T. Grant Well:Being

Anyone come across orange watermelon 🍉?? (Last slide)

Remember - prioritise protein, fibre and vegetables over everything to keep nutrition simple and effective

Food cooked by @nadiva_pt (apart from one dish... Can you guess which?)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Da7NpYcCAqn/?igsh=MTJhdHZ1MnE1bG40NA==

You can't out train a bad diet

That's it, that's the post

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da2qBTpI8eq/?igsh=MWtkcDF1M2Z4dGdsOQ==

Two exercises I've been introduced to during my training session with @rundleguy - do not do these exercises if you do not want to challenge your quadriceps 🥵

Both can be scaled - sissy squats using my power cage to help control my movement

TRX can be used to scale your reverse Nordics

The focus on both of these exercises involves loading the quadriceps muscle without much assistance from any other muscles!

Build up slowly - quality over quantity with these exercises

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DauY1zduQc0/?igsh=bHI1cmU3bzFmMG5m

@mythbusters was one of my favourite shows

@therealadamsavage used to always say (and I believe had a t-shirt printed with the motto) "failure is always an option" - the idea being that even in failure we gain information which should lead us to success eventually

Failing and giving up due to failing isn't an option - but using what you learn and trying again is the sign of a true winner

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DanKunKKuzP/?igsh=MWFma2c1Y3Fka2J6aw==

The most common side effect is your bloated stomach 🫪

Unsure what is causing your bloating? Try excluding certain foods that are known to be the usual suspects for a week or two

Reintroduce them (one at a time) into your diet in small quantities - monitor how you feel

My best digestive experience came from being vegan for 4 weeks - clearly whenever I was eating beforehand was disagreeing with my digestive system (white bread seems to be my main trigger 🫪)

All food cooked by head chef @nadiva_pt ❤️

https://www.instagram.com/p/DaiOzxoCOwV/?igsh=NDJ3cGNxeGJlYWlq

Challenge your past personal beats

Everything else is white noise

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaXURbsu9uQ/?igsh=ZTRsamNjaTFoMzEx

Unlock your knees

Keeps your pelvis level with the floor

Allows your spine to stay neutral during the exercise

Remember - keep elbows still, focus on full range of movement bending elbows fully and locking them out at the top

Engage your core to maintain posture throughout exercise

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaSkHqzIre5/?igsh=MW96bWMxenJybjN3Yw==

Used to be my motto for my business

Truthfully, it still is - but when it comes to lifting weights you need to go a little beyond moderation if you want to achieve goals such as muscle building

But for food - I apply this motto (which is why I'm probably struggling to get my body fat % from 20 down to 15!)

At the end of the day, life is to be enjoyed, an ice cream a day won't kill me, as long as it's in moderation!

In the unfortunate circumstance where I'm injured and unable to workout I make a conscious effort to reduce my food intake as my energy output will be reduced

https://www.instagram.com/p/DaNCGiYjrOu/?igsh=MXFmcnk0Njc5bmRmbg==

Arguably the best back exercise out there

Also targets your biceps, rear deltoids, challenges your grip strength

Difference between a pull up and "flying" up - how fast the muscles needed to carry out the exercise are contracting

The harder and faster you pull the higher you will get

Focusing on driving my elbows down and back as I pull has been a great cue to getting a higher pull up

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaHr97uopRk/?igsh=YTRsbjd6ajlnaDh1

Corner shot

Make it, ball comes back 😮‍💨

Miss it, you have to run after it 😩

These hoops were first put up at my local park 25 years ago - and @barnetcouncil installed them 1 foot too high! 15 year old me was devastated!

Fast forward to now, they have put two more hoops up, regulation height - 15 year old version of me is making up for lost time 🏀 ❤️

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaCphDFoKua/?igsh=MW85ZmpkMm5vdGNvYg==

Feel like a lot of you won't agree with this

But in the game of life, working out towards having a better functioning body is far more important than how you look

And the beauty is, as you improve your body's function, the aesthetics will follow

Additionally, you'll be able to track your functional gains faster than your aesthetic gains - which will help you keep on keeping on

Lift heavier, run faster, row further, cycle harder, swim easier - all gains even if you don't see the fat melt away or the muscle build up

We are looking at the long game not the short

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ947_qo_Kt/?igsh=MWVhdHZ4YXFqOHpycA==

How many of these movements did you know you can do with a kettlebell?

Have fun with it

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZudJxPIMWA/?igsh=MWlrbGRsY2YyN2VzaA==

Stretching is more effective when placing the muscle and tendon under tension

This photo is a still from a kettlebell flow I did on holiday - great stretch through my right lower back going up into my right shoulder and arm

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZpVgTmIS3Y/?igsh=djJ4NTdyazZucXc=

Ok quit might be extreme

But the only way to keep gaining is to keep pushing your limits

And then testing yourself after a while to compare what you once could do with what you now can do

This simple clean and press challenge is a great overall body strength and mobility assessment

The heavier you go the more mobile and stronger you are

It doesn't mean that you need to overexert yourself with these tests

Matching your previous best isn't something to be ashamed of

But the only way to progress is by putting in the work, there are no shortcuts no matter what is being sold to you as one.

10 month progress - 5kg increase 🎉

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZkk7tho_Lv/?igsh=MThubXYwYXNjc3UzMQ==

If you weigh 100kg (like me) that figure alone could have you thinking "woah, that's not a light person..."

But there are two factors you need to take into account

📏 My height (6'3) - the taller you are the heavier you'll be

⚖️ My body fat % (currently according to @renpho scales 19.5% (would love for that to be lower...) - the lower the % [upto a point!] the better

The only way I'm maintaining my weight (muscle mass) whilst dropping my body fat % is through extra movement (steps, walking, being active), maintaining a calorie deficit AND keeping up my protein intake of around 150g (really not easy to do!)

I'll be honest... Since being back from holiday my steps are down and I'm pretty sure my calorie deficit is nonexistent... Let's see what the scales tell me when I check in half way through the month...

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZeu0OVjvGl/?igsh=Z2N0ZjNmMHp5cmM2

It requires you to want to change, improve, and progress.

You can't rely on motivation as this is only temporary.

Discipline is needed.

To exercise when you don't want to.

To limit your calorie intake when you don't want to.

My "beginners" start package would be

Pushups

Squats

1 arm rows

Glute bridges

Shoulder press

Plank

That's it. That simple.

The nutrition part is far harder and requires more discipline - but those who start to exercise tend to not want to "undo" the hard work - creates a mental shift in the way they treat their body.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZW4kC_u963/?igsh=cnh4ZDF5cnFwejkx