Geelong’s Gym

Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, new research pops up to change the way you should eat, drink and cook.  Let’s take a look at some of the old thinking and what the latest is…

• 

  Yes it’s true, you now have permission to chew!

  Eating Fat Makes You Fat.  The Mayo Clinic in the US has found people who increased their intake of monounsaturated fats actually lost weight without decreasing their kilojoules.  Plus, olive oil, nuts, olives and avocados reduce stomach fat.

• Chewing Gum Makes You Hungrier, So You Eat More.  Not so.  A study has found people who chew gym for an hour a day are more likely to eat less kilojoules at lunch, feel less hungry during the day and use 5% more kilojoules.
• Room Temperature Water Is Best For Rehydrating.  A new study says to keep it chilled.  According to Dr Jason Lee, cold water could be the most direct way to reduce core body temperature, therefore taking you longer to heat up and slow down.
• After A Tough Workout Take Nurofen To Offset Soreness.  Popping anti-inflammatories actually reduces production of the chemicals needed for muscle growth and repair.
• Steaming Is The Best Way To Cook Vegies.  These days, the microwave does a much better job of retaining the most recovery-boosting antioxidants.  Put your vegies in a bowl with a small amount of water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

This information was sourced from Australian Women’s Health magazine.

Les Mills Body Combat - kick your way to a tighter butt!

What is the best workout for your butt? 

At Geelong’s Gym we have some different options…

Sure, Karen’s Butts ‘n’ Guts class on Tuesday nights at 6.30pm and Wednesdays at 10.15am is awesome!  But, you can also try Nathan’s Friday night Les Mills Body Combat class at 6.30pm!

It’s the “lunges’ and the “round house kicks” that really get you.  No gloves required, but you’ll punch and kick your way to a great toned body and a rock hard butt!

And by the way, this class is a whole lot of fun!

What a fantastic week it’s been!  I had the awesome privilege to be part of an event where AFL Legend, Tom Hafey, shared his secrets to great health.  And boy, does this guy walk what he talks…

Every single morning he gets up at 5.20am and runs 6-7 kilometres along the beach.  When he returns home he does 200 push ups and 700 sit ups!  So it’s no wonder he’s got the strength and fitness of a man half his age!

Tom Hafey with event organisers Gerard Spriet from Geelong's Gym, Ross Hultgren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics

I, along with Ross Hultren from Chapman Welsh Financial Services and Rob Claridge from Claridge Naturopathics, wanted to actively promote good health and wellbeing in the Geelong community.  We invited Tom because he has such a strong link to Geelong and, of course, because he’s such a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a healthy, fit lifestyle.

Incorporated into the evening was the introduction of our new BioAge Program at Geelong’s Gym.  We are thrilled to have this cutting edge technology which allows us to accurately measure a person’s biological age in comparison to their chronological age.

Unfortunately, a huge number of Australians have a biological age significantly higher than their chronological age.  But the good news is, now that we can accurately measure it we can improve it!  If you want to know more about this revolutionary program, click here.

All proceeds from the evening were donated to local Geelong charity, Our Women, Our Children.

I’m guessing that most of you guys out there think Yoga is for particularly flexible women and no way are you going to even attempt contorting your body into impossible positions.  Am I right?

But here’s the thing, change is inevitable and that’s just the case with Yoga and men.  In recent times, Yoga has become the new cross-training for men who want to increase their flexibility and improve their muscle conditioning.  Why?  Well, if you play sport, wouldn’t it be great to be able to bend your body into above mentioned nearly impossible positions?!

Still not convinced?  Here are some excellent ways men can benefit from Yoga:

I'm sure this picture more accurately depicts than words how much of a workout Yoga can give a man

1.  Yoga works the entire body.  Did you know, in sports like football you only utilise approximately 10-15% of the body, whereas Yoga provides a workout which covers every muscle, joint and organ.

2.  Yoga has benefits in the bedroom.  Guarasana, or the Eagle Pose, is a posture which sends fresh blood and oxygen to the sexual organs, so this is a particularly beneficial exercise for men in revitalising their bedroom prowess!

3.  Yoga works for every size.  It doesn’t matter how you look when you practise Yoga, it will push your personal boundaries by increasing your flexibility, endurance and muscle strength.

4.  Yoga decreases muscle soreness.  Yoga is hugely beneficial in working out stiffness from other sports.  When muscles are fatigued, it stretches and releases tension.  Runners in particular find Yoga the best activity after a long endurance run.

5.  Yoga restores energy levels.  Rather than depleting all of your energy, Yoga actually increases your vigour, making you feel more aware and revitalised.

6.  Yoga trains your focus.  By combining mental, physical and emotional strength you can become a better athlete in your chosen sport.  Generally, men struggle to let their egos go, but in Yoga you train your mind to shut down and can, therefore, more easily focus it when you need to.

7.  Yoga flushes your system.  If you’ve been drinking a little too much lately, Yoga is the perfect way to rid yourself of all those pent-up toxins.

So there you have it.  Seven fantastic reasons why men should start doing Yoga.  And if you’re still not convinced, some famous men have practised Yoga to heighten their sporting performance: Wayne Gretzky, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and John McEnroe to name but a few.

So guys, why not give it a go.  To find out more about Yoga at Geelong’s Gym, click here.

Geelong’s Gym is excited to announce Tommy Hafey will be speaking at an event, organised by Geelong’s Gym, Claridge Naturopathics and Chapman Welsh Financial Services, about his secrets to great health.

Tom Hafey

We figured he was the ideal person for the job because not only does he have a strong connection to the people of Geelong but he also has a pretty spectacular qualifying resume!  Here are just a few highlights:

• He’s coached FOUR AFL teams – Richmond, Collingwood, the Sydney Swans and, of course, Geelong
• He’s coached over 500 VFL/AFL games for a 66% win record – oh and, in that time his teams have made TEN grand finals, resulting in  FOUR Premierships and a tied Grand Final
• In his first year as Collingwood coach the team rose from wooden spooners to be in the Grand Final
• He has never been beaten as a coach of the Victorian State Teams
• Only once in 22 years coaching football did a Hafey-coached team finish lower than seventh

Pretty impressive isn’t it?!

So okay, he’s got the credentials… but I’m not really that interested in hearing how to become more healthy.

Can I be blunt?  Good.  Here’s the thing, if you’re not a bouncing ball of energy who looks a good 10 years younger than you actually are… you need to take a good hard look at your health.

Let me ask you another question.  Does your biological age match your chronological age?  And I’m not just talking about how you look on the outside, although that’s part of it. 

Do you look older than you are?  Do you feel older than you are?

For the majority of Australians, what’s going on inside us is pretty scary and our bodies are actually functioning (or perhaps more accurately, not functioning) at a biological age greater than our chronological age.

That’s pretty alarming – especially if you’re wanting to live a good long life with a body that can keep up with you.  But here’s the good news, your biological age can actually be reversed!

So why not come along and hear Tom Hafey speak.  And while you’re there, you’ll learn how you can utilize the Bioage Program to measure and improve your biological age.

When: Wednesday, 14th July at 7.00pm

Where: Newtown Event Centre, 40 Read Street, Newtown

Entry: Gold coin entry to be donated to Geelong Charity “Our Women, Our Children”

RSVP: By Wednesday, 7th July to Geelong’s Gym

For more information, click here.

Were you going really well with your fitness routine but now you’re stuck in a rut?  Believe me, you’re not alone.  We know it’s frustrating but we’ve got some solutions from Australian Women’s Health magazine for four of the most common reasons your workout regime has gone awry…

1.  The New Job.  It can take quite a lot of time and effort to get up to speed in a new job and that can play havoc with your fitness regime.  To get your mojo back, ask around your workplace and find out who manages to fit regular exercise into their busy work schedule.  Maybe they squeeze in a lunch time visit to the gym or maybe they stop there on their way home.  Whatever they do, find out what their daily routine is and try adopting it for yourself.  And if you need some motivation to get started, why not ask them if you can workout with them.

2.  The Big Move.  No doubt about it, moving house is a big deal and it can take weeks to get everything unpacked and a normal routine reinstated.  Here’s a couple of hints – pack your workout gear last, so it’s easily accessible when you start unpacking.  Before you move, check out where the closest gym is and map out your driving route ahead of time, so you know exactly where you’re going.  Don’t forget, if you keep up your exercise routine you’ll have a whole lot more energy to get through those boxes much faster.

3.  The Injury.  Yep, this one is a killer, especially if you’ve had to sit on the couch for weeks or even months.  Getting back off the couch can be a challenge.  Firstly, set a goal for your fitness level when you can resume exercising – this will help you look beyond your current injury and towards your future fitness.  Secondly, consult with your doctor about what exercise is possible with your injury, so when you’re back on your feet you won’t be starting at the beginning.

4.  The New Baby.  Argh, those extra post-baby kilos and lack of sleep.  Finding time for a workout can be difficult, but if you can squeeze regular exercise in while your partner or mother is looking after the baby, you’ll find you have a whole lot more energy to get through the day and enjoy the new addition to your family.  And ladies, don’t stress yourself out by trying to drop the baby weight in record time.  If you add any exercise at all to your day the weight will come off.

Getting back into regular exercise can be tough once you’ve broken your routine, but don’t give up.  Set yourself a goal, find that thing that got you motivated in the first place and make a start today.

Yes, you did read that right.  If you train the right way, you can burn double the calories in only half the time.  Here’s the key: 20-60 second intervals at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate, followed by 30 seconds rest.  Before I say any more, have a look at this video of two of Geelong’s Gym’s Personal Trainers, Adam Ryan and Nathan Moore, putting this into practice…

First off, please don’t be intimidated by what you’ve just watched.  These guys are incredibly fit and prone to extreme exercise.  But here’s the good news – you can do what they’ve done…

Adam and Nathan are doing High Intensity Interval Based Training, which is based on your heart rate and is suitable for all levels of fitness.  Training in a high heart rate zone of 85% and beyond can only be maintained for a short period of time (high calorie burning zone).  When the heart rate hits the red zone, 95% plus, your body is then forced to rest and allow the heart rate to come down to be capable of repeating the exercise.  During this rest period the energy expenditure is still great, therefore burning a high amount of calories continuously while you rest.

And as an added bonus, it’s really great for time-conscious people who want to get fit and healthy but don’t have a lot of spare time on their hands.  By doing this kind of training you can achieve the results of a one hour workout in just half an hour!

Surely not, I can hear you thinking.  Here’s the key.  This is functional training, which means a variety of different muscle groups are used in each exercise, which results in a higher heart rate thereby increasing your energy expenditure (i.e. burns calories FASTER).  Plus, no session is the same as the last one, so your body doesn’t get a chance to plateau but instead remains at a peak level of training.

So if you want to see real results FAST this is the kind of training you need to be doing.

Come and join the party!!

Yes, it is possible to have fun and get a great workout at the same time.  The answer is Zumba, the latest fitness craze to hit the world.

Zumba truly is a gift to anyone struggling to get motivated to exercise.  Why?  Because we all know we should be exercising but that doesn’t mean we want to.  Let’s face it, sometimes it can be a slog and when it starts to hurt you just want to give up. 

And that’s why Zumba is the answer to all those prayers you didn’t even know you were praying.  The funky music and easy to follow dance moves will have you capitivated.  You’ll be so busy having fun and contributing to the electric atmosphere, you won’t even realise you’re exercising. 

Oh and in case you’re thinking having fun can’t possibly be much of a workout, Zumba is a huge calorie burner, is great for your fitness and it utilises virtually every muscle in your body, with a particular focus on the stomach, butt and legs.  Don’t believe me?  Come and try it out for yourself… you won’t be disappointed.

Geelong’s Gym has three classes a week, with a fourth coming soon…  Check out our timetable.

Today we have some tips from Rich Barretta, who has helped sculpt the bodies of Naomi Watts, Pierce Brosnan and Naomi Campbell, on the four rules for healthy eating which his clients swear by.

Naomi Watts swears by these four rules

1.  Cut back on Alcohol.  Alcohol is loaded with carbs and calories and, on top of that, it tends to cause people to make bad food choices.  Just a couple of sugary cocktails can add up to 1000 calories – half an average person’s daily need.  Avoiding alcohol altogether is best, but if you do indulge, opt for a glass of wine or slim down your drink with tonic instead of soda.

2.  Say “No” to fried food.  You can grill, bake, steam or broil, but just don’t fry!  Frying takes away the nutrients of healthy food and adds fat and calories.  Plus, many restaurants use trans fats, which increase your risk of raising artery clogging bad cholesterol and lowering fat-clearing good cholesterol.

3.  Avoid carbs at night.  You don’t have to completely deprive yourself of carbs, despite popular belief, but you should be conscious of when you eat them.  Consuming high-carb foods, such as potatoes, rice, pastas and breads, early in the day allows your body more time to burn them off.  Whereas carbs eaten at night are more likely to go unused and be stored as fat.  Barretta’s rule: stick to lean protein and vegetables after 6pm.

4.  Choose unprocessed foods.  Out of convenience we often reach for processed products, even though we know fresh unprocessed foods are better for us.  While it can be difficult to cut out processed foods entirely, there are certain ingredients you should steer clear of, such as high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, white flour and processed sugar.  Here’s a tip: shop around the perimeter of the supermarket, where all the fresh meats and produce are.

The good news is you don’t have to follow a strict diet plan.  If you adopt these four nutrition rules you’ll see a vast improvement in the way your body feels and looks.  And they’re really not that hard to follow.

Yes, it’s true.  Geelong’s Gym is contributing to the Australian economy and not just by providing jobs!

I’m sure you know health and fitness is good for you and everybody else, but it’s also good for the economy.  Why?

Well, it has a huge impact on the cost of health care, employment and even our GDP.  Currently, around 1.73 million Australians are estimated to use fitness centres.  That’s a big number, true.  But here’s what Fitness Australia has estimated will be the impact if that figure increased to 10% of the population:

• An additional $204.8 million will be saved in health care costs
• 2609 extra full time employees in the workforce
• As a result of the additional employees mentioned above, an increased GDP of approximately $82 million

Maybe you’re a bit sceptical.  But the simple fact is, improving your health and fitness is the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, your community and your country!

You see, the fitter and healthier you and the rest of Australia are, the more energetic and productive we’ll all be and much more likely to participate in the workforce.  This, of course, is fantastic for the many businesses and industries we are involved in.

Maybe it's time to pull on the exercise gear and start getting fit and healthy

But that’s not the only benefit of health and fitness.  The four main diseases most associated with physical inactivity are:

• Type 2 Diabetes  
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Cancer

Did you know in 2004-05, the direct health care relating to these four diseases was $14.6 billion?

Now imagine the savings if we could reduce the number of obesity-related chronic diseases. Even if just 50% of gym users exercised regularly, the estimated savings in direct health care costs is $71.9 million – $49.8 million of that figure is just the avoided costs of cardiovascular disease.

And it’s really simple to achieve… all you need to do is start getting fit and healthy today!