It's Alcohol-Free Week: How two Liberte members have handled going tea-total

Nick Richards and Stuart Haystead
who are both non-drinkers

National Alcohol-Free Week starts today with the aim of encouraging us all to be more aware of our drinking habits and to help you reduce the amount you drink if you are drinking too much. 

This is the sixth year in a row the spotlight has been given to alcohol in this way and the organisers hope to challenge everyone to give up booze for one day, a weekend or, if you're up to it, the whole week!

This will give you a chance to test how much of a role alcohol plays in your life and how easy it is, or not, to do without. The organisers are hoping that, whether you give up for a day, a weekend or a week, you'll use the opportunity to take stock of when you drink alcohol, why you drink, and how much you drink. 

Liberte's Papillon Luck and Gareth Thomas make no secret of how little alcohol they consume - they are professionals in the fitness industry after all. But what about the members who workout in the park? We're all striving to get fitter and faster, so are there any benefits to not drinking if you're serious about doing Liberte workouts? I've been alcohol-free for under two months, while Bury member Stuart Haystead has been alcohol-free for much longer.

Here's how two Liberte members have handled giving up drink and how the tea-total twosome have found positive effects on their health.

What did you use to drink and how often did you drink it?

STUART: If we went to a pub it would normally be Guinness that I would drink, maybe two or three pints twice a week. I wouldn't drink beer at home, maybe the odd glass of wine with a meal. Never been a great drinker

NICK: Beer, vodka and wine. Not in any great quantity, but probably used to have a beer or vodka five or six days a week. I certainly didn't drink more than the average of 21-28 units a week for a man.

When did you last have a drink and why did you give it up?

STUART: I gave up alcohol about six years ago, It was making me feel really ill and causing stomach problems, I found out that I was actually allergic to it, but I went to a wedding four years ago and had three pints of Guinness. I felt so ill and toxic the next day. That was the last time I drank.

NICK: New Year's Eve 2011. I hadn't planned to give up but found I was driving a lot of Christmas and had cut down for that reason. I'd hardly had a drink for a couple of weeks and found that when I did, I was just going through the motions as it was Christmas. I also started to get bored and uninspired in the alcohol aisles of supermarkets and started to feel I was only drinking because it was the either the weekend or as a post Liberte session reward. The subject of New Year's resolutions came up as the clock raced towards 2012 and on the spur-of-the-moment I decided to banish the booze.

How hard was it for you to stop drinking and what benefits have you felt so far?

STUART: I found giving up alcohol very easy as it made me feel so much cleaner and healthier, my stomach problems went within a few days.

NICK: Much easier than I thought, even though it has only been 53 days so far. Someone asked me the other day if giving up drink was hard and I likened it to giving up going to China on holiday. If you don't book a ticket or go to an airport, you wont find yourself eating noodles in Beijing! You know what I mean. I've hidden all the alcohol in the house and told friends and family I don't drink. They haven't offered me a drop and I haven't had any desire to seek out what I know is there at the back of my cupboard.

What do you drink instead and do you miss it?

STUART: I normally drink orange juice and lemonade when we go out, At home I drink water, black decaffeinated tea, green tea or the newly discovered Matcha. I don't miss it one bit

NICK: I've got a new-found love of green tea and drink decaffeinated tea too, plus water, orange juice and milk and the odd hot chocolate if I am feeling naughty.

What health benefits have you found from not drinking alcohol?

STUART: I started cycling three years ago and my fitness started to come back and I am able to train better now without drinking I know if I was to drink now I wouldn't be able to train as hard as I do now because of the way it would make me feel.

NICK: I feel much less sluggish, especially in the park and generally better. Best of all it's nice to be able to drive everywhere without worrying if I've had a drink, nice to not wake up with a slight hangover and nice not to have to bother with buying drink in a supermarket. It may be a current novelty, but I am proud to say I don't drink and I know this alcohol-free spell, however long it lasts, will change my attitude to drink.

So that's the story with Stuart and me - we're not saying you have to stop altogether, but with plenty of other people giving up drink for a period over the next week, now could be a good time to lay off the booze, if nothing more than to see how it makes you feel. You can get more information by clicking here

Ed and Nikki are feeling oh so Wright - thanks to Liberte Fitness

Liberte Fitness has been up and running in Newmarket for three months this week and everyone who works out at the Severals is getting much fitter.
None more so than Liberte's favorite couple from the far West of Suffolk, Ed and Nikki Wright.
They were there back on May 3 when the Liberte flag was first sunk into the Newmarket turf and in the quarter of a year since, have both seen their health receive a real Liberte-enhanced boost.
Nikki, 40, said that her and Ed, 46, (pictured) have both changed their diets as a result of starting Liberte and are both feeling physcially and mentally happier.
She said: "We found the first session back in May a killer (that's Ed and Nikki working out with Papillon as Gareth watches on in the picture) Ed ached for days afterwards and I was just amazed at how unfit we both were, but we knew we had to carry on to start seeing results
"We love the sessions even more now! They aren't getting any easier as Papillon keeps adding new things to push ourselves even further, but we have noticed we are certainly becoming fitter as our recovery periods are getting quicker."
The pair took their love of training at the Severals up to the North Norfolk coast last month when they both took part in the beach weekend. It proved a valuable lesson in terms of diet and they've used that weekend as the springboard for a new healthier lifestyle.
Nikki said: "Since the Holkham Beach Weekend and Gareth's talk about food and diet and where I was going wrong (eating devil food!) we have changed what we eat and how we eat. We noticed differences within a week to the extent that Ed has had to go to the next notch on his belt to keep his work trousers up! We both feel so much healthier, not just physically, but mentally too."
As well as getting something back from the sessions by losing weight, Nikki loves the fact that Ed and herself can workout together as well as being part of a team.
"They're a good group," she said. "Not just in Newmarket but in Bury too which we've seen from the Saturday morning sessions and it was great to meet some of the Norwich crew and new people on the beach weekend. We all encourge each other and Paps and Gareth are a mine of information, they also make you feel that they are also your friends and that means alot today where customer service just doesn't seem to matter anymore. Although, we don't feel like customers any more, we feel like part of a team., so big, big praise for Liberte."

Getting hot and sweaty after a day in the office

August 1st meant a new job for me to start today and it was back in the office after around a year of working from home.
So Liberte Fitness has taken on a whole new world – I now have spend my pre-workout times hot-footing it from the office, changing in the toilets and then having the best hour of the day in the park with my good friends.
Working back in an office, the one thing I notice is just how much crap everyone eats. Sure there’s the office fatty who sits in the corner with his spare tyres for company – but the average person, my average colleague, seems to tuck into crisps and chocolate all day long.
And it's not just that - my boss was seemingly keen to ensure I soon became as unhealthy as possible within ten minutes of starting.
On my tour around the office I was shown where I could go if I needed a fag, the drinks machine that would serve me a Coke for 80p and the chocolate machine that would give me a quick fix of Cadbury's finest.
By this point I did feel slightly insulted - I mean, could they not see that I was a lean, clean Liberte machine?
It did make me proud to say I had to dash just before six as I had to go and workout in the park. While everyone else was probably heading down the pub to waste money on alcohol and increase their waistlines, I had a great hour session with Gareth and 12 pals and it felt better than ever.
Sitting at a desk all day makes you yearn for just one thing – the sun, the camaraderie and the burpees.
So for anyone who goes to Liberte after putting in a day at the office, I now know what it’s like and I salute you.
I just may need to warn my new colleagues that I may do a couple of deltoid press ups next time I’m standing by the photocopier!

My six month Liberte Fitness anniversary

Six months ago today I took part in my first Liberte session and half a year on I’ve never felt fitter or more in shape.
When I turned up in a dark and muddy Nowton Park on January 10, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Neither was my body. Within five minutes of warming up I was bent over with my hands on my knees wondering quite what I’d actually signed up for.
I reached for the ventolin inhaler in my pocket and took a couple of puffs in the vain hope that it would give me some kind of performance-enhancing boost. It didn’t. The inhaler was about as much use as shoe full of water and if I thought my asthma was hindering me from enjoying Liberte, I was wrong, I was simply quickly realising that I was woefully unfit.
Sure I’d played football for years and always been active, but a combination of a dire work schedule meant I hadn’t really done any exercise for a year or so, apart from regular walking and cycling.
Jogging was never my strong point, so ten minutes in when I was told to start jogging, my body reacted like a stroppy teenager. It slammed the door and went upstairs and sulked.
I stayed with that first session in the Nowton mud and remember coming home and thinking what a bizarre way to spend an hour. I was caked in dirt and looked shattered.
I decided to sign up for a block of 20 sessions and thought it was something I would do a couple of times a month. For the record, between January 10 and April 3 I went nine times. Nine times in 90-odd days.
Every time I went I found it got harder and harder, mainly in terms of the warm up and then the recovery after each session. On a typical Monday I would feel OK, but by Wednesday morning I was still feeling the effects.
After an Easter break of a week in which I started jogging and working out with some friends who I was on holiday with, I vowed to make Liberte a more regular part of my week. I stepped up the session in early April and in the last three months I’ve been at least three times a week every week.
The difference has been immense – from now to January it’s like a new me, but even between April and now I feel my fitness has come on another level.
When I think back to January when I used to stumble around for an hour with one hand on my inhaler to now when I can handle Liberte almost daily (I did five sessions this week, more than I did in February and March combined) inhaler free, it’s such a vast difference.
Sure it still aches and sometimes during a session I have to stop if it doesn’t feel right, but overall I’ve never been faster or fitter.
And in the course of getting fitter the best thing is that I’ve done it with friends, who have also got fitter with me. I’ve worked out in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Norwich and across all three parks I’ve met some lovely people who really have had a big influence on my life.
The Liberte sessions are great, but it’s also the whole Liberte ethos that I’ve been most impressed with. The people who come to the sessions have such a great attitude, I’ve started to eat healthier, I give alcohol and sugar mean stares whenever I’m confronted with them and I’ve introduced wholemeal foods and things I’m not sure how to pronounce to my diet which must be good!
The biggest thanks overall must go to Gareth for his constant support, good humour and superbly devised sessions and to the awesome Papillon. If she hadn’t had the vision of Liberte in the first place then where would we all be now?
Paps, you’re a legend, there’s always a cup of green tea on offer at my place for you – just not sure I have any biscuits any more...

Life’s a beach for Liberte up at Incredible Holkham

Liberte Fitness’ first beach session was a resounding success on Saturday as Paps and Gareth took the training show on the road to Incredible Holkham.
Half a dozen fitness fans joined Liberte’s king and queen for a thrilling, fun, exhausting and Vitamin-D boosting day of beach antics.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect before the day – sure I knew that some of the exercises we use in the park would make an appearance – but could Gareth and Paps really stretch out the Liberte ethos over a whole day?
The good news is for those who weren’t there is that they did – with bells on.
Anyone who was there will testify that Liberte Beach Days are nothing like working out in the lush green parks of Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Norwich.
For a start, the change in terrain is instantly apparent – working out on sand is so different to working out on grass – of course, it’s all soft and makes for a soft landing, but there are hazards such as razor shells that you just don’t get in the park.
OK so the molehills and rabbit burrows weren’t a problem, but you really notice the wind on the beach which you don’t always get in the park. This is good, though, as sweat dries almost straight away and it really is embracing.
The other big difference is the colour – this may sound a bit strange, but replacing the greenery that provides a constant background to the Liberte workouts with miles of golden sand does take a little while to get used to.
So what of the day? Is it really just five or six Liberte sessions just tacked together? Well, no.
The day really did seem to evolve in segments, from an initial session focusing on abdominal work, to nutritional information, to the most gruelling sprinting sessions, to a taste of beach tabata, to Swedish handball. And that was all before lunch!
Gareth admitted that the sessions were devised to start tough and they certainly were. After a health breakfast of yoghurts, bananas and protein bars, we started with a range of exercises that made for a prolonged warm up.
It was really hard work in the sun, but it wasn’t just perspiration, we had education too, with dietary advice and information on what food we should be eating throughout the day and the reasons why we should be eating it.
I found this really interesting – and it does occur to you that the Liberte revolution is not simply confined to an hour of burpees and sit ups in the park. It really can be the start of an all round healthy lifestyle and, to be honest, after giving so much effort into doing the Liberte exercises, you feel you’re kind of cheating your body if you then start to pump it full of crap.
The initial session ended with Swedish handball which was great fun and extremely competitive (Martina never fails to amaze me with her determination!) and after a short break we went on a long jog down the sea. I’d never jogged for so long in my life without stopping, it was probably only six or seven minutes but it was tough running against the wind. I made sure I took time out to take in the beauty of Holkham, just as female horse rider rode through the shallow surf just metres away.
From then we started some sprints mixed with jogging. The key here was the recovery time. The sprint distances stayed roughly the same, but we had less time to recover – from around 90 seconds to start with, down to 60 and then down to 30.
The lesson here was to illustrate how different the body reacts to exercise – and it really did work. To start with it wasn’t too hard to sprint 30 metres every 90 seconds, but towards the end, we could do little more than break into a moderate jog!
Lunch was provided by celebrity chef Chris Coubrough and consisted of chicken, almonds, quinoa with a garlic dressing which gave us a perfect blast of protein.
After lunch was a yoga session which was new to me and I must admit I wasn’t that keen on, but the others seemed to love it. It was great seeing us all work out on the beach though and must have looked amazing to the bird watchers, walkers and dogs who gave us plenty of curious glances throughout the session!
Following a sports drink to boost protein, the day climaxed with some pairs boxing which was really tough, some team games, which included tug-of-war, something I haven’t done in 25 years, but which is fantastic (until you slip on the sand!) and some hilarious fire and manoeuvre drills - I'm just glad we ended up carrying little Bryony rather than King's Lynn beefcake Rory!
Big respect to Martina, Bryony, Janine, Rory and Georgie – you all helped to make the day and were all brilliant fun. Well done too to Gareth and Paps - I know that the Beach Days are the flagship of the Liberte brand and if the rest of them are only half as good as this, you’ll be on to a real winner.

21 sessions in 50 days – just call me Mr Liberte

If Liberte Fitness were McDonald’s I’d like to think that today Papillon would be presenting me with a gold star for my cap and treating me to an extra large Egg McMuffin.
Last night’s rain-drenched session in Bury St Edmunds was something of a milestone for me. Seven weeks ago last night I returned from a week-long holiday and vowed to take part in Liberte sessions on a more regular basis.
Writing this today feels good – 50 days ago, on April 4 I had my first session of the month and 50 days later I can report I’ve taken part in 21 sessions in the 49 days before today in both Bury and Newmarket. Broken down that means I’ve maintained an average of exactly three per week. In short, once every 56 hours, I’ve been with Gareth and Paps in the park.
So, go me!
I’m not trying to boast about the number of sessions I’ve taken part in, what I want to say is that anybody finding it tough doing one session a week or one every two weeks will find it much easier to go more often.
I worked out that I went an average of once every nine days between January and March and each session was like starting over again. I ached slightly the day after and the day after that I could hardly move my legs.
Now though, the one thing I’ve noticed is the recovery time. There’s literally no after effect now after taking part. Sure I’m knackered at the end, but the next day I feel fine. Over the last seven weeks I’ve done three sessions in three days, five in a week and two in one day.
Back in January I would never have believed it, but hey, if I can do it then so can you.

Tabata's going down a storm with Jez in Norwich

Anyone in Bury and Newmarket must be getting used to tabata by now. It’s one of the best ways of losing weight as it involves high intensity interval training that’s so intense it sends the body crazy as it tries to work out just what’s gong on.
It recently arrived in Norwich and members there say they just love the hardcore fitness thrill that comes from tabata.
Norwich Liberte Fitness member Jez Heaven, pictured, said: “I completed my first ever tabata session last Sunday using boxing against an opponent with pads held up. We did 20 seconds of activity followed by a 10 second rest for eight cycles. It’s very interesting stuff and I’m looking forward to trying it with a rowing machine.
“It’s a great way to finish off the hour of Liberte training with the move of all body overloads. It hurts so bad but it feels so good – I’ve already downloaded a tabata app for my iPhone and I’m going to try sit up or tabata burpee in my back garden.”
High intensity training is great for improving cardiovascular capacity as it increases fitness levels without putting excess pressure on joints that would come from running long distances.
It’s also great for anyone hoping to get rid of some serious fat as due to its high intensity it shocks the body into making quick metabolic changes.
Liberte tabata sessions last for around four minutes and usually involve 20 seconds of exercise and a ten second rest repeated eight times.
In Bury we’ve done tabata crunches, tabata squats and the dreaded tabata burpees – all of which are serious tests of our fitness abilities. Experts say a 10-minute tabata session burns more than twice the normal calories that a 10 minute run would.
Like Jez says, it hurts so bad but it feels so good. Next time you here the call for tabata at a Liberte session you might want to have this guy in mind as you start to exercise. Click here to see this dude’s awesome tabata burpees.

Emma’s feeling fitter – and noticing big body changes!

If anyone embodies the true spirit of Liberte Fitness, then it’s Emma Vosper.
Emma was the first Liberte member back in the days when they trained in the Abbey Gardens in the centre of Bury St Edmunds last year.
After signing up for a trial session a year ago, Emma, 40, went to a few sessions but found it hard to fit the training classes into her busy life. But, with a renewed interest in getting fit this year, she’s reaping the rewards of twice-weekly Liberte fun and noticing big results.
Emma, pictured, takes up the story.
“I first signed up to Liberte Fitness last May after seeing an advert in the Bury Free Press. It was just what I was looking for as I really hate the gym and I am not a great motivator when I exercise on my own!
“Liberte seemed perfect. It was exercising outdoors, with a professional trainer who could show me the right way to exercise and with lots of different people of different age and fitness, perfect! I loved it!“Unfortunately for personal reasons I stopped going and got back into my bad habits, I also turned 40 and was too busy having fun!
“At the beginning of this year I began to miss exercising and started jogging, something I have NEVER done before and I really enjoyed it but needed something that would work my whole body. That's when I realised that Liberte Fitness had moved to Nowton Park, where I was running so I joined the following week.
“My first session was tough, exhilarating and best of all FUN! No two sessions are the same, we work hard on our own and as a team incorporating team games (my favourite part of the session) into the routine and we all motivate each other without realising it! I have been going twice a week for five weeks now and I have felt a big improvement in my fitness level and also seen my body shape begin to change, all for the better - I think the dreaded burpees have definitely helped!
“Gareth is a fantastic asset to Liberte Fitness he is a great motivator, a great trainer and great fun. Not forgetting the most important people the Liberte members who are all different in their ages and fitness level but all have a fun sense of humour which just adds to the group.“I would recommend coming to a session and checking it out for yourself, you may love it too!”

Three weeks in and the weight is dropping off for Jez

April has been a big month for Jez Heaven – the Norwich Liberte member says his regular sessions have helped him lose six pounds in just three weeks.
Jez, 42, was one of the trialists at Earlham Park on Sunday, April 3 when Liberte first came to Norwich. After his first seven sessions he says it’s been a crucial part in his attempt to increase his general fitnesss.
Jez, pictured, said: “I really enjoy it and it's exactly what I'm looking for – it combines very technically competent instructors with all the best bits of forces fitness training but without being beasted to death in a bootcamp!
“I'm combining Liberte circuits with power walks of at least three miles most days of the week and the weight is just dropping off. The Liberte training is making me much fitter, I can feel a big difference already and the power walking is burning the fat.”
Fat burning was one of the reasons Jez signed up to Liberte as part of a vow to combat possible health issues that become increasingly common for men as they reach their thirties, forties and fifties.
Jez said: “I’ve lost six pounds in three weeks by doing Liberte plus cutting out all the rubbish from my diet. I was concerned about the health risks such as diabetes, cholesterol and the heart so I wanted something that would allow me to make fitness an enjoyable part of everyday life.
“On current evidence I would say I’ve found exactly that – the atmosphere is great in Norwich and we have a good laugh at our sessions. Earlham Park is great and there are lots of other runners and dog walkers so we usually have plenty of people in the park with us when we do our workouts.”
Liberte Fitness sessions run in Norwich three days a week on Monday and Thursday at 6.45pm and on Sunday at 10.30am.

How training with Liberte has helped my asthma

Three months after joining Liberte Fitness I’ve reached a personal milestone - for the first time I’ve completed an hour of intensive training without using my inhaler.
As an asthmatic the big thing I’ve always struggled with is stamina. Years of playing football wasn’t too tough for anyone who suffers with the condition as regular breaks mixed in with short sprints and casual jogs are part of the game.
But the one thing I’ve never been able to do was sustain an hour-long period of exercise without recourse to the little blue Ventolin inhaler that I keep with me when I train.
It was the summer of 1986 that I first discovered I had asthma. Aged 11 I was on a summer holiday in Denmark and after swimming in an outdoor pool, my brother and I went into the neighbouring sauna. I’d never been into one before and the heat inside took my breath away.
Quite literally.
I had my one and only asthma attack by the pool side and an ambulance was called.
Back in England the doctor told me I should always carry my inhaler and 25 years on it’s with me day in, day out.
It’s never stopped me exercising, but it would be foolish to do so without having it nearby. Every year over a thousand people die of asthma attacks in the UK.
I’m hardly living in fear of that happening but the contraction of the lungs through exercise is one of the most likely causes for someone of my age.
Since the sauna incident of ’86 I’ve had a real hatred of hot, indoor spaces. Claustrophobia and asthma go hand in hand – it’s a physcological fear of lack of air. Lifts, underground trains and of course saunas can sometimes be incredibly uncomfortable for me.
When I heard about Liberte Fitness last year I was intrigued. Here was a chance to exercise in the open air, to get fitter and improve my stamina without having to go to the gym.
I had my first session at the start of January and struggled straight away. The worst thing I could think of was to jog for a couple of minutes and then real off ten sit ups. Just when I needed to get air into my restricted lungs I needed to squeeze even more out.
I tried to keep up with the rest of the Liberte gang, but started sitting out some exercises. After a couple of minutes I was reaching for the inhaler and after half an hour I needed a couple of minutes on my own.
I stood bent over with my hands on my thighs looking at the muddy Nowton Park turf for inspiration.
Liberte instructor Gareth offered some consolation. “Just do what you can,” he told me. “It will get easier.”
And it did.
While the occasional break in the hour-long training still happened, I found myself using the inhaler less and less. As the evenings slowly got lighter, I was less tired.
Back in January I was taking an extra 30 seconds after each set of exercises to get my body ready for the next set, but all of a sudden that recovery time is no longer needed.
Sure it’s still challenging, and sure it’s still tough, but the fact I no longer need to rest or take the inhaler is a sign that I’m getting fitter. My body is getting used to the outdoor workouts and that’s down to the ingenuity of Liberte Fitness.
The mix of exercises are perfectly balanced to build in subtle rests. After five minutes of mainly jogging, we may spend five minutes arm wrestling or doing press ups – all the time focussing on working different body areas and resting others.
This week, after three months of training, I managed a workout on the hottest day of the year so far, and didn’t use my inhaler once. That’s me. A 36-year-old asthmatic who got out of breath running for the bus.
So if you’re asthmatic and have worries about doing something like this, then don’t. Unlike a gym where you feel intimidated from day one, Liberte is the exact opposite. Members get a buzz out of helping each other and while I was struggling to keep up back in January, I never doubted that I would be able to hold my own with the rest of the class.
And now I feel I can and it’s only April. I can’t wait to get fitter, faster and better this summer with my regular outdoor Liberte Fitness workouts.