Smart Moves Health & Fitness Blog

Surviving Winter

04/25/2011 22:34:00

Well, I’ve just got myself ugg boots and a big warm dressing gown. It certainly seems to have become cold very quickly this year and the idea of hiding under a blanket on the couch is very appealing. So how do we survive the winter chill and the urge to hibernate? It’s naturally a time when we want to be less active, eat big hearty meals and the body wants to put on some fat in the name of insulation.

There are a number of barriers we sometimes face in this hostile season.

Problem – Opting out of training sessions, finishing early and lacking effort. It’s so easy to say to ourselves ‘Well I’ve done 20 minutes... that’ll do for today’ or ‘I’ll just do a walk instead of a jog’ or even ‘I’ll skip today and make up for it tomorrow’.

Solution – Training with a buddy gives you an extra reason to turn up and gives you that extra push to keep going hard. Not only are you responsible for yourself, but you are also responsible for your training partner, and you can encourage each other to keep going strong through the winter cold.

Problem – ‘Rubber Arm’ Syndrome. Some of us battle this all year round but it can be especially easy to be talked out of going to a training session or to be talked in to doing something else when it's cold out.

Solution – Make sure your friends and family know how important your health and wellbeing is to you and get their support and encouragement. Schedule your training in a smart way – plan to train at a time that will fit in with any other social or work functions so there is less temptation and less reason to have to pick one over the other.

Problem – Too cold and the days are shorter. You will have already noticed the very abrupt change to the hours of daylight, especially in Sydney due to the change to Daylight Saving. All of a sudden training early in the morning or after work is far less attractive an idea now that it’s dark and cold.

Solution –Try to train during lunch when the sun is up, or if that’s not really an option, it’s time to get some new Winter training wear that will keep you warmer and braver to face the lower temperatures.

Problem – Stiff joints in cold temperatures. There really can be a big change in how we feel physically in terms of mobility, and consequently a change in our recovery post-training.

Solution – Remember in this cold weather, you will need to do a significantly longer warm up to adequately get your body ready for physical activity. This of course must be complimented by a good cool down to gradually bring your body temperature back down and not shock your muscles and joints back to the cold climate. Dress sensibly and although you will of course get nice and hot during training, put a jacket and trackies back on straight away to assist with easing your body back into the cold reality. This will help with your recovery, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and keeping your torso warm will help you stave off colds.

Problem – Colds and flues. Being sick leaves you feeling tired, unmotivated and needing to take time out. This can not only mean missing your training sessions, but also missing work and potentially losing income.

Solution – As well as a proper warm up and cool down, and putting warmer clothes on as soon as training is finished, a healthy body has a stronger immune system and so keeping a regular fitness regime all year round makes you less vulnerable to the season’s bugs and germs. Taking action quickly when you start to feel sickness coming on is something most people don’t do. We wait to see just how bad it will get before we decide to rest and take some medication. Of course, a healthy diet and fit body are the best defence against these mean little guys getting any kind of hold over you, but if they do, take care of it at the first sign and nip it in the bud.

Problem – Winter Blues. It’s dark. It’s cold. It’s miserable. Who feels like exercising and eating well in these conditions?? Keeping your motivation going can be hardest during this time when the most enticing thing to do is sit under the dooner in your Winter PJs and watch a movie.

Solution – Remind yourself of those things that get your muscles itching to move, your goals and desired outcomes. Get your training out of the way early so you can look forward to cosying up when you’re done – remember, your training session is only 30 to 60 minutes out of your whole day. In the end you’ll feel far better for it. For more inspiration read the previous blog on ‘Motivation to Keep Going’.

Problem – Comfort food. Potato bake, pork roast and warm chocolate brownies to name a few. Salads? Hmm... Not so inviting.

Solution – There are still healthy choices we can make to eat well and keep us warm during winter. Soups, casseroles and vegetable bakes are great – they taste wonderful and are full of goodness when you find the right recipe. I must say, a favourite in my household is a lamb or chicken casserole made in the slow-cooker. Perfect for late finishes or when you’re feeling tired after a big week. It takes me less than half an hour in the morning to chop everything up and throw it in the cooker, then when I finish work for the day it’s all ready to go – hot and healthy!

Problem – Putting all the above into action.

Solution – If all else fails and you’re still having trouble taking good intentions and giving them life, then I’m here to make sure you turn up to your training sessions, keep you on track, support you and get you feeling the best you possibly can!

Keep in mind what waits for us at the end of Winter - Summer will eventually return and we all know it brings with it beach, sun, bikinis, parties and BBQs. Always better to put in the work now and reap the rewards later!

The Benefits of Zumba

03/12/2011 12:34:00

We’ve all heard of this new fitness craze that just keeps getting bigger and more popular. Whether you’re a skeptic, not sure what it’s all about or if you love your Zumba and want to make sure you’re spending your time wisely, here are the main benefits of the Zumba program.

1. Total body workout – Zumba works your whole body to tone all the muscle groups and give you a heart pumping aerobic workout at the same time. It’s a way to get toned, benefit the heart, and burn calories all at the same time. As well as keeping you fit, Zumba will give you better motor control and balance. The more you practice, the better your cognitive functions, focus and concentration will get.

2. Interval training - Interval training is a method involving bursts of high intensity work alternated with low intensity. It is one of the best ways to burn calories and burn off fat. Zumba incorporates the principles of interval training into every workout by using alternating fast and slow sequences to vary the intensity. A 60 minute Zumba class can burn as many as 800 calories (depending on your fitness level and intestity), making it an extremely effective form of exercise.

3. Upbeat and fun – The main reason we stop regular exercise is boredom and lack of time. Zumba combats both of these problems by providing a total body workout in one session and making exercise fun. The music uplifting and motivating, and the class atmosphere is upbeat and energetic. Time moves fast because the class is fun and consequently most people look forward to coming to class regularly and subsequently see results.

4. Stress relieving - Zumba dance routines are all about releasing your inhibitions and losing yourself in the movements and music. When you spend time doing things you enjoy, you feel happier in general and of course we all know exercise helps your body release feel good hormones which makes you feel better day to day and decreases stress and anxiety.

5. For everyone – Zumba is designed to be accessible to all ages. You can put as much or as little energy into the moves as you want and go at your own pace. Zumba steps are simple with a limited number per song making them easy and quick to pick up so you can enjoy the routines and music. There are no expectations and no pressure - just great music and heaps of fun.

6. Social - Zumba classes have a great social atmosphere where you will meet people who have at least one thing in common with you. A class full of smiling, happy people makes the class more enjoyable and makes it easy to keep coming back.

To join our classes please see our Zumba timetable.

Motivation to keep going

02/18/2011 11:58:00

Often when we start a training regime we begin to notice changes in our energy levels and general feeling of wellbeing, maybe drop a big of weight and feel stronger. A little way down the line though we sometimes feel like we’re not making much more progress, or we just lose the excitement we had when we started out. It becomes easier to talk ourselves out of turning up to training sessions and making better diet choices and things can turn into decline. This is the hump we need to get over to keep going.

Keeping yourself motivated can be tough when you get to this point. If you find yourself lacking a bit you need to go back and think about why you started in the first place. Goals usually include fat loss and muscle building or toning, but they should also always include better health and wellbeing. We all want to live a long, healthy life and exercise along with healthy eating plays a huge part in achieving this.

So for goals of a better body, picture in your mind how you want to look. Find pictures, clothes you want to be able to wear with confidence and think of an upcoming event like a wedding, birthday or holiday you can work towards achieving those desired results for. Put reminders of these at home, work, in the car – anywhere you might need a bit of help saying no to temptation.

For goals of health and wellbeing, we all know that the healthier you are the better you feel day to day. Regular exercise and a good diet increases your energy levels, improves your mood, decreases stress and creates a stronger immune system which decreases your chance of getting sick, needing time off work and losing income.

We want to feel good not just now but for the rest of our lives. Remember what it means to have longevity. We all want to be fit and able to play with our children and grandchildren, and see them grow up. To stay active as we grow older and not succumb to ailments like heart problems, osteoporosis or back and joint pain that can hinder us from an active lifestyle, travelling or just enjoying life!

Rewarding yourself is another way to stay motivated. Put aside some cash to take yourself shopping for new clothes or treat yourself to a nice meal as a reward for sticking to your training schedule for a whole month or reaching a short-term weight goal.

Another important factor is support from your friends and family. Make sure they encourage you to get to your training sessions or exercise classes, not try to tempt you away from your healthier path. It is important they understand where you’re coming from and are behind you all the way.

Once again, you don’t have to do this all on your own. Talk to your personal trainer and keep an open and honest dialogue going. If you’re lacking in motivation, tell your trainer! You may need to go over your original priorities or sometimes to reassess your goals altogether. As a personal trainer it’s my job to keep my clients motivated and work with them to keep things on track, so you keep moving towards a happier, healthier life!

The first step is always the hardest

02/04/2011 14:38:00

Well, we’ve made it through the silly season, survived Christmas, New Years and Australia Day. It’s now time to make those New Years resolutions happen. All through January we tell ourselves we’re going to start exercising more and eating better. For those of you who have got a start on your resolutions, congratulations!! For most of us it hasn’t happened yet – well it’s February already so take action and get started!

It’s very common to have trouble making that first step towards better health and wellbeing. We have grand ideas of wonderful diets and exercise plans but sometimes it just doesn’t come to fruition.

It can seem very daunting taking that first step. So what can we do to get started? It’s good to take small steps in the beginning and have realistic expectations of what you’re capable of. For example, planning to train for an hour every day when you’re just starting up will leave you feeling disappointed with yourself when on the third day you’re too exhausted, stiff and sore to get off the couch. Start with 30 min, 3 times a week to get yourself moving and gradually increase the duration, frequency and intensity week by week.

This same realistic approach goes for diet. Don’t completely deny yourself the foods you love – this will only lead to you crashing and binging, and then wanting to throw in the towel because you feel like you’ve undone all your good work. Small rewards are ok. For example, if you’re a chocoholic, a little bit every now and then will mean you don’t go nuts from going a whole week without it and eat a whole block in one go. If you’ve got to have it, it’s better to have it in small doses. Remember – everything in moderation.

Still sounds scary? You don’t have to do it on your own and more often than not, it’s best to get the right help. My job as a personal trainer is to motivate you, guide you and get you feeling the best you can. It’s much easier to go to a training session when someone is there to meet you, make sure you’re doing the right exercises the right way, and you’ll be surprised how quickly your energy increases and you start feeling better day to day once you start some regular exercise and healthier eating.

It honestly doesn’t have to be daunting – it really can be exciting and fun! Just remember - you deserve to be healthy and feel great!