JaycasFit Activewear (Ben): Grateful To Those Who Influenced My Life

With the first month of the New Year almost over, we’ve seen everyone putting up posts (us included), on “New Year New You” and how it is now time to kick ass, change your world etc. Change is great, but why can’t we be grateful for the life we have and the people who have influenced us to this point in our lives? ‘

Allow me to tell you something I learnt over the Christmas New Year period.

On Christmas eve there was a post put on Facebook about a lady who I went to school with way back in the 1980’s. She was a fun loving, easy going and fiercely protective of those who where lucky enough to call her a friend.  She was one of the only people who accepted Kathryn my girlfriend (now wife) into our group with no questions and always made her feel welcome.

This beautiful soul passed away on Christmas eve with her family around her (can not even imagine how this would feel), she had been fighting cancer for the last 3 years.

To be honest, I have not seen her since I was at college some 25 years ago. Although through the magic of social media have seen posts on what she was doing, not a very good friend on my behalf.  I can not sit here and think that I have any right to tell you about her life, her family, her husband, her kids or the amazing things she did since I saw her last, although many did through her Facebook posts.

These people who were closest to her and knew her best shared some of the things that she had inspired them to do in their lives, how she had influenced them for the better.

I do not know if they shared these stories with her before she passed away or not, but it got me thinking… Why do we wait to tell the people who positively influenced us in our lives when they pass away, through words we write or speak in reflection of them. I know I have done this myself.

This also got me thinking of the people who influenced me in my life, the people who helped me get through high school, like my best mate Dave, who on many occasions pointed me in better directions. 

Or the people you meet later in life, like a mentor of mine Matt, that took a risk on me and allowed me to see and believe in my strengths again. 

There is so many over the years, there is even some that at the time I considered negative experiences, yet if they did not happen my life would be so much different. An example of this was my parents getting divorced, awful at the time yet if this had not happened I would have never meet Kathryn, got married and had 2 beautiful kids.

Have I told the people who I feel have influenced my life? Not always. Although I have started telling them when I see them or feel I can express in words how grateful I am.

So my question is, have you told those people who influenced you to make your life better (both past and present) how grateful you are?

Have you expressed how they have impacted your journey?

If not, give it some thought.

Maybe its time to give thanks and gratitude.

Watch their eyes and face light up that they have made such an impact to another soul, which will light you up as well.

 

Remember it is your Fun Active Life.

Ben & Kathryn 
Jaycasfit – Inspire Greatness

Web:       www.jaycasfit.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaycasfit
Instagram: @jaycasfit_activewear

Jamie Milne Training: The Precision Effect

The Precision Effect: NOUN- A spreading effect or series of benefits or consequences caused by a single action or event.

Historically over my 12 year journey as a fitness professional, I can confidently claim, as humans we are a direct reflection of our daily habits or rituals. This is the common thread. These habits we repeatedly perform over time can be either good healthy rituals promoting wellness or poor bad choices repeated to our detriment.

Consider an overweight individual who is hungry for change. Claims that the mostly "clean" eating lifestyle he promotes isn't really working for him, his 129kg frame is unfortunately due to poor genetics, big bones, and the dash of milk in his English Breakfast tea (apprently). It has zero to do with the repeated poor food choices, unfortunate lack of education with nutrition, and the inability to stay active for more then 2-3 days.

On the polar opposite side of the scale, we have an immensely toned "Strong is the new sexy", active-wear loving, tanned brunette bombshell basking in the sun down at Buddina beach. She reflects daily habits of clean eating, low stress levels, adequate sleep and regular training.

For the record, both these people are make believe.

The very short of the long is, we are what we repeatedly do.

As we know, the benefits of exercise and mindful, balanced eating are very well-known and diverse. Google any type of training plan, diet, super food, or running program and you've got a mass of self-appointed gurus patting themselves on the back and promoting their wears. There is so much out there, it truly is consumers market. The choices are unlimited, cutting violently at our lame excuses.

The magnitude of benefits from repeated healthy choices are, in my opinion, not given the justice they deserve. The profound and beautiful way in which health transfers in to everyday life is powerful, massive and unsurpassed.

Consider a pebble. If we cast this simple, uncomplicated pebble into a deep, calm, and inviting pond we get ripples. This one pebble causes momentum, driven waves rushing from the exact point of "sploosh" to the extremity of the pond. Just like in life.

This is an example of the value and power of The Precision Effect.

A little bit of something is better then a whole lot of nothing. Cast small pebbles to start. Things like ditching bread, lessening your diary intake, walking more, driving less, resting frequently, drinking water (and lots of it), joining a gym or meditating and getting your 'zen' on are great pebbles to cast into your own personal pond... A fit and healthy life is a very happy life.

The spreading effect of these actions have benefits that transfer into all aspects and facets of your life. Can you imagine actually being in control of your weight? No more trouser squeezes, sweaty dinner moments, awkward bedtime sleeping noises, and the important issue of adverse health conditions and diseases.

You would have more sound and restful sleep, increased energy levels with an ability to perform at a high level well into the afternoon without the aid of a sugar free V drink, or quarter strength soy decaf latte with a gluten free blueberry and white chocolate muffin. SEX!!! Now that i have your attention, if you want to put some fire back into your sex life, pour some petrol on intimacy by making health a priority.

These are just some of the positive by-products of the precision effect, instantly accessible to YOU just by making small and subtle shifts in your daily habits or rituals.

The take home learning from "The Precision Effect" is that we are what we repeatedly do. Make your health a priority! If we don't have our health we have absolutely NOTHING!!!!

Jamie
Jamie Milne Training
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiemilnetraining/
Instagram: JamieMilneTraining
Website: www.jamiemilnetraining.com
Email: jamiemilnetrainng@gmail.com

Primal Influence (Aimee): Paleo for Busy People

It is often assumed that tasty and healthy meals are time consuming and expensive, but that isnt the case at all. When you move towards the 'paleo' style of eating, you no longer have the convenience of condiments to flavour meals or microwave-ready packs in the freezer. In essence, more often than not, most dishes need to be prepared from scratch. This of course equals more time and effort, but there are definitely ways to save time and reduce effort while producing quality, healthy (and most importantly tasty) dishes for the family.

I don't have kids, but saving time is important to me. I'm pretty lazy and impatient when it comes to cooking. So I've found anything that helps to save some time and energy is a massive help, and I am more than happy to share some time-saving tips with you!

Here are my top 5 tips on how to save time and effort in the kitchen…

Make large quantities of your favourite flavour mixes and store in the pantry. Such as spice rubs and herb combinations. You might have a favourite spicy Mexican blend you like to make for Mexican-inspired dishes, so why not mix up those spices, herbs, salt and pepper into a jar so you can grab it and use straight away when making that yummy meal?

Become good friends with your slow cooker! And if you don’t already have one, buy one quick smart! Throw in a big chunk of meat like a rolled roast or a whole chook, along with a heap of veggies and leaving on the low setting all day or overnight you have an instant meal ready to go! Not only does it help easily make a whole meal for the family, you can use it to cook foods in bulk for serving-size storage in the fridge and the freezer. Cauliflower rice is always a crowd pleaser. You can grate up a 1 or 2 whole cauliflowers in the food processor or with a grater, throw in the slow cooker, leave on low for a few hours, and wah lah, you have a big batch of cauli-rice you can then split up into smaller portions and freeze/refrigerate for easy re-heating on the stove top to go alongside your fave meat and other veggies. There are so many incredibly healthy meals you can make using a slow cooker, they are definitely one of the best kitchen gadgets for saving time and effort.

Pre-make brekkie dishes. Paleo excludes inflammatory grains, therefore most cereals, toast, and many of the usual suspects eaten at breakfast time. So to come up with healthy and reasonably quick alternatives can seem almost impossible at first. But it’s not! You can eat meat, veg, eggs, bacon, good ham, zoodles, pretty much anything you have for lunch and dinner you can absolutely have for brekkie. An example is Meat Muffins (see recipe below); they’re so healthy, versatile and can be made on a weekend and stored in the fridge to then quickly reheat in the oven for brekkie. Another idea is to hard boil a heap of eggs on the weekend and keep in the fridge for instant brekkie food each morning. Easy!

Find nifty and affordable kitchen gadgets that do the work for you! One of my absolute favourite kitchen gadgets is my slicer from Aldi. It works like a Julienne machine and cost about $12! I use it almost every day. It slices veggies in a few different ways meaning I can easily create variety with my seemingly-boring-at-first just meat and veg base. Such as flat chips, chunky chips, tooth-pick size, grated for quick cooking and more. By slicing veggies differently it gives different textures, it allows some veggies to be cooked faster because they’re made smaller, it creates even shapes so cooking time is consistent and minimal and it saves me time cutting veggies by hand. I also love my ‘noodle maker’ – more specifically the Chef Avenue 4-in-1 Vegetable Slicer. This gadget allows me to make noodle out of lots of different veggies, so I can create healthy grain-free pasta dishes and lots of other interesting and healthy meals. It’s fantastic! There are stacks of different slicing machines on the market now, so find a couple that you feel would add value to your kitchen creations and that you can afford and off you go saving time prepping and cooking!

Buy in bulk. Whether it’s meat or paleo baking ingredients.. buying in bulk often saves money and saves time because you have what you need on hand when you need it. By buying small packets of spices and herbs it’s easy to run low or totally run out, so instead, head to your local health food store or market that offers bulk buy foods, take your own jars or zip-lock bags and grab plenty of what you always use at home so you then have plenty on hand. Or find a local quality or butcher and buy meat packs in bulk to store away in your freezer. This also helps the environment, which is a bonus!

I hope those tips give you ideas and inspiration for helping you save time and effort in your kitchen, leaving you more time to actually enjoy your healthy meals!

Now here’s my yummy Meat Muffin recipe...

MEAT MUFFINS
 

 You’ll need these:
1 pkt organic grass-fed lamb mince (or other meat that stays moist. Beef tends to dry out in this recipe)
1 cup mixed grated veg of choice (carrot, zucchini, onion, cabbage etc)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp bone broth (optional)
1 tbsp pure organic tomato paste
Coconut oil or animal fat (for saucepan and some for greasing baking dish)
Herbs and spices of choice
Himalayan salt, pepper
Optional: 1-2 organic eggs to help muffins rise and increase ‘fluffiness’ (not essential)
1 tbsp coconut flour or banana flour to help bind (not essential)
　


Do this:
1. Lightly grease a 1x6 muffin tray and preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

2. In a mixing bowl at mince, veg, garlic, herbs, broth, tomato paste, spices, salt, pepper (and eggs and coconut flour if you’re including)

3. Using your hands to combine all ingredients thoroughly

4. Take a handful of mixture and press into muffin trays

5. The mixture will settle while cooking so there’s no particular method in which the mix should be placed in the trays

6. Place in oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes depending on your oven

7. Remove from oven once cooked and allow to cool

8. Pour out any excess liquid sitting in the trays, remove meat muffins and store them in a container in the fridge

9. Reheat (using oven if possible, not microwave) 1 or 2 for brekkie, lunch or just a snack

Enjoy ☺


Aimee Clark
Paleo Cooking Coaching
Primal Influence
www.primalinfluence.com

Accelerate Health and Performance: You Put Your Left Foot In, You Put Your Left Foot Out... Wait... Where The Hell Do I Put My Feet For A Squat?

Personal Trainer 101 makes a lot of absolute statements regarding posture and technique for exercise. Some of it is true, some of it is somewhat true and some of it is straight up bullshit.

Yeah, I went through TAFE to get my Fitness qualifications with two of the teachers who wrote the Cert 3, Cert 4 and Diploma of Fitness curriculums. It got me into the industry. And then I started reading more and more and realised that what they taught me was enough to be a relatively safe trainer that was unlikely to kill someone (that should be on my resumé right!?)...that was about it. There was a lot of stuff in that course I soon learnt was pretty out of date or ineffective.

Basically, Personal Trainer 101 started looking about as effective as another one of my favourite books from childhood when it came to my work.

So what are you trying to say Mitch?
For all the trainers/coaches out there, do not make the mistake of being rigid in your teaching or your learning. You will have teaching cues that work every time and then out of nowhere you will try the same cue with a new client and they will look at you like you are speaking a foreign language. It's up to you to adjust and find the right words to get through to them. If you learn from a wide range of quality sources you'll teach accordingly.

Your clients are a bit like Lemmings. They each have individual skills and individual weakness. It's up to you to click the right buttons for them all to make it safely through the cave. Sure, some will get incinerated, that's the nature of the industry. But, if you help more than you brutally kill your job satisfaction and career longevity are going to be pretty solid.

For those of you who are in the gym or out on the pavement doing it yourself, don't expect anything of yourself based on what those around you can do. You will progress at your own rate and you may well need to do things differently to achieve your goals. You will have your own techniques, strengths and weaknesses that you will learn and work through at your own pace...and if you need help hire a personal trainer, I recommend me. Just saying.

Alright Mitch, we get your point. Now how do we address it?

First of all, remember that we are all unique little snowflakes. We have our own set of needs and should be treated accordingly. The fact of the matter is that every person moves differently and responds to stimuli differently. In essence, this is why online "bikini body guru" (read: failed model with a large Instagram following of guys who are simply there to see tits and arse) programs fall short, both ethically and practically (But I will rant on that another time).

Secondly, when it comes to how to do something in the gym, stop dealing in absolutes. Sure, having your feet hip width apart is a solid starting point but the second that squat shows something that you want to correct or feels like it's not quite right then it is wrong and needs adjusting. Way more than half the people I see need their feet in a different position to accommodate their bodies individuality. Just because the text book says to do it one way does not mean the text book is correct...it was written for the average not the individual.

Thirdly, always chase perfection. One of the biggest things I got from the two hours I got to spend listening to Tony Gentilcore (if you don't know who Tony Gentilcore is my advice is to find out A-SAP!) speak last year was this - "If it's nearly right, it is still wrong."

Never settle for 'good enough'.

As a coach/trainer you should always be wanting your clients to improve. Skills are dynamic and they will diminish if they are under-utilised or under-developed. If you're training on your own this is equally important for you, if not more so. Here's a hot tip...video your sets. Sure, you look like a bit of a knob to the meathead who secretly (read: it's so friggin' obvious) sneaks (read: "Oi dickhead! We all know what you're going to do!") off to take photos of himself in the bathroom mirror between bicep sets. But to anyone with half a clue, you're switched on and care about your performance and success. Respect to you brother/sister.

Trainer/Coaches: You can't fit a square peg into a round hole the same we you can't make a 7 foot beast bench press the same way as a 5 foot pocket rocket. Always have your next step in mind. A variation, an adjustment, a cue. Whatever it is you need to help your client get what they want. This takes time, research and practice...Ultimately, that's how you're going to make sure that they stay your client.

Solo Legends: If you're a square peg you can't fit into that round hole. If you're a 7 foot beast you're not likely to train the same way as a 5 foot pocket rocket. Do your research or invest in some professional help. A good PT on a gym floor is always willing to give some advice (I say good because if they're not willing they're probably a jerk and not very good). That said don't expect a complete program overhaul between clients and a trip to the loo. If you want a lot of help pay for a lot of help...we're worth it!

As always please refer all complaints and hate mail to the admin of this page. If you need their home address for egg throwing purposes comment below.

Lift Academy/Glamafit: Macros Made Easy

There is a pretty good chance you have heard of "macros" or the term IIFYM (if it fits your macros). But most people are left wondering "what on earth is a macro"?

Macro's or macronutrients are those that we need in large amounts. The three macronutrients that humans need are fats, protein & carbohydrates. Each of these provide energy to the body in the form of calories. The calorie break-down for these macronutrients are not all the same.

1gm of carbohydrate equals 4 calories. 1gm of Protein equals 4 calories & 1gm of fat equals 9 calories. (Ohhh and for those who don't mind a drop, alcohol is 7 calories per gram).

Calculating macronutrients will vary greatly from person to person & what their goals are. For example a person consuming 2000 calories per day & has a macronutrient breakdown of 45% carbs 30% protein & 25% fat. This would mean they would consume 225gm carbs for the day, 150gm protein & 55gm of fat.

So why do we need carbohydrates, protein and fats?

Carbohydrates are the bodies main source of fuel as they are easily used by the body for energy. All of the tissues & cells in our body can use glucose for energy. Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain & muscles (including the heart) to function properly. They can be stored in the muscles & liver & later used for energy. Carbs are mainly found in starchy foods like grains & potatoes, fruit, milk & yoghurt. Other foods like vegetables, nuts, seeds & cottage cheese contain carbs but in lesser amounts.

Fibre are a certain type of carbohydrates that our body can not digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact & help to remove the waste out of the body. Foods high in fibre include fruit, vegetables & whole grain products.

Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes & in smaller quantities in starchy foods & vegetables. We need protein for growth - especially important for children, teens & pregnant women. For tissue repair, immune function, making essential hormones & enzymes, energy when carbs aren't available & for preserving lean muscle mass.

And finally fat! Fats have had a bad rap over the years for causing weight gain, but some fat is actually essential for survival! Generally speaking 20-35% of calories should come from fats. But good fats like coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, organic butter, poultry & milk products. We need fats for normal growth & development, energy, absorbing certain vitamins, provide cushioning for the organs & maintaining cell membranes.

Sound nutritional planning involves a mix of all three of these macronutrients. This method of can prove to be a really effective way of measuring food intake to reach health and fitness goals. For custom guidance with calculating macros in order to lose weight contact Nicole on 0431421202

MEET THE SCHF TEAM: Jamie Milne Training

Name: Jamie Milne 

Business: Jamie Milne Training

Area: Warana

Age: Mine 37, Business partner Leigh 31

Years In The Industry: 12

Qualifications
University Diploma in Sports Psychology, Advanced First Aid and CPR, Certificate 3 & 4 in Fitness and Personal Training, Crossfit Trainer Level 1 and several Crossfit certificates, Kettlebell Coach Level 1, POSE Running Certified, A.I.B.A International Boxing Coach Lience, AWF Level 1 Sports Power Coach, PADI Dive Master & Rescue Diver, Apnea Australia- Stage A Free Diving Instructor

Experience
Over 6 years’ experience as a CrossFit Trainer and athlete, qualified for the Australasian Regional’s in 2010 and competes regularly in Australia, NZ and the Middle East.
Many years of competitive Ultra Marathon running, including running the length of New Zealand’s North Island twice, the South Island once, run from Cairns to Townsville and Cairns to Port Douglas in Far North Queensland more than once.
I have jogged the length of Scotland from the England Scotland border, Gretna Green to the very top of the United Kingdom, John O Groats, all with a 10kg back pack on.
On the 31st of January 2015, two friends and I broke the current world record for the most distance covered with Burpee Broad Jumps. 4126 Burpee broad jumps for a distance of 8.5km all done and dusted in 22 hours.
Just recently I completed a 960km solo run around Tasmania. 80kms a day for 12 days. This endurance run pushed me to my limits and we were able to raise over $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House in Hobart.
These events have all been charity based, flying under the banner of an organisation called Many Miles for Mary; this was formed in memoriam of my late Grandmother Mary.

Interests
Attempting to get our JMT service, princeables and teaching values to the world.
Surfing
Boxing
Music
Ultra endurance journey running.

What Makes Me Passionate About The Health and Fitness Industry?
At JMT we believe how people train, lose weight, or establish health is not dependant on method. The method you use is somewhat unimportant. There are so many pathways to reach the above goals, they method you choose needs to suit you! The most important thing is mindset, state and desire. We provide training reinforced with a nurturing environment to make your dreams reality.
My passion is helping people produce measurable results. Instilling the notion that the goal is happiness, not perfection. Being perfect should be measured by your overall happiness, which in turn produces life long change.

Links
Facebook:
Jamie Milne Training: https://www.facebook.com/jamiemilnetraining/
Many Miles for Mary: https://www.facebook.com/manymilesformary/

Instagram: JamieMilneTraining

Website: www.jamiemilnetraining.com

Email: jamiemilnetrainng@gmail.com

Twitter: @jmtstandnfight

YouTube: James Milne

Snapchat: jmtstagpack

AmsoFit and Healthy (Ben): How To Set Your New Year Fitness Resolution

First and Foremost, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Danica and I wish everyone our best wishes for 2016. We hope it is a very successful year for all!

You may be wondering, how do you even set a realistic fitness New Year Resolution? Easy! Don’t set one!

New Year Resolutions are a fad that come around every 12 months, and for the vast majority of people, we fail by the end of January!

Why do we fail?
The majority of people fail because we set crappy, Non-Specific "things" to achieve. For example, while writing this I have the radio on in the background. They have just had a phone in where you can tell the Sunshine Coast your New Year Resolutions. Of 5 phone calls, all 5 mentioned in there to either "Get Fit" or "I want to get fitter".

The goal is to "Get fitter". Well go outside, go for a walk around the block. CONGRATULATIONS. You are now fitter than before you went for a walk! So based on "get fitter" I’d say Resolution Achieved. But wait! That’s not what you meant was it? OF COURSE NOT BEN!

So let me ask you this; What is "Fit"?
Everyone has their own opinions of what "Fit" is. So I want you to do something right now for yourself. Grab a pen and write down 3 things you think defines what "Fit" is. Before I started writing
I wrote down 3 of my own:

• Running 100m in 10 seconds
• Running the Marathon (42.195km)
• 15.1+ on the Beep Test

Since I became a trainer I have completed all 3 of the above. To me that is "Fit"! And I was very Fit!

Now some people might have said "flat tummy" or "6 pack abs" as "Fit". In my opinion, that is not fit until you show me how you got them! There are different ways to get a flat tummy or 6 pack. Those who trained hard and earned them, I take my hat off to you. But some don’t get them that way though…

Let’s go back to question 2 for a second; Why do we fail? The reason we fail is because our resolutions ARE NOT SPECIFIC! Yes, I said that before, it takes a few times to sink in. Those who resolve to "join the gym", go in on January 2^{nd, sign up, Congratulations, Resolution Achieved. Believe me ladies and gentlemen, ALL of it is CRAP!}

What is specific then?
 Let me put it to you this way. On this planet we are all naturally competitive! If you are now saying "I am not competitive at all" you just don’t know you are, and you are now competing with me saying you’re not… YAY! Benny wins!

So we need a challenge. a target, a competition. What ever you want to call it.

If you picked up that pen a few minutes ago you may already have them.

If you’re needing some inspiration, a fantastic example was from a good friend in 2008. He started with just wanting to "Lose weight". (Yes, crap resolution… Lose 100 grams, resolution achieved… Yipee.)

So he changed what he wanted to achieve. Ultimately, the weight loss would come with the achievement. He set himself a target each week for the year. Week 1 he completed a 1 kilometre run, and he added 1 kilometre every week. In Week 52 he did a 52 kilometre run! (he did additional training also). Since then he has completed 3 marathons! He has also achieved his goal weight of 75 kilograms (the weight loss was a happy side effect of the challenge). This was a brilliant idea and an absolute inspiration! Ultimately you will find it easier to stick to a challenge than you will your abs.

My challenge for 2016 is to run a sub 11 second 100 meter sprint again. My Personal Best is 10.91 seconds. I was 18 when I did that, and how I would love to beat 18 year old Benny!

Now if you are brave enough, all the Facebook readers tell us in the comments what your challenge is for 2016.

If you’re still unsure of what to set, give me a call or send me a message at AmSo Fit & Healthy and I can assist you with your goal setting.

Remember, competing to be your best is the solution, NOT a resolution.

Ben

AmSo Fit & Healthy

facebook.com/amsofitandhealthy

Instagram @amsofitandhealthy

www.amsofitandhealthy.com.au

ben@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0405 268 619

danica@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0458 001 848

AmSo Fit & Healthy (Danica): Where your nutrition information comes from makes a difference

With an increasing focus of food, nutrition, health and exercise in today’s society, there runs the risk of misinformation being provided. It seems that every second person wants to get on board within the health and fitness industry, often coming in blindly, passing on second hand nutrition information with no evidence to back it. With that in mind, it becomes hard for the general public to understand who has the authority to give them quality information when it comes to food, nutrition and general well-being, let alone specific to their activity, disease or health state.

If you have a question about anything, what’s the first place you turn to? For the majority of people, it’s Google. Yes, Google will have an answer. Deep down in the ‘interwebs’, you will more than likely find an accurate, high-quality answer, but more often than not you will come across incomplete, misleading or inaccurate information. The moral of the story is that anyone can publish anything.

It’s important to ask yourself when reading or receiving nutritional information "is this person qualified to speak about nutrition?" Should you believe an article on a website that tells you to eat 10 bananas each day to lose weight, or a trainer at the gym pushing a high-protein diet, or a salesperson in a health store suggesting a supplement for a "newly discovered herb" that you’ve never heard of before? Do they have a solid education behind them to make them qualified to make such suggestions? TV reports are often no different. Have you noticed that when a nutritional message is plugged on TV, it’s often presented by celebrities, fitness experts, food editors, psychologists, chefs, pharmacists… literally anyone except an accredited Dietitian or Registered Nutritionist?

In a society where all kinds of information are readily available to everyone and some people are just looking to pass on sub-standard advice to make a quick buck, it’s hard to know who to turn to for proper nutritional guidance.

Dietitians truly are the experts when it comes to nutrition. With at least 4 years of university education behind them, including 6 months of practical hands-on experience, they have the complete knowledge and understanding of how to apply nutrition information to a wide variety of people and a range of medical conditions to improve health. In the hospital setting, the knowledge a dietitian has is second to only that of doctors when it comes to the human body. Even then, doctors aren’t considered a great source of current accurate information regarding nutrition; their medical degree only skims the top of what dietitian’s know about nutrition. As a Dietitian, you have to understand:

How the body works, including all of the organs

What happens to the body’s function when something goes wrong, including while under stress, in a disease state, with various conditions

Medications and how they interact with each other and impact food

How food is digested and metabolised within all parts of the body

How food can be used to treat or manage a wide variety of conditions, diseases and injury states

With three years of university study behind me, nearing the completion of my Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics degree with only research and practical experience to go, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve got a greater understanding and appreciation for how nutrition influences health, fitness and wellbeing than Joe Blogs down at the gym, or Jane Doe with her super smoothies blog, trying to sell you advice that they’ve read in this week’s gossip mag. There’s a reason that Ben doesn’t give much advice to clients regarding nutritional advice. Yes, as a personal and fitness trainer, he does have a basic background in nutritional knowledge. He is a competitive bugger and likes to think that he knows everything, but he knows when to wave the white flag and concede defeat. He doesn’t want to give half-arsed information that anyone could have found with a quick and easy google search. Ben left his 60-hour week job selling cars so that, together, we can focus on giving clients and people of the Sunshine Coast the best opportunity to live a healthy and happy life. With the combination of his expertise in fitness – and I must admit, even when I listen to him speak to clients, and the passion in which he does so, he is an expert - and my extensive knowledge of nutrition, you can "Get so fit and be so fit, with AmSo Fit & Healthy".

AmSo Fit & Healthy

facebook.com/amsofitandhealthy

Instagram @amsofitandhealthy

www.amsofitandhealthy.com.au

 

ben@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0405 268 619

danica@amsofitandhealthy.com.au | 0458 001 848

Paul's Body Engineering: Train Them or Not- The Myth Behind Abdominals

Core training or 'abs' training is a constant across many gyms on the Sunshine Coast. Many times I have been asked whether, like other muscles, abdominals "need to be trained"?

I myself recently completed a successful Bodybuilding season, during which my abdominals were on display to be judged. So id like to share from my own personal experience.

During preperation for competitive body building, I transformed from 97kg to 78kg. It took 10 months to reach 'stage condition'... Want to know a secret? I never once trained my abdominal area!

The 'abs' are a muscle group, and like all muscles they can be trained. Sit ups, V-ups, mountain climbers, Russian twists and planking all form the craze that is abs training. Despite the popularity of such exercises, in my experience i have found that executing major compound weight training exercises correctly is just as affective. When you are doing weight training correctly, your abdominals are always in use and therefore are always strengthening.

Compound exercises are activities such as deadlifts, squats, lunges, bench press or leg press, and utilise more than one muscle group when added into your regime. Your core is used to stabilise the movement and ensure you correctly lift the attempted weight. In saying this, there is no harm, in fact possibly a benefit, to isolating your abdominals and training them independently.

There are many ways to shape and tone your body and everybody's body is different and responds differently to exercise. At the end of the day it is the decision of the individual to train 'abs' or not, after all they are a muscle group like any other.

As many memes across social media suggest, abs are trained the kitchen. A good diet along with training will get the results you desire.
Paul
Paul's Body Engineering
Mobile: 0466 587 643
Email: paul@paulsbodyengineering.com
Website: www.paulsbodyengineering.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulsBodyEngineering/
Instagram: @paulsbodyengineering

Primal Influence: It's All A Matter of Perspective

Today’s blog is not directly fitness related but has a really important role to play in our journey to a greater sense of true health and wellness. It’s all about mindset!

To be truly fit and healthy you must achieve a certain balance between movement, mindset and nutrition. No matter how hard you try, you will find it a struggle to thrive if you are solely focused on one idea or one modality. Examples of this could be a really spiritual person who has a zen-like mindset, but has no or little ability when it comes to using their body in a physical way functionally. Or and athlete who has abs of steel and arms to be proud of, only to be let down by negative thoughts in their head.

The ultimate goal should be to work on each aspect in equal amounts and achieve balance.

One way in which I like to encourage people to work on their mindset is through examining their perspective of the world around them. Now I will ask you to do the same… Take a moment to think about the last time something "bad" happened to you and examine it (a big bill arrived, you had an accident, received an injury, had a problem at work etc). If the event is fresh in your memory it may stir certain negative emotions, but don’t dwell on them. Keep thinking about the incident that happened and examine the outcome. Did any good come of it? Perhaps it was something as simple as a friend or friends reaching out to you, or the incident may have opened up other opportunities in your life that never would have existed for you otherwise. It’s all a matter of perspective!

An extreme example of this may be someone who is facing a terminal illness. Yes the news of a terminal illness is devastating, but some positives may actually come out of it. Instead of being down in the dumps because they are ill, their perspective may change and they may focus instead on living the best life they can with the time they have remaining. It’s just another way of looking at a situation. By changing the way we look at situations we can change how we feel about them and we can change our emotions from only negative, to somewhat or even immensely positive. And don’t we all want to feel a little more positive?

Our beliefs or points of view can either hold us back from succeeding, or they can help us achieve amazing things we never thought possible. They can make the seemingly worst situation seem like the best opportunity that has come along. Again… it’s all a matter of perspective!

The health and fitness industry and what is promoted within it is full of opinions and perspectives; which by accident or design make us feel guilty or inadequate in the way we look at ourselves and others. It's time to change that!

So let's look at some common ideas, thoughts and beliefs and see how we can switch them around to greatly benefit us on our journey of lasting health and fitness.

• "I need to exercise hard to lose weight" - By focusing on my daily healthy habits I will improve my mood, ability to move and get better sleep. Weight loss and muscle tone is merely a side effect of feeling fantastic from the inside out.
• "I don’t have time to exercise and one or two days a week is not enough so I won’t bother at all" - The 1 or 2 days a week that I exercise are fantastic! That’s one or two more days than I’ve done in the past and any time spent moving my body is benefiting me greatly.
• "I can’t eat that I’m on a diet" - I can eat whatever I want whenever I want. However I’m choosing not to eat junk because I know I will feel better if I don’t.
• "No pain no gain" - My body is not something that needs to be beaten into submission. I will get fitter and stronger in due course. Right now I need to celebrate what I can do.

These are a few examples of commonly held beliefs and slogans that can be changed to provide more value and inspiration into our life.

Remember, your body is responding exactly the way it’s meant to according to what you’ve been feeding it with your nutrition, movement and mindset. So next time you get caught in a negativity spiral, take a moment to change the perspective and see what outcomes you can achieve.

I would love to hear from you some of your commonly held beliefs and how you can change them for a more positive outcome.

Clint and Aimee

Primal Influence

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

Instagram: @primalinfluence

AWA Sunshine Coast: The 2nd AWA 13 Week Challenge is coming!

At Athletes with Attitude, we pride ourselves on educating the community about the importance of physical activity. Our mission is to reach out to the local community and teach people why physical activity is really worth the time and effort.

Increasing your physical activity is a great way to have fun, and an awesome way to make like minded friends. Not to mention the positive effects on your body and mind. Physical activity affects your mood and how good you feel.

The benefits of regular exercise include:

Reducing stress

Improving sleep

Boosting your energy

Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression

Increasing your self-esteem

Not to mention it is great for your muscles, heart and lungs. Builds strong bones , prevent high blood pressure. Just a few of the benefits from a long long list.

Last year, we decided to run a 13 week challenge, free of charge. This was designed to give the community a taste of what we are trying to achieve, and the outcome was extremely successful. Athletes with Attitude is about to hold our 2nd challenge starting 10th February 2016. The Challenge runs for 13 weeks, and you have access to many boot camps, one on one’s with the Personal Trainers, events held throughout the challenge and lots more.

During the AWA 13 Week Challenge we promote a friendly atmosphere and provide an opportunity for the group to all 'get sweaty' together, making it easier to stay motivated. We create a warm family feel, where people can (and do) make new lasting friendships. As always, you can pop into the shop for the warm and fuzzy or the hard love (as required), these are the things that make the AWA Family unique. Our boot camp workouts are all about group camaraderie, not being shy about shouting encouragement and of course, having fun!

These group sessions focus on functional movements like push-ups, squats, sprints, and sit ups, providing killer workouts outside of the gym environment. Boot Camps provide a whole-body workout that builds strength, endurance and creates a sense of camaraderie among the participants. These high intensity workouts deliver results in a total body approach combining sprint intervals, bodyweight exercises, and high- intensity moves like kicking and punching. The key is limiting rest time in between each move to get the heart rate up and burning calories fast. A typical class last one hour and can burn around 600 calories, building strength and aerobic capacity all at the same time.

Athletes With Attitude’s aim is to have people from our community learning to love physical fitness and actively changing your lifestyle. We will support you all the way to achieve what goals you set yourselves.

You have everything to Gain and Nothing to lose (EXCEPT unwanted Kilos!)

Metafit Sunshine Coast: Christmas With Metafit

Christmas is getting closer and the weather is warming up, we can't hep but get excited! Bikini weather, laying by the pool or heading to the beach. That also means its the season of fruit, salads, cold drinks... All the good stuff. So how can we possibly manage to keep ourselves on track with christmas treats and parties left, right and centre? It's not easy, but it is absolutely do-able. We've come up with a list of 'to-do's' to keep you on track during the festive season.

Fresh Produce: There is an abundance of fresh, delicious produce in stores at this time of year. That means there is no excuses for not capitalising on a huge range of fresh 'wholefoods'. If you arent familiar with the term, 'wholefoods' are meals and snacks that arent processed and pre-packed.

Fun: Dont forget that the silly season is all about having FUN! Make the most of the beautiful weather here on the coast and workout outdoors. Soak up some Vitamin D. Take a hike up Mt Coolum. Go for a walk along the beach. Enjoy spending time with your friends and family in the fantastic environment around us.

Alcohol: it can be hard to say no to alcohol at this time of year, especially because its such a social activity to 'wine and dine'. If you feel compelled to enjoy a few drinks. Mix your spirits with soda water or still water with some fresh lemon or lime rather than soft drink. Or squeeze your own fresh juice, rather than buying concentrate juice.

Salads: Instead of having bread or rice with your protein (be it steak, chicken, prawns, tofu or whatever else floats your boat), opt for a generous serving of salad. By mixing through something like cooked quinoa, you can add texutre and make your salad much more filling.

Exercise: Just because its the holidays, doesnt mean you take a break from exercise too. When you chose to make daily exercise a part of your lifestyle, taking time off shouldnt be an option. Neglecting exercise for a long period over the holidays can set you back and make it difficult to get back on track. Exercise is great for physical and mental health all year round and really shouldnt fall by the wayside just becuase its Christmas.

 

To give you a little inspiration in the kitchen, check out this recipe below:

Salmon with Avocado, Lime and Mango Salsa
 4 (3 oz) Salmon Fillets

2 tablespoons fresh Corriander, chopped

Sprinkle of sea salt

1 teaspoon Chilli Powder

Sea salt

Squeeze of fresh Lime


Salsa:
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

2 mango, pitted, peeled and diced

1 jalapeño, seeds and membranes removed, diced finely

2 teaspoons honey...

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


To Make The Salsa:
In a medium bowl, mix together diced mango, avocado, and jalapeño. Drizzle honey and lime juice over the mixture and toss in fresh corriander. Season with salt according to taste. Set aside until salmon is ready.

In a large pan, melt butter 1 tbsp over medium high heat. Sprinkle chili powder and sea salt on both sides of the salmon filets. Place filets in the pan, and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until the salmon has a slightly flaky texture (exact time will depend on the thickness). Plate the salmon and squeeze lime juice over each fillet, and then top with the mango salsa.

　

Don't forget we will be still running classes of the Holidays. We are totally kid friendly so bring them along. Check us out on our Facebook page for loads of information on what we offer. Classes are run from Creekwood and Mudjimba Monday to Friday.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Metafit-Sunshine-Coast-IndoorOutdoor-Fitness-734733013242034/?fref=ts
Instagram: @metafitsunshinecoast

JaycasFit Activewear: New Years Resolution – How long does yours last?

The New Year is rapidly approaching and its time to dust off the old New Years Resolutions.

You know, the ones that are usually made on the night, after several too many glasses of wine, as you countdown to midnight. You know the kind, give up something or start something new.   This year, why not try something new?

Rather than one giant plan, that we often don’t stick with... Why not try something new and plan to make a small change in your life every month? (Yes I can hear you groaning now, every month!).

Just make one small change every month, do something that is challenging to you and that you can see yourself wanting to complete. Be it at home, in business, fitness or whatever you strive towards.  

The change could be something simple, like changing your morning routine. Doing it for one month, after that time it has become a habit and it soon feels like a normal part of your life. The next month, pick something else. By the end of the year you will have made 12 changes to your life and will have had some wonderful experiences.  

I once read how a guy did this for a year and was amazed how much he had seen, done and experienced in that year. One of the things he did in the month was to take a photo of something in his area everyday, when he looked back at all those photos from the year he was able to bring back every feeling and experience he had when taking each photo. He had recorded his life and enjoyed the process on the way.  

We took this idea and tried it with our family. One of the great things we have done is starting a 'year jar' where we put experiences, wins, places we went, anything that we feel like putting in the jar (kids included) and at the end of the year we go for a picnic somewhere and open the jar and read all the notes in there for the year. We have found that this can also show us some of the great things we have achieved in the year.  

Another idea we love is our 'grateful for' at the end of the day. Before we go to bed we all take it in turns to say what we are grateful for, learnt for the day, what made us smile and what we are most proud of ourselves for. As parents we found this was a great way of catching up with some of the things our boys are feeling and doing during their day, but also allowing us to see the greatness we have in our lives.  

So don’t just make a New Years Resolution, just make a commitment to change one simple thing in your life each day for a month, learn how to experience and appreciate more of the your own lives every day.   

Remember it is your Fun Active Life.

Ben & Kathryn

Jaycasfit Activewear

www.JaycasFit.com.au