Weight Loss

We chat to yogi star Leah Simmons about her her fit life and how she fuels her body. Leah Simmons prides herself on being the girl-next-door – who just happens to twist her body into amazing yogi shapes. A qualified Pilates and fitness instructor who hates to cook, she fuels her body with organic and wholesome food, and powers her Instagram with poses we can use for good health. Day on a plate Meal 1: 500 ml water with 2 g chlorella. Meal 2: A long black coffee, two free-range eggs (boiled or scrambled) with one piece of organic rice loaf and one tbsp organic sauerkraut or kimchi. Meal 3: Post-workout shake containing ½ frozen banana, handful of fresh or frozen berries, one large dollop of coconut yogurt, ½ cup coconut water, one tbsp pea and brown rice protein powder, one tsp superfood powder, and a pinch of Himalayan pink salt. Meal 4: Big salad with 100 g tuna or grilled chicken and a homemade dressing containing extra-virgin olive oil and organic/raw/unpasteurised apple cider vine...

  WH&F Head Trainer Sheena-Lauren shares her 10 minute workout to kickstart your mornings. Read more ...

  Lauren Simpson is all about going hard or going home, with heavy weights her forte. We chat to her about her fit life and food.  An online fitness coach, bikini competitor and powerlifter, she has transformed her life from skinny, unhappy and unhealthy to strong, confident and full of life – and now the Sydneysider is on a mission to inspire others. Day on a plate Meal 1: Beef rump steak, walnuts, spinach and a side of blueberries. Meal 2: Turkey breast, macadamias, mushrooms and mixed green vegies. Meal 3: Barramundi, avocado and mixed green vegies. Meal 4: Pre-workout meal of chicken breast and white rice. Meal 5: Post-workout meal of a protein shake with fruit. Meal 6: Turkey breast and sweet potato. Simpson says The body has a greater need for certain nutrients at specific times. Overall, my macros for an entire day of eating are 30 per cent protein, 30 per cent fat and 40 per cent carbs. I always eat my higher carb meals around my workout. My pre-workout meal consists ...

  Sophie Gray got more than she bargained for when she set out to forge her place in the modelling industry and came back with restrictive eating habits and a workout timetable that bordered on obsessive. A quick life reset and this holistic nutritionist and personal trainer now inspires others to live happily and healthily with her personal workout plans, colourful recipes on Way of Gray and more than one laughing-fruit-selfie.   Her career "Believe it or not, I'm actually not crazily into fitness. I work out because I know it's good for my body and that's exactly why I chose to pursue a career in healthy living – I felt like the industry was making it seem like you had to be all or nothing, all the time. I wanted to show women that you can be more casual about fitness, have fun and still see incredible results." Her fitness regime "I work out no more than four days a week, for about 45 minutes at a time. I do bodyweight exercises focusing on full body mov...

  Muesli can be high in sugar, fat and kilojoules, so we turn the experts to show us how to make healthier options.  "The perception that muesli is healthy may lead people to eat it in larger quantities than is recommended," says accredited practising dietitian and Dietitians Association of Australia spokesperson Kate Deppeler. Compare energy density (kJs per 100 g), grams of fat per 100 g (especially saturated) and sugars per 100 g. Keep serving size to half a cup – not three quarters as some packaging recommends or the two thirds or full cup often suggested for processed cereal products.  Here are a few tips on how to turn your muesli into a healthy breakfast: Homemade   If you love muesli, homemade is best. "Making homemade muesli allows you to have total control over the nutritional content of the finished product," Deppeler says. You can add a serving of real fruit, extra protein (think protein powder) and good fats in seeds such as chia. Tasting Notes: Add ...

  Packed with protein, these goji and pepita treats make a healthy snack any time of day.  What you'll need (makes 12 slices // Prep Time: 5 minutes plus freezing time) Ingredients: ¾ cup Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1 tbsp goji berries 1 tbsp cacao nibs Method: Pour yoghurt into a 14 cm by 18 cm container or tray. Sprinkle with pepitas, goji berries and cacao nibs. Set in the freezer for a few hours until solid. Once frozen, break or cut into pieces and enjoy. {nomultithumb}   Read more ...

  For scuba diving instructor Emma Ascher , having a healthy mind and body was vital to her everyday self-confidence out on the water. After letting her diet and exercise habits slip and feeling less than comfortable in her denim cut-offs, she rekindled her love of the weights room and is back looking taught, toned and terrific.   Three months ago I was living and working on a tiny island in Thailand, which meant I spent a lot of time in a bikini. I had never been overweight but in the preceding months, I had gotten out of shape and I decided something needed to be done. Around the same time, my friend gave me a copy of WH&F and I read it cover to cover! I was hooked and decided the BodyBlitz challenge was exactly what I was looking for. After registering, I joined the only gym on the island. It was tiny and dominated by men. I felt really intimidated at first and just bumbled around trying out different machines. But then I did some research and put together some fitness ...

  Lola Berry helps us explore new recipe ideas like this sturdy salad fully of healthy goodness that is incredibly easy to whip up.   What you'll need (serves 4) 
Salad
 125 g (1 cup) buckwheat
 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
 1 onion, finely sliced
 35 g (¼ cup) dried apricots, chopped
 1 bunch of kale, stalks removed and leaves finely chopped
 Zest of 1 lemon Spicy Pepitas
 Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
 70 g (½ cup) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
 Pinch of paprika
 Pinch of chilli flakes
 Pinch of salt flakes What you'll do Tip the buckwheat into a pot with 375 ml (1½ cups) of water. Bring to the boil then lower the heat a little and simmer for about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Pour the extra-virgin olive oil into a frying pan, add onion and sauté until onion starts to go transparent, then add the apricots and kale and lightly sauté for 2 minutes, until kale has softened and turned bright green. Then throw in your cooled buckwheat and toss it a...

  Bringing you everything you need to know about a healthy balanced lifestyle, the Melbourne Fitness & Health Expo  will be held from April 29 to May 1 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.   The three-day expo will bring together the best trainers, nutritionists, the latest gym equipment, as well as exercises and classes for all fitness devotees. Try out products, get the latest in gym gear and accessories, trial different classics, train with fitness icons and compete in events and listen to industry experts. Work up a sweat in the Celebrity & Expert Training Arena where you can take part in free group training sessions, open workouts and Q&As with Amanda Bisk , Laura Henshaw and Shannan Ponton and more . If you want to learn more about healthy eating, the Healthy Living Stage will host cooking demos and free nutritional advice from leading experts including Lola Berry . The competitive scene will see CrossFit competitions, Natural Bodybuild...

  Sally O'Neill shares her peanut butter chocolate chip delights for a superfood treat without the guilt. What you'll need (serves 12) 1 can chickpeas, rinsed 2 tsp natural vanilla extract ½ cup natural peanut butter* ¼ cup rice malt syrup or unsweetened apple sauce 2 tbsp coconut sugar* 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of sea salt flakes ½ cup of 85 per cent to 90 per cent dark chocolate broken into chips (or use vegan or dairy-free chocolate chips as needed) * You can use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or whatever nut butter you like. For a totally sugar-free version, use 30 drops of liquid Stevia instead of the sweeteners, and cacao nibs in place of the chocolate chips. What you'll do Preheat your oven to 180°C. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Put half the chocolate chips and stir or pulse until combined. Dump the dough into a lined brownie tin and spread until around 3 cm thick. Press rem...

  WH&F Head Trainer Sheena-Lauren helps us perfect shows us how to get more range and motion in our hamstrings. Read more ...

  A healthy brain is an important aspect to a healthy body. Reflect, play, rest, move and mingle to promote brain health.   Reflect Meditation improves memory, increases brain size, improves cooperation between brain hemispheres and enhances emotional intelligence according to the Exploration of Consciousness Research Institute. A separate study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience concluded that participating in an eight-week meditation training program was evident in brain function outside of meditation sessions. TRY IT: High Performance Coach Stephanie Kakris, who teaches meditation, recommends starting with a guided meditation using an app such as Relax and Rest, which gives five-, 13- or 20-minute options with music or nature sounds. Play Whether cerebral exercises have any long-term effect on mental performance remains inconclusive, but play has been shown to hone brain processes neglected in routine-driven adult life. “The main problem is that although people...