Virgin Active Minds

Learn about shifting your mindset around weight management to create sustainable health goals. In this episode, Mark speaks with Sports Dietitian Michelle Theodosi about the flawed – and potentially damaging – messages coming from the diet industry. Michelle shares her expertise around nutrition, health, lifestyle and wellbeing and encourages everyone to examine their ‘why’ to shift from a ‘diet mindset’ to a ‘health mindset’ for better, more achievable and more sustainable long-term health outcomes.

Our favourite quotable moments:

“Setting a goal around weight is really setting ourselves up for failure.” – Michelle Theodosi (3:21)

“When we’re in a diet mindset, it completely removes our ability to tune in intuitively to things like our hunger and fullness cues, so a diet mindset is very often associated with restrict and binge cycles.” – Michelle Theodosi (12:11)

“We have a lot of research around this - 95% of all diets will lead to weight regain, but the diet industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, so we don’t hear this messaging often.” – Michelle Theodosi (13:49)

Resources:

The Lifestyle Dietitian Website

Instagram @thelifestyledietitian_au

Sister Instagram @thelifestyledietitian_kids

About [Guest]:

Michelle Theodosi is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Sports Dietitian specialising in health behaviour change, eating disorders and nutritional psychiatry. Michelle works with clients one-on-one from her private practice in Sydney and online. Michelle is also the founder and face behind ‘The Lifestyle Dietitian’, a popular Instagram dedicated to promoting confidence and empowerment around forming healthy habits without restriction whilst maintaining a positive mindset around food and body. When she is not talking about food, she can be found cooking food, eating food or feeding food to her french bulldog, who frequently features on her Instagram.

Learn about bloating and gut health from Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist Aline McCarthy, FDN-P, to feel better and begin beating that bloat! While very common, bloating is not normal – it’s your body’s way of communicating that something is wrong. In this episode, Aline highlights many of the possible underlying causes of bloating, signs of something else going on in your body, and some simple tests you can do at home to begin identifying bloating triggers and potential underlying health issues.

Our favourite quotable moments:

“Eighty per cent of your immune system is in your gut, so it’s really important to calm that immune response down.” – Aline McCarthy (14:30)

“Your nervous system is also really involved in stimulating your gastric juices, so high stress usually lowers your stomach acid.” – Aline McCarthy (17:27)

“The easiest thing really is to de-stress when you’re eating and really taking time to chew your food. Chewing is part of your digestion. We are often rushed; we are not really present when we’re eating.” – Aline McCarthy (19:01)

Resources:

Aline's Instagram @thewellnesswitches

The Wellness Witches Website 

About Aline:

Aline is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Functional Health and Nutrition Coach helping you beat the bloat, have better poop, and break free from endless food sensitivities, so you can finally stop worrying what to eat and fit into your favourite jeans without pain and discomfort.

How do you prepare for a training session? Whether you are heading to yoga, cycle or a heavy strength training session at the gym, it’s important to know what steps you can take to prepare for it. In this educational episode, Mark chats with Fitness Coach Myrik Ong about the five key principles you need to achieve personal success with your workout. Listen as Myrik shares helpful mindset, exercise, nutrition and recovery tips you can use today. You'll feel the mind and body benefits long after your workout with these effective, time-saving tips.

5 Key Principals:

Our favourite quotable moments:

“Preparation is just as important as the session itself.” - Myrik Ong (1:22)

“Preparation’s not only for exercise or for your workout. You do it day-to-day as well. Like preparing the night before for work, or a job interview, [or] a wedding speech. Just remember that you want to mentally tick all the boxes off before you head hits the pillow the night before. This is where the preparation starts. It all starts in the mind.” - Myrik Ong (4:45)

“Plan, visualise, rehearse in your head. See it, believe it, feel it. Just remember that prep starts in your mind.” - Myrik Ong (28:26)

“Minimum prep equals minimum results.” - Myrik Ong (28:35)

Resources:

Myrik’s Instagram

About Myrik:

Myrik is a Fitness Coach at Virgin Active Australia. He is a former competitor in basketball, touch football and tennis. Myrik has also worked with kids in the Juvenile justice system, schools, Indigenous communities, sporting clubs, corporates as well as gyms. He equips and educates people to level up through mindset and physical knowledge paired with actionable steps. In his free time, he loves to travel, learn, surf, and eat sweets!

Do genetics affect your weight? Can you influence your genetic makeup with lifestyle choices? No matter your body weight, shape or size, this chat has essential information for all. In this conversation with Health Coach Hayley Alexander, discover why identifying your genetic code can help you understand your body better. You’ll also walk away with a clearer understanding of the power your lifestyle choices have on your body and learn at least one thing you can do this week to take care of your health and wellbeing.

Our favourite quotable moments:

“Our genes affect our metabolism and feeding behaviours.” - Hayley Alexander (2:29)

“Imagine it’s like a light switch that has a dimmer on it. So if you have the switch for the fat mass and obesity gene, you can switch it brighter or you can keep it dimmed down.” - Hayley Alexander (8:42)

“We base ourselves on the magazines and the research of ‘what is ideal’ and ‘how much fat should you have’ - but everybody should really only consider themselves based on what their individual makeup is.” - Hayley Alexander (15:22)

Resources:

Mind Body Evolve Website www.mindbodyevolve.co.za

Hayley’s Instagram 

Email: [email protected]

About Hayley:

Hayley Alexander is a Health Coach and Yoga Ambassador with her focus being on Personal Empowerment. By including DNA testing within her scope of practice, it allows her to guide clients toward attaining optimal wellbeing from a precise, nutrigenetic basis. She also offers mentoring and continuing education workshops for yoga teachers, in addition to presenting self-defense seminars for women and value edutainment at corporate events.

Did you know that Virgin Active gyms are most busy on Tuesdays? That's why we're getting ready to move our podcast to - you guessed it - Tuesday! So take this podcast with you to the gym, on your commute, or for your favourite walk. We've got a special treat for you for this special "last Saturday" episode. In this soothing episode, Mark Seeto, our host and Head of Yoga & Pilates at Virgin Active Global, gives us 20 minutes of relaxation. You don't need a quiet place; simply tune in and listen with an open heart and mind.

Our favourite quotable moment:

“Practicing mindfulness doesn’t necessarily need a quiet, dark yoga studio. Sometimes our best mindful moments are amongst the chaos. And let’s be real; life is chaotic so the more we practice in the chaos, the better we get at it.” - Mark Seeto

Resources:

Mark Seeto’s Instagram

This is part 2 of 2 of the two-part series with forest bathing expert Mayu Kataoka. You will find Part 1 in our list of episodes.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

Our favourite quotable moment:

"The connection will come to you; rather than you hurrying to seek it." – Mayu Kataoka

Resources:

Forest Minds Website

Within the health & wellness industry, we see many types of people walk through our doors. Those who want to work on their physical wellbeing, find a moment of relaxation, or even to feel a sense of escapism. All of these people have one thing in common: they’re boosting their mental health with every visit. So in honour of R U OK? Day, we’ve curated a collection of conversations about mental health for you to listen to at the gym, on a walk or during your next drive. So press play for a selection of impactful discussions with mental health advocates and experts worldwide. Learn new ways to boost your mental health through nutrition, exercise, mindset, sleep and more.

You’ll hear from mental health Advocate Nick Bracks, gut health Doctor Dr Megan Rossi, Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, Neuroscientist Dr Paul Taylor, Director of Curriculum at Precision Nutrition Krista Scott-Dixon, Head of Yoga at Virgin Active Australia Kate Pippos, Wellbeing Educator Meg Durham and Professor and Specialist Physiotherapist Peter O’Sullivan.

Although today marks a special moment to start a conversation, we like to advocate that everyday is a chance to watch out for your mates, be kind, check in and ask 'R U OK?'

Our favourite quotable moment:

“Mental health is [about] being self-aware and making sure that you're being honest with yourself. It’s making sure that you are, on a daily basis, doing things that are healthy for you.” - Nick Bracks

Resources:

R U OK Website

Learn about the incredible wellness benefits of 'Forest Bathing' – also known as shinrin-yoku – from certified Forest Therapy Guide Mayu Kataoka to improve your physical and mental health. In this episode, Mark chats to Mayu about what Forest Bathing is, how we can practise it whether we live close to nature or in the middle of a city, and the powerful healing benefits, connection and mindfulness that can come from the ancient practice.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

Our favourite quotable moment:

“The colour green has a healing effect. Green is a symbol of the origin of life, and in ancient times, we all lived in forests, or nature – natural environments – and those memories are deeply engrained in our DNA.” – Mayu Kataoka

Resources:

Forest Minds Website

*This is part 1 of a two-part series. Once released, you will find Part 2 in our list of episodes right next to this one.

This is part 2 of 2 of the two-part series with Matt Defina. You will find Part 1 in our list of episodes.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

Our favourite quotable moment:

"When we're disconnected from the impact that we're having on other people, that can be quite damaging, so guiding people, guiding young men back to recognising the impact they have on those around them and the broader world, is really important." – Matt Defina

Resources:

The Man Cave Website

Learn about guiding young men to be their 'better self' from organisational psychologist, coach, facilitator and explorer Matt Defina, who shares some of the challenges teenage boys face today. In this episode, Matt shares his wisdom about what young men need to reject toxic ideals of masculinity, understand their mental health and wellbeing, live healthy relationships, and make positive connections and contributions to their community.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

Our favourite quotable moment:

"Being your better self is really tapping into this part of, 'I'm always growing, I'm always evolving'...the pursuit of the better self." – Matt Defina

Resources:

The Man Cave Website

*This is part 1 of a two-part series. Once released, you will find Part 2 in our list of episodes right next to this one.