Geelong’s Gym

Did you know that stretching your body properly can give you better health and performance?

It’s true.  Most people have a huge misconception when it comes to stretching.  Some people don’t do it at all, while others do a couple of token stretches and figure they’re set.  But what if you could virtually eliminate the muscle pain after a workout?  Just by stretching?

It’s true!  And we can also eliminate the pain on your wallet.  Buy the Stretching Handbook and you’ll receive a 100% money back guarantee!  That’s right.  If you’re a member at Geelong’s Gym we’ll take the cost of the book off your membership payments.  If you’re not a member, we’ll take the cost of the book off off your new membership when you sign up.  All you need to do is bring in your proof of purchase.  But back to the stretching…

A regular stretching program can lengthen your muscles and make your daily activities so much easier.  Just think, no more easing yourself down, centimetre by centimetre, onto the couch after that run you went for or that step class.

Stretching is something anyone of any age can do and the best thing is, you can do it while watching the TV, working on the computer or getting ready for bed.

A good stretch before your exercise will do wonders for your workout!

Here are just a few of the incredible benefits you’ll receive from regular stretching:

• Reducing muscle tension
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Increased blood circulation
• Increased energy levels

And if you really want to know about a full range of stretches for every part of your body, complete with step by step photos to walk you through each stretch, then I cannot recommend highly enough The Stretching Handbook.

Are you scared of entering a gym because you think its going to be full of super fit and toned athletes?

Believe me, I’ve heard many people tell me that’s the reason why they haven’t joined a gym.  But they couldn’t be more wrong.  At Geelong’s Gym we have all sorts of different body types and many different levels of fitness represented.

I’d like to share with you the story of one of our members, Greg Parker-Hill, who thought everyone would be looking at him because he was overweight and unfit.  But he wasn’t willing to let that assumption hold him back, so he took the plunge and joined Geelong’s Gym.

Greg was determined to lose weight.  He had tried every diet and weight loss program there was without long term success, so he decided to undergo Laparoscopic Band surgery.  The lap band would help to manage Greg’s appetite but he knew that to lose it he’d have to move it!

“It took a month of hiding on the treadmill in the back corner to realise that no-one was looking at me…that’s the difference with Geelong’s Gym, I feel comfortable there, it’s full of friendly faces.”

The team at Geelong’s Gym provided expertise and encouragement to progress Greg from the treadmill to classes and personal training sessions.  Greg lost 60kg in his first year!  That’s an incredible result when the average weight loss from a lap band is 27kgs!  When asked about his weight loss success, Greg says with a smile;

“It’s thanks to Geelong’s Gym, they’re good guys, I have a lot of time for them but don’t tell them I said that!”

Greg ran the Sydney City to Surf, exactly one year to the day after joining the gym – that’s how far he’s come!  Congratulations Greg!

Greg’s Personal Trainer, Adam Ryan, recently had a chat with Greg about his weight loss journey.  Here’s what he had to say…

Do you want to take your fitness and weight loss to the next level, but don’t want to spend any longer in the gym than you already do?

Thought so.  Well, here’s your answer.  High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

By throwing out your old mindsets that the longer you run, bike etc the fitter and leaner you’ll get, you can burn calories like never before, lose more fat and improve your cardiovascular fitness AND spend LESS time in the gym doing cardio.

With High Intensity Interval Training you'll watch that weight just melt away.

That’s not to say that HIIT is easy, because it’s not.  It’s actually pretty demanding on your body because let’s face it, you don’t get results without working hard.

Basically what it involes is short bursts of maximum intensity exercise interspersed with low to moderate intensity exercise.

How does it work so well?

• HIIT conditions and trains both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.
• HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn after your exercise session because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover after each session.
• HIIT causes matabolic adaptions that allow you to use more fat as fuel.
• HIIT can limit muscle loss which can occur during traditional weight loss.

The key with HIIT is to use MAXIMUM effort in your high intensity intervals, not just a higher heart rate.  Give it your all and watch your fat just melt away!

If you need some help with changing over to a HIIT method in your workouts, check out our Personal Trainers at Geelong’s Gym.  They are all very experienced in the HIIT method and more than willing to help you take your fitness and weight loss to that next level.

Have you ever put into words what defines your life?  Why you do the things you do?

Today, I’d like to share with you the three questions that give my life meaning and purpose.  Maybe they’ll help you to have an exceptional 2010…

1.  How well have you learned to let go?  Forget?  Forgive?…

-          People who’ve done you wrong

-          Accidents or incidents in your life that were beyond your control

-          Relationships in your life that didn’t turn out how you thought they would

-          Wrong decisions you’ve made etc.

 “To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” Robert Muller

 Only once you’ve put behind you all these things will you be truly happy.

2.  How well have you learned to live in the moment?

I sign off all my emails with the words “Carpe Diem”, meaning Seize The Day.

Many people are bound by their past; either they can’t let go of the things that went wrong or they lament the loss of the good life they think they used to have.  And because they’re always looking behind them, they miss the good things that are right in front of them or with them right now.

Others are constantly looking towards the future, perceiving the future to be when things will finally become good in their life: when I get my next job… after I renovate the house… when I get my new car… once I find the right person…  They’re so busy trying to get a peek around the corner that time whizzes past them and their life disappears before they’ve really lived it.

Live in the Moment!

But if you learn to live in the moment, you’ll be happy with each phase of life you go through.  Because only you, today, can seize the day and change your life.

3.  How well have you learned to love?

Not someone else, but YOU.  Take a good hard look at the man/woman in the mirror and learn to accept yourself for who you are, learn to love your looks, your abilities, the things that are unique about you.  Because we are all wonderfully and uniquely made.

Once you’ve learned to love yourself, you will be in the ideal position to love someone else far better than you and they could possibly imagine.

I bet that got your attention and I’m willing to bet that right now most of you think I’ve lost my mind.  But hear me out.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger is famously quoted (admittedly back in the 1970s) as saying that he found exercise more exciting and fun than sex!  I’ll leave that decision up to you, but there are certainly some great ways to make exercise more fun…

• Change your mindset – when we were children we didn’t exercise, we played.  So stop thinking about your exercise routine as hard work and start thinking about it as play.  Sound impossible?  It’s not.  There are some great, fun ways to exercise that actually do feel like play.  For example, try a Body Jam class, which combines dance with exercise, and tell me you didn’t have the time of your life when you came out of the class.
• Try a Mind Body Spirit class – imagine ridding yourself of the stresses of your day, relaxing your body so completely that you feel like you’re floating on a cloud and letting your mind drift to a place with no cares, worries or responsibilities.
• Workout with a friend – you can catch up on your day, have a good chat and exercise at the same time!

I’m sure that you can come up with some other fun ways to exercise.  Why not make it your goal in 2010 to exercise more and have fun doing it?!

If you’d like to have a good laugh about some hilarious exercise moments, click here.

There’s an old Chinese proverb which says, “Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.”

In the case of green tea, this is actually true.  The Chinese have known of the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times and used it to sure anything from headaches to depression!

Green Tea - could it be the cure for many illnesses?

In fact, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, green tea has been found to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by almost 60%!

That’s pretty impressive, don’t you think?  But it gets better…

Green tea is reputed to be helpful in:

• lowering total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol
• rhumatoid arthritis
• cardiovascular disease
• impaired immune function

And all you have to do is boil the kettle, stick a green tea bag in your cup and pour the water.  Not much effort for so great a benefit!!!

Have you ever felt like you were the only one hurting after a session at the gym?  You’re not the only one.  Here’s a look at one woman’s humourous take on a week of Personal Training at “Torturer Gym”.  Just remember, nothing good  comes without hard work.

The name says it all!

Dear Diet Diary

As a Christmas present this year, my daughter, Cresley [what a thoughtful darling] bought for me a week of personal training at the local health club. Although I am still in reasonable shape since being a high school cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Juan Antonio [ooh what a name] who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started. The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

Monday

Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Juan Antonio waiting for me.   He is something of a Greek god: he has curly hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Yippee!

Juan Antonio gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skilful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Juan Antonio [call me Tony by now] was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my stomach was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FABULOUS week!   My New Year resolutions will be easy.

Tuesday

I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out of the door. Tony made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air. Later he put weights on it. My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Tony’s rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It’s a whole new life for me.

Wednesday

The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn’t try to steer or stop. Tony was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for early in the morning; and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Tony put me on the stair ‘monster’. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Tony told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other garbage too.

Thursday

Tony was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were back in a full snarl. I couldn’t help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. That man then took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent a skinny woman to find me. Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine - which I sank.

Friday

I hate that man, Toady or whatever his name is, more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. He is a stupid, skinny, anaemic, anorexic little bighead. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it. Toady wanted me to work on my triceps. I don’t have any triceps! And if you don’t want dents in the floor, don’t hand me the flippin’ barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on the health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn’t it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

Saturday

That person, that Toady, left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing him made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

Sunday

I’m having the Church bus collect me up so I can go to services today and thank God that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter Cresley [the cruel, whingeing creep] will choose a gift for me that is fun: like root canal treatment or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!

Happy New Year to one and all.  Now that the celebrations are behind you, it’s time to remember those resolutions you made last night.  I’m willing to bet that the majority of you resolved to eat better, drink less and exercise more.  Right?

The best way to start putting those resolutions into practice is to kick off the New Year with a full body detox.

I know it sounds scary, but you won’t beleive how amazing your body will feel with after just a few days detoxing.

There are many detoxes out there that are so complicated you couldn’t possibly keep up with them.  So here are a few simple tips on how to have a successful detox:

• Drink plenty of liquid, between 2-3 litres of water daily.  Adding fresh lemon to your water will also make it alkaline and help push out all those toxins.  (To find out more about alkalinity, check out our blog on Alkaline vs Acid foods).
• Cut out coffee and black tea and replace them with green tea or peppermint tea.  These herbal substitutes are great for your digestion and your metabolism.
• For the hardcore, eat fresh fruit and vegetables only; for those who don’t think you can manage that, eat mostly fresh fruit and vegetables and add tuna, salmon or fresh fish and brown rice to bulk things up.
• Cut out all junk food – I know that one is pretty obvious.
• If you really can’t give up dessert completely, try having fresh fruit (berries are particularly good) with low fat Greek yogurt.  It’s yummy and healthy.

Asparagus is great for a detox and can be used in lots of different ways. Try making asparagus soup - beautiful!

If you do this for a minimum of 3 days and no more than 7 seven days you will feel fantastic and you’ll be surprised at just how much energy you’ll have.

Add in regular exercise to help lift your fitness and those extra Christmas kilos will disappear faster than you know it.

There are heaps of fantastic Detox Recipes out there to help you on your way to a healthier body, both inside and out.

Please note: if you have any exisiting medical conditions, always seek a medical practitioner’s advice before starting a detox.

Have you set some goals for the year ahead yet?

Most of us see January as a time for goal setting and planning ahead what we want to accomplish over the course of the year.

I thought I’d share with you some funny goals I read:

Maybe your goal for the year is to lose a little weight.

• I will polish my pate – Bald Person
• I will do less washing and wear more deodorant – Executive
• I will not regale the same story at every function – Incorrigable Bore
• I will remember that Cake Day is only on the 29th of every month – Foodie
• Finally, remember that a New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other!

I’m sure that over the years you’ve set some New Year’s resolutions of your own, maybe you stuck to them and maybe you didn’t… so to help you have your Best Year Ever, we decided to help you keep track of your goals for 2010 and the progress you’re making.

You may have fitness goals, personal goals, business goals, relationship goals… whatever it is, Geelong’s Gym can give you a tool to make sure you don’t forget about it by the end of January.  And it’s free.  Simply click here to get started.  The page says “Make That Decision NOW”, so sign up and let 2010 be your Best Year Ever – remember, it’s completely FREE.

At Geelong’s Gym we like to get out there and be a part of what’s going on in the community and this last Saturday (19th December) we were at a fantastic new event taking place in our own backyard, i.e. Pakington Street.

The Newtown end of Pako held its very first Christmas Arts and Crafts market with businesses setting up stalls out on the street with Christmas bargains and goodies.

We never pass up an opportunity to have a chat with the locals, so Brianna and Ebony headed on down, set up a stall and had a blast patting pooches and getting to know the eager Christmas shoppers.

Ebony and Brianna at the Geelong's Gym stall

Since Christmas is a time for giving, we had a raffle and gave every single entrant a FREE Two Week Pass to Geelong’s Gym (and it’s the perfect gift for Christmas because they can still indulge and then come and have a workout on Boxing Day and work it all off!). The winner of the raffle took home a FREE One Month Membership and the runner up received a massage, voucher pack, towel and water bottle. Plus there were some other great prizes given out.

And we even had some great gift ideas on hand for the stressed out Christmas shoppers. If you’re one of those, at your wits end with only three shopping days left and desperately seeking a unique gift, here are a few ideas:

• The Alkaline Cookbook – gorgeous photos; easy, delicious recipes and perfect for the health conscious cook
• OxyRich – a groundbreaking supplement designed to enhance your performance; the ideal present for the athlete in your family
• What’s Your Poo Telling You? – an hilarious and serious look at how your number twos could be telling you what’s going on in your body

Or, how about one of our special Christmas gift packs:

• Pack 1: 5 Visit Pass and Towel – Only $25.  Valued at over $80!
• Pack 2: 1 Month Membership, 1 Personal Training Session, Towel, Water Bottle and Chocolates - Only $99.  Valued at over $175!
• Pack 3: 3 Month Membership, 1 Personal Training Session, 2 Towels, Water Bottle and Chocolates - Only $250.  Valued at over $400!

All of these fantastic gift ideas are currently in stock at Geelong’s Gym, so come on down and take a look.  And next year, keep your eyes open for the second Christmas Arts and Crafts Market on Pakington Street, Newtown end.  We had heaps of fun and we’re sure you will too.