HOME.

RELOAD
by Natacha Océane

Approved by
Renee McGregor
Contents
nutrition

4 Before you !art

5 Our goals with HOME.
6 Nutrition fundamentals
14 Measuring your progre"
16 Nutrition for these 10 weeks
28 A note from Renee
29 Spo#ing if you’ve been under-eating

2
Contents
training

44 Warming up
45 Picking the right resi!ance
46 Re! times
47 Progre"ions
48 Re! days
49 Stepping up your home workouts
50 Injuries
51 Once you’ve finished

3
before
we !art Hey my friends 😘
I am so excited for the next 10 weeks with HOME. Reload!
Whether you’re used to training at home, or used to training
at the gym, this programme is built to push you and to give
back as much as you’re able to put in.

We’re going to be training functionally, so that your body

moves well and fluidly, but also with resistance to reap the
benefits of extra muscle 💪

All the information in this programme, both for training and

nutrition, is based on current leading scientific research on
nutrition and physical exercise.

That’s why it means the world to me that Renee McGregor,

a world-leading specialist Dietitian featured so often as an
expert by the BBC, Sky News and trusted by British
Olympic athletes, Scottish Ballet and the GB 24 Hour
Running Team, has helped hone the details and is willing to
put her name to them.

We both hope you look forward to training and feel so

strong over the next 10 weeks!

4
our goals
with HOME.
My goal for every single programme I release is to make working out feel
exciting and empowering. Every workout is different while maintaining the
fundamentals that should be incorporated consistently, and levelling up
your progress with new movements, skills or by increasing your strength
through the journey is a huge focus.

With HOME., we’ll be working across the skill related pillars of fitness,
mixing in movements for power, strength, coordination, agility and speed.
Plus we’ll be keeping the workouts intense and building towards improving
your body composition, which is your ratio of muscle to fat, to help create a
lean physique while also bringing a whole range of health benefits.

To make this change possible, we’ll need to keep in mind a number of

super important nutrition principles so that you can have incredible
workouts and to allow your body to recover and improve the way we’re
asking it to.

Those principles will be the focus of this chapter. The good news is that no
matter what you’ve heard, they’re pretty simple and backed by the true
experts like Renee who have dedicated their lives to this topic led only by
the science, without gimmicks to sell you and to cloud their judgement.

Let’s start 🙏

5
nutrition
nutrition
macronutrients
Fundamentals
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate breaks down into glucose to provide the main energy source for
our brain, central nervous system and physical activity. Fibre is also a form of non-
digestible carbohydrate and helps keep you satisfied after a meal and also helps
keep a healthy gut.

Many carb sources are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making
them super important for overall health In addition, carbs are converted to🍎 🍌
glycogen and stored in our muscles, so they’re a crucial source of energy and
allow us to keep training properly! Studies have shown that low intakes of carbs
(<3g/kg bodyweight) are often linked with reduced performance and training
intensity, a depressed immune system and altered Thyroid function causing
potentially long-term effects on hormonal, bone and cardiovascular health.

Carbs are also crucial in women, as they allow for the proper functioning of the
hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which controls the production and release of so many
crucial hormones. One of these is Oestrogen, which regulates our levels of
Human Growth Hormone (hGH), required for building muscle. This then helps make
fat loss more sustainable by increasing how much energy you can put out during a
workout and because muscle tissue requires constant energy for maintenance (it’s
highly metabolically active to be precise) 💪

Also, as I break down in my ‘Fasted Cardio: Science Explained’ video, body

composition and performance aren’t shown to improve by training before
breakfast, so just workout whenever feels best for you.

7
nutrition
Fundamentals
Protein
Protein is an essential part of our diet (fun fact: protein structure was the focus
of my PhD research 🔬 it’s broken down into amino acids
). When it’s digested,
that go into the repair, recovery, and growth of your muscles but are also
important for many other functions in our bodies. Given that we’ll be doing
intense workouts through these 10 weeks, making sure that you have protein
available for recovery and repair is super important! There’ll be protein
breakdown taking place and our goal is to keep a steady flow of amino acids
available so our body doesn’t start to break down muscle.

A good rule of thumb is to aim for 0.3g-0.4g/kg bodyweight (0.15-0.2g/lb

bodyweight) around 4 times per day, so around 1.2-1.6g/kg bodyweight
(0.6-0.8g/lb bodyweight) total. The only time you might need more than that is
if you’re new to training, where you might need up to 1.8g/kg bodyweight
(0.9g/lb bodyweight) for the first 3 months. And if you train late in the
afternoon, it might be worth scheduling one of these protein hits before bed to
help with recovery.

8
nutrition
Fundamentals
Fat
Fat makes up our cell membranes and protects our organs. Fat also helps the
body to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K which are useful for lots of important
functions (: Unsaturated fats (like those from olive oil, fish oil and avocados)
are more beneficial from a health perspective compared to saturated fats
found in meat and butter (and therefore cake!) as they don’t have the same
link with heart disease.

As a general guideline, around 1-1.2g/kg of bodyweight (0.5-0.6g/lb

bodyweight), with most of this coming from unsaturated fat, is a healthy target
for exercising adults.

Fat is more energy dense than carbohydrates and protein, meaning that each
gram you eat provides more calories. If you struggle to get enough calories in
to perform and recover from these workouts fully, adding in some extra fat
can often help get a little extra fuel in without too much change in food
volume. For example, adding some olive oil to a salad or nut butters to
porridge and oatcakes!

9
nutrition
Fundamentals
Here are some example food sources for each macronutrient:

Carbohydrate Protein Fat

• Wholegrain & • Fish • Plant/seed oils
Including oily fish
cereals (bread,
wheat, rice, • Meat • Nuts
barley, oats, Including red meat Including nut butters
buckwheat, • Eggs • Avocados
quinoa)
• Dairy (e.g. greek • Oily fish
• Vegetables yoghurt)
• Full fat yoghurt
• Fruit • Quorn

• Pulses (beans, • Tofu (Vegan)

lentils, chickpeas
etc.) • Seitan (Vegan)

• Soya (Vegan)

• Pulses (Vegan)

10
nutrition
micronutrients
Fundamentals
Micronutrients refer to the vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and trace elements
that are important for enzyme function and the processing of carbohydrates,
fats and protein. We can’t make these little winners on our own though, so
we need most of these to come from our diet. And the good news is that if you
eat a well-balanced and varied diet, you’ll be able to get these micronutrients
in without needing to take extra supplements (#studentlifeapproved)

supplements
In general, for a healthy population under normal circumstances, supplements
are not necessary to achieve your goals, and our diets should be enough to
support our training. There’s a whole lot of good marketing, but a rounded diet
of healthy portions should be able to cover your micro- and macronutrient
needs If you’re
✨ considering taking your training to a professional standard or
are concerned about a specific deficiency, then you might find it useful talking
about your nutrition and any possible supplementation with a dietitian

However, Vitamins D and B12 and Iron are exceptions that we should keep in
mind. Our bodies make vitamin D from sunlight, so if you’re staying indoors for
the majority of the day and not able to get out much, or if you live in a country
with low levels of sunlight (like me!), it may be helpful to add supplementation.

11
nutrition
supplements
Fundamentals
Vitamin D, along with Iron, is also super important for maintaining proper immune
function, so supplementation of the two could definitely be valuable for helping
to keep our bodies healthy.
Iron can also be useful to supplement in general, especially if we’ve been on a
calorie restrictive diet, or during menstruation in female athletes. Because iron is
so important for the functioning of haemoglobin (the protein that transfers
oxygen around the body), being iron deficient can make you feel tired and
underperform. A simple blood test will help determine your iron levels and
ensuring you’re getting enough from your diet can help keep your levels where
they need to be. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, combining iron rich foods with
Vitamin C rich foods can help iron’s absorption. Good iron-rich foods:
- Fortified cereals
- Dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli
- Lentils and other pulses
- Egg yolks
- Lean red meat

One last micronutrient to call out is Vitamin B12, which mainly comes from animal
sources and is important for bunch of health reasons, so it’s supplementation is
highly recommended for vegans 💪

12
nutrition
Tips to help you along
Fundamentals
• Eat for strong workouts If you feel strong when it💪comes to
workout time, then it’s likely that you’re fuelling your workouts well. Keep
an eye out for signs of fatigue or not feeling strong enough to progress
that last longer than 1-2 weeks, as these can often be down to not
giving your body the energy it needs to recover and develop.
• Don’t restrict any food types 🙅
Including a little of everything can
make the process more enjoyable which is the key to long-term results.
All food is good, it’s just good for different reasons Cake, chocolate,
burgers and whatever else are never banned from my regular diet. As
long as micronutrient rich foods are the core, you’ll feel great

• Rest up 😴 fitter, leaner and stronger are about more than

Becoming
just eating and training. Growth Hormone (hGH) production peaks in the
deepest part of our sleep, and it’s so important for muscle protein
synthesis (building muscle), bone growth, and blood glucose regulation.
Sleep deprivation can also lead to fat gain because it causes hormone
changes that make you feel extra hungry and less satisfied.
If you’re used to working out at a gym and are switching to home
training, we don’t want you to overcompensate with excessive training
and reducing rest. Instead, the goal is for you to perform these
movements and workouts with real intensity, power and control

13
measuring your
Progre"
A common instinct can be to go right for the scales, which can be helpful
but it might not be the best way to track what’s really happening

With time, we have confused bodyweight for body fat by not being
specific with our language. Even commonly used health indicators like BMI
don’t make this important distinction.
On my journey, I’ve gained around 10kg in bodyweight (roughly,
fluctuations are normal) and I still wear the same dress size! Since muscle
is so dense, it can just confuse things on the scales. You can weigh more
and yet be smaller and leaner if body recomposition has taken place:
you’ve built some muscle and lost fat. That’s why, when I can, I use
indicators that are less vague, and don’t come with (incorrect) negative
associations.

Here’s what I find a lot more useful instead :)

• Tracking your training progress: I recommend this as your go-to
measure for progress. Pick a few core moves and take note of how
you’re performing them better, faster or with more resistance. We’ll be
doing them often enough for you to notice changes when they happen
and the app allows you to make notes on each exercise as you go
along so it should be easy enough It’s super empowering to watch🙏
yourself become stronger!

14
measuring your
Progre"
• Taking progress pics: This can help you see how your body has
changed over time, maybe even in relaxed and flexed positions so
you can visualise things even better! One thing: just remember that
there’ll be bloating, muscle + joint inflammation and pumps
(temporary increases in blood flow) which can make it look like
there’s been some extra fat gain, but don’t let this throw you off!
That’s why a fairer representation of your progress comes after a
day or two of rest.

Remember that slow, steady progress is great and to give your body
time to stabilise and adjust after any changes

15
nutrition for
these
Finding your !arting point
10 weeks
Over these 10 weeks, it’s not necessary at all for you to track or think too much
about the food you eat. If you’re happy eating when you’re hungry and
stopping when you’re satisfied, or if you just don’t want to track what you eat
for any reason, then you’re perfectly good sticking with that!

If you remember the fundamentals and tips we’ve covered already, focus on
great workouts and make sure you’re not hungry, your body is more than
capable of changing over the 10 weeks. This is what I do myself and I find it
makes me super flexible with food and able to fuel myself however I need to.

If, however, you find it helpful to know roughly what you’re burning and to track
your food intake to make sure you’re eating enough and incorporating the tips
we’ve suggested above, that’s perfectly ok too!

In that case, a super helpful starting point can be knowing what we’d expect
your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to be while training with HOME. This
TDEE number is the total number of calories we’d expect you to burn daily, on
average, though this will fluctuate significantly day-to-day.

It’s important to bear in mind that this is just an estimate and the real average
will be affected by your activity levels outside of the programme (do you walk
to work? is your job active?), how intensely you perform the workouts, your
muscle:fat ratio and some other variables.

16
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
Using a little simple math, we can calculate this estimate by applying the Harris
Benedict Formula (HBF) to HOME.:

FEMALE TDEE = 1.5 x (655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age))

MALE TDEE= 1.5 x (66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age))

If you’re used to imperial units,1kg = 2.2 lbs.

An example
Claire is 23 years old, weighs 53kg (117 pounds) and she is 159cm.

As a rough indicator, we’d expect her TDEE on HOME. to be:

FEMALE TDEE = 1.5 x (655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age)
Claire’s TDEE. = 1.5 x (655 + (9.6 x 53kg) + (1.8 x 159) - (4.7 x 23)
= 1.5 x (655 + 509 + 286 - 108)
= 2,015 calories

2,015 calories is an estimate of the calories she’ll burn on average, but in

reality, each day she’ll either be higher or lower. So it’s important to be guided
by appetite throughout to help you spot when your body has been using a lot
of extra energy, and then respond by fuelling it enough so you’re not hungry.

Next, we’ll look at how to use this estimate.

17
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
2,015 calories is an estimate of the calories she’ll burn on average, but in
reality, each day she’ll either be higher or lower. So it’s important to be guided
by appetite throughout to help you spot when your body has been using a lot
of extra energy, and then respond by fuelling it enough so you’re not hungry.

Next, we’ll look at how to use this estimate.

Ju! a quick note

Although in this section we’ll talk about using
apps like MyFitnessPal to help track your daily
food intake, based on the scientific literature
these apps terribly underestimate your true
caloric needs.

So don’t be put off if your HBF TDEE estimate

doesn’t match what these apps suggest for you.
Their recommendations are not just irresponsible
but also ineffective for long-term results so we
strongly advise that you stay away from the
calorie recommendation feature 😘

18
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
I’m new to training regularly
If you haven’t had a consistent training routine, understanding what your body
is asking for in response to the new training programme is a great place to start!

Your body will be going through a significant adjustment phase at first, and we
want to give it time for lots of recovery from the new workouts and to settle a
little before we start making too many adjustments.

Take the first 2-3 weeks of training with HOME. without restricting your food
intake and eating when you’re hungry. There’ll be new demands on your body,
so it’ll need plenty of energy to respond to them properly and adjust.

In the third or fourth week, if you feel that your body has settled into a
consistent eating pattern and volume, take a couple of days to track your food
intake with a mobile app like MyFitnessPal or LifeSum and find an average. Our
goal is to find your baseline: how much you’re eating while working out with
HOME.

A great way to truly measure your intake without adjusting it due to tracking is
to write down everything you’ve eaten that day and only enter it into the app
at night once you’re done eating.

19
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
If your baseline food intake is above your TDEE estimate:

This definitely doesn’t mean there’s any issue at all. Your body is still adapting
and settling, and we’re really prioritising great workouts, so stay super cautious
of making any adjustments downwards in your food intake.

Let the HBF TDEE estimate be a complete minimum on your food intake.
Lowering your food intake below it will hold back your recovery and
development at this super important phase. Plus, there’s often a lot of room for
body recomposition in beginners. This is where fat loss takes place alongside
muscle gain even without eating in a calorie deficit, and it’s supported
consistently in the scientific literature.

If your baseline food intake is below your TDEE estimate:

If your baseline food intake is below the HBF estimate for calories burnt, it’s
important to remember that this is a really important phase full of physiological
adaptations that need energy. Our guidance is to really prioritise increasing
your intake to the HBF estimate of your calories burnt within the following 4
weeks, even if your goal is to lose fat.

We really want to avoid long-term effects on your health, performance and the
effectiveness of your training programme from consistently under-fuelling your
body, especially when they’re completely unnecessary for getting results!

As long as your food intake is not below your HBF estimate, your body will be
able to get leaner and become stronger and fitter in this early phase!

20
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
I’m used to training regularly without weights
If you’re already used to regular home workouts, cardio, or anything using very
light levels of resistance, it’s pretty likely that we won’t want a dramatic
amount of change in your food intake with HOME.

10% below your HBF estimate of calories burnt should be seen as a complete
minimum. If you’ve already been tracking your food intake and know your
starting point is below this, our strong advice is to increase to this minimum level
within the first four weeks of training with HOME. as the programme will likely
be introducing you to new movements and extra intensity.

If you weren’t tracking your food intake previously and you’re not sure if you’re
eating enough to recover and develop with the workouts, take a couple of
days to track your food intake with a mobile food tracking app in weeks 2 or
3 once you’ve settled into new eating patterns. Just like above, 10% below
your HBF estimate of calories burnt should be your minimum, so if your tracked
days are below, we want to get you up within the next 4 weeks.

As long as you’re sticking above your minimum intake level, you can make
steady adjustments throughout the programme in line with your goals. If those
are fat loss, maybe then keep your intake around this minimum level. Or if you
want to develop your power and feel stronger, don’t be afraid to steadily
increase your food intake to allow your muscles to develop.

21
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
I’m used to training regularly with weights
If you’re used to working out regularly in the gym with added resistance, there
are a few things to remember.

If your baseline food intake is above your TDEE estimate:

If you were previously eating more than this estimate of calories burnt, the
super important first step is to not feel like you should race down towards it.
Body composition isn’t factored into the HBF, so it’s assuming an average mix of
fat and muscle making up your bodyweight. If you’ve become real strong and
built some muscle already, I’d expect you to burn more calories in the workouts
and at rest than predicted by the equation.

See the HBF estimate as more of a minimum food intake level, since your actual
calorie expenditure will be above that.

If you’re after fat loss and are planning on reducing intake from your previous
level, go for small changes at a time (say 100-200 calorie steps per week)
because we really want to protect the muscle and strength you’ve worked hard
to build! 💪

22
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
If your baseline food intake is below your TDEE estimate:

If you’re used to eating less than the amount that the HBF estimates you’ll be
burning, it’s super important to stay mindful of the size of your deficit (how many
fewer calories you’re eating than the calories you’re burning). Creating too
much of a gap between how much you’re taking in and how much energy your
body needs isn’t as simple as it seems.

The scientific literature has shown that being continuously under-fuelled has a
number of different effects like reducing workout quality, less of a biological
drive to move (less motivation to workout and less energy to move around in
general), an accelerated rate of muscle loss and greater cravings to overeat.
This approach can sometimes seem to create results in the short-term, but
together, these effects often eventually undo the entire purpose of the deficit.

Plus, there can there be long-term health implications like we touched on before
on page 7.

The minimum level of food intake we’ll want you at for these 10 weeks is equal
to the HBF estimate of your calories burnt. As mentioned before, this estimate is
likely to be a slight underestimate of how much your body is actually burning, so
eating at this level should still be putting you in a slight deficit, if that’s your plan.
If you have been eating less than the HBF figure previously, the priority should
be coming up to this minimum level of food intake within the first four weeks of
training with HOME.

23
nutrition for
these
Adju!ing your food intake throughout
10 weeks
Making small adjustments through the 10 week programme will help you
make sure the workouts are really workout ☺

Big signs to look for that it may be time to give your body a little extra food
intake include:
• constant tiredness
• feeling weak or low energy during training
• frequent hunger cues and a general feeling of never being satisfied
• difficulty focussing
• changes to menstrual function eg. periods become lighter or change frequency

If you’re noticing any of these, don’t be scared to add in an extra snack or

increase your portion sizes at meal times! Your body is unique and even
though we can learn so many amazing lessons from the scientific research,
nobody can perfectly predict what you’ll need at each stage with all of
the other things going on in your life too.

Whenever you make any kind of change to your nutrition, just allow at least
2-3 weeks to really start to feel the impact. Our bodies are unbelievably
complex and interconnected, and each change we make triggers a butterfly
effect of more changes which need time to take place.

24
nutrition for
these
Eating simple
10 weeks
Eating healthily really doesn’t need to be complicated. When I was younger I spent
so long searching for those special ingredients and ‘superfoods’ I thought I needed
in my diet. Looking back, I feel like I probably wasted a lot of my student loan on
micronutrients I could have just found in my local supermarket

Here’s a list of super accessible, inexpensive staple foods that are super versatile
and simple to help get you micro and macronutrients in a great place!

Oats release energy slowly through the day, preventing blood sugar
Oats fluctuations and energy crashes. And they’re not just for porridge:
granola, pancakes, waffles and flapjacks work perfectly too!

Avocados are packed with healthy fats that help with absorbing fat
Avocados soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K, and they provide Vitamin E
too (:

Fresh fruit and vegetables can go off quickly so buying them frozen
Frozen fruit helps them keep for longer. Plus, even though we often think that fresh
+ veg is best, frozen, canned and dried fruit and vegetables all provide
incredible health benefits when the fresh stuff isn’t available!

Greek yoghurt is a really great recovery option thanks to it’s high

protein content. Most natural Greek yoghurt offers around 10g
Greek protein / 100g, which is double what we’ll usually find in standard
yoghurt yoghurts. Greek yoghurt is super versatile and works with cereals, fruit,
granola, dessert and there’s always the fat free option to make sure it
fits into your diet whatever your goal.

25
nutrition for
these 10 weeks
Chickpeas, lentils, and peas. You can grab these canned or dried, they’ll
keep forever and they’ll provide you with protein, carbohydrates and fibre
Pulses to keep you satisfied and help you recover! Chickpeas are great for
hummus but all of these pulses work well as sides, in salads or soups (:

A super easy store cupboard ingredient with lots of protein. Oily fish like
mackerel, salmon and sardines are also great sources of unsaturated fats
Canned and omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain and heart function. I
fish love mixing canned fish into salads, using them as a sandwich filler, or
mixing them up with some spices, breadcrumbs and eggs to make
fishcakes!

Nuts and seeds are good protein sources especially if you’re vegan or
vegetarian. Almonds, cashews and sesame seeds are good non-dairy
Nuts sources of calcium and you can find omega-3 fatty acid ALA in linseeds,
+ seeds chia seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds. I love to add nuts and seeds to my
granola and to my salads or as a spread or topping like nut butters and
tahini.

Herbs Not only do these add an extra dimension of flavour, but they’re also
+ spices powerful antioxidants and offer a little boost to your immune system too (:

Overall, meals really don’t have to be gourmet! Super simple meals like baked
potato with tuna and salad; tofu stir fry with noodles; ratatouille with halloumi and
couscous; and chicken with roasted vegetables and hummus don’t need much effort
or time but will help keep you feeling super healthy and getting results!

26
nutrition for
these
Sample menu:
Let’s make up an example of an individual day of food!
10 weeks
Sascha used to workout at the gym and ate 2,300 calories daily on average. Since
switching to HOME., she’s reduced her intake a little to 2,150 calories per day, but
still above the HBF estimate of 2,050 calories burnt per day for her height, weight
and age.

Working out after college and before dinner, a perfect meal plan sets her up with
carbohydrates for lunch a few hours before her training and her evening meal within
30 minutes, which helps with bone health and hormonal regulation.

Here’s an example of what she might eat one day:

Carbs Protein Fat Calories

Banana, peanut + chocolate smoothie: 1 frozen
Breakfast banana, 2tsp peanut butter, 2tsp cocoa powder, 1 cup 64g 8g 12g 397
low fat milk (any kind)

Mediterranean pita: 2 wholewheat pita breads, 1/2

can tuna, 1/2 can chickpeas (drained), 10 small olives
Lunch (halved), 10 cherry tomatoes, handful lettuce,1 tbsp 84g 35g 27g 721
greek yoghurt, 1tsp olive oil, 1/4 cucumber, pinch of
salt.

Snack 1 Carrots and hummus: 1/2 cup hummus, 1.5 cups carrots 26g 6g 5g 195g

HOME. workout
Chicken stir-fry: 1 chicken breast, 1 pepper, 1 onion, 2
Dinner garlic cloves, handful beansprouts, 1 handful dark leafy 72g 36g 18g 590
greens, 1tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp low salt soya sauce, 50g
soba noodles
Apple crumble bircher: 2tbsp rolled oats, pinch ground
Snack 2 cinnamon, 2tsp honey, 1 apple (grated or chopped), 1 45g 5g 6 237
cup natural yoghurt

Totals 291g 90g 68g 2,140

27
A note from
Renee
It’s easy to think that in order to become lean, you need to reduce
energy intake and increase energy output. In a world where we’re
constantly being told to move more and eat less, it’s no wonder you
might have come to this conclusion.

However, it’s important to understand that our bodies prioritise

movement. So, if you’re not putting enough energy into your system to
support regular biological function plus the ‘work’ you do in terms of
training and general movement, your body will prioritise your movement
and need to save energy from processes like maintaining bone density,
making red blood cells, maintaining your immunity, hair and skin renewal
and your menstrual cycle.

Plus, your adaptation to training will be poor. So while it’s tempting to

want ‘instant results’ and to try a shortcut, the key aim of our programme
is to create sustainable athletes with longevity in health and fitness in
mind.

For more information on what impact a lower energy intake can have,
please take a look through the section on RED-S on pg. 27.

28
red-s
Spo#ing if you’ve been
under-eating
If you’re
under-eating
The belief that you’ll continuously lose fat if you eat less and train more is a
common misconception. Our bodies are super complex and finely tuned, constantly
adapting to work at their best. A complicated system of hormonal and
biochemical processes, all working together, is in place to keep us fully functioning.
But if we disrupt one, there’ll be effects on the others.

Before starting the approach in this programme, I can’t explain how important it is
to be honest about where you currently are. If you’re already underweight, or if
your relationship with food and body image isn’t in the right place, the 10 week
guide is not suitable for you and may be detrimental to your long-term health. It’s
so important to first address these areas before following a programme like this,
which is unlikely to bring results in these circumstances anyway!

How do you know if this is you?

These questions should help you identify if a different approach at first would be
right for you:
1) Do you eliminate entire food groups in an attempt to be “clean” or have a “perfect”
diet?
2) Do you feel anxiety over how food is prepared?
3) Do you avoid eating food bought or prepared by others?
4) Do you fear eating away from home?
5) Do you avoid social events involving food for fear of not sticking to your diet?
6) Do you think critically of others who have a more relaxed approach to eating / their
body?
7) Do you spend more time and money on meal planning and making food choices than
you would like or feels necessary?
8) Have your periods become lighter, more erratic or stopped completely?

30
If you’re
under-eating
9) Have you noticed an increase in digestive issues such as bloating, alternative
constipation and diarrhoea?
10) Do you ever have feelings of guilt or shame when you’re not able to stick to your
diet?
11) Do you feel fulfilled or good about eating “healthily” while losing interest in other
activities?
12) Do you feel you need to exercise daily to justify eating?
13) Have you noticed feelings of worsening low mood, irrational thoughts and anxiety?
14) Does your bodyweight define how you’re able to accept and love yourself?
15) Do you weigh yourself daily or even several times a day?
16) Do you feel constantly cold or struggle to concentrate?
17) Is your sleep quantity or quality poor?

If you answered yes to 1 or 2 of these, it’s worth staying aware and mindful of
that. If you relate to 5 or more, we strongly recommend that you first reach out
for professional medical input ❤

If you’re advised to work a little with practitioners in either nutrition or

psychology, making sure they have the right qualifications to give you the
support you deserve is so important:
• For nutrition: only work with Registered Dietitians, which do not include
personal trainers or nutritional therapists. Registered nutritionists are great
but aren’t qualified to work with clinical eating disorders.
• For psychological support: there’s lots of evidence that the most suitable help
includes behavioural therapy and NLP, so looking for experience in these is a
great start!

31
If you’re
under-eating
Some of the consequences of under-eating
Restrictive eating might feel like the right thing to do and to stick
with, but if it’s taken too far, it can have a number of
consequences on short- and long-term health, including:

• Menstruation: loss of periods (amenorrhea) is most commonly

caused by not having enough energy. Skipping just 3 periods in
a row can be enough to start damaging bone health and
increase osteoporosis risk.
• Heart health: low oestrogen levels lead to increased
cholesterol production
• Fatigue: increased risk of injury or illness
• Depression: vitamin and nutrition deficiency has been shown
to increase risks of anxiety / depression, while carbs are key to
producing serotonin which helps us feel at ease mentally. Under-
eating can also decrease levels of oestrogen responsible for
serotonin uptake in the brain, and this can further lower our
mood.
• Digestion: digestion is considered non-essential, so it slows
leading to constipation/bloating. This can be misinterpreted as
IBS but it’s actually delayed gastric emptying.

It’s important to realise that you don’t have to be underweight to

experience these consequences. Even at normal weight, you might
not have sufficient energy to allow for normal biological processes.

32
If you’re
under-eating
Am I ready for the HOME. 10 week programme?
The definition of being underweight in adults over 18 years old is having a BMI
below 18.5. BMI has had a lot of bad press for not being strictly accurate, but
it’s a useful tool towards the lower end of the scale.

Eating disorder specialists recommend that anybody with a BMI under 17.5
does not exercise at all, and that those with a BMI under 16 do not drive or
go to work. For HOME., we strongly recommend that anyone with a BMI under
18 does not follow the 10-week programme until they are no longer
underweight and have had a natural*, consistent menstrual cycle for at least 6
months.
*not regulated by the pill - this only disguises a lack of period and shouldn’t be used as a
substitute to create an artificial period.

In addition, if your BMI is above 18 but you’ve missed 3+ consecutive periods

or your cycle is irregular we also advise that you don’t train with HOME. until
you’ve had a natural, consistent menstrual cycle for at least 6 months. A lack
of a regular menstrual cycle is a sign that your body isn’t functioning fully at the
moment as the threat of starvation has caused it to stop processes considered
non-essential for survival (reproduction is one of those).

When your body is ready to change as intended in the guide, HOME. will be
here for you ❤ 😘

33
If you’re
under-eating
Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome:
In sport, low availability of energy relative to what your body needs to perform at the
levels you’re demanding and still function fully is called Relative Energy Deficiency
Syndrome (RED-S).

RED-S can be intentional or unintentional, but either way, being consistently short on
energy has the same impact on our bodies. The possible areas affected by RED-S are
shown below:

Immunological
Gastro-
Menstrual
intestinal
function
(digestion)

Cardio-
Triad Bone health
vascular

Relative Energy
Deficiency
Syndrome Endocrine
Psychological
(hormones)

Growth &
Metabolic
Development
Hematological
(blood health)

For more information on RED-S, check out: www.health4performance.co.uk

34
If you’re
under-eating
Unintentional RED-S
In unintentional RED-S, people aren’t aware of their energy
(usually carb!) needs or overestimate their intake, which can
happen when we factor in total activity levels eg. an active job
or a cycle commute to work.

Intentional RED-S is more complex and typically comes from

being highly ambitious, self-critical or anxiety. It is sometimes
thought of as an eating disorder within in sport. There’s often a
strong feeling of nothing ever being enough - weight not being
low enough, training not being hard enough etc. A common
pattern is for people to follow whatever is trending in nutrition
such as low carb / high fat, “clean eating” and avoiding sugar or
gluten 🙅

One deceiving component of RED-S is that restricting food intake

while increasing exercise to lose fat or improve health often brings
those results in the short-term. Performance can improve and fat
can be lost in those first few months, creating a belief in the
approach.

When things then start to slow down and don’t work later on, it
becomes a matter of thinking you’re not working hard enough or
being strict enough. Trying to come away from intentional RED-S
often leads to anxiety, especially as stopping training for a while
is highly recommended.

35
If you’re
under-eating
Intentional RED-S
Often, a typical thought cycle of someone with intentional RED-S looks like:

I don’t feel like I’m doing my best

I want to join in but how can Everyone else is happy and

they eat that stuff? enjoying life
Do they not realise they’ll feel Why can’t I be as perfect as
good if they eat clean? them?

I don’t understand how my If I cut out xxx, I’ll be

friends go out and eat pizza - healthier, have more
do they not know it’s bad for energy and more fun!
them?

Nothing has changed - I’m not being

strict enough!

36
If you’re
under-eating
In both intentional and unintentional RED-S, seeking out advice on the
appropriate levels of complex carbs, recovery options, foods for bone health;
essential fats for hormone recovery and micros for metabolism regulation are so
important 🙌 🔑

If you’re under-weight, weight restoration is usually crucial to help restore the

full set of biological processes in our bodies. Support from a specialist Dietitian
or clinical psychologist can make all the difference in changing beliefs around
food, body composition and performance.

Restoring your body back to health takes time, especially with elements like
regaining a period, and how long varies for everyone. For some women,
returning to a healthier weight will do the trick whereas others need to think
about dietary composition, nutrition timing around training etc

If you’ve had issues with bone health, menstruation will need to return before
any of the damage can be reversed - studies have shown that bone health
recovers significantly only when vitamin D is combined with healthy oestrogen
levels.

If you have any concerns after reading this section, we really recommend you
seek advice as soon as possible A general medical doctor is a💕great place
to start, and you can ask for a blood test looking at certain biomarkers. A great
set to consider are:

TSH, free T3, LH, FSH, testosterone / oestrogen, prolactin, vitamin D, iron, folate, vitamin B12,
ALT and corrected calcium

You have all our love and support - Renee and I both know you can do it

37
 Approved by: Renee
Renee McGregor BSc (hons) PGDIP (DIET) PGCERT(sportsnutr) RD SENr
Renee is a leading Performance and Eating
Disorder Specialist Dietitian with 20 years’
experience working in clinical and
performance nutrition with Olympic (London
2 012 ) , Pa ra l y m p i c ( R i o 2 016 ) a n d
Commonwealth (Queensland 2018) athletes.

She works with individuals, athletes of all

levels and ages, coaches and sport science
teams to provide nutritional strategies to
enhance sports performance and manage
eating disorders.

At the moment, she’s working with a number of national governing bodies

including Scottish Gymnastics, the GB 24 Hour Running Squad and The England
Ballet company. She’s also the best selling author of the books Training Food,
Fast Fuel and Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad.

Recently, she co-founded #TRAINBRAVE, a campaign raising the awareness of

eating disorders in sport, providing resources and practical strategies to reduce
their prevalence. Renee also sees on the REDS advisory board for The British
Association of Sports and Exercise Science (BASES) and sits on the International
Task Force for Orthorexia.

She writes for many national publications and is often asked to comment in the
national press, regularly contributing to TV and radio, including News Night and
BBC 5 Live.

For more information on her amazing work and books, which I can’t recommend
enough, go to www.reneemcgregor.com

38
references
Feel free to check out any of these articles if you’re intere!ed in some extra reading
📚
1. Abdel-Hamid, Tarek. Modeling the Dynamics of Human Obesity. System Dynamics Review. 2002.10.1002/
sdr.240.
2. Ackerman KE, Cano Sokoloff N, DE Nardo Maffazioli G, Clarke HM, Lee H, Misra M. Fractures in Relation to
Menstrual Status and Bone Parameters in Young Athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Aug;47(8):1577-86.
3. Apolzan JW, Bray GA, Smith SR, Jonge Ld, Rood J, Han H, Redman LM, and Martin CK. Effects of weight gain
induced by controlled overfeeding on physical activity. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and
Metabolism 2014 307:11
4. Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ, Wildman R, Kleiner S, VanDusseldorp T, Taylor L, Earnest CP, Arciero PJ, Wilborn
C, Kalman DS, Stout JR, Willoughby DS, Campbell B, Arent SM, Bannock L, Smith-Ryan AE, Antonio J.
International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
2017;14:16.
5. Bea JW, Cussler EC, Going SB, Blew RM, Metcalfe LL, Lohman TG. Resistance Training Predicts Six-Year Body
Composition Change in Postmenopausal Women. Medicine and science in sports and exercise.
2010;42(7):1286-1295.
6. Benton D, Young HA. Reducing Calorie Intake May Not Help You Lose Body Weight. Perspect Psychol Sci.
2017 Sep;12(5):703-714.
7. Bidlingmaier M., Strasburger C.J. Growth Hormone. In: Thieme D., Hemmersbach P. (eds) Doping in Sports:
Biochemical Principles, Effects and Analysis. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, 2010. vol 195.
8. Boutcher SH. High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss. Journal of Obesity. 2011;2011:868305
9. Byrne HK, Wilmore JH. The effects of a 20-week exercise training program on resting metabolic rate in
previously sedentary, moderately obese women. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2001;11:15–31.
10.Campbell WW, Crim MC, Young VR, Evans WJ. Increased energy requirements and changes in body
composition with resistance training in older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;60:167–175.
11. Campos EZ, Bastos FN, Papoti M, Freitas Junior IF, Gobatto CA, Balikian Junior P. The effects of physical fitness
and body composition on oxygen consumption and heart rate recovery after high-intensity exercise. Int J Sports
Med. 2012 Aug;33(8):621-6 Churchward-Venne TA, Burd NA, Phillips SM. Nutritional regulation of muscle
protein synthesis with resistance exercise: strategies to enhance anabolism. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2012;9(1):40.

39
references
12. Cribb, PJ., Williams, AD., Carey, MF., and Hayes, A. The Effect of Whey Isolate and Resistance Training on
Strength, Body Composition, and Plasma Glutamine. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise
Metabolism. 2006;16(5), 494-509,
13. DeLany JP, Kelley DE, Hames KC, Jakicic JM, Goodpaster BH. High energy expenditure masks low physical
activity in obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2013;37(7):1006–1011.
14. Gunawardane K, Krarup Hansen T, Sandahl Christiansen J, et al. Normal Physiology of Growth Hormone in
Adults. [Updated 2015 Nov 12]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South
Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279056/
15. Helms ER, Zinn C, Rowlands DS, Brown SR. A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in
resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Apr;24(2):127-38
16. Heydenreich J, Kayser B, Schutz Y, Melzer K. Total Energy Expenditure, Energy Intake, and Body Composition
in Endurance Athletes Across the Training Season: A Systematic Review. Sports Med Open. 2017 Dec; 3: 8
17. Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein – Which is Best? Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 2004;3(3):118-130.
18. Holesh JE, Bhimji SS. Dietary, Carbohydrates. [Updated 2017 Oct 5]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL):
StatPearls Publishing; 2018 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/
19. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/micronutrients/en/
20.https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-muscle-growth
21. https://www.t-nation.com/training/fix-your-metabolism-with-weight-training
22.https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/tip-the-truth-about-muscle-gain-metabolism
23.https://muscleevo.net/muscle-metabolism/
24. Huntriss R, Campbell M, Bedwell C. The interpretation and effect of a low-carbohydrate diet in the
management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Eur J
Clin Nutr. 2018 Mar;72(3):311-325
25.Levine JA. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002
Dec;16(4):679-702.
26. Kinabo JL, Durnin JV. Thermic effect of food in man: effect of meal composition, and energy content. Br J Nutr.
1990 Jul;64(1):37-44.

40
references
27. Kirk EP, Donnelly JE, Smith BK, et al. Minimal resistance training improves daily energy expenditure and fat
oxidation. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. 2009;41(5):1122-1129.
28.Lamont LS, Romito R, Rossi K. Fat-free mass and gender influences the rapid-phase excess post-exercise oxygen
consumption.Fat-free mass and gender influences the rapid-phase excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2010 Feb;35(1):23-6.
29. Levine JA, Vander Weg MW, Hill JO, Klesges RC. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis: the crouching tiger
hidden dragon of societal weight gain. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2006 Apr;26(4):729-36.
30. Lowery LM. Dietary Fat and Sports Nutrition: A Primer. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine.
2004;3(3):106-117.
31. McGregor R. Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Bad. UK: Nourishbooks; 2017
32. McGregor R. Training Food: Get the Fuel You Need to Achieve Your Goals Before During And After
Exercise. UK: Nourishbooks; 2015
33. McPherron AC, Guo T, Bond ND, Gavrilova O. Increasing muscle mass to improve metabolism. Adipocyte.
2013;2(2):92-98
34.Nabuco HC, Tomeleri CM, Junior PS, et al. Effects of higher habitual protein intake on resistance-training-
induced changes in body composition and muscular strength in untrained older women: A clinical trial study.
Nutr Health. 2019;25(2):103–112.
35. Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation. J Sports Sci.
2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38.
36. Phillips SM, Winett RA. Uncomplicated Resistance Training and Health-Related Outcomes: Evidence for a
Public Health Mandate. Current sports medicine reports. 2010;9(4):208-213.
37.Pratley R, Nicklas B, Rubin M, et al. Strength training increases resting metabolic rate and norepinephrine
levels in healthy 50- to 65-yr-old men. J Appl Physiol. 1994;76:133–137.
38.Robertson S, Mountjoy M. A Review of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Relative Energy Deficiency in
Sport in Artistic (Synchronized) Swimming.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Jul 1;28(4):375-384.
39.Ryan AS, Pratley RE, Elahi D, Goldberg AP. Resistive training increases fat-free mass and maintains RMR
despite weight loss in postmenopausal women. J Appl Physiol. 1995;79:818–823
40.Sharma S, Kavuru M. Sleep and metabolism: an overview. Int J Endocrinol. 2010;2010:270832.
41. Skerrett PJ, Willett WC. Essentials of Healthy Eating: A Guide. Journal of midwifery & women’s health.
2010;55(6):492-501.
42.Slavin J, Carlson J. Carbohydrates. Advances in Nutrition. 2014;5(6):760-761.

41
references
43.Snorgaard O, Poulsen GM, Andersen HK, Astrup A. Systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary
carbohydrate restriction in patients with type 2 diabetes. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2017 Feb
23;5(1):e000354.
44.Strasser B, Schobersberger W. Evidence for resistance training as a treatment therapy in obesity. J Obes.
2011;2011:482564. doi: 10.1155/2011/482564. Epub 2010 Aug 10. PMID: 20847892; PMCID:
PMC2931407.
45.Tahara Y, Moji K, Honda S, Nakao R, Tsunawake N, Fukuda R, Aoyagi K, Mascie-Taylor N. Fat-free mass
and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption in the 40 minutes after short-duration exhaustive exercise in
young male Japanese athletes. J Physiol Anthropol. 2008. 27: 139–143.
46.Teixeira PJ, Going SB, Houtkooper LB, Metcalfe LL, Blew RM, Flint-Wagner HG, Cussler EC, Sardinha LB,
Lohman TG. Resistance training in postmenopausal women with and without hormone therapy. Med Sci
Sports Exerc. 2003 Apr;35(4):555-62.
47.THOMAS MH, BURNS SP. Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High Frequency Strength
Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training. International Journal of Exercise Science. 2016;9(2):159-167.
48.Tresierras MA, Balady GJ. Resistance training in the treatment of diabetes and obesity: mechanisms and
outcomes. J. Cardiopulm. Rehabil. Prev. 2009;29:67–75.
49.Treuth MS, Hunter GR, Kekes-Szabo T, Weinsier RL, Goran MI, Berland L. Reduction in intra-abdominal
adipose tissue after strength training in older women. J Appl Physiol. 1995;78: 1425–1431
50.Treuth MS, Ryan AS, Pratley RE, et al. Effects of strength training on total and regional body composition in
older men. J Appl Physiol. 1994;77:614–620.
51. Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Norton LE. Metabolic adaptation to weight loss: implications for the athlete. J Int
Soc Sports Nutr. 2014;11(1):7. Published 2014 Feb 27. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-11-7
52. Von Loeffelholz C, Birkenfeld A. The Role of Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Obesity.
[Updated 2018 Apr 9]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South
Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279077/
53.Weinsier RL, Schutz Y, Bracco D. Re-examination of the relationship of resting metabolic rate to fat-free
mass and to the metabolically active components of fat-free mass in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992;55:790–
794.
54.Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, Shields AT, Piner LW, Bales CW, Houmard JA, Kraus WE. Effects of
aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. J Appl Physiol
(1985). 2012 Dec 15;113(12):1831-7

42
training
Working out
your way
HOME. is laid out how I would schedule and organise workouts for the most
effective results in an ideal world. That doesn’t mean you have to follow it
word-for-word at all: if there are days you don’t have time to exercise, or the
order of days doesn’t fit your life, just make whatever changes you need! Feel
free to reorder the workouts, shorten them (I suggest keeping the first exercises
and skipping the ones at the end if you need to), and do anything else!

If you prefer, just think of the workouts as a collection of 50 amazing, individual

workouts you can use whenever you need if a structured programme isn’t what
you have in mind.

Warming up
I’ve made the longer workouts in HOME. 50-55 minutes long so that with a
short warmup, they should fit in an hour On HIIT days, 5 minutes of dynamic ☺
stretching or a round of each exercise at 50% intensity are perfect warmups!

People have different preferences for warming up and I recommend going for
whatever makes you feel warm, loose and ready to go! I like to do some
dynamic stretching to target the muscles I’ll be using and to fire up my heart rate
and blood flow. Things like skipping and jogging also work really well too
though! 🤸

44
Working out
your way
Picking the right resi!ance
Explosive movements are designed to be performed with your full intensity. A
simple example would be squat jumps: popping up just a little off the ground
works, but if we really want to develop muscle and power, the goal is to really
commit to each rep. The idea is for these sets to really put you out of breath, so
we’re then using the full rest time (covered later).

For exercises that require bands or that you switch for dumbbells, I recommend
going for the toughest resistance band you can while keeping great form. You’ll
really get the best out of these workouts if you’re consistently looking to push
yourself with extra resistance or the next version of an exercise.

An important point to remember is that resistance bands don’t provide constant

resistance: instead, the more you stretch them, the higher the potential energy
which means you’re getting more resistance.

That means you can really customise the resistance by choosing how closely
you set the fixed point of the band. The idea is that the less band you make
available, the more that portion of the band will have to stretch for you to
complete the exercise. So, for example, for the Resistance band bent over
unilateral rows in Week 1, Day 2, where you stand on the band determines
how much resistance you’ve got!

45
Working out
your way
Re! times
For any explosive exercise, even if it doesn’t contain a jump, I typically
recommend going for 60-75 seconds of rest after every set. My favourite thing
to do is take in long, deep breaths and hold them for a couple of seconds,
which can really help fill the total capacity of your lungs.

For the other exercises which aren’t explosive and where we’re controlling the
movement, like press ups or resistance band chest press, I typically recommend
45-60 seconds of rest If you’re feeling like⏳
you can take less than that, we
want to start thinking about increasing the intensity of the movement a little so
that we’re actually pushing you enough. Giving yourself more resistance with
bands, using dumbbells, weight jackets, heavy household objects or performing
moves at different inclines to make gravity work against you are great ways to
progressive overload at home!

If you feel like taking longer than these suggested rest times to get ready for
the next set, listening to your body and allowing yourself the extra time is
always the right thing to do! 🙌

46
Working out
your way
Progre"ions
There aren’t many moves that have progressions in this programme but for
those that do, like Iguana push ups, there are easier versions in the video to
help you get to the final move if you can’t perform it just yet Just let the
video play in the app to find a progression at a level that gives you a good
challenge.

If you’re using the progressions for an exercise that has more than one, the
best way to advance is to work on the hardest version you can do and test
out the next one so you can progress onto it as soon as you can.

If you’re new to working out, I’m so excited for you! Honestly, the best
thing I can recommend for you to do is to just spend the couple of weeks
easing into the workouts, going for what seems doable, focussing on your
technique instead of exhausting yourself and giving yourself a little bit of time
at the start.

47
Working out
your way
Re! days
Rest days are just as important to your progress as regular training days. The
idea is that these days off each week make your training sessions way, way
more effective if you really take advantage of them properly

Throughout HOME., if you need to take extra rest days or rest periods, don’t
even doubt yourself and just go for it 👍
Remember the goal of the workouts
is always to really push you so we want you feeling really good going into your
training sessions instead of sore or tired.

If you’d like to spend a week just testing out the first week of the guide at your
own pace to study the exercises and practice them, go for it. You can then
restart that week and kick off the programme if you like

48
Working out
your way
Stepping up your home workouts
I’ve kept equipment to a minimum in this programme to make it as accessible as
possible, but adding some extra home equipment can be amazing for helping
you continue to progress!
Some extra prices that can be great to help step up your home workouts are:
- Pull-up bar: these can fit straight into a doorway and are amazing for
building strength in your back and your strength:weight ratio. Just combine
with long-loop band for assistance if you need it

- Dumbbells: for some extra resistance, which will make a difference in

maintaining or developing muscle depending on your level of experience.

- Kettlebells: opening up lots of functional movements like swings and front

rack hold movements!

- Swiss ball: these helped develop my core strength and balance so much.
They add a destabilising force which helps engage a whole bunch of extra
muscles even for movements that would otherwise be simple! Trust me, a
plank on one of these is killer!

- Skipping rope: amazing for your cardiovascular system and for developing
your fast feet.

49
Working out
your way
Injuries
If you suspect you have any kind of injury, I always recommend seeing a
qualified practitioner before anything else if you can. Even if it’s a small
niggle or discomfort, don’t worry about taking some time to recover and
continue with this programme when your body is ready so that you can
keep the sessions intense as intended 🔥

I’ve pushed myself through workouts with small injuries out of fear that I’ll
lose my progress, and I’ve learnt that an ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure when it comes to injuries.

If you’d like to stay active through your injury, super light movement of the
muscle can help to stimulate blood flow to the area, and active recovery like
a gentle walk or light stretching can help improve your rate of recovery.
Again, if you want to give this a go, I’d recommend clearing this with your
doctor first if you can 👩⚕

50
once you’ve
finished
If you feel ready to take your training to the next level, working out
at a gym will allow you to increase your resistance and also move
onto a wider variety of moves which can really help your progress.
For the goals of developing muscle size and strength especially, a
gym will really make a difference.

You definitely don’t have to go to a gym to get fit, keep improving

your health, become and stay lean and move super functionally
though. If you’re going to stick with the home workouts, just
remember that you’re able to restart this HOME. training programme
whenever you need! 🔥

We hope you feel amazing, strong and get to keep looking after
your health!

51
Hit me up!
Thank you so much
again for buying this
guide, I really hope you
find HOME. helpful and
feel free to tag me in
your training photos! I’d
love to hear about your
progress!!

natacha.oceane
Natacha Océane
52