“Increasingly common, yet poorly understood. Felt intensely by the sufferer, yet often invisible to the outside world.”
The above is a direct quote from an article I read recently by a former sufferer of depression, and considering an estimated 3 million Australians are living with depression and anxiety, chances are someone you know may be experiencing these feelings without you realising. There is no one proven way to help people recover from depression and anxiety, however there are a range of effective treatments, one of which is exercise.
Exercise is so much more to the human body than how you look. The profound effects of how physical activity improves your mental state should not be forgotten.
How exercise helps:
1. You are probably aware that exercise helps boost endorphins in the body, which are neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain which help diminish pain while triggering positive thoughts; this is often that feeling you have after you finish exercising. Exercise may also boost other neurotransmitter chemicals such as serotonin, which is responsible for regulating mood and some cognitive function, and is a chemical that is sometimes low in depressed people.
2.Stress has been linked to depression and anxiety, and exercise is very much considered an antidote to stress. Exercise encourages you to move more, which is immediately forcing your brain to concentrate on the physical tasks at hand, and is then followed by the release of endorphins which will trigger positive thoughts. Consistent exercise also has positive effects on your quality of sleep, something which lacks in someone suffering from depression or anxiety. Studies have shown (including this one with over 110,000 participants) that sedentary behaviour increases your risk of suffering from depression, so try to move and move often.
3. Your self esteem takes a real battering when you’re depressed, so doing something which improves you mentally as well as physically will increase your self esteem and self worth. A healthy body is first and foremost one which feels great mentally.
As was mentioned earlier, there is no one proven way to help people recover from depression and anxiety, however with the proven effects exercise has on the human body such as supporting neurotransmitters and relieving stress, consistent exercise on any level should be strongly considered as a mainstay in your lifestyle if you are suffering from the lows depression and anxiety bring.
While exercise is a very effective form of treatment in dealing with depression, sometimes people need more. If you are feeling as though you need to talk to someone, immediate support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, and plenty of other organisations which are listed here.
Improving your health requires changes that are sustainable for the long term. As a Precision Nutrition coach, we often provide guidance to our clients that are interested in fat loss on how to master certain food habits which will naturally lead to improved calorie control and food selection. These habits are:
1. Eat slowly and stop at 80% full
Most people (including myself) can often tend to eat their meals far too quickly, which lessens our ability to feel our hunger and appetite cues. Did you know it takes 20 minutes for our satiety mechanisms to kick in? The communication between our stomach and our brain is slow, and because of this, if we eat quickly we are far more likely to eat too much before our brain notifies us that we’re content. An excellent goal would be to aim to spend 15-20 minutes each meal. I realise this may be difficult for some so slowing down by even a few minutes will still have it’s benefits. This way, you will be able to properly gauge your fullness, which will enable you to eat until you’re ‘80% full’ which is defined as eating until you are no longer hungry, rather than eating until you’re full. This may take some practice but overall will be beneficial for your digestion, performance during your exercise, and better sleep if you’re eating before bed.
2. Eat protein dense foods with each meal
Research has shown that not only is a diet higher in protein completely safe, it may actually be important for achieving the best health, body composition (body fat % and muscle mass), and performance. The fact of the matter is, it’s hard to achieve these things with a suboptimal protein intake. By incorporating decent amounts of protein (20-30g for women, 40-60g for men) per meal, you will not only ensure you consume an adequate amount of protein, but you’ll also stimulate your metabolism, improve your muscle mass and recovery, and reduce body fat.
3. Eat vegetables with each meal
Science has demonstrated that in addition to the fibre and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) packed into vegetables, there are also important plant chemicals called phytochemicals which are essential for optimal functioning inside our bodies. Unfortunately an inadequate vegetable intake is something I see all too often, which was reflected in Australia’s new food pyramid released earlier this year which placed vegetables (as well as fruit and legumes) as the food group we should consume the most. Given only an estimated 7% of all Australians reach their recommended intake of vegetables per day, it is something we should all aim to improve on. Including two servings of vegetables/and or fruit during each meal, not only will you regulate your overall food intake but you will also be receiving the many disease fighting benefits that vegetables provide.
4. Eat healthy fats daily
As a general rule of thumb, about 30% of your diet should come from fat, although this can change between each individual. Whilst you should focus on adding monounsaturated (extra virgin olive oil, some nuts, avocados, red meats, eggs) and polyunsaturated (some nuts, some vegetable oils, fish/fish oil) fats, including some saturated fats is ok too as a balance of all 3 types of fat is optimal. The benefits of dietary fat include the balancing of hormones, increased brain and nervous system health, and improved metabolism.
Mastering these four habits are simple and sustainable ways to improve your overall health, body composition, and performance, as your calorie control and food selection will be greatly improved.
(Inspired by the Precision Nutrition Certification Manual)
A fungus that grows underground due to a relationship with hazelnut or oak trees and soil, which is found by the keen smell of a trained dog, and can cost as much as $3000 per kilo. What?
Lucky enough for us, we can buy truffles by the gram for $2 at Superior Fruit in Graceville, but what do we do with them?
Truffles are used mostly to enhance and intensify foods by shaving as thinly as possible, to cover a wider area of food to help create a greater aroma. Best used over simple foods such as eggs, mushrooms, chicken, pasta, and potatoes, while some chefs may challenge the status quo and surprise in a delicious way with their use of truffles.
Given the small amounts of shaved truffle you would use to flavour a dish, the nutritional benefits are limited, but they are known to be a good source of protein given they are from the mushroom family.
Health is our greatest asset – we’ve all heard it before, and deep down we all know it. Taking care of ourselves physically and mentally through exercise should be one of our highest priorities given all the health benefits it brings, but often prioritising exercise can be a challenging one when the calendar is full. Sure, we all have businesses to run, children to pick up, meetings to attend, but I guarantee you someone who is much busier than you is still scheduling time to exercise. As Arnie says below, if Barrack Obama and The Pope can make time, so can you!
Finding that optimal work/life balance can be challenging, but if you follow the following few tips, that balance may be easier to find than you think.
Schedule time to exercise. Enter it in your calendar and make time rather than find time to exercise. Schedule 30 minutes for a workout and some time to shower and change afterwards. Everyone is busy, but let’s face it, if your child needed picking up because no one else could, you could get out of the office. If you had a dinner you needed to attend to which meant you had to leave work by a certain time, you’d make it happen. That same commitment should be made to meeting your exercise needs.
Work out efficiently. You don’t need to spend hours on an activity to see results or to receive the health benefits that exercise delivers. You can do plenty in 30 minutes. Pick something you can do at home, when traveling, or in the gym. High intensity interval training, bodyweight exercises, running, and cycling are all good options. Hire a personal trainer if you need help with consistency and intensity, and therefore the time you do spend exercising is beneficial.
Enjoy what you do. One of the most important points – find something that fits your lifestyle and personal preference, because you are more likely to make time for something you enjoy. Not everyone is a runner or a yoga enthusiast, so don’t do it because you feel as though you have to. If you’re not sure of what you may or may not enjoy, experiment with different activities until you find something. This could mean social sporting competitions, boxing for fitness, dance classes; there’s no right or wrong.
Make it social. Don’t want to exercise alone? Get together a group of friends or work colleagues and join a group activity. Whether it be organising fitness boot camp for your workplace, starting a yoga or pilates class, or joining a social sporting competition such as TRL (touch rugby league) or indoor football, there are plenty of group activities out there to try. Training with friends means you are held accountable if you don’t show, and you won’t want to let the team down will you?
Choose something over nothing. Even if you start by doing the minimum, if it’s more than what you were doing initially, it’s a start. Starting small on little things such as going for walks, or catching public transport every so often is better than doing nothing at all. From there you can build to any of the suggestions in this post .
Once you prioritise your health and start making time to exercise each week, not only will you improve your energy and physique, but you are greatly decreasing the risk of a number of health conditions such as heart disease/stroke, certain cancers, and depression/anxiety. Despite everything that we face each day, it’s easy to forget what our biggest asset is, and that is living a life with good health, because without that we can’t achieve much!
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Straight from the ‘Coles Feed Your Family’ online page, this steak recipe is by former Masterchef contestant Michael Weldon. An easy variation of a simple meal with some added flavours while being high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients (serves 4):
4Scotch Fillet steaks
2tbspolive oil
60gbutter
4sprigsthyme
2clovesgarlic, crushed
150mlred wine
1tbspbrown sugar
250 gGravox Traditional Gravy Single Tub
1tbspred wine vinegar
500gkale, stalks removed (or
1 1/2tbsplemon juice
800gbaby washed potatoes, chopped, steamed, to serve
Method:
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Brush with half the oil. Heat a frying pan over high heat until very hot. Add the steaks and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and add the butter, thyme and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to your liking. Baste the steak with pan juices. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil and set aside for 5 minutes to rest.
Meanwhile, combine the red wine and sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Cook until the liquid reduces by 2/3 and the mixture is slightly syrupy. Add the Gravox and red wine vinegar. Stir over low heat to warm through. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
Heat the remaining oil and kale in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir until kale has wilted. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
To serve, place the wilted kale on the plate. Top with steak and drizzle with the red wine sauce. Serve with steamed potatoes
Making sense of what exactly is good and bad nutrition is a tough gig for most people. You could bet your bottom dollar that for every piece of information you find on what you should do, there will be a counter argument somewhere as to why you shouldn’t do it. Thankfully, Nutrition Australia finally released it’s new and revised food pyramid last month which aims to clear things up. Let’s take a closer look:
1. Vegetables take centre stage
The bottom layer of the food pyramid is now predominantly vegetables as well as legumes and fruit. With the high amounts of vitamins and minerals present in these foods, they have been linked to a reduced risk of a number of serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.. Vegetables and fruit are also high in fibre which helps with weight control. Given an estimated (and shocking) 7% of Australians reach the recommended daily intake of vegetables, this is a good start to the new pyramid.
On a side note, while both are good options, still aim to eat more vegetables than fruit.
2. Include healthy grains
The renamed carbohydrates group has shifted up from the bottom of the pyramid to put more emphasis on Australians eating more vegetables. Carbohydrates, even with their bad reputation these days, are essential in a healthy diet and the new pyramid encourages (whole)grains such as quinoa, brown rice, multigrain breads, and oats which are also all rich in fibre. That being said, other carbohydrate options such as white rice are not poor options and can easily be included in a well balanced diet.
3. Have a mix of different sources of protein
The second top layer emphasises consuming a variety of protein sources from dairy, meat, and non meat products. While red and white meats are the obvious choices of protein, people often forget dairy products (such as cottage cheese and greek yoghurt; whey protein powder also falls in this category) are also rich in protein as well as being high in calcium.
Consuming a mixture of fish, nuts, and seeds will not only give you variety in your protein, but will also help you reach your recommended intake of healthy fats.
4. Fat is good
Fats are often neglected but they have major roles in the body which include manufacturing and balancing hormones and improving brain and nervous system health. A mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are ideal for optimal health. They can be found in oils, avocados, nuts and seeds, fish, and eggs.
5. Junk food has been canned
The previous food pyramids had junk food at the top in the ‘eat in small amounts’ category, and whilst I think the amended food pyramid is much better, I will say that eating a small percentage (under 10% of your daily intake) on whatever you wish will not have an effect on your overall body composition and will also help you control cravings. For the average person though, not having the junk food option on the pyramid is the correct stance.
All in all, Nutrition Australia has done well with the updated version of the food pyramid. For the average person, it is a good starting point to refer to and if followed consistently would definitely improve the current eating habits of Australians unfamiliar with good nutrition practices. Putting more emphasis on vegetable intake is a much needed addition to the pyramid, and is definitely one aspect of nutrition which is hard to disagree on, regardless of what your good and bad nutrition stance is.
A real winter favourite with the addition of ginger which is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ingredients:
o 1 large shallot (about 50g), peeled, cut in half
o 1 long red chilli (about 10g), cut in half
o 8cm-piece fresh ginger (about 30g), peeled, coarsely chopped
o 3 cloves garlic, peeled
o 2 limes, zest and juice separated
o 1/2 punnet fresh coriander (about 8g), leaves and stems separated
o 1 tablespoon canola oil
o 3 medium carrots, peeled, sliced
o 900g Kent pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 3cm pieces
o 5 cups chicken stock or water
o 400ml can coconut milk
Method:
1. In a food processor, blend the shallot, chilli, ginger, garlic, lime zest and coriander stems to form a paste-like mixture.
2. Heat a medium heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and paste and cook for 2 mins or until mixture is fragrant. Add the carrots, pumpkin, stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 mins or until vegetables are tender.
3. Using a blender, and working in batches, puree the soup with 2 tablespoons of lime juice until smooth and creamy. Season with salt. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with remaining coconut milk and coriander leaves.
As the mornings become cooler and the daylight hours decrease, motivation for exercise before and after work can begin to diminish as it competes with extra sleep in a warm bed or a hot meal sooner in the evening. Sure you have that weight to lose, but what harm will missing one day really have? Well, these missed days tend to accumulate more when the weather is cooler and before you know it, your consistent routine is something of the past. Often in life, you need another person to inspire motivation, and exercise is no different.
Even if you are seeing a personal trainer for motivation, sometimes you need a little bit more. That little bit more comes in the form of a training partner. Whether it is your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, family member or best friend, training with someone else both in and outside of your PT sessions can be of great benefit to you. Some of the reasons include:
1. You’ll miss fewer sessions. When your motivation is lacking, you have someone else to answer to now. Cancelling is one thing, but you won’t want to cancel on a friend or your partner!
2. You’ll work harder. No one wants to be that person holding back the team. Training with someone else will push you to reach a higher intensity. You can also encourage each other throughout the workout.
3. Your bank account will thank you. When two people are training with a PT, you split the costs. This is a great way to receive extra attention to detail that a trainer can give you versus a busy boot camp.
At JS-PT, the most common 2-on-1 sessions are couples training together, however more friends are enquiring and starting these types of sessions due to the financial benefit. An extra benefit with the JS-PT 2-on-1 sessions is the option of training in a gym of which has no membership payment required, or training outdoors. Now keep your exercise frequency and consistency this autumn and winter, and find someone to start exercising with!
You can have the best nutrition plan in the world, but if your compliance to the plan is low, your results will be minimal. Those that travel for work often know all about the challenge of remaining compliant with their plan, and even those that travel occasionally can relate. If you fall into this category, then the following strategies will help you increase your adherence to a nutrition plan.
Choosing the best location
Whether you’re away for a conference for a couple of nights or working in an interstate office for the week, your first priority should be location. Not just in relation to where your work commitments are, but how close are you to supermarkets/gyms/restaurants from your hotel? Are you within walking distance? Without these type of places being close, it’s easy to make poor selections.
Choosing a room with kitchenette
Price is an obvious factor here, but a room with a kitchenette or even just a fridge, you can stock the room with healthy snacks/meals such as fresh fruit and vegetables, yoghurts, breads, sliced chicken/turkey, milk, bottled water etc.
Research restaurant menus in advance
If you intend on eating out, hop onto the websites of the possible restaurants where you intend on eating so you know what could potentially fit into your plan.
Bring protein supplements
Often the biggest challenge for people who travel often (even those who don’t) is maintaining adequate amounts of protein. If you are using the above strategies then you should be doing well to maintain sensible eating patterns, but bringing your own protein powder down is a good and quick fall back option if you aren’t able to eat as well as you would like.
While these are pretty simple steps to take when travelling, sometimes it is easier said than done to be compliant with a good eating plan. Put into place these strategies and help increase the likelihood of you remaining on track with your nutrition goals.
Zucchini slices are a great way to add more vegetables into your overall diet, especially when served with a side salad. They make for a great lunch, dinner, or snack, and are perfect for your weekly food preps. One of my personal favourites!
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Ingredients:
2 zucchinis
4 eggs
2 spring onions thinly sliced
1 carrot
1 red capsicum
175g packet of short cut bacon
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup grated cheese of your choice (this was mozzarella)
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Side salad: baby spinach, rocket, cherry tomatoes, spring onion, sunflower kernels
Method:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan and line the base and 2 long sides with baking paper.
Place the zucchini, carrot, capsicum, spring onion, bacon, cheese and flour in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the egg, milk and oil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 40 mins or until firm to the touch. Set aside to cool. Cut into squares. Serve with side salad
Step 1: Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the coconut milk and water and bring to the boil.
Step 2: Reduce heat to low. Add the chicken, pumpkin and lime leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Add the beans, peas, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until the beans are bright green and tender crisp.
Step 3: Serve with rice. Top with Thai basil leaves.
After a couple of months of transitioning from one gym to another, JS-PT has officially made the full time move over to Flow2 Gym in Milton (159 Coronation Drive).
If you’ve been following the Instagram and Facebook pages, you would have seen a few photos and videos of all the action that’s been happening. With a wide array of equipment which includes a matrix style fit out, battle ropes, sleds, gymnastic rings, suspension training, kettle bells, and slam ball in conjunction with plenty of traditional free weights; this has made one on one sessions, small group sessions, and boot camps in the gym much more challenging and fun.
To celebrate this, JS-PT is offering newsletter subscribers their first 2 sessions for only $22!So come in, and experience for yourself a workout that takes you to the next level! Email info@js-pt.com.au for more info on how to get started. And whilst memberships to Flow2 are available, JS-PT clients don’t have to pay a membership to receive personal training/small group training (2-4 people).
“Increasingly common, yet poorly understood. Felt intensely by the sufferer, yet often invisible to the outside world.”
