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**

Finding Calm in a Busy, Modern Life

Finding Calm in A Busy, Modern Life.

When parenthood hits you are in a bubble of bliss. You have your new baby, life is a miracle full of love and all is good in the world.
And then, as it does, life starts to get busy. Babies grow and life becomes a bustle of rushing around.

I don’t know about your family life but my day to day can get pretty hectic!

Kids to get ready for school and kindy, lunch boxes to make, hair to do, uniforms to have ready, sibling fights to negotiate, then there is after school sports and activities, work schedules, housework, dinners to organise, meals to plan, shopping to do, appointments, events and then throw in some life events, accidents, unexpected hiccups and the odd illness or day care bug and of course the blog to look after and write and is it any wonder that life can get a little stressful? 
Stress as we know (and hear in the media) can be very harmful to our bodies.
Stress activates the body’s sympathetic nervous system and our inbuilt fight or flee response.
It is a very powerful design and does of course serve us well in times of emergency however activating this as often as we do in our stressful, busy modern lives can be very detrimental to our health.
In fact many experts now say we can eat as healthy as we like and exercise well but if we are not also making reducing stress an equal priority we can still get serious health issues.  

So as a busy mum when the new year clicked over to 2014 I decided my word for the year was going to be CALM…..
My mind, my body and my health had to start taking some priority if I was going to be healthy and happy and a great role model to my kids. I needed to bring some quiet, some peace, plenty of time outs and self nurturing and as much relaxation as possible into my day to day life. I needed more CALM.

So how do we get more calm into our busy lives?

Here are some of my TOP TIPS for blessing our lives with more beautiful calm.

• Get organised. Yes, it really does work. Have a calendar (I have two) plan out each day and major events/appointments/sporting activities/school dates/bill due dates/fee due dates/birthdays/banking reminders. Have it somewhere visible that you see all the time and use it as the great tool it is. If you’re a blogger you could even have one just for your blog and what you need to do/post and when.
• Have an organised space in the home for all the kids activities. I have a rack with containers for school (including bags), kindy, ballet, swimming, gymnastics etc. It makes life so much smoother to know everything for each activity is right in its spot when you need it and always has that organised home to go to. I find it also empowers the kids to look after their own stuff and also know where to put it each day.
• Bake it Sundays. This cuts out so much stress! Each Sunday I spend quite a few hours baking muffins, biscuits, quiches, sausage rolls or pies type things and then freeze them for the busy school/kindy week ahead. I can then take out what I need as needed for lunchboxes.
  I also try and make a few dinner options for “those night” things like a cannelloni, quiche, and lasagne, bolognaise sauce that I can freeze for any easy meal during the week.
• Mummy Time. Oh yeah, we soooo need it!! This can be as simple as an Epsom salt bath for 10 minutes, reading a book somewhere quiet, a walk on the beach, a gym session, yoga class, art class, dance class, a run around the block, catching a chai with girlfriends, making jewellery, painting, going to the cinema by yourself (and it’s not Disney), doing laps at the local pool, even cooking to music in an empty house – whatever makes you feel relaxed and full of JOY.
• De-Clutter – it’s amazing how much better you feel when you declutter! One of my favourite books, “Does this clutter make my but look big” helped changed my life and inspired me to de clutter my life! Yes, I am still not perfect and yes I have ornaments and things and occasionally some clutter creeps in here and there but every so often we have a family culling and it always feel wonderful!
• Insure what matters in your life.
  This can take a MASSIVE chunk of worry off your shoulders.
  Imagine rushing about your morning routine, kids in the car ready to go to where they need to go and you head down the road and the unimaginable happens someone goes right through that stop sign and hits you. You and your kids are all ok but your car, is a write off. What would you do? Who would you call? How when you still get the kids to where they needed to go, not just today but every day? You never realise how much you rely on your car for everything until you can’t.
  Trust me, I have had this exact thing happen and you guessed it, we were not insured and the other driver at fault’s insurance company only paid out the lowest market value they could find on the internet for our car. Not taking into consideration work or improvements (it was a 4 wd with accessories) and they took forever and a day too.
  We have more than enough on our plates already so take some stress away from the occasion, take out comprehensive car insurance and make sure what you do have is actually the right kind of cover and really will give you full peace of mind.
• Have regular health and dental check ups. Yes, it might seem boring but when they find and treat things early on – it works out so much better (and cheaper) in the long run!
  This year I got both my kids well known to our local dentist, they have had check ups and cleans and talks with him about the importance of brushing, plus he gave them barbie toothbrushes which as you can imagine went down rather well!
• Get on top of that paperwork. Did I hear you groan? Or maybe you are one of those super ocd organised people that I wish I was!! Yes, it can be heavy going but really a draw, cupboard overflowing with folders or a filing cupboard you just thing eergh about is not aiding to your new zeness! If you can afford to (and need to) hire a bookkeeper! Or make a day once a month to go through it all and keep it organised and filed and shred what you don’t need and if its not glossy – turn into super urber useful garden compost J
• Be Prepared. Some might laugh that know me well but yes, I like to be prepared! I have an extensive first aid kit in the car, one for the pram and one at home. In my boot I will have an umbrella, torch, mini tool kit, rope, 2 towels, change of clothes for both kids (including undies), spare thongs for everyone, money for a phone call, picnic blanket, bottles of water, non-perishable emergency snacks for the kids, wipes, sanitiser, even a toilet roll! Just In Case. Haha
  Yes, I guess it is a little dorky maybe even OCD of me ( I am a little bit) but you would not believe how many times over the years it has come in handy! And not just for me, sometimes for other people I have helped!
• Teach Your Kids Your Phone Number & Address. Easy to overlook put this is a really simple thing that could be very important if they ever got lost.
• Tee up Emergency Parent Pick Up Friends. Ever had that day when something happened and you couldn’t get to the school in time to collect your kids? Or needed to drop them off too early?
  A really great idea is to form a small network with some parents you trust that live near you where you can swap each other’s details and organise to be a drop off/pick up back up option when something important comes up. This really will REALLY reduce stress in your life. There is such relief in knowing if you get stuck, can’t get away from work, your car breaks down, an appointment runs over or is too early that you have someone you can call who can help!

Of course there are many more things you can do to reduce stress in day to day life, these are just a few that I have found really help me. Would love you to leave any tips you too have below as well for everyone!

Live well. Eat Beautiful. Stay Calm. Be Happy.

Bek XXX

This post is sponsored by Youi

Fitness in Style - Lorna Jane & Fitness First Competition

When I was first working out and walking off my baby weight after my first daughter (I had a lot to lose) I had  the daggiest exercise clothes and didn't even have sneakers! Before becoming a mum exercise just hadn't ever been important to me, so I naturally had no workout gear!
Yes, I had some bad habits like moving the car one block up when shopping and circling the shopping centre car park for a park close to the doors...and then I became a mum and everything changed.
Dealing with Post Natal Depression exercise was my lifeline. It helped me in so many ways that I can probably never fully explain and of course losing 30 kilo's felt pretty darn great too!

I started walking in skirts and things for lack of better equipment and while I got by and while it never stopped me working out (gotta love determination when you get some!) I couldn't help but dream of how great it would feel to wear really stylish and fun exercise clothes and go to a gym in them, have a chai with girlfriends post workout and look sporty and freshly vibrant from working out, you know the glow you get!

The first time I reluctantly bought myself something really nice (non daggy and old) that was actually exercise clothes I was so surprised by how good it made me feel, how comfortable it was, yet stylish and evenb perky! And then the realization that, actually hey I do exercise a lot and even pretty much every day so even just one or two really great outfits or pieces could really change how confident I will feel and make me feel more a part of the gorgeous and fit and healthy exercise community!
Even inspire me more to push myself to new challenges and goals that you get when you workout with trainers, and yes, not long after that first sports bra, trainers and leggings I joined a gym and fell in love with the whole workout world!

I am so excited that I am teaming up with leading gyms and fitness industry entrepenurs Fitness First to give one of my blog readers the chance for some serious Fitness Inspiration and Styling with a $200 Lorna Jane gift voucher to get some sassy goodies that they can then wear to their very own really exciting Fitness First  Pay As You Go -10 Visit Passport Pass classes valued at $150!! PLUS I am throwing in a signed copy of my award winning book, The Pram Diet Random House RRP $19.95 as seen on A Current Affair

How awesome is that! So not only do you get a great gym pass so you can try some really funky workouts and classes - they even have pro cycling classes and special 30 minute workouts so you can squeeze one in, in your lunch break or in one of those free spots in your busy mummy day!
You can hit the gym looking sensational in some very hot Lorna Jane gear!
Talk about inspiration to work out!

Be inspired. Be true to you. Do more of what makes you happy. Cherish and Nurture Your Health - it is everything!!
Bek XX

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Note: you must be an Australian resident and you must leave a blog post comment about Fitness, Inspiration, Your Fitness Goals or Dreams or Why you would like to win to be eligible.
this is in no way endorsed by, sponsored by or affiliated with facebook in any way.

Roasted Fig and Feta Muffins

Your a modern woman. You might work out, try to eat right (at least most of the time) and your a busy, happy mum.
You also want to look good and you to have your cake and eat it too.

Can we still really enjoy incredible food and still fit into skinny jeans?

Or is it only one or the other?

Is the next afternoon tea with girlfriends just that, only tea? Or can you have some delicious morsel on offer?
The last thing you want is your hard working, body conscious friends not enjoying a tea party.

I have been working on this dilemma as a mum who loves to eat and cook but also wear nice clothes for a few years now!
And I have become adapt and recipes that taste moorish but are kind to your hips too. 

Yes, I like many other women put on weight easily but I try to work hard to keep it off too so when I am enjoying great food and so much happier if I know it is healthy for me too!

Determined to get the best of both worlds, knowing how down I feel when I feel frumpy or too overweight and yet also having a foodie’s passion for beautiful food I have set about creating recipes that I can enjoy with girlfriends and we can all relax, eat and instead of worrying about calories get down to serious things like talking and laughing!

For me food is all about flavour, appearance and smell 

I love a high tea with girlfriends and am always looking for something to make that can leave a table of women speechless for a few seconds as they absorb the flavour and texture of the food.

As soon as I tried this yoghurt the flavours of the plum and roasted fig brought my taste buds alive and I knew I wanted to really marry that flavour with a great contrast, and so I created with love, my Roasted Fig Yoghurt and Feta Spelt Muffins.

Before you go eek, sweet yoghurt and feta in a muffin together? Trust me, you need to try these!The flavour combination just bursts in your mouth and the texture of the muffin is moist.

Ingredients

• 250 gm tub of yoghurt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons honey or stevia
• 1 free range egg
• 100 gms feta ( I used persian)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 & 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour (can use normal flour)
• 1 &1/2 teaspoons baking flour
• 1/4 cup dried plums/prunes finely chopped

Method

• Pre heat oven to 180’c
• Line a muffin baking tray with muffin cases.
• Beat butter until nice and soft, add in honey. Mix well.
• Add in the egg, combine well and then the water followed by the yoghurt.
• Fold through the dried plums and crumble in the feta into the mixture.
• Combine spelt flour with baking powder really well.
• Very carefully, without too many movements fold the spelt flour into the muffin mixture.The less stirring the nicer the muffins will turn out.
• Top each muffin with some extra feta and dried plums for decorative effect.
• Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake in the oven to approximately 25 minutes or until springs back to the touch.
• Serve. Particularly good when matched with girlfriends, light hearted chatter and a pot of great tea.

(c) Rebecca Mugridge 2014
www.authorrebeccamugridge.com

www.facebook.com/AuthorRebeccaMugridge

She taught me Joy & a Closer to Nature Soother Giveaway

It was a thought that had followed me around when I was pregnant with my second daughter, "will I ever love you as much as I love my first baby, how does this work?." I was plagued with worry and guilt on the thought, after all I had 5 years of cuddles, bedtime stories, tickles and mummy and me moments with my Lily flower. I had watched my tiny baby grow into a tall, curly haired happy little girl, I knew I loved my little peanut as I called my little bump. I rubbed my tummy just as before, I talked to my bump. I bought too cute clothes and all the tiny things that make you awww...
But I worried also, could my heart grow to hold even more love? Was that even possible?

When she decided to come into the world it was in a determined way, 1 &1/2 hours from start to finish, barely making it to hospital and with a midwife yelling we have a baby coming and a few pushes and there you were. Wriggly, beautiful, perfect. My heart melted and then I knew, aaah your heart does truly grow, it really does.

And in one special moment you taught me what life was really all about.

You taught me JOY.Real in the moment, deep within your soul joy.

Such a peaceful little soul, you had the hospital nurses cooing over you and me smiling all day long and life felt good but when my big girl came in to meet you and burst into the biggest smile of love herself for you I felt like the whole world had stopped and I was living in a real life miracle. Holding you in one arm and her in the other, pride, love, contentment.
Oh wow if I could have paused my life right then and recorded that moment...
I remember thinking this is bliss. Right here this is what life is really all about, not money or wealth, fame or status. Not houses and careers, not travel and accomplishments. They were all incredible, wonderful things but right here in my arms, my two beautiful new little souls. You were what life was really about. You made me see the world anew. See myself anew.
You taught me joy.
I knew then in my heart that my life no matter what, regardless of bends and twists, good times and not so good, my life actually, truly is amazingly wonderful and perfect just for me. 

Now everytime life gets a little stressful, a little busy or I get a little tired, or even become that yelling worn out mum we can all become sometimes, frustrated or dismayed I stop and just hold you, my littlest daughter and I know then what I am doing everything for, I know in that hug, where you turn your face up to mine and our eyes meet, I know right then that everything is better than OK, everything is actually wonderful.  

Share your own special mummy moment or something that is special that you do with your baby/kids in a comment on this blog and you could WIN an amazing Closer To Nature prize pack!

One lucky reader will WIN:
4 packs of Closer to nature 0-6 month soothers. Total $44 (1 x ANY TIME, 1 x FUN STYLE, 1 x AIR TIME & 1 x NIGHT TIME. SOOTHERS RRP $11 ea)

Turn your roaring tiger into a purring kitten with the closer to nature® new soother range.  Be the first to trial the new baby approved soothers – Register your interest for FREE samples here. 

There are 4 new styles – Air, Anytime, Night time and Fun to choose from.  The soothers are suitable to use from birth and are designed with an orthodontic silicone teat to support healthy oral development.  $11rrp for a twin pack. For stockist or for more information, please visit: closertonaturebaby.com I facebook.com.au/closertonaturebaby I @closertonature1 .  

Terms and Conditions

This is a game of skill, winner selected by judges and no correspondences will be entered into.
Winning entrant must be an Australian resident and must have left a comment on this blog.
Winner has 2 weeks to claim prize of their will be a redraw.
Winner notified by email.
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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?
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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

The 11 yr old girl

"The  11  year  old  girl  stands  by  the  edge  of  the  pool,  the  cool  blue  water  dazzling  with  life  as  the  sun  tickles  its  surface.  

There  is  no  breeze  and  her  hair  sticks  to  her  face  in  the  summer  heat.  Behind  her  she  can  hear  the  excited  voices  and  chattering  of  all  the  other  children  as  they  in  turn  each  make  their  way  along  in  the  queue  and  through  the  gates  to  join  in  the  excitement  of  this,  the  first  day   the  pool  is  open  for  the  summer. 

She  can  feel  the  excitement  building  inside  of  her  entire  being,  she  looks  down  at  the  beautiful,  brightly  coloured  new  two  piece  swimsuit  her  ever  loving  and  thoughtful  mother  had  surprised  her  with  on  this  very  day,  and  smiles,  it  perfectly  matches  the  excitement  of  the  day. 

The  sun  no  longer  seems  sweltering  but  rather  deliciously  warm  as  it  basks  everything  with  its  glow  of  happiness.  She  places  her  bag  on  the  soft  grass,  under  the  shade  and  returns  to  the  water’s  edge.  She  knows  she  should  wait  for  her  friends  but  she  is  so  filled  with  delight  and  thinking  of  nothing  but  the  very  moment  she  is  in,  as  she  is  overcome  by  the  temptation  of  the  inviting  water  and  stretches  her  body  fully  and  completely  unselfconsciously  into  what  she  believes  to  be  a  graceful  and  elegant  dive  into  that  wonderful  water. 
All  at  once  she  is  overcome  with  an  aliveness  and  contentment  as  she  moves  through  the water,  she  bursts  through  the surface,  her  face  covered  in  a  contented  grin  of  pure  and  complete  joy. 
It  is  because  she is  so  overwhelmed  by  the  utter  delight  of  the  moment  and  all  the  glorious  sensations  that  she  is  not  at  first  even  aware  of  the  small  group  of  slightly older  girls  by  the  pools  edge. 
Their  laughter  and  pointing  grabs  her  attention  as  some  of  what  they  are  saying  suddenly  becomes  apparent. 
"What  is  she  thinking,  wearing  a  two  piece!",  "Fat  and  ugly  girls  should  not  be  allowed  to  the  pool".  So  caught  off  guard  is  she,  so  taken  aback  that  her  11  year  old  self  does  not  know  how  to  react.  She  leaves  the  pool,  on  this  day,  this  day  that  was  so  important,  and  felt  so  exciting  and  magical,  this  day  that  she  and  friends  and  been  so  impatiently  waiting  for,  for  what  had  seemed  like  forever. 

She  tells  her  confused  friends  that  she  does  not  feel  well. She  walks  calmly  and  quietly  most  of  the  way  home,  until  she  reaches  the  quiet  secret  spot  she  has  spent  so  many  a  wonderful  day  with  her  good  friends,  it  is  there  where  she  feels  safe  and  alone  that  she  releases  her  hurt  and  weeps  uncontrollably  against  her  beloved  favourite  tree  until  her  young  body  can  cry  no  more. 

She  had  always  known  she  was  not  a  small  girl,  always  been  described  as  'solid',  but  it  was  not  until  this  very  moment  that  she  had  ever  been  truly  ashamed  of  how  she  looked  and  felt  such  intensely  awful  feelings  of  herself. 
She  went  home  that  day,  but  didn't  tell  her  mother  of  whom  she  was  close  to,  she  never  told  her  friends. 
She kept the hurt inside. 
A  ball  of  hurt  that  would  grow  and  follow  her  into  adulthood,  effecting  her  self-confidence  and  starting  an  all-consuming  obsession  with  her  weight  and  food,  and  keep  her  from  ever  truly  feeling  completely  happy  and  loved.

When  she  was  blessed  with  a  daughter  of  her  own,  she  was  inspired  and  moved  by  this  beautiful,  pure  and  precious  girl,  so  full  of  radiance,  so  full  of  life. 

She made a decision. 

She was  going  to  change  her  life.  She  was  going  to  embrace  a  healthy  and  active  lifestyle  and  become  a  positive  role  model  to  this  precious  baby  girl,  she  would  show  her  daughter  that  you  can  achieve  amazing  things  when  your  heart  is  in  it,  she  was  going  to  find  herself  belief,  find  her  inner  beauty,  find  her  inner  strengths  and  be  the  great  woman  that  the  11  year  old  girl  had  always  wanted  to  become,  and  she  did.

I  was  that  11  year  old  girl  "


My journey has never been an always smooth one or a perfect one. It has had ups and downs like most people, but I am always grateful for this experience in my life and for the fact that I do have a body type that truly does put on weight so easily, yes, I am grateful for that element in my DNA because that has made me a stronger version of myself, it has given me awareness of my body which I might not have personally had otherwise and made me aware of what does and doesn't serve my body well.
It has made health a big focus in my life, it makes me feel really proud when I am in fit, toned and in top healthy form, made me really proud when I lost 30 kilos'after baby number one and 22 after baby number 2, the old fashioned way, no tricks or fast fads just lots of exercise and eating well, it gave me inner strength when I faced my hardest challenge of all battling a full on virus and the triggered auto immune dis-ease reaction in my body after it, through the medication that helped me but made me gain weight, it gave me the strength to never give up on myself, to know I will get back to fit and healthy.
It makes me always determined and motivated to get back there, even when it is hard, even when battling illness or injury or life's emotional roller coaster, it drives me to get back to being healthy and happy,strong and fit,  it makes it important to me, it has made me grow, it has made me, me.

Bek XX 

Find Your Passion For You

Find your Passion for you!

As mums one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the tools to live a healthy, happy, and positive life and the best way of doing this? Is by living one, ourselves…

‘’Because: a healthy, happy mum means a healthy, happy home.’’

To be a mother is to truly, wholly and selflessly love another.
More than you ever thought possible.

To be a mother is to hold the hopes and dreams of your children forever in your heart.

Shedding a silent tear that they never see, in a moment that stays with you forever and they forget in an instant.
Feeling their pain like it happened to you, marvelling at their wonder as they discover the world around them, feeling their joy as they discover things in life that brings to them moments of pure uninhibited happiness.

It is feeling so deep that you truly are at the centre of another’s whole world; you are being a source of comfort and safety. Healing the hurts; drying the tears, easing the pain and being that rainbow of love amongst the unpredictable weather of life that is being their ‘mum’.
That knowing, that something is wrong in a quick glance.

For every tear and tantrum there is a beautiful giggle and a smile that touches you deep inside your heart. For every exhausting night there is a cuddle and a look that makes you want to cry with love. You can find yourself being surprised, shocked and left speechless more times than you thought possible and feeling pure delight, immense pride, overwhelming happiness, exhausting responsibility, pushed limits, joyous laughter, anxious worrying and wonderment all at the same time
You can feel so tired, exhausted and mostly unthanked but you've never felt more fulfilled, wanted and full of love.

It is the indescribable moment of complete and pure, timeless happiness that is that special unexpected hug- when time could easily stop.

As mums we gladly give all of ourselves for our family. We endlessly put ourselves last.

We often juggle so many balls at once.
Multi-tasking, balancing the work/life/family act, it’s so easy to let a few things slip to make it work and unfortunately one that is allowed to slip through so often, for so many of us is our own health and happiness.

And the things is if you are not healthy you cannot be truly happy and if your not happy you cannot be truly healthy either. You need both.

You only need to talk to those who are ill or have gone through illness or injury to realise just how important your health is and just how much we take it for granted.
How much we have to lose.

We need  to see how important we are before burnout. We need to accept we are not invincible.
Burning out can happen to any of us.
Crashing from exhaustion, losing a sense of self, feeling frustration, sadness or even anger at our reflection in the mirror, comparing ourself to others and making ourselves feel miserable. Stressing out of every little thing, worrying too much, eating our emotions, going without, neglecting ourselves...
Prolonged stress we know leaves us vulnerable to illness, stress in fact is one of the most dangerous causes of so many scary things that can happen to us and our health.

We need to sit down and really think about how important our health and happiness really is. Look at those little faces and really think, if I don't take care of me and I burn out how will I take care of them? We already make our kids and our family's health and happiness a priority - but what about ourselves? 

We are at the heart of our families, we care, nurture, teach, nurse. We entertain, advise, guide, feed, comfort, and love. 

We love unconditionally and give all of ourselves without a second thought, and we love doing it, glowing fiercely with love and pride.

What we don’t do anyway near often enough is shine some of that love and support on ourselves.

Our family is so very important to us and we are so important to our family. So we need to start being important to ourselves too.

Sometimes it can all seem to big, too hard to find our happy, healthy vibrant place and this is why support and inspiration is so very important.

That is why I am such a strong advocate for all forms of support for women and mums, for taking time out for yourself, joining networking and socialising groups, support groups; for having a hobby or passion on the side that is just for you, for scheduling in some time in your day to go for a walk, even if it is with the kids as well, it is getting you out into that fresh air with the benefits of exercise to our bodies; or for taking a yoga class once a week if you can or finding a gym you like with a creche or a mums fitness group.

Why I am an advocate for doing things that make you feel nice like wearing the dress you like when you go out - even if it is only to the supermarket and to wear some lipstick if it makes you feel pretty or your favourite earrings, it's why I think it is a great idea to pack yourself a lunchbox too - not just the kids for the day ahead, why I think you should occasionally buy yourself a bunch of fresh flowers for your home, just because they make you feel happy, why I think every food shop you do should include one special item that is just for you and your health and absolutely why I shared my very personal story and my burnout after having my first baby in my book, The Pram Diet and why I am just so in love with...  

Nourished 

by the very inspiring Kirri White and Corona Brady

If there was ever a present that you should treat yourself too that could make a hug positive impact in your life or were able to pick for yourself from your loved ones - this would be an incredible one.

An investment in YOU.

To find out about this amazing program and how it can help you, support and inspire you to find your passion for YOU and become your most vibrant self click HERE

Beginning on October 1st, Nourished is a completely unique offering – combining the latest nutritional advice and holistic health practices with life coaching, neuroscience and eating psychology.

Nourished is a Loving Approach to Mind & Body Health and provides all all the tools you need to incorporate healthy choices for your mind and body into your daily routine (or your money back!).

Co-creator Kirri is a certified life coach with a Masters in Psychology, an eating disorder survivor, and proud mamma to three glowing young girls.
Kirri helps women reclaim their lives and celebrate their worth, combining science-based therapies with the wisdom of the heart.

Main body and opening text (c)RebeccaMugridge2013

Healthy, Happy Mums book - Coming Soon