At this time of the year you might be asking yourself now what would I like for Christmas? Well seeing as you are reading my blog you MUST have more than a passing interest in fitness and health and you you certainly are a highly intelligent individual.
So what do I recommend that you ask for this xmas? Well here are just a few suggestions -
1. Books – the only difference between who you are and what you are now and in 10 years time is dictated by the books you read and the people you meet. Please read more and here are a few books I think you might enjoy.
One of the most complete diet books written – Primal Blueprint
Robb Wolf’s Paleo Book (his podcast is excellent also – The Paleo Solution
A very intersting read and one of my fave books of the last year – Bad Science
If this is as good as his last book it will become a must buy – The 4 hour body
The video for the 4 hour body is unlike anything I have seen before when advertising fitness/exercise books. Very motivational and not a single lady doing biceps curls with water bottles or deadlifts with a rounded back in sight (both seen in a recent Irish fitness book I picked up). Insulting to women and just disapponting.
2. Equipment – Runners. God I love my new zoot’s! Get them here Super super light, no faffing with laces and sooo comfortable.
My Zoot's!!
Underarmour or Skins - essential kit for the cold weather and they are now available in most good outdoors or sports shops. I would favour the skins myself.
Essential for staying warm yet breathable also
Bands, foam rolls and kettlebells – it really depresses me when I hear people that want to buy a set of weights for Christmas. You might as well buy an Ab circle pro or some other piece of junk that’s just going to take up wayyy to much space and you can get your fitness and muscle toning/building kicks done with far less. We are in a recession yet people still maintain gym memberships to a facility they barely use or could have gotten their workout done in the time it took to get to the gym. Go figure and remember most gyms will sell you the Carlsberg gym concept but deliver very very little in the way of good instruction, progressive exercise and effective training
I really think all most people need is a set of bands, a good mat, foam roll and 1-2 kettlebells. Here’s why – Bands and Kettlebells
Here is a really simple workout using kettlebells for those that want highly effective and fat burning workouts. Train smarter NOT longer.
3. Treats. I’m a firm believer that if I am going to have something that I know is not great for me then I want the very best. I absolutely love chocolate and coffee but will only buy high quality. Better quality does not mean it’s going to cost lots as many supermarkets in Ireland will carry very nice dark chocolate (mars bars, aero’s, buttons etc are NOT chocolate – they are sugar, vegetable oil and a tiny amount of chocolate) and I love Tesco’s finest 70% dark choc, Lidl’s 70% dark and Aldi’s 72% dark. However, this is still without question the best I have tasted but it is pricey.
For great coffee you just have to get a good coffee machine, a good grinder, freshly roasted beans and you will be able to create stunning coffee without the excessive cost and poor quality (don’t get me started on Starbucks muck) that you are forced to buy in the shops. Get stunning coffee from Hasbean - open the bag – soak up that lovely coffee aroma – grind – pop in machine and enjoy. If you want to know what great coffee tastes like and are in Dublin then please pop into Third Floor Espresso or the bald barista
I am not exagerating when I say it’s a game changer experience. You might just feel like you have been cheated when paying for coffee in the past.
4. Vouchers. Finally I have to end with a plug for myself as every year I get requests for vouchers for loved ones to avail of my services or for existing clients looking for their loved one(s) to pay for my services. If you need a voucher then pop me a mail to dominic@thetransformationcatalyst.com which I can email on.
Tags: amazing fat loss, basic weights program, burn fat, crossfit girls, Dominic Munnelly, dominic munnelly personal trainer, dublin personal training, faster fat loss, personal training, the transformation catalyst
December 10, 2010 at 3:14 pm |
Hi Dominic,
just had a look at the paleo diet, looks great except for one small thing – myself and my partner are vegetarian (not vegan) – not for any religious reasons…purel moral…..what advice would you give to veggies implementing this diet?
Cheers
Joel
December 10, 2010 at 4:14 pm |
Hi This might help – http://www.beyondveg.com/
as would simply doing a google search on paleo for vegetarians.
Hope that helps
dominic
December 11, 2010 at 2:19 pm |
Have been looking a little bit more into the subject and content of Tim Ferriss’ books, The four hour work week, and the four hour body. Have never came across either before you mentioned it here, but am very interested and have added both the my “Christmas list” along with the already ordered Primal blueprint. Im presuming that you have read the first book Dominic by your comments, and obviously have understanding of the new book. I would like to ask you thoughts on the old book, and how much faith do you have in the claims of the new book?
December 12, 2010 at 10:34 am |
I liked the 4 hr work week but the new one has not been released so its impossible to say yet. However, i know he has worked with crossfit type programming and with the paleo guys on creating the book so that should be a good combo much like the primal blueprint.
If you regularly read this blog then none of the info will be new to you but its always good to read from other people, The old book for me was all about setting up systems that help you to work less and play more and thats certainly helped me lots in my business. Hope that helps
December 14, 2010 at 11:06 am |
Hi Dom, Im a big fan, and keen follower of your yt vids in particular. Both your nutrition info, and excercise instruction ones help me.
Im a 23 yr old male, and i play my particular sport at an high level. The nature of my sport requires good levels of mobility and flexibility, but some people do strength training and some don’t see the need. I feel that I have improveded flexibilty to reach my required level (dont get me wrong, I know that one has to continually raise the bar, and strive to improve).
So in the last 8 weeks or so, I have started a weights programme. I sporadically see a pt who is specific to the sport, but for financial rasons i can’t sustain it all year round, and he has worked with me on form etc over around 5 sessions. I am quite confident that my techniques are good, and my performance and improvements in the gym so far are satisfactory.
I am 6’4”, and am relatively lean build (86kgs), and weak in shoulder and upper body area. I have taken on board a lot from your 2part video where you have your food in your house out on the table. I am never one to make excuses, but I don’t understand the way my body seems to have changed: I have tried to (successfully mostly) eat six times a day along with my weights sessions every second day and as I am trying to strengthen in all areas, and know I need to put on weight. I have focused on high protein with tuna, mackrel and salmon, and high calorie intake with nut butter especially. And I really do push myself in the gym. (lumberjack squats, deadlifts, assisted pull-ups, chest press with cables, lumberjack press, bent over rows).
So Im feeling good about myself from a performance perspective, but here is my issue: for pretty much the first time in my life I have put on an un attractive gut!! Which I did not expect to do. I know that my goal is not to look the ‘ripped’ guys in your funny picture section, who probably couldn’t hold aplank for forty seconds, but I still dont like having a bit of a belly!
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated,
Thanks
December 14, 2010 at 1:10 pm |
simple question here – what do you currently deadlift? Just need to know this before going forwards
December 14, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Currently deadlifting 70 kg, and im doing 3 sets of 8reps.
So maybe less reps I could lift much more? Iv never tried
December 14, 2010 at 12:25 pm |
Dominic, one more question. This time regarding the new age of the kettlebell. Living in Tenerife, I cannot source one anywhere. Have been to the biggest and “best” gyms around and the 2 major suppliers of such equipment to no avail. Looking into shipping a couple in but obviously being excessively weighted(the kettlebells, not me), costs are high. Do you see a dumbell or a weight plate with “handle” as a major problem for the time being?
December 14, 2010 at 1:14 pm |
No i have lots of clients using dumbbells and plates for the moment which will work but are not ideal. Might be best to check these guys out – http://functionalstore.it/default/pro/kettlebells.html?SID=da70acee081afc5c39e9af0e7983c8d1 it might be expensive to get say a 20-24kg bell but please remember you will buy it once and never really have to get one again for your entire life so its an investment.
All the best
December 14, 2010 at 11:07 pm |
Hi Josh,
well there is your problem right there. Sorry to be harsh but in a recent max deadlift effort at crossfit ireland at least 7-8 girls were deadlifting more than 70kg! Man the food is one point but you need wayyyy more work on your base strength. I would consider a double body weight deadlift a good starting point.
Train harder and get much much stronger e.g. if you cant do at least 8-10 unassisted chin ups you have work to do.
December 15, 2010 at 4:03 pm |
Sorry to crash your conversation guys, but what Im interested to ask Dominic,after Josh’s original post, why was your first question, what are you currently deadlifting?
December 15, 2010 at 4:46 pm |
itd my first question of so many i could pick from Ian but when you have been training clients for almost 15 years and they are looking to become muscular, ripped and athletic you have to look at their basic lifts. So i picked one of his basic lifts that i know he cant cheat on e.g. bench press people can lower it only a few inches and call that a proper lift whereas in a deadlift you either got it off the floor or didn’t – it tells me soooo much about basic strength, not everything but enough for a very brief snapshot.
Double body weight deadlift should be a good goal for everyone or some deadlift variation.