If you're embarking on your new running journey, or planning to, the last thing you want is to be sidelined by the discomfort of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), the exhaustion that leaves you unable to function, or even worse, a debilitating injury.

As I find myself back on the road after a hiatus of a few years, I'm wearing my personal trainer hat and practicing what I preach. Determined not to get swept away by grandiose aspirations of running a sub 20-minute 5k – at least not just yet – I vividly recall a time when I underestimated the significance of a measured approach. About a year and a half ago, I ventured onto an athletics track, aiming for 400m sprint intervals. A silly mistake it turned out to be. In my mind, I believed I could perform as I did in my early 20s. The outcome? An achilles tendon strain that left me hobbling home, a disappointed coach in his own right. With over 15 years of experience as a personal trainer, coach, and wellness practitioner, I occasionally find myself neglecting the basics in my own training. The truth is, the pursuit of greatness doesn't make us immune to stumbling at the start.

This is the message I wish to share – with myself, with all new runners, and with those bouncing back from an injury or a period of inactivity:

Start Slowly... and I Mean Slowly!

This is important for several physiological, biomechanics, and psychological reasons. This approach allows your body and mind to adapt to the new stress of running and help minimise the risk of injury while optimising long-term progress. 

Injury Prevention

Running places significant stress on muscles, joints, tendons, and bones. Starting slowly gives these tissues time to adapt to the new demands, reducing the risk of overuse injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, and tendinitis. Rapidly increasing intensity or mileage without proper adaptation can lead to injury due to inadequate tissue conditioning.

Muscle Adaptation

Running engages specific muscles and muscle fibres that might not be heavily used in other activities. Gradually increasing the intensity allows these muscles to develop strength and endurance, preventing muscle imbalances and reducing the likelihood of strains or pulls.

Cardiovascular Adaptation

Running places demands on the cardiovascular system, including the heart and blood vessels. A gradual increase in intensity gives your heart and blood vessels time to adapt and become more efficient at pumping oxygen-rich blood to working muscles.

Fat Adaptation

Starting with slower-paced runs encourages the body to use fat as a fuel source, improving fat metabolism and sparing glycogen (carbohydrate) stores. This adaptation can enhance endurance performance and prevent premature fatigue during longer runs.

Joint and Connective Tissue Adaptation

Running is a high-impact activity that stresses joints and connective tissues. Gradual progression allows these structures to adapt and become more resilient, reducing the risk of joint pain or injury.

Biomechanical Adjustment

Running involves a specific set of movements and biomechanics. Starting slowly gives you time to develop proper running form, reducing the risk of inefficient movement patterns that could lead to discomfort or injury.

Psychological Adaptation

Starting slowly can prevent burnout and psychological resistance to running. Gradual progression helps build confidence and a positive mindset by allowing you to achieve small milestones, making the process more enjoyable and sustainable.

Consistency and Longevity

By avoiding early burnout and injury, you're more likely to stay consistent with your running routine over the long term. Consistency is a key factor in improving fitness and achieving your running goals.

Respect for Your Current Fitness Level

Starting slowly acknowledges your current fitness level and prevents you from pushing too hard too soon. This can reduce feelings of frustration or failure and make the running experience more enjoyable.

Gradual Adaptation to Training Stress

Your body needs time to adapt to the physical stress of running. Gradually increasing mileage, intensity, and frequency allows your body to adjust to the training load, preventing exhaustion or overtraining.

Here's my suggestion for getting you up and running:

Chart Your Path: Even if it's a rough mental map, designate your running route. For me, it's the leafy green Bushy Park, just five minutes from my doorstep.

Warm Up Wisely: Lightly jog (or briskly walk if needed) to your starting point. This primes your body for action.

Dynamic Prep: Engage in dynamic stretches (I'm here if you need guidance) to awaken your body for activity. Save static stretches for another time.

Gearing Up: If you're using an activity tracker, set it up and prepare to start your run.

Conversational Pace: Initiate your run at a pace that allows comfortable conversation. If a slow run leaves you breathless, intersperse with a manageable walk-jog pace. Remember, at this juncture, the goal is to establish a sense of attainability.

Remember the Basics: Keep in mind everything I've shared in this blog. As you venture out on your first day, your return home should be marked by a sense of positivity and rejuvenation, not exhaustion and disillusionment.

Track Your Progress: While you need not dwell on distance and speed, monitoring your pace and distance can provide a valuable benchmark. It allows you to track even the smallest progress, setting the stage for future mini-goals.

Aiming for 5k: Recognise that 5k is a well-regarded distance for competition (think of future Park Runs). Aspire to reach this milestone, while maintaining a conversational pace.

Upon successfully achieving the 5k benchmark and feeling at ease with running it at a sustainable pace, you're likely prepared to step up a gear and advance your running career.

The key to your success resides in patience and humility. Be gentle with yourself and listen to your body. Through gradual progression, keen awareness, and self-kindness, you'll find immense growth and a truly gratifying journey. Remember, progress is often marked by small steps, and in a mere 365 days, you'll be astounded by where these steps can lead you.

Wishing you the very best and good luck on your running journey.

Chris

If not now, when?

I've been asking myself this question a lot recently.

To the world around me I may seem to have it all together, but let me assure you, I don't. I procrastinate like everyone else and I certainly have areas of my life where I want to be and do better. We all do I think 🤔

The thing that really grinds though is when I catch myself avoiding the stuff where the outcome of me not doing it is far worse than doing the task itself. To me there is nothing more frustrating than this and I allow it to manifest in the form of anger, resentment or on the more severe side of things, depression.

I don't know about you (I am talking from my own personal experience here), but the thing that tends to get rid of this angst is action. Not thinking too much and action. Taking back control.

Now, before I reveal too many of my boring personality defects, there is an area of my life where I excel, and that is health, fitness, sports science and anything in-between. I love learning about the human body, doing anything physical and I feel incredibly privileged to be able to help people see and feel the power of nutrition and exercise. I can't think of anything else I'd rather do, apart perhaps travel write with an SLR in my hand.

I also know that the way I feel about health and wellbeing isn't always or often shared. Sport, exercise and fitness is something many people struggle with, and for whatever reason they can have very negative views about themselves and these types of activities. It's very common.

So, my point is (come on Chris get to the point!), perhaps we all need to look at the pain points in our life and identify where we struggle and then seek out those who can make it easier for us to achieve the goals that are just too important to ignore.

I've been reaching out to others myself recently and I feel so much better for it. I've a long way to go, but I'm making progress, thinking less and getting on with the job. It works.

If you're always putting yourself last or avoiding getting started, give me a call and let's begin the process of helping you get out of your own way. It often just takes an email or a phone call to get the ball rolling, and soon you're in completely different headspace.

I know I make this sound simple. It's not. However, what I do know is digging oneself out of a rut feels incredibly empowering. Doing instead of running away is life changing.

Enjoy your evening.

Chris 😊

Have you heard yourself say something like this recently?

“When I get back in the game there’s no going back. I’m going to be leaner, fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been. Watch this space!”

But at the moment it’s a bit more like this: 

    •    “I’ll resume working out after my vacation”

   •    “I’ll get back to my fitness regime in the new year. There’s way too much going on on the lead up to Christmas”

    •    “I’m too stressed and busy at work at the moment. I’ll wait for things to settle down then i’ll get back on it”

These all seem valid and perfectly reasonable excuses for not exercising. Modern life is hectic and we often feel like we’re being squeezed from all directions. 

We are all juggling a lot!

But what are we really waiting for? 

Is it the perfect time so we can start the perfect workout and the perfect diet? 

From years of experience, I believe a lot of people feel that if they aren’t 100% committed, if they don’t follow an exercise or nutrition plan to the tee, they are a failure. 

And it’s easy to understand why if you look at the health and fitness market place.

If you go online you’ll find perfect solutions everywhere. You may have seen packages and headers like these: 

    •    “Transform your body in 90 days” 

    •    “4 week fat loss plan” 

    •    “12 weeks to the perfect body” 

These packages certainly have sex appeal. They’re enticing and attractive because they offer a short term solution to our health issues and provide a plaster to cover up our internal wounds that are at the root cause of our deep dissatisfactions and insecurities. 

What they don’t take into account is our frenetic lives and adherence. They tend to be quite extreme, unrealistic and sometimes (not always) darn right brutal. 

It’s not long into your training plan before something crops up at work, at home or socially, and suddenly you’re thrown off track. 

If there’s a ‘pause’ button that needs to be pressed, you can guarantee it’ll be the ‘health and fitness’ one. 

Initially, you welcome this pause with open arms. You have more time to breathe, it takes something heavy off your never-ending to-do list and you’ve got more time to dedicate to family life and work. Dumping your new exercise programme feels an instant relief. 

Phew!

However, how long is it before your pause is replaced with a sense of regret? 

You’ve failed again…

and you haven’t got the energy, time or inclination to go back to the start of the plan. The initial two weeks almost killed you last time, and talk about being bad tempered! 

So…you haven’t turned into the lean, mean, fighting machine you promised yourself you’d become. You’re back feeling despondent and perhaps a little depressed at your inability to complete the transformative training programme. 

You look, feel and behave exactly the way, perhaps worse, than you did before you started the programme. 

Do this a number of times over the years and your ambition of becoming a super fit individual becomes a pipe dream. You feel like giving up completely because you’ve never managed to achieve success. 

You start telling yourself:

“Getting fit happens to other people” 

“It’s my body type. I’m one of the unlucky ones”

“People expect too much from me, I’ll never be able to make this happen”

“Life is for living, not for charging around parks and eating celery sticks” 

Your negative mindset hits an all time low and you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t be who you want to be. 

“All this fitness malarky is too depressing!” 

But what if your thought process was different? 

What if you ditched the ‘all or nothing’ approach? 

What if you started identifying yourself as an athlete because you do something daily to keep yourself fit and healthy?

What if your actions were small but impactful? 

What if your health and wellness was an investment in yourself, not something that happens once a year before you hit the beach? 

What if your goals were less about a short term fix and more about your lifestyle?

What if you were part of community who could help motivate and encourage you? 

I know these approaches don’t seem terribly sexy (perhaps the reason they’re less likely to sell), but I’ve been coaching these methods for over 15 years, and I’ve lived by these principles for the last 20. 

They work! 

And guess what?!!

    •    I never have to cope with adhering to an extreme fitness programme that lasts for 90 days.

    •    I’m always fit and healthy, despite slight fluctuations because life gets in the way sometimes. 

    •    I’m never stressed about doing exercise or eating well…and yes I do like beer and cake when the moment is right and I choose to let things slide a little. 

    •    I'm not on a ‘zero to hero’ plan 2 months before my holiday because i’m not happy with my body image. 

    •    I don’t have to deal with a never ending cycle of stress and disappointment because I’ve not managed to reach my goal or complete the task. 

    •    I have the strength and energy to keep up with the stresses and strains of life. 

    •    I feel happy with the knowledge that every single day I do something to keep myself mentally and physically strong. 

The list of positives goes on…

And let me tell you, this slow burn approach is the only method that truly works if you want to be a fit, strong and healthy. 

It really is about learning how to train smart by doing doable, realistic and scientifically proven methods that work. 

And you will transform. Step by step, one day at a time. 

No pauses. No failure. No regret. 

The good habits you form not only stick, but change your body, your life and your perspective. 

Being clever and doing little and often is an incredibly powerful tool. 

It outdoes extreme every single time. 

I’ve been chatting to a lot of home/office workers recently - people who are behind a desk for 8 hrs or more each day. 

This was my own little research project about workplace wellbeing because I’m keen to keep in touch with how our customers feel and get a deeper understanding of the people we are trying to help. 

It  would be easy for me to simply dish out general advice on health and fitness, but the questions I’m always asking myself are; am I truly connecting with people and really helping them counteract the negative health implications of sitting behind a screen all day long? 

I openly admit that sometimes I miss the mark and forget that people face copious problems on a daily basis. Undoubtedly, issues that arise, both and mentally and physically, are a culmination of external factors.

It’s never a single thing that tips somebody over the edge or creates an injury or long term ill-health.

Interestingly, words and phrases like office culture, loneliness, annoyance, mindlessness and feeling disconnected were all used to describe how people felt about the work place in relation to their wellbeing. Despite this, however, many expressed to me that they really do enjoy their job, which is certainly a wellbeing box that needs to be ticked. 

I recall one person saying to me:

‘Chris - Sometimes I feel like I’m going to die in this chair’

This seemed quite comical at the time, but upon reflection I feel this statement paints a sad portrayal of sedentary office life. 

Then it dawned on me that perhaps people see their desk job as both enemy and friend. 

I’m sure we all feel a level of safety and comfort from our chair, desk and computer. That abode is our domain, an area of our life we can control. It’s our little hub amongst the chaos. 

I’ve used my office as a place to escape many times, haven’t you? 

It can be a wonderful place to hide away from the rest of the world, especially when we are being left alone to be creative or accomplish much needed tasks. Oh to be left alone at times! 

However, going off conversations with customers and friends, it seems there is dark side of home/office work. It can be a villain that is stealth like and slow at breaking us down, making us susceptible to certain health conditions and vulnerability. 

The nature of being desk bound all day offers very little in terms of freedom, time and balance. If we’re not careful, it is capable of making us feel isolated…alone to deal with many pressures that are bestowed on us.  

I know we’re not all sitting at our desks being deeply philosophical about the light and shade of office work.  Who has time for that? Deadlines loom over us, responsibilities and  expectations need to be met. 

But what if we give our desk work a bit more consideration and have open conversations with the people we work with about our thoughts and feelings? What will be revealed? How will we deal with the thing we do each day that on one hand earns us a living, and on the other slowly zaps our quality of life? 

What unravelled as people began to open up to me, was a general sense of annoyance at an all-consuming schedule and the relentlessness of work and pressure. 

Most felt very disgruntled by their inability to take an hour off, to do something which helps them deal with the stresses and strains of work life. 

Many felt programmed to push through their breaks, to keep slogging away, and it’s because they get sucked in and absorbed in their work that they become numb to internal feelings and oblivious to life outside of their box. 

Toward the end of my chats, some reluctantly admitted that they felt lonely. A strange juxtaposition when part of an organisation, I thought.  

There isn’t a definitive answer to people’s health concerns (more the pity) in the work place, but given that sedentary, desk work is such huge part of our existence, maybe we all ought to give more consideration to the health implications of sitting down for so many hours each day, and then look for tools to counterbalance its negative outcomes. 

There’s one thing for sure, if you want to stand a chance of being in good shape for the long road ahead, you’re going to have to put strategies in place to make sure that part of your day is dedicated to being active, eating nutritious food and implementing stress coping mechanisms. 

As I’ve repeated, time and time again over the years, looking after your health and wellbeing runs alongside creating financial stability for yourself. It’s difficult to enjoy one without the other. 

And you need to start investing now, before years pass and you’re awash with regret.

Let’s start to have these conversations with each and begin chipping away the part of office/work culture that is damaging our health.  

This doesn’t have to be a radical move that steers you away from earning a living and adding value to the company that employs you. It’s a mistake for you to think this.

This is about finding better balance in your life by taking on the challenge of getting (and keeping) yourself slim, fit and healthy during office hours, with a community of like-minded individuals with a shared goal. 

It’s about implementing a well thought out strategy that is time saving and good for you. 

If you go about it the right way, you can bullet proof yourself from years of being chained to your desk and emerge strong and happy. 

You can ditch those unwanted feelings of loneliness and be part of something that positively impacts you and the people around you.

I’ve created a free document to help you get started, if you’re interested: 

‘4 Smart Ways to Get In Great Shape During Office Hours’

You can download it by clicking the link below and become part of the community I formerly mentioned. 

We can take a stand (excuse the pun!) together and help each other become fitter, more dynamic citizens. 

https://zipfitclub.activehosted.com/f/5

Best wishes, 

Chris 

The way we exercise, keep fit and aim to stay strong and healthy has changed very rapidly over the last 5 months and so has our mindset. What I never envisaged as being possible has become a reality and i’ve been amazed and humbled by the adaptability and positivity of my clients. Despite all the negatives of a global pandemic, it is a situation that has proved how resilient we can be when change is forced upon us. With an open mind there are ways of doing things differently and we all have it in us to remodel our lives at the flick of a switch. For Zip Fit Club this has meant remote personal training, Zip Fit TV on YouTube, further development of my online training programme for busy, working people and above all a time to reflect. Back in March I thought it was the end for Zip Fit Club, but once I got past a couple of weeks of self-pity and hopelessness, I could see that our ‘Train Smart’ ethos when it comes to health and wellbeing was more applicable than ever before. It dawned on me that everyone has had to adapt during these arduous times, think differently about many aspects of their lives and if there was ever a time to help people train smarter in order to reach their fitness goals, this was it! 

I’ll be honest, running virtual classes, PT sessions and putting myself in front of a camera for Zip Fit TV was uncomfortable. It still is. However, I’ve discovered that virtual workouts are surprisingly very effective and for many people (not all) it has meant workouts on the move, accessibility, less travel time and greater flexibility. I’m not going to deny that being face to face with someone and having real human interaction adds incalculable benefits to people’s lives, but remote one on ones, virtual classes and well-thought-out online services can be life changing for people. I’ve been genuinely surprised at picking up clients across the globe during this strange period. I can reach more people and hopefully help them make the changes they need to better their lives. I’m thinking differently and remodelling things myself, so I can find better balance during my working week, give my family a little more of my time and give clients more value. I whole-heartedly thank the tech companies of this world for making this possible for me. I’d be jobless without these platforms, however, I also recognise that as with everything in life, it only works if there is some equilibrium.

I need to acknowledge (fundamentally being an outdoor fitness provider) how fantastic it has been to see people back amongst nature and training in the fresh air. Delivering free online HIIT classes for the last 5 months has given me a real sense of purpose, but being able to escape for a 30 minute run has kept me sane amidst home schooling, working behind a screen all day long and being trapped indoors. I recognise the importance of using simple but effective management tools that I can apply to my daily existence. My greatest endeavour over the last 12 years has been discovering how to achieve this personally (still work in progress) and helping others do the same. When things are falling apart it’s hard to see beyond negativity and anguish, but what I’ve realised throughout this difficult period is that sometimes forces beyond our control move the goal post, but that doesn't change our purpose. Zip Fit has had to go backwards to go forwards but ultimately we are here to serve time-poor, hard working people who are struggling in life and want learn how get lean, fit, happy and healthy in a sensible, time efficient and effective way. 

Introducing very affordable online workouts and an offer I think you’ll have difficulty refusing. 

As of Monday 17th August my online HIIT classes are only going to be accessible via our Zip Fit Club website. If you become a monthly subscriber you’ll have access (using a unique PW and username) to my online workout library containing Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced workouts, and be able to take part in short, fast and effective workouts at the touch of a button, wherever you are in the world!

OPENING OFFER! 

I'm offering the first 50 people who sign up to my online workouts the opportunity to get their hands on my training programme, 'The Wellbeing Guide For Busy People’ for FREE. It’s only £10/month to become a monthly subscriber to my online workouts, and you will receive my training programme (which retails at £125) at no extra cost.

It is a programme that teaches you how to train smart, so you can get lean, fit, happy and healthy during your working week.  Details can be found at https://www.zipfitclub.co.uk/wellbeing-guide/

HOW DO I SIGN UP? 

    1    Send me an email chris@zipfitclub.co.uk saying you would like to become a monthly member at £10/month. 

    2    Set up a standing order to start in August. Bank details will be provided upon request. 

    3    I will create your online account which will give you immediate access to the online workouts and your training programme worth £125. 

NB: My web/graphic designer is currently creating a facility very similar to an App, but for now I can provide you with simple instructions of how to get a link on your mobile home screen so you can access the workouts at the touch of a button. It’s very simple to do this and it means you’ll have me in your pocket whenever you want a Zip Fit HIIT. 

YOUTUBE CHANNEL - ZIP FIT TV

I’m not abandoning Zip Fit TV on YouTube, just changing things slightly. I’m going to be using this platform as an education tool to help you make better lifestyle choices. Look out for a lot more technique and training tips to help you on your fitness journey.

Best wishes,

Chris 

There are a plethora of low-carbohydrate diets in the market place and loads of studies linking refined (processed) carbs to chronic illness and obesity. It now seems that carbs, like fat - its predecessor, has become food enemy number one without us having a broad understanding of what carbs are and how we can utilise them to our advantage. We tend to look at food containing carbohydrate cautiously and the food industry, as per usual, are riding on the back of this like Zorro. 

So let’s set the record straight: Heavy consumption of refined carbs affects gut health and the body’s hormones, leading to fat storage and inflammation. However, for muscle growth, general wellbeing and performance, healthy, complex carbohydrates are a necessity. The challenge being for a large majority of us who are chained to our desks or leading a sedentary lifestyle, is knowing what carbs to eat and when. Having this knowledge and understanding a process called carb cycling is a sure way for you to find better balance during your working week and manipulate carb consumption to maximise muscle growth while minimising the negative affects of over-consumption.  

Now, carb cycling is often used by body builders and it means following a strict protocol, which isn’t for everyone. However, implementing the basic rules of carbs cycling during your working week, will have a profound affect on your health and your waistline. Cutting back on your starchy carbs will generate results and more importantly for many people it does mean you can alternate between high-carb days and low carbs days. I’m sure we all agree that complete restriction is depressing and unsustainable. 

How does carb cycling work?

Carbohydrate cycling is a process which is going to enable fat loss without sacrificing performance and muscle gains. It requires you to alternate between High Carbohydrate days (Training days) and Low Carbohydrate days (Non-training

days). On your rest days (the days you’re sitting behind your desk with minimal physical activity) you are predominantly using fat to fuel your body, therefore there is very little use for lots of carbohydrates (the energy used to work at a much faster pace). You want to force your body to access more fat stores and not store the carbs you eat as fat because they are not being used. You have to bear in mind that your body can only store a certain amount of glycogen (converted carbs), so an excess of carbs (especially on your non-training day) will result in turning those carbs to fat for storage. 

Your working week is going to be divided in to 2 types of day:

Low Carb day (non-training day)

On these days you will eat high fibrous vegetables such as broccoli, onions, peppers, mushrooms, leafy greens and asparagus. Refrain from eating energy dense, starchy carbs such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals and oats. Get your carbohydrate from fibrous vegetables and don’t get too hung up on counting calories. Do your best to avoid stodgy foods, get those veggies on-board and remember to increase your protein and good fat intake.

High Carb day (training day)

This is a day when you can eat more energy dense carbs, but make sure your sources are from complex and healthy, slow releasing carbs, as opposed to carbs that are quickly absorbed. Remember this is your training day and if there is

a time for you to sin a little it is straight after your workout. If you’re following my wellbeing programme and doing a 30 minute HIIT training session 3 times per week, you want to create a sugar spike post-workout with some faster absorbing carbs, so the hormone insulin can quickly help replenish the glycogen (glucose) that has been depleted from your muscles during your workout. A high carb day is not an excuse to binge eat, it’s a systematic way to reset muscle-building and fat burning hormones. Since carbohydrate intake will be increased on the re-feed days, it is important to scale back the fat and protein intake slightly. Carbohydrates have a protein sparing effect so less dietary protein is required.

From a psychological and scientific perspective this watered down version of carbohydrate cycling can be a satisfying method for achieving your weight and fitness goals. It is not an extreme way of staying lean or losing fat and it means on certain days you can enjoy a complex carbohydrates guilt free. Ultimately this equates to sustainability and you are far more likely to adhere to a programme like mine and the demands of your training schedule.

I know many of you are sitting at your desk feeling your belt digging into your waistline, feeling sluggish and out of shape.

It doesn’t have to be this way.  

You can broaden your knowledge and learn science based life hacks which will turn things around for you. Carb cycling is one of my best tips if you’re looking to get lean and more toned whilst sitting at your desk. Short, effective lunchtime workouts is another, but I’ll talk to you about that another day. 

Have a good day at the office and thanks for taking the time to read this. 

Cheers, 

Chris

If you’re anything like me, over a 16 hour period you charge from one important meeting to another. I’m up at 5.30am most days, training clients, calling into businesses, running my own business (although at times I think it’s running me) and doing my best to be a good husband and a fun but responsible (an emphasis on the word ‘responsible’) dad to my two lovely, little kids. There are not enough hours in the day, and I’ll be honest, for many years I’ve found it really hard to fit in all the elements of my life that are most important to me. 

It was only a few months ago that I found myself delivering a corporate fitness class in Hyde Park, before darting across West London to watch my son in his first school rugby match. In my attempt to win the ‘parent of the year’ award, the 1-hour journey to Richmond was fraught with a plethora of self-induced mental obstacles and a build-up of internal pressure. I was questioning my sanity, worrying about work and getting frustrated with the lack of structure to my life. I was victim to the high levels of stress I encourage my clients to avoid and upon arrival at the game (bang on the start whistle) I was close to a cardiac arrest. I’m not sure how ‘health professional’ I looked when I collapsed on the sideline. 

The game/tournament only lasted 15 minutes (45 minutes less than I anticipated), but my son’s year were victorious. Post-match celebrations were comparable to England winning the World Cup final against Australia in 2003, but it was great to see the boys embrace the true spirit of rugby and a joy seeing the little band of brothers enjoy the highs of winning and doing it together as a team.  

My journey back into London was much calmer than my outbound trip. I was rational again and reflective. To see my son’s little face light up when I arrived at his first game was all I needed to put things into perspective. I not only realised how important it was for him to have me there, but how much I needed to be there for myself. The whole experience left me thinking how easily I let myself get sucked into a world that pulls me away from my main priorities, such as my health and having fun and happy times with my friends and family. I consider myself incredibly fortunate because I love my work, however, I do need to remind myself every now and again that my existence is more than my career. There are other elements to my life that give it greater purpose. It’s very easy to be complacent and I’m sure, at one time of another, we have all experienced ways in which the world provides harsh and cruel ways of reminding us what we value most. Why is it we have to feel unwell before we appreciate our health? Or experience great, personal loss for us to truly value life itself and the people we love? I have neglected both at various times, but this is not about me sharing my guilt or insinuating that you should feel guilty for the way you think or behave. It’s about appealing to your intelligence and asking you to consider adjustments to your current way of living to make you feel more centred and calm. It’s about being mindful and reflective occasionally. Wellbeing isn’t about thrashing out a session at the gym or going on a two week fat loss plan. It’s about finding overall balance, mentally, physically and socially. I’m not dismissing the importance of financial stability, just merely trying to find perspective and with it share the notion that equilibrium is fundamental to our health, our happiness and our continued existence. 

In essence the rugby game was about 7 year olds throwing a ball around and rolling around in the mud. But it felt much more than that to me. It was about the connection between my son and I, and perhaps nature’s way of telling me that wellbeing is as much about relationships as it is my work, eating, drinking and sleeping well. Perhaps we should consider that there is a time and a place for everything in our lives. If something is important to you and beneficial to your wellbeing and the people around you, then surely your actions need no justification. 

There is one sure thing in life, we are all destined to die. I’ve met many people who use this fact to justify their ambivalence toward wellbeing and health information. It’s not that I pursue good health in the hope of immortality. I just believe wellness is about being able to fully enjoy the time we have on this planet. For me it’s about being able to stay strong and healthy for my family. It’s so I can fully enjoy this journey and have fun and adventure long after retirement. It’s an investment which runs alongside financial stability, and it’s about being as functional as possible throughout my entire life to try and avoid disabling, painful, and lengthy battles with illness and disease. There are better ways to die, and to live. 

Best wishes, 

Chris

PS I'm welcoming people to share my vision for hardworking people. Click here if you'd like to get started on your own wellbeing journey. 

Are you struggling to get (and keep) slim, fit, happy and healthy during your working week because you're tied to your desk most of your week, slouched over your computer and eating too many office cakes?...what is it with office cakes?

There are millions of people all over the world who are letting their office job negatively affect their posture, their mental health and their waistline. You're not alone! 

Perhaps the question you should be asking yourself is: 

What am I going to do about it and why would I turn to Zip Fit Club for help? 

It's a fair question, and the one I endeavour to answer within every aspect of our business. How can we make sure busy, working people have the tools they need to get fit and healthy during their working week? 

I'll let you read on if you're interested in finding out more. Firstly I'm going to share a brief history…

In 2010 I delivered a health and wellness presentation at the Google office, Victoria, and went on to train some of their team in Hyde Park, London. It was a sunny day in the park and a conversation with a time poor, working mum that gave me the idea to provide short, effective and convenient workouts to busy people. Zip Fit Club was born. It was (is!) all about people zipping out of their office to clear their mind, get some fresh air and do something physical to mitigate against the negative health implications associated with leading a sedentary lifestyle.

We continue to offer group classes in Hyde Park for individuals who want to zip out in their lunch break, and we have been developing our relationships with businesses. We now deliver many private corporate classes across London, which is having such a positive impact on peoples' lives. You can find out more about these services by clicking on the links below.  

'The Wellbeing Guide For Busy People'

I always felt that to truly engage with employees and improve organisational culture, Zip Fit Club needed to offer more than training in the park. I started exploring other areas of wellbeing in the workplace, with the idea of creating an entire wellness package that would get office workers slim, fit, happy and healthy during their working week. 

We launched 'The Wellbeing Being Guide For Busy People' in January 2019, and it's specifically designed to get people into the best physical and mental shape possible. It contains short, manageable and highly effective methods that are preventative against the negative health implications of working in a demanding and pressurised environment. In a nut-shell it teaches office workers how to train smart during their working week.

The programme provides the following:

1. Access to unique, 30-minute audio training sessions you can fit into your working day.
2. Essential background reading about exercise and nutrition for office workers.
3. A nutrition plan with simple and healthy recipes
4. Over 60 exercises and technique tips.
5. The best office stretches to avoid long term postural problems, strains and injuries. 
6. Strategies to cope and deal with mental stress both in and out of the workplace.

I created this programme to make sure that hardworking people, who are letting their health suffer in the workplace, can have access to an intervention that will radically transform their body, their mind and their working week.  

If you like the sound of this and are keen to get started without making a full commitment, click the link below to have 7 days of wellness tips delivered straight to your inbox. 

I hope you'll join our club and help yourself make the essential changes to your life so you can improve your health, your happiness and your performance. 

Best wishes, 

Chris 

I’d like you to read this story about Joe. Yes, it’s our customer avatar and a fictional piece but sadly it’s also a realty for lots of people and an all too familiar truth about how we lose our way in life.

Joe is a 40 year old, career driven man. He works long hours in the office to support his family. He and his wife have had two children within the last 5 years, so the pressure is on to sustain a decent income and work at the pace his employer has become accustomed to. He needs to pay his mortgage and cover monthly bills, likes to take his family on a couple of holidays each year, he goes on many social events and dines out with customers a lot. It goes with the turf! Joe earns an above average wage but he doesn’t manage to save a huge amount each month.  The cost of living is rising.

Joe has worked in an office most of his adult life and has noticed, over time, that his waist line is getting bigger. He’s got a stiff back and neck from being slumped over his desk all day long, he’s eating anything and everything at his desk - knowing that most of what he consumes is not good for him and he lacks energy. Sedentary work life is taking its toll on his body, he’s not coping with the everyday stresses that his job throws at him and it’s affecting his performance. He feels negative thoughts creeping in too often and he doesn’t like how that makes him feel about himself.

Joe hasn’t always been this way. Joe used to be very active when he was younger. He enjoyed exercise a few times each week and as a result considered himself a pretty fit bloke. He often managed to do some exercise before or after work, but now, if he hasn’t got a client dinner or a project that needs finishing, he rushes home to read his kids a story before bed. By the time they are in bed he is shattered and ready for bed himself. He is starting to resent certain elements of his life. He is not seeing his kids and his wife as much as he would like and he has very little time to pursue any hobbies, including the necessity he feels to keep fit and healthy. Joe is searching for an answer to his frustrations. He wants to start up some exercise again, but doesn’t know what to do, where to go or who to turn to. He finds the whole gym experience quiet frustrating. He can’t get there half the time, he often feels unsure about what exercises he needs to be doing to achieve his goals and he gets bored working out on his own and with no direction. What Joe wants is something affordable, near to his office, some guidance and support so he can make better choices. He is time poor so it has to be something quick and effective. He is worried about his future because he has known too many people look forward to their retirement plans only for them to be scuppered by longterm, serious illness. He doesn’t want this to happen to him, but deep down it’s what he envisages if he doesn’t start sorting himself out. He wants to travel and be a strong for his kids and grandchildren. He wants to spend his hard earned cash on adventures with the people he loves. Most of all he wants to get back in good shape and feel healthy and normal again. He’s got himself stuck in a rut and is sick of making the same old promises to himself about changing things but not taking action and seeing those promises through. 

The End…not of Joe! : )

I’m pretty sure (having worked in the corporate fitness industry for the last 8 years) that if you’re  reading this, you can relate to Joe and understand the negative health problems associated with office work. It is certainly strikes a cord with me, which is why I’ve spent the last two years writing and developing an online wellbeing guide,“The Wellbeing Guide For Busy People”  that helps office workers positively change their behaviour, their attitude and their working week. 

If you would like to learn more about my approach, click the link below and you’ll have some of my best wellbeing tips delivered straight to your inbox over the next 7 days. You’ll even get the chance to sample one of my audio training sessions. 

What have you got to lose?…apart from some bad habits perhaps. 

Christopher Smith

I’d like to go back to a story I told a couple of years ago, when on one very wet September day in the park, I put one of our Zip Fit members through our wettest workout on record. Do you remember that one, Koert? It was bucketing down! but fun in a sadistic way. When Koert turned up to an empty Hyde Park, apart from the solitary and sodden figure that would be me, the rain was torrential and we were both soaked to the bone before the session had even started. The look we exchanged was one of many complexities. It was obvious that neither of us could decide whether we had lost sight of our senses or we were just plain stupid for contemplating training in such conditions. I’m sure we were both secretly hoping that one of us would back down and decide that the best place to be at that moment was somewhere devoid of any form of water. I was close to suggesting a run to the pub as the workout.

Koert and I joked briefly about being real men and heroes of our time, as though the bravado would, in biblical terms, part the sea and wash away this force of nature. But it wasn’t to be. Bizarrely we moved on to converse about something far more serious, which held a surprising juxtaposition next to the ludicrousness of the situation. We stood in the pouring rain and had a chat about what motivates us to stay fit, strong and healthy, even beneath apocalyptic skies.

It turns out that, Koert and I had a similar opinion on this topic (hence being out in the rain like dumb and dumber) and it can be summed up with one simple statement and one which, Koert and I agreed upon:

‘One day we won’t be able to do this!’

It’s a sobering thought, but it is a reality all the same and something the majority of us are guilty of, in various measures, is neglecting our bodies and living under the illusion that we will stay young and healthy forever.

Events over the years have made this far more a reality for me. It wasn’t that long ago in Bournemouth when my own dad, who was waiting for a heart bypass operation, turned to me defeated by a short but steep hill walk from the beach to the apartment, and said in-between breaths – ‘Do you know what Chris, I would do anything to be able to run again…or march up the hills in the lakes like we used to do together’ and I knew exactly what he meant. I remember the strong man he used to be and how, as a young boy, I saw him as a pillar of strength, dare I say immortal? It saddens me deeply to see how, after years of neglect and too much stress, it has left him weak and vulnerable. Sadder still is that I am now acutely aware of his mortality. Life is indeed very precious.

My father’s bad health has become my biggest motivation to stay healthy (well that and my slightly competitive nature). I want to stay strong, well balanced and physically able to push myself when required. I want to bound around with my children for as long as possible and show them that they too can live their life with energy and youthfulness. I want to enjoy my retirement with travel and adventure, not live at the peril of a body that has packed up before my mind is ready. It’s not easy, but that’s what I aim for.

What is your motivation? Do you have one? Can you think of one if you don’t have one? Once you have decided what that is, hold it close to you and draw upon it when it’s easier to lie on the sofa rather than exercise. When you least feel like doing some physical activity is when you should throw on your training gear, do up your laces and get moving. We are not designed to lounge around and sit all the time and you have an opportunity to keep yourself strong and healthy for your future.

If you like outdoor fitness then go and enjoy it – whatever the weather. There is no gym in the world that can offer you an array of seasons and colours and ignite your senses the way working out in parks, fields, mountains and by the sea can do. That workout in the damp and muddy park, the clouds sweeping across the sky, the sound of the beating rain on your head and the feeling of your heart drumming hard in your chest, might be the place you dream of one day, when you are wondering where time has gone and how you’ve lost that strong and youthful person you once were.

Christopher Smith

Just over 12 months ago my father (Pops as we call him) had a double heart bypass and a new aortic valve. It is simply incredible what medical science has allowed surgeons to become skilled at and master. During 8 hours of surgery the patient is connected to a heart-lung bypass machine, so the surgeon can work on a non beating heart without interference. A healthy artery or vein is grafted (attached) to a blocked coronary (heart) artery. This allows the grafted artery to “bypass” the blocked artery and bring fresh blood to the heart. The choice for a new aortic valve is either a pig valve (yes the animal pig) or a mechanical valve. In my dad’s case (because of his age) they chose the shorter shelf life but better quality pig valve. Jokes post surgery about needing oinkment and new fetishes for rolling round in mud, did not go down as well as I had envisaged. I was only trying to put a smile on his face.

The importance of the heart, in both its essence and functionality, is undisputed. From a spiritual point of view we talk about our heart (and that of others) as though it controls our beliefs, which includes who we love and the path in life we take. There is scientific proof these days that the heart does indeed have it’s own energy field, which does, to some degree, control our emotions and thoughts and can effect how others respond to us.

Experiments during natural disasters and catastrophes have measured an increase energy force from the heart on a global level, which stem from a collective feeling of sympathy and compassion. Perhaps this muscular power house, so vital to our continued existence, does actually drive our intuition, our ability to love and be loved and have some jurisdiction over the journey on which we boldly travel.

The function of the heart is to pump blood so it can transport oxygen and vital nutrients around the body and to the muscles. It has two circulatory systems, one for blood low in oxygen, which requires a journey to the lungs to receive oxygen in exchange for carbon dioxide, and one for oxygenated blood, where the oxygen is used for energy and the metabolism to carbon dioxide.

Like any other muscle in the body the heart needs exercise (chronic cardio training) because when we train the heart grows bigger, gets stronger and beats harder. A conditioned heart beats much less at rest, only 40 to 50 beats per minute or even less (as opposed to the average 72 beats or more), which means that with each beat there is a bigger burst of blood and fewer heart beats are needed. The cardiac output, stroke volume and functionality of the heart and arteries are drastically improved with aerobic work (running, swimming, cycling, walking) on a daily basis. Internal blockages from bad diets (too many saturated and trans fats, sugars, alcohol and smoke) and little exercise can, over the years, lead to a sluggish motor that is chugging along at best, unable to provide the body with all the oxygen that it requires. This is what happened to my dad and I thank the wonders of medicine and some talented people for their intervention. There is no doubt at all that without it my dad would be on a road to meeting his maker. It was clearly an emotional time for my father leaving the hospital. I think he felt, as we all did, that he may not make it. When my mum picked him to head home he was standing fully dressed, tears rolling down his cheeks. He was vulnerable and scared, but beneath that just grateful to be alive.

We feel love, believe and trust with this muscular power house, its design is such that it drums on, responding to electrical impulses as it continuously beats throughout our lives.Typically a human heart has the capacity to beat over 2.5 billion times. It never gets a day off, it never sleeps and it loves exercise. Next time you hear a pounding in your chest, listen carefully and remember there is a life long friend in there, guiding you emotionally and driving all the other body mechanisms. Maybe you should consider giving it as much love and attention as it gives you.

You’ve got a million things on your mind, deadlines to meet and a boss breathing down your neck. How could you possibly consider doing a 30-minute fitness session in your lunch break?

Well, you should and you can. Just about everybody has time to do something active and healthy with their lunch break but it does require good organisation skills, some willpower and a desire to break some rather damaging office habits.

Think what you do with your own lunch break. Do you find yourself tapping out messages on your phone, eating yet another office cake or heading out for a meal deal and your third latte (oops!)? Even if you type at lightning speed or spin around on your chair at great velocity, you’re not going to loosen that top button or undo your devolutionary monkey slump.

If this sounds all too familiar, perhaps it’s time for you to look at this wasted bit of time and rethink your lunchtime antics. Take some time to consider what a short and effective training session three times per week can do for your body, your sanity and your future? Grab yourself a green tea and listen in…

Sitting down has a negative impact on your posture, circulation and mobility. We are designed to move…a lot. When you’re not moving your muscles and bones become weak and you lose balance. You become tight and stiff, your metabolism slows down and all the unused calories that you’re consuming get stored around your hips and waistline. The long-term threat to your health is severe and the worst thing about it is that most people are not conscious of this until the damage has been done. Poor health in the workplace slowly destroys your body, your mind and your happiness.

Worry not! While this is all a touch depressing you can turn your life around quite quickly, make some small adjustments to your working week and begin to shape up, slim down and turbo charge your life (not to mention your 3 o’clock slump). There are interventions at hand and it’s not rocket science. Lunchtimes are the perfect (yes perfect) opportunity to Zip out of your office to burn calories, boost your metabolism, stretch tight muscles and improve the functionality of your heart, lungs, muscles and joints.

There is a plethora of science supporting short, convenient bursts of fast exercise, but even swapping a few sugary treats with a walk and talk in the fresh air is a good start. Grab an office buddy or suggest a meeting in a local park for a change. Fresh air and an increase in blood flow and oxygen to the brain might just give you the perspective you’ve been searching for. It has to be better than another boring sandwich.

Christopher Smith