Lockdown is slowly coming to an end, are you ready?

This year has been a god damn whirlwind to say the least. With the end hopefully in sight, do you feel like you are happy with the person you are/have become during lockdown? Have you been working on yourself, on your health? Or have you used this as a time to chill, unwind, eat and drink lots and celebrate life? I feel like we have gone either way, and both ways are fab! Some of us have dipped in both directions, I know I definitely have!

But if you have veered more towards the direction of sitting more, eating move and moving less. It is time to get back on track. Summer is around the corner, and hopefully we get blessed with some beaut weather again from now until then like last year! It’s time to put in some work.

If you are feeling totally lost and have no idea where to start, this is where I come in. I want to help you reach your dream physique goals, and I can, if your mindset lets me. I currently have a sale running until the 12th April - 20% off my 1-1 online coaching services, for 12 or 24 week packages. This works out to be only 40 pounds per week. This is basically two takeaways a week, to transform your body, mind and lifestyle.

One of the best investments you can make, is in yourself. There will always be reward in investing in yourself in the long term, and bettering yourself, then short term gratifications. So what are you waiting for?? Head over to my shop page now and invest in the new you!

Here are some of the amazing transformations we have had over the past few months

Picture Number 1: 1 year transformation

Picture Number 2 & 3: 4 week transformation

What are you waiting for?! If you were looking for a sign and stumbled across this post, this is your sign. I can’t wait to work with you to change your life <3

Rise, Sweat, Shine - The Complete 12 Week Guide

Introducing your new best friend! The Rise, Sweat, Shine, 12-week fitness guide.

I am so excited for this! It has been 5/6 months in the making. I am sure if you read my blog posts you will know that back in May/June, I was looking for 6 girls to try out my new workout programme I had created. This blog post is here if you would like to check it out. So this was the trial phase. I took the girls through the three months of training throughout lockdown and they loved it. The girls saw some awesome results in terms of weight loss and muscle tone/shape. All whilst doing it at home with access to minimum equipment, imagine the progress you will see if you take me to the gym with you and up your weights each session - sooo much!

So the e-book version is finally here! You essentially have me in your pocket as your trainer, and have access to the workouts that you can do anywhere, anytime. This will be an ideal program if we do go back into lockdown (fingers crossed we do not, but its good to be prepared).

What is included in the program?

- three levels of workouts that are each four weeks long, so total 3 months of workouts (and you can then start from the beginning, or alternate the workout weeks etc, so basically endless workouts!)
- delivered to you in an excel so you can track your reps, sets and weight
- 4/5 workouts per week, a mixture of strength and HIIT training for ultimate fat loss and muscle gain
- a private facebook group where I will post workout videos of all the exercises included in the program, as well as a lovely community of strong women to hold each other accountable. I will host live Q and A's in here at the beginning of each workout cycle.
- Macros and nutritional guidance on request. 

How much is it?

The programme is just £40 in total. The e-book, excel tracker, nutritional guidance/macro planning and private facebook community page are all included in the price. So it is a steal!

When can I purchase the programme?

The programme will be available for purchase on the 19th October. You will get sent your e-book and tracker straight away, the challenge is commencing 26th October, but you can start whenever you want! You will also be added to the facebook group straight away so we all have a chance to hype each other up and get to know one another before the challenge starts

Here is an excerpt I have written for the introduction of the e-book just to give you a little bit more insight into what this programme means to me and why I have created it:

“I want to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about me, my values and what I want you to achieve from this programme and the community that comes along with it;

As I am sure you know I am a London Based Personal Trainer. My day job is looking after my private clients and creating personalised bespoke programmes for them and taking them through their sessions in the gym, online, outdoors etc. I also teach fitness classes, and I find this an amazing way to spread some cheer, positive vibes, and it helps me to reach a wider audience with my message.

 My goal is to help girls achieve their best versions of themselves. To become strong AF, healthy, fit, and only compare themselves to who they were yesterday. You are one in a billion and that is so powerful. How amazing is it that you can become the best version of you, and no one else can ever take that from you.

 Piling on this, everyone’s “healthy” is different – and I am here to help you find yours. What makes you the happiest in every aspect – body confidence, mentally, physically, energetically, socially etc.

This brings me on to why I created this programme – I want to reach as many people as I can, in an accessible way, so everyone can be a part of this journey. I want to help you find YOUR version of health.”

I have truly put my heart into this and I would be eternally grateful for any support you can give. I would love to see as many girls take part as possible. Let’s change our lives together for the better, and forever!

Rise, SWEAT and Shine - Phase 1

I have created a program that is in a sense 12 weeks long. However, I will take my girls through it in four week phases. Before I release this as a guide, I want to take a handful of girls through each and every workout to ensure it is perfect, and delivers everything it says on the tin. The program is designed for girls with the following goals:

- body recomp (shed fat, gain shape & muscle)
- get stronger - learn about the right calories, macros & nutrition for your body
- want to learn how to lift properly & effectively
- gain confidence inside & out

What do I want my girls to achieve:

Most importantly, this is a workout challenge to make you feel good. To help you get strong, toned, challenge yourself and damn proud for completing it week by week. It wouldn’t be a workout designed by me if the lower body days did not have a booty focus ;) If you have any other specific goals you want to hit in this 4 weeks, we will go through this in a 1-1 chat and discuss what we can do to get you there. Everyone is different and I wouldn’t be doing my job properly as a trainer if I didn't help you adapt this program to your goals, lifestyle and body type.

This workout guide is all about about creating strong, confident and empowered women who feel ready to take on anything life throws at them! I want to build fearless, powerful ladies who are not afraid to show off their progress! You should be proud to show off how far you have come. I will work with you individually to alter your nutrition to complement your physique goal.

The program is essentially 12 weeks, but in 4 week phases (3 levels - I am hoping by level 3 we can take it to the gym but we will see).

The program starts at home, a total of 6 sessions per week and I will take you through the sessions each week (if you can’t make the live session, you will also be sent the workout plan).

When will it start?

The First Phase of the program will run from the 25th May through to the 21st June. You will then have the option to rejoin for Phase 2, which is also going to be four weeks - but it’s going to be a big level up, and you will most likely see some real long term results during this phase.

How much will it cost?

Phase 1 will be 90 pounds to join - this includes 6 sessions per week run by me, in a small group environment (via ZOOM) so it is essentially 6 small group personal training sessions per week, for four weeks. This works out to be less than 3 pounds per session. As I said on my instagram, this is super good value as it is sort of a trial run.

What if I cant make the class?

The classes will run at the same time every week, and we will take a vote when I have all the girls on board as to what time suits everyone the best. If you cannot make a class on a certain date, I will then send you the workout plan, and a recording of the class you missed.

What else is included?

You will be added to my private Whatsapp group with all the other girls - community is EVERYTHING. You are so much more likely to adhere to your plans, and get great results if you have a strong army of like minded girls behind you, you are not in this alone.

This gives you access to me at all times, so if you have any questions, need extra help, or anything at all - I am there (of course you can also always message me privately as well).

Structured programming - I have spent a long time creating this program, and going through the relevant progressions, tailoring to everyones at home needs. This is not just a random fitness class six days a week. We will work through progressive overload, and get you that desired shape.

We will also go through a nutrition crash course (I firmly believe no one can achieve the proper results they desire without a basic understanding of nutrition, macros and calories). From here, we will determine what macros are suited for the amount of weight you want to lose, and your body type.

Weekly weigh ins - you do not have to post these in the group, you can just send to me personally, so we can track your progress. If you are not a fan of the scale, pictures are great too. In fact - encouraged. If you wish to take part, I would love to have your before and after pictures - I know they will be fab ;).

Getting Back on Track - how to achieve your goals in 2020

I love January. I know for some it is a dreaded month. However, it is a month where we all hit reset on our lives. We have blown out over Christmas and New Year, and most of us have this new found motivation to be the best version of ourselves - the ‘new year new me’ blah blah.

There is something about going into a new year, not much changes, but it does feel like a fresh start. I know it is cliche, but I say ride with it, the impact of making a new, healthy start can only effect you positively. I say, utilise whatever motivation you have, at whatever time it surfaces, this doesn’t have to apply to just January - but this is a time when most of us are in the same boat.

Now, for getting back on track, it is important that you do not adopt an all or nothing approach. For example, if you are someone who never goes to the gym, then in January decides to go 6x per week, come February, you will be back to square one. That is just not sustainable. Remember it is a marathon not a sprint. Start slow, maybe go once or twice a week, and build up from there. I guarantee this will be more effective, you will actually enjoy going, it will then become a long term habit, not a chore. The results you see will be much more significant. You can build up to the 6 times a week, but don’t start there. You don’t make it to the top of the mountain without climbing it first. This applies to anything you want to start, not just fitness. For example with me, I need a serious reset after Christmas, but I am not doing anything that I don’t usually do in my normal routine. I am just eating and training the same as I normally would. I am not placing any food restrictions on myself. I have just decided to cut out refined sugar and alcohol. Which for me are do-able (the sugar part will be hard, just as I have such a sweet tooth, but I eat too much of it and I am aware that I need to change, my skin is telling me this). I am cutting out alcohol purely because of the amount I consumed over the holidays, my body just needs a break. These two things I am only doing for January, and after that, I will do my best to practice moderation.

This brings me onto another point, as you can see, my changes are not drastic, but the changes I have made, have a reasoning behind them. Really figure out your why when it comes to habits you want to make or break, so when it gets tough, you can go back to your why and re-spark your motivation. It will be tough, be aware of this. Especially if you are looking to break a habit that you have been a slave to for years. This brings me onto my third point…

Get yourself some support. Say your new year goals out loud, tell your family and friends, write them down. You are far more likely to achieve something if it is actually written down in front of you and you have said it out loud. Telling your family and friends means you are now accountable to someone else, and if you do'n’t manage to achieve what you set out to do, you will feel like you have let them down. So this is a good motivator. Me and my family have created a Dry Jan Whatsapp group (lol) because we are all doing it together, and it really helps. Just small things like checking in at the end of each day to say you have achieved your goal for the day, and others are there to support and encourage.

Lastly, If you are like me, a new year is not just about what behaviours you want to change for the month of January. It is a chance to look toward the whole year and set some long term goals. For me personally, I have certain business goals I want to achieve within my industry, as well as personal goals and fitness goals. I think it is important to write these down, daily if you can. If you want something, be clear on what that is and keep it in your mind, because what you focus on will grow. I do believe it is manifesting your own reality to an extent, however the more you think about something, the more you are likely to take action on it. So it is ultimately down to you and how you choose to behave to get to where you want to be. So be clear on what you want, and implement the steps to get there. You will surely have to step out of your comfort zone, as no one has ever become a better/more successful person by staying in their comfort zone, but it will be worth it. Don’t think about the fact it is scary or uncomfortable, just move, and think later - I guarantee your thoughts after you have stepped out of your comfort zone will be totally different to the thoughts you had before doing so. Action over thought.

How to: Grow your booty

Lets be honest - us ladies all want a great ass. It is on trend at the moment and for me personally when my butt is looking good, I feel great about myself, strong and sexy, and who doesn’t want that. When I ask women what they want to achieve physique wise in the gym, 99% of them will also say they want a bigger butt, or a more shapely, and toned booty. So I wanted to share my top 4 tips on how to grow your glutes.

1. Compound movements

These are so so important and I talk about them all the time. I literally wont ever be able to stress enough how important compound exercises are for every aspect of your body, and in particular your glutes. If I could only perform one form of exercise for the rest of my life it would be compound exercises. They have so so many benefits and work every single large muscle group in your body. Every single leg and booty day should involve compound movements. I would go as far to say centre your workouts around them. These are all forms of your squats, deadlifts and lunges. I would include 2-3 of these into your workout. And for optimal growth, you want to be training your legs around 3 times a week. But make sure you are getting adequate rest in between. Remember with these moves to also go HEAVY. This is where you will make the most gains.

2. Eat

Think of food as fuel. If you are only consuming enough to provide you with the energy expenditure you use per day, there is none left over to go towards anything else. Basically, if you don’t eat a significant amount, you wont put on size. Unfortunately we cannot control where we want the weight to go. But if you implement proper training along with a healthy balanced diet of a lot of food, you will make good gains. Of course, with increase in muscle comes increase in fat, we cant help this, so it really depends on your goals. We need to make sacrifices. If you want to gain muscle, you need to be prepared to put on a little bit of extra fluff, because like fat, muscle will only increase if it is fed. It’s the opposite on the other end of the scale, if you want to lose weight, you will have to sacrifice a bit of muscle mass for this also. So just figure out what is the most important to you at this point in time. But if you want a booty, you wont get very far if you are not eating in a slight surplus.

3. Activation

This is a big one and is something I am actually guilty of not implementing enough. Our glutes are such a large muscle group and it takes a long time to get them fired up. I am struggling to think of a good example to compare them to, if you can think of a good one, let me know in the comments below.

I am going to go with a grumpy teenager analogy. Think about how long it takes to wake up a teenager at 7am to get ready for school. They probably snooze their alarm, their parents come in a few times to try wake them up, and after all these little nags, eventually they are up. It is similar with our glutes, they are such a big muscle that it takes longer to get them to wake up and take over. Usually, when performing our compound movements, a lot of us will be quad dominant and have the quads take over. However, if you activate your glutes beforehand, this will help get them ready to be the dominant muscle used for the movement. You can activate your glutes through crab walks, leg raises, glute bridges etc. You can also add a band if you want to get that extra isolation activation before your workout. This also helps to engage the mind to muscle connection throughput your workout which makes a big difference.

4. Progression

The last one I want to talk about is progression. You simply wont get far if you are not progressing. So TRACK YOUR WORKOUTS. This is so important, so you make an active decision to lift heavier than you did last session. When I don’t track my workouts, 99% of the time I will just stick to the same weight or rep range, because I wont be thinking - ok so I did this much weight last week, so today lets push for this. This is why I also highly recommend following a program and not just going in doing whatever on the day. With a program, you will be progressing throughout - and practice makes perfect. Stick to one program for about 6-8 weeks, and then move onto another one. Don’t switch it up every week, you will just end up moving in a circle.

You also do not just have to increase the weight. There are so many other forms of progression, for example your range of motion (maybe you are aiming for a deeper squat), time under tension (adding a pause at the bottom of the movement), increasing the reps or increasing the sets etc etc. There is so much you can play with. Just keep the exercises consistent and TRACK.

Lastly, I want to note down a few of my favourite exercises that I like to implement on my leg and booty days, so you can give them a go too :)

• sumo dead lift

• stiff leg romanian deadlift

• squat (conventional, sumo and front)

• leg press

• glute pull through

• hip thrusts

• good mornings

Thank you so much for reading this and if you read my blog posts on a regular basis. I want to run a little competition to say thank you. I am going to give away a free 8 week workout guide tailored specifically to you. So if you would like a chance to have me design this for you, to enter all you need to do is take a screenshot of my blog and share it to your Instagram story! Also go onto my page and tag two friends in my most recent instagram post. I will announce the winner in next weeks blog :)

Also - I am sorry if this post seems messy and all over the place, I genuinely spent like an hour and a half writing it and then accidentally deleted the whole thing and tried to recreate it in 30 mins lol. But oh well, these things happen. I promise the next one will be much better quality.

Thank you so much again and see you next week xx

Reasons why you should have a Personal Trainer

I am going to dive into some points to do with why I think it is so important to have a Personal Trainer if you are serious about reaching your fitness goals. Now, I am not saying this because I just got certified and I want you to hire me (but hire me! I am fab I promise ;)). I am saying this because I am talking from experience.

When I was training myself way back when, yes I saw little changes here and there, but never big differences that you would expect to see. It is only really within the last six months that I have seen phenomenal changes above and beyond what I tried to do for myself in two and a half/3 years, due to the fact that I decided to invest in Personal Training. I gained so much knowledge it was crazy, it just simplified things for me in terms that I could grasp, understand, and it was just great to have someone create a workout programme for me that I knew was right, I didn’t have to worry about not seeing results because the programme was tailored to what I wanted to achieve. See the pics I have posted below, there is no more than 2 years between the photos, and trust me when I say the changes were mostly within this year, I just don’t have many pics sadly (please always take progress pics, your weight fluctuates, your figure will not).

Nutrition wise, a trainer is so valuable here, they can work out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) for maintenance, therefore they can plan your macros towards a deficit, a surplus or maintaining. I mean, anyone can figure these numbers out, however it isn’t usually something we would think about doing. I never did - and in actual fact, it is the foundation of your training. You cant build a brick house without bricks, look at it this way. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand, which is something that kind of needs to be drilled into you by a professional in the field, because as much as we know this, we don’t want to believe it until we are really told by someone. My nutrition was not on point until this year, and this is when my changes sped up. Coupled with the right type of weight training for my goals you will be unstoppable seriouslyyy. This brings me onto what a trainer can do for you exercise wise.

A lot of the time, I am sure you just get inspo for your workouts from Instagram or Youtube, you know the videos where they tell you “this will grow your booty” or “six pack abs”. I too have fallen into this trap - now I am a big advocate of any kind of exercise is good exercise, as long as you are moving your body. And these videos are great if you are just starting out and need a little bit of extra confidence to push yourself into the weight area - this is what I used them for, I went by Youtube vids for years, and they actually helped me find my passion for weightlifting. However, they are only usually what I like to call on the surface videos. They do not explain the reasonings behind the reps and sets that they do, or the type of exercise, what it does and how it works. It is important to know this. If you are really serious about changing your body, you need a proper programme that is completely tailored to you and your specific goals. A lot of the time, what you see online are also just accessory exercises, these will do absolutely nothing for you if you do not start off with a basic strength foundation that is gained from your compound exercises, getting all of the muscles fired up.

There is also the element of cost when it comes to training. But to be honest, if you are serious about making a change in your life - you will invest in yourself and find a way. Say a trainer costs 70 pounds for an hour, maybe sacrifice a mid week dinner and drinks (which will easily come to 70 quid if you live in London). There are also other options, some trainers offer group sessions. Maybe you and a friend have the same goals, so try group training, this usually is the same price, but split in half between you and a friend e.g. instead of 70 you will pay 35 pounds each. But I cant speak for all trainers, you will have to speak to them about what they can offer you to help you financially. As I said, if you are serious, there are always options, and you will find a way.

Lastly, so many of us just have no idea where to start when it comes to weight training, muscle growth and fat loss. We also lack confidence when it comes to getting into the gym. A trainer can be your guide, and teach you everything you need to know, to give you that confidence to go off and do it on your own.

Taking all of this into account - and I know I said I was not going to #shamelesslyplug myself - but I want to give you amazing guys that read my blog the opportunity to have a FREE consultation and session with me. Starting from October, based in the Fulham area. So please hit me up! You can email me on hello@tashlankester.com, get in touch via insta, or the blog, or, if you are a friend, just message me girl I’m here to help. Any type of training you would like! We can have a sit down & chat over coffee, and then do any kind of session you desire, whether it be weights, outdoors etc, I am also available for a FaceTime consultation if you are not in London, I have got you covered. If this is the little kick you needed to start your fitness journey - it’s a sign! Don’t let it slip away. I will only be holding this offer open for October so get in quickkkk. Just a way of saying thanks so much for reading my blog I really appreciate it <3 <3 <3.

ALSO - stay tuned for my Sunday blog. It will be a daily routine vlog and everything that I do on a normal day-to-day. E.g. work, fitness, food, social etc etc. It will be a good one. I will also be posting it from SYDNEY. I am off to Australia for my graduation so make sure to follow my Instagram to see what I will be getting up to. I am so so excited. Will be a beautiful time filled with family, friends, laughter and all of the food and drink - because you can’t not when you are on holiday. And oh my goodness is it needed.

Thanks so much for reading, and please share with your friends and loved ones if you think they could benefit from a read.