This event is for those of you who really want to see how far you can take your body to look like a ‘superstar’! For the men it’s about getting ‘ripped’ and for the ladies it’s about getting super lean and sexy in the fitness model class.
I believe this would have to be the most disciplined sport in the world as bodybuilders and physique athletes not only have to do the training but in addition have to be disciplined enough to follow strict dieting. This goes beyond the measures of most other athletes. It’s super disciplined and super tough. Just imagine being at your son’s birthday, your own birthday, numerous weekend barbecue’s as well as catch up’s with girlfriends and family and not being able to have even one alcoholic beverage, a piece of cake or not much else for that matter… Well that was my wife Kristy, who decided that after giving birth to our second son on April 15 this year, would compete only 5 months and two weeks after this. Your probably thinking she is crazy and so did I. Honestly, even I did not agree with her doing this at first but then I realised why it was so important for her to get her body back. It was about taking control of those post pregnancy emotions that were going wild through her body and doing something positive for herself so she would feel like a woman again.
Imagine being the husband of this ‘hormonally pepped up dieting nazy’. Imagine that you see her reach for something at a function and naturally, in doing what I believe to be the right thing, and remind her of her goal… Well let’s just say that I have been learning to keep my mouth shut the hard way of late… She was not very appreciative to say the least.
I found myself at the event, extremely proud as I sat with my son, cheering for my wife and see her come second in the ‘bikini momma’ division against other mums. Most of which, who had toddlers and there she was, only 5 months after giving birth, on stage with her womanly physique back. Great Job honey!
My part in all of this is coach and giving the guidelines for others to follow, as well as being the bouncing board for Jamie to discuss his approach to training. Jamie is very well resourced for bodybuilding and I just generally take a back step with his training and we chat about ideas and training methods to ensure he has picked the best for him. For my wife, given we are both ‘Leo’s, I don’t train her as it generally gets fiery. I am the program author and find someone else to carry out the training with her. This also worked for us in 2008 when we won Miss Australia!
It’s very satisfying, making the adjustments to programs. Changing the exercise selection, training days and diet is just some of what we look at and seeing the results that follow can be very rewarding and informative. It really is trial and error with every athlete as everyone has different needs and responses to both diet and training. Being objective and specific is paramount if you want to be accurate in your preparation and that is why all of these participants who want to get lean, healthy and sexy use a trainer to design programs and measure progress. It just makes sense!
Viva had another 4 competitors being head Trainer Jamie, Body combat instructor Meghan, long term PUSH_ member Susan and PUSH_ member Sasha.
They had been following a strict regime and most were working with Jamie to prepare for the event and they all did an outstanding job. This was Susan’s third event and she looked absolutely ‘majestic’ on stage. At age 53 she should feel like it too! Susan changed her plan this time and came in really lean and narrowly missed out on first place in what can only be stated as a controversial decision…
For Jamie it was his second event and his legs were in a league of their own on stage with his bulging quads and thick gluts standing out amongst the crowd. Coming in equal fourth Jamie, at first wasn’t too happy with the result but on reflection has addressed where he could have improved and I know that he will come back and learn from this next time. He had great size in his legs but was probably 2 weeks off with his dieting, so he was a bit softer than what he wanted on stage against the winner, who had striations in his muscles from head to toe and looked incredible.
To the other two girls Meghan and Sasha, well done on such a terrific accomplishment and achieving a milestone in your life that could be compared to very little else.
Make It happen
Getting in the cage for a full combat fight is certainly a big deal and our frontline leader ‘Anthony Bynoe’ had been getting ready for this event, since his last bout in March. This was Anthony’s third professional bout and I had been helping him with his stand up kickboxing. Anthony is a great learner. He does question everything ‘yes’, but when something makes sense to him, he does everything he can to learn it, with the right timing and application.
Anthony’s training consisted of 6 days per week which included:
· 1 full body strength and power session. This includes all the large lifts like squats and presses, whilst also including jumps and throws as supersets for the strength lifts.
· 1 conditioning circuit made up of bodyweight exercises, ropes, bags and balls.
· 1 weekly heavy sparring session. This had Anthony compete weekly against others getting ready for the bout and he actually would do 3 x minute rounds with a fresh person every minute. Gruelling!!!
· 1 Boxing session learning skills and techniques
· 1 Jujitsu session
· 1 wrestling session
· 1 kickboxing session
This was the plan and it did vary week form week but that’s normal to cater for injuries, recovery and general life. However ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’!
Anthony performed sensationally looking very comfortable as well as composed and got a first round victory, after landing a well-timed right hand to the jaw of his opponent and then devastating him with a right body, shot which caused his opponent to buckle and not go on.
We look forward to getting Anthony ready for his next bout in March 2014 and will be paying close attention to his boxing defence, through movement drills and speed work. This will see him even more comfortable fighting on his feet, whilst he will work with his jujitsu coach and complete another grading.
For those of you who have not seen a cage event at ‘the powerhouse’ (home of the 36er’s) I highly recommend it as it is run extremely professionally with great music, food, beverage, security and is an awesome venue which attracts a much better crowd than the fight scene in hotels.
Make It happen
What a great day City to bay is! Each year the Viva crew gear up and participate and each year we have great success. Some of the stand-out efforts were Kane Jauntis and Michelle Rozee. Michelle who I believe is a ‘respiratory scientist’, has dropped over 20 kilograms since competing in the event 4 years ago. This time she decided to train for the event with our Saturday morning running team and dropped 5 minutes from her time, as well as stated that she actually enjoyed the whole process compared to her first event. Kane, local Landhaus winemaker, also trained for the event and unfortunately injured his calf 3 k’s in the race. The thing about Kane is he will always be successful in life! Why? Because he finishes what he starts. It took Kane approximately 30 seconds to stop, recognise his injury, assess the severity and then come up with a new solution, which was to slow his pace and go to a technique run rather than a fast run and then achieve his goal! This is what successful mindsets do in the face of every challenge.
For me, events like these are great as they are about encouraging our clients to find a goal, which is a key motivator. I personally like to lead by example, so instead of training for the event, I actually keep myself fit for running all year round with short intense runs as well as correct movement and strength training.
Running is an excellent form of exercise but I do preach the following caution and that is “get fit to run and not run to get fit”. Being such a strenuous movement for our body it is really important that you have assessed your physical readiness for running. You see people sit down a lot and over time, this takes a toll on your posture and therefore, your performance. Before you run ‘Max Martin’ from Corrective Exercise Australia say’s to follow this checklist;
· Check that your Transverse Abdominals are firing correctly to enable core strength
· Check the relationship of the Hip Flexors, Glutes and Hamstrings, to ensure there is no synergistic dominance.
· Assess Calves and Gluteus Medius muscles, against one another and ensure performance is within 5% from left to right.
· Assess Thoracic Spine Rotation and Mobility.
· Get some advice on running technique and put a program together to address your running needs. Start small and build up over time as Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were your current postural and movement behaviours.
Therefore if you are running to get fit…. Don’t, without performing the above checks with a qualified trainer to ensure you are running for many years to come.
Tzatziki:
1 Lebanese cucumber
salt and black pepper
200 g low-fat natural yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried mint , or
3 tablepoons freshly-chopped mint
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Method: 1.To make tzatziki, cut cucumbers in half and scoop out the seeds. Coarsely grate cucumber
into a bowl and sprinkle over some salt. Place in a strainer for 10 minutes and drain off excess
liquids. Rinse the cucumber in cold water, drain and pat dry. Add the yoghurt, garlic, mint
and lemon juice to the cucumber and mix well. Season and refrigerate.
2. Mix the lamb, herbs and spices in a bowl and season with pepper. Form into patties and
barbecue. Serve with the tzatziki.
Nutritional analysis per serve:
energy 921kj,fat total 9.2g, carbohydrate 4g, dietary fibre 0.84g
This is a famous dish along the Yangtze, with regional variations.
In Shanghai, the sauce will be sweet and sour. In Chongqing, it
will be hot and spicy. And in Wuhan…well, it will depend on the
season and the mood of the chef.
Makes 10 meatballs, for 5 main-dish or 10 appetizer servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup “lite” coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 pound lean ground pork or beef
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup minced leek, white and pale green part only
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons seeded and minced fresh chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium head Boston or iceberg lettuce
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or Thai basil
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
METHOD
1. Combine coconut milk, soy sauce and curry powder in a large saucepan. Set aside.
2. Place pork (or beef), scallions, leek, cornstarch, flour, sesame oil, ginger, chile, salt and pepper in a
large mixing bowl. Knead by hand until thoroughly combined and the mixture becomes sticky. Divide
into 10 equal portions, about 1/4 cup each. Roll each portion into a ball.
3. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat the sides. Add the
meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate
lined with paper towels.
4. Bring the coconut-milk mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cover, reduce
heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.
5. Line a serving bowl with lettuce leaves. Arrange the meatballs on top. Garnish with basil and lemon
zest. Serve hot with the coconut-milk sauce drizzled over the top or on the side for dipping.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Per meatball: 115 calories; 7 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 26 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein;
1 g fiber; 297 mg sodium; 83 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (15% daily value).
0 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 lean meat, 1/2 vegetable
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate the meatball mixture (Step 2) for up to 2 days.
Since 2003 we have successfully changed over 5000 people’s lives with weight loss, confidence and energy and I just love it! Recently in 2012 we launched the online trainer atwww.pushbodytransformation.com.au and it has been a huge success with hundreds of people participating from around Australia in a body/life transforming program where you receive;
A weekly nutrition plan with ‘real Australian’ recipes for weight loss and muscle gain.
A 12 week program. From beginner to advanced, which includes both fat loss and muscle gain programs, with videos and everything you need to follow it successfully.
The ‘Mindset Makeover Program’ addition, where I personally give life coaching video lessons that we use in the PUSH system.
The behind the scenes work is huge to arrange programs for participants, which is not only a balancing act of correct movement but also applying enough intensity for physical change. The nutrition part of the program is what’s most sort after and we pride ourselves on ‘good food’ and this year we added 50% new recipes to the site, so there are more varieties for those on the run and with food intolerances.
All PUSH members and clients of Viva can have access to this site for less than $10 per week all year round and you can join the site based info at any time.
Make It happen
Hi Guys
Check out the videos posted below for a quick wrap up of my experience training in the Ukraine!
Cardio vascular exercise simply relates to activity that raises your heart rate to a level where you’re working, giving you a huff puff affect. Most cardio work is determined by intensity and the standard 70%, long duration work, may be described by a working level that allows you to talk, but not hold a conversation. Here’s why cardio is so important:
• It’s one way to burn calories and help you lose weight
• It makes your heart strong so that it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood
• It increases your lung capacity
• It helps reduce risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
• It makes you feel good
• It helps you sleep better
• It helps reduce stress
Bottom line: you need cardio if you want to get your weight under control and get your stress to a tolerable level.
Short and sharp, the question is how much cardio do you need to life the life you want?
I.e. do you really need to be doing intervals if you are a stay at home mum who has a sound base of physical endurance, a clean diet and is in a healthy weight range? Maybe not, but then there are other benefits like increased well-being, strength, muscle toning and greater fat metabolism that may be of interest.
If you do want some a better cardio base then try the little method:
Little Method
An alternative regimen based on a 2009 study uses 60 seconds of intense exercise (at 95% of V02max) followed by 75 seconds of rest, repeated for 8–12 cycles. Subjects using this method trained 3 times per week, and obtained gains similar to what would be expected from subjects who did steady state (50–70% VO2max) training for five hours per week. While still a demanding form of training, this exercise protocol could be used by the general public with nothing more than an average exercise bike.
Interval Variation I: Standard The following is a typical interval workout. You alternate the same period of low intensity with the same period of higher intensity.
3–5 minutes warmup (light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warmup period)
1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6–8 time
3–5 minutes cool down (light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period)
Have a fulfilling week!
When you ingest processed sugars your blood sugar levels will become elevated. The body responds to this by releasing insulin, a hormone that rapidly reduces blood sugar levels. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle and fat tissue to take up glucose and store it as glycogen in the liver and muscle.
Insulin stops the use of fat as an energy source. When insulin is absent, glucose is not taken up by body cells and the body begins to use fat as an energy source. Glucose is the body’s preferred source of fuel so when it is present in the blood stream (this will depend on the Glycaemic Index of the carbohydrate of the food consumed) insulin is released and the sugar is always used. To burn fat we want to choose foods that do not allow large amounts of insulin to be released, hence leaving the body with enough energy rather than riding a sugary roller coaster.
When blood sugar begins to get low most people eat tend to crave something sweet and drink coffee, soda or eat chocolate before they reach a hypoglycemic state. Unfortunately the feedback mechanism that tells the brain blood sugar has returned to normal is slow and your body cannot allow the brain to go without fuel so a survival response is triggered where powerful stress hormone ‘cortisol’ is released and triggers the release of stored glycogen from the liver to be released to raise blood sugars. This results from an inflow of blood sugar from the liver and also from what you just ate.
Many people live unprepared and poor fuelled lives like this daily resulting in a roller coaster ride of energy all day, every day. This creates a big problem as the body begins to be insensitive to insulin as the adrenal glands become tired from the sugary junk they are dealing with. They then become exhausted from continually releasing cortisol and the hormonal system becomes unbalanced due to the stress of eating processed sugars. This can lead to major health issues of some degenerative disease, depression and many chronic illness, infection and allergies.
Our ability to resist disease decreases because the sugars we are eating have replaced the necessary nutrient dense foods our bodies are designed to thrive on.
Fruit- Fruit sugars ‘fructose’ are taken up by the body differently and because of the thick waxy substance of fruit the molecules are tougher for the body to digest compared to refined sugars and therefore tougher for the body to metabolise and better for fat burning. And of course there are many anti oxidants, vitamins and minerals to benefit from when eating fruit.
Underground veggies- Sweet potato and other underground veggies like carrots etc will give a beautiful natural sweetness to foods and kill cravings whilst giving you a serve of veg and low GI carbohydrate.
Hopefully this article has helped you understand that fat burning is more than just reducing fat. Eat foods that fuel your body and help in keeping the fat burning light on !
