Cathy Grant Health & Fitness

26/02/2024

Are you looking to get active in Limerick? sports partnership has a great list of activities to try!
https://www.facebook.com/share/6MKjRkv4VJgbRBAb/

📣 ONE WEEK TO GO - Women in Sport Week 2024, March 4th -10th!

⭐ To celebrate Women in Sport Week, we have teamed up with a number of clubs and groups to put on taster sessions in different venues around Limerick city and county, for women and girls to try out new physical activities in fun, social settings!

ℹ️ Check out our full list of events and take this opportunity to try a new sport, activity or get back doing something you love!

For info on events, check out our page 👇
https://limericksports.ie/women-in-sport-week-2024/

Limerick.ie Limerick Leader Limerick Post Newspaper Sport Ireland WWW.ILOVELIMERICK.COM Live 95 SPIN South West West Limerick 102 University of Limerick Mary Immaculate College, Ireland Technological University of the Shannon Healthy Ireland TUS Midwest Sport Women's Shed Limerick LimerickGAA Limerickladies Gaelicfootball Get Going Get Rowing Na Piarsaigh GAA Limerick Na Piarsaigh Limerick Gaelic For Mothers & Others Na Piarsaigh Limerick Gaelic For Mothers & Others Limerick Ladies Cycling Club Hospital Handball Club Kilmallock Library

18/05/2022

Really enjoy working with these awesome moms to be. Pay as you go available too!

07/01/2022

6 tips for beginners in the gym

The gym can be a daunting place especially if you have never used one. There are cardio machines, free weights, squat racks, benches and machines that look like medieval torture racks. Add the masses of people in the gym especially in January and it can all seem a little intimidating.

6 tips to help you in the gym
🏋‍♀️Get a tour of gym. Most gyms offer a free program when you sign up, use that time to ask about equipment! USE IT

🕺Get involved. Classes can be a great way to learn some exercises both through visual and practical learning.

📠Stick to machines. If you are really unsure of your technique or what to do use the gym machines. Gain confidence just being present in the gym, take your time and get a feel for muscles being used and the action itself.

👭Go with a buddy! If your friend has experience in the gym ask them to show you some exercises.

🤳But everyone will be looking at me? Everyone will not! Most people are focused on their own workout, taking selfies or thinking about their day.

👩‍🏫Work with a trainer! The easiest and most effective way to learn is from a professional. A good trainer will teach you, correct technique, names of exercises, muscles used, how to progress etc.

Remember that basic exercises, technique and consistency will serve you better than any flashy program or killer workout. Exercise is meant to be beneficial dare I say enjoyable.

31/12/2021

How to set a new years resolution that sticks!

OK guys so as 2022 is tomorrow I thought this might help you set great new years resolutions. Please look at the bigger picture when it comes to achieving your goal!
Every January without fail I see people hit the gym, cut their diets (to nearly nothing) , throw all of their energy and motivation into the first 4-6 weeks of the year.
Who this suits:
🎉Someone with an event in 4-6 weeks
🏋‍♀️A profession bodybuilder with a show coming up
💻Gyms/short burst online programs
↕️Someone who likes jumping on and off the bandwagon

Who this doesn't suit:
💁‍♀️Me - this type of diet/training does not suit my goals.
📆Someone looking for lasting change
👩‍⚕️Someone looking for health outcomes
⚖Someone who wants to lose weight and keep it off

Tips to making a resolution that sticks!
📆 Instead of new year new you think a year to a new you. I know 12 months seems ages away but it takes time to form a habit.
🚶‍♀️Work backwards! E.g. In 12 months I want to weigh X lbs. In 6 months I want to have lost X lbs. Do this for 3 months, 1 month and week to week.
💡Plan the action needed to achieve your goal e.g. workouts per week, food per day/week/month
🤔Fit your goal into your life. This is a BIG one, many people try and fit their life into their goal especially when it comes to weightloss or fitness, only to realise the actions to achieve their goal are not realistic for their lifestyle.
⚖ Monitor progress. Use several markers of progress instead of one e.g. scales, clothes fitting, energy levels. Review progress and make adjustments.
🏗Build up rather than go in all guns blazing. It's alot easier to add a little more to your day when you have a feel for what works rather than do everything at once and dilute your efforts. This keeps motivation high and is more sustainable.
🧱 Identify things that might get in the way or slow progress and plan accordingly. E.g. birthdays/holidays
👍CONSISTENCY OVER PERFECTION. Little efforts that are consistent over time are way more effective than the perfect time to begin, the perfect diet or the perfect training plan.

Need help setting or achieving your goals? Please get in contact and see if we can work together to making 2022 a successful one.

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29/12/2021

What a difference a year makes!
12 months ago I had an 8 week old and a two year old, we had restrictions and heading into lockdown. The only exercise I was getting were short walks, pelvic floor & core exercises and lifting my kids. I had an extremely tight left hip which was causing knee pain. This frustrated me; here I was a trainer with limited ability to train, limited energy to push and reduced mobility and pain- all things I teach my clients how to manage. I have to adjust and readjust my goals every month, until the restrictions lifted I accepted that I could only train a certain amount and planned accordingly. Until my sleep improved I had to contend with today I have energy I will make the most of it or today I am flat I will go for a walk or do mobility work. I'm not alone here and I now know exactly how many of my clients felt over the years, so my experience has made me better at adapting to their needs rather than my expectations. Here's a look at my progress over the last year.

December 2020:
Pelvic floor weakness
Knee pain (left)
Body weight exercises only
Little to no sleep
Eating all around me (breastfeeding)
Figuring out two smallies
Facing lockdown so limited help, support, ability to go out etc

December 2021
Pain free
No pelvic floor issues
16kg DB Incline Bench press
60kg Split squat
Pullups are not so scary
Better sleep (not perfect but better)
Better balance in food
Enjoying two smallies
Refocusing on work
Playing national league basketball
Getting more of a balance between Mummy/Trainer/Cathy

I have never been able to bench press 16kg dumbbells and was stuck on 12's for SO LONG nor did I think I could hit 60kg for my split squats previously hanging to 50kg. Not to mention how much I f***'n hated pullups. It goes to show how much can change in 12 months with a bit of consistency, patience and belief. I now have good training and eating habits back in place that can allow me to push further in 2022.

19/07/2021

13/07/2021

Back pain? Tight hips? Get your rear in gear to help relieve these issues!

Yes your glutes are for more than just sitting on. These large and important muscles group are involved in all lower body movement and help to relieve lower back pain and hip problems.

Exercises to work your glutes:

Hip thrusts
Squats
Lunges
Bridges
Fire hydrants
Standing kickbacks
Band walks

12/07/2021

Find your FIT-NESS- Are YOU in?
Really excited to get this up and running. This is no ordinary workout! Ever wanted to change your fitness or food habits but didnt know where to start? Then this is for YOU!

📆When: July 17th

⌛Time: 09.30 - 11.30

🏞Where: Mungret Park

💰Cost: €20 or bring a friend €15 each

💪What you get:
🏋️‍♀️A workout based on your ability levels
💁‍♀️Tips on how to build your own workout
🍲Nutrition talk with no BS
📒Handy tips and recipes
👩‍🏫Learn about portion sizes and prepping

One lucky participant will be chosen to complete a 1 month food and fitness program!

Spaces are limited so get booking now. DM or email cgthept@gmail.com to book your place now. Covid restrictions apply.

Disclaimer: if you are looking for a quick fix this is not for you.

07/07/2021

Find your FIT-NESS The Warm-up!
Really excited to get this up and running. This is no ordinary workout! Ever wanted to change your fitness or food habits but didnt know where to start? Then this is for YOU!

📆When: July 17th

⌛Time: 09.30 - 11.30

🏞Where: Mungret Park

💰Cost: €20 or bring a friend €15 each

💪What you get:
🏋️‍♀️A workout based on your ability levels
💁‍♀️Tips on how to build your own workout
🍲Nutrition talk with no BS
📒Handy tips and recipes
👩‍🏫Learn about portion sizes and prepping

One lucky participant will be chosen to complete a 1 month food and fitness program!

Spaces are limited so get booking now. DM or email cgthept@gmail.com to book your place now. Covid restrictions apply.

Disclaimer: if you are looking for a quick fix this is not for you.

07/07/2021

Squat that!
One of the most common exercises in any workout is the Squat. That's because it's it's compound exercise (targets large muscle groups). Muscles involved- quads, glutes, hamstrings, abs, calves
Here are some tips on how to nail your technique 👌

1)Start with feet shoulder width apart. Feet should feel comfortable and at a slight angle.
2) Knees! Are the following the line or your toes? No elvis presley movements please. Push knees out against your ankles
3) Tripod toes! Weight goes through the entire foot to push off into standing position. Make sure weight isn't going from front to back during movement.
3) Brace your abs! Imagine someone is about to hit you very hard in the stomach and you know its coming!
4) Breathe in on way down and out as you push upward. Imagine your breath is pushing you away from the floor

04/07/2021

Find you FIT-ness
LOOKING FOR A HEALTHY MIND & BODY? Find all your need to know about getting FIT and everything NESS! What I offer:

Nutrition Coaching (online/in person)
Strength Coaching (online/programs/in person
Fatloss Coaching (online/in person)
Pre & Postnal Coaching (online/in person)
Life Coaching (online/in person)

Limited spaces available, sign-up for 12 week, 6 month or 12 month programs. Visit http://ow.ly/6cTx50CW2jN for more

03/07/2021

Success story
So proud of this lady! Here's how we worked together to her weightloss goal in her words!
Hey Cathy, wrote the paragraph below for you. Let me know if you would rather it short and sweet or anything changed. Hope all is good with you and enjoy the weekend!

"Meeting Cathy has been a life changing experience for me. I had struggled with my weight and body image for years and Cathy really helped change this. I had been in the gym for years and still managed to gain weight each year. Mostly I would lose weight and put it all back on, then go through the same disheartening cycle again. Through weekly chats with Cathy, I felt weight loss and healthy eating choices was made much simpler. My understanding of weight loss culture was a diet that I would have to completely change everything I ate and would never see a Spaghetti Bolognese dinner ever again. The horror! Cathy showed me how untrue this was, and I still could eat my favourite foods while making small changes to recipes, monitoring my food, portion sizes and adding in some exercise. It was all about balance. I now fit into those jeans again that I could not bring myself to throw away for years, vowing someday they would fit, and now they finally do! I would highly recommend Cathy Grant Health & Fitness"

28/06/2021

Cramming & "diets"
Cramming refers to trying to squeeze a lot of information in a short space of time. The idea is that we can "save" this knowledge in our short term memory to allow us succeed at an exam. While this type of memorization can help us pass an exam, its results in poor retention of information over time. It also means less sleep, more anxiety, and stress during this time.
Cram for exam pass it, forget about it and move on, until the next time cram for that one and so on so forth...sounds very like a yoyo diet am I right?
Now take this cramming and apply it to our diet - we try to jam alot of change in a short period of time. During this dietary change we might see short term results i.e. weight-loss normally this yields poor results in the long run.
Unfortunately, we cannot focus intensely on our food and exercise for a short period of time and expect to retain that over a long period of time. All too often 6 week programs that are often sold to us for quick weightloss and "transformations" and 6 weeks is way more palatable than 6 months but what are we actually learning here?
Short term programs usually consist of;
large calorie deficits
immense preparation and time management
intense exercise routines
no social life or flexibility

The TRUTH is it took our bodies took weeks, months, years to get used to the weight it is now. And although those short term bouts do achieve weightloss more than likely we tend to put that weight back on just as fast.

Whats the takeaway?
Cramming works short term and yes you can get away with it for exams but in the real world and in relation to diet it is neither practical or sustainable.

27/06/2021

Food that Fits
Looking for the perfect diet? Confused over all the diets out there? The great news is there is no one perfect diet. There is however, the one that suits you!
Whatever your goals are CONSISTENCY is key! If weightloss is your main reason for dieting you need to remember those pounds you want to lose didnt go on overnight so how can we expect them to disappear quickly?
Learn how to lose weight healthily and sustainably with my 12 week, 6 month or 12 month progran Food that Fits.
Together we will build a diet you love, create healthy habits and practice vital skills for a long lasting diet.

26/06/2021

Are you looking for a way to increase your health and fitness that fits your lifestyle?
Sign up for a 6 week program to get you started!
Learn how to add exercise into your schedule
Videos to demonstrate the exercises
Weekly check-ins
24 hour response to questions
Progress report : to show how awesome you've been!
Tips on how to keep exercise going when your done.

26/06/2021

Motivation my friend...
Motivation to me is like that friend who always says "we will see" is sometimes there and sometimes nowhere to be found...
There are 3 components that drive motivation; Direction, intensity, persistence.
Direction: where they want to go? e.g. couch or gym
Intensity: how much & how difficult
Persistence: what will keep them going?

Here's an example, it's the new year and two friends (Jackie & Jill) want to lose weight both choose to use the gym. The direction is going to the gym!
Now Jackie is an all or nothing kind of gal so she uses all the cardio machines for 30mins then completes a rigorous weights session.
Jill on the other hand knows she is not very fit and takes a different approach, she chooses to start with a 20 min session and hopes to add 5 mins to each session up to 60mins.
Two different intensities - Jackie all out, Jill slow and steady.
Now for persistence. Jackie our eager beaver is lying on the couch too sore to workout while. Jill on the other hand is adding a little more to her workout and feeling fitter each time.
Which approach do you take to exercise? Can you relate with either? Who do you think will achieve their goal? Will Jackie or Jill still be exercising? There's more to this story....

Tips to stay motivated using direction, intensity and persistence as your guide
Direction- choose a form of exercise you enjoy! Do something you look forward to rather than you think it's a good way to lose weight. E.g if you don't like running don't do it! If you like lifting weights then go do that.
Intensity- its better to add to your sessions and build up so choose a time, weight, rep and set number that suits where you are at now. you can increase as you go
Persistence- this is the trickiest of all three, use goal setting progress markers and reflection as ways to stay motivated (see part 2)

25/06/2021

My passion is helping people live happier and healthier lives. Life can get busy often making it difficult for us to achieve our goals.
If you are looking to:
become more active
increase fitness
change your diet
achieve a life goal
find ways to destress
Chat to me today and see if we can work toward achieving your goals.