I get a lot of females who come to me looking to lose weight and tone up.

When I ask them what sort of exercises they currently do and if they have ever done resistance (weights) exercises the answer is always the same:  " I don't do weights because I don't want to BULK UP so I only do Cardio"  Let me explain why Women Should do weights:

 
1. Increased Strength.
 If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be far less likely to cause injury. Research studies conclude that even moderate weight training can increase a woman's strength by 30 to 50 percent. Research also shows that women can develop their strength at the same rate as men

2. You will lose body fat.

 Not only does the actual act of weight training burn calories, but the results you get from weight training (increased muscle) ALSO burns calories. Yes, muscle literally burns calories. You know that whole calorie maintenance thing? Well, that is the number of calories that your body naturally burns each day just functioning. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories your body will naturally burn. Adding muscle to your body really is the closest thing to a weight loss miracle.
Unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus.
Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density (and enhance bone modeling) by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women's best defense against osteoporosis.

3. You will gain strenght without bulk.

Unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus

4. You Decrease Your risk of Osteoporosis.

Darren is a personal trainer that does individual and group fitness sessions for Achieve Health as well as private clients. To find out more about him please visit his website: www.fitzfitness.com

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My best friend Isabelle Baissac who is a Naturopath in Brisbane gave me this recipe and as it is a sunny day today I decided to have it for lunch.  It is absolutely DELICIOUS and of course packed with wonderful nutrients and antioxidants - its well worth a go!

Ingredients:
2 Handfuls of mixed rocket and baby spinach
5 baby beetroots (I cooked them, but you can use tinned if you are in a hurry)
1/2 pear, thinly sliced
Handful of chopped walnuts
Alfalfa sprouts
Goats cheese - I used about 1/4 of a block of chevre Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix together and enjoy!

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Whether you are suffering from a cold or want to prevent getting one, this immune boosting tea is effective, and surprisingly yummy!

Ingredients:  1 Green tea bag
1 Clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 Red Chilli, chopped (if your stomach is sensitive to chilli replace this with ginger)
1/4 tsp Honey
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Top with boiled water, steep for 5 minutes, remove teabag and drink as warm as you can.   During a cold have 3 cups per day and for prevention 1 per day. 

Why these Ingredients? 

- Green tea is a potent antioxidant which assist your immune system in fighting an infection
- Garlic is an antimicrobial and anti inflammatory
- Red chilli is high in vitamin C and assist with increasing your body temperature which       assists in fighting infection
- Honey is an antimicrobial
- Lemon is high in vitamin C and also alkalising to the body, which assist your body's natural
   defence against infection.

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Those of us who have spent the past month getting up at 4am to watch the football are probably still living on caffeine and feeling out of sorts.  A disruption in sleeping patterns can affect our energy levels, mood, ability to concentrate and perform tasks and also cause us to make poor dietary choices.  For most football lovers this is a small sacrifice to make, however now that the excitement is over it is important to get back into a normal routine as soon as possible.  Here are a few tips for getting back on track:

The first step in getting back to feeling energetic and normal again is getting a few extra hours of sleep over the next few days.  The weekend could be the perfect opportunity to rest. 

Once next week starts, ensure that you go to bed at a reasonable time and aim for 8 hours sleep each night.  Going to bed and getting up at similar time each day helps get your body into a healthy routine. 

Take some time over the weekend to stock up your fridge and cupboards with healthy, fresh  food and snacks, and perhaps prepare a stew or soup to freeze in portions for a healthy fast meal on nights that you are feeling tired. 

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With the weather changes, colds, flus and allergies are on the rise.  Having a cold or flu can set you back at work for a few days at a time and reduce energy levels and performance - here are a few natural preventative strategies that you can put into place to boost your immune system. 


Vitamin C possesses antiviral and antihistamine properties and this nutrients boosts the function of all of your immune cells, in particular your lymphocytes.  For allergies you can take high doses of vitamin c - small amounts often - 500mg every hour.  If your cells reach saturation you will get a loose bowel motion, which is a good indication to cut back on the dosage, however for many this only happens at very high doses.  The following foods are high in vitamin C: red chilli, red capsicum, kale, parsley, broccoli and citrus. 

Zinc is essential for immune function.  It boosts neutrophil and lymphocyte function, stabilizes cell membranes and is also an essential antioxidant.  Zinc deficiency has been widely studied for its detrimental effect on the immune system.  Zinc rich foods include: Oyster, ginger root, almonds, walnuts, tuna, shrimp, paprika, chilli, cinnamon, thyme, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds. 

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Healthy Brain function is essential to assist you with concentration, memory and performance at work.  It is National Brain awareness week, therefore a perfect time to talk about preventative strategies to keep your mind working effectively and positively. 

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Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), is a common condition in office workers or those spending more than four hours a day in front of the computer.  The major risk factors are poor posture, poor technique and overuse of certain muscles.  This condition can become debilitating in its severe form and difficult to treat, therefore prevention is the best measure.

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Blood sugar levels have a direct effect on energy levels as well as focus and concentration. Many people experience a dip in concentration and energy levels mid afternoon and often reach out for a sweet treat at this time.  Here are some tips to reduce your chances of feeling fatigued in the afternoon, and to keep you focused and energetic:

• Ensure that you eat smaller meals regularly
• Each meal should contain some protein
• Avoid foods high in sugar as they cause you blood sugar levels to spike and then suddenly drop, causing fatigue and low concentration levels.
• Snack on nutritious, high protein snacks, such as a small handful of nuts and seeds, some carrot sticks with hommous, a tin of tuna, yoghurt or a cracker with avocado.
• Exercise regularly as exercise improves blood sugar metabolism.

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