Dopa Fitness and Optimisation

One avocado a day helps lower 'bad' cholesterol for heart healthy benefits | Penn State University Move over, apples — new research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to Penn State researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles.

Great find by FoundMyFitness

People often say they are "too old to exercise." I say those people are "too old NOT to exercise".

"Aerobic exercise (half-hour workout 4-5x weekly) slowed the loss of brain volume in the hippocampus in elderly people with amyloid brain plaques and memory problems compared to those that did flexibility training only.

A large clinical trial is underway. The trial, which includes six medical centers across the country, involves more than 600 older adults (ages 60-85) at high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The study will measure whether aerobic exercise and taking specific medications to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol can help preserve brain volume and cognitive abilities."

Exercise could slow withering effects of Alzheimer's: Imaging shows less brain deterioration in physically active people at high risk for dementia Exercising several times a week may delay brain deterioration in people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study that scientists say merits further research to establish whether fitness can affect the progression of dementia.

I AM..
A LEADER.
A GIVER.
AN OPTIMISER.
~
Be what you need to be, Do what you need to do, to have what you want to have .
~
A fine Saturday morning spent well helping these humans get STRONG for life.

Good times @ Tough Mudder 2018

THE TOP 5 HEALTH B.A.M.
When it comes to your health and wellbeing, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need that one superfood to turn your health into gold. Fundamentals are your big rocks, also what I call the Bare Ass Minimums of long term health.
•
Here are our B.A.M of Health:
1. Sleeping 7-8 hours daily – “Sleep is the Golden Chain that ties health and our bodies together”. You know that without sleep, you’re not the best version of yourself on any given day. If you’re sleep deprived, your levels of cortisol sky rockets and you’re more likely to feel like an easily-agitated zombie! The Root to All Evil comes from Lack of Good Sleep. Sleep more, and sleep better!
✅ TIP to improve sleep: Meditate and have downtime before bed.
•
2. Eating at least 80% Earth Grown Foods – We are a by-product of what we consume. Earth grown foods have been used for medicinal purposes and maintenance of health & wellbeing for centuries. Don’t underestimate the power of what REAL food can do for you.
✅ TIP: Start by adding 1-2 more servings of plant-based foods in a day. Slowly increase weekly.
•
3. Drinking at least 1L per 30 KG of bodyweight – Water is fuel for your insides. Your body uses water in all cells, organs, and tissues to help regulate functionality and temperature that are vital for overall wellbeing. Dehydration may not always be obvious, but your insides will definitely start to feel it.
✅ TIP: Invest in a 1 L bottle. It makes it easier to track.
•
4. Moving more – As humans, we are sedentary more than we are active. Studies have shown that at least 30 minutes of regular exercise can improve overall wellbeing and enhance cognitive function. Want to be more productive? Want to focus better? Want to sleep and physically feel young? Move more often!
✅ TIP: Aim for at least 7200 steps per day.
•
5. Improving mindset and reducing stress – stress is another big cause of decrease in levels of health. Reducing stress by setting time out at least once or twice a week can reduce levels of stress and improve overall wellbeing. Your mind is your most powerful asset. Invest in it!
✅ TIP: Practice daily mindfulness and gratitude with

Just what I needed to read

Let’s talk about FEET
•
Your feet are literally your roots. What happens when roots of a plant are weak? The integrity of the structure also weakens. Same goes with our feet. Once there is some imbalance or weakness starting from our feet, it travels up the kinetic chain to our knees, to our hips, up to the core, lower back, shoulders and eventually to our traps, upper back and neck. Now what am I trying to get at here? How the f*ck do we strengthening our feet?
•
Well it’s quite simple. Live more barefoot. Obviously, due to our professional standards at work and conduct out in public, we can’t really walk around barefoot. Most, if not all shoes now days provide so much support, that our feet literally become the shoe. Podiatrist and feet enthusiasts call this “shoe-shaped feet”.
•
If you think about it, we are in shoes for most of the day. Basically 6AM to 7PM - for most folks working their normal 9-5. Others, maybe even longer. What’s worse is that females are 50% MORE likely to develop bunions and feet weakness due to the extremely narrow toe box in heels.
•
As a consequence of wearing flashy, branded, highly “comfortable” shoes, I started to develop bunions and pronated feet. Eventually, my knees started to buckle inward, causing an imbalance in my hip. Essentially, it affected the way I moved - from walking, to grappling, lifting, running, even doing chores. I was crippled to say the least.
•
What was my solution? I had to go barefoot more often. I made the conscious effort to do things more barefoot - which lead me to look into MINIMALIST shoes with a WIDE toe box to let my toes stretch/breathe, along with ZERO support in the heels.
•
I’ve been wearing minimalist shoes for 2 months now and this is by far the best investment I’ve made all year. I can’t seem to wear any other shoes. I’ve even sold a couple of my old, flashy Nike shoes.
•
Even after 15 hour days at work (constantly on my feet), I come home WITHOUT sore feet. Though these shoes can’t fix the accumulated damage to my feet, it has definitely strengthened it.
•
By far the comfiest shoes I have ever worn. Period. Invest in your feet - it’s literally the root of most of your problems.

Our team at are starting the 66 By RFT Challenge this week and we are pumped! Studies have shown that it takes 66 days to form or develop a new habit. In this time, we believe we can develop life changing behaviours and achieve amazing results through mastering the fundamentals of health and fitness. This includes movement, mindset, nutrition and education.
•
My goal for the 66 day challenge is to reduce my Body Fat Mass to 10.5%, increase my Lean Muscle Mass, to improve my overall strength & conditioning, and to improve my functionality & mobility. My first DEXA scan this week read a BF percentage of 11.8%. Are my goals achievable? Hell yeah it is!! As long as I’m consistent with the fundamentals, I WILL achieve my goals in 66 days.
My approach is to do what I do to FEEL good holistically. Looking good comes after. Also, focusing on progress rather than perfection is essential.
•
Here’s a few things I will do on a daily basis to help me achieve my goals:
✅ eat more earth-grown, wholesome foods and minimise dairy, gluten, grains and processed foods.
✅ drink 3-5 Litres of water a day.
✅ consume 30 grams of fibre through earth-grown foods.
✅ reach at least 10,000 steps.
✅ train 30 minutes to 1 hour with planned rest days throughout the week.
✅ have quality 7-8 hours of sleep.
✅ ensure I take time to do things I enjoy at least an hour or two daily.
✅ remind myself to enjoy the process.
✅ incorporate mobility in the day whether through yoga or through exercises.
✅ and to help others along the way.
•
All pretty simple right? CONSISTENCY IS KEY. Consistency will always trump intensity 🙌. 65 days and counting... LETS GO! @ Real Fitness Training

SUNDAY ROAST
Meals are sorted for the week ✅. Can’t go wrong with a mixed veggie roast.
▪️Purple Sweet Potato
▪️Orange Sweet Potato
▪️White Sweet Potato
▪️Taro
▪️Carrot
▪️Garlic
All drizzled in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, mixed with Himalayan Salt, Black Pepper, and Mixed Herbs.
Best thing about it? Cost under $10!

I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to get more steps in a day. Why? Because I noticed I’m seated more than I walk. As humans, we sleep 6-8 hours a day, wake up, sit in the car/bus/train to get to and from work, sit at work, sit for lunch, dinner and breakfast in a static posture. Maybe a little workout in if we’re lucky, but most of the time it’s not enough - and add lack of mobility work.. Its no wonder why most adults experience back pain. Our posterior chain becomes stiff as rocks, our hip flexors develop tightness and we end up creating imbalances elsewhere to compensate.
Yes it may be corny to have a goal of trying to reach “10,000 steps daily”. But, it’s reasonable and rewarding. You can only gain from walking more.
If that means:
✅ parking further from your destination
✅ taking the stairs instead of lifts
✅ catching public transport
✅ taking the longer route to walk the dogs
✅ walking the kids to school
✅ doing more chores,
Then do it! You’ll thank yourself later. It’s also a good way to embrace nature a bit more instead of being stuck in our comfort bubble. Do yourself a favour and WALK. MORE. OFTEN.

[Infographic] The Power of Sleep: Why it's so important and how to get more of it. If your eating and exercise are on point, but you still don't feel or look the way you want, poor sleep may be to blame. Here's how to tap into the power of sleep and make rest a daily priority.

FUEL/REFUEL 💪.
One of the fewer protein bars out there that I love to snack on - and is actually my favourite out of the short list. I love it for its 6 wholesome ingredients:
1. Peanuts: naturally occurring healthy fats and protein.
2. Beef Collagen: along with a great source of protein, it assists with joint, bone and skin health.
3. Egg Whites: source of lean protein.
4. MCT Oil: helps improve cognitive function and overall wellbeing.
5. Dates: improves digestion through fibre and is a great source of potassium.
6. Maple Syrup: a natural sweetener with a source of antioxidants.
Nothing more, nothing less. Thanks to Blue Dinosaur for fuelling my physically and mentally demanding day 🦕.
⚠️ Warning: it’s hard not to think about it after it’s gone.

Compromising.
It’s not always easy eating “clean” and nutritious when eating out with friends. But it’s not difficult either. I believe in moderation and balance when it comes to eating. If you spent majority of your life eating processed, nutrient-empty foods then of course it’s going to be difficult dropping it and eating foods you aren’t used to.
You see that plate of truffle and cheese waffle fries? That plate was why my partner and I ate out that day. After a week of eating well, I deserved to treat myself. And so do you. But there has to be balance.
Here’s some practical and easy-to-follow tips when eating out:
1. Try cutting out processed or simple carbohydrate ingredients in your meal if possible. For instance, opting for a whole meal bun or gluten free bun for a burger, or cutting out the slice of processed cheese.
2. Swapping your side of fries for a side of salad or vegetables.
3. Craving sweets after your meal? Down a couple of glasses of water. Studies have shown dehydration (from your savoury meal) can cause cravings in sweets. Still craving? Eat fruit. You’ll thank me later.
4. Opting for brown/black rice instead of white rice for sushi.
5. Swapping your soft drink for kombucha or sparkling water or fresh juice.
6. Adding no buttery, creamy filled sauces like mushroom sauce. Try salts with your steak instead (it enhances the beefiness and rich flavour of the beef).
7. Not eating the extra bread they give with your meal (as I did).
Start by following these practical tips and eventually you’ll find yourself not battling with your mind every time you’re out with your friends.
“Strive for progress, not perfection” 👌.

Try blocking out some time to do nothing today...it's afterall 🙌

Dopa Fitness and Optimisation updated their business hours.

City2Surf 2018.
Despite having an injured foot, I managed to finish under 80 minutes for my first running event. I was aiming for 70-75 minutes when I first registered, but this damn injury happened. No excuses though - there’s always room for improvement. On the bright side, it was fun and full of good vibes. I’m also qualified to start in the sub 90 minutes starting-group next year. I’ll be aiming for 70 minutes! 😏 till next time! @ Bondi Beach, Sydney

Progress:
Post Japan-Bali Holiday (06 July 2018)
vs
Current (07 August 2018)
•
I don’t workout or eat to LOOK good. I do what I do to FEEL good - to FEEL better in everything I do. Looks, in my opinion, will follow thereafter. Before my holiday I lifted weights purely to supplement my Jiu Jitsu training - to become stronger, and to be more conditioned in the sport. Ever since coming back from my holiday, I’ve had a reinvigorated perspective and look on strength training. Mainly because my interest for strength & conditioning and nutrition for sports has grown exponentially over the past month - AND because I’m about to become a certified Personal Trainer.
•
We live in a fascinating generation, where knowledge can be shared and picked up with a touch of a button. We’re blessed to have great minds share their knowledge with us - and at the convenience of our Instagram feed. I am grateful that we have access to the minds of these ridiculously incredible human beings. I wish to one day meet them in person and pick their brains like my life depended on it.

To continuous improvement.

Learning how to surf has been on my bucket list for many many years. Even though I got my ass whooped by the waves, I finally ticked it off my list and did so in Bali. F*ck yeah! 😎

Interesting

Need a reason to exercise?

This study looked at how exercise can preserve muscle mass.
Here they compare a 74-year old sedentary man and a 70-year old triathlete, and the difference in fat and muscle tissue is extreme.

Want to learn more clinically relevant research like this? Check out our monthly review service for the latest and best research in physiotherapy: https://www.physio-network.com/memberships/

Wroblewski A, Amati F, Smiley M, et al. Chronic exercise preserves lean muscle mass in masters athletes. Physician Sports Med. 2011;39:172–178

https://staydopa.me/2018/06/01/the-magic-of-lemon-water/ - FULL POST

It’s been awhile.

Alright, I know we’re in Winter and everyone’s using it as an excuse to “Bulk”, but this little hack for weight loss is too good not to share.

It’s so simple yet effective. Squeezing lemon in water. That’s it. I’ve talk about green tea in the past and how it helps boost metabolism and help with weight loss. Unfortunately, green tea isn’t always available or even preferred, especially in warmer seasons.

Some benefits include:
1. Normalises Digestion and helps metabolism: Research has also found that lemon polyphenols increased fat oxidation by up-regulating an important receptor in the liver responsible for fat oxidation, oxidative stress, inflammation and lipoprotein metabolism.

2. Detoxes and cleanses the body, helps with skin: Lemons are naturally rich in essential vitamins and minerals, as well as detoxifying compounds such as citric acid. Citric acid basically acts as an antioxidant, where it helps cleanses the body of naturally occurring toxins through urine (this is how most detoxes occur). In combination with water, which naturally makes you urinate more often, lemon enhances the body’s ability to flush out unwanted toxins. In turn, this helps with healthier skin and increased energy levels.

3. Improves Immunity: Now this is a little bit of an obvious one. But why else do our parents tell us to squeeze some lemon into hot water and honey when we’re sick? Vitamin C!

"Where do I start?"
You can start by buying a couple of fresh lemons to keep in your fridge for the week.

Give it a go and let me know how you go.

Peace!

Edward D.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks”

Mixed Berry and Pink Pitaya Power Bowl 🍇 💪 🦏

For the love of Dragon Fruits a.k.a Pitaya! 🌺.
I’m fortunate enough to have dragon fruits homegrown organically straight from my Grandpa’s house. He can’t eat them all by himself, so of course I’m going to help 😏. Besides its exotic, visually appealing characteristics, Dragon Fruits are super nutritious and are packed with all sorts of powerful vitamins and minerals. It’s a very popular and common fruit that’s grown on cactuses amongst South Asian families.
•
Standouts include:
✅ High in Fibre which helps with digestion and overall gut health.
✅ Source of essential fatty acids with its edible black seeds for inflammation, wellbeing and brain function.
✅ Rich in Antioxidants to fight off free-radicals and, protect and repair cells from damage.
✅ Rich in Vitamin C and B to boost immunity, enhance energy levels and improve general wellbeing.
•
Pitaya along with Açai and Avocados are among the few fruits that contain essentially fatty acids. It’s sweet and a little sour in taste. Delicious as a snack in yogurt, salads, smoothies and definitely on its own.