A: Absolutely. Recent research from California State University confirms that consuming coffee prior to strength and cardio training improves energy, mental focus, intensity, post-exercise energy expenditure (by 15%!) and also promotes fat stores being burned for energy rather than carbohydrate stores. Caffeine is also a potent antioxidant with numerous health benefits. But be careful not to over do it as excessive consumption may cause stomach irritation. And make sure you only add a dash of milk to your coffee. Too much milk before training is not a good idea! If you have a question you’d like us to answer,  email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

1) Do they ‘walk their talk’? First and foremost, your potential fitness professional should be a prime example of what you want to achieve. Their job is to set a good example and be someone you can look up and aspire to. Do they train regularly? Do they have goals? Do they follow the same healthy balanced diet they tell you to follow? Are they dedicated and disciplined? Do they avoid alcohol, fatty foods and sugar? Taking a good hard look at them will usually be the best way to determine this.

2) Are they qualified and experienced? As a bare minimum they should possess Cert III and Cert IV in Health and Fitness and also a current ‘Fitness Australia Accreditation’. Further qualifications such university degrees and/or special advanced courses (nutrition, pilates, rehab, special populations, strength conditioning, etc) should be part of your trainer’s arsenal.

3) Are they in it for the long-haul? Is this their career choice for life? Would they do this even if they weren’t getting paid? Or are they just doing this for a few years until they get bored and want to try something else like selling used cars or going to work on the mines?

4) Do they genuinely care about you and your goals? A great fitness professional needs to be genuinely passionate about helping you achieve your goals and improve your quality of life. Do they put some thought into your exercise and nutrition program? Do they become concerned when you haven’t been following it? Or do they just ‘wing it’ when you’re with them then forget all about you as soon as you leave?

5) Are they passionate learners? The health and wellness industry changes on a daily basis. New research and scientific discoveries are changing long-held beliefs all the time. Does he/she read every day about the latest research and findings? Do they attend seminars, lectures, classes, online forums and buy subscriptions to health magazines? Do they share new information with you to help you be your best? Or do they spend their spare time watching TV and hanging out at the pub?

If your potential ‘fitness professional’ doesn’t get an ‘A’ in most, if not all, of these basic requirements, BUYER BEWARE. (We’re glad to report that all of us here at Betterlife Studio tick all of these boxes. I know, shameless self-promotion but it’s my rant!)

A: I would have to say that protein is the most important macronutrient for anyone who is trying to shed fat, build muscle and improve their overall health and wellness. The amino acids found in protein foods are used by the body to repair and restore all different types of tissues and cells, some of which help to regulate your metabolism, build lean muscle and burn fat. I suggest women eat 20-30g of protein at each of their 4-5 daily meals and men should aim for 30-40g of protein at each meal. But keep in mind that these are measurements of pure protein. So, a piece of chicken weighing 100g has approximately 25g of pure protein.  If you have a question you’d like us to answer,  email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

A: Conventional wisdom would suggest that exercising on an empty stomach would promote fat burning and weight loss due the your muscle glycogen (sugar) stores being depleted in the night as you slept. However, a study at the University of Padua in Italy found the opposite: physical activity after a light meal was best for losing body fat. The test subjects performed 36 minutes of exercise either fasted or after a light meal. Metabolism and subsequent fat-burning was higher in the fed group during and 12 hours after the exercise. This reinforces our message that you shouldn’t use exercise as a means to burn fat, but use it as a stimulus to boost your metabolism so that you burn more fat while you are resting and recovering throughout the rest of the day! Try consuming a light meal 30-60 minutes before your next training session to help boost your metabolism.

A: It can be tempting to resort to sleeping pills in these situations but before you do, try this tip. Rather than lying in bed tossing, turning and getting stressed, just give in and stay up later than you usually would. So, if you usually go to bed at 10pm but don’t fall asleep until mid-night, just try staying up until mid-night and catch up on some reading. Cutting back your ‘restless hours’, could have you well on your way to more solid sleep. But be sure to still wake up at the same time in the morning though. Yes, this will create some sleep deprivation, but that will make it easier to fall and stay asleep on subsequent nights. After a few days of this, start making your bed time earlier by 20 minute increments to see if you can maintain your new improved sleep patterns.   If you have a question you’d like us to answer,  email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

A: Insulin resistance is usually the result of a poor lifestyle – i.e. too many high GI foods and a lack of exercise. If you eat high GI foods frequently, your pancreas is constantly releasing large amounts of insulin to try to bring your blood sugar levels back down to normal. Unfortunately though, your body’s cells become resistant to insulin because there is always so much of it in your blood stream. Therefore, your cells become unable to absorb the insulin and the sugar attached to it, meaning they remain in your bloodstream. This is the beginning of Type II Diabetes. To reverse this resistance, be sure to cut out high GI foods, begin a weights training program (which will help your muscle cells become sensitive to insulin again) and supplement with Chromium Picolinate which will also help to regulate insulin secretion and sensitivity.   If you have a question you’d like us to answer,  email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

Unfortunately, I often see people use their genes, their upbringing, genetic predispositions and their family history as the reason, an excuse or even validation for their current poor health, obesity and unhappiness. Whilst there’s no debate that these factors can contribute to your current state, I refuse to accept and believe anyone who says these are the reasons to blame. If you are using something like this to justify your current state, then I’m sorry my friend, but you are just taking the easy road by finding an excuse to pass the blame on to and avoiding taking complete responsibility for every aspect of your life. Yes, you may find it tougher than others to lose weight, build muscle, keep your cholesterol levels down, get fit, earn a living and be a good spouse or parent, but that’s no reason to give in and just settle with what you’ve currently got. Work with what you’ve been given while striving for all that you desire! Bad genes, a hard upbringing, an addictive personality, an unhealthy family history are all like a loaded gun- yes they can be dangerous, but it’s you who decides whether you pull the trigger and allow them to ruin your life. You must do all that you can each and every day to make sure that this gun never goes off…