Blog moving...

Hi all,
Just to let you know, our new blog will be embedded within our website, so will be available at:

new Attitude to Burn Blog when the site goes live soon!

Will keep you posted :-)

Do you want Lean Abs for Spring?

If you are tired of carrying around an extra cuddly bit around your middle...then join us for our next 6 week program, the Lean Abs challenge. This will be our focus for the next 6 weeks of our Bootcamp/Challenge sessions. This DOES NOT mean we'll just be doing hundreds of situps or crunches.

What does it mean?
Whoever loses the most centimetres off of their waist will win a prize (and of course, much leaner abs!) of a free month's unlimited Group PT.
Our sessions will involve a combination of high intensity cardio intervals, plyometrics, hills, soft sand & of course some great abdominal workouts to strengthen & define the muscles that are sitting under that winter 'coat'.
What is involved?
all you need to do is
attend the next 6 weeks bootcamp/challenge sessions (and as many other sessions as you can)
you will also need to focus on nutrition, as nutrition is 80% of the equation - you must follow the Metabolic Jumpstart program which is a 4 week program (which you can stretch to 6) - it's only $29.95 and gets great results.
You will need to book in by this Thursday (29 July) so we can get those measurements going!

Call me (0430 605 701) or email me (info@attitudetoburn.com.au) now to book in.

Motivation gone AWOL?

It's July... it's been a really cold winter..and we're smack bang in the middle of it. Yes! we're in 'hump' month ;p

Beeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeeeep Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep... The doona and pillow start whispering sweet nothings to you as your alarm goes off (again...and again as you keep hitting the snooze button)... they comfort you in your warm coccoon...whispering..it's nice and warm here... why would you want to leave to go to the park/beach (insert place of exercise!).. you can exercise later in the day... and with that, you turn off the alarm and stay in bed for another hour.

When you get up, the guilt hits you - it's a beautiful day with cobalt blue sky - it's a bit fresh (read: cold), but perfect temperature for exercising and getting the circulation going.... so you decide definitely you will go out and exercise after work. All day you feel sluggish and lethargic wishing you'd not listened to that luscious doona.

Afternoon comes, you're thinking about your workout, then bang! an emergency at work happens... you are running half an hour late, so you've missed your usual train, and there goes all thoughts of getting your exercise session in after all.

.....the next morning, it's bucketing down..... the alarm is switched off again, and the whole previous day is repeated...except today you get the train on time, and on your way home a friend who's just come back from overseas wants to pop in and have dinner.... there goes that exercise session again!


Does this sound at all familiar? Just a few days like this can turn you from being regimented in your routine to completely losing all focus and resolve. But how do you get back that motivation that took a while to get going in the first place?

The first thing to do is to reassess your goals - determine what is the thing that will keep you going no matter what? think of a long term goal (say about 6-12 months down the track) and also think of a short term goal - a 3 month goal.

If it's a weight loss goal - make sure you quantify the amount of weight you want to lose, and by which date or milestone. Get pictures of (realistic) body shapes and types that you want to use as visual motivation.

Plan your week's food and exercise so that there is NO deviation - don't forget to plan for unforeseen events and little cheats or rest as well. Try and plan your exercise sessions for first thing in the morning - this way you don't need to rush at the end of the day and those little 'spanners in the works' that can happen are not a problem. Have a plan for a home workout session that you can fall back on as well just in case of rain

If your goal is around running, again, quantify what distance you eventually would like to be able to run. Break it down into small chunks - like the Couch to 5km program - 8 weeks, then another 8 weeks to get to 10km, then work on your pace for about 4 weeks to consolidate your base fitness, then look at half marathon length over the next 12-16 weeks.

Put your workout and nutrition charts somewhere you will see them every day and mark off your accomplishments.

Above all else, enjoy what you're doing and revel in the increased energy levels that you have with every workout, and celebrate your successes - each milestone could have a 'reward' attached - a massage, facial, special outing... these are the things that will help keep you motivated no matter what the weather.

Pushups v Bench Press

Quite often in Bootcamp, given we will predominantly do bodyweight exercises such as Pushups, the question often arises, how much weight am I lifting in my pushups, compared with doing a Bench Press in the gym? Well.... read on here...Find out How much weight you are lifting in your pushups here but don't forget, when you're doing a Pushup, you are recruiting a whole range of other muscles - particularly your core muscles for additional support.

My preference will always be the Pushup!!

We're designing our new Spring Timetable

..and we need your help!

Click here to complete our Spring Timetable survey.

As a thankyou, everyone who responds goes into the draw to win a month's free unlimited group training.

Spring is just around the corner

Yes, even though it's hard to believe, Spring is just around the corner. It's only 7 weeks away.
Already the days are slowly getting longer again.

Now's the perfect time to take stock of any new year's resolutions that you had regarding your health and fitness. Did you achieve all you set out to? Have you been consistent with your exercise & nutrition?

Or.. have you given in to excuses, like, I don't have the time...or the energy.... When I hear someone say, 'I don't have the time to exercise', my instant response is, 'So how's that working for you?'. Essentially, we are all busy, our lives are moving at a frenetic pace, but .. why do we always leave our health and fitness as a last priority only to be focussed on when it's too late, ie we have diabetes or we're heading at our frenetic pace to obesity or heart attack. It's something we always take for granted, until it's gone.

I used to have a job that required a 3 hour commute (on a good day, so long as the train & traffic gods were smiling). I had to start work at 8am and finish at 6pm (unless I had a video conference with the UK until 8pm..). Somehow, I had to fit in some exercise somewhere. I was already committed to my program and there was no way I was going to be quitting and giving in to my inner slug - although it could have been easy.

All I did was get out of bed 40 minutes earlier (yes, this meant dragging myself out of bed at 4.45am). 10 minutes were spent on warm up and cooldown/stretching - the other 30 minutes were an intense round of interval workouts alternated with strength training. These workouts energised me for the day ahead - that together with my packed lunchbox full of good food & healthy snacks. If I hadn't been that organised and had a very systemised planned approach to my training and nutrition, all my previous hard work would have literally gone down the toilet. There was no way I was going to let that happen.

You can do it too. All it takes is a little careful planning - committing to getting to bed at a set time each night so that you have adequate rest, planning your meals for the week & pre-packing your food for the day ahead. Planning your workouts for the week ahead. Set your alarm a bit earlier and make yourself get out of bed and do your workout.

Try it for a couple of weeks and let me know how that works for you (compared with the results you were getting before from having..no time..).

Nutritional Misfits

Does this sound like you? It's a great read, and a great reminder that no matter how healthy we think we may be eating, chances are, we're probably not.... Always keep a food diary for a week as a good check point...
Nutritional Misfits

We all feel like skipping a workout from time to time..

but before you do, here's a few questions to ask yourself:

1. Do you have a legitimate reason to skip the workout?

If you’re unwell, tired or injured, you might be better off not training. If it’s a matter of motivation, think about how positive you will feel when you have completed your workout, remember the reason that you are doing the training in the first place, and think of the benefits of exercise.

2. Will you regret it if you don’t exercise?

An extra hour’s sleep might feel good at the time however will you regret not exercising later. Is that extra hour’s work going to make all the difference to your health and well being? Thinking about the consequences may push you to make the right decision. Remember you are doing something to help yourself.

3. What other exercise have you done this week?

Can you afford a day off or are you creating bad habits? Have you exercised at all during the week or is this your only session. Think about the input into your body (food and beverages) compared to the output. Have you completed incidental exercise or been sedentary all week.

4. How will you make up for a missed workout?

Imagine that you do skip your workout. Now ask yourself how you’ll make up for it. Will you do it later, maybe after work or before bed? Or will you get up early tomorrow and workout extra long? Visualise that and ask yourself if you’ll really do it or if you’re setting yourself up for failure.

5. Why do you want to skip training?

If you are too tired, exercise will give you energy. If you are too hungry, have a quick healthy snack to keep you going. If you don’t feel like it, you will once you are there. If you have too much to do, make sure you prioritise your health first otherwise you will always find something to do. If you are bored with your workouts then try something new.

6. If you skip training, how will it affect your goals?

If you’re trying to lose weight, how important is this workout? Exercising burns calories, builds endurance and improves strength. If you skip it, none of that will happen. Maybe missing one day won’t hurt but, remember, it’s the accumulation of your workouts that leads to success.

7. Are you bored with your routine?

Workout with a friend as chatting passes the time and makes the session more fun. Find some new music that is upbeat to inspire you. Join a group class that is social as well as fun. Have a personal training session to help motivate and push you. Try different types of exercises, mix it up and get a bit of variety.

8. What might happen if you skip your training session?

Your workout isn’t just important for burning calories, it can affect every part of your day, both physically and mentally. Remind yourself that getting in your workout will give you more energy, improve your confidence and self-satisfaction, help you concentrate better, help you get more things done and allow you to actively re-commit to your goals.

Jog Squad starts tomorrow!

Just a reminder that our Jog Squad sessions start this Saturday at 7am.

What are they? They are 45min - 1hr sessions designed to improve our running.

Who are they for? Basically anyone who can jog 2-3km comfortably is welcome to join in. They are designed to improve our distance running, and improve our running strength and speeds.

What will be involved? Each week will be different. Some weeks we will do a distance run, others we will do a small run followed by either hills or sprints / speed work.

How long is the program? Jog Squad is primarily designed for the Sydney Running Festivals - so these sessions will be running throughout July and August. Spring (September) will see our new Beginner Jog Squads and a continuation of our 5k plus groups, which will be combined with our new Jog Squad format.

It's only 5 weeks until City to Surf, so there's still time to get your running ability up to speed by joining in with our Jog Squads.

Let me know if you want to enrol and I'll send you through the plans and homework on a weekly basis.

Email me today (info@attitudetoburn.com.au) or phone me on 0430 605 701 to book in now!

Tight hip flexors?

If tight overactive hip flexors are your problem..and you sit a lot (either driving or at work)..read on

here are some tips to help alleviate the issue of being seated

and fire up the glutes here:

Reasons to workout in Winter...

If you needed more convincing about the benefits of not giving in to your inner slug...

1. It's cooler, so you're not a dripping mess in 5 minutes flat.

2. No flies

3. Even on the coldest day...you get nice and warm - without needing a heater (therefore of course, it's good for the environment!)

4. You're less inclined to put on 5kg of winter hibernation fat and stay looking good in those jeans you bought at the beginning of the season

5. By the time the nice weather comes around, you're already looking hot because you stayed committed!

July is NO EXCUSES month ...

will you join me?

Are you ready to commit to :
a/ eating well and on plan - 6 days out of 7
b/ making time for exercise rather than excuses, and
c/ being responsible for the skin you live in - and the current shape it's in?

It's time to be accountable - and do what you commit to.


Or, will you let another month slip by, making the same old excuses, blaming the same old things, and still struggling to fit into your clothes properly?

The choice is yours, and only yours...

Fat - the good, the bad, the ugly

These days we are just bombarded with information, diets, scientific research and data that can often be based on fashion and incomplete or inconclusive studies. It gets hard to separate the truth from the myths and to know just who or what to believe. We're left floundering in 'trial and error' or 'trial and failure' territory.

Here's what I know.
Low fat:
- whilst eating 'less fat' in our diets can be a good thing...not eating enough fat can be a bad thing.
- Low fat goods aren't always the best for us. Low fat often means more sugar is added for flavour. You have to become a little 'label savvy' and check out the protein, carb & fat grams on the back of your food labels.
- In the late 80s low fat became all the rage...and we were told to eat carbs carbs carbs (I'll cover carbs in another post) for energy. We got fat...and we continue to get fatter as a nation, now surpassing even America in that regard. We went with the mindset - if it's low fat... I can't get fat....or.. I can eat more of it... WRONG.
Full Fat
- we get told eating full fat anything is bad. The thing is, when we start mucking around with things to reduce the fat, like with good natural things like butter, cheese, milk ... then we start to muck around with the way things taste, the natural vitamins that come with these things, (you actually need some fat in milk to allow your body to absorb the calcium) we add in chemicals and more sugar and synthetic vitamins. If eating full fat was so bad...how come we weren't so fat in the 70s before all the low fat stuff came around?

moderation
- now, I know I'm not alone here, many of us aren't too good at the old 'eat whatever you want, but just in moderation' sometimes our stop button has gone on holidays and left us faced to deal with our food demons alone. But there is a lot of truth in this saying. The thing is, if we were to just eat things that were labelled as low fat - what would happen? My guess is, we'd put on weight. The reason I believe this is, that one of the good things about having fat in your diet, is that it makes you feel full. Seriously, if you were to eat, say, 50gm of plain full fat cheddar cheese, as compared with 50gm of a low fat variety, you'd probably feel full after the full fat one, but you could probably eat a little more of the low fat one as it wouldn't have quite hit the spot - and if the old 'no moderation' factor comes into play..you will eat more because you don't feel satisfied. So, effectively, you may be eating less fat calories, but overall, your calories will be greatly increased - but your brain is probably still thinking, yeah, it's low fat, it's okay.

Bad Fat
Now, there is such a thing as 'bad fat' but it's mostly those fats that are known as trans-fats Apparently Australian food labelling doesn't yet require the listing of trans fats on our food labels - but, trans fats are basically fats that are hydrogenated - ie, an oil that has been made solid through processing. Trans fats are included in a lot of processed biscuits and foods. I copied this from the US FDA site:

What is Trans Fat?
Major Food Sources of Trans Fat for American Adults
(Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories)

40%cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.

21%animal products

17%margarine

8%fried potatoes

5%potato chips, corn chips, popcorn

4%household shortening

3%salad dressing

1%breakfast cereal

1%candy

Basically, trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.

Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.

Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. Americans consume on average 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diets.

Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.

Saturated Fats
This is the interesting one, and the one that causes a lot of bad press. The fact is, we need to have a little 'saturated' fat in our diet - it is essential for the production of certain hormones, and the absorption of Vitamins A, D & K. But we need to keep a check on it, and be mindful of the amount we are consuming. Saturated fat should only make up about 5% of our overall fat intake. Saturated fat is found in meats, (things like chicken skin), dairy, seafood & eggs. Oils like coconut oil & palm oil are saturated fats. (on another note: please try and avoid purchasing any products that use palm oil or palm kernel oil in high proportions as the farming of these oils are responsible for the degradation of orangutang habitat, and the death of many orangutangs.)

Good Fat
Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Nuts including peanuts, walnuts, almonds and pistachios, avocado, canola and olive oil are high in MUFAs. MUFAs have also been found to help in weight loss, particularly body fat.

Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group.

Cooking with fats/oils:
Whilst we have been bombarded with the 'cook with olive oil' message - it's incredibly important to note that if you want to cook something at a high temperature, you should use a polyunsaturated oil rather than olive as it copes better at higher temperatures than olive oil.

To sum up... we need a little from each 'fat' area - some good & some bad in order to function the way we were supposed to. Ease up on the bad fats, but don't deny all fat.

City to Surf training

Well, City to Surf is only 8 weeks away - have you entered? If not... get on over and enter now!

Sun-Herald City to Surf enter here

We have registered our Team - Attitude to Burn - Team Ouch! so make sure you join our team and start your fundraising page.

Our City to Surf Jog Squads will be starting in July - email me or call me 0430 605 701 to book in!

Lamb backstrap with pistachio and Brazil nut crust (GF)

Here's a yummy recipe courtesy of nuts for life

35g chopped pistachio kernels
1tb chopped Brazil nuts
2 teaspoons dried thyme
75g low fat ricotta
1 egg white
cracked black pepper
600g lamb backstrap, trimmed of fat
8 chat potatoes and mixed fresh herbs, to serve
1tb olive oil

Preheat oven grill to high. Place the pistachios, Brazil nuts thyme, ricotta, egg white and a little pepper in a bowl and mix until fully combined. Set aside.
Rub the lamb with olive oil. Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium high heat and pan cook backstraps for 3 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking. Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then spoon the ricotta mixture over the top of the backstraps, pressing down to form a thick crust.
Place under the grill and continue to cook until the ricotta mixture is set and golden on top. Serve with rosemary potatoes and seasonal vegetables that have been tossed with herbs such as basil, mint and chives.

SERVES 4

Nutrient content per serve
Energy 2380kJ (570kcal), Protein 54g, Total fat 22g, Saturated fat 7g (32% of total fat), Monounsaturated fat 10g, Polyunsaturated fat 3g, Carbohydrates 33g, Fibre 9g, Sodium 175mg

~10g nuts per serve

Off to the snow?

So, ski season is now upon us, and you're all set to head down the slopes... or are you?

In order to get the most out of your time in the snow (apres stuff aside) you need to make sure your fitness and leg strength are ready for the more than ready for the task at hand!

You need to ensure you have a good base of cardiovascular fitness combined with muscular endurance to ensure you remain as injury free as possible.

A few exercises that you SHOULD be doing regularly to improve your muscular endurance are:

Squats
Lunges or walking lunges and
The Bridge or hip extension (with or without leg raise as shown here).

These need only be bodyweight only (no weights required) and should be incorporated regularly into your routine to assist with the correct muscles.

Always remember to warm up sufficiently and cooldown/stretch at the end of your routine.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Goal setting for success

Now that winter's here, it's even more important to have clear goals to help keep you motivated and active during the cooler months.

It is extremely important to use realistic strategies for achieving your health and fitness (as well as other) goals. Many people try to change too many things at once, which can dramatically increase your risk of failure. Using the SMARTER acronym can help you to set goals and develop an effective plan to achieve them.

Specific – avoid the use of vague goals such as ‘I want to be fitter’. Instead, make them specific, such as ‘I want to lower my cholesterol/blood pressure’ or ‘I want to improve my Biological Age’.

Measurable – you should be able to measure and monitor your goals (partly so that you can identify progress). It may be something like ‘I want to lower my blood pressure to 120/80’ or ‘I want to be 10 kilos lighter’ or ‘I want to make my Biological Age" lower than my Chronological Age’

Achievable – Make it an attractive goal. If you don’t really want to achieve the selected goal, you are much less likely to succeed. For instance, many people fail to give up smoking because they are doing it for someone else, or they feel pressured to do it. Often, it’s only when they REALLY want to give up smoking that they can then achieve this. Therefore, try to choose a goal that would make you feel great if it happened.

Realistic – to ensure your goals are realistic, you must be capable of achieving that goal. A confidence scale can be a useful tool – Rate how confident you are ofachieving your goal, on a scale of 0-10 (0 = not confident at all, 10 = extremely confident). If you scored less than a 9 or 10, identify what can help move you towards a 9 or 10; can you get help from friends or employ an expert. Breaking your final goal down into small achievable bit sized chunks or ‘mini-goals’ that can be measured on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis is very helpful. Focus your attention on these ‘mini- goals’, but always have the end-goal in the back of your mind.

Time-framed – try to be realistic when setting a timeframe. If you plan to accomplish things too quickly, you will get disheartened and probably fail. Write a realistic timescale, then write down all the barriers to achieving your goals and try to come up with a plan to overcome them.

Evaluate – It is crucial to measure, record, recognise and reward your progress. This will give you extra confidence and make you realise that all your good work is paying off.

Reset – once you have achieved your goals, set new ones based on your new internal standards. Achieving one goal can often be the catalyst for continuing and sustained success, so strike while the iron is hot!

If you slept in this morning...

You missed the most glorious sunrise... and here's part of our workout this morning on the beach (Partner Over & Under):

Tips to Help your kids eat well and move more

Matt O'Neill ( of Metabolic Jumpstart) has recently introduced a Healthy Kids Jumpstart, and has shared some tips to help your kids eat well and move more...


Helping an overweight child 363kb PDF
Helping the fussy eater 290kb PDF
Tips for healthy family eating 397kb PDF
Boosting family physical activity 260kb PDF

Why should adults join the Healthy Kids Jumpstart?

Because when adults walk the talk they set a positive example for kids, who mirror their behaviour. It's a chance to break the cycle of obesity. Join us!


Attitude to Burn is an official partner of Metabolic Jumpstart

Is losing weight your main goal over winter?

Rather than resorting to hibernation and extra layers of clothing to hide under, would you rather lose weight over the winter months?

If so, we have an extra incentive for you to help you along the way over the next 3 months.

For every kilo you lose, we will give you 1 week's free group training.

Lose 8 kilos - and that's 8 weeks of group training for free! ($240 value!)

Register your interest today by calling Caroline on 0430 605 701 and kick start your winter weight loss goal now!

We've also got 2 metabolic jumpstart programs to give away to the 2 first entrants!

The plans for the long weekend

Well, for those of you who are going away for the long weekend, I hope it's a safe drive, great destination, and relaxing time. With some exercise of course thrown in for good measure. Don't forget to :
a/ go for a good walk, jog or mix of the two
b/ add in some bodyweight strength exercises such as pushups, situps, squats, lunges - see if you can find somewhere to attempt some pullups or inverted rows for good measure.
c/ stretch


For those of us who aren't going away, here's the plan:
SATURDAY
7am - Running Group (meeting at Bulli Surf Club carpark) - 25 minutes non stop for the Couch to 5km program and 8k for the 5-10k program runners.

8am - Bodyweight Blast at Bulli High track (off of Jardine St)

SUNDAY - No sessions

MONDAY - One X Train Session at 10am at Thirroul

What training is best for fat loss?

Interval training of course! A few years ago experts decided that slow steady exercise (HR max of about 140bpm) was the exercise that best utilised fat reserves as a source of fuel. Of course, we now know better and know that whilst this may be the case, we actually need to burn as many calories for as long as we possibly can to get maximum benefits from our exercise program. Of course, interval training is the way to go.

Attached is a report to provide you with a beginner's guide to the best way to lose fat PLUS new advanced interval training research AND 5unique interval training methods.

There is something in there for everyone who wants to lose fat and is sick of not getting results from cardio.

Click here to download the report.

Personal Training spaces now available in Thirroul

We currently have some vacancies available for personal training sessions.

If you:

- are tired of making excuses
- tired of the same old gym routine
- want to get accelerated and measurable results
- are willing to commit 100% to your program

then we want to help you!

Call us now on 0409914397 or email us on info@attitudetoburn.com.au to ask about our 6 week accelerator packs.

There is a limit of 10 available!

Thirroul evening session cancelled...

as much as I hate to do this, tonight's evening session at Thirroul is cancelled due to heavy rain/flooding of our site area.

4 exercise leg destroyer will wait for another day....

What's on this weekend?

This weekend, we have our running groups. Meeting at 7am - at Bulli high School track this weekend!!!

Session 3 of our Couch to 5km running group - this week we will be focussing on 5, 8 and 10 minute runs.
Session 2 of our 5-10k program - this week they will be running a 6.8k course...

(please pack snorkel and flippers just in case this weather doesn't improve)


And... at Bulli High School track - simultaneously with our Bodyweight Blast session we will be running our fitness testing - Beep test, situps, pushups, plank hold....

So if you want to get tested - be there at 8am, just off of Jardine Street.

Winter's coming

... and if you don't want to end up gaining that extra layer of blubber over the next few months, then consider the following benefits or exercising and staying healthy over winter. Yes, sometimes it is hard to find the motivation, particularly if you wake up to a slight sound of rain, or you're still snug and warm under your doona..but did you think of this?

-Training in winter means there are less people, you’ll have more space to exercise yourself - particularly outside.
-If you train in the morning before work you get to enjoy the first rays of sun as dawn breaks. This can mean the most beautiful pink skies.
-If exercising in the morning just doesn't do it for you (and some people are NOT morning people - as my husband can attest...) Then how about training in your lunch break since the temperature is much milder and you don't have to contend with the heat of summer!
- More than likely, most other people are going to be facing the same struggles (and letting the lure of extra layers of clothes lull them into a false sense of security) - so you will no doubt get to reap the benefits of the peaceful empty parks and streets.
- and the best reason of all is that you will have a 6 month head start on your summer beach body. Nobody else will even think about starting on until at least September or October!

There are so many benefits of staying active over the winter period. If this hasn't provided you with the kickstart you need, then organise some personal training, or join in our 12 week fitness challenge (last intake on 1 June - finishing in time for Spring!) and come and exercise with all the other people whose exercise doesn't stop just because it a little cold and wet outside.

Breaking the exercise habit

If you are one of those people who hasn't been able to exercise for a while for a whole heap of reasons, work, sick, work, sick... (can you see a pattern emerging here)... you may find it hard to believe, but you are not the only one who this happens to. Even people who are consistent with their exercise regime can sometimes fall off the wagon occasionally.

No matter how good you have been in the past (or how bad) it can always represent a challenge to get restarted and back on track - particularly if you've fallen off the wagon after achieving a particular goal.

If you are looking for a kick in the butt to get back on the wagon again, here are some tips to help:

1) Firstly don't break the habit - The easiest way to avoid having to get re-started is to avoid stopping in the first place. If you have been going strong with your exercise regime, then try and avoid dropping it at the first sign of trouble - you know how much easier it is to stay fit compared to the actual act of getting fit in the first place. Don't make all that hard work & effort worthless.

2) Make 'not breaking the habit' your main goal - rather than thinking about your long term fitness goals (which can sometimes feel so far away from achieving when there is so much other superfluous clutter going on) - simply focus on maintaining your regime - make that time your 'time out for you'.

3) Take small steps when you start again - We all have a tendency to try and do too much at first, especially if we are used to a certain level from our old exercise program. But when you are re-beginning it is best to leave a little in reserve and gradually increase your workload as your body starts to re-adjust.

4) Set your first goal to maintain this regime just for 4 weeks to start. Once you've achieved 4 weeks, then set it for the next 4 weeks. Small bite size chunks are so much more achievable - and again, when there are so many other demands on our time, we don't want this to feel like another stressful demand - this is what helps you to alleviate your other stresses.

5) Mark your exercise sessions on your calendar. Make this time your time for YOU. YOU are the most important thing during this small chunk of your day.

6) Make a regular time to create an exercise ritual. Ensure you have your bag packed and ready to go, so there are no last minute excuses.

Following these simple steps will help you to avoid exercise derailment and become a regular, consistent, self-motivated exerciser to help you lead an active and healthy long life!

Box til you drop beach challenge this weekend!

This weekend's fitness challenge will be a box til you drop.... on Thirroul Beach at 3pm Saturday..

be there, and be prepared to work hard!!!

Appin Challenge Valley course

We are organising another day to go over the Appin 'Challenge Valley' course - thinking Sunday June 20th - this time we will try and add in a 3k run before and after to emulate the Tough Bloke/Chick challenge course as much as possible.

Please let me know who's interested - we need 10 people to book it!!

Bootcamp Wilton starting soon!

If you live in Wilton, Campbelltown or Appin and have been looking for a bootcamp, then look no further!

We will be starting a special 6 week bootcamp for Winter - 6 weeks to help you keep the winter kilos away, and boost your immune system.

Email us now for full details: attitudetoburn@y7mail.com

What's on this weekend?

Once again, we have our running groups on this Saturday morning at 7am.
Meeting point: Bulli surf club carpark.

the 0-5km group will be progressing to the next stage of our jog/walk intervals, and
the 5-10km group will be jogging along a predetermined 5.6km track.

Hope to see you all there!


Don't forget, we also have our Bulli Bodyweight Blast session on at 8am at Bulli High School track - if you've been for the run before hand you will be nicely warmed up to join straight in and get your body blasted into shape for the weekend!

We are soft!!!!

This never fails to make me chuckle. We are so spoilt living in Australia, particularly on our temperate East Coast. We can enjoy the most beautiful weather all year round - and we have been completely spoilt (or rather, lulled into a false sense of security) with our weather of late - still enjoying 23-24 degree sunshine.

The trouble is, we forget that sometimes it rains, and needs to.
Sometimes it gets a little cold, as it needs to.
Sometimes it gets a little windy, or all of the above!

So the minute it does, we run back indoors claiming we can't possibly go outdoors to exercise.

All I have to say to that is, toughen up sweethearts! You won't shrink in the rain, nor will you melt. The wind won't snap freeze you, nor will the cold. And really, 8-9 degree mornings are NOT cold.

Not compared with this: (and THIS IS cold!)Canada bootcamp


PLUS - you will burn a heap more calories exercising when it's colder..... just think of how much harder your body as to work at heating itself let alone anything else! what more reasons do you need? :-) I guess you also have the added benefit of not sweating like crazy either.... see, now there's NO EXCUSES!

Final Intake for 12 week fitness challenge

Our final intake for our 12 week fitness challenge will be on 1 June.

Our Monthly bootcamps have incorporated the 12 week fitness challenge, with many metabolic conditioning challenge workouts taking place, all for valuable challenge points.

If you want to really improve your fitness and challenge yourself, then book into our final session starting on 1 June!

New Sessions

Our new sessions are now in full swing, with our Bodyweight Blast and X-Train sessions starting this week.

What are they?

X-Train
A high intensity fitness class utilising some of the CrossFit principles incorporating functional bodyweight resistance, sandbags, velocity ropes and plyometric training in a format involving timed or repetition metabolic resistance challenges to push you beyond your comfort zone. This isn't your ordinary circuit class!
Bodyweight Blast
A medium to high intensity full body workout with no equipment required!

We hope that you enjoy them! Don't forget, if you haven't experienced an Attitude to Burn session, come along for a free week's trial! Just sign up here:

This Weekend

Hi all,
Just a reminder of what's happening this weekend:

Saturday 8am -Bodyweight blast at Bulli High School track off of Jardine Street

Saturday 3pm - Beach Fitness Challenge at Thirroul beach - meet near the surf club and be prepared to get wet, sandy, wet & sandy.... did I say, wet and sandy??


Sunday - Mothers day Classic - a 2 or 5km fitness fun run or walk - bring the whole family to help raise funds for breast cancer research. We will be meeting at 8.30 at the North Beach surf club - wear your Ouch shirts!

Free Week's Group Training Trial

We are currently offering a free week's trial for all our group training sessions.

Download our May timetable here

What's on this weekend?

Just a quick update on what's on this weekend with Attitude to Burn:

Saturday - 7am we have our next instalment of our Couch to 5km program - starting out at Week 1 all again. Meeting at Bulli Surf Club Carpark

8am - Fitcamp at Bulli High - 45 minute session to burn maximum calories and get you ready to tackle the weekend!

2.30pm - 5-10k running group - this week starting out! This week we hit 4km (yes, I know it's a 5-10km program) - then we slowly build up over the next 8 weeks to 10km - all ready to go for the Sutherland to Surf.
From there we will then build up to complete the City to Surf in August! This week we meet at Sandon Point carpark

Losing just 6 kilos provides a health boost!

So, recent research suggests that losing just 6 kilos is enough to provide your body with a boost to immunity and helps fight against the inflammatory changes that lead to coronary disease and diabetesLose 6 kilos to get a health boost report.

What is the best way to go about losing 6 kilos? Firstly, it's not 'biggest loser' style of 6 hours exercise and 1200 calories per day... sure, this will get your results, but it's hard to maintain long term, and not the healthiest method of changing your habits.

Start by logging everything that you eat on a daily basis for a week - you can log it in a diary or online at calorie king. Be completely honest - after all, the only person you will be cheating if you lie, is yourself. Work out how many calories that equates to.

Nutritionist, Matt O'Neill also has a great program which we promote, the Metabolic Jumpstart program. The reason we promote it, is that I lost 8 kilos over 6 weeks - without really even trying. It has everything laid out for you, which is based on the calories you require to eat, v. calories you expend.

Make small changes - Rome wasn't built in a day, afterall...and be prepared for these to be lifestyle changes. Start to replace refined carbohydrates with wholegrain and foods as close to their natural state as possible. Remove any fatty fried foods and replace these with lean grilled protein sources such as chicken, fish, & red meat. Try and add in as many leafy green vegetables as possible, and increase your water intake - try and aim for 2L a day as a minimum.

Lastly, make exercise a priority. It doesn't have to be pounding out hours and hours on the treadmill. Far from it in fact. The most effective way to burn calories is to do small bursts of high intensity. If you're new to exercise though, start out with just walking, and some gentle bodyweight exercises such as pushups, situps, squats, lunges. Then gradually add in some small bursts of running, and even hills. Just incorporating these small changes will see you reap huge benefits overall.

This Weekend

What's on this weekend with Attitude to Burn:

Saturday
7am - Final run for the Couch to 5km run group - well done on making it this far!!!

8am - Fitcamp session at Bulli High School track off of Jardine Street


Sunday
10am - 1pm - Appin Bush Bash challenge - a chance to have a go over the Tough Bloke course - Challenge Valley obstacle course at Cataract Scout Park

5 Weird Flat Abdominal Fitness Tips

Some tips from Turbulence Training guru, Craig Ballantyne!

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Abs

If you've been struggling to get flat, sexy abs and burn belly fat
with traditional workouts, then you are going to love these 5 weird
abdominal exercise and diet tips.

Over the last 13 years as a trainer and athlete, I've been studying
every expert and research study I can find about the best way to get
flat abs.

Today, you'll discover 5 weird tips you might not know when it comes
to getting a flat stomach and firm abs.

#1 - The best interval training work-to-rest ratio for losing belly
fat might be 1-to-1.5.

In an Australian study, researchers found that doing intervals for
8 seconds followed by 12 seconds of rest resulted in significantly
more belly fat burning than long slow cardio.

Now I know that 8 seconds on and 12 seconds off sounds a little
annoying (just try doing that on a machine), but the good news is
that these researchers found that going for 24 seconds followed by a
36 second rest works just as well for boosting fat burning hormones.

#2 - Dr. Chris Mohr's #1 weird diet tip is...

I just finished up a fat loss nutrition interview with Dr.
Mohr and he told me that his simple, yet slightly weird #1 diet tip
for fat loss is...

"Get almost all of your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables."

I really liked that tip because I've been telling people this for
years, and it's part of the Fat Loss Foundation you'll discover in
my Simple Nutrition manual & DVD.

#3 - You need to be able to do a Plank exercise for 2 minutes.

Dr. Stuart McGill, the world's leading expert on low back health,
says in his book that a person with fit abs should be able to do a
plank exercise for 2 minutes straight.

If you can't do the plank for 2 minutes, then you need to lose belly
fat and you need to get an abdominal workout DVD program that works
your abs properly.



Here are the best abdominal exercises DVDs you can get

#4 - New research shows that supersets training burns more calories
than traditional straight set resistance training.

And that's exactly what you'll get in every short, burst exercise
workout.

The short, burst superset programs save you time (getting you done
in half the time of a traditional resistance workout) while helping
you burn more fat.

#5 - To see your abs, a man will need to be close to 10% fat and a
woman will need to be at about 16% fat.

Of course, the more muscle you have, the easier it will be too see
your abs, so you'll still be able to see a 4-pack on muscular guys
when they have 12-13% fat.

But the bottom line is that you need to use the Simple Nutrition
plan combined with the short, burst exercise workouts to burn
belly fat to see your sexy abs.

BONUS Tip - A great way to work your abs harder than normal planks
is the Stability Ball Plank.

Research reported in Men's Health magazine reported this exercise to
be 30% harder on your abs than a regular plank.

And last Friday I used an interesting technique with this exercise
that caused my abs to be sore for days. But that's another story for
another weird abdominal exercise article - coming soon!


Remember, for the best flat abdominal exercises and belly fat burning
circuits, you need the TT for Abs Home Exercise DVDs & Simple
Nutrition plan from this website

Soluble fibre boosts immune system

A recent study from the US claims that soluble fibre strengthens the immune system and reduces inflammation linked to obesity-related diseases.

Gregory Freund, a professor in the University of Illinois’ College of Medicine, said, ‘Soluble fibre changes the personality of immune cells -- they go from being pro-inflammatory, angry cells to anti-inflammatory, healing cells that help us recover faster from infection’.

This change occurs because soluble fibre (found in apples, oats and nuts among other foods) increases the production of interleukin-4, an anti-inflammatory protein.

The study comprised a six-week experiment in which laboratory mice were fed low-fat diets which differed only in their content of either soluble or insoluble fibre. At the end of the six weeks, the mice had significantly differing responses when the researchers introduced lipopolysaccharide, a substance that mimics a bacterial infection in the body.

Study researcher Christina Sherry, who also worked on the study, said; ‘Two hours after lipopolysaccharide injection, the mice fed soluble fibre were only half as sick as the other group, and they recovered 50 per cent sooner. And the differences between the groups continued to be pronounced all the way out to 24 hours. In only six weeks, these animals had profound, positive changes in their immune systems’.

Source: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

Low-fat diet not a cholesterol smasher

Although they have confirmed, unsurprisingly, that low-fat diets are not bad for the heart, recently released trial results have also shown that such an eating regime may not have any significant effect on cholesterol levels.

Data was collected from the US Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), which provided a number of women across the US with intensive training and education on eating low-fat diets. Various health indicators were then compared with women whose dietary habits remained unchanged.

Low-fat diets didn’t lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, but they didn’t lower ‘good’ cholesterol (HDLs) either. Study author Barbara Howard, a professor of medicine at Georgetown University, said ‘This diet did not raise triglycerides and didn't lower HDL cholesterol. It didn't do any of the adverse things that high-fat people have claimed’.
Howard did note, however, that the women who decreased their intake of trans fatty acids and saturated fats did have a lower rate of heart disease. She also alluded to the increased ease of losing weight apparently brought about through consuming a low-fat diet.

‘If you start out eating too many calories and you cut fat, that automatically makes you eat a higher-carbohydrate diet. If a person wants to reduce weight and is comfortable with cutting fat, that is a good strategy’ Howard said; ‘The main message here is that if you want to lose weight and cut fat to do it, you do not have adverse effects. …in my opinion, if you have to cut calories to lose weight, it is easier to cut fat because fat is denser’.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Exercise your stress away

The increased levels of anxiety often evident in people with illnesses could be reduced by exercising regularly.
The stress that accompanies illness can have the effect of making people stop following their treatment plans, thereby causing them to deteriorate further.

A new study by researchers at the University of Georgia analysed the results of 40 previous randomised clinical trials which collectively contained data gathered from nearly 3,000 patients with assorted medical conditions (including multiple sclerosis, chronic pain from arthritis, heart conditions and cancer). Individuals who exercised regularly reported an average 20 per cent lower level of anxiety symptoms than non-exercisers.

Lead author Matthew Herring, a doctoral student in the department of kinesiology, said, ‘Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious’.

Although the usefulness of exercise in alleviating symptoms of depression has been studied previously, its effect on anxiety symptoms has had less focus on it.

Study co-author Pat O'Connor, professor and co-director of the UGA Exercise Psychology Laboratory, said, ‘We found that exercise seems to work with just about everybody under most situations. Exercise even helps people who are not very anxious to begin with become more calm’.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine

Barefoot v shoes

With so many different issues being caused by running shoes, it's no wonder the barefoot v shoes debate is gaining momentum. This makes interesting reading. I still wonder how, if someone is suffering biomechanical issues and middle aged, this progression may work for them.

3rd Running Group session on Saturday

Hi all,
Just a reminder our next running session is on this Saturday.
7am - Bulli Surf Club car park (near old Rubys)

Bright eyed and bushy tailed!!

Coming back from ankle injury

If you've suffered an injury to your ankle, it's important that you carry out appropriate strengthening work to help get you back and running again. Click here for some great tips

5 Nutrition Tips for Fat Loss

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

This is always tough to admit, but nutrition is more important than
your workouts when it comes to fat loss.

And since diet is more important than exercise, I've decided to
spend a lot time sharing nutrition tips this week, starting with
these 5 diet secrets:

1) Your nutrition program doesn't have to be extreme.

Hold up on making any extreme diet changes. Make sure the nutrition
plan you've chosen is sustainable. Simple diet changes go a lot
farther than you might think.

Why not just eat more whole, natural foods rather than trying to go
on an impossible-to-stick-to ultra-low carb extreme plan?

2) Get the junk out of the house.

If it's in your house, you'll eat it....

So whatever your weakness is, keep it out of your home.

Success is that simple.

3) Fill in the "diet-killing" gap.

For some folks, the diet-killing gap is between work and dinner.
For others, it's between dinner and bedtime, but for almost
everyone, there is a point in the day when we suffer from mindless
eating.

So make sure you have alternatives...as soon as you come home from
work, cut up vegetables and dip them into hummus. That will keep
you full on a small amount of calories.

After dinner, if you need something sweet, stir up chocolate
protein powder into a small bit of plain yogurt. That will satisfy
you.

4) Chew your food 5-10 times before swallowing.

Most people eat so fast they only about 1-2 times. You'll really
notice a difference and you'll slow your eating so you feel full.

5) Have a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before a meal.

American researcher Barbara Roll has published a lot of studies
showing that this will help you reduce the food you eat.
Surprisingly, consuming just water doesn't seem to do the same
trick.

So those are just 5 of the diet secrets we have for you this year.

Stay tuned for proven secrets to help you lose fat in 2010.

Second Running Group session on this weekend

Hi all,
Just a reminder our 2nd instalment of our running group will be on this weekend. This weekend we will move up to the 3 minutes run/ 3 minutes walk section of the program.

We will be meeting at Sandon Point carpark at 7am.

Hope to see you all there!
Caroline

Losing Weight - the simple facts

There are no quick fixes. I'm glad to see that they are finally investigating that Lemon Detox rubbish diet. But, now on the back of Weight Watchers endorsing some McDonalds meals as healthy... the facts need to be told:

What you eat is 80% of the problem.

You CANNOT out exercise a bad diet.

If you can't get your nutrition right, then you're fighting a losing battle.

Eat properly (in the right proportions), exercise well and you will see great results.

If you don't eat properly, you can exercise your heart out and you may get some results, but nothing to write home about.


There endeth the lecture (or rant!)

Now, go plan your good meals, stick to the plan - have ONE cheat meal in the week, exercise hard and look fantastic.

Exercising with lower back pain?

If you are suffering lower back pain, read on here

Running Group homework

Great turnout this morning. Given we will be moving this to a fortnightly meeting, next meeting will be on:
Saturday 6 March - we will meet at Sandon Point Carpark

Homework until then is:

Homework for the next two weeks:
always start with a brisk 5 minute walk to start and finish - and stretch at the end.

Week 1:

Day 1: Jog 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds. Repeat for 20 minutes total.

Days 2 & 3: Jog 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes - keep alternating this for a total of 20 mins

Week 2:
Day 1 Jog 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes - repeat for total of 20 minutes

Days 2 & 3: Jog 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, jog 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes - then repeat this through one more time. Total time: 18 minutes.

Office aches reduced by strength training

Strength training exercises can help women suffering from tenderness and tightness in the upper trapezius muscle. A Danish study has identified five dumbbell exercises aimed at reducing repetitive stain injury caused by office work.

The response from a Danish survey showed more than half of female office workers reported frequent neck pain and more than two-thirds of these suffered from tightness of the trapezius muscle.

Forty-two female office workers participated in the 10-week study. All subjects had suffered chronic or frequent pain in the neck area and tightness and tenderness of the upper trapezius muscle. Of these 42 women, a group of 18 did five exercises with dumbbells. They included one-arm row, shoulder abduction, shoulder elevation, reverse fly and upright row. These exercises isolate the shoulder and the neck muscles, including the trapezius. Three sets of three of these exercises were performed three times per week, and weights were progressively increased throughout the 10 weeks.

This group of women experienced significant changes, including improved rapid force capacity and an increased number of type II muscle fibres, the fibres important in the generation of power. Furthermore, the training helped reduce pain levels by more than 50 per cent.

The findings suggest that the strength training was able to reduce the pain and further enhance the body’s ability to rapidly activate the muscle. Activating the muscle depends upon rapid coordination of nerve signals and it was the nerve signaling that seemed to have improved. The researchers also said that the strength training may have encouraged the women to set aside the fear of pain and thus helped improve performance.
Source: Journal of Applied Physiology

Fat oxidation not enough for fat loss say Sydney scientists

Australian scientists have rebuffed the claims of recent years that fat oxidation (burning fats as opposed to carbohydrates) is sufficient for promoting fat loss. The scientists from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research reconfirmed the obvious (but often unpopular with the general population) notion that the only reliable way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more.

Using genetically-altered mice, it was shown that although fats can be burned in preference to carbohydrates, it was the unburned carbohydrates that were actually stored as fat. This resulted in the altered mice having the same weight and body composition as the normal mice.

The research was focused on the enzyme which controls whether cells burn fats or carbohydrates, known as acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC2). Scientists demonstrated that by blocking off the ACC2 enzyme, cells were now required to burn the fats first, rather than carbohydrates.

The researchers said that previous studies had misinterpreted the process as being able to make fat stores ‘evaporate,’ without people changing food intake or energy expenditure; ‘Our data urges a correction in people’s concept of a magic bullet… something that will miraculously make them thin while they sit on the couch watching television’ said study Associate Professor Greg Cooney; ‘while none of the large pharmaceuticals companies have marketed ACC2 inhibitors, there are many kinds of so called ‘fat-burning pills’ available in the health food, body building and alternative medicine markets, where limited clinical effectiveness data are required’.
Source: Cell Metabolism

..and more...

Sydney Tough Bloke (and Chick) Competition

Well, if you want to 'embrace' the mud, and enjoy climbing cargo nets, sliding through concrete pipes, commando crawling through sloshy thick mud, climbing mounds of tyres, running about 7km through the bush and sliding down the insides of tyres...then the Tough Bloke Competition is for you.
">">
Entries are now open and you can click here to enter

We will also be planning a Bootcamp Bush Bash challenge up at Appin in preparation in March - email me for details

Rain Rain Go away.....

but don't let the rain be the thing that ruins your exercise attempts.

There are so many quick easy workouts that you can do at home - no equipment, just your bodyweight!

You could warm up with a spot of housework! (Kidding)

Get your body nice and warm by skipping on the spot (with or without a rope) for 3 minutes
then do a circuit routine of:

10 pushups
10 star jumps
10 situps or crunches
10 squat jumps
10 tricep dips
10 burpees (they had to find their way in to the routine somehow)

Repeat this for 2-3 x as time permits, then cool down by walking around the house, and make sure you stretch - glutes, hamstrings, quads, chest, shoulders and arms

Done and dusted with a total body workout that incorporates strength, cardio & plyometrics :-)

Need to budge some kilos?

If you are in need of shifting a few extra kilos that may have crept on, then think about doing a Metabolic Jumpstart Program from Nutritionist, Matt O'Neill.

Several of our clients are losing kilos using these programs - they are easy, provide a snapshot of your daily food requirements and above all else, they work! They are 4 week programs and cost only $29.95.

Combine this with a good exercise program and you will be budging the kilos quicker than you thought possible.

Timetable changes for week 1 Feb - 8 Feb inclusive

Just a quick update regarding a couple of timetable changes for Monday 1 Feb to Monday 8 Feb inclusive.

These sessions are cancelled:

Bulli - 7.15am FitCamp Tuesday 2nd & Thursday 4th
Mum's Stroller Session 9.30am Tuesday 2nd
Mid Morning Boxing/Kickboxing 10.00am Friday 5th

Port Kembla Lunch 12.10pm sessions, Monday 1st, Friday 5th & Monday 8th.

All will resume as normal following that!

Homework for this 'break' will be posted soon!!

Most Improved in today's fitness testing

Well done Jason for getting most improved overall in the fitness testing this morning. Great result going from 7/1 to 8/11 in the Beep test in 7 weeks, and improving on Plank hold 54 seconds to 2 minutes!!

Why fish oil?

New study - Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors1,2,3

Kettlebells for effective calorie burn workouts

Recently The American Council on Exercise (ACE) studied the calorie burn of kettlebell training. The article regarding the results is HERE.

ACE is one of the oldest fitness research and certifying bodies in the USA. Their study on the calorie burn of kettlebell training yielded some interesting results. In the article they also describe the interval training protocol used for the study.

Dr. John Porcari, who led the study, said “.. they were burning at least 20.2 calories per minute, which is off the charts. That’s equivalent to running a 6-minute mile pace. The only other thing I could find that burns that many calories is cross country skiing up hill at a fast pace.”

20.2 Calories per minute.
600 calories in a half an hour.

And that doesn’t even include the post exercises effect of the EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) effect that we know as the “afterburn”.

The article goes on to say: Researchers credit the brisk calorie burning to the fact that the kettlebell snatch workout is a total-body movement that is also done very quickly due to the interval-training format. “We knew it would be extremely intense,” says Schnettler. “It’s a quick workout, and you do get a big bang for your buck in a very short amount of time.

In the Pipeline for 2010

We are looking at introducing the following programs in the next month or so:

- Monthly Running Club - starting out with running up to 5km then beyond.
- Kids Monthly FunFitness Club - tire them out after school!
- Yoga or Pilates on the beach


Email me now if you are interested in any of these!

New Year, New You??

Does every new year start with the resolution... I'm going to lose weight?

Do you ever make it? If not, what were the things that sent you off the rails?

Or, was it just the fact that you had to give up so much to achieve that weight loss, that all of a sudden it didn't seem so important?

Rather than thinking about giving things up for the year to achieve your goals, how about thinking about making a few small changes each week?

ie. I am going to make sure I get a few serves of vegetables into my meals, or replace one of my soft drinks a day with a cup of green tea or 1L of water.

or - I am going to get up 20 minutes earlier and devote this time to exercise or stretching


Now, go and work out "Your Top Goal For this Year".

Have a long hard think about 1 thing that you want to change or achieve this year. Then write out 5 steps that you will do to make sure this happens. Refer to the above for guidance!! Don't think about giving things up, think about changing things, adding new things.