Meet our latest Local Love the super dynamic, charismatic and gorgeous Tiffany Hall. You may know her from her role in the revival of Gladiators, or her time on the Biggest Loser or Channel Tens The Living Room, you may have one of her eight published books, or wear her active wear collaboration with Fila. What you might not know is that this unbelievable talent has now launched an online, accessible health and wellbeing programme. Here we ask Tiff to introduce herself and to tell us all about her incredible new programme TIFFXO, why she decided to start it and how she keeps her energy up to stay on top of everything she does!
Tell us a little about who you are and your journey towards wellness…
I’m Tiff, pleasure to e-meet you all! I’m an author of 8 books (fiction and non-fiction), a trainer, a 6th Dan black belt Taekwondo and MMA expert and founder of online weight loss, health and fitness program TIFFXO.COM which is currently training more than 16,000 people around Australia. I also have my own activewear line Tiffiny Hall for Fila exclusively available in Harris Scarfe! I’ve worked in TV for years from Gladiators to a Logie-nominated winning trainer on The Biggest Loser, to my current role as the health and fitness expert on The Living Room. I’ve been hard core as a boot camp instructor and Biggest Loser Trainer, those were the days I could help someone lose 14kg in 10 days. But now my focus is all about sustainable, holistic health. Training the mind just as much as the body. TIFFXO has is 20 years of my experience as a trainer all rolled up into one tight cute little package. It has all my tips for fast effective results as well as a big focus on mindfulness, giving yourself a break and an XO.
Why did you choose to create TiffXO?
I’m an internationally recognised 6th Dan black belt in Taekwondo which is one of the highest qualifications you can have for my age. I have more than 20 years experience working with every kind of body, mindset and attitude. I’m a PT too with special qualifications in boxing and MMA. I’ve been a trainer for years of The Biggest Loser, trained celebrities, written health books, I had all this expertise and knowledge but I didn’t know how to reach more than one person at a time. TV I was training a team, but I couldn’t train the viewers at home, my books could only do so much without me being there.
So when I met my business partners who specialise in digital marketing and building online programs, all of a sudden I had a platform for my training system to go national and international. It was a culmination of 25 years of perfecting a fun training method based on mixed martial arts that anyone can do with any level of fitness. The difference between my online health and wellness program and others out there is that I wanted to keep it personal. So I present every workout video to you, at home. I coach you personally, take you through modifications, HIIT and toning workouts and yoga. I didn’t want to offer a library of exercises. I wanted to coach. This extends to our Facebook community where I host live workouts, post daily motivational tips, exercises stretches. I get to know many of my members by name whereas on many other programs you can feel like a lost number and never see your trainer.
I really love working with people, so it was important to me that TIFFXO did that in every way. The philosophy behind the TIFFXO program is to keep it personal, help my members to feel connected and to focus on feeling great to look good – not the other way around. The philosophy of self-love and self-respect is one born of my martial arts training and something I grew up with, learning from my parents who are both martial arts instructors and run a large Taekwondo school, Hall’s Taekwondo, in Melbourne. I had watched my parents give others the gift of confidence all my life and it was something ingrained in me, I wanted to pay it forward.
What do you want TiffXO members to take away from the programme?
I want them to feel empowered. I call my members Ninjas. Being Ninja is all about loving yourself and believing in yourself. It’s not about deprivation or punishment – as many diets and exercise regimes can steal our power. So I really want my members to learn to embrace the XO, giving themselves a kiss and hug instead of hating themselves skinny or healthy as many of us do. Being self-critical and judgmental is not sustainable. But self-love is. Celebrating small wins, non-scale victories, focusing on the FIT, not the FAT will pull them away from the damaging ALL OR NOTHING attitude that sees us start a diet and exercise regime with fervour but at the slightest slip-up or life hurdle we pack it in and binge, or do nothing, or self-sabotage. Life is hectic, it likes to interrupt your health and fitness goals every now and again so you have to be flexible, and TIFFXO will teach you to run with a detour but not get derailed, to reset and give yourself a break.
TIFFXO is fun, and all about being happy fit, in mind and body.
Happiness has to be key, absolutely staying in the moment, not waiting to be happy when you achieve this or achieve that. Worry about tomorrow or looking to the future can bring anxiety, so as they say happiness is an inside job and all I ask of my members is that they take 20 minutes out of their day to press play on a Tiff video and be in the moment, to bring their focus to themselves and give themselves that reward of good energy and me time.
Growing up how did your Taekwondo practice frame your confidence and your approach to health and wellness?
I grew up with parents who are black belt Taekwondo instructors and run the largest Taekwondo school in Australia that recently was awarded the number one training facility in the world by the World Taekwondo Federation in Korea. My father was an Olympic coach for the sport, coaching Lauren Burns to Gold in 2000 and my mum was one of the first chicks to earn her black belt in Australia. So martial arts was all I knew growing up, and exercise was never about burning calories or to look good in a photo. It was only about self respect and feeling good. Tae kwon do in Korean means Foot Fist Art. Sure, you use your hands and feet in dynamic ways to increase physical fitness and conditioning, but the ART part was what my parents focused on. They taught me to approach health as a practice. It’s something you have to cultivate every single day. Not just for one week, or a 12-week stint, it’s daily. White belts don’t become black belts over night. They are simply black belts who never gave up. We live in an age of instant gratification and I’ve heard it all – the quick fixes and false promises in the health and weight loss space make my blood boil. The faster the results, the faster the bounce back. We can’t expect to change our bodies and our habits without changing our lifestyle, so I created TIFFXO to be a lifestyle and a practice. Small steps. Inch pebbles, not milestones.
What do the words Satisfied, Strong and Supported mean to you, and why are they important to your programme?
Satisfaction – results, accomplishment and enjoyment of food and exercise are key. If you’re not seeing results then there’s something wrong. My members drop large amounts of weight, fit into skinny jeans, slip their wedding rings back on their fingers after years of the rings not fitting, they find the dream wedding dress. But none of these results will happen without a sense of satisfaction that comes from loving the workouts and the food.
Strong – I want to shift the focus from ‘losing FAT’ to ‘becoming FIT’. If you focus on beating your reps of squats each time instead of how many calories you burn I promise you’ll see better results. I like my members to try to get faster at boxing, nail a V snap sit-up, hold a plank for a record time or learn a new kick. This makes them feel strong and powerful rather than standing on the scales or counting calories which can make you feel disempowered and even if you do a great job, let’s face it when it comes to the scales or calorie burn, we’re never ever happy.
Supported – you will fail on any new habit, lifestyle, fitness change without support. TIFFXO differs from many programmes out there because it has a vibrant positive private FB community of over 8,000 driven members who post everything from their TIFFXO cooking tips, to work out wins, to non-scale victories. Any questions, any lag in motivation you jump into the community and are embraced by like-minded people experiencing the same highs and lows as you. The community is moderated by my team 24/7 answering all your questions, and I’m in there every single day posting motivational tips, hosting live workouts, rehab and stretching tips as well as answering all your questions. Staying motivated is such a vital part of changing your body and mind, so we offer world class support.
For our Twosix Corporate members why is TiffXO perfect for them and their hectic schedules?
It’s a 20-minute workout a day. 20 minutes is less than 4% of your day. We also offer a 5-minute workout option that can be added to the 20 minutes for an added blast or done on its own. Perfect for time poor corporates. Plus you can do in the comfort of your own home late at night or early in the morning, so no need to dress for the gym, find a car park, organise child care. And you can even do it on a lunch break, quick change at the office, grab a colleague and go for it.
Can you share what with our readers what mindfulness means to you? And a little about how you incorporate it into your everyday?
Simply, mindfulness means checking in with your thoughts and feelings regularly. It doesn’t have to mean carving out an hour to meditate. It can be as simple as sipping a cup of tea and setting an intention. I call it meditation in action, simply checking in with thoughts and feelings and listening to your body. Self-awareness can go a long way. For example, many people overeat when they’re stressed, tired, or upset. Simply checking in with feelings and asking yourself “Am I hungry, or am I hurting?” can be a great start. Mindfulness when eating is important as well as exercising and being in your body to focus on the muscles you’re working to avoid injury.
With everything that you have on the go – multiple businesses, impending motherhood, and everything in between, how do you keep your energy up to stay on top of everything?
Everyone is busy, but it’s about keeping your priorities straight. They shift as your life changes. So right now it’s all about nurturing bubs and looking after myself. I’ve dialled back my intensity and I’m doing pilates instead of running. I’m still doing TIFFXO but I’m choosing low impact modifications and usually only training to Level 1 or 2. I’m trying not to eat for two (although it’s hard!) I’m trying to double the nutrition instead so I have energy and I’m practising the self-love. Only doing what I can do and take the pressure off. Energy comes from food, exercise and sleep. So keeping it pretty simple.
What mindful advice can you give to mums-to-be who are worried about how they look pregnant?
Gosh. Don’t worry about looks at all. We are hostage to powerful hormones who steal your muscle tone and swell things you never knew could swell. But at the end of the day, you’re pregnant! Your body is doing an amazingly wonderful thing. So don’t focus on what you look like or what you can no longer do. Change your routine, set new goals and embrace a different way of movement. I miss my Taekwondo and running, but now I’ve set goals to strengthen my core and pelvic floor for delivery and I’m enjoying this along with walking and gentle TIFFXO. I think pregnant women are sexy and strong. You have more blood volume, more lung capacity, a higher heart rate, your muscles change and strength to hold the extra weight. Sure! You’re bigger, but you’re a stronger machine for carrying bubs and I think that’s worth celebrating the curves. Plus, it all changes after the baby arrives and you can have your strongest, fittest body after child birth.
And lastly, Can you share with us your favourite simple/ go-to dinner recipe from the programme?
I’m loving our deconstructed bowls on TIFFXO – the Lamb Souvlaki Bowl is a favourite at the moment because it sounds a little bit naughty but full of flavour and deliciousness without the heavy carbs!
Quick Questions…
After work, I like to…Play my piano to de-stress.
Happiness is…Every moment with my hubby Ed Kavalee
What makes me laugh…My husband Ed, being a professional comedian he’s pretty good at it too!
Favourite Disney character? Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
I like my coffee with…Jaffa Energy Bites (one of my favourite TIFFXO snacks you can bulk prepare on weekends for grab and go moments during the week).
Favourite Instagrammer at the moment…Zoe Foster Blake – the ultimate cool girl.
If I were a vegetable I would be…A sweet potato. A vegetable that makes people feel good, can be a health food but also fun as chips or wedges or mash.
Who do you want to be when you grow up? A Power Ranger!!!!! Nah, in all honesty, I’d be stoked to continue to grow TIFFXO and make people feel good. I’m where I’m meant to be, it’s my mission.
Strange Indulgence? Right now pregnant? I’m craving sausage rolls with tomato sauce!
Tomorrow I will…There’s always a tomorrow, and then that day never comes. I’m all about living in the moment and doing what makes me happy today.
Join TIFFXO now www.tiffxo.com
I: @tiffhall_xo
F: @tiffhallxo
