The Simple Secrets to Extend Your Life

Have you ever stopped to wonder exactly what is "good health"?


Sleeping through the night? Limited aches and pains? Maintaining an ideal body weight or colorful diet? Regularity, or maybe just spending time with friends?  

Kathy Kaehler, also known as the personal trainer to the stars in the US, is a good example of someone who practises what she preaches. Here are Kathy's tips for improving your well being.  At eFit30 we hope you print off this list and stick it in a place where you can glance at it regularly.

1.  For one week set an alarm to GO TO BED.  Be consistent.  Turn off the tv, use an eye cover to block electronic light or window light.  Keep the same time every night for one whole week.  I bet by the end of the week you will notice a difference.

2.  Add fresh ginger to foods and drinks during the day.  A small slice to a cup of tea is great for inflammation.  Add ginger to your cooking, stir fry, soup, rice or salad.  Stretch after your workout and gently stretch before bed.  This will aid in muscle and joint pain. 

3.  Boil a pot of water and pour into a bowl.  Place the bowl on the table and lean over the bowl with a towel over your head.  Be cautious as the water will be very hot, do not lean on the bowl, but keep your face above the bowl to feel the steam.  This will refresh your skin.  Before bed use a lotion on your legs, arms, elbows, toes, heels, and neck.  Your skin will thank you.

4. Walk walk walk, get out and walk during the day.  Before work, during work, lunch time, after work.  Wear a pedometer.  If you are not at 10,000 steps a day, get moving. You will get to your ideal body weight before you know it. 

5.  Red and yellow, green and orange, purple, blue and shades of all, will not only get you eating more real food, but you will reap the benefits of getting more vitamins, minerals and fiber.  Think of it as the ONE STEP WAY.  Eat as many foods that are one step from their natural state.  An apple picked from the tree is ONE STEP. 

6.  Do you have an issue with regularity?  I have one word.  Probiotic.  If you don't know what that is or what it is for, do some research.  Probiotics, or healthy bacteria do wonders for our gut, immune system and regularity.  There is nothing more to say on that except get it.

7.  Shut off your phone, get away from the computer and make a date with your friend (s).  Time away from your routine does wonders for your mind body and soul.

8.  And finally, communicate.  Everything and everyone is better when there is communication.  Be open and be honest.  Be timely with your words.

How do I choose the right size fitball?

Fitballs, also known as Swiss, Stability or Yoga balls, are a safe and very effective tool for exercising. They are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, from the occasional home user to elite athletes.
The fitball provides instability and mobility while exercising, which strengthens and works the "core/spinal" stablilsers. These are the deep abdominal muscles that play a very important role in good posture and back care. While using the fitball for training you are stimulating those deep muscles, so not only is it great for exercising but also for injury prevention.

Measuring Up
The general rule for choosing the ball for you is that when sitting on the inflated ball your hips and knees must be at a 90-degree angle. It is ok for your hips to be higher than your knees but not lower. For a novice or someone with poor balance a larger ball will provide better stability and support. Also, if you suffer back problems the larger ball will be more suitable. You can always slightly under inflate it so it feels softer to sit on. Fitballs are measured in centimeters.

Check out the right one for your height.
Under 1.52m = 45cm
1.53m – 1.66m = 55cm
1.67m – 1.85m = 65cm
1.86m – 2.03m = 75cm
Over 2.04m = 85cm

The Finer Points
There are many versions of the fitball available, but don’t compromise your safety by buying a cheap, poorly made ball, especially if you are using the fitball throughout pregnancy and for post natal exercises. Here at eFit30.com.au we use fitballs that are slightly weighted with sand (Balast balls) in our pregnancy workouts, because they don’t roll or blow away and they provide extra resistance during upper body exercises.
You should ensure the ball you buy has an anti-burst rating that equals or exceeds 500kg. These balls are also more resistant to wear and tear. It is preferable to have a non-slip vinyl surface, while many fitballs come with ribbing for extra traction and support.

Cost and Availability
Fitballs range in price from around $30 to $145 and some are packaged with pumps and instruction DVD’s. The pump can be purchased separately for between $15 and $20 or if you have a foot pump at home with a cone nozzle that could also do the job. The burst resistant balls are slightly more expensive, but well worth the money.
They are usually available from sports stores, physiotherapists, fitness centres and rehabilitation equipment stores. If you purchase online, make sure you are dealing with a reputable site.

Fitballs are a convenient and useful tool for any age or fitness level and can be used both indoors and out. Unlike other gym equipment, they can be deflated and easily stored away when not in use. The right sized fitball will help you maintain good posture and get the most out of your fitball workouts.

Yoga Revelation ABS workout - Full 30 minute routine - eFit30

Check out our latest post on the eFit30 Gym Chanel. 30 minutes of Yoga with Valerie Goodman.

Valerie Goodman is the founder of Yoga Revelation. She is passionate about teaching and practicing yoga from the heart. She is a certified yoga instructor and currently teaches at the YMCA and has a private client business. She has taken advanced training to teach Yin Yoga, Yoga for MS, and advanced training from one of the most respected yogis in the world, Ganga White. She wants you to know that if you can breathe, you can do yoga...don't worry about flexibility...it comes. It is on her "bucket list' to visit Australia and would love to share the great energy by leading some yoga classes while there!
Want More? Hit the like button on You Tube to encourage Valerie to upload more routines for us..


Feel better 30 minutes from now eFit30. www.eFit30.com

What is the best way to get great abs and realistically how long does it take?

 



All the research says that we humans can't spot reduce our weight so please bear this in mind if you're trying to shape up any particular body part. This aside, the best way you can prepare your body for a six pack is to find exercises/activities that target that area, in your case for example, crunches and/or paddling, and combine these with 2-3 cardio sessions per week to reduce overall body fat. Weight bearing activities that make you huff and puff are best. Of course, you can do all of the above but if your workouts aren't enough to burn off the amount of food you're eating each day, you'll still never see your abs. This is called the energy balance. Get interested in what you're putting in your mouth and the kilojoule value of your food. The problems usually start here. As for how long it takes, it depends on so many things - your starting weight, whether you choose to combine your exercise with a healthy eating plan, your metabolism, where your body chooses to drop weight from first, your starting level of fitness - to name just a few. Congratulations on taking this first step. It's well documented that excess stomach fat is not good for long term health.

Answered by: Efit30

Harvard Researcher - Meditation study shows changes associated with awareness, stress

Participating in an eight-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress. In a study that will appear in the Jan. 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, a team led by Harvard-affiliated researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reported the results of their study, the first to document meditation-produced changes over time in the brain’s gray matter.

See full article here http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/eight-weeks-to-a-better-brain/ 

Are you having trouble relaxing and getting to sleep? Try this eFit30 breath meditation before you go to sleep to lower your anxiety and help you relax! or do it in the middle of the night if you must!

Tips and Tricks

Audio Workouts made easy

Grab yourself a set of Motorola S9-HD Wireless Stereo Headphones and make your portable training experience complete.

These are a great way to totally make your routine hands free and will work with the iPhone and the iPad.

We have been using these with the spin class for several weeks now and they are awesome, you can even answer the phone, if you really have to during your spin class.

Give it a go! P.S. we bought ours on eBay from an Australian store.



 Buy it on eBay here http://stores.ebay.com.au/evolution-cellular
Paste the link below into your browser to see headset on the motorola website.
www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Consumers/global/flash_content/microsites/s9hd/index.html

10 Handy Hints for Weight Loss.

There are many diets, pills and potions that promise quick weight loss but unfortunately they do not provide long term success. These fad diets are also difficult to maintain. The key is to be sensible. Change your lifestyle don’t go on a diet. Incorporate exercise into your day. Every little bit counts. Can you do without that bowl of dessert? Try a yogurt or healthy smoothie instead.

Tips and Tricks.

1. Drink more water every day. Cut out the soft drinks, fruit juice and cordial. They are full of sugar and empty calories. Try to drink on average 8 glasses of water a day. Sounds a lot? Try one before and after a meal or have a bottle nearby and sip throughout the day. If you do drink tea, cut back on the sugar or try herbal or green tea instead.

2. Cut down on those “white” or refined foods such as white bread, biscuits and white rice. Yes yummy I know but these carbs give a quick sugar release and don’t keep you satisfied for long. Try low GI foods instead such as whole grains, brown rice and sweet potato. These will keep you satisfied for longer and help curb those sugar cravings.

3. Decrease your portion size. Amazing how big our portions have actually become and we still eat it all. Try using a smaller plate, increase your serve of veggies or salad and add a small portion of low GI carbs such as sweet potato. Your protein serve should be about the size of a deck of cards. (Jo Beer – Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator from Revitalise has an excellent portion plate that comes with the 6 week Revitalise program)

4. Decrease your intake of Saturated and Trans Fats and watch out on labels for Partially Hydrogenated oils. Saturated fats can be found in animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy and seafood. Don’t stop eating them but watch your servings and try trimming the fat off your meat and choosing lean cuts. Choose low fat dairy instead of full cream. Avoid processed and packaged food with all that Palm oil. Instead look for polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats such as olive or canola oil. Try using avocado instead of butter in your sandwich and have small snacks of nuts such as almonds instead of reaching for that biscuit.

5. Eat slowly. Chew your food properly. Sounds simple but really many of us are in such a hurry we shovel our food down without even enjoying it. Take your time and your body will get a chance to register that it is full before you shovel in the second plate!

6. So you are still hungry and having a sugar craving after dinner? Try having a yogurt or making a healthy fruit smoothie with low fat milk and yogurt. This should help curb your sugar craving.

7. Non Negotiable 30 minute walk a day. Walking does not get your heart rate up and racing but it is a simple thing that anyone can do. Getting into the habit of 30 minutes every day is important and is not unrealistic. Increase your activity, park your car that bit further and walk, take the stairs, walk the kids to school or get up from your desk during the day and go for a walk.

8. Fit in some form of weight training 2 to 3 times a week. Many women are scared of weight training but you don’t have to lift huge weights. Using moderate weights increases your muscle mass which in turn increases fat burning. Not to mention it improves your strength and tone. Maybe even incorporate small hand weights into your walk and move those arms.

9. Be smart when eating out. Don’t stop eating out altogether you can still have a nice meal, just go for the healthy options such as grilled fish, avoid chips have veggies instead and ask for the sauce on the side.

10. Last but not least this has to be a realistic and sustainable change. It is a long term plan not a quick fix, so don’t deprive yourself. If you have been eating a healthy diet there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the occasional glass of wine or that yummy dessert. Make it a treat and you will enjoy it so much more.

All sounds very easy but it is difficult to break those habits when you are in a hurry and don’t have the time to make healthy meals. So be prepared, organize yourself and plan ahead. Have a list at the shops so you don’t just snatch and grab whatever is quick. Healthy meals can be quick and easy and you don’t need to be a gourmet chef!!