GOOD CARBS / BAD CARBS The truth about sugar

Not all sugars are created equal. And sugar hides in some surprising places.

Processed and packaged foods contain the worst kind of sugar. Natural and fresh foods also contain sugar, but it is a better more healthy form.

{ each cube is a teaspoonful }

ACUPUNCTURE Can it help?

In winter time, with the drop in temperature, it’s quite common for past injuries to come back and haunt us. Acupuncture can help with this. Following is some more information sent to me by Justin, an acupuncturist who I can sincerely recommend. And if you are interested in a consultation or treatment, he is also offering a discount for Fitter Faster Stronger / Team Training participants.

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What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese healing which balances the body, mind and spirit. Very fine sterile stainless needles are inserted into the body at carefully selected points to stimulate the body’s own healing processes. These points lie on the pairs of channels that cover the body and through which “QI” (pronounced “chee”) flows. Traditional Chinese Medicine likens these channels to the rivers of China, which provide communication and nourishment system for the whole body.

When these channels are blocked then this creates a ‘dis –ease’ in the body, which may manifest itself as sharp pain, ache or general discomfort.

There is a large body of scientific data from animal and human studies that seeks to explain the mechanisms of acupuncture. Current reviews have shown that acupuncture promotes the production of “endorphins’ that relieve pain, improves the immune system, regulates the blood flow and hormones, is anti inflammatory and anti spasmodic and improves your own feeling of well being.

With the onset of the winter cold the channels which are blocked due to past injury will generally manifest themselves with a deep annoying and often debilitating ache. Acupuncture can help relieve and often rid you of this condition. This is but one of the many ailments that acupuncture can help with. If you wish to get some treatment I am offering to the Fitter Faster Stronger crew a fifty percent discount on the first consultation and treatment with a further twenty percent discount for continued treatments.

For more information please call Justin on 0221 629 935

Diploma in Acupuncture / Diploma in Tuina (Chinese Massage) / ACC Registered Acupuncturist

BATTLE OF THE BUTCHERS Was it the hot x buns or the Easter eggs?

Was it the hot x buns or the Easter eggs?

You guessed it both the boys put on weight - only 700gms between them but a gain is a gain.

Time to harden up boys. We are hitting the half way mark - remember your goals and focus on what you have to do.

We can only do so much when we only see you for 2 hours a week. It's up to you two to lift your game and get out there and train.

I LIKE BIG BUTS (and I cannot lie)

WINTER IS HERE. And during the Winter months, it can seem like pulling on your training shoes and getting out the door requires that much MORE EFFORT than it did in Summer time.

And lets face it, there are plenty of 'good' REASONS that we can find to justify NOT TRAINING during Winter.

Infact, I'm pretty sure I've heard all of them (and might have used the odd one myself).....

BUT I'm too busy

BUT it's raining

BUT it's cold

BUT I don't know where to start

BUT did I mention it's raining!!

And a personal favourite - courtesy of a friend's overweight teenager daughter:-

"BUT I need an iPod to start running"

If you DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING, then you will always find a "BUT..." to stop you. If you don't want a result bad enough, a BUT will help you to justify why you’re not willing to do WHAT IT TAKES to achieve that result.

And sadly, if we say "BUT" enough times, sooner or later we actually start to believe the stories we're trying to convince everyone else of.

BUT, as Tony Robins aptly put:-

"those people who say BUT a lot, often have a BIG ONE!..."

AND, it's time for a REALITY CHECK:-

In a few short months, come September, WINTER WILL BE FADING.

With Summer just around the corner again, where do you want to be? - a few months AHEAD or a few months BEHIND?

Your BEST Summer yet or another spent playing 'catch up', avoiding beaches and bikinis till you've shed those Winter pounds?

Now is the time to choose. Will you let your REASONS stop you or will you suck it up, pull on your training shoes and get out the door?....

Trust me - and the regulars who come to Team Training year round - if it's RAINING, dress appropriately and once you're warmed up you won't even notice...

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing".

AND as a bonus, the thermogenic effect of exercising will keep your body temperature warmer throughout of the day.

If you're too busy to exercise, what else are you too busy to do?... too busy to take the stairs? too busy being warm and cozy in bed at 6am instead of joining us at Team Training ...

There are ALWAYS options - busy-ness is not an excuse.

And not knowing where to start is great reason to never start at all. BUT Getting off the couch and moving is a pretty good first step

.....For every 'BUT' there's always a DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW if you choose to look for it. 'BUTS' are not truth or fact - they are simply the stories we tell ourselves and others to make things 'right'.

And we can make a choice to tell ourselves different, more empowering stories.

My friend's teenage daughter DID eventually get her iPod, BUT she didn't start running AND she's still overweight.

So, the next time you catch yourself saying BUT, think about what you're really saying. Are you just being lazy? Are you maybe more committed to being warm and comfortable than getting FIT and HEALTHY?

Then think of what that BUT is really costing you - Your Health? - Your Happiness? - Your Best Summer Yet?

Then make a choice.

AND START.

BATTLE OF THE BUTCHERS Results after 5 weeks

Well the first 5 weeks of training is done and dusted for the boys. Here's how it has panned out so far...

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JOSH:

Josh has lost 16.3kg and he is now 60.5cm smaller with all his combined measurements.

TOTAL: 11.35% lost.

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JEREMY:

Jeremy has lost 10.4 kg and he is now 45cm smaller with all his combined measurements.

TOTAL: 8.69% lost.

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A fantastic effort by both the boys.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

KRAIG'S KITCHEN Chili Pork with Oyster Sauce

As promised, here is another great recipe to sink your teeth into this week. And don't forget to head on down to the Aussie Butcher Birkenhead where you can get the meat you'll need for this recipe at a special price.

CHILI PORK WITH OYSTER SAUCE (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp peanut oil
• 450gm pork fillets sliced thinly
• 1 medium onion sliced thinly
• 1 glove garlic, crushed
• 1 large capsicum sliced thinly
• 1 small green zucchini sliced thinly
• 1 small yellow squash sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander

1) Heat oil. Stir-fry pork in batches, until browned. Put to one side.

2) Stir fry onion and garlic until onion is soft. Add capsicum and zucchini. Cook until tender.

3) Return pork to pan. Add sauces. Cook until hot. Serve with chopped coriander.

LOW carb, LOW fat, HIGH protein.

ENJOY!

WE WERE WARNED 35 Years Ago

35 years ago a documentary was made warning Kiwis of an obesity epidemic coming their way if they didn't change their lifestyle.

Not a lot of people took the warning seriously, and we are now the 3rd most OBESE nation in the developed world.

One of the quotes which stood out from the show was 'it will effect well heeled white folk' highlighting that this isn't a colour or race thing. If you choose to eat the wrong food and do little or no exercise the fat monster will jump up and BITE you, no matter who you are.

Which leads on to another side effect - DIABETES. The cases of diabetes has DOUBLED in the last 10 years in New Zealand. Scary isn't it!

So if you wont get off your butt for yourself, at least do it for your children and set a good example for them. They see Mum and Dad training and exercising and they will then think it's part of every day life, which it should be. Train and educate your self so you can pass this knowledge on to your children.

And speaking of setting a good example, our Butcher boys have had their week 4 weigh in....

JOSH so far has lost 12.4 KGS - That's an average of 3.1kg a week. And JEREMY has lost 11.2 KGS so far- That's an average of 2.8kg a week.

AWESOME EFFORT BOYS.