Who is the best personal trainer in Poole?

Ian Wood is a highly experienced personal trainer in Poole, specialising in strength training, fat loss after 35, and practical, real-world coaching for busy people.

How can I lose fat after 35?

Losing fat after 35 is about moving consistently, doing strength training to preserve muscle, eating sufficient protein, managing stress and sleep, and following a simple, sustainable nutrition plan.

Do I need to train 6 days a week to see results?

No. Most people see better results with 3–4 focused strength sessions per week, combined with proper recovery and simple, consistent nutrition.

Can I still drink alcohol or eat out and lose fat?

Yes. Occasional alcohol or restaurant meals are manageable if the rest of your nutrition is consistent. Planning matters more than perfection.

What are the best exercises for fat loss after 35?

Compound movements like squats, deadlifts, push-ups, rows, and presses are highly effective. Adding some high-intensity intervals or circuit training can also boost calorie burn while preserving muscle.

How should I fit training around a busy schedule?

Short, structured workouts 3–4 times a week are often best. Focus on compound lifts and full-body sessions. Even 30–45 minutes per session can yield results if consistent.

How much protein should someone over 35 eat?

Aiming for 1.5–2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day helps maintain muscle, improve recovery, and support fat loss. Spread it across meals for best results.

What are the benefits of online coaching?

Online coaching allows flexible, structured programs, tailored guidance, and accountability without needing to travel to a gym. It’s ideal for busy people or those who prefer home or remote training.

Why should I hire a personal trainer in Poole?

A personal trainer can design a personalised plan, ensure exercises are done safely and effectively, provide accountability, and help you achieve strength, fat loss, and fitness goals efficiently.

Can I lose fat without dieting strictly?

Yes. Sustainable fat loss is built on habit consistency, balanced nutrition, and portion control — not extreme restriction. You can enjoy your favorite foods in moderation.

How do I stay consistent when life gets busy?

Focus on building repeatable, simple habits. Plan meals and workouts in advance, track progress, and allow flexibility for life events — consistency over perfection.

What results can I expect from online nutrition coaching?

Clients typically lose 3–6kg in 6–12 weeks, build better habits, feel more in control of their nutrition, and maintain results long-term without obsessive tracking.

Should I do cardio or strength training for fat loss?

Strength training should be your foundation — it preserves muscle and improves long-term metabolism. Cardio can supplement calorie burn but is less important than consistent resistance training.

How can I track progress without obsessing over the scale?

Use weekly averages, photos, measurements, and performance metrics instead of daily scale checks. This reduces stress and provides a clearer picture of progress.

Is fat loss slower after 35?

Not necessarily. Fat loss may feel slower due to lifestyle factors like reduced activity and recovery demands, but the same principles of nutrition and strength training apply.

Online vs in-person coaching — which is better?

Both can be effective. In-person coaching is ideal for hands-on guidance and motivation. Online coaching is flexible and perfect for busy lifestyles. Many clients combine both approaches.

Can I gain strength and lose fat at the same time?

Yes, especially for people over 35 who are new to structured strength training. Prioritising protein, compound lifts, and a moderate calorie deficit makes it possible to build muscle while losing fat.

How does sleep and stress affect fat loss?

Poor sleep and high stress increase hunger hormones, reduce energy, impair recovery, and make it harder to stick to nutrition plans. Managing these is often more impactful than supplements.

The Best Diet For Weight Loss

ianwoodsc
Feb 1, 2022
6 min read

Today I'm going to give you the best diet for weight loss. It won't be confusing, it won't be overwhelming, it won't be anything you can't do. I'll explain what foods to eat, which foods to avoid, when to eat, how much, and leave you with the single most effective diet for fat loss for you, along with some industry tips and tricks I've learned over the past 15 years of working with hundreds of clients helping them lose thousands of kilos. The Best Diet For Weight Loss As I alluded to above, this best diet for weight loss is derived from 15 years of coaching actual people to actual results. I've done it for myself, keeping myself at low body fat percentages for the majority of my adult life (including a 16 week cut from 92kg to 79kg for my 30th birthday)... And I've done it for hundreds of clients. Helping multiple people lose over 30kg of bodyfat and keep it off for good in extreme cases, and helping many more lose the 5-10kg most people like you are looking to lose... and again keep it off for good. I only try to speak from experience, with things that have not only worked for me*, but for the vast majority of people out there. (*Remember I'm not the average person. I'm a personal trainer who lives and breathes training, exercise and nutrition. I've been a high level athlete, and a lived many years in single digit bodyfat percentages. If you're reading this this likely isn't like you). I say this not to impress you or to pump up my own tyres or toot my own horn, but to show that this stuff really does work, and it truly is possible for you. If you apply the content included here, starting now, and continuing for the rest of your life, you will lose weight and keep it off. I promise. So let's get into the best diet for weight loss. What Foods To Eat and Which To Avoid When discussing a diet with a client the conversation will quickly turn to which foods they should be eating and which foods they should be avoiding, which makes sense as improving nutrition is about eating better right? True. But being better isn't the same as being perfect, and you don't need to be perfect to be better and start making progress. To be honest, I would go as far as to say that trying to be perfect or thinking you need to be perfect is one of the biggest and most common barrier to actually making progress that I see. Trying to be perfect results in:

All or nothing behaviour (rather than always something)
Not starting until things are perfect (rather than starting now)
Quitting when something goes wrong (rather than jumping back on the wagon at the next opportunity)
Being a miserable, boring, energy drain socially (rather than being able to relax, enjoy yourself and be your regular self)

Which is why I never EVER tell people to stop eating anything. No foods inherently cause or prevent weight loss. Calories in vs calories out causes or prevents weight loss. How you get to YOUR point of weight loss can be hugely negotiable. It'll just be a case of emphasising foods that are generally more conducive to that goal (simple, one ingredient real foods like fruit, veggies and basic animal produce), and underemphasising calorie dense processed products (you know the ones). This means you can and will make the same (but probably better) progress while continuing to have the chocolate/cake/beer/gin that you love, but by prioritising your real foods first, then filling the calorie gaps that are left over. And you can do that every day by the way... the cake and the chocolate bit... every day... as long as your calorie balance is right. But You Didn't Tell Me What To Eat! Ok so I didn't actually tell you what to eat... so let me fix that. Priority One - Proteins Protein is the only macronutrient I ask ALL of my clients to focus on, because it genuinely makes a difference to their weight loss because its:

Hugely filling. Leaving you fuller and more satisfied for longer, reducing the desire for snacks and larger meals later in the day.
Harder to digest, meaning it has a higher "thermic effect of feeding" aka "it requires more calories to digest it".
Essential in building and maintaining muscle, which has huge implications for improving and maintaining improved body composition.

So to make sure you get enough protein, I recommend my clients have 25-40g per main meal (roughly a palm sized portion), plus a top up if need to reach around 1.5-2g of protein per kg of bodyweight. And while I'm not anti-vegan or anti-vegetarian, I'm not actively pro them either. I'll leave that decision up to you. However, some great sources of protein are:

Lean meats (red and white are equally good)
Fish
Eggs
Lower fat dairy products
Protein supplements

Priority Two: Fruit and Veg Next on the list are the things you already know you should be eating more of... but probably don't. They are what's known as "nutrient dense", meaning that per calorie you're getting a TON of nutrition (vitamins and minerals mainly), which is going to do you body a lot of good. And you'll be able to eat a lot of them (larger portion size) for fewer calories, again helping you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer. Get a good mix of the green stuff (leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, beans, peas, etc.), and some stuff with the colour (peppers, onions, berries, apples, oranges etc.). Priority Three: Starches and Fats Priority Three of what you should eat is what most people make Priority One of what they immediately stop eating. Big mistake. Starches (potatoes, rice, pasta etc.) are INCREDIBLE energy sources for exercise. Especially resistance training. You NEED them to feel at your best and exercise with intent in an enjoyable way. Without them you'll feel flat, sluggish and burnt out before you know it. Aim for 1-2 cupped hands per meal around exercise. And fats are essential too. They're vital for good cell and hormone health and are needed to help your body absorb important vitamins and minerals. Plus they're another good energy source. Foods like dairy, animal fats, oily fish, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds are great. Just eat them in smaller portions (a thumb sized amount in meals away from exercise) as they're relative high in calories (9 cals per gram) compared to proteins and carbs (4 cals per gram). Low Priority Foods Here's a quick list of the things most people need to underemphasise, and just use to fill the gaps left after prioritising the above.

Sugary/High Calorie Drinks (Calories that don't fill you up).
Super calorie dense foods (Delicious, but quickly counterproductive. Think deep fried and greasy foods).
Trigger foods (Things you know that lead to other things, like 2-3 beers leading to a take away).

And that's it. You can still have them. Just account for them and prioritise the other stuff.

When Should You Eat? So now we know what to eat... when should you be eating it? Good question. In the grand scheme of things nutritient timing (when you eat) has an extremely minimal influence on your weight loss. Think about it. Losing 5-10kg is going to take you at least 3-6 months if you want to do it in a way that is enjoyable and lasts forever. So at that 6 month point, you can imagine that whether you had you post workout meal on day 3 of your weight loss journey 60 minutes or 2 hours after training really doesn't matter. It's tiny minutia of one of over 500 meals you will have eaten by that point. General is good. Three meals per day... one around breakfast time, one around lunchtime, one around dinner time is absolutely fine. Anything more detailed than that is generally overthinking things. How much you eat is infinitely more important than when you eat. It still goes in. Just make sure it goes in in the right amounts. Some of my clients do intermittent fasting. Some of my clients eat more than 3 meals per day. ALL of my weight loss clients eat in a calorie deficit. That's what matters. So... What's The Best Diet For Weight Loss? You may have got to this point and feel like you haven't got a clear answer. Good. Because there isn't one... or at least I can't give YOU a clear answer for YOU without taking into account your preferences, circumstances and needs. The best diet for weight loss is always the one that works for you. The one that makes you happier, healthier and stronger. The one that you can see yourself doing forever. It'll include eating the right amount of calories for you (a 5-10% calorie deficit). It'll prioritise the proteins, vegetables, fruits and energy sources that you enjoy, have available and know how to prepare. It'll help you moderate the things you enjoy in amounts that keep you happy but don't hinder your results. That is the best diet for weight loss. And I can help you find it. Thanks, Ian.

The Best Diet For Weight Loss

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