FUTURO review and my personal health toolkit.

FUTURO review and my personal health toolkit.

When you become a mum you sacrifice, you give, and you do everything in your power to raise healthy, happy and protected children. 

And then you get a bit older and things start to weaken or show wear and tear or maybe even illness or disease strikes and you realise how little effort you may have been putting into looking after YOU as well. 

Now when you have medical issues I think you can either become a sufferer or a doer, just like the glass half full scenario. I have decided to be a doer and find the best ways to help me and my body, as it is after all my only body, to better cope with life and live a long, healthy, happy one.

While I am only 35 I come from a family with (amongst other things) lots of Osteoarthritis and I myself have also been told I have Ankylosing Spondylitis and scoliosis so my joints and back can be very painful and does need extra tender loving care.

And you know what? These days I am doing pretty darn good. Yes, there is pain, and discomfort but I feel like I have an awesome toolkit at my disposal helping me now! 

Yep, a toolkit! 

Just like you might have for your house or your car.  A toolkit of things that help you, aid you, make a real difference to your quality of life. What is in mine?? 

*EXERCISE. My Rheumatologist told me exercise is even more important for me than the average 35 year old as it will actually help my body to cope better, things like squats and lunges (yikes, I don’t think I will ever like them) help strengthen my muscles and take the pressure off my joints so I am doing sets of exercises every day. I am also back into walking and about to get into a Pilates or yoga class. 
*POSTURE, MASSAGE and PHYSIO TREATMENTS. With my physio I am practising better posture. 
*PLANT BASED ANTI INFLAMMATORY EATING. With my diet I am eating a plant based, clean diet full of green smoothies, fresh juices, soups, salads, fruit platters, raw desserts and (because I can’t help myself – chocolate, my old friend, though, in my defence, mostly refined sugar free chocolate ). It is very much simple foods that I am eating and lots of leafy greens and foods as close to natural as possible – and it is working! My inflammation levels on blood tests have plummeted and I lost 15 kilos! 
*ALKALINE WATER. With my new water filter jug, that I LOVE I have been drinking alkaline water every day, as have my kids! 
*HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS. With my naturopath I am taking silica, turmeric, fish oil, high vitamin c, zinc, pro biotics, glutamin and a herbal mixture. 
*FUTURO SUPPORT. And for my body I am now trying out 
Futuro Custom Dial Stabilising Supports 

I am using these cool innovations, especially when I am doing repetitive work which normally gives me lots of pain. I have to be honest, at first I wasn't so sure they would help as I have tried plenty of creams, braces and things in the past but I did actually feel a difference the first day I was wearing them, especially the wrist ones. These braces by Futuro are specially engineered to give protection and comfort and most of all firm reliable support to weakened or injured areas like wrists, elbows and knees. The supports feature Boa Technology Inc. ‘click to fit’ dials, so they are adjustable throughout the day with the simple twist of a dial, providing the level of support needed by you and giving you control over how it works for you.  

AND my girls thought I looked like Iron Man – so it was the added bonus of instant cool mummy cred too! 

Futuro wrist braces – giving mums pain relief , support AND instant Iron Man coolness!! 

One thing I have absolutely learnt in the last few years is that pain robs your life of JOY. It is a happiness thief, it makes you short tempered, grumpy, dismissive and stops you enjoying each and every moment with your children. 

I also learnt that prescription pain relief doesn’t really help with joint, back and neck pain either. It just takes the edge off and makes you feel vague and tired, plus it puts so much extra stress on your liver and kidneys! And it doesn’t address the problem of why the pain is there either. 

What I now know is it is having a toolkit at our disposal; a balanced, chemical free toolkit, like a great physio, herbal supplements, exercises and tools like these Futuro Custom Dial supports can give us our joy back. 

It can make living in our body much more comfortable so we can get back to the more important things in life like bug hunting in the garden with 4 year olds and braiding 9 year old hair to look like Elsa. 

If I can share any wisdom with fellow mums it is get yourself a great tool kit and support system for your body and your health, it makes a world of difference and you need to take care of yourself because while your kids are your world, you are theirs. 

This is some of my personal toolkit this year – giving me my JOY back.

Bek xoxox 

This is a sponsored blog post as I was paid to review the Futuro Custom Dial supports. 

All opinions are my own and I do very much believe in my "toolkit" and only endorse products I believe in.

If you suffer from joint pain, or have someone you love that does pop over and have at their full product range HERE for medication free support options available out there. After all our bodies have to cope with so many chemicals and things already, anything natural that helps is a really good thing!


Please note the information in this post is based on the author, Bek's own personal experiences and does not in any way give out medical information or replace a consultation with your health care professional, it is for your reading pleasure only. Please always seek and follow expert advice for any and all health concerns you may have before undertaking any kind of treatment, natural or otherwise.

I Will Do More. Getting active in fun ways in 2015

Dream it. Do it. Do more. I will do.
DO - it's a rather powerful word isn't it?

"Do or do not, there is no try." Yoda

The more you do, the more you can do, so the more you do."
The Pram Diet Book, Random House.

As 2014 is coming to a close and 2015 is just around the corner we are on the brink of that exciting time of year when we seem to find extra enthusiasm and determination. We set goals and dreams, we often start out the new year wanting to be healthier, fitter and often slimmer!
We think wistfully about sports and dancing done in youth, and ones we would love to try.

We plan on fun runs and marathons in the year ahead, we might decide to take up a sport or active hobby, climb certain mountains, run 5k, beat our own running times  - even compete in a sport.

The Australian Institute of Sport has long been a very highly regarded and respected institution and one I really respect; sport and being active is something I personally am very passionate about and think should be heavily encouraged for all children and also parents and adults too, as sport increases our physical activity level in a fun way and makes us healthier people.

Exercise improves your health, helps prevent disease, helps you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, boosts mood, reduces stress, helps ease and prevent depression and has a very important link to reduced Post Natal Depression and also easing PND symptoms. For me exercise was key to getting through and then over my PND, and also boosting my self esteem and confidence and general overall happiness - something so important for us mums.

I also loved the way exercise empowered me and gave me goals and challenged me. I was so proud that I was able to go from not exercising at all, to walking my pram around the block to eventually jogging with the pram 8 km a day! And lost over 30 kilo's in the process.

We all have it in us to be active and find ways of doing it that are fun, exciting and challenging to us.

"DO: MORE is a philosophy, a rallying cry for those who want to devour life and all that it brings. It is a motivator for the doers of this world and a reminder to us all that we should maximize every moment, commit to those things that move us and pursue our passions with an unrelenting hunger."

 The I will do campaign is a new and exciting way to help Australians achieve their fitness goals through the help of the Australian Institute of Sports and Rexona sports ambassadors.
In this campaign everyday Australians will have access to information and articles written by the AIS normally only reserved for professional athletes.

Next year, for me, I will do more by trying a sports class like either tap dancing or ballroom dancing, or maybe go back to my past love of boxing and taekwondo. Something fun, active, challenging and just for me!
I am planning on pushing myself to do more and have fun doing it too and with tools and tips like the I will do campaign I am sure I will get there!

What is your fitness goals for next year?
What is something you would love to do? Or have done?
Is there a sport you would like to try? Maybe you would love to do a fun run!


Live Well. Be Active. Eat Beautiful, Stay Calm. Be Happy.

Bek XX

**This is a sponsored post**

Little paleo chocolate cakes and a MerryMaker sisters workout

Exercise we all know is important for a healthy, happy body but it can also be fun and a great way to socialise, spend quality time with our kids, make friends, challenge ourselves and find our inner strength and love for our bodies as well.

Putting the FUN and the planning back into fitness for 1 week thanks to Fitness First I swapped my unstructured and untimed long pram walks and swim laps at the pool, for a very exciting, very specific and wonderfully challenging routine created by the dynamo duo The MerryMaker sisters

Do you do the exact same exercise routine each week?
Have you ever tried changing it up a bit? Challenging yourself? Adding specific structure? It feels amazing, even if you think you are pretty fit, a new routine or exercise feels so energising and motivating.

I was a little bit worried at first about fitting it in completely and space wise as a single mum of two kids and all that, as the Merry Maker sisters are two young, child free ladies with that thing called spare time!
BUT I already am pretty good at fitting in a hand weights routine and some great deep stretching at night after the kids go to bed so I made it work (maybe not the best time of day to be working out, but it sure is the easiest and quietest!!) It would have also been a great one to do at the gym like in a Fitness First Gym's functional area and you could even combine it with a great gym class to make a fantastic session and also so you have the added safety of experienced personal trainers on hand to make sure you are doing everything correctly, which is so important.

What the girls put together was fun and very motivating.

I used to go to the gym a lot before my second baby, ok I almost lived there! And this routine made me (and my body) remember how good it really feels to take part in a structured work out, a work out that challenges you and makes you want to do more, be more, feel empowered in your body as well as doing exercise for mood and health like walking.

So I have had a great exercise week, OK except for one particular component I have to be honest, the pull ups! I seriously need work to get them happening properly!

What was my work out?
I am sharing it's outline with you, fellow mummy readers so you two might be inspired to shake up your routine a bit. I do highly recommend always seeing a personal trainer and your medical professional prior to undertaking and new exercise and it makes such a difference if you can learn a new routine under their watchful eye, ensuring correct posture and of course because you feel so much more motivated!!.

DIRECTIONS this is a functional fitness based regime. High intensity for a short amount of time. This would be for intensity level 8-10, though it could also be for lower intensity with lighter weights. Use weights that you feel comfortable with. These workouts can be completed in the new Fitness First functional area. We’ve added a yoga/walk for recovery.

Day 1
4 rounds for time (25 minute cut off)
10 shoulder push Press
30 skips
10 pull ups (assisted if required)
30 skips
20 push ups
30 skips
20 kettle bell Swings
Day 2
24 minutes, as many rounds as possible:
3 push ups
4 pull ups
5 box Jumps
Day 3
4 x 3 minute rounds of:
500m row sprint
Maximum amount of back squats in remaining time
3 min rest
*each back squat takes 1 second off your row time.
Day 4
20 minute cut off:
400m Run
21 x pull ups
21 x kettle bell swings
400m Run
15 x pull ups
15 x kettle bell swings
400m run
9 x pull ups
9 x kettle bell swings
Day 5
Every 2 minutes for 20 minutes complete:
5 x deadlifts
10 x weighted sit ups
Maximum amount of pull ups in the remaining  time
Day 6
Flow yoga/ Body Balance class at Fitness First OR leisurely walk.

NOTE: I didn't have a kettle bell handy over the week and couldn't make the gym due to a hectic schedule so modified with hand weights and the pull ups well, keeping with honesty were a bit of a challenge....
I am yet to master pull ups well, ok really at all in sets if I am being honest, and actually even when I was training in taekwondo and boxing and the fittest shape of my life  before baby number 2 I had trouble with these so achieving them and achieving them well is something on my goal list and something I know I need to get coaching for specifically in the gym to get there with an expert trainer that gets me and my body and what I need to do to get there, that can teach me, guide me and make it happen. This is what I plan to do as my youngest starts kindy soon and I will be hooking up with experts like Fitness First to get me back into my fittest body ever - hello Summer bikini's this Christmas!

And on top of the workout to soften all the sore muscles from the week I also made a delicious little recipe by these gorgeous girls, one I had to make twice as my kids swiped the first one, I tweked it a little - as you do right! I reduced the cacao - because it makes my kids hyper! Used coconut sugar and increased the liquid as we found it just a teensy bit dry. The Merry Maker sisters one pot paleo chocolate cake  which we enjoyed with lovely fresh strawberries from our garden.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cacao 

1/2 tablespoon of coconut flour

1 free range egg

1/2 tablespoon of coconut sugar

1/4 cup /coconut/almond/dairy/soy milk

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and then very quickly (because it is that sponge like coconut flour) pour into ramekins and bake in the oven (we do not use or recommend microwaves at all which is what the sisters use in this, but you can do it which way you prefer, though I strongly discourage use of microwaves)
Don't leave the room as they bake super quick! You will know they are done when they have a lovely baked smell and a crunchy top, depending on oven and size of ramekins could be 1-5 minutes. 

Notes

• Another version we made (but didn't exactly measure - sorry) we doubled the recipe and added natural yoghurt which really amped up the moistness and made it even more palatable than before :)
• This does only make a small quantity.
• Swap the coconut sugar for stevia or raw honey.

Thank you Fitness First for shaking up my routine and putting the challenge, motivation, precision and FUN back into my workouts, not to mention finishing it off with healthy chocolate!

#lifeisgood #changeforethebest #Fitnessfirst #beahealthyhappymum #sponsoredpost

BEK XXX

Top Training Tips for Busy Mums with Expert Penny Walsh from Fitness First Dee Why

When your a mum taking on exercise, sport or something physically challenging might seem overwhelming but it truly is worth taking that first step!
I know I talk a lot about how much difference exercise has made to my life, not just in weight loss, health and developing a positive body image but even I credit it to getting me through post natal depression.
When we become a mum there is never a more important time in our lives to make our health and our fitness an important focus.

I think exercise is a really great reason to take note of our health and where it is at or where we would like it to be. It is also a great opportunity to get mums out of the house, socialising and doing something that is just for them but with enormous health benefits.

So whether you want to try a fun run, take up a sport or look good in your pre-baby clothes again these top tips are for you!!

For me this year I am challenging myself now that my youngest is 3 to be more adventurous with exercise, not just work outs and walking, this year I am stepping out of my comfort zone and going to try lots of new things and challenges.
Right now I am challenging myself to fit fitness in wherever I can too, you have to as a busy mum right??
I have taken to swimming laps at the local pool while my daughter does her swimming lessons (its free and it is 45 minutes of swimming) and don't laugh... I have been entertaining my 3 year old, very much by trialing belly dancing at home dvd's thanks to my lovely local library! Hahaha Why not hey!
I also have the goal of next year going in my first ever fun run, a lot to do before that!

I am really excited today to bring you some expert tips and advice especially for us mums from leading Australian fitness expert from Fitness First so us mums can get started safely and make the most out of the training time we have!

Top Training Tips For Busy Mums
Penny Walsh Personal Training at Fitness First
Dee Why and Mona Vale
Contact Penny today
email : pennywalsh.pt@bigpond.com

When you’re a mum wanting to get your body back after having a baby (or several babies) what is the first step you should take in regards to exercise?

First step you take is to make sure you have had your six week check-up from your doctor to give you the go ahead to exercise again, then I would strongly suggest getting a personal trainer or a fitness professional to advise you in the right direction.

How important is it to get the right instruction from a professional when you’re starting a fitness routine in regards to doing exercises correctly, posture and avoiding injury?

Getting the right instruction is very important when starting back into fitness as a woman's body after a baby has still got a fair amount of relaxin, which means the joints are still soft and can be easily injured if going into exercise too extreme or too fast. Posture needs to be monitored as I have found my past pregnant clients tend to have some lower back issues due to stomach separation and muscular strength being low. It is important to straighten up with your chest and shoulders back, as mothers tend to slouch forward when feeding and changing their babies.

What would you say is a good amount of exercise or classes to start with per week for a mum who may not have exercised for a while to start seeing changes or building stamina or for a fit mum?
A good amount of exercise does depend on the individual, but I would suggest after your check up, start off with say 4-5 walks a week for two weeks, complimented with some basic abdominal core work to help regain strength, then, building up to some cycle or pump classes where you can build strength and stamina for the next couple of weeks. By week four or five, you’re back into exercise and can bring in your tailored resistance program. Compliment this with some high interval cardiovascular training (this is generally for a fit mum!).

How important is strength training as well as cardio work to get your body and confidence back

after having a baby?

Strength training and cardio work is very important. With the cardio component, you need to get the heart rate up and fitness levels up so you feel fitter – and bring in strength training to get that tone back into the muscles to feel stronger, leaner and firmer which is a huge confidence builder.

What is a great little toning exercise mums can do at home to complement their weekly workouts, say at night after the kids are in bed for around 5 - 10 minutes?

This is a great little toning workout at home and only takes 5-10 minutes:
i.Push ups- on floor
ii. Triceps dips- on chair
iii.Body weight squats
iv. Stationary lunges
These exercises are easy to do and can be done in a sequence of sets and repetitions.

For mums wanting to challenge themselves, how long should they train before entering a fun run type event?
Mums wanting to challenge themselves in entering a fun run type of event should be training 6 months-1 year, depending on their fitness levels, injuries and prenatal exercise that has been undertaken. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, slowly build correctly, properly and safely!

What are the other benefits to exercising after having kids other than weight loss?
Benefits to exercising after having children are:
i. Build confidence to make you feel better with your body
ii. Your body gets back into shape quicker
iii. Good endorphin's rise within
iv. Your body strengthens up quicker which allows joints to hold it better after all the relaxing softens it
v. You have an energy increase to be able to deal with the daily routine of a child
Here's to fit Mums!!!!!!!

Thank you so much Penny for your time and sharing your expert advice with us and a huge thank you to sponsors Fitness First

#Changeforthebest

Bek XX

Fitness First New You Give Away

Since becoming a mother there is one thing that has never before become so important to me, my health.
Everytime I look at those two beautiful little faces and my heart feels overflowing with love and awe I realise how important it is for me to look after myself so I can be there for them, so I can live with joy and experience their childhoods with them, not from the sidelines. Nothing has ever been more motivating for me then wanting to be healthy and well, to enjoy my life with my kids, to not miss their childhoods, to run around with them at the park, jump in the ocean with them, to be around to watch them grow up and hopefully one day have kids of their own and have that intense joy of holding my own grandchildren.

Healthy living has been my passion since after my first baby back in 2006, it was for her that I lost 30 kg and brought fitness, healthy eating, growing organic food and things like yoga into my life. Exercise made me happy, it got me through post natal depression and kept stress at bay, it got me back in shape after both babies (30 kg and 22 kg losses), was the inspiration for my award winning book, the pram diet  and is still an important tool in my kit for stress relief and health as well. I loved pram walking, running and swimming but it wasn't until I went to my first ever gym that I realised how impressive the human body was, yes, even mine! When I started doing weights I started to see definition and strength I never knew I was capable of. I couldn't believe how strong I became, even things like pushing a full wayward shopping trolley, lifting my child, carrying groceries became such an ease.I realised how powerful our bodies really are and the powerful link between exercise and a happier body and mind.

When I had an emergency appendicitis with complications a bit over a year and a half ago, I was struck when I awoke from surgery at how young everyone in the hospital ward was. The room was full of people in their early forties - fifties all very ill and having all kind of operations and on restricted diets, all very sick indeed. Years of eating badly, not exercising, and stress had taken its toll on these poor people and the feel of misery in the room was awful.

For the first time I saw how real the impact of our lifestyle choices are...

It was frightening.

I saw that exercising and eating well isn't just about losing weight, being fit and fitting into a great dress, though that is wonderful motivation! It is about keeping the joy in your life. Doing everything you can to live a long, full life.
It is about looking after this body that is where we will be living the rest of our lives.

I met an older man, in his 70's a few days later in the hospital. He was recovering from surgery but he was calm, as he was fit and healthy, they were about to send him home. He showed me a place in the hospital not far from our ward where you walk and sit in the morning sun and look down on a beautiful fern garden complete with sunbaking lizards. It was so peaceful. The morning sun on my skin felt amazing as did walking around, moving my body rather than lying in a bed. He was so confident in his body and his healing, it was inspiring.
I left hospital so deep in thought, so happy to be back with my young children and with a new even more inspired and motivated view on healthy living.
I was delighted to find I healed quickly and as I had been exercising, doing yoga and weights regularly my body was strong and able to bounce back from the surgery really quickly.

Health is a passion I will have for the rest of my life, and I hope I will pass on to my two girls so they can live a full, rich and vibrant life. I hope I will teach them by example that living well, eating well, exercising, moving your body everyday, being calm and looking after ourselves is the path to a JOYFULL life.

In loving health today I am SO very excited to be able to offer you an INCREDIBLE healthy living Fitness First - NEW YOU prize pack giveaway you can enter at the end of this blog post!!

#changeforthebest

Fitness First is changing. Fitness First Australia today launched two industry- first initiatives, Pay As You Go (PAYG) and Fitness Guarantee, bringing significant improvements to its members’ fitness experience, as part of the company’s ongoing transformation.
In recognition that people join them for a reason, a season or a lifetime, Fitness First has redefined the member experience with unbeatable flexibility. 
Change is seen in every aspect of the business from the new look and logo, to new equipment in state-of-the-art gyms, through to new services that optimise the member experience

Fitness first launches New You awards to help motivate Australians to keep their New Year’s health & fitness resolutions
The ‘New Year, New You’ survey, conducted by Fitness First, asked 1,502 Australians nationwide about their attitudes and commitments towards New Year’s resolutions and found very few Australians (9 per cent) are actually confident they will stick to their goals. Too much effort (56 per cent) and not enough time (42 per cent) were the top two factors blamed for people breaking their resolutions. 

The one and only Jane Fonda (doesn't she look incredible at 76! At a Fitness First event launch today!

Registration for the Fitness First New You Achievement Awards open in July and close at the end of August 2014. New members of Fitness First can pledge their goals online at fitnessfirst.com.au/newyou

Check out why Fitness First is the place to join this year with things like free bootcamp and a wide range of group classes including yoga and more amazing features HERE and follow them on FACEBOOK
All you have to do to be in the running for this unbelievable prize below is answer this question in 50 words or less and be a subscriber of this blog! That's it!
You can subscribe either via the form or on the right hand side of this blog!

WHY is living a healthy, active life important to you and what is your health goal for 2014?
a Rafflecopter giveaway


And NOW check out what you could WIN thanks to Fitness First!! Oh my gosh it is amazing! XX

WIN a gorgeous  Nice Asana Jacket by Lulu Lemon R.R.P $149.00

The Nice Asana Jacket by Lulu Lemon is not only stunning it is perfect for your exercise or yoga wardrobe! Fashion meets function!
Key features:

• cottony-soft luon fabric wicks sweat to help you cool down post-practice
• secure zipper pockets hold your phone, keys and cash
• thumbholes keep your sleeves in place and make layering easy
• park that zip in the zipper garage before it scratches your chin
• flat seams help prevent uncomfortable chafing

WIN a  Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7” R.R.P $228.00!!

A 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tablet 3 !! So many great features a handy tablet that is beautiful, easy to carry, has all your favourite features and is designed for everyday internet.

A Women’s Fitness subscription Regular Price $107.40 (12 issues)

Inspiration galore with a subscription to Women's Fitness Magazine!

"Women’s Fitness understands that most women don’t have the time or inclination to become gym junkies or slaves to their diet. It also knows they don’t want to sacrifice fun, or their social lives, in the quest for a better body. 

That’s why it offers easy-to-adopt, credible and entertaining insights on subjects from exercise and sports, to delicious-but-nutritious diet ideas, functional beauty and fashion, health travel and relaxing body balance ideas, in ways that will fit every reader’s life."

The Pure Mat 3mm by Lulu Lemon R.R.P. $39.00

Why is the Pure Mat by Lulu Lemon so great?
"When we're logging hours on our mat, we want cushiony support that won't wear down or have us slipping out. Engineered with two layers of natural rubber, this mat is grippier than a new set of tires...but it gets us to our happy place a lot faster than four wheels." Lulu Lemon

*These mats also come on a range of gorgeous colours.
*Perfect for yoga and mat work.

The Fitness First New You Give Away

#changeforthebest

Is all about inspiring you to find that fit and healthy goddess within in 2014!

This competition is in partnership with Fitness First.

Terms and Conditions
You must be a BLOG subscriber to enter.
You MUST answer the question asked.
You can do this on the left hand side of the blog.

This is a game of skill, entry's are judged with the most creative winner being selected at the judges discretion.

No correspondence will be entered into, judges decision is final.

You must be an Australian resident.

You must have a valid entry.

Winner will be notified by email

Winner has 1 month to claim prize or there will be a redraw.

This competition is in now way affiliated with or endorsed or in conjunction with facebook in any way.

Good Luck!!

Health and Happiness

Bek XXX