Why I don't do Crossfit - from Huffington Post

I am a Huffington Post follower and this article hit home with me.....

What started out as functional movement has gotten out of control.....and it's called crossfit.  Ok, yes I am opening up a can of worms by broaching the crossfit subject but the number of times I see incorrect technique and injuries makes me shudder.

Concepts such as 'finish at all costs' doesn't sit well with me.  I believe that personal best without sacrificing technique is a great achievement and reduces the risk of injury. End of story but sorry I am not going to stop there!

Each to their own, agree but if you don't squat to the floor doesn't mean you aren't achieving amazing results.  Is heavy always best?  Maybe for some but if you are new to exercise, have injuries or need to get on top of mental approach, nutrition and lifestyle changes first then doing a maximum weight clean and press with little to no progression is not a great way to start. Nor should you be looked down on if you are not doing a crossfit style workout.

I love the concept of timed workouts and challenging your personal best that's what training is all about.  But there is functional movement challenging your limits and then there is putting your body under load and stress to the point of failure. Before attempting any exercise ask yourself...is it inline with my goals?  is it appropriate for my injuries and level of fitness?  Is it a muscle or a joint hurt when I am performing the exercise? Is vomiting half way through a workout and being yelled at to keep going a sign of going to far or a badge of honour.???

Can I ask....Does pain = results?  Some of my best sessions have been sitting in my office! 'Get your head right and your body will follow' you will hear me say this all the time.  Your mental attitude is your first and foremost focus, travel down and focus on what is going into your mouth, followed very closely by getting your body moving further and faster.  Yes I want to push you physically to achieve results but you need to stop and look at the big picture.

Again, each to their own.....but you need to know what is right for you and your body. Not do an exercise because all your friends are doing it or it's the latest trend. Fun and effective exercise with realistic nutrition advice and healthy lifestyle options is the key to success x

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erin-simmons/why-i-dont-do-crossfit_b_5411771.html

Women's Health & Fitness Magazine Top Recipes

http://www.womenshealthandfitness.com.au/healthy-recipes

Thank you Women's Health and Fitness Magazine...A great link to some recipes to spice up your meal plans!  Happy planning!
 

6 healthy winter soups

 

 

Chicken burritos

 

Roast beetroot and pumpkin salad

 

Supercharged breakfast bars with FSA

 

Tuna steaks with orange & watercress salad

 

Grilled swordfish salad with beet-carrot slaw

 

Coconut pancakes with blueberry coulis

For more recipes including meal plans 

 

www.realfitnessforrealwomen.com.au

 

Why...............!!!! Why am I exercising????????

 

Start by asking yourself what exercise means to you?  What are you striving to achieve?  Focus your mind on your exercise goals.  Are you trying to lose weight, increase your self esteem, sculpt your physique or improve your health and fitness? Are you unhappy with your self-image right now?  Would a healthier, leaner you increase your overall sense of wellbeing and give you the self-confidence to feel happier in your own skin?

Write down your answers and explore what it would mean to you to achieve your exercise goals. 

Now reduce what you have written into 3-5 bullet points and pin the list to a few prominent places i.e. your fridge door, on your desk at work, inside the cover of your diary etc.  Let this list act as a reminder of why you want to exercise.

 

www.realfitnessforrealwomen.com.au

Stretching mistakes you are probably making

Stretching feels great and increases flexibility -- when done the right way. But not preparing properly or doing the stretch incorrectly can lead to injuries and inflexibility, the exact opposite of the results you want. Avoid these common mistakes for a safe, pain-free and effective stretching routine.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/11/stretching-mistakes_n_5118469.html

Imagine...Believe...Achieve

We are so quick to judge ourselves and we are so quick to see the negative that we miss the opportunities to be proud of ourselves and be positive....

Stop and take time and be proud of your achievements, even a baby step, it is a step in the right direction....Cheer your achievements and stop being so hard on yourself.  We are so busy trying to be perfect and keep everyone happy that we miss the big picture.  We cannot achieve our results if we don't take a moment and be proud of our achievements.   Take a moment at the end of the day (can I suggest when you are cleaning your teeth) reflect on something you are proud of and choose a focus for the next day.  BE POSITIVE!

A thought for my mums....We spend so much time nurturing and providing for our children and our families that we leave nothing left for ourselves.  Do you not think that a positive, happy and healthy mum will have a massive impact on the development of our children......

LADIES I GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO BE SELFISH........

You spend time packing your kids lunches or snack box, would it kill you to put out an extra lunch box and pack something for yourself.?  Lead by example and show your children that you are eating well and are eating real food.  Not being on a continuous roller coaster of diets, shakes and despair...What are we teaching our children?

I am a busy working mum and trust me I know its tough but you need to plan and you need to prepare.  Make some time for you so you can be a better person, mummy and wife.

Happy mothers day for tomorrow ladies....Give yourself the gift of  allowing yourself to spend some of your time and energy on YOU xxxxxxxx

For weight loss success its a must!!

Don't until Monday, press the reset button today x

 

www.realfitnessforrealwomen.com.au

Beating late night binging is a must for weight loss success - Here's How

Beating Late-Night Eating

Tips that helped save late-night nibblers from the call of the fridge or the cupboard

For many people it is easy to eat well and stay on track during the day but night time is when things that can go wrong usually do….Too much snacking while preparing kids lunches for the next day or picking while you are cooking dinner.  The most damage comes from raiding the pantry, fridge or freezer for after dinner munchies.

First of all you need to establish why you are wanting a late night snack, develop a strategy and then change your way of dealing with those late night snack attacks!

Reasons for evening eating
These are some of the main culprits…..Can you relate to one?

Boredom
You may be bored or dealing with another emotion like stress, and use this time to preoccupy or anesthetize yourself with food. If boredom is your enemy then find tasks around the home to occupy you, a diversion might be all that you need.

Restriction
You have restricted your calories too much during the day and truly are hungry. This is a big one, review what you are eating during the day and check whether restricting your food intake during the day is the problem.  This might be a conscious or unconscious restriction.  If you days are action packed and you are skipping lunch and forgetting afternoon tea then you are definitely going to be hungry.  If it is an unconscious choice you maybe operating under the false myth of reducing calories will help you lose weight.  Eat regularly during the day and you might find your late night snacking problem solved!

Off-limits thinking
The more you tell yourself you can’t have something the more you want it!!!!!  ‘Diet’ mentality is a common cause for bingeing and late night snacking.  Depriving yourself of regular wholesome food is going to play havoc with your mind.  Eat to fuel your body rather than deprive it and you might be surprised at the results.

 

Emotions

We think that a biscuit binge or a serve or seven of ice-cream will make us feel better.  Maybe for about....1 minute and then you feel sick!  You may get a quick release of dopamine that will make you feel great for that 1 minute but the more we abuse this dopamine release the more sugar we have to consume to get that same ‘hit’  It takes just a matter of moments to consume 500 calories, just think about how long it’s going to take you to burn off. 

 

Are you FLAB??????  Before you eat ask yourself am I FRUSTRATED, LONELY, ANXIOUS OR BORED… If you answer yes go and distract yourself and stay away from the kitchen!

 

Late-night survival strategies
To combat those cravings, here are some real-life survival tips for beating the refrigerator battle.

·  When you feel the tug to comfort yourself with late-night snacks, investigate other things you consider comforting, like reading a good book, having a relaxing bath or shower or even going to bed early.

·  Keep busy while you are breaking some bad habits set yourself a project list that you can refer to when late night snacks are tempting you.  It may be cleaning out the linen cupboard, clean the bathroom…..Anything to side track you!

·  Try delay tactics as a tool to avoid snacking.  If you ‘think’ you are wanting to snack first have a drink of water, had the water and are still tempted go to the loo!  Sounds crazy but it might be a good diversion to get you as far away from the kitchen as possible!  Another good strategy is clean your teeth, you are less likely to head back into the kitchen if you have already cleaned your teeth.

·  If you are genuinely hungry or you have tried some of the above strategies and you still want something to eat then picking low-fat snacks is a good idea: rice crackers, yogurt, fat-free pretzels or maybe a herbal tea will do the trick. It’s important to take out the portion and close the container before eating. If you have made the decision to eat, then sit and enjoy it guilt free, don’t stand in the kitchen and scoff it, sit and enjoy. Other ways to monitor behavior include "closing" the kitchen and not walking back in.

·  Make sure you're eating enough throughout the day: Evaluate your level of hunger when you wake up. After an eight-hour stretch, you should be moderately hungry within 30 minutes of waking up. If you're not, you probably ate too much the night before.

 www.realfitnessforrealwomen.com.au