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.