Are ALL Carbohydrates Evil? By Dan Henderson

If I had a dollar for every time I heard ‘I’ll just stop eating carbs to lose weight’ then I would be a VERY rich man. There is a definite belief and perception out there that carbs are the root of all evil things and are the cause of our excess body fat and weight……

I can actually understand where this comes from because I do believe excess carbohydrates are where people go wrong. I also believe people consume WAY too many bad carbohydrates. BUT, carbohydrates are essential for living and we do need to consume them. I just believe we need to know the difference between good and bad and how much we should consume.

It is ironic to think that the Food Pyramid was or still is in some circles the system we base our eating on. The system was flawed as it completely over exaggerated the quantity of grains we need. It didn’t acknowledge good fats or proteins nearly enough and this lead people astray. The reaction was to go anti carb and abandon them all together. However, there is a happy medium that will leave you feeling great and will not have you gaining unnecessary body fat.

Now, let’s clear a few things up…. Firstly, we need carbohydrates because they are HIGH in fibre. Fibre is needed to keep our Blood sugar and LDL cholesterol (the bad one) in check as well as helping us feel full. It also helps prevent several cancers and ensures our number 2’s are not a form of torture (what’s a blog post without a poo joke). Secondly, carbohydrates can be a great source of energy and we need these when we train hard. Lastly, lots of carbohydrates are full of essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients.

Our problem is that we ignore the carbohydrates that give us these benefits and instead consume simple carbohydrates that are essentially sugars. We eat too many refined products like white breads, cakes, sugary sweets, drinks and just sugar in general and not enough vegetables, fruits, brown rice, oats and amazing grains like quinoa, millet and spelt. These simple sugars don’t leave us satisfied and we crave more of them.

Personally, I like keeping my carbohydrates on the lower end as I feel and look better. However, I include good carbohydrates in at least two of meals and I make sure I eat lots of quality fats and proteins. This ‘diet’ stops me overeating and gives me great energy.

So my challenge for you is to honestly assess the source and quantity of your carbohydrates and improve your intake by decreasing the simple carbohydrates. You will be amazed at the dramatic changes you will see by doing this.

The Keys to Success by Dan Henderson

I was conducting a consult two weeks ago when I was floored by a question by the prospect. He asked me ‘what makes clients more successful than others with their results’. It was a big question and one that I certainly had some ideas about. My answer was sufficient enough for the prospect to identify with and he committed to training. I thought long and hard after the session and I thought I would convey these ‘success traits’ in a coherent format. I have trained and observed clients for over 6 years and I have seen LOTS of successes but I have also seen clients that didn’t achieve their goals. So, what is the magic formula? I believe it is a combination of the following:

1. You need to WANT it! If you TRULY and DEEPLY want a certain result then you will ACHIEVE it. These results need to resonate with you and get you excited. It needs to be big enough to conquer the inevitable obstacles that will arise. It needs to consume your thoughts, emotions and energy. It will mean constant sacrifices and contentedness with these sacrifices. It will mean discontent with who you are and an excitement for the journey you will embark on.

2. You need to overcome CHALLENGES. We are all confronted with challenges but it is the RESPONSE that determines success. The successful client will meet these challenges head on and will embrace them. They will make the necessary changes but will not deviate from the plan. Injuries, work and family demands and finances will alter the plan but the necessary changes will be made and will not deter the client from success.

3. You need a PLAN. ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. Without a plan then you are working aimlessly even with the best intentions. You need to know when to progress, how to progress, strategies for plateaus and best practice methodology. Too often I see people who are motivated and hungry for success get disheartened because they didn’t work to a plan! They trained with the best intentions but didn’t do it smartly.

4. You need to take RISKS. You will be committing time, money and energy and it will involve you stretching your comfort zone. You will be asked to do things you didn’t think were possible and you need to do these things to reach greater success. You will be amazed about what you are capable of.

5. You need to be EXCITED. It’s related to my first point but you do need to approach the plan with excitement. It doesn’t mean you will enjoy all the exercises or workouts but you will get excited by your progress and the achievements along the way.

I am not saying you need all these things to exercise successfully or just be generally healthy. But, these are the traits I see in people that have achieved MASSIVE success. They have this incredible drive that I find so inspiring.

How to get REAL Results

If I want to get results in anything I do whether it is business, health, nutrition or a type of training then I consult people that have a proven track record and have achieved results in that particular field. I want to see that they have done it themselves and coached or inspired others to terrific results. This has been a method that has helped me enormously in expanding my studio. I have paid LOTS of money for mentors that have built successful studios that generate great results for their clients.

The same logic must apply when choosing a personal trainer or fitness facility. I am entering my first ever kettlebell competition (I am really scared) in May. This will be one of the most physically demanding events I will ever endure. I want to ensure that I am physically and mentally prepared to the best of my ability. I need a qualified and experienced coach that will inspire me to get the best out of me.

Personal trainers are everywhere….. in fact, it is not hard to become a personal trainer so there is more and more entering the industry at a rapid rate. Like all professionals there is a HUGE disparity in quality. There are the rookies that have completed their 6 week course and wanted to become a trainer because the hourly rate was attractive (these people find out that it is HARD work and are gone within 12 months) and then there is the other side of the spectrum. There are trainers that have years of experience, university degrees, a tonne of testimonials and before and after photos and genuinely CARE for their clients.

I own a personal training education business where we up skill personal trainers nationally. I travel the country teaching these trainers and I see both lots of trainers. I also have a team of 8 trainers and I need to discern which category the trainer fits into when recruiting. So if you want to get REAL RESULTS with your training and really achieve your goals then you need to know if you are in good hands.

So what should you look out for……

1. Do they GENUINELLY care when talking to you? Are they present in the conversation?
2. What is their approach to diet and exercise? Do they look the part? I don’t mean that they need to look like fitness models but they should look fit and healthy
3. Are they continually up skilling? Have they invested in their further education? What books are they reading?
4. What RESULTS have they have helped their clients achieve in the past?

If a trainer fits these criteria then you are in VERY good hands and you have increased your chances of SUCCESS significantly.

I will unashamedly take the opportunity to let you know that we have an AMAZING team at Coastal Bodies. We have decades of experience, several qualifications and dozens of before and after photos and testimonials. You can see the impressive team here.

Last Challenge for 6 Months

We have our LAST 8 week challenge for 6 months starting on Feb 25^th. You would have seen the AMAZING results from the challenge in these newsletters. If you have thought about it for a while then now is your opportunity to get results. Click here for more information.

Females only Pilates Class starting next week

We have a brand new class starting next Tuesday (Feb 26^th) at 10 am. It is for females only and is a mat class. The class will run for 45 minutes and conclude with a coffee at our new coffee bar.

I’m Excited…….

This week’s blog is somewhat different to what we have shared this year. We have sought to educate you on the Paleo diet, portion sizes, variety in diet, alcohol etc. However, I would like to write more from heart and less from an academic journal for this issue.

You see I can’t help but share how excited I am with Coastal Bodies at this very moment. I am overawed by our clients and the results they are getting and the enthusiasm they have for being healthier.

I started Coastal Bodies 4 years ago after leaving a decent corporate job because I loved imparting my passion of health and fitness and seeing people share that. I never had any business growth plans but only plans to see people get fit and healthy. I have had the great joy in seeing our clientele steadily build as well as the Coastal Bodies team over the years. This has been really encouraging!

However, in the last 3 months the Coastal Bodies community has stepped it up and has really taken it to another level. I see clients totally and utterly commit themselves to our 8 week challenge. We have a closed group on Facebook for all participants and the support each member is giving to each other is brilliant. Members are sharing meals and recipes as well as training plans. Clients are interacting with other clients about their training and how they can improve.

The results clients are getting are also so inspiring! I had three clients train their butts off for the 20 KM obstacle course ‘Tough Mudder’. I was so proud of the dedication and commitment they showed and it made me improve as both a trainer in my own training and knowledge. Clients have done runs or are signed up for them and the body composition changes people are getting are mind blowing! Clients are showing no signs of letting up and this excites me no end.

The enthusiasm clients have for their training and nutrition is infectious and I know both the team and I really feel it. I want to thank you on behalf of the team for this enthusiasm and I am personally looking forward to seeing many more great results in the very near future.

If you are reading this and are not a part of it then I encourage you to be a part of it. You will be supported, encouraged and inspired to improve your health and well-being in a pretty awesome environment.

‘5 Biggest Nutrition tips for Fat Loss’.

We have a special blog this week as we have a video blog. Coastal Bodies founder ‘Dan Henderson’ has had incredible success with a number of clients losing significant amounts under his guidance. Check out his ‘5 Biggest Nutrition tips for Fat Loss’.

The Best Exercise for Fat Loss

I often get asked on what is the best and fastest training method for losing fat fast. There are a plethora of training options out there but my belief, as well as science, shows that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the winner.

Research has shown that HIIT is one of the most effective methods for weight loss. The main reason for this is the elevated metabolism post exercise. Research has shown that metabolism can be elevated for up to 24 hours post exercise. HIIT also significantly lowers insulin resistance and causes skeletal muscle adaptations that result in enhanced skeletal muscle fat oxidation and improved glucose tolerance.

Furthermore, in a study that compared participants in an endurance training program and HIIT program they found that the energy cost of training was ninefold greater in the HIIT program. So not only are you burning more energy and fat post exercise but you are during the session as well!

It is really important to have a base of conditioning before you do HIIT. This is because the demands are high and the intensity would not be sustainable for any length of time.

A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of 5-10 minutes. This is followed by 6-10 repetitions or 30-90 seconds of 3-6 high intensity exercises such as 400 m sprints, hill climbs, box jumps and clap push-ups. The workout finishes with a cool down exercise. The whole session should only take 30 minutes. It is really important that a warm-up includes lots of stretches, activations and releases.

Coastal Bodies has circuit classes that follow the HIIT principle and they are a great way to burn fat and change your body composition. For more information click here

These words couldn’t be truer for manyCoastal Bodies clients. We have an amazing number of clients that are getting terrific results because they want them and are training consistently to get them!