You are what you eat.....

To get best results from your training, your nutrition has to be spot on, 70% of what goes on in your body is to do with the fuel you consume.

CHeck out this food quiz - http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/F/food_quiz/

DID YOU KNOW - One cup of cooked broccoli has more vitamin C than a fresh orange. Vitamin C enhances iron absorption, making lightly cooked broccoli an ideal companion for iron-rich poultry, seafood or meat.

Fat Hormones

We had an amazing guy come speak to us at work a year or so ago about stress and hormones. Matt Church - what drives you? Are you always tired or cranky... it could be all about the hormones that are running around your system.

Adrenalin
Fight or flight? Adrenalin is what makes you react. We have 2hrs a day of adrenalin to use - tap into this to help release other relaxing hormones to balance you out.

Cortisola
You require a certain amount of cortisol in your system to: Help the body to manage stress, Convert protein into glucose to boost flagging blood sugar levels, Work in tandem with the hormone insulin to maintain constant blood sugar levels, Inhibit inflammation, Contribute to the maintenance of constant blood pressure, Contribute to the workings of the immune system.

If you are contantly tired, cranky and irritable, you are running purely on cortisol, not a good way to be.

Serotonin
is the messenger in the brain affects emotions, behavior, mood and circadian rhythms. A chemical necessary for communication between nerve cells.

Melatonin
The hormone of darkness - helps you sleep better, regulates your body temperature. If you are affected by caffeine or suffer bad jetlag you are running on this hormone.


http://www.acui.com.au/_uploads/103352MATT_CHURCH.pdf


http://www.musclebomb.com/fat_hormones.html

This guy is a legend, he is the most switched on trainer I have read about and his stories, client pictures are truly motivational. Joe Rocks. So I hope he dosen't mind that I have put this link on my site (back to his website....) to educate the reason behind how fat is released into the body and used by the body.

Fascinating stuff.

What do you have to do to get fit and healthy?

As a trainer a lot of people ask me what they need to do to loose weight, get fit and "tone up". I find that a lot of people do go to a lot of effort to loose weight and tone up but wonder why they don't achieve the results they eagerly want. I narrow it down to three words:

*nutrition
*motivation
*exercise

70% of what goes into our mouth is responsible for how our body looks, feels etc. If you eat badly your body will repay you by having a few extra kilos on your frame, you will feel lethargic, sleep badly and overall not be a happy person. If you give your body the nutrients it requires to function properly you will feel fantastic, sleep well and be able to enjoy your life with a bigger smile on your face. You are SO what you eat.

Everyday you need to eat a wide variety of foods, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts/legumes, dairy products, cereals/grains and fats.

Try adding fruits to your cereal or mushrooms.tomato to your morning omelette.scrambled eggs... eat protein at every meal to keep your insulin levels regular (not spiking.... having just carbohydrates increases your insulin levels into the body).

Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables - lots of colours means you ar receiving the nutrients and antioxidants your body requires to keep healthy.

Lean meats are excellent sources of protein, iron and I find kangaroo is the most low fat, high protein, high iron meat... very tasty, gorgeous with a sweet potato mash and steamed greens. Tuna, salmon also great sources of healthy fats.

Dairy is a much needed sources of calcium if you don't consume many leafy green vegetables, fish with bones, tofu or fortified products. Skim milk has the calcium and protein you require with half the fat. Mix yoghurt with fruit, have oats with fruit and skim milk or soy.

Healthy fats are flaxseed oils, avocado, olive oil, nuts... try to have healthy fats every day they are rich source of energy and is important for carrying fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and certain antioxidants. Fats also supply essential fatty acids for healthy skin and have a role in regulating body functions.

If you get your nutrition right and enjoy your favourite foods once or twice a week and eat well, you will notice the difference. Don't sabotage your good work for food that you don't really need or appreciate. Save those tempting foods for special occasions.

Motivation - surround yourself with people and environments that make you feel happy and inspired, read books or watch movies on people who inspire you to achieve the goals you want. When you are happy you will release the good hormones and less cortisol. Adrenalin is released after exercise and helps balance your seretonin levels (the relaxed hormone) the more you stress you more you release the stress hormone, cortisol.
Put pictures on your fridge of a time when you were happy, imagine yourself in a nice outfit or enjoying a holiday feeling healthy and having lots of energy. Don''t let negative people sabotage you - you are in control of what you do and how you achieve your goals, your friends and family should support you.

Exercise - to keep healthy and feeling fit, exercise at least 3 times a week for 30mins. That is all it takes. Do what you love, whether it is classes, swimming, weights and try and challenge yourself, keep a journal of your training and eating, see how it affects your moods. Make exercise an important appointment in your diary, and stick to it like you would any other appointment. To change your body shape you need to CHALLENGE your body -push yourself, do interval training, increase those weights and increase the cardio levels by getting your heart rate in the fat burning zone.

Exercise reduces your blood pressure, improves fitness, flexibility, maintains bone strength, improves heart function, improve muscle strength, releases stress on lower back, improves joint function, decreases weight, improve mental outlook, reduces stress....... and more. 3 x a week - all you need.

How does Cortisol work with exercise, weight loss?

Cortisol is a vital hormone produced by the adrenal gland and is also known as the "stress hormone" as it responds to stress. Increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and also has immunosuppressive actions.

The body has higher levels in the morning and lower at night, normally. When the body is stressed it releases cortisol into the bloodstream, in higher levels during fight or flight response to stress (fight or flight can release adrenalin and cortisol). Stress can be either psychological (mental and emotional) or physical.

High levels can lead to an increase of abdominal fat, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and can also increase your bad cholesterol levels and decrease your good cholesterol levels. High levels of cortisol also decrease bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis, it will slow down your metabolic rate and decrease muscle tissue.

Different people will have a different level of cortisol, some will be more receptive to stress and eat more food, in particular carbohydrates.

Relaxation and changing your lifestyle will help you reduce cortisol levels to normal and decrease your chances of weight gain, high blood pressure, bone density etc etc. Relaxing can be simple as breathing in and out or walking with good breaths relaxing the body.

Weight loss, lean muscle mass & healthy living

Women like to hear the word "toned" and men like to hear "muscle mass". I tend to use the term "lean" muscle mass when training my female clients and talking to others curious about how to get rid of the tyres and flabby bits.

We have all gotten more worried about "loosing those few extra kilos" to look good rather than weight training and exercising to keep healthy and disease free. We stress and stress about our bodies. I get so frustrated when people go to HUGE efforts to detox, diet and stress to loose those flabby bits or kilos - where if they just watched what they ate, ate in moderation, exercised a few cardio sessions a week and did weight training they wouldn't be participating in the yo yo dieting/exercising life competition. Sounds soo easy dosen't it. Why do we struggle to achieve the goals we really want?

Making the effort to have toned muscles will mean you have strong muscles. Strong muscles are firmer – they look better – and they help avoid potentially debilitating bone and joint injuries. Doing strength training exercises can increase your lean body mass (the non-fat parts of your body), which raises your metabolic rate, so helping with weight management.

A kilo of muscle will burn 50 to 100 calories a day at rest whereas a kilo of fat will use up only about 5 to 7 calories a day. Muscle takes up less room than fat so you will look leaner and fitter, stronger posture and fabulous. The scales mght not tell you the weight you "want" to be as muscle weighs more than fat.... measure yourself and go by your clothes.

Squats - best compound movement to shift fat and get toned.

Ever wonder how to maximise your workouts at the gym and loose body fat and gain lean muscle mass? Compound exercises will help you achieve that goal.

The squat is one of the best exercises you can do to totally work your body - the agonist muscles (main) used in a squat are:- quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, hip flexors, calf muscles.

Quadriceps
Vastus medius
Vastus intermedius
Vastus lateralis
Rectus femoris

Hamstrings
biceps femoris
semimembranosus
semitendinosus

Gluteals
Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

Hip flexors
Iliopsoas (Iliacus and Psoas Major)
Rectus femoris - is a quadricep muscle which crosses the hip, enabling to flex the hip and also extend the knee

Calf
gastrocnemius
soleus


There are many different ways to work these muscles with squats. Smith machine, barbell, dumbbells.

Lactic Acid - increase your lactate threshold

Do you know what lactic acid is? Do you know you can increase your lactate threshold?

Energy is required to perform exercise. There are three systems which provide the body with energy:-

ATP-PC (anaerobic phosphate system )
This provides the body with sudden bursts of energy from ATP stored in the muscles. The bodys first supply of energy. Maximum suppy is 10 seconds. For energy to last the body has to access it from other energy sources.

Sprinters use this system. Think of the men's 100m sprint - totally using this anaerobic system).

Lactic acid
Also provides the body anerobically by using glycogen (carbohydrates) to resynthesise ATP - this is called anaerobic glycolysis. In anaerobic glycolysis the body’s glycogen stores are broken down into glucose, pyruvic acid and a waste product called lactic acid. The energy released during this process is used to resynthesise ATP.


Aerobic
ATP is resynthesised with oxygen. As long as you have sufficient oxygen supplies, your energy levels will remain. The by products of this process are water and carbon dioxide ( co2 exhaled by the lungs, h20 used to help the body cooling system).

After 2-3 mins your body is able to provide oxygen to working muscles for production of ATP. This occurs in the mitochondria (cells powerhouse). The presence of o2 inhibits the build up of lactic acid. The final stages of aerobic metabolism from fats and carbohydrates occur in the mitochondria in a complicated series of reactions within the Krebs cycle. (Also know as the Citric acid cycle).


COMBINING THE SYSTEMS

The 3 energy systems usually combine to provide energy for our muscles when exercising.

E.g. Walking and Jogging – the main energy system used is the oxygen system / Aerobic system. However, if during the run you go up a hill or set of stairs, you will have to choose one of 2 things
1. To continue at a slower rate
2. Walk or Jog at the same pace

If the hill / set of stairs is long then a sustained effort cannot continue as there is too much of a demand of the Lactic acid system as in this intense form of activity this is the dominant energy system. You will notice that the breathing rate will increase and the onset of fatigue will come quickly. When the stairs are climbed or the hill conquered the heart can again provide the muscles with enough oxygen and the dominant system will become the Aerobic system.

Therefore it is correct to say that the energy system used will depend on the intensity and type of the activity being performed.

Energy production for the first stage of exercise comes from either the
ATP – PC system or the Lactic Acid system. Continuation of exercises requires the aerobic breakdown of Fats or carbohydrates to produce ATP.

Most Lactic acid (produced during anaerobic glycolysis) is taken from the muscle to the liver where it is concerted back to glucose or glycogen. Some lactic acid accumulates inside the muscle. After exercise extra oxygen is needed to break down this LA inside the muscle. The oxygen is also needed to make more ATP- PC and glycogen and payback the oxygen borrowed from the blood. This payback of additional oxygen to restore body systems to their previous normal state is called Post exercise Oxygen consumption OR Oxygen debt. This means that your heart and respiratory rates will remain elevated for a period of time after you stop exercising. If there is no Cool down then the LA will build up and effects such as Cramping, reduced flexibility and muscle soreness are likely consequences.

Do you know your VO2max?

What is VO2max I hear you ask!

To measure your fitness you need to know the volume of oxygen (ml) your body consumes whilst exercising at your maximum capacity. VO2max is the maxiumum amount of O2 in milliletres you can use in one minute per body weight (kg).

The fitter you become the more oxygen your body will consume, allowing you to exercise longer and at higher intensity. It has been proven that is you increase your exercise levels to 3 -5 times per week training for 20mins between 65-85% of the VO2maximum you will see results.

Male athletes have a mean average of 3.5L/min and females 2.7L/min

To test this the step test is the easiest way to find out your fitness levels.

Ensure you have a good bench with a good step height (no higher than 15'')

Step up and down for 3minutes and then find your pulse, take for 15 seconds and times by 4 to get per minute heart rate.


Female Levels

Age 20-29

Poor 23.6 - 28.9
Fair 29.0 - 32.9
Good 33.0 - 36.9
Excellent 37.0 - 41.0
Superior >41.0

Age 30-39

Poor 31.5 - 35.4
Fair 35.5 - 40.9
Good 41.0 - 44.9
Excellent 45.0 - 49.4
Superior >49.4

Energy - ATP (Body's Energy Currency)

As we know all energy originates as light from the sun. Plants convert this into chemical energy through the process photosynthesis. We therefore eat the plants or animals that have eaten these plants, passing the stored energy onto us. In food energy is stored as fat, protein or carbohydrate.

As we know energy is required for many different functions in the body from cell regrowth, muscle repair etc. Muscle is powered by adenosine triphosphate - this is made up from adenosine and tri phosphate groups (3). When hydrolysis occurs (one molecule of ATP mixed with water) the last phosphate group splits away and releases energy. The molecule then becomes adenosine diphosphate or ADP2.

To replenish the ATP levels another phosphate must be introduced, this is called phosphorylation. If this is done with oxygen (o2) it is called aerobic metabolism and without oxygen (o2) it is anaerobic.

Stored ATP in body 100g.

There are four energy sources or substrates used for ATP production.

Creatine Phosphate - readily available and rapidly produces ATP. It is limited to 12g in the body.

Fat - is stored in the adipose tissue (A type of connective tissue that contains stored cellular fat) throughout the body and is a substantial store. Fat is less accessible for cellular metabolism as it must first be reduced from its complex form, triglyceride, to the simpler components of glycerol and free fatty acids. So although fat acts as a vast stockpile of fuel, energy release is too slow for very intense activity.

Carbohydrate - At rest carbs are stored in muscle and the liver, the muscles then convert to glycogen to form ATP. From the liver it will be turned into glucose and transported to muscles via blood. Carbohydrates can realease energy much quicker than fat.

Protein - For protein to be used as energy it it broken down into amino acids and then converted into glucose. Protein cannot supply as much energy as carbohydrate.

The rate at which is energy is released from the substrates is determined by a number of factors. For example, if there are large amounts of one type of fuel available, the body may rely more on this source than on others. The mass action effect is used to describe this phenomenon.

The amount of time is important inbetween exercises to replenish the ATP-CP stores. To replenish fully allow 2mins. This is why you have a break in between all weight training.

Explaining Calories - All energy eventually degrades to heat. The amount of energy we consume and expand is determined as measurement of heat. Energy is measured in calories. A calorie is the amount of heat energy required to raise 1 gram of water by 1degree Celsius.

Calorie Input & Calorie Output

I am sure you have all been glued to the set of the biggest loser and seen the amazing transformation that these people have achieved right in front of the nation's eyes.

I have been doing Jillian's approach for the past week and I must say it defnitely is something that works for me. I like to do alot of exercise and I enjoy a variety of weights, aerobics, cycling & swimming and I find that I can do a couple hours a day when I have the time and this lets me control my calorie input.

Jillian's basic formula is really quite simple. The idea is to get you moving, exercising, burning the calories to shed the excess weight. The formula is:-

Female 655 + (4.3 x weight in lbs) + (4.3 x height in inches) - (4.7x your age) = your BMR or Basic Metabolic Rate

BMR - is the amount of calories (energy) the body requires to function everyday to keep your body at homestasis (body balance).

You then add from one of the following:

office worker, sits most days 1.1
office, moves around quite a bit 1.2
walking around in job, on the go most of the day 1.3
heavy labour 1.4

This is your total intake for the day if you want your weight to stay the same. This is what your body requires to function (heart, lungs, brain).

So multiply your daily calorie amount by 7 to get your total weekly intake.

LOOSING WEIGHT

If you wish to loose 1lb a week minus 3500 from your weekly calorie intake figure, divide by 7 and this is your daily intake required to loose a 1lb a week.

To loose 2lbs a week (highest amount recommended) take away 7000 etc.

Note* 2.2lbs = 1 kgs

EXERCISE

Adding exercise into your daily routine will help you have more calories (energy) to burn! The following is a guide for a 175lb woman for 60mins exercise. Work out what suits your weight.

Walking 2.5km/hr 349
Jogging 3km/hr 526
Swimming 349
Cycling 8km/hr 710
Heavy Aerobics 594
Light Weights 322
Intense Weights 542

You NEED to ensure you include any exercise calories into the daily input. You require this to keep your metabolism working regular. Your body requires these extra calories (energy). It is up to you to work out an efficient way to incorporate you weekly calories.

My tips to help you shed those lbs. (guidance only, I found these have worked for me, everyone is different and I am not a doctor) Always get a check up before commencing a new diet, exercise routine. Or as I call it a lifestyle change.

* Drink at least 1-2L water per day
* Cut caffeine to 1-2 times a day
* Green tea
*Exercise everyday, walk, swim, cycle, dance get yourself moving and your heart pumping for minimum 45mins
*Make the time for you, sit down and plan your week, write lists or do what works for you with planning & stick to it - from exercise to food shopping, meeting friends
* Ask friends to support you on the road to your goal, support helps you so much, don't let others influence your decisions, stick to YOUR goals
*Eat wheat twice a week only, try rice, oats, corn, rye alternatives
*Eat more fruits, vegetables
*Enjoy red wine in moderation
*Red Meat once a week
*Try soy products instead of dairy - same amount of calcium I find it less bloating and irritating for stomach disorders (IBS etc)

Good Luck!!

Fat Facts

Fat - a word that not many people like to hear.

Fact - most people aren't having enough FAT in their daily diet.
Fact - muscle does not turn into fat, nor fat in to muscle. Imagine salt and sugar, can they become the other? No they cannot, it is physically impossible. What happens is the muscle goes into atrophy phase (decreases in size) making it seem like your muscle has turned into fat. If you decrease exercise and keep the same food intake you will store more fat.

Why do we need Fats?
We need fat in the body to protect vital organs and to insulate the body. Without a protective layer the body is at risk. From skin health, heart benefits, hormone production, efficient immune system and more we require a certain amount of what we call "good" fats into our diet.

Types of Fats
Saturated Fat - this is what raises the LDL cholesterol (bad) and can be solid in form at room temperature. Watch out for terms like lard, coconut milk, milk fat & palm oils. All fat on meat is saturated.

Monounsaturated Fat - found in animal and plant fats, oils. Healthier kind of fat but intake should still be in moderation. Plant food sources are peanuts, macadamias, olive oil, canola. If replacing saturdated fat with unsaturated fat has unique properties in reducing heart disease risk.

Polyunsaturated Fat - Comes from plant seeds, from safflower oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed and soybean oil. soya beans, corn and sesame are high in polyunsaturated fats.

Essential Fats or EFA are Omega 3 and 6. They are all polyunsaturated fats which our body cannot make (fatty acids) so we need to have adequate intake. These are important for cell membrane function, blood clotting, controlling blood pressure and reproductive functions.
Omega 3 foods are deep sea fish (tuna, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines) also in soya beans, walnuts, linseeds and green leafy vegetables.
Omega 6 foods are polyunsaturated oils

Facts on Cholesterol
Cholesterol in food is only found in animal products. Our bodies can make it and is done from the liver. If large amounts of cholesterol are eaten the body produces less. Provided the overall saturated fat intake is low the cholesterol levels will remain normal.

Fat Guidelines
**Limit saturated fat in the diet (butter, cream, full cream milk, fatty meats, cakes, pastries and fried foods)
** Eat three fish meals per week (careful of mercury content if you are pregnant)
** Low fat dairy products
** Trim ALL fat off meats, choose lean meat and limit process meat or eliminiate
** Choose liquid fats over solid fats (eg olive oil over butter)
**Incorporate small amounts of unsaturated fat into diet known as "good fats" nuts, avocado, fish, olive oil
**Omega 3 daily (fish, salmon, tuna)

Fat provides more energy than other nutrients with 37kj to 1g fat
(carbs is 17kj per gram, protein 16kj per gram and alcohol is 29kj per gram)

Check out fat quiz
http://www.aca.com.au/cp/food/badfat1.cfm

Carbohydrates - Good or Bad?

Lets go back to school for a minute and learn what carbohydrates actually are and what the body uses them for. Foods containing sugars and starches are carbohydrates (fruit, plants, grains). These foods are digested and broken down into glucose (form of sugar) which the body absorbs. This is released into the bloodstream and used by the brain or muscle as required for energy or it is stored in the liver and muscle.

The recommended daily intake of carbs should be 55%-65%. If you are a physically active person you may need more.

Carbohydrate (CHO) Needs

Minimal activity
2-3g CHO per kilogram body weight per day

Light activity (3-5hr/week)
4-5g CHO per kilogram body weight per day

Medium activity (10hr/week)
6-7g CHO per kilogram body weight per day

Professional athlete (20hr/week)
8+g CHO per kilogram body weight per day

Most of you will be the top two groups unless you have a strenuous job or work out for more than 6hrs per week at 70%.

Wholegrain, mixed grain and white breads, cereals, legumes, fruits, milk, yoghurt, potatoes and refined sugar all contain carbohydrates. These all affect blood glucose levels in many ways. Cereals and pasta also contain other nutrients that the body requires such as dietary fibre, riboflavin, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and protein. The body easily absorbs these nutrients in this form. If you take a mulitvitamin it is only if your diet is lacking the above nutrients and a less effective way to ensure that you have the nutrients your body needs to function.

The main fact to remember is that weight gain occurs from energy intake being more than energy outtake. If you cut out or lower your carbohydrate intake your main energy intake is from protein, fats and alcohol. Think about it, you need 0.75g of protein a day only... that leaves a LOT of FAT to intake to ensure your daily intake is correct. The body doesn't store protein (which contain amino acids). So if you are on a low carbs diet, high protein diet you are putting your body under stain, see below for what the body has to go through.

If the body doesn't receive enough dietary carbohydrate, it will break down muscle tissue to make glucose. This causes muscle wastage, reduced metabolism and a build-up of ketones (byproducts of protein metabolism).

Low fibre intakes can result in constipation, bowel disorders and increased risk of colon cancer.

High intake of animal products (which is usually recommended in such diets) can also be high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which is associated with a range of conditions including heart disease.

The liver and kidneys are put under strain because they have to detoxify and eliminate unusually high quantities of protein by products. Kidney problems may be exacerbated in people with diabetes.

There is an increased risk of developing gout and gall bladder colic.

Greater losses of body calcium may increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Increased risk of dehydration puts the body under pressure.

Recent research shows that weight loss over one year is not greater on a high protein diet when compared to safer low fat eating patterns.

The basic principle of any low carbohydrate diet is that carbohydrates cause weight gain. This is misleading. You gain weight if you consume too many kilojoules (or calories) - it doesn't matter whether they are from carbohydrates, proteins or fats.

Carbohydrates are the ONLY FUEL SUPPLY FOR THE BRAIN, CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND KIDNEYS.
Short term side effects from low carbohydrate intake are nausea, loss of appetite (lowers metabolism), dehydration, lethargy, bad breath, constipation and dizziness.

Recommended daily intake is four servings of bread/cereals, two serves of fruit, five serves of vegetables and two cups of milk. Ensuring that most dairy products are low fat (checking panel on side). Cut fats of protein

Find out what your daily intake should be, don't blame the carbohydrates for NOT LOOSING weight. It will be that your daily intake is more than your output. Things like added sugar intake with deserts and soft drinks will be added intake, dressings, butter, oils etc you get the picture.

Calculator for BMI etc

http://www.getfit.com.au/html/calculator.shtml

Q&A

I have sent an email to friends, work colleagues asking them the following questions, as part of my research to find out what they know, don't know or understand and what they are keen to find out.


Can you please send me through questions and suggestions you would like answered about diet, fitness, exercise, products, lifestyle changes etc and can you feedback to me on the questions below:-

What do you expect from a fitness instructor?
What do you expect from a personal trainer?
What motivates you?
Is being healthy important to you?
Does money stop you from doing more?
What confuses you about diet and exercise?
Do you read magazines to find out more about diet, fitness etc
Have you experience of a "fad" diet? good or bad
Explain to me your interpretation of a calorie?
What is the main function of fat in the body?
What are carbohydrates?
Have you done weight training before?
What do you think of weight training?
What questions do you have about weight training?
Do you believe spot training/reducing works?
Can muscle turn into fat?

Welcome & Introduction

I have always been a curious person. Having an interest in food and exercise from such a young age has defnitely moulded me for the level headed person I am today when it comes to "diets". Who would of thought that all these fad diets would control our lives and be Friday night topics of conversation/debate at the local pub or restaurant?

When did we start to not trust our own minds but start believing all the hype that is published in magazines and put on television? Oh Cosmopolitan said that carbs make us fat, so this must be true, when they know that carbohydrates WILL NOT MAKE YOU FAT! FAT makes you fat.. and so on and so forth.

So my idea/goal/hope is to have an information blog about those kind of queries we debate/argue/are brainwashed on a daily basis, going back to basics and hopefully educating others and myself along the way.

My knowledge of food and exercise ranges from competing in sports from a young age, from swimming, netball, basketball, hockey, golf to weight training in my local gym with friends who are bodybuilders. I am lucky to have learnt about free weight training and how to fuel your body without all the hype of carbs v protein etc. It goes back to simple basics of what the body requires to function on a daily basis before you start adding exercise, stress etc.

I am interested to learn from other people about experiences they have had, the questions they have about exercising and diet... the best way to find out about things is to ask people. I am completing my Certificate III in Fitness Training through FIA and then will continue to do the Level 4 Certificate in Personal Training.