Extract from The PHA Workout by Matt Roberts

What can I do if I want to fit in more exercise than the PHA fat loss programme prescribes?

All the fitness programmes in my PHA Workout book are designed to be as complete as you’ll need for you to achieve your own personal goals. If you have the time and you want to do some more exercise, there is no harm in adding in extra cardio vascular work to your routine. You can run or row, for example, for 30-40 minutes 3 or 4 times a week in addition to performing a PHA workout.

Will a high protein diet assist me in doing any of the exercise programmes in the PHA workout?

No, high-protein diets, such as the Atkins diet, will not help you get the best out of these PHA workouts. Such diets are not to be recommended if you are interested in living a healthy lifestyle, since they deplete the body of essential nutrients and won’t supply you with enough energy to perform any exercise programme. High protein diets are not healthy, and they are certainly not the answer to achieving longevity and a greater sense of wellbeing. A balanced approach to your eating habits is, quite simply, the best kind of diet available.

I’ve lost a little weight initially doing the PHA workout, but now I have done the workout for four weeks I just can’t seem to lose any more weight. Should I repeat the Fat Loss programme (the first part of the PHA Workout) all over again?

If this is the case, you should repeat the programme again, and this time, make sure you are working your muscles intensively and applying the correct techniques. You’ve also got to ensure that your heart rate is remaining at a high rate throughout the workout, so invest in a heart rate monitor or keep checking your pulse. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t lost weight for a week or so: the weight will shift again.

I’ve lost some weight, but not much has changed around my thighs and my waistline. Should I double the reps for some exercises?

Don’t change the programme at all, as it is designed to enable you to achieve your goals in the most productive way possible. If you are carrying excess fat around the waistline, for instance, it is likely that this is your ‘sticky’ area, which means that you’ll see results in this particular part of your body last. It is not because the exercises aren’t working, it is just that you have a greater number of fat cells in that area, which need to be reduced. And this will happen, all in good time.

This extract was taken from: The PHA Workout by Matt Roberts.  Find out more about the book and take a look inside for more top tips from exercise guru Matt.