Today’s post is a guest post by Joel from topfitreviews.  Joel recently discovered the power and health benefits of a walking routine. As result of this, he created a fitness equipment review site where he shares information on what kind of cross training machine is more suitable for your needs. For more information, please visit www.topfitreviews.com.

It may seem outlandish to tell you that one cross training machine has the potential for changing your life, but the truth is that it can. We would be living in a different world if everyone gave nutrition and exercise the respect that is due them.

In a perfect world, it would be rare to have loved ones in their forties and fifties passing away due to heart attacks. Strokes would be a thing of the past, and depressed individuals would no longer be holing up in their homes eating a bag of chips in front of the television. This perfect world would also be complete with people living exciting lives in the world outside. It would be impossible for people to just sit around in an unnatural state of being.

It may be unimaginable to think that the entire world could actually be living a more vibrant and healthier life, so let’s just concentrate on you for the moment. Could you see yourself living a healthier life filled with more energy?

Many things would have to change, and that would have to include your productivity. This is what matters most in life. Individuals, who are healthier, more fit and live active lives accomplish more in just one day than is realized by sluggish, overweight, and out of shape people who struggle with constant ups and downs that are characteristic with unstable blood sugar levels.

Through the use of something as simple as a bottle of water and a piece of exercise equipment, it is possible to change the world and help the unhealthy to become healthy again. Just think about how much more would get done if everyone in the world were to start exercising and get healthy. The world would run with greater efficiency.

We Are Not That Different

There is really no difference between us when it comes to our bodies. We all need the same things to maintain health. Everybody needs a certain amount of protein, fats, and carbohydrates daily to help maintain proper functioning, energy levels, and brain activity.

Regardless of your position in society, a stay at home mom, or the CEO of a multinational corporation, here are the rules your body must live by:

• Regular consumption of calories is required throughout the day to provide energy. Energy levels drop when you fail to provide your body with the fuel it needs.

• Your body is dependent upon daily consumption of protein, vitamins, minerals as well as other nutrients to provide the energy for automatic bodily functions such as metabolism and heartbeat. Your sense of well-being can be dramatically changed when you do not feed your body these nutrients.

• Our bodies were designed to move. When you live a sedentary lifestyle, various problems can occur. Those problems might be loss of muscle and joint aches and pains.

Even though each individual is different in many ways, the way our bodies work is not one of them. We are all the same when it comes to the way our bodies work and what it takes to keep them healthy and our brains functioning productively and focused. Nutrients must be supplied and consumed daily at intervals, and you have to keep moving.

Today’s World

Although it is common place to see exercise equipment in homes, it is a rarity to actually witness anyone using that machinery for anything other than a coat rack. Many people have memberships to gyms, and even carry the cards around with them in purses and wallets, but it is unusual to notice worn out cards because they are used daily. We all instinctively attempt to be healthy, but today’s fast paced world keeps many of us from acting effectively on our instincts.

If you were to count, what would you come up with as the number of health and fitness related products you have bought over the years with good intentions, just to lose interest in a few days or weeks? How many diets have you tried? How many false starts have you had with the same weight loss plan? If you’re like the majority of us, you will find that your life is littered with attempts at weight loss that have gone awry. Today it seems that this type of thing is simply expected because it is so common.

Here are some other common occurrences today:

• Many people wind up at vending machines or the nearest refrigerator for their afternoon slump pick-me-up of sugary snacks.

• Exhaustion in the morning sees many people turning to the coffeepot for numerous cups to help get the brain focused.

• Meetings get boring when there is no background activity, and the brain drifts off.

• Evenings find many people laid out on the couch because they are drained of energy after taking care of loved ones or a hard day at work.

Most adults fall into lifestyle patterns that lead to the above behaviors. Sometimes, meals are skipped because of the hectic lifestyle or because it is thought that it will help to lose weight. If you take another look at the three rules for the human body, it is easy to see what rules get broken when meals are skipped. Required calories are not being delivered and the body misses out on important nutrients. The body simply runs out of energy and you get that rundown, sluggish feeling by the end of the day.

Poor sleep habits are typically responsible for morning exhaustion, but this is often due to neglected nutritional intake and no exercise. Overweight people are not as likely to get as much quality sleep, particularly if they have developed sleep apnea.

A World Of Change

It is impossible for the brain to focus the way it should when it does not receive proper nourishment. Simply by giving fitness equipment the attention and respect it deserves, a world of change can take place. Think about the impact it would make if everyone chose to do the same.

Respect yourself and your home gym equipment by actually using it as it was meant to serve.

Let’s get to the point. If you live a healthy life you will become more productive and successful. Healthy life means that you will provide your body with healthy foods, frequent meals and regular activity and if most people would carry out these simple steps, the world, but especially your close environment, would be a much better place, thus leaner and far more efficient (productive).

The thing about self-help-y type stuff is that there is a lot of it out there. Some good or even great (life changing on occasion!), some bad, and some just plain old ugly. My top tip for sorting the great from the ugly is a quick perusal of whether the expert in question has a) achieved what they’re trying to teach, and b) effectively taught what they’re trying to teach.

Of course it’s not always that easy to know, especially on the internet. Which is why I’ve done a little sorting for you to kick of your 2012, and brought you only the best, the greatest and yes even the most life-changing stuff.

From some of my favourite fitness and motivational colleagues. I asked them for their ‘top 3 tips’ on keeping your new years’ resolutions. Even if you’re not the ‘set and write goals or resolutions’ type I know you’ll find inspiration, motivation, and perhaps a fresh outlook in reading what the gang have to say.

And then I know you’ll get out there and start smashing some plateaus. Yes?

Enjoy.

Mark Ottobre – Maximus Mark

1. Make sure each meal contains a source of quality protein (yogurt contains protein but does not fit this description; hint animals are best)

2. Go as gluten free as humanly possible (check out Mark’s podcast link on the topic)

3. There are two types of eating behaviours … Predators and Prey… The prey grazer all day, the Predator eats proper meals containing protein and fats (primarily) .. so next time your in doubt, ask this question, are you eating like a Lion or a cow?! Mooo!!

Check out www.eatyourwaytoabs.com.au for your free diet and nutrition program from Maximus

Amanda Brown – The Queen of Lean

1. Set aside a night to have a cook off for the week; I find that Sunday works well. This way you will have your some snacks and lunches covered for the week and you won’t be left hungry wondering through a food court or out and about looking for healthy food

2. Measure your body fat % every 1-2 weeks to stay on track. This way you know what is/isn’t working and it also can become a little bit of a competition to beat your results from the previous week

3. Wean yourself off sugar to free yourself from cravings!

Visit www.thequeenoflean.com.au or email amanda@thequeenoflean.com.au for 12 weeks of body transformation programs – wow!

Dr Clarissa Hughes – Getting Lean and Curvy

1. Give yourself the ‘green light‘ with green vegetables – things like cucumber, asparagus, broccoli, rocket, spinach & other leafy greens are packed with fibre, phytonutrients & other goodies. Try them raw, lightly steamed or even in green smoothies

2. Have a ‘no white at night’ policy – a good way of starting to clean up your eating is to swap things like white pasta, potatoes & rice and at dinnertime with more nourishing alternatives like zucchini ‘spaghetti’, cauliflower mash, & quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wah’)

3. Adequate hydration is important – aim for 500ml per 10kg of bodyweight as a rough guide. Don’t rely on thirst as an indicator of your need for water – and set an alarm to remind yourself if necessary!

Check out www.leanandcurvy.com or email leanandcurvy@gmail.com to find out about Clarissa’s favourite wholefood nutrition support product, JuicePlus, or to find out about customised eating plans and food diary analysis.  Don’t forget to check out her fab facebook page too!

Tonic Superfoods

1. Overcome sweet cravings with a superfood smoothie! Superfoods provide you with a sustained level of energy and nutrition that support the body’s metabolism and energy release systems. The mineral rich content of superfoods also nourish the adrenals and prevent exhaustion, while avoiding unnecessary sugar crashes and muscle damage, giving you the energy to get through every day!

2. Apple Cider Vinegar has been used for centuries as an aid to assist the liver in detoxification as well as assisting the body in the proper metabolizing of proteins, fats and minerals. Having some apple cider vinegar before a meal will assist in raising your metabolism by increasing the body’s ability to use proteins for insulin production; insulin is required for the conversion of glucose into energy.

3. Mix things up ever once in a while; just because something in particular helped you lose weight & get lean in the past doesn’t mean you have to do it for ever! Your body is smart and needs a change every now and then to keep it on it’s toes!

Head over to www.tonicsuperfoods.com.au to receive Tonic’s ebook “Be your best every day – The Tonic Way!” with some great recipes and nutritious treats or check them out on facebook!

Rachel Guy – Rachelguy.com.au

1. BE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE – Everyone wants to have a 6 pack and a firm butt! Listen up! ITS HARD WORK! It doesn’t come in pill form, neither is there a quick fix solution. Looking hot in a bikini is about dedication and discipline. Be prepared to sacrifice certain behaviours, foods and even staying away from certain people who are sucking your energy and ability to succeed.

Be brutally honest with yourself. Its hard to look inside when we live in a world of excuses!

Remember “If it is important you will find a way, if not, you will find an excuse.” If you find yourself making excuses, quit wasting your time. Your goal clearly isn’t that important to you.

2. BE REALISTIC - There is nothing worse than the feeling of failing to hit your goals. We have all been there. Setting short term realistic goals such as changing one behaviour every week, leads to long term adherence and success. When I am dieting for a show I make sure i have my skinfolds done by a Biosignature Practitioner every week and discuss with him the goals for the next 7 days. Every day from then on I am thinking about my next assessment.

3. GET A COACH or TRAINER – I cannot express clearly enough how important it is to have a coach, mentor or trainer to help you achieve your goals. I have 2 trainers, a business coach and several mentors. Thats over 5 people pushing and directing me to my goals! Its hard to fail when you are accountable to someone. Its hard to make excuses too. Having been in the fitness industry for 12 years i have heard (and made) every excuse under the sun! My clients know that i will not tolerate any form of an excuse and they are aware, if they make an excuse, I will call them on it!

We are all human, we all have cravings, slip ups and drink one too many bottles of red wine. Be honest with your trainer, don’t make an excuse, trust me, he/she will be able to see straight through you!

Want to connect with Rachel? Visit www.rachelguy.com.au or jump on her facebook page over here!

Sam Beau Patrick – The Health Queen

1.  DREAM BIG – people can expand so much when they let their hand-breaks off. Let your mind daydream that everything is possible.

2.  RE-INFORCE IT – surround yourself with images, words, goals, notes on the fridge, montage screen savers – just continually bombard your brain with the fact “this is YOU”

3.  COMMIT – don’t expect changes unless you make some changes. They usally aren’t painful, don’t cost money nor cause heart-ache yet we resist trying new things. Commit deeper than you have before.

Visit www.byebyebridget.com/category/blog to be further inspired by The Health Queen!

Daine Mcdonald – Clean Health

1. Seek Professional Help. We all like to think that we can do it alone, but more often that not for a variety of reasons we only get 50% of the way there. I find the best way to actually get something out of a new years resolution or a goal is to invest the time and money into a professional who can help me get there.

An example is my own training this year, I have a photo-shoot for my website at the end of March and have enlisted the help of a world-renowned coach to help me get there. He holds me accountable and provides me with the necessary tools and information to get there without me having to think about it. If you are in Sydney check out my company’s New Years 12 Week transformation program, it will provide you with those same tools to help turn your ambitions and goals into reality!

2. Get Your Family/Friends On Board. I find those that have a supportive network of people around them who understand and appreciate their health commitment are more likely to succeed with their resolutions. If those around you are not, then perhaps the company you keep needs to be put to question. A wise man once told me you are the average of the top 5 people you spend your most time with. So be selective with the people you invest your time and energy into.

3. Like Facebook Pages That Give Out Useful Health Information. Over the years I have found that a person educated in health and fitness is going to be more likely to achieve their goals. Because there is so much information out there in regards to nutrition, hormones, training etc I believe the following criteria needs to be met when it comes to who you should listen to in the field of personal training, nutrition and strength and conditioning

i. Do they have a proven track record of client successes?

ii. Do they constantly educate themselves and their staff to stay at the top of the industry with up to date information?

iii. Do they practice what they preach? They might not have to be as lean as a bodybuilder or as strong an Olympian, but to be a real health model they must lead by example.

People or company’s who I feel do this out there whom are worth following are:

• http://www.facebook.com/CharlesPoliquin
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Functional-Fitness-Magazine/197082813670015?ref=ts
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clean-Health/119781138034423
• http://www.facebook.com/GettingLeanAndCurvy

… and of course Woman Incredible and Body Incredible! So do yourself a favor and like those three pages to stay up to date on useful information that help you with your health goals.

Natalie Carter – NatCarterPT

Eric Falstrault – BodhiFit Online

Joseph Coyne – Coyne Conditioning

1. Develop habits. If your resolution involves a behavioral change for the better (e.g. Eating meat for breakfast) try to make it habit. So make sure you stick with it for at least 21 days before taking a break from the behavior and that way it’ll be far more likely to stay as part of your routine.

travis jones – Result Based Training

Sara wiercinski – Love Yourself Naked

1. Set a goal: Don’t listen to fear based negative talk.  Go after something important to you, not what you should do or what you can do what you want, really really want, to do.

Here are the top 10 most read Body Incredible posts for 2011 – Enjoy!

1. Incredible Bodies #2 – Those Legs Are AMAZING: And Here’s How To Achieve Them

Have you ever seen a more perfectly sculpted pair of legs? Carrie Underwood (of American Idol fame) has the sort of definition and tone that most women only dream about. And she’s clearly worked hard to get them – so we can hardly blame her for showing them off, can we? Read More.

2. Does Sweating Help You Lose Weight?

Lots of people hate sweating. In fact, I’d have to say at least 80% of my female clients can’t stand it, and at least half the mean seem to find it pretty gross as well. The think it’s icky, unhygienic, and embarrassing. In fact, many of my clients apologize to me for sweating. Well apologize no longer, because it’s official: I LOVE sweating. Okay, so I don’t LOVE touching your sweat (although it really doesn’t phase me), what I mean is I love the feeling of getting a good sweat up in my own workouts. Read More.

3. Want Jennifer Aniston’s Lean Physique? Here’s How

Love her or hate her (or her hair), there’s no denying Jennifer Aniston has a hot body wanted, albeit in different ways no doubt, by girls and guys alike.

Of course it doesn’t take long to research how she got in such great shape, but what you really want to know is how can you translate that into sculpting and toning your body into a lean work of art. Read More.

4.  101 Ways To Shed The Final 5 And Finally Get Ripped

You would think, given how well you eat and how hard you work, that you would actually have been able to hit your goal by now. Right? Surely after everything you’ve put in over the past weeks, months, perhaps even years you should be prancing around most of the time thinking how HOT you look.

You can admit it. I know that’s what you want. Well, maybe not the prancing part. Read More.

5.  Incredible Metabolism Boost #1

Did you know that sprint-based cardio is absolutely the best type of cardio to burn body fat and lose weight fast?

A University of New South Wales study found that women who undertook 8 seconds of sprinting on a stationary exercise bike, followed by 12 seconds of light cycling for 20 minutes, lost 3 times as much fat as women who perform continuous cardio for 40 minutes. Read More.

6.  How To Transform Your Body In A Week

What do you do if you want to get in phenomenal shape within a week? Here’s my 7-point plan to get you in tip-top shape ASAP. Granted, it’s definitely easier to stay in great shape if you’ve already been exercising regularly and eating fairly well, but even at this time of year even the most committed Body Incredible seeker can slip up. When I need to shape up, tighten up and lift up (my energy!) as quick smart as possible I follow this format. And it really works. But no half-hearted attempts – it is, after all, only a week. Read More.

7. The Perfect Post-Workout Food For Fat Loss

Today’s post is in response to a reader question. See below for how to have your questions answered in an upcoming article.

“I am a regular visitor of your site and find your posts incredible. It would be really great if you could give me some guidance on post work out meals. I am 25 yrs old. My height is 5 ft 5 inches and I weigh 67 kg. I wish to lose fat and have a lean body. I generally do weight training and some cardio, and I work out in the evenings. Will be glad to hear it from you. Thanks.”  Read More.

8. How To Avoid Chunky Fat Aerobics Instructor Syndrome

There’s an unsightly affliction attacking gym-goers everywhere, and this might include you. It’s the syndrome of the ‘Chunky Fat Aerobics Instructor’ (a fantastic term, coined by Strength Coach and creator of the BioSignature method, Charles Poliquin). It’s defined by a big ole booty and ever-expanding thighs. Now I’m not being mean nor am I being facetious. Read More.

9.  6 Rules On Life From Arnold Schwarzenegger – And A Tribute To A Lost Friend

Yesterday I went to the funeral of a friend who was only 34. He was a trainer who I’d known for many years through the time I worked at Fitness First, and was married just 6 months ago.

Saying goodbye is never easy, but it’s all the tougher when death takes someone so young, fit, and vibrant. And as cliched as it may be, it really does make you stop and assess your own life; the way you spend the majority of your time, the way you engage with your loved ones, and whether or not you truly are ‘pressing play’ on life every day. Read More.

10.  7 Days To A Flat Stomach

Today’s post is a guest post by T.J. of Result Based Training Australia (RBT). If you’ve been following my Woman Incredible blog and Facebook page then you’ll know that RBT is not only Melbourne’s premier fitness company and where I am even personally trained, but is also the home of my new office and the venue for all of my events.

Seeing as how T.J. is one of the best trainers I have ever had the pleasure of working with, I have asked him to jump in and share his top tips for getting that flat stomach you’ve always dreamed of. This post is one of the best-value and info-chocked pieces you’ll find on the internet!

Over to T.J. – enjoy! (PS: make sure you read all the way to the bottom for a ridiculously good ‘no-brainer’ offer from RBT. You’d be crazy to miss out on this). Read More

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

Kat

This post from Body Incredible’s sister blog Woman Incredible is so useful at this time of year that I wanted to share it over here and make sure you don’t miss out! It’s all about how to workout at home or on holidays even with zero equipment.

The Ultimate Holiday or Home Workout

I had a great response to my quick but super-tough hotel gym workouts last week (see Part 2 here, and you can click through to Part 1 from that page if you choose), but it did bring up a certain point from reader Bec.

What if you’re on holidays, or perhaps even wanting to whip up a bit of a home workout, and you have ZERO equipment and yet are filled with the desire to pump out some blood, sweat and tears? Hmmmm … well as much asI do say you don’t necessarily need to keep up the training regime whilst on your preciously limited holiday time, I do completely understand that urge that sometimes comes on to really feel you’ve earned your dinner out in advance!

Read more here.

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play

Kat

Today’s post is a guest post by fellow Poliquin coach Daine McDonald, Director of Clean Health in Sydney. 

This is an article that both the Biggest Loser and the Australian media refused to put up – despite the Biggest Loser initially commissioning the article!

Here is what they told Daine -

“I’m really interested in what you’ve written, but I’m afraid to say I can’t publish it all. To be honest, I was expecting an article around exercise only, but  I realise I should have specifically stated this in my brief.

The thing is the dietary policy here is based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines. That means a strictly low-fat message. It’s all through our diet programs and recipes.

Our editorial policy is not to deviate from the Dietary Guidelines because (a) they’re adopted by the Australian Dietitians Association and (b) we don’t want to confuse our members. It’s one message at all times.

I would be sacked if I published an article advising our members to eat full-fat dairy! What you say about alcohol also goes against our preferred position, unfortunately.”

how to beat belly fat this christmas!

Every week I get asked my gym members, friends, family and clients what they can do to avoid packing on some extra padding during the Christmas season. Should I be eating this? What if I ate this instead of that? What type of exercise should I do and when? You get the picture!

Well in the spirit of Christmas I figured it best to share my top 3 tips on how you can avoid the dreaded holiday bulge!

1)    Consume full fat foods to blunt sugar cravings

Yes you read that right but let me interpret it for you. People often get confused as to what is the real enemy of fat loss… is it fat foods or sugar? Back in the 80’s and 90’s fat god a bad name as the culprit of fat gain. However recently people are becoming more and more aware that good fats (think unsaturated fats) can be your fat fighting friend and not your belly bulging enemy!

The scientific community as a whole is now discovering that more often than not the main culprit is sugar not good fat.

Whenever you consume sugary foods you get a large release of a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. Insulin’s job is to transport glucose into our muscle, liver and cells. If you repeatedly increase the release of this hormone over time the receptors to insulin switch off and no longer recognize it. Examples of foods that raise insulin in significant amounts are cakes, bread, pasta, chocolate, fruits (yes fruit!) and ice cream. So basically all the sugary and sweet stuff!

When these receptors become unresponsive to insulin big trouble or more precisely, big fat looms, as without an access point to these fat burning depots the fuel we consume can get stored as fat rather than being used up. This is known as insulin resistance. How can you tell if this is you? If you store your fat around your midsection like a spare tire than you fit the profile… oh and you have an increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes!

So this is where ‘good fats’ come in. Good fats actually blunt the insulin response in the body, thus leading to a balanced rise in blood sugar and not a yo-yo inducing effect that most people get on. This is a good thing because with balanced blood sugar levels comes reduced stress on the pancreas and less clogging up of our insulin receptor sites which in turn leads to fuel being burnt off not stored!

So my simplest piece of advice is try and eat a breakfast high in protein and good fats (so as to not elevate insulin), which will help better balance your blood sugar levels from the start of the day. So eggs and avocado for breakfast or lean bacon/ham with some brazil and macadamia nuts will do just fine. Another simple trick that I picked from world-renowned Strength Coach Charles Poliquin is when you are craving sugar eat some fat, for example add some full fat cream to my coffee or simply have a tablespoon of it late at night if I am craving something sweet.

2)    Be active every day

I tell my clients not to look for vast improvements over the Christmas period unless they are training for a specific event. Aim to maintain what you have, and be comfortable with a maintenance-based mindset for this period.

Being active daily could be as simple as walking your dog to the park or going for a swim at the beach. The goal should be a minimum of 30 minutes per day. So that includes walking, interval sprinting, yoga/pilates or weight training. These are the exercise methods I use to help my clients get into shape year round. Frequency? Aim for 3 x weight-training sessions per week.

So why do I prefer weight training to running? There are numerous reasons however to pick out a few, when done correctly you can elicit not only the same energy expenditure as a run or jog but the hormonal profile of a planned weight session is going to be more geared towards fat loss. An example of the type of workout I might get my clients to do over Christmas can be found here.

This type of workout utilizes high repetitions and short rest intervals, which will lead to an increased production of blood lactate. An increase in blood lactate levels will lead to an increase in growth hormone, thus resulting in significant losses of body fat!

3)    Drink in moderation

This is the area where most people throw away all of their hard earned effort throughout the year. Think about it, your body treats most alcohol as a toxin, so if it’s first instinct is to try and kick-start detoxification through your liver, kidneys etc then it is a sure fire sign that it probably is not good for you! We all know the negative side effects of drinking too much so I won’t harp on about them, but I will make some recommendations, which will hopefully help.

My first recommendation is to switch your poison, as not all alcohol is too bad for you. Yes that is not typo! Red wine is always the best option. The major benefit from it is higher levels of a compound known as resveratrol.

Among resveratrol’s benefits are that it has been shown to raise metabolism, increase energy, suppress appetite, stabilize blood sugar, accelerate the breakdown of fat stores, improve insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, increases muscle mass and help prevent the conversion of anabolic male hormones into fat-inducing female hormones!

If that’s not enough reasons to trade in your beer for a red wine then I don’t know what is! So what is the best type of red wine? A Merlot or Pinot Noir as they contain higher amounts of trans-resveratrol which is the biologically active form that it best utilized by humans.

Other than that limit the intake to 2-3 glasses tops during a social event – not a whole bottle.

In concluding follow these 3 tips to ensure you either maintain or don’t gain body fat over the silly season!

References:

1)    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/211/Of_Skinny_Mice_and_Men_The_Resveratrol_Story.aspx

2)    http://cleanhealth.com.au/whats-ideal-fat-loss-breakfast/

3)    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/444/Whats_Really_Making_Us_Unhealthy_Hint-_its_not_sat.aspx

Daine is (among many other professional certifications) a Level 2 BioSignature Practitioner and one of the few level 4 Poliquin Certified Strength Coach’s in Australia. He has also done several semi-private internships specializing in advanced body composition and hypertrophy with world renowned Strength Coach Charles Poliquin. If you’re a Sydney gal and looking for someone who I recommend to work with, look no further than Daine McDonald and the team at Clean Health. Don’t forget to ‘like’ Clean Health on Facebook for tips on being clean, lean and healthy – I do!

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play

Kat

Female Fat Loss Over Forty!

As a woman in my forties, I can relate to many challenges that others in my age group face.  What’s a woman to do when her waistline seems to expand even with exercise and watching nutrition? Unfortunately there isn’t a ‘magic formula’ but there is hope.  It’s not possible to lose fat from specific target areas (unless you want to resort to pricey surgical procedures).  However, you can tighten trouble spots with specific exercises.  In addition, by losing body fat, your trouble areas will improve, giving you the look that you desire.  It’s very common for women in their 40’s to gain weight around the mid-section, specifically; their tummies and behinds, resulting in a thicker waist and wider hips.  I would like to share a few ‘secrets’ with you that you can use to tap into the fountain of youth.  It’s possible to feel better than you did in your thirties, look your best and have extra energy.

GET RID OF YOUR TREADMILL!

Yes, it’s true! Please stop the long, slow monotonous treadmill (or any cardio machine) sessions.  Just get rid of your treadmill to make more room in your house and your life for some really effective and inexpensive fat burning exercise.  Your body is all you need.  The secret is replacing your long drawn out cardio sessions with short high intensity interval training sessions.  You can do this with a few simple body weight exercises such as the squat jump, jumping jack or stationary sprint.

Here is a great example of a fat burning exercise that you can add to your day without sacrificing time and space.  The squat jump. (You can modify the movement to match your fitness level by reducing the height of the jump and the depth of the squat). It’s very simple to start the program.  Start with 20 seconds of squat jumps, followed by a 10 second recovery time.  Try to do 10 total sets (or for 5 minutes).  Then you can rest for one minute. as your body adapts and your fitness level increases, you can try to increase your time by another 5 minutes.  In 10 minutes at this pace you will burn a ton of calories.  But remember, this isn’t a slow, easy pace.  You are trying to train at a high intensity level and so you need to ensure you’re breathing hard and keeping your heart rate up there.

• Go into a squat position, powerfully jump to fully a extended position and raise arms overhead
• Slow down as your feet touch the ground and return to the squat position
• Modify by strongly reaching to the ceiling without lifting feet off the ground.
• You can also adjust the deepness of your squat.  The lower your go targets your rear and thighs more effectively.

That life where when work was finished for the day it was, well, finished, and where your biggest financial worry was finding the right outfit for Friday night.

Ah to be back in those days of bliss.

The saying goes we should learn from the past and whilst I believe that applies fully to some things in life (saving your tax money if you’re self-employed, buying Christmas presents in October, not staying out all night the night before something important) I also believe it’s taught us to have false hope when it comes to fat loss, being in shape and being healthy.

Remember when you didn’t focus on fat loss?

At least once a month I have a client tell me that they probably just need to start running again or maybe they should try an all-shake diet – because that’s how they used to stay lean.

And hey – I’m as guilty as anyone out there. I think back over my own health & fitness journey and it’s true that I did get very ‘skinny’ with running. With umpteen hours of cardio per day and minimal weights. With a high whole-grain, low-fat diet.

It’s also true that I was in my early twenties at the time, had pretty much no stress aside from part-time gym instructing and the occasional Uni class, got loads of sleep and had loads of play/down time as well.

And all that aside, I’m pretty sure I was not actually lean – just tiny and skinny. An important difference

The truth? I hesitate to say it gets harder as you get older, not because of the cliche and not because I don’t think it’s true, but just because I hate to wrap the whole thing up so negatively.

Trust me – there’s nothing worse than believing it’s all too hard to make it all truly just get harder and harder. It’s something I’ve personally experienced this year.

I guess it doesn’t have to be about it all being harder, but it definitely is about being smarter.

Assuming that simply dropping a few pieces of toast here and there or increasing your exercise will get you ‘there’ is nothing but a fantasy, and unfortunately all too many people are learning this the hard way. And yes, it’s not necessarily fair. And yes, there are people out there who do get results that way.

You might know one of them and secretly hate them just a tiny bit. Hey – that’s life and it is what it is. There’s no point questioning or getting worked up about it.

So let’s talk about being smart.

It can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be, because when all is said and done being in great shape simply requires you to eat, live, move and breathe as your body is designed to. That’s pretty simply, isn’t it?

Of course it’s not necessarily easy

If you look at it the other way, being in great shape is a complicated weave of sourcing all organic and minimally processed food, avoiding things you are intolerant to, ensuring your liver, kidneys, gallbladdar, pancreas are doing what they are supposed to be doing, balancing the right amount of heavy lifting with sweat training, getting enough sleep, just the right amount of stress, plenty of downtime or play, avoiding toxicity as much as humanly possible … um, brown paper bag anyone?

Here’s the thing.

You don’t have to be a genius at human or even your own physiology, and nor do you necessarily need to embark on an endless journey of testing, poking, measuring and prodding. I’m not saying it can’t help.

But the very very first thing you do need to do? You just gotta let go! You just have to let go of the past and the idea that what used to work is what you need now.

Because if I can tell you one thing for sure it’s that nobody gets results when their mind is firmly stuck on what used to work and why it’s not working now.

It simply doesn’t happen and it ignores the very real fact that just as your financial situation, your job situation and heck even what outfit to wear on a Friday night have changed, so too have your physical needs. ‘You’ are a different you to the you of last year, last week, even yesterday.

So (and I know it’s hard; I battle constantly to do this) try and relaaaaaaaax a little. Go with the flow a bit more. Be willing to test new things, even if they seem opposite to all that you believe or that’s worked for you in the past.

And if you want to know the things that I believe are first and foremost in importance, then scroll to the bottom of this post. It’s a small list and one that I could easily add to. But it’s a great start for most of us.

Remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

Kat

Did you like this post? Then please press the ‘like’ button just below!

Don’t forget to share what works for you when it comes to fat loss and good health in the comments below!

Today I’m going to tell you how to access to a substance that not only controls your cravings, but guides you to either devour or ignore starchy carbs, and even tells your body to either store or shed fat.

I know, I sound like I’m about to sell you something. I’m not

I’m talking about a natural substance to control your hunger and help you lose weight, and it’s one that won’t cost you a thing.

I’m talking about a hormone, one of the lesser known ones but absolutely one of the most powerful.

do you even recognise your natural appetite?

If your day is anything like mine, you’re basically inundated with food temptation from dawn to dusk.

With my husband’s penchant for an after-dinner treat every evening, I can’t even open my own pantry without being faced with a buffet of confectionary. Even if you keep your house wholesomely clean, the reality is you can’t even grab a morning coffee without having to face processed ‘goodies’ both sweet and savoury. And lunch with your colleagues or an after-dinner drink? Riddled with often-tough decisions!

Personally I’ve trained myself to eat very clean 80-90% of the time, and I enjoy doing so. My weakness? When it comes to quantity I can eat like 3 hungry men! And if you give me a chance, I can do it at each and every meal. Sometimes I think I’m still like a little kid who gets excited about going to a birthday party or having a treat.

All of which has made me think that life would be so much easier if I just had some kind of natural appetite suppression button.

The truth, which both you and I need to face up to, is that I do. We all do. It’s just a matter of understanding how to activate it – and perhaps even restore a natural appetite rather than a ‘see-food’ approach to eating.

easy, everyday appetite control

Haven’t heard of leptin or not quite sure what it is and if you even care? Leptin is your natural appetite suppression hormone, and it’s one you can learn to have total control over.

The Leptin low-down

• Low levels of leptin result in increased hunger and food cravings.

• People with more body fat have higher levels of leptin.

• People with low body fat have lower levels of it.

• So basically, your brain should tell your body to produce more leptin if you have enough or extra fat.

• And in theory, high leptin should tell your body to start burning fat.

• However – calorie restriction leads to lowered leptin levels, which is why a low-cal diet is so tough to follow. Your body just wants you to eat!

• This in turn slows down your metabolism and signals your body to start storing fat. Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t say calories are irrelevant, but severely restricting them rather than focusing on proper food intake is not the fat loss solution you’re looking for!
• It’s possible to be more leptin resistant in certain areas of the body, meaning you will store more fat there. Mainly this happens around your belly and your internal organs. All the more reason to control appetite by understanding leptin! As your hunger and your body fat drop you will find it increasingly easier to manage fat in these stubborn areas.

• Interesting fact – leptin is actually derived from the Greek word ‘leptos’, which means thin!

how to control appetite with leptin

There are a few basic principles you can employ to take control of leptin and make weight loss a thing of greater ease.

1. Have a treat day now and then. After eating clean for a period of time your leptin levels start to really drop down. By introducing a smart c carb-based treat meal or treat day every 5-7 days (for maintenance, an initial fat loss program would be different), you can sky-rocket leptin levels for as much as 4-6 days. This basically super-charges your metabolism, as well as makes it easier for you to stay on track.

2. Include fiber in your diet. From vegies and some fruits, for sure, but if you’re wanting to detoxify excess body fat I recommend excess fiber as well. It may well be the best fat loss supplement out there.

3. Supplement with Omega 3′s. They help you burn more fat, lower cravings, decrease inflammation, boost brain power, and control leptin levels. Enough said?!

4. Aside from too much exposure to leptin (from over-eating), fructose and natural or artificial sweeteners will increase your resistance to leptin. Leptin resistence increases sugar cravings, as it makes it hard for your body to access fat for fuel and therefore it relies on sugar for energy. In fact, your body is even capable of turning your bone into sugar if you have severe leptin resistance. This means that eating too many of these foods can result in you losing the ability to tune in to your body’s natural appetite controls.

Follow these simple principles, and enjoy a diet of mainly organically-raised animals and plants, and watch as food cravings and an out-of-control appetite become a thing of the past.

And remember -

Life is Now. Press Play.

Kat

Leave a comment! Have you previously heard of leptin and it’s ability to control appetite – and whether yay or nay is there anything you would now change?

A while back I wrote about the ‘perfect week exercise‘ over on Woman Incredible. Ever since I published that post I’ve been meaning to get around to properly mapping out my perfect week. It’s become a bit of a task actually; one that I keep putting off!

Just now it occurred to me that I don’t know if the perfect week is really about changing many of the activities I do or mapping out a perfect plan. I mean certainly there would be more of some things I already do and less of others, but mainly the perfect week is about a feeling; or several feelings.

perfect feelings

Peace
Inner happiness
Reassurance
Security
Anticipation
Excitement
Joy
Challenge
Accomplishment
Laughter
Fun
Beauty
Relaxation

These are all things that would exist in my perfect week. So trying to define or narrow it down to a range of activities doesn’t necessarily fit, as even the most fun and exciting things become mundane over time. But here are some elements of my perfect week:

• adequate rest and sleep
• couple time with Enzo
• family activities or fun playtime
• a fabulous dinner with friends
• seeing my daughter laugh and get excited
• watching her find her place in the world when out and about/with other kids
• Bikram yoga
• truly challenging training; where I walk away feeling powerful and like I’ve conquered something (myself?!)
• pride and a sense of accomplishment: writing a great article/ receiving a blogging or motivational speaker award
• uninterrupted ‘flow’ writing time
• me time in nature i.e. 1000 stairs
• church
• a family meal
• wandering me time i.e. around the city
• elation at watching my online sales grow and the knowledge that my hard work building an online business is paying off
• sitting in my own beautiful back garden, with a cup of coffee and the Sunday papers, watching my daughter play
• explorative and gratitude journaling
• the energy and inclination at night to journal!
• delicious home-prepared meals alone, or with others
• laying in the sun and watching the clouds
• a clean, open and welcoming house to come home to
• bills paid, money in savings in the bank, no credit card debt
• reading, studying or writing in the State Library
• planning an exciting holiday, even just for a day or two
• people booking in; filling up my workshops or events
• being asked to speak at something exciting like Business Chicks
• a sports modeling photo shoot of me in a magazine or the Sunday paper
• inspiring other women either on or offline
• working toward an important goal: anticipation
• doing something nice for someone else, for no reward
• eating M&Ms and drinking wine in Gold Class

That would be a truly amazing week! I’m smiling just thinking about it

Life is Now. Press Play.

Kat

PS: What would your perfect week include? For me, some of these things definitely still need to be worked toward, but it’s funny how many of them I already have well within reach. How about you?

There’s nothing worse than dragging yourself out of bed (after hitting snooze 3 or 4 times) to face a long and tiring day when all you really feel like doing is putting the pillow over your head and maybe surfacing around midday for a nice cafe brunch. But let’s face it. There’s only so many mental health days you can realistically get away with, and honestly – would you really feel so great about life or yourself anyway if you actually did follow your morning instincts?

A far better choice is to take action to boost your morning energy. I guarantee this will also improve your mood and ultimately your motivation to (enthusiastically!) get through the day ahead. Here’s a few ideas that have worked wonders for me. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I actually am a morning person now, and I really never thought that would happen!

1. Try a salt water re-boot

This tip will re-boot your adrenal (stress) glands, and give you a hearty dose of vital minerals. At night, simply stir a decent pinch of real (pink, grey or black organic) sea salt into a tall glass of water. Drink it first thing on arising. If you’re quite toxic you may experience a detox reaction, so stay close to a toilet for at least 10 minutes! This won’t happen on an ongoing basis, and may not happen at all. More likely you’ll just notice that morning fog clear and a welcome energy boost.

2. Get things moving with a dose of fiber and lemon

Freshly squeezed lemon in warm water is an old trick for improved morning digestion. Actually there’s not really any science behind the idea, but it works for nearly everyone and that’s good enough for me! You can add lemon to your salt water, or use a second glass – two glasses of water first thing is preferable anyway. If you really want to get things moving and enhance toxin removal, add 2 rounded teaspoons of a quality fiber. I’d do this in just half a glass water and then follow with another big glass.

3. Avoid eating 2 hours before bed

Food in your belly right before bed will reduce your quality of sleep and leave you feeling grump – possibly even hungover – come morning. If your body is focused on digestion you won’t be able to produce growth hormone (GH) whilst asleep, and considering GH is vital to a healthy metabolism I’d say it’s best to go to bed a little hungry.

4. Keep the room completely dark

Your sleeping environment is absolutely paramount to the quality of sleep you enjoy and therefore to your overall energy and health. I read a study in which simply shining a small red light behind the knee of a person caused melatonin production to drop and cortisol production to increase. Not good. Use an eye mask if necessary.

5. Maintain a comfortable temperature during sleep

It’s also important that you don’t become too warm whilst asleep. A cosy electric blanket or night-time heater is appealing when getting into a cold bed but you know how yucky you feel waking in a too-warm room – your head pounds and you feel as though your whole body has been left out to dry. Set the heater on a timer, and avoid the electric blanket altogether unless you like the idea of constant radiation whilst sleeping. If it’s summertime, use a slow fan. The noise might even help you sleep!

6. Move that ass – preferably outdoors

No excuses – as soon as you get out of bed chuck your shoes on (leave PJs on if necessary!) and take a quick 5-10 minute walk around the block. An alternative is to do 5-10 minutes of bodyweight squats, lunges, push ups in your garden or on your balcony. Unless you’re unfortunate enough to live right next to a sewerage plant, morning air – no matter how cold – will definitely clear your head and the accompanying exercise will leave you feeling exhilarated for hours.

7. Take 10 minutes to consider the day ahead

This is my favourite morning habit, and one I really wish I made time for more often. I like to combine a cup of quality java (which, as we recently learned, is lowering my heart disease risk!) with 10 minutes of journalling or just staring into space and thinking. I think it was Ghandi who said “I have so much to do today that I don’t have time not to spend an hour on my knees”. Another quote I love is  “the unexamined life is not worth living” (who said that?). You get the idea. Take some time to consider what’s important to you today; what would you have to do to feel great about the day and I guarantee you’ll feel great for it.

How ’bout you? What works for you in the early hours?