Frequently asked questions
What kind of support do I get?
- Personalized onboarding with the BodyMAP, and personalised at-home (or gym if you have access!) short workouts to follow (delivered through app)
- Nutrition coaching with specific attention to current intake analysis, how to follow a long-term plan which is in line with your goals, portion control, and an introduction to the key habits for long term success. Delivered through video and PDF short-reads, through the app
- Weekly check-in questionnaire and personal response from me
- Group coaching once per week with through live session with me
- Access to like-minded community of people on similar journey through private group (curated by me)
- Access to one-on-one coaching with me, as required, through ‘office hours’ Calendly link
In addition, leaving notes and comments on your workouts in the app is encouraged. I’ll know every time you complete or miss a workout and you’ll be hearing from me!
What can I expect in terms of results?
This depends on what your goal is and how able you are at this time to apply the principles. At the very least, expect to lose fat, feel stronger, gain a real sense of control over eating decisions and have better energy levels.
What have some of your clients achieved?
*Here are a selection of actual client comments:*
- Lost 1.5 stone
- Much stronger
- Upper body looking more toned (people commented)
- Healthier eating (food I enjoy)
- Can do things I couldn’t do before (push ups)
- Improved mobility
- Improved confidence
- Lost centimetres from my waistline
- Keeping up regular exercises
- Much better eating habits
- Toned physique
- I just feel better
- Looked better (even other people commented!)
- Lower cholesterol
- Lost fat and gained some muscle (according to the machine at my gym)
- Arrived at surf camp and didn’t have muscle injuries or aches
- Better at carving out time for my health, both at work and in prep time
Who is this coaching for?
This coaching is for anyone who is looking for real physical improvement in terms of fat loss, toning, strength gains and/or improved energy levels. It’s for those who need a realistic, tailored programme, based on their time and equipment available. It’s for those who would like practical advice, based both on their unique set of circumstances and on my many years of real-world experience of facilitating improvements. It’s for those who are prepared to invest in themselves and are open to support and direction, to reignite their own motivation to get to where they want to be.
Who is this coaching not for?
If you’re not at a stage where you can honestly make your health and fitness one of your priorities, this coaching is not for you at this time. If you’re looking for a meal-plan, a list of supplements to ‘hack’ your way to fitness or the latest diet to fast-success, I’d look elsewhere.
How do you track progress?
We will measure the following variables at the outset and re-measure them at regular intervals to ensure that we’re heading in the right direction:
- Self OVER Score (Overall Vitality and Energy Reassessment)
- Circumferential measurements
- Progress photos
- Weight
How do I check in with you?
As you complete the scheduled workouts within the app you can make notes, leave comments and mark them as ‘completed’. I see all of these!
In addition:
- You’ll need to fill in a weekly check-in questionnaire (which will recieve a detailed response from me)
- Group coaching once per week with through a live (Zoom) session with me
- Access to like-minded community of people on similar journey through a private group (curated by me)
- Access to one-on-one coaching with me, as required through exclusive ‘office hours’ Calendly link
How long do the workouts take to complete?
Between twenty and forty minutes. This depends on your goals, the time you have available and the frequency with which we can programme them into your week.
I have no way of getting to a gym. Can I still get results?
Yes, you can – depending on your goals of course. We will utilise the space and time that you have available to get you the best possible results. Gyms can be very useful but if they are not an option, we will be creative with our design of workouts in terms of resistance, mobility and cardiovascular challenge.
What is the Body M.A.P.?
The Body Movement Assessment Protocol was created to provide a consistent way of looking at how clients move, within the context of online personal training. You’re asked to perform twelve movements to the best of your ability, as shown through the demonstrations in the app. This collection of recorded movements coupled with your consultation responses and requirements enables your programme to be uniquely tailored to you. I can identify strengths, areas which need work, and things we need to be particularly careful of when prescribing exercises. Crucially, the M.A.P. gives you a recorded ‘benchmark of movement’ which is always good to compare yourself against as mobility and stability improves over time. The Body M.A.P. is exclusive to Achieve Your Objective.
What is the Guided Movement Screen?
The Guided Movement Screen is a more in-depth version of the Body M.A.P. It is performed live through video conferencing, with direct instruction and immediate feedback given. This is an opportunity for me to provide on-the-spot reassurance and customisation for any movements that you may have concerns about.
What if I don’t know how to perform an exercise in the workout, or am unsure about my form?
All the exercises are designed for you, following your consultation as well as your movement analysis so the training you will be doing will be within your capabilities. In addition, there are video demonstrations and descriptions for every exercise. If you’d like direct feedback you can record yourself doing the movement within the app.
Do I need to purchase any equipment?
It might be necessary to purchase a few inexpensive items, especially if the workouts are non-gym based or specific mobility work is required at home. This will be communicated to you as soon as your consultation and movement analysis have been completed.
Do I need to download any software?
Just the app. Everything you need is inside. A link will be sent to you upon signing up.
How strict does my diet need to be?
You’ll be getting personal coaching to learn and practice better nutritional habits, as opposed to dietary dogma. There’ll no doubt be foods you eat less of, and foods we’ll look to increase in your day, but the idea is that we move away from the idea of having to be ‘strict’ to achieve your goals.
How do I track my food intake?
For a few days simply take a picture of everything that you eat and drink, and save it to the ‘Tracking’ section of the app. There is room to add comments and details as you go. Together we’ll use this wealth of honest information to guide us into making positive, yet realistic changes.
Can I still drink alcohol on your programme?
Of course, this is your journey. Let’s have an honest chat about what you’re trying to achieve and agree what can be realistic within the broader context of your life.
What are the key principles that guide your approach to coaching nutrition and exercise?
Food is best enjoyed and savoured, rather than restricted and measured. Exercise and movement can be done for its own sake or for a specific goal but needs to leave you feeling better after you’ve done it, and/or closer to that goal.
How long have you been a coach and what is your experience?
I have been a coach for over 20 years, working mainly with busy professional individuals in London, UK, to achieve performance and aesthetic improvements. I have worked together with clients to consistently find solutions to get results despite the most challenging of situations. I have taken a keen interest in coaching nutrition (as well as effective, entertaining exercise) over the last five years, qualifying with and working for Precision Nutrition. For more about my journey click here.
I know what to do already. I reckon you’re just gonna tell me what I know already or what I can get online for free. So why do I need a coach?
I can understand this sentiment, especially with the ever-increasing amount of information out there, much of it conflicting. I can also understand the feeling that one is “intelligent enough to work out what to do and get on with it”. Intelligence, however, has nothing to do with it. Clearly, neither does ever-increasing availability to random knowledge. What works, long term, for any given individual is their ability to identify and focus on what is possible given their time-sapping schedule, and making that happen, consistently. That is what coaching really helps with, and that is why it is so effective.
I’m busy. Doing this isn’t going to make me less busy, in fact won’t it add to the list of ‘things I have to do’ during my day? How’s it going to work for me?
This programme isn’t magic, and you do have to decide to make a change to the status quo in order to experience results. Time is finite. No-one is going to give you time to add some self-care into your day – you’re going to have to take that time back and defend it. This coaching will help you identify where that time can be created and provide the guidance and support to get the most out these windows of opportunity.
I don’t really fancy this ‘nutrition coaching’; can I just have a meal plan?
Yes. Just not from Achieve Your Objective. Meal plans, no matter how ‘bespoke’ or ‘calorifically perfect for you’ are the very opposite of what fosters long-term success. After working with Achieve Your Objective, one of the goals is for you to feel comfortable in any situation making decisions which are positive for your goals, though selections, how you eat, and other subtle nuances. Yes, we will discuss the best things to buy when ‘out and about’, things you can prepare when/if you have a little more time and yes there are recommended recipes, but meals plans are not part of this programme.
I’ve shopped around, and you seem more pricey than some other coaches. Why?
My prices are a genuine reflection of the time and care required to look after an individual within the parameters as outlined. When held up against the cost of in-person training, they represent amazing value for the high standard of attention received. If your situation would be better served by hiring the services of someone in-person as opposed to online, or someone other than me, I’ll be honest enough to advise that (that’s why there’s an ‘Apply Now’ button, as opposed to ‘Buy Now’).
How do payments work?
The coaching packages are delivered in 12-week blocks, and it is recommended that you give it the full 12 weeks to see real changes. Payments are collected in two parts (week 0 and week 4), unless you pay for the block in full at the outset. All payments are handled through the secure online payments system.
Is there a contract or agreement that I’m tied into?
No contract. It’s recommended that you follow a package of coaching for a minimum of 12 weeks to see, cement and build on the habits and successes. There’s no obligation however, and you can cancel at any time and get a refund on any unused weeks.
I’m due to go on holiday soon – should I wait until I get back before starting my programme?
This depends on what kind of holiday you’re planning to have! It might well be prudent to wait until your return before staring something new. On the other hand, a change of scene can be a great facilitator for change… contact me below if you’re weighing up the decision and I can hopefully advise!
I’m training for a specific event. Can the programme be built around my training schedule?
Yes it can, in all probability. I’ll need to know full details of what your schedule entails so that everything we do is complimentary to the existing plan and event.
Can I undertake a programme with a friend/partner?
The coaching – training and nutrition – is personalised so there isn’t a facility to do a ‘joint package’. Two individuals can of course start at the same time and co-ordinate with and motivate each other, but the programmes and attention will be individual.
I am injured/have a medical condition. Can you still help me?
You’ll need to speak with your doctor to get clearance or approval to commence any new programme of training. This applies in person, as well as online, if you have a pre-existing injury or condition. This service is aimed at improving health through a range of parameters but does not diagnose nor treat injuries or medical conditions.
Do you train people in person?
Yes I do, with limited availability these days due to the munchkin, and existing commitments to long-standing clients. I’m based at the W Hotel in central London, UK. E-mail me directly to enquire.
What happens after my 12-week package ends?
We’ll have a conversation about how happy you are with your journey, and where you’d like to go next! Some people are so happy with the changes that they repeat the programme (either with fresh habits or deeper focus on the ones already covered). Others prefer to move on to the Maintenance Plan. A few have taken the ‘Chose your own adventure’ option and gone for bespoke programming for a specific challenge. Or we can digitally shake hands and you can simply take your new (or re-built) exercise and nutritional skills forward, with confidence.
What’s the next step?
Apply to work with me! Fill out the form here.