In this issue ...

	Competition			Mums
	Easter			Put your best foot forward
	Welcome			Savings
	Fat profits from flabby attitudes			Congratulations to Sasha
	New Classes

This months’ newsletter includes the Australian Financial Review article that didn’t work from last month’s newsletter (d’oh). It’s a great read with an insight into how we, the general public, are viewed by those touting weight loss products.  

With so many of us embarking on plans to lose weight and get fit, it’s really important that as consumers, we are more educated about products and companies on the market and the claims they make.  So many of them get themselves off the hook by ‘blaming’ the consumer for not being able to stick to the plans which are restrictive, difficult to maintain and don’t have regular contact with others in the same position (it makes me so mad!).

It would be my ideal to never again have to take a phone call or have a conversation with a woman who blames herself for not being able to succeed at gym or on a diet when a lot of these ‘programs’ haven’t necessarily taken a woman’s emotional, social and physical needs into account.  You need to be fully informed of the program they have in place to ensure that they can support the claims they make.

Remember, there is no quick fix and no easy way.  It is just consistency, support, motivation and accountability.  Don’t look for quick results – just a steady decrease for permanent results. Calories in (what we eat) needs to be less than calories out (exercise).  A great way to do this is increase the amount of exercise and activity you are doing on a daily level.

For advice on a new program or diet, please talk to your trainer or call us at the office on 6365 9286.

Justine 0403 933 870
info@babesontherun.com.au

Competition

Check out our website www.babesontherun.com.au for details of our new competition.  Get down to any trial class this month to go into the draw to win 8 weeks of any program, 8 weeks life coaching and an 8 week nutrition program.  All current members are already in the running to win.

If you’ve ever wanted a complete fitness, coaching and nutrition package, this is it – and some lucky lady will win it for FREE!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello at the stand at the Women’s Showcase Expo.  It was great to see some new and ‘old’ faces again.  As always, your feedback and results are inspiring! 

It was also nice to speak with everyone about what we do, what they expect from a fitness program and how excited people were about our programs.

Easter

Speak with your trainer about your area as we will only continue to run classes over Easter in areas people aren’t going away.  Point Walter Babe Squad and South Perth Babes Pram-Fit won’t be running as Stacey is going away and having a well deserved rest.

If you’d like the classes in these areas let me know and we can find you another trainer to take over temporarily. 

Remember ladies, Easter isn’t an excuse to blow out. Why would you need to eat a heap of chocolate? Ask friends and relatives to support you and do the same in return. Don’t be a victim of clever merchandising, marketing and advertising. Take care of yourselves and your progress.

These taste JUST like chocolate only with a lot more goodness. Keep in mind, they are quite dense in calories but will help you through any chocolate cravings…..

Mind Booster Chocolate No Bake Cookies – Teresa Cutter

Ingredients:

• 200g whole raw almonds
• 10 fresh dates stoned
• ¼ cup Linseed
• ¼ cup coconut
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup carob or cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 2 tablespoon tahini
• ¼ cup apple juice

Method:

Place raw almonds in a food processor and process until roughly ground.  Add the dates, linseed, coconut, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and carob or cocoa powder.  Process again until combined.

All the raw honey and tahini, then process.  With the motor still running, add the apple juice until the mix forms a ball. 

Divide into walnut size balls and flatten slightly. Coat in coconut and serve.  Keep covered in the refrigerator to store.

These will keep quite a while in the fridge.  To vary the flavour, you can toast the nuts, seeds and coconut under the grill or in a dry pan.

CHOCOLATE and especially the CAFFEINE it contains has no nutritional goodness for babies, toddlers and young children and in fact can be harmful even in small doses.  If you must give it to them, really limit it.  Why do they need more than one or two pieces, really?  Give toys, clothes, whatever,  instead!

Based on Male 80kg; Female 74kg

Welcome

We would like you to welcome Kristy to the south of the river area.  Kristy comes to us with lots of previous experience and a passion for women’s fitness.  She is looking forward to continuing on with the lovely clients that Justine was training.  Justine is now heading back into the office in a vain attempt to get the paperwork mountain under control and plans to try and get pregnant again sooner rather than later.  Stay tuned for more news….

Keep an eye out for details on our ‘most improved’ challenge coming up again in July…. A challenge where you compete against …. YOURSELF!

Fat profits from flabby attitudes

16 Feb 2008/ The Australian Financial Review / Story Emma Connors

When it comes to easy markets, they don’t get much better than fat people.  Six out of 10 adult Australians are overweight or obese, and most are willing to try almost anything to slim down.

Amid the splendidly restored Civil War buildings in Charleston, South Carolina, an Australian weight-loss product is beginning to attract attention.

In just three years, a NSW pharmacist has persuaded 500,000 Australians to buy meal-replacement products that will garner sales of more than $80 million this year.

Now Penrith pharmacist Tony Ferguson and son Christopher have their sights set on international expansion and Charleston is the first staging post.  Twelve Kerr stores are now the stocking the product.  If it sells, stock will spread into all Kerr stores and, hopefully to connected chains that operate another 900 outlets.

Obesity experts say the 7 million Australians who are overweight or obese have to eat less and move more if they want to lose weight.  Ferguson and many others in the weight-loss game agree.  It’s just that the will is weak and it seems we prefer to pay in the hope that our dollars will succeed where our diets have not.

It’s an approach that guarantees a wave of new recruits to weight-loss programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers every January as New Year resolutions take hold.  Thousands more will obey entreaties to “ask a pharmacist how to lose weight now” or persuade themselves a herbal tea or even spray will do the trick.  There’s a receptive market for every antidote to fat, no matter how far fetched.

Ten years ago, the now jailed con man Peter Foster wrote a how-to guide for scammers. In an autobiography composed at Queensland’s Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, Foster said using celebrities to spruik a weight-loss product would help to get the “cash registers humming”.

Foster wrote:” in the diet industry, our normal target market is women 25 – 55. We understand that while men make up 49 per cent of the population and they are equally as overweight as women, it is the women who will purchase the product.  She will buy it for her husband, boyfriend, son – he is normally too self-conscious to buy a weight loss product.  So we must direct our message to the women as she controls the purse strings.”

There are literally thousands of weight-loss products listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, many of which rely upon untested claims.  Those desperate to lose weight are on their own when it comes to distinguishing between prescription drugs, the huge array of ‘complementary medicines’ available on supermarket shelves, and other products including meal replacements.

Ian Caterson heads up the University of Sydney’s Institute for Obesity, Nutrition and Exercise and would like to publish a consumer guide so people could check before they buy.

“We would like to produce a web page or handbook that lists products by name and distinguishes between what we regard as ‘ethical’ products and others which we cannot endorse,” he says.  “Right now, there is not much third party information available and the products keep changing each year which makes it harder to keep track.”

While pharmaceutical companies seeking to sell prescription drugs in Australia have to painstakingly prove the effectiveness and safety of products through prolonged clinical trials, those peddling herbal teas and the like only have to take care not to claim they can cure serious disease and be able to prove their products is not harmful to gain a list on the therapeutic register.

The meal-replacement products also face no efficacy test but simply have to pass food safety regulations.

Pharmaceutical companies also face strict guidelines on advertising in a field where marketing is essential to stand out from the crowd.  A year ago, the federal health committee banned Roche from advertising the weight-loss drug Xenical, acting on complaints the company was targeting teenagers with their campaign screened during the Australian Idol TV show.

Roche challenged the advertising ban in the Federal Court, arguing it was against the interest of public health, but lost the appeal.  Meanwhile, daytime television is full of advertising for weight-loss programs and products that rely solely on customer testimonials to prove their worth.

This disparity has not gone unnoticed. Australian General Practice Network chair Tony Hobbs is one of many who believe the current regulation of weights loss products and programs needs to be adjusted if society is to gain any ground in the fight against flab.

“Any product that is sold for potential health purposes – including weight loss – should be sold on scientific grounds,” Hobbs says.

“We believe the complementary medicines should be subject to the same guidelines as prescription medicines when it comes to making claims about achieving health outcomes.”

AGPN says every weight-loss product or program should be subject to some form of accreditation and warns there’s no evidence that any meal-replacement product is enough on its own.

“It’s short-sighted at best to say any particular food product will lead to sustained weight loss,” Hobbs says. “What will is a nutritious diet that controls both portion size and content, combined with physical activity that can be sustained over time and often people will need support through the weight-loss process.”

Fat isn’t just a problem in its own right. About 50 per centre of patients that present to general practice are overweight or obese and these people have significantly higher chance of developing chronic diseases such as type I and II diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.

Hobbs describes the personal and financial costs of the obesity epidemic as “extraordinary”, and notes statistics from Access Economics that indicate obesity cost the economy $21 billion in 2005 in direct health costs and productivity.

Meanwhile, Ferguson is contemplating engaging a third part to verify claims made for his weight loss program, which teams meal-replacement product with diet advice and regular weigh-ins. To date, though, customer testimonials aired during daytime advertising have spurred on sales.

There are now 120 outlets including 40 Tony Ferguson Weight-loss Centres, 120 Terry White Chemists (part of the Symbion Health group) each selling about $15,000 worth of jellies, shakes and soups a week.

Ferguson’s success has not gone unnoticed. When he first got into the weight-loss business three years ago, there were 2 meal replacement products on the market. Now there are 17 and his fellow chemists in the Pharmacy Guild Australia are probably wishing they had paid more attention a few years ago.

“I struggled for years to convince my peer group in the pharmacy guild that there was an opportunity here. I went to a meeting and tried to persuade them to come with me.  They used to tell me to sit down. So I decided to hell with the pharmacy guild”.

“I knew the market was limitless because of the size of people walking in my store”.

And does it work?

Well, that’s the beauty of the weight loss business. If it doesn’t work, it was the customer that failed rather than the product.

Ferguson’s range does, if taken twice a day and as part of a strict diet set out as part of the program, reduce calorie intake, which is one sure way of shedding excess pounds.  He says many people drop out but they often come back for another try.

“We always say it’s 10 per cent product and 90 per cent education. People need to be taught about diet and exercise and we go to great pains to do so”.

Ferguson is dismissive of “self-selective product”, or those sold without pharmacist intervention.

“There’s been an explosion in weight loss and there are so many scam products in this category, it has got a bad name,” he says.

They can also be dangerous. Last October TGA advised it had ordered South Australian company Mekong Grocery to cease supplying and promoting its Daidaihua slimming capsules.  The product contained a derivative of sibutramine, a prescription-only substance that should only be used under the supervision of a doctor.

The TGA’s attitude to weight-loss products has raised eyebrows in the past. The agency is self-funded. Companies pay to list their products and an annual fee to stay listed. And unlike drug companies, which have to produce exhaustive proof of the advocacy of the product, all that those selling pills, powders or teas have to do is assure the TGA they have some evidence the product will do what it says.

On its website, the TGA states it ‘carries out a range of assessment and monitoring activities to ensure therapeutic goods available in Australia are of an acceptable standard”. But the agency did not respond to requests of more detail by the Weekend AFR – including for the number of products tested.

Meanwhile, Ferguson is happy to keep his distance.

“We have nothing to do with TGA,” he says.  “All we have to do is get approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand, which makes it much easier for us. There’s no intervention from the government at all.”

“We keep the product behind the counter so people have to register.  We want to know if they are diabetic or have high cholesterol, we want a medical history. We are not obliged to collect this information, we could just put the product on the pharmacy shelves but if you let people self-regulate, they will fail. They simply don’t have the will power”.

By the end of the year, Ferguson hopes to have 200 outlets in Australia and he is also keen to make his mark in the global market, which is of not inconsiderable proportions.  The World Health Organisation estimates about 1.6 billion people aged 15 and over are overweight and 400 million are obese.

In addition to its US business, the Tony Ferguson company is also in discussions with various groups in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.  The pharmacist, who until 2005, had spent 33 years running a single pharmacy store in Penrith, is convinced his meal-replacement program will travel well.

“We think this will be a stellar year for us”, he says.

New Classes

Ellenbrook
Babes Pram-Fit - Tuesday and Thursday - 8am and 9.10am
Babe Squad - Tuesday and Thursday - 6am

Deep Water Point
Shelley 8.30am and 9.40am Pram classes move to Deep Water Point on Wednesdays only

South Beach
Babes Pram-Fit - Wednesday 9.30am

Cannington
Babes Pram-Fit - Monday and Tuesday - 8am and 9.10am

Bibra Lake
Babes Pram-Fit - Tuesday and Thursday - 9.40am

EVENINGS

Sole Mates - Running club targeting running fitness suitable for beginning to intermediate.  Corrective and functional as well as improving cardio fitness.  Perfect for those thinking about ticking off a goal of wanting to do their first City to Surf or just improving their performance …

Hillarys
Babe Squad - 6pm - Monday and Thursday

South Perth
Babe Squad - 6pm - Monday and Wednesday
Sole Mates - 6.45pm - Monday and Wednesday

Coogee Beach
Babe Squad - 6pm - Monday and Wednesday

SATURDAYS

Iluka
8am  - Babe Squad

South Perth
7am - Babe Squad
8am - Sole mate

Coming very soon, Trigg, Bayswater & Guilford areas. Hills areas soon. Let us know if you’d like a program in your area we aren’t running and we’ll see what we can do to get there!! info@babesontherun.com.au

Need a pick-me-up?  Try ½ hour PT sessions – just $40 (+GST) - the ultimate in results based training!

Mums:

Did you know that the reason some baby shampoos are ‘no more tears’ is that they have a chemical in them that actually numbs baby’s eye.  This chemical and all the others can be absorbed straight into baby’s system through the eye.  That’s just one more reason to go organic…..

For information on resources, programs and special offers available in WA – see:
www.kidzabuzz.com.au – can also be used for fundraising!  It’s a great book started by two WA mums looking to put together a range of products and offers locally for parents.

www.goosebooks.com.au – The Nappy Bag Book – a comprehensive look at services, programs and offers available Australia-wide for mums – and they have done a great job of putting a huge range of WA things in. Also contains articles on babies, feeding and other things for mums.  Makes a really practical present or use it as a great resource for yourself.

Put your best foot forward

We have arranged a deal for Babes on the Run clients to get a special rate on Step Forward Orthotics. They come to you to fit them (!).  Save $55 – pay $295.  They have a life of 10 – 15years and can be swapped from shoe to shoe.

Why are orthotics important?  When foot posture is incorrect the entire body’s structure is out of alignment.  Weak or misaligned bones can lead to painful conditions throughout the body including knees, hips, backs and even neck and shoulders.

Savings

Now nappies are over $40 in our ‘super’markets (good on you Coles and Woolies – slug families on necessary items), here are a few tips to getting store policies to work for you. 

1. Take any catalogue to Kmart or Big W and they will price match identical products– no questions asked, no arguments. Great news for those of us looking for cheaper nappies. Toys R Us has catalogues you can print off with decent prices on lots of baby products including Huggies nappies.  Sign up on www.toyrus.com.au.
2. Harvey Norman will price match any price  on an identical product as long as it’s from Western Australia and beat it by 10% - just don’t expect them to be overly happy about it as the sales guys work on commission. 
3. David Jones also price matches and gives great service.
4. Sales systems in any company generally work on a monthly basis so you can always negotiate a better deal at the end of the month as the sales teams are desperate to reach targets. 

What other deals does Babes have for you?

Gleeson Chiropractics
61 Carrington St, Palmyra 9319 2552
All the chiropractors here are women and specialize in pre-natal, paediatric and sports chiropractics. 

Why use a chiropractor:

1. Improved co-ordination, strength, agility and flexibility
2. Better and faster results from your personal training programs
3. Decreases the risk of acute injury
4. Decreases the risks of overuse injuries such as tendonitis and arthritis
5. Faster recovery from injury
6. Improved biomechanics for maximum posture and power

Contact your trainer for details of $160 gift voucher to Gleesons

Holly’s Nutrition and Fitness Clinic
Holly has gotten quite a few of our ladies off to a flying start with diet and nutrition – stay tuned for more results.  To take advantage of the launch offer, contact your trainer and get started before the end of March for $65 for a 5 week program.

Exquisite Underwear is offering 10% off to Babes on the Run clients – just let her know you are our client and you immediately get the discount. She stocks everything from basic Bonds through to maternity and sexy wear. Whoo hoo. If she doesn’t have what you want, let her know and she can get it for you.  www.exquisiteunderwear.com.au

Life Dynamics Life Coaching – contact Sandra on 0411 141 154 for a complimentary session to review what you can do to change your life with coaching.  A coach will assist you to realize your true potential by helping you to understand your patterns, blocks and the way forward.

Need help with a new car?  Contact Rob on 0421 900 896 at DVG Melville for help with low km used cars and new Hyundai or Peugot.  He tells it like it is and will help you to navigate the myriad of choices out there.   Say you come from Babes on the Run and you’ll get looked after.

Farmers Markets
Mt Claremont Primary School – Saturday mornings – get along there for freshly picked local produce. 
Midland Farmers Markets – Sunday mornings – be there early for the best produce

Know of any more places of interest? Got some local goss?  A great offer for the other gals? Let us know at info@babesontherun.com.au.

Congratulations to Sasha ...

... for winning the quote competition last month. We will be in touch shortly to arrange your nutrition program prize.  Thanks to everyone who entered. Your thoughts, tips and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Sasha’s winning story:

During my very stressful pregnancy I got up over 105kgs. Luckily breastfeeding really agreed with me and I lost quite a bit of that during my babies first year. However I still knew I had to do something as I did not intend breastfeeding forever (and this was not the first occasion that I had been over 100kgs). My counselor and doctor had also been recommending I do regular exercise to help lift my mood as I had been struggling with Post-natal Depression and was on anti-depressants. So after I saw a couple of ads for a Babes Pram Fit free trial where I could exercise with my son I knew I had no more excuses. Our first session was tough, my son cried a lot during it and I felt quite overwhelmed, but Justine was awesome. She just kept encouraging me and giving me alternative exercises that I could do whilst holding him. After that I realised that if I could just keep turning up, then this was going to work. I signed up for 6 weeks and went through the inevitable 2 weeks of stiffness, but Justine and later Kellie were there encouraging me the whole way through and after a month of seeing my body tone up I was hooked. The best bit was how my whole mood lifted after the sessions and this inspired me to do a bit of extra activity on my days off. By doing this I successfully weaned myself off my medication and have never looked back. Now I go to Babe Camp and I'm the fittest I've ever been. Plus I know that if I'm having a crap day I can just do some exercise and get some relief even if I don't it's not going to turn into a crap week because as long as I just keep turning up to training I'll be fine.

Best tip: Just keep turning up... and if you fall off the bandwagon, be easy on yourself and then just get on again one more time...

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