Entries for the events open on 1st of May so check it out and keep the date free in your calendar.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

I imagine that whilst they had a great time, Cameron’s Monday might be getting off to a slower than usual start.  As a result Cameron will no doubt find it pretty easy this week to resist the temptation of a post work drink, but many people still crave an alcoholic drink at the end of a busy day.

While a glass of wine after a hard day will initially calm your nerves, if you’re feeling stressed you’re likely to overindulge. And a throbbing hangover won’t do your stress levels any favours.

Swapping your evening glass of merlot with a glass of H20 is the quickest, easiest and healthiest way to lead a Zen-like life. Aim to drink at least 1-1.5 litres of bottled water a day. You’ll also eat less as water fills you up. Win win!

Another reason to avoid alcohol is its ability to strip your body of essential B vitamins. Vitamin B6 in particular is necessary for a healthy nervous system: if you’re deficient you may find that you are feeling irritable, nervous, tired and yes, even more stressed. The B vitamin group produce the important neurotransmitters that help maintain mood and control your appetite.

Load up your plate with meats, liver, fish, wholegrain cereals, peanuts, potatoes, green cabbage, peas and bananas.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

1. It doesn’t matter when you exercise, as long as you do. Don’t force yourself to get up at 5am if you know you’re just going to hit the snooze button. Repeatedly. It doesn’t matter what time of the day you get moving. Just do it. (As somebody once said).

2. Make it a habit. Not all habits are bad. Along with brushing your teeth and hair, exercise should be part of your daily routine. After three weeks of moving in some way everyday you’ll find that you won’t even have to think about it. Result.

3. Too much sitting around – either behind your desk, in front of the telly, or at the coffee shop – increases your risk of developing heart disease by almost 50%. Look for chances to get moving: walk to the shops, meet a friend for a walk instead of a coffee, or park the car further away from the shops.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

Happy: We all know that exercise releases happy feelings, but how do you keep hold of that elusive happiness? Schedule in your exercise every day, and make it as much a part of your day as brushing your hair and brushing your teeth.

Sleepy: Rather than reaching for coffee to perk you up, firstly try to wake up naturally. You don’t have to run a marathon before 6am to wake up your muscles and mind. It can be a simple stretch or gentle walk. Just getting out into the fresh air will do you the world of good.

Grumpy: Oh dear, have we gotten out of the wrong side of the bed? Never fear, a boxing session, cycle or run will help turn that upside down smile the right way up. When we exercise, our body releases endorphins (happy emotions), so it’s virtually impossible to be a grump after you’ve gotten your body moving. Plus, a hard physical workout will help you get out of your ‘thoughts’ and give your mind a rest.

Doc: Before you begin any exercise programme, it’s a good idea to visit your GP. Why? If your blood pressure is down, you’re anaemic, or your cortisol levels are low, this may affect your ability to exercise properly and regularly.

Bashful: Don’t be shy, exercise! A study at the University of Illinois found that those who exercise will not only feel good about themselves immediately afterwards, but the long-term benefits mean a big boost in your self-esteem.

Sneezy: Feeling sniffly? Exercise can help, as long as you take it easy. One study has found that those who exercise are less likely to suffer from colds, than those who are sedentary. One rule of thumb: if your glands are swollen, then hit the waiting room, not the locker room.

Dopey: When you exercise, you immediately increase and improve the flow of blood to the brain. From a neurotransmitter point of view, your cortisol, serotonin and noreprinephin levels are evened out. This allows your mind to be calm and still. In fact, exercising works [for the brain] in a similar way to the process of anti-anxiety and anti-depressive drugs. It can help with mental clarity and mental health.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

Strength exercises are the way to go. Focus on:

Squats

Do 30 seconds of continuous work to exercise your anaerobic system, which is great for building muscle; in turn, this burns fat. It’s an ideal way to burn your legs into fat busting machines.

Lunges

Perform lunges whenever and wherever, but in between stair work or after a walk or jog is great. Keep your angle at 90 degrees for maximum strengthening power.

Stairs

Make sure you place your foot flat on the stairs, which activates the glutes and hamstrings at the back of the legs.

Flexibility

It’s important to be strong, but supple. Keep your range of movement around the hips as flexible as possible. Stretch!

Stay away from sugar

Sorry, but the Jolie didn’t get that body while munching on chocolate bars. Instead, keep an eye on your plate and serve up (at each meal), a protein source, a whole carbohydrate, and some healthy fat. Stuck for ideas? Try a quinoa chicken salad with avocado.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

We were lucky enough to have The Naked Runners visit us last August and everyone who got involved in the workshop commented on how fun and enjoyable it was.

So if you are down in Newcastle and are keen to enjoy your running a little more, then check out The Naked Running Workshop and get involved.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Director and Head Trainer

With all the rush around Xmas and the holidays it can be hard to find the time to commit to healthy lifestyle choices, let alone avoid toxins.  It’s not until we get start to get rid of these toxins (or detox) that we realise just how good we can feel.  Our fully interactive web based program will give you the education and support to eliminate some really simple things from your diet so that you can feel great.

Come and join in our 4 week program towards feeling great!  We’ll give you the tools and support so that you can take the steps towards a healthier and happier you!

Where: From the comfort of you home with online webinars and email support.

When: The week starting the 15th of January

Cost: 4 week program only $90

Find out more here or click this link and SIGN UP NOW!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on 0439 040 580 or chris@chisel-fitness.com.au

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

I have…and there’s something special that happens when groups of people focus on achieving something together.  I’ve seen it happen many times in a variety of business and social situations.

In fact, this was probably no more evident than the running of the Inaugural Tomewin Mountain Challenge earlier this year.  We had groups of runners training together, local businesses working together to raise money for charity, not to mention the fantastic effort of all of our volunteers!

The one thing that ensured success was the fact that all of these people understood that they were part of a community with a common goal.  When people work together in a community – anything is possible!

But just how do communities form?

What are the important points to consider when trying to get a group of people to achieve something special?

Well this is something that I’m really passionate about and will be talking about at the upcoming Business Breakthrough Seminar.

Business owners, managers and sporting club members are all welcome to attend and hear about the Mindset, Motivation and Movement that is essential to creating success in 2012.

I’ve actually got some FREE tickets to give away to the event on November 22nd so if you are interested simply email me your details and I’ll be in touch.

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

Put simply she’s a top chick who is passionate about health and has a really cool way of sharing her story through various forms of media.  Many of my clients regularly read her blogs and articles and it’s great to see her inspiring others by writing about her journey.

In a fantastically orchestrated piece of timing Sarah has this week released her I Quit Sugar e-book during the same week that the Chisel Fitness 4 Week Detoxers have also given up the sweet stuff!  I downloaded a copy and it’s great!

Sarah doesn’t sugar coat (pardon the pun) her journey and tells the real stories behind her giving up the sweet stuff.  She shares some great tips and recipes that will help support and encourage anyone who is interested in taking more control of their nutrition on the way to feeling great.

Check it out here and take the steps towards feeling great!

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer

During last night’s teleconference we spoke about the importance of controlling our blood sugar levels through a balanced sugar free diet.  This can be a little tough at first because “they” seem to put this little bugger in just about everything, but it’s also a great chance for our detox community to support each other along their journey’s.

Time to stay strong, maintain the power of choice and focus on the actions!!!

Looking forward to reading your comments along the way!

Cheers,

Chris van Hoof
Chisel Fitness Director and Head Trainer