So the big question is how will you handle the holidays and still stay fit, healthy and guilt free from all the tasty temptations?
Here’s some tips for what to do over the holidays that may be relevant;
Do some higher intense exercise on the day of indulging. Research has suggested that high intense exercise 3 hours prior to a fatty meal will help burn the fat portion from the meal.
Limit carbohydrate if you ‘over- indulge’ the day after also and stick to lean meats, fresh vegetables (above the ground) and perhaps some fruit after a low intense exercise. tart the day with some healthy fats like a Sunday cook up of eggs, lean bacon, tomato, mushrooms, spinach and then perhaps two hours later and at least 2 litres of water to for a walk / ride for say 60-80 minutes and make the most of the day.
Opt for weight maintenance over the holidays. Attempting to continue weight loss over Christmas may set you up for failure. If this sounds like you, aim to keep your weight stable.
If you do indulge, keep the number of indulgent days to a minimum. Sure, you may celebrate Xmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, but be aware that a month-long feeding frenzy can take its toll of your waist line. Try to balance it out as we have done with the our online nutrition plan atwww.pushbodytransformation.com.au where you can sign up and receive a full two week festive meal plan and much more including a weekly training and nutrition plan for fat loss, over 200 exercise videos and recipes etc.
Inform family the week before they arrive that there is no need to bring food. You have this covered.
Let people know you don’t want food as gifts, especially chocolates, lollies or nuts.
Eat fewer calories during the day if you have a big evening dinner planned.
A serve of alcohol replaces a carbohydrate portion as wine contains carbohydrates, fat, alcohol. Also try to ensure to keep it away from fatty foods as the fat in the food will be put on hold given the sugar in the wine releases insulin.
Keep between-meal snacks in small bowls and put away packets or jars of nuts and lollies so they are out of sight.
Keep your physical activity routine on track. An after-meal walk or backyard game will help you digest your food and counteract the calories.
Buy the kids active presents. Examples include bicycles or sports gear. Ask for an active present, such as gardening tools, a rock climbing course.
Plan a family day out at the park, zoo, or indoor game centre to get people moving again after Christmas Day. Book an adventure holiday rather than a few lazy days poolside.
Be sensible a big night out is exactly that. One night so prepare for it with food and exercise during the week, on the day and the day after. You will have less guilt as you have done nothing wrong and can enjoy a treat!
Merry Christmas!
Your fitness guy…
Make it Happen
“How do I motivate myself when I have the want, but today I need more?”
So now you know that the number one tool for motivation is to know what
you are working towards well now let’s look at how we can apply different motivational strategies. Remember we all are motivated differently either towards a goal (want) or away from a scare (fear).
Here are the top ten motivational strategies that we as
PUSH_ Trainers use and the key is when to apply them:
Fear: Motivates you from losing or personal defeat, i.e you don’t want to be called a weight gain client? Or, I will not get bad news from the doctor again?
Visualisation: Paint yourself a picture of you achieving your burning desire or maintaining it! I will wear my black dress to the next Viva Party (at Zootz 27th March by the way!)
Positive affirmations: This gives you the strength by practicing positive self talk. At first you might feel like it is fake so practice it everyday with passion as if you are convincing your boss and a new habit of belief will form, i.e I am a strong independent and likeable woman.
Coax: This is the most basic and over utilized form of motivation. This is basically what a poor trainer relies on as they are uneducated in what drives people. But put that aside when the going gets tough and you have already established a firm belief in what you are doing today; coaxing has its place, i.e keep going, you’re doing great, nearly there, etc.
Urge: This is where you (or a trainer) urge yourself to do more, i.e Dion I need you to do one more round! Take on some visualisation for best results, i.e Dion you have 5 more minutes I need you to keep going! 5 more minutes will show the others you lead by example! YOU make it happen and they can see that.
Recognise achievements/ Enthusiasm: This is where you recognize what you have done to get here. This is commonly used at the commencement of a session, i.e next time you say to yourself I feel down today and I’m just happy to be here try rewording it like this… So i felt flat today, yes, but now that I am here I am going to walk out of here feeling great, let’s see what I can do!
Focus on the goal: This is simply practising what you have listed as your burning desire, i.e 5 kilos for the black dress is what I want! This is basically working on the want principle and is opposite to fear as you are working towards this.
Role models: Think of someone who is inspirational to you. Ask yourself what would Angelina do? Or what would that little kid do who never had the chance to walk?
Quotes: Use a quote that motivates you and gets you going when it gets tough. My 3 favorites as I am sure you all know by now are:
1. Choose your attitude. (when I start deflating myself, i.e This is hard- Shut-up and Choose your attitude!)
2. Walk the walk- Forget the talk. (The time for talk is over! That’s what we are doing now but when you enter that group fitness room it’s time to…. Walk the walk my friends!)
3. My all time favourite- Nobody and nothing stand in my way! Nothing and Nobody!
Set a target: Break down the goal to bite six chunks, i.e today we are doing 20 minutes of intervals. Break it down to four rounds of 5 minutes for your own mental stimulation.
TRY THIS (my personal motivation strategy)
Round 1 is where you find your rhythm.
This is where you focus on technique, breathing the way it feels, that you are now exercising and not on the computer etc.
Round 2 Visualisation
Round 3 Positive affirmations
Round 4 Coax
So there you have the PUSH_ Top 10 motivational strategies and let me tell you that they will not work unless you do step one and find that fear or want. From there on you can build on it as you have that driving force like an Olympic runner who wants nothing more to be on the podium in 4 years time.
What is your podium moment?
Don’t lose sight of this EVER….
You can do it and if feel you are struggling email
and I will arrange a PUSH_ trainer to take you on your journey and
guarantee success!
Motivation doesn’t last and neither does bathing that is why we recommend it twice a day. Try reading the following points daily and more importantly ‘act’ on your findings! What have you got to lose!
Others see in us what we think of ourselves
Perception is reality. What you create is the impression you make
How you think determines how you act and how others react to you
Look important-It helps you think importantly
Dress right it always pays.The sharper you look the sharper you will be
If you think you can or you can’t – YOU’RE RIGHT!
Think of yourself as sharp, together, informed , interesting and intelligent, and that is what you will be
To sum up- Practice uplifting self praise, not belittling self- punishment. Think more of yourself, and there is more of you
Be self-improving in academics, school and friends. Change bad habits gradually, eliminating negativism and wasting time.What you spend most time on is ‘what and who you are going to be’
My favorite of all and what saw my partner kristy lose 10 kilo’s, start a new career, purchase her own business, successfully land the largest corporate wedding flowers in Adelaide and oh yeah… Win Ms Australia!…..‘Be before you are and you will become’!
I will let you ponder that and think of your behaviors in regards to who you are today and who you are becoming tomorrow.
Ingredients:
Canola oil
1/2 eggplant, cut into 5mm-thick slices
1 zucchini, cut into 5mm-thick slices
1 red capsicum, cut into eighths, core and seeds removed
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon tomato chutney
1 crusty baguette
Couple of lettuce leaves
30 g feta cheese
Method:
1. Lightly brush the vegetables with canola oil. On a ribbed grill plate, grill the vegetables
evenly on both sides until tender but not mushy. Lay on a cooling rack as vegetables come off
the grill plate.
2. Mix the mayonnaise and tomato chutney together in a bowl. Cut baguette lengthways but
not all the way through. Place a layer of lettuce along the baguette. Spread a thin layer of
tomato mayo over the lettuce. This will stop the baguette from going soggy.
3. Place thin layers of eggplant, zucchini and red capsicum along the baguette. Crumble over
the feta cheese and close up. Cut in half and wrap in parchment paper to hold shape. Don’t wrap in plastic wrap as it will cause the baguette to become soft and lose its crunch.
Nutritional analysis (per serve):
energy 718kj, fat 7.17g, protein 5.68g, carb 19.5g, fibre 2.9g
With so much conflicting advice about nutrition and exercise, it’s easy to feel frustrated about knowing what’s best to eat and how much activity is healthy. Nutritionist, Matt O’Neill shares the facts and individual advice about your food and fitness.
Everyone eats, so you could say that everyone is an expert on food. Food affects people in different ways too. Some people love bread and can eat as much as they like. Others feel bloated and irritable after just one slice. So, food choices need to be individualised.
Similarly, exercise gets faster results for some people whilst others have to work harder to see a result. The challenge is tailoring your diet and fitness routine, at the same time ensuring you don’t end up compromising your health by taking on bad advice.
Let’s see how the advice below matches your needs.
You need to cut out carbs
Carbohydrates include the commonly listed options like bread, pasta and rice. Milk also contains carbohydrate as lactose and fruit has fructose. There is carbohydrate in the form of sucrose in many foods, sweets, soft drinks and lollies.
Our modern sedentary lifestyle mean that almost everyone needs to limit carbohydrate to some degree. Avoiding lollies keeps calories down and helps ensure you eat more nutritious foods for energy. But how low do you need to go in terms of carbohydrate to lose weight?
The average person consumes around 300 grams of carbohydrate a day from all sources. A target between 100 – 200 grams is more appropriate for most people’s energy needs. This is what you’ll find in a diet containing; two serves of fruit, two dairy and three wholegrain carbohydrates (starches). One slice of bread equals one wholegrain carbohydrate.
Dropping carbohydrate level below 100 grams a day risk short changing your brain’s glucose needs, sending your body into a state called ketosis. During ketosis, your body is forced to rapidly burn body fat for energy to produce ketones as a back-up fuel for your brain.
You may like the fat burning part of ketosis, but not the muscle wasting. Loss of lean muscle tissue is the consequence of cutting out too many carbs. Your personal carbohydrate needs will be largely influenced by your size and activity level.
You may also choose to adjust your carbohydrate intake based on how carbohydrates make you feel. If you feel bloated, lethargic or uncomfortable eating bread, pasta or rice then you may choose to eat less of these for your carbohydrate energy. Dairy and fruit may be your preferred carbohydrate fuel.
But keep the three wholegrain carbohydrate serves as a minimum threshold for a healthy carbohydrate intake.
Fibre is bad for you
Whether fibre is bad for you or not depends on how much you eat. The average Australian consumes around 20 grams of fibre a day, which places them at risk of constipation now and bowel cancer in the future.
Doubling your fibre intake to 40 grams is the general recommendation to keep your bowel regular and in top condition. A fibre-rich diet with vegetables, fruits, wholegrain cereals and legumes will also help keep calories down and nourish your body with antioxidants.
Double this figure again to 80 grams of fibre a day, especially by loading up on unprocessed bran and you’re likely to cause problems. The high fibre content blocks the absorption of minerals, including iron and calcium, potentially causing deficiencies.
Fruit makes you fat
The minimum recommended target for fruit is two serves a day. Fruit provides fibre, vitamins C and other antioxidants, plus fructose (fruit sugar) for energy.
Once again, it’s the ‘dose’ of fruit that matters. Each 150 gram serve of fruit contains around 300kJ / 70Cal. Eating two serves can easily fit into a healthy diet without adding up too many calories.
However, if you eat seven pieces of fruit a day, that gives you 2100 kJ / 500 Cal, which is the same amount of energy in a Big Mac hamburger. So, there is some truth to the statement “fruit makes you fat” if you overeat fruit when you need to lose weight and are not eating any junk food. This applies even more for fruit juice that concentrates fructose without the bulk of whole food to fill you up.
If your body needs the additional energy that generous quantities of fruit provide, then fruit is a great energy booster. However, you still need to check that your large fruit intake is not unbalancing your diet.
Exercise doesn’t work
The physical response to exercise is highly individual. Some people can simply step onto a treadmill and body fat drops off. Others can pound away for miles for less return on effort.
When a healthy amount of exercise doesn’t work – say 3-5 sessions a week – adding more activity or upping the intensity is not always a good idea due to two potential negative consequences.
Exercise can trigger an appetite response resulting in cravings to replace the calories you have just burnt. The typical scenario is grabbing a 500 Cal muffin on the way home from a 350 Cal workout. The net result is you get fatter rather than leaner.
Overtraining, especially combined with a low-calorie intake can elevate levels of the hormone cortisol. This is the stress hormone that can cause your body to hang onto body fat. You are flogging yourself in a circuit class to burn extra fat, but cortisol is preventing you from losing that fat.
You are certainly not wasting your time exercising as its still building your metabolic fitness, muscle mass and endurance. But for fat loss, easing back down from a heavy workout schedule in combination with good appetite management and the right calorie intake can achieve breakthrough results.
In summary, don’t get mythed off by confusing nutrition information. Get the facts; make them flexible, but make sure the science still works for you. Ask a PUSH_ Trainer to help devise a fat loss plan that works for you!
Watch Video
500 gram Southern Blue Fin Tuna
White and black sesame seeds. 50‐50
S&P
Its that simple. Roll your slab of Tuna in a mix of 50‐50 white and black sesame blend with salt and
pepper and place in oven at 180 degrees for no more than 5 minutes.
Asian salad:
1 teaspoon each Garlic, ginger, chilli
Place the tuna on a plate with the salad over the side and then drizzle the dressing to your liking.
Voila! Tantalizing Tuna Bonanza . . . Even the men can do this one!
Make it happen.
Ingredients: 500g minced beef
1 large zucchini, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon basil leaves, fresh
1 1/2 cups plain wholemeal flour
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
2. Place zucchini, carrot, onion and basil into a food processor. Process for 1 – 2 minutes
or until smooth. Place mixture in large bowl.
3. Mix in the mince beef.
4. Beat in a small amount of flour at a time with a wooden spoon until the mixture is
smooth and thick.
5. Shape teaspoons of mixture into small balls and place on a tray lined with baking
paper.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Notes: Serve with fresh tomato sauce or relish.
Ingredients:
500 g penne
500 g skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into thin strips
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 X 825g can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
60 g reduced fat feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, (optional)
canola oil spray
Method:
1. Start cooking the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water.
2. Spray a non-stick frypan or wok with oil and heat.
Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until browned.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the pan and cook over medium
heat for 3 minutes or until soft.
4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
5. Add the stock, tomatoes and tomato paste, and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat slightly, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through. Season to taste.
7. When the pasta is al denté (cooked but still firm), drain and toss with the sauce to
combine. Just before serving, stir the feta and basil into the sauce.
8. Serve immediately with a green salad.
