Blog

How to stay young!

19 October 2011

We all know that not smoking, cutting back on excess drinking & applying sunscreen every 2 hours are some things that protect us from ageing quickly but new research shows that things that you would have never thought increase the risk of ageing earlier actually do!!

NOT starting off your day with a Nutritious Breakfast!!!

You would never think what you eat for breakfast will actually increase the risk of ageing would you? Eating certain foods containing chemicals such as “Advanced Glycation End Products” (AGEs) may speed up that ageing process including wrinkling & pigmentation of the skin. The foods that produce most AGEs are high in sugar or fat. The more sugar added to a food, the more processed it is which means the more AGEs it usually produces. Cut out the processed foods & stick to your raw oats, porridge & LOTS of FRESH FRUITS & VEGETABLES. Another quick and easy we recommend is a Mona Vie RVL Nutrition Shake as a healthy & delicious way to start your day!

NOT using your gym membership!!!

Have you been known to join the gym & only come in when you need to shift that extra weight before a special event? By doing this you may be missing out on some serious health benefits. People that participate in regular exercise are not only decreasing their risk of some cancers & dementia but they are also slowing down their ageing process.

Constantly have stress sitting on your shoulders!!!

The ability to maintain a Zen-like manner when dealing with stress may help keep you young. Studies have shown that women with higher stress levels have been known to age QUICKER.
Reduce the stress & negativity in your life by practising relaxation techniques, having a hot bath or a massage, listening to soothing music, participating in LOTS of exercise, meditation or just get a away for a holiday or weekend so you can switch off & relax! Water is also known to be very soothing and sunlight will give you the energy boost and rejuvenation your body needs.

Having bigger EYES then your STOMACH!!!

When we were little we were often told that we were not to leave the dinner table unless we had finished everything on our plates even if we were full. If you still stick by this rule it’s time to BREAK this habit!!! Cutting down on your kilojoules by 10-50% has been known to decrease age-related diseases such as cancer & cardiovascular disease. So if you’re sitting there contemplating on whether you should finish that last piece of pie, think twice as this will benefit you in the long run.

Indulging in food & drink that you have heard is good for you!!!!

There are always people telling you what is good for you and what isn’t, common indulgences that have been advertised to help protect your heart are Red Wine & Dark Chocolate. To some extent YES but by no means is this the answer? Coffee, Red Wine & Chocolate are okay in portions as a part of your balanced diet but if these are the only measures you are taking to help reduce the risk of heart disease and ageing then think again! One of the best ways to decrease your risk of these diseases is to indulge in plant derived foods such as FRESH vegetables, fruit, legumes, raw nuts & seeds DAILY. Also if you have to have a alcoholic beverage (better if you don’t) limit yourself to 1-2 drinks a day & make sure your are regularly exercising.

Some of these facts may or may not surprise you, but if you want to stay young, fit & healthy make YOU the priority!!!

If you would like more information on how to stay forever young, please contact one of our fun & friendly professional trainers today.

Women’s Wellness & Weight Loss Retreat – 4th to 6th Nov 2011

14 September 2011

Most women are so busy caring for the family, the house, their career or business that they forget to look after themselves! Can you relate? Are you a busy women who has tried to lose weight and can’t get results regardless of diet or exercise? If not you, do you know someone like this?

We completely understand! We also know that diets are not the answer! Whole foods, body-mind wisdom and understanding your needs are! During this delicious live-in retreat you will learn the secrets to easy, permanent weight loss.

Re-create healthier relationships with food, your body and exercise. Be coached on how to keep creating a healthy body-image mindset. Experience two and a half days of blissful relaxation, cleansing and detoxification in a superb rural location. Maintain a healthy, slim, lean and sexy you!

The details can be found in the attached brochure below. There are only 30 places available, so be quick! Contact us to secure your place! (To all the husbands reading this, buy this as a special gift for your wife, to nurture her so she can continue looking after you!!)

Where: Tranquil Park Mountain Resort, Maleny

When: Fri 4th – Sun 6th Nov, 2011.

Investment: $990 ($110 deposit to secure your booking)

Download your retreat information flyer!

Fitness first, because your health matters!

13 September 2011

At Fitness Matters it really breaks our hearts that the current statistics show that 62% of adult Australians are obese! Our next generation is the first to have a lower life expectancy than the last and are kids are being named “Generation Fat!”

At Fitness Matters it is our intention to create a Happy and Healthy World because we care! Really!! At Fitness Matters we pride ourselves on good old fashioned customer service and we are measured by your results!!

Have you been to a gym before and failed? Did you feel like just a number? No-one really cared about you? That is where Fitness Matters is different. We want to know everything about you, what your goals are and why so we can help you succeed!

Statistics show that of all people who exercise, only 25% get results. Of those 25% getting results, 95% have a personal trainer! At Fitness Matters we believe there are 3 key ingredients to achieve results. Exercise, great nutrition and mindset. By having a personal trainer even if you know what you are doing, you have someone to hold you accountable so you do what you commit to and achieve the results you want much faster than attempting to do it on your own.

At Fitness Matters you can get started with a “New Member Experience”. This is a one month membership where you have your own personal trainer for a month and a results guarantee! (conditions apply). If you don’t achieve results in your first month on this membership, Fitness Matters will give you a 12 month membership FREE!

With the Results Guarantee in place it just proves Fitness Matters really does put your fitness first! Fitness Matters have 4 key branding characteristics:-

Caring
Customer Service Excellence
Results
Fun & Laughter

Fitness Matters is currently expanding and plan to open 6 new clubs by end of financial year. So if you are a positive, passionate professional who loves helping people and would like to live a fun, fit and healthy lifestyle and be your own boss then the Fitness Matters Franchise Selection Team would love to hear from you!

Submit your Fitness Matters Franchise Enquiry today!

Franchising Opportunities – Which is Best for You?

10 September 2011

With so many franchising opportunities out there, how do you know which franchise system is best for you? Our Director Kylie Courtie suggests the following step-by-step process when researching what franchise opportunities are best for you:-

Determine WHY you want to go into business. What are your motivators? What do you want the franchise business to provide for you? Are you looking for a lifestyle change? Are you looking for an investment that will provide you a passive income, or are you looking for a self employment opportunity so you can work for yourself? How much do you want to earn and by when?
The next thing to think about is “What are you passionate about?” What do you love doing? If you do something you love, then you never have to work another day in your life again! How will the franchise business affect your family and social life? Do you want to work mornings / nights / weekends, etc?
Once you have answers to all the above questions, then write your wish list of what you are looking for in a franchise opportunity. Also have a think about your own strengths and weaknesses and what amount of capital you have available to invest.
Now you are prepared and can start researching possible franchising opportunities. Make sure you ask lots of questions to see if the franchise group you are considering is a match to your wish list! Make sure you find out what core values are important to the franchise group and ask about their point of difference, their intention, vision and mission to check they are aligned with you!
Once you have a short list, the next thing to do is your due diligence! What training, systems and support does the franchise group offer? How much are their fees? Ask to read the franchise agreement and disclosure document (and make sure YOU read it!!). Speak to existing franchisees in the group and ask them questions. What do they love about the system and what are their greatest frustrations? Also ask for a list of “ex” franchisees who are no longer in the system and ask them what the franchisor is like to deal with and why they have exited the system!
Take your time. Most franchise agreements are for a 5 + 5 year term, so this is a long term commitment and you want to make sure that you are making the right decision!
Make sure you have sufficient finances available! With Murphy’s Law things will always take longer and cost more than you budgeted for and the biggest mistake you can make is to start a business under-funded. If you don’t have sufficient capital to start with and you have to borrow a significant amount of funds, this will place the business under severe financial pressure from Day 1. Ensure you get financial advise to ensure you are in a solid position before you commit!
Finally, ensure you get advise from an accountant, lawyer and business advisor, all who are experts in franchising!

There are so many franchise opportunities available in Australia and this is a great way to get started in business, especially if you do not have any business experience or are looking at a new industry you have not worked in previously.

The Fitness Matters Franchise opportunity is built on a solid foundation of initial training, extensive systems and support to ensure you succeed! If you are seeking a lifestyle change where you can be your own boss and life a fun, fit and healthy life whilst making a difference to others, then the Fitness Matters Franchise Selection Team would love to hear from you!

Get more information about your Fitness Matters Franchise Opportunity today!

Nutrition for Health and Fitness

5 September 2011

While exercise is a must if you want to transform your body from flabby and fat to lean and tight, what makes the difference between trying to get there and succeeding in reaching your goal is good nutrition. Somewhere between 70-80% of the success story is nutrition based. A perfect exercise program will only work if the nutrition fuelling that program is perfect as well.

While everyone over the age of 5 knows that your car won’t run without the right fuel, nearly everyone expects their body to run on less than perfect nutrition. While we would consider it ridiculous to fill up our car on water, we think nothing of filling up our body with additives, preservatives and synthetic foods.

The human body is made up of 80% water, but how many of us drink enough fresh clean water every day to keep our bodies hydrated and satisfied? When your body is thirsty it sends the same message to your brain as when it is hungry; the majority of people get the message and eat instead of giving their body what it is really pleading for, a big long drink of water.

There is no “one size fits all” nutrition plan, but there are definitely guidelines to follow for healthy nutrition which will enhance your fitness regime or weight loss plan. Different types of exercise programs require different types of nutrition, a marathon runner is going to need an entirely different nutrition plan to a body builder. But someone wanting to lose fat and gain muscle may need a very similar nutrition plan as someone who has trouble gaining weight.

The basic, black and white, no frills weight loss answer is that you must consume less calories than you use each day. But where that calorie comes from can also makes a huge difference to your success and health. Trying to find an optimum eating plan by only counting calories would be like swimming laps to get ready for a marathon, yes you would get fit, yes your aerobic ability would be fabulous, but until you ran you would never know if you could? If you were to only use calories as a standard between healthy food and fast/junk food, what do you think is better nutritional value: One single serve chocolate bar has the same calories as FIVE apples. That’s only comparing calories not the minerals, vitamins, fat content, or fibre.

The human body requires a wide variety of minerals, vitamins and other essential nutrients to perform at its peak. We are designed to eat fresh fruit and vegetables to supply us with carbohydrates, fibre, minerals and vitamins, meat supplies essential amino acids, natural fats from meats, nuts, and dairy products are a must in our diet; some vitamins can only be absorbed in the body when fat is present. Fat is not evil and it has recently been shown that there is a clear correlation between the increase in obesity and heart disease and the start of the “Low Fat” revolution.

Choosing the foods that power your body is one of the most important choices we make everyday and yet most people will happily take the easy or, in most cases closest, option rather than considering what they are putting into their bodies. Again; we will not think twice about driving an extra 10kms to get the right fuel for our car but we will accept fast and over processed “plastic” food for ourselves rather than take the time to prepare the best fuel for our own bodies. Which really is the most important thing in our lives, our health or our car?