Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2024 i Women's Fitness Australia

EDITOR’S NOTE Love swimming? Then you’re not alone. Swimming is one of the most popular activities in Australia. Perhaps it’s a no-brainer, as not only is swimming a great cardio workout but it also boosts muscle strength in a low-impact way, while being a life skill and, let’s face it, quite a lot of fun (flume, anyone?!). The latest news, however, extols cold-water swimming’s mental-health boosting benefits. As we discover on page 88, a slightly chillier dip is emerging from the science labs as one of the prevailing ways to remedy the mind by easing depression, anxiety and stress, not to mention providing an endorphin high. And with participation in outdoor swimming growing in popularity, so is the kit! Swimming not your thing? Don’t worry, as we’ve got plenty of…

7-DAY PLAN You’ve heard it before: food is fuel. It might sound like just another overused phrase lauded by health and fitness evangelists, but the truth is, what you put into your body will help you get through your gym session without holding you back, whilst providing you with the nutrients needed for a speedy post-workout recovery. Whether you’re just starting out or are a regular in the gym, eating the right foods, at the right times and in the correct quantities, will help to complement your training plan so that you feel stronger, leaner and more energised. Over the next three pages, we’ve put together a nutritionally-focused seven-day diet plan which is tailored to your workout needs. We’ve assumed that you’ll be exercising on three out of the seven…

WORKOUT FOOD Q HOW SHOULD I FUEL RUNS THAT LAST FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR? Chrissy Arsenault, registered dietician for Trainer Academy, says: ‘You may have heard of marathon runners “carb loading” in advance of their races. Before long-distance runs, consuming easily digestible carbs is important. Fuelling up on carb sources such as pasta, bananas and rice helps ensure that your glycogen stores have enough glucose to release during your runs – this is what provides you with energy during your run. ‘Throughout your run, if you have the opportunity to bring fuel with you that will give quick bursts of carbohydrates (cyclists love energy gels in their back pocket!), you can also replenish your energy levels and maintain blood sugar levels during long-distance runs. Some of my favourite fuel…

If walking up the stairs feels like hard work but you want to stay active, pregnancy appropriate mobility work can provide a much needed boost while easing aches and helping prepare your body for labour. ‘Mobility exercise during the third trimester, especially for the pelvic floor and lower back, can be helpful in preparing for birth by relaxing and lengthening the pelvic floor muscles,’ explains Cara Forrester, director of education at The MINT Prjct (themintprjct. com). ‘Mobility for the upper body in the chest, and the upper back, is also important to help relieve all the extra weight on the front of the body caused by growing breast tissue. Plus, having mobile ankles can help with labour for mums who prefer to be in a deep squat, and wrist mobility…

Colour me happy New research from purposeful activewear brand BAM reveals the majority of women believe colourful activewear boosts their mood and makes their workouts more enjoyable, while 45 per cent say wearing bright colours helps to improve their performance. With luscious lilac set to be the standout shade this year, there’s never been a better time to update your workout wardrobe with some pastel pieces, including everything from sleek leggings and breathable workout tops to slouchy sweats and lightweight running jackets.…

As an Exercise Scientist and qualified coach, Sam Wood has really championed “AT-HOME-FITNESS” through his online platform 28 by Sam Wood, the No.1 at-home fitness program used by over a million Aussies. However, over the last 10 years he has found that the most commonly asked questions from within his thriving community were for advice on the best protein powders and snacks on the market. With the realisation that there were no products available that he felt comfortable recommending, Sam decided to take matters into his own hands. Thus 28Go was born with the range designed to be an easy, effective way for the time-poor Australian to grab their protein needs and GO, with simple, trustworthy and flavourful options for every occasion. Now you can power your day with protein,…

Whether you work out in a gym or at home, dumbbells should be a top kit choice. They will challenge your muscles more than bodyweight exercises alone, and are a great tool for building total-body strength. If you’re a home gym-body, dumbbells don’t take up much space and yet can be used for lots of exercises. Wondering what weight to select? Pick something that feels hard (but still doable) to lift by your last two to three reps. You can increase or decrease the weight (or number of reps if you don’t have a selection to choose from), so long as you’re hitting that sticky point toward the end of every set. Ready to get sweating? These dumbbell exercises make for a great total-body workout that you can do practically…

Sandwiched between work commitments, hurried errands and endless to-do lists, lunch is often the most rushed meal of the day for many people. This perceived lack of time often leads to a hastily prepared or purchased meal, which does little to satisfy your cravings or nutritional needs. Enter Healthy Made Simple by Ella Mills. These speedy lunchtime recipes can all be made in just 15 minutes and promise to pack a scrumptious and nutritious punch. The vegan-friendly meals also contain a good helping of protein, all from plant-based sources, to help give your post-workout recovery a boost, too. WARM MEDITERRANEAN AUBERGINE AND BASIL ORZO SALAD This recipe pushes the 15- to 20-minute mark; essentially the length of time it takes will depend on how quickly you chop your veg. It’s…

WHITE TURKEY CHILLI You’ve heard of a chilli con carne, but have you heard of a white chilli? It is essentially the same, but without a tomato base, and involves switching kidney beans for cannellini beans. It’s delicious served with rice or tortilla chips Makes: 4 portionsPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 20 minutesCalorie count: 490calories per portion Ingredients • 2 onions, diced• 2 garlic cloves, diced• 500g extra-lean, 5% fat minced turkey• 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans• 3 tsp red chilli powder (or to taste)• 1 tsp sweet paprika• 1 tsp garlic granules• ½ tsp ground cumin• Large pinch each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper• Juice of 2 limes• 650ml chicken stock• 250g low-fat cream cheese• Low-calorie cooking spray• 60g sliced pickled jalapeños, to serve Method…

Leaving behind her career in London’s media industry, 36-year-old Chapman embarked on a soul-searching trip across Australia to find a new hobby. Her journey led her to Melbourne where she joined a local running club. ‘I went to a standard inner city state school and we didn’t have a huge amount of access to sports, so running wasn’t something I developed as a hobby until I went to Australia,’ says Chapman. ‘I decided to take up long-distance running on my trip seven years ago and loved it so much I ended up staying and joining a running club.’ Chapman’s experience echoes findings from holiday company First Choice, that ‘hobbi-days’ (combining holidays with new hobbies) are trending. With the support of her new-found running companions, Chapman took on her first challenge:…

MICHAEL FATICA Fatica is a consultant osteopath for The Back in Shape Program (backinshapeprogram. com), an online rehabilitation program for treating back pain. He has been treating and advising patients for 10 years, specialising in the spine and spinal mechanics. Q: I recently pulled a muscle in my lower back while lifting weights. How can I aid recovery and prevent lower-back strain going forward? A: Resistance training is great for long-term back health, especially when done well. However, sometimes accidents like this do happen, and often we find that it’s a case of imperfect form aggravating the lower back. It is highly likely that it is a strain of the joints in your lower back that has resulted in the ‘pulled muscle’ feeling you’re experiencing. Short-term, we want the back…

COVER INTERVIEW Born into a family that strongly encouraged her entrepreneurial drive, creativity and ambition from a very early age, it’s no wonder that Amy Maree Castano is a force to be reckoned with. In this digital age she has not only amassed a loyal and engaged audience of over half a million followers on Instagram alone, but she has also mastered the art of balancing an incredibly successful personal beauty brand with managing the demands that go hand in hand with a burgeoning fitness empire. Amy’s journey – both by herself and as part of a global fitness phenomenon alongside her ex-husband - is a testament to her unwavering commitment to personal growth and today she talks to us about paper runs, perseverance and how teamwork makes the dream…

MICRO-DOSING Most of us would agree that having a long-term fitness goal helps to keep us motivated. Setting clear fitness intentions keeps us accountable for the gym workouts that we’re tempted to skip come a rainy Monday evening, and inspires us to consistently align our training routine with a wholesome diet. In short, aspirations ensure that our fitness dreams edge that little bit closer to reality. We all want to make progress towards our goals as quickly as possible, but there are times when our grand plans can feel out of reach, causing a downward spiral that leaves us stuck in a rut. When it comes to complementing our fitness routines with our diet, taking a different approach could be the way forward. Proactively weaving healthy nutritional practices around our…