Philip Hanson is a young driver to watch in the field of endurance sportscar racing. During his short career, he has already smashed records and competed in prestigious races such as Le Mans 24 and Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
Phil was crowned World Endurance Champion, the youngest driver to achieve this, won the European Le Mans Series and was the youngest ever Brit to win the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, in September 2020. He’s the first driver to ever win Le Mans and hold both the WEC and ELMS titles in the same year. Phil is currently racing with Yorkshire based United Autosports. Here are his health and fitness tips.
Stay Motivated, Consistency is the Name of the Game
If you’re not committed, it’s hard to stay motivated. As a starting point I would say what are your key goals for exercising and what to do you want to achieve. Over time your motivation might fade as results seem to take time. Having a strong mindset for what it is that got you started in the first place, and recording your progress whether its weight loss, or putting on muscles mass. Tracking progress and taking the little victories along the way is key. I train hard but that doesn’t always mean I enjoy it!
You Can’t Out Train Your Diet!
By far the biggest factor that dictates whether you will achieve tangible results or never quite reach your potential, is diet. A lot of people train really hard for 1/2 hours a day but then eat garbage or don’t properly fuel their body for growth and repair. You are what you eat, food is essentially the building blocks of your body.
So, whilst the quick satisfaction might feel great, it hurts you in the long run. If weight loss is your goal, being in a calorie deficit is the only way you will lose weight. It’s simple, your calories in (food) need to be less than your calories out (calories burnt throughout the day). If putting on muscle mass is your goal then if you’re not eating the right foods, and enough of the right foods you won’t see results.
Personally, I am a big advocate of intermittent fasting. It doesn’t suit everyone’s lifestyle but for those that want to lose weight it can be a very useful habit to implement. By having an early evening meal and delaying my first meal of the following day allows me to wake up feeling light and fresh, another boost to my mindset heading into a day’s training in the gym or even general productivity in the early hours.
Sleep
Sleep is another area that is often overlooked. Gaining enough sleep to adequately aid muscle repair and growth is key. Ultimately sleep is the state where your body is at rest and can enact its recovery. If you skimp on your sleep, you’re not going to give your body a chance to recover and you won’t see results. This is one of the most important health and fitness tips.
Training
You’ve got to be careful not to over train – don’t get me wrong, there is nothing worse than going to the gym spending an hour, hour and a half and not feeling like you have gained much or truly worked hard. Metabolic Conditioning, HIIT cardio, all the high intensity workouts are very popular amongst people that only have a fixed limited time they can allocate to their workout. Getting stuck in and having to dig deep and finish a class can be invigorating. However, be careful, especially if you’re new to this style of training. Don’t overlook the toll it can have on your body as well as the risk of injury when you’re a week deep and still haven’t taken a rest day.
Fulfilment
Doing something that brings you fulfilment is hugely important. If HIIT workouts isn’t for you, then find something that is. For me it’s a balance. What might work for your friends might not work for you. Find something specific to your interests and abilities so that you’re able to stay consistent and won’t give up after a month. Even if it’s an activity or new sport, something fulfilling that takes will keep your focus and ultimately will hold your commitment.
Everything in Moderation
I enjoy eating out with friends and the occasional drink, everyone needs to unwind and enjoy themselves. Be aware of how your choices and cheat days can play a negative roll and work against you. That being said, reward yourself occasionally, but make sure it’s coming from an informed view. For example, if weight loss is your goal, you might be shocked to find out just how many calories alcohol contains.
Hopefully you will find these health and fitness tips helpful.
