Category: Health and wellness


Relief from pain and stiffness

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April 12, 2009

knee-painIf you need help with extra strains and pains experienced when over exerting or suffering from minor injuries, inflammation or muscular cramps and spasms, then I have some good news for you!

I’m sure you would prefer not to take anti-inflammatory drugs, but there are times when you really need some help and have to take something.

There is a natural alternative to help your body heal itself. This is not a pain-killer, or a drug, but rather a natural food supplement designed to give your body what it needs to repair and rejuvenate after an injury or operation.

I have personally experienced the benefits. I started running at 52 years of age in 2008. I had never run before in my life, but I wanted to have a go at the 12 kilometre City to Surf fun run (just for something different – it seemed like a good idea at the time). I immediately began to experience pain in my knees and went off to the physiotherapist for some very expensive treatment and was taking anti-inflammatories, until I discovered this natural alternative. I didn’t recover sufficiently to do the 12 k fun run in 2008, but I am in training and on track to do it in 2009. I participated in my first ever triathlon on 1 March 2009, coming first in my age group and 12th overall. I have also seen the results of this supplement in Eddy, an 84 year old from Perth in Western Australia, who could easily bend down and touch his toes and was jumping around like a delighted two year old at his new found freedom of movement after years of stiffness and reduced flexibility.

This all-natural product has a combination of ingredients that set it apart from other supplements. Some of the key components are:

PROTEASE (Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus Meulus) a proteolytic enzyme that breaks down proteins and aids in recovery from overexertion.

BROMELAIN – a proteolytic enzyme extracted from the root and stem of the pineapple that may reduce swelling, bruising, and pain following surgery or minor injuries suffered during physical activity.

CURCUMIN – a member of the ginger family, is a potent antioxidant which when consumed in concentrated doses shows positive effects as an anti-inflammatory.

RESVERATROL – a phytoalexin that is from Japanese knotweed. It can also be found in red grape skins and other berries. Resveratrol is known for its antioxidant effects.

I take two tablets first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and then wait 45 minutes before having my breakfast. Easy! I ride, run, swim, play tennis and do two structured exercise sessions per week, so I just take the product every day to maintain pain-free mobility.

Whether you’re working out in the gym, playing with your children, doing housework, playing golf or any sport related activity, or generally leading an active lifestyle, this product help the body take care of the extra strains and pains experienced when over exerting or suffering from minor injuries, inflammation or muscular cramps and spasms.

Want to know more? Go to www.mannapages.com/suzi, browse products under WELLNESS MANAGEMENT for further information. Or click on the CONTACT ME link at the top right hand corner of the mannapage and I will respond.

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Do you want to burn calories?

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April 11, 2009

ex-bike-screenA lot of women love the idea that if they are on the treadmill or exercise bike for an hour or more they can burn 400 – 500 calories, and that makes them feel good. The immediate feedback of seeing the readout on the screen telling you how many calories you have burned is very gratifying, and mitigates any guilt you may feel about the chocolate bar or double deluxe bacon burger you ate last night!

The screen readout showing 500 calories burned looks impressive, but the bad news is that the high calorie burn you got from your hour(s) on the treadmill or exercise bike disappears quite quickly. Your body goes back to “normal” shortly after the cardio session ends. Because it has such a short lived effect, this does not make a big difference on your body’s ability to lose fat.

In fact, long sessions of cardio can actually work against your fat loss goals. Muscle is the foundation of your calorie burn – the more lean muscle you have the more calories you burn, all day long (not just when you are exercising). However, the more cardio you do the more you put your body at risk of taking energy from or burning lean muscle. If your lean muscle mass is reduced, your calorie burning capacity is reduced, so your fat loss is slowed. Long sessions of cardio work against your fat loss goals.

As your body becomes more accustomed to the level of cardio you do, ie as your fitness level increases, you will find that you end up having to do more and more cardio to achieve the same amount of calorie burning. It seems that you are working increasingly harder just to maintain a body that you are not really happy with any way!

It can leave you feeling like nothing works. You may think that there is no other option, but to keep increasing the length of your cardio session.

My suggestion is interval training.

Intervals are a type of “cardio” workout where you alternate brief, high intensity periods of exercise (where you are working flat out) with active recovery periods (where you slow down just long enough to catch your breath). High intensity cardio intervals are much more effective than ‘normal’ low intensity cardiovascular exercise – especially in terms of fat loss.

When intervals are performed at an intense level, your body will spend the rest of the day expending energy to recover from the challenge you have given it. This is referred to as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and it means that you consume a great deal more oxygen recovering from the exercise bout than you would have if you’d just done a steady-state workout – this in turn allows you to burn more fat and calories for the rest of the day.

Short and sweet is the way to go. 10-15 minutes of high intensity cardio performed 3 or 4 times per week is all you need to shed fat and “tone up”.

Interval training can provide all of the following fitness benefits:

* dramatically boosted metabolism – both during AND after exercise
* faster rate of body fat-to-energy conversion
* preserves lean muscle (muscle is your metabolism – you do not what to lose this!)
* significant increase in aerobic capacity (Max VO2) = increased endurance and stamina


How to “Do” Intervals:
Example: Walking on the Treadmill

Start with a three to five minute warm-up then go right into your first interval: 30 seconds of brisk walking (or jogging). At the end of 30 seconds, you should be winded and ready to slow down. This will be your active recovery period, slowing your walking down for the next 2 minutes. Then repeat by increasing the intensity of your speed for 30 seconds.

3-5 minute warm up
30-60 sec. “high”
30-90 sec “low”
Repeat this pattern for 4 to 8 complete Intervals (a total of 10 to 15 minutes) and finish with a cool down. You will find that a mere 8 minutes feels quite long and intense.

The wonderful thing about interval training is that it is so time effective. Remember that your 15 minute investment gives you a bonus effect. Your metabolism is revved up and you will be burning fat all day long – not just when you are exercising.

More good news: You actually do not need any special equipment for an effective intervals workout. All you need is your own body! Moves such as jumping jacks, jump rope and running in place provide just the intensity you need for a great interval workout.

So do yourself a favour – reduce the time you spend doing cardio by adopting high intensity interval training, and burn more calories!

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5 tips for fast fat loss

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April 10, 2009

flat-loss-girlFast fat loss tip number one: Calorie Intake


Be sure that your calorie intake reduction is not too extreme. This is the old “less is more” idea. Think about it. Put yourself on a starvation diet and you are just asking for a rebound binge. Sure, you may have great will power and will be able to stick at it for a few days, but you will feel deprived, cave in and when you do, chances are you’ll eat a vast quantity of food in response to starving for so long. This is where low GI eating comes into its own – it means you won’t be starving yourself and you keep your metabolism kicking along. You can really eat well with low GI foods.If your caloric intake is too low to begin with, then where will you go when you hit a plateau? For example, a male will be far more successful starting with 2800 calories and dropping 200 calories every 2 weeks as he evaluates his progress instead of starting at 2000 calories and only having one direction to go – starvation, which will ultimately turn off his metabolism and stall his fat loss progress.

Fast fat loss tip number two: Gradual Progression

Keep in mind your current “nutrition level.” Make the changes slowly to ensure success. If you begin with a meal plan that is too extreme then you will not be able to follow it. One of the best fat loss tips I read about was for a client who was eating two double cheese burgers a day to start eating one double cheese burger! Why wasn’t a steamed chicken breast recommended instead since that is the superior choice? It would be too much of a change. He wouldn’t be able to stick with it and would eventually fail. Don’t set youself up for failure. Make a gradual transition to low GI foods by substituting one food at a time until you have transformed your eating habits to something you can maintain for life.

Fast fat loss tip number three: Celebrate With a Victory Meal

It is good to incorporate a “victory meal” to reflect your accomplishment and progress. If you have gone well for a few weeks and are dropping consistently then kick back and have a beer or do something that is “rewarding”. You won’t sabotage weeks of good eating with one “victory meal” as long as you don’t adopt a mindset that this celebration represents an ending. The key is to use this as a reward, refocus and prepare for another 4-8 weeks of hard training and good food choices. It makes it easier to stick with healthy food choices when you know that a reward is coming up.

Fast fat loss tip number four: Exercise Smart

Take care when selecting your exercise program. Too much cardio can actually hinder your results. Three weight training sessions a week and some high intensity cardio should get you seeing results. If you are having to do hours a day in order to just lose a kilo, something is off with either your diet (most likely) or your exercuse program. Also, don’t do the same old exercises, or you will get the same old results! Your body becomes accustomed to whatever you do. Shock it by doing something different – a different activity, different intensity, different exercise pattern, different frequency. Work smarter, not harder.

Fast fat loss tip number five: Clear The Clutter

Before starting any diet program, you should rid the house of any foods that could be problematic. When at home, if you don’t have it you can’t eat it. Consider your home a “haven”. You control what is coming in and out. You may occasionaly have slip ups outside of your home where you do not always have the choices you would prefer, but sabotaging your fat loss success in your own home is not smart. By clearing out the problem foods before you start, you overcome a huge obstacle already. Replace these ‘bad’ foods with ones that are much healthier and will still taste good, so when you do get hungry, you have only good choices available, rather than the old foods which caused your fat gain in the first place. The rest of the family will not only survive but thrive without the junk foods as well.

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Great Escapade Report

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April 5, 2009

567 kilometres on a mountain bike over 9 days.  Here is my day by day account.  I will post some photos later.

Day 1 Saturday 28 March: Margaret River to Bussleton – 66km We set off from Margaret River at about 9.30 am and cycled along Caves Road under a winding tree covered canopy. Lots of wineries in this area. The last few kilometres into Busselton was along the bike path by the beach – spectacular ocean views and fresh salty air. The camp site was by the beach and we had a bit of trouble getting our tent up as it was so windy. It was OK once we had tied it down. The thing we will remember Busselton for is that we enjoyed the most fantastic iced coffee we have ever tasted!

Day 2 Sunday 29 March: Bussleton to Donnybrook – 67km The ride began along the beach front again, before going through the Ludlow Tuart Forest. Then it got a bit hilly as we navigated the apple growing country down into Donnybrook. After we set up the tent it was off to the shop to buy a few necessities we had not thought to pack – like clothes washing detergent and pegs! Very important to wash the cycling “nicks” out every night so they remain clean and fresh. All sorts of nasty problems can arise otherwise!

Day 3 Monday 30 March: Donnybrook to Bridgetown – 94km This was the most difficult ride day – both because of the length of the ride (94 ks) and because there were some really steep hills! The rise was 300 metres with a couple of immense hills and some lovely down hills to compensate. I lay down on my bike to cut wind resistance and freewheeled down the steep descents. Wish my bike had a speedo so I know how fast I went – it was a great feeling. The afternoon rest area was at a winery, so I had a little sample to fortify me before riding on. Bridgetown is nestled amongst the hills on the banks of the Blackwood River. It is a very pretty little town with many historic buildings.

Day 4 Tuesday 31 March: Bridgetown to Manjimup -51km Since Bridgetown is in a valley, it doesn’t matter which way you exit town, you will have to go up a hill, and we had to go up a very big hill at the start of this leg. After that the route was described as “undulating” and took us past huge Karri trees and into Manjimup. As we got more experienced we became wary of that word “undulating” when it was used to describe the route. I am convinced it is just another word for difficult! It rained quite solidly at Manjimup, which made the camp site soggy. Everything felt damp, and in the morning we had to pack up a wet tent. Not much fun.

Day 5 Wednesday 1 April: Manjimup to Pemberton – 51km There were native forests with giant Karri trees, also some plantations, wineries and farmland along this route. After 5 days of riding we felt well and truly ready for our rest day. It was sunny when we arrived at Pemberton, so we unpacked the tent and it dried out in no time. We relaxed at a wood gallery/cafe before tea.

Day 6 Thursday 2 April: Pemberton – REST DAY There was lots to see – a few people climbed the Gloucester Karri Tree, but we were looking to enjoy a restful day, so we took a bus to the Lavender and Berry Farm and enjoyed absolutely divine berry pancakes and coffee. We got back to camp around noon, just in time to grab our washing in before it started to rain. We went into town for an “all you can eat” curry, then waited for the bus to take us to some wineries for wine tasting. Although we waited in the rain for 45 minutes, the hoped for bus didn’t turn up. We discovered there was wine tasting at the hotel, so we went there and sampled wines from about 6 different vineyards, then had beer and wedges with chilli sauce and sour cream before heading back to camp for tea.

Day 7 Friday 3 April: Pemberton to Nannup – 87km Refreshed and ready to go again, but when we got back on the bike seat it didn’t feel like we had been off at all! This was another one of those “undulating” rides, but there was a fantastic downhill section leading to the lunch spot.

Day 8 Saturday 4 April: Nannup to Augusta – 86km Two big days in a row! The good thing about this day is that the ride was mostly downhill as we headed for Augusta, so it was a much easier ride than yesterday. It was warm and sunny when we arrived in Augusta. There was a festive air at tea, as this was the last night. Lots of wine to celebrate.

Day 9 Sunday 5 April: Augusta to Margaret River – 52km I set off early today – 7.30 am. This was a relatively short ride, but by no means an easy one. They threw a couple of giant hills at us and by the time I arrived at Margaret River I was not sad that the ride was over. A couple more kilometres to ride to pick up the car, then back to collect the luggage. We chilled out in the town with a hot lunch and iced coffee at a cafe before setting off for the drive to Perth.

Overall it was a huge achievement and I’m glad I did it. 567 kilometres! I am sad that I did it on a mountain bike – that made it really hard work and I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more on the road bike.

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HYDRATION and WEIGHT LOSS

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March 15, 2009

Weight loss requires a few things – water being one of the most important.

Many of us do not realise we are dehydrated, or the effects of this.

* In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
* Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
* One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of people.
* Lack of water is the No 1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
* A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and diffuclty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
* Having 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

Drink … drink … drink … water.

Put away the frizzy drinks. Stop buying sweetened fruit beverages. Don’t think that “diet” drinks are a good alternative – the artificial sweeteners used are really bad for you: they stuff up your liver function and make it almost impossible for you to lose weight. Forget the sports and energy drinks – with caffeine and other stimulants, multiple types of sugars and artificial ingredients they are not the health foods they are marketed as. Ignore the advertisements for milkshakes, cold coffee beverages and iced tea. Choose water instead.

Why? Water has zero calories, quenches your thirst better than sweetened beverages and helps keep our bodies cool in the summertime heat.

How much water should you drink? The basic recommendation is 8 x 8 oz (240 ml) glasses of water a day. But the amount of water you need depends on your weight and activity level. A good indicator as to whether you are drinking enough water is to check the amount of coloration in your urine. If your urine is dark yellow in color then you are probably not drinking enough water. If it is close to clear in color then you are drinking enough to give your system a good cleansing.

Water – The Miracle Worker

When it’s pure and free of contaminants — water is truly a “wonder drug.” Without chemicals, additives, or anything unnatural, a steady dose of 8 glasses of water a day will:

* improve your energy
* increase your mental and physical performance
* remove toxins and waste products from your body
* keep skin healthy and glowing
* help you lose inches
* reduce headaches and dizziness
* allow for proper digestion
* help to keep you more alkaline

Drinking Water and Weight Loss

Water is a natural appetite suppressant, so developing a good water drinking habit can be a long-term aid in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Most times your “hunger” is your body asking for water – not food.  Many of the calories we consume come from what we drink. So drinking only water is an easy way to reduce calories without making drastic changes in diet or lifestyle. Incorporate these tactics into your daily routine:

* Bring along a water bottle in the car.
* Keep numerous filled bottles on your desk so that you don’t have to refill as often.
* Keep a cooler full of water with you on outings.
* Add a twist of fresh lime or lemon for a zingy taste.
* Make it a personal challenge. Keep a pitcher of ice water in the fridge, and drink it all by the end of the day.
* Place an 8 ounce glass on the counter. Every time you walk past, fill it up with water and drink.

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WHY EXERCISE?

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March 7, 2009

The Centre for Physical Activity in Ageing has identified some key benefits for exercising regularly:

* Increased bone strength

* Increased physical work capacity

* Increased joint range of motion or flexibility

* Improved sense of well being

* Increased muscular strength

* Improved glucose regulation

* Decreased blood pressure

* Improved sleep patterns and levels of anxiety

You’ve heard the expression: “Use it or lose it“. The first astronauts discovered the truth of this. Going into space in top-notch physical condition, they returned as weak as if they’d been lying in bed the whole time. They were weightless in space and didn’t need their muscles to move around, and so in just a few days these healthy vigorous men lost significant amounts of muscle and strength.

Starting at around age forty, most women lose nearly 200 grams of muscle each year and gain the same amount of fat, until by age 80 they have only a third of the muscle mass they had at 40. Miriam Nelson in her book Strong women stay young shows how strength training (lifting weights) REVERSES muscle loss. Men and women who work their muscles retain significantly more strength as they get older. And even those who belatedly adopt a healthier lifestyle can REGAIN previously lost muscle mass.

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For a list of Over 100 ways that Exercise will enrich the quality of your life, go to

http://www.saintfitness.com/images/over_100_ways.pdf

My favourites are:

87. HELPS YOU TO MOVE PAST SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS.

100. GIVES YOU A FEELING OF CONTROL OR MASTERY OVER YOUR LIFE AND A

BELIEF THAT YOU CAN CREATE ANY REALITY YOU WANT.

What are your favourites? Leave and comment and let me know – that way I know you read it!

SUZI

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What next?

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March 4, 2009

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Now that my triathlon is a thing of the past, a few people have been asking me – what next???

Well, I already have it planned. The Great Escapade is next. It is a 537 km, 9 day fully supported bike riding holiday! All meals and entertainment are laid on – you pitch your own tent at night. They are expecting around 2,000 riders to take part. Should be fantastic fun! My husband Peter and our friends Megan and David are coming with me.

The ride sets off from stunning Margaret River on Saturday 28 March and traverses the varied landscapes of this beautiful corner of Western Australia. The route goes through national parks, farming areas, winery country and Karri Country before returning to the ocean where it all began, back at Margaret River, on Sunday 5 April.

Here is a map of the route.ride-map1

These are the towns we will visit along the way.

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Triathlon Results

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March 1, 2009

STOP PRESS:

Triathlon results are now up on the web site http://bluechip.racetectiming.com/

The Mini Tri was a 150 metre swim, 5 km cycle and 1.5 km run.

I was FIRST in my age group (50-59) and 12th overall for the Mini Triathlon!!

I am REALLY HAPPY with that!

smileyface

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Triathlon Report – 1 March 2009

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March 1, 2009

Hi There!

Today I competed in my first ever triathlon – a womens only triathlon at Hillarys Beach.   When I set off from home at 5.30 am there was thunder, lightening and rain, and it seemed that the weather was going to present a bit of a challenge.  Fortunately the storm was moving inland (east) and by the time we got to the beach (west) it was overcast but fine.   As you can see from the photos, it actually turned out to be a very nice day.

My friend Justine is my inspiration, adviser and encourager.  She did her first triathlon a few years ago.  I remember watching her and thinking “Why EVER would you want to do that?”.  It just seemed like really hard work to me, and not fun at all – although Justine insisted she enjoyed it.  At that time it was just beyond me to even think about doing anything like that as  I was still recovering from chronic fatigue.

My recovery took a boost when I did my first “Great Bike Ride” in November 2007.  I took a few months to train up for it, and the 53 k ride was a huge achievement.   I started training with Rob Cassian’s “Step Into Life” group at Swan View in May 2008.  Rob is a great trainer. The cardio classes really helped develop my running and the strength training built some muscle.  Then in August 2008 I did the 4km section of the “City to Surf” fun run – another achievement.  After doing a second  “Great Bike Ride” in November 2008 I was starting to look for a new challenge and enrolled in the 8 week triathlon training course, starting in January 2009.

When the results came out I was stunned to find that I was first in my age group and 12th overall for the mini triathlon. I was very happy with that result.

Justine is the gorgeous young thing in the white T-shirt and white cap that you can see in the photos with me.  My husband Peter was also there to support me, but there are no photos of him, as he was the one with the camera!

Please leave me a comment below, or you can send me an email:  suzimorrisblog@gmail.com.

All the best!

SUZI

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GET SOME HEALTHY FATS

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February 27, 2009

The low fat, low carb, low calories diets that have been promoted over the last 10 to 15 years do not work. The Australian statistics on obesity tell the story:

1996 2006
Male 52% 62% (2/3)
Female 37% 45% (1/2)

Obesity is increasing, rather than decreasing. So it seems that low fat diets do not work, and yet many of us still buy into the idea that fat is bad for us because it will clog our arteries and give us heart disease.

  • Fat is a rich source of energy and is important for carrying fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K which support thyroid function and healthy metabolism.
  • Fats also supply essential fatty acids for healthy skin and have a role in regulating body functions.
  • Fats are needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is the body’s natural “feel-good” chemical. A lack of fat in your diet can make you feel depressed!

Not all fats are bad for us – fat can make you thin, if it is the right kind of fat. It is about both quality and quantity.

Good fats: include things like cold pressed olive oil, avocados, nuts, fish oil

Bad fats: found in pastries, cakes, take-away meals, potato chips, butter and dairy products (full fat milk, cream, cheese, etc)

So if you’re serious about fat loss, get some healthy fats in your diet.

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