Geelong's Gym

Either you’re exercise phobic or just plumb full of excuses… some call it BS!

I learnt a great life lesson some time ago and it has stuck with me, because of its simplicity and truth: in every part of life you’re either RESULTS or REASONS.

It’s so true; we all have reasons why we didn’t or couldn’t achieve this or that.  But when you cut to the chase those reasons/excuses are really just stories!

A good friend of mine, Dr Marc Dussault from Exponential Programs, sent me a few cartoons for my blog.  I’ve posted a couple today which I’m sure you’re going to love.  In fact, it was either Marc or the great man, Anthony Robbins, who taught me that wonderful life lesson (results or reasons).

I’m sure, like me, you’ve heard bigger people say stuff like “I’m big boned; that’s why I’m a little larger and can’t lose it.”  Let’s great real here, being big boned is BS, it’s simply a reason they have created to justify their body shape.  Sadly, this story they tell is exactly what is keeping them from achieving more.

So be careful of the stories you tell.  If we’re honest, we all create and tell stories of one kind or another, usually to defend or argue a position we’re taking.  Sometimes those stories are quite frankly brilliant, but sometimes they lack ownership and honesty and become our very own ball and chain…

I haven’t got time to exercise… I have an injury which prevents exercise…

Let’s address the age old time excuse.  Out of 168 hours in a week you’ve probably got around about 90 hours you’re awake or 180 half hour blocks… and you can’t find 3 half hour blocks to go and do some exercise??!!  Bullshit!  That’s just the story you tell yourself so you don’t feel guilty about the lack of exercise in your life.

But you can’t afford to not exercise.  We’re made up of three elements – mind, body and spirit.  Show of hands, who doesn’t want to live life to the full?  No one… thought so.  Do you know that the one thing you can do to make sure you have quality of life is to take care of your body.  After all, you  only get one!

And if you really are a bit time-pushed, then you’re probably stressed out too.  In which case, your body, mind and spirit are desperately crying out for some physical activity to relieve the pressure.  And if you’re fitter and healthier then you’ll have more energy to juggle all the things going on in your life.  There’s a saying I have that energy begets energy!

Now, how about the injury excuse.  I strongly recommend you read my post on 19th August, 2011 about why it’s absolutely essential to exercise when you’re injured, so that your body and health don’t deteriorate.

No doubt you think I’m a bit of an extremist and it’s easy for me to say all this when I live and breathe my Gym.  But I have to work at it too.  Recently I had about 7 weeks off exercise to recover from a hernia operation, so I know what it’s like to have minimal energy and very little interest in resuming exercise because it’s going to be a big battle to get fit again.

But here’s the key, no matter what your reason, excuse or story is… take one step at a time, the same way you eat an elephant, one bit at a time.  Start now, don’t overdo it, make your effort sustainable.  For the first month or so keep it easy and then slowly increase so that at 3 months you’re still exercising and you’re fitter, healthier and enjoying a more full life!

It’s an excuse many people use… I’m exercise phobic!  What they really mean is the thought of pulling on workout shoes and heading to the Gym sends a shudder of horror through their body.

But perhaps you use that excuse to avoid the Gym because you’re simply afraid to do anything for fear of doing the wrong thing.  Maybe you’re just not sure where to start.

Don't push yourself so hard that you're crawling through the door!

A few weeks ago I went back home to visit my very large family back in Canada.  While there, I had an interesting experience with one of my relatives who had just started a walking program.  After just a couple of weeks of walking this person’s entire attitude had changed towards exercise.  In fact, his level of self-belief in being able to do it had risen dramatically, to the point that he is now suddenly motivated to pack in a whole lot of extra exercise, like resistance training for toning and conditioning.

I reckon there are heaps of people in the same boat.

The vast majority of people start with the right intention to begin exercising but, as we see so often in the Gym setting, they do too much too early.  It’s like their enthusiasm and motivation kicks into overdrive and they increase the content and length of their workout beyond what is realistically sustainable for a person at their level of fitness.

My advice is start with something manageable, such as an exercise program which you can perform regularly for about 30-40 minutes.  Trust me, working out three times a week for 30-40 minutes is far more effective than pushing yourself beyond your limits with a 1 1/4  hour workout.  Not to mention, you’ll feel tired and exhausted if you try to keep up longer workouts when first starting out and then you’ll just resent the time you’re spending exercising, which could be devoted to something else, and you’ll end up throwing in the towel.

The key to changing your life is to make the change sustainable.  And as time goes on and your fitness improves, along with your energy levels, you’re far more likely to be able to increase the length and frequency of your workout effectively.  By this point you’ll be reaping the benefits of a healthy, fit lifestyle and suddenly exercise becomes more valuable in your life because you’re getting results… so you’ll actually want to spend more time exercising!

Now that Spring is in the air, most of us start getting worried about fitting into our summer clothes again.  Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix.  However, we do have a few tips that will help you move that stubborn tummy fat:

• 

  Eat your way to a flatter tummy!

  Eat Dark Chocolate – we all know we need to eat less rubbish and more good foods, but let’s face it, sometimes you just need a treat!  So instead of the usual block of milk chocolate, chips or ice cream, have a little dark chocolate instead… because it’s actually good for you.  Dark chocolate boosts good HDL cholesterol levels, plus it contains natural substances that help control insulin levels and relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and it provides important minerals including copper, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron.  What’s not to love – it tastes good and it’s not on the taboo list!

• Add Apples to your shopping list – fresh fruit is a must and apples come high up on the list as they’re packed full of antioxidants, such as quercetin, catechins, phlorizin and chlorogenic acid—powerful antioxidants.  Chop them up with some blueberries and yogurt and you have a delicious summer dessert minus all the calories.  There are also plenty of great varieties in the supermarket at the moment, so go nuts!
• Speaking of Nuts – instead of snacking on biscuits and chips, have a container of nuts and seeds handy for when the munchies hit.  They’re a great source of many key nutrients, including protein, fibre, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, B vitamins and vitamin E.
• Eat more green vegies - I know, I know, this isn’t news to you!  But if you’re really wanting to trim that stomach down, you need to eat less carbs at night and more vegies, especially broccoli which is high in fibre, aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and, best of all, curbs overeating.
• Lean meat is your friend – we all need protein but that’s not an excuse to whack the barbie on and load it full of sausages and burgers.  Instead, go for skinless chicken, which is a great source of protein and low in fat.

But most of all, if you really want to get rid of that tummy fat you need to get moving!  That’s right, exercise is the key to really shifting the fat and getting a fabulous flat and toned stomach.

Do you love your coffee but feel like everyone around you is pressuring you to give it up?  Don’t despair… coffee can actually be highly beneficial for more than just keeping you alert and functional!

Love that coffee!

Here are a few reasons why you need to keep drinking coffee:

1. Coffee can help you breathe better - researchers have discovered that a coffee before you workout can help reduce the severity of exercise induced asthma symptoms.  Drinking the equivalent of 2 cups of coffee about an hour before a workout was as effective as an inhaler at opening sufferers’ airways.
2. Coffee can help you get more out of your workout – yes, a dose of good old coffee between back-to-back workouts can keep you going longer, a study from the Journal of Applied Physiology reports.  Athletes who drank a caffeinated carbohydrate beverage after cycling had 66 percent more glycogen (an energy reserve) in their muscles than those who had a caffeine-free version.  Greater levels of glycogen help you go further and faster in your next workout.
3. Coffee can help prevent post-workout soreness – sick of your muscles giving you grief after every workout?  The University of Georgia in Athens discovered women who had the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee the day after stimulating their quadriceps (such as squats) felt 48% less leg pain within an hour.  Why? Caffeine can potentially block the body’s receptors for the pain-causing chemical adenosine.
4. Coffee can give your cardio session a boost - that’s right, there may just be a way to make those killer cardio sessions feel easier.  Women given the caffeine equivalent of about two cups of coffee an hour before cycling reported 40% less pain than those who went decaf.  Caffeine appears to block neurotransmitters that signal discomfort during exercise, researchers say.
5. Coffee provides fuel for your body – coffee may help you get more from your workout, a study from the University of Birmingham in England finds.  Cyclists using a caffeinated drink absorbed 23% more carbs – getting a bigger dose of fuel – than those who went decaf.  In fact, mixing caffeine and carbs packs greater benefits than either alone, scientists note.

There you have it folks… coffee can actually have a huge impact on your workouts and we all know that health and fitness go hand in hand.  So keep up the coffee!  (Just make sure you keep up the exercise too!)

If you’re injured and you avoid exercise or activities which engage that area… you may be doing yourself a disservice and putting yourself at greater risk.  Let me explain what I mean.

The other day I had a stint in hospital for hernia surgery.  When talking with the nurses they would, of course, ask me what I do for a living etc.  Naturally, it didn’t take long for me to start talking to them about health and fitness.  For those of you who know me, that won’t surprise you!  :-)

The right kind of exercise is a great way to bounce back quickly from injury

Being in that environment, hearing their stories and having those types of conversations, I had this overwhelming need to write a post about injuries.

So many people avoid exercise for fear of aggravating an injury.  In fact, if you’re 30+ and participated in sporting activities at a younger age, it’s likely that you will have some kind of injury.  If that’s you, I imagine you’re probably limiting or avoiding exercise for fear of further aggravating that injury.

This is a common reaction.  But, not exercising is putting you at greater risk.

You see by not using a body part, your body will atrophy (i.e. lose muscle tone/condition) in that particular area.  Which actually makes you far more susceptible to re-injury.

What is really needed is an exercise regime that helps to work and strengthen that specific area whilst not aggravating it during the process.  Those of you who have been through this will know what I mean when I say it’s a somewhat tricky endeavour to do this, but it’s essential to make sure you do so.

Because what happens when you have an injured group of muscles is, as a rule of thumb, the muscles will borrow from other muscles to get the job done (movement), which can then create muscle imbalances resulting in other injury and still not dealing with the initial problem.

I think it bears noting here that there’s research out proving that an aerobic athlete loses muscle tissue with ageing (atrophies) at the same rate as a couch potato.  So no matter what fitness level you’re at, some resistance and strength training is required to maintain strength in one’s body and to maintain muscular toning and conditioning.

It might seem like I’m pitching for business here, but a good personal trainer who understands rehab and strengthening whilst being cautious to not re-injure is well worth their weight in gold.

In summary, I really would encourage those of you who have injuries to look at getting involved in an exercise program which will help to strengthen that area, with proper guidance and instruction.  Otherwise, you risk re-injury at a later rate.

In this computer age  most of us are guilty of slumping over our lap tops and desk tops for hours on end… what we often fail to consider is the long term effect this practice is going to have on our posture, particularly as we get into our latter years.

What is... and isn't... good posture?

Bad posture doesn’t just look awful, but is also associated with a whole host of health issues – neck pain, headaches and jaw pain to name but a few.

In fact, research has discovered that poor posture can have an impact on fatigue, as well as having a negative effect on breathing and digestion.

So, how can you keep your posture nice and upright?  Here are a few tips:

• Make sure you stand up straight, as though there is a string coming from the top of your head pulling you up.
• Don’t slouch!  Pretend there is a light in the middle of your chest – you need to make sure the light is always shining forward and not toward the floor or your lap.
• Regular exercise!!! Yep, there’s no escaping it!  Our bodies were designed to move every day and regular exercise helps keep muscles strong and long.
• Try not to sit down for long periods.  Take regular micro-breaks every 30-45 minutes where you get up and walk for a few minutes.

What do your Stars say about your workout?  Find out here with our fun Astrology Workout…

Your Workout Week Ahead:

Make sure you get out there and really push yourself!

Aires

The skies are jam-packed with lots of astro action this week.  You’re front and centre for all the best things on offer so push yourself to the limit and don’t hold back on the heart beats.

Taurus

This week really could be the week for you to hit some new PB’s… you just have to believe you can do it!  You are truly amazing and you have awesome stars backing you. Go for broke!

Gemini

Relentless demands on your time are no excuse for not finding time to indulge yourself…  just make sure you balance the chocolate and eating pleasures with a good serve of exercise.

Cancer

Whilst work demands are increasing, make sure your mood is positive and the work is satisfying.  Same goes for your exercise regime.  Maybe it’s time to mix it up a little if it’s boring you.

Leo

It’s time to step out of your usual exercise routine and stand up for what you want to achieve.  Enlist some help from a personal trainer and start a new, fabulous training sequence today.

Virgo

All is going along so smoothly so make sure you get value for money from your membership.  Don’t derail your workouts by having a ‘blowout’ and falling off the tracks.

Libra

You are a Libran who has been working too hard so take some time out to look after yourself.  Your body needs to unwind a little so remember to stretch well after each exercise session.  Maybe some Yoga or Pilates is an option.

Scorpio

Go easy on the people you love. You could start to feel overdriven and given to anger more easily than usual. It’s time to de-stress and get into the exercise zone and lift your endorphin levels. Some good intensity cardio would do the trick.

Sagittarius

Let’s hope you’re in the mood for friendship… perhaps even romance?  Smile and engage with people you see at the gym, someone is looking into your eyes. Be creative with your workouts as that someone is watching.

Capricorn

You’re in an intense work cycle and home life is intense too. Your stars strongly advise to cut yourself some slack and have fun at the gym.  Try a new class that you’ve been eyeing off for a while or throw in those new weights exercises you’ve been thinking about.

Aquarius

Your stars are telling you to get advice from the exercise experts if you want clear direction and motivation. Get your family involved in your plans and results will follow. Listen carefully.

Pisces

You are starting to get on a roll with exercise and you can expect the best results if you don’t get silly with eating and over-indulging before the hard work is done. Input versus output.  Keep a clear picture of your nutritional balance.

Today’s post is a bit of an announcement, because sometimes you just have to blow your own horn!

I’m delighted to announce that Geelong’s Gym is now offering and delivering educational programs.  In partnership with Training Sense, we are now providing Certificate III and IV in Fitness!

We’re so excited to be in a position to make this happen.  We’ve always excelled in being an industry leader in services and programs and we continually look out for new and innovative ways to improve our Gym in any way possible.  Why?  Because adding value to our product, and ultimately to our member’s experience, is both a smart way of operating a business and is also very rewarding on a personal level when we see how we improve and change lives.

There are few training organisations that come from the position of owning a Gym and who are located within a Gym.  So it fits nicely into who we are… because we have those things plus we’re progressive and place a lot of energy and importance on continual education.

Our Personal Trainers are regularly attending workshops and educational sessions to continue learning and growing.  We’ve run our own TRX, Kettlebell and Boxing workshops; we’ve had a physio come and talk to the trainers and not long ago, we had Mike Martin, Carlton Football Club’s Sport Psychologist, come and educate us on  people’s mindsets and behaviours around exercise.

Think we’re just lucky to have the right connections?  We know what luck is – hard work and perseverance!  You see this is all possible because I have the right people on the right seats, a key learning from the book, “Good to Great“.

I have an outstanding team below me… I have always known that when I find a great person, do whatever it takes to keep them.

The more capable, skilled and ownership type attitude my team have, the more I’m fired up to look for new and innovative things.  Not to mention, the culture is then created which supports and encourages other members of the team to look for and be proactive with ideas and possible improvements.

So I’m grateful for my team and that is my lesson for today… look for great people and then do everything to hold onto them!

Just like every other muscle in the body, your brain works best when it’s kept in shape. Sure, you can’t literally get your brain out and make it run on the treadmill… but did you know there are a whole lot of ways you can actively keep your brain in peak shape?

And if you’re wondering what’s the point… just think how much sharper, happier, creative and more productive you could be or how much better you would respond to stress if you regularly exercised your brain.

Here are a few tips from Paul Taylor from the Human Performance Institute:

• Train your brain – exercise, complex resistance training and vibration training can increase brain growth.  Add to that cognitive training, such as crosswords, learning a musical instrument or another language.
• Feed your brain – good nutrition is vital for brain health, especially omega 3 fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, unprocessed carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables.
• Defend your brain – from alcohol, drugs, tobacco and lack of sleep.
• Befriend your brain – meaningful interaction with others is essential and giving to others stimulates reward paths in the brain.
• Manage your brain – expressing emotions reduces intensity in the brain.  Deep breathing exercises will help reduce stress.

Information in this article sourced from The Sunday Age.

Have you been thinking lately that you need to do some exercise, but you don’t want to shell out on a Gym membership?  I bet the next step in your thinking goes something along the lines of… “I know, I’ll get a treadmill for home – that’ll be heaps cheaper and I’ll use it all the time!”

Sounds like a great plan.  Except, it doesn’t usually work out quite the way you think it will…

Dr Marc Dussault from Exponential Programs sent me this great graph he got from GraphJam, which I thought I’d share with you.  Still thinking it’s too expensive to join a Gym??!!