How to lose pounds, without losing Prosecco…
| 31st December 2021
| 31st December 2021
New year: New you! We’ve all said it time and time again, but is 2022 your year to get fit and feel fabulous without missing out on the fun and frolics that life throws at us?
For some of us, a New Year’s resolution can mean committing to a new food and exercise regime to kick start the year, so if this sounds like you, VIVA is here with our top recommendations to get you into the fitness groove.
Manchester has everything (maybe we’re bias), and one thing it’s not short of is gyms and personal trainers. But it can be hard to find one that gives you results, keeps you feeling accountable, and that you actually look forward to seeing (yes really!).
On behalf of VIVA I took on the six-week commitment, followed a bespoke diet plan and was put through my paces twice a week, for 45 minutes by ABS Manchester’s head trainer Chris. In the run up to Christmas and with a spontaneous trip to Milan halfway through the process, this might have seemed like bad timing, but actually it showed us that to get in the best shape of your life, you don’t have to stop living your life.
Having a personal trainer is all about trust. Trusting them, trusting the process and also trusting yourself that you can do it. One thing that doesn’t come in the package is compromise, as I found out.
I followed a six-week training programme that pushed me to my max in every session and made me contemplate crawling home down Deansgate. Every session was different and I began to contemplate my love of spontaneity and not knowing what’s round the corner, but at the end of every session, I’d never felt better.
Phase one (weeks one and two) is the accumulation phase with emphasis on tempo, control and technique. I called these the sponge sessions where I had to soak up everything I was being taught if I wanted to make it through the next six weeks.
Phase two (weeks three and four) is all about intensity (and didn’t I know it), with limited rest, but by this point I was starting to feel stronger and see results which was enough to spur me on. However, the two-minute leg press was potentially one of the longest two-minutes of my entire life.
The final phase (weeks five and six) is a metabolic phase where the volume is increased and keeps your heart rate as high as possible for the whole session. Think bootcamp x10 as all eyes are you. The team at ABS change the programme up every two weeks because our bodies adapt to any training stimulus so you have to switch it up to get the results.
Before taking on the challenge, the weekly sessions were not my concern, but the food plan was. After being honest about my concerns and asking Chris for advice, I was determined to prove to myself I could stick to it. To achieve the best results, it was relatively low carb, but being imaginative in the kitchen didn’t make this feel like a diet at all and I was never hungry. However, I always looked forward to my once a week, off meal plan.
My six weeks at ABS reignited my love for not only exercise, but the gym. After working out from home for almost two years, it was great to get back into a gym environment, feel the atmosphere and have the camaraderie that comes with being a member of boutique gym. Then came the final weigh in and the after pictures.
I knew my body had changed but I didn’t quite realise the extent. With a total fat loss of 8lbs and muscle gain of 2lbs, it was the best result I’d seen after being a member of various gyms and training for over 10 years.
If you want to gain muscle, lose the weight or just feel your best without losing what you love (for me it was Prosecco), then I cannot recommend ABS enough. Book your free consultation and start your transformation today.
Absolute Body Solutions operate three premium personal training gyms across Manchester and Liverpool. Their team of highly experienced trainers specialise in being able to work with any client, by adapting their techniques to suit each client’s individual body goals, fitness levels and lifestyle with unrivalled quality and results.
They offer a full range of programmes, from their six-week transformation, 16 week transformation to their bespoke programmes. ABS understand that going to the gym alone can be intimidating and that having someone by your side to keep you on track and motivated can be really beneficial. That’s why they offer you the option to train with a partner on all of their programmes. To find out about their services in more depth, visit here.
Located in the heart of Manchester City Centre in between Rudy’s and Albert Schloss at 29 Peter Street. You can also follow them on Instagram