Hawaii Health Scare turned 12 wk Body Transformation.

As some of you may know, I was lucky enough to be offered a spontaneous trip to Hawaii last week and well yes, of course I went.
With the new year in mind I wanted to have fun but also keep my healthy mind-set about exercise and nutrition.

You often hear that people gain weight when they head off on holidays because of all of the temptations, but in this case, if you wanted to eat, temptations were all that was on offer.

 

I was surprised by how little there was to choose from that was fresh, light, and not classified as confectionary. I have never been to the USA before, but if that’s what Hawaii is like I’d hate to experience the rest.

Of course over indulging got the better of all who were involved and now being home its set in what damage was done, and this was only in 5 days. I never thought id say id be happy to return home for chicken and salad.

Now that I am home and have noticed the steps that I have taken in the wrong direction, I am going to take part in a 12 week body transformation; exercise, nutrition and overall healthy way of living.
A task like this is not easy at all, and takes a lot of control (which I tend to lack at the best of times) I have done this before but know I can get better results, so this is me, holding myself accountable for the 12 weeks, telling everyone who might read this article.

Here I go, wish me luck, will keep you updated on the change!

 

Love it or Hate it – The Biggest Loser is BACK!

Some of you may be rolling your eyes and wondering what I could possibly LOVE about the Biggest Loser, but that’s it..

I actually do hang out for this time of year.

Once the contestants face their fears and knuckle down, I love to witness the breakthroughs, triumphs, changes in their attitude, the weight loss and most importantly when they gain a sense of self again, maybe for the first time in their lives.

Being in the Fitness Industry I come across many people who find this show to be terrible, unethical…just wrong. And to tell you the truth, I can see why they might think that.

As a trainer I get asked all the time whether this show is a good or bad thing in terms of long-term health for the contestants and whether the rapid weight loss is endangering their health.
I agree that the short period of time that these contestants lose the weight is not within a healthy weight range, however these people have some serious weight to lose, and by just moving around, they are going to see a change. When they leave the house and back into the big bad world, they are now a part of a support network that they did not have prior to the show, they know about nutrition, they know about exercise, they all have a personal trainer to help them complete their journey and are better off for the experience, so whats the problem.

Last nights episode was the time to meet the contestants that have put their lives on hold to make a change, along with this change, they are all singles, looking to find love and for some, it’s something that they have never experienced. As to love someone else, one must first be able to love themselves.

Whether you are 100kg over weight or 10 this is always the hardest step. Taking control and making the decision that enough is enough. Taking a plunge into the unknown, into the world of exercise and good decisions, allowing yourself the opportunity to be happy, healthy and jumping out of your skin with new-found energy!

Watching each contestant step up on the scales to weigh in brought a different experience, those seen on last nights program had ended up morbidly obese from not being able to deal with heartbreak, lack of self-esteem, and one particular contestant admitted that she simply had no excuse for the way she was…. now that is owning your choices if I ever saw it, not blaming anything but the pure fact that she had stopped caring about herself, and the main thing that made her see what her decisions had led to was not only the fact that she had not stepped on the scales in over 6 years, had gained 69 kilograms and had no idea what she weighed… but it was the heartbreak on her parents face as they looked on from the crowd that really stuck home.

Either way, my heart broke for these individuals, especially those who were only in their early 20’s. To have such low self-esteem and be missing out on the best years of their lives due to being overweight, bullied, under confident and unable to see their worth.

When I was younger I dealt with being bullied, dealt with so called friends making me feel like I was not worth the time of day, which is what many of  these people have spoken about dealing with…this is something that nobody should have to endure. Although I have moved past my own experience I can admit that I have had my moments where I stand in front of the mirror, feel a little worthless by realising i’ve detoured off the track to success.. and hell, I snap back into it and DO SOMETHING, why? because I know I can, I have support, I know where to start!

However, watching these people, wearing next to nothing in front of millions of viewers really tugs at the heart-strings and makes you realise that there are people out there who must be looking in the mirror and just staring in disbelief, having the opinion that there is no turning back from this person that they have become.

There is always hope, there is always something to be done and there is always someone there to help you, If you know of anyone who needs a little push in the right direction, be there for them, be a gym buddy, be a positive role model with your nutrition, because not everyone is as lucky as these contestants in regards to being given a second chance at life.

And that’s exactly what this is, it’s an opportunity for 16 overweight Australians to live again, and in this case, being The Biggest Loser Singles out there to find love, might finally start to see their worth.

Wishing you an AMAZING Christmas

It’s amazing how quickly a year can pass, and how quickly the time over Christmas can fly by!
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all an amazing christmas break. Hoping you get to share it surrounded by those who you love and love you!

Take this time to relax, recharge and re focus. Put your energy towards 2012 and what positive things will be likely to come your way. Also, recap on what has happened to you this year.
Some people have been though some tough times, others have had it easier, either way get yourself ready to face a fresh start. I have a feeling 2012 is going to bring much goodness and all of you deserve exactly that.

To my wonderful clients, I could not be more proud of all of you, whether you are still with me or have taken what you have learnt and applied it to your lives. My year would not have been the same without each and every one of you.

Not only have you become apart of my working life, but you have all become amazing friends.

Happy Christmas and New Year to you and your families. Looking forward to seeing you in the New Year to work out all that Christmas FUN.

Much Love…

Habits start young

When I started my Education degree not only was it the time for me to get Educated but most importantly Educate those around me. In this case, Children/Teenagers.

As a group we looked into contributing factors surrounding childhood obesity and what, as an educator we could do to try to get the correct information out there for the kids and most importantly their families.

Food: we eat it every day, why? to survive

Physical Activity: bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness, overall health and wellness

Families: the role models, care takers and the first point where relationships to food and physical activity are developed.

The genetic predisposition to be overweight begins at the very start of a person’s life, at conception, overweight parents are more likely to give birth to overweight babies.

Over feeding babies and children brings the age forward to which they start to lay down fat cells, which will creep up on them in later life, carrying these extra cells with them for the rest of their lives. This is the last thing a child needs to be burdened with as they are growing up, its hard enough as it is, without having body weight factors being thrown in.

If you are constantly making good decisions where food and exercise are involved, it WILL rub off, if you choose not to go get out there and exercise and constantly resort ordering takeout for dinner, that will too. Think about it!

I believe that teaching those younger than us the importance of good nutrition and regular physical activity should not be overlooked.

I know many people who work with kids for a living, from teachers, trainers, nannies, coaches and mental health professionals..they are all in direct roles to help. Young people follow by example and with the correct information being available to you, makes it better for them also.

Health problems that are linked to poor eating patterns such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers and place an enormous burden on individuals, families and society as a whole. Prevention is better than cure so we should be fighting as hard as we can to make sure that these lifestyle diseases do not occur in the first place.

A little while ago I was doing some work with young adults with disabilities. Come lunch time I made an effort to see what each individual was having for their meal. I found nothing green or from the ground, no healthy animal produce, there were bags of m&m’s, chips, 2 minute noodles, energy drinks, McDonald’s and Subway. One person out of 12 from the group had a proper meal!!! Homemade Chicken curry with veggies and brown rice. Not only was I in a state of shock, but the idea that people who are already dealing with challenges every day, are also filling themselves with everything wrong!

There are many avenues where we can point the blame, however the biggest factor that I see, is TV advertising, especially that aimed towards children. Admittedly it is not as bad as it used to be, however there are still too many advertisements aimed at kids, luring them in to make bad nutritional decisions. It’s all a bit of a game if you ask me, not that you did but I’m telling you anyway…. for example, Who played a sport as a child and the reward for the team, post game was to hit up McDonald’s for a happy meal and a toy?

Junk is being used as a REWARD, for good behaviour at home, on the field etc. Food has a purpose people….to keep us alive and well, if we are constantly filling ourselves up with crap, our cells are going to be made of just that, and here we are encouraging children to do the same thing.

You shouldn’t have to bribe young people to eat their veggies, nor should you have to disguise them in their dinner. Building a good relationship with food from the get go is the most vital part of development. A healthy meal should not be a punishment.

I’m not saying completely rid them of any bad food choices, but make sure that the relationships with food that are developed are positive, along with regular physical exercise, getting them involved in a team, making choices as a group and learning to be responsible and accountable.

When I was casual teaching, the amount of students who would show up with to afternoon sport with a note from mum saying they were unable to participate was unbelievable, and 90% of the time, you knew the reason wasn’t a legitimate excuse. Could I do anything about it on the spot? No. So there they sat, for 1.5hours under a tree, listening to their i pods, whilst the rest of the class got involved, and had fun.

Everyone is responsible, government, advertisers, manufacturers, educators and even the kids themselves. 

Being responsible is a way of being, so we should start being role models ourselves. 

Lara Bingle got me thinking…

We would all have to be aware of the pressures that society places on us to look a certain way, be you a guy or a girl. What is considered beautiful? attractive? the perfect figure? Who knows!!!!!
There are so many different body types and shapes out there and here we are being forced to believe that to be beautiful you have to be a size 0. Yes some people are genetically that size and don’t have to try to hard to stay that way,but do the rest of us have to stop enjoying life in order to fit into what the media defines as attractive.

I know just by looking at me that I was never destined to be a stick and over the years I have spent way too much time hating the way I look, then loving the way I look (if only for a minute) then … I stare that minute too long and its lost. 

Who am I trying to impress? What am I trying to prove or even improve?

From always being a very sporty kid to teenager to adult, I was training up to 16 hours a week and reaped the benefits, but now I am leading a different lifestyle, my body shape has changed and I just have to go with it rather than fight a fight that lets face it, I ain’t gonna win.

I have recently undergone a bit of a health kick, changing up my food choices, training regularly and laying off the alcohol as much as possible. I have tried to take a few of my clients on this journey also and they can tell you, its hard work and it becomes a full-time job! Especially when you body has other ideas with what it wants to be doing.
You have to hand it to the stars who get in shape for a movie role, it takes a lot of discipline, but people….they are not living in our real world!

Although the sense of wellbeing and feeling amazing has been worth it, where do we draw the line? Where is the limit, and how do we know when we are there?

I spent a short time on Sunday reading the latest cover story in last weeks WHO magazine and the article about Lara Bingle was one worth the read. “Stop calling me fat”. If she’s fat, I hate to know what the MEDIA thinks about other people, and what other people are thinking about themselves.

Here we have a very attractive girl who has a beautiful curvy body and is being slammed for putting on an extra 6 kilos to her otherwise tiny frame. Is this a bad thing? I certainly don’t think so, she looks fabulous!!
Sure she isn’t the size that she used to be, but this is realistic, this is how her body is most likely meant to look. She is embracing it, owning it and just wants people to stop bullying her back into society’s skinny. 

 

I believe the best thing for all, is to accept who we are, what we were born with and embrace it. Why spend your life trying to be someone else when you can be you.

Set some realistic goals, both short-term and long-term, have everything in moderation, be happy getting there and make sure you reward yourself along the way!

Have a wonderful week! 

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Charles Poliquin Sharing Ten Simple Tips to beating Holiday Weight Gain

Prevent Holiday weight gain with these simple tips to preserve your body composition.

Have you ever eaten anything by accident?

If you have to stop and think about the answer, then these tips are for you. Food doesn’t just end up in your mouth by accident. Eating and drinking is a choice, and in order to have better health and a lean physique, you must take control of that choice and do what’s best for you. A lean physique is all about insulin management, and the good news is that you can completely control your insulin response by choosing the right foods.

Rather than giving into gaining fat, strive to either maintain your current body composition and fitness, or better yet, set goals and take this time to make gains—gains in strength, muscle, and a leaner physique that is. These ten simple tips will help you beat holiday weight gain and lower stress levels, meaning you’ll enjoy your holidays that much more.

To continue Reading click here

Shared Post of the day: vonsfitnesstips.com
This post gives you a pretty shocking look at what carrying a large amount of weight can look like, not just from the outside. Explained in more detail below, its amazing to see the additional fat deposits (yellow), oversized organs (black) and stress on bones due to their placement, just to name a few…

The difference between a 250 (115kg) pound woman and a 120 (55kg) pound woman might be very obvious on the outside, but take a look at what they look like on the inside. This body scan comparison clearly shows the distinctions between the two.

On the 250 pound woman you can see the lower bone density, the fatty heart, the low percentage of muscle, the size of the intestinal tract, and even the enormous amount of fat around the waist. The list just goes on and on. If looking in the mirror doesn’t motivate you to want to lose fat, hopefully this will.

And remember from last weeks post, body fat is different to weight. Cut out the sugars and packaged food and start eating clean. You won’t lose large amounts of body fat over night, but believe me….it will happen!

Happy Monday

Welcome to another new week!
Another week to change bad habits, another week to get into the gym or outdoors and achieve! another step closer to where you want to be.

5 weeks till Christmas! My oh my where has the time gone? I’m guessing a lot of you have some fun parties coming up and are wanting to look your absolute best!
Whether it be a work function, family and friends Christmas parties, catch ups or just enjoying the up and coming festive season, use this 5 weeks to really get your head in the game. There is plenty of time to reward yourself once you get there (in moderation of course 😉 but you don’t want these 5 weeks to pass by and wonder if you could have done more.

Heres a few Monday Motivational images to get you started. I’m here for you! 🙂

What you don’t know about Body Fat

What you don’t know about body fat – This ones for the Ladies!

When it comes to tracking your fitness progress, the numbers on the scale don’t always add up for active women.

Heres how to track your body fat and where you store it – for a more accurate measurement of your fitness success!

Over the past few months, you decided to jump into a fitness routine of cardio and weight training. Or maybe you just upped the intensity of your workouts, trying new strength training classes and adding minutes to your regular treadmill sessions. Your jeans are looser than ever, you’re accepting compliments about your buff arms or amazing legs and you’re seeing muscles in new places. BUT the scale hasn’t budged and your body mass index, or BMI, suddenly places you in the overweight category. What gives?

Tracking weight and BMI are not great tools to measure your progress, because as body composition changes, the scale may not. Both body weight and BMI never take into account body composition, often making an active woman seem over weight – but an active woman has more muscles and less body fat than a sedentary woman.

That means you need a different approach than your less-fit friends. Muscle is denser than fat. Translation: It takes up less space on your frame. Look at it this way: If you weigh an equal volume of fat and muscle, you’d be surprised that the muscle weighs almost twice as much as the fat. As you advance your training and gain more lean muscle mass, the spikes in your weight and BMI are signs of progress, not reasons to lose motivation.

So lets make a deal now. Don’t get derailed by the wrong “fatness” signals.

Tracking your Body Fat

When you begin a new fitness program or increase the intensity of your sessions in the gym, chances are you are losing fat but gaining muscle. And as we know, muscle beats fat for many reasons. Muscle uses more calories, even at rest, so you gain the potential to boost your resting metabolic rate. Muscles help us perform better, whether we’re competing or just want to be able to last through our workout or exercise class.

You shouldn’t ditch measurements altogether,however. Instead, I urge active women to consider where their fat is stored. That’s because women can be “skinny fat” appearing to be healthy based on weight and height alone, but possessing pockets of fat in targeted areas that put them at higher risk for certain health conditions.

Abdominal fat, for example, is increasingly linked to metabolic syndrome and heart disease; women whose waists are 89cm ormore have a higher risk of health problems than those with smaller waists, no matter how much they weigh.

New technology is improving the accuracy of overall body fat measurements. Women seeking optimal fitness levels should aim for around 16 – 25% body fat, where as fitness competitors may aim for lower levels, anything below 15%, however this can not be sustained without longterm health risks.

So next time you jump on the scales, keep in mind that you work hard, your stronger than you were and embrace the progress you’ve made!!!

Oxygen Magazine July

Fat Burning Secrets

In this article we talk about 5 fat burning secrets that I believe apply to all!
These 5 tips will help you gain the bodies you want as well as training your mind to help you along the way. Take this on, as well as taking a few pointers out of the alter ego post you should be set to face anything that the health and fitness aspect of your day throws at you.
1. Mindset
Looking back at clients who have had the most jaw dropping, eye popping results, they all had a certain mindset before every workout.  No, they didn’t put on war paint. Simply put, before every workout, they committed to giving 100%. No excuses, no complaining. Believe it or not, once you practice this mindset a few times, it becomes an easy habit.

Tip: Before each workout, visualise a powerful  motivation; being healthy for your kids,  looking ripped at the beach, being the hottest  girl at the club,etc. Picture what inspires you  and say to yourself
” that’s me, that’s me,  that’s me…”

 

2. Posture
Technically, this does not burn fat, but it will make your waist look slimmer instantly. As  I look around, I see so many gym members with poor posture  – the result of training programs which overly concentrate on working the chest and shoulders, combined with sedentary jobs where you are sitting at a desk or in front of a computer all day. The result of this is rounded shoulders and a slumped forward appearance – which just pushes your belly out. STAND UP STRAIGHT, whilst drawing your shoulders back and instantly witness your stomach flatten!

Strengthening the muscles responsible for maintaining an upright posture (lower back) and drawing your shoulders back (scapula retractors) will lead to a flattening effect on your stomach. Another quick remedy for bad posture is to stretch your chest muscles.

Tip: A great posture-improving and waist slimming  exercise is seated rows. Sit up straight, extend the arms  forward, pull back with your elbows against your sides and  squeeze your shoulders together.

 

 

3. Be Accountable
Don’t just work out aimlessly. Take pictures, measurements and weigh yourself before your next workout (or your first workout if you are just getting started) then set a goal and a goal date (usually 6 – 8 weeks). If you can, get someone to agree to do the measurements to help keep your accountable. I have discovered that when clients know they are going to be measured for progress on a certain date, they are less likely to miss workouts or cheat on their eating.

 Tip: Set a realistic goal so that you stay  motivated and do not get discouraged.

 

 

 

4. Super Fat Burning Exercises!
A big secret to melting fat is to do exercises that work several muscles at once. this is important for two reasons: 1) Working several muscles at once burns more calories because it requires your heart to work harder to supply oxygen to the areas under stress. 2) It saves you time. Your workouts take a lot less time because you do not have to do separate exercises for each muscle. If you didn’t already know about these exercises, give them a go and gain the fat-melting benefits.

Tip: Barbell (pictured) or Dumbell Squat press – butt, thighs, shoulders, triceps and cardio

 

Burpee Pushups – butt, thighs, shoulders, triceps, chest, core and cardio

5. Alkalise

Alkalising the body sheds fat fast! The body is naturally acidic. However, the foods that we eat add to this acidity and the fat in our body stores the additional acid – which results in weight gain and an unhealthy body. To protect against acid build-up, the body begins to create and store fat. Even if you are on a weight loss diet and you exercise, your body will try to hold on to this fat because it is important for protection against acids.

That is why many people who restore alkalinity in their body find it much easier to lose weight. There are certain foods that are alkaline and help to flush the acid and fat from the body.

Tip: Most green vegetables are highly alkaline.You will find with any weight loss eating plan, Greens are the primary food.

Avoid: *Some really high acid foods are fast foods, milk, cream, cheese, pork and red meat.
Taken from Oxygen Magazine – June/July 2011