Lift For Life with Graham and Angus

Graham & Angus discuss how you should avoid weighing yourself and instead focus on how you look in the mirror - and how that changes - during your fitness journey. They get excited about Graham’s weight gains. Calorie deficit, lift weights, combine with some conditioning or zone 2 cardio, rinse and repeat. Graham looks into the history of weighing scales, which results in some amusing conclusions. Also readings from body fat machines are discussed, and Angus & Graham’s birth county, Lancashire crops up.

Graham and Angus update listeners with their HYROX training and then dig deep into the subject of children/teenagers' weight training. Does it stunt growth? What is the background to the myths associated with the topic? They discuss medical and university studies on how weight training can impact the bodies of pre- and post-pubescent adolescents. The link between competitive sports and weight training is focussed on, but also correlations between bullying and fitness. Graham discusses his personal experiences with bullying at school.

Graham & Angus discuss muscle dysmorphia. Symptoms vary from the benign (which Angus suggests Graham has!) to the deeply serious. They discuss how parents of teenagers can watch for warning signs, how Angus experienced it in his own youth, and how to encourage a healthy relationship with weight-training and fitness. Focussing on building strength is very empowering, and it is also an essential component of maintaining mobility as we age, but, as ever the 80/20 rule should be adhered to.

Angus & Graham interview Caspar Rose, Chief Executive of Fresh Fitness Food and discuss how the company delivers chef-designed, fresh, pre-cooked meals to peoples houses and offices daily that match individualised calorie and macro-nutrient goals. True to the 80/20 rule that the pair espouse, FFF allows people to optimise their daily nutrition. Health, fitness and muscle growth targets can be achieved, leaving the other 20% more flexible. They talk about the complexities of the kitchen & logistics, the history of the company, its ESG goals, including helping the homeless. They touch on Caspar’s personal journey and life as an entrepreneur in London over the past decade.

Graham describes how he founds Angus, what lessons he derives from that process and what red flags to look for when choosing a PT. PTs need to take control and educate the client. The client often does not know best. Angus describes how he became a PT and gained his own knowledge. Graham also asks Angus what he looks for in a client!

Angus & Graham discuss the Lift For Life podcast’s new sponsorship agreement with Fresh Fitness Food. They explain how this pre-prepared food delivery company helps them both control their macronutrient and calorie intake each day, taking the estimation out of both breakfast and lunchtimes. It also tastes incredibly good and changes every day. You can’t out-train a bad diet so this episode is about more than an advert. Graham describes how much nutrition has mattered to his training journey and transformation.

Angus and Graham discuss ‘weight-loss diets’. Unsurprisingly they are sceptical and prefer sustainable long-term nutrition habits, rather than quick fixes. They list some very bizarre examples of diets, including the ‘God Diet’, ‘Zero Point Foods’, and delve into keto. They discuss the problems with salads, and Graham emphasises the need for nutrition education to avoid profiteering corporations..

HYROX has been transforming group fitness since it was founded by Moritz Furste and Christian Toetzke in Hamburg, Germany in 2017. Last year 23,000 people attended the London events. There are now more than 40 ‘races’ taking place in cities across the world per year. Angus & Graham discuss the phenomenon - and Angus throws down a challenge.

Recorded on the day of the London marathon, Graham & Angus discuss running, and how to improve your performance. Graham also details some extreme running taking place in Japan, and highlights the regime of ultramarathon runner Jake Barraclough, who famously ran 281 miles from Rugby School in the UK to Paris ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Graham & Angus discuss hotel gyms, how to optimise and stay on track when travelling and what do if if your hotel gym is sub-par. Graham highlights some of the best hotel gyms in the world. Angus discusses there challenges of his very long arms when using machines in hotel gyms. They also discuss how gyms are now moving into the hotel business.

Angus & Graham discuss how to turn around a bad training session. When you dont have a plan, things often go wrong. They also discuss an array of hacks and motivational tools.

Graham and Angus discuss how they manage their diet when travelling. Graham has challenges on business trips, especially on British Airways Business Class. He has solutions though, and discusses them. Angus talks about UK motorway service stations and how to plan ahead to ensure you don’t go off-track. Graham also discusses the content of the backpack he takes to the office each day, and Japanese breakfasts.

Graham & Angus discuss sports injury rehab. Graham recently strained his elbow tendon ('Golfers Elbow’) and they discuss how he has adapted.

Graham’s Whoop experience was not as positive as he had hoped. Angus was correct, again. They discuss what happened and Graham connects the situation to the teachings of Aristotle.

Graham and Angus discuss  the self-defeating process of short term “transformations”. It’s tempting to look for quick fixes. However finding the training programme that you love and want to do forever is the goal and what will really transform you in a sustainable way. Listen to how they managed to do this.

Graham & Angus discuss their training gear. To Angus’ frustration, Graham has just bought a Whoop bracelet. They also discuss lifting shoes, socks, how to carry your phone when running, the Apple Watch and other accessories.

Angus & Graham debate group gym classes. How dangerous can they be? How can you better prepare yourself for them? What are the aspects?

Graham & Angus discuss the advantages of supplements for training, what they use and what the medical community says about their use. Angus explains how his skin has reacted badly to some varieties of protein, and Graham gives tips to enhance your biceps and deltoids.

Angus asks Graham to explain why he has an annual BUPA medical assessment, what it involves and what the trends and conclusions have been. To Angus’ great amusement, they discover that, in some aspects, G-dog is ’normal’ and not ’superior'.

Angus discusses his personal cryotherapy experiences. Graham runs him through the history and how it can help in your weight-training journey. Gua Sha comes up too.