12 & 15 Week Plans

Many people embark on a 12 or 15 week plan with the purpose of reducing weight and body fat.

At Nemesis we get a high volume of client enquiries about our plans, and a lot of people are under the misconception that they can achieve their dream body within 12 weeks.  We get all our clients to to tell us what their short, medium and long term goals are and this is split over 12 months.  Short being the 12/15 week plan they will embark on, medium up to 6 months and long term taking them to 12 months.

In reality it took me 2 years to get to a point where I was genuinely happy with my body.  After this 2 year period I started to sculpt my physique to what it is today.  Am I happy with my current condition? Yes I am, but I know I can still improve!  - there is always room for improvement.

Twelve week plans should always be looked upon as a short term goal / building the foundation for your long term goal.  An example of this would be one of our clients who wanted to loose 20lbs over 20 weeks - a sensible goal.  After this she will be continuing her plan with us to sculpt a toned physique taking her up to the 12 months.  This is a client who will succeed because her goals are realistic and achievable! she is also not putting herself under any pressure to get the goals fast.

On another note we see clients who complete a 12 week plan and then go onto manage their own diet.   Which is great! it means that we gave you all the education and knowledge to manage your own diet which is exactly what we want to do at Nemesis.  However for some they still can't manage their diet effectively on their own, and this isn't anything to be upset about.  I had a coach for 18 months before I was able to manage my diet myself.

It is upsetting to see a client who has done so well after a 12 week plan, give up structure completely that then leads to weight / fat increase and they have undone all the hard work that they put in during the 12 weeks.

Structure and consistency is the key to fantastic results, if you remove it progress will slow.  Even if you do become flexible in your diet and training, providing their is structure you are not going to loose what you achieve.  Look at the week ahead and your weekly calories, factor in 10% of those calories as a 'treat'.  This doesn't mean treat every day, but perhaps a reward 'treat' meal on a Saturday? Hit your training - and hard, give it your all, don't miss sessions.

The Sugar Demons

Although the majority of my clients are female, what I have noticed this past 6 months is that all my female clients speak about sugar cravings and they are constantly looking at ways round to defeat their sweet tooth.  With my male clients sugar never comes into play, the only comments made on a regular basis is 'when will my 6 pack become visible!'.

Prior to my lifestyle change, I would find myself demolishing a pack of 4 chocolate muffins from the CO-OP and not stopping until that whole box was demolished.  The reasoning behind this is related to neuroscience.  Your brains main source of energy is glucose (form of sugar) and the networks in your brain responsible for pleasure and reward are sensitive to sugar.

Pleasure or a reward motivates by either a food product, alcohol or tobacco for example is an addiction caused by neuroscience, which also causes addiction.  These feelings then lead to behaviours such as looking for that particular food source.

Sugar Facts

• Sugar is a short carbohydrate (monosaccharides).  
• Glucose and Fructose are monosaccharides.  
• Sucrose (table sugar) is a combination of 1 glucose molecule and 1 fructose molecule. 
• Glycogen is a long carbohydrate chain made up of 30,000 units of glucose.

Long Carbohydrates are unrefined, the body cannot burn them straight away and hast to break them into smaller components.  This is why your brain would rather use continuous glucose delivered via the blood vessels than have large quantities of glycogen stored (there is also not enough room in the brain to store glycogen).  This explains why the brain has adapted to associate sugar as a reward making us crave apples, brownies, sweets, biscuits etc.

As I state to all my clients, when you crave something bad, think logically.  Have you not ate properly throughout the day e.g. good quality carb sources that has led to a spike in your insulin levels thus craving sweet food.  Is it all in your head?  Do you really need it or is your brain telling you would need it?  Nine times out of 10 when I get a sugar craving its all in my head and normally because I am bored and sitting around not doing anything instead of keeping busy.

Nemesis Summer Weight Loss Plan

We are launching a Summer Weight Loss Plan for a one off fee of £75.00.

The cost of the plan includes

- Consultation

- Personalised starting Macro's

- Access to our private Clients FB Forum

- Training Programme choose between Home or Gym based programme

- Nutritional Education

- Tracking Spreadsheet

- 2 Day Set Meal Plan Example

The purpose of the plan is to allow you to loose weight whilst maintaining a healthy balanced diet (and not feeling hungry or that you are even on a diet!), our pack gives you an insight into good nutrition fundamentals and food choices.  You will make your own macro adjustments each week dependant on the result on the scales following our reference table.  

Your plan gives you the tools and information to succeed; YOU however are responsible for the outcome of your own success!

www.NemesisPT.co.uk

Terms & Conditions:  This is not a calorie controlled diet.  Once you receive your plan, we recommend you read the plan carefully and send an email with all your questions - your plan only includes one return email for questions.  Any further questions can be posted on our private Clients FB Forum.  

End of Week 33 - Progress Update

11 Weeks Out, to say I am nervous if I will cut in on time is a complete understatement.  I am worried now that I was perhaps naive not giving myself enough time.  I based my cut on last years 20 week cut where I was sitting at a much higher body fat % than I currently am now.

I am finding it a lot easier than I thought I would to manage my own diet and be strict with it.  Although living abroad has made prepping a lot easier in the sense that I don't know anyone over here so the 'social' temptation has been removed, however..... every 2nd shop here is a patisserie coffee shop or bloody ice cream parlour is putting me under a lot of stress and testing my will power to the max.

I haven't taken measurements or progress photo's each week like I did last year, mainly because I have one mirror here and the lighting isn't that great so whats the point, and I don't have a set of scales.  All I have is my tape measure!  In away its been great because I have taken away the stress factor of stat watching.  Today I took my measurements for the first time in 3 weeks and I was really shocked by the results.

My back/chest measurements have remained the same, my hips and waist have gone down by 3cm.  My biceps and quads remain the same and my calves have grown by 1/2cm (I blame the return of high heels now I am back working!).  Overall I am really happy with the progress I am making.  As mentioned on my last update my top 2 abs are out almost throughout the day now, and this morning I seen the shape of 4.

I have been sticking to the same macro's for the past 3 weeks now and increasing my cardio to create the deficit,  until I see some plateau I don't see the point in changing what isn't broken and is working for me.

Frozen Sundae

This recipe could be even cleaner dependant on the choice of Frozen Yoghurt!  However I love the "Snog" brand.

100g Snog Original Frozen Yoghurt

1/4 Pot of Alpro Silky Smooth Chocolate Desert

50g Strawberries

12g Chocolate Chips

Service in a Sundae Glass

Macros

320 Calories

12g Fat

6g Protein

45g of Carbs

Perfect post leg day desert with your post workout meal (low carbs high protein)

Week 33 - Progress Update

After debating over the past 8 weeks if I would compete this year or not I have decided to step on stage in July.  There is afew comps in July that I have had a look into (UK & Abroad).

I am happy with my off season progress.  I remained lean throughout never going above 14.5% body fat.  I managed to get up to 400g of Carbs per day without spilling over too much and only gained 2cm on my waist over a 7 month period.  My weight rose from 130lbs to 145lbs at the highest.  I also had 4 weeks of no training (operation) and 6 weeks of slowly easing back in.

My cut has been very slow this year, I wanted to glide into comp this year without putting myself under pressure like I did last year.  I have already had a stressful year with loosing my job, and then finding a new job but relocating to Vienna along with starting a new job role.

Officially I am 12 weeks out, and as of tomorrow everything is dialled in.  Alcohol out the window, and treats will always be super clean alternatives.

This week I have been back in Aberdeen and hitting the gym twice a day, its been great being around supportive people and because I haven't been around much people have noticed a difference in me and have been very complimentary which has really helped in boosting my confidence with how I am looking.  I must admit off season I did find hard when I was feeling down about the mirror reflection.

Twelve weeks gives me plenty of time to make more improvements to my physique, although I am happy with my leg progress, I am still concerned about my shoulders and its an area I am concentrating on.  I never usually train chest much either, but will now be incorporating this twice a week which in turn should assist bringing my shoulders on.

Sweet Potato Stovies

I love stovies!!!! Recently I noticed friends of mine using some healthier alternatives to stovies however the macros were questionable.

I love a good recipe and tasty meal for pre and post workout so the macros have to be spot on for this!

I decided to tweak the recipe quantities and ingredients to get the macros to fit a good pre workout ratio.  I always try to aim to have between 40-50g carbs pre workout and "complex" around 90-120min pre workout, I reduce my fats and up my protein in this meal.

Here is my Sweet Potato Stovies Recipe!

900g of Sweet Potato Chopped and Mashed

2 tbsp of Tomato Purée

750g of Lean Beef Mince (less than 5%)

100g Chopped Red Onion

2tbsp Rosemary

1 teaspoon Miced Herbs

1 Whole Egg

2 tbsp Wooster Sauce

1.  Fry Chopped onion in low calorie olive oil cooking spray

2. Boil the sweet potato and mash

3. Brown the mince and add all remaining ingredients

4. Mix the sweet Potato and Mince mixture together

5. Split into 5 portions

Macros:

Protein: 42.9, Carbs 39.8g & Fat 7.3g

398kcals

Almond Protein Pancakes

100g Almond Flour

2 Eggs

40g Vanilla Whey

1 tbsp Almond Oil

300ml Almond Milk

1. whisk

2. Cool very slowly

I made 4 medium pancakes and the macros are based on this

Week 32 - Progress Update

I made the decision not to take any scales with me to Austria.  I am always preaching to my clients not to pay any attention to the scales because it takes into account so many factors!  Hormones, food you ate the day before, water, stress etc.  If your waist is coming in you are getting leaner, the mirror will reflect this and people will notice.  Nobody knows what you weigh other than yourself.

We have all seen the poster ad of the women who all weigh the same but have completely different body shapes!

The only time I weigh myself is when I am back in the UK.  Over the past 6 weeks my weight has fluctuated by 0.3lbs.  However my waist and hips have decreased, but my biceps, triceps, back/chest, calves and quads have remained the same size (perfect just what I want).  My abs are coming through and people are now commenting how much leaner I am looking which means I am on the right track!

This year I am cutting very slowly, I have removed all stressful situations  (last year I did 4 different courses at uni / college) at the same time I was competing and my head was complete mush!  I took on far too much last year.  Hopefully by cutting a lot slower and having managed to keep my body fat under 15% on my off season along with getting my carbs up to 400g a day with minimal changes on my waist measurement this years prep shouldn't be as tough as I found it last year.

I have decided to compete this year based on how I am responding, and hoping to hit some of the comps in July based on my location I am unsure if it will be in the UK or not, but I do have afew comps in mind.

Inspirational People & Setting Goals

This week I purchased Michelle Mone's autobiography 'My Fight to the Top' after my friend Laura telling me she managed to read it within 2 hours.  Funnily enough 2 hours later I had also finished it!  An amazing book by an amazing woman.

I always like reading books that make you feel empowered and inspired, and Michelle ticks all the boxes.  I could see a lot of Michelle's traits in myself, and I think if any of my close friends read the book they would think the exact same. 

I always make lists and goals for what I want to achieve.  Some people think I am mad and I am doubted quite a lot over it.  Even if one challenge is stressful, I still see it through and once its's completed I am onto the next one.

I am a planner with high expectations.  I always expect a high standard back from others and I often think sometimes my down side is that I expect too much of some people because I like to think that everyone approaches a situation like I do.

When I look back just over the last few years goals that I set myself, its always been around things I feel passionate about.  For example when I opened my salon, with very little business or experience in the beauty field, people thought I was crazy.  I couldn't just stop at renting a beauty room in a Salon I had to go for the bigger picture and open my own salon.  I also knew when to end the business and on a high instead of waiting for things to crumble when I noticed the recession had effected how much money people spent on luxury items.

When I was promoted at work, and asked to develop core processes and a new way of working, I worked well beyond the hours required, unpaid and again like Michelle was of the opinion that if you put in more you got out so much more - and I did (learning experience) but at the same time I still lost my job due to the climate (just like Michelle did when her employer was bought over).

Its true what they say, its hard for a teenager to decide what they want to be when it comes to choosing 'subjects' at school or 'courses' at Uni.  How can you tell what you want to do at 14 or 16/18? you have hardly had any life experience.  I was 30 when I knew I wanted to spend more time with people who wanted to change there lifestyle and help those who were struggling understanding good nutrition and have 'food demons'.  Just like Michelle when she had her 'calling' which was wearing an uncomfortable bra, mines was 5 months after loosing all my weight.

Since my 'calling', I ran 10k for Aberdeen Fertility Clinic to raise money for them to purchase an Incubator to help improve couples who are unable to conceive naturally become parents (something close to my heart).  When someone say's I can't do something, I always prove them wrong.  Afew people doubted I would even run 10k, and this only made me more determined to succeed.

When I mentioned stage, a lot of people laughed in my face.  They new I was a big class cardio bunny and loved my running, and that I also enjoyed the 'flexible dieting approach'.  Again I proved them wrong, stepping up on stage twice.

My new challenge is to run a 1/2 marathon (again met with some questioning but those close to me know that when someone say's I can't do something I always prove them wrong).  Half marathon booked for October and to raise funds for The Lily Foundation this time.

As I mentioned like Michelle I always like to give myself goals to achieve, sometimes they are short or long term goals.  One of my long term goals is to take on a client who is about to embark on Assisted Reproduction and has been classed as 'unexplained' or suffering with 'PCOS' and help provide good nutritional knowledge and exercise to them.  I feel its something that is completely missed and under estimated how much it can improve your chances when embarking on IVF.  If I had known what I do now I would have approached all my 6 cycles of IVF very different to increase my success rate.  I love Zita Wests approaches to IVF and getting the body in the perfect condition mentally and physically prior to treatment and this is something that shouldn't just be an option for those who can afford private IVF but to every single person who is also undergoing NHS cycles.

If you want to achieve something you feel passionate about don't listen to people who tell you that you can't achieve it, anyone can achieve anything they put their mind to and feel passionate about.  If you want something badly enough you will do anything for it.