It Starts With Heart
It Starts With Heart is a relatable straight talking podcast, brought to you by Mindset Mastery Online Founder Rebecca Sonuga.
Rebecca is on a mission to empower women to be the best version of themselves, for them to know their worth and to have the self-belief that they can be and do whatever they wish.
Anytime you feel inspired, share this with your friends and tag @rebeccasonuga on social media!
It Starts With Heart
191 - Transforming Lives: Clayton's Journey from Skinny Teen to Fitness Guru and Our Deep Dive into Personalised Wellness and Resilience
Have you ever witnessed a transformation that completely upends your perception of what’s possible? My fitness and nutrition coach, Clayton, joins me, to share his incredible journey from being a bullied teen to a leading figure in the fitness industry. His story isn't just about physical change; it's a testament to the power of resilience and finding your calling amidst life's toughest challenges. Clayton's experiences and the bond we've built emphasize the profound impact that personal growth and wellness can have on every aspect of our lives.
Picture yourself in a relationship where every hurdle is a stepping stone to a better you; that's what Clayton and I dissect as we talk about personalised coaching relationships. From the meticulous screening process that ensures a compatible match between client and trainer to the candid conversations that set the stage for remarkable transformations, we've covered it all. We also delve into the nuances of motivation psychology, and Clayton provides invaluable insights on making dietary changes without casting a shadow of guilt on your food choices. This episode is crammed with stories of perseverance and the tailored strategies that lead to true lifestyle changes.
As we wrap up, I pull back the curtain on my own health habits, from the simplicity of drinking tap water to navigating grocery shopping and the occasional splurge on life's delights. Add to that a candid look at the double-edged sword of social media—where positivity can flourish amidst the drama—and you have an episode that's as enlightening as it is empowering. Join us for this heart-to-heart conversation that promises to leave you inspired and equipped to pursue a healthier, happier life.
Follow Clayton on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clayton_onlinecoach?igsh=MThjdGNvYzY1YmJu
Check out Clayton’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0yYFkMODpi4Ly23CpOdZvJ?si=uQQrhtjLQUKXU85Mk_mpPA
.....
Grab all my goodies here:
https://widgit.bio/rebeccasonuga
Lots of love!
Rebecca xx
Hello guys, huge welcome back to the it Starts With Heart podcast. My name is Rebecca Shanuga and I am so excited because I have an incredible guest for you today. This person is my personal fitness and nutrition coach. This person has helped me move in the right direction in terms of my health and fitness goals and, ultimately, I know, has so much value to give. I was like I need this person on the podcast. I have to share this person. I talk about him loads on my social media anyway, and I was like Clayton he's called Clayton, by the way. I was like Clayton, I need you on my podcast. The people need to hear this and he is dropping so many gems for almost an hour. So if you can grab a pen and paper, take some notes and make sure that you drop him a little follow, and if you are listening to this podcast and at any time you are getting some value, give it a little share, tag him, tag me in it. Let us know what your biggest light bulb moments are. I'm putting all of his information in the show notes as well, so you can contact him whenever you want through social media and I will see you on the episode.
Speaker 1:Hey Clayton, how are you Not bad? Thank you, rebecca. How are you? Yeah, I'm great. Thanks so much for asking. Thank you so much for joining me on this podcast. I know much for asking. Thank you so much for joining me on this podcast. I know that we've been talking about it for some quite a few weeks now, and I'm so happy that you took some time out of your day to come on here with me. Anyone who follows me on social media will know that I have been coming to you. How long have I been coming to you now?
Speaker 2:for coaching. We started february, early february february.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, like three months, and I can't stop posting about you pretty much every other day on my social media because you have just been so life-changing for me in terms of um getting back into my health and fitness, and there's so much that I want to talk about regarding that. But before I do, before I go off on a tangent just telling everyone how amazing you are, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how did you get into coaching?
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course. Yeah, so obviously my name's Clayton, so I'm 28, despite the fact I'm about 59. I'm actually almost a proper adult now, and so I've been a PC since I was 19. I got into it basically because when I was a kid like this typical story about PC I score on e quite small and had no confidence, right, um, and to get away from being bullies, used to go in exercise, so used to go and be like a sprinter, do 100 meter, 200 meter sprints.
Speaker 2:And then I thought at some point oh, I like going to the gym, I like keeping fit. Actually I can talk to people about being fit they're being fit and give tips even at 16. So maybe I could do something with this and help people. Like longer term, going forward, um, and then I think I got to 18. I did like a level two apprenticeship 19, did my PC course and then ever since I've just been a lot obsessed with it. But, um, I was a PC for years in a commercial gym, got screwed over, hated it. You know it was very numbers based, like, rather than helping people, it was like how much money can you bring for the business? And I was like there's got to be a better way to help people.
Speaker 2:There's got to be a better way yeah and yeah, they went into online coaching about a year and a half ago now. Never look back oh, amazing.
Speaker 1:I love that and that's really interesting as well because, although we speak to each other pretty much every single day, I don't think you've ever told me about how you've actually got into it. So tell me a bit more about the, about your background. So obviously you mentioned that you was a skinny kid at school and you got bullied a little bit. How do you think that impacted? Did that have any sort of impact in terms of what you actually went into? Like? What was the transition between that and then having the confidence to do a job like this, where you do put yourself out there a little bit?
Speaker 2:yeah, of course. So, um, I mean, I got bullied every single day. Right I was, I was a quiet kid, I was too polite, too nice, I'd never stick up for myself. So, um, I left school the moment I could leave school, didn't get my education, because I was like I just need to get stopped, like stop being bullied, basically. Um, and even now I'm, like I come across really confident, I'm still nervous, like even being on this podcast now. I'm still like, ah, hence why I talk really fast at the start. Um, so it's just been a thing of over the years I've just learned really to just try and put some of my comfort zone, but like a little bit at a time, because otherwise I'd still be that scared kid, probably stuck in a job I hated, in an office somewhere working for someone else and making their fortune yeah, of course.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for sharing that, for being so transparent, and I'm going to touch on that regarding um, the comfort zone thing in a second and the reason being I know there are so many people who listen to this podcast who are exactly the same. So a lot of people who listen to this are either aspiring entrepreneurs, or they might have an online business, or they have a desire to be more and do more with their life, but they are worried about the judgment of others or the fear of rejection, or the fear of failure and essentially just pushing themselves out of that comfort zone. And what does that look like? And I talk about this a lot in my podcast, but it'd be nice to hear someone else's perspective. But before we go on to that, I don't just want it to all be about mindset. I really want to talk about the nitty-gritty of what you actually do in your day-to-day. Now we connected on social media in February, like you've just said, I pretty much signed up to your program straight away, didn't I? And I don't think I've ever shared this before either. But one of the things that really intrigued me about your Instagram because that's how we connected was, um, that you. It was your bio, helping women transform their lives by dropping their first 10 kg of fat without a crazy diet.
Speaker 1:And I look back at my life and I think, right, okay, when was I in my best shape? So I was in my best shape in terms of the most confident around 2018-2019. That's a long time ago now. You're talking like five or six years ago and I remember it clear as day. But I also remember what it took to get to that really restricted. I literally was eating nothing.
Speaker 1:Um, and I was working really, really hard to lose weight for, um, a wedding that was going to in Italy and I had the dress. I bought the dress that was too small, so I was determined to fit in this dress. It looked amazing, don't get me wrong. Um, it was really good and I felt really, really confident, but it wasn't sustainable. As soon as I went to Italy, I then was drinking wine every day, eating pasta every day and good, and I felt really, really confident, but it wasn't sustainable. As soon as I went to Italy, I then was drinking wine every day, eating pasta every day and bread, and I came back and I was eating everything in sight, piled on the pounds and then, shortly after that, we went into global lockdown in the start of 2020.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1:And then I put on another two stone and then since then had another child. I actually had two back-to-back pregnancies and, yeah, and when I looked I thought and I've always struggled to get it off again until now and that that um bio really spoke to me because my goal was actually 10 kg and I thought this person is my guy, like, if I can use lose this 10 kg without a crazy diet, meaning it's more sustainable, that is my cup of tea and I think we literally got on the zoom call. Was it like pretty much the same day or?
Speaker 1:day, yeah, and signed up immediately and I'm not joking, clayton I've never had any coach and I've had quite a few PTs and coaches over the years. I've never had anyone turn around to me and say, oh, you can actually eat this and like drink this.
Speaker 2:Do you know actually?
Speaker 1:like pushing me to have days when I have some days off. Um, first of all, before I go on a massive tangent, because that's what I always do on my podcast um, what is, what was it that made you want to help women? So why women specifically? And why was that speaking to you?
Speaker 2:of course, fair question as well. It's because, um so all my career I've naturally attracted female clients without without trying, right. But when I was a pt, most like no sense of my clients are females, right. So when I looked at like my, my skillset as well, I became very good at communicating with females, specifically very good at speaking the same kind of language in turn and understand the body as well, things like the menstrual cycle, hormones, you know, stress, cortisol, all that sort of stuff as well.
Speaker 2:And actually when I look at myself as a person like I'm just like a quite nice looking bloke, right, um, I'm not butch, I'm not masculine, I'm just, you know, I'm quite camp really. Um, I tend to naturally just attract females. Males don't won't come to work with me because of the things I just described. Right, if you want to get big and bulky, I'm not your guy. Okay, I've got no interest in it. It's restricted, it's boring, it's bullshit, hate it.
Speaker 2:Um, so all my career I've been just building up my skill set to understand women more. And then, when I went into online coaching, I was like, right, I've got tanisha, I've got a choice male or female. And because of all the skills I developed over the last eight, nine years, I was like, actually I feel like I would be better served helping women, because there's more issues surrounding women in general, especially with like fat loss and weight loss and all the bullshit fad diets right, don't get me started on them, I hate them all Whereas men don't typically struggle with those sort of things, with like fad diets. So I was like right, this is the avenue I want to go down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course, and and I love that and thank you as well for niching down, because that's what made me look at your page and I was like right, this guy is speaking to me and literally, since I know that a few of my friends as well have also like like joined as well on the back of it and, um, I think that one of the biggest things it is it's understanding women. Like I've had, as I mentioned before, I've had loads of different like coaches and PTs, nutritionists. The only other person who ever did a really, really good job for me personally was a woman and like she obviously was a woman and over the years since then, there's people who I had when I was pregnant and stuff, and they just didn't get it. They didn't understand that there were some exercises I didn't want to do because I was pregnant. I didn't feel comfortable doing them. They didn't understand that I was exhausted some mornings and I needed some stuff modifying. They didn't understand that I don't want to constantly work my bloody arms all the time.
Speaker 1:I know, like I know you're working on me to bring in a little bit of strength and I know I do do a little bit of arms, but, um, I don't know if anyone else who's listening can relate to this.
Speaker 1:I am not a weights girl, like I have done in the past and I do, and I am enjoying it more and I'm building it up. But what I'm saying is Clayton is just someone who just looks at you, your current circumstances, what are you like and what you don't like and he helps you get into good habits first and then he starts to drip, feed other things to level it up at the appropriate time. So tell me a bit more about that. It's because obviously I know you don't just have me, you have loads of other clients. Is that a similar approach that you do with everybody, or how does that typically work when you've got someone who's like I'm not doing that ever, it's not for me. Like, how do you go about that when you know that you're the expert? You know they're probably talking a load of crap. So how do you like, how do you approach that and what do you do?
Speaker 2:it's hard. So you've got to understand like people have different backgrounds, different experiences, right, and they've had, unfortunately, maybe years of bad experiences. Different, like you said different coaches, different pts, you know, media marketing of, like slimming world, blah, blah. Okay, so everyone's different, okay, and everyone's got different levels of threshold of like a uncomfortableness, discomfort, pain. Everyone's different thresholds and everyone's willing to do something that the other person's not willing to do, okay.
Speaker 2:So what you've got to do on that first initial call I have with everyone, but not just with you. Like I have that same call with every single person because I need to decide, actually, if they're going to be a good fit to work with me, because I'm not into just working with every tom dick and harry. Okay, because that that wouldn't work for for them, and I'm not going to take people's money. If it's not going to work for them, there's no point. I'm very honest, um, but you've got to brought it down to the person. Like, if you're giving someone something they don't like, are they going to stick to it? Well, no, because if you told me I had to go and run, I've run a marathon before. I fucking hate it.
Speaker 1:I'll never do it again yeah, I remember you telling me that and I was like oh, god, never again.
Speaker 2:So if someone's goal is like strength training, you say to right, go and run. I'm going for a 10 mile run tomorrow, though, but it's not. If it's not gonna work for their goals, what's the point in doing it?
Speaker 1:yeah, exactly, and, like you said, they're a bit sick to it, are they?
Speaker 2:exactly so. When you came to me as well, you were like look, clayton, like you know I understand what stuff, but I don't particularly like them. It's like that's absolutely fine, we don't need to just do weights and we don't need to, when you trust me a bit more, start to bring in other things, but at a rate, you don't even realize we're bringing them in yeah, and this is something that you've actually done like the last few days, haven't you?
Speaker 1:so it was actually quite funny because every single week I was sort of like, oh my god, I've lost this again and I'm like doing amazing. And then I had one week where I sort of I didn't feel, because I'm the title obviously you're speaking to a mindset coach here. I know it takes time. I'm not someone who's going to like have one bad time with the scales and think, oh my God, it's not working. I'm cancelling a programme. That's just not me.
Speaker 1:I know it's a process, but obviously I was a little bit stagnant and I thought, oh my God, like do I have to go all of these things? And you literally was just was like tweak this, tweak this, let's have another check-in midweek. We checked in today. Our last conversation was sunday, on monday, wasn't it? It's been two days and I've lost five pounds in them two days. But then I hadn't really. If I looked at the scales the previous week, I'd probably I put it on really, hadn't I? Um, I know you were saying it could be like water and it can vary, but five pound in two days is good. Going like that is good.
Speaker 1:So I was really happy and obviously it gives you that little spur to carry on. But I agree with what you're saying. It's just those little tweaks and you know what I, even if I went through my messages, I can't really tell. I don't really know what you've, what you've done. I can't because I don't feel like I'm really doing anything apart from sweets, a couple of things that I'm eating, um, but aside from that, I'm still having my hot chocolate every day. Um, you're still telling me like, in my plan I've got cheat meals, there's burger and chips in one day. Um, I know you told me to tell you anytime I change it, but I'm gonna go for a sunday roast on sunday.
Speaker 1:So that'll be like that'll be like my chips, my chips and burger meal, um, but I just think it's so good because it really really helps. Obviously, everyone thinks of the busiest people in the world, don't they? Especially women. Like women love being dramatic, we all love being drama queens and like telling everyone all about our problems. We're all hormonal, we all have cycles, like you said, and at the end of the day, um, we'll give every single excuse under the sun why we can't stick to something, whereas if you just implement a little bit day by day and this is what I've really done, like I said, for years, I've been unable to lose that weight like I've. I've not got to my pre-covid weight since covid, yeah, so, like I still I'm halfway there. I need to lose, I don't need to, but I want to lose another stone, um, because I know that you work in KG, but in my head it's stone.
Speaker 2:But if I lost another stone.
Speaker 1:That would be my pre-covid weight, which is ultimately the goal, and everyone has different goals, and some people might be listening to this and might not have a desire to lose weight or whatever. I felt my happiest when I was a little bit slimmer. That's what I want to go to and it's just good because, even though I'm being consistent, I've implanted these habits. I feel like I'm not. I feel like it's just easy. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Does that sound weird, these habits? I feel like I'm not. I feel like it's just easy. Yeah, that's damn weird. No, not at all. And that's how it should be like. If you get an approach that works for you, it should fit in your lifestyle. You shouldn't be trying to fit your life around like, oh, I can't go out for dinner because I've got to hit my six and a half kilo fat loss and I can't do it like. That's not going to work. Right, that sucks, that's bullshit.
Speaker 1:I hate that yeah and you can't. It's just not sustainable. Like I said, when I went to Italy that time, everything inside and it's like my body must have been craving it. I was kind of eating it. When I got back, I just put it on and put it on, and then we went into lockdown. And then that was the time when I was building my business really heavily on social media and I was glued to my laptop and I literally was not active enough whatsoever and I put on two stone on top of the weight that I'd already put on, um, when I got back from Italy as well. So it was quite a lot really considering, like compared to what Bonnie was used to. But, um, and then, obviously, like I think another thing as well.
Speaker 1:I can really relate to what you said of how you said that you are good at communicating with women. So I just thought you know what, say it how it is. These are my, this is my situation, and nothing that I said fazed you whatsoever. Inside you might have been like what the fuck? But like on your face, when you were speaking to me, I felt like I could say anything and it was just so like not intimidating, so comfortable, and you check in so much as well and you genuinely don't need to check in as much as you do. And then I also think when I add something else as well, I'm sure you do this with everyone, but you're not just bothered about the workouts and, like you said, the money, like you actually give a shit about people. So you'll ask me like, oh, how was your weekend? What did you do? I've told you that Winnie's ill today. You're, oh, anyone else who's like not a dad or not a mum does not care if my kid's ill. That's why I don't really mention it Like, cause typically people like they're not bothered. Let's be frank, a lot of people are anyway and he was like, oh, is she okay? Like you don't have to ask if my 10? Okay, but you do. And I think that's really good because you actually get to know people and that's how you build them relationships and that's why you're going to have and I'm sure you already have so many clients who stick and stay and they never leave for that reason.
Speaker 1:And so I just want to go back to what you said about the comfort zone thing. So I think that some people are looking for some nuggets. They're coming onto this podcast because they want some inspiration. Yeah, probably to put some good, healthy habits in place, which we'll talk about in a sec. But regarding your comfort zone and he was pushing his and you're just doing a little bit have you got a particular process of what you do like to get yourself out like? What is your thought process when you've got to do something scary? Like you said, coming onto this podcast was scaring you a little bit, I'm assuming. When you first ever left your pt and job and set up on your own, that was scary. What's your thought process? What makes you do it scared and do you have a process to sort of get you in that zone where you just do it anyway?
Speaker 2:Of course, yes, so in relation to like with my job as well. So I actually I've never told you this, but I left my job and I was when I was on my coaching, right, I was earning no money. So I just thought this is going to work, I'm going to help the world, and I left my secured, paid job. Then I've got a mortgage and I've got a fiancee who I didn't actually tell her this at the time, bless her. She's like yeah, I was like, yeah, it's all fine, and I left that job and I had a month to make things work, otherwise I'd be, I wouldn't be able to pay my mortgage, basically.
Speaker 2:So my process for that was I'm so fucking, I'm so fucking miserable here, like I'm getting up in the morning, I'm angry, I'm hating life, like, and I got close to like a bit of a break and like a mental breakdown. We're basically ridiculous. Right, I have a sharp front door. Right, I took the bin out and I ripped like my nice coat or something on the front door and I went fucking mental. It's like ah, that was it. That was the last straw for me.
Speaker 2:So not a healthy way, but for me in this in the first instance, my process was can I keep going on this way? And the answer was quite clearly no. So, rather than rather than like I told you, look at the big picture, like fuck, this doesn't work, I can't pay a mortgage I just thought, right, if I bought it down to like a specific number, if I can help four people on board, I can afford to live. And then I took the steps in the process I need to do to get four people. So okay, to get four people, I need to have this many conversations, people, I need to have this many calls and I need to get this many people over the line. Right, so that was that process as well. So my process is always what's the best outcome and what's the worst outcome? Now, for me, my worst outcome was so fucking scary that the best outcome had to happen and I couldn't think of any other way yeah, I love that.
Speaker 1:That is massive and I think that's, yeah, it makes sense. That's your driver then, isn't it to make those changes? And do you think that's a necessity, then, for people? Because this is funny, like funnily enough, I actually spoke about this on an Instagram live that I did yesterday um with someone and they was talking about the rusty nail in the side and you have this like rusty nail and it's bothering you. But if it's not bothering you that much, you just sort of leave it and not really do anything about it. But if it's really getting to you and you're getting shooting pains and it's bugging you, then you're going to make that change and do something. And do you think that's what it takes? You think it takes sometimes for people to feel that pain point and then make that decision, and you think that's why some people don't follow through with some of the goals, because they've not got enough of a pain point to really really go after them yeah, I, I talk about this all the time like my own podcast.
Speaker 2:Well, like there's got to be a why right, and your why it's got to be so strong. So if, like most people will come to me or even come to you guys, I want to change this or I want to lose some weight, but it's just because their friends have done it or they've seen on tv they should lose weight since january, like they've been. They've been pressured by like social environments, right. So I mean I should do this, I might do it. Their why it's not strong enough, whereas if it's usually there's like a deadline, right. So for me it was deadline. I pay them all at the end of the month for most of why let's go action now. So, yeah, I totally agree. I do think, unfortunately, their nail kind of has to be hammered into you.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, definitely, and that is literally what I was speaking about yesterday as well, and I completely, completely agree with it. So, with this then, and you spoke about how you, um, like the best case scenario, the worst case scenario, so you've got your best case scenario and obviously you wanted to pay your mortgage, which obviously is very important, otherwise you'd be homeless.
Speaker 1:And you spoke about how you broke down that goal and you spoke about your process, so I'm guessing and correct me if I'm wrong. Can that process be applied to everything, then? Regarding goal setting in different areas, how can someone else apply that, that goal setting and that planning, like you've done, to other areas of the life?
Speaker 2:absolutely so, let's, let's talk it to like fitness related as well, so you can go to anything. But let's say, to like weight loss right, so you've got your long-term goal, okay, that's your best outcome. Like, let's say, 10 kilos, right, that's your best outcome for your holiday? Okay, yeah, and you've got the worst outcome, which is that nothing fucking changes. Yeah, some people, some people, are happy to you know, they've got other things going on, they've got different costs or, like you know, maybe they've had such an awful experience of like joe wicks that they think, fuck this, I'm scarred for life, yeah, and then then just break it down, okay to to get. If, if we could all think this way, the world would be a much easier place to live, and I promise you this.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2:What's one thing I can change in the first week to move me closer to my goal? Same, if you want a promotion, what's one thing I can do to get that little bit extra to get me to the next stage. Even run your business right. What's one thing I can do to change, like my, my lead generation, that sort of stuff. Okay, focus on that one thing, nail it, perfect it, be happy with the outcome and then move on to the next thing. You could do that in any walk of life. And then you're staring, you're climbing the ladder a lot slower than just going right. I'm here and I want to go to. I'm gonna go from zero to 101 day. It's. It's never sustainable in fat loss, in life, in, you know, getting a paying your bills. It's just too overwhelming for everyone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, and one of the things that massively stuck out then, with something that you said, you were saying that some people are just happy, like what's the like? You either drop this way or tone up whatever your goal is, or you don't. And some people are quite happy, like with the don't, and I just thought like, like I literally wrote down when you said it's settling, people are settling, but then I think sometimes people settle. So this is so. I didn't settle, but I definitely was a bit complacent for too long regarding my health and fitness. Um, admittedly, because I was building my business again excuses, building my business, um, mum of two, and I was struggling. I was struggling to get that weight back off and I thought, oh my god, like I'm in my 30s, is this it for me now? Am I just meant to?
Speaker 1:be, heavier um, and then the big light bulb moment for me. What made me just think do you know what fuck you was like in the nicest possible way was my partner bought me. When was it? Was it my birthday? I think it was like my birthday or something, christmas, whatever. I got bought this um, like a hoodie and leggings.
Speaker 1:Okay night, quite nice, casual, and I thought, oh yeah, they're nice. And I held up leggings and they were massive and I thought, yeah, and I just was like and I looked and I thought, oh yeah, they're nice. And I held up leggings and they were massive and I thought, yeah, and I just was like and I looked and I thought these are not going to fit but and I knew they didn't fit and I tried them on and they didn't fit and I was like I really really like them. I think you've got the wrong size.
Speaker 1:And it was just obviously like some guys have just no clue, like just oblivious, and they don't have any clue, like what size clothes the partner's in. But for me I was like you've gone into that shop, you've held up them leggings and you genuinely think that's my size, bearing in mind leggings stretch. And I thought the fact that you even thought I was that sad, and there's obviously nothing wrong with people who are different weights and stuff, but, like I said, for me personally I was my happiest weight, whatever goal, what I know that you know about and that's what I want to get to, and that was the light bulb moment for me and I thought I need to do something about this, because I don't want my partner thinking that, do you?
Speaker 2:know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So it just, it just triggered something in my head and I thought I can't settle, because the only thing that will happen is I'll just carry on putting weight and carry on making excuses being too busy, too tired, more of two, whatever I look relocated to a new city and this is obviously before me, and you started speaking in December. I hadn't even joined a gym. I didn't even know where the gym was.
Speaker 1:Um, I was told that there's no good gyms around here, so everything was against me in that way, and then I thought you know what I need to make a change, and I had tried the home workouts yeah they weren't for me, because trying to do them with a six-year-old and a baby distracting you and I felt like as well mentally I didn't have that capacity to sort of like switch off during that time because I was in a busy house. So I thought you know what?
Speaker 1:let me like. Obviously, when I stumbled across your page but let me hear this guy out clicked with you straight away. I thought he understands women, he understands my situation, he understands I've got all this stuff going on. He showed me what he can do around my schedule and it was so doable, like the beginning, so easy, wasn't it? I thought, if I just stick to this every single day. It wasn't necessarily. I thought I was gonna like drop 10 kg in a week, but for me, I knew I was developing healthy habits that were gonna last forever and it was pretty sustainable, because I've never been on a plan that was like that.
Speaker 1:So that was the thing for me and, like I said, gradually I started to like, the weight started to come off. People have started to notice and things like that. But I think that's the thing. It's not settling. Um, I could have easily have gone oh, metabolism's not the same as it was, like I've just thought, oh, I'm just, I'm supposed to be bigger now, like whatever. And some people look at me and they're like oh, you don't need to lose weight, whatever. But they see me in clothes that I dress myself well in. They're not seeing me like in a swimsuit, like in the sauna or on holiday. And ultimately I know that I am heavier than what I want to be. And it's not just that, it's like everything from the tone and everything.
Speaker 1:But a very long way of saying that, yeah, anyone who's listening to this and that they're settled in any part of their life. You need to find a reason to change it, because no one needs to settle. And I genuinely thought for a short period of time before I met you, I was not going to lose that weight.
Speaker 1:I literally thought I'm that weight forever now and now it's starting to come off yeah and I've said to you, I've told you my goal that I want to get in x number of weeks and I've got my stretch goal in them weeks as well. And, like you said, well, there's two ways you can do it. You can do it this way or do it that way. So it's going to be a decision either way. I know if you want to lose the most yeah just do a little bit extra.
Speaker 1:But if I don't want to, it's not a big deal. Um and I've still. I'm probably going to be slimmer than what I have been in years.
Speaker 2:Anyway, exactly, exactly. And not only that, but also like, happier, because, like you said as well, when my whole thing is, when we get you to your goal, we teach you how to mistake the rest of your life. Right, I could get anyone's crash dart and drop 10 kilos in a month, right, they'd be miserable, uh, no one would feel happy and people would just leave, right, and I'd be in trouble with eight and they hate life. So when you get to go which you will, by the way, you will get there. In a way, it means you can maintain it for the rest of your life without having to, like, give up alcohol or give up chocolate, give up your hot chocolate, for example yeah, exactly, I love hot chocolates me too.
Speaker 1:Who doesn't? Yeah, I have swapped them, though, recently, because I did share this on my um social media. The other day I came across someone and she was like, oh my god, this is heaven. And it was someone who was following instagram and I was like, oh, what's in it? It was like it looked like a hot chocolate or a coffee or whatever. I don't drink coffee, I hate coffee.
Speaker 1:So I she told me it was hot chocolate. I was buzzing and she was like, oh, it's just like hot chocolate and blah, blah and like she had cinnamon in and a few other bits, and I was like, oh, I'm gonna try it. And then I thought, right, okay, going back to again when I was in my best shape years ago. Again, I've always been a hot chocolate person. I've always loved hot chocolate, but one thing I remembered was I used to have the options hot chocolate, which is just slightly less calories, but it never used to taste like hot chocolate, like I still used to have it, but it just used to taste like water to me but that's why I'm adding in these other bits recommended by the girl.
Speaker 1:I've gone from having these like massive hot chocolates with marshmallows and cream at the cafe that I'm just obsessed with um to these, and it tastes just as tasty, but a lot less calories, and I will get myself off them as well, but it's a success, isn't it like? Why deprive myself? Yeah, the numbers are going down in the direction where we want them to be. So, yeah, it's really really good. So what would you say is like your biggest sticking point that you find with, with your clients or people that you speak to, like what is the biggest problems that they tend to have? Um, and what? Have you got an example of someone aside from myself?
Speaker 2:of course, yeah. So what people think their biggest issue is what their actual biggest issue is when it comes to the degree of it are two different things, right. So people will always they'll always come to me say my nutrition is actually fine okay. When actually they'll say, my nutrition is fine, I need to exercise more okay, when actually it's the other way around, but they just don't realize.
Speaker 1:Like the exercise my food is fine, clayton.
Speaker 2:There's nothing wrong with what I'm eating and it's it's hard as well, because it's not even it's not the food that you're eating. But it's like people forget about liquid calories, right. Like you know. Things like alcohol, right, great, I love alcohol. Right, don't go wrong, I went out on something. I'm still hung over. That's fine, um. But it's also like things like lattes, coffees, hot chocolates, right, people don't realize how how much these things add up spit. They'll be like, oh you know. No, that's fine, because when I was 18 I did that. Okay, when you're 18, it happens a lot faster. And you, and actually not only that, a lot of people, don't drive when they're 18. If they do, they were out walking more because petrol's so goddamn expensive. So you're more active and you're eating, so you're eating in line with being more active, right. But when they come to like I haven't exercised in years, you know I hate exercise. It's not, they hate exercise. Is that their PE teacher, when they were 15, beasted them with bloody sit-ups, press-ups and fucking running around that goddamn field?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, I used to hate pe, so get out of it as much as I could horrible, horrible.
Speaker 2:Now people think to get fit they have to do shit like that, which is why you always see people running down any country road like I need to run to lose fat.
Speaker 2:It's like you don't, but okay yeah so what it actually comes down to, with no incident, my clients and I'll give you a really good example of judy, for example, who's literally lost with me 16 kilos as of today do me since last july 16 kilos down and with judy again came to me saying, um, this was the issue, but actually turned out it was her nutrition as well, but she's also perimenopausal right, yeah of course that does make things slower, so she's like I just really struggle, you know, around my cycle on my sugar cravings go mad and through the roof, which they absolutely do, um and like that happens to me and I'm not even in pre pre-menopause.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm like, oh my god, like god, help me when that's the time of my life comes and it's horrible as well, because you then obviously you want to eat everything, you want to have more sugar, right, but you want to eat everything inside?
Speaker 2:yeah basically, which is fine, but there's no, because then the level of guilt for a lot of people guilt their guilt complex increases like, oh, I can't have this, I shouldn't have this, I need to cut out everything like bad right, good food, bad food fucking hate that term, but people do that. So it's just about like with judy, for example. It's just about understanding that you've got a calorie goal, right. Calories are not even okay. Calories are literally just a metric to measure energy. Okay. The reason we give them this good and bad is because, unfortunately, the likes of keto and slimming one, of weight watches make them like sin points, for example, with eating food right, fuck that they're not. It's not a sin.
Speaker 2:You're eating food to live yeah, yeah so, as long as you know, eight percent of your food is good, within your case you have two thousand calories right. Make this one. I'm asked to make like 16 to 18 calories of that good, like nice choices like you'd normally have, and allow yourself some of the treats, because life's too goddamn short yeah and you'll get to your goal all right.
Speaker 2:The problem is when the guilt complex increases, rationale goes out the window and we go. I've had one chocolate bar and I have to have 10 because I fucked it up, and I'll start again tomorrow yeah, yeah, I agree with that, so definitely it's crazy and it's horrible, isn't it?
Speaker 2:so until you've got someone that knows what they're doing to tell you that that's not the case, it just becomes this ever-evolving cycle of try to lose. Get to Wednesday, feel miserable, have a bad day, have a glass of wine. Now have a bottle. I'll start again next week.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I've done that one week with you, haven't I?
Speaker 2:You was like what happened.
Speaker 1:I was like, oh, it was like it was going so well Monday, tuesday and then the Wednesday I don't know I've just made some bad decisions that I thought, oh fuck it, I'll just like eat what I want the rest of the week. And you was like and you're probably thinking, why are you doing this?
Speaker 2:because I didn't actually need to do that, because it was just like literally, like you said, it was that guilt thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah just that one lapse of like where I just made, like, a decision that I wasn't happy with that day and then I was like, oh, I fucked it. Now the rest of the week I'm just gonna eat whatever, but you just stay so calm, and I love it when your voice don't mean you go right. Okay, this is what we're gonna do yeah and you're just like right. Okay, you're like yeah, and it's good, because you're just like nothing fazes. You like you're gonna have people like let's be real.
Speaker 1:You must have people who do that. It mustn't be me just me, surely who like?
Speaker 2:no.
Speaker 1:I love it. Oh, like, sometimes you'll do your check-in and then you'll be like, did you actually really stick to everything every day, because these numbers are quite adding up. Well, oh, I didn't really do my steps on that day. It's just part of, like you said, implementing good habits. I have not been in this mindset with my health and fitness and being so consistent with it for so long and, like I said, for so long I wasn't seeing any results. I was paying so much money for personal trainers, nutritionists, everything, and nothing was working. Not to say that their advice was wrong, but I think it was, like you said, like not not understanding me, not understanding the challenges that I'm facing and tailoring something that was suitable for, like me and what you do with other people, and everything's just tailored to their specific goals, isn't it? And then this is why the scales are moving in the direction where I want them to be and everything's looking better, so it's good. So it was funny as well.
Speaker 1:In one of our recent conversations she was trust me, okay, yeah, I'm sure this week trust me, you just got to trust me and do this. And I was like, oh, but it was just such a small little change about how's that been like? I don't feel like I've changed anything, but I must have, because I've dropped five pounds in in two days. I'm like what? So it's definitely working anyway. So what would you say? Obviously, I know we've not got. I could literally speak to you for hours later, but another call in a second and I'm so grateful that you've been on this one for so long with us. Um, have you got any quick fire tips that you could just share with anyone listening, if someone's literally like what I was or like any of your other clients, where you just think, right, I'm stuck, I want to lose weight. I've tried loads of things. I feel like I'm stuck, like I'm never going to be slim again, I'm never going to get to my goal weight. What tips that you'd advise off the bat right now of course.
Speaker 2:So like, let's focus on one thing at a time. So, first of all, right, let's say you are saying, oh god, my nutrition sucks, I don't do any exercise, I don't do any steps and my water sucks. Right, don't tackle all four things in one go. Okay, start with the easiest thing to to action first, and for me, the easiest thing that I can do is always water, because, let's be honest, I can buy a big ass walk. I've got here, um, I can take sips of it all day.
Speaker 2:I don't really have to leave the house, I don't have to do anything right, and that's going to really help me feel fuller for longer, help my skin, help my concentration, actually especially bring up your business to work as well. If, if you can concentrate for longer, you're going to be more productive, you're going to make more money, so on and so forth. That's number one. Secondly, put yourself in a non-restrictive deficit. Now how you do this is you literally find out what your weight is in pounds. If you're not in kilos, go onto Google. The idea is sometimes type in 68 kilos into pounds. It'll work out for you.
Speaker 2:Times that by 12 and then put that into MyFitnessPal and then just track what you normally eat. Don't try and like change one, be like I'm gonna eat chicken or ass. Fuck that. You don't have to do that. Just track what you normally eat and if you notice okay, I'm going 200 calories over, don't panic. Just look back at what you've gone through and gone. Okay, did this extra chocolate bar need to be there, or could I maybe reduce that to half a bar of chocolate, as an example?
Speaker 2:yeah, I love that kind to yourself. Just be goddamn kind to yourself. You don't like doing a certain like type exercise?
Speaker 1:don't fucking do it yeah, I agree no, I love that and do you know what you are like? I've started using my fitness pal now as well and started tracking my things that way. So I remember when we first started I was just sending you pictures of every single. He must be getting so sick of me because it was like he was like I would like sending you literally everything you're probably thinking about.
Speaker 1:Okay, this is not really going to get into your goal, but okay for it but ever since I started tracking properly with what I was eating, I realized so many little things that I was doing, which was easy to not do so. But also easy to do so like I'm a bugger in the evening if I'm feeling a little bit peckish I might have been on a late call or something I'll go to the fridge nothing's in there and I'll just get like a handful of grated cheese and start mucking that before bed or something like that you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So I'm just like, oh, but little things like that. I've knocked on the head and I don't feel restricted, not eating cheese, like that's just. You know what I mean. It's not like a big deal. I don't say I don't eat cheese, but I don't need to eat cheese, like grated cheese, like before I go to bed. It's just I don't even know what, what was even going through my head, because I don't even think I was really hungry. I probably just thirsty, like you said. I do have a question about water, though I've never asked you this, but it's always intrigued me. Obviously you hear quite a lot these days like around, like tap water being bad and certain water. What is your thought on tap water, like, is it still all right to drink or should we be avoiding it?
Speaker 2:yeah, I mean there's. There's all sorts of things, right, like you can get ill off anything, off burnt toast, for example, right. So I personally still have tap water, because if I advise to all my clients to drink bottled only water in the cost of living crisis, it gets very expensive very quickly. So, of course, like that, of course it's bottled water is more pure. Yeah, the convenience. And for real life, is everyone going to start drinking bottle water? No, so for me, I've had tap water for years. Touch wood, haven't got ill.
Speaker 1:It's fine, like it's absolutely fun you will never even get ill off bird toast it releases um.
Speaker 2:Oh, what is it um that can give you cancer? What's it called?
Speaker 1:can give you cancer.
Speaker 2:Well, if you were to have like this is the thing they say, it can right, but it unless you're going to eat fucking thousands and thousands of toasts.
Speaker 1:It's not going to happen oh my god, I never knew that about toast.
Speaker 2:Like you learn something new yeah because of those oh gosh, right, okay.
Speaker 1:well, that's interesting because I do like bottled water, but I'm just one of them people. Sometimes I don't do the food shopping in my house, so when I realize that we need something, I don't know about you, I'm just going off on a massive tangent again.
Speaker 2:now I know that you do have to get off in a second.
Speaker 1:But I don't like supermarkets. It's no secret to anyone listening to this podcast. I don't cook. The kitchen is not my thing. I have no interest in it. I do the bare minimum that I need to do to stick to my program and to keep my kids alive.
Speaker 1:My partner is the chef. He does the shopping. He can walk around the supermarket for hours. I think it's cold, I think it's boring and there's just better things I can do with my time. But then when he's at work all day and I'll open my fridge and I'm like, oh, I need this, I need that. I just get like a little whoosh delivery. But then obviously you're waiting then for like half an hour, 45 minutes for this Tesco delivery to turn up or whatever. So then I just thought, oh, I'll have like bottled water. But I just thought about it because obviously, like there's loads of like I've got friends who are like spiritual mentors and I do understand the benefits of not drinking tap water for loads of different reasons. But I was just intrigued to know is tap water okay for your health and fitness goals? In that sense? And obviously, like you said, that's what you recommend Because at the end of the day it's the most sustainable thing. It comes out of the tap and it's free, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Exactly, and it's convenient. You've got to remember with anything like this, nothing wrong with convenience Again. You've got to remember with anything like this nothing wrong with convenience every now and again, like, as you remember, a couple of weeks ago I got fucking rinsed, didn't I, from some twat on Instagram.
Speaker 1:Oh my God. Yeah, I'm ridiculous. I'm going to stop that in a second. I know we keep saying I'm going to go, but I have something to say about that.
Speaker 2:No, it's all good. It's all good, it's all die. No, if it's every single week, we can look at it. If it's once every now and again, don't goddamn worry. Like same if you have a takeaway, okay, it's like, if you have one good meal, you're not going to drop 10 kilos. If you have one bad meal, I promise you're not going to gain 10 kilos. All right, just, there's nothing more convenience at the time place of your choosing.
Speaker 1:All right, as long as it's not every single goddamn day yeah, of course, and you know what, like you said, it's letting yourself have them little treats every now and then. But also, you've got like, let's be realistic, you do have to be mindful of your decisions, of course. Um, obviously I said at the beginning of this podcast my little girl's not well, she's made me poorly, she's made hallie poorly, so all three of us were feeling all sorry for ourselves. Last night we got in bed so early.
Speaker 1:I had a little girly night, kicked my boyfriend out. He slept on the couch. We're having a girl's night and normally that would consist of chocolate crisps, popcorn, drinks, watching films and stuff. But we just didn't do that. We just rested and chatted and, like, I know I can't really talk to my 10-month-old as if she'll have a conversation back, but it was nice, just like chilling out and not actually.
Speaker 1:I just thought I was actually lying there and I thought, wow, normally I would be buying a massive bag of crap from the shop, but obviously it does impact your goals, doesn't it? And it's not to say I'll never do that again, but obviously every now and then. Just be a little bit mindful. And just touching on what you said about that person, this is going to be quite off topic here, but anyone who's listening to this and I know there's thousands of people who listen to this across however many countries that people listening to it and you'll see on social media people putting people down to try and make themselves look good. So what plate is referring to is a nad that he did so. It was literally just look like one of your instagram meals yeah like did you just do a boost thing?
Speaker 1:then like I get it, I compromise yeah and I just was like, and then you was like, oh, I've got someone's made a meme out of it for the first time ever. And I looked and I thought how rude, first of all, for someone to like slate someone who clearly is like working really hard. And then also, when I looked at the page, I just thought they lose so much credibility because it's not just you they're slamming other people. But they actually look. I think, from what I looked at because I went on a massive like scroll rabbit hole who is this person that's coming back? I'm finding him. I mean, what a missus. They're married. I'm finding her as well. Like she needs to sort him out. Like if my partner put something like that on social media, get a. I'm finding him. I've got a missus. They're married. I'm finding her as well. Like she needs to sort him out. Like if my partner puts something like that on social media, I'd get a checkup from the neck up. I'd be like, what are you doing?
Speaker 1:But I looked at them and I thought you know what they actually like there was. They were doing quite similar things. So like they was doing like the reels past, like different stuff, and I thought, if you just focus on your niche and you just focus on helping people in your own way, providing value, instead of trying to tear everyone else down. You'll probably have a shitload more clients. Exactly what's it all of the um? I looked at all of the um comments as well. Obviously I was in a mess. But who's? Who's saying this? These bad things about my plate and I'm not having it went through all the comments and there was.
Speaker 1:There were people comments as well. Obviously I was in a mess, but who's? Who's saying this, these bad things about michael aton? I'm not having it. Went through all the comments and there was there were people who were literally commenting saying I will never work with you now because of how yeah, there was. I don't like, I don't want you to go on the page and just get. Don't look at his page. But I looked through and there was comments where people were calling him out for the way that he was behaving on social media.
Speaker 1:That is not a way to build your business no, it's not no, I can categorically say I've worked with blatant now for a few months. I'm someone who's getting the results among so many other clients.
Speaker 1:He's the real deal, and if you see someone on social media slamming someone else to make themselves look better, that is a massive red flag and I don't think anyone who's listening to this podcast will be like that, because everyone loves everyone on my podcast, like we're such a community, but I just wanted to put that out there. So if you do come across this dodgy reel or anyone who's like that, I'm just like like why?
Speaker 2:because they actually did look quite knowledgeable like they did actually probably know what they were doing at the end of the day everyone's got different things, like people.
Speaker 1:Can people have got so many different opinions around fitness and diet and whatever? And everyone's got different reasons for like who they're helping. But it's like you said, finding your niche, like their niche might not have been, but you couldn't even see what their niche was. They were just talking about everyone else, yeah, whereas you might not even have been going after the same clients.
Speaker 2:So what does it matter? What?
Speaker 1:you're doing and if you really genuinely thought that it was really bad, why not just look at it and be like god, I'm so gonna not like that guy sometimes I see something like like obviously I see people with their businesses doing whatever they're doing and I look at some of the posts and I'm like that's probably not the best way that they could do it, but everyone's got their own like journey, or whatever. Everyone's got different people that are helping.
Speaker 1:Everyone's got different like at the end it blew my mind that and I was just, was like, and you were just like yeah, yeah, no worries, I was like Clayton no, I'm not having this oh my god, they're calling this person as well, and this person is someone else on social media.
Speaker 1:And. But, like you could say that about anything, like some people just have different opinions about different stuff. The thing that you do with me works for me. It works for people who you help. Like you said, you get on a zoom call with people, don't you? You're transparent. This is how it's going to work. If they want to do it, they do it. If they don't, it's not the end of the world, is it? So how can people get hold of you then? Where's the best place if someone's listening to this now and be like, right, I want to check out this clayton guy. What's he all about? Where's the best place for people to find you or contact you?
Speaker 2:absolutely on instagram. So my instagram is Clayton underscore online coach and that is the best place, because I'm literally on Instagram all the time. Really bad, I'm on it literally 24 7.
Speaker 1:I love it okay, perfect and um, so what do people need to do? They're just like follow you. Will you reach out to them or do you want them to message you?
Speaker 2:yeah, of course, what I'd say is if give me a follow, see what I'm about, and then you can even reach out to me, I might reach out to you as well. It's, and you, if I do reach out to you, don't feel you have to reply. Okay if you. If you look at my stuff and you think this guy's an idiot, fair play. Just don't be offended. I'm not for everyone. I'm enthusiastically annoying people don't like me, it's all good, all right, um, but that'd be the best place and then just just watch some of the things, because you could watch all of my content. Each one is a game-changing tip. You could put 10 videos together and you will get a lot further than on your own.
Speaker 1:A lot further yeah, that's another thing that I noticed. You put value out every day and you've got a podcast as well, haven't you, clinton?
Speaker 2:I do, yes, I do literally the first. The episode five went live today as well okay.
Speaker 1:So what's your podcast? How can people listen to that?
Speaker 2:so it's on youtube and on spotify. It's called the lean life podcast and it's got a picture of me and my coach, nick um, with bottles of oh god, like tequila. Oh, amazing.
Speaker 1:So we're going to link these in the show notes. Obviously, people can find them on your social media anyway, but I'm going to link them in the show notes so you can have a good little fruit, little fruit, little read fruit and, like Clayton said, just give him a follow, check out his content, and you're going to get so much value just from the stuff that he's sharing. You need anyway, um, just by looking at his content. But yeah, I'm so happy, playton, that you took time out of your busy day to catch up with us. Yeah, thank you so much. Enjoy the rest of your day you're welcome.
Speaker 2:Thank you too, rebecca, I know you're busy as well. Have a great day.
