Fitness triumphs over medicine

by Oliver Kitchingman | Thursday, May 12, 2011

The following post was written by John Miller from www.fitandhealthyonline.com, a former PhysEd teacher who is now a health, fitness and wellbeing seminar presenter, program developer and author.

If you ever you wanted evidence that the best bet for the Commonwealth Department of Health was fitness not medicine, all you had to do was watch the final of The Biggest Loser.  ...read more

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Weighing in on the new law for fast food restaurants in NSW

by Alisha Smith | Monday, November 08, 2010

The November 7th edition of The Sun-Herald reported on a new law being introduced into Parliament this week, forcing fast-food chains such as McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut to prominently display kilojoule counts.

Touted as a move to counter Australia’s growing obesity epidemic, fast-food companies will have until February 1, 2012 to comply with the edict which will see kilojoule values printed next to each item (at least to the same size as the product price).  ...read more

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The danger of deliciousness - food addiction

by Alisha Smith | Thursday, April 08, 2010

I’ll admit to being prone to a good finger-pointing session when it comes to laying blame on the media, fast-food companies and a range of other sources for our sky-rocketing obesity levels.

At other times I’ve wondered if it’s just a matter of ‘will power’ and of being ‘determined enough’ to avoid the fast food restaurants and the shiny, crinkly packages that stock our supermarket shelves. I’ve marvelled at stories that chart the demise of more than a few apparently healthy and happy people; reading wide-eyed and open-mouthed as they recount tales of midnight, midday and mid-morning binges.  ...read more

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Love it or otherwise, we can use The Biggest Loser to boost our Fitness Businesses

by Analee Matthews | Tuesday, February 02, 2010

It's back on our boxes. And love it or hate it The Biggest Loser TV show has a potentially massive impact on our industry!

In past blogs, we've discussed whether the show is a pro or con for the industry, and whether it's offensive or helpful, but these ongoing debates aside, the bottom line is that there really is a great opportunity for PTs, clubs and group exercise instructors alike to tap into the heightened interest that the show creates, and really boost our business activities.   ...read more

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Fat or fiction? Faking body image in the media

by Ryan Hogan | Sunday, December 20, 2009

While reading the New York Times Health and Fitness Blog recently, I came across a post by Tara Parker-Pope that really caught my eye, entitled ‘Losing Weight by Photoshop’. The title obviously speaks for itself, and after reading the very well written piece, it reinforced to me how many people in our industry – and of course, how many of our clients and customers – have a negative perception of their body image.  ...read more

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You Don’t Have To Be Thin To Be Irresistible

by Ryan Hogan | Wednesday, September 23, 2009

This blog post was written by featured Network presenter and friend, Justin Tamsett.

In recent weeks there has been ‘interesting’ media comments in regard to the global exposure of semi-nude model Lizzie Miller in Glamour magazine, who dared to have a roll of tummy fat.  ...read more

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Obesity-combating smart-card proposed – but wouldn’t an exercise incentive be more effective?

by Ryan Hogan | Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The following post is written by guest author Paul Richards, CEO of Club Physical in New Zealand.

Thinking positively, I would firstly like to congratulate the NZ Ministry of Health for even considering incentivising people to purchase healthy food in a bid to combat obesity. This is a step in the right direction, but I imagine it would only impact people to a minor degree and not have the desired outcome of improving people’s lifestyle habits enough to reduce obesity.  ...read more

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An industry response to the article: The Myth About Exercise in Time Magazine

by Ryan Hogan | Thursday, August 20, 2009

On a recent trip to America, I was browsing a newsagent at the Seattle airport and came across TIME magazine with the following title on the cover: "The Myth About Exercise. Of course it's good for you, but it won't make you lose weight. Why it's what you eat that really counts." And to top it off, there was a massive picture of a woman on a treadmill eyeing a cupcake! Of course, I had to immediately buy the magazine and read the article.  ...read more

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The Biggest Loser, friend or foe of fitness?

by Ryan Hogan | Thursday, March 05, 2009

The following Blog Post was written by Alisha Smith, Network's education manager.

The Biggest Loser. Let’s face it – we’re all watching it, and if we’re not then, at the very least, a solid majority of our clients and class participants most definitely are.

There’s no debating that as a nation (and particularly, as an industry) we’re captivated by the show’s drastic techniques and equally drastic transformations. From the airing of the first episode of a new series right up until the country gathers around the TV to witness the crowning of ‘The Biggest Loser’, we enjoy (in a slightly masochistic manner) observing the contestants struggle and – dare I say it – thinking to ourselves ‘thank goodness I’m not like that’.  ...read more

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Network's interview with acclaimed nutritionist Matt O'Neill.

by Ryan Hogan | Monday, March 02, 2009

Matt O'Neill is an Australian Fitness Industry presenter and educator, with years of experience both as a trainer and is his current role as the director of the SmartShape Centre for Weight Management in Sydney. He took some time aside to share his thoughts about the fitness industry and his experiences with us.. Read on and enjoy!

Network: You've been in the fitness industry for quite a while now. What things have you done throughout your career and what are you doing these days?
Matt: As a trainer many years ago, I worked in public, resort and corporate fitness centres. This hands-on work has helped me to understand how nutrition and weight management works in fitness facilities and the challenges it raises. So, most of my work now involves training workshops and courses for fitness professionals from my SmartShape Centre for Weight Management. I now do more online training. I also speak to the masses on Chanel 7’s Sunrise and Morning Show’s almost every week. The TV work is fun and ensures you give memorable advice.  ...read more

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