Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies

How exciting is it when something really healthy for you tastes like pure indulgence?

Really good right?
With an abundance of such stunning fresh strawberries on the Sunshine Coast this time of year and always having a love of chocolate, this smoothie to me is just soooo good it is almost addictive!

Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies
Ingredients
(per smoothie - if using a large blender to make multiple adjust quantity to suit.)
1 cup of washed, fresh and really ripe strawberries.
1/2 cup spinach
1/4 cup kale
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 heaped tablespoon cacao
1 teaspoon raw honey (optional)
1 cup almond milk (or favourite alternative)
1 frozen banana for creaminess (optional you can leave out.)

1 teaspoon super greens powder (optional)

Extra cacao to sprinkle on top.

Extra strawberries for serving.
Ice if desired.

Method.

Blitz all the ingredients in a high powered blender or nutrabullet.
Serve in a tall glass.
Sprinkle with cacao powder and sliced strawberries on the glass.
Enjoy!!

Notes
You can of course add a good quality protein powder and even some oats if you ant a really dense smoothie for say after the gym.
Strawberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C and manganese and are said to have many health benefits including anti inflammatory and anti cancer properties, and people that eat them, fairly often are said to have decreased cardiovascular disease risk

Kid Tips
Kids love this one, the sweetness and colour from the ripe seasonal strawberries makes it such a hit!

The Power of Juicing for a Healthy, Happy Life

Juicing has to be one of the most exciting elements I have added into mine and my children's lives.
I had always heard amazing benefits of juicing and its ability to heal our bodies...but I only ever had the odd juice.

Then one day in a moment that felt like synchronicity during a period of stress an ill health I happened across Joe Cross's documentary, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead  and the whole world went quiet as I watched. Not something that happens very often when you have 2 kids and one is a young, toddler!
I was just totally captivated and inspired by it.

It was living, filmed proof off the power of juicing for a healthy, happy life.

 

Not just beautiful, juices are life energy in a glass.

Juicing is this incredible way we can give our bodies amazing healing and heath boosting nutrition in a way our bodies can access incredibly fast with little effort.

What are some of the benefits if juicing?

• Weight loss.
• Increased Energy.
• Immune boosting. Our immune system is our own personal army and defence system, anything we can do to support it and protect it is .
• Drastically increases your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables easily which is always a great thing!
• Liver Cleansing and Support. Your liver is such an important part of your body. Your liver cleans your blood and removes harmful and dangerous toxins from your body, you need it in a really great healthy state. The sad thing is they say it is actually quite common for a large proportion of us all to have fatty deposits and livers not in the best state, and this is not a good thing at all. Plus giving your liver a detox improves general wellbeing and even improves your skin in so many ways and helps skin conditions like acne.
• Lusher hair. Due to all the nutrients it is said that juicing can improve hair growth and condition. 
• Digestion. Due to the fact that juicing gives your body a large amount of nutrients while your digestive system has to do little work this is amazing for resting your digestive system and allowing it to heal and look after itself, which is so beneficial for everyone and especially anyone with an autoimmune disease, bowel or digestive issues. 
• Cancer fighting abilities. Due to the extreme amount of antioxidants juicing is said to help prevent and fight cancer, so it is enormous benefit to everyone. There is amazing research out there on this field alone.
• Cold and flu fighting. Due to all the nutrients in a powerful raw easy to access formula juicing is an incredible way to help your body and immune system fight off all sorts of colds, flu's and bugs.

If you have kids juices are a fantastic and easy, fun way to get a big does of vegetables into the kids!!

This Christmas and with the new, fresh year coming up upon us I think one of the best investments we can make for our family and our own health is actually fresh homemade juices using something like the Vitality 4 Lifes Juicers. I use my juicer so often it s honestly one of the best investments I ever made in my home and for my health too.
 I also make small juices in glass bottles for the kids to take to school sometimes and I just love the feeling of giving them a juice with their breakfast in the school morning, or after school on the way to sports or dance knowing what a powerful does of nutrients their bodies are getting.

Plus if your keen to get Summer beach body ready then juicing is your new friend! It can help you drop dress sizes, reduce bloating and clear up skin so you can GLOW this Summer!

We have a few favourite juice recipes but this beautiful, rich Healthy, Happy Life juice is a current favourite!

A Healthy, Happy Life Juice

 

Ingredients

2 cups chopped watermelon

1 large beetroot

1 &1/2 cups fresh green kale

1/2 large cucumber

1/2 cup baby spinach greens

1 red apple

1 green apple

4 long stalks celery

 

Method

• I juice the beetroot, watermelon and red apple together.
• Then I juice the kale, spinach, cucumber, green apple and celery.
• In serving glasses I pour some of the red juice then top with some of the green and while it ends up dark you get this lovely swirling effect of the two colours on top, which adds to decorative effect - not essential you can absolutely just juice it all together of course!

Toddler Tips

• I purposely left the ginger out of this one as my kids often find ginger in a juice just too much, sometimes you can hide it but it is nice to have some juice recipes that are ginger free for them too.
• I highly recommend letting the kids make the juices with you!! Kids love putting the fruits and veggies in and turning them to liquid and this fun element means they are going to be excited about trying them
• If kids, especially older kids are new to juicing, you will want to start with extra fruit in there like apples and then slowly reduce the fruit and increase the veggies over time.

Notes

• For an extra anti inflammatory effect you can add a little fresh turmeric.
• Make yourself a large batch and keep one in the fridge for an afternoon pick me up.

 

This is a sponsored post with a fantastic company called Vitality4Life, "Vital ingredients for a healthy home and environment." Check them out for juicers, dehydrators and more!

 

 

To help you bring the power of juicing for a healthy, happy life into your life we are giving you the chance to WIN $50!!

 

To enter simply:
Simply comment below what kinds of fruits and/or vegetables you like to juice and the most creative answer selected wins the prize!

NOTE: you must leave a comment to be eligible.
This competition is in now way linked, endorsed by or affiliated with Facebook.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e39c8dfc3/"

Recipe, styling and photography (c)rebeccamugridge2014
This is a sponsored blog post with Vitality4life.
Information on this blog is general interest only and based upon the authors own experiences and should never be taken as medical advise or replace the expert opinion of your doctor or medical professional.

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.

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

Walk yourself happier & WIN my book and a voucher!

Image by Notsalmon.com

Walking.
How excited are we when we first learn to do it, the mums and dads who read this will remember the utter joy of those first few steps our babies take. Then they are off, walking, running, hopping, dancing with the utter delight and joy that is thee human body, their own body moving in such magnificent ways.

And then for some reason, as we reach adulthood we turn on the miracle that is walking and tell ourselves it is tedious and time consuming and in the can't be bothered basket. We lose fitness, we might even gain weight or gain lazy habits like circling the car park until we can find a really close park, rather than just walking from the back edges.
We might even take to driving to the local shop or school when really we could walk it, we might even occasionally re-park the car a block up when out shopping when truly that could have just been walked.

After my first baby, Lily I re-discovered the joy that is walking. And not just walking to get from A to B but also walking for enjoyment. What started out as walking to lose the babyweight (all 40 kilos of it!) became the tool that got me through Post Natal Depression, led me down the path of health and wellness and writing my very first ever book about my journey and experiences, The Pram Diet.

Walking is wonderful. It really is and somewhere along the line it gets a bad rap but it truly is one of the best ways to get more active, exercise with your kids everyday, exercise if you have a lot of weight to lose until you can handle other forms, kick start a new fitness routine and help ease depression and stress.

It is easy to start, even just around an average block or it can be a challenging fun exercise like a 12 km bush or national park hike. It can be as gentle or as full on as you chose.

For me I like to do a good 3-5 km pram walk when I can after a school drop off, I like to do a gentle stroll on the beach or with the kids around the neighborhood in the late afternoon when the birds and noisy and active, making the kids laugh and I love to take the kids on a hike into nature most weekends, up a mountain, to a waterfall, visiting national parks.

I re-found my joy of walking  and I am so glad I did!

To celebrate the joys of walking I am able to help you with your walking with a $30 voucher for some gorgeous new walking shoes at Paul's Warehouse!

How cool is that!

All you have to do to be in the running is:
Be a blog subscriber
Leave a blog comment below! That is it

Happy walking,

Bek XX

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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

WHY Does Fitness Matter

WHY Fitness.
WHY does Fitness Matter.
What a powerful line that is.
I think the extremely talented people behind the Sunshine Coast publication WHY Fitness Magazine created such a strong title there and as you pick up and read the magazine you see right away the strength continue through its pages. Pages full of inspiration, motivation, information and positive messages of health.

I have been doing a column series for WHY fitness magazine, entitled BFresh with Rebecca Mugridge.
BFresh being the sponsors of the series, a beautiful business that is a foodie's haven in Warana on the Sunshine Coast.

BFresh Market Cafe and Deli is full of lovely fresh produce, an absolute stunning gourmet deli and cheese range (Oh my goodness it is fantastic!!) and all your favourite gourmet goodies and lots of local products!!

The atmosphere is wonderful when you walk in the door and everywhere you look is either beautiful food or beautiful ingredients.

WHY Bfresh with Rebecca Mugridge has been such a fun column to write!

My avocado and coconut muffins!

 What recipes have I featured in the column series??

Fresh Zucchini Noodles with Quinoa Tomato Sauce

Avocado and Coconut Muffins (DF, Refined Sugar Free)

Healthy Strawberry and Macadamia Tarts

Watermelon & Coconut Refresher - perfect for post workout

AND you don't have to be on  the Sunshine Coast to find and read this great magazine you can read it online as well

Check out MY STACK HERE
Where you can read all the issues online for free!

Does Fitness matter?
To me - yes, it does. So much.
|I might not always be my fittest, most toned version of myself (although sometimes I am)  but exercise and moving my body benefits me in so many ways.
It makes me happier and more focused and on track, it helped me get my body after both babies and get through post natal depression, my daily pram walks lifted that heavy cloud of depression, a little bit each day until one day it was a blue sky and even now it is such a mood enhancer. I really notice if I haven't exercised for a few days, I feel shorter tempered, more easily stressed out, sluggish.
Once you get the motivation and habit established to move your body everyday it starts to feel so good that you want to keep going and I just love that about exercise.
You can also read my very raw and personal reasons WHY living a more healthier life  even when it is hard to do so through illness or injury or circumstances, or perhaps especially at those times, is so important to ME here

BEK XXX 

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 

INSPIRATIONAL INTERVIEW with Peter Pratt

Join in an inspirational interview with a very amazing man, Peter Pratt who is bringing waves of health and inspired living to the Sunshine Coast
Peter Pratt is the owner and creator of the inspirational

Diabetic Health Clinic
Who are also on Facebook

  



The Diabetic Health Clinic is a interesting name can you tell us a bit about the name?

Yes the name is very descriptive for what we focus on. Obviously firstly on diabetes in particular type 2 diabetes which is the prevalent type.  We focus on every diabetic being in a position to regain their health and we run a program in the form of workshops which we call clinics. 

 Can you tell us a bit about how the Diabetic Health Clinic came about?

I was diagnosed at the age of 40 or 7 years ago with type two diabetes.  These things come as a bit of shock when they happen.  The doctor prescribed pills and during that time advised me that the biggest impact that I can make on the disease is to change my lifestyle.  Every diabetic knows that a change in lifestyle is of utmost importance.  So I did, I modified my eating habits by reducing unhealthy foods and I started running as I figured exercise would be a good thing.  I did well as I dropped from around 110kg to 86kg in a two year period.  Then my knee started to give up as an old injury started to rear its ugly head, I slowed down the running and the weight went back up to 100kg.  Throughout the whole period I had to continue my diabetic medications. 

 I then came across a movie by Joe Cross “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead” which by the way was a fairly good description of me.  The movie motivated me to do a extended vegetable juice fast during which time my sugar levels stabilised and normalised.  At the end of the juice fast I was able to change what I was traditionally eating to a whole foods plant based, as grown food intake.  It was easy at the time and I created a long term lifestyle change. When I was declared by my doctor as a non diabetic I became excited about the possibility of sharing how to do this with others struggling with type 2 diabetes and that was the beginnings of the Diabetic Health Clinic.

 

One thing that intrigues me is the Juice Fast. How long did you do this for?

A total of 30 days

 So you did not eat for thirty days?

That's isn't technically right, what actually happens is that the juice fast is predominantly based around juicing a variety of vegetables. I was consuming ¾ of a litre per meal, so three times a day. To actually make that much juice you need a lot of veggies.  Because the pulp is stripped away and you have the goodness of all those raw uncooked veggies in the juice, there is more nutrition in one juice than I would have in a week of normal eating.  You can't eat that much veggies in one sitting but its quite easy to drink them.

Were you ever hungry?

My biggest fear at the point where I started the juice fast was being hungry.  Interestingly once the sugar withdrawals were finished with I found that hunger was not an issue.  When it was getting close to the next meal then of course you feel hunger as you normally do before any meal.  What I did find is that I was able to experience hunger the way it is meant to be.  I discovered that hunger without cravings feels very different.  Without knowing in the past I would mix up hunger and cravings and call it all hunger.  Those were the days when I became very angry when I was hungry for to long.  That anger comes from the sugar addiction which causes those cravings.  When you are sugar free you are just simply hungry.  This in itself is a monumental change.

So how did the juice fast impact on your diabetes?

Once the intake of processed sugars and all processed foods is stopped and replaced with high doses of pure natural nutrition the blood sugar levels return to a healthy level within just a few days. Once I was through the withdrawals I felt good which motivated me to keep going,  I lost masses of weight which motivated me even more and the result is a changed lifestyle with a full type 2 diabetic reversal.

Withdrawal symptoms, it seems you talk a lot about the sugar addiction, could you elaborate?

Processed sugar is an extremely addictive substance,  our foods today are mainly processed.  The rule is that any processed foods for diabetics are bad as they either contain sugar or turn into sugar quickly when ingested.  This is what is know as a high GI food.  Because of our culture of consuming factory made foods the average Australian now consumes 23 teaspoons of sugar per day, that is a massive 68kg per year.  There is nothing moderate about this level of processed sugar consumption.  When you stop this consumption because sugar is a very addictive substance  you experience withdrawals, these can last up to 6 days and can be horrible.  My went for 3 days which was 3 days to long.

And the weight loss how much did you loose?

12kg in the first 30 days, in the subsequent 2 months after I began eating solid foods I lost another 11kg which is a total of 23kg.

WOW. That is a incredible weight loss, how can this happen?

The elimination of processed sugar and foods out of the diet is what makes such weight loss possible.  The problem is that when we dump sugar at such high levels into our bodies, our body is forced to deal with the situation.  Insulin which is made by the pancreas when we start eating, is responsible for allowing cells to open their doors for the sugar to come in.  This is a good thing as some cells need lots of energy, for example muscles, when we use our bodies as sugar dumps the body has no other choice but to store the excess sugar in cells that don't really need energy.  The problem is that when the sugar enters theses cells it is stored as fat.  It is our insatiable addiction to processed foods and sugars, in conjunction with the high volumes that we consume which is causing the obesity epidemic which is then becomes the catalyst for the diabetes epidemic.
 

That is fascinating, so what you are saying is that all processed foods are bad? Is it ok to eat them in moderation?

Yes and No, Yes they are all bad.  By the time that a whole bunch of extracted ingredients have been put together, then a whole bunch of chemicals have been thrown in how can that possibly be good for you?  Secondly even things appear as healthy, for example bread, and in particular white bread which is made from white flour.  This is flour that has been stripped from all goodness so it is processed, the issue is that when you ingest white bread it takes about 4 minutes to be broken down into sugar.  People get their sugar hit from consuming this type of bread.  As far as eating in moderation goes it does not make it ok to eat in small quantities if it is bad for you. That is like smoking a ½  a pack per day instead of a pack.  Secondly because processed sugar is so addictive once you have kicked the habit having small quantities is usually the beginning of going back to a processed sugar rich diet and the beginning of a new sugar addiction.  If you have struggled with diabetes this is the last place you want to go to.

 

 When you talk about sugar fruits have sugar and so do vegetables, and you do hear about this in the media sometimes, do you see this sugar as harmful?

This is a very good question.  The best way to answer this is to point out that people do not get addicted to say plums.  It is common for people to be addicted to certain foods all of which are processed and also contain extracted sugars, good examples can be chocolates or foods that utilise processed ingredients and that produce high sugar loads like pasta or breads or even white rice.  The reason this happens is that when substances are extracted out of the plant kingdom they are mono nutrients, all of these substances cause imbalances in the body. It just so happens that processed sugars which include most processed foods are an addictive substance.  When sugars are consumed in the context of an as grown food they are safe.  Assuming that you are on a diet of as grown foods only, you still need to get your daily dose of sugar, 5 – 8 teaspoons per day, is what our bodies need.  The safest way to get this sugar is in the context of as grown whole unmodified and natural foods.

 

 

 

So what do you suggest that people do?

This is a simple answer, however in the context of a powerful sugar addiction not an easy answer.  It is simple to consume a whole foods plant based as grown diet.  It can be extremely difficult to get over a powerful addiction. Bek it is exciting to see what you are doing.  Your book and recipes are what we need more off. Growing our own veggies is best.  You cover all of these issues in what you do.  Educating people is the start of creating a tide of resistance against bad and unhealthy foods.  The foods that are making us sick. People need to start reading material and start to understand the massive problem that society has.  Latest statistics show that over 60% of Australians are over weight or obese. That is terrible.  This type of society is going to be unhealthy and sick.  The more people we can reach, the more we can change the health of our nation. If someone has gone down the track of being unhealthy for so long that they have developed type 2 diabetes then turning to a program like ours is good as they can be coached through getting over the sugar addiction, then they are taught how to create a lifelong lifestyle change. By doing so they are able arrest their diabetic condition and in most cases reverse their condition. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a doctor say “can you please stop taking the pills”.

 

 That must be so amazing to hear a doctor say that.
 You sound so passionate about what you are doing!

Absolutely, if essentially you saved your life and went from fat sick and nearly dead to healthy full of life and energy wouldn't you be passionate about what you have done and wouldn't you want to tell others about it?

 

 

You are so right, thank you for your wonderful insights, explanations and the motivation that you shared., it as been a real honour to have your interview on my blog, and to meet such an inspirational person as yourself.
The work you are doing is truly amazing.
Thank you for your time.

You can find out more about Peter's amazing work and clinic at:
http://www.facebook.com/DiabeticHealthClinic
http://www.diabetichealthclinic.org



Rebecca X