No Gym? No Excuse!

To Gym Or Not To Gym?

I first started going to a gym because I felt I had to, when I was in my early 20's. Yes, I was overweight and the prevailing weight loss thoughts in those days was that you could almost outrun your eating! By increasing your exercise, you will lose weight!

Well, that was the beginning of a long and hateful journey with the gym. If you are anything like me, you resent going to it. It means:

• hard work and much pain tomorrow
• lots of dirty grubby sweaty clothes to wash
• being laughed at by all those 'skinny' people
• early morning starts, or late home after work as you HAVE to go
• the feeling of being forced to do something you don't want to do

It should feel like this to go to the gym:

But in reality, it feels much more like this!

How I managed to turn this around for me.  

I now have a gym at home (well, I have a treadmill and a weights station) and I dip into and out of it as I please. I even enjoy doing the exercises.  I also walk a lot, and I mean A LOT - up to 4 or 5 times a week, because I want to. There is no longer that feeling that I need to do it.

What changed for me?  Well, after nearly 25 years of feeling that I had to go to the gym to lose weight, I was mentored by a great friend, and discovered that I could lose weight in the kitchen first, and that then increased my motivation to move my body.  The idea of moving my body in a gym was a little off putting for me initially, so I went walking. I'm fortunate to live in an area that has many rainforest walks and I went off into the rainforest for some good old fashioned walking.

I saw much beauty while I was walking (knowing I was completing my gratitude diary daily helped me look beyond what I was doing and towards the beauty that was surrounding me).

I felt so much clearer in the head (yes, I had previously had a lot of brain fog) after my walks.

The walks started as 15 - 30 minute walks and eventually grew to an hour as my energy increased.  Still I wasn't at the gym.  I was happy with that, as I was enjoying moving my body without the stress of going to the gym in my oversized tee-shirts.

After a couple of months of walking, I saw an advert for a weight loss/exercise challenge at the local gym. My mindset had changed enough by this time (as I had already lost some of my weight) and I was confident in my nutrition program, that I decided it was time to tone some of my external 'flab'.

I joined the gym for a 3 month period and went 4 times a week, I still continued with walking, sometimes taking the time to walk to and from the gym, as I wanted to be out in the fresh air still, as well as working on resistance training.

Knowing that resistance training was helping to keep my bones strong, was the key to my mindset on the gym. I was there to tone and build my bones, not to lose weight. That I did as a side effect.

For me, the biggest change was my mindset, I had changed from wanting to improve my weight and appearance for others, to wanting to do it for me. I changed from accepting that I was a big boned girl to truly believing that I was fine boned. I changed from believing dieting was about restriction and deprivation to believing that it was about living life in balance.

The tools I used on my journey are self development books, essential oils, nutrition program and a coach.  You can use these tools very easily for yourself as well.

The first self-development book I read was The Four Agreements.  This is a book that we have now read and analysed within the Book Club group I run (click here to learn more). The changes in how you see where you are, stem from understanding where your beliefs come from. This was a huge change for me and for those that also have read this book.

My essential oil blends worked on my self esteem, on my motivation and on my desires and wishes.  I have created a series of blends for different purposes and am now in the process of publishing these further. I will be sharing recipes on my Facebook page regularly, watch out for them, and for the emotions they are targeting.

The nutrition program I followed is very similar to the Paleo way of thinking, having some days without food, having days with food, eating more protein and less carbohydrates, and ensuring that I was covering my nutritional needs as far as nutrients and vitamins as well as a balance between protein, carbohydrates, fats and fibre. To find out more about it, visit my website, or email me, or send me a message on my Facebook page or through my website.

My coach, well, what more can I say, having someone believe in you, having someone call you on your excuses, having someone in your corner to hear you cry and to give you strength. Priceless. From this coaching experience, I have learnt at the feet of a master, and I now (along with her help as well as many others) provide the same experience for my ladies. To find out more, contact me now.

Chicken with Spinach and Feta

Chicken with Spinach and Feta

I love to share the recipes I use in my daily healthy living.  Especially when they show balance in eating.

Over the weekend, we tried out a Greek recipe. It is Chicken with Spinach and Feta.

What I loved the most about this recipe, apart from the fact that it's Greek and takes me to the Islands in an instant, is that it was simple, easy to follow and produce, and had an impact on the taste buds! Healthy living is about impact

Ingredients:

250g English Spinach (though I used local Silverbeet, much the same leafy green vege)

40g feta cheese, crumbled (I did cut it up, it does stick to the fingers!)

2 single chicken breast fillets (approximately 200g each)

1/2 tblsp olive oil

40 ml sour cream

1 tblsp chopped fresh parsley

Sauce:

30g butter

1 tblsp flour (plain)

1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock

1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine

Step 1: Prepare the spinach and feta filling

Wash the spinach and steam until just wilted, drain well and cool - you will be handling this and adding the cheese, so make sure it is cool when you do the next step

Combine the spinach and the feta into a bowl.  

Cut a pocket into the side of the chicken breasts. Fill with the spinach mixture, may seem like it's overfull, but when you close this pocket up with toothpicks, it works fine.

Close the pocket with toothpicks, it took about four for each chicken breast for me to feel they were secure.

Step 2: Prepare the sauce

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, take off the heat and add the flour. Whisk in until all the lumps are gone, away from the heat. Return to the heat and gently heat until the sauce is bubbling.  Remove from the heat again, and gradually stir in the stock then the wine. Replace onto the heat and stir until the sauce boils and thickens up.  It doesn't thicken to a consistency of custard, but more like a runny gravy, which is just fine.

Step 3: Cook the chicken

If you have a pan that does not require oil, then merely heat the pan, if it does need oil, then add the olive oil and heat.

Add the chicken and cook until it is browned on both sides.  Stir in the sauce, bring it to a simmer, then allow it to cook, covered, for 25 minutes.

Stir in the sour cream and parsley until heated through.

Step 4: Serve and enjoy!

Cooking and preparation took approximately 45 minutes.  

Nutrition per serve:

Calories 535

Kilojoules 2252

Protein 56g

Fats 32g

Carbs 13g

We served this with steamed cauliflower to add more fibre.  It was filling, balanced (fibre, protein, good quality fats and small carbs) and nutritious.

Secrets To Fasting

Over the last year there has been much written about fasting as a way to lose weight.

Fasting is not a diet though, it is a way of life.  The change to this type of lifestyle needs to be permanent for you to achieve the desired outcomes.

What are those outcomes?

Well, they can be whatever your body needs at the time. It could be burning excess fat as energy, it could be growing more lean muscle, or it may just be giving your digestive system time to rest and recover!

Recently there has been some media coverage on the type of fasting that is beneficial to a healthier lifestyle. Personally, I really enjoy the 5:2 ratio of fasting.  This is where you eat from a healthy menu for 5 days of the week, for the remaining 2 days of the week, you fast.

The most recent ratio being written about is 14:10. This is where you fast for 14 hours every day, and eat from a healthy menu for 10 hours.  There have been no available studies that I have found on this ratio, whereas for the 5:2 ratio, there are more available studies highlighting the benefits to your body.

So, the secrets to fasting. 

My 7 TopTtips:

1. Stay busy.  Keeping the mind active doesn't allow you time to dwell on the fact that you're not eating
2. Treat yourself.  Okay, it's not food, but the benefits of a relaxing bubble bath, getting your hair done, getting a manicure, or whatever it is that feels like a treat, allows you to have something other than food to look forward to
3. Keep hydrated.  Drinking plenty of water to assist your body with removing the impurities that have been in your body.  Remember, when you are fasting, this gives your digestive system time to actively remove those impurities that have been stored within your fat cells (or other places in your body), so the body needs a little extra help to flush out.  Drinking 1 litre of water for every 20kg of body weight is ideal.
4. Drink herbal (non-caffeine) teas.  Personally, I love lemon and ginger in the mornings of a fasting day, and over the day I can change this to a peppermint tea.  Both these teas (make sure you obtain the herbal ones, and not the black tea that is flavoured) support your digestive system and don't put an added load onto it, while also supporting your hydration.
5. Try not to snack, but if you need to, try a low-sodium, organic vegetable broth.
6. Try a guided meditation. There is a free guided meditation by Rick Reynolds
7. Gentle exercise. Take a gentle walk, not a full on cardiovascular workout, something gentle in nature is what I love to do. I've also recently started yoga on my fasting days.

Bonus Tips:

1. Write a journal. When you are fasting, there can be a release of emotions, it's great to write these down for reflection.
2. Have an early night. Take a good book to bed and relax into your nightly slumber.
3. Avoid the supermarket or food halls. On your fasting day, do not venture into a supermarket or near any food halls or stalls.  These will put too much temptation in your way and encourage you to fail at your day of fasting!

Remember to always ease into eating again after a period of fasting, with good quality nutrition.  Also, never fast for longer than 48 hours, the studies show that there is no benefit to your body by fasting for longer than this period of time.

I follow a system of fasting that is the simplest way I have ever experienced and my increased energy at the end of a fasting is incredible! 

To contact me to find out more about the system I follow, click here and I will be in contact with you.

The Perfect Workout For Busy Gyms

It's that time of the year again, when all the New Year's Resolutions have to be undertaken - and one of them is going to the gym more often.  Do you find that the gym gets really busy at the start of the year, and your usual equipment is not always available?  Here's a great article that will give you and idea for getting around this.

By: Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Certified Turbulence Trainer
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Imagine you’re about to workout and suddenly notice it requires two different dumbbell weights or two different machines, used back to back without rest (a superset).

Now this sometimes isn’t a problem, but usually the gym is busy, making it virtually impossible to quickly get through the workout as it was intended. UGHH!

So what are you supposed to do?

Well, you could…

1. Stockpile dumbbells around your bench - this will surely anger others around you.  Plus, with the gym so busy to begin with, you probably wouldn’t be able to grab more than one set of dumbbells anyways.
2. Ask someone if you can work-in with them on a machine, or borrow their dumbbells. Since you’ll now be accommodating someone else’s workout, you’ll inevitably have more rest time, and ultimately lengthen your own workout.   

Now while these suggestions can work, they’re NOT recommended for those who want maximum results in minimum time.

And so that’s precisely why I designed Turbulence Training 2K6.

With this workout at your disposal, you should be able to use the same dumbbell weight for pairs of exercises in a superset, or you’ll find that I’ve combined a dumbbell exercise with a bodyweight exercise. 

So you’ll no longer need to change your weight or get new equipment for the second exercise.

Plus, if you want either a little variation from the traditional interval training workouts or just simply an off-day workout, then you’ll love the “Total Body Ten” bodyweight workout that I’ve also included in the program.

I’m pretty sure neither of the two scenarios listed above sounded very appealing, especially if it’s results you’re after.  And when all is said and done, TT 2K6 is a great way to help you overcome busy gyms. In fact, you’ll be flying through these workouts so fast that you probably won’t even know how packed the gym is!








About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Did You Know: Orange Juice Is BAD?

Apparently, orange juice makes you eat more.

There is a study published that shows if you drink orange juice when working out, then eat your meal afterwards, you eat up to 250 calories more.

Interesting huh?

What do you drink at the gym?

Me? I drink water, or an energy drink that I love (doesn't contain sugars, mainly Vit C), though orange flavoured (due to the Vit C), it's not orange juice.

A protein drink after a workout is essential to feed your muscles too - this I also do - it's all about recovery of your muscles, and carbohydrates (i.e., sugars) won't build muscle, protein does.

I usually have my protein shake within 20 minutes of completing my workout - what do you do?

Cut Out the Fluff Exercises And Get More Results, Faster

I love learning about new equipment to try out at the gym though sometimes you need to make sure it is giving you and effective training, check out this article by Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

You’ve probably used or at least seen a Bosu Ball in your gym before (those blue half balls with one flat side), but what you might not know is that they’re really just fluff exercises.


What do I mean by that?

Well, let me share a personal story with you…

Tony, a personal trainer and former client of mine, came to me one day asking for help. You see, Tony’s a pretty fit guy, but his personal training business had started to pick up, leaving him with less time to workout.

So we reviewed his program together and I immediately noticed it contained too many fluff exercises.
Tony needed maximum results in minimum time and Bosu Ball training wasn’t going to cut it.  So what I ended up doing was designing him two workouts that essentially included only the most effective exercises for gaining muscle and losing fat.

In fact, the first superset of 1-leg squats paired with dumbbell chest presses alone was more effective than an entire Bosu Ball workout.  And the second workout challenged him to one of the hardest upper body workouts he had ever done. So you can just imagine how happy Tony was with his new workout program.

And this is just Tony’s story.

I realize working out is often a huge struggle for many of you, either because you don’t have the time, or you’re growing frustrated with the lack of results.

But with the two workouts I’ve designed in Turbulence Training 2K5, one total body and one upper body, combined with newer, advanced interval training programs, you’ll discover a workout program perfectly suited for today’s busy lifestyle.

So, if it’s maximum results you want in the minimum amount of time possible, then this is a program tailored just for you.


About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Did You Know: Rest Doesn't Work?

Did you know that taking longer rests between your exercise routines doesn't affect your body shape? However, a recent study showed that by reducing your rest intervals by up to 75% gave you significantly greater enhancements in your body composition?

Interesting isn't it?

How long do you rest for between sets?  I usually give one minute, but I'm now going to reduce this 'significantly'  Maybe go for 15 seconds instead - that will make the workout tougher I'm sure!!

Good luck with your workouts this weekend