DC Fitness

With the anniversary of my Ironman coming up I talk about how and why I got into triathlon and the many mistakes I made during my first ever triathlon but managing to finish and was the first step on the journey to ironman

Jordan Steel - Running 100 Miles by DC Fitness

Today I talk to Dan of the band Frontierer and we talk about mental health , music, booze and the power of exercise Dan has an awesome story and one people will for sure be able take a lot from - especially on the mental health front - I loved recording this podcast so thanks to Dan for taking the time to share and open up & thanks to anyone who's listened Insta handles @frontiererband @_liftmusic

On todays episode TJ talks about his experience with taking steroids, something that's not talked about a lot. He opens up about why he started taking them, the highs the lows, dangers and answers a lot of listener questions, very interesting and opened my eyes up to a lot of things! We also talk about TJ transitioning from powerlifting and strength to functional training and losing over 20kg of body fat + stopping drinking alcohol since becoming a dad. Thank yo very much to TJ for opening up and being so honest about everything and thanks to everyone who put forward a question or listened - thank you!

Today I sit down and talk to Kyle of Be Defiant - a clothing company who's aim it is to end the stigma around mental health and provide awesome clothes at the same time! I have been a Be Defiant athlete for a year now and very proud to be part of such an amazing business and I had an awesome conversation with Kyle today! We talk about Kyle's mental health and alcohol struggles - Be Defiant and what the brand stands for, Crossfit, training and loads more ! Thanks to anyone who listens and I really hope you enjoy!

Back at the podcast game - a short one on how I instantly change my mindset on bad days

Today I sit down with Craig from Twin Atlantic for an awesome fitness / music podcast in one! Craig is a client of mine and drummer in one of the most successful rock bands to come from Scotland in the last 10 years. Craig started training with me to gain weight, muscle and strength which we talk bout alongside his love for running, veganism and his career so far with the band which is so inspiring to hear some of the stuff Twin have done and just released a new album. Thank you as always for listening

More of a music vibe this episode with Calum Doris of Glasgow's Flood Of Red and Bad Luck I have known Calum for over 17 years and we have been through a lot together musically and personally - it was great to sit down and have a big chat with him spanning all the years since we met at 15 years old ! The main topics discussed are how Calum got into music and playing in bands, his time in Flood Of Red as they grew to be one of the biggest bands in the UK scene at the time, his new music in Bad Luck since leaving FOR and getting diagnosed with alopecia at 16 years old and what impact that had on his life Thanks to Calum for coming on the podcast I had a blast recording this one and thank you for listening x

What an episode! Jonny is one of my best friends who I've been through a lot with and has an amazing story from moving to London at 18 with nothing to where he is now, a successful self employed tattoo artist We talk about his journey to where he is now, fatherhood, booze, self employment and Jonny opens up about his struggles with panic attacks which can definitely help people who suffer from this. Thanks as always for listening, enjoy!

Its been a while but I have finally recorded a new podcast ! Just a wee update on how I'm dealing with this lockdown - the positives and the negatives Thank you for listening and stay safe

I went on the November Scot podcast where Andrew asked me about my journey so far from the beginning to Ironman. We talk about everything and it got pretty deep but it was great to open up and talk about everything from weight loss, tragedy, alcohol, coaching, ironman, the past and the future. For anyone listening for my first ironman experience specifically jump straight to 1hr 14mins Thanks as always for listening

Wow - what an incredible story, I recorded a dark yet inspiring podcast with my friend Jordan Steel. Jordan is a recovering addict who has been sober for 2.5 years and has found running and spirituality through his recovery and from where he has been in his life to where he is now is absolutely incredible. I'm proud to call Jordan a friend and I'm so happy to see him doing well and healthy because the last time we hung around together we were both in a bad place & he was there encouraging me through my training for ironman and to be honest we were inspiring each other with how we've turned our lives around. We talk about alcoholism, mental health, drug abuse, fatherhood, rehab, running and the ongoing process of recovery and addiction. I cant thank Jordan enough for opening up about everything to produce an in depth look at how we can always turn things around even when we are at our absolute worst - I promise you will get something out this podcast Thanks as always for listening x Podcast Breakdown How we met / playing in bands etc - 0:00 Alcohol / mental health - 4:00min Drug addiction - 28:25 1st Rehab / Detox 34:00 2nd Rehab + Getting Clean + AA - 44:20 Recovery / Rebuilding Relationships - 49:58 Finding Running - 52:49 Marakech Sub 3hr Marathon : 1:00:00 Spirituality - 1:11:40 Finding Sobriety Difficult / Bi-Polar - 1:14:25 Life Going Forward / Volunteering / Goals - 1:19:45 Advice For Anyone Struggling With Similar Problems - 1:25:13

Today I'm talking about tracking calories and how it is more than just ... tracking calories and other benefits it can provide you with in regards to your nutrition.m Thanks as always for listening

Are you starting a fat loss goal this year and un sure about how often you should be going to the gym? This podcast is for you. I talk about this and the importance of consistency in whatever you are doing. Thanks for listening

Sleep!! The number 1 tool for recovery and energy, but so many people do not sleep enough or do not realise the importance. I talk about the benefits of sleep, how it can help with your goals and the problems with not getting enough sleep. Thanks as always for listening

Today I have Amanda back on the podcast to talk is through the training and day of Celtman which is more distance than an ironman in cold jellyfish infested waters and running up mountains ! Also a couple of months after that she completed Ironman Wales and got a PB. Amazing dedication, commitment and mental strength from someone who was told she wasn't going to be able to do these things due to injury when she was younger. If you haven't already I would say go back and listen to part 1 first to listen to Amanda's background and road to Ironman

Today I speak to my client Craig Marshall who over three years training with me has went from 23 stone to 13 stone, losing over 10 stone in fat and also building muscle and strength at the same time. Craig talks about his epic journey and how the process has changed his life as he gets married this week in Florida feeling, fit, healthy and confident. Craig was 31 when he started his weight loss journey and had been overweight his whole life. His house flooded, he got a new job and engaged throughout his journey but managed to stay on track and reach his goal, an amazing listen to anyone on a fat loss journey. Timeline 0:00 - Intro + how we met 03:23 - How long Craig had issues with his weight for before he started his transformation 11:20 - In what way was the weight or the way Craig looked affecting him negatively 16:45 - Why did Craig get in contact with me to start personal training 23:30 - What was Craig's expectations from pt and was he anxious / scared ? 28:00 - How hard did Craig find the process of changing both training and diet 40:44 - Training got stopped for a while due to your Craig's house being flooded, he takes us through that and how he coped with everything whilst trying to not pile weight back on 50:00 - How has Craig seen his diet change and relationship with food change over the years 59:45 - Do you think starting weight training and getting taught How to lift properly was a big thing in your successful weight loss instead of constant cardio ? 01:04:35 - At what point did Craig start to believe in himself and start to feel more confident 01:10:10 - Craig is getting married in Orlando this week, Is he happy he's going to be getting married feeling fit and healthy? 01:16:00 - How important has daily steps been in Craig's journey 01:21:41 - Craig sums up what this weight loss journey has done for him and his future 01:30:50 - Craig's advice for anyone starting a weight loss journey

Today I speak to one of my closest friends Andy Cannon. Andy has always lived with depression and he has been brave enough to come on the podcast and talk about it, which I can't thank him enough for, it will really help other people going through similar struggles. He really opens up and talks about things he has never talked about before. We also talk about music as music has been a massive part of Andy's life and our friendship, we have played in two bands together and its how we met, Andy is one of the most talented people I know and we talk about what music has done for him and how it has shaped his life. I also trained Andy and helped him change his body and diet for the better. We talk about believing in yourself, doubting yourself, alcohol, worrying about the opinions of others and lots more, its a really good conversation and a podcast I am really proud of. Its a long one but stick with it as like all conversations it gets better as it goes on ! Thanks to Andy for doing this and thanks to anyone who's listening Timeline Start - Intro and how me and Andy met 02:53 - Andy talks about how he got involved in playing music and his childhood 16:19 - Andy opens up about self harm, not being comfortable in his own skin and starting the band DB68 28:17 - Drinking in the band and self acceptance 41:25 - The end of DB68 & We talk about our time together in bands 55:55 - Why Andy started a heavy band, relationships / meeting his wife Heather, believing in yourself, realising your potential + reaching goals 01:13:40 - Andy asked me what helped me stop drinking and become a coach 01:25:00 - Asking for help 01:29:51 - Andy has always battled with his mental health and depression. He totally opens up about it in this part. 01:50:40 - Worrying about the opinion of others 01:57:00 - Staying in a job that's affecting your health 02:01:00 - Alcohol 02:20:50 - Advice to anyone having struggles and not knowing what to do 02:07:57 - Starting training with me, the benefits of training 02:12:55 - Diet, starving himself & relationship with food

Today I speak to my friend Robyn Kennedy who is still very young but has been on some amazing journeys in her life so far and thought it would be a great story to share with you guys ! Robyn is a yoga instructor and blogger, we speak about this but also Robyn opens up about a past eating disorder and mental health. Its a great, inspiring story and conversation so please give it a listen and I hope you enjoy. Thanks to Robyn for coming on the podcast and opening up and thanks to anyone who listens as always. Podcast Breakdown 00:00 - Intro 01:45 - How did Robyn get into yoga + teaching it, putting yourself out your comfort zone 14:12 - Benefits to yoga and where to start 23:15 - Robyn's experience moving to London 29:00 - Robyn opens up about her past eating disorder, how she recovered + relationship with food 36:50 - Robyn talks about mental health and her own mental health 49:26 - Robyn talks about her training in the gym, past and present 59:55 - Yoga questions from social media 01:03:15 - Robyn talks about her blog

I done it! I completed my first Ironman 70.3 in the beautiful Elsinore Denmark and on this podcast I tell you all about my experience. Thanks so much for listening! Link to donate to British Heart Foundation -https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dcfitnessironman

Today I talk to Michael Ulloa who is a personal trainer based in Edinburgh I started following Michael on Instagram a while back and really liked his approach to fat loss, nutrition and helping people so asked him on the podcast for a chat We talk about Training, Nutrition, Mindset, Mental Health and all things Ironman You can get Michael on Instagram on @michaelulloapt Podcast Breakdown 04:30 - A bit about Michael 08-19 - Personal Training background 12:20 - What does training mean to Michael apart from looking better 13:30 - Mental Health and how exercise can help 17:55 - How did Michael end up in Edinburgh 20:00 - We discuss training splits and body part splits 21:39 - Michael talks about his current training regime and we talk about cardio / weights 22:30 - I talk about weight training whilst training for an Ironman 26:41 - Michael talks about doing his first Ironman 70.3 in Barcelona last year 36:46 - We talk about nutrition + nutrition myths 44:09 - What does helping others reach their goals mean to Michael? 45:28 - Michael talks about his upcoming marathon + training 52:32 - What does ‘ health ‘ mean to Michael? 58:00 - Michael talks about his first seminar he done and plans for the future 01:05:08 - What would Michael say to anyone thinking about starting a fitness journey and his mens health collumn Thanks to Michael for coming on the pod and thanks as always to everyone who continues to listen

I hear people say a lot that they don't have the time to exercise to hit the goals they say they want to achieve Today I talk about my thoughts on this and maybe why this is the case and the reality of it Thanks as always for listening

‘ There is light, You Just need to find it ‘ Today I am 6 years alcohol free. A very proud but also sad day, which I explain in the podcast. I talk about my problems with alcohol, why I gave up and how it changed my life. I show that for anyone who is struggling that there is hope and you can change. Alcohol almost ruined me and my future, giving it up was the best thing I ever done and I now have a happy healthy future to look toward - I really hope this podcast can help some people in a similar situation. Thanks as always for listening.

Today I talk about mixing goals and how you should commit to one goal, see it through and then move on to the next. More specifically the difference in training and eating for fat loss & strength & performance. I also talk about how lucky I feel to have my health and how we can take it for granted and why I live my life the way I do after suffering tragedy and not previously thinking about my health Thanks as always for listening!

After my client Craig done his Transformation photo shoot at the weekend I talk about the importance of setting goals and actually achieving them, what this can do for you and what it has done for my life and my future. You are capable of truly special things, do not hold yourself back from that. Set goals, and smash them!! Thanks as always for listening

Today I talk about my experience at Redbull Neptune Steps which I could not finish the race and how I felt after failing what I set out to do an also talk about failure and what it can do. As gutted as I felt yesterday, Failure is necessary for growth and it will only make me more determined for Ironman

Majorly struggling for time this week so a short update on how I coped on my latest sober stag do + half ironman prep Definitely going to expand on the will power and commitment side of things on another podcast when I have more time

Today I talk to Amanda McCaig who is an Ironman Triathlon finisher! Ironman triathlon is a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and then a full marathon. With me training at the moment to do a half ironman this summer then a full ironman next year I couldn't wait to speak to Amanda. When I originally asked Amanda to do the podcast I wasn't aware of her background or story. I was already inspired by her achievments but when we done the pod and she opened up I was absolutely amazed! An incredible story. Amanda had hip problems when she was younger and got told she wouldn't be able to do any sports never mind an Ironman Triathlon, had to overcome a number of bad injuries and also opens up about an eating disorder she has worked at to overcome. She also isn't stopping at Ironman, Amanda is doing Celtman which she explains on the pod, insane! An epic story and a great conversation. Thanks so much to Amanda for coming on and doing the pod, enjoy folks! Podcast Breakdown 0:00 - Introduction 2:00 - How Amanda got into fitness & Training 3:58 - How Amanda got into Ironman 7:18 - First triathlon experience’s 13:20 - Amanda talks about her injury problems in the lead up to her 1st Ironman 15:25 - Did it cross Amanda’s mind to quit at any point and what got her through it 18:05 - Amanda talks about open water swimming 22:35 - We talk about the nutrition and fuelling aspect of triathlon 33:19 - Amanda opens up about her issues with anorexia + bulimia and how training has helped her deal with this 36:27 - How were the days leading up to the Ironman event 42:35 - Amanda talks about the Ironman event itself 1:06:30 - Why Amanda chooses to do endurance sports - so prove people wrong and inspire 1:07:30 - Post Ironman and Celtman 1:21:20 - What Amanda would tell anyone who doubts themselves

Todays episode I talk about scale weight. I talk about reasons why scale weight might be confusing you, how it can mask fat loss and de motivate people and how to deal with this but also not to totally disregard it either. Thanks for listening!

First Pod of 2018! Today I talk about tips on how to be consistent throughout the year rather than feeling like you're ' on it or off it ' and never making the progress you want to. Thanks for listening!

' There is no success without failure ' Today on this epic podcast I speak to Mark Macqueen the current IPF World, European and Commonwealth Champion & also British champion for 3 years in a row. I guarantee anyone who listens to this will take something away from it. Mark speaks very openly and honest and says it how it is. We talk about Marks powerlifting career, training, self belief, fear of failure, mindset and lots of other stuff! If you're struggling for motivation then this is the podcast to listen to. Big thanks to Mark for coming on and giving an amazing pod! Thanks for listening 02:35 - How did you first get in the gym ? 07:15 - Marks first competition + self belief 10:00 - Mark talks about the IPF and his achievements, what it takes to be the best, commitment, dedication + sacrifice. ( this section is epic ) 25:18 - fear of failure and not realising your potential + bouncing back from failure 36:00 - excuses, taking responsibility + being honest with yourself 50:30 - going from training alone in a garage to OBS with the crew 01:05:00 - Marks diet on 4500 calories per day + drooling over five guys and Nando’s 01:14:40 - what training means to Mark and what it does for his mental health and a life changing moment for Mark in school. ( Must Listen ) 01:33:00 - where has mark been to through competing and some stories 01:37:00 - Mark talks about his coaching business and clients success 01:41:44 - What advice Mark would give someone thinking about starting to lift weights or join a gym 01:45:22 - Plans for the future and where to find Mark on social media

Today I talk to Lisa Wilkinson who was a client with me in Elite a couple of years ago and went through a massive weight loss transformation and achieved her goal of doing a photo shoot with her new lean physique! Lisa has kept up her healthy, active lifestyle since finishing up with me and has recently became a mother for the first time and we talk about this, her transformation, nutrition and more. Thanks for listening Podcast Breakdown 01:40 - what made lisa think she had to lose weight 04:29 - what was Lisa’s lifestyle like before losing weight 08:00 - what changes did Lisa notice in her body after starting weight training and advice on starting weight training for beginners 13:50 - aside from aesthetics what other changes did Lisa see in yourself whilst going through a transformation 16:00 - what impact does training have on Lisa’s mindset 18:50 - how proud Lisa was of her Elite transformation photoshoot 21:50 - how Lisa coped with negativity of others 25:00 - what advice Lisa would give about sustainability & long term weight loss and we talk about flexibility in the diet & calories 30:40 - lisa talks about her pregnancy in regards to her diet and exercise pre and post baby 39:40 - Lisa’s favourite workouts 40:50 - Lisa’s husband Gary also has went through a weight loss transformation and Lisa talks about how this works / helps with them both training 44:13 - what advice would you give someone looking to start up a transformation - training & diet 47:30 - training and diet myths

Today I speak with my friend Jonathan Clark from Form & Function Fitness. I have known Jonathan for a long time however as he is based in Inverness we rarely get to see each other and we met through a love of getting drunk back in the day! Jonathan used to be obese and went through a phenominal transformation of over 11 stone and is now a personal trainer himself helping other whilst holding down a full time job and a family! We talk about his transformation, his business, nutrition and training. A great listen for anyone thinking about starting a weight loss journey. There was a problem with my mic on this one so apologies that I am a little quieter than Jonathan. Thanks as always for listening ! Podcast Breakdown 00;00 - Intro 03:40 - What inspired Jonathon to lose 11 stone 06:15 - What were the main benefits of losing weight and becoming fitter 11:05 - How did Jonathan get into lifting 23:10 - Jonathan opens up about how anxiety and panic attacks has affected him and his training / diet 28:35 - Why did Jonathan get into personal training & talks about his business 37:24 - Nutrition myths + advice on sticking to a diet 43:55 - What mistakes people can make when joining a gym and tips on this 50:25 - Benefit of daily steps and activity tips 56:25 - How Jonathans son changed his outlook on life 1hr - Advice to anyone thinking of starting a fitness / weight loss journey 01:02:06 - Goals for the future Find Jonathan on Instagram @ form_and_function_fitness

Today I talk about asking for help , I talk about a couple of situations in my life where asking for help literally changed my life. Turned out to be quite a hard podcast to record in the end , I hope it's helpful. Thanks for listening.

On this episode I talk to Nick Ramsay who trained with me in Elite just after becoming a dad to get into the best shape of his life and done his very own photo shoot to reward his hard work Nick opens up about his mental health and how training has helped him with this, being a dad for the first time and how he managed to get the leanest he's ever been whilst life was a bit crazy. He smashed it! Thanks a lot to Nick for opening up and doing the podcast, I hope you enjoy Podcast Breakdown 0:00 Intro 2:30 Why nick got into the gym 4:30 Why did Nick contact me to train with me 10:10 Nick opens up about mental health and how training has helped him 18:37 Becoming a dad for the first time & making time for exercise 25:00 How seeing his shoot pictures back made him feel 29:00 What Nick found hardest about dieting to get lean 32:40 How nick is finding building muscle post shoot & the struggle to get bigger or stay lean

Just me today and I'm talking about reasons you might not be losing fat even though you think you're eating healthy, calories, food volume, how fat loss works and making sure you make decisions for yourself rather than making other people happy. Thanks for listening

TJ is a childhood friend who started lifting weights when he was 14. SInce then he has won numerous british and european powerlifting titles and been in the gym ever since. TJ opens up and talks about his journey and how training in the gym with his crew has helped him with his mental health through some really tough times and kept him on the straight and narrow. Apologies about the amount of swearing on this one! When sitting talking to your close friends you forget you're actually recording a podcast! Podcast breakdown 02:30 - How we met 05:13 - Tj's background story 19:23 - How Tj got into training at 14 40:10 - Tj talking about his powerlifting competitions and wins 01:16:15 - prep for a competition / dedicating yourself to something and following it through to succeed 01:25:12 : What training does for Tj's mental health / 01:30:04 diet + prepping tips + making excuses to set yourself up for failure + motivation 01:47:30 How training helped Tj cope with he recent loss of his father and break up 02:02:17 Tj's advice for someone starting out on a fitness journey

So this sunday I am competing the the Olympic distance triathlon in Brighton and I can't wait! Today I talk about how I got into triathlon, mistakes I made in my first triathlon, learning from that and believing in yourself. Thanks as always for listening !

With only just over 2 weeks to go before my triathlon the last few weeks have been pretty tough and my diet and training has not been ideal, so today I talk about dealing with that and just basically doing your best is sometimes all you can do.

In this episode I speak to my close friend Jawn who I met when I was 16 and ended up becoming best buddies, mostly through drinking. Jawn struggled with an addiction to alcohol and as it was destroying his life gave it up 7 years ago. We talk about our struggles with alcohol and how different our lives have been since we both stopped. Big thanks to Jawn for opening up and being so honest. I really hope some people can take something from this episode. Podcast Breakdown 0:00 - Intro 4:26 - How we met 12:18 - When did Jawn realise there was a problem with alcohol and when did he admit it 22:29 - Why where we so crazy together 26:00 - How dark were days post drinking 43:00 - Why did Jawn stop drinking? 01:04:00 -How hard was staying sober and did you hibernate ? 01:18:15 - What are the biggest benefits to not drinking 01:31:02 - Would be with your fiancé and have your son had you not stopped drinking ? 01:41:45 - What was your opinion looking at me after you had stopped drinking and did you think I could do it ? 01:52:57 - Jawn's photography business and the future 01:57:50 - What would you say to anyone who think they have an issue with alcohol 02:02:45 - Remember the time.....

On this episode I talk to Stevie who is my client @ Elite who went through a body and lifestyle transformation and done his very own photo shoot! A great insight into what goes into a transformation and struggles Stevie overcame to get to his goal of getting into the best shape of his life and living a healthier , happier life. Podcast Breakdown 5:32 - How we met and funny bank stories 13:29 - Why Stevie started training with me 18:40 - Stevie's lifestyle before he started training 23:33 - Why was this time different from before 31:50 - How being seconded in Campbletown helped 35:50 - How Stevie struggled coming back to glasgow and keeping up the training and diet and how he overcame this 38.40 - What happened that got Stevie to focus to get to the next level of his physique goals + tips on healthy meals 48:40 - Stevie's photo shoot prep and experience 56:00 - Long slow cardio and how traning helped with Stevie's mental health 1hr: How Stevie dealt with getting a bad injury to make the shoot 01:02:54 - Shoot day !!! How Stevie felt on his very own photo shoot 01:08:00 - Time frame and how a longer time frame is OK 01:09:33 - Stevie's future goals post shoot 01:13:14 - Stevie's testimonial to me

My first guest on the podcast is Ibe! Ibe is the owner of Elite Training Suite where I work and was also the person who helped me transform my life and gave my my first job as a coach. Podcast breakdown Start - Introduction 2:27 - Ibe's story 20:00 - The beginning of Elite 32:38 - Why is an Elite transformation different? 46:00 - Taking the leap into self employment 1:04:18 - What was it like training me as a client, clients in Elite & believing in yourself. 1:27:05 - Clients dealing with negativity from others and how to deal with that. 1:39:29 - What would you say to someone thinking about starting a transformation

July 28th 2012 was the day my life changed forever On this podcast I talk about the sudden loss of my father, living with regret and how to use that negative energy to better yourself instead of self destruction. Thanks for listening guys

Hello! Welcome to my podcast! I have wanted to do this for a long time and its finally here ! This is more an introduction as to why i'm doing the podcast and what it will involve but i can't wait to get stuck in with better content and guests!! Thanks for listening DC