Kautar Fisher has just finished phase 2 of her ten-week transformation, and she’s basking in the changes to her mind and body. You can follow the full transformation on BESTFIT TV

“I feel so much more confident”

 

Like many of us, BESTFIT guinea pig Kautar Fisher is keen to get fit in 2017. Her ultimate goal is to drop a dress size, which is why she got a head start and began training before and during Christmas.

Now, Kautar is in phase two of a ten-week transformation under the watchful eye of personal trainer Matthew Haughan, and she admits she’s really starting to hit her stride.

“I used to go the gym three times a week… when I was good, but then I’d stop for a few weeks,” Kautar explains. “I used to enjoy going to aerobic classes but I wasn’t particularly comfortable using weights. I had little understanding about why I should use them; I thought I’d build up too much muscle if I did. I just never really committed to training properly.

“Now, though, I’m keen to return to the size 8 I was before I had my daughter. My body changed [during the pregnancy] and I wanted to feel good about myself again. I wanted to prove to myself that I could work hard properly.”

And work hard she has…

PHASE 1 THE STORY SO FAR

“I found phase 1 a culture shock, but the training itself wasn’t actually that bad,” Kautar explains. “The first week or two were more about introducing me into the equipment, learning the correct form and the science of what I was using and why. I quickly learned that I could burn more calories with high-intensity sessions rather than doing an hour on the treadmill.”

She admits finding it hard at first, but explains it was a case of mind over matter.

“I found trying to structure my days really difficult at first. The workouts were a change of scene, but then it was more challenging sticking to the nutrition. I’ve now set an alarm for everything so that I don’t miss a meal or shake. And my personal trainer has been great in helping me keep a diary of everything I’m eating in terms of calories and protein. It helps me achieve my goals.”

Kautar is now starting to get used to her new way of life.

“I love my food,” she laughs. “I particularly like my desserts, but apart from that I used to eat well anyway. I have always cooked fresh meals all the time and I was already eating a lot of chicken. However, I used to snack a lot on crisps and biscuits. What helped me in this was that Matt didn’t reduce my intake of calories too much at the start. It was a gradual process, and that really helped. I knew that with the work I was doing I could still have some of the things I used to eat, and that helped me adapt. I knew everything was going to ramp up in phase 2.”

PHASE 2

In our last issue of BESTFIT, Matthew explained how he wouldn’t make dramatic changes. He cut Kautar’s calorie intake, but not drastically, and the exercise was as much about form and science as it was putting the hours in.

“The goal of phase 2 of the transformation was to increase the metabolic output of Kautar’s sessions, particularly now she has learnt to contract the muscle and understand the importance of maintaining tension throughout the ranges of motion,” explains Matt.

“We were able to start throwing more demanding sessions at her, which meant increasing the amount of time the muscle was under tension in each set, as well as a slight increase in load. This has had a greater effect upon her body, which is facing greater metabolical demands (burns more calories) and is also facing a larger build-up of lactic acid within the muscle, eliciting a hormonal response to burn more fat.

“And by increasing energy output that will in turn make the calorie deficit enough to continue seeing results. If progress stalls, or I feel there needs to be changes made, then the calories drop further.”

Kautar has now been finding her feet. “I’ve definitely felt more pressure in phase 2. I’m more nervous, because it has been more challenging,” she says. “The training has reached a new level and there are times where I’ve felt dead on my feet leaving the gym, just utterly exhausted. Phase 2 has pushed me to my boundaries.

“Kautar did really well,” enthuses Matt. “She grasped the concepts she was given and started to really contract the muscles required. Sometimes she needed a little bit of a push to carry on, stopping mid set and looking at me in hope I’d let her stop short, so it was just a case of reminding her of the goals she has and the work required to reach them.”

“The hardest bit is having to keep moving even after the gym sessions. Sometimes I’d leave the gym in pieces, but have to do a walk shortly afterwards. I’d walk the dog, then walk to the shops… I’d just whatever I could to keep moving,” explains Kautar.

“I’m still finding the nutrition hard. I’ve dropped from 1,600 calories to 1,200, so I’ve lost a meal, and I need to have a porridge before I go to bed, which is hard.

“I’ve been using protein shakes from My Goodness Shakes and they’ve really helped. The High Protein shakes gives me the protein I need after intense exercise, so I take one within half an hour of my gym sessions. I’ve also been using Protein Nutrition, which tops me up throughout the day and prevents me from snacking.”

However, the hard work is definitely paying off…

“I’ve noticed changes large and small. For example, I noticed my bra was a bit looser on the side, then my trousers a bit looser around the waist. In the shower, I’ve noticed my legs are toned and I’ve got more definition in my back… and my double chin has gone! And it’s not just changes to my body… I feel better on the inside too. I feel more confident. I feel good about myself, sexier, even. I’m enjoying wearing nice dresses.”

Phase 2 workout

A1. Clean & Press – 20×4 – 4010 – 40 seconds rest *Inwards squeeze on bar

B1. Face Pull – 20×4 – 4011 – 40 seconds rest

C1. DB Overhead Press – 15×3 – 4010 – No rest

C2. DB Side Raise – 15×3 – 3010 – No rest

C3. Plate Front Raise – 15x 3 – 3010 – 90 seconds rest

Kautar is using both For Goodness Shakes High Protein, a high-protein, low-fat shake designed to support the growth and maintenance of functional muscles, and Protein Nutrition, an enriched milk drink that packs the goodness of 20g lean milk protein, 14 vitamins and minerals into a delicious low-fat shake..