Charlotte Melville

72 hours in Faro ✈️ 🇵🇹

Sundays 🫶

Wedding prep complete for this beauty 🤩

Just over 10kg down 👏🏻 .mann also gained so much strength, a love for lifting & confidence along the way. Super proud & so happy to be a part of her journey ❤️

What we did 👇🏻

-Strength training x3 a week focussing on -gaining strength in compound lifts
-ensured her output by hitting a daily step goal
-Tracked calories & macros to make sure she was in a deficit
-focussed on fuelling up with nutrient dense foods & adequate protein
-Added a little bit more cardio in the final weeks to increase output without dropping calories too low

It looks simple but that doesn’t mean it’s easy & .mann showed up & worked so hard from day 1!

If you need some help with your fitness journey then get in touch. I currently have one slot opening for 1-1 PT as well as some spaces for online coaching.

Merry Christmas 🎄❤️

Swipe for the reality of getting Hugo to pose for a picture 😂

Navigating Christmas around your fitness goals 🎄

Heres my thoughts…

Nobody & I mean nobody should be worrying about tracking on Christmas day & my clients certainly won’t be.

I missed out on the enjoyment of many Christmas days due to fear & anxiety around the food & not exercising as I ususally would. That’s time you can’t get back. If this is how you feel then maybe being kinder to yourself & allowing yourself to enjoy the things you like guilt free should be the focus.

On the other hand, eating yourself into oblivion for the next week because it’s the one time you’re “allowed” to the point where you feel rubbish & it’s not enjoyable isn’t a good idea either. If this is where you usually find yourself and aren’t happy with it then perhaps the focus should be trying to practice a little more mindfulness & moderation.

Balance is 🔑 so try to find what that looks like for you & what makes YOU feel good.

Most importantly, If you’re fortunate enough to be around your loved ones then making memories & counting your blessings should be the main focus ❤️

Navigating Christmas around your fitness goals 🎄

Heres my thoughts…

Nobody & I mean nobody should be worrying about tracking on Christmas day & my clients certainly won’t be.

I missed out on the enjoyment of many Christmas days due to fear & anxiety around the food & not exercising as I ususally would. That’s time you can’t get back. If this is how you feel then maybe being kinder to yourself & allowing yourself to enjoy the things you like guilt free should be the focus.

On the other hand, eating yourself into oblivion for the next week because it’s the one time you’re “allowed” to the point where you feel rubbish & it’s not enjoyable isn’t a good idea either. If this is where you usually find yourself and aren’t happy with it then perhaps the focus should be trying to practice a little more mindfulness & moderation.

Balance is 🔑 so try to find what that looks like for you & what makes YOU feel good.

Most importantly, If you’re fortunate enough to be around your loved ones then making memories & counting your blessings should be the main focus ❤️

Bali mini cut complete 🥳

I share my clients progress so only fair to share my own as well. The goal was to get a little bit leaner & feel my best , this is what I did 👇🏻

What I did NOT do
❌Cut out all carbs
❌Drinks to replace meals
❌Attempt to follow something super restrictive that would have me cave within the first week
❌Spend hours doing excessive cardio
❌Any other unsustainable fad you may find floating around the internet 😑

What I did do
✅Loosely tracked my calories & macros to make sure I was in a small deficit.
✅Kept my protein intake nice & high
✅Made sure my output was consistently high enough by doing 10k & then later Increased this to 12k steps a day
✅Focussed on fuelling myself with nutrient dense foods that would keep me feeling fuller ( & better) rather than snacking on things with little nutritional value.
✅Continued to train to get stronger x4 a week.
✅focussed on getting enough good quality sleep
✅fake tan 😂

This is the first time I’ve had a fat loss goal in over two years & I can honestly say that after spending a good amount of time time eating at at least maintenance or in a small surplus & working really hard to get stronger 😅 it’s the easiest ‘diet phase’ I’ve ever done with calories the highest I’ve ever had them whilst losing body fat.

Bali spam pending👙 😁

Client transformation 👏🏻

Super proud coach moment. Don’t just look at the pictures, read the post because this isn’t just about a physical transformation.

Rupa initially came to me as she wanted to lose a bit of weight & feel better but she fell in love with training, feeling stronger & seeing what she was really capable of. I wish I could show you a before and after of her confidence as well because that would be amazing 🤩

When looking at these pictures it’s really important to understand that she didn’t actually just go from A-B. If you swipe to the last slide you’ll see another comparison pic taken at different times & she’s actually about the same weight in each picture but as you’ll see she looks quite different. This is why I go on about the importance of strength training & having more muscle mass as well as the many health benefits of course.

Rupa has worked so hard and she’s doing things in her training that she didn’t think she would ever be capable of.

So safe to say I am super proud of her whole journey ☺️.

If you need help with your fitness goals then send me a DM to see how I can help.

GROW & GET STRONGER

⬅️Jan 2023 ➡️August 2023

That was the goal from January until now.

This is also the starting point of my next challenge. A little 6 week mini cut leading up to my Bali trip. The goal isn’t to get super lean, It’s more important to me to maintain as much muscle mass as possible because ladies trust me building muscle is HARD! If you really want to change your physique then I highly recommend spending time making this the focus. It’s also super important for so many other health reasons too.

It’s been over 2 years since I did any sort of diet to get leaner as it hasn’t been a goal of mine but I fancied a new challenge & for me now is a good time. I’ll share what I do & my progress over the next 6 weeks

I will be using for accountability because this is super important when persuing and goal.

If you would like to know more about 1-1 or online coaching just send me a DM.

❕Monday reminder…

If you had a little more to drink / eat than planned this weekend and didn’t stick %100 to the plan. Instead of punishing yourself for “falling off the wagon” remember this, there is no wagon & there is no on & off mode, it’s all a continuous journey.

Restricting yourself & doing excess cardio to make up for a bad few days is more likely to lead to vicious cycle than closer to your goal. So instead remember one off meal Or even off day isn’t want ruins your progress just like one good day or one good meal isn’t what will get you results.

Get back to ticking off the daily basics & staying consistent. Also learn from your mistakes … if you’re not happy with the choices you made this weekend then maybe that will help you make better choices next time.

I currently have very limited availability for 1-1 sessions but I am opening a few slots for online coaching so if you would like some more info then send me a DM.

Tracking mistakes which may be hindering your fat loss progress .

Often I see people with a fat loss goal who are tracking, not seeing results & will quickly assume they need to drop calories / increase cardio unnecessarily before checking the basics.

If this sounds like you then before doing the above check you aren’t making these common mistakes ⬇️

-Raw weight vs cooked weight- it matters. If you’re weighing it after cooking it, ensure that’s also how it’s being inputted into MFP.

- Not accounting for oils, sauces, milk in coffee & tea added throughout the day, it all adds up. (1TBS oil contains approx 120 kcals)

- Guessing or inputting things as half a serving instead of us weight eg avocado , half a small avocado is going to be much less in weight that a large one. If you do need to guess then always over shoot rather than under.

-Not counting meals out. Obviously I’m not suggesting you take scales and sit weighing things in a restaurant but deciding to write the meal off together won’t help you either. My advice to my clients is guess as best you can and again always over guess then under. You’re more likely to at the very least have more awareness & make better choices rather than seeing it as a meal off all together.

- The most common one - not being honest with yourself. Just a bite, nibble, pick here and there all adds up so try to avoid this or if you are doing it then make sure you’re being accountable for it.

If you’re a little stuck & want to start seeing some progress towards your goals then send me a DM to see how I can help.

8 week fat loss progress

Nothing drastic , no cutting out food groups excessive cardio or magic tea’s 🙄

💥Strength training x2-3 per week
💥Minimum 10kg steps a day to keep her output high enough
💥Small tweaks made to her diet

Whilst the principle of fat loss is the same for everyone, it’s important onto understand that rhe approach may be a little different for each individual.

If your stuck & need help reaching your goals send me a DM.

P.s I have very limited availability for 1-1 PT but I am opening 5 slots for online coaching.

J’adore ♥️🇫🇷

PT’s in Paris weekend photo dump.

Fashionably late December photo dump as it just occurred to me that tomorrows February … better late than never

First year having my baby nephew in the UK so it couldn’t go un posted 🤍

Some tips to help you succeed with your 2023 fitness goals 👇🏻

-Make sure they are realistic for YOU  & your lifestyle. Telling yourself you will train 6 days a week when you already struggle with 3 is setting yourself up for failure. Hit that x3 consistently & build from there.

-Think about what you want in the long run not just how you feel now.  Telling yourself you’re not going to eat chocolate for the rest of the year because you went in a little hard on the heroes over Christmas  ( we’ve all been there ) isn’t necessary. You’re far more likely to stick to a plan if it includes things you enjoy.

-Make sure you have a way of being accountable. This is where a coach can come in handy 💁🏻‍♀️

-focus on creating better habits, your motivation will come and go.

-Finally , make sure the goals your setting are only for yourself and the lifestyle you want to create :-)

If you need help with a plan to reach your fitness goals then send me a DM.

If you’re struggling with motivation in the winter then read this… 👇🏻

Winter is without a doubt when I see the biggest drop in motivation with clients & people generally to train and eat well.

This is why I like to set performance based goals for a lot of my clients. Still having something to focus on & work towards can help get you excited to train again ( plus for me its the only time I really feel warm ) . It can be to hit a specific PB in a certain lift for example. Try it :-)

It’s also important to keep reminding yourself that motivation won’t always be there, thats why you need to make it a habit, stop thinking about all the reasons why you don’t want to ( its cold, dark, your tired, not in a bikini anytime soon ) and just do it.

Also just a note to say that I have a slot opened up for 1-1 PT in January, if you’re interested please don’t leave it until the new year to get in touch. Just send me a DM for more info.

“Losing weight over the age of 40 is impossible” - swipe for evidence this isn’t true.

It may be a little more challenging, and you may need to take some time to learn about your body & how hormone changes affect you & your approach BUT it’s most definitely not impossible & this clients results is proof of that.

If you’re struggling to get results and need some help then send me a DM for more info on 1-1PT or online coaching.

💥Check out this amazing client’s progress so far…

No fads , just focusing on making sustainable lifestyle changes, sticking to the basics with nutrition & strength training x3 a week. It’s not about being perfect but being consistent & putting in the effort.

Looking forward to sharing the rest of her journey.

If you need help reaching your goals then send me a DM to find out more about 1-1 or online coaching.

⚖️SCALE FLUCTUATIONS THAT HAVE  NOTHING TO DO WITH BODY FAT

-Water
-hormonal fluctuations
-sleep quality
-time of your last evening meal
-changes in bowel habits
-salt intake

There are so many things that cause fluctuations on the scales from day to day ( above are only some of them) that have no correlation to changes in body fat.  

This is why , if your goal is fat loss , I recommend the below:

💥Progress  pictures -you can really see changes in body composition here that aren’t always reflected on the scales.

💥weighting yourself a minimum of three times a week ( the more data the better) and instead of looking at one weekly weight in, looking at your weekly average from one week to the next.  This will give you a much better view of the bigger picture.

💥monitoring how clothes fit. Chose a pair of jeans/ shorts that are too tight for you & keep trying them on to see if they have loosened up.

If you need help reaching your goals then send me a DM for more  info on 1-1 & online coaching.

If I had to pick 1 highly valuable fat loss tip it would be this 👇🏻

💥Prioritise  having a portion of protein with every meal

Why?

⁃Satiety - it keeps you feeling fuller for longer so less likely to reach for those afternoon snacks
⁃Maintain muscle mass especially important if you’re dieting in order to lose BODY FAT and not just weight.
⁃Its the macro nutrient with the highest TEF ( Thermic effect on food ) meaning it uses the most energy ( calories) to digest.

If you need help reaching your goals then send me a DM to start your journey.

💥5 Things I wish I knew when I started training

⁃Lots of reps & light weights isn’t what gets you toned
⁃Loads of cardio isn’t what burns body fat
⁃Lifting heavy weights will not make you look like a man
⁃Copying what someone else does will not make your body look like theirs
⁃more training isn’t always better - recovery matters too

It’s time to ditch as many of these fads as we can & start understanding the truth behind achieving & maintaining the results you want.

Comment below anything you’ve learnt that you wish you knew sooner 👇🏻

I REALLY didn’t feel like training today but I want to share a little bit about how I felt before vs after my session as a little reminder that when you’re having one of those days and want to convince yourself that the way you’re feeling BEFORE you train is a reason NOT to train then it probably isn’t. I hope this helps 😊.

BEFORE
-lethargic
-tired
-foggy head
-un focussed
-low mood
-tight muscles/ random aches & pains
-PMS pain
-no motivation
-a little nauseous ( due to my cycle)
-bloated

AFTER
-more awake/alert
-energised
-clear head
-motivated to get my admin & programming done
-less nauseous
-less bloated
-tight back & neck had eased up
-happier mood
-hungry 😂

I did however  adjust my training. I went a little lighter, accepting that today wasn’t a day to be pushing for PB’s and risking injuring myself but instead I really focussed on form & feeling each rep in the right place. Adjusting your workout is ok and sometimes necessary especially for females at certain times in their cycle but the chances are, doing something is still going to make you feel better than doing nothing.

I have some slots open for online coaching so for more info send me a DM.

“Should I still diet whilst on holiday? “

A question I get asked a lot & the answer is … it really depends.

This is what I would do with my clients and even myself 👇🏻

💥If my clients have been dieting for said holiday then the chances are we would have finished their diet phase and come out of it before they go off on holiday (because going away deep in a diet & hungry is often a recipe for disaster ) but with the knowledge of how to maintain where they are without going completely off the rails whilst away.

💥If it was someone who had a time sensitive goal which they are still working towards eg a photo shoot / event whilst on holiday then yes, they may need to continue to push towards their goal whilst away regardless.

💥If it was someone who still had a goal to reach but wasn’t so time sensitive and had been dieting for a while then depending on the individual it could be a good time to have a little diet break which may do them good mentally and physically but again I would recommend having a plan in place in order to at least maintain whatever progress had been made so far in order to not undo the hard work.

If you need help reaching your goals & more importantly learning how to maintain them long term then send me a DM for more info on 1-1 or online coaching.

🍎🥞WHAT IS FLEXIBLE DIETING?

Flexible dieting means being flexible with the foods you include in your diet whilst remaining in your calorie target for your goal. The aim of it is to allow freedom of food choice & encourage a positive relationship with food whilst still making progress towards your fat loss goal.

⚠️THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS using it as an excuse to fit as much ”junk food” ( for lack of a better word)  as you can into your daily calorie target just because you can. Nutrient quality and how you’re food makes you feel & perform matters too.

If you’re still not sure what this should look like then what I like to use with clients is the 80/20 rule.

%80 of your food should come from nutrient dense foods with the other %20 coming from the more ‘fun’ foods that you really fancy.

If you need help reaching your goals then send me a DM for more info on 1-1 or online coaching.

💥MY TOP TIP FOR STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR FAT LOSS GOAL THIS WEEK

🚫Don’t tell yourself you will be perfect/ only eat clean foods/ do cardio every day   because you’re feeling guilty about having a ‘bad weekend’ because lets be honest, this didn’t work last time did it?

✅Instead focus on being consistent with small goals that you know you can stick to and won’t get bored of after 2 days leaving you hungry & reaching straight back for all the foods you told yourself you wouldn’t eat.

Examples of what these goals may look like

-Eat a lean protein source with every meal
-stick within your calorie target
-do 10k steps a day
-include greens in each meal
-eat meals that are going to keep you feeling full rather than ones that will leave you reaching for a snack an hour later
-get a minimum of 7 hours sleep a night ( you would be surprised how much this one can affect you)

Trust me when I say consistency is far mote important than perfection.

If you need some help reaching your goals then send me a DM to find out a little more about online coaching.

There will never be the ‘right time ‘ to start!

So, instead of telling yourself you will start when ( insert reason) because you think that everything needs to be perfect & %100 to get results … focus on what you CAN do and just START.

Things will ALWAYS come up. Work stuff, social events, family & kids stuff … it’s all part of life so stop trying to be perfect or giving yourself excuses. You will get results by making small changes initially, focussing on the basics & being consistent with those you don’t need to be perfect you just need a plan.

If you want results that last then you will also have to learn how to change your habits & lifestyle when things are tough too or you will end up back at square 1!

Send me a DM to find out more about online coaching & to book in a free consultation.