they can once again feel healthy, toned and energized.