Expats Fitness
Hi, I'm Sarah, a British Personal Trainer. I've been training Expats both here in Shanghai and previously in Bangkok for many years. One thing that many of my clients have in common is the typical Shanghai Expat lifestyle...late night dinners, long hours, stressful job, busy schedule, travel, career mum trying to juggle work and kids, lack of sleep, lack of time (to even think let alone exercise), weekend parties...all this sound familiar? It's easy to feel that your life is spiraling out of control and six months or a year down the line your "muffin top" is bulging that bit more than it used to. You’re desperate to start making healthier choices but have no idea where to start...that's where home personal training comes in! When I initially meet clients for a consultation, they often have a look of fear or embarrassment. They think I'm going to "tell them off" or make them dramatically change their lives which most of the time they aren’t ready for - even if I try they will come up with every excuse to do the opposite.
Some clients want the killer approach and go for the full on muscle shock which works for some people. In general though, change is a gradual thing and I can’t magically make my clients drop 10 kilos over night or cut back on alcohol or quit smoking. Certainly though I can encourage clients to make small steps to a healthier lifestyle and gradually over time YOU change your lifestyle! The majority of my clients already know what they are supposed to do. They’ve read the celebrity mags - no carbs after 7pm, exercise 4-5 days a week, eat 6 meals a day...weight training, hot yoga and Pilates or any new latest trend that magically melts fat (a few of my clients went through a fat loss acupuncture phase, I should try that one out!J) but sometimes in reality it really isn’t that simple. So let's take a step back and see what simple choices you can make to move towards a healthier lifestyle.
Ok, on your next late business dinner with clients instead of drinking 3-4 glasses of wine (or more) cut down on half of what you normally drink. Ideally aim for one glass if possible. Talk more and eat slowly to distract both yourself (from over eating and drinking) and the clients. I doubt they would even notice you cutting back on alcohol especially if there are a number of you. If it's Chinese food then keep an eye on your portion. Cut back on the rice by half the bowl or cut it out altogether, pick at the veggies and avoid the oily soups and meat dishes. If it's Western food then go for the salads and vegetables. Aim for grilled chicken or steamed fish, lay off the stodgy pasta dishes - better still opt for Japanese. Fill up with a healthy starter instead of the dessert. If you are travelling for business and there’s only a buffet breakfast available… well, I wish you luck. Practice the art of self control… (I’m also still learning)
Prepare healthy snacks for your day at work. This will help you avoid snacking on sugary foods throughout the day from the biscuit cupboard. If you know you have a business dinner that evening say, 8pm then make sure you eat a snack in between your lunch and dinner. If you go over 6 or 7 hours without eating at all, by the time dinner comes round you'll be starving and hoover everything down. Around 4 or 5pm have a mini meal, maybe some fruit, nuts, ryvitas/crackers, yoghurts or a whey protein drink or bar - this is great for filling the gap and you'll eat less in the evening. Eating 6 small meals a day can speed up your metabolism although this doesn’t need to be specifically 6 prepared meals as I know this is time consuming but you can have some steamed or raw veggies (add a bit soya sauce or salsa dip for flavour), fruit, eggs, tofu and a variety of nuts, seeds and raisins (sugar free) to keep you going - drink plenty of water and less coffee! If you really need a caffeine fix then make your own, that way you’re not drinking high calorie latte’s and cappuccinos from your nearby coffee shops.
Try and exercise BEFORE work! Not only is this a great way to start the day and get your metabolism roaring, psychologically it's over and done with...Don’t press snooze or tell yourself you'll do it in the evening - you wont! Get up before you convince yourself otherwise. Or, if mornings really are impossible (getting kids ready for school in the morning can be chaotic I know) then go for quick lunchtime power blasts. Not only will this energize you for the rest of the day but it gives you a well deserved break from the laptop. If you have a gym at work then great, if not and you haven’t got time to mess about traveling to the nearest gym then go to a local park or even in your office is fine. No equipment is needed; all you need is your body weight. Try 20-30 mins, 3-4 days a week where you combine bursts of intense cardio (burpees, skipping) with strength training (squats, push ups, lunges etc). The results are fantastic and less time consuming than 2 hours or so in a gym everyday. Chances are if you are spending that amount of time there then the training isn’t intense enough and you are wasting your time anyway. Use your time wisely. (Later on I’ll give you a quick home programme you can do anywhere or try our trial Boot Camp sessions.)
Finally, add more activity into your daily life. Whatever floor you live or work on, stop the lift 2 floors below and walk up the rest. Walk or cycle at least 15- 30 mins a day. If you work within walking distance of your home then get into the habit of walking home after work; it’s less stressful than trying to hail a taxi and if it’s raining you’ve got no chance so put your hood up and best foot forward – think of the calories you’ll be burning!
For more info email: sarah.revolutionfitness@gmail.com or visit:
www.personaltrainingshanghai.com