Total Training

22/09/2021

Like most things in life, fitness comes in many different sizes and shapes. Don’t feel you need to be a certain size or shape to be classed as fit. Fitness is so much more than that!

It’s about how you feel, your strength, your energy levels, your health both physical and mental and more.

Happy National Fitness Day everyone!

20/03/2021

Today is officially the first day of spring, also called the spring equinox. On this day we are midway between the longest and shortest days when night and day are roughly the same length. This means from now on there’ll be more light than there is dark (hopefully in every sense!).

This is often a real turning point for many things: the weather, motivation levels, outdoor activities, day trips and much more. This year that could not be truer. With normality in touching distance, the thought of socialising with friends and family isn’t a farfetched fantasy but an actual thing that will be happening very soon.

So, I’m embracing the positivity in the air and looking forward to all the provisional plans I’m making - I haven’t yet dared to actually book anything as don’t want to jinx it!

23/09/2020

Happy National Fitness Day! What with the type of year 2020 has ended up being fitness is more important than ever.

I hope in these strange times you’ve managed to keep active and healthy. I know sometimes there isn’t the time or space and then often when there are those things you don’t have the energy or motivation. But remember being active can come in many different forms and even a little bit of movement can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health.

26/06/2020

The fact that pubs will be opening up across the UK over the next couple of weeks yet there’s no date for indoor gyms, seems like another misjudged and poor decision.

I’m not anti pubs in any possible way and I know there are many social and economic benefits in reopening them. I also understand that there are obstacles with opening indoor gyms eg people switch between shared machines and equipment, the damp shared changing facilities etc. But there are ways around these issues - booking systems for what equipment you’ll use, don’t open the changing facilities etc.

So in the midst of a global pandemic that has no doubt had and will continue to have a negative impact on many people’s mental health and that has also highlighted obesity as a risk factor for the disease I would have thought/hoped mental and physical health would have been even more of a priority. Exercise and physical activity have such strong benefits for health it is surely worth ensuring that indoor gyms and studios can reopen sooner rather than later.

I find it not only sad but unfortunately not unexpected that the government has put alcohol (or the taxes they receive from it) before the health of the nation.

10/04/2020

As we go into the Easter weekend, it will be like no other Easter we’ve had before, but I hope you can enjoy it in whatever way possible. I know it’ll be tough for many not being with family and friends, especially those who live on their own.

It is a really strange and scary time. I’m sure like me, you switch between being pretty up beat and feeling sad. Some days you’re productive, others you feel like staying in your pyjamas and doing nothing.

My advice this weekend - if you’re lucky enough to have the bank holiday weekend off then don’t put any pressure on yourself to do ‘sorting’ or ‘jobs’. When do you ever have four clear days with nothing in the diary?! So make the most of it in whatever way you want (of course from the safety of your home) that will put a smile on your face.

Happy Easter everyone 🐣

19/03/2020

It’s incredibly important to keep active for both physical and mental wellbeing at times like this. Your normal activities might not be an option now but there’s still plenty you can do. Walking is a great option as you can get fresh air and a break from your surroundings as well as soaking up that important vitamin d from the sun. Just keep that safe distance (2m) from others.

Home workouts are also an option, you’ll be able to find loads online or please do get in touch and I’m happy to help - you don’t need any equipment to be able to do this. But don’t forget things like dancing around your house, playing games with your children, gardening and cleaning will all keep you active.

Don’t force yourself to move if you feel unwell but if you feel fine remember a little movement can help in many ways: improving sleep, reducing stress, reducing aches and pains, releasing happy hormones and also providing some much needed routine in the uncertainty and difficult times that we are currently facing.

How do we keep fit while heeding the government's new advice on avoiding unnecessary social contact?

01/01/2020

Happy New Year Everyone!

January should and can be a really positive month. It’s the start of a new year full of opportunities and adventures. Try not to spend the month being “good” to make up for a “bad” couple of weeks in December. What is done is done, and it was hopefully lots of fun!

The start of the year is an ideal time to re-focus and set goals, not too compensate for past behaviour.

I hope 2020 gets off to a great start for you all 😃

25/11/2019

It's official, I'm now on maternity leave! Have a read of my latest blog post on how I'm feeling about finishing up.

Don't worry I'll be back in 2020!

Entering the Unknown By Megan Smiley, Nov 25 2019 04:17PM There are many pros and cons of being self employed. Being my own boss, therefore I can do what I believe is right and I don't have to get approval from the powers that be is a big draw. Also the flexibility, in theory, that it provides. I sa...

22/11/2019

I find this really sad. Kids should and need to be active. We have to make sure we provide the facilities and opportunities so they can be.

Three things listed as contributing factors to the inactivity levels are: the focus on academic performance, technology and lack of safe environments. So think about how much/if you prioritise these things over your kids being physically active and if there's anything you can do to help them get moving more.

Report shows 81% don't exercise enough with effects on health, brain development and social skills.

20/10/2019

Today is World Osteoporosis Day. Yes I know everyday is a day for something but I think this is an important one especially for women.

Osteoporosis is a health condition where your bone density decreases, in other words your bones become weaker. Bone density will decrease with age naturally and that’s why keeping active as you get older is really important as it helps counteract this. But osteoporosis is when you lose bone density faster than at a ‘normal’ rate.

It effects 3 million people in the UK and you may not know about it as it’s not painful but it increases your chance of breaking bones as they are much more fragile.

Women are more likely to develop it, especially after the menopause. Other causes are lack of exercise, low BMI and eating patterns/disorders. There are more causes but I’m listing these ones as I believe these are the ones we can most easily control with lifestyle choices.

Prevention includes exercising - both cardio and strength work, maintaining a healthy weight (BMI 18.5-25) and eating a balanced diet ensuring you get enough calcium and vitamin D.

What with the decrease in popularity in dairy and the increase in veganism and alternative milks (eg oat, soya, almond milk which are sometimes fortified with calcium and other nutrients but not always), people often young females are not consuming enough calcium to maintain bone health.

Therefore, don’t cut out diary without good reason as it is one of the most accessible forms of calcium. You want to have approx. 700mg per day. Plus get outside to soak up plenty of vitamin D from the sun as this help your bones absorb calcium. Or if that’s not possible (eg in the west of Scotland in winter) take vitamin D tablets.

Look after your bones people!

15/10/2019

Find out why I love my job in this feature in the Sport & Physical Activity Industry Magazine - S&PA Professional

25/09/2019

Today is National Fitness Day, a day to celebrate and encourage fitness of all levels.

It’s human nature to compare yourself to your neighbour (or Instagram feed) or/and want to be better than you were before, but that can be an unhealthy and unhelpful approach that may not be achievable or realistic.

So let’s all be a bit kinder to ourselves and think about what works for us at the current time.

Nothing is too little or too insignificant. Do what’s right for you and adapt it as needed for your body and your circumstances.

Currently I'm having to adapt a fair bit what with this bump in the way! 😆