Betterlife Health and Wellness Studio

Question Of The Month – May 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:21:52 +0000

Q: What can I eat when I get really bad sugar cravings?

A: Ahh, cravings, those nasty little buggers that ruin any good fat-loss regime. Before we satisfy our cravings (with either good or bad food) we should ask ourselves WHY we are having them in the first place. More often than not, sugar cravings are simply symptoms that you are dehydrated or sleep deprived or stressed or hormonal or bored or lacking in protein or not eating frequently enough or eating too much sugar in the first place or a combination of any of these. Address each of these issues first and I guarantee you will eventually stop having sugar cravings all together. And if you have a craving you just can’t ignore, try to snack on low-sugar yoghurts, nuts, berries and/or protein shakes. Satisfying a craving with sugar, icecream or chocolate will only reinforce the mental pattern, making it harder and harder for you to change or stop it. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

Laurie’s Rant – May 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:20:33 +0000

The word ‘Emancipate’ can be defined as ‘being set free from an authority or restrictive power’. Now, you might associate the word emancipate with spoilt, rich, teenage movie stars who legally separate themselves from their parents because they are sick of them telling them what to do and to save their money (anyone remember Macaulay Culkin?). But, chances are that there is some higher authority and/or restrictive power that you should emancipate yourself from so that you can achieve the health, happiness and lifestyle goals you’ve desired for so long. More than anything, I think that our own thoughts, emotions, habits and negative self-talk holds us back. Yes, I’m sure there are people and situations in your life that you think hold you back, but trust me… they are nothing compared to the way you hold yourself back because of what goes on inside your own head. So lets start there. Commit to emancipate yourself from all the negative self talk, doubt, disbelief, excuses, self imposed limitations, fear and general head-trash that goes through your mind each and every day. It may take you some time, but commit to emancipate yourself from all of that first and then the external factors holding you back will probably take care of themselves.

May 2012 – Mark Edwards

Laurie Maximilian — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:17:57 +0000

Mark Edwards receives this month’s award. Since joining us here at Betterlife Studio only 6 weeks ago, Mark has fully committed to his new exercise and nutrition programs and has been rewarded with great results! He’s already dropped 3% of body fat, lost 7cm off his waist and gained 2kg of strapping lean muscle! Well done champ, you’re a pleasure to train. Keep up the great work!

All winners go into the draw to win a $940 personal training package here at Betterlife Studio (drawn at our 2012 Xmas party).

Bryony Wilkinson – April 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:13:32 +0000

Bryony Wilkinson receives our achievement award this month not only for her total commitment to a regular exercise regime, but also for always giving 100% effort during each group training session… and she never complains!!! Well done B, you are a pleasure to train and we enjoy having you here at Betterlife Studio. Keep up the great work!

All winners go into the draw to win a $940 personal training package here at Betterlife Studio (drawn at our 2012 Xmas party).

Question Of The Month – April 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:11:07 +0000

Q: I haven’t had much energy or motivation to get through my day lately. What can I do?

A: Obviously adequate water intake, sleep and nutritious foods are key factors that influence your energy levels and zest for life. But if you are working hard on those already, I recommend you try adding more zinc to your diet. Zinc deficiency is becoming more common in Western cultures and can result in a lowered sex-drive, weight gain, low energy, poor immunity and impaired recovery after exercise. Eating foods that contain zinc will help you to boost good hormone levels, improve insulin sensitivity (preventing Diabetes), protect against prostate problems, improve concentration and mental focus, improve your love-life, build muscle , burn fat and moderate estrogen secretion. It really is a wonderful mineral, so be sure to include eggs, lean red meat, chicken and oysters into your diet, or consider supplementing with zinc picolinate before going to bed each night. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

Laurie’s Rant – April 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:09:51 +0000

During my time as a personal trainer, I’ve seen plenty of ordinary people achieve extraordinary health and fat-loss results. Conversely, I’ve seen plenty of people not achieve the results they initially set out to achieve. So why is that? They all have access to the same training, the same food, the same equipment, the same weather and the same information. In my opinion, those who actually achieve amazing, see-it-in-the-mirror, people-noticing, body-transforming results are the ones who have a big enough WHY. They have an important reason or desire to train consistently and eat healthy foods each and every day. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have that burning, significant reason to change their lifestyle habits. Sure they want to lose a few kilos and look better in a bathing suit, but if they don’t, nothing will really change in a negative way for them. Their spouse will still love them, they will still have a job, still live in a nice house, still have great kids, still have a group of friends who support them, still have good cholesterol levels and still not be running the risk of developing a chronic disease (such as diabetes or cardiovascular). So does it really matter if they eat a few biscuits during the day, have a couple of wines after dinner and not exercise if they don’t feel up to it? Well maybe not in the short term, but I promise you in 10-20 years when they actually do need to change their lifestyle habits because they’ve gained 15kg and/or developed diabetes, it will be near on impossible for them to change their ways because of the lack of desire they have lived their live with. Maybe you can relate…

March 2012 – Di Richards

Laurie Maximilian — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 02:01:32 +0000

Diane Richards receives our award this month for her sensational effort in our group training classes and also being the top points scorer for her faction. Di always trains extra hard, attends a class each day, encourages others and always wears plenty of red items of clothing to rack up even more bonus points for her team. Well done Di, we love your enthusiasm and competitive spirit!

All winners go into the draw to win a $940 personal training package here at Betterlife Studio (drawn at our 2012 Xmas party).

Question Of The Month – March 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:57:19 +0000

Q: What do you think of those ‘toning’ shoes that claim to tighten your bum and legs more as you walk?

A: Toning shoes have certainly grown in popularity lately, but mostly due to clever marketing. Reebok (one of the companies that makes Toning Shoes) was recently ordered by the Federal Trade Commission to repay $25,000,000 in customer refunds because of falsely advertising that it’s toning shoes could measurably strengthen and tighten the muscles in the thighs, lower legs and buttocks. The American Council on Exercise conducted independent tests which failed to prove the shoes lived up to Reebok’s claims. We recommend that you have sports shoes tailor fitted by a reputable shoe store (ie The Athletes Foot) to suit your foot type and desired activity and then start doing some lunges and squats if you want to tighten and tone those legs and bum! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, email us at results@betterlifestudio.com.au.

Laurie’s Rant – March 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:52:14 +0000

I get asked on a weekly, if not daily, basis ‘how many calories should I be burning when I train?’ or ‘what should my heart rate be when I train?’ or ‘how far should I be running?’ or ‘how long does each training session need to go for?’ Folks, I’m sorry to say that none of these things really matter or should even interest you. (WHAT THE…???) If your goal is to lose fat, improve muscle tone and strength, change the shape and look of your body and generally improve your health, wellness and immunity, there is only thing you need to think about…. INTENSITY. Your heart rate, calories burnt, training duration and distance covered are all very minor details of any training session (unless of course you are a competitive athlete, but let’s assume you’re not). Proper intensity is all that matters and all that you need to achieve the results you desire and deserve. Training at the right intensity triggers a wonderful hormonal response in your body which allows it to burn that ugly fat, build that lean sexy muscle, prevent illness and improve your mood, energy and sleep patterns. So go on folks, lift a little heavier, do an extra rep, run a bit faster and rest a little shorter between sets. Yes, it may feel uncomfortable at first, but as the saying goes… all of your successes in life can be directly measured by the degree to which you ware willing to get uncomfortable. Forget all the heart rate/calorie/kilometers mumbo-jumbo. Leave all that to the professional athletes who are only concerned with personal bests and gold medals. Fire yourself up for your next training session and push that intensity through the roof!

Question Of The Month – February 2012

Laurie Maximilian — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:44:29 +0000

Q: Can I drink coffee before I exercise?

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.