Ready, Set, Reset

Reset Ready, Set,

Reclaim your health and restore your energy with a 30-day challenge like no other.

WRITTEN BY CHELSEA CLARKE

“UGH, I’M SO TIRED.” How many times per week (or day) do you find yourself saying that? Maybe you had back-to-back meetings and didn’t clock enough sleep last night, but for women who do it all, that chronic fatigue might run deeper than a tough week and a few late nights.

If you’re struggling to keep your eyes open by 3pm, suffer frequently from brain fog, and just can’t muster the energy to hang with the girls on a Friday night, you might be dealing with burnout.

Madison Farnsworth, Mental Performance Coach and owner of Tora Mental Performance sees burnout in her athletes all the time. “Burnout is an exhaustive response to extreme efforts of trying to meet demands,” she says. “You may experience emotional and physical exhaustion, negative feelings associated with ‘less-than’ accomplishments, lack of caring and irritability, and you may be more prone to increased anxiety.” Yep, that sounds about right. Women today are constantly being preached to about finding balance in life (whatever that means), while at the same time caring for families, performing at work, getting to the gym, and myriad other tasks that require energy. If you’re lucky, you’ve got a well-oiled support system to help you accomplish it all, but let’s face it, it’s hard work being the CEO in all realms of life, and it’s no wonder you’re spent. And what are the first things to fall by the wayside when your to-do list is piling up? Healthy meals, movement and sleep. If you recognise yourself in this struggle to do it all (without being permanently hooked up to a caffeine IV), and the physical symptoms that go along with it, this 30-day health reset is for you. No juice cleanses, silent retreats, or intense workouts; just five simple rules to follow each day, plus 30 tasks and challenges to revitalise your energy, reduce anxiety, improve sleep and promote feelings of gratitude and mindfulness.

Follow these five rules (see right) every single day, for the next 30 days. How it works:

1.

EAT MORE PLANTS. Make veggies and other plants the stars of each meal, then add protein and starch. Looking for inspo? Turn to p. 48.

2.

MOVE YOUR BODY EVERY DAY. A fitness class, an at-home yoga session, a walk around the block –they all count. Just make sure you’re boosting your heart rate for at least 30 minutes per day.

3.

DRINK THREE LITRES OF WATER.

Hey, your trips to the bathroom might add up to your daily step goal.

4.

GO TO BED 20 MINUTES EARLIER. Stop scrolling and hit the hay.

5.

GOAL OF YOUR CHOICE. Pick any goal you’d like to stick to for 30 days. This could be journalling, making your bed, meditating, or nixing that evening glass of wine.

30 days of wellness

The following 30 daily tasks were created by three powerhouse female health experts: Life Coach and wellness influencer Joanne Encarnacion; Nutritionist specialising in women’s health and hormones and medical exercise specialist Jenn Pike; and Mental Performance Coach Madison Farnsworth. Combine the five daily goals listed earlier with these expert-recommended tips for ultimate bliss.

Day 1 Get quiet and listen to your body. Do you need a short walk? A glass of water? To phone a friend?

Day 6 BE PRESENT. Avoid multitasking at all costs today. Focus on one thing at a time and see how it affects your mindset.

Day 11 Set some short-term goals such as stretching once per day, putting your phone away during mealtimes, or drinking a glass of water each morning upon waking.

Day 21

What are you struggling with right now? Shift your mindset to find out what it might be teaching you.

Day 26 Swap one cup of coffee or softdrink with a cup of tea. Day 26 Swap one cup of coffee or soda with a cup of tea.

Day 7 Find a great self-development podcast. We love Lori Harder’s ‘Earn Your Happy.’

Day 2 Aim to get more natural light today.

Day 3 Swap some of the plastics in your life with glass or stainless steel options that don’t cause hormone disruptions.

Day 8 Optimise your bedroom for sleep: remove artificial light, regulate temperature, and change your sheets.

Day 12 Don’t fear fat! Add in a handful of nuts, half an avocado, or a spoonful of coconut oil to your diet today.

Day 16 Revel in leisure, even if it’s just 15 minutes. Take a walk, read an article, do a few stretches.

Day 22 Try this if you have a racing mind before bed: feel each individual body part sinking heavily. Once complete, focus on clearing your mind and only noticing your gentle breath.

Day 27 Transition from work to evening, especially if you work from home. A workout or shutting your phone off for 30 minutes tells your brain it’s time to make the switch.

Day 13 CHANGE YOUR LANGUAGE . Instead of saying “I am stressed” or “I am anxious”, say, “I feel stressed” or “I feel anxious”.

Day 17 Identify a few things in your life that are holding you back. Make a plan to alter that trajectory.

Day 14 How stressful are your mornings? Find a way to simplify them.

Day 18 Try this relaxation exercise: lie down comfortably and upon each inhale, tense a muscle group (for example, make a fist). Release as you exhale.

Day 28 How’s your posture? Straighten up!

Day 23 CONSIDER SUPPORTING YOUR HORMONE HEALTH with natural beauty, bath and household cleaning products.

Day 29 Challenge your creativity with activities such as drawing, writing, building or crafting.

Day 4 Add some fun into your day. Put on feel-good music, cook dinner from scratch with a loved one, or have a play session with your kid or pet.

Day 5 How much sugar did you consume today? Try for less tomorrow.

Day 9 TRY THIS BREATHING EXERCISE: Inhale for four counts, hold for four. Exhale for four, hold for four.

Day 10 Make an effort to join something new. A volunteer group, an educational class, or a monthly club in your area.

Day 19 Declutter! One room, one drawer, your car –whatever you have time for.

Day 15 Re-evaluate your fitness regime. Do you need to schedule in more active rest? Shorter, but more intense HIIT sessions?

Day 20 Call your mum. Or dad. Or sister.

Day 24 Put your feet up! Increase circulation by lying on the ground with your legs up a wall for 10 to 15 minutes.

Day 25 Listen to yourself when you speak. Are your words mostly negative or positive? Then start noticing how the people around you speak, too.

Day 30 MAKE A LIST OF EVERYTHING YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR.

Get to the root of your emotions

“As a society, we’ve been focusing more on mental and emotional health, which both play huge roles in how we relate to food and exercise. Our minds are powerful storytellers and have the power to replay stories of shame or feeling unworthy – both of which are not true,” says Encarnacion. “Practising mindfulness makes us aware of emotions, sensations and triggers in the body. These tools give us a holistic view of health, rather than simply focusing on how we eat and move our bodies.” Experiencing negative reactions? Get out your journal and reflect using these questions:

1. Where are my negative thoughts or feelings coming from?

2. What story am I telling myself about this particular situation? 3. What are my triggers, and where did those triggers originate? 4. How do I really feel?

“We’ve become disconnected from listening to our minds, hearts and intuition. The best way back is to quiet the outside noise and practise listening to our inner guides,” concludes Encarnacion.

Are your hormones trying to tell you something?

“Our hormones connect to everything in our bodies from our energy, mood, metabolic function and cognition, to reproduction, performance and recovery,” explains Pike. “Hormones are chemical messengers telling a story in our bodies every day, and our fast-paced lifestyles can be massively out of alignment with what our bodies truly want.” Women might receive cues from their hormones that something is wrong in the following ways:

Pike says you may experience a decline in exercise performance and overall wellbeing. “Women may also notice energy shifts and feel fatigued more often than not,” she adds. Concerned? Get checked out by your GP. S - Heavy, painful periods - Irregular cycles - Acne - Anxiety and depression - Low sex drive - Thinning hair

Women Watch STRONG to

Bad ass women, unite! Long gone are the days of endless treadmill sessions, step classes and eating nothing but salad for lunch. These modern athletes are fuelling and training their bodies to perform – and perform well – in the sports of their choosing. Learn how to tap your own mental fortitude with their nutrition, training and mindset secrets.

SHARELLE GRANT Online Coach, Nurse and WBFF Professional Athlete sharellegrant.com // @sharellegrant

After years spent on the running track and a few marathons thrown in for good measure, Sharelle Grant was left with less body fat, but also an array overuse injuries. Forced to take some time off from pounding the pavement, she discovered her local gym and, despite a slow start, developed a passion for weight training and the mental, physical and aesthetic benefits it provided. Her highly disciplined nature naturally led her into the realm of physique competitions. Now a WBFF Pro, she has competed in 10 shows both internationally and in Australia, with unprecedented results.

MY DEFINITION OF STRONG Having the courage to be yourself and own who you are, unapologetically. Today it’s easier than ever to compare your weakness to other women’s strengths, but this means you reject your own uniqueness. When I think of being strong, I think of having the discipline to always show up and the strength to remain authentic.

MY SPORT: BEST & WORST BITS I love the discipline, control, structure and self-improvement that come with training for a competition. Although I follow a healthy lifestyle 365 days of the year, competing gives me the opportunity to challenge myself and discover my full potential.

Competing in bodybuilding shows isn’t for everyone. As you get deeper into a competition prep, you must live and breathe a more ‘extreme’ approach day in, day out. For me, the last six weeks of prep are both physically and emotionally consuming. But the harder the struggle, the greater the sense of accomplishment.

MY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS I encourage people to compete if they truly believe they are both physically and mentally prepared, they have been training for a decent amount of time, and they are both comfortable and confident with the skin they’re in.

Competing allows you to go through an amazing process of self-discovery and transformation, but only if your foundations are strong. Find the right federation for you, hire a good coach, start posing as soon as possible, practise self-care religiously, have a strong support network and always be a student.

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE My greatest challenge is managing shift work while trying to live, train and eat like an athlete. While I am a big advocate for showing other shift workers how to take control of their health, it can be challenging to juggle the two during a competition prep. I felt the greatest sense of achievement when I competed for the first time with the WBFF in 2018. In the final months leading up to this show, I lost both my Nan and a highschool friend unexpectedly, changed careers, moved to the city and suffered more than one injury.

The prep was very tough for me both emotionally and physically, and I considered pulling out of the competition many times. I ended up placing second, but making it to the stage is still one of my greatest competing achievements.

WHAT’S NEXT This year, I have stepped into the fitness industry to work with women who want to become their strongest, most resilient self. I will also be competing in October at the WBFF Australian Pro show.

TRAINING SCHEDULE MONDAY: Glutes and hamstrings. TUESDAY: Upper body push or pull. WEDNESDAY: Glutes and hamstrings. THURSDAY: Rest (outdoor walk). FRIDAY: Upper body push or pull. SATURDAY: Glutes and quads. SUNDAY: Rest (outdoor walk).

MY DAY ON A PLATE BREAKFAST: Egg omelette with bacon and roasted vegetables. PRE WORKOUT: 50g of rolled oats with coconut milk and vanilla protein powder.

LUNCH: 125g of salmon with 150g of basmati rice and greens.

AFTERNOON SNACK: Tuna and avocado on rice cakes or a piece of fruit.

PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES PATRICK

CAMEE ADAMS Wellness Coach and Women’s Mixed Martial Arts (WMMA) Fighter cameeadams.com // @cameeeadams

Having dipped a toe in soccer, basketball, volleyball and even figure competitions, there’s few sports Camee Adams hasn’t tried. But her first and current love? WMMA, with a record of three wins and one loss in the professional fighting ring. She now spends her days training for her next bout, travelling the world to teach her skills to likeminded women and raising her two daughters as a single and determined mum.

MY DEFINITION OF STRONG Being strong is owning your mistakes and having the courage to go after what you want in life.

MY SPORT: BEST & WORST BITS I enjoy the resiliency WMMA has instilled in me – it has pushed me further than I ever thought I could go. I don’t enjoy the aches and pains of intense training, but it’s worth it when you feel truly prepared for a fight.

MY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS I would encourage others to get into WMMA or kickboxing fitness for the overall health benefits. It’s very mentally stimulating and emotionally and physically challenging, but you always leave a training session feeling like you’ve gained something above and beyond a great sweat. Be open to getting pushed out of your comfort zone! Also, make sure your hair is tied back and secure – you can’t fix your ponytail with gloves on!

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE I’ve suffered a lot of hardships over the course of my life – some due to my own unwise choices, but some just because of life. Teenage pregnancy, an unhealthy marriage, divorce and losing a brother to suicide have all taken their toll, but my greatest challenge has been my journey to finding my true self. My greatest achievement has been battling through all these hurdles to create the life I’ve always wanted to live. I’m also so proud of my daughters and who they are as young women.

WHAT’S NEXT I’m hoping to fight in May, with another potential fight later in the year. I’m also holding more women’s seminars and sending my daughter off to university.

TRAINING SCHEDULE FASTED CARDIO: Twice per week. MUAY THAI, BOXING OR SPARRING: Three times per week. JIU JITSU: Twice per week. YOGA: Twice per week. WEIGHT WORKOUTS: One to two sessions per week, if I’m feeling up to it. REST, RECOVERY AND RELAXATION: Whenever I can.

MY DAY ON A PLATE BREAKFAST: Egg scramble with one whole egg, three egg whites, onions, spinach, capsicum and a sprinkle of cheese on wholegrain toast. SNACK: Protein smoothie with one scoop of whey isolate protein powder, one cup of berries, spinach, unsweetened almond milk and ice. LUNCH: Turkey or chicken tacos and a protein bar. POST-TRAINING: Smoothie with one banana, one scoop of whey isolate protein powder, one tablespoon of peanut butter, water and ice. DINNER: Wholegrain pasta, turkey, sugar-free spaghetti sauce and lots of greens. SNACK: Sugar-free pudding and one chocolate rice cake.

PHOTO CREDIT: SAMUEL COSTIN

LILIAN DIKMANS Model, Actor and Muay Thai Fighter liliandikmans.com // @liliandikmans

After training CrossFit exclusively for years left her craving a change, Lillian Dikmans’ little wander down the road to a local fighting gym changed her life. She immediately fell in love with Muay Thai and the sense of empowerment it provided her. An intensive Muay Thai camp in Thailand, a few interclub sparring comps and an amateur fight debut in 2016, and she was hooked. This qualified Lawyer and Personal Trainer had her first professional fight in 2017, and her record now stands at three wins and one draw – proving she’s a force to be reckoned with.

MY DEFINITION OF STRONG Being honest with yourself about what you want, and then going out and doing it. It might not be easy, but if you are passionate about something, then you don’t make excuses – you make it happen!

MY SPORT: BEST & WORST BITS I love the result of training more than anything, namely developing my skills and being able to execute a skill I trained for during a fight. That said, I also hate training at times: it’s never easy, you often get yelled at by your trainer, and it’s physically and mentally painful. But as much as I might hate it at the time, the results make it worthwhile.

MY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS Training Muay Thai doesn’t just build fitness, it also builds mental strength and resilience, which transfers to other aspects of your life. For those starting out, I recommend finding a Muay Thai gym that focuses on technique. A lot of gyms are more fitnessfocused, but it’s important to learn proper technique from the beginning to avoid developing bad habits.

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE Stepping into the ring to fight for the first time was a mental test. My biggest fear was fighting poorly and letting my trainer down. I got through it by forgetting about winning or losing, staying calm and focusing on what I had trained. Winning fights feels amazing, but I think the discipline of turning up to training consistently and working on your skills is more important.

WHAT’S NEXT I’ll be working on fight choreography for film and television this year.

TRAINING SCHEDULE MUAY THAI TRAINING: Two-hour sessions, five days per week. YOGA: One-hour session, one to two days per week. MOBILITY WORK AND STRETCHING: Daily.

MY DAY ON A PLATE ON WAKING: Black coffee and water. AN HOUR BEFORE TRAINING: Fast-digesting smoothie made with leafy greens such as spinach and cos lettuce, apple, carrot, berries and water. AFTER TRAINING: Protein and vegetables, with rice or potatoes. EVENING: Protein, rice and vegetables.

TRAINING SCHEDULE MONDAY: Bench with chest accessories. WEDNESDAY: Squats with leg accessories and abs. THURSDAY: Close grip bench with back accessories. SATURDAY: Deadlifts with leg accessories and abs. EVERY DAY: Mobility work before every session.

MY DAY ON A PLATE BREAKFAST: YoPro yoghurt with granola. LUNCH: Scotch fillet honey soy stir fry. SNACK: Rice pudding and a banana. DINNER: Satay chicken breast, homemade oven-baked chips and broccoli. DESSERT: Small bowl of ice-cream. I’m currently loving Peter’s Choc, Caramel and Vanilla Swirl flavour.

JEN SMITH Elite Powerlifter and Online Coach platformstrong.com // @powerliftersdiary

Tired of the body anxiety and stress that came with her former sport of bodybuilding, Jen Smith found powerlifting in 2015 and has never looked back. Since then, she’s competed at numerous international and national competitions, and had broken more than one Australian and world powerlifting record. She is currently ranked number one in Australia and fifth in the world for her 60kg class and, with a 125kg bench press and 210kg deadlift, she’s showing no signs of slowing down.

MY DEFINITION OF STRONG A strong woman is confident in who she is and doesn’t let society interfere. She takes risks and pushes boundaries (mentally and physically), and encourages others to do the same.

MY SPORT: THE BEST & WORST I absolutely love lifting heavy. My favourite phase of training is when I peak for a competition, and I have to switch on mentally before each session because the weight on the bar is so heavy. I also love competing – there’s no better feeling than pushing your limits and being stronger physically and mentally than before. I dislike how long my training sessions can take sometimes, with three-hour sessions common. This is particularly tough during ‘off season’, when I’m having to get through these tough sessions with no goal or competition in sight. But then the competition creeps up on you and you feel like you need more time!

MY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS Powerlifting is such a fulfilling sport. When you put your focus on strength rather than aesthetics, training becomes much more fun. When you push past what you thought you were capable of doing, you feel such a sense of accomplishment and it becomes addictive. It’s also a great way to meet long-term friends who share in your journey, too.

MY GREATEST CHALLENGE A lower back injury in 2018 forced me to take time off training. Even when I had recovered, it was a mental challenge to get under a bar without the anxiety of injuring myself again. Now, I’m smarter and stronger than I ever was.

My greatest achievement would be becoming number one in Australia and being the first female to bench double her body weight in our country. I also got to compete alongside Stefi Cohen last year at the Arnolds, which was a pretty surreal feeling.

WHAT’S NEXT I’m really looking forward to competing in an international competition towards the end of the year. S