The intimidation factor

This is a topic I really wanted to cover because it appears relevant to virtually everyone I speak to including men!  I have also committed every single faux pas there is: dropping weight plates on my feet (twice), tripping, falling off a treadmill, trapping myself under a barbell, breaking machines, forgetting to shave my armpits and even training in a pyjama top (best not to ask!). The number of these undignified moments is usually inversely correlated to calories consumed so I'm anticipating a whole lot more for the coming weeks.

I don't think anybody is immune to the intimidation factor no matter how experienced, but it is related to how much you care about what other people think and also how competent and confident you feel in an environment. Ultimately, the way to off set this best is to be prepared and there are a number of ways to go about this so you put yourself in a situation for success rather than setting yourself up for something unnecessarily difficult and ultimately failing.

1. Choose your gym wisely

Choosing a suitable gym is actually really important. The people, staff, equipment, the space, they all contribute to helping you stay on track with goals. These can range dramatically from female only to hard core bodybuilding gyms. I choose to train in a bodybuilding gym for two reasons; I work better in a no frills gym and I can always get access to the equipment, two things which matter a lot to me. The downside of this is I am the ONLY female in the gym which is unfortunately accompanied by the most derogatory, sexist, degrading comments. I am pleased to note that this dissipates pretty quickly or perhaps I've just stopped caring or listening! Some gyms are worse than others and I have in fact left a gym for this very reason. No woman should ever have to put up with these kinds of remarks. You can lead by example but unfortunately you can't win every battle.

2. Expect people to look

People will look at you, they'll look at what weight you're lifting but they'll also be looking at everybody else including the other men, so don't take this personally. Never assume you know what somebody is thinking as most likely you'll be wrong and therefore it's not even relevant or important. The question to ask is how are you going to deal with how it makes you feel? The best advice here is to be prepared and to know what you're going to be doing for that session, so you can get on with it without distraction. Being honest with where you're at is important to address as you can take action as to whether you need to top up on a few 1-1 sessions to master some basic movements. This can help drastically with feeling competent. 

3. Know how to use the equipment

In any new gym, there is always a bit of dilly dallying around to get familiar with different equipment. EVERYBODY feels this, no matter how experienced you are. If you don't know how to use something just ask. That is what the fitness staff are there for and they will be pleased to help you.

4. Really take some time to address realistic goals and objectives

There is no better way to fail at a task than setting unrealistic goals. It is a real confidence eroding process, can often induce overtraining and injury and is unnecessary. I believe daily short term goals should almost always be achievable. It's the culmination of achieving these daily targets and doing something well that builds confidence and I can't stress how important this attribute is for everything. It needs to be nurtured very carefully. It's also really important to be clear about why you're in the gym that day. When things get a bit tough - you need to be able to answer the question why are you there? and feel like the answer matters.

5. There is NO magic fitness program formula

Once the basic weight lifting moves have been learnt, the fitness program is next. This is something I am constantly experimenting with, because I love experimenting, but what becomes very apparent is ...there is NO magic formula. For any one goal, there are infinite possibilities in how you get there. Some are significantly harder than others! and I opt for the path of least resistance these days and the minimum effective dose! In fact, it's my standard question for any problem or dilemma at the start of the day - what is the path of least resistance for this task or situation?

It is however important to have a plan and one that fits with both your physiology and psychology. There are a number of generic plans floating around the internet which can be used as a good template but this leads onto the next point. If you are using a generic plan or even if you're using an individualised one, it's still really important to know when and how to modify it - the art of ebbing and flowing. 

6. Be flexible and open to possibility

This is slightly harder, because you have to be attuned to your body and trust it but it is so important to be able to modify or tweak a plan. This can make all the difference to progress. There are so many variables that contribute to progress; nutrition, recovery, training program, intensity, consistency, menstrual cycle...the list is endless. Knowing when to push and when to back off are two great examples; putting in an extra rest day or forgoing a rest day. Of course, you have to give a program time to work (usually about 4-8 weeks depending on fitness level) but within that, listening to your body is essential. During competition prep, the week before my period, I don't diet and I throw in a planned cheat meal.  This is very unconventional bodybuilding wisdom but I have found dieting during this time has the reverse effect, so I'd rather maintain my weight through eating a good amount of healthy clean food than struggle through calorie restriction and still end up putting on weight. 

7. When all else fails - Fake it

There is a real argument for "faking it until you make it".  Just as mind affects body, so does body affect mind. So even forcing a smile or displaying "dominant" poses affect the neuroendocrine system. The following paper is an interesting take on how adopting "power poses" for 2 mins can increase testosterone, decrease cortisol and lead to subsequent behavioural changes. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20855902 -Amy Cuddy talks really well on this and there are a number of her talks on YouTube. 

Tweaking body language to appear more confident is a good start: standing taller, basically any body position that makes you appear bigger (a dominance strategy adopted by primates and other animals).

So acting confident even though you don't feel it can still get you half way there if not the whole way. 

Wonder woman power pose: hands on hip, legs shoulder width apart

And lastly.....

8. Just do it!

How do you make hard things fun?

My love affair with bodybuilding came about as part accident and part experiment.
For the last 20 years I have been competing in some kind of sport but always with the motivation to just win, at all costs. Not always, but more often than not I achieved those things, but there was something distinctly vacuous and unfulfilling about the journey. Successful moments were often extremely fleeting and always accompanied by a tremendous emotional crash. Failure was often irredeemably corrosive to my confidence and sense of self. In truth it was a very anxious and tumultuous way to spend one's time. That feeling of it never being enough eventually makes one weary and bleary eyed.

As a scientist working in sports science and a strength and conditioning coach, I decided to embark on a giant physiological and psychological experiment working in a new sport; bodybuilding. The main aim was really to try and figure out if I could learn to enjoy the journey. I chose bodybuilding because it's not easy and it fit beautifully with my criteria for this experiment, which was:


1. To see if I could self-coach myself to be competition ready, without any performance enhancing drugs. 

2. To learn to enjoy the process

A radical shift in mindset 

Making bodybuilding prep fun, is not an easy task because you're combining training with harsh dieting over a 12-16 week period. The diet part is the tricky bit as this can substantially chip away at one's moods and mental resilience. To cut a long story short, I achieved both of the above objectives and the strangest thing happened when I made the conscious decision to train inside-out - mind first, body second; my life got so much better and so much happier. It also got me a silver medal in my first competition and I can honestly say I enjoyed every day of my prep. 

There were some very desperate hard days, both physically and emotionally, but hard can be good. There is a real difference between making something pointlessly hard and something that is hard because you need it to progress. The latter version was the majority of my hard days and so there were tears beyond what I even imagined possible for a human being, but these were met with an acceptance rather than resistance and it changed the dynamic completely. I emerged much better for it and I learned optimism amongst a whole cacophony of mental skills just through facing fear and limiting beliefs. Bodybuilding is a surprisingly good tool to do this because being exhausted is very revealing. You can't hide, it strips you to your core which is actually a great opportunity for change. 

Challenges are great, they force an evolution and growth of character but hard things can also be really fun and that was my big lesson. There is always choice about how you do any one thing, so doing something with an appreciation and joy is very different from doing it with dread, fear and begrudgement. Sometimes all you need is a fleeting moment experiencing a positive state and that is enough to know you can never go back to old ways of doing things. That is my experience with bodybuilding but it can be applied to all things. The message is the same; it is understanding how to create enjoyment and a positive mental state at any time and place..and these together fuel motivation - which is the driving force behind being able to do one's best.

The important and unimportant questions to ask? 

Knowing that one can learn optimism changes the kinds of questions we should ask about how best to tackle a task. With reference to training, these questions can be narrowed down to:

1) How do I make my training today enjoyable?

• Adjust the focus

As an example of how I did this; I started with the understanding that being creative and experimenting with designing programs is something I really enjoy. I therefore always looked forward to trialling my session, to see how effective it was. This shifts the focus from the body (the end product) to something more intrinsic. 

• Tweak intensity

Enjoyment of training is also very much linked to how well energy levels match up to training intensity and volume. When you're very tired, hard hard effort is fairly miserable. This matching of task to skill level or energy level, is the basis of the "flow" state originally proposed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and is thought to be a real contributor to human happiness and optimum performance. Essentially, the level of work needs to be appropriate so it's not too hard, but also not too easy and it just requires being mindful of one's energy on a day to day basis and being able to tweak accordingly. 

The other bonus of enjoying one's training is it snowballs into consistency, confidence and a positive mind set, all necessary requirements for feeling prepared. 

2) What do I need or not need in my life or situation at this precise moment to support my goals?

This is an interesting one and can be quite carthatic. It's an opportunity to remove all the things or re-evaluate relationships that don't serve you any more. As a demonstration of my very "un-abominable" will, I not only had to put some chocolates in the bin but then proceeded to cover them in washing up liquid, because quite frankly I didn't think plain "binning" was enough to deter a pre-menstrual, dieting, tired female. So there we go...placing oneself in a situation for success - not entirely dignified but it works. 

Once these questions are addressed, the rest is just strategy, following through and putting one foot in front of the other. I believe answers to these questions are the bread and butter of all training program, as it creates a solid foundation. 

Sleep - the elixir of life, weight loss and performance!

My main requirement for performance and being a fairly normal human being is sleep! This is a huge one for me and without good quality sleep (and a fair number of hours of this), there simply would be no prep and no competition; come to think of it probably no friends either! Ten years ago I would have managed pretty well on 2 hours sleep a night, but absolutely not now. I'm a blithering dysfunctional mess after a couple of nights of not getting my full quota. I can survive but I certainly do no thrive. 

There are huge numbers of studies correlating sleep with motivation, mood, appetite control, performance, cognition, pain perception, the immune system. It is also something I have come to prioritise over everything else because sleep deprivation is one of the biggest enemies of fat loss. This can be for many reasons, but there is strong evidence to say lack of sleep negatively affects the balance of the appetite regulating hormones ghrelin (hunger) and leptin (feeling of fullness), so a person is more prone to feeling hungry and craving sugar with the added insult of lowering mental resilience. The net result; fighting the urge to attack a pot of ice cream is much harder. It also affects stress levels and fatigue which further exacerbates the problem. 


A person's sleep requirement varies drastically from person to person and also at different times so it's a very personal one. During prep, sleep is one of the best things to promote good recovery, mental well-being and it's cheap! There can also be a vicious cycle with dieting and sleep, whereby harsh calorie restriction can create sleep problems and this can perpetuate a negative cascade of problems related to fat loss goals. Prioritising sleep (for me) therefore comes first above everything else. The moment diet affects sleep I address this pretty quickly, upping daily calories or adding in a pre-bed snack. What I don't do is endure it!

The revelation that not everything has to be hard and actually too much struggle is a sign something is probably not right, has completely changed by life. I am a much happier person because of this and consequently success has come a lot more easily. Sometimes working less hard but in the right way is a better strategy for sport and life. 

Emotional Fitness

With the introduction of new sciences that bridge the gap between the traditional hard sciences, we see the emergence of things like "happiness" and "mindfulness" research and with these come a whole new glossary of terminology; which I then have to furiously google to understand. 

"Emotional fitness" and "anti-fragility" are two rather fanciful examples but not a bad attempt at summing up what essentially means the strength of one's character. I'd like to go one step further and suggest that being mentally robust is about having a flexible personality, as it is this which allows someone to navigate relatively seamlessly through life's little ups and downs, which in turn just makes life more enjoyable. No personality trait is a virtue (or hindrance) at all times; there is a time and a place where it works best and understanding this can prevent a significant amount of head banging - something I know lots about and it gets you nowhere except exhausted. Similarly, and most demonstrable in females, we are different women at different times of the month and understanding this, contrary to popular belief can be used to our advantage. 
Learning to be flexible is possible and actually it's easier than one may think; it just takes a bit of awareness of habitual behaviour. It could be trying a new response to a situation, argument or just doing something/anything a different way. The book "Flex" (see below) does quite a good job of the "how to" of this. 

Having competed and worked in sport and fitness practically my whole life, you get to see a lot. I've experienced a lot of success and failure, disappointment, illness, injury and the whole spectrum of emotion that goes along with that. I've also seen many other people go through it as well. Nowadays I tend to coach myself in anything I do and at the moment my chosen sport is bodybuilding. Being self-aware is a necessity of any self-coaching venture but it also allows me to better understand how to help other people. 

My thoughts as a coach and an athlete

I work as a strength and conditioning coach but I also work in sports science research. One of my interest areas is the science of motivation and I'm fast realising how building a strong flexible character is easier to create than you might think and just as necessary as physical skills in getting and staying on top of any goal. Emotional fitness is also the skill set that seems the least visible in the athletes I train. They can squat 2-3 times their body weight but have absolutely no concept of how to respond constructively to an unexpected situation or difficult decision about how best to attain their goals. This is a problem, as being able to make the right decisions and change or not change strategy in a sporting context can make or break a person (literally!). 

To be able to self motivate, make good decisions, stay positive...these are all absolutely crucial skills to creating momentum, staying injury free and navigating through a training phase. These skills are usually acquired the hard way as a consequence to life but they can also be consciously learned. The last point is a jewel of information because it means you can learn the lessons much faster and easier without having to journey to the far end of the "mood" spectrum i.e to "bottom out", whisky in hand. This therefore creates a choice with how you choose to experience life and I wish I had known that ten years ago because it just makes everything easier, more fun and angst free. 

To be able to select the aspects of your personality you choose to demonstrate at any given time is hugely empowering because it strengthens our ability for self reliance. Sometimes as coaches or friends, we get it wrong, give bad advice, don't know the best thing to say at the right time or just can't be there; it's human nature. Unfortunately I've been in the situation and I've seen people literally fall apart because they can't deal with a situation on their own when they've had to and it's completely preventable. 

As a coach, I see my role as making a person more self sufficient whatever that may entail. If I have done my job right, over time I expect to disappear more and more into the background only emerging at times of desperate need! This goes against the grain of conventional wisdom about coaching but it works and it works well. It also works in alignment with my values about sporting success and that is to encourage an athlete to become a better, happier person along the way. 

Right now I'm in the middle of bodybuilding prep and so I can experience the athlete side of the athlete-coach dynamic. It is hard; I'm very tired and my usual support system is on holiday! so it's a true test to my resilience; practice what you preach and all that! Thank goodness for the small things.. music, rest and watching Gladiator on repeat seems to work a treat! 

Motivation Book Club!

Flex - Ben Fletcher and Karen Pine and The power of Habit - Charles Duhigg

Beauty? What on earth is that.....

Beauty as a product of Geography

It is fascinating being in different countries and cultures for many different reasons but one particular reason intrigues me and that is how beauty seems to be a product of geographical location. There is no doubt "beauty" is more of a philosophical question and it is certainly in the eye of the beholder but what becomes evident is the contribution culture plays in creating that aesthetic ideal.

I was prompted to write this post because I was asked by a Thai lady why foreigners like tanned skin. She really could't understand why pale skinned "farang" as we're called spend hours in the sun, because here in Thailand pale skin is revered. There is an abundance of skin whitening creams and procedures available, which by all accounts seem rather dangerous. These can include: mercury, hydroquinone, steroids (clobetasol), kojic and azeliac acid; none of which are particularly good for the skin long term.

The list of what constitutes beauty in different countries is endless. In Mauritania, amongst the white Moor Arab population, obesity is encouraged through the use of fat farms. This is considered a sign of beauty and wealth. A generation ago, a third of young girls and women would be force fed to gain unhealthy amounts of fat - they would then be deemed in an eligible state for marriage. Luckily, this trend is dying out.

We then have the famous Brazilian bottom, the abdominal scars of the Karo tribe in Ethiopia, stretched ear lobes of the Masai, rhinoplasty surgical bandages in Iran....all considered beautiful.

Abdominal scars of Karo tribe

Post surgical bandages of a nose job in Iran (considered a status symbol) 

There was an interesting project done by a journalist called Esther Honig, who asked graphic designers in 25 different countries to photoshop what they best thought represented the countries ideal. It's fascinating and these are just faces! not even bodies.  Below are a couple of examples and the link shows all 25 images.

http://www.demilked.com/global-women-beauty-standards-before-and-after-esther-honig/

Original

Argentina

Germany

It just goes to show, beauty is such a complex issue; a combination of culture, geography, wealth, timing, personal choice, unconscious thought....the list goes on. What would our beliefs about beauty be without cultural conditioning I wonder?

The subjective nature of Bodybuilding across the Globe

This question of beauty interested me because of competing in an aesthetic sport, which depending on the category will certainly involve an element of "beauty pageant" and this subjective nature of judging may also be different in different countries. In addition, what is considered attractive changes with time, like fashion.  Lets take the male "bodybuilding" category as an example; the 212 category at Mr. Olympia (the biggest/ leanest category). The male bodybuilder from the 1970's was a very different breed from that today. Access to better training methods, knowledge and steroids means what is possible today is different from 40 years ago and there is an element of entertainment now involved in the sport, where it almost transitions into a freak show. The 212 bodybuilding physique is about pushing the limits of muscular growth and finding out what that limit is....which goes beyond aesthetics.

A personal perspective

I'm pretty simple when it comes to my concept of beauty. I don't have a physical check list - it is something ethereal which is so much more than the sum of the parts. I find people that are natural, comfortable in their own skin, and authentic very beautiful - a face does't need to be symmetrical or a 6-pack doesn't have to be present. In fact...the below picture is my idea of beauty! A very rough skinned baby elephant called Ida, with cuts and warts. She has the most bizarre "voice" I have ever heard - which sounds like a cat being strangled, but she kisses (suckers) my sweaty face every day after a run and that to me is true beauty because I'm not sure anyone else would do it!

Does this seem contradictory to the sport I compete in? Not really....when I have to go on stage, you play the game, act - this is a part of sport. The same is true for martial artists. Do athletes competing in boxing and other combat sports mean a person is of a violent temperament? Perhaps..but in many cases I have  found the opposite to be true. Outside of a competitive environment, it couldn't be further from the truth. Humans are many things at many times and this complexity and contradiction is part of human nature.

Not a fan of the foot chains...but my idea of beauty...warts and all!

The art of recovery - Thai style

Rest and recovery - the building blocks of training

The importance of rest and recovery for anybody is vital. Days and periods of rest and reflection are necessary for wellbeing and entropy and inertia seem to be deeply wired into human nature to make sure we get it.

I can definitely tell you what rest is NOT - and that is getting lost on a 50cc moped for 3 hours in the heat of the midday sun. Quite how my eye balls are not burnt to a crisp I'm not entirely sure but thank goodness for eyelashes and the human defence mechanisms!

As I get a little older (35 years wise!), I have to get smarter about training and also prioritising recovery and rest. The big one for me is sleep; an absolutely essential requirement without which I can barely assume the foetal position. Here in Thailand, I have been afforded the luxury of time; to play and experiment a bit with training and recovery.

I purposely imposed quite a hefty training schedule because 1) I have the time and 2) I was curious to see what my training capacity is and what would constitute adequate rest and recovery. I am delighted to see that my recovery is actually very good; but there is a lot of resting! I have trained twice daily; 60mins fasted state hill run (AM) and weight session (60mins) + 30mins cardio (PM), nine days on the trot for the first phase. Muscle soreness and tiredness is certainly present but for the most part I feel very good.

Rest days

I'm slightly intuitive about the way I rest now, where I'll integrate rest days as and when I need them. I changed to this format about 2 years ago, because formulaic training programs and pre planned rest didn't always coincide when I needed and vice versa. I may wake up on a rest day feeling great so it seemed a shame to waste energy and vitality if at all possible.
Weeks of reduced training usually ties in with PMS week and this seems to be a fairly consistent rule, as this has the greatest impact on energy, motivation, diet, water retention etc. I also up my carbohydrate level at this point to prevent the "horned devil" coming out to play. Being able to spot the signs in personal energy levels; when, and when not to push is a really useful skill and has kept me motivated and completely injury free for 2 years throughout some very tough training schedules

Diet

Diet here in Thailand is 1850kcal: 50% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 20% fat (no carbohydrate after 6pm, only lean mean and vegetables).  This is different to the two macronutrient splits I cycled during my last prep in the UK which seemed to work well i) 40%carb:30% protein:30% fat and ii) 30% carb:50%protein:20% fat.

I impose slightly more carbohydrate here (plain boiled white rice) because I'm doing much more cardio (at different intensities) both am and pm, earlier in the prep phase when I have more energy. I also find I can retain muscle on 30% of protein which is great as I really don't enjoy eating a high protein diet. It also means I can get all my protein needs from food. I do however drink BCAA's (branched chain amino acids)(10g) and glutamine (5g) before and after morning fasted cardio. It tastes like chalk and has artificial sweeteners in it but that is the only supplement I take; no protein shakes or vitamin, mineral supplements.

Mental recovery

I am a strong believer in managing stress levels and enjoyment is a huge part of this process. Having fun on rest days, doing something different that takes your mind off training, laughing - it's all really important. I meditate daily, which helps me no end and there are endless Buddhist temples to source out here so it is the perfect environment for cultivating that mind set. Just as some people impose a "cheat" meal into the diet phase, days of mental rest serve the same purpose and it works both physiologically and psychologically to allow an athlete clean focus for the next week of training.

Having a "giggle" with my new imaginary friend - she laughed at my jokes! 

Thai massage 

Gosh...where do I start with this. My last massage was with a lady who can't have been more than 3 foot tall, weighing in about about 20kg but it was like being mounted by a pack of rhinos and I left feeling battered. Thailand is not exactly renowned for its health and safety rules so pretty much anything goes whilst you're on that massage table. My neck and back got adjusted and I got manoeuvred into positions I'm sure I only could have managed when I was 1 yr old, without a fully formed musculoskeletal system. That night, I slept better than I have in years and one of these every other day has proved invaluable in allowing me to train consistently.

Thai/Oil hybrid massage - this may look relaxing....it's NOT 

Tiger Balm and Thai Boxing liniment

Occasionally I opt for an oil massage and the "oil" is usually a coconut oil base with both tiger balm and Thai boxing liniment thrown in, which works remarkably well for easing muscle soreness.
The active ingredient in the latter is basically methyl salicylate (31%), of which there is both evidence for and against it as a pain and anti-inflammatory agent. This is an interesting one because I expect efficacy is all about the dosing here. Methyl salicylate is also called wintergreen oil and is found in Deep Heat (12.8%), so it doesn't take much imagination to create a picture of what an oil with 31% active ingredient feels like on the skin.

When I was preparing for a Boxing fight in Thailand 10 years ago...the modus operandi was to literally smother the whole body in a 250ml bottle of this oil and wait it out under a fan for 30 mins.
Other than feeling like a spatch-cooked chicken roasting at 2000C, I did feel pretty good the next day and win my fight. Like all these ergogenic aids in sport - who really knows? Sometimes these things do work, just not in the way we think they do and there is certainly an argument for the placebo effect, which we know works very well!

Thai Boxing Oil: 31% methyl salicylate and 1% menthol - I have no idea what the other 68% is!

A casual word of warning.....

I did however do a little research on the anti-inflammatory properties of topical methyl salicylate and find out that over-application can be very toxic. It isn't clear what the toxic load of this topical analgesic is in adults, but perhaps use sparingly at first!

Hot and cold therapies

I thought in the spirit of experimentation I would indulge in some contrast bathing; sauna and ice bath. I did three rounds of sauna (5mins) and ice bath (3mins), however the ice was more like icy water. I'm really not too sure what to make of this one; it seems a really good way of having a heart attack! and I certainly didn't train well the next morning! My usual run was a walk, which then transitioned into a potter and then a complete stalling of action. For myself, it probably has the same efficacy as rubbing on a nice smelling body lotion; it feels vaguely nice afterwards but that's about it. I was however freezing for about 6 hours afterwards even walking around in 320C heat and got some very strange looks for wearing a hoodie!

 Icy water therapy, and that is an expression of terror, delirium and shock! 

The efficacy of hot and cold therapies is still very much a grey area as there aren't enough robust randomised controlled trials on the effects of recovery and delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
Having performed a very quick scan of recent studies on this area, the whole thing is very ambivalent. Firstly, how do you quantify recovery? Performance, reduction in muscle soreness, inflammatory blood markers? Subjective measures? Secondly, methodology for interventions differ significantly.

Some of the proposed physiological effects of cold therapy include a reduction in:

•  pain
•  blood flow
•  swelling and inflammation
•  muscle spasm 
•  metabolic demand

There is limited evidence that immersion in ice baths (20mins at 5C) is effective as a recovery strategy, but cryotherapy sauna's at -1100C with 3mins of exposure...well apparently there maybe something in that. I had to YouTube this as I couldn't really imagine that scenario but it is very funny. Think walking around in a VERY cold room with a face mask on. Recovery measures vary but one study looked at: anterior thigh muscle thickness, isometric peak torque, and muscle soreness of knee extensors pre training and several time points post training, with positive results.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25556301

Thoughts on Fat Camp Thailand 

For me, this environment is the ultimate for competition prep. It is a very low stress environment with people in this particular location all training with a similar agenda, so it is a great location for creating motivation. High volume and training intensity is possible because recovery is also possible. I can verify I am fully heat acclimated now; it took about 10 days in total but I can now talk without spontaneously erupting into a waterfall and dripping over everything and everyone I see.
So... a big thumbs up for Bodybuilding prep camp Thailand!

Thai eating habits for weight loss

There are many good things about travelling alone; one of which is complete anonymity. I get to ride a moped covered in Snoopy cartoons and there is nobody to laugh. The downside is solitary eating in  this country usually goes very much noticed because it is not the norm. This was further brought to my attention when I inhaled a chilli seed in a busy restaurant (obviously by accident, I'm not that experimental)! Trying to remain cool, calm and collected whilst trying to pretend to read a book was like trying to run a 2hr marathon in a pair of high heels and unfortunately the little dignity I thought I had retained, has most definitely gone now.

Solitude and Observation

But...on the positive of being alone is the opportunity to really absorb one's surroundings! One of things I love to do is observe; people, things, animals....in fact anything and everything. Its fascinating, I could do it for hours and it's also something best done alone. It doesn't however take complete introversion to realise that Thai eating habits are not the same as British ones but there are some interesting things about the way they approach eating that I really like. There are many intricacies about Thai diet and culture which could make up a book, but the few things I noticed which may have use for weight management were:

1. Sharing food and portion size

Now this may lead to some serious "fisticuffs" at a typical British dinner setting, from those that would rather take ownership of their dinner plate but I absolutely love this about the culture. Often, multiple dishes will be ordered and people can pick and choose a little of several different dishes. Of what I have seen, it is customary to only take a few spoonfuls at a time and always finishing what you have before helping yourself to more. Portion control is therefore taught from a young age and it is also a really good way of introducing food variety.

2. Breakfast is a proper meal

Thai breakfast is generally a normal meal; this could be rice with meat or omelette but it is not sugary cereal or pastry and it seems to always be eaten. I don't think people here skip meals!

3. Inclusion of a lot of green branch like things

Most meals are served with an accompaniment of what really looks like foliage but these "salad" like leaves/branches/twigs are really good. After a very quick Pubmed search, the antioxidant properties of Basil, just for starters is well documented. It is rich in phenols, flavenoids and tannins as well as volatile oils, which contribute anti-proliferative (implications for cancer prevention), anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. When it comes to the pharmacology of herbs and spices I'm at a loss it's so complex but I would say inclusion is an extremely important and health giving component of the human diet, not to mention the numerous types of polysaccharides and prebiotics they provide - good for gut health. The Thai's seem to understand this, as mealtime includes a huge variety of these herbs, some of which are so bitter it's like drinking a vat of denatonium (used in toxic substances to prevent accidental ingestion!).

sweet basil

Left to right: cucumber, a type of morning glory and green beans

What's not on the menu.....

4. Lack of alcohol 

Thai people do drink, but it is certainly not the same binge drinking culture as the UK. I have seen a few episodic moments involving Sangsom (the local beer) and Thai women may enjoy a local beer. On asking a few locals here, their subjective statistic seems to deviate around 60% as the proportion of Thai's that do drink alcohol. I have no idea what their definition of drinking is and of course I can't verify it. It will differ according to demographic and location but you do get a sense it isn't top priority - food is though! Having said this...when I walked into a hair salon, the first thing I got offered was a brandy on a Monday afternoon in the heat of the day; but I think it must have been more that I looked like I needed it because everyone else was drinking water!

5. Lack of consumption of artificial sweeteners and protein shakes

In the UK and generally western cultures, artificial sweeteners are found everywhere; in sports nutrition drinks, protein shakes, diet sodas, chewing gum, no-sugar beverages and that's just the start. Thai people love sweet things and they love sugar; so no surprise that artificial sweeteners haven't really taken off here - the local red bull is literally like cough syrup it is so full of sugar and I have yet to find a local sugar free version; it would probably be banned! They do drink soda's and sweetened beverages, but again not the diet variety. Protein shakes for reasons of expense are not consumed by Thai's where I am, but even within middle class Thai culture I don't know whether that is something that will catch on.

What's interesting is for the last 4 weeks, I haven't been drinking protein shakes in any form. I have experimented with every type of protein under the sun including pea and beef protein; the former is just plain wrong and the latter is like drinking liquid socks - HORRID! I'm opting for lean meat and fish to top up my daily protein intake and I have to say the lack of these and/or artificial sweeteners has really improved the appearance of my belly. I had this very stubborn distended part to my lower abdomen which has completely gone now. Cause and effect I couldn't say but I am very happy to leave the protein in the cupboard for now. Again this is one to experiment with because everybody is different but the marketing push for these products is huge - so it's no surprise they form the staple for  most gym goers at any level of fitness. They can work well, depending on the goal but at the same time they don't need to be a necessity. There are other ways nutritionally to get enough protein to match training needs.

So there we have it..the most basic of weight loss, thai style - and essentially it always seems to come down to the same thing! Eat natural, unadulterated food with an abundance of green leafy vegetables and control portion size...

Running and Bodybuilding? - To be or not to be

The contentious issue of running and bodybuilding!

My answer to this is - if you can justify why you want to do something and the answer is good! then anything and everything has a place.

My relationship with running started about 15 years ago when I first trained at a Muay Thai gym in rural Bangkok. I was the only female and one of two foreigners. Our morning run was a 14km loop paced by a Thai on a moped, smoking and drinking Red Bull, although it could have been Sang Som whisky, hard to tell. I was always last, which I guess gets me the Thai equivalent of the laterne rouge but I'm not sure that is bragging rights.

Was it the best possible way of training?

Probably not. The runs were fast and they absolutely knackered me, all before the actual training started! They did however build a mental resilience that has really stood me well for training and for life. I'm grateful for that Thai trainer; everytime I would stop and throw up in the bushes or stop because of cramp, he would pull over and wait for me. There were no words of encouragement; in fact there were no words at all, but we always made it back to camp. Over time, I never got faster but I did get tougher. The ability to turn on "grit" when you need to is a very useful skill and I expect it has roots on those 5am Bangkok mornings.

Cultivating a positive mindset

So,  I stuck with running over the years. It is great for general fitness but I have a mental association with it, where it always gets me through the rough patches of life and it is therefore invaluable for cultivating a positive mindset. To me, running means more than fitness, it represents gratitude and courage, and these emotions are extremely important to nurture.

"Striving to be 1% better everyday" - Generation Iron

That was a very long winded way of saying, if an activity generates a positive, peaceful mindset, that is an excellent reason to do it and it is worth prioritising. If it aligns with physical goals, then even better. For my category "figure", running seems to work well for my body type and metabolism - it creates better proportions, downsizing quads and improving conditioning. For this reason I have teamed 60 minute "fasted state" running with a route that suits my temperament. It takes the form of a very beautiful 12km there and back route to a Buddhist temple which sits at the top of a very steep winding road. The first time I did this, I started off walking! and even then I had to lie down in the bushes at one point. 
But...with all things there is progression; sometimes backwards! but mostly lateral and forwards! There is a great quote (Phil Heath I think) in "Generation Iron" the modern bodybuilding documentary, that says "I strive to be 1% better everyday". Of course, this is a metaphor but it resonated with me because it is a great way to set small, realistic, daily, achievable goals and it is the little things done well everyday that contribute to the grand goals. It can also apply to anything; character, mental or physical goals. So, everyday I try and run a bit more of this route. I am always met by the most beautiful and compassionate of smiles (possibly sympathy!) from the pick up truck full of monks returning from their morning alms (this is their morning walk where they collect food) - it really keeps me going.

Ultimately, I wanted to see if I could train for bodybuilding in a way that aligned with my values about training and living life; I wanted a way that builds strength of character and physicality. There are infinite possibilities for this and running is part of that for me. I think the trick to consistency, progress, enjoyment and happiness is just to find your own way! It is also amazing what you can see when you choose to actually open your eyes to the world outside (see below!) and note to self..I must apply this to pounding the streets of South East London, rather than switching off into the land of iTunes. 

Beats running on a treadmill

A beaker of black coffee - an absolute requirement for morning runs!

Hill training!!