A Quote

So I heard a great quote a few weeks ago and I think that it something that can help when you come to think of food, the quote is:

"FOOD IS FUEL"

When I heard this quote I thought how clever it was as sometimes we eat, myself included, just because the food tastes great and we want to entertain our taste buds and we then may choose the foods that are not the best option for our bodies. We need to view our bodies like a car that need fuel to run on and the fuel is the food. Once we can change this mind set it can become easier to eat food and view food in a different light. Now I am not saying not to have a treat every once in a while BUT keep it to only once in a while and this way we can keep our bodies healthy and running on the right things not the junk things!

So next time you plan to smoother your bread in a stack of butter or your tempted to eat something deep fried or full of sugar stop and ask yourself the question how if at all can this food be fuel for my body!

Goal Setting

Ok so how many times do you have a goal in your mind and it stays in there without coming out?

To maximise your goal you need to write it down and leave it somewhere visible that you can see everyday as a reminder.

How often do you set a goal write it down YET don't have a time frame to go with it?

Many times we never accomplish a goal as we never are really focused on it as we have no deadline to meet. For example if you want to run a 5km fun run at your personal best then you should look for the date of one in your area and train and focus your goal around the date the race is run.

If your goal is to lose 10kg have you written this down and then put a date as to when you want to reach it? The other thing to consider is that the goal date is realistic. So don't set yourself a goal to lose 10kg in 2 weeks, unless you are either on the Biggest Looser OR you want to set yourself up for failure.

Another important thing to help goal setting is to be positive about it, don't allow for self doubt to creep in as it will put your goals back a little.

Sometimes it is a good idea to have something as a reward once you get to a goal, for example when I lost 40 kg in weight I originally freaked out as I thought how will I ever do this (which is that self doubt coming in). To help overcome and to make it a positive I broke the 40kg down to smaller stages. So I would make my goal to lose 5 kg in a month. Sometimes I reached my target and then some months I didn't BUT when I didn't I looked at what I had done and even though I hadn't lost my goal I had lost and I talked that as a positive. As a extra reward each time I would lose 5kg I would treat myself with something (non food). So it may be a body cream or nail polish just something small, so this was my short term reward. I even set myself middle range reward which were to have a cut/colour which is something I don't do often (being a hairdresser I do my own colours usually). Then I had the long term goal which was to take a holiday trip to Melbourne and shop with my Mum and Sister (however this changed to joining a gym).

The main thing is to realise that goal setting is so important as without goals we just float through lives and look back and think of the things we wanted to do but haven't done yet. Having a visual makes them real and more than a thought.

So now go and draw, print a picture or write down you plan and work out the time frame in which you want to achieve it by, then place it somewhere you can see it each day!

Image source

5 Great Butt Exercises

SQUATS


Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your hips, butt and thighs and they're also a functional exercise, helping us build strength for a variety of daily activities


How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and, for added intensity, hold weights at shoulder level or at your sides.
2. Bend the knees, and lower into a squat, keeping the knees behind the toes. Imagine that you're sticking your butt out behind you, but keep the torso upright and contracted.
3. Press into the heels to stand up.
4. Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-16 reps

LUNGES


Lunges are a challenging exercise because they work so many muscles at the same time


On the front leg, you'll work the glutes and hamstrings and, on the back leg, you'll work the quads and calves. What's nice about lunges is that there are a variety to choose from such as:

* Static Lunges
* Side to Side Lunges
* Sliding Lunges
* Low Lunges
* One-Legged Lunge
* Wheel lunges (front, side, reverse)
* Step by Step: Lunges 

STEP UPS


Step ups are another great exercise for the glutes. For step ups, place one foot on a step or platform and push through the heel to lift the body up. This is an excellent exercise for the glutes, providing you use a step that's high enough, although you may need to work up to a higher step if you're a beginner. You eventually want a height were your knee is at about a 90-degree angle.


The other key is to concentrate all your weight on the stepping leg. In other words, lower down gently, barely touching the toes of the other leg to the ground. You'll really feel this when you take it slow and concentrate on the working leg.

More Step Ups

* Side step ups
* Crossover step ups
* Resistance Band step ups


HIP EXTENSIONS


While I'm fond of more compound moves (like the squats, lunges and step ups listed above) since they work more muscle groups, the hip extension is an exercise that specifically targets the largest muscle in the body...the gluteus maximus.

For this move, you can hold a dumbbell behind the knee or use ankle weights for added intensity.

More Variations:

* Hip lift on the ball
* Hyperextension on the ball

ONE LEGGED DEADLIFT


Deadlifts are great for your hamstrings, butt and lower back, but this one-legged version is a great way to add intensity to the exercise and engage your stabilizer muscles to keep your body balanced. Form is critical and you should skip this exercise if you have any back problems.


To do this move, take the left leg back just a bit, lightly resting on the toe. With the weights in front of the thighs, tip from the hips and lower the weights as low as your flexibility allows. Keep your back flat or with a natural arch and make sure you keep the abs contracted to protect the back. Squeeze the glutes of the working leg to raise back up. Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

More Variations

* One-Legged Deadlift with Balance
* One-Legged Deadlift on the Ball

The Facts on Muscle (it's really not that scary after all)

Ok so I am pretty pumped from training on the weekend, got to see the new Les Mills stuff coming out as well as do a education session with the trainers. One of the things discussed was building muscle.

Ok so how many boys think that the only way they can get bulk is to lift heavy weights for short reps????
Well studies have shown that you can in fact lift lighter weight but just increase the reps and get the same results. Now the reason in this is FATIGUE. The idea is that you should get to the end of a session of working a particular muscle and be tiered but still be able to have correct form.

Another thing people believe is that they only need to do aerobic training in order to loose weight. In fact lifting some weights and training where you build muscle is in fact a great way to reduce fat. The reason is that building muscle means you burn fat even when you rest, as muscle needs energy from fat to survive!!!!! So no need to slog out and sweat your guts out running on a treadmill just talk to a trainer about working some muscles!

Another bonus of muscle is that it protects the joint. In fact the reason that people as they get older need to have things replaced, ie. hip knees etc is that they have lost muscle in these areas, which is something that happens as we get older, however if we practice to build and continue to look after our muscles we may in fact have better spine and peripheral joints as the muscle will help keep the stress off them!

Ok so now the last thing I will fill your head with is especially for the ladies that say they don't want to bulk up! Well guess what you wont bulk up doing weights as women do not generally produce enough testosterone to bulk up. However if your genetics are that your family has a list of fat bums or legs then your going to still have these the question is do you want a jelly bum or do you want a toned bum! Women build lean muscle and that lean muscle strips away the fat!

So now you know a little more about why muscle training is good for you and may I just add that as a Body Pump instructor I can say that this program is one of the best programs for both men and women to help strengthen, and shape your body. Plus the bonus is that in a one hour class you can work your whole body and not slog out one hour doing really heavy weights! So if you haven't tried Body Pump maybe you should.

My Journey on the weight loss trail

Ok so I thought I would share with you my journey of weight loss and how food and living has helped change me!


I was 110kg and had never felt so miserable in all my life as I was unable to keep up with my little man who had just turned 1. I would look in the mirror and feel terrible at what I saw looking back so I decided to make a change in the way I was living!

I started to change the foods I ate and also the size of portions, so instead of reaching for the whole packet of chips I would eat a row of rice crackers and drink water. I didn't cut all the things I loved out I just cut down and really focused on the portions. I walked everywhere and would spend time doing aerobic DVD's at home as I didn't want anyone to see me.

I finally got to my goal weight after 10 months and as a reward I joined my local gym, where I loved to do classes and use the equipment. After being so familiar with the staff I was approached to start training to become an instructor and for just over a year I have been encouraging our members to either loose weight, get fitter or just to have some fun!

My main tips are set small goals, don't look always at the big goal but look to the smaller ones. Every time I lost 5kg I would buy something for myself, nothing big but something nice as a reward.
Don't stop eating certain foods just portion size them or have them only as treats every now and again as you will crave and then give into the crave in a BIG way!

If you have never exercised start slow, go for a walk and gradually build up. If you use an excuse you don't have time break it down instead of doing a 30 minute walk do 3 10 minute ones during the day.
Have a partner to help you, surround yourself with LOTS of positive people that will help you, sometimes people can bring your good efforts down and make you doubt yourself. Sometimes writing your goals down is a good way to remember what you want to achieve.

So here is the before!!!!!!!!

This is a rare photo I had I actually looked like this for a number of years but just didn't want my photos taken!

And this is the after!!!!!!!

What does your poo say about you?

Ok so the title is a little interesting BUT have you ever wondered?

I received a message from a site called the food coach and found this article very interesting!

To view the article click here

Too hot to work out!

Sometimes when the weather picks up we may find ourselves making excuses as to why we should not excercise!!!! Here are a few tips to help get you out and getting fit.

• Try to exercise at the coolest part of the day, so if you can get up a little early and get moving!
• If you are not a morning person then wait until a little later in the evening and start then, I some times find it a little hard first thing in the morning to get out but getting the kids sorted and ready and giving them dinner then going is a great option as no sun and usually a little milder weather makes exercise a little more enjoyable. I will usually prepare a salad and then eat when I have finished, but if I am hungry prior I will eat a banana.
• I find I try not to exercise at the hottest part of the day as it makes me feel a little light headed, and this is due to overheating and the body not being able to cope with it all.
• Drink plenty of water, and when I say plenty I mean plenty! Prior to during and then loads after. Because you will be sweating more you need to replace what you use. I would even suggest to get something that has electrolytes in it as it is able to also replace not just the fluids but also all the other good stuff your sweating out.
• Types of workouts depends on you and what you want, however walking is one of the best things to do and also free and easy. 

The key is to set yourself goals and stick to it so try to avoid using excuses, including the one of the weather is too hot!