Welcome to the April edition of In Touch.
We will kick start this month’s edition with an article on fat burning. We will provide you with details on 11 super foods which will assist you in burning fat while keeping you feeling full. We will also provide you with some valuable tips on building your mental fitness. These tips will assist in keeping you in the right frame of mind, which will translate into more efficient and effective workouts. Who would like Bootylicious butt and thighs? If your answer is yes, then reading through our exercise of the month is a must. We will take you through the correct “Lunges” technique required to strengthen and improve the muscle tone in your butt and thighs. Are you tired of using grilling, baking and steaming as a cooking technique? Then why don’t you try our poached fish recipe of the month? Poaching allows the fish to cook through without the use of additional oil. This prevents adding extra calories to the meal, whilst maintaining the flavoursome taste. Be inspired by Raul Gama, our member of the month, as he takes you through the exercise regime that helped him lose a massive 25kg in twelve weeks. ZUMBA is coming to Lifestyle Fitness Australia this month! Zumba is a routine, which features interval training sessions where fast and slow Latin-style simple dance movements and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. So get yourself ready as Lifestyle goes Latin.
Top 11 foods that help you lose weight
We could all do with a kick start to lose the unwanted fat just hanging around. These 11 foods pack a nutritious punch with vitamins and minerals, which can help kick your weight loss into gear and fuel your body with the good stuff. They ensure you are not malnourished or hungry while trying to lose weight and are not run down.
Tomatoes
Have high amounts of lycopene and antioxidants such as vitamin E, vitamin C and betacarotene. This super food is great for anti ageing and cancer prevention. To increase the potency we can eat tomato paste.
Extra-lean beef
High in protein, this ensures you lose body fat and not muscle which we want to keep. Lean beef is a high source of iron, ensuring great production of haemoglobin in your blood which carries oxygen. Suffering an iron deficiency (very common in women) results in feeling tired, poor concentration and increases your chances of infections and colds. Keeping it extra lean will ensure minimal animal fat so you’re losing weight and keeping your heart healthy too.
Fresh herbs
They not only make healthy foods tasty, they are the high in antioxidants. A recent study showed that they are 42 times higher in antioxidants than apples. A tablespoon of oregano has the same free radicals as a medium apple. This is also true of your natural teas. So in the words of the Spice girls, spice up your life!
Blueberries
Are jam packed with antioxidants, the darker the berry the more antioxidants. These are responsible for lowering the risk of cancer, heart disease, brain function and also act as anti-inflammatory. They are rich in Vitamin C which boosts the immune system.
Oats
Natural rolled oats which you can microwave with skim milk, adding honey or fruit for flavour and sweetness. Filled with fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and good fats, they will aid in lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure. Now that’s a super breakfast.
Fish
An awesome form of low fat protein and omega 3, a fatty acid that is essential for brain and eye development. It is recommended we have 1-2 serves of fish a week.
Legumes
A low GI food, these will decrease your appetite and regulate your blood sugar levels. So eat some kidney beans, chick peas and black beans. They are packed with fibre, protein, nutrients and are pretty much fat free; filling you up with minimal calories.
Yoghurt
It ensures the balance of your digestive system, with its good bacteria. Yoghurt is high in calcium, for healthy bones, and potassium. It’s a great replacement for a snack or dessert, making sure it’s low or no fat.
Raw nuts
A great snack food containing phytochemicals, fibre, fatty acids and most contain monounsaturated fat, which lowers cholesterol. Though a few are great, be careful not to over indulge.
Spinach
Although it is high in iron, it is not a source of iron that humans can absorb. Eating spinach with your extra lean beef will help with the absorption of iron. Spinach is the food with the highest content of vitamin B folate, which contributes to preventing colon cancer, heart disease and birth defects.
Oranges
You won’t be surprised they are filled with Vitamin C and fibre. They also contain potassium which regulates water balance at a cellular level and many phytochemicals believed to lower the risk of breast cancer, inflammatory conditions, blood pressure and heart disease.
So there is no need to starve yourself to lose weight, you actually need to eat more. Remember to eat more often and more of the good stuff. This will prevent your body from shutting down its ‘burning system’ and keeps your metabolism running high. It will also ensure that you are strengthening and firming your muscles. Remembering that the more muscle mass you have, the more fat you burn. A healthy eating regime ensures we feel great and have more energy, which will in turn increase the desire to be more active and exercise.
For more stories on weight loss, nutrition, exercises and lifestyle visit our website and receive a free E-magazine “In Touch” direct to your inbox:- www.lifestylefit.com.au
WHERE IS YOUR HEAD AT???
Put yourself in the right mindset to get yourself to the gym & to get the most out of the time spent there. If you can ensure you’re committed to your workout; you are guaranteed results. Learn the four tips to getting in the right frame of mind for success.
BUILDING OUR MENTAL TOUGHNESS
So, here we are. Squashed together in the big old smoke of Sydney. A life that at times seems to resemble that of a Road Runner and Coyote Cartoon. The delicate balance of maintaining all the physical demands of a family life, children, relationship, career, being here, being there... and so the list goes on and on. And somewhere amongst it is honouring ourselves and maintaining a healthy life.
With all these physical demands, it’s easy to forget the physiological fatigue that comes with living at such a furious pace.
Becoming mentally stronger takes the same amount of effort as anything else in life we want to be better at. It requires awareness and discipline, topped off with an unbending intent, determination and most of all, patience and trust.
So how do we make the most of that precious hour, when we’ve finally found the time to make it to the gym?
Without making the situation worse with a list of complicated formulas, here are four helpful tips on how you can begin to take steps towards becoming mentally stronger, so your time here at Lifestyle Fitness is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
LEAVE IT AT THE DOOR
If something has upset you during the day, whether it’s running out of coffee or an argument with your boss, a parking fine, stuck in traffic, or anything that has got you worked up, when you get to the club, before you walk through the door, STOP! Take a moment to breathe and acknowledge that this is now YOUR time. Any issues or problems that hitched a ride with you are not invited! This is your moment and yours alone. The world will still turn and everything you left at the door can be picked up on the way out.
ABANDON & COMMIT
OK, you’ve made it through the door, well done. Now it’s time to begin your workout. It’s time to abandon and commit to work. Let go! Commit to the moment. No thinking allowed, please. By allowing yourself this freedom you then create room for more energy, more room to be inspired and get the best from yourself. When our thoughts cease, everything opens up. We live in the moment.
OWN IT ALL
However you may be feeling during your workout, own it all. Some days it’s easier said than done, you feel like you’re on fire. When you’re in this state, there is only one thing to do, pour it into your workout. Express yourself through your workout intensity. Now I don’t mean screaming on the treadmill, unless you want the whole floor to yourself. We’ve all heard of the term “exercise the demons”? By owning everything that we feel we empower ourselves and become mentally stronger. Turn that fire into fuel, and you may just surprise yourself.
PRACTICE
What makes a great workout? Is it the workout or where we were mentally during our workout? We are all used to training the body physically but rarely pay attention to the mental state we are in when demanding so much from ourselves. So give it a try, take a small moment to stop, be aware and acknowledge how you are feeling. With daily practice and patience, I guarantee you will feel the difference.
Low Fat Poached Fish
Fish is healthy, low in fat, and high in protein, phosphate and Omega 3 fish oil (which is known as ‘brain food’). You should eat fish twice a week to get all the necessary nutrients your body needs.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 kg fish fillet
- 1/2 cup of white wine
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
- Mixed herbs to taste, including ground pepper
Method:
Mix the wine and lemon and then simmer in a pan and cover with a lid.
Cut the fish fillet into 4 equal portions, and put them in the pan with the lemon and wine mix.
Add your favourite mixed herbs and cover, simmering till the fish goes flaky, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of fish you're cooking.
And that's that! In less than 20 minutes you have prepared a delicious low fat poached fish for 4.
How's that for efficiency?
You can have your poached fish with a nice combination of tasty steamed vegies. That would leave you with enough room to indulge in some delicious low fat dessert and even a couple of fruits. Yum!
Nutritional Information:
- Serves 4
- Fat: 1 g
- Cal: 77
- KJ: 324
Bootylicous Butt and Thighs
Get the butt and thighs you have always wanted. Lunges are the way to your bootilicious body.If you are already lunging, are you lunging correctly? Making sure the exercise is effective but most importantly safe? You don’t want to have the perfect butt and bad knees.
Lunges are probably one of the harder exercises to perfect, so knowing correct form is essential for you to get results and make sure you are safe, protecting your knees and hip muscles.
Disclaimer: As with any type of physical activity, it is advised you warm up for 5 minutes before commencing exercise, followed by 5 minutes of stretching upon completion. These exercises are designed as a basic guide and professional consultations should be taken before commencing any exercise.
Pictures Courtesy of 
Raul Gama
Member of Lifestyle Fitness Australia - Carlton
Raul Gama is a member of Lifestyle Fitness Australia Carlton. He lost 25kgs in 12 weeks and a total of 31.4kgs. This means he has gone from a 2XL to a small shirt and 107cm to 87cm around the waist. It has also meant he has had to put 5 more notches in his belt and he needed to have 3 links taken off his watch.
People always think to lose weight you have to eat less. Well for Raul he went from eating twice a day to six times a day. His workout consists of 2-3 weights workouts a week and 2-3 cardio workouts, not to mention some bike rides with his mates.
Lifestyle Fitness Australia would like to thank you for sharing your story with us and the In Touch readers. People inspire others into becoming the person they know is inside of them - congratulations on your results. There is nothing better for a club to feel good about itself than to see its members achieving results and being happy.
Lifestyle Fitness Australia’s 5th B-day & World’s Greatest Shave
Throughout the month of March Lifestyle Fitness Australia has been focusing on more than making the community healthier, with another initiative to raise funds to support the Leukaemia Foundation.
On Friday the 19th March Lifestyle Fitness Australia threw a Birthday Party at the Southern Cross Hotel St Peters. The Party included live shaving and colouring of fifteen of our team who have joined the “The World’s Greatest Shave”.
The local family business also thought they could contribute more by donating their entire joining fees for the month.
The team’s efforts have raised a grand total of $12,000 so far as we are still waiting on some banking.
“I believe it’s important with a business like ours, which has a great community environment, to help people come together and support great charities”, explains Penny Gallanos (Director). “It is part of who we are as a company and as people. We are fortunate to have our health”, continued Paul Gallanos (Director).
Staff and members of all three clubs (Carlton, Erskineville & Marrickville) really enjoyed partaking in the event. This is Lifestyle Fitness’ 4th Year in fundraising for the Leukaemia Foundation and we expect the fundraising to get bigger and better each year.
ZUMBA Débuts at Lifestyle Fitness Australia
The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba® Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!
The routines feature interval training sessions where fast and slow rhythms and resistance training are combined to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavour and international zest into the mix and you've got a Zumba® class!
To be contacted closer to the launch date please email us at: paul.p@lifestylefit.com.au With the subject heading ZUMBA
It’s not just a workout, it’s a night out! So, get ready to ‘Join the Party'!