Start hereWelcome in. Here's how this works.
Ten minutes on this page saves weeks of guessing. It covers your first two weeks, what I need from you, what's normal early on, and the questions everyone asks. Tick the checklist at the bottom when you're done.
What happens and when
Timings are typical. If something slips, you'll hear from me.
- Day 1
I review your assessment
Your answers, training history, food diary, schedule and your starting photos (sent with the progress photos form). I'm looking for what's actually been holding you back, not just your goal. If I need more information, I'll ask before I start building.
- Days 2–4
I build your plan
Training, nutrition targets, steps and cardio, built around your week. This takes 2–3 days to do properly. Keep training and eating as normal until it arrives.
- Plan day
Your plan arrives
Your plan in the 1fit app and as a PDF, with a video showing how to use the app and walking you through your targets. The video also sets your weekly check-in day. Watch it before your first session.
- Week 1
Learn the plan
Sessions will feel slow while you find your way around them. Fill in the app's daily prompts, log everything, ask questions. Your job this week is execution, not heroics.
- End of week 1
First check-in
Mostly about how the plan fits your life. I'll tidy logistics and technique. It's too early to change calories: the scale is still settling.
- Week 2
Settle in, second check-in
The first week with useful data. Calories usually change only once we have 2–3 weeks of trend, so expect the plan to stay put for now.
Your week, in the app
Everything runs through 1fit. The more accurately you log, the faster I can see what's working and the less we guess.
Answer the app's daily prompts
- 1fit prompts you every day for your inputs: morning weight, training, steps and the rest. Fill them in when they come up, even after a bad day.
- Morning weight: after the toilet, before food or drink, same scales, same spot, minimal clothing.
- Training: log every set: weight, reps and how hard it was. Add a note when something felt off, hurt, or you had to swap an exercise.
Your check-in
Check-in day:
- The weekly check-in in 1fit: how the week went, how you felt, one win, one problem, any questions. The problem is the most useful part.
- Progress photos at the end of the check-in, taken exactly the way you took your starting set.
- A 2–3 minute voice note on how you're feeling. I want to hear your tone: it tells me things the numbers don't.
Your weekly average weight comes from your daily weigh-ins, so you don't need to work it out. I reply , with any changes to the plan.
Messaging me
Message me in the 1fit chat. I reply . WhatsApp (07763 693292) is for anything time-sensitive.
- Message straight away: pain or injury, illness, a change in schedule or travel, or anything that stops you following the plan.
- Save for check-in: general questions, ideas, "should I…" thoughts. Batching them gets you a better answer.
- One message with everything in it beats ten short ones.
Don't panic about these
Most people who quit early quit over something that was completely normal. Here's what to expect.
Weight jumping 1–2 kg
Day to day, from salt, carbs, water, sleep and toilet timing. One weigh-in tells you almost nothing.
Water shifts in weeks 1–2
A new diet and new training both move water. You might drop fast or not at all at first. Neither is the real rate yet.
Soreness
New exercises and more volume make you sore for the first couple of weeks. It fades as you adapt. Sharp or joint pain is different: tell me.
Slow sessions
Learning new exercises, rest times and weights takes time. Sessions run long for a week or two, then tighten up.
Hunger
In a deficit, some hunger is expected. Before meals is fine. Constant, distracting hunger is something I can fix, so tell me.
Judging trends, not days
We read the weekly average and the direction over 2–3 weeks. A bad day or a heavy morning changes nothing.
Four things that matter
- Be honest. A check-in that says "I went off-plan three days" is far more useful than one that hides it. I can only fix what I can see.
- Log everything, especially the bad days. Gaps in the data are where wrong decisions come from.
- Flag problems early. A niggle, a hard week at work, constant hunger: tell me while it's small. It's always easier to adjust early.
- Don't change two things at once. If you add cardio and cut a meal in the same week, neither of us knows which one worked. Run changes through me first.
The questions everyone asks
I missed a session. What now?
Don't double up. Do the next session in order and carry on. If you miss more than one in a week, mention it at check-in so I can see whether the plan needs to fit your week better.
I'm travelling or going on holiday.
Tell me at least a week before. Use the trip planner and I'll adapt training to the kit you'll have. Keep weighing in if you can. Expect the scale to jump on the way back: it's mostly water and food in transit, and it settles within a week.
How do I handle eating out?
Eating out is fine. Use the eating out guide to pick options that fit, log your best estimate, and get back to normal at the next meal. Don't "save" calories by skipping protein earlier in the day.
Can I drink alcohol?
Yes, if you plan it. Alcohol has calories (about 7 per gram), worsens sleep, and makes next-day training and food choices worse. Decide your limit before you start, log it honestly, and don't train hard hungover.
I'm ill. Should I train?
Head cold only: train lighter or swap for a walk. Fever, chest symptoms or aching all over: rest until you're better. Keep eating normally, prioritise protein, and message me so I read that week's data in context.
My weight went up. What did I do wrong?
Probably nothing. Salt, carbs, a late meal, poor sleep, stress, soreness or not going to the toilet all push the scale up. I look at the weekly average. If it rises for two weeks while you've stuck to the plan, I'll adjust it.
Can I add extra cardio?
Ask first. Extra cardio changes how much you burn and how well you recover, and it muddies the data I use to set your calories. If you want to do more, steps are the default answer.
Can I swap an exercise?
Yes, if the kit isn't available or it hurts. Swap like for like (same movement, similar range, e.g. a machine press for a dumbbell press), note it in 1fit, and tell me at check-in. Don't swap because it's hard: hard is usually the point.
When will my calories change?
When 2–3 weeks of trend says they should. Not after one week, and not because of one weigh-in. Any change comes in your check-in reply, gets updated in 1fit, and you get a new PDF.
My check-in is going to be late.
Send it as soon as you can, even if it's short. Never skip one because the week was bad. Those are the check-ins I learn the most from. My reply time starts when it arrives.
Where are my plan PDFs?
Every time your plan changes, I email you a new PDF and update 1fit. The newest one is always the one to follow. If you can't find it, message me and I'll resend it.
Should I take supplements?
A few are worth it, most aren't. Food first. See the supplements guide for what's worth taking, how much, and what to skip.
Something hurts. What should I do?
Muscle soreness is normal. Sharp pain, joint pain, or pain that's getting worse is not: stop that exercise, note it in 1fit and message me. The mobility page has routines for common niggles.
I can't hit my targets (protein, steps, sessions).
Tell me. A plan you can follow 90% of the time beats a perfect one you follow 60%. I'd rather adjust the target than have you quietly miss it.
Can I do a sport, class or event with friends?
Yes. Tell me in advance and I'll fit it around your training. Just don't add it on top without saying anything: it affects recovery and the numbers.
Can I pause coaching?
For illness, injury or a big life event, message me and we'll talk it through. Pauses and notice periods follow your coaching agreement.
Ready to start?
Tick each one when it's done. Your ticks are saved on this device.
All done. Send this to me and I'll know you're set.
You're ready.
I've been told. A copy is on its way to your inbox. Next step: your first check-in.