Find Your Summer Body Winner Caroline's photo shoot with Rachel Kara

Our last Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge winner Caroline, walked away with a fantastic main prize package of a lifestyle photo shoot with local photographer Rachel Kara.  Photographs are memories of a phase in your child's life that you can never get back and I know myself that being able to capture these moments, especially in their regular surroundings and in the places you love to spend time together as a family is priceless.  Rachel spent the day with Caroline and her family capturing those special moments.

Rachel's photographs turned out wonderfully as you can see below and received rave reviews from Caroline herself;

"Rachel was happy for us to plan the day so we chose to have shots taken at home and down at our local beach.  Rachel made us feel really comfortable very quickly and started snapping as soon as she arrived.  The pics were natural and not set-up in any way. And the final images were available within a week, just as she had promised.  I would love to work with Rachel again and would definitely recommend her to anyone wanting to capture their special moments."

     Caroline

You can check out Rachel's website here or give her a call on 0424 701070 - be sure to tell her you saw Caroline's amazing pics on the Body Beyond Baby blog!

Mum of the Moment - Meet Folly

Without our wonderful mums and bubs Body Beyond Baby just would not be.  Each month we like to celebrate your achievements and recognise the hard work that you put into your training and life as a mum.  This month I would like you to meet our Mum of the Moment for August - Folly and her 3 children Angus (5), Lochie (4) and Honor (22mths).  Folly joined Body Beyond Baby for our 12 Week Winter Challenge and has made fantastic progress.  Well done Folly!

As a thank you to our Mum of the Moment and a congratulations for all of her hard work Folly will receive a voucher for Plenty Kitchen and Tableware in Bondi Junction

Meet Folly

What made you decide to join up to the Watch Your Winter Waistline 12 Week Challenge?

I had not done any regular exercise for a very, very long time, between work and children it had become low on the list of priorities, and I could always think of an excuse.  I had joined gyms in the past but never enjoyed exercising inside and lacked the self discipline to keep at it.  I turned 42 earlier this year and suddenly realised I had to remain healthy not only for myself, but also for my children and that meant both exercise and shifting some of those extra pounds that had crept on since starting a family. A friend told me about Body Beyond Baby, I had walked past the exercise classes in the park but was worried that I would never be able to keep up. However, being outside and with nannies to look after the children was a perfect combination for me. With regards to all those very fit ladies... I decided we all have to start somewhere (although I seriously doubt many were at such a low starting point!).  I plucked up the courage to approach Jen who told me about the challenge.  I initially baulked at the prospect of doing four sessions a week but decided if I was going to embark on this I might as well give it a proper go.  To my surprise, I love the classes so much that I miss them on the days that I am not in the park, they are always challenging and varied, Jen and Amy are fantastic at tailoring exercises to all levels.

What has been your Body Beyond Baby highlight so far?

I love exercising outside and feel good all day afterwards, even Lochie loves coming to the sessions and has joined in on occasion! I also love feeling fitter and seeing my stamina improving... I could not run twice around the oval initially without slowing to a walk but have  actually managed a lap of the park now.

What has been your greatest challenge?

I would be lying if I said my diet is 100% perfect and it has certainly been my greatest challenge.  I realise that this is a change for life though, and my choices are slowly becoming healthier, with only the occasional chocolate slip up!

What has been you husband’s reaction to your new fitness regime?

My husband has always been the sportsman in our family, having rowed competitively in the UK in his younger years. I think the words that best describe his reaction to my fitness regime is complete astonishment!  He could not believe that the first exercise I had done in years was a class in the pouring rain and I actually came back smiling!   He has been incredibly supportive and has readily given up any weekend lie-ins to stand on the side lines of U6 rugby matches.

You are the first person to sign up to the Find Your Summer Body 8 Week Challenge, tell us why you committed again so quickly?

As well as exercise sessions in the park and the dreaded steps on Sundays, there is a great sense of being part of a team when you are on the challenge.  Everyone delights in each others achievements and is very supportive.  I still have a long way to go, but by signing up to the next challenge I hope I am slowly inching towards a much healthier way of living.

Do you have anything else to add?

A huge thank you to Jen and Amy for all their patience and support.  I feel better than I have in years!  And to anyone who is unsure about whether to give it a go or not, if I can do it, then anyone can!!

Mum of the Moment is proudly sponsored by

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Banana Berry & Chia Freezey Shapes

Perfect for a summer treat (its on its way) or a quick desert.

2 x ripe bananas
1 can coconut cream
2 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons chia seeds (pre soaked in water)

Blend all ingredients and pour into flexible ice cube trays.  I also put some into silicone mini cupcake trays when I ran out of space.

Put in the freezer to freeze

Yummy sugar free, wheat free, dairy free mini carrot and sultana muffins

    1 ½ cups almond meal
    ½ teaspoon baking soda
    ½ tablespoon cinnamon
    3 eggs
    2 tablespoons coconut oil
    ¼ cup honey
    1 ½ cups carrots, grated
    ½ cup slivered almonds
    1/4 cup sultanas

 
Combine almond flour, baking soda and cinnamon
In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, oil and honey
Stir carrots, almonds and sultanas into wet ingredients
Stir wet ingredients into dry
scoop into mini muffin tins
Bake at 180° for 15-20 minutes
Eat a couple and put the rest in the freezer quick!

For a nut free version - leave out the almonds and exchange the almond flour for coconut flour - about 1/4 to 1/2 cup as it is much more absorbent that almond flour.  Try putting in less to start and then add more as required.

I adapted this recipe from one at www.elanaspantry.com - there are lots more great ones you can try - check it out

Jen Dugard - Full Body Training Session

Minestone Soup - by BBB trainer Amy Adamson

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 leek, finely diced
3 large carrots, finely diced
3 celery sticks, finely diced
3 zucchinis, finely diced
200g green beans cut in thirds
½ head savoy cabbage
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 L vegetable stock
½ tsp salt
400g tin cannellini beans

½ cup basil, roughly chopped

•    Heat oil over medium heat in a non-stick pot
•    Add leek and sweat until soft
•    Add carrots and celery and saute for 5min
•    Add beans, zucchini and cabbage and cook for another 5 min
•    Stir in tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, stock and salt
•    Cover and gently simmer for 45min or until vegetables are cooked
•    Add cannellini beans and basil
•    Season with pepper
•    Serve hot

Serves 4

Guest blog - Immune Foods by naturopath Belinda Kirkpatrick

Many foods have immune stimulating effects and it is easy to include them into your diet on a daily basis. Additionally, by eating organic and seasonally you can be assured that your diet will be super rich in essential vitamins and minerals. My top immune foods are: garlic, onion, leek, shitake mushrooms, tumeric, parsley and fresh beetroot.

Mushrooms - Some recent studies have also found that they may make white blood cells act more aggressively against foreign bacteria. The very best kinds of mushrooms are shiitake and maitake

Garlic - antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and increases immune function. It’s also a good source of selenium, an important trace element, and sulfur, which is important for healthy liver function.

Onions and Leeks- also a good source of sulfur and contain the same properties as garlic

Cruciferous vegetables - broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, are good sources of beta-carotene and help protect against free-radical damage. They also contain vitamin C and calcium.

Spinach and other leafy greens - contain beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium.

Orange vegetables - sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and squash are a good source of vitamin A
 
Kiwi fruit, blueberries and oranges - good sources of vitamin C. To increase the amount of vitamin C from your oranges, thinly peel the skin off with a knife, leaving the white bioflavonoid rich inner peel.

Chinese cabbage - is a good source of vitamin A

Avocados- are rich in vitamin A and potassium and also contain folic acid and magnesium.

Ginger- helps the body fight off infection and has traditionally been used in treating colds and flu

Turmeric- enhances the immune system and has a detoxifying effect

Horseradish - contains oils that have demonstrated antibiotic properties and has been effective against infections

Blueberries -the ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants. When US researchers measured the levels of antioxidants in 40 different fruits and vegetables, blueberries came out near the top. In fact, a 12S g serving of fresh blueberries supplies enough antioxidants to almost double our average daily intake

Beetroot -bursting with minerals and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting and detoxifying properties.

Brazil nuts - you only need to eat two or three a day to benefit from their great combination of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin E, selenium and B vitamins.

Grapefruit -has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.

Cranberries -best known for helping to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, especially cystitis, in women. They have both anti-fungal and antiviral properties.

Green tea - is a rich source of a type of antioxidant called a catechin, and preliminary research has found that a specific catechin -- epigallocatechin gallate (egcg) -- may give the beverage antigen-fighting abilities. When researchers at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada added green tea to lab samples of the adenovirus (one of many viruses that causes colds), they discovered that egcg inhibited the virus' ability to replicate. Similarly, researchers in South Korea found that egcg can also stop the influenza virus from replicating.

Yogurt - might help keep infections at bay. That's because these foods contain probiotics, bacteria that stimulate immunity cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Normal, healthy bacteria that colonize the GI tract help you resist bad bacteria and detoxify harmful substances. In addition to their protective effect in the GI tract, probiotics also may help stimulate immune-cell production system-wide. In a recent study of 33 women from the University of Vienna, Austria, those who ate ordinary yogurt daily for two weeks raised their T-lymphocyte cell count by nearly 30 percent.

Physical activity from 30 minutes a day to 60 to burn more calories," Fernandes says. In a yearlong study of 550 men and women, researchers from the University of South Carolina found those who exercised moderately were 25 percent less likely to develop a cold compared with those who rarely exercised. (The subjects simply walked at a brisk pace.) As with diet, moderation is critical; too much exercise or exercising to the point of exhaustion can boost the body's production of adrenaline and cortisol, two hormones that temporarily suppress immune function.

Belinda Kirkpatrick is a Sydney based Naturopath and Nutritionist offering holistic dietary, lifestyle and wellness advice to help patients achieve their optimal health potential. She is an expert in herbal medicines and nutritional supplements and is passionate about helping each and every patient get the most out of life. Get in touch with Belinda at http://www.belindakirkpatrick.com.au

You Are the Master of Your Own Creation

I am sitting on the balcony of my buree in Fiji, alone.  It is day 3 of my solo trip and I am getting used to not really talking to anyone.  As every mother would understand the constant daily talk and negotiation from morning till night can be exhausting, yet, take it away and it can take a little while to get used to.  No plans, no routine, no schedule, no one to organise, just me, palm trees and space for a little relaxation.  Have I decided to write this piece to rub it in that I am on holiday and you are not? That I have time away from my 9 to 5 and you don’t?  It may seem that way but what I really want you to look at is how you have the capability to be the master of your own creation.

You are a woman, you are a mother, you are amazing.  You and I both know that if you put your mind to something you make it happen. The job, the career, the baby, the new home, the body….. we both know that if you want it bad enough you will structure your life, your routine and your energy into making it happen.  So why is it that so many mothers are tired, struggling and feel like life just happens to them on a daily basis?  They are on the merry go round of breakfasts, and school runs, activities and playdates, feeding and homework and bath times and bed; each day ending the same as the one before it – exhausted and bored with the repetition.  Are you the master of this creation?

Take a moment to step back from your life, have you become the person who makes everything happen but generally rides in the backseat?  Do you put everyone else wants and needs ahead of your own allowing your personal plans or desires to fall by the wayside if something else comes up?  Can you count on one hand that last time you did something for yourself in the last month?  Do you raise your children with the thought that no-one else, not even your partner, can do what you do in the way that you do it?  I heard a saying some time ago that resonated with me – granted it took a little while to sink in and sit easy but I now try to carry it along with me in certain areas of my life; “learn to be satisfied with good enough”.  Now for someone who likes to ensure everything is ‘just so’ this takes effort on a daily basis, but what it is also showing me is that sometimes others that have more time or energy to do what I am doing may actually do it better than me, and if they don’t do it better it doesn’t matter because it is done and I can cross it off my to-do list and spend time on something else.

So when Dad is on baby watch, leave him to it, go do something else – go do something for you.  The world won’t end because a nappy is put on backward.

As a working mum I have a constant internal battle about whether I am doing the right thing for my children by going out to work, by building my business, by being away from them.  I also know that if I didn’t spend the time away from them that I do that I wouldn’t be a very nice mummy.  I am a woman, I have children, I love my children but that is not all that I am; I am a person in my own right, I have energy and passion to create my dreams, I am a business woman, I am fit, I am healthy, I am strong AND I am a mother.  I am the master of my own creation.

Within my profession I see so many women that allow their own health and fitness to take a backseat to life, what they don’t realise is that when health and fitness are given a front seat then life becomes so much easier.  Often it is the first thing that is dropped in the name of a busy schedule when it really should be the one thing that you hang onto with everything that you have, because if you are fit and healthy and GIVE YOURSELF that time you are committing to yourself on a daily basis and creating a fit and healthy family around you – you are the master of your own creation and the master of theirs.

So in summary;  I am here in Fiji, do I feel guilty that I have left my husband to look after our children solo for a week? Do I feel sad that I won’t tuck my babies into bed at night for a week? YES…… but I also know that this mummy needed a break, a break from being a mummy, from working, from life so I have to learn to push that guilt aside in the knowledge that I can come back a better mummy.  And for you; I am not suggesting you all get up and leave for a week (though I think that would be a great idea – we could start a revolution!)  leaving your child for an hour a day while you exercise (or do something else valuable to you) or restructuring your week to fit in your training (to the sacrifice of a kiddie activity) isn’t a bad thing – you can feel the guilt then choose to leave it behind as you have the power to be the master of your own creation and to take control of what happens to you on a daily basis (within reason of course…. There are children involved).

Our Body Beyond Baby, Find Your Summer Body 8 Week Challenge see’s you commit to exercise with us on four days per week and take control of your other training days – sound like a lot?  We are human beings and we were designed to move on a daily basis – four days per week may feel like a challenge to begin with but I know you can do it and I also know you just need that little kick up the bum to commit to yourself and to begin your journey as the master of your own creation.

To register your interest in our Find Your Summer Body - 8 Week Challenge please email me here and I will be sure to let you know as soon as registrations are open.

Watch Your Winter Waistline - Final Four Week Goals

At the start of this week, with four weeks of our 12 week challenge to go I asked everyone to give me their CRAZY goals for the next 4 weeks - 4 weeks is a great amount of time to make some awesome changes.  Everyone has done so well over the last 8 weeks the plan is to end on a HUGE high and achieve things you didnt think possible.  Here is a summary of all of the goals posted on our Watch Your Winter Waistline Facebook group.  If your name is on this list check in often, review and stay focused!!!

JasGrain free & sugar free (including alcohol except for anniversary dinner next weekend) for the next 4 weeks, aiming to lose 4kg and add another set of stairs to 6. Wish me luck ;)

Farrah
Goal : run 2 x cent pk / 7km & lose 3kgs
How : run 2 x week - start with 4km and increase by 1km every week & continue with sugarfree
When : tues & thurs morning

Mai
Ok here goes, to do a tour de east (my cycling route I haven't done since having Kira...it's pretty hilly and includes the gap) once a week and get in a 100km ride within the next 4 weeks.

Sam
I'm going to aim to match my first 4 week weight loss of 3kg. That would mean I beat my original goal by 1kg. Think it means getting back on to foodlog!

Narelle

I have a pair of pants in my wardrobe i have not been able to wear for years. I want to wear them again! 3 kilo loss needed :)

Sally G
Well, u asked for crazy goals, so here I go...
Lose 2kg
Run one lap of centennial without stopping halfway round feeling like I'm going to die (I know Farrah.. U will be running rings around me!)
40 pushups
And for my final moment of insanity-try to do one lap of Coogee stairs without slowing to a walk

Afton
Here goes. I would like to aim for Artificial Sweeter Free August (except for a wedding in the middle), lose another 2 kgs and increase my upper body strength/tone (I am thinking 20 continuous triceps dips - the burn starts at about 8). To do this I am going to add in two extra pram walks a week (hills and chubby baby) and work on the dips each evening.

Sarah H
OK, here are my goals- might sound crazy but mean a lot to me! Run 1 lap centennial without stopping. loose 4 more cm from my hips (and somehow figure out a way to get that 4cm on my boobs!) and fit into the bikini I bought for our holiday in September- top half all good, bit to go on the bottom.....

Karla
I just tried my favorite pants on and they do up but still need a bit more to look good. So my goal will be lose 3 more cm from waist and lose 2kg more. Also, I have a regular run that I used to do - takes about 45mins - have not tried this run for over a year. So my other goal is to run that route without stopping....

Cass
I'd like to:
1. Lose another 3kg
2. Run a lap of Centennial without stopping (I did it yesterday and only stopped twice, briefly!)
3. Fit into my favorite clothes in my 'pre-preggie' suitcase up on the shelf!

How:
1. I'm doing grain free after today (have to go shopping)
2. Doing an extra 2 runs a week around Centennial

Yvette
OK. 2 more kgs weight loss and to jog up the "stair" sections of the Coogee Steps (walking the flat sections). I would love to get my 6 stair laps under 30mins but I think it's a bit of a stretch as I'm going to miss 2 out of the final 4 step sessions when I'm out of town.

Georgina
Lose another 2-3 kilos and continue to improve my fitness so I can run a lap of Centennial easily. How - do as much training as I can possibly fit in, whilst being a working mum flying solo with two kids under 5 for the next 4 weeks - aim to add a stairs session and a centennial park lap run to the two group sessions each week.

Folly
OK, in the next 4 weeks... I am going to aim to lose another 2kg and be able to do 6 laps of the stairs in under 30mins. I am going to try and stay sugar free (had a bad w/e and feeling guilty) and go for a run at least once a week as well as my regular sessions (sounds easy but find it difficult with 3 kids and a husband who works long hours), would love to say I will try and run a lap of centennial but not sure about that! We will see...

Emma B
OK, I am aiming to lose another 2kg (then should be just under my target weight) and still aiming to do 30mins running without stopping. Maybe I should make Centennial my goal as well - my sister will want to do some running so we can go together. Complete 6 laps of the steps. After a very bad weekend at the conference, good diet choices this week are the go and try not to be derailed by entertaining sis while she's over here. Last one - do more pushups on toes at the sessions. My goal of 10 on toes looks a long way off!
I should also dig out my wild girl party jeans and see if I can squeeze into them...

Liz
Lose 3 kilos and go to Bali in the middle of it without undoing all my work!

Shelley
If we're talking audacious goals, lose another 4 kilos and run centennial twice without stopping. Eek! Going to go gluten-free for four weeks and stay off sugar and alcohol - apart from tonight. Couldn't do another dinner with in-laws sober. :)

Caroline
So, my ultimate goal when I joined BBB was to get to 'wedding day' weight. I'm about 2 kgs off that goal so this is it. Single-minded goal, and will

Sarcha
I am looking to lose 2-3 kgs over the next 4 weeks. How I will do this: use food log, increase protein, decrease sugar/carbs, watch portion sizes and lastly utilize opportunities to increase exercise.

Debbie
My goal is to improve my diet so that I can lose about 2 kgs

Olivia
Have been thinking about my 4 week goal and have decided to continue with sugar free and also to get my belly flatter. Want to get it down to at least 68cm. Currently if I recall correctly its about 74.5cm (I think, can't exactly remember my Sunday measurement). Hope I can get the belly down that much in 4 weeks. Sounds a little too much cm's to lose in a short time. Let's see how I go.

Bridget
Give up sugar and step up the exercise - two runs on top of my BBB sessions.  Doesn't sound that crazy but it will be a challenge for me at the moment.