New Email for Tony

Hi there my new email for sending me questions and queries is tonyfindlay2008@gmail.com

I will be designing a 8-12 week challenge and also hope to have my E-Book for sale shortly.

Tony

Saturday 26th September 2009 - My stars for the week ahead ... how prophetic

Quote .... The amount of stuff you've had to put up with from others over the last year or so (in general) and the last few weekas (in particular) would be enough to give a saint a hernia. Both in work and in your personal life, its been challenging. Good news: most of the madness is over. Now just show you've grown as a result of the mayhem. End quote.

Now how do I put that into my plan for the week ahead ... No matter how true the past is ... I focus on a positive outcome to completing the journey I started :-)

Friday 25th September 2008 - The journey continues ... FULL SPEED

I have been remiss in my postings for a while and hope that this finds you all well and I will try to be more viligent :-))

Life is certainly about a series of ever constant changes and my last six months is no different. I have experienced some pretty turbulent moments in my business and personal life. While all have come from different directions and to be honest have totally caught me off guard, I find myself constantly relying on elements of inner strength.

Self doubt will always slip into your thought process when you struggle to find a way forward to combat an unseen force that is working against you, whether it is fate, timing, another person or just circumstance.

And yes, even the very positive person that I am would be foolish not to question these moments I have endured to seek inner solace when confronted by what could seem to others like failures. I think the last few months have definitely caused me to remember the importance of strength in mind and body. I try to use this as self belief.

I have constantly made a point in my life of focusing on positives and the most amazing support network we have is family and some friends, that for me has been my "rock" and for that I am ever grateful.

There is no question that being healthy has definitely served to help me combat this challenge and allow me to bounce back - which I am and continue to plan huge things for the next adventure LIFE takes me on. The Health Warrior is back and not taking prisoners.

Work for me has always been a passion project where I get to assist others feel the amazing changes that I do and are possible when the Human ECO System is working optimally. That sometimes means being the trainer, sometimes the nutrient advisor and sometimes just an ear to talk too when things aren't going right. In LIFE there are no experts because that is what being human is all about. Making mistakes, learning from them and trying to move forward.

I would say my greatest challenge is making the intangible - tangible.
A passion focus like fitness that I have can be all consuming and this was reminded to me recently when talking to a friend about how he would describe me. He said "when I think of you I always think of big challenges you try to conquer". I asked him if that was a good thing. He replied "not always but it's a pleasure to see someone who believes in their self confidence and works hard to make it happen".

I guess that sums me up pretty well. While I do believe in nothing ventured, nothing gained, I also found a quote when I was training for the Hawaii Ironman back in 2000 that is my inner mantra.

"Have the courage to finish what you start".

For me this means NEVER, ever quitting on anything or anyone !
Quitting is the easy road whereas being persistent and resilient is much more difficult but more often then not - WORTH IT by a long way.

You can't always expect others to be part of that journey as it can be long and testing, so try to find some balance in the part you play in the lives of others. They may not have signed up for all the twists and turns. For me I will always be there to help, it's what I do and it's what I am.

If I have learned anything over the last six months it is this - the destination and who comes with you on it - may not be who you thought it should be - but those that value you the most will always love and forgive errors as you after all .... only human.

Next post is all about Nutrient Absorption so get ready to blast into Summer (or Winter for the northern hemisphere readers) ..... there is no end in sight to the war on Obesity - but we can make an impact. It's YOUR body and it's YOUR Life.

Tuesday 18th August 2008 - How do we fix what isnt broken

Ok so over the last week I have seen quite a few news articles on various health stories ranging from complaints in a lot of countries about their health care systems and a lack of possible solutions, to young school age children eating badly with poor food options from their school canteens, to the availability of "stimulant drinks" now becoming the basic form of low quality nutrient intake in mornings and of course obesity numbers rising.

It got me to thinking. Do people really care about their own lives ?
Contrary to the best intentions of fitness and health professionals, who are trying to restore the health of their populations, it would appear that no they don't care.

You see to make positive health changes means taking action which would then require people to take personal responsibility.

This seems to be an unlikely result and more importantly a sad reality for the future. The number of overweight / obese members of the global population are continuing to increase and this is not exclusive to adults but the number of children around the world has not decreased meaning a future of overweight adults filled with preventable diseases.

These "weight" situations brought about by too much body fat lead to other health conditions which sadly can be fatal. So I guess there is no disputing from the research that is currently available, that the root cause of a lot of "preventable deaths" could be changed if only the majority didn't have an "over-eating disorder".

Why would anyone willingly choose a life that is fraught with pain through disease to then further exacerbate that discomfort by indulging in supposed "comfort food". Now that is a roller coaster ride that only has one outcome - bad. Talk about food being a short term fix.

In reply to an article in TIME magazine on another professional networking site, one of the groups I am a member of, there was debate about the pro's and con's of exercise being used as a way to get thin. I think that a lot of people believe this to be possible.

This was part of my response - "For the record exercise doesn't make you thin nor should we care. Rather let's learn how to show exercise as a human benefit then we can stop worrying about how we look, and focus on how we better perform in the human race called life."

If we take time to focus on the exercise aspect, then we should equally also address how food plays a role in our lives. It began as a source of nourishment while we avoided dinosaurs - so I hear. Then with time and through "marketing" it seems to have evolved through the ages to the point now, where multi-billion dollar weight loss companies overlook the nutrient value and only stress calories to validate using weight values from standing on scales as the net sum of who we are as people. And don't even get me started about TV shows that use "edited emotional footage" to supposedly inspire others.

Compounding this is the marketing by food and drink companies who only "push the good times" in adverts in these shows, but, while it is true they provide low quality versions that appeal to the masses, there is no one pushing each of us to purchase these products.

So we have now come full circle in this blog - back to personal responsibility.

If no one believes that they are at risk, as being fat isn't an issue until the Doctor says that it is and with Diabetes II on the increase (oh yeah that is the preventable and if caught early, the reversable one), how we can stimulate people to focus on this simple fact.
Eat less and Move more.

We the fitness industry members seem to have been unsuccessful in our efforts so far but if we don't begin to have more luck then it seems that there is nothing but pain on the way for the health systems of every country all over the world. It certainly has inspired medical options as the alternative source of creating a healthy change but sadly none of these have been proven to beat the original concept of using calories through movement and only eating what we need to survive.

Start today - be responsible for your own "weight" and lower your fat levels.

Sunday 2nd August 2009 - A Simple Workout

It has been such a gorgeous couple of days here that I thought I would show a simple workout that I use whenever I am so inclined to head outdoors (or travel away on business).

The picture shows that you need just a few pieces of equipment to do this which can all be packed in your suitcase and cost less than $65.

It consists of a jump rope or skipping rope which provides the basis for the cardiovascular component.

The ExerBand is for lean muscle conditioning exercises AND you can do the whole body with it. Also a great point about this piece is that it can either be used as a straight bar with band PLUS it breaks in half and allows you to work independent arms for exercises like alternate arm curls or shoulder exercises.

Then I picked up the wheel at a friends backyard sale and have been using it for core training and it is awesome.

So the workout consists of the following :

Skipping (50-75 rotations)

Jump Squats (12-15 reps)

Lunges (10-15 reps then do the other leg)

I do this sequence through three times for lower body

THEN I ADD ONE EXERCISE FROM LIST BELOW EACH TIME THOUGH AFTER THE LUNGES ...

Side Raises (8-12 reps)

Upright Rows (10-15 reps)

Bicep Curls (12-15 reps)

THEN TO FINISH I DO 5 SETS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO EXERCISES ...

Pushups (10-15 reps)

Dips (10-15 reps)

TO FINISH MYSELF TOTALLY I DO THREE SETS FOR CORE WORK ...

Wheel Rolls (on knees 6-10 reps - technique is really important here !)

Start off with the lower number of reps if you are new to exercise or get a fitness professional to check your technique. Enjoy

Sunday 26th July 2009 - The Essence of Life - quality nutrients

The picture I have added is how my day normally begins. An Energy Shake, Cup of Coffee and Nutritional Support.

My energy shake is made up of 250g water mixed with 100g of skim milk, added to that is 45g of Protein (Whey) and two scoops of Barley Grass (Greens).

Yes, like a lot of fitness professionals I need a vice and my choice is coffee. Love the smell, love the taste and also it has beneficially effects for releasing FFA's (free fatty acids) from the fat cell if your levels of insulin are low and your system is not flooded with carbs (sugars).

The tablets you can see are my Multi-vitamin/mineral plus Anti-oxidants and the yellow ones are a Glucosamine/Chrondoitin blend that offsets joint discomfort from years spent training and playing sport.

I often get asked "should we take a vitamin tablet?"

Yes I believe that WE ALL need to be taking "nutritional support" as not only are the quality of foods nowadays not as high as when base daily levels of required intakes were set but also the levels of pollution we ingest causing damage need to be minimized.

Initially each morning I try to do some exercise which will depend on the phase of training that I am in, but mostly it's a health regime that I can do anywhere or anytime and involves both cardio and lean muscle conditioning. It's not designed to be a body building regime but rather an all body workout to promote a healthy life.

To support that activity I ensure that I drink adequate levels of H2O and for me it is about 2-3 litres per day. The Rainbow Eating Plan I created to adopt is based upon Nutrients and NOT calories. I am happy for you to look back through my entries on here and find it and use it.

During the day I re-fuel about every three hours and make sure that there is adequate portions of protein (including plant types but mostly fish, chicken or meat or nuts). I do this as it forms the basis for the elements of our Human ECO System and breaks down into amino acids that form our RNA and DNA. I eat mostly salads and vegetables and occassionally supplement that carbohydrate intake with brown rice or cous cous.

Reducing the processed foods most people consume will lower the intake of unnecessary total calories and move your body from a permanent "storage" mode into a more friendly position for decreasing levels of bodyfat when you add in activity with intensity.

I think that explains the genesis of the Human ECO System and how it all came about. Having been a fitness and health professional advocate for over 20 years I still remain fascinated in the human body and all it's functional forms. Whether female or male you can't help but be impressed by the effort that some people show in achieving what to other's is a "work of art".

In all it's simplicity that artwork involves dedication, commitment, persistence and sacrifice which all amount to the ability to not only set goals but achieve them. If you see someone and think that you would like to have their commitment it will only take you moving forward and allowing yourself to become a priority.

I lead a life that has moments of downtime but mostly it's a constantly evolving pace and while I love the challenges that come my way, as I mentioned in my previous blog, I ensure that the inner aspects of my human eco system are fed and watered. Then when you add the nuturing and respect aspect of "SELF" and these are supportive of self love over self loathing and self belief over self doubt, you are on the road to success.

Are you doing everything you can to HELP YOURSELF ?

If not, then I suggest you make a plan and commit to it and if you are not sure what to do - ask and I will try to assist.

Sunday 26th July 2009 - Bridging The Gap

A few days ago a friend was telling me about some personal issues that he was facing that really weren't all that serious in the big scheme of things and he laughed and said .. "all I need to do is build a bridge .... and then get over it".

We then both laughed because he meant that he had to get on with life and not let "the small stuff" that he had been focusing on, allow it to get him down as none were life threatening and none were substantial.

Later that day, I was thinking about the saying that he had used and how I'm sure that there are times when we all have been in similar situations, that at the time seem insurmountable but in reality don't affect us physically but can and do limit us emotionally.

So when we are "inside the emotional situation", we often find ourselves going through the aspects of our problem with internal dialogue or those voices in your head that don't appear to be too friendly. Sadly they seem to talk us down and can add to our feelings of negativity. Imagine if we treated our friends the way we treat ourselves, I'm pretty sure that the friendship wouldn't last very long and in fact you wouldn't want them as a friend.

Now back to building bridges.

This kind of follows on from my last blog about movement and action. Often we are limited in our understanding of the reason we are sad, upset or "damaged" so the normal reaction is to lock ourselves away and limit human contact. That way we don't have to explain what has or is happening and equally we don't have to listen to the "experts" on our lives.

My personal bridge to recovery is always to focus on what I am doing right at that moment that is healthy for me. Positive thoughts, lead to positive actions, and for that I need a positive plan. I know that we all can't change factors of our lives such as our job or our money situation but there is ONE factor that we can always work on improving. That is our HEALTH.

I tell people all the time in my Spin classes and anyone who asks me about fitness and health topics, that fitness is earned and fat loss becomes the bi-product. For example if you are actively burning more calories than you are consuming, then there is a greater chance that you are contributing to your fat loss goals.

Now with an eating plan that is complimentary to those activity efforts, you are moving positively forward for YOU. Remember that the only true aspect of your life that you control every minute of every day, is what you put in your mouth. That is the personal responsibility part of the plan and we all need to do this.

More often than not when you "shift the focus" from negative problems to positive steps with a focus on healthier living, you will find that it will reflect on the outside (ie your body). It also has been proven to improve mental attitudes and reduce depression, which is what we feel like when we are in those dark places.

So what is my bridge ?

It's taking personal health steps that are focused on ME.

The first step to leading a full and generous life is to actually like who you are, what you are and what you do.

I encourage you all to try this and not only that - show the same amount of empathy to yourself that you would a friend because YOU are not a stranger in the mirror.

Monday 20th July 2009 - Man walks on Moon 40 years ago

I thought that a post on today of all days needed to be worthy and filled with such significance to be relevant for our lives.

The day man walked on the Moon is without doubt one of the greatest achievement of mankind. I can still remember it happening, of course I was very very young (*smiles) and without doubt there would be few people who have not been impressed at one time in their life when looking upwards at night at it's majesty.

To launch a rocket into space in 1969 filled with men who will walk on the Moon, and then to be able to bring it back to Earth, must have seemed like the biggest challenge when it was conceived, and I'm sure there were the doubters.

Of course as an Australian I hold special pride in the fact that we assisted this process to happen in a place called Parkes, for those that don't know the story of our involvement, there is a movie called The Dish that is worth watching. There is a very large telescope there that tracked the moon landing for about two hours and beamed that around the world - so yes we were integral to that moment in time.

It was a time for action and discovery.

So for me I started to wonder about this - if action speaks louder than a thousand words - how many words does inaction speak of ?

When in your life have you faced the prospect of such a journey that the very thought of "change" caused you to become immobile or plagued with fear?

I think that human nature is governed by the fear of the unknown, which is why we seem to be impressed when someone succeeds at anything. We offer praise and hold their efforts up as an example to others of bravery, which as a fan of anyone who "tries to succeed", I am a supporter of these efforts.

More often then not humans find the option to stay in a place of pain is less fearful than that point of decision where we decide to move forward. There is a saying "it's better the devil you know, then the devil you don't" but I would ask the question, why do we mostly assume movement is a bad thing and it will cause us pain.

And it doesn't necessarily have to be forward. It can be sideways or even backwards to move forwards in life. I personally have done more than my share of "movement", some forward, some sideways and definitley some backwards but ultimately I think that has led to constant growth of me as a person.

The ability to make a change is put into motion by that first step, whether it be the decision or the movement but there is no doubt that just sitting and contemplating movement is inaction. We often fear what we think may or could happen is going to be bad and so seem stuck either in a rut, on a treadmill, or in a hole based upon our worst fear scenario's.

I find strength in talking with or being around positive energy. It fuels me and fills me with a sense of purpose or drive to attempt or achieve any obstacle. I can recall when I was invited to compete in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in 2000 and only had 13 weeks to prepare that so many people I know informed me that I wouldn't succeed and it was impossible to think I could do it that to someone like me it was like waving a red flag at a bull.

My philosophy for this life event was simple. This was a life experience I could only dream of attempting after watching the race live the year before and so while I was unsure of how I would go I had no doubt I would finish which was my only goal.

I remember one "friend" telling me that it was a waste of time to compete and not try to win and inwardly I just laughed. That to me is a defeatist attitude. Sorry but in following his belief it appears there is nothing in life to do unless it's about winning, well, I was never that desperate to be first, however he is known for being desperate which is his cross to burden.

I finished that race and take great pride each time I recall how hard it was and holding the medal at the finish line, but believe me there are not many people who have done the race that would tell you it is easy. That is why it is such an honour to be called an "Ironman" I guess.

Another example is two years ago I was invited to undertake a 24 Hour Spin Challenge in New York's Grand Central Station with a charity called HealthCorps. Not only is this one of my favorite charities dealing with teen obesity it was started by a friend (Dr Mehmet Oz) who is truly inspirational and continues to give to this cause even though he is quite busy.

The people who were organizing the event were so motivating and helpful during those moments when I was really being pushed to continue that I did and completed the total 24 hours and felt amazing for at least 30 minutes after the event when I fell asleep upon reaching my hotel room.

Each person has a different motivating factor for doing what they do but it takes "action" to make that happen. My point is that action and movement are linked to success.

No one hands you anything in life that is truly earned and to support this there needs to be a high level of commitment, passion, dedication and drive. We all have it and once your move from fear to positive light there is 9 times out of 10 = personal growth.

So today - think of one aspect of your life, and it doesn't have to be nutrition or activity related that has you hitting the "pause" button and try to see if you can move forward, sideways or even backwards into a better place.

I promise you that the elation of victory is worth any challenge.

It's your life - take charge and own your actions.

Tuesday 14th July 2009 - Latest Studies State the obvious

It seems that over the last few weeks there have been some "HEALTH' relevations that I'm sorry just seem to be obvious and if logic was applied then our Australian (and Global) obesity crisis could be "reduced".

I won't say stopped because there is really no way we can help everyone. Some people just don't care and so as a Fitness and Health Professional it has taken me a long long time to realise that sad but true fact.

Why is it that the Government want us to be committed to being a member of a Health Fund YET don't support our initiatives to improve our health when we make the "pro-active decision to join a Fitness Centre or Health Club.

There suggestion of seeking financially supported consideration to allow people to have "lapband surgery as a medical procedure for losing weight" is a poor choice. This is not only insulting to the fitness industry and any efforts to change lifestyles to healthy ones but it also removes any PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY from those that figure - what the heck I can do nothing and then when I'm dying from obesity, I can get a lap-band.

Is this a poor view for the fitness industry ........... ???

AUSTRALIA'S obesity "timebomb" has already gone off, with more than half the population overweight, a health expert says.

"There is no obesity timebomb. The bomb has already gone off," Associate Professor Katherine Samaras told a federal parliamentary health committee inquiry today.

An obesity expert from St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney, Prof Samaras said 60 per cent of Australians were overweight or obese. Obesity was the "underlying cause" of many individual health complaints treated by public hospitals, including "a majority of non-genetic breast cancers", heart conditions, diabetes and birth complications.

THEN THERE WAS THIS .......

A Monash University study has proven a critical link between obesity and the onset of Type 2 diabetes, a discovery which could lead to the design of a drug to prevent the disease.

The findings were published July 8 in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The team, led by Associate Professor Matthew Watt, discovered that fat cells release a novel protein called PEDF (pigment epithelium-derived factor), which triggers a chain of events and interactions that lead to development of Type 2 diabetes. "When PEDF is released into the bloodstream, it causes the muscle and liver to become desensitised to insulin. The pancreas then produces more insulin to counteract these negative effects, " Associate Professor Watt said.

This insulin release causes the pancreas to become overworked, eventually slowing or stopping insulin release from the pancreas, leading to Type 2 diabetes. It appears that the more fat tissue a person has the less sensitive they become to insulin. Therefore a greater amount of insulin is required to maintain the body's regulation of blood-glucose," Associate Professor Watt said.

"Our research was able to show that increasing PEDF not only causes Type 2 diabetes like complications but that blocking PEDF reverses these effects. The body again returned to being insulin-sensitive and therefore did not need excess insulin to remain regulated."

Associate Professor Watt said identifying the link is a significant breakthrough in explaining the reasons why obesity triggers the onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

PRO-ACTIVE SOLUTION - Dont get overweight and unhealthy !! There is now proof that the complications of obesity CAN KILL you .... I mean apart from the already known complications that happen with various Cancers we now find that obesity can lead you down the path of Diabetes II which can send you blind and can cause you to lose limbs.

So how can we help ourselves.

It STILL isn't rocket science.

1. You need to consume less total calories

2. Reduce the amount of fats (especially saturated)

3. Reduce your intake of alcohol - which is a major calorific aspect most people don't take into account when contemplating their nutritional deficiencies.

AND

4. Get ACTIVE to the point where you are using more calories then you are consuming.

NOTE - If you want to get healthier - not just maintain your current fitness and weight levels, then YOU MUST challenge the INTENSITY that you are training at.

Sunday 14th June 2009 - Are we losing the childhood obesity war ?

I saw this article this morning in the Daily Telegraph and had to repost it as there seems to be a real difference between the problems and the solutions relating to childhood obesity.

In this article it seems that profits for schools have a greater focus then the health of children attending them which bodes well for the future of our country.

With so many "experts" out there telling us we are doing well it seems this is just more rhetoric unless you buy their programs and plans. Then we have the former sports idols of kids who have now become the health experts in the media. I guess they get coverage from media outlets keenn to get people to watch their programs - poor practice I would say as a life long health professional.

The Australian government has a lot to answer for when it allows the content of this article to be its front line approach.

I did however see another article on the weekend that the American First Lady has made a commitment to reducing childhood obesity, so have contacted well known Dr to ask for assistance on this.

Let's hope that Michele Obama will be more successful at making strategic and purposeful change than either of the last two administrations in the US or Australia.

Health nazis losing obesity war as pies return to school canteens

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,25636029-5001021,00.html

THE Aussie pie, pizzas and sausage rolls are back in school canteens as the war against child obesity falters and threatens to collapse.

Lollies, ice creams, chips and even banned sports drinks have also re-emerged on school menus because thousands of families are snubbing healthier foods. Nutritionists and dietitians are desperately trying to rescue the $750,000 school health campaign launched five years ago by former Premier Bob Carr.

They are offering "low fat" Aussie beef pies, pizzas made with wholemeal pita bread and vegetables and chicken burgers to children who turn their noses up at salads and wraps. The anti-health push is greatest at secondary level where students leave school grounds to eat at local fast food outlets or order in takeaway pizza on their mobile phones.

Dietitians have told The Daily Telegraph some schools are offering pies to children three times a day - at breakfast, recess and lunch. In a bid to reverse the trend the Healthy Kids School Canteen Association is taking over some school food operations. Low fat pies, pizzas and sausage rolls, with ingredients that meet health guidelines and home-made lasagne are now the front line items aimed at winning customers back.

Friday is pie and pizza day at Holy Cross Primary School at Glenwood in Sydney's west - portion sizes limited to healthy amounts - and the kids are lining up to get their orders. Canteen Association dietitian Jennifer Madz said Holy Cross would become a template across the state.

"The problem is parents see the canteen as a treat and expect treat food there. We are trying to change the behaviour," Ms Madz said. "High schools are a special problem where students with money in their pockets go off campus to lunch in local fast food outlets. We are working on a plan to combat that."

Canteens hit by the global recession claim profits have been eroded as students resist low-fat menus.

While most sugary drinks are banned from school canteens, the food industry has manipulated some products to get around the rules. To get a non-milk-based gelato accepted the manufacturer added calcium and reduced the portion size.

Banned Powerade became "Powerade Light" and juice was carbonated and sold in a can so children would think it was a softdrink. Under the nutrition rules foods are divided into red (no more than twice a term), amber (to be selected carefully and in smaller servings) and green (fill the menu) categories. But enforcement has been almost non-existent and the Catholic and independent school sectors are not bound by them

Sunday 14th June 2009 - Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones

I saw this headline posted on a billboard yesterday and at the time I was driving to teach my Spin class. I had nearly 30 minutes to contemplate how I would use this saying as part of my motivation in the training session with the gym members.

In life we often see obstacles or hurdles that may present in our lives as problems. They can manifest into situations where we seem to have no option or alternative which makes them insurmountable.

Now let's take a different approach this perceived problem by adjusting our attitude. If you think of those "tough" moments during training sessions when you believe you can't do anymore or improve the result, often the first response is to give up or quit. In this example they are a "stumbling block".

However when those times or situations arise during our training sessions, what will happen if we try to push through that perceived barrier? Probably we will surprise ourselves by achieving success. Of course you will not succeed everytime but there will be times when you cross the line in the sand or break through that barrier. This success was only made possible by "trying". In this example they are a "stepping stone" on the road to improved health.

So it got me to try that with the class. First I spoke of my sighting of the sign. Then I mentioned that I added the next part.

Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones = Perception + Attitude - YOU can make a difference.

At the time we were beginning on a hard hill climb and I wanted them to try harder then their own perceptions of their personal abilities. I really took them on a challenge, I knew that as my heart rate was high and breathing was tough.

I looked around at the class and they were not only working hard but they were also smiling. We all got to the top of the hill and there was a different feeling in the room. A lot of these people were regulars in my class and know that my Saturday morning Hour of Power is not for the faint hearted so I knew that they would be fine but today there was a new lady in the class, who did the climb and also achieved a new high level of personal best effort.

After the class during cool down we spoke of personal experiences and many felt that it was their best effort in a workout. I felt priveleged to have been part of that, because reality is that as the "instructor" we really are only a facilitator to motivate them to work out and it is up to the individual in a Spin class to keep increasing the dial intensity so they really become "their own trainer".

The new lady in my class approached me afterwards, happy because she hadn't ever worked that hard before and was both pleased and surprised. I then congratulated her on her amazing effort. I smiled and asked if she would be back and she held up the timetable with my class circled and said "of course".

Another happy customer on the life path to greater health.

I am still smiling from that class and their effort and can't wait to be back in the saddle.

Days like yesterday is why I am a Fitness Professional !

Saturday 6th June 2009 - The journey continues

I haven't been as regular with writing my health blog lately but that doesn't mean that I have forgotten about it as I really do enjoy trying to make a difference to the lives of others. I'm still attempting to live by example and so am still working out hard and teaching Spin regularly. The one constant in my life is nutrient filled eating habits and living an active lifestyle.

Another aspect I covet apart from changing lives through health awareness is my interest in the entertainment business (scriptwriting + producing both movies and television shows). My last three years have been spent developing script content and now with two completed scripts that are seeking funding, what I have found is that it's definitely easier to write movies then it is to raise funds for them.

One is the animated project (about the MOB) and the others is about a female serial killer (this has also been getting great reviews from peers so if you know a Producer looking for slate content then get them to contact me). I have three other scripts in various stages of writing development in different genre's that keeps my writing fresh (I hope).

While the funding has been taking place it has been a challenge over the last four months to . I have been working to find the "best film Producer" to work with on the animated project and I think that I have one of the most capable people in the Australian movie industry to now work with so that is moving along slowly - but it's moving.

Having been so close earlier this year to raise the funds with our budget of AUD$40M ... then sadly the Global Financial Crisis happened and as a result - I'm now still looking ... looking ... looking ... but hope to have good news in the near future.

So as a result I then had to adjust my "life compass direction" as all my movie contacts in the United States "went quiet" and I was told to be patient as this happens in the movie business all the time but there is no doubt that I have at times felt disappointed that having been so close to raising the money then now feel that I am back at the start line.

Luckily there has been wide spread support for my animated movie project with industry professionals all aware and advising me that this project is worth continuing as it has global audience appeal. Of course that doesn't help me right now so I have had to make drastic living changes to "follow my dreams".

My passion for health is as strong as it ever was but reality is that in a recession filled world it is harder to encourage others to part with their limited income to get healthier and so while I am still teaching my cycle classes this doesn't allow me enough money to focus 100% on my writing so I am now also looking at undertaking some part time Navy Reserve as a Physical Trainer. I was in the Navy some years ago in this role and have applied so hope for news soon.

In the meantime while I wait for that process to happen, it has involved me moving out of my apartment in Sydney and down to Wollongong (an hour south for those who haven't heard of it) to be closer to the family who have been an amazing support network and also will be rewarded when the movie side of my life takes off. Without them and Brooke it would have been so much harder to deal with all the changes.

Now that I'm settling in here and waiting for the Navy to advise me of a "join up date" I will be doing some filming of my Afterburner Workouts and also adding Nutrient Stategies from the Human ECO System Program so keep an eye out for that.

It will also allow me time to focus on writing two of the next scripts - one is a comedy that could be termed a "chick flick" and the other is a co-write of an animated adaption of a published children's short story that seems to be growing all on it's own.

Stay tuned for more updates and information on life changing health strategies.

Tuesday 19th May 2009 - Follow YOUR dream ??

I am constantly hearing those words spoken by motivational leaders and TV experts and to be fair it's mostly by people who are not facing any current life or financial challenges. Personally I think this applies to all of us when times are going well. You see most people who work hard and find "success" either personal, professional or financial are then in a position to be able "to make a choice" about how they spend their time and so advocate following your passion for "inner peace". I support this but also temper that with a strong dose of reality about "needing to pay your bills and support your family".

One of the best examples of this explanation comes from a book titled "The One Minute Millionaire" and it was this book that inspired me to try a variety of life passion pursuits for elements of my career over the last ten years which has been varied and fulfilling for my soul. In the book it states that there are five (5) Freedoms

1. Financial Freedom - the ability to not only meet all your financial commitments but also save and spend it on your leisure pursuits
2. Time Freedom - now you have the first one covered you can choose how you wish to spend your time and with whom as there is no reason to be anywhere you don'w want or have to be
3. Relationship Freedom - now you are meeting all your financial commitments and spending your time the way you wish, there is no outside stress and your time and energy can be devoted to your loved ones
4. Spiritual Freedom - with the other three met you spend time exploring who you are and what you want your life to be about adding context
5. Ultimate Freedom - now that you have met the first four then it is a fulfilling life you are now leading that makes you a whole person.

It is definitely a life I would "choose" and plan to work towards.

For example over the last 10 years my career path has been :

Fitness Instructor - which has been my passion for over 25 years. I have tried to always learn more about the human body and the net result is that over time my body has reflected what I have learned to the point where I still teach Spin classes in Sydney and train nearly every day as it is part of my lifestyle habits now. Life is about constant evolution of both the body and the mind so I believe. This morning I had blood work taken by my Doctor of 12 years who commented I had never looked fitter or healthier. NOTE - he asked for my latest program content about The Human ECO System :-)

TV Show Creator, Producer and Host - in response to the childhood obesity issue back in 1999 a fitness instructor colleague and I created a lifestyle show for kids on Saturday mornings in Australia on the national network which rated very well called The GYM JAM Club. So good was the concept that the network created a similar program to ours and we were dropped after our initial 13 week series .... is there karma in that ? Regardless I continued to believe that solutions need to include education for change so I went back to the drawing board continuing to plot adventures.

Author of two healthy lifestyle books dedicated to changing your life in 8 week plans - there were two as I am constantly striving to find more effective ways to lose bodyfat and improve health. With time and knowledge you find steps change so I am always learning and sharing that knowledge and the last one Human ECO System moved from macro-nutrients such as Fat Protein and Carbs to more important nutrients that get the body to function more efficiently. It also was the genesis of this ongoing Blog.

Nutrition Supplement Consultant - with so many different health issues plaguing us it began to be clear that our nutrient profiles from food were seriously lacking. In response to this I also was aware that I had a profound interest in ways to assist with my own nutritional support. The most obvious and easy was to take nutrition supplements. I spent nearly researching what would work and what was just "marketing hype" and it become clear I needed to be taking a broad spectrum Multi Vitamin and Mineral compound. I contacted the US company Twinlab and sought their assistance to bring a limited range to Australia. They had just partnered with the IRONMAN brand to launch a new series of products specifically for Joe and Jill Average or better known as the Weekend Warriors. This partnership led me to be invited to compete in the 2000 IRONMAN World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii which I contested with only 12 weeks of training and completed (no easy feat let me tell you haha) in 15 hours 36 minutes 24 seconds and it seemed longer.

Epiphany - While I was disappointed for sure that the TV network had excluded us from the new venture and adopted most of our ideas and concepts I never felt that they had approached the children in a way that would do anything for most of them once they reached school age as these programs were more aimed at the "under 5 market". One market I thought the Wiggles had a pretty good strangle hold on :-)

However due to the ongoing issue of childhood obesity I occured to me that most fitness professionals sought to get children more active (which I fully support), with programs either in school or after school and the education experts tried to provide nutritional knowledge in ways such as the 5-a-Day Programs of Vegetables and Fruit or just expecting Parents to cope with the barrage of Marketing that multi-billion dollar food and drink companies spent to over-ride the best choices.

There seemed little cohesive steps to marry these two elements of fitness and nutrition together in a way that would "engage the children". I was always a fan of cartoons, comic books, video games, the internet and of course with technology moving at lightspeed the cool animated movies and their "instant adoption by children to imitate their heroes" so in this "space" is where I chose to develop my content using my A.K.A. principles of Awareness / Knowledge / Action.

Writer / Producer / Director Animated Movie and Interactive DVD Game (http://www.bodymechanics.tv/) - Study of these key elements mentioned above led me to realize that a TV show only had the power to engage children if they saw it, and took action but more importantly only if the networks replayed the key messages. You see what I learned during my journey of discovery during 2003/4/5 in my development of my animated movie and interactive game from childhood learning cognitative professionals is that we try to repeat a key message three (3) times consecutively for it to be remembered. I recalled and it was explained to me in easy to get examples - learning my maths times tables or tying up my shoelaces - long before velcro :-)

From my original concept for the Body Mechanics I was lucky to work with some of the world's leading medical, health and fitness professionals who eagerly wished to participate and be part of the Body Mechanics Advisory Board and included the calibre of Dr Mehmet Oz (Oprah Show and America's Favorite Doctor), Dr Francine Kaufman (worlds leading Diabetes professional) plus many others who all saw the value in this innovative concept.

They all had some light to shed on this aspect that allowed me to finish with two products that I still think is way ahead of it's time and will surely get to be a part of changing and possibly improving the health of children globally. Yes it has won 11 awards in the United States from Parenting and Children's Advocacy Groups and had me interviewed in New York by Dr Oz on the Oprah Radio Show which was a very surreal experience, one I loved and will value.

It now has a series of elements written and waiting for funding for development which include Comic and Cartoon adventures featuring the "good" characters such as Soolyn (Insulin), Gluke (Glucagon), Neuro (the Brain), Sara Bellum (Cerebellum) who are constantly battling the "evil" characters like Kortz (Cortisol), Betez II (Diabetes II), Col Esterol (Cholesterol), Free Radz (Free Radicals) who are led by their infamous titan - AG, which stands for Awesome Guy (the Fat Cell) who rules the uncared or unhealthy body where they battle in the movie titled "Escape from OBEEZ CITY".

Global Health Warrior + Writer / Producer (Warrior Media) - while the other media company is seeking to expand the potential exposure of the Body Mechanics brand with further funding I decided to explore other creative outlets. I have continued to promote healthy lifestyles and teach Cycle classes which I can't ever imagine not doing and always learning more about the Human ECO System which is my "PASSION" although it will not currently provide me for the lifestyle I have described above in the Five Freedoms.

I spend equal amounts of time writing new adventure story content for my movies. One is an animated adventure that is currently seeking funding of nearly $40M but has some very keen interest from Australian voice talent with it's unique storyline. It has already been gathering interest and then I have another script which is about a female serial killer that could be from today's gossip magazines which was fun to write - but don't upset this lady :-)

There are three other scripts and a few TV shows concepts I will continue to explore and in the mean time I am like most people. Working to pay for my lifestyle and in today's market place that is not easy but it is my belief in my passion for healthy lifestyles that keeps me both positive and focussed on achieving goals I set myself. That or I really am an undiagnosed ADD child.

Follow your dream but temper it with the reality that many talented people are doing things that they have to, in order to allow them to live. Also failure is not a bad thing and in fact Thomas Edison failed many, many times to achieve his goals but it took only one success to allow him to always be remembered (light goes off over Tony's head)

Sunday 17th May 2009 - LIFE can take you on a wild ride

For those that have been following along with my Twitter account you would have known that LIFE has a way of presenting a series of challenges and I'm not immune.

But I am nothing if not persistent in my pursuits and when I decide I want to do something - I do it. For example I competed in my first IRONMAN Triathlon with only 13 weeks of training and entered a Half IRONMAN at 6 weeks completing both. I also rode on a Spin Bike for 24 hours for Charity for Dr Oz and HEALTHCORPS after flying from Sydney to New York the night before.

I know that when you put your mind to it there is nothing we can't try. However, I strongly am a believer in the quote "have the courage to finish what you start" so don't give up just because it's going to be hard.

Back to the last 12 months.

The Overview:
I had left my last media company and had decided to further my creative opportunities and wanted to finish work on a NEW 8 week eating and activity which was the genesis of my Human ECO System plan. That completed I wanted then to continue to work on both movie and TV projects while I maintained my passion for changing the world's health issues.

I had five story outlines that I wanted to develop for movies. I wrote two fairly quickly, an animated story and a female serial killer movie plot. The others are still being written and re-written.

The story that I wished to turn into an animated movie I spent a year writing, re-writing and re-writing and then finally re-writing elements to make it stronger. For the unitiated this is standard practice for a movie script. I then had a close friend and very capable Script Doctor add his finesse and we felt we had both unique and compelling content for the movie.

I then attended and won the "Script Pitchfest" competition at the Australian Directors Guild Conference late last September (2008) for the animated feature. I received an amazing amount of support from movie industry people who all liked the project and felt it could be worth pursuing. I needed to gather some momentum to find ways to get the project into production.

Now as it is an animated family movie the budget for this is substantially higher than most movies that get made in Australia at anywhere between $40M and $65M so I was advised to look at the US first. The budget difference ranges from which country it is made in and by whom, who is cast as voice characters, applying and getting subsidies and grants etc, so the process is no easy or fast treatment. I was learning more and more about this as I went and finding out the movie business is alot about keeping things secret - don't ask me why cause that's another secret :-)

Having made my last animated feature for less than $2M and simultaneously making the Interactive DVD Game for another >$1M which all came from a private investor, for this feature having a larger budget and possibly being made as a Movie Studio picture demands that "known or Producers and Directors are required" so I sought to align with other Producers.

In early November the screenplay was forwarded on my behalf by a kind US Agent (as Studios will not accept unsolicited scripts) to two of the major studios (Paramount and Dreamworks) which was very exciting news for me. Then we had the first major credit crunch which slowed down all NEW projects that were currently being made and also stopped any other NEW ones from beginning.

I received my first "PASS" in the middle of December (which wasn't the XMAS present I was hoping for) but very very common in this business. Think of all the people writing and then trying to get movies made and how many actually do.

I had maintained contact with some fantastic Australian Producers who wanted me to meet with an Australian movie company as the Producer felt that this story was uniquely Australian but had worldwide global appeal. We met with them and they wanted to send it to the US Head Office for consideration.

I also had the script logged on an industry website and from that I was approached by a Canadian company looking to make an animated movie with the budget range we had decided upon so they contacted me and asked for the script. It was sent to them but that means it could be 6-12 months before they make a decision so we still wait.

Christmas came and went with no other news which I hoped was a good sign. Then I was contacted by a friend in the US who knew a Producer looking for an animated feature (again within our budget) that wanted to know more about my work. We had a series of emails and phone calls before she asked to read the script and permission to show her contacts.

This happened about six months ago and my animated feature movie was "pretty close to being funded". They had a contact who wished to invest in my movie and certain steps were required to make this happen. The US Producer sought industry guidance from her contacts and felt very strongly that we could get this into production which meant that I was going to be able to live the life that I chose. Buy the home that I had been waiting for and start a famile and then write at my pleasure with other life aspirations.

Then credit crisis part 2 arrived.

The investor was unable to meet the financial obligations and so we went back to the financial blackboard seeking other investors. I was told this was normal and not to worry but this did nothing to alleviate the reality of being an unemployed movie writer / producer who has to face his commitments to living such as eating and living and paying bills.

For the movie I knew was doing everything that I should. I researched the genre to see what was and wasn't getting made and how each was faring at the box office, I then reread the script many times to see if there was anyway to make it more appealing (a constant process until you go into production), I met with other industry contacts to see if there was anyone who could move this onto the next step. I had key Australian voices read the script and guage their interest and all wanted to be involved although none were A-list talent which is another way to get your movie interested by Studios.

After a few months of sporadic communication with my US contacts mostly at my request I decided to again take the initiative and move the project back here to Australia to see if there was anyone or anyway to realize this project. We have an amazing industry pool of talent for making animated feature and if only the budget pool was a large it would be beneficial.

Again two key Australian Producers who had shown interest were very helpful to me on this journey. If and when this project gets made I'm sure it will be in no small part to the roles they both played in assisting me with "movement" so thanks Naomi and Lisa.

With a growing surplus of "bills" mounting I decided to explore all options of being able to provide a "living income" while furthering the movie project for a "life outcome". I met with some friends who had seen me on this journey and knowing my passion for health asked me had I considered undertaking some part-time Defence work. I used to be in the Navy as a Physical Trainer so I began this process. It would provide me income yet still allow me to explore all my creative goals.

I now have two "completed" scripts - well are they ever really complete :-))

The animated one is currently being assessed by a "known Australian Producer" who I believe is possibly the only person capable of getting the necessary funding and also doing the project storyline justice. We are planning on working together on this we her company in the lead role of Producing.

My other script (female serial killer) is being read by two Producers currently but has a much smaller budget of less than $10M so I am hopeful that it will find a Studio or Independent home in the near future but nothing is set in stone. I will continue to write content for the other movie projects that I have planned over the next six months as you never know what will be liked.

In the meantime while I wait for word on the movie projects, over the next few days I hope to be informed of a successful application for re-entering the Navy as a Physical Trainer which I am sure will be an adventure in itself. This will be blogged about as I go so stay tuned for more exciting developments (I hope) that I can share with you.

Yours in Health and Reality .....

Monday 23rd March 2009 - Your LIFE is becoming part of a Global Franchise

I was talking to a colleague and he was telling me about this original new concept in fitness training that he was impressed with. I listened to his description and thought back to my entry into the fitness industry some 20 years ago and what he had described was at the time known basically as a Circuit.

Now they say that what becomes old will once again become new. This was one of those examples and while I didn't want to discourage his enthusiasm or passion for the "new" fitness regime coming along, I felt that really there aren't many more new modes of training using little to no equipment that can be "invented".

Sure there will always be new equipment but again even some of them are more marketing than fitness based. You see them all the time during the early morning hours of television and promising massive results for minimal effort and all come with payment plans.

There is no doubt that fitness is a hard sell. It requires greater than average effort, applied consistency and personal challenge. You must make lifestyle challenges through nutrition intake that requires reduced calories and increased nutrients to support these fitness efforts and in fact there is proof that just making the change to being active can have limited benefit so don't rely on only making half the necessary steps to fat loss success.

So how does this all affect your Human ECO System?

With today's technology comprising all it's elements from Websites, Blogs, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and any other form of social media you wish to name I believe that we are all now becoming "products" in a new global franchise called LIFE. You can find out about absolutely anything you desire, you can follow all your friends in their daily existence and even communicate without speaking. Most of these "activities" aren't active living at all as they require levels of inactivity and no movement unless you are part of the mobile phone age that never leaves you "friendless or alone".

I just urge you to take as much enjoyment in your own life as we all seem to revel in the lives of our friends and family. There is no substitute for YOU.

Now how can we still focus on our healthy lifestyle goals. Try to make a deliberate effort to ensure that YOU are as important to your daily habits as watching the lives of others seems to be to us all. I am no exception with my Website, Blog, Twitter and Facebook but I do always get up and go for a walk outside, breathe the fresh air and drink some water as this will ensure at my next nutrient intake (refuelling with food), that it will enhance not limit my health goals.

I also teach Spin cycle classes three times a week and do three weight based workouts to support my Mind Fitness with some Body Fitness.

Remember - it's YOUR Body - it's YOUR Life !!

Tuesday 17th March 2009 - The Importance of Self

This blog is designed to be more focussed on YOU and the Importance of SELF.

This is the part of you that we don't often speak about as we have been brought up to believe that being aware of one's self is vain, and it's considered egotistical to care about our looks and appearance.

Let's talk about Self Love VS Self Loathe and Self Belief VS Self Doubt.

We often speak about connecting the Mind with the Body, and then in practice do everything to ensure that never happens. We discourage belief and abilities with criticisms of vanity that do more harm than good and in fact can lead to a loathing of the very "home in which we live - our bodies".

Well I'm going to go on the record and say that this "disconnect" directly contributes to affecting our esteem and confidence levels, which are both normally prefaced with the word "self". These false perceptions then perpetuate and lead to our actions most of which present in and lead to our ill health conditions.

Why do we do this?
How do we change it?
Well there is only one person in that conversation and that is YOU.

This came to me the day when I was teaching a Spin class and noticed that there always seems to be a high level of doubt over an individual's fitness level. Most people have little self belief in their ability to work with intensity as it brings on "higher pain levels".

Examples of negative mindspeak are:
"It will hurt if I work that hard"
"I'm pretty sure I can't do that"
"I have never tried that so it's probably too late for me"

So here is what I do. I talk to the class when we are about to work harder about the voices that they will hear in their head. Not the voices of reason but in fact the exact opposite, the voices of doubt.

I tell them to tune them out and I try to encourage them to focus on "positive affirmations" as we start to climb big hills on the bike such as "power, strength and endurance".

This simple mantra is designed to push through their own self held barriers and get them to do the following. TRY IT and then I work to challenge those barriers again with sayings such as "If you can, You Must" and also "Don't just do it - Do It Well".

This shifting from Self Doubt to Self Belief more often than not, empowers them through the difficult parts of the class and there is then a building of Self Confidence in their ability, to do what they previously wouldn't have tried.

I then try to build on that by allowing them a moment of personal congratulations where they need to express inwardly some Self Pride. This is sometimes the first time that many have actually focussed on Self Love, which I think is paramount to a "healthy mind / healthy body".

To put that in perspective, we often guage or assess ourselves by "the stranger in the mirror" (meaning we don't actually see ourselves clearly) with a personal rating of Self Loathe. We will always notice what we don't like, when it comes to the physical presence that we have with our body. No well intentioned comment from a friend or family member will change what WE see unless WE start to believe and covet Self Love.

Then and only then, will we start to begin to make the shift to a healthier place in our heads of Self Belief leading to Self Love that hopefully will increase Self Respect.

Try these strategies with yourself or your friends - It's Your Body - It's Your Life !!

Monday 9th March 2009 - Calories Vs Nutrients

Calories Vs Nutrients = An EVOLUTION for the Plan to save our Human E.C.O. System.

To build on from the last post of my new plan for "Calorie Manipulation", there is not always a relationship between calories and nutrients which is where I am going with this.

So I thought it would be important to point out that I have no problem with anyone eating food either whole or otherwise to meet their daily intake demands. I'm also not advocating the reduction or replacement of whole foods over shakes, bars or tablets but if you need to make a change - these may be of benefit in your time-poor lives.

My point is that generally most people are eating too many calories (or total volume of food) to ever meet or improve their health goals. You know that life long goal of losing bodyfat that never goes out of fashion. For years it has been touted as a simple equation of Calories In VS Calories Out but with that concept not working with obesity rates soaring, we need to find a way to reconnect with the mass population.

It's a hard battle to win against the multi-billion dollar food and drink companies that spend more than our health budget on marketing strategies to encourage us to consume their products so I think I need to find a way.

The next part of this evolutionary calorie reducing but nutrient increasing plan is that we once we get this knowledge under control our focus needs to move from "Calories In" to a better more Human E.C.O. System friendly plan of "Nutrients In".

We need to stop counting calories but not get complacent, as we move forward and evolve to look at what our body needs to function at it's optimum. Think of the way a team of mechanics address the various aspects of a finely tuned race car. Let's simply look at food as fuel knowing it has important functions we need to meet with nutrients and that the body works like a machine, but when neglected will not run poorly or equally when maintained well leaves us breathless.

I should also point out that we need to be aware and realize that in a day I can eat the recommended amount of calories on ANY weight loss plan, yet still be deficient in the necessary nutrients to adequately optimize both my fat loss and health goals.
Not a great or sensible strategy.

My first recommendation is that food that comes from the earth will be laden with nutrients and also normally be less calorific. Great start as we reset and restore balance to our Human ECO System.

Tomorrow's blog is about .... Fibre vs Nutrient Carbs

Sunday 8th March 2009 - Calories Out Vs Calories In = Calorie Manipulation to Lose Fat

I have been doing a lot of research lately, nothing new there, but lately it seems to all focus around one thing - what is the amount of calories we "actually" need to consume each day to succeed at fat loss? And also how we seem to be constantly over-eating way past the recommended amount of calories and getting unhealthier.

So let's take a look at how and why a lot of this happened.
What started out nearly a decade ago with the Body For Life program by E.A.S. to promote the education of non-bodybuilders in how nutrition supplements can assist limiting excess calories and increase nutrients continues to sweep the world today.

I even developed my own program that I ran within my Private Training Studio for my clients back in 1997/98 and the following year I designed a larger scale version that I offered to the fitness industry called "Mission Possible - It's all about RESULTS" but only a few clubs adopted it which led to them having renewed success with client retention. Of course any program that has a limited time frame for fat loss success instead of just offering improved fitness will attract the masses.

In the beginning of these "lifestyle programs" it used to be just supplement companies who ran these programs for large amounts of prize money for the "most successful" person who used their products (with the obligatory sad life story). Then there were a number of online programs and companies who after seeing the numbers of people who wanted to do this, which for E.A.S. was in the millions, adopted similar methods. So it has now become a mainstream phenomenum.
To compete and maintain their market share, even the major weight loss companies had trainer educators and nutritionists develop their own versions, to now even the Shopping Channels have versions that you can buy on monthly installments and from there it exploded to the present day where even the corner Chemist shops are promoting these programs that are based around a number of weeks, such as either 6/8/10/ or 12 weeks with a protein supplement.

But with so many of this type of "programs" now on the market today I am consistently challenged and question the people who are putting these programs together. They seem to be targeting the masses and encourage individuals to eat the same amount of calories each day. Why, as I believe this is contributing to the "growth" in the obesity statistics.

Now don't be confused. I will be the biggest advocate that we should be consuming more protein but put simply if you eat the same amount of calories everyday and do not exercise everyday then you may be contributing to your own ill-health. It doesn't make logical sense from a health perspective if we know most people are eating too much for me not to explore this further.

Let's try some basic mathematics.
If a program asks you to try to eat 2000-2400 calories everyday that means you consume between 14,000 and 16,800 calories a week. Is it me or does that seem a lot to then have to balance out with your personal "energy requirements" of daily living and then be supported by your levels of exercise.

Let's go further. If you work out three times a week, which is more than most people workout on average, and I will be generous here with your intensity expenditure, you "could be burning up to 500 calories" a workout, which is rare but means you ONLY account for 1,500 (output) calories of your 14,000 (intake) calories. Not really that many is it ....... which means you need to adjust or manipulate your calorie intake to meet your output.

Now to my latest "evolutionary" plan.
It's termed "Calorie Manipulation".

Remember we should constantly challenge what we are doing for our fat loss goal so that we continue to get better results (and healthier) and forms part of the ongoing education that I think we all need to learn about our Human ECO System. It encourages you to look at the way you adjust your daily intake of calories based upon your needs AND your fat loss goal. Simply if you don't exercise everyday then there seems to be no basis for consuming the same amount of calories or nutrients that would be required to cope with your daily demands on days you DO exercise.

Here is what I do.
My eating plan is simple yet effective.
Knowing that we are all time poor (and I am no exception) I try to look for easy, fast ways to get maximum nutrients. For me this means EVERY morning I do an "energy shake" focussing on 40-45g or protein mixed with water, some form of "Green foods powder" like barley and wheat grass, and I also take a multi-vitamin / multi-mineral tablet.

Mid morning snack can be either handful of almonds or green apple. Lunch is either salad with some form of leftover protein from previous evening meal or tin of tuna. Mid afternoon snack needs to be easy, so I always do another shake. Dinner is mostly salmon and salad or chicken or lean steak and depending on exercise I may have it with brown rice or cous cous.

Mandatory is regular glasses of water which can be anywhere from 8 to 12 depending on heat of day and yes it is normal to have regular toilet breaks (pee) regularly so stop telling me that you can't do it.

I do some form of activity five (5) days a week, so I manipulate my eating plan on exercise days to slightly increase consumption of carbohydrate intake with either brown rice (1 cup during the day and mostly eaten at lunchtime) or small amounts of cous cous.

Which ever I choose to consume it is still supported by my protein intake at EVERY meal as well as a source of good fats (like avocado or nuts or organic coconut oil in shakes) but not exceeding 30g a day. Those days that I don't exercise I maintain my protein and good fats intake with my sources of carbodydrate coming from salads and vegetables but NOT any other source.

Why focus on intensity?
Over the 20+ years I have been involved in changing the lives of others with training and education it is more often than not "those voices in our head" that limit our success by limiting our belief. These voices are very loud when we exercise with intensity - "it hurts", "this is hard", "I can't do it" are all limiting beliefs that can be "tuned out".

Intensity will ensure that no matter how long you exercise for whether it is 30 mins or 60 mins, you will be achieving your best effort every time which will further influence your metabolic results.

This slight reduction in total daily calories is then also supported by the days that I do train where I aim to be consistent with the intensity of my activities. For example on two of the days I teach an hour Spin (cycle) class and I encourage the class to focus on challenging their personal beliefs of what we are capable of doing. I know that personally I am working to the best of my ability to "use or burn" as many calories as I can which is both good for improving fitness levels and also for changing bodyshape.

I also do three days of lean muscle conditioning and this could either be a class (like PUMP or Bodybar) or it could be and all body free weight workout. This increases caloric expenditure both when working out and at all other times when lean muscle influences your metabolism.

Try this plan for one week. Write down what you eat and what exercise you do and see if you are achieving the best outcome for your health goals.

Remember - it's YOUR Body and it's YOUR Life !

March 6th 2009 - Calorie Manipulation

I am working on this blog to further educate YOU on how just watching what you eat isn't enough to maximize the results you seek.

I plan to have this posted in the next 24 hours so please come back and be ahead of the game when it comes to fat loss.