Sunday 16 November 2014

Fitness and Love- The Modern Relationship with E-Bachelor Luke D'Astoli

I chat to E-bachelor and personal trainer, Luke D'Astoli about fitness and health in relationships! 

 
Luke is a trainer of mine and a good personal friend. His mission to find a lucky lady to share his life has created quite a stir in the media- he is the ultimate gentleman, a renowned personal trainer, good looking, funny and knows more about fitness and health than anyone else I've ever met.
He is also a brilliant a writer, presenter and an ambassador for Lululemon. Conversations with Luke are fascinating! We got chatting recently and he was kind enough to share his thoughts on health and relationships.
 


So Luke, first of all congratulations on the buzz that 'Get Lucky with Luke' had drummed up! We've seen you in the Herald Sun, on the Today Show and you have even made International news! You are quite the catch....

So explain how 'Get Lucky with Luke' works? 
Get Lucky With Luke was created for two main purposes:
1) As a means for me to announce that yes, I am single and am keen to meet someone worthwhile. 
2) It's also a simple way for friends of mine to share that fact with other single, eligible friends of theirs.

If we do meet and hit it off, it gives our mutual friend the warming glow that comes with playing Cupid.

Why do you think it's important it is for your partner to share similar health and lifestyle goals? 
It's fundamentally important really. A fit and healthy lifestyle gives you the opportunity to be the best version of yourself and has a huge impact on your emotional state. Ideally you want a happy partner who can join in on activities with you.
Through your work as a personal trainer do you see many couples who train/ workout together? 
I do. They say that the couple that plays together, stays together and there are definitely couples for whom that is true. I've also seen another couple fight during a session so that wasn't so productive for them!!!

What are the benefits of having your lover/ spouse as a training partner as well? 
The benefits are many and varied. If you choose a fun, games based workout then it becomes another opportunity to share a joyful experience which will further consolidate your relationship. There's also the respect that you gain for a training partner when you see them push their limits and achieve new goals.

What are some fun exercises you can do with a partner? (Outside the bedroom of course!) 
It can be something as simple as throwing a ball to each other or tapping a balloon around while you're doing some squats. If you've got some skills you might start looking at Acro Yoga type movements, or if you like a competitive element you might choose to challenge each other on exercises. See how long you can hold a plank or a hang and things like that. You can easily get creative.

You are also an expert on nutrition; is cooking skills one of the things you will be judging the ladies on? 
I do like to eat... a lot. I have been spoiled with some talented cooks in the past so it would definitely be an asset to have a great cook as a partner. Having said that, it's not a make or break.

How does it make it easier for partners to share similar diets? 
It's obviously a lot easier to make double portions of one meal rather than two separate meals so that will definitely help. It can be easy enough to mix and match but a strict vegan might be troubled by the presence of a genuine omnivore like myself.

What's your favourite healthy meal that you'd cook to impress a lady? 
I'm a big fan of mexican food, so I'd probably go with something like fajitas.

And what was your current deadlift goal that you achieved? 
I followed a structured training program over a 12 week period and that allowed me to increase my maximum deadlift from 165kg to 200kgs. I was happy with the progress and it makes picking up day to day objects (or people) that much easier. 
(See ladies- I told you he is a catch!)

Is there anything else you'd like to add? 
Hopefully people find the Get Lucky With Luke page to be a non threatening way of getting to know me. If they like me they can hang around and I always reply to people's messages. If not, then they can happily continue on with their lives!
Goodluck to Luke on his search for love, any ladies who'd like to get involved check out the Facebook page
'Get Lucky with Luke' 
My thoughts- 
As a personal note, I think that having a partner who motivates and inspires you is a precious thing. It's so much fun to be able to keep healthy together and appreciate each others body in a different light. You can feel quite vulnerable when you are pushing your limits and sharing that creates a new level of trust with your partner. There are so many great active things to do together, hikes, surfing, charity runs and I've even dragged my man to yoga!
 It's also great to have somebody who supports your diet and lifestyle, won't complain that you put kale in everything and even when your protein smoothie experiments don't go according to plan, they swear that it's delicious anyway! (Maybe just warn them before you OD on raw eggs or olive leaf extract)

It's important to have different interests and hobbies, opposites attract after all! But health and well being is such a fundamental part of life that it really does enhance your relationship to be able to share that with the one you love. 
Do you know a couple who train together and who find romance through fitness? I'd love to hear and share the love stories on how health and fitness can bring people together and enhance relationships...Feel free to email, tweet me or comment to share :)

Namaste
JH




Tuesday 4 November 2014

How to Holiday the Healthy Way


Ok so the last thing you want to be doing on your holiday is to hit the gym and follow a strict diet. But it also sucks to get home and feel guilty for having a huge blow out!
 
Even when I'm traveling I like to to create a healthy balance of rest and play with exercise and nutrition.
I was lucky enough to escape the city for the long weekend and take off down the coast for some R&R time. 

 
It's refreshing to be out of the usual routine and great for the soul to be near the ocean. However it's so easy to be tempted by indulgent foods as well as a lack of motivation when your gym is so far away! 

Here are some of my favourite ways to keep fit when you are away from home- perfect to keep in mind when planning your Christmas and New Year trips! I love exploring and trying new things- sometimes I'm even more active on holidays than at home!

Research- When booking your holiday destination have a look at the activities that are offered in the area. Think of things like surfing lessons, horse riding, abseiling, bike riding or stand up paddle boarding! I found the most beautiful eco retreat that ran yoga classes and also an open air Pilates session overlooking the beach.
You don't have to try to do everything but picking one or two active ideas is a fun way to learn something new and get your body moving!

Walking- It's the best way to explore a new area; The joy of being on a break is that we have time to wander along beaches and into towns for dinner, instead of always taking a car.

Local Produce- Eating out on holidays can be detrimental to our diet and health goals. Why not see if you can find a local farmers market or organic store to get some fresh fruit and vegetables? Instead of always lunching at restaurants I often like to pack a picnic and find a nice spot in a park to stretch out in the sun.

Sparkling water- Nothing says 'holiday mode' like a fruity cocktail or glass of champagne! If you have a sparkling water with some fresh lemon or lime as every second drink it will not only help your figure but also the hangover the next day!

Recovery- Usually on holidays we spend our evenings at bars or nice restaurants, which can leave us feeling sluggish and unmotivated in the mornings. Refresh your body with a swim in the ocean or book a morning yoga class to help detox your body (but not too early!)

Pamper- One of the first things I'll look up when I'm planning a trip is the nearby day spas. I love having an afternoon facial or massage to really unwind. It's the best way to embrace those relaxing holiday vibes and revive your body!

Running- No matter where I am on holiday, running is my go-to exercise. Whether there is a bush trail, road or breach track. If your are beachside for your holiday then sprint sets on the sand is an awesome interval workout and you can cool off in the water afterwards! After a run, even if it's only a few ks, you won't feel guilty for enjoying delicious holiday indulgences!

Overall I had a beautiful weekend away; we did yoga, hiking, beach walks and checked out some incredible local art. It felt so good to wind down with day spa treatments, reading and some cheeky naps! I felt so great and refreshed that even getting up at 5.30 this morning for filming on the Neighbours set wasn't as hard as I thought!

I hope everyone else had an amazing long weekend! What are your ideas to keep healthy on trips? I'd love to hear about fun, active holiday tips!

Jade
xx