Rachel's Blog | Inspired Health by Rachel Grunwell

April 6, 2017

Rachel’s Top 5 Health Tips

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By Rachel Grunwell

Here are some of my favourite health tips for World Health Day (April 7, 2017). They’re not just health and food-focused though, there are some happiness-boosting gems in there too.

* Connect, connect, connect. Make sure you see good friends and loved-ones often in person (rather than just connecting on social media). Truly “get” where they are “at” right now. We all need to uplift each other and the warmth of a hug will help with your health. Talking with someone you trust about how you feel too is a way to try to lift your mood if you struggle with depression.
* Slow down for a few moments daily and reflect on the truly amazing things that are happening in your life right now. Quit living for the future; Make sure you “see” and savour the magic in your life every day. It’s all about enjoying the journey – not just the destination.
* Eat and drink foods most of the time that help to uplift your mood, make your skin glow, boost energy and immunity levels. You’ll live a better life.
* Smile at strangers every day. Then soak up their heart-lifting smiles in return. The ripple effect is incredible and will put a spring in your step.
* Quit the self-inflicted mind-guilt around kai. Look, even wellness columnists enjoy chocolate, celebratory bubbles and kicking loose sometimes. It’s about living a balanced lifestyle. “Perfectionism” is not only a myth, it’s boring.

Blog by Rachel Grunwell: Cigna’s Health and Wellbeing Ambassador. Good magazine’s wellness columnist (& smoothie-making chick). Yoga teacher. Director of lifestyle website InspiredHealth.co.nz. Follow Rachel via InspiredHealth on Facebook: & Instagram for healthy giveaways and recipes and wellness advice tips.

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April 5, 2017

Hands at the ready Banana Chia Smoothie

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Connect with Rachel for giveaways, recipe and wellness inspo via Inspired Health’s Facebook & Instagram pages.

I love this smoothie as an afternoon snack sometimes – or after a long run. My son Finn likes it anytime! Those are his hands at the ready… He’s my chief-taste-tester (a hard job, but someone has to do it, right)?

The hero ingredient in this recipe is chia, which is a great source of protein, fibre and omega 3, just to name some benefits. Here’s the recipe…

Banana Chia Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 cups of milk (I use almond milk but you can use any kind)

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

1 teaspoon of honey

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

1 banana

1 teaspoon of ground linseed (if you have it in the cupboard, I sometimes leave this out)

½ teaspoon of vanilla bean powder

1 scoop protein powder (I use this for an extra protein boost sometimes, but you can leave it out if you wish).

¼ cup chia seeds (black or white)

Method:

Place all the ingredients (except the chia) into a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the chia next and then leave the mixture in the fridge for roughly 20-minutes while the chia plumps up. Then get a spoon and scoop it out to enjoy! I sometimes put coconut and shaved dark chocolate on top too to garnish. Or it’s extra yummy with some yoghurt too!

Recipe by Rachel Grunwell – author of Balance: Food, health + Happiness. Follow Rachel via Facebook & Instagram.

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April 4, 2017

Why you shouldn’t run cold!

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Column by Rachel Grunwell: Marathoner, yoga teacher, Good magazine’s wellness columnist and professional blogger. Follow Rachel via Inspired Health’s Facebook & Instagram for more tips, recipes & giveaways

Why You Should Stretch & How…

Runners are renowned for wanting to skip the ‘warm up’. I get that. All we want to do is lace up our shoes and pound the pavements – or trails – for training. The sooner we get that incredible fix of movement, escapism, freedom and that scientifically proven “runner’s high” the better.

But there’s good reason for warming up and warming down…

Firstly I recommend doing a dynamic warm up routine before you run. This could include controlled, smooth ‘walking lunges’ (10 times on each leg) and then ‘hamstring leg swings’ (10 each side too). Dynamic stretching means a stretch is performed by moving through a range of motion repeatedly and not holding a stretch for a long time. Why do this? This warms up the body to prepare it to move well and ultimately helps with your performance.

A lot of people avoid warming up because they’re impatient. But it’s worth taking just a few minutes of moving, dynamic stretches before a run. You will feel the difference. Your body will feel less tight and function better.

Now, I bet you’re keen to know why a ‘warm down’ is important? The idea behind stretching post-workout is to help lengthen your muscles out. A roller is an amazing self-massage tool for this too. I personally use one after every run.

If you want some step-by-step instructions for some warm down examples of ‘stretches for runners’, then you can find some on my blog.. Click HERE. X X

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About Rachel Grunwell

April 3, 2017

Win a Fitbit! & 6 tips to nailing a fitness goal

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Go in the draw to win a Fitbit alta watch worth $229. Check out the comp via our Facebook or Instagram pages.

Don’t you just love the watch colour? This super slim watch also has great sleep insights, counts steps, monitors your heart rate, has long-life battery power and is a great motivator with fitness goals!

By Rachel Grunwell

* Just turn up. Progression will happen through consistency. It’s like anything… do it more often and you’ll get better at it.
* Enter an event. This can scare you into action!
* Share you goal with friends. They can cheer you on and will hold you accountable.
* Have a detailed plan on how you will achieve success ie write down where you will work out, when, how long, when you will have rest days etc… Motivation is great, but planning will give you a guide to follow.
* Seek out expert support if you can afford it. Having a coach can help you to get optimum results, expand your knowledge base and they can advise you on how to train smart to avoid injury and burn-out etc.
* Think about smaller goals on the journey and celebrate each milestone.

Article supplied by Rachel Grunwell – wellness magazine columnist, yoga teacher, marathoner and director of lifestyle website inspiredhealth.co.nz. Follow InspiredHealth on Facebook & Instagram. Rachel running on treadmill

Pictured: Rachel getting some run tests done at the AUT Millennium in Auckland.

April 3, 2017

2 New Cool Kiwi Cookbooks – both health-inspired, but not saintly

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By Rachel Grunwell

Two new Kiwi recipe books are based around a growing trend that we should quit the guilt around food (particularly around depravation and strict rules) and instead enjoy delicious flavour-filled food and just simply aim for balanced living. You know, make lots of healthy choices, but enjoy treats too now and again. I call this “balanced living”.

Wholehearted – Inspiring Real Food for Every Day is by Kelly Gibney – a food writer, stylist and photographer. There are 12 recipes in here involving the on-trend ingredient Turmeric. There’s lots of “simple, delicious, home-cooked meals”. And it’s “a flavour-first approach to wholefoods” (these are some words she penned in the book to explain her approach, which I love). I love too how she writes that we should just slow down, chew every mouthful and appreciate and notice how you and “your intuition serve you”.

Recipes include sauerkraut, nut milks, and I’ve already made the Chocolate Rosemary tart which is quite simply “heavenly”.

You can buy the book via this link by clicking HERE.

The second book is called My Underground Kitchen by Jess Daniell. There are 100 of her favourite recipes packed into this cooking bible. Her approach to food? She writes that her food is seasonal and fresh cuisine “that doesn’t scrimp on flavour”. She dubs it “healthy but not saintly”. Don’t you just love that description!

A lot of people will know Jess for her ready-made meal and catering business with delis in Herne Bay and Remuera.

Recipes in here include Middle Eastern cuisine, to turmeric fish tacos, plus lots of family favourites. I whipped up the gluten-free Orange and Almond Drizzle Cake which I can promise you is moist, citrus-packed and incredible. I couldn’t stop wanting more after every mouthful…

Want to buy the book? Email Susan Holmes [email protected]

Blog put together by Rachel Grunwell: Good magazine’s wellness columnist and a recipe creator, and blogger for inspiredhealth.co.nz

April 1, 2017

Parents of teen lifesaver will run the Rotorua Marathon event to raise money in his memory

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Article by Rachel Grunwell: Official blogger for the Rotorua Marathon. Rachel is a marathoner, Good magazine’s wellness columnist + smoothie chick & yoga teacher . Follow her via Inspired Health’s Facebook & Instagram for inspo, recipes & giveaways.

Greg and Donna Rieger – the parents of a teenager lifesaver who drowned a year ago plan to conquer 12 half-marathons in his memory. And the Rotorua Marathon event is at the top of their list for a special reason.

Hamish Rieger, aged 17, was tragically swept off the rocks near the blowhole at Moturiki (Leisure) Island in the Bay of Plenty on January 23.

Greg and Donna will celebrate Hamish’s life, and his thirst for adventure, by doing 12 half-marathons – so that’s 252km in total (and that doesn’t even count all those training miles!) They hope to raise $12,000 – $1000 for each 21km event – to fund a Spirt of Adventure scholarship fund for Mount Maunganui teenagers.

Greg says they chose the Spirit of Adventure as the recipient of their fundraising efforts because Hamish’s experience of doing this in 2015 inspired the teenager to go on a fitness-kick and to chase his ambitions to a higher level.

They hope that the donations help some other local teenagers to have that same wonderful opportunity.

Greg says how The Spirit of Adventure helped Hamish:

“He was always the kid who embraced life but he came back from the Spirit of Adventure more mature, with his heart opened, and a commitment to living life to the full every day… For that, we are forever grateful and want to give kids from his community the chance to have the same life-changing experience,” says Greg.

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Pic of Hamish supplied by Jamie Troughton.

Margi Mellsop, from The Spirit of Adventure Trust, says Greg and Donna’s 12-half-marathon mission is “so inspiring” and she is so grateful the fundraising will go to The Spirit of Adventure Trust.

“We are so moved by Greg and his family’s commitment to celebrate the life of Hamish in this way. Their efforts will ensure that Hamish’s spirit of adventure will be passed to other Mount Manganui teens . What an incredible legacy they are creating,” she says.

Greg says they are yet to pinpoint all the events they will do. But the Rotorua half-marathon on May 6 is at the top of their list. It is special to him and Donna because Hamish had entered it this year, but he died before he could run it.

Instead, Greg and Donna completed that dream for Hamish in 2016, walking hand-in-hand, and shedding more tears than sweat on that journey. They did this event quietly, without media attention, as they were so grief-stricken at that time.

Greg says he barely noticed the pain of blisters and all those tough miles. His focus was instead on Hamish through every mile.

“By the end of that event my eyes were streaming,” says Greg.

Next year, Greg and Donna will repeat Hamish’s goal again. But this time, their steps will mean even more because of the public fundraiser.

Greg has already started training for the Rotorua half-marathon. He plans to run this, while Donna plans to walk. Hamish’s siblings Oliver, 22, Fergus, 20, and Eliza-Jane,15 and up to 40 family members and friends have pledged to join them too at the Rotorua Marathon event, all wearing ‘I Ride with Hame’ printed asics t-shirts.

Greg, 53, says he can’t wait to be lining up at the start-line at Rotorua’s Government Gardens for the event.

“I’m absolutely fizzing and so looking forward to doing this,” says Greg.

Greg says he has been overwhelmed with support since a story appeared in the Sunday Star-Times about the fundraiser. Three people contacted him immediately to say they wish to donate and a physio in Tauranga has also pledged to help keep Greg in good shape during the journey.

Greg has also been contacted by a surf club member to say they wish to recruit lifeguards from about three clubs to participate in the Rotorua Marathon event – to give their support to the family.

“I’ve been blown away by the support, totally blown away. I’m pretty stoked,” says Greg.

Greg says Hamish would be proud of the fundraiser. The teenager gave back a lot to his community as a member of the Mount Maunganui lifeguard service, which the Riegers continue to be proudly involved with.

Meanwhile, the Papamoa-based dad says milestones that Hamish misses hurt the most.

This month, Greg and Donna were invited to attend the Mount Maunganui College’s 2016 graduation ceremony to accept Hamish’s graduation certificate. Greg says it was tough not seeing his son graduate, but he was incredibly honoured to get the certificate and said it was an “emotional experience and one I will always cherish”.

The parents are expecting the milestone of January 23 to be tough too. But doing the fundraiser for Hamish’s memory will help them move through their pain and celebrate their treasured boy’s life.

Please support the ‘I Ride With Hame’ fundraiser with a donation: ASB 12-3011-0461607-52
You can enter the Rotorua Marathon event by clicking here

– An earlier version of this story was published in the Sunday Star Times & the stuff.co.nz website by Rachel Grunwell.

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Top pic of Greg and Donna was supplied by marathon-photos.com

March 26, 2017

Solo mum is mind-tough to “shuffle” through Rotorua Marathon

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By Rachel Grunwell

“I do not have the body of an athlete, but I have the determination,” says Karleen Whaanga.

The 42-year-old solo-mum from Cambridge, who works at Work and Income, won the Rotorua Marathon event ticket giveaway through an Inspiredhealth.co.nz competition. Hers was an emotional and raw plea for the entry to inspire her to get fit again.

She wrote: “I gave up on me. Just getting back into training one step at a time… I may not have the figure of an athlete but I sure do have the drive and motivation to give it a go…”

Karleen had read an article on our website about granddad James Crosswell running the marathon event for the 40^th time. She said the grandad inspired her to get fit again “bless him”.

Karleen’s request for the entry was overwhelmingly a winner. We love her can-do mind-set.

This will be Karleen’s second marathon. She walked this same 42km distance last year with legendary trainer Doug Healey’s group, which has a motto of “no one gets left behind”. Some stopped for a picnic half way through, others for fish ‘n’ chips and the team helped each other get their marathon medals.

Last year she says she ended up walking 49km in total because she finished and then went back to help some friends reach the finish-line.

“Just to finish with the team last year was phenomenal. It was the best feeling and I couldn’t stop crying. We couldn’t stop crying because we finished something. I know what that feeling is like. I love it,” she says.

Her goal this year is to “shuffle” through the marathon, rather than walk and to do it by herself “for myself and it’s about me being accountable for me.”

Karleen currently has a sore ankle from playing indoor netball, but she says this will be no barrier to her turning up at the event. She is doing strength training thrice weekly in the interim, until she can “shuffle” again shortly.

“I’m not a natural runner; I’m a shuffler. My endurance is great. The biggest muscle getting me through will be my mind,” she says.

She is not worried the marathon is not far away on May 6.

“I’m mentally prepared. My body just has to catch up,” she quips, adding “my mum finds this so funny” and tells her “oh well, can you please tell your body to hurry up and catch up with your mind then. Chuckle, chuckle”.

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Here’s a pic of Karleen after doing the swim for a team event at IronMaori in December last year. She says back then she was “at my biggest”. Her dream is to one day do this whole event solo.

While, here’s a pic of this inspirational mum “now” below.

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Karleen says she learnt mental toughness while growing up on the East Coast – “I was constantly told that I wasn’t good enough. But I told myself that, actually, you can’t tell me I can’t do anything”.

She says doing Doug Healey’s run training programme a few years in Auckland also inspired her she can get fit and tackle anything she sets her mind to.

Back then she would drive from her home in Cambridge, to Auckland, for the training session every weekend. Hence, the reason why she has the nickname “Cambridge”.

Fellow runners just could not believe she drove all that way for the training sessions – “and I was often the first one there in the mornings”.

Karleen says she is used to “pushing past barriers”. One of the hardest barriers in life was being a solo mum, she says. She then found life tough when her daughter became independent and left home at age 18. She missed her daughter, and felt depression coming on, and so that was when she joined Doug Healey’s group to give her a goal and a focus. She has learnt in life that “there’s no one holding you back other than yourself”, she says.

Karleen says she is excited about the Rotorua Marathon and will have lots of friends and whanau cheering her on. She can’t wait to savour that finish-line feeling.

“Yes, I will probably cry at the finish,” she says.

Join Karleen and thousands of others walking or running the Rotorua Marathon event (there are four distance options) -click HERE.

Blog by Rachel Grunwell: Mum, marathoner (she has run 16), qualified yoga teacher (yoga-for-runners classes), wellness columnist for Good magazine and the director the lifestyle website inspiredhealth.co.nz Follow Inspired Health for health + fitness inspiration & giveaways via Facebook & Instagram. Go in the draw this week to WIN a Fitbit watch.

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March 12, 2017

Chocolate Dream Smoothie + Fuelling Kids Healthy

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See health & lifestyle inspiration & regular giveaways on InspiredHealth’s Facebook HERE & Instagram HERE.

By Rachel Grunwell

Try this delicious and nutrient-dense smoothie to fuel your family when it comes to snack-time. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free. The hero ingredient is raw maca powder, an amazing superfood which is made of real plant-based ingredients and is nourishing, healing, full of vitamins and gives an awesome energy boost. It’s derived from the maca roots (pervian gingseng by the way).

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Chocolate Dream Smoothie:

2 tablespoons of coconut yoghurt (we love Raglan Coconut Yoghurt’s new Banana & Chai flavour!)

1 cup water

1/3 cup raw cashews

1 frozen banana (Commonsense Organics stocks ethical and organic All Good bananas)

1 tablespoon Raw Maca Powder (we love the Ceres Organics brand)

2 tablespoons cacao powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder

Method: Use a spoon to put the yoghurt on the bottom and randomly on the inside of a small clean glass jar or cup (to give a marbled effect). Now leave this to the side.

Next, use a blender to blitz the water and cashews until smooth – then add in the banana, maca powder, cacao, cinnamon, vanilla bean powder to combine. Pour this mixture into the jar you’ve prepared, then add a straw (or dig it out with a spoon) and enjoy! Better still, double the recipe to share.

Tips on Snack ideas & the low-down on the ingredients:

A great tip for a snack idea for the kids after school is to whip up nutrient-rich smoothies. My kids often come home from school and usually request this – rather than biscuits or chips. It’s just become a healthy habit we’ve adopted in our house. The trick is to make them taste yum and make them with real and good ingredients that boost energy and health levels.

My kids are my “chief taste-testers” for my recipes I create for Good magazine by the way. So, they love tasting beetroot juices, kale smoothies to decadent yet nutritionally-smart chocolate creations. If smoothies are made well, they go down well (and you can hear the straws slurping up the dregs!)

I used ingredients from Commonsense Organics – an organic retailer selling organic, allergy-aware and environmentally-friendly products. This company does “good stuff”. I love that financial profit is not their sole driver; They stock fresh products that consider the wider community and environment. They care about the whole process from garden-to-table and how workers, suppliers and customers are treated (the owners believe this is “ common sense”). So, when it comes to values, Commonsense Organics comes up trumps. I love to shop at their store in Mt Eden, Auckland. They’re also got five stores in Wellington.

Shop for the ingredients for this smoothie by clicking HERE.

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Rachel is a wellness writer, columnist and recipe creator for Good magazine and also runs the lifestyle website inspiredhealth.co.nz. She’s the wellbeing ambassador for Cigna too. Follow her on InspiredHealth’s Facebook & Instagram.

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February 28, 2017

Health + Happiness + Fitness things that rock right now!

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By Rachel Grunwell

These are some of my fave things right now that are fitness, health or happiness inspired:

The new adidas ultraboostx womens-specific shoes built with ultra-cushioned comfort. These fit just like socks – so they literally hug my feet when I run. They are super light too. Man, they’re so fly! Now, I just wish I could lol…
Weleda arnica sports shower gel. Free of synthetic preservatives, this is just so delicious on the skin.
Dr Hauschka products. These are plant-based and so nourishing on my pimple-prone skin (yeah, still getting pimples at my age DARN). I love too that this brand is biodynamic. The makers care about everyone from the crop growers, farmers, about working well with the environment in the best way, to the consumers getting the best quality products. Keep a look out for the new make-up colours oooooh la la.
Karen Murrell lipstick made from natural ingredients. This stuff feels bliss on the lips and it feels good to use this product because the makers care about how they make it.
Asics new white hoodie. So stylish, fresh and super light-weight.
Kelly Gibney’s new cookbook ‘Wholehearted’ – Inspiring Real Food for Every Day. The recipes in here look delicious and unique and I love Kelly’s approach that this food is all about tasting great! I love how it’s not a labelled book on any food trend, but rather guides readers to trust their intuition on taste and how the food makes them FEEL.

Blog penned by Rachel Grunwell: Wellness columnist for Good magazine, yoga teacher, recipe creator, marathoner and blogger at inspiredhealth.co.nz

Follow InspiredHealth on Facebook & Instagram

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February 22, 2017

8 Reasons Why Cycle Classes Are Cool

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By Rachel Grunwell

Have you fallen in love with the cycle classes yet? If you haven’t tried RPM, then you are missing out!

Here are eight reasons why cycle classes rock:

The workouts are generally short and intense and so they are great if you are short on time but want to get in an effective workout quickly.
You burn calories for hours post the workout. Do you need any more reasons after this one!
You cycle alongside others and it doesn’t matter if you are all at different levels. You just adjust the lever to your ability. So, it’s nice to cycle alongside others. So essentially you can be training alongside a pro-athlete.
The workout is low impact. So, it’s easy on your joints.
You seriously sweat in these classes and feel amazing afterwards.
If you are training for a cycling event, then this is a great training option. It’s not weather-dependant and it’s also safe ie no cars to avoid!
You feel like you’ve entered another world. In a darkened room, you sit on a bike while the music booms and a trainer leads you through your workout and motivates you along the way.
You work harder in these classes than you might on your own.

Meanwhile, you can read my ‘Girl on an Adventure’ column published in Good magazine where I give the low-down on a cycle class called The trip at Les Mills. Click HERE.

Article by Rachel Grunwell – wellness magazine columnist, yoga teacher, marathoner and director of lifestyle website inspiredhealth.co.nz. Follow InspiredHealth on Facebook & Instagram.

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