Saturday November 27th saw our studio go into push up frenzy for 90 seconds to raise money for Make-A-Wish and the children they help.

It was a great turn out with plenty of people there to support the “push-up’ers” as they gave their all! I’m very proud of you all (participants, sponsors and donors) for giving up your time for such a worthy cause. I had a great day and it was warming to see such support for the event.

At this point in time we have raised over $2,500 with many sponsors and donors amounts to accounted for. Couple this with the complete cubbyhouse for Oscar which has been generously donated by Nick Speer from Steel Cheif here in Ballarat equals a SERIOUSLY generous effort by Ballarat as a whole. Be sure to check the Courier in the following days for a follow up article on Oscars new cubby house!

Once again thank you and well done to all involved.

Please fill out the form below and we will be in contact with you to confirm your contribution and to make arrangement for payment.

We will not give your contact details to anyone. We hate spam just as much as you do!

Can Eating Carbs Lead to Weight-gain?

Will carbohydrates make you fat? Here is information about why you need to eat carbohydrates, and how much carbohydrate you need in your daily diet.

A lot of people think that eating carbohydrates will make them fat. Here is all the information you need about carbohydrates and how they can affect your weight, as well as advice on how much carbohydrate you should be eating!

Two Kinds of Carbohydrates

Firstly it is important to know that there are two kinds of carbohydrates, Simple and Complex. Another way of describing them are Starches or Sugars. Starches are foods like pasta, potatoes, bread etc.; sugars are sweet and consist of sugar (the sort you buy in packets, and find in sweets, chocolate, cakes etc.) and fruit. Another way of thinking of complex or simple carbohydrates is to consider their GI rating.

What is the Difference?

The difference is in the way they are absorbed by the body. Complex carbohydrates take a while to go through our system and be absorbed by the body and used as fuel.

Simple carbohydrates are the opposite – they take virtually no digestion and are taken up almost immediately by the body as fuel giving us an instant, short energy rush.

So Can Carbohydrates Make You Fat?

Like all food, carbohydrate can make you fat if you eat too much of it! However, it is the simple carbohydrates that you need to watch out for. Because we like the sweet taste of simple carbohydrates, and because the energy rush we get from them is short-lived and leaves us feeling hungry, it is easy to over-eat simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates provide energy in a very concentrated form (sugar is 100% carbohydrate!), so a small amount of it can contain a lot of calories!

Also, when we eat high amounts of simple carbohydrate our insulin has to work overtime to keep our blood-sugar levels even, and this can lead to diabetes. Some scientists say that if sugar was discovered nowadays, it would be a banned substance!

On the other hand it is very hard to over-eat complex carbohydrates because they tend to be big, bulky, and contain a lot of water and fibre (a potato only contains 30% carbohydrate – most of it is water), so you would have to eat a lot before you consumed enough to cause weight-gain.

Why Do We Need to Eat Carbohydrates and How Much Should We Be Eating?

Our central nervous system, brain, liver, kidneys and muscles (including the heart) cannot function without glucose, and glucose is only found in carbohydrates – not fat and protein. People who do not eat enough carbohydrate (for example, people following the Atkins Diet) can suffer hallucinations, liver and kidney damage, and other health consequences.

The World Health Organisation recommends that 60% of your entire diet should consist of carbohydrates. To work it out on an individual basis, you should be eating around 5 grams of carbohydrate per kg of bodyweight for a sedentary person, and a range of 6-10 grams carbohydrate for an athelete.

So…Carbohydrates. Yes, too much of the wrong kind can make you unhealthy and fat, but carbohydrates are an absolutely vital staple in our diets. Just try to stick to the Complex kind and cut down on that sugar!

Author: Donna Watmough

http://www.suite101.com/content/do-carbohydrates-make-you-fat-a70881

As I write this article, I’m sitting at my desk with utterly perfect posture – body aligned, feet flat on the floor and abs engaged. Okay, I confess…the only reason I’m sitting so perfectly is because I’m writing about back pain and that always reminds me I should sit up straight. Find me ten minutes from now and I’ll be sprawled out and hunched over as usual.

Back pain has a number of causes, but one of the most common happens to be what I’m doing right now and, most likely, what you’re doing as you read this article: Sitting. If you spend a lot of your time sitting, you probably have the same problem I do – frequent back pain. Since sitting isn’t something we’re going to stop doing (at least not completely), we have to look for other ways to manage this kind of chronic back pain and exercise is just one of them.

Back Pain Action Plan

Managing and preventing back pain isn’t easy, but it can be done as long as you’re willing to make some changes in how you live. Your first step is to determine what’s causing your back pain and if you have a condition that needs special treatment. These resources can help educate you about common back problems:

• Back Pain Overview. This article covers different category of back problems from genetic conditions to common back injuries.
• Causes of Lower Back Pain. Our Orthopedics Guide provides detailed information about the various causes of back pain.
• Lower Back Pain. This comprehensive guide covers everything you ever wanted to know about lower back pain.

If you and your doctor have determined that your back pain is caused by lifestyle habits, read through the following common causes of lower back pain to see where you could make some changes. The included action plans will give you some ideas for how to manage and prevent lower back pain.

Sitting too much

How do you feel after you’ve been sitting for a long time? Do you feel stiff or sore? Does your back feel tight? What about that tension in your neck and shoulders? I’m a firm believer that sitting for long periods of time is one reason so many of us are in pain. You don’t have to stop sitting completely, but there are ways to minimize the damage.

Action Plan. The following ideas will help you move a bit more as well as find ways to sit more comfortably. Choose at least one of them to try on a daily basis:

1. Take short breaks. Set an alarm on your computer, phone, etc. to go off every 30 minutes. Take at least one minute to stand, stretch, walk or change positions.
2. Stand while you work. What tasks could you do while standing? Some ideas: talking on the phone, reading your mail, working on the computer (if you can raise your monitor) goofing off, etc. Choose just one on your list and make a new rule that you’ll only do it while standing.
3. Sit on an exercise ball or cushion. If you can get away with it, try sitting on an exercise ball for a few minutes several times throughout the day (all day may be a bit much on your lower back). You can roll around on it while sitting to help stretch the back and you’ll be forced to avoid slumping to stay on the ball.

What other ideas could you come up with to sit less throughout the day? Make your own list and choose one to work on each day until it becomes a habit.

Bad Posture and Tight Muscles

Bad posture is another big contributor to back pain. If you’re like me, you start your day with good posture but gradually end up slumping, sprawling or hunching when your body gets tired. Monitoring posture can turn into a full-time job, but there are some simple ways to make small changes in your body position.

Action Plan. Incorporate at least one of the following ideas into your daily life:

1. Set a reminder to go off every 20 minutes. Use that time to check to see if you’re sitting with your back straight, shoulders back and feet flat with knees even or slightly higher than the hips.
2. Be more ergonomic. What small changes could you make to your workspace to support your body? If you need back support while sitting, place a rolled up towel behind your back. If you need to raise your legs, try resting your feet on a footstool. Change at least one aspect of your work area to help keep your body aligned.
3. Create more flexibility. At least three times each day, take five minutes to perform a stretching workout at your desk.

Being overweight

Carrying extra weight is another common cause of back pain and it can also affect your other joints, ligaments and tendons. You already know that exercise and diet is the key to weight loss and if you already have a weight loss plan in place, you’re ahead of the game. But, if you need a jumpstart, check out the following simple ideas for slowly losing weight.

Action Plan. Choose just one of the following ideas for getting started on weight loss.

1. Plan your workouts. Cardio and strength training can help you burn extra calories and lose weight so, if you’re not exercising, get out your calendar and choose at least three days you can exercise in the next week. Write down what time you’ll workout, how long you’ll exercise and what type of activity you’ll do.
2. Use a pedometer. Wear a pedometer throughout the day and keep track of your steps. Each day, try to add an extra 100 steps until you’re up to at least 10,000 steps a day.
3. Change something in your diet. Another way to lose weight is to cut some calories from your diet. Choose just one thing you eat every day and find a lower-calorie substitute you can enjoy. Could you trade the donut for some fruit, yogurt and muesli? Could you live without that afternoon Coke? Cut out just 100 calories each day and you’ll lose 1kg in about a month without even breaking a sweat.

If these ideas don’t work for you, come up with your own action plan.

Not exercising enough

Sitting too much is one problem with back pain but even if you move around more, that may not be enough to combat back problems. It isn’t enough to not be sedentary…you still need to exercise to strengthen your body and your heart. Some back pain can be caused by weak muscles, so getting involved in a complete exercise program that includes both cardio and strength training may be one way to manage and prevent back pain.

Action Plan.

1. Try a strength training workout. At least two (non-consecutive) days in the next week. Talk to a fitness professional for some simple exercises you can do.
2. Try a cardio workout. At least three days in the next week and do it for at least 30 minutes at a moderate intensity.
3. Start a walking program. Set up your own routine so that you’re walking at least 3-5 days a week for about 30 minutes.

Just tackling one area of your daily life, whether it’s sitting less or exercising more, can make a big difference in getting rid of chronic back pain. The key is to work on these things every day until they become second nature to you. You may be tempted to give up on these small, simple tasks over time, but they really do make a difference.

As we start to shed your winter wardrobes and notice lumps, bumps and jiggles in places that you would rather not mention, thoughts start to wander to summer and it’s skin revealing styles. Don’t fear, there is hope to make some serious changes to your

body before summer begins and we start hitting the boats, beaches, pool parties and donning our summer wardrobes. You may not be quite in your “dream” body in a month but you can make real, dramatic changes. Starting now can not only have you looking firmer and more toned in your swimsuit at the start of the summer but will have you 3 months closer to really strutting your stuff as the summer ends. These are the tips and tricks which we have used to get our clients’ bodies “summer ready”

1. Set Realistic Goals - Enthusiasm often wanes when kilograms don’t magically disappear overnight. You can not undo years (or months) of bad habits and achieve the body of your dreams in a few weeks

2. Look For Situations To Be active -Look for the hard way to do things – Park as far from the store as you can rather than looking for the closest parking spot, use the stairs rather than the elevator, if possible carry your bags out to your car instead of using the cart.

3. Always eat breakfast - Food fuels your metabolism – Studies show that those who skip the first meal, end up eating more total calories throughout the day and tend to make less healthy choices Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that you’re starving because you haven’t had food for a while. As a protective mechanism, your metabolism will slow down.

4. Don’t starve yourself - Less than 1,200 is usually not enough to support your basal metabolism and thus will slow your body’s calorie-burning ability – Very low calorie diets will, in the short term, help you lose weight but they’re extremely difficult to maintain. You’ll gradually become tired and irritable & lack the energy to exercise usually putting the end to your fitness program and leading to the beginning of a binge cycle.

5.Eat 5 – 6 small meals a day - Try to eat at least 3 meals a day. Optimally you should spread your calories throughout 5 -6 small meals per day. This will keep your metabolism roaring, your hunger in check and your blood sugar level even to help avoid binging.

6.Drink Plenty Of water – Drinking water helps keep you feeling full . Many times dehydration can mask itself as hunger so if you are feeling “snacky” try a glass of water before you eat. Water also helps keep the kidneys flushed which helps the liver metabolize fat at full force.

7.Follow the 90% to 10% rule. If you watch what you eat 90% of the time, the other 10% is not a problem

8.Close Your eyes and visualise - When the going gets rough or when you just don’t feel like it. Take a moment and visualise the slimmer, firmer, healthy more energetic person that you want to be this summer – Focus on the clothes that you want to wear and the places where you would like to be more comfortable. Remember the reason why you started your fitness/ nutrition program in the first place!! Create a clear mental picture and use it next time you feel like you are losing site of your fitness goal.

9.Eat your fruits & Veggies - Freshness Counts – The packaging and processing generally found in “convenience” foods generally reduce the nutrient values of foods and substantially raise the caloric content. The simple sugars found in processed foods generally leave people feeling hungry and craving carbohydrates -it is recommended that you eat at least 3 – 5 fruit servings per day and 3 – 7 vegetable servings . Since fruits & vegetables are nutritionally dense and full of fiber eating plenty will keep your hunger satisfied and your body shrinking -

10. Just do it - The difference between the people strutting their stuff in the summer’s skin bearing fashions and those hiding their stuff is simply habits. There are the same amount of hours and stress in each week for every one of us – those who fit exercise and healthy eating into their lifestyles don’t have more time or less stress, they just have healthier habits. The next time that you are unable to follow through on one of your weight loss goals – Identify the challenge and prepare a plan for the next time. Don’t dwell on it or make excuses for why you can’t do it.

Think of how many times you see the following misleading phrases plastered all over food containers:

* Fat Free
* Reduced Fat
* Low Fat
* Sugar Free
* No Added Sugar
* Diet [Insert Product Name Here]

We are supposed to believe that each of these categories makes a food healthier. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Consider the logic that food manufactures would have us believe: fat-free is good for you; jelly beans, jolly ranchers, and jube lollies are fat-free; therefore all those sugary lollies are good for you. Makes sense? Think about it.

In fact, a study at John Hopkins University recently determined a link between high blood sugar and heart disease. This means high glycemic foods, such as the lollies I just mentioned as well as many similar products, are inherently unhealthy.

Let’s examine some examples of nasty food that is supposed to be healthy, but will secretly kill you faster than the Terminator.

1. Diet Soft Drink

Why is it good? A sugar free version of the popular carbonated beverage that you can drink on the go.

Why is it bad? OK, so soft drink is horrible for you, but take out the sugar and add in carcinogenic artificial sweeteners, combined with the artificial flavours and colours that are in all sodas, and you have a recipe for Tumor in a Can. Then of course you’ve got the caffeine factor, which is linked to hyperactivity, high blood pressure, and can mess with your blood sugar.

Instead choose: filtered water and the occasional glass of milk

2. Sushi made with white rice and imitation crab meat or vegetables

Why is it good? Seaweed contains essential nutrients such as selenium, calcium, iodine, and omega-3 fats. Sushi is nearly always wrapped in seaweed.

Why is it bad? This garbage doesn’t deserve to be called sushi. They are just small, compact, high glycemic, high calorie, carbohydrate nuggets. There’s not even much protein in these things. Eat 3-4 of them and you’ve had your serving for the day. Aside from that, imitation crab meat isn’t even good for you. It is mostly just a crab flavoured tofu-like substance fortified with sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

Instead choose: In order to get some healthy carbs, some high-quality protein, and the benefits of omega-3 fats, choose real sushi made with salmon or tuna. To make it even healthier, order sashimi instead of white rice.

3. Peanuts

Why is it good? Peanuts contain healthy fats that contribute to the reduction in triglycerides, which are known to promote cardiovascular disease. In addition to monosaturated fatty acids, peanuts also contain magnesium, vitamin E, arginine, fiber, copper and folate all of which help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Why is it bad? Aside from being high in fat and calories, peanuts also are loaded with omega-6 fats that distort the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. This ratio says that your intake of each omega fatty acid should be 1:1. The reasons why this ratio is recommended is a topic for a whole other article.

All we need to know is that the Australian diet is typically from 20:1 to 50:1 in favour of omega-6, so any effort to reverse this trend is important for combating over 10 different common diseases including Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.

Peanuts are often contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin, and they are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops.

Instead choose: almonds or all natural organic peanut butter, but pour off the top layer of oil and replace with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats.

4. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Why is it good? All peanut butter provides a heart-healthy substantial quantity of monounsaturated fat.

Why is it bad? Most commercial peanut butters are made with the same type of sugar that cake frosting is made with. Reducing the fat makes it even worse because even MORE nasty sugar is added and they contain less healthy fat. I’d rather just eat the extra calories.

Instead choose: As with peanuts, choose almonds or all natural organic peanut butter instead. Just remember to pour off the top layer of oil and replace it with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats.

I personally, after switching to all-natural, can no longer stomach commercial peanut butter. It tastes like sweetened fat to me now.

5. Fat-Free or Reduced Fat Salad Dressing

Why is it good? Less fat means less calories. Plus that salad dressing fat. Sick.

Why is it bad? Firstly because when fat comes out, sugar goes in. Either that or artificial flavours and sweeteners.

Secondly, since many vegetables are fat soluble, taking away the fat from the dressing means fewer of the salad nutrients will be absorbed into your body. This was confirmed by a study at Ohio State University wherein a higher fat salad dressing resulted in an increased uptake of the antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene.

Instead choose: A salad dressing made with olive oil, or just use olive oil and vinegar as your salad dressing. If you try it you might like it.

6. Anything made with Soy

Why is it good? Seriously, it’s hard to find anything good about soy. In the spirit of argument, I can come up with this: vegetarians and vegans eat the stuff so they can get protein in their diets. After all, the stuff is apparently low in fat and an alternative to whey for the lactose intolerant.

Why is it bad? Straight up, soy is linked to lower testosterone and increased estrogen in males, and is also linked to increased breast cancer in women. Soy also promotes hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and infertility just to name a few additional disorders.

Phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines are all highly present in soy products. Infants in particular can be adversely affected in many negative ways from exposure to soy, including premature development in girls, and underdevelopment in boys. Some people also are allergic to soy protein.

Instead choose: any high protein whole food such as brown rice, goats milk, coconut milk, almond milk, whole grains, nuts, seaweeds, seeds, beans, and lentils. If you must have a protein powder, choose any of a variety of protein powders available on the market today, including whey and egg protein. As a side note, goats milk is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet today, so give it a try.

7. Organic Sweets.

No scientific references needed here, this one is just plain common sense.  Just because something is organic does not make it a health food.  An organic cookie loaded with sugar may have less pesticides and IS a better option than regular junk-food, but it does not qualify as health food.

8. Yogurt cups, especially those with fruit at the bottom

Why is it good? Individually, fruit and yogurt are two of the healthiest food choices at the grocery store.

Why is it bad? Manufacturers load these products up with corn syrup, which effectively doubles the amount of sugar. All the better to entice kids to ask you to buy this crap.

Instead choose: Activia yogurt, which contains additional live active cultures to help your digestive system. Choose the Light version if you wish; it is sweetened with sucralose (Splenda).

9. Fruit Juice

Why is it good? Well because fruit is good for you. It has a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; not to mention fibre.

Why is it bad? Fruit juice and fruit cocktail normally have sugar added. Some fruit cocktails come in a thick sugary syrup, and there’s more sugar in a glass of fruit juice than in a chocolate bar and as much as in a glass of soft drink (orange juice has about 40g of sugar in one serving). You get no fibre from fruit juice, and the stuff usually has preservatives added to it.

Dried fruit is similarly bad because it is also loaded with sugar, although not with added sugar. Think of it this way: take any fruit, which is naturally loaded with sugar, remove all the moisture thus shrinking it down to a fraction of its normal size, then sell it by the bucket load to consumers who don’t understand that this little tiny piece of fruit still has nearly all the calories and sugar of the original fruit!

10. Dried Fruit

Why is it good? Well just like fruit juice, it is good for you. It has a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; not to mention fibre.

Why is it bad? Dried fruit is similarly bad because it is also loaded with sugar, although not with added sugar. Think of it this way: take any fruit, which is naturally loaded with sugar, remove all the moisture thus shrinking it down to a fraction of its normal size, then sell it by the bucket load to consumers who don’t understand that this little tiny piece of fruit still has nearly all the calories and sugar of the original fruit!

Instead choose: eat the whole fruit including the skin if possible, but limit it to one serving of fruit per meal/snack to avoid insulin spikes.
Fruits and Veggies

Clearly there are many alternatives to sneaky consumer foods. Fruits and vegetables remain a key ingredient in a healthy diet, and now you can look for tricky catch phrases when purchasing ‘health foods’. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of sleep, and eat wholesome low-sugar, healthy-fat foods; I bet you will end up doing OK as a result.

Spring–the season of rebirth and renewal and the perfect time to breathe new life into a stale fitness regimen. Even if you’ve been hibernating from fitness the past few months or years, there’s nothing like the fresh air, bright sunshine and fragrant blossoms to entice you outdoors and energize you for exercise.

You only need 30 minutes of exercise a day, three days a week to reap long-term benefits. So shake off that winter dust, stretch those muscles and spring into fitness!

• Get an attitude cheek. Your muscles may do all the work when you exercise, but your mind provides the incentive. A positive attitude gets you off on the right foot to fitness and keeps you there. Get your mind primed for fitness by visualizing how good your body will look and feel. Set realistic goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Be patient and forgiving. Change will come, but it takes time. Remember, losers fall down and stay down. Winners fall down, but get up. Remind yourself that you are a winner.
• Gear up. It may seem trivial, but what you wear really can make a difference in your workout. If your shoes pinch or your clothes cut off your circulation, your workout will undoubtedly suffer. Comfortable and stylish athletic wear, especially well-cushioned shoes with plenty of arch support, not only feel good on your body, but inspire you to work out in a way that worn-out sweats and sneakers just can’t match.
  

  Wearing The Correct Clothing Can Make All The Difference

• Go easy. Working out too hard, too soon increases your risk of strains and sprains. And if you injure yourself badly enough, you won’t be able or willing to exercise. If you’re just starting out, fitness experts say do low- to moderate-level activities and slowly increase the duration and intensity of your activities as you become more fit. A good workout should leave you a little sore the next day or two, not incapacitated.
• Keep fitness fun and fresh. If exercise is a chore or a bore, you won’t be exercising very long. Stay psyched for fitness by linking exercise with a fun activity or pastime. And add variety. If you like sightseeing, walk, bike, jog or skate your way around town. If you enjoy picnics in the park, round up the family for a game of tag or football before you feast. Go swimming, dancing or hiking. Learn a new sport or revisit a childhood favourite.
• Recruit a good cheerleader. It’s easy to stay focused on fitness if you have help. A fitness partner provides company and can push you when you need that extra motivation. If you can’t find a regular partner or if you prefer to workout solo, you still can surround yourself with fitness cheerleaders–people who will congratulate you on your successes, offer encouragement and wisdom and keep tabs on you to make sure you stay on track.

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