As a fitness trainer Sam Wood is no stranger to a pep talk, but before his first foray into television as the 2015 Australian Bachelor it was his dad dishing out the inspirational speech.
The advice that my dad gave me before going on that show was to be yourself and Im sure everything will pan out fine and he was quite right, that was the best thing Ive ever done, Wood says.
And as he returns to Australian television, Wood says he is calming any nerves with the same wise words.
The best parallel to draw between the two experiences is about being yourself, Ive been in fitness for 20 years now so Im confident at being in front of the camera talking about stuff I talk about every day, he says.
As you may have guessed, Wood is not trying his luck at round two on a reality TV show. He had his fairytale ending with Snezana Wood (then Markoski) on The Bachelor; the couple have since married and share a jam-packed life with their two daughters, Willow and Charlie, as well as Eve, from Snezanas previous relationship.
Instead Wood will be gracing our screens on Better Homes and Gardens as the long-running lifestyle series new fitness expert.
It is one of those iconic shows that was always playing in the lounge room on a Friday night, he says. Willow, being 21/2, is very excited but she doesnt quite grasp how I can be in two places at one time.
There will be no get-fit quick plans or fad diets being spruiked by Wood. The trainer says his goal is to break down the facts and myths about health in an uncomplicated and simple way.
The world of fitness and nutrition in particular can be a bit of a minefield and people dont know what to believe, there is so much information out there, he says.
I want to bring it to people in laymans terms so that they can understand and I guess most importantly at the end of the show have three to five things they can take away and begin implementing into their life straight away.
Over the past 20 years Wood who also runs online fitness and nutrition program 28 By Sam Wood says he has seen clients dabble in every diet out there, which typically ends in disappointment.
Im a big advocate for avoiding these extreme, unsustainable diets or fads, even intense workout regimes. Yes, it is fantastic and youll probably get into shape but youll also be so sore after your first workout that you wont want to do it again, he laughs.
You need to be realistic to what you enjoy, what fits in with your life situation whether it be kids or work or time restrictions and find something that works for you, because going hell for leather for four, five or seven days then doing nothing for the next 51 weeks is the worst thing you can do.
He says with a growing family he has readjusted what is realistic for his own fitness routine, which often includes getting active with the whole brood.
We try and do as much as we can as a family whether its having Willow on her scooter while were walking around the park then the rest is incidental activity chasing them around the house, he says. I cant believe how non-stop that is.
I do home workouts that are half an hour ... or Ill go for a quick run with the dog or duck to the gym twice a week but the days of heading to gym for a 60-minute gym session six days a week, I dont really do that anymore. And to be honest its fine, it is quality not quantity.
I couldnt speak more highly of it Im sleep deprived and exhausted and cant wipe the smile off my face.
I think it is really important that people dont look too far ahead with their goal setting. To say this is where Ill be by Christmas is good but it is a long, long way away and there is a lot of water under the bridge between now and then. It is difficult to maintain goals over such a long period of time, I work to a four or eight week block at a time.
My concern now is not about being in the best shape of my life, it is about being healthy, feeling strong, being a good role model to my kids from a health perspective, and having the energy to be able to keep up with them. It is very different to the goals I had when I was in my early 20s, it is much more now about perspective, lifestyle and family.
Snez is the best mum, the girls are so cute and change literally by the day ... I love coming home at the end of each day and spending all weekend with them, and taking as much time off work as I can.
We tend to be pretty hard on ourselves if we stuff up and put too much pressure on ourselves because we feel these programs or expectations that we put on ourselves are all or nothing, and they dont have to be. The key is to not dwell on the past, just reset.
I think it is so important to have good communication with your partner to work out how you can support each other.
Excerpt from:
Former Bachelor Sam Wood on exercising as a parent, fad diets and his second TV stint - The West Australian
