Pick Me Up Yoga

Yoga Pick-Me-Up

I'm not going to give hangover cures or encourage you to work off any indulgences. But I am going to offer you a Boxing Day gift! Well, I'm re-gifting it really, because this is the latest Yoga Workout update from Women's Health magazine.

• Four "Pick-Me-Up" poses
• A 15 minute yoga session video

If you are going to do a resistance and/or cardio workout today and you indulged in the bubbles and goodies yesterday - don't try to do your usual hardcore workout and DRINK WATER throughout your workout, before and after!

High Sobriety

Look, I'm not a fan of New Years Resolutions, because as soon as the party is over and the leftover cake has been eaten for breakfast, you realise you're actually not up for that marathon in February after all. Having said that, it is not New Years YET and so you can set a resolution now and date it to begin pre OR post New Years!
I have just picked up High Sobriety: My year without booze by Sunday Age journalist, Jill Stark. She predominantly wrote on mental health, public health policy and alcohol/drug issues. Despite this being her area of expertise, she regularly wrote herself off binge-drinking over the weekends.

Her book examines Australia's alcohol-loving culture, marketing that encourages drinking as a lifestyle choice and the way marketers are targeting teens with insidious creations such as alcopops.

So as I delve into Jill's world and discover whether she makes it a whole year without booze and what that experience is like, I challenge you to think about what particular habit you have that doesn't match up with your values and the lifestyle you want to be living. What are YOU going to resolve to do differently and for HOW LONG?

Let me know on FB - here you can get your hands on Jill's book (Scribe Publications)

Morning Yoga Moves and Obama Arms!

I don't have time!
Are you guilty of saying this? I hear it all the time. You DO have time for a few yoga stretches in the morning to get you energised and in a good mood to face your day though. Yoga guru Tara Stiles features in this video of how-tos:

Arms to love

Since the hot weather has hit Melbourne, here's another video gem on arms that will make Michelle Obama jealous!
Yoga prescription: Daily. Arm workout: Every second day.

Those Buns Are Lookin' Saucy!

Killer buns

I know, I know. Corny. But if one of your jive-talkin pals said this to you (with an awestruck stare, hopefully), you would be thrilled. Don't deny it.
As well as giving you buns of steel, working your gluteus maximus, medius and minimus assists in

1. improving your posture
2. protecting your pelvis and hips
3. protecting against back pain and improving existing aches
4. burning lots of energy (kilojoules) WHILE you're working them AND afterwards!

Hello summer christmas pool parties without a pair of knee-length shorts! Here are glute bridge variations for the home or the gym.

• Keep your feet in line with your hips
• Brace your abdominals, drawing your navel in and upwards
• Raise the hips, squeezing the glutes until there is a straight line from kneecaps to collarbone
• Think about the back of your neck being long - as if you're holding an orange between chin and chest
• Press through the heels and only try the advanced variations when you have mastered the basics!

Glute bridge

Glute bridge toes up

Glute bridge walking

Fit Prescription for Radiant Skin

I'll have what she's having!

Your skin is a reflection of your lifestyle (and genetics)- here's some advice on looking more luminous than Christmas lights!
Start with your nutrition - no need for cleanses and detoxes. Your body is an amazing machine that naturally cleanses and detoxifies itself. Put down the expensive bottles of "detox" formula and make some good choices instead.

• Eat plenty of vegies and make sure you are including all the colours: green, red, orange, yellow, white (go easy on the starches like potato though!)
• Eat berries - antioxidant powerhouses and really high vitamin C (boosts collagen production, plumping the skin)
• Eat omega 3-6-9 fats - your body needs healthy fats to absorb vitamins and feed the skin (excellent sources are salmon, sardines, avocado, walnuts and flaxseed)
• Get your B vitamins (good for energy and fighting the effects of stress) which are in oats, grains and cereals
• Your hair and skin are made up of protein so give your body the highest quality of good proteins (organic red meat, fresh seafood, tempeh, greek yoghurt, milk)

Fit food

• Vitamin D - get a daily fix from 10 minutes in peak sunlight

And get physical. Working up a sweat is brilliant for your circulation and a healthy heart, lungs and muscles. Even a brisk walk mornings and evenings should do the trick if you're too busy for classes or working up to something more strenuous.
The catch? WASH YOUR FACE after you exercise! All that sweat will trap dirt and dust. Use something gentle - carry travel-sized cleanser and moisturiser in your gym bag. Use non-comedogenic products (they don't clog pores - the packaging will state this). I trust mineral products, and recommend Garnier BB cream - cheap, good coverage, SPF 15+ and I don't break out!

Yoga shoulder stand

Finally, deal with stress and rollercoaster moods. Whether it's yoga, pilates, meditation, dancing or just stretching and singing while you vacuum - find an outlet. Inversion poses in yoga, where your head is below your hips, allows blood to rush to the head and face - it's a free, feel-good facial. If you can headstand, do it!

I know this hurts, but if you have really dry or spotty skin, CUT the alcohol and try not to do more than 2 coffees a day. I swear by green tea, but if that's not your thing, any herbal tea is a good alternative.

Party Perfect!

Here they come - the Christmas parties. You'll have tray after tray of fried this and sugared that passed right under your  nose.

If you are hosting a party yourself, consider offering mostly light, easy-serve options. It doesn't mean no taste and no fun! There are ways to make your favourite traditional party foods healthier - make your own dips for a start.

Kids will eat healthy food if it looks fun and colourful and not "HEALTHY". Mini carrot juices in little clear cups? Cute!

Here are some ideas - and if you don't want to take too much time, why not stock up on vegies and set up a "make-your-own" salad area with chopped vegies, meats and various dressings?
Top to bottom: garlic-chicken spring rolls; big-mixed-salad with beetroot and spinach; vegie sticks for snack-and-dip; turkey, ham and cherry tomato kebabs; fruit salad

garlic chicken spring rolls

mixed salad

vegie sticks

turkey ham kebabs

fruit salad

Frazzled More Than Festive?

Anxious

It's mid-November and the christmas puddings and reindeer toys are already on display at supermarkets. If you're wondering why your shoulders and neck are feeling tense, every noise is making you snap and you wake up feeling like you might not have slept more than half an hour...the idea of Christmas is stressful! Go easy on yourself.

I'm battling with trying to write up a business plan for the first time, contemplating failing at my dream job (working for myself!) and also watching my savings dwindle as I drift into the fourth week of unemployment. Not feeling so festive. Fortunately, I have been browsing a copy of Mim Beim's "natural therapies to boost the mood and mind".
Mim Beim is a Sydney naturopath who also features in body + soul on Sundays. I'll be adopting her recommendations to improve sleep, energy and fight adrenal fatigue. If you're feeling frazzled, take all or some of these ideas.

Vitamins

• Reminding myself to have perspective - how you THINK about a situation makes it what it is - can you put any decisions on the backburner while you go and read for 20 minutes or take a walk?
• Sticking to a twice daily Mega B supplement (all the B vitamins at breakfast and lunch)
• Taking a magnesium supplement at night (assists in muscle relaxation and calcium absorption)
• Taking passionflower rather than a sleeping tablet (proven to be EQUALLY as effective as oxazepam without the side effects; no drowsiness)
• No caffeine - this has been so much easier to give up than I thought and I was a 4 - 5 black coffees per day person
• Practicing at least 10 minutes of yoga daily - sun salutations and rotations

Caffeine is in coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, yerba mate, guarana drinks and sports supplements

Share your festive or frazzled state and how you're going to approach it!

Caroline Pemberton: Body Image Ambassador

Caroline Pemberton

With orphans in Timor

Caroline Pemberton is an Australian model who was crowned the 2007 Miss Australia. For the past 4 years she has run an upbeat, positive healthy body image program called ‘Real Body Image’ which teaches media literacy to teenagers in high schools. It covers the pressures we face to have the “perfect” body and how they affect our body image and self esteem.  We chatted for an hour last week and she is insightful, inspiring and intelligent.

Caroline attributes her adventurous nature and passion for a challenge to her "incredible family". Aged 19, three months in Nepal was her first overseas experience, where she met up with her brother Rex, the youngest Aussie to climb Everest, aged 21.
Modelling since the age of 16, she was convinced by her agent to contest Miss Australia and won in 2007. She discovered, in the ensuing media exposure, "the power to tell a story".

Though she began a psychology degree, she was drawn to travelling and media roles. Caroline praises her studies for her ability to recognise the pressure of media and society on not only the public, but those in front of the camera in particular. Despite being 6 ft, blonde and beautiful, Caroline was regularly being told to lose weight during modelling casting calls. She didn't concede and recognised the "negative thought pattern" that threatened to take over if she allowed herself to focus on it.
Having travelled extensively, she noted "the extraordinary differences in what beauty means to various cultures, especially in the Asian and African regions". This proved to her that "beauty is incredibly subjective".

Caroline pre and post airbrushing

Real Body Image

 'Real Body Image' is a non-for-profit program that scrutinises the airbrushing of images, explores cultural beauty differences and how our ideals of beauty have changed throughout centuries of history. Her approach is "we are all susceptible to feeling overwhelmed and negative about our bodies. Let's TALK about it!"

Her own relationship with health and fitness is a fabulous example. Caroline aims for balance and feeling good as a measure of her wellbeing. She eats a rich and varied diet, and happily admits her weight fluctuates over the year depending on the season and the type of foods she is craving. As a high-energy type, Caroline does boxing 3 times a week and goes for interval training designed to be short and high impact.

We discuss at length the fact that media relies on profit, and therefore advertising to exist. Advertisers need to constantly find new products and new messages - faults and flaws that we need to fix to be beautiful, healthier, better. I mean, "pore minimising" serum? Really?

What we both acknowledge is the immense power of the mind to influence the body. Every day, remember that your body is an "incredible machine". Thinking about how it serves you and how many amazing functions are going on just to allow you to exist. Encourage the men and women you love to see how beautiful they are.

If you fear that the "negative thought pattern" that inevitably leads to an eating disorder and/or depression is affecting you or someone you know, be aware that it can't just be gotten over like a flu and no amount of "positive thinking" will be enough. Speak to your GP and find support and information at The Butterfly Foundation

EXCLUSIVE: Workout mix for my gym bunnies!

Thanks to the insanely talented electro-music guru 4Watt for producing a kick-ass mix to power you through a sweaty gym session.
Or a home abdominals workout.
Or a walk/jog/run out in the open air!
There's some Calvin Harris, some Gotye, Tiesto and even PSY makes a cameo! Remixed, of course!

So go here, scroll down and click on "Download episode"

Short on time? Get results in under an hour!

Swissball for circuit moves

Need to be in and out of the gym in under an hour? I hope so! Unless you're taking extra time to stretch, there's every chance you're not spending your time as effectively as you could be.
Nat had 40 minutes this morning due to limited creche hours for her little one and I had the same - dental appointment (ugh.)
So we started with the sweat-inducing circuit for 20 minutes and finished with 20 minutes on the summit (climbing) machine. Here's how you can do it:

Renegade row

• Make a plan - spending time thinking about what on earth to do is WASTING time!
• Try to keep your circuit to a small area so that you don't waste time looking for equipment and waiting for others to finish
• Base all your moves around limited equipment, like a fitball, a bench or a medicine ball
• Allow for some flexibility in the circuit moves - if the step or the weights you planned for aren't available, have some alternatives in mind!
• Use the "clock" function on your phone as a timer - this way you can just keep going without needing to check the clock or counting down the minutes
• Instead of doing lots of repetitions with smaller weights, go heavier and do less repetitions
• On machines, push the level up and do moderate/high intensity intervals rather than going at a moderate pace for ages (you do NOT need to spend an hour reading Women's Weekly on a bike)
• Make up a 40 minute playlist of intense music to drive you through your workout and when the music stops, game over

Stopwatch function

• OR work out with a friend who's up for the challenge and notice how 40 minutes flies by when you're sharing the struggle

Reverse curl

 Using a bench, do reverse curls - then get up and do step ups on the same bench, turn around and do tricep presses off the bench and then repeat until your timer goes off.

TIP: Working the upper body followed immediately by lower body maximises calories burned by forcing blood to rush from muscles in the upper body to lower and vice versa!

Aloha Inner Thighs!

The most common areas I get asked about are how to tone "flabby thighs", "saggy butt" and "my little belly". Now, you cannot spot reduce fat so doing squats until your butt is numb will not actually make it smaller! What you CAN do is build lean muscle in the legs and butt, which makes you look stronger, tauter and enables you to burn more energy 24/7. Muscle uses up a lot of calories JUST to exist! 

And, mind you, for every woman who has complained to me about her saggy this, or flabby that, I have looked at her and seen a fabulous, healthy body. Before tackling these moves - remember that you're working out to build strength, look and FEEL better. Your body is beautiful when it can do what you need and want it to do.

Sumo Squat to Calf Raise

Sumo squat to calf raise

1. Stand with your heels outside hips and toes turned out (plie position in dance-speak)
2. Pull your belly button in and up, engaging the pelvic floor and deep abdominals
3. Hands on hips for balance and keep your chin parallel to the ground, eyes ahead
4. Squat down as low as you comfortably can, but NEVER let your hips be lower than knees!
5. Raise onto the balls of your feet, hold for 2 counts, drop your heels and raise to standing
6. Repeat 10 - 12 times, rest for 30 seconds and do 3 sets.

Advanced: add a dumbbell or hold a weighted medicine ball out at chest height

Four Point Squat

Four point squat

1. Stand with your heels directly under hips
2. Pull your belly button in and up, engaging the pelvic floor and deep abdominals
3. Bend your left leg and rest the ankle ABOVE the right knee
4. Keep your chin level with the ground, eyes ahead and extend arms out as if holding a beach ball
5. Squat down as low as you comfortably can, but NEVER let your hips be lower than knees!
6. Hold for 2 counts then slowly rise to starting position
7. Repeat 10 - 12 times, rest for 30 seconds and do 3 sets.

 

Hot weather snacks and smoothies!

Hot weather means no more eating stodgy, keep-me-warm meals! I'm sharing ideas on my Pinterest boards. I'm a smoothie-addict so if you have a tried-and-true recipe, share it with the Core Integrity With Cat FB followers!

Berry Smoothie

Source: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com via Cat on Pinterest

Fruity kebabs Americana

Source: cynfullyfit.com via Cat on Pinterest

Tropical fun fruit

Source: dontcallmebetty.tumblr.com via Cat on Pinterest

Weekend Challenge: Gladiator Glutes

Ok, Nat and I did this one this morning. It's tough - I won't sugarcoat it. 

GLUTE KICKBACK WITH CABLE

• You need to drag a bench up to the cable machine and make sure there's an ankle strap attachment on the lowest setting
• Pick a LOW weight - trust me, pick a weight that allows you to do 12 repetitions before you need a rest.
• Sit, count slowly to 20, then set up again and work the same leg. Do this 3 times and then change sides.

• Brace your abdominals
• Do NOT arch through the back!

Keep your eyes ahead on the ground
Do NOT drop the head or arch head back

Flex the foot and keep your hips straight
Do NOT lean in to the kneeling leg

Grip the edges of the bench for stability
Heel only needs to rise JUST above hip level

Hold at the top for one count and release SLOWLY!

Do you love it? I swear it works!

Two Week Challenge: Spread the Love!

One of my personal training clients, Miss Y has taken on a 2 week challenge to drink no alcohol - not for anyone but herself. She's reported back that already she feels lighter, more energised and proud of herself! Not only that, her partner friends and family have been inspired to join her for the two weeks. Not easy - we have a culture of going to the pub or meeting at a bar for most socialising occasions. Miss Y has suggested that she meet with friends for a walk, coffee or tea instead.
 
So here's my challenge to you: what can you change in the next two weeks to feel better, improve your health, fitness and wellbeing?

Walk instead of sitting on a bar stool

Here's some ideas: let me know what you're doing on the Facebook page so we can be inspired by your idea and support you!

• give up meat three nights a week
• give up soft drink (even diet soft drink)
• change your fitness routine - less running, more weights?
• take up a yoga class once a week
• book a session with a personal trainer to get a tailored resistance program
• go for a walk on your lunchbreak instead of eating at the desk
• replace your morning coffee with a glass of milk (protein + calcium!)
• go for a walk around the block with the partner/kids/flatmate before dinner instead of TV

Resistance Training

Yoga Jaguar Pose

Goodbye coffee + cravings, Greetings Green Juice

Replace your morning coffee with this one and sure, you won't feel wired if you like that sensation, but you will feel energised and alert for much longer than you would with coffee. Plus you don't get the inevitable crash and "must have sugar, more coffee, NOW!" feeling around mid-morning. You require a juicer - if you are Melbourne based and prepared to pick it up from me, I am happy to make you a bottle! Just get in touch via Facebook and we'll organise a time. Lasts 3-4 days in the fridge.

Green juice

 WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• 4 large kale leaves (or spinach)
• 2 large English cucumbers
• 1 head fennel (optional)
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored
• 2 lemons, skin removed (see note)
• 2″ piece fresh ginger root, quartered

Wash all produce thoroughly, but do not trim. Cut the kale leaves in half crosswise to make them easier to feed into the machine. You may need to halve the cucumbers as well depending on your juicer. Cut the fronds from the fennel (but hang onto them) and quarter the fennel bulb.

Turn your juicer on. Feed the ingredients in slowly, using the pusher to help control speed. Pour juice into a large jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Quick Tips
1. To get the skin off the lemon, cut both ends off then stand the lemon upright. Following the curve of the fruit, cut away the peel and pith using a sharp knife.

2. You can easily substitute or add on here. Other things I like to toss in: carrots, spinach, celery.

3. Try this juice in the morning instead of coffee. Or try it in the afternoon instead of diet soft drinks. You may be very surprised by how great you feel.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

To organise a time to pick up pre-made juice: Facebook or Email

An Oblique start to your week!

Two moves to hit your oblique abdominal muscles - those ones that suck you in and give you a waist just made for bikini weather.

Oblique raise

Side Lying Reach:

1. On a mat, or towel, lie on your side with the arm closest to the floor stretched out straight in line with your chest for support
2. Hips, knees and ankles must be positioned in a straight alignment (not leaning back or forward)
3. Breathe in, exhale and reach your upper arm towards your ankles as you raise your head and chest in that direction (body still in a straight line)
4. Release slowly and repeat!
5. Option, as pictured above, to have support under the body. Preferable just to keep your arm outstretched for support. 

Oblique abdominals

1.  Position yourself as in steps 1 and 2 above. Lower arm is stretched out in line with body, palm down
2. Breathe in, exhale - brace abdominals and raise upper leg just above hip height - no rocking forward or back!
3. Advanced, raise both legs to meet, breathe in, exhale and lower. Repeat
4. Option, raise top leg and then reach upper arm and head towards ankle for a double side crunch

Mermaid stretch

 Stretch! Extend legs as wide as you comfortably can and stretch towards each ankle in turn. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat if feeling particularly tight through the sides and lower back.

Divarication of the abdominal muscles

What is it?

The six-pack muscles, or "Rectus Abdominus" stretch from the ribs to the pubic bones. They are held together by ligaments, which become more flexible during pregnancy to allow for the belly to expand, separating the six-pack muscles.
Normally, post-birth, the muscles return together, though they may feel tired and stretched. It is vital to avoid sitting suddenly from a resting position or heavy lifting.

Divarication of the recti: image from Miracle Physiotherapy

A physio can assist in diagnosing divarication of the abdominal muscles (may require an ultrasound) and teach pelvic floor exercises that strengthen the deep abdominal muscles AND the six-pack muscles. According to LIVESTRONG,
You should wait three days after your labor to perform the check for diastasis recti. If you had a C-section, you should wait six weeks, or until your incision has healed.

It is recommended that if you have divarication of the recti, avoid sit-ups or leg-lowering exercises. Corrective exercises, as mentioned before, require engaging, strengthening and gaining control of the pelvic floor. If it has been over a year since you gave birth and the divarication still exists, surgery is an option.

I am not an expert and would not like to recommend any exercises as every woman has different needs. Mishfit is a Melbourne-based Pelvic Floor Training business. You can take up a free trial session and read more at Mishfit. You can take your children along to sessions!

Essential Yoga Moves

As promised, Essential Yoga Moves as featured in Women's Health Big Book of Yoga - please be mindful that if you know you're not ready for these moves or they may inflame an injury, don't risk it! If you're up for a challenging abdominals and back-focused session though....here you go:


Window Wiper

Scissors



Puppy Dog

Gentle seated twist

Twist Lower Abs



Genious gadgets for your body...

The sun is out, it's heating up and your focus, if it wasn't before, is on preparing your multi-layered clothing-covered body for shorts and singlets. Even bikinis, for the brave.
Hence, I have hunted the tools you need to be prepared on all fronts! Fitness, health and beauty. I have been asked about the self-tanner I use and have included it - works in one hour so you don't need to avoid working out or showering for the usual 12 hours. Efficient.

THE CUTLERY THAT FORCES YOU FIT

 Indeed, everything has been thought of! (Each piece weights 1kg) Firebox.com

SELF MASSAGE

Well, you DID just do a workout - place this palm-sized ball against a wall and get the shoulder and back rub you deserve. I have a blue one, his name is Spike. Available from Healthplus

Massage balls

 PLAYLIST PARTY

Need music to power your walk, or your high-intensity workout or just your vacuuming session? Get free app Spotify and listen to radio, full albums or make your own playlist. The only cost to you is having to listen to a short ad once every three or four songs!

Spotify

THREE STEPS TO THE PERFECT SUMMER TAN

STEP 1 - EXFOLIATE

Hop in the shower and smooth away dead skin and debris with the new exfoliation tool Lé Edge for a clean canvas ready to tan (yup, a quick once over in the shower and you can use it on your face too - not harsh like a scrub)

STEP 3 - APPLY

Pure Tan Pure Bronze Self Tanning Lotion (Dark)

STEP 4 - HYDRATE

Moisturise EVERY day - straight after showering - your tan lasts longer and fades evenly (trust me, this is important)

Pure Bronze Lotion

Le Edge exfoliator

 

Roll out, roll out... pain be gone!

Stretching but still tense? Can't reach to massage that knot in your back? Here's where the foam roller comes in very handy.

The very wise and knowledgeable Matt N from Northcote YMCA provided these handy illustrated guides to using the foam roller to massage out the muscles and tissues that take the strain of your weights and cardio workout. The beauty is - you don't need anyone else to help and you can do it in the gym, at home or travelling. Foam rollers can cost around $45 for a very basic one, but Matt uses a piece of storm water pipe from the local hardware store ($15!)
Images original source: Robertson Training Systems





Rhomboids





Glutes & IT Band

Calf Muscles