Pressure!

Do you think we put to much pressure on ourselves.

Do you take time out for yourself?

In today's society we can very easily get caught up in the day to day grind of everything. In doing so we forget to take a deep breathe and just enjoy life. Humans tend to be quite time poor working longer hours plus traveling further to get to their jobs. Because of these and other factors we forget to take some time out for ourselves, it's either work, family, money ... The list goes on and this can lead to serious amounts of stress. Stress is such a powerful emotion which can be very detrimental to our health and can cause such health conditions like anxiety.

We all need some time to ourselves from time to time. We spend so much time trying to set up a good life for ourselves, we forget to enjoy it.

How do you like to enjoy yourself?

Below are a list of top 5 things I like to do which makes me enjoy life.

1. Playing or watching football - love my footy!

2. Spend a weekend away with my young family - it's good to get away from the hussle and bustle sometimes

3. Listen to Coldplay - I find I just tune out when listening to them

4. Sit down and enjoy watching a DVD with my wife - with a little one we don't get much time to ourselves but this is something we try and do a couple of times a month

5. Catching up with friends - always great to see friends

Hopefully it’s given you a few ideas but if not, when you are feeling overwhelmed and under pressure – take a deep breathe to help you relax – I guarantee when you start to relax – your mind will relax and you’ll be more productive at whatever you are doing.

Tristan Simmons
Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure

YMCA Whittlesea Mental Health Awareness Seminar

According to BeyondBlue, 3 million Australians are currently living with Depression or Anxiety, yet some many of us don’t know much about mental health conditions or the warning signs.

On Monday 6th October YMCA Whittlesea is holding a Mental Health Awareness Seminar at Mill Park Baptist Church. It’s a FREE community event aimed at raising awareness in the community, donations would be greatly appreciated and all proceeds will go to the Black Dog Institute and YMCA Whittlesea Open Doors.

The seminar begins at 6:30pm and will conclude about 8:30pm, with two guest speakers on the night. Firstly we have Sheana from the Black Dog Institute who will talk about breaking down depression and building resilience. Following Sheana will be Dr Denise Furness who will talk about Nutrition and Exercise and how it can help reduce the symptoms of mental health conditions. At the conclusion of the guest speakers, Dr Furness will be joined on stage with Dr Amanda Lucci BMed ,MBBS to answer any questions attendees may have.

This seminar suitable for anyone who may be experiencing a mental health condition, know someone or just want more information on the subject.

Places are limited so get in early to book your spot – to book your place please email Tristan Simmons at tristan.simmons@ymca.org.au

We look forward to seeing you at this great community event.

6 simple steps to follow, which will help you exercise regularly

Before we get into some of the steps, firstly let start by asking you all a question – How many of you have joined a gym or started some sort of exercise but failed to maintain it?

I’m betting a vast majority of you have or would at least know someone who has. There are always different reasons why people start something but don’t continue with it so here are a few simple steps to help keep you on track.

1. Schedule your workouts for the week
If you put them in your diary like any other appointment – it will help you stick to it instead of making an excuse not to do it.

2. Set realistic goals
Sometimes we set a goal that is way out of our reach and it demotivates us so we just give up. The key is to set a long term goal but also some smaller goals along the way that will keep you striving for long term one.

3. Find a training buddy
Having a training partner helps to keep you both motivated because when one wants to slack off – the other will motivate you to get to the gym

4. Get a program written by a qualified instructor
Gym staff are to write you a program which will help you achieve your goals while maintaining a safe exercise regime – if you just come in and do your own thing, you’ll end up getting bored, lose interest and eventually stop

5. Use Technology
We live in a very tech savvy society so why not embrace it – there are some great apps out there that help you set goals and monitor your progress.

6. Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask qualified gym staff questions – they are there to help you and make you feel comfortable at the gym.

So there are few simple – cost effective ways to help you not only start your fitness journey but help maintain it. Please remember one thing – fitness is a lifelong commitment so work hard to get the most out of it but find something you’ll enjoy! 

Tristan Simmons
Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure

What defines us?

As humans we go through all different types of emotions every single day. Some good and some bad. Now we all wish we only had good emotions but that’s not what defines us. We all go through tough times, it’s how we deal with those situations that makes us who we are.

I listened to a key note speaker recently by the name of Dr David Patchell-Evans or 'Patch' as he prefers to be called. Patch is the founder of Goodlife Fitness Centre in Canada. He started out with only 1 health club and has expanded to over 300 clubs around Canada. Patch himself has been through many crisis’s in his life but he choose to learn from those incidents and turn them into an opportunity, or CROP as he calls it. Turning a crisis into an opportunity.

Just take a minute and reflect on that.....when have you turned a crisis into an opportunity?

Do you think it has made you who you are today? 

I want to share an example with you. When I was young my parents had just recently moved to Wallan where they had built a house for their young family because they were renting a flat in Preston which was too small. In order to support his family, my Dad worked 3 jobs, 7 days a week. He would be up at 5am and head to his first job. After he finished working overtime, he would head to his second job and work till about 8-9pm at night and by the time he got home it would after 10pm, when I was in bed. He did this every Monday - Friday. On the weekends he would work his 3rd job. My dad did this for many years to support us but as a result I didn't get to spend as much time with him. It doesn’t make him a bad father, he was just doing everything he can to support us and give us the best opportunities. 

Now you might ask why is this a crisis? Well as a young child, I didn’t get to see my Dad and spend that quality time with him.  Now I'm a father with a beautiful little girl I turned my crisis into an opportunity. That opportunity was to work hard and support my family but to always make sure I have a great work/family life balance. I try to spend as much time as I possibly can with my daughter and if I go one single day without getting a hug or kiss from her (now she knows what shaking your head means so I do get rejected from time to time - except when she is going to bed, I always get my goodnight kiss), it disappoints me. 

There are always going to be tough times throughout our lives, unfortunately its apart of life, it’s how we overcome those tough times or 'crisis' that truly makes us who we are today. A crisis doesn't have to be a big issue either because sometimes the smaller things hurt the most. 

PLEASE remember, it’s never too late to become the person we want to be! 

Tristan Simmons
Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure

Les Mills Launches - June / July

Mental Illness – Lets raise awareness!

You would have seen in the media recently that Mitch Clark, an AFL footballer who played with the Brisbane Lions and Melbourne football club has retired from the game with clinical depression. Now everyone retires from the game at some stage in their lives but to give the game away at only 26 because of this illness is quite saddening. He had many great years ahead of him.

What I want to do by writing this article is raise awareness because 1 in 3 people will experience sort some of mental illness throughout their lives.  Sometimes we don’t realise how much of an impact this terrible illness can have on an individual yet 1 in 4 people still think anyone suffering depression and anxiety just need to snap out of it. If only it was that simple. Everyone during their lives will experience anxiety and be depressed in their everyday lives, it’s part of our emotions but it is usually for only a short period of time and we quickly regulate our emotions again to continue on with our day. For someone experiencing depression or anxiety, it can last for hours; even days and they are unable to regulate their emotions.

I think we as a community need to help raise awareness and even be more accepting of the issue because some people are so fearful of communicating their illness with others; they avoid getting help and are unable to enjoy their life. I encourage anyone who is suffering from mental illness to seek professional help and if you haven’t done so already, introduce some form of exercise into your regime, even if it is at home. Exercise is a great medicine, it helps release endorphins which is a chemical the body produces which makes us feel good about ourselves. There are many online forums which you can join to discuss your issues with people just like you.

Further information can be obtained from BeyondBlue www.beyondblue.org.au

Once again, let’s as a community raise awareness about this terrible illness because it is something that is close to my heart and I believe everyone deserves to live a happy and fulfilling life.

What is Preva?

Preva is State-of-the-art software designed to personalize the fitness experience

Thousands of exercisers worldwide use Preva® to achieve their fitness goals. Preva allows you to track your fitness progress at the gym with on-console software or on-the-go with the Preva Mobile app.

Create a Preva account and take a big step toward your fitness ambitions in and out of the gym. Set a goal, earn rewards and track your progress automatically on Precor cardio equipment or with the Preva app.

Making it yours... works!™

Earn Badges to Keep You Motivated to Meet Your Weekly Goals

Stay motivated by earning badges as you achieve key milestones and reach your fitness goals.

Using the Preva Mobile app, you can share these badges on your favorite social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. Join the hundreds of thousands of exercisers who have already unlocked Preva badges.

Achieve Your Goals with Preva Equipment Worldwide, and on Your Mobile Device

With 1,300 Preva-enabled fitness facilities and over 22,000 networked units across 56 countries, you can count on Preva to be wherever your fitness journey takes you. Don't forget to track your workouts and progress outside of the gym with the Preva Mobile app, whether you're racking up miles on a hike or burning calories doing yard work.

Official Health Club Launch Party

Mill Park Leisure's New Health Club Official Launch Party will be held on Thursday 27th February at 5pm!

 

The first 150 people to arrive for the Official Launch Party will receive a FREE Precor T-Shirt and the Mayor will be in attendance to "cut the ribbon"!

 

On the night there will also be a door prize, catering, a DJ, competitions, prizes and giveaways throughout the night and plenty of fun to be had!

 

We look forward to seeing you here!

Health Club Redevelopment Timeline

Are you excited about the BRAND NEW Health Club launching Thursday 13th February? Us too!

Please see below for the timeline of the redevelopment and installation of equipment, taking note of all changes to hours and access.

Tuesday 4^th February
During this time, workers will relocate old equipment to form temporary gym

Health Club CLOSED from 6.00am – 4.00pm

Temporary Gym OPEN from 4.00pm -10.00pm in Program Room

Located behind reception with selected pin loaded and cardio equipment.


Wednesday 5^th February until Tuesday 11^th February
During this time works on floors, walls and electrical/data setup will take place in the Health Club.
 
Temporary Gym OPEN during regular hours in Program Room
Located behind reception with selected pin loaded and cardio equipment.
 
Temporary Free Weights Section OPEN during regular hours
Located in a small section of the Health Club where works will not take place.


Wednesday 12^th February
During this time old equipment will be removed and the installation of the new equipment will take place.

Temporary Gym OPEN from 6.00am – 12.00pm

Located behind reception with selected pin loaded and cardio equipment.
 
Temporary Gym CLOSED from 12.00pm – 10.00pm

Temporary Free Weights Section CLOSED from 6.00am – 10.00pm

Thursday 13^th February
Health Club Relaunch occurs.

BRAND NEW Health Club Open from 6.00am – 10.00pm

Health Club hours and access return to normal.



Stay Tuned for details: 

NEW Health Club exclusive Launch Party event for members.

The Festive Season

So I've now written quite a few articles talking about various topics including men’s health, time chunking, and small changes you can make to your everyday life which can have big impacts to your health. I'm now curious to know your feedback and how you have gone implementing some of those changes.

When we have lived our entire lives a certain way, it can be hard to change those habits even if we know our current habits can be detrimental to our health. Life is full of changes, some are small which we don't even notice while others are quite large; which we struggle to get use to, or we fight against making that change. I know it can be hard but you just need to be persistent, stay mentally strong and tell yourself you can do it. The changes I've suggested in previous articles may have been big changes for some of you and you may be having difficulty adapting to those changes, just hang in there and never give up. As humans we need to perform certain tasks numerous times before they become a habit. 

With the festive season fast approaching, making any more changes will be difficult, our normal daily routines are thrown out because some of us are on holidays while others only work a couple of days instead of the full week. Part of that routine they you miss out on is coming to the gym or attending a class. So here are some tips to help keep you working towards your goals while still enjoying yourself over the festive period.

1. Don't over eat - if your family gatherings are anything like mine then there is always plenty of food around so definitely enjoy yourself but try not to over eat.

2. Drink plenty of water - sometimes with all the celebrations we tend not to drink much water and if the weather is quite warm it doesn't take us long to become dehydrated so please make sure you keep yourself well hydrated

3. Maintain some sort of physical activity - there are many of you that will be holidaying somewhere and won't be attending the gym which is ok, we all need some time off. But that doesn't stop us from keeping are bodies moving. Walking along the beach is one example of something you can do. Resistance bands are a fantastic piece of equipment to take and use while on holiday. It's small, lightweight and doesn't take up much room.

4. Enjoy yourselves - having some time off is great for our mental health and gives us time to freshen up so have fun and enjoy – you deserve it!

Tristan Simmons

Healthy Living Director - Mill Park Leisure

   

The Benefits of Personal Training

Nothing beats the inspiration and motivation of having your own trainer.

Personal training is a one on one workout with one of Mill Park Leisure's highly trained and qualified fitness professionals. Your own trainer will provide you with hands on support, guidance and encouragement. They will also motivate you to achieve your individual goals and help you to get the most out of your work out time. Whether you are just starting to exercise or are currently training competitively, you will immediately recognise the physical benefits of having your own personal trainer.

Outdoor Personal Training

Personal training outdoors adds a huge amount of fun, variety and new challenges to your workouts. Power walking, running, jogging, boxing, or cycling, the opportunities are endless as you enjoy training with your personal trainer in the great outdoors. You and your trainer can use any of Mill Park Leisure's facilities, including the health club, group exercise room, heated pools and more, to vary your training and keep you motivated.

The benefits of Personal Training include:

• Receive an extra push from a fully qualified fitness professional
• Achieve faster results and reach your goals sooner
• Have your own coach
• Improve muscle tone and posture
• Break through training plateaus
• Receive advanced training techniques
• Receive more frequent guidance
• Maximize every session
• More comprehensive dietary guidance
• Lots of hands on support and encouragement
• Sports Specific training

Our Trainers

The personal training team at Mill Park Leisure are renowned for their level of expertise, qualifications and commitment to helping clients achieve real results. All trainers have extensive experience working across a wide range of fitness interests and attend ongoing workshops to stay up to date with all the latest health & fitness information.

Have you experienced back pain?

How many of you have experienced back pain? I bet 80 – 90% of you answered yes, I too have suffered back pain.

The reason I ask is because I recently read a very interesting and somewhat controversial article which featured on The Age website titled ‘The truth about back pain’ written by Aviva Lowy.

In the article Professor Chris Maher, Director of the musculoskeletal Division at the George institute for Global Health, talks about back pain. He explains that in the majority of cases when there is no specific cause for the pain, patients are misinformed from various websites and/or are over treated and over medicated. What individuals who have back pain should be making sure they are physically active and start off by only taking paracetamol for pain relief.

In late 2012, patients were administered epidural steroid injections for back pain, some of those were contaminated and caused an outbreak of fungal meningitis in the US.

This raises numerous questions in my mind but won that comes to mind is why do we suffer from back pain if there are no evident causes? In 2010 Global Burden of Disease claims back pain is the most disabling health condition in Australia, the study showed in terms of years lived with a disability, lower back pain was ranked number one.

Professor Maher states the triggers of back pain is not clear but there seems to be a strong genetic component. When different risk factors such as vibration, lifting, smoking or being overweight, the findings have been inconsistent.

Most of us have experienced back pain at some point not knowing the cause and to think there may be a genetic cause is ground breaking.

There is often this thought that if you experience back pain, don’t do any exercise, relax on the couch and rest. This isn’t the way to manage a bad back, make sure you keep active, it will help relieve any back problems you may be experiencing.

If you would like to read the article for yourself the link is attached below.

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/life/the-truth-about-back-pain-20131010-2vah5.html

Tristan Simmons

Healthy Living Director - Mill Park Leisure

Interview: Michelle Fisicaro - Personal Trainer at Mill Park Leisure

Hi all, my name is Michelle I'm one of the new trainers on the gym floor, but an old face as I have been a member at Mill Park Leisure for 10 years before doing my Fitness Certificates in 2012. But lets wind it back a bit…


I was born in Parkdale so have a penchant for the beach and I don’t like winter at all!!!!!

I met my gorgeous hubby 21 years ago. After we got married, we moved to Sydney for a couple of years where I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer. I find myself very fortunate to have gone through this process and have a clear health history in that area now, but it did lead to a couple of problems when we fell pregnant with triplets naturally. I delivered my first little boy Cooper at 21 weeks, sadly we lost him. We hung on tight to our other 2 babies who were born at 24 weeks, another boy and a girl. We lost Tyson at 8 weeks of age, but I have an amazing 14 year old daughter Mackenzie with a clear health history, so we are extremely lucky. It was an ordeal but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Within the next 2 years we decided to have another baby, this is with much decision as it meant I was to have an Trans Abdominal Suture through my uterus, to be able to carry another pregnancy. So cut a long story short, there was a joke should we put a zip in my abdominal region, for having had 9 operations in a matter of a few years.

Of course you giggle and laugh at it now but it took a toll on my exercising - this is why I like to keep in shape, as you never know what is around the corner. We also now have a gorgeous hazel eyed son Dante who is very cheeky and full of character. I wouldn’t change anything about my life…

Having had a few hiccups over the years, I have always known I wanted to be a Personal Trainer and so I decided to take myself back to school last year, after not having been at school for 30 years. I found this very daunting but it was last year or never…

So here I am at my second home! Instead of being a member I'm now here to help all our members with any health issues they may have or if its just to have a chat get something off their chest…  

1. What do you do?
I also work on Reception as well as Gym floor and Personal Trainer.

2. What is your definition of success?
Success is to see my clients walking out of here happy but knowing they have had an awesome workout and how we are training is working specifically for them and their needs.

3. What do you think has enabled you to achieve success with the health and fitness industry?
Being of a mature age has given me life skills to be able to talk to all types of people from all levels.

4. After a great result, how do you celebrate?
I spend time with my family because they are my greatest influence.

5. What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve ever done and why?
Having my children is the most satisfying as there was a stage we though we may not have children but also going back to school has helped me overcome some of my own hurdles with which I put up…

6. What do you do outside of work to relax and wind down?
Spending time with family and friends we like to be social on the weekends and especially when the warm weather comes….

7. Where do you see opportunity in the health and fitness industry in the next 5 years?
My goal is to learn as much as I can about the industry and to turn this into helpful information for our patrons…
 
8. Now’s the time for what we call the Turbo 10. Ten quick questions…

• What is your favourite song? Over The Rainbow- Judy Garland
• Favourite athlete? Cory Everson                                            
• Movie? The Way We Were                                                    
• Food?  Everything - Chocolate                                              
• Holiday destination? Bali                                                      
• Most recently read book? Women's Health                              
• What really annoys you?  Housework                                    
• If you could do anything you wanted; what would it be? I'm doing it!!!!!!!
• The one thing you’d like to change in the world right now? A cure for cancer!    
• Where would you like to be in 5 years time?  Still here having a wonderful time with my friends at Mill Park……      

Paleo - The New Craze in Weight Loss

The “Paleo” diet is a buzz word right now. The cross fitters are doing it, mums who want to lose weight are doing it and even those diagnosed with mental illness are recommended to do it (not by Dr’s or Nutritionists, usually via internet websites).

So what is the Paleo diet and why is everyone jumping on board?

The Paleo, short for paleolithic, diet is meant to represent what our paleolithic ancestors ate. Paleo fans believe this diet will help everyone lose weight, function better and reduce disease risk. Basically it recommends that we more fat, more meat, no dairy, no grains, no starchy carbs (potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, lentils, peas, beans, bananas etc) and little or no fruit. There are a few different versions of the Paleo diet being advertised, but in short it’s a high fat, moderate to high protein, low carb diet.

If you read my last blog post you will know why healthy carbs are essential. Carbs not only supply glucose for energy but a multitude of vitamins and minerals, not to mention fibre, which are all essential for our bodies to function effectively. Fat is also an essential nutrient, it has many important roles in the body, but what some people don’t realise is that fat has double the calories compared to protein and carbs. Fat contain 9 calories (37 kj) per gram compared to carbs 4 calories (16 kj) or protein 4 calories (17 kg) per gram. Those who follow a Paleo diet generally consume good fats such as coconut oil and olive oil, but some have really high intakes of butter, ghee and other saturated fats from animal. I’m not necessarily calling these fats bad, they are not in the same category as trans fats which are truly bad, but not everyone benefits from high fat diets because unused fat is stored as fat in the body, it’s a simple process.

The reason I feel the need to write about this is because I currently have a patient who has been on the Paleo diet for close to a year and has put on 20kgs. She tried the diet for weight loss and for the promised health benefits as she had a number of medical conditions. Adding 20kgs definitely did not help her mental state or her health. When I asked her to complete a food diary it was completely obvious she was having way too much fat. Her overall calorie intake was much higher than what she was burning and as a result she had put on a significant amount of weight.

On the other hand one of my best friends, Seth, is an avid cross fitter and was advised to go Paleo by his training buddies and is benefiting greatly. Seth is stronger, leaner and most likely healthier than he has ever been. The biggest difference between Seth and my patient who as put on all this weight is the amount and intensity of exercise they are each doing. In addition, I also believe that a lot of Seth’s benefits have come from him reducing his alcohol intake and increasing his physical activity levels. My patient was not a drinker and had a relatively healthy diet before starting to follow the Paleo diet, but she does little physical activity.

What I do like about the Paleo diet is that it encourages people not to eat processed and packaged food. I’m all for dropping foods full of refined carbs, preservatives, colours, flavours and additives that are not good for us, but I’m not subscribing to a notion that this is the miracle diet that will benefit everyone. At the end of the day people need to be smart about their food choices, we can all make some simple changes that will have massive long term health benefits such as reducing sugar, processed food and/or alcohol.

Finally, if you want more info click on the link below to hear an interview with Marlene Zuk from University of California, author of the Paleofantasy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nkQhSMnRwpI

Dr Denise Furness, PhD BSc RNut REP
Registered Nutritionist & Personal Trainer with Mill Park Leisure

 

Attention All Males - When was the last time you thought about your health?

Firstly I want to say happy father’s day to all the Dad’s around the centre. As father’s day was approaching last week, it made me think about men’s health and raised the question, are we really looking after our health?  

Five months ago I became a father and even though I try to live a healthy lifestyle, caring for someone made me think about it even more. Sometimes we don’t think about our own health enough and we forget to get regular check-ups, watch what we eat or go to the gym regularly.

There are many different organisations out there that are trying to raise the awareness which is great, but as individuals we need to take on that responsibility.

I know as my daughter grows up she’ll be looking to both myself and my wife as role models and we both want to instil the values of looking after yourself and leading a healthy lifestyle.

According to the Heart Foundation 98 men have a Heart Attack every day with 1 in 7 dying as a result. I’m not sure what you are thinking right now, but to me that is extremely alarming.  This number could be reduced significantly if we as individuals took better care of ourselves.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Australia, but you can do something about it. Make that lifestyle change now; not only will your body benefit but you’ll be promoting good health to all your friends and family along the way.

You might think it’s difficult to make change, but it isn’t at all, start with small achievable goals.

Firstly aim to exercise 3 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each time. Not all that exercise has to be in the gym. Use a combination of both indoor and outdoor exercises. As well as working out in the gym I love going for a walk with my wife and daughter, especially in this spring weather. If you have pets, take them for a walk or even head to the local park to play with the kids.

The second change I want you to make is regarding what you are putting in your cupboard and fridge. Go through the different types of foods and ask yourself… Do I really need to eat this? If you answered no then donate it to charity. I want you to now hit two food targets a day, try to have 5 serves of vegetables and 2 -3 serves of fruit per day.

Ok now you have a couple of tasks to implement, get started of those straight away and begin the lifestyle change you need.

 

Tristan Simmons

Healthy Living Director - Mill Park Leisure

Interview: Tristan Simmons - Healthy Living Director at Mill Park Leisure

I am a true Northern suburbs boy. I was born in Preston back in 1984 before my parents moved to Wallan. We were only there a short time before we moved to Bundoora where my parents still live now. I’m the eldest of 4 boys…poor mum, with the youngest being 10 years old.

Growing up I wasn’t one to sit down and study, I loved playing sports right throughout primary and high school. Instead of studying I was playing footy or cricket with my mates. Throughout my schooling I played a number of schools sports which included football, cricket, golf, table tennis, volleyball and hockey.

Outside of school I started playing junior football when I was 8 years old and finally hung up the boots when I was 26 , winning 3 premierships along the way with Bundoora. I had some tough times during my career after sustaining certain injuries -  the worst was being diagnosed with a bulging disc at 21 years of age. I endured months of rehab before I was able to return playing. I think overcoming these injuries have made me a stronger person. I’m still involved with the club to date, finals are about to start so hopefully we can bring home the big one.

In 2011 I was lucky enough to marry the girl of my dreams, Sharon, in Hurstbridge. I first met Sharon back in 2004 at my cousins wedding. We bought our first house together in 2009 and recently bought ¼ acre where we’ll build our new home. Earlier this year our beautiful daughter Emerson was born and words can’t describe what she means to both of us.  I also have 2 dogs which make up the rest of the family. Maddie is maltese terrier cross which we adopted because she wasn’t being treated well and Sam is a Kelpie we got from the Whittlesea show.

Both Sharon and I love to get away whenever we can. We have been lucky enough to travel overseas a few times. We’ve been to Thailand and Malaysia twice plus we went to Mauritius for our Honeymoon. If we don’t travel overseas we love to head down the coast for weekends away. We have a family beach house down Phillip Island which her grandfather built himself 50 years ago. Both Sharon and I holidayed down the island when we were kids and now Emerson will get to experience it as well.

I’ve been in the industry for over 8 years now and met so many wonderful people. Getting up in the morning knowing I’m helping individuals change their lives forever is a great feeling and that’s why I love what I do.

 1. What do you do?
I’m the Healthy Living Director for Whittlesea YMCA at Mill Park Leisure

2. What is your definition of success?
To me achieving goals you set is success. It doesn’t matter if the goal is small or large, a goal is a goal. 

3. What are your thoughts on the parallels between business and sport?
When I was playing sport, I had a hunger to improve myself to succeed on the field. The same goes for business – there are different measures for success but the principles are the same. In sport the drive was to win a premiership, in business its to lead a successful team in changing the lives of other people.

4. I think we can sometimes learn more from the mistakes we make. What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made along the way? And what did you learn from this?  I’ve made numerous mistakes over my life but the biggest one for me was not trusting my own judgement in a certain situation. I learnt a lesson that day and now I back my instincts (also one of my tips below).

5. What are the 5 top tips you’d give the average person wanting to improve business performance?
- Trust your instincts
- Set goals
- Continue to develop yourself
- Be a sponge and learn off others along the journey
- Take a risk

6. How do you consistently sustain performance in your business/career?
I always look to develop myself – whether it’s as a trainer or a leader – you never stop developing and if you choose not to develop yourself unfortunately you’ll miss out.

7. And your thoughts on how to turn a mix of different people and personalities into a world class team?
A great team has a diverse group of instructors, everyone is on the bus but to turn them into a world class team – my job is to make sure everyone is in the right seats.

8. Who has had the greatest influence on your career and what lessons did they teach you?
Two people have influenced my career:
First is my wife Sharon – she has been so supportive in everything I’ve wanted to do and helped me out where possible – she gives me the confidence to go after my dreams.
Secondly my dad – When I was young, he and my mother had just built there first house and he was working 3 jobs to support us. I know he was up 5am and didn’t get home till 10pm Monday – Friday plus he worked both Saturday and Sunday. It taught me to work hard and support my family but also find a balance between family and work life.

9. After a great result, how do you celebrate? 
A nice relaxing day out with the family.

10. What’s the most satisfying thing you’ve ever done and why?
Helping clients achieve their goals because I walk away knowing I’ve changed their lives forever.

11. What do you do outside of work to relax and wind down?
There are a couple of things I like to do – either spending time with my beautiful wife and 5 month old daughter or I love my footy so sitting down and watching a good game of AFL footy.

12. Where do you see opportunity in the health and fitness industry in the next 5 years?
I see more opportunity in local sporting clubs, especially local football – AFL and VFL football is becoming more and more professional which is slowing filtering down to local clubs employing fitness coaches. There will be more opportunities to work with local clubs but also the possibilities of more sports training facilities opening up.

13. Now’s the time for what we call the Turbo 10. Ten quick questions…

• What is your favourite song? Mr Brightside – The killers   
• Favourite athlete? Simon Black                          
• Movie? Forgetting Sarah Marshall                                          
• Food? Thai/Mauritian Food                                                   
• Holiday destination? Grand Baie - Mauritius                             
• Most recently read book? A decade of Pride – History of the Brisbane Lions           
• What really annoys you? Election advertisements                    
• If you could do anything you wanted; what would it be? Play AFL football 
• The one thing you’d like to change in the world right now? Childhood obesity
• Where would you like to be in 5 years time? Definitely still in the fitness industry – maybe managing my own club and continuing to help young PT’s achieve their business goals.