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Hi There,
Happy New Year and all that jazz! I hope that you had a fabulous Christmas and that you're on track with all of your New Year's resolutions.
We are back safe and sound from our snowboarding trip to Canada. We had an absolute blast. There was lots of snowboarding, drinking beers and relaxing. It was great to unwind and take time out to reflect on the year that's been and the big year ahead we are going to have!
This month's Quick Fix I've focused on giving you some handy hints to squeeze in that extra exercise (and given you an exercise to do at home) and I have also added some information on the GI Index to give you more education around nutrition.
I hope that you enjoy and please remember to keep the feedback and questions rolling in!
Wishing you great Health & Fitness
Lots of Luv
Amanda XxXx
Quick Tip
Increase your incidental exercise:
Increasing your incidental exercise is a fantastic way to burn up extra calories and get in extra exercise. Please keep in mind that incidental exercise is NOT enough to keep you fit and healthy, or lose weight. You need to exercise regularly to be fit and healthy on the inside and out! So here are some sure fire ways to increase your incidental exercise:
Take the stairs: Yup I know it sounds like hard work, but if it gets you huffing and puffing (and you can feel your legs working) then it must be good for you. Every time you do, think of how fantastic your legs and bum is going to look... For an extra challenge try taking 2 at a time!
Park Further Away than you Need: This one is a no brainer. It’s recommended that you do at least 10,000 steps each day. By parking further away you’re guaranteed to get those steps up, it doesn’t give you a choice about doing the exercise because you have to walk back to the car and even better – I’ll bet you’ll always get a car spot!
Go for a walk at lunch time: There are so many benefits to this beyond the exercise benefits. Mainly it’s going to get you out of the office and give you a break. Everyone knows that you need to recharge and have a break but quite often we don’t (we get sucked into doing that extra thing or two and then it’s 2pm!) So force yourself to go for a walk, you’ll feel so much better for it, you’ll be refreshed and able to concentrate and you’ll come back a lot more productive. So throw your runners in your bag and get walking (drag your work mates out as well – get the office healthy!)
Nutrition Corner
GI - What is it all about?
In a nutshell the Glycemic Index (GI) is all about carbohydrates. Not all Carb's were created equal and they all have a different effect on our body. The GI Index has been created to help rank carbohydrates and the effects that they have on our blood glucose levels. This information is particularly important for diabetics because they need to watch their blood sugar levels, but it can also be used to help you make better choices.
The GI index ranks carbohydrates on a scale of 0 - 100 according to the extent they raise our blood sugar levels. Foods that have a High GI are quickly absorbed by the body and rapidly spike our blood sugar levels. Low GI foods are slowly absorbed by the body and produce a gradual increase to our blood sugar levels.
So how is this all relevant to you? By knowing about the rating of foods you are able to make educated choices about the foods you eat and the effects that they will have on your body.
 High GI rated foods are going spike your blood sugar levels and give you a quick hit of energy (think sugar fix). However you need to keep in mind that as quickly as they 'give you energy' that energy rapidly runs out which will send you into a downwards spiral and craving more sweet stuff (carbs).
Low GI foods on the other hand, slowly release the glucose into your blood sugar levels which gives you energy that lasts longer and is more sustainable. That means you feel fuller and are less likely to go crazy and binge to 'fill up that gap'.
The above picture demonstrates the difference between High and Low GI and the effect they have.
So as you can see from the above, it's good to know about GI foods and they effects you have on the body. However as you know with all of my philosophies, everything must be in moderation. I don't recommend using the GI index as your food gospel. For example, we know that Low GI foods are recommended because they release slowly. Based on the GI index party pies have an index of 45 (low). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that eating a lot of party pies isn't good for your health or waistline - so GI isn't always the best method!
Knowing about the GI index is a great tool and part of your nutritional education. Use common sense when applying it to your diet but remember, don't have an 'all or nothing' attitude towards it.
For a list of GI foods and their rankings you can go to our website and download the PDF flyer: GI Index for Foods
Exercise Corner
In each edition of the Quick Fix newsletter I'm going to include exercises that you can do at home that don't require any gym memberships or fancy equipment.
This month I'm going to introduce you to the back extension. This exercise is fantastic for strengthening the lower back. The lower back is often overlooked because people focus on crunches and sit-ups instead. The lower back is just as important!
How to Perform:
Lie face down on the floor and place your hands under your chin, palms down. Keeping your hands under your chin, breathe out and lift your upper body off the ground (chest and shoulders only). Hold for about 1-5 seconds and then lower your body back to the starting position.
To advance this exercise you can also lift your feet off the ground as you lift up (this will work your butt more!)
Start by doing 10-12 and then build up, add 1 more each time. A great exercise to do during a tv ad break!
This is a small movement and depending on the flexibility in your back will determine how high you go. This exercise should never hurt (the muscles will fatigue but if you feel any pain please stop immediately)
REMINDER:
GROUP TRAINING
Want to mix up your exercise regime then why not try out Group Training? It's a fun way to exercise and get fantastic results.
Here is some of the feedback received from last year's Group Training:
"I feel great! My fitness level has improved so much and my body is much leaner and more toned." - Kate
"Loved it, great motivation to get up when you have a team of people relying on you and it is also great to get you pushing yourself to your limits with people to compete with, makes you try harder." - Carly
"Amanda your enthusiasm and friendly approach make it really fun. Even when I am about to fall over with exhaustion you keep it light-hearted but also keep us focussed on improving our fitness." - Sharyn
"Fantastic results – weight loss combined with huge cm loss – improved my self confidence!!" - Keryn
So what are you waiting for - Make 09 YOUR YEAR!
For more information go to our website: Group Training
FUN RUN - APRIL
AR1 is looking for interest from people who would like to join me in doing the '5km Run for Kids' in April. Our team (minimum of 6 required) will be people who have never run a fun run before or don't do a lot of running (so you don't have to be super fit!) It will be about completing the race (who cares in what time!), helping you accomplish something you never thought possible & having fun!
For more details or to express your interest call Amanda: 0408618274 or email me: amanda@ar1.com.au |
