Absolution.UK

Metabolic Finance

2008-07-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

Metabolic Finance
By John Heaton

Just think of this scenario.
Your bank manger offers you two savings accounts for your finances.
Account 1.
You can make a deposit any time you like. Almost anywhere you like. You don’t even need to be near your own bank. Any bank will do.
The only snag is that no interest is added to your account.
Say you set up a standing order to pay in £100 per month in January you will have £1100 put away to pay for Christmas. Lovely jubbly.

Account 2.
You can’t make a deposit any time you like and you can only pay in at branches of your own bank. Quite restrictive. What it does offer though is a great deal on the interest. Every month, the bank will add 10% of your balance to your account. Using the above example of a £100 per month standing order it looks something like this. January balance £110, February, £231, March, £364.10, April, £510.51, May, £671.56, June £848.72, July £1043.59, August £1257.95, September £1493.75, October £1753.13, November £2038.44. So you will have over two grand to spend at Christmas as opposed to £1100.

I am sure most people would choose Account 2 if they have any sense.

Let’s convert the above scenarios into exercise perspectives.
Account 1 = Exercise 1 = CV Training.
You can do CV any time, any place. Walking, running, skipping, swimming, cycling, etc. You burn calories whilst exercising. However, once your heart rate returns to normal, your metabolic rate also returns to normal.
Account 2 = Exercise 2 = Resistance Training.
You can’t do resistance exercise anytime, any place. To do it properly requires special equipment (although bodyweight exercises can do for some people).
You burn calories whilst exercising. (Not quite as many as when doing CV) However, here is the clincher, the interest. Your metabolism is raised when exercising and providing the intensity is high enough, your metabolism is elevated for hours afterwards. Also, resistance training is the only way to add lean muscle tissue to your body. Every pound of muscle tissue is literally a little fat burning furnace. Adding just 10lbs of muscle to your body will enable you to burn an extra 100 calories a day (even at rest). 100 calories x 7 days is 700 calories per week. This means in 5 weeks you will have burned 3500 extra calories without trying. 3500 calories = 1lb of body fat. Over the course of a year you will lose 10lbs of body fat on top of what you burn whilst exercising. It is just like earning interest on your savings whilst sitting at home.

Summary
Sensible exercisers will take advantage of both bank accounts/exercise formats.
CV training does have its place. It is good for the heart, it is free mainly, and it burns lots of calories and sometimes can be enjoyable. Higher intensity CV training can add to the benefits by burning more calories per hour and also elevating resting metabolism.
Resistance training strengthens bones, strengthens the heart, adds lean muscle tissue and boosts metabolism at rest.
All in all, exercise in any format is beneficial but make your investments wisely and reap the rewards in double quick time.

July update

2008-07-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hi All.

Just a few things this month.
I will be shortly filming a week of training for the re-vamped NPA website shortly to be launched. I will be demonstrating my Max OT training that I have been following for the past 9 months or so.

Last week was an amazing one really. I did my 1st bungee jump on Saturday. Thanks for everyone that sponsored me.
On Thursday, I travelled to London with a group of friends to film an episode of Eggheads, the BBC2 Quiz show. It will be shown in April so watch this space. Worth a look.
Finally, I went along to watch a great rock band on Friday night. Two of my friends Karl Johnson and Chris Pickard are in the band and they are called The Lost Souls. Check em out on myspace http://www.myspace.com/thelostsoulsuk

Competitive plans 2008

2008-06-24T04:24:00.000-07:00

Well, in a nutshell, I don't have any plans for 2008.

I was disappointed in 2007 to lose my British Title to Kevin Skelland but on the other hand I was pleased with my progress as again, I had improved from 2006.
I felt that I was starting to bring up my weaker bodyparts and my posing is steadily improving. I am experimenting this year with training volume and intensity and using AST products such as VP2, Nytro Pro 40 and Muscle XGF to maintain my condition at a current bodyweight of 90kg.

My aim is to compete next at a tight 85kg. I gave away 10kg to Kevin last year and it was too much. With my current training plan, off season diet and support from AST and Udo's I am confident that the next time I step on stage i will be in my best condition at my highest bodyweight.

So, my plan is to aim for the UIBBN Europeans in 2009. (watch this space though, this may change)

John

What no Love Handles???

2008-05-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

As a teenager and young adult I always had love handles. I thought I would never shift them. Guess what.. I did.

One of my secret recipes.

1/2 Sachet Nytro Pro 40
1 Scoop VP2 Whey
1 tbsp Oats
1 tbsp blueberries
1 tbsp Udo's
Water

Add the nytro pro, whey, oats and oil to a bowl. Mix in a little water to make a 'pudding'. Add blueberries and enjoy.
Good carbs, protein and fats. Perfecto!!!!

Pull the Trigger

2008-05-05T01:12:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have heard loads of clichés and sayings relating to the power of the mind. Some of them English, some of the Latin. All of them however have one common theme. If you are strong willed, you can achieve anything.

As a boy, I was heavily into swimming. I swam 7 days per week after school and at weekends. We got Christmas and New Year off (plus my Summer Holiday).
Swimming is a lonely sport. The only thing to look at is the tiles on the bottom of the pool or the ceiling, if you are doing Backstroke. As a backstroker, I knew exactly how many lights and air vents there were in nearly every pool in the Leigh and Wigan area.
Training was 90 mins or 2 hours, depending on the day and was almost non stop. Our parents used to sit in the gallery, some with stopwatches and note pads, watching every stroke. I HATED IT.
At first it was fun. As a teenager though I felt that I was missing out. I never got to watch any TV programmes my friends watched (no video recorders or SKY + in those days). By the time I got home it was past 8pm and I had to do homework and have supper.
Training seemed pointless to me. I enjoyed 100m races the best so why did I have to swim 400m and more in training? (I now know that I didn’t)
Eventually, my coach advised me that to progress, I had to start swimming 12x per week. Before and after school Monday-Friday and Saturday and Sunday mornings. This was the breaking point for me. I would have to give up my paper rounds. This would mean as well as not having a social life Monday- Friday, I would have less money to spend at weekends.
I broke it to my Dad that I wanted a night off. He replied ‘if you don’t go tonight, I’m not taking you again!’
‘Fine’ I said.
RESULT.

The reason I am telling you this tale of woe is that as a 12-15r old boy, I wasn’t motivated to train. I wanted to race but I wasn’t aware that to do well in the galas, I would have to be willing to go through hell 12x per week in training. This was partly my fault and partly the coach’s fault. I think I had the physique to make a good swimmer and I should have gone further. I think deep down though, I didn’t want to be a swimmer. I wasn’t inspired by it. I didn’t have the emotional trigger that switched on when the going got tough to push me through. I simply gave up or slowed down. (I always paced myself in training much to my Dad’s annoyance.)
In life, anything worth having should be a challenge, from the job of your dreams, to a wonderful marriage. If it is worth having, it is worth working for.
The battle though is done in the mind. In my bodybuilding career which has seen me win 2 British Titles and place 2nd and 3rd in the World in only 4 years, I have used visualisation techniques to help me in numerous ways. I don’t mean hypnosis or anything that formal. Here is an example.
When I enter a contest I write the date it in my diary and count backwards the weeks. I know week by week what I have to do and where I need to be in my progress.
I visualise the day.
My family and friends have come to watch. My fiercest competition is watching me prepare. I put myself under some pressure. (Too much sometimes).
I picture my kids and wife’s faces being proud when I walk out. I also picture their disappointment if I haven’t prepared well and look rubbish.
When I am tempted along my preparation by things such a kids birthday buffets, barbeques, friends nights out, etc. I simply see my family sitting there cringing at my love handles and fat back. I then refuse the Scotch egg, sausage roll, pint of lager and stay on my plan. This is my emotional trigger. It may sound absurd but it works.
Everyone has their own. It may be a wedding, a holiday, a school reunion or something worse like being diagnosed with diabetes. When life’s little challenges and tests come along to tempt you to stray from your plan, pull the trigger!! Just make sure you aim straight...

Total Fitness/NPA Seminar 2008

2008-04-27T08:50:00.001-07:00

Here are the notes I used for my seminar at Total Fitness.
'Training

My views on training are that any programme if performed correctly, with good technique and enough intensity will give results. Various methods of training will suit different people and some trial and error will need to be used to find the programme that fits best into your lifestyle and meets your needs. Too many people concern themselves with the finer details like ‘how many different types of shrug shall I do?’ when they should be learning the basics and performing each and every rep with precision.
The staple exercises for any programme in my opinion should be squats, deadlifts, lunges, presses, rows, pull ups, dips, curls, extensions. Variations of the basics can be used for balance and to make the programme more interesting. Adding the strength and power exercises to conditioning, core stability and flexibility work will give most trainees excellent results.

Nutrition

As with training, too many people make things far too complicated.
Anyone that sticks to basic, natural, wholesome food and does their own cooking and preparation shouldn’t really have a weight issue.
When I prepare a meal I see Protein, Fat, Carbohydrates, Vitamins and Minerals and that is how I decide the content of the meal depending on the requirements.
The main issue I see with most of my clients diets is over consumption of refined carbohydrates. I use the analogy of the body being a car and carb’s being the fuel. If your car is sat on your driveway all day, you wouldn’t dream of topping it up with fuel for the sake of it, it will just spill over your shoes. If you sit down at work, drive a car and don’t exercise every day you do not need to consume vast amounts of carbohydrates, it will just spill all over your hips!
My basic diet all year round is something like this
Meal 1 Oats, Whey, Udo’s Oil and Berries
Meal 2 Nytro Pro 40
Meal 3 Tuna/Cottage Cheese, Sweet potato and salad with Udo’s
Meal 4 Nytro Pro 40
Meal 5 Chicken, Rice, Steamed Vegetables with Udo’s
Meal 6 Muscle XGF

When dieting for a show I will simply reduce the carb’s by only having ½ Nytro Pro 40 and adding extra Whey and I will remove the rice (or any other carbs) from Meal 5.
Adding to the above is my pre/post workout nutrition which is detailed on supplement plan.'

Well done Jo Ryan!!!

2008-04-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

Big Congratulations to Jo Ryan who is my client of the month for April.
Jo has only been on board for 2 1/2 weeks and she has lost 1/2 stone, 2 inches off her hips and 1 inch off her waist.

Well done Jo.
I will be thinking up a nice prize to say congratulations.

John

The 1 Hr Athlete

2008-04-16T13:59:00.001-07:00

The 1hr Athlete
By John Heaton

‘How long did it take you to look like that?’
This is one of the most common questions I get asked when working out in the gym during my contest preparation. Off season, I tend to train in a baggy t-shirt or sweater and I never seem to get a second glance from the big guys in the gym. They sometimes look when I am squatting these days or benching though, wondering how a skinny guy like me can be lifting the same weights as them.

As my contest diet and training regime starts to kick in, I tend to wear slightly tighter t-shirts or even a training vest (a proper sports vest, not a bodybuilding one that barely covers my nipples!!) This is partly due to vanity and partly trying to attract new clients for my Personal Training business.
This is when people around me start to notice. They sometimes ask me what I am training for, what supplements I take and the question above, ‘How long did it take you to look like that?’ I have even had a group of lads at Sainsbury’s, on my way home from training whilst I was buying a chicken, shout ‘STEROIDS’ and giggle. It made me smile, being a lifetime natural.

Back to the original question. I tell them, ‘36yrs it took me to get in this shape’. That is not what they want to hear but it is the truth. I have exercised all my life, going from swimming to rugby to weight training. Everything I have done in my life has contributed to what I am now, 2x British Natural Bodybuilding Champion and 2nd and 3rd in World Championships.
The main difference between me now and 10 years ago is that I am now a 24hr Athlete, not a 1hr Athlete.
Let me explain.
I see lads and lasses in the gym every day working out. Some hard, some not so hard, some completely wasting their time. I see all shapes and sizes, fat, thin, tall, and short. Out of all the people I see, less than 5% have what I call a great physique or figure. The other 95% of all trainers are 1hr Athletes. They train their socks off for that precious hour (or 2) in the gym and then as soon as they finish, neck a bottle of lucozade or protein drink if they are lucky (some don’t even bother). Then they go home to eat fish and chips and drink beer or wine or something similar. Weekends are even worse when alcohol and fried foods seem to be allowed even more. ‘I train so I can eat what I like’ is a common phrase. ‘You have to have a life’ is another I hear often. I used them myself all through my 20’s. If you want love handles, go ahead. If you want a body to die for, you need to be in the zone 24hrs a day. This doesn’t necessarily have to be 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We all need a treat and some fun but every cheat comes at a price.
I ask my clients to envisage their ultimate goal as a landmark, usually the wall at the far end of the gym. Every great workout, healthy meal, walk in the countryside, good night sleep, drink of water, etc is a step towards that wall/goal. Every sip of alcohol, spoon full of sugar, takeaway, biscuit, chocolate, cigarette, latte, etc is a step backwards. At the end of every day, are you closer or farther away from your goal? Most 1hr Athletes are still in the same place or a few steps back. 24hr Athletes are getting closer and closer every day.

Conclusion
Ask yourself these 3 questions.
1. Do you like what you see when you stand naked in front of the mirror?
2. Do you have lots of energy and a lust for life?
3. Do your clothes fit you and look good?

If you answer yes to all these questions, carry on as you are. If you answered no and you want good skin, hair, nails, muscle tone, a slim waist, strength and stamina, follow these 5 simple steps.
24hr Athletes
1. Exercise in some form every day, preferably safely and effectively.
2. Drink plenty of clean, fresh water every day.
3. Eat fresh, wholesome foods such as vegetables, lean protein, good fats, whole grains and fruit every day.
4. Get good nights sleep every day.
5. Have fun, love your family and keep a work/life balance.

To find out how to become a 24hr Athlete and literally transform your life log onto www.absolution.uk.com or call me on 07980 906 982

John Heaton

Personal Training

2008-03-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry not been on for a while. I have been busy with my new 'scooter',not. The wind has just been to strong for me to get out on the open road. Roll on Summer.
I have been busy Personal Training at Total Fitness. I have already got some great new clients and I hope to help them to achieve their goals over the next few months.
May I take this opportunity to congratulate my client Chris Haywood who certainly was client of the month for February. I only started training Chris in December and he has lost 2 stone already in 11 weeks. I rewarded him with Fish and Chips as promised and he is well on his way now to his next 2 stone loss. Just goes to show, If you do what I say with your diet and put in the hard work in the gym, it actually works!!

Thanks for taking time to read this blog. Please text me on 07980 906 982 and quote 'Udo's' to claim your free bottle of Udo's oil (Organic Omega 3, 6 and 9 oil blend)

Remember
'Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep balance you have to keep moving

Albert Einstein

BAFTA 2008

2008-02-14T00:08:00.001-08:00

Wow.
What a great day. We all met outside the Royal Opera House but I got there early to check the place out. Covent Garden is a wonderful place and even at that time in a morning on a Sunday it was buzzing.
I met Godfrey Onyac and another couple of the lads at Starbucks and we made our way to the stage door.
When we arrived quite a few of the others were there including Silvio Simac of Maximuscle fame. I was amazed at all the different shapes and sizes. I assumed everyone would be a bodybuilder but I think there were only actually 3 of us.
When we were taken inside I immediately knew we would have a good laugh when we overloaded the lift and half the people had to walk the stairs.
We rehearsed all morning and were joined by Jonathan Ross who seemed very pleasant as he shared jokes with some of the lads. We then had spare time to kill and a few of us went for a walk whilst the paler guys got their spray tans.
Eventually we were called in to get ready for the show.
After rehearsing all morning the actual event flew by.
Kneeling behind that curtain was amazing and when it lifted and I could see Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Junior and Orlando Bloom I was gobsmacked.
After our brief appearance on stage we went outside to have photos for the public then we were done.
3 of us hung around and watched it at 9pm in a nearby pub. The barmaids took convincing that it was actually us!
All in all a very enjoyable day.

2 weeks at an end

2008-02-08T23:30:00.000-08:00

Well, its 2 weeks since I agreed to appear at the 2008 Orange BAFTA's as a Spartan Warrior. After a Christmas and New Year feast I had lost my 2007 condition. I wondered what changes I could make in just 2 weeks.
In all, I only lost 2kg as I didn't lose any weight in week 2 but from the photos at the bottom of the blog I am sure you can see how much I have tightened up in just 2 weeks.
Well, off to London tonight. i will be posting my diet, workouts and pics from the show next week.

john

Whats the best piece of advice you have ever received?

2008-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if you know but you can leave comments on my blog, just like a forum.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given and who from?

I must mention a health/diet related one but yours doesn't have to be.
My good friend Aidan Greensmith and his father Howard helped me in 2004 with my diet and posing. When I went to Aidans for some advice, he said how much water are you drinking each day? Before I could even answer he said "double it!". If I could give someone only one piece of nutritional advice, drink more water would be it.

Whats yours? Work, relationships, money, sport, education, etc? Anything.

4 Days Progress

2008-01-31T23:41:00.000-08:00

I still haven't heard back from the BAFTA Production team but I am still going ahead with my little project.
AST have been very kind to provide me with 1st class supplements Muscle XGF, VP2, Beta X, Metabolic Prescription X and finally CLA.
In just 4 days I have lost 2.3kg (5.06lbs) That is quite amazing really considering I was only 89kg to begin with. Check out the pics at the bottom of this page for the results.
I am not doing this to show off but to show what you can achieve in a relatively short space of time with hard work, healthy eating (not starving) and good quality supplements.
I will post 3rd pic on Tuesday next wk.

This is SPARTA!

2008-01-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

I am still awaiting the confirmation of the BAFTA appearence but I am getting on with the 2 week porgramme anyway.

I will keep you informed.

'Tonight, we dine in hell'
300

Client of the month Competition

2008-01-23T02:26:00.000-08:00

In line with the AST Body Transformation Challenge I am also going to begin my own 'Client of the month Competition'.

Some months this could be whoever has lost most inches, body fat or weight. Other months it could be whoever has 100% attendence record for the month and is adhering to the healthy diet plan and completing weekly food diaries.

I will offer a prize each month for the winner.

The scheme will begin in February and to kick it off it will be a body fat test. I will test each client the first week in Feb. The one that loses the most by the 1st week in March will receive a meal for 2 voucher at the Wetherby Whaler, Wakefields finest fish and chip shop. (you see, work hard, eat well and you can enjoy the little treats in life).

AST Challenge

2008-01-13T15:14:00.000-08:00

AST UK (http://www.astss.co.uk/) have developed their own Body Transformation Challenge to be run in the UK.

The diet plan and training programmes are similar to the ones I used myself in my preps for the UIBBN World Championships last year.

I will be encouraging all my clients to have a go at the challenge. As well as improving health, fitness and getting the body you desire, there will be £250 up for grabs.