Hypnotherapist, Personal Trainer, Professional Sportsman (retired), Performance Expert


The Talk Health Partnership is a great place to get knowledge, information and discuss points. I love the Online Clinics and I’m looking forward to participating as an Expert for you. Although a long way off, here’s a taster of where I am coming from in respect to weight loss, which is an Online Clinic in January next year.

I often get asked about weight loss and weight gain, in my capacities as hypnotherapist, personal trainer, performance expert and with my reputation for busting perpetuated myths. I was asked again today, so here is a quick post on the overall subject of ‘weight’.

Weight loss/gain/balance is often explained as being a balance between calories in v calories out. The first law of thermodynamics is given as the usual explanation, however, this explanation is completely countered by the second law of thermodynamics. Google them both. These laws are designed for machinary and do not transcribe accurately to the complex workings of the human body.

Further, how can you be sure how many calories you are eating? How much of that food is being utilised in the body, and what passes through? And when and how and what and where? And how can you accurately work out how many calories you are burning? It is an impossible science to add up anyway.

Quite simply, losing weight is not about eating less and exercising more. If only it were that simple.

Instead it is all about the hormonal responses set up in your body to food and exercise. The environments in which we burn fat, store fat, build muscle, eat muscle. Look towards human physiology, cell communication, ‘set points’ and homeostasis.

There is also a massive psychological element to weight loss or weight gain.

It is quite possible for us to lose fat in a calorie surplus, gain muscle in a calorie deficit, gain fat in a calorie deficit, and lose muscle in a calorie surplus. Counter-intuitive I know, yet also quite true.

Weight loss and weight gain is a very complicated subject. It is not clean cut. What ‘works for me’ may not necessarily work for you. It is about the individual. There is no ‘one size fits all”.

This is why I often work with obese bulimics. One of which is in such a calorie deficit I can only work a short time with her in hypnotherapy before she goes hypoglycemic and ‘crashes’. She is then recovered, before returning to hospital for feeding through an NG tube. A surprising number of obese people complete ultramarathons.

My aim is to cut through the perpetuated myths and discover and present to you the real facts of how we gain and lose weight. It is a complex subject. I’m not sure if anyone will ever know every element. I however am seeking to do so. I want to help people, especially the ‘difficult’ cases. I want to help you understand it better. Stay tuned for more in coming months.
Gary Fat and Thin
Here’s a pic of me. 108kg to 84kg in 14 weeks. All of it fat and water. Muscle mass remained exactly the same. Conditioning and overall well-being went through the roof. This was just me ‘experimenting’, practicing on myself.

  

Gary Turner

Gary ‘Smiler’ Turner brings unique skills to talkhealth. He has been World Champion thirteen times in his sports career – he fully understands physical and mental performance, from both the practical and academic standpoints. In his Hypnotherapy practice Gary works with a diverse range of clients who present issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety issues, eating disorders and weight issues, addictions, and a host of illnesses, diseases and physical conditions. Gary takes an evidence-based approach to his work. He is a sought after speaker and delivers workshops, seminars and presentations including having presented at the National Hypnotism Conference. As a Personal Trainer Gary is sought after by professional athletes and those who want to be ‘fit for life’. Gary is skilled with working with medical conditions and disabled. As examples he has taught a Paralympion to be a kickboxer despite being in a wheelchair, a client with neurological damage to his arm to be medal winning grappler, and successfully works with clients with prosthetic limbs. In his role as a Performance Expert Gary works with individuals, teams and businesses to help them achieve optimum performance. He often works with the British Army and has been a Subject Matter Expert on the re-writing of ‘Combat PT’ – the product delivered by Army PTI’s. He has also worked with many British Army sports teams such as the Judo, Boxing, and Kayak teams. Gary has a thirst for knowledge and studies 2-6hrs every day, on such diverse topics as psychology, neuroscience, physiology, nutrition and more. This will help to bring a rounded opinions and advice to talkhealth. Gary’s first book ‘No Worries’, a book to help people remove their anxiety, is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle. In his personal life Gary enjoys working with his huskies as a team, competing in ultra-marathons, and still trains at his chosen sports.