Fit For Life

Official Site launched

2008-02-01T03:56:00.000-08:00

It has been a long journey for us but the official myfitmate website has launched (minus a few functions) If you are based in Australia and looking to find any health and fitness professionals you can do this on our site by viewing FULL profiles. This is the first site that offers free membership for full profiles for people in the health and fitness industry so it shouldnt be too long till we get a huge amount of members (fingers crossed). So check in from time to time to see whos on or whats new.

Also for people out of australia (and within) Febuary 20th we will be launching 4 categories on our site totally free for all people to access. This will incude:

Healthy Recipes (breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, soups)
Workout Programs (full weekly programs designed by professional fitness trainers. Starting from beginner to advance ALL FREE :)
Tools and Calculators (BMI,BMR etc calculators as well as tools such as fitness and diet diaries)
Events, Articles and Reviews (in 2008 we will be reviewing countless amounts of products ranging from equipment to supplements and providing non biased feedback for the public.)

Add high Fiber to a Healthy Diet

2008-02-01T03:52:00.002-08:00

High fiber fruit is a very crucial element of any healthy diet. It enhances our opportunity of living a long and healthy life, which is what most people strive and wish for. While most people recognize that eating high fiber fruit is excellent for them, they are unsure concerning what high fiber fruit to add to their diet.

Various government health agencies are attempting to educate people in terms of healthy diets, as well as what type of high fiber fruit to add to the diet.

One of the tools to assist us find out how much of this fruit we are consuming in our diets, are the ingredient labels that we discover on food products. Not only do these labels tell us regarding the adverse ingredients of the product, they additionally inform us about the good ingredients such as high fiber fruit.

Alas, even with the edifying efforts of lots of agencies and other organizations, many people are still ignorant of the benefits of high fiber, they just simply don't care, or they don't have time to plan a accurate diet for themselves. Many of these people in all probability couldn't even tell you that there were food packaging labels on the food products.

These high fiber fruits are amazing trimmings to any diet. Fruits that are classified as high fiber consist of cantaloupe, strawberries, apricots, kiwi avocadoes, papaya, and grapefruit. Not merely do they taste magnificent they are similarly wonderful for our health.

The benefit of fiber is the clearout action that it performs on the digestive system. It acts as a transport mechanism for other foods through the digestive tract and it also enhances the disposal of waste products. The benefits of fiber on the digestive system might assist people in avoiding diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol.

Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are food groups that are high in dietary fiber. Plants are a superb to source of fiber. Adding vegetables to one's diet will additionally add additional fiber. Many people launch their day with breakfast consisting of high fiber by eating a cereal or grain breakfast. That is a very good start. Nonetheless frequently that is also where it ends. For the full benefits of nutritional fiber we need to consume it throughout the day and add enough water to our consumption to aid the digestive system.

Government agencies have gone to great lengths to help people eat better food. The required information is available each time we buy food, and the people who go by these guidelines ought to lead healthier and longer lives.

LOW CARB FOOD LIST (first 2 weeks)

2008-02-01T03:52:00.001-08:00

First 2 Weeks Low Carb Food List

Are you starting out with your low carb diet - whether it's Atkins, South Beach or another style? Here is a food list to get you through those first two weeks. Print this out and bring it with you to the grocery store! Choose your favorites, plus add one or two "new things" each time you shop too, to explore new foods. You might be surprised how tasty it can be to eat fresh food!

Meats/Fish
Just about every meat and fish has 0g of carbs. Do not eat processed meats, hot dogs and liver. Get meat into each meal.

__ EGGS!! Eggs can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks :)
__ Steak
__ Hamburger
__ Chicken
__ Chicken Wings (deserves special mention, these are PERRFECT snacks)
__ Pork
__ Salmon
__ Tuna
__ Swordfish
__ Cans of Tunafish (get the chunk lite, NOT the white/albacore)
__ Whitefish (cod, haddock) great for broiling!

Vegetables
It is extremely important to eat your vegetables! They are chock-full of important nutrients. Try to have a veggie or two at each meal, and extra veggies for snacks. Learn new, fun veggies recipes!

__ Alfalfa Sprouts
__ Asparagus
__ Bamboo Shoots
__ Bean Sprouts
__ Broccoli
__ Cabbage
__ Cauliflower
__ Celery
__ Collard Greens
__ Cucumber
__ Eggplant
__ Lettuce
__ Mushrooms (try all sorts of varieties!)
__ Radishes
__ Sauerkraut
__ Spinach
__ Tomato
__ Turnips
__ Water Chestnuts
__ Zucchini

Cheese
__ Cheddar Cheese (great for sprinkling over salads)
__ Swiss
__ Mozzarella (make an eggplant pizza)
__ Gouda

Other Food Items
__ Olive Oil
__ Vinegar
__ Butter
__ Splenda sweetener
__ Sour Cream
__ Chicken broth (get a low salt version)
__ Diet soda (with Splenda), bottled water, low carb iced teas
__ Olives

Herbs
Make sure your spice cabinet is up to date! You will find it amazing how flavorful your food can be when it's made fresh and cooked with delicious spices.

Things to Avoid
For now, avoid fruits, berries, milk, nuts, and of course anything full of sugar like soda! No chips or candies! There are lots of great low carb chocolates and ice creams, but avoid these for the first 2 weeks. You're trying to cleanse your system of potential allergens right now. When you add these things back in after 2 weeks, you'll find out how your particular body reacts to each of these items.

Heart rate etc

2008-02-01T03:46:00.000-08:00

This is a long but VERY informative article in relation to target heart rate as well as recommended pulse etc. this will vary on age, health level etc and you will find tools to help you calculate this in this article. Remember that monitoring your body is SO important when trying to lose weight or get fit in general. Enjoy ...

Exercise intensity refers to how hard your body is working during physical activity. For maximum health benefits, the goal is to work hard but not too hard. There are a variety of ways to measure your exercise intensity to make sure your body is getting the most out of every workout.

If you have a medical condition, are overweight, are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised regularly in a long time, see your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new exercise program.

The body’s response to exercise
Your body’s response to moderate intensity exercise normally includes:

Faster heart rate
Faster breathing
Feeling warmer
Slight swelling of the hands and feet
Mild to moderate perspiration
Mild muscular aches for a day or two afterwards, if you are not used to the physical activity.
Warning signs
If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop exercising and seek medical help:
Extreme breathlessness
Breathing problems such as wheezing or coughing
Chest pain or pressure
Extreme perspiration
Dizziness, fainting
Severe muscle pain or cramps
Nausea
Severe pain in any muscles or joints
Extreme and long-lasting fatigue after exercising.
Measurement methods
You may need to experiment to find out which method of measuring exercise intensity suits you best. The different measurement methods include:
Target heart rate
Talk test
Exertion rating scales
Self-monitoring.
Target heart rate
Target heart rates for fitness and health gains are between 70 and 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate (maxHR). Maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age. A heart rate monitor is an easy way to keep track of your heart rate while you’re exercising.

Keep your heart rate at the lower end of your recommended range if you are just starting regular exercise. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves. Your heart rate should also stay in the lower ranges during warm-up and cool-down periods.

If you have a medical condition, are overweight, are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised in a long time, see your doctor. Your heart rate target range may need to be professionally recalculated to take your health and general fitness into account.

Some medications can alter your heart rate response to exercise, so make sure you discuss the medications you are taking and how they may affect your exercise plans with your doctor. It may be necessary to use another option for monitoring exercise intensity if you are taking certain medications.

Target heart rate chart

Age (years) Heart beats per minute target range (60-80% of maxHR)
20 140-170
25 136-165
30 133-162
35 130-157
40 126-153
45 122-149
50 119-145
55 115-140
60 112-136
65 109-132

Pulse rate
Taking your pulse at regular intervals lets you know whether you are exercising within your target heart range. Some tips:
Take your pulse before the warm up.
Take your pulse again when you’ve been exercising for about 5–10 minutes. Continue taking your pulse at regular intervals.
Take your pulse at the end of your activity bout and then again 2–5 minutes after you have stopped exercising – a drop of approximately 12 bpm after you stop activity indicates that your recovery is adequate.
How to measure your pulse
The radial pulse is located on your inner wrist. To measure it, you should:
Put the first three fingers of one hand against the inner wrist of the other hand just below the thumb.
Move your fingers slowly across the wrist until you detect a tendon.
Press your fingers into the hollow next to the tendon on the thumb-side – your artery lies just beneath the skin.
Don’t push too hard when taking your pulse or you’ll squash the artery and impede blood flow.
Using a watch with a second hand, count your pulse for 15 seconds. Multiply this figure by four to get your beats per minute. (For example, 31 pulse beats over 15 seconds equals a pulse rate of 124 beats per minute.)
You can also take your pulse by pressing your fingers lightly against one of your carotid arteries, located on either side of your windpipe. Once again, don’t push too hard.

Factors known to influence heart rate
It’s not just exercise that affects your heart rate. Your beats per minute could be raised by a number of internal and external factors including:
Hot weather
Caffeine intake
Time of day
Hormone fluctuations
Stress or anxiety
Cigarette smoking
Medications.
Talk test
Talking is a reliable way to measure exercise intensity. Suggestions include:
If you can talk and sing without puffing at all, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough.
If you can comfortably talk but not sing, you’re exercising at the right intensity.
If you can’t talk at all without gasping, slow down the pace.
Exertion levels
This method requires you to rate how hard you’re working by observing your body’s physical signs. Aim to experience the exercise signs 3–7 in the chart below to keep within your target heart rate. You can keep a diary of your exertion ratings to monitor your fitness progressions. As an activity becomes easier, the rating should decrease and then you know it’s time to increase the intensity of the activity.

Level Exertion Physical signs
0 None None
1 Minimal None
2 Barely there Sensation of movement
3 Moderate Stronger sensation of movement
4 Somewhat hard Warmth or light sweating
5 Hard Sweating
6 Harder Moderate sweating
7 Very hard Moderate sweating, but can still talk
8 Extremely hard Heavy sweating, can't talk
9 Maximum effort Very heavy sweating, can't talk
10 Maximum effort Exhaustion

Self-monitoring
Recent studies show that paying attention to how you feel while you exercise may be one of the most effective ways to measure exercise intensity. Researchers have found that study participants who pushed themselves past their optimum exercise threshold felt uncomfortable. Signs of discomfort that suggest you’re working too hard include:
Breathlessness
Muscle weakness and fatigue
Feeling like you’re just not enjoying yourself anymore.
Becoming aware of the intensity of your exercise will help you to ensure that you exercise at the right intensity to achieve the many health benefits associated with moderate exercise.

Where to get help
Your doctor
'Go for your life' Infoline service Tel. 1300 739 899
Things to remember
You can measure exercise intensity using target heart rates, the talk test, exertion levels or self-monitoring.
If you have a medical condition, are overweight, are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised regularly in a long time, see your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new exercise program and watch out for the warning signs listed above.

BUTT exercises

2008-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

My butt this my butt that! probably one of the most desiredly worked out muscle groups of the body and one that is so simple so here are 10!! that you can do to get the butt you've always wanted.. Beginners NO weights / Intermediate medium weights / Advanced medium to heavy weights.

1. Walking Lunge
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large step. Bend both your knees. Your front shin should remain in a straight line with your ankle. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and at the top of your lunge, lunge forward with the other leg repeating the same movement. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until you have finished the required amount of reps.

2. Plie Squat
Stand with your legs wide apart - (wider than shoulder width apart). Have your toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontward. Holding one end of a dumbbell with both hands, the other end of the dumbbell should be facing the floor, have your arms directly in front of you. Make sure your back is straight and don't lean too far forward. (Keep the weights light to start with) Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels. Now push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don't lift your toes up off the floor.

3. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
Beginners start with a very light or no weight until you can perform this exercise with correct form. Stand with your feet only slightly apart. With a dumbbell in each hand at arms length, bend over from your hips so that your dumbbells are in front of your ankles, beginners - have your dumbbells at your shins. Your palms should now be facing your lower legs. Keep your body stable with your chest out, midsection firm, knees slightly bent for beginners and legs straight for advanced. Squeezing your butt and hamstrings raise your body back up to standing position, while also keeping your chest out, midsection firm and shoulders back. Keep the dumbbells at arms length so when returning to starting position the dumbbells should be in front of your thighs.

4. Reverse Lunges
Reverse lunges can be performed with barbells or dumbbells but I would recommend you not using any of these until you are well practiced at performing this exercise with no weights at all.

Don't worry; you will still feel it working. Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm; do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Here's where it changes..........

Step backward with your left leg. Bend both your knees. Your right shin should remain in a straight line with your ankle. Your left knee should be nearly touching the floor. Now with your left foot push up carefully until you are back to starting position. Then swap legs and perform the exercise again stepping back with your right leg. Take your time and keep yourself sturdy.

5. Machine Leg Press
Beginners keep your weights very light to none at all. Sit in the Leg Press machine. Place your feet high on the plate and wider than shoulder width apart. Have your toes pointing slightly outwards. Keep your chest out, back pushed into the back pad and your midsection firm. There should be a lever either side of your seat, which you will need to unlatch to lower the plate down. Keeping your feet stable lower the plate down towards you controlling it slowly down, depending on your flexibility, until you feel the pull in the back of your thigh. If your heels lift off the plate when lowering the plate down then your feet are positioned dangerously too low on the plate. Push, don't bounce, the plate back up to starting position.

6. Butt Tightener - Exercise Ball
Lie face down on the exercise ball with your abs and hips resting on the top of the ball. With your arms reaching out directly in front of you, hold onto a machine frame or a nearby bench with both hands to keep you sturdy.Now with your legs and feet together raise them off the floor while also squeezing your butt holding, if you can, for a count of 2. Your legs shouldn't rise any higher than your hips and abs.Lower your legs back to starting position.

7. Step Ups off a Bench or Step
Standing in front of your step or bench, start with your right foot first stepping up onto the step or bench, bringing your left foot up behind you, making sure your feet are securely on the bench at the top of the movement. Now lower your right foot down again, followed by your left foot. Now swap feet starting with your left foot up first, followed by your right foot.

8. Smith Machine Squat
Position yourself in the Smith machine, resting the bar across your traps and upper shoulders. Place your feet about 8-12 inches in front of your body, just wider than shoulder width apart. Have your toes pointing slightly outwards. Now lower yourself downwards keeping your midsection firm, inhaling on the way down, keeping your feet and heels pushed into the floor. When your thighs are approximately parallel to the floor squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to push yourself back up again. Exhale on the way up. Do not bounce the squat when pushing yourself back up. Keep the movement controlled throughout the exercise.

NOTE: To emphasize your glutes in the exercise keep the weights lighter and squat slightly lower than the 90-degree angle.

9. Cable Hip Extension
Place the ankle cuff around your right ankle on the low pulley on the cable crossovers (or the cable machine). Facing the weight stack and holding onto the bar provided (you will need something stable to hang onto directly in front of you to keep you sturdy) lean forwards slightly, turning your right foot outwards slightly. Now push your foot up and back behind you, squeezing your butt. Have your left knee (your supporting leg) slightly bent so it can support your weight sufficiently. Now lower your leg down to starting position. Complete your reps and then swap legs.

10. Glute Extension
This looks totally weird but works. Lie flat on a bench with your legs bent and hanging off the edge. (Your abs and hips should be resting on the end of the bench). Adjust the bench so that your bent knees can touch the floor. If not they can hang there. You have two options for this exercise:
You can use ankle weights with the soles of your feet pointing upwards or you can hold a dumbbell between the soles of your feet with the soles of your feet pointing upwards. Hold onto the bench with your arms. Now with your knees pointing downwards but slightly outwards and your heels facing the ceiling push your feet upwards squeezing your butt. Do not raise your thighs higher than your hips and abs.If you have lower back problems this exercise can also be performed on the floor. Make sure you use an exercise mat. Beginners should not use any weights until they have got used to performing this exercise. If any doubts always consult a personal trainer or professional

Barbecued squid with green mango salad

2008-01-24T23:11:00.000-08:00

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
2 small chillies
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
1/2 green mango, julienne
100 g young green beans, sliced finely on an angle
1 ripe tomato, halved, seeded and diced
1/2 cup Thai basil
1/2 cup Viet mint
1/2 cup coriander
2 tablespoons peanuts
1 tablespoon reduced-salt soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar, (preferably palm sugar)
400 g young small squid, cleaned and cut into strips
20 ml canola oil
3 tablespoons fried shallots

Method:
1. Place garlic, chillies and dried shrimp in a food processor and blend to a fine mince. Put in a bowl with the mango, green beans, tomato, Thai basil, Viet mint, coriander and peanuts. In a separate bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Warm gently to dissolve. Add dressing to salad and let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Toss the prepared squid in canola oil and quickly sear on a very hot barbecue for about 1 minute. Add to salad and toss. Divide between 4 plates and serve sprinkled with fried shallots.

Skipping

2008-01-24T23:08:00.001-08:00

Using a skipping rope is a great cardiovascular exercise. It's one of the foundations of a boxer's conditioning programme, and you've got to be in shape to box. The tennis champ Jimmy Connors even used to skip a rope as part of his conditioning routine.

Wear supportive cross-trainers, tennis or basketball shoes while skipping. Running shoes won't give enough forefoot support for all the bouncing you'll do. Avoid jumping on concrete, floors laid over concrete, and other hard surfaces like tile. If you don't have a springy wooden or carpeted floor, place a thin exercise mat on the floor and jump on that.

Skipping is strenuous and may be hard to sustain for the 30 minutes that you need for a good aerobic workout. Try this routine, used in boxing classes:

Skip for three minutes (a round in boxing is three minutes long).
Take a minute off and do as many crunches as you can.
Skip for another three minutes.
During the next minute between rounds, do as many push-ups as you can.
Return to skipping for three minutes.
Do crunches for another minute. Repeat.
You can alternate rounds of skipping with crunches and push-ups until you've completed 30 minutes or more of exercise. After the second or third round of skipping, your heart rate won't drop that much during the crunches and push-ups.

You might not be able to do more than a few intervals of push-ups. Use any exercise you want during the minute between rounds. Try doing squats and lunges (with or without weights) to give your larger leg muscles added work. Do upper-body exercises with dumbbells during that minute. Use proper form and don't rush. One more thing: Skipping focuses on your calves, so be diligent about stretching them before and after your workout.

Another advantage of using a skipping rope is that you can take it anywhere. If you're travelling and there isn't a gym nearby, you can workout in your hotel room.

Yummy Vegetarian Pizza

2008-01-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup wholemeal plain flour
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup low-fat cheese, shredded
1/2 cup reduced-salt tomato paste
1 medium capsicum, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced

Method:
1. Heat oven to 220˚C.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, add water and mix to a soft dough. If too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons extra flour.
3. Cover and rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.
4. Turn dough onto floured board and knead until smooth.
5. Roll out dough to the desired size (22cm pizza or mini pizzas).
6. Lightly brush or spray pizza pan with oil.
7. Put dough on lightly greased tray and cover pizza with plastic wrap. Stand in warm place for 10 minutes to rise.
8. Top with tomato sauce and toppings. Cover with low-fat, grated cheese.
9. Bake at 220˚C for 20 minutes and serve hot.

Lose your jelly belly now!

2008-01-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

Most people have issues with their jelly belly. No matter how hard they try to get rid of it, that fat pouch around their lower stomach stubbornly stays put. So how can you get it to budge, minus the gruelling, celebrity-worthy, work-out regime? With a little bit of exercise, a simple food plan and lots of clever tips, you'll have a flatter stomach in no time.
Beating the bulge

It's an unfortunate fact of life that as we age, we get thicker around the middle. This is partly due to changes in weight distribution, but it's also because a certain type of fat — visceral fat — becomes more prominent as we get older and collects around our organs. This fat is potentially dangerous if it gets out of control and can cause high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

So why is it so hard to get rid of? It's very difficult to spot reduce certain parts of our body. This means that while you may be able to lose weight overall, targeting certain areas like your tummy is tricky. Our abdomen is also where we store a lot of the 'the baddies' when it comes to weight loss — stress, bacteria, bloating and inflammation can all add to the fat concentration around our middle. Women's menstrual cycles and food allergies also contribute unnecessarily to rounded stomachs, so if you are experiencing severe stomach cramps, constipation and diarrhoea in conjunction with either of these, see your doctor.

The other reason jelly bellies are so hard to ditch is because there are a lot of misconceptions about how to lose excess stomach weight. Contrary to popular belief, sit-ups and abdominal work-outs are not the answer. While they will add to the overall tone and shape of the area, the only way to get rid of the bulge is with cardio exercise. So to set you on the right track, we've put together a general program to help you target your jelly belly. Try and stick to it for at least eight weeks and then reassess your goals.

Get fit like a celebrity

What exercise should I do?
Cardio: Ideally three cardio work-outs a week for 40 minutes each is the way to go. Whether you choose to hit the treadmill, swim, walk, do an aerobics class or jump on a bike is up to you. Try and mix up your work-out routine though, so you don't get bored.

Strength: This is where the abs workout comes in. While sit-ups are great, there's no point in doing 30 of them a day for six weeks because your muscles need to be challenged. We suggest doing two of the below exercises after your cardio workout and alternating them weekly.

Basic crunch: Lie flat on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Put your hands behind your head for support only, not to take any weight. Using your stomach muscles only, rise a few inches off the ground, hold for three seconds and return to your starting position. Do three sets of 15.

Standing twist: Stand tall and hold a towel or resistance band high above your head so your arms are straight. Slowly draw a large, wide circle over your head using your stomach muscles to move only the upper half of your body. Do three sets of 15. To make it harder, use a weight instead of a towel.

Feet lift: Lie flat on the ground and keeping your feet together and legs straight, raise your legs three inches off the ground. Hold for five seconds, lower them an inch and hold for five again. Don't let your feet touch the ground at any time. Do three sets of 15.

Hanging knee raises: Hang from a high bar, like a chin-up bar. Bring your knees up to your chest, hold for three seconds, then bring your legs back down. Only use your abdominal muscles to lift your legs, keep your body still and use controlled, slow movements.

Slow bicycles: Lie on your back with your left knee bent towards your chest and your right leg extended a few inches off the ground. Place your hands behind your head and lift your shoulders slightly. Swap your legs slowly, keeping your feet and shoulders off the ground. Do three set of 15.

Other options: The rowing machines at the gym, sit-ups on exercise balls, belly dancing, Pilates and yoga are all great for toning and reducing your stomach. Mix up your workout routine by replacing one of the staples with one of these each week.

What should I eat?

Follow a normal healthy eating plan (see our guide to fad diets), keep these food tips in mind and you should notice a difference around your middle within a fortnight.

The yes list:

Water and cranberry juice will flush out toxins.
Vegetables.
Rice, corn, gluten-free products and potato.
Protein. Go for organic chicken and meat because they have less hormones and bacteria.
Low-GI foods. Look for the label on foods in supermarkets.
Fibre. It regulates your bowel movements so include wholegrain bread, cereal and nuts in your diet.
The no list:

Too much fruit, wheat and dairy can cause bloating. Don't cut these out of your diet altogether, just reduce your servings to two a day.
Alcohol, caffeine and fizzy drinks.
Salt makes you retain water unnecessarily so stay away from processed (takeaway, packet) foods which are high in sodium.
Sugar.
Chillies and spices. While they can kick-start your metabolism, they can also upset your stomach, so just monitor your body's reaction to spicy foods.
Tricky tips to a flatter tummy

As well as exercise and healthy eating, there are a few small things you can do to reduce your jelly belly…

Stand up straight: be conscious of your posture and pull your stomach in, it'll force your middle muscles to work 24/7.

Breathe: it's perhaps the most important, yet most neglected, aspect of ab-training. Deeply exhale through your mouth and inhale through your nose as often as possible.

Laugh: having a good giggle works all the muscles in your stomach.

Get a good night's sleep: lack of snooze time will lead to poor digestion and weight gain.

Eat early: the later you eat dinner, the harder it is for your body to digest so the food just sits around your stomach.

Colonic irrigation: some people swear by the process of flushing bacteria out of your stomach with pressurised water. It will flatten your belly, however, it's a tad uncomfortable and not for everyone so do some research.

De-stress: we hold stress in our tummies so find an outlet for your worries like Tai Chi, boxing, reading, swimming, painting or writing.

The lazy person's guide to losing weight

2008-01-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

Lazy? Who me? Sure, we'd all like to think we have as much get-up-and-go as Superman, but the reality is that with the work, family, study and social demands these days, no-one would blame you if you wanted to veg for a while, or even take a nap! The ironic thing, though, is that exercise actually boosts your energy and serotonin levels, which in turn brighten your mood and make you an all round better person. So the trick to a slimmer and nicer you is to fit a little fitness into your life when you can. That way you can still have your cat nap, but you'll have done your exercise as well. Ready to get started? Here's how.
Get motivated
A lazy person's worst enemy is themselves. We all know what it's like to place going for a run a distant second to sitting on the couch and indulging in some television time. So how can you inject a little helium into that will power of yours and get your body into gear?

Experts agree that the number one motivational trick is to have clear goals. When's the last time you set off in your car without a destination in mind? Probably never. So don't start a fitness regime without knowing where you want to end up. Online trainer Dean Piazza suggests writing down your goals, telling friends and tracking your progress in a diary to make you more accountable. Reward yourself after you achieve each goal and make sure your goals are realistic, so you'll actually get there and feel good about yourself.

On days when even getting started seems like an effort, there's still something you can do to jumpstart your enthusiasm. Take your workout five minutes at a time. Start a treadmill run or weights workout and aim to stick with it for only five minutes. At the end of that period, give yourself a tick on a notepad and then do another five minutes. By taking on a little bit at a time the workout won't look so daunting and momentum will carry you through.

Making fitness fun will also boost your motivation. Try these sneaky tricks:

Workout while watching TV: use hand weights, stretch, or do sit-ups during your favourite shows. Also, get off the couch to change the channel or volume.
Get a pet dog: having to take your new pooch for daily walks is the perfect reason to pull on your sneakers.
Join a fitness club or team: group exercises or sports teams are not only great for motivation but also for meeting new people.
Involve loved ones: go for a walk with friends, take your kids to the park for some running games, go rollerblading with your partner, or take a dance class with your sister.
Be smart: use your life to your advantage by walking to work instead of taking the bus and by planning active outings, like trips to the zoo. You won't have to change much about your current routine and you'll still see results.
Stick to super-easy workouts
The good news for the lazier ones amongst us is that you don't have to set out for a marathon 60-minute jog every day to lose weight. Just 10-20 minutes of exercise three times a week should do it. Try these easy activities:

Running (try tackling a hill)
Walking (hit the stairs)
Skipping
Boxing
Jumping jacks
Lunges and squats
Sit-ups and push-ups
Swimming
Bike riding
Utilise your workday
Where do most of us spend the majority of our time? Either sleeping or at work, right? Well, it's a bit hard to burn calories when you're dozing, so that leaves us with squeezing some sneaky fitness into our nine-to-five grind. And how do we achieve that? By being creative. Any movement is better than none, so add short bouts of exercise throughout your day and you'll notice a difference in your energy levels, concentration, mood, skin and weight!

Try these handy hints:

Get up and talk to a co-worker in person rather than by e-mail or phone.
Sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. This will strengthen your abs and back and help your posture.
Use the bathroom on another floor and take the stairs.
Stretch every hour and remember to take deep breaths.
Find a cafe you like at least two blocks from your office so you have to walk to lunch and back every day.
Get a headset for your phone so you can move around while you talk.
If you have your own office, keep a few dumbbells in your desk drawer so you can fit in a quick upper body workout while you're on the phone.
Start today
The hardest part of any fitness regime is getting started, but once you do you'll feel so much better for it. Just because you enjoy your down time doesn't mean you're lazy, so don't feel guilty for hanging around on the couch for a while. Just fit a little fitness into your life when you can and reap the rewards!

Winter wonder body plan

2008-01-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

As if exercising and staying healthy weren't hard enough, now we have to find the motivation to choose a salad for lunch and go for a run when it's dark and cold outside. Yep, being 'good' in winter is no mean feat, but the reality is that it's even more important to exercise and eat well in the cooler months. Not only will your body be better equipped to fight off colds, but you'll be ahead of the game when bikini season rolls around.
So, grab yourself a skim hot chocolate and have a read of our super-easy winter wonder body plan. You won't see one mention of carrot sticks or 6am bootcamp sessions, we promise!

Finding that summer motivation in winter

The most important thing to remember when it comes to exercising and eating well in winter is to cut yourself some slack. No one can be expected to go for a run when it's hailing outside or to order a tuna sandwich after watching a football game in five degrees.

Here are some things you can do to ensure that when the mood and the environment is right, you stay on top of your winter body plan:

Stay flu-free: don't set your fitness regime back by falling ill. The only way you can catch a cold is by coming in contact with someone else who has the virus. That doesn't just mean shaking the hand of a coughing workmate, it means touching doorknobs or using the same phone as them. Wash your hands well with hot water and soap and clean common surfaces with anti-bacterial wipes.

Get enough sleep: keeping up to date with your shut eye will replenish energy levels and act as a natural immune reviver.

Get outdoors: unless you're a bear and intend to hibernate all winter, it is okay to venture outside as long as you stay rugged up. The air is cleaner and when the sun does shine, your body will soak up every ounce of warmth, thereby replenishing your feel-good serotonin levels.

Take a holiday: if you can afford the time off and the airfare, take a midwinter hiatus somewhere warm. It's the best thing you can do for your tired body. Your stress levels, skin and health will thank you too.

Cut down on alcohol and caffeine: no one is suggesting you ban red wine or lattes — that would just be cruel! But restrict them to weekends so your body isn't loaded up with toxins making you feel extra sluggish.

Find some inspiration: summer may be a few months away, but that doesn't mean you can't start preparing for it. Dig up some photos of yourself or others that you like and stick them on your fridge. Put a 'summer inspired' playlist on your iPod, plan an end-of-year trip and set goals to reach before the warmer months hit — all will make you get up in the morning or reach for that vegetable soup.

Get a partner in crime: it isn't rocket science, but having someone to champion your winter wonder body cause will keep you more motivated than ever. There's nothing like knowing someone is waiting for you at the gym at the end of a long day to make you turn up.
Comfort foods that won't enlarge your waistline
A meat pie may seem like the best option when it's teeming with rain outside, but there are loads of yummy comfort foods which won't stop you fitting into your jeans…

Vegetable soup: beans, potatoes, turnips and carrots will increase the thickness and contribute different nutrients.
Nachos: go easy on the cheese, add kidney beans and choose lean mince.
Casseroles or stews: trim the fat and skin from meat before adding.
Chicken soup: not only does it contain proven illness-fighting chemicals, but you can add vegetables for extra nutrition.
Green tea: a rich antioxidant, it will warm you up and keep you busy for the 20 minutes or so nutritionists say it takes for a food craving to pass.
Turkey roast: choose a lean turkey roll and cook carotenoid-laden vegetables such as squash, carrot and pumpkin. They can raise your immune-cell count by a third, which will help ward off illness and keep your fitness level intact.
Porridge: use skim milk and add fruit instead of brown sugar.
Kebabs: ditch the cheese and add tomatoes, lettuce, carrot.
A quick winter food tip: don't forget to monitor your portion sizes. Mashed potato is fine to eat as long as you don't consume half a platefull. Try and eat more protein and vegetables and leave the butter-drenched bread rolls and sticky date pudding for special occasions.

How to work out when it's cold outside
Don't let cold weather sidetrack your exercise routine. Get creative!

Join a health club: they're a great place for meeting people and getting fit.
Find an indoor pool: water aerobics is one of the best things you can do to lose weight and tone your whole body.
Hit a sauna: get really warm and sweat out your toxins!
Invest in home exercise equipment: choose something that's practical, enjoyable and easy to use like an exercise bike or treadmill. You can find them cheaply on eBay. Dumbbells, an exercise ball and a skipping rope are also good options — you can pick them up for around $50.
Go skiing: want a toned bottom and thighs? Get a group of people together and head to the snowfields for a weekend. Nothing beats flying down a slippery slope at a million miles an hour to strengthen your muscles.
Jog or walk: you can still go for your weekly run, just do it sensibly. Drink plenty of fluids, go with the wind, do a proper warm-up, layer your clothing and wear reflective clothes in poor light.
Take the stairs: if you live near a shopping centre, skyscraper or stadium, consider them your personal gym. Walking up and down several flights of stairs for as little as 20 minutes will give you a winter wonder body in no time.
Get DVDs: Pilates, yoga, dancing, Tai-Bo — you name it, it comes on DVD. Rent them from a video store or buy a few and swap with friends.

Winter fitness tip: for some people, cold air can trigger chest pain or asthma, so check with your doctor if you're planning to do any rigorous outside activity.

Breaking through a weight-loss plateau

2008-01-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

Fighting fat and doing well, but reached an irritating plateau? Don’t give up just yet, writes naturopath Siobhan Jordan.

If you’ve reached the dreaded weight-loss plateau, don’t despair. This is common amongst those on weight-loss programs. More importantly, there are solutions.

Why, why, why?
A little background information: you may have embarked on a weight-loss program including dietary changes and an exercise routine. Chances are this has resulted in consistent, steady weight-loss.

Then comes a time when you’re doing the same healthy things, but the weight-loss has stopped. This is a natural physiological response – an anti-starvation mechanism that was especially helpful to your ancestors (when food scarcity was an issue).

Weight-loss plateaus usually result from your body’s response to the loss of fat tissue: it adjusts your metabolism to stop you losing more. This would be great if you were actually starving, but frustrating when you need to lose more weight for your health.

Solution revolution
To move past the plateau and kick-start further weight-loss, one of the most important principles is to re-evaluate your dietary and lifestyle habits. The following are important considerations and suggestions.

(1) Reconsider your meal portions

This is an essential area to revisit. Most people find that they can reduce the portions of 1-2 meals by a small amount, for example 10 – 15%, whilst still feeling satisfied and meeting nutritional and energy requirements. This may sound insignificant but this small change, over time, will contribute to weight-loss.

Use a diet diary to comprehensively assess how much you are actually eating. It is common to underestimate the amount we eat and/or overestimate how much we are exercising.

(2) Exercise – increase the intensity and/or frequency

This will provide a further boost to your metabolism and as such increase your energy-burning potential. For example, if you’ve previously been doing 30 minutes of exercise 4 times a week, consider increasing this to 45 minutes 4 times a week.

You may find a pedometer helpful in gauging how much you are moving and therefore how much you need to move in order to lose weight.

Don’t forget the value of incidental exercise too. Take the stairs instead of the lift/escalator, walk to the shops instead of driving etc.

Also, if you’re busy, you can break up your exercise over the day.

(3) Set an eating cut-off time

Avoid eating after dinner and aim to stop eating at least 2 hours before going to bed. Eating at this time is commonly an emotional/stress response, and even if it’s not, for many it’s a significant contributor to weight gain.

Look at other strategies to manage any challenging emotions eg. writing in a journal.

(4) Consider your weight-loss motivations and emotional eating

Spend some time reflecting on any emotional issues that you may have with food. Do you use food to manage difficult emotions and/or stress? What are your attitudes to food? Do you have any emotional blocks that may be preventing you from losing weight and/or maintaining weight-loss?

You may benefit from some professional counselling for further support.

Also, consider your motivations for weight-loss and revisit these each day to keep yourself focused and on track.

(5) Have an assessment with your healthcare professional

If you have carefully considered and implemented the above, yet you’re still struggling to lose weight, check-in with your healthcare professional.

You may need to have a medical evaluation to assess whether there are other causes preventing weight-loss.

Weight-loss plateau check list

1. Re-evaluate your meal portions
2. Increase the intensity and/or frequency of your exercise
3. Stop eating at least 2 hours before bed
4. Reflect on emotions and motivations
5. Check-in with your healthcare professional

Yummy Pumpkin soup

2008-01-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

Heres a great tasty and healthy Pumpkin Soup! enjoy

Soup - pumpkin

Good source of: folate
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutesS
erves: 4

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons canola or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
750 g chopped pumpkin
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon curry powder, (more if you like spicy)
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup reduced fat milk reduced fat yoghurt,
(optional)freshly chopped herbs, to taste

Method:
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. 2. Add onion, pumpkin, garlic and curry powder and fry for 5 minutes. 3. Stir in vegetable stock, then cover and cook until pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes. 4 Stir in milk. 5. Process in food processor until smooth. 6. Serve topped with a swirl of yoghurt or freshly chopped herbs.

Butt Exercises

2008-01-22T19:26:00.000-08:00

3 simple yet great exercises to get that butt back in shape! enjoy

Outer Thigh Exercise - Barbell Lunges
1. In correct posture, stand with one leg forward and one leg back. Your focus should be on splitting the weight evenly between your legs. 2. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, knees bent and chest up. 3. Under control, slightly move your hips back ( like you are sitting down in a chair) and squat directly down. 4. Stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) and push the weight directly back up. 5. Under control, stop just before your knees are straight and reverse the motion back down.

Barbell Squats

1. In correct posture, stand with your legs spaced shoulder width apart. Your focus should be on splitting the weight between your hip line and knee line.
2. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, knees bent and chest up.
3. Under control, push your hips back ( like your sitting in a chair) and squat directly down.
4. Stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) and stand the weight directly back up.

Lunges

1. In correct posture, stand with one leg forward and one leg back. Your focus should be on splitting your weight evenly between your legs.
2. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, knees bent and chest up.
3. Under control, slightly move your hips back ( like you are sitting down in a chair) and squat directly down.
4. Stop where your feel comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) and push your weight directly back up.
5. Stop just before your knees are straight and reverse the motion back down.

5. Under control, stop just before your knees are straight and reverse the motion back down.

Forearm exercises

2008-01-22T19:24:00.000-08:00

Forearms Exercise - Dumbbell Hammer Curl

1. In correct posture, stand with your legs and grip spaced shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, chest up, knees bent and elbows in. Your elbows should remain stable in a fixed position next to your sides.
3. With your thumbs pointed forward, lift the weight directly up.
4. Stop when the weight is 90° from your elbow joints and reveres the motion back down.
5. Lower the weight down, stop just before your elbows are straight and then reverse the motion back up.

Breathing Exercises

2008-01-21T21:41:00.000-08:00

An important part of exercise especially for beginners is to learn to breathe properly during and after. Here is a simple breathing exercise that will help deepen the nreathing as well as cleanse lungs.

BELLY BREATH EXERCISES
The following exercises are simple ways to deepen breathing and to cleanse the lungs. These exercises will also increase energy and decrease tension.
Lie flat on your back to get a proper sense of deep breathing. (Have some small pillows available to reduce strain by tucking them under the neck and knees. The natural course of breathing in that position will create a slight rise in the stomach upon inhaling and a slight fall upon exhaling.)
Place your hands palm down on your stomach at the base of the rib cage. (The lungs go that far down. What fills them deeper is the pushing down of the diaphragm. The diaphragm creates a suction which draws air into the lungs. the air is then expelled when the diaphragm pushes up. In this process, the life-giving oxygen fills the lungs and gets into the blood stream for distribution to the cells. Carbon dioxide is expelled from the blood into the about-to-be exhaled breath, thus cleansing the body and blood of waste products.) Lay the palms of your hands on your stomach just below the rib cage, middle fingers barely touching each other, and take a slow deep breath. (As the diaphragm pushes down, the stomach will slightly expand causing the fingertips to separate somewhat.

This movement indicates full use of the lungs, resulting in a truly deep breath rather than the "puffed chest" breath experienced by many as the greatest lung capacity. Chest breathing fills the middle and upper parts of the lungs. Belly breathing is the most efficient method. Infants and small children use only this method until the chest matures. The yoga breath or roll breathing combines belly and chest breathing.

FOR BEST RESULTS, PRACTICE THIS EXERCISE FOR 5 MINUTES.

Dessert without the guilt

2008-01-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

So many people suffer while dieting without realising that with moderation and a smart healthy option you can enjoy the good foods prepared correctly... enjoy this healthy yummy dessert..in moderation ofcourse ;)

Apple and pear crumble

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

3 large cooking apples
3 pears
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons reduced-fat margarine
1/4 cup self raising flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon coconut
2 tablespoons rolled oats

Method:
1. Set oven at 190°C.
2. Core apples and chop pears. Place in a pie dish with water.
3. Rub margarine into flour until mixture is crumbly. Mix in brown sugar, coconut and rolled oats. Sprinkle over apples and pears.
4. Bake until fruit is soft and top is golden. Cooking time varies with the depth of fruit and crumble.
5. Serve with low-fat custard.
6. To cook in the microwave: Microwave at step 2 on high for 8 minutes and then at step 4 on high for 6 minutes.

The correct Jog

2008-01-20T23:16:00.000-08:00

OK so after a short holiday I'm back and ready to tackle new and exciting topics collected from the pile of emails! A common exercise but probably one of the least correctly executed is the simple "jog" yep that's rite, most people assume a jog is simply a jog but if not executed correctly there is no end of damage that can be done. So here's a guide for beginner's looking at jogging correctly to ensure your getting the most out of it as well as preventing injury.

...........................

BREAK IN slow, and take it easy. See how you handle fast walking. It takes a few weeks of fast walking to accustom the body to the stress of jogging. Besides, after you have tried race walking you may want to stick with it. Jogging isn't for you if are grossly obese, have back or knee problems, or if you are suffering from a serious heart condition.

After a few weeks of walking fast without injury, you are ready for your first jogging session. After some stretching exercises, walk fast for one minute and then break into a jog for one minute. Do this for 10-15 minutes. Next day, alternate two minutes of jogging with two minutes of fast walking. Do this for 20 minutes. Increase your exercise load by a few minutes every week. Within a few months, you should be able to handle 20 minutes of non-stop jogging every other day. Good posture and technique are vital for staying injury free. The common error is to run slouching or leaning forward. This increases the pressure in the abdomen and interferes with deep breathing. Run upright.

Perhaps the upright running style of the 200 or 400 metre Olympic gold medallist, Michael Johnson, is the one worth most emulating. Swing your arms freely with your elbows slightly flexed. The other common error is to land on the front half of your sole. Jogging is not ballet. Land on your heel first and push off from the ball of your foot with a claw-like movement. Run with your knees high, but not too high. If you are running on soft, even ground, you will not injure yourself with this style.

Hit your Target Heart Rate (THR) and keep going at that pace for about 20 minutes. Calculating your THR is easy. Subtract your age in years from 220. Seventy percent of this number is your THR. Slow down if you are running so fast that you cannot hold a conversation with someone running alongside. The reward for maintaining your THR is the "runners high", a rush of endorphins that bestows feelings of ecstasy, light-headedness, and inner well-being.

Don't stop abruptly after finishing your run. Do some cool-down exercises afterwards. These should include brisk walking of gradually decreasing intensity and stretching exercises, especially for your Achilles' tendon. Don't forget to do cross training on the days when you don't jog. Alternate jogging with cycling, weightlifting or swimming.

Remember, no single exercise is perfect, and doing the same exercise daily overworks some parts of the body while neglecting others. This leads to injuries in the end. Variety is truly the essence of safe and fruitful exercise.

Leg Raises - Inner / Outer Thigh

2008-01-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Here are 2 basic thigh exercises that you can do at home or in a gym. If you have a yoga mat I suggest using it as it is much better then doing these particular exercises on a hard surface.

Leg Raises -Inner Thigh

Instructions
Lay on the floor on your left side with your left arm stretched straight above your head with your head resting on it.
Bend your right knee (top leg) with your right foot behind your left leg.
Keep your left leg (bottom leg) straight with your knee slightly bent and begin to raise your leg straight up until your feel a contraction on your inner thigh. Hold for 1 second and then return slowly to the starting position.
Switch legs by switching sides.

Tip
Focus on returning to the start position at a slower rate of motion and maintain control of the movement at all times.

Leg Raises - Outer Thigh

Instructions
Lay on the floor on your left side with your left arm stretched straight above your head with your head resting on it.
Keep your right leg straight with your knee slightly bent and begin to raise your leg straight up until your feel a contraction in your buttocks. Hold for 1 second and then return slowly to the starting position.
Switch legs by switching sides.

Tip

Focus on returning to the start position at a slower rate of motion, and make sure you maintain control of the movement at all times.

Banana Smoothie

2008-01-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Heres a nice little recipe for a delicious banana smoothie that can be made in a hurry! enjoy this as a afternoon treat or even as a pre-workout booster!

Banana smoothie

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
2 cups reduced-fat milk
2 bananas, chopped
1/2 cup low-fat yoghurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon wheatgerm
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:
1. Blend ingredients until smooth.

Options:

I like to add ice to the blender (approx. 4 cubes) to chill the smoothy.

How to avoid cancer

2008-01-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

This is something out of the regular but since it hits close to home and is in relation to health and diet I thought it appropriate to post. To give you a bit of history In 2005 I myself was diagnosed with cancer (giant cell tumor in ankle bone) after a hell of a fight and ongoing plans I'm fighting fit and through the most part of it. This article discusses forms to avoid cancers and what we as humans in charge of our bodies can do! if there ever was a motivator to get fit and healthy here it is:

It's the third biggest cause of death in Australia. And while death rates are coming down for some cancers, cancers are difficult to treat unless they're caught in the early stages. This is because by and large, we're still using surgery as the main treatment approach and when the cancer spreads, surgery is much less effective.
But a lot of cancer is preventable, according to a panel of experts who've reviewed the available scientific evidence about cancer, diet and exercise, and come up with some guidelines as to how we can lower cancer rates.
Over five years, scientists working for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) from nine universities in four countries looked at the available research and published their findings in a report called Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer. There's a summary of it and an editorial in last month's British Medical Journal by a professor of cancer research at Oxford University. But if you don't have time to read that, or the report itself, here follows a summary.
What emerges is that for all our progress in medical science and technology, we still don't know much about cancer. We know how it happens – a genetic mutation in a cell's DNA causes it to reproduce out of control. But why it happens, and why some organs in some people and not others, is largely a mystery.
We do know that our lifestyle has a lot to do with whether this happens and in whom – very few cancers are actually inherited. So modifying our lifestyle will reduce our chances of cancer by up to a third.
First, we need to do something about obesity – it's a major cause of cancers of the oesophagus, colon and rectum, pancreas, breast, endometrium, and kidneys. Our body mass index should ideally lie between 21 and 23. Instead, the Australian average is about 27 – too high, and it's been that way since the 1940s. So we need to shed those kilos with exercise and caloric restriction – a weight loss diet.
Secondly, exercise. Quite apart from helping to lose weight, being fit seems to have an anti-cancer effect in itself. The researchers recommend 30 minutes of moderate physical exercise – like brisk walking – a day, and once we're fit, then 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity or 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day.
Next, our dietary intake. We need to be careful about how much alcohol we drink – it increases the risk for cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, colon and rectum, and breast; and also causes cirrhosis, which raises the risk of liver cancer. Men shouldn't drink more than two standard drinks of alcohol a day and women no more than one a day.
What about fruit and vegetables? They probably protect against several cancers, though it's hard to say just which ones or why fruit and vegetables are protective. We should eat at least five portions of vegetables and fruits each day, the researchers say. The Australian dietary recommendations suggest five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day. Most people eat only about three portions a day.
Probably the most surprising finding was that red meat and processed meat were convincingly linked to colorectal cancer. On average, if you eat large amounts of red or processed meat you have about a 30 per cent increased risk of colorectal cancer compared with someone who eats little or none. And the more meat you eat, the greater the risk. On average you shouldn't eat more than 300 grams of red meat a week. But Australian men eat more than 700 grams of red and processed meat a week, and Australian women almost 500 grams.
So we need to eat less, and instead eat mostly foods of plant origin. (Cutting down meat intake is also good for the environment – meat production uses large amounts of agricultural land and water, the researchers say.) On the other hand, meat is a terrific source of protein, as the meat industry never tires of reminding us, so there is a role for meat in the diet, but it should be limited.
Legumes such as beans, lentils and soybeans, which contain protein, are good substitutes. Cut out processed and preserved meats such as bacon, sausages, pate and salami as much as possible. The sulfites and other additives may cause colorectal cancer.
Foods high in folate may reduce the risk of cancer of the pancreas, and diets high in calcium may reduce the risk of bowel cancer, say the researchers. Other recommendations include:
limit consumption of salt
don't take vitamin supplements – you don't need them and some have been linked to cancer
mothers should breastfeed babies for the first six months: breastfeeding protects women against breast and other cancers.
Getting people to adopt all of the lifestyle measures won't be easy, the researchers conceded. But do what you can. It beats palliative care.

Pilates..is it for you?

2008-01-11T05:46:00.000-08:00

I get asked regularly about Pilates, what it is and its benefits so I thought today I would post a bit of factual info about Pilates...

Named after its creator Joseph Pilates, this type of exercise uses coordinated breath and movement to strengthen and stretch the body, working on balance, posture and core strength.

It's a little bit like yoga, but there's more emphasis on movement, and each exercise is repeated five to 10 times.

It focuses on the deep abdominal muscles, buttocks, hips and lower back through exercises performed either on the floor or on a mat, using specially designed equipment made up of springs and pulleys.

Is it for you?

Pilates is offered at pilates studios and at most gyms.
Classes are usually offered in the early morning or evening and last around 90 minutes.
You don't have to be strong and flexible to do pilates, that's the point of going to classes! If you are new to it, your instructor will teach you how to do the exercises correctly, targeting the right muscles. Most exercises can be modified for the beginner or the advanced student.

Benefits:

Core, buttock and lower back strength – these areas are the main focus of pilates exercises.
Improved balance and posture.
Improved flexibility.

Costs/special equipment:

A 90 minute group pilates classes should cost around $15. Small classes or private tuition will set you back more.
If you are doing pilates floor work, all you need is a mat ($40). If you are trying out the exercises that require equipment, your instructor will usually provide this.

Common injuries

Notify your instructor of any pre-existing back issues.
If you are doing pilates correctly with a trained instructor you should not experience injuries.

Hope this helps clear up some of those questions. Ultimately I advise anyone seriously considering Pilates o speak to an instructor, take a single class and judge for yourself.

Put your shoulder into it

2008-01-11T03:50:00.000-08:00

The shoulder joint contains a variety of muscles - the three main shoulder muscles are the front (anterior), middle (medial) and rear (posterior) deltoids. These shoulder muscles help bend, extend, rotate and move the arm away from the body.

Due to the vast array of movement that the shoulder muscles perform, its worth performing a complete section of different shoulder muscle exercises to maintain all-round strength and good postural alignment.

To establish both good technique, read the guidelines for correct weight and look at our gym workout section, and our general training advice.

As with all exercise, time should be taken to warm-up the muscles and stretch prior and after your routine.

With such simple equipment such as a pair of dumbbells, you can perform so many different exercises that will help strengthen and tone the muscles of the shoulder joint.

Its important to remember when choosing the correct weight to use for your exercise, especially with dumbbells, that the further you take the weight away from your bodies midline, the heavier it will feel.

Aim to start with lighter weights, increasing the number of repetitions you can perform before increasing the weights.

Always make sure that all locking collars are fully clasped on the weigths, especially if using them to lift overhead.

Here are some simple yet effective shoulder workouts anyone can do:

1. CUBAN PRESS:

The cuban press shoulder exercise, strengthens the external rotation of your rotator cuff, and increases your anterior deltoids. It can be performed either standing or seated, or for best results, rest your back and elbows against a solid wall.

You will not need to use a heavy weight in order to get the benefits from this exercise, the key is maintaining a strict technique.

Commence the exercise with your arms bent to 90 degrees, having your elbows at shoulder height, palms facing behind you. Smoothly lift the weights by rotating your shoulders, so that your forearms become parallel to the floor, palms facing downwards.

Keeping your arm position fixed, continue the rotation with your arms, so that your forearms are now vertical, hands in line with your ears, whilst maintaining a 90 degree bend in your arms.

Hold in the upper phase for 2 - 3 seconds and then repeat for desired amount of reps, taking care to keep your head up throughout the movement.

Because of the fixed motion, this exercise will cause a massive build up of lactic acid within your shoulder muscles, as such it's worth stretching between sets and also worth giving yourself a little longer with your rest, compared to normal shoulder exercises.

2. BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS

Sit comfortably, ideally on a incline bench to give your back support, placing your feet firmly on the floor, to help push your back into the bench.

Smoothly lift the barbell weight vertically, taking the weight directly above your shoulders with your arms straight, keeping your back straight. Lower down under control and repeat for desired amount of reps.

You may decide to lift the barbell slightly out to your front, in order to also work your chest muscles, however avoid this method if unconditioned to weight lifting, as it will place stress on the lower back.

Avoid arching the spine, or driving up with your legs at the start of your lift, focus on the muscles you want to work, the shoulders.

Always make sure that any locking collars are securely tightened.

3. STAG PUSH-UPS

Using a marker, such as a line or broom handle, will give good indication of your hand position.

Keep your hands facing forward with one wrist slightly forward and the other slightly back from your shoulders. Adopt a suitable press-up position dependant upon your fitness level - full ? or box position.

Lower yourself down towards the floor in a smooth controlled manner, ideally 2 inches away from the floor, allowing your elbows to follow a natural route away from your body.

Arching of the spine and forcing your bottom into the air should be avoided.

7 Tips for finding time!

2008-01-11T02:59:00.000-08:00

If you're like most people, finding time for exercise is difficult. Here are my "Top 7" tips to help you in that quest.

1. Make exercise a priority. We all make time in our lives for the things that are most important to us. If I told you I'd give you a million dollars if you exercised every day for the next 30 days, would you do it? Sure you would, because it would suddenly become a priority. If you're serious about finding time for exercise, then it must be a priority in your life.

2. Block out the same time period everyday for exercise. This way it becomes part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth. Vehemently guard this time period. It is your time to take care of yourself.

3. Exercise first thing in the morning. This is when your exercise time is least likely to get interrupted by other things.

4. Turn off the television. The average adult spends 16 hours per week watching television. One of my clients told me that she resolved to only watch television while she was exercising. You may not be interested in taking it that far but you can certainly cut out a few hours of television a week to make time for exercise.

5. Go to sleep a little earlier and wake up a little earlier. Spend that time exercising.

6. Visit with your spouse or friend while walking around the neighborhood rather than sitting on the couch.

7. Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible. You will be much more likely to find time for things you enjoy.

Get movin'!

Got Motivation??

2008-01-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

People often lose motivation to exercise for many reasons one of them being they dont see the resukts as fast as they had hoped. Kepp in mind like anything change takes time, your body will react to the new regime but only as long as you stick it out. here are 7 keys to ignite your motivation to exercise:

1. Know the benefits of exercise. We are more motivated to do things that we'll benefit from. The more we benefit, the more motivated we are. For example, if I told you I'd give you a million dollars to take a 30-minute walk tomorrow morning, would you do it? You bet you would! The benefits of exercise aren't quite that compelling, but they are pretty motivating! You will benefit tremendously from consistent exercise. For many people, that's very motivating!

2. Create your personal "reasons list." Keep a piece of paper and pen handy for a couple of days. Jot down EVERY reason you can think of that you want to get healthy/get fit/lose weight through consistent exercise. Real life example: I spoke to a lady a couple of months ago who could only think of two reasons that she wanted to lose weight and get fit. I told her to think about it for a couple of days and she came up with a list of over 30 reasons, such as:

* more energy to spend quality time with her family at night

* to be able to fit into all the clothes in her closet

* to be able to live a long, healthy life and to enjoy time with her children, husband, and grandchildren (eventually)

* to not be uncomfortable in public

* to not become breathless climbing stairs

* to be able to do "active" things with her family and friends

* to be able to play on the floor with her children

* to be able to wear nice clothes

Her list goes on, but you get the picture. Make a long, extensive list. This may not seem important, but it is critical to be able to read this list when your motivation to exercise is waning. It's a powerful way to quickly get "re-motivated"!

3. Exercise with a friend. Statistics tell us that people who exercise with a friend are more successful at exercising consistently. You can keep each other accountable. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to exercise with them can be great motivation to show up and get it done!

4. Exercise first thing in the morning, every morning. Folks, if you're really serious about this exercise thing, then get serious about it. Our bodies were made to be active on a daily basis, and when we are, all sorts of wonderful things happen. We even get healthy and fit! People who exercise 6 to 7 days per week first thing in the morning are much more successful at exercising consistently than those who do the 2 or 3 day thing. It doesn't have to be a huge workout everyday. Get out there and take a 30-minute walk.

5. Train for a local 5K or 10K walk or run in your area. This can be great motivation to exercise on a regular basis. I've seen many people transformed from couch potatoes to lean, mean, exercising machines because they decided to enter and train for a competition like this. Don't think you can't do it...YOU CAN!

6. Reward yourself! Real life example: Claire from Atlanta told me that she puts $3 in a piggy bank every time she exercises. She gives herself the freedom to spend this money on things she normally wouldn't buy for herself. She says she usually ends up with more than $70 per month! know thats a motivator for those wanting to keep updating there wardrobe.

7. Keep records. Write down your exercise time (minutes) each day. Keep a running total for the month and year. Calculate your average exercise time per day. Set some lofty goals! :)

BONUS TIPS

**Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible. For example, if you're a walker, you may want to get a good cassette, CD player or mp3 to listen to music or books on tape, etc. If you're exercising inside, set up a TV so that you can watch it while exercising. On the other hand, you may just prefer peace and quiet. Do whatever makes exercise most enjoyable for you. You are much more likely to exercise consistently if you enjoy it.

**Wear good shoes that are appropriate for what you're doing. Injuries seriously affect your motivation to exercise. Most people, especially walkers and runners, wear their shoes far too long. Worn out shoes will make you much more prone to injuries.

**See results and get compliments. That's really motivating! GO FOR IT!