Insanity UK

By the end of December 2013 I had an opportunity to become one of the first certificated Insanity instructors in UK. My gyms, Soho Gyms, were the first ones in England to introduce that format to their clubs.

With every week more and more people sign up because they want to do Insanity training. I am more than thrilled! And I can definitely say that this course was a milestone in my fitness instructor's career.

What is Insanity?
It is a high intensive interval training where you use your own body weight to do specific moves for exact amount of time with some short breaks in between.
Training itself is based on home DVD series made by Beachbody. It was that popular, they decided to introduce it to clubs as well. 

What can you achive?
This is the type of training where you definitely go out from your comfort zone. You work on your stamina and endurance but improve your strength too. As I often say to my group - you hate it during the process, you think it is too much, but when you're done you feel amazing and you have that endorphins kick! Check the video:

And here you have some moves you can expect during the class:

Is Insanty for everyone?
Class is designed for everyone, on every fitness level. You can always do low impact modification of the move.You can move in your own pace and this is not a class where you exercise to music. 

But definitely not everyone will goining to like that tempo. If you have hearth and serious back and knee injuries, you should not take it. But you still might consult your instructor before class, so he/she can help you with finding some other variations of the moves. Or propose some other suitable form of training.

Can you join anytime?
Yes. This is the main difference between DVD series and class in a fitness club. I introduce new moves and keep them changing a lot, but there is nothing like day 1 or 60. Even if you already know some of the moves, there is always room for improvement. 

Where and when?
Try class (as a guest if you are not a Soho Gym member) at one of my classes at Bow Wharf (East London). Wednesdays 7:00 PM and Sundays 10:00AM! :)

Here you have a timetable for all Insanity classes at Soho Gyms.

New Year

Such a shame that only after 18 days I was able to write something on the blog first time this year. Crazy times! Moving in and lots of work resulted in my absence. And lack of internet! We have been waiting for weeks to have one in the house and we still have to be patient. Till that I am using only my phone, which makes things difficult. 

hi world, I am still alive ;)

I feel like I've started a brand new chapter of my live in England. With my own place to live, with my own kitchen where I can cook and my own space where I can write and work... Things are going to be much easier right now. I hope so and strongly believe in it!

new green tea to my collection in lemon honey flavour, perfect for a sick girl

Unfortunately, my body didn't take all that stress good. Recent weeks were crazy busy at home and club and I totally over-trained and overworked myself which resulted in 2 weeks cold. After doctors appointment I decided to take some time off to recover. Only 2 additional days, but it is still something and I hope it will work.

luxurious home made food - mash potatoes, sourekaut and pork lion in mushrooms with cooked beetroot

Good food, lots of hot drinks, blanket and newest season of How I Met Your Mother is my best remedy. Together with love. Lots of love. It always helps :)

Terrible blogger

I admit sincerely. I am terrible blogger recent days/week. 
It is all due to the fact that we are still not settled down in here, in UK. We still don't have our own apartment and share place with my man's kind family. I hope this situation will change somehow soon and I will be more dedicated to my blogging.

warm up at roing machine

If it comes to work and training, it couldn't be better. I started my own routine consisted of 3 heavy lifting sessions and 2 hiit cardio days in between. 

daily lunchboxes

I am not so strict with my diet as well, I still track my macros. I keep my carbs quite high, but I have to admit, that my body react very positive for that. 

friday flex

My current training split is: 
* back/biceps
* legs/shoulders
* chest/triceps
(I did ABS on my class and sometimes with chest day)

Beside that I have 2 cardio workouts, which are normally hight intensivity interval ones. In practice they are no longer than 25 minutes. 
Sometimes I did hiit on treadmill, sometimes by doing 15 reps of different exercises like clean up, burpees, push ups, kettelbell swings and so on. After one full month of that routine I want to track my progress by doing bodyfat percentage measurment :)

current form

Have a nice Sunday!

First week at Soho Gyms

I am thrilled that I've changed workplace. My new gym and role is way more accurate with my interests :) (I am a Full time Fitness Instructor right now).

my new super comfortable uniform

I've been working for Soho Gyms Bow Wharf for the few days in a row now and I am more than happy that my duties are creating training plans for clients, doing the measurements and guiding them at gym floor.

 
I have time for my own training in between working hours and the weight section is exquisite. 

happy girl at her work

And I work in one of the most comfortable uniforms I've ever had! ;)

Happy!

New role, new gym

new workplace - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf

Today I had my first day at new workplace - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf.
I will be a fitness instructor there. My new role would be all about taking care over our clients on a gym floor - from doing induction hours and taking measurements for designing training programmes.

new outfit ;)

This is the club where I had one of the best trainings in London ever, so I am very glad that I will spend there more time :)

and new neighbourhood

Soon I will start a new training routine, since I know where and how I work. Yupii! :)

I'm back!

After some pause from blog I'm back and ready to start a new chapter of my English journey.

making off latest photosession

Over the last couple of weeks I finished my Stoppani's program as well as work for LA Fitness. I got another job offer which was even more into my interests than sales. From today I will work as gym instructor/general assistant for Soho Gyms :)

Finishing my work for LA Fitness was at the same time as I had my trip to Poland planned. It was a great ending of some chapter for me, my first chapter of my life in UK.

 

Over last week I had a photo session, then break from gym (recovery week) and dieting. I spend quality time with my closest, eat natural and home-made food and try to relax as much as possible.

made by Marek Sysoł http://foto.sysol.pl

As I mentioned, I finished Stoppani's "Shortcut to shred" program. Honestly speaking, due to my very demanding job I did 80% of the program, but still I was satisfied. 

Marek Sysoł http://foto.sysol.pl

How was effects of the program? I think that pictures from my last sessions speak for themselves :)

I start this week with new energy and excitement! How about you? :)

Sometimes you have to take step back...

yeah, one of those bad days

On Friday I found myself drained from stress, trainings and dieting with horrible mindset and in terrible mood. 

My new job is very demanding and time consuming, so I have to adapt to new, longer working hours and more stressful environment. Combined with exhausting "Shortcut to shred" trainings and low carb phase of diet, it resulted in Friday's mind&body collapse. 

my weekends remedy - normal amounts of carbs and green tea at starbucks

But I took my weekend off and charged batteries. 
I did a step back and treat my body better, give it more sleep and food (since I started to getting cold as well!).  
Three things always helps me getting better: good food, sleep and shopping. And I did exacxtly all of them ;D

week 4-5 "Shortcut to shred" form with some stress and job related distractions

My weekend, beside mental relax, was quite active though.

On Saturday I had my personal training session where I mastered deadlift technique. 
As a new LA Fitness worker I have to check classes, Personal Trainers and other facilities to make sure that I know what I am offering to our clients. That is why I had my PT session on Saturday. 

deadlift are one of the best whole body exercises but only if you do them right!

An hour with a trainer was challenging and I enjoyed it very much! I am finally sure about my deadlift technique (I found it hard to check my own form while exercising) and was reassured that my squats technique is perfect! :) After that we trained in a park with Meggie :) 

we trained at Green Park again :)

Today I joined Body Conditioning class, followed by yoga session, quick swim and relax in jacuzzi.
 

quick relaxing swimming session in our renewed swimming pool at LA Fitness WIQ

I am not keen in yoga, but my body and soul needed that and really enjoyed that form of activity and stretching. Perfect! A already feel better :)

I hope that I've charged my batteries for whole week and I won't find myself in a place like on Friday again

Summing up the week

Saturday and training outside just right to Buckingham Palace :)

Since I started my job, my free time amounts extremely decreased. I will just sum up the last week then and try to be more detailed in upcoming week.

pic from Saturday's training at LaFitness Waldorf

- I had my first time of month close in the sales at LA Fitness, ufff! whoever works in sales will know how busy it can be then!

post workout pleasure for a dieting girl

- despite business I followed 'Shortcut to shred' nutrition and training plan which I am very proud of (starting week 5 next Tuesday)

- I started phase 3 of nutrition plan which is a low carb one (with one oppcarbing day in the week) which, surprisingly, wasn't so hard to follow

- I did 2 additional light cardio trainings in the park as well during training with Megi (cheers!:))

Sunday's lazy cooking - this is what I love! preparing stir biff

Busy days diet survival

As I started my work at LA Fitness West India Quay, my days become extremely busy. 

I was having my old good rotuine once in Norway, but these days are no longer here! 
In London everything is busier and more intense.

I quckly found that with no proper preparation adn dedication, I could become easly lost in that London's rush, eating crap and miss trainings.

Here are 6 easy to follow tips which are helping me to stay on track, maybe you can incorporate them to your life as well :)

1) plan your food and trainings ahead

use 5 minutes from your day to plan ahead and spare another 60 minutes during the day for either running in order to find some food store/restaurant or collecting your training clothes in a rush

2) scheldue your training as a first thing on your today to-do list

if you don't do your training first thing in the morning, belive me, you will din't thousands of excsuses to pospone it during the busy day, you won't have energy to do it at the end of your day either
to lazy to woke up in the morning? believe me, good sweat in the morning, will work better tan 2 cups of coffee

3) have a healthy snack with you

I like to have mini barbel light cheese with me and some sugar snap peas, portion of whey protein works good too, as well as an apple. 

I try to be careful with protein bars, because they are still a treat, not a meal (they are processed and high in carbs, so they are just healthier version of normal chocolate bars).

4) take only these food which are prepared for that day only

If you already bought yourself a pack of nuts - good for you! 
But don't take all pack with you, because you will eat all of eat and you will never notice when! so devide everything into portions and just don't let yourself get into a quantity trap (you can eat 'good' foods and gain weight as well!)






5) don't follow the other peoples diet/eating routines

even if people in your office eats lots of fast food, or your company delivers it to you for free, it doesn't mean that you have to use each opportunity for eating free food only because it is for free!

different people have different goals, do not compare yourself with the others - you don't know what they eat before and after work. 
If a huge guy will eat 2 slices of pizza and stay lean does not mean that you will stay after eating one. 
Have your lunchboxes with you and eventuality take your free food home with you or customize the content of it that it would suits your macros (take croutons out from salad, have a dressing on a side and so on)







6) eat when scheduled and determine hunger from cravings

 
take a minute to see the rule of your eating at work - do you eat when stressed? or differently, you don't eat anything during the day and splurge in the evening? 

If you answer is 'yes' for one of this question, it means that you have to work on your habits.

 If you are an emotional eater, try to find something which you could do intead of eating when stressed. Maybe drink a tea or have a 5 minutes out from office just to breath a fresh air? If you still in a need of eating sth, give yourself 20 minutes. If it lasts after 20 minutes, maybe you are just hungry. So eat. But ask yourself a question "would you eat 0,5kg of broccoli right now?" If yes, that means that you are hungry, if no, it is most probably craving. 


If you eat nothing during the day and almost can't go our from kitchen in the evenings, that means that you don't eat enough during the day.

 Although not always eating many small meals if good for everyone (research shows that for good fat burn it is more about macros, not frequency), but think about sipping some meal replacement/whey protein shake during the day to keep your hunger over control later in the evening.

Is one of problems mentioned above describes you as well? What is your problem then?

Crazy week!

totally tired but happy :)

I survived my first week of trainings at new work! I have to say that it was the most challenging and instructive time in my life for like 2 years! :)

I've had my training in sky scrapers area

I definitely went out from my comfort zone, learned sales basics, met lots of new people. I am impressed how LA Fitness is structured and organised. 

There is a procedure for everything which happens in the club which gives you control over everything. My training was designed to give me the overall view how I will be working and checking all the competitors as well to see how we differs from them. 

Amazing! 

LA Fitness Waldorf is based next to Hilton Waldorf hotel in amazing musicals area, Covent Garden

First day I spent at LA Fitness St Pauls, checking out one fo Membership Advisor's work. Then 2 next day were dedicated to Sales Foundation Course. Led by Regional Sales Managers and Directors, I was impressed how easy one can learn from others by using different learning techniques. Last today I spend at LA Fitness Waldorf. General Manager dedicated so much from his time just to explain me how it is my work about. I am so thankful for that experience!

 

This week was so busy, crazy and exhausting, you may guess it was not so effective from my 'Shortcut To Shred' perspective. I did have my days off from training because I was too exhausted to train after 11 hours shifts. Regarding diet - I did eat no more than 1g carbs per pound of weight, but found it difficult to eat within 1800 kcal. I had 3 days off instead of 1, but there is still Saturday and Sunday to catch up :) 

 

 

This is the moment when keeping up with trainings and proper nutrition gets heavy - once you are too busy to find a time to prepare food and so tired to get your ass for training. I will manage everything properly next week!