Episode 011 - Emma Storey-Gordon - how to train to become the best version of yourself

Emma is a fitness coach, sports scientist and researcher with a large following on social media and multiple successful online businesses. 

Through structured programmes and coaching, Emma has helped thousands of people lose weight and improve their body composition. She understands the science underpinning successful diets and uses her knowledge to help other personal trainers and coaches help their respective clients.

To find out more about Emma’s products and businesses, check out: https://esgfitness.co.uk

This episode is full of recommendations and knowledge relating to how to improve your physique and live a longer, healthier and happier life. When asked to distil her top recommendations, Emma came up with the following advice:   

1. Eat in accordance with your energy demands  
2. Eat primarily whole foods, limit processed foods 
3. Reduce snacking to a minimum 

To give context to the above, Emma noted that it was challenging to figure out exactly what your energy demands are. No calorie calculator / energy demand calculator is going to be entirely accurate. Emma suggests tracking your food and body weight for a period of time and using this as a basis to make adjustments. Daily fluctuations in weight are not important due to water fluctuation and varying food intake. Weekly / monthly fluctuations in weight are important.  

The concept of eating minimally processed foods has been discussed several times on Inside Matters and is sound advice for someone wanting to improve their body composition and the composition of their microbiome. 

On the subject of snacking, Emma’s view is that this is one of the primary reasons for people being unable to lose weight or a reason for putting on weight. Snacking can be mindless and instinctive e.g a biscuit with coffee in the office or finishing a plate of food for the sake of finishing a plate of food and not being wasteful. 

Beyond her big three tips, a lot of Emma’s advice centred around what she calls ‘showing up’, essentially, how you approach a task or your day. How you show up dictates how you perform and how others respond to your actions. Exercise helps Emma show up at her best, and the benefits of exercise for her extend beyond physical health and into performance at work and in life. 

Her morning routine is as follows:

• Wake up at 05:45, put the kettle on
• Undertake 10 pull-ups and push-ups
  • Try not to open emails until 7 - be mindful
• 07:30 gym
• 09:00 start work 

On supplements, Emma recommends fish oil, vitamin D, creatine and B12. Creatine is particularly beneficial for people that do not eat animal products - most notably red meat.