FITNESS
Surrey’s Premier Lifestyle Magazine
In the fast lane
Alex Crockford is a businessman, food and nutritional expert, model, TV presenter and sponsored athlete/ambassador. Louise Alexander-O’Loughlin met Alex to discuss his life in the fast lane, working in the US and his creation of #CROCKFIT, an internationally recognised fitness programme.
As I was meeting Alex for the first time, surely I’d dress appropriately: bright coloured lycra, appropriate running shoes, an armband to hold my mobile phone, a bottle of Evian water and possibly a sweatband – clearly I’d just run to the coffee shop in Weybridge to meet him? Well, that wasn’t ever going to happen. However, I did tell Alex I’d be the one with an essence magazine under one bingo wing and holding a green vegetable smoothie...
Q Alex, how did your career start?
A I left university in 2011 and started as a personal trainer at David Lloyd in Brooklands, becoming a premium personal trainer within a year. I looked at fitness modelling three years ago and achieved my first magazine cover (Health for Men). After that enquiries flooded in with people asking how I achieved a ‘fitness model body’. So I created #CROCKFIT so people could have the tools to achieve a lifestyle and body to be proud of.
Q Have you always been a fitness fanatic?
A I’d be lying if I say no, so yes. When I was young, I was relatively skinny and somewhat body conscious. I admired people in fitness and wanted to look like them. I understood the need for hard work, but more importantly wanted to know how they maintained their bodies, what they ate and what type of lifestyle they had.
Q How often do you work out and do you ever allow yourself to have a blow out?
A I make sure I move every day (never been one to have a slob out TV day) and exercise in the gym five times a week. I do have a feeling of guilt if I eat badly, but hey that’s life! When I do have days where I eat badly, I make sure I’m straight back to my normal routine next day.
Q Are there any key foods you will avoid the next day in order to counteract what you did the day before?
A First thing, I focus on my goals and bring back the required motivation; I need to remember why I do what I do! After a bad day of food, I focus on three things: lots of water, dark green vegetables (and/or a Greens’ powder drink), and usually a lower carbohydrate intake which helps keep the calories down to counteract the previous day.
Q Under the Alex Crockford brand, is your role as a fitness model?
A I would love to continue with modelling. I’m ambitious and my vision drives my behaviour. My aspiration is to grow my brand. Through fitness modelling, I am showing people what I’m personally achieving, and hopefully this will inspire others to reach their own goals.
Q Alex, how did your career start?
A I left university in 2011 and started as a personal trainer at David Lloyd in Brooklands, becoming a premium personal trainer within a year. I looked at fitness modelling three years ago and achieved my first magazine cover (Health for Men). After that enquiries flooded in with people asking how I achieved a ‘fitness model body’. So I created #CROCKFIT so people could have the tools to achieve a lifestyle and body to be proud of.
Q Have you always been a fitness fanatic?
A I’d be lying if I say no, so yes. When I was young, I was relatively skinny and somewhat body conscious. I admired people in fitness and wanted to look like them. I understood the need for hard work, but more importantly wanted to know how they maintained their bodies, what they ate and what type of lifestyle they had.
Q How often do you work out and do you ever allow yourself to have a blow out?
A I make sure I move every day (never been one to have a slob out TV day) and exercise in the gym five times a week. I do have a feeling of guilt if I eat badly, but hey that’s life! When I do have days where I eat badly, I make sure I’m straight back to my normal routine next day.
Q Are there any key foods you will avoid the next day in order to counteract what you did the day before?
A First thing, I focus on my goals and bring back the required motivation; I need to remember why I do what I do! After a bad day of food, I focus on three things: lots of water, dark green vegetables (and/or a Greens’ powder drink), and usually a lower carbohydrate intake which helps keep the calories down to counteract the previous day.
Q Under the Alex Crockford brand, is your role as a fitness model?
A I would love to continue with modelling. I’m ambitious and my vision drives my behaviour. My aspiration is to grow my brand. Through fitness modelling, I am showing people what I’m personally achieving, and hopefully this will inspire others to reach their own goals.
Alex’s top tips for a healthy, fitter body
1. Choose an exercise you enjoy otherwise you’ll do it for a couple of weeks and give up.2. Have goals offering motivation. Without motivation you won’t have the drive to get up and go to the gym or work out at home.
3. Eat ‘real, sensible food’. That means no low calorie shake diets and no fad diets otherwise you will yoyo. Look at what you eat and ask yourself if you’d be happy eating that food in five years time.
4. Change core habits. By this I mean one at a time. Take time to give up old habits and build new ones.
5. Go to bed early! This helps the body to re-balance. It is a known fact that sleeping more enhances the chance of losing weight.
Q Where do you draw the line as a model, as many of your pictures feature you rather scantily clad?
A Oh God Louise, what have you found? I want to be respected as a fitness model and there are maybe a few old pictures, but we all have to start somewhere, don’t we?
Q Statistically many children are clinically overweight, most cases aren’t for medical reasons. How would you advise parents to motivate their children to get fit?
A This is a topic I’m very passionate about. Most of the time it comes down to education and guidance. The first advice is to live the lifestyle you would like your children to live. Children follow by their parents’ example, so the foods cooked and eaten are very important, as children are always watching and learning. A step up from this would be to cook healthy recipes together so children learn to enjoy healthy eating.
Q I know so many people who strive to get that six-pack – do genetics have a huge influence in this?
A We all possess a six-pack, it’s part of our anatomy, some more visible than others. Mainly it’s an excuse to blame genetics. You can’t beat the ‘winning combo’ of training, nutrition and lifestyle/mindset. Balance all three to see results. Some people just train and expect to see a six-pack, but all three elements need to be combined.
Q Fad diets: what’s your opinion on them?
A It amazes me how people still throw themselves into fad diets. They are short term: dieters will lose weight but it won’t be maintained. Statistics show when you finish a fad diet and go back to old ways, twice as much weight is gained. It’s about breaking habits. Follow a diet that you could still see yourself enjoying in five years time; that’s what #CROCKFIT is all about: teaching people life long, healthy habits.
Q Tell me about #CROCKFIT?
A It’s an online platform and community that gives people all the tools they need to train their bodies and live a healthy lifestyle, to obtain quick and sustainable results in fat loss, fitness and lean muscle. It’s suitable for everyone, which enables people to achieve their dream body. I have six plans: #GYMFIT (for men – stage 1 and 2); SHEFIT (for women – stage 1 and 2); #HOMEFIT (for men and women – stage 1 and 2).
A Oh God Louise, what have you found? I want to be respected as a fitness model and there are maybe a few old pictures, but we all have to start somewhere, don’t we?
Q Statistically many children are clinically overweight, most cases aren’t for medical reasons. How would you advise parents to motivate their children to get fit?
A This is a topic I’m very passionate about. Most of the time it comes down to education and guidance. The first advice is to live the lifestyle you would like your children to live. Children follow by their parents’ example, so the foods cooked and eaten are very important, as children are always watching and learning. A step up from this would be to cook healthy recipes together so children learn to enjoy healthy eating.
Q I know so many people who strive to get that six-pack – do genetics have a huge influence in this?
A We all possess a six-pack, it’s part of our anatomy, some more visible than others. Mainly it’s an excuse to blame genetics. You can’t beat the ‘winning combo’ of training, nutrition and lifestyle/mindset. Balance all three to see results. Some people just train and expect to see a six-pack, but all three elements need to be combined.
Q Fad diets: what’s your opinion on them?
A It amazes me how people still throw themselves into fad diets. They are short term: dieters will lose weight but it won’t be maintained. Statistics show when you finish a fad diet and go back to old ways, twice as much weight is gained. It’s about breaking habits. Follow a diet that you could still see yourself enjoying in five years time; that’s what #CROCKFIT is all about: teaching people life long, healthy habits.
Q Tell me about #CROCKFIT?
A It’s an online platform and community that gives people all the tools they need to train their bodies and live a healthy lifestyle, to obtain quick and sustainable results in fat loss, fitness and lean muscle. It’s suitable for everyone, which enables people to achieve their dream body. I have six plans: #GYMFIT (for men – stage 1 and 2); SHEFIT (for women – stage 1 and 2); #HOMEFIT (for men and women – stage 1 and 2).
Q Is #CROCKFIT for everyone and every age?
A Yes, I designed plans suitable for beginners, medium level and advanced people who may be starting out or are experienced and looking for a new challenge. Young or older people can use the #HOMEFIT plans from home using their own body weight. Children can also do it. Teenagers tend to start with the #HOMEFIT programme and move to the #SHEFIT or #GYMFIT stage 1 programme.
Q Can your #CROCKFIT followers contact you directly if they have any questions, or do your team answer on your behalf?
A All members of my team are fully experienced in how to answer questions, however, I am a bit obsessive with my clients. I give them the personal touch and am fully accessible to anyone with any questions throughout their journey.
Q Do you have time to personally train anyone?
A Unfortunately not. I’m focussing on #CROCKFIT and modelling 100%. It’s just a time factor. I get calls from all over the place to do photo shoots, and my main focus at the moment is building #CROCKFIT to help as many people across the world as possible.
Q You did a stint in the US as a television presenter?
A Yes, it was live television and very different to the world I know. It was well received and I now have a huge interest from the US. Let’s say the accent worked!
Q What sets you apart from anyone else in the industry?
A I’m merging fitness modelling and the #CROCKFIT programme together. I have experience in training myself, and I don’t mean ‘look at me’; I want people to understand the mechanics of how I achieve the results I do. It’s my absolute passion to show and teach people how they can do it for themselves too.
Q What are your plans for the future?
A I’d love to see #CROCKFIT becoming a huge positive community. I’d like to be known as someone who is transforming people’s lives and bodies, teaching them how to live a happy and healthy life. I see the #CrockFitCommunity being a platform for like minded individuals to share stories, recipes, fitness programmes and for I/#CrockFit to become the glue between people.
Q What would your dream job be?
A Don’t laugh – James Bond. Not in a film, but in real life! Actually, I lie, in a film too!
I was impressed to meet this extremely personable, non-egocentric young entrepreneur whose calm and collected manner proved he has not only been blessed with looks, but also with acute business acumen and genuine passion about every aspect of healthy living – I even signed up to #CROCKFIT (unfortunately the ‘before’ pictures are not available).
A Yes, I designed plans suitable for beginners, medium level and advanced people who may be starting out or are experienced and looking for a new challenge. Young or older people can use the #HOMEFIT plans from home using their own body weight. Children can also do it. Teenagers tend to start with the #HOMEFIT programme and move to the #SHEFIT or #GYMFIT stage 1 programme.
Q Can your #CROCKFIT followers contact you directly if they have any questions, or do your team answer on your behalf?
A All members of my team are fully experienced in how to answer questions, however, I am a bit obsessive with my clients. I give them the personal touch and am fully accessible to anyone with any questions throughout their journey.
Q Do you have time to personally train anyone?
A Unfortunately not. I’m focussing on #CROCKFIT and modelling 100%. It’s just a time factor. I get calls from all over the place to do photo shoots, and my main focus at the moment is building #CROCKFIT to help as many people across the world as possible.
Q You did a stint in the US as a television presenter?
A Yes, it was live television and very different to the world I know. It was well received and I now have a huge interest from the US. Let’s say the accent worked!
Q What sets you apart from anyone else in the industry?
A I’m merging fitness modelling and the #CROCKFIT programme together. I have experience in training myself, and I don’t mean ‘look at me’; I want people to understand the mechanics of how I achieve the results I do. It’s my absolute passion to show and teach people how they can do it for themselves too.
Q What are your plans for the future?
A I’d love to see #CROCKFIT becoming a huge positive community. I’d like to be known as someone who is transforming people’s lives and bodies, teaching them how to live a happy and healthy life. I see the #CrockFitCommunity being a platform for like minded individuals to share stories, recipes, fitness programmes and for I/#CrockFit to become the glue between people.
Q What would your dream job be?
A Don’t laugh – James Bond. Not in a film, but in real life! Actually, I lie, in a film too!
I was impressed to meet this extremely personable, non-egocentric young entrepreneur whose calm and collected manner proved he has not only been blessed with looks, but also with acute business acumen and genuine passion about every aspect of healthy living – I even signed up to #CROCKFIT (unfortunately the ‘before’ pictures are not available).
#CROCKFIT details
12 week plan: £60#HomeFit and #HomeFit2 – For men and women at home, bodyweight training.
#GymFit and #GymFit2 – For men at the gym
#SheFit and #SheFit2 – For women at the gym
All plans include:
• Twelve week training plan
• Nutrition plan and supplement guidance
• Discount codes for other brands
• Packed full of tips, information and tools for success
• Training diary and schedule
• Optional social media pictures to use for your page
• Support from the #CrockFitCommunity online
• Online email/social media support from Alex and his team throughout.
essence info
So, if you're looking to gain fitness, drop body fat, gain confidence and feel fantastic, then get in contact or visit Alex's website for more information.Website: www.alexcrockford.com
Email: alex@alexcrockford.com
Mobile: 07957 212470
Facebook: @AlexCrockfordFitness
Instagram/twitter: @alexcrockford
YouTube: Alex Crockford
Snapchat: @alex.crockford