Welcome to another episode of the Happy Apple! I recently connected with a like minded personal trainer who operates near where I live who agreed to an interview on this episode of the Happy Apple. Matthew Sullivan is a highly experienced and professional personal trainer,  operating from Drive Fitness who holds a Bachelor of Exercise & Sports Science as well as a number of other qualifications. 
During this exercise we cover:
-Advice for anyone wanting to begin a journey towards heath and fitness.
-Common pitfalls when starting a journey towards better health and fitness.
-Why professional guidance is worth investing in as you begin (or continue) on the path towards better health and fitness.
-Why nutrition and movement go hand in hand.
-Some of the lesser known benefits of moving more and eating well. 
If you have any questions specifically for Matt, he can be reached at [email protected].
Thank you Matt for joining me and I hope everyone enjoys the valuable episode, I really enjoyed recording it. 
P.S. we mentioned some research in the podcast and here are the links to those articles:
The influence of 15-week exercise training on dietary patterns among young adults

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30659257/

The Impact of Physical Activity on Food Reward: Review and Conceptual Synthesis of Evidence from Observational, Acute, and Chronic Exercise Training Studies

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340670592_The_Impact_of_Physical_Activity_on_Food_Reward_Review_and_Conceptual_Synthesis_of_Evidence_from_Observational_Acute_and_Chronic_Exercise_Training_Studies

Exercise Training Reduces Reward for High-Fat Food in Adults with Overweight/Obesity

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/fulltext/2020/04000/exercise_training_reduces_reward_for_high_fat_food.16.aspx

In this episode, I am very lucky to be joined by client and friend Anita. 
Anita began her journey with Metabolic Balance 13 months ago; in January 2022.
As well as having 2 teenagers , Anita works full time, runs marathons and does regular pilates classes.
This is Anita's reflection of her Metabolic Balance journey; her expectataions of the program, what she actually gained from Metabolic Balance, what maintenance looks like now, who she would recommend MB too and why and how it has changed her life.
We also talk about the incredible, but underestimated effect that food has on the way that we feel...
A big thank you to Anita for joining me on this one to complete the mini series focusing on Metabolic Balance. 

This is episode 3 in the mini series on the Happy Apple, focusing on Metabolic Balance.
In this episode, I have the privelage of interviewing Alexandra Brewster. Alex is a fellow Metabolic Balance coach.... but she is also a nurse, midwife, qualified Naturopath, nutritionist, western herbal medicine practitioner an functional medicine practitioner. 
Alex and I chat about nutrition in general... and how nutrition should be the FIRST port of call in the treatment of disease.
We also talk about the Metabolic Balance program and how magical it truly is.... how much power there is in being able to give people the exact prescription for their personal pathology.
There's a lot of passion, a lot of information and some real thought provokers in this conversation and I hope you enjoy it.

Following last fortnight's passionate interview with CEO of metabolic balance AUS & NZ Cherry Wills, I thought I'd dive more into the 'what is' side of Metabolic Balance.
In this podcast, I dissect the '8 rules' of Metabolic Balance. Together with the personalised food list, the 8 rules is a core componenent of the Metabolic Balance program. So if you are considering Metabolic Balance for you then this is a great podcast to listen to, in order to gain further understanding of 'what a program is like.' 
This is episode 2 in my mini-series, focusing on Metabolic Balance. 

Welcome to the first episode of the Happy Apple for 2023.
I am so pleased to sit down with the head of Metabolic Balance for Australia and NZ - a friend and mentor, Cherry Wills!
Metabolic Balance is a comprehensive health program I offer in my clinic and I was trained by Cherry over 5 years ago it 2017.
Cherry and I discuss:
-What sets Metabolic Balance apart from other 'diets'
-How food can benefit in the management of a host of health problems
-How food can help people reach their full potential as human beings and be the very best version of themselves....

And there are many other passionate interludes in this one as well.
If you are curious about Metabolic Balance or merely about the power of food then tune into this one for sure.
Happy new year!

This one is especially for those`of you who are looking to make a big health change in 2023. Your success in doing so is dependent not on your exercise, not on your nutrition, not on your lifestyle.... ultimately it is dependent on your mindset. Because its your mindset that will govern all of these elements. 

I've been reflecting a lot on why some clients make longterm changes... and why others make a change for a season. And mindset is definitely the key. And its not the mindset DURING the process... but having the right mindset from the BEGINING of the process that really matters. 

Also: my final Metabolic Balance webinar will be held on Monday the 5th of December at 12 noon. I have space for 4 more clients for Metabolic Balance for January. To register for the webinar, email [email protected]

A bit of a different episode today and very focused on mindset for change. Self respect and self compassion... you absolutely need BOTH in life and in health. What does self respect and self compassion look like? Why is it critical? Why, without them, do we end up in a spiral of self sabotage? Listen in because this is all covered in this episode!

Not only is just as important... its part of having a healthy relationship with food! You can not have one without the other.
Do you 'track' your exercise? I.e. do you track heartrate, exertion, calories burned and other 'numbers'? In this episode I explore how this might be detrimental to your overall health... especially your mental health.
Is it more important to you that you burn a lot of calories.... or is it more important that you enjoy what you are doing and listen to your body?
Just a few things I ask you to ponder if you choose to tune in to this one.

I recently re-entered the world of 'mainstream exercise' by joining up with a friend at a local gym. I was quite stunned... and disgusted by the marketing that was plastered all over every available space at the gym. Most of it was conflicting nutrition advice and all of it was belittling. It made me think how terrible this sort of messaging is and how things really need to change if we are going to genuinely encourage people to take responsibility for their health.

Why do so many people want to look after themselves better and make better food choices... but don't? Why do many improve their health and food choices for a little while.... but not a lifetime? Because its not really about the food... its about how we think and feel about food. And ourselves for that matter. If you start there, then you will get permanent change. 

This episode is heavily based on the conversations I've been having with clients so far this year. 2 things that are worth 'ditching' for your own health and happiness in 2022. Furthermore, ditching them might actually help you progress and achieve your health and wellness goals... keeping them might be holding you back!
So what are they? tune in and find out.