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