I first met Phoebe during a talk called ‘The Other Vital Sign?’ Talking about Period Health for Women and how to normalise the topic of periods and start a conversation about menstruation and female athletes – periods are normal, period. We are looking forward to talking with Phoebe about her experiences and her thoughts as a Chiropractor, keen athlete and females view on Fitness, Health & Happiness.
Women’s Health Week – Working In Before Working Out
Women’s Health – Day 1 – Working ‘In’ before Working ‘Out’
Including a Free Coaching Call on offer this week only
(ps we’re in Melbourne Stage 4 lockdown so we can talk via zoom or over the phone)
This week we are sharing all things Women’s Health and as you know our tagline is fitter, healthier and happier which is what we live by. When your healthy and fit it just leads to more happiness both researched and yep experienced! And when us women are happier so are those around us who get the benefits of a woman that is open, in control, content, engaged and so much more.
To start I wanted to share with you about Working In before Working Out, so I’m sharing a little, well actually a lot about me (Linda) today as a woman who has experienced many of life’s ups and downs that affected my health and wellbeing. But who now with my beautiful husband Jean-Claude, we started ALTA Fitness 4 years ago (although JC has been in the industry nearly 30) and got married the same year. Oh and a beautiful friend told me once I should write a book one day, maybe this is the beginning.
So here is my story…
Sometimes we have to start our fitness and health journey from Working ‘in’ not Working ‘out’ which is how I started back after a rough few years to regain my health and fitness. Some background – I met John (husband no. 2, yes this is my 3rd marriage and absolutely no regrets) when I was 26 and 3 months into dating he got news of testicular cancer and the doctor told me, maybe as it was early days I should break up as the news wasn’t so good. But I didn’t, I liked this guy a lot, and he survived and thrived for another 20 years and we had our beautiful twins when I was 41 years old via Donor IVF. Life was good, we had our dream home, careers, children and then John received the news he had Lung Cancer, then later Thyroid and Anal Cancer plus he’s kidneys stopped working so he was on Dialysis (no chance of a transplant) and our lives were turned upside down. During this time, I sought help with depression because on top of that one of my twins had been diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. But forever the optimists and living in what I called ‘hope’ John lived another 4 years in and out of hospital, lost his job during the Global Financial Crisis, I went to work full time he was the full time dad, we made it work and we had a great family, marriage and life as we saw it, we had 25 years together, but then John lost his fight and as our kids started Grade 1 we were a family of 3.
Working from within…
Okay you can have a cry with me now because I am….I really don’t remember much from that year but I knew I had to keep on being a good mum and luckily with some wonderful help that I started prior and after John’s death I started out with Working ‘in’. When I say working in (or within) it’s about working with what you can, going to the gym and losing all the kilo’s I had put on was not on my energy radar, I was tired, walking around in a bit of a cloud and dealing with increasing problems associated with my child on the spectrum and, all of us grieving. So, firstly I started with a group of wonderful people supporting us, I called it ‘the people who had our backs’. My mum, my sisters and brother, my friends, of who some I had just met via the kids starting primary school, my boss at the time, psychologist Betty, my son’s team (of support) and accepting the help I needed. And what came from accepting help, learning how to deal day to day, support my children, was I found a ‘peace’ with John’s dying and started taking the next steps to reengage myself with life and taking care of me.
Working from ‘in’ to ‘out’…
In the later part of that year I did start at the gym, I decided to bravely take the kids snow skiing but realised I was so unfit, my weight was the heaviest I’d ever been, I had done no exercise for over a year and how was I going to take 7 year old kids skiing and carrying gear! With 4 weeks to our trip I went to a Personal Trainer with a ‘Can you get me fit to ski in 4 weeks?’ Well I was amazed, I went 3 times a week for 4 weeks and just felt better, definitely fitter and more energy. After the trip I kept going but I went about 1-2 times a week and saw some changes but it was slow but then my Personal Trainer started talking nutrition, started encouraging me more as I improved and the changes were huge and if I think about it now it was as much mentally as physically. I was able to have time just for me, I looked better which made me feel better and I was eating healthier than ever, my thoughts were clearer. I had continued with therapy for all of us during this time and I felt comfortable again in myself to get back out into the world.
Working out….
Well you may have guess that I’m in a good place now, life is always going to bring us the ups and downs but I am so much better at dealing with them. I’ve made time to focus on my son and become a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Certified Practitioner so I could understand his world – I called NLP using dialogue to tap into the conscious and unconscious mind to change how we talk, think and help connect ourselves and this and his support team have taken him from daily/weekly melt downs to a young man who is thriving and independent (and not having any support except us). And when I met JC, I was in a place to give of myself and phase in a new life as a new family. And so far it’s been fabulous, we’re married, my children see JC as their Dad (they have 3 Dad’s – John Dad, JC Dad and a donor dad who we don’t know but 3 good men willing to give life and love to children). Now, whilst I still work on my ‘in’ – I eat well, I think well, I act well, I can actually work ‘out’ as well so when I do my exercise, I do it for me, I do a good ‘workout’ on my fitness 3-5 days a week and I am fitter, healthier, stronger, more engaged and happier that finally I feel I can also help others.
For you….
So if you feel you would like to take the step to a fitter, healthier, happier life and want to start with working ‘in’ on yourself before working ‘out’ at the gym, I am free to anyone who wants a 30min phone or zoom call to take the first step to ‘Working Out’ because some times the first step is to talk to someone.
Call me on 0410 544 759 if you’d like to book a time.
Linda
Episode 5 with Casey Wright Olympic Cross Country Skier
Anyone who knows us knows we are avid skiers, especially Cross Country (XC) Skiing.
We welcome Casey to join us to have a chat about her career as an XC athlete having been on the Australian National Team since 2012, has been to 4 World Championships (2x junior, 1x U23, 1x senior), Asian Winter Games, Sapporo Japan, where Casey was a bronze medallist, 2018 Winter Olympics, and raced at the World Cup.
We are looking forward to talking with Casey about her experiences and her thoughts from an athlete and females view on Fitness, Health & Happiness.
ALTA TALKS Episode 4 talking about ways to reduce calories in your meals
Eating healthy, fresh, delicious food is so easy and quick. Sure it takes a little time sometimes to think and prepare but it is absolutely worth it. So JC and I thought it would be nice to share what we do to create quick easy, healthy meals that have less calories in them plus are super nutritious.
ALTA TALKS Episode 3 with Betty Checuti, Psychologist & Founder of Being a Mother
We are talking to Betty tonight on how to turn around our negative thoughts into a more positive space, parenting during difficult times, how Betty is seeing a change this time around and key factors to consider to manage Covid including the importance of health and exercise
ALTA TALKS Episode 2 Why Should Men Lift Heavy Stuff
JC will take us through the theory of Why Men Should Lift Heavy Stuff, the reasons why, how it effects men’s health and longevity and what optimally would be a good fitness program for lifting heavy stuff.
ALTA TALKS Episode 1 with Sarah from Oaktree Osteo
Our inaugural first ALTA TALKS with Sarah from Oaktree Osteopathy who will be talking about what she is seeing during lockdown, what does an osteo do in a normal patient visit, tips for neck, shoulder and neck pain and more.
Launching ALTA TALKS Fitness, Health & Happiness
Launching our new avenue to share information each week about how we can live fitter, healthier, happier lives for the long term
Talking about our CoVID19 fitness learnings
JC and I are sitting in our backyard having a chat about what we have seen, heard, experienced through our first shut down and into our second with CoVID19.
Drinking Tea has its benefits…
As I sit here drinking tea in Melbournes winter, I’m out on the back deck with my blanket and tea, listening to the birds and working…but it’s a nice place to work and I remembered that just last week we wrote about the benefits of tea in our regular update to our clients so here it is for you…
Drinking Tea Has Its Benefits…There is nothing better than sitting in relaxing in front of the fire, rugged up with a hot cup of tea in hand. Tea is delicious but it is also so good for you! Black has been time and time again been described as the longevity beverage. With over 1,500 varieties, not including all the different herbal blends, it is full of many health effects. Some say when consumed regularly, it is healthier than water…Tea leaves contain powerful antioxidants called polyphenols that help to prevent cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and some other chronic problems. Polyphenols are normally found in large amounts in fruits, vegetables, grains, coffee, and wine (yes wine!). The specific polyphenols in tea are called catechins or EGCG, which are more powerful than the polyphenols contained anywhere else in nature.
- Tea is also wonderful at decreasing stress by increasing relaxation level and concentration. Fun fact, the amino acid, L-theanine, counteracts any caffeine in the tea. Tea is the only way you can get this supplement in your diet without taking a manufactured supplement.
- Amino acids increase the activity in the brain to achieve a state of relaxed concentration. The highest concentrations of L-theanine are in green and white tea varieties. Its been shown to help lower Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol, fight body fat accumulation, inhibit viral illnesses such as the cold or the flu and reduce the buildup of plaque on the teeth- who knew!
- Hot, cold, iced or spiced, tea can be enjoyed in various ways. So do yourself a favour and boil the kettle and enjoy a cup of tea or two a day. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
Enjoy!