Trash

Nice to be back using Blogger!  I haven't had a moan for a while so I decided to have one today, only to find that the Wordpress blogging thing isn't working, so now I have two reasons to moan which has actually cheered me up! Ironic I know, and also I got stuck in a traffic jam when I was already late so maybe that song is insightful after all?  Anyway, today's rant, after three years and over 214,000 views YouTube have decided that one of my videos infringes some copyright law and have banned it in some countries!  I think that the horse may have bolted some time ago and the stable door is rusted open?  Here is a link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVo9ypWDztg best watch it now before they ban it wherever you are!

Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry

Firstly an apology.  I did not know that so many people followed my blog via the Blogger website, I've had a few people email me and ask if I'm ok as I've posted nothing on here for a few weeks. Thank you for your concern, yes I'm absolutely fine but the blog has been moved as my new gym has really taken off well so the blog is now part of my gyms website, therefore this will be my last post using Blogger.  It's now all done through Wordpress, here's a link http://www.peakfitnessgym.co.uk/kevanwilson/category/blog/ don't ask me why we had to change it, when my genius IT man Leigh speaks I just listen and pretend to understand, because he's a website expert and I'm only a simple bodybuilder so the system works very well!  Anyway, the blog is still accessible with one click from the front page of my new look website which Leigh also did, my website is now part of the gym website.  Please have a look www.kevanwilson.com I'm really pleased with it.  Right, I'll get back to bodybuilding blogs tomorrow as there is lots of good news to report!

Mid Life Crisis

I spent my 55th Birthday quad biking in the Sinai desert, it was one of the best Birthday treats I’ve ever been given. It was great fun and I really enjoyed it, not so much of a mid-life crisis thing to do - I’m way past the middle of my life - it was more like one more thing done from my “bucket list”.  Along with creating the gym that I’ve always wanted, being a gym owner and making the house that I’ve always wanted to live in, the last 6 months since I gave up competing have been quite successful in ticking things off of that list. In fact what with all of my coaching protégés doing so well another thing will be soon gone from the list and I’ll be looking for another challenge. Several people have recently dropped hints about competing again for one of the federations that now have an “Over 55’s” category and my supplements sponsor LA Muscle have said that they are fully behind me if I decide to do it which makes it's very tempting but I’m really not considering it seriously…………. well not yet anyway.

Desert Rose

It was back to gym business as soon as I got home on Wednesday and that meant filming another workout for The Active Channel and one of my sponsors, LA Muscle. I've now filmed 3 workouts for the series which will be called "Peak Physique workouts" here's a trailer for the first one

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10152322733949029&set=vb.40647904028&type=2&theater

and the next one will be in May with PPF member & rising star Emma Tassou and my good friend Martin Stevenson who finally managed to visit me at PPF today.  My years of training with Martin at Olney Health & Fitness taught me a lot and it will be great to do some TV work with him.  Here's another picture from my Egypt trip, which proves that there's never a wrong time to do a quick double biceps pose, although it did give the camel the hump!

Goody Two Shoes

Had a few days coaching abroad and decided to read a book on the flight out. I found “Pride and Prejudice” on my tablet, but as soon as I read the first sentence “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” I laughed, realised that based on an opening statement like that it was going to be nonsense and quickly gave up on the book! It’s becoming a common thing for busy professionals to use their holidays to get fitter and healthier and there is nothing better than morning cardio on the beach. I enjoy coaching away from home and so many hotels these days have good gyms for morning training and excellent facilities for afternoon recovery that I think the trend will continue.  Whilst away I educated my clients on all aspects of diet and exercise, I hope that they can take away that knowledge and improve their physiques and general health. One thing that many people adopt after a few days like this is my “don’t drink don’t smoke” policy, just doing those things alone will make a huge difference to a person’s long term health and also their bank balance!

I Believe I Can Fly

Excellent back session at PPF yesterday. As you can see from the photo, even though I'm permanently off season and drug free these days I'm managing to keep a decent physique, especially the "wings" that were my best feature when I competed. That is because without the pressure of constantly competing and now being able to eat properly rather than dieting strictly I have licence to try all sorts of new things in my workouts.  Nearly all of them work really well which means that I can then use the new methods when coaching my proteges.  I didn't make it to the "Hercules Olympia" as I had gym issues to deal with (oh the joys of being a gym owner) but I've heard good reports, so well done to everyone who competed.  The season is now well and truly underway so if you're going to compete at any time this year it's time to get serious.  Don't miss a workout and don't miss a meal, go to the gym on business, get into the best shape of your life and own the stage when you get up there.  Most of all believe in yourself, it's amazing what you can achieve if you do that simple thing!

Memories

Excellent feedback from yesterdays post! Can I say though, for the umpteenth time, that it's the athlete that does the work and the diet so they get all of the credit. As a coach I just guide people, they do the hard bit so they deserve all of the praise. In other news, today I was visited by 8 year old Harry, who I have known and loved since he was a baby.  He's grown into an amazing young man and he wants to learn to box, so today I gave him his first lesson.  It's 40 years since my first boxing lesson but as soon as I did the basics like "what hand do you write with?" and "stand like you're holding a rifle" it all came flooding back like it was yesterday, ah happy memories.  Harry was excellent, he means the world to me and we'll do more work together soon.  Finally, have a look at this from my friends at The Supplement Centre, not just because 13 of the items were written by me but because it is hugely entertaining whilst being highly informative http://blog.supplementcentre.com/101-fantastic-fitness-tips/  I enjoy working with the The Supplement Centre and recommend that you check out their entire website.

Only Women Bleed

Apparently my last post upset a few people who are "fat and happy". My point is chubbs, that you might be happy but us taxpayers are very unhappy footing the NHS bill for illness caused by obese peoples lifestyles, so sort yourselves out!  For those that have all of the usual excuses please look at this picture. I started working with Clare in January, just the usual stuff, a sensible diet and exercise plan because she's getting married in July, as you can see her results have been amazing. Clare is almost 40, is a full time air stewardess, home maker and mum and also gives her fiance all the support that he needs while he's dieting for competition, she even trains with him!  So, what's your excuse now for not at least trying to get into shape?  I've not been that surprised by her results, in my experience when a woman is really determined to change her body she will do whatever it takes and go through the pain barrier more readily than men do. Clare has done so well that it makes sense for her to take it to the next level and compete soon, we are all very proud of her!

Fat Nation

There is a very alarming article in today's Sunday Telegraph relating to obesity in this country http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/laura-donnelly/10174593/Obesity-bankrupting-the-NHS-warns-peer.html. Actually "alarming" is an understatment when you read that "Studies have found that diseases caused by poor diet and sedentary lifestyles are costing the NHS more than £6 billion a year" Draw your own conclusions but, as harsh it may sound, in 99% of cases it is a persons choice if they want to be fat or not. I know because I deal with lots of people who are determined to lose weight, they all succeed too, like I said it's a choice.  Sadly it's not a choice for hard working tax payers to continually plough money into the NHS to deal with those who choose to remain obese.  On a happier note, here's a link for a workout of me coaching two women with amazing figures at PPF for The Active Channel http://www.theactivechannel.com/player/PeakPhysiqueAlternativeLegsWorkout  They choose to look good, and this shows that it's hard work but well worth it.

The Message

I was saddened today to read this story in the newspapers about a 20 year old bodybuilder who died because he was trying to get big in the way that I try so hard to stop people from doing http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/oli-cooney-death-bodybuilding-obsessive-3340653  It's a very sad story for more reasons than the obvious one.  Firstly, you would think that this might act as a deterrent to others - it won't, youngsters on steroids think that they know it all and will just say that this would never happen to them.  Secondly, one story like this tars every bodybuilder with the same brush, we are all steroid taking axe murderers who will be dead before we get old.  I've done numerous TV and magazine interviews telling the truth about all of this and helped several students with dissertations on the subject, even as recently as a few days ago.  Those people listen intently and learn while the stupid, uneducated people still think that they know better.  So, in the hope that just one person will learn from it, here is a piece that I wrote on the subject that has received huge praise http://www.kevanwilson.com/pdf/YoungstersOnSteroids.pdf  

Ash Wednesday

Had a great time yesterday working with my old friend Dean Ash for LA Muscle.  We were doing a teleshopping promotional video, which will be shown on The Active Channel, for Norateen Heavyweight II, which I am using as an extra supplement now that I am drug free. It seems to be doing a good job, I'm happy and steady at 18 stone and lean, so I'm glad to put my name to it.  Dean and I first met many years ago at Body Limit Gym in St. Albans and were once both coached by Eddie Abbew.  We reminisced about how Eddie, at 8am on the morning of the British Finals in 2010, had us both practice posing into the mirrors in his hotel bedroom, because he's that much of a perfectionist.  Dean has now stopped bodybuilding and is doing MMA instead, around all of the other committments that he has of course.  He's very popular and a lovely guy, I wish him all the very best with that.

Clean Machine (?)

Ever since this picture appeared on Twitter the other day I've had people asking me if it's even possible to make that kind of transformation naturally let alone how hard is it.  Well there are several factors to take into account.  Genetics - Dwayne Johnson's dad was Rocky Johnson, a big tough wrestler many years ago.  Diet - Dwayne can afford the best food and supplements. Training - Apprently the WWE guys train harder than anyone.  So all of that says that it is possible to make a huge transformation drug free, but true to my saying that "I'd rather be honest than popular" and knowing that some people will disagree, I would say that even with all of those factors in his favour he has still done a reasonable amount of gear.  In general, if people tell me they're drug free and I don't believe them I always say do a drug free bodybuilding show and get tested, that answers the question once and for all.

Sunburn

I liked the write up from my class at the British finals on the UKBFF website, it reads "Most men at this age are taking things easy, but not these gladiators. These men have denied nature and refused to let those muscles lose their fullness. No couch potatoes on this stage. Over 50 maybe but I know some men of 25 that would like bodies like this". Very flattering, shame they got the winners name wrong really, don't worry Alfie Noda, we all know who won, and deservedly so.  In our quest to provide a complete service to anyone wanting to compete this year we are currently in negotiation with a company that has invented a revolutionary new spray tan that can be done at PPF.  Usually tanning is the second worse thing about competing, after the dreaded dieting of course, but according to our two models Rob & Clare and looking at the picture, that sticky & smelly feeling and the look of dodgy sunburn may be a thing of the past, if that's the case then I'll certainly post more info as soon as I have it!

Bikini Machine

It's getting closer to showtime every week!  The season will get underway in style in less than 2 weeks time on April 5th when my old friend, the larger than life Scott Horton hosts the "Hercules Olympia" in Colchester, Essex. http://www.herculesolympia.co.uk/  Scott always puts on a great show, I competed in it back in 2009 and won my class, it was great fun. There will no doubt be a lot of bikini contestants in Scott's show, some of whom will have been prepared by Gemma Williams and Michelle Brannan from http://www.showgirlfitness.com/.  Gemma is running a posing class for all bikini competitors, even if they are not signed up to Showgirl Fitness, at Peak Physique & Fitness on Saturday March 29th, bookings should be made directly through the showgirl fitness website.  Gemma is often at PPF so we're very happy to have her as part of the set up.  With people like her, Shane Raymond and myself regularly in attendance, our members that are competing this year and also just about everyone else there, are all filled with confidence, looking better every day and looking forward to the summer to show off the bodies that they are currently sculpting.

Master Blaster

Another busy day at PPF!  Today we shot another workout video for The Active Channel.  The series that we are filming covers new training techniques coupled with old school stuff that I still swear by, the working title for the series is "Learn from the Masters" as the workouts feature me and a host of other well known and successful bodybuilders of all ages. I'll post broadcast dates for each episode as I have them.  Talking of learning from the masters, it's great to be working again with my good friend and under 80 kilos competitor Rob (pictured). Rob & I were coached together by Eddie Abbew years ago and now I'm coaching Rob for a show in May which will be followed by his wedding to the lovely Clare, who I'm also coaching for competion this year, just as long as she keeps on making me protein cakes and cookies!

Age Ain't Nothing But A Number

Firstly, thanks again, the last blog broke all records for views.  The amount of views is usually driven by the picture so its very flattering that two men with a combined age of 111 can generate that much interest! Hopefully today's pic of me with PPF's latest and best looking recruit Ezy will generate even more, if it doesn't then it will of course be my fault!  Ezy is an integral part of our team now, as well as her normal staff duties she runs classes, both mixed and women only, and also gives a great deal of help to all of the members, especially the ladies.  There will be more about her in future blogs but in the meantime, for more information about Ezy please just click this link https://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcome#!/pages/Starfit-ModelPT/758392307523973

Masters Of War

It was great to do some work today with my old friend Martin Duckett. I say old because he's actually 6 months older than me!  Martin has an impressive drug free record and last year won both the NPA and UKDFBA British over 50's titles.  He's just the latest in a line of top quality bodybuilders that I have become friends with over the last 5 years to come to Peak Physique & Fitness to try to improve in preparation for the battles that will be this years competition season.  There have been quite a few that have already visited and there will be a lot more.  In other news, I'm proud, flattered and surprised that, according to statistics received today, this blog is now read by more people than ever before.  Thank you all for that, I am truly humbled!

Back To Basics

So this years health screening and full body MRI scan once again gave me nothing to worry about.  I saw a top Harley Street sports doctor who told me a few surprising things about supplements and also confirmed what I already knew about my back wearing out with age. The discs in the spine do wear excessively after years of aggressive leg work and I've adapted my leg workouts to compensate for that fact.  I've always had good legs, Eddie wouldn't have allowed me on stage with anything less, and the workouts that I've devised for them these days involve no squatting or deadlifting yet I've still lost no size and they look as good as ever.  Finally, it was good to see my old friend Alex on Friday, he is competing in a BNBF show in June so we did some training and diet work together and he is going to spot on by showtime.

Isn't She Lovely

The best wedding that I went to last year was that of my good friends Glenn & Leanne, as I wrote about at the time http://kevwilson.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/kiss-bride.html  Well 8 weeks ago the happy couple were blessed with what I can only describe as the most beautiful baby that I have ever seen. I spent some time with Millie yesterday doing all the things that I haven't done for years, feeding her, winding her and best of all, cuddling her off to sleep.  It was an amazing experience and one that I'm looking forward to repeating.  As I had such a soft and moving time yesterday, I had to re establish my image by putting three PPF members that are competing later this year through some incredibly tough workouts today.  Well done to all of them, showtime isn't that far away so now's the time to get some hard work in the bank, when they can't walk tomorrow they will know that we certainly did that today!

New Kid In Town

With the ever increasing ladies membership at PPF it has become apparent that we need a top quality female PT to add to the staff.  I'm therefore very pleased to announce that Ezy (pictured) is now very much part of the team.  She will be taking classes every Monday & Friday evening and will also be available for PT work with members, as well as doing the thing that I do of being available to give free diet and training advice to members whenever I'm at the gym.  As well as being a really nice person, Ezy has an impressive CV as well as a great physique so we're sure that she will be a great addition to the gym.  To find out more about Ezy please just follow this link
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Starfit-ModelPT/758392307523973

Paradise City

People have been recently asking me what it's like being a gym owner now.  My reply is that it's hard work but ultimately it's very satisfying to be able to help so many people improve their physiques and in some cases their whole lives. There are other good things too though, like I can train to whatever music I choose at any volume that I like, today we had Guns 'n' Roses; awesome!  Also, ever since we've been open I've been really happy to see so many of the friends that I've made since I moved back here from Spain in 2009 coming to the gym for coaching, training and a catch up, I'm blessed to know so many lovely people.  They have all been very impressed with the place and are now all training there whenever they can!

Throw Away Your Television

It must be getting towards holiday time or show time because I'm getting asked a lot about what people's weight should be. My answer is always the same, weight means nothing unless you're competing in a weight class, it's how you look that counts. These days, driven by the media, people are obsessed with readings from things like scales and body fat gadgets.  Competing in a masters class I can honestly say that no judge at any show has ever asked me my weight, or what I can bench or what I can squat etc. for that matter, but they have always mercilessly scrutinised my physique on stage.  I often tell people to throw away the gadgets rather than be a slave to them.  The only things I've ever used are a mirror and the critical eyes of my coach; my record proves that it's a plan that works!

Australia

The best thing about being a gym owner and coaching people both at the gym and via the internet, is that I get to meet nice people from literally all over the world.  So today Rose and Ryan came to me for a coaching session at PPF, all the way from Australia!  Ok, if I'm honest they were actually in the UK to visit family but it still counts as the furthest anyone has ever travelled to see me for coaching!  I was impressed with this lovely couple, Ryan is 22, has great genetics and is huge as you can see from the picture.  Rose was especially impressive, also 22, she has been lifting weights for a few years and has so much muscle tissue that if she lived in this country I would definitely diet her down and have her on stage this summer!

Forty Shades Of Green

Today I did some more work for The Active Channel.  The plan was to do a back workout designed for people over 40 but as we got working it soon became apparent that it would be a good workout for anyone.  I was really pleased to have alongside me Nigel "Tommo" Thompson, who is one of the UK's best and most respected over 40's bodybuilders.  We were so busy that we completely forgot to get a picture together so here's a picture of Tommo that he posted on Facebook with the caption "46 years old - what's your excuse?"  I can imagine the envy on so many peoples faces! Tommo and I have been friends for years, he's nearly 10 years younger than me and we always manage to bring the best out of each other when we train together.  I'm sure that will come across well when the workout is screened by The Active Channel, probably at the beginning of April, which is when Tommo is competing in Scott Horton's "Hercules Olympia", I show that I'm greatly looking forward to!

Fashion

I always try to walk the walk instead of talking the talk, so as promised we have now sorted out some classes for the ladies at PPF and there are more to follow. So far we have a legs, bums & tums class and a Pilates "little black dress" class organised, they will be starting on March 2nd followed by the "Insanity" classes starting in April.  We're looking at adding to these classes, details to follow in due course.  We have also addressed the requests for gym clothing to be sold via the website, it will be on sale within the next few weeks.  Yesterday we had a photo shoot of the clothing being modelled by gym members & staff but the whole show was stolen by my new best mate Alfie.  Pictures and a clothing price list will be on the website soon, meanwhile here's an unofficial pic that we did.  

A Design For Life

I receive a lot of emails with a similar theme that read something like "I hit the gym hard 5 times a week but I'm making no progress".  As I always try to explain, actual training might account for about an hour of your day but if you don't get the other 23 hours right then "hitting the gym hard" is going to have little affect. To be successful at this sport at any level or even just to look good, you need to commit to a lifestyle, that means having a regular daily timetable including set times for meals, food prep and everything else that you have to do, and you can't just deviate from that timetable whenever you want to, that is not committing to a lifestyle.  Furthermore, if you want to compete then you have to let the sport temporarily take over your life, in the 3 months leading up to my first show my brilliant coach Eddie Abbew was even telling me when to get up & when to sleep. My record proves what happens if you have a coach that cares about you and you do as you're told, and that works at any level I promise you. It's something that I will write a special feature about as soon as I get some free time because the right lifestyle is the real key to having a good physique.

Young Americans

I received an email from the USA on Monday saying "As you're now a long time off the gear and permanently off season are you still a big guy?"  It made me smile so I had this picture taken on Monday, sent it to him and asked him to judge for himself.  However, it did raise an important point that I always try to get across to youngsters.  If you build your muscles drug free over a period of years then you will keep them, if you build them quickly by using steroids you will lose them when you come off "the gear".  My history of 22 years drug free is well documented but there are many other reasons why I try to stop steroid use and here's one of them. Someone else contacted me this week to ask if they could still compete as a natural if they had taken "Just a  few Anavar for a few days last year"  Let's be very plain about the answer to that.  As soon as you so much as swallow one tablet that is on the banned list you can't compete drug free for at least 10 years, testing is very stringent and cheats are named and shamed, quite rightly in my opinion. So, keep it clean and build it natural!

Walk The Dinosaur

There is no doubt that this sport that we all love is constantly evolving and that's a good thing because as I always tell people "To acheive goals that you've never acheived before, you need to start doing things you've never done before"  I'm pleased that the sport now seems to be more focused on the more athletic physiques than the physiques of us old dinosaurs, that goes for both the men and the women.  The male physique class has taken off big time despite many cynics referring to it as "the male bikini class" and the womens bikini class was the single most popular class at all UKBFF shows last year.  In the past I've not been a fan of either of these two classes but I've evolved too and at PPF we encourage men & women to compete in these classes.  To help them with that, the posing classes run by Gemma Williams from http://www.showgirlfitness.com  are already a great success! 

Kids

People that know me will tell you that to me every day is a good day and I find positives in almost everything.  I say almost because being an animal lover this story http://news.uk.msn.com/in-pictures/marius-giraffe-put-down#image=1 really made me wonder what sort of world we are living in these days.  On a much happier note, with half term coming up we at PPF have agreed that people can bring in their children to watch the TV in the cafe area while they train rather than miss a session because they can't get a babysitter.  They little ones will be well looked after even though it won't be a proper creche facility because all of us there love kids and the kids all seem to love bodybuilders, especially Alfie (pictured) who is 4 but will soon be 5! 

Virtual Insanity

I'm always the first to hold my hands up if I get it wrong and I have to admit that the one thing at PPF that we've not addressed properly is the classes.....until now that is.  I'm pleased to announce that we are interviewing class PT's this week and the classes will start very soon.  Going forward we have secured a licensed specialist to teach the "Insanity" workout, take a look at this link  http://www.beachbody.co.uk/product/fitness-training/insanity-workout.do  and in the nearer future we will be running other classes, details to follow shortly.  We've been open about a month now and I'm still getting good wishes from everyone but the nicest good luck message and gift came from a very good friend who sent me these motivational posters.  They are so good that they are now in my office, many thanks NB!

Uptown Girl

I was shocked to learn that 80's supermodel Christie Brinkley is now 60 years old but even more shocked when I saw this recent picture of her. She looks amazing and although I am sensible enough to realise that she has probably had a bit of cosmetic "help" I'm sure that she has a very good diet and exercise programme too, so you have to give her a huge amount of credit for looking that good at that age. In other news, I'm not really a football fan anymore but if I was I would be a Chelsea fan just because of Jose Mourinho. As well as being the best manager I've ever seen this guy is pure TV gold, the media must actually love him. Finally, the company that sydicates this blog, last year conducted the "Big Gym Survey" The results are quite interesting, here's the link http://blog.supplementcentre.com/gym-survey-results



Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day and while that just means something weather related to the people of Gobblers Knob (seriously, Google it......carefully) it is a day that a lot of bodybuilders use as a watershed in their plans for the year.  The Christmas pounds have gone and the serious bulking up work has had a month to do its job so now a decision has to be made as to shows and diet dates.  My advice is never start dieting unless you're sure that you're big enough, a show diet will always burn a small amount of muscle along with the fat, moreso if you are drug free of course.  A show diet is a massive committment so "make sure that you are hench before you start the wrench".  I already have several proteges at PPF who will compete this year and today I will alter all of their diets accordingly, based on the plans that they have.  As usual, the first timers are actually looking forward to the diet whilst the seasoned campaigners are already moaning.  I love this sport!

Golden Touch

We've had more good news at Peak Physique and Fitness - I mean apart from the great feedback that everyone that trains there gives us every day!  The company that syndicates my blog have kindly featured PPF in the "best local gyms" section of their website so that more people can experience the unique gym that we have produced for anyone at any level
http://blog.supplementcentre.com/peak-physique-fitness/   In addition to this, after the success of my "You Decide" advert http://www.theactivechannel.com/player/YouDecide_NorateenHeavyweight_Ad   my friends at The Active Channel have confirmed that they will soon start filming me coaching people at the gym for broadcast on TV.  You will have all seen the great stuff that they have made featuring old friends like Dean Ash and of course Eddie Abbew, well now it will be my chance to produce workouts for people to learn from to help them with their training.  Talking of workouts, yesterday I did off season legs, with all of the leg equipment that we have it's easy to get carried away and destroy the legs, which I did.   A good target for leg growth is to try to be half as good as the great Tom "Golden Eagle" Platz, an inspiration for anyone who wants good legs.

Oh You Pretty Things

We are very proud to announce that IFBB Bikini Pro Gemma Williams will soon start running ladies posing classes at Peak Physique & Fitness Gym.  Gemma & I met today to agree a deal whereby she will run her posing classes from our purpose built studio, these classes will be personally organised and run by Gemma, who is one of the best in business. PPF members that are competing this year will definitely benefit from Gemma's classes and competitive experience and we are also hoping that Gemma will do a few training and coaching sessions at the gym so that members can learn from an IFBB Pro.  Finally, a big well done to EN who was on the worst possible diet but in the last 3 weeks has so far lost 10lbs under my guidance and is now looking at competing later this year.  That's impressive work and results, take a bow!

Feeling Good

Further to my last blog I've had a few enquiries about cortisol, some saying that alcohol can increase it, well yes it can but a small amount once a week won't.  Here is a view about cortisol from someone far better qualified than me, its from Nina Simone Ross, someone that I always hold up as a template for women trying to get into shape. Any regular readers will know that I have been a fan of Nina's for a long time simply because she has worked so hard and acheived so much, here's the link  http://www.ninarossfitness.com/the-truth-about-cortosil/  I hope that you find it interesting.  I have to say that I am loving off season training at PPF. The ambience and the atmosphere are brilliant and I feel the strongest that I have for years.  I'm over 18 stone with good abs and I can't remember being like that for a long while but my decison not to compete any more still stands despite some very nice people trying to persuade me otherwise!

What Made Milwaukee Famous

Someone said to me the other day that as I've recently had a moan about smoking and sugar then alcohol must be the next thing on my list.  Oh alright then but guess what, I'm not going to say that you should never drink! I actually think that a drink in moderation, thats like 2 glasses of wine or 2 pints of beer once a week actually does you good.  These days most people do have a certain amount of stress in their busy lives and stress will get you every time, it will make you produce cortisol, which is bodybuilders Kryptonite, so avoid it at all costs and if that means a drink with your cheat meal then do it.  It's difficult to get the balance right though, alcohol can increase cortisol if you have too much so just keep it to the amounts that I have said and you should be ok.

While You See A Chance

We're into the second half of January now so you would expect some of the "New Year resolution" people to have given up the plan to get into shape but not at PPF!  I'm proud to say that all of our members are actually working harder than ever and some are determined to compete this year regardless of the sacrifices and committment levels required.  I've actually been genuinely surprised at how hard people are prepared to work at their diet and training these days, its impressive, and I don't impress easily.  No names as usual but yesterday I saw RW CL & LW, all three will compete this year and they are all working with total dedication even though their shows are months away.  The comment that I get the most is "I now have the gym and the support to do what I've always wanted to". I love that positivity and the way that people are seizing their chances!

Change Your Life

Firstly, I have to say a public thank you to Steve P and Stuart T for the very nice feedback that they have recently sent me about "Getting Ready". I'll be signing copies of the DVD at a shop in Bedford on February 8th although the main reason for the event will be to interview possible subjects for my next media project.  This will be the TV series that we've been hoping to make for a while now and it will feature six people who feel that their lives are unfulfilled at best and a waste of time at worst.  Over a period of twelve weeks I will try to turn their lives around using only sensible exercise, good diet and the power of positive thinking.  It will of course be a huge task but ultimately it will be incredibly rewarding for everyone involved.  Most of it will be filmed at Peak Physique & Fitness because we have built the gym that we wanted and now we have the perfect set up to use all three of the things that will transform peoples lives.

Duel

To get anywhere in the gym you need one thing above all others and that's the right attitude.  If you go in making excuses you will come out making even more excuses.  I tell people to view every session as a duel between them and the weights, and make sure that the weights never win, make sure that you show them who is the boss, remind them just who you are.  Does it hurt? Yes, of course it does, but no pain no gain has always been an accurate saying.  The pic is from Saturday and is of me & Chris, a sports scientist that I coach, we both fought the weights and we beat them.  The cardio suite in Peak Physique & Fitness is impressive and is attracting a lot of nice comments, the best one being "who would have thought that a meathead like you would have put so much thought into a cardio suite".  Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment shall I?!

Gonna Make You A Star

When we set up Peak Physique & Fitness we had in mind a very definite vision of what we wanted to achieve and we have definitely produced the gym that we planned.  We wanted to appeal to anyone at any level and we have had a lot of absolute beginners sign up and they are already making good progress, I love working with newbies as I can teach them how to do things right from day 1 rather than them learn bad habits from other people.  The surprising thing has been that so many experienced gym users now want to take things up a notch and we already have several potential competitors for 2014.  As always, I don't sugar coat things and I tell them all just how tough it will be but nobody has been scared off yet.  If you want to compete then PPF is the place to come but please read this first! http://www.kevanwilson.com/pdf/CompeteFeature.pdf



Sugar Sugar

So the government has finally woken up to the fact that it's not just bad fats in peoples diets that are causing all of the health problems and that sugar is just as bad and in some cases worse.  You can read a lot of conflicting stuff about sugar but please have a look at this and make up your own mind.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx  What annoys me is that all of the chinless wonders produced by Harrow & Eton that now run our country are supposed to be clever, well they are not clever enough to listen to bodybuilders and fitness professionals like me who have been trying to cut sugar from peoples diets for years.  A few blogs ago I said that I could give anybody decent abs and I stand by that, but the first thing that I take out of their diet is sugar, try it and see if it works for you!

Seasons

So how are the New Year's resolutions going then?  The one that I always try to get people to do is to give up smoking.  Why? Well because if you don't you will die before your time basically.  It will also greatly affect your training.  As I always explain to people, if you're training properly the blood needs to flow at speed through the arteries, it can't do that if they're blocked up with tar can it?  As for diet at this time of year, here's a picture and description that I received today from someone who has got it absolutely right, I am so proud when proteges take the whole thing this seriously, especially when they invent clever meals like this one, perfect for an off season diet.  "A little bit of salad just to get some greens in, spicy chicken (baked) and a pack of oat cakes with olive oil in 50g rice"  No names but well done FB!

 

Public Image

As much as I dislike social media it is, apparently, something that we need to have at the gym.  So, we are now on the dreaded facebook and twitter, here are the links that you need to add us or like us or whatever else that it is that you do with these things. Facebook, just search for "Peak Physique Fitness Gym" and Twitter just search for "peakfitnessgyms" (in the plural as the singular was already taken).  In addition to these we are also on Google + "Peak Physique & Fitness Gym" as well as Linkedin "Peak Physique Fitness" and Pintrest "Peak Physique & Fitness" I hope that all makes sense to you. Please note that the best way to get in touch with me is still via email to mail@kevanwilson.com as I am obviously unlikely to use social media sites.

Six Degrees Of Separation

Did you see "50 shocking facts about diet & exercise" on TV in the week? Whilst most of it made sense one thing that they got wrong was when they said that "most people will never be able have a six pack".  All I can say is that using my methods, everyone that I have ever coached for an approriate amount of time has ended up with good abs, so if that's what you want then you know where to come.  Personally, I have had good abs since I was at school (yes, a loooong time ago!)   Rene Campbell came along to the new gym today, she is a really lovely person, very gently spoken and very helpful and friendly to everyone that she spoke to.  Rene runs a spray tanning business and I will be recommending it to everyone that I coach for competition this year.  Her business partner in this venture is my friend Alessandro, who I have been coaching for about 6 months, he has made great gains and will now compete for the BNBF later this year!