The capsules I use every day are: Tonex, Neptox, Hebex and JFLEX. I take these all together with a meal and a whole glass of water.

Tonex

Tonex is a fat burner with no stimulant so is perfect for those with a caffeine intolerance.

Neptox

Neptox is my product that helps IBS and bloating. I don’t have IBS but it’s such an amazing product which helps with digestion and cleansing your insides that I take it every day anyway as I believe it helps me anyway (with bloating and also gut health).

Hebex

Hebex is my collagen tablet for flawless skin and it also helps your hair and nails grow quicker. Your body can actually use this collagen (unlike many others on the market) and my skin ALWAYS looks better for taking Hebex.

JFLEX

JFLEX is a powerful joint care, which helps me with recovery after a work out and overall well-being.

All four of these I take daily, no matter what! If you can’t swallow capsules then you can break them open and pour into a drink. They might not taste particularly nice but they do the job and it’s a way of getting them in your system!

The other products that I use either daily or as and when I need them are Semtex, JDIET, JMEAL and JVEGAN. I do tend to have at least one protein shake a day (either JDIET, JMEAL or JVEGAN) simply because I don’t get enough protein in my diet otherwise. I don’t think most people get enough protein (even meat eaters!) and I honestly believe protein is like a miracle elixir. Protein repairs tissue, but not just muscle tissue; ALL tissue, so that means it’s constantly working to repair your body. With so much over-processed food and bad quality meat on the market nowadays, I feel like protein shakes have become an essential part of a healthy diet now. For me, certainly, they are vital to my general health and nutrition. Of course, as a veggie I could get protein from nuts, chia seeds and even broccoli but the amount of it I’d have to eat to get the same quantity I’d get from a shake is just silly. Protein shakes ensure that my body is getting what it needs, whether I’m training or not. I literally couldn’t live without them!

SEMTEX

Semtex is a fat burner with added stimulants for energy. I use this before any physical activity. Normally I would use it before a work out but if I’m not doing a work out one day, I might take it before say, housework or gardening or walking the dogs. Basically it works with any form of exercise as it’s thermogenic so it heats up your core and helps you to burn fat twice as fast. It also makes you feel stronger and allows you to exercise/work for longer with ease. An hour in the gym or an hour of gardening feels like 5 minutes when you’re on Semtex. Days that I take Semtex, I would still take Tonex as well as all the other capsules mentioned above. I wouldn’t take Semtex after about 5pm at night as it might keep you awake due to it giving you so much energy. I have sometimes used Semtex during that horrible afternoon lull (around 3pm) when I suddenly feel so tired that I might fall asleep. It wakes me up and gives me the energy to carry on.

JDIET

I would have a JDIET shake either before or after the gym OR as a snack instead of something naughty as JDIET kills sweet cravings. So, instead of reaching for a chocolate bar or some biscuits, I’d have a JDIET shake. It’s also got added fat burners in it and is a diet protein shake. I would sometimes have two a day, depending on what I was doing. For example, I might have one in the morning after a work out and then another in the afternoon when I suddenly fancy something sweet. All the flavours of JDIET are amazing but my personal favourite is the Cappuccino flavour as it tastes like an iced sweet coffee. You can also mix it up by making the shake in your shaker, pouring it into a mug and heating it in the microwave for 2 mins so you have a hot cappuccino or a hot white chocolate shake. JDIET is a fab shake to have when you’re either trying to lose weight or you’re recovering from a hard work out. You can also put a scoop into a bowl and mix with a little water to create a dessert-type consistency (much like the old Angel Delight or a mousse) and then add berries, banana, granola or whatever you fancy. This then becomes a healthy breakfast, lunch or snack and it tastes amazing! You don’t need to mix JDIET with milk for it to taste amazing; I only ever mix my shakes with water. They are so creamy and rich (even with water) but of course you can use milk or almond or soy milk or whatever you fancy to make them. You can also use JDIET to make protein pancakes and all manner of baked protein recipes (like brownies and cakes). For pancakes, you simply mix some powder in a shaker with water and add eggs and that’s your batter! I used to make protein pancakes all the time as they’re so good for you and wont’ make you put on weight. I also make a mean healthy chocolate sauce simply using raw cacao powder, coconut oil and maple syrup heated gently on the stove. It’s divine on the protein pancakes!

JMEAL

JMEAL is my amazing meal replacement. It’s a fully compliant meal replacement and is full of protein, vitamins and minerals. I use JMEAL when I’ve had a few days of eating like a pig and I want a health-kick and to lose a few pounds. I would then have a JMEAL shake for breakfast, one for lunch and then a normal dinner. Some people use it for a few weeks at a time for fast weight loss. A friend of mine lost two and a half stone using JMEAL (just by having it for breakfast and lunch and then a normal dinner with his only snacks being a JDIET shake). Again, as with JDIET, I only mix JMEAL with water but you can use any type of milk that you prefer. It’s very filling and all the flavours are amazing. As with JDIET you can also make the dessert type mousse with JMEAL and add other fruit, nut, seed or granola toppings! Also, you can mix both JDIET and JMEAL with fat free yoghurt in a bowl to make an even thicker “dessert” or mousse. Likewise you can heat it up after making a shake and have it as a hot drink (I especially recommend doing this with the mint chocolate flavour). JMEAL is fab because it contains all the things your body needs and it’s so quick to make; you literally put it in a shaker with water and you can have it on the go. I very often make one and run out the door, taking it with me if I’ve got a busy day, as I know that I’m getting all my vitamins etc when I drink it and it fills me up.

JVEGAN

JVEGAN is my vegan protein shake. It can be used exactly the same way as JDIET and JMEAL. Either as a shake or a mousse in a bowl. It’s not a fully compliant meal replacement but if you add some banana, granola etc then you can get even more nutrition into your diet whilst getting a huge protein hit. It is also a source of fibre and does contain amazing ingredients like Flaxseed, broccoli sprout and vitamins including; iron, zinc, Vit B12 & Vit A! I spent a year taste-testing vegan shakes until we came up with one I was happy with. Mostly vegan shakes taste awful but I genuinely like mine (I should do after a year of tweaking!!). It can be made using water, soy milk, almond milk etc.

So there you have it. I really do use all my own products and I swear by them. They’re the highest quality on the market and I used all my own products to become the INBF Champion of America too! I took them all out to the USA with me when I was in training for my comp and I was basically the guinea pig for them before they went on sale. I won and came home with the trophy and the knowledge that yes, they really do work!! We’ve been going for 6 years this year and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved so far. I’m proud of how many people we’ve helped to lose weight, how many we’ve inspired to get fit and healthy, how many we’ve inspired to join a gym or even go for a walk! I’m immensely proud of how many people have achieved their weight loss goals using my products and I’m SO happy with how many people with IBS are no longer suffering since using Neptox! Never in a million years did I think this would be so life-changing for so many when I first started out! Thank you to all my customers so far and hello to all my new ones! I’m still here on this journey with you and as I get older and slower and the stiffness starts to set in, you’ll maybe have to start encouraging ME to carry on (As long as I remember to keep taking my JFLEX I shouldn’t get stiff anyway!) haha. Love you all x x x (see pics below for recipe ideas and food of the Gods)….. jstnutrition.co.uk

The post How I use supplements….. 7/4/2018 appeared first on Jodie Marsh.

Don’t deny yourself the good stuff

If you always deny yourself something naughty that you crave, like chips or pizza or cake then you will eventually cave in and binge eat (well, I do anyway). Instead of eating one or two biscuits, I’ll deny myself for a month and end up eating a whole packet because I lose my mind. So I think it’s better to eat one or two biscuits a few times a week than a whole packet one night. That’s my philosophy anyway. So, basically I eat what I want in moderation. I don’t eat pizza (or any kind of junk food) every night but I do have it at least once a week. And at least once a week I have a three course meal with a yummy dessert (normally something calorific with custard). It’s usually on the weekend because this is when we go out for dinner. I enjoy every mouthful because all week I have looked forward to it and I don’t allow myself to feel guilty about it. I know I’m not eating like that every day or night so I really do relax and enjoy it. It’s a treat. I choose the things I love and I savour it. I’m not pigging out all the time and I really do believe life is all about balance and having things in moderation. You need to be able to enjoy yourself, not deny yourself or starve yourself!

Be sensible after a blow out

When I’ve had a massive piggy blow out couple of meals, I then go back to my sensible eating plan of fruit, tons of veggies, nuts, oats, protein shakes, wholemeal bread and other goodness. I use my own protein shakes because I know what’s in them and I know they’re the highest quality (and why would I use someone else’s? haha). I use JMEAL for breakfast and lunch as it’s a fully compliant meal replacement full of protein and vitamins and minerals and then I use JDIET which is a protein shake with added fat burners for either after the gym or as a snack. JDIET also kills any sweet cravings I may have! Bonus! When I’ve eaten like a pig for a couple of nights, I do like to kick start my healthy eating with protein shakes because they make me feel “clean” and “light” again. We all know that horrid bloated feeling of when you’ve eaten too much (I also have a tablet for that – NEPTOX! Haha) but even when that’s gone away, I like to feel like I’m actively doing something to combat all the food I’ve eaten so I do things like; a longer dog walk than normal, or I try to fit in a gym session or some extra housework and my food becomes a LOT cleaner. For you meat eaters, you could try things like grilled chicken or fish with your veg. Just be sensible and eat things that aren’t full of fat, sugar, salt and crap! I make all my meals from scratch and I NEVER put salt or sugar in them. In the week when I’m cooking at home I basically eat steamed veg and then some kind of meat substitute like Quorn. I often have bread with dinner, I mostly use wholemeal bread but I’m no saint. If those brioche buns are calling to me then, as above, I won’t deny myself. I’ll have them. It’ll just be a case of JMEAL for breakfast with a banana!

Never underestimate the power of moving!

Doing ANY kind of exercise is better than doing nothing. I do dog walks constantly but I also do all my own housework and gardening (these also count as exercise). I then try to get in the gym as often as possible. I’m very active generally. I hardly ever sit around doing nothing. I’m one of those who is constantly finding things to do. If I have a spare hour, I start cleaning out cupboards or having a re-vamp of my wardrobe. All this moving is key to burning calories. The longer we sit doing nothing, the less we burn. I still think that lifting weights is the key to having a tight, toned body but in order to stay slim (i.e as opposed to being overweight), we need to keep moving! Instead of sitting on the sofa, go out for a walk, clean out a cupboard (if you’re throwing away any clothes then Sanctus the homeless shelter in Chelmsford will take them and if you’re not in Essex then find a homeless shelter near you!). Exercise is not only key to staying in shape but it’s also vital to maintaining a healthy mind.

Drink lots of water

I drink at least 2 litres a day. I use my own rocket bottles from JSTnutrition.com which guarantee I get at least 1.5 litres a day but then I drink at least another 500ml or more anyway. I never used to drink enough water and now I can honestly say that drinking more water has been life-changing for me. I used to have cellulite, now I don’t have any. I used to have dry skin, now I don’t. I used to put on weight easily, now I don’t. I used to get spots, now I don’t (Hebex also helps with giving you clear skin). Water is literally the best thing we can put in our body! I guzzle it all day long and if I go out to eat in a restaurant I order a large bottle and drink the whole lot during the course of the meal. I don’t drink alcohol really (or very rarely) so it’s easy to drink a whole large bottle to myself over the course of a few hours. I swear my whole body/skin/face is better for drinking more water daily. If you struggle with drinking enough water or you don’t even know how much you’re drinking then order the rocket bottles from jstnutrition.com – they’re amazing!!!!!!!

Empty calories

An old PT of mine once taught me the phrase “empty calories”. What it meant was putting something in your body that had no nutritional value to your body and was therefore an “empty calorie”. We spoke about how things like wine and cake are empty calories because they’re not good for you and your body doesn’t need them, they simply make us fat but we just crave them and therefore have them. He taught me to stop needing or wanting empty calories and to see my body as like a car that needs fuel to run. I should only put in the correct fuel. For example, you wouldn’t put petrol into a diesel car as it wouldn’t work properly. It’s the same with our bodies. We should be fuelling them correctly. So, while that was great for my hard core shredding in bodybuilding, I don’t need to be that rigid in everyday life. To maintain a good body however, I do still use this philosophy to an extent, and here’s how: If I’m going to put empty calories in my body, I MAKE THEM COUNT, as in; I know they’re empty, of no nutritional value and therefore useless to me so I want to make sure I am damn well enjoying EVERY GOD DAMN MOUTHFUL and that it is 100% worth it! Therefore, to me, a glass of wine say, which is highly calorific, isn’t worth it. It’s just a drink. Same as fizzy, chemical drinks. They’re just drinks made from chemicals. I’ve got no interest in them. A slice of the lightest fluffiest homemade sponge cake however with the creamiest dreamiest buttercream and I’m drooling even thinking about it. Now that; THAT is worth it. It’s empty calories but I’m going to enjoy every single creamy, fluffy, spongy, heavenly mouthful I spoon in and I’m going to lick my lips and teeth after every mouthful and I’m going to even enjoy the aftertaste. All red wine is going to do is leave me with red teeth, bad breath and a headache. You see my point? If you’re eating empty calories and you KNOW they’re empty calories – make them count for goodness sake!!! If crisps are your thing, have the crisps, if red stained teeth are your thing, have the wine (haha joking, kind of), if chocolate is your thing, have some. Just enjoy it and know that it’s NOT fuel, it WILL make you fat and just have it in moderation while you refuel properly with other good stuff!

Be Aware

I have seen SO many people who say “I’m on a diet” but who then drink 10 cups of tea or coffee a day with loads of milk and two sugars in every cup!! I’m always gobsmacked. Two sugars! Ten cups!! That’s twenty spoonfuls of sugar a day but then they say they’re dieting! From the moment I started bodybuilding, my trainer said to me “no more dairy and no more sugar”. From then on, I drank all my tea and coffee black and with no sugar (and I was from the school of “very milky and two sugars”). And you know what? I prefer it this way now. I couldn’t drink it with milk and sugar if you paid me. I think I’d be sick. Black coffee is far tastier (and more sophisticated darlings) and even tea is nicer as you can actually taste the tea. My favourite tea is green tea with jasmine anyway and you wouldn’t want milk or sugar with that as it would be vile. It’s these little things you need to look at when you’re wondering why you’re not losing weight. Are you drinking lots of sugary drinks (empty calories), are you having lots of sugar in your tea and coffee (cut that right out now), are you eating what you think is a healthy cereal, which is actually just a bowl of sugar? Start looking at what you eat and drink and start making subtle changes. Stop putting salt in the food you make at home. Stop putting sugar in your drinks. Swap fruit drinks for water. Drink more water in general. Do all this and you won’t need these silly DVDs that get you doing star jumps in front of your TV (who wants to be doing that anyway – can you imagine how silly you’d feel?). Take my advice; this is about a lifestyle and it’s about balance! It’s not about some quick fix or about any fad. It’s about making healthy choices, it’s about being sensible and about taking care of yourself. Do some exercise, eat well, use some help in the way of GOOD supplements (did I mention I own a supplement company) and enjoy yourself in the process! You only get one life; life it and love it…….

JST NUTRITION products:

JMEAL – meal replacement with protein, vitamins & minerals
JDIET – -protein shake with added fat burners
JVEGAN – vegan protein shake
HEBEX – collagen tablet for flawless skin
NEPTOX – for IBS and bloating
SEMTEX – fat burner
TONEX – fat burner with no added stimulant
JFLEX – joint care

www.jstnutrition.com

The post I turn 40 this year & I’m still in great shape – here’s WHY…. 13/3/2018 appeared first on Jodie Marsh.

Anyway, I took ten minutes at the end of our work out to ask Rick a few questions about training and to get some tips off the man himself and here, exclusively for you is the video:

The post Training Tips From the Legend (and my gym inspo) Rick Waters appeared first on Jodie Marsh.

I recently went on holiday to Italy with my parents. Before we went, I said to my mum “you should come in the gym with me every morning”. I LOVE using the hotel gym when on holiday. I always get up early on holiday as I don’t want to waste a second of the day and my routine is 6am gym, 7am breakfast and by 8am I’m on a sun-lounger with my kindle in my hand. Incredibly, my mum agreed (this is the woman, who when I started bodybuilding, said to me “I’m worried about you, you might hurt yourself” haha). She even went to good ol’ M&S and bought herself a gym outfit. Her excitement for the gym then rubbed off on my dad (partly because I guess he didn’t want to be left out on holiday) and he too agreed to come to the gym with us every morning.

Fast forward to Italy and every morning without fail, they both joined me at 6am! I got there slightly earlier than them and did 45mins cardio on the bike and then when they arrived we all did 20 minutes on a treadmill followed by half an hour of weights.

Fast forward to now and I have created a monster!! Haha. My parents are now gym OBSSESSED and are in the gym every morning at 6am doing half an hour on the treadmill and half an hour of weights. They love it so much that when they recently went to Norfolk for a min-break, they found a local hotel nearby with a gym and got themselves day passes so that they could still train every day. My parents are 68. They are both in agreement that they have never felt better, that they have both lost weight and toned up, that they ADORE the feeling it gives them, that they feel they have more energy and that going first thing in the morning sets them up for the day and makes them feel amazing! All these years mother, all these years I have been telling you how amazing the gym is and NOW you finally get it! Haha.

On a serious note, I am so proud of both of them and I love that they can see the benefits and I love how much they love it. They had suddenly become conscious of the fact that they didn’t do any exercise and that they were getting all the typical aches and stiffness associated with getting older. Now, however, my mum said she no longer feels stiff. She feels agile and fit! I’m so pleased that they are so serious about it and that it’s working wonders for both of them.

Now I want to talk about a friend of mine Rick Waters. Rick is a bodybuilder who I first met at a bodybuilding show some years ago. I was interviewing him for my TV show and when he told me his age I nearly keeled over with shock. At the time Rick was 54 and he had the body of an Adonis! I was seriously impressed. I think it was at that moment that I TRULY fell in love with bodybuilding, as I realised looking at Rick that lifting weights and keeping yourself in shape also meant having the ability to look amazing and feel fit and healthy. He had the body of a 20-something! Rick still competes now. He’s 60 and he also runs his own gym/studio where he does personal training, diet plans and classes. Check out his website www.prohydr8studio.com – The man is a legend!! Rick first started training in 1987 following an injury playing American Football for Southend Sabres (which he founded back in 1984).

Rick says:

“Once I started my training program I became very interested on how my physique started changing and was prompted to compete which I did in 1989, and wasn’t placed, but learnt about what was really involved in getting one’s physique ready to a competition. I spent those early years training and improving my physique and learnt more about training with weights. This has led me to continue my training without suffering any joint issues over the years. I am still updating learning more about the body, due to Sports Science which has supported a number of theories in the past and showing us new ways of improving our skill sets and performance. I am a firm believer of good and solid technique used correctly with weights will certainly improve mind and body. Training smart will help you avoid injuries. I am still competing and enjoy the challenge.”

Please remember that Rick is a NATURAL bodybuilder!! This means he doesn’t take any performance-enhancing drugs! No steroids or growth hormone! Same as me, Rick doesn’t want or need it and just enjoys the buzz of seeing what his body can do! So you see, Rick is living proof that age really IS just a number. Below is a list of all Rick’s achievements in Bodybuilding – please check it out at the end. He’s my HERO!!!!

Also, it’s worth mentioning at this point that in my first bodybuilding comp in America, I was beaten by a 65 year old lady who had just overcome cancer!!! Yep, you read that right. She had been ill for a long time and as soon as she went into remission, she started training again and she WON! What an achievement!!!!!!!!!

So you see, I want you to take all this in and really digest it. I hear so many times “I’m too old now” or “it’s too late for me” or “god I could never get in that shape” – well matey – you’re wrong – you CAN get in any shape you want and it’s NEVER TOO LATE! Below in the pics, you will see a text I received from my mum this morning. Remember she’s 68 and now in the gym every morning at 6am! You will see from her text what the gym now means to her. Please don’t ever think you are “too old” to do something. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to!

Check out below Rick’s achievements and take a look at all the pics!! And don’t forget to check out Rick’s website and Facebook page (PROHYDR8) for motivation, inspiration, for training and to show him some love and support – he’s currently in training for his next competition too!!!!

Rick’s Competition Biography, as a Natural Bodybuilder Competitor:

• 1991 WABBA Runner up Novice South East-
• 1991 WABBA Novice British Champion
• 2001 ANB South East Masters winner & Overall
• 2001 ANB runner up in Masters British Champion
• 2002 ANB South East Masters Winner
• 2002 ANB Masters British Champion
• 2002 Masters World Championship 3rd
• 2003 ANB Master British Championship 3rd
• 2003 UIBBN European Masters Champion
• 2003 BNBF Masters Southern Winner
• 2003 BNBF Masters British Champion
• 2004 NPA Masters Yorkshire Winner
• 2004 NPA Masters British Runner up
• 2004 NPA Pro-Am 5th place
• 2004 BNBF Masters Central Winner
• 2004 BNBF Master British Champion
• 2004 World Masters Championship 4th place
• 2005 BNBF Masters Championship 4th
• 2006 BNBF Masters British Champion
• 2006 Natural Universe 6th
• 2006 NPA Master British Championship 2nd
• 2007 European Championships 2nd
• 2007 BNBF British Masters Champion
• 2007 INBF NATURAL OLYMPIA GRAND MASTERS CHAMPION
• 2008 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 2nd
• 2008 KKTC Halter ve Vucut Gelistirme 70kg-80kg 3rd (non tested and not natural event..)
• 2009 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 2nd
• 2010 BNBF Masters Central Winner & Best Wheels
• 2010 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 3rd
• 2011 MUSCLEMANIA ENGLND O50 Champion & OVERALL Champion
• 2011 MUSCLEMANIA BRITISH O50 Champion
• 2011 MUSCLEMANIA EUROPEAN Champion 2nd – invitation to compete at the
World Finals in Miami & Las Vegas Universe
• 2011 UKBBF Stars of Tomorrow Masters 3rd (NOT TESTED and again NOT a NATURAL event)
• 2011 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 3rd
• 2012 BNBF Masters Central Winner & Best Wheels
• 2012 NGA FLAMINGO (Miami) Masters Winner
• 2012 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 2nd – invitation to compete at the
World Finals in Miami.
• 2013 MUSCLEMANIA BRITISH Masters Champion – invitation to compete at
the Paris Fitness Championship.
• 2013 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 2nd – invitation to compete at the
World Finals in Miami.
• 2013 UKDFBA UK Masters O50 Championship 2nd
• 2013 INBF World Grand Master Champion
• 2014 MUSCLEMANIA BRITISH Masters Champion – invitation to compete at
the Paris Fitness Championship.
• 2014 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 3rd
• 2014 UKDFBA UK Masters O50 Championship 5th
• 2015 BNBF British Masters O50 Champion
• 2015 DFAC World Over 50 Master Champion
• 2016 BNBF British Masters O50 Championship 2nd
Invitation to DFAC World Over 50 Master Championship.
• 2016 UKDFBA UK Masters O50 Championship 2nd

The post Why it’s never too late to make a start on your fitness or getting in shape!!!! appeared first on Jodie Marsh.

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The post My BEST gym tips appeared first on Jodie Marsh.

The two pictures I have included here make a very good point – the first is the day I very first competed; In order to look like that, I had dehydrated for a whole day, drunk a glass a wine the night before (to dehydrate even more), pumped up loads before going on stage (meaning, done a load of press ups and biceps curls) and covered myself in so much fake tan I looked like a peperami (this is to hide the tattoos by the way as the judges don’t want to see them on stage – being that I have so many I had to go really dark and thick with the tan). If you look at that picture and think “I don’t want to look like that” then fear not – you won’t!! Unless you do all the mad prep that I did to look like that (for that ONE day) then you won’t suddenly have bulging muscles like me in that pic.

What is VERY interesting however is the second photo: this was taken TWO DAYS after the first……..!!!!!!!!!! The second photo is me at a photo shoot, with none of the silly tan, I’m completely hydrated and NOT pumped up. I look like a fit, toned women (I’m sure you’ll agree). So now tell me, why wouldn’t you want to do weights, when what they actually do is make your body tight and firm?! I have been a size 8-10 most of my life and in these pictures I had dropped down to a size 4. I was so small that I looked like a little doll in the flesh. I remember going into New Look to get a dress for a friend’s birthday and I tried on a size 6 dress and it was too big for me! I was so tiny! And it was the best I’d ever felt – not because I was so small but because I’d gotten my body to peak condition and was the fittest and strongest I’d ever been. I had no wobbly bits that I “needed to hide” and I felt amazing in a bikini!

The more muscle you build, the less fat you will have and (and therefore less wobbly bits). To do it properly, you also need to combine this with a high protein diet and eat healthily, eg. You can’t start picking up the weights thinking it’s going to “tone you up” and then gorge yourself on pizza and chips every night – muscle needs protein to repair and become stronger so for me as a veggie, a protein shake after the gym is ESSENTIAL and then a healthy dinner including lots of veg.

I’m not saying you can’t enjoy food too (you can); look at ANY recent photo of me on my Instagram and you will see that I am still very toned and firm and yet I eat out at least 3 times a week where I eat whatever I like (including a sticky toffee pudding and custard). The reason I get away with this is that I do weights at least 4 or 5 times a week (for around 40 minutes) and I go HARD. I push myself to lift heavy and am always upping the weights when a set gets too easy. I then eat lots of protein (by way of shakes – my own of course www.jstnutrition.co.uk) and lots of fruit, veg, brown rice, and good fats (like natural peanut butter and avocados).

By eating healthily throughout the week at home and lifting heavy, I can then afford to go out and eat like a pig because it really doesn’t make much difference to my body shape or size. My muscle isn’t just going to disappear overnight and unless I started eating like a pig EVERY day then I’m not suddenly going to put on loads of weight either. Also, the more muscle you have, the quicker your body burns calories and uses the food you put into it, which in turn increases your metabolism. So you see; your muscles might get bigger from doing weights (though not big and bulging like the hulk) but what this actually means is that your body gets firmer and tighter and with the right diet, you will get smaller over all. You’ll also end up with lovely toned arms and definition in places you’d previously only seen wobble. It’s AMAZING! Do NOT be scared of weights: weights will help you to achieve your dream body. Weights will make you strong. Weights are the way forward!!!!!!!!!

Photo 3 is how I look now with my nice toned arms at a size 8 while doing weights and still eating out 3 times a week!

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There’s the huge muscly guy, who you think looks like a scary, immense, professional bodybuilder; what you don’t know is that he took up weight training after being bullied at school for being “too skinny”. There’s the perfectly toned woman on the treadmill in a lovely outfit; what you don’t know is that woman has overcome cancer and is training for a charity event. There’s the sexy girl with the big boobs who looks amazing in her low-cut sports top; what you don’t know is that she used to be really fat until she threw herself into training and got a boob job to fill out her then saggy boobs.

Everyone in a gym is there for a reason and it’s generally the same reason as YOU want to join; they want to get in shape, lose some weight, build some muscle and get fit. They want to change how their body looks and works. They may be doing it purely for aesthetics or they may be doing it for a upcoming sporting event; either way, they have a goal. And they too were once scared when they stepped into a gym for the very first time. Of course it’s intimidating for the first time in doing ANYTHING, but once you’ve done it, the fear melts away; you realise you had nothing to fear and actually you begin to focus on why you wanted to do it in the first place, until that is all that is left and all that matters.

The first time I stepped into a gym I was 29 years old. I had been pretty fit through my early twenties (dancing in night clubs had seen to that), but as I started to get older, my body started to spread. I no longer partied in the clubs so I had nothing to keep me fit and I was putting on weight and not looking my best. My 30th birthday was looming and I had decided that I wanted to “go out with a bang” – by that I mean, I wanted to wear one last crazy skimpy outfit before I “became an adult”, grew up and started to dress more normally (hahahaha – I kind of dress normally don’t I? hahaha). So, I walked into the gym, having no clue what I needed to do to get in shape, but I did what everyone does that first time and I hopped onto a treadmill. A nearby PT who I had known since I was 15 approached me and asked what my goal was. I said “to tone up and lose weight” and he said “you need to be doing weights then”. And that my lovelies is how it all started. By the age of 32 I had competed in my very first bodybuilding competition (and yes I had worn a VERY skimpy outfit to my 30th birthday). But let me tell you, I was terrified that first time in there on that treadmill. I didn’t know what I was doing! If it wasn’t for that PT talking to me, I’d probably still be there now running like Forest Gump!

My point is this: Most gyms when you go to sign up offer one free PT session (if they don’t then don’t be afraid to ask for this and haggle for it as part of you signing up). Take the free session (or, pay for one – if you can get one for say £35, then I would say it’s definitely worth the £35!) and rinse the PT dry for his/her knowledge on what you should be doing to achieve your goals. Having a PT for that first time in the gym will make you feel much more confident. If, however there’s no option to have a PT then you need to just suck it up, hold your head high and walk in like you mean business. You’ll find after a week or so of going, it gets easier and before you know it you’ll be just “one of the regulars” (like all those other scary people – yup – you’re one of them now! Haha).

The free weights area in particular is a terrifying place to most non-gym-goers. In my old gym in Brentwood, I was basically the first girl to be in that area (other than the female PTs). I was gingerly picking up my little 5Kg dumb bells and feeling generally stupid and weak. I soon realised though that it was my own thoughts that were stupid!! Every guy in that weight area was lovely and friendly and helpful; “of course, because its YOU!” I hear you all shouting. Well actually no, over the 5 or so years I trained in that gym I watched them help anyone and everyone who came into the weights area. Those big beefy guys who look so intimidating were actually the nicest, soppiest guys ever once you got to know them (think The BFG). As I said above, some of them had been bullied at school and wanted to beef up as a result, some just loved training and being fit, some were in training for a strong man competition; but the one thing they all had in common was that they were NICE.

We all know not to judge a book by it’s cover but how often do we practice that in real life? Because I guarantee there are still people reading this now who are too scared to walk into a gym/go into the weights area. And why? Because of how all the beefed up guys and “gorgeous” girls look!! How silly! So you’re going to allow your own insecurities stop you from doing something that might change your life for the better (in every way) when the very thing you’re scared of is a person who has all the same insecurities as you (no matter what the outward appearance suggests). Silly!!!!!

In my gym in Brentwood, once I had gotten to know everyone, it was like having a whole new extended family! It even became a bit of a social event as I would go late at night and chat to all different people in between sets. I loved it. And you know what? That newbie who came in fairly overweight was applauded by us all. We would never laugh at someone for taking that first step!! I would feel proud of anyone new in there and would actively smile at them and try to talk to them where I could. People were only excluded/left alone when THEY made it clear that they weren’t there to make friends and THEY made it clear they didn’t want to talk. Of course everyone is different. There were always a few in the gym on a limited time schedule who wanted to go in, headphones on, do their work out and get out without talking to anyone – and that’s fine. The rest of us did our work outs and chatted and laughed and played silly buggars in between.

Don’t be scared of gyms. Don’t be scared of people. We are all the same and certainly in a gym, we all have the same goals and are there for the same reason. Don’t let your own fear put you off doing anything! When you ask for help in a gym, in my experience (and from what I’ve witnessed through watching others), most people will help you. They are not there to laugh at you; they’re as insecure as you are (even with that amazing body). Believe me, when you get your body to peak physical condition, you don’t just suddenly become really up yourself and confident, you still have insecurities and you are still a nice person. If anything, when you become really good at something, generally you want to show others how you did it or help them to achieve the same thing.

If you’re thinking of joining a gym but you feel silly and embarrassed and scared, then I’m here to tell you – JOIN IT ANYWAY! It’ll be the best thing you ever do….

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