One minute I’m feeling happy, content, in flow, grateful and full of love, then something can happen and I feel fearful, anxious and totally STRESSED OUT!

Only yesterday, along with my partner Naturopath Naomi Judge, we were recording a webinar for the members of our Break Through! program, about the incredibly important area of stress.

We acknowledged stress is an unavoidable part of life and often out of our control. What we do have control over however, is reducing the amount of stress we experience and mitigating the harmful effects of the stress we just aren’t able to avoid.

Back to my last two days for a moment.

Well, let’s just say they’ve been ROUGH on a personal level!! And the stress of it all affected me on a physiological and psychological level. How do I know? Well I tuned into my mind and body and these were the things I noticed going on…

My muscles around my neck and shoulders were tight
I had headaches 
My tummy felt off
I was feeling exhausted
I was snappy
My breathing was shallow
My mind was catastrophising
Insomnia paid a visit
And I was just generally out of sorts

That’s a lot of symptoms right there!

It’s so easy to get stuck in our stressful situations and not allow ourselves to move on. Often we just don’t know how to move on. 

Our society doesn’t value self-care, so often we don’t have the tools to know how to deal with stress.

I didn’t allow myself to linger in my stressful place for too long as I would have once upon a time.

Awareness, consciousness and acknowledgment were the first steps in dealing with my stressful situation.

What did I do to ease my stress?  These small things helped me enormously…

Reached out to my husband for support
Called my brother for advice
Spoke to my mum for empathy
Observed my negative self-talk and gently changed it to positive self-talk
I took a nap (normally unheard of but I listened to my body and whilst napping my beautiful daughter took it upon herself to wash all the dishes in the sink. She sensed I needed some support)
Deep breaths
I may or may not have had a vodka on the rocks
I stayed in the moment rather than let my mind runaway with all the catastrophes it could think of
I went out for my morning walk and instantly felt my troubles wash away…here’s a pic…

Truth is, stress is wreaking havoc on our health in so many ways. It’s becoming chronic and prolonged and no amount of nutrient-dense food or supplements can save us.

It affects so many systems of our body, including our gut, it puts us at risk of various health and modern degenerative conditions like heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism and autoimmunity. It affects our physical body, our emotions and our psychology.  

Everything that happens to us has the potential to be a stressor. But we have control over this in the form of choice. We can reduce stress’s harmful affects by changing our attitude, improving our daily self-care routines and being mindful to avoid unnecessary stress.

Those stress management skills we acquire and implement, we need to start teaching them to our kids so that they will have healthy coping strategies to help them survive the rollercoaster of life. This will allow them to deal with stress in healthy ways and positively manage the inevitable stress that will turn up in their lives.

Bren x

It surprised me how many people hadn’t heard of it.

Burst training is basically a type of exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime and which saves you a bucket load of $$ on gym memberships or special equipment

You might know it as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Basically, it’s working your heart rate almost to the maximum for about 30-60 seconds, immediately followed by low intensity, or in my case, resting, for a minute or two. And repeat.

My favourite form of burst training is sprints.

I power walk down to either the local oval or beach stairs, and sprint, rest, sprint, rest about 8 times.

Burst training can be done in many different ways.

For example – running on the spot, on a stationary bike, using a skipping rope, swimming ..the options are endless!

Why do I do Burst Training?

• As a busy working mum, I particularly love how time efficient it is. I’m usually done and dusted in half an hour (including the walk to and from the location). You’ve got to love maximum benefit with limited time!
• It burns fat incredibly efficiently
• It boosts my metabolism
• It reduces inflammation in the body
• It’s great for toning muscles
• It makes me feel energised
• It doesn’t put stress on my body like other forms of cardio exercise
• It balances my hormones
• It doesn’t flare up my dodgy neck and back issues
• Gets me out into nature, getting Vitamin D and helping to set my circadian rhythms
• Keeps ageing at bay

I usually aim for 2 x sessions per week, interspersed with 1 x session of weight training and power walking the rest of the days and once home, I usually follow up with a ginger, mint and green apple smoothie or this anti-oxidant smoothie.

Naturopath Naomi Judge and I talk in depth about the right type of exercise for balancing hormones and shedding stubborn weight in our Break Through! Signature Cleanse. Find out more about the cleanse here. 

Bren x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

There are many potential reasons why weight plateaus or health suffers and Naturopath Naomi Judge and I totally understand the frustration. We’ve been there. And in our private work we see many women just like you who have “done everything right” but are not getting the results they are after. Don’t give up! Keep going! We’re here to help you.

In this video we share some insights which have helped hundreds of women break through their barriers to a body they love.

Bren x

The Hubby Cleanse – Stages and Realisations

Sorry I didn’t recap the results of my first week of cleanse. I could feel in my bones how worried you all were, but frankly, I was far too busy strutting around with the pride I usually reserve for completing a rudimentary home handyman task.

This cleanse thing was easy! Brought it to its knees, I did.

It’s been just over 4 weeks now, which makes a mockery of my intention to provide weekly updates, and which is a little longer than the typical Break Through! program. But remember I’m using this cleanse to address some health issues, meaning not only will it take longer than 3 weeks .. or 4 (gulp), but that I reintroduce food groups as I go.

The results have exceeded my expectations by a considerable margin. Quite frankly, I feel terrific, and it’s noticeable to both myself and those around me. It’s almost like I’m seeing the world in colour for the first time in a while. I’ve even begun to notice these cute little creatures with wings that fly about, and colourful plants with pleasing aromas! The transformation has been quite amazing. I’ve almost literally gone from looking and feeling like this

… to this:

I’m sure you’d agree that’s pretty dramatic!

By committing to a more regular training routine at the same time, as well as getting more sleep, I’ve managed to shed a few kilograms into the bargain. This wasn’t my real objective at all, though I knew it would be a natural consequence. In the meantime, if you know anyone with a belt-hole puncher, send them my way, will you?

Although making adjustments to my diet turned out to be far easier than I thought (I can still pack it away), it hasn’t been without its fair share of help from my lovely wife Brenda. Without that assistance, which has mainly involved cooking and preparation (and gentle reminders to do it myself occasionally), this little cleanse update might have had a different and slightly ashamed tone.

And it’s not like the cravings haven’t ebbed and flowed along the way. I can readily identify a few distinct stages I’ve experienced so far, and I’m sure many people would agree.

Stage 1:

The first couple of days are always the hardest. For me, it’s usually the first couple of minutes before I wipe my brow and claim that I really, really tried. But the reason I think these early days are difficult is that you haven’t built up any ‘time capital’ at this point. Because you’ve only just begun, it’s very easy to just cave in and begin again. What’s the loss, right? A day or two?

I’m pretty sure as I stared into the eyes of the cream-filled biscuits in the work kitchen in those early days, dressed so fetchingly in their smooth, tight-fitting, sealed glass jar, that I could hear them singing “Hello, is it me you’re looking for…?” It took all my strength to keep myself from lunging at them, and it had only been a day! But the last time I did that I ended up with a wife and two kids, so I inserted my knuckle into my mouth and backed away.

Stage 2:

Once the initial two days were safely out of the way, it was fairly easy to relax into a routine of preparing and taking meals to work, nuts to chew on, and some fruit for snacks in between. The siren call of all manner of cookie and lolly jars became but a murmur, and I was beginning to wonder if it could really be this straight forward.

Stage 3:

Moving well into the second week was a bit more jarring, however. And it was unexpected, as well as difficult to navigate safely. The old routine wanted to come out to play, but working in my favour though was time capital I’d built up. I had reached a point where I just didn’t want to start again! Even for the $1 chocolate specials at Woollies.

Truly, there is an element of psychology in making change, and I’ve found that the further you journey into the task (usually), the easier it is to mentally cope with the change.

So what have I learned so far?

The importance of an objective

– If you have a target in mind (health, weight, whatever your fancy), it’s far, far easier to commit to a routine, then stick to it.

The importance of an objective – If you have a target in mind (health, weight, whatever your fancy), it’s far, far easier to commit to a routine, then stick to it.

How much I actually ate – constant grazing for no other reason than something to do (and I do love food!), and often on sugary snacks, is not a great relationship to have with food. I know … my body rebelled. No wonder I felt bloated – my stomach never got a rest!

Lack of side effects – Not only do I feel fitter and more vibrant, but no headaches! Not one, and not even close. Perhaps that’s fortunate given stories I’ve heard from those with heavy addictions to things like sugar and caffeine, but I’m not going to argue. I’ve had more than my share already.

Preparation – You really have to be organised to maintain a strict routine, otherwise it’s too easy to scrape by with snacks that undo all the good work. Just as bad is going without a meal because you haven’t prepared food. The best thing about a bit of preparation is that it generally takes the same time as preparing one meal, but can last you days.

Lack of alternatives – Where I work in the city is not well known for cuisine. That’s a kind way to put it. And the options are limited, mostly carb or grain-loaded, and not really ideal from a health perspective. It takes quite a lot of groundwork just to locate even a half-healthy shop, which never seems to be within an accessible distance as well.

Lack of cravings – OK, I did miss coffee, but the way I used to attack chocolate made me think abstinence would be torture. Surprisingly, it wasn’t at all.

The importance of sleep – I do actually know and appreciate this (I’m reminded constantly by you-know-who) … it’s just that I never got around to going to bed early. Making a concerted effort to do so has definitely helped my moods, energy levels and alertness.

When I think about it, it makes a lot of sense to make some more permanent changes to my diet once the cleanse and food reintroduction are completed. If it makes me feel this good, why wouldn’t I?

Adrian Janschek

Anyhow, my persistence seems to have paid off, because he’s agreed to do my Break Through! Signature Cleanse to address a few health niggles.

Knowing how many husbands have gone along for the Break Through! ride with their wives (and received tremendous benefit from it) probably helped! And I’ll be shepherding the poor darling through it, you know, just in case he starts coming apart at the seams given his appetite.

So join my husband (Adrian) as he journals his experience of the cleanse. Here we go……

Written by Adrian Janschek

In an effort to get on top of a few health problems, I decided – well, was ordered (also known as gently and lovingly suggested) to take on one my wife’s Break Through Program. Given I’m more partial to a ‘cleanser’ than a cleanse, as well as a self-confessed chocolate degenerate, this was always going to be an interesting endeavour.

So, to mark the end of my hedonistic lifestyle for 3 weeks and step into the chocolate-less unknown, I guzzled a couple of glasses of red and nibbled a couple if choccy drops from the baking cupboard, before later washing it down with a glass of milk.

Oh yes, I am a bad man.

Rock. And. Roll.

After a coffee and a jam donut on my first morning, I was ready to give this cleansy thingee a good old crack for the remainder of the day! I am nothing if not stoic and iron-willed …

I’m kidding!!!

The reality was that I was facing a chia pudding and a cup of Rooibos tea, a slightly different approach than normal, and yet strangely tasty! Who knew? And waiting in the fridge was my grass-fed sausage and vegetable salad. Given the fact that finding a decent meal in my part of the city is about as likely as me winning an argument at home, this was actually an upgrade … And continues to be.

The reason I’ve decided on this type of cleanse is to address some lingering issues such as persistent headaches, lack of energy generally, moodiness and feeling bloated after meals, to name a bunch. I’m a real catch, no doubt about it. I felt the cleanse was a good way to remove potential trigger foods and those foods that are known to cause problems for those with intolerances, then observe the results before reintroducing foods such as eggs, dairy, Tim Tams and James Boag etc etc in piecemeal form once it’s over. Hopefully I’ll get a good handle on whether I do have any food intolerances which we can then single out and treat. Or just avoid.

For those interested, I’ll update the results of my first week and what I’ve learned in coming days. If you don’t hear from me, I could be curled up in a corner amongst a mountain of Toblerone wrappers and remnants of assorted grains and dairy. If so, call the President. But I’m confident we won’t reach that point.

Til later …

Stay tuned for the next instalment to find out how he went on the cleanse….

Resistant or stubborn weight is such an emotional and frustrating subject for many, due to the fact that women have been trying to lose the extra 5-10 kilos for years and are failing miserably. When something is not working, then it is time to try a different approach. If your body is in perfect hormonal harmony, thyroid, adrenals and all systems balance. You should be able to have 2 to 3 healthy meals a day, exercise moderately, and feel fantastic in a body you love.

The gist to losing that resistant weight is to stop, slow down, and listen to your body. Create the perfect environment inside and outside your body to enable it to be where it wants to be. Our bodies have the innate power to heal. Give your body and mind the tools they need, and you will get your desired outcome.

Break Through! To Feeling Fantastic in a Body You Love is a formulated program developed  by myself and Health and Lifestyle Coach , Brenda Janschek.

This e-course is aimed at helping you Break Through! your weight and health barriers. We hope to see you there.

A large part of that in modern society relates to body image – helping our little girls feel confident and worthwhile in their own skin. Women always seem to be under pressure to look their best, and quite often the ideal presented by airbrushed magazine models is potentially dangerous to how we view ourselves (and our heath). Our girls need to know the reality.

From a very young age girls are exposed to music videos, fashion magazines, Barbie dolls, advertising and TV shows that focus on appearance. The ideal image the media bombards us with is the skinny supermodel or actress, who’s image has most likely been manipulated to within an inch of it’s life. My fear is that this creates the unnecessary expectation of body image, setting them up for disappointment, low self-esteem, or even depression and eating disorders. In other words, failure by someone else’s rules.

But make no mistake, we are our little girls most important role models. They are listening when we talk about our (and other’s) bodies. They notice when we diet and how often we do so,  and this will become their reality too…

Our daughters need to know that true beauty lies within, and that they are respected and loved by their family and friends for who they are, not how they look.

My mother was very focused on her appearance, and knew that Dad liked his women skinny. I don’t recall specific negative self-talk about her body, but she seemed to be perpetually on a diet and certainly appearance was a hot topic on everyone’s lips at get-togethers. It’s a habit even amongst my own peer groups today, to the point where it’s almost a ‘conversation-padder’ like the weather. It wasn’t long before I was on the Weight Watchers bandwagon, beginning the diet merry-go-round which included diet pills at one point as appetite suppressors.

In my own home we don’t talk about our bodies in context of weight or shape. Rather, our bodies are strong, flexible or fit, and we like to explain how ‘moving our bodies’ makes us feel healthy and happy. It’s all about body function in our household, and proper nutrition and exercise takes care of that. We also don’t keep any scales, fashion magazines, watch video clips or the like around the house. However, Amercian sit coms are worryingly entering our zone, so it’s time to be vigilant!

As much as I try to protect my own daughter from this sort of exposure, this is the real world. The best I can do is to instill the values that I think will build a resilient woman who is confident and happy in herself.

Some tips:

– communication is crucial- explain how photos are manipulated, and why

– avoid emotive descriptions such as ‘fat’ or ‘thin’ and emphasise the benefits of a nutritious diet and exercise regimen for positive well being

– teach our girls to appreciate what our bodies can do, not just how they look

– focus on other factors other than appearance – effort, skill, positive personality traits and achievements

– draw attention to inspiring role models

– explain how sports and exercise clear the mind, and reduce stress and anxiety and highlight the good feelings produced after exercise and when eating a
nutritious diet

– explain how sport and recreation connects you with nature (surfing, rock climbing), or how Nippers (surf life saving) gives you confidence and skills, while connecting you to your community

Above all, I want to be a positive role model for my daughter, and I am in the best place to do it! My 8yr old knows I am passionate about healthy food and exercise, but she doesn’t even imagine it is born of wanting my body to look a certain way. She knows it’s because I want to feel a certain way – healthy!

I have worked hard throughout life on acceptance and self love, and finally in my 40’s I have not dieted in years! It’s funny in a way that the process of eating properly gives you the results that dieters search for, the difference being that one is sustainable as a way of life, and the other is temporary.

I am healthy and happy, and I hope that’s how my daughter will be, not just in her 40’s, but from today onward.

Bren x

Tell us a little about yourself.

 I am a very proud mum (foremost) to Bella-angel (6) and Phoenix (2), founder of successful fashion label Otto Mode and have 10 years’ experience in sales, manufacturing, import and export of both local and international fashion. I am completing a Masters of Project Management at UTS, an aspiring athlete,  an ambassador for the Red Cross Blood Centre and the Heart Foundation, Founder of Micro Miracles Matter – a platform created with the intention to aid causes I believe in by spreading awareness, educating people on the power of positive thinking, acts of kindness and the rewards of a healthy balanced life.

Always striving towards having a holistic work-life balance incorporating health and wellness is the foundation for all I do. Career driven I have worked my way through the ranks of the scuba diving industry as a dive master, the T.V and media sector of the advertising industry and an extensive love affair with the rag trade. Combined with an athletic drive that started in school with track and field, state netball, competitive surfing then later in life boot camp, interval training and to now becoming an Ultra-marathon runner.

Most recently I have embarked on a new career role in public relations and new business development in events.

Nutrition and optimal health are always at the forefront of priorities, the love for my children and passion to inspire others to be the best version of them motivates me to stay focused and lead by example.

Tell us why you created “Mirco Miracles Matter” and what it’s about? 

They say timing is everything. For me it’s time to start giving back wherever I can. That is, use my resources to pay homage to causes that have touched my life, and to pursue my acts of kindness on a greater scale toward those less fortunate.

Micro Miracles Matter is an organic extension of myself and has been created as a platform where I can add a greater purpose to some of the wonderful things that I do in my life and to encourage everyone to become more conscious of the small ways in which they can contribute, thus making a huge difference in someone else’s life.

I have been forever inspired by the miraculous fight and survival of Bella-angel, then the incredibly divine experience of going on to have a near term, healthy second baby in 2010 and finally, last year, going through one of the most confronting chapters of my adult life.

I have become aware of the destructive effect of fear, the damaging effect of inaction, the  transformative power of action, the necessity for purpose and that when united we can make a difference; micro miracles matter.

Through my running and the Micro Miracles Matter platform my intention is to aid causes I believe in, spread awareness, educate those around me on the power of positive thinking and acts of kindness, the rewards of a balanced healthy life, believing in oneself, the joys of giving and the difference we can make together.

This year mmm  is all about spreading the word on the need for blood donors and heart disease awareness. I have just completed my first 100km ultra marathon. My purpose for the run was to raise awareness for the need of blood donors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgmO6NzJC78. The race was amazing, the determination to never give in to the pain was fuelled by the love for my children, the desire to be the best I can be and in doing so inspire others.

What are you passionate about?

Everything!!

Life, positivity, health, nutrition, fitness, my family, friends, food, wine, travel, adventure, the outdoors, kindness, truth and dreaming.

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Time, my children, freedom, friendships, choice, sunshine, living close to the ocean, living in Sydney, daily exercise, quality food, clean water, travel, education.

What is your favourite quote?

As you think, so you are. As you imagine, so you become.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Be positive, make it a way of life. Find what you love and do it. Add purpose to all you do. Stay consistent, persistent and dream big.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I make time. It involves doing what I love and what makes me happy, such as running, reading, writing, creating, rejuvenating my body with massages, yoga, meditation and time alone.

As a single mum of 2 this requires good time management, giving myself the gift to continually evolve and learn, knowing when to be selfless and selfish and staying true to myself regardless of the cost.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Everything!! I see food and what you fuel your body with as an investment. Investing in your livelihood, your future, how you will function 10, 20, 30 , 40, 50, 60 or more years from now.

Like most things in life, health and wellness are a choice, but most importantly they are a way of life. When you find what works for you and what aids your being to be the best you can be the choice is not difficult. The secret is to make it a way of life, integrating health and wellness into all areas of your world.

Having an abundance of energy, positivity, health and fitness flows into all areas of your life and enables you to thrive in all that you do.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Only 5….mmm Chia, Chinese 5 spice, Coconut oil, Sunwarrior Protein Powder, activated, raw or roasted mixed nuts

What do you indulge in?

Me time, exercise, super foods, fine wine, organic coffee and fun 😉

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

Go on adventures, rock climbing,, swimming in the pool or at the beach, scootering, cooking, arts and crafts.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

I have so many! I am, and always have been, a foodie and health junkie! To keep it simple let’s go with my latest healthy recipe discovery that is a hit with my children, has converted my view on ‘pancakes’ and got me through a 42km run – mmm super almond meal and coconut pancakes!

The recipe and nutritional break down is posted on my site under mmm recommendations, mmm recipes.

mmm super pancakes discovery

Ingredients

• 1/2 large ripe banana

• 2 egg whites

• 25 gm almond meal

• 2 5gm desiccated coconut

• 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence or if you can ground fresh vanilla bean pod

• 1/2 tsp of baking powder (gluten free)

• Coconut oil for cooking

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon -or if you are like me to taste…I love spice you can even use all spice another fave of mine.

To Top

Serve with frozen mixed berries that you have defrosted so get the treat of berry juice accompanying the berries, a dash of agave syrup for those of you who have a sweet tooth and a dollop of your favourite yoghurt combined with 2 teaspoons of Sunwarrior protein powder

YUM!!!!

• Mixed frozen berries defrosted

• Agave Syrup

• Yoghurt (I love Jalna Vanilla)

• Sunwarrior protein powder choc or vanilla

Method

1. Mash the banana into the egg whites

2. Add the spices and dry ingredients mix to form a batter

3. Pre heat the fry pan on a medium – low heat  with coconut oil

4. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to the  pan forming pancake size to your liking, when you see bubbles surfacing turn over

5. Cook the second side untill golden

6. In a seperate bowl combine Sunwarrior protein powder and yoghurt

7. To serve place pancakes on a plate and top with desired toppings!

You can connect with Kerrie through  her website

www.micromiraclesmatter.com

or on her  Facebook Page

When a friend recently suggested Rachel as an inpirational mum to interview for my Mumday Monday blog, I jumped at the chance to see where this fabulous woman was at now!

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi, my name is Rachel and  I’m 42years old. I have 2 kids,  Remy 9 years old and Essie 6 years old.

I was a professional dancer for 15 years between the ages of 19 – 34years  and  I also danced at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

I have  choreographed many TVC, musicals as well as the opening ceremony for the Paralympic in 2000.

I have taught pilates for over 10 years and am now the Pilates Director at Elixr Health Clubs.

Not many mums can say they danced at the Moulin Rouge in Paris! Can you tell us what this was like plus a bit about your life during this period?

It was a truly amazing but incredibly exhausting time of life !! Two show every night 6 days a week.  We always went out after the show, so bed was usually 5am.  Wake up around 1pm.  Completely different to my life now!

I have such fond memories and life long friends from the year I was there.

You are clearly passionate about Pilates. Can you tell us about some benefits of Pilates you have experienced?

I have so many,  it is such a rewarding job.  I have had many clients with serious disc injuries, hip replacements, shoulder reconstructions, knee injuries, torn muscles who are now pain free.

Has fitness always been important to you?

Absolutely and always will be.  I can’t imagine ever having a job where I sit at a desk all day.  I am fortunate that my job is all about exercise.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Eating 3 meals a day.

Never skipping meals.

Eat whole foods like fresh fruit and vegetables and meat.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

– Oats (for porridge)

– Pasta

–  Rice

– Raw nuts

– Tinned tuna

What do you indulge in?

Chocolate! There is nothing else that competes in my eyes : )

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Definitely my health and happiness.

What is your favourite quote?

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!

 Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I need to be outdoors with nature.

Walking in a park or along the beach by myself.

This is my mediation.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

– Listen to your body.

– Don’t over eat.

– Get enough sleep.

– Drink plenty of water.

– Enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We spend the weekend running around doing sports.  Then we all love to settle down in the afternoon to watch a movie.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Simply a fresh salmon fillet on the BBQ with a healthy rocket salad is one of my favourites.

The first book I bought with my pocket money was ‘How to Survive’, so no prizes for guessing what my favourite TV program is now!

My passion for the outdoors started early. My parents always went walking and exploring on family holidays, generally across rainy moorland in the UK. We would cook sausages for lunch on Dad’s meth’s stove, and find things like rams horns and fossils. I still love the smell of meth’s!

My exploration into the outdoors has grown out of a need to discover new places and achieve physical endurance. I have climbed some of the highest mountains in most continents and In 1999 I became the first English woman to walk to the Magnetic North Pole.

My fashion-buying career ran in parallel with my expeditions. I was lucky enough to have sympathetic bosses, who usually gave me time off if I could organise my workload.

Tell us a bit about how Terrain Personal fitness came about?

My husband and I moved to Australia after we got married and we had a family quite quickly. This was not conducive to a ‘regular’ job, or long mountaineering expeditions. So, I set up Terrain Personal Fitness to pass on my passion for outdoor fitness, with hours that work around my family.

 What do you enjoy about your work?

* Helping people to become fitter and more active in their lives.

* Structuring programs to help clients achieve their fitness goals.

* Collaborating with other health professionals my clients use. I continually learn from other experts, giving the client focused results.

* Working outdoors in the beautiful Sydney landscape.

Has fitness always been important to you?

I love the feeling of independence that being fit gives me. I like to be able to get from A to B under my own steam without a car, like running to school pick up, or embarking up a glacier with all my provisions on my back.

Everyone needs to know what motivates him or her to be fit, then its achievable.

How has you training routine changed over time?

Training changes depending on what my projects are.

When I was in my twenties I remember doing a 20mile training run for a marathon, running home for a quick shower, partying all night and ending up at my desk at 8am. I am sure we can all remember those all-nighters. Alas no more!

If I am training for a 6 week Arctic trip, I need to practice building up the hours and muscles I will be using on the trip, such as pulling sledge for 8 hours along a beach. It really impinges on your spare time and tends to ruin your social life, (doesn’t look too cool either!)

Now I have a family I try to train for more local challenges like the Oxfam Trailwalker. Our team needed to practice building up the hours over the hilly terrain, which takes up a lot of time at weekends away from family, but at least it is not months away from them.

How active are your kids?

A choreographer at the Bangarra Dance Theatre once said ‘creativity is born out of boredom’. I believe this. I try not to over program our children with too many after school activities. We do soccer and swimming each week, but I like them to learn how to amuse themselves. We often go to the park/beach where they can be active for hours-on-end making up their own entertainment.

We walk to and from school, every day, in all weather conditions! It is a good discipline to integrate exercise into your daily life. And in case you are wondering….yes they do whinge uphill on the way home!

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Healthy eating is understanding where your food comes from and what it is i.e. yes lamb really is a dead furry sheep! I like to get the family involved in food exploration and preparation. When we are shopping I let them choose something strange they have not tried before. It makes it adventurous.

Visiting the fish markets is another fun place where you can buy lost of small things to touch and try. We have pulled apart an octopus to find the ink sac, gutted a whole fish to discover what it ate, chosen 10 different shapes of shellfish to cook and cracked open a crab.

There are 2 rules as far as eating in our house 1) try everything 2) finish your vegetables. We all eat the same thing and I don’t cater to the words ‘I don’t like that’.

 What are you kitchen pantry essentials?

If we don’t have these in the house everyone gets very touchy:

* Breakfast (oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and rice bubbles and milk)

* Wine

What do you indulge in?

Wine – again!

Red is better than white because it has lots of antioxidants, but is high calorie.

What do you value?

I am very family orientated. I feel very blessed that I have a loving, supportive and healthy, immediate and extended family.

Who do you admire?

Bear Grylls – If you can look sexy drinking liquid from elephant dung, then what’s not to love? He is a really genuine person, great family values and is true to his faith and himself, aside from being a great climber.

Usain Bolt – What a phenomenal athlete who is a joy to watch. He trains unbelievably hard, is a great advocate for Jamaica, and loves his mum!

Barack Obama –I admire his ability to connect with different cultures and his truly international perspective. I am proud to have witnessed the inauguration of the first black president in my lifetime.

My Granny – Moved to Australia on her own in her early twenties, and delighted in telling me stories of the animals my mother would find in the Australian bush.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

1)   Make it a habit

2)   Make it easy

3)   Do it regardless of circumstance

E.g. If you are going to cycle to work, do it every day, don’t make it weather or meeting dependent, have a system in place to enable this behaviour before Monday morning. Or you wont do it!

 What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

This weekend it rained no stop. My husband was away, but I had promised the boys we would go camping so off went! It was a great opportunity for them to have fun and learn ‘expedition skills’. So we camped up from the swollen creek to avoid flash flooding, cooked safely inside our tent (yes, to toasting marshmallows – no, to flaming sticks!), ran naked through the sloshy fields (boys only!) and dried our undies on the kettle!

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Home cooking and sitting down to share a meal as a family is one of my greatest joys.

Baked salmon

* Salmon pieces, soy sauce, splash of water, chilli, ginger, garlic.

* In oven for 20 minutes 220 degrees Celsius

* Sprinkle with chopped mint, parsley and coriander.

* Served with brown basmati rice, Chinese broccoli and a squeeze of lime.

Salmon is rich in omega 3’s and I like the Asian flavours. It is quick, family friendly (chilli aside) and low in saturated fat. It only vice is that it is relatively high in salt from the soy sauce. Brown basmati is firm and nutty and higher in fibre than polished white Basmati.

contact   Helen Jomoa

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