The last weekly leaderboard before the finale!

Week 8 and Week 9 Results

 

Week 8

1st:  Fiona - 1.91%

2nd: Anisa - 1.6%

3rd: Georgina - 1.49%

 

Week 9

1st: Melissa - 1.03%

2nd: Georgina - 0.65%

3rd: Tracey - 0.49%

 

And the last roll count before showdown

 

Overall so far:

1st: Lisa D - 9.43%

2nd: Anisa -  7.89%

3rd: Fiona - 6.45%

 

Congratulations to all these winners and I look forward to seeing the final chase to the end!

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

 We are nearing the end of the challenge.  Results go up tonight or tomorrow morning, and then you have just one last week to go.  Its time to start planning how you continue your journey.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and its unlikely that you have completely transformed your body in just 10 weeks.  The trick now is to work out how you tie in your commitment and keep you eye firmly on your goals as we approach Christmas and the New Year

I suggest you set your next plans in place now, and do something to tie yourself to them. I know of someone who has booked their next block of personal training sessions, even though they will be away for 4 weeks, as then there is no choice, no way to avoid or rationalise not getting back into it.  What can you do to drive that stake of commitment and anchor yourself to your goals?
For some of you, your 3 month subscription to Nutrtition Complete is ending - do you sign up again to make sure you stay on track?
Do you book in for some PT Sessions or a Fitness Assessment
I will be running another challenge in the new year - you could sign up now.
If it involves money - my experience says pay up front and you will feel financially committed. (Who wants to waste their money?)
Perhaps you want to run/walk the City to Bay this year - we could create a training group just for this.
So?  What are your plans?  Make them now.  Put them in your diary.   Tell someone publically so you can't back out. Time frame them.  Training in 2 -3 month cycles is great as it keeps you fresh and you can keep changing things up. 

Stretch yourself, you are capable of more than you think.  And you are so worth it.

PS big congrats to Maree who made my day today, in a PT session.  Impressive achievements indeed!

Here's the thing....

I live a double life....
Well kinda - I seem to live out of two places, one in Crystal Brook, and one in Adelaide, and I spend a large amount of time packing and unpacking between them, sometimes several times a week.

Which is the case this week.  And I dutifully packed the Challenge paperwork and took it with me on Sunday. I then ran out of time to do it Monday, and headed back home via Clare today.  Except - no paperwork.  After being so good at remembering to take it with me Sunday - I've forgotten to bring it back again.

The short of it is - no results yet - will have to wait until at least Thursday before I can get there again, and put the 2 hours of work into calculating, analysing and feeding back.  Very sorry.

Week 7 Results

Here they are
Slowly but surely, those that persistently achieve small wins each week, are gaining momentum and seeing great results.  When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Week 7
1st Place:  Kathryn - 0.85%
2nd Place: Georgina- 0.84%
3rd Place:  Tracey - 0.32%

Overall:
Lisa D: 9.72%
Anisa   5.81%
Maree  5.4%

Well done to everyone - stay focused and have a great week!

It is far better to have Tried and Failed, than have Failed to Try

Week 7 Results are in, but before I post them I'd like you to reflect on the title of this post.

Even the biggest failure beats the hell out of never trying.  Do you think that elite athletes have never failed?  How many times do you think they have to fail at a skill before they succeed?  That perseverence is what sets them apart.

With only 3 weeks left in the challenge, I want you to think about setting yourself a challenge, a goal that stretches you. I'm not talking about weight loss, I'm talking about achieving something you don't know if you can manage.  It might be to enter a 5 kms walking race, or to work towards running a particular time, or to cycle further than you ever have before or for longer. Pick something, anything and set your sights on training for it. tt should be something that you couldn't go out and achieve tomorrow if you tried hard, it should be several steps away from the "currently achievable" Perhaps you'll fail, but you will never know if you dont try.

It will keep you motivated for those last 3 weeks, and hopefully its a big enough challenge to keep you working on it over Christmas and the New Year. For me, in 2002, it was to walk the 12 kms City to Bay.  It took me 3 months to train for it, and even then I was scared that everyone would have packed up and gone home by the time I finished.  But I did it, and I run it every year now.  Your body transformation shouldn't stop in 3 weeks, neither should your goals.

Results tomorrow morning - dwell on this now.

Don't You Dare Give Up On Me!

Haha - discovered why I didn't have more people knocking on my door asking about their results over the last two weeks - it was because many of you did not post your measurements!  Now don't you dare give up on me, let alone yourself!  Yes it is a difficult time of year for eating well, but did you know there is ALWAYS a reason to eat a little more - its the reason why most Australians gain about 1kg/year.  At the moment the excuse is - "but its all the Christmas functions,"then its "but its Christmas", then its the new year, then its a long weekend, then its someones birthday (a few times over) then its Easter, then its the school holidays, then its another long weekend, then its winter (everyone uses winter as an excuse to keep eating) then its school holidays, a birthday , a long weekend, your holidays and.... Christmas again!  There is always something happening to provide an excuse to relax the eating.  You've worked hard for 5 weeks, DO NOT LET the next 5 weeks cancel this out.  Be honest.  Measure up. Don't bury your head in the sand. The difference between successful people and those who aren't is that even if they have a bad day/week, they pick themselves up, get straight back on that horse, and work harder than ever.  They don't run away from the truth and put off the hard work for "later".  Be a successul person in transforming your life and your body.  Dig Deep, Train Hard, Eat Well and Love Life!

Now that you've been good and told - here are the results from the last two weeks:

18th November:
1st Maree  - 2.61% (awesome work)
2nd Barb - 1.11% 
3rd Anisa  - 0.92%

Overall
1st Lisa D - 8.86%
2nd Mikayla - 7.41%
3rd Maree  - 6.76%

25th November
1st Lisa D - 0.86%
2nd Georgina - 0.62%
3rd Melissa - 0.25%

Overall
1st Lisa D - 9.72%
2nd Mikayla - 7.41%
3rd Maree - 5.89%


Well done to everyone.  Last week was a bit lean on fat loss -lets make this week a bumper one!

Its been a Mystery Week!

Its been a mystery week hasn't it - "what's going on with the body fat challenge?"  "what are this weeks results?"  "how did I do?".  Yep, totally intentional - not.  I've just been ridiculously busy and haven't been able to sit down and do the calcs.  So this week will be a double whammy of results.

But having said that, you don't really need to see those magic numbers to know how you are doing, do you?  Deep down you know.  You know if the clothes feel a little loser or tighter this week, you know HOW your body is feeling (feeling the after effects of working hard, or feeling sluggish from doing nothing) you know if your tummy looks a little flatter etc.  Look for these cues that help you monitor how your body is reacting to your lifestyle - these are the long lasting sustainable ones that will help you maintain your body transformation in the long run.  You need to be well tuned in to your body on a daily basis to adjust your exercise and nutrition and give it what it needs.

Keep it up guys, not long till Christmas.  Today would be a good day to plan your attack for all the Christmas activities.  Sit back outside with a tall cool drink and your calendar, and look at what's scheduled in for December.  If you think its likely you might be tempted to eat a little extra, you absolutely MUST get your exercise in, and preferably a little bit more.  Where is it going to fit?  How are you going to achieve it?  Do you have to be a bit more flexible and do some different things to fit in with different time slots for exercise?  Do you need to get up an hour earlier for the next 4 weeks to fit it in, or plan to exercise later in the evening at home?  You have worked so hard so far DONT LET IT GO TO WASTE, and be cancelled out by the festive season.  Enjoy the season, enjoy your body changes so far, but make sure that every day is still progressing towards your goals, and not away.

The Amazing Race TONIGHT!

Its on TONIGHT - 6.30pm Port Broughton Foreshore.
Its a team game not a workout (I lie, its really both) for all fitness levels.  $10/participant.
Obviously if you complete the race you end up looking like two of the previous contestents as per bottom photo.
PS - If you would like this to come to your town, as a special event - contact me.

This is Soooo True

Dont ask yourself which days you will exercise this week, ask yourself which day will I have off?
Make it a daily habit, and you will feel deprived when you miss out.  Every day doesn't have to be intense  - just get out there and do it!

Week 4 Results

Well here they are.
As we move towards the halfway point, I want to encourage you to NEVER GIVE UP.  This is the point where motivation starts to slide, maybe you're happy with what you've acheived, or maybe its all getting too much.  But this is the point where those "who stick at it" will make a difference, and those who don't will just go back to the way things always were.  Which group do you want to be in?
For some extra incentive, read the post by Melissa below.  Ive already mentioned her amazing journey this year, and if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, this could be you next year.  You just have to set your mind, and believe in yourself!
So Melissa - in answer to your question - get rid of your big clothes - you have to be committed and believe that you are not going back to them. If nothing else the cost of "bigger" clothes (smaller clothes you never seem to mind paying for!) will push you to stay the fit and healthy size you are now!

Week 4 Leaderboard:
First Place - Tracey!  3.02%
2nd Place - Adam - 1.75%
3rd Place - Maree - 1.74%

And overall:
First Place - Lisa D - 8.57%
2nd Place - Mikayla - 7.41%
3rd Place - Anisa - 4.91%

Well done!

Just a reminder - those using Nutrtition Complete - I post your individual results are in the diary section, and I have emailed the rest of you.

Lastly - over the next couple of days I have an interesting article to post about losing body fat - and what you should aim for.

So go read Melissa's post below and be inspired - and see you at the gym, you health nuts you!

Losing Weight, its all in the mind!

(A post by Melissa, regarding the amazing (!) transformation she has made this year....)

As Lisa alluded to in one of her previous posts losing weight for me has been a slow process over the last 12 months.  Whilst I have lost (and regained) weight throughout my life for some reason in February this year after a great family holiday I knew that this was my time……….

I believe that losing weight and living a healthy life is all "in the mind".  To lose weight and keep it off you need to have the right attitude.  If you consider it a "chore" then more than likely you won’t succeed.  You need to turn it on its head and think of losing weight and keeping it off as a positive experience, think of all of the energy that you will have, what you will be able to do with your family and how great you will feel! 

Maintaining a healthy weight is for life, therefore, anything so significant doesn’t come easy.  I set myself very small targets of losing 2 kg a month.  I also gave myself rewards after every 5kg loss; a massage was one of my favorites (funny though 5kg losses seemed to come around fairly quickly so I then started banking my rewards).  I also set myself a regular weigh in day (Monday morning for me) to ensure that I stayed focused and on track.  Whilst it’s not always healthy to focus solely on weight for me whilst I was losing weight this was an important motivator.  I record my weekly weight in a diary so that when it all seems a bit too hard I can look back and see how far I’ve come – this seems to provide encouragement in itself.

Surrounding yourself with people who are also interested in health and fitness has been really helpful.  I started going to the gym with some girls from work and we now try and encourage each other to keep going no matter how tired we feel or how busy we are.  My new attitude to exercise is doing something is better than doing nothing.  Whilst I try and exercise 6 days a week I must admit it’s not always for as long as I would like or as intense as I know is recommended – but for me consistency is the keys.  Even on rest days I try and do something active, going for a leisurely bike ride with the kids, or taking the dogs for a walk.  These types of activities are what I call my “incidental exercise or bonus exercise” which all adds up on the long run to a healthier me!

My attitude to food has also changed.  Fortunately for me I had a pretty good knowledge of healthy eating and being the cook in the house meant that I could control what food we had available. At first I had to be really strict with what I ate and did significantly reduce the amount of carbs that I was eating.  My eating has changed now though as without the extra weight I am able to exercise at a much higher intensity which means I need to eat more to maintain my energy levels…..Food is a science but my advice would be not to get too hung up on it (remember this is for life), just try and eat healthily most of the time.

In summary the most significant thing for me that has changed to allow me this time to succeed with my weight loss and health goals is my attitude.  I feel positive about this change and have come to the realisation that it’s for life!  Don’t be too hard on yourself if you “slip up”, just get back to it tomorrow. 

Now to keep or give away my larger sized clothes is the question???

Week 3 Results -and WelcomeTo Some New Players...

New players in the limelight this week:

1st Place - Kathryn - 2.28%
2nd Place - Anisa - 1.15%
3rd Place - Olivia - 1.11%

Congratulations Girls!

and our overall leaders:

Lisa D on 6.88%
Anisa on 3.77%
and
Fiona - 3.61%

Here's a hint on how to achieve great things:

The fastest route to success, is the slowest route.

Read it again

The fastest route to success, is the slowest route.

That means the fastest route to sustainable weight loss is by doing it slowly but consistently.  Look at Fiona's result - she hasn't made the top three on any of the weeks, but she has consistenly lost a good amount each week - placing her third overall.

You can apply this mantra to many other things - eg The fastest route to running faster/getting fitter, is taking it slowly. Run too fast too quickly and you will be injured/sore/frustrated and give up.

Melissa - not yet featured in this challenges leader board, but would win it if we looked over the whole year, is a great example of slow and steady wins the race. She did this challenge  earlier in the year and has continued on, to lose a staggering 33kgs since my first record!  I hardly recognise her these days.   She's back, I think, to finish the job off.  Well done Melissa - perhaps you'll share some of your tips with us?

My final welcome to the playing field is Barb who joined the challenge this week.  I expect to see your name up there soon Barb, and I hope you can gain some inspiration from all the others in different stages of their journeys.

My Breakfast This Morning

Had a yummy breakfast this morning - Chocolate Protein Pancakes
261 cals, 24g protein, 30g carbs,( can't remember the fat but its low) - made with cottage cheese, egg whites, oats and chocolate protein powder.
I had mine with strawberries and Forme yoghurt.
Have popped it on the meal planner to make it easier for you - enjoy

Don't forget to add/email your measurements today- no neck measurements required.

Want This?

And I'm not talking about the crop, and yes, of course I already have it (LoL), I'm talking about the shape, the definition, the look.
So many times people tell me that they can't wear sleeveless tops because they don't like the look of their arms.  But you could lose a heck of a lot of weight and still not like your arms - because unless you are weight training, you'll still have the same percentage of "flab"
If you are trying to transform your body into something that you are comfortable with the look of (it doesn't have to be perfect) and strong and fit enough to do what ever you want in life, you must weight train.

And the trick here is - it must be at least 3 times a week
AND,
unless you are doing a more complex "split" routine (where you focus on different muscle groups each day) it needs to be on alternate days, NEVER consecutive.  Muscle needs 48 hours to recover from the effort and rebuild into a stronger form.  If you keep hammering away at the muscles before they recover, they will break down even further.
Weight training doesn't have to mean pumping iron, there are plenty of body weight exercises you can do - things like you would do in boot camp with next to no equipment.

"But  you keep telling me I should be exercising every day - now you're telling me alternate days".

Just to confuse you, but both are correct.  Its the type of exercise that you need to vary. Basically you can alternate your weight training days with cardio days.  You also need to consider varying the intensity of your training.  You don't have to smash it out every day.  Some days should be lighter than others to give your body more rest and achieve better results (yes I said you will get better results by putting some light days in).

For best results, you need to plan your exercise for the week, what you will do when.  If this sounds a bit complicated, don't forget I offer one off consultations - I can help you set up a 3 month plan that will take into account your current fitness level, and what equipment/classes you have available.

No point being fit if you don't have the strength to push the shopping trolley through Lorna Jane (yep, that's how much I buy)

Lift weights to live life to the max

Craving something "naughty" but don't want to blow all your hard work?

How about trying one of these
Chocolate dipped strawberries - have a lovely sweet and chocolately hit, but because the chocolate only lines the outside of a very low fat fruit - you can hit the sweet spot guitlessly
Or microwaved popcorn (not the full butter packet versions)
or try a Chocolate Mocha Protein Shake - very chocolately and very filling.
And while you're at it - dress them up nicely,  If you fill your house with gorgeous looking healthy food - you will never feel deprived
The strawberries and protein shake I've added to the meal planner so you can add them easily - for some reason I can't get the popcorn to add - may try tomorrow.

Yum- what great low cal/healthy treats do you rely on?  Share share share, and every one benefits.

New Service and New Online Bookings

Hi
I've added a new service to my inventory.  Perhaps you don't want a personal training 10 pack, but wouldn't mind some advice about setting up an exercise schedule that you can follow. You can book in for a one off session, I'll do some basic fitness work with you to establish a baseline, and then taking into account your preferences, I can set up a 3 month fitness schedule for you. I can also give you advice on any questions you have about healthy eating, or eating and training.  Basically a one on one consultation to set you on your path or fine tune your directions.  (Its called a Fitness Assessment)

And - I've now added an online booking calendar on the left.  Its still a little experimental, but basically you can book your own session in, and then either pay online using my shopping cart, or pay on the day.

I only have time for Personal Training sessions at 6am and 7am each day -so don't try choosing something else - the system wont let you!

Protest Flag Withdrawn!

Gee I hope your keeping up with all the developments in this event!  Nothing but drama this morning - I think I really need to go to work!
I've realised that I did calculate all the body fat % from starting stats so ignore my protest flag - the results are all accurate.

Does anyone know a good commentator who can sit on the sidelines and call the race?

Have a great day everyone - don't forget HiiT is on tonight at 6pm if you want some great fat burning exercise, all done in 37 minutes, and an awesome workout.

Protest Flag!

LOL - I've raised this one myself!
As I'm sending off all the results this morning, I've realised that those sending in measurements via email, have had their BF changes compared only to week 1 results (cause our measurement table starts at week 1) and those on the web, have scores calculated against week 0.
So unfair advantage to meal planner users!

LOL - as two of the three leaders are also in the "disadvantaged" group anyway - I'm not going to correct it this week (it will take me way too long) - next week will see a fairer response.  Good thing we're not playing for sheep stations eh?

Week 2 Results

Well it looks like its a Donnon event this week - I'm starting to wonder if their initial measurements were kosher - what a massive drop in 2 weeks (dont worry - they can't fudge them forever, they will eventually run out of % to drop! LOL)

First Place - Lisa Donnon - with  a massive  6.88% BF reduction so far !
Second Place - Ingrid Combe - 4.32% overall
Third Place - Adam Donnon - 3.29% overall

Well done to all three of you - whose name is going up here next?

Remember - we are tossing out all the previous BF calculations as I have found them to be far too inaccurate. I have just finished recalculating the very last one, and overall the new results are much more reflective of where I think they should be knowing most of you.  Most people wont like them as we now have a very large variation in scores (expect increases of 10% - 20% - that's how far out I thought they were), but it also gives you much more room to improve.  Don't forget the table I posted a few weeks ago to help interpret this.

Your new results are on their way to you over the next 24 hours -either by email, or listed in the diary section of the complete nutrition meal planner.
But for me - I need to head off to bed - these 5.30am starts are a killer!

PS - stay strong and aim high!

PPS - if you want more motivation - I have a few more PT training sessions available - 6am  or 7am in Crystal Brook. ($25/hour or $200 for a 10 session pack - until Christmas)

My Goals are Set, My Food is Planned, My Exercise Scheduled - How about yours?

This week is going to be awesome.  Why?  Because I am determined to make it so. I have even decided that there will be no more Lorna Jane purchases until I reach my next mini goal.  (If you know me, you know that that is voice quivering stuff!)  I WILL achieve my goals this week, and to make this happen, I have made sure all my meals are planned, I have the right food in the house and I've scheduled all my exercise.  I will not fail.

How about you?  Are you getting the results you want? If not, what needs to change?  You have all the resources at your fingertips here,  what do you need to tweak, or even majorly fine tune.  Decide NOW, and take steps towards the change.


Challenge results

Thanks for so many "neck" measurements. I have done most of the recalculations and I think the results are much more accurate.  Currently, using the meal planner calculator for body fat - most people are getting results somewhere between 25 and 27 %, which puts everyone into an acceptable range.  But to be perfectly honest, I know that many people aren't or shouldn't be.  Lets face it, if your BMI is in the overweight/obese range, and unless you are stacked solid like a body builder, then your body fat should be high. 

The new calculations will see most peoples results go up.  But remember this is a just a figure, it is not suggesting you are gaining anything.  In fact, everyone is losing weight.  But you will find this information much more useful.  Not only will you get a more accurate body fat score, but you will get two more figures.  One is in Kgs/body fat, and one is is Kgs/lean mass.  Add the 2 figures together and you will have your current weight.  Looking at these numbers, you can tell whether your lean muscle is going up or down, and if body fat is going up or down. If you lose weight overall, but both muscle and body fat go down by the a similar amount, you may not see your % change at all.  This is a cue to make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet, and to not reduce your eating by too much.  Best results will occur with a loss of 500g - 1kg/week.

So I still have a few more neck measurements to receive, and it will delay the leaderboard results.  But it will be worth it.  You will either receive an email from me with your adjusted results for the start, and week 2, or if you are using the meal planner, I will be adding a note about your adjusted results in the "diary" section.  Haven't found this section yet?  Go looking for it - because you can also add your exercise in here as well.

So ciao for now, and dont do anything to get between me and my goal this week!

Is this Your Mantra?

It was definitely mine when I had a lot of weight to lose.  Every time I was tempted to eat something I shouldnt, I remembered that norhing could taste as good as fit and healthy would feel.  What are you saying to yourself at the moment to keep yourself encouraged? Post a comment with your mantra

Heres the one that's in my head at the moment.  This is the body I am visualizing acheiving on a daily basis.

Drum Roll Please...........

And the first leader on the board after 1 week is......

Adam - with a massive loss of 1.5% Body Fat!
2nd Place goes to Anisa - 0.77%
3rd Place goes to Ingrid - 0.76% - could 2nd and 3rd be any closer?

Firstly congratulations to these three on an awesome job.  Please don't let these guys become complacent - be determined to knock-em off their podiums next week!

Secondly, a couple of words of caution about the results.  As this measurement relies on tape measurements there can be a lot of user error.  With only 1 measurement for comparison (Start vs Week 1), a 1cm difference in measurement can make a huge difference to the calculations.  So its the difference over a number of weeks that shows the real differences.  Also the male calculation is different to the female one and relies solely on waist measurement. (Mainly because men don't tend to carry fat on other parts of the body). So all Adam needed was one good result on one key measurement, where as the rest of you needed more. (Sorry Adam - but take it as a personal challenge to keep up the great work)

Lastly, its always interesting to know that the best BF results did not necessarily go to those with the greatest weight loss.  There were a couple of others with great weight losses who were pipped at the post on BF.

So remember the photo below,  make sure you are exercising, and hitting your protein and calorie targets this week.

Good luck!

Why its NOT all about the Scales (even though I just told you to pack them on your holidays!)

Take a really close look at this before and after shot.  No, go on, look again.  In the photo on the right, note the nicely defined abs, the toned and slightly narrower thighs, better butt definition, better chest area, better shoulder shape and arm definition.  Now look at the weights.  In the after shot she weighs 9 pounds more than her before shot.


Which body do you want?


The one that gives a lower figure on the scales, or the one that looks better.
Its all about body composition and how much muscle (heavier) and fat (lighter) that you have.

That's why this is a fat loss challenge.

Say no more.

A Few Little Hiccups for our First "Weigh" In

Well it hasn't been smooth sailing for this first weigh in and I'm still waiting on a couple of results, hence the delay in putting up the leader board.  And for those who are on the DIYOW plan, I'm yet to send out the emails with your body fat calculations.
I'm sure it will be a lot smoother second time round.  I've decided that if I don't get your results by 5pm Sunday, I will still hound you for them to keep you accountable (don't think its a way of avoiding reality!) , but they won't be included in that weeks leader board.  I need to do the work Sunday nights to keep us up to date, so I will work with what I've got.
So make plans first thing every Sunday morning to get up and weigh and measure.  And if you are going away, just slip the scales and a tape measure into your bag (Georg  LOL)!  My response to this aspect and all training and nutrition goals is NO EXCUSES.

Recipe of the Day - Banana and Kale Protein Smoothie

Here is one of my favourite protein shakes, add Kale (you can replace this with spinach), half an banana, banana protein powder and 250ml skim milk.  Blend and serve.  It may not look great, but trust me it tastes smooth, and sweet, and its a great way to get your green veggies in.  Try adding kiwi fruit or grated zucchine.  If made as per the meal planner (yes for those who are using it I've added it as a meal) it provides 259 calories, 29.4g protein, 4g fat, 1.6 g fibre.
Liquid protein plus some carbs is also perfect within 30 mins of a workout

What's your favourite recipe?  To make it easier for people to share, you will find an invitation in your email inbox to become an editor of this website.  Follow the directions in the email and then by clicking new post at the top right of this website - you can make your own entry, and post your own photos.  Who will be first?

A Gift For the Winner

Just as a little extra incentive, this gorgeous Lorna Jane crop is waiting for the winner for Christmas (blokes great gift for your partner!)

If you don't know already, I am just a little Lorna Jane obsessed, and if you ever want anything I can order it and save you the shipping costs, so just let me know.

Also last chance to put in your orders for protein powder or other supplements, I am picking them up tonight, will have them available Saturday.

By the way, why not join this site (scroll to the bottom left) that way you get emails about new posts and comments. If you havent been watching the comments, you may missed that there's a challenge on for the leadership, and more new members!

Lastly for this morning, watch for the next post about someone who did the first challenge, has continued on to lose an amazing amount of weight, and is back, I guess, to finish the job off.  Who?  Check back to find out!

So what's Body Fat all about?

So I called it a Body Fat Challenge, not a weight loss challenge.   Why?  What's the difference?

A heck of a lot if you are losing weight to look good or be healthier.

Weight is a measurement on a scale of all of your body parts.  Bone, muscle, fat, water, connective tissue etc. Muscle weighs more than fat.  If your body composition is high in fat and low in muscle you can weigh less than someone who has a lot of muscle and not much fat.   But guess who LOOKS significantly better, healthier and yes smaller? (muscle may weigh more but its more compact.  Its like comparing a tonne of feathers against a tonne of bricks).

This is why BMI and weight are not good indicators of health, fitness or fat!  You can have two people who weigh the same, are the same height, and one's waist measurement may be 20 cm higher than then others.  Its all about body fat.  The best indicators for health, are waist measurement, hip to waist ratio, and body fat.

The gold standard for measuring body fat is a dunk in a water tank to see how much water you displace compared to your weight.  Whilst its very accurate, its very expensive.  There are other ways to do it including skin fold tests, bioimpedence (done electrically on scales) and tape measurements like we are doing.  Tape measurements are probably the least accurate due to errors in measuring, and  the formulas used make predictions on body shape based on your measurements.  But for the purposes of this challenge, they provide us with a consistent cheap way of measuring change.

As far as where you are now, below is a table of how to classify your body fat results.  However, you need to add caution to this as I've already mentioned that the results we have are not very accurate.  For example, if I've measured my body fat using this method, + a different formula ( the one we used last challenge + skin callipers + bio impedence) and come up with four different results.  They are all within about 6 %, but the formula we are using comes out the lowest, the others put me at about 5 % higher.  So if you are close to or in the acceptable range, I would suggest your body fat is actually slightly higher than this - please don't let this make you complacent.   You can also tell how good your body fat is by looking in the mirror - are you "pudgy or soft" in some spots - this is fat.

Here's the table

So what about waist measurements?
 For most people a waist measurement of greater than 94cm for men or 80cm for women is an indicator of internal fat deposits, which can coat the heart, kidneys, liver and pancreas, and increase the risk of chronic disease.  So you need to get your waist measurements below this for good health.

The body fat equation is why careful attention to your diet is really important. If you don't get enough protein in your diet you will not maintain your muscle bulk (or develop it) and you will lose muscle as well as fat when you lose weight  ie your body fat % will pretty much remain the same.  You can see the protein in your diet in the meal planner on the right hand side.  Try to hit your protein targets as well as your calorie targets.  Yes, there's a lot of protein in foods like red meat and cheese, but they also come with a lot of fat and/or calories, so lean protein choices are better, like egg whites, chicken breast, turkey, tuna, and whey powder

Changing your body CAN NOT be just about eating less.  It has to be about eating better.

Christmas Challenge Roll Call!

Here it is - here's the group you are challenging!  (in alphabetical order)

Georgina Bickley

Andrew Cockington

Lisa Cockington

Fiona Cockington

Ingrid Combe

Lisa Donnon

Adam Donnon

Carly Green

Kathryn Hansen

Mikalya Hill

Melissa Koch

Olivia Sice

Tracey Stringer

Watch out for Lisa Donnon - she won last time (and now wants to go even further)  and you might like to read her guest post listed earlier about how she did it.

Its not too late to join, so if your friends are still thinking about it, get them to contact me asap.

I still need measurements for some of you - will probably send you some individual text reminders.  If you are using the meal planner, you need to enter all of your measurements here (they are in your profile, under progress, plus click on the body fat calculator and add in these measurements too.

If you are not on the meal planner, you need to send them to me, they are height (first time only) then weight, chest, waist, butt, left thigh, left upper arm, left lower arm, left wrist.

If you are generally fairly active, and dont lose weight, it is definitely your diet, despite how healthy you may think you eat.  Diet is 80% of the weight loss equation.  You have to get it right.  I notice that people are taking a while to get into using the meal planner function.  This is essential, you need to focus strongly on measuring what you eat (unless you are a really experienced healthy eater).  YOu don't need to worry about planning a week in advance, or using all the recipes on the website.  Write down on the planner (by clicking on "add ingredient") what you plan to eat for the day.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE click on the comments section below, and list all the foods you would like added, if they are not there. I just need the name and brand of the item and I will add them all.  In reality we don't eat a huge variety of foods  - we are creatures of habit. So send the lists through below, add to what others have asked for and it will become really simple to add your foods.  Then look at the calorie calcuations (and other nutritients) and see how you are going for staying within your targets.

Then if you are looking for a healthy meal idea for the evening - try looking through the recipes on the site, or add your own.  Pls note though that the recipes have to be added for single serves (so that when you print your shopping list and select how many people it calculates the right number).  So take your recipe, and if it serves 4, divide all the ingredients by 4.  Or choose own on the site that is very similar, and either use it as is, or copy and edit it, changing over the different ingredients you use.  It will then be saved as your version  (eg Lisa's Pad Thai) 

Have you tried one of the recipes, or have a favourite to share?  It would be great to share healthy recipes here to motivate and support each other.  I'll start a post for recipe ideas, then just click "comment" and add your own!

Step Up to the Start Line TOMORROW

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the official start day of the 10 week Christmas BodyFat Challenge!  Time to transform your body!

Here's what to do

Sunday morning before eating, and without clothes, weigh yourself and measure yourself
If you are using the meal planner, fill in all the measurement details in profile section, including body fat. You will be able to see your progress immediately, and I can run a report that will give me these figures for the leaderboard.
If not measure your chest, waist, butt, left thigh, left upper arm.  I also need your height and email them to me at bfit4life@live.com.au by 5 pm every Sunday.  I will email back your body fat calculations and losses for the week

TAKE a Before PHOTO.  DONT skip this step.  And take it in a bikini, or underwear.  You want to SEE differences and you will.  They will be much more motivating when you can see the difference in the photos.  If you are on the meal planner you can upload it to your site.  Dont worry, no-one else can see it.

Sunday night/Monday morning the weekly leaderboard will go up on this site listing the 3 people who have lost the most body fat for the week, and overall. This will start at the end of week 1.

Keep checking the site for information and motivation - and may the fitness force be with you!

(PS if you are reading this and we have already started, you can still join, you will just be a little behind on the time available for weight loss)

Tips for Using the Meal Planner!

So you have your overall plan - your goals that you want to achieve - but is that enough?  The reality is that goals are rarely achieved with out specific regular attention to daily planning.  It can be a bit of a chore, but its the difference between achieving and letting yet another dream slip by whilst you were "busy".

If you really want to make this happen, you will find a way.  If not, you will find an excuse.

The meal planner can be a bit daunting to start with, particularly if you are not used to planning your food in advance.  But putting a little bit of time aside each day can be the difference between heading towards your goals or away from them.  Do the yo-yo each day and you'll never go anywhere.  It will be the difference between getting home at night without the right foods to cook a healthy dinner so resorting to a poor choice meal, or finding yourself going hours with no good food choices because you're on the road and having to eat something you said you didn't want to.  15 mins planning at night, can save you wasting a whole day.

So how to do it?

You can use the meal planner to generate a daily or weekly plan for you, and then swap the meals with other recipes until you have something that suits you.  But this might take you more than 15 mins at first, as you get used to the system and we get your favourite foods and recipes on there.  But I am here to help.  Send me lists of foods you cant find and would like on there and I'll add them.  You can add them too but if I add them everyone will see them, and I'm happy to save you the time.

As you experiment - if you find you've run out of time to plan for the next day - try entering what you eat as you go, so that you can keep track of how you are going for the day.

 On the right hand side of the meal planner are two columns of figures - one is your recommended ranges of calories,protein, fat etc, and the other is what you have had (or planned) so far.    If you can only manage to track your eating after you have eaten, at the very least add it all up BEFORE you have your evening meal - so you can see whether you need to be very careful about what you eat for the rest of the day as this is a time that many people eat a lot - lots of energy to fuel doing nothing!

You are given a range of calories eg 1200 - 1600.  I suggest you use the higher number for days when you exercise and the lower number for days when you don't.
Use the next day or so to get organised and find your way around the site.  I'll be sending a welcome email shortly about the challenge starting Sunday and how it works - lets get it happening!

Join Up Now for the Complete Nutrition Meal Planner Now in time for the Challenge

I'm really excited about using the Complete Nutrition Meal Planner - its a fabulous system, set up by qualified dietitians, and customised just for BFit clients  to plan healthy nutritional meals, monitor your calories, protein, fat etc, record your weekly measurements and exercise.  At $90/3 months that's less than $1/day for great support.

When you log in for the first time and you do this at the log in on the right - you will be asked to update your profile with height weight, activity level etc, and you can choose to receive daily, or weekly motivational messages, and reminders to weigh in weekly.  Note if you use this system to record your measurements and weight, you will not have to email them to me each week for the body fat challenge it will calculate your body fat for you, and i can take the number straight from the system.

You can then also choose your weight goals, choose how much prep time you have available for each of your meals, and also dietary preferances like gluten free/vegetarian, or foods that you just dont like eating, before setting up your meal plan for the week.  And when you've done that, you can print off your plan complete with photos of the fab foods, and/or print off a shopping list, calculated based on the number of people you are cooking for.

If you've got great recipes - we can share them on this website (and then everyone can add them to their meal plan) and there's a forum to discuss food/exercise ideas.  And this website is just for BFit clients so you can relax and share freely!  Can't wait.

Sign up now on the column on the left (Bronze package is just the meal planner) and I can get  you started so you are ready for the Body Fat Challenge starting on Sunday!

(Ps if paying by Sunday is an issue - msg me on F/book or 0419858707 and we can work something out. Installments, credit cards, cash are all fine too),

Rd 2 of the Body Fat Challenge is on (and just in time for Christmas!)

Starting on Sunday October 14 we're going to squeeze in a 10 week body fat challenge, and transform the way you look before Christmas.  In 10 weeks you could lose anywhere between 4 - 20kgs, depending on your starting weight, and if you combine it with the right exercise and nutrition, the changes will be more about fat loss and looking great than a unimportant number on the scales.  Last round Lisa B dropped a massive 10% body fat (see her post below to find out more) and this time around I've added in heaps more support.

Here's how it works.
Sign up for the 10 week challenge on either the DIYOW (free), Bronze, Silver or Gold Plans (see side bar for details).  Making a commitment/plan and making it public (well to me anyway) is a sure fire way to hold you to your goals, and make sure they are not just a "wish".

Each Sunday you msg me your weight, waist, hips measurement (the first day also includes height, age and neck measurements).  I will punch the measurements into a body fat calculator and give you your current body fat%, plus how much you've lost this week and to date.

Each week I'll post the top three Body Fat losers and how much they lost, plus the overall leader board.  Use this as an incentive each week to keep working hard.

How much support you want to do this is up to you - the different plans provide support with nutrition and/or exercise or you can Do It Your Own Way (DIYOW) at no cost.

Many people tell me they have no probs adding in the exercise, but its keeping the eating healthy that's hard.  So I have included access to Complete Nutrition - which is a comprehensive online meal planner.  It calculates how many calories you need to lose weight - and as you add in the recipes (yours or theirs) adds up your tally, not only in terms of calories, but also in fat/protein/carbohyrdrates and measures it against how much you should be eating.  It will also generate your shopping list based on the meals you choose!  To see a demo of this - check it out here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RONszCC9tME&feature=share&list=ULRONszCC9tME.  It will just cost you $1/day - although I need a minumum of three people to sign up for this option.

And some can eat well - but find it a challenge to push themselves physically - so I'm continuing to offer weekly Personal Training sessions at half price ($20/hr) (if you live in the local area) whilst I complete my studies, plus I can set up and or review your plans for the next week - all tailored specifically to your needs and fitness levels.  If you choose this option plus the the nutrtional program - its cheaper again.

Now's your chance to commit to making a difference to your life - will you take it?

You've got 7 days to sign up - post a comment below, or message me here or on facebook, or on 0419858707.  Payment plans/credit card facilities available

Personal Training Here I Come (and at 1/2 PRICE!)

I am currently offering Personal Training at 1/2 price ($20/hr) whilst I complete my Certificate IV training, building on my existing Cert III in Fitness qualifications.  I have sessions available in the mornings at 6am and 7am Monday - Friday at my personal BFIT gym, 70 Brandis St Crystal Brook.

I have experience in weight loss, running, cycling and training for events, as well as being able to offer general cardio and weight training but even better - specialty sessions in boxing, kettlebells and suspension training (think of the rings in mens gymnastics - you can use this sort of system with pushups, squats etc to really get ripped).

I encourage you to buy a 10 Pack of sessions and pay up front as it helps with your commitment, and to ease the pain I have credit card facilities available.

Summer is coming, the mornings are beautiful - why not start off your day well?

Introducing Carpe Diem - my motivational book about exercise, healthy eating and weight loss

 

Ever wanted to pick my brains about exercise, food and nutrition?  Ever wondered what I learnt when I lost 40 kgs all those years ago, and more importantly, how I kept it off?  Well its now all in a book, that I hope may motivate and inspire you in your own journey.  But its not about how to be skinny, fitness and healthy weight is all about a means to an end - about how to live life to the max, and to seize the day (which in Latin is translated as Carpe Diem).

At the moment I'm offering this e-book FREE to anyone who donates $20 to Go The Distance for Heart and Cancer.  This is a fundraiser for the Heart Foundation, and Cancer Council, and I've written this book specifically as a way of encouraging people to donate.  You can donate by clicking on the link below, all of your money goes to this cause, in return you get my book and hopefully some ideas and motivation, I get closer to my fundraising target of $2,000, and at the end will run a 1/2 marathon in the Go The Distance Event. Its a win win situation for everyone.

http://gothedistance.org.au/fundraisers/418

Dont forget to leave me a message at the site (or any where really) to let me know your email address so I can send it to you.  You can read it on your e-reader, your computer, or print it and read it the old fashioned way!

Lisa B - Winner of our Fat Loss Challenge - Talks about how (and why) she did It! (and is still doing it)

Short story today about living, I have just read a thought provoking story about dying, doesn’t seem to be much of a way to start a blog, but bear with me….you see being a nurse I have had the opportunity to see many people in their terminal journey and the story resounded to me things I already new but had never really thought about. I’m sure you have all heard the cliché about how near death experiences are a pivotal change for a person’s life & they begin living better or caring better or being a better person, but that’s not quite what I mean, I am talking about the people who know they are dying, they have a terminal condition and decide to make the best of every single moment they have to live with & love the people that matter most. They live like they are dying, in the best way, cherishing the things that are worth living for.

What has this got to do with fitness or fat loss? Well ask yourself a serious question…. Are you healthy? Really healthy, I don’t mean the excuse “well I’m a bit overweight for my size (actually BMI says you are obese), I can’t do exercise cos I have bad knees (well they are worse cos you are carrying so much weight & your muscles haven’t been challenged in so long they have disappeared into the fatness), It’s cold today, I’ll burn off that maccas in no time (no hope, the amount of calories you just consumed could feed you for days), doing weights makes you look like some muscle bound freak” (do you know how much effort it takes to look like that? Those people train for hours everyday, have the most ridiculously strict diets & strip down fluids on the day to look so ripped, anally dedicated). And my special favourite “I’m just putting on my winter coat to keep me warm over winter, and I’ll get it all off when spring hits” (uh, no, very likely not, and really, with our level of living when are you really ever cold, cold, really cold to the bone, which is the only time you will really burn up those excessive calories). So are you living like you are dying, or could you do more to better yourself, your life, you family & those you love? Ask the question….are you happy with how you are?

 

And if you want some help…here’s some of the things I have been doing lately for fitness & fat loss that have me feeling pretty good about the journey into low body fat.

 

Lets start with diet, I found out about this woman by accident, but love what she has to say about dieting (well, non dieting really) she talks about lifestyle changes and what food can do to you & for you, so very simple to implement her strategies, and I have not looked back. Her name is Isabel and below is a link to her website, obviously if you want the details you have to pay, but seriously, how much have you shelled out for crap food over the years? Worth it, I guarantee…

 

http://the-non-diet.com

Now if you buy her product (and this isn’t a plug) you will likely then link to many of her colleagues with similar ideals & great trainers that have some awesome workout ideas & fat loss tricks, which I have also done, and have found numerous ways to cut my fat percentage all without once going to the gym…all I have at home is a fit ball, hand weights (started with just a set of 5kgs) and good shoes. Colleagues that I have sourced from Isabel include Mike Geary, Shaun Hadsall, Craig Ballantyne, Joel Marion, to name a few, each have online training books you can buy & all have great science behind their programs.

Tidying Up/Results of Fat Loss Challenge

Well, life has got in the way lately, and whilst i recorded all the results for tune 12 week challenge but didnt seem to dimd the time to post them. So just to tidy things up, Lisa B came in first, myself in second, and Fiona on third. Results up in the left. It was a fascinating experience looking at fat loss,rather than weight, and some great insights. Lisa B also wrote a guest post on her experiences at my request, and as soon as i find it,(its on another pc) i will put it up. And then on to my new challenge, which i will post next time....

Weight Loss and Sacrifice

As I reflect back over my weight loss journe in 2006, when I lost 40kgs, and my observations of other peoples journeys, it occurs to me that if you really want to lose a significant amount of weight, more than anything else, it requires sacrifice. Forget motivation, motivation is here one day and gone the next. You have to decide that you want to lose weight MORE than anything else in your life. Yes, ANYTHING.

Knowing how much weight you have to lose, you can estimate how long it should take you if you stick to the plan. Then for this period of time, you have to be prepared to prioritise the plan over everything else. For example, yes, I mean it has to be more important than the kids. Whaat - nothing is more important than my children you say. But for this period of time, you have to be able to, and prepared to, make the tough choices in this area if needed. It may come down to a choice between watching your child's sport one morning or getting your own exercise in. Yes, obviously you try every other avenue first, but if there are no other alternatives, are you prepared to make this sacrifice? Remember its a short term sacrifice with huge long term gains for your children. It also has to be more important than work. But I have to work you say. Yes, you have to work. When I started my job as Community Health Director I agreed that I would give it 110% DURING WORK HOURS but I also told my boss that I would have to leave work at 5pm each day for my gym classes. He had no problem with this, lets face it a fit, and active employee is far more efficient than a sluggish overworked one. So when the going gets tough at work and you are faced with the decision of working back late, or hitting the gym - can you make the tough call? Is weight loss really the most important thing to you? If its not and you have more than a few kilo's to lose, you're not giving yourself a fair go. It also has to be more important than food. Fairly obvious you say? Make sure you mean it. When it comes to a choice (repeatedly) between the chocolate cake and mums famous potato bake at the family birthday party vs weight loss in this specified weight loss time, can you make the hard decision and sacrifice the social expectations?

It is worthwhile negotiating these planned sacrifices in advance with a relevant "other". For example I negotiated going to the gym every night after work with my husband until I reached goal weight. It was a big sacrifice for all of us - it meant travelling to work every day in separate cars, and either having tea later every night or him cooking. But we agreed it had to happen. Once I reached my goal, we renegotiated the frequency of the gym and bought more equipment for home use and dropped it back to a couple of times a week.

So do you want this more than any thing else, and are you prepared to make the sacrifice? The proof is, of course, in the pudding.

Planning for Success

Failing to plan is a sure fire plan for failure, when it comes to fitness and achieving the body of your dreams. As someone who has lost a lot of weight, one of the things I learned is that having a few "good days" where you do all the right things, followed by a few "bad days" will never result in the change you want, as they cancel each other out, and your results will show ups and downs and generally just running around in circles Weight loss, fat loss, improved performance all come down to many, many consistent good days, with only the very occasional hiccup.

So how do you do this? All the motivation and desire in the world wont help you if you dont do the hard yards. Its all in the planning. If you don't plan your meals in advance - what happens? Time runs short, or you are caught out somewhere, you take an easy option and before you know it, you've blown your nutrition goals for the day. If you don't plan your exercise schedule, all the excuses in the world come into play.

Try a planning commitment measure over the next week. Each night give yourself a score out of 10.

Nutrition: You should be eating 5 meals/day (or 3 normal meals and 2 snacks). Score yourself 1 point for every meal that you ate as planned.

Exercise - score yourself up to 2 points for this - 1 point if you did the exercise planned - 2 points if you did it with the appropriate intensity. (ie you might have planned to walk for 1/2 hour, did it but didn't walk as fast as you should have=1)

Water - score 2 points for drinking 6 cups (1 point for 3 cups)

Planning - score 1 point if you made sure everything was planned the night before.

Tally it up each day to give yourself a score out of 10. Do you achieve 10/10 each day? If not - there's a clear reason why you are not achieving what you want - look at the areas you are falling down in, and challenge yourself to change this.

Feel free to comment on your scores in the comments section below - I'd love to know how you are going.

Shaking Up The Weight Loss Tree

Ever got frustrated with your weight refusing to budge? The first temptation is to eat less, however if you eat too little your metabolism drops making it even harder to lose, and will cause you problems later with maintenance. So the next thought is to increase your exercise. But what if you cant (you're already exercising twice day, or you're injured and your options are limited)? The key is to do something different. If you keep eating the same things and doing the same exercises, you can only expect the same outcomes. Your body eventually adapts.

So if you're exercising once a day, try going to morning and night for a couple of weeks, your second session might only be a walk but it helps to rev your metabolism. Or change what exercise you are doing, eg add weights, or start running or take on a new class) Or try eating differently. Eat smaller meals more often (5 -6 small meals) ensuring you have a lean protein source at every meal (eg chicken, fish, tuna, salmon, egg white). You might like to follow Lindy Olsen's 7 rules that have created her award winning fitness body.

But just keep shaking up your routine, keep re-challenging your body in new ways, and soon you will be over your latest hurdle.

The Interesting Thing About Fat Loss

Congratulations to all on the challengers this week and especially to those on our leader podium. Well done

The really interesting thing in calculating these statistics each week, is how much weight loss, DOES NOT play a role in reducing body fat estimations (note I'm saying estimations as this is a predictive measure that makes assumptions about your body).
Some have lost weight, only to find their body fat has risen slightly, and others, like Brenda, haven't lost any weight, but because their measurements continue to drop, so does the body fat %.
Your weight is so incredibly influenced by how much fluid you are carrying, as well as muscle etc, that you can get significant variations (1-2 kgs) that are relatively meaningless. Measurements from the tape measure are a much more reliable predictor of gaining fitness, strength, reduced fat mass, increased lean mass and great shape!
Of course, as some have already seen, its hard to measure reliably also. So the key then is to look at the trend over time, which is what we are doing. Dont focus on a one week slip up - you may have just measured wrongly. Look at what is happening to your measurements over time. If they keep going down (eg waist measurement) you are making fantastic gains, (including dropping clothes sizes) regardless of what the scales say.
My final word to you all is - who can knock Lisa B off her winning perch? I have it on good authority that she is having a big weekend at Clipsal - so this week is your big chance. Go hard and be good.

HiiT - The Express Check Out for fitness and fat burning!

HiiT Class - The Express Check Out for fitness and fat burning.

38 minutes and you are done.

High Intensity Interval Training (HiiT) is the fastest way to burn fat and and build explosive power for peak athletic performance.This is not an aerobics style workout (more boot camp style), no coordination required

Suitable for men and women,

6 pm Wednesdays Crystal Brook Fitness Centre. What have you got to lose?

Worried you're not fit enough? It doesn't matter. The exercise is in 30 sec intervals, if you can't manage 30, do 15 and have a slightly longer rest interval, or drop to every second jump or do it without the jump, there are lots of options. Then each week see if you can manage more than the last. Also included is a 3 minute Cross Fit round (WOD), changed monthly. Watch your general strength and fitness soar!

To celebrate and promote the start of HiiT - I am offering free body fat testing (skinfold method) is available from 5 pm this Wed. Use it to measure your progress or just to see how you are going. First in first served. 6 - 8 people max.

Insanity AKA HiiT

What we know: Track stars have amazing bodies. What former 400-meter hurdler Shaun Thompson knows: how you can get one! The trainer, aka Shaun T., designed Insanity, a 10-disc DVD series ($120; BeachBody.com), so successful that it turned a word for lunacy into a synonym for sculpted. The magic behind the routine comes from plyometrics: explosive, full-body exercises that rev your heart rate and ratchet up metabolism to torch megacalories and build lean muscle. (Excerpt from SELF)


But you don't have to spend all these dollars or do it alone, because this program is replicated in the newest class at the Crystal Brook Fitness Centre
HiiT - High Intensity Interval Training.
Starts Wednesday at 6pm

Blogging 101

So you're new to blogging (yes this is a blog, and when you are on it its called blogging). Here's an explanation and a few tips:

A blog is like an online journal - it keeps a chronological record of thoughts and information. It can be public (available to everyone) or private (you have to join to see/comment). Only authors (in this case myself) can put new things up.

But - there are things you can do. Note the comments section at the bottom of every post - its a bit like facebook, click on the work "comment" and you can make a comment. Tell me what you think about what I've said, like/dislike, interested/not, challenge the information or provide links to more. Then you can have a conversation with people from anywhere about it.

You can find any post by looking at the Blog Archive section on the left, towards the bottom. All the posts are listed and stored by date, listed by name. So if the info you're looking for isn't at the top of the page, look here. Or try the search bar above it

This "side bar" also has other information -just scroll down the page to see it. Information about upcoming events are here, links to information, and all sorts of other weird and wonderful things as I put them up there. You can also become a "follower" - (look for this box on the side bar). If you join up to this, when new posts go up (like this one) you get an email to tell you.

If you want to tell me something privately, rather than leaving a comment that everyone will see, go to the About Me section (right at the bottom of the sidebar) click here and access my email address (which you can also just click on)

I've decided to put fitness information on here, rather than bits and pieces on facebook, as this way its all together and here permanently for people to search for if you're ever interested, and you dont have to be on facebook to see it. If you'd like to see information about a particular topic - just let me know - drop me a comment or an email - after all you know how to do both now!

What's Cross Fit?

Check out these You Tube videos for a sample of what might be in the new HiiT class!

Fitness comes to Reebok

CrossFit and the Empire State Building

Attention All Footballers (or anyone else serious about their fitness)

Put 25th Feb in your diary now, as the gym session that will kick start your training for the season and give you the edge against your competitors. High Intensity Interval Training ( HiiT) starts that night at the Crystal Brook Fitness Centre. It is NOT aerobics, you do NOT have to be coordinated, but it is hard core, high intensity fitness and power training. It is not for the faint hearted. Its interval training using a variety of strength and power based exercises used in boot camps, cross fit and plyometrics (think jumping lunges).

6.OOpm Wed 25, smash it out in just 45 mins!

2012 Leaning Out Challenge

Time to stand up and be accountable. Are you planning on leaning out this year? Do it your way, what ever your plans are, but use this comp to provide you with the commitment to follow through. Each Monday morning, you send me your weight and waist, hips and neck measurements. I'll throw the details into the calculator and reply with your current body fat %, and compare it to last week. After all its a drop in body fat that makes you look better, more toned, more shapely, and this can happen without a drop on the scales. I'll post who the top three leaders are for the week and you'll have someone to chase. You may have plans to get in shape, but this will hold you to them. Commit now, msg me that you are in!

HIIT is coming to Crystal Brook

What will put speed in your runs, height in your jumps and raise your fitness to a whole new level? HiiT (High Intensity Interval Training) will, and its coming soon on a Wednesday night at the Crystal Brook Fitness Centre. Short bursts of explosive movements (plyometrics) using body weight as resistance provides high intensity training that is guaranteed to burn fat and increased fitness quicker than any other form of training. This is not for beginners, nor the faint hearted, but if you are serious about making changes to your fitness, skills and body shape, this is for you.

And although there is music to motivate you, this is not aerobics and you don't have to be coordinated. It is much more along the lines of cross fit training and is suitable for men and women.

Cant wait to get it started. What do you think, are you interested? I'm putting the music tracks together at the moment - do you have any favorite high intensity songs?