Without The Gym

How fit/strong should you be?A general guide for some strength goals to aim for.

I wanted to share some things that I wish I had known about weight loss 20-30 years ago! It would have had a massive impact on my health and fitness journey.You can't lose weight by simply joining a gymThe Importance of Strength TrainingImportance of sleepUnderstanding the part nutrition and food macros plays in weight lossAdherence and Consistency, the glue that holds everything together

It can be frustrating trying to find time to work out.It seems like we all lead busy lives.Jim Rohn QuoteSuccess is defined as a few simple disciplines repeated every dayStephen Covey; Seven Habits of Highly Effective PeopleDave Shields Fitness on Facebook

Intro to KettlebellsWhat size to get; As with a lot of things it does depend on your training age, your goals and your current state of physical fitness but a good starting point is; Men - 12 Kg                                  (Amazon Affiliate Links)Women - 6-8KgA YouTube link here to a more in-depth discussion on what size to getLink to Demos of basic Kettlebell exercisesSwingDeadliftGoblet Squat Press

Often neglected in favour of more shall we say vanity metrics, heart health should be your number one priority.In 1990 1 in 4 people suffered from Coronary vascular-related diseases, today that figure is 1 in 3. Globally, heart disease is hands down the biggest Affiliate links to products mentioned;Blood Pressure monitorOutlive - Peter Attia Great book on longevity with a large section on heart healthBlood Testing kitWebsiteBritish Heart Foundation

Beginners guide to rucking; YouTube

All about getting strongerStrength building principles discussed;SAID Principle, Specific Adaptation to Imposed DemandsProgressive OverloadReferences;Milo and the bull story The Simpsons; Homers arm wrestling escapades!

You could get a coach to write your workouts for you or you could have a go at doing it yourself!Questions to ask;How much time do you have available to train?What equipment do you have?What are your goals?Covered in this episodeWhat exercises should you do?How often should you train?Should you do cardio?How many sets and reps should you be doing?Links to other resourcesResistance bands on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3T0MpdC (Affiliate link)

The supplement industry is huge, reportedly growing to 170 Billion Dollars by 2030.The advice is clear...Do your own research, and get professional medical advice.Eat a varied healthy diet including lean meat, fish, fruit, and plenty of vegetables.Studies alluded to in the episode;British Medical Journal; Health effects of vitamins and supplements Protein and Creatine Supplements and the misdiagnosis of kidney diseaseNHS Advice on Vitamin DVitamin and supplement market analysisLloyds Pharmacy At home blood test kits

This week is all about getting unstuck.Remember the obstacle is the way.Tackle the obstacles and you will find the gold!You don't have to be a perfect 10 every day, a satisfactory Seven every day will move the needle consistently in the right direction.

Part 2 of How to Lose Weight is all about the actions you need to take in order to move the needle in your weight loss journey. Including;The law of ThermodynamicsUsing a BMR Calculator Find one hereUpping your NEAT scoreUsing a food logfood swapsPrioritising proteinNutrient-dense foods as opposed to calorie dense foodsIts not all about the scale weight

In this episode, I talk about using the GROW model to help plan your post-Festive weight loss campaign. GROW stands for; Goals - Process and Outcome based, What and why? Reality - Where you are right now Obstacles/Opportunities - What barriers are in your way Way forward - How are you going to move the needle I suggest writing down a couple of sentences to answer the questions posed for each element. In the coming weeks I will suggest some strategies/tactics that will help you to kickstart your campaign. In the meantime head over to Dave Shields Fitness for lots of info around health and fitness.

Exercise of the week; BurpeePodcast; MindPumpBook; Man Up by Bedros Keuilian (Affiliate link)Recipe of the Week; Savoury Breakfast PorridgeThought; If a man knows not which port he sails, no wind is favourable - Seneca

Exercise of the Week: Side PlankReading: Tools of Titans - Tim FerrisListening: Trail Runner Nation PodcastNutrition tip: 3 Day Food logMindset/Thought to ponder: Amor Fati - Love of ones fate

Exercise of the week; The humble Press upPodcast of the week; Zestology with Tony WrightBook of the week; Blueprint by Ross EdgleyRecipe of the Week; Overnight oats - 40g Oats, milk, Scoop protein powder, raisins, cinnamon, mixed spiceThought of the week; The obstacle is the way

This weeks recommendations;Exercise; Banded bent over rowPodcast; Geraint Thomas Cycling ClubBook; Atomic Habits by James Clear (Affiliate link)Nutrition tip; Try cycling your carbs, so only consume carbs when you are training or have heavier activity planned.Thought; The Journey is the destination

Exercise of the week; Get Ups This is a link to a video by Dan John, demonstrating different ways in which you can practice getting back up off the floorPodcast; The Tim Ferris ShowBook; Outlive by Peter Attia (Affiliate link)Nutrition tip; Get comfortable with being hungryThought; A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

Its great to be back out running again albeit very slow!Exercise of the week is the Single Arm Kettlebell Overhead Press, great for shoulders, core, back, in fact a great all rounder!What I'm listening to; Peter Attia PodcastWhat I've been reading; The seven habits of highly effective people by Stephen CoveyNutrition tip of the week; Find out what 2,000 calories feels like to consume in 1 day. Remember to log all of your intake including snacks and drinksThought of the week; Be grateful for what you have.

This week as it's now November, I'm kicking off my Movember campaign.I've got my 10k Fell race challenge and I'm also completing 100 kettlebell swings a day challenge.Exercise of the week; Banded Clam ShellsWhat I'm listening to; The Running ChannelWhat I'm Reading; The Comfort Crisis by Michael EasterNutrition Tip; Morning coffee timingThought of the week; Pick the low-hanging fruit firstAmazon links are affiliate links and if you go on and buy the product I will get a small commission.

Exercise of the week; Bird dog, great for core and glutes, use as a mobility or warm up exercise.What I've been listening to; Modern Wisdom Podcast, hosted by Chris WilliamsonWhat I've been Reading; Be Useful by Arnold SchwarzeneggerNutrition tip; Prioritise Protein in your diet.Mindset tip; Get comfortable being uncomfortable.Links to Amazon products are affiliate links. They cost no extra to you and if you buy I get a small commission.

Welcome to a work in progress! that is the Dave Shields Fitness podcast,Not quite settled on a title yet so please bear with.This week my training has been non-existent due to a frustrating knee injury...just lost of mobility and rehab with some targetted resistance training, anyway my Exercise of the week is the banded crab walk as demonstrated hereWhat I'm listening to; Feel Better Live More Podcast with Dr. Rangan ChattergeeWhat I'm reading; A Path Through the Jungle, Steve PetersRecipe of the week, Veggie Chilli; Onion, Garlic, Cup of Lentils, tin of tomatoes, tin of mixed beans, tin of chickpeas, grated carrot, pint of veg stock, smoked paprika, chilli powder, salt and pepper to taste.Thanks for your time, any comments to davidshieldspt@gmail.com

Weight loss is hard at the best of times, I talk about 4 reasons I believe this is so.1. The laws of Thermodynamics2. Evolution3. Technology4. Your environment

Five tips to start your health and fitness journey with a positive mindset.1. Find your why2. Create habits3. Be grateful4. Breathwork5. Get SupportBonus tip; Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!Books mentioned;Atomic habits by James ClearTiny Habits by BJ FoggBreath by James Nestor

I give 5 tips to help kickstart your training with ideas on how and why you need to build strength. Especially past 50

First of a three-part series, stripping back advice to the basics. Do these things well before progressing on to other strategies.I give 5 tips tp help you get your nutrition back on track without the need to weigh food and count calories.

Things get in the way of your health and fitness. Life happens basically, work, family, friends all vieing for your attentions it can seem that there is little time for self care. "I Just hav'nt got time to exercise" I hear all the time from prospective clients.This exact thing happened to me recently. I got so wrapped up in work and family that I didnt have time for my own health and fitness.In this podcast I go into how I got into a slump, how it affected me and what I did to dig myself out.I referenced James Nestors book Breatheand also mentioned Wim Hof and Patrick Mckeown.The challenge that I did was Pat Flynns 300 swings

How to streamline your nutrition strategy having piled on a few pounds during the lockdown period

In this episode i discuss the importance of structure in your training and why an all over body workout will give you more bang for your buck expecially if you are relatively new to training.The 5 key movements to train are:Pushing movementsPulling movementsHingeKnee bend/Single leg knee bendCoreYou want to make sure you hit the major muscle groups in equal measure to keep balance. The posterior chain often gets overlooked by newcomers as they concentrate on the squat and bench press!

What exactly is testosterone and what does it do? In this episode I discuss the importance of optimizing your Testosterone levels as you age in order to look after your bone health and muscle development as well as keeping your libido revved up.I also discuss ways in which you can increase your Testosterone through natural means including vitamins, minerals, exercise, sleep and managing stress.

Cardiovascular training is important for the health of your heart and your circulatory system.I discuss the different types of cardio training including HIIT and Steady State Cardio and which type is suitable for your training.

It's important to measure your progress to keep on track with your fitness goals. In this episode, I discuss different ways in which you can measure your progress.It might not always be appropriate to use the scales, weight whilst having some bearing is not always a good indicator of overall health.Setting process and performance goals can be a better indicator and you will get instant feedback when reviewing and you can target areas that require improvement if needs be.Weight loss can be very arbitrary if that is the only metric you are using.Don't forget to check out the website www.daveshieldsfitness.com

The fitness industry in the UK is booming and worth around £5Billion.The levels of people who are overweight or obese have been steadily rising over the past 10 years.In this episode I explore what is missing from the puzzle that will allow the general population to start mobilising the benefits of the burgeoning fitness industry to help increase health levels and reduce waistlines.

We can all display leadership characteristics, you don't have to be in a paid position.Use the traits to help with your own health and fitnes journey, things such as planning, time management and proiritising.Finally, Stephen Coveys 7 habits of highly successful people is discussed along with some Stoic Philosophy.

In this episode I discuss 3 ways that I have used to improve the quality of my sleep:Earthing and groundingExposure to blue lightCold exposure

Routines and healthy habits are more important than ever.I talk through my ideal morning routine and some of the habits that have found their way back into my life.Concepts discussed include;MindfulnessJournallingBreathworkColdwater therapyNon Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)Wim Hof Method: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/

My thoughts on the latest shenanigans going on around the world.

Willpower can be a fickle thing, its more about your state of mind. In this episode I discuss a couple of techniques to help you overcome tricky situations that may teast your ability to control your own actions. Firstly I discuss a tecnique called future thinking then go on to explain a cold shower therapy technique that is not for the faint hearted! Enjoy...

Sometimes its difficult to get started with strength training. These exercises offer a great starting point to build a strong foundation and get all the benefits of a full body workout.The exercises:1. Bodyweight Squat2. Lunge3. Press Up4. Plank5. Burpee

How to have a growth mindset to help you improve certain areas of your life.ResourcesMindset - Carol DweckThe Fitness Mindset - Brian KeaneThe Chimp Paradox - Steve Peters

Diet is a major part of your health and fitness plan. Here I discuss a 4 step plan on how to create a diet that suits your own needs to help you reach your fitness goals.The Mifflin St, Jeor equation mentioned is:For Men10x your weight(KG) + 6.25 x Height (cm) - 5 x Age (Y) + 5For Woman10 x Weight (KG) + 6.25 x Height (cm) - 5 x Age (Y) - 161Multiply by:1.2 If you are Inactive1.3 If you are fairly inactive1.4 If you are moderately active1.5 If you are active1.7 If you are very activeCalorie counting app:My Fitness Pal

There maybe certain things that you do in your daily routines that maybe sabotaging your weight loss efforts. In this episode I discuss 4 particular areas of your life that could be affected and give you some strategies to overcome them.The 4 areas covered are; 1. Sleep2, Hydration3. Stress4. Connection

Why do we need to exercise especially as we get older. Also how much exercise is enough to keep us fit and healthy. Finally a discussion on what type of exercise we should be doing.