summer approaches

As of today, there are only fifty-seven days remaining in 2014. Have you achieved, or have you made progress towards meeting any of the goals you set for yourself at the years beginning? If you have, a HUGE congratulations and keep it up! If not, why not? What’s left on your “to do” list?  What are your plans to reach them as we head into summer?

We are usually our own worst enemies when it comes to creating changes for ourselves. The start of each new year brings with it a renewed sense of optimism and endless new possibilities but as the year passes by, and this year’s certainly passed quickly, we can often lose focus of the objectives we set for ourselves. Self imposed mind games are a real trip when it comes to things like excuses or procrastination.

fitness day escapes!

MACKAY/WHITUNDAYS book at www.annpt.com

BRISBANE book at www.annpt.com

willpower?

Often you will hear people say “I don’t have the willpower to lose weight.” They talk about willpower as if it’s a personal trait that some are born with but not them - some people have it, they don’t, and it’s something that comes and goes of its own accord. It’s as if willpower is something magical - just wait for it to come and don’t bother with the planning, organising and practicing of habits that are needed in order to achieve change.

Willpower isn’t something you are born with or without, nor is it magical - it’s simply a skill. Self control, that can be learned. You’ve got to understand that your body is the way it is right now because that’s how it has adapted to the lifestyle you’re living. If you want to change your body, you’ve also got to change that lifestyle by finding more constructive ways to adapt to your circumstances. By thinking ahead, setting achievable targets and planning healthy eating and consistent exercise into your routine and lifestyle, your confidence in your ability to change will grow and grow.

"You won’t lose weight by exercising more if you’re ignoring nutrition. You won’t get fit by dieting if you’re skipping workouts. Everything works in unison."

swing - to save the children

25 days to go till the Stormchild faces a fear and .... throws herself off this bridge!!  

she still needs to raise enough though to be eligible, so please if you can, support/sponsor her for a great cause - 'save the children' fund.

head to her save the children page for further information or to leave a donation - all donations, big and small, are of course tax deductible.

deal of the year

exchange a $20 note, for this - 3 huge watermelons, 3 sweet pineapples, 6kgs oranges, 2kgs bananas, 1kg sweet potato, 2kg tomatoes = $19.65. loving it!
brisbane fruit shops rock!

get moving to manage stress

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.

You know that exercise does your body good, but you're too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second — there's good news when it comes to exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you're not an athlete or even if you're downright out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief - and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

the first step

head to www.annpt.com/mystory

When you have weight to lose, it’s easy to come up with excuses rather than get yourself off the couch and into motion.
Taking the initial step of heading into a world of action is a pro active choice towards getting rid of the part of you that has become an expert in excuse making and procrastination. You are choosing instead to work towards a new, healthier you... what  a fantastic commitment!
It’s not always going to be easy - some days will bring about new challenges - but you KNOW you CAN conquer them. Have faith in yourself. Some days will be damn hard, others a breeze ... but each morning when you wake up remember your goals, then be proud of yourself and the journey you are taking towards them. As you start seeing results - you will become more confident with the choices you are making and be continually proud of yourself. Some thoughts ...

paleo brownies

Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup minus 1 tbs. coconut flour (use the "dip and sweep method" to measure or use a kitchen scale and measure 50 grams of the flour)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder - substitute carob powder (this stuff) if there is a chocolate sensitivity
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbs. butter, melted
- 3 eggs, at room temperature (egg substitutes will not work)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract, optional

time to lose the excess weight

Are you ready to become a new, healthier version of yourself? Fitter. Stronger. With more energy?!

61% of all adults are considered overweight or obese in Australia - the percentage rising rapidly. If that figure doesn’t scare you, it should. With a huge cost factor to the nation, obesity with its associated illnesses affects us all.

Returning to a healthy weight range isn’t easy, but accomplishing it is one of the most worthwhile things you can do for yourself.
The journey towards a transformed, fit body - through good nutrition, consistent exercise and a strong mindset is an amazing one - no matter what age or body shape you are.

introverts

This profound comic strip explains exactly why introverts behave the way they do.

blueberry banana chia smoothie

Known as “Mayan Mega Fuel”, chia seeds are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can find. A three tablespoon serving has more than twice the iron as a cup of spinach, as much potassium as a banana, twice the fiber of a cup of oatmeal, and the antioxidants of a serving of blueberries. Double down on the potassium and antixodents by adding blueberries and banana to the mix.

Serves 1 | 235 calories per serving | Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients
1 banana  | 1/2 cup blueberries | 2 tablespoons chia seeds | 1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage

obesity treatment - 1948!

Interesting to see we had a solid framework for healthy eating 60 years ago... where did it all go wrong? Takeaways and GMO's?!

Obesity Treatment Guidelines from 1948*

Foods to be avoided:
  • Bread • Cereals  • Potatoes
  • Foods containing sugar   • All sweets

Eat as much as you like of the following foods:
  • Meat, fish, birds  • Green vegetables  • Eggs • Cheese  • Fruit except bananas & grapes

*Taken from 'The Practice of Endocrinology' - Dr Raymond Greene

sweet potato smoothie

Sound odd? Wait till you try it before judging! A healthy alternative to an ice cream shake.
Sweet potatoes provide a satisfying sweetness but won’t spike your blood sugar like other types of potatoes. They’re also packed with nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium. This version is satisfying, delicious, and provides an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory boost.

Ingredients

raw vegan walnut chocolate brownies

Who doesn't love chocolate? And who said awesome chocolate treats couldn't be part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle?

This brownie is a real treat, but the healthy, vegan gluten-free and refined sugar-free version of the traditional brownie we all know, is even better.

This version is easy to prepare if you've got a good high-speed blender at home, and it's a great option when you've got guests. I’ve made this recipe several times for my loved ones and in my cooking workshops, and it's always a success!

will I be FAT [again] tomorrow

Food addiction, food bingeing... food OBSESSION, bulimia, evidence hiding, food deprivation, (insert) diet magical drug of choice, calorie counting, constant weighing, pretense, excuses, procrastination, laziness, lifelessness, depression … I TOTALLY get it - been there done that .... ALL of it!
If you can relate… you are not alone.
Choosing to become responsible for my health and losing 55kgs was not an easy journey - the book shares the long, progressive path towards a more healthy life (which I am still on) - learning, growing, winning, failing - a rollercoaster ride of emotion for a complete transformation in far more many ways than simply the physical. And for those that used to read my column - it also shares many ways to introduce changes into your own life and some tidbits that may be useful for many, specially those just starting out on their journey, (and hopefully some motivation and inspiration for all within the front and back covers!  ) - head to www.annpt.com and click on 'books' and you can place your order.

peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bites

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups canned* chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (165 grams) natural peanut butter (Don't even try with regular peanut butter! They'll come out oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter)
1/4 cup (80 grams) honey (agave would be amazing too!)
1 teaspoon baking powder**
a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn’t have salt in it
1/2 cup (90 grams) chocolate chips
NO FLOUR, NO OIL, NO WHITE SUGAR

blueberry almond ginger smoothie

Grate up some ginger and take a smoothie to the next level. A ginger smoothie is creamy, yet zesty - always leaving you feeling refreshed. Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory and has been shown to help with arthritis.

5 minutes, 1 serving, vegetarian, gluten-free

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup vanilla almond milk
2 TBS Greek yogurt
1 TSP fresh grated ginger
2 TBS raw honey
Ice cubes

just the beginning

Glorious weather, fabulous training, delicious food, inspiring talk, superb company = champion day!
Lighten the Load Fitness Escape at Cape Gloucester Resort up in the Whitsundays, Saturday 28th June 2014.

View all photos from the day...

flu shots

simple and pure!

6 kale leaves, half bunch parlsey, 1 cucumber, 4 celery ribs, 3 small apples, half lemon.
juice!

healthy chocolate balls

A tasty treat that's packed full of goodness!

What you’ll need
»    500g walnuts

»    2 heaped tbsp cacao or cocoa powder

»    ½ tsp cinnamon powder

»    ¼ tsp salt

»    20 pitted fresh dates

»    1 orange (zest and juice)
»    1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp of paste
»    3 tbsp Healthy Chef Protein (organic chocolate + maca or chocolate WPI)
»    2 cups coconut, flaked for rolling

you can't mow the lawn every Saturday!

The first LTL fitness escape for 2014. A day of fun, fitness and a chance to healthily unwind. Jam packed with fitness sessions, a nutritional lunch and guest speaker Donna Martin in a gloriously fabulous location, Cape Gloucester Ecoresort - Saturday 28 June will supply exercise and laughter, all rolled into one.

And no matter what YOUR individual level of fitness, beginner to advanced - it's a great opportunity to take a break. Spike up your everyday training or use this as a fantastic kickstart to a healthier lifestyle.

What are you waiting for? Grab a friend, or go it alone - you'll play alongside some fantastic new ones - and prepare to have an exciting break from the routine of a hectic lifestyle.

Head to www.annpt.com and click on fitness escapes to book now - early bird pricing available  - or please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Ann

0412 753 899

www.annpt.com | www.facebook.com/annptlightentheload | www.facebook.com/ltlfitnessescape

never give up

Sometimes when we are trying to work towards our goals, things don't happen 'fast enough' for us ...
we're an instant gratification society.

But never give up - things are always changing if we are working towards a positive mindset, nutritional food and a dose of exercise consistently.

Stay patient, and embrace all the wonderful changes on the journey, big and small.

choice

Get this magazine and get rock-hard ripped OR buy a Kit Kat instead at Coles Express service station (most likely MANY service stations and supermarkets!)

Bad product placement!?

what does $20 buy?!

One of the most common debates I have with people is about it being too expensive to eat healthy, compared to eating a packaged food diet. Unfortunately many DO make food decisions based on price. It’s funny how many of those people though, have no challenge finding the extra dollars for alcohol. Or soft drink, ice cream and takeaway!

So is it actually more expensive to eat healthy? The question is relative of course and the answer will vary greatly depending on who you ask. There are definitely some things we can all cut back on as consumers in order to be able to spend a little more on the food that nourishes our bodies. Step one? Easy example. Eliminate soft drink!

This week I set about finding out exactly what $20 buys here in Brisbane in the way of fresh produce.
The local supermarket saw me leave with three bags of delicious fruit and vegies - $19.86. And with an incredible deal at the local fruit and vegie shop - “fill a box with anything you want for only $20” I was able to discover astonishingly how much actually fits into a box - I left with a HUGE array of colourful local produce. This included a wonderful variety of seasonal fresh delights, even eggs.

elderly exercise

Having officially hit senior status recently (ok, a little longer than recently ;) ) exercise and its benefits as the years go by have become a rapidly vital interest.

As we age there are some physical changes taking place that, barring cosmetic surgery, we don’t have control over. Our skin becomes thinner and less elastic, wrinkles appear in great numbers and our hair turns wonderful shades of gray! The good news though is that we can control to a greater degree, the aging of our physical aspects such as posture and weight.

It’s fabulous when people become armed with the knowledge that with exercise, life can be made a lot easier through improvements in strength, balance, coordination, and mobility - no matter what age!

it's easter already!

Hi everyone, 

Well a couple of months has gone by very quickly hasn't it?! Easter already. I know I said I would stay in contact and I thought I would have written long before this but I can't begin to say how difficult and hectic moving can be, though I'm sure some of you know! I've had many of you writing me via facebook and email which is lovely you have stayed in contact.

And I have been able to catch up with quite a few though down here in Brisbane when you’ve  been visiting which has been amazingly exciting to do! So if anyone is ever visiting Brisbane please let me know so we can organise a catchup.

I hope everyone is still on track and keeping health as a natural priority of life. I would love to hear back those who i haven't spoken to see how you are all going. There IS lots that I miss - but clients and knowing how you all are and keeping you on track, most definitely.

i ♥ sleep

A simple thing like not getting enough sleep could be a huge reason why you're not losing as much weight as you want.
Recent studies have shown that people who sleep six hours or less a night and more than nine hours are more likely to be obese or overweight.
Not only is sleep deprivation associated with a number of unhealthy conditions but the combination of these habits can lead to a state of being unable to sleep. The main benefits from giving your body enough rest and sleep are:
  -  Faster recovery    -  Quicker wound healing
-  Gives your organs time to rest     -  Boost energy levels
-  Improved weight loss

An interesting article on cycles of sleep for those who feel they don't necessarily fit in with the 'expected' sleep patterns that most of us live by  > http://sleepforall.com/sleep-patterns

'inspriring australia' summit #02

 

Another inspiring Australia session with people who have done - amazing things.
The surprise was catching up with the inspirational Toni Wood who left the Whitsundays 3 years ago to move to Brisbane. More surprising we are both doing the same Weight Loss Consultants course. Many stories to share now as time goes by :)

Stayed on for the mastermind group in the afternoon this time - of GREAT benefit. And realised I still have SO much learning to do!

 

Life, I guess, is one continual lesson :)

 

The speakers:

LTL single group sessions

Other session times available. Enquire today.

Are you fed up with dieting, wearing clothes that feel tighter each day and feeling self-conscious about your weight? Want more fun in your life - energy for the kids, energy for yourself!?
The Lighten the Load program is a series of group workshops/training sessions that goes beyond a single session each week. It’s a positive, fun environment where YOU can feel excited and invigorated to improve your health, fitness and well being, long term. You will confidently learn how to achieve a successful transformation through healthy eating and movement. This is not ‘another’ diet; this is a unique opportunity to explore and modify lifestyle choices that will  change YOU in a positive way.
Everyone participating will also be supplied with ‘homework’ - ideas to incorporate motivation and movement into every day!
All handouts etc used each week are provided to take home and refer back to as required.
Ongoing regular support to keep you on track EVERY day - both from myself and others in the group via our sessions and interchange of email, texts etc.
Participants MUST have a minimum of 20kilos to lose. The reason behind this is the support of others on a similar goal/journey – and specially for those who could possibly feel intimidated or concerned to ‘begin’.
If you head to the facebook page, (ltl photos) or website or blog and take a look at previous groups I know they will vouch that having others on a like minded journey has been of great value to them, and they discover that stepping out of a ‘comfort zone’ into a new and exciting lifestyle full of energy is empowering. Plus the laughter, camaraderie and chat along the way has been invaluable to them amongst such a fantastic group/setting.

dreambuilders

O.M.G. what an incredible 3 days!!
inspirational, motivational, thought provoking. incredible women. and roll it all together.

benefits of personal training

It’s not just elite athletes who use personal trainers. People of all ages, body types, and levels of fitness benefit from training one on one or in smaller groups. Working with a personal trainer is one of the fastest, easiest, safest and most successful ways to improve your health and fitness.

How do you know if hiring a personal trainer is the right choice for you?

Personal trainers set goals
The benefit of a personal trainer is that they will listen to what you want to achieve and then devise a plan to get there. This usually involves setting small, specific goals so that you can see/feel progress on your way to achieving your ultimate goal.

12 weeks of dynamic changes

With great success in the Whitsundays, Lighten the Load now comes to Brisbane. The 12 week program consists of two group sessions each week and one personal training session. Plus ‘homework’ to do each day. Ongoing regular support each week both from myself and others in the group via our sessions and interchange of email, texts etc.

Participants MUST have a minimum of 20kilos to lose. The reason behind this is the support of others on a similar goal/journey – and specially for those who could possibly feel intimidated or uncomfortable to enter a gym environment.
If you head to the facebook page, (ltl photos) or website or blog and take a look at previous groups I know they will vouch that having others on a like minded goal has been of great value to them, and they discover the gym is not intimidating and it becomes like a second home. Plus the laughter, camaraderie and chat along the way has been invaluable to them amongst such a fantastic group/setting.

'inspiring australia' summit #01

An interesting day today spent amongst some highly motivated people - leaders, and becoming inspired. Not quite as I expected as we had to delve into our own minds and actually do some hands on work also - which can be quite confronting and scary.

Having now moved to Brisbane there is an apparent succession of events - seminars, summits, workshops - to choose from to keep that 'high'.  I think I may become a seminar junkie.

A positive though, for remember - you become - what you surround yourself with. So I now choose, to always surround myself with exciting gogetters - always learning, always improving. And then being able to make a real difference to those around me, to motivate, to inspire, to support. Yes, a day well spent.

the speakers:

give it a go

Eat clean and exercise hard. Try it. Even if for just 7 days - if you don't like it, you can always stop. but I assure you it WILL give yourself a very different outlook on why the new you will be so much happier... in such a short time you can start feeling - healthier, cleaner inside, more energetic! I DO know how hard it is to get started.... But use every last ounce of energy to drag yourself from wherever you are to take those initial steps - it WILL, be worth it.

lighten the load 2014

 

 

Love yourself enough to make a difference! 'Lighten the Load' is a 12 week program for those with 20 plus kilos to lose and ready to commit to creating a positive shift in their life for 2014 - modifying unhealthy habits and learning the skills required to achieve on going changes.

 

If you or someone you know fits the bill - get yourselves ready for the most transformational 12 weeks of your lives!

 

Starts soon at Kangaroo Point Health and Fitness. For further information see reception or contact Ann 0412 753 899

live.

live life with a ferocity and leave this world, exhausted.

2014 - it's time to make you amazing!

Yet another amazing year has come and gone, which brings to reflection how grateful I am for what you all bring to my life. All of you are hard charging and action taking and not a day goes by that I'm not blown away by what everyone is accomplishing and the changes that are undertaken and achieved. All with a dogged expectation and attitude of 'I can' and 'I will' - even when things get tough.

When I look through the albums on facebook I am so impressed - the Warriors albums (2013, 2012 ) the mud sessions (kelsey oct, kelsey feb, emerald ) the breakfast sessions (2014 december, november, october - and check in the albums section for many more) even individual pics (clients, beautiful days,) - all show a lot of laughs and smiles we have had together. Memory driven.

The Lighten the Load album shows an incredible and amazing group of women (and 1 man ;) ) who overcame fears and entered the gym, ready to change their lives and currently still doing so. Impressive.

Without you all there would be no me as we know it. So thank you for that... and, for putting your trust in me.

creating action for 2014

How quickly the year has flown. Santa is already ho ho ho’ing wherever we go and everyone is frantically shopping, with Christmas and the New Year upon us.

It’s already that time where we subconsciously start setting a few fitness or health goals for 2014. But how did you do throughout 2013? Did you achieve what you set out to do at the years beginning? Are you smarter, fitter, healthier, stronger? Yes - then congratulations! If not, what stopped you? Facing your fears? Laziness? Lack of motivation and determination?

Health and fitness are tomorrow problems - people notoriously put them off unless sickness knocks directly on their door with a wake up and they have to face the consequences of their unhealthy choices.

november 2013

Afternoon everyone!

Well hasn't 2013 flown by!! It's been a huge year with great health, and personal successes for many!  I hope all changes are embraced rock solid coming into 2014.

It's awesome to have a few new clients beginning their journey towards a healthier life this past month! Welcome to you all :) There really isn't anything more exciting for all us 'regular' gym go'ers than witnessing people embrace positive change into their lives and beginning to work towards their health and fitness goals. And experience, how wonderful you feel after a workout! The smiles.

commitment, perseverance, determination

I started writing the Lighten the Load column in the Whitsunday Coast Guardian nearly two years ago, aiming it at those who were sedentary, hopefully encouraging them to become active and those who were overweight, hopefully encouraging them to become healthy.
Summer is once again knocking on the door. The layers of clothing that have been protecting us throughout the winter are starting to be peeled off. Do we like what we see? Are we enjoying how we feel?

slave to the scale

Up until a couple of years ago I was held captive to an unhealthy and unrealistic obsession, my life totally consumed with my captor... my bathroom scales.

I stood on them the moment I got up. Of course! Isn’t that everyones first priority on awakening? Then I would weigh myself after I had emptied my bladder. After I showered. After I ate my breakfast. After I brushed my teeth. After I had a glass of water. Before I exercised. After I exercised. Lunch. Dinner. More water! Haircut! Cutting my fingernails! I kid you not. A never ending ritual. Unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins. For I would then allow the figure they reported to me hundreds of times a day to control exactly how I would then feel about myself in that moment. I would be excited beyond belief if the figure glaring at me had dropped. I would float - light and happy. Or I would be crushed - disappointed and frustrated, if I so much as gained a gram. Eat if the number was down. Starve myself if up. Reward. Punish. Love. Hate. Certainly not a healthy relationship. Nor, a smart lifestyle, is it? Can you imagine how exhausting that rollercoaster ride is? I had such an emotional attachment to the number on the scale. However I was in denial of that obsession. To be very honest I actually thought everyone had that same ‘passion and focus’ that I had, to be a particular, and concrete, ‘number on a machine’.

changing your lifestyle

How valuable is change to you? How confident are you that you can achieve the changes you are after? The personal benefits of losing weight or greater healthier are high but unfortunately to some, the ‘costs’ of achieving change can also be high.

So on one hand it may be really important to have a lower weight but on the other you also want to eat your favourite food or chocolate bar whenever you feel like it. It’s a conflict between competing desires and the accompanying frustration will often lead you to seek out solutions that falsely promise both - lose weight and eat what you want. Snake oils. I was prey to those deceptive messages myself for many years. Unfortunately. It isn’t that easy. There is no miracle cure, quick fix or gimmick. Don’t be fooled by the hype!

Train hard. Eat clean. Stay consistent and focused. Repeat. That’s how you create shipshape health.
So in considering that, what holds you back? It depends how much you really want the weight loss - how motivated you are. No matter how positive you are, how many goals you set or how much you visualise your success - if your reason for wanting to change does not inspire or motivate you strongly enough, it will more than likely be a short lived pursuit. This is the reason many people do not achieve their long term goals or successfully make long term changes to their lifestyles. So what are some perceived advantages and disadvantages for weight loss?

october update

The year has been passing us by while we blink I think! About to head into the final school term and before we know it the new year will be upon us. The goals we set at the beginning of the year will either be evolving or, they aren't! Are you on track? How can we continue to help you reach them?

I have done re-measurements and fitness tests these past couple of weeks on most of you, gym and home clients. Great results everyone, congratulations and a huge thanks for the effort you put in week after week. I continue to be inspired by you all, the tenacity that you bring not only to our sessions, but to all your training - in the gym, other classes, or outside running/walking too. Hopefully I am doing something right that helps to motivate and keep you working towards your goals. :D Incredibly proud of you all and your sticktuitiveness. THAT, is what gets results with our health and fitness. Consistency.

Remember, it's often difficult to look at the big picture when we are at the beginning of any goal we set, but it only takes one day at a time to make a difference in the weeks and months ahead of us. Train hard. Eat clean. Stay focused. Repeat. That simple to create good health.

hitting a plateau

At some stage on a weight loss journey many of us are likely to experience what is known as a ‘plateau’. Essentially, this is a term used when a weight-loss program suddenly stops functioning, even though the person using the program hasn’t really changed anything.
It is hit when the body develops a tolerance for the program and so allows the body to process the nutrients from the food intake, but with a metabolism that has adjusted to retain the excess rather than burn it outright.
Whilst plateaus do occur without anything else changing, there can be other factors that cause the plateau or that may contribute to it.
• Not sticking 100% to the weight loss program
• Slow metabolism due to reduced muscle mass, inactivity or age
• Skipping meals and snacking

craig harper

Among other things, commercial metabolism boosters (fat-burners) can increase blood pressure, resting heart rate, sweating, anxiety levels, stress hormone production, core body temperature and risk of heart attack, stroke and death. They’re also expensive.

Other than that, they’re brilliant.

~Craig Harper~

always telling it like it is! website

mindful eating

A few conversations over this past week have once again revolved around how inattentive we can often be with the food we consume.
We are all guilty at times for making naive and mindless choices. We can eat gratuitously, for the wrong purposes, and without a sense of power or control. How often do you think you haven’t eaten much for the day - only to discover - that you consumed a WHOLE packet of chips while watching TV, or a packet of biscuits as you were driving to or from work? Thoughtless. Unware.

You’ve been working hard on a project on the computer, and it’s time for a treat. You’ve been holding off, waiting for the delicious taste of - here, please fill in the blank. Ice cream? Chocolate? A donut? A fresh slice of toast laden with butter? Chips?
You take the first bite. Very yummy!

depression and exercise

Depression is an insidious illness, a quiet erosion of the soul that affects one in four women and one in eight men. The chances are high that you know someone that has depression or you may even suffer with it yourself, yet the illness still has a serious  stigma attached to it which magnifies the impact even more.

In the past we lived within communities that used to look out for each other, neighbours communicated, giving each other a voice. Life, was temperate. Those days are long gone. It’s a fast paced, self driven society we’ve created now - tasks are ongoing, people are continually busy, rushing from one appointment to another and everywhere we turn we are hit with an onslaught of technology battling for our attention. The result is - a LOT of anxious people out there, helpless and unable to cope as they are expected to, and feeling alone, like they are the ‘only ones’ unable to grapple this overwhelming lifestyle. They smile, hiding their depression behind a mask - because they feel they don’t live up to what society expects them to be and fear being judged. Feelings, aren’t always rational in the mind of a depressive.

obesity in children

Childhood obesity is an increasing problem within Australia, growing at an alarming rate.
There is not one single cause for a child to be overweight, rather it is a complex interaction of many variables. Contributing factors include genetics, behaviour (nutrition, physical activity, sedentary activities) and environment. Many kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video-game console. And today’s busy families have fewer free moments to prepare nutritious, home-cooked meals. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many families.

However, overweight kids are at increased risk for several health complications. Despite being young they are still likely to exhibit risk factors for adult medical conditions: cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. In the very near future, 1 in 3 people will be diabetic - and that, is scary.
Additional health complications include sleep apnea, asthma, and liver damage.

saboteurs

Most people don’t like change. Their own, or others. It makes them feel uncomfortable and many go to great lengths to avoid change in their lives - good or bad.
Getting fit through diet and exercise creates big changes - adjustments you welcome. But for some, family and friends who aren’t in the same mindset can become jealous and uncomfortable with the transformation - they can become your greatest obstacle. Saboteurs.
Family, friends and colleagues have gotten used to you acting a certain way. They think they know you. So when you start to change... it makes them feel uncomfortable.
This happens because they fear change; it’s not that they don’t  necessarily want you to achieve your goals, but they may be unsure of how your changes will affect them:

the end of overeating

'David A. Kessler, who led the battle against the tobacco industry, now joins the fight against obesity. His message is important: the problem is not only the behaviour of profit-driven food companies, but also the daily choices that each one of us makes' Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation

Many of us find ourselves powerless in front of a bag of crisps, a packet of biscuits, the last slice of pizza. But why is that so many of us simply can't say no?
In The End of Overeating, David Kessler, the dynamic former head of the US Food and Drug Administration, exposes how modern food manufacturers have hijacked the brains of millions by turning our meals into perfectly engineered portions of fat, salt and sugar. The result is a ticking time-­bomb of obesity, heart conditions and a mass of health problems around the globe.