You're listening to the Ricky Long podcast. It's really interesting. And you know what when I came back from India, like I think that diet combined with all of the yogurt. I can't even explain to you how incredible I felt I was happy. I was motivated to go and do stuff. I had so many ideas of what I wanted to do with yoga and I felt amazing. I'm not even gonna lie. I want you to describe that more. Like what were the things you find yourself able to do that you wouldn't have been able to do say in February but giving up before you went. I just felt like really alive and energized happy and there wasn't no negative thought crossed my mind. I just felt like I was living like a hundred percent and that I was ready for anything. Thing. Yeah, I just felt full of like a zest for life, you know. Yeah, did you put that down into the exercise or the nutrition change? I'm going to say both because I don't think that by just doing one you could achieve that. I think you need to you do need to work on your mind and your body at the same time. You are listening to the Ricky Long podcast where International Fitness entrepreneur Ricky Long answers your questions and interviews Fitness leaders on training nutrition and mindset. Ricky is a fitness industry expert having been helping people achieve their fitness goals since 2002. We talked everything Fitness business and group exercise to help you on your fitness journey. Laura Laura was coming to the podcast Turner Laura Turner to the podcast now Laura. Welcome to the podcast show. I'm gonna speak with Laura. Laura Turner Turner Turner Turner Lord, I'm stumbling on the podcast. I'm gonna color on the zoom from She's having trouble with her connection. I think I'm gonna bit prison Laura Turner shining on the zinc. All Laura Turner is called Lux. Hello? Hello? Hi. Hey, right. I am very good. I've been amusing myself for the last couple of minutes just singing with nobody to come on to the podcast. Yeah. Sorry about that. Sorry, literally just passing around there. As I was added what an episode I am bringing to you today courtesy or Laura Turner. This is episode 64 of the Ricky Long podcast. I'm really enjoying the podcast which I do that go like this two things happen one. I get absolutely screwed on a subject. I don't know too much about Laura is an expert in group exercise and as many many years and group exercise experience you will Snow Laura from the world of Les Mills. She is a Les Murs UK trainer for shabam jab and tone you'll hear a lot about that in the podcast. And what Laura has also started three issues practice being a vegan. I don't know a lot about big in and the ways and the foods, etc. Etc. So it was really really nice just to for me to be a little bit kind of dumb for a while and just ask someone who is practicing the subject the topic on what we're talking about. So I got a really really good personal education. Hope that comes across the forecast and the second thing. I've really really enjoyed doing one podcast go this way is I Recall we were recording so it just turned into a conversation particularly about 3/4 of way into it. So you'll hear us Jump Around subjects and do really really seamless / links to come back the were meant to be so yeah, really really enjoyed this big thank you to Laura for letting me do this podcast. There was a surprise in this podcast, which Laura does not know I have inserted in do you want to have to listen out for that? It's about 50 minutes end of the podcast. But yeah great. sewed with Laura Turner This episode number 64 the regular podcast sponsored by putting for sport Northern Sports retailer the year for 2018. And right now I'm putting for sport are doing a number of exceptional dance for Christmas. Be sure to go and check out their website check out the social media pages and tell them or a long send you otherwise over to podcast. You are listening to the Ricky Long podcast welcoming to the Ricky Long podcast. A Miss. Nora Turner. Laura is a group exercise manager for enough ill-health and Laura is also a Les Mills trainer presenter for I want to get this right ship bam. She's smiling jab damn buddy jam and lesbians time awesome. Awesome arm back creative cockburn Got That Rock. So I've known Laura. Long time we do tend to go through pockets of time where we do see a lot of each other because we'll be at quarterly workshops at the same time and then we'll for longer periods of time where we don't see each other because there's quarterly workshops just the way they're spread out. So rather than me go on a little bit further Laura welcome to the podcast. Hi. Thanks for having me. I'm so happy to have you on we are going to chat about a lot of things group fitness a lot of things exercise and a lot of things nutrition. No, but just before we do, why don't you give people just a little background about who you are and what you do in a little bit about your career. So as Vicki's kind of water already introduced me as a present into a trainer for Les Mills for jam shabam and tone. Yes, I do group exercise management from the field as well. I have actually only been with that branch of nuffield Health for a few months. So before then I was Free Longs for the past year and then I've worked for other Jim chains before that career-wise. I guess I came into the group fitness seen back in 2006. I did the exercise to music course thanks to my mom for kind of throwing that in there in to go and train for that. I then train a body combat. That's and it kind of snowballed from there. I mean I can go into more detail if you'd like. Yeah, so I didn't the body combat training. I was teaching some freestyle dance as well as aerobics. So I loved the choreography side of it because I did a musical theater at college. So we did lots of kind of choreography singing that kind of thing. So I love that side of it not the singing in body combat. Unless you come to my class had come to that class. No one used to come to McCarthy. No kidding. So I took that part time and actually worked in an estate agents at the time and that was great fun as me and my friend Catherine running the office alone. Unfortunately, I got made redundant from that job when the company changed hands and then they decided to let some people go So I guess that was a good thing because then that made me kind of go on to do some other things and that's when I went to work for LA Fitness at the time. So I went into group exercise management then my mom had actually done the role before me. So yeah, I know that's Carol. I never knew that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, so I went into that. I was then made redundant again same year great year for Laura and basically I was able to stay in. In the business, we just changed roles because it kind of restructured. So yeah, I worked at LA Fitness and then some a few things happened and I ended up going to Lanzarote to work as part of their aerobics team. So, you know kind of a few things happened like had a car accident my relationship at the time failed. So again bad things but good things came from it. So So yeah, I went to live abroad which was fantastic. And then from there I kind of knew what I wanted to do the rest. You know of my life was that massage while some goals Lanzarote and that's what I moved to London and that's when it snowballed and I trained in every single Les Mills program going, you know, it happens. It happens. Yeah, that's me. Awesome. Thank you. For sure. Now. I'm going to share a couple of quick fire questions that yeah what you haven't learned your bite. So quick fire questions chocolate or crisps chocolate dogs or cats dogs, son. That or sunrise to sunset sonorous no sun dance or traditional gym stuff Don. It's not mine or iron man. Oh man, I'm gonna go with Iron Man. Yeah, but the thing is most people say Iron Man, but nobody would have said Iron Man like 15 years ago. It's only because of what Marvel have I've done then they have beard Tony Stark and Robert Downey jr. So so popular. Yeah, right. So the I wanted to get you on we caught up at our tribal Gathering what last month? Yeah, and I wanted to get you on because for those that do or maybe don't know maybe don't know too much about the subject. Laura is a vegan. Correct, correct? Yeah, and my knowledge or non-vegan is quite limited and and then there's really Cause I've never practiced it in the self haven't really dealt with a lot of your clients on a one-to-one basis about it. And I must admit I haven't read a lot of Literature Like a lot of evidence that stuff. I've read blogs and stuff for people who do practice vegan diet, and I wanted to get you on just to chat specifically about your choices in becoming a vegan what that looks like on a day-to-day life and teaching all the group fitness programs and the effects that has on your life. Cuz I do believe they'll be a lot of people who will listen to this who maybe are Fitness professionals and might have had a look at it or might just come and do group exercise classes Etc. So why don't you tell people what being a vegan is because some people still aren't too sure. I actually Googled it and preparation for this because I wanted to make sure my thought process of what vegan Wars was aligned with Google's definition, and I'm pleased to say horse. So it what is a vegan. Well, let's hope that I don't get this wrong. Hey, so-and-so being vegan is basically not eating anything that contains something that's derived like from animals in my eyes that are kind of different stages of this. So obviously, you know, you can be vegetarian where you don't eat meat or fish and bit being vegan is so not only meat and fish but no Dairy as well so that be like milk eggs butter mayonnaise ice cream chocolate even like protein bars. We've got whey protein in it as well. So stuff like that. You can kind of go to the extremes as well. Like for example, honey. Yes bees make it but maybe you get a more kind of natural source of honey. So some vegans I know do it honey. Some don't so in my eyes are kind of different levels. Like super vegan an entry-level vegan. Yes, you can level one. Yeah, and so what how long have you been vegan and you know kind of why did you make that choice? Because I believe it's quite a recent thing in terms of your life. Yeah. That's very very true. So I've been vegan I'd say properly since okay. Let me rephrase that. Sorry, so I went On yoga training in India in at the end of February and we ate a vegan diet was actually a sattvic diet which I couldn't tell you more about in a moment for the entire time. We were there which was fantastic the food was amazing. And so when I got home from there, I didn't have any I didn't want to eat any meat I didn't have that desire which was quite nice. So I save right I'm going to be vegetarian because I still wanted to have Like protein bars and things like that because I don't I never actually drank milk and I didn't have much dairy in my diet before anyway, so I was vegetarian then for a month after I got home. So let's say for the month of April and then I just thought you know what because I don't have dairy and I'm not eating meat I may as well try and actually just be full vegan there weren't there weren't that many changes. So it's been from met that I've been fully vegan that's made this year. Okay. It doesn't like the mains for me was that I wasn't having protein bars chocolate cakes pick a mix and just other little things that you wouldn't think you know that there are animal products in like a packet of prawn cocktail crisps or you know, the other crisp flavors like Doritos cheese not they eat them anyway, but there are some things where you wouldn't think that there are knuckle way in it. So yeah, it's just little things like that make changes for me. Yeah, so just to get a timeline on that. So it was March this year. You went on that Yoga Retreat. Yeah and to factory will have much that it was April you come home and you went vegetarian and then it was from me and so what if I can ask what did your diet looked like before and then was when you're on the yoga retreat you obviously knew you were probably going to do a vegetarian vegan diet. How was that like I did that look because was that just there one day I'm eating. I don't know cheeseburgers with milkshakes and the next day. I'm eating lettuce. I'm stereotyping here, but that you just need to go. Did you just go straight for or did you tip your way into it? No, it was as fun straight away. So I mentioned that I didn't have much Dairy before so and I wasn't a massive meat eater like I'd have like, you know chicken this or bacon sandwich or Well stirred I used to eat. Okay, so yeah. No, I went straight in straight in there was no tapering off or anything like that. So yeah, and I'm hiding that field kind of physically and mentally Do you know it felt fine? I was quite happy to not eat meat there wasn't an issue for me because I know that I can cope without it and the one thing I struggled with and it's not meat because it was a sattvic diet. So I don't know if you've heard of kind of sattvic diet, but I've got a note to ask you what that is. I have never heard of that before. Okay, and I was kind of thinking. Oh dear I hope Part of the stop before I might well she explained or I might ask the question. But so I've asked the question. What is it? Okay, so basically within yoga and ayurveda, so, you know separate from yoga of but they're like they say it's three forces of life. So the one of the forces is sattva. So if you have a sattvic diet, you're eating the foods putting, you know substances into your body that are great for your body and your mind. Therefore things like caffeine and alcohol are not sattvic so we can have I can have any coffee. That's what I struggled with and no alcohol, which was fine. I can not drink alcohol. So my struggle was not having a cup of coffee in the morning or having biscuits in the afternoon with another coffee. So I'm about the me. It was the caffeine. That was really really hot. I know what other Foods would be included in this I'm just I'm really curious. Okay, I'm going to have to do a bit of searching here. So this bulk of it and I'll just as a pad for time. I just just trying to plan your day and then you're welcome for swim today and this podcast gold people love this. I love it when that happens. I'm just gonna have to run and grab one notebook. All right, everyone perfect. Yeah. So what's happening now is because I like my podcast do this. I like it the turning their bit of a conversation and I'll always saying my guests on some questions beforehand and then hopefully we can get some pop he's going around out. So Laura just mentioned that this affect diet. I hope I'm pronouncing that right and I have never heard of that before. So I've just I've hit her with a couple of questions so I can see her in the back of a room right now. She's searching for some sort of Encyclopedia. I can guess is somewhere and then where is should have got this ready before hands, but I didn't know I've never heard of the subject. I like I've got notes in my phone you I have tried to spell it sat a fic. Okay, so it's an essay TT V IC. Okay, so I found my list and there's sattvic diet contains foods like fruits. So all fruits dried fruits vegetables pulses nuts and seeds. You've got oils herbes most spices milk, like not milk. So like cashew milk almond milk. You could even have oat milk rice milk sweets as long as it's not got gelatine in it. So, you know, what if you go to the pick-and-mix counter If you actually read the ingredients, you can find some that are gelatine free. I've been there and if you can find some good quality kind of locally sourced honey, that's not mass-produced and that's great as well. And so it's sattvic because of the that energy that it's got in it and it's really good for your obviously likes in mind and body and those things that you're taking away like meat fish Dairy alcohol, so That's considered tamasic. So that's another of the yogurt terms they use and it's tamasic food is bad for your mind and your body and you know, I don't know if all of us have experienced this but like a hangover so that's obviously doesn't feel great and alcohol, you know will lower your inhibitions and make you do stupid stuff definitely been there. So yeah, I think that yeah that that comes under to And there's some other things in there as well like mushrooms onions. Garlic Drugs That's traumatic because yeah that definitely affects your mind body. So it's a really really interesting subject. So if you're interested in it, definitely look it up definitely and the other thing that I wanted to mention was stuff like caffeine so that comes under rajasic food or Raja who know it's called that's one of the forces. So again, I'm going to the mall later perhaps Soooo, and because caffeine is a stimulant for your mind so it can make your mind really restless. So Yogi's they want to calm the mind and eat stuff that's good for your mind and body. So that's why all of this goes together within the sattvic diet. I want to have to go and find myself a SAT thick athlete and get them onto the regular podcast. You like to learn more. This is where I do. My best researchers chocolate people just being a little bit demo by things on what's up. What's up? It's really interesting. Sting and you know what when I came back from India, like I think that diet combined with all of the yoga. I can't even explain to you how incredible I felt I was happy. I was motivated to go and do stuff. I had so many ideas of what I wanted to do with yoga and I felt amazing. I'm not even gonna lie. I want you to describe that more. Like what were the things you find yourself able to do that you wouldn't have been able to do say in February ripping it up before you went. I just felt like really alive and energized happy and there wasn't no negative thought crossed my mind. I just felt like I was living like a hundred percent and that I was ready for anything. Yeah, I just felt full of like a zest for life, you know. Yeah, did you put that down into the exercise or the nutrition change? I'm going to say both because I don't think that by just doing one you could achieve that. I think you need to you do need to work on your mind and your body at the same time. Yeah, that's cool because I know quite a few people who had be connected with, you know, including yourself. I've gone away and down these different yoga retreats and different types of Yoga and all that and it's all from looking at it from the outside from my kind of ignorant point of view. It's very very it's not just here you go. Let's come along and let's stretch for two weeks and the sun. Yeah, it is the whole mind body and nutritional experience. So just Anderson find out like this wasn't planned. They were down this rabbit hole. But yeah, but that so the bring us back to you know, where you are now and being a vegan and being a fitness professional so roughly how many classes a week would you say you teach structure and how many r's so I do roughly just calculating in my head now and a little to say 15 maximum because I Do cover the old class here and there so 15 classes a week about seven of those are only 30 minute classes. Yeah, it's less than 15 hours kind of like 10 to 12 hours would be about you know, good guess so there's a stigma and I would be part of kind of maybe feel on the stigma a little bit that yeah, if you're vegan. Yeah the active enough to teach 10 hours a week. Exercise 10 hours a week. You're going to really really struggle to get enough calories in food and so high tree is that statement and what do you do to get enough energy and from your chosen path? So from my experience I'd say that's definitely not true. I've been absolutely fine. I still eat as much as I did before. I just choose better Foods or more wholesome Foods. So it's not been a struggle, you know energy wise at all. You know, I'll still have the same kind of breakfast. I had I've just changed my way protein that would put into my oats are to a vegan protein what bigger things going to use. So I've only tried one at the moment announcer live try to one of them was a PhD be Protein banana, that was lovely. The one I've got. The moment is from my protein again banana flavored and that's a bit Sandy. I'm honest. Okay, people will ask about those. I get quite a few questions about that from time to time in some of my private groups and I always just tell them to go for the my protein but that's good to know you like PhD one. That was you said PhD? Yeah. It's a little bit more expensive and you get a bit less, but it was much nicer. Okay? Okay. Yes. So yeah. I interrupted their kind in your flew off. Okay. Well what you eat to teach and train for 10 hours a week. And so what do we eat? Very good question. So I eat I do eat some kind of processed vegan goodies. So I will have like like Burger type things and sausages, but I tried not to eat too many of those but they are kind of quick and easy. So, you know when I'm home if I get home in the middle of the day for like an hour, I'm going to Chuck them in the oven. And put it together with some salad or some rice. I like I've got quite a big appetite. So when I ate I'll make a massive plateful and I'll probably get through all of it. And if I don't then I'll save the rest for later but doesn't happen that often. I'll eat well, so I have I learned how to make a lovely lentil Curry that's delicious and I'll have that either on its own or with some rice. I also And how to make chapatis really easy just got you know, get your hands. Messy. What else do I have? You know when you can't think of anything you eat anymore? I do eat a lot of cereal without Pro yogurt and just because that takes seconds to make and still get in, you know carbs and protein. So I think that the statement comes into it because a lot of vegan Choice Foods would be quite low in calories for the you know, the quantity of food on your plate. So it's people have because as I said at the start is people associate a vegan sitting down and having you know a bowl of lettuce which isn't going to be very very high in calories. So that what you just mentioned are you cereal with yogurt? Did you say like, I don't know you okay? Yeah. So yeah, so there's obviously I already know there's a lot of calories and not for ya might get through that would be in. So I know that would be very important like you touched on up there. You say you have a big appetite bolts put your exercise in 10 12 classes a week. Exactly. So you've got it get those high calorie foods in so absolutely I think will be cool for a lot of people listening. Yeah, so I get a lot of like roasted vegetables as well as I like aubergine courgettes carrots parsnips potatoes. And again, I don't just roast like, you know one one carrot. It's like the whole bag or two trays worth of edge because you just you know, jump the radio on chop up the veg core bit of olive oil salt Chuck it in the oven then it's done, isn't it? So that's good. Another thing that I've tried not tried but Found high in calories is a donut from donut time. Now. I know they're around London. I don't know where else they've got branches, but it's a risk off Lotus donut massive vegan. It's delicious and calorific high-calorie foods, like a lot of mansions on the regular podcast, especially from Les Mills. UK Trina presenters. Thank God, it's Laura Turner and 10 Meadows. Who are Dying for a do not contract. So they kind of talked about. It's kind of a yes or no kind of close question is your teaching better knowing that you're a vegan compared to this time last year. Compared to this time last year 100% better this year. I'd say the food probably does make a difference. But this time last year. I was also freelance and teaching a lot more. So I was not getting the recovery that I needed or spending time to stretch and things like that. So it was it was definitely worse last year. Yeah. Yeah and it is that the grass just a little bit. Is that why you looked towards the yoga retreat? Yeah, although Yeah, and what people will ask us what type of yoga retreat was it you went on and kind of can I put anything in the show notes about it? Yeah, definitely. It was it was a 200 our teacher training with the Himalayan yoga Institute and I chose that school because my mum again my mom gets a lot of mentions in this she went the previous year and was raving about it. So she actually helped me with the money so side of things and let me the cash to do that. She said, you know, if you look you're looking for something else to do that's not going to break your body. So do this and I was like, well, thanks great. And if I went I'm trying to pause a lot of that for a second on your mom tell us about your mom. Your mom obviously has a big influence on you and be a big kind of stand and the fitness industry. So what's a wall? What's your mom's story? Okay, so my mum my mum It's been a fitness instructor for you know, I don't know how many years but I remember going to the gym when I was a kid and getting like chopped into the kids playroom and we play on like the Mega Drive and the all of that stuff. So she yeah, she was a gym goer at first and then she did like aerobics, you know body pump Body Balance and she yet so I basically followed in her footsteps as it were I love that. Yeah, so she was the one because I wanted to be like a dancer and a singer and I found it really hard because I was never really confident and you know, it was a bit overweight as well. You know, it was a tough industry and it still is and so she was like, you know, why don't you try this. You've got the love of you know what it is. It's exercise to music, you know, you've got the skills to do it and it just made perfect sense. So I was like, yeah, you know what? Thank you. I will do that and it has gone from there and I think Because she's you know, probably been through the same kind of struggles of you know energy and not knowing where to go next kind of career-wise. It's helped and you know, her suggestions have made a big influence in my life. What's your mom's name was Sarah Broadway show, okay. It was in front of 600 people in deep in roads, and I was just absolutely outstanding. So I really enjoyed that and I In fact, I think I still have the video on my phone. It's probably an are what's up conversation? I can use that to my advantage later. I'll use that to get people to listen for blackmail. Yeah. Thank you. At this point I'm going to play you a couple of seconds or that video. We just spoke about wouldn't Laura Turner brought the high stone in rules. You're going to hear about 30 seconds worth of audio from that night ripped straight from my phone and she doesn't know I'm doing this the first time she'll know this has happened when she listens to this podcast. So tell me what's a Man of Distinction a real bitch? We now return to our regular scheduled podcasting on the original podcast with special guest singer Laura Turner. Do you still say no, sorry do you sing regularly? Yes or no, so I sing with a guitarist but like for the last month he's been away and I've been away. So we haven't actually done much recently and is the second guitarist. I've been working with while I've been living in this area. So the first one we did more kind of like soul songs jazz songs, which I love and I think that probably suits my voice more and that's what you know, that's why I liked the song Big And it's kind of like big band feel, you know, but with this guitarist we do more kind of pot kind of, you know, soft rock pop that kind of thing a lot, right? So is your guitarist is he or she a vegan he is not I don't really know what he eats. If I'm honest no idea. I'm just trying to get a seamlessly linked but that's all right. If you look at the whole kind of aspect of your life or kind of spoke a little bit about, you know, the energy to teach and the food you need. What does it look like from? You know all that's what's your life, you know, if you're walking into the cassette say you're doing quarterly Workshop. That's clearly Workshop. We can today say you walk into a different gym in another part of London and you need a quick snack. How does that influence? What kind of changes have you had to make in that regard of your life? So that it depends where I am. So if I'm kind of within let's say the M25 It's relatively easy and I can pick up anything. You know, if I if I go to boot so you can get a meal deal where you have like a vegan sandwich, whereas they never used to do that if I'm somewhere else. It's going to be like a bag of plain of crisps, which is really boring. You might get some dark chocolate. So the choices are limited. Let's say so I do have to think about that in advance and maybe take some back up snacks because let's face it. No one likes to be caught out with no food, right definitely instructors worst nightmare. Yeah, especially if you're traveling by train and then you know access whatsoever. So what I'd do, I'd rather take my own snacks than kind of rely on what's going to be available at the time wherever I am. And what about I've just asking because it come up at the start of the conversation. What about alcohol? Alcohol, my habits of alcohol haven't really changed and it start every day 10 a.m. Yeah. Yes it you know here in the morning going right now. Yeah, I mean again, there are certain wines. You can buy that are vegan and I think it's the way that it's produced. I don't drink wine by the way. So my drink I'll have gin or Um, and again, I don't know whether they're specifically classed as vegan. I don't know. This is something that's a bit of a gray area and I probably should look into a little bit more. Yeah. Yes. I'm sorry. So if we go with like positive and negative impacts your life what what has vegan done in a yeah positive or negative impactful by for your life. You can start with whatever when you prefer the so positive impact, I would say say that one of the biggest things for me is that I a lot less sugary Foods because because of the job and some instructors might relate with this, you know, they'll eat a lot of biscuits or sweet or you know, you get home and then me it was like, oh look at this pocket of French fancies. Let's see all eight of them. I don't do that anymore. No Nutella. So yeah, I think overall I'm probably like you say I'm eating less calories. I'm making better food choices. So like I'm can be quite lazy when it comes to cooking and when I wasn't vegan, I just eat anything when I got home, whereas now I'll make the effort to put the vegetables into the oven and cook them and then eat them. So that's good one of the biggest impacts for me as well as that I'm I used to get bloated quite a lot and I think that perhaps maybe had a slight intolerance to some milk products because like I never drank milk, it was only in certain products that I'd have it. I was bloated a lot. Sometimes I look like for five months pregnant sometimes and so that's that's happening a lot less like barely at all to be fair. And and the other thing I would say is that before I became vegan because I didn't eat dairy and as I was growing up and things like that, you know, I didn't want any sandwiches because there was always like butter margarine Will Mayo in it. So I'd always be considered like, you know, you got weird. And we're diet or you know, you're really fussy and I'd have pizza with no cheese. Whereas now it's more accepted and I feel like oh, I don't have to make my excuses anymore. And that people just like, okay. Yeah, you're vegan great. So that's a really nice positive impact for me. Yeah, and I think again coming back to that stigma. It is a lot more accepted now and you know, there is food menus choices available or menus. I'm so go back to When we had our I want to call it One Tribe DMX, whatever it was couple of months ago for those less than the changes everything. So there was a little after-party Gathering where there was alcohol and food and it was when we asked the guy who was serving the food that were just coming around with like trays. What will the cold? Okay, kind of Peace. Yes. Oh nice, I didn't do you have an awesome vegan and they could not have been more helpful and actually do more with a food tray of vegan. Software's Korea other loving life. They did you get any. Yeah, it's sweet potato kind of mush. Yeah, that's great. Yeah. It was me you an idea of just 1111 a good vegan life. What what what what about the goods again? And I'm Keen to know this. You spoke earlier on just a bite. Your physique and weight loss have you experienced he said about bloating is whales or have you experienced that you've gone vegan? What what what have you experienced of kind of physique and weight loss and that sort of thing and maybe even strength. So I think overall I haven't lost a great deal of weight because I still eat a good amount of food for the energy that I'm spending. So what else sorry I'm lost again whatwhat have you kind of notice than your own kind of physical changes strength fat loss fat gear and you've already said about being polluted. Yeah. And yeah, so I don't think I've lost any weight. Maybe just a little but not a great deal like my clothes still fit strength-wise. Do you know what it's I'm not really sure about strength wise because I used Each body pump maybe a few times a week and I've stopped doing that since the summer. So I think because of dropping bodypump, I'd say that I feel not as strong but that's because I'm not doing any much specific weight training right now only Les moss stone, which is lightweight. So I think if I went back into bodypump that I would still feel strong I'm not I don't think that's much more negative impact. Really? Yeah, but I feel good. There's no part of my body that feels like it's not benefiting or that you know, I don't feel weak at all anything like that and it just shows people know this Laura looks incredible, by the way. So when we kinda a LED that question without weight loss Laura certainly does not need to lose weight in any way shape or form. So just want to clarify that that stance because Laura were kind of play that down a little bit more you do look incredible. He always have So yeah, you saw I'm going to ask you why have you stopped teaching body Pumpers that been because of the job change or what's behind that? Yeah. So when I got back from the yoga training, I tried to implement a bit more yoga into my teaching which I did I've got up to about eight classes a week. And so I was already teaching pump CX grip Jam shabam. Balance bar tone and in the great it was strength and cardio. So I was teaching so many things and I felt like I wanted to give the yoga more time to sink in because trust me there's a hell of a lot to learn if you don't practice yoga regularly, there are so much information. So I've got to the point in each of my classes. I was I wanted to tailor it more to the people that were in front of me, but because of time restrictions, I didn't feel like I I was putting enough time into the research. So I kind of stuck to the moves that I knew and being able to adjust people how I knew how to adjust them. So I wanted to give it more so I had to pull back from the ogre but actually many ciao, but even so I was still teaching all of those lessons programs. So I decided to drop the things that I perhaps. I don't know enjoyed slightly less and that's not saying I don't enjoy them because I do and that's also when I wanted to put more effort into body Jam because at the time I wasn't a presenter in body jamming up, but I wanted to be so I had to put some time. That as well so I was like, right let's prop CX selects drop pump. I can always go back to them whenever you know, so I probably will at some point. So that's why that's why holy shit. There was a lot of classes there. There was a lot of programs. Yeah a lot of instructors. We are absolutely for that is well just teach program after program class after class. And ya end up you'll end up resenting classes that you used to love our programs that used to love ya and or you'll end up doing classes because you've just always done them. Once they classes you'll end up the in programs which might take you away from an area of your life that you actually want the focus on so you can if you give a brilliant example is you knew you needed to stop doing as many programs because you needed time to focus on yoga and time to focus on that body. Journey what you can do if you're doing like 5 hours a body falling sex once a week because a that will take five hours to teach the classes and secondly you're going to be absolutely wrecked from doing those five classes are going over all the classes. So if we're if we're chatting about being a vegan for a group fitness instructor, you know, how I would you recommend someone starts to make those changes if they're thinking about doing a very good question. And I would suggest perhaps trying some other foods that would be kind of replacement like protein sources and to see what you actually like because I believe I believe in like eating the foods you enjoy not eating things just because so find stuff that you like maybe try some recipes, you know, like one of the things I tried was like scrambled tofu instead of scrambled eggs. So I put lots of different flavors in there and actually if you get the You know the spices right? It's delicious. If you don't then it's actually so yeah, trying some different protein sources and then from there when you decided, you know, I really like this then maybe replace the meat with that if you know if you want to also things like, you know, if you drink a lot of milk then again try the try the other milk so that you know soap milk rice milk all sorts of milk. So try them that that's probably what I'd say. Yeah kind of terrible question. But who would you recommend vegan for those are good questions and they would you rather went up fourth. I would say, you know, what if you're if you're an animal lover and you eat meat but you've kind of got that desire to not eat meat I'd I'd recommend it for you because I was an animal lover, you know, I grew up in the countryside and you know, look at these. So lovely and then I'll go home and eat bacon sandwich, which doesn't make any sense kind of it's easy to look at packet of baking. I think oh, you know, it's a packet of bacon. It's not sourced from an animal but it is and I think it's easy to have that disconnect. But if you know, if you do love animals and you do want to support that then then go for it. It's entirely up to you. I'm not going to I'm not going to preach to anyone that you should become vegan at but I think if you've got what's the word if you've got questions About it and you you thinking about doing it then do it because who says that you can't change back. No one. I'm worried be a credible place for people to learn more that isn't the game changers film. You know, I still haven't watched this but I will watch it me neither. I've watched like credible YouTube channels, you know, give a really really good review and other ones give a really really bad. Review and you listen did you Rogan podcast? And I know I haven't listened to many podcasts. So during organs last episode shout out for Joe Rogan, by the way, feel free to give regular podcast a shout-out in yours. He had the one of the producers and creators of the game changers on Earth and another high part. Dr. Stroke celebrity who ripped game changes to shreds. He drew can have both of them on and honestly see the at the turn it off after 20 minutes because it was just like two politicians trying to out fact each other without ever asking questions. It was most difficult. Listen, which is actually made me want the watch Game Changers even more just because these two children were being complete decades and of a sudden we can call any one of the head but these two things got it now. Yeah first 20 minutes. It's a three or a 52-minute podcast. Wow, God. Yeah. Yeah, like we're going to stop this out. Like 70 minutes max, but three hours 52 and much. I don't I can't even remember what I asked. Where would you recommend people find out more like credible places of resource. That's a really good question. I would say I really know maybe just yeah go online or find some good books. But, you know be open to looking around everywhere because the recipes I found were just online. I think I looked on Pinterest Pinterest even I say it that that site and that's where I got the recipes from I found some really good vegan pancakes on there and just maybe you know people have been vegan for a long time. Have an account on there that you can follow I know my yoga tutor. She's got an account on their loads of really good vegan recipes. So yeah, just just look about and see what's around. Yeah. I think that's a good one the kind of advise people on it find your find people who you look up to here doing it. And you know, I've said this a few times is walk the same path just do it in your own shoes. So, you know, if you see, you know, your yoga instructors eaten or What's up, scrambled? Tofu? Yeah. Yeah go and try it. But like if you hear it don't have it just because this Idol of yours might be enjoy don't you know, you do need to make those decisions self, you know again and don't choose a diet based on some idealistic fantasy you have or somebody who's living that life, you've got to do it for your own reasons and find your own urine love set up a hundred percent and you know, what, even if you know, there might be a recipe for sale. Angle tofu with other know this spice but then you know play around with it because there are so many things you can make you can you know alter it to your own recipe. So yeah spend some time in the kitchen scary place to be but have you noticed like any difference in kind of like your social media engagement in terms of maybe instructors or your class members kind of reaching out to your maybe they might be vegans and just have more questions. sir Not in a big big way. There are you know, sometimes class participants will ask me what I eat, you know how much I exercise things like that. And I've said I'm vegan and they've been asked me a few questions. So, you know people are interested to know and you know, you get some pretty random questions like, you know, how many times a day should I eat and things you can't really specifically answer per person, but yeah people are interested. So yeah. Well, it's just my head you want to think about instructors? I don't believe there would be many instructors who are vegan. I'm a I'm a wrong and I I don't know officially so a good friend of mine. Carrie Harris who also won an team. She's also vegan vegan. I'm not quite sure how long maybe a couple two to three years something like that. And so she was great to hang out with because we did a few module trainings together towards her sign off for Shabbat. And you know, she'd bring the snacks. It was really good for me. And I was like, you know, that's a great snack. And then maybe I'd bring this and we chat about it. So it is it's nice to find maybe another instructor or someone who spend a bit of time with who you know has the same interests or might appreciate. You know, what you're doing what you're eating or just kind of off the top of my head like a wonder. I wonder how many I would love to find out that diet Like choices, you know allez allez Les Mills you kale and group fitness instructors. Like how many are vegans vegetarian on average carnivores? Whatever else divorce they are of your just I would just be interesting to find out maybe. Yeah. Maybe I'll be the first question of module training familiar one necessary information. Yeah, but you're one that will be so just to kind of I've got a couple couple more questions. I just added bunk maybe a couple of minutes. So Laura Turner, you're famous for being a dancer with Les Mills a singer with Laura Turner records incorporation. What does your train and look like because dancers don't like the Tramp. So what does your train and look like? Okay. So this is interesting because yeah currently I don't do a lot other than my classes literally on. so the last I don't know six months or so. I'd say the only extra training I've done is that I've gone to some other people's yoga classes. I've Incorporated somebody combat body attack some grip strength, and I've been to Sprint a few times and maybe I'll do one or two classes a week that aren't mine which I love doing because you know as an instructor you it's nice to go to the other side I dance in my kitchen the lat. Yeah, it's nicely. I haven't been in the gym in forever. And it's something that reminds me of why I do what I do because I don't have a motivation to go to the gym because I don't laugh. Like train being on my own and I don't know it'll put the same and that's why do group fitness. So it is a good reminder for me too for what I do, but it's not good for my training so up until I think it was last August I used to go to CrossFit maybe once or twice a week and I love that and I love the lifting or the Olympic lifting. So if I was going to do anything, I do that I just haven't got time right now. Yeah, that's cool. And I think when you go from teaching what I expect would have been about 225 classes a week during the pan 15 classes week. Whatever it is. I think you might just enjoy a little bit of down time your smile and I can say I can see that's a result in. Yes. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. I was going to finish with a completely on prep questions or what of 3mm this right is, you know, Lori make this forever and less than Laura might be known as a Les Mills UK trainer, but in order to become a trainer first of all, you have to be an instructor And Laura just like Ricky long just like Lindsay Morrison. Just like Adam book just like everyone has the basic of basic Les Mills certifications in bodypump. Gritstone Shaban jam, and you go at least once a year to Lanzarote Club the Santa yes, so that is not a mammal has no strainer. Let me come and teach. That is I'm a Les Mills instructor. Yeah, and I comment each. So how does that work? So many people probably see that and think holy shit. I want to do that. I want to teach quote on quote whilst on holiday. So what does it look like? Is it a holiday? Is it work? Tell us about it cool. So there's kind of like two ways with that. So like at the moment I could go there on holiday whenever look just booked it and I'd go along and I'd maybe ask the instructors there. I know I'm an instructor to do you mind if I Shadow you or two? Teach review and they'd likely say yes because they're there all the time. So in that respect you can just go and do that which is amazing the other week that I do which I think I don't know if you were specifically referring to that so they do they run lots of events around the year. Okay. I made the one I've just got back from his their total body conditioning leak and that's organized by someone who used to work there and they put together a team and again, it's not necessarily. You know trainers will present us from whatever company but they choose people that they know teach well and then you can go and teach for them and that for me was you know, obviously I had the skills, but it was kind of I knew the person that put it together. So that's kind of how I got into that. But yeah, I mean, it's a great place to go and train it's a great place to go and teach they take applications all year round from You know the UK from any country, really and actually I looked online. You can just apply Candace just write down your skills what you teach they have freestyle that stuff there as well. So yeah, if you're interested in teaching for them just get online and apply if you just want to go on holiday and teach scone us instructors say hey, I'm hearing holes. Can I can I get involved and I'm sure they'd be more than happy to do that. Yeah, like I'm not the only person kind of wandering us like Do you get paid for it? Do you get benefits from it and from the week that I've just done or just go on holiday. Do you prepare for going on holiday? Because I'll sign me up. Well, there is that. Yes, sir. So if you were to apply maybe do what way would it work if you were to apply I'm I would love to come and work there for a week or a month. Do you get any sort of benefits from that or is it just you literally? Become their timetable instructor and neck. So one of the things it does say on the website is that if you work for them, they look for people to work for like a minimum of nine months. Okay, so like unfortunately, you couldn't just go, you know for a month and teach that's part of my mind, but at they'd prefer to have people long-term. So obviously if you do stay for that amount of time you be employed by them, and yes I get paid. So yeah if you're just there on Day, you probably wouldn't get paid. I don't think but benefits you're outside in the sun teaching. I mean, it's not a monetary benefit. But oh my God, it's amazing to teach outside in the sun. It's absolutely glorious. I love it. I've seen the pictures and videos of you and other people who have done in the past. I was actually Hugh Davis and Sam Davis actually shirred on their social media yesterday when they were at At either the Santa or what's the other one in Lanzarote is a playlist. That one's roller. Yeah, what's up for the Ventura? Yeah. Yeah sure and pictures of that. I was just like, I mean, it doesn't matter whether you're on holiday or your they're working to beat the people who are listening to this. We enjoy being active. So to go and teach a class stroked import the class in the sunshine like all Goods out to spend your quote-unquote, huh? Yeah, it's amazing and like so other things like, you know, you get to network and socialize with other active people as well. So you fans of people from all over the world and you know, lots of top athletes do go there and work out as well. It's not just you know, yeah the public and so it's so great for me. In other people. I am looking forward to my first Club the Santa visit next year. I think I'll have to which is nice. Are you going to stay there you staying outside of The I think the plan is so obviously the Iron Man is Club Le sad there and that's Me So the plan is I want to go white before that like maybe a month or two before that and do some hot weather drinking hot weather training. So I'll definitely get a look at Club the Sunday. It's obviously it's quite an expensive place to go and holiday, so it'll depend on prices some projects. But yeah, we're definitely there because the do the past the party Like for I did yeah how I want to do the pasta pot. Is there anything else you want to add just a bit Kinder yourself and and vegan Life as a group fitness instructor and that might add value to anyone. I think I think I've already touching it really, but just if you're mildly interested. Stood in in it in a genuine way then look into it. And you know, if you can if you've got time do your research first about what are the things you can eat? Because if you don't and you just throw yourself into it, that's when you'll find that you're not eating enough calories or you know, you're living on lettuce. Like you said because you don't know what else to eat. So it will be worth that time to see what kind of replacement foods you can have. And again, like I said choose ones that you like because Nothing worse than eating food that you think is disgusting just because it's vegan. It is so much more trendy now, there's so much more out there and available, especially where I live in you know, I'm london-based. So there's loads which makes it really easy. But you know, I think it is becoming more and more popular. So yeah just do your research and and enjoy. Is there a Les Mills instructor vegan Facebook group. Ooh, not that I'm aware of. Maybe they got that setup. You've got to get that network setup. Imagine hot module High partial that would be it's like it's like a vegan cult within a Les Mills cult. I mean this would be this would be pen writing it down. This could be the most powerful of movements. What have I just done? It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen. All right, so three questions just the the finish on what purchases under a hundred Point. Have you made that have neared amazing impacts on your life. That's a very very good question. I've got quite a few answers for that. So one of them was a book that I bought was about. I don't know five six, maybe even seven years ago now and people will have opinions. On it and whatever. I don't care the secret because before that I had not really heard about the law of attraction and just by reading that book changed my whole mind frame and yeah, I'm a lot more positive now. So that was a really good purchase. It's like 1299 or something. Kyle mentioned my others. Yeah, absolutely. Go for a thermos flask for teas and coffees. Smouse and I love a bit of stationary. So Diaries notebooks and it allows me to make a lot of lists to get the stuff out of my head and become more like active proactive in doing stuff and you know, having goals and ideas and I love that. So they're they're probably the things yeah good pen and a nice note pad. What is the last book you read? And who would you recommend? Recommended forth so a door. Listen to the the book. I'm I've almost finished it right now. How is I've got to hear the seven secrets of synchronicity. It's really interesting. It have not heard a just bite it kind of touches on the Law of Attraction as well. But it kind of opens your eyes to like patterns and things like that. Going to leave it as that really because just just read it. It's really really good. Yeah, I'm just really interested in things like that. Because if you know, if you're looking at your phone all day, you're not going to look up and notice these things and sometimes my mind is blown. Let's just say that I've done the grass just a little bit put this in an email earlier this week. I love Black Friday because you get emails from everyone and everything you've ever subscribed. To so I spent Black Friday just unsubscribing from a whole lot of shit that I don't want clutter up my inbox but aside from that another thing I've done I've done a complete audit or my phone where my phone won't light up anymore. Okay, so don't Pander to my phone. So the only three things that can make my phone light up as if my mom phones me if Lindsey phones May or if Lindsey's daughter phones me. Otherwise, my phone will not light up. It will not ring. I will not get a notification. For any social media or a what's up? Amitha like that because you spend your you talking about synchronous there is if you spend your life Pander to your phone and one thing a lot of people set their cells, they set themselves up every single day or your phones in charge. Your phone is your alarm and have to touch your phone before you start your day. Yeah, and it's the wrong order so I'm definitely going to look in that boot because it's just kind of it's revised in my own brand there. Like I did that link. Yeah, and it's just so the last one is I love the journey that you've been on. What you've done this year is you've gone from kitchen and I've seen among the group exercise classes. You've gone back into Club management and group exercise management and you've also gone through the yoga journey and you're going through vegan. So what's what's kind of next for you? What's next for me? That's a really good question. Let me pause. Let me just jump in for people listen or how long have you been on the lesbians UK team? I've been on the team since 2013. 13 so roughly the same amount of time as me and what was amazing about you you this year is you we call it being signed off in other words. You became a trainer in another new knowledge new program, but I knew program for you so you were on for it should Bama want to say yeah, and then all this time you've always been a dancer for Jam as well. Yeah. I know you're a trainer presenter for job. Yeah love that. Absolutely love that. That was that was a long time coming. So I'm just a brief story. So when I joined it, it was primarily for shibam and body step with people think well, you know that that was what I was kind of signed up for and it got to the stage where you know, we've got signed off in our first program. So mine was shibam and then it was time to do the second one. And at the time I worked in the Les Mills office, which I kind of haven't mentioned during this podcast. And I remember speaking to Isla. So I learned man of God random. I look for video medium. That's the initials of a surname. She knew that Dave Kyle and because he was the training manager at the time he knew he was about sorry. She knew that he was about to send out the email saying right. These are the people who are about to do the second program. And this is what they are and she knew the passion that I had. Body jam, and so she said to me like, you know, you need to speak to Dave like now is about send this email. Those are God. I'm not very good at like confrontation and stuff like that, but I went and spoke to him and I just said today of Carl like I'm I know that my program was meant to be body step but you know, can I change it to body jam and he said well, yeah speak to you know, speak to fill speak to the others and let's get you started on that then instead of Step. So I was so so glad you know, so thankful to Allah for telling me that because otherwise things could have gone differently and that was in 2014. I believe so the second year on the team and I didn't get signed off in body Jam. So I was a bit debate about that devastated. So yeah, it's only been this year that I've kind of, you know done the hard work and it paid off luckily which was which was really nice. So I achieved the goal. It was like five years later than planned. I'm still do it nothing, you know again while they're listening if you have a goal and it doesn't work out the first time don't you know, don't put it to the side keep working at whatever it is that you want to do and just do it because it doesn't matter if the time passes is it still going to pass anyway, so why not work towards it, you know? Yeah, that's powerful. I remember reading the email when it was in 9th. So those listen we get team emails just came announcements that sort of thing what's going on on the in the email. It was announced that you'd been. Signed off for body jam and let like I said, oh what's a few months you want to just remember thinking because it wasn't know you personally and I knew that would have a meant a lot and be felt really fucking good because it's been a long time coming for you. So yeah well done for that and I think that's a nice message you kind of said there. So yeah. Well what's next for you? I don't know. I'm currently thinking about what's next because in my personal life, so I'm now not with the person I was with for the last six years. So this is kind of like a big change big turnaround. So I now really want to think about what it is I want to do where I want to be music to has been a big part of my life. I love singing so I actually Haven't decided but I do want to dance more. I want to do music more. I want to travel more. So we'll see. I want to read more, you know, there's a lot of things I want to do with the over-ambitious if I'm honest, not at all. I think you should get on the phone and give carry a little message and say I'm joining you. Yeah the options Laura I have loved having you. On and have a nice chat this I've really really enjoyed it. So where can people find you and follow you on social media? Where is the best place probably Instagram so my Instagram they got to handle it. So I think yeah. Yeah so technical so it's Laura underscore T underscore lesbians UK. So I do use that I'd say mostly for work stuff. I have you know. You were talking about Tick-Tock on your social media the other day and it turns out I already had an account is a lot. It's like you joined eighty three weeks ago to start to use that more because that incorporates like music and video, doesn't it? So you'll love it. Yeah. I'm quite excited about that. So maybe they're I think it's I think might be Lou Turner L. OU Turner on there. So yeah have a look but it's Laura clanks like entertaining. So I think you know What if you haven't already that's why I have my moments in techtalk. I don't quite have the Berean for Tick-Tock yet. So yeah, I will put all of your social media images away. She's Fasteners of love. I will put all of your social media links and handles or on or on the show notes and people can get in touch and follow you and I look forward to the layers bills instructors can call it Les Mills instructors. The group fitness instructors vegan face prefer to join show. Thank you for having me. It's been great. It's been great. Not a problem. I love that and I will catch you. On the other side of the stop button. You are listening to the Ricky Long podcast as always massive. Thank you for listening to the regular podcast any feedback and reviews if you can go drop off a review on iTunes and Spotify that really means a lot. You've actually no idea how much that means. It means so much that you would even listen to this and if you go and write a short review that actually helps me bring you more episodes or the regular podcast. I just a quick Insight. There's been review or the rigging on podcasts and internal. If you with me and a couple of members of our team on theirs big plans for what the vision is for this rectangle cast of the going into 2020. So yeah, I want to thank all you guys for giving me this kind of support and the foundation's to try and do even bigger and better things with this podcast. So watch this space. Thank you so much for all your support. And yeah, have a great end of the year. If it's the last time I do a podcast this year, please have a great Christmas have a great New Year's and I'll see you in 2020. You are listening to the Ricky Long podcast where International Fitness entrepreneur Ricky Long answers your questions and interviews Fitness leaders on training nutrition and mindset sure to leave a review on iTunes.
#64 Laura Turner - Vegan and Group Exercise  In this episode Laura shares all things Vegan and Group exercise. I get totally schooled on a number of areas!!! Laura Turner is a Trainer and presenter for Les Mills Sh’Bam, Body Jam and Les Mills Tone and a Group Exercise Manager for Nuffield Health. She has been involved with teaching Group Exercise since 2006. Laura loves group exercise because it helps provide the support and motivation for those wanting to exercise that don’t like to train on their own. You can follow Laura here - https://www.instagram.com/laura_t_lesmillsuk/   And you know that facebook group we spoke about in the episode? 