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inside i
am I AM MAGAZINE
October. P 08.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE MINH PHOTOGRAPHY.COM
On The Cover
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We could not have been granted a better opportunity than the one we were given to interview local Fit Girl Kim Beach. Launching ‘Dumping Barbie’ in I AM #17 has been a huge collaboration involving loads of local Shire fitness folk who are passionate about embracing and encouraging a healthy & happy lifestyle. To us, Kim Beach represents everything we stand for in our mission to spread the ‘Dumping Barbie’ message. She is strong in mind, body and soul and we are extremely grateful to include her in this I AM fitness issue. 4
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The girls from Dutchee Dutchee were carving up the slopes again this year raising money for Cancer.
THE MEGA FITNESS ISSUE!
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NEW to the I AM Contributor team Josh Bennett from Keep it Young Fitness comments on the latest “challenge’ craze and whether it’s right for you.
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Check out the latest range of seriously HOT workout wear now available at one of our favourite fitness fashion providers; Lovemovement.com.au
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Another NEW kid on the I AM block is young Jess from Plus Fitness now located at Taren point. She’s here to give some of our younger readers some tips and advice on health and fitness issues hitting the kids hard in present society.
editor’s note...
I AM MAGAZINE
elcome to I AM issue #17 the MEGA Fitness issue! Most days I start with a cup of coffee sitting in the sunshine somewhere in Cronulla soaking up the Summer-esque sunshine and breathing in the sweet sea air. How lucky am I? And, I know I am not the only one. When Spring comes to town I truly believe we feel it in Cronulla first. From Bare foot on the Beach with their comfy cushioned steps soaked in the right amount of sun and shade, to the built-in sun lounges lying in wait, the lifestyle in this beautiful part of the world is truly amazing and one I know I will be eternally grateful for. To all of my readers out there, welcome to the season of sunshine, swimmers and sandy feet.
This little girl is a HUGE reason why I started I AM magazine and now the Dumping Barbie project. My hope is for her to grow up in a world that values her character more than it values her looks. Dedicated to my daughter Lillian.
A gratitude shout-out to the local Sutherland Shire businesses supporting I AM magazine... Dutchee Dutchee, Cronulla In Motion Lifestyle.com.au The Barefaced Bride.com.au Sophie B.com.au Vital Fx Health.com.au Nutrition iLove.com Thank you for believing in the I AM dream. Instagram @iammagazine Facebook @iammagazinesuthshire
This issue is a very special issue. It is our mega fitness issue and it has been selected for a very exciting reason. We thought what better way to launch the new I AM magazine initiative ’Dumping Barbie’ than with pages of local Shire fitness freaks sharing their tips, wisdom and advice on how to get healthy and stay HAPPY! Dumping Barbie is a project I have been working on for most of 2014. The idea was born from the realisation last year that I wasn’t taking my health seriously, I wasn’t giving my insides the attention they deserved. And, when I say insides, I am talking about all facets of my being. My physical self, mental and emotional self and my spiritual self. In the magazine industry it’s not hard to see what companies believe sells. The media plays on, and encourages, women to believe that they are not perfect ‘as is’. Dumping Barbie is a project that will be dedicated to encouraging, educating and inspiring women, young and old, to become STRONG! We are literally Dumping Barbie for Wonder Woman. A woman who, to us, represents inner power, independence, athleticism and ultimate health - making our covergirl Kim Beach the perfect match for the launch of the Dumping Barbie project. You will find more on Dumping Barbie in this issue and you can also find the very special site we have created over at I AM. In keeping with our mission to motivate and support men and women, we have tracked down some seriously awesome ‘Shire Superheros’ to feature in this issue. From the Purcell girls - and the terribly handsome local lad Matt Rise - raising money for Brain Cancer to the insanely inspirational Jackie Hewett, who is putting her second Tradesmen Calendar together this year in support of Ovarian Cancer research. We have so much going on in this issue and I will not give it all away here...keep reading folks. I AM magazine will keep bringing you the goods on local Sutherland Shire folk, fashion, fitness and FUN! Jump on board the I AM train to amazing health inside and out! Enjoy our 17th issue. May we inspire you to make the changes you’ve always wanted to towards achieving your best life.
SamanthaJane X
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#DUMPINGBARBIE
OURfitnessHERO.
Kim Beach! Voted an ‘I AM’ SUPERHERO for being Fit,Fun & Fabulous! Kim Beach is a Sydney girl born and bred and fitness has been ‘her thing’ from the mi nute her joggers hit the pavement post-high school. Owning a local studio within a few short years of completing her fitness qualifications was just the beginning of Kim’s journey towards helping people live a healthy life and achieve their fitness goals. ‘Fit, Fun, Fabulous’ is Kim’s passion and it’s serious business. During her time as a fitness spokesperson Kim has helped a variety of women identify their health desires and assist them on their path towards transformational success. When Kim started ‘Fit, Fun, Fabulous’ it was out of a mission to provide the ‘right’ advice on the good, the bad and the ugly of contradictory advice circulating at the time on weight loss. Initially starting with a simple facebook page, popularity grew for Kim’s knowledge in the industry and her website and blog were soon born. Her focus was, and still is, to educate and help busy women live a healthier life through fitness and nutrition. The fit fun & fabulous site is a treat for those wanting ALL the information in one place. Kim provides loads of free information on healthy recipes and workouts, along with the opportunity to join Kim on one of her #noexcuses and #nolimits training and nutrition programs. Being constantly inspired by her clients success and seeing someone’s life change due to their participation in one of Kim’s programs, is a giant perk of the job, Kim quotes. Her focus on her family and creating a career that fits with everyone in it, was a huge priority for her also. “John and I work very hard to create a positive balance between work and family and while this means a few late nights here and there, we really try to stay focused on the fact that we ‘work to live’ not ‘live to work’, Kim said. And when it comes to Kim’s kids and the benefits of having a seriously fit mummy, the opinion is unanimous and complimentary. With healthy food, including treats, available daily in her household, everybody’s tummy’s are satisfied, happy and, most importantly, well nourished.
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Check out Kim’s Fit, Fun, Fabulous page for healthy recipes and inspiration on how you can improve, implement and achieve a healthier lifestyle. www.kimbeach.com
PHOTO COURTESY NATALIE MINH PHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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Folk working towards a brighter future.
#shiresuperhero
LOCAL SUPERHEROS! The Purcell Girls are at it again...
We LOVE the Purcell girls! Yes, they own the very trendy and upto-the-fashion-minute boutique Dutchee Dutchee in Cronulla mall, but there is a more serious reason as to why we love them. Put simply, when someone needs help - the Purcell girls take action. From knitting for the homeless, raffles for a local in need, or snowboarding for cancer, the girls know how to bring people together in order to assist an important and worthwhile cause. Therefore, staying in line with our Wonder Woman issue theme, the Purcell girls definitely make our local superhero list. In August 2011 Bridgette Purcell spoke to I AM magazine about the ABC Board Against Breast Cancer event and her mission to raise much needed funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Over 40 female participants joined Bridgette on the slopes that year, creating what was a very pink and boobilicious weekend – they even had a giant set of ice knockers to prove it. Well, this year the Board ABC group gathered again to board against brain cancer, and from what I’ve heard, the combination of men and women on the slopes made for one of the biggest fundraisers of the year. According to those who attended, the event was a seriously FUN way to raise over $11,000 for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. And, the fundraising doesn’t stop there. The goal is to hit $13,000 this year which means the girls will close this event on home turf, in store at Dutchee Dutchee. Head in store for more details on how you can assist the 2014 Board ABC event.
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Continued... Board ABC legend... This years highest ‘Board ABC’ fundraiser, Cronulla PT Matt Rise, spoke to I AM magazine about the event. What started as an excuse to snowboard with good friends, effortlessly morphed into a personal mission when combined with a small amount of research on one of the biggest and most common diseases killing children globally - brain cancer. I AM: Board ABC awarded you the title of the Highest Fundraiser for 2014. How much did you raise and where does that money go? Matt: “I raised $6,500. 100% of the money goes to The Cure Brain Cancer Foundation who's mission is to increase 5 year survival to 50% (from 20%) within 10 years. They aim to do this through funding research and increasing awareness.” I AM: Besides raising money for a great cause, this event looks like a whole lot of fun for a snowboarder, what was a highlight of the weekend for you? Matt: “It's hard to identify a single highlight. Pro coaches helped take our park boarding to the next level, which was unreal, but just spending the weekend with my brother doing something positive was pretty special.” PHOTO BY FLYNN MEDSON
I AM: Is this event for experienced board riders only? Matt: “No. I would say the actual weekend is for intermediate to advanced boarders, but fundraising for the event is open to anyone.” I AM: We are seeing more causes bringing the ‘fun factor’ into their fundraising events. Do you think people need more persuasion these days to get involved? Matt: “Without a doubt the fun factor adds incentive to get involved, but doing the fundraising proved to me that people are only too willing to donate without extra reward. It was great to see.”
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Folks GIVING BACK.
Hey Caringbah! This jokes on you!
By Samantha Jane - Editor.
Attending workshops is something I mark as essential in my life schedule. I believe we must look at all avenues in order to explore and grow completely. When a good friend of mine called me up on a Tuesday morning demanding I attend a Laughter Yoga session with her, I had only one reason to say no and that was that I was too busy and a little stressed. It took me all of 1 minute to respond; SMS, “yes! I am in!” Many years ago an Indian doctor wrote a medical journal article about how laughter was showing to improve the overall health of the body. He was one of the first people to start a ‘Laughter Club’ and with the assistance of his wife, began to add yoga type exercises to the laughing practice. The goal was to develop a practice that was child-like and “genuine”, as this was proving to have better results than simulated laughter alone. Counsellor Jackie Dee at Interrelate, in Caringbah, found herself practising Laughter Yoga and knew that if she could bring this type of class to a centre dedicated to helping people in need, the sessions would bring more than just a few giggles – they would bring a positive solution to a community that needed to stress less. When you enter Jackie’s class at Interrelate the prompt to remove your shoes gives a pretty clear impression that you won’t be just laughing for the next 45 minutes. For some reason I pictured a group of gals sitting around on a cushion covered floor - with a few bottles of red laughing at the stupid moments of the week in between griping about everything that pissed them off… turns out, this ‘Laughter Yoga’ is a serious practice...a very serious practice. What followed my entrance to this class was a train of panicked thoughts, thoughts I am actually shocked entered my mind. I had to hit the memory bank pronto to find evidence that erased my completely irrational fear… my fear of whether I, in fact, had forgotten how to laugh! When was the last time I laughed? I mean really laughed. When was the last time I found myself aching in abdominal pain due to too much laughter? The truth is, we all grow up. Responsibilities, workload, family pressures – all of it adds up to pressure and quite a bit of stress, sadly there comes a time when room for laughter is smaller than the broom closet beside the pantry. This is me in the moment after I removed my shoes and stood in the circle formed by complete strangers, “OH SHIT! I don’t think I can do this! I am not ready to fakelaugh in front of a room full of strangers… Stress-less? I am stressing out!!!!”
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fast facts about Laughter Yoga…. 1. Adults are estimated to laugh on average 15 times a day compared to children who laugh and giggle between 300 to 500 times a day. 2. Research has shown that people who frequently laugh and smile are likely to enjoy a higher income, have better relationships, better health and LIVE LONGER. 3. Laughter changes our brain chemistry, improving our body, perceptions, emotions and attitudes. 4. Laughter, like yawning, is contagious! No one is immune to the sound of laughter. Even the sound of it effects our feelings. 5. Laughter benefits the heart and relaxes the arteries, reducing blood pressure and increasing blood flow for up to 45 minutes which is comparable to aerobic exercise. 6. 15 minutes of belly laughing burns the same amount of calories as a medium sized chocolate bar.
Continued... In a normal class Jackie will run the participants through some exercises that will encourage the laughter valve to open. Imagine lots of breathing, strange noises, clapping, jumping around and an impromptu performance that would fit comfortably in a year 9 drama class. I must warn you! Your adult mind that has been moulded for schedules, bills and work life, will not like this class. In fact, it is going to scream obscenities at you for a brief moment in confusion as to what it is you are even laughing at. This voice is going to try and convince you you are being silly and that it’s time to go and get back to your real life. My advice ... hang in there! Every minute you laugh turns the volume down on that voice and eventually mutes it completely. Laughter will jump out of your stomach, pinball it’s way through your organs, hit the brain for the jackpot and then spill like an overflowing bucket out of your mouth infecting and altering every molecule of energy within and around you. Providing you with one simple conclusion - where there is laughter, stress cannot exist. This is one moment where you cannot do two things at once. Jackie starts the class with an explanation of the laughter exercise session and a little history around how laughter has been proven to be effective in improving overall health. She comforts the slightly nervous and stiff looking group by describing the natural flow-on or reflex nature of genuine laughter from the simple act of simulated laughter. She confirms that laughter in fact is infectious! And there it was! I am not sure if it was relief or whether I actually thought her statement was funny, but whatever it was that she said in that moment, had me erupting in laughter. And, once I had started I couldn’t turn it off! I found myself looking around the room apologising, looking at Jackie with an, “oh, I am so sorry” expression, but I couldn’t stop it. Internal thoughts were screeching, “no not yet! You are not suppose to laugh yet…suck it up.” But, I couldn’t. It was like being at a sleepover in the 80s 2 hours after lights out, and although you know someone is going to get into serious trouble any minute, you can’t shut it off. It was like laughter found it’s moment and it took it! It was a child running after a beach ball on a windy day and there was no chance of holding it back. >>
Follow your laughter session with a deep yogic relaxation mediation conducted by a fully qualified teacher at The Hub, also in Caringbah. For a small donation you will be guided even deeper into the self, allowing the muscles to loosen and the soul to show itself. Stress will not survive a morning of laughter with a meditation climax. For less than $10 you will feel refreshed and ready for the month ahead. Contact The Hub to book into the 45 minute meditation session. Ph 9525 4971
As strange as this class was, it was the ending that really surprised me - and no this was not the moment I realised I had wet my pants. During the wind-down I allowed my body to sink completely into the aftermath of the laughing session. My body loosened, I took a few deep breaths and moved swiftly into the lull and it was at this moment that I was greeted with salty cheeks…I was crying. Now I don’t mean horrendous sobbing and snuffy noses, my eyes simply started to tear up and soft waves of emotion slowly began to loosen and leak out. I have since learnt that this is a normal reaction or side effect of a good laughter session. Stored stress, fear and grief literally rides the final tide of the laughter wave. Laughter opened the gates and I was able to safely release emotion that I had so tightly held on to whilst performing my busy life schedule. The laughter was a workout for my soul. It softened muscles and opened chakras. It was in my opinion, an active session of self therapy that I will have my devotion on a weekly, if not daily, basis.
Looking for a local Laughter Yoga Workshop? Interrelate Caringbah hold a 45 minute stress-less session on the first Tuesday of the month. The class is run by donation only, so it is POP-U-LAR! Therefore pre-booking your laughter spot is essential. For more details: (02) 8522 4450 www.iammagazine.com.au
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Did someone call for a TRADIE?
the local camera wielding superhero ... 5 years ago Jackie Hewitt felt helpless as she stood by her friend who was losing her mother to Ovarian Cancer. When you ask Jackie today why she has devoted so much of her time to raising money for a cause that has not directly effected her or her family, she will tell you that she would rather be at the end of her life knowing she acted at a time when she knew she could make a difference. With diseases, like cancer, flooding the media and effecting more families every year, it is easy to get caught up in the idea that the problem is too big. Do we have any control where this disease is concerned or are we simply at it’s mercy. People like Jackie are showing the rest of us what we can do. And, although not all of us have the time, talent or patience to put a product, like the very popular Tradesmen Calendar, together, we can assist a woman in her mission to raise a large sum of money for a very important cause. On November 14th the bottles will pop and the champagne will flow. Men and women will flock to the Elouera Surf club dressed in their best cocktail attire ready for a night of celebration as the 2015 Tradesmen Calendar officially launches and makes it’s way into the hot waiting hands of the Sutherland Shire community. This is the second year Jackie has put the extremely popular calendar together containing images of local tradesmen who happily strip down for this female focused cause. Last year Jackie raised over $11,000 for the Ovarian Cancer Foundation of Australia and this year the target is a whopping $25,000. To say the community spirit is strong in the Sutherland shire is an understatement. Businesses from a plethora of industries have come together to assist Jackie in completing the 2015 photographic piece. A live and silent auction will be held on the night offering goodies to anyone keen to part with their cash. Jackie Hewitt is a teacher, a mum and a photographer. She is a woman dedicating herself to a service that will only provide positive effects and hopefully solutions for a disease killing far too many people every day.
In the I AM opinion Jackie is a local superhero and easily makes our Wonder Woman list. To find out more about the 2015 Tradesmen Calendar or buy tickets to the nights of nights when the calendar officially launches on November 14th, please email: Jackie@jackiehewett.com.au
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#shiresuperhero
Jackie Hewett
ALL PHOTOS BY JACKIE HEWETT
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MOVEMENT www.lovemovement.com.au
Get it! Six30 Run Top: http://www.lovemovement.com.au/six30-long-sleeve-run-top/
Why it’s important to invest in high quality workout wear. 1.
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You want to look good! High quality workout wear is defined by two very important factors. Firstly, the material used is strong and thick, which means many things, but the one thing that will matter to you is that it is going to support, lift and hug you in all the right areas. The fabric alone will keep your twins snug against the chest, not flying around creating problems that not even exercise can fix. And, the super tight leggings will lift your butt...no room for saddle bag season. You want to feel good. The design in high quality workout wear has been a project months in the making. People actually test these garments for support, wear and ventilation. Actual human beings sit around a big round table and decide whether the product they are putting out is absolutely perfect and represents the motto their company stands for. Fitness is one very competitive industry and the top dogs do not muck around when it comes to the right design. You will literally feel slimmer. Pulling on a pair of snug supportive leggings will in fact make you feel slimmer. No treadmill required...the gear makes you feel fitter, slimmer and of course happier. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to prove this, however think back to the last time you wore a compression type garment, did you eat less or better? I bet you did. Because feeling slimmer gives the mind more incentive to behave in the food department. When you squat the g-string still remains a mystery! There is nothing worse than getting stuck into your squats in a room full of sweaty males bursting with testosterone and the only thing you can think of is whether your fluoro pink g-string is saying hello through your cheap lycra leggings. Keep your underwear the mystery it should be and only squat in a fabric you can count on.
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Get it! Vie Active Urban Warrior 3/4 Compression Tights: http://www.lovemovement.com.au/vie-active-3-4-compression-tight-urban-warrior/
Get it! Slinkii Bendy Boyfriend Tee: http://www.lovemovement.com.au/slinkii-unisex-bendy-tee-oatmeal/
From a girl’s perspective this is why the ‘side boob’ feels oh-so-sexy… 1.
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Men of course love full frontal nudity but there is one thing they love more and that is a glimpse. A glimpse of something they know hides within. A possibility that they may be ‘the one’ to see the whole package. Call it a control thing, but keeping the goods for someone worth it, is a huge confidence booster. According to Men’s Health it is the classier sister of frontal cleavage. And apparently according to them also, it screams confidence. It says, “ Hey I am comfortable with my body and I know I am sexy...but I’m not giving too much away.” Side boob says, ‘I am incorporating sexuality into my lifestyle’. It also says the side boob wearer is complicated and for the ‘right guy’ more interesting than someone who is a sure thing.
Is side boob for you? We say try it out at home first! This on-trend style isn’t for every one and if you are going to don it, own it! There is nothing worse than being out hoping your boobies don’t fall out!
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Vie Active Black Leopard 3/4 Compression Tights:
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Vie Active Urban Warrior Sports Crop 2.0:
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WHAT’S happening @
Fresh Food Market-style Precinct opening in Westfield. On October 16th an unveiling of the new fresh food market will see Westfield shoppers enjoying a more marketstyle shopping experience when sourcing their fresh food items from now on. Announced by Scentre Group, it is the first stage of the $475 million Westfield Miranda re-development and will ‘transform the new space on level one into the epicentre of gourmet convenience in Sydney’s South’. A true foodie experience has been promised with live cooking demonstrations, expert food providores and crates of daily fresh food on offer via market-inspired stalls. Kate Holsgrove, Scentre Group Regional Manager said, “We are excited to welcome shoppers to the first stage of the Westfield Miranda redevelopment on October 16. The farmer’s market-style fresh food precinct will offer shoppers the most comprehensive selection of fresh and exotic foods in Sydney’s south with the convenience of a 90 minute express parking area.” “In redeveloping Westfield Miranda we have considered the culture , lifestyles and aspirations of our shoppers to create an inviting fresh food market that the Shire will love. The new precinct will appeal to foodies, families and the health conscious—whether they are picking up a few quick items for dinner or meandering around the market stalls and sampling fare”, says Kate Holsgrove. And what would a launch be without a celebration! A festival of activities will be held on October 16 providing cooking demonstrations and an appearance by Worldrenowned author, Sarah Wilson, of ‘I Quit Sugar’. Why not head back over on October 18 when visitors will be given the opportunity to flip up some pancakes at the very popular Pancake Bar and experience the craft of sushi making on the 19th.
So you are the ULTIMATE FOOD LOVER?? The highly anticipated line-up of restaurateurs in the new indoor/alfresco dining space set to open late 2014 has been released… drum roll please… Sushi Bay! Din Tai Fung! Luxe! Kazbah! Mejico! Oliver Brown! Kelly’s Bar and Grill! Charm Kitchen! Gelato Messina! Georgie Progie! AND The Italian Kitchen! WITH six additional restaurants opening on the rooftop in 2015!
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BAKER BRAND
The dining precinct will offer a relaxing and sophisticated atmosphere with entertainment throughout the day and evenings. The space curves around a 25 metre-tall Hills Weeping Fig Tree planted in 1971 and a water-feature with lush landscaping.
For more information visit westfield.com.au/Miranda www.iammagazine.com.au
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LAUNCHING!
#DUMPING BARBIE! BY SAMANTHA JANE For me, it happened around the age of 8 or 9. In my eyes she was a vision of perfection. The epitome of beauty. Her tiny waste, matched with the perfect amount of breasts and behind, were elegantly enveloped in locks of cascading champagne blonde hair right down to her permanent underwear . Through my adolescent and very impressionable eyes, Barbie had it all… and to me, she became a role model and someone I looked up to. She was a rockstar, a vet, a jetsetter, a fashionista and a cheerleader … the possibilities were endless for Barbie AND all she had to do to achieve everything in her life was … look and stay beautiful. Perfect in everyway. Fashion, hair, makeup and aesthetics, the perfect boyfriend and best friend - if you wanted to be like Barbie your goal in life was to look like Barbie.
Sounds extreme doesn’t it? Reading this as a 38 year old woman it sounds ludicrous. However, girls from the age of five are experiencing things every minute of every day that will shape their future. Images shown by the media, products that shine and lure young minds are placed with no real intent other than to make money. Sadly, while those images and products flood the market they are in direct fire of young evolving minds. They are provided at a stage when young girls can be, and will be, convinced by society and their peers that they are expected to look, act and perform a certain way to reach beauty success. The beauty industry is one of the largest and rapidly expanding industries in the world. Just when you think they can’t come up with another product to make us look ‘even more beautiful’ … poof, a new cream, primer or trend appears. A product we must have. Why? Because if we don’t have that product we stand no chance of getting close to the perceived epitome of beautiful… aka Barbie. And what happens if we are not “beautiful”?
We have no chance of the ‘perfect life’. Ken [ boys/men] - won’t be attracted to us. We will look and FEEL ugly and therefore we won’t be successful in life. Society, the media and companies show us images everyday that make us want to strive for perfection. External perfection.
Imagine if we invested as much money on beautifying the inside as we do on beautifying the outside? Imagine if, as little girls, we were given tools that helped us develop self respect and strengthened our self esteem. Imagine if, as we grew we became stronger on the inside. We learnt how to understand and balance our feelings. We were taught to celebrate our uniqueness. We were taught to SHINE from the inside. What if we were taught to respect ourselves in such a way that the minute someone disrespected us we would know it. We wouldn’t question it, we would reject it. What if we raised girls to believe they were STRONG ON THE INSIDE ..what if we raised girls that were empowered and not only had the ability, but had the belief that they could achieve everything they wanted.
What if we raised girls that LOVED themselves ‘as is’.
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DUMPINGbarbie!
Dumping Barbie is for the little girls who think they don’t fit in and for the one’s that ‘think’ they do. It is for the big girls afraid of their own reflection and the one’s who dedicate their life to being in competition with everybody else. Dumping Barbie is for the girl’s of the world - all ages - who need to know that strength in mind, body & soul is far greater and more valuable than any dress size. And, that Wonder Woman could take Barbie out any day of the week!
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PHOTO BY KYLIE GREEN
DUMPINGbarbie!
BY SAMANTHA JANE - EDITOR @ I AM.
Barbie was on my mind... Lurking in the image and personal perception corridors, Barbie shamefully still played a giant role on how I viewed myself in an ‘acceptable’ appearance way even into my early thirties. Was I happy with how I looked? Yes! My weight hadn’t changed since high school, even after 2 children, everything seemed to be holding up just fine. I do believe if Barbie were real, at some point you may have seen us cruising on a Sunday with the top down and two Barbie besties in the back seat. Yes, I was genuinely happy with how I looked. It wasn’t until I hit my mid to late thirties though that I was gifted with insight and the ability to truly look within. To ask the question through the eyes of the soul… Do I feel healthy? Do I feel my age physically... Am I ‘Health Happy’? Surprisingly the answer was, NO. And, a big one at that! Slim I may have been, experiencing ultimate good health, I was not! Every morning started with the same sensation of needing 2 [or maybe 5] hours more zzzzz time. My back hurt, I was exhausted for no good reason and physically I just felt weak. Reflecting on the past 5 years of my life, if I had to comment on the behaviour of my health, I’d provide a class report that stated simply ‘indecisive and non-committal’. Frankly, my health couldn’t seem to make up it’s mind. Up one day and down the next. I exercised regularly and kept what I felt was a standard diet of staple foods. I indulged a little here and there, but seemed to lack the obsession some of my girlfriend’s had for over-eating. I was lucky if I ever had an appetite, so eating healthy was quite easy. After examination by my Doctor and the all clear provided, I was left contemplating how serious I was about wanting to feel ‘healthy’. Was it really a big deal? The doctor says I’m fine. So what if I feel a little rough on the inside, I look pretty good. By random chance my good friend asked me to check out a new gym with her. I reluctantly agreed but deep down I have always had this uneasy feeling about gyms…I consider myself the more outdoorsy type. This particular gym turned out to be the extremely friendly type, which was a very nice surprise as all the friendly folk were extremely attractive personal trainers. Working out there was something I easily adjusted to and signing me up for membership wasn’t a difficult task by gym admin. When pounding the pavement a girl is lucky to stumble upon the appealing smile of maybe one or two fellow runners of the opposite sex, in this place she is surrounded! Being the fitness focused girl I am, my attendance was all business. I had made the decision to change the inside in order to adjust the outside and it only took a week or two to get educated advice from the trainers on how to get ’STRONG’. It was during one of these discussions that the trainer crashed and burned … he dropped the ‘W’ bomb. The minute ‘weights’ were mentioned I exited the conversation. In my opinion [at the time] weights were for girls who wanted to look like boys. I wanted to look like Barbie, and I am pretty sure a weights set didn’t come with any accessories kits currently on the market! Against my will though, the seed was planted. Thoughts were already swirling on my current lack of strength and overpowering feeling of weaklingness… my immediate google search also backed up the trainer’s claims… and we all know google is fact, right? So, apparently weights will not make me look like a guy, they will however make me stronger, healthier and most importantly, toned and tight in all the right areas! But….was I ready? There is a certain ladylike shield one can hide behind when idolising Barbie, was I ready to drop the act in order to better myself physically and, unexpectedly, mindfully. The truth was, my faith in Barbie was thinning. There is a reason they don’t have a middle aged Barbie … even Mattel knew Barbie couldn’t keep that body past 30 without the assistance of something a toy company cannot legally promote. At the age of 38, Barbie turned out to be the friend that was sadly, “only Lying!”
It was time to put Barbie back on the shelf and hunt down Wonder Woman! 24
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DUMPINGbarbie!
What the experts say... Will Weight Training Improve My Body Inside and Out? Weight Training is a wonderful way to improve the way your body feels and looks. It is important as a woman (of any age) to have a strong body that is able to do anything you would like it to do.
Q: Will weight training give me big muscles? I don’t want to look too muscly or chunky! Emma: “It’s very unlikely that weight training will give you oversized muscles. In my experience, weight training for women is the ultimate way to shape the body giving long lean muscles, tone and definition. Unless you are on a hypertrophy (muscle building) program, weight training will create a great body shape for you. Of course you have to consume nutrient rich foods and include the right amount of cardio to get the best result.
Q: What about on the inside? What’s happening when I do regular weight training? Emma: Lots of things! Here is a short list of all the good things happening on the inside when you participate in strength training... • Your bones get stronger. • Your heart gets stronger (because your heart is a muscle strength training has a similar effect on the heart muscle to our skeletal muscles), and is able to function more efficiently pumping blood around the body. >>>
E: emma@emmapilcher.com.au W: www.emmapilcher.com.au M: 0434 355 386
• Improved lung function, meaning you can breathe easier, exercise more effectively and your risk of lung disease is reduced. • Improved brain function. Resistance training has been linked with reduced memory problems in older adults.
Q: I haven’t done weight training before, where should I start? Emma: The very best place to start is with your very own body weight! There is nothing more effective than being able to lift your own body weight in a variety of simple exercises including squats, lunges, push ups and pull ups, to name a few. Once you have mastered the basics with great technique you can begin to add weight such as a medicine ball, a dumbbell, a kettlebell or weighted bar.
Q: What are the differences between machines and free weights? Emma: For us girls, free weights are the way to go all the way! When we perform a free weighted leg exercise such as a squat we use all our upper leg muscles, buttocks, lower back for stabilising and our abdominal muscles. When we do a leg extension (for example) we use the muscles in the front of our upper legs only. Muscle burn kilojoules every time the contract and relax. So it makes lots of sense to use as many muscles as you can every time you work out for
maximum effect!
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#DUMPINGBARBIE
DUMPINGbarbie!
Finally I got to my goal weight for year 12 formal. I wasn’t feeling healthy, I was hungry and tired. Was looking thinner worth the stress of it all? Why did it matter? Who did I want to impress? This year I began to realise I did not care about what anyone thought of me, being perfect was no longer my intention. I started setting goals that were more fun to achieve rather than chasing a weight on the scale. I began exercising to gain strength, mobility and fitness, rather than worrying about my weight. I began wearing what I was comfortable in to feel good rather to impress. I began to eat healthy to feel good on the inside rather than worrying about what it would make me look like on the outside. My life was transformed, and I see life from a whole new perspective. I suddenly enjoy fitness, and enjoying each moment without the anxiety of what I look like, because in the long run, who really cares? The moment you realise that perfection is a mindset that you can create, is the moment you find yourself, the moment you grow mentally strong.
BY JESSICA AT PLUS FITNESS TAREN POINT
In our society there seems to be a subcon-
scious pressure to look a certain way, to be ‘perfect’. It’s subconsciously exposed to us through magazines, through social media, the internet, movies! Often without realisation we women are trying to fit this ideal through our fashion, our presentation and our body shape. I believe we should get fit and live healthy for your own satisfaction and happiness, not to impress others. This will then flow to your self esteem and a positive self image. A couple of years ago I began on my fitness journey. This time last year eating chicken and vegetables as a staple diet, getting anxiety at the sugar content in a piece of fruit, which was ridiculous as fruit so healthy for you! I was taking fat burners and doing so much strenuous cardio. My goals were hard to achieve. The thought of getting up at 5am to go to the gym as I felt the need to look good was becoming a serious chore...an
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obsession.
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When embarking on a fitness journey, I believe it’s important to set goals that are going to make you a stronger person, such as having a stronger core, being able to run further, to feel healthier on the inside as well as the outside. Set yourself up for success by ensuring you have a balance between strength work, endurance and stretching. Eat healthily and enough to fill your body with the nutrients needed to repair your muscles and strengthen your cells. And most importantly, work on keeping your mind strong and healthy.
Create your own perfection, through happiness, confidence and wellbeing. Impress yourself.
UNITING4change!
It’s NOT OKAY!!! Declared as a celebration of strength the 2014 ‘Reclaim the Night’ march, set for October 24, will be a chance for women to stand together as a voice against violence against women. In 1978 one of the first ‘Reclaim the Night’ protests took place in Australia and was quoted as a ‘celebration of strength and a loud voice against violence against women’. At the time it was marked as the return of feminism, but soon became a global women’s protest now being held in over 30 countries annually. In other parts of the world the protest can be dated back to the early 1970s, which saw women marching against pornography and particular cases of violence against women. As time has gone on, and the statistics increase, it is now used as an opportunity for women to come together to bring awareness to the problem and encourage change. The march is now a symbol that women should be able to walk safely in the streets at night without fear of sexual violence. We spoke to local organisers of the Cronulla ‘Reclaim the Night’ event and why the location was chosen. “We chose Cronulla as it is the more ‘social’ suburb of the Sutherland Shire in relation to nightlife and atmosphere. We previously held the event in Dunningham Park, however this year we are bringing it into the centre of it al, Cronulla Mall.” Sutherland Shire Community Services said.
“We want women and men of the Sutherland Shire to feel safe within their own community. No one should be living in fear of violence or sexual assault within their community. We want women to feel empowered, independent and supported.”
Furious Fast facts! Recent global prevalence figures indicate that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partnerviolence or non-partner violence in their lifetime. On average, 30% of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their partner. In Australia; 443 800 women have experienced violence against them in the past 12 months. Souce: www.whiteribbon.org.au In addition: Personal Safety Survey 2005
Sutherland Shire Reclaim the Night! October 24 2014 Cronulla Mall 6pm This is a positive and happy event. Supported by Woolooware Bay. For more information: Phone Sutherland Community Services
9521 8280
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CONTRIBUTOR COLUMN
#DUMPINGBARBIE
Are you up for the CHALLENGE!
Q&A
with
Josh.
Keep It Young Fitness. This month’s I AM reader question: "I am considering joining a 10 week challenge. My goal is to not only lose the dreaded "Winter pudge', I am also hoping it will help me become more disciplined and break a few habits. Do you think enrolling in a challenge is a good start to achieving this goal?"
Josh @ KEEP IT YOUNG: Joining a 10 week challenge is a perfect way to get you started! Speaking from not only a personal experience but also on a professional level, challenges have the benefit of keeping you focused and committed for a longer period. Not only this but on a challenge you get the bonus of your own support network that are working towards the same goal, in my business I find the clients that start or take part in the 10 week challenge not only get the best results but have a longer lasting motivation and are far more likely to stick with it after the challenge is over.
My 2c - from the I AM EDITOR: “Challenges can be quite extreme…is this type of training designed for fast results?”
Josh @ KEEP IT YOUNG: It is true Challenges, can be an intense experience all depending on the structure of the challenge you undertake, however we structure our challenge to create achievable long lasting results and a healthier, sustainable lifestyle. Often the hardest challenge with weightloss to some is actually maintaining results or not falling back into bad habits once you have achieved your goal. At Keep it young we put a large emphasis on, creating a fun atmosphere that encourages not only the benefits of exercise but the overall fun lifestyle you can get from it, no matter your age, gender or current fitness level. So to answer the question more direct the challenge gets you ACHIEVABLE and MAINTAINABLE results in the fastest possible time.
Looking for a fitness challenge in your local area? Challenges have become extremely popular in the last 2 years...why? Because people want more! They want to be challenged and they want to be pushed outside of their comfort zones. They are also a super fast way to lose weight and get in shape, because the participant is accountable to someone other than themselves. You can rarely take a week off from a challenge and not suffer consequences in the results department. Challenges are the ultimate fitness commitment for beginners and the advanced. Check out [DumpingBarbie] on the I AM magazine page for a list of Fitness Providers in your area.
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#DUMPINGBARBIE
FITkids!
Get the little monster off the couch and into fitness! It may have originally kicked off as a School Holiday activity for the Shire local kids back in July, but the popularity and interest in the Elite FitKids program, has pushed it into the necessity zone and will now run as a weekly after school program. The organiser, Elite Personal Training, commented on the need for this type of regular activity for today’s child. “With high rates of obesity in Australia, [statistically 25% of children aged 2-16 years have been recorded as overweight - obese] there has never been a better time get serious about encouraging our children to get up off the couch and get active”, Tracie Edmondson said.
PHOTO SUPPLIED BY ELITE FIT KIDS
With child obesity also contributing greatly to mental health issues, like depression and low self esteem, the need to educate our kids on the benefits of treating their bodies well and staying active is long overdue. “We see a lot of parents changing their ways through their own personal training at our facility and it is great that they are a role model for their children … but, we found that while parents were training, quite often their children were sitting around watching TV or playing computer games”, Tracie said. The Elite Personal Training program for kids starts Tuesday the 7th of October and will run for 5 weeks after which time kids can enrol in the next block. Split into two groups for children aged 6-9 and 10-12 years, the sessions are designed for all abilities with the activities designed around game style fitness and general physical conditioning… to all those parents out there worried their child is not one of those ‘Sporty’ kids, put your concerns behind you. The focus of Elite Fitkids is to introduce your child to fitness in a seriously FUN way. For more information on the Elite Fitkids program please contact Elite Personal Training reception on 9523 5842 or admin@eliteptsc.com The Elite Fitkids program is held at Elite PTSC located at the Cronulla Sports Pavilion on South Cronulla Beach.
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#DUMPINGBARBIE
Health&Fitness.
The Protein Bar. ‘The Protein Bar’ is not only the newest business to Cronulla Mall, it is one of the most popular, with a mass of local fitness freaks hitting this bar up daily. Labelled a unique concept by the owner, the onestop nutrition shop brings together super foods and protein to provide the ultimate on-the-go ‘protein playground’. Want a taste of what’s on offer? Here goes ... They’ve got a plethora of protein shakes and smoothies, including a vegan variety. Amino cocktails, Acai or pink Pitaya bowls with of course a smoothie option. The protein gelato is a killer, along with protein brownies and …. Protein PANCAKES! If that’s not a good enough reason for you to get your Lorna Jane clad ass into this bar, consider your next supplement restock a reason to hit these guys up pronto!
What the man behind the bar had to say...
“The dying stigma that “protein makes you bulky” or “healthy foods lack appeal” are losing touch as people’s nutritional intelligence and understanding of the benefits of protein and super foods is rapidly growing. We know that we were not the only crazy ones in love with this revolution! It was only a matter of time before the Protein Bar was born.” We tried it!!! Lee hooked me up with a ‘Fat Killer’ Protein Shake pre-workout. The shake includes 30g Protein, Water, L-Carnatine, thermogenic Fat burner and Chia seeds. I opted for the chocolate variety and can confirm it upped the sweat factor times 5! I definitely went harder in my workout and saw my efforts soaking my clothes.
We made a bee-line to the pro’s to ask how consuming protein actually works ….
Protein consumption for weight loss: I have been helping people with their fat loss goals for 10 years now and one of the biggest issues I see with nutrition is people not eating nearly enough protein and consuming far too many carbohydrates. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching their weight. In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost around 5kg over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures. As a guideline I would recommend a protein consumption of 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight depending on the client’s goal and their training frequency. Written by: Dean Jamieson @ www.leanperformance.com.au Email: dean@leanperformance.com.au Instagram: @leanperformance.dean Twitter: @leanperformance Facebook: www.facebook.com/leanperformancePT
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Your BEST BODY locally www.bpstensegrity.com.au
CONTRIBUTOR COLUMN
#DUMPINGBARBIE
yourBESTbody!
Imagery to relieve pain.
Imagery ... And the movement connection. with Lana Johnson.
Imagery for relaxation. “Stand up, close your eyes and spend just a couple of minutes feeling your body. Visualize your whole body as the trunk of a tree, a strong oak with a brown cortex just resting on top of a hill. Notice long roots coming from the bottom of your trunk and going all the way down and into the ground. Feel yourself perfectly grounded on the floor and enjoy the sensation of your whole body nicely in connection with the earth, strong and stable because of the long roots from your feet, nice and worm because of the sun rising in front of you.” Imagery can be extremely useful to improve mental and physical relaxation. In fact we often use it at the end of Pilates mat classes to facilitate muscle relaxation after the workout and to create a state of mental positivity and inner peace before we let our clients walk out the door.
Imagery to improve performance. Imagery is awesome, not only to promote relaxation, but to actually improve the quality and effectiveness of your movements! In fact, imagery basically gives our mind an internal picture of exactly what we’re doing. The more this internal picture represents something familiar for your brain, the better your performance will be. Visualisation can either be direct- anatomical or biomechanical cues or indirect- metaphysical cues. Both types of visualisation create a strong link between the mind and body but need careful consideration. The good instructor is the one who finds the imagery cue that best addresses the way your body and brain work, whether you are a kinaesthetic learner (“feel your head light like a balloon full of helium”), visual learner (“visualize your head like a seesaw balancing nicely on top of the atlas, the uppermost bone of the spine”) or auditory learner (“hear the rush of the wind”).
Imagery can be extremely useful also in physiotherapy to facilitate muscle releasing. In particular using the mental imagery as a projection of a sensory experience the patient can even feel a slight reduction of the pain caused by the trigger point. “Imagine to hold a piece of wood in one hand a piece of cotton in the other. Notice the difference in texture and quality. Shift your concentration from the hardness of the wood to the softness of the cotton. Then project this experience onto the tight point in your body that needs to be transformed from hardness to softness.”
Imagery for rehabilitation after injury. Last but not least, the use of imagery helps injured athletes to prepare their body to move. Athletes use mental techniques, like imagery, to improve performance and to learn new sport skills. Due to the demonstrated effectiveness of mental imagery, athletes can transfer imagery use to situations outside of sport performance, such as; return to sport following injury. In fact, when athletes become injured, mental imagery can be used to rehearse skills, to set rehabilitation goals, to promote healing within the body, and to relax when faced with the pain of rehabilitation. Time away from sport can be offset by substituting “mental practice” by visualizing sport skills, rehearsing strategic plays or game plans, and reviewing past successful performances. In injury rehabilitation, imagery aids the athlete to organize goals and provides the motivation to achieve those goals.
Pilates and imagery. In Pilates the use of imagery exercises the mind and helps improve the quality of the movement. An integral part of teaching Pilates is in the use of visualisation to convey movement, positions and alignment. Visualisation is an incredibly powerful tool in helping to create the mindful movement required to reap fully the incredible benefits of Pilates.
Head to the BPS website www.bpstensegrity.com.au www.iammagazine.com.au
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CONTRIBUTOR COLUMN
I AM advice.
Your Health Information ... Googled or Guided?
with local RN Wendy Bowker.
When you need high quality, trusted information about your health, knowing how to decide what is safe and reliable is really important. Here are some tips on how to work it out.
A googled diagnosis? #1 Who wrote it? What are the qualifications of the writers and publishes the content? Take a quick look at the ‘About ‘ page for an easy clue as to how experienced the advice giver actually is.
#2 Look for .gov or .edu sites. These sites are more likely to have ‘up-to-date’ information. Take a look at when it was written and last reviewed.
#3 Look for this information at the bottom of each page. Is it accurate? Is the information based on research? Are information sources provided? [aka. website or document pointers]
#4 Look for HoNCode certification – a global standard for quality and transparent health information online. Look for references at the end of the page. Is it balanced? Are risks and benefits explained? Is the website selling something? Is there advertising on the site? TIP: Commercial interests can mean the information is biased.
#5 Beware of testimonials – they often make untested claims. Is it clear? Is the information easy to find and understand? Are images or video used to help explain the text?
#6 Look for a ‘Privacy Statement’ or ‘Privacy Policy’. Is your privacy respected? Is there a privacy policy on the site? If the site collects personal information, is it secure and private and what will your personal information be used for?
#7 Is it right for you? Only you can decide this, but the most important person to help you is your trusted health professional who can help you to understand all the information you now have.
So before you see them: Summarise the information you found on the internet, from a safe and trusted source. Think about what you have learned and what concerns you have. Prepare a short list of specific questions to ask your doctor.
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CONTRIBUTOR COLUMN
All the BUSINESS ladies!
“If you’ve been patiently ignoring social media waiting for the hype to pass, stop waiting and jump on board!”
#IAM Embracing social media: The ‘how to’ for your business. By Eva Gosk - Cronulla.
Social media has forever changed the traditional rules of marketing. These days you can create your own following, brand identity and worth, through social means. Your options are endless - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + (just to name a few), simply select the style that you’d like to document/ promote your business and make sure you keep active!
Below are some quick tips on how to make sure you’re connecting with social media in the most effective way.
#1. Keep active – Post regularly. To appeal to users and gain the love, you need to provide updates on what’s happening with your business. Behind the scenes, photo galleries, promotions… keep your audience wanting more!
#2. Interesting content - Posting for the sake of posting won’t always work. Users love interesting photos; intricate details of clothes, team bonding sessions, styled dinner tables… You only get out what you put in, so get those creative juices flowing!
#3. Interact – With your followers. Depending on your customer base size, interacting with your followers boosts your profile engagement. Customer service doesn’t only live in your office/ shop – it needs to extend beyond. So if you’ve been patiently ignoring social media waiting for the hype to pass, stop waiting and jump on board! They’re user friendly and can be priceless for your customer base and exposure.
The Owl Works is a boutique marketing services consultancy based in Cronulla. www.theowlworks.com.au
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The BUZZ WRITER...
CONTRIBUTOR COLUMN
Mixing it up doesn’t need to cost more money. You have to get out of the house. Not only for the kids, but to refresh your mindset as well. And a bit of fresh air will be great fro your business brain. So plan days out that allow you to enjoy the outdoors without costing you a fortune. Today we travelled to the Royal National Park, namely Audley, with a number of other families. 16 kids aged 8 months to 12 years, 5 adults, and a beautiful day of sunshine. We walked Lady Carrington Drive until the little ones were tired and then headed back to the picnic grounds again. We all brought a home made picnic of wraps, fruit, popcorn plus cheese and crackers. Small amount of effort, healthy and full of energy. Cost? $11 per car for the Park Pass, and an ice cream each at the end of the day.
Share care with other parents.
How to manage working from home during the school holidays! By Llew Dowley - www.thebuzzwriter.com
Urgh! The school holidays are a nightmare for anyone with school-aged kids and a business they run from home. How do you get anything done whilst the kids are not at school? Don’t worry - I feel your pain. So it is the holidays and you realised that this means your business is going to take a back seat over the next few weeks. *sigh* But does it have to? I have found that by creating a routine and planning our days, I can make the holiday period quite easy to get through.
Schedule your days for work & play. We have a routine that during school term, my daughter attends before school care two days a week so that we can get a few extra hours of work into our week. So I then made the decision that I would still need to keep these days for work too keep the workload on track. My daughter then attends vacation care for two days each week of the holidays. I keep it flexible so that if something is arranged for a day she would normally attend vacation care, I can change the attendance day. Mind you, she is only there for a nominated amount of time so that we are both happy.
There are other parents at the school who are in the same boat as you. So organise a day to take their kids out, and then ask them to return the favour. It definitely helps to get those days back in the office so that you don’t fall behind in your business.
Let your kids know what is happening. Set up a visible calendar so that your kids know what they are doing each day. Showing them that one day at vacation care, followed by a play date at a mates house doesn’t look so bd when they can see the next two weeks planned out for them. The fun is listed per day and your little ones can prepare themselves for each day accordingly. This helps to lessen the ‘I have to work today’ lecture that certainly is heard by most kids during the holidays. At the end of the day, it is only two weeks and if you have your planning right, you would be ahead in your schedule to prepare for it. Though if you are anything like me today, you will just move your work to the nighttime after spending the day enjoying the sunshine with your kids. They will grow up way too fast after all. Llew Dowley Llew@thebuzzwriter.com 0405 476 468
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LIFE + Fun X 2.
“I believe in the freedom of the open road...Be wild and have fun.” -Lana Del Rey-
World famous travel author Caskie Stinnett once said:
“I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine.” By KYLIE GREEN, CRONULLA. TRAVEL WRITER & PHOTO JOURNALIST
If you are anything like me routine is the most mundane thing that can happen in life. That 9 to 5 existence, get up, have a coffee to face the day, get on the train to the office, sit in your office for 8 hours and if you are lucky, go out to lunch, get the train home, go to bed and...repeat. This is my life, kind of...I spend that part of my life daydreaming about my next trip. It is the only way to get through my 9 to 5 existence and before you know it I am at the airport ready to take off. For those of you stuck in the rut of routine take Caskie Stinnett's advice and don’t let it disrupt your life. Be wild, go crazy, have fun and
start enjoying life. Take yourself out of your comfort zone and do something you have always wanted to do.
Pack your husband up...or off, as the case may be and get on that plane. If you choose to pack your husband "off" and go away with your girlfriends, be adventurous, think wild animals by day (you can make your own decision about what that means) and cocktails and dessert in the desert by night. If you choose to pack your partner "up" then lucky him. If you are up for a bit of romance then what better place to do that than Argentina. White sand and crystal water by day and hot sultry nights to Tango until dawn. For those lucky single girls the list of things to do is endless starting at the top with WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT TO DO. With nothing tying you down and minimal responsibility...disrupt
your routine as often as possible. Do what I do, work to travel. I have my next trip planned before the plane touches down in Sydney, I have it booked by the time the car drops me off at home in Cronulla. You cannot possibly be expected to go to work with nothing to daydream about...although I can actually think of a few other things but this is a travel article and my Editor will think it inappropriate of me to go off on that tangent! If you can’t think of anything to do, here is my top suggestion. Board the next flight to Italy. The best food in the world. The best sites in the world...beaches...wine...Positano...Lake Como...Florence...all of these things have one thing in common...Italian men, they are everywhere, you can’t miss them and you definitely cannot go wrong. Whatever it is you choose to do just know that there is more to life than living a 9 to 5 existence. Right now I am concentrating on getting my motorbike licence. Who knows where that will lead. Route 66 listening to Lana Del Rey maybe, eating cheese and drinking wine (not whilst riding of course) in France, imagine starting off in the very glamorous Cote d'Azur and making way through every cheese France has to offer on the way through St Tropez and up to Provence, the possibilities are limitless.
Have I convinced you yet? P.S. Just to clarify - By wild animals I meant Africa but if you took it to mean something else then GOOD FOR YOU GIRLFRIEND.
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NEED to know...
Get involved! Contact the team at I AM magazine. iammagazine@live.com.au www.iammagazine.com.au
Thank you. I would like to thank all of the local Sutherland Shire men & women who have supported I AM magazine throughout the journey of becoming ‘the’ local community magazine. The I AM mission has always been to inspire and encourage people to treat their life like an adventure. From fashion, fitness, food & FUN, we want people to take control by demanding happiness in their lives. This life we have is a gift and it should be celebrated every single day. We know you all like to work hard, but we absolutely insist you
PLAY HARDER! Samantha Jane Founder I AM magazine Est. 2011
i-am Magazine Pty Ltd is an independent magazine published by Samantha Edwards & i-am Magazine Pty Ltd. Available for reading at www.iammagazine.com.au Mail to: PO Box 1145 Cronulla NSW 2230 AUSTRALIA ABN: 82 146 481 781 All content is subject to copyright, and may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Opinions represented in i-am Magazine Pty Ltd are not necessarily those of the publishers. This magazine is intended as a reference only, NOT as medical advice. Some course language and/or sexual references may be contained herein. Please browse/ read of your own choosing. Articles labelled ‘LE’ are written from ‘life experience’ only, therefore the advice provided is not suitable for everyone. I AM recommends anyone experiencing difficulties in life seek advice from a professional.
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“I keep telling myself that I’m a human being, an imperfect human being who’s not made to look like a doll, and that who I am as a person is more important than whether at that moment I have a nice figure.” -Emma Watson-
I AM #dumpingbarbie www.iammagazine.com.au Empowering women of all ages to build a stronger mind, body and soul. Dumping Barbie is an I AM magazine initiative. I-AM magazine Pty Ltd.