What you see every day impacts on your subconscious thoughts and your behaviours start to mimic those thoughts.

A tried and true approach

Visualisation is not new. Athletes have been using it for decades to improve their performance and I first came across the technique when I read “That Winning Feeling” by Jane Savoie over 20 years ago. When this book was first published it was revolutionary. Jane, an Olympic Dressage rider, explained how she visualised the outcomes she wanted to achieve – a podium finish!! By focussing on what she wanted, the how started to fall into place.

This is why Vision Boards work

Rather than just having to imagine what you want, you can actually see it. By putting pictures which represent your goals on a board, you can display what you want, in a place where you will see it everyday. Once you visualise what you want and focus on it regularly, every action you take starts to lead you to that desirable end result.

Do you want to make your own Vision Board? Join my Vision Board Workshop.

It’s not all about the material things

Your Vision Board should not just focus on what you want. It should also focus on how you want to feel. Of course, having a beautiful tidy home is a great goal, but how will you feel when your home is neat and tidy? How will you feel when you can invite friends around for a cuppa and not have to move stacks of paperwork off the kitchen table?

Similarly, your goal maybe to lose weight or fit back into your favourite dress, but rather than just focus on how you will look, focus on how you will feel when you achieve that goal. What will you be doing? Who will you be with? How will you celebrate?

For example, on my Vision Board I have a ticket from the first Pink concert I went to. It was a gift from my sister and we went together for my 40th Birthday. The ticket reminds me of a fun night out with my sister, but it also reminds me of how blown away I was by the concert – the sheer energy and excitement I felt, and how inspired I was to keep hold of that feeling.

My vision board also has pictures of Japan, and dressage. I love skiing in Japan, and I love the culture there. I have travelled there 6 times, always in winter. Horse riding and particularly the Olympic sport of dressage have also been a life long passion for me. I know I won’t ever be able to go to the Olympics as an athlete, so my goal is to be at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo as an official.

Your Vision Board is for YOU

Of course you can share your goals and dreams with others - it is great to have support and also people to hold you accountable. Remember though that your Vision Board is there to motivate YOU. It needs to reflect YOUR goals and how YOU want to feel.

What are YOUR goals?

What do you want to achieve in your career? Your relationships? Financially? Personally? Once you have written down your goals and what you want each area of your life to look and feel like, it’s time to choose some pictures that reflect your goals.

Do you want to make your own Vision Board? Join my Vision Board Workshop.

You can have more than one Vision Board

I like to have one central Vision Board but I also like to have smaller separate ones for different areas of my life. Even though some of my goals overlap, they are also quite separate.

What you need to make your Vision Board

The best thing is that Vision Boards are quite easy to make, and you only need a few pieces of equipment. I know some people who have digital Vision Boards, but there is something about the tactile process of making a physical board which makes the visualisation more effective – a bit like hand writing a journal rather than typing.

To get started you will need:

A board – any size or shape will do, I like to use one which is about 24” x 24” (50cm x 50cm). It can be a cork board or a poster board. Make it something nice which you will be happy to look at, and which you can hang or display in your home or office. Scissors, tape, pins (if you use a cork board) and/or a glue stick.Stickers, ribbons, or other decorations if you are that way inclinedMagazines for images and quotesPhotos, and reminders of events or places you have been to, postcards, greeting cards, train tickets, anything that inspires you or makes you feel good.Time – this is sometimes the hardest part of doing a vision board, just taking the time to sit down and do it. That’s why I like to do it as a workshop with a group of people – we all end up helping each other find the right words and pictures to express our goals, and it means the time is set aside in advance.

Once you have chosen the pictures for your Vision Board, lay everything out before you start taping or gluing. When you are finished you will have a beautiful Vision Board to remind you of your goals every time you look at it.

I am holding a Vision Board Workshop in January 2018. Places are limited and you can book your place now by clicking here

"If you really want to do something, you'll find a way.

If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

-- Jim Rohn

Change is a process and like most processes there are clear steps which must be followed. Sometimes we follow the steps in order, sometimes we move forward a couple of steps, then back one. This is the nature of change. It ebbs and flows until eventually a new path is formed.

People who are committed to changing something in their lives can “regress” on average 6 or 7 times before the change they seek becomes permanent. This means that some of us will regress even more often on our way to lasting change! This is OK. Hopefully each time we start again we have learned something from the previous effort – as Albert Einstein said, we can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

I hope that the steps I have outlined in this series of blogs have helped you think differently about your goals and how you can reach them.

Be specific about your goals – is what you want to achieve really clear?Measure it – this is the best way to manage it!Be accountable.Be realistic -set yourself up for success, not failure.Remember Time is of the essence, and simply setting a deadline will help you achieve your goal.It is important to have the right goal – how will you be better off once you have reached your goal? If you (or someone you know) are not going to be better off, is it really a worthwhile goal? Does your goal give you goose bumps? If not, find one that does! As Lorna Jane says “I know it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it”.Align your goals with your values.Believe you can do it! The body achieves what the mind believes!Choose carefully who is in your “support crew”? Everyone needs a cheer squad – someone who believes in you even when you don’t believe in yourself!Have an action plan – and if necessary ask someone to help you formulate your plan.Finally, be brave. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway

– John Wayne

If there is one thing that I truly want to give all of you reading this, it is Courage.

Courage to speak your dreams aloud. To tell your family and friends your deepest desires. Courage to take action even though the voices in your head are telling you to be careful. Courage to look fear in the eye, and “just do it”. Courage to ask for help when you need it, and the courage to know when to walk away.

Change takes guts. It means giving up the things you have now for the things you might get. We have all heard the saying, ”A Bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. It tells us to be content with what we have. To not go chasing what might be. But we have also heard “Nothing ventured nothing gained”.

Which motto do you live by? What do you want to be remembered for? Do you control your fear or does your fear control you?

As I tell my teenage son, bravery is not a lack of fear. It’s quite the opposite. Brave people are scared, they just feel the fear and have the courage to do it anyway.

“In order to carry a positive action, we must develop here a positive vision”

Dalai Lama

A goal is not an action. Many people tell me that they want to lose weight, when really what they want to do is look good at a friend’s wedding, or fit into their skinny jeans.

Losing weight is not a goal, it is an action which may help you achieve your goal of fitting back into your skinny jeans, or helping with a health issue such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Other actions, such as exercising and eating well, will help you lose weight. Going to a fitness class every day may be an action which will help you reach your goal of running 5kms without stopping.

Whatever your goal, you need to know the action steps which are needed to help you progress towards your goal. In short, you need a plan.

Being specific about your goal, and the timeframe you have to achieve it, will help you develop an action plan. The following steps will also help:

Do your research and find out everything you can about what you need to do to achieve your goal. Talk to other people who have achieved the same or a similar goal.Identify milestones – mini goals which need to be completed along the way to your larger goal. For example if you want to write a business plan, identify the different sections and how long each section may take to write. If you plan to lose 5 kilos by your friend’s wedding, how many kilos do you have to lose each month or week?Keep a record of what you need to do and what you have already done – this might be as simple as having a list, or you might want to keep a ring binder or virtual folder on your computer with all of your information. Doing this will help you keep track of what has been done and keeping everything in the one place will save you time when you want to find things.Celebrate your wins! Acknowledge when you have reached a milestone, this will help you stay motivated!

"There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed."

-- Ray Goforth

One of the things which correlates most highly with success is the level of support received. Support can take many forms – it can be financial support, or moral support. It can be everything from your partner looking after the kids while you go to an exercise class, to a coach who devises a plan for you, or a friend who holds you accountable when you would rather go to the pub on Friday afternoons than go to the gym. And remember – YOU are your biggest support.

Make it easy for yourself to take action – I like to use the analogy of “security in depth”. Think about how you keep your belongings secure. You might keep your paperwork in a filing cabinet, which is locked, then lock your office when you leave, and in the evening, there is a security patrol. This is “security in depth” – not just one layer of security but different levels which overlap and support each other. If you take one level away, the security might not be as good, but it won’t fail.

Now think about your goals and actions - do you have “support in depth”? For example if you want to go to an early exercise class, do you lay your clothes out the night before, line up a friend to go with you, and tell your family your plans so they know what to expect? You might also plan on getting to bed early the night before. All of these things on their own will support you - combined they really set you up for success! And each time you take a successful step towards your goal you create momentum for lasting change.

“If you raise your standards but don’t really believe you can meet them, you’ve already sabotaged yourself. You won’t even try; you’ll be lacking the sense of certainty that allows you to tap the deepest capacity that’s within you… Our beliefs are like unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what’s possible and impossible and what we can and can not do. They shape every action, every thought and every feeling that we experience. As a result, changing our belief systems is central to making any real and lasting change in our lives.”

~ Anthony Robbins

Belief plays a big part in our ability to achieve our goals. Desire and personal motivation is not enough. You need to believe that what you want is achievable.

Think of your beliefs as a table top. The legs are what support those beliefs. The more legs you have under your table, the more stable it is and the harder it will be to topple it over. Sometimes our beliefs are positive. Even if we have doubts, we have positive self talk which supports our belief that we can achieve our chosen goal. Each time we tell ourselves something positive, we put another leg under the table, and our belief becomes stronger. The same can happen with negative beliefs.

Think of all the excuses you have which may be affecting your beliefs – for example do you want to apply for a promotion at work but you tell yourself you don’t have enough experience or that other people are more qualified than you?

Your belief that you can’t lose weight may come from previous unsuccessful attempts to lose weight. This may be backed up by having siblings or other relatives who have also failed to lose weight, or by being told you are “big boned” or that it is harder to lose weight as you get older. These experiences and messages combine to support your belief that you can’t lose weight and limit your ability to achieve your goals.

One way to challenge your beliefs is to be aware of them. The next time you think about something you really want to do (join a committee, start a new exercise program, spend more time with your family) listen to what the voice in your head says. Does this voice support you? Or is it talking you out of making a change?

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes the things we value the most are the least tangible, and it is often the case that you don’t know what you value until you don’t have it anymore.

When I ask them, people often tell me they give a high value to family or health and fitness. These same people work long hours and often bring work home with them, both actions which prevent them spending time with their family, doing a structured exercise program, or preparing healthy meals.

When your values are not aligned with our goals, or when our actions are clearly at odds with our values, there can be a disconnect. Some people do not even realise that is what’s happening, they just know they are not “happy”.

When setting your goals, think about what is important to you. If you are planning a career change which will earn you more money but also mean more time away from your family, how will this impact you? If you are planning on setting up your own business but you value financial security, maybe the timing is not right for you.

Once your goals are aligned with your values you will find it easy to take action towards your goals -as they say in the classics, the stars will line up and all will be right with the world.

“Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life. Work's important, family's important, but without excitement, you have nothing. You're cheating yourself if you refuse to enjoy what's coming.”

– Nicholas Sparks, Three Weeks with my Brother

At the end of every year we reflect on the year that was. We wonder where has the year gone? What happened to all the plans we had for the New Year and the trips we were going to take. The money we were going to save and the weight we were going to lose.

It is tempting to feel disheartened at the thought of all the things we haven’t done this past year. But with a bit of planning and reflection we can make sure the change we want to see stops being a pipe dream and become a reality!

You need Desire! How badly did you REALLY want to achieve the goals you set at the start of this year? On a scale of 1 to 10 did the thought of losing weight give you tingles? Were you excited at the prospect of travelling? How determined were you to see your friends more often?

If your desire for change is not AT LEAST a 9 out of 10, the chances are you are never going to act on your New Year’s Resolutions. To reach your goals, some sort of change has to occur – either within you, or within your environment – and you have to WANT that change to occur.

Remember, if your dreams don't scare you they're not big enough!

“A goal without a deadline is just a dream”

- Robert Herjavec

When we are setting SMART goals the “T” stands for Time-based. As the saying goes, a goal is a dream with a deadline.

Setting a time limit on your goal will help you focus and give you a sense of urgency to make it happen, so include your deadline in your goal.

For example, saying “I want to run the Sydney Blackmore’s Half Marathon” is not as specific or measurable as “I want to run the Sydney Blackmore’s Half Marathon in September 2018”.

Similarly, “I want to fit back into my skinny jeans by the start of winter 2018” is also quite specific and measurable, with a deadline which is achievable depending on how big the gap is between where you are now (reality) and where you want to be.

Another important aspect of “Time” as a factor is you need to have enough time to reach your goal. Your goal should be close enough that there is a sense of urgency in taking action, but not so close that you feel completely overwhelmed by the task at hand.

If you would like help setting or achieving your goals, contact me now to book your FREE Discovery Session.

You did not come here to face reality - You came to create reality

- Abraham Hicks

When we are setting SMART goals the “R” stands for Realistic. If our goals are not realistic we simply will not achieve them, and we will reinforce to ourselves that we have failed.

Equally, "R" can stand for Reality - in the same way that goals which are not Realistic can fall by the wayside, if you do not carefully consider and address your reality when planning your goal, you will set yourself up for failure.

Your goal should STRETCH and MOTIVATE you, but not so be so big or complex that you will lose the desire to achieve it. To have a realistic goal you also need to consider Knowledge/Skills, resources and time.

Think about the examples I gave on Day 1 (if you missed it you can read it here).

If you plan to run the Sydney Blackmores Half Marathon in September 2018 but it is currently August 2018 and you are only running 5km a week, the chances of you being able to run it are slim. Especially if you want to run it without injuring yourself. You may of course decide to walk most of it, but in that case you would question whether you had actually achieved your goal – what was the measure of success you set yourself? Was it to run a half marathon, or just to complete it within the cutoff times?

How realistic your goals are will depend on the length of time you need to achieve them versus the length of time available (will your goal require months of preparation and planning, or only a few weeks or even days?), the degree of skill you need versus the degree of skill you have, and the resources you have available (you might want to travel overseas but if you have no money in the bank you will have to plan how to fund it).

Similarly, if you plan to spend more time with your family but you currently work twelve hour days with an hours travel either end you need to think carefully about how you are going to achieve this goal.

“Reality” is one of the biggest reasons we fail to achieve our goals – we set goals at the start of the New Year, usually when we are on holiday and a little bit removed from the reality of daily life. Then we return home and “Reality Bites”. We come down to earth with a thud. We are back in the round about of going to work, packing lunches and doing the washing and other housework and we put our goals on the back burner.

The truth is, to make our Goals realistic, you may need to face reality and CHANGE something. To save for an overseas holiday you may need to stop having a takeaway cappuccino every day, or to spend more time with your family you may need to change jobs or start working fewer hours. To run a half marathon you need to train months in advance - this in turn may mean delegating some of your house work, or lowering your standards and expectations!

Accountability breeds response-ability – Stephen Covey

When it comes to goal setting, “A” can stand for lots of things – Accountable, Attractive, Attainable, Achievable. Without any of these things you will find it hard to reach your goal but by far one of the most important elements is accountability.

Put simply, accountability is being true to your word, or doing what you say you will do.

Whether you hold yourself accountable or ask someone else to help you, having someone to answer to if you are not acting on your goals can be a big motivator. Once you speak your goal out loud to others you give them strength and substance.

By the same token your goals must be achievable. Saying you are going to run a half marathon is one thing. Saying you are going to do it next week when you have done little or no training is another.

Your goal should also be attractive – is it really something you want to do, or is it something you think you SHOULD do, perhaps to meet the expectations of others?

If you would like help setting your goals and achieving them download my FREE Goal Setting Guidebook

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.”

—Earl Nightingale

How do you know when you have reached your goal? What will you see, hear or feel when you have achieved your goal? Where will you be?

Goals should be measurable. That way you have tangible evidence that you have reached your goal. Measurements are also a great way to measure progress against your goal. By building in smaller milestone measurements you can tell if you are on track to reach your goal in the time frame you have set. If you aren’t on track, you can reassess your actions and decide if you need to change how you approach your goal. Doing this progressively rather than at the end means you are more likely to take action before it is too late and achieve your goal.

For example, planning to go on an overseas holiday in September may mean saving money, getting a passport and booking tickets all by certain dates before September.

Ticking off milestones or action steps as you progress towards your goal also builds your confidence that your goal is achievable. The more measurable “wins” you have, the more successful you will feel and the likely you will be to take action.

Finally, having a measure which tells you when you have reached your goal makes it more specific!

If you would like help setting your goals and achieving them download my

“A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

- Zig Ziglar

Goals are more likely to be accomplished if they are SMART goals. SMART stands for

Specific

Measurable

Accountable

Realistic

Time Based

How well can you describe your goals? Are they SMART? Are they Specific?

A Specific Goal is one which is described in detail. “I am going to spend more time with my friends” is not as Specific as saying “I am going to organise lunch with my girlfriends”, or you can go one better and say “I am going to book lunch at my favourite restaurant for the third Sunday of every month so I can have lunch with my friends”.

That’s pretty specific.

What are your goals for 2018 and beyond? Begin by writing each goal as clearly and concisely as possible. Keep it simple and clearly define what you are going to do. What will your goal accomplish? How and why will your goal be accomplished? When you tell your goal to someone is it clear what you are going to do? If your goal statement is vague, you will find it hard to achieve because it will be difficult to define success.

Other examples of SMART goals:

Ok Goals

I want to travel overseas this yearI want to do a half marathonI want to get more customersI want to fit into my jeans againI want to spend more time with my family

Good Goals

I plan to go to Japan this year (states where and when)I plan to do a half marathon in 2018 (states when)I plan to increase my customer base by 50% this year (includes when and how many)I want to fit into my jeans again by winter (includes by when)I plan to spend more time with my family on the weekend

Note the use of the word "plan" rather than "want". "Want" can trigger thoughts (even sub conscious ones) such as "you can't always get what you want" or "just because you want it doesn't mean you need it". As soon as you use the word plan, your brain will start to take action, and look for opportunities to make your goal a reality, even if you are not aware of it.

Better Goals

I plan to go to Japan this year so I can go skiing (states where, when and why)I plan to do the Sydney Blackmores Half Marathon in September 2018 (states what and when)I plan to increase my customer base this year, I will do this by doing letter box drops in my local area (includes what, when and how)I want to fit into my jeans again by winter, I will do this by following an eating and exercise plan (again this is what, when and how)I plan to spend more time with my family by not bringing work home with me on the weekend (includes what and how)

Some of the “better” goals are quite specific and may also require other flow on goals or actions – such as making sure you get all your work done during the week (or delegating more work) so you do not have to bring it home with you.

A specific goal will also include some other elements of the “SMART” Goal acronym – that is OK because that is what makes the goal better defined. The more detail you can include, the more specific your goal will be and the more likely you will be to take the necessary action to make it happen.

If you would like help setting your goals and achieving them download my FREE Goal Setting Guidebook

1. A vision you desire.

For something to change in your life, you really need to be able to see yourself doing it. For example, if you want a new job, you need to see yourself doing that job. Imagine what it would look like to arrive at work each morning, what your desk will look like, who you will speak to when you are on your lunch break. If your vision is fitness related, picture yourself running, or walking, or riding. Whatever your goal, see yourself doing it, the clothes you are wearing and imagine how you will feel when you are doing the thing you most desire.

2. Belief

Desire and personal motivation are not enough. You also need to believe that what you want is achievable. For example, last year I wanted to run the Blackmores Sydney Half Marathon in 1 hour 45 mins. The more I thought about it, and the more I compared my existing half marathon time with my desired time, the less confident I was. The result was I did not end up training as much as I could have because I did not believe that it was possible for me to run that fast. It wasn’t until I finished in 2 hours and 6mins (15 mins faster than I had previously) that I started to believe that my goal was achievable.

3. A Goal which is aligned with your values.

It’s great to have a goal, but if that goal is not aligned with the things you hold dear or consider important, then you will not be happy or you will not take the actions necessary to be successful at that goal. For example if your goal is to fit into your skinny jeans but you value time spent sleeping over getting up early to exercise, then you may need to revisit your goal.

4. Clear Action Steps

A goal is not an action. For example losing weight is not a goal, it is an action which may help you achieve your goal of playing a game of touch football without taking a break. Going to a fitness class every day may be an action which will help you reach your goal of running 5kms without stopping. Whatever your goal, you need to know the action steps which are needed to help you progress towards your goal. In short, you need a plan broken down into bite sized chunks.

5. Support

One of the things which correlates most highly with success is the level of support received. Support can take many forms – it can be financial support, or moral support. It can be everything from your partner looking after the kids while you go to an exercise class to a coach who devises a plan for you or a friend who holds you accountable when you would rather go to the pub on Friday afternoons than go to the gym. And Remember – you are your biggest support. Make it easy for yourself to take action – lay your clothes out the night before if you plan to get up early and exercise, line up a friend to go to the gym with you, and tell your family your plans so they know what to expect. Each time you take a positive step towards your goal you create momentum for lasting change.

Louise Cairns is a personal trainer and life coach with over 20 years experience in management and leadership roles. Find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

As we head into summer, we start looking forward to lighter meals such as salads, grilled meats and barbeques. It is important to remember though that not all salads (or grilled meats) are created equal – this was a topic of conversation when a friend and I walked past a kebab shop at the weekend. He used to think kebabs were a healthy option – all things considered, they’re just grilled meat, salad and a bit of sauce on a piece of flat bread aren’t they? The reality is though a “doner kebab” can be as much as 800 calories, or more than half of the recommended daily intake for a moderately active adult. This lead to a discussion about how, when you are watching what you eat, there are some real traps especially when eating out and it is easy to have your good intentions sabotaged. So I have put together my top tips for keeping your diet (and your body) healthy as we head into summer.

Please note I am not a nutritionist and I can’t give you specific “diet” advice – if you have specific health or diet issues you should speak with your doctor or a qualified nutritionist before changing your diet. That said, I hope by sharing my experiences and knowledge that you think more about the choices you make and how to fit healthy eating into your day.

Stay Hydrated

Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. I know some of you struggle with this but it is especially important when it is hot and you have been exercising. I have a Sodastream at home, so when I am working at home I try and have at least two bottles of Soda Water a day. I also make sure I have a glass of water every time I boil the kettle to make a cup of tea. When I am out and about I always take a water bottle with me, and fill it up when I am near a tap. That way I spend less money on bottled water and soft drinks, and I am doing a little bit to save the environment! Staying hydrated keeps your cells and your internal organs healthy, and can also stop you feeling hungry, or help you feel fuller quicker.

Eat More Fruit and Veg

Vegetables are your friend, so aim to increase the number of vegies you eat each day. We are so lucky that we live in a country where vegetables are readily available, or you can grow your own! Your entire diet should be around 50% vegetable, so try and eat as many as you can at each meal. If this seems too hard, just try and increase the amount of vegetables you eat gradually each day. Maybe you can add a cob of corn to your dinner, or a home made tomato salsa (ok ok tomato is a fruit ….). Or a home made egg and vegetable wedge can be great for lunch (or breakfast or dinner …). Just make sure you cut it into slices and don’t eat all of it at once!

Fresh Fruit is also a great handy snack. I saw a great pin recently which said “if you’re not hungry enough to eat an apple, you’re not really hungry”. That's great advice!

Eat less processed food

Cut out processed foods. I know this is easier said than done, especially when convenience is important, but the longer the list of ingredients, the less “natural” the food (this also goes for shelf life!). Try having only “one ingredient” foods in your pantry or fridge. For example keep a jar of nuts instead of a packet of nut bars, or some olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of pre-made salad dressing which will have added preservatives and sugar.

Sweet tooth?

Avoid artificial sweeteners and “sugar free” foods, and try to reduce the amount of processed sugar. I always check the list of ingredients to see how much sugar has been added (if you follow tip number 3 you won’t have this problem!), and I am quite often surprised. Like the time I bought a bottle of wasabi flavoured balsamic vinegar. The first time I put it on my salad, I was surprised how sweet it tasted. When I checked, one of the main ingredients was cane sugar! I also no longer have sugar in my tea or coffee, and there is no need to add it to your fruit – fruit is already sweet enough!

Eating out

I always ask for my salad dressing on the side. That way I can control exactly how much I put on my salad. You can also do this with gravy or sauce for your meat. This is especially important if you eat out a lot (ie more than once a fortnight). I know that most of the time when you eat out it is a treat, and you want to enjoy yourself. But if you are like me and you are on a few committees and the meetings are always held at the pub or the club, then you can find yourself eating out two or three times a week. I also order grilled (not fried or battered) meat – usually chicken or fish. Just be careful of the portion sizes – some pubs will serve you a “double” chicken breast which is close to 400g and three to four times the recommended “serve”.

Opt for the healthy choice

Remember not all calories are created equal! This is a big one. If you are choosing a snack, think carefully about the choices you make. For example, a large banana and half a slice (approx. 40g) of chocolate cake are roughly equal in calories. But the banana is low GI, full of healthy vitamins and minerals, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. So if your work colleagues are regularly holding morning teas, make sure you have a piece of fruit in your lunch bag. Your colleagues might make comments to start with, but once they know you are serious they will come to expect that you will say no to cake! If you are the person who used to always bring the cakes, try choosing healthier options, like fresh fruit with a chocolate dipping sauce.

Clean out your kitchen/pantry and throw out anything which is out of date, or which is not going to help you reach your health and fitness/weight loss goals. If you can’t bring yourself to throw food in the bin, and it is in date, give it to your neighbour or family members, or donate the items to charity. And if your partner/family members absolutely must have treats, or other food you don’t want to eat but find too tempting, as them to help you by only eating the treats when you are not around, or keeping the biscuits/cake etc somewhere where you will not find it!

Buy in bulk, but not too much! Buying in bulk can seem like a good way to save money, but not if the food perishes before you can eat it. It is also not worth buying in bulk if this results in you eating more than you planned to “because it’s there”. It is good though to buy food which is in season, so try banding together with some friends and buying boxes of fresh fruit at the farmers market or local fresh providore. Set yourself a budget (so you don’t go overboard and end up with more than you need - four of you might put in $25 each) and see how much you can buy, then divide it between you.

Plan ahead.

I mentioned before how hard it can be to buy a healthy snack when you are “on the run”. Healthy snacks can also be quite expensive compared to packets of chips or lollies, this is generally because healthy snacks which are not highly processed have a shorter shelf life. The higher price reflects the higher level of wastage on these products. I always have an apple or some other snack with me so I am not tempted to buy chips and I don’t have to go hungry! I also try and cook meals in advance, so if I know I am going to be home late (which is four nights a week!) I have a healthy dinner ready to heat up rather than picking up take away. My “go tos” for cooking in advance are a quiche (easy to heat up and have with salad) and a stir fry (all I need to cook when I get home is the rice).

But what about the Doner Kebab?

One of the reasons kebabs have so many calories is not because they are full of unhealthy ingredients (be careful though if you want to load them up with all the extras, such as cheese and extra sauce). It is the size. A kebab can weigh over 700g. That is a big “sandwich”. So if, like me, you love a Doner Kebab with lamb and hommus and tabouli, salad and a bit of BBQ sauce, have one as a treat occasionally. Or ask them to cut it in half and share it with a friend!

About Louise

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Life Coach based in the Hunter Valley NSW. Louise runs regular Personal Training and small group fitness classes in Branxton, and Life Coaching sessions face to face, over the phone and via Skype or Facebook Messenger. Find Louise on Facebook or check out her website at www.louisecairns.com.au

“Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t you will always be right”

Imagine your beliefs are like a series of table tops. At first glance the tables all look quite simple, some might be round, others square, some are covered with table cloths. But when you sit down at them, some are more stable than others. One might be a pedestal table, others have three legs or four legs. Some wobble from side to side, while others are rock solid, depending on how many legs they have, and how thick or solid the legs are.

Now imagine the legs are the stories you tell yourself to support your beliefs – The more stories you have and the more convincing your stories are, the more stable your table top will be. For example, you might have a long list of reasons not to study for a new qualification – enrolment in the course may be expensive, you may have to study during the evening (when you would rather spend time with your family), you may tell yourself that you aren’t “smart enough” to pass the course. Maybe the times the classes are being run clash with something else you do on a regular basis. The list goes on.

The more “legs” your belief has, the more unshakeable it will be.

This week I have coached two amazing women. Both are very capable but full of negative beliefs about their own abilities to achieve their dreams. One is full of such angst over giving up on her dream that she suffers from anxiety and has sought professional medical help. The stories she tells herself to justify giving up on her dream are many and profound. This is despite being one of the most talented and committed people I have ever met.

Getting rid of the “legs” of your “table” is not easy – first you have to identify the belief that is holding you back, then you have to recognise the “legs” for what they are – support of a belief that is not serving you or your dreams. Some of these beliefs can be years old. Sometimes we don’t even question them – we just accept them as true. Once you recognise them though, you can then replace the belief with one that WILL help you reach your goals, and find as many stories as you can to support that positive belief.

“Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure also avoid success.”

- Robert T. Kiyosaki

A big part of being happy is being OK with failure. I should know. I fail. A lot.

Last week I competed at the State Dressage Championships. Before I even entered I predicted I would come last, and I did. I had friends tell me that if I expected to come last then of course that would happen (you get what you wish for, right?) but I in this case I disagree.

It’s true I didn’t want to enter at all

When a friend first suggested that we both enter the competition I was reluctant. I had the qualifying scores, but after years of volunteering at National and International competitions, I know what is required to win. So initially I said “No, not this year, maybe next year”.

But sometimes you have to listen to you own advice …

Then I thought about the advice I have given others in similar situations. I have always encouraged others to “Just do it”, to take the opportunity while they can because you never know what the future might bring. I tell them you might not qualify next year. Or your horse might be lame, or your financial situation may be worse, etc etc.

So I decided to listen to my own advice, and the advice of my coach which basically came down to “it will be good for you”. I also knew I would be supporting my friend, and it would be an opportunity to see the venue/event from a riders perspective rather than from the perspective of a volunteer or organiser.

Not all of the challenges were obvious

Aside from the logistical challenges of going away overnight with a horse, competing at an event where I know so many people was always going to be a little bit daunting. As a volunteer I have a reasonable amount of credibility. I have been doing various roles for a long time, and I think I have a good reputation. By riding at the event there was potentially a huge amount of “face” to lose. I wasn’t a nobody, and coming in the tail end of the class was not something which would go unnoticed. There was a lot of self-imposed pressure to do well and look like I belonged there. It’s one thing to expect to come last. It’s another to be “miles off the pace” or to make a fool of yourself.

In the end I did come last, but not by much. Of course I was disappointed – all the realistic expectations in the world don’t change that. But instead of dwelling on it, I thought about what I had actually achieved!

Not winning is different to failing

There were a lot of positives to competing. I took a mare I bred myself and it was furthest she had ever travelled from home. I had supported my friend by providing company during the trip and sharing the driving on Pennant Hills Road. I had used my local knowledge of the event venue to streamline our arrival and set-up, and it was a great opportunity to see the event from the perspective of a competitor. I exposed myself and my mare to the pressure of a top level competition, and this will stand us in good stead as we move up the levels.

It was an opportunity to catch up with friends I am usually “working” with, and everyone was so excited and supportive of me that where I placed seemed immaterial.

On top of that, the goal of competing meant we had done a lot of preparation and our training went ahead in leaps and bounds.

You have to keep on keeping on

We all get knocked down in life but it is how we get up that is important. I could have curled up in a ball and been ashamed to show my face, but resilience is about bouncing back from difficult experiences. About not hanging your self worth on the outcome of one event and having a plan to do better next time. Resilience also comes from having friends who support you, and asking for and accepting help if you need it.

We all worry about not being as good as “the others” or looking silly or not being “ready”. We worry about failing or not making the grade. There are plenty of people I know who would never have entered in the first place, or who will never enter again because of one bad experience. But as one lovely friend commented on my Facebook page “Good Job … you don’t get better by sitting on the couch”.

Photo - Louise Cairns and Opal Park Memories

Photo credit - Jody Millward Photography

"I am a runner (and proud of it)".

Four words I never thought I would ever hear come out of my mouth! In fact, I used to say things like "I am not a runner" and "I couldn't run to save my life". A friend recently sent me a copy of a Facebook post from 8 years ago where I had said quite clearly that running was "over-rated" and i didn't understand why people did it. That cracked me up. It was the best laugh I had had in a long time, and even now I am smiling thinking about it.

By way of background, I have done the Ultra Trail Australia (previously The North Face 50) four times, but I have always finished in the bottom 25% (ok, maybe the bottom 15%) so that doesn't really count as running does it? Some years I actually trained for it and I still came closer to last than first. So it is not just being a runner that I am proud of.

I came to running quite late, when I was well into my 40's. My mum asked me a couple of weeks ago where I got this "running thing" from. She seems intrigued that this year I joined not one, but two (!) cross country running clubs. My parents were a little bit sporty (local squash competitions in the 80's) and have always been quite active, walking and playing tennis for pleasure until mum ended having a heart attack and stroke at the tender age of 58. But even mum being confined in a wheel chair before she turned 60 is not what spurred me into this "running thing".

Part of what I am proud of is that even though I am not great at it, I have kept on plugging away. When I am running I am as slow as a wet week (a highlight for me this year was running 10km in just very slightly under an hour), but that's ok. Even when I have been injured, I have returned to it. I have not given up. It challenges me like few other things do.

And there is always something new to learn in running. It combines my life long love of being outside in nature with my other life long passion of science (I majored in biology/physiology at uni).

What I am most proud of though is that my running has inspired others to start running. Some people I speak with "used to run" and despair of ever being able to run again. Others see me having an absolute blast doing it, and want to have a go and find out what all the fuss is about! I have lost count of the number of people who have told me they have gone and done their first park run after hearing about my running story.

I think I will keep running as long as my legs keep carrying me. I think I will always be slow, but that is not the point. The challenge is in finishing, of doing something I set out to do. Of setting myself new goals (to do a faster time, to stick to my training plan, to finish without injury, to get my nutrition right, the list goes on). And I am proud that in doing so I am able to inspire others to go out and test what they can do too!

(This post is part of the Live Your Legend Start A Blog Challenge)

I know that will sound a bit egotistical, as though I only do what I do so I can be thanked! But it is the best feeling, knowing I have made a difference (no matter how small) in someones life.

When I set up my fitness business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life, I wanted to run something for women who perhaps had not exercised for a while. Something for women who kept saying "I wish I could be as fit as I used to be ..." or "I'm worried I will look silly" or "I'm worried I won't be able to keep up". I knew from experience how hard it could be finding time in your day for a regular fitness program. I also knew how easy it was to "slide down the slippery slope" to being overweight and feeling tired all the time, and how daunting the climb back up could look!

I call my classes "This is Not Bootcamp". The women who come are aged between 34 and 74 years old! We are all old enough to know we don't want to be yelled at. We want support and encouragement, and exercises which help us build strength and agility into our every day life! It is not exercise for exercise sake! Some of us are horse riders, some play netball, others want to be able to walk for hours on end when they go on holidays. Some just want to be able to get up and down off the couch without making "old people's noises".

Whatever their goal, I will support them. Some gripe and grizzle at 6am, but when they finish they tell me how energized they feel, and ready to start the day! They thank me and say that the two mornings a week they come to class are the best days they have all week!

Some thank me for having outdoor classes for women "like them". No tyre flipping, no battle ropes, no yelling. Just exercises which help them feel fitter and stronger.

Some ladies have thanked me for helping them find their "core", others have thanked me for helping them lose weight, or at least helping them lose centimetres off their waist and fit back into their "skinny jeans".

I am genuinely grateful when people thank me. But I also know that it is not me, it is them who should be thanked. For putting some time aside for themselves, for putting in the hard work and making changes in their life. They have themselves to thank for building new habits into their daily lives, and for having the enthusiasm and determination to improve their health and fitness.

Thank you!

(This blog post is part of the Live Your Local Legend Start-a-Blog Challenge)

Not much makes me angry, I mean REALLY angry, so this one took me a while to think about.

When I thought about it though, I realised the thing that makes me most angry is waste. That does not mean I have never wasted anything. There are plenty of out of date items in my pantry and my tack room which prove that I do buy things and then not use them (or at least fully use them).

I remember when I was at primary school and the Osti factory was across the road. I remember going through piles of scraps at the back of their workshop (this was well before the days of OHS and restricted access to workplaces) and picking out scraps of fabric and small stuffed pillows and making things with them. I could not believe that they would throw out perfectly good material!

I am still a bit of a scavenger, although these days I try and resist the urge to pick something up unless it is something I KNOW I can use. From the other point of view, I will hang on to things indefinitely just because it "might be useful" one day, either for me or for someone else.

I also get angry at the senseless killing of animals (another form of waste). I am not a vegetarian, and I am not opposed to the killing of animals for food or clothing (I wear leather shoes for example). But when I see bycatch from trawler operations, or animals caught in shark nets (shark nets make me angry) or when people kill snakes I get angry.

Why do people kill snakes? I understand that they do not want their children or their pets bitten. But snakes are a bit like sharks - if you don't want to be bitten by a shark, don't swim in the ocean (they were there first!). If you don't want a snake in your backyard, don't live in the bush - go and live in the city or the middle of town where snakes don't live.

Rant over :-)

(This Blog is part of the Live Your Local Legend Start-a-Blog Challenge)

“Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it’s the answer to everything. … It’s the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it’s a cactus."

— Enid Bagnold

I consider myself a reasonably optimistic and positive person. My career after university followed a fairly steady trajectory, with me getting a job in Sydney in my chosen field (physiology). I was there for only a matter of days though before I realised most people who worked there were miserable. After a couple of weeks I had decided I was not going to be like the people who had been working there for 10 years and who now felt that they were stuck with no other options.

Almost straight away I started studying for a Grad Dip in Natural Resource Management. The field of Environmental Science was just taking off (the year I left Newcastle Uni was the first year they offered a Degree in Environmental Science rather than just straight Science, which is what I had done).

I stayed in Sydney for a couple of years before I finally decided working in a biotech lab wasn’t really for me. The final tipping point was when I was "home" one weekend and I was lying awake one morning hoping something horrible would happen to me so I would not have to return to my job in Sydney. I knew then that I had to find another job. What I didn't know was that I was laying the first foundations in my ability to change and reinvent myself.

The change in direction to natural resource management was the right one for me. My favourite subject in primary school was "natural studies" and this continued in High School where I loved anything to do with Science. I majored in Biology at Uni, doing honours in Animal Physiology but loving all of my Biology subjects.

When I left Sydney and returned to the Hunter Valley I spent a couple of years as an environmental contractor and consultant for the coal mining industry, then I was lucky enough to win a job as an environmental officer with Department of Defence. This is where I really found my niche. I loved the work, and I used to tell people who wanted the job that they would have to wait for me to die, that’s the only way I would give it up!

“It’s a luxury being a writer because all you ever think about is life.”

– Amy Tan

If you are a regular follower of my site (and even if you are not) you are probably wondering why I would join a Start--a-Blog challenge. Because technically I have done a blog before. I have posted articles on this site, and I also did one a few years ago called "Ski Japan With Me". I did it in WordPress and it was hosted on my opalpark.com.au site. It wasn't daily though, and I have not posted on this site for a couple of years. Mainly because I start just doing posts on my Ski Japan With Me Facebook page, it was so much easier than doing a "Blog".

So, the reason I wanted to join the Start-a-Blog challenge is a bit complicated.

I really like writing. I mean, I really like it. I like sharing what I know (or what I think I know) with other people. I could also write all day about the things I see and think about. I would like to learn how to keep my writing concise and to the point.I would like to craft my writing so people find it more interesting (that's probably related to dot point 2).I would like to get into the practice of posting something everyday via a platform other than Facebook.I would like to learn more about on-line publishing, and how to use blog sites, Word Press etc etc. You can tell I am challenged by that because I am have just spent an hour (yes and hour) trying to resurrect a blog site I set up two years ago and I have not even been able to work out how to rename it! Or at least how to disable it so I can set up one with a different name! lol

So who am I, and why do I think my story is worth telling? I am a personal trainer and life coach based in the Hunter Valley in NSW Australia. But that is just my current story. I have always liked fitness, keeping fit, and helping other people to get fit (regardless of their age or fitness goals) AND after suffering through a nervous breakdown 10 years ago I decided I like helping people find balance in their lives, so they can go to work, have time for their family and hobbies, and keep fit without losing out on sleep or becoming overwhelmed. In short, I want to be the person I wish I had had to help me when I was struggling!

Stress and overwhelm just seem to be accepted as par for the course. Especially for women who have full time careers, as well as children, partners, and parents, and who also want some time for themselves so they can keep fit and healthy.

So this series of blogs is going to be about how I found myself at rock bottom while everyone around me thought I had it all, and how I got myself out of it. Because if I can help one person by sharing my story, then it will have been worth it :-)

“You Achieve What You Believe”

Those of you who have been following my articles know that for the last six months I have been training for the UTA50, Australia’s premier trail running ultramarathon in the Blue Mountains. This was my fourth time running the 50km Ultramarathon and for the first time in a couple of years I was looking forward to it.

I only had two goals

I was looking forward to beating my PB (Personal Best) of 9h 57min. I know 10 hours to “run” 50km sounds pretty slow and you are right. Especially when the leaders are generally finished in four and a half hours! One relative of mine actually suggested that I must be walking it, because that is my average pace during the event…LOL.

My second goal was to finish without injury or, more importantly, cross the finish line feeling like I still wanted to run. This is something which has not happened before – on the three previous occasions I finished so sore and sorry for myself I vowed never to enter the *&%$#@ race again!

I had a plan

As the saying goes, fail to plan and you plan to fail! So I decided I needed a training plan, instead of the haphazard approach I had applied for previous events. I decided to train properly, and I knew that to do that I needed the right support. I enlisted the help of an experienced running coach, I joined some local running clubs and I did running specific cross-training. I ran longer and further than I ever had, and in the process I set a new PB time for 10km! I was feeling good, and as the event got closer I was fairly confident that I would beat my previous PB.

Unfortunately not everything went to plan

Of course, not everything always goes to plan … The weekend before race day I entered a local dressage competition and for the first time ever I was unceremoniously dumped from my mare! That hurt (my pride as well as my body). I got back on and finished the event, but I was bruised and shaken. I could not believe that I had trained for so many months virtually injury free only to have this happen. On Mother's Day no less!

Another factor I couldn’t control in the lead up to Race Day was the weather. The forecast was for torrential rain, and potential flooding. Knowing that you are going to be running 50km is one thing, but knowing you are going to be cold and wet while running is another! As one friend put it though, it’s all about the mindset. You can be cold and wet and miserable while you are running, or you can just be cold and wet. It is up to you!

I hadn’t trained for this!

My biggest concern was that except for one day in early April, I had not done any training in cold and wet conditions. And on that particular day I froze! I had no idea what clothes I should wear, how I would handle the extra weight in my backpack if I decided to carry dry clothes with me, or if I would even be able to finish within the cut off times in the predicted conditions. Despite the months of preparation, my resolve to even start in the race was beginning to waiver. My worst fears were coming true!

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse

Roll on race day minus one and the weather was indeed cold and wet and Council and State Government agencies were considering closing part (or all) of the course. Race organisers had been asked to look at their contingency plans and at 6pm on the evening before the race they announced their decision to change the course. My head went into a spin!! How was I going to run on a course I had never seen? What’s more, the start time had been put back to 10am, which meant I would definitely be finishing in the dark, on a course I had never run before.

Overnight I had plenty of time to think about it

After the initial shock had worn off, my brain went into over-drive. Of course, everyone would be in the same situation (although some had run the course before, in other races). But knowing that everyone was in the same situation didn’t really help me. My concerns were still the same. What was the terrain like? How cold would it be running for two hours or more in the dark? Especially if I was wet from rain?

Fortunately, this is where the planning and training I had done really paid off, as did belonging to a running group and having experienced coaches. Unlike previous years when I had entered the event with a couple of friends who didn’t know any more about the event than I did, this time I had a large “virtual” group, all of whom had similar questions, and the coach made herself available to answer them.

I also had course notes for the new course, and I reminded myself that I had put in months of training which would stand me in good stead. I was going into this with my eyes wide open! Due to the weather conditions I had already resigned myself to not setting a new PB, but I was confident I could still finish the event. The question remained though – how hard would it be, and what sort of condition would I be in when I finished?

I needn’t have worried

Despite the forecast, and the sound of rain waking me up in the morning, by the time the race kicked off at 10am the sun was shining! This meant (another) last minute change of wardrobe, but it also meant we were dry on the start line. That was a relief. I still didn't know much about the course though.

My unfamiliarity with the course meant that I was never quite sure how far I had run, or how far I had left to go. I also didn’t know exactly where the major hills were. This made pacing myself difficult. A lot of people had also made reference to a section of the course called “Nellie’s Glen” (part of the Six Foot Track) and how tough it was, so I wanted to make sure I had enough energy left to tackle this section.

On the approach a lot of runners were saying what I was thinking – they were worried about Nellie’s Glen and the stories they had heard. They were dreading it before they even got there! This was challenging as I was trying to keep a positive mindset, even as the light faded and I had to turn my headlamp on. I told myself I had trained for Furber Steps. Surely it couldn’t be worse than that?

I also had a fear of cramping, something which had come on me quite quickly the previous year, at about the 44km mark. To prevent that happening this year I drank electrolytes and wore compression socks on my calves. Thankfully, despite a few moments of disorientation in the dark, I made it up Nellies Glen and I had enough energy to run most of the way to the finish (about 5km, thankfully most of it downhill, lol).

In the end, I finished 10 mins inside my previous PB. Of course, this time cannot be directly compared to my times on the other course, but I was pleased I had finished in less than 10 hours. What I was more excited about was the fact that when I crossed the finish line I felt like I could have kept going!

Will there be a next time??

When you consider that running is not a full time occupation for me, it is my ”second sport” (after dressage), and I am close to 50, I am quite proud of the fact that every time I have entered this event I have finished. I am also grateful that I have been able to apply “lessons learned” from previous events to get a better outcome this time around. I feel on top of the world knowing that the approach I took to my physical training as well as my mindset (values, beliefs, and self-talk) enabled me to complete this amazing event. I may not ever be on the leaderboard, but I can continue to challenge myself and succeed.

If you would like help uncovering your goals, whatever they are, then contact me via my website www.louisecairns.com.au.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach based in Branxton. Louise retired from a twenty year management career with the Australian Government to set up her own Fitness and Coaching business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life. Louise runs regular fitness classes at Lochinvar and Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. Louise also helps people set and achieve their own goals at work and home, and is available for workplace speaking engagements. Find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

“Motivation to do anything is in direct proportion to the belief that we can achieve it, that we can influence the outcome” – Emily Thorpe, Happy Working Mum.

Beliefs can either support you in reaching your goals, or limit you. If you have limiting beliefs, you will have limited expectations, and you will in turn behave in a way which contributes negatively to the outcome. In turn, you guessed it, this makes your negative belief stronger.

On the other hand if you have positive beliefs, you will have positive expectations, and you will behave in a way that moves you towards your goal.

Have you ever said things like “I had to take my son to work” or “I have to keep biscuits in the pantry because my husband likes them with his coffee”? Or perhaps you say things like “I had a really stressful day at work so I bought take away for dinner”. What do these comments and thoughts say about your own beliefs, and do they support your goals? (Note, I know there will always be unexpected events in our lives, times when we have to drop everything and take action. They are true emergencies, and it is the habits you put in place when things are “normal” that will support you when the unexpected happens).

Back to our beliefs… we can think of our beliefs as a table top. Each time something happens which supports your belief, it is like putting a leg under the table. The more legs you have, the more stable the table.

For example, the belief “I am not a runner” could stem from the times you came last in your primary school sports carnivals. Maybe that led you to not even bother entering the races when you got to high school? Every time you came last, or did not even start, you reinforced your belief that you are not are a runner.

Similarly, positive beliefs are supported by positive events in our lives. Your belief that you are good at making friends could come from the positive relationships you have had at school or work.

The important thing here is to be aware of your beliefs and how they are impacting on your goals. Once you are aware of your limiting beliefs, you can start taking action to address them. What can be less clear are the hidden benefits of your limiting beliefs.

“I had to take my son to work” could be the excuse you use to not go to the gym, and may also be an indication that you think you are the only person who can take him. Maybe you think it is your job to take him to work because your mother was always the person who took you. The “hidden benefit” in this case could be that taking your son to work is the only opportunity you have to spend some “one on one” time with him. Or perhaps you like dropping him off because it is an opportunity to do the weekly grocery shop. Either way, you don’t get to the gym, and you don’t get any closer to your goals.

Sometimes people wait until the last minute to start something. Failure to achieve the end result can then be blamed on a lack of time. In a similar vein, delivering a poor result can be a (not so subtle) way of telling others you really don’t want to do something. For example failing to meet a deadline is almost guaranteed to ensure you never get asked to do that job again!

And what about the people who never actually take action? If you never start you will never fail. One of the hardest things in life is admitting you “failed”. If you put off starting a new exercise program you don’t have to admit your workout gear no longer fits. If you put off entering an event, perhaps it is because your feel guilty that someone close to you does not have the same opportunity to enter.

Maybe working towards your goal means leaving your current social group and meeting new people? This can be hard if your social group has children the same age as yours and you are sub consciously (or consciously) afraid that following your goals will adversely affect your child’s friendships.

Perhaps the goal you want to work towards means early morning starts when your partner would rather you stayed in bed? Or maybe not going to the gym in the evening means you can stay at home with your family and watch your favourite TV show without any spoilers?

You can see that there are many “hidden benefits” to not taking action towards your goals. These hidden benefits are often called “hidden loyalties” and one way to uncover them is to ask yourself “what stops me from …. (taking a particular action towards my goal)?”. If your answer is ”I’m not sure”, then ask yourself what would have to change for you to move forward? Do you need more skills or knowledge? Do you need approval from your partner or children? Do you need to leave work on time, or have someone else pick the kids up from sport?

Maybe you are just worried it could all go wrong? If that is the case, ask yourself “What is the worst thing that could happen if I … (insert action here)?”. Then ask yourself, “If that (worst thing) happened, would I be OK?”. The answer is nearly always "yes".

If you would like help uncovering your “hidden loyalties”, then contact me via my website www.louisecairns.com.au.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach based in Branxton. Louise retired from a twenty year management career with the Australian Government to set up her own Fitness and Coaching businesses, Louise Cairns Fit for Life and Louise Cairns Coaching for Life. Louise runs regular fitness classes at Lochinvar and Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. Louise also helps people set and achieve their own goals at work and home, and is available for speaking engagements. You can find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

“Yesterday you said you would do it tomorrow. Do it today."

Easter and ANZAC Day meant that we had a stretch of at least three weeks with disrupted routines. For those with school age children, the school holidays just added another layer of complexity.

Did you look forward to the Public Holidays? Did you go into the long weekends with good intentions of using the time to relax and recuperate, catch up with friends, and get outside and do more of your favourite exercise? I know I did. Unfortunately, family commitments and other time pressures means this does not always happen. Instead you may have ended up spending a lot of time sitting down, driving, or generally being less active and eating more than we usually would!

If those few weeks of over indulgence have continued into May and you feel tired, cranky, and a little bit soft around the middle, don’t beat yourself up…. all is not lost if you follow these few simple tips to get yourself back on track.

Eat Clean. “Real Food” diets are all the rage, and there is a reason. I am not suggesting you stop cooking your meat, or throw out the dairy products, but eating food that your grandparents would recognise is one of the best things you can do for your body. This means eating food in as close to its natural state as possible. It will do wonders for your taste buds and your waist line, especially if all you have eaten for the past few weeks is Easter chocolate and ANZAC biscuits. If you think grilled meat and salad or vegies is too bland, try adding a homemade tomato salsa (tomatoes, red onion, white wine vinegar, mint and chilli if you want it) or homemade basil pesto.Clear out your Pantry. Do you still have Easter eggs or blocks of chocolate in your kitchen cupboards? Maybe you have some left over cheese or dip from the picnics you went to on ANZAC Day? Get rid of it. Today. Take it to work for morning tea, or throw it out, or do up a small basket full of (in date) goodies and drop it at the local homeless shelter. How ever you do it, just get it out of the house!! If it is not in the cupboard, you can’t be tempted by it!. Drink water. You don’t need a fancy detox kit to “cleanse” your body after a few weeks of over-indulgence. Choose one day during the week when you will drink nothing but water. No soft drinks, no tea, coffee or other caffeine drinks, just water.Get back into your exercise routine. Shorter days and cooler weather mean that it can be difficult to get back into your regular exercise after a break, but don’t let that stop you. There are plenty of indoor options, or if you prefer to exercise outdoors, do it safely in a well lit area or with a group of friends. The cooler weather also means you sweat less, there is less chance of getting sun burnt, and there are fewer flies. That’s a win – win!Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Even ten minutes of exercise, or one day without chocolate or a sweet treat will help you get back on track.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Life Coach based in Branxton. Louise runs regular fitness classes at Lochinvar and Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. Through her Fitness and Life Coaching businesses, Louise helps people move from the life they have now to the life they want, personally and professionally. You can find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

"People laughed when they thought I was trying to push the wall over, but I had to start somewhere" ~ Anon

Picture yourself toning your arms, improving your posture and strengthening your core, all with a bit of cardio thrown in to improve your fitness. Now imagine doing this by using just one exercise for a few minutes per day! You think it sounds too good to be true right? You think there has to be a catch?

There is no catch, but what is the first thing you would think of if I said “push ups”? Do you immediately think “oh no, there’s no way I can do even one of those”. Do you picture some muscle bound gym junkie down on their hands and toes? Do your shoulders feel sore at the thought of doing just one pushup, let alone ten?

What if I told you though that push ups are one of the best things you can do for your body, and you can get many of the benefits without getting down on the floor? But before I get into that ... let me share with you some of the benefits of doing push ups.

You now know some of the benefits of doing push-ups, but am I right in thinking that you still can’t picture yourself down on the ground doing a push up? Well, everyone must start somewhere, and that is on a wall! People may laugh at you doing push ups on the wall, but once they start seeing you getting results they will want what you are having…

To start doing push ups find yourself a good sturdy wall. Stand facing the wall with your hands on it at chest height. You will be leaning slightly forward so that as you push back, your arms straighten until you are standing upright. “Lower” yourself back towards the wall and you have done one push up! If you are new to exercise, or if you have not exercised for a long time, you may do this only 4-6 times to start with. But as you get stronger you will build up to doing 12-15 wall push ups 2-3 times.

You may want to stay doing wall push ups like this forever, and as I said above wall push ups will give you many of the benefits of a “regular” push up. But as you get stronger, try challenging yourself by doing one or two push ups on your knees before doing the rest of your push ups on the wall. You will be surprised how quickly your upper body strength improves!

It’s school holidays here in NSW Australia, with Easter smack bang in the middle! A perfect combination of events which means it will be more tempting than usual to say “the diet starts tomorrow”. A lack of routine during the school holidays plus the inevitable gathering of friends over the Easter long weekend, can result in our best intentions being side lined in favour of popcorn at the movies (who doesn’t want to take their kids or grandkids to see the Batman Lego movie??) and chocolate Easter eggs.

I gave up a long time ago thinking of what I eat as a ”diet”. I just try and eat as healthily as I can, and as mindfully as I can, while watching my portion sizes. But even personal trainers can be tempted to let things slide for a day or so, and that day can quickly turn into a week! So I try and make sure that my healthy eating goals are backed up with tips and tricks which are now habits which I hardly have to think about.

For example, I love chocolate. I just love it in smaller quantities than I used to. I have also become quite fussy. Instead of eating any chocolate available, as the saying goes I now prefer quality over quantity. Here are some of my other top tips for getting through Easter without piling on the kilos or feeling guilty because you have over-indulged.

Ask for what you want. If you don’t want chocolate Easter eggs at Easter, say so. Your friends and family should respect your health and fitness goals. If, despite this, you are still given chocolate, you don’t have to eat it. Just thank them and give it to someone else (I find it is best to get it out of the house as quickly as possible, but one option is to take it to work with you after Easter and share it with your work mates). If you can’t imagine Easter without chocolate, remember bigger is not necessarily better. Ask for a small good quality Easter egg, rather than the giant egg with lots of smaller eggs inside. They will probably cost the same amount, but the smaller one is likely to taste better and have fewer calories!

If you are giving Easter eggs at Easter, don’t buy extra. It is tempting when they are on sale to buy more “just in case I have forgotten someone, or in case someone turns up unexpectedly”. Chances are, you have not forgotten anyone, and you won’t have any unexpected visitors, but what you will have is extra chocolate in the house once Easter is over.

Put your food (even your chocolate) on a plate and sit down to eat. It is easy to grab a small chocolate egg and eat it on the run, but will you really enjoy it, or even remember that you have had it? Be mindful about what you eat. Put it on a nice plate and sit down at the table. Turn off all your distractions (Facebook on your phone, candy crush saga, emails on your computer) and for a few minutes just enjoy doing one thing – eating. You are more likely to pay attention to what you are eating.

Plan ahead. If you are going on a picnic or to a friend’s place for a BBQ, take healthy snacks or side dishes. It doesn’t have to look like “diet” food. I like making a sweet potato dip which I can have with carrot or celery sticks. Or make a potato bake with low fat cheese and low fat milk. Or offer to take a salad so you can keep the dressing on the side. If you know there is going to be at least one healthy dish there that you are happy to eat, you will be less stressed about how the even fits into your meal plan for the week.

Keep track of what you eat and drink by writing it down. It is easy to lose track and forget what you have eaten, especially if you are away from home or eating on the run, so write it down! There are plenty of free apps you can use (I like My Fitness Pal but there are others) or you can do it the old-fashioned way and write it down on paper. You don’t necessarily have to keep track of the calories for each item of food, just the simple habit of writing it down can make you feel more accountable for what you are eating.

Finally, Easter is a time for celebration, not for beating yourself up. Remember that chocolate is not “bad” or “good”. It is just food. If you do eat it, do make sure you really enjoy the experience and make it worthwhile. And if you don’t eat it today, it will still be there tomorrow (unless of course the kids eat it all, in which case you should have hidden it better!!).

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As we leave daylight saving behind and head into the cold short days of winter, it is easy to fall into the trap of eating heartier “comfort” food instead of the lighter, fresher grilled meats and salads of summer. I did it myself last night at the pub when I ordered a “home made” lasagne instead of my usual grilled fish with no sauce. So I thought I would put together my top tips for keeping your diet (and your body) healthy over winter.

Please note I am not a nutritionist and I can’t give you specific “diet” advice – if you have specific health issues you should speak with your doctor or a qualified nutritionist before changing your diet. That said, I hope by sharing my experiences and knowledge that you think more about the choices you make and how to fit healthy eating into your day.

Aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. I know when it is cold outside and you are moving less it is hard to drink this much water, but air conditioning can dehydrate you, and you are still sweating when you exercise, even if you do not notice it so much. I have a 1L carafe on my desk and I try to drink two full carafes a day. I also have a Sodastream at home, so in the evening I have water with bubbles in it! Adding a slice of lemon, or some pieces of fruit to your carafe of water can also make it taste a bit more interesting. One important thing to remember is that diet soft drinks and caffeinated herbal teas and black coffee do NOT count as water!

Vegetables are your friend, so aim to increase the number of vegies you eat each day. Your entire diet should be around 50% vegetable, so try and eat as many as you can at each meal. If this seems too hard, just try and gradually increase the amount of vegetables you eat each day. Maybe you can add a cob of corn to your dinner, or a warm home made tomato salsa with chilli (ok ok tomato is a fruit ….). Or a home made vegie soup can be great for lunch. Just make a big pot at the weekend and keep it in the fridge.

Cut out processed foods. I know this is easier said than done, especially when convenience is important, but the longer the list of ingredients, the less “natural” the food (this also goes for shelf life!). Try having only “one ingredient” foods in your pantry or fridge. For example keep a jar of nuts instead of a packet of nut bars, or some olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of pre-made salad dressing which will have added preservatives and sugar.

Speaking of sugar, avoid artificial sweeteners and “sugar free” foods, and try to reduce the amount of processed sugar you eat. I always check the list of ingredients to see how much sugar has been added (if you follow tip number 3 you won’t have this problem!), and I am quite often surprised. Like the time I bought a bottle of wasabi flavoured balsamic vinegar. The first time I put it on my salad, I was surprised how sweet it tasted. When I checked, one of the main ingredients was cane sugar! I also no longer have sugar in my tea or coffee, and there is no need to add it to your fruit – fruit is already sweet enough!

Remember not all calories are created equal! This is a big one. If you are choosing a snack, think carefully about the choices you make. For example, a large banana and half a slice (approx. 40g) of chocolate cake are roughly equal in calories. But the banana is low GI, full of healthy vitamins and minerals, and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. So if your office colleagues are regularly holding morning teas, make sure you have a piece of fruit in your lunch bag. Your colleagues might make comments to start with, and try and tempt you, but once they know you are serious they will come to expect that you will say no to cake! If you are the person who used to always bring the cakes, try choosing healthier options, like fresh fruit with a chocolate dipping sauce.

Clean out your kitchen/pantry and throw out anything which is out of date, or which is not going to help you reach your health and fitness/weight loss goals. If you can’t bring yourself to throw food in the bin, and it is in date, give it to your neighbour or family members, or donate the items to charity. And if your partner/family members absolutely must have treats, or other food you don’t want to eat but find too tempting, ask them to help you by only eating the treats when you are not around, or keeping the biscuits/cake etc somewhere where you will not find it!

Buy in bulk, but not too much! Buying in bulk can seem like a good way to save money, but not if the food perishes before you can eat it. I bought a tray of fresh figs recently – after I ate three or four figs a day for three days straight I realised I wasn’t going to eat all of them before they started to go off, so I ended up making Fig Jam and Fig Paste, which I then gave to my family so I wouldn’t have it in the house! It is also not worth buying in bulk if this results in you eating more than you planned to “because it’s there”, or because you don't want it to go to waste. It is good though to buy food which is in season, so try banding together with some friends and buying boxes of fresh fruit at the farmers market or local fresh providore. Set yourself a budget (so you don’t go overboard and end up with more than you need - four of you might put in $25 each) and see how much you can buy, then divide it between you.

Plan ahead. I mentioned before how hard it can be to buy a healthy snack when you are “on the run”. Healthy snacks can also be quite expensive compared to packets of chips or lollies, this is generally because healthy snacks which are not highly processed have a shorter shelf life. The higher price reflects the higher level of wastage on these products. I always have an apple or some other snack with me so I am not tempted to buy chips and I don’t have to go hungry! I also try and cook meals in advance, so if I know I am going to be home late I have a healthy dinner ready to heat up rather than picking up take away.

Finally, the most important thing when you are over-hauling your diet or making changes between seasons is to not change too many things at once. If you can implement some of the tips above and make them a habit, you will be well on your way to surviving winter without piling on any extra weight!

“You begin to fly when you let go of self-limiting beliefs and allow your mind and aspirations to rise to greater heights” – Brian Tracy

We all have that little voice in our heads when we want to do something. For some of us, that voice is positive, telling us to do things, to sign up for that fun run, or apply for the new job, or start going to fitness classes. It’s a “yes, I can do that” kind of feeling. We jump at the new ideas and experiences with confidence, not a doubt in our minds, happy to be taking action.

For some people, the little voice in their head is the doubter, the nay sayer. The one who says running isn’t fun, or tells you not to apply for the job because you won’t get it anyway, or to not join the new fitness class because everyone else will be fitter than you and you will look silly. This voice keeps us safe, in our comfort zones.

But where do these voices come from? Why are some people always looking on the bright side, or seemingly not caring what other people think, while others are full of self-doubt and coming up with all the reasons something won’t work? Is it nature or nurture? Are some people born naturally optimistic, with their glass half full? Or is it learned? And can you change it?

Maybe your belief that it is harder to lose weight as you get older comes from hearing your mother or aunt saying this as you were growing up. Now it is something you believe without question. Perhaps your belief that you can’t run comes from when you were at school and you always came last in the sports carnival. Wherever these negative (or limiting) beliefs come from, you can start to counteract them by thinking of at least one reason for each why they are complete garbage!

For example, a few years ago I had to do a fitness assessment which included running one kilometre and timing it. I didn’t want to do it. I had been telling myself for years I hated running. I told myself I couldn’t run to save my life, and I believed it. In my mind I KNEW it was true. But because running was part of my assessment, and I didn’t want to fake the result or tell someone I couldn’t do it, I psyched myself up for it, telling myself it was only one kilometre, how hard could it be? Well, I had to stop three times, and I was so out of breath when I finished that I could barely talk. I told myself it was ok, running was overrated anyway, why run if no one is chasing you? I told myself I just wasn’t a runner (the result proved it, didn't it), and I was fit in other ways. But it bugged me. I’m a little bit competitive, and a little voice started telling me it was only one kilometre, so if I was so fit why couldn’t I run it without stopping? The voice was persistent (voices in your head usually are), and running one kilometre became a challenge.

Running one kilometre without stopping became my goal. It took me a few months, and all that time the limiting beliefs were still in my head, but I was determined, so I kept at it. And eventually I did it. You have never seen anyone so excited to run one kilometre without stopping! The next thing I knew I was wondering if I could run just a little bit further before I had to stop. And now I run marathons! If you had told me when I couldn’t run one kilometre without stopping, that one day I would willingly run 10km just for fun, I would not have believed you. But 10km is just one kilometre, ten times in a row. And now I tell myself I can run one kilometre (although it still surprises me when I do it without stopping). That is my positive belief.

Think about your own goals. They may be related to health and fitness, or they may be related to other aspects of your life, such as your work. Perhaps your goal is to travel overseas? Some goals are specific, such as “lose 10kgs by June” or maybe your goal is more of a dream, such as learning to SCUBA dive “one day”.

Now think about what you believe in relation to your goals. Beliefs are the things you know, deep inside. The things that you don’t question, they just are. For each of your goals, think of three beliefs that support you in reaching each goal. For example, if your goal is to learn a new language, you could think back to a time when you did that successfully, such as French classes in Year 7. Or if your goal is to change jobs this year, think about the other times you have been successful in getting a new job. If you plan to lose weight, think about the times when you have lost weight before, the people who supported you, and how good you felt.

Now think about the beliefs that don’t support you. For most people making a list of negative (or limiting) beliefs will be a lot easier than thinking about the positive beliefs. If you plan to lose weight, your negative beliefs might go something like this – “It’s harder to lose weight as you get older”, “I can’t join the fitness class, I’m so fat I won’t be able to keep up with the exercises”, or “Now is not a good time, I’ll wait until after my (holiday/birthday/Christmas etc …)”.

If you have limiting beliefs, you will have limited expectations, and you will behave in a way that contributes negatively to the outcome, which in turn reinforces your limiting beliefs.

On the other hand, if you have positive beliefs (such as “surely I can run 1km”), you will have positive expectations, and you will behave in a way that moves you towards your desired outcome. When you successfully reach your goal, you will reinforce your positive beliefs, and the cycle continues.

Next time I will talk about the hidden costs (and benefits) of not reaching your goals. Until then, if you would like help setting and reaching your goals, or identifying your beliefs and how they are helping or hindering you, contact me via my website www.louisecairns.com.au.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life/Coaching for Life

Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. Louise also helps people set and achieve their own goals at work and home. Yo

“Out of clutter, find simplicity” – Albert Einstein

Do you often find yourself rushing around, late for work or an appointment, trying to find your car keys, or stopping to hang one more load of washing on the line?

What does it feel like when you can’t find what you are looking for? And what happens as a result? Do you feel like you are out of control? Do you shout at the kids, or your partner? Maybe the kids miss the school bus and you drive like a mad person to get to the next bus stop, or otherwise drive them all the way to school? If it is in the morning, maybe it sets you up to be running late for the rest of the day? Whatever the consequences, being disorganised is not fun. At best it can be embarrassing or leave you feeling stressed, at worst it can be expensive, with items which have been lost having to be replaced (I’m thinking now of my car key and garage door zapper which have been MIA for about four weeks).

One of the things I have struggled with working from home is having a routine and being organised. When I worked full time, I had a set amount of time before work to ride horses, hang the washing out, have breakfast, etc. When I got home in the afternoon, there were a couple of hours to get all the chores done before dinner and bedtime. Every minute was accounted for. Work had its own routine, with regular times for meetings and lunch breaks. Now, working from home, it is tempting to do things when I feel like it, rather than having a strict routine. I have found though that being organised and having a schedule is more important than ever, as it is this routine that frees me up to spend time on the things that are important.

A big blocker to getting anything done, including exercise, is lack of organisation. Not being able to find your socks when you want to go for a walk can result in precious minutes being lost and the window of opportunity closing. Having to help your kids find their clean school clothes five minutes before they have to leave for the bus can end in tears (and not just for the kids). Checking a few emails before you leave work at the end of the day can result in you being late home for dinner. And the list goes on!

One way to become more organised is to delegate – you don’t have to be responsible for everything on your own! And this applies equally if you are a stay at home mum, working from home, or working full time away from the home. If you have children, having a roster for them to get the clothes off the line, empty the dishwasher and fold their own clothes and putting them away where they belong can help immensely. Discuss it with them, and explain your expectations, then make sure it is done! It may not be perfect to start with. You may find your egg whisk in with the pots and pans, or the clothes might be a bit crumpled, but it’s not the end of the world – resist the urge to do it yourself or to redo what someone else has done.

Another way to be more organised is to shorten your “to do” list by saying “No”. Will saying “yes” to joining that committee, or writing that newsletter, mean you won’t be at home to help with homework? Or does it mean that you have to give up joining a group that will actually help you reach your goal of running 5km without stopping. Sometimes we say “yes” to things because we think we should, or because “we’ve always done it”, or because we don’t want to let other people down. But next time you are about to say “yes” to something, think carefully about what you will be missing as a result.

Plan ahead. Cooking meals in advance means that when you get home from mid week meetings or late night dance classes you can have a healthy dinner on the table in a few minutes rather than stopping for expensive take away on the way home. And taking a few minutes to make your lunch and lay your clothes out the night before means you can be organised in the morning, ready to go for a run or head out the door to work, feeling calm and collected!

Declutter. Trying to find the shoes you like to wear in amongst a cupboard full of shoes you haven’t worn in years can be frustrating. The same when trying to find that bill you need to pay NOW while digging through a pile of old notes from school. Many bills these days come via email, but they can still get lost in our inbox. Create a filing system within your email program, and set reminders for when bills are due. Better still, pay them straight away and file the receipts where they belong. When decluttering, I also try and follow the “Marie Kondo” method – this involves getting rid of the things which “do not bring you joy” before you decide where to keep the things that are left. It can be hard sometimes, but once you get used to it, removing things from your home can be quite addictive and liberating.

Lower your standards! Yes, you heard me. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to stop ironing! Most of my clothes don’t need ironing (I make sure I buy low maintenance clothing, or hang it up as soon as it comes off the line), but I used to spend a huge amount of time ironing my son’s t-shirts, and my husband’s work clothes, until I realised most of the t-shirts were only being worn after school when jumping on the trampoline, and my husband told me he didn’t really need his hi-vis stuff ironed. It took me a little longer to stop ironing the pillow cases and tea towels, lol, but even that has stopped now as I realise there are more important things to do! It means I can spend less time ironing and more time putting things away where they belong!

Have a diary or planner that everyone in your family has access to. Many of my reminders are in my phone, or in my email program, but not everyone has access to that. I don’t want to be the sole person responsible for knowing when something is happening or needs to be done, so I still have a calendar hanging on the wall in the kitchen (this year it is a nice one from Floriade – thanks mum and dad!). On the calendar we can all write appointments and other commitments, especially the ones which are bit out of the ordinary (eg scout camps or drama auditions). For really important events which involve people outside our home, I set up an event in Outlook (or my Google calendar) and “invite” other family members or friends, so they know it is happening. There are lots of others ways to keep track of appointments, the important thing is to find the system that works for you.

Finally, don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. How many times have you been driving home only to see the low fuel light come on in your car? And how many times have you thought “it’s too hot to stop” or “the kids are tired/hot/hungry, I’ll fill up tomorrow”, only to be running late the next morning and forced to stop when you really don’t have time to.

Getting organised sounds really boring, but being able to find things when you need them, getting to appointments on time and having time to do the things you really want to do, without the stress, is priceless.

What else is happening at “Fit for Life”?

I am busy planning my 10 week “Health and Fitness Challenge” which will kick off towards the end of March. If you would like more information please contact me.

We are getting ready for my annual ski trip to Japan. We are going a bit later than usual as my son broke his arm just before Christmas and we had to wait until he could snowboard again! Look out for some future blogs on how to get fit for the Australian ski season!

I am ramping up my training for the UTA50 in May. For those who don’t know this is a trail running event in the Blue Mountains. This is my fourth time running in this event and I am hoping for a PB.

“This scorching heat is perfect to exercise in”, said no one ever.

If you get the odd hot day over summer, it is relatively easy to take that as your rest day, or change your usual exercise routine to do some laps at the pool. However, when the run of hot weather extends into days, as it is here in the Hunter Valley at the moment, it is easy to avoid exercise all together and go a bit stir crazy.

Believe it or not, there are actually some benefits to exercising in hot weather. Some studies show that training in hot weather can be compared to altitude training, with the volume of blood increasing. This is because as the blood flows to the skin to help the cooling process, blood (and oxygen) is diverted from your muscles. To compensate, the body makes more blood. The benefit is that when you return to exercising under normal conditions, it actually seems easier. Unfortunately, for these physiological changes to occur, you have to train in hot conditions for days or even weeks at a time. In other words, it will happen, but it won’t happen overnight.

Running or exercising in the heat can also build your mental fitness. If you can tough it out on the really hot days, you can draw on that experience in other hard situations and know you have what it takes.

However, when you have sweat running down your legs before you even start, it can be hard to summon the motivation to exercise. Here are some tips which will help you keep cool when the temperature soars.

Exercise in the coolest part of the day. This will usually be first thing in the morning, so make sure you have everything laid out the night before so you are ready to go in the morning. It is also worthwhile having a headlamp, torch or reflective vest if you plan on hitting the road before sunrise.

Avoid exercising in the middle of the day. This kind of goes hand in hand with point one. But if lunchtime is the only time you can fit in your usual exercise, make sure you have plenty of cold water on hand to drink when you get back.

Use the shade. Plan your run or walk along a shady path. Or if you normally work out in the park, set up under a tree instead of on the net ball court. Summer is sometimes the best time to find a new place to exercise. You might even decide to head to the coast and do a beach walk on the weekend. One of the best runs I did in December was in Woy Woy, running through sprinklers on footpaths and in the local parks.

Drink. A lot. Before, during and after you exercise, stay hydrated. This will help make up for the extra sweat lost in hot weather. It is also important though to not OVER hydrate. Overhydration is when levels of salt in your body are diluted from drinking too much water. This is why it is sometimes advisable to add electrolytes to your water. If you aren’t sure which electrolytes to use, or even if you should be using them, seek advice from a professional.

Slip slop slap. When exercising in the heat, you may be tempted to run or exercise with no shirt on, or in a singlet top. Be aware that sunscreen can come off more easily when you are sweating, and will need to be applied at more regular intervals. I also wear a visor. It keeps the sun off my face while still allowing heat to be lost through the top off my head, and has the added benefit of stopping sweat from running into my eyes.

Wear loose fitting clothing or clothing which allows sweat to evaporate away from the skin and which also dries quickly. I have learned the hard way how uncomfortable it can be to run in wet shirts which stick to your body, and which make you feel too cold when you do finally stop exercising.

Put paw paw cream on your nipples. (Yes, this applies even to the boys). When you are exercising in the heat and sweating a lot, your bra (or shirt) can become saturated and cause chafing in all the wrong spots. Taping works too, but can hurt when you tear it off! A little bit of paw paw ointment or other lotion such as lanolin or even Vaseline can work wonders!

Ice Ice Baby. Take a frozen water bottle with you, it will melt as you walk and you will have nice cool water to drink. Another great idea is to wet a bandanna and put it in the freezer. When you are ready to exercise, wrap it around your neck or your wrist.

Slow down. Exercising in the heat will make everything seem harder, so exercise to your perceived level of effort. If this means running or walking at a slower pace, or running for the same amount of time but covering less distance, so be it.

Change it up. Hot weather may be a great opportunity to try a different type of exercise. For example, you might want to break up your normal run or walk with some strength work in the local park, doing step ups on benches, or push ups on the trees. On the other hand, you might try an aquarobics class or yoga or Pilates. You will still get a good work out without overheating.

Exercise indoors. If all else fails, and the weather is extreme or you just can’t face going outside to exercise, stay indoors. There are plenty of free exercise videos available on the internet. Everything from step aerobics to Pilates to High Intensity Interval Training, so you can pump up the air conditioning or turn the fan on high and work out in the comfort of your own home, and take drink breaks whenever you want!

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach based in Branxton. Louise retired from a twenty year management career with the Australian Government to set up her own Fitness and Coaching business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life. Louise runs regular fitness classes at Lochinvar and Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. Louise also helps people set and achieve their own goals at work and home. You can find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

“The best laid plans of mice and men / often go awry.”

– Robert Burns

We hear people say it all the time – this year is going so quick! Well, I can’t believe it is February already. It seems like only yesterday that the new year stretched before me like a blank canvas, and I was taking a deep breath, ready to start afresh with my goals. Thankfully I have learned from previous experience that the “silly season” can have a negative effect on New Year resolutions, so I planned ahead and I started on some of my 2017 goals back in October last year.

Some of you may know I am a runner (Well, I run, very slowly, that not may be the same thing as being a runner!) and this year I am doing the Ultra Trail Australia 50km event in the Blue Mountains for a fourth time.

In previous years, I have followed (or not) my own training plan. Now I should point out that even though I am a Personal Trainer with a Certificate IV in Fitness, I am relatively new to running and I am not a running coach! While it is generally a case of putting one foot in front of the other, once you start training for and racing long distances there can be a lot more to it than that. I’ve learned that the hard way so this year I decided to take my preparation more seriously and signed up for training with Squadrun.

This has had immeasurable benefits. Firstly, I have a properly designed training plan suitable for my level of fitness and my race goals. Secondly, I have one-on-one support when I need it. Thirdly, I have been introduced to a “virtual” team of people entered for the same event, so I have a peer support group with similar interests and goals.

Now, instead of being 12 weeks out from race day (which is in mid May) and only just starting my training, I am running regularly and increasing my mileage each week. I have mini-goals which are achievable, and which boost my confidence. And that after all should be the basis of any training plan, whether your goal is fitness orientated or not.

How are you going with your New Year resolutions? Are you feeling a bit daunted by the fact that it is February already? Are you afraid the year is getting away from you and you don’t know where to start? Did you start with a bang and find yourself running out of puff already?

Well, don’t worry, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that February (not January) should be the month to start your New Years resolutions (unless of course you plan to run an ultramarathon in May). This is because in February the kids are back at school, most of your work colleagues have returned from their annual holidays, and you have gotten over the shock of Christmas and the associated bills! Also, once Australia Day has passed, there is a feeling that summer is winding down, and you can get control of your routine again.

With that in mind, there are some simple ways to get your New Years resolutions (back) on track.

Have a plan – he saying “fail to plan, plan to fail” is very true, regardless of the goal.

Make time – delegate household chores to other members of the family so you can get out of the house and go for a walk, or attend a fitness class, or just spend time on your specific goal. Or check your diary for other engagements you can cancel or say no to.

Enlist some help – get an exercise buddy, or join a group of like-minded people (as I have done with Squadrun and the Cross Country Running Club). If there isn’t a group near you, why not start one? You will be more likely to stick to your goal of getting fit or learning a new language if you have other like-minded people around you.

Take it easy on yourself – the habits you have now, in some cases have taken years to establish. You won’t change them overnight. If you slip up, accept it, and start again tomorrow.

Track your progress – I like to keep a diary and write down what I do each day. There are also plenty of apps that will log this for you. It is always nice to remind yourself how far you have come.

Celebrate your success – each time you reach a milestone, acknowledge it! Post it on social media, or do something nice for yourself, like go for a massage or a manicure.

If you feel you are still struggling to get started towards your goals, and you would like help getting your personal or professional goals (including your fitness goals) on track, please contact me. I can help you put a plan together.

What else is happening this month?

My classes at Branxton are continuing. The 6am classes have proven very popular, with some fun-loving ladies working hard to reach their fitness goals. All the exercises can be modified to suit your own fitness level, so come along and find out how fun getting fit can be!

My Rider (or not) Fitness classes at Windella are continuing with a strong core (pun intended) of dedicated ladies exercising with me every Monday and Friday evening. A huge thank you to Nic Chipperfield for providing the venue. Anyone is welcome to join us, so if you would like to improve your fitness while strengthening your core and balance, contact me and I will give you the details.

The hot weather has really affected a lot of people who want to get started on an exercise plan in 2016. No matter how dedicated you are, it can be hard to head out the door to train when it is 25 degrees at 6am and getting hotter by the minute! Keep an eye out for my next article on ways to keep your cool while exercising!

Until next time, look after yourself and be Fit for Life.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach based in Branxton. Twelve months ago Louise retired from a twenty year career with the Australian Government to set up her own Fitness and Coaching business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life. Louise runs regular fitness classes at Lochinvar and Branxton, as well as PT sessions in Branxton and Kurri Kurri. You can find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au

“It’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle” - Anon

I know from personal experience just how much poor fitness and balance can affect your riding. Several years ago I was competing PSG/Inter 1 and I developed a severe case of “tennis elbow”. I made an appointment at Mitchell Physiotherapy in Maitland, NSW, and I was lucky enough to have been assigned that day to Caroline Cooper. I described my symptoms to Caroline and jokingly told her “I don’t even know why I would have tennis elbow, I don’t play tennis – I’m a horse rider”. Caroline promptly began asking me questions about my riding and I soon learned that she is a horse rider as well as a physiotherapist. In fact, she is “The Horse Rider Physio”. I still think walking into the practice that day and meeting Caroline was one of the luckiest things that has ever happened to me, as it completely changed how I looked at my riding, my position, and my fitness.

I won’t bore you with all the details, but it turned out that my horse was hanging on to my left rein (or, more correctly, I was hanging on to the left rein). This had come about because my left hip was “slumping” causing me to sit to the left and my long-suffering horse had, over time, started leaning increasingly to the left in an effort to hold me up and stay balanced!

I had always been relatively fit – horse riding is great exercise, and I walked a lot, but I had never done any exercise specifically to support my riding. So I began a long period of retraining my body through a regular exercise routine. Some of the exercises were given to me by Caroline, others I have incorporated through my own research as a Cert IV qualified Personal Trainer.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how good fitness and core strength can improve your riding. Many of us spend countless hours (and dollars) making sure our horses are fit, well fed and massaged regularly, but how many do the same for ourselves? The fitter you are, the better you will cope with competition day stresses including the pressure of rising two or more tests, and the associated warm ups, not to mention the long walks to the office or the wash bay!

You owe it not only to your horse(s) but to yourself to be as fit, strong, and balanced as you can be.

I strongly recommend that you undergo an assessment of your posture and balance before you embark on a specific strength and fitness program for your riding as this will help you target the right areas of your body. I have already mentioned Caroline Cooper, The Horse Riders Physio, but you may already have a trusted health professional you see on a regular basis. However, even if you choose not to do this, the following exercises will develop your strength and balance and help you improve your riding.

Walk More – sitting all day, in a car or at a desk, tightens your hip flexors and the muscles in your lower legs. Don’t sit when you can stand, even if it feels a bit awkward!Include Yoga or Pilates in your exercise routine. I saw a noticeable improvement when I started attending a weekly pilates class, but there are also a lot of free on-line resources. Alternatively, you can go to a Personal Trainer who includes stretching as part of your exercise program.Hip Flexor Stretch – start on your knees and place one leg out in front. Keep your knees in line with your toes. Keeping the angle of your knees at 90 degrees, push forward into the stretch through the hip with the knee on the ground. Hold For 30 seconds or longer. When you have stretched in this position, move the foot which is out in front further forward, and stretch your hip again. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat the two stretches on the other side.Plank – this is one of the best ways to improve your core strength, and there are a few options available depending on your level of fitness. Lie face down on the floor and support your weight on your forearms with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Engage your core and slowly lift your body until only your forearms and the balls of your feet touch the floor. Keep your body straight and your core engaged. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 6 times. Gradually you should improve to the point where you can hold the plank for a minute or more, and reduce the number of reps. If starting on your forearms and toes is too hard, you can start by doing the plank on your forearms and your knees.Wall Squat. Stand against a wall and slide your back down and walk your feet out until you look like you could be sitting on a straight backed chair. Engage your quads and glute (buttock) muscles and rest your hands on your knees. Hold the position for as long as you can (start with 30 secs and build your way up). If you find this too hard, start by using a fitball behind your back as you lower yourself into position, or if the wall squat is too easy, try doing the squat on one leg, then changing to the other leg. This latter exercise is a great way to see how strong you are on one side compared to the other. I am definitely still stronger when I do this exercise with my right leg compared to my left leg.Lunges – from a standing position, engage your core and step forward with one leg while lowering the opposite knee to the ground. Keep your knees in line with your toes, and do not allow your knee to go past your toe. Return to a standing position. Repeat with the opposite leg. If you struggle for balance, do the lunges while holding onto a post or a fence rail. As you get stronger, walk as you lunge – try for the length of the short side, then the length of the long side!Push Ups – Upper body strength is extremely important for horse riders, and not just for lugging bags of feed! As you tire, your upper body position deteriorates, affecting your posture and the angle of your hips. Start with doing push ups on a wall (you can do these inside, or on the wall of the stable before you ride, or even against a sturdy tree!). Alternatively, do them on the ground on your knees, and work up to doing them on your toes.

I was so unbalanced I was affecting my horses balance and stability. I can only assume, in hindsight, that the physical symptoms manifesting themselves in me were also occurring in him. My riding now is nowhere near perfect (as anyone who has watched me compete can attest I’m no Charlotte Dujardin), but it is better than it was five years ago and I can only hope that over the next five years I continue to improve. As anyone who rides knows, it is constant work – it’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle!

There are many other exercises I do on a regular basis to improve my riding position and balance. I look forward to sharing them with you in future blogs. If you have any questions about the exercises and stretched described above, please contact me via my website.

“Everything changed the day she figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in her life.”

- Brian Andreas

“I don’t have time” is the number one reason people give for not exercising. This was confirmed in a recent study by AUSPLAY which reported that for adults up to middle-age, time pressure is by far the main barrier to participating in sport or physical activity.

The next top four factors affecting involvement in physical activity were age (people thought they were too old), too lazy (at least they were honest?!), poor health, or injury, and they don’t like sport or physical activity.

What does “I don’t have time” really mean? I recently read an advanced copy of a book with exactly that title and it describes how being busy has almost become a badge of honour. When I ask someone I haven’t seen for a while how they have been, I am often told “Oh I am so busy. I don’t know if I am coming or going”. I am regaled with descriptions of the daily schedule of going to work, driving kids to school and sporting commitments, and how “life gets in the way”. I have one friend with two primary school aged children each of whom have at least one after school activity every day (and sometimes two activities) as well as team sport on Saturday and Nippers on Sunday.

I know many other parents, women especially, who forego their own physical pursuits in favour of taking their children to rehearsals, dance classes and football practice, and horse riding lessons.

At this time of year the excuse for not having enough time is “it’s too close to Christmas” or “it’s the holidays, it will be easier when the kids are back at school”. Regular exercise programs fall by the wayside in favour of Christmas shopping, cleaning the house in preparation for an onslaught of visitors, or generally relaxing.

Interestingly, the top five factors which motivate people to participate in physical activity were (per the AUSPLAY study) physical health/fitness, fun and enjoymente, social reasons, weight control, and psychological reasons (ie to improve mental health).

So if there are all these great reasons to get involved in physical activity, and time availability is the number one factor stopping us, how can we “make time”? How can you manage your hectic schedule and the never ending “to do” list without feeling guilty about neglecting other aspects of your life?

Step 1 – Make a list

Write down everything you regularly do during the week – use your diary as a memory jogger and include the regular things you do which you don’t normally write down, like getting the kids ready for school, cooking dinner, buying groceries (including how many times a week you go to the supermarket). Remember to include any regular exercise you already do each week, like go for a walk or play tennis with your friends.

Step 2 – Cross out everything that is not essential

How many of the things in your weekly schedule are “must do” (like go to work) and how many things take up your time without you realising it? Family commitments, housework, social media, attending meetings, reading emails, sending texts, watching TV – the list of responsibilities and distractions is endless. There are hundreds of reasons we cannot find time to exercise – just ask me, I’ve heard a lot of them, and I’ve even used some myself!

Only you can decide what is essential and what isn’t. Going to work, spending time with your partner or making sure the kids get to school on time are very important. Spending an hour on Facebook after dinner may not be.

The most important part of this step is to own your decisions – once you decide to keep something in your schedule (eg going out to buy lunch instead of packing a sandwich and using the time instead to go for a walk), you must accept it - no more using that activity as an excuse not to exercise!

Step 3 – Decide what you can delegate

If you have a family, this may require some discussion with your partner or children.

Do you still pack the kids lunches for them even though they are now old enough to do it themselves? Perhaps you drive them to school because they are always running late for the bus? Are you the person who always hangs out the washing (or, worse RE hangs it!) because you are the only one who does it the “right” way? Can someone else in your family cook dinner (even if it is just baked beans on toast sometimes)?

However you do it, decide what can be delegated, and don’t fall back on habitual assumptions. Make sure you talk to other people before you rule out delegation as an option. I have always found that if I explain why I want to delegate, the people in my life are understanding and supportive. Besides, hanging out the washing (even if it is a bit lopsided) and being on time to walk to the bus are great “life skills” to teach your children – you will be doing THEM a favour!

Step 4 – Put exercise into your schedule

Now you have cleared some time in your diary, write in what you are going to do instead. Are you going to go the gym? Maybe go to an outdoor fitness class? Perhaps you can do that Yoga video you have had sitting near the TV since last Christmas? Or maybe you will finally accept the invitation to go walking with friends? Whatever you decide, make sure you commit to it. Put it in your diary and treat it like any other appointment.

Step 5 – Find the right time to exercise

Personally, I prefer the morning. There are fewer interruptions at 6am! But my two exercise passions are horse riding and running – two things which it is best to do when it is cool. I also run some fitness classes at the park at 6AM, and as they fit into the “essential activity” category, they take priority.

So I have a morning schedule for riding the horses and I run in the afternoon or evening (when I am not running a class). Alternatively I run or walk during the day, even though it is not my preferred time. If it is particularly hot, I make sure I take appropriate precautions when I exercise – like drinking lots of water, exercising in the shade, or putting ice in my drink bottle! Once I have made time to exercise, I don’t want any other excuses getting in my way!

Step 6 – Be prepared

Do you have trouble getting out of bed to exercise in the morning? Or perhaps your emails keep you at your desk during your lunch break? To prepare for the morning, lay your clothes out the night before, so you know as soon as you wake up you are organised. When I was working full time I also packed my lunch the night before, usually while I was making dinner. That way I could ride two horses in the morning, have a quick shower, get my son off to school, grab my lunch and head out the door to work. Another time saver is making meals which can be put in the fridge to eat later in the week. My personal favourite is a large quiche – great for lunches as well as dinner!

Step 7 – Stick to your plan

It’s easy for excuses or “non-essential” activities to creep in and stop you from doing your chosen exercise. Stand firm, to yourself and to others. Remind yourself why exercise is important to you, and remember that your family has taken some of the load off you so you CAN go to the gym or a run. How will they feel if you fill the time doing something which is not exercise related?

Step 8 – Enlist support

Tell your friends and family what you are doing and why, and ask them to help you. It also helps to have an exercise buddy, someone who is relying on you to show up at the appointed time, and who won’t let you off the hook. If you don’t have a like-minded friend, join a group (I have written before about how joining a running group has helped keep me motivated and accountable), or commit to an organised fitness class. The trainer is paid to keep you interested and motivated, and it takes the pressure off you to plan what you are going to do each exercise session.

Emma Grey, co-author of “I Don’t Have Time” (http://idonthavetime.net/) , once told me – “you have the same number of hours in the day available to you as Albert Einstein or Marie Curie did – it’s up to you what you do with them”. So turn off the TV, put down your smart phone and get out there! You DO have time!

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

(Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach who has lived in Branxton for 20 years, she has recently retired from a career with the Australian Government and set up her own Fitness and Coaching business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life. You can find out more at www.louisecairns.com.au)

“If you want to retire happy, great health is important. The foundation for all happiness lies in health. Physical, mental, or spiritual health - you must use it or lose it!”

- Ernie J Zelinski

“Use it or Lose It”. How many times have you heard that popular saying? Henry Ford said it about money, Richard Bach referred to perspective, and even health funds tell you “use it or lose it”. But as we get older for some reason applying this cliché to our health and fitness seems to get harder and harder. Is this an inevitable part of the ageing process? Or is it all in our head and “it gets harder as you get older” is just a saying to make us feel better for not doing as much as we get older?

As I have gotten older (I’ll be forty eight next year) I have pondered this question a lot. My weight (and my fitness) have gone up and down over the years, and each time I have gotten fed up enough to do something about it, it just seems harder, and takes a little longer to see results. Perhaps it is because as I get older I forget how hard it was last time. Or maybe it is because as we get older we have so many more responsibilities and activities vying for our attention? Or maybe it really IS harder.

Just like younger adults, there is a wide range of health and fitness in people over 45 years of age. You may have been training for quite some time and because of this your health may be excellent. Other people the same age may have quite low levels of fitness.

Either way, the effects on health which result from a low level of mobility or fitness are very similar to the effects on other (younger) age groups. These include postural challenges brought on by tight muscles, poor balance from a lack of core stability, heart problems or high blood pressure, and diabetes.

As with all age groups, one of the easiest ways to address or prevent these health conditions is with regular exercise, including cardio exercise (which raises your heart rate) as well as resistance training (for example strength exercises using light weights). But even if you have been exercising your whole life, as you get older there are definite physical changes in your body which increase the challenge of maintaining your fitness.

For example, as you get older your maximum Heart Rate (HRmax) decreases. My HRmax (calculated by using the formula 206.9-(0.67x47)) is 188, a full 7 beats per minute less than it was 10 years ago. This does not sound like much, but when I am trying to make sure I exercise safely for weight loss, or when I am trying to improve my cardio vascular fitness by working within a certain heartrate “zone”, it is important to know. And it explains why working at a certain level can be harder as I get older!

Changes to your lungs and the muscles around your lungs also means it takes more effort to breathe in and out, and your respiration rate increases as you get older, affecting the amount of air which moves in and out of your lungs when you exercise. This is turn affects the amount of oxygen available to go into your blood stream.

Another effect of getting older is a reduction in blood flow and along with it a decreased ability to dissipate heat via sweat as blood flow to your working muscles is reduced. Your metabolic rate also changes as muscle mass decreases so yes, you may be putting on body fat even if your diet hasn’t changed!

These challenges are all in addition to the more commonly known health conditions such as osteoarthritis (where the cartilage in your joints breaks down), osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation of the joints). Your muscle tone also changes (affecting the stability of your joints), and reflexes and movement can become slower due to natural changes in your nervous system.

I can now hear you all asking “well, what’s the point??”. Aging is inevitable, so if a gradual deterioration in muscle tone, joint movement and flexibility is a natural consequence, why should I bother exercising?

The answer is that exercising regularly can help counteract the natural effects of ageing. Exercise can prevent physical setbacks, and improve your mental health as well. In fact, it can be argued that exercise becomes MORE important as you get older. Keeping your muscles strong helps your joints, keeping your heart and lungs working decreases your risk of cardio pulmonary disease, and there are many studies which show that regular exercise can reduce your blood glucose levels and minimise your risk of diabetes. Staying (or becoming) active as you get older can also be a great social outlet. It can also be a fantastic way to “switch off” the worries of the day, if only for thirty minutes.

You are not imagining it when you think that exercising is getting harder as you get older, even if you have always been reasonably active. The most important thing to remember is to take into consideration the physical changes occurring in your body as you get older, and that you really do have to “use it or lose it”.

More information is available on the Victorian government website

“Every single life only becomes great when the individual sets upon a goal or goals which they really believe in, which they can really commit themselves to, which they can put their whole heart and soul into.” - Brian Tracy

As the year draws to a close, many of us will reflect on the year that was, and the things we planned to do when it was January and the New Year stretched ahead of us with clean pages. Before you groan and say “oh no, not another story about New Year resolutions”, bear with me. This story is about ALL goals. You don’t have to wait until 2017 to start working towards your goals. In fact, depending on when you are reading this, there are still plenty of days left in 2016.

Waiting for January is like waiting for Monday – if it is a goal worth pursuing, then there is no time like the present to get started!

Are you one of the people who achieves everything you set out to do (if so, well done, you can probably stop reading now :-) )

Perhaps you are a person who sets some really good goals, ticks some of them off, makes it part way with others, then somewhere in the middle of the year you run out of energy (or accidentally lose the list!). Or maybe you have simply stopped making New Year resolutions because you never ever achieve anything you put on the list? Time/money/kids/parents/spouse/ the universe conspire against you in your effort to lose weight, get fit, get that new job, or even just go for a massage once a month. If you fall into either of the latter categories, please keep reading, this story is for you.

The most important thing about setting a goal is to have a really good goal! I don’t mean it has to be a big goal, it just has to be really good. A goal that is important to YOU. On a scale of 1 to 10, where “1” is “that would be OK” and “10” is “hell yeah”, your goal needs to be at least a “9”. It needs to be so good that you will invest the time and energy to succeed. At this point it helps to write down at least ten reasons why it is important for you to achieve your goal. This will help you think about why you really want to do it.

Once you have your really exciting, juicy goal in mind (eg lose 5kg, run 1km without stopping, get back into your skinny jeans, or go for a massage once a month), it’s time to make your goal S.M.A.R.T.

Specific

Measurable

Accountable

Realistic

Time based

Specific – how explicit is your goal? For example, have you only said you want to lose weight, or have you said “I want to lose 5kg” (or 6kg, or 4kg, or 20kg, whatever the number is for you? Similarly, have you said “I want to go for a massage once a month”, or have you said “On my day off each month I want to go for a massage at (insert your favourite place)”. Make your goal specific.

Measurable – How will you know when you have reached your goal? A weight loss goal is easy to measure, others (such as decluttering your house) may be more difficult to measure. What will your goal look like when you have achieved it? Write it down.

Accountable – Some people say “A” stands for attractive or achievable, but I prefer accountable. What or who is going to help you stick to your goal? Are you going to announce your goal to the world, and post regular updates on Facebook? Or will you enlist the support of a few close friends and family? Maybe you will join a support group, such as Weight Watchers or a running club? This year I have joined Coalfields Cross Country Running Club and it has been great! Knowing that I have told people I am going to show up has really motivated me to stick to my training program and do a long run each week.

Realistic – How practical is your goal? If you are not currently able to run 5km and you want to run a marathon in a months’ time, how likely is it you will be able to do it? Don’t set yourself up for failure (or worse, injury!). Set realistic goals which you can plan to achieve.

Time-based – does your goal have a deadline? It’s OK saying you want to lose 5kg, but by when? Do you have a special event coming up? Do you want to learn a new language before your overseas holiday? Set a time limit on your goal.

Now your goal is S.M.A.R.T., how do you feel about achieving it? Is it still a 9 or a 10 out of 10? If not, go back to the drawing board and rework it until it really works for you. Otherwise, maybe you need a different goal? One that you can really put your heart and soul into and think “I did it”.

A good friend of mine sent me a message recently and suggested I write a blog about motivation (or, as she put it, “how to give yourself a kick in the fat butt”). Some Personal Trainers would say motivation is a myth. Other people would say the size of your butt should not be an issue (I tend to agree – as my comments after seeing the film “Embrace” would indicate). What I do know, is that once the size of your butt (or anything else about your physical dimensions) starts hindering what you love doing (eg riding horses, running marathons, playing with the kids, walking up stairs, doing the gardening) to the extent that YOU want to do it, then you KNOW you need to do something about it. So what stops us?

We all know that eating well is good for us. Regardless of the effect on our waistline, there are positive benefits for our health, such as better blood pressure, lower blood glucose levels, lower risk of heart disease, the list goes on. The same with exercise – moderate levels of exercise can help everything from your mood to your memory, as well as your weight and stamina. So again I ask, what stops us doing the things we know are good for us, or better still, doing the things which will actively move towards our goals?

My friend confided in me that she has just bought a new set of “tails”. For those of you who are non-horsey, “tails” are a type of coat worn by equestrians who are competing at a certain level in dressage (as in “top hat and tails”). While top hats are less common now (due to safety considerations when riding), the “tails” are still considered a rite of passage, or a symbol of a goal attained. Everyone remembers their first set of tails.

I am sure my friend looks great in her “tails”. More importantly, I am just as sure she wants to keep feeling that way while giving herself and her horse the best chance of success. Which is why she wants a “kick in the fat butt”.

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford. And what stops many of us from starting towards a goal, even though we know what we need to do to get there, is two things – the fear of failure, and the knowledge of how hard we have to work to succeed! The latter is usually reserved for those who have tried and succeeded before – they know what it takes to “get there”, and they wonder if they have the energy or the determination to do it again, or maybe they tell themselves the circumstances are different this time, so they are not likely to succeed. Either way it is what they THINK that matters.

Take me for instance, my weight has always been up and down, despite eating relatively well and being quite active. The first time I remember being REALLY over weight and actively doing something about it was after the birth of my son. I spent the first few months after he was born in a haze of hormones, then I started back riding and doing other activities, and I was NOT happy with my weight OR my fitness (and nor were my horses!). So I did something about it – I signed up for Weight Watchers, started a regular exercise program, and I felt great!! I maintained this for a few years, then went through a mid-life crisis (aided by a few “life events”) and I put on 20kgs. I kept telling myself It was ok, the weight would come off when the crisis was over. But it didn’t. The weight stayed, My riding suffered, my self esteem suffered (anyone who helped me zip up my riding boots during that period will know just how bad it was, lol).

So why didn’t I do something about it? Why didn’t I go back to what had worked before? Weight Watchers and exercise? It was because there was one crucial factor which was different, and that was breast feeding. The first time I had done weight watchers I had been breast feeding, and rightly or wrongly I had attributed my weight loss success to the extra kilojoules consumed in the production of breast milk for my baby.

Fast forward a few years (yes, years) and I finally convinced myself that what had worked before COULD work again (and if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be any worse off). I learned pretty quickly that I had to get serious. I had to stop kidding myself about how much I was eating, how much exercise I was doing, and how good my routines were. I also had to smash the negative self-talk on its head. And the first step to doing that was recognising it.

WRITE IT DOWN. Think of every excuse you make for not exercising/not eating right/not being organised/not getting your project done, and make a list. And when you think the list is finished, keep adding to it.

Now for EVERY excuse, write at least ONE “counter spell”. And if you think of something that is an excuse for doing the “counter spell”, then write a counter spell for that too!

Now, whenever you think of that excuse, immediately think of the counter spell and how to implement it.

Second, GIVE YOURSELF A POWER SURGE. And I’m not talking about the ones you get at THAT time of life. Remind yourself that YOU are the one in charge. The sense of power which comes with doing what you say you will do, when what you think and what you say and what you do are aligned, is powerful.

NEXT, enlist support. You DON’T have to do it alone. You CAN ask for help. There is nothing more motivating than knowing that someone else is relying on you to show up and do your bit. And they will kick your butt in return!

FINALLY, fake it until you make it. Like many other things in life, you don’t need “motivation” to succeed – you just need to keep showing up. Do it once, then just keep doing it, even if you don’t want to. Before you know it, the thing you were most scared of will be a habit you can’t live without.

Louise Cairns Fit for Life

(Louise Cairns is a Personal Trainer and Motivational Coach who has lived in Branxton for 20 years, she has recently retired from a career with the Australian Government and set up her own Fitness and Coaching business, Louise Cairns Fit for Life)

Spring is a time for new beginnings, and a perfect time to be thinking about where you want to be and what you want to be doing at the start of the new year. What did you set out to do in 2016? Which of your plans fell by the wayside? What would help you get back on track before the year is over? What new goals do you want to get started on now? I specialise in leadership and management coaching, work life balance coaching and coaching for busy executives, and I can help you set goals and (better still) show you how to achieve them.

To celebrate the start of Spring, and to show you how coaching can transform how you approach your goals, I am offering free one hour "discovery sessions". These free sessions are available for a limited time, so to find out more or to book your free Discovery Session, please email me or message me on 0439 383478. These Discovery Sessions are completely free and you are under no obligation. Discovery Sessions can be conducted over the phone or via skype/messenger, so to find out more email me or phone or message me on 0439 383478.