Author: Matt Fruci

What if I can’t do it?

“I can’t do it”

My now 5 year old will say…

Referring to her numbers homework.

To which I remind her about all of the times before she’s said “I can’t”

^^ and it’s a good thing for all of us to do, too

I even said

Remember when you couldn’t get yourself changed?

You couldn’t put your shoes on

You couldn’t put your socks on 

I could go on.

But we start to (in general) fear the “I can’t” a bit less.

And actually – perhaps – even look forward to it.

Because the more “I can’t” situations you face

The more likely you are to get a huge breakthrough and transformation..

^^ remember that

But to get through this?

We have to stop living in the “gap” between the present and future

Past <—>Present<—>Future 

It’s fine to be there.

As this is where you’ll get motivation and inspiration from .

You know, that big goal, be it dropping a few dress sizes, being less out of breath, mental health, being able to get up and down from the floor, worry less about getting ill, feeling in control of your food again  ..

Whatever it is.

But we are leaving confidence on the table if we never look back.

Look back at how far we have come.

“What’s working well?”

“What would you like to improve?”

It’s actually something we use in our accountability system inside the Kickstart programme for women 40+ and 50+  (reply with “kickstart” and I’ll get you the details.

So that even when obstacles come up?

We can approach it from a positive space. 

And although this sounds really “woo woo“

You have to remember that we are programmed to look for the negative…

And it’s this little switch which can give you the confidence and courage to keep going for long enough to get the results you want.

After all, where you are right now is often a direct result of your habits.

Good news?

Where you want to be is based on your habits TODAY 😃

Matt

75% ???

So when a study says something like

75% of the weight lost is regained at 5 years…

You could say that diets fail, right?

Yet, what this doesn’t mention is:

1- That is still 25% lower than they were (and they might have even put weight on in this time)

2- What is the alternative? If you did not try, what do you do

3- the habits to lose the weight, such as exercise, eating better, sleeping better have other benefits (independent of weight loss), including:

→ Improved bone density

→ Decreased risk of disease

→ Boosted immune system

→ Less likely to be dependent on others = higher quality of life. 

→ Achieving 150 minutes a week of exercise or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise associated with 30-35% reduction in depressive symptoms (even when controlling for trauma and diet)

→ Making better choices with food, often more nutrient dense choices (high nutrients per calorie)

→ making friends in the process of trying by meeting people in an exercise setting

^^^ all benefits regardless of if you lost weight (which most people want anyway, right?)

Thing is, whether this is from working in the NHS, lecturing at Oxford Brookes University, or just being very passionate about sharing RELIABLE evidence when it comes to nutrition, 

We often associate the word ‘diet’ with a quick fix.

But when you look at the definition of ‘diet’:

“the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”

Anyway,

I talk about whether diets work in more detail here

For now?

I will leave you with a little snippet (see image) from our Kickstart book (something we go over with you in your first session when you join our Kickstart. Message me with ‘Kickstart’ and I will get you more details) 

Matt

Reverse Diabetes?

Wow, got this message from Nicola last week:

And just shows the power of nutrition and exercise.

Thing is though..

People often think there is ONE secret to achieving results like this.

In fact, when I was working in the NHS delivering education programmes for people diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, some of the questions often asked were:

“What are the best foods to avoid diabetes?” 

“Do you have any diabetic friendly recipes?”

Often, this has come about from reading conflicting stuff on websites, usually about carbs and sugar causing Type 2 diabetes. 

But here’s a quick summary of the important MYTHS you need to know about diet and Type 2 diabetes

(DISCLAIMER: this is providing you are not on medication that puts you at risk of going low with your blood sugar levels (a hypo) as you will need to speak to your GP / nurse about adjusting medication before dietary changes):

1) “ONLY eat slow digesting, low GI foods if you have diabetes” 

^^^ you might often hear of studies where they look at how single foods raise your blood sugar. We eat meals, not foods. So, when you combine carbs with fibre (veggies) and some protein (say lean meats, eggs, yogurt etc), this lowers how quickly your blood sugar goes up…

So, essentially, looking for low GI foods is not THE ONE secret to lowering your blood sugar levels (this does depend on the medications you may be on). It may have SOME difference, but I see people get so overly into this, they miss the forest for the trees (is that the saying?).

2) “Don’t eat carbs if you have diabetes” – 

This often comes from the Daily Mail (and others) glorifying studies into extreme headlines based on a study showing that SLIGHTLY lowering carbs may help. 

Why? Because it might help you lower calories. 

Example:

The average person eats 47% carbs in their diet. These studies gave people less than 40%. This is just a slight change. It’s not extreme. It’s not zero carbs.

And shows that you don’t have to go cold turkey (and in fact, for some, going cold turkey can make things worse…making you crave more carbs..).

That said, a LOW carb diet is STILL a useful strategy if this works for you…

3) “Eat little and often if you have diabetes” – 

People often say that this prevents hunger as lower blood sugar levels cause hunger. This is actually not true.

And for some people, creating a calorie deficit and losing fat is EASIER if they eat fewer meals, and even FEWER CALORIES not just in terms of the fact you don’t have to think about food all day, but because they can eat the foods they love at these meals rather than snacking like a pigeon…

And what’s more?

A low calorie diet has even been shown to put Type 2 diabetes into remission. 

Providing you can stick to it, of course.

Which often depends on a few things according to the research:

1. The level of support you have behind you, helping you get through the obstacles that come 
2. The stage in your life that you are in – how important is this to you right now?

Summary:

There’s no magic trick. It’s about creating a calorie deficit and losing fat.

However you do this…Is the right diet for you, be it through that 600–1000 calorie meal replacement shake diet that has been shown to help

Or

a more steady approach that helps you lose fat and create long-lasting habits that help you keep you fat off.

Either way, you have to do what works for you 🙂

Just like Nicola did.

Who basically did a mixture of the above…

If you’d like to join Nicola and co on our next 28 Day Kickstart

Just message me with ‘Kickstart’ and I will get you the details

Matt ‘myth busting’ Fruci

What is your first session like?

So yesterday I shared a video from our coach Julie explaining about how we adapt things to suit YOU

^^ even if you think you are not fit enough…

So today I thought I would share a few messages we got from the ladies last week just starting their journey on the 28 Day Kickstart:

I get it…

“I’m nervous about getting started” 🤔

“I’ll be too unfit”

“I’ve tried before”

“I’m scared of failing”

These are all REALLY COMMON…perhaps unfortunately.

Or not?

Because the good news?

Just after discomfort…

Comes a breakthrough..

And a reminder that those worries we get

Or the label we put on ourselves

Are just stuck on with Velcro…

We can peel them off at any time…

The best part?

Once you do that?

You build confidence.

Confidence comes from evidence .

Evidence of doing.

Doing the things that you “thought” you couldn’t do.

Because you labelled yourself…

And believed a thought so much that your behaviour conformed to it.

Why do I love what I do?

Well, just like I did with my public speaking…

When you overcome a fear / obstacle, there’s no better feeling..

And we get to share that feeling with the awesome ladies at Fruci Fit – Personal Training ..

This breakthrough WHEN it happens (as it will if you keep going) opens the doors to you achieving more than you once thought possible.

I mean, imagine never knowing what you could have achieved all because – well – when you really delve in deep to this – you were worried what others would say or think of you? 

It’s something I find interesting, especially bringing up kids and trying to say “Be yourself” and “don’t worry what others think”

But we have to first start with ourselves…

Matt 😃

Who is the Kickstart for?

Had a few questions about the 28 Day Kickstart so thought I would share some info here:

✅  Come along to our ladies only small group or one to one personal training sessions every week for 4 weeks- where we will monitor and improve your fitness, strength, mobility and flexibility. This could be all from home or with us in person at our private studios in Marlborough or Devizes. You can come in once a week, 2 times or even 5 times a week…

✅  We will talk through any struggles that you have regarding food & drink choices and provide some easy meal plans and family friendly recipes that help with bloating and energy levels.

✅ We will provide daily motivation and support to help you stay focused and enthusiastic for the whole 28 days, even from Day 1, where you have your Kickstart one to one with us.

This kickstart will provide strong foundations for you to then build on.

It’s the perfect way to start 2022.

You will be training either one to one or with a small group of other ladies over 40 with very similar frustrations and goals.

And most importantly, we will ensure that everyone has lots of FUN along the way so that they actually look forward to the much needed ‘ME TIME as a break from the busy everyday stresses.

This kind of plan is NOT for everyone

The majority would rather do nothing.

Or try and figure all this kind of stuff out for themselves.

This is for those that have tried that strategy already

and it hasn’t worked.

So…

If you are over 40 and share some of these frustrations and ambitions, then feel free to reach out to me now.

Just message or comment me with ‘Kickstart’ and I will get you the details.

Matt 

Meet Jo from Wiltshire 🙂

Jo joined our Kickstart programme on 6th December. 

See the image for her results. 

Amazing work.

28 Days later and she is:

✅ 10lbs lighter

✅ Back into old jeans trousers that she could no longer wear 

✅ No need for baggy tops

✅ Broken her mindless eating habit

✅ Sciatica ‘seems to have gone’ 

✅ And all whilst having fun in the process…

If you’d like to join our 28 Day Kickstart (specifically for women 40+)

Reply with ‘Kickstart’ and I will get you the details

Matt

84% do this 

84% of us will carry on doing the same things as we were already doing despite setting a New Years Resolution…

And for me?

It’s down to this…

Trying to achieve too much too soon, then giving because you think you’ve failed.

It’s why most give up on their New Year’s Resolution by the end of January.

You try to achieve your whole goal in a month..

Forgetting you have the whole year..

It’s like I was chatting to someone the other day about how they’d feel if they lost 2 stone in a year.

Of course, they would be delighted.

But then when I asked them how’d they feel if they lost ½  a lb per  week?

They said that would demotivate them as it doesn’t feel fast enough.

And I get that.

But here’s what happens instead.

You set your expectations too high..

You end up hungry at 4pm

Start snacking 

Think “f it” I’ll start again tomorrow and go in EVEN HARDER tomorrow 

You skip breakfast the next day and the process repeats.

We end up in this cycle of restrict and binge.

But what if you just gave yourself permission to just go back to “eating normally” the next day even if you had a binge?

I spoke about this more here

Take home:

✅ Set an exciting goal that makes you get up in the morning (it’ll be hard to be motivated if your goals doesn’t excite you)

✅ Remember you don’t have to achieve that goal this week 😉 

✅ Obstacles are on the way not in the way 

✅ Set one thing TODAY that you can definitely stick to

Whether that’s a 10 minute workout 

A 1 minute workout 

A walk 

Water with every meal 

Bed by 10pm

Or maybe even try something new and different like we say to the ladies in our January Kickstart: (reply with “kickstart” and I’ll get you the details) 

Matt

Why is planning so hard?

“I just need to plan then everything works”

^^^ heard that one so many times

And it’s interesting as so many people say:

“I know what to do I’m just not doing it”

And that’s why 

It’s not enough to just say 

“I’m going to make this my year”

It’s not enough to just say  

“I’m going to lose weight” 

It’s not enough to just say (again)

“I know what to do already I just need to do it”

You have to take action. 

And if it’s planning which is the issue?

Well, this might be game changer…

Even though, I see so many people make amazing progress and magic moments from planning  

Want to know why you still don’t do it? 

Even though you KNOW most of your success is based on it 

Well, psychologist, Jordan Peterson shed light on this:

It’s because you don’t like to specify conditions for failure

What does this mean?

Well, we can convince ourselves we are doing well by not planning.

Or we can convince ourselves that we are not “trying” and therefore not lt failing by not planning. 

But really- you just won’t know if you’ve failed

So in reality? You don’t plan because you’re trying to avoid failure 

But this actually means you fail anyway 😮 

Matt

So I was chatting to one of the ladies over Christmas period.

She was ready to start in the New Year 

But then, Covid hit.

It meant she couldn’t come to the studio. 

And went into that “why me?”

“What’s the point?”

Frame of mind. 

So I wanted to share this task with you that we went through to help stay on track. 

It’s called the 

EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TASK

WHAT HAPPENED?

Tested positive for covid

AND THAT MEANS?

(What do you need to do eg isolate, what can’t you do what can you do?)

I have to isolate. Can’t get to the studio . Can’t start how I wanted to 

10 REASONS IM GRATEFUL

* Will catch up on to-do list

* Will spend time with family

* Will get some extra rest

* Chance to work on my goal setting 

* Chance to get morning routine back up

* Chance to batch cook 

* do some meditation 

* going to do some sessions from home with you, and try the yoga, stretch, Tai Chi and Pilates. 

3 LESSONS FROM THIS

*There’s a positive for every negative 

*there is lots I can do

*i can always control what I can 

Hope this helps 😃

And it’s this shift in your mindset which we see as that catalyst behind true transformations that last.

All starting with the 28 Day Kickstart to get your starting habits in place which you can do TODAY 

Message me with “kickstart” and I’ll get you the details

Matt

Got this message from Lynne last week:

Amazing to hear.

Especially when you consider the latest UK Chief Medical Officers Report emphasising the importance of building strength (doing strength based exercise at least twice a week) to help:

1 – Prevent falls – linked to bone density and lack of muscle mass, particularly if you are over 50 🤩 

2 – Reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes by 40% 😮 

3- Reduce your risk of heart disease by 30% 😯 

4 – Reduce your risk of depression by 30% 😮 

And the muscle toning and strength work is exactly what we focus on in the 28 Day Kickstart.

If you’d like to join Lynne and co, just message me with “kickstart” and I’ll get you the details.

Matt