Do you ever occasionally feel as though everything that you’re told is an intricate system of lies and truths that whirl around in a spiral of fact and fiction, accepted and rejected? If your answer is no then surely, you’re in on the cosmic joke. More often than not we find fads and what exactly is socially acceptable at the time moving in and out of popularity in the public sphere and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. 1. Carbs are the enemy 2. Crunches 3. Don’t eat at night 4. No Pain – No Gain 5. ‘Toxins’ 6. The Gluten-Free Diet For All In this Information Age the media messages we are exposed to are constant and virulent, affecting everyone who has ever read a magazine, watched television or surfed the web. They dictate the way we live our lives but how many of these are even true? They’re more than likely backed by commercial interests that we don’t even see. But we’ve got your back. In our The Functional Trainer podcast you’ll find a list of the most potentially damaging myths perpetuated as reality in terms of the fitness and nutrition world. Our health rests on how we train and what we put into our bodies so get the facts before starting on your journey. 

In the digital age there is a wealth of information available to us, allowing the discovery of new things about ourselves, our fitness and our nutrition. But sometimes, it’s hard to sift out the useable information from the fog of fad diets and unproven speculation. As we’re in the business of optimising your nutrition and diet habits we’ve taken it upon ourselves to debunk the main myths floating around the industry. the 10 myths are: Eggs Are Bad For Your Heart Wholegrain Foods Are Good For Everyone All Fats Are Bad You Need To Starve Yourself To Lose Weight Carbs At Night Make You Fat Cooking Protein Changes Its Value Eat Small Meals All Day Nutrition Labels Are Always Accurate Low Fat Is Better Fad Diets Work To Keep Weight Off 

Before we begin, we would like to clarify something - Branched chain amino acids are ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS (EAAs). In fact, the BCAAs are just 3 of the 9 EAAs. But please note, an EAA supplement should contain an abundance of BCAAs, otherwise it is not a full spectrum EAA supplement.  If you are interested in how to get the most out of EAA and BCAA supplements, listen on as we explain the science behind essential amino acids as performance enhancing agents.  We will talk about the follow:What are the EAAs?  So why have a standalone BCAA supplement?  What makes BCAAs so “special”? BCAAs and Brain Function Immune Function Muscle Recovery and Muscle WastingIf you want to maximize buildingWhen is the best time to take BCAAs and EAAs? References: Curzon G, Friedel J, & Knott PJ (1973). The effect of fatty acids on the binding of tryptophan to plasma protein. Nature242, 198-200. Blomstrand E (2006). A role for branched-chain amino acids in reducing central fatigue. J Nutr136, 544S-547S. Blomstrand E, Hassmen P, Ek S, Ekblom B, & Newsholme EA (1997). Influence of ingesting a solution of branched-chain amino acids on perceived exertion during exercise. Acta Physiol Scand159, 41-49. Calder PC. Branched-chain amino acids and immunity. J Nutr. 2006 Jan;136(1 Suppl):288S-93S  Shimomura Y, Yamamoto Y, Bajotto G, Sato J, Murakami T, Shimomura N, Kobayashi H, & Mawatari K (2006). Nutraceutical effects of branched-chain amino acids on skeletal muscle. J Nutr136, 529S-532S. Blomstrand E, Eliasson J, Karlsson HK, & Kohnke R (2006). Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise. J Nutr136, 269S-273 Jackman SR, Witard OC, Philp A, Wallis GA, Baar K, Tipton KD. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Frontiers in Physiology. 2017;8:390;  Tipton K. D., Rasmussen B. B., Miller S. L., Wolf S. E., Owens-Stovall S. K., Petrini B. E., et al. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 281, E197–E206; 2001; 

One of the most underestimated nutrients is proteinGood Sources of protein All food made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds are considered part of the protein group.  Complete or ideal proteins explainedPeople can produce some amino acids, but must get others from food. The nine amino acids that humans cannot produce on our own are called essential amino acids. What is a High-protein diet It's recommended that 10 to 35 percent of daily calories come from protein.Are Protein shakes good?“Supplements are for supplemental purposes only,”And our 6 tips on eating protein

Choosing a diet to suit your body can be a difficult choice, however, there is in fact only 3 types of diets out there, the Mediterranean diet, Low Carb diet, and Low Fat diet. All other diets on the markey are just a variation of these 3 main diets.So, how are these 3 diets different and why should you choose one over the other, we take a simple look at the different maco needs from each diet and what sort of foods are more suited to each diet type.Discover what is best for you body through our podcast.

Olympic Sports Therapist Richard Watson talks about self confidence plus: How Self-confidence in sport is defined;  His Six key elements contributing to self-confidence in sport are outlined;  and my Practical exercises to boost self-confidence in sport. When athletes feel confident, they are more readily able to turn sporting potential into superior performance. Conversely, when they feel unsure of themselves, the slightest setback or smallest hurdle can have an inordinate effect on their performance. Several psychologists explore the nature of self-confidence and presents a theory underlying the causes of self-confidence in sport. They also review recent research and provides some powerful techniques that you can apply to enhance your own confidence.For many athletes, an explanation of the concept of self-confidence is hardly necessary as they know intuitively what it is. Indeed, self-confidence is so palpable in some athletes you can almost reach out and touch it. Their confidence is reflected in everything they say and do, in what they wear and how they look.There are two main theoretical approaches to sport confidence; one is Robin Vealey’s model of sport confidence and the other is Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Bandura’s theory was amended by Deborah Feltz to form a sport-specific version while I have adapted it even further to suit the applied nature of this podcastHear my six sources of self-confidenceHow being involved with the success of others can boost confidence A good example of this phenomenon came at the 2004 Athens Olympics when Kelly Holmes outstripped expectations to win two gold medals in the 800 and 1,500 metres. Immediately after Holmes’s second gold medal, the Great Britain 4 x 100-metre relay team took to the track for a final in which they were the rank outsiders. The Brits romped home ahead of a formidable USA quartet to secure the third of the team’s golds. Significantly, each of the American sprinters had won individual medals in either the 100 or 200-metre events at the Athens Games. The British sprinters attributed their extraordinary success to the mental boost they had received from seeing their team-mate Holmes winning her second unexpected gold. Listen to my Five exercises that will boost your self-confidence Exercise 1: Confident situations and situations of doubt Exercise 2: The spotlight of excellence Exercise 3: Positive self-talk Exercise 4: Exploiting weaknesses in your opponent Exercise 5: Using the power of sound Summary This podcast and previous cast should have convinced you that self-confidence is not solely in the hands of fate. Even when Lady Luck isn’t shining, you are the person responsible for determining how confident you feel in a sporting encounter. Ideas for promoting confidence range from the simple principles of understanding what causes confidence to wane, to the techniques of visualisation and positive self-talk. You have also learned how to adopt a ‘can-do’ attitude, exploit weaknesses in your opponents and use inspirational music to raise your game.References Handbook of Sport Psychology (2nd ed) 2001; 550-565 Psych Review 1977; 84:191-215 Cognitive Sport Psychology 1984; 191-198 Sport Psychology: Theory, Applications, and Issues (2nd ed) 2004; 344-387 J Psych 1972; 81:69-72 Cog Therapy Res 1979; 3:205-211 J Sport Psych 1979; 1:320-331 J Sports Sci 2007; 25:1057-1065 J App Sport Psych 2004; 16:118-137 Hellenic J Psych 2006; 3:164-175 The Sport Psych 2006; 20:94-111 Res Q Exerc Sport 2006; 77:263-270 Anxiety Stress Coping; in press Proceedings of the 2007 European Congress of Sport Psychology, Halkidiki, Greece; in press

Depression in general can cause major health and lifestyle problems but why should it affact those people that seem to have all? Just because you have money and weath doesn't mean you won't suffer with depression.In this podcast we take a brief look at the causes of depression and how we can combate them in relation to the sporting arena. We look at some key techniques on how to develop coping methods.Remember you should never be alone if you think you are suffering with depression, seak help from your doctor.

Applying self talk for sports performance is all about how you can develop that winning focused mindset, discover my key training techniques on developing the right focuse using positive self talk.Go in to training or events with a more positive thinking and gain more benefit from your sports.

 If you are an athlete who would like to be more confident, and want to learn how to develop your confidence, listen to my podcast A confident athlete has the belief that they have what it takes to be successful no matter what is happening on the field of play. Their thoughts are positive, in the moment, and directed to the task at hand. By focusing on their strengths, believing that they can make a difference in the outcome of the game, and staying in the moment they create confidence. The combination of confidence and a positive mind set allows the athlete to meet the demands of the game head on.  Discover my key points on developing confidenceAn intense athlete performs with purpose, single mindedness, and laser focused energy. One common misconception surrounding intensity is that there is a magical point of intensity that leads all athletes to great performances.Learn my skills on focusing your intensity in a positive way and become the athlete you want to be.

Being a successful athlete is about more than just physical strength and agility — your mind plays a key part in your winning performance. You can use sports psychology techniques to build confidence and improve your focus. In this podcast we will look at:Know what you need to focus on.Focus on what you can control.Stay relaxed under pressure.Use cue words. Develop effective routines. Use mental imagery. Rate your focus daily.Sports psychology can help athletes looking to improve their confidence. You may be the strongest, tallest, most powerful athlete on the field, court, or track, but if you aren’t confident in your abilities, you’ll have trouble reaching your goals. Work on improving your confidence just as you work on developing your sport-specific skills, and your performance will soar. Developing techniques such as:Realize that confidence fluctuates. Focus on yourself, not on others.Focus on day-to-day success.Concentrate on the process, not outcomes.Focus on what you’re doing right.And finally, coach yourself to improve. Discover ways to help coach yourself with sports psychology skills to develop you mental toughness.