Spring is here..... Summer is around the corner!

I've realised I haven't been on top of my blog, getting distracted by Facebook, I haven't really written a blog for a while (a  very long while...). And since we've just hit Spring and Summer is just around the corner, what better time to update you guys on what's been happening!

If you have been following our Facebook page, you'll realise the Hopscotch Team has been busy with a few things, we've been working hard in the backend to try and get some new systems into place. 

Welcome to the new guys!

Welcome on board - Vanida, Lisa, Nick, Kelly and welcome back Brendan, Trendy, Darcy, Havlin and Louise.
We also have a few guys away on holidays so safe trip - Gina, Josh, Mary and Rach! Can't wait to have you guys back!

New Logo and Website to be launched

The website itself is getting a massive make over and so too is our favourite Hopscotch Fitness Logo! My lovely web designer, Cazz is working hard to get all that I want into the system so we can make the website more user friendly and allow you guys to jump in, logon and record your details and also access resources and material to help you live a healthier life!

At this stage, we are looking at launching the new website at the end of Oct 2013/start of Nov 2013! We've very excited and hopefully you will be too!

Spring 12 Week Challenge

Last Friday we finished up our last round of the 12 week challenge and although the numbers were smaller than our first, the atmosphere was still electrifying and participants never walked away bored or not sore! As summer approaches, we are looking at starting a new 12 week program for spring, to prep for that beach body! We will be looking at starting our program Friday 27th Sept, there maybe weeks were we will do two sessions to ensure we finish up before the December holidays. 

Numbers are limited so if you are interested in joining this, email me for more details!

I'm also going to throw in an incentive, for the person who has made the greatest change (judged by myself and two other objective judges) will win themselves a "Kikki K - Food & Exercise Journal"

10,000 Challenge

About a week ago, I posted up a challenge, the 10,000 step challenge. What better way to get you moving before summer! Many of you think you are quite active but when you actually record it, are you doing as much as you think? How about Mon-Fri 9 - 5pm? Do you think you are even close to hitting that 10,000 steps?

I throw it back to you guys, if you are up for a challenge... you can either purchase your very own FitBit Flex or Zip, become my friend and record your steps and activity so we can track and compete. Or you can purchase a slightly cheaper version for $5, a pedometer to wear and see how your week goes. 
Depending on the interest, I may purchase a FitBit for the team, the challenger can wear. These are great tools to have to encourage you to do more everyday. I've had very positive feedback from those who are using it. We have  5/6 people already wearing these daily!

The Challenge

I have two "Kikki K - Weekly goals pad" up for grabs. The first two people who can out-step me based on a 14 day defined period will win themselves the prize.


If you have not already done so, please LIKE our Hopscotch Fitness Facebook Page!


Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

Preparation is Key

I find another common issue is preparation especially in regards to meals. Preparation is key whether it be your schedule or what you plan to cook and eat, when you exercise and when you have some 'me' time. Spend that extra hour or two a week planning your meals, go to the markets, get your hands on some fresh produce and get rid of your process food in the pantry. This is such a vital part to living healthy.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

Benjamin Franklin

The year goes very quickly, let alone the day; with a blink of an eye, we're already in August. No matter what your goals are in life or work, you must seize the day. Life is too short to be sitting around wondering and wishing. No one ever got any results wishing and wondering so get of your arse and take some responsibility for your own health. 

Get cracking and start planning!

Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

Change

Have you ever wondered how you got the way you are?

Is this something that concerns you?

What have you done in the last day, week, year about it?

A handful of you are struggling to get into a good routine, to start looking after yourself, to put you first and start taking action. 'Exercising on a regular basis is too hard', 'Cooking for one is too hard', 'I don't know what to cook', 'Work is too busy', 'I just can't be bothered'.

These are some reasons or what I call excuses to being proactive about changing your life. YOU are the only person that can change the way you are. No one said change is easy, if you don't like change or don't know how to deal with change, then go grab yourself 'Who moved my Cheese' by Dr Spencer Johnson. Change is what will give you results to some degree (this will depend on what changes are made of course!). If you keep doing exactly the same thing day in day out, how then do you expect anything different? Whether it be food or exercise, you can't expect that one day of change or a week to change what you have done your whole life do you? Isn't that being a little unrealistic to think that 2-4 weeks will undo all the damage you may have caused your health or life? 

Be patient, work hard, introduce new positive habits, one at a time if that's what works for you. No matter what the method is, you must change what you do now to change the outcome for later.

Remember, your body needs change and variety, once your body gets used to what it needs to do, it will choose the most efficient way to do it with minimal energy expenditure. So if you are wondering why your 5 days a week, 20 - 30mins on the cross trainer hasn't changed your body, I can tell you why...

Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

It's June already!

Hi Guys,

Can you believe it's June already and winter has hit us hard this year, with some horrible weather thus far! But don't be despair, this is probably the best time to hit the gym and do a workout. While Summer looks long way away, I'm sure we were all thinking the same thing about Winter during Jan and Feb! So it's the perfect time to get indoors and do some training in your lunch times and keep chipping away for the summer and lifetime body that you want! Get your friends in, do some 2-on-1 training or get them to join the group training. Take charge of your schedule and your life. Each day is important!

Be Proactive, Not Reactive!

I'm also so very proud to welcome on board to the team, Narelle, Agata, Maria, Jess and potentially even other new clients looking for some help to find a balanced healthy routine. Some of these guys have been training on their own or just found themselves in a little bit of a 'hole' and needed a helping hand to re-ignite their training and eating and two of these guys in particular are taking on the '84 Day Challenge' so good luck girls! Hard work will pay off!

I've been doing a bit of studying the last few weeks in particular and have come across quite a few great topics and information that I will be hoping to share with you all in the next few weeks. Most of these will be in regards to looking at a healthy lifestyle in a more holistic view. Getting the body and mind right for the real change.

Remember if you aren't mind ready, your body won't be either. Will power is extremely strong and staying focused and committed will provide results. 

As much as we need routine and habit with our training, if work or something else in your life is stressing you out and if you are one who doesn't like change in those aspects of your life. Then grab 'Who moved my cheese'. a simple book to read but a great way to get you thinking of change as a good thing, rather than to resist it. Everything changes, they change for a reason. You just have to learn how to react to it and deal with it.

'Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it' Dennis P Kimbro

Watch this space for more informative blogs!

Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

Commit. Stay Committed

Hi Team,

Welcome on board, Tammy & Suzanne! Another two bright and eager members ready to work hard and see results. These ladies have already been smashing it out on the gym floor with myself and feeling the effects while having fun. So welcome to the team. Check out the website/blogs and facebook page once in a while to see what's happening and what's new.

Welcome back Stephanie her lovely sunny holiday and have fun and a safe trip/holiday to Belinda! We miss you Gina as you are away on your long break as well!

Group Sessions

These have been up and running again and have been quite hit. Lots of high intensity work in that 30mins in a fun, exciting yet challenging environment.  

So keep an eye out on these and join in the fun!

Active Feet Sale

If you have had your shoes for over 6 months, tend to use them quite a bit on a daily basis, I would suggest you look into getting a new pair. Remember, they are what supports your feet and thus your body, if you do quite of bit of high intensity work on them and often, then it's definitely time to change after 6 months to a year. You will feel amazing in newly fitted shoes. Active feet are great as they will fit you properly (better than Athletic Foot) as they are generally podiatrist and not just a sales person reeling off the basic stuff they've learned from a handout.

So make use of the 20% off and go in store to see what you find. 

Amazing transformations

Congrats to some of the guys on again doing some great training with me and on their own. We are seeing maintainable results and lifestyle changes in many of you, Trudi, Andrew M, Renee, Aleana, Marg, Agata, Tamie. Amazing transformations but there is still work to do. No stopping until we reach our goals! But it is great to see some of you in training on your own and really taking on board the suggestions. Keep up the fantastic work, I'm extremely proud of you all.

For those who are still finding it the changes are just not there - ask yourself, have you really done everything you can to make get the changes and results you want? Or are you still catching yourself out making up excuses, ending the week wishing you had done better and starting the week promising the world? Commit. Stay Committed.

Speak to me when you are serious about making those changes; talk to some of the guys currently getting results, they know it all pays off when you put the hard yard.

That's all folks, have a wonderful weekend! Keep up the great work.

Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

Winter and Stress

Hi Team,

Welcome on board, Jake, Carmel, Aleana and Marg! Not all of you are joining the crew at the city club instead, utilising my skills outside of that Corporate space which has been fun and exciting! Results are already appearing so keep up the great work!

Hope everyone had a great Easter Break!!

Group Sessions

We've had a bit of a break from these but these will soon start again in the next few weeks. So keep your eyes out for the session times!

 

84 Day Challenge

Are you really ready too change? Changing needs to be both a mental and physical event. You can't have one without the other. There are a few of you making that slow transition, changing your lifestyle to a better one, learning new things about the food you eat. Winter is closing in, weather is starting to get cold. Less outdoor sunshine and drinking. Let's make the most of the next few months to get you into a new routine ready for summer. Don't start when Summer hits! By then it's too late. 

If you are mentally ready for the change and want to see more physical change, let me know. We can get you started on the 84 Day challenge. It's not for the faint hearted. You must be in that right head space to get the most out of it. R U Ready?

Stress makes you FAT!

Have you been stretching, have you been looking after yourself? Are you feeling stressed?

Stress Makes you Fat!!!

When we are frightened, angry or worried our bodies become flooded with adrenaline and a stress hormone called cortisol. The adrenaline keeps us alert and focused while the cortisol prepares us for the 'fight or flight' mode. Cortisol helps the body release sugar into the bloodstream for instant energy, for us to prepare for a fight or to flee a certain situation. This is quite affective back in the old days when we were cavemen/women. But modern times, we don't need necessarily need to fight or flight, we generally get stressed, angry etc. and still have to sit at our desk and keep working. The stress we place ourselves in can cause you to get fat, wears out your immune system thus increase your risk to illness. As you don't need to physically move, thus not using these fat storing hormones. So these hormones and the sugar released into your bloodstream just floats around and eventually end up as fat on your stomach and waist. The bad thing is, they make you crave even more sugar!


That's why when you go on a relaxing holiday, a real relaxing holiday not one where you attempt to see everything tourist attraction and wear yourself out. You may not have changed much in your diet but by being away from the stress, you may actually find yourself losing a few kilos!


You should also try and stay away from food such as sweets, processed and junk food, coffee and alcohol as these are also stress inducing foods. Food you should try and have more off are berries, green vegetables, turkey, sweet potatoes, avocados, nuts and supplements such as barley grass, spirulina and vital greens.


Try and ensure you get some time to yourself on a daily basis, whether it be 5mins at the start or/and of the day.
Try and have a day on the weekends where you're not rushing around trying to attend all events.
If work is becoming not so enjoyable, look for new challenges or new roles. Ask for help. We spend 40 - 60hours at work each week, you'd hope you at least enjoy some aspect of your work!

Change in weather

Please look after yourselves as the weather changes, take Zinc and Vitamin C, water and lots of rest to help you fight off the germs. Remember healthy eating to help build a healthy and strong body. This will mean less sickness and time off doing what you love. So look after yourself and make the good choices now that Easter is over!

 

That's all folks, have a wonderful weekend! Keep up the great work.

Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up

Food for thought

Plan ahead, whether it be your food for the week or training for the week. Look at the bigger picture. If you only decide on the day, you will most likely go for the easy options. If you can sit down for 30mins over the weekend and plan your meals and training, you will find it easier, if it means you plan for 2-4 weeks ahead and even it's only a week's meal plan with days swapped for the different weeks and increasing the weight/intensity for training then at least you have that planned and can stick to it.

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"

Remember that one fast food meal can make a huge difference to your diet, it can throw your taste buds off and your mind set. Be prepared. You're health is as important as your work if not more. You only get one body, so look after it. Don't wait until you realise you're not happy with it or that you are unwell before you doing exercise and eating well. Just because you're feeling ok now doesn't mean there are no long term effects further down the track.

"Be Proactive, not reactive"

Set good examples for your family, lead by example. Education is the key.


Goal setting
Set yourself a goal or a few. Some long term goals and break it down to smaller milestones to help you get there. Work towards these goals. Make these goals attainable and achievable yet challenging. Be realistic and allow yourself to adjust when needed if life throws something your way you weren't expecting. Something measurable is always good, as you can track it. If you want a nice body, what does that mean? What exactly does a nice body mean to you? How can we measure this?


Once you hit those goals, start thinking of new goals. You are more motivated when you are working towards something. When you can see the finish line. Very much like other aspects of life and work.


Making every workout count
A 10min workout in reality isn't going to really burn as much calories or have that 'afterburn' effect then a longer session. In saying that, depending on your goals, most people don't need to train more than an hour per session (unless you plan to run a marathon!).


The best way is to ensure that every session you have, you are making the most of it. For short sessions, make sure the intensity is high for most of the session but listen to your body for those who maybe injured or pregnant.


I've had many clients realise what they thought was a hard session on their own was no where as hard as it could have been. Some have really seen the benefits of training with a trainer in comparison to training on their own. For some of you, it may be better training either with a trainer or a training partner. So get onto it!


Food for thought:
If you keep doing the same thing, how can you expect change to occur.


Remember to...
Be honest
Work hard
Don't give up


Train Hard, Eat Well, Rest Up