My Good Friend Samantha Vella is a Master Trainer and is so amazing at what she does! I train with her quite often and she absolutely smashes me!.. she is based at Derrimut gym Caroline Springs (see details on post below) or check her out on facebook.

This Gym is one of the biggest gyms in Australia! I train here once a week with my good friend Samantha Vella who is head personal trainer there...

This gym is amazing! Its only $5 casual and it is MASSIVE!!! It takes me an hour to walk around the place. They have everything including  a cross fit area, boxing ring and area, free weights, machine weights, massive cardio room with virtual bikes!, cafe, supplement store, classes.. I can keep going!.. did I mention it is open 24/7 365 days a year!

The gym is located in Caroline Springs so even if you don’t live close you have to at least go check this joint out! It’s unreal!

Check them out at http://derrimut247.com.au/content/

STOP USING PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES.. START USING SIGG

Why are SIGG water bottles good for you?

SIGG makes what is widely considered to be “the world’s healthiest and safest reusable bottle.” The bottles’ proprietary EcoCare liner contains no BPA (bisphenol A), phthalates or lead. While research on bisphenol A continues, current findings indicate that the compound, which is found in many of the plastics used in drinking bottles, may contribute to myriad health problems, some of them quite serious. Similarly, phthalates are added to plastics and may be linked to allergies and even obesity; research continues in those areas. The long and short of it is you’re better off playing it safe with a BPA-free bottle.

At a day-to-day level, EcoCare is leach proof and is resistant to things like food juice acid (yes, even apple), energy drinks and alcohol. Better yet, it doesn’t soak up odours or flavours: tomorrow afternoon’s water isn’t going to taste like today’s tomato juice! Most importantly, EcoCare reduces the chances of bacteria build up

for more information visit http://siggaustralia.com.au/ 

Flavoured Water

Water is the most critical nutrient for life. Your body is 60% water and needs it for Hydration, recovery, digestion, satiation, temperature regulation, skin improvement, health and joint lubrication and so much more.

So they say we need about 8 glasses a day, but we all know how boring water can get!

Adding some flavouring can help you drink more. If you want to stay away from artificial additives and caffeine, you can add some flavour to your water the natural way with:

• A twist of lemon or lime (or a little juice)
• A small piece of fruit
• Herbal tea bags
• Quarter an orange, squeeze in all of the juice, then toss in the squeezed quarters for colour and extra flavour.
• Mash up a handful of strawberries or raspberries with a fork then add to the jug and stir through.
• Scrunch a handful of fresh mint in your hands to get the flavour going then add that to the jug with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, add a few slices of cucumber too. It might sound strange, but it is seriously refreshing.

Are fresh vegies better then frozen?



No, fresh vegetables are unlikely to be as nutritious as frozen vegetables. Most vegetables today are picked, cleaned and prepared right in the field and frozen within a few hours. They maintain a nutritional content that is as high, and sometimes higher, than produce that you purchase fresh in the stores. After a week at the bottom of the refrigerator, fresh vegetables lose more than just their taste. So buy both. Use your fresh veggies first and your frozen variety at the end of the week. Just make sure that you purchase plain frozen products without added creams and sauces.

Whats the difference between low fat plain yoghurt and non fat Greek yoghurt?

The processing of the two yogurts is different. Milk contains two proteins: casein and whey. When making yogurt, the casein stays more solid, the whey more liquid. Low-fat plain yogurt contains both, and so is a “loose” solid. Greek-style yogurt is thicker and more solid because it is strained and the liquid whey protein is removed as part of the processing, giving it a richer and creamier texture. Nutritionally, Greek-style yogurt is higher in protein and lower in lactose than regular low-fat plain yogurt. 

Clean Eating 

70% of how your body looks is because of what you eat, only 30% is shaped by your workouts. You need both components to truly see the results you’re looking for, but the most important component is what your feeding and fueling your body with.

Clean eating..... What does it mean exactly??

Eating clean basically means choosing foods in their more natural state. This style of eating focuses on including more “whole” foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, unprocessed, lean-meats and low-fat dairy products. It avoids processed and refined foods like white flour, sugar and trans fats. It also limits saturated fats, fried foods and alcohol. 

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

• Eliminates refined sugar
• Cooks healthy meals
• Packs healthy meals
• Makes healthy choices when dining out
• Drinks a lot of water
• Eats 5-6 small meals per day
• Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
• Always eats breakfast

“If man made it, don’t eat it”

“Eat from the fridge, not the pantry”

“Eat plant and animal foods not processed boxed up foods”

Many people think skipping meals can help them to shed unwanted kilos, but it actually does the opposite. By denying the body of calories, you’re also denying the body’s metabolism - by slowing it down!

A suddenly lowered caloric intake will force the body into “starvation mode” where it conserves calories from what you’ve already eaten, and slows down the metabolism, storing more calories as fat. Skipping meals actually causes you to GAIN weight! This is not what we want! We want to speed up our metabolism~ this is when fat loss will occur. To speed up your metabolism eat 5-6 small clean meals every day.



Les Mills / Group exercise classes.

I absolutely love Les Mills and group exercise classes! I recommend doing classes at your gym whenever you can.

Les Mills has developed cutting-edge research for every one of its programs. A team of world-class program directors and choreographers spend many hours practicing, examining, testing and fine-tuning each release, so participants are delivered a highly motivating, effective, safe and energetic experience.
Les Mills and other group exercise classes are scientifically proven to deliver the results that you want. They are perfect for that extra motivation that you need especially if you’re like me and need that push to do cardio.

So which classes should you do? Which ones burn the most calories? Let’s take a look at my favorite ones and the ones I believe are the most effective

Body attack - This one is my favourite of all favourites! I try to do a class at least once a week for a full body workout. It’s just so much fun! Body attack is the sports-inspired cardio workout for building strength and stamina. This high-energy interval training class combines athletic aerobic movements with strength and stabilization exercises.

Average calories burned - 735

·         Burn loads of calories

·         Tone and shape your body

·         Raise your overall fitness and stamina for high energy sports

·         Improve your coordination and agility

·         Develop strength through core conditioning work

·         Enhance your bone health and density

·         Increase your heart and lung capacity through a full-body cardio workout

RPM / Spin - I have only just started doing rpm class and have found that this class is the best to burn fat and reshape your legs and really tone your lower half of the body. I usually do this class early morning on an empty stomach for best results. RPM is the indoor cycling workout where you ride to the rhythm of powerful music. Take on the terrain with your inspiring team coach who leads the pack through hills, flats, mountain peaks, time trials, and interval training.

Average calories burned – 675

·    Increase your cardiovascular fitness

·    Burn fat

·    Tone and shape your legs, hips, and butt

·    Increase leg strength and muscular endurance without building bulk

·    Burn up to 600 calories in a normal 50-minute structure

·    Release endorphins to leave you with a natural high

Body pump - Before I started doing my own weight training I did pump class at least 3 times a week, this class is amazing and will tone your whole body very quickly! This original LES MILLS™ barbell class will sculpt tone and strengthen your entire body, fast! Great bodies aren't born; they are transformed, using the proven BODYPUMP™ formula: THE REP EFFECT™ a breakthrough in resistance workout training. Focusing on low weight loads and high repetition movements, you'll burn fat, gain strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning. BODYPUMP™ is one of the world's fastest ways to get in shape as it challenges all of your major muscle groups while you squat, press, lift and curl.

Average calories – 411

·    Improve your strength

·    Perform 70-100 repetitions per body part totaling up to 800 repetitions in a single workout

·    Improve your general fitness

·    Shape and tone your muscles

·    Protect your bones and joints from injury

·    Get into shape fast

·    Feel confident

Body balance - I love doing body balance on Sundays to relax and stretch my body after a hard week of training. Body balance is the Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates workout that builds flexibility and strength and leaves you feeling centered and calm. Controlled breathing, concentration and a carefully structured series of stretches, moves and poses to music create a holistic workout that brings the body into a state of harmony and balance

Average calories – 390

·    Improve your joint flexibility and range of movement

·    Increase your core strength

·    Improve your cardio-vascular function

·    Burn calories

·    Reduce your stress levels

·    Provide a lasting sense of well-being and calm

·    Focus your mind and raise your level of consciousness

Conclusion-

I would try to do as many RPM classes as you can in the morning on an empty stomach to really target fat loss and reshape those legs!..

If you’re after a fun full body cardio workout then definitely go for body attack.

Body pump at least 3 days a week (alternating days) to tone and tighten up. Try RPM in the am – body pump in the pm.

Then on your rest days relax and stretch your body with body balance. AMAZING!

Foods that suppress appetite

 

·         Beans- Adding beans to your meal can make you feel fuller and keep your blood sugar steady

·         Cayenne pepper - Spicing up your daily diet with some red pepper can curb appetite, especially for those who don't normally eat the popular spice

·         Chewing gum- chewing sugar-free gum can help control appetite, decrease calorie intake and reduce snack cravings.

·         Oats- Eating a breakfast of low-GI complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal, takes longer to digest than high-GI cereal, which means it fills you up for longer

·         Apples- are full of fiber and water and can curb a sweet craving, but best of all they’re packed with pectin, a soluble fiber that is thought to suppress appetite

·         Avocado- Foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as avocado, nuts and olive oil, have been found to play a pivotal role in sending a message to your brain that says ‘stop eating, you’re full! (small portions)

·         Whey protein- people who consumed whey protein reported feeling fuller and more satisfied with less food. Drinks made with whey protein powder can be consumed at any time of day.

·         Pine nuts- contain an appetite suppressing chemical called pinolenic acid, a naturally occurring polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) that naturally curbs your hunger.

·         Water- a zero calorie drink, is perhaps the best appetite suppressing agent when you are on your plans to lose weight.

·         Green tea- is known for its antioxidant benefits. However, it can also stimulate the release of hormones that can control or limit food cravings.

·         Soups- suppress appetite because of their high water content, and aid in weight loss due to low-calorie content. Broths and vegetable soups are the best options!

·         Pure dark chocolate- helps in suppressing appetite. Some studies indicate that dark chocolate antioxidants can act as an appetite suppressant helping you lose weight and control blood sugar. Cherish each bite and feel the taste of rich cocoa. Eat mindfully!

·         Flaxseed oil- is the best known plant source of omega-3 fats but raw flaxseeds are even better, especially for appetite control.

·         Lemons- are said to contain an insoluble fiber called pectin, which apples also contain, pectin acts like a sponge within your body mopping up fat as well as acting like a gel within your stomach, which slows the digestive process down. So you eat less

·         Sleep- even though this isn’t a food it is an important element of appetite suppression. This is because sleep can have an effect on two hormones, which are ghrelin and leptin, these two hormones control different functions within our body

·         Coffee - Coffee is a natural appetite suppressant as well as a diuretic. Hot or cold coffee is a great way to curb your appetite in the morning or afternoon. It also makes a great snack replacement.

·         Almonds- eating almonds is a great way to suppress your hunger., nuts are very high in fat and have a lot of calories. But don’t fret; almonds are high in monounsaturated (good) fats, meaning they’re actually good for you! They’re also very high in fibre and protein, which will help you stay full. One serve is usually about 20-25 almonds