Caffeine, in one form or other, is consumed more than any other psychoactive drug in the world. In the USA it’s estimated that 85% of adults consume caffeine regularly, with average intake being 180mg per day (compared to the global average of 70mg). Recent and high-quality UK data is harder to find. Some 1984 data suggested that UK consumption may be even higher than it is in the USA, with our average intake at that time being three times the intake of those over the pond. Some more recent estimations are a little more conservative, and some others suggest intake is higher. Overall the total ..read more

Gut Health. It’s impossible not to see or hear this term banded around, be it on social media, newspapers or on tv. But what is gut health and why all the sudden hype? Let’s start with a simple overview of what we actually mean when using this phrase. There is actually no single agreed definition of gut health but in general, we can assume we are talking about the health and disease of the gastrointestinal tract. This can be further broken down to the diversity, composition and function of the gut microbiome and the ways in which these factors may influence the absorption of nutrients. Now ..read more

The title of this blog is the most common question we get here at The BTN Academy, and because the answer starts with “well, maybe, it depends” (like many answers in the world of nutrition!) we thought it would be best to create one central place for people to go if they’re on the fence about enrolling on The BTN Foundation Academy first, or skipping it to dive straight in to The BTN Practical Academy. The best place to start is to clearly outline what both of the courses are for: The BTN Practical Academy is a 12-month level 4 qualification in nutrition coaching, certified by Active IQ. That ..read more

You may recall not that long ago that everyone was talking about insulin, or more precisely insulin resistance. Keto diets were the big thing with many people getting incredible results short-term, but finding it was not a very sustainable way to eat long-term. More recently, our social feeds are becoming flooded with posts about how we should all be wearing glucose monitors, CGMs (known as Continuous Glucose Monitoring). But do we all need to be wearing these? At around £55 a month, they are not affordable for most people. Surely there’s an easier way to manage our diets? Both the examples ab ..read more

There is often a stereotype by many that marketing is just about creativity. Years ago I remember a senior manager of a gym I managed saying “Marketing is just about making pretty posters” and whilst this man is a complete idiot, this is just one of the aspects of a successful marketing function. Marketing has developed more in the last 10 years than it has in the last 50. In the 1990’s it was common for campaigns to be solely print based, relying on billboards, magazines & leaflets to get their messaging across with little ways to track customer acquisition. Fast forward 20 years and we ..read more

Getting enough protein as a vegetarian can be tough, particularly if you are following a fat loss or muscle building diet. So, what can you do to ensure you get enough? Well, with a bit or organisation and creativity it is actually easier than you might think. By reading this blog and applying some of the strategies below, you’ll be able to ensure you have enough protein in your diet, regardless of how ambitious your muscle building or fat loss goals are. Understand how much protein you need This is probably the most important point when it comes to getting enough protein in your diet, and y ..read more

Do you often think to yourself, “why can’t my clients be more like me, interested in training and nutrition, wanting to eat well, wanting to look after themselves, wanting to go to bed on time, will remember to carry their water bottle with them and stay hydrated…?”.  Would make our job dead easy right? Adherence to diets is super low, it’s the simple reason that many people don’t get their long-term results. They know this is the problem, but they still don’t adhere. So why is that, is it us? Surely it’s them? If they would just follow the damn diet, they would get results… but we know t ..read more

As women in our 30s, 40s and 50s, the prospect of aging seems to frighten many of us. There is an association between getting older and becoming slower, weaker and less able. But what if there was something we could do to prevent these things? What if it was possible to feel vibrantly alive and healthy throughout the second half of our lives?   There is compelling evidence to show that movement is one of our most powerful allies in the pursuit of long term health and happiness. This is because movement actively protects our bodies from the effects of aging and hormona ..read more

Here at the BTN Academy we promote evidence-based practice. Evidence-based practice doesn’t JUST mean that you read a bunch of research and base your actions on that, though, it’s properly defined as a combination of the best available evidence, your professional expertise and (most importantly in my opinion) your client’s preferences and specific situation. For example, it may be that we can pinpoint an ideal protein intake for someone, but if the individual really struggles to eat that much we could opt for a lower intake – your client is aware that a higher intake would theoretically be bet ..read more

With the world’s financial situation in peril and budgets tightening, the cost of food is something that is weighing on everyone's minds. In the UK, inflation increased food prices by 5.1% with fresh food prices increasing by 10.5%. Naturally, this has led many to wonder if healthy eating can still be sustainable. After all, when people think of healthy food, they often picture expensive restaurant meals or pricey organic ingredients that aren’t practical for most. Surprisingly, now is a great time to start eating well. There are so many ways to eat and cook nutritious dishes, and research has ..read more