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Tag: results

BEST PROTEIN SOURCES for meat eaters and vegetarians

Protein helps you stay fuller for longer - it is the macronutrient with the highest satiety factor (over carbohydrates or fats). Protein also, very importantly, helps build and maintain lean muscle mass in your body, which is super important in keeping your metabolism high throughout your life, and helps in building and maintaining a lean body that burns fat effectively.

To oversimplify, if you are currently inactive, make sure you get an absolute minimum of one gram of protein per every kilogram of bodyweight, every day. So if you weigh 80 kg, you should aim to get at least 80 grams of protein daily. You can track your protein intake easily with an app like MyFitnessPal (by going to the nutrition section in your food diary).

Here's a simple list of the best protein sources:

  • Poultry (chicken, turkey...)
  • Red meat (beef, pork, lamb...)
  • Seafood (tuna, salmon, mackerel, prawns, scallops...)
  • Eggs
  • Dairy (yoghurt, cottage cheese, fromage frais, milk, cheese...)
  • Whey protein powder (not necessary, but great if you struggle to get enough protein in)

And if you're a vegetarian, here are the best foods to help with your daily protein intake:

  • Beans (kidney, chickpeas/hummus, haricot...)
  • Legumes (lentils, peas, peanut butter...)
  • Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews...)
  • Seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, hemp...)
  • Milk alternatives (almond/cashew/hazelnut/soya/rice drinks etc. ...)
  • Soy/tofu
  • Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats, bread...)
  • Veggies (peas, broccoli, spinach, kale etc. ...)
  • Protein powder  (hemp protein/pea protein/rice protein etc. ...)

For optimal health and best results from any training you do, try to include a source of protein with every meal you have.

Good luck, and make sure to join The 10 Minute Body team on Facebook where you can ask nutrition and exercise related questions.

/Erika

Faye’s emotional story: More calories = incredible fat loss boost

Progress so far on Faye's emotional journey:

Day 1: Body fat 32.5%, daily calories below 1,000.

Day 39: Body fat 28.7%, daily calories above 1,500.

 

Faye's metabolism was completely messed up when we started PT just over a month ago. She'd been consuming under 1,000 kcal per day for absolutely years, which is very unhealthy and makes the body store as much fat as it possibly can (because it thinks it's in danger of starvation).

I knew we had a big task ahead of us to completely change the way Faye eats and thinks about food - the biggest challenge for her being an emotional one, because she truly thought that anything she eats will 'make her fat'.

It's not uncommon in the world these days to have twisted views on food and alongside a twisted body image.

Faye is now on her strong road to recovery (i.e. a healthy attitude towards food). So far she's only a month into her journey, she's eating nearly double the amount of calories from what she used to, and she's lost 1,2 kg during her first month despite the increase in her calorie intake. These results are astonishing, and I've told her from the beginning that first we'll need focus on fixing her metabolism up and only after we've managed that we should start worrying about fat loss. Getting on the scales in general is forbidden.

I wasn't expecting such dramatic results - but it just goes to show that sometimes you have to eat more to lose weight. We've gradually increased her calorie intake which has at times brought her to tears ("I feel like I have to force the food down when I'm not hungry").

Faye's diet now consists of healthy real foods such as lean proteins (e.g. chicken, turkey), good fats (e.g. half an avocado a day) and different sources of fibrous carbohydrates (great for energy, e.g. wholewheat pasta). Now it's time to start looking at having treats as part of her new healthier lifestyle, which I'm sure will be another emotional struggle (how could it possibly be good for you to have things you truly enjoy every now and again and not feel guilty about it?). I've told her to stop wasting hours at the gym, and instead focus on quick, effective resistance based workouts. During our PT sessions we lift weights. Because only that will result in a beautiful, shapely body and help burn fat while she's not training.

Faye's feeling very shy about her body image still, so I'll not publish any pictures of her just yet as she doesn't feel comfortable with the idea.

If you (or any of your close ones) suffer from lack of energy, being obsessed about your body image, not knowing what to do at the gym to make workouts effective or worst of all, are used to constant dieting without lasting results, maybe it's time to do something about it.... Once and for all.

I'm over the moon for Faye for taking a positive step in her life and being on her road to recovery, a fit body and mind. Girl, you rock xxx

 

/Erika Helsinki

 

Emma S. testimonial (personal training with Erika Helsinki)

Name: 

Emma S.

 

Your specific weight/fitness/lifestyle related goals when you started: 

When I started PT with Erika last year I was pretty sick of going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week and getting no results. All I did was cardio with very little resistance training, and although my diet was pretty clean I was eating a bit too much and getting nowhere (if anything I was putting weight on). I really wanted to tone up and improve my fitness but also improve the relationship with myself. I was bulimic when I was younger and so loving my body is something that I have never been particularly good at, I felt that I was at a time in my life that I needed to move past this and make some positive changes, both physically and mentally.

 

What have you achieved since starting your sessions with Erika? 

Since I started with Erika I have seen a lot of physical changes, I've lost just over a stone, I'm stronger than I've ever been and I feel a lot more toned. But better than any physical change are the mental ones, I'm more positive about life in general, have a better relationship with food and am even learning to love my body, slowly but surely.  The strength I have gained from Erika's training has also allowed me to progress in yoga, something which I love but have never had the strength, or confidence to improve in.

 

Your PT session experiences summarised: 

Over the time I've been training with Erika I've learned so much!! Sessions are always varied and fun, pushing you beyond limits that you didn't even know you had! Erika's enthusiasm is also unreal, I feel completely supported and motivated not only during the sessions but also in-between times. Her advice goes beyond exercise and nutrition, even giving me fantastic advice on how to deal the writers block I had during my masters dissertation!!

 

Are you happy with your results? 

YES!!

 

How has Erika helped achieve your goals?

Through constant encouragement, motivation, and support. Varying classes, and keeping exercise fun at all times. Her love of fitness and life is contagious, I'm pretty sure that with Erika as your PT it would be pretty impossible not to reach your goals!

 

What do you still want to achieve regarding your weight/fitness/lifestyle?

I still want to tone up and gain strength- right now, more than anything else I'd love to be able to just one pull up! (That and hold a headstand for more than two seconds in yoga!).

 

Would you recommend Erika Helsinki as a PT to others? Why?

No doubt about it, she is the best PT I could have hoped for!!!

 

Any other comments?

Erika would do anything for her clients, a truly amazing PT. I could stop there but its more than that, she is also a wonderful person who genuinely cares about each and every one of her clients. There is no way I would ever have reached my goals without her and there are no words which express how grateful I am for her help and support!

Testimonial: From borderline anorexic to a fit chick

Khelda's arms before
Khelda's arms before
Khelda's arms after
Khelda's arms after

Khelda used to "forget to eat" when stressed out at work, which made her worryingly skinny. Now she still gets stressed out but manages her lifestyle on a whole new level. Khelda's been my PT client for around 6 months now and she's also become a keen climber through the Fit as Hel climbing club :-).

To me it sounds ridiculous that Khelda has had two PTs before me and neither of them have told her to EAT MORE. We're upping her calories constantly so that she can actually look and feel great.... and get results from training! Also, I've banned her from doing cardio outside of high resistance classes ;-). It's all about the weights, baby. Being functionally strong. And healthy. And amazing. Let's keep sculpting that body (and add a few lean KGs in the process)!

 

Thank you so much Khelda for your lovely testimonial - you're the one who does all the hard work!!

 

TESTIMONIAL

"Name: Khelda S

Your specific weight/fitness/lifestyle related goals when you started personal training with Erika Helsinki: My weight was 7stone 9lbs when I started training with Erika.
I was moderately active at work up and down stairs and I walked my dog.
I was in the past an avid gym member but had not been for 18months or more and wanted to regain a more fit and healthy lifestyle. Tone my body shape.

What have you achieved since starting your sessions with Erika? Since I began my sessions I have achieved an amazing amount.
My posture and core is so much more stronger I walk head held high and with so much more confidence. My skin is glowing and I eat a huge amount more than I ever did. I enjoy healthy food I was just not eating enough . My body looks healthy no longer skeletal gaining muscle and definition. It's not the physical change it's the mental transformation the confidence to try and push yourself to do more try harder. The results speak for themselves.

Your PT session experiences summarised: My favourite day of the week !!!

Everything is bespoke to your individual need . I have learned so much regarding resistance / functional training . Erika explains everything in easy to understand language , demonstrates each task how to use the resistance machines / gym equipment and what you should feel and how to improve technique and get the best result and outcomes. I always leave exhilated and invigorated learning new things keeping motivated and fresh.

Are you happy with your results? YES YES YES

How has Erika helped achieve your goals? It's the encouragement , seeing you as an individual and listening to you. The goals set are stepping stones and Erika guides you along. The food diary and blog has been inspirational to me it aids me to look at my self retrospectively . This has been great insight to my diet and eating patterns, I love the different ways to train and it's exciting . Introducing me to new things - climbing wow as a middle aged woman stepping out of your comfort zone is terrifying now I just go for it if I fail I try again or I may not like it but I gave it a go.

What do you still want to achieve regarding your weight/fitness/lifestyle? I want to continue to gain muscle and definition . Climbing beat my green nemesis wall . Go on trying new things I am loving having more energy looking good.

Would you recommend Erika Helsinki as a PT to others? Why? Anyone looking for a PT would be insane not to want Erika. I have PT in the past and have never experienced the dedication previously. Erika is a fantastic teacher and mentor her patience and guidance has given me the the strength and confidence to keep going when times are hard. Not just the motivation in the gym and fitness but when work or life gets you down.

Any other comments? Erika is brimming with new and exciting things to keep all her clients motivated. Masterclass in Deadlifting , nutrition - recipes posts . My favourite and the one I use more than anything her community created on social media - clients helping each other through the rough patches and parsing when goals have been reached.

Erika you are a inspirational

Thank you words do not do you justice."

Rachel G. body fat test results (progress in 4 weeks)

I'm passionate about training two kinds of personal training clients;

1) People with a dieting past who want to lose body fat effectively and keep the results in the long term &

2) People who want to learn to learn to train for maximum aesthetic results - a nicely toned body (vanity, ha) -- usually women who want to primarily start using weights/resistance equipment in their training and to learn to train safely and effectively.

All training is based on getting optimal fat loss results FAST.

Rachel on incline chest press yesterday (tricep definition starting to come through!)
Rachel on incline chest press yesterday (tricep definition starting to come through!)

I've trained Rachel G. for the past month - she's a "type 2 client". I just did her body fat analyses (caliper method) yesterday as we'd reached 4 weeks of training together. We couldn't believe the results - increased lean mass (=increased BMR=her body is now burning calories more effectively) and a lower body fat percentage while her weight has remained the same (she's got no weight to lose). Details below:

 

Body fat%: Was 26.3% ---> now 24.4%

Lean body mass: Was 38.3 kg ---> now 39.3 kg

Fat mass: Was 13.7 kg ---> now 12.7 kg

BMR (basal metabolic rate): Was 1197 ---> now 1219 kcal/day

 

So proud of you, chick!! Let's keep rocking those weights :-)

 

/Fit as Hel fitness coach Erika Helsinki

 

P.s. Rachel had pretty much NO upper body strength a month ago!! She's so much stronger now and definition is starting to show.

P.p.s. If you'd like to enquire about personal training (currently available in North East England), text me on 0789 719 7818 anytime :-)

You’re not trying hard enough

Remember last week when I posted about Mel who'd lost 4 lb in her first week with me? Well now after 2 weeks she's lost another 3 lb!! Oh my fucking god!! You can totally see the difference as well - her face is thinner, stomach tighter and she's feeling full of energy...

WOOOOOOOOOOO!! Go Mel!!!

Mel and her buddy leg press
Mel and her buddy leg press

Yesterday in our PT session she estimated to be able to leg press between 36 and 52kg. I said bullshit. Apparently she'd managed the latter last week in the gym on her own, doing the program we'd designed for her.

I said she could do 90kg EASY. She wouldn't believe it. So I made her try.

Try harder than ever before at the gym.

Lifting weights and doing resistance training is all about psychology. People around the gym (particularly women) rarely try hard enough when it comes to resistance training.

You can never know how strong you REALLY are unless you push your boundaries.

Don't get comfortable. Comfortable = no results. Start trying. And I mean trying so hard your heart is racing and you're getting a proper sweat on. So hard you have to make awkward faces. So hard you can't breath quietly. That's when you start getting results.

So yeah, Mel pressed 107 kg on her third ever session, and upped her max by over 50%. That's what I call trying.

And that's why she'll end up with astonishing results. Go Mel!! Prouuuuuud!!

Happy week to all!

/Erika

Mel's stack
Mel's stack

5 most effective gym exercises

you are serious about changing your body composition at the gym, these are the exercises you should be focusing on:

  1. Deadlift
  2. Squat
  3. Pull-ups
  4. Bench press
  5. Standing shoulder press

That's all you need, really. Compound resistance exercises are the most effective for fat loss!

Cardio+results? Here’s how to make it count —>

Intensity.

Intervals.

Going light over a prolonged period of time burns calories BUT it is certainly not the way to go if you're aiming for fat loss. Chances are that you'll just eat those "extra calories you earned".

Stable cardio will elevate your cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone which will encourage your body to store fat around your middle section. Not ideal.

High intensity interval training (such as Tabata), on the other hand, helps your body to keep burning body fat even for days after the actual workout. And it's great because you can do it despite your fitness level -- if you're not very fit then you'll just need to do things a bit slower to begin with. As long as you feel like you're genuinely trying hard, that's all that matters.

Because if it's hard, it  will work and get you the results you want.

P.s. If you've got medical concerns, please have a catch up with your doctor first to make sure you're fit enough to embark on such a strenuous training protocol.