Wise Mind Accepts

I was just sitting on the lounge, and remembered something powerful once told to me a few years back, ‘wise mind accepts’. I was feeling tired, drained and unmotivated. Why well mostly due to my thoughts. I was thinking about reputations and how some people don’t say sorry. ‘Actions speak louder than words’, while actions are something I take most notice of, sometimes it would be nice to hear the words too. Why do some people not say sorry? To say something good comes out of every bad situation, whether true or not makes no different.  A genuine sorry, can be felt, can be heard and you can see it.  I once thought reputation was everything. But I have learnt of recent that while reputation can be tarnished, character will outshine. If someone wants to make up lies to protect themselves, bully, be unethical, let it be. If people have chosen to believe lies, let it be. I can’t change others, I can change myself. It all starts with the man in the mirror.

Note to self, wise mind accepts.

Why wise mind accepts? Some things are thoughts, some are fact. I assume what you think. I know sorry would important to me, but that’s just my value.

Time to reenergize myself, mind over body!

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Beware of Salt

Are you aware of how much salt is in your foods?

Salt is made from sodium and chloride. Sodium is in many of the foods you eat day to day including cereals, yogurts, dried fruits, canned tunas and your ‘healthy’ frozen meals. The food doesn’t have to taste salty to have high levels. Check the labels, some foods labelled as healthy have alarmingly high levels of sodium. One meal and you can have consumed a day’s worth of sodium.

We do need salt, but most of us consume too much. Sodium controls fluid balance in the body. Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure, which puts you at risk to cardio vascular and kidney disease. It also causes fluid retention. Too little sodium may cause low blood pressure.

We need 460 mg a day for good health. The National Health and Medical Research Centre’s (NHMRC) advises that adults should aim to consume no more 1,600mg of sodium in order to prevent chronic disease. It is estimated that most of us consume double this.

Try for a day recording the sodium you consume. Just one processed meal per day can have you eating through your limit.

-       McDonalds Crispy Chicken Tandoori Wrap: 955 mg

-       McDonalds Might Angus Burger: 1360 mg

-       MDonalds Large Chocolate Milkshake: 411mg

-       McDonalds Large Fries: 435 mg

-       John West Tuna & Bean 185g, roasted capsicum: 700mg

-       Coles Tuna Sweet Chilli 95g: 555mg

-       Lite n Easy, Braised Chicken & Almonds frozen meal: 1370mg

-       Burgen Rye Bread, 2 slices: 325 mg

Reading labels:

Check the % of daily intake column on the label. This percentage will be based on the NHMRC target. Alternatively check the quantity per 100g to compare different foods.

1.       Low salt/sodium: up to 120mg/100g

2.       High salt/sodium: more than 600mg/100g

Tips to reduce sodium:

1.    Avoid processed meats, fast food and canned foods. Choose fresh.

2.    Prepare meals yourself so that you are in control.

3.    Use herbs, spices, lemon or vinegars for flavour rather the pre made sauces or marinades.

4.    Do not put salt on the table at meals.

5.    Try gradually reducing your salt intake with meals, taste buds do adjust.

 Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Eating Out? Check the Menu Online First!

When dining out it can pay to check the menu beforehand online and do a bit of researching so that you make the right decision on the day.

I recently went to Outback Steakhouse with a group of friends and therefore for their benefit and mine I’ll use this restaurant for an example.

If you were to order the wings and cheese fries for entrees, and split between 5, how many calories, fat and sodium would each person be consuming (figures from calorieking)?

Wings per dish (not including the cheese sauce):

Calories 2145

Total fat 185 g

Sodium 3711 mg

Cheese Fries:

Calories 2136

Total fat 151 g

Sodium 2344 mg

Per person consumed (assuming 5 people each ate the same amount):

Calories 856.2

Total fat 67.2 g

Sodium 937.6 mg

How much sodium, fat and calories should you be consuming?

As a very rough guide as it is dependent on numerous factors (figures from Calorie Fat and Carb Counter 2010):

Female:

Calories 1200

Total fat: 30

Sodium: 1600 mg

Therefore by just consuming appetiser a female you would have consumed 71% of her calories, 224% of her day’s fat, and 59% of the sodium intake for the day.

Male:

Calories: 1500

Total fat: 40

Sodium: 1600 mg

Therefore by just consuming appetiser a male he would have consumed 57% of his calories, 168% of his day’s fat, and 59% of the sodium intake for the day.

This is just an appetizer! Chances are each person would then go on to consume a drink, main and then maybe a dessert....

It’s not too hard to work out why we have an over weight population!

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Happy New Year!

The last day of 2010! I hope you all had a great year and achieved all that you hoped.

I’m feeling good and happy about the year. I learnt so much this year, through books and most of all the people around me. Thank you to all that have been there for me this year and for teaching me to become a better person.   

This week I uploaded some templates onto the website and sent out the new newsletter for January. I look forward to hearing about your goals.  Please share. I do think if we tell people about our goals we will more likely achieve them. The possibilities are endless, you are only limited by your imagination.

I hope you have a wonderful night, filled with lots of memories, be safe!

“I got a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night
that tonight’s gonna be a good night
that tonight’s gonna be a good good night wooh hoo”

See you in the new year:)

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Holiday Specials: The Gift of Health

I’m offering some holiday specials until the 31 December 2010. Great bonus offers to have you reaching your health and fitness goals in no time. Or purchase as a gift voucher for family and friends.

Personal Training One on One Sessions

1.       Purchase 4 weeks of sessions and receive 4 weeks free to any of the group sessions

2.       Purchase 8 weeks of sessions and receive 8 weeks free to any of the group sessions

3.       Purchase 12 weeks of sessions and receive 12 weeks free to any of the group sessions

For more information on personal training or the outgroup sessions http://www.innerwestfitness.com

Make the call today and change your health for the better.

Happy Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney

Flexibility

I am not flexible. I need to work on this harder than most. My spine isn’t straight, this leads to further imbalances in the muscles and tightness as the body tries to compensate. Most people like me do not like stretching but it is an essential part of an exercise plan.

The better our flexibility the better the range of motion we have. Why do we need a great range of motion? You activate more muscles which leads to more muscle stimulation and more adaptations. We need adaptation for muscle growth, muscle strength and too create lean look.  Tightness creates shorter muscles.

I was doing a rotator plank today, a plank where you lift one arm up and move from 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock. My gosh, what a reminder that exercise was that I need to work harder on my shoulder flexibility. My range of movement was terrible, I couldn’t straighten my arm properly in the required position. I didn’t have the range, because of tight shoulders. This meant I wasn’t getting the most out of the exercise. Tightness restricts movements, you don’t stimulate as many muscles and you will be more prone to injury.

Squats, how many times do we see people squatting staying in the top half. Tight leg or hip muscles will prevent you getting low. But if you don’t have tight muscles and have the range, get low! The lower you go, the harder it is because you activate more muscles but isn’t this what you want? If you are going to do it, do it properly and get the most out of the exercise. The only person you are cheating is yourself. It is better to lift a lighter squat weight and do it right, rather than lifting heaving but only going down 25%.

Injuries can often be the cause of muscle imbalances and tightness. You can start to put pressure on joints as the body compensates, the wrong muscles will pick up the slack and work harder, and the ones that should be doing the work become weaker and weaker. We exercise to be healthy, you can’t be healthy if you are injured.

Reminder to myself, will use the foam roller every night and stretch consistently. Ask me this time next week if I’ve done it every day!

Your Fitness Trainer Sydney