David Birtwistle

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David Birtwistle

Helping you live a long, healthy and happy life

All the tips and advice you'll need to change your body into the one you've always wanted but never known how to get

08/07/2023

Today I ran 50 km.

Now I could do what most fitness influencers would do in this situation and just post my time, a smiling photo and paint a picture that it was easy, but it wasn’t.

This was the furthest I have ever run in my life and it was a real challenge.

My experience was that it was a constant balance of trying to run as fast as possible, while consuming enough food, water, and electrolytes to ensure that my body would keep going.

At the start that was easy, but as the kilometres came and went it became increasingly challenging.

From around 35k the muscles in my legs started to cramp, and I had to tread a very thin line to prevent them from going into full spasm which would prevent me from keeping going.

The terrain wasn’t particularly tough, but it takes a lot more energy to run up and down hills on gravel, rock and grass than it does to run on a flat road, so it takes a lot longer to complete.

That additional time on your feet is very draining. However, there was always another competitor close by to lift me up when I was down.

I was blown away with the diversity of people completing this event. The Race To The Stones had competitors of all ages, body sizes and sexes and I have a new level of respect to everyone who has ever completed an ultramarathon.

I’m so glad that I pushed myself to my limit and I even shed a tear as i crossed the finishing line after 5 hours and 45 minutes.

If you’re looking for a new running challenge, give this a go, because the support organisation and atmosphere at the Race To The Stones was fantastic.

01/07/2023

🇮🇹 Italy photo dump 1.7.23

Stayed at Rome, &

At all the gelato, pizza, pasta and cheese

Proposed to (she said yes)

Hiked the deadly Monte Cofano peak

Ran 34km

Drank many Aperol & Prosecco

What a trip!

01/01/2023

10 things I learned this year
1. To have lots of money you need to provide lots of value to lots of people
2. Working from a laptop in any country is fun and exciting but to truly accelerate towards your goals, you need a structured working environment and minimal distractions
3. Every time you level up, new opportunities and new challenges arise
4. Work is never done
5. When you’re right, you can also be wrong. They are not mutually exclusive
6. Insecurities manifest as fear. Face your fears and challenge your insecurities
7. Focus 100% on whatever you’re doing at that time. Doing multiple things at the same time will reduce your ability to do one thing effectively
8. There is no substitute for sleep. Do it lots, to a high standard and everything else in life is better
9. Time is the most valuable commodity we have, protect where you spend it
10. Love is amazing, powerful and beautiful but can make you act like a child. Don’t let your ego and feelings get in the way of the right decision

What have you learned this year?

06/12/2022

Apparently the AI thinks I’d look good with an earring 😂

Which is your favourite?

24/11/2022

5 ways I support my mental health

Plan my diary - Being organised is one of the best things to reduce stress. When all your activities and commitments are lined up, you can focus on what’s important in that moment and achieve more in the day.

Get a regular good night sleep - This is the backbone of high achievement and improved mental health. The benefits of regularly sleeping 7-9h of good quality sleep are outstanding.

Exercise daily - Happy hormones flood your system after you exercise. Not only does your body function better physically but you also feel better mentally and exercise encourages good sleep and allows you to achieve everything in life.

Eat a healthy & balanced diet - The link between gut health and mental health is becoming more prevalent, and we are beginning to better understand the complexity of this bond. The gut microbiome produces 95% of all serotonin in the body, most known as the ‘happy neurotransmitter’. So I eat a diet high in vegetables and fibre and low in junk food plus supplement with to support a healthy gut.
Bimuno® is a backed by science, taste-free and high in fibre, food supplement that can be mixed with food and drink to become part of your daily routine. When taken daily it feeds and stimulates the growth of good bacteria in your gut, helping them thrive.

Work towards long term goals - I always want to feel like I’m moving forward and making the most of life. So having long term goals that I’m constantly working towards enables me to keep focus, have drive and reduce stress.

These are tips that have worked for me.

What is the number 1 thing that you do to support your mental health?

06/11/2022

Everyone wants to see your highlights, but the real progress happens through the hours of hard work, graft, determination and sacrifice, sat by yourself, head in your work.

Don’t talk. Take action. Create change.

04/11/2022

The only way is up when you’re by my side

01/11/2022

If you have this mindset, it might be the thing that’s preventing you from enjoying food and having the body you want at the same time.

I just got off a call with a client that is trying to lose weight but kept under eating her food to try and “be good” then ended up over eating later that day.

It happens all the time and you’re not alone, if you do this.

But it will most likely prevent you from finding true balance with food.

It’s much better to look at food as both fuel and enjoyment.

Eating a small brekkie and small lunch to try and “be good” will most likely lead to an overindulge of food later at night.

The results in a higher total intake of food for the day and prevents you achieving results.

Spread your total daily intake of food out evenly across the day and you will feel much better.

You’ll also more likely stick to your recommended food intake for the day and have less cravings, more energy, better workouts, better decision making and better mood.

All of these make sticking to your nutrition protocol much more manageable long term, resulting in better body composition and less anxiety with food.

Have you ever fallen into this trap?

What was your experience?

28/10/2022

What you do
Determines
Who you are

23/10/2022

That look when your mate suggests burpees

I’m a bit of a dick though, I kinda like conditioning but only once I made this one key change…

Once I realised that anything that gets your heart rate going is “cardio” and it’s not just running and burpees, it opened me up to anything and everything.

Also i realised that cardio doesn’t have to be full send every time. You don’t have to be on the floor, feeling like s**t at the end.

Cardio should be anywhere from a 5-10/10. Some days you’ll feel like sending it and going hard as, smashing a 10/10.

But other days, you can hit a 5/10 and that’s ok.

Like most of fitness, it’s not all or nothing.

What’s your favourite cardio exercise in an emoji? Mines 👀

22/10/2022

Surfs up 🏄🏽‍♂️

Caption the second photo 😂

20/10/2022

Scaling mountains for fun but making it as hard as possible.

Loads of you and people you know will have climbed up to the top of Bali’s active volcano but when we met our guide my first question was
“How long does it take for you to climb to the top?”

He said 45 mins but that he normally gives 120 mins for a group.

I told him let’s pick up the pace and see how fast we can do it without running.

There were a few stops along the way for water but we went as direct a route as possible and got to the top in about 90 mins.

Fair play to the lad for doing it in 45, because it was a sweaty climb and my heart rate peaked at over 160bpm.

But this is why I train.
It’s not about scaling the mountain.

It’s about being able to do it, easily and enjoy the process.
I want to be able to scale mountains, surf and run for as long as possible.

I want to make it enjoyable to live life and get the most I can out of it. Not just exist in a soft and incapable body.

Training is not just for how you look. It’s much more for what you can do and more importantly, what you believe you can do.

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