expert advice

I love the work I do. As a journalist, I get to interview experts in the field and get their tips to help make my readers lives {and then, my own} just that little bit better.

In the years I've worked, I've been lucky to find a few experts who are just so good at what they do and enthusiastically like to share the love around. Paul Timms, the CEO of the Australian Institute of Personal Training is one. This man obviously has a love for knowledge, soaks it all up, then is happy to chat away with me about it. He's given me some great fitness, health and lifestyle tips over the years - all in an accessible, enthusiastic manner. 

While we were chatting the other day he reminded me that it takes 21 repetitions to make or break a habit. So if you start on a new fitness plan, by the time you've done whatever you're doing 21 times, you've created a new habit - and busted that old one. Most people think it's 21 days, but if you think about it, most of us only tend to exercise a few days a week, so three weeks in, we've probably only hit the 9 repetitions mark - not even halfway to making a habit.

Maintaining a positive mindset and learning to love what you do is one of the best ways to form new habits. If you sigh and groan when you lace up your trainers, chances are you're not going to get a lot out of a session. But if you get ready with enthusiasm, looking forward to this little chunk of 'me time' there's a good chance the time will fly by. That's why it's also important to keep hunting around to find something you love - particularly in the fitness arena. We all know how good strength exercises are for us {they help maintain muscle mass, increase your resting metabolism and replace fat stores with lean muscle, to name just a couple} but if you don't like lugging weights, you're not going to do it - no matter how good it is for you. 

Personally I like to snatch the odd couple of minutes throughout the day to do a few squats, or push-ups against a bench - and I love doing these exercises in the pool after a few laps. Or when I'm out walking, I'll stop at a bench and do a few tricep dips. However, my weights? They're usually spending quality time as door stops... I have netball tonight which is a life-long love. No matter if we lose or win I know it's doing my body and soul good every time I hit that court with a great group of gals.

Today's positive task is to tidy my desk for 10 minutes before I start work. The nailpolishes, beads, paid bills and skype headphones have no place on my desk during a working day. When the surface is all cleared off, I'll wipe my desk down with some hot water, with a couple of drops of lime essential oil added to it for an invigorating way to start the day. Happy monday!