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Lifeguard Towers
The Effects of Caffeine on Your Body
How to Make Bodyweight Exercises Harder
Hearty Pumpkin Soup Recipe
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Here at CBCity, we are proud to be the first NSW Council to install this style of elevated supervision towers for our lifeguards on our outdoor pools.Canterbury, Birrong, Max Parker and Roselands Leisure and Aquatic Centres recently introduced purpose-built lifeguard surveillance towers. These towers will enhance our ability to keep the community safe by providing our Lifeguards with a bird's eye view of our outdoor pools during peak periods. These towers may look familiar to you, as they were designed by the same company that provides the Lifeguard towers at Bondi Beach.
The position and elevation of our new towers will allow lifeguards to have a better view of the pools and its users, and are an integral part of our pool supervision Plan. The towers also make the position of our lifeguards more easily identifiable for the public in case patrons need assistance.
These purpose-built surveyor towers have aviation polarised glass, which reduce glare off the water by 92 per cent. This means our lifeguards can see you and your family a lot clearer on those glary days.
Supplier from Surveyor Lifeguard Towers, Ken Holloway, who was a lifeguard for many years at Maroubra Beach, was highly impressed at our foresight and focus on members' safety. He said: "Canterbury-Bankstown Council should be congratulated!"
Make sure you check these towers out the next time you're at one of our pools!
If you are among the 80 per cent of adults who consume some form of caffeine daily, then you'll be familiar with how it feels when its pulsing through you (that 'awake' sensation), as it binds to your adenosine receptors.
Adenosine is a naturally occurring chemical which is produced in your brain throughout the day, and is one of the reasons you feel tired or get that 3 o'clock slump. When we feel this way many of us generally turn to, you guessed it, coffee!
Excess caffeine consumption can adversely affect (and increase) blood sugar levels though, and this can cause a spike in blood insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone, and something insulin is very good at storing fat in your mid-section.
Keeping insulin levels elevated for a long period of time can make your cells less sensitive to its 'signal' – this is called being insulin resistant.
To lose weight and keep it off, you want your cells to be the complete opposite. You want it to be insulin sensitive. Don't get us wrong, we're not saying give up coffee, we're just saying be aware of how much caffeine you're consuming and the potential long term effects.
If you haven't tried it, give it a chance! It's naturally sweet, contains bioactive enzymes and is full of rehydrating electrolytes. It's a great replacement to fill that 3 o'clock slump that makes us reach for coffee.
This is an easy coffee replacement as the 'habit' (drinking something hot) isn't being sacrificed. Try peppermint tea to aid digestion, or green and ginseng tea to give you that afternoon wake up call, without feeling crazy levels of caffeine.
A lot of us reach for that afternoon coffee, or sweet snack, when our body is actually craving water! Next time you think you're hungry try chugging a glass of water. Wait 10 minutes, then see if that 'hunger' is still there!
Experiencing mood swings, poor concentration or fatigue can sometimes be because you have low vitamin B levels in your body. Foods high in vitamin B include grains, dark green leafy vegies, eggs, seeds and legumes. Or consider popping into the vitamin aisle - whatever you can manage!
"The information in this publication is provided for general interest and is not specific health advice. Seek professional assistance for your individual circumstances."
1. Slow Down Your Tempo
By slowing down your repetitions, this will increase your 'time under tension' - which helps to increase your strength. Start by slowing down your eccentric (lowering/down phase of a weight) phrase to at least 3 seconds.
2. Pause
Add a pause in the middle of an exercise - between the eccentric and concentric phases - (up and down movements) to boost your strength and power.
3. Reduce Your Stability
The less stability you have, the harder your body has to work. Think of a lunge. Now think of a lunge with your back foot on bosu ball /something unstable. Or a plank, but with your forearms are on a Swiss ball.
4. Widen Your Grip
You can make many exercises harder by simply spreading your hands wider than normal. This reduces the leverage of your arms in each exercise, putting more emphasis on your upper body.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add onion and leek and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
Add garlic and spices and cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
Add pumpkin, potato and stock and bring to the boil.
Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then blend in batches (do NOT blend a hot liquid).
Return soup to pan, stir through cream and reheat gently. Season and add a little more nutmeg if desired.
