Do you have a workout and track your calories specifically to go to the shop on the way home and pick up a treat?

You're definitely not alone if you do.

So many people I speak to measure their exercise calories to cancel out poor food choices.

It's a lost battle.

Without much effort you can whack in a hundred calories, a banana would do it.  300kcals is a standard chocolate bar or breakfast pastry.

The average person burns 100kcals per mile covered on foot.  If you walk it at a reasonable pace, you're looking at 20 minutes of work.  A steady run and you're done in 10 minutes.

If you're anything like me, that bar took about 30 seconds to demolish.

It's just not worth it.

If you want to be successful with weight loss you need to think of calories in and calories burnt by exercise as two entirely separate entities.

I gained fat when training for an ironman.  I was doing a lot of miles on the bike but stopping too often for a coffee, cake and maybe a cheeky sausage roll.  

I justified it to myself by saying I was out on a 6 hour ride.

I hadn't factored in the fact that the whole purpose of cardio exercise is to become more efficient and thus burn less calories.

Cardio work is important for many different reasons but from a weight loss point f view for most people it becomes limited.

It certainly does with me.

I respond much better to strength training and conditioning work - like we do at bootcamp.  It's what I'm going to focus on over the next few months.

Over the past week, one of AK13's favourite games have been to bounce on 'Daddy's belly'.  It's pretty bouncy at the minute.

I've been over-eating, particularly cake/sweet stuff and using the adoption process as a cause.  

I was making a conscious decision to eat the foods I was eating, I accept responsibility for that and have made changes.

I've had conversations with myself about maybe keeping the belly because it's a fun game and the kids have already had a lot of upheaval I didn't want to take away a game.  Again trying to justify not being in great shape.

I'm reasonably fit, particularly on the bike at the minute as I have a few clients doing long multiple day rides and I have been taking them out for 80+ mile rides.

It's just my shape isn't what I'd like it to be.

I'm using our 'Back to Basics Bootcamp' as a starting point for me too.

Having the kids around is making it easier for me at the moment as we are sitting down with them to eat 3 meals per day.  They have some snacks too, I don't feel I need them at the moment because I'm not training that hard.

On Monday, I will start following our online bootcamp when the kids go to bed and add some rides and runs in when I can.  I'm not going to pressurise myself but 20 minutes can be enough, if you do it right.

As always, if you need our help getting back in to shape or making a fresh start, our next block of bootcamp starts on next Monday 5th September 2016.

If you want to join - www.achievebootcamp.co.uk

Darren 'Bouncy Belly' Checkley

PS We always use our September bootcamp as a chance to give everyone a reset and get back to basics with diet and nutrition.  Ready to get the serious work started for the Christmas party season.