FITLIFE
TalkingFitness
Look Better
Feel Stronger
Diabetes and Me!
Let’s Get It
Kick Started!
Massage Therapy Green Tea Secrets & More! September, 2010 Issue
www.talkingfitness.com.au
Contents Features Massage Therapy 05 26
10
Fat Loss KickStart 10 Beginning Yoga 17
17 Regulars
22
6 Rules for Mum’s 22
Editorial.........................03 Top 10’s..........................08 Garden in pics..............16 Monthly Recipe............29
September, 2010 Issue
Green Tea Benefits 26 Diabetes and Me 30
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Editorial An important factor to getting into shape is to understand that it isn’t all just about lifting weights and grunting.
Health and fitness can seem to be a very complicated activity, especially for those unfamiliar to it. It doesn’t have to be. This issue we have focused on getting connected with ourselves and, in the process, improving a number of important health factors. We’ve got a great mix of original articles as well as the wealth of knowledge from many other contributors, including authors published on Bodybuilding. com Also this issue, we’re featuring a KickStart fitness and fat loss article and a Diabetes and Me story. Letters to the editor & more contributors are also now being sought for future issues. If you have a question for us, or would like to submit an article, please email us at: TalkingFit@gmail.com Remember, the decision to start exercising, eating well and moving towards a healthier, better you is your choice alone....but once you’ve decided to start, you’ll be joining millions of others across the globe all wanting to be better too. You’ll be joining us!
TalkingFitness
In fact some of the best fitness activity comes forth from more grounded, gentle and spiritual practices. Massage, yoga, meditation, a walk with our thoughts, or with the thoughts of a 4 year old fascinated by a simple world.
Cheers, September, 2010 Issue
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Now Available Online www.talkingfitness.com.au
September, 2010 Issue
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Regular massage therapy is much more than a mere luxury or a whimsical extravagance.
Rather, it is an investment, an investment in yourself... in your health. Learn why!
Massage
therapy is often regarded as an extravagance, a luxury, or an expense awaiting justification. Few actually regard a massage as a viable form of medical treatment. But it is. Massage therapy is actually the simplest and oldest form of medicine. There are references to massage in Chinese medical literature dating back to 2,700 B.C. Indeed, Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine wrote in the fifth century B.C., that “the physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing... for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid.� I, for one, think that Hippocrates was on to something there. Think for one moment, your very first reaction when you stub your toe, hit your funny bone, or bump your head. Instinctively, you place your hand over the injured area. Likewise, what is your first reaction when a cramp in your calf muscle jolts you out of an otherwise sound sleep in the dead of night?
September, 2010 Issue
Immediately, you get your hands on the muscle and feverishly rub! These very natural, genetically programmed reactions comprise the very core of massage therapy itself. An appreciation for the simple notion that human touch promotes healing. The Origin Of The Pain! It is a little known fact that most pain originates in the soft tissues of the body. For instance, headache pain often originates in the subscapularis (upper region of the back) and in the muscles of the head and neck. Lower back pain and sciatica typically originate in the muscles as opposed to signifying a problem in the vertebral disk. Article supplied with thanks to:
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Aside from feeling good, research indicates that massage reduces stress, lowers heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases circulation, increases lymph flow, aids in elimination of toxins and increases endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers. What Can Massage Therapy Do For You?
For some conditions, regular massage therapy can even obviate the need for surgery. Carpal tunnel syndrome, for instance, a condition routinely treated with invasive surgery, is one ailment that regular massage therapy may actually correct. A person that suffers from carpel tunnel feels pain and experiences numbness in the hands and fingers. The genesis of the problem, however, may very well be in the muscles of the head and neck! Whatever the ailment, or condition, massage therapy embodies the elementary concept that the body’s soft tissues, muscle, fascia, tendons and ligaments respond to touch. Hence, the definition of “therapeutic massage” as the manipulation of the soft tissue structures of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm, and stress to promote overall health and well being.
So, what can regular massage therapy do for those of us dedicated to living a fitness lifestyle. In this arena, massage therapy is much more than a mere luxury. It should be regarded as part and parcel of your dedication to living a healthy life. Research establishes that regular massage therapy improves range of motion, reduces recovery time, increases muscle tone, and increases flexibility. Since massage acts as an “auxiliary heart” by increasing circulation, it thus facilitates the elimination of toxins and other metabolic wastes generated as a by-product of resistance training. Additionally, massage therapy reduces the time that it takes the body to heal an injury. An unbelievable case in point is one of my personal training clients. During an incline dumbbell press, she over-extended her shoulder. Not only did the weights come
The benefits of massage therapy are incalculable considering that massage literally affects every system in one’s body. September, 2010 Issue
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crashing to the ground, worse yet, when she got up off of the bench, she literally could not move her arm. Soreness and pain in her shoulder arrived the very next day putting her training on hold indefinitely.
returned to the gym and resumed her training without incident. So, I suppose that Hippocrates was right way back in the fifth century B.C. when he said that massage will “loosen a joint that is too tight.”
When she phoned me and explained the injury, I surmised that she probably overextended the connective tissue in her shoulder, causing trauma to that area. I was absolutely right.
Why You Should Get Regular Messages! I do not mean to suggest that three weeks will cure any ailment. I am, however, suggesting that an investment in regular massage therapy will ensure that all bodily systems function at an optimal level. And, for those of us dedicated to our training sessions in the gym, regular massage therapy will enhance performance, maximize gains, and reduce your risk for injury.
During a session of deep tissue massage I could feel the tightness in the shoulder joint itself, which not only caused pain, but also limited the joint’s normal range of motion. By frictioning the connective tissue in that area, I increased circulation, which naturally promotes the healing process. So, regular massage therapy is much more than a mere luxury or a whimsical After only about three sessions over a three- extravagance. Rather, it is an investment, an week period, the range of motion at that investment in yourself... in your health. joint returned to normal and my client
Did You Know?
Stretching regularly can reduce the chances that you’ll injure yourself during activity? Stretch daily to stay limber!
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Top 10 foods to improve
MOOD! Dark Chocolate
Blueberries
Walnuts
Turkey
>Triggers endorphins >High Antioxidant >Serotonin trigger >Tryptophan source >Omega-3 source >(same as fish)
Fish
>Aids depression, >moodiness and >impulsivity
Avocado
>Vitamin B6 >Sensitises to serotonin >Lowers blood pressure
Coffee
>Contains Caffeine >Ups metabolism >Makes you alert September, 2010 Issue
>Stress busting >Antioxidants and >Vitamin C >Phenylalanine>Converts to >Dopamine
Banana
>Tryptophan source >Vitamin B6 >Regulates blood glucose
Low-Fat Milk
>Tryptophan source >Decreases anxiety >and frustration
Oats
>Serotonin Trigger >Feel full for longer >Complex Carb Pg. 08
Author Profile
Jennifer nicole lee
and was crowned Miss Bikini America 2004, realizing her goal and proving that mothers can still be sexy, fun and fit!
Fitness expert and author, Jennifer Nicole Lee (JNL), has become an icon for women and fellow moms across the world with her amazing 70-pound plus weight loss success story.
To ultimately improve her physical and mental health and become more active with her children, JNL began a regimen of exercise drills and performance nutrition. Training as an athlete, JNL’s goal was to lose weight, with the ultimate goal of entering a bikini contest. Less than one year later, JNL entered the ultimate figure competition
Source: www.bodybuilding.com
This empowering experience catapulted Jennifer Nicole Lee into the health and fitness industry and gained her the respect of countless professionals. She has shared her compelling weight loss story on national talk shows including Oprah and Inside Edition, and has proudly graced the covers of over 15 fitness magazines. Visit www.jennifernicolelee.com for more information.
Like Us On Facebook www.facebook.com/talkingfitness
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Commercial diets, infomercial fitness and 12 week fitness plans! Has it helped you get in shape? If not, then read on to kick start your fat loss!
Fat Loss Kick Start
By Damian Fleming
to head home. You can always come back in tomorrow night, can’t you? Tomorrow night comes and goes then the next night and the next. Before you know it two weeks have passed and while you have a great collection of new excuses why you can’t exercise, you’re no closer to being fit and trim for summer.
You’ve decided “enough is enough!” and committed yourself, mentally, to get into shape before summer! “I’ll hit the gym five times a week, eat totally clean and every day I’ll do an hour on that bike I bought last year!” You get to the gym that night, spend 30 minutes on a treadmill, do a bit of stretching and, puffed, you decide September, 2010 Issue
This pattern is common and, in honesty, even the fittest of people experience it from time to time. The hardest part of getting into shape is ACTING on the impulse you have to get fit and healthy. Sure, trying to find the time to do it when you have a busy lifestyle, finding money to pay for gym fees & healthy lean foods and existing injuries can be factors, but all can be accommodated if you are resolved to get into shape. Kick starting your fitness doesn’t have to be hard work or complicated. In fact, the easier you make it, the more likely you’ll find yourself in excellent shape in the many years to come! Pg. 10
heading to bed early for a full night of sleep and recovery. While you still require discipline to make the right choices, having a plan helps to make the journey, especially the start, much easier to kick off.
Step One - Make the decision Deciding to get fit is the easy bit, fighting off your inner, voice who will make excuses, is not. I’ve often argued that fit people make a choice to get fit and unfit people make the choice to be unfit. In fact, this isn’t entirely true.
Step Two - Plan it out If you drive somewhere you haven’t been before, do you guess where you’re going or grab a map and make a plan? The theory behind getting back into a healthy lifestyle is the same. If you know what you have to do, you are far more likely to stay on the right track.
Making your plan realistic is important. You don’t get in your car, plan your route, see that it is 300 kilometres and decide an hour is enough time to get there. You have to decide how often you’ll stop for breaks, allow for slower speed zones and decide that 4 hours, An unfit person is entirely capable of give or take, is more reasonable. making an initial decision to get into shape, however it’s often the choices that have to be made after this that causes an unfit person to fall away from their goals. The choice to stay in bed for an extra 20 minutes instead of going for a quick walk, the choice to eat quick foods instead of preparing nutritious, low fat, healthy meals and snacks, or deciding between a favourite television show or September, 2010 Issue
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Is wanting to lose 20 kilos of body fat in three months realistic? Not really, at least not for the average person. You will also risk losing motivation because it would be next to impossible to meet that goal. And if you don’t hit your goal, you’re more likely to give up. Let’s break this one down a little. It’s okay to want to lose 20 kilos. The time frame is the problem here. Do you think you would feel pretty good about yourself if you lost 12 kilos in the same time frame instead? A common standard recommended by many This is where our arsenal of excuses will fitness professionals is about 1 kilo of be born! And the more excuses we have, the more likely it is we will not reach our body weight lost per week. health and fitness goals. Taking action Don’t forget you also have to allow for requires you to not only take physical the occasional slow zone, where you action to perform the exercise you’ve may not be as disciplined as you need planned for and eat the food you’ve to be, possible injuries and adaptation chosen to eat, it also requires you to to exercise and diet times, including take action on the way you think about plateaus. These factors will impact how being fit and healthy. It requires you to long it will take you to reach your goal. get rid of, or manage, your excuses to The best plan for people new to exercise allow you to meet the “realistic” health is usually the simplest. Start off slow, and fitness plan you’ve built. concentrate on fitness activities that will build your habits first, then you can re- Let’s KickStart it! plan and focus on specific fitness goals. Are we ready to get a kick start on our health, fitness and fat loss? You can check the end of this article for a Step Three - Take Action Now it’s time to take action! It’s here “Quicklist” of things you need to do. that many lose their motivation. “It’s It includes a rough guide on nutrition too hard”, “I get out of breath”, and, “I and spaces for you to put in your own exercise ideas too! feel like I look silly”. September, 2010 Issue
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out of bed and straight into your gear. Then you just have to crawl out the door or into your workout space and make the choice to exercise. Tip: If you’re going for a morning walk, don’t let interruptions be your excuse. “The kids woke up, so I had to make them breakfast instead of going for a walk”. This is where your pre-exercise preparation is needed. Set a regular schedule and arrange for your partner to take care of things while you’re gone. What You’ll Need Here’s what you’ll need to know and do BEFORE you start your plan: - Where are you exercising? Is the environment safe, will you trip on something, will you be exposed to hazards or be out of contact if you need help? Is your walking/running track known to others? Are you exercising alone? Plan to be safe first and foremost. - Keep track of everything! Get a notebook and start logging. Food you eat, exercise and activity you do, how you feel. It might feel a bit silly at first, but when you think you’re not making much progress, check back to see where you’ve come from. You might be surprised. - Make sure your training gear is ready! The last thing you want to do is make an excuse not to exercise because you can find a shoe! Have it organised the night before so that you can almost fall September, 2010 Issue
Exercise Keep it simple, this is, after all, a kickstart to fat loss. Decide how many sessions you can manage in the week. If you’re very new to exercise, just start with one or two and increase this by one session, or 10-15 minutes, per week until you reach what is comfortable for your lifestyle. One session equals: - 15 to 30 minutes walking (treadmill or outside) - 15 to 30 minutes of any other
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moderate activity, such as mowing, gardening, playing with kids, riding a stationary bike, etc. This is also known as incidental activity. - 30 minutes of strength/weight training (go for workouts that has one exercise per body part or group) - 10 to 20 minutes body weight strength training, such as push ups, star jumps and crunches
- Favour complex carbohydrates like oats and sweet potato - Eat lean meats, tofu, eggs and nuts - Eat about 1.5gms of protein per kg of body weight - Avoid added fat and sugar - Reduce caffeine intake - Drink plenty of water
Tip: Plan for what you CAN do, not for what you’d like to do. Nutrition Again, keep this simple. Restricting too much too soon will certainly help you to lose weight, but not for very long time. Rule of thumb is to drop refined (junk) foods first, then high fat and high added sugar foods. Stick with more natural, clean foods. Eating clean means eating foods that are closer to their natural state. The guidelines we prefer are by no means definitive. Choose just a couple that will fit into your lifestyle to get you started. Our favourite beginners guides to start with are 6 meals per day and drop the processed foods. Some of our others are: - Eat 6 meals per day (it’s worth mentioning twice!) - Eat plenty of leafy greens - Eat a few different pieces of fruit each day September, 2010 Issue
Tips: Clear out all the temptations from your cupboard on day one and don’t put any of it back in! Keeping It Going Where do you go from here? Funnily enough, it’s all about choice. If you maintain regular exercise and a nutrition schedule that fits well into your lifestyle, you will improve your health and decrease body fat. If this is as far as you’d like to go, then keep it up. Others will choose to go a little further, or even a lot further, and pick up the gym and clean eating on a strict schedule. This will involve much more in depth knowledge and experience, Pg. 14
all of which we can all gain through exercising regularly and talking with peers. The kickstart you are looking for starts with you. Make the choice to be fit, make a simple, achievable plan to follow and then act on your plan to reach your goal. Seek support and guidance of friends and those that are experienced and prevent or beat the excuses that we all try to make to avoid exercise. This is how we kickstart our fat loss journey. This is how we can begin to be fitter, healthier and happier.
Off The Rack KickStart Before You Start: Get a Training journal Know Your Training locations Prep your Shoes, clothes and iPod Exercise Plan: Big Week Mon - 30 min Walk Tues - 30 min full body weights Wed - 60 mins Take kids to the park Thur - 30 min full body weights Fri - 30 min walk Sat - Rest day Sun - 30 min walk & 30 min mowing Exercise Plan: Easy Week Mon - 30 min walk Tues - 30 min gardening Wed - Rest Day Thur - 30 min games with kids Fri - 30 min walk Sat - Rest day Sun - Picnic in the park/games
[Editor’s Note:] Need a top resource for weight programs? Bodybuilding.com offer fantastic articles on weight training, including an incredible library of exercises with illustrated and video instruction. Check them out to find out more on health & wellbeing. Nutrition Guidelines: No refined/processed foods www.bodybuilding.com For their support, we thank & recommend:
September, 2010 Issue
Eat six times per day No added sugar or fat Lots of leafy greens Approx 20-30gms protein per meal 8 glasses of water per day
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Want to eat clean? Here’s what to plant out this month in your garden!
Your Garden in Pictures!
Does it feel like hard work? Just remember that incidental activity, such as gardening, can have a great impact on your fitness, especially burning calories! In fact, about one hour of general gardening for an 85kg person can burn more than 350 calories! Make sure you prune off any dead bits and trim & fertilise herbs this month! Calculator Source: www.bodybuilding.com
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By: Neesha Bukht Choksy Ask ten different people to describe yoga, and you’re likely to get ten distinct, differing responses. Attend ten different yoga classes, and you’ll emerge with ten unique experiences. Given its popularity today, this should give you a little insight into what yoga is and its relation to health and fitness, so that you don’t inadvertently end up with a teacher or style of yoga that is ill-matched to your needs, abilities, and preferences. Yoga And Asana The word yoga means “union” in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where yoga originated. We can think of it as the union occurring between mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is not a September, 2010 Issue
religion, but it is a philosophy that has endured 5,000 years. Yoga refers to the practice of physical postures or poses called “asana’s”. Asana is only one type of yoga. Today, however, the words ‘asana’ and ‘yoga’ have become almost synonymous. With increased awareness, the poses become meditation-in-action with awareness of the breath flowing through the body. Each of the poses has specific physical benefits. Physical tension and imbalances are brought to attention and begin to release. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to increase stamina Pg. 17
and perfect the alignment of the pose. This is your practice; only you have the There is an ideal way that each pose wisdom to dictate where your practice should be performed. goes. Although the poses themselves do not change, your relationship to Many people think that yoga is them will. stretching. But while stretching is certainly involved, yoga is really about Anyone can start a yoga practice, creating balance in the body through even if you don’t feel like you are very developing both strength and flexibility. flexible or very strong. These things Most types of yoga are more concerned will develop over time. with mental and spiritual well-being than physical activity. Another great thing about thinking of yoga as “your practice” is that it Your Practice encourages the noncompetitive spirit Yoga teachers will often refer to “your of yoga. One of the most difficult, practice,” which means your individual but ultimately most liberating things experience with yoga as it develops about yoga is letting go of the ego and over time. Yoga, first and foremost, accepting that no one is better than must be approached in accordance to anyone else. your comfort zone. No pose, technique, or instructor behavior will instil any Everyone is just doing their best on any benefit if you are at all uncomfortable. given day. The amazing thing about yoga is that your practice is always Because yoga is so diverse, there is evolving and changing so it never gets plenty of room for interpretation from boring. one person to the next, even within the same classroom. You need to work Yoga Components at your own pace; not mine, not the Yoga classes may also include neighbour’s, not even your own of a instruction on breathing, call and week ago. response chanting, meditation, or an inspirational reading by the teacher. Don’t ever let anyone physically push The variety and amount of this will your body into a position beyond depend on the individual teacher that which you are able to assume by and the tradition in which they have yourself; don’t let anyone coax you to trained. go further than you wish to go. September, 2010 Issue
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Typically, a yoga class at a gym will be more focused on the purely physical benefits of yoga, while one at a yoga centre may delve more into the spiritual side.
A set series of poses is performed, always in the same order. Ashtanga practice is very physically demanding, because of the constant movement from one pose to the next.
Some people find that the physical practice of yoga becomes a gateway into a spiritual exploration while others just enjoy a wonderful low-impact workout that makes them feel great. Whatever your tendency, you will be able to find a yoga class that suits your style.
Ashtanga is the inspiration for what is often called ‘Power Yoga’. If a class is described as Power Yoga, it will be based on the flowing style of Ashtanga, but not necessarily keep strictly to the set Ashtanga series of poses.
Styles Of Yoga There are many different styles of yoga being taught and practiced today. Although all of the styles are based on the same physical postures (called poses), each has a particular emphasis. Here is a quick guide to the most popular types of yoga that can help you decode the schedule at your gym and figure out which class is right for you. September, 2010 Issue
Hatha Hatha is a very general term for slow-paced and gentle yoga, and can provide a good introduction to the basic yoga poses. Vinyasa Vinyasa, which means bre at h-sy nchronize d movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of a series of poses called ‘Sun Salutations’ in which movement is matched to the breath.
Iyengar This style of practice is most concerned with bodily alignment, which is the precise way in which your body should be positioned in each pose in order to obtain the maximum benefits of the pose and avoid injury.
Iyengar practice usually emphasizes holding poses Ashtanga/Power Yoga Ashtanga, which means over long periods versus eight limbs in Sanskrit, moving quickly from one is a fast-paced, intense pose to the next. style of yoga practice. Pg. 19
Kundalini The emphasis in Kundalini is on the breath in conjunction with physical movement, with the purpose of freeing energy in the lower body and allowing it to move upwards. Kundalini uses rapid, repetitive movements rather than holding poses for a long time, and the teacher will often lead the class in call and response chanting.
Doing any type of yoga will build strength, but some types may not raise your heart rate enough to constitute the only form of exercise necessary to a weight loss regime. So don’t use this as a substitute to weights and cardio.
Bikram/Hot Yoga Pioneered by Bikram Choudhury, this style is more generally referred to as Hot Yoga. It is practiced in a 95-100 degree room, which allows for a loosening of tight muscles and profuse sweating, which is thought to be cleansing.
However, Hatha is usually slow-paced, so if you are the kind of person who likes to move around more, Hatha may turn you off.
If you are brand new to yoga, you may want to take a few Hatha classes to learn the basic poses.
risk of injury. And while there are many great yoga books and videos available, there is no substitute from learning directly from a good teacher in a yoga class. Anyone may practice yoga to keep their bodies fit and supple or for relief from back or joint pain, injuries or stress. Others want to feel the joy and energy yoga imparts. Hatha Yoga helps free people from limiting beliefs, even those who feel they are too old, too stiff, or too out of shape.
Strength And Cardio Very vigorous types of yoga practice such as Ashtanga and ‘Power Yoga’ are cardiovascular exercise and may help you lose weight, if done regularly, along with a diet plan.
Health Benefits Of Yoga Even if you are already There are many benefits in great shape, take a few of practicing yoga. Here beginners’ classes to learn are a few: the poses and avoid the You’ll feel more relaxed and learn to stay relaxed. Your overall muscle tone improves as well as alignment. You’ll add vitality to your spine, improving all systems of the body, especially the glands and nerves.
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Digestion improves; gas and bloating lessens. Your lungs expand, increasing oxygen intake. You’ll sleep better. You’ll be less tired during the day with higher energy. Your immune system will strengthen. You’ll learn to set aside time for yourself. You’ll learn to trust yourself more.
Conclusion This is not a “10 days to complete fitness” kind of activity. Part of what makes yoga so beneficial is its power in influencing vast changes in your body and health over time.
So, keep your expectations realistic, and give yourself a sufficient time frame - at least 8-12 weeks - with which to assess your progress, and you will be much Performed properly with a qualified more likely stick it out long enough to teacher, the therapy of yoga movement see those wonderful results materialize! often benefits physical conditions. Health improves as a result of improved alignment, flexibility or strength. Remember to discuss any issues of health with your medical professional and your teacher prior to starting your class. And just too simply set the record straight: Your chances of achieving an ultra-fit “celebrity body” just by practicing yoga are - no pun intended - slim. This is certainly not to say that yoga can’t help deliver impressive fitness results. But it takes other forms of exercise - such as cardiovascular training - to help round out the fitness benefits of any yoga practice.
Article supplied with thanks to:
Furthermore, many of yoga’s numerous benefits - for example, increased flexibility, postural alignment, lowback strength, abdominal tone, stress reduction - are far from instantaneous. September, 2010 Issue
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We as moms and modern day women are forced to do more in less time. Here are my top rules and MUST DO’s for looking better, feeling stronger, and getting glam in little to no time flat! We as moms and modern day women are forced to do more in less time. The demands of our jobs, homes, families, and friends forces us sometimes to put ourselves last. I urge all moms to “put themselves back on their to do lists!” Here are my top rules and MUST DO’s for looking better, feeling stronger, and getting glam in little to no time flat! September, 2010 Issue
By
Article supplied with thanks to:
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candle, Epsom bath salts and some 1. Look Clean, Put Together, And relaxing music are all you need for the Classic! ultimate at home spa experience to help recharge and relax you! There is nothing quicker than a slicked back clean pony tail when 4. Pick Out A Classic Easy To Expand you are trying to look polished in On Wardrobe: less than 5 minutes. Simply brush hair back completely off of face, and When you are in a rush and have place in a chic pony tail at the nape to build a look instantly, make sure of the back of your neck. Be aware of you stock your closet with must have stray hairs, keeping them clean and in staples. These classic essentials are a place with a touch of hair spray. Add pair of black pants, a knee length black a small pearl earring and you are set! skirt, a crisp clean white shirt, a sharp Clean, classic, and polished never was looking belt and a matching jacket. so easy! Pick out a pair of contemporary shoes 2. Make Up In 3 Minutes! that will go with everything so that you take the guess work out of it all! Getting All you need is under eye concealer to dressed in the morning will be a cinch! wash away the tired look, foundation to even out skin tone, and also a loose 5. Get Your Rest! powder to set it all into place. Nothing looks better on you than rest! In addition, a quick sweep of a peachy Make sure you get to bed at a reasonable or pink blush with mascara and a fresh time, and you get ample sleep so you application of lip gloss will take you from looking sleepy to sensational! 3. Have A Hot Bath! Spa time may be expensive to do at a resort, but it isn’t when you bring the spa home! Simply shut all phones off, and make sure you place a note at the door not to ring the bell. A cheap September, 2010 Issue
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are more alert, function better, and also are in a better mood! Aim to get at least 8 hours a night! 6. Treat Your Workouts As Important Business Meetings That You Can’t Cancel:
No Gym? No Worries!
Grab a FitDeck and try some of these awesome workout ideas NOW!!
Treat your workouts as important business meetings that you cannot be late to, cancel with THE most At Home: important person in the world-YOU! “Commercial Breaks” - No excuses while That’s right! Give yourself and your workouts the proper respect that they deserve, and your body will thank you. Your body needs to be challenged, and when it is, it grows stronger, and you feel better. It’s a win-win! Stop lying to yourself claiming that you will actually get more done if you skip your workout, just to “free up time.” But your body will not be as efficient and effective if you forgo training all together! Put your workouts on your priority list, and you will get more done, quicker in less time.
your watching TV to skip exercise!
Grab your FitDeck and do 3 exercise cards during each ad break! Try it now: From the “Bodyweight” deck 20 x Jumping Jacks 12 x Squats 10 x Abdominal Crunches Parents: “Card for Card” - Want to be a role model to your kids for good health and exercise? What better way than to challenge them and then let them challenge you? Try it now: From the “Junior” deck
Conclusion With my Fat to Fab Fast tips, you are Get your FitDeck fitness cards from sure to gain the energy, strength, and the TalkingFitness online store today! endurance that you need to look and feel your best! Smile and be well! September, 2010 Issue
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Green Tea: Secrets of an Ancient Culture Inspired Wellness
By Katrina Zaslavsky www.inspiredwellness.com.au
croissants and get away with it!! Green tea can boost the immune system; Research by the Pace University found that Green Tea deactivates viruses and research from Harvard has confirmed this, finding that tea chemicals stimulated T-cells that The Chinese have been drinking it for boost immunity against bacteria and viruses. thousands of years. Only now, western science is rediscovering what we already knew - that drinking tea is extremely Drinking Green Tea reduced the risk of good for us! Green tea is made from the oesophageal cancer by almost sixty percent Camellia Sinensis plant - as is black tea. The in an epidemiological study published in difference is that Green Tea is unfermented, which means that it still retains its potent antioxidant properties. It is the Catechin Polyphenols in green tea that gives them their power, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which is a powerful anti-oxidant. The University of Kansas in September 1997 found out that it is 100 times more effective than Vitamin C. It is also twice as powerful as the antioxidant in red wine, famous for giving the French people license to eat rich fatty foods and Drinking tea is one of the biggest health trends from the hottest spas, fitness centres and cafes around the country and there is a good reason for it. The funny thing about tea is that it is nothing new.
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1994 by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The growth of cancer cells is inhibited by a compound in Green Tea according to University of Purdue. Not only does it inhibit the growth of tumours, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
a Food Formula especially formulated by the temple priest to help stimulate mental clarity. It was traditionally used to help enhance meditation and concentration.
Calli tea is the most wonderful and powerful beverage for supporting the body’s natural Good news for the weight conscious; elimination processes with all the benefits drinking tea regularly assists in weight loss. Only a few cups of tea per day have been found to suppress excessive accumulation of body and liver fat. According to a study conducted at the University of Geneva in Switzerland in 1999, published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea helps the body burn more calories, preventing sharp rises in blood sugar. Tea is effective in regulating blood sugar, of green tea plus much more! cholesterol and fat. Please note that this is only true for green and black teas, not for What is Calli Tea? the common herbal teas. Calli tea is a unique, highly concentrated blend of exquisite tea leaves and extracts, With so many health benefits in a cup it is that naturally assist the body’s own cleansing a wonder why we all haven’t switched to process. Made without chemical additives, drinking Green Tea already? artificial flavours or preservatives, this all natural delicious tea contains powerful If you’re like me, it’s because the Green Tea antioxidants to protect the body from free you have tried tastes terrible and tends to radicals. Calli tea makes a delicious and have a bitter aftertaste. I’ve personally tried healthy replacement for regular teas or many brands on the market. My favourite coffee. green tea is called Calli tea. Unlike many other beverages, Calli is alkaline in nature. In an alkaline environment, Nothing compares to it in taste or quality. impurities are less likely to be absorbed into Not only does it taste so much better but one our bodies’ systems during digestion. cup of Calli tea contains the same amount And while Calli is neither a diuretic nor of antioxidants as 4-6 cups of normal green a laxative, it does enhance the removal tea! The uniqueness of Calli tea is thanks to of wastes and by-products that result Dr. Tei Fu Chen, a Master Herbalist with from normal digestion and metabolism. knowledge of over 4000 herbs. Calli therefore assists our body’s natural purification and elimination processes. The history of Calli in Chinese culture was All Calli products are formulated to help September, 2010 Issue
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the body’s natural cleansing process. In a world of environmental pollution as well as chemical by product residues in our food supply, calli is an important addition to even the most basic effort to cleanse and improve overall health and longevity. Camellia sinensis, a major herb in Calli tea, is known to reduce fat and cholesterol in the body by improving function of the liver. It is a rich source of antioxidants with many beneficial catechins present. Flavours include regular, mint, cinnamon and night.
“My mom and dad sent me some Calli tea and some Fortune Delight, they mentioned that it would help me lose weight but I am a skeptic and didn’t believe them, so I just drank it to be drinking tea, and within 4 days of starting this drink, I lost 3 whole pounds! I did not change what I ate or anything just added the tea to my daily drinking, and I am no longer sceptical about this WONDERFUL product!! Thank you so much!!! Bekka E./Springdale, Arkansas
“I have been very pleasantly surprised how well the Fortune Delight and Calli Tea has How to Order worked for me. Using the drinks has helped We invite you to contact us with any me lose that extra layer of fat that has plagued questions regarding this article or find out me for some years now” Barta/Mesa, AZ prices & shipping details of Calli Tea in small or large size packs. “When I began my Sunrider journey, I was broke and could only afford to drink Fortune Want to receive more healthy living Delight and Calli. I found they were even updates like this one directly in your inbox cheaper than the lifeless drinks I was already each month plus a FREE health audio on consuming. After 3 weeks of changing Maximum Immunity with our compliments? absolutely nothing in my life but drinking Subscribe to our F R E E Healthy e-News sunrider teas, my body had dumped 15kgs here. of fat and waste. I phoned my friend who introduced me to sunrider to tell him how What Others Say about Calli... wonderful I was feeling. My self esteem had returned, my anger and negative emotions ”With the Calli tea we easily switched from were gone and I just couldn’t stop smiling. I unhealthy drinks, like coffee. My wife drinks now eat LOTS of the Sunrider products!” it every day, and she drinks Calli Night to Michael Pan, Adelaide SA help her sleep. She’s lost a little weight, and we’ve both noticed that it makes us feel great! Cheers to your good health! Now our daughter is drinking Calli, too.” G. Henderson/Crystal River, FL
Article with thanks to:
Inspired Wellness www.inspiredwellness.com.au September, 2010 Issue
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INGREDIENTS: 1kg Tinned Tuna Herbs & Spices: 4 Egg whites 2 tablespoons ground Dill 1 cup rolled oats (ground 1 tablespoon Mexican Chilli into oat flour) 1 tablespoon Cumin 1 tablespoon Coriander Grate or dice: 2 tablespoon ground Pepper 1 large onion Salt to taste 1 small carrot 1 med zucchini What To Do:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and get a nonstick muffin tray to fit 10-12 balls ready to go 1. After draining the tuna, mix all ingredients together in a big bowl 2. Using your hands, make up 10-12 tennis ball sized balls and place each one into a muffin tray 3. Place in the middle shelf of your oven and cook for 30 mins (45 mins if using raw chicken, beef or turkey) 4. Remove from the oven once cooked and leave to sit for 15 mins before serving with your favourite salad or vegetables.
Recipe of the Month
Tuna Balls served with Salad
Makes: 10-12 Balls 1-2 balls per serve
NB: If using a fan forced oven, turn the tray around after 15mins to prevent one side of the tuna balls from getting burnt. Tuna can be replaced with minced chicken, turkey or beef. Remember to cook raw meats for 45 minutes. September, 2010 Issue
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Special Feature
Diabetes and Me By Damian Fleming
According to Diabetes Australia, in excess of 1 million Australian’s already have diabetes and half of those people don’t even know it! Diabetes costs the Australian health system over $1 billion a year and, as the disease increases, so too does the personal cost. September, 2010 Issue
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What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease characterised by high blood glucose levels. This is the result of the sufferer’s body not producing sufficient insulin, or not using the insulin it does produce efficiently.
This type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas gland no longer produces the insulin our bodies need to function and requires insulin to be injected into the body to compensate. Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can include excessive thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, weakness, fatigue and irritability.
Type 2 diabetes – Non-insulin Insulin is a hormone needed by our Dependent body to covert the glucose contained in the food we eat into energy. Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form of diabetes, representing Because it is unable to convert the approximately 85 to 90% of all diabetes glucose into energy, a disproportionately cases. high amount of glucose remains in our bloodstream, which causes our arteries, Type 2 diabetes also involves our veins and capillaries to become sticky pancreas however, unlike Type 1 and clogged, inhibiting the flow of diabetes, the development of Type blood, oxygen and nutrients to all the 2 diabetes is directly affected by parts of our body. lifestyle factors as well as a genetic predisposition to the disease. Of all the Type 1 diabetes – Insulin Dependent risk factors associated with the onset of Type 2 diabetes, being overweight or About 10 to 15% of all cases of diabetes obese is believed to be among the most in Australia are Type 1 diabetes. significant and is most typical with the over 45’s age group. It is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases in Australia. Usually Type 2 diabetes develops gradually and it affects children and young adults, but its symptoms sometimes go completely it can occur at any age and without any unnoticed. These symptoms may be the apparent warning or reason. same as those with Type 1 diabetes with September, 2010 Issue
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added blurred vision, skin infections, slow healing, tingling and numbness in the feet. Health problems associated with diabetes
What does this equate to in weight loss terms? Simply aim to lose between 0.5kg and 1kg for every 10kgs of body weight! So if you weight 100kgs, aim to lose between 5kgs and 10kgs.
Type 2 diabetes has a number of health problems associated with it, including kidney failure, blindness, nerve disease, loss of limbs, heart disease, stroke, male and female reproductive problems or even premature death.
What if you’ve found yourself in the very early stages of diabetes? Well if you have prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance), almost 60% of sufferers avoided diabetes by losing 5-10% of their body weight!
Living with Diabetes
Another great way to keep an eye on your risk for the disease is to measure your waistline. Generally speaking, women should aim for a circumference of less than 80cm and men should aim for less than 94cm. Diabetes Australia specify that this is for those “of Caucasian origin” and that “Appropriate measurements for other ethnic groups can be checked with your doctor”.
The good news about Type 2 diabetes is that it can often be managed, or avoided altogether, by adopting healthy and active lifestyle habits, possibly in conjunction with medical intervention. Type 1 diabetes, although not directly lifestyle related, does require a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity in addition to the daily insulin injections and regular blood glucose level tests. Being overweight, especially around your waistline, makes it more difficult for you to manage your diabetes and increases your risk of heart disease. In fact, by dropping just 5-10% of your body weight you can reduce your risk of developing complications, such as heart disease and stroke, and make managing diabetes much easier. September, 2010 Issue
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Getting it Together Getting your lifestyle under control can be difficult, especially in the beginning. Focus on the health risks and consider how your disease will impact others, such as your friends and family, especially children. Take a very simple approach to get things started and leave the complicated exercise and diet plans for another day. Start out with a plan to get moving. Walk around your house, your yard, the block, do whatever you can to get moving. Start small and work your way up to doing 30 mins a day every single day. It might take days or even weeks, but just don’t give up. Every step counts! Cut the junk! We all have cravings for sweet and fatty foods, it’s part of our modern day programming. Focus first on getting rid of fat out of your diet, especially saturated and trans fats.
If you struggle with this, don’t give up altogether! Just adjust your goal to something more achievable, for example, only allow yourself to eat foods that have less than 10% fat. Once you’ve gotten yourself moving, cut out junk food and reduced or eliminated bad fat from your diet, you should find yourself slowing losing weight. If this doesn’t happen, or if it happens very well and you hit your goal quickly, it’s recommended that you seek professional services, including a visit to your doctor, to further develop a health and fitness management plan. References: Diabetes Australia: www.diabetesaustralia.com.au Weight Loss.com.au: www.weightloss.com.au
September, 2010 Issue
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September, 2010 Issue
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