Posted by on 26 April 2010 | 1 Comments
A recent US study has shown that high impact physical activity may help to strengthen bone density in older exercisers.
Data gathered from participants in the 2005 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh was analysed for the study. The male and female athletes were aged between 50 and 93, and 560 of them competed in high-impact sports including track and field, volleyball, basketball and triathlon.
Using ultrasound scans, the researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre discovered that the bone mineral density of those who participated in high-impact sports was greater than in their low-impact participating colleagues.
Dr Vonda Wright, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre said, ‘Our study represents the largest sample of bone mineral density data in mature athletes to date. My colleagues and I were surprised to see that active adult participation in the high-impact sports had such a positive influence on bone health, even in the oldest athletes’.
Wright said that although osteoarthritis and other age-related conditions could prevent older people from taking part in high-impact sports, the study findings suggested that high-impact sports may significantly contribute to healthy bone ageing.
‘With a multi-part approach and the appropriate use of high-impact exercises, individuals may be able to make greater strides against bone loss than the current treatment strategies imply’ she said.
Source: Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach
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Posted by on 26 April 2010 | 1 Comments
Cutting calories from your daily diet isn't as tough as you think! From breakfast to dinner, and everything in between, making just a few of these simple changes will make a huge difference when you add them all up!
1. Use skim milk in your coffee or tea instead of full fat milk
2. Make your veggie omelette with four egg whites instead of two whole eggs
3. Use fresh fruit instead of maple syrup on your waffles
4. Replace your usual yogurt with a light variety
5. Drink a glass of water instead of juice
6. Switch to vegie sausages instead of normal sausages
7. Eat poached eggs instead of fried
8. Eat musesli rather than Special K
At Lunch
9. Drink water instead of juice or soft drink
10. Have a salad sandwich with lean meat instead of fattier meats and fillings
11. Eat wholemeal or grain bread as opposed to foccaccia
12. Eat a tomato based meal rather than a creamy based meal
13. Use light mayo instead of full fat mayo
14. Remove the skin from your chicken
15. Request your fish be prepared plain and add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice
16.Substitute fries for a salad
At Snacktime
17. Eat a handful of almonds instead of chocolate
18. Have a cup of soup instead of a biscuit
19. Pick fresh fruit over dried fruit
20. Swap the brownie for a food bar
21. Eat one piece of cholcolate rather than the whole block
22. Eat vegies with hommus rather than crisps
23. Have fresh fruit on hand to munch on rather than going to the vending machine
At Dinner
24. At a restaurant eat the entree size instead of the main size
25. At a Chinese restaurant, eat steamed rice instead of fried rice
26. Choose red sauce for your pasta instead of cream-based sauce
27. When ordering Thai takeaway avoid the fatty mixed entrees and order vegie based meals
28. At an Italian restaurant, have minestrone for a starter instead of the garlic bread
29. Eat sweet potato instead of white potatoes
30. Eat a bowl of salad as a starter before you eat your main
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Posted by on 26 April 2010 | 1 Comments
If losing weight feels like a never-ending battle, new research may explain why: Diets that restrict calories can actually make it harder to lose weight and keep it off. Cutting calories increases production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is linked to added belly fat, a new study finds.
"For the first time in humans, we are finding out that cutting your calories increases cortisol," said lead researcher A. Janet Tomiyama, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at the University of California, San Francisco.
"We think this may be one reason dieters tend to have a hard time keeping weight off in the long-term," she said. People who count calories feel stressed, she said, but it's the reduction in calories that increases cortisol, which, in turn, stresses the body and leads to weight retention. "No matter how you cut calories, whether that's doing it on your own, or doing something like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig, it doesn't matter, it's still going to increase your cortisol level," she said.
At any given time, 47 percent of U.S. adults are dieting, but up to 64 percent gain back more weight than they lost, according to background information in the report published online April 6 in Psychosomatic Medicine.
For the study, Tomiyama's team randomly assigned 121 women to one of four diets. One group tracked their calories, keeping them to 1,200 a day; another group ate normally but recorded the number of calories they consumed; a third group ate 1,200 calories a day, but did not have to record them, and the fourth group ate normally without any calorie-tracking.
At the start and end of the three-week trial, the researchers measured each woman's cortisol and stress levels. When calories were restricted, cortisol levels increased. In addition, calorie-counting also increased the women's perceived stress, the researchers found.
"The term 'dieting' brings to mind deprivation, starvation, being miserable and uncomfortable and ultimately failing in weight loss efforts," Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist who is familiar with the study, said.
Burning more calories than you consume is how your body loses weight, she said. "However, severe calorie restriction, diet fads, pills and potions, detox cleanses and other quacky approaches to weight loss only contribute to people's diet failures and, in fact, may increase the likelihood of regaining even more weight than what was lost -- if any," Heller added.
The best way to drop unwanted pounds is to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that include eating a variety of healthy foods, physical activity, patience and a game plan, she said. "Many people want to lose weight and do not know how to begin. Creating a step-by-step plan is one piece of the puzzle a lot of people forgo," Heller said.
Starting a weight-loss program takes discipline, motivation and a desire to make behavioral changes and finding support can be very helpful, Heller added.
Another expert, Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn., said while dieting isn't easy, certain strategies can help reduce stress and achieve a healthier lifestyle.
"Food itself, a reliable source of immediate gratification, may be used to relieve stress," Katz said. "When food intake is restricted, something else should replace it."
In general, dieting alone is not all that useful, Katz added. "Eating well and being active for life is the way to go," he said.
"By eating foods of higher overall nutritional quality, fullness can generally be achieved on fewer calories, eliminating the need for deprivation," Katz said. "In addition, physical activity can accelerate weight loss, promote health and alleviate stress in the bargain."
SOURCES: A. Janet Tomiyama, Ph.D., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar, University of California, San Francisco; David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D., dietitian, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, Fairfield, Conn; April 6, 2010, Psychosomatic Medicine, online
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Posted by on 25 April 2010 | 0 Comments
Emily read our article in the Hills Life magazine back in October 2008. She came along to try out a class and liked it so much that she decided to continue, and she mentioned it to her friend Therese. Therese appeared one night and little did we realise the rollercoaster ride that would be Therese and Emily!
These two gorgeous ladies are like chalk and cheese, yet they are great friends and bring so much value to our classes. Both have a heart of gold, both are supportive of everyone in the classes, and they bring so much fun to every group they are in!
Both girls give their best in class. They each come along twice a week and neither of them will miss a class if they can help it and if they have to, then they make it up in another session. Their children are brought along to play together during school holidays so the girls don't have to miss out on their training and the whole family gets out into the fresh air. Nothing is too much trouble and although we get the odd groans and moans they tackle everything head on. Emily's pet hate is sweating so of course Kaz tries to do her best to make that happen through hard work! Therese's is wet grass and bugs and what else do you experience in outdoor classes!
Last year Emily decided to take on City 2 Surf for the first time and so she joined the training program. Therese wasn't able to join the program due to family commitments however she and Emily ran together during the week for 'homework' practice. Therese did the City 2 Surf on the day, joinng Emily, and they both supported each other through the event and did amazingly well, coming in at 125 mins. They are both going to do the event this year as well which is fantastic!
Both Therese and Emily have reduced their measurements over the last year and a half but perhaps the biggest improvement is in their fitness levels. Both ladies now run more than they ever did and we have watched them improve in all aspects of their training. They are just such a pleasure to have on the team and they make us laugh, dance, and even sing at times!!
T and Em, we loves ya both!!! Congratulations and keep up the good work.
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Posted by on 5 April 2010 | 0 Comments
Back in March 2007 Heather Smith was a Mind Body Motion Star Client of the month, recovering from glandular fever and wanting to get into the Defence Force, so she needed to improve her fitness levels and get herself back on track weight wise.
We saw Heather through the tender age of 18, and then some. She left us to go to uni in Armidale and since that time Heather has stayed in touch with Kaz on a regular basis, meeting up several times per year. She has remained an exercise junkie and loves it so much that she is currently studying part time at TAFE to complete her Fitness Certificate as well as her uni studies.
Heather trains with us on Thursday nights at Naremburn every time she comes to Sydney and she will be joining us to run in the City 2 Surf this year!!
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Posted by on 4 April 2010 | 1 Comments
Q: When you have a lot of weight to lose, it often takes time. How do I stay motivated?
A from Emma: Motivation is often the hardest part of a weight loss journey. Here are my tips for staying on track
• Set yourself mini-goals and rewards. They don't have to be expensive, and they should not be food related. For example, when you lose 5kg book yourself in for some pampering: a massage, a facial or even an hour of uninterrupted time in the bath with a magazine.
• Find things to focus on other than the scales. City2Surf training is a perfect example – focus on being able to walk or run 14km. Doing the training for an event will help you reach your goals and you'll have fun doing it.
• Find something in your wardrobe that you can't fit into, but would love to. Get it out of the wardrobe and hang it somewhere you will see it daily, like on the back of the door – or just take a photo of it and put it on the fridge or on your desk at work. It's a constant reminder of why you are doing what you are doing.
• Spend time with like minded people and become accountable to each other. Often having an appointment to exercise will make you turn up even when you don't feel like it! This can be a personal trainer, a group training session or just meeting up with someone for a walk on a regular basis.
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Posted by on 4 April 2010 | 1 Comments
“My first month with Mind Body Motion has been an exciting one. I've met some wonderful, friendly and inspiring people – it has been great getting to know everyone. I have made the switch from a full time job in graphic design, to full time personal training which allows me to do something I am passionate about, as well as give me more time to fit in my own training.
My weight loss journey began three years ago when I found myself in a new city with very little of the self confidence I needed to go out and meet people. I had spent so much of my energy focussing on my career I had become caught up in a cycle of working long hours, making poor food choices, eating on the run and doing no exercise whatsoever - I didn't have the time! I was a size 18-20 and miserable.
Knowing I needed to make some massive changes to my lifestyle, I joined a gym and found myself a personal trainer. I needed someone to show me how to get results from my training, and I was too embarrassed to exercise on my own. Walking into the gym the very first time was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I needed to overcome my fear of 'fit people' and stop worrying about what they might think of me. You need to be fit to walk into a gym right?
I still remember that very first conversation with my new trainer. We went through the usual health questions, my goals and then got to talking about what exercise I liked doing, and what didn't like. My response: I don't run, I hate weights, but I like walking. He had a challenge on his hands!
We started with a commitment to 2 PT sessions a week, and I agreed to walk to and from work every day (approx. 25 minutes each way). From there I increased the walking to include a longer walk on the weekend, and as I got fitter I incorporated hills and stairs. Over the next few months I went from hating exercise to loving it, I improved my strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness and my nutrition. My energy levels increased and I began to feel good about myself. Instead of finding exercise a chore, I actually began to look forward to it. Twelve months later I ran my first event - the 14km City2Surf.
Over the next couple of years I continued to lose weight through diet and exercise. It wasn't easy and it wasn't all smooth sailing, but with the help of my PT and a nutrition plan I was able to overcome various periods of emotional eating, weight loss plateaus, and incorporate a large range of exercises to keep my training interesting and fun. I tried alot of things I never thought I would do - boxing, rock climbing and kayaking. And the ultimate surprise is becoming a personal trainer! If you had told me 3 years ago that the miserable girl who walked into the gym that day would be working in the fitness industry I would have said you were crazy. And I guess so would anyone who knew me.
I became a personal trainer so that I can share my passion for health an fitness with my clients. My aim is to help other people find the same passion; to set goals and achieve them; to become who they want to be. Over the next few months I'll share my journey with you – I still have some weight to lose, but I am working on it every day. If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to imagine yourself achieving your goal, and how you will feel when you get there. Think about it, dream about it and do something every day to help achieve it.”
"Emma Harvie is a fitness coach with Mind Body Motion"
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Posted by on 4 April 2010 | 1 Comments
Glenn’s wife Kimbalee lives next door to one of our clients and she knew of our training, and decided to come and try our Saturday morning class. She had discussed with us that her husband Glenn was interested in doing some personal training however it would have to be late in the evening as he was very busy at work. Glenn has a senior role within a finance company and long hours and a stressful role keep him extremely busy during the day. Kaz completed Glenn’s initial fitness assessment with him and his reasons for training were simple: to lose a little bit of weight (although he was not technically overweight), to improve the way he felt within himself overall from a health perspective, and to help manage his stress levels.
Glenn walks every day to the station and back so he was doing incremental exercise on a daily basis. He had also tried another fitness organisation and was training with them for a few months, however he came to the conclusion that they were not the right group for him. Prior to that he had not completed exercise on a regular basis due to family and work commitments. We paired him with Gemma and they train once a week on a Wednesday night. When Gem discussed goals with Glenn he didn’t particularly want to set any rigid goals, his main aim was to just feel fitter overall. He had been cutting down on any wine intake during the week and generally the family diet is a pretty healthy one.
Gem and Glenn have been training well together, in fact Glenn went running the other night on his own. This has not happened apparently for a very long time! Gem also recently redid Glenn’s measurements that were originally taken in December last year and Glenn has reduced his waist measurement by 4.5cm. As we all know waist measurements are so critical for good health for both men and women. He also managed to lose 10kg in the process which is fantastic!
Glenn enjoys getting results and he knows that exercise will help his overall health and wellbeing so he makes the time for it in his busy schedule. Congratulations Glenn, these are terrific results!
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