{The Nest Health} How to take care of yourself this Easter

Posted in The nest health by centralwestnest

Holy guacamole Batman, I was just perusing my calender (cause I’m cool like that) and realised that Easter is literally just around the corner!

Nearly upon us is that time of over indulgence, over eating and general overload of chocolate!

So we contacted our fantastic resident health expert Riss Beer from Larissa Beer Personal Training to give us some hints, tips and realistic motivation to take care of ourselves this Easter holiday.

Hi again Nesters!

I know what it is like, you’re busy, you’re stressed, there’s plenty of parties and events to go to … so why not just take a break from your fitness program until after Easter? Sure, you can always come up with an excuse not to exercise. But slacking off on your exercise during the Easter break will only leave you with more kilos and more stress. So here are some tips to keep on track during the chocolate period.

Its important to keep exercise a priority during this Easter long weekend, so if it helps schedule a certain time each day dedicated just to exercise, this way you know it will get done.
Try to maintain your normal exercise routine as much as possible. People who are able to maintain their normal exercise regime and dietary regime during their holiday break will have more success in managing their weight.
Watch yourself: Monitor how much you eat and exercise during the break. People who consistently monitor these behaviours in the holidays are more likely to maintain or even lose weight, sure you can have a chocolate or two for Easter, just don’t go overboard and overindulge when it comes to ALL food choices, it may taste great at the time but you will regret it later.
If you’re travelling, planning ahead can make all the difference. Take some time to figure out what your options are so you’re ready for anything. Just a few ideas:

-Search for walking, running or park trails nearby

-Look up information about the hotel you’re staying at and find out if they have an exercise room

-If you’re staying with family, ask if they have any fitness equipment

-If that’s not an option, find a nearby gym and ask if they let guests use their facility

If you are pressed for time and cant get to the gym, or your gym closes during the Easter period, try an at home no equipment circuit, these are great as they use limited space take roughly 30 minutes. They incorporate both high intensity cardio and body resistance exercises. Exercise DVDs are also readily available and great for those pressed for time.
Walk as much as possible. Take extra laps at the shopping centre, use the stairs, volunteer to walk the dog (pets need exercise too)

I hope you enjoy this Easter period with your loved ones.

love larissa copy

Happy health Nesters!

10Jun2014

{The Nest Health} Is it worth diving into a green smoothie?

Posted in Organise your nest, The Nest Can Cook, The nest eats, The nest health by centralwestnest

Our brilliant, resident personal trainer, Riss from Larissa Beer Personal Training, has some great advice regarding the green smoothie concept that is taking over breakfasts everywhere!

Hi Nesters, I am not a fan of fad diets. I find that that are impossible to maintain, do not provide enough daily nutrients and often cost a whole lot of money that could better be spent elsewhere. Definitely no Atkins or lemon detox diets for me!

Having said that, I was recently asked by a client about green smoothies and whether they had any benefit. I have done some research about the potential health benefits green smoothies actually have on the body, and whether they are something we should all include in our diet.

Basically, I wanted to find out whether they were just another fad or something worth trying. After all, my mum has always told me to eat my greens and Popeye is extra strong after a mouthful of spinach!

Image: Linda Wagner

So, unless you have been living under a rock, you have undoubtedly heard of green smoothies. Fruit-based blender drinks of raw leafy green vegetables, blended until smooth. Here are some of the health benefits green smoothies have to offer.

Green smoothies offer a great source of nutrition. The amount of vitamins you’ll get depends on the fruits and vegetables you choose for the smoothie. However, most fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins A and C.
Smoothies as opposed to juices blend the whole fruit/vegetable therefore you are getting not only all the vitamins and minerals it has to offer but the fibre content as well
Green smoothies are a great way to eat your veggies without even realizing it. Although most people like fruit, many have trouble getting their daily requirement of vegetables. When you make a green smoothie, the taste of the greens is hidden by the taste of the fruit, so you don’t even notice the veggies are there.

So, what kind of greens should to add to your green smoothie? I think it’s often best to go for something with a milder flavor like spinach, this will also blend up easier. Having said that, it’s not the only green vegetable you can add. Also try romaine lettuce, swiss chard, bok choy, kale or parsley. You could even use broccoli but keep in mind it does have a stronger flavour than the leafy vegetables, so use only a small amount.

All in all I think green smoothies are a fine inclusion into your diet, it’s a great way to include those extra vegies we may not be getting normally, and remember you can add different fruits and liquids to alter the flavours and change it up.

To get you started here is my favourite green smoothie recipe:

Ingredients:

1½ cups water

1 head romaine lettuce,

½ head of large bunch or ¾ of small bunch spinach chopped

1 apple, cored and chopped

1 pear, cored and chopped

1 banana

Juice of ½ lemon

Blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

As always, if you have any health or fitness questions please email me at centralwestnest@outlook.com

love larissa copy

Happy health Nesters!

15Apr2014

{Girl Crush Tuesday} The Mighty Michelle

Posted in The nest health, This is life by centralwestnest

We have some pretty hard girl crushes. These are the types of ladies that stamp their style on the world. They are the type of people that will always be remembered and little girls grow up wanting to be. They are women of substance. Women that make the world a better place. Happy Girl Crush Tuesday everybody.

Michelle Bridges is pretty cool, not only is she a fierce businesswoman and master entrepreneur but she is also funny and smart, clever and beautiful. Plus, she has a rocking bod.

But, the real reason why Michelle is someone who we respect is because she actually helps people change. She transforms lives. She saves people.

Undoubtedly, Australia’s number one fitness identity, she combines support, heart-warming compassion and tough love to help people make changes. Her 12 Week Body Transformation has helped thousands of people to shed weight and find a better version of themselves (myself included!)

Not only is she one remarkable person in the fitness industry, she is more than that. She regularly supports and donates time, money and awareness to the RSPCA, National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Black Dog Institute.

She makes working out cool. She teaches you life lessons. She gives little girls someone to look up to.

Cheers, Ms Bridges for being a positive influence in so many people’s lives and for spreading the word of good health.