Ultimate Health Guide NuZest

ULTIMATE
HEALTH
GUIDE
100+ experts from around the world
share their personal health tips.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the 100+ health experts around the world who have so generously shared
some of their best ideas and tips in this guide. Without their valuable contribution this guide would
not have been possible.
We would also like to thank marketing expert Graham McGregor who created this guide for NuZest.
ABOUT
NUZEST
At NuZest, we put wellbeing at the forefront of who

we are and why we exist.
Our experienced team and innovative products our products fit in with busy lifestyles and are easy
enable us to make good nutrition easy for and convenient to take every day.
everyone. And good nutrition is the key to
wellness and vitality – that’s why they call us ‘the We like to keep things real, and by that we mean
feel good people’. we base our products on real foods that are rich
in nutrients and essential vitamins and minerals.
We’re known for our range of superior healthy It’s what you’d expect to find in a superior quality
food supplements, with names that tell you product, after all.
exactly what they’re about, like Clean Lean
Protein – a complete vegetable protein isolate The NuZest approach goes beyond our
sourced from European Golden Peas; and Good outstanding products. We have a team of
Green Stuff – our super-blend of nutrient-rich professionals from across the health and lifestyle
greens, fruits and vegetables, helpful herbs and fields – including naturopaths, fitness trainers and
high antioxidant berries, and much more. nutritionists – who work closely with us, stand
behind our products, and provide our customers
Our products have been created with diverse with expert advice on nutrition, diet, exercise, and
lifestyles and varying needs in mind. From those just about every health-related topic in between.
who are looking for better daily nutrition through
to people seeking increased energy for exercise
and sports performance – we’ve ensured that all
Head to www.nuzest.com
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CONTENTS
GENERAL HEALTH NUTRITION
Adopting a low-tox diet and lifestyle How nutrition is becoming the new religion
Tabitha McIntosh Kira Sutherland
How to boost your mood naturally Prepare your eating

Cassie Mendoza-Jones Andrew Simmons
Secrets to looking sexy in 6 weeks Tackling tummy troubles

Blake Worrall-Thompson Lisa Guy
The ultimate super food Don’t sweat the small stuff

David Hodges Paul Richards
Changing your life… and keep it that way! It’s not just ‘what’ but ‘when’
Rachel Jones Levi Bloom
A Brain Scientist’s guide to drinking coffee Don’t be afraid of all fats

Dr Sarah McKay Katie Bressack
Listen to your body The truth about hunger

Justine Thorner Mike Clancy
The 5% that could save your life Eliminate gluten in 5 easy steps
Yasmine S. Ali Margaret A. Romero
Building better bones Keep a food journal

Magdalena Cadet Irene Ross
What’s on your ‘healthy bucket list?’ Kick sugar to the curb

Jovanka Ciares Debi Silber
Reverse a common cause of back pain! Plan smart to eat smart

Dr Tom Garzillo Ling Wong
Are digestive issues making you fat? Cut out sugar now
Tony Hale Leanne Sklavenitis
Goal setting and accountability

Will Lanier
How to banish the afternoon energy slump

Erica Mather
Stretch your eyes for relief

Dr Glen-Martin Swartwout
Natural tummy trouble solutions

Dr Rebecca Harwin
7 golden rules for healthy eating and living

Barbara Karafokas
Get fit where you sit

Lakshmi Voelker
Anti-aging tips to look as healthy as you feel

Jessica Krant
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CONTENTS
FITNESS
Do boxing Resistance is not futile
Kris Abbey Nicole LaBlonde
Follow the beat… Keep your chin up and injuries down

Maria Teresa Stone Dr Robert Pomahac
Why you need a foam rolling 25 in 25TM

Natalie Carter Marcey Rader
Spice up your workout Ditch the tradition cardio. Add the interval
Fiona Compston Brandon Mentore
Your best ever body after having a baby Create muscle confusion
Jen Dugard Kristen Hallett Rzasa
The miracle workout 4 – minute fitness with the “victory march”

Steve Gardiner Dr Tom Taylor
Get motivated Simple bodyweight and kettle bell workouts

Tina Rutzou Joe Vennare
Lost your exercise mojo The single best yoga posture for low back pain
Mat Skate Howard VanEs
Stronger healthier bones builds firmer Baby steps to avoid burnouts

perkier bodies Jessica Watkins
Lisa Weis
Be realistic about your starting point
A great exercise for ladies Laura Williams
Mish Wright
A good leg to stand on

Barbara Bergin
The GIT principle

Eric Broser
The power of functional training

Jillian Bullock
Postnatal belly buster

Helene Byrne
Preventing post exercise pains

Alan Crabtree
Fitting in fitness: the bike-integrated lifestyle

Abbie Durkee
A little extension goes a long way

Julie Fisher
After exercise, ice is nice and heat is sweet

Robert Herbst
This is where fit happens

Greg Justice
10 minutes abs
Marc Lebert
Muti-task your exercise

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CONTENTS
WEIGHT LOSS MIND/BODY
Stay off the scales! Breathe in breathe out
Amanda Ferguson Claire Obeid
Four steps to success Watch your dominate thoughts

Geoff Jowett Sally Feinerman
Get a different set of scales Talk yourself slim

Dr Joe Kosterich Narelle Lee
Eliminate fat without sacrificing taste Move your mood

Diana Antholis Gretchen Masters
Lose weight the French way How to eliminate food addiction

Sally Asher Gabrielle Maston
Your weight is in the palm of your hand Exercise with others

Kendra Fitzgerald Patrea O’Donoghue
Stop emotional eating with six simple steps Achieving total wellbeing five minutes at a time
Betsy Fry Ananda Trettin
High nutrition foods make your body burn fat Master your mind… master your life!
Jessica Geier Stuart Walter
How to eat more and weigh less Base decisions on where you are going… not where
Maria Guadagno you’ve been
Laura Erdman-Luntz
Conquering change
Lisa Tillinger Johansen Stress reduction using mini meditations
Kathy Gruver
Are you destined to be fat?
Melanie R. Jordan Mental fitness and being in the moment
Michael J. Formica
Model your way to fitness success
Richard Kelley Self-talk to get and stay healthy
Karen R. Koenig
Hill sprinting- the fat loss secret
Tanner Martty Why “me time” is important and how to get some
Liza Laird
Track your progress on a regular basis
Andrea Oh The Magic of mediation
Mandy Main
Drink water to lose weight
Dr Joy Ohayia The attitude of gratitude
Elizabeth Manuel
The secret to blast belly fat and sugar cravings!
Cindy Santa Ana Balance your energy with one simple technique
Dr Avi Ratnanesan
Manage your weight with a cocktail!
Tom Potisk Take a mini-vacation
Linden Schaffer
One step to start losing weight and feeling
your best Bounce-back. Ability – a key life skill
Clea Shannon Helen Turier
“How do I lose a pound” What am I thinking right now?

Dr Marisa R. Silver Ellen Wood
Hitt- the quickest way to lose fat Reduce stress and aging with art and colour?
Nathan Towle Leanne Venier
Preparation is the key to fat loss success ‘Don’t worry – you’ll pass out before you die’
Lisa Van Ahn Marty Beene
Unleash your ‘inner Goldilocks’ and lose fat End comfort eating and reach your target weight
Sally Symonds Victoria Morrison titles
Click vigate
The sneaky side of weight loss to na
Conni Ponturo
GENERAL
HEALTH
ADOPTING
A LOW – TOX
DIET AND LIFESTYLE
By Tabitha McIntosh Author
Some exposures to pesticides and environmental chemicals are
unavoidable. Despite this, many everyday items found around our
homes and workplaces can emit chemicals that combined, create a
toxic cocktail inside our homes and bodies. It is now widely recognized
that the developing bodies of babies and children are at greatest
risk from these chemical exposures, but they do affect all of us. The
increasing prevalence of many modern-day illnesses, reproductive
concerns, and allergies is being linked to chemicals that we are
exposed to on a daily basis. Scary stuff, but true.
Over years of client work, I have found the most common issue people
have with going ‘low-tox’ is where to start. My motto here is “Do what
you can, with what you have, where you are”. This kind of approach
can turn the ‘defeated’ feeling into a feeling of empowerment around
living well. I also suggest thinking of chemicals as a “load’ issue. If you
are prepared to adapt something that you do regularly to reduce your By Tabitha McIntosh – Naturopath &
frequent exposures (eg. your morning make-up routine, swapping your Nutritionist
daily squirt of perfume for a few drops of essential oil blend, ditching
your plastic water bottle for a steel one), you will have a significant Tabitha McIntosh
impact on your body’s chemical ‘load’ over time. www.awakenyourhealth.com.au
Bachelor of Medical Science & Adv
In my practice, the most common signs I’Il observe in clients who are Dip Naturopathy Post Graduate Cert
exposed to high chemical load include sluggishness in the mornings, Nutritional & Environmental Medicine
with fatigue, lethargy, and cloudy thinking throughout the day. Some
people actually describe having a ‘toxic feeling’. Headaches, skin
rashes and poor immune resilience are other red-flags. I also see loads
of hormonal imbalances, thyroid disturbances, and low sperm counts
related to high chemical load, as many of these day-to-day chemical
exposures have endocrine-disrupting effects.
Here are some practical measures that you can try implementing, for
your confidence that your daily choices are supporting your low-tox
journey:
If you must, go for a DIY pedi, in a well-ventilated space, with the

low-chemical Butter brand (free form Dibutyl phthalate, toluene and
formaldehyde).
Store your food & water in glass or steel containers whenever possible.
Find alternatives to microwaving in plastic: use glass or ceramic
instead. Pyrex containers are great for baking in and storing food, and
Cheeki is a wonderful steel water bottle brand – covering needs from
babies to adults.
Eating organic produce, and buying free-range, organic animal

products where possible, will reduce your exposure to pesticides,
herbicides, fertilizers, and GMO’s. Go for organic, grass-fed beef, low
methyl-mercury fish, eco-eggs, and organic dairy products as often
as possible. When it comes to fruit and veg, keep up to date with the
Environmental Working Group’s Annual ‘Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen’
Produce list.
GENERAL HEALTH /
THE ULTIMATE HEALTH AND WELLNESS GUIDE. VOLUME 1
Go for whole foods at every meal, with minimal packaging. But for
those things that do come in a box or packet, look for short ingredients
lists and avoid artificial food additives, E-numbers and long names that
you can’t pronounce!
Avoid the use of pesticides in the home or garden, or on your family

pets. Examples of common things to avoid: Mortein, Baygone, garden
sprays, pet flea treatments, mosquito repellants that contain DEET etc.
There are safe, effective and natural alternatives out there.
Avoid artificial fragrances in air fresheners, fabric softeners, perfumes,

cheap candles & incense. Use fresh flowers, essential oils, and natural
alternatives instead.
Ditch the chemical cosmetics! By keeping your beauty and personal

care routine simple, you can downsize your chemical exposures
significantly. Nothing looks more beautiful than healthy skin, and we
can achieve that from the inside out. Sleep, regular exercise, Good
Green Stuff, and hydration go a long way. Having said that, of course
we all need the occasional spruce-up: I am a Miessence fan for beauty
and skin products, plus i find the Jane Iredale Mineral powder make-
up indispensable for achieving even-skin tone (free from oil, talc,
parabens, preservatives, synthetic fragrance), as it’s got such a nude
and natural look, and is long wearing with low SPF. Especially avoid nail
polishes and nail polish removers; aerosols like hairspray, conventional
hair dyes and bleaches while pregnant and breastfeeding. See the
Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database
for more information.
Reduce the number of home cleaners that you use, and go for natural
cleaning products instead. There are some great brands out there, but
a little bit of bi-carb soda, vinegar, and elbow grease can go a long way!
GENERAL HEALTH/
BACK TO CONTENT PAGE
HOW TO
BOOST YOUR
MOOD NATURALLY
By Cassie Mendoza-Jones Author
When was the last time your mood was truly balanced and happy?
There are many reasons why we sometimes feel sad, blue or moody.
Low mood can be caused by chemical or hormonal imbalances as well
as nutritional deficiencies. A wholistic approach to treating low mood
looks to reduce depression, improve energy levels, achieve a balanced
mental state and encourage healthy, beneficial lifestyle changes. Our
diet is one of the single best predictors of a healthy, happy and stable
mood and luckily, our diet is very easily improved.
Here are my top naturopathic tips to help you improve your mood,
naturally:
Eat a balanced diet

Ensure your diet is varied and balanced, with lots of wholefoods, some
good carbohydrates, protein and essential fats. A typical day may
include eggs and green veggies for breakfast, a leafy green salad with By Cassie Mendoza-Jones
grilled chicken, veggies, avocado and olive oil for lunch, some nuts or
a healthy protein shake in the afternoon, and grilled deep-sea oily fish
(such as salmon or mackerel) or grass-fed meat for dinner with some Cassie Mendoza-Jones is a naturopath,
steamed or sautéed vegetables. Protein is one of the most important nutritionist and herbalist who believes
nutrients when it comes to a stable mood as it forms the building in the healing power of nature. Cassie
blocks of our neurotransmitters (our brain chemicals). Essential fatty founded Elevate Vitality, a boutique
acids from fish, nuts and seeds will also help to improve mood by naturopathic clinic in the heart of Bondi
reducing inflammation, which has been linked to depression. Beach, to help people reach their
optimal state of health. She is the author
Balance your blood sugar levels of Cleansed, a simple wellness program
When your blood sugar levels peak and drop after a sugary meal, so for a life of health, ease and abundance,
too does your mood and energy. Keep blood sugar levels stable by and is passionate about helping people
reducing refined sugar intake, and eating some protein and good fats achieve their goals of health, balance
with your meals and snacks. This won’t just reduce moodiness, but it’ll and wellbeing. Cassie is qualified in
also boost your energy, concentration, memory and focus. Nutritional Medicine, Naturopathy,
Western Herbal Medicine and Touch
Take your herbs For Health Kinesiology. She is currently
Herbal medicine is a wonderful tool for improving mood and reducing furthering her studies in Kinesiology, as
stress and anxiety. Herbs have been used for centuries to help bring well as a Master of Human Nutrition at
the body back into balance, and are gentle, safe and effective. Some Deakin University.
of my favourite herbs to support, nourish and tonify a stressed and
depressed nervous system are Oats (which you can also include in your For more information please visit:
diet), Skullcap, Lemon balm, Chamomile, Rhodiola, Lavender, Saffron www.elevatevitality.com.au
and St John’s Wort (this herb may interact with some medications so
be sure to seek professional advice from a herbalist or naturopath
before taking it). In clinical trials, St John’s Wort has been proven to be
as effective as antidepressants, without the side-effects, and is a great
treatment option for anyone with mild-moderate depression.
Movement & mindfulness

Exercise is crucial for a happy, balanced mood. It is one of the
best ways to improve your mood naturally, with several clinical
trials supporting this fact. Mindfulness activities such as yoga and
meditation also have an antidepressant effect and can easily be
incorporated into your lifestyle. Start with a 10-minute daily meditation
and you’ll quickly notice the benefits of a calmer mind, improved mood
and reduced stress.
GENERAL HEALTH /
SECRETS
TO LOOKING
SEXY IN 6 WEEKS
By Blake Worrall-Thompson Author
For the past nine months, I’ve been running a fat loss program called
‘6 Weeks to Sexy’: a program targeted at females, designed to achieve
the very best results in the shortest period of time. Here are the key
areas I focus on in my programme:
1. Exercise: When it comes to exercise, people still don’t get what

it takes to achieve serious results. I don’t regularly venture into
commercial gyms, but when I do, I see the same stuff. People
doing the same exercises, working at the same low intensity and
just going through the motions. To get good results, you need to
be on a mission: get in there, get the job done and get out. If you
can hold a proper conversation during a workout, you’re probably
not working hard enough. Think intensity instead of duration and
don’t train any longer than 45 minutes.
2. Nutrition: You can’t out-train a poor diet. It’s that simple. If your By Blake Worrall-Thompson
diet is poor, your results will reflect that. Since you are what you eat
– a whopping 65-75% of your results are guided by what you put in
your mouth - you need to eat well. Take your time to prepare good Blake Worrall-Thompson is a Personal
food and I promise you, your body and health will be amazing. Just Trainer to Celebrities and Founder of
15 minutes is all it takes to whip up a healthy meal. Ministry of Wellbeing. He has owned
and operated a number of personal
3. Sleep: Ideally we should spend one third of our lives sleeping, and training and bootcamp businesses,
for good reason. Without sleep, we don’t function properly. And and has also been involved with the
when we don’t function properly, our exercise suffers and we end management team of Australia’s
up looking for sugar hits to survive because we’re low in energy. largest gym chain where he mentored
Your body undergoes two stages of repair every night; it repairs 25 personal trainers. Blake worked in
itself physically between 10pm and 2am and psychologically London in an elite personal training
between 2am and 6am. studio training a range of high profile
people from Hollywood A-listers to
4. Hormonal balance: You can have the very best diet and an senior executives and celebrities,
awesome exercise regime, but if you suffer from a hormonal including Ainsley Harriott and Natalie
imbalance, it’s harder to achieve peak health. That’s why I always Bassingthwaighte. During this period
suggest seeing a naturopath or speaking with your doctor for a Blake developed a unique approach to
‘hormonal profile’ before starting. holistic health; learning international
best practices which he has brought
5. Stress: We may not recognise it, but our bodies are under A LOT home to his clients in Australia.
of stress. Few people realise that more stress requires a greater www.wellbeingbyblake.com
demand for nutrients. Unfortunately for most people with high
level of stress, they crave processed and high sugar content food
to help them get through the day. Be careful! If you allow your
adrenaline levels to run too high for too long on these types of
diets, you risk burning out.
GENERAL HEALTH /
THE ULTIMATE HEALTH AND WELLNESS GUIDE. VOLUME 1 BACK TO CONTENT PAGE
THE
ULTIMATE
SUPER FOOD
By David Hodges Author
Do you get tired easily or feel less energetic than you should?
Then you should try liver, one of the most nutritious and under-
appreciated foods.
Liver is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin B12, a great source

of iron and a good source of other B vitamins, selenium and zinc - and
yet it is extremely cheap because there is so little demand for it!
Many countries have low levels of selenium as our soils are deficient in
this mineral. Selenium is one of the most important antioxidants and a
diet containing adequate selenium may reduce the risk of cancer, heart
disease and diabetes.
Many women are low in iron prior to menopause, which can contribute
to low energy and a weakened immune system. Iron deficiency may By David Hodges
cause heavy periods, which further deplete iron - a vicious cycle.
David Hodges is the director of West
Liver is one of the best sources of iron, typically containing around 2-3 Auckland Massage & Natural Health,
times as much as muscle meat. Iron from animal sources is absorbed providing therapeutic massage and diet
about 10 times as efficiently as iron from plants. and lifestyle advice to rapidly eliminate
pain, reduce stress, boost energy and
Vitamin B12 is important for the elderly, who typically absorb this improve health.
vitamin poorly and are often deficient as a result. It’s likely that many
cases of senile dementia result from vitamin B12 deficiency and could You can learn more about David’s
be prevented by regular liver consumption. services and read more articles like
this at:
Liver is a great source of all the B vitamins except thiamine (vitamin www.aucklandnaturalhealth.co.nz
B1). Vitamins B2 and B3 are essential for energy production and many
people report a dramatic immediate energy boost after eating liver.
Liver is also one of the best sources of vitamin B6, which may help to
stabilize mood and reduce stress levels.
Vitamin A and zinc are particularly important for the skin, eyes and
immune system. Liver is extremely high in vitamin A - so much so that it
should be eaten in moderation, to avoid overdose.
Liver tastes great sautéed in butter with mustard and onions, or made
into pâté, which you can buy at most supermarkets.
Around 50 grams of liver or 100 grams of pâté a week is an excellent

cheap and easy way to boost your energy.
GENERAL HEALTH /
CHANGING
YOUR LIFE…
AND KEEP IT THAT WAY!
By Rachel Jones Author
Many people have good intentions with their health and fitness that
never lead to actual change, whilst others make extreme changes for
a short time but are unable to maintain them long-term, often going
back to worse habits than before.
Here are some of my tips to avoid relapse and to achieve your health
and fitness goals.
It’s as simple as A, B, C!
1. Have an Action Plan.

Think about what you want to achieve and where you would like to be
in 6 or 12-months’ time. Be specific about where you are and where you
want to be and plan each step you need to take to get there.
Planning ahead can help in tempting situations. For example, if you
want to lose weight, decide before you arrive at a party what kind and
how much food you need to eat or avoid to reach your goals. Having
a plan can help you to prepare for possible challenges and reduce By Rachel Jones
disappointment.
Rachel is a performance psychologist
Every step taken is a victory in the pursuit of your goals. When things specialising in sport and exercise with
seem overwhelming and it feels like you will never reach your goal, ask Mental Notes Consulting. She has
yourself, “What choice can I make right now that will take me closer to a background in sport and exercise
my goal?” science and has experience working
with people from a wide variety of ages,
2. Identify possible Barriers. backgrounds and sports, covering issues
What is getting in the way of achieving your goal? Is it a reason or including health and fitness, wellbeing,
excuse? pain management, performance
anxiety, mental toughness, depression,
An excuse is something used to justify not making positive choices motivation, goal-setting and dealing
but it doesn’t physically stop us. For example, saying you “have to” with pressure. She is passionate about
have that chocolate because your friend said you should. You don’t helping people to reach their potential
physically “have to” put that chocolate in your mouth. You make a both on and off the field.
decision to do so. A reason is something that physically stops us from
making positive choices. However, you can always adapt. For example, Rachel can be contacted via email
you can train your upper body if you have a lower body injury. rachel@mentalnotesconsulting.com.au.
Find out if what’s stopping you is a reason or an excuse and prepare More information about Rachel can be
to manage possible barriers. If it’s an excuse you have a choice, if it’s a found at:
reason, you can adapt. www.mentalnotesconsulting.com.au
3. Compassion.
If you take a step away from your goal, don’t give up! It means that
you’re human. Stop wasting time beating yourself up and go back to
your action plan.
4. Just Do It!!
Plans are nice, but unless you step out and take action they are
pointless.
5. Evaluate.
If you’re having trouble sticking to your action plan or managing
barriers to your goals, you may need to revise your plan and see what is
and isn’t working. Experience is the best teacher!
“There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different
from the things we do.” - Freya Stark
GENERAL HEALTH /
A BRAIN
SCIENTIST’S GUIDE
TO DRINKING COFFEE
By Dr Sarah McKay PhD Author
An early-morning cappuccino, a lunchtime long black and a pick-me-
up afternoon espresso. Have you ever wondered if maybe too much
coffee is bad for your health?
Well, sit back, relax, and order another espresso, because neuroscience
shows that caffeine has positive effects on brain health and protects
against signs of brain aging.
Studies of Finnish and Swedish coffee drinkers found that two or

three cups of coffee a day lowered the risk of developing Alzheimer’s
disease. And, similar results were found when US neuroscientists
followed a group of coffee-drinking 65 to 88 year-olds who were just
starting to show the first signs of memory loss. Those who drank about
three cups of coffee a day avoided developing dementia.
In the words of US neuroscientist Dr Gary Arendash, “Coffee is By Dr Sarah McKay PhD

inexpensive, readily available, easily gets into the brain, and has few
side-effects for most of us. Our studies show that caffeine and coffee Neuroscientist, healthy brain blogger at
appear to directly attack the Alzheimer’s disease process.” www.yourbrainhealth.com.au
With the baby-boomer generation staring down the imminent threat of Here is some of the research for my
dementia, I can’t think of a more pleasant and effective prescription for article…
a healthy brain than a daily coffee or two.
Cao et al 2012 High Blood Caffeine
Coffee-lovers will eagerly attest to the positive effects of caffeine on Levels in MCI Linked to Lack of
cognitive health. You might feel more alert, somehow sharper, and Progression to Dementia. Journal of
medical folk might say your mood is elevated. I’d simply say you feel Alzheimer’s Disease 30: 559–572
happier! And it should come as no surprise that caffeine also improves Eskelinena & Kivipeltoa 2010 Caffeine
learning and memory. as a Protective Factor in Dementia
and Alzheimer’s Disease Journal of
How caffeine protects brain cells from aging is open for debate. It Alzheimer’s Disease 20 S167–S174 S167
may exert an anti-inflammatory effect, promote the birth of new brain
cells, or encourage the formation of new connections between existed
neurons.
If you’re a coffee drinker. You know the drill – too much coffee too late
in the day will lead to sleeplessness. And a poor night’s sleep isn’t so
good for boosting your brain power.
So if you do choose to drink coffee, do so with guilt-free enthusiasm,

perhaps cut down on later in the day, and know that you you’re actually
doing your bit to maintain your brain health and wellbeing.
GENERAL HEALTH /
LISTEN
TO YOUR
BODY
By Justine Thorner Author
As a health coach and yoga instructor, I help clients establish health
related goals, and support them to meet their goals. Their goals often
involve losing weight, getting fit, increasing their energy, and just a
general improvement of health.
The best piece of advice I give clients is to listen to their bodies. Our
bodies tell us how they are feeling through symptoms we experience,
such as a headaches, low energy, a body ache, any weird feeling, a
stomach pain, etc.
We can use this information to guide us to eat right, and exercise

properly.
We’ve developed a bad habit of ignoring these signs our bodies
are giving us. When we have a headache, we don’t even think about
why, we just grab for the Advil. When we have a stomachache, we
rarely relate it back to what we might have eaten to cause that. That By Justine Thorner
headache could have been from dehydration. The stomachache could
be telling us something we ate is not serving us. Justine Thorner is a certified health
coach & yoga instructor. She teaches
Learning to understand our bodies’ messages is the first step in yoga throughout New York City and
reaching true health. This is how we start to lose weight, to eat foods coaches clients in person and over
that make us feel good, and workout in ways that are helping and not the phone/Skype all over the world!
harming. Justine is able to integrate yoga with
her understanding of and passion for
Tips for listening to your body: nutrition and holistic health to help her
clients live their happiest, healthiest
1: Eat only when you are hungry & most fulfilling lives. Check out her
website & Facebook page for healthy
2: Eat slower & take time to enjoy each meal tips & inspiration, and stay connected
with her on twitter.
Eat slower and enjoy each meal. Take time to eat! Avoid eating at your
desk, or in front of the TV. Website: www.JustineThorner.com
Facebook: www.facbeook.com/
3: Stop eating when you are full/satisfied wellnesswithjustine
We can stop eating when we’re satisfied and before we’re stuffed,
because we can eat again whenever we’re hungry.
4: Start a Food Journal
A food journal is a great way to see how each meal is affecting your
mood and body.

After each meal write down what you ate, and how you feel.
Example:
I feel full/bloated/great/tired/lazy/headache, etc.
2 hours after the meal write down how you feel.
If after a meal you are feeling tired, that is an indicator that your meal
did not provide you with adequate energy. If you feel hungry 2 hours
after, you should focus on eating foods that will keep you feeling full
for longer.
GENERAL HEALTH /
5: Try the ‘Breakfast Experiment’
This is a simple experiment that involves eating different breakfasts

and interpreting how you feel from each. Use your food journal to track
how you feel!
Day 1: Eggs
Day 2: Scrambled tofu
Day 3: Oatmeal or any grain product
Day 4: Boxed breakfast cereal
Day 5: Muffin and coffee
Day 6: Fresh fruit
Day 7: Fresh vegetables
6: Start to interpret your body’s signals
Try to figure out why you are getting that headache. Why are you
craving sweets in the afternoon? Why is your stomach hurting?
GENERAL HEALTH /
THE 5% THAT
COULD SAVE
YOUR LIFE
By Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI, FACC, FACP Author
Do you think your weight is a hopeless case? Think again. Medical
studies have shown that losing just 5 – 10% of your body weight
(if you are overweight) results in great health benefits, including better
cholesterol and less risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
For example, according to the American Heart Association, losing

5 - 10% of body weight can result in a full 20% reduction in triglycerides
(fatty particles that are part of the standard cholesterol, or lipid,
profile). This is a two to four fold return on your investment!
In the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, researchers found that

overweight patients who lost at least 5% of their body weight were
able to reduce their risk of developing diabetes. Combined with a
reduction in saturated and overall fat intake, an increase in dietary
fiber, and at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, the risk of developing
diabetes was reduced by as much as 58%. Diabetes is a major risk Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI, FACC, FACP
factor for cardiovascular disease, so any reduction in the incidence of
diabetes can be a huge win for preventing cardiovascular disease (and Yasmine is a preventive cardiologist
saving lives) as well. and clinical lipidologist in Nashville,
TN. She is the President of Nashville
What’s the best way to lose that 5% if you are currently overweight? Preventive Cardiology, PLLC, where
First, you have to know how much you weigh now — yep, you’re gonna she offers individual and corporate
have to step on that scale! Then do your 5% calculation — what is 5% wellness consulting in addition to highly
of your current weight? Subtract that from your current weight, and personalized patient care that focuses
you have your new weight goal. Write this down, and weigh yourself on preventing heart attack and stroke.
weekly, if not daily (preferably in the morning before or after you
shower), as you chart your progress toward your goal. Losing 2-3 lbs For more information,
per week is a very healthy way to go. please visit www.preventivecardio.com.
Second, you have to focus on your diet and make time for exercise.
Fill your diet with twice as many whole fruits and vegetables, and half
as much “junk food” (e.g. chips, candy, soda) as you had before.
Make it a point to eat at least 5 servings of whole fruits and vegetables
every day.
Add at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (e.g. brisk

walking, general gardening, golfing without the cart) every day, and
you have a winning combination.
You will feel better and have more energy, while improving your overall
health as you lose that 5%.
Eat twice as many whole fruits and vegetables per day as you did
before, and half as much “junk food.” Exercise for 30 minutes every
day. Commit to a permanent lifestyle change, and watch those pounds
come off.
GENERAL HEALTH /
BUILDING
BETTER
BONES
By Magdalena Cadet, MD, FACR Author
Did you ever wonder why someone has a “hunch back”? There are
some men and women who suffer from osteoporosis, a disorder of low
bone mass causing bones to become thin, weak, and brittle.
Over time, change of posture and loss of height can occur and can
result in an increased incidence of fractures. The good news is there
are some very simple steps that men and women can take to try and
build stronger bones. Making important lifestyle changes should be a
priority in maintaining good bone health!
1. Quit smoking because it breaks bones down.

It is no surprise that smoking does not promote good health. Nicotine
consumption can result in the body making destructive molecules
that alter the body’s natural defenses and destroy bone. Smoking
can also increase a hormone called cortisol which accelerates bone
deterioration. Reach for that nicotine patch and stop smoking today. By Magdalena Cadet, MD, FACR
2. Limiting excessive alcohol intake is essential. Magdalena Cadet, M.D., is a board

Excessive alcohol intake (more than 2-3 ounces a day) or chronic Certified Internist and Rheumatologist
alcohol use can interfere with how the body regenerates good bone. in the NY Presbyterian Healthcare
Your mother always told you that things are good in moderation and System. She completed an Internal
she was right! A glass of wine here and there may be healthy but try Medicine residency at Yale-New Haven
and not go overboard. Reach for a glass of milk or orange juice instead. Hospital, and then a fellowship in
Rheumatology at New York University/
3. Get moving! Hospital for Joint Diseases. She is
Exercise stimulates estrogen production and bone formation cells. currently an Assistant Professor of
a) Use free weights that are appropriate for the individual person twice Medicine at Weill Medical College of
to three times a week to strengthen those bones. Cornell University and a member of the
b) Engage in flexibility exercise programs such as Yoga and Tai Chi. American College of Rheumatology.
Yoga will aim to strengthen core muscles which help with posture and She has recently been quoted for
building stronger bones. her expertise in several publications
c) Try low impact aerobics. Change up the exercise routine by including Essence and Prevention.
swimming, brisk walking, or dancing. It may be time to try and learn the
tango for the first time! For more information,
d) Work on improving balance. please visit www.maggiecadetmd.com
4. Diet, Diet, Diet!!

Having a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D will help with promoting
good bone health. Women need adequate calcium and vitamin
D. Most adults will require 1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium per day.
Good sources of calcium can be found in milk, yogurt, cheese, nuts
(almonds), sardines, dark green vegetables, orange juice, and soy milk.
A few glasses of milk a day keeps osteoporosis at bay!
Don’t forget Vitamin D! This helps the body absorb calcium better and
builds better bone. Try and get out in the sun for a few minutes a day
but avoid excessive sun exposure for fear of skin cancers.
Other sources of fat soluble vitamin D are found in cod liver oil, fish oil,
eggs, fortified dairy products (milk, orange juice, and yogurt) and over
the counter supplements.
Follow these steps to improve your bone health today!
GENERAL HEALTH /
WHAT’S
ON YOUR
‘HEALTHY BUCKET LIST?’
By Jovanka Ciares Author
Chances are you’ve heard of a bucket list.
It is essentially a list of things people want to experience before they

die but often wait too long and never get to.
But what about a healthy bucket list? A list of the things you should
incorporate into your lifestyle that will help you live happier, healthier
and longer.
Things that will help you so you can accomplish and enjoy that “other”
bucket list.
You know that it’s good to eat lots of veggies, get enough quality
rest and shake your booty. You also know to stay away from sugary,
processed foods.
By Jovanka Ciares
But if you only have space in your “bucket list” for 2 or 3 items that
could accomplish all this and more, what would they be? Jovanka Ciares is a former entertainment
executive turned Holistic Wellness
Here are my top 3 picks for must-haves on your healthy bucket list: Coach, author and nutrition consultant.
She is the creator of the Clean Foods
Jump It Up Diet (www.cleanfoodsdietmethod.com)
If you do nothing else in the workout realm for the rest of your life, do an online weight loss program that
this: jump using a mini trampoline or rebounder for just 10 minutes a focuses on cleansing, nutrient-rich foods
day 4 times per week. for natural weight loss.
Bouncing is a great way to detox and start moving old debris from your She has spent over 10 years studying
organs into your large intestine for elimination. It is also a very efficient and experimenting with alternative
workout: 10 minutes of bouncing = 30 minutes running therapies, nutrition and herbalism.
20 minutes of bouncing can burn 100 calories. And, it has the added For more information,
benefit of stimulating the lymphatic system - helping cleanse the blood please visit www.JovankaCiares.com
of dirt and debris and leaving you with clean, oxygenated blood.
Bouncing also helps improve circulation, relax your muscles, increase

balance, reduce PMS symptoms, and lower high blood pressure. The
benefits are countless.
Very few exercises/activities can give you so much bang for your buck.
Smoothie It Out
Having home-made daily smoothies is the easiest, tastiest and
cheapest way to get fresh, living, cleansing fruits and vegetables into
your body without having to chew up for hours.
Put some kale or spinach, raspberries, papayas or bananas into a

blender.
GENERAL HEALTH /
Throw in some much needed supplements like flax seeds or
supergreen powder, add your favorite seeds or nuts, sprinkle some
healing herbs/spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, splash some coconut
water or almond milk, and blend for 60 seconds, Voilà!
You have a pre-digested (via the blending process) powerhouse meal

that is going to keep you looking and feeling great for years to come!
Practice Receiving
You have been taught to be generous and giving since you were a
child.
However, if you give all the time without receiving, it can affect your
state of mind, your emotional health and can disrupt others as well. If
there were no receivers, who would give?
Take a few moments each morning to allow yourself to receive:

anything from a smile, to a hug, to help with a project at work.
GENERAL HEALTH /
REVERSE
A COMMON CAUSE
OF BACK PAIN!
By Dr Tom Garzillo Author
During more than 25 years of practice with over 10,000 patients, I’ve
seen how a common cause of back pain is the loss of flexibility that
results from an extended amount of time spent sitting in front of a
computer monitor. You can reverse this common cause of back pain
simply, easily, without equipment, at any age, and in any physical
condition using a program of stretching movements that can be
performed at work as well as at home…
Unlike most back exercises, which are usually done while lying spread
out on the floor (and that’s not always possible at work), this program
of stretching movements is done standing on your feet.
Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart, then bend
over at the waist and reach both hands down toward one foot as far as
you can without bending your knees.
By Dr Tom Garzillo
Reach both hands down towards the same foot three times (rising up
slightly between each time), then reach both hands down towards the Dr Tom Garzillo has been in practice in
opposite foot three times (rising up slightly between each time). Texas, USA, since 1986. He combines
I recommend performing the six-movement program three or four his clinical experience with patients
times in a row (which usually takes approximately one minute) after together with his experience as a Tae
you’ve been sitting for two hours. Do not hold any position; these Kwon Do black belt to educate the
stretching movements are more effective when you maintain a steady public on physical conditioning, injury
rhythm of continuous movement (not too forceful, and not too slow). prevention, and rehabilitation. To learn
more about what causes back pain and
At work or at home, you should have this routine of performing the how to prevent it, go to:
program for a minute, sit for no more than two hours, performing the www.takeawaybackpain.com
program for a minute, sit for no more than two hours, etc.
Back stiffness accumulates when you sit for an extended amount of

time, and not only can this stiffness lead to back pain, this stiffness can
progressively decrease your shock-absorbing ability and increase your
likelihood of a more significant back injury with trauma.
Take control of the back stiffness caused by sitting instead of letting

back pain or a significant back injury take control of you!
GENERAL HEALTH /
ARE
DIGESTIVE ISSUES
MAKING YOU FAT?
By Tony Hale Author
Many people experience digestive symptoms on a weekly or daily
basis and think those are just the cards they have been dealt and that’s
the way it goes. In most cases, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you experience issues like gas, burping, bloating, constipation,
diarrhea, acid reflux, or any type of digestive discomfort after eating,
odds are great that you are not properly breaking down your food.
Digestive symptoms are so common that people think, “Everyone

passes gas, what’s the big deal?”
However, these symptoms can be a strong sign that there is a problem.

When we eat, our body has to fully break that food down into
elemental nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in order for
that food to fuel our body. Anything that is not broken down properly
now becomes a problem that the body has to deal with. When the
body is overwhelmed with too many other burdens, this undigested By Tony Hale
food can end up being stored in fat cells.
Tony Hale is a celebrity trainer, the
I see so many people that feel like they’re making good food choices author of Kick Your Fat in the Nuts, and
but not seeing any weight loss results. Even if you eat all organic, high the executive producer of the star-filled
quality, clean foods, if your body can’t break it down correctly, that documentary, Why Am I So Fat? Learn
food rots/ferments and turns into garbage in the body. By improving more about Tony at:
any digestive issues, you can reduce the need for the body to store www.kickItInthenuts.com
undigested junk in fat cells and any weight loss efforts can be turbo-
charged.
There are many factors that make up the digestive process, but the
main areas where people most commonly experience trouble are with
a lack of stomach acid production and a lack of bile flow. If either of
these functions is not operating correctly, we can’t fully break down our
food. These issues can also escalate into full-blown problems. Maybe
you can’t poop for a week, or maybe you have to rush to the toilet
nine times a day. Both of these can be caused by poor digestion, and
neither option is fun.
Even with mild symptoms, if you’re not fully digesting your food, your
body may not be getting the nutrients it needs. If this is the case, with
every meal, we’re giving our body another problem to deal with. For
many people, this can result in an inability to button their favorite jeans
because too much undigested garbage has been stored in fat cells.
To find out if you could use some digestive improvement, take our
simple quiz. If you need help improving any aspect of your digestion,
you can find a FREE 4-week course on our website that will walk you
through improving any aspect of digestion. If you need to improve
your bile flow or stomach acid production, we can break down the
nutrition and supplement choices that may be right for you.
Take the quiz here:
http://kickitinthenuts.com/take-the-digestion-quiz/
GENERAL HEALTH /
GOAL
SETTING AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
By Will Lanier Author
Setting goals is the key to success, especially in fitness. As a personal
trainer and group fitness coach – I work with my clients and athletes on
a series of goal setting exercises and questionnaires to help them set
and achieve their goals.
There are goals that progress you forward and there are goals that just
hold you back and make you feel guilty. It is how you address them that
will make all the difference.
1. Stay Positive & Stay Proactive:

Frame each goal in terms of getting to a place of positivity rather
than avoiding a negative one. For example, “I will stop being a couch
potato” will only make you feel guilty and bring you down. Instead, “I
will walk on the treadmill for at least 30 minutes per day” is more active,
encouraging, and will give you a stronger image of yourself.
By Will Lanier
2. Behavioral Goals Support Action:
Pick a behavioral goal instead of a result-oriented goal for no other Will Lanier is a CF-L1 Certified Instructor
reason but to stay in control. For example, making the goal of replacing and General Manager of Brick New
your mid-day muffin with a 15-minute brisk walk around the block is York, a Sport Performance Training
much easier to manage than telling yourself you want to lose 5 pounds. Facility located in Manhattan. You can
get further details on Brick New York at
Why? Because at the end of each day, you will have succeeded in www.bricknewyork.com
achieving your goal if you took the walk, but if you haven’t lost 5
pounds yet – you’ll still feel like you’re failing. Appreciate your efforts.
3. Make it specific and make it measurable:

Making your goals specific and measurable will help you stay focused.
For example, if your goal is to “hit the gym as often as possible” – how
do you know if you’re achieving it? Instead, create a goal of “I will go
to the gym at least 3 times a week and work out for at least 45 minutes
each time.”
At the end of the week, if you’ve done just that – then you’ve reached
your goal. It will be much easier for you to see that you’re making
progress by making specific and measurable goals.
4. Accountability:
This is where community and accountability come in to really making
you successful. Once you put something in writing and tell someone
out loud what your goal is – it makes you immediately accountable and
also makes this person an accountability partner whether they know it
or not. Community is essential in goal setting and achieving. Changing
a habit or enlisting in a new lifestyle is tough and you need support.
Attending group classes like CrossFit, Bootcamp, Yoga, or Spin is a
great way to get started and hold you accountable.
Finally – what you should leave with is this – stop the excuses, set
specific and measurable goals, find someone to hold you accountable,
and you will be successful. You must commit to the lifestyle and never
give up.
GENERAL HEALTH /
HOW TO BANISH
THE AFTERNOON
ENERGY SLUMP
By Erica Mather Author
Most people experience this. You work all morning, get lunch, come
back to your desk and then...uh-oh. A serious case of the sleepys
takes over.
The causes of your energy slump are set up earlier in your day, during
the night, and in patterns over a number of days.
First, let’s track back to what you ate for lunch and for breakfast. By
now it’s been well-established that high carb meals contribute to a
sense of fatigue by spiking your blood sugar and insulin. The resulting
sharp drop in both leaves a person feeling very tired.
So, that breakfast muffin, or perhaps the pasta you had for lunch are
actually leaving you feeling energetically depleted.
Begin by trying out substituting these high carb meal choices either By Erica Mather
with greens and proteins (for instance, eggs for breakfast, skip the
toast and potatoes! Try stir-fried vegetables and shrimp for lunch), or Erica Mather is a Forrest Yoga Guardian,
maybe some “gluten free” bakery items made with different kinds of and teaches asana and philosophy in
grains, like spelt, amaranth, quinoa. Unlike modern varieties of wheat, New York City and around the world.
these ancient grains don’t affect the blood sugar level so dramatically. She also is a Holistic Health Counsellor
helping clients change their diet and
Let’s check out the night before. Did you get enough sleep? Your mid- therefore their lives.
afternoon energy slump may be a very real request from your body for
more sleep! If you’re getting to bed at midnight, aim for 11:30 instead. www.ericamather.com
If you fall asleep on the couch in front of the TV, put a definite end time
to the TV, and get in bed for sleep. Your body will appreciate the extra Here’s a bonus. Everybody gets tired
rest or the sincere and quality rest. now and then. There are some special
yoga breathing techniques that also
Let’s look at the day before--did you get some exercise? It’s a good help to increase energy quickly. Click
idea to help move your blood, exchange out toxins, and to get more through to my online store for a free
oxygen moving in your lungs. It doesn’t need to be much - a 30 minute tutorial in this special yogic breathing
walk will do. called Ujjayyi breath. This will change
your life!
Finally, let’s check in on your water intake. Not coffee. Not soda. Not
juice. WATER. Coffee dehydrates you. Juice and soda have a lot of www.ericamather.com/shop/page/2/
sugar, which changes your blood PH from alkaline to acidic, which also
dehydrates.
When you are chronically dehydrated, this is taxing on the body, and
fatiguing. To correct this, begin your day with two tall glasses of water.
This will begin to get you on the right track.
Ok! Let’s review how you can sustain your energy throughout the day.
1. Eat less carbs and more greens and protein.

2. Get more sleep.
3. Exercise, even a little bit
4. Drink more water.
Pretty simple, right? Start with one of these steps and then slowly
build out to all of them. Begin with what seems the most accessible to
you, and take the time to really establish it well before considering it a
routine part of your life.
GENERAL HEALTH /
STRETCH
YOUR EYES
FOR RELIEF
By Dr. Glen-Martin Swartwout Author
For eyestrain or headaches related to activities like studies, desk work
or computer use, try stretching your eye muscles. Many people learn
how to stretch the skeletal muscles for sports or yoga, but the eyes are
surrounded by six muscles each, and they can get tired, tight and sore
too, contributing to fatigue and headaches.
The following exercise is excerpted from my book Refreshing

Vision: Opening the Windows of the Soul, which contains many
other techniques to support improving your vision, eye health, and
development as a sentient, navigational being.
Eye Stretch
1. Stand in a relaxed posture, looking straight ahead with both eyes
open.
2. Place the side of your index fingers against the skin to the right of
each eye. Look to the left as you stretch the skin and connective By Dr. Glen-Martin Swartwout
tissues around your eyes to the right. Breathe in as you look to the
left, and exhale as you look back to the center. Dr. Glen-Martin Swartwout graduated
3. Now repeat this with your index fingers to the left of each eye, Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth
stretching to the left while looking to the right. College, and received his doctorate
4. Next stretch downward with your fingers, contacting the skin just at the top of his class at the State
below your eyes, while looking upward. University of New York, where he
5. Finally stretch the skin below your eyebrows upward with the sides trained at the largest outpatient vision
of your index fingers clinic in the world. Dr. Swartwout
6. Repeat this sequence 6 times, taking a longer, deeper breath each special interests include natural vision
time as you are able to relax and stretch more. improvement and accelerated self-
7. Now try sustaining each stretch through one or more breath cycles. healing. Find out more at
Work your way up to 6 cycles in each direction. www.About.me/drglen
Interesting Questions
1. Can you feel the release of tension around your eyes?
2. Which eye has more stress stored in the surrounding tissues?
3. In which direction do you get more release of stress and tension?
4. What happens if you sustain a stretch in each direction, while
breathing in and out? Can you visualize the oxygen from each
breath circulating into the area you are stretching?
Try doing this activity periodically to break up any long periods of

intense visual stress such as studying for finals, or writing a paper. A
college student who was having severe headaches from studying
would even wake up in the morning with a headache still from the
day before. As soon as he started using the eye stretch to break the
muscle tension pattern in his eyes, he could not only manage the
headaches, but also wake rested and refreshed for the first time
at college.
When you are doing this activity notice when your breath
spontaneously slows and deepens. This is a sign that your whole
nervous system is letting go of its armoring around the stressful
pattern of activity. The breath naturally seeks a coherent 10-second
cycle of inhalation and exhalation when you are at peace.
GENERAL HEALTH /
NATURAL
TUMMY
TROUBLE SOLUTIONS
By Dr. Rebecca Harwin Author
Are you struggling with gut problems? Pain, bloating, windiness,
constipation, diarrhoea, IBS?
You are not alone. Hundreds of millions of people around the world are
struggling too.
During my 10 years as a health professional, I have met many patients

suffering from gut issues - from those with symptoms such as
discomfort, through to those that are incredibly embarrassing, and
even disabling.
A healthier digestive system (or ‘gut’) can reduce, even eliminate, gut
problems, and is critical for you to be well.
Your gut is in fact the cornerstone for good health. It breaks down and
absorbs nutrients, prevents toxins entering your body, and removes By Dr. Rebecca Harwin
unwanted, toxic waste. It forms a major part of your immune system,
helps to maintain hormonal balance, and a healthy gut can help you to Dr. Rebecca Harwin – AKA ‘The PCOS
lose weight. Expert’ is a wellbeing, and PCOS
expert, Chiropractor, Nutritionist and
The great news is there are simple changes, which you can easily make Internationally acclaimed Author.
to create massive positive change.
Get your 2 free health reports ‘11 Tips
Avoid gluten. This is incredibly beneficial. I have seen this one tip For Successful Weight Loss’ & ‘The
literally change lives. Gluten can cause damage to the intestinal Secret Sleep Report’ at:
lining. It can cause inflammation, reduce your body’s ability to absorb www.DrRebeccaHarwin.com and for
nutrients (which reduces your gut’s ability to heal), interfere with your women suffering from PCOS, discover
hormone levels, increase bloating and create windiness. how to get a free consultation with
Dr. Rebecca at www.thepcosclinic.com
Drink 8 glasses of water per day. Your gut takes water from the food
and liquid you consume to help maintain a healthy fluid balance in your
body. If you do not drink enough water, after the body has taken the
fluid it needs, there will not be enough water left in your stool to allow
it to remain soft and easy to pass. This can lead to constipation and
haemorrhoids.
Exercise regularly. Exercise helps the contents of your intestine to

move through your digestive system efficiently. It also reduces stress,
which you will discover shortly, helps the gut.
Supplement with high quality Magnesium, a pre and probiotic, and

apple cider vinegar.
Magnesium helps the muscles in the gut wall to relax, allowing for
easier movement of the contents within.
Probiotics are the good gut bugs, and prebiotics are the perfect food
for these probiotics to thrive.
For optimal gut health, you need the right balance of good to bad
gut bugs and supplementing with these is often an important key to
overcoming gut issues.
GENERAL HEALTH /
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) helps to maintain a healthy level of acidity,
and 1 tablespoon before each meal can do wonders for the gut,
windiness and heartburn in particular.
Reduce or eliminate processed foods, particularly high sugar foods.

Your gut and your body are not designed to cope well with these types
of foods. The chemical changes that occur in your body can cause
windiness, pain, reduced energy and changes in stool consistency.
Increase your vegetables, fresh fruit and salads. We all know this is
good for us, and these foods are wonderful for your gut.
Relax. Eating while you are relaxed allows your body to digest properly,
abstract ample nutrients from your food, reduce gut pain, and help you
slow down and not overeat.
Chiropractic care. Chiropractic care has been shown to result

in a significant improvement in gut function. One study found
improvements in gut function in 26% of patients.
Medications and other harmful substances can lead to gut problems.

Drugs such as anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, and substances such
as alcohol and cigarettes can have a significantly negative impact on
the gut.
For many of my patients, implementing even one or two of these tips

has made an amazing and positive change to their gut health resulting
in reduction, even elimination, of their gut symptoms.
I can’t wait to hear your success stories too!
GENERAL HEALTH /
7 GOLDEN
RULES FOR HEALTHY
EATING AND LIVING
By Barbara Karafokas Author
Golden Rule 1. Eat a vibrant fruit meal a day.
Fruits are cleansing, help strengthen our immune system and are
high in antioxidants. Fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach and
preferably in the morning. The three main ways which you can eat fruit
are by having a fruit smoothie, a fruit salad or whole fruit pieces such as
an apple or a banana. It is best to add some protein or fat to the fruit
meal such as a tablespoon of yoghurt, raw nuts and seeds or coconut oil.
Golden Rule 2. Add in a fresh raw salad meal a day.
Salad should make up 4/5 of your plate. The remaining 1/5 is made up
of toppings.
Below are some topping ideas you may choose from:

By Barbara Karafokas
Sardines
Beans, chick peas, lentils Barbara Karafokas is a qualified
Shrimps nutritionist, and a health, nutrition and
Feta cheese wellness consultant. She inspires others
Raw nuts and seeds (e.g. walnuts, sunflower seeds, pine nuts) to celebrate and love life by creating
Avocado healthier eating and lifestyle habits and
Boiled Eggs attitudes for life !
Steamed vegetables (artichokes, green beans, boiled potato)
Sprouts She is also the author of “The Med Life
Diet.” an ingenious 12 week program
These are just some suggestions, feel free to use your imagination and aimed at developing a healthier life.
create your own healthy delicious salad! See more at www.barbarakarafokas.com
and www.themedlifediet.com
Golden Rule 3. Use herbs and spices daily.
The World Health Organization estimates that 80 per cent of the

earth’s population today depends on plants to treat common ailments.
An easy way of incorporating herbs in your daily routine is by drinking
them as teas and using their essential oils. A simple way of preparing
teas is to place the herb or herbs in a large 1 ½ liter thermos, pour
boiling water over them, close the thermos and let them steep for a
minimum of twenty minutes. Drink the tea throughout the day. Some
common herbs to consider using are: peppermint, fennel, chamomile,
sage, dandelion, ginger, rosemary and nettle.
Golden Rule 4. Take wholefood supplements everyday.
Supplements which are whole, organic, plant based, derived from

natural sources and are minimally processed are always the preferred
choice. Given our polluted and stress filled world it can be difficult, if
not impossible to get our full quota of nutrients in our diet.
GENERAL HEALTH /
Golden Rule 5. Exercise.
Regular exercise can firm muscles, shed pounds, and add a healthy
glow to your complexion.
Add in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three times a week.
Golden Rule 6. Limit exposure to toxins.
There are so many new substances, some highly toxic in nature, which
are proving difficult for both the Earth and our bodies to handle.
1. Avoid Plastic.
2. A shopping guideline to follow is: “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t
buy it.”
3. Use personal care products you can eat!
Golden Rule 7. Fun and laughter!
Play. Quite simply ….. take time out and have some fun!
GENERAL HEALTH /
GET FIT
WHERE
YOU SITTM
By Lakshmi Voelker Author
What a concept! Get fit where you sit on any chair anywhere!
Once we retrain ourselves to sit properly on a chair we can achieve

better posture, more self-esteem and confidence, and allow deep
breathing into the lower lobes of our lungs! Sitting correctly on a chair
has the potential to change our lives inside and out!
On the inside one benefit is that the spine is not “loaded” which means
that if we slouch and sit incorrectly our spine has the potential to curve
forward creating compression on the discs between each vertebrae
causing pinched nerves and/or pressure on the glands and organs in
our torso along with neck, shoulder and back pain!
Additionally, our limbs experience pain with such disc compression

and our physical and mental capacities are reduced from the lack of full
oxygenation due to poor posture especially when seated. By Lakshmi Voelker
As we learn to sit properly near the front edge of our chair bringing our Lakshmi Voelker, E-RYT 500, YA, IAYT,
hips, knees and ankles into right angles, anchoring our feet to the floor has over 45 years in the fitness industry
and our sits bones in our buttock to the seat of the chair, we feel better specializing in senior fitness and
almost immediately! adaptive/disabled fitness. She created
Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga in 1982.
Then we “zip” up our front spine while lifting our sternum and at the Creator of the DVD Get Fit Where You
same time anchor down our coccyx and sacrum downward onto the Sit and the CD Lakshmi Voelker Chair
seat of the chair. Yoga, she has certified more than 800
teachers nationally and internationally,
Finally, we roll our shoulders up, back and down while lifting our neck including health-care professionals at
and head up from the “basket of shoulders.” the Mayo Clinic and the New York City
Department of Education. She does
This is Sitting Mountain (Tadasana), the starting finishing point for all of live certifications all around the United
Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga. States. She also offers Online Teacher
Training over Skype worldwide.
We are now sitting taller, unloading the spine thus making room for http://www.getfitwhereyousit.com/
the glands and organs to function properly and opening up the lower
lobes of the lungs to get a full refreshing breath of freshly oxygenated
air.
Now we can close our eyes and mediate or contemplate without

constantly moving around our chair to get comfortable!
On the outside we look more empowered while sitting tall and proud
AND we inspire others to do the same
Sitting Mountain can and should be practiced in all of our seated

situations—work, watching TV, driving the car, seated in a wheelchair,
and on and on. Every person that learns and practices Lakshmi Voelker
Chair Yoga Sitting Mountain regularly reports increased well-being
both physically and mentally.
Yes indeed we can “Get Fit Where We Sit©” on any chair anywhere!
Sitting Mountain is so simple yet so beneficial—45 years of teaching
people to sit properly has shown me its benefits.
GENERAL HEALTH /
ANTI-AGING TIPS
TO LOOK AS HEALTHY
AS YOU FEEL
By Jessica Krant MD Author
Your skin, hair, and nails are more than just your appearance. They are
also the windows to your inner health.
Luckily, treating your body right in ways that make your skin glow and
your hair shine not only helps you be healthier, it also fights the signs of
aging.
Here are some tips to get glowing:
1. Sleep:
My number one new favourite beauty tip. Not only does getting
enough sleep every night help your mind learn, focus, and de-stress,
it also helps fight weight gain and signs of aging. Research has shown
that the 24-hour period following a good night’s sleep, your body’s
hunger hormone, ghrelin, is lowered, and its satiety hormone, leptin, is
elevated, making it easier to make healthy food choices. The opposite By Jessica Krant MD
is true for 24 hours after poor sleep.
Jessica J. Krant, M.D., M.P.H., FAAD,
Research also shows that sleep lowers cortisol, the body’s stress is a board-certified dermatologist and
hormone, and is the time of day our bodies run antioxidant programs fellowship-trained skin cancer surgeon
to combat all of the stress of our lives and environments. This in solo private practice in New York City.
benefits our skin by allowing the oxidative processes that lead to cell In addition to being founder of Art of
breakdown to be reversed and the aging clock to slow. This is why Dermatology LLC on 5th Avenue
studies have shown there is truth to the term “beauty sleep”. www.ArtofDermatology.com she
is Assistant Clinical Professor of
2. Sunscreen: Dermatology at SUNY Downstate
Before you leave the house, at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, Medical Center. Skin care expert on
apply adequate sunscreen to your face, ears, neck, chest, and hands. Caring.com, RealSelf.com, FabOver50.
com, and other websites, Dr. Krant is
Other than cigarette smoking, sun damage is the biggest contributor also a regular contributor to several
to the breakdown of collagen and elastin and the loss of pigment beauty and health websites and has
regulation that leads to spots, wrinkles, and loss of volume and glow. been featured on MSNBC News, Cosmo.
Be active outdoors with a healthy lifestyle, but avoid sunburn. com, and in the New York Times. In
addition to her clinical expertise, Dr.
3. Antioxidants: Krant also works on health care policy
With sleep making time for healing, and sunscreen preventing issues and promotes skin health through
additional damage, we have to boost the skin’s ability to work its anti- public volunteer work.
aging magic by giving it the right tools.
Antioxidants are nutrients that help fight the processes of

cell breakdown and include all of the vitamins, minerals, and
micronutrients.
Get your daily supply by focusing on dark green leafy vegetables,

brightly coloured fruits, seeds, and nuts. Use a variety to make sure you
aren’t building up on one but entirely missing others.
GENERAL HEALTH /
NU –
TRITION
HOW NUTRITION
IS BECOMING
THE NEW RELIGION
By Kira Sutherland Author
I have been in the health industry for almost 20 years now and it
never ceases to amaze, confound, inspire and frustrate me all at the
same time. It is a relatively new science and the goal posts are always
changing. What was ‘truth’ 5 years ago is maybe wrong today and by
next week it will change again. No wonder people are so confused, I
am too and I have been studying this stuff FOREVER.
With books, social media, the internet and bloggers the nutrition and
wellness movement is now colossal! I could spend (and maybe I do)
hours every day between the internet and scientific research papers
trying to get my head around it all and to stay one step ahead or
maybe just abreast with what is happening in the ‘wellness movement’ .
Much of the information that is out there has been around for a long
time, it is simple information and its truths probably will never change.
Then there is a lot of info that is constantly evolving, in a state of flux
like never before and it feels like a tornado of health advice that can By Kira Sutherland
just sweep you away, sometimes to places you didn’t really want
to go…
Kira Sutherland is an experienced
I got to thinking the other night while struggling to fall asleep because Nutritionist and Naturopath specialising
I had eaten too many raw cacao nibs (silly me!) that the whole wellness/ in Sports Nutrition. She holds a
nutrition movement has become its own ‘spirituality or religion’. There Bachelors Degree in Health Science,
are so many different factions and beliefs, all claiming to be right Advanced Diplomas in Naturopathy,
and have research to back them up….many are sympathetic to each Nutrition, Herbal Medicine and
other and have a kind of a flow on of theory and then there are the Homoeopathy, a Graduate Diploma in
completely opposite beliefs as well. Sports Nutrition from the International
Olympic Committee and is currently
I do not doubt what anyone is saying, I am just finding it overwhelming undertaking her Masters in Sports
to take it all in and know which way is up…. So I have decided to chart Nutrition. She is a Lecturer at Nature
some untracked territory and have redefined many nutritional beliefs Care College in Sydney Australia where
into their proper spiritual categories so that we can all understand she has lectured for well over 15 years.
them a little bit better. As a health writer, educator and
consultant, Kira has worked with an
I am in no way trying to belittle any nutritional idea nor am I trying to array of clients including: private
challenge anyone’s religious or spiritual beliefs….. I am just trying to colleges, health conferences, executives,
have a little bit of fun with a serious topic! sports teams, individual athletes and
journalists.
Which religion are you?
Uberhealth: www.kirasutherland.com.au
Paleo, Primal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Lacto-ovo, Fruitarian, Raw food,
Eliminate some food or food group diet, Intermittent faster, Plant
based eater, Omnivore, Fast food worshipper, Whole foodist or
anything in between.
The different factions of food belief/ eating styles are much like all the
different religions of today. Everyone has complete faith in what they
believe in and there are a few key books, websites and experts in each
eating philosophy much like each religion has their Bible, testament,
Koran, sacred documents, priests or high advisors and sacred buildings.
Each nutrition ‘faith’ also argues about why theirs is correct and how
other ‘faiths’ are leading you astray… … some of the biggest wars in
the history of the world have been over religion, belief and faith… in
NUTRITION /
Nutrition these days it is starting to feel the same… you can read the
books of each faith and completely believe everything they say ( I
am not saying anyone is right or wrong, let’s just say I am a multi faith
Nutritionist) … the funny thing is they may all fight for a long time and
never come to a consensus, maybe there isn’t one ‘truth’ ….. Sound
familiar…
If you distil the religions down to the core of what they are trying to
teach, you come up with many similar values such as …kindness, faith,
morals and meaning to one’s life. Isn’t this what all the nutrition faiths
are doing as well? They are each giving us a ‘code’ to live by and a
community or family to belong to.
In the end, if we tease out the main points everyone is trying to make
there is a similarity, a cross over that is probably the most important
part of nutrition philosophy
1. Eating the majority of food as fruit and vegetables

2. Eating as close to nature as possible
3. No refined sugars and foods
4. Drink enough water
5. Exercise as often as possible
6. Get adequate sleep and sunshine
7. Eat adequate protein ( it’s your religious choice if you do this via
the animal kingdom or the plant based variety) etc…
Imagine if we could do that… how healthy we would all be! If I am not

mistaken everyone in the nutrition faiths preaches those ideals…… just
as all religions try to teach us good rules to live by and a higher power
to believe in…. maybe we could make it more simple than it is, to
make peace with each other no matter their food ‘belief’. So next time
someone starts blogging, talking, tweeting or shouting about what
they did or didn’t eat, remember it all comes down to some
basic truths.
I have also included a few definitions in case you need some clarity!
Detoxification diets are the modern version of going to confession

We live in such a fast paced world, it’s hard to be perfect all the time
and let’s get real it’s fun having a few drinks, eating chocolate or
pastries now and then. Never fear we now have detox diets to undo all
the damage we have ‘accidentally done’. You can choose to do a 3, 7 or
21 day detox to repent for your sins of food, wine and lifestyle. You can
choose from just going off alcohol for a month to eating only fruits and
vegetables or go hard core and just have lemon juice and water. This
enables each ‘toxer’ to decide how sinful they have been and pick an
appropriate diet to atone for their evils of the flesh.
Be warned the more ‘sinful’ you have been the more the first few days
you will hurt, the Gods of health will make you pay with headaches,
lethargy, crankiness and cravings for your wrong doings and once you
can pick your head up off the pillow and start feeling better on day
4 you will promise yourself to never ‘sin’ again with sugar or wine or
(insert sinful addiction here)! It’s a cathartic process and you potentially
will feel a lot better for it, you just need to find a way to not go down
the path of wrongdoing again.
NUTRITION /
Competition of Devoutness
It’s almost become a competition for how healthy we can be, like we
are competing for who can be more devout to the health Gods. We are
each trying to obtain ‘immortal status’ like the Greek Gods, sitting on
top of Mount Olympus drinking our ambrosia which of course is really a
Kale smoothie with goji berries, coconut water, chia seeds and raw cacao!
Gluten Free, dairy free, grain free, sugar free, anything

free = Pilgrimage – a period of abstinence from a food or group
of foods that may be causing you ill health. Elimination diets are
considered to be a PILGRAMAGE to find oneself and their ‘true faith’
of what works for their body. At times it can be a hard and testing road
with temptations around many a corner, but in the end when you make
it to Mecca, the Chalice Well, the Vatican or where ever is your most
HOLY place, then you will find your peace as your body will find its
healthy balance!
Sugar = Satan (or any other such baddy in a different religion)
Wheat = Original Sin
Coconut oil, water, milk and cream = the redeemed one, once
considered evil but has changed their ways(due to scientific research)
and is now the new born Super Food.
Quinoa and Chia Seeds – Pagan Gods that are now considered Saints –
a staple food in many traditional cultures that have now taken on CULT
status in the West.
Agave, date sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar and any other sugar
that’s not Satan itself = False Prophet - True these are not processed
white sugar BUT they are still a form of sugar but can be used without
the need for guilt and shame.
Super foods = Saints - each person picks a few of their favourite super
foods and worships (blogs and talks) them like they are the “holy grail’
or one of the patron saints that will watch over us if we pray to them
and eat them on a daily basis, preferably in our morning smoothie!
Kale = Zeus - Considered the King of the superfoods, Kale is a green
leafy vegetable that has been around a long time but in the last few
years has reached cult status. If you want to be HIP you must eat Kale at
least once a day. The more Kale you eat the healthier (more devout or
holy you are considered to be) in fact we should probably move Kale to
the Saint Status without an investigation into his miracles…..but for now
I will just leave him as King of the Gods and Goddesses.
NUTRITION / BACK TO CONTENT PAGE

PREPARE
YOUR
EATING
By Andrew Simmons Author
If your main goal is to improve your body shape, ensuring that you have
good eating habits is the most critical part.
If you find that you are struggling with this on your journey, there is no
point just trying to exercise your way through the problem. Instead you
should take the time with your Personal Trainer to ensure that you find
solutions to your eating challenges.
Over the years, I have seen many clients devote many hours per week to
their exercise but fall short on achieving their goals because they have
failed to eat appropriately.
The common excuse that I hear is “I just don’t have or make the time to
go food shopping”.
To combat this, I recommend that they replace one of their weekly

exercise sessions with going food shopping and preparing their meals By Andrew Simmons
for the week.
Andrew Simmons is the Founder of
It is amazing how many times that simple behaviour change has led to Vision Personal Training, Australia’s
clients reaching their goals. largest Personal Training studio
franchise with 47 studios spread
Your ability to achieve results is mainly determined by making some throughout the Eastern Sea board.
simple food choices. Planning is the key to making that happen. Andrew is a regular presenter at national
Those clients, who prepare their meals the night before or on the and international fitness and business
weekends, find it much easier to stay on track. Forming a habit of conventions and is also the author of 2
making time to pack an esky before starting your day, actually saves books “Fat Loss Take Control”, sales of
you time. which have exceeded 40,000 throughout
Australia and “Ready Set Go – 3 steps to
It means that you don’t have to worry about ducking down to the corner better health” sales which have already
store, the café or fast food shop to buy your food. It just takes planning exceeded 10,000 since its launch in 2011.
– another case of simple, not necessarily easy or convenient.
Go to www.visionpersonaltraining.com
Packing an esky also ensures that your portions are controlled much for more info.
easier. How often have you ordered a sandwich from the café and it has
been larger than what you expected?
On a personal note, I now spend considerable time travelling on

aeroplanes to visit our Studios.
As a result, I am frequently confronted by unhealthy foods, especially

whilst on planes and in airports.
Specifically, I have been alarmed by the high carbohydrate and fat

composition of the foods they serve. In one breakfast meal I was served,
there were more than 120 grams of poor quality carbohydrates.
This could equate to someone’s entire carbohydrate needs for the day.
Hence, it is vital for me to prepare my meals effectively beforehand in

order to maintain my health.
Prepare your meals the night before or on the weekends and ensure
that you pack an esky before going to work.
NUTRITION /
TACKLING
TUMMY
TROUBLES
By Lisa Guy Author
Do you feel bloated and uncomfortable after meals, or do you suffer
from indigestion or heartburn? Digestive problems such as these are
very common with many people thinking it’s normal for them and
popping an anti-acid is a simple cure-all. Good digestion is the root of
good health. Without a healthy working digestive system you will not
be breaking down foods adequately. This will in turn be inhibiting the
absorption of vital nutrients your body needs to function properly and
for good health. Poor digestion will ultimately affect the health of every
system in your body - including your mental state!
Fortunately there are many effective, natural ways to improve your

digestion.
Here are 7 easy steps you can make towards better digestive health.
1. Probiotics – Taking a probiotic supplement or including probiotic By Lisa Guy

foods in the daily diet is one of the best ways to improve your
digestion and general health. Probiotics contain live and active, Lisa Guy is an experienced Sydney
bacteria that promote a healthy balance of necessary bacteria based naturopath and author, and
in your gut. These beneficial bacteria play a major role in your passionate foodie, with 10 years of
digestion and immune function as well as in production of vitamins clinical experience. Lisa runs a busy
K and B12. People who have an imbalance of good bacteria in their naturopathic clinic in Double Bay called
gut commonly suffer from bloating, flatulence, constipation and ‘Art of Healing’. Lisa is passionate
thrush. Probiotic foods include yoghurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and about helping people achieve optimal
other fermented vegetables. health and wellbeing, through
good wholesome foods, nutritional
2. Bitter foods – Including bitter foods in the diet will improve supplementation, healing herbs and
your digestion by increasing stomach acids. When we taste homeopathic remedies. Being a mum
anything bitter it signals our stomach to secrete stomach acids of two, Lisa has a particular interest in
in preparation for food. Bitter foods include lemon, and bitter supporting women through pregnancy
lettuce (rocket, endives, mustard greens). Lemon in water first and beyond, and for children’s health
thing of a morning is a great way to kick-start your digestion for and nutrition. Lisa is also the author of
the day. Taken 15 minutes before a meal, Swedish bitters and ‘My Goodness: all you need to know
bitter digestive herbal mixes (which will include bitter herbs such about children’s health and nutrition’,
as gentian) – available from your local health food stores - helps ‘Heal Yourself’, and ‘Pregnancy
stimulate digestion too. People with low stomach acids will Essentials’. Lisa is an avid health writer,
commonly suffer from bloating, burping and flatulence. Factors being the resident nutritionist for Body
that can cause low stomach acid include stress, excessive alcohol and Soul magazine, and regularly writing
consumption, poor diet and some medications. for a number of health and natural
parenting magazines and websites.
3. Slippery elm - Heartburn is not always caused by excessive
stomach acid, it is generally caused from having a weak valve that For more information please visit:
shuts off the top of the stomach (oesophageal sphincter), which www.artofhealing.com.au
prevents the contents of your stomach from rising up into the
oesophagus. Taking antacid medications may give quick relief but LIKE’ Lisa on facebook for more great
they work by neutralizing stomach acids, which are vital for good health tips and nutritious recipes.
digestion and absorption of important nutrients we need for good www.facebook.com/
health. Slippery elm powder is very soothing and healing. Mix a ArtOfHealingNaturopathicMedicine
couple of teaspoons in some water or with some yoghurt and take
in-between meals or when you suffer from heartburn. It will coat
the oesophagus and provide relief from that burning sensation of
heartburn. Slippery elm is also an excellent gentle source of fibre
to help prevent constipation.
NUTRITION /
4. Digestive enzymes -Taking a digestive supplement with main meals
can be extremely beneficial for improving your digestion and
alleviating digestive complaints such as bloating and flatulence.
Your body requires a variety of enzymes for digestion. You can also
boost your enzyme levels by eating sprouts such as alfalfa, broccoli
sprouts, and sprouted nuts, seeds and grains. Sprouted foods are
some of the best sources of living enzymes. Processed and refined
foods are deficient in enzyme content.
5. Does gluten give you troubles? Many people report feeling

bloated after eating too much bread or pasta, or foods containing
gluten. You may not have an intolerance to gluten, but you may be
sensitive to having it in large amounts. Our Western diets are very
wheat and gluten dominate. If you’re having digestive problems
it is definitely worth switching to a gluten-free diet for two weeks
to see if you notice any improvement. Most people do. There are
lots of gluten-free grains to choose from and gluten-free products
available from supermarkets and health food stores. Going gluten-
free can open up a whole new variety of foods you have never tried
before such as buckwheat, quiona, millet, and amaranth.
6. Don’t drink water with meals. Drinking water with a meal dilutes
stomach acids and reduces your body’s ability to breakdown and
absorb nutrients from your meal. It is important to drink plenty
of water throughout the day, but just make sure it is either side
of main meals. Other drinks such as juices and milk are fine with
meals.
7. Practice mindful eating. Prepare your meals with love and care and
think about what you are putting in your mouth. You should always
try to eat sitting down when you are feeling calm and relaxed. You
should avoid eating too fast or on the go. When you are stressed
and running around, your digestion slows down. An important part
of healthy digestion, which is often overlooked, is the importance
of chewing your food properly. Digestion actually starts in your
mouth, chewing physically breaks down and mixes your food with
saliva (that begins to digest carbohydrates). Chewing also signals
to the rest of your digestive tract to get ready for food.
NUTRITION /
DON’T
SWEAT THE
SMALL STUFF
By Paul Richards Author
I confess. I was one of the world’s biggest health food nuts. Still am, if
not a little quieter about it. Eating anything with sugar was pure evil.
And it is true that some experts believe, probably correctly that sugar
feeds cancer.
Since being consumed with body building at the age of eighteen, I had
become increasingly single-minded that any food eaten had to be the
highest quality for health.
I further believed that since the body replaces most of its cells every
seven years, that if I ate absolutely no junk or chemical enhanced food
for seven years my body would be totally healthy.
Then came a wife and family. They didn’t necessarily share the exact
same passions as me. But as you know as a parent, nothing is more
important than your kids, right? Course, we all want our kids to eat By Paul Richards
healthy and grow strong.
Paul Richards – founder of Club Physical,
But because of my passion and highly committed personality, every Auckland, New Zealand
time I saw my wife allow the kids to eat ice-cream for example, all I
could think of was, ‘There’s my beautiful children, pumping sugar and Consumed with a passion for health
the seventy chemicals that go into ice-cream into their bodies’. and fitness I decided in 1981 to try
making this my business and founded
I love them. How can I keep quiet and not say something?’ So I did say Club Physical. This grew from just $800
something. This caused friction between my wife and I. It also conjured and an idea into one of the best known
up unreasonable tension in the kids. In some cases, this lead to difficult New Zealand health club brands, with
times ahead. ten current locations. Club Physical
provides medium to large health clubs
Now with hindsight, I will never criticize a food in front of my children. fostering FUN, friendship and the
Rarely now do I preach the value of a certain food, or how ‘bad’ another peak of good health. With innovative
food is. I’ve come to realize that these attempts to do what’s right programming, GROUPX classes, weights
actually backfired to a degree. and cardio. The ‘wellness’ theme is what
we encourage. We also have a FREE
What has worked better, I’ve since discovered is leading by example. programme for people with cancer.
I quietly make my own food choices. And if they want, the others will
follow. So next time you struggle seeing your kids eating everything www.clubphysical.co.nz
but their vegies, can I suggest, just say nothing. A little gentle
encouragement at most.
Now I’m going to share a secret with you of what has worked for my
most vegetable adverse daughter.
Vegetable soup. She loves it.
While always avoiding them on her dinner plate, for some reason, the
transformation into ‘soup’ changes everything. It could be that to guide
the kids and family in healthy eating, you just need to be a little more
creative to find what works.
But until then, one of the most important lessons I have ever learned
with food and family is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Peace, humour and
happiness is more important. Just lead by example and let it be.
NUTRITION /
IT’S
NOT JUST
‘WHAT’ BUT ‘WHEN’
By Levi Bloom Author
If you’re following a traditional diet, it’s probably telling you what to eat.
Well, what if I told you that when you eat is even more important to
achieving your goals?
I’m not talking about bogus rules like “don’t eat after 7PM if you want
to lose weight.” That’s a myth, and following it could do more harm
than good.
What I’m talking about is a concept called nutrient timing. In simple

terms, it’s about eating the right foods at the right times. If your fat
loss or muscle building has stalled out, this is just the ticket to get back
on track and see gains you never thought possible!
My clients love this technique because it does not require any long-
term calorie restriction or marathon training sessions, yet it produces By Levi Bloom
better results than those tedious programs ever did! Best of all, it
works for everyone from professional athletes to busy stay-at-home moms. Levi Bloom is a USA Cycling Level 3
Coach who works with endurance
Before you get started, there are two things you need to be doing. athletes of all levels to improve their
First, you need to exercise. It doesn’t matter if you’re running, walking, fitness and nutrition habits. He is also
cycling, or lifting weights, just so you have some activity in your life. the creator of The Endurance Plate, a
Second, you need to track your calorie intake in a food journal (such as meal-planning protocol for endurance
the free website, MyFitnessPal.com.) If you’re reading this book, you athletes.
are probably already doing these things, so let’s get going!
For more free tips, visit
Here are three simple techniques to put nutrient timing into practice: www.CoachLevi.com.
Mention Nuzest when you e-mail him
1. Eat Different Amounts Each Day and he’ll send you a free meal plan
Let’s say you normally eat 2,000 calories each day. Instead, try eating based on nutrient timing!
2500 calories on your workout days, and 1500 calories on other days
of the week. Rather than being in “maintenance” mode each day,
you’ll alternate between “fat loss” and “muscle gain” days, leading to
greater progress towards both goals.
2. Eat Slow-Digesting Foods Before Your Workouts

Before your workouts, aim for slow-digesting meals, based on protein
(lean meat, eggs, etc.,) healthy fats (nuts, seeds, olive oil, etc.,) and
vegetables. Avoid foods like bagels and fruit juice, which would likely
be digested and stored as fat – exactly what you don’t want to happen!
3. Eat Immediately After Your Workouts

By eating your biggest (and highest-carb) meal of the day shortly
after your workout, you increase the chances that what you eat will be
used to replenish your energy levels or build muscle, while decreasing
the chances of storing it as fat! So you can eat plenty of oatmeal,
potatoes, or even pizza, and still succeed!
Use one nutrient timing technique today, and continue until it becomes
a habit.
NUTRITION /
DON’T BE
AFRAID
OF ALL FATS
By Katie Bressack Author
The word fat has become such a negative word in the women
language.
We have become afraid of the word fat because we have been led to
believe from the media that if we eat fat, we become fat.
The fact is, the more healthy fats you consume the better you can
maintain your weight, create a healthy skin glow and create balance in
your body.
The right fats are good and essential for our well-being and keep us
healthy from the inside out.
1. These Fats Are Okay

Unsaturated fats help to lower blood cholesterol levels in our bodies.
They do have a lot of calories, hence the reason we have become afraid By Katie Bressack
of fats, however we are not concerned with the calories. We are more
concerned with the quality of the foods we are eating. Katie Bressack Inspires & Supports
Women to Live Healthy & Vibrant
Katie’s Quick Tip: Eat avocados, coconut oil and walnuts to consume Lifestyles. Katie of Balanced Beings is a
healthy fats essential for your body’s health. Board Certified Holistic Health Coach
(CHHC, AADP) and Yoga Teacher who is
2. Only In Moderation passionate about empowering women
Saturated fats are mostly found in meat products. to make themselves and their health a
These types of fats have been linked to chronic heart disease because priority. With Katie’s support her clients
they raise our blood cholesterol levels and put us at risk for heart feel confident and beautiful in their
attacks and strokes. bodies, reduce cravings, decrease stress
levels and see an increase in energy and
Common foods that contain these types of fats are cheeses, meats, a more balanced mood.
butters and creams. Also a lot of baked good and fried foods contain
saturated fats, so they are best to be avoided and eaten only in If you are looking to create a
moderation. healthier lifestyle contact Katie for a
complimentary health discovery session.
Katie’s Quick Tip: Eat more plants www.balanced-beings.com
3. Never Eat These Fats
Trans Fats
All foods that contain trans fats are labeled now. These are some of the
worst fats because they raise our LDL levels (the types of cholesterol
we don’t want raised) and lower our HDL (the good cholesterol levels).
They are found in fried foods, commercial baked goods like donuts,
cookies, crackers, processed foods and margarine.
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats

When a food has been partially hydrogenated it means that the oils are
only partially hardened. They should be avoided because they contain
high levels of trans fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease.
Katie’s Quick Tip: Read Labels! If your food has a label, know what you
are eating.
NUTRITION /
THE
TRUTH
ABOUT HUNGER
By Mike Clancy Author
Being a fitness professional in New York City, my clients are some of
the most intelligent individuals a trainer can work with. There is no
need to educate this population on the importance of good nutrition
and a healthy lifestyle. My challenge as a trainer is teaching the client
to apply the strategies they already understand.
Applying a structure for health and wellness can be a daunting task.

When results are the goal and application becomes a challenge, I
teach my clients to focus on their response to hunger.
For my clients, the best way to see results is to understand where the
feelings of hunger are coming from.
Hunger is thought to be a sign of starvation. Many people assume

either they did not eat enough in their last meal or their stomach is
empty so they increase their intake to curb the hunger sensation.
Hunger becomes an excuse to eat. Unfortunately, many rely on hunger By Mike Clancy
to dictate when and how much food should be consumed. This is a
recipe for disaster. Mike Clancy is one of the fitness
industry’s top experts. Mike is certified
I train my clients to understand that hunger is not an emergency personal trainer, nutritionist, and
addressed with food intake. lifestyle coach. He is well-educated with
a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science,
Hunger can be deceiving; Sometimes hunger is due to the body’s need multiple certifications, and over 10 years
for nutrients, while other times hunger is just a craving manufactured of experience.
by a stimulated brain.
You can learn about his unique
Hunger sensations can emerge after seeing a food advertisement or approach to health and wellness along
smelling a delicious food. Differentiating physical and mental hunger is with Mike’s informative e-newsletter at
an important strategy for maintaining a healthy relationship with food. www.mikeclancytraining.com
The best strategy for determining actual hunger from cravings is by
consuming water. When my clients feel overwhelmed with hunger
sensations, I have them drink a glass of cold water.
Water, besides being the most important substance for the body, is a
great way of curbing hunger through hydration.
If the hunger sensations are still prominent after drinking water, this is a
good indication that the hunger is physical and nutrients are needed in
the near future.
However, if hunger subsides after the water intake, it’s obvious that the
hunger sensations are temporary. The best tool for addressing hunger
is consuming a glass of water before making any decisions with food.
This has been an effective strategy that has produced the best results
for my clients. Hunger is not a cry for help. Determine which type of
hunger (physical/mental) you’re feeling by first drinking a glass of water
before addressing the hunger sensations.
NUTRITION /
ELIMINATE
GLUTEN IN
5 EASY STEPS
By Margaret A. Romero Author
You’ve probably heard the word gluten-free more and more, on the
news or in the supermarket. What is all the hype? Is it the latest fad? As
more and more individuals are discovering they are gluten sensitive or
have celiac disease, the food industry is matching the demand. Being
gluten free can actually decrease or eliminate symptoms of digestive
disorders, brain fog, neurological issues, and pain to name a few. There
have been numerous studies demonstrating this.
Once you’ve discovered that you cannot tolerate gluten, or have celiac
disease, you will need to clean out your pantry. Some believe it’s
impossible to live without gluten and that their lives will change forever
but I am here to tell you that you will get through this and it’s not as
painful as you thought!
1. Replace all pasta, bread, breadcrumbs, and crackers with gluten-

free pasta. This can be made from rice, brown rice, corn, or quinoa. By Margaret A. Romero
At times these need to be cooked a little longer than regular pasta.
You can find all different types like lasagna. Not to fret! Margaret A. Romero NP-C is an Ivy-
league trained and board certified
2. Lose the soy sauce and certain seasonings: There is wheat in soy nurse practitioner. Founder of From
sauce, but tamari sauce tastes exactly the same sans the gluten. Lupus to Living, she frequently tests
This also comes in small packets that you can carry with you to sushi and evaluates for food allergies in her
restaurants but most will likely carry the tamari. Check seasonings patients and has noticed remarkable
for gluten, though some may not indicate on the label. positive changes from a gluten-free
lifestyle.
3. Replace your toaster: It is too difficult to remove all the gluten that
gets stuck in a toaster. Its best to replace and start fresh! You can learn more about Margaret
and her helpful ideas at
4. Check all your vitamins and supplements: there is hidden gluten in www.Margaret-Romero.com
some vitamins. Read all labels and discard.
5. Replace all baking flours and pancake mixes: We are replacing

these, not eliminating it from your life. Pamela’s is a great brand that
tastes like the mixes you are used to using.
Do not get discouraged, you will be able to still have your lasagna but
you won’t get the bloating or inflammation from the gluten. Being
gluten-free is just a matter of replacement not elimination. Be patient
with the process.
Replace 1 gluten item in your pantry with the gluten-free version. Then
make a dish with that ingredient. You may be pleasantly surprised!
NUTRITION /
KEEP A
FOOD
JOURNAL
By Irene Ross Author
I recommend that you keep a food-mood journal. Every day, write down
every single thing you’ve eaten. Even tiniest bite of something should
be documented.
Record how you felt BOTH before and after you’ve eaten this food (e.g.
if you just had to run out for a sugary donut and coffee, how did you
feel just before? Of course you felt hungry, but why the donut and not,
say, an apple. Were you upset about something, irritable, anxious?
How did you feel after; were you initially happy and energetic and then
tired and irritable?) Things like that…
Remember, everything feeds us, whether it’s on the plate or not. That
includes things like career, relationships, finances, spirituality and more.
If one thing is out of balance, you’ll always be, well, tired and hungry.
The reason to do this is so you can spot patterns. By Irene Ross
Sometimes we’re allergic or sensitive to certain foods and we don’t Irene Ross, CHHC, AADP is an
know it; and, since we often crave the very things that we’re allergic integrative nutrition and holistic wellness
to, we just keep eating and eating that food. (And by the way, never coach. She helps people alter unhealthy
assume that just because a food is labeled as “healthy”—or good for habits so they can balance their lives.
someone—it will be good for you as well.
Author of the e-book, Sugar’s Sour
We’re all different; one food that could be fine for me, but might make Story, and of the forthcoming book,
you headachy, tired, irritable or bloated. Sometimes one craving can 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase
actually set off another—the sugar-salt-and back to sugar- craving is Energy, Get More Done in Less Time,
one example. The reason you want to record how you felt before eating Balance Your Life, her website is:
the food is so that you can spot trigger foods. www.irenefross.com
Sometimes we think we’re craving a food—but it’s really something else Irene is also offering a complimentary
we want. If you crave sugar, for example, you might think you want a 30-minute phone wellness discovery
donut—but you really are looking for some comfort. session to all readers of this book. To
sign up, simply contact her through her
Still need some convincing? Let me tell you this little, very true story. I website.
once worked with a woman who would come back from lunch sleepy
and irritable.
She’d actually put her head on her desk to snooze—and then wake up
to shout at co-workers, clients—and eventually the company CEO who
fired her. She’d justify her behavior by saying “It’s the food!” She was
probably right; the restaurant where she ate several times a week had
mostly high-fat, sugary, high-calorie items.
She also hated her job and was in a poor relationship. So while the
restaurant’s food didn’t seem to bother others, she was particularly
susceptible to a reaction. Keep a food journal for a month and notice
what you discover about yourself and your health by doing this.
NUTRITION /
KICK
SUGAR TO
THE CURB
By Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC, FDN The Mojo Coach® Author
In helping thousands of people look, feel and live their best over the
last 21 years, the greatest change has always been seen when they
break their addiction to sugar.
Here’s how to do it in 10 simple steps:
1. Get educated and committed: When you understand exactly how

your sugar addiction has been chipping away at your health as well
as your waistline, you’ll be fuelling your motivation to kick sugar to
the curb.
2. Learn your labels: Learning the many names marketers and

advertisers use to disguise sugar is a way to empower yourself as
you transition away from sugar.
3. Assess where your daily sugar intake is coming from: Keeping a By Debi Silber
food journal for a few days can show you exactly where and when
you’re taking in excess sugar so you’ll know which areas to focus on. Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC, FDN The
Mojo Coach, Founder of
4. Dump the junk: Grab your garbage bag, take a deep breath and www.TheMojoCoach.com is a
dump…Bread, pasta, rice, bagels, waffles, pancakes, cookies, recognized weight loss, fitness, lifestyle,
crackers, ice cream, oatmeal, juice, soda, artificial sweeteners, high self-improvement expert, speaker,
sugar yogurt, jam, candy, fat free dairy/yogurt/milk, dried fruit, spokesperson, author and THE secret
dates, figs and starchy carbs. behind some of the healthiest, most
dynamic and successful people today.
5. Stock up on healthy substitutions: Now with a cleaned out kitchen, Sign up to receive videos, strategies,
stock up on foods that will nourish, fuel and heal you. tips and resources to get you lean, fit,
energized, healthy and happy!
6. Lose the liquid sugars and obvious refined sugars first: Liquid
calories add up at lightning speed, wreaking havoc on our body,
health and so much more.
7. Kick the carbs at breakfast, lunch, dinner: Create simple meals

like shakes/smoothies, eggs/omelettes, Greek yogurt with nuts
for breakfast, lettuce wraps, soups or delicious salads with healthy
protein for lunch, stir fry’s or protein with vegetables and healthy
fats for dinner.
8. Strategize your trades to transition away from high sugar foods:

Trade sugar (or artificial sweetener) in your coffee for stevia, trade
high sugar fruits for low sugar fruits, trade baking with flour for
almond or coconut flour.
9. Pre plan: Have what you need so you’re not at the mercy of
whatever is available. To do this, shop online, cook extra on the
weekend when you have extra time and take what you need when
you’re heading out for the day.
10. Get support: Get the support you need to help keep you
motivated, on track and accountable.
NUTRITION /
PLAN
SMART TO
EAT SMART
By Ling Wong Author
Most busy clients I work with are actually very intelligent and
knowledgeable when it comes to what a healthy diet looks like.
The challenge is to make it happen in their hectic and over-committed
lives. As most busy people are also very driven, you can turn this into
your asset in helping you implement healthy dietary changes.
For busy folks, planning smart is key to eating smart. If you make healthy
choices available to you when you need them, chances are you will also
make better decisions.
Here are a few tips to help you plan better so you can eat better and
feel better:
Plan for the week ahead – plan out your meals for the upcoming week
on your weekend, and do all your grocery shopping in one trip (that will
save you time too!). If possible, set aside a couple of hours during the
weekend to prep your meals – e.g. you can chop some veggies, or even By Ling Wong
cook the entire dish and put it in the fridge or freezer.
Ling Wong supports entrepreneurial
Cook once eat twice (or more!)” – when it comes to healthy eating, mothers to live a passionate and
nothing beats home-cooked meals made from scratch (a whole foods fulfilling life with ease and confidence
based diet). Having to scramble for dinner every evening can be through her signature P.H.E.W.! Holistic
challenging, and this idea can help you save time and headache. You Abundance Coaching System that
can prepare more than one meal worth of food so you have leftovers encompasses Purpose, Health,
for one more meal. You can cook a big batch of grains and use them in (e)Business, and Wealth consciousness.
different combination.
Learn more about the P.H.E.W.! System
Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy snacks – make sure you have and get your FREE “Alpha Mom Get
some healthy snack alternatives handy so you don’t go for the vending Your Mojo Back”. Special Report at
machine which is usually stocked with less desirable options. www.abundanceformoms.com
If a fridge is available, try some hummus with celery sticks, carrots or
broccoli.
If you are on the go, a handful of nuts with dried fruit or an apple with
nut butter can be great pick-me-ups.
Know that fresh whole food is always better than processed foods –
there are many “bars” on the market with “health claims” – however,
most of them contain sugar, additives or processed food products that
are less desirable. If you have to turn to packaged foods, always read
the label to make smart choices. Instead of getting caught with nothing
for dinner, stock a few healthy frozen options. Make a point to pair
frozen meals and fresh veggies (even if it’s just celery or carrot sticks
with dips)
Team up with a few other families - each prepare one dish in a big
batch, and then trade dishes - you will walk away with a week’s worth
of dinner!
1. Block out time every weekend for shopping and prepping - make it
a family ritual!
2. Start a recipe book with healthy, easy meals that you can prepare in
a big batch.
3. Do a pantry makeover - replace less healthy choices with better
options.
NUTRITION /
CUT
OUT
SUGAR NOW
By Leanne Sklavenitis Author
Even though we all love sugar we only need it in moderation.
Unfortunately we no longer eat it in small volumes and it is affecting our
health. Obesity is an outcome of excess consumption or sugars that
eventually converts to fat.
We should be aiming to consume less than 10 teaspoons per day of

sugar but we often easily consume double this amount. Drinking one
can of soft drink contains enough sugar for one day.
If you can cut down on sugar consumption and stop the cravings for
sweet foods you will often drop a few kilograms within the first few
weeks. I have had many clients successfully lose weight this way.
So How Do You Start?
1. Drink Water and lots of it. Plain water is always the best but if you By Leanne Sklavenitis
have trouble drinking it on its own add fresh lemon or a lime for
flavour. (Try not to have any cordial!!!) I found out a client was Leanne Sklavenitis has been extensively
drinking a glass of cordial every night with dinner instead of water involved in the Fitness industry in not
and as soon as he stopped taking the cordial his weight dropped as only Australia but also the USA for over
he was consuming less sugar). 20 years as an Online Fitness Expert,
2. Stay away from all soft drinks! Please try and kick the habit and you Group Fitness instructor/Personal
will start to feel better immediately. Trainer and Speaker running a successful
3. Read Labels Carefully. Almost everything that you buy in the online fitness business.
supermarket especially processed foods, contains added sugar. Be
aware that other names are used other than sugar such as fructose, Find out more about her online fitness
dextrose, glucose, sucrose and maltose. If you don’t know the programs and health tips at
name of it, then don’t buy it. Other forms of sugar include honey, www.fitnesstips.com.au and
syrup, raw sugar, brown sugar and concentrated fruit juice. www.fitnesstipsmembership.com
4. Fruit Juices that are unsweetened are the best choices.
5. Cut down on sugar in tea and coffee.
6. Choose tinned fruit in natural juice instead of with syrup.
7. Halve the sugar used in recipes. It works easily in most recipes
except with meringues, jams and ice cream.
8. Cut out jam, marmalade, syrup, treacle and honey. If you have jam
or honey on your toast for breakfast you have already started your
sugar intake first thing before the day even begins.
9. Cut out your intake of cakes, biscuits and pastries.
10. Limit your intake of chocolates and sweets, choose healthier snacks.
11. Choose wholegrain cereals instead of sugar coated types.
12. Use low sugar varieties of ready made desserts and puddings.
Artificial Sweeteners – Yes or No?

Artificial sweeteners are not a healthy alternative to sugar and should
be avoided.
How Much Sugar Are You Consuming Every Day?

Write down everything that you eat and drink for a week .
How much sugar did you consume? Try to cut down a bit further the
every week and you will
NUTRITION /
FIT –
NESS
DO
BOX –
ING
By Kris Abbey Author
When trying to shed your winter coat in readiness for summer… there
is a new trend - and it’s not an all-promise no-result new shiny gym
machine… It is good old-fashioned, tried and true ... boxing. And
women are leading the way!
Boxing and the aerobic-inspired boxercise is a total body workout

that combines a mixture of cardio and high impact training that sees
fast weight loss results as well as decreased stress levels! With legions
of celebrity fans from Halle Berry, Cameron Diaz, Gwen Stefani, Paris
Hilton and Kim Kardashian boxing, it is clear that this sport is no longer
just for guys!
Why?
Boxing uses every part of the body from the mind to core strength. It
has the added benefits of increasing endurance and agility while also By Kris Abbey-Nutritionist, PHD in
improving coordination and reflexes. Boxing and boxercise workouts Exercise Physiology and Sports Science
keeps the heart rate in the ‘weight loss’ zone long after the workout
finishes - which means your body will have an increased metabolised For more information please visit:
and absorb less fat during the day! www.realfoodnut.com
“60 minutes of boxing for fitness has been shown to be equivalent
to running 9km on the treadmill and burning 2821kj”(Williams and
Wilkinson, American College of Sports Medicine)
Now that’s a great workout!
Boxing isn’t just punching your arms back and forth, proper technique
will teach you to start at the toes, the power then comes through your
legs and hips and ends in the punch… so every fibre of your being gets
involved in a quick one-two.
Variety is key, and different combinations will keep you on your toes
both physically and mentally. Aside from increasing coordination,
challenging and stimulating combinations will challenge and grow your
mental agility as well!
And if that’s not enough, there aren’t too many opportunities in life
where you’re encouraged to release aggression, it’s just not PC. Boxing
allows you to release the ‘pent up’ emotion in a safe, fun environment.
So, in a nutshell, Boxing is a time-effective way to provide a low impact,

high intensity work out. The physical benefits include gains in strength,
endurance, balance and speed. If boxing properly, you will develop the
grace of a Gazelle coupled with the power of a Rhino. Or, in the style of
the great Muhammed. “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!”
Get the Gloves on
Boxing is another one of those great sports where you don’t have to
buy loads of gear. If you participate in a class, most of the equipment
will be provided… but if you’re not into sweat-sharing, maybe invest in
some cotton glove liners. You can get these from most sports stores
who sell boxing gear. You wear them inside your boxing gloves and
FITNESS /
wash them after each workout.
If you’re thinking of becoming more committed, then it might be an
idea to buy your own gloves that are sized to your hand and weight/
strength. Punch and Thump are good brands, and for the more
serious… Everlast is hard to beat.
Other than that, some light training shoes, clothes you can move about
freely in and some motivation is about all you need.
In the Ring
Just a couple of tips to keep in mind:
1. Always use ‘split stance’ ie. one leg forward, one leg back and
between punches keep fists up (helps balance/form and strength).
2. Holding focus pads - Position the pads in a downwards motion to

catch the punch. Concentrate on resistance, ie. pushing pressure
back. Work on timing together with your partner.
3. Punching (Jab/Cross/Uppercut/Hook) -
a. aim to hit leading with top two knuckles
b. your leading hand is the same as your foot forward
c. follow the line of the punch, out and in punches start from the feet
Hot Tips:
• Make sure you train with an accredited Boxing trainer. You want
someone who can teach your correct technique from the instant
you ‘step in the ring’. There are a plethora of great boxing classes
available at most good gyms, or seek out a Personal Trainers who
specialise in boxing. Getting it right from the start will ensure you
avoid injury.
• Make sure you keep a straight wrist when you punch – even if it is
at the air. Correct technique will improve your results and set you
up for the next stage.
• Always use your abs, glutes and legs when throwing a punch to
maximise your workout. By using your whole body you will also
increase your power output and maximise your workout results.
• Remember to breathe! With any sport, you must avoid holding

your breath through the exercise. Breathe deeply and maintain
control — in through the nose and out through the mouth! It also
helps in the power department to exhale when landing a punch.
“I am the Greatest” (Muhammed Ali). That’s the confidence you will

feel once you master the art of boxing… not to mention how you’re
body will look and feel.
FITNESS /
FOLLOW
THE
BEAT …
By Maria Teresa Stone Author
As a fitness enthusiast and group fitness instructor I have always used
music to motivate me and motivate others, but really, how can music
affect our workout?
Most of us enjoy listening to music and when you incorporate it into

your workout it has a powerful effect. Music can give us a sense of
motivation and distract the mind while we workout. This has very
positive effects in the effort that we make when performing a move or
set of moves. If the tempo is fast it also helps to increase the heart rate.
When we are performing an exercise such as rowing, running or
spinning, which have a pace or rhythm, music can be used to control
that rhythm.
“In a recent study, researchers asked 12 college students to ride

stationary bicycles while listening to music. They were given a selection
of six songs with a range of tempos. During one session, the six songs By Maria Teresa Stone
ran at their normal tempos. In other sessions, the tempo was slowed
by 10 percent or increased by 10 percent. Their activity changed
significantly in response. When the tempo was slowed, their pedalling Maria Teresa Stone is a Zumba®
diminished in rate, their heart rates fell, and their mileage dropped. Education Specialist, fitness presenter
When the tempo was increased, they produced more power with each and Nuzest ambassador, she has been
pedal stroke and increased their pedalling rate, and their heart rates teaching group fitness classes since
rose.” (http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/09/09/ 1996. She can be contacted via her
does-music-make-you-exercise-harder.aspx) website www.mariateresastone.com
An example of how popular it is to exercise with or to music is the

majority of group fitness classes out there. Music is the foundation of
many classes, therefore it is very important to choose the right music
for the class format. For example, if the class is kickboxing you wouldn’t
use slow romantic music, you have to have a good catchy beat as the
music will set the right environment for the class.
Music will engage the participants and make them want to move, and
in doing so the effort is disguised by the joy of listening and moving to
the music.
The signals coming from the music to the body allows the participants
to put in more effort and push themselves harder than they would
without music. The music takes away the task of keeping time
from your conscious mind, allowing it to put more effort into the
movements.
Here are some good workout songs:
David Guetta, Ne-Yo & Akon -- “Play Hard” -- 130 BPM
Jason Derulo -- “The Other Side” -- 128 BPM
Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull -- “Live It Up” -- 128 BPM
Robin Thicke, T.I. & Pharrell -- “Blurred Lines” -- 121 BPM
FITNESS /
Sean Paul - Other Side of Love - 120 BPM
Nicki Minaj - Va Va Voom - 128 BPM
Pitbull & TJR - Don’t Stop the Party - 126 BPM
Will.I.Am & Britney Spears - Scream & Shout - 131 BPM

One Direction - Live While We’re Young (Dave Aude Remix) - 130 BPM
Kelly Clarkson - People Like Us - 128 BPM
For more songs go to: http://www.runhundred.com is the web’s most

popular workout music blog.
Some people might start working out with music just for the fun of it,
but they continue to use it because it helps them go longer and harder
in their workouts.
Music and exercise are a great combination and it is highly

recommended that you try to put them into your daily routine to help
improve your health. As we know exercise is the best preventative
medicine.
FITNESS /
WHY
YOU NEED
FOAM ROLLING
By Natalie Carter Author
Foam Rolling or Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) is a safe and effective
way to improve the tone of muscles and break down muscle adhesions.
If you can imagine all your muscles are surrounded by a glad wrap,
called fascia. When we exercise, muscle is broken down and small tears
are made (in a good way!). This enables our muscles to get bigger and
grow. These little micro tears in the muscle become trapped in the
fascia and need to be “smoothed’’ or “rolled out”.
If you think leaving them will eventually fix the soreness, you are
unfortunately wrong.
It just leads to more problems down the road such as muscle

imbalance, reduced flexibility (limiting what types of exercises you can
perform) and pain.
By Natalie Carter
What the foam roller aims to do is smooth out these adhesion’s and aid
recovery. While stretching allows muscles to lengthen, this lengthening Natalie Carter, Personal Trainer and
can sometimes lead to injury. Foam rolling ensures recovery is speedy Transformation coach.
and muscle imbalances are corrected.
For more information, please visit
How do you foam roll? www.nataliecartertalksfitness.com.
You use a high density foam roller (generally 10cm x 90cm) on your
whole body before and after a workout. Just Google Foam Roller and
you’ll find a lot of places that offer these. They are very affordable.
Place the roller across your quads and slowly roll along the quad. Find
the sore spots and stay on them for 45 secs - 1min, just keep working
your way through the whole body. You’ll experience cracks and creaks,
this is perfectly normal, think of it as a free adjustment.
Here are some of the spots I recommend you try rolling:
Quads
Body is positioned prone with
quadriceps on foam roll. It is very
important to maintain proper
core control (abdominal drawn-in
position & tight gluteals) to prevent
low back compensations. Roll from
pelvic bone to knee, emphasizing
the lateral thigh.
FITNESS /
ITB (iliotibial band)
This is particularly good if you are a
runner and experience sore knees.
Position yourself side lying on foam
roll. Bottom leg is raised slightly
off floor or just touching depending
on pain level. Maintain head in
“neutral” with ears aligned with
shoulders. Roll just below hip joint
down the lateral thigh to the knee.
Glutes (Piriformis)
These get tight and sore from
squats and lunges. Roll these to
improve ROM (range of movement).
Begin position as shown, with foot
crossed to opposite knee. Roll on
the posterior hip area. Increase the
stretch by pulling the knee toward
the opposite shoulder.
Hamstrings
Place hamstrings on the roll with
hips unsupported. Feet are crossed
to increase leverage. Roll from
knee toward posterior hip while
keeping quadriceps tightened.
Lats
Lay on side with arm outstretched
and foam roll placed in axillary
area. Thumb is pointed up to pre-
stretch the latissumus dorsi muscle.
Movement during this technique is
minimal. Also try upper back.
Pecs
Lie on roller vertically. Place hands
either side of head and hold for 1-
3mins. Maintain neutral spine along
the roller also. This is great if you sit
in front of a computer all day.
FITNESS /
SPICE UP
YOUR
WORKOUT
By Fiona Compston Author
When it comes to exercise, the human body loves variety – in
movement, pace and strength. For this reason, it’s always a good idea
to make slight changes to your exercise routine to maximize fat burn,
boost fitness and above all, boost motivation.
There are many easy ways to spice up your exercise routine, and here’s
how.
1. Vary the timing of each repetition
Known also as time under tension, this is an easy way to add some
variation to your workout. All it means is that you are manipulating the
time it takes to complete one repetition. For example, you can change
the timing of your squats to 4 counts down, pause for 1 count, and 2
counts coming back up. By changing the tempo you build muscular
strength and effectively burn excess calories without resorting to lifting By Fiona Compston
heavier weights.
Fiona Compston is a Certified Personal
2. Change the number of repetitions per exercise Trainer, Fitness Writer and Massage
Therapist. She has a Bachelor of Arts
Pep up your weight loss workout by doing 6-10 reps per set with a degree, and is a Certified CHEK core
heavy weight. This will build lean muscle mass and burn body fat. If strength specialist, and certified group
you have been lifting 12kg for 12 reps for a dumbbell chest press, try fitness instructor.
lifting a heavier weight for 8-10 reps. If you want to develop muscle
endurance (i.e. a marathon or a 100km bike ride) extend your rep range Fiona also has 12 years’ experience as
from 15 to 30. a radio journalist in Sydney, Australia.
Fiona has trained Miss World New
3. Increase your weights Zealand, elite sportswomen, and is
herself a former NZ Masters time trial
Lifting a weight with control and proper execution of movement cycling gold medallist. Her speciality is
challenges your muscles and is truly effective in building a slim, in providing fitness programs for women
stronger body. Light weights may make you feel like you are exercising, aged 40+, and encouraging women
but it is not utilizing your muscles in a way that is adequate to burn fat about the importance of strength
and build lean mass – two key components of weight loss. Increase training with aging.
by 1-2 kilo increments, the amount you can lift at any one time. When
your muscles feel comfortable lifting that weight, you know it is time to You can contact Fiona at
increase it. fisfitness@orcon.net.nz
or follow Fiona at
4. Move the weight further away from you www.facebook.com/FizFitnesss and
www.fionacompston.wordpress.com
A simple but effective way to spice up your routine is to raise one limb
(leg or arm) off the floor while exercising. Try a single arm Shoulder
Press while lunging, or lift one leg off the ground while executing the
Bridge or Plank. By taking one leg or arm away from your centre of
gravity, the exercise activates and challenges the muscles even more to
maintain stability. If the muscles are forced to work harder, the body is
forced to shed body fat. The next time you exercise try some of these
tips. Adding just one of the suggestions will help revitalize a stale
routine, helping you to stay motivated and focused on your fitness goals.
FITNESS /
YOUR BEST
EVER BODY
AFTER HAVING A BABY
By Jen Dugard Author
A woman’s body is an amazing thing — it has grown and given birth to
a baby. It is important to give this body the respect it deserves both
inside and out. I believe every woman can achieve HER best ever body
after having a baby, not the media’s perception of best body but by
figuring our what HER best ever body means to her she can end up
fitter, stronger and more confident than ever before.
5 Key Points to get started to YOUR best ever post baby body
1. Know how to activate and relax your pelvic floor and know how to
do it well!
If you assume that a correct pelvic floor contraction is one of lifting
you can imagine that an incorrect one could be bearing down on your
pelvic floor, in turn making a potentially weak pelvic floor weaker. It is
important that you know what your pelvic floor is doing so that you can
do the correct exercises to lay great foundations for YOUR best ever body. By Jen Dugard
2. Check for abdominal separation Jen Dugard is Sydney’s leading “mummy

Many women don’t know if they have separation or not or what trainer”. As owner of Body Beyond Baby,
exercises can help or hinder. It is important to ensure you have Sydney’s largest “mum only” exercise
properly been check for abdominal separation so that you can perform company, she heads a team of trainers
the appropriate exercise to strengthen your inner unit and correct any who are changing the way mums feel
possible gaps. about their bodies. Run by mums, for
mums, Body Beyond Baby turns tired,
3. Learn how to activate your Transversus Abdominals (TA) self-conscious women who are fed up
Your TA is your inner most layer of abdominal muscles, when working with their bodies into confident, inspired
well they will not only help to correct any separation you might have women who have a great knowledge of
but also help to avoid those aches and pains that don’t have to come health, fitness and nutrition.
hand in hand with motherhood. Learning to down train your oblique’s
and leave out rectus abdominal training will help you to reach your For more information please visit,
inner most layer, protect your back and flatten your mummy tummy. www.jendugard.com
4. Learn and implement simple posture exercises

As well as abdominals your glutes and rhomboids can become lazy
and relaxed during pregnancy due to the weight of your belly creating
a forward or hunched posture. By stretching tight muscles and
strengthening weak ones you can help to combat this. Most postnatal
women need to stretch hip flexors and tighten glutes along with
stretching chest and strengthening back (especially rhomboids)
5. Seek out the help of an experienced professional

You cannot be blamed for what you don’t know and in beginning your
journey to YOUR best ever body you would be wise to seek out and
experienced health professional. Most mums I know are time poor and
need the safest, most effective and efficient workout that they can do.
Always take responsibility for the person your trust to look after your
body. Check their credentials and experience and make sure it matches
what you require at this time.
Take some time out for yourself in each day to action the above. I
see too many mums who have lost their sense of self after having a
baby. Make the decision to commit to each of the above steps over
the upcoming five weeks. Taking care of yourself is vital in creating a
Happy Mummy, Happy Baby partnership
FITNESS /
THE
MIRACLE
WORKOUT
By Steve Gardiner Author
The Miracle Workout is WALKING.
Everyone can do it; it costs nothing, invigorates, refreshes, stimulates

the mind and burns calories.
Here’s how...
Walk slower
New research shows walking slower burns more calories, and is easier
on the joints.
Say goodbye to those annoying speed walkers who cut you up on the
sidewalk in their pink shell suits!
Get a pedometer By Steve Gardiner
When it comes to health and fitness, numbers are key. Calories burned, Steve Gardiner has been the owner
BMI, kilo’s dropped, exercise reps and steps walked. of Gold’s Health & Fitness in Rotorua,
New Zealand since 1991. Steve and his
Tracking your numbers gives you targets and shows your progress. A team help people from all walks of life
pedometer is a great way to make walking more beneficial. to overcome their limitations and build
strong healthy vibrant bodies.
Find a walking buddy
For more information please visit
It’s always easier to stay motivated and stick to a schedule when you’re www.golds.co.nz
not the only one doing it.
Find a walking buddy (at the gym, friends, family, online) and schedule
daily walks.
Pretty straightforward, huh?
Left, right, left, right...
Don’t underestimate the power of this simple exercise and start

walking more today.
FITNESS /
GET
MOTI –
VATED!
By Tina Rutzou Author
We all know how important it is to be fit and healthy.
Some say the hardest part about getting into a fitness regime and
sticking to it, is finding a goal so you stay fully motivated. Keep reading
to discover my strategy for getting people fit, healthy and motivated.
Sometimes ‘I need to lose weight’, or ‘ I need to get fit’, is just a bit too
fluffy. Set yourself a fun and achievable goal. Each of my clients MUST
choose a charity event coming up within the next 6 months, enter and
pay for the event and then commit to a training plan. It really is that
easy. Enter with friends, get a team together, train together, have fun
together and you can even do some fundraising for your favourite
charity – ha! Everyone wins!
If you take the focus off weight loss or get fit and focus more on
completing an event such as, a 50km coastal walk for Fred Hollows,
an 80km bike ride through the Barossa Valley for Juvenile Diabetes
Research, a 4km/8km run/walk for Breast Cancer Research or simply an By Tina Rutzou
adventure race, you will achieve fantastic results and get a wonderful
sense of achievement at the same time. Tina Rutzou is Principal of Beachside
Personal Fitness. Tina has Master
As a by-product of your commitment to, and completion of your event, Trainer Certification as well as
your weight loss and fitness goals will just happen! a Graduate Diploma in Sports
Management from University of
Here are some photos of finishing teams at a couple of the great events Technology Sydney. Beachside Personal
we have been involved with lately. (Note the smiling faces!) Fitness is based on the northern
beaches of Sydney and has been
Coastrek 2013 finish – 50km trek for Fred Hollows Foundation running for over 12 years.
To see more on Beachside Personal

Fitness and upcoming events go to
www.beachfitness.com.au
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Bike Ride – 80km in the

Barossa Valley
FITNESS /
Adventure Race – kayak, trail run, mountain bike – 4 hr
endurance race.
These are just a couple of examples of building fantastic team spirit,

doing something you may not normally do and achieving great fitness,
health and wellbeing results. I publish upcoming events on my website,
my clients choose which one they would like to enter and away we go!
Make your commitment to better health and wellbeing today. A great

website to start with is www.coolrunning.com.au. This website lists
different types of events all over Australia, Asia Pacific, USA, Canada
and UK or simply go to your favourite charity website and see what
upcoming events they have planned.
You will feel amazing when you finish and you could help some of the
hardworking and very worthwhile charities at the same time – win/win!
FITNESS /
LOST YOUR
EXERCISE
MOJO?
By Mat Skate Author
It’s cold and raining outside. Your 5:30am alarm has just gone off and
you know you should be getting out of bed to exercise like you said
you would. You lean over to hit the snooze button for five more minutes
and the thought of getting out of your warm cocoon is about as painful
as pulling fingernails with pliers.
You are overwhelmed by an uncontrollable sense of guilt and if you

don’t take this opportunity now, you may not get another today.
“Am I struggling with motivation?”
Does this sound familiar? Are you starting to lose your exercise MOJO?
Sometimes, even I need a good swift kick up the backside to get
me training.
What I find is that once I’ve started I have never once looked back and By Mat Skate
said to myself..... “I wish I didn’t work out today”. For many people like
you and I the “getting started” bit can be difficult. Mathew Skate has trained well over
50,000 people world-wide over the
Here are some tips to keep your exercise MOJO; last 16 years (12 of those as an Army
1. Commit to exercise with a partner or in a group setting. We hate Physical Trainer). He assists corporate
letting our mates down and this is a great way to keep accountable. organisations and individuals establish
2. Layout your training gear the night before. This will help establish health and fitness strategies for success
the mindset prior to bed, that in the morning you want to sweat! through a variety of group and individual
3. Choose exercise that is fun for you. Let’s face it, certain exercise training, presentations, and corporate
modalities such as endurance, strength, etc will all create variable facilitation. Skate Coaching and Fitness
results. What is important is you establish an exercise routine. You is based in Brisbane, Australia.
can figure out the rest later.
4. Create a realistic goal. This might be 3 exercise sessions per week Find out more at www.fearlesshealth.com
to begin with. As you become fitter you will want more for even Email: contact@weighttolife.com.au
better results.
5. Get advice and do your own research. Ensure you get credible
information, there is a lot that is misleading! Great health and
fitness results can be attained with only a handful of training
sessions per week and good nutrition.
6. Reward yourself after you have met short-term goals. Perhaps set
a six-week goal of exercising 3 days per week. Achieve your goal =
3 hour pampering at a day spa for the ladies and a day of Sunday
fishing for the guys (or whatever floats your boat).
I could mention hundreds more but I won’t!

What I will do is ask you to consider how you feel after exercise and
compare this to how you feel when you don’t because your excuses
win out.
I love when my clients tell me that they are now able to day to day
things that they were unable to do before because they are fitter,
lighter, and healthier. This leverage is enough for most people to
continue an exercise routine (morning, midday, or evening).
I agree getting started can be the hard part if you let it.
Two final questions to consider:

How has not exercising worked out for you up until now?
What will be different in 6 months when you commit to regular exercise
today? Only you can answer these questions!
FITNESS /
STRONGER HEALTHIER
BONES BUILDS
FIRMER PERKIER BODIES
By Lisa Weis Author
As we age our bones lose minerals and can become weak and
brittle, causing the condition called osteoporosis. The best way to
enhance bone health and prevent fractures due to osteoporosis is a
combination of exercise, adequate nutrition and a little bit of sunshine.
In middle aged and older people, lifting weight on two feet, commonly
known as weight-bearing exercise have been shown to improve the
density of bone and the strength of muscles more effectively than any
other form of exercise.
The focus on building bone and balance has been highly beneficial for
our clients suffering from either osteo conditions and MS, and in most
cases our ladies achieve a six percent bone mass increase.
The principles of resistance training are those that use the large muscle
groups in a slow pattern and are performed on two feet in a standing By Lisa Weis
position. It is the use of these muscles - the only tissue in your body
that can directly affect the load on bones to lift and to lower moderate Lisa Weis is the owner of Barbelles. She
to heavy weights. is an ex Olympic Weightlifter, certified
Aston Kinetic practitioner, and currently
Following is a program that we assign women who are osteoporotic. an Australian Weightlifting coach
They do it once a week and it takes 40 minutes with rest included. and the Oceania Masters and current
Remembering that these women are trying to lift close to moderate to Queensland Record holder for Olympic
very heavy weights. weightlifting. In 2002, she started
showing osteoporotic women how easy
5 x Barbell squats it is to build bone if you learn to do it
5 x lateral squats safely and correctly. You can learn more
10 hops alternating legs (holding weight is beneficial) about Lisa and her wonderful women at
Rest 1 minute www.barbelles.net.au
Repeat 5 times
5 x Barbell presses
5 x Barbell rows
5 x Split Stance Romanian Deadlifts
Rest 1 minute
Repeat 5 times
5 x Barbell deadlifts
7 x KB swings
2 x Bird-Dogs (hold for 30 seconds each side)
Rest 1 minute
Repeat 5 times
6 x chin-ups (if not body-weight - assisted)

Rest 30 seconds
Repeat 3 times
Mobility and flexibility should be high on your agenda too which will
increase core strength and balance, essential for flexibility.
Create your own mantra, such as “Less Wobble, More Bone” to
create a firmer, taller and leaner body which will be essential to your
continued health and wellbeing. Don’t use machines, become one!
FITNESS /
A GREAT
EXERCISE
FOR LADIES
By Mish Wright Author
Are you female? Had a baby? Menopausal?
If you have answered yes to one or all three of these questions, then
you need to be in tune with you pelvic floor… especially when you
exercise.
Here is my 3-step method for you to include pelvic floor activation into
your exercise routine!
Step 1:
Always perform exercises with excellent posture
Without good posture, you can’t contract your pelvic floor effectively.
Step 2:
Always remember to breathe By Mish Wright
Although it is ideal if you exhale on the concentric (or hardest) phase of Mish is the founder and CEO of mishfit.
the exercise, any breathing is better than holding your breath. mishfit mothers is a specialised personal
training program designed for pregnant
Holding your breath will compress the diaphragm and further lifting and post-natal women, educating
or exertion will place intra- abdominal pressure on your pelvic floor. women on how to exercise safely and
This means you will be bearing down on your pelvic floor without even where their babies and children are
meaning too. welcome.
Step 3: To find out more, visit

Visualise your pelvic floor lifting and pushing the air out of your body www.mishfit.com.au
Match your pelvic floor activation to your breathing. When you inhale,
think about pelvic floor and on the exhalation, lift and squeeze your
pelvic floor.
To start with, you might have to slow down your movements to focus
and concentrate.
But after a short while of methodical practice, your body will learn the
practice – much like one learns to change gears in a car.
Your body will learn to incorporate your pelvic floor activation into your
normal routine.
If you are unsure about if you are contracting correctly (and around
40% of women think they are and are in fact “bearing down”), then a
quick trip to a women’s health physiotherapist should see you much
more confident.
A strong pelvic floor not only stops those “wee” accidents, but it also
helps with flattening the lower abdominal area, support lower back and
increasing sexual satisfaction!
This is a muscle not to be overlooked!
FITNESS /
A
GOOD LEG
TO STAND ON
By Barbara Bergin, M.D. Author
I’m the queen of multi-tasking and anytime I can get two things done
at the same time, I’m going for it: learn a foreign language while
driving to work, read the news while on the john, complete charts while
getting a pedicure, and so on.
So here’s a multi-tasker’s dream.
Single leg standing
This is an exercise which will pay off in the long run and you can do it
easily while you’re wasting time doing something I know you hate…
standing around.
What’s so great about single leg standing, and why do that while you’re
standing around doing nothing?
By Barbara Bergin, M.D.
Because single leg standing can prevent falling, and falling is one of
the most common causes of injury, and a cause for many patient visits Barbara Bergin, M.D.
to my office. Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Austin, Texas.
Each year approximately 300,000 people break their hips. Falls result in
9 million ER visits each year. Blog: www.drbarbarabergin.com
Enough of the stats. I know you don’t think you’ll ever sustain an injury For more information please visit,
as a result of a fall, but I can promise that you or someone you care www.texasorthopedics.com
about will!
There are things you can do to prevent falls, like pick up after yourself
and watch where you’re going. But single leg standing is the one thing
you can do, which will help you prevent falling no matter what you
leave on the floor or where you step. It’s easy to do. And you can multi-
task it!
When you’re standing around waiting on the microwave, watching your

coffee brew, brushing your teeth or talking on the phone, lift up
one leg!
You might need a little practice at first. Stand in the kitchen and put
one hand on the counter. Then lift one leg. Once you feel comfortable
putting all your weight on one leg, lift your hand off the countertop.
Stand for just a few seconds and then put your hand back down. Get
conditioned to standing on one leg for a full minute. This might take a
month. It could take longer to get to the point where you can stand for
one whole minute on one leg with no hands down.
Start this when you’re young because the older you get, the harder it is
to get good at this.
But once you get good at it you can do it almost anytime…even when
you’re standing in line. I love to do it in an elevator. No, you don’t
have to get all silly or go Tai Chi on me. Just barely lift your foot off
the ground. No one will even notice. But you’ll be doing a lot toward
the prevention of injuries in sports and during normal daily activities:
injuries which potentially can cause you a lot of pain and disability.
FITNESS /
THE
GIT
PRINCIPLE
By Eric Broser Author
As a personal trainer/coach, one of the things I believe is most essential
about successful resistance workouts is achieving a strong mind/
muscle connection during every rep of every set.
Science has proven this concept to be valid, so it is certainly something

you should be thinking about if your goal is maximum results from your
workouts.
At this point in my career I am capable of feeling any exercise I perform

precisely where I want it to, even if it is only in an isolated section of a
muscle group.
However, this was not always the case--it took me many years to learn
how to truly focus on the unique stretch and contraction involved in
each exercise and to feel precisely the kind of burn I wished within the
target muscle. By Eric Broser
A technique I developed several years ago that I like to use with my Eric Broser has been involved in the
clients (and one I still practice myself) is something I call GIT, or the health and fitness industry as a trainer,
“Get in Touch” principle. pro bodybuilder, strength/contest
prep coach, model, author, magazine
What it involves is actually “practicing” the exercise you are about to columnist, consultant to nutritional
do, but without holding any actual weight. supplement companies and gym
owner for over twenty years. Eric has
In other words, the idea is to work through the complete range of penned over 250 articles on training,
motion of the movement, extremely slowly, while focusing only on supplements, mind-set and nutrition,
“getting in touch” with the muscle(s) you wish to target. appearing in just about every major
fitness/bodybuilding publication.
The goal is to feel every inch of the ROM (range of motion) from stretch He has authored four books on the
to contraction, (and back to stretch), in order to manifest a profound subject of rapid/substantial physique
connection between your nervous system and muscles, so that you not transformation. Eric is also one of the
only feel the exercise working more efficiently, but also recruit as many most sought after personal trainers and
muscle fibers as possible with each repetition. contest/event preparation coaches in
the field by athletes, bodybuilders and
I recommend doing about 6-8 reps like this before any movement you members of the entertainment industry.
generally have trouble making a powerful connection with, utilizing
a tempo of about 5/2/5/2 (5 second negative contraction/2 seconds For more about Eric please visit
at midpoint/5 second positive contraction/2 seconds at “peak“ www.broserbuilt.com.
contraction).
Done correctly you will likely get a nice pump and burn before even
touching a weight, and will definitely get far more benefit out of the
actual movement once you engage in your work sets.
Remember, each and every repetition creates an opportunity to

stimulate, strengthen and tone, so why not use GIT to get the greatest
return on your efforts in the gym?
FITNESS /
THE
POWER OF
FUNCTIONAL TRAINING
By Jillian Bullock Author
Functional training is a great way to exercise because the moves
help individuals perform the activities of daily life more easily and
without injuries. By applying functional exercises it will allow people
to do everyday tasks, e.g. shovelling snow, running up a flight of
steps, putting luggage in the overhead compartment of an airplane,
lifting furniture, etc. These exercises help people lose weight, build
endurance and strength, improve cardio conditioning, balance, core
stabilization, and flexibility.
Squats
With any functional training exercise squats are a must. Using a barbell
or dumbbells this exercise works the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings,
back, and core. Through proper lifting you will learn how to use your
legs, not your back. This is important when you are lifting any object,
small or large, from the ground.
By Jillian Bullock
While holding a barbell behind your neck, or dumbbells by the side of
your body, your feet should be slightly wider than your shoulders. Sit Jillian Bullock is a former competitive
down, like you’re sitting in a chair, butt back, chest up. Squat down martial artist and boxer with over 30
as low as you can. Return to starting position. Do 10-15 reps for three sets. years in the fitness business. She has
a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Wing
Squats with curls Chun and currently trains in mixed
By adding in bicep curls with squats you put more of a challenge on martial arts. Jillian uses her fighting and
your body and work more than one body part at the same time. Start fitness education and skills in several
the movement the same way you would a regular squat, while you hold roles including a certified personal
a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell in front of you. As you begin to trainer and a certified kickboxing
sit down in a squat position curl the weight up, palms facing your body. instructor. She is also the creator of
Once you stand up, the dumbbells or barbell come down in front of Fighting Spirit Warriors, a fitness for
your body. Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions, 3 sets. self-defense program aimed at girls
and women.
Clean and press
This is a wonderful exercise that hits the entire body - shoulders, legs, For more information please visit,
back, and chest. While the barbell or dumbbells are on the floor in www.jillianbullockenterprises.com
front of your body squat down and pick up weights. Make sure your
feet are slightly wider than your shoulders. Standing up flip the barbell
or weights up where your palms face outward. When the weights are in
front of your chest press weight overhead, arms straight. Slowly lower
weight by flipping hands down, palms facing toward your body. Squat
to return weight to floor. 10-15 reps for three sets.
Burpee
This high-intensity exercise uses only your body weight. While in a
standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, drop down into a squat
position while you put your hands out in front, on the floor. Kick your
legs back quickly, where now you will be in a push-up position. Do a
push-up, and then quickly jump your feet back in. Leaping up as high
as you can in the air, raise your arms above your head. Repeat for 10-15
repetitions, 3 sets.
If you don’t know how to perform the exercises properly either enlist
the aid of a certified personal trainer or take to the Internet and watch
several training videos.
FITNESS /
POSTNATAL
BELLY
BUSTER
By Helene Byrne Author
You’ve had a baby, so now it’s time to do crunches to get your abs back
in shape again, right? Well no, actually. Exercises like crunches can do
more harm than good in the postnatal period.
The problem with crunches, and other traditional ab exercises that

flex the upper body off the floor, is that these moves work the external
layers of the abdominal wall (the muscles that flex the spine to the front
and side).
If you do traditional ab exercises without having first regained

adequate strength in your deepest abdominal muscle (Transverse
Abdominis or TvA) then your belly will bulge outward during exertion.
The TvA is your body’s internal “girdle” and when contracted,
compresses the abdominal wall.
Postnatal bulging of the abdomen during exercise prevents mid line
closure and re-flattening of the abdomen after pregnancy. By Helene Byrne
The secret to rebuilding the abs after pregnancy is to recondition from
the inside out—by building strength and functional control in your TvA Helene Byrne, founder of BeFit-Mom
first. at befitmom is a pre and postnatal
exercise specialist, and author of the
Here’s a terrific postnatal TvA exercise that is safe to do right after both award winning DVD “Bounce Back Fast!
a vaginal delivery or a C-section, and will flatten your abs even if it’s Post Natal Core Conditioning” and
been years since your last childbirth. the acclaimed book, “Exercise after
Pregnancy: How to Look and Feel Your
Postnatal Belly Buster Best.”
1. Lie on your side with a small pillow under your head, knees bent, hips For more information please visit,
stacked, and spine neutral. Relax your abdominal wall and allow it to http://www.befitmom.com
expand.
2. Inhale deeply, and then exhale slowly while hissing forcefully through
your teeth. As you hiss, tighten your abdomen, pulling your belly up
away from the floor, and in toward your spine as much as you can. Keep
your torso completely still; maintain the neutral position.
3. Hold the contraction for a few moments, breathing naturally. Take

care that you don’t relax your abs you inhale and exhale; keep them tight.
4. Inhale deeply, repeat the hiss/exhalation and try to increase the

intensity of the abdominal compression. Maintain the abdominal
contraction, breathing naturally.
5. Repeat the exhalation/hiss with abdominal compression a third time,

trying to increase the intensity of the contraction even more. Once
again, hold the contraction and breathe naturally.
6. Exhale, relax your abdominal wall allowing it to soften and expand

naturally (don’t push it outward).
7. Perform 4 repetitions to complete one set. Perform four or more

sets daily.
FITNESS /
Training Tips
• If you have difficulty breathing, it is because you are “sucking up”

and contracting your diaphragm. Try to isolate the contractions
below your belly button.
• Remember, the TvA does not move bone. Keep your spine
particularly your upper body completely still.
• Use mental imagery. Imagine that you have on an old fashioned

corset that is getting tighter and tighter as you compress your
abdominal wall.
FITNESS /
PREVENTING
POST
EXERCISE PAINS
By Alan Crabtree Author
I help busy working parents lose weight without compromising work
time or family time. One of the key questions I get asked on a regular
basis is about the delayed pains post exercise and more to the point
how to stop them.
What most people are experiencing when they talk about ‘pain’ is a
healthy bout of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
There is nothing that will combat this 100%, as it is unfortunately a

necessary part of muscular development. It can however be almost
unbearable at times, particularly in folks who haven’t been active for
a while or have not trained a particular muscle group with due care
and attention.
I’ve seen this in poorly coached athletes on more than one occasion for
example. There are a few things you can do to combat DOMS, but my By Alan Crabtree
number one tip is stretching. You should spend at least 10 minutes pre
and post exercise stretching the muscle groups you have and are going Alan Crabtree is the owner of
to work. Momentum Fitness Training, based
in the North East of England. Alan
Either in the form of static or dynamic stretching, whichever method specialises in Online Weight Loss
suits the exercise you are about to undertake. This allows for more Systems for rapid weight loss.
flexibility within the muscle fibres themselves. It also gives greater
movement during the ‘tear and repair’ stage of development and can He is also a qualified and experienced
lessen the pain. chef, using his nutritional and culinary
expertise to teach healthy cooking
Here’s one example of a simple effective stretch techniques alongside his exercise
programs.
Core Stretch (Abdominals)
You can find more on Alan and his
Starting Position: Weight Loss System at;
Lie flat on your stomach with your legs extended and toes pointing. www.momentumfitnesstraining.co.uk
Place the palms of your hands directly under the shoulders, fingertips
pointing forward.
Action:
Slowly straighten your arms, pushing your chest and upper torso away
from the floor. Relax your abdominals and pull the shoulders away from
the ears, backwards motion. Look slightly upward towards the ceiling.
Breathe deeply and hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat 2-5 times.
Perform 3 stretches pre and 3 stretches post exercise for a month,

decrease you’re DOMS, increase your flexibility.
FITNESS /
FITTING IN FITNESS:
THE BIKE –
INTEGRATED LIFESTYLE
by Abbie Durkee Author
Dust off your bike, lube the chain, pump up the tires and start
pedaling. The number of health benefits of riding a bicycle far
outweighs your excuses to not pedal. With all the hype about what
kind of bike to ride, surmounted by the spandex clad mobs riding in
masses - a lot of people don’t know where or how to begin. It doesn’t
have to be that difficult and the beauty of it all is that you can virtually
go anywhere.
65% of households in America have a bicycle in the garage, shed or

lawn collecting dust. Here is where you start. You don’t have to take
on the sport of cycling to gain fitness while riding a bicycle. While my
#1 Tip for Fitness is: Just Ride a Bike, how to make it an integral part of
your life is my challenge for you. So let’s break it down to allow you to
discover the key to integrating the bicycle into your lifestyle effectively.
It’s not about becoming a cyclist. It’s not about training for a race or
pledging to ride to work every day (though these are great ways to by Abbie Durkee
maximize your fitness benefits).
Abbie Durkee, is certified as a USA
The Bike-Integrated Lifestyle is about moving the bicycle up on your Cycling Coach and Yoga Alliance
list of transportation options. For many, this means putting the bike Instructor 200RYT. As a former
on your list. If this is “You”, then the idea of riding to work can be professional mountain bike racer, Abbie
too big of a step that creates an “all or nothing effect.” Instead, step found her competitive edge through
back and look at your schedule for the week and month. Make a list of developing a personal yoga practice.
destinations you drive to, one errand at a time, within a two-mile radius. Founded in the tradition of Ashtanga
she brings 16 years of experience to
Stick this challenge on your mirror. Each morning, while brushing your focus on the specific nuances of the
teeth, reflect on how many of these can be accomplished on a bike. cyclist’s muscular tendencies.
“Americans use their cars for 66% of all trips up to a mile long and For more information please visit,
for 89% of all trips between 1 and 2 miles long.”—U.S. Dept. of www.myalibiclothing.com
Transportation
What you will discover rather quickly is:
1. It doesn’t take much longer on a bike, even if you ride slowly.

2. You can reap fitness benefits even if you don’t break a sweat.
3. The more you ride, the more you can choose to make it a workout
or stroll, both with health benefits.
Like walking or running, you can challenge yourself to get more out of
riding by going further and pedaling harder.
By pedaling where you need to go, you’ll be fitting in fitness and the
rewards will abound as simplicities emerge in life as a result.
FITNESS /
A LITTLE
EXTENSION
GOES A LONG WAY
By Julie Fisher Author
We hunch, we type, we text, we surf (the net), we wash dishes, our
faces, our teeth etc. in other words we round forward A LOT.
All my years in fitness, whether working with a novice or a professional,

overweight or underweight, short or tall, man or woman, I have found
that everyone can benefit from doing EXTENSIONS.
For some individuals this rounded posture stems from their preferred
sport or form of exercise such as spinners, runners or swimmers,
which all either accentuate the rounded posture or work the chest and
anterior shoulders causing them to become tight adding to a forward
posture.
For others it’s a result of poor lifestyle habits or negative effects from
the workplace and today’s technological world (i.e. sitting at a desk all
day, working on a computer/laptop or overuse of handheld devices). By Julie Fisher
In all scenarios working the posterior (the back side) muscles of the Julie Fisher is the owner of
body can help work opposing muscle groups and assist in balancing BrilliantbodiesbyjulieLLC. She is a
the body. certified Personal Trainer; a Romana’s
Pilates Instructor and has a degree
Here’s your assignment! in Health Education. She started in
Try adding this simple extension exercise to your workout regimen. the fitness industry in 1992 after a
career as a classical ballet dancer and
1. Lie down on your stomach and extend your arms out to the side most recently is featured in “Starting
like a big letter “T” making sure your arms are directly across from Pilates-Featuring 21 Interviews with Top
each other making one straight line from fingers to fingers. Instructors”. She continues to work with
private clients throughout the NYC area.
2. Lift everything up! Head, Chest, Arms, Legs-everything off the
ground.
For more information please visit,
3. Lift and lower 10 times and hold for 5 counts on the last rep then www.brilliantbodiesbyjulie.com
repeat the series for 3 sets. or read her latest Health Tips at
www.brilliantbodiesbyjulie.blogspot.com.
4. Make sure to focus your eyes on the floor slightly in front of you to
prevent an over arched neck and make sure to keep your elbows
and knees straight.
No matter what your level of fitness, make sure to extend!
I have watched, in merely weeks and months, amazing improvement

with this simple exercise. I have heard everything from the ability
to breathe easier, stand taller, improved posture, less pain, more
flexibility, even shirts and jackets fitting better.
If there is one tip I would give someone who has a limited time to
exercise it would be to add an extension to their fitness plan because
chances are they need it. Extend your body - extend your mind -
extend your health!
FITNESS /
AFTER EXERCISE,
ICE IS NICE
AND HEAT IS SWEET
By Robert Herbst Author
It is an old maxim that you do not get strong in the gym, you get strong
outside the gym.
What this means is that the real benefits of exercise come from
what you do that helps you recuperate from your workout. When
you exercise by lifting a weight, your muscles and tendons suffer
microscopic tears from the stress of moving the weight.
The exercise makes you stronger; however, because when you

recuperate, your body not only repairs those tiny tears, but builds
additional muscle in anticipation of lifting even heavier weight.
You can speed this recuperation by manipulating blood flow to your

muscles through the application of cold and heat.
You may have seen athletes at the post-game news conference with By Robert Herbst
their shoulder or hamstrings encased in a big bag of ice. They are not
injured; they are just trying to reduce the inflammation caused by the Robert Herbst is an expert in health,
exercise so that they can recover quicker. Similarly, to prevent soreness fitness, and exercise. He is a 12 time
and aid recovery, you may want to ice certain areas immediately after World Champion and 26 time U.S.
you exercise such as your shoulders, elbows, lower back, knees National Champion powerlifter, helped
or hamstrings. to run the wrestling venue at the London
2012 Olympics, and has more than 30
When the ice is removed, blood flow to the area will be increased, years’ experience coaching and training
which will help to flush out waste products and promote faster healing. people from youths, to professional
athletes, to those who just want to look
You should keep the ice on for only 20 minutes at a time. If you keep it and feel better. He is the creator of the
on longer, it will have the opposite effect of the one you want because Fit and 50 program designed to help
your body will think it is getting frostbite. Baby Boomers keep healthy and fit.
He can be contacted at:
Instead of applying ice, you can also take an ice bath. The water herbst_robert@yahoo.com
temperature should be between 50 and 59F/10 to 15 C.
It might feel uncomfortable at first, but you will get used to it. An ice
bath is a great way to reduce inflammation and help your entire
body recuperate.
(There really is a rational basis for the well-known Scandinavian custom

of jumping into a frozen lake).
Again, you should not go longer than 20 minutes. Also, have someone
in the room with you who can remind you when time is up so that
you do not get hypothermia. In the days after a workout, you can aid
recovery by increasing blood flow to your muscles by using heat.
This increases blood flow to flush out waste products and give the
muscles the nutrients they need. Try a whirlpool bath, steam or sauna.
As another benefit, they will ease tension and help your muscles to
relax. A warm sauna may also help you forget the rigors of your ice
bath.
Use cold immediately after you work out and heat the next day to
speed recuperation.
FITNESS /
THIS IS
WHERE
FIT HAPPENS
By Greg Justice Author
Get the most out of your body, in the least amount of time, with a safe,
results-oriented workout. If you’ve participated in a training program
before, or seen the dozens of workout plan infomercials that plague
late night television, then you’re probably familiar with rep-based
workouts. These workouts gauge your progress by sets and repetitions.
Ten pushups, twenty-five jumping jacks, fifty crunches, etc, are all
examples of rep-based exercises. Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT)
takes the focus off reps in favor of time intervals.
What makes time intervals better than reps? There are two primary
reasons. The first reason is that the parts of the brain that are used to
tell your muscles to fire are also used when you do mental processes.
This mean while you’re counting during reps, whether you’re counting
consciously or unconsciously, you’re causing your brain to work twice
as hard and not working your muscles as efficiently as you could. The
second reason is that with rep-based routines, you end up doing the By Greg Justice
same stale workout at the same stale pace, and your body gets used to
it, so you stop seeing results. Greg Justice, M.A. is a best-selling
author, speaker and fitness entrepreneur.
With time intervals, you simply keep working until you hear your He is a world record setting personal
timer go off or your trainer says stop, allowing you to focus all of your fitness trainer with 48,000+ one-on-one
attention and energy into your workout. Also, if you work as hard as you client contact hours. He opened AYC
can each time, your workout out won’t become stale and ineffective. Health & Fitness, Kansas City’s Original
Instead, you’ll be able to add progressions in the same time frame and Personal Training Center, in May, 1986.
start seeing the results you crave. The two most efficient, effective MRT He has authored books titled Treadside
programs are Time Intervals and Density Training. Manner, Mind Your Own Fitness, Lies &
Myths about Corporate Wellness and
With Time Intervals you alternate between exercising and resting for NewTrition.
a set number of rounds. For example, you could do 30-seconds of
work followed by 15-seconds of rest for six exercises, then rest for one For more information please visit
minute and repeat for a total of four rounds for 20 minutes workout. www.aycfit.com
This is a great routine, and one that we use a lot with our clients, but
make sure you change the routine every four to six weeks to keep
things fresh.
It’s also important to alternate between compound upper body

movements and lower body movements. Density training is when you
give yourself a time period and workout as hard as you can in that
given time period. You essentially ask yourself questions like, “How
many pushups or squats can I do in three minutes?” and go for it.
Another example of density training would be combining five
movements, like push-ups, body weight squats, pull-ups, lunges, and
bicycle abs. You would alternate between 10 reps of each movement,
performing as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes. With this
method of timed training, you’re working as hard as you possibly can
every time you train.
Rest according to your needs throughout your density-training

workout, but always work from the beginning to the end at the fastest
pace you possibly can and you will see results fast.
FITNESS /
10
MINUTE
ABS
By Marc Lebert Author
Great abs - how do you get them?
To really SEE your abs you need to reduce body fat.
And the best way to do this is not an ab exercise!
In order to burn fat we need to work the large muscles in the body, the
legs, chest and back (and work them at the right intensity. This will burn
MANY calories at a time and REV up our metabolism for hours after.
The excess body fat that is keeping you from seeing your abs is stored
calories - 3,500 per pound and doing a few crunches will simply
strengthen a small area of body but will not affect any change in that
areas fat stores.
So how do you do it? By Marc Lebert
Here is a simple routine to get you on your way to having great abs! Marc Lebert is the owner of Lebert
Fitness Inc. www.LebertFitness.com a
1. Every morning do squats! And lots of them. world leader in developing innovative
My personal training clients all do their squats every morning fitness training tools like the Lebert
(regardless if they are working out that day) starting at 25 for beginners Equalizer™ and The Lebert Buddy
and working up to 100. When 100 is easy we add weight or jump squats System™. These portable tools are
to increase the intensity. currently being used in boot camp
classes, fitness clubs, schools, and
How to do a squat properly? Feet shoulder width apart, start with hips military physical training facilities.
hinging back (not knees forward), head and chest up, arms stretched An international presenter, Marc is a
out front and sit back like you are going to sit in a low chair. Go to 90 fitness club owner, holds a black belt in
degrees knee bend. Pause and come back up. Don’t rest at top and Taekwondo, a certified NLP practitioner,
get right into next rep. Silver Lining Entrepreneur of the Year
and Canfitpro Fitness Professional of the
2. Push! Year finalist 2012.
Second exercise for you this morning is push-ups. You can do them -
everyone can. Just need the proper form and progressions- start with
knee push-ups if you have to. Just make sure to keep hands under
shoulders and go all the way down. Get 10 reps and work up to 25.
Then find lots of ways to make them harder.
3. Pull!
To pull properly you can use a chin-up bar, perform one arm rows with
a dumbbell or even lay down under a bar between two chairs (for all of
these it’s recommended to seek instruction). For this last one have your
feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Now get the hips up (bridge) and
then pull as high as possible, pause and lower slowly. Awesome! Now
do 10 more and build to 25.
And that is it - metabolism boosted and a great start to your day! Some
clients have reported weight loss within weeks of being consistent with
this routine. Not to mention improved posture, a stronger back and a
big change in your overall health!
Now go hit the shower and remember, nothing works until you do!
FITNESS /
MULTI – TASK
YOUR
EXERCISE
By Rona Lewis Author
These days it seems everyone needs 37 hours per day to get things
done. No matter how we schedule things, time seems to run out. We
end up skipping our gym/pilates/yoga time because of priorities - kids,
job, etc. So how can we manage to keep our bodies in shape while
managing the rest of our lives?
Simple. Stop thinking that working your body needs to happen in a

class or in spandex!
We multi-task every day. All we need to do is to incorporate

movements that will keep our bodies toned while getting other things
done.
You’d be amazed at how often time is wasted by NOT moving.

For example. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Usually, it’s
washing your face and brushing your teeth, right? By Rona Lewis
Do you lean on the counter while you do it, staring at yourself as your Rona Lewis is an LA based celebrity
toothbrush foams in your mouth? Get those legs moving and do some fitness and lifestyle coach, professional
squats or plies! You’ll work your legs and probably brush your teeth speaker and healthy chef. She is author
longer, as well. of the funny, healthy cookbook series,
“Does This Cookbook Make Me Look
What then? Do you go down to make your breakfast? Fat?” They’re the first funny, healthy
cookbooks that address the needs of all
While your coffee is brewing and your eggs are cooking or your cereal those people who need 37 hours in a 24-
is softening in the milk, put your hands on the edge of the counter, hour day, but want to feed their family
walk your feet back and do some pushups. You can do sets of them in good food and entertain with panache
between pouring your coffee or waiting for your hot cereal to cook. with recipes that don’t take forever to
At work, stand while you’re on the phone and go up and down on your make. Rona is a graduate of Penn State
toes. You’ll work your calves AND burn more calories-standing alone University and a fitness trainer certified
burns about 30% more calories than being seated. by The American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) and The National
Get the idea? Be creative! Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).
She’s also completed the Pro Chef
If you’re bringing groceries in from the car, carry one bag at a time in courses at The New School of Cooking
both hands and lunge your way to the kitchen. in Culver City, CA.
Do some lateral raises with those cans of organic kidney beans before
you put them on the shelf. It’s all about keeping your head in the game You can learn more about her and order
of fitness. You CAN stay toned while living your life. her cookbooks at www.ronalewis.com
Just change your mindset. If your body isn’t moving, you’re losing an
opportunity to burn calories and keep your muscle tone.
FITNESS /
RESISTANCE
IS NOT
FUTILE
By Nicole LaBlonde Author
Resistance training is an incredibly effective form of muscle building
exercise. Some trainers encourage you to start with very heavy weights
and lift them just a few times. Others say - keep it light, but perform as
many reps as you can. I say - USE YOUR BODY!
Using your own body weight for resistance is a double-dose workout!

Your body is both doing the moving, and resisting it. Your muscles are
equally engaged in both contraction and extension.
Hold your arms out straight in front of your shoulders, palms up. Stand
tall, stomach pulled in, shoulders down.
Imagine 100lb weights in your hands, pulling a big resistance band, or

moving your arms through water (imagery is a well-documented aid
for muscle training!). Keeping your elbows in line with your shoulders,
bend them, so your hands come towards you. Can you feel the weight? By Nicole LaBlonde
Continuing to keep your elbows up, stomach in, shoulders down, press
your hands back down to where you began. Your muscles are always Nicole LaBonde is the creator of
working! You can use this for any body part- leg raises, curl ups, push CaBarret, a blend of ballet barre work
ups, etc. and burlesque dance- a calorie-burning,
muscle-sculpting, sexy workout!
This form of resistance training engages the mind, which increases the
energy directed to your muscles. Joseph Pilates, the creator of Pilates, Ms. LaBonde is also a certified instructor
used to say “It is the mind that guides the body.” He knew keeping through the prestigious Romana’s
your mind focused would lead to a deeper workout! Pilates program. She teaches private
and group Classical Pilates sessions at
Resistance with your body weight requires a great amount of control! Ms Jackie Pilates in Hallandale Beach,
Not only will your strength increase, your ability to communicate with FL. Currently, she trains with Daria Pace,
your body and control your movements will as well. the daughter of Sari Mejia Santo and
granddaughter of Romana Kryzanowska,
This is very important in injury prevention and rehabilitation. Control proteges of Joseph Pilates.
also requires control of the body parts that are NOT moving.
Learn more at www.nicolelabonde.com
In Pilates, we call this “stability for mobility”. If your body weight or www.cabarretfit.com
resistance exercises are done properly, small internal postural muscles
are working and strengthening, not just the muscles at the moving
part!
Resistance exercise, in any form, is a way to build muscles’ strength and

tone. This increased muscle mass increases your body’s ability to burn
calories.
Because you are engaging the muscles in both contraction and

extension, muscles are lengthening as they strengthen, allowing you
to remain flexible as you get strong! You are also working your muscles
against gravity, benefiting posture and increasing core strength.
Resistance training also contributes to bone density, important as
we age.
So, engage your mind, engage your muscles, and resist your way to fit!
FITNESS /
KEEP YOUR
CHIN UP
AND INJURIES DOWN
By Dr Rob Pomahac Author
More often than not, muscle strains occur because people are not
warmed up enough before they begin their exercise regime. Always
build in stretching and warm up time before working out.
But more than that, you need to focus on ideal posture and its effects
on injury prevention.
A muscle begins at a bone and ends at a bone, so if the bone angles

are not positioned properly then that muscle is either engaged in a
tightened state or engaged in a lengthened state all the time.
In either circumstance, the muscle is under stress during daily activities.
Work a stressed muscle even harder during your exercise regiment and
wham – pulled muscle.
By Dr Rob Pomahac
Always be aware of your posture and follow proper technique. Most
gyms have mirrors – use them. Dr. Rob Pomahac is the owner and clinic
director of Max Health LA
Not just to check yourself out (I’m sure you look great!), but to make (www.maxhealthla.com ), a full service
sure your form and posture are correct during the exercise. health clinic in Beverly Hills, CA
offering chiropractic, physical therapy,
I get patients all the time who tell me they hurt themselves lifting heavy acupuncture, massage, personal training
weights but don’t know what their body looked like while in those and nutrition . A former professional
exercises. hockey player Dr. Rob has worked with
the US and Canadian Olympic teams
Keep your body balanced and you will cut down on injury and strain. and counts numerous NHL, NFL, MMA
and boxing stars as patients.
The best way to understand your ideal posture is to get a digital
posture evaluation done at your local wellness doctor. Follow him on Twitter @
drrob_maxhealth.
If you can’t do that, follow these simple tips:
Keep your head up:
The main problem with people’s neck posture is that they usually
spend too much time in their day looking down, whether it’s working in
front of a computer, driving, reading, etc.
Think about your neck curve as being the same shape as a banana.
To fix your neck posture, pretend like someone is pulling on your

proverbial ponytail and lift your chin up.
Your shoulders and hands should be in the same plane as your neck
when looking from the side.
An easy way to keep your shoulders back is to imagine putting your

middle finger in your side pocket, with your thumbs facing forward.
This will help roll your shoulders back in a comfortable position and
keep you aligned.
FITNESS /
Now focus on your core:
You need to keep your pelvis in neutral not just during exercise, but
during your daily life.
To find that perfect spot to support your core, slouch your hips as far
back as you can, than tilt your hips as far forward as you can, where you
stick your butt out.
Right in between these two positions would be your pelvic neutral.
Once there, engage your core. Pretend like you are going to the
bathroom and engage your stomach muscles while keeping pelvic
neutral.
Voila – pelvic neutral
By making sure your head, neck and pelvis are aligned, you will cut
down on injuries and see great overall health on a daily basis – in and
out of the gym.
FITNESS /
25
IN
25TM
By Marcey Rader Author
In 2003 I decided to try something with my family to keep them active
during the holiday season. I decided to create a competition called
25 in 25™.
The 25 in 25™ meant that each person had to exercise 25 minutes for
25 days starting Dec. 1. Whoever made it through got an extra gift
from me. I was pleasantly surprised that everyone in my family except
for one decided to participate!
The rules were as follows:
1. You must exercise purposefully for 25 minutes every day starting

December 1.
2. This can be divided up into two segments but no more than two
segments.
3. Alternatively, you can wear a pedometer and walk 3 miles or 5000 By Marcey Rader
steps.
4. There are no excuses, even if you are sick, traveling, or pregnant! Marcey Rader is owner of WorkWell Life
Remember, it is a choice to participate, not mandatory. Balance Solutions,
5. You can skip Christmas Day but only if you exercise 50 minutes on www.workwelllifebalance.com,
Christmas Eve. a productivity and wellness firm
6. They had to check in with me at least once a week to let me know specializing in coaching business
what they did. travelers to be more productive and
healthy so they can WorkWell and
Those were my only rules. play more!
I can’t believe that ten years later we are still doing it! My Mom, Dad
and husband have won a prize every year. Mom made it through crazy
split-shift work hours and Dad through business travel where he ended
up counting his steps or miles. My husband rode his bike in single
digit temps and came back with ice on his beard. I think my sister only
missed it one year but she did it two years while she was pregnant
and not feeling great. My brother has missed a few times but I know
his little dog Lexi loves getting the extra walks in. Two years ago his
girlfriend did it with him and she was even going through treatments
for thyroid cancer!
The prizes have varied but I try to make them sports related. Some
years I have more money than others and since I can’t buy them until
the end, they tend to be a little random. Some of the gifts I have
purchased have been sports bras, wicking underwear, exercise DVDs,
and bike shorts.
I can’t imagine breaking the tradition and I think my family would be

very disappointed if I did. The holiday season is the hardest to stay
active but everyone can find 25 minutes, or a 10 and a 15 minute chunk,
or walk 5000 steps. Knowing that you have other family members
going through the same struggles with time and the same parties
makes you want to keep going. Start a new tradition for your family.
Maybe you could do a 25 in 25™! The important thing is that you are
all doing it together.
FITNESS /
DITCH THE
TRADITIONAL CARDIO.
ADD THE INTERVAL
By Brandon Mentore Author
The days of doing 45-60 minutes of cardio 3 or 4 times a week (a.k.a
steady state cardio) is obsolete as far as getting lean and dropping
body fat goes. Yet millions of people do it day in and day out for years
and what’s even worse is that many people still feel they have to do this
to lose weight and drop body fat.
Steady state cardio however has been shown to be less effective than
another form of cardio which is known as Interval training. “Interval
training” is becoming a common word as more and more research and
media attention go into its effectiveness at boosting metabolism and
burning body fat over traditional steady state cardio.
Interval training is basically a cardio workout that alternates periods of
higher intensities and lower intensities.
This can be performed in a multitude of ways, with machines, with just

your body, or whatever you want. The key is that the higher intensity By Brandon Mentore
causes a bigger bang in your body as far as fat burning and metabolic
burn and the lower intensity serves as an active recovery. Brandon Mentore runs the bodylogic.
You get more compressed work done in a shorter amount of time, com.au online resource for health and
thus most interval cardio workouts take only half the time of traditional fitness. Brandon has been in the health
cardio workouts with better results. industry for over 15 years and specializes
in strength and conditioning, nutrition
Wouldn’t it be awesome to get better results in less time? and supplementation, fat loss and
Start doing interval cardio, instead of steady state. hormonal regulation.
Here are two sample workouts: You can learn more about Brandon at
www.thebodylogic.com
1. Do a 20 minute interval jog/walk. Jog for 60 seconds and walk
for 90 seconds. While you walk pump your arms, and be sure to
breathe.
2. Do a 15 minute 4 exercise circuit: Mountain climbers for 30

seconds, body squats for 30 seconds, pushups for 30 seconds,
bicycle crunches for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Repeat 6
times. (This one will have you sweating)
I have all my clients do interval cardio training only with much success
and they love it because it’s takes less time and doesn’t get boring.
Now don’t get me wrong, traditional steady state cardio can be
useful and should not be eliminated entirely, but if you’re looking to
lose weight and drop body fat quicker, interval cardio workouts are a
smarter choice.
FITNESS /
CREATE
MUSCLE
CONFUSION
By Kristen Hallett Rzasa Author
No matter what your intention or goal for your health and well-being,
regular exercise must be a part of the equation.
As we age, we lose muscle and bone density, and gain fat. Even if we
make exercise a regular habit, it’s easy to get into a routine or even
a rut. To avoid the culprits of aging and changing hormones, and to
make changes in our bodies, we have to confuse our muscles.
First, take an honest look at your current exercise routine.
If you’re not exercising, or not exercising as much as you’d like, no

judgment. Simply by reading this Ebook you are in the right place to
get started!
Your action step is to make one change in the duration, frequency OR

type of workout over the next week, and schedule all your workouts on By Kristen Hallett Rzasa
your calendar.
Kristen Hallett Rzasa is the owner of
Look over the upcoming week and determine how you might add a InterPlay Health, a whole life wellness
new twist to your usual routine to at least one component: Duration company focused on fitness, nutrition
(how long you exercise); Frequency (how often you exercise); or Type and fun for women, as well the
(the kind of exercise you’re doing). The only other element I’m not Jazzercise Fitness Center of Stamford,
including is Intensity -- that’s for another conversation. CT. She is the host of A Matter of
Balance: A Woman’s Quest for Health,
For example, if you usually take three classes a week at the gym, take Harmony & Kick Ass Heels on FTNS:
four in the upcoming week (Frequency). If you generally go for a run World’s First Fitness Radio. She also is a
four times a week, skip the run on one of the days and substitute a regular contributor to MindBodyGreen,
yoga class instead (Type). Or if you hop on the treadmill twice a week The Expert Beacon (www.ehow.com).
for 30 minutes, pump it up to 45 minutes (Duration).
You can see more information at
Now, schedule your workouts for the next week, and not just in your www.interplayhealth.com
mind! Put them in your calendar, write them in ink or program them
into your phone; however you’d schedule an important meeting or a
dentist appointment.
Revaluate your routine monthly or even weekly if you like, and continue
to make adjustments. Even small changes will add up to big results!
FITNESS /
4 - MINUTE
FITNESS WITH
THE “VICTORY MARCH”
By Dr Tom Taylor Author
Imagine combining Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and dynamic stretching, all
with your eyes closed and your breath held as long as you can.
The benefits? How about improved flexibility, balance, coordination,

stamina, and even temperament, along with decreased levels of mental
and emotional stress?
You never have to leave the house and all you need is about four
square feet of space.
If all this seems far-fetched, I invite you to follow the directions below
faithfully for two minutes, twice a day for 28 days. Everyone who has
taken me up on this challenge has experienced the benefits listed above.
The Victory March is really a greatly exaggerated walk, which employs

our natural cross-crawl movement with an alternating stance to By Dr Tom Taylor
challenge every joint, muscle and connective tissue.
Dr. Tom Taylor is an expert in
At the same time, because eyes are closed, your body must rely Bioenergetics and practical nutrition
on nerve endings in every muscle and especially in joints, called with more than 22 years and 15,000
proprioceptors, for balance and coordination. doctor/patient encounters in the
wellness field, where his mission is to
Finally, holding the breath except when alternating positions (arms, “take the ‘hell’ out of health care and
legs, and head rotation), requires the area of the brain in charge of put healing back in.” He has trained
survival to undergo an almost instantaneous “re-setting” from survival hundreds of holistic practitioners from
into healing mode. around the world, written dozens of
professional articles for a worldwide
Stress melts away and within two minutes you’ll feel stronger, calmer, practitioner network, and is the co-
refreshed and renewed, while the aerobic challenge may cause you to author of the book, CLEAN HOUSE –
feel like you just hiked a small hill. 147 Ways to Live Well in the Body God
Gave You.
Here’s how to perform the Victory March (Look at the picture at the
start of this article): Learn more about Dr. Taylor and get
even more tips at
1. Assume a modified lunge position: Step out with your front knee www.cleansehousebook.com
bent and your back knee straight, with both feet pointed straight
ahead, and both heels planted.
2. Raise the arm opposite to the front knee about 45 degrees and
point the other arm back.
3. Look over the shoulder of the raised arm, as far as you can turn
your head without straining, and look up diagonally with your eyes.
4. Close your eyes, take in a breath, and hold for as long as you can,
or for a count of 10.
5. Exhale, open your eyes, and switch legs, arms, and head position.
Caution: if you feel unstable or like you’re falling over, widen your
stance to provide a more stable base until your balance improves in
just a few days.
Repeat this procedure, switching back and forth, from side to side,
for at least 2 minutes. Perform this twice a day, AM and PM, for 28
days and prepare to be amazed at the increase in flexibility, balance,
coordination, aerobic capacity, stamina, and even temperament!
FITNESS /
SIMPLE
BODYWEIGHT AND
KETTLE BELL WORKOUTS
By Joe Vennare Author
Do you know the secret to getting in shape?
I will give you a hint; it’s doesn’t have anything to do with a diet plan, a
gym membership, or a flashy fitness program. If you’re trying to get fit,
the most important thing you can do is to create a simple and effective
plan for getting fit.
It’s unrealistic to have to schedule your day around your workouts. And
it’s even more ridiculous to spend hour after hour in the gym every day.
The real secret to success – making your workouts work for you – is all
about simplifying fitness so you can get better results in less time.
Simple bodyweight and kettle bell workouts
Essential Equipment – If you’re looking to get fit or maintain a strong

and lean body you can workout at home, with little or no equipment. By Joe Vennare
First, bodyweight training is great for everyone, regardless of exercise Joe Vennare is the co-founder of Hybrid
ability or experience. You can create a bodyweight only plan or Athlete, Kettlebell Cardio™ and Race
supplement your current training plan with bodyweight exercise for a Day Domination.
well-rounded approach to fitness.
He is a writer, trainer and fitness
If you’re looking to up the intensity and calorie burn a bit, give kettle educator who uses bodyweight and
bell training a try. kettle bell workouts to simplify fitness
for everyone.
Kettle bells are one of the most effective and versatile pieces of
exercise equipment in existence. For more information please visit
www.thehybridathlete.com
Using the kettle bell swing, it’s possible to train strength and cardio
at the same time, with one piece of equipment at-home or outside. I
know, it does sound too good to be true, but kettle bells deliver on
the hype.
Take Action – Alright, now that all of the pieces are in place, it’s time
to figure out when you’ll workout and what kind of exercises you’ll be
doing. Remember, the plan is to keep things simple.
Keep It Simple. Combine bodyweight exercises with yoga and cardio

activities like walking, running, hiking or biking. Plan for three days of
training each week, where each session lasts 15-40 minutes. Schedule
training sessions for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Complete a
full body workout Monday and Friday, and get some cardio in on
Wednesday.
Step It Up. When you’re ready to step-up your training you can use a
few pieces of equipment at home, or in any gym, to improve overall
fitness. Stick to body weight, dumbbell or kettle bell exercises. Make
total body movements like squats, lunges, and kettle bell swings a
priority. The more muscles you use, the more calories you will burn.
If possible, try for four to five workouts each week that last 30-60
minutes. A good baseline would be to aim for training sessions
on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Two sessions would be
strength focused, while the other two will be used to train cardio.
FITNESS /
THE SINGLE
BEST YOGA POSTURE
FOR LOW BACK PAIN
By Howard VanEs, M.A. ERYT500 Author
Legs on Chair Pose
Low back pain is very prevalent in our society. In fact, over 80 percent
of people in the U.S. will have back problems at some point in their
lives. Yoga is ideally suited to help with back pain as it stretches and
strengthens the muscles and joints, puts the body back into balance,
is relatively easy to do at home, and quickly provides relief without
medication.
One of the best postures for low back pain is Legs on Chair Pose.
This posture provides traction to the lower back and gently stretches
the muscles and connective tissues thereby taking to pressure off of
vertebrae.
Legs on Chair Pose also improves circulation, brings balance into the
body, and is very relaxing.
By Howard VanEs, M.A. ERYT500
Note: If on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being no pain and 10 being the worst,
your low back pain is an 8 or more do not do this exercise and instead Howard VanEs, M.A ERYT500 is a
contact your physician. yoga instructor with over 18 years of
experience and specializes in helping
Coming into the posture: people with low back issues. He is the
You will need a chair to perform this posture. author of several yoga related books
You may also want to have a blanket or two nearby before you begin. including ABS! 50 of the Best core
exercises to strengthen, tone, and flatten
Position a chair in front of you. your belly, Release Your Shoulders,
Lie on your back and place your calves Relax Your Neck, and Ageless Beauty
on the chair seat. & Timeless Strength. These books and
others by Howard can be found on
You want your thighs to be Amazon. You can see further details at:
approximately 90 degrees to your hips. www.amazon.com/Howard-Allan-
VanEs/e/B0037JV22Q
If you are little on the shorter side you
will find it more comfortable to build up
the floor by putting a folded blanket or
two under your hips, back and head. If you are on the taller side you
will find it more comfortable to put a folded blanket on the chair seat.
You will also want a folded blanket under you head as the best position
for supporting your neck and for relaxing is to have your chin dropped
slightly towards your chest.
Now let you calves rest into the chair and your hips rest into the floor.
You can put your hands on your stomach or take them about 45% to
your body with your palms up. Let your eyes close and your breath
deepen. Ideally you will want to rest here for10 -15 minutes. This
posture can be practiced twice a day.
Coming out of the posture:

Let your breath deepen. Wiggle your fingers, wiggle your toes and
gently move your head gently from side to side. On you next exhale,
bring your knees into your chest and roll onto your right side into a
fetal position. Be there for a moment. Now, using your right and leg
hands slowly press up to a seated position.
FITNESS /
BABY STEPS
TO AVOID
BURNOUTS
By Jessica Watkins Author
Start small. Really, really small.
In fact, baby steps are all that is necessary. Whether you are brand new
to exercise or a regular power trainer looking to get more of a fitness
boost, simple and achievable growths in your exercise routine are likely
to get you closer to your goal.
Why not go full force with guns a blazing, you ask?

Many of my well-intended clients diligently start a time-consuming,
strict workout program hoping to get speedy results.
But often, working out requires more commitment than they realized
and suddenly the rest of life seems to be hindered. The result: a once
motivated person who is now overwhelmed, burned-out, or bored with
working out.
Instead of diving into a workout regimen that is beyond what you are By Jessica Watkins
ready for, start with small increments of physical exercise – it will leave
you wanting more later! Jessica Watkins is a certified personal
trainer and group fitness instructor
Here’s how: who is also certified in spinning, cardio
and step aerobics, and healthy lifestyle
Short on time: principles. Formerly a broadcast
Clients who are not accustomed to exercising on a daily basis and then journalist and with written work
suddenly commit to working out every day tend to lose their steam the published in nationally accredited
fastest. If exercising is new to your lifestyle, adding just ten to fifteen publications, she has a Master’s Degree
minutes a day will make a beneficial difference. If longer workout from New York University in nutrition
sessions make you feel more accomplished, try thirty minutes a day and journalism. Jessica is devoted to
three days per week. When successfully incorporating this amount of helping others reach optimal wellness
exercise into your weekly schedule while managing the rest of your life, through eating healthy, staying active,
start increasing your time. and enjoying life! You can learn more
about Jessica at her website,
Exercise variety: www.JessicaWatkinsFitness.com
Cross-training is the best way to keep exercise boredom at bay.
Incorporate different types of cardio and muscle toning exercises, but
stay away from exercises that make you feel uncomfortable – feeling
uncomfortable is a common excuse for clients to give up. For example,
if running is too strenuous or aches your joints, speed walk instead.
If lifting weights is a bit intimidating for now, stick to body weight
exercises like pushups, dips and lunges. Over time, you will get more
comfortable with other exercises and learn to include those into your
workout regimen.
Recovery time: Working out too long or too intensely often leads to
failure when the muscles and joints become tired, sore or injured. Plan
time for your body to rest and recover. Not only do baby steps make
your fitness goals easier to achieve, they also ward off injuries by easing
your body into its challenging yet health-enhancing routine.
The same rules apply for exercise gurus needing a change. Increase
the intensity of your typical workout level in small amounts over time so
that you don’t lose your drive.
FITNESS /
BE REALISTIC
ABOUT YOUR
STARTING POINT
By Laura Williams Author
We live in an all-or-nothing world. We want results, and we want them
now. We’ll jump in with two feet, only to struggle to keep our heads
above water. Once we realize we’re in over our heads, we climb out of
the pool and decide it’s better to sit on the sidelines.
Guess what? Neither option is good for your health.

I’m convinced that part of this all-or-nothing mentality is based on poor
recognition of personal limitations, while another part is based on the
constant comparison game we play.
In other words, if you can’t realistically assess what you’re capable of

committing to, and you’re constantly comparing yourself to everyone
around you, you’re going to end up disillusioned and dissatisfied.
Here’s your assignment:
Before starting a workout program, sit down and look at your lifestyle, By Laura Williams
your time limitations, your current level of stress, your health and
fitness needs and your long-term fitness goals. Then, determine what Laura Williams has a Master’s Degree
you can commit to right now: exercise for health, exercise for fitness or in Exercise and Sport Science from the
exercise for sport. University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. After
working in fitness management for eight
• Exercising for health means that you can commit to 5-6 days a years, she’s now the CEO and Executive
week of moderate-intensity activity – walking, dancing, swimming, Editor of Girls Gone Sporty.
gardening, housework – for 30 to 60 minutes a day. This is exercise
for health-related purposes, like protecting your heart and For more information please visit
maintaining bone strength. www.girlsgonesporty.com
• Exercising for fitness means that you’re trying to improve specific
fitness-related parameters, like improving body composition,
increasing strength, etc. This requires more specific training,
generally at a higher level of intensity.
• Exercising for sport means that you’re committing to participate
in training that is specifically geared to help you improve sports-
related skills. For instance, becoming better at tennis or golf.
None of these are mutually exclusive. You can decide you want to
exercise for health while learning a new sport, or improve your fitness
while exercising for health. The point is to recognize that it’s okay
to move up and down the pyramid at different points in life, based
on varying life circumstances. For instance, if you’re 50 pounds
overweight, you’re pre-diabetic and you’re dealing with an aging
mother and a wild teenager while managing a high-stress job, now
might not be the best time to jump into an intense regimen of CrossFit.
Maybe now’s the time to commit to a 30 minute daily walk to help

clear your head. Next year, when your mom’s doing better, your health
has improved and your wild teen has moved on to college, might be a
better time to start training for a triathlon or hitting up that CrossFIt
gym. By acknowledging life circumstances and saying, “This is what
I can do now,” we actually are in a better position to start, and stick
with, long-term health goals without comparing our goals to others’ or
biting off more than we can chew.
Looking at fitness from the this standpoint helps cut down on the
comparison game and allows you to feel good about taking realistic
steps now, so that you can pursue more ambitious steps later.
FITNESS /
WEIGHT
LOSS
STAY
OFF THE
SCALES!
By Amanda Ferguson Author
When getting fit and healthy or wanting to lose weight, most people
want to jump on the scales and see the numbers decline. This is the
very worst thing you can do.
The reason is your weight shows your current levels of body fat, muscle,
hydration status (fluid levels!) and the weight of your organs, bones,
blood etc. Therefore if you drink more water, you will gain weight. If
you build more muscle, you will gain weight.
However these things can off-set losses in body fat. Long term you
will see the scales decrease, but it is not something you should be
measuring on a daily or weekly basis.
Often when you change to a healthy lifestyle and exercise more, your
body shape will change, so you could drop a dress size, or pant size
and not notice much difference on the scales. Changing your shape is By Amanda Ferguson
a good thing, it will make your clothes fit better if they are a bit tight, or
they might even feel loose. Amanda is a mum to an energetic
daughter, a Personal Trainer and owns
So what is the best way to track your progress? her own Outdoor Fitness Business,
Blue Sky Health & Fitness, based in
There are a couple of options: Melbourne. Blue Sky Health & Fitness
has recently launched a 6 week Healthy
1. Take your measurement Lifestyle Recipe & Meal plan, 6 week
Chest – measure in line with your nipple exercise plan and a Healthy Lifestyle
Waist – in line with your belly button guide eBook Series to help everyone all
Hips over the world lose weight, tone up &
Thighs – measure half way between your knee and your hip feel great about themselves.
Arms – measure around the biceps, that is half way between your
shoulder and elbow. For more information please visit
www.blueskyfitness.com.au
2. Take measurements fortnightly or monthly
3. Take your photo

Wear bikinis or underwear. Take a front on shot, side on (both sides)
and a back view. Take them monthly and make sure you wear the same
clothes each time and take the photo with the same background.
How do your clothes fit?

Have a piece of clothing that you want to fit into, or that is a bit tight
and use that as your guide.
How are you feeling in yourself?

Do you have more energy? Are you sleeping better? Are you less
stressed? Are you happier? Are you less bloated? Are you less moody?
Are you more relaxed? Do you feel more toned? Do you feel more
positive?
It’s time to chuck those scales in the bin, get out the measuring tape
and the camera and start feeling good about yourself and what you are
achieving. Think about measuring in centimetres or inches, rather than
kilo’s or pounds!
WEIGHT LOSS /
FOUR
STEPS
TO SUCESS
By Geoff Jowett (B.Sp.Sc) Author
Step One: Set the Goal
With weight loss goals (or any goal in life) you must be very clear about
what it is that you want to achieve. Without a goal, most people don’t
have the discipline, focus or commitment to make it happen. Without
a goal, it’s so much easier to self-sabotage. So, have a goal. It doesn’t
matter whether it’s 10kg, 30kg or even 50kg. Make the goal and commit
to it. You must write down your goal and stick it up somewhere where
you’ll see it every day. Sounds simple, but gee whiz it’s so powerful.
Step Two: Set the Deadline
Now that you’ve made a clear goal and committed to it, the next step
is to set a timeframe or a ‘deadline’ to which you’re going to achieve
that goal. Without a deadline, it’s so easy to just ‘coast’ your way
through. Without a deadline, you’ll find that you’ll never cross the line, By Geoff Jowett (B.Sp.Sc)
or at best, take forever to get there. A deadline creates urgency, and
with urgency comes focus. The timeframe will be different for everyone Geoff Jowett is the Founder and Creator
and is dependent on your goal. of Bodytrim, Bodysculpt and Bodytrim
Advantage weight loss lifestyle
Create a timeframe that’s realistic for you, and then set a deadline programs, and is one of Australia’s most
that will push you to stay on track and give you the urgency to resist innovative health entrepreneurs. Geoff
temptations that arise in your day to day life. is a Sports Science graduate and former
recipient of the Australian Personal
Step Three: Devise the Plan Trainer of the Year Award (2003).
While the goal and the deadline are half the battle, there’s still that For further information about Geoff and
question of how you’re actually going to get it done. You’ll need a plan the Bodytrim systems go to:
of what meals you’re going to eat, week in, week out. Your plan will www.bodytrim.com.au
guide you towards your goal each day. You will also need a plan of how
to get around the obstacles that life throws at you. Things like, work
functions or perhaps that friend who’s always leading you astray.
Do not underestimate the power of a plan. A plan is going to help see

you through the hard times, it’s going to give you peace of mind and
organisation, and it will keep you on course towards your goal.
Step Four: Tell Everyone
This is probably the most important one. You must tell everyone what
your goal is and when you want to achieve it by. It’s scary right? Ask
yourself why it’s scary. My guess is because you’re afraid of failing, or
because that means you’ll actually have to commit to the task.
Well, if you’re scared because it means you’ll have to actually commit to

achieving your goal then you’re right on track – this is the whole point
of telling everyone! If you don’t tell anyone, then it’s easy to quit.
Telling your friends or family makes you accountable to someone. It

forces you to follow through and achieve what you set out to. Even if
you tell everyone and you don’t make it, chances are you’re still a hell
of a lot closer to your goal compared to if you hadn’t told anyone.
WEIGHT LOSS /
GET A
DIFFERENT
SET OF SCALES
By Dr Joe Kosterich M.B.B.S. Author
It is no secret that obesity has increased in the western world and that
many of us would like to lose a few kilos. Yet many are frustrated in
their efforts despite eating “the right foods”.
Let’s think in reverse first. There is an old American adage, which goes
“You don’t fatten the hog by putting it on the scales”. It is also true that
you do not lose weight by standing on the bathroom scales.
And it gets a bit worse. Your weight on the scales is not always the best
measure of how you are tracking. People who are training will find that
their body shape changes but the scales may be stubbornly resistant to
change.
So what can we do?
One of the best tips for losing weight is to trade the bathroom scales By Dr Joe Kosterich M.B.B.S.
for a set of kitchen scales.
Doctor, speaker, author, media presenter
This is because kitchen scales enable us to measure what is going in and health industry consultant, Dr Joe
to our bodies. This sounds so obvious but is the part that is missed by Kosterich wants you to be healthy and
most people. get the most out of life.
We assume that we know portion sizes and how much constitutes He is a newspaper and magazine
enough or too much food. columnist and regularly appears on
radio and TV as well as maintaining
Sadly we are usually wrong. All food has calories and the bigger the a website and blog providing health
portion size the greater the number of calories. If we do not know the information for the public. Dr Joe also
portion size we do not know the calorie load. It is guesswork. gives practical motivational health talks
for the general public and organizations.
When we are weighing and measuring what we eat we know exactly
how many calories we are consuming. Contact him at www.drjoe.net.au
We are not able to fool ourselves with vague notions like “I had just a
small serve”.
We also start to learn how much it takes to satisfy our hunger - and this
is generally less than we first think.
From this knowledge we can get better at judging portion sizes.
Going forwards our eyes can better align with what our body really
needs as against what our minds might want.
So to advance your weight management program, know what you are
putting into your body - exactly. Ditch the bathroom scales and invest
in kitchen scales.
WEIGHT LOSS /
ELIMINATE
FAT WITHOUT
SACRIFICING TASTE
By Diana Antholis Author
35 pounds. The amount of weight one of my clients lost in one year,
due primarily to what I call “food swaps.” She swaps fruits like mangos
or berries for after-dinner cupcakes and splits that decadent dessert
when she goes out. After only two weeks, she noticed her cravings shift
from nutritionally void sugary foods to healthier snacks.
How do you eat healthier without sacrificing taste?
This is the most common question I’m asked.
That fried, creamy, sugary goodness, can cause major health problems
(while adding inches to the waistline).
Here are three swaps to do daily that can cut serious calories, fat, and
sugar from your diet.
By Diana Antholis
They taste just as good—if not better—than what you are currently
eating. Diana Antholis helps fabulous women
live the balanced, centered, and sexy
Replace heavy desserts with fruit, a cup of herbal tea, or some dark lives they deserve. She takes the mind,
chocolate. body, and soul approach to being
healthy—focusing on living a life you
While I encourage you to treat yourself once in a while to a few bites love, freeing your mind of stress and
of an extravagant dessert, eating them often adds unnecessary fat to anxiety, and embracing the secrets
your diet. to exuding confidence. As a Certified
Personal Trainer, she helps you fall in
Satisfy your sweet tooth with berries and yogurt, herbal tea, or a piece love with movement and nourish your
of dark chocolate (that has only a few ingredients). As well as being body. She is a best-selling author on
healthier, you also receive a boost of antioxidants. Amazon in stress management and
happiness for her ebook “Unleashed:
Replace mayonnaise or butter with avocado or hummus as a spread. Live the Balanced, Centered, and Sexy
Life You Deserve.”
Mayonnaise and butter are high in fat and salt, so try using spreads of
avocado or hummus to moisten your sandwich. Visit www.dianaantholis.com to learn
more about her rejuvenating Unleash
Avocado is a healthy fat (the fatty acids in avocados lower cholesterol, Your Sexy program and sign up to
promote digestion, and are anti-inflammatory) and provides nearly 20 receive “The Guide to Leading the Life
essential nutrients. You Were Meant to Live” for free.
Hummus contains chickpeas, which are loaded with protein, fiber, and
iron, while containing no saturated fat or cholesterol.
WEIGHT LOSS /
Replace regular pasta with whole-wheat or brown rice pasta.
White pasta is made from refined white flour, which has no nutritional
value. It contains high-glycemic carbohydrates, which means that the
sugars from the pasta release into your bloodstream quickly causing a
steep rise in your blood sugar levels.
Insulin, responsible for regulating sugar in the body, works overtime to

even out this spike and turns excess sugar into stored fat.
(Hello, diabetes and fat storage around the belly!)
When you eat high-glycemic foods, you may feel a sudden burst of
energy but then crash pretty quickly—feeling lethargic and hungry
again!
Whole-wheat and brown rice have a medium-glycemic index, which

means sugar is released slowly into your bloodstream, keeping you
energetic and full.
Try out these food swaps and not only lose weight, but feel more
energetic and focused.
WEIGHT LOSS /
LOSE
WEIGHT THE
FRENCH WAY
By Sally Asher Author
Those slim and chic French women. How do they do it? Some people
credit the French ability to eat rich foods and stay slim to genetics.
I have no French genes.
Yet using techniques learned from slim French women whilst living in
Paris, I lost over 25 lbs (12 kg) and I have kept that weight off for more
than 12 years.
What I learned from French women is that you do not have to deny
yourself delicious food in order to be slim. When you eat what you
really love, with your full attention and appropriate portions, weight
management can be pleasurable.
Being overweight is not so much about what you eat, as about why you
overeat. Feeling deprived on a restrictive diet is a powerful trigger By Sally Asher
for overeating.
Sally Asher coaches people globally
If you dream of establishing a healthy relationship with food and a to lose weight the French way with her
more loving relationship with your body, try cultivating some of the Thin For Life Program. Sally is a nutrition
following slimming habits that come naturally to many French women: expert and the international author
of two books, including the popular
• Always choose real, high quality, fresh food, not synthetic, “Losing It in France – Les Secrets of the
unsatisfying diet food French Diet”. She is a mum and health
• Eat only when seated, at the table, preferably with cutlery and a coach with over 20 years’ experience in
napkin the health and wellness industry.
• Take small bites – chew slowly and swirl the food around on your
tongue – sensuously For more information go to,
• Eat what you really love – and savour the best bits first www.SallyAsher.com
• Eat protein rich meals at regular times
• Find something you enjoy more than eating – and do it regularly
Most importantly, move towards pleasure and kindness and away from
guilt and punishment when it comes to food and your body. Let food
take care of your hunger and reach inside yourself to take care of your
other needs in more effective ways than eating. Food is not the enemy.
We can all cultivate good eating habits that will help us arrive at a
healthy, comfortable weight for life.
I know from my own experience and from coaching hundreds of

people that it is possible to make peace with food.
My mission is to help people end the struggle with excess weight

by following a French approach that allows you to get slim and stay
healthy while still enjoying the foods you love.
WEIGHT LOSS /
YOUR WEIGHT
IS IN THE PALM
OF YOUR HAND
By Kendra Fitzgerald Author
Did you know that our dinner plates are 3 x larger than they were
back in the 1950’s? Today’s salad plates are actually the size of what
‘normal’ dinner plates were back then. It’s no wonder our waistlines are
expanding. These larger-than-life portion sizes are wreaking havoc on
our health and our wallets.
But there is a very quick and simple fix that can help you judge your
portion size in less than a second. This one tip has helped my clients
lose 10, 15 and 20 pounds of weight, and it can help you too!
I call it ‘The Bowl Hands Guide.’
Our stomachs are about the size of our hands cupped together. Put
your hands together like you were cupping water and take a look at it.
This is the amount of food our stomachs can (and should) hold at one
time. This means that at each meal, we should eat only what would fit By Kendra Fitzgerald
into our ‘cupped’ hands, and no more. Once you’ve consumed this
small bowl of food, you are done! Kendra Fitzgerald, CPT-ACE, CYT is the
Founder & Director of Barefoot Tiger,
It may seem like a tiny amount of food, but only because our a private-fitness concierge company in
perspective ‘normal’ has been skewed by huge portions for many New York City & Los Angeles, bringing
years. It’s also likely your stomach has stretched to allow you to eat personal training, yoga, pilates, massage
larger portions. The good news is, an outstretched stomach can therapy and nutrition to their clients,
shrink back. at home. Kendra has made it her
life’s calling to help people find their
Let’s put it into action: individual love of fitness and wellness
1. Cup your hands together to find your ‘bowl hands’ size. with a fun and lighthearted perspective.
2. Go to your kitchen, and find a bowl with a similar size in your For more information please visit
cabinet, a salad plate, and a dinner plate. www.barefoottiger.com
3. Take some cereal, veggies or fruit and put it into the bowl (notice
how much…or how little…is in there!)
4. Empty the contents of the bowl onto the salad plate. See how
much it fills.
5. Put the contents on a dinner plate and see how much (or little!) it
fills. Let this image settle in your mind, so the next time you eat on
your dinner plates, the bowl-portion remains in your mind.
6. For the next week, at least one meal a day, choose to either eat out
of your chosen bowl, or ‘measure’ the food on your dinner plate
with your bowl before you eat.
7. Remember, it’s ok to feel a little hungry in the beginning! Your

stomach needs time to adjust to the new (and normal) portion
sizes, and it will happen eventually.
It is incredible how far this awareness can carry you, and your hands are
always with you as a reminder to keep your portions in check.
WEIGHT LOSS /
STOP
EMOTIONAL EATING
WITH SIX SIMPLE STEPS
By Betsy Fry Author
People love food. It is always there when you need it and can comfort
you at the drop of a hat or a bite of a donut. But what do you do when
food stops being enough? You have to stop drowning your emotions
in food and learn to feel your feelings, not eat your feelings.
In the past I have had four clients ask me “what do you mean by ‘feel
your feelings? How do I do that?’”
A lot of us go through life thinking that suppressing our true feelings

makes us seem courageous, fiercely independent or free from
emotional neediness. Sound familiar? See if you can find yourself in this
example: You are at upset with yourself for not following through on a
goal and rather than face the reasons why, you choose to eat until your
heart is content and push aside any feelings of disappointment.
By doing this you are telling yourself that whatever you are feeling is
not important enough to be felt.
By Betsy Fry
You convince yourself that whatever emotion you were feeling should
not have been felt, then you repress it and move on. Betsy Fry is a Martha Beck trained Life
Coach and specializes in Weight Loss
Unfortunately, emotions never stop coming. They will painfully creep and Body Image Coaching. Betsy shares
up on you for the rest of your life and it is your choice if you want to eat new tips weekly on her website.
your way through them or start to honor them. Before you dive in and
start a feeling frenzy, remember that nobody has ever died from feeling For more information please visit
a feeling. A feeling is just an emotion, nothing more. www.findfoodpeace.com
The next time waves of emotions come up, stop and follow these
quick steps:
1: Identify the emotion.

Am I feeling sad, lonely, scared, angry, thrilled, trapped or
overwhelmed?
2: Focus solely on the emotion, not the stories created around

the emotion.
Example: I am upset because I have gained 15 lbs. What you make
the story mean: I have gained 15 lbs and nobody will ever love me now!
3: Feel your emotion.

With your one chosen emotion in mind, sit down, close your eyes and
allow this emotion to really sink in. Feel the depths of this emotion.
Explore why you feel this way. Ask questions about it. If you feel
inclined, grab a journal and write it all out.
4: Physically express your emotion.

Once you are done sitting with your feeling, decide if you would like to
have a physical reaction to it. Do you want to cry? Scream? Hit a pillow?
What physical reaction will allow you to feel this emotion deeper?
WEIGHT LOSS /
5: Shake it out!
You will know when you are done feeling it emotionally and physically.
Stand up, drink a glass of water and shake out the excess emotions.
6: Put your emotions in motion!

Go for a walk, dance to your favorite song, ride a bike, clean your
cabinets. Use this flow of energy to move your body. Trust that your
body knows what to do.
Over time, this process will speed up and you will become a master at
feeling your feelings and a spiritual teacher in your own life.
WEIGHT LOSS /
HIGH NUTRITION
FOODS MAKE YOUR
BODY BURN FAT
By Jessica Geier, CHHC Author
It is no secret that for many millions of people, being overweight is
an issue. For longer than I can remember, we have been told to count
calories and eat low fat foods in order to keep our weight in check.
All the while Americans, and people of other industrialized nations are
getting fatter (and sicker).
What if we have been focusing on the wrong thing? What if the calories
don’t matter? What if it’s really the source of the calorie that matters?
Through my journey to become healthier (and subsequently thinner) I

have tested a wide range of dietary theories on myself, my family, and
my clients.
What works every time? Raw fruits and vegetables. More specifically,
the juices of raw fruits and vegetables. In my studies, I have found that By Jessica Geier, CHHC
if the body thinks it’s starving, it will hold onto fat as its energy reserve.
Jessica Geier is a Certified Holistic
The body cannot determine if the lack of nutrition is real (as in an actual Health Coach, having completed her
famine) or self-imposed from eating foods void of nutrition. training at the Institute of Integrative
Nutrition, and the co-owner of Raw
Nutritionless foods are everywhere. Grocery stores shelves are lined Generation Juices. Jessica’s intention
with thousands of over-processed foods filled with preservatives, with Raw Generation is to make it more
colour agents, flavour enhancers, and manufactured vitamins and convenient to incorporate fresh juices
minerals. into a busy lifestyle without being a slave
to a juicer. She strives to help men and
Your body doesn’t recognize most processed foods as actual food. women end their weight loss battle and
So even if you are eating plenty of calories, your body may still think it find their healthy, happy, skinny place.
is starving... thus it holds onto fat.
Connect with her at
I have seen first-hand how the body releases fat when it’s fed nutrient- www.rawgeneration.com or
rich foods, specifically raw fruits and vegetables. When it receives real, on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
unprocessed nutrients, it starts releasing fat to be burned because the
perceived famine is over.
For most people, going 100% raw, or even increasing the raw portion
of their diet, is a challenge. Between our social life, culture, or habits it
can be really difficult to follow a raw diet.
However, I have found that juicing makes life a whole lot easier. Juicing
condenses pounds of vegetables into a manageable portion that can
be easily and quickly consumed.
The act of turning fresh produce into juice breaks the plant down to its
smallest parts so your body has to do virtually no work to digest the
food and it is nutrients are quickly absorbed into your system.
I have found the more juice I drink consistently; the easier it is to

maintain my weight.
WEIGHT LOSS /
Whether you are interested in incorporating juicing into your daily
lifestyle or are the type to want to do a juice cleanse a few times a year,
adding fresh juices to your diet is one of the best things you can do for
yourself.
Just remember, once you start feeding yourself real, unprocessed

foods, your body will do what it wants to do… burn fat and heal itself!
WEIGHT LOSS /
HOW TO
EAT MORE
AND WEIGH LESS
By Maria Guadagno Author
Hunger is the downfall of many a dieter.
Eating a salad for lunch is easy; it’s resisting the cupcakes in the break
room at 3 pm that’s hard. Or, the post-dinner dessert menu.
When our meals aren’t satisfying and we physically and mentally feel
like we’re starving ourselves, we’re likely to get ravenously hungry and
end up binging on anything and everything. So much for that diet!
The truth is, you don’t need any fancy point systems, phone apps, or
even calorie counting in order to lose weight.
You just need to know what to eat.
And the answer is surprisingly simple: Eat more vegetables.

By Maria Guadagno
In general, you want to choose a whole food, plant-based diet. That
means nothing out of a box or a bag, and the majority of what you eat Maria Guadagno is the author of ‘Detox
should come directly from Mother Nature: fresh fruits, vegetables, without the Deprivation’ and is the
seeds, nuts, whole grains, and legumes. founder of ‘The Bombshell Blueprint,’ a
one-on-one health coaching program
When it comes to weight loss, though, the star on your plate should be designed specifically for women to
vegetables. help them achieve ultimate wellness
and beauty in 6 months. Clients receive
The more vegetables you eat, the more weight you’ll lose. personally tailored nutrition and diet
advice as well as manageable steps to
They will fill you up on less calories, and effectively “crowd out” any help them lose weight, get glowing skin,
less healthy food from ending up on your plate. They will curb your and improve their overall health, for good!
cravings for sweets, and reduce your desire for snacks.
For more information please visit
And that’s not the only benefit. Vegetables also provide necessary www.bombshellblueprint.com
vitamins and minerals, they protect against cancer and disease, and
they are loaded with fiber.
Fiber is crucial to your weight loss and management for two reasons:
First, it fills you and keeps you satiated longer, so you don’t feel like
you’re constantly hungry. Second, it acts like a broom, sweeping
through your digestive tract and helping you to eliminate.
What’s more, vegetables even have built in portion control! You don’t
have to measure anything out; your body will let you know when it’s
full. Try over eating a head of broccoli. It’s impossible.
Pile your plate high with vegetables, and don’t feel bad for taking a
second helping. There is no limit to the amount you can eat.
So, the key to weight loss is to eat more vegetables.
Try making a large salad with a base of arugula, spinach, mesclun

greens, kale, or watercress and top it with nuts, seeds, beans, and even
more chopped vegetables.
WEIGHT LOSS /
Also incorporate cooked vegetables into your diet with main dishes like
ratatouille, vegetable paella, or mixed vegetables in curry or soy sauce.
You can even put together a few side dishes: roast root vegetables or
cauliflower; steam broccoli or spinach; sauté mushrooms or kale with
garlic; grill asparagus or Brussels sprouts.
Your options are endless.
For the next week, fill at least half of your lunch and dinner plate with
vegetables. Watch the weight melt off. Try mixing it up with salads,
steamed or sautéed greens, and a variety of cooked veggies. For
recipe ideas, head over to the blog at www.bombshellblueprint.com.
WEIGHT LOSS /
CON –
QUERING
CHANGE
By Lisa Tillinger Johansen Author
Did you know that our dinner plates are 3 x larger than they were
back in the 1950’s? Today’s salad plates are actually the size of what
‘normal’ dinner plates were back then. It’s no wonder our waistlines are
expanding. These larger-than-life portion sizes are wreaking havoc on
our health and our wallets.
But there is a very quick and simple fix that can help you judge your
portion size in less than a second. This one tip has helped my clients
lose 10, 15 and 20 pounds of weight, and it can help you too!
I call it ‘The Bowl Hands Guide.’
Our stomachs are about the size of our hands cupped together. Put
your hands together like you were cupping water and take a look at it.
This is the amount of food our stomachs can (and should) hold at one
time. This means that at each meal, we should eat only what would fit By Lisa Tillinger Johansen
into our ‘cupped’ hands, and no more. Once you’ve consumed this
small bowl of food, you are done! Lisa Tillinger Johansen is a Registered
Dietitian with a Masters degree in
It may seem like a tiny amount of food, but only because our nutritional science. She is a health
perspective ‘normal’ has been skewed by huge portions for many educator at a major hospital network
years. It’s also likely your stomach has stretched to allow you to eat in the United States. She is also the
larger portions. The good news is, an outstretched stomach can author of the nutrition-based book
shrink back. FAST FOOD VINDICATION. Visit Lisa
at www.consultthedietitian.com and
Let’s put it into action: www.fastfoodvindication.com and on
1. Cup your hands together to find your ‘bowl hands’ size. Facebook at Lisa Tillinger Johansen
2. Go to your kitchen, and find a bowl with a similar size in your

cabinet, a salad plate, and a dinner plate.
3. Take some cereal, veggies or fruit and put it into the bowl (notice
how much…or how little…is in there!)
4. Empty the contents of the bowl onto the salad plate. See how
much it fills.
5. Put the contents on a dinner plate and see how much (or little!) it
fills. Let this image settle in your mind, so the next time you eat on
your dinner plates, the bowl-portion remains in your mind.
6. For the next week, at least one meal a day, choose to either eat out
of your chosen bowl, or ‘measure’ the food on your dinner plate
with your bowl before you eat.
7. Remember, it’s ok to feel a little hungry in the beginning! Your

stomach needs time to adjust to the new (and normal) portion
sizes, and it will happen eventually.
It is incredible how far this awareness can carry you, and your hands are
always with you as a reminder to keep your portions in check.
WEIGHT LOSS /
ARE YOU
DESTINED
TO BE FAT?
By Melanie R. Jordan Author
Do you think that because “fat genes” run in the family you’re destined
to be overweight?
I definitely relate to this feeling as overweight/obesity runs in my family.

I grew up with lots of pressure thinking the cards in the deck were
stacked against me.
And many of my weight loss coaching clients come to me in despair

wanting to lose weight, but believe they are fighting a losing battle
because they have fat genes (and fat jeans). But when you study the
research, there’s lots of good news when it comes to genetics and your
weight and health.
The International Journal of Obesity did a study using twins. One twin
was labeled the “gym rat” and worked out regularly, and the other twin
was the “lazy twin”. After 30 years, the scientists compared the gym rat By Melanie R. Jordan
and lazy twins and found that the gym rat had gained nearly 12 pounds
less, and had a waist that was over 3 inches smaller, than the lazy twin. Melanie Jordan is a Wellcoaches®
British researchers also looked at the genetic profile of over 20,000 and American Council on Exercise
men and women and found that 17 genes that contribute to obesity (ACE®) Certified Health and Wellness
were responsible for just 2% of the obesity cases in the study group! Coach who helps others get back to
This just goes to show you that there is plenty of evidence that you their dream weight for good, without
are not destined to be fat just because it runs in your family. Social gimmicks or deprivation, so they can live
conditioning—copying the bad health habits of your parents or the full, happy and healthy lives they’ve
siblings like being a couch potato, overeating or eating junk foods—is always wanted with her Your Healthy
almost always the issue rather than your “fat” genes. Life Made Easy!™ Program. She’s living
proof of what’s possible despite a poor
Everyone in my family is overweight or obese, while I am at a healthy, family history, as she’s overcome her
normal weight. My husband and his sister are thin while others in their own weight struggles and maintains a
family are not. So don’t blame your weight and health on destiny or 48-pound weight loss and rocks size 6
your parents, because you are more in control of being fit or fat than jeans. Melanie is also an ACE Group
you might otherwise think! Fitness Certified Zumba® and Turbo
Kick® Instructor and is the author of 8
If you haven’t been into a healthy lifestyle, one of the most important books including her bestselling Kindle
things you can do to get started is to firmly plant in your mind the book Weight Loss Secrets Revealed For
belief that YOU, not your family history, control your weight. The power the Happiest and Healthiest You!
to reach your dream weight and go from fat to skinny jeans is right in
your hands, and can become your destiny any time you’re ready to get Get Melanie’s 5 Keys To Healthy Weight
to work. Loss Success – a Free 5-Day E-Course
delivered to your inbox at
www.YourHealthyLifeMadeEasy.com
WEIGHT LOSS /
MODEL
YOUR WAY TO
FITNESS SUCCESS
By Richard Kelley, M.D. Author
If we want to play the guitar or some other instrument, we usually find
a course or a teacher. We find some manner of instruction or a plan of
action to help us attain the end we wish to achieve. Most of us also,
will have as a reference point for success, someone we admire or wish
to emulate. There are literally untold thousands if not millions of young
men who would give anything to play the guitar like Eddie Van Halen,
Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix. Many of these individuals not only wish
to play like their guitar heroes, they want ‘be’ their heroes. At the very
least, they try to model what it is that their heroes and influences do.
Unfortunately, untold millions of people do just the opposite, where

their weight and their fitness are concerned. Rather than follow the
example of successful athletes, physique competitors, bodybuilders
and fitness models, many individuals who desire to lose weight, get
fit or change their body in some way, take the most inefficient route
possible to reach their desired outcome. By Richard Kelley, M.D.
We know that restriction dieting is often uncomfortable, unsatisfying Dr. Kelley is a speaker and writer
and rarely leads to lasting change, where meaningful weight loss who practices ‘fitness-based weight
is concerned. My approach where my own patients and clients are management’ and emergency medicine
concerned, has been to encourage them to ‘model’ those among us, in Austin, Texas. He is the author of ‘The
who happen to be the most successful at losing weight, becoming Fitness Response,’ The Fitness Response
more fit, and changing or sculpting the human body. ‘Diet’ for Women,’ and ‘The 3 Hour
Appetite’ series, all available here:
Nobody has the understanding and ability to alter their physical form, www.amazon.com/-/e/B006GEGMBK
with more precision and certainty, than individuals in the professional on Amazon.com.
fitness community. I believe that we as physicians, should be learning
what these people know, and utilizing components of their approach, For more information about Dr. Kelley’s
to help our patients succeed. What do these individuals do day-in and products or program, please visit
day-out, without fail that you can do, as well? www.richardkelleymd.com or
www.physiciansway.com
Here is an action plan that I often give to my own patients:
1. Start the day with exercise. Get it completed and out of the way.
2. Never skip breakfast.
3. Consume good nutrition about every 3 hours throughout the day
4. Make protein the focus of each meal or snack consumed
throughout the day
5. Moderate or reduce starchy carbohydrate intake, in favour of more
fibrous fruits and vegetables
6. Engage in a weekly combination of aerobic exercise, as well as
strength training
7. Commit to making your health and fitness the best they can be,
and a lifelong, unwavering goal.
If you want to change your body, for the long run, I believe it’s
important to ‘model’ the exercise and nutrition of the best of the best.
In general, we as human beings are more alike than we are different.
You can greatly increase your chance of success, if you will model and
emulate the actions of those who have been successful before you.
Read biographies in fitness magazines or find a mentor at your local
gym. There is someone accessible to you (even if in print or through
television or the internet) that can help shorten the learning curve, and
ultimately help you reach your goals.
WEIGHT LOSS /
HILL SPRINTING –
THE FAT LOSS
SECRET
By Tanner Martty Author
When it comes to fat loss there is no more efficient use of time than
sprinting intervals. Interval training has been proven to be the most
effective way to burn fat.
The more intense the work interval the more calories you will burn
during your workout and in the hours after your workout.
Which means that you want to do high-intensity intervals that bring

your heart rate above your anaerobic threshold. Working at near
max effort for 15 to 45 second intervals is the sweet spot for fat loss.
Sprinting is the best option for high-intensity interval training because
it is easy to get to a near max effort quickly so that almost the entire
work interval is done at high intensity and because it is very safe. If
your form breaks down you aren’t going to drop a bar on yourself.
Why hill sprinting for fat loss? By Tanner Martty
1. Hill sprinting is as high intensity as it gets. With the addition of the Tanner Martty is a personal trainer,
hill your legs are getting an extremely tough resistance workout, strength coach and nutritional
which increases the intensity above sprinting on a flat surface. consultant specializing in total body
The combination of intense anaerobic resistance intervals and transformations. He trains clients at his
explosive plyometrics is the magic formula for fat loss. gym in Santa Monica, California and
consults clients remotely around the
2. Hill sprinting is by nature interval training because once you have country. His clients include celebrities,
sprinted up the hill you have to get back down. athletes and regular people that want
to look, feel and move their very best.
3. It is a total body workout. When he isn’t working, Tanner competes
in kettlebell competitions and spends as
4. Sprinting in general is an excellent core workout. The abs are much time with his baby daughter
responsible for balancing the power generated by the arms and as possible.
legs to maintain a safe, stable spine and efficient sprint mechanics.
www.tannermartty.com
5. Hill running is low impact compared to running on a flat surface
because the hill comes up to meet the descending foot so the
landing is lower impact. Lower impact workouts allow you to train
harder and longer without beating up your body.
Look for a hill with an even surface and closely mowed grass. In the
past when I couldn’t find a nice grass hill, paved inclines like the ones
found in parking garages and graded ramps were a good substitute.
Walk off 40 paces to a maximum of 75 paces for your sprint distance.

As a coach I would prefer that you run more sets of intense, near-max
effort sprints that are shorter in distance. The intensity of the sprint
interval is the secret sauce that creates the fat burn, not the length of
the interval.
Once you have a place to sprint I would suggest shooting for 5-10
sprints up the hill with a long enough break between sprints to allow
you to sprint with a close to max effort on the next rep. If you have
a HR monitor I would suggest waiting until your HR has gotten back
down into the 120’s.
WEIGHT LOSS /
TRACK YOUR
PROGRESS
ON A REGULAR BASIS
By Andrea Oh Author
Because we see ourselves everyday it’s hard to be objective and
recognize physical changes in our bodies (especially when it takes time
to see real improvement). In our mind we may think we look the same
even though we’ve achieved significant changes in our body shape. It’s
tough when we are our own ‘worst critic’.
How can we know for sure?
Numbers motivate us every day. They objectively show us positive

or negative change without bias or judgment. Unfortunately, certain
measurements (i.e. weight, athleticism) can be easily misinterpreted.
It’s important to choose measurements that are reliable, unbiased and
can be done repeatedly.
Examples of ways to objectively measure progress include:

By Andrea Oh
1: Girth measurements
2: Before and after pictures Andrea Oh has over 15 years of
3: Bioimpedance (BIA) experience as an exercise physiologist,
strength and conditioning coach,
Girth measurements are an inexpensive way to objectively measure education developer and technical
results. A flexible measuring tape is used to measure specific areas writer. She is the, Editor-in-Chief
of the body to determine changes in girth (measurement around the for TodaysFitnessTrainer.com. As
body part). Common girth measurements include: shoulder, chest, a presenter at industry events and
waist, hip, thigh, calf, bicep and forearm. contributor to trade publications, she
is continually driven by her passion
Before and after pictures don’t lie, especially when they are taken in a for helping others change their lives
consistent manner each time. through fitness.
Below are tips to ensure you take consistent pictures during different For more information on this topic, visit
stages of your progress: www.todaysfitnesstrainer.com
1. Use the same camera.

2. Use the same background (preferably white with no clutter)
3. Have someone take the picture for you (the same person each
time).
4. Wear tight-fitting clothing that shows your body’s shape.
5. Take a front view (head to toe).
6. Take a side view (head to toe).
7. Take a backside view (head to toe).
Bio impedance (BIA) is a method of assessing your ‘body composition’

(the measurement of body fat in relation to lean body mass). Body
composition analysis is a clinical assessment of tissue and fluid
compartments in the human body.
Although other measures exist (i.e. weigh scale) they aren’t suggested
because they don’t “objectively” measure change.
For example, when you weigh yourself on a scale you get a number.
The number represents your weight or mass.
The number doesn’t tell you what makes up the number that shows up
on the scale (i.e. fat, muscle or water).
WEIGHT LOSS /
If the number on the scale goes up you don’t know with certainty
whether the added weight is fat, muscle tissue, water or even the lunch
you ate before you weighed yourself.
Be sure to schedule repeat measurements on a regular basis (after

you’ve taken your baseline measurements).
Be conscious of the fact it takes time for your body to physically

change. If measurements are taken too often it’s hard to see noticeable
change. Taking measurements every 4 to 6 weeks (after the first 8
weeks of a new program) is recommended.
Finding objective ways to measure progress is an important way to stay

on track as you work towards reaching your health and fitness goals.
Why not start today and take your first measurements?
WEIGHT LOSS /
DRINK
WATER TO
LOSE WEIGHT
By Dr Joy Ohayia Author
Many of my clients are on their quest to live healthier. Losing excess
weight has been a challenge for many. One of the assessment
questions is how much water do you consume daily. The answers
range from none to 8 – 8oz glasses of water with lemon. An important
fact – Our body is comprised of about 70% of water, some of which
we lose daily. We must replenish to avoid dehydration. Water will aid
in flushing the toxins and unnecessary fats from our system, enabling
weight loss. Here are simple steps for you to consume your daily water
amount and achieve your desired results.
Step 1. Calculation of Your Proper Amount

This calculation is based on your current weight. Take your weight and
divide by two (2). This is the amount of water you should consume on a
daily basis. Let’s illustrate an example - If your weight is 150lbs, divide
by two (2) = 75 oz. This is the minimum number of ounces of “pure”
water you should consume daily. By Dr Joy Ohayia
Step 2. When to Drink Water Joy Ohayia, PhD - (Dr. Joy) Award
Going back to the example, 75 oz equals slightly less than five (5) 16.9 Winning, Your Total Wellness Practical
oz bottles of water. Advisor, Sought After Motivational
Tip: Divide YOUR amount by 5, as you will consume water five times Speaker, Author
during the day to aid with your digestive process.
Dr. Joy is passionate about motivating
Here are your five times: people – their mind, body, and soul.
• Upon Awakening As the TV producer and host of the
• 30 minutes prior to lunch Dr. Joy Show – “Your Prescription For
• Midday Total Wellness”. Dr. Joy is the author of
• 30 minutes prior to dinner Don’t Let “IT” Get You!: An Empowering
• Beginning, during, and after your workout! If you alternate Health and Fitness Guide for Women.
workout days, then drink the water at the same time as if you were
working out. Visit www.drxjoy.com for additional
information and free wellness
Tip: Set your alarm on your phone for the five time periods during the day. assessment.
Note: If you participate in strenuous activity, subjected to the sun,

wind, or high elevation, increase your daily water consumption to
prevent dehydration.
Caution: DO NOT exceed 128oz of water per day as it is very important

for our bodies NOT to consume too much water as this could lead to
water intoxication which may be detrimental to your health.
Step 3. How to Drink Your Water

Tip: Avoid extreme temperatures such as COLD water, which will hinder
the digestive process. Room temperature is BEST.
Tip: Drink your water with a straw for ease of swallowing.
Step 4. How to travel with our water.

Tip: Take your water on the go in a BPA free (non-toxic) or Stainless
Steel container. Take control and lose weight the healthy way by
drinking water to release toxins and unnecessary fats from your
body. As a bonus, you will achieve increased mental clarity, as your
headaches will decrease. “If you do something for 28 days it becomes a
habit”. Drink Up!
WEIGHT LOSS /
THE SECRET
TO BLAST BELLY FAT
AND SUGAR CRAVINGS!
By Cindy Santa Ana, AADP CHC Author
If you’re looking to lose weight, the secret is to increase the amount
of protein you consume. Eating more protein helps to keep your
body fuller and thus reduces your appetite. When you’re on a low
carbohydrate and high protein diet, you’ll experience fewer insulin
spikes and fluctuations of sugar levels and therefore fewer sugar
cravings.
However, the quantity of protein and the types of protein do matter.

To lose weight, you’ll need to eat half of your desired body weight in
grams of quality protein (protein supplement, eggs, chicken, legumes,
etc.).
This means if you want to weigh 140 lbs., you’d strive for 70 grams of
protein per day. That’s the equivalent of a 3.5 oz breast of chicken
(30 grams), 2 eggs (12 grams), ¼ cup of almonds (8 grams), ¼ cup flax
seeds (8 grams), 1 cup of unsweetened yogurt (8 grams), and a slice of By Cindy Santa Ana, AADP CHC
bacon (4 grams) in ONE day.
Cindy Santa Ana is a Board Certified
A Johns Hopkins University study found that a diet in which roughly Health Coach who helps clients all
a quarter of the calories (about 60% more than the recommended 10 over the world lose weight and get
to 15%) come from lean protein sources reduced blood pressure, LDL healthy with proper nutrition. She has
(“bad”) cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than a traditional helped hundreds to lose weight with
higher-carb diet. Other research finds that diets rich in protein can help her signature program, The 6-Week
prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Jump Start. She lost 50 pounds herself
on this program! For more info or a free
Protein takes more work to digest, helps you feel fuller sooner and consultation, visit
longer. And, protein is doubly essential for making sure you lose fat, www.UnlockBetterHealth.com
not muscle. Your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean
muscle, which not only makes you stronger and more toned but also
fries calories even when you’re not active—unlike lazy fat. Ultimately,
this keeps your metabolism humming along at high speed so you can
burn off the occasional cookie, no problem.
Vegetables like spinach and kale also count towards your protein
intake, but they aren’t complete proteins – meaning they don’t have all
9 essential amino acids your body needs to build muscle.
Quinoa is a great source of a complete protein and is easy to cook.

Prepared just like rice, you can view it as a blank slate to add veggies,
nuts, feta cheese and lemon juice to make a delicious meal. Remember
to choose skinless white chicken, lean cuts of beef, pork tenderloin,
turkey and fish.
Here are a few ways to add more protein to your daily diet:
1. 2-egg omelette with spinach, cheese, salsa and avocado for

breakfast.
2. Power salad with grilled chicken, mixed greens, sunflower seeds,
feta cheese and walnuts.
3. Afternoon snack of plain Greek yogurt with honey and fresh fruit.
4. Beef stir-fry with veggies, side of quinoa
WEIGHT LOSS /
MANAGE
YOUR WEIGHT
WITH A COCKTAIL!
By Dr Tom Potisk Author
During my 25 years as a holistic family doctor, I encountered many
patients who expressed frustration with weight control. Many had
attempted several popular diets, but were on a roller coaster, finding
that none produced long term results.
I explored their problem from a holistic perspective, seeking an

underlying source for their need to consume more but never feel fully
satisfied.
I found the source for many was in their inability to adequately absorb
minerals. A good analogy is a car with a dirty air cleaner causing it to
need more gas.
So, I found the solution was simply to instruct these overweight people
to regularly clean their filters. I prescribed a daily drink I labelled ‘The
Morning Cleansing Cocktail’. By Dr Tom Potisk
It is an 8 ounce glass of hot water mixed with a tablespoon of fresh Dr Tom Potisk (AKA ‘The Down to Earth
lemon juice. Doctor.’) is a holistic lifestyle advocate,
author, speaker, wellness program
This acts as a mild cleanser to the digestive lining and liver – the human presenter, business coach for doctors.
filters.
You can read my latest health tips here:
The result is increased absorption of minerals, resulting in fewer www.wholehealthhealing.com
cravings, and more energy for activity.
Done consistently every morning, this produces a substantial weight

loss that lasts and it promotes healing.
Start every morning by drinking ‘The Morning Cleansing Cocktail.’
WEIGHT LOSS /
ONE STEP TO
START LOSING WEIGHT
AND FEELING YOUR BEST
By Clea Shannon CHHC, AADP Author
One of my favourite parts of working in health and nutrition is watching
the light go off for my clients. The moment when you realize that YOU
have the power, ability and now the tools, to create lasting, powerful
changes in how you look and feel – and ultimately change your life.
So many clients have sat across from me, in person or via Skype and
absolutely lit up with the sheer joy of this realisation.
Now it’s your turn. Let go of those failed fad diets, and clear the way for
a healthier, happier new you.
This one tip, which I am sharing with you today, has created some of
the most powerful and lasting results for my clients.
Allison, a Mom of three, literally wept during our last consultation

she was so overjoyed with her results. She said, “The pounds are just
melting off. After all the years of struggling, I’m finally back to my pre- By Clea Shannon CHHC, AADP
baby weight!”
Clea Shannon is a Board Certified
Jared, who had carried around abdominal bloating that prevented Wellness Coach (AADP Founder of Live
results, no matter how much he worked out, agreed “I guess they’re Inspired Today, a web – based wellness
right abs are made in the kitchen, as long as you know what to eat.” company and the creator of Hip, Simple,
And Renata said, “I’d spent so many years trying to make the fad diets Fabulous™ recipes and life – changing
work for me. I wish I’d done your 6 month program sooner.” wellness on her award-winning blog
www.CleaShannon.com
Are you ready for my tip? Get green! Green vegetables, leafy greens,
green drinks and green smoothies. Add green to EVERY meal. She is regulary featured on radio,
television and webinar programms and
Try this tip out for ONE week and let me know what changes for you. I enjoys speaking to women’s groups
can always be reached at clea@cleashannon.com nationwide. She shares her step-by-step
tips for making “hip, simple, fabulous”
To supercharge your diet and energy reserves and improve digestion, meals in minutes and establishing
you can’t beat greens. Why? Because they deliver nourishing, high- daily rituals during her engaging, high
octane, doses of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and digestive enzymes energy workshops. In addtion, recipes
to every system in your body, quickly, easily, and efficiently. for Clea’s Hip, Simple,Fabulous™ dishes
are frequently published. Learn more
The effects? Nothing short of miraculous: about Clea and her unique approach to
• Boost immunity supporting you to achieve your goals.
• Aid and regulate digestion
• Sustain energy
• Promote mental clarity
• Improve skin, nails and hair
• Enhance overall moods and wellbeing
• Promote weight loss and increase satiety
• Cleanse and remove toxins naturally
Here are a few ways to add more GREEN into your day:
– Add spinach to your morning smoothie.
– Add chopped kale to your salad.
– Wrap your sandwich in a large leafy green.
– Toss leafy greens into your soups and stews.
– Chop broccoli or celery for snacks.
– Add powdered greens to smoothies or just add water.
Add more greens consistently to EVERY meal for ONE week and let me
know how it’s going! What positive changes are YOU noticing?
WEIGHT LOSS /
“HOW
DO I LOSE
A POUND”
By Dr. Marisa R. Silver Author
The most common question I am asked every day is, “How do I
lose a pound?” I tell my clients that losing weight is a simple math
equation. We have all taken math but for some reason, when it comes
to understanding calories, people are confused and dumbfounded on
how to begin. What most people don’t understand is that to maintain
a certain weight you have to be consuming enough calories to maintain
what it reads on the scale. People have said to me, that no matter what
they do or how they eat, they are unable to lose weight.
In order to lose weight, one has to burn more calories than consumed.
Keep in mind, 3500 Calories equals one pound. To lose one pound per
week, one would have to eliminate 500 Calories a day. The best way to
accomplish this is to consume lower Caloric foods in combination with
exercise. Most food product labels are measured in Calories and Kcals
(1000 calories = 1 kcal).
By Dr. Marisa R. Silver
For example: Decrease your intake by 250 Calories and burn 250
Calories per day. This is an easier method then just reducing 500 Dr. Marisa R. Silver, D.C. Owner of In
Calories a day by dietary restrictions or trying to burn off 500 Calories The Zone Personal Fitness / Silverspine
per day. Chiropractic & Health.
The following examples are useful ways one can reduce caloric Dr. Marisa R. Silver uses her educational
consumption: background in Chiropractic, Personal
1. A bowl of bran flakes is 95 Calories vs. a muffin at 200-400 Calories Training and Nutrition to provide a
= a savings of 250 Calories. multi-dimensional balance of health and
2. A healthy turkey sandwich on wheat bread and provolone cheese fitness care. She has been featured as a
has 310 Calories vs. a Meat ball sandwich which has 560 Calories = motivational speaker and a contributing
a savings of 250 Calories. author to several health and fitness
3. A low calorie chicken dish for dinner 425 Calories consists of 4 books featured on Amazon.com.
ounces of chicken at 250 Calories. A side dish of steamed broccoli
at 25 Calories with a small potato at 150 Calories vs. a common You can learn more about Dr. Silver and
baked chicken salad platter that can have up to 800 Calories = a what she has to offer at:
savings of 375 Calories. www.bodybysilver.com
4. Whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce at 500 Calories vs. a dish
of fettuccini alfredo which can be 700 Calories = a savings of 200
Calories.
5. Chocolate lava cake or gingerbread cake with cream cheese
frosting at 250 Calories each per serving vs. one slice of
cheesecake can be 650 Calories = a savings of 400 Calories.
Did you know that a simple 30 minute exercise routine every day can
help burn those excess Calories?
For example:
1. Walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes = 118 Calories burned.
2. Body building for 30 minutes = approx. 175 Calories burned.
3. Swimming free style for 30 minutes = approx. 200 Calories burned.
4. Stationary cycling for 30 minutes = approx. 200 Calories burned.
Stair climbing for 30 minutes = approx. 265 Calories burned.
WEIGHT LOSS /
I recommend a food journal to my clients. It is a wonderful tool to help
assist in determining how much of a reduction in Calories and exercise
is required to meet your desired weight.
Most individuals that employ and understand this concept have a

greater success with weight loss and keeping it off. The mathematics of
calories is simple, burn more then you consume.
Start your food journal today, count your calories and watch the
pounds fade away!
WEIGHT LOSS /
HITT –
THE QUICKEST
WAY TO LOSE FAT
By Nathan Towle Author
Almost every client that comes to me is looking to lower their body fat.
Whether it’s a thirty-something looking to be slimmer for her holiday, a
forty-five year old mother looking to feel a little better or regular gym
goer trying to finally attain that six pack, keeping body fat low without
resorting to elaborate diets is high on most people’s list.
To every single one of these people I say there is one training modality
that will get you where you want to be.
It is the most efficient and the most effective way to exercise and it is
High Intensity Interval training (HIIT).
HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise that alternates short intense

bouts of work with lower intensity recovery periods. Sessions last no
longer than 20 minutes and research conclusively shows these short
and intense workouts are the most effective in:
By Nathan Towle
• Improving fitness
• Increasing resting metabolic rate (the energy you burn when you’re Nathan Towle is the owner of Nathan
doing nothing at all) Towle Personal Training based in
• Increasing fatty acid utilisation London, England. Utilising his research
• Improving heart and vascular function backed approach he has helped
hundreds of clients become slimmer,
Put simply, together these benefits combine to burn the most fat and build muscle, feel great and look
are your quickest route to becoming slimmer and looking and feeling amazing.
great.
You can follow Nathan for more fitness
So what exactly should you do? To begin with take a 1:2 work to and nutrition tips and advice at
recovery ratio and apply it to a cardiovascular exercise of your choice. https://twitter.com/NathanTowlePT
and visit his website at
We’re going to exercise hard for 20 seconds and then bring the pace www.nathantowle.co.uk
right down for 40 seconds in order to recover.
This is one whole work-recovery cycle and lasts 1 minute. For our first
workout 15 of these cycles is sufficient for our fat burning goals and
so our whole workout is completed in 15 minutes with 15 consecutive
cycles.
It’s as simple as that. However, even though we’ll follow this basic
pattern of alternating high intensity with recovery periods that doesn’t
mean your exercise has to become boring. One of the great things
about HIIT is its variety and variation.
We can apply our basic protocol to any kind of cardio vascular exercise.
We can run, cycle, swim, row, skip, use circuit training, boxing, skating,
dancing, and exercise outdoors or in the gym. We can vary the number
of cycles we do, the length of each cycle, and as we get fitter we can
bring down our recovery to work ratio to make sure we continue to see
results.
Next time you do some cardiovascular exercise; do some High

Intensity Interval Training. Your workout will take half the time, be vastly
less boring, and take you one giant step closer to the slimmer, healthier
person you desire.
FITNESS /
PREPARATION
IS THE KEY TO
FAT LOSS SUCCESS
By Lisa Van Ahn Author
It’s been my business to help my clients get fit, feel great, and love
their bodies for almost two decades. I love success stories, but I’ve also
watched many of my student’s attempt and fail, usually dropping off
my radar.
It is always disappointing when a student plays a fast disappearing

act, but in every one of these situations the student wasn’t properly
prepared. Ultimately your fat loss is up to you and one of the necessary
ingredients for your success is preparation. Repeat after me…
”Preparation is the key to my success”.
You may wonder...”How do I prepare for successful fat loss”? Below are
5 steps for successful preparation. Follow them to get lean, have more
energy, and feel better in your body and your life.
1: Select your approach to fat loss then commit to your program. By Lisa Van Ahn
Before you begin you need to know what plan you are going to follow.
Lisa Van Ahn is an internationally
There are many available and each has its pros and cons. A few popular ranked fighter, athlete, and business
methods are; South Beach, Slow Carb, The Zone, Eat Clean diet, Fat woman. She is the creator of http://
Loss Formula. This best diet to follow is the one that feels the best to www.bodyredesignonline, a completely
you, so do your research. Once you commit to a specific program read digital and live support program that
the details of the diet, how to follow it, what kinds of foods you’ll be teaches a seriously simple approach to
eating, and how often. Then move on to step two. fat loss and loving your body. Visit Lisa
at her blog http://www.lisavanahn.com
2: Prepare your food in advance for the week. I’ve witnessed many
people failing in the diet they’ve selected not because the diet doesn’t
work but because they haven’t prepared their food in advance. This is
the single most important step to following a diet successfully. Once
you know the foods that are permitted on your plan choose 3-5 recipes
that are permitted and make them in advance, portioning them out so
that you have food ready on hand whenever you are hungry.
3: Schedule your workouts in advance for the week. Whether it is

strength training session, a group fitness class or private sessions with
a trainer schedule them into your week. Guard these ‘fitness dates’
with yourself like you would an appointment with a potential investor,
a tooth cleaning, or your annual doctor’s exam. It isn’t real if you don’t
schedule it.
4: Fat loss is a journey and it is important to celebrate small successes.

When you’ve prepared and followed through for the week, take one
day off to celebrate. Take in a movie and popcorn. Go for a walk and
then get a big bowl of ice cream. Enjoy a day off your program and
give yourself props for your successful preparation. Then move on to
the next step.
5: Repeat steps 2-4. Do this for as long as you need until your reach
your goal weight and size.
In my nearly 20 years in the wellness industry I have never seen this

method fail. “Preparation is the key to my success”. Take this mantra
with you and lose fat by preparing yourself for it.
WEIGHT LOSS /
UNLEASH YOUR
‘INNER GOLDILOCKS’
AND LOSE FAT
By Sally Symonds Author
Most weight loss plans advocate an “all or nothing” approach - far too
difficult for most people to follow forever. 96% of people who lose
weight regain it all again – and more – within two years.
Consider this: give 100% effort, stick to it for about 3 weeks and you’ll
end up with about 300% results. Give 80% effort, and you’ll find it
easier to stick to for a little longer (say 5 weeks) and you’ll end up with
400% results. Now consider giving just 25% effort (which you find
so easy that you can keep going for 25 weeks) and you’ll end up with
625% results. Do something for 25 weeks and you’ve made a lifestyle
change, and you’ve barely even noticed!
Step by step weight loss is one of the best ways to ensure that you not
only lose weight, but that you can keep it off. One of the best role
models for this is
By Sally Symonds
Goldilocks and her “just right” principle. If you’re trying to make
any kind of change in your life and it’s too easy, you soon become Sally Symonds has lost over 50% of her
disengaged and de-motivated – not only does the change become original body weight and kept it off for
boring, but you can’t see any real progress towards achieving what you a decade. Sally is director of “Love Your
want to achieve. Weight Loss” – a 26 week online weight
loss system designed to help people
Conversely, try to make a change that’s too difficult and you become find their own way to permanent weight
de-motivated even faster. loss with weekly food, exercise and
mindset lessons. Sally is also the author
But Goldilocks knew that if something was “too soft” or “too hard” of “50 Steps to Lose 50kg … And Keep
then she just had to keep looking until she found something that was It Off”, “50+ Recipes to Lose 50+kg
“just right”. … And Keep It Off” and “50 Ways to
Weight Loss Motivation”.
Another way to think of this is making changes that are “comfortably
challenging”. Check out more of Sally’s real-life weight
loss strategies and services at
The other valuable lesson that Goldilocks reveals is that we have to www.sallysymonds.com
keep moving because our needs change. First, Goldilocks was hungry,
then she was tired. Similarly, once you do something often enough,
while at the start it might be comfortably challenging, it’s soon easy-as.
So how can you practically apply this mindset to your weight loss
journey?
One way is by keeping your own “Scale of Horrorbility” for exercise.

This is your own system for rating just how difficult you find any form of
exercise on three levels: physically, practically, and psychologically.
For example, walking for ten minutes every day might be physically
challenging, practically straightforward, and psychologically difficult.
But the more you do it, the easier it becomes across all three levels – so
then you can increase it to maybe fifteen minutes every day.
Stepping up your weight loss by unleashing your inner Goldilocks
is one of the most effective ways to lose weight … and keep it off.
Remember, the fastest way to lose weight is to do it once … so you
never have to do it again!
WEIGHT LOSS /
THE
SNEAKY SIDE
OF WEIGHT LOSS
By Conni Ponturo Author
We all want to make a change, feel better and lose a few pounds.
We start off on a BIG diet and then slowly we lose energy and just give up!
What if we think about this lifestyle change differently, just 1 pound at

a time.
This is true even if you have 100 pounds to lose.
You can do it in one week or 1 month.
Think about making just one change in your life.
Maybe it’s taking the bread basket off the table, or making your dinner
plate smaller and refusing seconds. Sticking to just protein, vegetables
and fruit, taking out the pastas, breads, dairy, and sugars. By Conni Ponturo
What if it didn’t have to be so hard to make a change? Conni is a Pilates teacher and a
motivational speaker, she has helped
We start with small changes, only one at a time. hundreds of clients move more and lose
weight. Getting clients to love what they
Once we have mastered that we start another one. have before they change is key. She can
be found at The Absolute Yoga & Pilates
Giving us time to get used to each new habit. Studio in Woodland Hills, California
Once we have made up our mind that we want to change something www.theabsoluteyoga.com
we expect it to happen overnight.
Let’s lighten up on ourselves, make the change and see the magic that
happens.
To get more activity into your day, at the mall, work, or grocery store,
park at the furthest parking spot. Now we have added more walking
into your day.
If you do this at every spot in your day you will have added 30 minutes.
Think of it this way, you will always find parking and your waistline will
thank you.
WEIGHT LOSS /
MIND /
BODY
BREATHE IN
BREATHE
OUT
By Claire Obeid Author
There is one small change that will have a huge impact on your health
and that is learning how to breathe properly. What? I hear you say. But
I breathe, every single day without trying. Yep, I know you do… but
do you know that most of us don’t breathe properly! We all tend to
breathe right up into our chest. ‘Chest-Breathers’ tend to bypass the
diaphragm and breathe quite forcefully high up into the upper chest.
I used to be like this. And guess what else I was like? Stressed, strung
out, overly sensitive, poor immune system, nervous, anxious, IBS. Now,
as you can see there was a combination of things not quite right with
me and it took a combination of things to bring me to a space of true
health – balanced, calm, centered, whole. But one thing from that
combination that I truly believe made a huge difference was learning
how to breathe, which I did through yoga.
Before I go any further let me just say this. There IS a time for chest By Claire Obeid
breathing. Sometimes we need stress and we need to switch in quickly
to our fight or flight mode. When’s that? Well, say, you are exercising, Claire Obeid is a Holistic Health Coach,
running, reacting to something fast, defending yourself, in danger, yoga teacher, writer, and blogger – but
being chased by a bear or a rabid dog. You get the picture. really she sees herself as a soul-centred
wellness advocate living her dream.
The problem, however, lives in how often we breathe in this way. For
most chest breathers it’s for the majority of the day! Basically, we are Claire truly feels that we are what we
engaging our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) when we eat, think, feel, breathe, do… and
don’t need it. This has a whole host of knock-on effects when it comes encourages individuals to respect the
to our health, immunity, stress, focus, emotions and more. breath, the body and the mind.
Learning how to breathe first by inhaling from the diaphragm Through her blog, ecourse and ebook,
then the rib cage and up into the chest requires us to consciously coaching practice and speaking gigs
slow down and in turn switches off sympathetic and moves us into Claire passionately shares health,
parasympathetic - our rest and restore state. Keeping a stable, even, wellness and the truth - that we can
nourishing breath throughout the day, despite the stressful situations all live, breath and be in balance, true
that come our way can be a game-changer. happiness and health. Free from limiting
self-beliefs, health issues, emotional
One of the simplest breathing techniques you can learn is called the turmoil, poor self-esteem and stress.
Yogic Breath. In a seated positive or lying down rest your hands on
your belly. Take a deep inhale through your nose and open your mouth Claire’s thrown out the diet-plans and
to let out a nice long exhale – a delicious sigh. From here, on your rulebooks and instead coaches, writes
next inhale began by gentle breathing into the belly – feel the slight and teaches from a place of intuition,
rise. Next take that same breath into your rib cage – feel the rib cage knowledge and respect. Guided by the
expand out to the side. Finally, breathe that same breath high into your fundamentals of connecting in to who
chest. Pause at the top and as you exhale reverse the breath. Breathe you are, feeding the body in the best
out from your belly – slightly draw the belly back to the spine. Release way possible and nourishing the soul
the breath from the rib cage and finally completely exhale from the
chest. Check out Claire’s blog and buy her
ebook here. Stay connected to her on
The most incredible way to start your day would be to practice 20 twitter and instagram and visit The
rounds of this breath. You can enjoy the Yogic Breath before you even Wellness Project facebook page for daily
leave your bed! You’ll feel clearer, calmer, grounded. And in times of affirmations, wellness tips and more.
stress throughout your day this breath technique can be your saving
grace. For those that want to dive a little deeper head over to my Facebook: www.facebook.com/
website The Wellness Project (insert www.thewellnessproject.net.au) ClaireObeidTheWellnessProject
and sign-up to my newsletter. As a gift you’ll receive a 3-Steps to More Blog: www.thewellnessproject.net.au/blog
Wellness Video Guide, which includes an 8 minute ‘how-to’ clip on
breathing techniques. You’ll love it!
MIND AND BODY /
WATCH YOUR
DOMINANT
THOUGHTS
By Sally Feinerman Author
Did you know that on average you and I think about 100,000 thoughts
every day and most of them are negative, stressful self-limiting and
self-destructive?
When you want to get fit and lose weight it is natural to think of what
you don’t want. For example, you don’t want to be overweight any
more. But when you keep telling yourself what you don’t want then you
are far more likely to manifest more of what you don’t want instead of
more of what you do want.
So what you need to do is eliminate any belief in being a DIETER or

having to LOSE WEIGHT.
The word diet implies restriction, limitation, and a short lived effort to
get some quick results before you return to a normal way of eating.
Diets also mean giving things up such as eating out, having your By Sally Feinerman
favourite foods, or enjoying a fun social life.
Sally Feinerman is the director of Fitness
Start to make your dominant thought that of a fit, healthy body. Ask Fix. She provides women who previously
yourself ‘is this food that I am putting into my body the type of food lacked motivation, support or courage
that would support a healthy fit person?’ to fit fitness in to their lives
with an opportunity to achieve amazing
Try to plant some new seeds and see if they will give you a new belief results for themselves in a way that is
system that will in turn create a beautiful new body. For Instance, if you easy and effective.
want to run a marathon, then start thinking like a marathon runner. Your
subconscious mind will start accepting your new belief and it will guide For more information please visit,
you to do everything that is necessary to accomplish that result. www.fitnessfix.co.nz
You can try any diet and exercise programme in the world but I
personally believe that before you can change on the outside you need
to change within. So with a positive mind-set your habits will become
healthy habits rather than self-destructive habits.
Find a picture of a healthy fit person at your ideal weight and focus
on this image daily. This will help your mind to make the necessary
adjustments that you need to take in order to reach your goal. It will
automatically help you adopt the right exercise and food choices and
discard the wrong choices. Find a photo of the person you want to be
and pin it up somewhere you can see it each day
MIND AND BODY /

TALK
YOURSELF
SLIM
By Narelle Lee Author
There are three key ingredients that go into the mix for successful and
sustainable weight loss.
As a peak performance coach and hypnotherapist, I find that clients

with challenges around releasing weight have a reasonably good
knowledge of the first two but have spent very little time on the third
key ingredient.
The ingredients are:
Nutrition
Exercise
Mind-set
Your habits, including the ones that result in weight gain are driven by
your unconscious mind. By Narelle Lee
This means that one of the key ingredients for making lasting changes! Narelle Lee is a peak mind-set coach,
You need to change the messages your unconscious mind is receiving. hypnotherapist, Master Practitioner of
NLP, speaker, writer with a passion for
You experience your world through your language – your unconscious helping clients release negative habits
mind is always listening and picks up on everything you say to yourself and behaviours so that they realise
and others. their fullest potential. She is passionate
about helping others release excess
Therefore, if you change your language, you influence your mind-set. weight using hypnotherapy, NLP and
other clearing techniques.
Simple strategies for making change:
For more information about Narelle go
Change the language you use when answering questions like “How are to www.theperformancemasters.com.au
you?”.
Rather than saying, “I’m ok” answer with something like “I’m great” or
“I’m really well, thank you”.
Add some zest to your tone of voice when answering and stand/sit up
straight.
Using a flat, down tone, slumped over with shoulders hunched over
and eyes on the floor creates a different neural pathway to the one
created when you speak in a stronger tone of voice, stand up straight
and look up.
You cannot help but feel better when you do this and people will
notice.
Use positive language about what you want, rather than state what you
don’t want.
By using language that focuses on what you don’t want “I don’t want to
eat junk food” simply focuses the mind on junk food – the unconscious
mind does not process negatives, so it hears, “I want junk food”.
Replace sentences like this with ones such as “I enjoy healthy
fresh food”.
MIND AND BODY /

Beware of self-talk
Comments muttered to yourself like “I am fat and unattractive” do

not serve you and will not help you build a mind-set that moves you
towards your goal weight.
Replace this with words such as “I am growing leaner every day” using
the positive physiology I outlined above. When you state what you
want in positive language, you dramatically increase the likelihood of
success.
How you feel is a direct result of your choices.
No-one makes you feel anything – how you feel is totally internal, you
choose how you feel.
This does not mean that you won’t react to external factors.
If you are feeling a negative emotion, recall a time when you felt
upbeat or another positive emotion and as you recall that time, hear
what you were hearing, listen to what was being said or what you were
telling yourself, hold your body the same way.
Notice how you feel now. Remember, you can choose to feel positive
about your weight release journey at any time
MIND AND BODY /

MOVE
YOUR
MOOD
By Gretchen Masters Author
We’ve all heard that depression is on the rise, affecting one in five
adults each year. The good news is that treatment can be varied
and good fun. Exercise has been proven to be an effective form of
treatment, especially for people with mild - to moderate depression.
How it works:
Exercise increases serotonin levels.

This means that we sleep better, we eat better, we have an increased
libido and our mood is enhanced. A diet rich in essential vitamins and
minerals will also increase serotonin levels.
Exercise boosts energy levels.

1. Training provides a distraction from worries, which is particularly
beneficial for people who are depressed.
2. Regular fitness increases self-esteem, sense of control and feelings By Gretchen Masters
of self-worth.
3. Depending on the type of exercise, social interaction can be a very Gretchen Masters is the founder of
positive side-effect. Spring (www.springfitness.com.au).
What to do Each September, thousands of people

all over Australia sign up to exercise
The key is to exercise often, ideally some form of activity on most every day for 30 days, boosting their
days of the week. If you’re already fit, aim for higher intensity exercise fitness and their mood. Training plans,
3-4 days a week (and moderate intensity on the other days), while Good Mood Food and mini-meditations
moderate intensity is enough for beginners. are delivered online and all of the profits
are donated to mental health charities.
Variety is important. A mixture of fitness, strength and stretching
works really well. A brisk walk each day, a game of fetch with the dog,
a little yoga before breakfast, social sport in your lunchbreak… It all
helps to keep your body and your mind in top condition.
If you’re depressed
You can get even more out of this by tracking your mood. Before
each exercise session, rate your mood on a scale of 1-5. Then rate it
again 30-60 minutes after training. Seeing your mood move up the
scale is motivation in itself. Grab your diary right now and schedule
a little burst of exercise on most days next week. Even 10 minutes of
abdominals and push-ups is great. Then keep up the habit – book your
exercise into your diary every week.
MIND AND BODY /

HOW TO
ELIMINATE
FOOD ADDICTION
By Gabrielle Maston Author
Cant’ take your mind off chocolate?
There is a reason why. Different types of food affect hormone levels,

gene expression and eating behaviour. This is particularly true for items
containing high levels of fat, sugar and salt. Even though we live in a
modern world our evolutionary genes haven’t yet caught up.
Our cave man genes are primed to seek these types of food, so we can
nourish ourselves for survival.
Whenever we eat foods containing these three things, the chemical

dopamine is released in the brain which makes you feel happy. This
triggers areas of the brain associated with addiction.
Even though the evolutionary odds are against us, there are individuals
who are able to abstain from junk food and kick the habit for good. By Gabrielle Maston
The secret lies in four key skills: Clinical and Sports Dietician/Nutritionist
& Exercise Physiologist/Personal trainer
Controlled restraint: Like any other addictive substance, there needs Gabrielle has appeared on the Sydney
to be a period of controlled abstinence. Practice not giving into morning show as an expert in her
cravings immediately. Acknowledge the feeling of having a craving and field and regularly contributes to
delay giving in. The aim is to gradually lengthen the duration in which popular Australian fitness and women’s
you respond to cravings to weaken them, until eventually you give up magazines. She has helped hundreds
entirely. of Sydney siders to lose weight, improve
their chronic health conditions and
Distraction method: When you experience a craving get busy, distract enhance sports performance through
your mind. You cannot think about two things at once. Get engrossed her fun and easy to do nutrition and
in an activity until the craving passes. You may want to try phoning a exercise plans.
friend or gardening. www.changingshape.net.au
Remove the stimulus: Situational craving are real. Find out what
triggers you off and do your best to remove it. It may be as simple as
removing the lolly jar off your desk and placing it in the office drawer or
finding a new way to walk around the office to avoid the vending machine.
Balance eating: Dieting and imbalanced eating will cause you to

eventually binge on the foods you love. Balance your meals by
including three things: Low GI whole grain carbohydrates (pasta,
basmati rice, sweet potato or legumes), a rich source of protein (meat,
chicken, fish, or eggs) and lots of veggies. The trick is not to diet and
don’t skip meals!
The word diet is just the word “die” with a T at the end. There is a
difference between making better food choices and dieting. Healthy
eating includes a variety of foods you enjoy, in a portion controlled manner.
Many of my clients are no longer chocoholics and can walk past

the chip bowl without digging in. They notice their mid-afternoon
sugar cravings disappear. This is simply by balancing meals and
implementing effective behavioural skills.
If you manage to quit junk food for good you will notice renewed
energy, vitality and self-empowerment. As a side effect you may even
lose weight!
MIND AND BODY /
EXERCISE
WITH
OTHERS
By Patrea O’Donoghue, MAPS Author
Exercising with friends or a group of people is a great way for staying
motivated and committed to your exercise routine. Exercising with
others motivates people for a number reasons: socialising, sense of
belonging, makes time pass more quickly, eases that sense of feeling
alone, obligation, saving face, getting value from a gym membership,
becoming skilled, and competition.
If we are training by ourselves and don’t feel like doing it one day, then
we only have ourselves to justify our behaviour, which is pretty easy to
do. Hall of Fame basketballer, Jerry West, said, “if we only do things
on the days we feel good, we won’t get much done in life”. Making a
public commitment to someone else increases our likelihood that we
will follow through, particularly when we don’t really feel up to it.
When we make a commitment to meet up with someone to exercise

together, we are more likely to show up due to a sense of obligation By Patrea O’Donoghue, MAPS
and to save face. We feel committed to not let the other person or
people down. We are accountable to someone else for our actions and Patrea O’Donoghue, MAPS Registered
decisions if we can’t make it. This is one of the key principles driving Psychologist and Sport & Exercise
the success of the AA programs, which the PT and gym industries have Psychologist. Patrea is a specialist
capitalised on! Being in the company of others spurs us on to keep in coaching psychology and change
going. Getting better at our chosen exercise satisfies our need for management working towards
feeling competent. improving people’s well-being by
developing healthy habits of mind and
The support given and gained from training in a group becomes self- body with mindfulness and positive
reinforcing. Some people are driven by a sense of achievement and psychology.
thus a degree of competition can draw out the best in some individuals
who would otherwise languish in their training if left to their own. www.positivepsychologystrategies.com.au
These factors can help maintain the commitment to continue with
the exercise.
Exercising in the company of others allows the endorphins released

when exercising to do their job to dull the pain and create a buzz in
the mind, which subsequently enhances the interactions with others
by keeping our minds engaged in conversation or focussed on the
activity. It also benefits the health of our brain as we age, starving off
dementia.
Take some time to make a plan. What type of exercise or physical

activity do you enjoy? Walking? Going to gym classes? Joining a sports
team? Who would you like to spend time exercising with? Spouse?
Family member? Friends? Strangers?
Who would keep you to your commitment? Contact this person and
make arrangements for when to start exercising together. Whilst
the initial set up of the activity or joining the group may take some
planning and effort, once it is in place, it works a treat.
Stimulate your mind, brain and your body whilst in the company of
others and you’ve got a powerful combination for being healthy, happy
and sane throughout life. Basically, it is more fun to exercise with
others, it helps us stay committed, and it is good for us too, in the short
and long-term!
MIND AND BODY /

ACHIEVING
TOTAL WELLBEING
FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME
By Ananda Trettin Author
We are often led to believe that taking care of the body will somehow
translate into the resolving of all our problems. In truth however, we
often find ourselves unwell simply because we ignore some of the
more subtle aspects of our embodiment.
Sitting up and taking note of what our body is really asking of us can
go a long way in achieving total wellbeing. The ‘Quadrinity Check-In’
is a personal inquiry into your lifestyles that focuses the attention on
developing an optimal and healthy human expression.
This is a writing exercise, to focus on one part of your life, or your
current situation as a whole, and inquire into the various layers to see
how they find their expression in this activity.
This exercise will only take five minutes of your busy day. It gives one
the opportunity to tune into all parts of yourself and ensure that all
aspects are being acknowledged in a way that supports your daily By Ananda Trettin
endeavors. Begin simply by tuning into your body and thoughts. Make
sure to have a piece of paper and pen available so that when you check Ananda Trettin
in, you can write clear messages to yourself. Founded Preshana Yoga in 2008.
Follow these steps and check in- you’ll be surprised at how clearly your www.preshanayoga.com.au
body speaks with you.
Ananda trained with a broad array of
1. Take a moment and close your eyes. Begin by bringing attention to teachers – including Cyndi Lee, Elena
the physical body. Pay attention to the rise and fall of your breath. Brower, Erich Shipffman, Mark Whitwell,
This physical part of you feels thirst and hunger, needs touch, Tara Judelle, Noah Maze, Christina Sell
movement and rest. All these sensations are true needs of the and John Friend
physical being and an expression of who we are. As you tune in,
exhale and ask your physical body what it needs. Write it down.
2. Now bring your awareness to your mind and thoughts-the

intellectual part of you. This is that part of you that sees clearly,
exercises curiosity and analyses situations. Ask yourself what the
intellectual aspect of yourself needs and write it down.
3. Now bring your attention down to your heart and belly. This region
is where emotions and instincts are developed. Ask your emotional
self what it needs and write it down.
4. Bring yourself back to the region of your heart. Imagine yourself

going deeper than the heart and into the spiritual region of your
body. This is your source of intuition and deep spiritual wisdom.
Ask yourself what your spiritual realm needs and write it down.
5. Take one more moment and bring all four aspects of yourself
together. Visualize them around a campfire engaging in a dialogue
about your life. Discuss how these aspects of your body can remain
distinct but work together in creating a happy you.
Engaging with this practice every day allows you to know how to best
set intentions. By checking in with these four parts of your life- you can
focus on areas that need attention and carve off unnecessary troubles.
MIND AND BODY /

MASTER
YOUR MIND …
MASTER YOUR LIFE!
By Stuart Walter Author
With the Health and fitness industry worth $ Billions, why is it that
the population is getting larger? There is certainly no shortage of
information now with the internet. The critical factor missing in many
health and fitness programs is the one thing… a muscle, that when
worked properly gives incredible results, it is the Brain!
The unconscious mind remembers everything we have every thought

dreamt and learnt. It also remembers the emotions connected to that
experience. Our mind also is there to protect us from any ‘potential’
risk, physically or emotionally. The past can limit or sabotage the great
work we want to do.
Without negative emotions (from past experiences) we would all

be fit, happy, rich and doing what we love to do, we would not have
arguments and the world would be awesome! This change can be
made! I created a very powerful process for the elite athletes I have as By Stuart Walter
clients. I am going to explain a process that I generally do for all my
clients. (This is a very condensed version). Stuart Walter is ‘The Athlete’s Secret
Weapon’ (as his clients call him) With
I was dealing with a former Olympic Swimmer, a Bronze Medallist. I 25 World champions at the time of
asked her to reflect on the past and in a word, SAD came to mind and writing this, he is Australia’s #1 for Sports
as she thought about… it all those emotions came up. Hypnosis and NLP. He knows how to
get the most out of the even the most
Ask yourself are you holding on to your past? elite in sport and business. Stuart Walter
is the CEO of Global Mind Mastery
LIFE IS A CHOICE… how you deal with it, is a choice, how you want it and is the Creator and Author of ‘The
to be is also choice. Please now write a word to describe how your life Dear Dairy Process’ and other self
is going to be, it is your choice now… awesome comes to my mind! improvement products and programs.
www.athletessecretweapon.com
Answer this… My life is going to be www.globalmindmastery.com
Now, imagine this athlete said my future is EMPOWERED!
I give her a piece of paper with EMPOWERED on it, her face lights up
and she gets excited about life and what can be done. I hold out my
hand and she gives me her EMPOWERED future! The reason I tell you
this and share this experience is…
You choose how your life will be

You must hold on to your dreams
Never give away your dreams
Let go of the past emotions

When you hold onto your past it will hold you back.
Don’t give others your problems. And don’t take any problems from
others You are now responsible for you and your life
Dream big and never give away your dreams or allow them to be taken
from you.
This may seem like a simple process yet the emotional freedom
through awareness of what we do automatically is … EMPOWERING!
When you focus on EMPOWERING more will be attracted to you.
So now you know that changes can be made and all by making a
decision. The past can now only influence you, if you allow it! Yes, this
means you are in control.
MIND AND BODY /
BASE DECISIONS ON
WHERE YOU ARE GOING...
NOT WHERE YOU’VE BEEN
By Laura Erdman-Luntz Author
As we go through life, we tend to think today will be like tomorrow and
tomorrow will be much like today. But if we want to create change in
our life, we need to begin to think about tomorrow as being different
from today. One way we can envision this change is to make our
decisions based on the new tomorrow we are creating.
So, what does that mean? First, decide what change you want to
make. For example, losing weight. The reason you are the weight you
are is due to all the decisions you have made so far up to this point.
Decisions about what (and when) to eat, whether to exercise, and more.
If you are to lose weight and change the way your body looks, you
need to make different decisions than you did yesterday.
When you need to make a decisions that will affect whether or not you
will lose weight, take a moment to literally visualize yourself in the place
you want to be in. You are fit, vibrant and energetic. What decision will By Laura Erdman-Luntz
that person make? Would that person wake early to exercise? Would
that person eat vegetables with lunch? When you begin to actually see Experienced Yoga Educator, Author,
yourself in the space you want to be in, you will naturally begin to make and inspiring Life Coach, Laura
decisions that will help you become what you see. Erdman-Luntz has over 20 years’
experience inspiring people to live
Want to feel more confident at work? Imagine yourself as being that their Extraordinary Lives. She uniquely
new confident person - what decision would that person make about blends her Life Coaching knowledge
how to start her day? and vast experience with Yoga to create
programs, classes and workshops that
Want to be responsible about your finances? Imagine yourself as being truly do bring mind and body together
that responsible person - what decision would that person make about for positive change, inspiring people
whether to start a savings account? to live their most authentic life. She
has published three books, numerous
Tip: Choose one, easy decision to make today based on where you are e-books, & developed several e-courses
going...not where you’ve been. in which she incorporates New Thought
ideas on positive living, manifesting and
changing subconscious beliefs.
For more information please visit,

www.MuseLaura.com
MIND AND BODY /

STRESS
REDUCTION USING
MINI MEDITATIONS
By Kathy Gruver, PhD Author
It’s no secret that stress is a killer in our society with it being estimated
that 60-80% of all doctor’s visits are from stress-related illness. We are
being inundated with stress; financial stress, family stress, environment
stress, and work stress. In fact, 1 out of every 4 workers admits they’ve
taken a day off because of stress.
So, what can we do about it? We can’t control the stress…that’s why it’s
stress. If we could control it, it’d be just a regular event. So, if we can’t
control the stress, what can we control? Our reaction to it.
And that’s what I’m going to teach you to do with these mini
meditations. I hear you, “Oh geez, I can’t meditate…I’m terrible at it.
I can’t stop my thoughts and sit on a pillow. I don’t have time for that.
That’s just dumb.”
Whatever beliefs you have about meditation, I’m right there with you. By Kathy Gruver, PhD
As a type-A, driven, fast-moving person, I’m not a good meditator
either. BUT, I have a technique that anyone can do. Even me. I had Kathy Gruver, PhD, is the host of the TV
the privilege of studying mind/body medicine at the Benson-Henry series The Alternative Medicine Cabinet
Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Harvard. And this technique I based on her award winning book of
learned from them. the same name. She has also written
Conquer your Stress with Mind/Body
There are only two rules to this type of meditating. One; concentrate Techniques and Body/Mind Therapies
on something repetitive. We’re going to use our breath. And the for the Bodyworker. Dr. Gruver lectures
second rule is, if a thought comes in just dismiss it without judgment. around the country educating about
So let’s observe our breath. You’re not trying to change it, just see what wellness and mind/body medicine.
it’s doing. Pay attention to the inhale and the exhale by the rise and fall
of your chest. For more information please visit,
www.thealternativemedicinecabinet.com
Do that for a few rounds and then on the next inhale think, “I am.” And
on every subsequent inhale think, “I am.” Do that for a few moments
and then on the next exhale think, “at peace.” And all subsequent
exhales think, “at peace.” And if thoughts intrude, no judgment, just
dismiss them and let them float away like clouds on a summer day and
return to, “I am (inhale)…at peace (exhale).” Repeat as long as you’d
like or need to.
Congratulations, you just did a meditation.
It’s that simple. And what’s great about it, is you can do this anywhere;
in line at the post office, before a big meeting, in a big meeting, before
a lecture or stressful event, even while driving (don’t close your eyes).
It’s wonderful because it stops negative thoughts. You can’t think

more than one thing at a time so if you’re thinking, “I am at peace” you
can’t be thinking something bad too. You are invoking the relaxation
response, which is the opposite of the stress response. You’re lowering
your blood pressure, slowing your heart and respiratory rate, boosting
your immune system and readying your brain for higher functioning.
You’re helping all aspects of your body be healthier. And you’re
decreasing your response to the stress that we have no control over.
Well done. You are on your way to a less stressed existence. Keep up
the good work.
MIND AND BODY /

MENTAL
FITNESS AND
BEING IN THE MOMENT
By Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM Author
We hear a great deal about cultivating body, mind and spirit. Physical,
mental and spiritual fitness are all important for whole health.
Maintaining our commitment to self-care takes focus, but it’s easy to
get distracted. One way to avoid distraction is learning to be in
the moment.
We stay in the moment by recognizing we really can only do one thing

at a time. Most of our time is spent in the past or the future, rather than
the present. We often end up passing through the moment on the way
to somewhere else, so we miss it.
Rehearsing the past is problematic because it’s something that can’t

be changed. We can change our relationship to the past, but staying
there is not helpful.
Anticipating the future is also problematic. We really can’t control By Michael J. Formica, MS, MA, EdM
the direction things will go. We can set an intention, but, in the end,
the universe has a way of deciding. Staying present means staying Michael J. Formica
here — right here, right now. A few simple steps can help us stay there. (www.michaeljformica.com) is a
psychologist, teacher and Integral
Take a breath — breath, along with change, is the only constant; being Life Mastery Coach committed
present starts here. Draw a deep breath and release it through your to supporting transformational
nose. Breathing through our mouth triggers a subtle anxiety response. development by integrating Eastern and
A slow release through the nose has the opposite effect: a relaxation Western psychology, motivation science
response. and emotional intelligence.
This is a Buddhist meditation technique where we focus on the out- Michael is Director of LifeWorks
breath because there nothing happens. Try it—take a breath and Compass, LLC, Executive Director of the
exhale, what happens? Exactly: nothing. Everything falls away for that World Society of Motivation Scientists
simple span of time — a breath. and Professionals
(www.motivationscience.org) and an
Be a witness — in becoming aware of what you are doing in any given expert columnist for Psychology Today
moment, bear witness. Observe it, name it and stand away from it—all (www.psychologytoday.com/blog/
at once. The moment is now; there is great power in that. When we enlightened-living).
cling to the now we become trapped in time.
The Zen teacher Takuan wrote that the mind cannot come to rest on a
thing because then the mind itself becomes trapped by that thing, and
we in turn, become trapped by the trap. The mind must flow like the
breath if we are to remain consistently present, not mired in the past or
at the sufferance of the future.
Let the rest go — in cultivating body, mind, and spirit we often hear
about the idea of “nirvana”, which actually translates to “no clinging”.
Releasing brings freedom, which leads to peace. As with witnessing,
whatever is not in the moment simply let go. Be there, right there,
right then.
Come back to the breath — when the world or your thoughts begin

to intrude, come back to the breath. Inhale and release your breath,
unbinding yourself from the shackles of the past and anxieties of the future.
The act of being present is a meditation without meditating. Stillness

comes from action—breathing, witnessing, releasing. This simple cycle
can profoundly change the way that we experience our world.
MIND AND BODY /
SELF-TALK
TO GET AND
STAY HEALTHY
By Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed. Author
How you motivate yourself to get and stay healthy is an essential
component of achieving success. You can do this by paying strict
attention to your self-talk so that you deliberately choose certain words
and avoid others. If you’re not careful about what you tell yourself, you
actually may be sabotaging your health rather than improving it.
Avoid External Motivators
People mindlessly use external motivators to encourage themselves to

do things such as eat right, exercise, go to the doctor, and get plenty
of rest.
Here are examples of what they say: “I need to go to the gym, I

shouldn’t eat another piece of chocolate cake, I have to get a check-up,
I’m not supposed to have a third beer, I must take my vitamins every
day, I ought to be asleep by eleven.” Take a minute to consider your By Karen R. Koenig
reaction when you talk to yourself like this. If you feel lectured and
bullied into doing things ‘right’, you’re feeling what most people do. Karen R. Koenig, LCSW, M.Ed., is a
licensed psychotherapist, eating coach
External motivators are reminiscent of childhood when our parents with a worldwide clientele, motivational
insisted we do this and not that, as they had control over our choices. speaker, and four-book international
author who has been counselling people
Therefore, there’s a natural tendency when we hear words like should, to eat healthfully and take care of their
must, shouldn’t, and have to (even when we say them to ourselves), we minds and bodies for more than 30
tend to balk, resent, and rebel against them. We feel as if we’re fighting years. She’s a national expert on the
for control over our choices, but we’re really only battling ourselves. psychology of eating—the how and why,
not the what of it—who’s been quoted
Employ Internal Motivators in Shape, Self, the Wall Street Journal,
Women’s Health, the Ladies Home
You’ll clear the way to success by using internal motivators, words that Journal, the Boston Globe, and the
come straight from the heart such as “want, wish, prefer, desire, and Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
would like.” These words don’t carry the heavy historical baggage
of parental or societal insistence. Rather, they express your deepest You can learn more about Karen at
yearnings. Because you value doing what’s most beneficial to your www.eatingnormal.com
health, you want to go to the gym, wish to forgo another piece of
chocolate cake, desire to get a check-up, prefer not to have a third
beer, would like to take your vitamins every day, and want to be
asleep by eleven. No one is making you do these things. You do them
because you love yourself enough to make wise choices.
Pay Attention to Your Self-Talk
Listen carefully to how you talk to yourself when you feel an inner
pressure to engage in healthy actions.
If you tend to use external motivators—and most people do—stop,
and gently correct yourself by replacing them with internal motivators.
To keep up your awareness of what not to say, keep an ear open to
how often people bully themselves into trying to engage in healthy
behaviours with shoulds and shouldn’ts. Gently correct your children
and model usage of words like want, wish and desire.
Soon internal motivators will be your natural language and you’ll be

amazed at how the health you wish for will be yours.
MIND AND BODY /

WHY “ME TIME”
IS IMPORTANT
AND HOW TO GET SOME
By Liza Laird Author
One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients is they don’t have
enough time to themselves. They feel run down and need a little self-
care. Self-care is a cleansing and rejuvenating practice for the mind,
body, and spirit. It is an important building block to a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits of caring for yourself are plentiful. You feel better and
approach the world in an open manner. Your creative energy flows;
self-love and love towards others begin to come easily.
Self-care helps us to be our best selves. When we take time to nurture

ourselves, we feel rejuvenated and better equipped to care for those
important to us.
Remember: caring for yourself is not a selfish act, but one that benefits
those around you as well. What good are you to others if you are
depleted? By Liza Laird
Self-care practices can include anything from enjoying a hot bath Liza Laird www.lizalaird.com is a New
or relaxing massage to writing in a journal, reading a good book, or York City-based yoga instructor, yoga
cooking a big, healthy meal. The biggest excuse I hear around self- therapist, and life coach. Her teaching
care avoidance is that folks just can’t seem to find the time to fit it in and coaching grew out of her own desire
their busy schedules. After all, most of us can’t afford either the time or to balance many competing demands
money for, say, a weekly massage. on her attention while still feeling a
sense of purpose and direction. Liza
So how do you find some self-care time? You make it by starting quickly found that she was not alone
small! Start small and your self-care practice will grow into a regular as many are struggling with the very
part of your day that rejuvenates you and makes you healthier, more same challenges. Turning to yoga over a
productive and more fun to be around. decade ago, she specializes in helping
students translate physical movements
Start each morning with just five extra minutes. Use this time to write into new perspectives that help provide
in your journal any thought that pops into your head. If journaling is clarity and purpose
not your cup of tea, take five minutes to sit quietly, breathe, and let the
thoughts bombarding your head flow in and out, trying to avoid having
any one thought linger too long. This will clear your mind and help you
start your day fresh without the baggage of yesterday.
If the first few times you try this, you feel like saying “I’m just not doing
it right!” or “I don’t get anything out of this!”, then remember this: your
mind is just like any other muscle -- the more you practice a certain
pattern, the better it will get at it. The only thing that will get in the way
of this natural progress is judgments like “I’m not doing it right!”
My clients have found it easier to approach the day and take things one
at a time when they have an active self-care practice. Eventually, you
will build up more time and add on other self-care practices. Just listen
to your body, start small and grow from this moment right now.
MIND AND BODY /

THE
MAGIC OF
MEDITATION
By Mandy Main Author
If I were to pick one thing that I have seen create major change, time,
and time again, it would be a daily meditation practice.
Research supports the claims that meditation can help manage stress,
lower blood pressure, increase energy levels, increase creativity,
decrease muscle tension, lower cortisol levels, help regulate sleep,
ease pain and depression, improve learning ability and memory, and
enable the meditator to enjoy peace of mind.
If that’s not enough reasons to try, how about a strengthened immune

system or simply more joy?
The benefits of meditation are only limited by your willingness to sit.
As meditation becomes more mainstream, more and more people are

experiencing its magic. You see, once you commit to sitting for any By Mandy Main
length of time, you will start to reap the benefits in no time.
Mandy Main is passionate about helping
Your circumstances may not change but the way you view them will. people move towards wellness with
One of the most notable experiences that I have had people express is yoga, meditation, and self-compassion.
a feeling of more time. It may be that there seems to be more time in She is a Registered Yoga Instructor, a
their day so they feel less hurried. Licensed Massage Therapist, a Reiki
Master and an Ayurvedic Practitioner.
But what really seems like magic to me is that there also seems to be Mandy combines her academic
more time between a stressor and a reaction. studies with real life experience, she
speaks from the heart in a down-to-
When life gets demanding and things aren’t going the way we had earth manner, providing support and
wanted, we seem to have an extra moment to take a breath and choose encouragement for mind, body, and
how we react to a stressful situation rather than immediately reacting. spirit transformation.
Commit to this simple technique for 5 minutes a day for 3 weeks. You can connect with her at
www.balanceforliving.com
Find a comfortable spot in your home or office that you will return to
each day at approximately the same time.
Sit, close your eyes, and begin to focus on your breath. As thoughts
come in, notice them and gently return to the breath. Notice the sense
of peace that is always with us, behind the thoughts. Some days this
peace is easier to sense than others. As you feel ready, you can begin
to lengthen the amount of time that you sit, up to 20 minutes.
Just remember that the magic doesn’t usually happen during the
meditation, it happens throughout the rest of your day.
MIND AND BODY /

THE
ATTITUDE
OF GRATITUDE
By Elizabeth Manuel Author
Research shows that when people feel grateful and put those
thoughts into words, they have a greater life experience. This has been
measured in blood pressure, heart rate and cellular response; the body
is an amazing biofeedback machine.
When we live in a state of praise or gratitude, especially when it is

spoken, our bodies actually take it all in. We increase the thought’s
vibration by adding the audio feedback loop. We thrive on this
vibration of praise. Consistently practicing an attitude of gratitude will
change your neurochemistry!
The practice of gratitude changes the neuro-pathways in your brain.

You will increase your energy and feel and look younger. It will also
help bring about heart rhythm coherence, which is a huge health
advantage, as it will engage the parasympathetic nervous system. Your
parasympathetic nervous system will release calming chemicals like By Elizabeth Manuel
serotonin and dopamine, which combat the effects of stress.
In the area of the psychology of
Our thoughts act like the control mechanism in our brains, as they happiness, no one is better respected
control the release of hormones and chemicals in our bodies. Our than Elizabeth Manuel. Giving from her
thoughts also trigger our emotions, which then activate our cells and heart with over a decade of specialized
neurotransmitters telling them what chemicals to release. When we experience in increasing happiness and
are stressed, worried, anxious or ungrateful, we create chemicals self-esteem, author of two books and six
designed to engage our fight or flight response. Chemicals, such as CDs, Elizabeth is a successful speaker
cortisol and adrenaline, can increase our heart rates and suppress and coach and a powerful and positive
our immune system. Then we can prove to ourselves how terrible we woman of influence.
feel and produce even more stress-induced cortisol! There is another www.elizabethmanuel.com
way! Deliberately cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude will shift your
neurochemicals giving you an immediate life lift!
It is impossible to hold onto two different thoughts at the same time.

When you choose to think about something you are grateful for
(even in the midst of a perceived negative event, in fact especially in
the midst of it), you instantly change the flood of chemicals in your
bloodstream. We actually have over 100,000 chemical reactions per
second in our bodies!
Studies have shown that grateful and thankful thoughts can trigger
the release of serotonin and dopamine. Both of these type of thoughts
produce feelings of peace and well-being. With practice you can
replace your old negative way of thinking and increase your gratitude
factor. You will notice a positive difference and reap the benefits, thus
becoming happier inside and out!
Positive, life affirming behaviours, like practicing gratitude, become

easier, more natural, effortless, and become stored in the subconscious
mind as a habit. The more we practice and implement the scientifically
proven tool of gratitude, the sooner the old habits and neuro-pathways
die off.
Small changes in the way that we think can add up to amazing rewards
very quickly. Today and everyday speak out loud three things you
are grateful for. Increasing your positive emotions can add ten years
to your life. For more happiness or life coaching contact Elizabeth
Manuel today.
MIND AND BODY /
BALANCE YOUR
ENERGY WITH
ONE SIMPLE TECHNIQUE
By Dr Avi Ratnanesan Author
Do you feel like you have lost balance in your life and you have
absolutely no idea on how to regain it? Have you been contending with
a condition that you have been suffering from for years that the best of
Western medicine is still unable to fix?
The answer is quite possibly in a system of your body that you cannot
see, one that influences the success and happiness in your health,
career, relationships, sex and much more.
Let me assure you by stating up front that this tip is a not about a
“miracle pill” or “magic bullet”. It is however about utilising your body’s
energy system and mind-body connection and how that is determining
your current everyday state of wellbeing.
After 15 years as a medical doctor and in senior management of a drug

company, I was shocked at the power of tapping into your own energy By Dr Avi Ratnanesan
system and how I was never exposed to it in all my years in Western
healthcare. I was also amazed to learn that Eastern practitioners For more information or to connect with
have been using the body’s energy to heal and revitalise people for a professional energy coach on tapping
thousands of years. and how to rebalance and energise your
life, contact info@energesse.com
In this tip, I have included a simple method that you can use to
rebalance your own energy and to improve certain troublesome To your success, health and happiness,
instances of your life when you may feel depleted. These techniques Dr Avi Ratnanesan
can also be used for stress, anxiety, depressions, addictions, phobias Founder
and many other medical conditions. Energesse
www.energesse.com
3 minute Tapping Sequence at Home or Work
If you are feeling tired in the workplace and you need a natural energy
boost, here is a quick 3 minute tapping sequence that you can try. Find
a quiet space, perhaps a private office or even the bathroom. Start with
a few deep breaths.
Using the fingertips of your index finger and middle finger start by
tapping on your forehead, an inch above and between eyebrows. For
each point, tap at least 7 times. Repeat “Even though I am tired, I
deeply love and accept myself”.
Next tap on outside corners of each eye with both hands. Keep
repeating the words “Even though I am feeling this lack of energy,
I deeply love and accept myself” Then tap just under the nose,
repeating the above. Tap just under your lower lip, repeat “Even
though I am too tired, I choose to love and accept myself” Tap one
inch below your collarbone corners, just below your neck next, tap
under your arms, about 4 inches below armpits and repeat “I am full
of energy”
Finally, tap the fleshy part of either hand, beneath little finger (karate
chop point). You may repeat the 7-step cycle with affirmations such
as “I choose to feel more energetic/ it’s safe to feel energised/ even
though I have learnt some unwanted behaviours by feeling tired, I
deeply love and accept myself”. When you have finished, take 2-3 deep
breaths again. Now you are energised!
MIND AND BODY /

TAKE A
MINI –
VACATION
By Linden Schaffer Author
Do you often find yourself at your desk daydreaming about vacation?
If only there were no bills to pay and responsibilities to your friends and
family, then maybe you could be lying on a beach somewhere right
now miles away from the stress, anxiety and sleepless nights that have
seemed to follow you lately.
Here’s the good news, a mini-vacation or mental health day can be just
as valuable to your well-being as a far-flung adventure.
The accumulation of daily stress, also referred to as chronic stress,

impacts decision-making skills and leaves us prone to making reactive
decisions.
Being so high strung, making rash choices and generally feeling

constantly anxious spikes blood pressure and can increase the risk of By Linden Schaffer
heart disease.
Linden Schaffer is a Certified Wellness
Not to mention living in this perpetual state of anxiety that zaps our Expert and the founder/director of
energy and leaves us drained at the end of the day. This often leads to Pravassa and Pravassa Wellness Travel.
poor eating habits and a cycle of skipping physical activity in favour of She spends her days improving her
the couch. wellness and the wellness of her clients
by taking them on vacations around the
Treating yourself to a mini-vacation or mental health day will decrease world, speaking at various conferences
your stress, relax your sympathetic nervous system and help focus your and sharing her knowledge online via
mind so you are ready to jump back in. the Pravassa website and in her monthly
column for the Huffington Post.
Sit down at your calendar now and pick a day to power down and
enjoy a mini-vacation. Choose your birthday or select a day after you You can learn more at:
complete a big project. www.pravassa.com
Whatever day you pick, put it on your schedule so you have something
to look forward to knowing you will be completely work and email free.
Plan to head out to a museum to spark inspiration and creativity by

exercising your brain. Pack a healthy lunch and a good book while you
spend some time in the park surrounded by nature, breathing in fresh
air. Make a solo dinner reservation, step outside your comfort zone and
try an unfamiliar cuisine.
Choose to bring the vacation to you and reap the benefits of

decreased stress, a better night’s sleep and a more pleasant attitude
when you return to your desk.
MIND AND BODY /

BOUNCE-BACK.
ABILITY – A
KEY LIFE SKILL
By Helen Turier Author
We are frequently being asked to do more with less - in tighter
timescales. Much of the resulting stress is our perception of the
situation, we perceive it to be a threat to our wellbeing and our stress
response is fired off as a result. Controlling our thoughts and feeling
about these many demands placed upon us is vital for our long-term
health and wellbeing. Stress is a preventable killer. The key to coping
with stress and modern life is developing resilience. Resilience is simply
the ability to recover from adversity, the ability to bounce back. It is a
combination of thoughts, behaviours and actions that can be learnt
by anyone.
It is an essential life skill that will help you create ultimate wellbeing for
yourself. A resilient person copes well with challenges because they
have learnt effective techniques and strategies to help them cope with
life’s ups and downs. When you know you can cope better, you reduce
your stress levels because you perceive fewer situations as a threat. By Helen Turier
Resilience therefore acts like a stress buffer - or shock absorber - Helen Turier is author of the acclaimed
protecting you. book ‘Bounce-back Ability Developing
Resilience on the Rollercoaster of
A simple, easy-to-use method of developing resilience is The life’ and creator of The B.O.U.N.C.E.
B.O.U.N.C.E. Model of ResilienceTM Model of Resilience. She runs webinars,
seminars and mentors women to
B: Believe in your ability to cope. develop resilience.
Your beliefs affect everything from your thoughts to your feelings to
your actions. Challenge your beliefs that limit you. Embrace those that For more information please visit:
serve you. www.helenturier.com
O: Optimism and Goal Setting.

Being an optimist means assessing problems and situations in a way
that finds solutions and setting goals to achieve those solutions. Think
big, start small, and start now.
U: You are a survivor

When faced with life’s challenges do you see yourself as powerful or
powerless? Are you a victim of circumstance or a survivor of adversity?
Resilient people are solution finders, and find positives in adversity. Ask
yourself what can I do now to move me closer to a solution?
N: Nurturing oneself
This is really important. It is vital to everyday exercise to burn off excess
stress hormones and to relax deeply for 10-20 minutes to switch off the
stress response. Self-care is not a nice to have it is a must have part of
your life.
C: Being connected and supported by others

Connection and support has significant benefits to emotional and
mental wellbeing. Becoming isolated from friends and families weakens
resilience. Be a stronger person by asking for help and support
E: Enjoying and celebrating small but significant achievements

Celebrating achievements along the path of life is an important
element of being resilient. Resilient people learn from experiences
both good and bad. Each time you are challenged ask yourself what is
the good in this situation, what am I learning that will make me stronger?
MIND AND BODY /
WHAT AM I
THINKING
RIGHT NOW?
By Ellen Wood Author
This may be the most important thing you can ask yourself throughout
the day. Why? Because your mind is always running, usually with
repetitive thought patterns and beliefs, day in and day out. Scientists
studying the brain report that the average person talks to themselves
300 to 1000 words a minute. Often these repetitive thoughts are
negative – full of what we don’t like about ourselves or what we’re
afraid might happen in the future.
This negative mind chatter keeps us from enjoying life. It stops us from
living up to our full potential as powerful, magnificent, joyful beings.
And the disease in our minds often becomes the disease in our bodies.
You can change that! All you need is a willingness to form a new habit
and a second or two to remind yourself to observe your thoughts.
First, deliberately decide to watch your thoughts twice a day. The best
time is when you’re brushing your teeth because you don’t need your
conscious mind to brush your teeth. You don’t need to say to yourself: By Ellen Wood
I pick up my toothbrush. I hold it under the running water. Now I open
the lid of the toothpaste and so on. Ellen Wood is an author, columnist and
speaker who began growing younger in
No, for brushing your teeth you use muscle memory. The action of 2004 after experiencing the early stages
brushing your teeth is automatic and in the meantime your mind of Alzheimer’s. Her book, Think and
is going lickety split thinking of all kinds of other things. I promise Grow Young: Powerful Steps to Create a
that if you make observing your thoughts a practice, it will raise your Life of Joy won the Gold Nautilus Book
consciousness, the process of becoming aware of negative thoughts Award. As a carrier of the Alzheimer’s
will become automatic and you’ll feel healthier and more joyful. gene, APOE-e4, Ellen is proving that she
can keep that gene in the ‘off’ position
Here’s an effective way to get started. with practices that strengthen and
invigorate mind, body and spirit.
1. Write on an index card: What am I thinking right now?
2. Put it on or near your bathroom mirror as a reminder. For more information please visit,
3. While you’re brushing your teeth, notice your thoughts. www.howtogrowyounger.com
4. Don’t judge them – just notice that you’re thinking.
5. Once a week, change the position of the card.
You are what you think! Form a habit of becoming aware of what’s
going on in your mind.
MIND AND BODY /

REDUCE
STRESS AND AGING
WITH ART AND COLOUR
By Leanne Venier, BSME, CP AOBTA Author
One of the largest factors influencing health and aging is stress. There
are numerous ways to reduce stress, including meditation, exercise and
diet. Extensive scientific research also shows that the use of specific
colours and artwork can effectively reduce stress, speed healing and
slow the aging process.
Increased Cortisol Levels Negatively Affect Health and Contribute to

Aging:
According to Richard D. Hammer, MD, a regenerative medicine expert,

stress elevates cortisol levels, leading to obesity, hypertension, thyroid
dysfunction, acne, reduced cognitive ability, depression, anxiety,
muscle and bone weakness, menstrual irregularities and low sex drive
in men.
Dr. Hammer points out that stress, one of the major factors in aging, By Leanne Venier, BSME, CP AOBTA
shortens telomeres, protective endcaps on DNA. “As cells age,
telomeres get shorter, until the cell can no longer survive. Shortened Leanne Venier, BSME, CP AOBTA,
telomeres are associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, is an international award-winning
cognitive impairment and cancer.” artist, scientist, and color therapy
expert who lectures at major medical
Art and Colour for Reducing Stress centers, MENSA and elsewhere. She
combines her past careers as engineer,
Specific colours and some artwork cause positive physiological acupuncturist and eastern medicine
changes. Staring at BLUE has been scientifically shown to have practitioner and teaches medical
immediate calming effects, lowering blood pressure, heart rate and practitioners and lay people how to use
stress. Stress reduction techniques like this can reduce telomere art, color and light for healing purposes,
shortening, having anti-aging effects. The LEANNE VENIER Gallery is located
in Austin, TX and private viewing
On stressful days, Dr. Hammer stares at his favorite painting. appointments can be arranged on the
“‘Shadow’s Journey’ consists of soothing indigo and blue hues which Contact page at www.leannevenier.com
provide an immediate calming effect,” he says. “Ms. Venier’s abstracts,
with her unique use of color, arouse deep emotional and mental
responses, as well as beneficial physiological changes which may even
help you live longer.”
NASA research shows that artwork images that are the most healing
resemble landscapes or water that draw a viewer into the painting via a
sense of depth, whereas images with people, animals and buildings are
less suitable.
Colour and Art Increase Energy
Colour can also have stimulating effects on memory, alertness and

cognitive patterns which all decline with age.
Research shows staring at RED increases heart rate, blood flow and
energy, similar to caffeine.
“When I need to feel energized,” says Dr. Hammer, “I stare at
‘Pulsating Luminosity’ . The bright reds and yellows increase my
alertness and concentration.”
MIND AND BODY /

You can use healing colors yourself by saving artwork images on your
computer. For calming and stress reducing effects, stare at paintings
containing soothing blues, indigos or violets. To enhance energy levels,
mental function and memory, choose images consisting of stimulating
reds, oranges or yellows.
You may download free artwork screensavers from www.leannevenier.

com and read about the healing effects of colors on the “Color,
Healing and Art” page.
‘Shadow’s Journey’ by Leanne Venier
‘Pulsating Luminosity’ by Leanne Venier
MIND AND BODY /

‘DONT WORRY –
YOU’LL PASS OUT
BEFORE YOU DIE’
By Marty Beene Author
This is an actual quote from a friend’s high school coach many years ago.
Coach: “Only two more laps, Bobby!”

Runner: “But I’m dying, Coach!”
Coach: “Don’t worry – you’ll pass out before you die!”
My understanding was that he was joking. Sort of.
There is something to learn from this quote, and I like to use it to

illustrate a point. My clients are runners of all abilities with many
different kinds of goals. Some want to win races; others just want to get
healthier. So, what does the “Pass out or die” quote have to do with
fitness goals?
The coach was trying to encourage his runner to trust his training and By Marty Beene
push for a goal he had set. In running, it’s normal for your brain to try to
get you to shut down your body’s effort when it senses stress on its life
support systems like breathing or pumping blood.
Marty Beene, owner of Be The Runner
When you are racing and really pushing to reach a goal, your brain http://www.BeTheRunner.com is a
thinks this stress is too much, and sends messages like “Legs: stop Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness
moving so fast – the heart isn’t enjoying this!” When trying to reach a Nutrition Specialist (National Academy
goal in running, you often have to consciously override some of your of Sports Medicine – NASM). He also
brain’s directions in order to keep going instead of shutting down. This holds Level 1 coaching certification
general concept is applicable to almost any type of fitness activity. from USA Track & Field, and serves as
an Assistant Coach for the Alameda
So how do you do it? High School track and cross-country
teams in Alameda, CA. Marty has been
First, you have to set reasonable goals. If you’re running 20 miles a a competitive runner for over 35 years,
week, you shouldn’t expect to achieve a goal of running a marathon competing in races from 60m to the
next week in three hours. marathon, and notching a few wins in
small road races. He has never passed
No amount of racing effort (and invocation of the “pass out” quote!) out while running.
could achieve that goal with that training level, but you could set a goal
to, say, complete a marathon three months down the road.
Second, you have to actually train for the goal, then trust that training.
Say your goal is to run a personal best time in a 5k race.
Before you start training, you have to believe that your training plan
will, in fact, enable you to achieve the goal. Then, you have to actually
run the mileage and do the speed work that comprises the plan. When
you do this, the logical conclusion is that you can achieve the goal.
Finally, you have to get over your fear of failing. I teach my student-
athletes, who are relatively new to running, that they have to convince
themselves during the race that they don’t care what happens in the
final few hundred meters of that race. This is very difficult to do, but
once you try it, you find that you always have at least a little more
energy left than you think you do.
Fortunately, for almost everyone, the notion that you would actually
pass out while running is not a reality, so using this quote when striving
for a goal becomes a fun, light thought to help reach that goal.
MIND AND BODY /
END COMFORT
EATING AND REACH
YOUR TARGET WEIGHT
By Victoria Morrison Author
Do uncomfortable emotions have you reaching for food and ruining
your weight loss progress? What can you do when you want to get back
into your skinny jeans but you feel the call of the fridge - and it’s not
because you are genuinely hungry?
You need a strategy that respectfully addresses your emotional state

so you can make a conscious choice about how to act. The Walk and
Talk Technique does exactly that. It puts you back in control.
When you Walk and Talk, you leave the scene of the potential “crime”
and you use a verbal journaling technique to explore your emotions
and work out how to feel better. If you think and talk faster than you
write, you will love this process.
How to Walk and Talk:

1. Notice you want to use food to distract you from an uncomfortable
emotion By Victoria Morrison
2. Grab your mobile phone and hands-free headset plus a copy of the
questions below Victoria Morrison is a weight loss coach,
3. Head out the door for a walk (minimum 15 minutes) writer and presenter, specializing in
4. Use the recording function on your phone as you ask and answer mindset. Having overcome her own
the questions OUT LOUD food issues (including bulimia), she
This technique sounds a bit crazy but no one will know what you are is passionate about helping other
doing; they will simply assume you are talking on the phone – if they professional women stop sabotaging so
take any notice of you at all. they can enjoyably achieve their ideal
weight and body size.
Walk and Talk Questions:
1. Tell me what is happening? You can read Victoria’s latest weight loss
2. What are you feeling? and mindset tips at:
3. Can you summarise the conflict? (For example, “On the one hand I www.weightlossmindcoaching.com
feel... and on the other hand I feel...”)
4. How would you like to feel? (Answer this in the positive!)
5. How could you get to that feeling?
6. What will you do when you get home to allow yourself to move into
that feeling/state?
Use the Walk and Talk Technique to:

• Be a friend to yourself, be kind to yourself
• Acknowledge all your feelings and integrate your thoughts. There
is no need to deny that you feel tired, stressed, bored, doubtful,
afraid, discouraged or just plain resistant.
• Be totally honest about the conflict you are experiencing. It is okay
to say, “Yes, I’d like to be eating a packet of sweet biscuits right
now to distract myself from feeling bored and I also know how
totally brilliant I feel when I fit comfortably in my jeans.”
• Enjoy saying exactly how it is for you right now. Doing so will make
you feel better and give you the freedom to move on.
• Take the opportunity to explore how you truly want to feel and
behave. Focus on that and you will move towards those things.
Get ready now! Make a copy of the Walk and Talk Technique questions
and keep them handy. Make a firm decision to try the Walk and Talk
Technique next time you notice the desire to comfort eat. Use this
process to respectfully hear what is going on for you. Ask yourself,
“What if acknowledging my feelings made it easier to handle them
than I ever thought possible?”
MIND AND BODY /
Thank you for reading this guide:
We’ve covered a huge number of ideas in the Ultimate Health Guide.
We trust you found something of value.
And we’d love to hear what you found most useful.
Feel free to touch base and give us your feedback at www.nuzest.com

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Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to

Any perceived slight of specific people or organizations is unintentional.

At NuZest, we put wellbeing at the forefront of who

How to boost your mood naturally Prepare your eating

Secrets to looking sexy in 6 weeks Tackling tummy troubles

The ultimate super food Don’t sweat the small stuff

A Brain Scientist’s guide to drinking coffee Don’t be afraid of all fats

Listen to your body The truth about hunger

Building better bones Keep a food journal

What’s on your ‘healthy bucket list?’ Kick sugar to the curb

Reverse a common cause of back pain! Plan smart to eat smart

Goal setting and accountability

How to banish the afternoon energy slump

Stretch your eyes for relief

Natural tummy trouble solutions

7 golden rules for healthy eating and living

Get fit where you sit

Anti-aging tips to look as healthy as you feel

Follow the beat… Keep your chin up and injuries down

Why you need a foam rolling 25 in 25TM

The miracle workout 4 – minute fitness with the “victory march”

Get motivated Simple bodyweight and kettle bell workouts

Stronger healthier bones builds firmer Baby steps to avoid burnouts

A good leg to stand on

The GIT principle

The power of functional training

Postnatal belly buster

Preventing post exercise pains

Fitting in fitness: the bike-integrated lifestyle

A little extension goes a long way

After exercise, ice is nice and heat is sweet

This is where fit happens

Muti-task your exercise

Four steps to success Watch your dominate thoughts

Get a different set of scales Talk yourself slim

Eliminate fat without sacrificing taste Move your mood

Lose weight the French way How to eliminate food addiction

Your weight is in the palm of your hand Exercise with others

“How do I lose a pound” What am I thinking right now?

If you must, go for a DIY pedi, in a well-ventilated space, with the

Eating organic produce, and buying free-range, organic animal

Avoid the use of pesticides in the home or garden, or on your family

Avoid artificial fragrances in air fresheners, fabric softeners, perfumes,

Ditch the chemical cosmetics! By keeping your beauty and personal

Eat a balanced diet

Movement & mindfulness

1. Exercise: When it comes to exercise, people still don’t get what

Liver is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin B12, a great source

Around 50 grams of liver or 100 grams of pâté a week is an excellent

1. Have an Action Plan.

Studies of Finnish and Swedish coffee drinkers found that two or

In the words of US neuroscientist Dr Gary Arendash, “Coffee is By Dr Sarah McKay PhD

So if you do choose to drink coffee, do so with guilt-free enthusiasm,

We can use this information to guide us to eat right, and exercise

4: Start a Food Journal

2 hours after the meal write down how you feel.

This is a simple experiment that involves eating different breakfasts

6: Start to interpret your body’s signals

For example, according to the American Heart Association, losing

In the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, researchers found that

Add at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity (e.g. brisk