Heart Rate Monitoring

So it seems that my writing comes in waves. Unless something excites or inspires me, I don't think there is any reason to write about it. Well, after a small draught, I have again found inspiration dear readers and it comes in the form of a Garmin Heart Rate Monitor!

Let me just say that I have been a big fan of the heart rate monitor from the get go.  I originally used it to track the amount of calories I had burnt during a session but my love affair has evolved! Monitoring your heart rate, speed and/or cadence during a training session can be extremely motivating and is a very useful tool when training in your sport of choice. From serious athletes to those of you wanting to track how many more calories before you burn off that burger...... H R monitors are what it's all about!

      Garmin FR60

Advertised as an easy-to-use watch, the Garmin FR60 has a great range of features which I use to track my progress during sessions. The watch can be set for Bike, Run or General fitness and works in sync with tools such as the foot pod and speed/cadence sensor. It has a number of different displays so you can focus specifically on your heart rate or km's covered and receive instant feedback on how hard or fast your are working.



According to a number of reviews, the Garmin FR60 is 98 accurate and compares highly against other similar products. It is water resistant 50m which is perfect for those of us who have a love for a wide range of sports in and out of the water. The watch is easy to calibrate with the extra tools and comes with the USB ANT+ wireless connection so that you can view all your results online using the Garmin software. I will note here that the software is designed primarily for windows (much to my disgust as a preferred Linux user)but can also be used with Mac.

The Garmin package comes with a hard chest strap but a soft one can be purchased for an added cost. There is a male and female version of the watch but both are small and streamlined. I must admit I have only ever tried one other brand of watch, Polar and so far Garmin is a hands down winner!

It is now pretty clear that measuring max heart rate using 220 - age, is far from accurate! However, using it as a general guide may be helpful for beginners or those who are not too serious about training. For those looking for something more accurate check out this article by Joe Friel.

Monitoring how hard your heart is working during a session is a great indicator of cardiovascular fitness. By keeping a record or log of this data over time you can then start to pin point your ideal 'training zones' and the levels at which you need to train to improve your fitness. The monitor will measure your average and your max heart rate as well as your speed over the entire session. It will calculate calories burnt and distance travelled and present to you a calibrated graph of all these results.... it may only be a matter of time before it cooks and cleans for you as well!

A lot of trainers will use HR monitors to keep track of clients progress and to encourage and motivate by showing them something tangible. I wear my monitor during most workouts these days and have even been known to challenge fellow wearers to a a heart rate 'duel'. Heart Rate monitoring has added a new dimension to my training and I never get tired of coming home after a session and having my hard work show up clearly on the screen for all to see!
Be Inspired!

Rest and Recovery. What every fitness addict hates to hear but needs to learn!

I am speaking from first had experience with this one. Over the last month or so I have felt that my body has ' given up'. I have been wondering why my workouts and new running routes have not been giving me the usual excitement and challenge I have become so used to. Yoga sounds like a bore, stair running makes me dizzy and the very thought of completing a triathlon makes me want to curl up and hide!

Most people who know me or have trained with me will tell you that I am fairly motivated and consistent with my training. What I am not so great at, is taking a break to let my body recover. I am the first to admit that I have been guilty of living by the "more is better motto". I often feel that if I am not drowning in a pool of sweat, aching the next day or burning 100's of calories, then the workout has been a waste of time. Well my friends..... my body has won this time and has not been shy in telling me to SLOW DOWN!

Rest and recovery is a vital part of any training. The muscles need time to repair themselves, in order to build up bigger and stronger in the long term. Exercising at a high intensity, too often will likely cause a prolonged state of raised cortisol levels ( a hormone which is produced in response to stress on the body). "High cortisol levels increase muscle protein breakdown and inhibit protein synthesis (building up muscle proteins)". So essentially by over-training, we are doing ourselves more damage than good and are going no where to achieving our fitness goals.
With this in mind, I went on the search for a well balanced workout schedule including good amounts of rest and recovery. Dr Mercola suggests the following:

1. Minimum 2/1 easy to hard workout ratio (easy = maintaining easy conversation while exercising)
2. 1-2 moderate workouts with 2 days in between (moderate = can speak in words but not sentences)
3. 1-2 hard workouts with 3 day's in between.(hard = impossible to talk during workout)

We are all going to have 'good and bad' days with our training but please refrain from over-training and give your body the rest it needs! I need you with me to continue our goals towards a fitter and healthier life!

Lushious

Gourmet Vegan/Vegetarian Catering

 

There are pro's and con's about holding an entirely vegan wedding! In fact you may struggle to find any on your pro's list. If so, you have definatley not had the opportunity to enjoy a meal prepared by the vegan/vegetarian 'Master Chef', Sid from Lushious catering.

My husband and I set out early on to find a catering company which would provide tasty, exciting and reasonably priced vegan food for our wedding. As you can imagine there are not a lot of options in this category and an even smaller number that impressed us! Luckily for us we were holding the reception at my family home which allowed a great deal of flexibility and a large cooking space for our potential chef!

I came across Lushious in a simple google search and was impressed with their wide range of options. The man behind the brand is fondly known to me as Sid. He was extremely helpful from the very start and provided us will all the information and confidence we needed to create our menu.
Sid gave us the opportunity to visit his home town for the day for a taste testing session. So, with rumbling tummies, worried parents and open minds we made the trip to Katoomba NSW, to be served by the man himself.

Needless to say the food was amazing and we were sold! Lushious catering offers a huge array of finger foods including, Organic Brown Rice-balls, Sweet Potato and Coriander Croquets and Fresh Rice-Paper Rolls, stuffed with veggies and tofu, served with tamari and toasted sesame seeds. They also have the option of theme based menu's for your main course. We went with the Middle Eastern theme which was made up of delicious falafel, dolmades, stuffed zucchinis and orange infused baklava, just to name a few.

Sid and his 'Lushious' staff created a fantastic vegan buffet which impressed every guest in the house! (even the sceptical oldies) They were professional and enthusiastic from the first email enquiry right through to washing up every last plate!

If you are looking for a catering service in Sydney, vegan or not, Lushious catering would be my first choice every time!!

Check out their website http://www.lushious.com.au/ 

or contact Sid on Mob: 0432 143523

Body composition Analysis

I usually hate testing of any type! Maths tests, test match cricket, 'the beep test'. However I have found one test that did tickle my fancy. VLA testing, or more widely known a Bioimpedance Analysis. I had heard of this before in the form of specialised weight scales that you give you a reading of your body fat percentage and muscle mass. It has always intrigued me but I had not been game to try it.

When my chiropractor told me she offered this type of analysis in a more thorough form, I started to think more seriously about it (after all, she did have my neck in both her hands while telling me.. who was I to say no!)

The analysis provides information on various aspects of your health. It basically gives you an insight into your body composition including percentage of fat mass, active tissue (muscle) mass, BMI and hydration levels, just to name a few.
The testing also provides nutrition information and calculates how many calories are ideal for your particular body to be consuming and breaks that down further into what percent should be protein, carbs and fat. Needless to say, this simple tool produces eye opening data which I found extremely useful for my ongoing health and wellbeing goals.

The test is done by a qualified practitioner who attaches leads to your hands and feet and passes a low voltage electrical current through your body. This may sound alarming, but it is safe and painless and apparently is a similar level of current to using your mobile phone.The results were printed out for me on the spot and I had a follow up appointment booked in 2 months. Surprisingly the analysis is not intimidating but rather gives you and your health practitioner and opportunity to discuss where you can make improvements (in my case, hydrating those poor little cells of mine) and also provides positive feedback in regards to what you are doing right! ( only .23 kg of fat mass to lose before I am considered ideal!.. if only it were that easy)

As I mentioned, I had the testing done with my chiropractor Vivienne at Chiropaedic. She is someone I see regularly and who I have full faith in when it comes to my health and wellbeing. Vivienne also used the analysis results to further discuss with me my current nutrition and what small changes I could make to better improve my body composition and my overall health.

Vivienne is offering this to 'sydneywellbeing' readers at a discounted price of $60. (usual price $120) Small price to pay I would say for the huge insight and potential gains it can lead to.

To book an appointment contact Chiropaedic
Phone: 9438 2868 or email chiropaedic@bigpond.com

Pyramid training

Pyramid style training overloads the muscle and is a very effective way of working out! The idea is that you start of easy and continue to add exercises until you reach your peak (or your legs start to shake uncontrollably like mine did).

Check out the Bodyrock challenge I completed this week. It was a brutal session but the different style of training motivated me to do the best I could! I only reached the half way point the first time I tried it, so I am determined to complete the whole set on my next attempt!

Workout Breakdown

Time: +/-30min.Workout Type: Time Challenge Exercises: 5

• Round 1 = 10 Get Ups
• Round 2 =Round 1 + 20x Backward Lunge & Sandbag Press
• Round 3 =Round 2 + 20x Sandbag Squat
• Round 4 = Round 3 + 10x Burpees
• Round 5 =Round 4 + 40x One Leg Toe Touch

Instructions:

This workout is like a game. You start with just one exercise and each round you are adding a new one so that in the 5th round you end up doing 5 exercises. Then you reverse the order and start with 5 exercises and work your way down to the first one.

Check out Bodyrock.tv for a full explanation of all the exercises.

Good Luck!

Sandbag training!

For my birthday this year, hubby bought me a fantastic new fitness tool.
THE SANDBAG! One could expect that most girls would turn their noses up at such a  gift and the reaction of my friends was commonly " but what else did he get you... you know, that sparkles?".

Shall I remind you that my favourite pass time is keeping fit! What more could one want, than new equipment, which once filled with chosen weight, can assist you in working all those muscles we thought " un workable".

The sandbag is increasingly used in workouts to challenge the body in agility, strength and stability.  It appears to be the only fitness tool that actually has the weight shift and move,which means your body must work much harder to perform the exercises. Because sandbag training emphasises the whole body, you will find that each one of your workouts burns more calories than your typical workout with weights or cardio machines.

The bag is sold empty, which allows you to fill it with your preferred weights, sand or in my case '1.5L of water, a bike lock, 2 sweet potatoes and a 1kg bag of rice'. It is important to start off with a relativly light bag, to get your body used to working with such an awkward, unstable object. As you become more comfortable with the equipment, you can add more weight.

I had a few great suggestions of sandbag exercises such as shoulder/overhead press, squats and chest press. These were great to start with!

I want to share with you the 'Bodyrock' workout I completed which incorporated my new sandbag! I had such fun using it and am looking forward to my next session.

Check it out
http://www.bodyrock.tv/2011/03/10/only-girl-in-the-world-workout/

Triathlon Training...update

27:48  
Time recorded for my Second Biathlon attempt 



Well I didn't quite make my goal time of 27:00 but I did beat my previous score by 1min and 3 seconds.

Training logs

I have been thinking recently about what motivates me to keep fit and continue training...
I have mentioned before that I love trying a variety of workouts and fitness challenges but without a platform to record my achievements, I am effectively going no-where. I have used training and nutrition logs in the past and found it very helpful to put my progress on paper. Not only can you monitor your increase in strength/cardio/(insert your own goal) but you are held accountable for the results or lack of results that occur.


There are a number of online training logs out there and which one you use will depend on both how you train and what your goals are. For beginners, or those who do 'general training' and are not working on a particular aspect of fitness, I find a simple daily calendar log to be effective. It allows you to quickly document your workout for each day to ensure you are sticking to your fitness goal.
Sharing these logs with others is also a great way to keep up your motivation levels. Not only can you learn about what others are doing to keep fit but you can add a little bit of friendly competition. Those of you who are training for a specific event or are serious about improving, it might be more useful to try something like this printable workout log where you can pre-plan your workouts, print them off and fill them in as you go. There is nothing better than flicking through your log each month and noticing with delight that you have made improvements along the way without even realising.


I am also a great fan of the 'Food and Mood' diary. It can be used as a tool when trying to lose/gain weight or to pinpoint how food is influencing your mood. What you eat affects your mood, and this, in turn, affects your next choice of food. They are connected in a continuous cycle. By documenting a daily log of food and liquid intake for 1-2 weeks, you may begin to notice interesting eating habits and begin to take measures to address them.

I am keeping a record of my workouts for this month.... why don't you give it a go!

Get Tuff Bootcamp!

Those words hold a whole new meaning now I have been through 2 seasons of training with Roger...

Two months before my wedding in September 2010, I decided it was time to step it up a notch with my training regime. Roger's boot camp came highly recommended, however it also came with a warning...“it's pretty intense”.

And Pretty intense it is!!

This boot camp is not for the faint hearted! After participating in activities known as 'Mount vomit', log training and 'testing day', it is now difficult to feel satisfied with my measly 4km run on the treadmill.

Roger accommodates all levels of fitness but lets no-one slack off. He is encouraging and motivating while maintaining a superb level of fitness and instruction. His workouts are tailored to the strengths and weaknesses of all group members and no session is the same as the last.

In true Bootcamp style, the sessions begin at 6.15am and include a mix of resistance, speed and cardio training. The workouts are super fun and varied and although training is taken seriously, there are always lots of laughs.

Whether you are training for a specific event, looking to get in quick shape before your 'big day' or needing the encouragement and motivation of a personal trainer...Roger is your man!

Get Tuff Bootcamp runs in 6 week blocks and the groups are held in a variety of Sydney locations. Roger also offers individual Personal Training and Adventure Fitness.

For more information check out the website 
http://www.gettufftraining.com/

Vegan Lamingtons

My second most favourite thing after fitness training, is food!

Check out the recipe for yummy vegan lamingtons below. I modified 

the recipe from Shmooed Food, to make a slightly healthier version. After consultation with fellow food lovers, it was decided that regular 'aussie lamingtons', although delicious, are a little too big. The traditional square shape has been converted into a bite size cupcake version.

* I aim to use little or no refined white sugar in my baking. To sweeten up my treats i use a variety of products such as date syrup, bananas, agave nectar or in this case maple syrup. Usually 2 or 3 tablespoons will do the trick but continue to add depending on how sweet you like it.

Ingredients for fluffy cupcakes:

1 TB apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups plain soymilk
2 1/8 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 1/8 cups sugar (replace with your choice of sweet ingredient)
½ cup oil
1 ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. coconut extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180º. Spray muffin tray with nonstick spray or line with paper cupcake liners.
Place the apple cider vinegar in the bottom of a liquid measuring cup and fill the cup with soymilk to equal 1 ½ cups. Stir well and set aside (the mixture will curdle).

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, * sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another mixing bowl whisk together the soymilk mixture, canola oil, vanilla, and coconut extract. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth using a hand-held mixer

(or bright red, very fun Kitchenaid if you own one)

Fill each muffin cup with ¼ cup of batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting. 

Ingredients for Chocolate Icing:

4 cups icing sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup non dairy milk
2 tablespoons non hydrogenated margarine
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl; set aside. 

In a small saucepan, heat the non dairy milk and margarine to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the powdered sugar/cocoa and the vanilla. Whisk until completely smooth.

Dip each cake into the icing, using two forks to help turn and coat all sides. Hold the dripping cake aloft and let the excess icing drip off. Now use two more forks to roll the cake in coconut. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining cakes.

Let the icing set for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a covered container and keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did

5 reasons to go vegan....5 fun ways to do it

1. Health

In a world where we are presented with hundreds of different messages in regards to health, weight loss and dieting, it is helpful to stick to an eating plan that focuses on 1 simple rule EAT WHOLE FOODS.
There is a large amount of evidence to suggest that a vegan or strict vegetarian diet can assist in controlling weight and in the prevention of illness and disease.  The American  Heart association suggests that “vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer”.

My primary reason for switching to a vegetarian and subsequently a vegan diet was originally to improve my general health. With the risk of sounding cliché, cutting out meat and dairy drastically increased my energy levels and I noticed that my often sensitive digestive system was beginning to settle down. It is extremely common these days to hear people complain of food intolerance and allergic reactions. By no means do I claim to be an expert on the body or its complex workings. However, I can be an honest judge of my own health and recognise that making small changes such as switching to Soy Milk, cutting out cheese and excluding red meat from my diet, has done wonders for my overall health and wellbeing.

A vegan diet is made up of only foods from plants: fruits, vegetables, legumes (dried beans and peas), grains, seeds and nuts. It can be varied and exciting, inventive and nutritionally rich!
Protein and iron sources can all be sufficiently accessed through a plant based diet, and the AHA states that vegetarians absorb and retain more calcium from foods than non vegetarians through such foods as spinach, broccoli and legumes. Who would have thought!!

2. Ethics/cruelty free

It is a pretty great feeling to know that no animals were harmed or killed in the making of my meal.
Factory farming and unlawful meat production is a very real issue which is often masked or downplayed by the mainstream media. It is worth taking the time to do some research and inform yourself about how your meat came to be on your table at dinner time. Highly recommended books such as the Omnivores dilemma or Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals’ are great reads to get us thinking about what we are putting in our mouths and who is suffering for our pleasure. 

3. Environment

I’m sure all of us are at least somewhat concerned with the very real impacts of global warming! UN’s top climate scientist Rajendra Pachauri states that “People should consider eating less meat as a way of combating global warming. UN figures suggest that meat production puts more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than transport.”

By eating a diet of plant based foods, we are reducing the demand for mass produced animals and subsequently decreasing the devastating effect that factory farming is having on our planet.
Check out the short video ’Making the connection’ which addresses these issues. 

4. Self Sustainability

Now I recognise that some of us do not have the luxury of a fully fledged veggie garden in our backyards, but think small steps!! It is amazing the satisfaction you can get from watching your little seedlings grow into juicy red tomatoes, colourful chillies and fresh herbs! Using your home grown veggies or spices  to produce a nutritious, organic meal is rewarding beyond belief(kind of like producing your own artwork as a child from simply mud and water). A friend has kindly donated the picture below of her home veggie patch.

5. Oprah did it!!! (if you aren't convinced by the first 4 reasons...) 
Take-a-Vegan-Challenge

1.
is an achievable goal for all of us! Stay tuned for some great vegetarian recipes!!

2. Grow your own 

  Check out the following link on how to create your very own veggie patch/ potted herbs @ www.VeganOrganic.net

3.Attend the Sydney  cruelty free festival

4.Bake a batch of cupcakes from ‘vegan cupcakes take over the world’

5.Go out for a vegan meal.
Check out Happy Cow for a list of vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants

Triathlon Training...update

28:51
The time recorded for my first biathlon!

The event was hosted by Men’s Health at Andrew Boy Charlton Pool in Sydney. It was extremely well organised and a whole lot of fun. The 4km run followed the path lining the botanical gardens and finished with a 300m swim in the pool. The contestants were sent in ‘waves’ so that there was not a mad rush in the pool, with the lightening speed men and women heading off about 10 minutes before ‘wave 4’ (this was me!)

Although competitive and a great fitness challenge, the event was relaxed and the staff extremely encouraging and helpful. It was quite amusing running past all the city dwellers in their suits, as we jogged our hearts out in swimmers, shorts and sneakers.

To any of you thinking of trying out this event, I wish you well! I would encourage all fitness levels to use this as a training tool or simply an enjoyable fitness activity at dusk in a picturesque location.

27:00….. My goal time for next race!

Triathlon training!

                  
I have a new goal!! 


 

(You may notice that I say this a lot.)

 




In order to keep myself motivated I like to mix up my training from week to week. I love trying out new sports and fitness activities and can get just as much enjoyment from a pilates class or Zumba lesson, as a 10km run or gruelling weights session. 2010 brought with it spin classes, bootcamp, stair running, kick boxing, body weight workouts and yoga just to mention a few…

However, this year I am determined to train for and complete my first triathlon. As long distance anything is not my forte, I have decided to go for what seems to be called a ‘sprint’ event. (Whoever decided that swimming 700 metres, cycling 20km and then running 5km was a sprint, probably needs their head checked!). Luckily, I not only have a motivating triathlon buddy but also a very supportive husband, both of whom have been dumped with the role of encouraging me in my latest fitness challenge.
To soften the blow, I have entered a biathlon, run by Andrew Boy Charlton Pool in the city. These biathlon’s run every Thursday evening and involve a 4km run around iconic Mrs Macquarie’s chair, followed by a 300m swim in the Andrew Boy Charlton pool. To me, this sounds much more civilised than an ocean swim and a technical road bike ride.

I'm not new to running, swimming or cycling for that matter, but I also do not excel at any. If I am to complete a triathlon this year without injuring myself or 'burning out', I should probably apply some basic 'tips for success'. (Like most things, I chose a few tips I liked and discarded any that deflated my iron-woman motivation).

1.Don't sweat the technical stuff:

They say this is a sport for everyone. From the well trained iron-man, to the complete beginner. So.... if you are like me and own a very pretty, bright shining bike which you use only to gracefully circle centennial park ..and the only time you have swum more than 700 metres is in your mum's backyard pool, desperate to keep up with broad shouldered and flipper feet husbands...you are ready to enter your first beginner triathlon!

2.Find a training plan that works for you:

After some research I have decided to loosely follow beginner triathlon training guide to help me reach my goals. However, I can’t decide whether to follow the “from couch to 5km” or the "Original Sprint -13 Week To Prepare” section, as I don’t quite fit either.
Each guide suggests a rough plan to follow which slowly builds up your aerobic and muscular fitness. By the time your event comes around, you should comfortably complete the required distance.

3. Rest, Recovery and Sleep:

Three of my favourite words when said in a context of health and fitness. The importance of rest and recovery is something I can vouch for. After a number of knee injuries and a bout of glandular fever, I have finally learned to rest when it is required. Having days where you take a break from workouts or including physical activity in a fun day out, is a great way to stay motivated and ensure your body is ready for it's next challenge.

“Workouts tear the muscles down, and without the opportunity to rebuild, they become weaker instead of stronger”. (Alice Hohol, iron distance triathalete.) Lets remember this and enjoy rest days as much as 'work' days.


Day 1 of my program starts tomorrow, so watch this space for update on my progress and if you like, jump on bored with some training of your own..... I'd love to see you at a race!

Balmoral stairs :

My New years resolution for 2011 was not only to think of different ways to motivate myself, but also to have others  join me in my fitness adventures. So far I have successfully recruited  two of my colleagues to start the year afresh with some challenging and fun workouts.

I should probably warn you that my idea of ‘fun’ has often been questioned (usually half way through a particularly gruelling burpees sequence or towards the end of a trail run in 30 degree heat). Our first challenge was the deadly ‘Balmoral Stairs’. From the bottom of said staircase, these look daunting and quite possibly unachievable. HOWEVER after completing 2 rounds of stair runs and managing to not pass out or hurl, we were feeling pretty smug and on top of the (fitness) world.



This staircase was rumoured to be used as a training tool on Australia’s ‘Biggest Loser’ and to think that we had accomplished a workout created by trainers Shannon and Michelle, we gave ourselves a metaphorical pat on the back and a serious quadriceps stretch.  I even managed to count the number of stairs while running and i came up with 262 ( you are welcome to correct me if in my fatigued state, i miscalculated) 

This workout is great for cardiovascular fitness as well as muscular endurance. Conveniently there are a couple of platforms mid way up for you to have a rest as required. This can act as tool for interval training and will certainly help to keep your heart guessing. To make the session a tad longer we ran from the bottom of Awaba st Mosman, to the stairs and then jogged back on our return. (2.3km total calculated on a favourite website of mine Map My Run)

The stairs are located across the far side of Balmoral park, close to the skate ramp.

 

They are hard to miss once you have crossed the oval as you will see numerous people walking up and down throughout the day and evening. The stairs close at 8.30pm during daylight saving and 6pm all other months.

My aim by mid year is to be able to complete 5 rounds of the stairs in 1 session.

 

Are you up for the challenge!?

Assuage Massage Clinic

Don’t you sometimes find that if you’re onto a good thing....stick to it. This is my feeling about Pete Dent and his massages. Following this therapist as he moved into his own private practice was the smartest decision I’ve made in a while!
With a solid knowledge of the body and its inner working, I have trusted Pete from the very beginning to work his magic on my often stiff and stubborn muscles. From relaxation to brutal sports massage, this man knows his stuff.

I have been going to Assuage now since it first opened and make a point to book monthly appointments, not just as a treat to myself but as a way of preventing injury. Massage is often seen as a luxury in life and something which is regularly put on the end of the ‘to do’ list. I strongly urge you to change this way of thinking.

Pete and his therapists specialise in a number of different treatments such as pre and post natal pregnancy massage, muscle pain relief and sports massage. The sessions I book are typically I hour in duration and cost $85. A small price to pay to keep your body in good working order and to ensure physical and mental well being.

Pete always completes a thorough initial assessment and offers explanations of his treatment along the way. This is helpful to understand why aches and pains may be occurring and how best to treat them, as well as taking your mind off that niggling pressure point!!

Assuage has a number of specials on at the moment so be sure to check out their website: http://www.assuagemassage.com.au/index.php and make an appointment today. 

 Their treatment rooms are located on Level 1, 38 pacific Hwy, St Leonards.

 Pete Dent can be contact via email: peter@assuagemassage.com.au

Bodyrock.tv

Bodyrock.tv

Let me start by saying I am a dedicated ‘bodyrocker’. I first discovered this addiction while lazing at Balmoral beach, with a couple of my Sydney gals. When asking a particular ‘gal’ with a particularly sizzling body what her secret weapon was, 1 word and only 1 was exclaimed...’BODYROCK’.

Those of you like me who are forever searching for the ultimate fitness advice/training log will appreciate that finding an exercise routine that is tailored to your needs can be difficult. Without forking out daily $$ for a personal trainer (who will closely monitor your form, guide you in nutrition and continue to create fun and body sculpting workouts) I wanted something that would keep me motivated.

Bodyrock.tv is a website run by a couple currently living in Prague who post daily exercise routines of the intense, enjoyable and most of all short description!

Zuzanna comes up with a never ending supply of bodyweight routines which cause my heart rate to skyrocket and are starting to considerably decrease my body fat. The posts offer detailed descriptions of each exercise and even have a youtube video so that you can do you ‘bodyrocking’ along side her.



I choose to do these workouts on the floor in my gym but others are known to complete their ‘burpees, jump lunges and jump rope time challenges in the local park or in the comfort of their own living room. As the idea of the routine is quick and intense, you will find that often you have burned off 300 calories in less than 20 mins. Far better than running those never ending km’s on the treadmill.

Zuzanna has a huge amount of followers who are dedicated to these routines and are seeing great results. It is tailored to all levels of fitness, showing beginner modifications for those just starting  while at the same time flirting with our competitive nature by allowing others to try and beat her times/reps. She has started to introduce some interesting fitness tools such as a sandbag, jump rope and  dip station and her workouts target muscle groups i didn’t even know I had!!

anyway.. I challenge you to have a go and see if you too become a dedicated Bodyrocker.

Have fun

(not a photo of me unfortunately but of Zuzanna @ http://www.bodyrock.tv)