​Do you find yourself constantly in the gym, working your butt off, but to no reward?

It’s possible you could be experiencing Central Nervous System (CNS) fatigue. This is very different to the typical muscular fatigue that results from a hard workout, where you are out of breath and your muscles are sore, whereas CNS fatigue correlates with brain chemistry and hormone production.

The biggest indicator of CNS fatigue is a reduction of training performance, all of a sudden you feel slower and weights feel heavier. Some other indicators may include lack of motivation and poor sleep. An easy way to test neural fatigue is by measuring grip strength, time yourself holding a weighted barbell and retest a week or so later. If your grip time has decreased, then it’s very possible your body is suffering due to an overload of stress without adequate recovery.

The best way to prevent neural fatigue is to predict it, I like to incorporate a “recovery week” every 4-6 weeks of training. A recovery (or de-load) week allows for complete recovery of all bodily systems by reducing your training load for that week. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways, by reducing training frequency (the number of times you train), training intensity (how heavy you lift) or training volume (the total amount of reps and sets you perform).
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Successfully completing a de-load week will leave you reinvigorated and feeling stronger than before, ready to tackle the next week of training. Couple this with adequate sleep and proper nutrition and your results should sky-rocket! Try it out 😊

Swapping Big Macs for salads are great for general health and wellbeing, but don’t expect to lose weight due to that alone. In fact, clean eating can make it very easy to over-eat due to the misconception that you should be eating more of the “good stuff” when compared to junk foods.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, energy balance is the law when it comes to weight loss. You need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight, meaning you are burning more energy (calories) than you consume on a day to day basis. This caloric deficit needs to be consistent for a substantial amount of time to see significant results.

It’s simple, if you are not losing weight you are eating too much.

It doesn’t matter if you have the healthiest diet in the world, chock full of protein and all the Vitamins from A-Z, it’s always QUANTITY before QUALITY when it comes to a weight loss diet. Figure out where your calories need to be, then determine what foods you will choose to fit these calories. Pick foods that you like, that make you feel good and are sustainable for you. The best diet is the one that you can follow consistently.

Here are some “Clean Vs. Junk” food comparisons:
200g Porterhouse Steak = 470 calories
McDonald’s Cheeseburger = 313 calories
Medium sized Avocado = 322 calories
250g Salmon = 530 calories
McDonald’s Big Mac = 590 calories

As you can see, healthy nutrient dense foods such as steak, avocado and salmon all have a very high caloric content. This can easily lead you into a caloric surplus and weight gain, even though you are “clean eating”.
This doesn’t mean I advocate fast food at all, always choose the healthier option but please be conscious of your portion sizes. Experiment with calorie counting, using apps like MyFitnessPal, look up your favourite foods and you might be surprised at how many calories you have actually been consuming. By gaining as much knowledge on the subject as you can, you will benefit by making the right food choices in future leading to consistent results.
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Please note that reducing food intake isn’t always the first option when aiming for a caloric deficit. Increasing physical activity levels can be just as beneficial due to an increase in energy (calorie) expenditure, which can also create a caloric deficit.

I remember when I first started getting into fitness, I was always under the impression that if I trained hard, I needed supplements to maximize my results. I used various protein powders, creatines and fat burners, almost religiously. But I never stopped to ask myself “why?”
Why do I need supplements?
The truth was, I didn’t.
A well-balanced diet gives us all the macronutrients and micronutrients we need to perform well and achieve our goals. Food will always be the first choice before any form of supplementation.
Now I’m not saying supplements are completely useless, they do have a purpose, but you need to understand when and why to incorporate supplements into your regime.
Let’s have a look at the most common supplements.
Protein Powder.
Protein powder is a great tool to help you meet your required daily protein intake. If you’re not sure how much protein you should be consuming in a day, then you have no place even thinking about protein shakes. Protein shakes are handy for those with busy lifestyles who are unable to prepare enough food or are constantly on the go. The best protein powders have a high ratio of protein per serve and low carbs and sugars.
Creatine.
Creatine is the most researched supplement on the market and its results are proven. Creatine, in its monohydrate form, is also super affordable compared to most other supplements. Creatine is commonly marketed to improve strength, performance and muscle size. Although research gives mixed reviews, muscle size is almost certain as creatine is known to increase water retention in the body resulting in weight gain and fuller muscles. I supplemented with creatine for a very long time, taking 5 grams per day for about 18 months. As of now, I haven’t touched creatine in almost 12 months and haven’t noticed any difference in my strength or muscle mass. If you’re looking to put on some muscle, give it a try and see how it works for you. If your goal is weight loss, this is not the supplement for you.
Fat Burners
There are various “Fat Burners” and thermogenics available on the market, supposedly increasing the body’s temperature to burn additional fat and acting as an appetite suppressant. These things can assist with weight loss, but the only way you can really reduce body fat is by being in a caloric deficit (eating less calories than you use). So before even considering a fat burner, make sure your nutrition is on point.
Pre-Workout
Pre-workout’s are designed to improve the effectiveness of your training session. Many of them are stimulants which increase your energy levels and focus, other’s focus more on increasing blood flow to muscles through vasodilation (expanding blood vessels). Pre-workout can be great if you’re feeling tired but still want to get in a good workout, but it’s important to not rely on them too much. Many of them are also very high in caffeine, so you may need to adjust your serving based on your level of tolerance. I recommend trying to avoid using pre-workout regularly, save it for those days when you really need a boost or if you have a big workout planned.
There are plenty of other supplements available on the market, but always go back to your “Why?” before deciding. Supplements are not magic and will not substitute hard work and proper nutrition.

This is a quote by Bruce Lee, someone I’ve idolized since I was very young. At first glance you might read this quote and have an insignificant reaction, if any.

“Don’t waste time…yeah, that’s nothing new”

But there’s something deeper to this quote that I want to talk about and that is the aspect of time itself.
The only time that exists is the present, or what some call ‘the now’. The past is long gone and cannot be altered, while the future is yet to happen and cannot be predicted. Therefore, nothing else exists but this present moment.

“For time is what life is made up of”

The only aspect of time we can control is right now. Life is right now, this present moment.

Take control of it.

Don’t dwell on the past, don’t stress over the future.

Make each moment count.

Julian Cunningham

There are the obvious benefits, such as improved quality of life and of course looking and feeling better.
But at what expense?

A lot of time, money and hard work goes into maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
So why bother?

It was 2010 when I made the change. I lacked self confidence and wanted to look and feel better. 8 years on and I still haven’t stopped. In those 8 years I’ve never gone more than 2 weeks without exercise.
But surely after 8 years of training I should have my dream body and be fit as a fiddle, right?

But that’s not why I do it. Looking good and feeling good is now just a bonus. I continue to train because I want success. Success in all areas of my life.

What does success have to do with exercise?
The most successful people in the world and the fittest people in the world all have something in common.

Discipline.

These days it seems like discipline is becoming less prevalent. It is easier to not do something than it is to get it done. We are all guilty of it. Modern technology has given us access to all the information in the world at the click of a button. But long-term success does not happen at the click of a button. It takes commitment and commitment requires discipline.

Following a training program or a meal plan also requires commitment and discipline. Results do not happen overnight.

See what I’m getting at?
Your work ethic in the gym reflects your work ethic in life.

Train for success.

Julian Cunningham