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Harry Jameson. One of the UK’s leading trainers with Harley Street credentials, a columnist for Esquire magazine, Rosewood London’s Head Coach and one of the most trusted fitness gurus. From top athletes to London’s rich and famous, his client list is really quite impressive. And with good reason: his approach is refreshingly focused on performance not aesthetics, and his methods are led by scientific physiological data. Harry recognises that health and well-being are holistic. His programmes start by analysing clients’ health, looking at everything from nutrient deficiencies to sleep patterns and heart rates.
I recently sat down with Harry to discuss how he looks after himself and what his top tips are for you to live a long, healthy life. We started by chatting about exercise.
1. How often do you advise clients to work out and are there certain exercises you like to focus on?
Everyone is individual and requires a unique health programme. That said, I believe everyone should do 30 minutes of movement per day. That’s a good starting point, and a bare minimum requirement.
We should also all be doing strength training, regardless of age: it’s hugely beneficial for musculoskeletal strength, and for balancing hormones. Men over 40 should be doing 2-3 sessions of resistance training per week because testosterone levels start to drop off. Women’s bone density decreases as they get older, so strength training is really important to offset osteoporosis and have a strong and robust musculoskeletal system.
My own workouts also focus on mobility and general ‘prehab’ work to prevent me getting injured: I want to go skiing in my 70s and play sports with my grandchildren.
2. What other things do you do outside of the gym to look after yourself?
I like to do 2 or 3 things every week that benefit my mind and body. I meditate 3 or 4 times per week and go to a cranial osteopath once a week. I was raised on homeopathic remedies and I still recognise the benefits of holistic health therapies.
"I’ve got a pre-arthritic condition in my right hip, where the blood flow isn’t getting to the top of my femur. I was really struggling with it and went to see a consultant when I was 27 who told me I needed to stop playing sport and that it was going to degenerate into osteoarthritis. He said he’d give me painkillers to manage it until I'd need a hip replacement. I wasn’t ready to accept that, so I went to see a cranial osteopath."
3. Do you count macros and meal prep?
No. I am a huge foodie and think that food is a pleasure and should be enjoyed. Yes, food is fuel and our food choices are massively important, but you can drag the joy out of food and find it miserable.
4. What are your top tips for living a long, healthy life?
1. If your only goal is to live longer rather than happier, restrict calories and the number of poor food choices. I also think that doing a few 24-hour fasts per month will also help.
2. Manage your outlook on life. Those with pessimistic outlooks are 30% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. Remain positive where possible, and try to turn negatives into positives. It will be beneficial to you.
3. Exercise. It’s important to regularly move your body which also lets your mind wander off away from the stresses we have. It’s good for physical and mental health.
4. Always seek the advice of a professional. And make sure they are an expert in their field: the level of knowledge and care you will get from them is unparalleled. Don’t go for the person offering the lowest prices.