Do you ever feel like you are doing everything right but still can’t keep your tummy sucked in all day? You cut out the carbs, you run laps five times a week, you do crunches, you do yoga…..WHY WON’T MY TUMMY STAY FLAT???? I am a naturally skinny girl BUT this doesn’t mean that I don’t see problems when I look down. My tummy has forever been the focus of an ongoing despair. I’ve even given it a name: My Sri Lankan Spare Tyre. Can’t remember when mum and I came up with this but I guess it’s simply because its been there for so long it’s like its part of the family!

Now being a personal trainer of course I have known for years all the reasons why my tummy won’t take a hike…but what can I say…I do love a good warm chocolate brownie that’s suffocating underneath a fountain of ice cream and caramel sauce. Balance has always been my motto…but still its something I struggle with and probably most of you out there do too. This year for me is about living life more in harmony. Less extreme. Less diciplined. I want my life and my health and fitness along with it to flow in a happy and relaxed way.

And it’s working! Letting go of the stress of thinking you HAVE to do everything a certain way, day in and day out to get any results. I used to practice only yoga for a few years. Then I moved onto more Crossfit style training…completely forgoing my yoga practice. My eating habits too yoyo’ed from being a strict vegetarian, to a fish and chicken eating vegetarian (always amusing that one), to eating red meat at every meal, to no sugar, to no carbs, to…you get the picture? Wow it’s exhausting!

So what works? Everything in moderation! Varying your workouts AND allowing yourself a treat every week. I’m not saying its ok to chow down on sugar and carbs as this IS what gets stored as fat on your body and particularly on your waistline. But I am saying that if you living a Clean & Lean lifestyle, treating yourself on the weekend can actually HELP you lose weight by shocking your metabolism into overdrive.

Of course these are some of the practices at Bodyism the personal training gym I now train clients at in London. Bodyism was developed by James Duigan who has trained Elle McPherson for the last 15 years. So we all know that whatever it is he’s teaching must be working! So this of course is why MY tummy’s feeling flatter. I do a series of movements that takes less than 10 minutes a day to tighten my butt, abs and back. When I work these postural muscles I can stand up taller and pull my tummy in naturally all day…perfect

Two yoga sessions per week and two bodyweight training sessions keep me tight and toned. It’s important for me is to make sure I don’t go crazy trying to workout MORE on the other three days because I feel I’m on a role. This is where we often lose motivation as we don’t allow our bodies to rest and recover. Our bodies are under constant stress and those spare tyres aren’t going anywhere!

Check out the Bodyism website. There is an amazing range of shakes that taste sooooo good. Plus supplements, books and fitness tools to help you on your way to your flattest tummy ever!

Rick Stein cooks seafood like no one else. His cooking shows are always so inspiring as his dishes are SO simple and are really all about finding the best quality produce. Great food doesn’t need to be complicated. You don’t need a million ingredients and complicated cooking methods. This dish takes less than 10 minutes, tastes amazing and I think even the most inept in the kitchen could master this meal!

All you need:

Fresh Monkfish

Ginger

Wild Ramsoms Garlic (Green in colour – looks almost like grass)

Finely shredded spring onions

Sesame Oil and Tamari

1. Thinly slice the fresh monkfish fillet and place on a plate in a steamer. Top with sliced ginger, cover and steam for 3-4 minutes

2. Sprinkle with the finely sliced Ramsoms garlic. Cover and steam for a further minute.

3. Meanwhile in a separate small saucepan bring a splash of equal amounts tamari and sesame oil to the boil. Stir and take off heat.

4. Remove the plate of monkfish from the steamer. Top with the spring onions and finally the sauce.

Simple – Easy – Delicious!

Here in London I’ve been blessed to start working at Bodyism, the life changing gym of our Aussie Elle’s personal trainer James Duigan. The philosophies of the team at Bodyism greatly reflect my ideals on health and fitness. Trainer smarter not harder. Eating organically, understanding portion control and of course allowing yourself something YUMMY once in a while – we’re here to enjoy life after all right!! This recipe is taken from James and his lovely wife Christiane’s ‘Clean & Lean Diet Cookbook’.

Coconut Pancakes w/ Agave Syrup and Grapefruit

All you need:

250g coconut milk

20g grapefruit juice

large pinch of grapefruit zest

20 ml agave syrup, plus extra for drizzling

2 organic egg whites, beaten

125g wholemeal flour

2 TBLSP desiccated coconut

1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into segments

120g young coconut flesh, in strips

1 TBLSP coconut oil

sprig of mint, leaves removed

1. Mix the coconut milk with the grapefruit juice and zest, salt and the 20 mL agave syrup.

2. Beat the egg whites, then fold them into grapefruit mixture. Slowly add the flour and the coconut.

3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Wipe the pan for excess oil with a piece of kitchen towel and pour in 1 small ladleful of batter. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Wipe the pan between pancakes.

4. Top each pancake with the grapefruit segments and the reamining dried coconut. Serve with the agave syrup and mint leaves.

Serves 4

Obviously this is a weekend special not a daily indulgence!! A cleaner way of treating yourself rather than heading to McD’s for a caramel sundae. Save yourself the muffin top! Check out the website here for books, supplements and endless fitness advice.

www.bodyism.com

It’s hard sometimes to focus on what it is we want to achieve. I know I always have so many ideas floating around in my head I rarely get around to settling on just one to work on. I guess I am the creative type in that sense. I need to have the productive type by my side to push me along! Who out there can relate to that?

There are many ways to try to focus our minds. Right now I am taking even as little as 5 minutes each morning just to think about what it is I want to achieve today. Maybe today’s the day you want to start working out? Then your intention today is simply to do that, if nothing else! I always find the earlier we get things done the better. Procrastination will get you nowhere! Especially when it comes to fitness….how many times have you intended to get to yoga at 6pm but can’t get off the couch? Happens all the time!

Meditating is also a great way to start the day. But sometimes you can feel pressured to meditate a certain way. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. It’s simply about experimenting and figuring out what works for you. We are all different. All with different bodies and minds. So don’t think that one person’s way of meditating is going to be the best for you. I am choosing to read one of my most inspiring books each morning before I even get out of bed. This sets my mind on the right pathway for the day, gets me in a good mood and keeps me focussed.

A great friend told me yesterday that everyday is an opportunity. That every meal is an opportunity for growth and if we are aware of self love then we can be the most incredible person you can be each day. So work hard, play hard, eat your veggies and live life to the fullest.

You know for me it’s always when I think too much about being super healthy that I end up not being healthy at all! Can you relate to that? I ban myself from eating any sugar AT ALL on the planet earth and vow to hit the gym 5 times a week to tighten all the flabby bits. Then somehow instead I find myself eating a chocolate muffin in my gym clothes….hmmmmm this wasn’t part of the plan…

I recently got back from a 3 week holiday in which I let EVERYTHING go. Just ask my buttcheeks, which are now good mates with my knees. It’s not pretty I tell you. I don’t think I have gone that long without doing daily power lunges in 3 years! But I think it’s important to appreciate these times when we don’t feel like we are on track. Most of the time we walk around doing everything right but still beating ourselves up that we could be doing more. NOW you can stop and look back and see those weeks when you consistently went to the gym twice a week and ate a salad for lunch everyday….you were actually doing REALLY WELL!!

Consistency with fitness is key. But it’s important not to burn out and push too hard. Going to the gym or a yoga/pilates class twice a week, EVERY week is actually sufficient to maintain your fitness – thrown in with a few beach walks of course! The only time you need to do more is when you are trying to sculpt your body into something specific. But even then it’s about quality not quantity. So know your body and train it the way that works best for you.

I’m at the beginning of my post-holiday fitness regime now. And my body is telling me to SLEEP! And so sleep I have for pretty much the last day. Now I am doing a salt purge to begin my detoxification process. After a holiday you tend to feel blocked up with all that foreign food so it’s great to flush everything out and then follow with a good probiotic to get your intestinal health back on track. This is where our immune system stems from after all!

I’ll be following up my post-holiday fitness regime with workouts and tips for getting back in shape…mmmmm home made food….stay tuned

Every year in Sydney the search is on for that perfect Bachelor. Now the genius team over at Pedestrian group remembered the other great sex and have created the first ever Bachelorette of the Year Comp for 2012. Let me tell you however there is nothing more daunting than getting a series of random questions thrown at you – you should try it at home. Ask the person nearest you the bachelorette questions and see what you come up with. One word of advice…don’t try too hard to be funny, you might say something stupid about your undies….oh wait, that’s what I did…

Check out my interview here…and click ‘LIKE’ if you like

Snack time! Seems to often be our biggest downfall. If we’re not prepared usually we will without a doubt reach for the carbs as our only option. Now I’m not entirely against carbs – especially living in London where they seem unavoidable!  But if we can at least make better choices ie. carbs with no sugar, we’ll be helping our love handles out when we try to run them off later!

So what do you do when the only options are white bread sandwiches or the ever present blueberry muffin? Reaching for a juice instead or a smoothie isn’t going to help either. Don’t forget how much sugar there is in juice! Check the nutrition facts before you buy. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. So if there is forty grams of sugar in your juice then that means there is TEN teaspoons of sugar! Yogurt is often a hidden culprit. That delicious low-fat strawberry tub is making you tubby!!

Here’s a few ideas to get you started. The most important thing is to be prepared. Especially when you get home and feel like snacking.

1. Seaweed wraps (nori sheets), hommus, cheese. Or maybe try making vege wraps with carrot and cucumber sticks.

2. Natural probiotic yogurt, raspberries, blueberries (any ‘berries’ are great for you). Frozen are great too!

3. Wraps or Rice Cakes. (Yes they are carbs but note the lack of sugar!). Top with avocado and smoked salmon. Squeeze of lemon. Maybe some Aoili? YUM!

4. Miso soups. Find an organic brand that’s low in sodium (salt). Great for a hot drink alternative to tea.

5. Chopped tomato, cucumber, finely sliced red onion, natural yogurt, lots of salt and pepper. Mini instant salad. Top with tuna it eats like a meal.

This is just a few to get you started! More to follow…stay tuned

Cooking healthy meals at home can be a challenge at the best of times. If you’re away from home…well it can be virtually impossible. Where do you shop? How much do you buy? Will you be eating in? What happens if you eat out? You don’t want to waste money buying things you don’t need (if you’re a stingy one like me anyway), so I thought I’d put together a simple shopping list that makes it easy to know what to buy at any supermarket.

1. Olive Oil, Lemon and Salt. The staple of any good salad dressing. You can put this combo on any salad or steak dinner and it will change your life. Lettuce never tasted so good let me tell you.

2. Protein. Chicken breast for one perhaps? Or steak? Can of tuna. Can of salmon. Smoked salmon. Eggs. Cheese. Egg and cheese omelette. The list goes on….

3. Greens. I like to just pick 3 things to make a salad with. Try not to go all Nigella on me or you’ll end up buying half the shop!! My favourites are spinach leaves, broccoli (steamed and blanched in cold water) and green beans.

4. Olive Oil, Lemon and Salt….oh sorry did I already say that…it must be worth saying twice!

5. I’m a bit of a tomato freak – some special friends know I eat them everyday- so grab some of those too. The colour makes you look all chefy too.

Now all you have to do is go home and put all your greens in a bowl. Grill, fry, roast your chicken or steak and slice into pieces to toss through. Or maybe just boil an egg or empty in a can of tuna. Toss all together and dress with…you guessed it…olive oil, lemon and salt!

Buon Appetit!

This last week I feel like I’ve walked an Olympic marathon more than 10 times. I’ve gotten to know London inside and out in virtually 4 days – and if you know London you know how much walking this must mean! Why are models so skinny? Cos all they do is walk walk walk! Literally stopping to buy food is a time luxury they don’t have under the pressure of constantly being lost and late! You can always pick out the models in a big city. They are usually carrying too many bags and are looking very confused at the street sign above your head…they will also probably be tired, hungry and mad so if you see one, please do not approach unarmed.

As I have been walking 8 hours a day, everyday, I haven’t had anytime to do my usual workouts. This really messes with your head when you are used to training 4-5 times a week. You feel everything just softening up a bit, starting to droop south a little. You start noticing every gym you walk past…that you’re not in! Every ad for Pilates or Yoga…that you don’t have time to attend…mentally noting that you must get to it on Saturday….

You know that feeling?

My legs however have never been stronger in my whole life. Everything from the waist up might have lost a bit of tone but everything south is tighter than ever! Want legs like mine? Try going for a walk for an hour every morning as if you are half an hour late for a meeting with Donald Trump. Then try doing this for another 7 hours and you have a vague idea of where I’m at. Think I’ll wear a mini-skirt this weekend…and a baggy jumper.

All this cardio might have made me lose a few kilos (that I didn’t need to lose I might add)…but I would take a weight session anyday over excessive cardio. What’s the point in being skinny if you don’t have muscle tone? You end up looking being all arms and legs with a little buddha belly cos you have no muscles to suck it in! It’s important to keep your body strong and supported.

Plus, I was getting used to having biceps…ok….little biceps…but still…

Most models live there lives out of a suitcase. Always on the move their biggest challenge is trying to stay fit and healthy – tight and toned just in case the big VS (Victoria’s Secret) come calling…a dream this 29 year old might have to let go of? Um….yes. So what do you do when you get to a new town and you can’t find a salad full of lettuce or a gym full of classes?

Well you could do one of my workouts – ahhh shameful plug, shameful – in the comfort of your luxurious (insert: sarcasm) model apartment/hotel room. Or if you’re lucky there’s a gym just down the street that gives a model discount and has reformer pilates machines included in the price. Often though it’s not that easy…so here’s a few tips I think could help you find your fitness in a foreign city.

1. Ask your agency. Ask your friends. Ask your hotel. Ask google…

2. Find out what area you are in and google whatever type of fitness it is your after. If you don’t have the internet find your nearest Starbucks – and try not to inhale the Caramel Mocha Frappacinos while your waiting for your computer to load.

3. Look for new client deals. Alot of yoga/pilates studios will offer a deal to newcomers ie. $20 for 10 days unlimited. Great for when you just want to get straight into movement without having to sign anything.

4. Alot of gyms too will let you train for a day as a test run. So put on the puppy eyes and the smile and tell them you’re moving here and can you just check and see if treadmill works the same as back home??

5. Make sure you do something that you love. You don’t have to find a gym. I myself LOVE Crossfit training and have found a studio that I will check out later today. Be careful however that you’re not going to workout too hard when you first arrive anywhere. The last thing you want to do is treck around 8 hours of castings waddling like duck…

Please also be careful when working out at home. I made the mistake once upon a time in Hong Kong of doing sit-ups in my room – in the never ending pursuit of a flat tummy. I didn’t realise however, that since it was January and freezing cold – my body wasn’t properly warmed up. I pulled a muscle in my back that took 2 weeks of crazy muscle relaxants and pain killers to heal. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to walk the runway on muscle relaxants? Well let me tell you – it’s a challenge!