Meat Free Monday Global Movement

So, turns out there is a global movement for Meat Free Monday! On this site, you can pledge to go meat free on Monday and there's all sorts of resources including recipes and social media links. Happy MFM!

Meat Free Monday

In honour of Stella McCartney's campaign for Meat Free Monday in Britain, I would like to suggest that if you're really into your meat-based meals, try assigning one day a week to trying a new vegetarian recipe. Not just for the sake of giving up meat, but to rediscover how much flavour and diversity there is without needing to add meat. Thank god for Google. All you need to do is type in "vegetarian recipes" and bang, options galore! To inspire you, here are some yummy options:

Chickpea Burgers with raita

Chickpea Burgers with raita

Avocado and Corn Salad

Avocado and Corn Salad

Vegetable rice paper rolls 
(I'd replace the tzatziki with avocado, but that's personal preference!)


Got a good recipe? Tried one of these?

Eating all about the mind!

So, today I did a great workout. Gave myself a pat on the back, beamed with pride and went on to eat TRIPLE the amount I normally eat! Felt physically awful, but more than that, I felt soooo guilty. This is no way to feel when it comes to food and having overcome a serious eating disorder several years ago, I refuse to wallow in guilt over bad choices. I have to admit, when I find myself anxious or upset by things, as unhelpful as I know it is, I still head for the fridge 60% of the time! Unfortunately, knowing all the facts about food and nutrition is not a safeguard against making unhealthy choices.
The reason I'm writing about it is because I want you to know that we all have habits and relationships with food, and sometimes it takes really bad choices to make us assess what that relationship is about and what needs to change so that it isn't doing us damage physically or emotionally! I hope by being open and honest about it, you feel that you can be too, even if it's just with yourself. I know you haven't been big on responding to my posts, but I'd love to know how you deal with stress and anxiety in healthy way! I'll just have to accept that today wasn't a good one, but for the most part, I do make choices that nourish me and that I'm proud of. I hope you can say the same.

My Barre 3 Month of Workouts

Here goes - a month of unlimited barre 3 workouts - if you see me cringing a little at the sight of a staircase or wincing when I laugh, that will be my hard working glutes and transverse abdominus crying "Stop USING ME!" However, on the upside, you know those gold Kylie Minogue hotpants? I might be able to carry them off! We all need a dream, right? If you want to see what I'll be doing, head to My Barre 3 for info on the program. Think I'll kick things off with Ballet Boot Camp (FREE for all - highly recommended!)

Barre Sculpt starts at Kew YMCA

Pilates rollover

Barre Sculpt starts at Kew YMCA when the new timetable commences March 19. I know 4.45pm isn't easy for a lot of you, but it would make my day to see you come and try the class! All going to plan, I will be starting Barre Core with the lovely Emma Seibold at Barre Body in the city at the end of March. I look forward to telling you more about that closer to the time. As always, any questions or comments about the class or other classes I teach are more than welcome.

Barre Sculpt

Why

·         To strengthen deep stabiliser muscles that hold the spine and ribs in their ideal alignment

·         Improve posture through correcting muscular imbalances and focusing on lengthening through the spine

Engaging core muscles in the abdominals, hips, back and glutes to strengthen and shape these muscles

·         Increased flexibility and balance

  How

·         Combining isolation exercises into the stabilising muscles through the core and limbs that are often overlooked in weight and aerobics disciplines

·         Focusing on a combination of isometric exercises and stretching to elongate and shape muscles (hence, the dancer’s physique)

·         Combining the core focus of pilates, the grace of yoga and the traditions of classical dance training to sculpt and define lean muscle

What

·         A structured 60 minute class that allows modifications for all levels of fitness

·         An excellent addition to aerobic (cardio) training

·         Proven to lengthen, tone and shape the “trouble spots”: thighs, hips, stomach!

 

Where

Thursdays in the Creche

4.40pm with Cat

Women's Day & Exercise alters your DNA

Two things to be thrilled about today! Firstly, it's International Women's Day, so on behalf of the sisterhood, go and do something strong and impressive and amazing. As long as YOU think it's awesome, it is! If you need some ideas, there are a whole bunch of events in Victoria.
Secondly, an article in Huffington Post suggests Exercise Alters Your DNA.

"Zierath and colleagues recently found that healthy, but inactive young adults experienced an immediate change to their muscle cells' genetic material when they engaged in just a few moments of exercise on a stationary bicycle...Bottom line: While each of us inherits our own unique, hardwired, unchangeable version of the genetic code, epigenetic factors such as lifestyle and diet can radically change what our genes do." 
Opinions? Proof otherwise? C'mon you science-types, speak up!

Inspiration

For the past few days, I've been laid up with a painful lower back (ahem, may have been overdoing it a little), but the good news is I'm back in working order (well, 98.2%).
The OTHER good news is that I was able to occupy myself with my favourite inspirations to live a fit, healthy, active life. I want to share them with you, from podcasts to youtube videos. Happy Thursday.

Oxygen Magazine

Jillian Michaels

• Cassey Ho's Blogilates : 10 - 30 minute "pop" pilates workouts that target "trouble" zones - fun and challenging
• Jillian Michaels Podcast : She is not the harsh shrew she is on Biggest Loser. She's funny, smart and addresses so many issues in around half an hour including call-in questions
• Ben Greenfield Podcast : If there is a fitness or nutrition related issue that Ben doesn't know about, I will die of shock. Entertaining, enlightening and if you repeat about 1 minute of what he says word for word, you'll really impress the triathlete/ironman in your life
• Oxygen Magazine : Free workouts, nutrition advice, and a whole lot of photos that will make you feel really crap about your abs (but you WILL want to go workout afterwards)
• Nike Women Training Club : some killer moves. Subscribe on Facebook to get training drill videos!

 Got any to share? Love to hear about it!