I attended the Can-Fit-Pro 2011 Halifax Conference last weekend and one of the lectures was about how to become your personal best. Everyone has a different definition of success, but despite all of the different definitions, this holds true: success is balance in all areas. Below are some steps to discovering what is your best, and achieving it.
1. Create a map for your life. If you don't know what you want, how can you achieve it? If you don't know where to go, how can you get there? Sit down and decide what your perfect life looks like. Write down where you want to be, what you want to be, and how you want to feel. Then, start taking steps right away to achieve the end goal. Don't wait! Do something, even something small, everyday to work towards your ideal life.
2. Exercise. Of course, this is an important one! It's hard to be great if you don't feel great. Exercise daily to feel strong, confident, motivated, and like you can take on the world! Energy creates energy!
3. Eat like a champion! This doesn't mean eat everything in sight. This means eat well- get proper nutrition to fuel your brain and your body!
4. Try something new every 90 days. Surprise yourself regularly by learning something new about yourself. Experience new things regularly to grow as a person, and you will become a better person! Go dancing, try rock climbing, go see a play, audition for a part in a play! Whatever you can think of! Just go for it!!
5. Surround yourself with amazing people. Keep people around you that build you up, inspire you, and motivate you to achieve your goals. Try not to surround yourself with people who bring you down.
6. Stay positive! Don't be one of those people that others don't want to surround themselves with! Positivity can be challenging on hard days, but put your struggles into perspective. Often times we find it easier to think "poor me" and blame others for our challenges, but really, challenges are what help us become more capable! I'm not saying you have to be fake, but you may have to fake it until you make it! Positivity is contagious. Smile as often as you can and people around you will smile too, and that just feels good :)
7. Have fun. Life is short, way too short to live too seriously. Be silly, laugh at yourself, and don't sweat the small stuff! Play, dance, sing, and enjoy yourself.
8. Don't let set backs set you back. Set backs are a part of life. It's very rare that anything worth doing comes easily to us. We have to work on obtaining our goals, and that's what makes achieving them so satisfying. If we let set backs stop us from moving forward, we will never get anywhere!
9. Become a lover of knowledge. We have access to unlimited amounts of information on just about every subject! The internet has given us the ability to learn about any topic with the click of a button. Start learning, your brain needs stimulation in order to keep working properly.
10. Lastly, live your dream. Live right now! Don't put it on hold anymore.
Dream Lofty dreams
and as you dream,
so you will become
So, what are you going to do today?! What it is, make sure you smile while you do it
:)
Have a happy Wednesday!
Wednesday, June 1
Thursday, May 26
30 Minute SWEAT!
Looking for an intense cardio workout but a little short on time? Try out this routine:
After a 3-5 minute dynamic warm-up, perform each exercise for 1 minute, back-to-back. Rest for 1 minute after completing the last exercise and then perform it 2 more times.
Stutter steps: get your heels off the floor, stay on the balls of your feet! Keep your abs tight and go low to make it extra hard. Speed, baby! Go fast!!
Jumping Jacks: I'm just starting you off easy ;) But you get what you put into it! Get height, go fast, and make your range of motion BIG!
Jump Knee Tucks: Alright, here we go! Jump high and tuck both knees up toward your chest! Go as fast as you can! Land soft!
Plyo-Jacks: Start with your feet together, and hands at your sides. Jump up, opening your arms and legs as wide as you can, and then close them before you land! Land soft!
Burpees: Oh yes, the dreaded burpee! Jump up and reach your arms as high as you can, bending your knees as you land into a squat, hands to the floor, jump your legs back so you're in a push up position, then jump your legs back to your hands, stand and jump again. Burn, baby!!
Ski jumps: Keep your feet together, knees bent, lean over and jump side to side, using your arms for a big range of motion! Don't round your spine, keep your chest open, head up.
Side jumping high knees: Stand with your feet wide and alternate bringing your knees up at an ankle toward your chest. It's almost like jumping side to side, but lift your knees and go FAST!! Let your arms move too.
Cross punches: Ok, the roughest part is over! Get your heart-rate down just a bit so that you don't throw up when you go to the floor on the next 2! Punch corner to corner, twisting through your core. Keep your abs tight! Punch fast, punch hard!
Reptile: Get into plank on your hands. Pull your knee out wide toward your elbow on the same side. Keep your upper body still. Alternate legs and move as fast as you can. Ignore the sweat dripping off your nose!
Sit up/knee tuck: Perform a regular sit-up, but when you lean back, extend your legs straight out, heels on the floor, and when you come up, pull your knees into your chest, tapping your heels on the floor close to your glutes. You can have your hands at your sides for support if you need to, and you don't need to have your back actually touch the floor to feel it! If you can't do a full sit-up, just lean back as far as you can and it'll still work great! You can also do one leg at a time.
Ok, so there's my Sunday routine when it's too yucky to go for a run or when I'm short on time! If you're really short on time, you don't have to do all 3 rounds! Anything is better than nothing, so do what you have time for. Each round only takes 10 minutes if you don't break between exercises. This is also a great workout to commit to if you don't feel like working out. Just tell yourself you only have to do 1 round, 10 minutes of work, and then you can go back to the couch! Once you start, you may find you want to do the other 2 rounds! But if you don't, at least you did something :)
Hope you like it! Let me know how you do on my Facebook group page- 'embodybia'
Thanks!
After a 3-5 minute dynamic warm-up, perform each exercise for 1 minute, back-to-back. Rest for 1 minute after completing the last exercise and then perform it 2 more times.
Stutter steps: get your heels off the floor, stay on the balls of your feet! Keep your abs tight and go low to make it extra hard. Speed, baby! Go fast!!
Jumping Jacks: I'm just starting you off easy ;) But you get what you put into it! Get height, go fast, and make your range of motion BIG!
Jump Knee Tucks: Alright, here we go! Jump high and tuck both knees up toward your chest! Go as fast as you can! Land soft!
Plyo-Jacks: Start with your feet together, and hands at your sides. Jump up, opening your arms and legs as wide as you can, and then close them before you land! Land soft!
Burpees: Oh yes, the dreaded burpee! Jump up and reach your arms as high as you can, bending your knees as you land into a squat, hands to the floor, jump your legs back so you're in a push up position, then jump your legs back to your hands, stand and jump again. Burn, baby!!
Ski jumps: Keep your feet together, knees bent, lean over and jump side to side, using your arms for a big range of motion! Don't round your spine, keep your chest open, head up.
Side jumping high knees: Stand with your feet wide and alternate bringing your knees up at an ankle toward your chest. It's almost like jumping side to side, but lift your knees and go FAST!! Let your arms move too.
Cross punches: Ok, the roughest part is over! Get your heart-rate down just a bit so that you don't throw up when you go to the floor on the next 2! Punch corner to corner, twisting through your core. Keep your abs tight! Punch fast, punch hard!
Reptile: Get into plank on your hands. Pull your knee out wide toward your elbow on the same side. Keep your upper body still. Alternate legs and move as fast as you can. Ignore the sweat dripping off your nose!
Sit up/knee tuck: Perform a regular sit-up, but when you lean back, extend your legs straight out, heels on the floor, and when you come up, pull your knees into your chest, tapping your heels on the floor close to your glutes. You can have your hands at your sides for support if you need to, and you don't need to have your back actually touch the floor to feel it! If you can't do a full sit-up, just lean back as far as you can and it'll still work great! You can also do one leg at a time.
Ok, so there's my Sunday routine when it's too yucky to go for a run or when I'm short on time! If you're really short on time, you don't have to do all 3 rounds! Anything is better than nothing, so do what you have time for. Each round only takes 10 minutes if you don't break between exercises. This is also a great workout to commit to if you don't feel like working out. Just tell yourself you only have to do 1 round, 10 minutes of work, and then you can go back to the couch! Once you start, you may find you want to do the other 2 rounds! But if you don't, at least you did something :)
Hope you like it! Let me know how you do on my Facebook group page- 'embodybia'
Thanks!
Monday, May 16
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 :)
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 :)
Sunday, May 8
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!
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!
Tuesday, April 26
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
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
Sunday, April 24
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!
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!
Thursday, April 14
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!
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!
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