Queenstown Wellness Retreat - Huge Success!

Our September Retreat was Sold Out!

With 14 lovely guests from Queenstown, Wanaka and throughout Southland, our last public retreat was a huge success. So much so, we had to get out extra yoga mats for the extra numbers who booked last minute! Brilliant sunshine, breathtaking snow-capped mountains and a stunning venue in Gibbston made this retreat a real escape for our guests.

What do you do on a wellness retreat?

Our one-day retreat is all about YOU! You take as much out of it as you wish, blending laughs, great food and new friends with some handy tips to help you live a happier, healthier life.

Yoga/Pilates Fusion & Chia Puddings

First up, we started the day with a yoga/Pilates fusion class. Some guests were worried it would be cold outside, but thanks to the sun, everyone ended up in singlets and t-shirts!

Next guests enjoyed an exceptional chia pudding hand crafted by chef Fabien Simon of My Private Chef NZ. Cinnamon infused apple pieces, pineapple purée, gluten free granola and coconut chia pudding was mixed together to not only look incredibly beautiful, but it was really tasty.

Healthy Cooking Workshop with Fabien Simon

A first for our retreats, this new workshops was a huge hit. Talented French chef Fabien taught our guests cooking tips and simple ways to prepare nourishing food. He demonstrated how to make Pearl Barley Risotto with Greens & Parmesan, plus how to make kid-friendly Kumera Fritters. If you want the recipes, you'll have to come to our next retreat! All our guests are getting the recipes next week.

Wellness Retreat Lunch: Chef-made Salmon & Veggie Fritters

Lunch was truly divine, and very popular among our guests. Beautiful pieces of salmon, miso mayo, kumera and carrot fritters, broccoli and spinach coulis and salmon skin crackling was the most luxurious lunch we've had at an event yet. 

Mindfulness Walk & Beach Meditation

Our breathtaking venue was a ten minute stroll to the rushing Kawarau river, so we headed off on a mindfulness walk to the beach. With just one day to retreat, ten minutes of silence was welcomed by the guests, helping them think about themselves without the distractions of conversation.

Once down on the beautiful beach by the rushing river, we spent ten minutes doing simple meditation followed by a stress workshop. We chatted about the pressures of daily life, and the difficulties many people face when stress and poor self-esteem manifests itself in their lives as obsession with food or exercise. 

Stretch Class, Massage & Wine 

After strolling and chatting on the way back to our venue, the guests enjoyed a relaxing stretch class under the willow tree. Four ladies had pre-booked massages and made their way to quiet ends of the house to slip into bliss. The others enjoyed wine tasting: Organic wine by Carrick, and biodynamic wine by Quartz Reef. Don't worry, those who booked massages got wine afterwards!

We've had wonderful feedback from the day such as:

"I love your bubbliness and knowledge about what you do."

Such a huge thank you to all the women who came to this beautiful day, and of course thank you to Fabien Simon for his expertise. Thank you also to Neat organic perfumes, Hunter Gatherer Gourmet and The Herb Farm organic skincare for their beautiful gifts in the gift bags. 

Want to come to our next retreat? Sign up below to be the first to hear about i!

Reality Bites: How to Change Yours

How Your Brain Creates Your World Part 1

Our brains are incredible. They receive information, process it and try to make sense of it, then create an output based on that information. That output is your reality. 

Your reality isn’t the world around you, it’s how your brain processes the world around you.

The Creation of Your Reality

What happens when the input doesn’t match the output?

Sometimes, when your brain processes the information it receives, it doesn’t work out as smoothly as you’d like. Sometimes it seems your brain is almost confused! Here are a few examples:

Reality and Placebo

Placebo drugs are a great way to understand how your brain constructs your reality. Let’s take paracetamol for example. When you take paracetamol, an analgesic drug that acts on the central nervous system, you experience less pain. It really works!

If you’re in pain and take a placebo, thinking it’s paracetamol, your brain uses its own natural pathways to create your own inherent ‘heroine’ that also decreases your pain. You get the same result. 

1. The input: You take a pill you’re told is Paracetamol.

2. Your brain processes this information based on your past experiences with pain medicine, its effectiveness, plus your body’s own reactions to pain responses.

3. Your reality: You feel less pain. Hooray!

The input (a fake pill) doesn’t match the output! (no pain!) because of the way your brain processes the information it receives.

Think about the things that influence you most. People you spend the most time with, TV shows you watch, magazines your subscribe to. All these things shape your reality, and create your world. Are they creating the world you want them to?

Check back in for Part 2 where we look at reality and pain.

Healthy Travel Tips

In-Room Stretches For Healthy Hips

Do your hips and back feel stiff and stuck after travelling on a plane, or even after a long drive? Don't worry, there are easy stretches you can do right in your own hotel room! Give them a try.

Firstly: Why do you need to mobilise the hip?

When you sit all day, your hips are constantly flexed at 90 degrees. As the hip is a ball and socket joint, it's designed to move around in many directions, so it doesn't like being stuck at 90 degrees all day.  The muscles that attach to the femur, plus the glutes (butt muscles) and your hip flexors become short and weak from too much sitting, so stretching and moving is the best thing you can do to ensure you have a healthy hip joint for longer. 

1. Sitting Gluteal Stretch

This stretch can be done in your plane seat, at a desk, or on the bed of your hotel room.

• While you’re sitting, bring your right ankle up to rest on your left knee.

• With a straight back, gently lean forward, placing gentle pressure from your right forearm onto your right knee, gently easing it toward the floor.

• Hold as you count to thirty,

• Gently let go and repeat on the left.

Pic by Lifehack.org

2. In-Room Hip Flexor Stretch

This stretch is perfect to when you arrive at your hotel room. It's a great way to release the hip flexors that have been shortened throughout your trip.

1. Standing up tall, place the shin of your right leg on a chair or on your bed, making sure you left foot is straight.

2. Standing on the left leg, bend your left knee into a lunge position

3. Hold as you count to thirty

4. Gently let go and repeat on the left.

3. Spinal Massage & Child’s Pose

Lying on your back, bring your knees to your chest and gently rock side to side. This helps to release the erector spinae muscles that run parallel to the spine.

Next, on your hands and knees, gently rock back until you’re sitting on your heels, and stretch your arms forward for a real spine stretch into child’s pose. Rest here for a few breaths. If it’s more comfortable, place your hands down by your side instead of stretching them out in front.

4. Restore mobility with a spinal roll down

The hip joint, pelvis and lower spine are all connected, with many muscles joining these bones together. A spinal roll down is a great way to let gravity help you gently stretch the muscles and nerves of your lower spine and pelvic region. Check out the video below to learn how to do a spinal roll down.

1. Standing up tall and breathe in

2. Breathe out as you gently tuck your chin to your chest and roll all the way down to the floor.

3. Let your arms go floppy and your head hang.

4. Breathe in at the bottom, and breathe out as you roll all the way up to the top, thinking of stacking your vertebrae, one on top of the other.

You can repeat this roll-down a few times until you feel ready to sit back down.

If you get hip pain, low back pain or feel sluggish after travelling, try the stretches above when you arrive in your hotel room. If you're not sure how to get started with moving better at work, see a good Physiotherapist, or get in touch with me to get help, and start living your healthiest life at home, and when you travel.

Need More Motivation To Live Healthy?

5 Ways to Kickstart Your Health This Spring

The days are getting longer and the mornings are brighter - Spring is nearly here! You’re probably super excited for the warmer months, but the thought of wearing summer dresses and shorts might be a bit daunting. Never fear! Here’s a 5-step guide to start your summer-wellness mission.

1. Get up 20 minutes earlier and head outside

Twenty minutes is nothing right? Wrong! It can make all the difference, and help you kickstart your health and fitness for spring. Whether you go for a walk to get a coffee, head to the park and go on the swings, go for a run or even sit outside with a cup of hot water, starting the day outdoors can have a hugely positive affect on your mindset and mental health.

Tip: Go for a walk, even just a short one, and you’ll find not only does it kickstart your summer cardio regime, it also does wonders for your mindset.

2. Boost your energy with spring produce

Finally! Spring produce is popping up meaning luscious tomatoes are on the shelves, asparagus is nearly here and stone fruits are on their way! Change up your lunch and instead of bringing last night’s leftover pasta to work, try making a super quick salad. 

Tip: Throw some cherry tomatoes in a tupperware with raw asparagus, cut capsicum, baby spinach, balsamic and some aoli. Add tuna in olive oil at lunchtime (or keep it completely veggie) and give it a shake when you’re ready to eat. You'll be adding extra nutrients to your diet and avoiding the 3pm slump thanks to the organic energy.

3. Get more vitamin D to boost your mood

If you suffered from the blues this winter, you’re not alone. A lack of vitamin D can have a huge effect on your mood. Finally there’s more sunlight hours though, so try to sit outside for at least ten minutes per day to get your Vitamin D fix. 

Tip: Your skin will probably be super sensitive to the sun after being under a million warm layers, so don’t forget to use some sunscreen, or a BB cream with sunscreen in it already.

Catching some rays at Bob's Cove, Queenstown

4. Spruce up your activewear collection

If you’ve lost a bit of motivation to workout this winter, don’t worry. Now’s the time to get back on track and get moving again! A great motivator is beautiful activewear, so why not pick up just one new piece to motivate you. You’ll be dying to wear your new leggings/jacket/tank top so you won’t miss your next yoga class.

Tip: My fave brands at the moment are The Upside, Lorna Jane, P.E Nation and Kinki

I was thrilled to meet this amazing woman Kinki, founder of beautiful Chinese brand Kinki Activewear and creator of yoga empire K Yoga.

5. Get those niggling pains sorted

Have you had knee pain, back pain or a niggly injury that’s bothered you throughout winter? Now’s the time to get it fixed! Head to a good Physiotherapist to get your injury sorted so you can achieve your fitness goals this summer. Whether you want to run a half marathon, play with your kids more or simply walk up the stairs to work, long-term injuries can negatively affect your mindset and put you off activity. 

Tip: Don’t be the girl who says “I can’t, I have a bad knee,” be the girl who gets it sorted, and start with what you can do, with a plan to get moving and improve. You can do it!

Need more motivation? Join our FREE 4 Week Spring Wellness Challenge Now!

How to add Wellness to your life - with Sonja Sorich

Some people knew the word 'wellness' before it became a buzz word!

I'm always eager to learn from the best in the wellness industry, so I chatted to Sonja Sorich, founder and mastermind behind Spa Wellness Australia. I've been so lucky to be invited to be a Holistic Wellness Coach for this brand, and I'm just so thrilled to share the wonderful knowledge Sonja has learned after many years in the wellness industry.

1. How did you get involved in the wellness industry?

I was always naturally athletic and active so that came easily, but so did my big appetite for rich european food which was readily available at home.

Due to being on the heavier side I became interested in nutrition and exercise. Whilst this was a hobby and a large part of my reading I then began working as an office manager in a wellness clinic that offered chiropractic, massage and rehabilitation. The clinic was located within the fitness centre I used to work out and attend classes. Whilst in this role I completed my Cert 4 in personal training and group fitness and I also trained in 3 Les Mills programs. I then went to India to study yoga and it was here that a different perspective on health was gained. 

2. What's your business journey in the industry from where you started to what you do now?

As you know I began as an office manager and then I stepped into teaching classes and personal training, whilst also having a role as a group fitness coordinator in one of Sydney's premier health clubs. After some time here I went aboard a cruise ship as the fitness instructor and then progressed into spa management.

I always sought to weave wellness into each spa I worked with and was also still teaching yoga on the side. I managed 5 star spas from cruise ships to the Maldives, Dubai, Whitsundays and then finally Australia's largest spa at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat on the Gold Coast. I also managed the 3 day retreat programs there.

After leaving Gwinganna I was asked to manage the pre-opening project for One&Only on Hayman Island and from there I set up my own business 'Spa Wellness Consulting' and now work for myself as a spa, wellness and retreat consultant.

Ive been involved in a number of projects now and I love the width and breadth of learning and career opportunities I have had in this industry. 

Spa Wellness' beautiful branding

3. Why do you think 'wellness' has become so popular recently?

Life is getting faster.

The way we live is more stressful and toxic and due to stress and lifestyle diseases being prevalent people can no longer ignore that they need to look after themselves.

I also believe that the media promotes youthfulness and anti ageing and a large part of seeking wellness is motivated by the desire to look and feel younger for longer. It is also becoming increasingly popular and trendy to be healthy. 

Sonja loves yoga!

4. What are your favourite Australian or New Zealand health and wellness beauty/skincare brands?

• The Beauty Chef

• Synthesis Organics

• Perfect Potion

• Organic Spa

5. What are 3 easy ways people can add wellness to their lives?

1. Breathe Deeply

2. Drink Water

3. Commit to Moving the Body Everyday (even if just for 20 minutes)

Spa Wellness' Beautiful Marketing Imagery

So there you have it! The best health and wellness tips, plus an insight into a true innovator of the wellness industry.

Want more wellness tips? Get them below.

Wellness Podcast - In Case You Missed It!

Have you ever experienced a slump or a set back? This podcast will make you realise you're not alone.

Listen to my interview on Wellness Force in the USA.