Do you ever feel like this, like most of your failure is coming because you keep trying different little things, things that probably mostly promise really fast results and then when you get them, they are incomplete?

You are trying hard, buying different products (are you addicted?), reading this and that, learning more all the time - but you aren't getting real results?

The thing is, the internet is becoming a flood of information. Too much information.

And in order to cut through that flood of information you need . . . direction.

Clarity.

You need to know exactly what to do to get results, instead of trying something new each day, hoping you will stumble on the answer because someone promised you a perfect body if you get their system.

Here's an exercise I think will give you some clarity, if you'll seriously take 10 minutes and do it:

Write out at least paragraph of exactly what your life would look like one year from now if you made serious, consistent effort to improve your health and fitness today:

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What would your life look like?

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How would that feel?

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How would your life be better?

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Now . . . for the second part of the exercise:

Write what your life will look like if you keep doing what you are doing, continuing to do the things that are NOT getting you the life, the health and the body you want:

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If you keep stumbling around, buying lots of information, trying to do it on your own, what is your life going to look like?

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Be serious, be honest, nobody has to see it.

So . . . what is the difference?

Do you want to keep doing what you are doing . . .or are you willing to make a change so that your life can be like you wrote in the first part of the exercise?

It's your choice, you see.

Only you can make the choice.

Are you ready to make a change?

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone has a different perspective of the definitions of health, fitness, feeling or looking good, based on their own values, belief systems and life experience.

There are people who are genetically blessed and do not have weight issues (and I'm talking either being able to lose weight or gain weight, because both can be unhealthy), so they may sometimes have difficulty empathising with people who do. For others, it's been a struggle all their lives, either due to metabolic or other medical concerns, or via self harm.

Now, you might think me using the words 'self harm' is a bit harsh, but whether it's conscious or not, that's what is going on, and it includes emotional, spiritual and physical harm, such as negative self talk, binge eating, fad diets, obsessive exercising, etc.

Health and fitness is as much a state of mind as it is the condition of your body, both inside and out. You can't make permanent change to and within your body without making a permanent change in your mindset.

I'm the same as you. I have good days and bad days. I have days when I lack motivation and find it hard to be positive about anything.

I know what it's like when you have one of those days where it's all so overwhelming and it feels like you're failing at everything and you wonder why you even bother.

I know what it's like when you're trying so hard to help everyone else and you feel guilty for even thinking about doing something good for yourself, or taking some time out to exercise, because so many other people are relying on you and you just don't have time.

I get it!

But while you're putting everyone else first, while you're making sure they're all happy as can be, and while you're neglecting yourself, your mindset and your body are suffering. If you run yourself into the ground trying to please everyone else, eventually, you're going to get sick. Don't wait till you're sick to decide to get healthy.

Just like eating a McDonalds burger today is not going to show on your body today, but six months of eating burgers every day will definitely show, taking care of yourself bit by bit every day will also show 3, 6, 12 months down the track.

Change always starts on the inside first, physically and mentally. In the first two or three weeks, you're getting your head in the right space, you're consciously preparing yourself to eat the right things in the right ways, and exercising how and when it's necessary. You can't really see a lot of transformation on the outside, but your energy increases, you feel happier and even your skin can improve in look and texture.

After the first few weeks, you'll notice you can do more, you're in a routine with your training and nutrition, you don't get tired as quickly, you're stronger and sleeping better, and your clothes are feeling more loose. You've probably lost some body fat and gained some muscle. People are complimenting you.

Depending on your regimen, it takes 8-12 weeks before you'll start to see real physical differences and changes in your body shape. Yes, these changes can be seen within a much shorter time if you're putting in the effort, but generally speaking at 8-12 weeks, your body will have changed. By that time, people will have already been commenting, but you may not have really seen or believed it yourself, because we tend to look at in the mirror and see the worst of ourselves. Photographs taken at this point, compared with 'before shots' will show change.

The change will also happen in your mind and you may not even know. You can't get to the change in your body without having positive change in your mind.

So what is health and fitness? To me, it's the putting together of a puzzle that will not work with only the mental or the physical - the picture (you) cannot be complete with only one or the other.

You can sit on the couch all you like and say how you're going to get fit and you're going to make change, but if you just sit there, nothing will change. Likewise, if you dread every jog, or every push-up, or every squat, even if you start, eventually you'll stop doing them at all.

And as I said in the beginning, it's subjective. I have my own health issues I deal with on a daily basis and I have to live with those forever. But I recognise there are people out there with missing limbs who are more active than me! I'm grateful that it's a choice for me to sit on my butt in front of the tv, or get out and move.

That choice is yours, too. So what's it going to be?

Change your mind, change your body.

Contact me today.

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When the pressure is on at work, most of us dream about taking a holiday: the type of holiday that involves sleeping in, reading a book and just ‘chilling out’ (aka not doing much).

However, research has shown that taking a holiday that involves physical activity is better for your health and your career.

Health benefits of a holiday

The health benefits of taking a holiday are well-documented. For example:

• A study published in 1992 found that women who took a holiday once every six years or less were almost eight times likely to develop coronary heart disease, or have a heart attack, than those who took at least two holidays per year.[1]
• Another study published in 2000 examined 12,000 men at high risk of coronary heart disease over nine years and found that those who did not take an annual holiday had a 21 per cent higher risk of death from all causes, and were 32 per cent likely to die of a heart attack. [2]
• Sleep can also improve, with a 2006 study commissioned by Air New Zealand finding that after a few days on holiday, people averaged an extra hour of good quality sleep and recorded an 80 per cent improvement in their reaction times. Upon arriving home, their sleep quality remained the same and their reaction times were 30 to 40 per cent higher than prior to taking a break. [3]
• Those who take a complete break from the office (i.e. no contact at all) are less stressed and are less likely to suffer from ‘burnout’ than those who don’t switch off, as found in a 1997 study. [4]

How a holiday break can help your job

For most of us, the above evidence is enough to book that holiday. However, did you know that taking a holiday can also improve your career prospects?

A number of studies from the journal Work & Stress (as reported in The Wall Street Journal [5]) found that mood, level of tension, energy and satisfaction all improved during a holiday. This means that when you get back from your break, you feel happy and energised and are ready to work at your best. Furthermore, workers about to go on holiday showed a significant increase in happiness in the weeks building up to their trip.

In addition, a 2014 study found that taking time off increases productivity in the workplace. [6] The study found that when you continue to work without a break, you increase your chances of burning out, and becoming stressed. Too much stress can lead to a host of medical problems, as well as play havoc with your mental health. Chronic stress can leave you feeling depressed and anxious, irritable and can lead to memory problems and poor decision-making.

Taking a break and attending to all areas of your health (including mental and psychological), means that you are more balanced and that in turn enables you to be more creative and productive. Having a positive energy in the workplace means that your employer will view you more favourably than a colleague who is tired, exuding negative energy and taking frequent days off due to being run-down and sick.

Take an active holiday for more benefits

The benefits of physical activity are well known. Research shows that people who have physically active lifestyles are more productive and have better attendance records at work.

However, when you combine the benefits of physical activity with the benefits of taking a holiday, there, are more positives for the workplace, as discovered through research carried out in 2014. [7] [8]

A survey of 2,000 Britons found that 82 per cent found it hard to get back to their normal routines after going on holidays, with the average person reporting that it took around four days being back at work before they felt like they were back in the right frame of mind. More than 30 per cent said it took longer for them to complete work tasks in the days immediately after their holiday. Other key findings included:

•  25 per cent forgot how to do their job
• More than 20 per cent overslept
• 17 per cent made mistakes at work
• 10 per cent admitted to missing deadlines because they were still feeling ‘relaxed’
• 84 per cent felt like they needed more time off.

However, those who took an active holiday (e.g. skiing, snowboarding, hiking or diving), returned home feeling less sluggish and more refreshed than those who took a ‘lazier’ option. They also got back into routine a lot quicker with 20 per cent claiming to be back to normal within just one day.

Researchers believe that being active on your holidays keeps your body and your mind active, which in turn makes you ready to focus on work when you get back.

Other benefits of being active on holiday means that you release endorphins which make you feel happy, and the exercise helps you sleep better, thus enhancing the whole holiday experience. You are also less likely to come home with unwanted weight gain (something most people would be happy with).

So, before you get too excited about kicking back by the pool with a cocktail in hand, think about incorporating daily fitness activities into your trip. You could be reaping more benefits than you think.

 

 

 

References:

[1] American Journal of Epidemiology, Myocardial Infarction and Death among Women: Psychosocial Predictors from a 20-Year Follow-up of Women in the Framingham Study, ED Eaker, J Pinsky, WP Castelli 1992, Volume 135, Issue 8. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/135/8/854.short

[2] Psychosomatic Medicine, Are Vacations Good for Your Health? The 9-Year Mortality Experience After the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, BB Gump, KA Matthews, 2000, 62, pp608-612. http://people.umass.edu/econ340/vacations_health.pdf

[3] Air New Zealand, Science proves the value of vacation, published 1 December 2006, http://www.airnewzealand.com/press-release-2006-science-proves-the-value-of-holidays-dec06

[4] Journal of Applied Psychology, Effects of Respite From Work on Burnout: Vacation Relief and Burnout, M Westman, D Ededn, 1997, Volume82, No. 4, pp 516-527, http://web.comhem.se/u68426711/24/Westman1997EffectsRespiteFromWorkBurnout-VacationReliefFade-Out.pdf

[5] The Wall Street Journal, Yes, You Really Do Need to Take a Vacation, updated, 1 August, 2010, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB128062467281422929

[6] Oxford Economics, An Assessment of Paid Time Off in the U.S.: Implications for employees, companies and the economy, February, 2014. http://www.projecttimeoff.com/sites/projecttimeoff.com/files/Oxford_UnusedTimeOff_FullReport.pdf

[7] The British Psychological Society, The work benefits of more active holidays, published 24 January 2014, http://www.bps.org.uk/news/work-benefits-active-holidays

[8] Digital Hub, ‘Active’ holidays leave you less lazy when you get back to work, published 13 December, 2013 http://www.digitalhub.media/2013/12/sun-lounger-laziness/

Other references:

New York Times, Vacations are Good for You, Medically Speaking, published 7 June 2008, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/07/business/yourmoney/07shortcuts.html?scp=1sq=Vacations+Are+Good+for+You,+Medically+Speakingst=nyt_r=0

 

 

Most of us feel stressed at work from time to time.

When deadlines are looming or budgets need to be met, it is normal to feel stressed for a while until the pressure subsides. However, feeling constantly stressed in your job is no way to work and no way to live.

The problem with too much stress

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is impossible to avoid stress at work. In fact, some levels of stress are good as it may help us stay motivated, and work better.

However, WHO states that when there is too much pressure placed on us, or the pressure becomes unmanageable, then workplace stress can occur leading to a decline in both our health and business productivity.

Excessive job stress can be a risk factor for developing depression and anxiety, as well as digestive issues and weight gain, insomnia, memory and concentration difficulties. It may also increase your risk of heart disease.

Regardless of the cause of the stress, the outcome for business is the same — higher absenteeism, increased sickness, more employees arriving late for work, higher staff turnover, loss of productivity, greater risk of accidents and injuries in the workplace and the possibility of legal action against the employer.

Stress can be costly to business as well with statistics from Beyond Blue indicating that poor mental health costs Australian businesses $10.9 billion every year in absenteeism, reduced productivity in the workplace, and compensation claims.

So what can you do?

Sorting out the source of workplace stress and changing the environment can take time (and in some cases may not be possible). In the meantime, you can take control of how you deal with your stress.

One of the best ways to relieve stress is to exercise regularly.

The Mayo Clinic says that exercise can:

• Increase the production of endorphins, leaving you feeling good. It is often referred to as a ‘runner’s high’ but any kind of exercise can make you feel this way.
• Serve as a way to ‘switch off’ from stress by focussing on your body’s movements instead of the stressful situation. Over time, this can help you become more focussed and calm.
• Improve your mood and helps you feel relaxed.
• Promote good sleep, which is something that usually suffers during times of stress. When you sleep better, you deal with stress better.
• Increase your energy levels.

In addition, a study done by Princeton University published in 2013, found that physical activity reorganises the brain to be more resilient to stress.

How much exercise?

The good news is you do not have to become a gym junkie or run a marathon to benefit. Even a 10 to 15 minute walk will have you feeling better. However, to release those feel-good endorphins you will need to exercise intensely.

The important thing is to get moving and gradually build up your exercise based on your level of fitness, particularly if you have not exercised in a while.

If you are starting out, why not:

• Focus on stretching and getting your muscles moving and your blood flowing.
• Walk — a lot. Not only does it get your body moving, it is also great for the mind.
• Try riding a bike. It’s gentle exercise you can build upon.
• Play with the kids. Throw a Frisbee, chase them at the park, kick the footy around. Play-time is a great way to move without feeling that it’s ‘exercise’.

Once you are in the habit of moving more, you might think about:

• Taking up yoga. Yoga is more challenging than most people realise, but it has tremendous benefits as it requires you to focus your mind and teaches you great breathing habits
• Join a team. Participating as a team member usually requires you to expend more energy, thus getting your endorphins going.
• Jogging. Take your walking to the next level. You may wish to join a running group for some expert guidance and some group support.

Once the exercise bug gets you (because it will if you are persistent), you may consider:

• Running. This is where you will discover what a ‘runner’s high’ really means.
• Joining a gym. Gyms offer a variety of exercises, classes and intensities. However, before you take up weights, ensure a qualified fitness professional is there to guide you.
• Incorporate exercise into your weekly routine. Whether it is riding to work, hiking on the weekend, or playing a team sport during the week, a weekly routine of exercise will keep stress at bay.

Some final tips

• If office stress is getting to you, try to exercise away from that environment. Even a corporate fitness centre can stir up work-related thoughts.
• Commit to a 20-30 minute walk during your lunch hour. You will be amazed at your different you will feel when you get back.
• If you work with large groups of people, you may wish to avoid crowded spaces (i.e. exercise classes) for a while, until you get your stress under control.
• Do something you love. Do not choose jogging or swimming if you really hate it. It will only become another source of stress, or you will abandon the whole idea. Remember exercise is supposed to alleviate you of stress, not create more.
• Try outdoor exercise. A study published in 2011 found that those who exercised outdoors experienced greater feelings of revitalisation, increased energy, along with decreased tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also enjoyed the exercise more than indoor sessions.

Think of exercise as a way to feel better and happier, rather than ‘another thing on your to-do list’.

Adopting a more active lifestyle is the key to a healthy emotional outlook and can become an important part in managing stress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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References:

Environmental Science & Technology, Does Participating in Physical Activity in Outdoor Natural Environments Have a Greater Effect on Physical and Mental Wellbeing than Physical Activity Indoors? A Systematic Review, J Thompson Coon, K Boddy, K Stein, R Whear, J Barton, MH Depledge, 2011 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21291246

Mayo Clinic, Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469

Mayo Clinic, Chronic stress puts your health at risk, http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

The Journal of Neuroscience, Physical Exercise Prevents Stress-Induced Activation of Granule Neurons and Enhances Local Inhibitory Mechanisms in the Dentate Gyrus, T J Schoenfeld, P Rada, PR Pieruzzini, B Hsueh and E Gould, 1 May, 2013, http://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/18/7770.abstract

WHO, Stress at the workplace, http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/

WHO, Work-related stress: scientific evidence-base of risk factors, prevention and costs, Professor Jean-Pierre Brun, Director and Chair on Occupational Health and Safety Management http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/brunpres0307.pdf?ua=1

 

 

 

What do you think of when you hear the word, ‘healthy’?

Do you think of someone who gets to the gym every other day and performs convoluted and challenging workouts just because ‘they can’?

Do you think of someone who monitors every morsel of food they put in their mouth, and who would sooner be caught shoplifting than eating anything containing sugar?

What about the person who is happily content with everything in their life, regardless of what they look like?

‘Healthy’ can mean different things to different people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) offers this:

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.

 A term that is used for marketing purposes

While the WHO definition does mention mental and social well-being, most often, the term ‘healthy’ is usually used to refer to someone who is well (free from illness or disease) and who is a healthy weight.

Certainly, supermarkets, weight loss companies, fitness institutions and a host of other companies use the term ‘healthy’ to market their products — even if the ‘healthy’ aspects of the product are questionable.

With constant bombardment by the media’s skewed version of things, it is easy to become confused and lose sight of the bigger picture surrounding health.

Health is more than physical

Health or being ‘healthy’ is a complex issue. It’s quite possible to be healthy in some aspects of your life, but unhealthy in others. Sometimes, our mental health affects our physical health, and vice-versa. Sometimes we may feel healthy when we really are not.

To fully understand how good our overall health is, we need to understand what ‘healthy’ means — because it is far more than simply looking good.

‘Healthy’ is:

• Medically-related
  Being healthy is being free from illness and disease. It means that your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure are all in the ‘normal’ range. It means that you are not at high risk of developing conditions such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

• About movement
  Can you move your limbs without pain? Are you flexible? Can you perform daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, getting in and out of a car and pushing a supermarket trolley without help? Can you carry groceries, or a small child? Can you perform household chores? Being able to move your body is an important aspect of health. Being active on a daily basis (not to be confused with structured ‘exercise’) is vital.

• Weight-related
  While weight is not the only indicator of health, it is an important one. Aesthetics aside, research shows that carrying too much weight puts you at higher risk of health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, back pain, sleep apnoea, gallstones and infertility. While no one should judge anyone purely on how much they weigh, carrying too much body fat is not healthy. The research is clear: if you carry too much body fat, you should try to shed the fat to improve your health. (Note the focus should be on losing body fat, not ‘losing weight’.)

• Diet related
  Regardless of your weight, if you eat unhealthy food on a regular basis, your body is not likely to be healthy. Foods high in fat, sugar and salt, have a negative impact upon your health, and can lead to increases in blood pressure, hardening of the arteries (which increases risk for stroke and heart disease), and impaired insulin function — all of which increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. If your diet is low on fruits, vegetables, you run the risk of being deficient in a number of vital nutrients.Heavy alcohol consumption may lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, long term brain damage and liver damage. As for smoking, evidence shows that this activity causes cancers, vascular disease, respiratory disease and other disorders.

• How you sleep
  Do you get enough sleep? Do you have trouble sleeping? Is the sleep you get of high quality? Do you find it easy to get out of bed each day? Sleep is a vital component of your health. Without enough sleep, you can become fatigued and moody. You can also suffer impaired judgement, concentration and memory. Sleep deprivation or insomnia are linked to increased illness or morbidity.

• How your body functions
  Our body is complex and consists of numerous biological systems in order for it to function every day. These systems are responsible for thousands of processes that most of us take for granted. The circulatory system moves blood, oxygen and nutrients around our body. The digestive system breaks down food to be absorbed by the body, and enables us to eliminate waste. The endocrine system is responsible for hormones that regulate bodily functions like metabolism, growth and sexual function. The immune system fights viruses and bacteria. Our lymphatic system helps fight infection. Our nervous system controls movement, including involuntary actions such as breathing. The muscular and skeletal systems enable our body to move. The respiratory system enables us to breathe. The urinary system eliminates waste from the body, and the reproductive system enables us to reproduce.If just one of these systems doesn’t function correctly, then it can have a huge impact upon your overall health.

• Your mental state
  Do you feel stressed? Do you find that you are ‘too busy’ to relax or spend time with family and friends? Do you focus on the ‘negative’ in your life, rather than being grateful for what you have? The state of your mental health is important. Stress can contribute to health issues such as anxiety and depression, digestive issues and weight gain, insomnia, memory and concentration difficulties and it may increase your risk of heart disease. People who suffer from mental disorders such as anxiety and depression will tell you that the quality of their life suffers. Many focus on the physical aspect of health, but the way we think, feel and behave is just as important.

• How you talk to yourself
  You may sleep well, be able to move your body with no problems, eat well and have no physical symptoms that you are unhealthy. You may even have a balanced life that is free from stress. Yet if you don’t have a positive self-image, then you are not ‘healthy’. Liking yourself, being proud of your achievements and seeing yourself in a positive light is vital for overall health and wellbeing. Constantly comparing yourself to others or to unrealistic ideals portrayed by the media is not healthy. Talking to yourself in a negative way or believing that you are ‘not good enough’, ‘too fat’, ‘too old’ or ‘too whatever…’ is no way to go through life. It does not promote happiness and it does not promote health.

So the question again…

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘healthy’?

How would you rate your overall health?