Just this week, I helped Skechers Australia and New Zealand launch a new line of GoWalk shoes that are designed to help increase incidental exercise for our day-to-day lives.

What’s this incidental exercise you ask?

Well, as the name suggests, it’s exercising by accident whilst also doing daily chores.

Being a new Mum, I’ve experienced some serious effects of incidental exercise. Prior to my bub, Lachlan, coming along I was, what you’d call a lazy exerciser. I’d train like a woman possessed, one hour a day, but for the other 23 hours I what a bit of a sloth.

However since having Lachlan, I’ve not been able to train as hard, due to breastfeeding, yet. However, I’m still back to my pre-pregnancy weight and feeling fabulous as ever. Go figure!

One of the reasons for this is that I have surrendered to incidental exercise. Lachlan loves the pram so I’m choosing to walk to the shops instead of driving; I’m spending more time outdoors. Could this be one of the reasons (along with breastfeeding) I’ve found it pretty easy to get back into shape? Probably.

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Being a health and fitness coach, I meet a lot of people every single day. From personal trainers, life coaches, dieticians to top-class entrepreneurs. These people inspire me on a regular basis, be it with their life mantras or health and wellness tips.

In this new segment on my website, I’ll be sharing the fitness tips of some of Australia’s most beautiful people, who I’ve had the honour to call my dear friends. I’ve learnt something from them, and hope you can too.

This week, I speak to this country’s favourite nutrition expert, founder of Get Lean in 4 Easy Steps and a TODAY show regular, Dr. Joanna McMillan.
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A new study from Stanford University of Medicine has challenged the age old formula of 80 per cent diet and 20 per cent exercise for fitness enthusiasts. This study is reiterating the importance of focusing on changing exercise and diet routines at the same time, in order to get a bigger boost in results and see changes in the body.

The study has also shown that it’s ideal if you make changes to both factors at the same time, and sometimes even more beneficial to start with improving the physical activity first.

I find this particularly important because a lot of people underestimate the importance of either of the two, sometimes even taking one of granted.

If they’re training five times a week, they’d ignore what they are putting in their body and vice versa. But as the saying goes, “You can’t overtrain a poor diet”. So no matter how many hours you sweat at a gym, nothing can justify chomping down an entire tub of icecream post-dinner.

The challenge really lies in doing a massive lifestyle overhaul. The way I see it, this isn’t a ‘diet’ option or a ‘boot camp’ session, it’s a lifestyle change that you’re choosing to make.

The trick is to put your shoes on and step outside the door. As simple as that. With this one move, you’re going to change the way your body looks and your mind feels.

Also, don’t overcomplicate things by extensive training charts and exercise routines. Keep it simple and straightforward.

My tried-and-tested weekly program looks like this:

2 x Pump Classes
2 x 45-60 minute runs or spin class
1 x Yoga or Pilates 

Follow only this and you’ll see changes in your body within a week.

If you’re an active trainer and feel like you’ve hit a plateau, then I’d suggest you ring a bell on both diet and exercise. For example, keep track of how many calories you’re consuming or ramp up the intensity of your training via length or level.

The tools and programs below will help you get started; where you take it from there is entirely up to you and your motivation.

12-Week Body Transformation
My Fitness Pal 
Meal Delivery Services, like Eat Fit Food, Light n’ Easy, Jenny Craig. 

Sure the man can cook a meal under 15-minutes, but Jamie Oliver is using his ‘celebrity status’ and food-driven career to save lives.

When it was revealed that, in 2012, more people died from diet and obesity-related illness around the world than from hunger, Oliver knew it was time to change the way the society treated food.

In a recent article for The Australian, Oliver speaks to Matt Preston about his plans to educate the upcoming generation on obesity and its deadly effects.

In the article, Oliver said, “In Australia, obesity-related deaths now outstrip smoking-related deaths and 68 per cent of people in hospital are there because of a diet-related disease. If we can educate ourselves to eat better as a society then we can help people to live 11 years longer”.

To give substance to his words and concern, Oliver started a global day of action last year.

His Food Revolution Day launched with no budget in 56 countries in 2012, and this year it will be observed in 72 nations on May 17, 2013.

“It’s a day to celebrate and promote the sharing (of) food knowledge, and the sheer pleasure of cooking, whether through events, programs or just skin on skin learning,” Oliver told Preston.

A Love Real Food picnic will be held at Centennial Park in Sydney on May 18.

Read the full article at this link.

And here’s Jamie Oliver explaining what Food Revolution Day is all about:

Sniff, Cough, Sniff, Sniff, Cough.

It’s that time of the year when every work place, school, shopping center and public transport has a version of sniffles going on.

Australian Medical Association [AMA] has predicted this flu season to be worse than before for the continent, especially after the epidemic that hit the United States of America late last year.

“We do tend to parallel the Northern Hemisphere in the South, so it’s a forewarning that we need to get in early and vaccinate this year,” said Dr Steve Hambleton, President of AMA.

Dr Hambleton said there would be an ample supply of the flu vaccine available in Australia from March onwards. The more vulnerable lot in the community: older people, Indigenous Australians, pregnant women and anyone with an underlying health problem, are urged to seriously consider getting the injection in the coming weeks. Contact your local GP for more info.

However, while you’re waiting to get the shot, you can take some preventative measures to stop the Influenza virus from getting to you.

In the video below, I discuss some handy home remedies to get around the flu virus on the Mornings9 show with David and Sonia.

This woman has the best seat in the house by dating the hottest ‘salt and pepper’ of Hollywood, and her body sure complements her social status.

I’m talking about the woman about town, Stacy Keibler who has George Clooney in one arm and dumbbells in the other.

This former professional wrestler (would you believe!) has now become a red carpet favourite, especially during the award season, and is envied for more reasons than who she accompanies.

Those never-ending legs, toned arms and shoulders, flat stomach and a vivacious butt aren’t a overnight success, they need some serious hours at the gym. So what does her fitness regimen really involve?

Watch my segment from the Mornings9 show below, where I discuss Stacy’s workout regimen with Sonia and David.