Geelong's Gym

Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, new research pops up to change the way you should eat, drink and cook.  Let’s take a look at some of the old thinking and what the latest is…

• 

  Yes it’s true, you now have permission to chew!

  Eating Fat Makes You Fat.  The Mayo Clinic in the US has found people who increased their intake of monounsaturated fats actually lost weight without decreasing their kilojoules.  Plus, olive oil, nuts, olives and avocados reduce stomach fat.

• Chewing Gum Makes You Hungrier, So You Eat More.  Not so.  A study has found people who chew gym for an hour a day are more likely to eat less kilojoules at lunch, feel less hungry during the day and use 5% more kilojoules.
• Room Temperature Water Is Best For Rehydrating.  A new study says to keep it chilled.  According to Dr Jason Lee, cold water could be the most direct way to reduce core body temperature, therefore taking you longer to heat up and slow down.
• After A Tough Workout Take Nurofen To Offset Soreness.  Popping anti-inflammatories actually reduces production of the chemicals needed for muscle growth and repair.
• Steaming Is The Best Way To Cook Vegies.  These days, the microwave does a much better job of retaining the most recovery-boosting antioxidants.  Put your vegies in a bowl with a small amount of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

This information was sourced from Australian Women’s Health magazine.

Les Mills Body Combat - kick your way to a tighter butt!

What is the best workout for your butt? 

At Geelong’s Gym we have some different options…

Sure, Karen’s Butts ‘n’ Guts class on Tuesday nights at 6.30pm and Wednesdays at 10.15am is awesome!  But, you can also try Nathan’s Friday night Les Mills Body Combat class at 6.30pm!

It’s the “lunges’ and the “round house kicks” that really get you.  No gloves required, but you’ll punch and kick your way to a great toned body and a rock hard butt!

And by the way, this class is a whole lot of fun!

What a fantastic week it’s been!  I had the awesome privilege to be part of an event where AFL Legend, Tom Hafey, shared his secrets to great health.  And boy, does this guy walk what he talks…

Every single morning he gets up at 5.20am and runs 6-7 kilometres along the beach.  When he returns home he does 200 push ups and 700 sit ups!  So it’s no wonder he’s got the strength and fitness of a man half his age!

Tom Hafey with event organisers Gerard Spriet from Geelong's Gym, Ross Hultgren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics

I, along with Ross Hultren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics, wanted to actively promote good health and wellbeing in the Geelong community.  We invited Tom because he has such a strong link to Geelong and, of course, because he’s such a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a healthy, fit lifestyle.

Incorporated into the evening was the introduction of our new BioAge Program at Geelong’s Gym.  We are thrilled to have this cutting edge technology which allows us to accurately measure a person’s biological age in comparison to their chronological age.

Unfortunately, a huge number of Australians have a biological age significantly higher than their chronological age.  But the good news is, now that we can accurately measure it we can improve it!  If you want to know more about this revolutionary program, click here.

All proceeds from the evening were donated to local Geelong charity, Our Women, Our Children.

I’m guessing that most of you guys out there think Yoga is for particularly flexible women and no way are you going to even attempt contorting your body into impossible positions.  Am I right?

But here’s the thing, change is inevitable and that’s just the case with Yoga and men.  In recent times, Yoga has become the new cross-training for men who want to increase their flexibility and improve their muscle conditioning.  Why?  Well, if you play sport, wouldn’t it be great to be able to bend your body into above mentioned nearly impossible positions?!

Still not convinced?  Here are some excellent ways men can benefit from Yoga:

I'm sure this picture more accurately depicts than words how much of a workout Yoga can give a man

1.  Yoga works the entire body.  Did you know, in sports like football you only utilise approximately 10-15% of the body, whereas Yoga provides a workout which covers every muscle, joint and organ.

2.  Yoga has benefits in the bedroom.  Guarasana, or the Eagle Pose, is a posture which sends fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs, so this is a particularly beneficial exercise for men in revitalising their bedroom prowess!

3.  Yoga works for every size.  It doesn’t matter how you look when you practise Yoga, it will push your personal boundaries by increasing your flexibility, endurance and muscle strength.

4.  Yoga decreases muscle soreness.  Yoga is hugely beneficial in working out stiffness from other sports.  When muscles are fatigued, it stretches and releases tension.  Runners in particular find Yoga the best activity after a long endurance run.

5.  Yoga restores energy levels.  Rather than depleting all of your energy, Yoga actually increases your vigour, making you feel more aware and revitalised.

6.  Yoga trains your focus.  By combining mental, physical and emotional strength you can become a better athlete in your chosen sport.  Generally, men struggle to let their egos go, but in Yoga you train your mind to shut down and can, therefore, more easily focus it when you need to.

7.  Yoga flushes your system.  If you’ve been drinking a little too much lately, Yoga is the perfect way to rid yourself of all those pent-up toxins.

So there you have it.  Seven fantastic reasons why men should start doing Yoga.  And if you’re still not convinced, some famous men have practised Yoga to heighten their sporting performance: Wayne Gretzky, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and John McEnroe to name but a few.

So guys, why not give it a go.  To find out more about Yoga at Geelong’s Gym, click here.

Geelong’s Gym is excited to announce Tommy Hafey will be speaking at an event, organised by Geelong’s Gym, Claridge Naturopathics and Chapman Welsh Financial Services, about his secrets to great health.

Tom Hafey

We figured he was the ideal person for the job because not only does he have a strong connection to the people of Geelong but he also has a pretty spectacular qualifying resume!  Here are just a few highlights:

• He’s coached FOUR AFL teams – Richmond, Collingwood, the Sydney Swans and, of course, Geelong
• He’s coached over 500 VFL/AFL games for a 66% win record – oh and, in that time his teams have made TEN grand finals, resulting in  FOUR Premierships and a tied Grand Final
• In his first year as Collingwood coach the team rose from wooden spooners to be in the Grand Final
• He has never been beaten as a coach of the Victorian State Teams
• Only once in 22 years coaching football did a Hafey-coached team finish lower than seventh

Pretty impressive isn’t it?!

So okay, he’s got the credentials… but I’m not really that interested in hearing how to become more healthy.

Can I be blunt?  Good.  Here’s the thing, if you’re not a bouncing ball of energy who looks a good 10 years younger than you actually are… you need to take a good hard look at your health.

Let me ask you another question.  Does your biological age match your chronological age?  And I’m not just talking about how you look on the outside, although that’s part of it. 

Do you look older than you are?  Do you feel older than you are?

For the majority of Australians, what’s going on inside us is pretty scary and our bodies are actually functioning (or perhaps more accurately, not functioning) at a biological age greater than our chronological age.

That’s pretty alarming – especially if you’re wanting to live a good long life with a body that can keep up with you.  But here’s the good news, your biological age can actually be reversed!

So why not come along and hear Tom Hafey speak.  And while you’re there, you’ll learn how you can utilize the Bioage Program to measure and improve your biological age.

When: Wednesday, 14th July at 7.00pm

Where: Newtown Event Centre, 40 Read Street, Newtown

Entry: Gold coin entry to be donated to Geelong Charity “Our Women, Our Children”

RSVP: By Wednesday, 7th July to Geelong’s Gym

For more information, click here.

Were you going really well with your fitness routine but now you’re stuck in a rut?  Believe me, you’re not alone.  We know it’s frustrating but we’ve got some solutions from Australian Women’s Health magazine for four of the most common reasons your workout regime has gone awry…

1.  The New Job.  It can take quite a lot of time and effort to get up to speed in a new job and that can play havoc with your fitness regime.  To get your mojo back, ask around your workplace and find out who manages to fit regular exercise into their busy work schedule.  Maybe they squeeze in a lunch time visit to the gym or maybe they stop there on their way home.  Whatever they do, find out what their daily routine is and try adopting it for yourself.  And if you need some motivation to get started, why not ask them if you can workout with them.

2.  The Big Move.  No doubt about it, moving house is a big deal and it can take weeks to get everything unpacked and a normal routine reinstated.  Here’s a couple of hints – pack your workout gear last, so it’s easily accessible when you start unpacking.  Before you move, check out where the closest gym is and map out your driving route ahead of time, so you know exactly where you’re going.  Don’t forget, if you keep up your exercise routine you’ll have a whole lot more energy to get through those boxes much faster.

3.  The Injury.  Yep, this one is a killer, especially if you’ve had to sit on the couch for weeks or even months.  Getting back off the couch can be a challenge.  Firstly, set a goal for your fitness level when you can resume exercising – this will help you look beyond your current injury and towards your future fitness.  Secondly, consult with your doctor about what exercise is possible with your injury, so when you’re back on your feet you won’t be starting at the beginning.

4.  The New Baby.  Argh, those extra post-baby kilos and lack of sleep.  Finding time for a workout can be difficult, but if you can squeeze regular exercise in while your partner or mother is looking after the baby, you’ll find you have a whole lot more energy to get through the day and enjoy the new addition to your family.  And ladies, don’t stress yourself out by trying to drop the baby weight in record time.  If you add any exercise at all to your day the weight will come off.

Getting back into regular exercise can be tough once you’ve broken your routine, but don’t give up.  Set yourself a goal, find that thing that got you motivated in the first place and make a start today.