Health & Fitness

Lately, I am seeing so many of us fall within literally inches or seconds of completing a task. Finishing your plank 2 secs before your goal time, walking the last 50 meters of a 10 km run, doing 1 less rep then intended, allowing the momentum of the bike or rower to tick over the last calorie.

It begs the question, why is this? Is it because our thinking comprises of; task is basically completed? Close enough is good enough. I’m too exhausted. Or maybe you think, ‘That’ll do’.

Yes, I’m using examples of training and fitness here but think about the broader impact of always being a 90%er. What are you missing out on in other areas of your life by not giving your all – think about it in relation to your career, relationships with your family and friends?

Instead, how about thinking how lucky you are to have been able to do the 90% already – and that you GET to smash through the final 10%. This applies across all areas of your life.

That’ll Do, Won’t Do.

Does it make sense why we would do this? Many of us have the attitude, “that’ll do”. But it really won’t do if you want to live a full life. Do you have more to give? Or are you happy with mediocre and settling for less than you really know you’re capable of?

Let’s list a few examples to show the real impact of being a 90%er, where this “that’ll do” attitude just seems completely absurd.

• Spending 12 months training for a marathon and stopping at the 40km mark on event day.
• Taking 6 months to complete a 5000-piece puzzle and no worrying about the last 20 pieces.
• Not bothering to add in the all-important references page/s to a massive assignment
• Weeding your entire garden and leaving the last 3 visible weeds to grow.
• Washing up the dishes but leaving the cutlery dirty
• Washing the car and not cloth drying it

These seem crazy to think, right? But why is ok for most of us to think like this on “less important tasks”. Why do you believe it is ok to stop or even worse quit early?

This can be a little damaging to our overall outlook and approach to life. It’s something I’m working on myself as we are all not perfect. But as long as we try to recognise these thoughts and hopefully watch them come then go into our conscious mind which will give you more internal strength for next time we want to complete a task.

Complete the task

Our brains are more likely to remember uncompleted tasks, truth! And it’s has a name, the “Zeigarnik Effect”.

So, next time you want to quit, stop or tell yourself that “that’ll do”, think of how this could begin a spiral of negative thoughts and actions and the impact that will have on other important areas of your life.

Dig into your tank and pull through with as much as you’ve got and finish strong. Apply this to everything you do in your life – whether it’s at work, doing the laundry or working out.

Be your biggest fan. BE A 100%er

Instead use affirmations and positive self-talk and say them out load (seriously!), “I’m strong, I’m resilient, I’m determined” or “I will feel amazing in my nice clean shiny car” or “I’m so proud of myself for completing that 5000 piece puzzle”. Talk to yourself AS IF you have already completed the task.

Just think… if you could get to the end of each day and say ‘I gave it my all today, 100%, in everything I did’, imagine how rewarding that would be? If you can already confidently say that you do this – tell me, how does it feel?

Co – Founder Jason Clark

So you’ve hurt yourself. You saw an expert and they confirmed your worst thoughts, it’s tendonopothy/burtitis/strain/inflammmation/some other annoying achy injury. You have two options:

1. Whinge/complain/cry to everyone in sight. Throw in the towel. Cancel your gym membership. Eat a tub of ice-cream.
2. Realise it’s a sign from your body that you are doing something wrong. Maybe you have been over-working that particular muscle group, maybe you sleep with poor posture, maybe you hunch at work, or maybe you aren’t engaging the correct muscles when you train etc. Let’s change your mindset to realising that an injury doesn’t mean failure.

Let’s look at the steps you can take to turn this around!

E D U C A T I O N 
Use this injury as a chance to LEARN! Learn as much as you can about it. What caused it? What muscles/bones/tendons surround it? What are the best rehabilitation exercises for it? What are you doing in your daily life that may have contributed to the injury? How do you prevent it from occurring again?

S L O W  D O W N
Listen to your body. If there’s pain, there’s usually a reason why.

S E E  T H E  E X P E R T S
Your body is the only place you have to live. Take care of it. See the experts!! If you are sick, you see a doctor. If you want a great hair cut/colour, you see a hairdresser. There’s no time to GUESS and think “She’ll be right”. Chances are, she won’t be right. If you train through pain you are setting yourself up for further injury and even arthritis as you age. See an expert in the field. Think Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, Osteopath, Exercise Physiologist, Podiatrist etc. If you are unsure who to see, ask your coach.

L I M I T A T I O N S
You now need to learn where your limitations lie. Of course it’s pretty cool to squat 100kg. But does that heavy squat contribute to tight hips which in turn gives you pain in the lower back? Maybe re-assess and try 90kg squats with perfect form, rather than a bad 100kg. Are your pull-ups irritating your neck? Why not try making them easier by using a band or doing assisted pull-ups with perfect form rather than pump out horrible tough pull-ups. Be OK with having limitations. Be OK with not being the best/strongest in the gym. Your body will thank you.

R E – F O C U S
So you’ve hurt your shoulder/wrist/knee/ankle. Take this time to re-focus on other body parts. The days and times when you would normally be training these areas, look at other areas of your body that you can improve. You may have a sore shoulder, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work on hip mobility and hamstring work. Spend more time on flexibility or mobility. Strengthen those weak rhomboids. Pick a few things you CAN do, rather than what you CANNOT do.

Life isn’t linear. Embrace the injury as a new journey towards your goal.

Soni Jay 🙂

Long time member and ex-chef Adrian Bridge shares some of his tips that he’s learned over years in the kitchen. We certainly learned something new from the below tips:

• Always bring your cooking equipment up to temperature before putting your produce in to cook and don’t overcrowd the pan. Crowding the pan leads to steaming or stewing and lowers the temperature of the pan so you won’t get the caramelisation you’re looking for.
• Bring your meat to room temperature before cooking. It relaxes the meat, this will speed up cooking time and promote even cooking throughout.
• Always rest your meat after cooking. Wrap the meat in the foil and let it sit for approximately five minutes. This allows the juices to settle before you cut into the meat. The meat will continue to cook while it is in the foil so if your cooking steak and prefer medium steak, you should take it off when it’s medium rare.
• Its ok to cook in batches, not all vegetables cook at the same speed. Some recipes will say add this then add that and keep cooking. Experiment with this as not all recipes are correct. Some softer vegetables can be sealed first then added towards the end if you want to retain shape and colour.
• Taste as you go and season as you go, you should know what the dish tastes like before serving it. Sometimes a little more salt or a dash of spice lifts a dish up. Don’t be afraid of salt since you’re cooking a fresh meal instead of eating a packaged one.
• I also add some fresh herbs if required at the end of the process just prior to serving to maximise their flavour.
• When blanching/ cooking vegetables in boiling water like broccoli, ensure water has come to the boil and don’t overcrowd the pot when cooking, put a lid on to bring it back to the boil quickly. Do not overcook, you want to retain the flavour in the vegetable not the water, remove from the heat prior to overcooking. To rapidly cool down have a bowl of ice water ready, strain the hot water off the vegetables and quickly put them in the ice water, this will retain flavour and colour. Once cold strain and place on paper towel to dry out. Great for when meal prepping.
• Put a wet paper towel under a cutting board to stop slipping.
• Before you cook, have everything measured, peeled, chopped, pans greased etc and clean as you go.

Sometimes you don’t have to make every session the hardest session ever! Sometimes just rocking up and getting it done is all you need to do to keep progressing. 

If you’re feeling stressed out, overly anxious, didn’t get enough sleep, feeling run down and like you’re about to get a cold, then smashing your self in the gym is going to make you feel worse. This isn’t a cop out and you have to be really honest with how you’re feeling on the day. Assessing your body and how you feel as you warm up and start getting in to the workout is very important. If you’re feeling great and full of energy then go ahead and smash it! If your body is telling you otherwise then listen to it, it’s giving you warning signs.

The way we program is based around progression over months and years…not days and weeks. If you take an easier day here and there it wont have any negative impact if you’re consistently making it to training. We don’t write workouts, we write training sessions and training plans with progression as the core focus. Anyone can write a workout that will get you sore and sweaty…that’s easy! But to write a training plan that will take someone towards their goals…that’s an art.

Sometimes an easier day here and there can be a good thing so don’t beat yourself up over it. Think about the big picture. Where do you want to be 1 year, 5 years, 10 years down the track? Not next week.

One of my favourite quotes is “look at training as if you have to move a big pile of dirt. Some days you get a shovel, and other days you get a spoon. But as long as you get to move a little dirt each day, you are moving towards your goal” – John Welbourn – CEO Power Athlete

Train smart,

Coach Cogs

• Avoid over-doing it – Too many times I see people who have decided to carry all their groceries in one trip, or pick up a huge box of something on their own or dive straight into a 20km run after 6 months off. It always seems silly to decide to do those things in retrospect, but making two trips or getting a mate to help you lift something can save you weeks of pain, discomfort and inconvenience. Prevention is better than a cure!

• Avoid being still for too long – As animals, we didn’t evolve to sit behind a desk. Our bodies are designed to move, lift, run, jump, climb and swim. Prolonged sitting or standing means our muscles stiffen up, so when we ask them to perform a task they can falter and tear. So make sure you’re balancing your desk job with plenty of scenic walks to the printer/bathroom/break room!

• Strengthen your muscles – Resistance training is a sure fire way to prime your muscles to withstand the forces of day to day life. Being strong and flexible means that they can handle anything you throw at them. The weaker a muscle is, the easier it is for it to be overloaded and tear. It’s all about starting small and being consistent with what you lift, so you don’t over do it (see point number 1!)

• Recover well – Muscles, like any parts of our bodies, need some time off every once in a while. Challenge them with strength training, move them through their movements with mobility and stretching exercises, but then remember to care for them as well. Plenty of sleep and de-stress techniques like meditation can relieve muscle tension. Ensure you’re rehydrating with both water and wholefoods containing electrolytes to avoid cramping and fatigue. Chat to your physio/coach/trainer and make sure you’re employing rest days and de-load weeks into a training program to make sure you’re not going to crash and burn in a few weeks time.

Isabelle – Physiotherapist at The Movement Team

We resisted as kids but love them as adults!

Having an afternoon siesta can have many health benefits and can improve mood and performance. If you don’t like to take naps from fear of waking up feeling worse or effecting your sleep later that night then timing your nap can help.   

There are 5 stages of sleep and it takes around 90 minutes to complete all 5, this includes a light and deep sleep state. The length of a full sleep cycle differs from person to person but making sure we don’t wake up during a deep sleep state is the key to a good power nap.

Lets go through a quick summary of each stage of sleep:

Stage 1

This usually last around 10mins. It is the stage where your muscles haven’t fully relaxed yet, you still have a sense of awareness and It’s quite easy to be woken up. During this stage people can experience what is know as the ‘Hypnic Jerk’ Which is an involuntary twitch of the muscles just as you start to fall asleep and this is what can cause you to awaken suddenly.

Knowlege bomb – Some say that the ‘Hypnic Jerk’ is a reflex that humans developed during the evolutionary process to prevent them from falling out of trees as they slept in them.

Stage 2

This lasts for about 20mins and it becomes harder to wake up towards the end of this stage as your body prepares to go into a deep sleep.

Stages 3 & 4

These two stages are considered a deep sleep state. The difference between the two are the types of brain waves they produce. Waking up during these stages is what can gives you that groggy and disorientated feeling. 

Knowlege bomb – It is in this deep sleep state that you produce your Growth Hormone (GH). This is a hormone that is essential for recovery and muscle growth. This is why it is important that we get good sleep. Substances like alcohol and caffeine can effect deep sleep and the prevent the release of GH.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

This is the final stage before you complete a full sleep cycle. It is the stage which you are at your deepest sleep. However your brain activity is similar to that of being awake, even though your muscles are paralysed. This is where you you have your most powerful dreams and lasts for about 10minutes.

Once you complete a full sleep cycle you start the process again. However, you spend less time in a deep sleep state and spend more time in stages 1 and 2 as morning approaches. Each stage will start to decrease and you will alternate between light sleep and REM.

So….whens the best time to take a nap?

Based on the time frames of the 5 stages of sleep. 10-20mins is an ideal nap time to wake up feeling more refreshed. If short nap isn’t going to cut the mustard, then a full 90 minute sleep cycle will help you feel more revived and avoid that sleep inertia.

Happy napping  : )

Coach Alex

Sometimes you set a goal, and you are super motivated.

Motivation for the first few days may feel like a “Hell Yeah!” but as the days & weeks dwindle past, your thoughts towards healthy eating and exercise may feel more like a “Hell No!!” Like, Hell No I do not want to go to the gym right now!! I’m just going to chill on this couch and watch another episode. And that is totally normal. Motivation may not always feel like a fire up your bum. Motivation may just be a slow burn. But however strong your motivation is, you need to realise why you need to change in order to pair motivation with adherence. Sometimes, we are in our own way!! We stop ourselves from change. Are you the type of person who sets goals but never quite reaches them? When was the last time you actually reached a goal?

When it comes to change, and goal setting, it helps to ask a few questions:

1. Who do I have to become to achieve this goal? Do you think the YOU that’s 5kg lighter, and the YOU that’s more active/happier/fitter/stronger/faster/healthier would sit on the couch? The new YOU probably needs to put in a little more work than the current You that’s feeling like crap right now.
2. Do I have any negative influences in my life? Maybe it’s your co-worker who keeps bringing cake into work and teases you for being on a diet. Maybe it’s your friends who call you a pussy for not drinking another round. Maybe it’s your mother who tells you that you are getting fatter every time she sees you. Whoever it is, you need to either cut them out of your life for now, or have a serious chat to them about your goals and why they are so important. Tell them you would appreciate a little more positivity.
3. What do you like about yourself today? Stop the negative self talk. We all do it. It’s a hard cycle to break. Start recognising the little things you tell yourself when you look in the mirror every day. Replace them with kind words. e.g. I like my stomach today. I am strong. I am vibrant.
4. What foods make me feel good? Take the pressure off. If you gave yourself permission to eat anything and everything you want, it’s more than likely that you would get sick of eating processed foods and sugars all the time. Your body would crave the greens, and grains and some healthy colourful food. You are not a bad person for wanting to eat unhealthy food.

Ok, so let’s say you’ve answered those questions, you are ready to light that fire! Chase that goal! and….GO!!! Then, two weeks later, the fire goes out, and you are left sitting on that couch again, caught up in the same cycle you always do. Dammit!!  So, now we can look at a few more questions:

1. What behaviours do you have now that aren’t benefiting you? Is it sitting on the couch after work and eating mindlessly? Are those afternoon drinks on the weekend setting back your fat loss? Is it that you aren’t giving yourself enough rest? Are you going half-arsed at the gym?
2. Why are you continuing to perform these unhelpful behaviours? You need to find out if deep down you believe that “not changing” is benefiting you.

You need to realise that you are the only one that can make yourself change. You can decide to change, and you must also carry out the change.

One last tip: Motivation and willpower go hand in hand. Willpower increases as your consistency increases. Draw from your success to empower your next obstacle. You have more willpower than you think.

Coach – Soni

IG – @Sonijay

I was thinking about this a while back. Ive been in this industry for 7 years now, and WHAT specifically has influenced my coaching development…..

Coach Cal – Chief of Programming at Perform 360

Today I was scrolling through my Instagram, and spotted one of my fitness idols sitting on the beach, looking lean, shredded, tanned and beautiful in her tiny bikini. Next to her was a protein shaker containing a fat burner. Her post was about how she was staying lean thanks to this fat burner…. is she serious? How misleading???!!! Fair enough they are probably paying her for the post, but she’s giving women a distorted reality of what it actually takes to get that lean.

This chick recently competed in a body building competition so was still at a very low body fat percentage. Her diet would have been immaculate for months leading up to her compettion, and her body 1 week post competition would still be almost just as lean as she was stepping on stage (for those who don’t know how lean, 10-15% Body Fat). I am saddened that she is basically discrediting her 6 months of hard work, sweat and determination by saying she’s lean thanks to a fat burner.

Statistically, supplementation accounts for a mere 1 or 2 % (if that) of performance or body composition (think, if you are on a 2000cal diet, thats only 20 calories!!). Most fat burners (if legal by the FDA) in the majority of studies come up short when it comes to containing an evidence based amount of substance to elicit a therapeutic benefit.

She’s lean because she probably has great eating habits, high metabolism, plenty of lean muscle and has just competed in a body building competition. She’s lean because she’s conditioned to be lean.

At the end of the day, remember:

1. Instagram posts can be misleading. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Don’t waste your money on fat burners or supps unless you are also investing your money in a good gym program and good nutrition.
3. There are no magic bullets .. nothing can be found in a pill that a shit ton of hard training and long calorie restriction can’t do when it comes to lean body composition…  I would love to be proven wrong on this.

On another note – https://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au September 3-9 is the Butterfly Foundations promotion of “love you body week for schools” – the impressionable age where students can promote positive body image and  build body confidence … unfortunately all IG images like this don’t promote health, let’s learn to love our bodies and appreciate what they can do for us without thinking we need pills to get lean and feel good about ourselves.

Coach – Soni