Personal Momentum

HEALTHY TIPS TO GET STARTED IN A POSITIVE HEALTH AND FITNESS DIRECTION

Health and fitness are about MORE than the way you look —

It improves the way you feel, your ability to focus… creating a healthy lifestyle and maintaining it will keep you having a positive attitude, strong mental health, a healthy self-image and it has a big impact on your overall quality of life.

But where should we actually begin?

After deciding you want to make a change, the next step is to come up with a plan.

So how can you start to live a healthy lifestyle?

Try these basic yet so effective tips for getting started on your fitness journey:
● Drink more water to stay hydrated
● Stock your refrigerator and pantry with healthier foods and snack items by reading the nutrition labels on foods before you buy them, so you can begin to learn what you are putting inside your body
● Keep your food portions in check, so you are getting protein, veggies, and fruits in the right servings for a balanced diet
● Plan which days you will work out, so you can create a schedule that helps you commit to the process
● Get more sleep to fuel your days
● Do not compare your diet and exercise routine to anyone else’s, as this is your journey

If you feel empowered by your diet and exercise after the first month, keep it going! However, if you get bored with the foods or workouts you have chosen, try something new.

If running on a treadmill is not keeping you focused, consider strength training or something else that lights you up!

If you are eating too many salads, and they are tempting you to stray to unhealthy options, look for high-protein alternatives, instead of opting for foods that are going to put you back where you started.

Continually reassessing your health and wellness goals can create a diet and exercise routine/program that works for you. On this journey, YOU are the only person that matters. So find what is really best for you.

Weekend workout - We got the power!

Tabata Sets

20 sec work/10 sec rest x 4 of each Round
Rest 30 sec between each set

Round 1
In out squats
Prisoner Lunges
X4

Round 2
Side shuffle tap the ground (3 each way)
Mountain climbers
X4

Round 3
Skaters
High knees or 5m sprints
X4

Round 4

Plank shoulder taps
V sit Hold
X4

Round 5
Bicycle crunches
Crunch ankle taps

It’s your workout, your time, your body, own it.

Remember who you're doing it for. It's not for others but for YOU.

It’s time to own your workout and make it work for you. We all have different goals, lifestyles, and abilities – so why would we all do the same workout?

Every person deserves their own workout tailored specifically to their needs.

The workouts that work best for you are the ones that make you feel good, happy, and satisfied. Don't make it TOO complicated to the point of disappointment.

Listen to your body, tune in to how you are feeling.

Listen to your inner voice when choosing the best workout for you

For the next few days, make it a point to try to identify your feelings and adapt your physical activity to your needs. For example, if you are tired, consider doing a less intense workout. If you are feeling down, a 20-minute brisk walk might help.

It’s Your Workout, Your Time, Your Body. That means you get to choose how you want to work out, when you want to work out, and what you want to do with your body. You set the pace on your own!

Which do you prefer?

Spicy Mexican fish with tomato lime sauce

Ingredients
● 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
● 4 x 150g firm white fish fillets
● 1 quantity of oven-roasted balsamic tomatoes (see notes)
● 3 tsp Mexican chilli powder
● 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
● 2 tbsp lime juice, plus lime halves to serve
● 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander, plus extra sprigs to serve
● 450g packet 90-second white long grain rice
● Salad leaves, to serve

Methods
● Step 1: Heat 1/2 the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
● Step 2: Meanwhile, roughly chop tomatoes. Squeeze garlic from skins and chop.
● Step 3: Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add garlic, chilli powder and fresh chilli. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat to low. Stir in lime juice and coriander. Return fish to the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until fish is heated through.
● Step 4: Meanwhile, heat rice following packet directions. Sprinkle fish with extra coriander. Serve with rice, salad leaves and lime halves.

Ref:
https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/spicy-mexican-fish-tomato-lime-sauce/wKjVhCOl?r=healthy&c=c9bdb8f2-8eee-475e-8b90-2d7ff4b54342/Healthy%20mains&h=Healthy

3 Fitness Myths To Avoid!

I’m sure there are certain things you have always heard or believed about fitness.

Whether you’ve heard them from friends, family or gym buddies, certain fitness myths persist that may cause confusion.

Here are some of the common myths…

1. Stretching the muscles first before a workout
👉Stretching muscles without a prior warm-up can cause damage to muscle fibres or injury to joints. You should warm up by doing light cardiovascular exercises or basic low impact exercises to get your heart rate elevated to increase blood flow to the muscles prior to any stretching routine.

2. Your muscle will turn into fat if you stop working out
👉 Fat Cells and Muscle cells are different and not interchangeable. If you don’t balance your eating, the excess energy you don’t use may be converted and stored as fats. If you don't eat and move enough muscle fibres can decrease. Muscles require protein and movement to grow and maintain strength and form. So in terms of muscle “turning” to fat, this is not the case. It can appear that this is happening because when you stop using muscles they start to deteriorate and shrink in size, if you are still eating the same amount of calories and not working the muscles then fat cells may increase because the calories are not being used for fuel of muscle growth and repair. Therefore fat cells increase and muscle cells decrease.

3. If you sweat, you are doing better
👉 Another thing to consider is that people based their workouts on how much they sweat, but this is not an accurate measure. Sweating is the body’s cooling system by releasing water through our pores. How much one person sweats can be very different to another. It doesn’t mean that you are losing weight or working out harder just because you sweat more.

Ready for another set of easy and fun home workouts? Let’s do this!

Don't forget to post your sweaty Selfie as proof!

WEEK 2

Monday
1 min - Jumping Jack
1 min - Squats
30 sec - High Plank
Rounds: 3

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday
30 sec - Knee Push-ups
30 sec - Backward Lunges
30 sec - 4 count Burpees
Rounds: 4

Thursday: REST

Friday
30 sec - High Knees
30 sec - Wall Sit
30 sec - Bridge
Rounds: 5

How are you going with it? Share with us below!

SET HEALTHY AND ATTAINABLE DIET AND FITNESS GOALS

The worst way to get started on your health journey is crash dieting which restricts you from certain foods or beverages. Which may give results in the short term but rarely lasts and often results in rebound weight gain. DO NOT set yourself up to fail.

Is your goal attainable?
Make sure you have the tools, information and resources you need to reach your goal. If a gym membership is out of your budget, a walking program may be a better option for a fitness goal. Or join a local outdoor fitness class.

Start slowly by taking walks in your neighbourhood and begin participating in beginner strength training classes that allow you to stretch your muscles slowly, so you do not hurt yourself and, subsequently, give up.

Or start small by looking at your food journal and determining where you can make changes that allow you to swap a bagel with cream cheese for fruit or swap soda for water… what do you think?

Instead of removing all the things that are labelled “bad” try adding or swapping out some healthier choices that you really enjoy. Then you won't feel deprived.

Make small changes that you can stick with, and you will feel the difference quicker than you realise because the bigger the changes, the harder they are going to be to stick to.

So make sure to find movement you enjoy & Healthy whole foods you love!

Weekend workout - We got this!

Accumulator HIIT

Warm-up round

10 x squats
10 x lunges
10 x push-ups
Rpt x 3
Rest 1 min

Round 1
10 x 180 squat jump turns
10 x Lunge Pulses each leg
Rpt x 3
Rest 1 min

Round 2
10 x 180 squat jump turns
10 x Lunge Pulses each leg
10 x push-ups
Rpt x 3
Rest 1 min

Round 3
10 x 180 squat jump turns
10 x Lunge Pulses each leg
10 x push-ups
20 x mountain climbers
Rpt x 3

CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS!

Stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Instead of envying someone else's fitness results, keep a diary of your own achievements.

Did you get to plank for a minute? Write it down!

Can you now lift heavier weights than you used to? Write it down!

Did you become more flexible? Write it down!

Do you feel happier after a workout? Write it down!

When you compare your present self to your past self, your progress will be apparent, and NOT outshined by your peers. You got this!

Are you a black lover? Or with milk ? Let’s do a survey!

Sweet potato, broccoli, tofu and cashew curry

Ingredients
● 350g firm tofu, drained, cut into 1.5cm cubes
● 1 red onion, finely chopped
● 2 garlic cloves, crushed
● 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
● 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
● 2 tsp ground cumin
● 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
● 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
● 2 tbsp no-added-salt tomato paste
● 375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
● 300g sweet potato, peeled, diced
● 150g green beans, trimmed, sliced
● 250g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
● 2 tbsp cashews, unsalted, roasted, finely chopped
● 70g (1/4 cup) natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve (optional)
● 1/2 tsp brown sugar
● Baby herbs, to serve
● 2 cups steamed quinoa, to serve

Methods
● Step 1: Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Spray with olive oil. Cook tofu in 2 batches, turning, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Return pan to medium heat. Spray with a little more oil. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric and chilli flakes. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until aromatic. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until combined.
● Step 2: Add water and sweet potato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Add tofu, beans and broccoli. Simmer, covered, for a further 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Stir through cashews, yoghurt and sugar. Top with extra yoghurt, if using. Sprinkle with herbs. Serve with quinoa