A personal trainer has bust common fitness and diet myths and revealed coveted secrets for how to actually get your dream body.
Shannon Collins, who is better known as ‘The Gym Nurse’ on Instagram, where she has 158,000 followers, says you don’t need to work out every day to reach your goals.
And the 45-year-old believes you don’t have to commit to a hardcore diet of fruit and veg, too.
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The PT also warns people not to ‘save calories’ for special outings or meals – as this can actually have the opposite effect.
“It’s easy to believe that hours of cardio needs to be done, with each session ending drenched in sweat, in order to lose weight,” the influencer and registered nurse, told What’s The Jam.
“I used to believe that, too.
“I thought that everything outside of cardio was pointless and a waste of time.
“And that if you wanted to lose weight, then it was important to only eat healthy foods little and often, which only left me hungry and wanting more.
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“But none of that is true.”
FUELLING THE BODY
Shannon, from Indiana, US, says that it’s vital to ensure the body is fuelled correctly; and that goes for all year round.
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She said: “I continue to give my body the right nutrition, even during the holidays.
“It’s dangerous to ‘save calories’ for a special event, as that type of approach will typically lead to overeating.
“If I don’t have control over my food choices, I fill my plate with protein and fibre rich foods.
“Also, there’s a common myth that carbohydrates cause people to gain weight, or that eating them after dark contributes to this.
“But that’s simply not true.
“Calories are king at the end of the day and it’s just an overconsumption of them that’s the root issue.”
EATING HABITS
The mum also says that people all too often get caught up with certain habits, that can do more harm than good.
Instead, listen to your body and tune into what it needs.
She said: “Thinking you need to fast, or not eat after a certain time, is rubbish.
“All you have to remember is to consume an amount that’s appropriate for you.
“You can lose weight eating first thing in the morning all the way until you go to bed; so long as it’s a calorie deficit, aka burning more than what’s going in your body.
“And most importantly, don’t feel obliged to clean your plate – or avoid going for seconds – as you should eat until you’re full.”
BIG AND BULKY
Another misconception that she’s here to debunk is around weightlifting; with most people believing that an hour on the treadmill is better – when it’s really not.
She said: “[I’ve heard too many times] that weightlifting makes the body big and bulky.
“But really, it takes years of intentionally lifting weights to build muscle and so you won’t accidentally end up looking [like a bodybuilder].
“With cardio, it’s not that you should avoid it because it’s bad, but it’s not going to get you to your goal.
“So many people focus on burning calories or breaking a sweat, though this won’t do much.
“Instead, lift heavy weights, as this is needed to tone and sculpt the body.”
MINDFULNESS IS KEY
It’s not only your physical body that should see results, but your mental state, too.
And in turn, this will help decrease body fat, lower stress and give a boost in energy for the day ahead.
She said: “Increase your step count by 2,000 each day and try to incorporate some fresh air.
“This is essential for cardiac and mental health.
“And ensure to get at least seven hours of sleep per night, as all of this will produce much better results.”
NO DEADLINES
Shannon recently warned people not to expect a quick fix when it comes to getting toned and fit – as it takes time and a lot of people give up too quickly.
Her biggest secret? Work on forming new habits and sticking to them for the long-haul, rather than setting deadlines.
The influencer said: “It takes several months to see changes in your body, so the time to start is now.
“In general, you want to make body transformations into a permanent lifestyle change and not something that has an expiration date.
“A thought process of: ‘I need to lose 15lbs by summer’ isn’t going to get you anywhere.
“It should be an ongoing and gradual change to your daily life, that will eventually become the norm.”
For her, she’s a big believer of following the basics when it comes to losing weight – and that never quitting is the best advice of all.
Shannon started sharing her advice after going through her own weight loss journey.
The mum, who was left “breathless” walking up the stairs, went from 11st 5lbs to 8st 2lbs in the space of a few years.
Now, she follows a strict routine to maintain her progress, which she says most people should also carry out.
Shannon added: “I weight train five days a week and aim for at least 10,000 steps a day.
“I currently mindfully focusing on eating enough protein and fibre, which I learned to do by tracking my food for a while until I became comfortable with what works for me.
“I’m not into supplements, as I think it’s more important to nail down the basis of nutrition and movement first above all else.
“And don’t forget, that exercise is vital for not only physical, but mental health.
“Just control what’s put in your mouth and increase your movement in a way that works for you; there’s no routine that fits all.
“Don’t get caught up in the myths that you see online, as they’re not usually true.
“Keep focused and do what feels right; you’ll get there eventually.
“It’s not about the goal weight, but your goal body; as the dream one will weigh much more than you think.”
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