energisedperformance blog

Sport Relief is back, and this time it’s from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st March - a great opportunity for us to get together, get active, have fun, raise cash and change lives!

As we like a challenge, and know you do too, we’ve organised the Energised Sport Relief  weekend that will be challenging, rewarding & fun,
whilst raising valuable money for this fantastic cause.  SO sign up today to take part in some, or all of our Sports Relief Weekend activites - all levels of fitness, men and women welcome - we have the knowledge and skills, motivation and fun to look after you…

The Energised Sports Relief Weekend Starts at David Lloyd Westtbury with the 100 MINUTE SPINATHON at 7.30pm - 9.10pm on Friday 19 March - limited spaces available - too book follow -  http://www.energisedperformance.com/event-detail.php?id=60.. then a good sleep and take yourself to the Downs in Bristol.

Whatever your fitness level sign up to the 100min BIG CIRCUITS  on the Downs from 9.20-10am on Saturday 20th March, the Team Energised Coaches will support, motivate and encourage all levels of fitness - so I dare you to sign up and raise lots of money today! (Numbers will be limited to look after you all - for more enquiries please call Kim on 07720 845849 to see if its for you!) To book follow the link: http://www.energisedperformance.com/event-detail.php?id=44

And finally sign up to the SPORTS RELIEF MILE on Sunday 21st March on College Green - you can run 1, 3 or 6 miles - and if you are unsure we can give you all the advice and training tips to get you to the finish line with a smile on your face. to book follow the link - http://www.energisedperformance.com/event-detail.php?id=70.  

All the money raised will help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both at home and across the world’s poorest countries, so be a part of it, sign up today and raise lots of money for Sports Relief in Bristol.. 

For more information & press/media enquiries please call Kim on 07720 845849.

About 6 years ago I decided that whilst I was helping people become fitter and more healthy, my clients could still be more confident in themselves, and their self talk (you know that little voice or monkey as one client said, that always says you cannot or you are not good enough) could be so much more positive and helpful. 

So I read an article about Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and thought, that is the key to helping my clients move forwards and feel FAB inside and out….

I started my training with Pam Rigden (Fitness Unlimited) who is now based in Canada, so if you are out there make sure you go to her training courses…!

And if you are in the UK I can only recommend Emma James trianing, who I did my Master Hypnotherapy, Master NLP Practioner and Time Line Therapy training.  The skills I have gained since doing this training has enhanced me as a person, enhanced my professional skills and developed my business and life.

More importantly, it has enhanced what I can do for you - if you want to feel more confident and become lighter but never have quite succeeded, if you want to race faster, be stronger, more confident and enjoy competing, if you want to find direction in your life and allow yourself to be who you really can be, without limitations - NLP & hypnotherapy will help you get there, if you are ready to make a commitment to change.

NLP is a scientifically researched, proven way of allowing you to move forwards, and I promise it is not filled with fluffy, pink happiness (unless that is what you want)!  It is realistic, powerful effective processes that give you great results, and if you want, life enhancing changes.

My clients that have benefited include Premier/England Saxons Rugby Players, Professional Dancers and Stunt Women, GB Medalling Triathletes, Olympic 2012 start athletes, international equestrian riders plus Business managers, Mum’s, Dad’s and teenagers…. it doesn’t matter who you are, it is what you want from your life…? So book a 1;1 session with us, or book a training course/one day workshop with Emma.

Emma is one of the most knowledgable, inspiring, challenging and effective trainers I have ever met. She is dynamic, switched on, highly perceptive and gets the training done in a way that anyone will benefit from it. If you want to do the best NLP & Hypnotherapy training in the UK (& possibly the World - yes she is internationally recgonised and I am not on commission!!)  I can only recommend that you book her training courses by visit www.emmajamesnlp.co.uk 

If you would like 1;1, sports teams or business NLP coaching for performance and wellbeing please contact us or call Kim on 07720 845849.

What do our clients say this about having NLP & Hypnotherapy sessions with Energised .…:

“Kim has helped me achieve the impossible - to show me that I can do anything that I set out to do. Even the biggest dreams were made to look accessible and doable with her positive, outgoing personality which helped me push forward, taking what was in my head to actually physically achieving it.”

Daz Parker International Stunt Woman

“Working with Kim has been one of the most rewarding and worthwhile experiences of my career. I have found Kim to be dedicated, professional and above all super friendly. Kim has provided me with the tools to become a more better and more consistent Rugby Player, after working with Kim I feel more confident, focussed and I’ve set myself new targets I previously felt were beyond me… You could say I feel Energised!!”

Dan Ward Smith – Premier League Rugby Player – WASPS & Bristol

“Words cannot express how much I value this change and how wonderful it is to feel so much better. Thank you Kim for all your generous support, knowledge and help - you are a wonderful and wise person.” 09 Coaching client. 

So, at Energised HQ we are definately here to support you to achieve your challenges.  Over the years we have supported many Energised clients to climb Kilimanjaro, Survival of the Fittest trek through the Borneo Jungle, climb up Machu Picchu in Peru, trek through live Volcanoes, race to the North Pole in the Artic, trek accross the Andes and so much more…. so firstly we would like to ask you - what is your challenge for the next year?  How can you help to make a difference to other people’s lives…. let us know by commenting and we will give you some free advice …

Later this year, in the UK several teams will be heading to Race the Sun on 4th September, and EP client Fran Burgess is looking for people who are keen and committed to join one of the teams.  To find out more visit: http://www.actionforcharity.co.uk/eventdetailsnew.asp/urlsearch/Race-the-Sun and if it looks like your thing, and you are up for the challenge post your comments with your details or contact us and we will link you up! Go for it….

And looking ahead to 2011 (yes but some things take planning!!) this is what clients are thinking of getting up to - perhaps you could join them…..

*  Great Wall of China Marathon http://www.great-wall-marathon.com/Default.aspx 

*  Cycle Yak Attack Nepal http://yak-attack.co.uk/content/blogcategory/22/31/

*  Marathon de Sables :http://www.saharamarathon.co.uk/register.html

Or perhaps you have found a different challenge you can share with us, or you are a charity with a challenge you would like us to support?

Remember you can sign up to for our Big Beasting this Sat in aid of Red Cross for Haiti, or in March for Sports Relief, plus Race for life in the Summer - make a difference, get fit and and have fun!

Our Energised Big Beastings have become a fun and popular event with everyone, and with this in mind we can now confirm forthcoming Big Beasting dates for you to book today and look forward to…!

For a pre-Valentines Day Big Beasting, come along on Saturday 6th  February from 8.20-10am to Blaise where the Energised Coaches will be supporting and motivating you whilst giving you a good fun workout!

Saturday 20th March at the same time we can be found on the Downs doing the Big Circuits for Sports Relief - part of the Energised Sport Relief Weekend (see website for details!).  Here we will be incorporating hills, sprints, boxing freestyle and core exercises - it will be a fun, challenging and rewarding session, so get your Sports Relief kit ready and join us for a worthwhile cause!

Friday 2nd April from 8.20-10am we will once again be at Blaise for a Good Friday Big Beasting….in preparation for your Easter Eggs!! This session will be the perfect way to help you look and feel more confident and happy over the Easter weekend!

So book your place on one/some/all of our Big Beastings by giving Kim a call on 07720 845849 - we look forward to welcoming you!

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” - Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915

If you really wanted to achieve your dreams, and live the life that you really want - what would you do?  Get a pen and paper, a mug of hot chocolate (or a glass of wine if it helps!) and contemplate these questions,:

1. Start being You, and living in the moment - who are you when you are being you, and who are you, when you are not being you? It is only when you realise who you want to be, and start to live like that, you can move forwards, right now..!

2. Decide how much your dreams/vision/goals really matter - when you start thinking about them happening how does it make you feel? It is normal to feel a little fearful, yet you should also be excited, happy and alive by making these your reality - if you are not then it is worth questioning why…..are they someone else’s dreams or perhaps they used to be your dream’s but no longer are.  Be really clear on what you want your dreams to be - what it will look, sound and feel like when you have achieved them.

3. Face your Fears and get on with it.… so have a look at the fears - is it a rational fear that if you take a deep breath and just begin to move forwards, doors will open and your potential will have a chance to grow - or is it a fear that is born from a learning that internally you know this is not the right move to make - when you have the courage to face the fear you will realise which this is, allowing yourself to move forwards and begin to achieve your goals right now!

4. Make a step by step progressive plan that makes sense, make yourself accountable and make it excite you!  Create a step by step plan over the next weeks, months and years- commit to it - tell someone so you make yourself accountable and start to make it happen…

* Then share your goals and dreams with us and we will help you make it happen! 

If you would like 1;1 coaching to help you move forwards in 2010 please contact us on 07720 845849. And sign up to the Make your Goal’s Happen in 2010 Workshop on Sun 7th Feb - ONLY a few places left - Mention this Blog and get £7 off the price - bargain! Book http://www.energisedperformance.com/event-detail.php?id=63:

Swim, Bike, Run to a stronger, leaner and fitter body with the BAD tri training camp!

Just think: Winter has been long; Spring should be starting soon with the race season hot on its heels, but it won’t REALLY be warm for another month; Wouldn’t it be fantastic to spend a week training with your fellow triathlon people and with the quality of coaching  - only somewhere warm?  Like Majorca!?

Well you can…

There are still a limited number of places available on this year’s fun filled training camp in Majorca.  The camp runs from March 28 to April 4.  We expect the cost to be around £550 for half board accommodation and flights (if we can make it cheaper we will).  To book your place, please go to the online shop ( www.badtri.org/eshop_home.php ), select ‘training camp space’, and pay your £200 deposit.

Come along; it’ll be great! And Head Coach Kim would highly recommend the Training Camp - Andy Bullock and the coaching team are first class and will look after you really well…

*While Majorca is traditionally warmer than Bristol in late March, the club cannot take responsibility for the weather or the effects of climate change.  If we could, you know we would!

Any questions do post a comment and we will respond to you.. and make sure you sign up for our Mental Strength Workshops coming soon…

Beat your belly as Spring 2010 arrives!  This must be the question I constantly get asked by both men, and women - how can I get rid off/tone up my Belly (and within EP learn to make your belly happy and love it)!

Your belly generally stores fat for a number of reasons which does include you natural shape and genetics, but also the level of sugar you eat, the amount of stress you are under, the level of exercise you do and the amount of sleep you have.

 Aside from aesthetics, it is medically advisable to have a slim waist to avoid the build up of visceral fat, which can lead to blood sugar imbalances, heart disease and many other complications.

 So what can you do…

 Lifestyle Changes:

 * Eat lots of wholesome, low gylcaemic index foods and limit your refined, processed sugars - for more information please do comment and we will get back to you!

* Do eat three meals a day, and two snacks if you feel hungry - eating little and often will prevent you from storing fat  - inlcude a balance of carbs, protein and good fats

* Try to keep the amount of stimulants, alcohol and caffiene to a low level as these can contribute to insulin resistance, and a build up of fat - if you need a boost why not try Green Tea in the morning.

* A balanced level of exercise which helps to reverse the build up of visceral fat and insulin resistance, and lifts you metabolic rate Whilst obviously toning things up and giving you confidence! Exercises and photos to follow in March or come to our Bootcamps!

* Try to manage your stress levels effectively, get good quality sleep and breathe deeply.

 Supplements which can help:

 * Chromuim: helps maintain blood sugar levels and weight loss

* Magnesium and Zinc: essential for proper insulin response levels and management of good blood sugar levels

* B vitamins:stress and high blood sugar depletes B vitamins which gives you energy and helps burn fat so supplementing can help if times are stressful but not used as a long term result

*Alpha Lipoic Acid: power antioxidant to help muscle cells respond to insulin effectively

*Acetyl Carnitine: helps to keep blood sugars stable, and burn far for energy

 * Cinnamon: curbs sweet cravings and stabilises blood sugars

* Liqourice: buffer the neagtive effects of stress on the insulin levels which cause the body to store fat around the belly!

 So there you have it! Some tips and a little bit of advice to help you keep your belly at bay and learn to love it.

For more advice or fitness tips do contact us using the contact form!

On Sunday 7th February, Energised will be holding the Make You Goals Happen in 2010 Workshop.  Run by Head Coach Kim, who is a qualified Master NLP Practitioner, Hypnotherapist and Life Coach, as well as personal trainer and sports therapist, this promises to be an inspiring day that will leave you  feeling more confident and happy in yourself, with an understanding of your limiting behaviour, therefore enabling you to  achieve your goals and beyond!                                                                                                                       The workshop will take place between 10am and 4pm at  the beautiful Chiron Centre in Westbury-on-Trym - the perfect location for making your goals become your reality in 2010!

Book by Sunday 31st Jan for just £41 (which is cheaper than a one hour 1:1 session with us!). To find out more, and reserve your place, please call Kim on 07720 845 849.

Blood sugar problems are a combination of excessive stimulants and stress.  There are two ways to increase your blood sugars; one is to eat more glucose and the other is to increase your levels of stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol.  To raise the stress hormones there are two ways; consume a stimulant, tea, coffee etc or react stressfully to a situation.  If you understand this it is easy to understand how easy it is to become caught up in a cycle of stress, sugars and stimulants.  Much of the time it will leave you feeling depressed, tired and stressed most of the time.  This happens because you lose control of your blood sugars and each morning wake up with low blood sugars and not enough adrenaline to kick start your energy levels.  You then either start the day with a stimulant or no breakfast which starts the cycle and will have a negative effect on your mood. 

Caffeine makes people feel energised, alert and generally better.  However, it is addictive and the result of caffeine is a response to the withdrawal rather than a positive benefit.  People who drink more than 5 cups of caffeine a day are found to have higher levels of anxiety and depression, as well as lower memory and academic performance, than those who abstain from caffeine (American Journal of Psychiatry – 1,500 people studied). 

Caffeine blocks the receptors for a brain chemical called adenosine, whose function is to stop the release of the motivating neuro transmitters called dopamine and adrenaline.  The more caffeine and stimulants you rely on, the less your body will naturally produce, so you need to rely on more stimulants to keep ‘energised’. 

Caffeine Levels in Products

Coca Cola Normal & Diet                                                 46mg

Red Bull                                                                                80mg

Instant Coffee                                                     105mg

Coffee – latte, cappuccino                                                50mg

Filter Coffee                                                         150mg

Starbucks Grande                                                500mg

Strong Tea                                                            100mg

Green Tea                                                             30mg

Chocolate Cake                                                   30mg

(Patrick Holford pg93- Optimum Nutrition Bible)

Kicking the Habit

If you would like to stay in good long term mental and physical health it is best to stay away from stimulants.  This is much easier said than done if you have been dependant on them for a long period of time. 

Coffee has three stimulants with the strongest being caffeine – the effect is disturbed sleep patterns, headaches and tiredness if an individual does not have it regularly. However, if try to cut down 2 cups a week within a month you should not be reliant on coffee and begin to feel much better.  The same applies for coca cola and red bull, these contain almost as much caffeine and sweetners etc – not good for stable blood sugars. Alternatives to coffee are all herbal teas and some more alternative ones called Caro Extra and Bambu which are thought to replicate the taste of coffee.

A strong mug of tea has as much caffeine as a regular mug of coffee.  It also contains tannin which interferes with the absorption of iron and zinc.  Earl Grey contains an extra stimulant called Bergamot.  The best alternative for tea is Rooibosch and fruit teas.

A small amount of good quality chocolate does no harm, however lots of cheaper chocolate will unsettle your blood sugars and give you a similar reaction to caffeine.  The best way to quit is to have no chocolate at all and try and balance your sugar intake by avoiding any high GI foods.  After two weeks of hard discipline you will no longer crave chocolates at all.

For more advice just contact us or comment below and we will support you.  A good book for advice is :http://astore.amazon.co.uk/energisperfor-21/detail/0749919523

“Have the courage to light the fire within yourself, and have the courage to be everything you know you can be, and would like to be right now….

life is a choice, so choose wisely.”

It is nearly the 1st Feb, one month of 2010 already whizzed by…. so how are you getting on with your goals and New Year’s Resolutions…? I hope you are having the courage to committ to them and make them happen - if you would like some extra support come to our Workshop on Sunday 7th Feb…. discounted prices if you mention this Blog.

So most people wish to get lighter and fitter so we thought we would give you a few of our top tips to help keep you on track and achieve your goals….

* Keep a well being diary writing down what you eat, how you feel, how much sleep you get - then after a few weeks look back and see where you can make the changes. Be really honest with yourself, and you will realise there are areas you can change easily if you are aware.

* Aim to eat little (small portions) and often, with 5 different colours on your plate and a mix of complex carbohydrates, quality protein, good fats and lots of vegetables/fruit.

* Always have breakfast to kick start your metabolism, and try to eat little after 8pm and be in bed by 11pm with TV switched off.

* Try to do at least 20-30mins of daily activity each day - brisk walking is the best and easiest to increase your heart rate, metabolic rate and fat burn.

* Plan three exercise sessions per week - it can be anything from dancing to running, rock climbing to football plus some light weights and core exercises - any questions do let us know.

* Watch your snacks (sugars & crisps) and alcohol intake - these calories can add up really quickly and unstabilise your blood sugars, causing you to eat more and have less energy. Try to snack on vegetables, humous, fruit and yogurts…

* Once you are exercising regularly make sure you mix it up so your body doesn’t get used to it - choose a different exercise class/routine (such as hills or intervals) instead of steady pace and enjoy it!

* Make sure you do one or two weights sessions per week to give you muscle tone, and increase you metabolic rate (and fat burn) at rest - plus you will look leaner, toned and fab for the summer!

* Allow yourself meals and fun time, when you can eat what you like - just be aware of the portion size… and if it does all go a bit over the top for a day it doesnt matter - just get it back in balance and you will be fine…

* Be kind to yourself, have fun and enjoy becoming lighter - focus on what you want, and forget what you do not want…

For more advice, on line coaching, training programmes etc please do contact us or come to you workshop on Sunday 7th Feb (Visit the course and events to book today and save £10 if you mention this Blog) to help make your goals a reality… ! Happy day to you all.