In part 1 we developed your weight loss plan ‘roadmap’. This is where we gained clarity about what’s happening this year, as well as introduced strategies such as ‘new month resolutions’ and ‘BAMs’.

Now it’s time to get some healthy habits and add more to our weight loss plan guidelines. 

I have written a heap of articles to help with this subject as well as recipes and meal plans, shopping lists and more (a lot of these can be found in Viva Blogs).
Please, however, use the many recipe ideas, meal plans and educational articles at www.ultimatebodyblitz.com.au as this is a free service for all viva members. Check it out now or email us at info@vivafitness.com.au for assistance. 

But right now, these are the most common tips we are discussing with our members weight loss plan is below. 

5 tips when developing your weight loss plan

1- Plan

Have weekly nutrition plan and stick to it. There is no way around it. To be in shape you must plan for it. As legendary navy seal Jocko Willnick’s book states ‘discipline equals freedom’. “We all want financial freedom to do the things we want but most don’t budget. We all want to look and feel good but most don’t do the fitness routine and eat the right way day in and day out. This is not motivation, that’s a sham. This is discipline. Discipline equals freedom”. 

I love the simplicity and the accountability he places on us, and totally agree. Anotherquote I have lived by since starting in this industry 20 years ago is “if it’s going to be, its up to me”

So if you want to look good, develop the discipline to plan and act on that plan week in and out in 2019. Period. 

2- Keep a diary

This could even be a photo diary on your phone. This is a way to record everything you eat to be able to see patterns of eating behaviour. Two patterns we see often are emotional eating (learn more here) https://vivafitness.com.au/binge-eating-recognise-it/ and over eating. 

If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me “I eat well but I’m not losing weight”, I’d be rich. So here’s the plan if that’s you:• Write down what you eat and you will be amazed to see the little extras and refined sugars that creep in your diet. • If you don’t see change after 3-4 weeks simply by being conscious of healthier decisions, then measure portion size because it could be a case of over eating, which brings us to our third point;

3 – Portions

Most of us don’t know how much they should be eating. And therefore knowing your portion size will go along way. Again we like to use precision nutrition food calculator here this is a great tool to use and follow.

Check out the link for more details. Make sure you have logged in to www.ultimatebodyblitz.com.au first. 

In short here it is: 

These suggestions are for each meal and we would try to eat every 3 to 5 hours pending on your goal. If it is fat loss three meals plus a post training meal would suffice, drawing out your meals to every 4 to 5 hours. When eating as described below you will find that you will feel fuller for longer as these foods provide satiety. 

Protein– for instance; egg, organic dairy, organic white meat, grass fed red meat, fish 

Men- 2 palms

Woman- 1 palm

Eat 3 types of proteins a day, it’s important to add variety to get all the proteins available for your body.

Fats– avocado, olive oil (coconut oil, grapeseed oil, walnut oil), seeds, fatty fish like tuna, snapper and salmon.

2 thumbs each

Nutrient dense carbohydrate– for instance sweet corn, butternut, sweet potato, carrots, steel cut oats

Men- 1 handful

Woman- 1/ 2 handful

Veggies- all the good stuff, eat the colours of rainbow daily, 2 fists each!

More here http://ultimatebodyblitz.com.au/so-what-body-type-are-you-and-how-should-you-eat/

4 – Education

Education is knowledge. Knowledge enables us to make informed decision i.e. you are able to weigh up the pros against the cons toward your desired outcome. Therefore “knowledge is power”,

Here are some great articles to put into action for you. This month try simply doing one thing, or perhaps two things per week and create habits by Easter. I will give you a list now to keep on this band wagon!

Shopping list- http://ultimatebodyblitz.com.au/muscle-gaining-nutrition/

What body type and what to eat- http://ultimatebodyblitz.com.au/so-what-body-type-are-you-and-how-should-you-eat/

Fasting http://ultimatebodyblitz.com.au/an-insight-to-intermittent-fasting/

5 – Drop cheat meals

Firstly, if you are approaching this to see yourself in better shape within a certain timeframe, cheat meals to need to be removed. If this is a longer plan for you, allowing yourself an occasional cheat meal is okay, however, we can choose better options to keep us on track without the guilt and ensure we continue to feel good. I have lots of these and they’re fun. This is where we start to use healthier options of so called ‘bad’ meals.
In our next article we will discuss re-feed days. And our favourite meals. However if you want an expert opiunion this article here goes in depth of a better approach to ‘re fuelling’ your body every 4 days.

Thanks guys and as always check out what’s happening at the club!

Make it happen

Dion Mychalyn

So You Want To Get In Shape?
Let’s create the roadmap with these simple steps to success this year!

It seems this year’s silly season has hit home in a big way! Every second person is hitting me up with a weight loss goal, or mentioning they need to drop 5 kegs. Seriously it must have been a huge December/ January.

So today let’s get things underway for the year ahead!

Firstly, I am not a ‘get fixed quick guy’, but I do understand that results motivate us. Let’s look at cleaning up our act and see the muffin top reduce a bit and get in shape!

However, I say this, if it were easy we would all be rocking around the gym, lean as like ‘coach Jay’. The fact is most don’t have that discipline. I don’t say it to scare you but it’s a fact. Being lean isn’t a by product of a “$&@k it I will eat what I want tonight” attitude. Once you get to where you want however, it is possible to introduce ‘sometimes’ foods. Right now it’s important to get there first!!!
Like is mentioned in the ‘7 habits of highly effective people you must ‘put first things first’! and I tell you, in 28 days you will feel awesome about your progress.

Get Purpose

a) First, where do you want to be in December 2019? (Point b) I.e. drop 10!

b) Second is why? What will achieving your goal do for you? Why must you change now? This is most important

c) Third, do an honest self assessment and ask:

“Why am I where I am now?” (Which is Point a)

Example:

Today I heard the following from client ‘jack’.

“I need to get to 100 kilos. Everything is easier when I’m under a ton and I have too many clothes in my closet collecting dust.

I have been there before and want that again!

I’m in this shape because I lost my enthusiasm to workout due to a new business.”

In this statement, there are some hidden ‘power’ words. Let’s take a look.

The goal is clear.

There is an emotional connection to the goal, ‘how they felt’ as well as the ‘cost’ of the clothes.

The real motivation for Jack is the way in which he felt wearing the clothes and what it meant he was able to do. This is something perhaps you have experienced before and can ‘feel’ it.

Next- The Roadmap to Get In Shape

Ask yourself:

What does the ‘you’ who owns their goal in December do? Compared to the ‘you’ now?

These following two points will help create your roadmap and gives you action points to work on.

Completion goals. Aka ‘bams’ (Bare ass minimums) for Jack were:

1. Move every second day as a minimum- looking at 250-350 movemnet minutes per week for fat loss.
2. Have a good plan 5 days per week and choose healthy options two days a week (this gives a little freedom in choice over the weekend but Jack is still expected to choose wisely).
3. Use a trainer weekly- Accountability to a person or program gets results.

Next ‘new month resolutions’ to get in shape

I’m totally over New Year Resolutions but instead a massive fan of ‘new month habits’.

This is the second part to your completion goals, as these are ‘stretch goals’. This means we set a goal for a realistic time frame and see it through. Research shows 28 days is highly achievable.

Now like Jack, I want you to choose habits that you know you need to work on. Don’t ‘BS’ here. Pick the ‘nitty gritty’ and do it. Like I said, most people simply don’t push themselves and instead take the route of ‘takin it easy’, or “I used to do that but now I try to relax”.
Well we are not! We are taking responsibility and seeing it through. Most people don’t finish what they start but this time ‘we’ will.

Two types of new month resolution’s are:

1. Daily practices- walk every day, 12000 steps, ‘x’ water per day, read daily, stretch daily, meditate, juice daily, fast daily, etc

2. Eliminations- keep these simple and be successful. My favourite eliminations for fat loss are:

No refined foods
Cut out sugars
Quit bread
Drop alcohol
Eat less than 100 grams of carbs

All these are proven to support fat loss but the key is trying one at a time and learning about your body. They are not as hard as it seems and in 28 days you can really see some great results

So here is Jacks plan:

February ‘Get in shape’ plan

5 day meal plan

We decided to stick to the same meals Monday to Friday, over the month. I.e. Steak greens and chard vet on a Monday. His favourite ‘spicy chicken couscous salad and tzatziki’ on a Tuesday and so on…This makes planning easier and cuts out the guess work.

Second to this for Jack, is to prepare his lunch every day, seven days a week. See my tips here on this which makes a huge difference.

March

No bread. Simple. Do it and see the difference!

Part 2 to get in shape, we will discuss nutrition planning and what to eat!

Get started with this and in a few days I will post more!

Our Family Changing Lives and Making it Happen Since 1980

Dion Mychalyn

The Cost of Whole Foods

There’s another bonus to eating healthy whole foods.  Although the name may now be synonymous with that fancy grocery store, whole foods are much cheaper than processed foods.  They’re also available everywhere.

A bag of healthy brown rice is going to be cheaper than a fancy prepackaged rice mix!

Of course, there may be a different cost to eating healthy whole foods: the preparation time.  It’s hard to deny that popping a processed sandwich pocket in the microwave for three minutes is easier than cooking a proper meal with whole-food ingredients.

The goal is just to decrease the number of processed foods you eat and increase the proportion of healthy whole foods. That isn’t hard, especially when it comes to snacks.  The next time need something to tide you over, eat a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit instead.  It’s no harder than reaching for an energy bar — you’ll even be spared the labor of unwrapping it.

Make it happen

Australians Love a Lamb Recipe on Australia Day!

I love my barbecue. Who doesn’t? And this week is Australia Day and here’s what’s cooking!

Firstly you need coals. I have tried the weber q and it’s just not charcoal but of course if that’s what you like that’s your choice.

Spit Roasted Lamb Leg and Brown Rice Salad!

Serves 6

2 kilo de-boned lamb leg (grass fed of course)

1 Tb Garlic

1 Onion chopped

1 Tb Garlic Powder

1Tb Onion Powder

2 Tomotoes

1 Tb Oregano

1 Tb Salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 Cup Fresh Oregano

1 Lemon

Get your meat cut in chunks to spit, put in container and combine with ingredients above. Always best overnight and if so leave out Lemon and Salt until morning.

Get your charcoal ready and spit your meat. Cook on Rotisserie slowly for 2-3 hours. Raise it to cook slow and render the fat after the initial injection of heat.

Baste with some of the remining mixture but add 1/2 cup olive oil, more lemon and salt. Use a combination of garden herbs to batse the meat 🙂

Slice finely in tray and add salt, lemon oregano to taste.

Serve with your seasonal summer salads. My favourite are greek garden salads and a brown rice salad with carrot and pepita’s.

Dion

Group Fitness Classes- Western Suburbs

“Group Fitness Classes are a great way to stay in shape and are great fun”, says Group Fitness Classes leader, Janice Bynoe.

“We find that even when you feel a little sluggish and perhaps lack some motivation, that by joining group fitnesss classes, you always walk out feeling, accomplished and proud of yourself.

The fact is, in today’s society there are so many things that we have to take care of, and we can leave ourself to the last minute. To add to this, some of us then think about exercise and that can be an additional stress. It can add stress as a lot of the time busy people, mums and others alike don’t know what to do. This is another reason to do group fitness classes as you will have friendly instructors available to motivate you in a safe environment and have a great time. I guarantee it, says Janice”.

So check out some of the fun in our timetable section here

Below is Janice Bynoe who is the head of group fitness here and she would love for you to listen to her key tips at Xmas as well as the benefits of group fitness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FU8rKy0O3U

So come on in and get a free 2 session pass. Or Email janice@vivafitness.com.au with any questions you may have.

Thanks Guys and Make it happen!

Kirsty @ Viva

83535533

Binge Eating- Recognise it!

Yes it’s true! Binge eating can sabotage our efforts and desires. In fact, many women struggle with overeating and use food to combat negative emotions. You know the foods that make most woman feel good like; Wine, chocolate, sugar, and other sweet treats to give a feeling of relief to that initial emotion.

However, once the “food rush” wears off, they’re left with the very same emotional problems—plus a self-defeating sense of guilt.

Of course, many women understand that food doesn’t help resolve “negative” emotions like fear, resentment, anger, or stress—but they still find themselves helpless, using sugar or alcohol as a coping mechanism for emotions that feel intolerable.

Unfortunately without help, some women even develop a food addiction.

The good news is that there are two key factors to appreciate here and with this knowledge many woman can take better control of this behaviour.

• Uncontrolled stress- Try recognising feelings that can overwhelm you and take a moment to take 6 breaths and calm your thoughts.
• Food restriction- Having a plan and working at it is such a great strategy and is simple. Try planning your week and it doesn’t have to be perfect! But a ‘food routine’ is a great way to manage what you eat!

It might feel like you’re hungry now… but is it really hunger?

Maybe you walked past an amazingly well know café 15 minutes ago and forgot about that. Or maybe something stressful happened this morning. So, link by link, working backwards along the chain of events, start asking yourself a few questions:

‘What was I doing just now? What was I thinking? Where was I?’

Oftentimes you can uncover the source of negative emotions.

And what do you do with those negative emotions once you uncover them? You embrace them.

If you’re feeling angry or stressed, give yourself five minutes to be mad inside your body. Yes I want you to be mad and control it! Instead of lashing out!

Feel the emotion in your body, but don’t try to over analyse it in your brain- instead feel the physical response. So you can stomp, walk around and clench your fists and even growl a little! Be Mad! Do whatever it takes. And after those five minutes are up, release that ball of anger and let it float away. Remind yourself you can now move on and deal with the situation logically instead of emotionally.

Here’s a few more tips to help:

1. Recognise that beliefs and emotions can trigger a hunger response!
2. Look for where your emotions are in your body. Don’t analyse. Right now just observe as you are gathering information about the physical response from this.
3. Don’t rush to explain things with your immediate response, e.g. “Oh it must be my I had no protein and only a banana.”If the answer pops up quickly, that’s your brain. Your body is slow and quiet with its signals.
4. Give yourself a few minutes to experience whatever emotions you’re experiencing. Check your watch if you need to, and allocate five minutes to this project.  Allow 6 large breaths to deal with emotion and gather what your body is telling you. Learn to become a ‘deeper thinker’.
5. Finally only eat when you are hungry! Plan your meals and plan on eating to that ‘routine’. This reinforces whether you are hungry or if it’s just an urge!

Here’s a few common reasons we binge:

Bored/ lonely- Call a friend or engage in something stimulating like conversation or reading a favourite book.

Tired- If its night go to bed! If its day do something that makes you feel good. This could be sitting quietly at a park, beach, going for a walk, doing tasks that make you feel satisfied. But again if it’s not meal time and you are well fed then recognise the trigger and deflect it.

Being motivated towards your core purpose is probably my biggest tip. I feel we often focus on the now and rationalise our actions because of it. E.g. “I have had a hard day I deserve some wine”. In this case perhaps go outside and have a chat with a friend or go for a slow walk and let the emotion pass!

I will leave you with this “Don’t shatter long term dreams for short term pleasures”! A little discipline (reminding yourself of your goal and a food plan for instance) and some commitment (practicing regularly and not giving up because of one slip up) will develop your will power and the satisfaction of being more at peace with your decisions, instead of feeling guilty will be worth it!

Dion Mychalyn

Make it happen!

Healthy Breakfast Options don’t have to be difficult!

We love providing our members with healthy breakfast options and other tweaks to support their health and fitness!

In this video we will discuss our favouyrite healthy breakfast options. Also you can visit here to see some of our favourite recipes like turkey burgers. 

Or if you are a member simply goto our in house personal trainer at www.ultimatebodyblitz.com.au and get a full plan today!

Seriously Low Back Pain Sux!

Did you know 80% ofthe population will suffer low back pain and a large 65% of those will endure it over a lifetime!

Now this won’t fix your massive issues but if your issues relate to tightness and lack of flexibility and strength in the surrounding areas then you must try this. Morning and night it can go a long way!

So lets fix low back pain with these 7 drills all of 30 seconds each!

Plus as a viva member there are heaps more to access here 

http://ultimatebodyblitz.com.au/work/spiderman-rotation/

More blogs to help are here! 

So Your Scale Weight Has Not Changed… Now What?

Scale weight is a tricky subject. You have been eating breakfast, working out most days and even cut back on the sugary snacks! But it hasn’t changed!

You’re not alone! The fact is that you have probably been doing a great job but we often want to see results immediately. It’s called instant gratification and it’s the way in 2018 we are wired.

We expect that when we do a good job, we are to see results immediately. It’s a little like a dog obeying his master and ‘sits’, he then expects a snack… We are much the same.

With this knowledge don’t negate your efforts by falling in a sugary slum but instead find a healthy habit that makes you feel good with no guilt attached like a massage, walk, talking to a friend. Basically anything you enjoy doing thats a healthy alternative!

This is a habit that healthy, leaner persons understand.

To find your motivation check out this recent blog where we discuss the real benefits of exercise.

More blogs on this here!

So what else can we focus opn instead of scale weight?

Thanks guys, please send any questions to dion@vivafitness.com.au as we love to provide you with content that helps!

Make It Happen

Dion

Avocado Breakfast Wrapped Egg w Prosciutto

Give your morning a kick start with this avocado breakfast that is wrapped in prosciutto and egg. Yum! This is loaded with omega-3 and healthy fatty acids – everything you need for a nourishing breakfast.

Every layer of this savory dish has something delicious to offer, starting with the crispy prosciutto layer, then the avocado, the softness of poached eggs. If you haven’t poached eggs before, don’t worry – it couldn’t be any easier. Cooking them in a food-safe plastic wrap ensures that you have a perfectly poached egg every time. Of course, the traditional way of poaching eggs – sans plastic wrap – works perfectly, too.

The best part about this recipe is that it requires just a few ingredients and nearly no prep time. So whether you’re planning to make an impressive lunch or looking for a change in your breakfast routine, this recipe is sure to please.