"Work Bitch"

I'm quoting Britney today... Although she is a long away from the pigtails and mini skirts, she has a lot of serious points! Like she is amazing, her story is incredible... my blog today isn't about me loving Britney, but it is about her song "Work Bitch". This song is vital for your workout playlist!!

We all have wonderful intentions but the people who actually reach their goals all have a few important things in common:

- They all set goals
- They all perfected visualisation skills
- They are all self motivated
- And they all SERIOUSLY GET OFF THEIR ASSES AND WORKED!

The process of reaching fitness and health goals seems to be very similar to succeeding in business. You will fail, whether it's eating those biscuits when you promised you were off them or when a business idea fell flat on its face. We have to fail at things, it makes us learn. It makes us grow. Failing is a major part of succeeding.

No athlete has just strolled into the Olympics, they sacrificed drinking at parties, eating McDonalds, late nights due to early morning training and a lot more. They were not lucky. They worked bloody hard.

That phrase is one of my serious pet hates.... "Oh they were lucky..."... No they were not lucky. They trained their ass off, they worked 100 hours a week, the went out of their way to get to where they are now. Successful people, it doesn't matter what department of success they're in, they all have one major factor in common - they will do what it takes to get where they want to be. No objection is going to stand in their way.

It's very easy to say "oh I want to be fit" or "I'd love to just fit into my clothes comfortably..." but how much would you love to fit into your clothes properly? Like how much? The reason, why people quit is because they'd kinda like to fit into their clothes comfortably, but you know, not as much as going out every weekend, and not as much as lying on the couch watching tv, instead of going to the gym. They want to be fit, but every excuse is better than actually getting up off their ass and doing it.

I'm not trying to dampen your efforts, everyone will fall off the bandwagon but it's vital that you stand back up and go again! This is the difference between where you want to be and where you are now. You need to not let a hiccup stand in your way. Get up and go!!! (and if your friends are giving you stick about you trying to become fitter or healthier or successful in business, if they give you grief - they're not your mates.)

Switch on and surround yourself with like minded people!!

So my point of all of this is, whatever you want to do, whether it's to succeed in whatever you do or to lose body fat or gain healthy weight, whatever it is - you have to work, bitch. You need to believe in what you want, you need to eat, sleep, drink it and you need to put 100% into your workouts (hence why you need it on your gym playlist)!

You need be 100% sure of what your outcome is, you cannot be fickle, you have to accept that there are going to be challenges, but overcoming these challenges will make it worth it.

Here's a million dollar question? Lets set the scene, you're at a BBQ and there's load of meat and salad, so you can be perfectly good, but all the desserts come out, you're dying for one.... Ask yourself this; " If someone was to give me a million dollars today for me NOT to eat any dessert would I eat it?"

Your answer is decision!

My Fitness Journey

Good morning all,

So it was my birthday on Friday (thank you for all the lovely birthday wishes), so I did a bit of reflecting. I decided to root up some old photo's of myself (that in itself was a good laugh) and I compared a few things. We're always getting amazing testimonials from clients in the gym about their fitness journey, so today for the first time EVER, I'm going to share mine...

"As a child, I hated sports, I was no good at them and I had no interest in becoming good at them. As a teenager, the only sport I was interested in was chasing boys and drinking like a fish. So how am I a fitness fanatic now?

The truth is, as a teenage girl, of course I was self conscious, like every teenage girl is...? I joined gyms a couple of times, but never stuck at them. I felt awkward going into a commercial gym, a spare lemon walking around having no clue what to do, I was shy. So I decided I'd start running... Yes, running, I could do that...?

The truth is though, I THOUGHT I was being good! Honestly, I thought I was (special k for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, pasta for dinner... that not healthy no?). Anyway, long story short, I got injured. Two discs in my lower back wedged together, this shot pain around my front into my hips and down into my knees (great crack).

I went through a bit tough time in my life then, as both my grandparents died (I was VERY close to them) within 9 weeks of each other (this and teenage hormones #cookoo). So, nervous as I was, I joined the local women's gym. This was the best thing I ever did. I lost a couple of inches and was delighted, also the endorphins from training started to clear my head. I was taken under one of the trainers wings in this gym and she asked me would I be interested in doing the course and become a fitness instructor - this NEVER, EVER, EVER had crossed my mind before. I went home did my research, and bam - bye bye retail management course in DIT, hello fitness world. I had all these idea's and I was excited.

I knew that if I wanted to be a coach, I would need to get my own ass in gear, so I hired a personal trainer for 6-months, I spent €180 a week doing three sessions. I spent literally every single penny I earned on this. I gave up alcohol and furthered my education by doing a nutrition course (and anyone in this industry know's that you also have to read a serious amount of books if you want to stand out from the crowd in this field... so did that too) therefore I started to eat right. I still wasn't very strict on food, but better then before. All of this got me down to 14% body fat.

My own fitness career started to take off and this September, I'll be going into my  6th year being a Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor, Fitness Coach and Nutrition Consultant. My interest in health and well being lead me to a fantastic company: Forever Living Products where I now coach other like minded people on how to build their own health and well being business from home (not fitness professionals, just people who are interested in wealth and health). My body fat and weight has been a constant battle since I was 16 years old. I'm not claiming that I was morbidly obese or anything, I wasn't. However, my diet was brutal and I had a lot of fat on me.

Today, I am the leanest I have ever been and going forward, my goal is to stay at this body fat percentage - I'm quite happy here :) I met Ciaran (in the gym...) and healthy living is SO much easier when someone is doing it with you. We live clean: sugar, dairy, yeast, alcohol (unless a very special occasion) and it suits us! My favourite thing about training, is that it doesn't require skill. It's not like a sport, you don't need any skill, you just need determination and commitment.

I firmly believe that everything in life happens for a reason. As distraught as I was when Granny and Tom died, it lead me into this training world - sunshine always follows the rain. Over the past few years, my weight, inches and body fat has gone up and down, up and down. Always trying my best to train, but other factors come into play too: stress levels, sleep, deficiencies. It's not black and white, weight and fat management is a whole big sea of grey!

You know when you see those pictures on facebook of "a year from now, you'll wish had started today...", I actually said to myself yesterday, thank God I started that day, and I'm extremely grateful to all the people who helped me along my journey. These days, I weight train 3-5 times per week, I do Hot Yoga/Pilates 3 times per week and I run on the Alter-G once a week (I go through phases, sometimes more, sometimes less). I also eat as strictly as I can, take supplements and drink approx. 2-4 litres of water every day. I get minimum 8 hours sleep and I handle my stress levels with Pilates/Yoga, Meditation and Reiki."

Well, that's me. If you want to start your fitness journey. Make the decision now and stick to it.

If you want some support PLEASE email me on facebook (www.facebook.com/ericabrennan.pt). You don't need to be the spare lemon!!

I wish you guys the best of luck whether your continuing or just starting your fitness journey :)

Much love,
Erica

Losing weight PITFALLS

Good morning, good morning :)

OK, so this morning, I want you guys to be aware of one of the major pitfalls that people who are trying to lose weight encounter. One big one is that; they listen to those who know nothing about losing weight and don't listen to those who do know how to lose weight. 

I know that sounds silly... but it's actually true. If you are on a fat loss mission - like most things in life, people do like to voice their opinions on the subject to you, and that's ok some of the time however sometimes you need to ignore the negative Nigels (that's what I call the negative people that I come across).It's amazing, people go to health experts all the time. They tell them how and what to do and yet they choose to eat a pack of biscuits with their pal at 4pm on a Tuesday.

If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle and perhaps you're on your fitness mission, then you do need to educate yourself on what you should be doing - food, stress, training, supplement etc. wise. You can do that by going to a good personal trainer or nutrionist, by researching online and by taking advice off people who live and breath a healthy lifestyle.

If your family cooks unhealthy dinners - then make your own! If your friends like getting fizzy drinks and croissants, then be a strong person, stand your ground and order water. If you want to reach your fitness goal then you need to man up and sacrifice the popcorn. Have food in your house and be prepared. If you cook unhealthy food for your family (you should re-think this), then eat your healthy dinner before theirs, so you're not hungry and you won't finish theirs!

The most important thing you need to do, is decide what you want? What do you want? What are your health goals? Is it to gain weight? To increase fitness? To lose weight? To shed body fat? To become healthier?  To get stronger? The one thing that is VERY important is that you need to know what you want. You need a clear vision of what you want and why you're being good.

If you set your goal - clearly. Write it down and visualise it daily then you need to reach into your inner strength and stay strong! The matter of the fact is losing/gaining weight is hard. Yes. They are. It will challenge you, it will make you sometimes want to quit and you will fall off the wagon. The problem isn't falling off the wagon though, the problem is STAYING off the wagon. You need to GET THE HELL BACK UP! Like anything in life, you must persist. You need to be eating well and training consistently. Not for a day or a week for like weeks and weeks! Persistence is key!

Choose who you're going to take advice from, and teach yourself what to do to get in the shape you want to be! Heck, email me and I'll try and help as much as I can.

Erica xx

Beach Bod - swim wear - choose carefully

So we were chatting yesterday in The Gym about summer holidays and what not. So the big thing is, what swim wear is on the cards for you?

Swim suits? 
Want to cover up your midriff? Then swim suits are for you!
Here are a couple of nice ones on the market (click on the image to bring you to the website):

Bikinis 

One of my pet hates is tight bikini bottoms, don't do it!! They don't do ANYONE any favours! So we've bandeau ones (these are my favourite because I've no boobs). I also like these because I hate getting strap marks...... 

Or the bra type ones :) These are very flattering... 

Don't forget there are so many bottoms to choose from and it all depends on how good your bum looks in them!!

Low Rise: 

Pants:

Hipster:

High waisted:

My favourite one altogether AND it's from a great online store: Custom Vintage Dublin

Hope this fun, happy visualising your holiday :) Hopefully Ireland will be sunny and we can actually wear them here :)

Erica xx

Hot Yoga?

Good morning :)

Right, so over the last number of years, I have developed a love for Hot Yoga. I have always loved Yoga and Pilates (which is what I first trained in, when I entered the fitness world), but doing them in heat is even better!

One of my goals (I write them down, it's always a good idea to put your goals on paper) was to actually own a hot yoga studio and this week, it opened! So they have started in our gym "The Gym Howth". www.facebook.com/hotyogahowth 

Why Hot Classes?

Well, firstly because they are just plain AMAZING!! They are amazing for your mind, your body and of course for fat loss! One of the main reasons I was attracted to hot classes in the first place was... because it was something different! It doesn't interfere with strength training, actually it'll enhance your weight training because hot classes are fantastic for increasing flexibility and mobility. Flexibility and suppleness helps ALL types of fitness and sport training.

If you love the heat, then you'll love hot yoga. It is challenging - but who doesn't love a challenge! These classes are hard, but you feel such a sense of accomplishment when it's over and as the weeks go on, you'll be impressed with how much you've improved.

Ps. Jen loves Yoga...We love Jen...

I mentioned fat loss... yes, it is superb for burning fat and losing weight. Why? Because your body temperature rises, increasing your metabolism which in turn helps you burn more fat. And eh, not to mention, you sweat like crazy (but everyone else in the room does too, so it's nothing to be ashamed of).



What is the difference between our studio and other one's?

The heaters. When I started researching hot studios I discovered something very important. The heaters. A lot (not all) of hot yoga/pilates studios in Ireland have blow heaters. The problem with blow heaters is that, it leaves the room patchy. This means that you could be somewhere in the room and you could be cooking with the heat and you could be somewhere else and you would be lukewarm.

We invested in inferred heaters (from Denmark). These are panels that are on the ceiling. They heat up and project the heat onto the floor which means that everywhere in the room is a certain temperature. No patchy-ness.

What I noticed was, that you are roasting, but you are just hot, you can't feel where the heat is coming from in comparasin to blow heaters where you can actually feel the hot air coming towards you!


Other things to know about Hot Yoga
Bring water. This is key. You need to stay hydrated. Also bring a big towel that you can lie out on your mat and bring a sweat towel (no explanation needed for this). You get all the mental and physical benefits from regular Yoga in Hot Yoga. So prepare for 60minutes of pure calmness.

www.facebook.com/hotyogahowth 


Namaste 

69 Day Challenge

Hi Girls,

Today, I wanted to share with you four things:
1. Forever Fit Program
2. Nobo
3. Clean Chicken Pizza
4. Skinnymini Club


1. Forever Fit Program
So, I wanted to share with you, what i'm doing at the moment! I always try and eat healthy, I rarely drink any alcohol (maybe 5-6 times a year), I take high quality supplements (foreverliving - they are the rolls royce of supplements) and I train. However, I still wanted to try this 69 day program, just so I could update all of you on how it works :)

So, here's a little video I have made on it:

Forever Fit Program

I am finished the C9 and am now on the Fit 1. I'll be posting up more info on that soon :) I am delighted with my results so far + I will give you a break down of them during the week (I'm still a bit busy, moving gym is a busy time...) For more on this, check www.facebook.com/foreverfitprogram

2. NOBO:

Girls, you HAVE to try this, it is delicious!!!

It's made with:
- Coconut Milk
- Honey
- Avocado
- Cocoa Powder
- Water
- Toasted Almonds
- Irish Sea Salt
(and of COURSE i'm going to attempt to make it...)

3. Clean Chicken Pizza

I'm going to post this up later - brace yourself! You can now have pizza and not feel guilty :)

4. Skinnymini Club
Basically, I have set up a private group on facebook, where people post up recipies and general fitness and health ideas and plans. It's fantastic for motivation and listening to like minded people. If you would like to hop into it, please add me on facebook + I'll add you to the group. Please feel free to invite any of your pals into it :) The more the merrier! www.facebook.com/ericabrennan.pt

I'll be back later with the Pizza :) :)

2-5% Body Fat... Byeeeee

If you've been following my blogs for the past 4 weeks and sticking to each weeks tip... You're probably down about 2-5% bodyfat by now, so well done :) If you haven't... Read todays and click through tip one to four (I promise they're not long).... 

So last Beach Body Tip for summer 2015!

Focus on Food Quality & Up Your Protein

There is no special or secret formula to having a good body composition: A high-quality, high-protein intake, a lot of vegetables, beneficial/good fats, and other nutrient dense REAL foods.

Why is this way of eating so effective for reducing body fat?

First, whole foods require more energy for the body to digest and utilize than processed foods... hence why processed foods are a no go! They are also more filling and haven’t been scientifically engineered to stimulate food intake, so you eat fewer calories without even trying.

Second, eating a high-protein diet and lower-glycemic carbs leads people to eat fewer calories, and it maintains lean muscle mass for a higher metabolic rate. Proteins make you feel fuller faster... You wouldn't sit down and have four steaks in one sitting, but you could easily have four slices of cake... This makes a huge difference when you are trying to lose bodyfat!

If you make the mistake of cutting your calories without upping protein, you will lose muscle along with the fat, so the amount of calories your body burns at rest plummets. This will cause you to gain the fat back very rapidly once your diet is over and you increase your calories. This is why yoyo starvation diets DO NOT WORK!

How To Do It: 

Eat high-quality protein and fat at every meal, focusing on getting 10 grams of essential aminos acids. This is most easily done by eating meat, fish, or eggs because animal products are more amino acid dense than plant proteins.

De-emphasize carbohydrates, getting the vast majority of carbs from veggies and fruit.  If you go very low in carbs (below 50 grams a day, for example) consider cycling whole food carbs, such as starchy veggies (potatoes, sweet potatoes) or boiled grains every 5-7 days. NOTE: THIS IS NOT RECOMMENDED LONG TERM! This will only work in short term, and I am in no way telling you to go this low carb all year round, but in short term goals, it works. I would recommend majority of your carbs post workout, when you are more insulin sensitive!

So that's it!!

Erica xx

Get you summer body ready to rock #2

So following on from last week's blog, step two for what to do to get your summer body in shape!

#2: Reduce Stress with Diet—Focus On Recovery

If you are a stress head you will generate high levels of stress, which can quickly deplete hormones that aid in fat loss and support tissue repair after hard training. You must teach yourself to manage your daily mental stress.

You also need strategies for quickly removing the stress that comes from exercise so the body can recover and adapt by losing fat and building muscle.

How To Do It: To manage mental stress, try deep breathing, visualisation, or meditation. Pilates and Yoga are a great from of de-stressing training. To speed recovery from training, eat antioxidant-rich foods like berries and green vegetables. 

Try and chill out after you train, or if you got a nap in after you exercise that would be the ultimate best!

Don’t wreck your hard work in the gym by bingeing on high-sugar processed foods to “comfort” yourself when you feel stressed. Instead, turn to proven mood-boosters like super dark chocolate, coffee (be cautious with the caffeine), or an omega-3-packed meal like salmon.

Erica xXx
ps. Another blog coming tomorrow on healthy tips :)

Weights VRS Cardio

Good morning all :)

Rightio, so today I want to explain the reason why women are now into weight training more so than cardio. Now, I am NOT saying that girls who weight train don't do some cardio also, but in a general sense.

So the easiest way to explain the difference is:

Cardio:
When you leave your house and go for a walk/run... you are burning calories while you're jogging along :) However, the second that you return home and your body cools down, it stops. You stop burning calories.

Cardio = calories burned while exercising

Now, cardio has LOADS of health benefits and I'm not saying that it doesn't, but I would suggest you combine cardio and weight training together to get that toned, lean look.

Weight Training:
When you start exercising using resistance training, you are putting your body and muscles under stress (which is what we need to do to burn fat) :). However, when you get home, you're STILL burning fat.... and this can go on for 48 hours - yipee! Weight training also produces Growth Hormone (which is VITAL, because Growth Hormone (GH) is the FAT BURNING hormone!) GH will not make girls get big, it helps us burn fat!!

Weights = fat burned while exercising and post exercising + produces the fat burning hormone in our bodies

So logic would tell you that weight training has a longer post workout fat burn effect that cardio. However, all that being said... ANY exercise is better than none! So find what works for you and make sure that you're always challenging yourself. Don't let your workouts get stale, keep mixing it up, combine it with clean eating and you will be ready this summer!!

That is all....

Have  a lovely Sunday girls :)

Erica xx

Granola Bars... and crumbs

Looking for something quick and handy to keep in the press and have with a cup of tea?

Here is my recipe for healthy granola bars :) Here are all the ingredients that you'll need!

Now, I know that all these ingredients make it look like it's a lot of effort, but it's really not. If you go out and buy all these seeds then they'll keep for whenever you need them (and they're not that pricey)

These are the one's that I buy in Aldi:

Use the protein shake scooper...

One scoop for these four:

Two scoops for these three:

Three scoops of these two:

So put all of the ingredients in a bowl and then add the wet ingredients!
- Almond butter (1 tbsp)
- Almond milk (40ml)
- Coconut Oil (2 tbsp)

Blend them all together, put in a tin and in the oven (gas 6) for 40 minutes :)

They are delicious and you can enjoy them with a cup of herbal tea .... healthy and filling and full of fibre to help your digestive system work properly!