February 2010

Accelerate Your Weight Loss with our 6 Week Challenge

Here's some extra motivation to help you achieve your resolution to lose weight, with a challenge  to accelerate your weight loss results. This first challenge for the year starts on the 15th of February so ask your local Healthy Inspirations centre to find out how you can be part of the action.

Due to popular demand, Healthy Inspirations has another Maria Island Walk 4 day adventure for a lucky winner. CLICK HERE to find out how you can get involved and check out the comments and photo gallery from last year's winner, Jenny from Bunbury WA.

The Maria Island Walk company are also offering all Healthy Inspirations members a 10% discount on this fabulous Tasmanian adventure.  Just mention you're a member when you book.

The Take Action Steps Challenge is proudly sponsored by The Maria Island Walk.  CLICK HERE to find out more.

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Member of the Month – Jenny M, Frewville, SA

 "Health is the most important part of my life. Half an hour a day out of 24 is not much for our wellness, weight loss and lifetime health."

"I had been a life-time member of Weight Watchers for many years, attending on and off. When I returned from an overseas holiday last year, I felt it was time to go back to Weight Watchers, as I had put on weight and clothes were hard to buy. It was obvious it was time to move some kilos. The main reason to move some kilos, was my son Ryan was getting married on New Year's Eve and I wanted to look my very best for the big occasion. As I regularly drive up Glen Osmond Road from work, I noticed that there was a new weight loss centre that had opened up. I noticed a big sign outside that was showing how much weight had been lost at the centre, which was changed on a daily basis.

I said to my husband; “Perhaps before I go back to Weight Watchers I might check out this new centre to see just what the difference is compared to Weight Watchers.” On entering the centre, I was welcomed and shown around and the program was explained to me. The first thing that I was impressed with was that I was asked “How much would you like to lose?” This to me was very strange, as at Weight Watchers you are told very clearly for your age and height what you should be and how much you needed to lose. Taken aback, that I could say what I would like to lose, I thought 5 kilos would be fantastic and good luck if it happens! Within no time I had lost the 5 kilos and thought that was easy, so why not go another 5 kilos, which I did and that came off gradually as well. After discussion with my consultant, I thought, as I had managed it so well, I would go another 5 kilos and reassess my goal weight.

I have taken the circuits on most Tuesday and Thursdays with the trainers who have taken me out of my comfort zone and this has certainly helped with my weight loss. The types of exercises you can do with the weights and machines are endless – half an hour a day out of 24 is not much for our wellness, weight loss and lifetime health.

The consultants at the centre at Frewville are so welcoming and encouraging. Along the way I received various encouragements, like a free hairstyle, facial and a personal training session etc.
I have bought many new clothes and every day I receive comments as to how good I look, which is very encouraging. This is because I have worked hard to eat and exercise and follow this fantastic program. It's great to feel well and enthusiastic, as health is the most important part of my life, thanks to the team at Healthy Inspirations Frewville."

~Jenny has lost a total of 16.7 kilos and 46cm

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FACE TO FACE support increases weight loss results

A recent study undertaken by Healthy Inspirations has indicated that women who received face-to-face support together with an exercise program and personalised dietary plan improved their weight loss results and increased their confidence to continue with exercise.

The four-week study took place across 10 Health Inspirations centres in Australia and New Zealand and saw a total of 382 women self select one of three groups in which to participate. Prior to the study none of the women were members of Healthy Inspirations centres.

Group 1 involved three exercise sessions a week; Group 2 involved the same exercise program and a personalised diet plan plus telephone support sessions three times per week; while Group 3 involved the same exercise program and a personalised diet plan but with individual face-to-face support sessions three times per week.

Jamie Hayes, Managing Director of Healthy Inspirations, said Group 1 participants lost the least amount of weight with an average weight loss of 1.12 kg, compared to an average of 2.38 kg for Group 2, and an average of 2.79 kg for Group 3.

According to Jamie, a number of observations emerged from the study.

“One of the things we observed was that exercise without a personalised dietary plan and face-to-face individual support is the least effective method of losing weight and that the combination of dietary intervention, exercise and face-to-face support yields the best results.”

Jamie said that a “quality of life” questionnaire completed by the participants both before and after the study period indicated that 77 % of participants who received face-to-face support (Group 3) experienced an improvement in confidence to exercise, compared with 67 % reporting an improvement in Group 2 and 64 % in Group 1.

In addition, and not surprisingly, Group 3 participants reported a higher level of accountability to the program, and were more likely to complete the four-week program (78 % in Group 3 completed the program, compared with 69 % in Group 2 and 61 % in Group 1).

“This could explain why women who start an exercise program in order to lose weight often drop out before achieving their desired results, unless their exercise program also includes a personalised dietary plan and the required face-to-face individual support,” said Jamie.

Of all the weight loss programs available to women, only Healthy Inspirations integrates the three essential strategies for effective weight loss: exercise, a personalised dietary plan and high frequency face-to-face support.

  Learn Weight Loss Secrets from the Best

There are some lessons we can all learn from the United States of America National Weight Control Registry (NWCR). The NWCR is the largest prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance whose members have lost an average of 66 lbs (29.93 kg) and kept it off for 5.5 years. The NWCR was developed in 1994 to identify and investigate the characteristics of individuals who have succeeded at long-term weight loss and to examine the behavioral and psychological characteristics of weight maintainers, as well as the strategies they use to maintain their weight loss.

We have also started to learn about how the weight loss was accomplished: 

• 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
• 94% increased their physical activity.

There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off, with most reporting that they continue to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet, and doing high levels of activity.

• 78% eat breakfast every day.
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
• 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

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Recipe of the Month - Crunchy Asian Salad

Serves 8:  1 fat, 1 vegetable Salad Ingredients 1 bag of mixed lettuce of baby Asian greens                   2 Lebanese cucumbers 250g bean sprouts 1 long red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced ½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped coarsely Handful mint leaves, coarsely chopped Handful coriander leaves, coarsely chopped Dressing Ingredients ½ cup coconut vinegar (available from Asian supermarkets) 2 Tbsp water ½ cup Splenda 1 Tbsp fish sauce

Method

1. Cut cucumber into quarters lengthways, remove the seeds and slice finely.
2. Toss with remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.
3. To make dressing, combine coconut vinegar, water and Splenda in a saucepan.
4. Bring to the boil and boil for one minute. Add fish sauce, pour into a jug and cool.
5. Serve salad and dressing separately.

 This recipe is from “Salad Sensations” cookbook, available from Healthy Inspirations.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS RECIPES

 

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Secret Women's Business:
Good Health Habits

Optimum health is easy to achieve: all you have to do is follow the tips below and you'll be feeling fantastic in no time. Increase Iron:  Add iron-rich foods to your diet to increase your energy levels.  This includes lean protein, legumes and leafy green vegetables. Join the breakfast club:  Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gives you more energy throughout the day.  It also helps control the number of calories you eat over the rest of the day. Forget the fad:  Don't be fooled by the "48 hour", "can't fail"  weight loss schemes. The only promise they're likely to keep is that by the end you'll be so hungry, tired and miserable that you'll ditch your good intentions forever.

All about you:  Whether it's relaxing with a book or having a massage, it's important to de-stress and take some time out for 'you'.

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National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

This initiative of Ovarian Cancer Australia aims to increase awareness of the disease and ensure every woman recognises the symptoms. Click onto the logo above to find out about the number of events and activities held around Australia throughout the month, including Teal Ribbon Day on Wednesday 24th February.