I pray to god that you haven't experienced that nasty norovirus yet.

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It absolutely wiped me out for two days last week!

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It's times like these that I'm grateful I do right by my health.

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Talking of doing right by your health, there have never been more quick fixes and shortcuts than there is right now.

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It seems like every week there's a new trend that hits social media by storm.

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So that's where I'm going today as I highlight....
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5 Fitness Trends To Be Aware Of This Year

 

I'm going to spit these between good and bad trends.

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There are going to be trends that come out this year that I'm fully on board with, but equally, there is going to be a lot of the usual crap that plagues the industry.

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Let's get stuck into the first one.

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Extreme Diets

 

It seems like every year we have a new one of these.

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We had keto a few years back, Atkins before that, and recently it's been the carnivore diet.

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Now, I'm not necessarily against any of these diets because I'm a firm believer that certain things work for certain people.

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It's more the rhetoric behind them and how they're pushed on vulnerable people.

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These diets promise quick results, and their popularity is often driven by influencers showing drastic transformations and telling you how glamorous they feel.

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The reality though is far from glamorous.

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These diets are restrictive, mostly unsustainable, and can often cause more harm than good, especially when we talk about the psychological side of nutrition.

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Keto, while effective for certain people, is unnecessarily restrictive for most and often leads to rebounding weight gain when life gets busy.

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Diets like these can create an unhealthy “all-or-nothing” mindset around food, not to mention how it makes social eating a nightmare.

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Instead, I'd focus on balance. Eat nutrient-dense foods most of the time while leaving room for flexibility. You don’t need to ban carbs or live off steak to see results.

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Even though steak all day does sound bloody delicious.

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Score: Bad 👎🏻

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Heat Therapy

 

Heat therapy has been used for centuries, and for good reason.

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Research suggests that regular sauna sessions can improve:

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- Cardiovascular health

- Aid in muscle recovery

- And reduce stress

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Research even links consistent sauna use to increased longevity.

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When your body is exposed to high heat, like you are in a sauna, it creates Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) and plays a big role in the benefits I mentioned above.

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For those with a busy lifestyle, I can't recommend saunas enough.

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Taking some time to unwind, while giving your body tangible health benefits, feels amazing.

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If you're new to using a sauna I'd advise you start with 5 minutes and gradually build your way up to 10-15 minutes a few times a week. Make it part of your recovery routine.

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One of the problems people run into is dehydration, so make sure you drink plenty of water before and after. Electrolytes work a treat as well.

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Now, before you use a sauna make sure you're able to actually use one. If you're not sure, please seek the advice of a medical professional. Which I am not.

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Score: Good 👍🏻

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Fitness Challenges

 

Every January we see a host of new fitness challenges and 1-2 of them seem to go a little viral.

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By far the biggest one in recent times has been the '75 Hard' challenge.

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For 75 days you have to follow these rules:

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- No cheat meals or alcohol

- Two 45-minute workouts, one of them outside

- Drink three litres of water

- Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book

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Now, if someone manages to follow through and complete the challenge, they'll have made some pretty epic progress.

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But here's my issue. It may look appealing because they give you a structure and promise of a transformation, but they often set people up to fail.

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Why? They focus on extreme behaviours—daily two-a-day workouts, rigid diets, no flexibility.

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Miss one day, and you’re “back to square one.”

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This approach creates a toxic relationship with fitness, making it feel like punishment instead of self-improvement.

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It’s not sustainable for those who have demanding schedules. Life is unpredictable, and you need a plan that works with—not against—your commitments.

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So instead I would focus on build habits gradually. Focus on consistency over intensity. One missed workout or a slice of cake won’t ruin your progress.

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Score: Bad 👎🏻

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Mental Fitness

 

Physical fitness rightly gets all the attention, but 'mental fitness' is just as important.

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Last year I started seeing more and more content related to mental wellness and I firmly believe that it's going to go up a few levels this year.

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You're only as strong as your mind, which makes having control over your mental wellbeing absolutely crucial.

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Practices like meditation, journaling, and mindfulness are no longer seen as “soft” skills; instead they need to be seen through the lens of an essential tool.

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If you want to increase your resilience and focus, while guaranteeing better decision-making, then you need to prioritise your mental fitness.

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Your mental health affects everything—from your performance at work to your relationships. By training your mind, you build the capacity to handle stress and stay focused under pressure.

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If you were to dedicate as little as 10 minutes a day to your mental fitness, every aspect of your life would drastically improve.

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You can check out apps like Calm or Headspace to get started, but even a simple gratitude list can make a difference.

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Score: Good 👍🏻

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The 5 am Club

 

Now, if you've followed me for a while you'll know I'm a very driven person.

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When I put my mind to something, be it business or health, I put a sh*t tonne of effort into getting it done.

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But there are limits, and one of those limits is sleep deprivation!

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I've seen quite a few videos recently, mostly on TikTok of course, of 'influencers' sharing their morning routines and what a day in their life looks like.

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For one, who the hell cares?

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Secondly, is any of what they're showing you actually real?

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But there's been an alarming rise in the number of influencers pushing very early mornings.

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Now I'm good with early mornings. Midweek I'm up at 6:45 am.

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But 5 am is a different story altogether. I did 5 am Mon-Fri for a very long time when I was coaching in a gym and it was hard as hell!

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Can it be done successfully?

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Very easily.

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Waking up early gives you time to tackle your goals before the world wakes up. But here’s the problem:

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Most people sacrifice sleep to make this happen.

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Less sleep means poorer decision-making, reduced focus, and lower productivity—all the things you’re trying to improve by waking up early!

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Sleep is non-negotiable for high performance. Waking up early is pointless if you’re only getting five hours of sleep and relying on caffeine to function.

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You'll be much better served prioritising 7-8 hours of quality sleep. If mornings are your most productive time, shift your bedtime earlier—but don’t sacrifice rest for hustle culture.

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Score: Bad 👎🏻

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So there we have it, some of the fitness trends I want you to be aware of this year.

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If you have an opinion on any of these I'd love to hear from you.

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And if you have any trends you think are worth sharing, feel free to share them with me.

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My coaching program, The Paradigm Project, helps ambitious entrepreneurs, c-suites, & business owners live a healthier, stronger, and all-around better life.
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Most importantly, one of the main aims of the program is to help every single client achieve pain-free performance!
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If you are in the mood to transform your health & fitness, then life-changing results are within your reach.
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​Click on the link to book your free coaching call and we can build a plan that changes your life!

 

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Quote for the day

We're coming up to the end of January. If you're like a lot of people and you're feeling like you didn't make the most of the month, fret not.

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If things went a little pair shaped, accept it and move on. You've got plenty of time to turn things around.

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Go and crush the rest of this week and go into the new month with a renewed sense of urgency and belief.