The McMillian Coffee Morning – Doing our bit for Charity!
Last Friday I took part in the annual McMillan coffee morning at Trents in Chichester. I was asked to do it for the second year running by the owner, Nick, who I have trained for several years now.
Nick had the idea of getting all the waiters plus a handful of personal trainers he knew to be topless waiters for the morning. Last year it went down really well and was a lot of fun, so it seemed obvious we should do it each year thereafter if possible.
So when you know you are going to be half naked for the morning, serving coffee to slightly excited women, it puts on a little added pressure to make sure that you look the part!
As a rule I have always tried to keep myself within 3 weeks of looking shall we say,beach ready. Having said that when you know you are going up against 5 or 6 guys at least 15 years younger than you, it adds a little more pressure!
With this in mind three weeks before the event I started making an extra effort with my training and nutrition.If you read my last blog you will know I try to live by a 80/20 rule. This means 80% of the time I eat and drink clean and 20% not so much.
I’m not saying this will work for everybody but it works well for me. So now for three weeks I needed to make this a 90/10 ratio, & believe me this is no fun.
Most people will never have to parade half naked in front of anyone but their partner, so will never need to be this disciplined.
At the weekends is when I normally choose to use my 20% allowance. This will normally include wine on a Friday and Saturday night, good quality salt & vinegar crisps and my favorite new zealand licorice.
This sacrifice is what proved to be so hard for me over the three weeks. I live a very structured life with porridge every morning, salad & protein at lunch then a protein and nutrient packed supper.
I can cope with this all the time I have some treats to look forward to at the weekend. This year those three weekends of being extra strict on my food & drink were one of the hardest things I have had to do. I caved in on the first weekend and had a small bottle of beer and some licorice. ‘Pathetic’ I thought but it brought home just what our clients have to go through when we ask them to adjust their eating habits forever!
This is the reason I wanted to write a little blog this month. To say that I do feel your pain if you are having to cut some addictive food and/or drink from your diet. It is not easy and your body will crave the rubbish it is used to for two weeks or more.The first two weeks are the hardest then it starts to get a little easier.
If you can kick the sugar drug and that’s what most of us crave, in one form or another. Then you will feel so much better for it, lighter, more awake, sharp and very proud of yourself!
Its not easy, in fact its bloody hard work but if you can crack the first two or three weeks you will start to feel like a new person! You can do it & you can change your life for the better if you really want to.
Be honest with us and we can help you achieve the results you are after. If you want it enough then together we can make it happen.
Until the next time
Paul