Monday, September 28, 2009

The World is Shifting - Can You Feel It?

Have you ever sat down and thought about the impact you make on the world?

Many women say to me that since they turned 50 they took another look at their life and decided to take a new direction, ramp up what they’re doing or change it altogether.  It’s like they experience some kind of rebirth.  Deepak Chopra even talks about it in his book “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind” about the change that happens midlife – and not so much a menopausal change but a total rebirth where women really start to grow into themselves. They find it’s the time for them to realise their greatness. 

A few shifts have happened to me since I turned the big 50 this year. I took the time to totally reassess how I did things and start making more of an active difference to society.

I love what I do by helping women find their style and feel so much better about themselves. I get such a buzz from seeing the look on a clients face move from a lack of belief in how they see themselves to total astonishment when they see the woman they CAN be.  But nothing is more gratifying than hearing that a client feels better, healthier, fitter, more energetic, stronger or younger.  Reason being is because so many people I see from day to day are suffering from chronic fatigue, digestion problems, auto immune deficiencies right through to cancer, heart disease and diabetes. These conditions unfortunately seem to be the kinds of things we seem to accept with the onset of age.

But it doesn’t have to be.
What really makes me hopeful and excited is that I believe I have the perfect vehicle to make them feel so much better and improve their condition and age like the powerful, youthful, inspiring women we all want to be.

I went to a medical seminar (with a difference) a little while ago and the doctor opened up the session with the words ‘the world is shifting – can you feel it?’  The whole room unanimously answered with a resounding 'Yes, absolutely'.   He made it very clear that we most definitely do not have to accept ageing and all that we assume comes with it. Everyone is aware to some point, of the shift that’s going on. Be it economically, healthwise, politically or the way we all think.

Two key ways that I’ve noticed the shift in our thinking is in the world of business and health. The world of business entrepreneurialism is moving more to Social Entrepreneurialism and health is moving from the Medical to the Holistic.

As found in Wikipedia, the definition of a Social Entrepreneur: Social entrepreneurship is the work of a social entrepreneur. A social entrepreneur is someone who recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create, and manage a venture to make social change. Whereas a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a social entrepreneur assesses success in terms of the impact s/he has on society as well as in profit and return. While social entrepreneurs often work through nonprofits and citizen groups, many are now working in the private and governmental sectors and making a real impact on society.”

Now, a new breed of entrepreneur is growing in profile—the for-profit social entrepreneur. This is a business person who is interested in making-money, the bottom line of every business, but is also concerned with spreading good in the world.

I googled 'Social Entrepreneurship' and one of many, Filipe Santos has written his take on the subject. He has published an INSEAD working paper called “A Positive Theory of Social Entrepreneurship.” He also directs the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Program (ISEP)


Social entrepreneurs see a problem that they feel compelled to resolve, show the world a solution, and start implementing it,” says Santos. “They deploy it through entrepreneurial action and get others engaged and interested in helping – unlike social activists who may use force and political pressure to achieve their goals.”

“Social entrepreneurs are motivated by value creation, by the social impact of what they are doing,” says Santos. “They are happy to see this value spill over to the whole of society.”


Have you ever looked at an opportunity that would allow you to make a real impact on society? If not, would you be open minded to simply take a look?

If this is not for you, that’s OK, I totally understand. Maybe you’re already a Social Entrepreneur. But let me ask you this. Have you ever considered a business where you knew you were doing great things for humanity and contributing toward making a change? What if you knew you could do incredible things for people with the conditions I mentioned above, improve their quality of life, do the charity work you might have dreamed of doing but never had the extra money or the time. Would you like to help children who will never know a life of plenty, make a significant impact on people’s health both physically and financially all while earning an income at the same time and making that social change.

The company that’s doing that is the one I’m proud to say I work with - Usana Health Sciences. We are not a company of hype nor empty promises. We are quietly making a dramatic change and contributing to the shift.

If this even sparks your curiosity then I’d like to invite you to a one off business seminar at the Brisbane Hilton Hotel on Monday evening the 12th October commencing at 6.30 for a 7.00pm start. It will only cost $20. A doctor and scientist from the US, a Naturopath from Sydney and a Social Entrepreneur will explain in detail exactly what kind of company Usana is, the impact it’s making on disease prevention, what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and why their product has been ranked number one in the world. Why not come, listen and make your own judgement?

Bookings will however be absolutely essential, so make sure you contact me if you’d like to come along.

"The World is Shifting - Can You Feel It?"

Anne Noonan
http://www.resetreshaperestyle.com/
http://www.annemike.usana.com/
Ph: 0417 761 998
Email:  annen@tpg.com.au

Sunday, September 27, 2009

More secrets to losing belly fat - and it's not what you think!

I've been on my personal 'losing belly fat' journey and finally I can see it's starting to work WITHOUT dieting - but watching what I do eat and being careful about one particular food - sugar.  Sugar and all it's various forms is the main culprit with the weight that accumulates around the middle.


I've reduced my middle so far since starting this blog by about 2 inches.   Have a way to go yet, so I'm hoping to give more and more postive reports with each post.   
Here's some of the habits I'm finding I'm being quite successful in changing.

  1. My love of chocolate!   I'm still a choccy nut, so if I'm really feeling like that 'full bar of choc' I'll go for my Usana Choc fusion bar - OR - have a square or two of a good quality dark chocolate.  It has a much lower level of sugar without the super sweet taste instead of the milky sugary confectionary style of chocolate.
  2. When out socially, I would always go for a brownie or a muffin or something snacky with a friend when meeting for coffee.   Now this might be hard to start with, but if you're a coffee lover, go the full fat way and it'll fill you enough to know that you don't need the muffin.   AND... if you're a savoury lover and having the odd champagne at a networking event, don't go for the deep fried or chip like savouries - they're a killer.    Not this time because of sugar, but because of trans fats.
  3. Don't overdo the fruit.    That was one of hardest things to change for me.    I love all forms of melon, oranges, anything juicy, anything sweet and of course - it's fruit isn't it?   Surely I'm fine filling up on fruit and loads of it???    Not necessarily.    It's been said in health reports that fruit is really nature's candy.   Don't overdo the fruit and it's never a good idea to eat fruit WITH your meal.    If you must have it, have a very small portion away from meals.    I now stick to one piece of my favourite a day.    This '5 servings of fruit and vege a day' has to be taken very carefully.
  4. I found new snacks.    I need to snack and I have a bad habit of often going to the fridge as I work from home so I used to pick lots of dried fruit like prunes, dates, dried apple etc.   But did you know they're loaded with sugar?    Dates particularly have a very high GI.  Now I stick to protein if I can.   Have some boiled eggs in the fridge, pieces of chicken, a soft creamy cheese - protein and fat are far better to snack on.   Why? because you only need a very small portion to feel full.
  5. I don't buy low fat anything - I've taken out all the skim milk, low fat yoghurts, low fat cookies as they usually contain a fair level of sugar.   (a little more of this is below)
  6. I make sure I take a lot of essential fats - fish oil, coconut oil and good old fashioned full butter.    AND... I've stopped cooking in olive oil - it's very unstable at high temperatures.  I know cook in ghee or lard - far healthier and very stable at high heat.
Here's just a few more secrets that I've adopted and have found it's working. 

Forget low calorie and low fat shopping. The low fat/low calorie way of eating is still being taught by lots of diet aficionados out there and it is slowly being proven that it just doesn’t work. We think we need to eat ‘low fat’ because naturally anything that’s full fat has to be fattening. That’s one of the biggest myths out there. When you understand good quality essential fat as opposed to the wrong kinds of dangerous fats you’ll know why low fat isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

But won't I get fat if I eat fat?
The body must have good fats i.e. omega 3s.  We already overconsume omega 6, so you’ll find that good fats in the form of fish and marine oils, olive oils, avocado, leafy greens, lard, ghee, duck and goose fats etc that are all found in the Mediterranean and French way of eating are the way to consume fat. Bad fats are the transfats found in foods like margerines, pies, pastries, cookies, processed foods, deep fried foods, takeaways etc. This is the kind of fat that will put the weight on, not the good quality fats.

Low fat often means added sugar. So watch your food labels. Sugar is the killer so when a food is labeled ‘low calorie’, just see how they work that out. Is it a low calorie fat content with a high sugar content? If so, put it back. Coke and all soft drinks are low fat but as we well know they’re loaded with sugar and therefore considered to be full of ‘empty calories’ i.e. calories that have no nutritional content whatsoever.

Why not go for low calorie? Let me explain the best way I know how what I’ve discovered about low calorie. I did that for years and I hated the ‘hungry’ feeling. You must never allow yourself the hungry feeling. Our body needs a certain amount of calories to operate – let’s say the average man or women needs 2000 calories a day i.e. nutrient rich not empty calories.

Let’s say, like I did, in order to get the weight off we drop to 1500 calories per day when the body is used to 2000 calories per day by choosing differently or cutting things out. If you would normally consume 500 extra calories of alcohol or sugar, and by cutting out your chocolate a day or a few beers a day habit, then it’ll work. But what if you aren’t a drinker or a consumer of a lot of sugar, and you feel you eat well but still want to drop calories?   So many of my clients say they think they eat very healthy, don't have a sweet tooth, but can't understand why they're only putting more weight on.

For a few days you’ll notice you might lose weight and things are looking positive. But what happens then is – it stops and you find the body won’t lose any more weight. The cells of your body all have a brain and are very smart and know exactly what’s going on. What’s happening is, your body has gone into ‘starvation/storage’ mode. It thinks, ‘hello, we’re in food shortage mode, looks like we’d better start storing’. And what happens – you don’t lose weight at all, in fact after a low calorie diet, most people put all the weight back on, and more.

Many dieters think they need to drop calories and go nuts with exercise. That’s a dangerous thing to do to your body - IF, it's not used to a full on exercise program.  A prime example is watching shows like ‘The Biggest Loser’. Those poor guys have their calories greatly reduced and are put in a ‘killer exercise’ pressure cooker environment. What happens almost 90% of the time is, they go home and put the weight straight back on. That method of weightloss overstresses the body and can lead to some chronic health problems.

You can’t just do one or the other – you have to do both.
Statistics prove that most people would prefer to diet as exercise isn’t everyone’s favourite choice. But to lose belly fat, you do need an enjoyable, doable combination of both. You can’t exercise like a mad thing and keep up your bad habits.  One really will cancel the other out. And you can’t ‘diet’ and forget about doing some core exercises, some resistance training or cardio work. Your body absolutely craves movement, so developing a combined routine of careful selected eating that keeps you full and satisfied – not dieting – and good quality exercise will get that belly fat off.

Why should we not ‘diet’.
Too many diets are actually damaging to the body and can rob it of essential nutrients and fats. Think about the cabbage diet, the soup diet, the all fruit diet and any of these other crazy ways of eating. What damage is being done eventually shows up in all sorts of health problems. When we suddenly change the body’s way of eating and rob it of too many nutrients, we think we’re improving it, but in fact can be creating a health risk and a serious one.

Fat that is accumulated around the middle over a long period of time, cannot be dropped off quickly. It takes time, dedication, concentration and a sensible approach.

More on diet secrets and exercises in a future post.

Anne Noonan

Style and Wellness Coach

www.Resetreshaperestyle.com

Email: annen@tpg.com.au

Ph: 0417 761 998

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

They don't call it 'Gut Instinct' for nothing

Our Immune System is a miraculous operating system. It protects us at the mental, emotional and physical level.    But it begins in our Gut.    Right in the deep centre, the heart of our body, lies our Alimentary Canal - our Digestive System.   It begins in our mouth and we sit on the end of it!   Emotions, illness and disease almost always centres in there.


It’s been proven that toxins in the gut can even affect brain function.

We simply do not live in a clean, toxin free society. So it’s not an accident that we get cancer or any other autoimmune condition.

It’s not the ‘seed’ but the ‘soil’.

The reason a plant won't grow, wilts or dies is not the plants fault. It’s the environment it’s been planted in. It’s not the bug we catch, it’s the body – the environment that a germ lands in will either allow that germ to grow and thrive or die. It’s the choices we make and the environment we create wholly and solely that will determine whether we live well or with illness.

So where do the ‘toxins’ that upset our digestive system come from? All gut problems can be tracked back to chronic stress, alcohol and smoking, prescription drugs, lack of fibre, no exercise, poor food choices and too much sugar.

Auto immune means an overactivity of the immune system where the body literally starts attacking itself and stems from digestive problems. Conditions like Lupus, Fibromyalgia, MS, Coeliac, Psoriasis, Thyroid and Scleroderma are an example.

As we constantly ingest food, we have a digestive system that’s forever saying ‘how do I deal with this and what do I do with that?’

Our digestive system works really hard.


It starts with chewing, which is the beginning of the breakdown process. If we don’t chew thoroughly enough it means we’ll ingest food particles that are too big.  The body recognises them as foreign substances, and so allergies begin. White sugar suppresses the immune system and migraines have been treated by bowel cleansing. There have been recorded instances where doctors have found substances up to 20 years old locked in a bowel.

Not overdoing drinking while eating is also very important. The saliva is more important for the breakdown process than fluid like water or juice because of the enzymes our saliva produces. If you must drink, have it before you eat. Whole foods are harder to eat and therefore take longer and require more active chewing. Better for us.

The digestive system is the absolute foundation of health – it’s the starting point.

No good digestion means no good health. So if the digestion is treated first, just about everything clears up. Naturopaths treat acne, psoriasis, eczema and many skin disorders from a digestion point of view.

There is no reason for us to believe that we decline as we get older. Stress creates havoc as we age especially with the digestive system. Stress keeps our body in the ‘flight or fight’ response state. Naturally when we’re in that state, blood automatically goes to our arms and legs in order to let us fight if we need to. It flows away from our alimentary canal. That’s OK if we are running from a danger. But too many of us live in a 24/7 stressed state, which means if blood is not flowing around our digestive system it’s simply not operating efficiently. Blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients – with no blood flow, the digestive tract is in trouble.

If you have nausea after certain foods or after taking supplements – it’s not the food or the supplements that are doing it. You’d need to take a look at your digestion.

So how can we take control of what’s happening in our gut? For a start, we can educate ourselves. And one of the best seminars on this topic is happening in October in Brisbane. Dr Wood, Research and Development Scientist from one of the world’s leading Nutritional Medicine Companies will be in Brisbane for one night only. This seminar is a MUST SEE!

At this one night only seminar, you'll learn how to take total control of your health.   Dr Wood will blow the lid off a lot of nutrition myths and prove that we can take charge of just how fast we'll age and how we'll age.  Being youthful, strong and vibrant all our life is simpler than we think.

When: Monday evening, 12th October, 6.30 pm for a 7.00pm sharp start

Where: Brisbane Hilton Hotel, 5th floor ballroom

Booking: Call Anne 0417 761 998 or email: annen@tpg.com.au or for more information.

Cost: $20 per ticket – BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

3 Diet and Nutrition Secrets that WILL eliminate belly fat!

Let’s start with what won’t get rid of it!


Every trainer out there will tell you just can’t simply do loads and loads of stomach crunches and expect to get a lovely flat set of abs. I think we all know that – so let’s just get that out of the way. If you carry a lot of fat across the belly area, don’t do much else in the way of exercise and aren’t conscious of your diet, you’ll find you’re up for an uphill battle. Alternatively, most of us hate exercise. You absolutely can’t ‘diet’ belly fat away. There has to be a few more secrets involved.

Secret number 1

You have to want it. I thought I wanted a flat stomach. I changed my eating habits, I exercised more, I got the weight off. But it’s still taken me a while to get the toned flat look I want. Why? My coach looked me in the eye and said ‘well do you want it badly enough?’ That threw me!

If I want it badly enough I need to be conscious of just how many extra red wines I throw in during the week, how much extra chocolate and how many splurges I allow myself when meeting up with friends. It’s called ‘eating amnesia’. How many times I have “just a small choccy rumball” with my coffee, how many mornings I choose to sleep in and rest rather than get up and go for my morning walk or jog and just how long I choose to sit at the computer rather than give myself an hour of some other kind of exercise or stretches all figure toward ‘how much I want it’.

It takes discipline and a true desire – just like anything else that’s worth pursuing.

Secret number 2


Find out what kind of eater you are and stick to it. What does this mean? There are three kinds of eaters – the Protein Type, the Mixed Type and Carb Type. Think about how you feel after a meal. What kind of meal gives you that complete sense of relaxed satisfaction (not stuffed or overly full). Then an hour or so after that meal you still feel good i.e. you’re focused, you’re relaxed, you’re not thinking about eating again, you’re not agitated or fidgety and looking for a sugar fix. We all respond differently after certain styles of eating. Here’s a brief summary of each:

The Protein Type – is a true carnivore. Feels great after a meat dinner, with good quality fats, lesser carbs, light on the fruit, not heavy on starches or pasta and rice, just feels great after good quality fat and protein. They usually have big appetites and enjoys meat, fish, avocado, chicken, eggs, full cream dairy choices, salty tastes rather than sweet. These people love their food and look forward to the next meal and put great thought into the week’s menu.

The Carb Type – loves their steam veges, salads, eats little meat or can be a vegetarian. Likes like grilled fish. The carb type sometimes forgets to eat, can be so busy that they realize at the end of the day they’ve not eaten, and then won’t need a lot to satisfy them. Food doesn’t rule them, can sometimes be fussy eaters and will often forget breakfast. Often prefers rices, legumes and tofu.

The Mixed Type – these guys fall somewhere in between. Will eat small amounts of meat, or will usually stick with chicken or fish. Prefered meal might be a giant plate of salad greens with thinly sliced meat tossed on top for a touch of protein. Enjoy their food, but might prefer a fruit choice at lunch rather than sitting down to a meal. Will choose pasta or rice dishes with protein added.

The Protein Type simply can’t adopt the Carb Type of eating. They’d be hungry all the time, agitated, cranky and simply won’t concentrate on the task at hand. Eating like a carb type would also rob them of appropriate vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients that this particular type need. Conversely, the carb type couldn’t adapt to the protein way of eating as it would be too much for their system.

So take note of what kind of eating keeps you happy and fill your diet with the healthy choices in that range. Try and wipe out sugars, starches, trans fats, desserts of all kinds, cookies, cakes, chips etc. They’re the killers in any diet.

Secret Number 3


Slow right down and chew. I’m pretty sure most parents and for that matter, stressed office workers and business owners would be ‘fast eaters’. It’s the hardest habit I have yet to break. You get into the habit of eating quickly, getting the meal out of the way to get on with what needs to be done with the kids, in the home, at work. Most eating times are either on the run, in front of the telly or on your lap.

This is one of the hardest habits to break. If you can’t make all meals a slow sit down exercise, then at least make an effort for most of them to be a slower, calmer experience. Your digestion does not operate effectively when eating quickly or while you’re stressed or moving. Your concentration is on the task and therefore food is not absorbed correctly, you don’t get the benefit of the nutrients and in the end feel dreadful.

Chewing thoroughly until the food is almost liquid is absolutely vital to getting the weight off. The ‘full’ sensation that triggers the brain that the stomach has had enough takes a full 10 to 20 minutes. We can still be wolfing down food thinking we’re not satisfied in less than that and when the trigger mechanism kicks in we realize we’ve overdone the calories. By taking your time and chewing slowly and not getting the next forkful ready to go until the first mouthful is liquified and down not only allows lesser food to be in the stomach in the 10 minute time frame, but the digestion process operates far more effectively and the nutrient content of the food is more effectively absorbed.

I've got so much more information to share with you and I look forward to delivering it in the form of more keys to effective belly fat loss in the next post.   For more information make sure you leave a comment, ask a question or contact me.

Anne Noonan
Style and Wellness Coach
http://www.resetreshaperestyle.com/
PH: 0417 761 998
Email: annen@tpg.com.au

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Increased fibre intake decreases weight and body fat among women

When asked what kind of food do you think keeps you fuller for longer, most people would say fat or possibly protein. But it’s actually fibre. It’s slow to digest thereby keeping us feeling satiated for longer. Fibre is a healthy mix of carbs and fat while at the same time cleans out the bowel.   But beware - we're not talking about going to the supermarket and stocking up on 'fibre rich' cereals.   Read on, to see what we mean.


A recent study among 252 women followed over 20 months investigated the impact of different types and amounts of fibre on body weight and body fat.

Across the 20 month time frame, almost 50% of the women gained weight and body fat. Among the women who did not gain weight, each gram of dietary fibre consumed on top of their usual intake contributed to a 0.25kg decrease in body weight and 0.25% decrease in body fat. Different types of fibre appeared to contribute to the changes in body weight and body fat, most likely due to the fact that eating high fibre foods helps reduce the amount of energy (kilojoules) people eat over time.

It didn’t matter whether the women were active or how much dietary fat they ate – the effect of fibre on reducing weight and body fat was the same. But please don’t take this as meaning exercise is now no longer necessary, ‘I’ll just eat fibre’. Exercise is vital as it helps the fibre do its job way better.   If there's one thing the body is not designed for, that's movement.   The body must move.   With exercise the digestion process is kept moving efficiently and so if you want to drop kilos and lose the belly fat, it's essential that the body eliminates waste effectively.   This means, fibre and plenty of water is essential to keep flushing the system of toxins.   If you can have a good healthy bowel movement twice a day, you're on track.    Much less than this, and I'd suggest you go and find out why, OR increase your fibre intake.

So my message is - Adding good quality fibre like wholegrain foods, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts can boost your daily fibre intake, which may in turn help keep your weight in check. Think twice about buying all bran cereals that promote lots of fibre – that’s definitely not considered good fibre. Bran husks have absolutely no nutritional value about them at all.   Good quality fibre that is mainly fruit and vegetable derived, is well known to keep you full and satisfied for longer than any other kind of food. It in turn prevents us from heading toward the fridge to fill up on sugars or carbs while holding the hunger pangs at bay.

Source: Journal of Nutrition, March 2009

Sunday, September 13, 2009

So what’s belly fat got to do with health?

Someone said to me once, ‘oh it’s middle age, that’s what happens when you turn 40. Why else do they call it ‘middle aged spread?’’ So I thought, it was normal to start spreading and bloating as I got older but I hated it. I felt uncomfortable, I looked awful in clothes, I had little energy and I’d get seriously puffed as I walked up stairs.

And yet, I knew plenty of people my age and older who looked great. They were fit, strong and very young looking. I thought they were freaks, it can’t be normal to look like that when you’re 50 – surely they must starve themselves and work like crazy to keep that shape. Surely they must be impossible to live with, they can’t possibly enjoy going to a restaurant, they mustn’t enjoy life! That sure wasn’t for me!! I still wanted to eat, drink and do as little exercise as I was currently doing.


Until…..

I was watching Oprah one afternoon, as you do… And Dr Mehmet Oz was the guest. He just happened to be talking about middle age spread and belly fat and actually said ‘if a woman’s waistline is over 90cms, then it has the same affect on her as if she had breast cancer.’ Well Oprah said the same as me ‘WHAAAAT?” The audience collectively dropped their jaws on the ground and you could almost see all of them frantically feeling their waist and wishing they had a tape measure.


I didn’t even have to go and find a tape measure as I just knew my waist measurement would be in the danger zone – and it was! I knew it was time to do something about it.

Killer Fat!

I’ve always had a big bust and seem to carry my weight around the bust, under the arms around the back and on the abdomen. I’ve got slim arms and legs and a narrow hip, so I guess you can call me an apple shape. And so, I just slotted myself into the ‘apple’ category. You know how all the TV shows say we’re either an apple or a pear or an inverted triangle or an hourglass or whatever. I’m a stylist, I’ve been telling women that for years and saying ‘Oh, I’m an apple shape, this is the clothing drama I have..”
Well girls, it appears an “apple”(or a well rounded one) is not necessarily normal or healthy – here’s why!


I feel I’ve always looked ‘hefty’ and I blamed my bustiness for the reason why I always had trouble with clothes. But as time has gone on, my thickening waist became a worry. Never more so than when I went for an insurance policy standard medical and heard the doctor say, “I’m not worried about your weight, it’s your waist measurement that’s of concern. You do realize that’s the killer fat area don’t you?”

Ah, no – I didn’t – better tell me!!!

Many physicians will tell you that the weight that is accumulated around the hips and thighs is dramatically different both physically and metabolically to that which accumulates around the mid section – and that applies for both men and women.

Back in our early primitive days, weight that accumulated around the thigh and hip was primarily used as storage e.g. in times of starvation, lack or pregnancy – even though today, with today’s overabundance of food, we wouldn’t look at it that way, but it’s considered normal to carry fat in that area. However, fat that is slowly accumulated around the middle section is not made up of increased number of fat cells but actually increased size of the cells. And this is what’s dangerous. They get bigger and bigger and lead to insulin resistance, high blood pressure and eventually can lead to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. When I was young, those diseases really didn’t mean anything to me. I’ve now seen exactly what heart disease, diabetes and stroke actually look like. It’s not where I want to be, so I had to do something

So how does it get there when you think you've done nothing different?


Like a lot of women I was a size 10 most of my life, even after two kids I seemed to bounce back. It wasn’t until I hit my late thirties and crept into my forties that I noticed I wasn’t changing my lifestyle habits but weight still crept right round the middle (apple) section.

I’d head off to work with toast and coffee, be starving by 10am, go for another coffee and a couple of cookies to see me through til lunch. Lunch usually consisted of something with bread or chips, would be sleepy by 3pm, looking for a chocolate bar and another coffee to give me a boost of energy, and by the time I got home I was famished.

I found myself starving by the time I got home, hooked into a champagne or two while cooking dinner and a nibble on some nuts, chips or olives to stave the hunger while dinner was being prepared, which usually consisted of a lot of pasta, rice or potatoes and fried meats. No vitamins, no essential fatty acids, way too many carbs and loads of sugar. For some strange reason I was often cranky, incredibly sleepy by 8.30 and rarely went for a walk or did exercise. I thought, well I run about in the office, go up and down stairs a lot and deal with stress all day – isn’t that enough exercise? No wonder I’m tired.

What was happening was I spiraling toward insulin resistance, diabetes type 2, my blood pressure was rising, my sleep was broken, I woke up tired every morning and did exactly the same thing day after day. Hence, the middle was bloating out, my skin was also puffed and unhealthy looking, my hair was dry, my nails brittle, my temper short and hormones started to fly all over the place.

My ‘insurance’ doctor warned me that if I didn’t do something pretty toot smart that I’d be looking down the barrel of full blown diabetes as I was already showing signs of glucose intolerance, was in full blown metabolic syndrome and would have a life sentence on me if I didn’t get my act together. My husband was in a worse state and he knew it which was why he was avoiding going to see the doctor. He used to fall asleep at the dinner table and in front of the computer and was morbidly obese. Not a healthy pair at all! (In fact I’ve loaded up photographs of us on my website, you can actually see the growing ‘apple’s in both of us). http://www.resetreshaperestyle.com/

So we decided to do something about it. We got the weight off, and that process will be discussed in a future blog entry – BUT … I still now need to tighten the last of the belly roll. Just because I started getting fitter and started dropping the weight doesn’t mean I totally managed to completely get that belly down, tone up and create the shape I want. That’s the final step – to make sure the tape measure really does show the right number at the end of this journey.


So join me in future posts when I’ll talk about the process. What do we eat, how do we eat it and how do we change our exercise routine. It’s not all that you think either!!

See you in the next post

Anne Noonan
Style and Wellness Coach
Ph: 0417 761 998
http://www.resetreshaperestyle.com/
www.annemike.usana.com

Email: annen@tpg.com.au

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Secrets to Losing Belly Fat - how it got there and how to get rid of it and keep it off!

This is the first of a series of blog entries that will concentrate on belly fat and how to lose it.   This is an area I personally have been working on for quite a while.   I've dropped over 12 kgs in weight, which I'm really pleased about (as I HAD to) and I can share some of those tips with you - but now my personal issue is firming up around the middle and losing the last little roll of annoying fat.

It's a really important subject for me because as I work as a Style and Wellness Coach, I need to be able to show my wonderful 50+ aged clientele that they not only can learn how to put a great wardrobe together but I can show them how to wear it with pride and feel confident they really do look great.    A 40, 50 or 60+ woman really can be fit, strong, youthful and attractive.

Why?   Because everyone wants to be employable, noticed, remembered, memorable, inspiring, attractive, empowered and empowering.

So fellas, I'm talking to you here too!

But first, my acknowledgements.

I'm working closely with my coach, Dr Rhonda Anderson of http://www.fitandwell.com.au/.    She has qualifications as long as her arm, has inspired me to be the best I can and so I'll share some of my knowledge and learnings from her.    She's open to queries should you wish to talk to her about personal fitness coaching.   I'll also share with you some of the material I'm learning through my qualification as a Nutritionist, the Naturopaths and Clinical Nutritionists I currently work with as an associate for Usana Health Sciences and the many books from doctors I've learned so much from over the last number of years namely Dr Ray Strand, Dr Myron Wentz, Dr Ross Walker, Dr Mehmet Oz, Drs Monica and Gerald Lewis, Dr Mercola, Dr Bruce Lipton, Dr Al Sears and Dr Joe Vitale, to name a few.   As you'll see - these doctors are a wonderful mix of medical, alternative health and spiritual.

Much of it is my own experience and information I've gathered as I'm a voracious reader and question asker but I must acknowledge my own coaches and mentors.   I'm more than happy to direct you to certain books or personal doctors and Naturopaths right here in Brisbane who have helped me along my way as I have them to thank for a lot of new knowledge and improved health.

I am no doctor or specialist but I am over 50!   Saying that, I've battled my own weight issues, health issues, menopause issues, done my homework, worked hard and feel that considering how I felt 10 years ago - I know for sure in my 50s I'm heading toward being stronger, fitter, slimmer, healthier, more youthful, more successful, more dynamic and more focussed and a damn sight hotter than I was ten years ago too!!

And if you think I'm going to tell you I went on a strict diet or employed a young, ripped 'bootcamp' style trainer and spent hours in the gym, you can relax.    That's not what you'll hear.   I hate exercise and have always hated diets but I did have to develop a few new habits and I feel so much better for it.  So over this course of blog entries, that's what I'll share with you.   I'll give you the honest good, bad and ugly.

So join me in the 'get the belly fat off' journey as I share with you all that I've learned and hopefully along the way I can report a gradually decreasing waistline.   This series will be broken up into sections like:

  • What's belly fat, how does it build up and why is it dangerous
  • What won't get rid of it
  • Diet and nutrition secrets that are easy to do and NO you won't be doing 'on' a diet
  • Why diets don't work anyway
  • Hormonal issues that can send the belly fat skyward
  • Key essential vitamins and minerals that are crucial to eliminating the 'side effects' of belly fat
  • Why how we eat can save our life
  • Food habits and emotions
  • What to eat, when to eat and how do I fit it into a busy schedule?
  • Do you need the help of a guided program?
  • Exercises that you can do in your own loungeroom that will eliminate belly fat
  • Mixing it up and making it fun
  • Maintenance of that fabulous new waistline
  • How to dress the new body and choose your perfect wardrobe
  • Meditation - yes it can help get rid of belly fat
  • Don't give up - it's not all too hard!!
  • A few recipes you'll love
and anything else I think of that I feel you should know will be popped in.    And make sure you comment and give me feedback as to what else you'd like or need to know.    I'll source the answer and let you know.


So let's get on with it - it's going to be kept real.    Remember this isn't coming from the mouth of a doctor or specialist, it's from a woman who's been through it all and actually still going through it.   

Am planning a few workshops coming up so email me any time if you want to be invited.

Anne Noonan
Personal Style and Wellness Coach
Email: annen@tpg.com.au
Web:  http://www.resetreshaperestyle.com/

Sunday, September 6, 2009

There’s a critical nutrient that declines as we age. In order to keep a young looking skin and delay aging, we can’t live without it….

One of the key processes of aging is free radical production. We have free radicals living inside each one of us and depending on our lifestyle choices, they can cause potential damage to our tissues and DNA.

If there’s one thing that affects us all, it’s dealing with the aging process and I for one would like to limit free radical production particularly now that I’m officially in my 50’s. When left to run wild, free radical activity can cause diseases and illness that lead to us living too short and dying too long.

One nutrient that scientists have recently discovered that can boost a long healthy life and keep us looking young is CoQ10. Now if you’re below 30, it’s not so much a problem because the body produces it. But as we age it’s reduced production becomes a problem. Naturally I believe in a good, healthy wholefood diet. But there’s no amount of antioxidant laden foods that are going to give the 40 or 50+ body, the amount of CoQ10 it needs while this crucial nutrient is naturally slowly diminishing.

The reason our aging bodies find it harder to produce natural CoQ10 is due to such factors as;

* Increased metabolic demand – we simply demand more from our bodies that doesn’t come as easily as when we’re in our twenties.
* Oxidative stress, which leads to inflammation and subsequently disease
* We don’t take enough of it in through foods
* The effects from disease and illness diminish it further

The kinds of affects we notice when we keep up our CoQ10 nutrients are things like:

* Improved energy and heart health
* Immune system protection
* Increased alertness and focus
* Supports a healthy nervous system
* Youthful appearance through vital skin

i.e. all the things we want to keep thriving while we age.

But here’s another key reason why CoQ10 is vital – Statin Drug intake


Are you or someone you know taking a Statin Drug like Lipitor? The medical profession these days seem to be very quick in diagnosing false high cholesterol levels. Some of the more well known holistic doctors believe over 90% of people placed on statin drugs should not have been. Cholesterol levels can be kept healthy through lifestyle and dietary choices and the side effects from Statin Drugs can be frightening.

But there’s one more reason why CoQ10 is proving very popular –
Younger Looking Skin

The addition of CoQ10 as an ingredient in Beauty Products is really elevating the beauty industry to new heights. Because it’s a vital nutrient that treats the skin from the inside you’re actually getting that affect of real improvement to the quality of the skin not just an our masklike treatment. I actually found a company that sells a foundation with added CoQ10.

It’s a highly potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, which makes it a relatively new discovery for the beauty industry even though the health industry has known about it for years. CoQ10 is one of the best researched of all the anti-inflammatory vitamins. So it protects heart, brain and kidneys particularly. The reason it’s so incredible for the skin is because it is particularly effective with tissue repair and the uptake of oxygen in the blood to the cell. Naturally oxygenated blood is vital in the repair of any kind of tissue.

Check out the ingredients in the skincare you use right now! Do you know if what you’re using addresses the free radical damage of your skin and the antioxidant requirement of the cell. Does it contain antioxidants and phytonutrients?

CoQ10 is naturally found in beef, spinach, sardines, tuna and peanuts. Naturally not the kinds of foods we would eat loads of in order to get appropriate amounts, so a quality supplement is extremely important.

Naturally eating well, drinking loads of water, good quality sleep and exercise are the key elements to a young looking skin. I’ve found the other key elements are a quality skincare routine with a product line that is loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients is vital as well as taking the right omega 3’s, vitamins and nutrients on the inside. This combination of skin health from the inside out – is an absolute winner!


But not just any CoQ10 supplements will do.
Don’t compromise your health by grabbing anything on special from the local pharmacy. Why not choose a supplement that has been proven

* Bioavailable
* Potency Guaranteed
* Follows Strict Good Manufacturing Processes (GMPs)
* Received multiple awards for quality
* Belongs to the worlds most recognized company for nutritional health
* Has science at it’s core
* Is medically proven and journaled in reputable medical journals.

Usana’s Coenzyme Q10 – otherwise known as Coquinone is now available by simply contacting Anne on annen@tpg.com.au, or go to our website at www.annemike.usana.com or call any time for more info on 0417 761 998
Combine this with a nutritional program for the skin from the worlds’ most accoladed nutrition company and you have one of the most superior formulas on the planet today for a youthful skin and vital health.