HEALTH JIGSAW

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August 2011

Welcome to the August Newsletter.

The running season has started and training for these events is a great way to stay fit and motivated during the colder months. Good luck to everyone doing the City to Surf on Sunday 14 August.

I was fortunate to escape from Sydney to Byron Bay for a few days at the end of July…nothing better than recharging the battery and a bit of work/life balance – an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

In this issue:

1. Tips on eating well.
2. Choosing a gym.
3. Exploring Manly on a bike photos.
4. Spit Bridge to Manly walk.
5. City to Surf – tips on training and nutrition.
6. Interesting stuff.

Eat well and train hard.

Andrew

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Tips on Eating Well

Instead of constantly counting calories, here are a few tips on eating well.

1. Drink plenty of water and eliminate soft drinks, sports drinks and alcohol as much as possible.

2. Eat plenty and a large variety of fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit. To find out what is currently in season, visit the Sydney Markets’ website.

3. Include seeds and nuts in your diet as they are full of healthy fats, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

4. Foods should be served as close to its natural state as possible, without processing, additives, preservatives, artificial colours or flavours.

5. Instead of deep frying your foods, use healthy cooking methods such as grilling, steaming, baking or stir-frying.

6. Use healthy cold pressed oils such as extra virgin olive oil, macadamia nut, avocado, sesame and sunflower oil.

7. Replace salt with fresh herbs and spices – they add fantastic flavour to foods without adding fat or kilojoules.

8. Make a big batch of soup and refrigerate it before you eat it. As it cools, the fat will rise to the top and can be skimmed off the surface.

9. Learn to swap healthier foods for their less-healthy counterparts. For example, use skim/low-fat milk instead of normal milk or try wholegrain bread instead of white.

 

Choosing a Gym

Some people prefer to exercise outdoors because they spend their day working in an office. However, if you prefer to exercise in a gym or personal studio, here are some things to consider before you sign on the dotted line.

1. Look for one close to home or work. Having a gym near home means that you can snooze a bit more in the mornings. If you prefer to train after work, choose a gym close to work or on the way home. If you go home first before the gym, you’re more likely to get comfortable on the lounge and will find every reason under the sun not to go to train.
2. Gyms and personal training studios may offer discounts if you join with a friend, your partner or family member. If your friends have found a good gym and the location suits then this is a great option as it would mean you have a training buddy to meet up with to help keep each other motivated, especially during winter when gym attendance falls dramatically.
3. Choose a gym that is going to be open at a time that suits you, such as training on weekends. Some gyms now are open 24/7.
4. Most sales consultants at gyms work on a commission basis. If you join on the last couple of days of the month, you may be offered incentives (such as no joining fees), especially if they have not met their sales quota for the month.
5. If you’re interested in doing classes, find a gym that has a great variety of classes at times that suit you. Motivation to keep going back will be much better if you are doing classes you enjoy.
6. Test drive the gym or personal training studio before you join. Most gyms offer 3-day or 7-day trial membership passes. Check the websites or ask the membership consultant. Use your trial membership to check out the atmosphere, cleanliness and facilities. Ask other members what they like and don’t like about the gym. Visit the gym on the days that you will most likely be training to see how busy it is – most gyms are very busy on Monday nights.
7. Choose a monthly contract rather than a 12-month membership, unless you will save substantially.
8. If you’re going to be using the services of a personal trainer, ensure they are properly qualified and read our tips on choosing one here.

 

Exploring Manly on a Bike Photos

A beautiful morning greeted us for our bike ride around Manly. While we unfortunately didn't see any whales, we did encounter another form of wildlife. Click here to view the photos...

 

Spit Bridge to Manly Walk

The social event for August will be the Spit Bridge to Manly walk (9.5 km), on Sunday 28 August.

Date & Time:	Sunday 28 August 2011 (starting at 10 am)
Meeting Location:	Plonk Beach Cafe On Spit Road, just before the Spit Bridge Google Map link
RSVP:	Friday 26 August 2011 Please email us to RSVP or to register your interest and we will provide you with more details closer to the date.

 

City to Surf - Tips on Training and Nutrition

July’s blogs concentrated on City to Surf preparation. Training for “Heartbreak Hill” – to best prepare yourself for this, you should incorporate some hill training. Nutrition – what to eat before and after your training.

Our final blog for the City to Surf will be out later this week, so keep an eye out for it. We will tell you what you need to do:

• the day/night before the run;

• the morning of the run;

• during the run; and

• after the run.

 

Interesting Stuff

In addition to eNewsletters and blogs, we also provide other health and fitness information on our Facebook page. For those of you who are not on Facebook, below are our posts during July 2011:

• Biting off more than you think? [Just one nibble on junk food has more calories than you realise.]

• Biological Age Test [Answer 140 questions to find out your biological age.]

• Making the Cut [Just because you're a runner, it doesn't mean that your cholesterol will be low...get it checked out the next time you visit your doctor.]

• Healthy Breakfast Choices [If you eat breakfast at cafes, you could be adding centimetres to your waistline. Here's a run down of the good and the bad.]

• Don't waste your time at the gym [The top 8 things you should really try to avoid doing at the gym.]

• Some practical ways to include a variety of foods [The key to good nutrition is a balanced and varied diet. The Australian Government has developed some practical ways of bringing nutritional balance and variety to your meals.]

 

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Nothing contained in this Newsletter is intended to be used as medical advice and is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it be used for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional's advice.

Our mobile personal trainers/fitness coaches can come to you in the following areas of Sydney: Lower North Shore (Artarmon, Balmoral, Beauty Point, Cammeray, Castlecrag, Chatswood, Clifton Gardens, Cremorne, Crows Nest, Greenwich, Kirribilli, Lane Cove, Lavender Bay, Linley Point, Longueville, McMahons Point, Middle Cove, Middle Harbour, Milsons Point, Mosman, Naremburn, Neutral Bay, North Sydney, Northbridge, Northwood, Riverview, Spit Junction, St Leonards, Waverton, Willoughby and Wollstonecraft). Upper North Shore (Castle Cove, Gordon, Lindfield, Pymble, Roseville, St Ives, Turramurra, Wahroonga, Warrawee and West Pymble). Northern Suburbs (East Ryde, Eastwood, Epping, Gladesville, Henley, Hunters Hill, Huntleys Cove, Huntleys Point, Macquarie Park, Marsfield, North Ryde and Woolwich). If you want to engage our services at a location we have not listed above, please contact us as we may be able to cater to your request.