Archive for the ‘Personal Training Lane Cove’ Category

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WOW!!!  For the first time in my life I had my period without pain… The first time ever I haven’t had to take pain killers or get the hot water bottle out! AMAZING!  I honestly can’t believe it… This is one massive achievement for me! And I can’t believe I reached my goal within the first 3 weeks of going Paleo. I really didn’t expect it to happen so soon. I had at least 6 months in my head. I guess the fact that I already eat a close to paleo diet probably meant I was almost there anyway. It’s now been a little over 2 months since going Paleo and both times I’ve been without pain…. Whoo Hoo!!!

That photo there is me with Wheat Belly – this is what happens to me when I eat wheat… Nope I’m not pregnant and I’m not sticking it out either…

Anyway, so if you remember from my previous blog post I decided to go Paleo to reach my health goals – my main one being to get rid of my endometriosis. I was already eating a close to Paleo diet without all the wheat & grains and stuff but just hadn’t upped my fat intake. So the biggest changes I have made have been the increase in saturated fats by introducing coconut oil, macadamia oil, more olive oil, nut butter, more eggs and a slight increase in my meat intake. I don’t have a strict 100% paleo rule as I still like to enjoy the odd drink or 5, and a bacon & egg roll on the weekend doesn’t go astray either! So even with not being “Paleo Perfect” it has obviously been enough to make a difference as not only have I reached a massive milestone I have also noticed a bunch of other stuff with this way of eating too, like…

I feel fuller for longer
I don’t need to eat as much at mealtimes
I don’t get cravings during the day
I don’t need or want for processed and refined carbs or sugars
I only need to eat 3 – 3.5 times a day (breakfast seems to fill me up forever)
I never feel like snacking
I have more energy (didn’t think this was possible for me)
I have more mental focus/clarity
I’ve even dropped a dress size

So as you can imagine I’m pretty impressed with these results and I’m now on a mission to reach my next goal which is to get my cycle to 28 days.  At the moment I think it’s at about 20-23 days. So sucky!! I’m on such a mission to get rid of this endometriosis once and for all. I really want to have kids one day and having had miscarriages in the past I really don’t want to go through the heartache of all that ever again. I was told I lost the babies because my womb wasn’t strong & healthy enough to hold onto the pregnancies because of my “out of whack” hormones but who knows right?! It could’ve been anything. Either way I’m not taking any chances I just want my body to be super healthy. Babies or no babies.

So to get to my next goal I’m going to give the Whole30 Program a go. It’s going to be 100% Paleo for 30 days. No 80/20 rules this time *YIKES!!* Yep, 30 days of no processed or refined carbs or sugars at all. No grains. No dairy. No legumes. No alcohol. No white potatoes. Nothing processed whatsoever. Bring on that 28 day cycle and all the other changes I’m sure I’ll see along the way. The Whole30 starts for me in early Jan so will keep you posted on the results.

Ciao for now!
Dicko Xxx

It’s that time of the year when everyone starts to think about their New Year’s Resolutions. Every year we write out a list of things we’d like to achieve, have or do and every year some of us seem to have the same thing appear on said list… Lose 5kg, run 5km, save $5k…. Thats a lot of K’s!! Sound familiar? Do you get to the end of the year and wonder why you haven’t achieved all those things you set out to do at the beginning of the year. I know I have been guilty of setting the same goals time and time again.

I must admit I get a bit confused about this whole Goal Setting business. On one hand I’ve been told that my goals must be  S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed) and then on the other I’ve been told to dream big and think the impossible. WTF?! So which one is it – nice & conservative or big & hairy?? Who friggin knows…

Well I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s both… or neither.

When it comes down to it there’s really only one thing that matters when it comes to setting goals which is summed up quite nicely in this little quote I once heard…

“The difference between the goals that we achieve and the ones that we don’t is that they weren’t our true hearts desires in the first place”.

So I’ve decided to kick S.M.A.R.T’s arse and come up with a few goal setting rules of my own. These will not only help you to set “Real Goals” but will also help you achieve them. Something S.M.A.R.T. forgot to mention.

Set Goals From The Heart

Someone once said that real success is to spend your life in your own way. When you follow your heart and do the things that you want to do you get to live a life of purpose aligned with who you really are, being true to your own values and beliefs. So many of us set our goals driven from our egos!  Especially when it comes to health & fitness. Most people set weight loss goals right? BUT they’re not actually doing it for themselves.  I was following a particular weight loss group on FaceBook recently and noticed how many of these women whinge & moan because their friend, collegues, partner, whoever hadn’t commented on their progress. I mean I even hear people complaining that their friends didn’t comment on their new house, car, shoes blah blah blah!! Get a friggin life PLEASE! Do stuff because it’s important to you, not to seek approval from others. This will never make you happy. If you’re not really doing it for you, you will never make it and if you do you won’t stay there. Stop! Let go of your ego. Put your hand on your heart and ask yourself “Is this really what I want?” And when you achieve your goal will you be so happy on the inside you won’t even think about seeking approval from others. Look into yourself and know the difference between looking for support and looking for approval.

Get Busy Planning & Organising

I know you’ve heard it before but it’s true when they say it’s all in the planning and preparation. When you plan for success  it makes all of the other steps so much easier. So write out your goals, put together an action plan and get yourself organised. Yes this stuff takes time and yes there will be times when you just can’t be arsed doing things like cooking your meals the night before but if you don’t you’ll be caught out and stressed out!

Be Disciplined

I’m going to blunt here (ha! not like me at all right ) but if there is something you really want to achieve you need to toughen up and just do it!  As Napolean Hill put it – don’t give in to negative influences, without doubt, the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people. So suck it up and don’t expect people to take on your goals just to make it easier for you. These are YOUR GOALS. No one elses. End of story!

Discipline really is one of the greatest strengths you could ever master.

Practice Persistence

Or as I like to say create momentum and keep on moving forward. Someone once told me that momentum is like trying to push a boulder up a hill. If you take small steps and never stop you begin to create momentum, yeah it’s really hard to begin with but once you get it up that hill it’s all downhill from there. But if you stop even for a second that big arse boulder is going to send you right back to the bottom of the hill where you have to start all over again. This metaphor just made so much sense to me so I hope it works for you too. Just remember small steps people!

Be Mindful

We all rush around with our busy lifestyles, stuck in our heads and doing most things on auto pilot these days. I mean when was the last time you stopped and really “felt” your way through a situation? Lets take eating for example – do you smell your food before you put it in your mouth, feel the texture on your tongue, actually chew your food properly and savour all the flavours from that one mouthful? Or are you so focused on just shoving that next spoonful into your mouth you completely missed the whole event? When you start living in the present moment you get to enjoy life a whole lot more and you may even find a few things that you actually don’t enjoy that you do on a regular basis purely because it’s now just a habit… This one is pretty powerful and may just help you get rid of your vices.

Surround Yourself with Love & Support

Unfortunately we don’t always get the love and support we need from the people closest to us. A lot of the time they are the ones who say we’ll never make it. Sad but true! So get out and find yourself an amazing support network. Find a bunch of people who will cheer you on and be there for you no matter what. This is so easy now with the internet – we can connect with people anywhere and everywhere. When I first started my business I had no one – even those closest to me beat me down and told me to go get a real job! So I surrounded myself with like minded people – I got myself a business coach, I had a life coach and I conntected with other personal trainers, mentors and fitness professionals and I found most of these people on FaceBook. I owe FaceBook big time because without these people I would never have made it.

Make 2012 the year that you make shit happen because you decided to live your life on your terms. Enjoy & good luck!

Lots of love
Dicko Xxx

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Hey guys!

I have put together a list of fun & challenging things for us to do next year so here is a quick look at what you have to look forward to for 2012. Please pencil these dates into your diary, invite your friends and family of choice – the more the merrier!! But please note these may change due to weather conditions or any other unforeseen circumstances. Full information for each event will be provided at least 3-4 weeks prior to the event.

For those of you who are keen to join me in the SMH Half Marathon in May I will be training for this pretty much every Sunday from end Jan/early Feb. I will provide you with full information of when & where I’ll be training so be sure to come and join me as we progressively increase our distance & intensity from week to week. I will also be looking at swimming training for the Triathlon in October so will let you know as soon as I’ve figured something out.

It is going to be a FUN year ahead and I look forward to sharing it with you all!!

Fun Stuff for 2012

Sun 22nd Jan – Lawn Bowls

Sat 4th Feb – Real Life Fitness “Resolution Party”

Sat 11th Feb – Warrior Dash, Glenworth Valley, Peats Ridge

Sun 4th Mar – Kayaking, Spit Bridge

Sat 31st Mar – Surprise Social Event

Sun 29th Apr – Blue Mountains Walk

Sun 20th May – SMH Half Marathon (21.1km)

Sat 7th Jul – Surprise Social Event

Sat 28th Jul – Indoor Rock Climbing

Sun 12th Aug – City To Surf

Sun 16th Sep – Sydney Running Festival

Oct – Team Pinkie Women’s Triathlon

Tues 6th Nov – Melbourne Cup Luncheon

24th Nov – Real Life Fitness “Christmas Party”

I have just finished reading an article in one of my old Oxygen Magazines about a woman by the name of Angela Barens who had a brain aneurism at the age of 30. After waking from being in a coma for 2 weeks Angela was unable to move or talk or breathe without medical assistance.

Her body was lifeless but her mind was not. Against all odds Angela believed that she could make a full recovery despite the Doctors telling her husband that she may never walk again.

Not only has Angela learnt how to walk again she ran the Sydney Marathon in 4 hours and 20 minutes. And she has become a mother for the second time.

AMAZING!

The human body truly is amazing but the power of the mind is unstoppable when you truly believe!

Thanks for the inspiration Angela Berens – Miracle Mum.

I hope you’ve been inspired too!

Yours in health & happiness!

Rache x

There are a lot of Personal Trainers out there that will tell you that everyone needs a Personal Trainer – I know I hear it quite often. Well as you can probably tell by the headline I’m not one of those Personal Trainers. And I am going to be completely honest and tell you why I think that not everyone around town needs a Personal Trainer. So here goes..

1. You Can Do It For Free!

The information superhighway makes it so easy for us to find exactly what we need right when we need it. And there is so much great stuff out there that is absolutely free. So whether your goal is fat loss, better health, to feel fitter or to get stronger you can find out exactly how to do this for FREE! I find free stuff on You Tube all the time that I use to mix things up a bit for my own clients. FaceBook is also a great resources. Just get connected with the right network and you’re off!

I recall having a conversation with a Dietician who believed that, those who really needed the help of a Personal Trainer but could not afford our services, would need to go without and continue to live a less than healthy life. What a load of bollocks!!  From someone who has been in that position myself I know that if someone is truly determined to get fit and healthy that they will find a way no matter what. If I can do it anyone can and some of the best pieces of advice I ever got where for free.  Or at a very small cost, like the price of a book!

Seek and you shall find!

2. Walking is Enough

Most of us are just so busy these days that we can spend all day just sitting around. We sit at our desks as we work longer hours than ever (silly us) we sit around on our commute to/from work and then we get home so exhausted that we crash on the couch just to take a load off. Yep, been there done that myself!

Do yourself the biggest favour you can do – take a lunch break and go for a walk. Your body and your health will LOVE you for it. Not only will you feel more energised from it you will also:

• Reduce Your Blood Pressure
• Reduce Stress
• Increase Your Metabolic Rate & Burn More Calories
• Prevent Knee & Hip Injuries
• Reduce Anxiety & Depression
• Increase Your Bone Health

Walking – it’s absolutely FREE and it’s one of the best exercises you can do. It is low impact and there’s not much chance you’ll injure yourself and it is fantastic for so many reasons and all it takes is 45-60 minutes a day.

3. You are what you eat

When it comes to general health and fitness and keeping off the kilos the majority of your results are going to come from your nutrition. Now, there is no one diet that fits all, and healthy eating is not about restricting your calories. It’s about finding what works for your body. As a general rule and yep you’ve heard it before, eat a balanced diet and cut out the nasties – especially sugar and trans fats. So what does a healthy & balanced diet look like…

• Eat lots of fresh veggies especially the green ones
• Eat 1-2 pieces of fruit a day
• Eat healthy fats such as nuts, salmon etc
• Eat fish & lean grass-fed/hormone free meats
• Eat wholegrain foods – not the refined white stuff
• Drink plenty of water (at least 3 litres a day)

And as I said, not one diet fits all so if you find that something still isn’t right – seek out to find what it is that isn’t working for you. You could start by using the process of elimination. Remove one thing from your diet at a time for a few weeks and see what happens. I found that I couldn’t eat wheat –  it totally stops my digestive system. But that’s just me! Find out what works (or doesn’t work) for you.

4. Your home, office or park is a gym

Take a look around you – can you see some stairs or even just a step? What about a chair or a bench? A park or a hill maybe! You have an entire gym right in front of you all you need to do is just get off your butt and use it. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – find some stairs and add in a stair climb. Do a few push ups on the bench or table, add in some dips and steps ups and you’ve got an entire workout right in your own backyard.

5. More harm than good

If you are highly stressed, not eating and/or sleeping properly and are overweight then heavy exercise is the last thing you want to be doing. Your body is stressed enough as it is and any exercise beyond walking could stress out your body even more. Your first port of call should be to give yourself some TLC. Slow down, relax, nourish your body with good food and a better night’s sleep should ensue.  Only then should you consider ramping up your exercise regime.

Kindness first, hard work later!

6. You know your body best

No matter what anyone tells you, it is your body that is going to talk to you the loudest. So listen up!  Our bodies are so very efficient at doing what they need to be doing so when something isn’t right it will tell you loud and clear! So if there is something, ANYTHING that is not working properly; STOP, SLOW DOWN AND LISTEN.

I have clients tell me all the time that “oh that’s just normal for me” or “yeah, it runs in the family”.  But when we discuss what’s actually going on and we make a few changes then it is amazing how the quickly the body can respond and get back to working the way it should be.

Just because something has always been that way doesn’t mean it is right and has to stay that way.

7. A Personal Trainer doesn’t last forever

When you find that motivation from within to live a healthy lifestyle that is what last’s forever.

So after all that…

What is the 1 Reason You DO Need a Personal Trainer?

Well only you can answer that question. Maybe it’s the same reason I have a Personal Trainer.

Who knows? Only you know.

Yours in health & happiness!

Rache x

PS: Be kind and gentle to yourself, love who you are now, chill out, relax and let go!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful clients both past and present and to those who have supported me throughout this amazing year! I hope you get to relax, enjoy and have fun these holidays and most importantly share it with the ones that you love.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you not only for your support this year but for allowing me to be a part of your health and fitness journey. Your hard work, enthusiasm and transformations are truly inspiring and I love the fact that you now love to exercise too! I look forward to what 2011 may bring for you – it is going to be a massive year and I look forward to being a part of your ongoing success!

The New Year sees the launch of a whole bunch of new and exciting ventures for Real Life Fitness so get ready for a kick-start into 2011…

Our 8 Week “Ultimate Body Blitz Challenge” is first up in January giving you unlimited access to over 20 Group Classes across Lane Cove & North Sydney and includes a 2 week Real Food Detox (rid your body of all those Festive Toxins) plus you get a take home pamper pack, take home fitness pack and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Also look out for our monthly Fitness Fun Days happening on the last Sunday of every month – these are going to be HEAPS OF FUN!!

Our Summer Outdoor Group Fitness Classes are set to launch on Monday 10th January and Zumba is back Wednesday 19^th January so get ready to get your groove on again.

Lots to do in 2011 so go ahead and Enjoy The Silly Season – I know I will be!!

See you in the New Year!

Yours in health & happiness.
Rache xxx

So you’ve decided to bite the bullet and get fit but you need a little help in getting there. So how do you choose a Personal Trainer in Lane Cove that’s right for you?

Easy – you go and spy on them. Go and  check them out  and their clients while you’re at it. Just take note of everything that they do and see whether they’re a fit for you.

Do you like their training style – if you hate running and most of their sessions are spent  running around the park go find someone else to spy on.

Are they completely focused on their client?

Do they really get in there and show their client exactly what to do or do they just stand their and bark orders?

Once you’ve found someone who you think will fit with you go and have a chat to them. They’re really not scary at all and usually more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you’re in a gym just do the same thing. Don’t let the sales person just sign you up with any Personal Trainer. Join up, take your time and really get to know the Personal Trainers before you commit to anyone. You will easily pick the good from the not so good. Just look for the qualities that you want from your Personal Trainer.

Happy hunting or should I say spying. Hope you find the right Personal Trainer for you in Lane Cove.

To get fit and fabulous of course.

But seriously why would you choose Real Life Fitness and Personal Training in Lane Cove?

Well…

We hate running for miles and miles – bags not running!  I couldn’t think of anything worse, could you?

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We don’t do scary Bootcamp style fitness – getting a personal trainer is scary enough in itself and my clients are always relieved when they find that I’m not one of “those” personal trainers.

We train in the beautiful outdoors in one of the many parks of Lane Cove or in the comfort & privacy of your own home. Dogs, animals, kids and babies are all welcome.

Our complete fat loss solution combines both exercise & nutrition – doing just the one will never work. Plus we give you workouts you can do at home when you’re not training with us.

Our one-on-one sessions are only 30 minutes long consisting of short burst resistance and interval training so you get the most effective workout in the shortest amount of time.

We have fun group classes only – Boxing & Zumba are at the top of our list.

We’re real, fun and down to earth. What you see is what you get.

If you want to find out more about us and personal training in Lane Cove give us a shout and we’ll be happy to come say hello.