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Spring Challenge 2020

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Join us for seven weeks of fresh air, fitness and all-round fun!

Springtime is here! Time to head outdoors and take on our seven-week Spring Challenge 2020 – consisting of workouts, wildcard surprises, super-sessions, prizes and fun. Our goal is to get your feeling fit & fabulous for summer.

How does it work?
  • Challenge starts on Mon 12 Oct to Sat 28 Nov 2020
  • We will focus on three goals:
    • Get Faster – achieve a PB in your chosen run (5km) or cycle (20km) course
    • Get Stronger – improve your strength based on a benchmark circuit
    • Build a Healthy Habit – commit to being ‘Consistent’ by attending 3 x weekly training sessions
  • Weekly training sessions include:
    • Running – Mon | Thurs | Sat
    • Bootcamp – Tues
    • Cycling – Weds | Fri | Sat
    • Yin Yoga – Tues (pm)
  • Surprise ‘Wildcard’ challenges will be issued each week (can’t say any more!)
  • Points will be allocated for attending training sessions, completing challenges and achieving goals
  • Prizes will be awarded for most improved, most attended sessions and a special Coaches award
  • Prize-giving concludes at end of challenge on Sat 28 Nov – with a brekkie BBQ
Who is this challenge for?
  • You’re looking to reignite your fitness Mojo
  • You’re looking for a tangible/achievable goal to work towards
  • You’re looking for someone to be accountable to
  • You’re looking to hang out with like-minded, fun-loving friends
  • You’re willing to commit to 7-weeks of fresh air, fitness and fun!
What is the cost?
  • $40 p/wk (across 7-weeks)
  • Includes prizes
  • Guaranteed results & lots of fun!

Spring Wellness Progam

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Our Spring Wellness Program is designed to help you learn about the key aspects of a lifestyle that will have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing – leaving you feeling Healthy, Happy & Connected.

 

“I believe that when we are healthier, we are happier because when we feel better, we live more.”
~ Dr Chatterjee, Star of the hit BBC One series ‘Doctor in the House’

 

This 6-week program will take you on a journey of education and inspiration as we share our knowledge and expertise in supporting you improve your overall health. We will be offering you daily lifestyle practices to support your journey towards a Healthy, Happy & Connected life.  This will include a toolbox of practical resources which will help you take control of your day-to-day wellbeing.

We have teamed up with top qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist, Tamara Madden (Mad on Nutrition), to provide you with the knowledge and tools to support an ongoing Healthy, Happy & Connected relationship with food.  Our goal is to empower women to make conscious choices about living a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis.

What is included in the program?

  • 2 x face-to-face Consultations with qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist to discuss your individual nutrition goals (Balgowlah)
  • 2 x Body Composition tests – one at the start of the program and one at the end, to compare the changes
  • Weekly ‘Spring’ meal plans and shopping lists – family-friendly and easy to prepare
  • Weekly ‘Spring’ recipes – breakfast, lunch, dinner & healthy snacks
  • Weekly ‘Health Spotlight’ – educational videos from qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist
  • Weekly holistic practices – including meditation, self-care, sleep, exercise, relaxation, ‘day-free’ detox options
  • Weekly mindset tips for encouragement and support throughout the program
  • Weekly online support & FAQ from Naturopathic Nutritionist
  • Access to private online forum where you will be supported to live a Healthy, Happy & Connected life

Additional Bonuses!

  • Weekly Stretch & Mobility class – exclusive to Spring Wellness Program members (Fridays 6.00-6.30am)
  • Guest ‘Spotlight Speaker’ – leading holistic teacher who will share techniques about a particular holistic tool to support a Healthy, Happy & Connected life

Benefits of the Program

  • Improve self-esteem & confidence levels
  • Balance anxiety and stress levels
  • Control weight challenges
  • Improve gut health | irritable bowel syndrome
  • Sleep better and regain energy
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Improve immune system
  • Support busy lifestyles

Who is this suitable for?

  • Women looking to establish a Healthy, Happy & Connected lifestyle
  • Women who struggle to maintain a healthy relationship with food
  • Women who need support and guidance through the maze of ‘healthy’ food choices
  • Women who are busy and need a weekly family-friendly meal plan, with shopping list
  • Women who need the discipline and motivational support to stay on track
  • Women who need the accountability of a fabulous supportive community
  • Women who are looking for stress-free meal times suitable for the whole family

Why participate? Hear from our past attendees…

 

Importance of meal plans

“I have absolutely loved the food! I’ve learned that I need to plan my meals, especially lunch and snacks. If I’m disorganised with these my day goes pear-shaped (or worse!).  This has been the longest I’ve gone without Cadbury (and we’ve been very good friends in the past!). I’m going to keep up the meal plans and prep and all those recipes will be added to the repertoire.”
~ Kym Gray
Enjoy cooking again

“Who knew for the first time in my life I would be taking lunch to work every day, drinking more water, cutting the carbs, cutting the afternoon coffee, no bananas, alcohol (mostly) one night a week. The best, most unexpected thing, was enjoying cooking again and trying new things. Mostly loving having the kids help out, and also getting a real kick out of seeing and learning from all of you.”
~ Kate Blix
Support from group

“The program has re-energised our meal plans & provided some much needed motivation to get more organised for my lunches (& food over the weekend) and to make more home cooked lunch box food for the kids. There have been so many meals that will go into our repertoire moving forward. I have loved knowing that the group were there to support me & keep me motivated.”
~ Kaye Chan

Registration

Register today and secure your special ‘Wellness’ offer – only $63 per week:

Or take advantage of our Term 4 Summer Bundles, should you wish to mix ‘n’ match our Term 4 programs.

8-Week Nutrition Program

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We are thrilled to be partnering again with Renata Malinauskas, qualified Dietitian and Personal Trainer at Renata Fitness and Nutrition, for her latest (& revised) 8-week nutrition program that kicks off on 13 February 2017.

This is a great way to commit to changing your lifestyle and re-establish your health and wellbeing goals for the year ahead.

What do you get?

A personalised nutrition assessment that will include the following:

  • One hour consultation – Renata will discuss your current state of health, medical history, lifestyle habits, daily routine and health goals
  • Body composition analysis (optional) – includes body fat analysis, muscle mass analysis and circumferences
  • Personalised nutrition plan – aligned with your goals and lifestyle routine
  • One reassessment – after 4 weeks (via Skype) and one final face-to-face assessment.

Renata will design your individual customised nutrition plan based on your goals, activity level and body type. You will get a good understanding on how the macro-nutrients work in the body as well as the importance of the hormones in your metabolism and develop the right nutrition plan for long-term weight loss and healthy body.

Plus more…!

  • 8-week meal plan (incl. vegetarian option) – with easy, simple and delicious low carb nutritious recipes
  • Over 100 recipes – main meals and snacks
  • Meals delivered to your door at a special price (optional)
  • Weekly videos and posts on different topics to support your progress
  • Online forum to exchange information and ideas with other participants

Benefits of the Program

  • Boost your energy levels
  • Lose weight
  • Improve your digestion
  • Balance your mood and stress levels
  • Sleep better
  • Change your lifestyle for good

It’s a lifestyle, not a crash diet. We cover a range of wellness topics, focusing on long-term changes. Rewire your habits to make healthy eating and living enjoyable forever.

Gut Health

Your gut is not just your belly or your waist line – it’s the gateway to the health of your brain and immune system. Gut health is the primary focus on this program – you will learn and understand all about the importance of a healthy gut.

Mindset

One of the most fundamental building block of nutritional metabolism is neither vitamin, mineral, nor molecule. It’s the sum total of our innermost thoughts and feelings about what we eat.  Working on strategies to remain positive and away of self-judgement will also bring incredible results!

Meal Plans

These comprise simple, nutrient-dense and delicious meals, with minimal preparation and kitchen time. They are all:

  • Whole food based
  • Gluten free
  • Sugar free
  • Free from poor quality fats
  • Free from poor quality dairy

Why you should participate?

  • We truly believe that the 8-week nutrition program is a great opportunity to change your lifestyle and re-establish your health and wellbeing goals.
  • Motivation is also one of the key factors of the program. Knowing that there are more people involved and that you’ll be able to connect with Renata and others and any time makes you feel supported and motivated throughout the program.

Investment

Register!

Contact Renata to book your initial assessment ahead of the start of the program – Renata Fitness & Nutrition or call 0450 951 398.

Let running become your ‘happy pill’

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Running MentalI have been a runner for many years. It has helped me through many ups and downs. Relationship break-ups, moving countries, losing my job, making friends… and then meeting my gorgeous husband (luckily a runner too!).

Running has given me the opportunity to manage the huge number of stresses in my life and allow me to feel confident about myself. So when I hear of people embracing running as their ‘happy pill’, I truly get it!  The psychological benefits far outweigh the physical benefits of running. Which is why so many women are lacing up their trainers and hitting the paths/trails.

With so many mental and physical benefits, let running become YOUR happy pill.

Top 5 health benefits of running
  • Maintain healthy weight
  • Strengthen muscles, ligaments and joints
  • Prevents heart disease, stroke and diabetes
  • Builds strong bones – decreasing risk of osteoarthritis
  • Lowers blood pressure, raises good cholesterol, boosts immunity system
Top 5 psychological benefits of running
  • Controls depression
  • Manages stress
  • Improves self-esteem
  • Manages fatigue
  • Achievement of achieving a goal

I was never ‘taught’ to run in my early years. In fact, I was a firm believer that you could not change your running style. I was SO wrong! 360 degree turn later, I can now confidently say that running can indeed be taught. Once you have the tools and knowledge, you can embrace proper running technique. And so begins your love affair for running.

What is covered in our 5km-FIT learn-to-run program?
–  Assumes a low fitness base
–  Progresses slowly and steadily
–  Alternates between walking and running
–  Focuses on correct technique – running style
–  7-10-week structured program
–  Supportive private on-line community
–  Explore important topics relating to running, i.e. shoes, safety, injuries, more

Running shows the mind who’s boss.

If you’ve ever thought about running, let this be your sign. We would like to invite you to join us for a FREE taster session to show you the benefits of running.  We have had over 100+ women complete our learn-to-run program and who are now running on a regular basis. Some have even gone on to run half-marathons and marathons. This could be you.

Are you ready to take the next step?

Click here to register for our FREE taster session 


~ Debbie Solms | Beauty of Exercise

Get Hatched or go Bad!

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We’ve had a booming start to 2016 – and pretty soon our first term is going to be over. Boom, just like that! Which is why the topic of our blog is so timely.

 

“We cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

 

What does this mean?

In order to progress, we need to change.  We all love our day-to-day routines – wake up,cup of tea, breakfast, kids to school, head to work… etc. But if we all lived our lives following the same status quo… well, guess what?! We are going to get what we’ve always gotten – fact!

My story

Heading into 2016, my life was pretty hectic. Running a business, prioritising family, moving house (stress!), focusing on health/fitness… the list was endless. Whilst I was trying to advocate a balanced lifestyle… I was the one running ragged. My head was deep underground (or Facebook rather) and the important things in life were passing me by. I needed to take control and make some changes.

Affecting change

Change is hard! Especially when it comes to taking a step back from something that you have loved and nurtured for over 5yrs. Our BEXI community means the world to me – it is my second-family. I have forged some incredibly deep and meaningful friendships. But I knew that I needed to take a step back in order to progress forward.

Running is my passion – I live it, I breathe it, I love it!  This is going to be my main focus moving forward. Coaching beginner runners; athletes training for half-marathons/marathons/ultras; and writing on-line programs for those who have their own personal goals.

Triathlon is my other passion – there is something really special about this sport. I am going to be partnering with recognised coaches to coach beginner triathletes – Sarah Anne Evans & Sue Bennett. Building confidence across the three disciplines (swim, bike, run), progressing to sprint/olympic and eventually long course distances. We will also be writing on-line programs for those who have their own personal goals.

Strength & conditioning classes are the key change. These classes will be relocated to our partner, Active Lifestyles, Collaroy. Marcel Soares is a recognised Holistic Coach & Exercise Specialist. He has a wealth of experience, particularly with athletes recovering from injuries. I feel truly confident that my BEXI athletes will be extremely well cared for by Marcel and his team.

What next?

Our Summer term comes to an end this Friday (8 April), we will have a short break over the school holidays and then reconvene on Tues 26 April for our Autumn term. In the meantime, our Race-FIT and Tri-FIT athletes will continue training for their upcoming races. On Sunday we will be cheering our BEXI runners taking on the Canberra Half-Marathon — go team!

On signing off, I want to say a heartfelt thanks for all your support over the past 5yrs. I’m feeling energised and excited about the upcoming new term and look forward to supporting you little by little, until a little becomes A LOT!

~ Debbie Solms ✘
   Beauty of Exercise

 

 

parkrunSun RunSwim

Tri-FIT

Ouch… my back hurts!

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I hear this all too often. What starts off as a dull ache, then soon becomes an accepted part of our day-to-day lifestyles… until finally the pain becomes unbearable. This should never be the case!

Our backs are one of the most important components of the human body. So when I hear of clients who are struggling with back pain, I really want to stress the importance of looking after our bodies – hence today’s blog.

What are the main causes of lower back pain?

  • Daily lifestyles – picking up kids, moving heavy objects, physical labour (lifting, pushing, pulling, etc.)
  • Sedentary lifestyle – lack of movement to strengthen & nourish the spine, soft tissues and ligaments
  • Poor posture – slouching in a chair over-stretches the spinal ligaments
  • Stress – poor sleep, diet and little exercise causes muscle tightness
  • Poor training techniques – performing exercises incorrectly will affect your lower back

By the time we reach middle age (40yr+), our bone strength, muscle elasticity and muscle tone have started to decline. The discs in our spine become drier and less flexible, making them less able to cushion our vertebrae. Which makes it all the more important to take greater care of our backs and nourish their wellbeing.

How should we relieve our lower back pain?

  • Prevention – by avoiding placing undue pressure/weight on our backs
  • Regular exercise – to strengthen and nourish our spine, soft tissues and ligaments
  • Foam rolling – our thoracic spine, glutes, hamstrings (avoid lower back)
  • Pilates/yoga – to improve strength, flexibility and suppleness

I’ve included a few simple stretches and strength-building moves designed to support your back and help relieve pain. These exercises should be part of a regular program to help strengthen our backs. We’ve got one body and a whole lot of living to do — let’s look after ourselves.

Nurture, nourish, exercise and strengthen our bodies – it will love you for a very long time.

Debbie Solms
Run Coach | Personal Trainer

Lower Back Exercises and Stretches

Spinal twist Hip Flexor Knee to chest
Plank Cobra Back Exercises