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Looking to start 2019 on a healthy note, Team Sassy Mama chose five different wellness tracks in January: nutrition, juice cleanse, personal training, meditation and yoga. Here are the results…
We think New Year’s resolutions are overrated, mama, but there’s no denying that the end-of-year bacchanal of Christmas, New Year’s, and then Chinese New Year (aka “The Scary Sugar Season“) usually brings lots of over-eating and drinking. Unsurprisingly, just about all of Team Sassy Mama was keen to improve our wellness situation when January 2019 rolled around.
From juice cleanses, to yoga and meditation challenges, to good old fashioned exercise and nutrition overhauls, read on to see how we each tried to get fit… and be prepared to be stunned by some pretty amazing results!
Read more:
10 Online Fitness Gurus & Guides That We Love
Why You Should Try Dry January (and Drink Recipes to Help You Do It)
8 Things That Happened When I Cut Out Sugar for a Month
Keto, DASH, Intermittent Fasting and More: Diet Trends Demystified
Lead image sourced via Getty
The program: UFIT Clean & Lean
Cost: $50 (online challenge only) – $175 for Clean & Lean Plus (includes 4 UFIT Bootcamps + 2 Clean & Lean workout sessions)
How it works: Using an app in concert with a one-off seminar, videos, recipes and access to UFIT nutritionists, Clean & Lean guides you through a four-week nutritional re-set that will usually also help you get leaner. You also have the option to do a weigh-in (with before and after photos) at the beginning and end of the challenge.
The guiding principles are to base food intake on fresh products, as close as possible to their natural state. It includes lots of vegetables, good sources of proteins, good fats, limited carbohydrates and no refined sugar whatsoever!
Abi’s Goals: My son is 20 months and I have been carrying my ‘baby weight’ for much longer than with my first child. I was in need of an overhaul so jumped at the chance to participate in UFIT’s Clean & Lean program.
Abi’s Outcome: At the weigh in I was really happy; I lost 4kg, 5cm from my waist, 3cm from my hips and my body fat has gone down 5%. I still have work to do, but I have a new respect for the food I’m eating and I’ll certainly be continuing to reach my goal. I feel less hungry with more energy and I’ve recognised my own bad habits (ie cook kids dinner but don’t finish it for them, don’t have a cookie with a latte every time I’m in a coffee shop…).
The opening seminar was enlightening and terrifying to me! I had no idea about the amount of sugar I was consuming… the ‘guidelines’ are 6 teaspoons for women. I was getting close to 30 without even thinking about it!
Week one started surprisingly well, I didn’t miss my usual lattes, I was OK without bread, and by day 4 was feeling rather smug that I was doing so well…. Then Day 5 came and I started to crave everything. Luckily this didn’t last too long, but for a couple of days I was a bit grumpy and sluggish, and just wanted to eat lots.
Week two brought new recipes, and new challenges. I had a 40th birthday party and although I was supposed to stick to a couple of vodka sodas, I got caught up with the party vibe and drank wine + shots! Ooops. I climbed back onto the wagon the next day full of guilt, but managed to stayed away from my usual hangover foods which made me feel a little better.
Week three and four I really felt like I was seeing progress; my tummy was flatter, my clothes fit a little better, and I was really enjoying new recipes and the support of the community sharing on the app. I was doing my usual 3 sessions at F45, although I did drink wine on Saturday nights. I decided that so long as I was 80% committed to the cause I was doing ok.
Abi’s hardest part: Not giving in to cravings. I failed at staying off alcohol, but managed to avoid dairy + gluten.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again? Yes and Yes!
Kate’s Goals: Following the holidays I wanted to reset my eating habits (and was feeling bloated and sluggish – my shorts were a bit tighter than I would have liked). Joining an accountability group (and being able to commiserate with others!) made the process a lot easier than going it alone.
Kate’s Outcome: I ended up losing 2kg, reduced my body fat composition by 1.5%, and took 5cm off my waste. Weight loss wasn’t really my goal – muscle weighs more than fat, after all! – but I got the desired effect of my clothes fitting better, plus I’ve had more energy, way fewer sugar and snack cravings, and have been sleeping better.
I was already exercising 5-6 times a week so I think the fitness component was less of a slog for me than for others in the program (but also meant I got less dramatic results, ha). That said, I really enjoyed attending the SheFit bootcamp classes in the Botanic Gardens – Wendy (who runs Clean & Lean) is just awesome and makes the classes really fun, plus it’s a great chance to pick her brain with nutrition and fitness-related questions.
Checking in to the Clean & Lean app daily (you have to tick off a new 1-minute lesson each day throughout the month) is a good way to keep the concepts fresh in your head, while also seeing what other people in the group are cooking up. When your diet is kind of restricted, creativity is key! I also loved being able to get instant feedback from the coaches on which foods/ingredients were and were not compliant.
Hardest part: Definitely the first week; not only are you in withdrawal from eliminating sugar and comfort carbs, but you can’t even eat healthyish things like nuts, or lentils, or Greek yogurt or sweet potatoes (each week you’re slowly able to re-introduce these things back in to your diet, but that first week it’s pretty much just meat, eggs and veggies all day erryday). And yet somehow, by the time week 2 rolls around and you can eat nuts and add coconut milk to your coffee, you’re kind of ok with it all. I’m kind of over cauliflower though, if I’m being honest.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
Definitely (on both counts!). Last year my husband and I went a month without sugar and it was a lot harder on our own because we had to scrounge for recipes and were never quite sure about which ingredients were and weren’t ok. In addition to the daily tips and instant feedback from the UFIT Coaches and trainers, in Clean & Lean you also get access to a bunch of great recipes, plus I LOVED the Clean & Lean-compliant FitThree meals (which are super tasty and work out to about $10-$12 per meal).
Although I will certainly be happy to welcome the occasional ice cream cone or pancake breakfast back into my life, I find myself reading labels much more closely now (just try finding anything with under 5g of sugar per 100g!), and am sticking with intermittent fasting every other day. More than a physical transformation, it’s much more about adjusting your mindset and outlook, and Clean & Lean really goes a long way in setting you down a healthier path and lifestyle.
The program: HICJUICE 5-Day Juice Cleanse
Cost: $550
My Goals: A complete cleanse and detox from the overindulgence during the festive period.
How it works: HICJUICE delivered my fresh juices sealed in glass bottles twice during the 5-Day Cleanse (Sunday and Wednesday) and they were all nicely labelled and contained in cold packs. You get to drink 6 juices a day, ranging from substantial fibrous green smoothies and nut milk juices to refreshing cleansing juices with turmeric, spirulina and other amazing superfoods. You have the juices in a sequence which is labelled on the bottle lid, normally with the filling juices at the beginning and end of each day.
Outcome: A good hit on the reset button for my gut, and removed the heavy bloaty feeling in my tummy. I’ve done a juice detox cleanse a few times in the past, normally around the same time – January is a great month to reset the system without too much distraction from friends and family who are all doing something similar anyway. Think it goes quite nicely with a dry January! I’d done a 3-Day juice cleanse a number of times in the past so I thought I’d take it up a notch to 5 days. Wanting to avoid temptation over the weekends, I did the cleanse Monday through to Friday, hoping that work and keeping myself super busy would distract me from food!
I admit, I love green juices anyway and thought the mixes were palatable and easy to drink. Not a huge fan of citrus so my least favourite was their Citrus Circus which I, of course, drank nonetheless. The nut milk was definitely one of my favourites – yummy almond, cashew, medjool dates, vanilla, cinnamon and himalayan salt, who wouldn’t love that? It was dessert in a bottle.
The bloatedness left after just two days. Admittedly, you are only drinking so your tummy does shrink not only in size but in appetite. Be warned that you could suffer from a dull headache on days two and three from caffeine withdrawal, but mine was very minor.
Hardest part: Having to sit and watch my kids eat their meals each night and salivating over their food! It’s not easy but with willpower, you do get through it. You’d think your tummy would be growling and you would feel faint from lack of food but you’d be surprised, the juices do keep you going! The hardest day for me was Day 4. I was over the hurdle but felt more fatigued on this day than any other day. The toxins started to release more with more trips to the toilet.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
Yes, but I would probably advise starting on a 3-Day Detox first. Five Days can be hard for people that have never done it. I would do it again and would like to do it at the start of every year. These juice companies make it so easy and painless. HICJUICE offers a concierge service in case you need to chat with anyone during the five days, and they even pick up the empty glass bottles after so there is some handy recycling, too.
The program: Circuit training with Personal Trainer Marcus Chung
Cost: $70/hr
My Goals: To have a fitness routine designed specifically for me to tone and strengthen my body.
How it works: Marcus came to my condo gym once a week and showed me what calisthenics exercises I should be doing to strengthen my core and tone my butt and legs. I really liked that he was very attentive to each exercise, making sure it was done correctly to get maximum results from each move. Together we came up with a circuit training routine that I could do three times a week. Having the know-how to do each exercise properly was exactly what I was looking for so that I felt comfortable continuing the routine on my own.
Outcome: Marcus has a special interest in ensuring the body is balanced and strong so it was interesting when he pointed out areas of my body that I should focus on to achieve a more defined silhouette (side planks for that hour glass figure!), and he identified where my body was imbalanced so that I was able to strengthen and stretch out muscles groups. I felt this was such an important part of a workout, as developing overall muscle strength was a key concern (not just the aesthetics of my body).
Hardest part: One of the hardest parts of the routine was actually exercising my internal muscles! Marcus is a strong believer in strengthening pelvic floor for women and men alike, and he advised that I work on this if I wanted to strengthen my stomach and work towards that enviable washboard stomach. Engaging the pelvic floor and remembering to activate throughout the day, every day is a work in progress but I have set reminders on my phone to help.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
A resounding YES to both! Marcus was actually recommended to me by two friends and I would recommend him to anyone looking to kick start their fitness regime in the comfort of their home. Marcus has a really chilled and friendly manner so if you haven’t trained before he gives you the perfect introduction to setting up your routine. He really looks at the full picture, too and we had some interesting chats about posture and breathing – all key to streamlining your body. It has only been four weeks but my arms and butt are already more toned. More importantly I now feel empowered to exercise on my own which is priceless.
Marcus, Tel: (+65) 96747341, www.themarcuschung.com
The program: 15-Day Yoga Challenge with Jal Yoga
Cost: Single classes range from $20-$30, but package deals are always offered so find out about long term or unlimited plans and special promotions.
My Goals: My main goal was to get myself to the studio everyday with NO excuses and then to see how much stronger, more flexible and clear headed I felt at the end.
How it works: I decided to take on this challenge at a new yoga studio in my neighborhood called Jal Yoga. Racing to my first class I wondered why I didn’t choose to do the challenge at home using an app, but as soon as I entered the beautiful space with lovely shophouse windows and lots of natural light, I settled in and felt a sense of calm and focus I knew I couldn’t get at home surrounded by so many distractions.
I tried as many different styles as I could fit in my schedule including Hatha, Vinyasa, Aerial (so fun!), Infra Power Vinyasa (so hard!), Hip Opening (much needed), and Restorative (perfect for a Sunday).
Outcome: I can’t say for sure that my body changed visibly, but I do know that I am definitely stronger after 15 days straight of yoga! I stand straighter, bend further, hold poses longer, and feel more relaxed and balanced with each movement.
Hardest Part: The main instructor I practiced with, Jal Yoga founder Pradeep, warms up with what seems like 100+ sun salutations, which honestly felt like torture in the beginning. Every time he said, “and again…” I felt panic and a bit of rage building up. Yet by the second week, I found my flow and built up my strength, and it actually felt meditative and calming.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
I’ve done yoga once or twice a week on and off for the past 20 years, but I’ve NEVER tried to do an intensive series of consecutive days so I’m so glad I tried this! Like any of our team’s challenges, the first step is making the mental commitment and sticking with it. That accomplishment is probably the most rewarding.
I highly recommend trying a consecutive stretch of yoga as a fitness challenge. The mental, physical, and logistical challenge of getting yourself to a studio for practice every day for a long period can be really tough, but I found it extremely rewarding. If you set a goal and announce it to your friends, family and coworkers, it is easier to make the time and hopefully find the support. I did have to miss a few dinners with the kids to make a 6:30pm class but they were cheering me, on which helped a lot. What they don’t know is that now I’m kind of addicted and may not stop any time soon!
Many studios (including Jal Yoga) offer great “unlimited” packages so they are definitely encouraging you to fit as much practice in your schedule as you possibly can — take advantage, and good luck!
The program: 5-Day Antidote Energy Cleanse
Cost: $479 (1-day cleanse is $99, 3-day cleanse is $289)
Use promo code sassy15 for a 15% discount!
My Goals: After seriously over indulging over the Christmas holidays after an already very merry month of December – I was feeling sluggish, bloated and a reluctance to get back on my reasonably healthy bandwagon. Antidote’s 5 day Energy Cleanse could not have come at a better time.
How it works: The passionate Antidote team did their research in the US and Australia where the juicing scene is mainstream. Antidote uses an industrial cold press machine (GoodNature) from the US which grinds raw fruit and vegetables into a paste. This falls into a pouch and is then pressed by a hydraulic press to extract the nutritiously dense juice.
I received a rainbow of juices in 500ml recyclable BPA-free bottles – grouped per day and numbered so you know in which order to drink them. Antidote has 23 juices in their assortment – so the 5 days were anything but boring! Aside from the staple ingredients you expect such as spinach, green apple, beetroot, ginger, carrot etc., I discovered some exotic and healing ingredients: lucuma, baobab, sasha inchi, astragalus extract, burdock root, milk thistle, maca and spirulina. I also love that when Antidotes’ juices contain water – the water is alkaline to neutralise the acidity in your body.
Outcome: I was anticipating hangry hunger pains and was prepared to feel light headed, so I paused my F45 membership for the week and scheduled a few additional yoga classes to assist the detox. However, the cleanse has you drink 6 juices (6 x 500ml) a day which comes down to a juice every 2 hours. Physically I was feeling hydrated(!), nourished and anything but hangry. Mentally I was feeling in the zone.
In the morning I had my usual warm lemon water and was still having green tea (unsweetened of course), fresh coconut water and plain water throughout the day. Every juice day ends with a “mylk” which is a cashew nut and/or coconut meat-based drink. These protein boosting mylks not only taste incredible, they fill you up so that you don’t wake in the middle of the night with a growling stomach! If you are feeling insatiable, Antidote recommends eating a few unsalted, raw nuts.
Little did I know that Antidote’s juices taste so good and simultaneously feel so nourishing. My slight headache on days 2 and 3 melted into a sense of clarity (that constant fog seemed to have evaporated): I felt calm, focused and had much more patience - especially with my children. My stomach felt deflated, but not empty. The 4+ kilos I shed were certainly an added bonus!
Hardest Part: By day 3 I was secretly salivating over avo on toast and chewing on something. To keep with the programme, I highly recommend you stay away from anybody’s plate of food or your kids might find you inhaling the mouth watering aromatic smell of their pasta pesto!
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
While a juice-only cleanse is not a sustainable, long-term solution, it just felt so good to hit the reset button on my body for 5 days! Definitely something I will repeat once, if not twice, a year.
The Program: Guided Meditation with The Calm App
Cost: Basic version is Free. “Calm Premium” is priced from US$60 per year/$12.99 per month.
My Goals: One of my new year’s resolutions was to find time in my daily routine and practice meditation. I’ve seen how my husband has benefited from meditation over the last two years and wanted to give it a go. I’ve tried it a few times in the past with little success, but this time I was in the right frame of mind and somewhat gave myself a bit of a challenge. New year, new me, as they say. The benefits of meditation are endless but for me, I was seeking emotional health and a way to appreciate life and gratitude towards the people and my surroundings. Other people use meditation to reduce stress, control anxiety and improve sleep.
How it works: With the countless apps, podcasts and YouTube channels out there, picking up meditation is so much easier now than ever before. For me I need guided meditations. Sitting in silence, my mind tends to wander (a lot), so I need someone to guide me through it and help pull me back. You need to find what is right for you, and for me, more importantly, the voice is one that I can tolerate and relate to.
After a few YouTube and trying some Podcasts sessions I ended up downloading the Calm App. There are a bunch of free meditations on the app but if you want to unlock others there is a fee of $64.98 for the year. Calm has a great interface with meditations divided into easy categories such as sleep, anxiety, self-care, focus, relationships and even a whole section dedicated to kids (helpfully put into age groups, too). There is a lovely section called “Sleep Stories” – soothing bedtime stories to help you fall into a natural deep sleep read by the likes of Stephen Fry, Leona Lewis and Mathew McConaughey. I paid the annual subscription but have the whole family using the Calm App on other devices. My son loves the kid’s bedtimes stories and my daughter uses the sleep music on nights she finds hard to nod off.
Outcome: So I am now on day 27 and have built ten minutes of meditation religiously into my morning routine. Ten minutes is not a long time to take a break and give your mind a rest so do give it a try!
Hardest part: I do admit that the weekends are a little harder to stick to, but if I can’t find 10 minutes in the morning I try to squeeze it in sometime during the day.
Would you recommend it to a friend? Will you continue with it/do it again?
I would definitely recommend it to anyone, young and old. It has been nice having it in my life and I wish I had started it earlier.
