Uncategorized – Chris James Coaching

I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse...

No it's not more Black Friday tat that you don't need.

And no, I haven't applied a 97% discount to it either.

If you're watching your waistline, I know this time of year is tough.

It's freezing outside, so you've put the bike away. Running isn't an option either.

The decorations will be going up soon and the Miniature Heroes will come out. Then you've got the work Christmas parties and every day someone is bringing in mince pies...

The easy option is to leave it until next year - new year, new me.

But that worked so well this year didn't it...

Don't take that personally, Sonny. It’s strictly business.

Stuart was a prime example of this.

He'd catch a glimpse in the mirror and think "that's not me".

He would try all the diets through the year. He'd have success, but it was always short term. He'd very quickly go back to "normal".

December would come around and he'd be no different, despite all the promises he made himself.

Disappointment would set in and he'd just tell himself to start again next year.

But next year would come and he'd be another 5lb heavier. And the cycle continued...

"But Chris, what's this offer you're talking about? Come on, kid, don't fool around."

If you're wanting to sort yourself out or have ever considered working with me, now is the perfect time.

Here's what we're going to do.

1) We’ll book in a 15 minute phone call and discuss where you are and where you want to be.

2) If my programme is suitable for you, I’ll invite you on board.

I know what you're thinking here. With the festivities, it's probably best to start in January, right?

Wrong - If in January you're going to be 5lb heavier like Stuart was each year, surely January will be the wasted month?

And here is my offer.

Now we're talking business, let's talk business.

Instead of starting now, we will start properly in January, but we'll do a "soft start" this month.

We'll agree some sensible actions you can do in December to prevent that 5lb coming on or at least reduce it.

That way when we start in January, you've already got less of a mountain to climb.

If this sounds like it'll work to you, you can comment below or drop me a DM. We'll talk through the details and get you back into the smaller side of your wardrobe for good this time!

by Chris James

Disneyland Paris doesn't make many bucket lists but it did mine. It almost didn't happen though.

It's somewhere I went to as a kid with my mum and I took Abbie in 2021. So how was it still unticked on the bucket list?

I grew up on a council estate with my mum sometimes working multiple jobs. Money could be tight, but she always saved for a good holiday.

As I got older and had my own kid, I kept thinking, I'd love to take my mum back to Disney to experience it with her grandkids.

But I made excuses...

We're moving house this year.

I need a new car.

We've got a different holiday booked.

Then February 2025 came. My mum was taken into hospital in severe pain. She required an emergency operation which was extremely risky. I think she was given a 10% chance.

The other option, the 90%, meant she wouldn't make the week - so it was a no brainer.

The operation went well, but the recovery didn't. She wasn't expected to pull through. We were called in and given the bad news. We sat at her bedside waiting for what felt like the inevitable.

When you're in that moment, regrets start to enter your head. I wish I'd said this. I wish I'd done that. As ridiculous as it sounds Disney was one of them.

In that moment I promised my unconscious mum that if she pulled through, me and my brother would take her. I didn't think it'd happen, but I hoped.

Almost like a fairy tale, hours later, her body started to respond.

Months passed before she left hospital, but it didn't matter. She was out.

We booked - we went - we enjoyed. I'll never forget it and neither will she.

This year taught me a lesson to never wait. Never leave things to later. They could become regrets.

If you want to go on a trip of a lifetime, get it booked.

If you want to change your lifestyle or get a new job now is the time.

There will never be a perfect time...

by Chris James

It's been an odd week, a reminder that life can be short so make the most of it.

I just got back from this place with the family.

I ate far too many Mickey doughnuts and wore out my trainers, but created memories I'll never forget.

This almost didn't happen, but more on that tomorrow.

by Chris James

"I don't need breakfast, but I just have it"

Those were the words of one of my clients last week.

So we're giving Intermittent Fasting a go.

In short, cut out your 300 calories of coco pops, don't eat them later and you're in a 300 calorie deficit.

Easy right?

It is, but there are things to watch out for.

I'm a big fan of Intermittent Fasting, I do it myself most days. But if you don't manage it, you can eat everything in sight, undoing all your good work.

So this week I've updated my guide and I'm offering it out to you.

If you're looking to get slim down as you approach Christmas and start 2026 lighter than 2025, IF could help.

It isn't a silver bullet, but it could be part of what works for you.

If you want the link to my guide, comment below and I'll send it over.

by Chris James

100kg down to 80kg ready for his trip to Alaska

Kevin and I started working together in January.

As you'd imagine, I'm quite busy that time of year.

Kevin is in a managerial role leading a large team. He works from home from often has to travel to the office, which includes a hotel stay.

Years ago when he got married, he was around 83kg and since then it had slowly crept up.

Now his favourite shorts didn't fit and he couldn't face going out to buy even bigger clothes.

We started with the simple stuff, when this happens, have you tried this or that?

And as we built out a plan, we dug into the psychology of why he did the things he did.

There were all inclusive holidays, birthdays, weddings and anniversary to go through.

And that part is really important for me. You can still do all these things, but just slightly better.

There are bumps, ups and downs, but that's normal.

Some of those bumps I've mentioned above, some of them were just anomalies. He did all the right things and still gained a bit. It happens. But it's a big mindset shift to manage that and keep moving on.

Fast forward to August, Kevin's big trip to Alaska. They've planned out all the activities and adventures.

Kevin did have to buy new clothes but MUCH smaller now.

Now Kevin could have shifted that 20kg a lot quicker, either following a strict plan or working with someone else.

But the difference here is what he's done will last.

My clients aren't in the 90% that gain it back.

Do you want to be in the 10%?

by Chris James

Why do we allow ourselves to crash before asking for help?

Let's be honest here, most people look after their car, getting it in for it's service, making sure it's ready for it's MOT. But never when it comes to their health.

We ignore the warning lights: low energy, bigger waistline, poor sleep… until suddenly it’s a crisis.

But here’s the thing, your health isn’t like a car you can trade in. You only get one. Yet we seem to switch our priorities around.

Of course you want to prevent issues with your car, no one wants a breakdown do they.

But it's the same with your health. Prevention isn’t sexy, but it’s cheaper, easier, and a hell of a lot less painful than fixing something that’s already broken.

Getting a coach isn’t about waiting until you’re out of shape, exhausted, or on medication. It’s about staying sharp, strong, and in control so you don’t end up needing a trip to your local A&E.

Stop waiting for the breakdown. Start with prevention.

And that's where Elevate EPP comes in.

Businesses have plenty of provisions in place for when someone does crash and burn. When they are on medication or struggling with exhaustion or stress. But most don't stop it happening.

If you're in reasonable shape now, feeling alright, imagine how good you could feel with a coach and some support. Good to great!

As a leader, imagine how that could affect your team. How they're feeling, how they show up and how they perform.

And Elevate isn't just about health - go take a look - and if it feels like it could help your team, get in touch to see how we can help.

www.elevate-epp.co.uk

by Chris James

“Philip… is it you or the plant pots?”

He paused, I could see he was thinking and then a wry smile.

"Alright, let's do it"

Philip is a Pharmacist who works long hours on his feet, but although he was very active, his weight wasn't shifting.

You see Philip was a bit of a grazer of the sweet variety.

A biscuit here, a bit of cake there, a little sugar boost to get him through.

If he did have time for a lunch it'd be a sandwich which would be gone in three bites and back to work.

When we first spoke, Philip told me all the things he'd tried. The usual suspects. Some worked for a bit. Some didn't work at all.

It was affecting his confidence, his mood, clothes didn't really fit well anymore.

He needed to sort it.

He also told me he'd just moved house - another stress - and was renovating. This included a purchase of some particularly expensive plant pots.

Philip was very chatty, easy to talk to, we discussed a lot.

I explained how I work and how it'd work for him. Things all sounded good and then I asked, "Shall we get started then?"

And that's when he froze and his demeanour changed.

This was crunch time.

Would it work? Or be another failed attempt?

This was the first time Philip would be paying for help in sorting this, so that added an additional layer.

Panic set in and the verbal diarrhoea began. "I'm busy with work, I'm renovating the house, maybe this isn't the right time"

I stopped him and calmly said, “Philip… is it you or the plant pots?”

I'm not a salesman. I don't do pressure sales, but the truth is there’s never a perfect time. Life will always throw plant pots, bills or busy seasons at you.

And if Philip reads this, I'm sure he'll comment below that it turned out to be a great decision!

by Chris James

And just like that the Summer is over.

Not only marked by my not-so-little anymore girl going back to school but it's tipping it down too outside.

This can be a tough part of the year for me.

Back to normality, foot back on the gas with work along with the weather change.

But this year I'm seeing this as a time of opportunity and you should too.

This time of the year is a great time for my clients to push on and make progress.

Holidays are done for a bit. Less events, parties and Summer BBQs. Plus the kids are back at school.

I always say there is never a perfect time to start looking after yourself, but there are better times and this is one of them.

If you want to shift some timber and get back to feeling your best wearing your nice clothes, what's stopping you?

Kevin has shifted 21kg working with me. Brad is down 15kg. Andy down 6kg (but he's never not on holiday!!).

They've all done it without calorie counting, or strict regimes, just sensible changes and a heap of accountability to keep them on track.

If you want to see if we're a fit, drop me a message and we can have a chat about my 7 days of complimentary coaching.

by Chris James

I have joined the 5am club…

I have joined the 5am club...

... and it's rubbish!

Not by choice I might add.

No ice baths, meditation up a mountain or journaling.

Nappy change, mixing up milk and putting on the coffee pot.

A certain 6 month old alarm clock is making the decisions right now...

by Chris James

This appearing on the side can only mean one thing...

August is going to be a busy month for us. Not only has our daughter broken up from school, but we're the main holiday cover for a lot of other foster carers.

We've got kids coming and going between now and the 15th.

They've all been here before, but it'll be a juggling act at times.

As I said in a post the other day, this is life.

Life is busy, August especially for parents, but it doesn't need to be a throw away month.

I'll still walk the dog. I'll still drink plenty of water. I'll still stick a load of vegetables on my plate.

Simple stuff eh?

I might also need an extra pot of coffee though. I'll post the link to my GoFundMe page later.

by Chris James