Functional Physio: Why Prehab?

Have you got an upcoming surgery or recent change in health that will require intensive treatment? Maybe you should strongly consider the concept of Prehab and how it could benefit your recovery.

What is prehab?

Prehab is rehabilitation performed before your surgery or to prevent injuries in high-risk activities. A regime of planned exercise ideally 6 weeks before the event has been academically proven to improve post-operative function, minimise time to return to normal activities and improve the recovery process. 

Your prehab professional can assess how much help you need currently and after surgery, set a plan for hospital discharge (a great way to manage any pre-op anxieties), improve strength and conditioning and help practise with any walking aids or movement restrictions.  

Conditions that benefit from prehab and following rehabilitation include joint replacements especially in the elderly, cardiac conditions, general surgical, cancer diagnosis and athletes or high level sports that carry a known risk of injuries during a game/ season.

My Mum’s knee prehab

After ongoing complaining about knee pain (and lack of family sympathy) I finally conceded that Mum should go for an MRI. 

As it turns out, she wasn’t making it up! Imaging revealed a meniscus tear with a cyst (associated with larger tears) but otherwise very healthy cartilage and ligaments (not bad for a sixty year old knee!). Small meniscus tears on the outer edges sometimes heal, but as they get larger and towards the centre the likelihood of this decreases due to poor blood supply. 

The next step is a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon, but first, let the prehab begin!

The main aim is to build quadriceps, hamstrings and glute strength, bulk and awareness. After surgery, pain and inflammation decreases your ability to contract surrounding muscles and leads to wasting and compromised control. In mum’s program we try and combine a mix of exercises that produce co-contraction or emphasise the three types of muscle contractions (isometric, eccentric and concentric). 

We have maintained overall strength and fitness with boxing and short runs on a straight track against a thick resistance band. Avoiding pivoting at the knee, bending the knee past 90 degrees especially with weights is essential to avoid aggravating the current injury. A tear with a cyst can compromise the cartilage of the knee joint with repetitive irritation so a professionally planned program is essential for prehab programs.  

To see more from Functional Physio please follow us on FB @functionalphysioqld or Instagram @functionalphysio.

Email courtneybuckley.massage@outlook.com or phone/text 0448131617

Accelerate Health and Performance: How to Write Your Own Successful Training Program for Weight Loss

How many people do you know that go to a gym with the idea that 'a little bit of everything' or 'just doing my own thing' will help them achieve their goals?

How many people do you know that go to a gym with that plan and ultimately end up disappointed with the fact they have not achieved as much as they hoped to?

Programming can be the most challenging aspect of being a Personal Trainer. There are times when it is really hard. The right combination of exercises can provide a client with an experience they will shout about from the roof tops. The wrong combination can practically leave you scratching your arse in the unemployment line at Centrelink wondering where it all went wrong.

It's tough and I'm educated in this shit. I'm continually educating myself in this shit. It's one component of Personal Training that does not necessarily get easier. But there are ways that you can make it easier on yourself. By understanding a few of the basic principles, you can very easily write or adapt a program to suit you. Your needs, your goals, your experience.

Things to understand...

What Role Will Nutrition Play? 

To lose weight you have to be a calorie deficit. YOU HAVE TO BE. It's physics - the law of thermodynamics. Energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. We are an isolated system. We consume energy (food) -  we either use it (action) or store it (love handles). If we consume more than we use we store the excess - not a calorie deficit.
One size does not fit all, but it's safe to say that a calorie deficit of up to 200 Calories per day is probably going to be easily sustainable and not overly aggressive for most. Add in some training on top of this and you're going to see the numbers on the scales start to shift and your pants are going to feel a bit looser within three or four weeks.

What is Progressive Overload and how do I Progressively Overload myself? 

Progressive Overload is a gradual increase of stress(work) placed upon the body. A slight increase in sets, reps and or load, potentially with a decrease in rest time. Hot Tip: Take 'Progressive' in a very literal sense - increase things gradually, don't try and be Mr or Mrs Olympia in Week One...you're probably going to fuck up your chances of success right up that way.
An increase of 1.25kg on either side of the barbell each week is nothing to be scoffed at! Over a year that's 130kg. If you can add 130kg to your Squat, Deadlift or Bench Press in that time you're an absolute freak and you need to start doing something more competitive A-Sap. Small steps forward are not steps backward.

How do I Choose Exercise and How Often Do I Train? 

Choose the ones that are fun. Done correctly, very few exercises are inherently bad for you. Try to hit each muscle group at least once every time you train. Train every two to three days.

'But when is Chest and Tri's Day?' NEVER. Virtually nobody (other than professional body builders) actually need a Chest and Tri's or Back and Bi's day.

'Do I have to do Cardio?' No. You can if you want to though. If you need to do cardio training because you have cardio goals then have at it. If you hate cardio and don't want to do it then don't do it.

The Basics of Programming...

Rep Ranges: 

1-5 Reps = Strength 

3-8 Reps = Strength Endurance

8-15 Reps = Hypertrophy

15+ = Conditioning.

* These are approximate and they cross over heaps. Sticking to 1-5 Reps will still result in Hypertrophy and sticking to 8-15 Reps will still result in some increased strength.

Sets: 3 to 6 Work Sets for any Rep Range will tick the box.

Load: As heavy as you can go with good technique and the ability to function in your daily life the next day. Using Warm Up Sets and Work Sets effectively will help this. If you're not sure, go light and have a trial run - if you don't feel like you exerted yourself much at all, go heavier.

Rest: As long as you need to do the same set again nearly as well as the last time. Nearly. You need to induce some fatigue or you're not overloading.

Programs: One program per week done well will get things moving, two programs per week will keep you entertained, three is our preferred sweet spot. The less you know and the more confidence you need to gain the less you should worry about variety and focus more on getting the basics locked and loaded.

  

Muscle Group	Synergist	Opposite
Quads, Calves and Glutes	Hamstrings and Glutes	Upper Body
Hamstrings and Glutes	Quads, Calves and Glutes	Upper Body
Chest, Triceps and Shoulder	Back, Biceps and Shoulder	Lower Body
Back, Biceps and Shoulders	Chest, Triceps and Shoulders	Lower Body

Program Structure...

1) Focus Muscle Group Compound Strength

2a) Same Muscle Group Compound Hypertrophy
2b) Accessory Muscle Group Hypertrophy

3a) Opposing Muscles Group Power
3b) Core/Glutes/Mobility or Opposing Muscle Group (One Program Per Week)

4) Synergist Hypertrophy/Conditioning

This structure can be used to write one, two, three or twelve day training programs. You just have to be mindful to give enough focus to your target muscle groups. If you just want to sort the whole rig out, spread the work load as evenly as possible.

One Program Per Week Program Example...

1) Goblet Squats (5x8)

2a) Alternate Lunges (4x10)
2b) Glute Bridge (4x15)

3a) Top Hold DB Chest Press (4x12)
3b) Lat Pulldown (4x15)

4) Seated Hamstring Curl (4x20)

Need some help with technique? Check these out. 

Goblet Squats: Instagram

Offset Walking Lunges: Instagram
Single Leg Glute Bridge: Instagram
Top Hold DB Press: Instagram
Lat Pulldown: YouTube - Instagram
Seated Hamstring Curl: YouTube - Instagram

If you have any doubts about your ability to train safely due to any health concerns you may have please seek medical advice prior to starting.

Mitchell Knight

Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/

Instagram: @mitchellknightpt @acceleratehealthandperformance

Jamie Milne Training: Be Careful What You Say to Yourself (...Because You Are Listening): 4 Tips for More Positive Self-Talk and Less Limiting Self-Beliefs.

Author of ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ Robert Kiyosaki famously quotes, "It’s not what comes out of your mouth that determines your life, it's what you whisper to yourself that has the most power".

There is a little voice that pops up in your head from time to time, when you’re about to try something new or you’ve just gone through a breakup or you f$&ked up royally at work.

These private conversations you have with yourself can be either a powerful stepping stone or a major obstacle to reaching your goals.

Staying positive, thinking positive, ‘faking it till you make it’ is so much easier said than done, agree!

We all want to be happy, none of us want to bitch and moan about everything, and we sure as hell wish we didn't care what other people thought, or said about us.

“You see what "Emma" commented on your FB post this morning?”

“.....What! When? Sorry what she write?”

*Scroll, scroll, scroll. Swipe, swipe…*

And as your eyes read and marinade on the comment, the little voice of limiting self-worth, belief and esteem whispers sweet caress in your head...

"…Well what Emma wrote is true, you are an XYZ, and you are selfish, self-absorbed, a bad parent, terrible with money, or whatever the case maybe".

We get so used to hearing our own narrations that it’s easy to ignore the messages that we’re sending ourselves.

Every now and then take note of what you’re thinking about and recognise that just because you think something, doesn’t mean it’s true. 

Our thought processes are often exaggerated, blown out and well out of proportion.

Here's a challenge for a day, or even this coming week: 

Communicate with yourself how you would speak to your best friend, or a person of key influence you just met.

Be honest but also treat yourself equally as kind as you’d treat a friend or someone you just met. Why?

Because you’re worth it.

Treat yourself, just as you treat others.

4 TIPS FOR POSITIVE SELF TALK:

1. Force the f$&en rainbow:

Life isn't all rainbows unicorns and glitter, sometimes it's stormy, there's no glitter, and your late on your Telstra account!

‘Force the rainbow’, and make it an optimistic situation. It's all about perception, you can choose to be in the glitterless storm, or you can force a f$&en rainbow.

2. Turn off your F$&KEN Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Tinder, Grinder.

There is no other sure fire way to inject self-doubt into your head then being at the mercy of (notifications, dings, alerts, etc)

Have a break. The sun will rise still tomorrow whether you’re up to see it, or in bed scrolling!)

3. Shower Power!

My favourite! 

We would all agree we need to shower 1-3 times daily.

This is a perfect trigger to remind us it's mantra time.

As you lather that organic pomegranate and peach soap into those difficult to find spaces we can speak to ourselves with a powerful and profound "I am Statements":

I AM patient

I AM Positive 

1 AM Persistent 

I AM abundant 

1 AM Honest

4: Dial a friend.

Seriously make the call.

One of your friends whose not Switzerland, and their not the "devil’s advocate"

Their your true friend. They say good things behind your back, and bad things to your face.

Jamie

Jamie Milne Training

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiemilnetraining/

Instagram: @JamieMilneTraining 

Website: www.jamiemilnetraining.com 

Email: jamiemilnetrainng@gmail.com

Fusion Sport Performance: ‘Training’ or ‘Exercise’: What is more important?

The debate between training and exercise is one that I’ve heard many coaches and trainers discuss over many years. At the risk of over-simplifying the two concepts, ‘training’ requires purpose and a plan, exercise doesn’t.

So that begs the question, when we head to the gym are we training or exercising? 

In my experience, your time will be used far more effectively with a plan of attack. Some will argue that if you aren’t preparing for a sport or event, it’s simply exercise. 

I don’t believe that. I feel that if you are able to define a clear set of goals that you are working towards and you have a plan to get there, then you are training. Not to mention how hard it is to develop and maintain habits without a purpose and plan.

Our goal wall at Fusion Sports Performance, where we
can share our goals and keep each other accountable.

Here’s are a few tips to help plan effective training:

1. Work out what are you training for. You can go right down the rabbit hole on this question, and I have heard some amazing reasons for training from family through to specific events. In order to stay disciplined with your training program it needs to be something that means a lot to you or completely excites every time you think about it.
2. Have a plan. The only way to get to any goal in the most efficient way is to have a plan. Get a program and set up some habitual goals that will help you get to where you want to be.
3. Have a support network. Training partners, family, friends, the community. It’s a long road and you need good people with you to keep you on course.
4. ‘Just Do It’, like Nike – Stay disciplined in your actions (Notice I wrote discipline twice now?). Motivation is fleeting, it’s an emotion that comes and goes at the drop of a hat. Discipline is the best way to stay the course, discipline through consistency and effort will get you results. Not waiting for motivation.

So if you want to train and get the most out of it, set some goals, write a plan, get some good people around you and then get to work. Repeat these steps and reassess regularly. Training can be a long hard road sometimes so stay consistent and stay disciplined.

“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.” – Vince Lombardi

Matt Noonan

Fusion Sports and Performance

Web - www.fusionperformance.com.au

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fusionsportsandperformance/

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/fusionperformance/

Jessica Leigh Yoga: How Strengthening Through Yoga Can Reflect Positively on Your Life

Have you ever noticed how capable you feel after a good workout? Admittedly, there may be a little touch of ‘jelly legs’ or the shakes (or inability to sit down or stand up without groaning). But there is also this sense of achievement and being capable. This sense only grows stronger with consistency of practice too. I’m convinced this is about more than just endorphins.

In yoga, I feel like it’s important sometimes to remind students of the big, fat giant metaphor our practice of yoga really is. How we show up on the mat reflects directly on how we handle ourselves in the ‘real world’. 

During our yoga practice, if we are able to approach each pose, stretch or transition with compassion towards where our body is at and capable of in any given moment, that automatically starts to form a neural pattern of how we treat ourselves at any point in the day.
It’s literally a matter of practice.

If you use your yoga practice as a way to flow through a series of strengthening poses with the breath, eventually your body will experience more strength and expression in your practice. When you have that gradual feeling of the body becoming stronger in a grounded way that comes through a yoga practice, you find yourself walking through your day feeling capable of more. Your ability to believe in yourself grows exponentially, as your confidence in your body’s strength grows. When we believe in ourselves from this sense of embodiment rather than outside image, our mental health takes leaps and bounds for the better.

Not only that, the practice of this strengthening and breathing helps us more easily counter situations we perceive as stressful. If you practice the ability to still breathe during a challenging pose or while you’ve come to complete stillness frequently enough, even if the mind is going all over the place, eventually your body will more easily remember how to breathe when you encounter stressful situations in your life, whether it’s at work, at home, or otherwise. This allows us to get through those stressful moments without taking on board as much of the stuff that weighs us down and keeps us feeling heavy and negative. It allows us to respond to things instead of react, which has an unsurprising carry on effect of positively influencing those closest to us. 

What we practice in our time on the mat in yoga, we carry our lessons with us into our lives. We get the chance to feel what it’s like to live with more confidence and compassion, and share the feelings that come along with that with others in our homes and communities.

Jess Jasch
Jessica Leigh Yoga
f: https://www.facebook.com/jessicaleighyoga/
i: @jessicaleighyoga
w: www.jlyoga.com.au/blog

GUEST BLOG: Running, Running… Running out of Iron

As an obsessed runner, I know first hand that the effects of iron deficiency can hit hard… Particularly if you’re busting your guts to achieve health and fitness goals!

With iron deficiency, simple everyday activities like ascending a flight of stairs can feel like a gruelling climb to the peak of Mt Everest, (lack of oxygen and all!).

Not to mention the negative impacts on training!

Speed training feels more like lumbering through an atmosphere made of viscous honey, with no improvements to be seen in time trials; while long runs are followed by hours in a semi-comatose state on the couch.

This makes sense when we think about the roles of iron in the body, which include (but are not limited to) oxygen transport, red blood cell production and involvement in energy production systems.

The effects of iron deficiency are compounded by fitness training.

This is because training causes:

1. Increased iron requirements: Red cell production is increased, with increased blood use by the tissues.
2. Increased iron losses through sweat, blood, urine and the digestive tract. As a runner, red blood cells are lost through “haemolysis” as blood cells break apart with every foot strike.

So – what can you do to boost iron levels?

One answer (and my favourite reply) is FOOD!

There are two types of iron found in food:

-          Haem iron - found in animal foods such as red meat, poultry and seafood. Haem iron has far better absorption (around 15-18%).

-          Non-haem iron - found in legumes, some green veggies, dried fruits, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals. Non-haem iron is less well absorbed (<5%)

Image: Absorption of haem iron vs. non-haem iron

Becoming an “Iron”-Man/Woman: Top 4 Tips!

1. Be a Mindful Meat-Eater
   Eating lean red meat 3-4 times a week is a great way to meet your iron requirements. Good options include kangaroo, beef, veal and lamb.
   
   OR….
   
   
2. Be a Vigilant Vegetarian
   If vegetarian (or prefer a plant based diet) – make an extra effort to eat iron-rich plant foods regularly. Experiment with legumes and nuts, and choose fortified breakfast cereals
   
   
3. Avoid drinking tea or coffee within 30 minutes of meals.
   The tannins in these drinks can inhibit iron absorption.
   
   
4. Add vitamin C-rich foods to meals.
   This can increase iron absorption by up to four-fold! Examples include citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables and chilli.
   
   

Talk to your doctor and dietitian for more advice. Supplements may be recommended for some individuals.

Dominique is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD), medically diagnosed coeliac, avid trail runner, and self-confessed peanut butter addict. You can follow her story on Instagram: @free.dom02

Courtney Buckley Massage (Physiotherapist): Training for Balance

What is balance and why it’s important 

Balance is our ability to maintain a posture without coming a buster on the ground, while standing still or moving. This can be broken down into static (in a stationary position) or dynamic balance (whilst moving). This is probably the most under-rated skill ever and rarely a training focus! 

It is vital for the recreational to elite athlete and for activities of daily living from infancy through to our 90’s. As a physio who has worked in sporting and aged care industries I can guarantee this skill is the difference between independent living or nursing home, national team selection or states, minor ankle sprain or reconstructive surgery. 

Sport specific balance training for ball sport athletes.

Sport specific balance training for ball sport athletes.

Someone who has good balance can generate optimum speed, strength and precision because they are exerting their muscles from a stable platform as opposed to a wobbly one. Most importantly they can also do this quickly and unexpectedly. For example on the Sunny Coast we have many trail runs available, ranging from well maintained flat tracks to mountain goat territory. A balanced runner will without thinking be using tiny ankle muscles to adjust to every change in the roads surface as it gets rocky and more unpredictable. They may catch their foot but readjust with little change to their stride. A poorly balanced counterpart may trip and sprain their ankle for the 5th time in the last 12 months attributing this injury to bad luck….. and honestly no one is this unlucky, you should definitely add balance training to your regime and take note of how fewer times you’ll hit the dirt! 

Balance training ideas

Working on hamstring length and strength 

also applicable for touch football players for 

ball to ground manoeuvres

To improve your balance it is important to have a well rounded program including strength, proprioception, coordination and reaction time. For the purpose of this blog we will focus on generic balance exercises to help your own training!:
Working on hamstring length and strength also applicable for touch football players for ball to ground manoeuvres

• Hopping: all sorts of hopping such as single leg for distance, bounding from leg to leg, hop scotch or triple jump type patterns. In all cases try pausing every time you land to make sure you do not wobble before taking off again. 
• Skills on an unstable surface: a great opportunity to be sports specific. Use a half BOSU ball to stand on whilst you use battle ropes, throw and catch, punch, squat or stand on one leg.
• Skills standing on one leg: strengthen core leg muscle groups whilst practising good balance by placing a theraband just below your knees and extend or abduct the leg. Or place four markers at 12o’clock, 3, 6 and 9 clock positions and try stretching to tap each with one foot. 

Balance challenges don’t always have to occur in standing as pictured on the left. Try incorporating a cardio or external force with a battle rope or punching with a partner or on a bag.

Courtney owns and operate Courtney Buckley Massage within the Noosa Box Office Gym. She's a physiotherapist bringing together a 'full body hands on treatment' using different massage, manual therapy stretching and exercise techniques to benefit your recovery and performance. 
Website: www.courtneybuckleymassage.com.au 
Facebook: Courtney Buckley Massage 
Instagram: courtneybuckley.massage 

Sunshine Coast Dietetics: Macros: Count 'em or Count Me Out?

As a sports dietitian, people often ask me about counting macronutrients or ‘macros’.

When I say macros, I am talking about the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat consumed in a day (or sometimes a meal). To give you an example, yesterday I consumed 250g carbs, 108g protein and 76g fat. This means I received 49% energy from carbs, 20% from protein and 31% from fat (due to fat being higher in energy content). Though these numbers tell you nothing about the quality of my diet during the day. FYI I could have had 1 ¼ Cups sugar to get that carb intake (though I didn’t).

Why are Macro’s important?

Different training regimes require different macro distribution. The most important factor being the amount of endurance exercise someone is participating in. Endurance exercise requires a greater quantity of carbohydrate to perform. For example a 70kg elite Ironman triathlete during heavy training may require upwards of 560g carb/day. This is only a ballpark figure though it highlights the importance of macros. After we have that carb figure we can then provide guidance on adequate protein, with the remainder of energy being from fats.

For someone interested in muscle gains, focusing on having sufficient protein intake (without going overboard) would be the first port of call. Then ensuring they have enough carbs to get through their sessions, with the remainder being from fat. In these cases it is important to have knowledge about specific macros, more for ensuring minimum requirements of these specific macros are being met.

Why macros aren’t important

Providing someone with a set macro schedule, for example 33% Carb/33% Protein/33% Fat, without understanding their energy requirements, exercise program and personal preferences can be counterproductive. As discussed above, more important is the amounts of specific macronutrients. Sports dietitians have moved away from macro schedules and prefer a much more individualised and periodised nutrition strategy, focusing on the requirements of training. Furthermore, there is always flexibility in macros to address personal preferences.

As suggested above, macros also don’t provide an idea of diet quality. While most people are able to choose protein foods to fit into their macro requirements, fats and carbohydrates are another matter.  Sometimes focusing too much on the % macros will reduce your range of foods, which can compromise vitamin and mineral intake. Yes ‘my only veg is broccoli’ friends, I am talking about you.

What does this mean for you?

In a nutshell; having an idea on the specific macronutrients for your training/exercise/sport and how to obtain them is important. Focusing too much on numbers without consideration for the quality of your diet can be counterproductive. Finally, everyone has individual dietary preferences and it is always important to incorporate those in any meal plan.

Happy eating.

Peter Herzig, AccSD, APD

Sunshine Coast Dietetics 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SCDietetics
Snapchat: @dietitianlife 

Pauls Body Enginnering: Training in Winter

Ever heard of the saying ‘Summer Bodies are made in Winter’?

It’s a very common marketing campaign but also very true. Winter is the optimal time to get to the gym or go for that regular run or walk when many others don’t.

Why don’t we train more during Winter?

• Its cold
• Its wet
• Its windy
• Its dark earlier

Where’s the incentive to get up early and exercise with those negatives in our face everyday?

Well truth be told this is the perfect time and those are the perfect reasons to get up and train and find that motivation.
By putting in the time and commitment throughout the months of winter you are well on your way to earning that Summer body you so desire or achieving your fitness goals by the end of the year.

Need more incentive to train through Winter?

1. The gyms are usually much quieter therefore you can get through your session faster as you are not waiting for equipment
2. Believe it or not the body can actually burn more calories when cold and active
3. Training throughout Winter helps fight off the cold and flu season
4. You are getting yourself well and truly ready for summer by giving yourself a three month headstart
5. Winter is a higher period to put on weight as many people resort to comfort food when its cold, however it determined and committed to your goals you can still maintain a healthy lifestyle and kae the necessary improvement during this period.

Its easier said then done right?

Absolutely!  So how do you overcome this?

Set yourself some goals. Look ahead to the end of the year. Perhaps you are going on a holiday? Perhaps you have a big family reunion at Christmas time you want to look good for?

The point is to set a realistic obtainable goal that you can aim towards and that will keep you motivated through Winter. Once you start to see those changes and even more when others start to see those changes you are more motivated then ever to keep pushing.

Research suggests that it can take up to 21 days to form a new habit. If using the gym is your new habit then commit to at least 21 days and see how you feel.

The more consistent your training, the better your sleep.

The better your sleep, the more energy you have.

The more energy you have the more likely you are to train more often and make the commitment to get up early in winter to do so and stick to your goal.

Exercising in Winter doesn’t have to be hard. If you can commit to short term goals that will achieve your long term objective then the incentive to train is ready and waiting.

Paul Hooper
Personal Trainer/Fitness Teacher/Owner
m 0466 587 643
e paul@paulsbodyengineering.com
w www.paulsbodyengineering.com
f www.facebook.com/paulsbodyengineering
i @paulsbodyengineering

Accelerate Health and Performance: Fat Shaming and Skinny Shaming Isn't a Thing... You're Probably Just a Jerk

WARNING: This is a bit of a rant that brewed for a while and reared its ugly head so it was updated accordingly. There are some rude words throughout. I, personally, feel it is warranted. I don’t mean to offend but punches will not be pulled.

Yesterday morning my friend, client and the big cheese of Sunny Coast Health & Fitness, Kylie, witnessed two women behaving absolutely abhorrently, ridiculing another female who was busting her arse climbing Mount Coolum. Suffice to say there was fitness and size differences between the two culprits and their victim.

These two people thought they were within their rights to take photos of this lady and openly laugh at her...because she was out and about doing her best. Trying to better improve her health and fitness, trying to change her circumstance, trying to go about living her life. When Kylie told me what had gone down I saw....whatever colour is beyond red.
I can’t fucking stand this shit and I knew I had to dig out this blog and revive it two years after its original release.

I’m going to throw something out there and it’s going to piss some people off…I don’t care one bit. Sadly, it needs to be said far too often. Here and now, I’m going to be one who says it, again. If you don’t like what I have to say then there’s a good chance that you’re probably guilty of exactly what I’m talking about – have a good hard look at yourself and sort your shit out. I mean no offence I just think what you’re doing is really shit and you’re only bringing more shit upon yourself as a result of your nastiness.

Stop Categorising Being An Arsehole Into Names Like ‘Fat Shaming’ And ‘Skinny Shaming’.

It’ the 21st Century for fucks sake!? It’s not about fat or skinny it’s about people. You’re a person, he’s a person, and she’s a person...not a fat person, not a skinny person...a person.
STOP sharing photos online with sayings like…

“Real men want something to hold onto, not a stick”

“Skinny girls look good in clothes. Curvy girls look better naked.”

“Slim girls look good in clothes. Fit girls look good naked.”

FUCK OFF. It is nobody’s right to ridicule anyone for their appearance. ANYONE!

And the insane thing is that people now think that it’s ok to ‘skinny shame’ people because ‘fat’ people have been the victims for so long.

For FAR too long overweight people were the victims of horrible insensitivity. In TV and Movies they still are. It’s WRONG…but if you think that gives you the right to turn the tables on ‘skinny’ people, I’ve got news for you...Making someone else feel shit about themselves doesn’t undo all the horrible things that have been said to you and it won’t stop the chances of it happening in the future. It just makes you an arsehole too.

Meghan Trainor is a prime example of just how far we’ve gone wrong on this front. Her recorded company should be ashamed of recording her bullshit if they weren’t too bust counting $100 bills.

This is not empowering. This is just as degrading as a slim woman calling you “fat”. Don’t be a hypocrite. Being proud of yourself does not require questioning someone else’s worth. It only shows that you really don’t value yourself all that highly at all.

Is this ok because it’s guy? Fuck no. He’s still a person!

Skinny girls are beautiful too. Beauty is an opinion, not a defined any specific quality. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some men are attracted to curvy women. Some aren’t. That’s ok. Some are attracted to women with no curves. Some aren’t. That’s ok too. What isn’t ok is for you to make someone feel less attractive because they don’t have the same body shape as you. What isn’t ok is when you to imply that someone is less of a man for the woman that he is attracted to
.

And this…when you’re using a horrible disease like Anorexia Nervosa to make yourself feel better…why not go to a kids cancer ward and poke fun at them too?

I’m not defined by my size and shape and I’m not defined by the size and shape of the woman I am attracted to. In part, I am defined by the woman I married. I’m happy to say that she is an incredible woman. Her qualities as a person stretch far beyond her physical appearance. Her size and shape is not the reason I married her…to me she’s a total babe but that is not why I married her. She is a kind, caring, compassionate woman who is an amazing mother. If she was a size 4 or a size 40 she would still be all those things.

But it’s not just Women who need to stop hammering each other in this way. Women need to ease up on Men, Men need to ease up on Women and Men need to ease up on other Men. 

I can’t grow a beard and I don’t want tattoos. I still have a penis though. I’m as much of a man as this guy…

And don’t for one second sit there and say ‘Oh...he’s a Personal Trainer, it’s easy for him.’ You haven’t got a clue! As a Personal Trainer I’m held to the highest and most bullshit of all aesthetic standards!
“When you see a Personal Trainer who needs a Personal Trainer”
Ever heard or read that? I’ve had it said to me and written about me.
My job as a Personal Trainer is to provide that training programs and nutritional guidance to my clients to achieve their goals...nothing more.
I’m not a model, I’m not a body builder, I’m not professional athlete.
I’m a guy with a burning desire to help people live a happy and fulfilling life with the understanding of the human body I was blessed with and worked my arse off to develop.

I could look like this guy...that doesn’t impact my ability to be a great (and modest) trainer with a large client base of very happy, healthy men and women of all ages, shapes, sizes and needs.
It’s 2017. It’s time that we stop defining what a “real man” is and what a “real woman” is and start letting people define themselves by the sort of man and woman they choose to be and the actions they are responsible for.

I truly hope the two arseholes that Kylie encountered read this. I truly hope they feel like jerks. They acted like jerks. But they can change, they can learn and they can never do it again. They can leave that identity behind and bring value to their world in the future.

To the victim of this hideous bullshit...I hope you read this too. MAD PROPS TO YOU SISTER! Congratulations on doing something good for you and your world! You’re welcome in my gym anytime! Hell, I’d love to just buy you a cup of coffee and have a chat...I really like coffee. But please, don’t be disheartened. The arseholes of the world are outnumbered...the majority of us love you and are behind you all the way!

To all men and women…
Our self-worth and character is defined by what we contribute to the lives of the people around us and to the world – not what we look like or the size of our pants. 
So do you contribute puppies, memes and ice cold beers to the lives of the people around you or shins kicked on towballs, bindy eyes and paper cuts?

Mitchell Knight
Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/
Instagram: @mitchellknightpt @acceleratehealthandperformance

GUEST BLOG: Health Is Your Most Precious Gift

Take a deep breath – fill your lungs with air… breathe out, wiggle your toes, your fingers.. open and close your eyes, speak, stand up, walk to the door… open it…. breathe again, take in that fresh air… take in life, take in your most precious gift – you are alive, you can move and you have your health. A fragile, precious gift that you so very often take for granted, until you don’t have it.

Every day so many less fortunate fight the daily battle to do the things that we take for granted. They battle for their breath, they fight to move their limbs, to open their eyes, to move their body, or to be able to express themselves.

Without our health we have nothing – It really is our true wealth.

You don’t think so? Then try living without it, try living with the daily battles of a terminal illness, or a life adjusting injury or disease, then tell me that it is not important.

My journey to health and fitness gave me a brief glimpse into the world of the loss of health and the threat of not being here to live this journey that I am eternally grateful to be on.

HELLP syndrome was my brush with this feeling. It is a rare complication that occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. (so I have not given up hope on getting that winning lotto ticket). Broken down this syndrome is:

H – Haemolysis (break down of blood cells)

EL – Elevated Liver Enzymes

LP – Low Platelet count

It is the next step on from preeclampsia – a more common complication. I had a lot of fluid throughout the pregnancy, one hospital admission with a very high blood pressure reading and within 24 hours of being released I woke to pains that I tried to ignore as it was too early for my baby to be out into the world. I have never been a big fan of exaggerating pain so I quietly went about the house trying not to wake anyone.

Then the breathing became irregular and more and more difficult so I calmly suggested to my partner at the time that it may be time to ring the hospital and just check in – my bubs still needed cooking time at 34 weeks and premature lungs I was starting to get worried, and scared as a million possibilities of what was happening ran through my head.

A trip to the hospital followed, with each breath getting more and more difficult I rode the elevator up to the maternity ward and was very quickly attended to by the staff. So with a partially collapsed lung and blood pressure through the roof the whirlwind began – my drug free, natural birth, became an emergency Caesar to save my life – a malfunctioning liver, collapsed lung and extremely low blood count with very few platelets, the faces surrounding me said that things were not looking great for me at this stage. I clearly remember asking the staff to please, no matter what lay ahead for me, save my baby! This was my real first experience of unconditional mothers love and sacrifice as I was wheeled into emergency surgery.

The rest was quite a blur until I heard those lungs let out a cry… Tears of joy streaming down my face as my world was now complete. A scream meant that those tiny lungs were working. It meant life! It meant my precious one had made the very early journey into the world – and at 3 pounds 15 his battle for life had begun.

My journey had just begun too… 24 hour round the clock care, blood tests on the hour, diminished liver function, bruising from lack of platelets from chest to thighs, I lay only thinking of my tiny bubs, and having that first connection of touch. Instead I was forced to focus on building my strength while the angels of nurses in the special care unit took care of my little superhero. Both of our fights to recover had begun, one moment, one hour, one day at a time. 

Lessons in life to not sweat the small stuff and truly be grateful for good health were embedded! Every day I am grateful that my health returned to normal levels in my blood and liver within 6 weeks. The human body can be so amazing in it’s ability to heal and repair. I know how lucky I am to have life, both mine and my beautiful baby boy! I am so grateful to have been given a second chance, when so many others don’t get that opportunity.

Every day there are many others fighting with everything that they have just to make it through the day. I know they would give anything to have the health that so many of us take for granted. You see it in friends, family, loved ones who are currently battling, or have sadly lost their fight – they view life as we all should, with gratitude, hope, love, and courage!

So when people ask why I take on the physical challenges that I do “my why” and answer is simple – I do it for those who can’t. I do it for those that we have lost. I do it to honour them, and for those still fighting! To use every bit of my health for as long as I can to help their battles in any way that I can!

Our Health is our Wealth – so please don’t waste the precious gift that you have been given and take care of yourself, in every way. It can all be gone in an instant so always remember this is not a rehearsal, we only get one chance at this thing called life.

For those superheroes reading that are fighting the toughest of battles. The true warriors! You inspire and amaze all of us daily with your courage, strength and bravery. Although we can not help you physically battle on, please know that we are here for you, we will fight the fight for research, for treatments, for cures, for care, and to support you in any way that we can.

If you are fortunate and blessed enough to have your health, how are you choosing to use it? Comment below or Click to contact us and make the most of this precious gift that we so often take for granted.

Kirsty Levy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mumfitnessadventure

Instagram: @mumfitnessadventure