functional living

December 22, 2011
functionalliving
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Resolution reflection (A)

I’m not a big fan of the “new year resolution”. I prefer to focus more on goals or outcomes
that I want to achieve for the coming year.
Over the next week or so we will be sharing with you what our goals are
for 2012 – we would love to hear what your goals might be! But for now, I thought it would be a good
idea to take a moment out to reflect on what we set out at the start of the
year to achieve and how well we went.

My two main goals for 2011 were to be more self-sufficient
and to be less wasteful. How did I go??

Self-sufficient – I have been baking my own bread for
majority of the year with a great bread maker I got for Christmas in 2010. Not only has it cut down on the cost of how
much we spend on bread, but I love that I know exactly what is in the
bread! No preservatives or additives – I
think it has made a great addition to a healthier diet. I also revamped my vegetable garden. As I speak it is thriving with a lot of
lettuce and cucumbers. I am still
waiting form my tomatoes to ripen. There
are plenty of green tomatoes on the bushes, but with the lack of heat they are
quite slow to ripen this year.

Less wasteful – I didn’t do as well with this one! I started out with good intentions but as
life got hectic, I forgot about the cabbage I bought 2 weeks ago. To try and make good out of a bad situation,
I did invest in a compost tumbler. At
least this way I can throw the cabbage in the compost and it can be broken down
to use on the vegetable garden.

How did you go with your goals for 2011? Will you roll them over into 2012, or did you
accomplish what you set out to achieve?

December 19, 2011
functionalliving
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What do you want to achieve in 2012?

2012 is fast approaching! 13 days to go exactly! Kinda gets me thinking, what do I want to achieve in 2012? For me, 2011 was a massive year.. Getting married, studying, changing jobs, becoming a personal trainer, travelling a lot with work, the list goes on! Now is a nice time to reflect on what you’ve done and what you want to achieve in the coming years. What didn’t work so well this year and why? Is it time for a change? Is it time to stop making excuses and start taking responsibility? These are the sorts of things you should be asking yourself. New years resolutions seem like a bit of a crock if you ask me. Only because I think they lack planning and forethought. It’s all well and good to say I’m going to ‘lose 20kgs in 2012′ or I’m going to move to Africa’ orrrr ‘this yeah I’m going to stop eating junk food’. All talk, no planning = no action. While I say I don’t necessarily agree with new years resolutions, I do think that this is a nice time for reflection and goal setting. The difference between goal setting and resolutions are this… Planning. If you have a goal you need to make sure it’s SMART and that you plan how you’re going to achieve your goal.

You have probably already heard of the SMART goal setting concept…

S – specific
‘I’m going to lose 10kgs by 30 June 2012′
M – measurable
‘I’m going to get fit in 2012′ is not measurable. How will you know if you’re fit, what type of fitness are you referring too? Strength, stamina, agility, flexibility etc
A – achievable
‘I’m going to complete a half iron man triathlon in October’. Don’t get yourself up for failure by making your goals unachievable. A half iron man triathlon is a huge event and unless you are in top condition now, it would be difficult to achieve. So instead, why not focus on doing a marathon or half marathon?
R – realistic
This one is very similar to achievable. It has to be a realistic goal. Cutting out all carbs is un-realistic (and quite frankly stupid).
T – time-based
Like the first example, set yourself a goal with a date in mind, that way you can track your progress along the way.

Now that you have a goal, how are you going to make it happen??? PLANNING!

Goals don’t just happen, you often need to take baby steps to get there. Let’s say you want to lose some weight in 2012 (make sure your goal is smart, as above). How are you going to make that happen? If you keep doing the same things you did this year (and you didn’t lose weight), it ain’t going to happen in 2012. So… What do you need to do to lose weight? You need to eat better and you need to exercise more. You will also need to get plenty of rest and have lots of support.

Action Plan – Lose 10 kgs by June 30, 2012.

Eating-> I’m going to have to cut down portion sizes (how) eat off smaller plates. I’m going to have to stop buying take away (how) I’m going to have to plan my meals in advance.
Exercising-> I’m going to have to make time for exercise in the mornings (how) I’ll have to get up earlier and not make any excuses. I don’t like exercising at home (what can I do about that?) I can either join the gym or find a buddy to exercise with me on the ovals.
Rest-> I don’t sleep more than 6 hours a night because I’m so busy (what can I do about that?) I can cut down on a few hours at work because I do too much overtime as it is. I’ll go to bed at 10pm and get up at 6am to ensure I get 8 hours sleep a night.
Support-> Some of my friends aren’t supportive of my weight loss and always bring cakes and pastries into work and tell me to eat them (what can I do about that?) I am going to be more assertive and tell them my about my goal and ask that they don’t offer it to me any more.
Time line -> in order to lose 10kgs in 6 months I’m going to have to lose about 1.6kgs a month. Make sure you track your progress so that if you need to you can adjust your action plan to achieve your goal!

And most importantly you should reward yourself for achieving your goals, but not with food! Go to the movies, have a massage, pedicure, do something creative that you don’t usually have time for, go to the hair dressers. Anything that makes you feel good that doesn’t revolve around food and alcohol.

So go ahead, sit down and write your goals and action plan down. If it’s on paper, it’s a bit more concrete. Tell you partner or a supportive friend about it so they can keep you on track. Nothing is impossible, but sometimes it takes a little while to get there. Go easy on yourself and enjoy the journey to get where you’re going.

Until 2012, be safe, eat healthy, move lots and reach for the stars!

Rach xox

December 6, 2011
functionalliving
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Body confidence – a personal reflection

Now I know I am certainly not going to be alone when I say that I’m body conscious! It’s amazing how much time women in particular waste on worrying about how they look, what to wear, doing our make up, hair, nails, waxing, the list goes on and on! It’s so silly that we constantly scrutinise our every lump, bump, pimple, stray hair, dimple of cellulite, scar etc. But most of us women and in particular, young women, do. I’m no exception there. Although I realise that I do this myself, I also acknowledge how self destructive it is. Women constantly compare themselves to others, wishing we had there cup size, eyes, wardrobe, you name it, we want it.

Having to constantly worry about your physical appearance is tiring. I don’t know how much time I would have wasted worrying about the way I look. Thanks to the media, we constantly question how we should look, what we should be wearing, how ‘thin’ we should be. I remember reading a trashy magazine a few weeks ago and they had photos of celebrities and their weights and heights listed. Kim Kardashian was listed as having my same weight and height. I instantly felt like shit about myself. I didn’t think I looked anything like her in the body stakes. Now like I said, instantly I felt self-doubt and crappy, but then I thought about it and tried to rationalise it to myself… ‘I have a lot more muscle than her, she has bigger boobs and a bigger arse than me, and her hair must weigh heaps’… (clutching at straws with that last one). In that same magazine they listed some other rather thin celebrity as looking ‘very athletic’. This woman did not look athletic by my terms, she barely had a scrap of muscle on her bones! Geez, I must look like the incredible hulk according to the ‘trashy magazine dictionary of body terms’. It is just incredible how those few images knocked the wind out of my own body confidence.

Magazines and advertising make their millions on our insecurities. I remember hearing and reading somewhere that supermodels make up a minuscule portion of the human population, yet they’re the ones we see plastered across every bit of advertising space there is. These images of what we should look like bombard us everywhere we go! You’d be hard pressed not to see 100′s of images a day of these unrealistic models making us feel shit about ourselves. And like I’ve said, I’m certainly not immune to it. Here’s another example – Miranda Kerr. She is a freak of nature! And just because she had a natural birth, went back to pre-pregnancy weight very quickly post-birth, works and still looks fantastic, we’re supposed to worship her like some kind of god? I don’t think so!!! I’m sure if we all had millions sitting in the bank, nannies, and an array of other hired help that we could also give looking like her a fair run for her money. This 1% of people (the freaks of nature – supermodels) make the other 99% of us feel like shit about the way we look. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? How is it that 1% of the worlds population can make the other 99% of us feel bad, when we’re the ones that represent how we do and should look?

Lessons to be learnt:

Try and love your body for what it can do, not so much what it looks like.
We’re all getting older, so you aren’t always going to look like you did in your early 20′s. Deal with it.
Remember you only have your body and no one else’s, you are never going to look just like Miranda Kerr (sorry).
Don’t waste time worrying about the things you can’t change, and work on the things that you can change. Unless you’re willing to get surgery to enhance your bust size, learn to love the rack you’ve got. If you want to lose a few kg’s then start eating a good diet and exercising.
Instead of worrying, put your time and energy into something that makes you feel good about yourself.
Remember the 99% and 1% rule – we’re in the 99% and the models are the 1%, enough said.
Don’t buy the trashy magazines. Avoid the media where you can (easier said than done I know).
Find something nice to say about yourself everyday and make sure it’s something different. This can initially be difficult since we focus so much on the negative, but positive self talk is essential when learning to love the body you’re in.
Give a compliment to another woman and make sure it’s from the heart. It’s amazing what a simple compliment can do for the self-esteem.

Body confidence takes a lot of work and I take my hat off to any lady who whole heartedly loves her body for all the weird and wonderful things it can do, imperfections and all. I’m still working on my own body confidence and I think it’s going to be a long road, but something I’m certainly willing to stick at. Growing up in a society that is so focused on celebrities and media and having a highly competitive nature it is difficult not to succumb to body loathing. Sometimes I don’t know if I will ever be 100% happy with my body, but as long as it keeps me healthy and active I’m 95% happy with it. I’ll just have to work real hard on the other 5%.

Rach

November 29, 2011
functionalliving
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It’s getting hot in here…

I don’t know about you, but this year seems like it’s going to be a real hot one. It seems to have come on very quickly, at least here in QLD anyway. And with the mercury rising comes a lot of excuses not to exercise and all those Christmas functions to go to! So I thought it would be a good time to remind you all of a couple of things as the weather heats up and you start to wind down…

It is Christmas, so enjoy it! Don’t however go overboard eating anything and everything for the entire break, because it will catch up with you.

If you know that you have a family Christmas lunch (breakfast/dinner etc) to attend, make sure that you have small meals for the rest of the day so that you can enjoy yourself and sample all the delights at the table during the special get together.

Don’t eat until you can’t move! Christmas always brings memories of having to unbutton the top button on your shorts to make room for the 5th course of dinner. Eat only until you are full. It takes a while for your brain (about 20 minutes) to realise that you are full, so eat slowly and pay attention to how your body is feeling in response to all the food you’re eating. Eating to a point where you feel sick and cannot move comfortably is never a good idea!

Alcohol has calories to you know… Alcohol contains kilojoules, and since you’re drinking them and they’re going down nice and quick on a hot day, you tend to forget how many you’ve had. But they all add up, every last shot, wine, beer, punch you name it. If you plan on having quite a few, here are some ideas… Try a wine spritzer (half wine/half soda water) or low alcohol beer. If you like spirits, skip the sugary mixers (coke, lemonade, ginger ale), as they will all crank up the kilojoules very quickly. Look for low sugar varieties, or have it straight on the rocks (that might take some getting used too).

Drink water. While it’s getting hotter outside, make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Since we tend to sweat more when it’s hot, you need to make sure you are replenishing your stores with water. Dehydration can be a serious problem, so wherever you go, make sure you have at least a 1L bottle of water with you.

Drink water in between alcoholic drinks. Your kidneys will thank you for it. We all know alcohol isn’t good for your body so it’s important when you do drink alcohol to drink water as well to ensure that you stay hydrated. It might even lessen the severity of your hangover the next day. BONUS!

Find another time to exercise. If you were exercising in the afternoons, or during your lunch break and are now finding that its too hot, find another time to get physical. Mornings are usually a good time since the sun hasn’t had the chance to warm everything up. Just because you have never gotten out of bed before 7am before doesn’t mean that you can’t start trying too now!

Try a new form of exercise… If the thought of doing your usual 10am spin class makes you want to burst into a sweat just thinking about it, why not try something new? How about aqua aerobics or swimming? Both of these activities are in the water and will be cooler than your usual spin class, but still give you a great workout. It might be just the time to change things up with your exercise regime.

Do something physical and get the family involved. If you’re spending Christmas with friends and family, why not do something physically active together? Playing a game of back yard cricket on Boxing Day is a perfect way to start shifting that cheesecake you had for dessert last night and best of all, its fun!

Some people tend to find they don’t eat as much during the warmer months. It is important to eat regularly! Don’t skip meals simply because it’s too hot. You could ultimately be missing out on nutrients and putting your body in starvation mode where it will hold onto fat because it’s not sure when it’s next feed will be.

And always remember to slip, slop, slap!

Well I’m sure it won’t take long before we are all whinging how cold it is again! Time flies by these days, so make sure you make the most of your break!

Rach

November 15, 2011
functionalliving
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Two extremes facing Australian kids

I saw both of these stories within a week of each other. Though they are at opposite ends of the scale, I think many of the issues have arisen from similar sources.

Firstly, issues surrounding childhood obesity with a focus on “boot-camp” and other structured exercise classes for children as young as two to attend.

http://www.news.com.au/national/toddlers-sent-to-bootcamp/story-e6frfkvr-1226186773161

Secondly, a very sad revelation that children as young as eight are being admitted into hospital to be treated for anorexia nervosa. The article also reports that the number of children admitted into hospital for eating disorders has tripled over the past decade.

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/246554/20111110/cases-childhood-anorexia-alarms-nsw-hospital.htm

The need for education, self-esteem and more time spent with children is required in both cases. Children are like sponges; what parents, teachers, carers and other influential adults do and say around children greatly affect their behaviours and actions. When I became a parent I was dedicated to be a role model for my children, particularly in relation to health as I believe that without your health, you have nothing! Teaching good, healthy habits from a young age are important and will shape how children will grow, develop and approach adulthood.

How to avoid these situations:

Practice what you preach – eat a well-balanced diet and exercise regularly. Involve your children in food shopping and preparation. Educate them on the importance of what they are eating (speaking in terms they will understand, i.e. fruit will give you lots of energy so you can run around the park this afternoon). Grow a veggie garden and teach your children where fruits and vegetables come from.

Keep active – even when they are still babies, get out and get moving. Keep exercise part of your routine and gradually get them involved as they become mobile and active themselves. Try new activities with them – sports, fun parks etc. You will be gaining new skills and trying something new too!

November 9, 2011
functionalliving
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Find the time, because it won’t find you…

I don’t know how many times recently people have said to me “I don’t have time to exercise!” Well that is absolute hogwash! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… It doesn’t wash me with! No one has enough hours in the day in this fast paced world we live in and I am a prime example of this. I work three jobs, study a degree part time (doing 2 subjects part time this term), write and research articles for the blog, do cooking and cleaning and still manage to exercise everyday! Your health should be a very high priority and therefore, so should exercise because of the health benefits that regular exercise provides. You don’t have a go for a 2 hour hike everyday to reap the benefits. If you are really time poor, consider doing your exercise in three 10 minute bouts over the course of a day. It all adds up! Have a look at how many hours a night you’re sleeping…. Aim for 7-8 hours. If you are sleeping for 10 hours a night and you really don’t need it (most of you won’t, it will just be a habit), well there’s an extra 2 hours you could be exercising and preparing healthy meals. Don’t keep pressing the snooze button, jump out of bed, put your joggers on and get going. If you snooze for 30 minutes there’s 30 minutes of your day you can’t get back and that could have been your time for exercise. It is unfortunate but true, that we really only consider our health and look at our lifestyles when we or someone close to us is unwell. Write down your daily schedule and see where you can sneak in a half hour walk, or a class at the gym. If it’s going to help you get out of bed that bit earlier why not try and find a walking group in your area so that you’re accountable to someone? The National Heart Foundation has walking groups across Australia that are 100% free (check out the link at the bottom of the post). So next time you hear yourself or someone else say “I don’t have time to exercise”, have a real hard think about where you can find 30 minutes in a day (at least) to get your arse moving! No excuses!

Rach

National Heart Foundation Walking Groups http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/active-living/walking/Pages/welcome.aspx