Yet Another Note On Breakfast ;)

I have to say that I LOVE when people ask questions or bring up a myth that I haven't yet had the chance to rebut.


Today's topic is inspired by a question posed by one of my readers on the entry I wrote- New Fav Cereal!. The reader mentioned that she'd been told protein was the most important thing to have for breakfast, and that eating carbs would be like eating cake. I can assure you that this is incorrect.

It is a good idea to have protein for breakfast, but carbs are very important to include as well! Carbohydrates are brain food, NOT protein. Protein is mainly used to repair muscle tissue, whereas carbohydrates are our bodies #1 source of energy. It's what's going to get your systems fired up in the morning and give you that energy to stay awake.

Carbohydrates are usually what people start to cut back on when dieting to lose weight, so it's easy to start believing that they make you fat. On the contrary, carbohydrates are a key component to a healthy diet that's also sustainable for weight loss.

Now, there are types of carbohydrates that are not good for you and should be limited in your diet. Foods like white bread, white pasta, pastries, cakes, candies, beer, etc. should not be a part of your regular eating regime. Make sure the carbs you're choosing are not empty calories but are instead rich in vitamins/minerals, made of whole grains, and if you can go for organic- do so.

The truth is that protein, carbs, and fats come in healthy and unhealthy varieties. This is why cutting out all fats, or all carbs, or all proteins, just doesn't work in our favor. Diets that tell you to cut out any of these may work temporarily, but I promise you, I guarantee you, any weight you lose will come back and likely more weight will come with it.

So, unless you have intolerances to mixing certain types of foods together, your best bet for breakfast would be to have a mix of carbs, protein, and fat. Think: a bowl of cereal with some slivered almonds and fruit, or an egg on toast with a fruit salad on the side and a glass of milk.

Let me know if there's anything else you guys want to know :)

Staying Home!

Ok, so it's decided, I'm staying home. I was, for awhile, considering a move to Halifax to work there and continue my education and experience as a trainer and instructor. After much consideration, I've committed to stay on PEI and work full-time with the Spa Total Fitness Center in the Charlottetown mall.

I'll be teaching classes and, of course, doing personal training and small group/partner training. I'll be traveling to Halifax once a month (or so) to continue my education through workshops offered by CanFit-Pro. I'm curious to know what kind of classes people are interested in taking so that I know what types of workshops I should concentrate on participating in. Send me an email at embodybia@gmail.com to let me know what styles of training you've enjoyed in the past or perhaps have seen on infomercials/TV that you'd like to try.

I'm very excited to be staying here on the island to work in the industry I love so much, and I hope to see some of my avid readers in the gym soon *wink*

A Tear Jerker

My father sent me a video by email that I'd like to share with all of you. It's a truly inspiring story of strength, love, and determination.

Watch the video here.

Don't Be A Victim

Paul Plakas is the personal trainer on the show 'X-Weighted' and has tons of knowledge and experience in the health and fitness industry. He's one of the reasons I wrote my entry about elliptical machines, which he's known for hating. Although he can seem a bit pompous at times, and I've seen him play a pretty mean drill sergeant role on 'X-Weighted', I really think he knows his stuff.

I've been having a bit of a rough time over the past several weeks, for personal reasons, and was unable to sleep last night so I decided to get online rather than continue to toss and turn. I jumped onto his website and read an article about self-pity and found myself nodding throughout in agreement with everything he said and felt in his own experiences. I can relate in so many ways. Not only have I had clients who were of that mindset, I've experienced it myself. After my ankle injury I felt frustrated and depressed that I couldn't run like I wanted to. I went through the "why me?" stage, and the "why bother?" stage. I'm still working on overcoming the drawbacks that I let myself endure, and this article helped big time.

We're our own worst enemy most of the time. It's true. I think everyone goes through self-doubt and self-pity at some point in their life. The goal is to get through it, quickly, before it does a lot of damage.

Check out the article on self-pity here.

New Fav Cereal!

I have a new favorite cereal: Mom's Healthy Secrets VibraBerry.

Breakfast is, by far, the most important meal of the day. We've all heard that eating a good breakfast within an hour of waking up is a must, but some of us still refuse to make it a priority. Some people claim that it makes them hungrier throughout the day- my guess is those people are also ignoring the fact that you need to snack too! You should be eating something every 3 hours. Hunger is your body's way of telling you it needs something. Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast to wake up your body, and when you are hungry, eat! Keep healthy snacks on hand and it won't be an issue.

The VibraBerry cereal is great! It's organic, low fat, very high in fibre and has organic goji berries, blueberries, and raisins which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Oh, and it's yummy! I like to mix in some fresh fruit but it's delicious on its own too.

If you're one of those breakfast skipping rebels, I think you just need to find something you enjoy eating in order to make it a habit. Time shouldn't be an issue, because, seriously, how long does it take to eat cereal? And if cereal's not your thing, toast is quick, easy, and portable!

If you have a favorite cereal or are a regular breakfast eater and have a great meal idea you'd like to share, let me know!

Try Intervals

My ankle is a bit messed up ever since I ran the marathon 2 yrs ago, and because of the injury I can't run long distances anymore. I think I can work back up to it, and am going to try my hardest to (aiming for next years Blue Nose Marathon). Because I can't run long distances yet, I've been trying out an interval workout that I came up with a few weeks ago. So far, it's working fantastically! I haven't experienced pain and it is amazing for the cardiovascular system. I do a minute of brisk walking, 2 minutes of jogging at a good even pace, and then I RUN, as hard as I can for 1 minute, then repeat until I get where I'm going.

Interval training is fantastic! It seems to be putting less stress on my ankle, but definitely isn't any less demanding cardio-wise. I'm getting to train for endurance, as well as speed and power. Whether you're a regular jogger, or a newbie, I recommend trying out an interval routine like the one I'm doing, or you can even make up one of your own.

Intervals are quickly becoming a preferred method of training and should be included, in one way or another, in every exercise program. You'll burn tons of calories and train different energy systems, making you a more efficient machine!

10 Ways To Help Your Kids Be More Active

I read an article by Paul Plakas regarding the frightening statistics on childhood obesity. It's obvious that parents play a huge role in the health of their children as well as the amount of activity they participate in.

The article followed with a list of the top ten ways to get your kids living a more active and healthy lifestyle. I've copied the list below and hope you all take note!

10. Sign up for summer sports camps.
- sports burn lots of calories
- are fun, kids do them long periods of time
- develop their bodies for adulthood

9. Schedule daily evening family walks.
- will develop a habit that they can carry on into the future
- develops family time and cohesiveness

8. Give them active jobs: paper route, snow shoveling, grass cutting, chores.
- a chance to earn spending money, motivation to work

7. Don’t let kids walk all over you, you are the boss.
- Don’t drive kids to school that is two blocks away
- Say no to lazing around the house.

6. Do the walk and groom program at your local humane society.
- get exercise and develop compassion and volunteer skills
- kids love animals

5. Build a backyard obstacle course.
- Be creative, develop cooperation with your children
- Use anything available ( saw horse, hoola hoops, tires, ropes, balls,etc

4. Set limits on T.V time, computer usage, video games and cell phones.
- Do not allow television or computer in their room only in open areas
- Only allow cell phones for emergency use
- Keep video games to only a couple hours per week.

3. Be a positive role model.
- Kids will follow the foot steps of the parent
- If you make exercise part of your life the greater chance your child will

2. Plan physically active holidays like camping.
- Develop outdoor skills while burning calories
- So much to do (hike, rock climb, bike, kayak)

1. Go play with them.
- Just spend time with your children, play catch
- Let the kids pick a physical activity for the family to engage in
- Gives them a chance to be involved and lead the family to better health

I think the most important one on the list is number #3. I think being an active parent and showing kids, by example, how health and fitness are crucial to life, will make the biggest difference. If you tried a "do as I say and not as I do" approach, ie: if you sent your kids to camp to be active while you sat on your couch watching T.V and eating potato chips, I think you would end up disappointed with the outcome.

It's summer, so it's a great time to start a new family routine! Get out there with your kids and enjoy some healthy and active adventures!

Wall Squat

A wall squat is an exercise that I love to include in most of my clients' workouts. It's a great exercise that targets the thighs, butt, and even your back and abs, and, technically, it's easy to perform. It's excellent for your posture and can be done almost anywhere! Here's what you do:

1. Stand against a wall with your legs extended out and feet shoulder width apart (or a bit wider depending on what feels comfortable for you). Your feet should be about 2' away from the wall. If you have knee pain or an injury, adjust your feet out so that when you bend and straighten, you feel no pain.

2. Inhale, then exhale and tighten your abs. Keep your head up and eyes forward with knees slightly bent. Try to keep your shoulders from hunching or rounding, and the back of your head touching the wall.

3. As you exhale, bend your knees to slide your back down the wall. Ideally, you will come low enough that your thighs are parallel to the floor, but let the presence of any pain guide you as to how far down you go. You should feel no pain! Also, check to see that your knees do not come any more forward than your ankles.

4. If needed, adjust the distance between the wall and your feet to accommodate good knee alignment and the level of challenge to your muscles.

5. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds. Breathe evenly. Keep your hands at your sides and not on your thighs. Eventually, you can work up to holding the position for 1-2 minutes.

6. Move slowly back to the start position. The workout for your seat muscles should intensify on the way back up.

Perform this exercise 3-4 times and increase the holding time each week. When it's getting tough and you don't think you can hold it any longer, just think about the girl who held a wall squat for 11 hours and 51 minutes to get the Guinness World Record. I think you can handle the challenge of working up to 2 minutes *smiles*

We Are What We Eat

It's easy enough to say, but not always easy to live by; we are what we eat.

If we lived by this and we truly believed that what we eat is going to depict how we look and how we feel, we would be much healthier and happier. If we chose what to eat by first picturing the unhealthy foods as the fatty tissue on our "problem areas"and the healthy food as sexy, lean muscle in all the right places, it'd help prevent many unwanted pounds.

I hate to admit it, but I myself sometimes have a tough time living by this motto...especially in the summer when ice cream is calling to me on those beautiful sunny days. But nothing tastes as good as fit feels- I know it's true, with everything in me. So, I opt for a healthier version of my favorite foods. If I'm craving an ice cream cone (my #1 weakness) , I go someplace that I know has frozen yogurt or will get a freezie instead. If I'm craving an ice cap, which is a new craving for me, I get it made with low fat milk instead of cream. I don't get cravings for fast food or chips (comes from not having it for years- trust me it'll happen for you too if you go long enough without it), but there are healthy options for those too! Get grilled chicken with no mayo instead of a burger, get salad or chilli instead of fries if you can, get water instead of pop. Grab a bag of pretzels instead of chips (high in sodium still, but much healthier) or a bag of baked chips are good too (try Old Dutch!). Popcorn (kernels you pop yourself rather than the fatty kind you get at the store) would be the healthiest substitute for chips. If you get chocolate cravings, get low calorie hot chocolate or dark chocolate with 70% cocoa.

We all go through stages where it's easier to eat better and times when it's a little harder. The way to win is to try sticking to an 80/20 lifestyle: eat healthy 80% of the time and the 20% that you don't is forgivable. That's easy enough isn't it?

I don't think it's fair to expect anyone to eat perfectly all of the time. And, ya know, I really don't think there's enough knowledge behind food and nutrition for anyone to know what "perfect" is yet anyway! There are so many different opinions and theories that, from what I've learned, it's best to keep it simple and not get caught up in all the hype. Listen to common sense- eat real food (as natural and unprocessed as you can get), eat mostly fresh vegetables, eat lean mean, and be sensible when it comes to the "junk". If you get too obsessed and consumed with what to eat and what not to, you may start to get resentful and angry at your "diet", and that's when you'll resort back to unhealthy ways.

Let me know if you have any comments or questions! I'd love to hear them :)

Mom's New Goal

It's amazing how quickly your body adapts with exercise and becomes more efficient at everything- even breathing. I just started my mom on a jogging program this past Saturday. She hasn't jogged in at least 20 years, and we're both very excited to see how quickly she progresses. I know she's going to see progress each time she works out; small differences in her form, her breathing, and how quickly she recovers afterwards. We're starting slow and the goal is to build up to jogging 5km none-stop. She'll be there before we know it!

Another Fake Vs. Real

As women, we're made to feel inadequate so that we dish out serious money in hopeless attempts to become thin; to have glowing skin, perfect hair, perfect teeth, and curves in all the right places. We're bombarded with images of how we "should" look: exquisitely beautiful with somehow flawless, wrinkle-free skin and impossibly curvaceous-yet-slim bodies, impeccable teeth and hair, and even a sun-kissed glow.

Well, we have no hope of living up to these expectations because the images we use to judge how we should look...are fake. Here's another link to show before and after photos that were altered; more proof that what we're being "sold" in advertisements isn't the real deal.

So, what do you do? You learn to love the body you live in. You work on making YOUR body as good as it can be, and your life as healthy as you want it to be. You stop looking at magazines and questioning why so-and-so's abs are flatter, boobs are bigger, waist is smaller, and you remember that they aren't perfect, then you smile to yourself because you know better and aren't buying into all that commercialized, glorified crap.

Here's a great video made by Dove that fits right in with this entry:

So Appetizing eh?!

One of my buddies on Facebook posted a link that I just had to share with you! It's amazing how drastically photos are altered and I wonder how much the companies pay to have their crap food look so good. Perhaps if we can keep the "real" images in our minds we won't be so tempted by the garbage we see in advertisements.

http://www.thewvsr.com/adsvsreality.htm

Elliptical Machines

The elliptical machine is one machine I never recommend using or put in anyone's program. I do firmly believe that the best exercise you can do to lose weight is the one you enjoy doing, but unless someone is a die-hard fan of this particular cardio machine, I will never put anyone on it.

The movement this machine mimics is one that is unnatural and not performed by our bodies in real life circumstances. When you use a treadmill or a bike, you will become better at walking/running and biking. The elliptical will not help you run faster, bike for longer, or perform any natural movements with more efficiency.

The main reason people like the elliptical trainers are because they burn calories and are low impact. Well, unfortunately the calories you burn are actually less than what it will tell you on the machine; maybe 50-60% of what's shown is what you actually burned. The same is true for most cardio machines really. If two people of the same weight, height, and sex got on a cardio machine, one of them bikes 5x a week and is made up mostly of muscle, and the other does nothing and is made up mostly of fat, they're not going to expend the same amount of energy. Calories burned will generally depend on muscle mass, skill level, age, and sex.

As for the low impact argument made in favor of the elliptical- well, if your body can't handle impact from something as natural as walking, that needs to be addressed, not ignored. Impact will make your bones stronger and jointes more durable. Your body needs a certain amount of impact and all of these low impact exercises could actually make us weaker!

One of the best types of programs with the most benefits would be a circuit training workout. Join your cardio and strength training together, with little rest between exercises, and you will burn major calories! Combine a squat and a shoulder press; perform a step-up with a bicep curl; add an overhead tricep extention to a lunge. Do jumping jacks or run on the spot between each exercise and you'll be sweating like a pig! You'll be working so many muscle groups at the same time that the calories will burn off quickly and continue burning even after you're done the workout. You'll be more efficient in everyday situations because your body is use to performing as a unit.

If you truly love using the elliptical machine, go ahead and keep going with it, but know that it's super important and beneficial to your health to add some exercises that mimic the stresses your body is under outside of the "gym setting" as well. You'll see amazing results!

Running Trails

I'm in Mississauga, ON, right now staying with my brother and we went for a fantastic jog today! We drove to a park and went running through the woods along mountain bike trails. What an AMAZING dynamic workout.

If you are looking to lose weight, or just improve your overall fitness, you may think running on a treadmill or sitting on a stationary bike for an hour is the best way to get results. Well, you may be happily surprised to know that you don't have to spend a lot of money on a machine or gym membership; you can actually get even greater results using the outdoors.

Running through the woods, over roots, up and down hills, over uneven ground dodging rocks, hopping over fallen trees, ducking under tree branches and waving your arms like a crazy person through spider webs, is going to require the use of WAY more muscles than running on the even surface of a treadmill or sitting your arse on a bike. And the experience of being outside, breathing fresh air and enjoying natural sunlight, really helps time fly by. There are so many things to keep your eye on and distract you from the minutes ticking by.

Now, I teach indoor cycling classes, so I'm certainly not saying that bikes or treadmills are useless pieces of crap, but I've been using indoor cardio equipment for a very long time, and today the outdoors showed me how little that type of exercise has really done for me.

Exercising in the "real world", on natural terrain that our bodies are suppose to be able to handle, is going to make you stronger, more agile, faster, and able to balance and control your movements with significantly greater results. You will have much faster reaction time, better foot/eye coordination, have more explosive power as well as increased stamina.

BUT you need to be CAREFUL! I took it much slower today than I would have if I had been running on paved road or indoors because the risk of injury is obviously greater. I noticed myself holding my breath a few times (a big exercise no no) as I ran over particularly tricky parts of the trail. I had to consciously remind myself to breathe; you're forced to pay attention to your body and surroundings. Rather than mindless exercise, you're engaged in the activity and what you're accomplishing.

Take it slow to start and make sure you're wearing proper footwear. Take someone with you- always! Going alone isn't safe and isn't as fun. So, grab a buddy, find a path in the woods, and go for it!

Flip Flopping on Whether or Not to Continue Wearing Flip Flops.

I have been experiencing crazy pains in my back and knees lately, and I'm realizing why; it's flip flops! Every single time I've worn the cute, simple, and casually stylish flip flop I've had aches and pains.

High heels get such a bad rap, but it's becoming clear that flip flops are more harmful to your body than those sexy stilettos. When we wear flip flops we automatically adjust the way we walk to try to keep them on our feet. And, obviously, there's no structure or support whatsoever. Our heels need cushioning!

Now, I'm not suggesting that everyone chuck out their flip flops, but I am suggesting that you only wear them around the pool or when you know you're not going to be on your feet for very long. I also recommend trying to find a sandal with a back strap. Anything that helps keep them on your feet is going to really reduce the stress on your body.

Party Dip:

http://www.realage.com/ct/tips/8968

Joke:

What do you call someone who gives up on their healthy diet?

....

A desserter!




Hahaha!!

Sorry, I heard that and thought it was cute so had to share :)

5 Exercise Do's

1. Wear attire suitable for the type of training you're doing and your training conditions, IE. sneakers that fit and are the right type for the activity you're performing, clothing that will keep you cool if you're working out in the summer or indoors, and warm if you're working out in the cold outside.

2. Have a plan! Figure out before you start your workout what it is that you're going to do. This will make your workout flow with much more efficiency. Decide what muscle groups you're going to work with what exercises, or what cardio program you're going to do.

3. Take adequate recovery breaks between sets during your strength training workouts. At LEAST 30 seconds but a minute or more may be required depending on the weight you use and number of reps you do.

4. Warm up, cool down, and stretch every time you workout! This may be the most important rule when it comes to optimizing your ability to work harder for longer and recovering faster.

5. Hydrate! Drink water throughout your workout, especially if you're exercising in hot weather. Use your recovery periods between sets to grab some water, and make sure to have a water bottle with you during your cardio days. Remember, thirst is the first sign of dehydration, so don't let yourself get thirsty.

5 Exercise No No's

1. Don't do the same routine every day, or every workout. No matter what you're training for, you need to have variety in order to improve.

2. Don't try lifting a weight that's too heavy- there's just no point in doing it if you can't do it right. If you have to swing the weight and use momentum, it's too heavy.

3. Don't hold your breath! Breathe continuously through the movement to get oxygen to those working muscles. Exhale during the hardest part of the exercise.

4. Don't just arbitrarily go through the motions, FOCUS on what muscle you're working and concentrate on contracting it properly to get the most out of the exercise.

5. Give yourself the chance to fully recover before training the same muscle again. The muscles get stronger during the recovery period, not during exercise. If you don't let them get stronger between workouts, they'll get weaker and you'll back track, big time!

Proper Breathing

Wonder when you are suppose to inhale and exhale during an exercise? You generally want to exhale during the concentric phase - when the muscle shortens, and inhale during the eccentric phase, as the muscle lengthens. So, when performing a bicep curl, for example, you exhale as you lift the weight and inhale slowly down.

What's also important to remember is that the muscle is contracted during the concentric and eccentric phase; don't just let the weight drop after you lift it. Keep the muscle under tension with slow controlled movements as you lift and lower the weight.

Building Muscle VS Losing Fat

My mom and I were just talking about spot training and I think some people might not know what it means when trainers say spot training isn't possible. It's true that it's impossible to take off fat in one particular area by only working that area, but it is possible to shape and define the muscle of a specific body part by doing exercises for it.

You're able to build muscle in one spot, but not able to take off fat in one spot.

So, if you say to a trainer "Just tell me what exercise will get rid of the fat under my arms and belly" they'll say it's not possible to spot train. If you ask a trainer "How do I lift my butt, get definition in my arms, and get a 6 pack", they should be able to list off numerous exercises to get you those results.

Also, if you're looking to lose weight, I can't stress enough that you need to do strength training. You need cardio, absolutely, but strength training will build more muscle mass so that when you do cardio, you'll burn way more calories. AND, it's strength training that will shape your body the way you want. Strength training, NOT cardio, will transform your body. I heard a trainer say once that if you have a pear shape body, and only do cardio, you'll end up just looking like a smaller pear. It's strength training that's going to build, shape, and define your body to make you look like a fit, strong, healthy person.

Get to it people!!

Super Sets

A superset is when you perform two different exercises back to back, with no rest. You can choose to work opposing muscle groups, ie. one for the biceps and one for triceps, or the same muscle group such as a shoulder press and shoulder fly. Doing sets in this way will increase the amount of work you can do while not increasing the amount of time you spend exercising.

Feelin' the Burn!

When you first start to workout, or try one that's different from what you're use to, you'll usually be tight and sore afterward and will feel like you did a great workout! Then, as you do the exercise more and more and your body becomes accustom to the abuse, you'll find it a lot harder to get to the point where you feel it the next day. Many people believe that when they don't feel sore the next day, they're not working out hard enough. I want to put that myth to rest.

Your body is an amazing machine. It remembers, adapts, adjusts and gets stronger very quickly because it likes to be, and needs to be, efficient. If you start a new exercise program, one that you haven't done before or haven't done in a long time, it gives your body a wake up call, and the process of getting stronger and healing faster begins.

Usually when you workout, depending on the workout, you are tearing your muscles. When you stop exercising, during recovery, the body repairs torn muscles and makes them even stronger than before. Your body wants to be able to handle the workload you demand of it but when it's not use to what you've put it through, it takes longer to heal the damage.

The reason you will stop being so sore after doing a program several times, is because your body remembers the recovery process it went through the first few times, and it repeats that process again and again. When you try something completely different it doesn't take the same measures to heal the damage, so again the body has to learn how to fix its weaknesses.

As long as during the workout you are feeling the burn, and at the end of your set you know you can't do anymore, then you're working hard enough. Increase the intensity of exercise when you start to feel that during the workout you can push harder. You need to do this in order to have the body make adjustments for the more intense workload and toughen up the muscles even more. Until that point, enjoy the fact that you're not feeling sore the next day, and that your body has learned how to heal itself faster so you can work it again sooner.

Sorry Guys!

I've been neglecting all of you and I'm sorry! I have no internet in my apartment, and life's been super busy with classes and training so to get to a computer for an entry is harder than it sounds.

I've been teaching indoor cycling classes for a few weeks now, and I absolutely love it. If you have never been to a biking class, I highly recommend that you try one. It's a tough class to teach because there's only so much you can do on a bike. Coming up with interesting drills and having the energy to get everyone motivated for an hour on a bike is testing me and making me a better instructor, for sure. And I've already noticed a big improvement in my cardiovascular system, which is hugely important because I have to talk almost the whole way through! It's fantastic exercise and really works if you do it right.

When you go to a cycling class, YOU are in charge of how hard you work. Of course, if you go to an instructor who doesn't take enough breaks between drills or takes too many, you may have a harder time getting the workout you're looking for, but generally it's up to you to make yourself sweat.

The resistance on the bike is increased and decreased by the turn of a knob. We usually work on a resistance scale of 1-10 and it's up to you to decide what each number on that scale feels like. This is why it's up to you to make the workout your own. When an instructor tells you to take it to a level 5 resistance, you need to decide what 5 will feel like to you for that day. Give it all you have! If you're working the way you should be in a cycling class, you should be walking out soaked in sweat!

When you participate in any class, you really need to push yourself; compete against your own body and mind to make your work out as intense as it can be while still being safe. Think of all the reasons why you're doing what you're doing, and what made you start in the first place. Think of the things that motivate you so that you're able to give it your all!

I teach cycling Tuesdays at 5, Fridays at 12, and Saturdays at 9am at Pilates Dynamic Fitness on Queen Street. Stop by and check out one of my classes! I promise it'll be a great workout and one that you'll definitely be happy to have made it to.

Interesting....

Did you know that, on average, an active person eats more calories than an overweight person? So, it's evident that you don't starve yourself to be fit! But in saying that, leave food on your plate if you're full.

For so long it's been drilled into our brains that we have to finish everything on our plate. I'm sure we've all been told by our parents as children to clear our plates before leaving the table, and that there are children starving in less-fortunate countries therefore we can't let any food go to waste. This has caused us to become completely out of touch with how we feel and how hungry we actually are. Think about it, us getting fat doesn't help the hungry.

Rather than paying attention to what hunger and satisfaction "feels" like and having the ability to recognize when we've actually eaten enough to replenish what was required, we now rely on our eyes to tell our brain when we're satisfied. We feel full when our plate is cleared, regardless as to how much food was served to us. We've been programmed to believe that we're not finished and still hungry long after we've taken in what our bodies needed.

I know it's tough when you've made a beautiful meal for your family and your kids seem more interested in watching TV or playing instead of eating, and it's tempting to say "not until your done" or "when you've finished eating". I think perhaps a better approach would be to tell them you're going to wrap up and refrigerate what they haven't finished (if a reasonable amount) and when they come to you an hour later hungry and wanting a snack, their only option is their left-overs. Let's not do to our children what's been done to us. Give them the chance to feel full before they end up relying on "seeing" when their full instead.

If anyone has anything to add, or requests for future topics, let me know!

Chew!

40 is the magic number when it comes to eating. A recent study I read about showed that when people were given nuts to eat, 40 chews resulted in feeling fuller than 10 or even 25 chews of the same portion of nuts. People who chewed longer also felt fuller for longer, which leads scientists to believe that it is simply the act of chewing that signals are brain to feel satisfied.

Another note on chewing, grab some gum! This article I was sent stated that chewing gum also helps you feel fuller for longer, which reduces hunger, cravings for sweets, and over-snacking. My vote goes to Five gum, which lasts longer than any other I've tried! And I'm a big gum chewer *wink*

Designing Your Workout

When you've made the decision to start a workout program, the first thing you need to decide is how many days a week you can commit to training. Try to aim for about 3-4 days a week for optimal gains. If you're training for a specific sport or event, more or less days may be necessary. When you know how many days a week you can dedicate to exercise, the next step is to figure out how you're going to divide up those days throughout the week for strength training.

For those that are new to exercise, getting back into exercise after being inactive for an extended period of time, or have little time to spend working out, your best bet would be to do full body workouts or a 2-day split workout program. An example of a split workout would be one workout for the lower body and one for the upper body.

For the intermediate exerciser, or off-season advanced exerciser, doing a 2-day split workout program or 3-day split workout would be the most efficient way to get the results you want. Advanced or competitive exercisers should focus on 3-4 day split workout programs.

There are so many different ways to set up a workout schedule and it's important that you spend some time figuring out what would work best for your lifestyle. Once you have set up a program it will be much easier to stick with and you'll be less likely to get distracted or stray from the routine.

General things to think about when setting up your program:
- Frequency; how many days a week can you commit to exercise?
- What is the best time of day for you to exercise (avoid times when you find you're usually tired or busy)
- Time; how much time can you dedicate in a day to exercise? (you will see benefits with as little as 30 minutes- if you're doing it right!)
- Type; what workouts are you going to do on the specific days you've designated for exercise?
- Where are you going to exercise? (home, gym, or the great outdoors all have their benefits)

Once you've set up your program, remember that you will probably need to make changes within about 6 weeks for variety and to prevent yourself from plateauing. Enjoy the process and get excited about your routine! Get yourself pumped up for it and you'll find that the results will come much faster!

If you need help setting up a program, you know who to contact ;)

Summer Cookin'

So for this BBQ season I encourage you to pass on the hamburgers, hotdogs, and fatty sausages. Make this summer your healthiest yet by trying new things! I discovered extra lean turkey italian sausages at Sobeys a couple of years ago and they are fantastic!!!! They are "Our Compliments" brand, taste exactly like a regular sausages, and have just 3 grams of fat!! One of these with a whole wheat bun is an excellent and healthy alternative to the regular BBQ foods you might be use to. Consider trying vegie burgers, fish, and chicken kabobs on the BBQ for tasty meal ideas as well!

New Link:

Here's a calorie counter for different activities. Check it out!:

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

Make sure to put in your weight for accurate calculations.

:)

How Many Sessions Does It Take?

If you're looking to hire a trainer, you may be wondering what type of package you need to purchase in order to get the results you want and the best bang for your buck. Every gym has different options available, but when it comes to Embody Bia, I require a commitment of no less than 8 sessions to start.

When you are new to exercise, the early stages are the most important and the more you can learn in the beginning the faster you'll reach your goals. Why waste time doing things the wrong way when you can spend a few weeks learning the right techniques to carry you through for months? Another thing to point out is that your first few sessions should be close together. You don't want sessions booked weeks apart until you've already learned proper form and how to exercise the appropriate muscles to achieve the results you desire. Give yourself time with a trainer to develop muscle memory and body awareness so that when your sessions are over you won't have more questions than answers, and won't need more sessions until it's time for a program change (usually about 6-8wks).

I also require 8 sessions so that I know you're ready for change. If you were to come to me wanting 2 sessions, I would tell you it's not worth your time or money, and I would be doing a disservice to you if I was to accept such an arrangement. I'm trying to teach you how to LIVE! That takes time. It takes work and effort from both of us to get you on the path to a healthy new lifestyle. What you need to consider is whether or not you're worth it, whether or not you're family's worth it, and whether or not you're ready for change!

Living Better With Green Tea

I'm big on green tea, and we all should be! The health benefits to drinking green tea are numerous and include protection from certain cancers, aid in weight loss, immune system boost, stress relieve, and even bad breath, and that's just to name a few!

If you don't like green tea, drink it anyway. I am a firm believer that your body and taste buds will adapt if you stay consistent and you'll start to enjoy the foods you never thought you'd eat. Example, I use to despise sweet potatoes, 100% natural peanut butter, fish, cottage cheese, and green tea. When I learned the health benefits of these foods I forced myself to eat them. The peanut butter was the easiest adjustment and I can't stand the taste of the other stuff now, sweet potato was the hardest and it took me weeks to like it, but I've grown to love them!

Just try a cup a day! Feel free to sweeten it with some honey or get use to the wonderful natural flavor all on its own :) There are health benefits to the caffeine in green tea as well, so don't feel that you need to buy the decaffeinated kind.

For more information on the many benefits of green tea, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potential_effects_of_tea_on_health

I hope you all go buy some today and if you hate it, keep drinking it and I promise it'll get better!

How to Start

So you're looking to start living healthier and are itching to fit into those super cute short-shorts from last summer, you know, the ones you "somehow" grew out of over the winter? So how do you start? With so much information out there it's hard to know what's bull crap and what's actually good advise.

Well, we must understand that we're all different. What might work great for one person might not work for another. Some people need to place bets against themselves, some need to have a buddy to hold them accountable, and some just need to hit bottom before they can get up.

Generally, you need to start with your diet. Try to focus on incorporating more fruits and vegies in place of fried, fatty, sugary foods. Don't think so much about what you "shouldn't" eat; think about what you should eat and keep positive. You want to try being more consistent and eat regularly to keep you blood sugar levels from spiking or dropping.

With exercise, it's ok to take baby steps! So many people push themselves too hard in the beginning and the change they undertake is so drastic that they're unable to keep it up. Begin with simply moving more. Don't over think things, just move! Walk as much as possible (buying a pedometer has been proven to increase the number of steps someone takes in a day) and when you're ready, start a workout program that includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility. You only need to start with 2-3 days a week to start seeing improvements. I always recommend hiring a trainer so that you know what exercises to do to get the results you want, and how to do them properly.

So, like I said, everyone is different but the steps I mentioned above are general guidelines that everyone can follow. I think the most important factor is the level of motivation to do what it takes to get what you want. Find what motivates you and the rest is easy!

Write it Down!

It's funny how the simple act of writing things down makes us more self aware of our actions, makes us feel like we're being held accountable, and keeps us focused.

Last night I decided that this summer I'm going to make the best of my time. I got out my journal, which I haven't touched in years, and wrote out a list of things I want to do this weekend, then I made another list of things I wanted to accomplish this coming week, and a third list of goals I want to achieve over the next month. It's a great way to feel like you have structure and is less overwhelming than carrying all of the ideas in your head.

What is important to remember is that you need to set realistic goals and give yourself a realistic amount of time to accomplish them. And break down one big goal into smaller goals. If your goal is to be able to run a 10k race, start with making the commitment to go for a 30 minute jog (or walk- depending on where you're starting from) this weekend. Maybe make getting a new pair of sneakers a goal too! Anything that will get you to the end result that you're looking for.

Keep your list simple, clear, and focus only on the time period you're in. I'm not thinking about what I need to do next week right now- I'm thinking about what I want to accomplish this weekend, and when this weekend's over I'll only focus on next week's set of goals, and so on.

We're suppose to have a beautiful weekend this weekend! Hopefully the sunshine will encourage everyone to get up off their butts and into a healthy routine to get fit :)

Personal Trainer Experience

I'm a firm believer that if you hire a personal trainer, each session should be the best part of your day! At times the idea of working out can be tough, especially in the very beginning, so the trainer you choose should be able to show you ways to make exercise fun and enjoyable, as well as safe and effective.

With the nice weather upon us I feel that encouraging people to workout outside is important! The fresh air and natural light does the body good :) And there are many different workouts that can be done around your yard or at a local park. Don't think that you need to be confined to a gym or your home to do exercise! Hiring a trainer can help you find new and innovative ways to get that body toned and increase your level of fitness. Try spicing things up a bit and use the natural elements around you as your equipment, or get to the park with your kids and try to incorporate good old fashion play time into your regime.

I went for my first jog outside over the weekend and it felt so good! That is why I wanted to talk about getting outdoors now and again for exercise. I was pretty concerned about my ankle, which has given me nothing but grief for months, but it didn't bother me too much so hopefully I'll be able to make it a weekly occurrence. I need to keep myself busy over the next few months, so will be setting some new goals and focusing on training more than ever! I want to make this summer great for myself, and for you! Let's make this summer YOUR summer to shine, together :) Now who's with me!?

Motivate Me

Today I need some external motivation. We all do sometimes, right? So I was looking on line for some words to lift my spirits and here are a few I liked:

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature. - Helen Keller

"Quit now, you'll never make it.
If you disregard this advice,
you'll be halfway there."
David Zucker

The greatest waste in the world is the difference between
what we are and what we could become.

Treat life like a toaster- when you get pushed down, pop right back up.

“The greatest failure is the failure to try.”
William A Ward

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use."

~ Earl Nightingale

"Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups."

~ Peter Davie

There are SO many great quotes out there. Some people are just so great with words. When I'm feeling off, I sometimes just take time out of my day to read positive quotes to help me get back in the right mindset. Technology makes it quick and easy to get out of a slump once in awhile.

If anyone else knows of any great quotes, feel free to leave your comments! I'd love to hear them :)

One Of My Favorites

In almost every class I teach, I get my participants to perform push ups. The push up is probably my favorite upper body exercise and there are so many different variations to choose from.

The standard push up is performed with hands positioned just slightly wider than the shoulders. As you lower, let the elbows flare out to the sides slightly. You can also do a wide push up with your hands quite far apart, or tricep push ups where your hands are directly under your shoulders and elbows stay tight into your side as you lower. You can increase the intensity of a push up by playing around with different hand positions, incorporating an bench or chair to put your feet up onto, or add a stability challenge by performing them with your hands on a bosu or stability ball. The possibilities are endless!!

The main reason I love this exercise, other than the fact that there are so many ways to perform them, would be because it targets more muscles than almost any other upper body exercise, and therefore burns more calories. A push up works your chest, biceps, triceps, shoulders, upper back, and your entire core. You can increase the load on certain areas by performing the push up in different ways.

I know a lot of women perform push ups on their knees, and it's rare for them to even attempt a push up on their toes. In my classes I always, always, tell everyone to go onto their toes unless they have an injury. Even if you can just do one, it's better than none, and it will help you to build enough strength to perform more. Also, if you're doing knee push ups, keep your feet on the floor! Elevating them will eliminate much of the strengthening benefits.

Here is a site where technique is described and there are pictures as well: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/exercisedetail.aspx?exerciseid=13

Note that you are to exhale on the up phase and inhale down. Good technique is extremely important with this exercise so be careful, but challenge yourself and get up there on those toes ladies!!!

Gym Buddies

Working out with a partner is such a great way to stay motivated, safe, and committed to your exercise program. I've done partner training and every time I do I leave the session thinking "that was the smartest thing I've done today". The energy is a lot different than when you're working out alone, but you do need to make sure you have the right buddy! Find someone who is positive and encouraging; someone who is ambitious and will hold you accountable. You don't need to pick a partner who has the same fitness level; I can show you many different exercises that are great with or without previous experience.

Getting personal training sessions with a partner is becoming increasingly popular, as it should! There are endless possibilities for exercises and routines and, in these tough economic times, it's fantastic because it costs less.

If you're interested in knowing more, let me know!

Another Note On Burning Fat

I spoke in my last post about fat burning, and it kept me up last night, seriously. I don't think I quite got my point across, lol!

If you are burning carb calories by working the energy system that uses it as fuel, then you will still get rid of the fatty areas you despise. You don't have to work in the "fat burning zone" to burn fat from your body. That zone is burning fat calories, but if you're overweight it's because you accumulated a surplus of calories from all sorts of foods. Think about it, if you ate carbs and nothing else, and you overate, you would get "fat", even though more of the calories come from carbs.

Your body uses fat caloires for energy when you do the least amount of work. Right now, as I'm sitting here moving nothing but my fingers, I'm in a "fat burning zone". You can do exercise in the fat burning zone as well, like walking for an hour slowly, depending on your fitness level. Some experienced athletes can train in a fat burning zone during more intense exercise because their bodies are better conditioned to extract oxygen from the blood to use in the production of energy.

If you are looking to lose weight or don't need to lose weight but want to improve your overall fitness level, you should work hard enough to get your heart beating at about 55-90% of your heart rate max (220-age=HRmax). If you are new to exercise, stay within 55-65% and then you can increase intensity gradually as you become more fit.

Hope this makes sense!

PJ- take the long way home and go slow if you want to train in the fat burning zone (though I don't know why you would want to?).

It's been TOO long!

Jeeez, April 7th was my last post?! Really?! Man time flies. There is SO much I want to write about and not enough time. Where do I begin? First of all, there will not be this long of a gap between posts again unless under extreme circumstances!

So, hmm....OH! I discovered a great and delicious snack at the SuperStore a couple days ago. They're called VitaMuffins (http://www.vitalicious.com/store-vitamuffins.html) and they are only 100 calories, have 4-7g of fiber (depending on the flavor you get), are very low fat, and have lots of vitamins and minerals. I tried the deep chocolate flavor and think they're a great way to get in a chocolate fix without the guilt. They're not large, but for a snack they shouldn't be. It says on the box to keep them frozen, but I have no idea why because they aren't enjoyable frozen?? Anyway, keep them in your fridge and you'll be set!

I got up for a spin class at 6am yesterday (yes, 6am *barf*) and it was just a bit too early to want my normal breakfast, so, knowing how important it is to eat in the morning before a workout, I grabbed a muffin and half a banana. It was light enough that I didn't feel heavy and gross, yet substantial enough to give me energy for the class. I got home, felt energized for the day, had my normal breakfast, and was off to work!

A lot of people think if you don't eat before a morning workout you'll burn more fat, so they skip it. Please don't make the mistake of thinking if you don't eat you'll burn fat! It's not the way it works. Let me try to explain without getting too technical or wordy.

OK, well, first, when you wake up in the morning, it's likely been at least 8 hours since you're body has had any fuel; to get up and demand it to perform work (especially intense work!) is cruel. You don't have to have a big meal but you need something! Drink a glass of water and grab something to eat preferably 30 minutes (or so) before working out. Sometimes I find just half of a piece of bread with PB (100% natural PB, of course) and a glass of water does the trick! Bananas are great too because the natural sugars get into your system quickly and your body can use it as fuel faster.

Now, regarding how your body burns fat. The amount of times I've heard people say "I'm not going to eat carbs because I want my body to burn the extra fat instead", or "I didn't eat breakfast because I want to lose weight" is saddening. You burn fat by working at a specific intensity (very low intensity) rather than by cutting out carbs or skipping meals, which would render you unable to work hard and burn more calories, and your body will start using protein as fuel. Protein is required to repair muscle damage; without that you're body won't heal itself properly between workouts, you won't get stronger, and you won't see the results you want.

Your body has three different energy systems. When you train in the "fat burning zone" (long, low intensity exercise) you expend a lot less calories than if you were to do harder work for a shorter period of time.

To lose weight, you take in less calories than you use. Note that I said calories, not carbs, or fat, or protein. The body uses calories from food (protein, fat, and carbs) to produce ATP (energy). The the most efficient way is with carbs and oxygen. As long as you're working out at an intensity that is high enough to keep you out of the fat burning zone, and low enough to keep you from the anaerobic zone (without oxygen), you will burn calories at a faster rate, therfore you will lose weight faster.

Was that too wordy? I could seriously keep going and going and going, but I won't. LOL If you got lost somewhere, email me any questions, or just trust that I know what I'm talking about and do what I say *smiles*

Ok, it's late, I'm hungry (all this talk about food!) and need to go home. I'll write again tomorrow!

I'm NOT a Morning Person but....

So as my life gets busier I'm starting to find that I have less and less time for myself and my own fitness goals. I use to say "there are 24 useable hours in every day", which is taken from the movie Empire Records (AMAZING movie!!), but with how disorganized one can be, at times it feels like 24 hours just isn't enough.

I've just recently moved into an apartment on my own and it's right by the boardwalk, so, I've decided this is my chance to reorganize my life and commit to a new schedule. I hate waking up early in the morning, but the way I figure it, I'm going to have to start getting my exercise out of the way first thing so I can tackle the rest of my day without feeling like I'm neglecting my health. The boardwalk is a fantastic way to get in an early morning jog.

I've exercised in the morning before, and you know what, it makes the day so much better. You just feel so energized and stress free! I encourage you to try it. I know it's hard, getting out of your warm and comfy bed and thinking about trying to get the will to workout, it's not easy! But, once you're out of bed, the hardest part's over and it gets easier from there.

"But how do I make myself get out of bed!" you ask? Well, first I think being prepared is key. Have your gym clothes set out the night before and know what workout you're going to do. Have a quick light breakfast ready too because, yes, you need to eat something first! Have things set up to make the experience less dreadful to think about when the buzzer starts going off.

Another trick is setting your alarm clock far enough away from your bed that you HAVE to get up to shut it off. That one works for me! Again, it's the getting out of bed part that's the hardest sometimes. If you find yourself getting up to turn off the alarm and then head straight back to bed, maybe set some type of positive reinforcement by the alarm so you reconsider. Leaving a little note to yourself, "You can do it!", or "You will feel SO good when it's over!" maybe all you need to get your butt in gear! You could even set out a picture of the beach if you're working on getting into bathing-suit-ready shape, or a picture of that special someone who needs you to be healthier (your kids, significant other, grandson *wink wink, nudge nudge* to a certain someone), or, heck, put a mirror close to the alarm so you can look at yourself when you get up. Then decide if you're going to accept what you see and head back to bed, or accept what you have the potential to be and head in the other direction. Find what works for you and stick with it!!

So, tomorrow I have to practice what I preach. As long as it's not raining I'll be getting up at 6:30 and going for a jog/walk! I'll let you know how I make out.

Bathing Suit Ready!?

Summer is almost upon us, and that means days at the beach will be here before we know it! If that idea scares you, don't let it. If you're someone who wears a t-shirt over a bathing suit at the beach and refuses to take it off, or, even worse, if you're someone who just refuses to go to the beach or a pool party because you don't want to be seen, then you need to make some changes in your life.

It is a horrible feeling to get into a bathing suit and feel uncomfortable and/or unattractive because of your weight. It breaks my heart when I see people I know in that situation because I know how upsetting it is, I've been there. I'm happy to tell you that it doesn't take much to start feeling good enough about yourself to make the beach, or pool party, an enjoyable experience.

When you being an exercise program and start to eat healthy, you will feel proud of yourself and build confidence almost immediately. Well, that is if you're going about it the right way. When you don't know what you're doing or whether or not you're doing it right, it can just add to your insecurity and frustration. Hiring a trainer can help you feel like you're really making a difference, because you know the program works!

You may not feel comfortable enough to strut your stuff in a bikini by this summer even if you start a workout regime right away (or speedo- for you studs out there), but I'm confident your success and positivity will enable you to go and enjoy yourself minus the baggie t-shirt, at least!

Don't let your weight hold you back from participating in the best parts of our too-short-as-it-is summer anymore. There is no reason why you can't wear what you want and be comfortable. Just take steps to educate yourself on the changes you need to make to get there, and how to take those steps in the safest and most efficient way possible.

Eat Some Fat!

Healthy fat, of course. Eating healthy fats, like walnuts, peanuts and almonds, about 20 minutes before your next meal may actually help you eat less overall! This is because eating good fats will stimulate the production of cholecystokinin, a hormone that tells your brain that you've had enough to eat.

It only takes about 70 calories of the good fat to do the trick. This small amount can keep you feeling full because the brain believes it's had enough and the stomach will empty slower. When it's time for your next meal, you won't be nearly as hungry and therefore less likely to inhale a ton of calories in the blink of an eye.

If you're wondering what 70 calories would equal out to, you're looking at about 6 walnuts, 12 almonds, or around 20 peanuts.

Try it out next time you're starving and see how it works for you!

On The Spot

A lot of people ask me how to get rid of the jiggle under their arms, or the pouch around their belly. Everyone wants to be able to target one area and fix whatever they think is wrong with it and have that be that. Unfortunately, "spot training" is impossible.

When you exercise, your body pulls energy (calories) from all over your body to perform the task. If you are doing a bicep curl, the calories being burned may not be, and probably won't be, from the bicep. That's why spot training doesn't work. If you want to get rid of the jiggle under the arm, or the floppy belly, you'll have to work your entire body. I guarantee you that you will not see the results you want by simply doing crunches to slim that waistline!

When you work the entire body, you burn way more calories and slim down everywhere. Doing strength training exercises to build lean muscle tissue in the areas you want to have toned up is certainly important, but you can't blast fat away by only working one specific area. Get your whole body involved in cardio workouts as well as strength training, and then you will see the results you want.

On another note, I'm unbelievably excited to say that one of my clients has lost just over 25" as of today, and almost 12lbs. This is after training for about 2 months. She's an absolute success story, and I couldn't be more proud of her. She worked hard to get to this point, completely changed her habits, and stuck with it. I like to think she had fun too *smiles*

And, her results go to prove that you can't just use pounds or a scale to see the full picture. Judging your success by pounds alone will not show you the true results of your hard work. AND, women, it goes to prove that strength training does not make you bulk up!

I hope when you read my blog you find yourself more and more ready and able to make healthy changes in your life. Don't just read what I'm writing, listen to what I'm telling you and take charge! Take the next leap and do what you know you need to, whatever it may be. You CAN do it!

What 's Your Motto?

"The advantage of exercising everyday is that you die healthier"

If this is your motto...tsk tsk tsk

Being healthy and fit is proven to increase your chances of living a long life, and living it well. When you exercise, you are less likely to get diseases, become disabled, stiff, and depressed.

Yes, we all die, but I don't think many people lay on their death bed wishing they ate more greasy foods or cake during their life. I doubt many people on their death bed think "Man, I wish I had just stayed home on the couch watching TV more often, instead of going out with my family on those hiking trips."

Ya get what I'm saying? Sure, it's easier to do nothing but sit in your comfies curled up on the couch watching your favorite show on TV; it's easier to eat junk to cover up your emotions of pain, guilt, fear, etc etc, instead of facing them head on. I've been there and done that, and I know that lifestyle did nothing for me. It did not make me a better or stronger (mentally and physically) woman. We don't become better without challenge, work, failure, and fear. When we let these negative elements control our lives, we sink into a shell of a body that we hate.

When I started my journey towards a healthier lifestyle, I taught myself what it felt like to succeed. I learned how to GO FOR IT despite being terrified. The amount of times I've felt proud to be who I am now, compared to before this journey started, is amazing. I actually have a sense of fearlessness within me. It sounds silly and cliche, I know, but if you've ever been unhealthy, shy, and insecure, to come out of that to the other side will change you forever.

Now, you will probably never feel like you're as healthy or fit as you want to be. I know that no matter how hard I work I will always want to be better. That is what it is to be human. That is what drives us and makes us move forward in life. We can't be satisfied or we'll stop progressing.

Being happy of your accomplishments is crucial, being proud of who you are and loving the person you've made yourself into is vital, but that doesn't mean you can't want more. Push yourself to do what you want to do, but don't think you can, and surprise yourself!

MmmmmMm Panini!

So I tried a panini for the first time this evening. YUM!

I was running a little late getting home and still had to stop off at Sobeys to grab something for supper. Having no interest in dirtying a bunch of dishes and making a big dinner, I went straight for the microwave dinner section. I'm not a fan of TV dinners; I find they are usually over processed, full of sodium and fat, and just don't compare to a healthy, natural, home cooked meal. But, I feel there are some that are fine for quick meals once in awhile.

I've had good luck with Lean Cuisine dinners in the past. The food is always reasonably yummy and from reading nutrition label after nutrition label, I think they have a good track record. So, I grabbed one of their panini dinners and headed home. I wasn't expecting it to be great, but man, YUM!

I got the chicken, spinach, and mushroom panini. It has 7g of fat, which I consider a lot, so that didn't thrill me, but at only 270 calories, 20g of protein, and 25% of your daily intake for calcium, I was content. This is definitely not a dinner I would recommend eating all of time though! The sodium, though not as high as I've seen, is still quite high for an everyday meal and there are way healthier meals you should try to consume regularly instead.

I would consider this to be a low-guilt treat :) If you're in a hurry, and you want something quick but justifiable, go ahead, grab one and enjoy!! I did!

SMART Goal Setting

You can't have success without a goal, and it's hard to have success if you're trying to obtain a goal that is not S.M.A.R.T.

This is one of the first things I learned becoming a trainer. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Action oriented, Realistic, and Timed. For health and fitness, the best goal is one that fits these requirements.

Example: If you have a goal that is specific (run a half marathon), measurable (you know when you've reached your goal as you cross the finish line), action oriented (start a running program), realistic (the date of the race is in a reasonable amount of time for you to safely train for), and timed (race date is ____) then you have something solid to work towards.

One thing I stress about goal setting, is to forget about weight or inches. Set a goal for an experience! Plan a hiking trip in the mountains, or a canoeing trip, triathlon, anything that will provide a positive and exciting reward at the end. Setting a goal to lose 10lbs may fit the SMART terms, but what happens after you lose 10lbs?

Set a goal to run 5km (for example), pick a race, and train as hard as you can for it! You aren't in control of the race date, so you know making it to a workout, or missing it, will have a strong effect on how well you perform. And when you participate in an event or activity, you will usually have pictures to look back on, sometimes a T-Shirt or even a medal, and you'll have these things forever to show what you accomplished.

Once you meet your goal, and you get the rush feeling of victory, you'll be looking for a new challenge to embrace and train your butt off for! Losing pounds, gaining strength, becoming more toned, all of that will happen, but it will not be the focus of your journey, it's just icing!

Moncton Conference

So, I went away this past weekend to Moncton for a CanFit-Pro conference. In order to stay certified, it is mandatory that I keep current with my education by participating in continued education course each year. Of course, with my attitude of wanting to become one of the best of the best, I am learning whatever I can whenever I have the opportunity to.

This weekend's conference was fantastic! There were five 90min. courses in one day, and all hit on basically the same thing; muscle imbalances and how to train the body in a functional way to improve daily living.

It is amazing to me how our bodies work. I learned a lot of new exercises and how to make the body work the way it was designed to so that the movements we make naturally in life are preformed safer and more efficiently.

I was taught that if you want to target every single muscle in the body, you only need to do three exercises: plank, side plank, and bridge. Who knew it could be so simple?! Of course, in order to keep overloading the muscle you need to change those three exercises over time to be more complex. I learned many ways to change the intensity of these three base move. Man, what a work out!

I can't wait to start integrating some of these new exercises into my classes, and am looking forward to training my clients with this new fresh information in mind!

New Class

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!

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!

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 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

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!

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.

:)

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!

Nice Weather Jogging!

Spring is here and the joggers are out!

If you've been on the treadmill for your workouts all winter, I encourage you to get outside for a jog now that the nice weather is upon us. If you take my advise, don't be surprise by how much harder it is; jogging on the treadmill is a lot different than jogging outside.

Think about it, on a treadmill you're basically just moving your legs up and down as the "floor" moves underneath you. When you're outside you use more muscles in your legs because you have to propel yourself forward. Also, the terrain outside is obviously different. Stabilizing muscles get called into play that are otherwise unused on the even surface of the treadmill.

So, get out there and enjoy the challenge! Your body will adapt before you know it and the change of scenery makes all the difference in the world. Check out the PEI RoadRunner's website and pick a race as a goal to work towards!

Go Big For Breakfast!

I know you've all heard it before- breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But, have you ever heard that having a big breakfast can help you lose weight?? I was just reading that researchers found that obese dieters who ate a big 600 calorie breakfast lost significantly more weight than those that ate half as much!

The balanced breakfast (they listed scrambled eggs, whole wheat toast, a banana, and diced turkey) helped curb cravings throughout the day, especially carb specific cravings.

Some things to remember about breakfast:

1- Have it EVERY day, never ever skip. Make it a habit and those sugar cravings you now get later in the day will become non-existent.

2- The earlier the better. Have breakfast within an hour of waking up, even if you're not hungry. Doesn't have to be a huge meal, though above you see it's proven that bigger is better *smiles*, but low blood sugar levels in the morning create a chemical in the brain that masks hunger, but causes cravings later in the day.

3. Choose complex carbohydrates. This means whole grain cereals, steel-cut oats, high-fiber fruit, and so on. Fiber keeps you feeling fuller for longer and helps even your blood sugar levels.

4. Get some protein. A third of your daily intake of protein should be with your breakfast. Protein slows digestion, I've learned there's a depression-fighting amino acid in protein as well, and, again with the blood sugar levels, protein helps prevent spiking.

So, there ya go. Reasons why to eat breakfast and things to remember when you're figuring out the best way to. I never use to eat breakfast ever! These days, you don't want to be around me if I've missed my morning meal!! I'm not pleasant. I love breakfast! In fact, I just had a bowl of delicious, organic, high fiber cereal as part of my supper. Which explains I'm deciding to write about breakfast at almost 9pm!

:) YUM