It’s that time of the year again; the silly season! As trainers this would be considered our busy period, with a lot of women wanting to lose weight and stay on top of their health and fitness. Our calendars get booked up, from boozy work Christmas parties to family feasts, we can start to feel lethargic and try our best to balance this by sweating it out at the gym.
So, how do you find the balance? With the creation of our new online “Goal Getter” program coming in 2021, we asked each other as trainers a series of questions on what we do to find balance at this time of year and smash our health goals.
WHAT EXERCISE WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR BEGINNERS WHO HAVE CONFIDENCE ISSUES BUT REALLY WANT TO START EXERCISING?
Angie: When I was overweight, I had a lot of confidence issues about joining the gym, so I completely understand this feeling. I think a good place to start is to clean up your diet by becoming educated on healthier choices and swapping out unhealthy ingredients. Then progress this to starting out with exercise that you can do by yourself. Walks, runs, and online training programs are all great options. For example, I found my health journey with OzAerobic DVDs that I did in my loungeroom each morning. I would then recommend doing a few sessions with a personal trainer to build the confidence needed to use equipment at the gym.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE KIND OF EXERCISE/ ACTIVITY TO DO IN SUMMER AND WHY?
Angie: When you find exercise that you love to do, you will do it all year round. Mine is boxing and dancing. In summer I’m always excited to get out on my surfboard every weekend without freezing.
Megs: It’s netball all year-round baby! When you love it, you will do it no matter how hot it is.
Both: And we both love yoga and pilates to help with our breathing.
NOVEMBER TO JANUARY IS FULL OF SOCIAL EVENTS. WHAT DO YOU DO THROUGH THIS SEASON TO STAY ON TOP OF YOUR HEALTH?
Angie: Planning ahead and remembering every meal you eat is an opportunity. If you’re planning on having a feast for dinner, then make your breakfast and lunch a healthier option. Don’t let one bad meal throw you into an unhealthy cycle. Food apps like Yazio can help you understand what you are consuming so you can make healthier choices.
Megs: Planning is key for me! Planning my workouts and food through meal prepping. A great idea to try is to make your own healthier treats so that you can eat them and avoid the Christmas gingerbread that your co-workers have brought in for treats.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST PIECE OF HEALTH ADVICE YOU GIVE TO YOUR CLIENTS?
DEFINE: Define your non-negotiables in terms of your health and wellness. Let the people in your life know what these are and ask that they respect them. It might be that you need 2 nights a week to go to gym, or that you want to start watching your nutrition better. Whatever it is, pick it and own it.
MOVE: Set aside 15 – 30minutes a day for movement. Sometimes this may only be a walk at lunch time – but lock it in and do it. Find MOVEMENT you love to do. Love dancing? Then go dancing. Love tennis? Then play tennis. You’ll find you make more time for doing something you enjoy.
BALANCE: Drink the wine, eat the pasta, and catch up with your friends. After the 2020 we’ve all had, you deserve some joy! Lose the guilt and live in the moment. One day isn’t going to undo all of your hard work. There is nothing worse than going out to dinner and feeling guilty before it’s even over. Prepare for these moments by planning them into your week. If you anticipate an event and it’s a part of the overall health plan, then you can enjoy it and when it’s over you can continue your health plan without the guilt.
DO YOU HAVE ANY DAILY RITUALS THAT YOU FOLLOW THAT KEEP YOU HEALTHY, HAPPY AND ON TRACK FOR GOALS?
Angie: I aim to be outside, in the fresh air for at least30minutes a day! Whether that’s in the garden or going for a walk. Sun, salt and sand are our natural medicines. And music!! Music is great for the soul too!
Megs: I like to write everything down. Seeing a plan on paper and ticking things off give you a sense of achievement and keeps you on track.
AS A TRAINER WHAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PET HATES YOU SEE THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD HELP CHANGE?
Angie: When “simple” just isn’t a thing anymore. People get overwhelmed by taking advice from too many different places and doing heaps of complicated things instead of keeping it simple. They get mentally overwhelmed and give up or create an unhealthy spiral of choices.
Megs: When people think that a particular exercise isn’t for them before even trying it. When we’re kids, we are constantly trying new sports. Back then we didn’t expect to be good at it straight away! We learnt the skills and became better. But as we grow up, we become scared – we don’t want to embarrass ourselves and ultimately we have forgotten how to “be brave enough to be bad a something new”.
Both: The beauty of the setup we have at Coach Pilates and The Active Sisters is the environment we have created to encourage women to try new forms of exercise. Nothing has made us happier than seeing women who have been dedicated to only the reformer for years, find the fun and sweat of a TRX and cardio class, or someone who only likes to smash it out at bootcamps find the secret burn of the reformer.
Our ultimate goal is to create an environment where women can be brave and experience different forms of fitness. We want everyone to know that they can find the exercise that is right for them and LOVE movement. Once you find your match, you find your tribe and exercise becomes so much easier. It becomes something you want to do, with people you like to see.
Angie Barth
Owner of The Active Sisters
IG: @theactivesisters
W: activesisters.com
Meg Crampton
Owner of Coach Pilates
IG: @coachpilates_au
W: coachpilates.com.au
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Contact the girls on social media or through their websites: theactivesisters.com | coachpilates.com.au
