We are now into the third week of lockdown which can be both challenging and rewarding. I know from my perspective, I am an extremely social and busy person, and having to stop and sit back, has left me sometimes feeling frustrated and emotionally drained. On the flip side, we should all feel very proud of what we are doing to conquer this virus and help New Zealand return to what it was and take this time to reset both body and mind. I am happy that we are all fighting this cause with such gusto and pride. During lockdown I have tried to maintain some practices to keep my motivation levels high. Remembering, like you guys I have times when I just feel like lying in my bed all day and relaxing! Here are some of my top tips for staying motivated during lockdown: • Think about your “Why”? what gets you up in the morning? Why do you want to remain healthy and fit? For me I know that it promotes mindfulness. I always feel better after a workout. Even if it is just a 30 min walk to an intense HIIT session. My why is remaining positive and feeling good that I have achieved something in this unprecedented lockdown time. If this is a challenge at the moment, I would suggest taking small steps. Just design a little workout that has 5 exercises and can be done with kids or family and is achievable. Kids are very inspired by their parents. I know some don’t like to admit it but the more you get out and exercise in front of them, the more it becomes the norm and they eventually crumble and join in. Bribery also works well!!. Watch their mindset change after a bit of a run around. • Don’t say you’ll find time. MAKE time! A 30 min workout is only 2% or your day. A good plan or schedule is very motivating. This may be a weekly schedule or if that is too much, then plan something the evening before for the day and try and get everyone involved. You will all turn up for each other and even if you are not feeling it, another bubble member will motivate you to put that activewear on. • Find a Fitness Partner in your bubble! I love to vary up who I am working out with each day. Poor old family! If you have your plan and it involves different members of the family that is awesome. We are all in this lockdown together… and you know that families that train together stay motivated and positive together. • Make some space. We have said it before. Creating a little fitness space both inside and outside is a must. You don’t need much room, but creating this space will be so beneficial. Move some furniture if you have to…Who really cares at this point. No one outside of your bubble is around! • Stay connected with the outside world. Link into our member Facebook page so you have lots of ideas of what to do. Search on the internet, as long as they are reputable fitness professionals go for it! Set up ZOOM meetings with your family and friends. All of these will help positivity and motivation. • Finally – as long as you are moving, you are doing amazing! This can be a highly stressful time for some. Doing a little bit of exercise daily will maintain routine and set you up for returning to normality. Use this time to both enjoy family, and nurture yourself. Take care and Stay Safe. Kelly x

Ingredients: 100g Butter 1/2 cup Sugar 2 Tbsp Condensed Milk 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 1 cup Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 4 Tbsp Chocolate Chips Method: Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line a tray with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the condensed milk and vanilla essence. Add flour and baking powder and mix well. Add in chocolate chips. Roll into balls and place on a tray. Press the tops with a fork to flatten them slightly. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

We all feel happier when the sun is out, and we are able to spend time outside. At this time it is super important to look after ourselves and ensure our bodies and minds are thriving. Yes, we have to do our part and stay home, but you can still get fresh air. Fresh air helps give you a clear state of mind. It improves brain function and provides you with more energy. The more fresh air you breathe the more serotonin is released in your body which increases the feelings of satisfaction and joy. Getting outside and enjoying the sun and fresh air is vital for maintaining a healthy emotional state. Fresh air helps your digestive system to work more efficiently. Taking a walk after a meal will help your digestive system to process that food better, this can help with weight loss. Fresh air supplies your immune system with the oxygen it needs to help fight infections and germs. Fresh air can also help you get a better night's sleep. So how can we enjoy the fresh air while in isolation? Take a nice walk in your neighborhood after a meal. Set up your workout space outside in the sun and get some vitamin D. Have your morning coffee outside. Play a board game outside. Have dinner outside. Have a picnic lunch on your lawn/driveway. Set up activities for your kids outside like painting, bubbles, obstacle course, scavenger hunt. Even at this time of year, be careful and make sure you use sunscreen to protect yourselves from harmful rays. Fresh air is so important for our general wellbeing. Make sure you are getting outside every day and reap these benefits.

Feeding our bodies nutrient-dense foods daily is important to help our immune systems function at their best. Eat a variety and eat them often, your body will thank you for it. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant which can be particularly helpful in boosting the immune system to help fight infections. Increase your intake of vitamin C with these foods: -citrus foods -kiwifruit -red capsicums -broccoli -strawberries -ginger Vitamin E is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system. Add these to your diet: -wheat germ oil -almonds -sunflower seeds -hazelnuts -peanut butter -broccoli Zinc is an essential mineral involved in the production of certain immune cells. Here are some good sources of zinc: -oysters -baked beans -cashews -raisin bran -chickpeas -garlic Carotenoids are a class of pigment found naturally in a number of plants. When consumed they are converted into vitamin A. They are best absorbed when cooked or eaten with fat. Look out for these foods to boost your carotenoids: -carrots -kale -apricots -papaya -mango -sweet potato -spinach -collard greens -broccoli Omega 3 Fatty Acids are a type of essential fatty acid known to suppress inflammation and keep the immune system in check. These are omega-3 rich foods: -oily fish -flaxseed -walnuts -chia seeds

Good sleep, along with nutrition and exercise are the fundamentals for good health. We all know sleep is important yet many of us don’t prioritise it enough. Adults need 8 hours of sleep each night. Just as children benefit from having a consistent nighttime routine, so do adults. The more irregular your sleep patterns, the higher the risk for obesity, hypertension and high blood sugar. An irregular sleep schedule can cause irritability, drowsiness, mood swings, concentration and memory problems, headaches, and a decline in cognitive skills. Our bodies crave consistency. With regular daily activities, our various body systems can prepare for and anticipate events. We naturally become more alert closer to our wake-up time and more relaxed and sleepy prior to bedtimes. Our digestive systems become activated in advance of regular mealtimes in order to more efficiently process food. Our bodies are designed to function optimally in a routine. Tips to improve sleep: Wake at the same time each morning and go to bed at the same time each night, even on the weekend. Avoid sleeping in, the more your sleep times differ each day the more jetlag like symptoms you will feel. If you need a sleep-in, make it no more than 2 hours to your normal wake time. Exercise daily. Good sleep can maximise your athletic performance and a workout can help you get a good night's sleep. Good sleepers tend to eat fewer calories. Poor sleep affects the hormone that regulates appetite, which is why when you don’t get enough sleep you have a higher desire to snack on sugary treats. These high sugar foods can make it hard for you to get a good night's sleep. Listen to your body when creating a sleep schedule. Keep it consistent and make sure it is going to work in with your lifestyle.

Laughter is the best medicine. And it turns out it is a form of exercise. “Laughter activates the body’s natural relaxation response. It’s like internal jogging, providing a good massage to all internal organs while also toning abdominal muscles,” says Dr. Gulshan Sethi, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Tucson Medical Center. Why you should have a good laugh today: 1. Laughter is contagious. When someone smiles at you, you can’t help but smile back, the same goes for laughing. Not only does a good laugh make you feel good, but it can also make others feel good. 2. Laughter reduces stress. When you laugh endorphins are released that help you feel more relaxed, both physically and emotionally. 3. Laughter boosts immunity. Joyful laughter has been said to increase a type of white blood cell that attacks cancer cells. 4. Laughter increases resilience. Learning to laugh at your own mistakes and accepting them as part of human growth, is important in increasing resilience. 5. Laughter relieves pain. People who laugh don’t experience less pain but their belief that they can cope with the pain is much higher. 6. Laughter combats depression. Studies support that laughter is a great way to get out of the downwards spiral to depression. Even forced laughter releases hormones that are mood enhancers and can help get you out of the unhappy mindset you may be in. The healthiest response to life is laughter, so make sure you get your daily dose starting today.

There are hundreds if not thousands of training options on the internet out there at present, it is the new way to train which is fantastic. But (a BIG BUT), while this will help keep you on track with your fitness, well-being and stop you going crazy while in isolation you can’t afford to get injured. Accessing Physio Osteopath Chiropractor massage and a like is going to be hard if not impossible. The easy way around this is to train smart, listen to your body know your limits. Make sure the exercises are: Fun and enjoyable. Challenging and rewarding so you are going to get something out of the effort you put in. Choose training routines and styles that suit your body that you can relate too. Remember warm ups, cool downs, stretching and recovery sessions. You need to look after your body you only have ONE. (you don’t want to spend your time in isolation being non active with an injury). Take Care, Stay Safe Mark Addis

Stay connected –Sharing how we feel and offering support to each other is important. Reach out to people outside of your bubble, family and whānau, friends and workmates. Alongside FaceTime, WhatsApp and Skype, there are a host of new apps available that enable you to video chat and play games with friends all over the world. Get some sunlight – Keep yourself moving with at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. It’s very easy to binge-watch series after series on Netflix, but you need to get up and about. There are heaps of at-home workouts online, or just dance around the house and clean like never before. Avoid the news and social media – If you are finding everything a bit overwhelming and distressing, stay away from it, it will only heighten your anxiety. Pick and choose what you tune into, try and keep it positive. Keep regular sleep routines – With no commitments, you can easily slip into bad habits of late nights and long sleep-ins. Try keeping a routine so your body knows what time it is. Eat healthy foods – Use your new-found time to plan, prep and discover new healthy eating options. Learn something new – Practise a new skill, learn an instrument. Do the thing you always wanted to do but didn’t have time. You really have no excuse. Set yourself goals – Have a purpose and use this rare opportunity to do all those things you never have time to do. Practise meditation – Mindfulness may be a buzz trend, but the benefits of taking time out from your thoughts can do wonders for you and your mental health. Especially during a time like this. Remember we are all in this together. You are not alone

In light of today’s announcement from the government raising the risk level to Level 3, we have taken the advised and necessary steps to close Northern Arena Swim School immediately until such time it becomes safe and appropriate to resume operations. What’s Happening with my Swim School Swimming lessons will be suspended for free for the period we are closed. Lessons paid in advance will be credited to your swim school account for when we resume business. Keeping You Up To Date We will keep you updated as much as we can via email, our website and our social channels. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@northernarena.co.nz. As you can appreciate we may take longer than usual to respond, however we will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible. Be kind to each other, stay safe and thank you all for your patience and understanding. Northern Arena Facebook | Northern Arena Swim School Instagram

In light of today’s announcement from the government raising the risk level to level 3, we have taken the advised and necessary steps to close Northern Arena gym immediately until such time it becomes safe and appropriate to resume operations. What’s happening with my Gym account? We want to advise you your gym membership will automatically be suspended for the period we are closed. You do not need to do anything! Membership fees paid in advance, will be added as credit to your gym accounts for when we resume business. Any minimum terms dates on your membership agreements will be automatically pushed out for the period we are closed as no additional payment by you will be made. Keeping you Active We may not be open, but we are working hard on a number of things to keep you moving. As a Northern Arena fitness member, we have managed to secure you 60 days of Les Mills On Demand for FREE. Click here link to subscribe Please Note: You will be required to enter payment details to start your free trial, but you won’t be charged for the 60-day trial After the 60 Days you will be offered the reduced price of $19.95 per month It is also your responsibility to cancel at the end of the 60 days to avoid payment *Please note that this trial is valid for new subscribers only. Follow our social pages Stay tuned on our social channels for more online workouts and information on what is happening at Northern Arena. We will keep you updated via email our website and our social channels. Northern Arena Facebook Northern Arena Gym Instagram Northern Arena Gym Members Private Group For Now… If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at gym@northernarena.co.nz. As you can appreciate we may take longer than usual to respond, however we will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible. Be kind to each other, stay safe and thank you all for your patience and understanding.

What we are doing to prioritise your health and safety at Northern Arena. We have always taken great pride in keeping the hygiene standards high at our facility for you, our customer. To make sure we can keep on serving you to the standard you love and expect, we have implemented extra cleaning procedures on top of our already strict cleaning and sanitising plan, to ensure the facility is cleaned more frequently and with extra care. Like other businesses tackling this issue, we’re being guided by the Ministry of Health, which recommends regular cleaning as one of the most important preventive measures we can take. We’re equally committed to caring for our team who are in close contact with you all, with up-to-the-moment guidance and information so they can keep themselves and their families safe. Please be assured we will be taking every possible step to make sure you can continue to enjoy our services. As circumstances continue to develop, the health, safety and wellbeing of you, our customers, team members and communities is our highest priority. The Team at Northern

AUTHOR: BUFFY ELLEN INGREDIENTS BASE · 1 c rolled oats · 1/2 c peanut butter · 1 c dates chopped · 2 tbsp coconut oil melted · 2 tbsp liquid sweetener e.g. coconut nectar, brown rice syrup, yacon syrup · 1 tsp vanilla extract · Pinch of sea salt CHOCOLATE TOPPING · 1/3 c cacao butter melted · 3 tbsp coconut oil melted · 3 tbsp liquid sweetener e.g. coconut nectar, brown rice syrup, yacon syrup · 1/2 c cacao powder · 1 tsp vanilla extract · Pinch of sea salt · 4 drops OnGuard essential oil optional INSTRUCTIONS 1. Blend all base ingredients in a food processor until well combined. The mixture should be slightly sticky and hold together nicely when pinched between your fingers. 2. Pour into a lined square tin, flatten down well with the palm of your hand, and place in the freezer to firm. 3. In the meantime, blend all topping ingredients in a food processor or blender until completely combined and smooth. Pour on top of your base and return to the freezer for another 1-2 hours, or the fridge for a few more. 4. Once set, remove your slice from the tin, leave to soften slightly (so the chocolate topping doesn't crack), then slice into thin bars. These bars are best served from the fridge, but can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. RECIPE NOTES · Make it peanut/nut free: if you have a peanut allergy, you can sub the peanut butter for any other nut butter (hazelnut, walnut and almond are particularly delicious). You can also substitute unhulled tahini for a completely nut free version. · These bars use oats which are one of my favourite affordable everyday super foods, and are naturally wheat free. If you would like to make these 100% gluten free you can substitute the oats for buckwheat (dehydrated if possible, otherwise raw). · Substituting to buckwheat will also by nature make these paleo, as long as you're using a non-peanut nut butter. · Make sure you don't slice these straight from the freezer as the chocolate topping will crack. You want to slice them from just below room temperature so that the chocolate is sufficiently soft to make a nice clean slice. You can set these in the fridge if you're not in a hurry and would like to avoid any potential chocolate cracking, although if you're like me you'll want to try these tasty morsels asap, and thus freezer-setting will be your preference! https://begoodorganics.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-bars/