On the cover - Grant Johnson ; Renovating The Temple Page 10 Lyrics throughout this issue borrowed from; Jess Glynne, “Don’t be so hard on yourself”.
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22 elcome to I AM Issue 22!
Such a powerful number, the number 2. And, to have it doubled, well, this issue is destined to pack some serious punch. In numerology the number 22 is considered a master number. The ultimate survivor, an extremely resilient force, an overwhelming desire to achieve something extraordinary. I have to say, that sums up the I AM motive precisely and perhaps even the driving force behind it.
SJ
When I look back over the years of I AM, I stay focused on the great things I have discovered and the skills I have picked up along the way. These things, and these things alone, have been my reward. So many of us want to start our ‘own thing’. We want to be the next Lorna Jane, Oprah Winfrey or Mark Bouris. We want to take our ideas and effortlessly turn them into successful businesses, providing us with endless financial and emotional reward. Sadly however, this is not the reality for most of us who choose to venture into the small business game. My advice to all dream-goers out there, make sure you love what you do, because starting your ‘own thing’ comes with many risks and sometimes hard to see reward. Make sure when you lay in bed at night, you rest peacefully in the knowledge that what you have done has improved your life in some way – even if very small.
The number 22 represents a ‘survivor’, the desire to do something extraordinary. And that is me. This is my ‘I AM’, and I know it is millions of other human beings out there also. We all have an inbuilt desire to do something extraordinary – it’s called purpose. And, doing something extraordinary doesn’t mean moving mountains or saving the world. To feel like something is extraordinary you simply have to feel it with your heart. You all know that feeling. Whether it’s completing an important project or even giving birth, these things are ‘your extraordinary’ because they were tasks that manifested in your heart. They are tasks that made you feel like you have purpose. Nobody is ordinary. Nobody! You simply have to choose the tasks that ‘float your boat’ and you will be successful in living that extraordinary life you truly desire - a life lived with purpose … a purpose that is unique to you. What floats your boat? Samantha Jane Iammagazine.com.au
www.iammagazine.com.au
t’s a School night. The kids are in bed and I have just finished watching, A Current Affair’s, ‘Trace’ conduct a big girl chit chat with the Ambassador for girl-power, Oprah Winfrey.
people looking for the next challenge to encourage more of herself to show ‘itself’. I think Oprah embarks upon this task by talking and listening, where as Llew embarks upon it physiThe Big O has always fascinated cally. First it was running and me. I haven’t quite worked out if then it was walking, sounds a I love her or simply want to be little backward doesn’t it? It was her. I think it’s a little bit of both. When the chit chat made a however the walking that left bee-line towards ‘Self Belief’, Llew horizontal on the couch in which ironically Oprah is actually salty puddles of contemplation good at, she spoke about an old and disappointment. boyfriend in her 20s and how he asked her “why she thought she When I first heard LLew had dewas so special”. Clearly not an cided to join the Oxfam 2015 actual question, just a state100klm walk, I was not surment to make her feel ‘less prised at all! This lady is a gothan’. getter who appears to have no At the time, Oprah agreed with perceived roof where goals are this foolish young man – little did he know who he was actually concerned and with Crazy talking to – and today she Mummy Syndrome now somelaughs at how much she actually what behind her, things seemed believed him. You see, she was different for Llew, she felt told throughout her childhood strong, and in her heart and that she was ‘not special’. Her mind she was capable of killing self worth was fractured and practically destroyed well before this walk no matter how far it was. their paths had crossed. He would have been simply another In August this year, Llew and 3 voice added to the existing internal dialogue reminding her friends, Sian, Charley and that she ‘was not good enough’ - Bridgette, joined hundreds of a self belief far too many of us other ‘change makers’ to comadopt. plete the Oxfam 100 Kilometre And with that came my inspira- Trail Walk to raise money for tion to write this article. people in need. 100 kilometres I met Llew Dowley a while ago is a long way and when I asked now. She had just released her Llew how experienced her team first book titled Crazy Mummy members were in attempting Syndrome. It was a humorous, this sort of distance, she said but very honest, confession of what it is like to go through hell they had very limited experience, but all knew it was some– it was a documented account of her personal experience with thing they wanted to do. Now Post Natal Depression. Llew this clearly isn’t a walk along the learnt first hand during PND Esplanade. We’re talking peaks, mode what it was like to have mountains, foot holes and stairs monsters in her head. The thing that require miles of walking with Llew though, is that she lunges. It is tough! used these monsters to propel her forward and through things The girls trained. They comshe either thought she couldn’t pleted 30, 40 and even 60klm achieve, or was told were imtreks prior to the big 100. Bunpossible. Like running. In her deena to Otford to Audley from book she talks about how she 6am to 9pm. It was repetitive was told, due to an injury, that and challenging, but their mindshe should avoid running… so set and training had them conshe worked on it, and she vinced that they could do it. started running. When I met with Llew to discuss To me, Llew is a little bit like Oprah – she is going to hate me how the walk went, she was clearly upset. She said, “Oh you writing that - she is one of those
want to talk about me not finishing it?”. As it turns out, by the 3rd check point an old friend had decided to join Llew. It was bad knee number one and surprisingly bad knee number 2. Incredibly swollen and in no condition to continue, she was forced to stop at 43klms. Devastated doesn’t describe what Llew was feeling. I think she felt cheated, ripped off. Llew had put her heart into this, and in her mind she had seen herself succeeding before it even started. Little did she know that, when others would cross the finish line, she would be lying on the couch in tears wondering what went wrong. Chatting to Llew I could see that it was the ‘not finishing’ that she saw the most. All I could think was, “You walked 43klms!. I have never walked that far! I’m not sure I could … maybe I should try?” The greatness I saw was the failure she saw, because she was brave enough to see more. To believe more of herself - in herself. We need more people like Llew! More people to expect more from themselves. More people brave enough to attempt BIG things. More people who choose to stop listening to the monsters in their head. If Oprah had listened to that boy in her 20s would she be where she is today? I doubt it. Maybe it’s time to stop looking at what you haven’t achieved and start looking at what you can. [Llew and her team raised $13,000 for Oxfam, assisting people who need it the most.] Read more about Llew’s journey over at: www.crazymummysyndrome.com www.thebuzzwriter.com
o you know what the top wish among teen girls is? You may be shocked to hear it, but the top wish among all teen girls is for their parents to communicate better with them.
now on the Internet and social media sites, like Facebook and Instagram, they are definitely maturing at a much faster rate. With the Internet comes an awareness of sexuality that they are not mature enough to cope Kirsty O’Brien, Coach and founder with. Pornography is so much of ‘Her Invisible Crown’, knows more easily found and viewed this first hand and it was a key today than 15 years ago and reason why she started the Teen most of their ‘celeb idols’ are hyEmpowerment Workshops. per-sexualised. Our teen girls are The idea for the workshops feeling a pressure to imitate their evolved from heartfelt discusidols and the conflicting messions Kirsty had with her 14 year sages their Instagram posts old daughter. “They [teens] are send. With selfies and Instagram entering this new stage where comes an added emphasis on they are starting to make more how a girl looks, from her hair to and more decisions on their own, her eyebrows, to her thigh gap. and we [parents] are not conAll unrealistic, as most of their stantly by their side like we used role models photo-shop their own to be. Plus with mobile phones photos. With mobile phones and and social media, they are even online accounts our teens are more ultra social than ever.”, constantly contactable as well, Kirsty said. providing extra peer pressure.”
to really open up communication in a positive way. We cover body image and the world of social media, importantly selfies, texts (tone and context) and sexts, and how things put on the Internet are in fact permanent. We also identify and recognise negative self talk and I show the girls how to make that inner voice their BFF.”
Kirsty also explains the connection between confidence and self esteem, “Every decision a teenager makes is directly related to their self confidence. If a girl loves who she is and has confidence in herself, her decisions in life will reflect this. She is less likely to give into peer influence and is more likely to be an active and happy participant in school and socially.”
So, how do we fix this? Seems like such a simple question, however when you look at the true scope of information exposed to teens daily, the problem can appear to be out of our hands. If we consider the statement made in the opening of this article – the top wish made by teen girls – could it be as easy as encouraging more open conversations? According to Kirsty, the Keeping this statement in mind, it answer is a very simple ‘yes’, which is why she involves adults is an unfortunate statistic that 75% of girls with low self esteem in the workshops also. “I felt it engage in negative activities like, was incredibly important to incutting, bullying, smoking, drink- volve the adults. As a parent I am lucky to have a fairly open ing or disordered eating. If teen relationship with my teen, but I girls knew how to accept who they are and love themselves ‘as know a lot of parents are struggling to get close and feel a real is’, the figures related to these [sense of] disconnect. And, a lot activities would no doubt deof parents are confused by social crease remarkably. media, and are even unaware of So what is low self esteem? the extent of their teens involveAccording to M.D. Frederic ment with it. So it's very imporNeuman, Low Self Esteem is a tant to me that the communica‘thinking disorder’. Thoughts of tion is opened up, and through being inadequate, unlovable and some group exercises I believe it incompetent produce faulty asallows the teen to positively insumptions and ongoing self deteract with their parents. I didn't feating behaviour. want to be exploring these issues with the girls without them havWhere do these thoughts come from? Other people. Studies sug- ing an adult who loved and cared gest that self defeating thoughts for them sharing in the process. That was very important to me. generally evolve from relationWorkshops run in small groups of ships, the media and in today’s society particularly, social media. four to ten and involve fun interactive exercises, giving adults Kirsty adds to this, “I believe insight into how their teen perteens are growing up faster toceives themself. I have found this day. With what they can access
For more information on Teen Empowerment Workshops, or other programs and services Kirsty offers, please go to: www.invisiblecrown.com.au Facebook.com/getyourcrownon Instagram @her_invisiblecrown Source Neuman, M.D., Frederic, Brands in Action, Dove, PR Newswire Assoc. LLC,Shapiro, Hannah for Dove. Kirsty O’Brien, Her Invisible Crown.
am sure many of you have heard the phrase, ‘Your body is a temple, therefore you must treat it like one’. I have contemplated this phrase myself many times. If you really stop and think, how many things form your lifestyle that would essentially be out of place in a ‘temple’? When I picture a temple I imagine a place of peace and serenity. Clean floors and walls and a simple sense of freshness. When I look at behavioural patterns that have formed my lifestyle over the years, I can’t make the connection between weekend booze binges and the essence of a temple. In fact, if someone asked me to enter a temple armed with a bottle of wine and Maccas, I would flat out refuse. Why? Because it is simply disrespectful and just doesn’t … ‘fit’. And there you have it. By bringing these things into the temple – the temple that is your body – you are showing some heavy duty disrespect. And, not to bricks and mortar … to yourself. Grant Johnson, from Renovating The Temple, knows exactly what I am talking about. It was only 12 months ago that Grant was tipping the scales at 135kgs, and if he had to add an emoji to his feelings regarding ‘work’ life and physical appearance, it would be one “pretty unhappy” face. As for home time, Grant thought life was pretty spectacular. Amazing wife, new home and a fun lifestyle mixed with a bit of booze, smoking and band time. On the outside, Grant known more commonly as “Big Fella”, was having the time of his life… on the inside however, the story was very different. Grant : “All through my 20's and 30's I worked in an office environment, and as many do, I got caught up in the cycle and culture of sitting all day, smoking, drinking excessively and generally eating poorly. Hitting 40 was huge for me. It made me take stock of what I had done in my life so far, and how I wanted my future to look. As a performer (bass player) in a few bands I was photographed regularly, and although seeing myself performing was a pleasure, I always felt let down by my appearance. Something had to change. I could no longer kid myself that I was invincible or immune to health problems as I aged if I didn't start taking care of myself now. I love my wife and family more than anything. I want to be around for the long haul with them, and be able to contribute as opposed to being a curse. As the old saying goes ‘My body is a temple’, but mine was in need of serious renovation. Years of trashing my body had bent me right out of shape, both physically and mentally.” Since coming to the realisation and decision to change, Grant has dropped 42kgs and says he is in the best shape of his life. His career has done an absolute back-flip, with Grant no longer in a sedentary job.
Now a Personal Health and Fitness Trainer, Grant is active all day long and absolutely loves his new role helping others make the changes they need, to achieve a goal that will evidently change their life. One of Grants favourite motto’s is; “If you're not happy with the temple you've got, the only way to fix it is to renovate it … one drop of sweat at a time”. And, he is helping his clients do this by providing them with the wisdom he found during his very own personal weight loss journey. I think if there is one thing that can be taken from Grant’s story, it would be the evidence that ‘anyone’ can change their life. Whether it’s your career, your appearance or your overall happiness, it is never too late to change lifestyle habits. Even if it is in the smallest way to begin with. Every step towards a healthier you, is a good one. And who knows, like Grant, you could find yourself heading towards more goodness than you ever expected. “With thousands of different diets, exercise plans, super foods, shakes and supplements buzzing around, I believe I can help clear the confusion and set my future clients on a path to better health and fitness”. To follow more of Grants journey and discover tips and inspiration for a healthy change head over to www.facebook.com/grantstemple
The year colouring-in for adults became profitable. Who remembers ‘old school’ Kindergarten - Finger painting and all things art and craft. Kindergarten is a great year at School, most days are dedicated to building a personal portfolio of primary paint on paper. Art is an incredibly important subject in Kindergarten, but then you move into year 1 and spelling and mathematics begin to rule your world. Art is still somewhere in the background though, with experimentation generally reserved for rainy days or during periods where you don’t have much else to do. In adulthood there isn’t a great deal of time where we don’t have ’much else to do’. If someone was to ask what you like to do in your spare time, would “I like to colour-in” come to mind? I doubt it. Why? Because colouring-in isn’t “grown up” and it’s certainly not ‘serious’. Life after 10 has no call for Crayola. So why the sudden flood of adult colouring-in books on your local supermarket shelf? Simple. People are seriously stressed out! Seriously! There are bills to pay and frankly not enough income or time in the day to cover it. This, very popular, excessive lifestyle leads to one thing – stress! Hence why producing products, that enable people to de-stress, is one very lucrative market at the moment. How do we keep creativity alive in a world that moves to devalue it? By encouraging it in our children. Art has many elements, it’s not all paint and paper. There are performing arts, manual arts and technical arts … the list of how to keep your kids creating is endless. Think of ways you can bring art into your home and you will be giving your kids a lifelong gift - a natural and effective practise of de-stress. Gymea Bay Public School and De La Salle College are well on the way to producing creative young people. Illustration by Isabella Tondi Gymea Bay Public School. Writing by Sebastian Grigalius Yr 11 : De La Salle College.
Perpetual Presence
Sebastian Grigalius
Breerily Waterhole, South Australia June, 1861 The still summer evening breathed a light breeze across the water with the perfume of eucalypt almost as thick as the mood in the air. With a calloused hand he reached down and touched the second man's frail shoulder, croaking “Good luck” through his tangled beard. A third man insists that they must keep moving with a tone of desperation haunting his now hoarse voice. The two men turned and continued along the glassy river, both near death themselves, leaving their broken friend alone to die. He watched the two figures slowly round the river’s bend, and out of sight. The crashing of twigs and leaves underfoot was replaced by the sounds of galahs in the tall Ghost gums across the river, and the mosquitos dancing with water skippers on the river's bank. He was alone now, and breathed deeply before sighing regrettably. His torn tunic bore signs of past struggles overcome, but for what, he thought. Tired as he was, he kept the immense frustration and despair from boiling over as he brought the feeble brim of his hat to shade his sunburned face from the setting sun. The man began to shiver. Was it getting cold already? Or was it the fear of what unknown beasts may lurk these forsaken lands. He sit with himself, and the pathetic supplies Burke and King were able to leave behind, and quickly replaced images of ferocious lions lurking amongst gum trees in his mind, to thoughts of what could have been different had he stayed with his brothers in the mines of Ballarat and not partaken in such outlandish exploits. “I am a fool”, he said to no one. As the treeline enveloped a red sun, the day's last rays shining through the trees, he felt completely, and utterly, alone. Not a soul in the world knew if he was even still alive, hope of rescue abandoned weeks long by. As darkness fell, unconsciousness swiftly followed, unmoving for hours, to exhausted to shift body or mind on his own. His rations lay untouched as he watched the moon rise through trunks and over the river before he slipped into bliss. Jolted awake, he sat upright breathing sharply. He searched the darkness for the cause. He cursed his eyes as he attempted to spy the prowling fiend of the desert plotting his demise as its prey. The light from the setting moon provided little help, as he shrugged the thought off as foolish, he lay back, to notice the figure of Robert Burke perched keenly beside him, smiling sadly at him, arriving as if being conjured out of the air. “Good Lord man, haven't you the thought to announce yourself?” he cried. “I apologize, Mr. Wills, it was not my intention to startle you.” said Mr. Burke. Wills looked around for a moment as if trying to solve some sort of mystery of the sorts he couldn’t quite grasp. Mr. Burke continued to smile sadly, when it dawned on Wills. “Where is Mr. King?” “Im not at all sure really” replied Mr. Burke. “I said what have you done with King?” fired Wills. “Did you leave him as well?” “Oh no no of course not. Well perhaps. But I have a firm inclination to believe some of those native fellows have taken him in. They were most cooperative.” explained Burke “Aye, the ones you thoughtlessly chased off before.” Mr. Wills said sourly. “Those be the ones” confirmed Burke. A silence fell between the two men. Wills hadn’t forgotten the foolhardy act of Mr. Burke discharging rounds at a group of Aborigines as they were collecting supplies to help them. None were injured of course, but they had since yet to return. “So, Mr. Burke, why you be so inclined to return to a hopeless cause like me?”
“I am going to get you to safety” said Burke “I am going to help you out of this place”. “Oh no, Mr. Burke, I fear my last day is upon me.” came Wills gaunt reply. “You go on, and save yourself. Tell everybody of what has happened in the weeks passed. You will be a hero.” Burke slowly shook his head, as his eyes seemed to gloss over as he stared at the ground. Wills shifted from an uncomfortable position to another, bringing Burke back to the present. “No Mr. Wills, I have made up my mind, and you are to accompany me immediately. We shall continue on-”. “Immediately? interrupted Wills “I can’t move. Look at me. I am a wreck if ever you've seen one.” “We will advance immediately during the cool night while it lasts. I will guide you. It would be foolish for somebody in your poorly condition to be travelling in the heat of the day.” Said Burke. “It is as if you cannot hear me”, persisted Wills. “I am in no position to move at all! How do you expect me to walk myself out of this wretched place with limbs that do not work and a mind without will?” shouted Wills, his face turning a shade of scarlet. “Would be a shame for you, Mr Wills, to simple give up and die after all you had been through” Burke said quietly. Wills pondered this for a moment. It was true, he knew it. He had endured much and came so far, to just lay down and surrender. It was not the ending he intended. “Very Well. I will try to move. But it doesn’t mean we will be going anywhere.” said a more collected Wills. “Wonderful.” smiled Burke He slowly sat upright, his body stiff and aching. “Well make no effort to help me.” said Wills, irritated that Burke just sat and watched as Wills struggled to stand. Full of energy, it would seem, Burke stood up in one fluent motion, and beckoned Wills closer. “You will need these before we depart.” said Burke, handing Wills some water and dried Beef. Wills took the offering and consumed them, feeling strangely more nourished than he had in weeks. “Onwards, before the day breaks.” said Burke, turning away from the river and up the bank into the darkness. Wills followed him gingerly, attempting to adapt to his bruised and bleeding feet once more. In a matter of hours, the sunlight began to pierce the dark skies, turning them a soft pink, before transitioning to a cloudless blue, preparing to beat down relentlessly on the barren sunburnt land. Barren except for two lonely figures traversing fields of brown spinifex, dead trees bleached white and rock mounds radiating heat themselves. With a stained cloth wrapped around his face as protection from the vicious sunlight, Wills followed Burke a couple of yards behind, one step after another, across an empty plain, exempt of all forms of life. Wills was surprising himself with his undiscovered stores of energy, which was nothing compared to Burke, who seemed to press on like a machine, needing neither food nor water. On occasion, they would stop at a stream or billabong, Wills would drink, and Burke would conjure a seemingly endless supply of rations from within his old duster, as if out of thin air. They conversed little, and focused mainly on the task at hand. As the day wore on into dusk, Wills was once again at a loss of energy, so they stopped at the base of a jagged hill, having endured the worst of the daylight heat, where they would stay briefly for some time until the sun had set. Their extended break from travelling ceased when the southern cross was highest in the sky, as the two men took advantage of the dropping temperatures and pressed on up the squat hill. The climb was long and at times Wills needed to give in to the uphill battle he was fighting to put one foot ahead of the other, but Burke ahead gave words of encouragement and they reached the summit before dawnbreak. From the summit, a small glowing light was visible illuminating amongst tall trees in the distance, the sinister silhouettes present on the leaves of the canopies. “Salvation!” cried Wills. “We’re saved!”, tears of joy beginning to run after the trauma suffered seemed to have come to an end. Burke stood aside, smiling, but noticeably less excited. Without another moment wasted, Wills flew down the side of the hill, falling but picking himself up again every time, and ran with his remaining strength to the long sinister silhouettes and the beat of drums. Wills had often wondered what could have been different had he travelled back west, back to the modern comforts of Melbourne, back to the people who had mourned him. But more than that he wondered what had ever happened to Mr. Burke after that night atop the mount all those years ago. He had vanished without any mortal explanation. On rare occasions, Wills would see his bearded companion among the trees, he was a ghost haunting the endlessly desolate desert, his face unchanged by time in a land that was anything but.
hat a fun day and what a fun idea to raise money for the awesome charity One Girl. We slapped on our dresses and got down and dirty with 10min fitness warm up before getting into the real fun, GAMES! We played everything from potato sack races to musical chairs (with a twist) to balloon races and much more. The guys all teamed together to make the morning so much fun and we all really appreciated the amazing donations given to us, so that we could enjoy some refreshments at the end. Jess finished off the morning with a great talk filling us all in on what One Girl does, and where all of the money goes to, which was so inspiring and informative. I'm so happy that we were able to help out and support this great cause and look forward to doing another one in the future." Cronulla Bootcamp.
One Girl is a Melbourne-based charity on a mission to educate girls, with a vision to educate 1 million girls across Africa by 2020. One Girl believes that EVERY girl on the planet has the right to an education. No matter where she is born, how much her family earns, what religion she adheres to, or what her culture says - every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and be the best she can be. They've begun their work in Sierra Leone, West Africa, which is considered one of the worst places in the world to be born a girl. A girl born there is more likely to be sexually assaulted than she is to attend high school. But, One Girl is working to change that. Jessica Morgan - Independent One Girl Fundraiser facilitator.
Curious? Find more information on One Girl in the Shire over at: www.doitinadress.com/jessica-and-lucy-morgan
CONTRIBUTED BY PLUS FITNESS TAREN POINT
nything is possible with a little hard work and dedication. Colleen knows a struggle better then anybody. As a Mum, Grandmother and Wife, she runs a very successful Personal Training business out of Plus Fitness Taren Point and somehow finds the time to keep track of her own health and nutrition while providing support to others. And, the results speak for themself. Over an 8 month period, Colleen dropped a huge 40kgs and changed her life forever… how? She joined a gym and finally took the challenge. “To cut a long story short, I lost over 40kgs in 8 months! To fast track my transformation journey, I joined a local gym recommended by a very close friend! My main goal for joining this gym, was to win their 40 day focus transformation challenge! The prize for the best female was $5000! In my true competitive spirit, I dropped a whopping 17kgs in 40days (a record that still remains unbeaten from a female at this gym!) and might I add, a Nana with both knees needing complete knee replacements, thyroid disease, high blood pressure - and I was going through menopause! For many years, I was unable to do lunges, squats, or even skip, and I certainly didn't foresee myself doing box jumps! Yet today, 2 years since my transformation, I can do all of those pain agonising tasks! All of the health issues that I had are no longer a problem. I am completely normal and do not suffer from any of those symptoms! Did I win this challenge and take out the Prize Money? Hell yeah! What was my secret? Hardcore discipline! 20% Exercise, 80% Clean Eating and 100% Mindset and food preparation! I was very disciplined with my food and workout regime! I certainly didn't eat less, I ate more: 5-6 meals, smaller portions and I was smart with my food! I also invested in a couple of Personal Training sessions per week.” - Colleen.
TOP TIPS FROM OUR TOP TRAINERS 4 Simple Rules 1 Never go three days without training. 2 Workout at least three times a week 3 Never miss a Monday 4 NEVER GIVE UP
Colleen “Trust the process, don’t expect overnight results .Consistency is the key and results take time.”
Talitha “Make sure you have sufficient rest and recovery, as it is just as important as the exercise itself.”
Mark “Never underestimate a good warm up before training and a cool down after training.”
Brent “We can’t wait to see the end result of our fabulous first fifty!! And look forward to many more successful challenges to come.”
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At Plus Fitness Taren Point 24/7, we have just undertaken our first 8 week challenge with an amazing 50 plus people the taking plunge! We know sometimes this isn’t an easy task, with a majority of people siting a lack of direction and not having enough time to complete their fitness program. If this sounds like you, perhaps a challenge within the gym could be for you? For a small upfront fee, you get the support and guidance of an experienced Trainer, taking the guess work out of nutrition and work out routine. You also get the added benefit of knowing there is a whole bunch of people slogging it out just like you are. You can learn so many amazing things that will stay with you long after the challenge has ended, continuing to help you on your fitness journey. Our Amazing team of Trainers didn’t want our Clients to do it alone and have also signed up to do it right along side you .They know how you are feeling every step of the way.
Colleen dropped 40kgs in 8 months!
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CONTRIBUTED BY RUNFASTER
t RunFaster we love to celebrate beauty and health and we believe this comes in all shapes and sizes. Our vision is to empower you, to not only look and feel amazing in our gear, but to love yourself for who you are! We hope to inspire all women to live an active and healthy lifestyle no matter what stage in your life you are at… It is with this in mind that we recently launched a new high waist range which is perfect for during your pregnancy and beyond. Made from the highest quality Brazilian supplex, this range is made for comfort as well as style. Boasting a thick material which moulds to your curves, sucks you in and smoothes any lumps and bumps, whilst supporting every inch of your body for the perfect fit. The extra wide 15cm waistband is specifically designed to not only prevent muffin top, it will stay in place during any activity and also provide extra tummy support where you need it most. They are breathable and super quick drying, making sweaty marks a thing of the past. They are also the perfect pregnancy tights as the material can stretch over 500% yet still recover its original shape. The waistband will stretch to allow your baby bump to grow and then fold down when it becomes too tight for comfort. Once your bundle of joy arrives you can wear the waist high again to help support your mid-section, keeping everything in place. They really are so amazingly comfortable you can wear them all day every day!! We have many beautiful unique prints as well as plain colours and a size range to suit sizes 6 – 18! We also hope to include more sizes in the near future.. Shop your perfect tights online today at www.runfastergear.com.au and support a local shire business“
CONTRIBUTED BY BPS TENSEGRITY
ow can ‘Connect Therapy’ help you improve your Pilates and Yoga technique? It is common knowledge among the yoga community that our body and mind are connected: Our thoughts influence our body, and our body influences our thoughts. In Western society, we have been conditioned to think that each aspect of our being should be treated by a specialised professional: our mind requires a psychologist, our gut requires a gastroenterologist, our headaches require a headache specialist. And, any pain we feel can be remedied by the quick and effortless swallow of a pain killer or antiinflammatory pill. We don’t take into account, that the site of pain or dysfunction may not be the cause of the problem; or that we may actually be in control of our own body and being. It is interesting to note that Western medicine is the only type of medicine that compartmentalises health. Eastern approaches such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine, treat the body as a whole, with the belief that you cannot affect one part of the being, without affecting all parts. This is also the foundation of Connect Therapy; the revolutionising approach to physiotherapy that the team at BPS Tensegrity use. Connect Therapy integrates wonderfully into the practice of Pilates and Yoga, aligning your whole body and using mindfulness and awareness to empower the individual to take control of their own body and wellbeing. It teaches us how we can use the power of our mind to influence our body, enabling us to ensure that our breath is most effectively utilised by the organs, blood vessels and nerves; to allow the joints to move smoothly and freely; and the muscles to appropriately lengthen and strengthen efficiently, with minimal energy expenditure. To put it simply: more effective results from your practice, with less effort. For example, the yogi who wants to improve the rotation of his hip in his warrior II pose: in isolated testing, yes, his hip mobility is reduced, his hamstrings are tight and his hip flexors grip when he tries to lower into the pose. On assessment his driver, or source of dysfunction comes from mal-alignment of his foot, which is far too rigid and unable to provide his body with a stable base, and hence develops gripping strategies through his hip flexors, encouraging his core to disengage, creating hamstring tightness to compensate. So the poor guy can work on his hip mobility
and hamstring flexibility all day long, sitting in lotus pose at his desk, watching TV in happy baby pose or a forward fold… but if the biomechanics of his foot is not addressed, he will never progress or have lasting improvement from his hours of stretching. Another example, the lady who diligently attends her gym pilates class three times a week to strengthen her ‘core’ to improve her squat. She can perform hundreds, bridges and crunches, but suffers back pain every time she loads herself with a barbell in the squat rack. Her problem is not her core strength. It may be coming from her thorax, which is compressed every time she squats with the bar on her back, causing shifts and torsions through her spine and pelvis, increasing the tension in her sacro-iliac ligaments resulting in pain. Or from her lack of shoulder external rotation to hold the bar on her back, so she compensates by hinging and extending at a point in her back, causing compression, possible disc bulges, and pain. A Connect Therapy assessment will determine the driver of this lady’s movement dysfunction, effectively treat and relieve her pain, as well as improving her ability to use her core, allowing her to benefit and progress much more through her pilates practice. Connect therapy is a ‘whole body’ approach to physiotherapy that provides patients with relief and results where other approaches fall short. Patients feel heard, understood and ‘felt’ and when their whole body has been appropriately treated, they are able to make changes to their minds and bodies that they never expected. It is a model of physiotherapy that not only relieves pain and rehabilitates injury, but also improves movement efficiency and performance by realigning bodies, teaching self-awareness, self-efficacy, interconnectedness, and the ability to observe the ‘self’ as a whole. If you would like to book an initial consultation and assessment with one of our physiotherapist, contact us at (02) 8544 1757, our studios are located in Caringbah and Ashbury. www.bpstensegrity.com.au
i-am Magazine Pty Ltd is an independent magazine published by Samantha Edwards & i-am Magazine Pty Ltd. Available for reading at www.iammagazine.com.au Mail to: PO Box 1145 Cronulla NSW 2230 AUSTRALIA ABN: 82 146 481 781 All content is subject to copyright, and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Opinions represented in i-am Magazine Pty Ltd are not necessarily those of the publishers. This magazine is intended as a reference only, NOT as medical advice. Some course language and/or sexual references may be contained herein. Please browse/read of your own choosing. Some articles are written from ‘life experience’ only, therefore the advice provided is not suitable for everyone. I AM recommends anyone experiencing difficulties in life, seek advice from a professional or Doctor.
I would like to thank all of the local Sutherland Shire men & women who have supported I AM magazine throughout its journey to becoming ‘The’ Local Health, Fitness & Lifestyle magazine. The I AM mission has always been to inspire and encourage people to treat their life like an adventure. From fashion, fitness, food & FUN, we want people to take control - Demand happiness in your life! This life we have is a gift and it should be celebrated every single day. We know you all like to work hard, but we absolutely insist you
PLAY HARDER!
Samantha Jane Founder I AM magazine Est. 2011
I AM HEALTH, FITNESS & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE #22 2015
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