So I'm officially teaching a new class every week at the Pilates Dynamic Fitness center on Queen Street. I'm stoked about this new opportunity and am hoping it will open more doors for me in the weeks/months to come. The class is a total body conditioning class, which is what I teach at The Spa, so it's great!
If you like working out in a group setting, definitely check out what classes are available near you. The only thing you need to be weary of is that in a class setting the instructor can't have their eyes on you all of the time. Many people who don't know proper technique won't see benefits as quickly when participating in group exercise programs like they would on their own with a trainer. In saying that, once you've learned to execute proper form and technique, you will see a big difference in the intensity of group workouts because you're doing it right!
Today I'm traveling to Moncton for a CanFit-Pro conference! I'm going to be learning lots of new material and can't wait to try it out on my clients and class participants :) There probably won't be any tip of the day tomorrow since I'll be away, but if I'm not too exhausted when I get back tomorrow night I'll try to post something!
Enjoy your weekend everybody!
Saturday, March 28
Friday, March 27
More Ways Than Four
There are four primary components of fitness: flexibility, cardiovascular capacity, muscularity capacity, and body composition. These are considered to be the first and most important areas to assess for physical health and fitness, but they are not the only components that we need to focus on training.
Secondary components of fitness, also known as components for performance based fitness, are important for daily function. They include balance, coordination, power, agility, reaction time, speed, and mental capability. An athletes level of success depends widely on how well their secondary components are developed, but these are areas that are important to develop for the average joe as well.
Including performance based exercises in your workout program will make your workouts more intense and efficient and increase your overall level of health and physical fitness. You can add primary and secondary components together to increase intensity and save time. Perhaps move slower or faster through your reps, or preform a series of exercises together, perhaps an upper body and a lower body exercise, to improve your coordination. Challenge your balance by standing on one leg or sitting on a stability ball while doing a shoulder press, or change a squat to a squat jump to create an explosive movement, improving your power component.
There are many ways to add variety and enjoyment to your exercise program. Spice things up by focusing on all areas of fitness and you'll never be bored!
Secondary components of fitness, also known as components for performance based fitness, are important for daily function. They include balance, coordination, power, agility, reaction time, speed, and mental capability. An athletes level of success depends widely on how well their secondary components are developed, but these are areas that are important to develop for the average joe as well.
Including performance based exercises in your workout program will make your workouts more intense and efficient and increase your overall level of health and physical fitness. You can add primary and secondary components together to increase intensity and save time. Perhaps move slower or faster through your reps, or preform a series of exercises together, perhaps an upper body and a lower body exercise, to improve your coordination. Challenge your balance by standing on one leg or sitting on a stability ball while doing a shoulder press, or change a squat to a squat jump to create an explosive movement, improving your power component.
There are many ways to add variety and enjoyment to your exercise program. Spice things up by focusing on all areas of fitness and you'll never be bored!
Thursday, March 26
Belly Business
If you haven't learned that belly fat is the most dangerous, you need to read this entry. I've copied the information below directly from the RealAge website.
The fat you don’t see is the most dangerous. The soft, superficial stuff that ripples your thighs and tummy may be a bikini spoiler, but if you can pinch it, it probably won’t kill you. However, if you have a solid “beer belly" . . . well, you’re likely headed for more trouble than a politician hooked up to a polygraph. That’s because too much deep fat churns out supersize amounts of hormones and proteins, which can lead to big hazards. Among them: lousy LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels; high blood sugar and blood pressure; insulin resistance; and widespread inflammation. All are instigators of many diseases -- including dementia, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But often you can get a “do over,” and it doesn’t take that long and isn’t that hard, if you know what you’re doing. So don’t stop reading!
First, don’t rely on your scale. As you start to reduce risky belly fat, your weight may temporarily go up. So ditch the scale in favor of the tape measure. If you’re a woman, your waist should be 32.5 inches; if you’re a man, 35 inches. Creep past 37 inches for women or 40 for men, and the health dangers increase.
If you're in a panic, don't worry, it's not too late to make a u-turn and start heading in the other direction. Start by walking 30 minutes every single day. No excuses! Your life depends on it. Walking will also relieve stress, and, believe it or not, stress makes you fat. So, kill two birds with one stone and get out for a walk when you finish reading this blog. Once you've been walking for about a month, you're ready to hire a trainer for some professional help with designing a workout program tailored to your needs.
Stay off the scale, get a tape measure, go for a walk, and relax! There's more to it than that, but that's the best place to start.
The fat you don’t see is the most dangerous. The soft, superficial stuff that ripples your thighs and tummy may be a bikini spoiler, but if you can pinch it, it probably won’t kill you. However, if you have a solid “beer belly" . . . well, you’re likely headed for more trouble than a politician hooked up to a polygraph. That’s because too much deep fat churns out supersize amounts of hormones and proteins, which can lead to big hazards. Among them: lousy LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels; high blood sugar and blood pressure; insulin resistance; and widespread inflammation. All are instigators of many diseases -- including dementia, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But often you can get a “do over,” and it doesn’t take that long and isn’t that hard, if you know what you’re doing. So don’t stop reading!
First, don’t rely on your scale. As you start to reduce risky belly fat, your weight may temporarily go up. So ditch the scale in favor of the tape measure. If you’re a woman, your waist should be 32.5 inches; if you’re a man, 35 inches. Creep past 37 inches for women or 40 for men, and the health dangers increase.
If you're in a panic, don't worry, it's not too late to make a u-turn and start heading in the other direction. Start by walking 30 minutes every single day. No excuses! Your life depends on it. Walking will also relieve stress, and, believe it or not, stress makes you fat. So, kill two birds with one stone and get out for a walk when you finish reading this blog. Once you've been walking for about a month, you're ready to hire a trainer for some professional help with designing a workout program tailored to your needs.
Stay off the scale, get a tape measure, go for a walk, and relax! There's more to it than that, but that's the best place to start.
Wednesday, March 25
The Biggest Loser
I watched The Biggest Loser yesterday and was mortified. I can't believe the things they were having these people do! I mean, I know it's reality TV and you need to make it entertaining, but from what I've seen and from discussions I've had with other fitness professionals, it's practically a crime!
If you're a fan of the show, please understand that what you're seeing is there for your entertainment and should not be what you should strive for in your own weight loss endeavors.
If you think a trainer will act the same way and treat you the same way the trainers on the show treat the contestants the majority of the time, chances are you'd be surprised. I mean, certainly there are trainers out there who will scream and yell at you, make you cry and feel like shit, work you to a point where you're at a high risk for injury, but not care because all they're thinking about are the calories you're burning...but, the majority of trainers know better.
I was informed by another trainer that Jillian, the female trainer on the show, actually made a 400lb man run, not walk or jog- run, with her on his back!! This is a man who, I'm sure, would be close to reaching his 90% heart rate max walking up the stairs! And how degrading, he's not a horse! If you want the man to run with extra weight, put a backpack on him and stay the hell off him! What was she thinking?
I know there are doctor's monitoring the contestants, but I'd truly love to know what goes on behind the cameras. Is what I see that's so alarming only happening while the cameras are on them for a few minutes, and then the "doctors" intervene? Like, seriously? I know I'm still new to the industry, but I've had a lot of education on the matter, the newest and most current education, and I've spoken to many professionals who have been in the industry for as long as I've been alive. The show, from what I've seen and what I know, is unrealistic and unsafe.
The weight loss they experience is way too fast. What a shock to the friggen body! You eat yourself to death and abuse your body for years, gain a ton of weight, and then get on a show where they DRASTICALLY reduce your calories (far below what is healthy, especially to sustain them through exercise) and then start you on a daily workout regime that's more intense than the average "fit" person would endure in a week! I'm all for supporting anything that encourages weight loss and healthy living, but this show is not teaching the average person how to lose weight and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle in a safe and effective way. Yesterday they had the contestants pulling cars behind them on a race track!!
Sorry, I get all fired up about this stuff sometimes. It's upsetting because the people we train (in the real world!) that work their butts off and are doing fantastic, don't feel as proud as they should because they're not dropping weight like the people on the show.
It's not realistic, it's unsafe, and it's frustrating as hell to any good trainer who has to try to convince the people they're working to help that they're on the right track.
OK, that's my opinion on the matter. Thanks for letting me rant :-P
If you're a fan of the show, please understand that what you're seeing is there for your entertainment and should not be what you should strive for in your own weight loss endeavors.
If you think a trainer will act the same way and treat you the same way the trainers on the show treat the contestants the majority of the time, chances are you'd be surprised. I mean, certainly there are trainers out there who will scream and yell at you, make you cry and feel like shit, work you to a point where you're at a high risk for injury, but not care because all they're thinking about are the calories you're burning...but, the majority of trainers know better.
I was informed by another trainer that Jillian, the female trainer on the show, actually made a 400lb man run, not walk or jog- run, with her on his back!! This is a man who, I'm sure, would be close to reaching his 90% heart rate max walking up the stairs! And how degrading, he's not a horse! If you want the man to run with extra weight, put a backpack on him and stay the hell off him! What was she thinking?
I know there are doctor's monitoring the contestants, but I'd truly love to know what goes on behind the cameras. Is what I see that's so alarming only happening while the cameras are on them for a few minutes, and then the "doctors" intervene? Like, seriously? I know I'm still new to the industry, but I've had a lot of education on the matter, the newest and most current education, and I've spoken to many professionals who have been in the industry for as long as I've been alive. The show, from what I've seen and what I know, is unrealistic and unsafe.
The weight loss they experience is way too fast. What a shock to the friggen body! You eat yourself to death and abuse your body for years, gain a ton of weight, and then get on a show where they DRASTICALLY reduce your calories (far below what is healthy, especially to sustain them through exercise) and then start you on a daily workout regime that's more intense than the average "fit" person would endure in a week! I'm all for supporting anything that encourages weight loss and healthy living, but this show is not teaching the average person how to lose weight and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle in a safe and effective way. Yesterday they had the contestants pulling cars behind them on a race track!!
Sorry, I get all fired up about this stuff sometimes. It's upsetting because the people we train (in the real world!) that work their butts off and are doing fantastic, don't feel as proud as they should because they're not dropping weight like the people on the show.
It's not realistic, it's unsafe, and it's frustrating as hell to any good trainer who has to try to convince the people they're working to help that they're on the right track.
OK, that's my opinion on the matter. Thanks for letting me rant :-P
Tuesday, March 24
You Snooze, You Lose (weight that is)!
We all know how important it is to get a good 8 hours of sleep a night, but did you know that it can help with weight loss?
People that get a good 8-8.5 hours of sleep were shown to snack less throughout the day than people who only got about 5-5.5 hours of sleep. The more sleep deprived group didn't end up eating larger meals, but they snacked more throughout the day, and mainly on high-carb foods late in the evening.
It was estimated that a good night's rest can reduce your intake of calories by about 220 calories a day!
So, if you're trying to watch your diet in an effort to lose weight, hit the sack earlier and get a well deserved rest.
PS: I'm giving you two tips today since I missed yesterday!
People that get a good 8-8.5 hours of sleep were shown to snack less throughout the day than people who only got about 5-5.5 hours of sleep. The more sleep deprived group didn't end up eating larger meals, but they snacked more throughout the day, and mainly on high-carb foods late in the evening.
It was estimated that a good night's rest can reduce your intake of calories by about 220 calories a day!
So, if you're trying to watch your diet in an effort to lose weight, hit the sack earlier and get a well deserved rest.
PS: I'm giving you two tips today since I missed yesterday!
Delicious AND Good for the Heart!
Wondering what to have for supper today? Think Mediterranean!
The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oils, vegetables, nuts, fruit, cereal, legumes and fish, is now proving to significantly reduce your chances of getting diabetes. This super healthy, and delicious, diet can also reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's by up to 40!
So, take a look online for some Mediterranean recipes and get inspired to make a heart-healthy dinner for yourself and your family.
:)
The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oils, vegetables, nuts, fruit, cereal, legumes and fish, is now proving to significantly reduce your chances of getting diabetes. This super healthy, and delicious, diet can also reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's by up to 40!
So, take a look online for some Mediterranean recipes and get inspired to make a heart-healthy dinner for yourself and your family.
:)
Sunday, March 22
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can
If you're working out the way you should be, the last few reps of your set should be hard during strength training and hard during the intense portion of your cardio. So, how do you keep pushing yourself to do more when you want to quit? I find that using visualization and self-talk does the trick.
Mind over matter needs to be practiced a lot during training so that when your body wants to quit, you can find it in you to give that extra push. Have some way to will your body to do what it needs to, within reason of course. Maybe visualizing what you want your body to look like will help motivate you, or picturing a specific part on your body that you want to tone and think to yourself "I need to do this if I want to change".
I sometimes visualize the muscles I'm working actually getting more defined, or the jiggly areas becoming less jiggly! I repeat to myself- "I'm strong and getting stronger" when I'm feeling weak and don't think I can continue. During cardio, when exhaustion starts to kick in, I find that picturing my heart getting bigger and stronger with every beat can keep me going. By taking the time to think about how much good I'm doing, I find it really helps me continue and accomplish what I started. But, it can be hard to take the time to think about these things when the burning and exhaustion sets in.
All of our bodies love to exercise, they're designed to! The body wants to be more efficient, strong, and healthy and in order for our bodies to achieve this desired state, our mind's also need to be efficient, strong, and healthy. The mind is a part of you that needs to be exercised like everything else!
When your body gets exhausted and calls on your brain to pick up the slack, your mind has to be powerful enough to rise to the challenge! Practice healthy self-talk and positive reinforcement. Take time every workout to think about how much healthier you're making yourself. Make your brain work! Force it to become efficient enough to give you will power on demand and precisely when you need it, train it to be strong enough to compete against any amount of stress you're enduring, and teach it be healthy enough to keep you feeling happy, energized, and excited for the next workout!
Mind over matter needs to be practiced a lot during training so that when your body wants to quit, you can find it in you to give that extra push. Have some way to will your body to do what it needs to, within reason of course. Maybe visualizing what you want your body to look like will help motivate you, or picturing a specific part on your body that you want to tone and think to yourself "I need to do this if I want to change".
I sometimes visualize the muscles I'm working actually getting more defined, or the jiggly areas becoming less jiggly! I repeat to myself- "I'm strong and getting stronger" when I'm feeling weak and don't think I can continue. During cardio, when exhaustion starts to kick in, I find that picturing my heart getting bigger and stronger with every beat can keep me going. By taking the time to think about how much good I'm doing, I find it really helps me continue and accomplish what I started. But, it can be hard to take the time to think about these things when the burning and exhaustion sets in.
All of our bodies love to exercise, they're designed to! The body wants to be more efficient, strong, and healthy and in order for our bodies to achieve this desired state, our mind's also need to be efficient, strong, and healthy. The mind is a part of you that needs to be exercised like everything else!
When your body gets exhausted and calls on your brain to pick up the slack, your mind has to be powerful enough to rise to the challenge! Practice healthy self-talk and positive reinforcement. Take time every workout to think about how much healthier you're making yourself. Make your brain work! Force it to become efficient enough to give you will power on demand and precisely when you need it, train it to be strong enough to compete against any amount of stress you're enduring, and teach it be healthy enough to keep you feeling happy, energized, and excited for the next workout!
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