Blinco Built personal training

Author: Blincowp

  • Fix your nutrition in 6 easy steps!

    Fix your nutrition in 6 easy steps!

    Simple, crazy effective ways to clean up your nutrition, without giving up anything!

     

    1) Eat whole foods

     

    Make sure 80% of your calorie intake is from unprocessed foods.

    That ensures you are eating nutrient dense foods that will be more filling and have less calories than processed varieties

    And, it also gives you enough to leeway to enjoy a meal out with friends, or the odd bit of toast, pasta etc, just not with every meal

     

    2) Prioritise protein

     

    Protein is important, it helps maintain muscle mass, which keeps metabolism up while losing weight and is also really filling
    Think eating a steak vs eating a bowl of pasta, one is easy to overeat, one is not

     

    3) Veggies with every meal

     

    This ones simple, at least 1 fist of veggies with breakfast lunch and dinner, 2 fists for professionals 👊

     

    4) Slow down

     

    Eat slowly! If you did one thing from this list to guarantee results, it would be this!

    It takes around 15 minutes for the signals to go from your stomach to brain to tell you that you’re full
    If you finish your meal in 5, go back for seconds and finish that…
    You can see why that’s a problem, you want to stop at satisfied, 80% full and not 100% full for most meals

     

    5) Fats are not the enemy

     

    Fats don’t make you fat
    Fats are essential for a huge list of functions
    Prioritise less processed fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and coconut oil

     

    6) Eat with intention, not emotion

     

    Foods aren’t good or bad, they either move you towards, or away from your goals

     

    Eating cake at your partners birthday isn’t “bad”
    Any excess calories are more than offset by the social connection with friends and family and celebrating the joy they bring

     

    The other side of eating with emotion is using food to make you feel better, this can be a slippery slope

     

    However, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world
    Simply writing at a list of empowering alternatives and keeping that list stuck to the fridge or pantry can help you fight the urge when it comes on

     

    Another one is to set a timer for 5 minutes on your phone
    Every time you feel an emotional trigger, set the timer, if you still feel like eating when the timer is up, eat

     

    If not, move on.
    Sometimes all you need is a little space to allow the emotions to pass by, as they always do, before getting on with your life

  • Are you feeling like things are starting to turn for you?

    Are you feeling like things are starting to turn for you? 

     

     

    I know a lot of people who feel like they’ve come through something heavy, a big ordeal, even if putting a name to the ordeal or even the feeling is hard

     

    It’s really easy in times of stress to just focus on everything that’s gone wrong or on every failure and we often forget that times of stress cause growth even if we don’t recognise it

     

    And then when you step out of that period, you just move onto the next thing

     

    It’s important to take some time and reflect on where you’ve been, and what you’ve achieved

     

    To close the page on the last chapter, learn some lessons, and open the next with a clear mind

     

    This exercise from John Berardi is a chance to recognise the growth you’ve had over the last 4 weeks and what you’re looking forward to over the next 4 

     

    It’s something really easy to do and something really worth doing every so often (a reminder twice a year is a great place to start)

     

    Answer the following questions:

     

    Looking Back

     

    1) What have you put the most effort into during the last 4 weeks? (write that down to remind yourself where your focus and energy has been)

     

    2) What are you most proud of from the last few weeks? (Look for daily wins, like training when you really didn’t feel like it at first, you’ve done something you’re proud of, now celebrate yourself 🙂

     

    3) How will you high-five yourself for the great work? (in an empowering way, think about how you’ll celebrate your progress, no matter how small)

     

    4) What more would you have liked to accomplish? (Everyone thinks has mini regrets, so write it down and then let it go)

     

    Looking Forward (get excited here)

     

     

    1) Looking ahead to the next 4 weeks, what are you most looking forward to?

    (What’s getting you excited!)

     

    2) Knowing what you’re about to work on, what advantages do you think you have that’ll make progress more likely? (Tune into what you are great at that will help. Could be anything, even just cooking or listening.. anything)

     

    3) Knowing what’s coming up in the next 4 weeks, what things are likely to stand in your way?

    (Think about the things that could prevent progress)

     

    4) How can you prepare, right now, to make sure those things don’t get in your way?

    (Having listed your obstacles, think about how you’ll prevent them)

     

    Give it a try and let me know how you go 🙌

  • Potatoes are bad for you!

    Potatoes are bad for you!

    Potatoes are bad for you!

    Gotcha!

    Cheap, but it made you stop

    My mum would disown me if she heard me say that, our proud irish heritage is full of potatoes

    And I love them!

    They get a bad rap, and I don’t know why

    Potatoes are a carb source, that’s true, so maybe the low carb movement hurt them a bit

    Also happen to be one of the most filling foods you can eat, and if you’ve ever lived in a calorie deficit you’ll know filling foods are your friend!

    That alone is a great argument to keep potatoes (of any colour) in your diet when you’re losing weight

    Steak and potatoes will not only hit your nutrient needs, you’ll eat less calories because you’ll be so full!

    They’re also cheap, there’s a lot of garbage out there that eating healthy is more expensive

    It’s not.

    And potatoes are one great example of that

    Possibly the best life hack my mum taught me was to chuck a bunch of veggies on a roasting tray

    Potatoes, sweet potato, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, onion

    Whatever really

    Olive oil, garlic, rosemary and chuck them in the over on 180 degrees for 20 minutes

    You can even load up 2-3 trays depending on your oven size

    Once they’re done, into freezer proof containers and you’ve got veggies sorted for the week

    It’s the only meal prep I’ll ever do

    You’ve got filling, nutrient dense side dishes for the week in less than 30 minutes

  • Do you struggle with lower back pain?

    Do you struggle with lower back pain?

    Do you struggle with lower back pain?

    We often combine lower back stability (i.e. a plank), whilst moving the arms or legs

    If you think about it, this is exactly how the lower back works in everyday life

    It stabilises the middle of your body while you run, swim, reach for a box etc

    So it makes more sense to train it this way

    In this example we’ve added a reach

    A reach is really beneficial in a couple of ways, firstly you’re moving your arms, but also working on upper back mobility by reaching as far as you can each time

    People often think their lower back is tight because their core is weak, which may be true

    However, it’s probably also a result of the lower back having to do the work of a stiff upper back

    The plank with reach allows you to stabilise the core muscles while getting some really good movement into the upper back

    Stable lower back

    Mobile upper back

    Two birds with one stone

    The key with this exercise is to:

    Nail the stabilisation, slight tuck of the hips, and try to keep them steady
    Reach as far as you can with the arm

    Chuck these into your routine and get creative

    You might even move a small weight plate from under your hand to in front of your head to make it more interesting

    Watch the below video for how to perform the exercise:

    Plank with reach

  • Do you struggle to get to the gym?

    Do you struggle to get to the gym in the mornings? 

     

    Your morning might look like this:

     

    Walking around the house looking for your workout gear

     

    Putting that on, eventually

     

    Where’s my other sock? Why don’t I have them together? 

     

    You know what, I can’t go, not with one sock

     

    It’s so cold anyway, and I can always go tomorrow

     

    I trained really hard the other day, and I’m still sore

     

    And I can’t be this tired for work, it’s better if I have the day off the gym

     

    You haven’t coiled the rope 

     

    Or maybe the extension cord might be more applicable

     

    Experts spend the time to pack away their equipment away carefully 

     

    That way, when they need to execute they can do it quickly, and easily 

     

    There’s a great lesson here for any change you’re looking to make to your routine

     

    If you’re struggling with eating healthy, or getting up and going to the gym

     

    You probably haven’t coiled the rope like an expert  

     

    What is the action that you are missing, how can you make that as easy and fast as possible to execute? 

     

    What would you do if you were an expert?

     

    You’d have your clothes laid out the night before

     

    Everything you’ll need to get to ready for the gym in 5 minutes

     

    Your car is packed

     

    That way, when those same excuses pop up, it’s actually easier for you to go to the gym than not

     

    Because to go to the gym you just follow your plan, not going to the gym means you have to figure out a new plan

     

    Your work clothes are already packed in your car

     

    There’s gym clothes on the kitchen bench you’ll have to put away if you don’t put them on 

     

    Where are you going to get the morning coffee from if you don’t go to that cute place around the corner from the gym? 

     

    Ahh it’s just easier to go

     

    Coil the rope. Make it easier to do than not.

     

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/

  • Do you feel stuck?

    Do you feel stuck?

    This is for the people that feel stuck

    If you feel stuck, read on!

    You know you need to change, you’ve had enough of feeling lethargic, you know your mental health would improve with exercise, and you just don’t feel right in your own body

    But, you don’t know where to start

    There’s so much information out there, and so many options, which one is the right for you?

    It doesn’t have to be complicated

    You can make it much simpler by asking yourself two questions:

    “What’s one thing that I have the power to change, that’s holding me back right now?

    And follow it up with:

    “How could I make that slightly better?”

    It’s tempting to add 10 things to your list but make sure you pick just one thing, there are heaps to choose from, but it actually doesn’t matter where you start, just that you start

    Secondly, don’t worry about things you have no control over, that’s a lot of wasted energy on things you can’t do anything about

    And there are lots of those, instead spend all your energy on the one thing you can change and that will have an impact

    With the second question, here we are aiming for better not perfect

    Sure, perfection is great, however you probably don’t really know what perfect will look like

    It’s much more likely that what will happen is you’ll make a change, and only after you’ve made that change, find out what ideal looks like

    Start, then optimise

    Too many people try to optimise before they start

    Once again, wasted energy

    A bonus tip, it really helps if you take 10-15 minutes to actually write this down with pen and paper

    There is something powerful about getting it out of your head

    Give it a shot, and watch the momentum build

     

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/

  • You never stop having problems

    You never stop having problems

    You never stop having problems 

     

    There is no promised land with no problems, and thank god for that

     

    What you do is:

    a) You solve the problems you currently have

     

    1. b) Learn from the pursuit of the solutions to those problems 

     

    1. c) Then you move onto more important ones

     

    Since the old problems no longer stand in your way (for now) there is something else stopping you

     

    And it’s probably a harder issue to solve

     

    Which also makes it more interesting

     

    Thank god, because you’ve improved since you solved your previous problems so you wouldn’t want to spend all that time resolving the old ones again

     

    That’s not to say they won’t pop up again, you’re human after all

     

    Never make the same mistake twice is ridiculous

     

    You do that all the time

     

    It’s just the more you do it, the faster you get at solving it

     

    Problems Matter 

     

    This is why it’s so critical to learn lessons and not just out-source the solution to really important problems

     

    Like your nutrition 

     

    Is your health important to you? 

     

    Think about being sick, health is the MOST important thing to you in those moments

     

    So, it’s probably a good idea to learn how to stay in relatively good health

     

    At least, you’d want to know how to get back to good health when you fall off track

     

    To be able to teach your kids what good health looks like

     

    This is why we help you find the solutions to your problems, come up with action plans and hold you accountable to those plans

     

    Rather than giving you a cookie cutter, restrictive meal plan, you’re never going to be able to follow and won’t teach you anything!

     

    Much better, in the short and long term to have a plan to follow, that you’ve helped create 

     

    Then, together, we can move onto better and more interesting problems 

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/

  • Be a farmer

    Be a farmer

    Be a farmer.

     

    There’s something about long drives through the country, it gives you time to reflect, to think, in between listening to the Wiggles anyway 

     

    One thing that farmers know is that your results can’t be rushed

     

    You can’t harvest a crop a day after it’s planted, you have to look after it day after day

     

    There are natural laws that you can’t break, they can’t be skipped

     

    Sure, you can enhance things, but you must follow the order

     

    You know this applies to almost everything you do, whether that’s losing weight (and keeping it off) or growing your own tomatoes 

     

    Too often you try to look for shortcuts, forgetting that there is still progress to be had by following the natural order

     

    And there is reward for you when you take the farmers approach

     

    When you follow the natural order you get to keep the progress you’ve made

     

    So what does this look like for you when it comes to losing 10 kgs? 

     

    Rather than following a strict meal plan that has no context in your life and you know is not something you can follow for more than 3-4 weeks 

     

    You focus on the kind of person you must become, the kind of person that is healthy

     

    Things like controlling your portions

     

    Changing your beliefs about having to eat everything in sight when you go to a party

     

    Thinking you have to drink 6 pints in order to have fun

     

    You have to eat dessert after dinner every night

     

    The incredible thing is, when you decide to change your habits and beliefs around food, your results are just as fast as cutting out carbs for 4 weeks

     

    Except, you keep the changes, you learn skills that will serve you when the weight loss stalls 

     

    The real question is: In 6 months time where will you be? Which method will have you further along your weight loss journey? 

     

    Be a farmer, the seeds you plant now, will be the crop you harvest in 6 months time 

     

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/

  • Plant the crop, harvest the rewards

    Plant the crop, harvest the rewards

    Be a farmer.

     

    There’s something about long drives through the country, time to reflect, to think, in between listening to the Wiggles anyway 

     

    One thing that farmers know is that results can’t be rushed

     

    You can’t harvest a crop a day after it’s planted, you have to look after it day after day

     

    There are natural laws that can’t be broken, they can’t be skipped

     

    Sure, you can enhance things, but the order must be followed

    The natural order for health and weight loss

    You know this, inherently, applies to almost everything you do, whether that’s losing weight (and keeping it off) or growing your own tomatoes 

     

    Too often you try to look for shortcuts, forgetting that there is still progress to be had by following the natural order

     

    And there is reward for you

     

    When you follow the natural order you get to keep the progress you’ve made

     

    So what does this look like when you are trying to lose 10 kgs? 

     

    Rather than following a strict meal plan that has no context in your life and you know is not something you can follow for more than 3-4 weeks 

     

    You focus on the kind of person you must become, the kind of person that is healthy

     

    Things like:

    Controlling your portions

    Changing your beliefs about having to eat everything in sight when you go to a party

    Realising you don’t have to drink 6 pints in order to have fun

    You don’t have to eat dessert after dinner EVERY night

    The incredible thing is, when you decide to change your habits and beliefs around food, your results are just as fast as cutting out carbs for 4 weeks

     

    Except, you keep the changes, you learn skills that will serve you when the weight loss stalls 

     

    The real question is: Where will you be in 6 months time? Which method will have you further along your weight loss journey? 

     

    It’s time for you to be a farmer, the seeds you plant now, will be the crop you harvest in 6 months time 

     

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym you can follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/

  • 10 Benefits of Personal Training

    10 Benefits of Personal Training

    10 Benefits of Personal Training

     

    There’s many great reasons why the best sports stars and movie stars looking to get huge results use Personal Training 

     

    And it doesn’t have to break the bank either! 

     

    If you’re wondering if Personal Training is a good option for you, this article will provide you with the 10 greatest benefits to having your own personal trainer

     

    Personal Training gives you a structured plan 

     

    This one is obvious, a personal trainer should provide you with your own individualised plan

     

    An individualised plan should be structured to take you from where you’re right now, to where you would love to go in the shortest time possible

     

    Gradually increasing intensity and volume of exercise over time to make sure you progress and smash your goals in the fastest time possible

     

    Personal Training gives maximum results in minimal time

     

    Not being part of a group means that you aren’t spending time on training that won’t directly impact your goals

     

    Necessity means that group training will include a variety of things to suit most people, while personal training isn’t about most people, it’s just about you

     

    Really you’re getting speed of results

     

    Personal Training provides a focus on correct form

     

    Getting your form correct can be a life saver, or at least a back saver

     

    If there are 30 people in a room with one coach, there’s only so much time that coach can spend with each person 

     

    With personal training you get the full 45 minutes of undivided attention

     

    This means if you’re really struggling to get an exercise or movement right, your personal trainer can spend the time you need to get it right 

     

    This will save you a lot of time, and possibly save you from back pain in the future!

     

    Personal Training increases accountability

     

    Having an appointment with your personal trainer makes you more accountable

     

    If you know that your personal trainer is there waiting for you, you’re much more likely to brush off a hard day and show up

     

    And, the people that get the best results are those that show up consistently

     

    This means this benefit may be the biggest of all!

     

    Personal Training helps with goal setting

     

    Working one on one with your personal trainer means they get to know you and what’s important to you

     

    This means that when you sit down to do a goal review (which should be a regular occurrence) your personal trainer can help you set goals that are better suited to your lifestyle 

     

    A great goal should give you direction and motivation to keep going when things get tough

     

    Should include nutritional guidance and tips

     

    A personal training session is a great time to chat about little bumps in the road

     

    These happen, particularly when it comes to staying on track with your eating

     

    A good personal trainer should include some guidance about the best ways to stay on track with your nutrition 

     

    Your one on one time with your personal trainer each week is a great time to chat about nutrition

     

    Which will create constant progress towards your long term goals

     

    Provides a greater focus on specific injury rehabilitation 

     

    Everyone has aches and pains at some stage of their life

    Whether it’s an old netball or footy injury or maybe just too much time in the garden

    You probably have old injuries or niggles that often come up

     

    A good personal training plan should include a injury prevention and rehabilitation element that address these over time

     

    Allows you to do more of the fun stuff

     

    You won’t always love the exercises you do

    However, personal training allows you to do more of the things you enjoy 

    That way your personal trainer can mix in a few of the things you don’t like that are good for you

    Of course, mixed in with plenty of the things you love, that are also good for you!

     

    Includes detailed assessments 

     

    Any personal training plan should start with detailed assessments that are relevant to your goals

     

    These could be body composition assessments, strength and fitness assessments, or even flexibility and mobility

     

    That way you have a relevant way to track your progress over time, which can ensure you’re moving towards your goals

     

    It can also be really motivating to look back at how far you’ve come from when you first started!

     

    Actually provides great value 

     

    People think of personal training as expensive, however if you look at it per minute of time, it’s actually the best value

     

    In a group class you often have 30 people training with just 1 or 2 coaches

     

    For a 45 minute class that means you’re paying $15-20 for 1-3 minutes of attention

     

    Which works out to be between $5-15 per minute of coaching

     

    The standard personal training session is between $70-90 per 45 minutes

     

    This works out to between $1.50-2 per minute of coaching, far better value 

     

    Summary

     

    Hopefully this gives you a good idea of whether personal training might be a good option for you

     

    If you’d like more information you can reach out to us to book a free consult and we can chat about whether you’d be better suited to small group classes or personal training based on your goals 

    For more posts on improving your life outside of the gym follow our instagram at https://www.instagram.com/blinco_built/

    If you’re ready to take the first step in your fitness and health journey then contact us at:  http://blincobuilt.com/