November 16, 2015 Suzie

My month of yoga began with a busy brain and a funky hip.bigstock_Expert_Yoga_Pose_3644364

A month a go I was feeling a bit out of whack. My brain was full of chaos, bouncing around multiple projects, running my own business and not being able to switch off – especially at bed time. Ugh.  I have a chronic problem with my hips/pelvis and when I don’t exercise enough it hurts and if I do too much of some things it hurts. I needed balance.

Over the years i’ve tried my hand at yoga classes at the gym where I first started my career at. Then at home with dvds and a very sweaty 2 weeks doing bikram yoga in a sweat box. Let me tell you, classes held at gyms are so different to those held at yoga studios.

I’d never done a class at a yoga studio before so began my search to find the perfect studio for me. I found one that really resonated with me, I liked the message on the website, I liked the vibe, I liked the new student $49 unlimited yoga for a month deal. It was time to jump on board and get myself sorted.

I wandered in to the studio like a shy lamb and was greeted warmly. Turns out I was the only one who had registered for that particular class so I received a one on one yoga session instead of the scheduled class. Wow. Just wow. It was intense, all attention was on me and who knew that subtle changes, positions, adjustments could cause so much pain, I mean work, I mean benefit.  Boy did I feel it… for the next couple of days. But the personal attention was incredible and I used yoga props for the first time… bolsters, blocks and straps are awesome!!

After the first class I knew I had found something that would change my life.   I felt like I had had a full body massage but worked reaaalllyy hard for it! haha

Once I could walk again I signed up to more classes (with more attendees). With each class I learnt something new about yoga, breathing, finding your connection with your breath, your body and your mind. My mind has never been good at single focus, so I was so appreciative of the clam I felt during classes and the calmness in my mind.

During my time as a trainer i’ve always recommended yoga as a complementary form of exercise to training programs. A lot of people think yoga is easy and you just do a lot of breathing and have a stretch. Well there is a lot of emphasis on breathing and you are stretching but it sure as heck isn’t easy.

 

Here is why I am now slightly addicted to yoga and never want to give it up.

  • Strength. After just 4 weeks of doing just yoga a couple of times a week and walking, I already felt stronger and my muscles firmer. Yep after just a few weeks!!
  • Flexibility. I can easy touch my toes and the floor now and for some reason, really like hanging out here having a stretch or ‘forward fold’ in yoga.
  • Stress relief. I am the first to admit i’m a bit of a stress head, I worry, I overreact and I can’t turn my brain off. After my 3rd yoga class I met up with a friend and she said I was floating. I felt like nothing could stress me, nothing would get me stress-heady that day.
  • Cross training benefit. I noticed with my first swim of the season, during my first lap where usually i’d realise i’d forgotten how to breath and what the heck was I doing, I could easily keep going and got into my groove immediately. Yoga has taught me how to breathe.
  • Re-connect with my body. Now this sounds a bit fluffy but yoga has got me back in tune with my body, my mind, what’s going on and how I need to train, think and move forward.
  • Community spirit. This yoga studio has such a lovely vibe and community feel. At the moment I feel like the polite outsider wanting to be a part of it, but everyone seems to know each other, is there for good reasons and welcoming.

 

Yoga makes me a happier, less stressed, stronger person both physically and mentally. I am so glad I tried something new and even more glad that it is working out brilliantly 🙂

 

 

I attend classes at Illuminate Yoga. I encourage everyone to find a studio and give it a go, you have nothing to lose.

 

 

June 23, 2015 Suzie

Ingredients mtbls
2 tablespoons rice bran oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on desired heat)
750g beef mince (we used heart smart, but this can become dry, test)
800g crushed tomatoes
400g can kidney beans, drained, rinsed

Guacamole
2 medium avocados
1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped finely
1 small red onion, chopped finely
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon ground coriander

 

Method
1. Heat half the oil in large frying pan; cook onion, garlic and spices, stirring, until onion softens.
2. Combine beef and onion mixture in medium bowl. Using hands roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls.
3. Heat remaining oil in same pan; cook meatballs, in batches, until browned all over.
4. Bring tomato and beans to the boil in same pan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Return meatballs to pan; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
Guacamole: mash avocados with fork in medium bowl; stir in tomato, onion, lemon juice and coriander.

 

Tip – Serve meatballs topped with Guacamole. This dish also goes brilliantly with the zucchini pasta and also the basil pasta recipe in this recipe book. It was a real winner with the family!

 

May 21, 2015 Suzie

Brrrr perfect weather for soup!!!! ChunkyChickenSoup2

Just a taste of the many recipes from Winter Warmer Recipes. Available now for instant download Only $5, click here to grab your copy

 

Chunky chicken soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil of choice (we used ghee)
1kg chicken thigh fillets
2 medium carrots, chopped coarsely
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium potatoes, peeled, chopped coarsely
2 trimmed celery stalks, chopped coarsely
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 litre chicken stock
½ cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 medium zucchini, chopped coarsely
Salt and pepper to season
400g cannellini beans (we used canned, drained and rinsed)
Fresh parsley leaves to serve (optional)

Method
1. Using a pot heat oil on medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, cook for approx 1 minute until softens. Add carrot, potato, celery, cook for approx 2 minutes.
3. Add paste, tomatoes, smoked paprika and stock in large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat; simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
4. Add zucchini and seasoning, simmer, uncovered, further 30 minutes.
5. Take off the stove, then add beans, stir through. Serve topped with fresh parsley leaves (optional).

 

Tip – This recipe can be made 3 days ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator.

May 6, 2015 Suzie
I've made a few notes! hah
I’ve made a few notes! hah

Paleo is the new in thing, or the new fad diet or the most evil thing ever brought to us by that evil Pete Evans…… come on.

“You want me to eat what for breakfast??” Was my first ever reaction to the Paleo diet. I distinctly remember Back in 2008 when I was first starting out as a personal trainer talking with my mentor about this Paleo diet. There was a reason the cavemen died, why would I want to eat like them?! Now this is way back before Paleo was ‘the new thing’ along with Crossfit but don’t get me started on that too. (Quick joke – If you do both Paleo and Crossfit, which do you tell people about first……. AAAAHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA)

My mentor Joe explained why we should be eating this way and all the benefits, I trusted him so I decided to give it a go. I followed the Paleo diet perfectly and even recorded my experience via podcasts (links coming soon).

If you have been able to escape all the social media hoohah about the paleo diet and have never heard of it, wow, well done. I have a few books on paleo but the original book which was written by Loren Cordain phD and was my go-to-guide back in 2008. Basically it is about following the diet of the paleolithic man. That as humans we have not evolved enough to process foods such as grains, dairy or anything processed etc.That we should eat foods that our bodies were designed for and in doing so live much healthier lives. These foods were pretty much the following:

  • Meat
  • Nuts
  • vegetables (there are some restrictions with these as well)
  • water

That’s it. You were allowed cheat meals which became the highlight of my week, but that’s it. There’s a whole long list of what not to eat but let’s not put a dampener on this article.

Now here’s a break down on my experience.

  • Yep I lost weight, I did not lose muscle and was quite toned as I wasn’t retaining any fluid.
  • Constipation was a thing though and that sucked.
  • After I got over the previous point my energy came back and I felt good.
  • It was social suicide. Going out was very hard.
  • People did not agree with me and how I was eating. Any negative bodily reaction I had, i.e feeling tired or a sniffle was due to ‘that diet’.
  • Back then there wasn’t a whole lot of info about making the paleo diet socially friendly or interesting recipes.
  • It got boring and hard to follow so I came off and enjoyed a ‘relaxed’ version.

 

Ok so when I started noticing Paleo on Facebook a lot I thought oh good it’s getting popular. Then when I saw Pete Evans on his Paleo Way crusade I honestly got annoyed. At first. I got annoyed because this way of eating had been around for ages and everyone thought I was crazy when I suggested it but now that a celebrity has put his name to it it’s cool and it’s the new thing. How annoying! (p.s some of us trainers at the gym were already getting stuck into Crossfits in 08 before it was EVERYWHERE… how cool are we 😉 haha). Anyhoo I was annoyed at Pete Evans and that now all anyone in the female/mother characters in my social life would talk about was Paleo, even though they thought I was weird back in the day. After getting over myself I realised hang on, good on Pete Evans. Admittedly I haven’t read all the sections in his Paleo Family Food cookbook (which I received for my birthday). I’ve been told he can be a little strict and preachy, which is a total turnoff. But I have tried some of his recipes and they are damn good! I have to say good on him for being able to provide normal sounding recipes that resemble everyday meals. He’s just delivered them in a healthier way. When I first did Paleo diet I would have loved some of his recipes… there’s bacon in everything!! lol ok that’s a slight exaggeration, but there’s a lot of yum stuff in there.

I don’t know why a lot of people are getting super hatey towards him. My general vibe is that he is trying to get people interested in food and enjoy healthy eating  (that or he is trying to take over the world). I think he has achieved this with a lot of people. My hat is off to you Pete Evans for making a previously boring diet flavoursome. Do you have to follow it religiously? No, but perhaps take some of it on board to make some improvements for yourself 🙂

I’ve been having to talk with my clients a lot lately about nutrition. Everyone is so confused and who can blame them with all the conflicting info about there. “Don’t eat this because it’s a grain and we can’t process it vs We need grains for a complete diet” “eat a whole lot of beans for fibre vs beans are bad don’t eat them” “eat lots of fruit, it’s natural and fresh vs don’t eat fruit it’s so high in fructose. Fructose and sugar are the worst thing ever, sugar will ruin your life and the reason you don’t win the lottery every week”.

Geez.

I’m not a nutritionist.

But here’s what I know….

Eating more fresh, natural, organic food is good for your body. It nourishes it and provides lots of good stuff for your insides (i’m highly scientific).

Eating less processed foods is good for your body. Your body doesn’t have to work super hard to break it down and conquer it.

Knowing where your food comes from is important. As we have all learned recently with the frozen berries!!. Isn’t it worth paying that little bit extra to buy local and know where your food comes from?

Have fun in the kitchen! I’ve been experimenting with new healthy recipes and revamping my Winter cookbook. Make healthy cooking enjoyable.

Everybody’s body is different and everyone is going to react differently to different foods and diets. You gotta find what works for you, do it in the most natural and fresh way and just roll with it.

Bon appetit!

 

 

*Please remember I am not a nutritionist, these opinions are my own. I encourage everyone to research and ask advice before making changes to their diet or undertaking a drastic nutrition change.

p.s this article was written before Pete Evans tried to bring out the paleo way for babies and toddlers, NOT a good idea and a book I do not agree with at all

July 28, 2014 Suzie

My mega long trip of all things carbs, soda and lots of blisters. 10277628_747271971959660_2155013119285160517_n

Welcome back me!! My husband (yes, husband now woohoo) have just gotten back from our Part 2 Honeymoon – travelling the USA, Cuba and Mexico for 2 months. Before I left I was a bit anxious about a few things, my business/clients, my fitness and health. I thought I would share my experience with you.

Before leaving for USA I heard a lot of stories about the enormous meal and drink sizes, and how all Americans are obese. This is so not true. Our first stop was San Francisco and we were spoiled for choice with small cafes offering organic produce. In fact we noticed a big push for organic and recycling. Of course there were the fast food joints, but it’s your decision to choose it or not.

In LA there was a mixture of perfectly bronzed thin toned bikini clad girls with their tiny short shorts and barely there tops. Muscle men and then the not so fit and healthy looking. At Muscle Beach Santa Monica we could have watched the athletic display all day. There were people on swings, bars, slack lines, and on a patch of grass, gymnasts, yogis, martial arts all crammed together. The activity was awesome!!

Not being able to cook for myself and have access to healthy snacks whenever I wanted was quite challenging.  During our road trips, we got pretty desperate and would eat whatever was on offer in a small town. All the airplane trips, waiting at airports, waiting for buses, travelling on buses, driving, driving and more driving – was quite challenging from a flexibility point of view too.

Having a fitness centre in a couple of our hotels helped. We found the best thing for us though was having a Fitbit. We were able to track our steps and activity so if we were having a lazy day we knew we had to go for a walk. This didn’t happen often though as we avergaed 15-20,000 steps a day doing our touristy thing!

A lot of things surprised me about our trip to USA.

  • People were a lot friendlier than i’d been lead to believe. I like the fact that people just talked to each other wherever they were. We had some great conversations on the subway in New York.
  • Yes some of the portions were mind blowing, the drink sizes were a bit over the top as well.
  • There’s a lot of cheese…. in Subway I had 5 people ask me what type of cheese I wanted even though I kept saying no cheese.  It seemed funny that they couldn’t understand me NOT wanting cheese. Yes there’s a lot of cheese on the menu but hey it’s your choice whether you choose it or not. Not everything had cheese.
  • You get over fried food VERY quickly.
  • Dunkin Donuts aren’t very good.
  • I am suuuuuper happy that we don’t have easy access to peanut butter M&Ms…. yes it was my downfall and i’ll admit it. I liked those things!!
  • BUFFALO WINGS!!!!!!
  • U.S.A is so diverse, we saw a lot of the county, it’s contrasts, it’s beauty and the differences between people and places.

Going from the ever so cool and vibey New Orleans with it’s flavoursome food to Cuba was a shock. Food is not a drawcard for Cuba, lonley planet will tell you it’s food is quite bland and they’re right. I have never craved fresh vegetables so much in my life. Lots of carbs, pastry, rice and whatever you could get your hands on as there were no grocery shops, not as we know them anyway. I think it would have helped a great deal if I knew Spanish. I will say however a big high five to their traditional beans and rice and I have already looked up on google how to make it.

Staying in a Mexican ecolodge in Tulum was interesting….. hahaha although we really appreciated the fresh fruit and eggs. If there hadn’t been terrential rain for the majority of our stay it would have been a wonderful place.

Going from these places where you had limited access to things to New York where you could have whatever you wanted at any time of day was like a dream. We explored so much, the blisters building on existing blisters on my toes were testament to that. Simply walking everywhere and exploring was a great way to stay on top of weight gain.

I’m not embarrassed to say I put on 2 kg from the trip, but I figured I came out pretty well considering I was away for 2 months. I ate, I enjoyed and now it’s time to shed that excess off.

Here are some things we did to avoid over indulging and blowing out whilst travelling. Hopefully they will help you too when travelling!

  • Keep water bottles with you always. I made sure we drank a lot of water., we travelled and flew a lot, we were in countries where you couldn’t drink the water. Bottled water is your friend!
  • Using the Fitbit to monitor our activity. We were able to get on top of lazy days by monitoring our steps and going for walks if necessary. So perhaps think about taking a long a pedometre or something similar to keep yourself in check.
  • Using fitness centres whenever you have access. By week 3 of the trip I was really missing my weights and thankfully our hotel in New Orleans had a great fitness centre. Other centres usually just contained a treadmill and bike so we chose to get out and walk instead. Try and get into the habit of just doing something everyday, it doesn’t have to be a super circuit, just something.
  • Being mindful of what we were eating. The novelty of naughty food got very boring very quickly and left us feeling bloated and sick. So get over it and think about what you’re putting in your body.
  • You don’t have to eat it all! Stopping when I was full not when my plate was clean was important as some of the serving sizes were quite large.
  • Say no to cheese! I made a decision that I would not waste my fat allowance on having cheese with everything. If I was going to blow out I wanted to do it with peanut butter M&Ms – yes I just admitted that! lol So choose your indulgences.
  • Balancing our meals. We found that we averaged only 2 meals a day. We didn’t eat for the sake of it and if we had a big lunch and weren’t hungry for dinner, that was ok.
  • Stock up on snacks. I was always really happy to find a grocery store wherever we were staying as I could access ‘normal’ foods. I became a fan of buying bags of carrots and using them for snacks, berries, fruit and muesli  bars. Snacks that could last a  few days and didn’t need a fridge were really helpful and kept us from overeating. Remember sometimes all it takes is having a snack to curb those cravings and stop you from overeating.
  • If you need to rest, do it. Halfway through our New York stay my legs were constantly aching, we’d been away for over a month and the constant walking (and walking funny with blisters) was starting to aggravate an old hip injury too. So I took a nothing day. We slept and watched tv and just totally lazed around. It was the best thing for our legs and were able to tackle the rest of our stay with fresh legs. Listen to your body.

After a holiday clients always ask me did I eat naughty and get excited when I say yes. Yes I indulged on our holiday. I drank soda (yep, calling soft drink soda now) without thinking, would magically make peanut butter M&Ms disappear and ate way more bread than I care to admit. It also made me really think about my health though. These patterns of eating didn’t feel normal, like it should be the way you eat all the time. They made me feel bloated and sluggish and then hyper and then sluggish again and then yuck. Sure these things can be great every now and again, life’s too short to be too restricted or boring. You really don’t appreciate good healthy food though until you eat crap all the time. Two examples of this was being given a fresh banana in Cuba and a big bowl of yummy crisp garlic veggies in Las Vegas. They tasted so good I wanted to cry, anyone would have thought i’d been starved hahaha

 

Bring on the veggies!! (p.s don’t say veggies to waitors in America, they don’t understand and may look at you funny!)

 

December 17, 2013 Suzie
Remember this guy from Monty Python??
Remember this guy from Monty Python??

 

We all pig out over Christmas and New Years. That was a big generalisation but let’s face it, the majority of us would indulge in

something we wouldn’t ordinarily have at this time of year. Christmas parties, New Years parties, Christmas lunch/dinner Boxing day left-over-eating-fest. Somewhere in there you’re bound to get a little loose with your nutrition morals. As a health and fitness trainer I shouldn’t be speaking with you this way. It should be “abstain, abstain abstain”. But i’m more of a realist. I promote health and fitness, but I don’t promote restricting and missing out on things. I’m handing out free passes over Christmas and New Years, as long as….

 

1. Accept responsibility. If you’re going to eat/drink it just do it and don’t complain/whinge/talk about it for days

about how bad you were.  I don’t want to hear it. Accept that you ate/drank it and move on. Move onto damage control which are included in the points that follow.

2. If you’re splurging on rich, fatty, sugary foods chock full of calories then you’re going to need some deficit days. Yep if you know you have a dinner or party that you want to loosen the reins with you’re going to need to put in a few pre and post party deficit days. These days are full of vegetables, lean meats and plenty of water for hydration. You’ll have to steer clear of processed foods, simple carbohydrates i.e bread pasta etc.

3. Move it! On the day of your event put in a solid effort with your training. I encourgae light exercise like walking the day after the event. Trust me you’ll feel better for it. I’ve trained clients with hangovers before. It’s not pretty but they ALWAYS feel better for getting their body moving.

4. If you’re going to wear a tight outfit you can’t bloat. Stay away from breads, pastas, rice etc. at least a  couple of days before the event. You will feel flatter and your outfit will be more flattering. Celery is a natural diuretic, helps with bloating and fluid retention, so does drinking lots of water so drink up!

5. Keep natural laxatives in your medicine cabinet. Before you freak out, I do not encourage the misuse of laxatives for weight loss. Not at all. When you eat certain foods over the silly season there may be a problem with blockages. You will feel better eliminating this blockage.  Drink lots of water with this!

6. Schedule naps. If you’ve got lots events on take the time to organise some sleep surplus. If you can, have a nap pre party, if not, go to bed earlier the day before to stockpile some sleep. When we’re tired we tend to make poorer food choices and lack the energy to exercise.

7. If you’re going to drink a lot stay away from spirits. They’re generally full of sugar and you usually have them with soft drinks which is full of sugar too. Stick to wine, sparkling wine or beer. Vodka and soda water is an option too (did you know tonic water has more sugar than lemonade??? I was so surprised when I found out! Soda water is ok though)

8. When you get home from a big night always take off your make up and have a shower if you can. Your skin will thank you for it.

9. Sticking to that big night, when you get home have a nice big cup of gatorade or powerade, something to replace your electrolytes. Take 2 panadol and go to bed. You will wake up a lot fresher and be able to do more in your hangover day.

10. Be a sampler not a shoveller. If there are lots of different delicious foods you want to eat. Then eat them. However only eat a very small portion. That way you get to taste all the deliciousness you don’t miss out but you don’t get a sore stomach from forcing all that food in. Try choosing the protein options, you will get full and stay full to avoid later snacking.

 

Enjoy yourself and be prepared for a little weight gain should you over do it. Not being harsh just realistic! You’re in control, have fun 🙂

October 8, 2013 Suzie

Have you heard of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)? You may know somebody who has it, you may have it and not pcosknow it…whatever your circumstance, it pays to know a bit more about it for you and ladies you care about. I previously wrote an article about PCOS. I now want to add to that, by sharing my client’s story who actually has it. The incidence of PCOS is on the rise, it’s important to know it’s not all doom and gloom should you be diagnosed with it. Mel is an inspiration who is determined to get her health on track and doing a fantastic job. She is the mentor and motivator of several of her friends who have also been diagnosed with it.

Thank you Mel for sharing your story 🙂

1. How did you know you had PCOS?

The first sign for me was uncontrollable weight gain, accompanied with darker rapid growing hair, especially on my face. This was followed by my period becoming irregular then it stopped completely. I was constantly bloated and very emotional. I would cry and break down over things that never fazed me much before. Another sign was I got pimples more regularly than I did before.

2. How has it changed your life?

It caused a lot of insecurity in me and my confidence died. I felt like I lost control of me and that I lost who I once was. Once I became more informed and got help with dealing with PCOS, it helped me to realise that I can take control of it by altering my life style and eating habits.
In a way, it’s helped me understand responsibility in myself and open my eyes to control as an aspect not just with my health but my personal life as well.

3. What is the most important thing people should know about PCOS?

It’s not a death sentence. PCOS made me feel inadequate as a woman. It made me feel damaged or broken and I started believing that this was it for me and I wouldn’t be able to lose the weight or have kids. Other women I spoke to who have PCOS have often felt the same.
It’s also important to understand that it is a slow process to recovery and if you give up then your letting it take over you.

4. What roles do exercise and nutrition play in managing PCOS?

Exercise and nutrition are the 2 major keys in managing PCOS. You need both the mange it. Exercise will not make a difference without proper nutrition and the vice versa. Together make a powerful tool in losing the weight. Once the weight starts to go the rest follows. The bloating goes, the hair decreases, periods come back, all of which help bring back confidence which enhances the motivation to continue the journey.

5. If your friend was diagnosed what advice would you give her for managing PCOS?

To not feel defeated and seek proper help. I was fortunate to already have a very supportive personal trainer who helps me exercise properly, aided in research of PCOS and point me towards a good naturopath who is helping me in maintaining my health with clean eating and understanding the benefits of the right foods to eat with PCOS.

My personal belief of the natural approach is what’s helped me battle my PCOS without feeling like I’m suffering thought it like I did when I was put on diabetic medication by a gynaecologist. Research what PCOS is to develop an understanding of what it is and how it affects our bodies which enables us to be able to take control over it. Knowledge of PCOS is the first step to success.

Also your not alone. 1 in 10 woman have PCOS, it may not be curable but leading a normal life even though you have PCOS is highly possible.

 

1 in 10…. Thanks for reading, I hope this has been helpful and informative 🙂 How about we raise the awareness by sharing this article with others? 😉

July 9, 2013 Suzie

BodyTone – exercise class for women

Rêve Health & Fitness is bringing BodyTone to the Hills District in 2 locations. Enjoy the experience and guidance of a personal trainer at the price of a group session.

 

Woman holding a measuring tapeThursdays @ Rouse Hill Community Centre 9.30am starting 18th July

Address: Clower Avenue, Rouse Hill (entry opposite Aberdour Road) Room 1. Parking      available

 

Fridays @ West Pennant Hills Community Centre 9.30am starting 19th  July

Address: 42a Hill Road, West Pennant Hills (near intersection with View Street) Main hall. Parking available

 

Classes run 10 weeks and align with the school terms.

 

 

All fitness levels welcome, regression and progression of exercises will be offered. So whether you want to challenge yourself or take it a bit easier there’s an option for you. It’s your workout! :)

Although there is no child minding service you’re welcome to bring baby in pram or older children as adequate play space is available.

 

Benefits of BodyTone class:

  • Strengthen muscles from head to toeDSC04144
  • Firm up your body including those ‘wobble’ areas we women hate
  • Helps manage and relieve chronic joint and muscular pain
  • Includes hip stabilising exercises and promotes increased pelvic floor strength
  • Strengthens core muscles to support and strengthen back
  • Increased energy and fitness levels
  • Weight loss when used in conjunction with nutrition plan
  • Low impact class, gentle on joints
  • Workout in a fun, social and relaxed environment. Women’s only class.

 

Class rates

Casual Rate – $15 per class

5 class pass – $13 per class (total $75)

10 class pass – $10 per class (total $120)

Classes are 45 minutes in duration

Purchase of class passes can be made in cash on morning of first class or by bank deposit prior to first class

 

How to book

You can register for class by using the contact page. Please include your name and contact number . Alternatively you can book over the phone, call Suzie 0408 672 456.

To find out more about your trainer visit the about page. Should you have any questions please feel free to contact us.

A social and fun way to strengthen and firm up your entire body. 

Looking forward to hearing from you!

2012-05-13 09.19.00

Not what you are looking for? Suzie offers a range of services, so call her to discuss other options – whether it be one on one personal training, small group training with friends/family or perhaps your mothers group/playgroup, corporate fitness classes or health assessments at your workplace….there are so many options to help you on the path to a healthier, fitter lifestyle! Call Suzie today and let her help you design a healthier future for YOU!

July 9, 2013 Suzie

When I first started as a personal trainer it was kind of ingrained into me that personal training and weights programs were the best and only way to train. Group classes were a bit of a waste of time and didn’t push you or benefit you greatly. Well like all things in the health industry…it depends.

Before I became a pt I joined a gym, I fluffed around on the cardio equipment and it took me 6 months to build the

This is what you can expect from a class xmas special with me...that hat is awesome!
This is what you can expect from a class xmas special with me…that hat is awesome!

confidence to enter the class studio. Yep 6 months for a group class and I never even thought i’d ever venture into the weights area. It started with a spin class and I tell you I could not sit down the next day! I tried all your typical classes, Body Pump, Body Combat, pilates, dance, even step class. Sometimes I admit I was not working out very hard but gee I had a lot of fun, I became addicted to classes, I even lost weight too.  When I did do my personal training course it opened up another world to me, my knowledge  about the body and how to train it properly. Here’s where I climb the fence and sit on it. There is room in your training life for both classes and weights/pt/individual programs.

Six months after becoming a personal trainer I wanted to teach some classes as well. I branched off and taught ABT (abs butts and thighs) and I have not stopped since! I love teaching group classes, the social dynamic of class is awesome, we’re all there to work out and have a bit of fun too. You make friends in class and are not relying on yourself for all your motivation, all you have to do is get to class and your instructor will push you through.

Let’s get my concerns over group training out of the way first.

  • In certain weight classes (lets keep it nameless) lies my greatest concern. Very high reps with usually unsuitable weights being used I.e too heavy!
  • I’ve seen a lot of instructors injured from this class..yep instructors.
  • I think it’s a great way for beginners to be introduced to weights but make sure you let your instructor know you’re new. With popular classes it’s hard for the instructor to watch and correct everyone, i’ve seen some awful postures and technique from this class. 
  • In my experience people who only do classes will eventually reach a plateau, so keep things new and keep challenging yourself.

Ok here are the mega positives to classes!

  • It’s motivational. Just get yourself to class and feel the good vibes of other people wanting to improve their fitness levels
  • Classes can compliment your own training program. I am a massive fan of yoga/pilates and spin. Yoga/pilates offers a way to stretch out your entire body, improve your core strength, balance, overall body tone, posture and has a meditative affect to calm the mind. Spin class offers you that external push from someone else to reach your maximum, improve your cardio and burn lots of calories. Choosing classes that are in line with your goals will get you there a lot quicker 😉
  • It’s social. It can get quite boring doing your same old routine, why not throw in a class every now and again. You will meet new people, get motivated and pushed.
  • You don’t have to think. Unless you’ve been given a training program would you know exactly what you should be doing for your body and create good workouts regularly? By going to a class you will receive a good workout that you don’t have to even think about, someone has created it for you. Just follow instructions, push yourself and get great results.
  • You’re accountable. Class timetables are quite regular and don’t change that often. You can count on them being there. Mark it in your diary and treat it like a doctors appointment, it’s important so you should go.
  • Value for money. Depending on whether you do classes at an independent studio, out in the park or as part of your gym membership you will be able to save. Most classes offer discounts for multiple purchases, term bookings or class passes. You will be getting a great workout for about the price of a takeaway meal!

I’ve been running a class with a company for nearly 5 years, the majority of the participants are regulars and have been coming the whole time. Why has it lasted and why have they stuck to it for 5 years? Because they know they will be receiving a good full body workout. For some of those people it’s the only opportunity they get to exercise. The class feels like a group of friends all exercising together and we embrace newbies. In a group class you don’t have to be perfect or compete with anyone else. Just do your best, push yourself and most of all have fun!

Did you know there are new classes coming to the Hills District? BodyTone is coming to you!! For more information click here. If you are interested in personal training or perhaps forming your own group please contact me 🙂

June 29, 2013 Suzie

I had a request for the recipe of a risotto I recently cooked. Now it’s winter i’ve kept a copy of my healthy winter warmer recipes cookbook close to the kitchen. I’m revisiting some of the recipes to see if I can make them even healthier, tastier and time saving. experimenting again is fun!!

This recipe in the cookbook is known as garlic and leek risotto. I’ve added chicken and changed the recipe a bit. last nightrisotto was bleak and cold and I was in the mood for something warm and comforting and super easy, so this was the result….

Chicken risotto with lentils & spinach

Ingredients

1 table spoon rice bran oil (you can use butter but this will increase the fat content)

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups aborio rice

1 litre reduced salt chicken stock

2 skinless grilled chicken breasts, shredded or diced

1 can of lentils, drained and rinsed (you can use dried lentils, using canned lentils is just time saver option)

1/4 cup grated parmesan (this is optional but tastes so good!)

2 cups of baby spinach leaves

sea salt and cracked pepper can be added later for extra seasoning and preferred tastes

 

Method

1. Heat your oil (or butter) in saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft.

2. Add 2 cups of stock followed by your rice. Stir, gradually add 1/2 cup stock at a time and keep stirring until liquid has been absorbed. Once all stock has been absorbed stir in your chicken, lentils and parmesan. Continue on heat for a further 5 minutes or until ingredients are heated through. Add spinach just before serving, stir until it just wilts.

Easy!

I recommend this as a sometimes food, You can eat what you want as long as its in moderation and part of  balanced healthy eating. On a cold winters night  this is a lovely comfort food

Tips: to save time you can also use a BBQ chicken (skin removed). To make this recipe a bit healthier you can either substitue or take out the parmesan cheese. You could also add more vegetables, green beans taste delish in this too! Stay with your risotto, don’t leave it, keep stirring and don’t let the bottom burn, you will end up with a beautiful yummy dish 🙂