Life and Fitness Magazine Issue 3

AND

MAG

AZIN

E IR

ELAN

D

May 2009

ONLY€2.35/ £2.15

SAYNO toYo-YoDieting

FOODFOR THEBRAINBoost Your IQ &Improve Concentration

WinBoostFootwear

2 - Life and Fitness Magazine - May 2009

simplifying ITIT ConsultingSupportSalesService

I N F O R M A T I O N T E C H N O L O G Y S O L U T I O N S T H A T W O R K F O R Y O U R B U S I N E S S

Irishcomputers provide a complete managed IT Supportsolution, we will provide unlimited IT phone and remote ac-cess support from our Offices in Nenagh and Limerick by ourqualified IT Engineers, Offsite backup of all critical data to ourservers, hardware replacement of any pc or server part, dailypreventative support of all servers and critical systems all forone fixed cost per PC.

A support contract with Irishcomputers will allow businessowners to budget all their IT Costs in one contract.

Call now to arrange a FREE IT Audit and Support Quotation

No Backups No Business

Y o u r C o m p l e t eM a n a g e d I T S o l u t i o n

U n l i m i t e d P h o n eS u p p o r tU n l i m i t e d R e m o t eA c c e s s S u p p o r tO f f s i t e B a c k u p o fa l l c r i t i c a l D a t aH a r d w a r e R e p l a c e -m e n tD a i l y P r e v e n t a t i v eM a i n t e n a n c e

A l l f o r € 2 5 p e r P C p e rm o n t h

N o M i n i m u m c o n t r a c t o rn u m b e r o f p c ’ s .

IRISHCOMPUTERSQuality IT Products & Solutions

Unit 4, Gortlandroe Business Centre, Nenagh Tel: 067-33966 Fax: 076-6022800Mobile: 086-6049262 E-Mail: [email protected] WWW.IRISHCOMPUTERS.IE

Reduce your IT costsImprove your IT support

Editors Note The longer stretch in the evenings now makes outdooractivities all that more appealing. Hopefully we’ll have a niceSummer to enable enjoyable outdoor pursuits. This is often a timewhen gyms memberships fall off.

Be careful! If you have been in the habit of regular exer-cising and a regular routine of attending your local gym, it is veryeasy to slip out of that habit. All the hard work you’ve put in overthe last few months might end up being a waste of time.Leisurely country strolls with friends might seem more appealingthan sweating it out in the gym. Indeed, it is to be encouraged.Remember though, that whatever workout you were doing in thegym, as advised by a professional fitness instructor, was workingvarious parts of your body and ensuring that you got a good over-all workout. Try not to let all that training disappear with the daf-fodils! Keep going to the gym. You’ll probably cut back on thenumber of times you go, but make sure you do go at least once aweek at the very least.

This time of year students are also getting ready for ex-ams. With that in mind we have an interesting article on ‘food forthe brain’ along with some delicious recipes from our ‘Resident’Chef. The importance of sleep is examined also along with fea-tures on fitness, weight loss, weight training, and lots lots morefor you to enjoy. We’d also like to give a big hello to our overseasreaders in Canada, The US, The UK, France and Australia.

Yours in Fitness,

Derry O Donnell & Philip Ryan

Catherine Connors-Bevalot hasbeen studying and practising ho-listic therapies and treatments forten years. She is a Stress Manage-ment Consultant, Time-Manage-ment consultant and HolisticTherapist, Trainer & Teacher. She is based in both Paris,France and Tipperary, Ireland.

Philip Phelan is the Program Di-rector of Litton Lane Training andhe holds a wide range of qualifi-cations and experience. Philipsqualifications include certificatesin fitness instruction, personaltraining, resistance training andcourse tutoring. He also possessesa B. Sc. in physiotherapy (TCD)and a masters in medical science(UCD). He is also the fitness andinjury expert with the VHI health-care website and also acted as thefitness expert on The AfternoonShow in 2007.

Contributors

Life and Fitness Magazine is published monthly by Life and Fitness Magazine Ltd.No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the permission of the publish-er. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Ad-vice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Check with yourGP before trying any remedies. While every effort has been made to ensure that allinformation contained in this publication is factual and correct at time of going topress, Life and Fitness Magazine cannot be held responsible for any inadvertenterrors or omissions contained herein.

Contact Details:Life and Fitness Magazine Ltd.,Curraghgraigue, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary.Tel: 0504-51945Email: [email protected]: www.lifeandfitnessmag.com.

Life and Fitness Magazine - May 2009 - 3

Gillian Hynes is a NCEHS qualfiedpersonal trainer. Over the past sev-eral years she has worked with awide variety of clients to achievetheir fitness goals. In this months is-sue she explains some of the reasonswhy resistance training (in additionto your cardio work) is so vital toachieving your goals and why suchtraining will not make you a muscle-bound Arnie but will help youachieve a lean, toned and healthybody.

Chef Gavan Murphy began his culinaryadventure at Ballymaloe CookerySchool in 1994. In 2000 his journeytook him to Los Angeles, where his in-terest in health and nutrition flourished,naturally merging with his cooking ex-perience. Gavan has worked as a con-sulting chef for a multi-national sportsnutrition company, as well as a person-al chef to the stars, often working inconjunction with celebrity trainers. Hecreated The Healthy Irishman with thehope of educating the public abouthealthy eating

Jim O’Shea works as acounsellor from Furze,Thurles. Ph. 087 8211009www.jimoshea.net .JimO’Shea’s book ‘When achild dies. Footsteps of aGrieving Family’ is publishedby Veritas. The royalties fromthis book will go to theChildren’s Hospital in Crum-lin.

Life and Fitness Magazine now available for digital download

go to www.mymagonline.com

Contents May 2009

Life and Fitness Magazine

4 - Life and Fitness Magazine -May 2009

‘Desire is the key to motivation,but it's determination and commitment to anunrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitmentto excellence -- that will enable you to attain thesuccess you seek.’ - Mario Andretti

p. 10 - Your workout questions answeredp. 12 - Create SMART goals for your fitness programp. 14 - Reality based self defencep. 16 - Say NO NO to Yo-Yo Dieting

p. 17 - Think yourself thin with the right positive attitudep. 18 - Traditional Irish Herbal Remediesp. 20 - Weight Training Featurep. 22 Running - Tips for pros and beginners

p. 24 Business Profile - Forever Fitnessp. 25 How to choose a Health Clubp. 26 Motivated to Exercise

p. 28 Swimsuit Season is just around the corner - Simple Steps to make you look Fab

p. 30 Intelligent Dieting and ‘Healthify’ your Cooking

p. 35 News & Events

p. 36 5 Things to do for a better Work/Life Balancep. 38 How Sleep, or lack of it affects usp. 41 15 Tips for Holiday Eating without gaining weightp. 43 Bereavement Counsell ing - Coping with loss


Aoife Kelly Rose of Tralee enjoying her copy of Lifeand Fitness Magazine

WinBoostFootwear

See Page 8 For How to Winthis fantastic prize

for Men and Women


NAME: Pauline CooperAGE: 54SYMPTOM: Bloating & Runny NoseFOODS TO CUT: Crisps, Butter and PuddingsHEADLINE: “ I Beat my Personal Best by 18 Minutes after discovering Puddings were holding me

back ”

PAULINE’S STORY

Despite having a passion for jogging, it seemed the nose of PaulineCollins did as much running as she did. Keen jogger, Pauline,couldn’t understand why her nose was having such a negativeimpact on her training, and race times were always a little disap-pointing. Well no more. Pauline has finally got the better of hernasal handicap, and improved her personal best marathon time byover eighteen minutes all by taking a simple home-to-lab foodintolerance test.

PAULINE SAYS…

“I knew my blocked nose was getting in the way of my running.Often I couldn’t train at all because of bloating but running with asteaming nose just meant I couldn’t do enough proper training. Icouldn’t breathe properly which you would admit is crucial to anyform of exercise and not just marathon running. At times, I wouldsound like a steam train, and you would be convinced I was a fortya day smoker.

“Someone in my running club mentioned how my problem of thebloating could be down to the food I ate so after three years oftrying other treatments I decided to take a food intolerance test.The results of the particular test I took, called a 113 FoodSCANrevealed I had a problem with milk, eggs, butter and puddings. Assoon as I cut them out my running completely changed, and I evenbeat my personal best for a half marathon by over eighteen minutes.

“Straight away I noticed my breathing was much better and thenose completely cleared up. The bloating also disappeared and myrunning felt a lot more comfortable, and without the frequent stopsI used to have. I can now train properly with a structured pro-gramme and not having to skip sessions because of the problemsthat had affected me in the past. Injury is something we all livewith but I never thought my nose would be the thing that stoppedme from running.

“Without doing the test I am sure I would still be at the back of thepack struggling to make the finishing line. I’m never going to beatPaula Radcliffe but I am enjoying my running more than ever.”

THE TEST:

Pauline took a €30 first Step Home-To-Lab Food Intolerence Testfrom Yorktest Laboratory. From a tiny amount of blood, the test

offers a negative/positive result to food eaten, which the customersupplies from home and sends off to a laboratory.

In Paulines case, her results identified a positive so she thenupgraded to the Second Step, Foodscan 113 (RRP 350). Using thesame blood sample , this test identifies the actual food causing theintolerance and it’s degree of severity (on a scale from 1-4)

Part and parcel of the service are two One-to-One Telephoneconsultations with a Bant Qualified Nutritionist.

To take a food intolerance test please call Yorktest on 01-2022701or visit the website Yorktest.ie

Is food intolerance holding you back?

FITNESS


01 20 22 701Call now for aFREE consultation

or visit yorktest.ie *Offer only available until 31st December 2007

Almost half the population has a hidden

sensitivity or intolerance to foods that can

lead to the symptoms of IBS. If you suffer

from bloating, take a look at the food that

you’re eating. A YORKTEST foodSCAN

may identify the foods you’ll benefit from

avoiding. Taken in the comfor t of your

home, your f inger-prick blood sample is

analysed in our lab to accurately identify

which foods are causing a reaction.

An independent survey shows that 3 in 4

patients who changed their diet as a

result of the foodSCAN test saw a

notable improvement in their condit ion.

Find out i f your d ie t iscont r ibut ing to your symptoms


FITNESS

SpringBoost shoes can help increase the benefit you get, whether you arewalking, training in the gym, or road running. They get you into your naturalposture, so you are working all your proper muscles while relieving pressureon your joints. Keen walker Michael Ryan says that “SpringBoost are the bestwalking shoes I've ever worn! “ Anne Harrison, who was unsure about all thehype she heard from her friends about SpringBoost, exclaimed “For someonewho prefers exercise outside of a gym, the SpringBoost ‘Motion’ shoes areperfect – They really work for me! I feel and look much more toned sincewearing these, compared with any of the branded runners I’ve ever worn!”

HOW DO SPRINGBOOST WORK?

SpringBoost shoes come with 2 Sets of insoles, which are numbered 0 & 2.The number is actually the angle of the insole.

1. You start off with ‘Insole 0’ which means you are at ‘Zero’ degrees.You will immediately feel the difference when you try on a pair asyou are standing in your natural posture, compared to ordinaryshoes that misalign your legs and tilt your hips. WOW! No wonderso many of us have bad backs, and knees, and so on.

2. You can stay in ‘Insole 0’ forever if you want, comfortable in theknowledge that you are in the right posture, and you are using allthe right muscles, burning more calories, and toning up your leg &back muscles. But if you want to increase your fitness you canchange to ‘Insole 2’ which lowers your heel by 2 Degrees; so everystep is like walking up a 2° hill. This doesn’t sound like much, butthe benefits to you are fantastic.

3. The ‘Energy Plate’ is the other unique feature in SpringBoost shoes.This is hidden in the sole of the shoe and is great for boosting the‘push off phase’ of the step, so you get a faster and more energeticwalk. 25% of your body’s bones are in your feet so the Energy Plateis ideal for protecting your feet as well, and keeping your bodybalanced.

Where to get SpringBoost

For Your Local Stockist Lo Call Pacelli Sports on 1890 882422 or email:[email protected]

For more information on Nordic Walking Text 087-685 9313 or [email protected]

Boost your Fitness &Step Into Shape

TONES, STRENGTHENS ANDLENGTHENS LEG AND BUTTMUSCLES

FLATTENS YOUR STOMACH BYSTABILISING AND STRENGTHENINGYOUR CORE

IMPROVES BODY ALIGNMENT

BURNS MORE CALORIES

RELIEVES BACK ACHE AND SOREJOINTS

For local stockists please call

1890 882422

Competition

We have a Fantastic prize of two pairs of Springboost Foot-wear to give away to our lucky male and female winners.

Simply answer the following question to be entered in thedraw by texting LIFE SPRINGBOOST followed by your an-swer (A, B or C) to 57188.

Which Rugby team won this years RBS Six Nations Cham-pionship, The Triple Crown and The Grand Slam?A. Ireland B. England C. Wales

The cost per entry is €0.60. Closing date for entries 10th June 2009. Thereis no cash alternative.Judges decision is final. For full terms and conditions contact Life and Fit-ness Magazine, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary oremail: [email protected]. Good Luck!

Win footwear from Springboost!

Life and Fitness Magazine - March 2009 - 9

FITNESS

If so, you are not alone! It seems like everyone is either doingPilates, or interested in starting a Pilates exercise program. Indeed, one ofthe best things about Pilates is that it works so well for a wide range ofpeople. Athletes and dancers love it, as do older adults, women recoveringfrom pregnancy, and people who are at various stages of physicalrehabilitation.

So what is it about Pilates that makes it so popular and what is all the fussabout?Pilates is a safe, effective and very sensible method of exercising designedto elongate, strengthen and restore the body to balance. It is based on

equipment with the focus on the whole body, working from the core (i.ecentre of the body) right through to the extremities. It is the type ofexercise that will help you look and feel your very best from head to toeno matter what your age or condition. Pilates improves core strength,

help alleviate backpain and other chronic ailments.

Pilates dramatically transforms the way your body looks, feels andperforms. It is designed to give you suppleness, natural grace and skill that

A Pilates trained body develops muscular power with correspondingendurance, can perform arduous duties, play strenuous games, walk, runor travel for long distances without experiencing undue body fatigue ormental strain.

Professional dancers have

decades. Top athletes use it for

prevention. Hollywood celebritiesand supermodels use it to maintainbeautiful physiques. Just aboutanyone and everyone who wants toimprove their health and appearanceis doing Pilates.

There are so many variations on Pilates out there the best advice is

Ireland which is based at the National Training Centre, Dublin provides

out more information on Pilates teacher training courses contact the NTCon www.ntc.ie.

A professional Pilates Instructor must have a comprehensive level ofknowledge and understanding of the body’s muscular and skeletal systemsto ensure the pilates class or personal training programme is targeting aclient’s individual needs.

If your health is generally good and you don’t have anycomplications you most likely will enjoy participating in a class with

pain, recovering from an injury etc, it is good to get personal training and

Better still, if you think you have what it takes to become anInstructor and teach others, you should contact the Pilates Institute Irelandat 01 8827777. Full details on all Pilates Instructor training courses can befound at www.ntc.ie

Have you caughtthe Pilates Bug?

By Fidelma Conlon, MSc. NTC.


Your workout questions answered

Food~Fact: Always start the day with a breakfast - providing the body with energy and get up and go.Fact: breakfast skippers tend to be fatter than breakfast eaters and have a lower concentration during the mornings.

Send your questions to:- [email protected]

FITNESS

Hi Philip,

I had knee arthroscopy carried out in No-vember 2008 which found a "bucket han-dle tear" of my cartilage, minor damage toboth condyles (at least I think that is thecorrect term) and found the cruciate liga-ment a little soft but intact. After the pro-cedure, I felt fine and did not needcrutches, I was able to begin light gymtraining 9 days after the operation.

I still train 2-3 times a week in the gym butfind that I cannot jog without pain in thefront of the knee, where both the incisionswere made. Is this normal to experiencepain when I jog, and if so, how much? Ifpossible, could you give me some adviceon what I should be able to do and when? Iam 37 years old and realise that age maybe against me, but I have always main-tained high levels of fitness through run-ning and hurling at a high level, which Iam eager to maintain.

Thanks

Jason

Hello Jason,

A bucket handle tear of the cartilage (orthe meniscus) is a specific form of damagearound the outer rim of the cartilage usual-ly caused by a history of trauma or impact.You mentioned that you played hurling inthe past and I expect that you sustainedmany injuries while playing these games. Ialso observe that you were very specific inrelation to when exactly you were able toresume training after the surgery whichwould indicate to me that you were tryingto get back to your training as quickly aspossible. This would normally be a posi-tive thing but I wonder did you give theknee enough time to settle down after thisinvasive procedure?

Because you are now 37 years old I expectthat your hurling involvement will be re-ducing or may even stop. This may not bea bad thing for the health of your kneesand may allow you to concentrate on ac-tivities which are less stressful on your

joints in general. You would appear to bejogging indoors I presume on a treadmillbut I would recommend that you use lowor non impact exercise methods for themoment which again will further reducewear and tear on your knees. Examples ofthese would be the cross trainer, bike, row-er and stepper. You could back this upwith a full body weighttraining/strengthening program which willhelp to improve muscle strength, increasethe stabilization of your joints and controlyour body fat levels. Swimming would beanother suitable form of exercise in yourpresent situation.

Finally I would ask if you have been backto visit your surgeon as this would be thefirst port of call in order to report yourcontinuing symptoms. He/she will adviseyou on whether a conservative treatmentapproach of exercise or another surgicalprocedure in advance of that is advisable.

Philip

Hi Philip,

I have a problem with my chest. I havesome chest fat than I cannot lose. I go tothe gym about 3 times a week, and domostly weight training. I have been doingweight training for about a year now. I am17 years old, of muscular build with 12%body fat, 5.11 in height, 11.3 stone. Mychest feels very fatty even though I amslim. I have a very good diet but cannotseem to shift this fat. Can you give me ad-vice on how to lose it please? I have triedcardio and it does not seem to work.

Thank you. James

Hello James,

From the measurements that you havesupplied your body fat is at a low leveland your Body Mass Index (BMI) is 22which is in the centre of the healthy rangeof 20-25.

There are usually two potential explana-tions for the extra fat in the chest area.The first could be inappropriate exerciseand eating habits. According to the out-line of your lifestyle that you have givenit would appear that you are a regular ex-erciser and eat a healthy diet so at firstglance this would not seem to be theproblem. You also appear not to be carry-ing excess fat in other areas of the body.

Another potential reason for extra fat inthe chest area is the presence of a condi-tion known as gynecomastia which resultsin the development of a larger than nor-mal chest area. Gynecomastia is a condi-tion that occurs mainly in teenage boyswhere they develop extra tissue in thebreast region. This is usually lost withage. The condition can also affect oldermen and can be caused by certain medicalissues but in most cases is as a result ofextra body weight/fat.

I would recommend that you make an ap-pointment to see your GP in order to ruleout any medical reason for the presenceof your extra chest fat tissue. If all provesto be clear then you would need to revisityour exercise program and eating habitsin order to improve the quality of these.

Philip


Ask your question!

Philip Phelan is the Program Director of Litton LaneTraining and he holds a wide range of qualifications andexperience. Philips qualifications include certificates infitness instruction, personal training, resistance trainingand course tutoring. He also possesses a B. Sc. in physio-therapy (TCD) and a masters in medical science (UCD).He is a qualified Pilates instructor and speaks on topicssuch as back pain prevention and treatment, in a variety ofcorporate settings. He has worked in commercial fitnesscentres and freelance class and client training and he cur-rently works as chartered physiotherapist to underage in-ternational football teams. He has trained two countygaelic football teams and a number of club teams as wellas Olympic and professional boxers. He is also the fitnessand injury expert with the VHI healthcare website and alsoacted as the fitness expert on The Afternoon Show in 2007.

Quick Tip

FITNESS

Have you a fitness related question you would like answered?

Simply email us at: [email protected]

or by Post to:Life and Fitness Magazine,Curraghgraigue, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary.

Our expert Philip Phelan of Litton Lane Training will answeryour queries.

Workout TipHigh-intensity workouts. If you’re just starting outwith exercise, it’s best to take it slow. If you’re run-ning or cycling, for example, build up your endur-ance for at least a month before you get intoanything more intense. That means going at a ratewhere you can easily talk without being out ofbreath. However, once you have that base of en-durance, step up the intensity to step up the effec-tiveness of the workout.

Compound exercises. Instead of isolating your muscleswith exercises such as the bicep curl, you can maximizethe time you spend in a workout by doing exercises thatwork out multiple muscle groups at once. With just a fewexercises, you could get a full-body workout. Another ben-efit is that your muscles are working together as they doin the real world, rather than alone. Some great com-pound exercises include squats, deadlifts, good mornings,lunges, pushups, bench presses, military presses, rows,pullups, dips, and more.


FITNESS

Setting SMART goals foryour Fitness program

You have just unconsciously joined alarge majority of people lacking focus andwill unfortunately be treated as such. Morethan likely this will result in a lame,cookie-cutter program with limitedcreativity and even less personality.

If this scenario sounds familiar or if youare interested in avoiding it all together,take a breath and let’s go over how toavoid such an encounter. Setting goals andnarrowing your focus when it comes to

daunting task, the following will help youbreakdown your aim so that you can seeyour desired outcomes more clearly and

work with you on a more individualizedlevel. Go on, grab a pen and make a fewnotes as we work through this.

Setting SMART goals

SPrioritize with this one, start by making alist of all your desired outcomes being as

overwhelmed by the amount of things wewish to do making it all too easy to getcaught in the trap of trying to accomplishtoo many things at once and never

achieving any to our own satisfaction. Inorder to be really productive and actuallyhave more goals realized, the answer is tofocus on one thing at a time.

For example, if you are making yourtriumphant return to training following a

may be to establish a routine whichsuccessfully intertwines your workoutswith your regular day to day routine.Perhaps you have been successfullytraining for some time and would like todevelop your resistance training program.By identifying this as your main focus,you can then outline your desiredoutcomes (whether it be size, strength,tone, or endurance of your muscles) anddeliberately train for them.Maybe you are already quite athletic andtrain regularly but wish to balance your

core training techniques, for example. Inthis case your main focus becomesdeveloping your core strength while

Measurable

We all know that being able to see andmeasure results makes all the differencewhen it comes to personal motivation.However the measuring stick used will be

dependent on the individual focus.

For example, a 40 year old parent of threechildren, a 30 year old marathonenthusiast and a 20 year old footballerhave all been performing a cardiovascular

training program for 3 weeks. The parent

are not winded anymore after playingwith the kids all Saturday afternoon, themarathon enthusiast is seeingimprovement on their 5 km personal bestand the footballer is impressing thecoaches, managers and teammates bybeing able to maintain consistent paceacross an entire match. Each personexperiences measurable results, achievessuccess and therefore replenishes theirmotivation.

Attainable.

Every good long term goal with haveshort term goals that lead it. Not onlydoes it make practical sense but it allowsyou to avoid becoming overwhelmed andlosing your focus.

For example, a new mother has set a longterm goal of rejoining her high-intensitykick boxing class. Her short terms goalsare to re-gain her aerobic capacity(starting with lower intensity alternatives

Setting SMART goals for your Fitness program“If you don’t know where you are going, then you will end up some place else”-Yogi Berra

by Kate Chesher

You have made the decision to join your local FitnessCentre. You are unsure of what to do when you getthere so you accept the complimentary assessmentwith a Fitness instructor, acquire a good pair of train-ing shoes and arrive on time for your assessment. Youare thinking the hardest part is behind you, it’ smoothsailing from this point. You have made it to the assess-ment room taken a seat across from your Fitness con-

my name is Jane Doe and I am 30 years old. Feeling

strong and ready to relax into, assuming they have itcovered from this point, they ask ‘what are your goalsfor the program and what exactly are you looking toaccomplish?’ Uh-oh what do they mean, I joined the

Raking your brain for an answer, you state ‘I want tolose weight and tone-up’, granted it comes slightly less

well), but good enough, so you think.

(continued on next page)


Quick TipIn addition to a good aerobic exercise, you should addweight training in, which will help balance out the fit-ness routine and provide you with the best results. Ifyou are not sure where to start, a professional trainercan help get you started on a healthy program.

FITNESS

and constantly progressing tohigher intensity activities), thento strengthen all musclesweakened throughout pregnancy,ultimately progressing andpreparing her body for her

take time, but with consistentbaby steps (no pun intended) shewill realize her goal.Similarly, an injured athlete mustfollow the appropriate steps inorder to achieve their ultimategoal of return-to-play. Life is aprocess, we might as well beactive participants.

Realistic.

A realistic goal should push youto your limits but not depleteyour motivation of break yourspirit. With that being said becareful not to sell yourself short.Just as setting goals that are far

setting goals too easily attainedcan elude that you are not verycapable. Rule of thumb: Set thebar high enough so that you feelsatisfaction upon itsachievement.

For example, setting a goal toperform 1 hour of training everyday, 7 days a week is probably

something unexpected keeps youfrom the gym, it will chip awayat your motivation. Arealistic goal may then be toperform 1 hour of training 3times per week for a month.After a month, readjust possiblyincreasing either the time spenttraining or the frequency oftraining per week for the nextmonth and so on.

Time-based.

This is not a race to achieve yourgoals, this is your life and youshould live it. There are plenty ofjoys and gains to notice andenjoy along the way from squareone to realizing your long termgoals. It is not all or nothing.However you can use datesand/or events for motivationalong the way.

For example a 70 year old manmay use his daughter’s weddingdate as motivation to maintainhis training program. The morelimber he is, the more times hecan sway his daughter around the

college student may use springbreak as motivation to continuesqueezing workouts in betweenclasses, studying and partying,after all beach volleyball is keyto picking up on holiday. The‘little one’ on last year’s squadmay use the spring training datesas motivation to train hard allthroughout the winter months in

new team.

Fitness should be something youwork towards all your life. Byconsistently setting SMART

yourself trapped by a dullexercise program. SettingSMART goals is about changingthe way you think about success.

Decide what you consider asuccess and take steps towardsachieving it. They will always beas unique as the individualsetting them, don’t be afraid toshare them and adjust them.Remember a goal well set ishalfway reached.

Kate ChesherB.Kinesiology (Honours)Brock University, St. Catharines,Ontario, Canada.

Setting SMART goals for

your Fitness program(continued from previous page)


Make Yourself a Hard Target

FITNESS

Reality Based Self Defence

Know Fear

In this months self defence article, we'll examinethe psychological and physiological properties offear, find out what causes a fear response andlook at some ways you can learn to control thatnauseous feeling that builds up in your stomachwhen faced with aggression. What is fear? TheEnglish dictionary informs us that fear is:

‘An unpleasant, often strong emotion caused byanticipation or awareness of danger’. Everyonereading this will have experienced it, but veryfew really know how to control these feelings.

Most of us go through life being controlled bythe feeling of fear. It will, (if you allow it) killyour dreams and ambitions faster than a bullet.How many of you have wanted to leave the jobyour in? ask the boss for a raise? confront a noisyneighbour? climb a mountain? become selfemployed? YES….Now ask yourself what isstopping you? One word – FEAR. Of course weneed to be sensible and rational before we makea big commitment or change, but the majority ofus will put up hurdles as excuses for notprogressing in life.

So what has this got to do with self defence?Everything. If we are faced with an aggressivepredator, the feelings of fear will be immense.My classes teach the student to becomecomfortable when fear strikes, to welcome it, tounderstand what changes occur, (bothpsychologically and physically) to their bodies,to know fear. I suggest that you think of fear asthe bodies turbo boost. When the brain sensesdanger it triggers adrenaline, this being the turboboost, which then triggers the flight or flightsyndrome.

The level of danger governs the level ofadrenaline that will be released. Think of publicspeaking as a typical example, if you were askedto speak to one stranger (in your own livingroom) for five minutes about your occupation,this will cause a low level of adrenaline release,however if you were asked to give the samespeech to group of 100 in an unfamiliar setting,without doubt, the adrenaline released with beconsiderably more.

The same principle applies if faced withaggression. Consider this – you are walking toyour car loaded down with shopping bags,suddenly a stranger approaches and offers tohelp, you will asses him in a second - Whatclothes he is wearing, Is he wearing a suit? Hashe visible tattoos, or scars? Or is he clean shavenand fresh faced? As much as we don’t like toadmit it, we do (as the saying goes) judge a bookby the cover. Whatever assumptions you make,you will feel adrenaline. However the level ofadrenaline released will be determined by yourbrains perception of the danger level. If heinvades your space, levels will be higher. If youare approached by more than one, levels will behigher, if he smells of alcohol, levels will behigher. This is how the mind has becomeconditioned.

‘People should learn to see and so avoid alldanger. Just as a wise man keeps away from

mad dogs, so one should not make friends withevil man.’

- Buddha

The Fear of Fear

It is often said that we have nothing to fear in lifebut fear itself. And this is very true. It doesn’tmatter what way we anticipate it. Fear of spiders,fear of public speaking, fear of heights, and fearof being attacked on the street or in your home.Fear is fear- it is just a master of disguise. Peopleoften get so wrapped up in their fears that, in theend, they become more scared of the feelingsthat accompany confrontation than they do of theobject of their fear. What is often difficult to dealwith is the rate at which adrenaline is released.This can be slow secretion (long term), fastsecretion (short term), and extreme secretion(often referred to as adrenaline dump). The latteroften resulting in the freeze syndrome.

Let’s break this down:

Short Term

Butterflies in the stomach or NauseaIncreased heart rateSweatingDry mouthShakesLoss of colour in the skinTunnel visionFine motor skills become difficult to performYour strength and speed increaseYour pain tolerance increasesCognitive thinking becomes difficult as bloodis directed to the major muscle groups (flightof fight)Diarrhoea

Extreme (More likely with Adrenal Dump)

Paralysis - Being frozen to the spotpossible loss of bowel and bladder controlMemory distortion (tachypsychia)Auditory Exclusion (Deafness)

Longer Term

Loss of appetiteInsomniaFatigueLoss of libidoIrritable Bowel SyndromeGeneral decline in health due to the abovesymptoms

The key to coping with adrenaline is keeping itwithin manageable levels. If we experience


adrenaline release above our personal limit wecannot cope and cease to function properly, ex-periencing symptoms such as being frozen tothe spot or talking rapidly and incoherently, inthis state we cannot deal effectively with thesituation we may be in. So why does it seemthat some people cope with adrenaline and oth-ers do not?

Everyone feels adrenaline, no exceptions, theonly difference is the way we react to it, wecontrol it or it controls us. In order to addressthis problem we need a way of lessening thenegative impact of adrenaline on our ability tohandle high stress situations and the key word isDESENSITISATION.

This is achieved over a certain period of time,with gradual exposure to your fear or fears. Letme give you an example; I regularly teach a 10week knife defence course throughout the coun-try. On week one if I was to simulate an knifeattack at the level of aggression and realism thatI teach on weeks 9 and 10, no doubt certain stu-dents would freeze, some would never comeback (rightly so) and some would just explodein a red mist of uncontrolled aggression. Sogradual exposure is the order of the day.

By gradually exposing my students to increas-ing levels of danger, this will trigger increasinglevels of adrenaline - thus causing a certain lev-el of desensitisation. My object is to take thestudents to an extremely high level of awarenessthrough various reality based drills, so that ifthey are ever faced with an extremely aggres-sive knife wielding assailant - they will notfreeze. Muscle memory, and a combative mind-set is needed to deal with the treat.

The fact is that if you want to overcome yourfears, you must confront them. This is some-thing we teach on a regular basis, I like to callthis exposure therapy. If you want to learn toswim – you have to get wet!

Enter the fear syndrome

If like many students who train, just the thoughtof booking into a self defence course causesadrenaline, my advice is to go for it. Many stu-dents who now train with us have unfortunatelybeen attacked in the past. Many people onlyseek out self defence lessons, after they havebeen attacked. It is proven that the majority ofhouse owners only fit an alarm after the househas been broken into!

Whatever your fears are, whatever is holdingyou back, you must enter into that uncomforta-ble zone, only then will you be in control ofyour own destiny. I am sure many of you willsay – easier said than done! But I can tell you Ihave been there, many times, and I can honestlysay if I can do it, anyone can. As a young man Iwas continually consumed by feelings of fearand self doubt. But in reality that is all they are -feelings. Your worst fears never manifest, butmany people spend their whole lives, wastingprecious time and energy, on negative thoughts.I know I did for a long time. I can say without

hesitation that approaching your fears head on isfar easier than spending years of your life bat-tling with depressing thoughts that never mate-rialise.

Fear of confrontation

In primeval times when mankind had to fight toeat and survive, the feelings of fear was an eve-ryday occurrence that would have felt as naturalto him as brushing your teeth does to us. Obvi-ously in today’s society we no longer have to dobattle with the sabre toothed tiger for a meal, sothe act of fighting or running for our lives is nolonger a daily occurrence. So if a situation aris-es that cause’s adrenaline release, we naturallyneither want it, use it or like it.

The more demanding the situation is the biggerthe adrenaline release, the bigger the release, thebetter the performance. From a self defence per-spective (run of fight), but by the same count,the bigger the adrenaline release the harder it isto control. Subsequently, because many of usnever utilise this adrenaline (choosing instead tobottle it up), it builds up like a pressure cooker,causing stress, high blood pressure or it looksfor another outlet, such as road-rage, shoutingand screaming at your wife/children/ work-mates etc.

In a confrontation situation, adrenaline is re-leased in many ways.

Think- confrontation fear

When you anticipate a confrontation youradrenaline glands (situated at the top of the kid-neys- see diagram) secretes adrenaline slowly,and often over a long period. The slow releaseis not as intense as the fast release but due to itslongevity, it can break down your energy andwill control you - but only if you allow it to.Slow released adrenaline can be caused in nu-merous ways. Anticipation of a best mans wed-ding speech, a sales meeting, a confrontationwith your wife/ husband/boss etc., slow releaseadrenaline can affect us for months before anexpected confrontation.

Pre/post-confrontation fear

When we anticipate the consequence of a con-frontation, negative or positive, before it evenhappens, the fear of that consequence, success,failure, embarrassment, often forces the recipi-ent to abort.

Pre- confrontation fear

This is what I refer to as ‘adrenaline dump’.This dump effect occurs when no anticipationis present or a situation escalates extremely fast.Think of walking to your car (with your wife/husband or friend) after a good night out andjust as you open the car door a thug wielding aknife rushes from the shadows and holds a knifeto your throat, shouting and screaming. Theconversation with your friend- just seconds be-fore, was jovial and light hearted but is broughtto an abrupt stop by this predator. No anticipa-

tion was present- thus causing massive adrena-line dump.

This effect can be so intense that many willfreeze if faced with this level of confrontation,the reasoning process mistaking it for sheer ter-ror. This is the most difficult adrenaline releaseto control.

Secondary adrenaline

This often occurs before, during or after a con-frontation, something may happen that you hadnot anticipated on, the brain sensing this unpre-paredness gives the body a second release ofadrenaline that is always mistaken for fear.

In-confrontation fear

If during confrontation you stumble and thingsare not going to plan, the brain again sensesdanger and offers another kick of adrenaline tohelp you out. This is also commonly mistakenfor fear, and panic ensues.

Post-confrontation fear- Aftermath

After a confrontation, the body often releasesmore adrenaline in anticipation of aftermath,come-backs, revenge attacks, police involve-ment etc.

The Samurai warriors had a saying “After thebattle- tighten your helmet straps”

Conclusion: if faced with an assailant demand-ing your money, car, jacket or any material itemthat can be replaced, my advice is to hand suchitems over. Never get involved in a fight forsuch items that can be replaced. A life is irre-placeable. When defending it, know that thefeelings of fear are adrenaline – this adrenalineis there to help. It will makes you stronger,quicker and increases your pain threshold. It isyour friend, welcome it - to understand fear, youmust first know fear.

Next month we will look at the survival signalsof intuition.

Aidan Carroll is the founder and chief in-structor of Hard Target Self Defence Systemsand Krav Maga Dublin. For more informa-tion on upcoming courses visitwww.hardtargetselfdefence.com or call Aid-an on 087-974 2566

FITNESS


WEIGHT LOSS

How it starts varies but the results all remarkably similar. Pic-ture this typical scenario of how one gets on the yo-yo diet rollercoaster.

'Susan' who wants to lose a stone for an upcoming wedding,hears about the ‘all new latest craze lose ten pounds in three daysdiet’ which promises if you eat just the right combination offoods a set of chemical reactions will ensue which will simplymake the pounds melt away. So armed with this fantastic newknowledge and surefire way to lose the weight Susan heads tothe supermarket to buy this magical medley of food. She spendsthree days eating beetroot, ice cream, corn on the coband dry toast and on day 4 Susan is an incredible 9pounds lighter. Heaven! Bliss! - but not for long.Susan returns to her normal eating pattern andslowly but surely the weight creeps back onand even worse Susan now weighs 1 poundmore than when she started. Susan tells her-self it is her fault, if she just had self-controlthe weight would have stayed off. So shegoes back on the same diet, only this timeshe loses just 6 pounds. Ten days after fin-ishing up the diet all the weight is back on plusan extra three pounds over her starting weight.Help is at hand though - a girl in work has just toldSusan about a new far better diet, which a friend of a friend didand lost 2 stone in just a month…. Sound familiar? If you sayyes to this question you are not alone. It is estimated that at anygiven time 15 million women in the U.S. alone are on a crashdiet!

So these radical weight-shifting diets are not working foryou? What’s wrong with you? Absolutely nothing. What weneed to be asking is what is wrong with these diets.

Chemical diets and many other diets which promise radicalweight loss in a very short space of time have one thing in com-mon - they rely almost exclusively on dehydrating the body inorder to deliver on their promises. Carbohydrates are stored inthe muscles and liver as glycogen and every part glycogen isstored with 3 parts water. When you embark on these magicweight loss plans you rid your body of its stored glycogen andwith, as a result, its stored water. Yup that ‘magic’ weight loss is

almost entirely water! But before you go telling yourself you canlive with being a little dehydrated to be thinner lets dig a littledeeper.

When you embark on low-calorie, low carb diets you are do-ing yourself far greater damage than simply needing a glass ofwater or two. When you are on a calorie restrictive diet, whichgives you less than your body requires your metabolism slows.How? Firstly our bodies are a lot more primal than you maythink - our minds may be well and truly in the 21st century butour bodies are firmly rooted in the Stone Age. When we embark

on calorie restrictive diets our body believes there isnot enough food available and in order to conserve

energy will slow the rate at which it will burn calo-ries. Secondly the body is always reluctant to burn

fat as a source of fuel (it is only under the rightcircumstances that our body will give up fat i.e.proper diet coupled with exercise) and whenfaced with this ‘famine’ it is even less inclinedto do so and instead turns to our muscle - break-ing them down into amino acids to provide fuelfor the body. Muscle is metabolically active(meaning it burns calories) so loss of muscleequals a slower metabolism.

So after you come out of the torture that is a restrictive dietyou emerge possibly a few pounds lighter from shedding storedwater and with a slowed and confused metabolism. This is whyso many women find their weight creeping higher and higher onthe scales with each subsequent fad diet they embark upon.

So how to get off this roller coaster ride? Start eating a bal-anced diet - feed your body - ironically only then will you beginto lose the weight you are now punishing yourself over. Ofcourse if you couple this healthy and sensible eating with effec-tive exercise you are well and truly on the right track. The ridemay not be as fast and furious as the latest fad diet but I can as-sure you the results will be a lot more thrilling.

Before radically changing your eating habits please seek the ad-vice of your GP or a dietician.

Say ‘NO-NO’To YO-YO Dieting

by Gillian Hynes

There are few women who can put their hands up and say they have never fall-en into the trap of yo-yo dieting. It is very easy to get caught in the clutches of thisroller coaster ride and as many women have learnt it can be detrimental to their selfbelief whilst firmly putting them on the wrong side of a losing battle with theirweight.


WEIGHT LOSS

Positive Self-Talk to Think Yourself ThinYou become what you think. If you're not getting the weight lossresults you want, practice more positive self-talk and think yourselfthin!

Whether you're aware of it or not, you have a mental tape runningconstantly that affects your moods and ultimately, your behaviour.When these thoughts are negative, outdated or confining, they un-dermine the process of change-whether you're conscious of them ornot. It stands to reason that without an awareness of this mentalchatter, you cannot really know why you do what you do so it isharder to change it.Your thoughts are the primary creator of your emotions, which in-spire your actions and therefore lead to your results. This thought /feeling / action / result cycle is a "causal loop." In other words,when you think a certain thought, it causes you to feel a certainway, which causes you to act in a certain way, which causes certainresults, which then "proves" that your original thoughts were cor-rect.These patterns are often repetitive and self-reinforcing. Thousandsof repetitions of a particular experience create auto-pilot thoughts,feelings and actions, and therefore, predictable results.This thought / feeling / action / result cycle applies to all of yourthoughts, not just those surrounding food, eating and weight. It ap-plies to your thoughts about your relationships, your career, yourfinances, your habits and your abilities-any area of your life that iswithin your sphere of influence. Even when a thought pattern leadsto poor results, you can stay locked in the trap because it's comfort-able and familiar.

Think Yourself ThinThe first step to disrupting an undesirable cycle is to start monitor-ing your internal conversations and become more aware of the re-sults they are creating.The next time you find yourself eating in a way that feels out ofcontrol, uncomfortable or unsatisfying, ask yourself what you werethinking before you took the first bite. If you recognize that your

self-talk is inaccurate, ineffective or limiting, you can choose tochange it to more positive self-talk in order to change your out-come. Repeating new positive thinking and empowering mantraswill result in the rewiring of your brain.Interestingly, you don't even have to believe what you're saying toyourself at first. There's power in simply saying it. Your minddoesn't tolerate incongruence so if your thoughts are telling yousomething, your brain will find a way to make it true. In otherwords, "fake it until you make it." When you act "as if" it weretrue, it soon becomes reality.

Let's take a look at an example of negative and positive self-talkthat is common in people who struggle with their weight:Change Your Mind: The Inner CriticThe Inner Critic is harsh and hypercritical and says things like:"I am weak-willed and I have no self-control.""I am too heavy to be attractive.""I am lazy and too undisciplined to exercise the way I should."You might talk to yourself this way because you believe that you'rekeeping yourself "in line."But most people aren't motivated by criticism-even when you're theone criticizing yourself. Instead, this hypercritical self-talk causesfeelings of inadequacy and hopelessness. As a result, you probablywon't do your best or you'll give up easily. The results only provethat the Inner Critic was right and lead to more harsh self criticism.To change this pattern, begin to use an encouraging, gentle innervoice and positive self-talk to motivate yourself toward the changesyou want and literally think yourself thin. For example:"It's challenge to turn down tempting food but I know it will tasteeven better if I wait until I'm hungry.""I look really nice in this dress-especially when I smile!""I'll feel so much better if I take even just a short, comfortablewalk. Everyone has to start somewhere."Banish your negative thoughts before they lead to negative feelingsand behaviours. Switch to kinder, gentler, positive self-talk thatwill coach you toward the results you really want.

By Michelle May, M.D. www.AmIhungry.com

HEALTH


One of the most enduringthings about herbal medicine is that itis the medicine of the people herbsgrow all around us and with a little bitof know how we can use themeffectively. The three main herbs in atraditional spring tonic are Cleavers,Nettle, and Dandelion leaf. You’reprobably never more than 10 feet fromany of these little gems, read on todiscover what they can offer you!

Cleavers is one suchwell known plant it canbe identified by itshairy stalk and littlehairy seed pods whichstick on your clothes ifyou take a walkthrough a patch of it.You will regularly find this herb growingin a patch of nettles. It is a very goodlymphatic herb; the lymphatic system isour first line of defence against externalinvaders. Sometimes viruses or bacteria,other times it may be toxins from ourenvironment or those willingly put intoour bodies. The lymph system hasconcentrated battle sites known as lymphnodes at strategic points around the body.These can regularly feel lumpy or sorewhen the body is dealing with infection.

So now we know more about lymphaticsystem let us take a look at Cleavers orGoosegrass as it is sometimes known. Thebest way to take this is in the form of acold water infusion. I have taken it bothfreshly juiced in small quantities and in acold water infusion which is wonderful.You will need to find a patch which is in

an area you know to be unpolluted, pick asizeable bunch and twist the bunchnumerous times so that it resembles arope. At this point you will have brokensome of the stems by this action, place thebunch of herb into a bottle or jug of waterand stand overnight. The next day drinkthis water freely, it may have a mildlylaxative action in sensitive people.

Early spring isthe best time tocatch the newyoung Nettles asthey shoot up.This plant isespecially usefulfor childhood eczema and even some adultskin problems. They are full of vitamin C,iorn and histamine like substances whichwill be of benefit to hay-fever sufferers(start now!). Again this herb can be takenfreshly juiced as such it is a great tonic asyou will get the maximum of bothminerals and vitamins (some vitamins canbe lost by heating the herb). It is excellentfor older people who may be frail oranaemic. Equally you can make a soup byboiling the nettles, add a pinch of stockcube or garlic for taste. As well asdrinking the juice from the Nettles you caneat the cooked herb itself.

Nettle is probably one of the mostsingularly useful herb, its seeds are usefulin cases of kidney problems, while the rootcan be used for inflammation of theprostate - a medicine chest in itself. InRoman times sufferers of arthritis andjoint stiffness would self flagellatepurposely by stinging themselves to regainmobility of the joint. If you are brave

enough to pick it by bare hand, this oldIrish rhyme might prove useful to you.

‘If you gently grasp a nettle, itwill sting you for your pains.

Grasp it tightly like a rod ofmetal, and it soft as silk remains’.

Finally, Dandelionleaf is perhapsbest known forpromoting theflow of urine it isalso a goodgeneral tonic dueto its high concentration of minerals andvitamins. Another more traditional use isapplying the milky sap to warts to removethem, also said to cure a stye in the eye.As part of the Traditional Irish HerbalMedicine it was used for a wide range ofcomplaints, some of which it is nottypically used for today. These ‘cures’and uses varied even from county tocounty. The young leaves of dandelionare best eaten fresh and make a very tastyaddition to a salad. Unlike manyconventional (pharmaceutical) diureticswhich can remove potassium from thebody, dandelion actually is a good sourceof this valuable mineral. It is a goodexample of how nature is very completein its provision of medicine which is inharmony with the human body.

Always ensure you have correctlyidentified a herb before ingesting it. Ifyou are taking medications consult aprofessional herbalist before takingherbal medicine.

TraditionalIrish Herbs

Ciara O’ Meara is a medical herbalistpracticing full time in NorthTipperary and is a contributor to theRTE1 show "The Afternoon Show"where she gives advice on simplehome remedies and using herbs totreat minor health ailments. Ciara hasan honours Science degree inUniversity College Dublin and anMSc in Medical Genetics atAberdeen University

by Ciara O’Meara

HEALTH


P h o n e t h eA s s o c i a t i o n

o f R e g i s t e r e dC o m p l e m e n t a r y H e a l t h

T h e r a p i s t s o f I r e l a n d(ARCHTI)

a t 053-9383734f o r a n I n f o r m a t i o n P a c k o r

l o g o n t o t h e i r w e b s i t e

w w w . i r i s h t h e r a p i s t s . i e a n dd o w n l o a d o n e .

•

FREE webs i te l i s t ings ;• Newsle t t e r s

and Magaz inesa r e so m e o f t h e m em b er sh ip

benef i t s .

I r i sh Therapis t s !A s s o c i a t i o n M e m b e r s h i p

A n d o n e o f t h e b e s t p r i c e dP r a c t i t i o n e r I n s u r a n c e

p o l i c i e s i n I r e l a n d e a s i l ya r r a n g e d

053-9383734www.irishtherapists.ie

The Association of Registered Complementary Health Therapists ofIreland (ARCHTI ©) is the longest established multi-therapy (or pantherapy) Irish Association for fully qualified; insured and accreditedProfessional Complementary Health Therapists and Practitioners.

We bring Therapists from the 4 Corners of Ireland together to betotally representative of an all Ireland organisation.ARCHTI is a voluntary non-profit organisation and we work onbehalf of our Members to provide them with support from theirfellow therapists; to protect their need to practice with autonomy andpromote the desire for voluntary self-regulation in Ireland.We use a support network and referral system which not onlybenefits our Members but also the General Public and MedicalProfession as well as providing information on training and productsuppliers.

We recommend that people contemplating taking training coursescheck each one out thoroughly to see if the Training School isresponsible, ethical and accredited. Distance learning is notacceptable for registration by ARCHTI.

The Association of Registered Complementary Health Therapists ofIreland (ARCHTI) advises to always seek qualified professionalmedical advice before using complementary therapies.

It is necessary that the Medical and Health professions feel confidentthat when they recommend a Complementary Health Therapist thattheir patient will receive the best possible care and attention by fullyqualified ethical registered Therapists. It is equally necessary thatevery Member of the Public consulting a ComplementaryHealth Therapist directly be assured they are receiving the bestpossible attention and treatment.

Membership of the ARCHTI is very strict and it is only after scrutinyof an applicant’s qualifications from an accredited Training Course ismembership considered. Current Insurance Cover is required by eachMember.

ASSOCIATION OF REGISTEREDCOMPLEMENTARY HEALTH THERAPISTSOF IRELAND (ARCHTI)Ballydaniel, Camolin, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Ireland.Tel: 053-9383734email: [email protected] website: www.irishtherapists.ie

The Association ofRegistered ComplementaryHealth Therapists of Ireland(ARCHTI ©)

Eating more fibre helps to maintain a healthy digestion, and may also help to prevent chronic disease such asoverweight, coronary heart disease and some cancers. We often think of bran as fibre, but there are many differenttypes of fibre, all of which have a benefit to health. Simply eating more starchy carbohydrate foods will start to in-crease your fibre intake plus choosing wholegrain cereals, wholemeal, granary or soft grain breads and includingplenty of fruit and vegetables will all help to achieve a great diet. Fact: On average we eat 4 times as much whitebread as wholemeal, and yet bread is one of the major sources of fibre in the our diet.


WEIGHT TRAINING

If you're an experienced bodybuilderyou'll know that building muscleworks in 2 basic cycles. First we havethe growth cycle. While you're on thegrowth cycle your goal is to put on asmuch poundage as possible! Thismeans eating loads of good calorieslike protein and complex carbohy-drates. You should never feel hungry.The minute you feel hungry, it's timefor another meal. Get the picture?

The second cycle is what's know as the cut-ting cycle. This is where you trim off yourexcess fat to give your muscle definition anda really ripped look. When cutting you wantto strip off the fat quickly without losing anymuscle size. This means a different workoutand much different diet. In this article I'mgoing to give you my top tips for losing thefat.

I'm going to focus on the basics of weightloss. I'm not going to go into different cuttingworkout, that's an entire article in itself.Some people will find it very hard and frus-trating to lose body fat. But if you stick tostrict diet and train hard you will do it and itwill be worth all the hard work!

TIP #1:Cardio trainingCardiovascular exercise is arguably the bestway for you to burn fat. Even if you are eat-ing the best diet possible, you will not see thefull benefits if you do not do cardio exercise.When cutting you want to up your cardio toaround 4 times per week. Start off at about20mins per session and work your way up toan hour or so. When doing cardio you needto try and stay in the "fat burning zone",which is about 65-70% of your maximumheart rate. To determine your "fat burningzone" subtract your age from 220 and multi-ply it by 0.65. That is what you want yourheart rate to be at.

TIP #2:Eat small meals, moreoftenToday's western society is slowly movingaway from the traditional 3 meals per dayand there's a vary good reason for that. As

soon as you start eating your metabolismstarts to break down the food. It takes every-thing it needs from the food including nutri-ents and energy.When you only eat 3 meals per day your me-tabolism has a chance to slow down in be-tween meals. This is not good if you're tryingto burn fat. You need to keep your metabo-lism fast throughout the whole day. The fast-er your metabolism is working the more fatand energy you will burn. Maintaining a highmetabolism is imperative to losing weightand keeping it off.It's often a good idea to use protein supple-ments or protein bars between meals to keepyour metabolism up and make you feel full.Some people do not have time to prepare somany meals per day so this is a good option.

TIP #3:Don't eat before bedWhen you go to sleep your metabolism slowsright down. If you eat before bed (especiallycarbohydrates) there's a good chance thatyour body will not burn the energy and youwill store it as fat. Try not to eat any carbsfor at least 2-3 hours before bed. A proteinshake is ok before bed because your bodywill not store it as fat.

TIP #4: Up your protein intake If you want tokeep all your hard earned muscle (and Iknow you do!) while burning fat it's very im-portant that you keep your protein intake ashigh as possible. Because carbohydrates arethe body’s main source of energy it will al-ways use them up first. Once there are nocarbohydrates left your body will turn to it'sfat storage. If you do not have enough pro-tein intake per day, your body will start tak-ing protein from the muscles resulting incatabolism (breaking down of muscle tissue).

TIP #5:Drink plenty of waterWell, you should be drinking plenty of watereven if you aren't trying to lose weight! Thehuman body is made up of 70% water. So tome it's pretty obvious that we need a highdaily intake of water to keep the body run-ning efficiently. Water helps transport nutri-ents that you eat throughout your body. Italso plays a role in determining how yourcells use these nutrients. If you are not get-ting enough water intake each day, you arenot making 100% use of the nutrients in yourdiet.

On the other side of the scale water alsohelps flush your system of waste and bacte-ria. It's essential for removing toxins fromyour body. So you can see that water plays avital role in all bodily functions, so don'tunderestimate it.

TIP #6:Lower your carbsAs I mentioned earlier in this article yourbody burns carbs first because carbs are thebodys primary food source. So if you do notlower your carb intake your body will justkeep burning up the carbs and you will notsee any fat loss. As soon as your carbs sup-ply runs out, the body burns fat. Keep yourcarbs down and your body will start burningfat quicker. Try to eat all your carbs for theday in the morning. This way these carbswill be burnt off during the day and your fatstore will start being used faster.

TIP #7:Avoid snackingIf you snack throughout the day you're ask-ing for trouble. While there are some healthsnacks available, most are full or fat, saltand sugar. If you plan your meals for theday you should not even feel hungry or theneed to snack. If you cannot prepare enoughmeals for the day have a protein supplementor protein bar between meals. If you have todistance yourself from tempting items thendo it.Just to recap on what we've just been overhere are some rules of losing weight andcutting that you should be sticking to.

1. Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day 2. Keep your protein intake high 3. Keep your carbohydrate intake low 4. Drink plenty of water throughout theday 5. Don't eat carbohydrates before bed 6. Incorporate cardio training into yourweekly routine 7. Don't snack between meals 8. Get plenty of sleep every night(including weekends!)

No one said stripping that fat was going tobe easy, even experienced trainers say thatit's harder than building muscle! But if youstick with it, the rewards are fantastic - amuscle bound and ripped body!

Tips For Burning The Fat!by Damien Mase www.muscleandstrength.com

WEIGHT LOSS


The world of weightlifting is huge. There isa lot of information to take in and it is ex-tremely difficult to learn enough even toknow what you are doing. As a beginner,jumping into this gigantic pool of knowl-edge and information can be very discourag-ing and even dangerous. This article isdesigned to help you avoid some of the ba-sic mistakes that a lot of beginners run into.I will highlight some of the more commonmistakes that beginners make, ranging fromwhat you do in the gym, to diet and supple-mentation.

1. Overtraining

A common mistake is that having sessions last-ing hours long or performing tons of the sameexercises several days a week will get you bettergains. "Less is more" when it comes to weighttraining. Remember that your central nervoussystem and joints come into the picture, and suf-fer a lot more from the abuse of weight trainingthan your muscles.Your muscles grow when you are resting, notwhen you are at the gym. This is because whenyou lift weights, you create tears in the muscletissue. When you rest, the muscle repairs itselfand becomes larger than before. How long ittakes to repair will depend largely on your dietand how much sleep you get per night.To help avoid overtraining remember not to takean intermediate or advanced workout routine un-til you have more experience. About 3 monthsbefore an intermediate routine and several yearsbefore an advanced routine. Remember that it isalso recommended that about every 12 weeks,you take a week off of weight training to healany of those little nagging injuries and to giveyour central nervous system a break.

2. Cheating

Cheating occurs when you are using a weightthat is too heavy for you to lift, but you continueto lift the weight and sacrifice form to do it. Youwill see it all the time in gyms, people who leanback and throw their elbows forward when doingbicep curls, people that bounce the bar off theirchest when benching etc. This not only limits thegains you can make, but it also can lead to injury.To help avoid cheating, learn how to properlyperform an exercise, and train with that form us-ing little to no weight to start. After you feel youhave the form down, slowly bump up the weightuntil you can perform the exercise with the repsyou need exactly the same way as you were per-forming with the little to no weight. Rememberthat although you should train to failure, youshouldn't sacrifice form to do it.If you want to maximize your training, youshould know that on the fast concentric (positive)movement trains the nervous system; the sloweccentric (negative) movement trains the muscle.

So you should perform the upward part of themovement fast, and the downward part of themovement slow. For example, when doing pull-ups, pull yourself up quickly, and slowly loweryourself down. This puts as much stress as possi-ble on the muscle and teaches your nervous sys-tem how to lift a load.Remember that cheating not only hinders yourgains, but it makes you look foolish as well. No-body likes to see some guy screaming as he ham-mer throws 70 pound dumbbells for his bicep

routine.

3. Lifting Heavy Early

If you are under the age of 18, stick to the 8-12rep range. Lifting weights higher than this cancause damage to growth. This is because as ateenager the growth plates on the end of thebones haven't yet closed, and performing heavymaximum lifts can cause closure prematurely ofthese growth plates (epiphysis), and can alsocause injuries to the bones themselves.Combine this with the fact that most people start-ing out will not do well handling the immenseload that is associated with low rep ranges, theywill usually put themselves at risk of immediatedanger, not only growth plate damage. Play itsafe, and work with proper form and the resultswill come.

4. Using the low rep ranges to get big,training high reps to burn fat

This couldn't be further from the truth. First off,diet plays the most important role in determininghow shredded or how big you are. You canpound all the weight you want, if you eat crapyou will look like crap. Second, to train for size,the 6-12 rep range is optimal. The low rep rangestrain muscular strength, which helps little in in-creasing muscular size. Remember that fat burnis achieved mostly by cardio and high intensityweight training. This can mean low rest times,supersets etc.

5. Using a professional bodybuilderor power lifters routine

You might think that because a bodybuilder ishuge and used a certain routine means that youwill get huge using that same workout. This isnot true. Bodybuilders have been training foryears and their routines will most likely be farmore advanced for you to attempt. You shouldalso consider the fact that not everything willwork for everybody. Just because a guy is bigand got good results from doing somethingdoesn't mean that you will too.

6. Starving yourself in order to loseweight

Yes it sounds silly, but you would be surprisedat the number of people that think this way. Di-eting doesn't mean that you can't enjoy food ev-er again, or that you will always be hungry. Splityour meals up into 5-7 a day of smaller portions.This keeps your metabolism working and willhelp you be less hungry through the day.Remember that when you starve yourself, yourbody holds onto any fat it has and you will losemuscle instead. This is very unhealthy.You will be surprised at the amount of caloriesyou can eat as long as you exercise.

7. Relying too much on supplementsto grow

Without proper diet and training supplementswill get you nowhere. Remember they are calledSUPPLEMENTS because they SUPPLEMENTyour diet. If your diet is in check and you havedone everything you can to ensure that realfoods play the dominant role, only then shouldsupplements be considered.On labels of these supplements you will findstatements such as "Gain 7 pounds of muscle in3 weeks" etc. Remember that these claims areusually exaggerated.Before you buy any supplements, do researchand educate yourself on what's worth it andwhat's not. It will save you a lot of money in thelong run.

8. Neglecting Carbohydrates andFats in your dietCarbs and fat are an essential part in any diet,even weight loss diets. This is because carbohy-drates are our main source of fuel. Without car-bohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates,the body would begin to use other sources andthis could cause problems, such as becomingeasily fatigued due to lack of glycogen.Fats are needed as well. Fat is essential to main-tain good health. That being said, you should getyour fat from healthy sources, such as olive oiland nuts. Remember that trans-fats are bad foryou no matter what, and should be avoided at allcosts.

WEIGHT TRAINING

Common Weight Lifting Mistakes Made By Beginners

Food~Fact:

SPORTS


General Training Tips 1. Set yourself a realistic target and use a specific plan toachieve it. Start off little and often and build up steadily, gettinginto the habit of running. 2. It is easier and safer to run with someone rather than runningalone. Join a running club if you can or find a running partner. 3. Adapt your training plan to take account of unforeseen ill-ness, injury etc, don't just abandon it. 4. For a longer run make sure you have done close to the dis-tance before the day to give you the confidence. 5. Don't train when you are ill or injured - listen to your body. 6. Go at your own pace if you're new to running. Trainingplans are great but if you're not a confident runner it's good to goat your own pace, listen to your own body and build a bit of con-fidence to start with. 7. Get plenty of rest. A good regular sleep pattern helps recov-ery. 8. Keep a log of all your training - this is great not only be-cause it shows your progression and helps with motivation but itmeans you can assess what works best for you and what doesn't.

9. Join a gym to help with your general fitness and co-ordina-tion. 10. Rest when you need to, be realistic about your expectationsand listen to your body. If you are not sure whether to train ask adoctor, physio etc. It is best to achieve your target later ratherthan never. 11. Do not compare yourself to others and don't expect everyrun to be better than the last one. 12. Be aware of cyclists approaching you from behind and tryto keep to the right. Try to pay special attention when runningwith music. 13. Beware of breathing too hard, slow down or walk a bit untilyou feel comfortable again. 14. Hydrate: Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day. 15. To aid recovery the most crucial time to eat and drink is inthe hour immediately after you run.

For more tips visit www.greatrun.org

Participants in the 10k Great Run Irelandheld in Phoenix Park on 5th April

Drinking tea and caffeinated coffee or soda within 2 hours of ameal will decrease the amount of iron the body is able to absorb from that meal.

SPORTS


The Shuttle

A common sense guide to training for new runners:

• Build up training steadily and add variety to your training. Forexample, varying your routes or altering your speed - jog / walk.

• Give your body time to adapt to new training demands. Listento your body. Pushing too hard too soon can lead to injury.

• Find a natural starting point by recording your morning pulserate. Sudden rises in your rate are signs that you are putting yourbody under too much stress. A good quality heart rate monitor is asensible addition to your kit.

• Settle into a good stretching routine and stick to it.

• Take a break from training if you have an infection or illness -don't be surprised if you find you can't start back at the same levelon your first day back after illness.

• Break up your training and offer yourself more than constantrunning - don't let your training programme become stale. Youcan always incorporate swimming sessions into your training.These work both your muscles and your cardiovascular systemand offer a good respite from running sessions.

• Never run through injuries - it only makes them worse andslows down the natural healing process. If you suffer from repeat-ed minor injuries see a doctor or sports injury specialist. Yourrunning style may be adding to your problems.

• Remember - it's not the end of the world if you don't run wellduring race day. Get the most out of each race you do - learn fromthe experience and come back in even better shape next time.

Make sure you get yourself a pair of well fitting trainers that suityour running style and comfortable well fitting clothing that al-lows your skin to breathe. See our footwear and apparel sectionfor further details.

Beginners Guide:To Running

How to get the most from your big day

* Organisation is the key to a successful day.Take the race start time and work back from it.Allow yourself at least an hour at the start to getused to the surroundings.

* Work out your travel plans based on gettingto the start for this hour of familiarisation. How-ever long you think it will take, leave a bit moretime on top, to allow for on unforeseen hold-ups.Don’t forget that the traffic will probably beheavier than you’d expect, this is the largest roadrace in the country remember! Train travel can beespecially difficult and the later you leave it theworse it will be.

* Don’t leave your kit packing until race day.Make sure this is done the day before, with yournumber fixed on and your ‘ChampionChip’ at-tached, if required for that event. The more thingsyou leave to race day, the more things can gowrong.

* Try and get to bed reasonably early the nightbefore and in keeping with the theory of not hav-ing to hurry on race morning, make sure you getup early. If you normally operate with one alarmclock then get another, leave nothing to chance.Many runners have missed events because their‘reliable’ alarm clock has let them down, or theydidn’t set it properly. Never rely on anyone elseto get you up, like a hotel receptionist, they caneasily forget!

* Definitely eat something on race morningalthough do not eat to excess. If you eat too muchyour body will tell you this about half way thecourse and you will have to stop and sort theproblem out. This can be particularly embarrass-ing if there are no facilities. You should have eat-en a big meal of carbohydrates the night before sosome toast and tea should be sufficient for break-fast.

* Needless to say, make as many visits as youcan to the conveniences before the race, even ifit’s for physiological reasons. There’s nothing

worse than lining up at the start with a nigglingdoubt in the back of your mind that you haven’tbeen enough.

* If you’re travelling to the event with some-one who’s not competing, then try and get him orher to drive, or at least do the navigating. Themore you can free your mind up to concentrateon the race, the better.

* Make sure you take something with you tokeep warm. A lot of events start early in themorning to beat the heat and there is a realchance you could suffer if you’re not prepared.

* Warm-up for 10 or 15 minutes before thestart with a combination of muscle stretching andgentle running. Don’t overdo it though. It’s easyto get to the line tired because you’ve beenwarming-up for too long!

* Relax and enjoy it!

Top 10 race day tips

courtesy of www.greatrun.org

SPORTS


The Company Background

Our company Name is Forever FitPromotionswww.foreverfitpromotions.com .Myself (Jason Kenny) and BlueShinners set it up 3yrs ago. Betweenboth of us we have over 25yrsexperience in the fitness industry.

We Specialise in Strength Trainingand Conditioning and Diet andNutrition. We have many clientssome of which are high profile. Wehave been working with theTipperary Senior footballers Teamsince September 2008 and they aredoing exceptionally well this yearcoming from 4th Division to bepromoted to Division 2, a fantasticachievement in just a year.

The Bernard Dunne Fight

It was a very busy weekend over all.Between press conferences,Magazines, Newspapers and TV. Wehad to be on our toes.

Bernard won and deservedly. Hefought with pure heart and courage,and never gave up even if it seemedhairy in the 5th round.

He hung on in there and bouncedback again in the 6th amazing theboxing community. After knockingCordoba to the canvas 5

times to claim his rightful title of

World Champion. He really tappedinto his reserves and producedenergy that seemed to most

to come out of no where, but weknew differently.

We have been working with Bernardsince Christmas, travelling up anddown to Dublin to him everyWeekend

and corresponding by email orPhone. He was a joy to work withand really took on board what wewere saying he left no stoneunturned.

It is not easy changing your old waysof making weight and then fightingon hardly anything. The philosophyin the boxing world is

To sweat it out of you and eatingpretty much nothing, once the weightis made you then begin eating againand whatever you can

Put back into your body.

Unfortunately it is mostly rubbishand has no nutritional valuewhatsoever. It’s one thing takenpunishment

Externally but what advantage is it indoing likewise on the inside. Youmust fuel your body, you musthydrate and re-hydrate. The body

Will also need more than just waterbut a fluid that carries with it anexcellent electrolyte balance with agood carb ratio to fuel your muscles

Energy reserves adenosinetriphosphate (A.T.P). We all knowfood is mood and when we aresatisfied we focus better. Ourconcentration is high

And decisions more accurate. Beinghungry and having to make someserious decisions is not the best ideain the ring. You

can have a Ferrari parked outsideyour door with a Single coat of paint,lightened race alloys top-notchbrembo brakes and if you have nofuel

to run it it’ll sit there. Now takingthat a step further If you put thewrong fuel in, diesel for exampleyou’d cause havoc with it and it stillgoes no-where. So

to gain an advantage over yourcompetitor, in the Same race or

“FIGHT”, you need to do somethinga little extra something specialsomething

different, in the case of a race ahigher Octane fuel And a fighter to

fine tune his diet to have a constantsupply of fuel feeding everyexplosive

movement and secure mental focus.The Secret? Very simple “ABalanced Blood Sugar Level”

The Atmosphere in the O2 waselectric, and this man fought for hiscountry and not just for his hometown, but as an Irish man on hisown against the world..

We were veryprivileged to be a part of TeamDunne. He weighed in at 8 stone 9lbson Friday at 5pm and

Stepped into the ring for the fight onSaturday night at 9 stone 6lbs,imagine 11lbs heavier almost a stonein just 30hrs. He was

Well hydrated and fuelled. Our jobwas done but to just sit back and letthe champ do his job. I can tell youwe felt every blow taken

And scurried behind every punchgiven. When it was over I thinkbetween us we both lost 2 stone. Ithas been deemed fight of the

Century and being an avid boxingfan I can tell you I would feel I haveto agree.

The Bernard Dunne Fight- Forever Fit Promotions by Jason Kenny

Jason Kenny, Bernard Dunne and Blue Shinnors

Learn a bit about the company who worked in the backgroundto help Bernard Dunne on his way to boxing success.

Business Profile

SPORTS


Many people hope that joining ahealth club will be a magic bullet toinspire them to work out. But take adeeper look at what each club offersso you will be joining the club thathas the best chance of helping youdevelop a steady fitness habit.

Location, Location,Location

Unless the health club is located nearbyor is convenient to your commute, yourattendance will drop off swiftly. Some-times the club without the exact facili-ties you want will be a better deal dueto a convenient location where you aremore likely to stop and workout.

Hours and Class or Train-er Schedules

What hours and days of the week is theclub open? When it is open, how is itstaffed? Are the kind of group classesyou want available at hours convenientto your schedule? If you plan to use apersonal trainer, what hours are theyavailable? If you need to use on-sitechild care, is it available and whathours does it operate?

Congestion

Is the club overwhelmed with clientsduring the hours you are most likely towant to use it? Will it be difficult tofind parking, a locker, or an open tread-mill? This may be unavoidable, as mostgyms are used heavily before and afterwork on weekdays. January will al-ways be crowded, so it is best to givethem a fair chance by checking this outin other months.ClienteleYou will feel most comfortable work-ing out around people with similar fit-ness goals. Some gyms cater to

bodybuilders. Some to those seekingweight loss. Do you feel intimidated bythe other clients, like your gym clothesor physique isn't quite worthy?

Staff

Do the staff greet you or ignore you?Do they act like knowledgeable fitnessprofessionals or do you suspect theyare working a summer job for mini-mum wage? Do they seem more intenton socializing than assisting you? Arethey fully familiar with the equipmentand able to give you help and direc-tion? Do they display their credentials?

Safety and Cleanliness

Is the equipment kept in good repair?Are the pieces of equipment, mats,locker rooms and shower areas keptclean? Are towels available free, or fora towel fee? If you see a client doingsomething unsafe, will a staff memberintervene?

Children and Guests

Parents will often have the best chanceof making their health club a habit ifchild care is available on site. Also findout what guest privileges you have -- isthere a fee for bringing a guest, and areyou limited to certain hours or numbersof guests?

Facilities and Services

Make sure the health club has the kindof equipment and facilities you mostwant. Do they have enough treadmills,exercise bikes, free weights, and exer-cise machines of the type you prefer?Do they have a space for you to stretchand use an exercise ball, foam roller,etc? Common items would include apool, room for aerobics and danceclasses, basketball court, racquetball or

handball courts, sauna, steamroom,whirlpool. Do they offer massage?

Cost

Negotiating a health club contract,with all of its choices, is often veryconfusing. Be sure you understand thebasics:

* Initiation fees * Contract duration * How it will be billed, and whetherit automatically renews if not activelystopped * Extra fees for classes, personaltraining, child care, parking * Is the membership transferable toother locations? * Are there any time limits on usingany bonus items such as personaltraining sessions? * Will the fees go up after an initialdiscount period? * Are the fees refundable if you de-cide to terminate the contract? * Don't be afraid to negotiate a bet-ter deal than that which is offered. Aswith buying a car, ask them to throwin some extras if they won't comedown on price. * Do they offer discounts for familymembers, or credits for referringfriends?

Trial Memberships

Use any free sessions to really kick thetires of the health club. It may be hardto shake the overly-friendly salesper-son who wants to show you all of theamenities, but it is hard to get a goodworkout with them at your side. If theyare annoying, ask them to give youspace so you can make an informeddecision. They want to make the sale,and smart salespeople will honor yourrequest.

How to Choose a Health Club


Working on people’s motivation and not just their fitness levelscan improve your chances of staying in shape

Exercise can seem like an undoubtedly daunting task for any-one looking to lose weight. Whether it is the prospects ofbreathless running, heart-wrenching weight lifting or simplyjust a lack of energy, motivation is the key to make the firststep and to keep going once you have started. According torecent research studies, 20% of the population are sporty typeswho are highly motivated, regular exercisers and would rathergo to a gym for a break rather than relax in front of thetelevision. 16% of the population are said to be occasional,they know exercise is good for them but drop in and out ofdoing it giving way to excuses such as “not enough time” or“lack of energy” being the main reasons theyavoid exercise occasionally. 44% havebeen found to know that exercise isgood for them but just don’t botherand that around 1 in 5 of us aresimply couch potatoes, doing noexercise and lazing around inpreference to doing a bit of exer-cise. Although the “couch pota-toes” segment of the populationwho are completely inactive andpositively detest the idea of exer-cising, even fitness fanatics havetimes when they don’t feel much likeexercising or are just not in the mood for it.Given this, is it any wonder that so few peopleparticipate in sufficient physical activity to positively benefit-ing their health, let alone their fitness?

Motivation can be extrinsic (from outside the individual) orintrinsic (within the person). The most desirable and effectiveform of motivation and it is fair to suppose that the vastmajority of sporty types are driven to participate by innerfeelings. They are able to set and focus their own goals andhave the self-discipline to achieve them. Yet everyone needssome help in terms of motivation.Some fitness instructors believe that extrinsic motivation is farless effective in the long term, and the job of managers, coach-es, instructors and mentors is to move people from extrinsictowards intrinsic motivation. This is entirely true and by this,a fitness instructor or a big life changing event can make all thedifferent to someone and their fitness regime if they are pushedthe right amount.Even patients who have had a major heart attack, who give upsmoking and take up exercise, will revert to previous lifestylesonce the trauma of the extrinsic motivator (the heart attack) hasfaded into memory. Logic would seem to dictate that anyonesuffering a life-threatening trauma would understand the nega-tive consequences of returning to negative lifestyle habits.

People know that exercise is good for them but still this doesnot seem to motivate them.

Nic Jarvis, a renowned coaching expert, argues that “beliefs”lie at the heart of whether a person successfully takes up andadheres to an exercise programme. Self-efficacy or the beliefthat you can achieve something can be a huge factor in termsof motivation.

The three “Cs” model for building intrinsic motivation include:Control: if people are empowered to feel they have

control over their lives and actions, they will take responsibil-ity for their actions.

Confidence: Building self-efficacy can beachieve in a variety of ways: vicariously – “Is

she can do it, so can I” attitude, experien-tially – “Wow, I can do this after all”

knowledge – “If this is all you have gotto do, I’ll give it a go”.

Connectedness: The opposite ofalienation. To feel part of something,a fitness club, a corporation, a social

group, a football team, or similar, hasbeen shown to greatly increase motiva-

tion.

I would add that getting and celebrating resultswould be a pretty strong motivating factor too. As an

industry we continue to fail to attract and retain new exerciseparticipants. Instead, we recruit and recycle from within thehighly motivated 20% of sporty types. Nic Jarvis points outthat the fitness industry must be the only one that gives itscustomer what it things they wants and ahs absolutely no ideawhether its customers achieve the results they wanted whenthey started exercise.

There’s nothing wrong with spending huge amounts of cash onshiny equipment and fluffy towels but, unless we begin tounderstand our customers’ barriers and motivation to exercise,we will continue to lose the battle to get people off the couchand into regular psychical activity.The abundance of personal trainers in clubs already providesan effective resource for coaching and supporting clients. Withan additional focus on psycho-social approaches, personaltrainers could begin to reap both financial rewards and a deepsense of fulfilment, as clients work more regularly and achievethe success they desire.Actively working with people to develop intrinsic motivationin clients could have a wider effect on the industry as a whole,helping to further extend the market by converting occasionalexercisers into regular clients. It is conceivable that the “trickledown” concept used in economic theory could equally apply tothis newly active customer base.

Motivated to Exercise?By Conor Jordan

FITNESS

“Although the “couchpotatoes” segment of the pop-

ulation who are completely inac-tive and positively detest the idea of

exercising, even fitnessfanatics have times when theydon’t feel much like exercising

or are just not in themood for it”


With economic recovery on everyoneswish list, its time to bootcamp thosebooties back into shape without bustingthe bank account. Get fit with FREEoutdoor activity this summer by Dublin15s Meet and Train Group. The FREEtraining, which is lead by Life CoachFrances Flannery, splits into Walkers,Joggers and Runners ensuring that thereis a group to suit everyone, regardless offitness levels.

It is recommended that members investin a good pair of running shoes andrain jacket and check with their GPbefore starting. Sunscreen should beworn when training outdoors to protectthe skin from the harmful rays of the sunwhich can cause damage even in lowlevels of light. The Bootcamp style pro-gramme includes 40-60 mins ofwalk/jog/running. Yoga style stretchingafterward plus arm exercises with lightdumbbell weights.

The group meets Fridays, Sundays andMondays at Castleknock Gates, Phoenix

Park and all are welcome. Meet andTrain offer 100% FREE training inconjunction with Flora Womens MiniMarathon. And Dublin Vitality Center.

For those who need extra help with theirfitness and weightloss programme,Frances also runs a unique 4 week Boot-camp programme which combines co-lonic hydrotherapy, diet, exercise,weekly weigh-in and personal lifecoaching. The combination of fresh air,good diet, colonic treatment, exerciseand motivation are the keys to success.The programme guarantees weight lossby identifying and changing root causesof weight gain. It is available throughDublin Vitality Center.

Email: [email protected] Vitality Center, BlanchardstownVillage, Dublin 15 Telephone: 01-8201602 Mobile 087 694 4553

FITNESS

Free Bootcamp Trainingby Frances Flannery

As thousands of women across Ireland getset to take part in the annual Women’smini-marathon on Monday 1st June, ShockAbsorber is encouraging them to ensurethey have the right sports bra, just as theywould invest in a good quality pair oftrainers.While women run, jog or walk the 10kmcourse past many Dublin landmarks, theaverage female runners breasts will betaking their own journey and could travelup to a staggering 600-metres in bounce -that is the equivalent of the Dublin Spirestacked end to end, more than five times!Not only this, but the average 36C breastweighs between 250–300 grammes, theweight of four bags of sugar! As thewomen bounce their way around thecourse on race day this weight must be

supported properly otherwise, research*has found, they will risk increasing theeffects of gravity on their breasts.Regular exercise like running can putgreat strain on the breasts fragile supportstructure, which compromises the outerskin and a connective tissue known as theCoopers ligament. Excessive breastmovement can cause the Coopersligaments to stretch and lead toirreversible breast sag.Wearing a regular bra during exercisereduces breast bounce by an average of 38per cent, however research* shows thatwearing a Shock Absorber sports brareduces breast bounce by up to 74 percent, making it twice as effective as anormal bra.

Shock Absorber understands women andtheir exercise needs and are constantlyresearching and developing sports bras tofit both cup and back size, ensuring theydeliver superior structure and the highestpossible performance.

Shock Absorber bras are available in avariety of styles, colours and support lev-els with a size range from 28-44” backsand A-HH cup. For sports such as run-ning, Level 4 support is recommended.

Shock Absorber sports bras are availablethrough selected stockists in Dublin andcountrywide.See www.shockabsorber.co.uk for moreinformation.

Put your breast foot forward for the Women’s Mini-Marathon

NUTRITION

Quick Tip


Author: Dr. Muireann Cullen

Dr. Muireann Cullen joined the Foodand Drink sector of the Irish Businessand Employer’s Confederation in Janu-ary 2008, to manage the Nutrition andHealth Foundation. She has a widerange of dietetic experience spanningresearch, clinical and private practice,regulatory, public health and industry.Muireann obtained a PhD in HumanNutrition and Dietetics from TrinityCollege Dublin in 2001. She is both amember of the Irish Nutrition and Die-tetic Institute and the Nutrition Society.

Swimsuit season looms– simple steps to help you look fab!

Until recently, we were well covered up - wearing the wool trousers and long-sleeved blouses/shirts to work during the cool days of spring (and still are to acertain extent). Now, suddenly all the magazines have titles touting, "GetYour Beach Bum for Summer!" and "Five Simple Steps to a Bikini Body!"with swimwear clad slim and trim models smiling up at us approvingly fromthe front cover.

You may have tried several times beforeto lose weight, but without much long-term success. That’s no reason to feel badabout yourself — losing weight is noteasy. No magic formula will trim awayextra pounds and keep them off. Oftenfad diets involve omitting certain foods,and sometimes even entire food groups,which deprive the body of essential nutri-ents and energy. Remember, you can'tget all the vitamins and minerals yourbody needs from any one food source.That’s why, over the long haul, fad dietsare not the answer.

Whilst an online members poll byIrishhealth.com showed that 52% neverwent on a fad diet, worryingly 48% havetried such diets with 25% stating theywould try anything to lose weight.

To lose weight slowly, safely and keepit off requires long-term changes in dai-ly eating (having moderate portions andfollowing the food pyramid) and exer-cise habits (increasing our level of activ-ity). As a guideline, the faster you loseweight, the more likely you are to regainit. Many experts recommend a goal oflosing only about a pound or two aweek. A modest reduction of 500 calo-ries per day will achieve this goal. Inaddition, exercising for a minimum of30 minutes a day can help maintainweight lost. To increase weight loss youcan increase your physical activity. Re-member to drink plenty of water espe-cially when physically active. Makingsure you drink 8 glasses a day will helpyou look and feel better as well as help-ing to stave off the urge to snack asthirst is often mistaken for hunger.

Tips to prepare for the swimsuit season:

1. Start your preparations now.Since it can take at least 4 to 6weeks to see results from adiet and exercise plan, thisgives you plenty of time to getready for that swimsuit.

2. Incentive for success. If youdecide to buy a new swimsuit,do it early before all the goodones are gone. This gives youthe opportunity to find a suitthat fits and flatters yourshape. A great way to buildyour confidence.

3. Balance is essential. Despitewhat quick-weight-loss dietsand books may say, the onlysensible way to lose weightand maintain a healthy weightpermanently is to eat less andbalance your food intake withphysical activity. It takes timeand hard work but is so worthit!

Tomato juice has morepotassium than orangejuice or a banana, and thesalt in tomato juice canhelp keep an athlete withheavy sweat losses to staybetter hydrated.

SportsNutrition

Plan your meals the night before, so that you know what and when youwill be eating, especially on those busy days.


NUTRITION

1.A balanced diet is one that includes a variety of every foodgroup. Please see the food pyramid below for further guid-ance. Remember that losing more than 2 lbs. per week canbe detrimental to your health and the weight you lose in a"crash" tends to return quickly.

a. Check outside for what’s inside. Use the nutritioninformation per 100g to compare similar products or if in arush, use the Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) label whichcan be found on the front of the pack to help you make yourfood choice. Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA’s) make iteasier for people to select and enjoy a mix of foods suited totheir individual needs. More and more food labels containGDA’s so it is important that you can read, understand anduse them to make informed choices about the foods to pur-chase. Looking at the percentages on the label can give youa quick idea of what percentage of your daily intake of fat,salt, sugar and calories are in one serving of the food. Foodlabels may be some of your best friends when managingyour weight and diet.

c. Adults are recommended to take a minimum of 30minutes of moderate intensity activity a day, which includesa brisk walk, yoga, recreational swimming, carrying toddlersand climbing stairs fast. The good news is that the 30 min-utes can be made up of bouts of 10 minutes or more - there-fore you can work towards the 30 minutes even during yourworking day and lunch break. Every step counts. Includesome toning to target your problem areas e.g. arms, tummy,thighs etc.4. Get the look. If you prefer the tanned look, get agood 'spray on' tan, which looks great. Always use sun-screen. This way you can protect your skin from damage bythe sun's ultraviolet rays. Enjoy your bronze skin but remem-ber pale is beautiful and nothing to be ashamed of.

So get out there (in your new swimsuit), ignore the fads,stick to the basics and enjoy the beautiful weather safelywith your family and friends!

Organisation: Nutrition and Health Foundation

The Nutrition & Health Foundation has a multi-stakeholderapproach to addressing the health challenges of our nation,by bringing together industry, government, state agencies,internationally recognised scientists, health professionals andother relevant stakeholders. It’s mission is to communicateevidence based information on nutrition, health and physicalactivity to encourage an improved and healthier society inIreland.

An example of a nutrition label An example of a GDA label

Nutritioninformation

Per100g

Per 25g

Energy 100kcal 25kcalProtein 24g 6gCarbohydrates 16g 4gOf which sugars 8g 2gFat 12g 3gOf whichsaturates

4g 1g

Fibre 1g 0.25gSodium 0.4g 0.1g

Per 50g serving

NUTRITION


Chef Gavan Murphy began his culinary adventure at BallymaloeCookery School in 1994. In 2000 his journey took him to Los An-geles, where his interest in health and nutrition flourished, naturallymerging with his cooking experience. Gavan has worked as a con-sulting chef for a multi-national sports nutrition company, as wellas a personal chef to the stars, often working in conjunction withcelebrity trainers. He created The Healthy Irishman with the hopeof educating the public about healthy eating.www.thehealthyirishman.com

Gavan Murphy

My philosophy for how one should achieve a healthy balanceddiet is simply to fuel the body with wholesome natural foods. Yourbody needs constant refueling to maintain a high metabolism thusenabling the body to burn any excess body fat. To achieve this, Inot only advocate but practice eating smaller portioned meals morefrequently throughout the day. This keeps your energy levels at aconstant and prevents cravings, which ultimately leads to over-in-dulgence. I don’t use the word “diet” in terms of losing weight; tome it’s a lifestyle that involves making healthy choices based oneating whole foods that are nutritious and delicious.

His Philosophy

The Healthy Irishman

An Intelligent Diet by Gavan Murphy, The Healthy Irishmanwww.thehealthyirishman.com

How well you nourish your brain de-termines how well your brain performs. Ithas been proven that by eating the rightfood you can boost your IQ, improve yourmood, be more emotionally stable, sharpenyour memory, improve concentration andkeep your mind young. Essentially, fatsbuild your brain and proteins unite it. Car-bohydrates fuel your brain and micronutri-ents defend it. So what should you beeating for a healthy brain?

Since brains are around 60% fat, asteady diet of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fattyacids is crucial to a well-functioning, well-oiled brain. These Omegas help keep theblood vessels of the brain stay clear ofblockages and allow nerve cells to functionat a high level. In layman’s terms, eatingthese keeps your brain moving and groov-ing. The goal is to consume more foodshigh in these omegas while avoiding foodswith trans-fats, found in partially hydroge-nated oils, margarine and shortening whichclog up the system. That means cut out thechips and crisps and add avocados, fish andwhole grains to your diet. Not to worry,

you don’t have to look far to find goodfats--your local supermarket has what youneed to maintain your brain’s supply offatty acids. Good dietary sources of Ome-ga-3 fatty acids are high-fat, cold-waterfish like wild salmon, sardines, mackerel,and trout. That’s why fish are called brainfood. Flax seed oil, walnuts, sea vegeta-bles, green leafy vegetables and kiwi arealso great sources for Omega-3’s. Foodsources of Omega-6’s include cold-pressedsunflower, safflower, corn and sesame oils.A great rule of thumb is to look for the la-bel cold-pressed on oils and salad dress-ings or in the case of olive oil, extra virgin,ensuring you’re choosing the right omegarich supermarket products.

Let’s break it down by our 3 staplemeals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, startingof course with the most important meal ofthe day, breakfast. There are so many stud-ies showing that fueling the brain withbreakfast is important for thinking, actingand learning. This is crucial informationfor school children but let’s face it, all ofus can benefit from eating a wholesome

breakfast before juggling our busy days.Good old-fashioned porridge is a perfectway to start the day. I like to pair minewith a few scrambled egg whites to getample protein and carbs to keep me going.Energy and brain food in the same meal—no wonder I’m as smart as I am! (He saysboldly!)For lunch let’s try something dif-ferent. Do you find you have trou-ble getting the kids to eat their veg?How about making a spinach soup?Those leafy greens are chock ablock full of the good Omegaswhile meeting your daily need for anumber of nutrients, including cal-cium, iron, folate and vitamin A.Researchers found that feeding ag-ing laboratory animals spinach-richdiets significantly improved boththeir learning capacity and motorskills. Motor skills is what we Irishare known for aren’t we?


Spinach Soup

Photo: Gavan Murphy, www.thehealthyirishman.com

Serves 3-4

1 leek (white part only) – ½ lengthwise,rough chop

½ white onion (1 cup) – chopped2 large garlic cloves

2 tsp nutmeg1 medium potato, peeled, chopped1 bouquet garni (thyme, oregano, bayleaf)3 x 9oz (250g) bags baby spinach5 cups low-sodium chicken or veg broth2 tbsp olive oilS&P

Preheat soup pot on medium heat for 1minute. Add olive oil and sauté leek, onion,garlic and nutmeg for 5 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally.Add broth, spinach and bouquet garni and bring to a boil,uncovered. Reduce heat to low and add potato. Cook untiltender, 15 –20 minutes approx.

Once softened, remove herbs and blend in batches.

NOTE: When pureeing hot liquids be very careful notto over-fill the blender, as hot liquids will expand whenblended. Use a kitchen towel to hold the lid down.

Taste and season with S&P.

NUTRITION

Cooking and Nutrition:From my point of view as a chef, I pro-mote cooking food that actually comesfrom the ground along with naturallyraised meat, poultry and seafood. Somepeople associate cooking healthy food asboring and tasteless, but I’m here toshow you how to cook tasty, easy to do,flavorful and most importantly, healthyfood. Cooking changes the way foodfeels, looks, tastes and smells. Ever smella fragrant aroma coming from the kitch-en that puts a smile on your face? Mygoal is for you to enjoy eating and cook-ing healthy food and most importantlyenjoy being healthy overall.

Food is made up of 2 distinct types ofnutrients:-protein, fat, carbohydrates and water-vitamins and mineralsRemember the old saying, "You are whatyou eat?" It’s completely spot on. Thebody is built from all of the above nutri-ents and needs all of the above nutrientsto function. That said here are my tips forbringing healthy back into the kitchen.

Go easy on the butter. Butter is full ofsaturated fats. You’re better off replacing

butter with heart healthy olive oil, whichhas unsaturated fats. Your body doesn’tneed saturated fats, bad cholesterol(LDL) or trans fats from food so keepthese to a minimum. When eaten in mod-eration, monounsaturated fats (vegetableoils such as olive oil, canola oil, peanutoil, sunflower oil and sesame oil and av-ocados, peanut butter, and many nuts andseeds) can help reduce bad cholesterollevels in your blood and lower your riskof heart disease and stroke.

Pick whole grains over refined ones.Oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, bul-gar, & quinoa are all better choices thanwhite rice and white flour pasta. You see,all grains start out as whole grains. In thefields, au natural, whole grains are theentire seed of a plant or "kernel", whichis made up of three key parts: the bran,the germ, and the endosperm. Refiningand processing these whole grains re-moves the bran and the germ, leavingonly the endosperm. Without the branand germ, about 25% of a grain’s proteinis lost, along with at least seventeen keynutrients. Processors sometimes add backsome vitamins and minerals to enrichrefined grains, so refined products still

contribute some valuable nutrients. Butoverall whole grains are healthier, pro-viding more protein, more fiber andmany important vitamins and minerals.

Makeover Tip: Substitute all-purposefloor in baked goods for whole wheatpastry flour, increases fiber by 4 times!Fiber is rapidly becoming known for itsaid in keeping your appetite under con-trol as it makes you feel full longer, andresearch has shown it also may helplower blood cholesterol.

Limit dairy, toss the cream. Dairy is agood source of calcium but it also con-tains saturated fats. Cream is just full offat. Try using skim milk in place ofcream. By switching to a low-fat or bet-ter yet, fat free milk you’re significantlyreducing your calorie and fat content bymaking this simple adjustment. Whenmaking things like mash, my favouritetrick to get full flavour but less fat is touse low-sodium chicken or veg brothinstead of butter or cream. You can zestup any meal such as this with freshherbs and spices.

How to ‘Healthify Your Cooking’

(continued on next page)


Smoked Salmon Tagliatelle

NUTRITION

Photo: Gavan Murphy, www.thehealthyirishman.com

Though we may not have the luck of the sun, we do havethe luck of the ocean with access to superb Omega-3 richfish such as mackerel, trout and wild salmon. For dinnerlet’s go with the wild salmon. It’s easy to get and you caneat it smoked, grilled, baked or stuffed. You can’t gowrong, especially since wild salmon can help do every-thing including improve your brain matter, your mood,

your synaptic connections, your arteries, reduce your riskof stroke and Dementia and Alzheimer's and much more.Sold!This recipe proves you don’t have to give up “creamy”foods. By making smarter choices in how you preparethem you can turn a full fat meal into a low fat healthyversion.

Serves 4

¾ lb (350g) Irish smoked salmon8 ounces (225g) sugar snap peas – cut in

half16 oz (450g) low-fat crème fraiche2 tbsp chopped chives12 oz (350g) smoked salmon – cut into

¼” dice8 oz (225g) dried Tagliatelle (I mixed

spinach tagliatelle and regular for the extrabenefits—told you I was smart)Squeeze fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oilS&P

Simply begin by sautéing the peas in 1tbsp olive oil for 1 minute on medium lowheat. Add in crème fraiche and warm gently,stirring. Do not boil or sauce will split.

Just before serving add smoked salmonand warm gently, stirring to incorporate.

Meanwhile cook pasta as per the instruc-tions.

To serve, add fresh chives and cookedtagliatelle. Taste and season with S&P.

Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemonjuice.

Eat more fruit and veg. Vegetables andfruits are high in vitamins, minerals andfiber and they’re low in calories. Eating avariety of fruits and vegetables in a varietyof colours may help you not only controlyour weight and your blood pressure butwill also provide a range of antioxidantsand vitamins. Eating seasonal producewill ensure the freshest ingredients as willbuying locally from your local farmersmarkets, which makes your choices“green”. Better for you, better for the en-vironment.

Choose lean cuts of meat and eat moreseafood. Choose lean meats and poultrywithout skin and prepare them withoutadded saturated and trans fat. Eat morefresh fish (I advocate wild vs. farmed).

Recent research shows that eating oily fishcontaining omega-3 fatty acids (for exam-ple, salmon, trout, and herring) may helplower your risk of death from coronaryartery disease. Shrimp, mussels, clams—they’re all great protein sources withoutall the fat. Ireland is a superb place forfresh seafood so tuck in! Just remember toprepare them the healthy way.

Use less salt! You probably know some-one who has to have salt on the dinner ta-ble, using it without even tasting the foodfirst. This is wrong on so many levels,from the poor cook to the unhealthiness ofthe routine. Here in the States our dietaryguidelines recommend consuming less the2,300 mg daily, which is only 1 teaspoonof salt! One easy way to control your sodi-

um intake is to choose low-sodiumcanned products and broths.

Bye, bye sugar. Whenever I need asweetener for a recipe I don’t reach forthe refined sugar, I reach for agave nec-tar, a natural sweetener extracted from theheart of the agave plant. This nectar doesnot contain processing chemicals and hasa low glycemic index so it’s slowly ab-sorbed into the body preventing spikes inblood sugar. Better yet, it’s 25% sweeterthan sugar so you need to use less. Lookfor it in your local health food store.

Now you’ve got the foundation (andsome of my tricks) for healthy cooking.

How to ‘Healthify Your Cooking’ (continued from previous page)


There’s a growing trend in the States and thatis the rise of farmers’ markets, which I have tosay is brilliant. In these metropolitan concretecities we’ve all relied on the convenience ofSupermarkets, which have everything youneed under the sun. But I feel there’s some-thing clinical about them and there’s some-thing mysterious about them. This is especiallytrue when it comes to purchasing meat andseafood. Let’s face it the word mysterious isnot what you want when it comes to yourfood. I’m very picky as to where I shop and Iask a ton of questions to the man behind thecounter. You have to be proactive if you wantthe best.

When I was back home in Kerry last Septem-ber I was summoned by the parents to getsome steaks for dinner. Off I went to the localbutcher. You bet I asked a ton of questions,more out of curiosity than anything else. Localbutchers are definitely something I miss. My“local” butcher is about 30 miles away, notmaking him too accessible in Los Angelestraffic so I rely on Whole Foods quite a bit.What I miss about family butchers is the rela-tionship you build over time, the quality andfreshness of meat selection, trace-ability ofproduct and the assortments of cuts available,all of which are second to none when you’rebuying from a source who gets it from a localfarm. What’s great about Irish butchers is thatall the meat and produce have an origin boardposted so you know exactly where it comesfrom, whether it’s local or exported. Brilliant. Ihad a lovely chat with Matt, the butcher, andsadly he was saying his family business mayend with him. The hours are long and his kidsaren’t interested in partaking in it let alone tak-ing it over ensuring it stays in the family. Thetimes have certainly changed. I suppose theydo but I find local family butchers so specialthe mere idea of them dissipating is disap-pointing. It looks like the larger markets arewinning.

On the flipside, farmers’ markets are on therise, not only State side but all over the world.We were happily surprised that our visit coin-cided with Irish Organic Week. Seeing theprogress was great--but is it consideredprogress or going back to our roots? As a childwe had a small garden in the back yard wherewe grew fresh herbs and the usual carrots,parsnips and potatoes. Either way, progress orroots, it’s brilliant. We tried a farmers’ marketin Ballyseede outside Tralee. It was a bitsmaller than I expected but it was grassroots atits best with fresh cheese, local veg and freshbread, all organic. We were also able to takean organic farm walk at Ballymaloe, which

was amazing. After that we took a scenic drivedown to Ballycotton where we saw the Bally-cotton seafood van pull up and load the freshcaught fish. Now that’s what I’m talkingabout.

It seems despite the difficult times, farmers’markets are proving to be a busy place. Why isit so important to buy local? Local foods sys-tems provide several advantages over conven-tional and global markets. Buying locallystrengthens regional economies, supports fam-ily farms, provides delicious, "fresh-from-the-field" foods for consumers, preserves the locallandscape, and can help foster a sense of com-munity. Buying locally has also forced me tobetter understand the relationship betweenfood and its season. The seasonality aspect al-so gives me reason to try new recipes and ex-periment with new ingredients and new waysto use seasonal fresh produce.

I came across a site for Ireland’s first dedicat-ed Organic Supermarket, aptly named the Or-ganic Supermarket, located on Main Street,Blackrock Co. Dublin. “The store is an IrishOwned, independent purveyor of fine organicfood and wine. Every item stocked is certifiedorganic and handpicked to the highest stand-ard. The Organic Supermarket’s mission is tobecome the leading retailer of Organic andethically traded products in Ireland, by pro-viding ground breaking customer service,unique wholesome products, employee prideand environmental respect.”www.organicsupermarket.ie Sounds verymuch like my favored Whole Foods Market.Can’t tell you how great this is. If we all con-tribute to the slow food movement by buyingfrom local purveyors, we’ll be feeding our-selves better and saving the environment.

NUTRITION

ShopLocal

SubscribeSubscribe Now

to Life and Fitness Magazineand never miss a copy!

Special Introductory OfferDelivered straight to your doorfor only €25 for the next 12months. Includes free p&p

Every issue will be overflowing witharticles, news and advice on Health,

Fitness, Nutrition, Weight Loss, Sport,Travel and Wellness.

Ensure that you stay looking andfeeling your best throughout 2009.

Subscribe Today!

To Subscribe fill in your details below and post with payment to:Life and Fitness Magazine Ltd., Curraghgraigue, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary.

Name:

Address:

Signature:

Date:



NEWS & EVENTS

Send News to:[email protected] yourself and challenge poverty

with Oxfam TRAILTREKKERFour people. One goal: 100km in 30 hoursOxfam TRAILTREKKER is one of theworld’s toughest team challenges and one ofthe most rewarding, as teams have to com-plete a 100km course within a time limit of30 hours. And now this international eventhas arrived in Ireland for the first time.

One of the first to sign up for the TRAIL-TREKKER challenge was Dr Mark Hamil-ton, presenter of RTE’s How Long Will YouLive and BBC Radio 1’s Sunday Surgery.

Mark is urging the public to follow his leadby registering for the event: “I’m really look-ing forward to lacing up my boots forTRAILTREKKER – it’s a great way to meetnew people, to get out and to get fit, whilehelping others in the developing world. Stepby step you can make change happen as themoney you raise will fund Oxfam’s work allover the world and help make a realdifference to people’s lives”.

Grace O’Neill, Oxfam Ireland’s CommunityEvents Manager, said: “Teams of four haveto complete a challenge combining staminaand teamwork. But it’s not just a physicalchallenge, it’s a life-changing event: partici-pants are also raising money to help over-come poverty and injustice around the world.For example, €2,000 would provide nourish-ing food for one month for more than 70children orphaned by AIDS in Malawi, im-proving their health and well-being.”

Oxfam TRAILTREKKER is already aglobal phenomenon, with Ireland on courseto be the ninth country to host an event. TheIrish TRAILTREKKER will take place from26-27 September 2009, starting in KilbroneyPark, Rostrevor, Co Down and finishing inCarlingford, Co Louth. Participants willjourney through 100km of undulating, rug-ged countryside, trekking together in theirteams by day and by night.

Grace O’Neill added: “Along with the physi-cal and mental challenge, TRAILTREKKERoffers an opportunity to take in the dramaticcross-border scenery of the world famousMourne Mountains, the Ring of Gullion andTain Way, as well as the points of special ar-chaeological interest along the way. Oxfamis delighted to have the event supported byboth Newry & Mourne District Council andLouth County Council and hope that togeth-er we’ll recruit as many teams as possible!”

Full event details are now available at thewebsite: www.oxfamireland.org/trailtrekker.Registration for the event is just €200 perteam and participants must also commit to

raising a minimum of €2,000 sponsorshipper team. Oxfam Ireland is aiming to re-cruit 200 teams to take part in TRAIL-TREKKER 2009 and there will also beopportunities for those who don’t want towalk the 100km but would like to volunteerat the event. Everyone can have a part toplay!

For more information on how you can getinvolved, please [email protected] or callOxfam on 01 6350406.

Caroline Moraghan, Keith Barry and Sara Kavanagh lend-ing their support to the IHF and highlighting the impor-tance of Bystander CPR at the launch of Happy HeartWeekend 2009 . (supported by Vodafone Ireland Founda-tion) www.irishheart.ie

Happy Heart Weekend 2009 - May 14th - 16thJoin our network of volunteers andcommunity fundraisers for our biggestannual fundraising event!

Raise vital funds for our CPR 4Schools programme and help traineach transition year student in the nec-essary skills of CPR. Turn 27,500 stu-dents into potential life-savers!Buy a Heart, Save a Life

Get involved this May by volunteeringor organising an event with your col-leagues, friends and family.A donation of €25 can turn an ordinarytransition year student into a potential

lifesaver and give them the skills andknowledge to give CPR in an emer-gency, like a cardiac arrest.

Get Your Hearts!

We are starting to distribute our heartsto our volunteers throughout the coun-try!Distribution has been kindly providedby DPD Ireland, Ireland's premier par-cel delivery company www.dpd.ie. DPD parcel delivery

To order hearts please ring Niamh on01 6346909.


5 Things to Do fora Work/Life Balance

By Ellen Shilling

WELLNESS

1 - Have clear boundaries between work and home

2 - Environment. Have a look around you, is your desk a mess?

3 - Get organised: Time management.

4 - Watch what you eat and drink

5 - Take up a hobby/ get fit.


1) Have clear boundaries between work and home.Leave work on time and don’t take it home withyou. It’s too easy to be always available, to havethe phone on or worse still, if you have a black-berry or iphone, you’ve constant access to youremail. Turn it off once you leave the office.

I know it can be difficult but it’s vital for you tobe able to de-stress in the evenings and youwon’t be able to do this if you’re checking voice-mails, texts and emails.

It’s also imperative to leave work on time. Ifyou’re constantly working late, there is a signifi-cant likelihood that you’ll become less effectiveeven though you’re spending more hours atwork.

2) Environment. Have a look around you, is yourdesk a mess? Do you groan when you walk inand see your desk every morning? Are you over-come with calm as you notice this years holidaysnaps on your partition? Or do you marvel athow your plant has blossomed overnight?

It may sound over the top to you but your envi-ronment greatly effects how we feel and so howproductive we are at work. Make this a positivespace. You don’t have to have pictures of yourpartner all over the place or multiple cacti/ an-gels, just a few simple things that help you feelat home. Organise your mess as well so that youcan easily find documents/ pens/ etc.

3) Get organised: Time management.

Most of us spend 20-30% of our time looking forthings showing the need for more organisation.Becoming more efficient users of time will giveus more control over our lives and significantlyreduce our stress. Simple tips for getting organ-ised are:

a. Make a schedule and stick to it. Do thethings you least like to do first thing inthe day so that they’re not hanging overyou. Then prioritise it. Mark the tasksthat are absolutely necessary and thosethat are of lesser importance. Also addin some time for interruptions and un-scheduled events.

b. Write down ideas as they occur. Have anotepad and pen with you at all times,and on your nightstand.

c. Learn to say no to tasks that will notlead you toward your major goals.

d. Learn to file in the wastebasket! Throwout pieces of paper that are cluttering upyour desk, chances are that once read,you will not look at them again.

e. Develop a filing system. Have it simpleyet effective so that anyone can followit. Then they won’t have to phone youwhen you’re away on holidays!

f. Determine when you’re most efficient.Are you a morning or afternoon person?It’s best to schedule your more difficulttasks for a time when you’re at yourmost creative.

g. Take breaks. Even if it’s only for a fewminutes, get away from your desk andhave a walk around.

h. Avoid interruptions. If you have yourown office, keep the door closed whenyou’re very busy or when you’re at yourmost creative (see point f above).

i. Keep a list of “5 minute tasks”. You canthen do these if you have spare time be-tween meetings or other gaps that ap-pear in your workday.

4) Watch what you eat and drink. Cut down on cof-fee and increase your water intake. When yourbody is under stress so too is your mind. Reviewyour diet and try to eat three good meals a day.Reduce your intake of sugar and processed foodsand eat 5 fruit and vegetables a day. Take a fulllunch time and get a walk in if you can.

5) Take up a hobby/ get fit. It’s so important tohave a way of de-stressing your mind and yourbody. Whether that’s something like yoga, knit-ting or more taxing like running or going to thegym, do something. It will relax your mind andyour body and help you to sleep better.

It’s the simple things that have the greatest effect, so givethe these tips a go, I’d love to hear how you get on!

To your success!

Ellen Shilling BSc RMT ARCHTIBlog: www.ellenshilling.com/Blog

Life & career coach, NLP Practitioner, TAT Professionalwww.ellenshilling.com

WELLNESS

WELLNESS

Getting a goodnight’s sleep

As a holistic therapist and Stress Consultant I alwaysadvise my clients of the importance of having a goodnight’s sleep, and not ‘just’ as a special treat every oncein a while. But isn’t it amazing how just a few sleeplessnights can truly affect us, both mentally and physically.At some stage in our lives we will suffer from sleepdeprivation, for various reasons, such as having a baby,illness, stress, worries, external noise etc. This articlewill give a general view of sleep and some simplechanges you can make in your life today that willenhance your nights sleep tomorrow.

Why do we need to sleep? Like having a healthy diet anddrinking water, sleep is so important to keep us healthy,mentally sharp and able to deal with stress more effectively.Sleep gives your body a chance to rest and allows it to preparefor the next day. Although scientists are still not entirely surehow ‘sleep’ works, nor are they sure that they understand allof the functions of sleep, however they have becomeconvinced that sleep is necessary to survival. It has also been

hypothesized that sleep offers important restoration to thebrain.

The fact is most people do not get enough quality sleep. Inorder to get a more detailed idea of how we, in Ireland and theUK, are affected by sleep I set up an online survey with somebasic questions and even I was surprised with some of theresults. Out of all those that took the survey; only 12.7% feltthey get enough sleep at night, 50.8% felt they did not getenough sleep and the rest said that from time to time they didget enough sleep.

When asked, how do you feel when you don’t get enoughsleep? Michael Kane (35) of Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland hadthis to say – “Generally I feel ok after an hour or so. Some-times though, when I’ve had a run of sleepless nights, I canget a day of low concentration and high irritability”.

by Catherine Connors-Bevalot


Sleep deprivation is a term used whenwe suffer from a lack of necessary sleep,and the effects of too little sleep arelinked with:

Hypertension – High bloodpressure

Irritability, mood swings andemotional outbursts

Slurred speech

Tremors

Increased risk of motor vehicleaccidents because of slower reactiontime (also falling asleep at the wheel)

Increase in body mass index – agreater likelihood of obesity due to anincreased appetite caused by sleepdeprivation (its true folks)

Increased risk of diabetes andheart problems

Increased risk for psychiatricconditions including depression andsubstance abuse

Decreased ability to payattention, react to signals or remembernew information

“I would say I rarely get enough sleepalthough I am pretty used to this and itdoesn’t affect my general mood, I amaware that if I relax in the evening (anytime after about 6pm), I can easily fallasleep. Therefore I rarely get comfy onthe sofa until 11 or 12, as I know I’llstart to drift off. I generally work on myPC, or sit in a more upright chair”

Ian Lipman (43) of Ipswich, Suffolk,UK

KIDS!!! Biggest deprivers of sleep aremy three young kids (all under 4).Problem is any one of them can wake us,and on bad nights we’ve all three ofthem up. A series of sleepless nights canresult from teething or colds, etc. I cannow cope brilliantly on one night’s lackof sleep (2-3 hours), but 2 or more in arow is much more difficult.

Michael Kane (35) of Bandon, Co.Cork, Ireland

“I’m ok in the mornings. I quite likethe peace & quiet in the morning but Ido feel shattered by about 9 pm, I’vesometimes grabbed a quick nap in theafternoon in the office. Closed my door,put feet on the desk for “5 mins” andonly woke up 3 hours later when got callto ask why I was late for a meeting”

Frank Keogh (47) of Coventry, WestMidlands, UK

So how much sleep do we really need?This is a common question and thegeneral response is 8 hours. But inreality this is slightly different fromperson to person. Sleep needs varydepending on age, lifestyle and ofcourse health. The average adult needsbetween 7 to 8.5 hours sleep per night.According to my survey, only 33.3%get this much sleep per night with mostonly averaging between 5 to 7 hours(61.9%) and shockingly the rest get lessthan 5 hours sleep per night. So howdo we measure how much sleep weneed to get, one trick is to start with 7hours sleep per night increasing by20mins each week until you find a timethat works for you best.

To get the most benefit from your sleepwhy not try the following –

Going to bed a little earlier – Iknow that this is hard for most peopleand the late evening and night areperhaps the only time we get toourselves all day. And a lot of peoplelike to benefit from this by watchingTV, catching up on emails, reading abook etc. But going to bed earlier(even by 30 mins) can have a bigimpact on us the next day

Developing a sleep routine –try getting to bed and waking up aroundthe same time every night and morning,this will stabilize your internal clockand you will find that your sleep patternwill improve. (This might be difficultfor the first week or so) Try to create aritual before going to bed, (having abath/shower, brushing your teeth,reading a few pages of a book), your

WELLNESSCatherine Connors-Bevalot has been studying and practisingholistic therapies and treatments for ten years. She is a StressManagement Consultant, Time-Management consultant and Ho-listic Therapist, Trainer & Teacher. She is based in both Paris,France and Tipperary, Ireland.

Her workshops and seminars are popular with businesses,health centres, adult learning centres, schools and private cli-

ents alike. Her treatments suit babies to children, the young tothe old, the fit to the terminally ill and all others in between.

Her workshops, seminars and treatments are becoming increas-ingly popular and all of these are carried out with great profes-sionalism and complete care and attention of the client.


(continued overleaf)

mind will create a relationship with yoursleep ritual and sleep so that by the timeyou slip between the sheets you willalready feel sleepy.

“I always sleep with the small windowsopen and love a cool/cold pillow I turn thepillow over several times during the night”- Frank Keogh (47) of Coventry, WestMidlands, UK

Bed is for sleeping – Many peoplehave admitted to me while I wasresearching this article that they often bringtheir phones, computers, video games etcto bed with them and end up surfing on theinternet or playing their games into the weehours of the morning. This is not a goodidea as these electronic gadgets will stimu-late your brain and make sleeping harder.

Take a look at your sleeping con-ditions - Is your bed big enough to stretchand turn comfortably? If not then considerinvesting in a larger bed. Likewise foryour mattress, you may need to shoparound to find a mattress that feels right foryou. Consider soft, cotton sheets and awarm duvet. Get into the habit of makingyour bed in the morning time, it’s alwaysnice to get into a made bed as opposed to acrumpled mess left over from the morning.Change your sheets and pillowcases everyweek. Your bedroom should be clean andclutter free, turn the light off at night andmake sure that you have heavy curtains thatcuts the morning light.

Exercise during the day - (notwithin the final 3 hours before bed), asidefrom the great health benefits, it does helpby making it easier to fall asleep and tohave a more restful night. You don’t haveto start training for the Olympics either,even just a brisk walk during the day for 20

minutes or doing an hour of gardening cando wonders.

Avoiding Alcohol, caffeine andsmoking before you go to bed - Many peo-ple think that a little ‘nightcap’ will helpthem to sleep better; whereas it may helpyou fall asleep faster it does reduce yourquality of sleep.

Caffeine in general is a big NO before bed,caffeine is a stimulant and trying to have arestful night of sleep after a cup of coffee isalmost certainly doomed to failure.

Nicotine also is a stimulant which disruptssleep, and smokers should be aware thatwhen you ‘have that last cig’ before bed-time your body will experience withdrawalduring the night waking you up and mak-ing it hard to sleep.

Try not to eat or drink too muchbefore bedtime - Evening meal in generalshould be light; carbohydrates are generallygood and also calcium. The old wives taleof a glass of milk before bedtime does have

some merit to it. Try not to drink too muchbefore bedtime though as your sleep willbe disrupted with trips to the bathroom, inmy survey 28.6% of people woke in thenight because of ‘the call of nature’. Lastdrink should be about 3 hours before yougo to bed.

Unless you do suffer from a serious sleepdisorder, making some of these simplechanges in your life can really help youhave a better night’s sleep. Develop agood bedtime routine that suits your needsand stick to it, making these changes todaycan help to avoid problems in the futureand nothing really beats the feeling of hav-ing had a great night’s sleep.

Catherine Connors-Bevalot

www.catherine-connorsbevalot.com

My thanks to Frank Keogh, Ian Lipmanand Michael Kane for contributing to thisarticle; also I would like to extend a hugethanks to my followers on Twitter for tak-ing my sleep survey.

WELLNESS


Top Workout TipsWater. Be sure to hydrate throughout the day. It takes a couple of hours for your body to absorb the water, so you can’t just drinkright before exercise. Make it a habit to drink water regularly throughout the day.

Mix it up. Don’t stick to the same workout routine for too long, or your body will adjust to the stress level and you won’t be gettingan effective workout. For strength training, change your routine every few weeks. For cardio, it’s best to cross train rather than,say, to run every time.

TRAVEL


Are you one of those people who anticipate the holidays, butdread the "inevitable" holiday weight gain? Do your holidaysrevolve around eating even more than the presents, decorations,travel and company? Avoiding holiday weight gain and eatinghealthy during the holidays can be a real challenge unless youhave a great strategy. These 15 holiday eating tips will help youavoid holiday weight gain and enjoy the season more while eat-ing less.

1. It is easier to get distracted from signals of physical hungerand satiety at social gatherings, especially if food is the main event.Make an effort to pay close attention to your body's signals.

2. Be a food snob. Skip the store-bought goodies, the dried-outfudge and the so-so stuffing. If the food you select doesn't taste as goodas you expected, stop eating it and choose something else. Think of howmuch less you'd eat if you only ate things that tasted fabulous!

3. Think of your appetite as an expense account. How much doyou want to spend on appetizers or the entrée? Do you want to savesome room for dessert? Go through this process mentally to avoid eatingtoo much food and feeling uncomfortable for the rest of the evening.

4. Pace your eating prior to the event so you will be hungry butnot famished at mealtime. But ignore the old diet advice of "eat beforeyou go to a party so you won't be tempted." That is absurd! You want tobe hungry enough to enjoy your favourites.

5. Socialize away from the sight of the food. People who tend toovereat are "food suggestible" so just hanging around food causes themto eat more than they need.

6. Survey all of the food at a buffet before making your choices.Choose the foods that you really want most at that time and remindyourself that you can have the other foods at a later time.

7. If the food is so special, give it your full attention rather thaneating on autopilot. Eat mindfully by reducing distractions and sittingdown to eat - even if it's just a cookie. Appreciate the appearance andaroma of your food and savour one small bite at a time by putting yourfork down. You'll eat less food but enjoy it more.

8. If the food doesn't taste as good as you expected, stop eating itand choose something else.

9. Since the duration of the meal tends to be extended at socialevents, you may need to have your plate taken away (or put your napkinon it) once you are satisfied to avoid nibbling unconsciously.

10. Be aware of the effects of alcohol on your food intake. Anddon't forget that many beverages contain calories too.

11. Be cautious of "obligatory eating" - avoid eating just becauseit is on the table, on your plate, because you paid for it, or because

someone made it. Deal with Food Pushers with a polite but firm, "Nothank you." If you're concerned about hurting their feelings, ask for therecipe or a small portion to take home with you for another meal.

12. It's common to have candy and snacks lying all over the placethis time of year. Avoid indulging in food just because it's there. Graz-ing unconsciously will lead to many extra calories that you probablywon't even remember enjoying.

13. Before having a cookie, a piece of fudge or other holidaytreat that was laid in the break room, check your hunger scale. If you arehungry and you wish to choose a particular food to satisfy you, remem-ber to sit down and eat it mindfully.

14. At restaurants, the portion sizes are usually huge - almostalways "two for the price of one." Request appetizer portions, co-orderand co-eat with your dining partner, or have the server package up yourmeal to go as soon as you feel satisfied. Remember, "super-size" is nobargain if you didn't need that much food in the first place!

15. Look for opportunities for physical activity - take a walk afterdinner to enjoy the lights, take a few laps around the mall before itopens to do some window shopping or take guests to local attractions.

Most importantly, delight all of your senses. Enjoy the company, theatmosphere, the entertainment, and the traditions as much, if not more,than the food.

15 Tips for Holiday Eating Without Weight Gain

by Ardle Culleton & Susan Hayes

FINANCIAL HEALTH


Investment Clubs

An investment club is a group ofbetween three and twenty peoplewho pool their resources andinvest together. In my experi-ence as an Investment Club Co-ordinator, the idea is attractivefor several reasons includingpeople can combine their contri-butions to amass a larger sum toinvest. They may also seek toachieve greater diversificationand share costs. However, I havefound that for the most part, peo-ple create or join investmentclubs simply for the learningthey glean from discussing ideaswith like minded individuals.

Investing in the stock market forthe first time can be a daunting expe-rience but by having the security of aclub behind you can help you to takethat step. Novice investors oftendon’t know where to start but if agroup of people come together, theirknowledge can coalesce into a planof action.

A club takes shape as a selectionof people interested in the stock mar-ket come together and decide on aChairperson, Treasurer and Secre-tary. The party open a bank accountwith the officers as signatories. Theyproceed to open a trading accountand I would suggest an online facilityto those who want to keep their costsdown. Members then decide on howmuch they want to contribute. Thegroup has a discussion on where toinvest and the money is then put intothe market. For more information onthe mechanics of how this works,check outwww.investmentclubhelp.com

I acknowledge that not everybodywill find the idea of shared decisionmaking appealing but for those whomay have been mulling the conceptover, I have the following tips foryou;

1. Put clear guidelines in place re-garding the dynamics of the club i.e.what happens if somebody defaultson their regular contributions, wantsto leave the club etc. This is crucialas it can prevent several problems inthe future if these issues are teasedout at the beginning.

2. Have a strategy to guide youthrough the stock picking decisions.80% of clubs do NOT survive the testof time because the initial enthusiasmcan dissipate after a while, particular-ly if the portfolio is down. By choos-ing a clear, defined approach that allmembers believe in, they will stickwith it during down periods, so as to

reap the gains when the good timesreturn.

3. Share the roles and responsibili-ties. There is little point in one per-son assuming the role of Treasurer,for example, throughout the lifetimeof the club. An officer will learn ahuge amount in one term. If some-body intentionally avoids this or oth-er roles, they are turning away thepractical experience that had prevent-ed them investing originally.

4. It is imperative that each mem-ber sets up a standing order with theirname as a reference for their regularcontribution. There could be up totwenty amounts arriving into theclub’s account each period and itmakes running the club much easierif it is clear who owns what.

Finally, many of the people who havejoined my clubs over the years havegone on to open and maintain theirown individual accounts. This is tes-tament that people do develop theconfidence to invest independently asin the immortal words of BenjaminFranklin

“An investment in knowledge alwayspays the best interest.”

Please e-mail me with any questionsor comments and also, we at ILTBgive presentations to groups of peo-ple interested in setting up an invest-ment club – if you would like to talkto me about this, please contact me [email protected]


by Jim O Shea

In my previous article I focusedupon the many feelings associated withgrief. My challenge to you was to allowthose feelings and see them as your friendsthat help you to heal and to accept the lossyou are enduring. In this article I would liketo look at the other 3 grief reactions - physi-cal sensations, thought and behaviours.

Some of the most commonly expe-rienced sensations are hollowness in thestomach, tightness in the chest, tightness inthe throat, over-sensitivity to noise, breath-lessness and shortness of breath, muscleweakness, lack of energy and a dry mouth.Psychosomatic symptoms are also physicalin nature and include headaches, dizziness,skin rashes and colitis. Some of these can bequite frightening, and being aware that theystem from stress of grief lessons their physi-cal impact. I recall being extremely fright-ened one evening in the early stages of mybereavement. I was having my tea and sud-denly felt a tightening in my chest. I wasconvinced that I was about to have a heartattack. I was greatly relieved when the doc-tor told me that my chest muscles had tight-ened because of stress. This stress alsocaused the skin on my hands to peel off.

Fatigue is another unpleasant sideeffect of grieving and for a long time I wasextremely tired and dispirited. Nowadays weare all aware of what stress can do to us. Theliterature explains that stress suppresses theimmune system and leaves us open to ill-nesses. The stress of bereavement can beextremely severe.

Another grief reaction relates toour thoughts, and these influence how wefeel. The main thoughts associated with nor-mal grief are disbelief, confusion (lack ofconcentration), preoccupation (thinkingabout the dead person. Such thoughts can bevery intrusive if there had been conflict inthe relationship), sense of presence(deceased watching over the survivor) andhallucinations (which can be visual or audi-tory).

Disbelief is one of the main griefreactions, especially when the death is sud-den. I could not believe it that my child hadbeen killed. He had been at Mass with us

that morning and now was on a mortuaryslab, never to be with us again. How couldthis happen to me? Unbelieveable. I recallgoing into a shop for the first time a weekafter his death. I carried my dark inner worldand my disbelief with me. My wife’s disbe-lief was so intense that for a year she lis-tened for the door to open at 4.30, when ourchild normally returned from school. I alsosuffered from confusion, lacked concentra-tion, felt disoriented, and frequently it wasdangerous for me to drive. There were timeswhen I had to pull in my car and try to recallwhere I was going.

Finally there is the reality of cer-tain behaviours following bereavement.These include sleep disturbance, appetitedisturbance, social withdrawal, dreams aboutthe deceased, avoiding reminders of the de-ceased, searching and calling out, sighing,restless over activity, crying, visiting placesand carrying objects that remind the survivorof the deceased and treasuring objects thatbelong to the deceased. I experienced mostof these. One of the most difficult was beingvery restless. I remember one Sunday when Ifelt unable to sit, walk, lie or stand. I couldnot get any relief and I felt that I would notget through that day. I finally visited a heal-ing priest and managed to struggle on. It wasa question of a minute at a time.

To conclude - feelings, thoughts,physical sensations and behaviours are nor-mal part of grieving. It is important to re-member that the suppression of feelings canlead to depression, and depression can oftenbe part of the grieving process. Some feel-ings are too difficult to face for a long time.Our thoughts, too can be morbid, and thesecontribute to depression.

The Four Tasks of Mourning

If grief refers to loss, mourningrefers to the process that follows loss. It isoften used interchangeably with grieving.most of the writers on grief explore whatthey call the circle of grief, which is a rangeof feelings that the survivor experiences,starting with disbelief and ending with ac-ceptance. One excellent author, WilliamWorden, gives another helpful perspectivethat might be useful for those that have suf-

fered losses. This involves 4 tasks ofmourning - (1) to accept the reality of theloss, (2) to work through the pain of grief,(3) to adjust to an environment in which thedeceased is missing and (4) to emotionallyrelocate the deceased and move on with life.I suppose, given the terrible pain of mourn-ing, the word ‘task’ may sound a littleharsh. So let us remember how painful it isfor us to meet those tasks.

In this article I will briefly look atthe first two. The immediate task is to ac-cept the reality of the loss. The mournerwho fails in this will become stuck in thegrieving process and will inevitably sufferanger and perhaps depression. Acceptingthe reality of the death of a loved one how-ever, is not easy. We can convince our-selves that we have done so, but we mustfeel this acceptance. Acceptance is not ahappy feeling, but is one of peace, wherethe anxiety and confusion, mentioned inanother article, have dissolved. Very oftenthere is denial, and this is seen by somepsychologists as a temporary healthy reac-tion, and a buffer to cope with suddendeath.

My own acceptance of my sonsdeath was immediate. I suffered the fullcrushing impact of the loss at once. Howev-er, I now realise that this was a biologicaland intellectual acceptance, rather than anemotional one. Emotional acceptance ena-bles the survivor to properly grieve andmove on.

I mentioned above being stuck inthe grieving process. This can sometimes beseen by people who turn the deceased?sroom into a shrine. How often do we hearpeople say that they have not changed a de-ceased child?s room, but have left every-thing as it was. This is very understandable.Giving away possessions emphasises thefinality of death, and it is only natural topostpone this. But, if it continues over along time it is unhealthy grieving. I recallwhen we gave away our child?s clothes andtoys. It was extremely painful.

Other types of denial include min-imising the loss, denying its irreversibility,selectively forgetting, resorting to spiritual-

WELLNESS

Dealing withBereavement

ism and even irrationally searching for thedeceased.

Working through the pain ofgrief has already been dealt with in otherarticles. Some people try to avoid this byidealising the dead, using drugs or alcohol,or perhaps travelling to get some relieffrom their emotions. I brought my familywith me to London in 1990 when my childwas killed. My other son and I found workon a building site and my wife worked in ahospital. But my pain travelled with me. Icarried it to my work each day. Grief is aninner tormenting ache, and we must carryit, and endure it, so that it will ultimatelyheal.

I have already explored the firstof these two tasks (to accept the reality ofthe loss and to work through the grief ofpain). In this iss I will look at the othertwo - to adjust to an environment in whichthe deceased is missing, and to emotional-ly relocate the deceased and move on withlife. Using the word ‘task’, as I have writ-ten in the last article, seems a bit harsh, butit does empower the bereaved person. Itshows that he or she can do something topromote healing.

Adjusting to life without the de-ceased means different things to differentpeople. For example, the quality of adjust-ment made by widows depends upon manyfactors, such as the quality of her relation-ship with the deceased husband, the quali-ty of their sexual relationship, if there areany children to be raised, and her previousrole in the management of domestic fi-nances. Bereaved parents have to copewith their own pain, but also possibly withthat of their other children. I was veryworried about how my children were cop-ing, and I found their pain hard to bear. Ifelt powerless to help them.

Other adjustments involve a newdefinition of oneself, even the develop-ment of self-esteem. The central questionis ?who am I now??. There is also thequestion of spiritual adjustment, of findingmeaning in the loss, regaining control andseeing the world as a benevolent place.

The fourth task is to emotionallyrelocate the deceased and move on withlife. This can be most difficult. It is thesame as acceptance in the so-called wheelof grief. If the survivor is unable to com-plete this task, it means being emotionally

stuck, and holding on to a past attachmentto the extent of being unable to form otherattachments.

Doing this task means being ableto preserve a realistic memory of the deadin a way that enables the survivor to live ina healthy and fulfilling manner. There wasa time when survivors were advised tosever the bond and move on. But this in-terpretation has rightly been questioned inrecent years. It is now accepted that thehealthy resolution of grief involves a con-tinuing bond with the deceased. When thetheory of severing the bond was held bypsychologists, the counselling offered wasnothing short of brutal and abusive.

Some bereavement psychologistsexplore different ways of keeping in touchwith the dead, and at the same time mov-ing on. These include sensing the pres-cence of the dead, having a spiritualrelationship with them, talking to them andusing symbolic places and things associat-ed with them. Although I did not knowhim, I pray to my paternal grandfather eve-ry day and sense that he is somehow look-ing after me. It is a very comfortingthought. I also feel strongly emotionallyattached to my child. Serenity has returnedto my life, but there are times such as anni-versaries, and at Christmas, when I experi-ence deep grief pain. And so it willcontinue to be. And that is ok. It is part ofnormal grief.

I once read a book by JudyTatelbaum called ‘The Courage to Grieve’,which I found very helpful. It taught mewhat saying goodbye really meant. Forlong I was afraid to say goodbye to mychild. Somehow I equated this to forget-

ting him. As Tatelbaum says, sayinggoodbye simply means emotionally ac-cepting my child?s death, and moving on.It means finding a place for the dead inour emotional life. This takes time. In-deed the maxim that people use, that timeheals, is true. But we must allow it toheal, and in a later article I will look atwhat happens when we do not allow it toheal.

Jim O’Shea works as a counsellor from Furze,Thurles. Ph. 087 8211009 www.jimoshea.net .JimO’Shea’s book ‘When a child dies. Foot-steps of a Grieving Family’ is published byVeritas. The royalties from this book will gotosthe Children’s Hospital in Crumlin.

WELLNESS



1. Real Weight Loss

99% of weight loss plans deliver ‘false’ weightloss i.e. mostly just water loss and very littlefat loss. This is the reason why people loseweight from theiand ‘stick’ after 2 to 3 weeks– because they were never burning fat in thefirst place!

Fixing your metabolism is about burning REALfat. The results are very dramatic. Even a fewpounds and you will notice the change. Becauseyou are burning REAL fat you do not ‘stick’ after3 weeks and it is way easier to keep the weightoff after.

2. Your Best Shape Ever

The only way to shift stubborn fat from yourstomach or hips and thighs is by fixing yourmetabolism. The only way to balance ‘top’ heavyand ‘bottom’ heavy bodies is to fix yourmetabolism. Both of these problems areinfluenced by ‘metabolic’ changes including highblood sugar levels, poorer digestion, a sluggishliver and hormone imbalances. The only way tocorrect them is to fix your metabolism.

3. Stop the Miseryof Weight LossHunger, cravings, tiredness and poorresults are just some of the thingspeople experience when trying tolose weight. Most people describeweight loss as a miserable experience.The truth is that most people sufferand make sacrifices that are totallyunnecessary and of no benefit.

This is what happens when you arerelying on diet only or diet and exerciseonly – the margin for error is very small.When you fix your metabolism youattack weight loss from a number ofangles. It is about a balanced andsensible approach. Food balance ismore important than calorie counting,so you can eat quite well and have afew drinks every week. Fixing yourmetabolism builds your energy andstops cravings. Fixing your metabolismis about getting great results butlooking and feeling great too.

4. Miraculous Health BenefitsIf you never wanted to lose weight the most importantreason of all for fixing your metabolism is for the miraculous health benefits.

4 benefits you will NEVER get unless you fix your metabolism

Careers & OpportunitiesSystem 10 is dedicated to bringing people the truthabout weight loss. We are passionate about helpingpeople to lose weight properly. If there was a better

way to lose weight we would have it.

Ideally you will be from a health professional background – e.g. fitness trainer,nurse, dietician, massage therapist or beautician but sometimes we recruit peo-ple who are new to this type of business but who can prove their commitmentand passion. An agent will run a System 10 clinic 1 or 2 evenings per weekwhere they meet with clients, weigh them and motivate them to lose weight.

The freedom of running your own business

Substantial income for 1 or 2 evenings work per week

A superb product that really produces results

Opportunity to genuinely help people to lose weight

Access to professional advertising materials (posters, advertisements etc.)

Superb way of bringing new customers to an already existing business

As the business is online it is easily transported anywhere in the World

Incredible backup and support

Tiny set up costs

Excellent opportunities Nationwide. To get more informationand a detailed information pack to see if you’re suitable for this opportunity, please text. Life System 10 to 57188

It brings these incredible benefits:

System 10 is looking for dedicated agents in Ireland

THE TRUTHABOUT WEIGHT LOSSbrings you...

– the same metabolism changes that under-lie weight gain, often progress toserious illness and disease including the big3 – heart disease, cancer and diabetes.Now currently nearly 1 out of every 3 people getcancer! That is a shocking statistic but it is go-ing to get worse and could become 1 out ofevery 2 within the next 20 years!

You must start taking careful note ofthe metabolism changes in yourbody –constipation, bloating, badbreath,cysts, fluid retention, poorskin and indigestion to mentiona few. You must start to takeaction to cure them now. Don’tmask the mover with medica-tions.

The greatest medicine of all is in yourown hands. Don’t become a victim.You have the power in your ownhands to greatly reduce your risk ofserious illness and disease

There is only

to lose weight and keep it off!1 CORRECT WAY

As featured on RTE, TV3, Today FM and Sunday WorldNo plan can beat fixing your metabolism withprofessional food and exercise plans where

you burn more fat every hour 24 hours a day!

Lose up to 21 lbs in 6 weeksGet Real ResultsShift Stubborn Fat from stomachKeep the weight off afterGet Super Energy and Health

(not water like most plans)

For Men & Women.Home or Gym plans.Private Weigh-ins.Real Motivation.

Phone Graham @ 061 325680


Where dreams come true

• Wedding Supplier Directory• Articles & Resources to help plan your Wedding

16th May Michael Hogan Memorial Match

Grangemockler, Tipperary

Gaelic Football match between Tipperary and Dublin andHurling between Tipperary and Kilkenny in the formerclub

19th – 21st June Féile na nGael

Laois/Offaly

Féile na nGael, the national festival of Hurling, Camogie andHandball for boys and girls under 14 years of age, hosted byLaois and Offaly. Uachtarán na hÉireann will review theparade on 19th June.

6th July Áras an Uachtaráin Uachtarán na hÉireann will host a Garden Party at Árasan Uachtarán.

9 – 14th August Parnell Summer School

Avondale House, Co. Wicklow

Week long summer school looking at the history and contemporaryrelevance of sport in Irish society organised by the Parnell Society.

August Launch of OnlineExhibition, National

Online exhibition detailing 125 years of the GAA and linkingwith relevant historic material in the National Archives.

10th May Lá na gClub Over 2,000 GAA clubs around the country will celebrate theAnniversary with games and commemorative events in theirlocal communities.

GAA 125th

Anniversary Calendarof events for 2009 (March - August)

The 125th Anniversary of the GAA in 2009 provides an opportunity to reflect on what the GAA is allabout – the promotion of Gaelic games, Irish culture and a sense of place and identity in eachcommunity. Clubs, schools and provinces will all have a part to play in celebrating this historic year forthe Association. The Calendar of Events is a selection of commemorative events taking place throughoutthe year and each Province and County will also be celebrating the 125th year in their own way.


Clare Tipp PropertiesItalian WarehouseMain Street, KillaloeCounty Clare

Mobile: 086-6000388Telephone: 061-376550 Fax: 061-376550Email: [email protected]

www.claretipp.ie

Clare Tipp Properties - Working For You

Properties on The Lake or Over Looking The Shannon?We have plenty of choice - both in price and on property spec.

Here are some to whet your appetite.

Shoreside, Ballina,Co. Tipperary.Block build 1,250sq.ft approx.comprising of 3/4 bedrooms,Lounge, kitchen/dining, utilitylovely private garden, quiet cul-de-sac. Large bright property.Reduced reserve.

Carrigatogher, Nenagh.One beautiful property! This is an excellent de-tached 4 Bedroom home on circa half acreof very private surrounds. Superb value for moneyin to-day's market. Viewings are definitely ad-vised. Separate large detached workshop/garage.Guiding Price only €235,000!

Ground FloorCommercial Unit(with successfulbusiness in situ)Killaloe.Excellent c.300sq.ft.ground floor retailunit centrally locat-ed in Killaloe'sMain Street.Established highlysuccessful hair-dresser in situ. Ten-ant unaffected bysale. Guide Price;€165,000.

The Beeches,Ballina/KillaloeGuide Price; €485,000.00Large Detached c.2, 300sq.ft propertyon very large site in prime location.Greatly Reduced from €550,000.Viewing Recommended for this LargePrivate Central Propetry.

Allstone House,Ballina,Co. Tipperary.€on application.Excuisite circa 3,415sq.ft. de-tached residence on circa0.43hectares. withing walkingdistance of Ballina/Killaloe.Close to schools, shops etc.Magnificent home, all bright

and spacious rooms, numerousreception rooms, play room,5bedrooms, 3 ensuite, splendedkitchen and family room withoutstanding finish and numerousextras. This is definitely a "oneoff" house and viewing isstrongly recommended

Belkelly, Ogonnelloe, Co. Clare.Superb 4Bedroom Property on C. 1Acre ofLandscaped Grounds with Breathtaking Di-rect Views of Lough Derg. Reduced GuidePrice €420,000. Open To Offers.

3 NewStreet,Killaloe.Reduced tosell; GuidePrice;€145,000Lovely two

bedroom semi-detached home, central to Kil-laloe with extra large long rear gardens.Double glazed windows, ample parking, plen-ty of room for expansion if required. Size; Ap-prox. 700sq.ft. Superb opportunity to becomea home owner with a good solid home in areasonable price range

House No. 1a. John's Lane,Killaloe, Co. Clare.Guide Price; €127,500One of a number of properties availablein in an excellent price range central toeverything. One bed property with owncourtyard

No. 12 Lough Derg Village,Killaloe, Co. Clare.Guide Price; €285,000. Superb c. 1,100sq.ft.residence in private courtyard overlookingLough Derg and your very OWN MOORINGwhich allows access to the beautiful lake.Viewing Recommend.


InsuranceProperty Claims Direct act for you.Damage from Plumbing Leaks, Fireor Smoke, Flood, Oil, Burglary, RoofLeaks, Subsidence, No Job to big ortoo small, 1st Survey Free, No WinNo FeeCall 1890 711711, 087 6860768, orvisit www.pcd.ie

Gyms & LeisureCentresKing Fisher ClubClare InnDromolandNewmarket on FergusCo. Limerick

Curves Fitness For WomenStation RdGortboyNewcastle WestCo. Limerick

JJB Fitness ClubUnit 10 Retail ParkChilders Road, Limerick

Fit 4 LifeUnit 1 Kilmallock Bus. ParkKilmallock, Co. Limerick

Curves of CastletroyNewtown CentreCastletroy, Limerick

Radisson SAS Hotel & SpaEnnis Road, Limerick

Sanovitae GymClarion Hotel, Limerick

ShapemasterFirst F157 Thomas Street, Limerick

Ardagh Health & Leisure CentreArdagh, Co. Limerick

My Gym IrelandEastway Business ParkLimerick

Castletroy Park HotelDublin RoadLimerick

Limerick Marriott HotelHenry StreetLimerick

Co. CorkHypoxi Centre CorkCorner HouseVillage GreenDouglasWest CorkAn Carrig Health & Leisure ClubCarrigaline Court HotelCarrigalineCo. Cork

Body Focus Ireland

Brompton StudioWell RoadDouglasCo. Cork

FitnessworxDonnybrook Commercial CentreDouglasCo. Cork

Vaults Fitness Centre72 Bridge StreetSkibbereenCo. Cork

Riverview Fitness & Leisure ClubMayfield GAA Sports GroundsLotabeg

One2One FitnessOld Blackrock roadCork

NRG Health & FitnessJury's HotelWestern RoadCork

Poractive Leisure1st FloorThe BistroGuardwellKinsaleCo. Cork

River's Edge Fitness CentreDrinan StreetSullivan's QuayCo. Cork

Harbour Club Leisure CentreThe Baltimore Harbour HotelCo. Cork

Kingsley Hotel Health ClubVictoria CrossCork

Workout Express1A / 2A Charleville Business ParkCharlevilleCo. Cork

David Sisk FitnessMount OvalRochestownCo. Cork

River's Edge Fitness CentreDrinan StreetSullivan's QuayCork

Curves Of BandonChurch RoadBantryCo. Cork

Club VitaeQuality Hotel

John Redmond StreetCork

The Avenue Fitness & HealthMarket Green PlazaMidletonCo. Cork

O'Callaghan Leisure Ltd6 karlbrook Enterprise ParkDoughcloyne Indus. EstateeCork

Jennifer Horgan EarleCork Therapy CentreTower Shopping CentreTowerBlarneyCo. Cork

Ultimate FitnessShean LowerBlarneyCo. Cork

Mahers Fitness Centre120 Lower Oliver Plunkett StreetCork

Feel Good Fitness Studio57 Townshend StreetSkibbereenCo. Cork

Pilates HavenParknasillaOld Blackrock RoadCork

Planet Health ClubOld Mallow RoadBlackpoolCo. Cork

Fit FactorU2 Towns ParkDungorney RoadMidletonCo. Cork

The Locker Room25 Washington StreetCork

Fermoy Health & Fitness ClubTown ParkFermoy Health & Fitness ClubCo. Cork

Building a Body70 North Main StreetCork

Hibernian Leisure CentreMain StreetMallowCo. Cork

Women's Fitness PlusUnit 14a South Ring Bus. Park

Kinsale RoadCork

Cork City Curves35-37 North Main StreetCork

Midleton Fitness CentreEnterprise ParkDwyers RoadMidletonCo. Cork

Source Health and FitnessSilverspringsTivoliCork

The Floor & Deck CentreDonnybrookCarrigaline

Midleton Kickboxing GymMidleton+C361Co. Cork

Co. Waterford

H&F Home Fitness CentreUnit 8/9 Knockhouse Bus. ParkOld Kilmeaden RoadCo Waterford

Dungarvan Crystal Social & SportsClubKilrush,DungarvanCo. Waterford

Montana FitnessUnit 4 Riverstown Ind EstateTramoreCo. Waterford

Energie Fitness For WomenUnit 9J Cleaboy Business ParkWaterford

H&F Home Fitness CentreKerlogue Business ParkCo. Waterford

Contours Express Ladies FitnessCentreTramoreCo. Waterford

CurvesUnit 4/5 Knockhaus Business ParkOld Kileaden RoadWaterford

Curves

Classifieds

Classifieds AdsSPECIALOFFER

€120for 1 years

listingPhone 0504-51945email:

[email protected]

This is alist of some of the outlets

where Life and Fitness Magazine is avail-able. Please note this is not a complete list. If

you would like copies to distribute to your gymmembers please phone 0504-51945 or

email: [email protected]


Unit F10 Dungarvan Shopping Centre

DungarvanCo. Waterford

Co. CarlowFigure 8AskeaCo. Carlow

CurvesUnit 3 Staplestown Road BusinessCentreCloshCo. Carlow

Mount Wolseley Hotel Golf & CountryClubTullowCarlow

Co. LongfordLife Health and FitnessLongford Arms Hotel24 main StreetLongford

Figure 8Redcow Roundabout

Longford

Longford Wellness CentreLower Main StreetLongford

Body Centre TheMain St GranardGranardLongford

Co. MonaghanCarrick Fitness CentreMullinaryCarrickmackrossCarrick Fitness CentreMullinaryCarrickmacrossMonaghan

Co. DublinWestin HotelAt College Green 2Dublin2D2

Tone at HomeUnit 4 Redleaf Business ParkTurvey

DonabateCo. Dublin

Marino Conference CentreMIE Griffith AvenueDublin 99D9

Dublin Spine & Sports Pyysiothera-py Clinic52 Heytesbury StDublin8D8

BodylabBalbriggan Community CentreDublin StreetBalbrigganCo. Dublin

West Wood ClubLeopardstown Race CourseFoxrockDublinD18

Westpoint Health & Fitness CentreBlanchardstown CentreBlanchardstownDublinD15

Butterfield Health & Fitness CluB1a Butterfield AvenueRathfarnhamDublinD14

Bodyfirm PilatesU14 Level 1 Park shopping CentreManor StreetStoneybatterDublin D7

PilatesBackstreet Dance StudiosAirsideSwordsCo. Dublin

Power Plate Ireland69 Deerpark RoadMount MerrionCo. Dublin

Curves (Ongar)8-9 Sweeney MewsOngarDublinD15

Skelly Jackie Fitness41-42 Clarendon StreetDublin2D2

Slender Health Beauty185 Botanic RoadGlasnevinDublinD11

Complete Personal TrainingGlenhookArdeevin RoadDalkeyCo. Dublin

CurvesLucanCo. Dublin

Curves1st Floor Bank ChambersMonastery Road

ClondalkinDublinD12

SV Fitness Health Clubnational College of IrelandLower Mayor StreetDublinIFSCD1

Carlisle Health & Fitness52-54 Kimmage Road WestTerenureDublinD6

Lusk Fitness CentreDunemer AvenueLuskCo. Dublin

Y.M.C.A.Aungier StreetDublinD2

Sanovitae Health & FitnessClarion Hotel IFSCExcise WalkDublinD1

L.A. Fitness31 Palmerston GardensDartryDublin 6

Skelly Jackie FitnesssShelbourne Road

Classifieds


€120for 1 years


[email protected]

CIARA O’ MEARA (MIIMH)MEDICAL HERBALISTBSc (Hons) Herbal Medicine,BSc (Hons) Science, MSc Medical Genetics

Clinics atThurles & NenaghCo.Tipperary

For bookings and enquiries please call: 087 2440301or see www.herbalist.ie for more information

Member of the Irish Institute of Medical Herbalists (MIIMH)





Wedding DovesReleasing Doves on your weddingday adds a beautiful symbolic ges-ture to the overall enjoyment of awonderful occasion. They also pro-vide a fantastic photo opportunity.Doves symbolize peace, love, unity,prosperity and new beginnings.

Call 086-4021659 now tobook for your wedding day


BallsbridgeDublinD4

CurvesUnit 41 Butterly Business ParkArtaneCublinD5

Philbsboro GymFirst FloorPhilbsboro S.C.DublinD7

The Secret29/31 Glashule RoadDublin

KB Fitness18 Fitzwilliam Street UpperDublinD2

Shapes Fitness for WomenLevel 1 The Swan CentreRathminesDublin 6

Pure HealthOngarDublinD15

The League of Health, Ireland46 ClonleaBallinteerDublinD16

Regency Leisure ClubWhitehallDublinD9

Westpark FitnessGreenhills RoadTallaghtDublinD24

Slender Health Club13 Main StreetRahenyDublinD5

Contours Express8 Main StreetHowthCo. DublinD13

Liffey Valley FitnessColdcut RoadLiffey Valley Retail parkDublinD22

Core Fitness174 Walkinstown RoadDublinD12

Pier Health ClubDun LaoghairreCo. Dublin

Contours Express26 Church StreetSkerriesCo. Dublin

Iveagh Bath Leisure Centre

ChristchurchDublinD8

Camden Court Hotel and LeisureCentreCamden StreetDublinD2

Skelly Jackie FitnessParkwest Business ParkClondalkinDublinD22

Curves142 James StreetDublinD8

West Wood ClubSt John's RoadSandymountDublinD4

Curves5-9 Terenure PlaceDublinD6W

Ladies Workout ExpressLeopardstown Shopping CentreBallyogan RoadCarrickminesDublinD18

30 Minute Fitness5 Wolfe Tone StreetDublinD1

Pilates for Life Ireland17 Newlands Manore ParkGreen IsleCo. Dublin

Markevicz Leisure CentreTownsend StreetDublinD2

Curves

Eden CentreGrange RoadRathfarnhamDublinD16

Amanda Gannon5 ChurchlandsKilgobbinEnniskerry RoadSandyfordCo. DublinD18

Leisure Point Sport and Fitness Cen-treCardiffs Bridge RoadFinglasCo. DublinD11

Regime's Fitness & Pilates Studio2nd Floor16 Merrion RowDublinD2

Westwood ClubClontarf RoadDublinD3

Arena LeisureWhitestown WayTallaghtDublinD24

Coolmine Sports & Leisure CentreClonsillaDublinD15

Pro-Fit7 Muckross GreenKimmageDublinD12

Ladies Workout Express114 Lower Georges StreetDun LaoghaireDublin

Fitness TogetherThe Mews151 Leinster RoadRathminesDublinD6

Body Byrne fitness5 Eton Cl.Main StreetRathcooleCo. DublinD24

Total FitnessSandyfordDublinD18

North Wood Health & FitnessDemesneNorthwood ParkSantryDublinD9

Atlas GymTower S.C.ClondalkinDublinD22

Skelly Jackie FitnessApplewood VillageSwordsCo. Dublin

Crunch Fitness PremierThe PavilionRoyal MarineDun LaoghaireCo. Dublin

West Wood ClubLeopardstown RacecourseFoxrockCo. DublinD18

Citywest hotel & Leisure ClubSaggartDublin

Total FitnessCastleknockDublinD15

Friarsland FitnessFriarslandRoebuck RoadDublinD14

CurvesU17 Woodstown Village SCKnocklyonDublinD16

Skelly Jackie FitnessNutgrove Retail ParkRathfarnhamDublinD14

Lucan Sports & Leisure CentreEskerLucan Sports & Leisure CentreDublinD16

Martin Lushin5 The hedge RowsFoxrockDublinD18

Theme Fit27 airc MhuireSaggartDublinD24

Motivation Weight management Clin-icsBeacon Medical MallSandyfordDublinD18

Classifieds


€120for 1 years


[email protected]





C a l l 0 1 - 2 0 2 1 0 4 4or text MOBILE to 51101 (std rate text)

w w w.i w o r d . i e

G e t N e w C u s t o m e r s a n dR e t a i n You r E x i s t i n g O n e s

Let us show you how topromote your business to 5mmobile phone users in Ireland

We are one of Ireland’s leading mobilemarketing companies and we can help

to drive business your way

ATTRACT

BUSINESSNo Mess

Insulation Solutions

Attic and Wall Insulation saves up to 40 -60% on heating costs.

Bonded Bead Cavity Wall Insulation

Cavity Wall Insulation - Saves Money!!!

A - Plus Insulation

Call today for your Free quoteWe call to all our customers within 48 hours

Tel: 0504 56693 Billy: 086 2157388Tinovoher, Loughmore, Templemore, Co. Tipperary

NATIONWIDE SERVICE

Thinking of getting married?

You are driving along andhear an ad that interests you

Is it easier to remember "Call us now on 18506254162"

Or "text wedding to 51101standard rate text" ?

Use keywords to get yourmessage to people

For details text: iword to 51101standard rate text

WINFREE ADVERTISING

For a Yearin Life and Fitness Magazine

Directory of ServicesStarting in next issue March ‘09

For your chance to win this fantastic prize simply textLIFE HEALTH followed by your answer (A, B or C) tothe following question to 57188

Q. Who won the All Ireland Hurling Championship in2008?A. Kilkenny B. Dublin C. KerryThe cost per entry is €1.50. Closing date for entries 10th June 2009.There is no cash alternative.Judges decision is final. For full terms and conditions contact Life and Fit-ness Magazine, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary oremail: [email protected]. Good Luck!

Perfect for any business!VALUE €5,000


Competition deadline extended due to misprint in previous issue

*

*

Peak Fitness IrelandBuild Your Own Home Gym!

• Full Guarantee on all our products• Countrywide Delivery Available• Set-up Service Available• Full Back-Up Service• Gift Tokens Available• Deposits Taken• After Hours Viewing Available• View Products in our showroom prior to purchase

OpeningHours

Tuesday - Friday10am - 6pm

Saturday12 - 4pm

Showrooms: Unit 12, Block 13A, Ashbourne Business Park, Ashbourne, Co. Meath

Tel: 085 1 000 000 / 835 9007Visit Our Website: www.peakfitnessireland.com

(OFFICE HOURS)

ELITECROSS TRAINERwith Heart Sensors

List €495SPECIAL €265

PEAK FITNESS CROSSTRAINER DELUX


ELITE MAGNETICBIKE with Heart Sensors


Peak Fitness Treadmill16 Resistance LevelsHIGH SPEC. Inc. FANS, MP3 Port

List €1,495SPECIAL €895

Dynamo Elect 20082hp Treadmill

List €1,095SPECIAL €695

Right NowPeak Fitness Ireland

have some amazing deals on:Top of the range

Domestic, Semi Commercial and CommercialTreadmills, Bikes, Cross Trainers

& Rowing Machinesplus many more items in stock

Life and Fitness Magazine Issue 3

Documents

Transcript of Life and Fitness Magazine Issue 3