Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 444. With weight training in place, now is also the time to add some cardio into your routine. Go with 20 minute high intensity sprint interval sessions (the simplest method of this is to sprint for 60 seconds followed by 60 seconds of light jogging or walking and repeat) or 45 minutes of slower, steady-state cardio. Two cardio sessions a week on top of your weight training would be enough. Be sure not to over train however: if you stress your body too much you will knock your hormones out of sync, hampering your results. 5. Eat a protein rich diet. Protein not only supports lean muscle growth, but the energy expenditure from digestion is also higher than for fat or carbs, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. Good sources of protein include: meats; fish; mozzarella; tofu; eggs; cottage cheese; beans and whey protein. 6. Reduce your sugars and processed carbohydrates and instead get the majority of your carbs from green vegetables, sweet potatoes, oats and rice (and no: your rice does not need to be brown!). As you reduce your overall calories and up your protein intake, your carbohydrate intake should naturally come down a little anyway. 7. Don’t waste endless time in the gym doing ab exercises: 1,000 sit-ups a day does not give you a six pack or flat stomach. What does is a well-balanced training programme focussed on building lean muscle, alongside a reduction in body fat. Core exercises should be in your programme, but alone they are simply not enough. Focus on ‘compound’ exercises, such as squats, deadlifts, rows and pull-ups, which use multiple muscle groups at a time, meaning a much higher calorie burn! 8. Don’t demonise junk food: in moderation it really is ok. Try to get most of your food from good natural sources (fresh meats, veg and grains) but if you cut out everything you love you won’t stick to it so treat yourself every now and then. 9. Get plenty of sleep! Your body recharges and regulates its hormones during this time and it can really hamper fat loss if your stress levels don’t have time to balance. Seven to eight hours a night is ideal. 10. Limit alcohol. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet as well as spiking your insulin levels and playing havoc with your body composition. By all means have a drink, but a reduction in your overall intake really will boost your results. Remember: small steady modifications to your diet and lifestyle are the most sustainable way to a better you so please don’t fall for the crash diets and exercise fads. A bit of dedication and hard work will have you feeling a million dollars this summer and set you on track for results that last all seasons! Happy Training The Fitting Rooms THE RIVER SUMMER 2016 • FOR THE SOUL • 33 THE FITTING ROOMS Saxon House 48 Southwark Street London Bridge SE1 1UN t: 020 7403 3473 e: info@thefittingrooms.london w: www.thefittingrooms.london ABOUT THE FITTING ROOMS, LONDON BRIDGE The Fitting Rooms is a family-run, high-spec private training gym in London Bridge. Our aim is to bridge the gap between the cost of effective but expensive personal training studios and cheaper but overcrowded commercial gyms to bring expert personal training to everyone. We are not about 12-week transformations, we are not about ‘beasting’ people and we are not about restrictive regimes that are unsustainable and ultimately, unhealthy. Instead, our focus is on long-term, progressive results that come about through periodised and structurally balanced training programmes and nutrition planning that allows for healthy moderation and is structured around how our clients really live their lives. We pride ourselves on being known as the friendliest gym in Southwark, and have a five star rating on Google.