Increase your energy levels

To perform your best at work, in the gym, at home and out and about, takes energy. Follow these simple steps if you are feeling lethargic or low in energy.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.ne

Sleep
I know that this is a no brainer but so many of us do not get an effective 8 hours rest.

Do not eat straight before you hit the sack, give yourself at least two hours.

Make sure your bedroom is dark, I always have the best nights sleep in those hotel rooms that have the thickest curtains so no light is let in at all. Leave your bedroom window open during the day so the room feels fresh.

Get to bed early. Studies have shown that we get the best hours sleep between 10.00pm and 6.00am. Read a book or simply chill out before bed rather than watch TV.

Meditate
It is only very recently that I have started daily meditation. I thought that exercise and eating correctly was enough to keep me balanced, happy and energised. I was so wrong! I have discovered that through meditation I am able to quieten my head, my inner chatterbox. I had no idea how exhausting this constant inner dialogue was until I was given the tools to quieten it for a while.

I meditate 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening every day. I have found that my energy levels have gone through the roof. I am training more effectively, I am working more effectively and I feel calmer.

Simply take time out to be by yourself, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Try Diaphragmatic Breathing, this is simply when you try to use all of your lungs (filling your diaphragm) when you inhale and exhale. I say to my clients ‘breathe into your belly’. When thoughts come, simply try and concentrate on your breaths. Trust me if I can do it so can you. Have a go. Have a look at our Meditation ‘How to Video’ for more information.

Regular Exercise
It is well documented that regular exercise increases your energy levels unless you have hormonal problems or severe adrenal fatigue. See ‘Reduce Stress’ info for more on this.

Dehydration
One of the most common reasons for low energy is not drinking enough water. Make sure you have a bottle at your desk and keep refilling it up through the day. Going to the bathroom will also give you an excuse to stretch your muscles and walk around to increase circulation and energy levels before resuming your work.

Go ‘out of range’ for 20 minutes every day
Leave the laptop, mobile, Ipod, magazine, book etc at home or at the office and simply spend a bit of time on your own every day without external stimulus. Feels nice to just be.

Eat well
Stay away from sugary foods, too much caffeine and energy drinks. They  will spike your sugar levels and therefore energy levels in the short term, but bring you down with a bang when they wear off. This will also aid in weight loss if that is your goal.

A life balance will make you live better, move better, work better. If you have low energy levels, your body will tell you, listen to it and take care of it to stay healthy.

A guide to a perfect healthy day

Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To achieve a balanced life of health, fitness, physical and mental well being of course happiness, check out our diary for the perfect healthy day. We do not expect you to incorporate all of the things listed below into your daily routine. But we do know that you will get quicker results when you mix as many of the following tips with your Innervate fitness programme. Whether your personal goal is to lose weight, get fit or just increase your health and well being, its easy to transform your life with a few easy steps.

6 am: Wake up and take a few quiet minutes to think about the day ahead. Once you are out of bed, give yourself some energy for your morning workout, have a banana and a glass of water.

6:15 am: Start your day with 20-30 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio exercise. Take a walk or, if the weather isn’t good, get on a stationary cycle or treadmill. This will get your metabolism going, put you in a great mood and ultimately start your say the best way . If you’re not a morning person, use this time to meditate, a holistic approach, can be so rewarding. You can achieve your cardio workout in later in the day.

7 am: Take a shower, using a gentle, in-shower exfoliator or a soft-bristled body brush. As you slough off dead skin cells, let go of your worries for the coming day too. If you are feeling down about something use this time to reaffirm the positive things about your life.

7:30 am: Prepare an egg-white omelet (using three egg whites) add veggies and cook for a few minutes in olive oil. Serve with a slice of multi grain toast and low fat spread. Starting your day with a healthy dose of protein and good carbohydrates will give you energy and keep you from feeling hungry later in the morning. Feel free to have a cup of coffee, but follow up with a big glass of water.

8:15 am: Brush your teeth for the duration of a song on the radio. That’s how long it takes (about three minutes) to get your teeth really clean, and healthy teeth, mean a healthy mouth.

8:25 am: Commuting to work? Use this time to enrich yourself spiritually and emotionally. Listen to inspiring music or if you take public transport, read. If your day is a particularly hectic one, simply bask in the relative silence of your commute. Silence can be great therapy for the mind and put you in a calm state to tackle your day.

Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

9 am: Fill up your water bottle. The easiest way to make sure you drink your eight glasses of water a day is to have a full 1 litre bottle at your desk or near where you are going to be working most of the day. Hydration has too many benefits, it can help prevent illness as well as give you mental clarity, smoother and healthier skin and even slows the aging process. For more information on hydration check out this article.

10 am: Take a break to improve your posture, stand about two feet from the corner of a room, facing in. Keeping your abdominal muscles contracted, your lower back neutral and your shoulders down. Put your hands on either wall, level with your shoulders. Then, pulling your shoulder blades down, lean gently into the corner, elbows out, stretching your chest and feeling your back muscles contract. Hold position for 30 seconds. Posture is so important in modern day life, being conscious of this more often will limit the need for health checks and keep you more focused at work and even more productive.

10:30 am: If you are busy walking around for most of your day, take 2 minutes to chill out and relax before heading towards the next task. If you are chair bound for most of your day, get up from your chair. Start to make a habit of bypassing e-mail for in-office communication, and deliver that message in person. You will burn a few calories and get a quick recharge from the face-to-face contact. Its a small step but as well as affirming relationships with your collegues, its a way of introducing fitness at work.

11 am: Fuel up for your lunchtime workout and eat an apple and 1/4 cup of blanched almonds, remembering to keep drinking water. The mix of carbohydrates and protein will energise you through your workout.

Noon: Hit the gym. If you don’t belong to a fitness centre, treat your body and mind to a day pass. Warm up with five minutes of light cardio. Do two sets, eight to 12 repetitions of resistance exercises. This only needs to take 20/30 minutes, so you have plenty of time to warm up, cool down and get back to work feeling fresh. If you are really not a gym person, power walk in a local park or round the block.

12:45 pm: Have grilled or steamed chicken/ fish with veggies or salad. The protein will help you build muscle and stay alert during the afternoon. Check out our handy list of protein, carbs and veggies that will help making lunch and dinner a little more varied. And who says you shouldn't have dessert after lunch? Indulge in a healthy Spanish custom: fruit after a midday meal. Have a piece of your favourite fruit and, of course, lots of water.

2:30 pm: Take a break to refill your water bottle. At the same time freshen up in the bathroom, maybe even sprinkle water on your face to feel refreshed so you can carry on with your day.

3:30 pm: Don’t fight your natural urge to snack. A healthy protein bar or more  a mix of fruit and nuts will sustain you throughout the afternoon and stop you from over eating at dinner.

5 pm: The last hour of work is often a tough one for people. You are tired and looking forward to leaving. Use it to organize the next day. This will reduce stress and make for a more peaceful evening.

6 pm: If you didn’t do any cardio this morning, now is a great time for a calorie burning break. Stop off at the gym on your way home and get on a treadmill or elliptical trainer for 30 minutes, or for those none members of a fitness centre, walk or ride your bike home. If you already did your cardio workout this morning head home early to catch up on some down time with friends and family.

6:30 pm: On your commute home, make a quick stop for fresh vegetables and fish for this evening’s meal.

7 pm: Fill up your water bottle for the evening and prepare a healthy dinner. An example of a quick meal is: grilled fish or meat and brown rice (microwave for 90 seconds) with steamed veggies. If you had this for lunch change the protein and type of veggies so you do not get bored. A balance diet with a light exercise program will ensure you achieve your weight loss goals.

8 pm: Time to relax. You need to make sure you have time to simply kick back during every day. Watch TV, listen to music, read or take some time with loved ones – whatever you like to do to chill out.

9.30 pm: Get ready for tomorrow, taking a little time to organise for the next day will reduce your stress levels and make for a smoother day. Prepare the snacks and lunch you want to take with you to work, pack your gym bag, and while you cleanse your face and brush your teeth, think about what you’re going to wear to work.

10 pm: Sleep. Not making time to sleep is one of the biggest health mistakes we can make. It slows the function of your immune system, can contribute to weight gain and just makes the next day generally rotten! Get a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow start another new, healthy day.

If this sounds like the kind of health and fitness routine you would like to do but can't stick to, Innervate Health & Fitness have a handy FREE Live Better Handbook. The handbook is available to all new clients, whether you try out the unlimited group sessions for $40 per week or op for some one-on-one personal training, we have a trainer or exercise plan to suit your budget and needs. We are based in Sydney CBD, the eastern suburbs and in the inner west.

Motivated? Interested? Call us on 0410 264 306 or email info@innervate.net.au

Trekking the Kokoda Trail

By Filiz Bensan

Trekking the Kokoda trail was something I had always wanted to experience, to help gain a better understanding of what our Australian soldiers had endured during the 1942 battle against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea. This said, it was not something I had actually considered, until a friend mentioned it two years ago.

Training for the Kokoda track was always going to be vitally important, for the trek itself but also for how my body would cope after the trek. The majority of my fitness training has always been cardiovascular activity. This meant countless RPM sessions and jogging, about six hours a week. I really enjoy this type of training but knew I needed to move beyond ‘cardio’. So I contacted Innervate Health & Fitness to help me with strength and conditioning training to prepare me for the Kokoda trek.

I openly and honestly admit that doing any type of strength, balance and conditioning work is something I have always avoided but knew how important it would be for my preparation. With the help of Jean Alvisse from Innervate Health & Fitness, in the 3 months leading to the adventure trek my early morning training sessions commenced. We stated off with basic body weight movement patterns, then we progressed to more complex multi directional movements incorporating balance, core and agility work. Towards the end of the fitness programme I was training with my backpack and my hiking boots.

The trek started on the 25th September from Kokoda Village and would cover 96km over nine days finishing up at Owers Corner. Early signs indicated that the conditions would be extrememly challenging. As we approached the gates to start I was nervous and anxious. Every trek is different and there is an element of the ‘unknown’. How is this all going to unfold and how will I manage over the next few days? A question I always ask myself.

A combination of variable weather, from hot to cold to wet with extreme humidity, and the terrain of grassland to marsh to swamps and through rivers, ensured it was going to be tough along the high passes, ridges and dense forest canopy. To gain any type of secure footing was not easy by any means and required a lot of balance and concentration. I had to use every part and every muscle of my body to trek. It was also mentally exhausting, focusing on each and every step as well as taking in the surroundings, not wanting to let it pass me by. Some of the most challenging parts were the high steps and inclines as well as the river crossings using frail log bridges or even non-existent bridges where I had to pull my whole body weight while carry my 15kg backpack. However my training programme had prepared me well.

The only thing my training couldn’t prepare me for was the wet. The monsoonal rain, which reliably commenced after lunch every day, made the conditions treacherous. Walking in the rain and then having to wear the same wet clothes each morning, in cold conditions does also test ones resolve! My clothes never dried due to the humidity and smelt terrible, it’s the worst odour to endure. Drying them over the camp fire did little but add a smoky smell but certainly added to the challenge! But that is the Kokoda experience and that is the Kokoda Dream for those who wish to trek it. Its gives you a very, very small taste of the conditions that our soldiers endured and is an extremely humbling and emotional experience. I would recommend anyone to do it!

Having completed the Kokoda trek successfully with no sore limbs or joints, I know I had done all the right preparation. I found the training sessions to be very challenging but highly worthwhile. I know my fitness programme incorporating balance, core and agility work set me up to experience the trek in the best possible way. For this I owe alot of gratitude to Jean who really provided a great deal of encouragement and a healthy dose of patience and humour knowing how much I struggle with strength, balance and conditioning work. The training sessions with Jean helped and I have no doubt about that! Thanks Innervate Health and Fitness.

A huge congratulations to Filiz for completing the Kokoda trek and finishing with a smile. If you are thinking about a personal challenge, and require fitness training to reach your goal, call Lisa on 0410 264 306 or email info@innervate.net.au

For other challenges by clients and trainers alike, check out Innervate's facebook page.

Boost your Juice

Most of us know that we are supposed to consume the recommended 6 – 8 serves of fruits and vegetables per day. Easy to do right? Not always, we know it but so many of my clients tell me they find this near impossible to maintain everyday.

What’s the solution? Answer, juicing.

By juicing fresh fruit and vegetables you are able to absorb the valuable micronutrients, antioxidants, enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals that are lost when you heat foods. When you juice, the juicer extracts liquid from the whole fruit or veggie therefore including goodness that would normally be lost from the parts we normally discard such as the peel.

The benefits of juicing also helps build blood cells, detoxifies your liver, helps with healthy skin, hair, nails and eyes as well as detoxify and clean out your body. Utilizing more nutrients found in a juice gives you more energy and can lift your mood. A juice requires hardly any digestion and therefore the good stuff gets into your system very quickly.

‎If you are still not convinced that juicing is the way forward, a recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald stated: 'Raw fruits and vegetables are heroes at fighting disease. People who eat five or more servings daily have half the cancer risk of those who eat only two'.

What are you waiting for?

I am doing a 30-day challenge of no alcohol and I’m juicing everyday. I will blog about how I feel when I have finished the 30 days. Thanks to Kenwood for providing their amazing new JE850 Juicer for my challenge. If you want to get a kick ass juicer this is the one for you, click here for product details.

So, if you are looking to boost your energy levels and enhance your mood, and lets face it who doesn’t want to feel buzzed and happy everyday, then get juicing.

Yes! Exercise can help you if you're stressed and exhausted.

It has been widely documented that regular physical activity can decrease depression; stress levels and increase general wellbeing. Numerous studies have proven the physiological and psychological benefits of regular physical activity on our mental state.

So, we know that exercise can help you manage stress but this all depends upon the level of stress you are under and the amount of time you have been stressed.

Following a period of excessive stress we can suffer from adrenal fatigue. Which is, in basic terms, a condition that results when our adrenal glands fail to meet the demands placed upon them. (Adrenal glands produce numerous hormones that impact our development and growth, affect our ability to deal with stress, and help to regulate kidney function).

There are different levels of adrenal fatigue and most of us have been affected at one time or another from stage one which could be produced from a busy ‘week from hell’ at work or an uncomfortable situation with a partner or loved one. This would typically manifest itself as becoming anxious or flustered quickly, feeling exhausted in the evening or being ‘jumpy’ at sudden movements or loud noises. These symptoms should dissipate as soon as the stressful situation is removed and the individual can return to normal and regular exercise and therefore gain the benefits associated with regular activity.

However, if you have been extremely stressed for a long period of time then you might find yourself entering into the next stages of adrenal fatigue. This is when the stress hormone Cortisol’s production becomes affected; individuals become tense, get sick easily, feel tired and unmotivated and eventually after a prolonged period of stress this could lead to sleeplessness and lack of functionality throughout the day. In these extreme cases heavy and or long periods of exercise should be completely halted for six to eight weeks in order to let the body heal and hormone levels return to normal. I would advise low intensity activities such as deep breathing, gentle forms of Yoga, corrective stretching, Tai – Chi and easy pace walking during this time.

It would be advisable to get medical advice to check the stress levels in your body before returning to harder physical activity.

In summary, typical stress suffered over short periods of time can be helped with harder regular exercise but individuals suffering more prolonged periods of stress (as described above) need to proceed with caution, slow down and embark upon much lower levels of intensity during physical activity.