Implementing diet change for long-term health and improved body composition

Most of us have had success with diet and exercise programs where we lose body fat in a short space if time. We then get hit with a major plateau and the body fat moves slower and slower. This is a very common complaint from a lot of my clients who are trying to lean up. It can be reasonably easy to lose a few kilos by cutting the obvious bad bits from your diet and becoming more active, but losing the fat that you have spent years putting on will require a little more strategy. Since diet makes up such a large contribution to your body composition it’s now time to be a bit more structured with your diet, and step beyond simply cutting out all Big Macs and fries!

The first thing to do is to reconnect with your goal. You need to be reminded every day of what you’re trying to achieve, so that you’ll find it easier to choose something good to eat whenever you’re faced with a decision. Things like putting an old picture of yourself, or a pair of your favourite jeans that you wore 10 years ago on your door are a couple of ideas.

It is then time to implement changes in your diet. The first step is eating smaller portions. If the food you eat doesn’t contain much protein and quality fresh fruit/vegetables then you will struggle to feel full or satisfied. The poorer the quality of food means the more you need to feel satisfied. So increase the quality of your meals and reduce the size!

Next is to implement one of the following rules into your day or a single meal with the mantra ‘food is my fuel and nourishment, it is not my entertainment’.

Rules of healthy eating for optimum health and body composition:

1. If it has sugar added don’t eat/drink it
2. If your great grandmother wouldn’t recognise the ‘food’ you’re eating then avoid it
3. Don’t get sucked in by ‘low fat’ foods. Fat is not the enemy, processed carbs are. eg bread, pasta, cereals.
4. Drink at least 2-3 litres of water every day
5. Eat fresh fruit/vegetables and protein with every meal
6. Alcohol can sabotage all your good efforts
7. Snack on real food. Eat walnuts, carrots, apples, bananas, rockmelon, fresh young coconut (water and flesh), tuna/salmon/sardines in a can, mixed bean mix with chopped onion, pesto, etc.

Choosing one rule at a time will make the process of solidifying a habit much easier than trying to do everything at once. Once you have one of the rules ingrained as habit for one meal or the whole day (water, no alcohol, good snacks), then try 2 meals or apply 2 rules to one meal. For example to start out drinking 2-3 litres of water every day, once that feels easy to do try not eating anything with added sugar in your breakfasts, then if you want to really step it up make your dinner so that it only contains protein and vegetables. The key is doing things in small steps by adding just one rule at a time. Remember if done slowly these eating habits will be with you for the rest of your life, so there’s no rush to do them all at once.

If you’re stuck getting started then just remember what Aristotle said. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” Which rule would you like to make a habit first?

My Experiences with Exercise and Depression

There is a good chance that you know someone that has or had depression or you may have even suffered with it yourself. Depression is a terrible illness that affects one in 5 women and one in 8 men. The illness still has a terrible stigma which magnifies the impact even more so. I have been very close with the illness as I love many people that have suffered with it at some stage.

The most encouraging part of my work is seeing people conquer this illness with the assistance of exercise. I by no means believe that exercise is the saviour here. The illness requires a comprehensive approach for success but exercise certainly plays a part.

One of the big challenges for people suffering depression is that they don’t feel like exercising. Depressed people only exercise half as much as people who aren’t depressed. It is a vicious cycle as a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of depression and depression increases the likelihood of a sedentary lifestyle.

The toughest part is that first step. It can seem like a monumental mountain to conquer and unbearable at first. My encouragement is to take that first step because you will undoubtedly feel a lot better for the experience. You will be making a great step in boosting your self-esteem and you will be improving your body’s chemical profile. Exercise not only burns up stress chemicals like adrenalin but it also boosts serotonin, the happy hormone.

Encouraging someone you know with depression to exercise and assisting them is a kind and loving action. However, you must also be patient and sympathetic as there will be times when exercise might just feel too much and totally overwhelming.

The type and amount of exercise is secondary. The most important thing is movement and taking steps to recovery. Choosing activities based on enjoyment is far more important.

Exercise and Managing Stress

Life is full of unexpected turns and twists! Some are joyous experiences while others can leave us feeling down or stressed. Stress is a very common emotion that affects all of us at some point in our lives. When we feel stressed it is very common to reach for things that comfort us. For some this may be food, alcohol or even drugs. Instead of making us feel better these things can leave us feeling worse.

It is important to take care of yourself when you are feeling down or stressed. Taking up a form of exercise has numerous benefits for managing stress relief. In addition to losing weight exercise can help release negative emotions, decrease stress hormones and improve your overall health and longevity.

If you are someone who needs lots of motivation to get up and moving, then the word ‘exercise’ can seem like a huge step to take, however it doesn’t have to be. Start with a simple activity that you find easy to do and enjoyable. For example doing some gardening or some gentle stretching can be a great way to start. Then gradually increase the time you spend doing these activities and once you feel comfortable try something different. Exercising with a friend is also a great motivator, so if you have a friend you can meet up with for a walk or a bike ride this will make the thought of ‘exercise’ more bearable.

Looking after yourself is the key to a happy and healthy life. Learning new ways to keep yourself energised will help keep your stress down so you can enjoy life!

No Weight Loss Doesn’t Equal Failure

I have seen hundreds of people come to Coastal Bodies in the last 3 and half years because they want to lose weight. We have a great track record of success with our exercise programs and weight loss. However, weight loss doesn’t always occur with clients yet they revolutionise their bodies and health. Does this make the program or process a failure?

The answer is an overwhelming NO! However, I see too many clients attach too much importance to the figures on the scales. So much so that I wrote the article ‘A Weighty Issue’ in 2010 about the limitations of just using weight as a measure for body composition. This article can be found at http://www.coastalbodies.com.au/category/blog/.

It kills me to see clients working their butts off in the studio and being incredibly disciplined with their diet and then to have them shattered because the scales said they hadn’t lost weight. I am a big believer in goals and having big aims when it comes to changing your body composition. However, big weight loss goals can be dangerous because there will inevitably be plateaus and there are limitations of solely using weight when measuring your body composition. The limitations can be seen below:

If this female just used weight as a measure then she would be very disappointed….. However, her change in body shape is remarkable and her exercise and nutrition program have decreased her body fat % and girths (hips, waist, thighs and arms) significantly.

So what should we do??? If you want to change your body composition then make sure you are measuring it through many different forms:

1. Girths
2. Body Fat %
3. Weight
4. Clothes – How do they feel, belt size etc
5. Photos

You will get a far more accurate picture of how you are travelling and the success of your program. Most importantly you won’t get disheartened if you don’t lose weight and have the temptation to quit. Quite often you will lose cm’s and body fat and the scales won’t move.

New Mothers Group

We are very excited to announce that we have a new Mother’s Group starting on March 14^th at 11 am. There are 5 places available and Babysitting is included. The classes will be run by our Pilates instructor and Personal Trainer Rebecca Ronanyne.

New Beginners Kettlebell Class

We have a new 4 week beginner’s class starting April 4^th. We have 3 places left. The class will be on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm and will be run by Level 2 instructor and national kettlebell presenter Boris Bojanovic.

Facebook Update

Congratulations to Lauren Macauley on winning our February Facebook competition! She has won 3 free sessions for joining our page.

We have a new competition in March where you will be in the draw to win a Training Package worth $150 if you post a photo of healthy meal or a recipe of a healthy meal. Our Facebook address is www.facebook.com/coastalbodies

The Gift

Not so much of a gift for this edition but rather a hot tip…. There is a free application called ‘My Fitness Pal’. It is an amazing food diary that calculates your recommended calories, calorie input and expenditure. It also breaks down your macronutrients.  I highly recommend it as you will become so much more aware of the nutritional intake of your diet.

A Weighty Issue

Just about everyone I know has wanted to lose weight at some stage. Weight loss is ingrained in our culture and everyone wants to lose a few kilos before the wedding, to fit in the new dress or to look great for the school reunion. 9 out of every 10 people who see us have weight loss as their number 1 goal. Weight loss is a billion dollar industry and a favourite conversation topic. It is this exposure and emphasis that leads to it being such a popular goal amongst clients. So this begs the question, just how important is a person’s weight?

The simple answer is that it’s not important when taken on its own. The main problem with measuring your weight is that it doesn’t take into account the body composition of the individual. Jumping on the scales doesn’t determine your distribution of body fat, bone and muscle mass. I have seen many people revolutionise their bodies and only lose a minimal amount of weight.

Why does this happen? Well in any good exercise program there should be a combination of cardiovascular and weight training (this includes bodyweight movements such as squats and push-ups). This weight training will lead to an increase in muscle mass, which is essential for boosting your metabolism and reducing your fat mass. Muscles are much denser than fat and can therefore weigh more whilst taking up 1/3 the space. Many footballers with rippling abs and bulging muscles are actually defined as overweight when using some weight guidelines.

If you are seeking to determine the effectiveness of your exercise routine, make sure that you take your body fat % (either from body fat scales or skinfolds), weight and girths. Notice how the latest government health campaign focuses on waist and hip girths rather than weight! In fact, many of our clients are aware of their success when their clothes no longer fit them.

So do not obsess with those damn scales! You might be enhancing your health dramatically with reduced fat mass, decreased waist and hip girths and improved aerobic capacity but not reducing your body weight and that is great!

The Kettlebell: A Great tool for getting Strong, Fit and Toned

Everywhere you turn these days you are confronted with people swinging around big hulking pieces of iron and steel. This may seem like an intimidating form of training to the novice but this is actually one of the most efficient forms of training that the world has seen. This is of course ‘Kettlebell Training’.

Kettlebell training is taking the fitness world by storm but this is no fad. In fact, the kettlebell has been around hundreds of years and has been a secret of the Eastern Europeans. It is only now that trainers around Sydney are catching onto this wonderfully effective form of training.

The kettlebell is rather simple in its design as you can see from the picture below. It is a ball of steel with a handle. The bell has an off centre of gravity and this provides the magic.

So what kind of benefits does kettlebell training provide? Here are a few of the most important

-           Whole body work out in a short space of time

-           Generates fat loss fast

-           Develops strength and flexibility simultaneously

-           Generate functional strength results

-           A variation and a change up to traditional ways of training

-           Cuts out the boredom of routine with a great number of exercise variations

-           Development of a well-conditioned core unit

People that use kettlebells regularly become very strong, toned and eliminate body fat.
Kettlebell training caters for all fitness levels as there are a great array of exercises that challenge both the novice and experienced kettlebell trainer. Instruction of correct technique is paramount so the participant can derive all the benefits it has to offer.

Kettlebells are a key component of our programming at Coastal Bodies and we are lucky to boast the most experienced team of kettlebell instructors in Australia with 6 accredited instructors. We have classes on Wednesday nights and would encourage you to try a new form of training that evokes incredible results.

Here is the link to a video of one of our advanced clients Rachel Dickman demonstrating her prowess with the kettlebell:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTOaWQMoFHY&context=C3c026d9ADOEgsToPDskLAa55LXVk9gHd6_DeyKzfA

Facebook Competition

Join our Facebook page in February and be in the running to win 3 free Personal Training sessions. The link is www.facebook.com/coastalbodies

The Gift

Join Coastal Bodies in February and receive our E-book and Stretching Chart for free.

Coming Soon

Watch this space as Coastal Bodies will be launching mothers groups with babysitting and Pilates classes in March.

The Importance of Managing Injuries

There have been too many occasions where I have seen clients making terrific progress in achieving their health and fitness goals only to be slowed down by injuries. The injuries may only be minor but it is a major halt in momentum and can be disheartening for the client. Understandably, clients also get worried with injuries and stop all their activity. This makes the return to a consistent exercise program all the much tougher.

Observing this over many years is why I believe it is vital to have trainers that can manage client’s injuries. The trainers at Coastal Bodies recently completed a 4 day intensive course on Rehab essentials. The content of this course helps trainers assess their client’s injuries. If the injuries are major then they are referred to another professional such as a physiotherapist, podiatrist etc. However, most injuries are very minor but just managed poorly. This course has equipped our trainers in many useful and practical techniques so the client can still exercise and the cause of the problem is eliminated.

The reflex reaction to an injury is to stop training. However, in many cases this is actually not the best method of treatment. The underlying cause of the injury remains and the client misses valuable training time. The main niggles that clients have are in the shoulders, knees and backs. It is often because of a muscle imbalance, tight muscles and fascia or non-activity of muscles. Through a combination of releases and activation work many of these issues can be eliminated. We have had major success with clients and their injuries and this has been very encouraging.

We are finally on Facebook……We are a little slow when it comes to technology at Coastal Bodies but we have FINALLY decided to get into the Social Media craze and have a Fan page. This will be a great communication medium for our trainers, clients and prospects. To celebrate our new found technology expertise we are offering a competition to win 3 PT sessions for liking our page. The link is:

http://www.facebook.com/Coastalbodies

Dan’s 4 Biggest Tips for Weight Loss
I love the camera and thought I would share 4 of my biggest tips for weight loss. The tips are actually quite broad and can really be applied to any health and fitness goal. I hope you enjoy the video.

The Coastal Bodies family is growing
It is with great pleasure that to announce that the Coastal Bodies team has grown with the employment of Zara and Becks. Zara is our smiley new administration assistant that will ensure we are a well-oiled machine and Becks is our newest trainer. Beck is trained in Pilates and we are looking forward to adding some private Pilate’s classes in the very near future.

New Classes and a Gift
Our small private classes are growing as we have now added kettlebell beginner and intermediate classes. We will be adding both a boxing and Pilate’s class very soon as well.
We are offering a free trial of any of our classes if you are looking to get fit, healthy and toned in 2012. The classes are private and capped at 4 people.

Do you really want to get healthy?

I meet people all the time that tell me they want to get healthy. Do I see all these people getting fit and healthy? Not a chance!

However, I do see some people take the bull by the horns and commit to a healthier life. So what is the difference between those that do and don’t take action?

I see people are motivated primarily by two things; Pain and Pleasure.

You see people will avoid a task because it may in fact lead to a pain of some sort. Now I am not just referring a physical pain that may occur but there is also the pain of getting up early, cutting back expenses so you can afford a personal trainer, not indulging in your favourite foods etc.

On the other hand, people will pursue tasks that bring them pleasure. For example, I make time in my schedule for 2 games of Oz Tag per week because it brings me immense enjoyment.

So the people that pursue a healthier lifestyle have determined that being healthy will lead them to less pain and more pleasure than not pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

I created a process that I find very helpful when working with clients. It is all about them mounting up pain and pleasure around exercise. Let’s be real here, exercise is difficult at times and we need to be reminded of the pleasure that it can be bring and the pain that you will be avoiding. The process is below, please take a moment to complete it and see how powerful it can be:

Reasons to Exercise  

General Reasons:

• Increased metabolism
• Better sleep
• Reduced feelings of depression and anxiety
• Improved bone mass and density
• Increased lean body muscle mass and muscle tone
• Increased strength and agility
• Greater psychological well-being
• Look better
• Increased healthy life expectancy
•  
•  
•  

Specific Reasons:

• Actively play with my kids/grandchildren
• Children won’t be embarrassed by my appearance
• Can travel overseas
• Can enjoy life more because I am not constantly fatigued
• To be more self-sufficient in retirement
•  
•  
•  

Outcomes for Not Exercising

• Decreased metabolism
• Reduced sleep
• Increased feelings of depression and anxiety
• Decreased bone mass and density
• Decreased lean body muscle mass and muscle tone
• Decreased strength and agility
• Lower psychological well-being
• Unhealthy appearance
• Feelings of stiffness
• Out of breath
• Decreased healthy life expectancy
•  
•  

Ÿ

Specific Reasons:

• Limited capacity with my kids/grandchildren
• Children might be embarrassed by my appearance
• Limited options when travelling overseas
• Less enjoyment in life more because of constant fatigue
• More dependence in retirement
•  
•  
•  

Our Team of Amazing Trainers

I wanted to take the opportunity to publically declare how proud I am of the Coastal Bodies team in 2011. They are an exceptional group of trainers that are very talented and dedicated to getting people healthy, fit and injury free. They have all shown great dedication in completing their university degrees and continuing their studies by participating in a workshop weekly.  I am proud to say that I have the best trainers in Sydney!

Why New Year’s Resolutions are Crap

Happy New Year everybody!

January is usually the time of the year when every personal trainer gets excited. They get to create marketing about the New Year and attempt to get a lot of new clients who want to get healthy for the year ahead. I have in fact been one of these trainers and have tried cheesy marketing for the last 3 years around the New Year. Well, not this year and let me tell you why.

New Year’s Resolutions are usually made in between glasses of champagne and hugging your friends in an inebriated state. They are rarely made with any deep level of thought or strategy. It should then come as a very little surprise that they are not met.

I sent you an e-mail last month about the motivation of pain and pleasure. The activity in that e-mail will help you enormously in this process. The ideas presented here are a repeat of these concepts but I believe that they are so powerful and worth saying again

I am in the business of helping people get healthy. People need a BIG reason to get healthy. This reason needs to be so powerful that it will help overcome the obstacles that will occur along the way. So if you are looking to get healthy in 2012 the start by asking yourself WHY.

The next step you need to ask yourself is what obstacles will get in the way of you being healthy in 2012?For example, you may want to be healthy but find stepping away from work too much of a demand. Be honest with yourself as you identify these obstacles.

The last question you need to ask yourself is ‘IS IT WORTH IT?’ There is going to be cost (time, money, etc) on your mission to get healthy and you really need to be confident that it is worth it. My advice would be to write all the benefits down of being healthier. This will help you in making the wisest decision.

If you go through this process and discover that getting healthy may be too difficult or that you don’t really feel that strongly about it then that’s ok. Its better you find out now instead of a months’ time when you feel disheartened and say that getting healthy is just too difficult.

The last step in the process is creating strategy. You may want to see your GP and get full check-up so you can see where your current health status is and where the focus needs to be. You will need an exercise and nutrition plan that is proven to be effective and get results.

So I am not promoting New Year’s resolutions this year but rather I am promoting sustainable behavioural change that works. If you want to get healthy and have a big WHY then please come and see Coastal Bodies and we can help you with the strategy.