Category: HEALTH & FITNESS

Benefits of regular exercise for people with anxiety

Exercise weights

Exercise has a lot of benefits including fighting illnesses and enhancing physical condition, which is why many physicians encourage people to engage in physical activities to reduce the risk of certain diseases, and to control weight. In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, it is also considered vital for improving concentration and cognitive function, as well as managing anxiety. When you exercise, your body release endorphins, which reduces your perception of pain, and act as mood elevators. Let’s take a look at the benefits of regular exercise for reducing symptoms of anxiety. Improves mood Endorphins are “feel-good” chemicals that can relieve pain and stress. When it is released during exercise, it works like opioids in that it produces a feeling of euphoria typically experienced by people who use opioids after sudden injuries or surgery. Endorphins also help relax the mind, lift your spirits, enhance your overall feeling of wellbeing, and regulate your mood. Additionally, exercise helps reduce the production of the body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which elevate your blood pressure, increase heart rate, and lead to symptoms associated with the fight or flight response. Helps release physical tension Any form of exercise, from yoga to aerobics, does your body good. Even a daily walk in the park can release physical tightness and tension throughout the body – physical symptoms commonly experienced by people with anxiety. When you feel anxious, it’s likely that you are also harboring extra energy that can fuel your anxious thoughts – running a few miles or… Read More

Fat burners before Mardi Gras? Bulk Nutrients explains how to drop that last little layer

Elevated view of a young man bench-pressing barbell in the gym

When you’re living in as sun-soaked a city as Sydney, if you identify as LGBTIQ or their friends, or you plan on going to the gay party to end all gay parties, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras after party, then showing skin almost feels like a prerequisite. Of course, it’s not; but you’d be kidding yourself if you thought you’d go without gawking at a few finely tuned torsos and their hangers-on as your prowl the grounds of Hordern Pavillion in the dead of night. The good thing about the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is, though, that regardless of who you are, what you look like and what you like to do with who, you’re welcome; and if keeping up with the Joneses if your thing, then we’ve done some of the hard work for you. Bulk Nutrients are Australia’s own, and the people to go to for your protein and health nutrition and supplements and this Mardi Gras, we’re talking all thing fat burners and protein to aid you in your quest to shred that last little layer of love to look at your optimum prime. We spoke to Brodie West, marketing manager and pro-LGBTIQ-er himself about bods, burners and how to do both, best. When it comes to the big Mardi Gras after party night, there’s a lot of perceived pressure to look good, but as Brodie says, it’s not all about what you look like. “I think there is an element of perceived pressure to look good for Mardi Gras,… Read More

Suggestions for living a healthier lifestyle

Woman fitness back muscles

Managing your health is one of those things that we all know that we should give our full undivided attention, but the general fuss of our daily lives can get in the way. This can be the case regardless of where you currently fall on the spectrum of fitness, and one of the difficult things to remember is that a serious illness that requires treatment like Icon chemotherapy treatment could be waiting just around the corner. So, with that in mind, we are going to take a look at some of the ways you can improve your general health so that you are in better shape no matter what is around the corner. Exercise Any conversation about health should have a section dedicated to maintaining a regular exercise schedule. However, it is important to start off by noting that when we say exercise that is not to suggest that you should be hitting the gym every few hours to bulk up like Hulk Hogan or an MMA fighter. No, what we mean by exercise is to meet the at least the minimum requirements as directed by medical science. So what exactly is that? Well the Mayo clinic advises that we reach a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week with three days of strength training as well. That is far more attainable than you might first think, it effectively requires you to do just over one hour of activity on three days of the week. Photo by stevepb from Pixabay One of… Read More

Wellness centre Shelter in Double Bay Sydney “feels like a spa, works like a gym”

Shelter yoga sauna studio spa 1

Sydney’s hottest new wellness centre aims to combine the elements of a health club, gym, and spa, to create a unique wellness experience. The hybrid model is the brainchild of Ben Mills, and offers spin classes, both traditional and infrared saunas, ice baths, and an in-house smoothie bar. However, the space certainly doesn’t resemble a traditional gym. Mills worked with architect Anna Trefely to restore the 1920s building; the minimalistic colour palette of whites, pastels, and neutrals, work alongside the wood fire heater, warm timber, and courtyard to create an open space where one wants to stay and relax long after the workout is over. Entitled RIDE, the spin classes are upbeat, high-intensity 45-minute sessions sure to delight the senses, set to the beat of the music. RIDE provides a solid workout whilst retaining the fun of exercise, and leaves you feeling energised and refreshed (albeit sweaty). The smoothie bar features an array of alkalising vegan friendly smoothies named after various botanicals or Australian locations, such as the Desert Rose smoothie which counts blueberries, beetroot powder, banana, macadamia, and almond milk among its ingredients. Ditching the traditional membership format, Shelter offers single sessions or packs of 5-50 RIDE classes, with the option to add infrared sauna or ice bath visits to the mix. Though definitively an upmarket experience with passes starting at $35 per class, Shelter is also an inviting space which aims to create a “community by connecting people”. Check Shelter out at their website.

A chat with Fitbit ambassador Drew Harrisberg on getting ready for summer

Drew Harrisberg Fitbit beach

Spring is here and summer isn’t far behind and if you’re living in Australia, you know the pressure is on to put down the burgers, pick-up the carrot sticks and start heading outside to exercise more often. You don’t have to, of course, but new tech by the likes of fitness masters, Fitbit and their latest fitness tracker, the Fitbit Versa make it a hell of a lot easier and just more fun. It’s kind of the daywear version of the elite Fitbit Ionic, but using it the right way to help you on your way can always use a tip or two. So, we spoke to Fitbit ambassador Drew Harrisberg who’s all about fitness, the beach and doing the whole ‘keeping fit’ thing and here’s what he had to say. View this post on Instagram Self-inflicted agony aka stair sprints! Sprinting is one of the best ways to break through fat-loss plateaus. It increases the number and function of mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell) which is the site where fuel is burned. It also increases rates of fat metabolism for 24-48 hours after the workout is over. It’s called Excess Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) or ‘The Afterburn’. Basically, the anaerobic metabolites that accumulate during HIIT get metabolized aerobically in the hours and days following the workout. So, if you’re trying to improve your body composition i.e reduce body fat and increase muscle mass, you should really incorporate sprints into your training program. Be prepared for a crazy burn in your legs and lungs…. Read More

Exercise, health and fitness: Bulk Nutrients is changing it all

Bulk Nutrients influencer

When you think ‘protein powder’, you think orange men, gigantic drums of whey powder in scary big portions with scary-bad flavours and the gym. If you’re into that; great! If you’re not and exercise for fun instead of a profession, then you’re going to be in the market for something else. This is exactly why Bulk Nutrients is as successful – amongst other reasons – as it is. And it hasn’t even been around that long. Took a tour of the Bulk Nutrients factory in Hobart. Wanted to nick a whole crate ?? #chocolate #bulknutrients #protein #bulknutrients @bulknutrients A post shared by T H E F (@the_f_online) on Jul 24, 2018 at 2:12pm PDT They do whey protein, casein, supplements, recovery supplements and heaps of other stuff for the most diligent of gym-goers, right down to the most casual. And the best bit is, it tastes great. And, when like me, you’ve just dropped a great big whack of weight, thanks to your efforts at F45 and want to give health and nutrition supplements a red hot go, and they offer to fly you to their Tasmanian mothership for a two-day fitness bender to try it all out – you know it’s going to be a good time. Bulk Nutrients is the wholly Australian owned and privately operated baby of Tasmanian local entrepreneur Ben Crowley. He started it back in 2007 as he was living abroad in Japan and found he spent so much time and money shopping online for his protein supplements from the US without… Read More

How to take-on a two-day fitness bender in Hobart with Bulk Nutrients – and survive

James Banham Bulk Nutrients

Sure there’s exercise and fitness, but doing it in Sydney on Bondi Beach, glistening under the southern sun in a balmy 25-degrees is nothing compared to doing it in the freezing cold in Hobart. Or up an even colder mountain. But, when you and a contingent of six other faces and folks in the Aussie fitness industry get on a plane and head south from Sydney to do just that as guests of Tasmanian born-and-raised protein supplement manufacturer Bulk Nutrients, you know you’re in for something quite unique. Bulk Nutrients and its founder, Ben Crowley were keen to show off the best that Tasmania – his home state and the home to his upwards of $27 million business based in Grove just out of Hobart – had to offer. And that they did. With a group of personal trainers, fitness writers, Instagrammers and bloggers in-tow, the Bulk team put themselves and their group through our paces to test the benefits of what Bulk Nutrients protein supplements can do. And after and two day assault on the bod, it seemed pretty unanimous – they work! Here’s what we took-on, what we recovered with and what we personally back. Day one with Bulk Nutrients: Arrive at Hobart airport. It’s cold. Super cold. Like, single digits cold. Coming from Sydney, it’s a shock to the system, but we all survive, order our green teas and coffee at the single cafe in the terminal before piling in to the seven-seater people mover to head to destination number one: Raw Challenge… Read More

Infinite Cycle is the spin class studio you’ve been screaming for in Sydney

Infinite Cycle spin Anna Heinrich

Everyone knows Soul Cycle, right? Let’s just put that out there. But, what you mightn’t know about in the world of spin and definitely need to, is its Australian competition that offers something a little more unique: Infinite Cycle. HQ’d in Waterloo, NSW and branching out all over the place at a rapid pace, Infinite Cycle is the wholly Australian and completely different offering to spin addicts with the same cult vibe we all know and love. For the die-hard, it has what you need; for the adventurous it has what you crave and for the new; well, it’s one helluva challenge lined-up ahead of you. Infinite Cycle takes the concepts that run throughout all spin operations around Sydney and Australia at the likes of Virgin Active Health Clubs and Cycology, and adds something new in the form of completely unstable, core-engaging, Real Ryder bikes that completely offset the centre of gravity and are sure to have you doing Ariana Grande proud with your own physical embodiment of ‘side-to-side’. It’s an insane workout that does the quads, hamstrings, obliques, lats and most of all – and most likely the reason you’re so into it – the glutes (your bum!). Founded by Alan Sacharowitz and Dani Carr, Infinite Cycle brings a healthy dose of innovation to the cardio exercise space. The bikes are exclusive in Australia to Infinite Cycle and offer riders the chance to learn to turn, tilt and lean as they ride as they sync-up with the large scenic screens ahead of them and the pumping tunes around… Read More

Exercise is good for your brain, as well as your body

Gym exercise

For those of us whose busy lives always accommodate a healthy whack of exercise on the daily, it can often be felt long before you’re even told by “experts”. For those who don’t, it doesn’t matter who you ask, but you’ll fast learn that exercise equals mental happiness and clarity, according to clinical psychologist Emma Spencer. We spoke to Emma about all things exercise and just why it’s so good and it turns out, there’s more to it than just going for a run… There’s no denying exercise and its merits have been around for decades, but why is it so big now? Over the last two decades there has been an increase in interest and accessibility of research related not only to exercise, but healthy living itself. Further, the last decade has seen shows such as ‘The Biggest Loser’ gain popularity as well as documentaries related to healthy lifestyle including ‘That Sugar Film’ and ‘Forks Over Knives’. Although these aren’t related to exercise per se, their focus is on making healthy lifestyle choices. People are seeing the value in exercise and experiencing it’s benefits and are making it a priority for themselves. How has exercise helped YOU? Working out at gyms has helped me in managing the stress of being a working mother. Feeling physically fit and healthy also promotes positive self-esteem which has allowed me to make life changing decisions such as starting my own business. The self-confidence it has promoted has allowed me to see my worth and not be held back… Read More