Aussie Fatblast Hotseat with Kettlebell Queen

I've got a special q n a for you today team!

Caroline Radway, the Kettlebelle Queen as I like to call her, is a girl I've had a little bit to do with in the last year since she introduced herself.

We have been partners in the Free Fat Loss Tips launch I ran in July

Q: So Caroline, what's your number one tip for women who want to maximise their fat loss results?

Many women think they key to fat loss is pounding the pavement / treadmill /
stairmaster for hours on end. This is not the best approach - training with intensity is vital, to maximise metabolic 'disturbance', meaning your body then has to burn calories after the session and throughout the day.

This also means your fitness levels increase quicker, so you can handle more work
and more intensity sooner. The secret to getting this right, however, is matching intense workouts with rest and recovery (stretching / foam rolling - there are bonuses to take you through all of this in KettleBelleBody).

You also need to make sure you are eating supportively - plenty of nutrients while maintaining a calorie deficit. It is the clever combination of these factors that maximises fat loss results - any one part in isolation will not give you maximum results.

Q: What's your view on mindset Caroline? How important is getting your mind
right in achieving the body that you deserve?

Mindset is absolutely vital for achieving success and getting your body the way you want, and deserve, it to be. You have to have the WHAT and WHY figured out before you even start - this will help you take the right course in the first place, and will ensure you stay on track through the hard parts (as there are always challenges and obstacles in our way!).

If you have a strong enough 'why', however, the obstacles become much easier to overcome - your subconscious helps you to find every way possible to overcome them. If you don't have that reason cemented in your mind, it becomes all to easy to let the obstacles stop you in your tracks altogether.

There's a section in KettleBelleBody about how to get this all worked out, as well as an audio where I talk in more detail about the ins and outs of motivation and mindset.

Q: What's your take on nutrition? As you know from my Aussie Fatblast
program I really encourage people to eliminate as much of the processed food as possible out of your diet. Where do you stand on this?

I'm all for ditching the junk! Processed foods tax the body and provide a lot of things you don't want (excess sodium, additives, trans fats, random chemicals, lots of calories) without all that you do (the vitamins, minerals, enzymes that keep your body running optimally). You can cut your calories way down but if it's all junk you will still struggle to lose weight - and you will likely be even more hungry as 1500 calories of processed food is a lot less food than 1500 calories in chicken and vegetables!

Each meal should be based around a lean protein source, with loads of veggies, and a small amount of natural fats and carbs (each person varies on the carb side of things, and natural, unprocessed carbs definitely have their place in a fat loss diet.

Most people will see results by simply making changes to the quality of the diet, and never have to count calories. However, fat loss is only going to happen if you achieve a sustained calorie deficit over time.

If fat loss isn't happening, you may be over-eating healthy foods, such as nuts or olive oil, so may need to keep a check on calories. But for the most part, so long as you are aware of the calorie dense foods and consume them sensibly, focusing on whole, natural foods you can't go far wrong!

You can even add a square of dark chocolate in there - the really good stuff is actually good for you, so no more guilt when you are trying to satisfy that sweet
craving! Once you get used to only having sugars in natural foods (fruits) your taste buds change anyway, and you can easily satisfy your sweet tooth with natural, healthy foods.

Q: My readers will like your chocolate tip! Now, as a woman, can you once and for all convince all of my women readers that they are not going to get big and bulky from training with kettlebells and heavy weights?

Big and bulky takes testosterone - so if any women readers out there are worried, keep the training up and ditch the steroids! Jokes aside, it is a valid concern as there are women who have a more 'butch' look that most of us don't aspire to.

However, that is due to 'bodybuilder' style training. Ironically, it is likely to be the style you may already be doing in the gym, focusing on one body part at a time. Kettlebell training uses compound movements that use the entire body - a functional way of training more similar to how athletes would train. Athletes will only get 'bulky' if its needed for their sport as it is often counter-productive.

To gain muscle, you also need to eat loads! Guys trying to pack on the pounds struggle to eat enough to gain muscle. As you will be trying to get a calorie deficit there is just no way you will bulk - you will just get lean and look great.

Finally, some women complain about thighs and calves getting bigger when they begin to exercise. This is usually linked to cardio, especially the stepper or treadmill, even though they may assume it's the few squats they did afterwards.

If you perform a repeated bout of work on your legs, such as stepping for 20 minutes, and repeat that on a regular basis, the muscles can shorten chronically. This gives the impression they have bulked up. As you will be doing dynamic and compound exercises, working all muscle groups, you will not be over-working one area in this way anyway.

This is made worse by not following the workout with adequate stretching. I deeply encourage stretching after training and also foam rolling on a regular basis (self-myofascial release - see the manual in KettleBelleBody for a detailed explanation and instructions) which will ensure this does not happen.

This is not only aesthetic - tight, short muscles do not work as they should and injury can result. Stretching and foam rolling are key parts of the 'recovery' that is so important in ensuring you get maximum results - don't skip it!

In addition, Kettlebell training itself improves your flexibility - and if you also follow the Yoga Flow programme in KettleBelleBody you can be sure you will have the body of your dreams in no time!

Q: Great answer Caroline. What's the Kettlebelle Queen's favourite kettlebell exercise?

My favourite exercise - it's a hard one (the question, and the exercises I guess) as I can't pick just one. The Renegade Row I love as I can feel it working everywhere (a plank on 2 kettlebells and you row one KB in, alternating each side) but the same goes for the Turkish Get Up (kettlebell overhead - go from standing to lying and back again, keeping the KB overhead).

They are both 'love / hate' exercises - I would probably not say they were my favourite in the middle of a set, but they give you amazing results and atisfaction. I love simple swings, too, though. Such a simple, yet effective, way to get the blood pumping!

Q: Can men do the Kettlebelle Body Workout or is it just for the girls?

KettleBelleBody is not just for girls! But I decided I wanted to give women out there a programme that was for them first and foremost, answering their needs, frustrations and concerns. The flexibility of the schedule was designed to appeal to the busy woman, but guys are in the same boat and would benefit equally from that aspect.

The workouts themselves are as easy or as hard as you make them - if you take the harder options you will get a killer workout, no doubt, male or female. I use the same workouts with my male clients and they love them, and are getting fantastic results. The difference is usually that the guys will use heavier weights (although I use 2 x 16kg KBs and a 20kg for all exercises - most guys would be challenged plenty starting there!

There are options in the workouts themselves to take a slightly easier or harder variation - for example a lot of people cannot do renegade rows, so will do 1 arm rows. You can use the detailed exercise manual separately to practice new moves, before incorporating them into the workouts.

Q: Good. Now I won't feel too feminine when I give em a go! I really like your complexes you've designed and I can say that it isn't an airy fairy girly program where you do 20 arm curls with 2kg dumbbells. How do you convince your women that they are not going to get any fat loss results training the way that most people do?

I think by the time people come to me they usually realise that what they are doing just isn't working! They are desperate to find out what will work and kettlebell training, once explained, just makes so much sense. Quick, flexible workouts in the comfort of your own home, maximising your exercise time, not only means you will get great results from the actual workouts, but also means you are more likely to actually be able to work out in the first place!

Any programme will only work if you actually do it, consistently, so for many this is key. The fact that the workouts are challenging but customisable means they can fit in to the busiest of schedules, but also means there is infinite variety - your mind and body need that to get results, and keep you fired up about your training.

Combining smart training with rest, recovery and nutrition is the key, and having a support network also makes a huge difference in compliance and motivation, so I encourage people to join my network (Mission Slim-Possible) once they have bought the book, where they can ask me and fellow KettleBelles any questions, or just to talk to other like-minded people with similar goals (and a shared 'love/hate' for the Turkish Get Up!).

I'll also be using that site to run a 6 week KettleBelleBody Transformation
Challenge in the New Year (starting 2nd Jan - takes us right up to 14th Feb so perfect timing for looking and feeling hot for that big date or night out!). I'm there on a regular basis, answering questions and giving support and encouragement - almost like having your own trainer!

Nice work Caroline, thanks for your time. You've given some great fat burning exercises and answers for women (and men) to get rid of any of those Christmas drinks that you will be consuming at this time of year.

Also, guess who she asked to throw in a couple of bonuses for her program as well?

Yep, I've given up my Little Black Dress Workout and my 13.5 Healthy Meals in 13.5 Minutes that I was only going to release with my Aussie Fatblast Success System.

Yeah, Caroline's a persistent girl!

You can find out more about Caroline's Kettlebelle Body Program by clicking here.

If you decide that this program is for you, send me an email of your receipt and I'll give you a food diary review valued at $50.

I'll email you a food diary template and you can fill out everything you eat for a week and I'll give you my 2 cents on how you can use the Kettlebelle Body workout and my nutrition feedback to accelerate your fat loss results.

Don't let fear hold you back - check it out now

http://tinyurl.com/5ubyck

Daniel Munday
Sydney Personal Trainer and Sydney Boot Camp Specialist