Josh: Hi, this is Josh from the DVCC and I’m sat here with Kerri Shaw, who has been training at the DVCC since it first opened and she’s been very consistent over those years.
So I just wanted to get Kerri’s top three tips on how she’s managed to maintain that consistency over the years. So – Kerri – could you please give me your very top tip for how you’ve been able to maintain your physique?
Kerri: I would say the best tip I could give is to have food ready at the beginning of the week. Make things in bulk, especially for lunch, because I get really hungry at lunchtime.
Have it in the fridge ready, with just a load of veg to go with it; so like this week I made a slow cooked chilli chicken stew, with loads of vegetables in it, loads of lean chicken; and that gave me probably a good 3 portions for lunch; it was a small portion but I had that with loads of green curly kale, and that took literally 3 minutes to prepare.
Josh: Awesome. So, I know in winter as well, you made a really, really nice green soup, which I was lucky enough to try. Would you mind giving us the recipe for that, because that was another good thing that you managed to batch cook?
Kerri: The green soup is just chicken, loads and loads of chicken, in a big saucepan, loads of vegetables, boil it all up and then liquidise it – it’s simple.
Josh: Easy-peasy; and actually I stole that recipe and did it a few times myself, because it made lots and lots, and it was delicious and really easily transportable, so you can put it in a tupperware and take it everywhere, which is very convenient. So, thank you very much; what would be your next tip?
Kerri: The next tip for me is, in the beginning when I started here, I was probably – you say I’ve been consistent, but I was probably a little bit up and down, with weighing myself all the time and having some binge days really, where I probably – when I did feel like having chocolate, I’d have way too much because I hated myself for having that one bit so then I’d punish myself by having loads and loads.
I can’t put my finger on what’s happened, why that’s stopped, but I just think it’s your advice, your support.
I’ve stopped weighing myself every day; I definitely only advise once a week because your body weight can change for different reasons.
And now, if I do have a bit of chocolate, I don’t punish myself; I just have that little bit and then enjoy it and stop.
Josh: Awesome attitude to have. So, to say, not obsessing over things like the weight, and focusing on things you can change daily, like lifting heavier weights and trying to maximise things like that, you’ve found that to be beneficial for you then?
Kerri: Yes, definitely. I’ll always try and push myself; and the heart rate monitor for me has been great. I always thought I worked hard, but I could see how that improved my workout tenfold.
Josh: Awesome – so how do you use it in your sessions?
Kerri: Literally put it on and I’ll always try and get my heart rate up to the pink, I’m always trying to fight to get it up to the pink and keep it staying there really.
Josh: Good, so that’s something that can motivate you every day and you can try and beat your previous record?
Kerri: Yes.
Josh: And so – third and final tip – what has helped you?
Kerri: My third tip is simply not to buy anything and have it in the house; because I did, I used to have popcorn – what I’d try and think were healthy snacks for the children, but really when you look at them they are so not healthy. So I just have literally stopped, buying it.
I’ve stopped buying nutella, biscuits, popcorn; crisps I would only buy now and again, but I just don’t buy them any more, and they’re really not missing them.
If I do take them anything like that, then I’ll just buy it on the way to school or something, when I pick them up and they can have just that one little bit; that way they are not going to the cupboard all the time for biscuit after biscuit.
Josh: Ok, so it’s like an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude then; so if it’s not there then you can’t snack on it.
Kerri: Yes, because I would, I would without thinking – if I got them out a biscuit, then I might get one out and put it in my mouth; there it is, it’s eaten without even thinking about it.
Josh: Good, well that’s obviously going to benefit them as well as you; and I suppose that ties in quite well to having the food batch cooked, so if you do get hungry, there’s always something there that you can eat.
Kerri: Yes, and with that chicken soup, I did get a little bit bored after that, so just try and think of something different each week you can cook, to have in the fridge that you can go to quickly for dinner and lunch.
It does help me if… I know a lot of people like variety, but sometimes I have to keep simple; for me, that’s the way it works for me.
Josh: Awesome. So, thank you very much for listening; hopefully you’ve learned a few things that you can implement in your life. So that’s Kerri’s top 3 tips, hope you enjoyed – bye.
