KEEP PRACTICING!

KEEP PRACTICING!

In the world of professional sport, there is a saying that goes something like this:- “Don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong.”

The same applies to any lifestyle change. Change requires daily practice over time. Practicing to ‘get it right’ can be something that is fleeting, a moment in time.  Your reasoning is something like this:- I’ve had a good week, or a good month or a successful transformation challenge, I GOT IT RIGHT, I can step off the gas and go back to ‘normal’. The problem is that if you haven’t practiced consistently for long enough, your ‘normal’ (default setting) hasn’t changed, and consists of all your old unhealthy lifestyle habits, which will ultimately take you back to square one.

Training or practicing until you CAN’T GET IT WRONG is an enduring concept, something of permanence. If you can’t get it wrong, you have created a new normal in which your default setting is one of healthy behaviour and positive choices. You may even be derailed from time to time, or deliberately eat the wrong things occasionally, confident in the knowledge that you will easily and naturally return to your healthy new normal. How long it takes to develop a new normal will vary from person to person, but one thing is for sure, it requires daily practice no matter who you are.

The good news is that to practice until you can’t get it wrong is not a long laborious slog. It simply requires a daily effort. It may start with as little as five minutes a day of committing to do something healthy-get some fresh air, eat some fruit or veg, do a few stretches. That five minute behaviour becomes a habit over time and you feel inspired and confident to do ten minutes. Soon a daily exercise routine and making healthier choices becomes a fluid, natural part of your daily routine. If you suffer a setback, reset-go back to basics, start again with your 5 minutes per day if necessary, just don’t stop practicing.

We’re in this for life, be patient, forgiving of yourself, do something healthy every day and remember to have fun. 

Ashley Galliard December 2016

STRIVE FOR OPTIMAL NOT NORMAL

So you’ve gone for a medical check-up and been told by your doctor after a thorough examination and blood work that everything is normal. So why, you ask yourself, am I struggling to lose this extra weight, or why am I always tired, why does my body ache or why can’t I sleep at night?

The thing is, ‘normal’ is just a statistical classification based on a cross section of a population. In other words you fit within a broad range of what is considered normal or average for a population group. This will range from people who fit the minimum criteria for health (according to a skewed perception of what it is to be healthy) to those that are healthy. The fact is, if you’re normal, you probably have a chronic illness for which you’re on chronic medication, because let’s face it, in our society that has become the accepted norm.

 The difference between normal and optimal may be all that is holding you back from being an energetic vibrant person or losing that stubborn 10 kg of fat. Consider this for example when looking at blood work:- Let’s assume glucose metabolism, thyroid hormones, and testosterone levels etc are normal, but not optimal, the general approach is to dismiss those things as contributing factors to your inability to lose weight. A closer analysis might reveal that, bringing those levels into the optimal range by nutrition, lifestyle, exercise or a specific supplement interventions may be the key to kick starting your transformation.

Whist I don’t want to call doctors, as I know some very good ones, I think it’s unfortunate that many within the medical fraternity seem to subscribe to a ‘minimum criteria’ approach towards health in which, as long as you’re not in imminent danger of death or disability, you’re normal, don’t worry about it. Forget that you may want to lose an extra 10kg of stubborn fat that just won’t go away, or run that marathon, or have the energy to play with the kids without pain or exhaustion-you’re surviving, what more do you want? I think this is sad because it reduces people to mere statistics, it tramples on the human spirit, it stifles ambition and is a disincentive to healthy living. We all need to guard against this.

Next time you go for a medical check-up, hold your doctor to account. Don’t accept that ‘everything is normal,’ ask him/her where you need to be in terms of your overall health and blood work to be considered optimal. Ask them for alternative explanations for why you are not feeling good or performing optimally; ask for alternatives to chronic medications if appropriate. If they can’t help, ask them to refer you to a specialist who can. I believe doctors have a responsibility whatever your health status to help you to be optimal, not just ‘normal.’ For some, this may be a long journey, and ’normal’ may be a great start, but always work for optimal and surround yourself with people that will help you to get there!

Ashley Galliard October 2016

STRIVE FOR OPTIMAL NOT NORMAL

So you’ve gone for a medical check-up and been told by your doctor after a thorough examination and blood work that everything is normal. So why, you ask yourself, am I struggling to lose this extra weight, or why am I always tired, why does my body ache or why can’t I sleep at night?

The thing is, ‘normal’ is just a statistical classification based on a cross section of a population. In other words you fit within a broad range of what is considered normal or average for a population group. This will range from people who fit the minimum criteria for health (according to a skewed perception of what it is to be healthy) to those that are healthy. The fact is, if you’re normal, you probably have a chronic illness for which you’re on chronic medication, because let’s face it, in our society that has become the accepted norm.

 The difference between normal and optimal may be all that is holding you back from being an energetic vibrant person or losing that stubborn 10 kg of fat. Consider this for example when looking at blood work:- Let’s assume glucose metabolism, thyroid hormones, and testosterone levels etc are normal, but not optimal, the general approach is to dismiss those things as contributing factors to your inability to lose weight. A closer analysis might reveal that, bringing those levels into the optimal range by nutrition, lifestyle, exercise or a specific supplement interventions may be the key to kick starting your transformation.

Whist I don’t want to call doctors, as I know some very good ones, I think it’s unfortunate that many within the medical fraternity seem to subscribe to a ‘minimum criteria’ approach towards health in which, as long as you’re not in imminent danger of death or disability, you’re normal, don’t worry about it. Forget that you may want to lose an extra 10kg of stubborn fat that just won’t go away, or run that marathon, or have the energy to play with the kids without pain or exhaustion-you’re surviving, what more do you want? I think this is sad because it reduces people to mere statistics, it tramples on the human spirit, it stifles ambition and is a disincentive to healthy living. We all need to guard against this.

Next time you go for a medical check-up, hold your doctor to account. Don’t accept that ‘everything is normal,’ ask him/her where you need to be in terms of your overall health and blood work to be considered optimal. Ask them for alternative explanations for why you are not feeling good or performing optimally; ask for alternatives to chronic medications if appropriate. If they can’t help, ask them to refer you to a specialist who can. I believe doctors have a responsibility whatever your health status to help you to be optimal, not just ‘normal.’ For some, this may be a long journey, and ’normal’ may be a great start, but always work for optimal and surround yourself with people that will help you to get there!

ONLINE COACHING: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

ONLINE COACHING: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

I’m often asked, ‘how much do you charge for online coaching?’ Or ‘what can I expect to get from an online coach?’ The answer is an annoyingly vague ‘how high is up?’ I thought I’d put together an overview of the costs involved, what you can expect and what you should look out for when taking on an online coach. The following is based on my own experience and knowledge, some coaches may run their coaching differently, but this will give you some insight into the industry.

What is an Online Coach?

An Online Coach in health and fitness is someone who can, using an online medium, impart the necessary knowledge and develop the life skills to effect meaningful change and produce the desired results for the client.  It is not simply someone who can email you a random exercise programme or eating plan. It is a skill that requires a thorough understanding of exercise and or nutrition and most importantly, human behaviour. An online coach requires finely tuned instincts, since they usually have little or no physical contact with their clients, and therefore a limited feel for what the client is capable of doing, particularly when it comes to exercise. The success of any online coach lies in his or her ability to teach their clients the skills necessary to bring about lifestyle change. Good coaching is about fostering relationships, appreciating people’s uniqueness and creating a plan accordingly- it takes a pretty special person to get this right!

Costs involved

There are 3 primary factors that any coach needs to consider when pricing his/her online coaching programmes:

1.    Time:-

Coaches/trainers are in the business of selling time. The time that it takes to coach a client includes the following factors:-

-  Gathering and processing information including exercise history, medical history, goal setting, liaising with the client’s physician, gathering and processing assessment data and personal information.

-  Designing a custom exercise programme and eating plan based on the information obtained.

-  Creating the coaching plan/strategy which may include:- Telephone/Skype consultations bi-weekly, weekly or monthly depending on the client’s needs; implementing accountability measures eg food and training diaries and techniques to foster new habits; email support; tracking progress and making ongoing programme adjustments; providing access to resources etc.

The extent of the coach’s involvement and the degree to which the coaching process is customized to the needs of the client will determine the time demands placed on the coach and he/she will charge accordingly.  You can expect to pay anywhere from R400-00 per month to upwards of R4000-00 per month depending on the coach and coaching package you opt for. In addition creating the initial exercise and eating plan may incur a once off set-up cost.

2.    Software:-

 Many coaches use licensed software that gives their clients access to a private coaching portal and smart phone app through which clients can communicate with their coach, view their training programmes and eating plans, track progress etc. There is a fee for this software, (albeit small) that needs to be factored in to the cost of coaching.

3.    What is the price for results?:-

Coaches have a value. There are coaches out there that charge what they like! They have a reputation for producing results and therefore price themselves according to what they perceive their value to be, based on what people are willing to pay to get results. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they are any better than someone who chooses to charge less (and some are just chancers), but I have no problem with anyone placing a high value on themselves (especially in an industry that is largely undervalued), provided they can put their money where their mouth is. So some coaches will charge 4 to 5k plus per month because that is what people are willing to pay for their services.

Note:- some online coaching  providers also offer onsite assessments and medical check-ups from  within their network of service providers eg  biokineticists, specialist doctors, dieticians and the like, as an add on to their package/programme, usually charged for independently of the coaching programme. This is a valuable service, particularly if you have medical problems or an exercise history that requires specialized attention and a team approach. A well networked coach who makes use of their resources for the improvement of the client is of great value.

   

     Why is this information important to you, the consumer?

      It is  important to you if you are looking for an online coach for a number of reasons:-

     Not all online coaching programmes are born equal. You will have a budget in mind based on what you can afford or are willing to spend. If that budget is say R400-00 per month or less, the chances are that the coaching you receive will be fairly generic (or even group coaching). Your programme will probably be assigned from a programme template designed by the coach for anyone with broadly the same goals or chosen from the exercise library of the coaching software programme with one or two modifications (unless you paid separately for a custom programme set up). Similarly, your eating plan will be more of a guideline than a custom solution. You may receive email support and coaching that tends to be more systematic and generic than specific to your needs. Finally, any highly customized support will be shown in the first month or two, after which time correspondence may die down a bit once you find your feet.

This is not a critical review, this type of coaching works well for some people. Furthermore, some coaches and coaching programmes manage to strike a good balance between automation and live interaction with the client.  Just know what to expect, because it is a practical reality that a coach cannot afford to devote several hours to each individual client for R400-00 per month-it’s simply not sustainable, and hence a more generic service is offered. If you are generally healthy, have some experience and understanding of exercise and nutrition, are relatively disciplined but require additional input, motivation and support from a professional you trust, then this type of coaching may work very well for you.

·         If you have little or no exercise experience, or any medical condition/pathology, a R400-00 per month online coaching programme is probably not best suited to you! In this case, it is always best to adopt a team approach towards your health and fitness, in which exercise and medical professionals (if required) work closely together to design and supervise your training. Exercise should preferably happen on a face to face basis, at least initially, ie not online (or a combination of online coaching with one-on-one training may be a good alternative).

If you opt for online coaching, a skilled exercise professional may conduct exercise sessions via skype in which he or she can guide you through each exercise and correct your form as you go, whilst gaging the extent to which you are coping with the volume and intensity of exercise. Skype/ video training works most effectively with home based exercise programmes requiring minimal equipment. In addition, coaching behaviour change and implementing client accountability measures should form a part of the offering. Due to the level of attention required, and relative skill level required by the coach, expect to pay upward of R1500-00 per month for this service.

·         You may be new to exercise or an old hand at it, but lack the skills to build any kind of consistency in your attempts to change your lifestyle. Many people fall into this category. If you do, you need the mentorship and guidance of a good coach not only to create custom exercise and eating plans, but someone who understands behaviour change who can help you formulate healthy habits and coping mechanisms according to your unique set of circumstances. This is probably the biggest area of need amongst people. This too requires a customized approach, ongoing communication, accountability measures and even consultation time via skype or in person. It is therefore also not a budget offering. These are typically your coaching programmes that range from R1000-00 to upwards of R4000-00 per month.

What Should You Look For In A Coach?

·         Someone who has the skills and credentials to safely and effectively help you get the results you’re looking for. Key amongst those skills is the coache’s ability to teach you the life skills required to bring about meaningful behaviour change.  Ask for testimonials of previous clients. Remember, you pay for what you get-the best coach in the world cannot deliver results on a R400-00 per month programme for a client that needs a higher level of intervention. Remember too though that some bad coaches think they’re good and charge an arm and a leg for very little value.  

    Ask them about their processes, methodologies and some of the services I’ve outlined above.

·         Any coach willing to take on a client with a medical history or injury history without further investigation and consultation with the relevant medical professionals is in my opinion acting unprofessionally. Expect a good coach to contact your medical doctor or ask for clearance before you exercise when indicated, they are only acting in your best interests.

·         Choose a coaching package that is going to work for you. Buying something that will not adequately address your needs just because it is cheap is a waste of money. There are plenty of free exercise resources on the internet that will serve you just as well.  

·         Finally, be open with your prospective coach about your needs and your budget. A good coach will likely exercise a degree of flexibility and tailor a solution that may not be perfect, but will be an excellent alternative or starting point given budget constraints. Ultimately, good coaches are passionate about helping, and whilst they should never be expected to shoot themselves in the foot to help you, or undervalue themselves, you can almost always create a win-win solution with a bit of openness and creativity.

Ashley Galliard October 2016

TRANSFORMATION BEGINS WITH ONE CHANGE!

TRANSFORMATION BEGINS WITH ONE CHANGE!

On a very basic level, a lifestyle change starts with the question, ‘will the reward be worth the sacrifice?’ The sacrifice (or perceived sacrifice) being the effort you have to make, time you will have to devote etc and the reward being how much better you’re going to feel, look and perform as a result. When you’re starting out (or even an old hand at something but stuck in a routine), what seems to be a relatively small change for some may seem overwhelming to you! ‘Just start by running 5km’ or ‘just exercise for 30 minutes per day’, or ‘just cut out bread,’ may not sound like much, but when you’re venturing into the unfamiliar, uncomfortable territory of change, they can seem like pretty big sacrifices. Ironically, often we put the pressure on ourselves:- we focus so heavily on the outcome, the perfect body, that we feel we need to do as much as possible as soon as possible to achieve it. It’s all or nothing, and if our bodies and minds don’t like it, we must just toughen up, right?

So, it’s day one of the NEW ME quest and you decide to ‘just run 5 km’ having never run before (or the last time you ran was in the school cross country). When you hit the road, within minutes, your heart rate is maxing out, your back starts to ache, your lungs feel like they’re going to burst-you’re feeling physically and emotionally defeated. You wake up the next morning, unable to walk, and decide, this running thing is not for me, or, you soldier on, convincing yourself  ‘I can do this’, but I will do it tomorrow, which somehow never seems to arrive.

Every successful transformation I have been involved in starts from humble beginnings. It starts with a focus on a process not an outcome. Yes, outcome goals are important, but the process is going to get you there. The key component of that process is to plan a course of action that will develop an unwavering belief in your ability to achieve at what you set out to do. This may initially be the smallest possible baby steps:- For some people it starts with 1 exercise per day, yes, that’s about 1 minute per day, others can handle more. If you are not 90 to 100% confident in your belief to do any more than one exercise per day consistently, then that is your starting point, and that is perfect! (Just know it is the starting point of a progressive process).  As you grow in confidence and belief; you start feeling more energetic and stronger; exercise starts feeling more like a reward, not a sacrifice, one exercise will become two and then three and before you know it, 5km will be ‘just 5 km.’ I have seen this happen time and time again-I have applied this principle with clients, from body transformation winners to those that have gone on to run the Comrades Marathon, and it works!  

So the message is:- stretch your comfort zone, step out of it sometimes, challenge yourself, but don’t thrust yourself so far out of your comfort zone that the sacrifice outweighs any reward and you don’t know which way to turn! This will only cause you to revert back to your default setting of inaction and procrastination (we all have this setting). So, make a small change, but do it NOW-change only happens NOW, not tomorrow. Be confident that the change you make, whether it’s one exercise a day or deciding to eat one extra portion of vegetables is something you feel confident about achieving. This is day one of YOUR transformation story, we look forward to hearing it!

Ashley Galliard August 2016

THREE PRACTICAL TIPS TO UNCOMPLICATE HEALTHY EATING

THREE  PRACTICAL TIPS TO UNCOMPLICATE HEALTHY EATING

1.       Stop restricting everything.

By constantly telling yourself ; ‘I’m not allowed this, I mustn’t touch that; out with the foods I enjoy and in with the boring healthy  stuff….’ You’re creating a very negative mindset around food, with rigid dogmatic rules and relentless self-sacrifice! Rather, start by making a list of all the healthy foods you ENJOY, and build your plan around those foods. You will end up eating a lot less rubbish without the negative mindset that comes with restriction.

2.       Allow yourself some rubbish, but plan for it.

The unplanned consumption of junk food is associated with feelings of guilt, lack of self-control and failure, which usually then leads to eating more junk food, more guilt and a downward spiral of self-loathing. The solution is not complete restriction, because that in itself can be negative as we’ve seen. I believe the solution is to plan your consumption of junk food. I’m not talking about planning every detail of every meal, but there are for example times of the day in which low grade foods are less harmful  (and sometimes even helpful) to our bodies- eg simple sugars after an intense workout replenish glycogen stores and assist in the process of protein synthesis. If you are craving sugar, hold out until you’ve worked out! With planning and practice, in time, strategies become habits. Pretty soon, eating rubbish becomes nothing more than an occasional indulgence that you may even use to your advantage and absolutely definitely with no guilt attached! (note, I do not mean to diminish the power of sugar addiction, and whilst the above may apply to those who are simply trying to reduce sugar intake, if sugar is a trigger that may derail your progress, you would likely do better to find a strategy that excludes simple sugars.)

3.       Stop aiming for perfection

There will be times when you won’t have access to the best quality ingredients. You may only have access to mass produced GMO vegetables and not the preferred home grown organic varieties for example. Don’t stop eating vegetables during these times-any vegetables are better than none at all! Similarly, you may be invited to a function at which the healthy food choices are few and far between, in such cases the best thing to do is to plan ahead and have a healthy protein rich snack before you go, eg lean biltong or a small handful of almonds. This will help you feel satiated and resist those tempting treats. If you forget to eat before, hey, it happens, don’t deprive yourself if you're hungry! There will likely always be options that although not ideal are more suitable than others. For example choose protein sources like chicken or fish from a platter rather than a sandwich, pastry or other carbohydrate rich snack. Sometimes you do the best you can with the circumstances you find yourself in with the knowledge that you have choices and control over those choices. In the grand scheme of things these occasions are generally few and far between and are not the deal breakers in your overall health journey, so just ride them out the best you can.

 

YOUR CORPORATE AND PERSONAL WELLNESS PROIVIDER, WHEREVER YOU ARE! LEBO'S SECRET WEAPON!

GFIT has worked in many companies, of various sizes and demographics.  We have always believed that a company's biggest asset lies in its human capital, and making sure that your employees and executives are healthy, fit and happy, should be of paramount importance, regardless of your company's economic status.  For that reason, GFIT offers a variety of corporate packages, to suit the budget of every company, and to ensure that all your employees and executives receive the right input for their particular needs. 

If you're still wondering whether this actually would be of any use to your employees, take a look at these stories, of typical employees that we have worked with in companies just like yours. 

1.  Shereen - young, could be middle aged too, struggling with her weight, and displaying related health concerns, relationship issues etc.  How is her productivity affected by all this?

2.  Zweli - hard working, promising executive, very ambitious.  Needs to adjust his lifestyle to ensure that his health is not affected, as stress, cardiovascular illness etc can take its toll in the long run, and could be very costly for the company.

3.  Ben and Dudu - young, hard working, hard living.  They believe themselves to be experts as far as health and fitness goes, and are normally reluctant to participate in wellness programmes.  GFIT offers them something that can only improve their performance and conditioning - both at work and in their chosen sports - sport specific coaching and conditioning!  

4.  Lebo - HR Manager, who has to find a programme that will offer everything the employees require to live healthy lifestyles, and at the same time, fit into the company's budget, space and time constraints, as well as report back to the company on the progress achieved by the various employees.  The GFIT programme is ideal for her and for you!

Take a look at our website, www.gfit.co.za, 

email us on linda@galliardsfitness.co.za or 

phone 0117282466. 

Book a free Skype introduction session:  linda.galliard69  

Now read how Lebo changed the face of this company!

LEBO'S STORY

Picture a Saturday night in Sandton, HR Manager Lebo is having drinks with friends.

Friend 1: Lebo! What have you been doing? You look fantastic!
Lebo: Thanks Mandy! I call it my secret weapon – GFIT!
Friend 2: What’s GFIT? A new crash diet?
Lebo: No, no, nothing like that. I discovered this great mobile app,               GFITPro. You know the way to mproving  your health and
          looking and feeling great is through correct eating and
          exercise – well, this programme gives each person an eating
          and exercise plan, they also work with your company canteen,
         if you have one,    to provide the healthy meals in the canteen! – They’ll even deliver meals to you
         if you want!

Friend 3: Ah, we’ve tried that idea before, people never stick to this kind of programme. How did
               GFIT get you to persevere for eight weeks?
Lebo: They make it so easy! The eating plans and exercise programmes are provided by the app,
           called GFITPro, which shows you exactly what you have to eat and do every day, on your phone
           – look, here’s my profile calendar on my phone, this was my training and meals for today.

Friend1: That’s great, but it’s still easy to ignore if you don’t feel like doing it, where did you find the
               willpower to persevere ?
Lebo:     That’s just it, I have a coach! It’s so great, he sends me messages via the app, and if I want to
               talk to him, I can call him, or we have a Skype session once a week – I just felt so motivated
               all the time, and so did the rest of the staff! You should have seen our CEO’s face when he                saw the report on everyone’s improved results!

Friend 2: What, you had to do reports on everyone’s progress?  That’s a lot of work, you must have
               worked yourself half to death!
Lebo: No, that’s the great thing about it. GFIT provides a full report on everyone’s results – I tell you,
          this has made me look so good, just because I chose the right online coaching partner! We’ve
          already started our next challenge!
Friend 3: Well, I’m telling my boss we need to meet with GFIT! This sounds amazing.
Lebo: Yup, GFIT not only provides exercise and meal plans, they provide a whole lifestyle
          transformation for the whole company. Give them a call - 0117282466

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GIFT'S AMAZING COACHING PROGRAMMES, GO TO www.gfit.co.za

YOUR CORPORATE AND PERSONAL WELLNESS PROVIDER, WHEREVER YOU ARE! BEN AND DUDU'S STORIES

GFIT has worked in many companies, of various sizes and demographics.  We have always believed that a company's biggest asset lies in its human capital, and making sure that your employees and executives are healthy, fit and happy, should be of paramount importance, regardless of your company's economic status.  For that reason, GFIT offers a variety of corporate packages, to suit the budget of every company, and to ensure that all your employees and executives receive the right input for their particular needs. 

If you're still wondering whether this actually would be of any use to your employees, take a look at these stories, of typical employees that we have worked with in companies just like yours. 

1.  Shereen - young, could be middle aged too, struggling with her weight, and displaying related health concerns, relationship issues etc.  How is her productivity affected by all this?

2.  Zweli - hard working, promising executive, very ambitious.  Needs to adjust his lifestyle to ensure that his health is not affected, as stress, cardiovascular illness etc can take its toll in the long run, and could be very costly for the company.

3.  Ben and Dudu - young, hard working, hard living.  They believe themselves to be experts as far as health and fitness goes, and are normally reluctant to participate in wellness programmes.  GFIT offers them something that can only improve their performance and conditioning - both at work and in their chosen sports - sport specific coaching and conditioning!  

4.  Lebo - HR Manager, who has to find a programme that will offer everything the employees require to live healthy lifestyles, and at the same time, fit into the company's budget, space and time constraints, as well as report back to the company on the progress achieved by the various employees.  The GFIT programme is ideal for her and for you!

Take a look at our website, www.gfit.co.za, 

email us on linda@galliardsfitness.co.za or 

phone 0117282466. 

Book a free Skype introduction session:  linda.galliard69  

Now read Ben and Dudu's stories.

BEN AND DUDU’S STORIES

GFIT changed our lives! I remember when Lebo first introduced the programme, Dudu and I had just got back to the office after our early morning spinning class in the gym. We were the athletes of the company, and generally did our own thing, we felt that participation in the company’s wellness programmes was for the couch potatoes, the people who struggled with weight issues, never used the stairs if they could possibly get in a lift, etc. We both used to run on a daily basis, and go to gym at least four times a week, but then Dudu discovered mountain biking, and really became a fanatic. I sometimes join her for a Sunday morning ride, but my big goal is still running the Comrades. It’s sort of eluded me for the past few years, though, I’ve been really unlucky with picking up injuries, getting sick etc. But I still want to do it!

So we went along to the meeting Lebo called that day, and heard all about the GFIT programme which would give us profile matched eating and exercise plans. Dudu and I decided to give it a miss, we didn’t need that stuff, we knew how to eat and we exercised more than all the other staff put together. But Lebo urged buy-in from all the staff, and suggested that we complete the paperwork and meet with our coaches, before we decided not to participate. In any case, we were challenging other departments to see who would get the best results, and didn’t want to let the side down, so we completed all the paperwork, and then asked to meet with our coaches.

Well, this was an eye opener for me! Dudu sat in when I had my Skype meeting with Coach Ash, who had seen that my goal was to run the Comrades. He asked me some questions about my current training, my diet, my injuries, and then he said, ‘Great, now we can start preparing for the next Comrades!’ He told me about a client, who was overweight and totally sedentary who, with his help and training, ran the Comrades after training with Ash for just over a year, and managed to get a bronze medal. If he could do it, so could I!

Dudu’s Skype session was with Coach Adrian, a veteran mountain biker whose first question was, “Have you done a stage race yet?” Dudu had always felt that she wasn’t ready to ride for a number of days on the trot, over difficult terrain, but Adrian’s enthusiasm and mine of knowledge and experience convinced her to start working towards it with him. He would give her the strength and conditioning that she needed to improve her endurance and ability to sustain a two or three day ride.

Well, the rest of the story is that we each received a very specialized programme to help us with our training, as well as eating guidelines to ensure that we had enough of the right nutrients to nourish us for sustained exertion, such as required by a long run or stage race. Ash helped me to rehabilitate my injuries, and I am now preparing with great confidence for my first Comrades. I have no doubt that I’m going to succeed. I feel not only fit, but also strong physically and mentally. Dudu has done a two-day stage race, and is trying to talk me into joining her on a three day race in a few months’ time. I think I’ll go along as a spectator!

We both now realise how important sport specific training is for athletes at all levels. You can only do so much by yourself, to really excel you need a coach with the right knowledge and experience. The GFIT coaches fit that description perfectly! They’re the best!

YOUR CORPORATE AND PERSONAL WELLNESS PROVIDER WHEREVER YOU ARE! ZWELI'S STORY

GFIT has worked in many companies, of various sizes and demographics.  We have always believed that a company's biggest asset lies in its human capital, and making sure that your employees and executives are healthy, fit and happy, should be of paramount importance, regardless of your company's economic status.  For that reason, GFIT offers a variety of corporate packages, to suit the budget of every company, and to ensure that all your employees and executives receive the right input for their particular needs. 

If you're still wondering whether this actually would be of any use to your employees, take a look at these stories, of typical employees that we have worked with in companies just like yours. 

1.  Shereen - young, could be middle aged too, struggling with her weight, and displaying related health concerns, relationship issues etc.  How is her productivity affected by all this?

2.  Zweli - hard working, promising executive, very ambitious.  Needs to adjust his lifestyle to ensure that his health is not affected, as stress, cardiovascular illness etc can take its toll in the long run, and could be very costly for the company.

3.  Ben and Dudu - young, hard working, hard living.  They believe themselves to be experts as far as health and fitness goes, and are normally reluctant to participate in wellness programmes.  GFIT offers them something that can only improve their performance and conditioning - both at work and in their chosen sports - sport specific coaching and conditioning!  

4.  Lebo - HR Manager, who has to find a programme that will offer everything the employees require to live healthy lifestyles, and at the same time, fit into the company's budget, space and time constraints, as well as report back to the company on the progress achieved by the various employees.  The GFIT programme is ideal for her and for you!

Take a look at our website, www.gfit.co.za, 

email us on linda@galliardsfitness.co.za or 

phone 0117282466. 

Book a free Skype introduction session:  linda.galliard69  

Now read Zweli's story.

ZWELI’S STORY

Climbing the corporate ladder – Oh man, what a sweet phrase! Of course it means hard work, long hours, lots of stress, but the benefits! A membership to the country club, cocktail parties at your children’s private schools, chatting to other parents, luxury living in a very upmarket suburb – these things were always before me as I burnt the midnight oil, missed the children’s birthday parties, flew to meetings in other parts of the country at the drop of a hat….

My company has a policy of annual medicals for executives. As I play a game of golf now and then, even grace the squash court from time to time, I wasn’t particularly worried, until the results of all the assessments came out – my blood pressure was sky high, my cholesterol levels were up, but the doctor’s warning that I could become diabetic if I didn’t clean up my diet, really shook me. My mother was a diabetic, and I certainly didn’t want to go that route.

I told my wife I had to eat only salads in future, and I hit the gym big time for about a week. Man, it was impossible to maintain! There was no way I could function at work on a few lettuce leaves and a glass of water! Then our HR manager, Lebo, came to see me. The staff, she said, had embarked on an eight week challenge to change their lifestyles, and they would really like the execs to follow suit. She showed me the programme – GFIT is the company – and it really looked doable. Firstly, my meal plan would consist of actual food, not just lettuce leaves, and I would be able to get the healthy options in our canteen; in fact, if I wanted to, GFIT could arrange for healthy meals to be delivered to my office! But the best was the exercise programme. Designed for me, it would give me a complete workout for each training day, which I could follow on my phone, rep by rep, with videos to show me each exercise! No more overdoing it and ending up in a heap of sore, stiff muscles, no more wasting time trying to decide what I should do each day – it was all there on my profile, on my phone, and after each workout, I could tick it and say Done!

That was nine weeks ago – I have just had my vitals checked and guess what – my blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol is down and my sugar levels are at a much more acceptable level! During my Skype session with Coach Ashley of GFIT today, I’ll be able to tell him the great news! That’s what makes this programme so good, each person has a coach who advises, motivates and encourages them to continue with the programme, even when it gets really hard, which it inevitably will do at times.

I also have to add that my work has been so much better, I just seem to cope better with the workload, don’t get so tired, and I have so much more energy. The GFIT programme really has made all the difference in my life. I’m now on my second eight weeks – coach Ashley has upgraded my training programme, tweaked a few things in my eating plan, and I’m ready to keep going! What’s more, my family are all eating better and we’re doing a lot more outdoor things together over weekends. A total lifestyle transformation!

YOUR CORPORATE AND PERSONAL WELLNESS PROVIDER, WHEREVER YOU ARE! SHEREEN'S STORY

GFIT has worked in many companies, of various sizes and demographics.  We have always believed that a company's biggest asset lies in its human capital, and making sure that your employees and executives are healthy, fit and happy, should be of paramount importance, regardless of your company's economic status.  For that reason, GFIT offers a variety of corporate packages, to suit the budget of every company, and to ensure that all your employees and executives receive the right input for their particular needs. 

If you're still wondering whether this actually would be of any use to your employees, take a look at these stories, of typical employees that we have worked with in companies just like yours. 

1.  Shereen - young, could be middle aged too, struggling with her weight, and displaying related health concerns, relationship issues etc.  How is her productivity affected by all this?

2.  Zweli - hard working, promising executive, very ambitious.  Needs to adjust his lifestyle to ensure that his health is not affected, as stress, cardiovascular illness etc can take its toll in the long run, and could be very costly for the company.

3.  Ben and Dudu - young, hard working, hard living.  They believe themselves to be experts as far as health and fitness goes, and are normally reluctant to participate in wellness programmes.  GFIT offers them something that can only improve their performance and conditioning - both at work and in their chosen sports - sport specific coaching and conditioning!  

4.  Lebo - HR Manager, who has to find a programme that will offer everything the employees require to live healthy lifestyles, and at the same time, fit into the company's budget, space and time constraints, as well as report back to the company on the progress achieved by the various employees.  The GFIT programme is ideal for her and for you!

Take a look at our website, www.gfit.co.za, 

email us on linda@galliardsfitness.co.za or 

phone 0117282466. 

Book a free Skype introduction session:  linda.galliard69  

 Now read Shereen's Story below.

SHEREEN’S STORY

I’ve just put in for a week’s leave – I’m going home, I mean, "home" , my parents' home, to attend my cousin’s wedding!  You may not think there is anything unusual about that, so I must tell you, it takes a lot for me to go home, and my cousin’s wedding, a few months ago, would have been a real no-go occasion! So what’s changed? Why am I prepared to enter the lion’s den? And why is going home such a big issue for me? Well, let me start at the beginning.

I’ve always been overweight, ever since I was a little girl. My mother, who is no light weight herself, always used to say, “You’re just like me, it’s our genes, it’s hormonal, you’ll never be able to lose weight”. She was always on some crash diet or other, during which times she was depressed and impatient with us, so I came to associate a lack of food with being unhappy and eating lots of food, with being happy. Because when she came off one of her diets, she used to indulge in every kind of forbidden treat, and of course, we followed suit. My brothers, being boys, were not so badly affected by this, as they were always out, playing football with their friends in the street, riding their bikes and generally being active. I on the other hand, hated any form of exercise; for me the biggest torture was PE classes at school. I hated undressing in front of other girls, I hated squeezing my rolls of fat into gym clothes, hated trying to run and knowing that everyone was laughing at the way I wobbled along. And of course, the teacher wasn’t very sympathetic. So more often than not, my mom wrote a note to the teacher to say that I wasn’t well, and was not allowed to do PE.

After leaving school, and during my tertiary education years, I followed my mom’s example of going onto many crash diets – every new fad, every idea put forward by a friend, I tried. My weight went down, true enough, but then it would sky rocket up again as soon as I gave up, which I usually did quite quickly. That was me, when I started my current job. I was in one of my slimmer periods, which gave me the confidence to apply for this job, but then of course, I again got caught up in working long hours, not eating regularly, grabbing a packet of crisps and a fizzy drink when I felt hungry, and binging on everything I could find when I got home to my flat at night.

Going "home" to my parents was always torture, having to listen to my mom's endless laments about my weight, about me not making more of an effort, about my beautiful slim cousin getting married .... I avoided it at any cost!

BUT THEN – our HR manager, Lebo, one day called us together and said that she had found this amazing eight week programme for changing our lifestyles. We would each get some paperwork to complete, and once that was done, we would get a link to an online coaching programme that would supply us with exercise programmes and eating plans designed for our particular needs, which we could follow on our phones. We also had to enter our weight and certain measurements onto our profiles, and every time we ate the right food and completed an exercise programme, we logged that too. In addition, we were each given a coach. This person (my coach is Coach Adrian) communicates with me online, commenting on the times when I did a workout, always willing to assist if I neglected to make an entry for a few days. I also had a Skype consultation with Adrian. He was very nice and encouraging, until I said I would try to stick to the programme. Then he very sternly told me – Never Try. When you say you’ll try, you’re actually giving yourself a way out. You’re saying, well, I couldn’t maintain it, but at least I tried. Don’t try, JUST DO IT.

The GFIT programme is actually so easy to do. The meals are great, no starvation. I had to of course learn to eat more veg, and cut out a lot of the things I really loved, but at the same time, I found that I could really have tasty meals without adding a lot of empty calories. In addition, GFIT worked with our company canteen, so they offered the meals on our meal plans, which made it so easy to eat the right food! I feel so much more empowered, because I know so much more about correct eating and what my body needs to function well.

Of course, I never expected to actually stick to the exercise programme, but strangely enough, I found my programme, a home programme for a complete novice, so easy to follow that after a few tentative tries, I was able to follow the video on my phone, do the right number of reps, have my little rests and then start with the next one! And at the end, I could tick it off on my profile as done! It was an achievement every time, and Coach Adrian received many messages saying, I’ve done it! I completed every exercise session this week!

My boss was also very chuffed, because our department came second in the challenge – I forgot to say, the GFIT programme was offered as an inter-department challenge, to see which department would get the best overall results and be the most consistent. We’re planning on winning the next eight week challenge!

So here I am, on my second eight week programme, two dress sizes smaller, and going to my slim and beautiful cousin’s wedding, to show off my great new figure! I still have a little way to go, but if you look at my before and after pics, you won’t believe it’s the same Shereen! Can’t wait to hear what my mom’s going to say!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE GFIT PROGRAMME? CALL 0117282466