When attempting to make changes in terms of dietary variations you will undoubtedly run into challenges such as when friends or family visit or you visit them and food choice becomes an issue. Sometimes it is just easier not to tell anyone anything as they will often question or challenge you in one way or another.  Ask them to support you rather than questioning you.

I recommend you seek support elsewhere; you could start by discussing it with your coach and setting some goals and targets, allowing them to provide you with accountability, if you know what to do in terms of making the changes.

Otherwise seek professional help to assist you with the right dietary changes that will work foryou and not a celebrity crash diet.

Top Tips

1. Inform close family members that you want to change and tell them why, in details.
2. Talk to your coach about it and make him help you with a realistic plan
3. Get Professional dietary advice and get a custom made individual plan

- Soren Kristensen

You know, there are all kinds of weird and wonderful diets, meal plans and fads “out there”. I certainly agree with modifying eating habits that have not been well self regulated in the past. But sometimes, sticking to the basics is all that is required. And if you managed to shift a few kilos and are now trying to consolidate your good work, here’s some further simple nutrition advice to chew on…

Very few of us understand what real hunger is however, most of us know what overeating is. As we swallow our food in record time every night, we easily take too much food on board and the fact is we need to stop eating much earlier than we do.

My challenge to you is to stop when you are 80-85% full and leave a sense of hunger for later. It has been shown that we humans do better in terms of longevity if we are slightly underfed most of the time.

I have also seen many people experiencing serious issues digesting the massive volumes of food, resulting in bloating and discomfort.

Top Tips to help you Stop, Rest, Decide

1. If you normally use a large plate, change to a smaller plate size.
2. Eat until you have ¼ left on your plate and then ask yourself whether you really need the rest versus you would really like it?
3. Take your time to eat, allow satiety a chance to kick in and avoid the second serve.

- Soren Kristensen, EFM Nutrition

Yep, 20 minutes. How you ask?

Ok, so it’s 20 minutes PER MEAL, but hopefully now that we’ve got you reading this you’re going to get some value out of it!

Have you ever done the 20 minute eating test where you must eat your dinner in a minimum of 20 minutes? Or how about the 10 sultanas in 10 min – 1 every minute?

They are challenges for all of us because eating has become either a time wasting hassle for some where for others it is their life.

Science has shown that it takes up to 20 minutes before the brain receives the appropriate feedback from the entire endocrine system that you’re full. So in scoffing down our meal we’re running the real risk of over-consuming calories!

Top Tips to slow down:

1. Set a 20 minute timer, when the alarm goes you can have your last bite.
2. Put knife and fork down after each bite.
3. Do not eat in front of TV or while reading but talking is a good idea.
4. Chew every bite at least 10 times
5. Notice each bite, smell, taste and try to describe what you experience.

It may take a bit of adjusting to, but is it worth it?

- Soren Kristensen, EFM Nutrition

By EFM Torrensville Fitness Coach George Moustakas:

Wow I can’t believe it has been 10 years! Just so you know Woody has actually been at the club longer than I have… now that’s commitment! He has completed a total 2613 sessions which is an average of 261.3 sessions per year, 21.8 sessions per month & an astounding 5.1 sessions per week!

Let’s put that into context; that’s attending the club 5 mornings a week over 10 years… AMAZING!

Woody was the first member to step foot in EFM Torrensville and is still here to this day. He has achieved some amazing accomplishments over the years and here are just a short few: Winner of the Versa, Rower & Calorie Challenges, Completed the City to Bay, First member to 1000 & 2000 visits & the EFMer of the year in 2002 & 2005!

I am so happy to have Woody a part of this club history and without him I am sure the morning sessions just wouldn’t be the same. Congratulations on all your hard work and success Woody and I look forward to another 10 years at EFM Torrensville!

Alan Wood - 10 year member at EFM Health Club Torrensville

Do you have a new years resolution? In previous years I’ve poo-pooed them a bit (the other 364 days of the year are all perfectly good days to start positive change too!) I have had a small change of heart for 2012, and while resolutions of any sort are usually an uphill climb, you can always get to the top with slow and steady progress.

Given the fear – and past experience – that our best-laid resolutions will fade away before they get too far off the ground, we often dismiss new year’s goal making as irrelevant and useless.

Still, people often do better with their resolutions than they give themselves credit for, and with a few tweaks our resolutions can become part of a valuable self-inventory that can have a major payoff.

According to research by professor of psychology, John Norcross and colleagues at the University of Scranton in the US, 75% of resolution-makers will be successful in mid-January, 50% will still be sticking to it by the end of the month and 40-46% can claim success six months out.

“If you look at it as the glass being half full, that nearly 50% are making their resolutions stick for at least six months is impressive,” says Norcross, whose research examines self-change in general and new year’s resolutions in particular.

And it’s even more striking, given that the typical new year’s resolutions deal with smoking, exercise, finances and similar “life-sustaining issues,” he adds.

Research also shows that even when people give up on a resolution, whatever initial success they have achieved helps lay the groundwork for later improvement. “People build on the small successes,” says Norcross. “They learn how not to relapse quickly, they learn what works and what doesn’t work” to keep them motivated and on track.

So, perhaps new years resolutions aren’t such a bad thing after all? Have a read through this article and have a think about what you might like to achieve in 2012. Below are some tips to help make sure that you’re in the 40-46% group this year!

Change takes time, and some good planning…

So what are the hot tips for making your new years resolutions work? Maximise your chances of success by committing to a few simple steps.

How important is your goal to you? It sounds silly, but you will only ever achieve your goals if they are important enough for you to work towards them. Let’s say I offered you $1 Million dollars to lose 5 kgs in 5 weeks around your current work schedule and commitments. I promise you there aren’t too many people who would fail to drop the 5. Why? Because $1M would be pretty damn important to most people! The reality is, if you could do it with a $1M incentive, you can do it without. You just need to decide that your goals are just as (or more) important than any dollar figure. Only until you TRULY believe your goals are worthwhile, will you effectively work towards them.

With point 1 taken into account, set yourself realistic, attainable goals. Vague goals beget vague resolutions. Grandiose goals beget resignation. Dream big, but start small and build on your successes.

Develop a specific action plan. What, specifically, are you going to do differently to counter the problem? Hint: if it didn’t work for you last year, it needs to be tweaked!

Go public. Public commitments are generally more successful than private decisions. Accountability can be a pain in the backside, but it works!

Get help, ask for advice, and chat to people who are successful in the ways you would like to be! If you already knew the best ways to reach your goals, isn’t there a good chance you would have already reached them?

Arrange your environment to help, rather than hinder. Limit exposure to high-risk situations. If you need to drink less, don’t call your hard-partying friends for catch-ups too often. If you’re trying to cut down on pastries, don’t hang out in the bakery!

Expect occasional slips in your resolutions. Most successful resolvers slip in January. But a slip need not be a fall; pick yourself up and recommit to your resolution. Remember that meaningful change takes time. It takes three to six months before change becomes routine.

Top tips for buying training shoes, by Mina Ward:

Buying running or training shoes can be a complicated and expensive venture. But can make the difference between having an enjoyable running experience and a bad one. It can also reduce your risk of injuries. Where do you go to get the advice needed to get the perfect running shoe? As a physio, I often get asked this question, and here are some little pointers that I often pass on.

The most important point to remember is that everybody’s foot is different. It doesn’t matter what your best friend advocates as the best running shoe in the world, or what is on special offer at the local sports store. You need to understand your feet and what they need in order to perform at their best. This may sound daunting, but if you take the time to figure out your foot type you will reap the rewards.

The main points are:

1. Workout your foot type
2. Try shoes that are designed to support your foot type
3. Make sure shoe fits correctly
4. Feel the shoe
5. Have two pairs of trainers if you run/walk a lot or exercise most days

Understanding what pronation is helps a lot. Pronation of the foot is when the heel bone angles inward and the arch tends to collapse. Feet can vary from over pronating to under pronating.

One easy way of deciding what you are, is to look at the wear on the bottom of an old pair of shoes. If the shoe seems to have pretty uniform wear you probably have a neutral foot. If there is excessive wearing on the outside of the shoe you are an under pronator, and if there is inside wear of the shoe you are over pronating.

Another way of figuring out your foot type is to look at your footprint. Normal arches have a have a perfect footprint. Low arches (or flat feet) as in those people who over pronate, have a fat footprint. High arches, or under pronators present with a considerably smaller footprint.

Now you know which foot type you are you can ask to try on the shoes that give your foot the correct support i.e. stability shoes for pronators, neutral shoes for neutral feet and cushioned shoes for under pronators.

The next important thing is to make sure the shoe fits correctly. There should be no bagging around the toe, but not so small that the toenails are pinching. You should be able to press your thumb into the shoe just above the longest toe and the thumb should fit between end of toe and top of shoe. Also check there is adequate room at the widest part of foot. Shoes shouldn’t feel tight, but shouldn’t slide around.

The heel of the shoe should fit snugly against the back of the foot, and make sure there is a firm heel cup for calcaneal support. Try to walk/jog in the shoes as much as you can before you purchase them. Local sport shops are often most helpful and sometimes have a podiatrist who works onsite.                      

It is also good to have a feel of the shoe, pick it up and see how heavy it feels, this can effect how efficient your running is and how quickly you will fatigue. There should be minimal twisting and torsion through the shoe. Bend the shoe and check that it flexes under the first ray (ball of foot) not in the middle of the shoe.

For those of you doing pose running make sure there is a reduced drop in height from heel to forefoot, then progressing to neutral foot running (or barefoot running). There needs to be a slow progression in order to be able to do this.

The other question often asked is “Do I need a different shoe for running and one shoe for the gym?”

If you are running a couple of times each week and attending the gym a few times in addition, or are a high mileage runner, you should consider having at least two pairs of running shoes to alternate between. The reason for this is that  the cushioning in shoes needs approximately 24 hours to recover between runs or workouts.

Shoes should also be replaced every 500 to 800km or every three to four months as they lose approximately 40-60% of shock absorption properties in this time.

At our physio clinic we are offering a running clinic, which assesses the runners feet, gait, shoes, orthotics and lower limb biomechanics. Over the half an hour appointment we aim to give the person exercises to work on to improve weak muscles and advise on any treatment they may benefit from. 

For any further information please do not hesitate to contact me, Mina Ward at EFM Physiotherapy, suite 3-7 Charles St Plaza (inside EFM gym), Adelaide, 5000 or on 08 8232 2504 or on mina@efmphysiotherapy.com.au.

‘We arrived at our family’s Christmas Dinner on a hot and sunny day so I opened the first beer (105cal) less than 1 minute after arriving.

In front of our table, perfectly within reach from the seated position were the nibbles, which was lucky as I was starving. I chose a handful of honey roasted almonds (165cal), a handful of salt and vinegar potato crisps (110cal) before Wendy came around with a glass of Sparkling Red (97cal).

I moved to the other table and found the platters and chewed on 7 rice crackers (52cal) with the wonderful avocado dip. Since I have been told avocado is good for me, I made sure I didn’t hold back (100cal)!

Before long my beer was empty and we were called up to taste the starters – the 6 prawns (132cal) dipped in the mayonnaise (67cal) were outstanding but the highlight was the 3 serves of lobster (157cal). Juicy and fresh. I had one of Uncle Bob’s German Beers (135cal) to flush it down and found my seat at the table.

While we waited for the host couple to prepare the main course, there were some of these small Chocolate Santa’s lying around the table. They weren’t that big so while chatting to my table, I easily managed 3 of them (135cal). Uncle Bob came around and filled up our wine glasses right to the top (149cal) before we started dishing up the main course.

I was still hungry so I allowed my eyes to absorb it all and they more or less told my hands what to do! I walked away from the serving table with 2 lamb chops (372cal), 2 slices of ham (95cal), 1 chunk of cheese covered cauliflower (60cal), 2 baked potatoes (202cal) with some garlic butter (92cal), a scoop of potato/bacon salad (126cal), a good dash of gravy (42cal) and a handful of potato crisps (110cal).

Before I knew it, my plate was empty and I saw there had been some new additions to the table. I went back and got a couple of sausages (302cal), a couple of chevapchichis (275cal) and 2 slices of bread (195cal). By then it was time for a refill of my glass and since my wife was driving I had decided not to hold back on that front! Uncle Bob was not late to read my mind, so I had another glass (149cal).

By now, we all moved down to the tennis court but my stomach was hurting a bit so I decided to head back to the main table. While enjoying a discussion with my cousins, I managed to chew on some more chocolate covered macadamias (139cal) and another little ‘innocent’ Santa (45cal).

Soon we were ready for the grand finale and we were happily surprised as there were 4 options. I decided that since it was Christmas I might as well taste all 4 of the desserts, so I enjoyed a small piece of Pavlova (136cal), some chocolate Mud cake (125cal), a small serve of fresh fruit (54cal) with some cream (80cal) and finally a slice of the carrot cake—or as we all called it the healthy choice (149 cal).

To assist all this lovely sweet dessert, we had a Musk dessert wine. I had to have 2 small glasses (173cal).

While all the others went down to watch the younger kids play tennis, I chose to put my feet up and had a look at the highlights from the cricket the week before. Uncle Bob was kind and gave me a LOW CARB beer (110cal) – as watching all this sport made me think about my 10kg goal for the new year. A good decision, I thought.

So the last eating and drinking of the day was the Café Latté (119cal) and the 2 Monte Carlo biscuits (200cal). I must admit I was a bit full and didn’t eat until later that night when we came home! 

THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU EAT 2-3 DAYS WORTH OF FOOD… 4300 CALORIES IS A LOT OF EXTRA WORK!

The Festive Season is certainly a great time to mix socially with family and friends and to enjoy all that the period brings. The end of year function circuit certainly tests our commitment to healthy eating and regular exercise. With “so much to get done” before the end of the year, and with a seemingly never-ending bombardment of unhealthy food options presenting themselves, it’s not difficult to see why some people set themselves back a little in terms of their pursuit of health and fitness.

Here’s 5 Do’s and Don’ts of the Festive Season to keep in mind so that you don’t give yourself an extra month of “hard time” in the New year trying to make up for inactivity and frequent poor food choices in the silly season.

5 Things to AVOID during the silly season

1. Avoid over indulgences. Find the parties that matters for you and have a good time at those 1 or 2!
2. Avoid too much alcohol. Every standard drink of wine is 70 cal—most wine glasses contain 2½ standard drinks = 150cal
3. Avoid snacking. Every handful of chips/nuts is roughly 200cal, a little innocent Lindt Chocolate Ball is 75cal. Often we only snack between meals because it is there … not because we are hungry.
4. Avoid too many cookies. Most cookies are not only very rich in calories (100 cal per cookie) but also very rich in cheap ‘nasty’ fat and you have to ask yourself if you really want to spend 100 cal on a cookie you might not even need.
5. Finally avoid letting go! If you have the attitude that ‘it doesn’t matter’ then it will matter. If you let your guard down, you will be one of those fighting to return to your healthy shape for the next 3 months!

5 Things to DO during the silly season

1. Drink lots of water. Have two glasses of water for every alcohol drink. Save the calories and save the headaches. Most likely you will already be dehydrated due to the heat.
2. Be active. Every day you need to be active, don’t take a break from your club. After a rich Christmas lunch it will not hurt to go for a walk, play with the kids or have a game of tennis. You have had a big lunch where you enjoyed a bit too much, pay it off by an extra workout. Ask your coach what to do in the holiday season.
3. Fresh Food First. Always aim to get fresh food, whether it is sea food or vegetables and fruit before any processed foods. The processed foods contain too many fats you don’t want and usually more calories.
4. Make a plan. Look in your calendar, which party do you want to attend and then pick 1-2 where you will eat and drink whatever you want. At every other party, you stick to a self-agreed limit of alcohol and foods.
5. Dish up a small serve. This will force you to eat slowly, as it can be embarrassing to have an empty plate before anyone else.

The end of the year is a great time for fun and we’re all for life balance at EFM. Just be mentally prepared to limit the unhealthy choices, and above all esle – don’t put off your visits to the club as just a few extra workouts in December will set you up for your fittest, healthiest and trimmest year ever in 2012.

Hi EFMers from across Oz!

Your Fitness Coaches have been a busy bunch over the past few weeks preparing a little something special for you in December… The challenge list for EFMs 12 Challenges of December – your one way ticket to Summer fitness!

Below is the list of 12 Challenges for you to complete. Some you can achieve in a single session, whilst others will be completed throughout December.

We think that somewhere between 2-3 sessions per week will see most of you knock off the lot and in doing so, give yourself a head start on achieving your health and fitness related New Years resolutions.

Challenge 1: Complete 10 rounds of 60 calories in any one session = 600 calories burnt in total.

Challenge 2: Complete 10 minutes of Prone Bracing/Ab Hold in any one session

Challenge 3: Complete 800 upper body reps in any one session

Challenge 4: Complete 400 Squats and/or Lunges in any one session

Challenge 5: Complete 250 Burpees throughout December

Challenge 6: Burn 2500 total calories throughout December

Challenge 7: ‘Club Jester’ – Make your Coach laugh with a joke!

Challenge 8: ‘Coaches’ Choice’ – See your Coach for an individual challenge!

Challenge 9: Attend at least one session in each of the weeks commencing Monday 5th, 12th and 19th December.

Challenge 10: Attend at least twice in the week commencing Monday 19^th December

Challenge 11: Complete 8 sessions OR a total 450 minutes session time in December

Challenge 12: Complete the EFM Cardio Challenge in a single session:

1.    500m Treadmill

2.    1000m Rower

3.    1km X-trainer

4.    50 calories Stepper

5.    100 Star Jumps

6.    10 Burpees

7.    1km Spin Bike standing – 3 minutes if bike does not have a speedometer

8.    1km Spin Bike seated – 2 minutes if bike does not have a speedometer

9.    2km Grinder or 50 calories any machine

10.  25 Step Ups each leg

11.  200 Skips

12.  500ft Versa or 50 calories any machine

Note: The Cardio Challenge counts as 500 calories towards Challenge 6 (burn 2500 calories in December). The 10 Burpees also count towards Challenge 5 (complete 250 Burpees in December).

GOOD LUCK!

Some of the ‘cleaner’ Franchisee look-a-likes shown at the EFM National Conference! We sure had a lot of fun poking fun at each other. Below we have George Moustakas aka Moby, Chris French aka the dude on the right from N Sync and Steve Hughes aka The Commando from the Biggest Loser.

For the record. Steve ‘Hughesy’ Hughes from EFM Woodville was the popular choice for best look-a-like… and took out the major prize of a $1 scratchy ticket!