To be eligible we need 6 months of photos taken by us and this Saturday will be a great opportunity to get your first one. Let us know if you would like to be involved and or that you will be attending the BBQ by filling in the form below. The BBQ is open to all members of Best Practice after the measuring is completed at approximately 11.30am. Bring any friends and family and receive a special free 1 week pass to the gym assuming they are not already members.

See you Saturday!

“Man. He spends half of his life making himself sick whilst trying to make money and then spends the other half spending that money trying to make himself better”.

Better late than never though! But I guess sometimes there isn’t enough money to correct the big problems created from a lack of looking after oneself in the critical years.

Think about this. There is a reason why they say put YOUR OWN oxygen mask on first if there is an emergency on a plane.

You might think you are putting your family first by working yourself in to the ground and sacrificing all your time but I would say you haven’t thought about that enough yet!

As I understand it, this new app allows you to scan your food whilst shopping and the food label is assessed for how healthy the food is. If it is a red light you are given other choices  that are considered healthier. My fist reaction to this was, ‘if it has a label, chances are it is no good anyway’. Remember the closer you can eat to nature the better. So until they put bar codes on trees you should be right to make good decisions yourself with out an app. But I live in the real world like you and sometimes foods we eat, do in fact come out of a pack so this is a pretty good innovation.

Anyway check out this link to find out more information.

Also apologies for last week’s link. It should work now.

But just to remind you what we currently have – we have a new gym (for those who know what they are doing and like the convenience of our location and the addition of the pool), bootcamp (new in 2012 for those who like the motivation of working with others) and of course personal training (for those who have identified ‘change’ or indeed for our PT members, ‘maintenance’ as their theme for 2012).

The link to the article I want you to read today is below. I won’t use the word they use because a million spam blockers will go off but it is an interesting read because it adds weight to the assertion that exercise is indeed the best prescription of them all.

exercise the cure all!

It all starts with awareness of where you are at. If you are training with us you will know what it was that finally triggered you in to action.

• It may have been a worrying milligrams of mercury reading for your  blood pressure result at a work ‘health day’.
• It may have been high numbers of  ’cholesterol’  at an annual blood test
• A waist hip ratio that flags concern

As personal trainers we deal in numbers and it is our job to get you to understand yours. But first you have to measure them. If fat loss is your goal it might be calories versus calories out or getting your body fat percentage in to a safe range. What I wanted to mention to you today is the multitude of apps and systems available to you to see where you are at. I have used a lot over the years and I want you to check out what works for you. If you have an I phone then check out the following: My net diary, Mapmyfitness, Myfitnesspal, Nike+GPS, Hundred Push ups, wateryourbody….. The list goes on and on but find something that resonates with you. The ease of use and the information it gives you could be a great strategy for getting your numbers in the right direction.

The story goes that in an attempt to show the dramatic effects of alcohol, a learned man presenting to the group performed an experiment which had a surprising response from one attendee. Standing on the stage the man held up two clear vials of fluid for all to see. Picking up a worm with some tongs he dropped the worm in to the first vial. The worm happily swims around in the fluid. The man says simply, “this vial is water”. He then picks the worm up out of the first vial and drops it in the second only to see it instantly vaporise. “This”, he said “is pure alcohol”. Pausing for effect, he then says to the mostly speechless group, “What do we make of this?”. One man in the back pipes up and says drily, “I see if I drink alcohol I won’t have worms”.

This is a classic example of seeing what you want to see from a situation which may not be the most valuable part. People often come to us looking for the answer to their fitness and health woes. We are only part of the solution. We are more the “catalyst” which when you look at the scientific definition of that word will find that it means “A substance (an entity) that increases the rate of a chemical reaction (rate of change) without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change (we are definitely left more satisfied)”. We badly want our clients to change but what we want doesn’t matter, in the end, the best results come from those who take responsibility and use us to help bring that change to life. Just quickly, on the topic of alcohol, who is going to join me in the Feb fast? Raise money or not, your body and mind will thank you for this. I already have two mates on board. What about you?

The article this link goes to is not trying to undermine anything I have just said but goes to show that nothing is totally bad and that the science of how we age is an interesting field indeed!

There is nothing like up to the minute feedback to affect your actions. So, in the time period between now and when we get our calendar, complete with inspirational photos (and probably stupid pictures of me on there somewhere too! Perhaps you got my Christmas card?), use one you already have or print one out off the internet. Then, what I want you to do, is simply mark with a red marker or pen each time you do an exercise session. Add up your number for the week and then the month. Add a cumulative total to each month and start tallying up the points.

Here is how we will calculate your exercise points this year at Best Practice. 3 points for a strength training session (30-45 minutes is optimal), 2 points for a short intense (interval style) cardio sessions and half a point for a low intensity activity like golf or easy swimming for example. The goal is to accumulate between 10 and 15 points per week. More is not better here. The focus I am taking with clients this year is to improve nutrition to such an extent that it allows you to train well and get optimal results. Not train to dissipate a bad diet. This doesn’t work. Sure it is better to exercise than not, no matter what your diet, but if results are what you are after then you will take heed of this last point well.

Check out the detail of what Best Practice will be implementing this year The+MP+10+Point+System+-+An+Introduction

By the end of April of this year I will be introducing specialised programs in body transformation based on the above science-based approach which has already achieved great change for many people around Australia.

TUESDAY 0600 Strength Circuit – concentrating on Legs as did my rotator cuff over Christmas (don’t ask, OK I’ll tell, after throwing a 3yo repeatedly in the air in the pool…). At ~1100 I think, hey, there’s an empty CT room at the FV pool totally under-utilised….can’t waste this…. plus Tour Down Under is 2 weeks away! 1200 CT – 95_Nationals_Road_Race.  OK, looks suitable,20.92km, let’s give it a whirl.  Hey, no one told me ~2 mins into the ride it’d swing from -2% to +15% then ‘ease up’ to 8.5%! Nasty course…  47:00:46 – OK first hit-out on a course I didn’t know. 1700 Incredibly heavy legs walking up a hill to my home in the burbs…what idiot combines a legs weight session followed by the CT?
WEDNESDAY 1200 CT – 95_Nationals_Road_Race. Swallowed a spoonful of concrete then hit the same course thinking it’s time to shrink yesterdays time.  Got the music pumping, set the floor fan directly on Bike #7 to blow a gale over the body, and got on with it!  45:26 (? wrote it up on the whiteboard anyway). Shaved 2 mins off previous days time without passing out – not bad, congratulations, you’re a ‘hard man’ I say to myself.
THURSDAY 1200 CT Default CT Time Trial (9.98km) – note it wasn’t planned this way as I must’ve zoned out as I thought I was going to have a third crack at the 95 Nationals RR.  Had the head down but was surprised when I didn’t hit the 15% gradient – it was only then I realised what course I was on & thought ‘stuff it, it’s half the course I’ve done the last 2 days so ‘Hammertime’….but didn’t have a target time to beat.  Did 16:21:66 then looked at the whiteboard to see I shaved a big 6 seconds off the best time for that course! (but I will confess to lying down in front of the fan for a minute at the end of it).

Well anyway I did not drive and we caught a cab. The next day I jumped on my bike to ride over and grab my van. Now I am not trying to say I am a legend for doing this (because I guess a holier than thou PT would never have been in the pub in the first place!)  but the tendency to choose movement no matter how seemingly insignificant can add up to something worthwhile  if you do it enough times. I was not still over the limit the next day when I was on my bike, if you were wondering!

So I guess here is my message from this post. Look after the ‘cents’ of fitness (choosing to walk to the shops instead of drive, taking the stairs every time instead of the elevator and maybe even commit to taking the steps two at a time and run them like my friend Mike or ride your bike the next day after having 2 or 3 drinks for Christmas to pick up your car!) and the ‘dollars’ of health will look after themselves.Those ‘dollars’ are a body worth having, a mind that feels clear and a temperament that leans towards happy because fit people are, as a rule an optimistic bunch. Remember that a consistent choice for more movement will inevitably lead to a healthy habit that will define who you are and how you live.

Down on herself and excruciatingly timid city worker, Ingrid (played by an excellent Michelle Pfieffer) decided it was time to change her life on New Years Eve at about 3pm. The thing I really loved about her character was her determination to ACT on her list and employ the help she needed to get it done. She had a seemingly impossible list of things to achieve before the day/year ended. She employed a suitably motivated motorcycle courier played by Zac Effron to ‘use his imagination’ to help her realise her goal of ‘really living life’ perhaps for the first time. You will have to see the movie to see what I mean. It really is a fun and moving journey with many stars and yes a little cliched at times.

I loved the overall theme in the movie however, which was the notion that the chance is always there for a new beginning at the end of each year. How true it is. But I believe that New Years Eve has that universal ability to bring our focus back to the things in life that make us sparkle. I liken it a little to the game of tennis. The beauty of tennis is that you start at zero and on a level playing field with your opponent, after every game and every set. The chance is always there to get better from the game before. Life is like this. It is unfortunate that we don’t live everyday like this because when you focus on the present and really live in the moment, magic can happen.

Perhaps it is time for you on this New Year to remind yourself of that and be like Michelle Pfeiffer’s character Ingrid. Identify what you really want to do and then take massive and purposeful action to achieve it. Don’t be scared to ask for the help you might need to make this a reality. Make 2012 your year for finally living the life you want. If you believe you only get one shot at this thing called life then time is of the essence!

So, my revised opinion is that NYR’s aren’t a waste of time if you make them (when lucid and capable of insightful thinking) and THEN pursue them with all your heart. Every one gets a chance at a new beginning, every moment of everyday, all it takes is thought and action. Over to you.

Most people will do extremely well if they get 3-6 hours of dedicated exercise per week (1.5%-3% of your entire week btw) and this is enough to make some serious positive impact to your health….. if training (and eating) is done the right way.

All programs should have  one and absolutely no more than four  resistance training sessions per week (2-3 is very good). Next you should have 1-2 intensive cardio sessions (quality is way better than quantity with this) and the last element is perhaps longer sessions of lower intensity – think fun stuff that is not exhaustive but ‘active’.

What should the length of time of your training sessions be? The latest research says 30-45 minutes is plenty. Good news! You don’t have to do hours upon hours to get fantastic results. You just have to know what to do and when.

A very important aspect to  consider is the universal principle of cycled training, meaning that you can’t have progress without recovery. Make sure there is some down time and transition between programs throughout the year. You will need this mentally just as much as physically.

We can coordinate all this in 2012 for our clients. I am looking at helping a lot of people achieve amazing transformations next year and we will have various  structured programs to achieve this. If you are already doing the job but just need a location for a very reasonable cost look out gym & swim deals. If you like working out with people and a group dynamic check out our new outdoor group training program and if you need a lot of help then you need our elite PT programs.

All our training will have goal setting as priority number one, nutrition as priority number two, and strength training and intensive cardio sessions as  priority 3 and 4 respectively. You put all this together and you get a vastly accelerated result.

2012 will be a good year!

Okay, so what is it that is so important?

Nutrient timing.

It is WHEN you eat which is way more critical for muscle building and fat loss than WHAT you eat. Research is telling us there is a special ‘window of opportunity’ for making fantastic gains in fat loss and muscle building. It is also a time when you can get away with some things you won’t get away if you don’t exercise. So if you don’t exercise you don’t ever get a window. This is not to say that you can eat what you want at this time but certainly higher energy carbohydrates and faster absorbing protein is recommended at this time.

So what is the window? About half an hour before to about 3 hours after your sessions. In fact research is showing this one factor  is looking like THE difference for those getting muscle gain and fat loss from their training and those who aren’t. The other factor jumping out is that resistance training is more important than cardio training for body composition change. I will talk more on this next week. I have always liked a mix of both and usually in about equal measures, i.e. 3 strength, 3 cardio sessions in a week but I will be changing my programming based on this new cutting edge information and you should too! If you would like to know more just drop me a line.

Holding back the years!

Scientific Daily Whey Protein Article

Imagine putting off a really important client on a regular basis? You just wouldn’t do it as part of being professional, so why do most people feel it is okay to do it to themselves? I believe it is because of a skewed set of values or a belief that ‘this is only for a short time’. Sometimes that short time turns in to a lifestyle. If you truly value your health and  your own time,  you will find a way to perform a fitness routine that advances your health and yes your performance which you will find usually rubs off in ALL other areas. As Mr Bouris said to one of the guys in the winning team of a challenge,  in the ridiculous yet watchable  Celebrity Apprentice, “once a champion mate, always a champion”.  You know what they say, excellence is a habit not an act.

This article I read was written by a veteran in the field of exercise prescription and the psychology of how people are and he suggests keeping it real simple and you will give your average person a real shot at doing something worthwhile.  I tend to agree.

If you did a 20-30 minute whole body strength session every week, with out fail over the past year, just once per week mind you, do you think you would be stronger and have a better body and faster metabolism? Absolutely. That would be 52 sessions. Now ask yourself how many strength sessions have you done over the past month or three months even.  Most people think that they have to do 3-4 sessions per week or it’s a waste of time. I would like you to rethink that. If you are working with a trainer, then yes you will be programmed to perform a certain amount of sessions per week aimed at a defined outcome  but if you are the one driving your own show then set your goals a little lower but just make sure what ever you do, you do it CONSISTENTLY. Once strength session every week for a year? It would be an achievement better than most but eminently achievable.

Usual disclaimer for the exercise routine suggested below: “consult your doctor before starting any exercise program and get advice on your program before starting to make sure the exercises you do are suitable for your individual circumstances”.

Okay here is a plan. 5 exercises only. You must include a squat or a lunge (both would be good). You must have a push exercise (chest press on bench, ball or using cable machine, push up would do the job too) and a pull exercise (lying on a bench using dumb bells to perform a row movement, bent over row using the smith machine or low row movement on the cable machine, just think any exercise that brings the shoulder blades together). You will need to include an ab exercise (on a ball or on the floor or performing a standing rotation using the cable machine) and a back strengthening exercise (like back extension on a swiss ball or holding a plank or alternate super person).

Each exercise is performed slowly with control. 3-4 seconds on the first part of the movement and same on the return. I suggest working to a 45-60 second time interval. Pick a load that is very difficult to continue with good form by the time you get to the end of this time interval. This kind of load will allow for a warm up to be included in the performance of the actual exercise. 5 minutes on the cross trainer or fast walk etc. before starting wouldn’t hurt either. Go from one exercise to the other continuously (rest only if you absolutely have to). Progressively overload your performance over time by increasing the weight slightly or the time performing it up to a maximum of 90s. Perform as many of the exercises as you can and record this in the time frame you have committed to, be it 20 or 30 minutes. Commit to doing this once per week. Do it twice and consider it a bonus, three or four times and your a legend.

Keep checking at www.sweatgym.com.au under ‘do it yourself’ for downloadable programs designed specifically for that gym. Keep it simple folks and you will achieve a better outcome.

This behavioural approach was found to be way more effective than so called cognitive strategies aimed at trying to change peoples attitudes or beliefs via education methods. I can only but agree. I feel like I talk and talk sometimes but the message usually only really gets through when the hand is held if not pulled a little! Clients that hire us intuitively know this and is definitely one of the reasons most gyms don’t work on their own. This is why we strongly encourage you to know when you need that accountability you will get from a trainer.

If you want to read more on this study, entitled ‘Focus more on the how and less on the why’, check it out – here. The idea that you should focus on the ‘how’ is interesting and goes a little against common wisdom in this area. But it main tenet agrees with controversial sports psychologist Phil Jauncey’s approach of helping people to  ‘just do it’ and not get stuck in the over analysis of other interventions. You’ve heard of ‘fake it till you make it’.  Perhaps this is sage advice when attempting to get people to exercise more because by the time you start thinking about it, the exercise behaviour will be habit and have a life of its own. The only issue here is the ‘getting the ball rolling part’.

Just before I go in to it, I want you to understand something. The information you get here is going to be good. I don’t say that to brag but just to let you know that having studied three science degrees I respect the research process and what it can tell us. I do understand the argument, that numbers can be twisted to say anything but that argument loses weight when the shear volume of data saying one thing, far out weighs the scant research saying something else entirely. So with that in mind, you should have a look at the recent research done on the importance of cardiovascular fitness and how ‘intensity’ is more important than duration.

I want you to think about that a little when you say next time, ‘hey I’m active enough, I play golf’. Check out the study here and I draw your attention to this quote in particular from Professor Wisloff, “Even if you were highly active at a young age, you have to keep being active to get the health benefits from it”. I can still hear one of my lecturers booming, “You can’s store fitness!”

This is why we, as fitness coaches will still exist for some time because until you can say fitness is your non-negotiable habit and you know how to push yourself enough, you will derive benefit from sessions like computrainer and one on one sessions with trainers like Eoin and Rob. If you want to know what your VO2 max (in the study they call it VO2peak, but it is the same thing) let me know and we can run that one for you. It’s good to track your numbers and shoot for something. It can produce untapped drive to achieve worthwhile things.

I must admit to a raised eyebrow when someone tells me about how much they exercise with the wii. Maybe I am missing something but the few games I played on it don’t really cut it as ‘exercise’ in my book. Here is a pretty in depth look at both the pros and the cons. I really like the last line of this paper because it is one I have heard and agree with. I just think too, that if you are going to do something do it well!

“So you’re a personal trainer?” mystified look on his face. “why aren’t you massive dude?” said with a good natured vibe. “I mean you look outdoorsy and kind of fit (thanks!) but most personal trainers I see have it virtually tattooed on their forehead if not literally tattooed on their massive guns, you’ve seen what I am talking about”.

My reply, pulling out my old favourite, was “well yeah, I do  know what you mean but I am the ‘thinking person’s personal trainer’” …..This was something I blogged about sometime back if any of you recall after another similar type of experience  in Airlie Beach a few years back.

“and our clients aren’t the ones who respond well to the over muscled dude with the designer singlet”

Maybe I said this a tad too defensively as he quickly back pedalled with, “No, no, no don’t get me wrong, I am sure you are really good at what you do and I it meant more like, ‘yeah, cool someone normal, you know what I mean?”

I laughed and thought to myself, that I really do have to get those bicep curls going a bit more or wear a better cut off shirt!

But, I guess the point to note is that myself and the trainers you will get at best practice and in the new gym are down to earth, well educated but definitely NOT intimidating! We love what we do too even if we aren’t recognised everywhere instantaneously as a “PT”‘.

This can be done in 25 mins and you need a heart rate monitor and an all clear from your doc (of course).

5 min gradual warm up bringing your heart rate up in to a training zone. What is a training zone? Usually 70-80% of your predicted maximum heart rate. A better formula however is 220-your age – your resting heart rate. Multiple this number by .7 (or .8) and add back on your resting heart rate.

For 15 minutes you might perform 10 efforts of 60 seconds at 85-90% max heart rate with a 30 second walking (or jogging) recovery. Just on that, you may actually not even have to run to get your heart rate up enough. You could use the elevation on the treadmill to boost the intensity or you could choose to run on the flat or up hills if that is what you need. Just remember, this is about ‘relative intensity’, meaning relative to your current fitness level. If you don’t have a heart rate monitor yet, (I advise you get one asap) then you can use the talk test. You should be able to talk in the recovery phase but not so much in the ‘on’ phase! Experiment with this a little and try to observe, over time your ability to walk faster up hills or tolerate a higher speed or recover quicker.

It is amazing to watch (and feel) how the body adapts and becomes more capable. If in doubt about any of this drop me an email.

It’s not that hard to eat well. You just have to be organised! This has everything you need to know. Ingredients, how to prepare and then the breakdown of what is in it. Knowledge is power my friends!

Check out this easy to prepare meal – Asian prawn noodle salad

p.s. very special PT pack offer on the day only for new clients. It will be worth being there if you are really thinking hard about getting this fitness, life change gig started!!

Perhaps if I share what I use,  maybe you can borrow something from that or better still just copy what I do and join me in all the fun? I missed a few of you on the weekend for the Brisbane to Gold Coast ride, which was amazingly good fun and with the training of computrainer under my belt, surprisingly comfortable. I had never ridden more than about 28k on our affectionately named bike session, ‘compudeath’ but the few sessions I have been doing were easily enough preparation. I work on the 1 to 3 principle now. 1 hour of compu is worth 3 hours of outdoor riding. I guarantee a lot of you who thought you would have had trouble would have killed it. Next year I want you there! Look out for the best practice jersey. Three guesses as to what colour it might be.

A calendar of events to give focus to my training next year is below.  One of my goals is to get way more of you involved in these types of events. I would like a bit more company in doing this stuff because that is one of the things that makes this whole thing easier, training buddies. This is one of the concepts behind Best Practice and Sweat to try and make fitness just a part of your life – if you can be an influence on  those around you to help them help you keep moving, then expect to be happier and be surrounded by happier people. Just check our smiles out in the photo for proof!

Next year calendar:

• BRW corporate triathlon
• Brissie to Bay bike ride (kickbike for me next year. I have 7 other kickbikes FYI!)
• Perfect July – an exercise in self discipline and a boost to results
• Bridge to Brisbane run – 10km run/walk
• Brissie to Goldcoast ride – 100km ride. Cruise or push it no one cares.
• Strength training focus leading in to Christmas or a years end best practice event (I am open to suggestions)

Okay who is with me!??

Check out the breakdown of this little breakfast delight!

Classic breakfast breakdown

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/olympic-weightlifting-routine.html

I have recently signed up for mapmyfitness which has some great systems for tracking any exercise but seems particularly good for running. It looks like it has a great nutrition aspect to it as well but I haven’t got in to that yet. Apparently the Nike plus for the Ipod is pretty amazing too for runners or walkers. In short, there are many amazing free tools for tracking, measuring and motivating. If you are not using anything and are having trouble getting results, check these out.

We use a system with clients when we are coaching seriously for fat loss. It is called nutrition complete. It is a place to plan your weekly eating, print out your meal plans and shopping list. It is even a place to observe your energy balance (where the rubber meets the road in terms of fat loss results), by calculating energy expended by your weekly exercise and energy in, from the foods consumed. It takes this kind of focus for a lot of people to get on target. Check it out.

If you are an existing client, ask about your free 4 week trial of this system. I will even help you get set up with a one on one half hour orientation. Consider this a voucher worth at least $100. You just have to ask!

• Memberships on sale next Monday, October 3
• Open dayon October 16, where we will draw the winner of the 12 month free membership to gym and swim worth over $1000. If you haven’t entered then look out for the box at the pool on the desk. It looks like this -

• Gym operational from October 17. If you are an existing client then you get a special deal and you will have to call me to find out more.

Get ready for convenience, get ready for new equipment, get ready to  fitting in more exercise at your favourite pool and yes, get ready to Sweat!

Okay here’s your 20 minute workout. This is only for those who have been trained in these movements with a professional and have been given the clearance by their doctor go for it.

5 minute progressive whole body warm up. All you need is a clock on the wall or if you are high tech, an iphone app timer that goes off every 20 seconds. Repeat the following 4 exercises 3 times, each time increase the range of the movement and speed. You should have a light sweat on your body at the end of the 3-4 minutes.

• Body weight squat
• Push up
• Stationary lunge (on one leg then the other)
• Stomach crunch

Next, you are aiming to do 4 exercises that involve the upper and lower body, aka hybrid exercises. There is minimal rest in between the exercises. Remember this is a 20 minute workout from warm up to cool down. Straight in to it. No procrastination, just pure work and focus.

• Lunge walk with medicine ball twist
• Squat with forward dumb bell raise
• Functional trainer reverse wood chop
• BB squat clean and press

You go through all these exercises with the timer set to 45 seconds. You transition from one exercise to the other as quickly as you can. Do this for 15 minutes and then cool down for 5 minutes on a rower.

You are done. Back to work and whatever it is that seems so important!

All these moves will be possible in Sweat, a best practice gym. Coming soon! Memberships on sale October 3. Open day October 16. You have to be there on that day to have a chance at winning the grand prize of 12 months free membership to Gym and Swim worth over $1000. There will be more information in the coming weeks. In the meantime keep checking back at the Sweat website as there will be a new website with all the relevant information within 7 days.

Exercise can increase productivity by up to AU$2,500 per employee according to 60 day trial carried out by The Brain Science Institute

Clinical trial to measure correlation between physical fitness and brain function finds that exercise significantly increases happiness, productivity and cognition

SYDNEY, Australia — September 13, 2011 —SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) Australia, announced the findings of a clinical trial conducted recently by the Brain Sciences Institute at Swinburne University, on 40 randomly selected SAP employees over a 60 day period.  The study intervention was carried out by Professor Paul Taylor, founder of the Body Brain Performance Institute.

The research study looked at different measurable components of cognition using a neuropsychological test battery specifically developed by Swinburne’s Brain Science Institute. The test measured important aspects of brain function typical for people in management and executive positions, such as the ability of the brain to plan, remember, simulate future scenarios and make decisions.

Over 60 days, a total of 40 randomly selected SAP employees based in Melbourne took part in the clinical trial.  Half of the employees represented the control group and the other half the exercise group. Both groups did a 10,000 steps per day walking program with the exercise group attending the gym three times a week to do a novel approach to resistance training in addition to the steps.

The trial, which ran from April to June this year, found a direct link between physical fitness and work participation, with productivity increases calculated at AU$2,500 per year per employee.

“The research showed that there is a very clear link between physical fitness and brain function,” said Prof. Taylor. “There were improvements in the employees’ mood and cognition from both of the groups, with the exercise group surpassing the results of the control group.”

The results of the trial found that by doing 10,000 steps a day, the control group received modest improvement in their BioAge and brain functions. Average exercise level for most Australian office workers is between 3,000 – 5,000 steps a day. The clinical trial established that when more vigorous exercise is added three times per week, BioAge and brain function increase significantly.

As a result, SAP will be rolling out the 10,000 steps walking program for its employees in Australia, supported by an online wellness platform developed by The Body-Brain Performance Institute. With the Institute’s help, SAP is looking to promote health, mental well-being and resilience of its employees, which brings both individual and business benefits.

“SAP has a very strong commitment to nurturing and developing its employees.  This program provides a way in which we can offer support to both their physical and mental fitness, and increase overall productivity across the business,” said Tim Ebbeck, President and Managing Director, SAP Australia and New Zealand.  “It’s a great program.”

The clinical trial established that:

• ·         The employees who attended the gym as well as completing the 10,000 steps showed significant increases in alertness and energy levels
• ·         The trial also measured levels of anger and stress. The results showed that there was no improvement of anger level with the walking group but the exercise group’s levels dropped significantly. The results established that in order to really control stress levels and burn adrenaline, vigorous exercise is needed
• ·         In addition to mood, the clinical trial also looked at cognition. Both of the groups improved their reaction time with the exercise group arriving at decisions much faster
• ·         Working memory, the ability to actively hold information in the mind needed to do complex tasks such as reasoning, judgement and decision-making, improved by 2% with the walking group and by 4% with the exercise group. Working memory tasks are those that require the goal-oriented active monitoring or manipulation of information or behaviours in the face of interfering processes and distractions
• ·         The trial also looked at accuracy vs. reaction time. Normally when the brain carries out an action quicker, it tends to be less accurate and vice versa. While the Control group didn’t show much improvement in the correlation, the exercise group’s accuracy and reaction times both improved.
• ·         The exercise group performed much better than the walking group in a classic ‘stress-test’ measure of brain function

Someone also said to me recently that ‘it’s all about time management’ WRONG.

It’s all about priorities. If you have heard me rant before then you already know this. But it bears repeating as my old uni lecturer used to say, repetition is the mother of all learning. Wise words.

Many are called and few are chosen they say. Do you want to be part of the many or the few? You just have to look at the numbers quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday. “two thirds of Australians are overweight or obese”. I don’t care how many times I read that , it just saddens me. The most interesting and fun people I know are those that move regularly and push themselves a bit. Fair enough if we were designed with no legs and no arms, the couch would be the best place to hang out. But come on, seriously!  We have a heart and lungs that allow us to do so much, just ask Cadel. The side effects of using them are nothing but good.

It is worth pursuing, whatever it takes, for this exercise gig to be the something you ‘just do’ as part of your very full and action packed life. Or perhaps just ignore it at your peril and or  experience a life only half lived. If you believe you only get one shot at this thing then time is of the essence my friend.

I had a text from a great client of mine Martina Hal after the event, who said words to the effect that “her trainer wouldn’t be pleased that there may have been more chatting than serious exercise”. I replied by saying that ‘anyone who gets out of bed early on a Sunday morning to engage in exercise of any kind gets my respect’. And so it goes also to Andrew Bauer and Merve Smith. I am sure there were other clients and ex clients involved but hats off to you two guys in particular. We met at the pool at 5.00 am and got across to the start with minimal stress in the best practice mobile. It was a great performance from first timer, Andrew who had said to me a year ago that he would and I quote ‘like to be able to run 1km without stopping’. Well, after running the 10km yesterday non stop in a respectable time indeed, I think we need to readjust those goals some what. Great effort mate! Next year, sub 50 mins is realistic. As for Merve, an old hand at this running game, a predictable super effort. With marathons under his belt this man knows about ‘habitual exercise’ and the power of consistent effort in being active as simply something which is firmly a part of his life. This is what it is all about. Check photos out attached. They are wearing the ‘useful fitness’ orange singlet which represents physical efforts outside the studio which is what we train for. I love to see you all looking good in the studio but when you put it all in to practice outside in the real world, well that just makes my day!

Just on another note and before I forget. Not sure if you have heard my ‘caller tone’ lately.  Think Snoop Doggy Dog and something very appropriate to our new gym. You will have to call me and hope I don’t answer straight away!

Anticipated opening October 8

www.sweatgym.com.au

This is one of the tools we are using (but filled in to suit your goals) in our nutrition coaching.

We use a great system. You can see more about it back at our website

Check it out

I won an Australian junior tennis title event.

I did a biathlon and swam across Sydney Harbour

I got my bronze medallion

I was captain of my football team

I represented NSW in tennis

I ran the city to surf in 54 mins…..

Big deal! All these things have one thing in common. They are in firmly in the past. I don’t know how many times I have heard blokes (in particular) talk about stuff they once did. Who cares? What matters is what is happening now! This blog is aimed at 40+ something blokes. It is an age group and gender and I can relate to. Just lately we have had some guys of this vintage do really well. The following guys have lost around 10cm off the waist this year, Andrew, Gareth, Gary, Rogerio, Jorge. Others have lost a little less but are DOING the job right now. This is what counts. Forget about how much of a legend you might have been in the past. That ship has sailed my friend.

Now is your reality.

Later this year I will be assembling a group of motivated blokes who want to make 2012 the year that they stop the rot and reclaim the glory days. This will be a 12 month program and only for guys who are just super FED UP with being FAT, FORTY-ISH and FREAKIN’ living in the past.  I will be accepting 10 blokes only and only those who I think have the stomach for this. No pun intended. But yep you will be looking to lose between 10 and 30 kg, 10 and 20cm off the waist, improving your blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and liver function next year and become the bloke you see in your mind when you currently tell the story about how good you used to be.

I saw a great T shirt the other day. Be as good as you think you were! We are going to have our own. “Glory days…..no longer a thing of the past!”

You will need crystal clear goals, a hunger to eat and drink right and a desire to be strong, fit and useful in a blokey way again by years end 2012 – You will be set up for a healthy ride in to your later years so you can perform well in what ever it is you do and enjoy doing and  be the inspirational father and partner you know you can  be.

Interested in finding out more about this exclusive Glory days program?

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Health Benefits of coconut oil

As unbelievable as it sounds, the oil in coconuts has been found to aid the body in destroying dozens of harmful viruses including hepatitis C, herpes, and HIV. Coconut oil has been called the healthiest dietary oil on earth. If you’re not using coconut oil for your daily cooking and amazing health products.

• It protects the body from viral, bacterial or protozoal infections that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and other diseases. Lauric acid in coconut oil kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis (white),ringworm athlete’s foot, diaper rash, and other infections

• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including fat soluble vitamins, minerals especially calcium and magnesium and amino acids. It relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body. It improve the body’s use of blood glucose  and improve insulin secretion and absorption (great for type II diabetes).

• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.

• Supports tissue healing and repair. Supports and aids immune system function and helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.

• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease. Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease. Does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils do.

•  Supports thyroid function. Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.

• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection. Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots. Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion. Helps control dandruff

• Cooking with coconut oil not form harmful by-products (Trans fat and rancidity) when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.

• Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of insulin. It also helps in effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes.

Down load the example of a healthy 7 day eating plan (1600 calorie plan) and shopping list below. Imagine getting yourself and your family organised every week to eat well. It is perhaps one of the most important things you can do to help set your kids up for a healthy life.

This program, when set up properly will allow you to plan your eating week (and a conveniently printed out shopping list) with perhaps 10-15 minutes of work. It is the future of organised and healthy nutrition for your family

quick_start_week_1

Our shop

LIKE US!

If you are on facebook this is a great way to stay connected with what is happening at Best Practice.

We will ‘like’ you back if you have a business….I promise. If you are member of best practice already you can earn points when you post about us or tweet. Some of you may have got an email from Perkville recently. That was related to us. It will be like a fly buys system. Earn enough points doing what comes naturally, like attending appointments and classes, posting about how much fun you had at best practice on facebook, refer a friend etc. and get points which leads to getting stuff!

Don’t worry all will become clear soon enough.

But in the interim, just like us will ya?

I LIKE BEST PRACTICE ON FACEBOOK!

You know we like to see you test yourself a little and this is a great opportunity to log some kind of performance from which to judge future efforts. It is nice to strive for something each year and try to better yourself in some way.

I am really keen to get a best practice ‘useful’ fitness photo like this one below. If you don’t already have one of our unbelievably beautiful singlets we would like you to earn one by being involved. For those interested, we are going to have a little barbecue back at the pool afterwards and a cool off in the pool.

Let me know you are up for it by filling in this form below

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REVISED FLOOR PLAN (1 Page)

Just remember 150 memberships only. I am confident we will sell these fast.

This is really for 3 types of people.

• Existing clients like you who want to slot in some extra training on your own to accelerate progress
• Clients who have become truly independent in this ‘fitness is a habit’ thing, i.e. don’t need us, if that is actually possible??
• Business people and residents who live close by and really like the idea of swimming and gyming in the same place

Anticipated opening is still October. Let me know if you want me to put your name down as ‘interested’ below. Or reserve your spot now by calling me at the studio.

There is a special corporate offering too if you work for a company in the local area. Ask me about that if that is relevant to you.

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Here’s how it works.

You enter in your current weight and then your goal weight. You enter in your food preferences and a number of other variables. It then plans for you, in the right proportions what you should be consuming to achieve your goal in a sensible time frame. The program has some amazingly tasty and healthy recipes along with dietitian designed meal plans that you print out on a week to week basis. It will even give you out a shopping list to make things as easy as possible. This is a great tool that you can use by yourself or in conjunction with the training you are already doing with us. You could also use this  for planning your family’s meals and being confident that what you are putting together is healthy and nutritious.

You really should find out more about this if you are interested and need help in eating better.

http://www.bestpracticept.com.au/online-nutrition/

So how does this relate to Best Practice and what we do? Well, we are here for when people finally get it, that the main priority in their life has to be their own health because they can be nothing to anybody with out it including their career but more importantly their family. Our most dedicated client and the most likely to be successful is the one who has truly found their reason why.

What’s yours??

This is about 50m from where I got married. A beautiful part the world Cabarita Beach. What a day yesterday was huh?

I ran along this beach for about 50 minutes and dived in to the ocean at the end, the cool water chilling me but feeling so incredibly refreshing and exhilarating. I got out, played a little cricket with Indy and then relaxed with a cold beer and some nice food with my beautiful wife and good friends from Burleigh. I don’t tell you this for any other reason than to remind you about the reasons for investing time in getting fit -Useful fitness that allows you to have fun and live life to the full.

In thinking about it there is more. Besides doing a bit of training for the upcoming Bridge to Brissie, there also this thought of –  ’don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time’, if you know what I mean. Some of the foods I am eating now (that I am not in the perfect anymore) perhaps would be considered heavy on the calorie ‘deposit’ side. The run made me feel like I was withdrawing some of this ahead of time to give me the buffer I needed to keep the ledger even, so to speak. Call me crazy but aiming for balance in this way feels intuitively sensible.

I have spoken about this before but it bears repeating. Working out consistently and at times vigorously in a gym or a studio is great, but let’s not forget why we do it.  Enjoy the fruits of your hard work and do something cool with it folks.

Post a comment. I want to hear what you are doing with YOUR fitness!

Here’s an alternative and a challenge, spend $12.50 per week on Sweat, a best practice gym and see if you are better off by the end of the year?

Opening in October, 2011 right here at the pool. Get in quick if you want a membership, as numbers will be strictly limited.

Sweatgym

http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=31

You thought lifting weights was all about looking good. Think again. Full disclosure: The link below may be to ‘Ralph’ but the content of the article is spot on, even if it is delivered in slightly low brow fashion

http://ralph.ninemsn.com.au/8104572/more-muscle-cuts-cancer-by-40-percent

No Alcohol – achieved. Found a nice no alcohol beer called Erdinger.

No Coffee – achieved (not ‘no caffeine’ as it turns out green teas has a fair bit!).

No added sugar – I didn’t put any teaspoons of sugar in to anything but certainly didn’t avoid sugar completely as it is in virtually everything. Remember that 4-5 grams is a teaspoon and more than 6-7 a day is probably too much.

Higher protein diet – to some extent acheived. Found a great high protein breakfast cereal called Protein first which I highly recommend.

3 cardio type sessions per week and 3 strength training sessions per week – achieved. I guess if I can’t achieve this then there is a problem. But don’t forget I am human too and have the usual personal challenges that everyone else does including old injuries to manage and demands of life to prioritise. I think everyone understands that issue.

I had a blood test which revealed an interesting increase in testosterone. Admittedly the first test was done some time back (way before the perfect month) but the second was done just last week. I went from a low level reading to high for my age, perhaps the levels of someone 10 years younger, if I believe one website I read. Can I attribute this to the perfect month? I think, yes more than likely. Interestingly my LDL cholesterol has not improved, still slightly higher than I would like and my HDL cholesteroal slight lower than it should be.

The antioxidants including resveratrol and CoQ10, omega 3 from krill oil and multi vitamin (a) don’t make any difference or (b) have not been taken long enough to have a noticeable impact on this aspect. I believe the latter and not the former. There is just too much research backing them but I will keep you posted as I do indeed like to self experiment.

So how did I go body fat wise? I dropped possibly 2% which was certainly in the right direction but perhaps not as spectacular as I would like. It really is a matter of the longer you stick with a healthy approach the more long term progress you will eventually make. Patience, tweaking and relentless positive action is the key.

I must say too, I have felt very well this month. Good energy and way less aches and pain . I think the no coffee, no alcohol thing has reduced inflammation in my body and is something I highly recommend you do. Feb fast, Dry July, Ocsober or what ever, just take up the challenge some time. You will get something really good out of it, even if it is only to prove to yourself that you are running the show and you are not a slave to mindless habits.

I found that my net diary was a great way to track my food intake and the numbers were very revealing even for me. It is the ultimate coaching tool because it tells you where it is all at. Awareness is where change begins.

Last note. I found that pure chocolate in the form of cacao gold is the super healthy stuff that is spoken about. Low in sugar, fat and calories, high in phytonutrients and all round good stuff. It is a great indulgence that makes traditional milk chocolate look like poison! If you have any questions about the perfect month and or would like to see more (photos, video etc) just email me and I will send you a link to check out more.

Check this out!

We all know that we are in to higher level reasons for training here at Best Practice than  just ‘amazing body transformation’, but tell me who doesn’t feel better when they look better?

Well done buddy. When you are really really happy (I know you still want to take this further) with the end result I will be asking for a life size banner. Look out Craig, a new poster boy is on his way!

“In comparison by weight, cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than blueberries, red wine, or black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. The Aztecs called the cacao “yollotl eztli,” which literally means “heart blood;” they understood the benefit this truly powerful superfood has on the cardiovascular system” Heidi Flagley, holistic nutritionist – check out this link for some things you may not know about cacao/cocoa http://www.naturalnews.com/029156_cacao_chocolate.html

And here is a link to the stuff I bought recently. It is a great product for so many reasons. I have no shares in this product but I soon might!

Cacao Powder Gold

I wasn’t quite sure where she was going with it because it sounded like she was not going to bother trying anymore. Now she wasn’t extremely unhealthy looking and had a great jovial personality but it seemed to me like she had lost any connection with how good it feels to move. To her, moving seemed like a chore. It is a  pretty scary place to get to because seriously, what is the alternative?

In ye olden days they used to say ‘no pain, no gain’. We have shied away from that sort of sentiment when it comes to describing exercise to the uninitiated, so as not to scare anybody off. But the truth is that there does need to be a certain level of discomfort and if we are to be really honest,  sensations that could be mistaken for pain. Jump on a computrainer or swim a few hard laps or go for a run and you will see what I mean. But I believe a life worth living  is about the yin and the yang, the relax and the rush, the push and the pull and yes the agony and ecstacy! I am just saying, don’t sit on the couch night after night (avoiding pain and discomfort) and not expect to reap what you sow.

Exercising and being active is no guarantee that everything is going to be okay but the way it can  make you feel and the way it can make you look are prizes worth pursuing.  When you can run, jump, roll, tumble, swim, ride, dance or whatever, you have so many more options on how you can live. And let’s face it, isn’t this what a life is for? To fit in as many worthwhile experiences as possible. Being fit will give you more opportunity to dig in to that bucket list.

The alternative to NOT committing to a significant exercise routine as part of your life??

Look around and you will see the consequences.

One of the numbers to look at next time you are on the computrainer is watts per kg but below is a guage for (guys, sorry girls not available from my source) where you are at compared to ‘fit’ guys and pros! It is pretty interesting if your ride a little.

Check out our computrainer if you are keen to test yourself out or simply use it as part of a great way to get seriously fit –  click here for entertaining video of wiifit…on steroids! This type of exercise is the way of fitness in the future. It is a type of ‘exergaming’  which basically means computer based games that burn lots of energy. It really is a great way to go. Have fun with friends, satisfy your inner nerd and get fit! Parents take note. Not all computer games will end in pasty faced, un-athletic kids!!

When the government really gets serious about the mounting costs of an unhealthy population, look out for compulsory time off from work (paid for) during the day to move/exercise. This won’t be optional because the cost of too many of the population not moving enough is going to be absoultely huge and definitely unaffordable.  But are we really going to get to a stand off between government and individual reserving their right not to be healthy?? Why not make the decision yourself…if you haven’t already done so.

Crazy world. In the mean time Best Practice exists to get more people in to the elite 10% (hopefully growing) of the population who exercise enough to get a benefit. Our job is to help those fed up enough with feeling horrible and sluggish, to get back to the way we were designed – full of vibrant energy. Join us (and a few others!)  in the Bridge to Brisbane this year on September 11 and resolve to make now your time to turn this thing around!

Life is just too important to sit on the metaphorical treadmill watching the world go by. You should at least be running on it!

check it out

interesting caffeine information

Read this philosophy by crossfit founder John Glassman to get an idea where they are coming from.

“Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.  Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.  Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J and snatch.  Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds.  Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast.  Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow.  Routine is the enemy.  Keep workouts short and intense.  Regularly learn and play new sports”

I like the eating advice too. Keep in mind that we are aiming for you to achieve similar things in your movement to what Mr Glassman encourages but may hold back a little on the flips and pirouettes!

I found a breakfast cereal in a health food store, but it might be available in other places. It is called Protein 1st. Check it out. It is high in protein, the highest I have seen in a cereal, high in fibre, highest I have seen, high in healthy fats and tastes really good. I added about 20 grams of an LSA mix which only added more healthy fats and fibre to it. Throw in some lactose free milk called Zymil and you have what I think is a pretty impressive breakfast. It would be even better with some chopped banana and maybe some blueberries.  This increases the carbohydrate content but don’t be scared of ‘carbs’ like these!

Anyway, long story short. Learn how to do a whole body workout and then just commit to doing it, anywhere you find yourself. Sure a gym gives you a few more options and potentially a nice environment in some ways, ie. if trying to avoid extreme cold or heat. But if you have a body you can do a workout, anywhere. The trick as I said is just doing it. Now I am not trying to sell Nike products but they certainly do have a point with their tag line.

This brings me to Sweat, the best practice gym. The most efficient way to put this gym together in terms of a low labour cost business model is to fill it with machines any (forgive me) moron can sit in and use. But this is not in keeping with our philosophy. So Sweat will have useful equipment which may take a little teaching to effectively use but you can be sure you will get a great workout. Expect to see equipment like this. Dual adjustable pulley by Hammer strength

It began on the weekend and I survived my first challenges. I clocked in 5 exercise sessions last week but the challenge started on Friday (snf 6 is the goal this week). So, I have had no coffee the last few days which has been a little tough but peppermint tea is not a bad alternative actually. I had a party on Saturday night and drank about a litre of soda water! I enjoyed some good conversation and woke up feeling on track and full of energy on Sunday. I have started the habit of taking my supplements and haven’t missed yet. I think it really has been an advantage in talking about this and preparing for this about 1 month out so I have been mentally ready for the grief I am getting from some of my more liberal living friends!

Things I am going to have to manage:

• A lower back that has been a little stiff and troublesome over the past 10 months since the last Bridge to Brisbane! Need to factor in Pilates for preventative care and I have regular massage booked and a really good osteopath on stand by.
• Organisational ability. I have lived a very reactive life at times in the past. I have spoken about routine in previous blogs so training myself to be organised is going to be critical.
• My immune system. It is traditionally a time of year when colds and flus strike many of us down. I am assuming all this clean living will lead to a strong immune system.

So this is an experiment on myself and I have a few of you along for the ride. If you want to check progress, I have put a link below to the website I  set up to record all the happenings over this coming perfect month.

For me, it is about improving water intake, getting more consistent with my training, planning and eating a higher protein diet, reducing sugar intake, cutting out alcohol and caffeine, taking targeted supplements to help with a ‘thrive’ mentality as opposed to ‘avoid sickness’ mindset.  I will be judging success by aesthetic change, how mentally calm I feel, what my blood test results tell me and then how these personal changes help those around me. Are you in? After all you are part of my experiment. Do as I do AND as I say and all that!

If you want to see what happens, click on the link below and over the course of July you will find updates of photos, video and all the tools used to make the changes. You can even set your own goals and commit to your very own version of a perfect July and join me. Remember if nothing changes…well, nothing changes. Why not make this July something different?

Perfect July Website

The American Medical Association (AMA) now encourages all adults to supplement daily with a multiple vitamin. Based on a landmark review of 38 years of scientific evidence by Harvard researchers, Dr Robert Fletcher and Dr Kathleen Fairfield, the conservative Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has rewritten its policy guidelines regarding the use of vitamin supplements. In a striking departure from its previous anti-vitamin rhetoric, JAMA (June 19,2002) now recommends that, given our nutrient-poor modern diet, supplementation each day with a multiple vitamin is a prudent preventive measure against chronic disease. 1, 2 The researchers point out that more than 80% of the American population does not consume anywhere near the five to eight servings of fruits and vegetables required each day for optimal health.

The American Medical Association (AMA) now encourages all adults to supplement daily with a multiple vitamin. Based on a landmark review of 38years of scientific evidence by Harvard researchers, Dr Robert Fletcher and DrKathleen Fairfield, the conservative Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) has rewritten its policy guidelines regarding the use of vitaminsupplements. In a striking departure from its previous anti-vitamin rhetoric,JAMA (June 19,2002) now recommends that, given our nutrient-poor moderndiet, supplementation each day with a multiple vitamin is a prudent preventivemeasure against chronic disease. 1, 2 The researchers point out that more than80% of the American population does not consume anywhere near the five toeight servings of fruits and vegetables required each day for optimal health”

To existing clients, don’t be scared small group training will still be happening, just smaller and more focussed and that includes Pilates, boxing and group strength. Sweat will add to your ability to confidently utilise gyms where ever you go as part of your working life. Part of the deal will be weekly lessons on how to do a 20 minute whole body workout. Remember the best work out program in the world…..is the one you do!

More information will be forthcoming (via mail) regarding this because I know you will have many questions. In the mean time, if you like the idea of a best practice gym  log on to facebook and tell us so.

Check out this link

Fill this box in if you want to hear the next instalment too.

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So what are my top 7 tips?

1. Set a goal for the Winter months. If you don’t define what you are after you won’t know if you achieved what you want!

2. Pick a time a day to exercise that works for your body clock and stick to the routine. See my other post on rituals et al.

3. Take solace in movement not chocolate.

4. Number 3 not withstanding, a bit of chocolate won’t kill you! I don’t have to tell you how it can lift your mood.

5. Think about all the times you have got to the end of Winter and panicked. Resolve to come out the other side, fit and fantastic because of the plan you instigated in June!

6. Book yourself in to an event like the Bridge to Brisbane and train with a buddy. You mightn’t think twice about letting yourself down but most people won’t leave somebody else standing out on the street in the cold waiting for them.

7. Aim to learn something new this Winter. Engaging the brain in learning something new is a great stimulus for a brain that could just want to hibernate. There are too many things to learn in one life time but give it your best shot to whittle down that bucket list.

my net diary 32 41 27

As a young kid trying to be a professional tennis player I knew the value of rituals to performance. I used to watch Jimmy Connors  bounce the ball 21 times every time before he served and John McEnroe make sure he never walked on the lines when changing ends. I was playing a match one time against another kid I had never beaten and I got in to this habit of scraping the grip of my racquet on the net every time I went past the net post. I won the match and the habit stuck because I associated something kind of crazy with winning. And, if something works I am not going to question it too much.  Of course this behaviour is basically superstitious but the power of relying on something repeatable and predictable gives a great sense of  security in a pretty insecure situation. This ritual thing is part of most professional performer’s repertoire the world over because it is kind of a high powered version of a routine which of course is critical to becoming good at what they do in the first place.

The bottom line in the end is that rituals and routine works because they create ‘consistency’, which is absolutely necessary for progress. Obviously the routines need to be good ones for the results to be good. But when it comes to fitness, a bad routine is usually better than no routine. The fitness gig can be hard especially in Winter. You don’t want to have to think too hard about it, especially when too much deliberation will usually undermine all attempts to get out of a warm bed and work up some sweat. When you can get yourself in to a routine, you set yourself on a path of seemingly effortless progress. This is the holy grail of behaviour change in fitness programs. Don’t get me wrong, you have to change things up to keep the body guessing but the routine of working out at the same time each day is going to help you BIG TIME. It becomes, at this point just something you do.

I have decided that maybe I am not the swashbuckling, make-it-up-as-you-go guy anymore. I want to be that guy for sure but I know that success in just about everything  I can think of (sport, business, life!) DEPENDS on getting in to that groove of a routine. For example, I know now that if I don’t pay my staff at the same time each week there are indeed problems! Perhaps that just proves it is all about the roles we play. As a business owner I need to pay my staff regularly, as a new step father I see how important it is  to have routines with a 6 year old.  It is a basic human need to help make sense of the world and is clearly very necessary to create stability.

So long story short, I am in the mental process of shoring up my rituals (morning coffee could perhaps better be changed to green tea), my current routines (strength training 3 days a week instead my random mix up each week) and my role as an exercising leader (kids will always do as you do not as you say) as I head towards the ‘perfect month’. It is indeed wise to plan on a starting day so you have time to prepare for what is ahead. I have a few people interested so far, i.e. wanting to watch what I do and some who have essentially signed up to the challenge for themselves. I will be sharing the systems I use to achieve a solid routine but you will have to opt in to find out more. Remember the perfect month starts July 1.

Fill in the form below to let me know you want to follow this in July (or be part of it, with your own version of ‘perfect’ )  This is nothing less than a behaviour change challenge. So why would I want to do this? Life would be pretty boring with out a challenge I say and besides this, with a wife 12 years younger and a 6 year old who may start to look up to me….. I better stay on my toes! What’s your reason for wanting to do it?

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So if you are not a body builder and are interested in a great exercise that utilises the upper and lower body along with a core requirement for balance and stability, then look no further than the lunge overhead press that Eoin is demonstrating  below. Email us for sure if you have any questions about other great 3 for 1 exercises.

The bottom line from any respected professional medical people is that you most likely can get everything you need from the right diet approach. I can tell you though that it is not possible to hit everything you need 100% of the time. The supplement thing makes sense to me as I know I miss out something important each and every day. I know this because I have been tracking my diet using a really useful I phone app called mynetdiary. The point is that my diet isn’t bad but I do often not hit 30g of dietary fibre or over shoot the recommended 2400mg of sodium recommended or come up a bit short on zinc or magnesium. Sure I can choose a diet that ensures enough calcium and satisfies some other suggested targets but not all of them all of the time. So long story short, supplementing is something of interest.

You may have heard of Dr Mercola, if not you should check his stuff out. Yes he looks like he is a businessman as well as a doctor (aren’t we all?) but if you watch enough of his material ( a lot of it is on youtube) you will get a sense of ‘integrity’ in my opinion. His top 5 supplements are a Probiotic for a balanced digestive system, krill oil for its optimal delivery of omega 3 fatty acids in the right proportions, Ubiquinol,  an anti-oxidant which helps all the other anti-oxidants work better, a multi vitamin that has a good amount of all the important vitamins but also minerals and resveratrol, a potent plant phenol with reputed anti inflammatory and even anti aging properties.

This is a very controversial area as there are so many claims and counter claims not to mention experts and big business thrown in to the mix. Who do you believe? Probably the only way to really test any of these things out is to try each one in isolation and change nothing else about your diet or exercise approach and then see how you feel and even better than this get some objective measurements to back up any feeling you might have on the matter. The ‘placebo’ affect is so potent that any conclusions reached must be balanced out with this well documented phenomenon.

In making my mind up with these type of things I try to go with what most research is supporting g whilst keeping an open mind on something which may not be fully backed yet by the medical and or the business community (the support from which can either raise suspicions or make a case for its efficacy).

I am going to give the above 5 supplements a go, along with a protein supplement (which we supply) in a comprehensive personal experiment in July. Check out that post if you want to know more.

You have some time to think about it. But be warned it is NOT for the faint hearted. It is for those who really want to see what they are capable of. I am not just talking exercise intensity. I am talking about planning, documenting, assessing and in the end organisational ability and behaviour change. Interested?

Fill in this form and I will make sure you hear more about how this is going to work. You can either join me or just watch the results with interest. Whichever you have to tick the box below to be included in the next instalment regarding this.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

You’ve got 30 minutes and you NEED  a workout. Here it is. I am assuming some pretty basic equipment, all of which you could get hold of and put in your own home for under $350. Voila – a home gym!

1. 5 minute whole body warm up – marching on the spot getting progressively faster and bringing arms more in to the movement over 1-2 minutes. Then break in to the following 4 moves for 20seconds each (use your I phone with a timer on it – I know you are hip and happening enough in this modern world to have either an Android or an I phone. If not, just judge it for yourself). Body weight squat – push up- lunge on each leg – crunch. Increase range of motion of each exercise with each circuit through. Do it 3 times and you are ready to go.
2. I have chosen 6 exercises using upper and lower body movements (where possible) to maximise use of time and efficiency of workout! Exercise number 1. Squat overhead press (alternate) followed immediately by push up. Do these two exercises 3 times for 45 s each and then rest for 2 minutes.
3. Lunge with bicep curl (at bottom or top of movement). Split the time in half for each leg. Pair this exercise with a simple abdominal crunch. Perform with the same time as above
4. Finish this workout with a standing rotation using an elastic resistance band secured to a door handle and pair this a brace/hover/plank.

Do all this and you have done a whole body workout aimed at producing relative strength and a boosted metabolism. Good goals by the way. If you have any questions about this workout, just send me an email. I will have pictures for you next week to help with understanding this a little better.

But being that is it may, this company provided the trainer and the time with in normal work hours. What a great thing to do. It got us talking though about some of her employees who wouldn’t see this as an incentive but more something that would likely prompt a reply a long the lines of ‘well you can’t MAKE us exercise!’. Wow! It just made me think that no matter what kind of incentive and support a business puts in, if you haven’t hired right in the first place then you are probably in big trouble.

So I ask, do fit people make better employees? Can a business turn around an essentially lazy person? Tell me what you think

If you have been living under a rock or don’t read my stuff you probably won’t know that we had our inaugural push ups for charity event on Saturday. It was awesome! You know what it’s like when you try and organise a party or something and you have a nagging feeling that no one will show. Hence I have been a little edgy. You know the kind of thoughts I mean. Here I was trying to organise something promoting two no brainers – raising awareness of the importance of  exercise and donating to charity. If I couldn’t pull a crowd with those two trump cards what did it say about my crowd pulling ability??? There is definitely a psych thesis somewhere in that!

But as it turned out we had a great roll up of clients, friends and family (over 35 peeps in the end, thank you so much for being there!), beautiful weather, a fantastic amount of pushups performed by 27 people and a whole bunch of generous people donating online. Congratulations to Martina for pushing out the biggest female number of 56 and for Jonathon doing an incredible 120!

If you were kind enough to sponsor somebody on the day make sure you ask them about their number and multiply whatever you agreed upon – .50c, $1, $2 or $10 per push up. You can fulfil that right here, right now! You can use it if you just haven’t got round to donating. Your support is very much appreciated.

Here is a link to some pictures and here is a link to some video (or search you tube if this link doesn’t work – you can also become ‘like’ best practice on facebook where there are a number of pictures and video too) of the day if you are interested in how much fun you can have doing one of the most simple yet effective exercises there is whilst doing something worthwhile for a great cause – thank you to Katrina from Make a Wish for being there on the day and telling us about the great work that you and the organisation do. We will be doing this again each year and I will be aiming for bigger and better each time so no apologies, you WILL here about this again!

It is called – Nutrition Complete

Check out this link to see what it is all about.

Fill in this form if you would like to road test it for 1 month for no cost.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

This video shows an example of great form.

See this video for a great dem

When we get our head around the idea that sitting a desk is not normal living, that driving a car everywhere and riding lifts and elevators is not that good for us in the long run we will understand that every little thing we can do to move more is helpful to a better life. If food was hard to get a hold of, energy saving would make a lot of sense. But as we are living in an era where there is a whole research field dedicated to the physiology of inactivity it is worth considering how to increase your activity levels in general. It is indeed possible to nullify 3 x 30 minute solid sessions of exercise by being sedentary for the other  165.5 hours in the week. Not surprising when you put those numbers out there.

So the lesson for this week is, increase your movement in little ways but everyday. Park your car further away from the shops or even walk there. Use the stairs at work instead of the lift. Get off the bus or the train a stop early. Lose the remote control for everything. You get the idea. Modern living is funny. We now have to have regular breaks from sitting down. In the past we had to have a break from a more physically demanding existence. I believe a little regression could be a very good thing for a world that seems to have forgotten how good it feels to work our muscles that were put there for a reason.

I am in the middle of reading a very interesting book on ‘choking’. It is aptly named ‘Choke’. It is written by an American psychologist, Sian Beilock. It is a topic I have a strong interest in since I did plenty of it when I played tennis! It is a subject that almost everyone can relate to as there are times when you felt that you didn’t do the job as well as you know you were capable of which can be very frustrating. It might be the presentation you had to do as part of your job or your weekend golf game or singing in front of friends or showing a group how well you can play the piano.

We are all asked to perform in some way everyday and how we deal with those demands  is how we are judged and sometimes a bad performance can have far reaching consequences or maybe we just think they will, which is just as bad. If you dwell on the ‘what if’  too much you can become worried, getting you to think too much about ‘stuff’ that isn’t going to help you do what you have to do, which can of course adversely affect performance.

The book talks about what happens mentally when we are feeling pressure and how it affects our movement and ability to think.  If you are doing something that you have learnt well and have done many times, thinking too much about the mechanics can really limit your performance. For example, a free throw in basketball is a ‘motor program’ that you can rehearse and become very proficient at. But you need to ‘let’ this program run off and not try and control it. Imagine if you had to think about each move when changing gears in a car and steering etc. This works when you are first learning a skill because you need to understand what you need to do but when you have mastered something, going back to each independent action or move only makes your performance stiff or robotic like. You have to learn to trust yourself and give yourself the best chance to do what you learnt.

The top tips for combatting performance flops

• Distract yourself – stops you from trying to ‘control’ what is better left to ‘run off’ smoothly.
• Don’t slow down and over-deliberate- too much time can paralyse your actions as you think too much.
• Practice under stressful conditions – so you are used to what it feels like and learn ways to relax or pump yourself up or do what is necessary to do your well rehearsed skill well.
• Find a key word to focus on, so again you don’t give yourself too much information that can freeze or stiffen your performance.
• Think positively – you get what you picture

I came across this article during my readings the other day…. whilst keeping track of your calories is important, it demonstrates the importance of nutritional value. Enjoy!!

Apple Vs Doughnut

Before you read the below I am glad to say that Krispy Kreme as a franchise struggled in Australia and I am hoping it is because we are starting to realise that we don’t want to try and beat America in everything. Sugar deep fried in fat is not a great daily food choice. All things in moderation of course but ‘eating donuts (sic) and Cwaffeee’ everyday does not a healthy person make!

By Paul Taylor

The apple, contains water (about 80%), carbohydrate (15%, mainly fructose with some dietary fibre) and a small amount of protein (5% or less) releasing the nutrients contained in the apple. The body uses up energy and nutrients to complete the digestion process, but it is rewarded with an abundance of nutrients from the apple. Firstly, there are amino acids from the protein, which are sent to a pool from which individual cells can access in order to repair themselves and communicate with other cells. Next, we have energy released from the carbohydrate, which goes to fuel our muscles, nervous system and brain. Because most of the sugar is fructose, it is stored in the liver until it is needed, helping blood sugar to remain relatively steady.

The humble apple also contains an abundance of nutrients for the body. Just under the skin lies half of the Vitamin C content of the apple. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, Vitamin A and a healthy dose of potassium. In addition to those, the skin contains a compound called quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that reduces cardiovascular risk. If that wasn’t enough, the flavonoids and phytochemicals that it contains seem to help fight against cancer. Finally, the skin contains lots of fiber, which helps to improve bowel function and reduced cholesterol absorption.

The doughnut, however, is a different proposition altogether. It is loaded with saturated fats, trans fats and refined sugar and is largely devoid of any nutritional value, other than energy, which it has in abundance. Digestion of the carbohydrate component will start in the mouth and the stomach will assist in further breaking the doughnut down. The simple sugars will be readily digested and then absorbed. The bile that is released by the gallbladder will help to break down the different fats, but the picture here gets a little complicated. Saturated and trans fats take a different pathway than the more healthy fats, such as monsaturated or polyunsaturated, and the pathway dictates whether the fats are healthy or unhealthy. The healthier fats generally are absorbed, whereas saturated and trans fats are converted into triglycerides, the main form of fat storage in the body. They are also coated in cholesterol (from the liver) and hence the fats in a doughnut will raise the bad (LDL) cholesterol and reduce the good (HDL) component.

Trans fats, however, surpass saturated fats in the damage that they do. They have been shown to wreak havoc with the body’s ability to regulate cholesterol and massively increase your risk of heart disease. They also get into the membrane (outer lining or skin) of our cells, causing them to harden. This has a negative effect on the functioning of our cells and disturbs the delicate ecosystem. In addition to that, a 2006 study reported by the American Diabetes Association showed that replacing healthy fats with trans fats (so that trans fats accounted for 8% of energy intake) led to a very significant weight gain (around 7%) – despite the fact that the amount of energy was the same. Also known as trans fatty acids, trans fats are the most damaging of all fats to our health, even more so than saturated fats. Although a small amount of trans fats are produced in nature (through the digestive processes of cows and sheep, hence they are present in small amounts in beef, dairy products and lamb), the majority of trans fats in our diets come from the food processing industry. They are produced by the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils, which turns oils into solids and increases the shelf life of products, as well as improving the texture of a food. The greatest source is deep fried foods, such as French fries, but trans fats are also present in high amounts in cakes, cookies, biscuits, some breads (especially croissants and pastries), processed foods (especially pies, sausage rolls etc), snack foods (potato chips, some muesli bars) and margarines (in small amounts). All US and most European foods must declare how much trans fats are in the product (Denmark has banned all foods with more than 2% trans fats), but there is no requirement to declare it in Australia and NZ. Look out for trans fat on the label or the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. My conclusion? Trans fats are the fats of the devil and should be avoided at all costs.

Take Home Message Hopefully this article has demonstrated why nutritionists and dieticians are always harping on about eating natural foods. It is not just the energy content that is important, but the nutrients within the foods play a large role in our long-term health. Although there is room for everything in moderation, the vast majority of your food should be natural and healthy. As a general rule, I tell my clients that if a food looks like it has never been alive at any point, then it’s best avoided or at least put in the category of “occasional food.”

Get the most out of your exercise time!

I am not going to go in to this too much. But this week I just want you to tune in to that innervoice we all have and have a listen, a real listen. You have certainly heard of the saying that you are what you eat, well triple the truth of that when it comes to, you are what you think. You MUST train the mind to do what you know will help. It would be crazy to think you could grow up and instantaneously become a world expert in tennis, golf, music or dance. These skills must be trained and honed to perfection as is the voice that turns these skills in to second nature. It makes sense then to know that the  same goes for how you decide to think about things. We all have a default mode we go back to under pressure. What is yours? Do you, as a habit, judge situations that didn’t work for you as ‘typical of my inability….etc’ or do you reinterpret the experience as something to learn from.

Fake it till you make it, see nothing as failure but ‘one less option’ as Thomas Edison did when he kept on trying to find out how to invent the light bulb.  Remember the power of the mind to create a world that is fun to live in and a person who is just fantastic to be around because an enquiring mind and an upbeat attitude. It is a life skill that once developed will change your life. It is worth pursuing.

Go to this link to feed the mind some good stuff beyond my platitudes! http://liftinternational.com/

On determination and all things related to achievement. No one ever said this thing (creating long lasting healthy habits) was easy btw! I am not one to encourage militarism but in times of war, both the best and worst of human nature is often displayed.

Here is one of the best, from arguably one of the greatest leaders of all time (call him many things but resilient and tough can’t be denied)

On October 29, 1941, U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. When he was invited to give a speech, Churchill stood before the students and said,

“Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.”

http://www.neverevergiveup.com/

Set your target and go to it!

This is one of the most important whole body strength exercises there is. Good exercise technique and right load selection is critical to safety.

165 g cup of rice

Fried

337 calories, 13 g fat, 46mg cholesterol, 762mg sodium

Boiled

187 calories, 0.3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium

Read the following nutrition panels and make up your mind if it is worth slowing down a little and trying hard to put your own ‘healthy’ food together at home.

Singapore Noodles -316g serving

513 calories, 10.1 g fat (3.2 saturated), 1375mg sodium, 60g carbohydrate, 20g protein, 9.7g sugar

Rippa sub classic chicken burger - 246g serving

731 calories, 40g fat (10.2 saturated), 1402mg sodium, 64g carbohydrate, 24g protein, 1.2 sugar

Things to remember. It is recommended you have no more than approximately 2300 mg sodium per day, no more than 10% of your total energy to come from saturated fat (9 cals per gram of fat). Up to 30% of total calories can come from fat but unsaturated fats and more accurately omega 3′s are identified as super important. None of this in the above two choices.

Atlantic salmon – 198 g serve

400 calories, 26g fat (7.1 saturated), sodium 83mg, carbohydrate 0, protein, sugars 0, 41mg, potassium 605 mg, calcium 13.9mg

So, the practical application according to Mr Gabriel is to feed yourself high quality nutrients even if you are eating a lot of ‘bad’ stuff. Your body will eventually reject the need for empty calories and non nutritious foods.

The other really interesting thing I read in his book was how being fat can be a psychological ploy for protection. He used the example of how he was physically scared of his business partner and wanted as much distance between them. This was obviously hard given the fact that they worked together. You could imagine how having a layer between you and something scary makes sense and how being ‘big’ in anyway could deter an adversary. I used that word because that is how the old brain or subconscious is wired. It responds simply and doesn’t try to interpret too much. ‘Threat recognised” “Do something to protect yourself”. Obviously, this is a flawed reaction a lot of the time.

The trick is to rewire by firstly understanding  that carrying fat is not the right response to the threat. When this is achieved the body will shed the fat easily and other activities that can accelerate the process come more naturally. Those other ‘activities’ are things like exercise and eating the right amounts of food for your body.

You tell me what you think you should have when you get desperate?

Here is a tactic from another client to get that feeling he was having a drink after a long hot day which would usually call for a beer. Let’s face it, the psych component of drinking (as with everything - my psychology study permeates my view of virtually everything) is huge. His trick? Pour a little lemonade, stacks of ice, crushed fresh lime or lemon, filled to the top with iced water, put in a swizzle stick and make sure you use a common cocktail glass to anchor in that feeling. Sit on the back deck and imagine you are on a Southern Thai island sipping a refresshing cockatail. Nice one!

How is the energy of my alcohol free comrades?

It made me think of our purpose in business, which is stated in our core values up on our wall…….“Is to help our clients become ‘usefully’ fit so they can do more and do it better, both in work and at play. We believe this will lead to a happier existence for them personally and as a natural consequence – those around them”.  Those around them! Cool. It feels like we are doing something very good when I hear this kind of thing.

This client (Ursula you are star btw!) also told me how hard it was in the beginning, i.e. the first 3 months. The qualities she is displaying are the ones that lead to permanent change. They say ‘seek and ye shall find’ and that is what she had done. In this health and fitness journey, sometimes there is a bit of digging required to overcome the weak point. We all have them and they can derail the best of intentions no matter how good the program. These weak points must be ‘managed’.  Ursula has found hers and is managing it well. The digestive system or the healthy functioning of hormones can make a world of difference to those who are doing everything right but not getting the results that would be expected. Don’t lament, keep surging forward and don’t stop until you find the key. Keep asking questions and adjusting your course according to the answers you get.

What is the alternative? Giving up??

I didn’t think so!

I guess the sentiment behind this entry is, just be  careful of the words you respond to when it comes to advertising. It reminds me of a dodgy friend of mine when I was about 18. He was selling his car and put in the ad, ‘rust free’. I said “mate, that car is a bucket of rust”. He said, ‘yeah I know, the rust is free. I haven’t charged for it in my asking price!’ Yep, words can be used to deceive.

The main message of the book is that your mind will control what weight you are no matter what you eat. His idea is that the body will put on fat if it thinks that being fat  will make it safe. The trick is to get your body to know it is safe being lean. It is a different approach than any other weight loss book I have read and does make a lot of sense from a science angle. It really brings in to focus the importance of metabolism and the hormones that control it. He suggests that if you have more than 10kg to lose then there is likely to be a strong emotional element to the problem that is holding you  back. This book is worth a read if you are looking for an answer to major fat loss. I strongly encourage an approach that promotes the use of mind power. It is more influential in our lives than I think we  give it credit for.

Check it out!

I can only say, well done again on what I liken to an Olympic level achievement because the turn around required was so big and the single mindedness needed, so intense. It was a pleasure to celebrate that victory. I did over hear Michelle say it was one of the better sessions she had had with the trainers!

Okay, December and January have possibly been very challenging for a lot of us. We live in Australia after all where everything seems to be celebrated or commiserated with alcohol. Us included above! So, myself and some clients have pledged an alcohol free February. Are you in? Of course it may not be realistic to never drink alcohol for the rest of your life but as for interupting a potentially bad habit or negative  behaviour pattern, abstaining for one month can be a great way to get control back and remind yourself that good times can actually take place with out a beer or a glass of wine. So, are you in? Email me and let me know. There is strength in numbers mon ami!

Learn from a pro and get some ideas on how to shape your eating for maximum health. I will feature more from this website over the coming weeks because there is some very helpful stuff in it.

Please leave comments and let me know what you think.

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/a-dietitians-food-journal—one-day-in-the-life-of-a-pro.html

“Researchers from Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research kept tabs on 1,685 overweight and obese adults (men and women), whose average weight was 212 pounds. The researchers encouraged participants to adhere to a reduced-calorie, DASH eating plan and asked them record their daily food intake and exercise minutes.weight loss was 13 pounds per person. But researchers discovered something else; the more participants recorded what they ate, the more weight they lost in the end. Participants who did not keep a food diary lost about 9 pounds over the course of the study, while those who recorded their food intake six or more days per week lost 18 pounds—twice as much as those who didn’t track any food!  Spark People website.

After 20 weeks, the average

So if you are a client of ours we provide an online fitness journal for this express purpose. We would like to see you use it!  We have always said, if it isn’t written down it didn’t happen. But keep in mind, when we say this we are referring to exercise. We are definitely NOT referring to food. Because, whether you write it down or not, or whether someone saw you eat it or not, or it was only a broken piece of biscuit not an actual biscuit etc etc. That event DID happen and your body will not lie!

We will soon have a new system available  that can help you  plan your meals, put together a shopping list and track your progress! Prepare to be impressed and stay tuned for more info. In the mean time awareness = successful behaviour modification when it comes to forming good habits of eating and exercise.

Check this out. The foods might be American but we have the same sort of stuff here. You might be surprised at what a difference organising your own food can make.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1260

We have 2 group mat classes at Best Practice and one on one training is available by appointment. Phone 3854 0386 to enquire or book

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=801

• You understand cardio fitness and how you need to do large muscle group activity like swimming, cycling or jogging, getting your heart rate in a training zone and doing this 2-3 times per week.
• You know you need to build muscle because a greater amount of lean tissue (muscle) equals a higher metabolism and therefore greater energy (read: ‘fat’) consumption at rest, i.e. for the to other 23 to 23 and a half hours you are not exercising.

Great! So what is next?

Two things actually. Sorry to state the obvious but number is 1….. Start! Plans are good but action is better.

Number 2 is your nutrition. You can’t out train the bad diet. Period.

So what is good nutrition?. Here is a quick and dirty summary and an example.

You must have breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day because it kickstarts your metabolism and prevents you from eating that muffin or birthday cake  at work for ‘Kate’ from Accounting’s birthday.

Try a boiled egg on the grainiest bread you can find. Throw in some smoked salmon and chopped tomatoes and rocket lettuce. If you are in a hurry, a high quality whey protein and low fat milk will do when you are in pinch. Add some berries for a great hit of anitioxidants.

Don’t leave it too long between meals. Again, if you don’t eat regularly you will end up grabbing something very average, e..g vending machine ‘food’! So have a tub of low fat yoghurt or a peice of fruit at around 11.

Get yourself some lunch okay? Bring your tuna salad if you are really sorted or if you absolutely have to grab takeaway get a six inch sub but the leanest version you can, e.g. turkey and salad. Leave off the high fat sauces.

You are on a roll now and the afternoon dip is coming. Bob your work colleague has the endless supply of lollies he doesn’t mind sharing, you know that…. But instead, you grab a small handful of almonds. Excellent, crisis avoided.

Now for dinner. It lies in your hands as your partner is relying on you. Best case scenario: You have thought ahead of time what Tuesday night’s dinner will be and have shopped for it already on Sunday. If this is the case you are happily putting together some lean meat, a lot of mixed vegetables and some fresh herbs for great flavour. You have some brown rice ready to go which adds fibre, hopefully putting you up to the 30 grams per day recommended by health authorities for optimal internal health and prevention of  bowel cancer.

As it is the real world, you may have a glass of red wine with your meal. Remember that one standard serve is equivalent to 10 grams of alcohol which is approximately 100-120ml of wine depending on alcohol content of the particular wine.

If this was your average day you are doing pretty well. Now all you need to do is throw in that killer exercise program, measure your progress regularly and adjust the calorie equation where necessary. Good nutrition for fat loss is not super complex but you do have to be organised and think a little about how you are going to put it together.

Remember you can’t out train a bad diet. Here’s to your fittest year ever in 2011.

Download our gift to you right here! It’s not a bad read if I don’t mind saying so myself and will really help clarify some of the questions that most people have in a world rife with misinformation.

Bingo!

Tell us something we the converted don’t already know!! In an age where there is a pill for everything why oh why don’t we use the best medicine of all thats one main side effect…. is feeling good and looking better???

Click here for our Pre Christmas ‘get off the fitness fence’ special.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=873

This article has come from spark people, a brilliant US web site for people trying lose fat and reclaim their health. I highly recommend it.

See below for a list of pointers to follow when stretching to make sure you are performing them safely and to achieve maximal benefit and reduced risk of injury:
 

• Breathe slowly, deeply and evenly – if breathing is strained, you’ve gone too far
• Stretching should never be painful
• Stretch only when muscles are warm
• Hold the stretch in a comfortable position
• Concentrate on relaxing the area being stretched
• Stretch before and after (and even during) an extended period of exercise
• Use Dynamic stretching rather than Static stretching when warming up
• Stretching should progress from major joints to specific joints
• Flexibility training should be regular – at least 3 times/week
• Always maintain good posture whilst stretching
• Pregnant women should only do flexibility training under supervision

 When done correctly (and regularly), the benefits of stretching go beyond that of just increased flexibility. Some of the benefits include:

• enhanced physical fitness
• enhanced ability to learn and perform skilled movements
• increased mental and physical relaxation
• enhanced development of body awareness
• reduced risk of injury to joints, muscles, and tendons
• reduced muscular soreness
• reduced muscular tension
• increased suppleness
• and even reduced severity of painful menstruation in females!

So next time you think you don’t have that extra few minutes to devote to your stretch down, think again! Stretching is a crucial part of your preparation and recovery from training and is a must in your program. We’ll give you a little help while you’re here, but the rest is up to you.

There are many facets to this debate, and the calorie thing should not be the only consideration. Improving general health and fitness is a combination of many things, not being limited to weight control. What about flexibility, heart health, functional strength to perform daily tasks and postural correction, just to name a few.

There is no argument cardiovascular training will burn more calories in a session. However it is worth keeping in mind that when you are actually lifting weights you are burning more calories, it is the rest time needed in strength training that limits the total calories burned in a session.  Worth noting however is that higher total calories burned doesn’t necessarily translate to greater body shape transformation. A well designed strength training routine is likely to have a greater impact on body composition than cardiovascular training on a session for session basis.  This is because while it will be burning less total fat content it is simultaneously increasing lean muscle mass (helps out those before and after photos).

The crucial point above is ‘on a session for session basis’ a drawback with strength training is that your muscles need time to repair themselves.  So you need longer recovery time between sessions. This is where cardiovascular training takes the reins and is able to ensure your calorie burning quest can continue; as it places less demands on the muscles of the body and focuses on your body’s ability to use oxygen you need relatively little recovery time between sessions. This allows you to fit extra sessions into your week. This is very handy when trying to burn those extra calories.

So what’s the best way to incorporate both these styles into your routine? Well again there a few different approaches. You can adopt a circuit based training style which will target both strength and cardiovascular fitness at the same time. Quite a time efficient approach. The other is trying to incorporate a good mix of strength and cardio sessions into your week. Strength sessions should try to be separated by at least a day’s rest where as cardio sessions can be included to your heart’s content (can even double up 2 in a day if you’re really keen). This second approach will allow maximal gains in both strength and cardio however is more time consuming. The take home message is that whatever your schedule may be, a program that incorporates a good mix of both strength and cardio work will produce the best results.

Let’s assume a 2200 calorie eating day which is probably about right for a 75 kg person who is active who wants to trim up a little. There are so many variables that go in to whether this is the actual right amount of calories  because yes everybody is different. Different metabolic rates, different activity levels, different fitness goals etc etc.. But the attached PDFfound here  (printed out from our Diet master pro software to be used in our body balance challenge www.bodybalancebestpractice.com  is a good example of an Australian Dietitians Association recommended ratio of carbohydrate/protein/fats for general health.

You should know they recommend 50-60% Carb, 15-20% protein and 25-30% fats, 30g of fibre and no more than 10% of your energy coming from saturated fat, i.e. get a good amount of omega 3 and omega 6 fats with a concerted effort in the omega 3 direction.

I have also attached a report on metabolism matters 36_Master_Metabolism_Report_FFPbpversion which everyone should read. We are bringing in the big guns next Monday and Tueday and are doing direct resting metabolic rate measures which if you got last week’s email some very valuable information for those interested in losing body fat. You should call us on 3854 0386

The Lunge

Here is a day of eating with a good amount of magnesium and good choices in general. 1 bowl all bran (138mg) with skimmed milk, 1 kiwi fruit and 4 medium strawberries, Grain roll (24mg) with avocado, tuna, tomato, rocket, tabouleh and capers, Skimmed latte (31mg), 30g almonds (78mg) and 3 apricot halves, Brown rice with sesame seeds (84mg), Grilled chicken breast (57mg) with soy and lemon dressing, ¼ cup sautéed mushrooms in ½ tbsp sesame oil and veggie stock, ½ cup steamed spinach. That all sounds pretty doable!

Squat clean and push press

Hi to all. You will notice that we have a new look site which is aimed at helping you achieve the subject of this post. But if you train with us, you will already know this.

There are still a few things to be updated but the essential, workable shell is there. You will also notice that our special, no make that ridiculous offer from our brochure is the central piece. So if you or someone you know is looking at starting personal training, it is well worth a look. And believe me it will be pulled soon as my accountant WILL kill me if I continue past September 30.

But what I wanted you to really know is that each week we will be updating with useful information in the blog  in the area of motivation/psychology, nutrition/eating well and of course the mechanics of a great training and effective programming. It will be worth reading!

We have some great things coming up this year still. Check out the site regularly for updates. We have the Brissie to Gold Coast ride, a ‘Push ups for charity’ event and a ‘I used to be able to….” challenge, if you remember the leather pants you will know where the inspiration for this one came from!

In the mean time. I am happy for all feedback. There are a number of things that will be sorted this week anyway but let me know what you think.

Have a great week folks. AG

Here is a great little article on something I get asked all the time. Alcohol is something which we all enjoy but what does it do if weight loss is our goal.

By Alan Russell Question: Does alcohol make you fat, or is it the mix and food consumed along with it that causes one to gain weight?

Answer:

This is a question often asked near the holiday season, possibly by clients wondering what they can “get away with.” Your question was formed in two parts: “Does alcohol make you fat?” and “…does the food consumed along with the alcohol contribute to weight gain?” Both scenarios are correct.

If you look at the caloric profile of the macronurtients carbohydrate (CHO), protein (PRO) and fat (FAT), each provides a specific amount of energy measured in calories. Basic laws of thermodynamics say that if one’s intake of calories is greater than their expenditure, the excess calories will be stored in the form of body fat. Use the following chart to find the caloric value in foods and drinks.

For example, one 12-ounce beer yields 84 Kcal (12 x 7). On a typical drinking binge, several alcoholic drinks can be consumed, leading to excessive calories consumed for that day. That number alone doesn’t appear too alarming, but multiply that by the number of drinks consumed in one day, one weekend, cumulative amount in one month, and you begin to see how alcohol consumption might increase the storage of body fat. In most instances (not exclusively), many of the food items consumed at parties are high in fat and low in nutrients. Worst case scenario would have your client binging on food and alcohol and then going to sleep without adequate time for digestion. ]]> http://www.bestpracticept.com.au/2010/does-alcohol-make-you-fat/feed/ 0 http://www.bestpracticept.com.au/2010/what-drives-you/ http://www.bestpracticept.com.au/2010/what-drives-you/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:25:51 +0000 Anthony Gillespie http://www.bestpracticeliving.com.au/?p=1729 I read a very interesting book last week on motivation. It is called Drive by Daniel Pink. If I could summarise it in 20 words or less it would be this. “The intrinsic interest you have in a task will be more powerful than any extrinsic reward you may earn from doing it”

That was probably more than 20 words but it was close! The book was predominantly aimed at business and the management of people but the similarities to what we do with clients is striking. Yes it is good to aim for a 10 or 20 kg loss of body fat or to get a stronger back, but the real goal of adhering to a positive habit of an all round active lifestyle will only be achieved when you actually get to enjoy the process and not just the short term benefits.

Exercise needs to become ‘just something you do’ and the sooner you can get in to that mode the better. The other  main tenet of the book was that, for a task to become intrinsically interesting a person must experience autonomy in doing it, usually a quest for mastery (which never ends) and finally a purpose bigger than themselves.

Well oddly enough the people we have found who become the most successfully healthy and committed are those who end up really ‘getting in to’ some type of exercise or activity, they develop an insatiable quest for mastery of that but also know that true mastery is not possible (therefore endless interest) and lastly they have a purpose which usually involves the encouragement of others.  

So what is your drive then? For true success let’s go a bit deeper than the surface level response that most people give about wanting to ’get fit and tone up a little’!

Fibre is defined as the material in our plant foods that our digestive enzymes cant break down into absorbable nutrients. There are two types of fibre – soluble and insoluble.

Soluble fibre is what the name says – soluble but it is also undigestible carbohydrates. What does it do I hear you ask?

• slows digestion (great for weight loss and feeling full!)
• moderates blood insulin
• moderates blood sugar levels
• reduces cholesterol
• provides energy for beneficial intestinal bacteria which alters the environment to suppress the growth of harmful bacteria
• and improves the overall health of intestinal cells
• Therefore in a nutshell it -protects against heart disease and diabetes.

Insoluble Fibre – speeds the passage of food through the digestive system by adding bulk to the intestinal contents. It also reduces the absorption of carcinogens and other undesirable molecules as the contents spend less time in this highly absorptive area.

Fibre is found in pretty much all of our fruits and vegetables. It would be a mistake to think that a juiced orange or carrot (taking out the fibre content) is as valuable as the whole fruit or vegetable.

EAT WHOLE FOODS and now you know why your mum got on your case as a kid – “EAT YOUR FRUIT AND VEGES!”

1. Quizno’s Large Tuna Melt – While tuna is a good protein source, when it is mixed with high fat dressings the negatives far outweigh the positives. Add to that a large portion size and you manage to create a 1,700-calorie sandwich that provides 133 grams of fat including 26 grams of saturated fat along with more than 2100 mg of sodium.
2. Chili’s Smokehouse Bacon Triple Cheese Big Mouth Burger with Jalapeno Ranch Dressing – Obviously when it takes more than a line to write the title there are too many items in the sandwich for it to be low calorie. This sandwich includes items from a variety of food groups but for most people watching their weight, it also includes more calories than they should have for the entire day with about 1900 calories as well as 138 grams of fat and a whopping 4,201mg of sodium.
3. On the Border Firecracker Stuffed Jalapenos with Chili con Queso – If you are sharing this appetizer with others and only enjoying a taste you are probably fine. However, enjoying the entire 1,950-calorie appetizer yourself will also contribute 134 grams of fat not to mention more than 6,000 mg of sodium to your daily intake.
4. P.F. Chang’s Combo Lo Mein – This noodle dish with chicken, shrimp, beef and pork is recommended to be two servings which helps lower the calorie and sodium damage to your daily intake. However, if you are super hungry and choose to enjoy the entire entrée you will find your daily intake has been set back an additional 1,968 calories, 96 grams of fat and 5,860 mg of sodium.
5. Romano’s Macaroni Grill Parmesan Crusted Sole – A couple of servings a fish each week is recommended for healthy eating however how your fish is prepared does make a difference. This fried fish entrée covered in cheese contributes a massive 2,190 calories, 141 grams of fat and 2,980 mg of sodium.
6. Chili’s Fajita Quesadillas Beef with Rice and Beans with Four Flour Tortillas and Condiments – Fix-it-yourself dishes can be a great way to control portion sizes and limit higher fat condiments that can quickly increase the calorie count. However, they can also hide total intakes when you have more than one like in this complete entrée that includes four servings and a total of 2,240 calories, 92 grams of fat and 6,390 mg of sodium.
7. Uno’s Chicago Grill Classic Deep Dish Individual Pizza – Chicago style pizza is delicious and selecting an individual pizza can seem like a great way to limit the nutritional damage. When you are talking about deep pizza, it is important to remember that all that space provides plenty of room for extra cheese, sauce, and toppings, which contribute over 2,300 calories, 165 grams of fat and 4, 920 mg of sodium as well.

Since most of these food items provide more calories, fat and sodium than recommended for an entire days healthy diet, they are best left on the menu and not on your table. (No kid!: AG editor comment!)

But, at the same time one of the ultimate truisms of life is that it is the journey and not the destination that counts. That is also a hard one to get your head around when goals are what drive us.

I was thinking about all this today when we were out on the kickbike in the cold and the relative dark with a few best practice diehards sweating up a storm around me. It is funny what goes through your head at 6am in the morning! Consistent exercise is one of those things that has the rare quality of having physical, mental, social and it could be argued financial benefits. I suppose it is easy to understand the first three but financial? I can hear you saying, “but hang on I am ‘paying’ for this”. Well yes you are but I can tell you that those who aren’t exercising are paying far more for not. The investment in one’s self is the best that can be made because everything else literally emanates from that base.

A highly functioning body.  

A great mental outlook. 

Many active friends to go on adventures with.

These are the spoils for you my friends,  if you can to consistently quieten that innervoice which screams for the doona or argues for that extra piece of cake.  Winter is the time to get your head right and cement the habit of this thing called exercise!

Now let’s put some numbers and real life examples to you. Lance Armstrong, light body, huge engine and therefore an amazing VO2 max. He has one of the biggest VO2 max scores in the world. He has been tested at around 88ml of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. The average person has about one third of that ability. Obviously there is a certain amount of natural endowment with this particular element of fitness. Lance was standing near the top of the queue when this ability was being handed out. The thing that he also brought to the table was an incredible amount of determination and a tolerance level to withstand some serious discomfort.

So what about us mere mortals? It has been said that your absolute VO2 max can be improved by up to 50% with training. So you can increase the size of your engine significantly, which means you will be able to do so much more with your life where fitness is a limiting factor.

So how do you improve it? No surprises here I guess. You must adhere to some basic principles of training. First you must being doing exercises that use large muscle groups in a repetitive way for an extended period of time. Second you must progressively build how much you do because the body keeps adapting and improving.Another variable you could manipulate is the intensity. You must work at a heart rate intensity of 60-90% of your maximum heart rate, use 220-your age as a rough guide to your maximum heart rate.  Lastly, you must also consider rest and recovery because it is critical to the adaptation process.

If any of you are training for the upcoming Bridge to Brisbane you will know about training programs designed to improve your running endurance performance. You will be increasing your VO2 max and in other words your engine capacity. This will be one improvement that won’t cost you money like getting a bigger car will, on the contrary it could buy you time and improve the scope of your existence. Not a bad result for a bit of effort.

Ask us about the many types of VO2 max tests and how to find out what yours is.

Below is a table of the scores for age and gender. The circled areas are where you want to aim to be!

But before you leave this page to go to the link ponder this – I was thinking the other day about how to make decisions on ’stuff’ in general 

This is how I do it.

I read from a wide variety of sources and the higher quality the beter, e.g. The journal of clinical nutrition is likely to be more trustworthy than New Idea! Secondly I defer to what most research believes to be the ‘truth’ and then lastly I keep an open mind. Just remember that the prevailing thought of the day when Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile was that a humans legs would shatter at that pace! The guys in the white coats aren’t always right!

oils aint oils, Dr Mercola

our core values –

·         Down to earth (friendly & non-intimidating)

We will be down to earth by being friendly to all our clients and by asking the difficult questions with compassion and by holding all clients accountable in a non intimidating way.

·         Inquisitive (life-long dedication to learning, both theoretical and practical)

We will be inquisitive by always asking if there is a better way that we can help clients achieve their goals. We are committed to researching and implementing new improved techniques through a scientific approach and then with on-going evaluation refine what we do.

·         FUN (lots of fun)

We all have a sense of fun and a desire to use improved fitness and health for a more adventurous life, at least in some way. We don’t sweat the small stuff and figure laughter is the best form of ‘treatment’.

OUR PURPOSE –

“Is to help our clients become ‘usefully’ fit so they can do more and do it better, both in work and at play. We believe this will lead to a happier existence for them personally and as a natural consequence – those around them.

join us for the brissie to bay bike ride on the 27th of June will ya? Let’s do something useful with all this fitness! Also let us know if you are coming to our barby on the 25th, the Friday before.

1. Best Contact Number(required)
2. Name(required)
3. Email(valid email required)

 

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1. BRISSIE TO BAY RIDE is coming up on Sunday June 27. Best Practice is putting in a team. After all, this fitness training gig is meant to allow you to do things like this because they are fun and to state the obvious good for you! We are putting in a cycling team and a kickbike team. We already have 14 participants raring to go. It is for a great cause and will be a great day so get on board.
2. Injury Prevention SEMINAR followed by BBQ - Friday 25th June at 7:30pm. We have specialist physio Mary-Anne Litchfield coming along to speak to us about old injuries, current injuries and how to prevent them in the future. Many of us get a niggle here and there at times so this is an EXCELLENT way to learn more about it!
3. HIP HOP CLASS – We told you at the beginning of the year that we would be doing fun things and this is one of them. 5 week class every Tuesday at 6pm starting 22nd June! If you think Ericka is good at Pilates wait until you see her in her element! Get on board because you are sure to have a laugh and enjoy the ability to move…. even if it is out time with the beat

Register your interest to any of the three here!

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Look at the column which has 100g. This will be on every product. Do not look at the serving size column as this will vary with each item of food.

• Fat
  • 20g or more per 100g is HIGH
  • 3g or less per 100g is LOW
  • Females should consume no more than 70g per day
  • Males should consume no more than 90g per day
• Saturated Fat (Bad Fat)
  • 3g or more is HIGH
  • 1g and less is LOW
  • Females should consume less than 20g per day
  • Males should consume less than 30g per day
• Sugar
  • 15g is considered HIGH
  • 2g or less is considered LOW
  • Females should consume no more than 40 – 50g per day (8 – 10 teaspoons)
  • Males should consume no more than 50 – 60g per day (10 – 12 teaspoons)

More info that was handed out from the night can be downloaded here shopping-tour-take-home-message

I am not trying to tell you that work and providing a good living is not important but you know that it has taken over when you have not exercised properly for 3 months or more, have the same argument as Adam Sandlers character (in the video you are about to watch) or feel that your body has become a dumping ground.

Check it out!

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Find out -

• What is the best bread to buy?
• Low fat milk, full fat milk, no fat milk?
• 97% fat free…. is it all it is cracked up to be?
• What to take to a bbq
• How to understand the nutrition labels and what to look for!
• Plus LOADS more……..

Details

• Where: Coles New Farm
• When: 27th May
• Time: 7 – 8pm
• Cost:  Zero dollars

Feel free to bring a friend/family member as this will benefit everyone. You MUST register,  so please fill in the box below and lock your spot in!

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I am guessing some of you are still a little confused and who could blame you? There are so many different pieces of information out there on how to eat, some of them reliable, some of them not but how do you tell the difference? Well the solution is to trust us! We will find the most reliable information as that is our job and besides that we like doing it too!

So what is the deal with GI? GI stands for Glycemic  Index and indicates how much of an effect a carbohydrate type food has on your blood sugar level and there for your insulin. The faster your blood sugar level rises the higher the GI of the food. The index is based on comparing foods to pure glucose which is classified as 100. High GI is any food 70 and above, Moderate GI is any food from 56-69 and Low GI are any foods 55 and below. In this series of blog entries (there will be three) we will 1. Define what the GI is and why it is important, 2. Give you a list of common foods and their GI values and 3. Provide an example 1 day diet that aims for a healthy low GI approach.

The GI of carbs is important because research strongly suggests that high GI foods put a lot of pressure on our insulin response and a diet made of high GI foods increases your risk of heart disease significantly. If we continually consume high GI foods and therefore continually ask our pancreas to secrete insulin to deal with the blood sugar we are potentially fatiguing the body’s response to sugar which can lead to serious problems. Here’s why. A high level of glucose in the blood means:

• Excess glucose moves into cells lining the arteries, causing inflammation, thickening and stiffening – the making of ‘hardened arteries’
• Highly reactive, charged particles called ‘free radicals’ are formed which destroy the machinery inside the cell, eventually causing the cell death
• Glucose adheres to cholesterol in the blood which promotes the formation of fatty plaque and prevents the body from breaking down excess cholesterol
• Higher levels of insulin raise blood pressure and blood fats, while suppressing ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol levels

Look out next week for a comprehensive list of the GI of common foods, what to avoid and what to seek out.

Welcome to a breakfast at Best Practice. When you are on the go and don’t have much time to prepare food this is a good one to ensure you cover all your major nutrients and give you a great kick start to the day.

Ingredients

• Cornflakes (40g)
• Muesli (100g)
• Protein powder (1 table spoon – 20g)
• Milk (1.5cups)

Total Calories – 730

The Break Down

Carbs – 107.5g (59.8%)        Protein – 41.1g (22.9%)           Fat – 13.8g (17.3%)

Note – The quantities above would be suggested for an active Male wanting to consume 2000 – 2500 cals per day. For a Female (1500 – 1700 Cals) quantities would need to be reduced.

*To reduce the fat content – low fat milk would be a better option. Remember however, muesli contains a lot of good fat (and fibre!), hence part of the reason it is added in

If you have more time on your hands this can be jazzed up a little with almonds and fresh cut up fruit added in.

EAT UP AND ENJOY!

 “Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.
~Greg Glassman “

With every meal we try to get some protein so cocopops and milk is not suffice to get our day started. Here are a few.

• Mince on Toast(preferably multigrain or soy and linseed – see last weeks bread article)
• Best Practice Breakfast – Boiled egg, toast, salmon, rocket, diced tomato, avocado  and a sprinkle of cheese on top (great for the weekend when you have a little more time)
• Bircher Muesli (stacked with fibre – this is going to make you feel fuller for longer)
• Porridge plus LSA (Linseed, Sunflower and Almond – fantastic to get your omega-3, protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre)
• Protein Shake (if you aren’t hungry in the morning and cant handle the thought of solid food or if you are on the go this is an excellent start rather than skipping the meal completely)

If you started your day with one of the above (most are quick and easy to make) you would get a massive big tick for meal #1 of the day. You may even find that you have more energy than you can handle and say good bye to those mid-morning tired slumps.

One thing to be aware of is the sugar content and high GI of most cereals out on the market. In general they are all pretty high (including the ’healthy ones’) and the fibre content is low – even the ones which say high in fibre. Due to the fact that it has been processed in the first place nothing is going to beat the more natural source such as fruits/vegetables or that found in muesli. Take away note – if you are going with one of the cereals, either add a range of chopped up fruits to it or eat a piece (or two) as an additional extra. Put the bounce back into your breakfast! Enjoy

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=874920

You can diversify your investment plan thereby spreading your risk. Most people start with a tried and true low risk cardio training program and walking is a good start. As people become more sophisticated with their investing they start to see the benefit of core training methods like Pilates and yoga…..and then with even greater knowledge understand the powerful currency that strength training with weights is.

These activities are part of the arsenal of the wise investor! Remember that you can’t keep withdrawing from the bank, you have to make regular deposits. This metaphor holds true for relationships and perhaps even more so. So start your ‘savings’ plan now, it is never too late to make a difference but the longer you leave it the less you will enjoy the power of compounding interest and the satisfaction and joy that come from having built a solid base over your life.

But probably the easiest way to learn is to watch this video observing the form and learning some great variations.

1. Start every meal with some form of Protein (Lean steak, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and lentils). Sure to help building the all important muscle and have you feeling fuller for longer!
2. Fibrous Carbs- Think Vegetables and lots of different colours. High in nutrient value and low in calories
3. Good Healthy Fats – Omega’s found in fish
4. Fruit – at least two every day
5. Starch Carbs  – natural starches and grains (breads, pastas, rice etc). 

Plan your meals rather than reacting when you are hungry and make sure this process is followed. You cant go wrong. Remember if you are on track to losing weight nutrient dense, high satiety foods (makes you feel fuller quicker and for longer) and  calorie sparse is your aim!

So the exercise of the month to replace that one is the chest press on a swiss ball. Check the link about below for a demo of this done well. Remember this exercise only makes sense in a balanced program because, chest strengthening is not as important as back strengthening in the average person.

Always email us if you have any questions. We are here to help!

Here is a link to the book, go to it and get hold of it any way you can. If I could get reselling writes I could be a rich man because it is the last word on the solution to body fat and you don’t need me to tell you there is a high need for the right information in this area of health.  

It is no quick fix but it will, if followed properly lead 100% to the result, guaranteed. Trust me, I know that he knows what he is talking about!

www.bodyfatsolution.com

Read this and stop doubting!

http://www.normandoidge.com/normandoidge/MAIN.html

So how do you get to be able to do a chin up? The best way to start is with the lat pulldown. That exercise uses predominantly the same muscle group. Progress this up by doing a weight that allows you to do 12 reps only and then build it from there to a weight what you can do maybe only 4 or 5. (hey quick disclaimer here: only do this if you have doctor’s clearance and have seen a health professional first! Hopefully that is enough to keep the lawyers at bay!).

1. Lat pulldowns
2. Negative chins (that is lower yourself with control)
3. Do jump chin ups (use your body weight with the momentum of the jump to get up there)
4. Attempt to pull yourself up (use underhand grip)
5. Do full proper pull up. (from full hang position, slowly pull yourself up to get your chin over the bar, lower yourself down with control)

You are now in an elite club! Check out this link for a great idea on how to start.

So who is right? Will it all change again?

The way I look at these things is to do weigh up where most research is and then serve up a combination of methods that are likely to first: do no harm and secondly give the client the most chance of achieving the goal they are after. The bottom (not trying to be funny!) line as usual for optimal fat loss is to simply use up more energy than you consume on a daily basis and the only way to track this is by regular measuring and a good understanding of the energy densities of the foods that you eat and the energy output of the activities that you do.

You old school teacher was right, mathematics does make the world go around!

I am talking about not drinking alcohol at all in February, the shortest month by the way! Below are a few snippets taken off their website.

Participating in FebFast delivers real health benefits: 60% of past participants said they felt healthier after completing the month, and one in five reported losing weight. (Based on 2008 survey).

FebFast provides an opportunity to feel better about yourself, reflect on past consumption behaviours, reduce your waistline and save some money!

That all sounds like it fits in with what we all are trying to achieve this year. I am about to register and would like to have a best practice team. Email me if you are in and I will tell you what we need to do or do it by yourself.

Go to http://www.febfastfundraising.com.au/event/febfast2010 and see what it is all about.

I would love to hear from you!

The theory behind detox is to cleanse your body, including  liver, bowels, kidneys of the built up toxins, waste and chemical by-products from cigarettes, alcohol, food pestercides, caffeine  etc. all in an effort of improving health and wellbeing. The problem is some of the prescribed detox diets out there end up being quite harmful to not only the body but also the all important metabolism. Cutting calories from 2500 per day down to 1000 may see you jumping for joy on the scales initially, however, long term it will give you no help in speeding up your metabolism, nor will cutting macro-nutrients out of your eating (which alot of detox diets do) which make you lose muscle! All in all these quick fix fad diets look to have you regaining the shortfall in no time.

With your body being one of the best detoxification machines going around, here are some tips to rework your nutritional intake this year.

Tips to clean up your eating and De-Junk it

1. Definitely give up the smokes and limit alcohol intake
2. Avoid simple sugars
3. The devils colour is WHITE  (white sugar, white salt, basically foods which colour is white)
4. Eat food as close to its natural source as possible – it should have been living before hand.
5. Anything ending in ‘-ose’ on the label = SUGAR
6. The longer the shelf life – the worse it is for you
7. Do what mum nagged you about – eat loads of fruit and vegetables (more colour the better)*
8. Drink the clear stuff (WATER that is) – simple equation – Bodyweight x 33.33 = Amount of water in milliliters per day
9. Use the 80/20 rule. Live right 80% of the time and the other 20% can be absorbed
10. Try to get 8 hours sleep. A lot goes on during this down time and is extremely important in keeping your body running in peak condition!!

*hundreds of studies have shown the correlation with those who have a higher intake of fruit and vegetables are healthier and leaner than those who don’t. UP the intake guys

The human body in it’s finest form can do amazing things. We can climb, jump, spin, turn, push, pull, run, swim, flip, cycle, dance, wrestle, throw, swing etc etc.

Or……. at our most average, we can just sit, watch and deftly manoevre the remote control.

What do you want to do with your life? How do you want to live your life?

We work out in a gym, a park or a best practice personal training studio (even!) so we are functionally better and can do more. Think about why you are working out. I believe it is to have more options and as a consequence a better life. In the words of the ill fated ( I say ill fated because it clearly didn’t work with 65% of men and 55% of  women either overweight or obese) 80′s government  campaign, Life Be in it!

First things first. You just HAVE to have breakfast. It is the best opportunity to fuel up and have the energy in place to power on for the day. With out breakfast you are in high risk territory to just get anything in when you finally get hungry. When you get your eating cylce right you will want to eat when you first get up so ‘fake it’ till you make it. Don’t think that if you miss breakfast you are saving on the calorie in side of the equation. There is a thing called metabolism that is extremely important and eating early oddly enough kicks it in and fires up your body to start functioning well for the day.

Ideal breakfast? Boiled egg, rocket lettuce, cherry tomatoes, smoked salmon, sprinkle of parmesan, drizzled with a spicy tomato chutney and if you are really hungry, a slice of high fibre rye toast. Bring it on. I am hungry just writing about it.

Get in to it folks and chow down!

Many people go through life like this, simply living life day to day, having nothing to aim for or targets to hit (maybe the exception of work deadlines or sales targets)  and the years just rush by with not a lot really achieved. People become too afraid to set goals for fear of failure, they simply don’t have the skills to set them properly or it is simply too hard to think about!! Sound familiar?? 

In case you forgot, this THURSDAY 21st JANUARY at 7:30pmin our small group training room we will be bringing you everything there is to know about getting your year off to the very best start and knowing what to aim for.   Don’t be one of those people you hear time and time again with unrealistic/brash New Years statements of what will be attempted without putting too much thought or into it. Come February/March and generally it’s all but over, the year rushes by you, not much is achieved and the cycle repeats itself. 

Anthony will be drawing upon his years of experience in psychology, business and coaching to not only help you set goals for your number one asset. Learn the formula’s and secrets which  will really set you in good stead to achieving some great things this year not only in health and fitness but in family, financial, personal and business/work life.

Fill in your details below if you are planning on attending. I guarantee you attend this, take action on it and not only will you surprise yourself but those around you will be in envy at your achievements.

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Hope to see you all there!!

Click here and preapred to be super  impressed!

http://www.bestpracticeliving.com.au/testimonials/before-and-after-page

I figure that 2 strength training sessions, at least 2 cardio type sessions and a core stability workout (Pilates/yoga) each week for 48 weeks (allowing 4 weeks for holidays which may or may not be active depending on how the year is going) would be a good achievement when I reflect on how the year went come December 31, 2010.

That means I am aiming for 240 sessions for the year. I just got off the computrainer bikes so 239 to go!

Use your online diary to track it and review monthly or simply count them off a calendar you have up in your room where you will see it daily. Count it down!

Now is definitely time to power up! Why I hear you cry??? Why the heck not is my prompt reply. Life is now and tomorrow offers a new chance at achieving great things because you are going to blink and opportunity (and especially opportunity to those with the energy and vitality to take it) will be gone if you aren’t ready. No pressure folks but instead of getting annoyed take advantage of the media bombardment that demands new goals for the new year. Take advantage of it because it there is a real chance of stimulating action otherwise not taken with the power held with in those words you hear.

We want 2010 to be a great one for you, your friends and your family. A life of action, joy and fun awaits you. It is, as always your choice. Hope to see you at the goal setting seminar later this month.

If you are a client of Best Practice you would be well aware that we focus on the fact that you have to be able to translate what you do in your workouts into everyday life. Most people use the buzz word “functional fitness” and this is very true to what we aim to achieve here. The fact of the matter is that whether you are trying to lose kg’s or cm around your waist/thighs or whether you train for health and are in more of a maintenance mode this is going to be for you.

In a couple of weeks Anthony will be conducting a seminar on goal setting and this the exact purpose of this trek. To set you a functional fitness goal, whilst also seeing some of the best sites the world has to offer.

Details of the Trek

• Where: Milford Sound, New Zealand
• How Long: 55km Hike over 5 days
• When: Easter 2010 (Sun Mar 28 – Sat 3 Apr)
• Cost: $3000 (all inclusive) + Lots of bonuses!! (One will be additional free training)

Register your interest below – we can only take 10

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 Trust me this will really take your training to the next level, provide a lot of focus and you will see some great results! I guarantee it will be worth it… not that hanging out with us for 7 days wouldn’t be

We said before the holidays that we had grand plans for this year and here are a few things to kick it off.

• GOAL SETTING SEMINAR – Thursday January 21 at 7:30pm

They say if you have no target how do you know what to aim for… and this is so true! Many people set goals but do not actually achieve them simply because they go wrong in a few key areas. Anthony will be shedding his wisdom  from extensive experience with psychology, coaching and business to help you not only set them correctly but also plant the seeds for you to be able to achieve them THIS YEAR! This is sure to be a lot of fun with some really useful, easy to follow information!

• PILATES- Now has FOUR sessions per week!

This will start the week of January 18 and will run the following times

1. Monday 6pm (Beginner)
2. Thursday 6:30am (Intermediate)
3. Saturday 8:00am (Beginner)
4. Saturday 9:00am (Intermediate)

Remember there is only a maximum of 10 per class – to keep it personal and last year all spots filled up quickly. Get in touch with us TODAY to find out more details!

There are many more exciting things that will be happening in the coming weeks/months so stay tuned!

This little challenge was meant to stimulate some interest in the concept of body transformation and remotivating yourself to spice up your training routine. We know it is all about how you feel but it doesn’t hurt to look a bit better either!

Check out Craig and Michelle. There will be bigger versions on our website soon. But super cool results I think you will agree! Look out next year for an actual body transformation competition complete with prizes and the whole shabang

Have a listen to the you tube video for the final run down. The picture of myself below  is perhaps as good as it gets for the leather pants (I wasn’t sucking it in I promise!) and maybe it is good bye for good to those things of the past, especially those things of questionable taste!

Well done to Craig and Michelle who are indeed in the best shape of their life. There will be some great pictures up of their achievements very soon. So look out for those and marvel at what good goal setting can achieve.

One final thing on a personal note is that I would like to announce my engagement to one beautiful woman called Jacqui Mayer. Happy times here at Best Practice! Hope your year has been as good as mine!

How? Why? (is he still breathing?) Jenny what was the name of that seamstress again? Not quite ready for the body building contest I guess. Maybe next year folks……

Do you ever get that feeling when you have not eaten in a while (say 6 – 7 hours) of a real aching, disturbing, frustrated feeling inside your stomach? A feeling which is almost like a gremlin has crawled inside and is playing havoc on you? Well this is hormone in case point number one. Ghrelin. It is triggered when your stomach is empty and makes you feel super hungry. The little guy inside cries out “feed me, feed me, feed me” and to silence him you usually grab the first thing you can put your hands on (we all know what choices they usually are ). TIP #1-  Avoid this little gremlin and eat every 3 – 4 hours.

So we have looked at one of the hormones when your stomach is empty… what happens as you start to eat? You have these little receptors on the side of your stomach (mechano receptors) which when they are triggered from your stomach expanding sends a message to your brain. After 10 minutes your stomach elicits a hormonal response as a result and our hormone number two is Cholecystokinin or CCK. This hormone along with the receptors on the outside of your stomach lets your brain know that you are being fed and you are full (hunger suppressant). Matt O’Neil comes up with a great saying of “wait for CCK to come out and play”. CCK tells the stomach to slow down the digestion process so that the small intestine can properly digest the fats! We certainly dont want unnecessary fats creeping through the system and storing themselves in our body! So in other words wait 10 minutes for your brain to register that you are being fed.  Tip #2 SLOOOWWWW down your eating and take at least 10 minutes!

A little bit of a nerdy insight (I love reading about this stuff) but at the end of the day look at the take home tips to help you out with your eating

Standard Drink	Calories	Kilojoules	Training Hours
Crown Lager	150	630	1hr on bike
Hahn Superdry	100	415	1hr walk
Coopers Premium Light	85	350	10mins skipping
Pure Blonde	105	445	20min rowing
Bourbon & Coke	120	500	30min X Trainer
Bourbon & Diet Coke	70	290	10 flights stairs
Bundaberg & Coke Pre Mix	275	1150	30min run
Smirnoff	210	880	20min boxing
Ruski	220	990	60mins cardio
Champagne	85	355	20mins stepper
1 bottle wine	560	2352	Computrainer
Cosmo	150	630	PUMP class
Vodka Lime and Soda	90	350

All figures are based on rough estimates only

Tips for alcohol success

1.     Become the DD (Not Drunk & Disorderly … Designated Driver)

2.     Order spirits in a tall glass with lots of ice

3.     Count your glasses and aim for 1 an hour

4.     Eat before you go out

5.     Aim for 1 glass of water in addition to your alcohol each hour

6.     Decide how much you will drink before you go out

7.     Ditch carbs on nights you are planning to drink

8.     Swap cocktails in favour of spirits

9.     Always ask for low calorie mixers including soda, diet coke or lime juice

10.  Avoid pre mixed drinks altogether

So what is next in the arsenal? A stronger level of diligence in calories in versus calories out! After this we are talking more extreme body building techniques. Perhaps I will set that as a challenge next year if I can convince myself that a 6 pack is worth having.

In the end, health is the top priority for me but use what ever motivates you. If it is a picture of a cut up super model, male or female then go for it!

But quick update on the leather pants…..

After a training session. Couldn’t have been that hard. We are still smiling!!

I have 3 weeks. Still working on it folks. 1cm per week still needed really. Time will tell.

Craig and Michelle, still on target! Craig lost 1 cm, Michelle lost almost a kilogram. Well done team…..Focus, focus! There is a photo shoot coming. Stay tuned.

The message this week to find from someone around you that is doing the job and start mimicking. It is a brain physiology fact that we work better with images and the richer the detail the better. Perhaps you are reading this and think, ‘well you know I am doing pretty well’. If that is you great! Be the object of inspiration. You may have received an email with an offer to your friends and family. I encourage you to encourage them to make a commitment and get moving. Why wait? Life is happening now whether you think it is or not. We all know that once you can get that boulder moving it builds a life and a force of it’s own that can smash through big barriers.

We have had the privilege this year of witnessing plenty of that!

Well the answer might shock you. If you consume just 100 extra calories per day to what your body needs given your current level of expenditure it would take just over 3 years to put on 20 kg! So even if it is only 50 calories per day you will be 20kg heavier 6 years. 100 calories is not even a capucino! So the message? Little bits often, count……alot. We just looked at the intake side. Consider what little changes to your current activity level could do to balance out the scales. Park your car further from the shops, change the channel by getting up (chuck away the remote…even better chuck away the whole tv set!), walk as much as you can when you are shopping by not taking the escalator etc. Again, a little bit often….. helps a lot!

The basic message is that you need an awareness of what your body needs to maintain it’s current weight. If you believe you need to drop some weight (read: body fat) then you need to create a deficit between what goes in and what goes out. It is really not rocket science folks. First you need awareness of some numbers and second you need a plan to achieve what you are looking for and of course, third you need to do it!

Exercise is MOVE, Nutrition is EAT, Goals is THINK. That is what we are about.

Enjoy folks!

ags-1-day-meal-plan-2000-cal

ags-nutrient-summary-november-09

Next year we will be offering you the opportunity to measure your progress with  Fitness Test week. In the last week of every quarter, instead of the regular group training sessions we will be doing benchmarking of where you are at. You will have a choice of being tested on cycling, swimming, running, rowing, push ups, chin ups and or measurements of waist, hips and the skinfold of your choice.

Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

We figure that you need to know how you are going a little more regularly.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure!

My advice is to stretch after all sessions to keep up the range of motion if nothing else. There is a bit of academic controversy as to whether stretching really prevents injury. My instincts say ‘it can’t hurt’ because it does actually feel good to do and yogis for centuries can’t be all wrong! Secondly,  get regular massage. Who is going to argue with this one? I made the classic mistake myself recently of letting it go too long with out one and payed the price and had my   leather pants program interrupted (not happy!). Thirdly I am going to recommend the foam roller as a form of self massage and classic preventative care.  This funky device has been used by phyisotherapists for some time and is a tool everyone should use in some capacity, to maintain the suppleness of their body. We will be running a short course in how to use these things effectively in the new year. I strongly encourage you to get one and then use it! We have them in stock.

We have always wanted to give better service in this direction and have got our act together…. finally. This seminar will be presented by myself and Jimmy and will be entitled, Fending off the Festive Season Minefields! We will be covering amongst other things, useful information on how to deal with the attack of the ‘friendly’ alcoholic neighbours, the mind numbingly boring work function (ours will be nothing like that!) and how not to eat a weeks worth of calories at the dessert table.

It will fun, stupidly entertaining but rest assured useful! Sign up now below as we do have limited space -

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Apple Vs Doughnut

By Paul Taylor

 The apple, contains water (about 80%), carbohydrate (15%, mainly fructose with some dietary fibre) and a small amount of protein (5% or less) releasing the nutrients contained in the apple. The body uses up energy and nutrients to complete the digestion process, but it is rewarded with an abundance of nutrients from the apple. Firstly, there are amino acids from the protein, which are sent to a pool from which individual cells can access in order to repair themselves and communicate with other cells. Next, we have energy released from the carbohydrate, which goes to fuel our muscles, nervous system and brain. Because most of the sugar is fructose, it is stored in the liver until it is needed, helping blood sugar to remain relatively steady.

The humble apple also contains an abundance of nutrients for the body. Just under the skin lies half of the Vitamin C content of the apple. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, Vitamin A and a healthy dose of potassium. In addition to those, the skin contains a compound called quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that reduces cardiovascular risk. If that wasn’t enough, the flavonoids and phytochemicals that it contains seem to help fight against cancer. Finally, the skin contains lots of fiber, which helps to improve bowel function and reduced cholesterol absorption.

The doughnut, however, is a different proposition altogether. It is loaded with saturated fats, trans fats and refined sugar and is largely devoid of any nutritional value, other than energy, which it has in abundance. Digestion of the carbohydrate component will start in the mouth and the stomach will assist in further breaking the doughnut down. The simple sugars will be readily digested and then absorbed. The bile that is released by the gallbladder will help to break down the different fats, but the picture here gets a little complicated. Saturated and trans fats take a different pathway than the more healthy fats, such as monsaturated or polyunsaturated, and the pathway dictates whether the fats are healthy or unhealthy. The healthier fats generally are absorbed, whereas saturated and trans fats are converted into triglycerides, the main form of fat storage in the body. They are also coated in cholesterol (from the liver) and hence the fats in a doughnut will raise the bad (LDL) cholesterol and reduce the good (HDL) component.

Trans fats, however, surpass saturated fats in the damage that they do. They have been shown to wreak havoc with the body’s ability to regulate cholesterol and massively increase your risk of heart disease. They also get into the membrane (outer lining or skin) of our cells, causing them to harden. This has a negative effect on the functioning of our cells and disturbs the delicate ecosystem. In addition to that, a 2006 study reported by the American Diabetes Association showed that replacing healthy fats with trans fats (so that trans fats accounted for 8% of energy intake) led to a very significant weight gain (around 7%) – despite the fact that the amount of energy was the same. Also known as trans fatty acids, trans fats are the most damaging of all fats to our health, even more so than saturated fats. Although a small amount of trans fats are produced in nature (through the digestive processes of cows and sheep, hence they are present in small amounts in beef, dairy products and lamb), the majority of trans fats in our diets come from the food processing industry. They are produced by the chemical process of hydrogenation of oils, which turns oils into solids and increases the shelf life of products, as well as improving the texture of a food. The greatest source is deep fried foods, such as French fries, but trans fats are also present in high amounts in cakes, cookies, biscuits, some breads (especially croissants and pastries), processed foods (especially pies, sausage rolls etc), snack foods (potato chips, some muesli bars) and margarines (in small amounts). All US and most European foods must declare how much trans fats are in the product (Denmark has banned all foods with more than 2% trans fats), but there is no requirement to declare it in Australia and NZ. Look out for trans fat on the label or the words hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. My conclusion? Trans fats are the fats of the devil and should be avoided at all costs.

 Take Home Message Hopefully this article has demonstrated why nutritionists and dieticians are always harping on about eating natural foods. It is not just the energy content that is important, but the nutrients within the foods play a large role in our long-term health. Although there is room for everything in moderation, the vast majority of your food should be natural and healthy. As a general rule, I tell my clients that if a food looks like it has never been alive at any point, then it’s best avoided or at least put in the category of “occasional food.”

I went to a ‘wealth’ creation seminar and remember hearing a lot of interesting stuff but one comment stood out - ”making money is boring”. The speaker went on to explain that creating wealth requires using a tried and true ‘system’ and that the application of that system could be considered quite boring. I suppose that might be true, I am not wealthy (not in dollar terms but in other ways I most certainly feel that I am) but most people would say having a lot of money is definitely not boring, i.e. the result is worth it. 

So I got to thinking about the most dedicated athletes and how they train and the results they get. If you saw how professional athletes preparing for the olympics train, you would see them heavily involved in a  ’routine’ or a system that they methodically apply. And this is indeed a universal truth in achieving major goals. You have to apply a tried and true system to the task. Both Craig and Michelle who have joined me in the leather pants challenge have applied themselves in this way.  I am not sure that they would say it is ‘boring’ exactly but it is certainly a routine. This is why achieving results with a random approach is so difficult. You just have to ask yourself the question what are you prepared to do to get the result. Now I am not saying that you have to commit to drudgery for the rest of your life to maintain a high level of health and vitality. What I am saying is that if you are trying to disrupt the pattern  that has led to ill health and beiing unfit then you have to be prepared for a period of time in the ‘system’ that has been proven to work time and again. They always say “it is not rocket science”, true story!  It is however the irrefutable laws of ‘body science’ in action. 

Once you have achieved what you are after and have survived the inevitable process then you can play around with a bit more spontaneity. I would love to say that you can do that from the word go but the cold hard facts are that big results require big effort. There may be some lucky people out there who see things happen with minimal change, good for you but I can tell you that you in the smallest of minorities.

Please look at the attached PDF’s of both Craig and Michelle’s latest pics. They look fantastic. 5 weeks left to the photo shoot! I want to remind you again. This is not about how you look but how you feel. I suppose none of us will deny though that the two are very much related. Use emotion to create action, use determination to maintain it. 

Check out the original page  for my results this week and a special picture of a 19 year old  in London in 1986, not wearing  leather pants unfortunately (couldn’t find that pic) but you will see how this guy could have easily worn them and be deluded enough to think they were cool!

Craig progress photos

Michelle progress photos

It’s on! RETRO style christmas party of 2009. I had to get the leather pants in there somehow! Remember it is not about how you look but how you feel and if you feel good in platform shoes, flared pants and beads then be my guest! You have an open ticket here so dig deep in to your wardrobe and see what crazy stuff you can come up with. We want you there and we want to be laughing!!! I know you will be laughing at myself, Jimmy, Nicole, Matt and Ericka!

Date: Saturday December 19     Time: 7:00pm    Theme: RETRO    Location: The Valley Pool

RSVP: December 11        *Drinks and nibblies will be provided.

There will be special awards for best dressed and a few fun awards to go in hand as well.

We have always wanted to give better service in this direction and have got our act together…. finally. This seminar will be presented by myself and Jimmy and will be entitled, Fending off the Festive Season Minefields! We will be covering amongst other things, useful information on how to deal with the attack of the ‘friendly’ alcoholic neighbours, the mind numbingly boring work function (ours will be nothing like that!) and how not to eat a weeks worth of calories at the dessert table.

It will fun, stupidly entertaining but rest assured useful! Sign up now below as we do have limited space -

I got 5 sessions last week and with the introduction of being ‘allowed’ to drink may have hit a bit of road bump on Melbournec Cup day. Such is life . One day doesn’t ruin a whole program but can certainly undermine results for one week.  Okay so back in to it and I know that my body says I just need to go harder. Craig had a similar result with little movement last week even after a solid week of training and minimal alcohol but perhaps not optimal eating. Michelle made some small progress with her usual training regime but had some respiratory virus challenges.  She has selected her ‘leather pants’ which is a size 12 dress and Craig still has his sights set on ‘abs!’ More photos coming soon! Stay tuned.

Go to the main page to check out the latest measurements in the table but listen below to Jimmy’s take on things below first.

5 workouts last week, 2 runs X 30 mins and 3 weight sessions X 30 mins.

No alcohol

Diet – not bad, not great

Result?

See the table below for mine.

As for the rest of the team: Michelle has hit the lowest ever on our scales. I know that scales aren’t everything but nevertheless it is wise to measure on a weekly basis under consistent circumstances. Well done M.

Craig, with 2 weeks of no alcohol dropped a whopping 3 cms around the waist!

I will try not to let you down next week gang or these pants are going to need to be taken out. In an attempt to spark it up a bit – No coffee and no chocolate in November for me. Let’s see what that does? If you knew how much I look forward to my morning coffee you would know that this isn’t going to be heaps of fun. Oh well, the things we do in the name of leather!

You know it would be easy to get a bit discouraged here but the body works in mysterious ways at times and sometimes it needs more of a shock to get things moving not to mention CONSISTENCY and progressive overload. You just have to keep your head in the right place here folks and hold on to your lattes!

You can link back to the whole story and on there are the measurements for the week

http://www.bestpracticeliving.com.au/bpl/best-body-challenge-coming-in-2010/leatherpantschallengeleatherpantschallenge

Craig Roberts and Michelle Leversedge have decided to go public. When asked what Craig’s goal was he said, “that’s simple, one word ‘Abs!’”

He has come a long way and for the full story on his result so far and his motivation for change click below. He was definitely in it for how it made him feel and this new goal represents stage 2 on the journey.

Click here for some before and afters of Craig thus far:

craig-roberts-jan-09-to-august-09-version-21

As for Michelle, she has just done amazing stuff. Click the attachment for her stunning results. Her new goals and her public challenge is taking her a step further and increasing the focus on her own personal ultimate result.

michelle-1-pager

Please understand this. We all have different motivations for ‘getting fit’. We believe here at Best Practice that it really is all about how you feel and if the visual is a motivator then USE it. In the end it is about being happy with who you are and comfortable in your own skin. Do the best you can and you can never lose with this.

Find out why I started this thing and click through to see how the week went and if I have suddenly dropped the 5-9cm to be oh so snug in my 1980′s fashion statement -

www.surveygizmo.com/s/187686/monthly-check-in-your-personal-activity-statement-for-september

http://www.bestpracticeliving.com.au/products/best-body-challenge-coming-in-2010/leatherpantschallenge/leather-pants-week-2/

“Prior to the study, the researchers assumed that people were in general over-eating by about 100 calories a day, however, the results were far more alarming – it was found that between 350 – 500 extra calories a day more than is needed is being consumed by many.

In real terms this means says Rush that children would have to cut their intake by about 350 calories a day – equal to one can of fizzy drink and a small chocolate bar, and adults 500 calories – the equivalent of a large burger.

Professor Rush says in today’s society, walking an extra two, to two-and-a-half hours a day to burn off the extra calories, is not really an option and we need to be realistic about what physical activity alone can achieve.

Thanks Professor and good work!

Now think twice before throwing in that seemingly innocuous and innocent little, teeny chocolate bar. Remember it is no surprise that a guy survived for weeks on a Mars bar in freezing conditions.

Nutrient dense, energy sparse is what we are after folks. Not the other way around! Unless you are stuck on a mountain with no help in site for 2 weeks.

 Professor Rush says the study shows that in order to influence the underlying drivers of obesity we should be looking more to the ‘energy in’ side than the physical activity side as over-eating or eating highly calorific foods are key players in obesity.

Nevertheless says Professor Rush this does not say that throughout life, physical activity is not essential for health and quality of life”

Hear Hear my good man!

http://www.bestpracticeliving.com.au/bpl/leatherpantschallenge

Who knows? You might laugh, cry or even be inspired. If I get some reaction I will be pleased!

I blame Jimmy for this whole thing. You will be next my friend!

If you are not a morning person and need to start the week on a good note …then this is for you

Monday at 6:00pm

We will be running a 10 – week course starting October 12 and will run all the way into Christmas-ish (December 14).

Like all of our classes there is a maximum of 1o people

Upfront payment of $316 (includes 10 week course and a compulsory inital 1/2 hour assessment prior to the start of the course)

Direct debit option available

So if you want to have that guarenteed better flexibility, improved posture, reduced risk of lower back pain or simply work on the physicals for summer then fill in your details below.

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We already have five confimed starters for this course and numbers will fill up fast… so TAKE ACTION as you don’t want to miss out!!

Well hopefully we have got your attention from our American style headline Nevertheless we know that looking good is a primal driver for a lot of people. If this isnt the thing which you aspire for how ’bout – guarenteed better flexibility, improved posture, reduced risk for lower pain or taking your sport to the next level! If any of the above is you…

PILATES is the key for you leading into this Summer!

15 week course taking you all the way through till Christmas!

Joseph Pilates motto “After 10 sessions you will feel better, after 20 sessions you will look better and after 30 sessions you will have a whole new body”

Two Sessions per week starting September 10
Thursday 6:30am and Saturday 9:00am

Maximum Class Size of 10 – So you are never just another number!

All classes taken by the one and only Ericka Mira
• One Class per week: $375 Upfront (bring a friend and both pay $350)
• Two Classes per week: $600 upfront (bring a friend and both pay $550)

Auto-debit weekly payments can also be arranged
One Session per week – $27 + small admin fees
Two Sessions per week – $45 + small admin fees

1 on 1 private training available – contact below if you would like more information on this

All new clients receive first session as a free trial

You have the chance to do 30 sessions, have a whole new body and be having people in awe of how you look this Christmas!!

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Don’t wait….. TAKE ACTION! Your new body could be what you are unwrapping this Christmas!!

This was a very simple approach but one that has has helped keep his clients motivated through out the year. He sits with them and draws on a yearly calendar a training schedule that ‘fits’ with how their particular year runs dropping training load when work load is high and increasing it for maximum gains to be realised when energy needs to be at it’s peak. Every one of his client’s calendar looks different but the principle behind it is something called ‘periodisation’, which we have been talking about for a while and makes perfect sense. No one can just train at a high intensity everyday of everyweek of every year. Besides being extremely boring, it would be impossible to do. You must give your body (and your mind probably more) time to recover and reorganise itself to be at a higher level for the next phase.

The take home on this one is that we all need to cycle our training intensity and load so that we have a chance at keeping fresh. We are working on your yearly training calendar for group training with different themes each month moving in the direction of improved fitness and fun.

Look out for this new approach.

We heard some great stories of success from some of our colleagues in the fitness industry and the many lives that they are changing all over Australia as a result of the things that they have been doing with in their businesses. Listening to all their stories reminded me again why we do what we do. Besides being a fun way to live, I don’t have to tell you how much better life is when you are fit and healthy, it is definitely a feel good game we are in. There are not many professions out there where you get the chance to profoundly affect so many people for the better and seeing all the stories of people changing and living fantastic lives reminded me that I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

We got hold of a great system that is really going to improve our ability to support you nutritionally. As specialists in the area of sports science and exercise physiology we have information about so many elements of health and fitness. Good nutrition is amazingly important and I have been searching for ways to help you more in this area besides just giving you the standard advice which most of us know – eat more fruit and vegetables and don’t overconsume simple sugars and then ‘good luck with that’. We can and will do much better than that. Stay tuned for more information about how we will be able to help you more. I am really excited by the new things coming….you should be too!

The word ‘aerobic’ literally means ‘with air’ and is the type of training that has been recommended for everything from weightloss to tight buns. It is actually the type of training everyone should do for a healthy strong heart. It is also a very effective way to burn extra calories that would otherwise end up on your thighs or stomach. So by all means aerobic on! Aerobic activities are any of those that utilise large muscle groups in a rhythmic way at an intensity that you could keep up for at least 20 minutes. The purest definition of aerobic energy though is that it is the predominant energy source for activities lasting longer than approximately 2 minutes.

Anything power type activity lasting less than that falls under the ‘anaerobic’ heading.

So does ‘anaerobic’ mean ‘without air’ then? Well yeah kind of. A pure aerobic activity does not require you to breathe as the energy comes from stored sources. Any explosive activity like jumping, throwing a punch or lifting a heavy weight quickly gets it’s power from the anerobic energy pathway. The anaerobic energy pathway has two parts. The first is the ATP-PC system. This is the quickest most powerful source but doesn’t last very long at all, perhaps up to 10 seconds. The second pathway is the Lactate system and is one that we fully feel in efforts lasting anywhere from around 10 seconds to 2 minutes. The 400 m event on the track is pure pain of the lactate system. We have all experienced the dizziness and heaviness in the muscles that is the by product of this type of work rate. That pain is the lactic acid produced by the lactate system.

So what is better for ‘fat loss’. Most information in the past would have suggested the aerobic system. Burn up more calories and create that oh so necessary deficit. Lately though, more research is backing the anaerobic work. Hit it hard and boost your metabolism with growth hormone so that you burn way more energy for the following hours and not just the time when you are exercising. So is this true for everybody? Well as usual the answer is not as simple as we would like. There is no ‘one way’. There are physiological principles that can not be denied but everyone is different. Perhaps the biggest key is to give the body a stimulus it is basically not used to. This variation is what causes the body to adapt and this fact is one of those that can not be denied.

I say do both types of training. Aerobic training (put your legwarmers on by all means) and anaerobic training have their place. It also makes life more interesting. Mix it up and your body (and mind) will be thanking you for it. That is the one principle we will live by here at Best Practice. Variation is fun and effective. Let me know if you have any questions about this interesting area.

Seinfeld was asked by an up and coming comedian how he got to be so successful. His answer. “Write one joke a day, every single day. Then once you get the roll on, don’t break the chain!”

The idea was to put an X on your calendar (displayed in a conspicuous location) for each day that you achieve your task and then watch the visual grow. This is what I recommend you do for your exercise and health program. Every day you do something that takes you towards your goal; a formal exercise session, a new incidental activity, a good food or drink choice (when otherwise you wouldn’t) mark it down as a tick then make that happen everyday.

Simple huh? Easy??? Well may be not. This approach is what we are working hard to encourage.

“Sawell was not overweight and his friends considered him the least likely person to have a heart attack. But his doctors were not surprised that his hectic schedule at work combined with a poor diet, smoking and levels of inactivity had led to a heart attack at such a young age”.

HELLLLLLLOOOOO! If this guys friends saw him as least likely (smoking, couch potato and stress victim) then I would hate to see their other friends!

Is this what it has come to? Smoking, inactivity and stress are normal????

Needless to say the object of this article did have the wake up call and at 40 years of age is redressing the imbalance. Good for him!

“I realised I had two beautiful young daughters that might have had all the latest toys when I had the very successful business, but at the end of the day nobody lies in on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time in the office”

So true.

Don’t leave the action part of your change till your doctor says, “you better do something about that gut” or worse still, your partner has to pick up the pieces after you are gone…..

Nutrition (and I use that word, very loosely!) Facts

Serving Size 1 sandwich (215.0 g)

Amount Per Serving

576 Calories which equals about 30-60 minutes of moderate to solid computrainer workout (depending on age, size and gender)

So is a Big Mac really worth the suffering on compudeath?????

Calories from Fat 292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32.5g50%
Saturated Fat 12.0g60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8g
Monounsaturated Fat 14.1g
Cholesterol 103mg34%
Sodium 742mg31%
Total Carbohydrates 38.7g13%
Protein 31.8g

Vitamin A 1% • Vitamin C 2%
Calcium 9% • Iron 31%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

It’s not going to kill you but if you have enough of them I can’t see it doing you much good!

I say don’t get tired, I say start listening because your brain really can be shaped by you like a piece of clay and the object you end up with could be a masterpiece of breathtaking beauty open to all posibilities or a dull looking inanimate rock set in its ways. The choice is literally yours.

Did you know that brain injury victims, who have had the speech centre of their brain destroyed can often ‘fire up’ other parts of the brain to take over that role. Researchers are now discovering just how ‘plastic’ the brain is, that new connections are constantly being formed depending on experiences of the brain owner! Thanks to the science of the functional MRI thoughts can now be ‘seen’ in the brain proving that you literally are what you think.

The advances in technology have allowed scientists for the first time to see just how alive the brain is and how so much of the old school positive thinking movement is being confirmed now by hard science.

‘Nothing is neither good nor bad but thinking makes it so’ ‘fake it till you make it’, ‘will yourself to success’.

These aren’t just philosophical laments of wishful thinkers or philosophical fools. They are literal instructions to shape the brain. Everyone knows somebody who can turn around seemingly negative events and really make the most of them and conversely we all those who do the exact opposite. There can be no doubt that the most joyous and fun people to be around have a certain way about them and you can be sure that this tied in to how they think or how they have trained themselves to think. It is true that some people were born with a tendency to be a certain way but just about anything can be learnt if you want it bad enough.

Why do you think Tiger Woods gets back on the driving range and putting surface after he has won (or not won) another major? He understands that the neural pathways of the perfect swing will not get stronger with out continual practice. You see, learning a motor skill like golf is exactly the same as learning a ‘thinking’ skill like ‘being positive’ or ‘being creative’ or ‘being resilient’. You have got to do it ALOT before it becomes second nature. Let’s face it, there are some modes of thinking that are helpful to us and some that are just plain damaging. It makes sense to practice the good ones.

So don’t be afraid to keep reading self help books. I believe that the more you see this stuff the more it becomes ingrained and natural. Surround yourself with beauty and you will soon become beautiful and practice, practice practice. We are nothing if we are not continually learning.

Let’s say you have just done a great strength workout. What’s next? Do you starve yourself in the hope that your fired up metabolism will hungrily chew up excess body fat or do you rip into a raw steak and an egg combo as you leave the studio because you read that in “Bulk up dude!” monthly.

I am very glad you have come to us to verify this one because it is difficult to know what to do with so much conflicting information out there. Trust us to be your fitness and health info filter. We love this stuff and will find the best answer.

Believe me there is ALOT of information out there on this topic and much of it conflicting. However the consensus appears to be the following: If you are an endurance performer, i.e. love running marathons, swimming across oceans, cycling across countries etc. then your post work out nutrition should address muscle glycogen (or stored glucose vital for performance) and body water and electrolyte restoration. In regards to muscle glycogen, make sure you ingest a 4:1 carbohydrate:protein mix and do this with in 15 mins of finishing your event/workout. The exact amount you ingest will obviously depend on your body size and the size of the country you just crossed! But a general recommendation is 50-100grams of rapidly absorbed carbohydrate (high GI) and 10-20grams of protein. The added protein has been shown to make the absorption of carbohydrate much faster than if you just ingested carbohydrate alone.

Okay so not everybody is an endurance junkie I hear you cry. What about my needs after a 1 hour training session at best practice with a goal of losing body fat? The main thing you want to preserve post workout is muscle. Remember if you lose muscle you lose or lower your metabolic rate which of course is a big no no! As far as the body fat loss goals go, it is always a matter of burning more energy than you are consuming and that just comes down to total numbers (calories in versus calories out) for the day being in deficit. It is not a good idea to scrimp on calories post work out because this is a golden moment to preserve and encourage muscle growth. The time to watch calories is when you are curled up on the lounge late at night thinking about chocolate somethings!

Okay back to the question at hand. If you have done a strength workout I recommend getting around 10-20grams of protein and the same amount of fast absorbing carbohydrates. A sports drink and or protein bar with around this break down of with nutrients should suffice. If you have more questions about this please feel free to email or phone us direct.

Step 1. Hold food constant and exercise more. Measure. If down keep doing what you are doing. If not move to step 2.
Step 2. Reduce calories consumed by 200-350 calories per day and keep new higher level of exercise. Measure. If down keep doing what you are doing. If not move to step 3.
Step 3. Increase exercise more and reduce calories a little more. Measure. If down keep doing what you are doing. If not move to next step.
Step 4. Estimate Base Metabolic rate using standard equation (find this on the internet easily) and add on estimated calories expended with your exercise routine using widely available calcuators, add up calories consumed on a daily basis. If you are not getting a calorie deficit of about 500 cals per day make that happen and measure. If you are down keep doing what you are doing. If not go to next step.
Step 5. Enlist professional help (from suitable qualified personal trainer) where actual BMR is measured. Do another 7 days of recording food intake and submit for further analysis. Often this focus of enlisting help, i.e. investing money makes things a little more accurate! Measure. If down, keep doing what you are doing. If not go to the next step.
Step 6. See nutritional medicine practitioner to see if there are food allergies and or likely thyroid issues. This type of issue would normally be identified at this point and appropriate action taken.

However, think simple first folks. The solution will usually be found there.

Check out this one if you missed it in the courier mail.

“A successful coaching relationship (this could easily just be saying ‘relationship with yourself and have the same meaning.  AG) is always a story of transformation, not just of higher levels of performance. It’s a story that takes people beyond their immediate passion and pride and helps them come to grips with the fact that to reach what is really possible and achievable for they must be willing to fundamentally question who they are, what they do, and why they do it” Robert Hargrove, Masterful Coaching – 2003

Bottom line? A healthy dose of self examination is a pre requisite for a continually evolving life even if you don’t have a coach.

But in the mean time we are going to put our old site back up under http://oldsite.bestpracticeliving.com.au/ or something similar. But the purpose of this entry is tell you of a very cool US website which is free for you to track your foods, body measurements and your activities. As with all these things there is some set up and some fiddling to get it sorted but it is worth it, if only for the exercise tracking section. We like to say that if it is written down it didn’t happen! (meaning it is so easy to forget). Okay the site to check out is www.fitday.com Let me know if you like it and stay tuned for the launch of our new back end which should have something similar but Australian. We will have a barbecue and online demo for you as soon as we are ready to go with it.

Just two things on that. There are no quick fixes and prevention is WAY easier than cure. Believe me.

Hey folks, bit of reverse this time. Only for the truly dedicated to read my stuff here at the end.  So If any of you get to this section after the others I am truly flattered and surprised. We are just so busy busy busy  these days. I feel rushed even writing that. I need to slow down and and and and just…..breathe.

Perhaps you do too? Here’s a suggestion. Why not try to be less efficient this week?

What??? I hear you scream. What are you saying??? What do you mean??? Are you crazy???? Time is running out we have to hurry hurry HURRY!

I know it sounds mad in this world of time management, time chunking and go hard, but sometimes, the slow way is the fast way. If you find yourself answering emails, whilst you have someone on hold on your mobile and MSN messenger is pinging an alert of an incoming message and your boss is giving you the hurry-on to the next seemingly endless meeting then perhaps you are hearing what I am saying.

Why not try doing just one thing well and completing it, then take a deep breath and SLOOOOOW down and pat yourself on the back. Smell the roses and remember that sometimes the step back and the taking in of the big view can reveal vital things you have been missing all along.

P.S. Please stay patient on the log on website portal. It is coming. I think the guys I am dealing with have read my slow down mantra above. Just gotta breathe I guess. When we have it we will put on an education night on how and why you should use it.

Spend some time with your family and smile some more this week. It’ll be good for ya and for them!

Cheers AG

How many calories you need to maintain your weight? If your weight hasn’t changed and you have been doing both cardiovascular training and strength work then I am guessing you most certainly do know although you mightn’t be able to put an actual number to it.

If you are not so fortunate here is the plan. Buy the following items and do the following things because this exercise will have a huge impact on your results:

Buy a calorie counter book or register on a website the www.calorieking.com.au.

Buy a set of food scales and a note book (or use an excel spreadsheet).

Start recording everything you eat, both type, size, quantity or information direct from the packet (hopefully not too many of these!).

Add up what you are currently consuming over 7 days and divide by 7 for a daily figure. E.g. 2200 calories

Then you must determine your Base Metabolic Rate which is the amount of energy your body requires just to exist at bed rest. This can be done two ways: Using the Harris Benedict equation or have it measured directly (we can now do this and will tell you more about this in due course). Unfortunately the estimate for the HB equation can be ‘out’ significantly but it is better than not knowing it all. To this figure which may be 1200 calories for an average size person you must add the estimate of all your daily activity. If the BMR and the daily activity figure are below your daily intake you are in weight gain mode bottom line. So you really need to have an understanding of this if weight gain has been an issue.

Email me any questions and stay tuned for more information on the very scientific BMR testing which will be able to give us accurate information on just how effective your muscle building program is.

Take home message: KNOW YOUR NUMBERS & LIFT WEIGHTS!

Mystery woman still impresses……

There is no doubt we respect our clients because investing hard earned money in something which hurts (at times only!) both physically and financially takes high level thinking. Once in a while though one comes along who  really really really ‘get’s it’. I have mentioned this cleint before before but she just keeps impressing us.

Make no mistake that big results are going to take big consistent action. This client I am referring too has done just that. Even from the very start with a significant number of challenges this client has taken the required action, e.g. an injured ankle was holding her back from doing weight bearing exercise. So this client saw our recommended physio and dealt with it. Then she needed some serious assistance with nutrition and so she saw our nutritional medicine practitioner and was diagnosed coeliac. Whilst this seemed like bad news at the time the diagnosis was the first necessary step forward. She has been going at it now for 18 months and has achieved some serious results. Try this. 40kg gone! She has been weight training all the time so you can be pretty confident that this is mostly body fat. Wow, what an achievement. If you spoke to her she would tell you that it hasn’t been easy, far from it but satisfying? Yes. Life changing? A big yes to that. Recently she injured her hip when she came off her bike. Her response: “I’m swimming”  That folks is the right stuff.

We have nothing but respect! And THAT is why we do what we do.

In an increasingly fitness and health conscious society the desire to fit well in to that old pair of jeans can now be fine-tuned and individualised right down to your DNA. We’ve come a long way from the one size fits all routines of the past and have to come accept the sense of investing in hiring an expert to mould a program to our specific needs. When your body is not responding the way it ‘should’ then maybe it is time go one step further and ask specific questions about your own body that science can answer and your local health professional can use intelligently.

It seems that it was some time ago that the human genome project was completed and now finally practical information is starting to filter through. For example, wouldn’t it be nice to know how your body metabolises fat and therefore how successful a standard cardio program might be in helping you achieve the result you are looking for. Or, wouldn’t it be good to know what, if any, supplements are likely to be helping you or are in fact might be a waste of money based on your very own genetic make-up.

A new simple cheek swab test can reveal the ‘hard wired’ functions of your body at the cellular level, thus arming your trainer with a blue print on how to deal specifically with you and give you the best chance of success. The excelgene test, by gene-elite reveals information on 16 different genes in the areas of nutrition, detoxification, lean body mass development and body fat metabolism.

Ask your trainer if he knows about this test. It might be the difference between getting back in to that old pair of jeans or just accepting what your genes have dealt you!

We are living in a time in history that could be considered the most exciting period to date. Never before has it been easier to experience so much in such a small section of time. But how do we allocate our time so we get the most out of our exercise allocation because we all know how that is a priority! Right?

So what is the most efficient path to finely tune that bod, so you can give those 100 (or more) things that you should be doing before you die, a good crack? Let’s face it, the fitter you are, the more likely you are to enjoy the time you have on this fast moving planet anyway. Here are the top 6 things you should do, to be able to live that life you have dreamed of. Pay attention to the order in which you should do them too because that matters!

1.       Clear with your doc that you are ready to get things moving safely

2.       Eat well, live by the adage if it came out of a packet it is crap and should be avoided

3.       Lift weights, muscle not only looks good it is good for you

4.       Do short intense (relative to where you are at) aerobic/anaerobic sessions – it will boost the feel good chemicals in your  body and your metabolism, kind of like upgrading from a Mini to a  V8, which in this instance is a good thing!

5.       Drink plenty of the clear stuff and I am not talking Vodka!  H2o is the elixir of life

6.       Sleep tight! 8 hours is good and your body will thank you for it. It will also make the exercise part possible

If you have ever seen the moving wedding crashers you will, right now have the image of Owen Wilson denying that he was crying like a little girl, in your head right now. Once you get through the mirth associated with that particular scene and hopefully you are smiling, let’s get to the whinging and whining!

There can be no doubt we are in tough times, but will you cry like a little girl or take action? The choice is definitely yours. It is true there is a lot happening at the moment which is out our control but how we respond is not. If I told you the story of someone who had invested in a very expensive piece of machinery, which their business absolutely depended and that, in attempt to ‘save’ money neglected regular maintenance, you would say that person was being short sighted. The thing that most of us are lucky to have, which we absolutely depend on and now more than ever, is the healthy functioning of our body and mind. That is what is going to get us through every time.

As trainers we deal with all types and nothing gives us more satisfaction than seeing our clients rise to the challenge. This attitude of ‘toughing it out’ in a session is something which can and usually does permeate all areas of life. The exercise habit is not a luxury or the actions of the crazy ‘fitness fanatic’ it is the only common sense approach to employ because you can control this and right now all hands are required on deck!

It is hard to believe the recent findings of health researchers that Australia has overtaken the US in  obesity numbers, in the race that no one wants to win. It is especially hard to believe when you see the record crowds turning out for events like the upcoming Great Brisbane Bike Ride. Perhaps it was the wake-up call we needed and people are finally taking heed of the dire warnings issued about the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

As is often the case, the coming of Spring sparked the movement and action missing, in what was a pretty cold Winter by Queensland standards. As the owner of a fitness, health and performance enhancement business it is not unusual to see a spike in interest in getting help, as the warmer weather kicks back in. The converse is true, as Winter approaches now. People tend to hibernate which is a pretty strange concept as we have some of the most temperate and generally agreed upon, ‘best’ winter weather on the planet. Our advice, as we move out of the hotter months is ‘use’ it to enjoy moving outdoors in optimal exercising weather.

Whatever your motivator, it is wise to use it while you can because the hardest part is overcoming the grinding inertia of an extended period of inactivity. The trick is to traverse the path of behaviour-change leading to the point where exercise is as indispensable to your daily ritual, as is cleaning your teeth. It is only when you get to this point that you will be in control and doing your bit to help us lose the title we don’t want. 

Wouldn’t it be great to be known not only for our world beating athletes but also for the fitness level of the average active Aussie?

Anthony Gillespie

Bp Sp Sc, B Sc Psych (HONS)

I just finished reading “the monk who sold his ferrari”. I highly recommend this book. It is a modern fable of the traps most of us fall in to and the way to live a special life and avoid a truly tragic waste of our most precious gift.

As a former psych student and current student of the mind it is really good stuff. Since we trade in behaviour change here at best practice, we recognise the mind as the most potent of weapons for our clients in the fight for transformation. I have never been a big fan of routine because of the perceived suppression of creativity and a life of spontaneity. But the truth is that real results are not possible without adhering to a routine of some kind. I do believe though that it is possible to balance ritual with originality. In fact I think truly effective living will have a healthy combination of both. Read the book and post a comment. Keep that mind active, it is truly the most amazing computer on the planet.