Getting& Staying in Shape
In last September’s edition of Next Steps I shared with you how I lost 11lbs in 4 weeks. Well six months after embarking on a new health regime, I’m delighted to say I’m feeling more energised and fitter than I have done in a long time. (And I’m being told I’m looking better too!) I have a big birthday coming up in June and my goal is to be in better shape at 40 than I was I at 30. Let me share with you what has worked and continues to work for me. The results speak for themselves – a stone lighter, 4 inches off my waist but most importantly feeling great.
We all know getting in shape is a lifestyle choice, not a once off quick fix or an endless round of fad diets. At the end of July last year, I decided to put a stop to feeling ‘ugh,’ the only word I can use for feeling less than energised, fed up at what I saw as advancing middle-age spread (what an awful phrase) and constantly making excuses for eating less healthily than I should. Enough was enough.
I had moved house back in April ’09 and for a number of weeks I had walked by an Educo gym. It didn’t look great from the outside as it is located over a garage, but a gym 3 minutes walk from my front door, was worth checking out. When I went for a look around the gym I was impressed by its cleanliness and layout, and also the friendliness and professionalism of Eileen and her team who run it.
I signed up there and then. I felt a little nervous because I knew the Educo system, whilst promising great results, was not your standard gym. Six months later I can say that joining was one of my best decision I had made in a long time. After years of various different types of exercise (other gyms, pilates, running) I had now found something that worked for me and although it is not easy, I look forward to going to the gym (never thought I would say that!)
The Philosophy
The formula for losing weight and getting fitter is simple - you burn more calories than you consume.
The Educo gym’s philosophy is that muscle burns calories, fat doesn’t, so the work you do in the gym is all based on building muscle. Building muscle means getting toned and defined, not to the point of looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. What I love about this concept is that if I go to the gym in the morning my body continues to burn calories throughout the day. Equally terrific is the fact that each gym session is only 20 minutes in duration. The sessions may be short but you certainly build up a sweat, it is a cardio workout at the same time.
The other key element is diet. I have to say that in the first week this was the tough bit for me. I wasn’t starving myself by any means, in fact I was probably eating more, I simply wasn’t eating any carbohydrates. So no bread, pasta, rice, potatoes. Virtually no sugars as well, so that excluded fruit, as fruit is full of sugar, albeit natural ones.
A typical day’s diet was eggs and bacon for breakfast (no toast.) Lunch would be a big green salad with nuts, fish, cucumber, etc. Dinner would be some form of protein, with green vegetables and/ or more salad. I also took some energy and nutrient supplements and a protein shake. After five or six days the new diet became routine and the cravings for sweet things ceased. As they told me at the gym my body was moving from burning sugars to burning fat. I reframed the stomach rumbles to mean my body was now eating the fat off my waist!
After two weeks I had my weight and measurements taken again. It was fantastic to know I was making progress. In fact after a week I could see the difference myself in the mirror and the belt buckle had to be tightened. After two weeks I had lost 8 lbs of fat and 2.5 inches off my waist. I was making progress and that just spurred me on.
The diet becomes a little more relaxed after two weeks, but what I found was I was no longer craving some of the sweeter things any more. I looked forward to a healthy salad for lunch. It was almost like my body knew what was good for it.
Why it worked for me
There are a few key factors that allowed me to achieve the results I have achieved. These are the same reasons why I will continue to attend the gym.
• The Educo Gym is small
It is not like most other gyms which can be intimidating to walk into. There is a friendly almost family-like atmosphere and you are made to feel very welcome.
• By appointment only
This is one of the key benefits for me. At the beginning of the week I get the gym appointments into my diary. If you are like me, you will keep appointments. There were certainly many days when I would not have gone to the gym only for the fact I had an appointment in the diary and I would have to ring up to cancel.
• The gym sessions are short, just 20 minutes.
In terms of a time investment, we can all find twenty minutes out of our day for our own health and fitness.
• It is 1-2-1 Personal Coaching.
Eileen or one of her team take you through your programme. I don’t even hold my gym workout card. One of the coaches takes me from exercise to exercise and even sets the weight and resistance levels for me. What’s particularly great is that they provide just the right amount of encouragement and tough love.
• It becomes a habit
I try to get to the gym 5 days a week. This is doable when it is just 20 minutes a day. I’ve now got into the habit of going early in the morning. I feel great afterwards, I’m set up for the day ahead and I’m burning calories for the next twelve hours.
One month after I joined I had another assessment. 4 inches off my waist, 11lbs of fat gone, 5 lbs of muscle added. I was amazed.
Joining the Educo gym has been one of my best decisions this year. I’ve been a member of a number of gyms for almost ten years, but this is the first time I’ve really seen tangible results. The fact that I’ve changed my body shape and upped my energy levels in such a short period of time has exceeded all my expectations.
I joined initially for three months and the cost was €750. The energy and nutritional supplements are extra. It may be more expensive than other gyms, but then Educo gyms are not like other gyms.
If you want to find out more about Educo gyms visit www.educogym.com
Educo gyms have several locations both around Dublin, nationwide and internationally. I attend the gym in Glasnevin and they can be contact at 01 8041917 or via email at glasnevin@educogym.com
Want to use this article on your own website or e-zine Find out how »