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Top 10 Tips for 2010

Relationship Troubles? You’re not alone

COMBATING YOUR 3PM SLUMP Health - Beauty - Soul - Relationships - Food - Family - Money - Home

HOW SETTING GOALS CAN INCREASE YOUR ENERGY LEVELS Ever heard the saying you can’t hit a target you can’t see? This one saying alone should be enough to get people to sit up, get a pen and start writing, why is it then that most people don’t set goals and a majority of those that do don’t follow through and achieve them?

The hardest thing about setting goals is starting; often it’s not that people don’t have goals it’s that they don’t know where to start.

Goals are not only for sports stars and multinational businesses, goals help families plan vacations; they help individuals reach performance targets and help previously unhealthy people achieve their ultimate body.

As the New Year approaches people will start to write their new year’s resolutions, but according to High Performance Expert, Anthony Robbins, author of Best Sellers, “Awaken the Giant Within” and “Unlimited Power”, “95% of people will have failed in the first month and 99% within the first 6 weeks, his reason being that they don’t have an intelligent plan”

The best minds and most successful people in the world all use goals to give them clarity and help them stay on track when “life happens” and they may be tempted to drift of course.

So how do you get started on finding out what you really want in your life? The most important thing is to realise that things can be better than they are and only you can make the decision to change it, below are some tools you can utilise to help make 2010 your most successful year yet.

Why goals are important 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Goals give you something to shoot for and can let you know if you are on track Goals help keep you motivated

Goals can help you focus your time and efforts on the things you really desire Goals make you accountable

“Success is Goals and all else is commentary” - Brian Tracy How to set your goals •

• •

• •

•

• •

Set sub sections of areas that you would like to change such as finances, relationships, health, businesses etc.

Make your goals specific and give yourself a timeline to complete them Write down why you want to achieve this goal in short statement and why it is ultimately so important Write down all the things you can do to achieve your goals Perhaps the most important, is to resolve to achieve your goals and fail your way to success, not everything you try will work but if you don’t quit you will win Make a scrapbook that includes photos of all the things on your goals list you can find Place your list next to your bed and read your goals daily TAKE MASSIVE ACTION!

Goals help you get started

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LOCAL EXPERTS DEC09 - North West

05 Skye Robinson is a naturopath, nutritionist, herbalist and best of all a mum and step-mum of 4 busy children.

Skye runs a Family Focused Natural Health Care Clinic in Eatons Hill. She prides herself on providing professional advice and natural health care that is practical and useable in real everyday family situations.

12

06 Merendi Leverett-Bowler is the Director and founder of Merendi Health & Wellness. Merendi’s individually developed wellness programs are for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Since becoming a mum in 2004 Merendi now understands and appreciates the importance of good health and exercise during pregnancy and after giving birth.

08

Cathy Stewart’s Practice in Norman Drive, Chermside specialises in highly skilled hands-on musculoskeletal physiotherapy with expertise in the managment of deep tissue muscle and joint injuries including work, car and sports injuries aswell as neck and back pain.

Dadhichi Toth is one of Australia’s foremost astrologers. For over 24 years he has been researching astrology, and has conducted over 9,000 consultations. His clients include celebrities, politician and diplomatic figures from all over the world. His website astrology. com.au offer a wide range of helpful information and services

Selection Combating your 3pm slump (06)

23

CONTACT US

3264 8384

Top Ten Tips for 2010 (12)

Director

Umbara Kerta

Healthy Heroes - Q&A with Ange Rea (16)

Editor/ Operations

Adam Peel (0403 122 187)

FM - Creating Work/Life Balance (25)

Sales/Editorial

FM - Christmas Gift Ideas for Women (27) FM - Stress Busters (28)

Rebecca Kerta (0407 377 347)

Accounts

Scott Palmer (0405 834 902)

04 - balanced magazine - www.balancedmedia.com.au - DECEMBER 09 - subscribe FREE online today

By Skye Robinson (Local Expert)

How a naturopath can help you lose weight A Naturopath can provide you with realistic weight loss support and ways to make positive changes for permanent results.

There are four main points that a Naturopath can help you lose weight.

1.

Do a diet assessment. A diet assessment involves a detailed look at your diet including what you are eating, when and at what percentage. Then together we implement positive new changes.

2.

Monthly Meal Plans. To make life easier, I can design a personal monthly meal plan aimed at losing weight. Your monthly meal plan includes what to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner over 4 weeks. As well as healthy snacking suggestions and recipes. These Monthly Meal Plans are popular with Mum’s running a busy household and losing weight at the same time.

3.

Quality Nutritional supplements. Losing weight strains the body and when you begin burning fat your body begins to release old toxins back into the blood.

This is why after some workouts you don’t feel so good. Removing the toxins from your body requires proper nutritional supplementation with the correct nutrients. Replacing your body with the right nutrients at a therapeutic level is vital for recovery and healthy weight loss.

Protein powders and protein bars are generally targeted at men wanting to build muscle mass and put on weight. However, there are special protein powders and protein bars designed for women losing weight. These are very beneficial in burning weight and decreasing recovery time. A naturopath can provide you with the correct protein powder for you (that will decrease size, not increase it). For women looking to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, these therapeutic protein bars make fantastic snacks (and cost less than supermarket brands). One serving of protein powder or a protein bar can stop the sugar craving, make snacking healthy and fill you up so you are not hungry. (I keep a protein bar in my handbag when out shopping).

4.

Discover any underlying glandular conditions. If you have an underlying glandular problem, it does not matter how much exercise you do or how hard you work out you will not lose your weight. This is why a number of women become disheartened with some weight loss programs. A Naturopath can discover if you have an underlying condition and then correct it.

I can help you with your weight loss goal. Contact Skye on 0438 821 283 or email info@ skyenaturopath.com.

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COMBATING YOUR 3PM SLUMP Article by Merendi Leverett-Bowler Accredited Exercise Physiologist GradDipHSc(ExRehab), BHMSc, AEP, MAAESS I have been asked by a few clients whom I have completed Ergonomic Workstation Assessments for in recent weeks how can they avoid the ‘afternoon slump’, which is sometimes referred to as “3.30itis”. So why do we feel so tired and drained around mid-afternoon?

Some research has shown that there is often a dip in our core body temperature after lunch, so we’re physiologically programmed to slow down. Feeling tired and drained in the afternoon can also be a result of poor food choices during the earlier part of the day, such as choosing foods high in salt, sugar and caffeine. This excessive tiredness will result due to a drop in blood sugar levels, which is directly related to what foods you have eaten earlier in the day. Another reason could be you may be hitting the carbohydrate based foods a bit too much, rather than focusing on high protein foods. For some people an afternoon slump can be related to undetected food intolerance.

Here are 10 tips to help decrease your chances of feeling tired after lunch: 1. Eat breakfast - Eating a healthy breakfast like egg and tomato on wholegrain toast or porridge with fruit. During the day eat foods high in protein to keep energy levels up. You can also eat foods containing low GI carbohydrates, but not as a big meal, try as frequent small meals. Combine your protein foods (egg, peanut butter, fish, nuts, etc) with carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta).

2. Exercise regularly - Exercising 1st thing in the morning or at lunch time can help reinvigorate the mind and body - don’t exercise at night as you will be up late as the endorphins will have kicked in! Exercise can be as little as 15-30 minutes of walking, it does not have to be a strenuous gym work out. After eating lunch, go for a short walk. Even five minutes of exercise will help the digestion process. Leave your desk hourly to increase circulation to the brain and limbs.

3. Challenge your brain - If work is not particularly engaging, you may feel sleepy. Doing a Sudoku puzzle, crossword etc at lunch helps keep the brain active.

4. Drink water - Dehydration can leave you feeling tired. Make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water per day. We often mistake signals from thirst receptors as hunger. Make sure you are drinking filtered water throughout the day, and in winter try warm water with slices of ginger.

5. Listen to upbeat music - Putting on some dancy, pop tunes can keep you alert.

6. Get enough sleep - Try and go to bed the same time every night and wake at the same time every morning. Having late nights too frequently can lead to exhaustion.

7. Decrease alcohol intake - Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol during the day & night can make you feel very tired the next morning as alcohol causes your body to decrease its ability to absorb Vitamin B. 8. Eating well & regularly - Remembering to include lots of fruit and veg for vitamins intake. Eating so-called junk food does not refuel your body efficiently and therefore this is why some people feel tired and drained at the end of the day because they have not eaten the right type of foods to fuel their body. So avoid eating sugary snacks or caffeinated drinks mid-morning or as a rescue effort in the afternoon. These will only worsen the slump. Avoid a huge carbohydrate lunch, such as a large bowl of pasta or rice. Instead have protein and vegetables/salad. For e.g. skinless chicken or tuna with salad. Reduce the size of your meals so the digestive system does not become overburdened and drain you of energy. Try to eat lighter foods or smaller portions more often. Snack on high protein healthy choices such as nuts and seeds. Almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, walnuts, sunflower, and sesame are all good choices, as is a boiled egg mid-morning, a small tin of tuna, natural yogurt with apple and pear, or a protein drink.

9. Are you food intolerant? Slumps may be due to mild food intolerances. If you suspect this to be the case, try writing a food diary for a week to observe any patterns in your energy which directly relate to your diet. The best advice is to see a Nutritionist, Dietitian or Naturopath who specialises in food intolerances and get yourself tested.

10. Take B vitamins for extra energy. –To give your body an extra boost take a multivitamin or vitamin B complex (e.g. Berocca) with a meal. This will give your body a better chance to metabolize them for extra energy.

What are some simple, effective exercises & stretches that you can perform whilst at work that will help boost energy levels?

• • • •

Looking away from the computer screen for 30 sec every hour or so can help relieve the eyes of excessive strain, minimise headaches and clear your head. Try and look out a window and look at a pretty view (i.e. trees, park, ocean etc).

Standing up and walking over to the printer or fax to pick up printed/faxed items will help boost energy levels as you are increasing blood flow to the muscles.

Performing some simple neck, back and arm stretches if seated at your desk for long periods can assist in increasing blood flow to the muscles, as will sitting and performing heel/toe taps.

Rather than emailing a work colleague in the same office why not get up from you desk and walk over to their desk or walk up or down a level to visit them - this will most certainly boost your energy as you will have done some exercise!

Finally a question I am always asked – “Will taking frequent breaks from the work desk and getting fresh air help”?

Yes most certainly - taking regular breaks can refresh your mind and clear your thoughts, which can prepare you for the next task to be completed or maybe provide you with a ‘new insight’ to something you have been working on. The short break need only be 5 - 10min. Take a break to grab a drink or lunch. And yes getting fresh air is great as working in air-conditioning offices can tend to make you tired due to the recycled air containing more CO2 than O2 and getting some sun will help recharge those batteries. If you want to discuss your personal situation with poor energy contact our team on 1300 881 536 or email your questions to info@merendi.com.au.

06 - balanced magazine - www.balancedmedia.com.au - DECEMBER 09 - subscribe FREE online today

S ss emotions BADayDhReElpAM proce m

so that the system does to process fear memories “get ed. Bits of our memories not become overwhelm ,” Levin und aro d ble ether and jum thrown into a room tog text and diffuses con new a in m the s explained, which put m. the fear attached to the tain REM sleep, activity in cer Studies show that during brain regions tem, which is involved -- including the limbic sys ll as memory -- spikes we as , tion ula reg in emotional considerably. , the dreamer wakes up, With nightmares, though processing, according to n otio em l ma disrupting nor is a relief in the moment, up g kin Levin and Nielsen. Wa rce” ultimately serve to “reinfo Levin noted, but it may was real. the feeling that the threat asional nightmare, Most people have the occ ch es of high stress. Resear particularly during tim e at least one per hav lts adu of t cen per 85 suggests that year. distress e a problem when they Nightmares only becom in.

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RELATIONSHIP TROUBLES YOU’RE NOT ALONE Many of us find ourselves trapped in a rut from time to time whether that is relating to health, friends, family or business ultimately however they all come back to a fundamental breakdown in relationships.

A common trigger to relationship breakdown is communication, communication is a major key to success in any long term relationship, but after some time it is simple for couples to believe they know all there is to know about their partner, causing a breakdown in communication between the parties.

How often have you been out to lunch and seen a couple in the corner who are probably getting there only break from the other commitments in their life for the entire week but sit there silently in their own thoughts.

Communication breakdown can cause monumental damage to a relationship, often we are all too happy to have countless discussions with colleagues at work, but when it comes to getting home we shut down, causing us to shut off from our families as well.

So, how can you ensure that your family and partner get as much of you as the rest of world, John Maxwell a world renowned Leadership coach and author of the “Today Matters” fell upon the same issues early in his marriage, insisting that by the time he had come home to his wife he had already told his stories and events countless times and couldn’t be asked repeating them again, the way he combated this was to “intentionally hold stories/insights/events from my staff and friends in order to make sure my wife was the first one to hear them and she got the gold not the leftovers” Is this something you could try with your partner?

“If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?” - Stephen Levine

Here are some other ideas to make sure you start to build a better relationship with your partner/family/friend or colleague.

•

• •

Schedule some relationship time everyday – preferably before you sit down to have a drink or watch TV, why not take 30 minutes to talk to your partner about your day or play outside with your family, being home with your family is good, but interacting with them is much better

It’s not all work – spend some time doing something together as a family that is fun and enjoyable for you all.

When You Argue, Do So Constructively - According to denvergov.org, “Arguments all too often turn into

According to relationships Australia “All couples experience problems in one form or another - its part of sharing your life with another human being. The difference between relationships which work, and relationships which don’t, is how well couples deal with the challenges and problems they face in their life together”Don’t be afraid to be open with your partner, openness is part of the communication process don’t simply accept a mediocre relationship, you must be willing to work at it, your relationship depends on it.

•

•

mudslinging events. Stick to the point and avoid dragging out old quarrels. Resist the temptation to bicker about things that have no bearing on the issue at hand. Also, be willing to give a little and compromise” It’s not all about you - Maintain and build supportive networks of friends outside of the relationship. It is not possible for one relationship to meet every need.

Don’t Judge – You may have an urge from time to time to enforce your opinion on your partner, this is not one of those times according to familyrelationships.gov.au, it’s important to “Create a safe space with your partner in which you can both express problems, doubts, fears and weaknesses without fear of rejection or punishment”.

08 - balanced magazine - www.balancedmedia.com.au - DECEMBER 09 - subscribe FREE online today

Eating 30 percent less meat good for health, planet

By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Cutting meat production and consumption by 30 percent would help to reduce carbon emissions and improve health in the most meat-loving nations, scientists said on Wednesday.

Using prediction models, British and Australian researchers found that improving efficiency, increasing carbon capture and reducing fossil fuel dependence in farming would not be enough to meet emissions targets.

But combining these steps with a 30 percent reduction in livestock production in major meat-producing nations and a similar cut in meat-eating, would lead to “substantial population health benefits” and cut emissions, they said.

The study found that in Britain, a 30 percent lower intake of animal-source saturated fat by adults would reduce the number of premature deaths from heart disease by some 17 percent -equivalent to 18,000 premature deaths averted in one year.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, it could mean as many as 1,000 premature deaths averted in a year, they said.

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation, 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are from meat production and experts say rising demand for meat,

particularly in countries with growing economies, could drive livestock production up by 85 percent from 2000 levels by 2030.

The scientists said global action was needed to maximise the benefits of cutting meat production and consumption, and that the environmental advantages “may apply only in those countries that currently have high production levels.”

The study was published in The Lancet medical journal as part of a series in climate change and health ahead of the Copenhagen global climate summit scheduled next month.

In a second study, British scientists found that increased walking and cycling, and fewer cars, would have a much greater impact on health than low-emission vehicles in rich and middleincome countries.

Andrew Haines, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and head of the research series, said delegates at Copenhagen needed “to understand the potential health impacts of their plans”.

• •

30 pct meat reduction could stop 18,000 early UK deaths 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are from meat production

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Top Ten Tips for

2010

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By Cathy Stewart (Local Expert)

Christmas time is nearly here and so the New Year will not be far behind! Here are some ideas to get you started Breathing – when the diaphragm works, it pulls air deep into the lungs, which expand, causing the tummy to be pushed forward out of the way, most young people do this naturally, but as we get older the diaphragm stiffens and weakens and we start to use the upper ribs and shoulders more. Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and stretch your diaphragm more by widening around the waist as you breath Posture – Stand tall, chin in, neck long, shoulders down, chest up, tummy in, bottom down, back long, foot arches raised

Balance – Read posture cues above! The pelvis is the key to good balance. Keep it centred and level over your base (feet) at all times. Use the core abdominal muscles that draw the tummy and waist in to hold the torso steady, as you reach and bend for things Nutrition – Balance your life as well as your body by getting good nutrition through wholesome foods and

Adequate Sleep – for healing and recovery from illness and injuries

Flexibility – keep supple in joints and muscles with deep slow stretches done 3-4 times/week. Remember the body can usually go a little further than you think it can. Stop, stretch, wait, breathe, relax and ten go a little further!

Strength – Our muscles lose between 1-2% of their strength each year that we age. Calisthenics (using the body’s weight as resistance) or a gym based weight program such as “Pump” is good for strengthening

major muscle groups such as thighs, calves, hamstrings, abdominals, pectorials, deltoids, “lats” and triceps

Fitness – Cardiovascular (heart/lungs) exercise includes brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, hiking, gardening etc. It should be continuous for 30 mins/day, although 2-3 sessions of 10-15 minutes each is a better idea if you haven’t exercised for a while. Try to include some faster movements sometimes

Correct Body Movements – When lifting and bending, have feet apart with one foot more forward, hold tummy in, bend knees and hips (partial squat), keep the load close up against your body, don’t let the tummy drop out forward or the back over-arch. When coming up from the squat or lift, push off from the feet and use the legs to boost you up.

When writing, texting or using the mouse, the work surface needs to be just below elbow height to avoid the shoulders becoming hunched up. When getting out of a chair, hold your tummy in and pull yourself forward to the front of the chair using your abdominals muscles. Place the feet under you, then with your tummy braced and firm; push up from your legs “ like a rocket to the moon” Flexible Brain – Keep the brain agile and alert by doing puzzles, crosswords, brain games, memorising shopping list and phone numbers etc. Mental activity promotes blood circulation to the brain to keep brain cells alive.

Many of our chronic aches and pains are due to poor posture and movements habits that have become ingrained over time. Changing these poor habits to good ones means, “rewiring” the brain. It requires alert conscious control and diligent regular practice. This is only possible when the brain is flexible enough to change. Eventually the new pathways are stable enough so that the new correct movements now become automatic.

12 - balanced magazine - www.balancedmedia.com.au - DECEMBER 09 - subscribe FREE online today

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Follow these tips to survive the festive season of Christmas As we head towards the Christmas season, are you feeling apprehensive about the numerous parties and functions that are being planned?

Are you worried about overeating and under exercising? Instead of wishing for a magic appetite suppressant, we will provide you with some helpful hints on how to survive these times.

Now for those helpful tips for the pre-holiday season fun: • Avoid being over hungry before going to drinks/party as this will inevitably lead to overeating on anything and everything that comes your way. A useful tip is to keep an easy to grab snack such as a Protein bar handy so that it helps take the edge off this hunger.

• Change your main focus away from the food around you to enjoying the company of the people you are with (if possible).

• Implement the “10 count rule”. Take one or two of whatever you desire and walk away from the table or platter. After you eat count to ten and drink a glass of water (or

sparkling water) before eating anything else.

• Limit yourself to one or two glasses of wine or beer throughout the day.

• Drinking less alcohol will make it easier to keep up your resolve. If you indulge in too much alcohol, it will be harder to say no to fatty foods Space your drinks by having a glass of water between each alcoholic drink. To make your low-calorie drinks seem more festive, have sparkling mineral water with a twist of lemon or lime in a champagne glass, or try fruit juice in a wine glass with a sprig of mint.

• If you do overindulge, remember that you haven’t completely blown all your

weight loss goals. Don’t say to yourself “Well, I’ve ruined everything now. I may as well eat this whole packet of biscuits.” An attitude of defeat will send you on a downhill spiral and you could fall back into the patterns that you’ve been working so hard to change. Get over it and get ready for the next day to return to your

sensible eating and exercise and all will be well.

• Don’t get too tired. Too little sleep affects hunger and appetite hormones adversely. If you’re struggling to control your appetite, make sure that you’re getting enough sleep. I know easier said then done in this busy period so do your best.

• Something to remember about sensible eating is that it entails a complete lifestyle change. If your lifestyle is healthy and includes lots of exercise, you will be in a position to accommodate the occasional indulgence. Try to maintain the mindset that if you eat you have to move so if there is dancing at the party then join in the fun and dance It’s an easy way to sneak in some physical activity and reduce the guilt of indulging.

So have fun and enjoy the lead up to the holidays. Rita Horton from Bellissima Fisica Studio – 0417 771 367

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By Rebecca Kerta

Q & A with Angela Rea Sometimes it seems that the road to better health and lifestyle is a rocky track meandering up a steep mountain and the sheer thought of the journey makes us tired! I caught up with local healthy hero, Ange, who dedicates her life to getting her clients not only to start walking on the road to better health but ensuring they smash through the finish line!

lunch, pick boys up from school, back down to Studio to take kids class and then back home to train some more clients. My day usually finishes around 7:30.

RK: What personal goals in life do you still want to achieve?

AR: Goal setting is very important. It keeps you focused and on track with what you want to achieve. I have been very lucky in that I have achieved most of my personal goals already.

However there are a lot more to conquer. I would love to travel extensively through Europe, walk the Great Wall of China, Bungy Jump off Victoria Falls, Hot air balloon over game parks surrounding Mt Kilimanjaro.. own a Black Hummer and a pair of Manolo Blahniks !!! Of course I would love to grow old with my gorgeous husband & see my grandchildren have children of their own

RK: How important is staying healthy to you?

AR: My health and fitness has always been very high on my priority list. My father has always been quite fit and healthy (early morning jogs, his daily exercise routine and his love of outdoors), so from an early age I have had this discipline instilled in me. I see the effects every day of poor lifestyles; such as smoking, drinking excessively and lack of exercise, and it makes me more determined to keep healthy so as to lead a longer and more profitable life.

RK: You have a husband, kids and a business. How do you find time to exercise?

AR: It can be hard finding time to exercise, especially when you have a family to take care of. I like exercising in the morning and because I sometimes have to start work early some days I find that I’m out of bed by 5 to either run stairs/jog or use my cross trainer. I love getting my training out of the way early as I find I am more organized and have no need to rush around stressing out!!

RK: Can you give us an insight into an average day for you?

AR: My day starts at 4:45am (it’s easier now that’s it light at this time … winter is different story!!) I spend at least 20mins do some sort of cardio training before I do some weights. I then train clients from 9am (or 6am depending on the day) through to 11. I would then spend some time organizing dinner and doing some domestic chores before going to Studio Plus Health Fitness & Martial Arts to help out with daily business, have

RK: Your business, Studio Plus, is a fairly new addition to the local fitness industry. What are you visions for the business now and in the future?

AR: I believe being confident and self assured are two very important qualities people need to possess to be strong and happy individuals. In today’s society where violence is becoming more prevalent the need for these qualities is even more important. I would like to see Studio Plus expand nationwide (if not worldwide!) producing strong confident men, women and children to lead happy and healthy lives.

RK: Being a Mum, business owner and fitness professional you will inspire many people, who has been your inspiriation in life?

AR: People who inspire me are those people who have come from poor backgrounds, cruel up bringings, and lifestyles that promote an illusion of no hope. However these people don’t give up or use their hardships as excuses, they don’t hide behind their fears or their insecurities… they just Harden Up and get on with it and become successful!! I think Pink is extraordinary, Lance Armstrong is a legend and anyone who has fought off cancer or any other life threatening disease. These are very inspirational people!

RK: What does having Balance in life mean to you?

AR: I like to be organized and have some sort of routine to my day. Without this my life would be chaos! Due to my busy lifestyle having Balance in my Life is essential. It helps keep stress at bay ,and leads to a more harmonic family life.

Angela’s business, Studio Plus Health, Fitness & Martials Arts is located at 35/302 South Pine Road Brendale, call them on 3205 6292

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Sitting around in itself not the only role in making kids obese

By Anne Harding NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Vigorous exercise may be an especially good way to keep kids lean, but sitting around, in and of itself, doesn’t appear to have a major role in making them fat, new research shows.

Nevertheless, there are still plenty of reasons to avoid too much sedentary “screen time,” Dr. Ulf Ekelund of the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge, UK and colleagues say, given potential negatives including “violence and aggressive behavior, poor academic performance, and poor body image.”

To help tease out the role of time spent in different types of activity in making children fat, independent of screen time and otherwise being a couch potato, Ekelund and his team looked at 1,862 children 9 to 10 years old, 23 percent of whom were overweight or obese.

Using a wristwatch-like device to measure the amount and intensity of activity children got throughout the day, the researchers looked for associations between this activity and children’s waist size, amount of body fat, and body mass index (BMI). Kids also reported how much time they spent watching TV or using a computer.

Sixty-nine percent of the children were getting at least an hour of moderate physical activity a day, while 58 percent reported having less than two hours of screen time daily.

While children who spent more time not moving had bigger waists and a larger percentage of body fat, much of this relationship could be attributed to the fact that they spent less time engaging in moderate physical activity.

But the time children spent engaging in vigorous activity, and their combined moderate activity-vigorous activity time, had the strongest ties to waist circumference and fat mass.

For instance, every 6.5 minutes a child spent doing vigorous activity like playing ball, bicycling, or running around outside was associated with a 1.32-centimeter reduction in waist size, the researchers found. But 13.6 minutes of moderate physical activity only reduced waist size by half a centimeter.

Based on the findings, the researchers say, children should still be encouraged to limit their sedentary time, but this alone won’t be enough to tackle childhood obesity.

“Interventions may therefore need to incorporate higher intensity-based activities to curb the growing obesity epidemic,” they conclude.

Boys in the study got an average of a half-hour of vigorous activity each day, while girls got 22 minutes. “There is no clear cut answer” as to how much vigorous activity is optimal, Ekelund noted in an email to Reuters Health.

“For most health outcomes, the more activity you do the better.” But, he added, people who do lots of strenuous activity may still put on too much weight if they take in too many calories. Remember its about balance and its important to ensure children are able to play video games and watch TV, but limit the time and ensure they are playing outside everyday aswell.

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Starting a new health program

By Rebecca Kerta

Making the decision to change the status of your health from “unfit” to “fit” is the most important step in your journey to better health because the only person who can make that decision is you.

Your family and friends can nag you, your doctor can scare you and the media can guilt you but you have to want to make the change. Here we have laid out some basic, positive steps to help those of you wanting to make the change to a healthier lifestyle a little easier.

Focus

Goal

Deciding to make changes is great, keeping your eye on the prize means staying focused on why you are making those changes. Why do you want to lead a healthier life? to lose weight? to be in better physical shape? to reduce the risk of health problems like diabetes? If your goal is to stop being overweight than this has to be your focus, find a photo of yourself at a healthy weight and stick it somewhere you’ll see it every day.

Set yourself a very clear set of realistic goals. If your goal is to improve your physical health start with an exercise plan that increases in difficulty every 6 weeks. Increase the distance you walk, add some hills, introduce some jogging sections. Monitor your goals by wearing a heart rate monitor and charting your progress or booking a session on a Body Composition Analysis machine at your local gym when you commence your training program and then repeat the analysis every 6 weeks to check your progress. Without clear goals to achieve your direction can seem unclear and you may lose motivation, remember, if it was easy you would have done it already!

Support

The support of your family and friends is a huge help when undertaking any changes in life and your move to better health is no exception. Surround yourself with people that are excited about your decision, their positive energy will get you through the tough days when you may want to give up. Try to avoid spending time with anyone who is negative towards the goals you have set, sometimes people find change very difficult to deal with and therefore want everything to stay just as is it, whether that means your health suffers or no.

So steer yourself towards the positive people in your life and avoid the negative!

Education

We live in a world where information is everywhere, use it!

If you don’t personally have the right tools or knowledge to achieve your goals find someone who does. Where health is concerned the pool of knowledge is bountiful. There’s personal trainers, your G.P, naturopaths, fitness centres, NLP practitioners and of course the internet! If this is the battle of your life you need to be armed and ready to win it, so load yourself up with information and attack the enemy!

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SHOPAHOLIC? EXPERIENCES NOT THINGS MAKE US HAPPY NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study suggests that money can make us happy if we spend it on the right things.

of psychology at San Francisco State University, noted in a university-issued statement.

It seems that buying life experiences, such as dinner out, interacting with others or theatre tickets, rather than material possessions like the latest designer handbag, leads to greater happiness for both the buyer and those around them.

Howell told Reuters Health that he first began thinking about the link between happiness and income in 2003 when he and his wife had the opportunity to interview poor, indigenous Malaysian farmers about their wealth, income, and life satisfaction.

“The current study,” Ryan Howell told Reuters Health, “predicts that those who spend more of their disposable income on life experiences will be happier because of the life experience, and others (presumably those that also partook in the experience) will be happier as well.”

Why? Because purchasing experiences, as opposed to things, boosts feelings of well-being and vitality as well as social connectedness.

“After finding evidence that the relation between wealth and life satisfaction was stronger in this sample than for the typical American sample -- likely because their money was being used to satisfy physiological needs -- I conjectured that when individuals live in affluence, then they would need to spend their income on purchases that would satisfy their psychological needs in order to be happier,” Howell explained.

“These findings support an extension of basic need theory, where purchases that increase psychological need satisfaction will produce the greatest well-being,” Howell, an assistant professor

To investigate this theory, Howell and San Francisco State University graduate Graham Hill had an ethnically-diverse group of 154 adults reflect on a recent experiential or materialistic purchase.

“Both groups were asked to recall a time within the last three months when they had used their money to acquire an experience or item and were asked to write a short paragraph describing the purchase, as well as their feelings and the environmental cues surrounding the purchase,” Howell said.

Participants rated experiential purchases as more likely to be considered money well-spent, to make them happy, and to make others happy, Howell and Hill found.

The results also showed that purchasing experiences produced happier people regardless of the amount spent or the income of the purchaser.

Experiences also lead to longer-term satisfaction. “Purchased experiences provide memory capital,” Howell noted.

“We don’t tend to get bored of happy memories like we do with a material object.”

Howell described his findings recently at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology in Tampa, Florida.

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RS A T S R U O Y with Dadhichi Toth Aries

Taurus

Gemini

Mar 21 - Apr 19

Apr 20 - May 20

May 21 - Jun 20

Your karma is becoming ripe now and this will be evident around the 25th when the Moon indicates that you will make contact with powerful elements of your past. Some event will happen at this time which exposes hidden memories, mysteries or things long forgotten. These recollections will help piece together the jigsaw of your life. How often have you heard it said, or have you yourself said, “What’s life all about?” This time the favourable influence of the planets will give you a peak into the true answers to these questions.

Educational pursuits which you would think would be winding down at the close of the year will actually become stimulated after the 7th due to Mercury and Pluto arousing your curiosity. You’re interested to know more about people even those you’ve known for a long time. They could start to be a little concerned about your sudden interest in the mystery of their past, their interests and other deeper personality traits.

This is the final chapter of 2009 and with Mars and Jupiter doing their thing in the heavens, you will be thinking BIG – really big! (perhaps biting off so much that your jaws are getting tired from chewing ). In the first week you must pace yourself and be careful not to promise more than you can deliver.

You will be excited, the centre of attention and will want to help everyone, friends and strangers alike.

But keep your diary with you everywhere you go as you may not be aware just how much you’re committing to this month.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Jun 21 - Jul 22

Jul 23 - Aug 22

Aug 23 - Sep 22

The full Moon on the 2nd suggests that you should take time out with the one you love, get away from it all and reconnect with each other without the distractions of day-to-day life. A brief escape together would be ideal, if you can manage it, especially with Christmas on your doorstep. Stabilising your personal relationships will be high on your agenda in the last month of the year. Around the 4th when Venus forms favourable aspects with Saturn, you’ll be interested in making sure that your future security emotionally is vouchsafed.

Mars and Jupiter oppose each other this month, so you must continue your dialogue with your partner to make sure your philosophies are in harmony with each other. This is of primary importance as I mentioned in the outset of the yearly forecast that this is one of the most notable relationship cycles in 12 years. You don’t want to blow it Leo! Just because you have a prime opportunity does not mean you will make a better reality. All relationships require hard work and in this last phase 2009 you must not let your attention to detail slip.

Between the 8th and 13th you have a chance to revise some of your career objectives. Talk about your proposed changes with your loved ones before presenting your findings to your employers.

It’s best not to do things in secret as others may have a different idea to you and you don’t want to be alarming anyone with radical changes out of the blue. From the new Moon of the 16th up until the 25th this will ensure open and harmonious communications and relationships should be wonderfully satisfying for the festive season.

Libra

Scorpio

Sagittarius

Sep 23 - Oct 22

Oct 23 - Nov 21

Nov 22 - Dec 21

As the year draws to a close, Saturn will impact upon the horoscope of most Librans remaining in their Sun sign for at least 2 1/2 years. Important decisions will need to be made as you become more serious about your life and in particular your work.

Just as a snake as sheds its skin, you too will start to find that certain aspects of your life now need to be jettisoned for you to be successful. Between the 3rd and the 9th do what needs to be done and don’t feel obliged to explain the ins and outs of your own personal process. It really isn’t anyone else’s business.

Some decisions this year will be difficult because you realize that you can’t afford to spend any further time with those are not as passionate about life as you. You must be with people who can share your vision, your love and intensity which are all true Scorpio character traits. Leading up to Christmas and in particular around the 22nd, a journey will act as a catalyst in this respect. You will meet someone perhaps from afar who can meet these new standards and fulfill your needs.

A challenge for the year comes from the reverse motion of Mars at a time when you might be preparing for a wonderful holiday and preparing for fun. Just around the 21st you might discover that you haven’t quite finished off some chore or job and this could leave you feeling worried and possibly even anxious. There may be nothing you can do about this so my sincere suggestion for you is to sort this out after the holiday period, switch your mind off and really enjoy the remainder of 2009.

Capricorn

Aquarius

Pisces

Dec 22 - Jan 19

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Feb 19 - Mar 20

This month is full of romance, mystery and possibly even intrigue as Venus enters your zone of secrets.

You must look beyond the superficial elements of character; dig deep to find the true motivation in others. You’re likely to be swept off your feet by someone promising to fill your life with all those things you feel are missing, only to find later that you’ve been hoodwinked or rather you’ve invited someone to promise you more than they can actually deliver.

You will be pushing yourself rather hard until the 7th when Mercury opts to enter a quiet and intense phase for a while. This doesn’t mean you won’t continue to be a mixture with lots of people surrounding you but your mind is likely to be in drawn and you’ll be more conscious of others’ motivation rather than the superficiality involved in partying and clubbing. You are indeed on a spiritual phase which is continuing the thread of self transformation and a deeper understanding of your involvement with others.

Venus offers you some great luck between the 2nd and the 14th. For those of you hoping to express the creative side of your personality in work it can happen now. Artists, musicians and those in the performing arts generally born under Pisces will find the last month of this year truly uplifting.

Negotiate a better deal for yourself around the 6th if you are not happy with your manager, your personal trainer, accountant or others whose serve you. The advice is simple: get rid of them.

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Creating a genuine work/life balance “Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have.” -Doris Mortman

As people continue to work harder and stress more, a downside is often a deterioration of the work-life balance, creating a culture of overworked, frustrated, out of control zombies.

Work-life balance is often seen as more of an enigma, something that is spoken about but rarely achieved, so why is it that some people can seemingly achieve it all whilst the rest of us struggle to find the hours in the day to give to all the things that demand our attention.

According to Nadine Piat Niski, owner of Calibrate Coaching, a personal and group coaching organisation, “It’s really important not to compare yourself to others, the trick is be honest with YOU and to create a life what runs at the perfect pace for your ideal lifestyle. It is very hard to create life balance when you are not sure of what you are striving for.

What are the most important areas of your life that are in need of attention - family, social life, community, study, personal development, finances, health, other interests? ” Why having balance is important

Balance doesn’t necessarily mean giving the same exact amount of time to all the things that occupy your life, it’s about prioritising the important things in life based on your values and finding the necessary time to give to other enjoyable endeavours.

Without balance people generally feel out of control, creating a sense of overwhelm that many take with them throughout their day having an adverse effect on everything they do.

The key is to not try and fit more into your already over packed day it’s about prioritising what’s important, what will help you achieve Balanced rather than try and create a 30 hour day. Lastly, don’t forget that your not alone, you will never totally feel in balance the key is to make decisions on a daily basis that are aligned with your values and ensure you are doing the high priority tasks and events first, don’t feel guilty it’s important to take time for yourself, because if you don’t you wont have as much to share with the ones you love.

Define your values

The first step in creating balanced is to identify what exactly you are trying to balance in the first place, remember you can’t hit a target you can’t see, so identify what it is you really want and who you want to give your time to, whether that be family, work, health, relationships, networking, friends, religion etc.

Schedule It

Many people see the discipline of scheduling as a taking away of their freedom and not having balance, when in fact discipline equals freedom, not only does scheduling your time allow you to remember all things on your “to do list” it allows you to review whether or not you are really giving the time to the things you identified as most important.

Learn to say “NO”

According to the world renowned Mayo Clinic, “Whether it’s a co-worker asking you to spearhead an extra project or your child’s teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that it’s OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy.”

Eliminate time wasters

Take a log of your day and identify all the things that are causing you to become distracted away from ultimate objectives, these can be conversations with colleagues, long lunches, unnecessary travel, internet browsing or coffee breaks, if you aren’t willing to eliminate or reschedule these occurrences than your likelihood of achieving the balance you require is unlikely

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Working after retirement good for your health

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who keep doing some work in their field after they retire may enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop working completely, a new study suggests.

The findings, say researchers, suggest that prospective retirees should consider moving into so-called “bridge employment” as a transition to full retirement.

“In essence, if someone is in a field where part-time work or selfemployment is possible, he or she should consider it as they plan for retirement,” Dr. Mo Wang, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, told Reuters Health.

For their study, Wang and his colleagues used data on more than 12,000 workers in a U.S. health study begun in 1992.

Participants, who were between the ages of 51 and 61 at the outset, were surveyed every two years over a six-year period.

Overall, Wang’s team found, people who went into some form of bridge employment reported lower rates of major diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis during the study period than their counterparts who went straight into full retirement.

The findings were not explained by older age or worse initial health among people who opted for full retirement, the investigators report in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

On top of their better physical health, “bridge” workers also tended to report fewer mental health problems, such as

depression.

The same mental health benefits were not seen, however, when retirees took part-time work in other fields -- possibly, Wang said, because many of these people may have taken those jobs out of financial need rather than choice.

He noted that the lack of benefit could also stem from the fact that these retirees had to adjust to an unfamiliar job position or had to make lifestyle changes.

Bridge work, particularly in one’s accustomed field, may benefit physical and mental health for a number of reasons, according to Wang.

In general, he explained, such work may help older adults maintain the active lifestyles they had during their careers and decrease any stress they might feel from the transition into retirement.

When it comes to mental health, for instance, bridge work may help by allowing people to keep some of the “role identity” that they have formed over their careers, according to Wang.

Staying active in general, not only through work, can also benefit retirees’ physical health, Wang noted. He added, however, that any mental health benefits are likely to depend on the type of activity -- whether it is something that the person truly enjoys, and that helps ease any stress of moving into retirement.

“These findings,” Wang said, “suggest that for retirees and prospective retirees, carefully considering whether to engage in bridge employment -- and if so, what types of bridge employment -- is quite important.”

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Swearing can make you feel better, lessen pain LONDON (Reuters) - Cut your finger? Hurt your leg? Start swearing. It might lessen the pain.

Researchers from the school of psychology at Britain’s Keele University have found swearing can make you feel better as it can have a “pain-lessening effect,” according to a study published in the journal NeuroReport.

Colleagues Richard Stephens, John Atkins and Andrew Kingston, set out to establish if there was any link between swearing and physical pain.

“Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon,” says Stephens.

“It taps into emotional brain centers and appears to arise in the right brain, whereas most language production occurs in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain. Our research shows one potential reason why swearing developed and why it persists.”

Their study involved 64 volunteers who were each asked to put their hand in a tub of ice water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice.

They then repeated the experiment using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table.

The researchers found the volunteers were able to keep their hands in the ice water for a longer when swearing, establishing a link between swearing and an increase in pain tolerance.

Stephens said it was not clear how or why this link existed but it could be because swearing may increase aggression.

“What is clear is that swearing triggers not only an emotional response, but a physical one too, which may explain why the centuries-old practice of cursing developed and still persists today,” he said.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;No one can get inner peace by pouncing on itâ&#x20AC;?

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Stress Busters

By Rebecca Kerta

How to unwind from the grind

The majority of men in Australia carry the burden of being the main breadwinner in the household. Not only does this mean you take responsibility for the financial wellbeing of your family but you also spend the majority of your time at work, in fact Australian men now work an average of 63 hours a week! The pressure to perform in the workplace is only marginally greater than the pressure to then return home and provide quality time with your spouse and kids! From boardroom to playroom, from job site to date night, men are expected to walk in the front door and instantly fulfill the needs of their loved ones. Children want to play and read stories, wives and partners want love, attention and communication. Fathers want to spend time with their kids, to play, laugh, educate and guide. Husbands want to nurture, love, spoil and romance their wives, so how do men achieve the balance? How do you leave the stresses of the workplace behind and relax enough to really enjoy your family life? Whether you commute 1 hour every day into the city or run your business in the shed at the back of your property, every man has some time when work ends to travel home, here are our tips to get you relaxed before you walk in the door;

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Breathe –

Altering your breathing instantly alters your mental, physical and emotional state! For example sitting quietly and allowing your breathing to become calmer, slower and shallower can produce a calmer state within a few minutes. So being able to alter your breathing, to temporarily move from ‘automatic’ to ‘manual’ control puts you more in the driving seat of your own emotions and the general rule is deep breathing tends to produce more agitation whilst shallow and slow breathing produces calmness.

Becoming skilled at changing your state through altering your breathing boosts your confidence in your state-management ability so that unwelcome moods become just that - unwelcome. Having the breathing skills to alter such unwelcome moods puts you in charge of yourself.

Music –

“Music soothes the soul”, universally known mantra but do we use it to our advantage? I think women do, many a woman makes cleaning a bit less of a chore with Aretha Franklin’s “RESPECT” or Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” blaring in the background and every woman knows the power of a decent break up song when the love of your life suddenly turns into someone you thought he wasnt! But do men? If you drive to work don’t listen to the news, belt out your favourite Hendrix or Eagles cd, if you cycle or catch the train load your IPod and take yourself somewhere other than the doom and gloom in the paper. Music transports the soul, you just choose the destination.

Count Your Blessings –

What a year? We’ve had tsunami’s, earthquakes, swine flu and to top it off the Global Financial Crisis. Many men have had the worst year of their lives. But when times are tough we should all spend at least ten minutes at the end of every day counting our blessings. Sometimes they are obvious, shining in front of us as if in technicolour, other times we have to think a little longer, dig a little deeper, but they are there. The health of our children, the love and support of our spouses, the laughter of our friends, the fulfilment of our work. When we evaluate why we go to work we realise it’s nearly all about what is waiting for us when we get home. Love, respect, noise, chaos, laughter, cuddles, kisses. All worth it, all blessings.

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Sweating it Out–

The fastest de-stresser of all time! Get a membership at a gym that’s on your way home from work and sweat it out for 40 minutes before you head home. Run around the local park or go for a swim at the beach. Exercise releases endorphins that will boost your mood and you can take out your frustrations on the treadmill or boxing station! Keeping physically healthy not only improves your stress levels but also aids all other areas of your life. Being fitter will keep you mentally stronger and more focused at work and mean you can be around at lot longer for your family as heart disease and obesity are among the biggest killers of Australian men.

Learning to shift between work mode and family mode is a challenge for most men but the rewards for you and your family are great. Imagine walking through the front door relaxed and open with the stress and burden of the work day where it belongs…at work.

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Bringing work home Tips on how to leave work at work Many Australian’s are finding they are bringing more and more work home with them away for their schedule working hours, with a study conducted by news.com.au and coredata revealing over 79% of workers are doing work they are not getting paid for, so how do you stop bringing your work home with you and make sure the time you spend at home with your family is quality time.

Below are a few simple tips to better organise your day and ensure you are your most effective to try and eliminate the need for additional hours.

Have a To-Do-List As Jim Rohn says “don’t trust your memory”, chances are many of the things you are bringing home are due to you forgetting details about a particular task and having to get a job done at the last minute, there are many tools to help you stick to a to do list, don’t forget though it’s important not to simply have a to do list you must complete the task on it as well, stay disciplined.

Eliminate the big jobs first

How often have you come into the office ready to kick start your day only to be interupted as soon as you get in the door. Brian Tracy, in his book “Closing the Sale” states that

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“most salespeople only work around 90 minutes per day, with the rest taken up with coffee breaks, procrastination, needless travel and more”. How many hours a day are you wasting doing minor priority task?, eliminate the white elephant in the room first, it will mean you aren’t stressing about it later in the day and your self esteem with increase as well.

Have shorter meetings

Meetings can eat up a day like a hippo at feeding time, so don’t get caught out discussing the weather, know what the objective of your meeting is and try and stick to that, leave the chit chat to a time that doesn’t slow down your day

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Staying fit away from the gym Crunches are the best ab exercises you can do when you’re in a hurry away from the gym, they are great for creating tone and definition and can be easily completed anywhere, whether that be in front of the TV, in the yard or during a walk.

Push Ups

An all time classic, pushups like crunches can be done almost anywhere and are great for toning and building strength in the upper body, working the chest, shoulders, biceps and triceps simultaneously, form is important here so don’t compromise this for numbers Pull Ups

A great exercise to help maintain strength whilst your away, only issue is finding a bar that is suitable put if you can manage this, try and super set this exercise with some push ups and crunches to get a great burn Tricep Tips

Squats

Now that you have sorted your upper body, it’s time to make sure you keep the lower body trim and fit as well considering most of your Christmas will consist of you sitting at a table eating or in front of TV, squats concentrate on the thighs and buttocks area and are great for people who have knee issues Lunges

Similarly to the squats, working the thighs and buttocks, when performing lunges make sure your back is straight and torso is tight, if you can find something to hold whilst performing lunges they will provide an additional benefit Star Jumps

Why not try star jumps or even jump rope as a great way to get the heart pumping, make sure however that you are not spotted as they may think you have had a few too many drinks over Christmas lunch.

0625-NW-N

If you can find a bench, tricep dips are great for toning the triceps, the biggest part of your arm, for the guys it is great for creating

strong muscular arms as it is using your body weight as your resistance.

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Crunches

Going away for Christmas? Don’t want to lose form whilst your away, here is a selection of exercises you can do in 15-30 minutes a day to help keep you in shape as you indulge in a few extra Christmas puddings.

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Stress Busters Christmas Gift Ideas for Women Creating a genuine work/life balance Helping Men achieve Balance with their health, wealth & lifestyle