My name is John Cawley and I am the founder of www.plantbasedlie,com.au, in this article I am going to give my advice on the best way to transition to a Plant Based Lifestyle. When I started this journey 6 years ago I wish there were the amount of resources and food options that our now available.  I made a lot of mistakes along the way, but have learned a lot, and here are my recommendations when getting started on this journey; 1. The first important step on this journey is to cut down on processed food. When you decide…

Magnesium is a macro-mineral and is critical for the human body. It is involved in hundreds of enzyme reactions which are important for the production of energy as well as heart health.  When your muscles ache after exercise it is good to either have a hot bath with magnesium sulfate flakes / salts or spray on a magnesium oil spray to the affected area of the body and rub in. The quickest way for our body to absorb magnesium is via the skin’s pores. Magnesium is also considered the “anti-stress” mineral. It's a natural tranquilizer of sorts by helping to…

Pilates has numerous benefits for everyone but I have seen huge benefits for people who do a lot of cycling. Cyclists regularly experience tight hip flexors, weak lower back, tight pectorals, hunched shoulders among other issues. This can flow over into everyday life and with time can lead to deterioration of functional movements and consequently lead to musculoskeletal ailments. Pilates can help resolve these issues while also improving overall athletic performance by assisting the body to move and function better.    By targeting particular areas such as tight hip flexors or weak gluteus we can tailor each session specifically to…

The Dairy Industry has done brilliant marketing ove the years to convince everyone that they need dairy for calcium to have healthy bones, but even though milk and other dairy products do contain calcium and other nutrients they inflame the gastrointestinal tract and many people just don't absorb the nutrients. There have also been scientific studies that show in Countries with high dairy consumption the rates of osteoprosis are actually higher. Dairy products do deliver a dose of calcium and fortified vitamin D, but it's not that simple when it comes to nutrients for bone density. Bone health is complex…

Pilates training has become the go-to exercise for Tennis & Squash players to remain injury-free, players such as Martina Navratilova, Venus & Serena Williams, and Andy Murray have all said Pilates is the secret that keeps them injury-free. Navratilova is now retired, but she says that Pilates has helped her body regain the flexibility of her prime. Pat Cash, the former Wimbledon champion, still does Pilates training as a key part of his fitness routine. If you would like to step up your game and get that edge over your competitors. Then Pilates is for you. Don’t forget that your…

  It has become quite a cliche saying now that people will say to 'get outside of your comfort zone', or to 'get comfortable being uncomfortable'. But this concept truly is the way to experience personal growth, we should all challenge ourselves as often as possible, the end result is that you expand your comfort zone and some of the things you consider as challenges become easier. As a Personal Trainer and group Pilates instructor, I am always telling people to challenge themselves and to step outside of their comfort zone as this is where real change happens. Humans spend…

  At Plant Based Life we don't always talk about all things Plant Based, the other two passions of mine are exercise and music, I am both a long time a DJ and a very experienced Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor and I work at several gyms and Studios teaching Pilates in Sydney. I recently listened to an interview with Hip Hop pioneer Chuck D and he talked about how Pilates has changed his life and not only improved his health and fitness, but also in his performances as a Hip Hop MC. In the interview he explained how his…