You Need to Eat!

If any of you know me, you've probably heard me say that your diet counts for 70% of your health, which is a huge chunk! That means you could go to the gym every week, working vigorously to achieve that sexy body you've always wanted, and it'll only count for 30% of your success!! What you eat matters, big time. So, what do you eat?

First of all we need to understand that the body works at its best when it's given "fuel" or "food" at regular intervals throughout the day- every 2-3 hours to be exact! Going any longer without feeding your body and your metabolism will slow down. This is your body's survival mode! If you cause your body to think it's starving it won't burn calories the way you want it to. So, keep your metabolism fired up and on "burn" mode by eating 6x each day- 3 small meals and 3 snacks! Each meal should be made up of 3-4 food groups, and each snack should be made up of 2 to ensure proper nutrition.

Below I have copied what I typically eat during the day. Hopefully it will give you some ideas! Don't feel that you have to eat what I eat, because we're all different and require different amounts of proteins and carbs based on our sex, activity level, and fitness goals. Instead try some new things on your own and let me know how you make out! It may seem like a lot of work, or a lot of food, but once you get use to it, your body will LOVE you for it! Not only will it stay in a calorie-burning mode, but you will also keep your blood sugar levels in check which will prevent sluggish feelings during the day.

Breakfast:
One poached egg and 2 pieces of toast (Sobey's low-sodium whole wheat bread) with decaf green tea or water, and a banana or apple. I usually put a little bit of Becel on the toast.

Snack #1:
Couple handfuls of baby carrots and a small amount of hummus

Lunch:
One Dempster's whole grain bagel (or whole wheat pita bread) with hummus, romaine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and low fat Armstrong cheddar cheese

or

Chicken breast sandwich on low-sodium whole wheat bread, with Our Compliments whipped dressing, chopped walnuts or almonds, low-fat Our Compliments Havarti cheese, sliced pear, alfalfa sprouts, and romaine lettuce

and water!

Snack #2:
Apple and yogurt and water

Supper:
Baked chicken breast topped with Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy seasoning (and occasionally VH Spicy Thai Chili sauce! YUM! But don't use a lot, because it's not the healthiest *wink*), brown rice, and some steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots and a glass of water

Snack #3:
small bowl of popcorn (air-popped or "100 calorie" type)

So, hopefully that will give you some meal ideas or snack options! That's not what I have every day, but it's pretty typical! Sometimes if I know I'm going to have a heavy supper, I'll have just 1 piece of toast with breakfast, or will opt for the pita bread instead of the bagel (less carbs) for lunch. Or if I know I'm going to land at Beanz between classes and won't be able to resist their healthy/organic granola nut and fruit bars, I'll have have less carbs with my next meal. It's all about a little give and take! And you don't have to kill yourself thinking about it! All you have to do is eat mostly fruit and veggies, and eat often. If you're working out you'll need to make extra sure that you're getting good quality carbs and proteins at every meal and snack. Carbs will give you energy, and protein will help with muscle repair and recovery.

I hope you found some of this information useful! Try keeping a food journal on your own and it will help you keep on track and stay accountable! It will help you find clues to your successes and failures when it comes to achieving your fitness goals as well! If you notice on a particular day you're feeling to fatigued to do your workout, take a look at your food journal to see if it's something to do with what you had, or didn't have, to eat. Or if you feel really good and are noticing a difference in your energy level during your workout, pay attention to how you ate that day and repeat it! Also, if you feel sick after eating on occasion, your food journal can help pin-point any potential food allergies.

Let me know how you make out :)

Between Strength Training

Strength training is a key component in achieving any fitness goal! It's crucial to our health and fitness because it helps make our bones and joints strong, helps us develop muscle which burns more calories at rest than fat, and helps us to have more endurance/stamina when participating in daily activities; the list goes on! However, too much of anything can be hazardous to our health! We shouldn't lift weights or do resistance training for the same muscle groups on consecutive days, as we need the rest to allow our muscles to repair and build up stronger! So, what do we do on our "off" days?

In between days where you use weights or any other type of resistance training, you should stick to cardiovascular exercise like biking, jogging, swimming, walking, or even dancing! These types of activities will allow your muscles to repair from the strength training you did the day before, while still letting you burn some calories and keep active! Unless you're training for a specific type of event or race, there's no reason why you would need to spend more than 30 minutes doing this type of exercise (not including warm-up/cool-down). You're better off to go harder than longer as it's more time effective and you'll burn the same amount of calories.

One of my favorite cardio drills is to walk for 1 minute, jog at a moderate pace for 2 minutes, and then go all out for 1 minute! Intervals are a great way to burn lots of calories and increase the strength of your heart and lungs. If you're brand-new to exercise, you can repeat the intervals 4x and add 1 interval each week to a max of 8-10 intervals. Make sure you do a proper 5 minute warm-up and cool-down, and stretch!! The warm-up and cool-down/stretch are just as important as the cardio work itself, so don't leave it out!

The weather outside is getting nicer each week, so start getting out to enjoy it while working your way to a healthier body and mind!

I offer cardio classes on Saturdays at Peakes for only $5! Email me if you'd like to be on the mailing list for the class :) embodybia@gmail.com

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Final Information for Outdoor Fit Camp!

My outdoor Fit Camp starts in less than a week! I'm so excited :) Classes will be held downtown at Peakes in the centre of the oval track; talk about a beautiful location! Your first day of classes will be reserved for registration and our fit test/assessment, and you can get measurements done then too, if you'd like.

The schedule is:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday- 6:15am, noon, 4:30pm, and 5:30pm
Tuesday, Thursday- 5:15pm
Saturday- 9am
+Cardio class on Saturday- 10:15am

I'm also now offering two fantastic package options!

Package A for $275 Includes: 24 Fit Camp Classes + cardio class (32 classes total), healthy cooking class, grocery shopping tour, 5k race, newsletters, discount on July's Fit Camp Session

Package B for $240 Includes: 24 Fit Camp classes, newsletters, discount on July's Fit Camp Session.

Register today by calling 367-4929 or email embodybia@gmail.com

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Well, I was hoping to have two great locations for my upcoming Fit Camp session, but it looks like I will be unable to do any classes in Stratford for the time-being. The Town of Stratford is not easy to get permission from, apparently, so all my classes will be held downtown at Peakes! This location will be fantastic, so don't be disappointed! With a large gazebo to shelter us from rain, a circular track to do various drills on, a beautiful view, and a gorgeous boardwalk, this location promises to have endless possibilities for fun and dynamic workouts, and a comfortable atmosphere to do them in!

Time is running out and space is limited! Call or email me today to reserve your spot :) Remember, spouses can sign-up at half price, and I'm offering classes tomorrow (Monday, April 25th) and Wednesday (April 27th) at 6:30am, noon, and 5pm for $10 at St. Paul's Church Hall if you want to try it out!

Happy Easter, everyone!

New Promotion!

Working out with your significant other can really enhance your workout experience, as well as your relationship! It's great to see your partner taking care of their body, and to show them that you're taking care of yours. It also helps you work on a common goal- to unite toward building a healthier lifestyle for yourselves, and for your family. I want to help you achieve this! So, I'm happy to announce that if you sign-up for the full Fit Camp in May, you can also sign-up your spouse for half price! Now, if your schedules differ, or if you have small kids and one has to stay home to watch them while the other does class, that's okay, you don't have to take the same classes in order for the deal to apply.

I want families to bond together by making healthy life choices! Although you may not be able to do your workouts together, you'll be able to talk about your experiences, challenges, and victories together; knowing you're going through the same butt-kicking will connect you on a whole new level!

Also, I'd love to invite you to come try out my classes on the 25th or 27th of this month to see what they're all about! These specific classes will be indoors at St. Paul's Church Hall on Prince Street. Classes on these days will run at 6:30am, noon, and 5pm. The cost is $10 and all are welcome to attend! So, bring your spouse, your friend, your family member, or coworker, and get ready to sweat :)

Email me at embodybia@gmail.com or call 367-4929 if you have any questions or concerns!

Outdoor Fit Camp!!

Starting May 2nd, I'm going to be offering an 8-week Fit Camp session in the great and beautiful outdoors! Training outside has so many benefits and I can't wait to get you out to discover them all!

In my Fit Camps, I focus on high-quality training and put your safety first. You can feel confident that if you sign-up for this program you will not be lost in a crowd, and you will get the attention you deserve! I strive to help each person I train adopt a healthy and maintainable lifestyle. I will help you set realistic goals and will help you learn how to make exercise and healthy eating a regular part of your day!

Now, the workouts are tough. I've never been called an "easy" trainer, but it has to be hard if it's going to be effective. In saying that, I don't push hard without a purpose and you'll never be pushed beyond your limits (which can lead to injury and disappointment). I use my education and experience to provide you with sensible, efficient, and effective workout classes. Every class is different and we use various types of equipment to achieve a total body workout! You will never get bored, that's for sure!

Registration for this program is $275 and you'll get: 24 exercise classes, my jog-training/cardio class on Saturday mornings, a fit test at the beginning and end of the 8 weeks, a healthy cooking class and grocery shopping tour with a registered dietitian, newsletters, a 5km race at the end of the program, discount on July's Fit Camp, and more!

Classes will be held downtown at the Confederation Landing Park (Peakes- center of the oval track) as well as in Stratford along the Bunbury Road by the Cotton Centre. You have the ability to attend any three classes a week that suit your schedule, and can move around between the different days, times, and locations as often as you need to in order to make up your 24 classes. The schedule is:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday- 6:15am (Peakes or Stratford- decision will be made by demand), noon (Peakes), 4:30pm (Peakes), and 5:30pm (Peakes)

Tuesday, Thursday- 4:15pm (Stratford), 5:15pm (Stratford)

Saturday- 9am (Stratford) + 10:15am jog-training/cardio class (free to all Fit Campers, $5 for outsiders)

If you are unable to attend 3x/week, I do accept 1-2 day/week registration as well, but strongly encourage 3x/week for optimal results. Some perks may not be included for 1 or 2 day/week registration. Contact me for details.

Classes fill up quickly so please message me at embodybia@gmail.com or call 367-4929 to sign-up! This is your chance to achieve your goals and become a fitter, healthier, and happier you! Let me help you realize that you're worth it :)

Today!

I know it's short notice, but I wanted to mention that there is a 2.5 and 5k run/walk this evening hosted by the Running Room at 6pm! All are welcome and all proceeds are going to the IWK! I would love to attend myself, but I'm teaching a class until 6:30pm and won't be able to, but if you're free you should check it out! John Stanton will be there handing out prizes and giving out medals to those who participate! If you don't know who John Stanton is, well he's a best-selling Canadian author (books on running) and the founder of the Running Room :)

This is a great cause and an excellent way to get out for some exercise!

Enjoy yourself!