JM Core Studio

Fitness Considerations for the Pregnant Woman

2010-08-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

I have had great success with clients planning / preparing for pregnancy, carrying their child and recovering or bouncing back after birth. I must say, I have not had a child, and I'm sure that later on in life I will have some better insights on the FEELINGS involved in the scenario. But I am very in tune with my clients, and extremely in tune with their anatomies. Given the courses I've taken and the experience I have, I know that I can help those trying to stay healthy and fit through their pregnancy as well as afterward.

It is very important to listen to your doctor as well as your trainer, and better yet to have the two put into communication with one another, should your pregnancy provide any complications or even specific considerations of any kind.
If you are trying to get pregnant, make sure that your folic acid levels are where they are supposed to be, and that your BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS ARE STABLE! You've head me talk about this! It's important for everyone, and is really one of the most important things to accomplish if you are attempting to bear a child.

Staying fit through your pregnancy is a wildly good idea. Now is the time you have to start considering the well-being of another human for which you are solely responsible, but that doesn't mean that sitting with your feet up through the whole thing, or mowing an extra 500 calories a day is going to be in the best interest of the baby! A healthy YOU equals a healthy baby. Most doctors recommend an extra 150 calories per day (contingent upon the individual, and the term). So the permission / urging to eat everything in sight is not such a great thing.
This is quite an extensive topic, so I don't think I'll get into nutrition too much for this entry. We'll keep it to fitness. But later on, I will discuss what foods to avoid and which to eat more of during this physically fascinating time.

If you are already training, are already running or strength training, or committed to other activities, it is usually safe to keep them up. You should be given the go-ahead by your doctor, because he / she may understand more about the specifics of your physical condition that you or I would. It is not a great idea to begin new activities, if they are out of the realm of familiarity for your body. Your body will change (your hips, for example, can become or feel much looser, urging you to perhaps push your range of motion beyond what you normally would - and this can potentially prevent the ligaments from finding their way back to normal post pregnancy). As your body changes, you need to still be very practical about your activities, despite what you may feel tempted to do at times. The most important thing to consider in your fitness is RISK vs. BENEFIT. Your trainer will know what activities are more risky than beneficial to you, and are more beneficial and less risky. Any activity in which you are prone to falling on your stomach, for the most obvious example, should be avoided. Rollerblading or skiing are probably not the best activities! Hot yoga is another one you might want to avoid, as a hot environment can exacerbate an already-heated pregnant woman. Too much heat exposure can cause birth defects. Your own body heat can be dissipated easily, but a hot environment is a different story.

You may have heard to never do any activity on your back, which draws blood away from the baby. There is a grey area here... typically 30 -60 minutes is okay, but it is best to make sure the torso is higher than the lower body. For example, rather than doing a bosu crunch with tailbone at the very top of the ball, bring the tailbone closer to the floor, so that you are a bit closer to being upright.
Planks are great, but as you put on more weight in your midsection, your back will become tighter and tighter, just from walking around (as it will be in an arched position). You may not last as long in your planks, trying to straighten that lower spine with the strength in your abdominals. Try doing a plank on a stability ball (with a trainer, please) for a slight incline, and an extra stability challenge to really recruit your rooted core muscles (from which you will muster strength for delivery).

It is vitally important to strengthen the adductors (inner thighs) for a potentially easier delivery. If you are strong on delivery day, you will have a much better time helping that baby find its way out.

It was once advised that pregnant women should never increase their heart rates above 140 bpm. Although this is a safe guideline, for a very fit client, the rules can loosen up a little bit. It is a good idea to monitor breathing, make sure you can talk easily, and you should never feel dizzy, have blurred vision or headaches. Pregnant women tend to have lower blood pressure, so you need to stand up more slowly, move from exercise to exercise a bit more slowly than you normally would.

If your joints are wobbly and much less stable than normal, it's time to modify and regress.

My last clip of advice - DO KEGELS! Women should be doing them anyway. Nobody wants the incontinence that so often accompanies pregnancy as was as the post-partum stage... it is worth it to invest some time and effort into these exercises. If you don't know what they are, google them or contact me privately. As many as you can, everyday... the more the better.

For more information, check out www.acog.org to seek the advice of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. I attended a great lecture this weekend by Annette Lang this weekend, which filled in some gaps of my knowledge on this topic, so I'd like to thank her for her information.

If you have more specific questions about hormones, risks or conditions, I have answers. Don't hesitate to contact me.
And enjoy that growing relationship with both your baby and your body!

Keep It Simple #2

2010-08-13T07:12:00.001-07:00

We all know that eating out often incurs far more calories, sodium and grams of fat than when we compose our own balanced meals at home. But when you're stuck and need to eat a meal out, your best bet in most cases is to CUT IT IN HALF!

You can ask the server for half of it to be put right into a take-out container, and eat the serving you're left with. Portion sizes are just astronomical. Try to visualize your meal in its individual parts, chances are good you're eating between 2-5 times the amount of a normal, balancing meal. Let's take pho for example: visually separate the rice noodles from the rest of the dish. Is it 2-3 cups? Yup, that's between 2-6 times more than you need/should have for properly balanced blood sugar levels.
If you don't want to be that person with the server at the restaurant (even though there really should be absolutely no shame in managing your body properly), try to divide it up and simply eat half. If you're really listening to your body, you will most likely be full before hitting half, or at least three quarters of your meal.

Portion sizes are the killer - the reason you feel too tired / lazy to workout, the reason it's too darn hard to lose that last 5-10 pounds, the reason your blood pressure is too high, the reason your motivation is in the pits. It's well worth the commitment to shave it down.

To Be or Not to Be... a Vegetarian

2010-08-04T15:47:00.001-07:00

Well, this is a very frequently debated topic. I can't say 100% what is right and what is wrong, that is really up to the individual. But I will voice my opinion - that is the purpose of a blog.

It is favourable that individuals eat predominantly things that grow out of the ground, and foods that are the least tampered with by human beings (we really tend to mess things up in production!). A vegetarian diet can be very healthy, when it is balanced with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and protein sources like legumes and tofu / soy products. Many people are criticizing tofu and soy products these days because some of them are genetically modified. At one of my recent nutrition courses, I asked a trusted professional her opinion on this debate. She said frankly, which I wholeheartedly repeat: "There is too much good in these foods, to focus on the modification as a major flaw. Eating modified vegetarian proteins, that are still sourced from the ground and generally healthy, is far better than consuming poor quality meats that have been injected with hormones and antibiotics, and ill-kept." So, there.
I love tofu. I eat it or other soy products a couple times / week. I have a sensitive awareness to my body's system that tells me quickly if something is bad for me, and I have NEVER had any red flags from tofu. Now, that isn't scientific backing, that is my strong instinct. But that is what I'm sharing with you.
Meat on the other hand, my body has angrily warned me against more often than not. I am not meat-bashing, I do believe in the food chain, and that humans are designed to deal with some meats in their systems. We do, of course, need all of the amino acids (complete proteins) for proper muscle repair. But, I think it is up to the individual to decide how their body responds to meat.
North American society just consumes far too much of it. And the way that it is over-consumed is not so much as a nice chicken breast from a butcher on a plate with brown rice and vegetables, as it is in processed foods such as chicken wings, strips, nuggets, pot pies, on frozen pizzas.... Think about this quality of meat:
When people become addicted to these foods because of the sodium, additives, preservatives, chemicals and sugar, they consume mass quantities of it. To meet the demand, the industry has become incredibly compromising with its farming practices... including the way it keeps and raises its animals. This is what disgusts me.
THAT is gluttony, ignorance, and lack of compassion for the food (and the creatures that provide it) that we are eating.

Oh dear, I've digressed in a slight rant. How do I sum up from here?
Try to respect the food that you are eating, whether you decide to wipe out meat altogether, or wouldn't even consider dismissing it. I, for example, consume a largely vegetarian diet, because my body prefers legumes, tofu, grains and fruits and vegetables to meat. That being said, if I crave meat, my body is telling me it needs it, and I eat it. Of course, I try to choose carefully as I know consuming some poor, sick animal is going to backfire in my psyche and affect my physicality badly. I love sushi, I love fish - but these foods are also becoming so popular and are being over-fished. Fish about twice a week, meat once to three times a week should be sufficient for everyone. It's important to experiment with the many wholesome foods the planet provides, cruelty-free.

So, listen to your body. Consume meat, if you desire it, in moderation. Eat clean foods, free of anti-biotics (stop letting these ignorant, soul-less mass-producers make money off torturing and manipulating animals, and ailing us) and then enjoy a healthier, more energetic and kinder existence.

Processed foods are ruining ALL living things. For those who care little about animals, be aware that a diet of "fake" foods is deforming you form the inside-out, too.

If you are considering becoming a vegetarian, or adding more vegetarian products to your diet, don't hesitate to contact me for recipes and nutritional advice. Guiding people to clean themselves out and clean up the pattern of this sick planet is something I happen to be very passionate about.

Alternative to Juice

2010-07-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

(Not Juice the dog, there is no alternative to her.)

A lot of people get sick of water for a refreshing drink that is hydrating. We often grab bottled juice from stores, or pop (please no - 16 teaspoons of sugar in one serving!).
Fruit juice often has additives and preservatives, for one thing, but even when you're drinking the pure stuff, it is robbing you of the fibre of the full fruit. And since it goes down easier, we consume more of it. 6oz. is a serving.
Remember, the more sugar you consume, the more sugar you crave. And, if you consume sugar in the morning, you can bet you will be craving it periodically throughout the rest of your day - that means fighting that overwhelming urge to hit the vending machine, or the cookies sitting around the office.
Skip your morning glass of orange juice, and replace it with iced green tea. Mm, so fresh and delicious. Make a large pot of the tea as normal, let it cool, then toss it in a pitcher and into the fridge with ice.

If you MUST, add a teaspoon of honey (at least it delivers some antioxidants to compliment the disease-fighting punch you're getting from the tea). But, add your honey by the glass, and not to the whole batch, because your taste bus will adapt to the tea and you will most likely enjoy it without sugar!

This is a great alternative to lemonade for guests as well (really, most beverages other than milk and water are just unnecessary calories, and horrible challengers to our appetite control).
When blood sugar levels are stable, you lose fat. When they spike and drop, you gain it. Seems easy, right?
GIVE UP THE JUICE!

A Simple Way to Beat Procrastination!

2010-07-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

When you're really feeling like you're dragging yourself and puttering around, avoiding the workout that you are currently setting out to do, make sure you put your running shoes on!
This is such a simple tip, but it works. If I'm puttering around in bare feet, sock feet, flip flops... I will procrastinate sometimes three times as much.

When my shoes are on, I'm ready to go and as good as out the door! It works like magic. So get off the couch right now, throw on your running shoes, don't stop to think.... fly out the door. Like I'm about to...

Have a good workout!

Fat-free and Low-fat Foods... Good or Bad?

2010-07-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is just a very quick word of advice for those who always pick up "diet" foods in hopes that this piece of marketing will translate into a smaller waistline or faster results.

Remember, those who are healthy, look amazing. Just because a product has been skimmed of its fat and calories, does not make it a healthy option for our bodies. Our bodies are biologically complicated, but impressively designed. We are designed to cope with nature's food, given the fact that we are active and eat nature's foods in moderation. Our capitalist society has come up with many manipulative products to try to convince us that we can eat junk food, or more typically decadent foods more often, after they've been tampered with by chemicals and machines.

Our bodies do NOT know how to deal with these chemicals, naturally. One big reason why cancer is flying around and affecting far too many of us are these strange manipulations that humans have started to put in the foods we love, to make them more appealing for a quick-fix or lazy way to get lean. Companies are taking advantage of the fact that many of us are struggling with our weight, after fast food and junk food has taken over and stripped us of our common sense regarding nutrition.
Our addictions to bad foods are largely caused by capitalism, and the stress of our overworked society.

Keep it real: eat real ice cream, when you want it. (Just watch that it isn't too often. If you force yourself to choose nutritionally dense products, and naturally clean and lower fat foods, you will become healthier which will lead you to desire indulgences less.)
Eat full fat cheese, so long as it has natural ingredients that you can pronounce and do come from the ground, not a factory.

You will enjoy your indulgences more, be more satiated, need indulgences less. You will all around feel more energetic because you will be consuming FOOD and not freaky things designed to look and smell like it! Don't strange, waxy substances put into "ice cream" treats freak you out??? They sure freak me out!

Our bodies take care of us, when we do them. They know what is real and what isn't. You can't fool a brilliant biological human body, so quit trying. Work out, use what you've got, reduce toxicity, and replenish your system with healthy things provided by the earth.

I will certainly touch on specific ingredients to look out for in another post.
Tonight - try real basil, tomatoes and fresh, full-fat mozzarella cheese for a caprese salad. Well balanced, light, yet filling. Mm.

And throw out your Skinny Cow ice cream treats in favour of a less-frequent spoonful of Hagen Das. Seriously!

Periodization Training

2010-07-08T10:44:00.001-07:00

I went on the web to see if I could find points to support this post, but I was surprised to find a plethora of false / overly complicated information. That means, that anyone who doesn't work in the industry looking to learn about this style of training could have a difficult time, given the calculations of weights vs. 1 rep max, body weight, etc.

I'm going to make it really easy for you.

Periodization training is a way of dividing types of training up into... periods. It is good to stick to a particular workout / style of training for about 4-6 weeks at a time. This doesn't mean necessarily repeating all the same exercises over and over (especially if you're with a trainer, they will know which ones to stick to for the style and your goals), but keeping the repetitions around the same number, and the load at approximately the same difficulty. For example, many divide periods into programs for endurance, for strength, and for power. It's good to "master" each zone, and then move onto the next when its demonstrated its excellence. 4-6 weeks is usually the right amount of time for the body to excel at the program, and then to be shocked back into progressing / transforming with the next change.
For endurance, you will want to keep your weights lighter so that you fatigue between 12-15 repetitions (sometimes even 20-30 repetitions, depending on the sport for which you train, or on the client's body type). For strength, the norm is between 8-12 repetitions. For power, you need bursts of strength in smaller spurts, and repetitions can fall between 3-6 or so.
It is also important to incorporate plyometrics for power and stabilization.

Periodization is important for athletes because each of these components need to be fine-tuned to succeed at the activity. In running, for example, one will need power for the start and for the sprint in the finish, endurance so that the muscles can last the race with out fatiguing, and strength so that the muscles don't fatigue before the heart, and that they protect the joints, and to support the metabolism in general.

Periodization training is also important for the non-competitive individual, as it leads to consistent progress. The body does hit plateaus once it's mastered a certain style of training. Variety is the key to success, because it contributes to overall conditioning (and with it, you'll know your body can handle whatever life throws at it!). The body frequently needs a jolt of surprise to get its butt moving again, transforming the physique and being presented with challenges to overcome.
I know we're always wishing that the challenges in life would cease, but really... then we would exist at a standstill and never change, never progress. How gross! Imagine you were to have stayed where you were two years ago? I'm not talking age, I'm talking wisdom, development... I certainly don't want that!

Remember - this is a guideline. If you need specific advice catered to you, recruit the help of a professional to get more bang for your buck.

Ultimately, change it up. Whether your goal is to play for Team Canada, or simply to feel tight, strong and invigorated.

Life is a Trainer

2010-06-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Life is not a box of chocolates, it's a trainer. I realized this today.

First of all, I was telling a client about a plan of mine, but was on the fence. She asked what was holding me back, and I giggled "fear". She said: "if one of your clients said that to you, what would you say?"

Hm. Good point girlfriend.

After the session, on my way to the gym, I got some bad news. We all have bad years, and this past one has been mine. When you're scrambling to get on your feet, life can keep kicking and kicking and kicking. Do you A - tuck yourself in a ball and cry? Or B - work HARDER?
In the gym, I ran on the treadmill, uphill. And I got angry. I got angry at all the roundhouse kicks that life was smacking me with consistently (of course I'm not consumed with self-pity, we ALL get these roundhouse kicks in different forms). But it made me want to sweat more, climb higher and run faster. So I did.
I realized that life and these unfortunate instances are training me to kick its butt, to conquer it. Life is my trainer. Crying in a ball (what I truly wanted to do before getting on that treadmill) suddenly felt so blah. Nah - train me harder. I can take it.

As trainers, our goal is not to see our clients scrambling and to triumph in our power over their dismantling form... it is to present each person with their breaking point, and very carefully, however sometimes aggressively, urge and guide them to overcome it.

Today, a client gave me a taste of my own medicine. A client became my trainer. Life is my trainer, and my clients are in large part my life - how interesting.

So to hell with lemons. When life has you scrambling uphill enduring roundhouse kicks, wondering how bloody much more you can possibly stand before you collapse and give up and fall off track forever.... remember, it's training you to kick its butt and triumph. Keep going, keep going, keep going.

Our Options in Life...

2010-06-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in a past post that there are many things in life we can't choose, and can't control.
We can't control natural disasters (directly, anyway - that's a whole other blog entry AND blog), we can't control where we're born and what family we're born into. We can't control our genetics. We can't control the lives of other people, how they treat their pets, children, partners, and their own bodies.
We do constantly have choices with our own (bodies). If you have been living uncomfortably for the past five or ten years (or more), you've made that choice. If you decide to give up and accept your body's condition the way it is, that is your choice. If you want to take advantage and bring it to its full potential, you make that call as well. And then every day, you make a decision whether to slide backwards, to remain at a standstill, or to move forward in your own health and happiness.

I feel like quite often people forget about this switch that is either on or off in our heads. We are either actively pursuing satisfaction with our health and bodies, or we are lying passive in dissatisfaction and letting our physical fate be what it's going to be.
So let me remind you of your two options: make a bit of a time, emotional, physical and mental investment for an enormous transformation in how you feel every single day of your life - or don't do anything, remain passive in the passenger seat and complain / fret about 90% more often. One drains our lives, the other pumps it plump with pleasure and vitality.

So you can fall flat, or you can make the call, grab the reigns and live.

Have Your Pizza... And Eat it Too!

2010-06-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

Pizza is a favourite of most people, and really, it isn't a terrible food. The things you have to look out for are fat and salt, and disproportionate parts (too thick of a crust, too must cheese).
The tomato sauce offers the cancer fighting skills of lycopene, you get calcium and some protein from the cheese, and it is an opportunity to load vegetables onto something delicious.
The trick is to choose thin crust, and multigrain / whole grain crust where available. If you really want to eat a healthier pizza (and probably actually enjoy it more) make it at home on either whole grain pitas or a whole grain crust from the grocery store (President's Choice Blue Menu makes a great one). Then, you can count on some fibre as well. Avoid most meats - sausages and pepperoni are just too high in fat to include in a meal that has so much cheese. Shrimp, tofu and chicken make great pizza toppings! Or, stick to just vegetables.

When I make pizza at home, I don't coat the crust in mozzarella. I prefer to sprinkle a light amount of feta or goat cheese, which has a stronger flavour and obviously saves a ton of calories and fat through using less.

When you order pizza, ask for half the cheese, thin and multigrain crust... and then here's the real trick... stick to TWO SLICES!
And suddenly this junk food fits into a healthy lifestyle.

When the Going Gets Tough....

2010-06-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Doing a massive wellness overhaul is one of the most difficult things to undertake in life, hands down. It involves busting an addiction to fake foods (almost all of us have this to some degree - it's difficult these days not to), re-organizing one's psychology to keep moving, to quiet some thoughts and illuminate others.
It requires so much mental strength, and the recruiting of all the physical strength to burst through the frustration of the psychological walls.
When you have a long weight loss journey ahead of you, giving up is incredibly easy. All you have to do is NOT put forth the effort to that one workout, instead hit the drive-thru window one more time, and the habits will snowball back to leaving you more lethargic and therefore less likely to counteract the pattern.
The less you do, the less you will do... until you are really doing nothing at all. And I don't only mean in fitness. When we are lethargic and over-fat (I don't like to use the word weight, because the thing that makes too much weight bad is fat), we stop taking advantage of life. We start avoiding it. We start avoiding being social, avoiding getting dressed to enjoy the days (rather dressing to get by as comfortably as possible), avoiding exercising life.

Is this an option? To spend the days avoiding and avoiding? It is wasteful. Life is full of so many amazing experiences and relationships, and it is in our immediate control whether we will waste or will grab it by the you-know-what and start living.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING!

It isn't easy. It requires one rounding up all of the mental and psychological strength that their physicality houses and keeping it on the edge of their skin for as much of each day as they can muster.
When you feel motivated, you have to take advantage and jump into high-gear and love every minute of that high of accomplishment. Soon, you will crave that accomplishment, and you won't be able to settle for... settling. You will have to keep moving forward, because that is what life IS. We are here to re-invent, to improve, to prove our full potential to ourselves.
If today, you are unhappy with who you are, whether it be physically, mentally or otherwise, that's okay. Ideally, you will adore yourself every day. But if you are at the beginning of a journey to get to the place where you are living fully in the NOW, take your first step.

Your first step is this: Make each and every day a little bit more progressive than the day before it. And what do I mean by progressive? Eating foods that serve you well, that respect your body and teach you to respect your body by eating them. Move - in one way or another. Our bodies are designed to move. That is our purpose! Then start to think about how you're feeling. Your chemistry will be changing, your energy and happiness levels increase. Your opinion on what you can and cannot change will... CHANGE!

In a world of difficult situations that we cannot control, the devastation of our deteriorating health is one thing that more often than not, we CAN control. And changing the health changes absolutely every single minor detail of our existence...

If you need extra help - someone to listen, coach, push, guide, encourage and smile at you while you change your life, you can call me.
When you feel like giving up, simply think about someone in your life who you wanted to see succeed and take advantage of all that they could, rather than give up and live sadly. Think about how desperately you want that person to pick themselves up and move forward and shed the weight (figuratively) of being stuck feeling helpless.

Let's make the world better.... it starts with you. First.

Beware the Yogurt Parfait

2010-06-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Many of the major fast food chains came out with a yogurt parfait as a healthier alternative.

First of all, let me de-bunk one major myth (to disappoint you all) - granola is rarely healthy. It is often very high in sugar and fat. If you make it yourself and control what's in it, that is another matter.

The yogurt parfaits in these restaurants and even grocery stores use artificially sweetened yogurt which has unnatural things in it and a ton of sugar, on top of its often "glazed" fruit (again higher in sugar than natural fruit) and then this high-fat, high-sugar granola. What do you have? A sugar high, an insulin nightmare... and therefore a begging for fat storage and energy lows.

A REAL healthier alternative:

Use 1-2% plain yogurt. It's real, with few to no additives, clean, and has active bacterial culture. Not only the brands that advertise having this culture do have it (I have a very strong distaste for Activia - marketing gods with little nutritional bang).

Use fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries. Mmm. Natural sugars (fructose), FIBRE, antioxidants and no disgustingly concocted sugary glaze to go with.

A few tablespoons of walnuts, pieces or whole, to add some healthy fat and essential fatty acids (great for proper brain function, cell function, fat burning, shiny hair.........)

It's still delicious. It tastes REAL. Try it. And bypass the manipulative restaurant chains and eat some real food at home more often, in general. More bang for your buck, nutritionally and financially.

The Correct Lunge

2010-05-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

So, I hop into gyms around the city in between my clients, since I travel to their homes and need to squeeze in my workouts where I can.

I normally keep to myself, throw my favourite DJ Jayceeoh mix on my iPod and don't really pay attention to what's going on around me. I'm constantly monitoring and tweaking while at work, so when I am at the gym, my focus is predominantly on my own efforts, and the physiological happenings in my own body.

This being said, something caught my eye the other day and I could barely help but scoul. A trainer was teaching their client a walking lunge. The front knee was so far beyond the toe, the back leg was STRAIGHT, not bent, and of course... the girl giving the demonstration had zero glute definition and will probably have bad knees in a couple years. I sound vile, awful and critical. But it's really time that people get this basic exercise right. It makes my insides hurt to see it executed so sloppily.

In any kind of lunge, whether it be a drop lunge (stepping back into a lunge), a static lunge (keeping the feet in the same position and dropping down then pressing back up - also called a split squat), a forward lunge (obvious) or a walking lunge - the principles are always the same. Please remember these tips:

Your front heel must be dug tightly into the floor. This recruits the front glute with full force (lifting, tightening, strengthening the butt - who doesn't want that??), and also protects the knee. By digging your heel in, you prevent your front knee from moving forward. It hovers, rather, over the front ankle, therefore placing the load perfectly on the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

Your back knee must bend into a 90 degree angle (the same angle your front knee will be in, over the ankle), and the back knee must line up with the neighbouring hip and shoulder. This knee will sit a couple inches above the floor at the bottom of the exercise (basically the load must always remain deposited in the front heel and not be compromised - very important!!!).

Your torso needs to be solid, straight and held tall. Since your back knee aligns with your shoulders, your shoulders must be slightly held back, and the chest lifted forward. Your core is tightly engaged, ready to tackle any instability or lack of balance. This lack of balance will challenge the core directly and recruit all stabilizer muscles, thus speeding results and increasing your caloric burn.

IF you have lower back pain, you may hinge forward oh-so-slightly at the hips, but be sure to squeeze your ribcage toward your hipbone to keep your abdominals held tightly against the spine.

This is how you build from the inside out. Learn to do it right in the beginning, and don't waste any of your time or effort doing it wrong. Most people feel their lunges predominantly in the back quad which reaches in an excrutiating manner toward the floor. As your glutes become better conditioned, you will be able to squeeze the front glute, and tightly use it to push the floor away, feeling this one greatly in the glutes as well.

If you want an extra challenge, use ONLY the heel of the front foot. It becomes more of a balance challenge - requires more core recruitment, and also really bites the glutes!

In a walking lunge, step your foot first, think about where the weight is deposited (heel) and then drop straight down into your two 90 degree angles in the legs. Don't keep the energy always slanted forward - make sure your muscles will get the most bang for their buck by being patient and getting it right.

Normally my clients who tell me they hate lunges have been doing them improperly. It leads to injury, muscle imbalance and joint pain (to name a few).

There are hundreds of variations of this exercises (on a BOSU, Bulgarian Split Squats, jumping split squats, drop lunge with kick, forward/backward lunge....) so it really is a beautiful one to master!

Feedback always welcomed........

Weight Machines vs. Functional Training

2010-05-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

With proper training techniques and coaching, you can achieve your best possible body using very little equipment at all. There is an enormous difference in effectiveness between being led through an exercise passively by a machine, and asserting the isolation and stabilization of your muscles using just your anatomy and your brain.
Your personal trainer, whether in a gym or at home, should always be coaching you on how to make each repetition better than the last, teaching you visualization techniques on how to be in complete control of the constructiveness of the exercises, and... staying away from weight machines! Weight machines are okay if one needs the stabilization done for them - mostly in rehabilitative situations. For the healthy, balanced individual, your trainer must teach you to use your muscles to stabilize. This fine-tunes the mind-body connection (integral to top-notch results), burns significantly more calories by recruiting more muscles into use, and boosts the metabolism by doing so. You can strengthen and lean out your core, just by teaching it to stabilize you while you properly isolate whatever other muscle you are conditioning. By teaching your muscles to grip tightly while you execute an exercise, you are also coaching them to protect your joints for life - warding off the uncomfortable effects of aging such as arthritis.

If your trainer is following you around with a clipboard, and counting repetitions, more interested in what is written on their piece of paper than the physiological happenings in your body right before their eyes.... they don't love this stuff enough to hold an expert opinion on your training.
You can use the grass, the floor, a chair, a table, stairs and your BODY to train every single muscle group. You simply need the right directive, and to know how to assign certain muscles as assertive and certain joints or muscles as passive in an exercise.
Throw in a medicine ball, stability ball, pair of dumbbells or BOSU and you will have endless possibilities for your body's achievements!

If you're interested to find out how, contact me for a comp workout. You'd be surprised.

Cables and dumbbells of course have their place, but it's really the knowledge and coaching that makes the biggest difference in training.

THE RED CARPET OF MEALS - Lean, Dressed Up and Beautiful Salads!

2010-05-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Salads are never all that tempting to me in the winter. I always want hot, steamed vegetables, or vegetables soups... but in the summer there are so many in-season, colourful fruits and vegetables. All it takes is tossing a plethora of fresh, wholesome foods into a bowl, and you can have a healthy and creative meal every time you eat.

Salads don't have to be just vegetables, in fact I prefer when they aren't. You want to throw in some healthy fats and some protein. I think it's a really wise idea to keep fresh foods in glass containers in the fridge, so that you can toss a few handfuls of things into a bowl for your meal.
Keep some legumes (like chickpeas, edamame, black beans), different kinds of cheeses (feta, goat cheese, cheddar), fruit (pears, apples, mandarin oranges, strawberries, blackberries), vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts), nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, chestnuts) and proteins (bbq chicken, shrimp, hard boiled eggs, tuna, steak, tofu, bacon).
There are ENDLESS options. If you keep many of these ingredients on-hand, each salad can be a completely different meal. The other day I made one with chicken (tossed in balsamic and oregano), goat cheese, roasted peppers, pears and walnuts, with a mixture of romaine and mixed greens.

When you have all these amazing flavours and variations, you don't need very much dressing. BUT, should you like to add some dressing, I recommend using a homemade one.
My mother makes the best salad dressing: 1 part vinegar (balsamic works well) to two parts olive oil (you can use a bit less if there is a lot of cheese / nuts in your salad already to keep fat lower), salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of basil, 1/2 - 1 tsp of dijon mustard to act as an emulsifier, and 1 tsp of pure maple syrup. Wisk it up and you're all set! It makes a huge difference to have a homemade dressing vs. some of the crazy stuff they put in the packaged versions.

Salads make healthy eating very easy. You want as much nutritional bang for your buck. This is a great way to get in many different vitamins and minerals, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and protein in one bowl. You will feel full, satisfied, and be baring your abs in no time!

An important sidenote: They're OH-SO-PRETTY to look at! Serve them for your friends.

An Easy, Time Efficient Home Strength Workout

2010-05-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

If you're wavering between skipping a workout and doing a ten minute routine, choose the ten minute routine! You need to be strength training 2-3 times / week to maintain/build muscle, keep your metabolism supported and keep your joints protected. You really don't want to risk losing muscle and depleting your system (leading to more fat storage, more load hitting and damaging the joints and general strength loss).
I'm going to provide a short program of six exercises that are sure to hit all your muscle groups when done properly. It's important to do something more thorough at least once / twice a week in my opinion, that includes more core exercises (because the core needs to be trained isometrically, rotationally, and in a stable manner that recruits the difficult-to-train transverse abdominis). But, this program will bridge the gap well between your more intensive training sessions.

Once again, I apologize for not yet having photos to post, but I should have more of these components in the coming months of my blog.

SPLIT SQUATS: Begin in a static lunge position (split stance), with your weight deposited into the front heel and your back foot resting on the ball of the foot, with the heel elevated. The goal of any kind of lunge is to reach two 90 degree angles in the legs at the bottom, where your back knee hovers over the floor (weight still in the front heel). Keep the shoulders back, chest lifted, and core tight. Inhale as you lower to the position with both legs at 90 degree angles, exhale and dig through the front heel to straighten back up to start. Knees will always be a little bit bent at the top. Repeat all repetitions on one leg (12-15 for most people) before switching sides. The feet never change their position. Split Squats work the glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and core.

WALL SQUAT: A wall squat is an isometric contraction, meaning that you hold the position still to build a really rooted and enduring strength. You will be seated against the wall, with heels of the feet directly under the knees (make sure that your feet are parallel to one another - particularly the outsides of the shoes following two parallel lines, perpendicular with the wall). Also be sure that your knees are not splayed outward, you want a slight closure in through the adductors as you hold. You can lift your toes entirely in this exercises, to keep the emphasis through the heel (and therefore through the glute). Make sure you are just slightly above a 90 degree angle in the knees (if you are too low, you will overload the knees instead of the quads and glutes). Press your lower back tightly into the wall so that the abdominals are recruited and building as well. Now, hang out! Hold the position for as long as you can. You will feel a sharp burn within a few seconds usually - work up to one minute.

HAMSTRING BRIDGE: Begin lying on your back, with your feet elevated on a chair or table. Your heels will be pressed into the chair, but the achilles and calves must not be resting / touching. We want to emphasize the glutes as much as possible - always! Your legs will be just slightly more open than a 90 degree angle. Your arms will be rested by your sides for balance support (though try not to depend on them). Inhale before you begin, and as you exhale, contract the hamstring and glutes to lift the hips up to where they are nearly in a straight line between your feet and your shoulders. Remember not to lock the knees at the top, and don't overextend your lower back. Keep the focus on the muscles you're working. Inahle to bend the knees back to your starting position, except you will simply hover over the floor, rather than deposit your weight on the floor. Exhale and repeat 15-20 times.

PUSH-UPS: Push-ups are a chest exercise, yes. But they also serve as a core exercise, and if you lower slowly and protract your shoulder blades on the way down, you can train the muscles in the back on your eccentric contraction. Hand position is key in push-ups: Begin with hands directly under the shoulders. Belly button is pinned up at the spine (you must NEVER lose this core foundation - and your core must be at its MOST contracted when you are at the bottom, about to push yourself back up). Look slightly forward to make sure you don't dive down headfirst. You want to get a nice expansion through the chest while keeping the core isometrically contracted. Inhale as you lower, and make sure that your elbows fold slightly back toward the wall behind you, instead of straight out to the walls on either side of you. This ensures that the load doesn't hit the shoulders too heavily, rather stays on the core, chest and triceps (anterior delts are at the stitch of the contraction inevitably). If your hips swoop at the bottom, meaning you've lost your core contraction, then you need to begin on your knees. You must be in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders, with your abs pinned up toward the spine. As you get stronger with this method, you can move onto push-ups on the toes.

PLANK: Here we have another isometric contraction to strengthen the core. Again, (I'm a bit core-obsessed) ideally you will have a more thorough core program that you will follow regularly that recruits the obliques a bit more deeply. But the plank contributes to a great amount of balance between the strength in the lower back, keeps the transverse abdominis contracted when done properly and really aids the enduring strength of the core as a unit. You are going to be in the same position as the top of a push-up, however on your elbows instead of your hands. Elbows still sit directly under the shoulders (if they are too far back, your shoulders will be overloaded). Your forearms will be tracked in parallel lines toward the wall ahead of you. I like to have clients keep their palms faced up, so that all tension / exertion is focused right on the core and doesn't get lost or distracted in the grip of the hands. Keep your hips in line with shoulders and heels, and then hold that structure. Within that solid, unmoving structure of your skeletal system, close your muscles (abs) by pinning the belly button up toward the spine. If you know how to tilt your pelvis in (shortening the abs and lengthening the spine, or "cat tilt" in yoga), do this. You will get an extra 10-15 seconds out of your plank. Hold for as long as you can. If your abs begin to quit despite your best efforts, and you feel the load re-distribute to the lower back, it is time to quit. But keep pressing your abs inward (and upward) without moving the hips and fight for more time!

LOWER BACK EXTENSIONS: The lower back needs to be trained in isolation. I would say about 90% of my hundreds of clients over the years have complained of some lower back discomfort or tightness. We don't strengthen the erector spinae reguarly in everyday life, yet it bear the load of what we carry (without a strong core) and remains stretched out as we sit at a desk or hover over a laptop! By staying on top of your BALANCE in your core, with lower back extensions, most back problems should go away within 3-4 weeks. Begin lying facedown, legs extended, feet slightly apart with the top of the foot resting or sinking into the floor. From the hips down will be dead weight, heavily pressed into the floor throughout the exercise. This is used for our stability, so that the range of motion in the lower spine can really be exercised in isolation (as much as possible). Your hamstrings and glutes will shorten by default inevitably, because they are attached to the erector spinae. Have your hands directly under your shoulders, with elbows tucked in at your sides and lifted off the floor. Your arms will be used only to SUPPORT the range of motion that your lower back comes up with itself. Keep your head neutral, so that the closure of the spine stays concentrated on the lower end near the tailbone. Your chin will be slightly tucked in throughout. Exhale, contract the lower back to lift the chest off the floor to your own degree. Make sure you are not pushing through the arms and shoulders. Inhale to lower back down. Pay attention to your muscle and how cranky it's becoming... You want it to be a building tightness (most people reach between 12-20 repetitions). It can become sharp, but when it does it is time to quit. The lower back is sensitive, and you need to stretch it out after each set. Do this by contracting your abs (for immediate support to the now-vulnerable lower back), and use upper body to push your hips back onto the heels. This is a shell stretch. Hold for twenty seconds.

So - a very thorough account of my recommended 6 exercises to do to replace a bigger strength workout, that doesn't require any equipment. They will strengthen and tone your whole body.
Do 2-3 sets of each exercise (I would do the whole thing through, then repeat 2-3 times).

I hope it isn't too difficult to follow without photos! Soon, friends... soon.

For My Carb Haters

2010-04-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Carbohydrates have been given a bad rep in the past decade or so. Many people were probably depending on them far too much, structuring every meal around something which contains wheat (breads and pastas for example). When we choose foods that are higher in calories but don't offer as much nutritional density, yes, they lead to fat storage.
However, fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates as well. As are legumes. And brown rice and other whole grains provide us with a ton of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Carbs are the primary source of fuel for the brain. A good starch can tame hunger almost immediately, provide immediate energy for a workout, restore energy lost after a workout and generally brighten our moods. The trick is to not rely on them exclusively, and definitely learn the difference between refined carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
Complex carbohydrates basically provide more nutritional bang for your buck. Because they are fully loaded, they take your body longer to break down. This contributes to your insulin levels remaining more stable, resulting in a steady flow of energy and an efficient metabolism. Refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, spike your insulin levels, resulting in unstable blood sugar levels, energy peaks and dives and encouraged fat storage.

When you eat carbs, be sure to eat them with some protein and some fat. This provides a well-rounded meal that keeps you fuller for longer, keeps cravings at bay (because your body doesn't bother you for more when it is provided with everything it needs), stabilizes blood sugar levels, maximizes workout efforts, makes you HAPPY, etc.

In terms of choosing the healthiest carbs, the best method is to choose foods which are the most natural and grow from the ground. Fruits and vegetables are obviously the most nutrient-packed, but we really need a strong balance. Legumes often provide some protein as well as fiber. Whole grains (millet, brown rice, bulgar, oatmeal, whole wheat breads / pastas, buckwheat) also offer tremendous nutritional benefits.
The only reason why carbs have been linked with fat gain is portion sizes. When our meals are out of balance, it can mess with our blood sugar and thereby with our hunger, which encourages overeating! One serving of whole grains is one slice of bread, 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of pasta, 1/3 of a bagel... It is safe to sometimes consume up to two grain servings per major meal, depending on the individual and their goals.

Seek out a trainer with nutritional knowledge, or a registered dietician if you would like to know your personal carbohhydrate requirements. Everyone is different - our needs all vary.
But in general, carbs are amazing. Don't hate.

Because Being Obnoxious Is Cool....

2010-04-14T13:32:00.000-07:00

There is a percentage of the population (I'm 26 soon, and still trying to figure out a ball-park of what the percentage is - interesting from this point of view on the age meter) that still thinks that being rebellious for no reason, risking death for no reason, being maniacally obnoxious, is cool. Not clever, these types, but I suppose they give the rest of us something else to talk about. Well now I'm just really looking for their purpose upon our planet. Because there are thousands of other things I would be content discussing...

Drunken 19 year-olds choose to drive when they can't control their eyes from being in two directions at once, and people soaked in arrogance weave in and out on the highway going twice the speed limit - simply because they want to stand out among the practical and patient rest of the population. Hey, I'm all for contrast. But, isn't it just a bit stupid?

Well, speaking of stupid:
KFC has come out with a new sandwich to rebel against the health movement in the US. Some Americans (let's be honest) tend to like expressing their pride of what they are, no matter what they are. And their rep of being gluttonous, (instead of motivating the challenging role) has incited the response of "Yeah, so??" from the obnoxious population. A defensive, pride-filled response. KFC manifested this response with the Double Down. Please see the link.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/forget-healthy-kfcs-double-down-revels-in-glorious-gluttony/article1533502/

*Let me briefly explain that these are not anti-American sentiments I'm expressing. This type of attitude exists everywhere, but I am discussing Americans as this sandwich is released exclusively in the US as some sort of, well, flag. Ahem.

Have you ever watched somebody die from drunk driving? You've seen the photos, right? Have you seen the car accidents on the highways that have stricken those passengers who are obnoxious and impatient, weaving in and out of the order? Have you ever sat at someone's side while their body has been taken over and devoured by heart disease? Have you seen someone struggle post-stroke or heart attack, never knowing exactly when their body might be struck again suddenly and when the world for that person might close down suddenly?
The photos of this sandwich make me want to cry.
It's important to not take life too seriously, to have a sense of humour, and to indulge a little. But actively trying to get as much trans fats and salt into a meal, to rebel against the evidence that it quickly murders our bodies (and obviously SELVES), is just so obnoxious and irritating.

I don't know the meaning of life, or of the individuals' place on the planet. But I know that being healthy leads to happiness, leads to productivity, leads to more happiness, leads to more purpose. I KNOW we need balance in everything, including between smart and stupid people. But I have to rant anyway. When companies that FEED people begin to possess qualities of the most arrogant, obnoxious and carelessly murderous people we know... I become a little bit worried.

Do me a favour, and don't put this thing into your pure, intricately-composed human body.
(The only remaining things I have to say would be deeply profane.) Now I'm all frustrated, knotted up and need to go for a run. Grunt.

Feed a Cold

2010-04-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been sick. These things come out of nowhere sometimes.

And I know I have to get doing all the right things to make sure it doesn't take over my week...
How do you feed yourself properly when you have zero energy to cook?

Tonight, I'm throwing things into a pot. Chicken stock, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower and firm tofu. I'll add a small amount of ground pepper and bean sprouts. If I have any more energy after this lazy, careful workout I'm doing, I'll throw in some rice noodles as well.
Then sit back and keep sipping green tea and ice water, and eating kiwis intermittently.

I'll check back in tomorrow - but I've tried this many times and IT WORKS.
Happy sick season.

A Fort For Your Pet Bunny!

2010-04-07T18:58:00.001-07:00

Sadly, many gyms still occupy their square footage with Ab Rollers. Trying to satisfy their lazy members, I suppose.

Really, I would like to torch them. But I'm not violent or destructive, so there must be other uses for this thing?? (See title.)

My point is, they do nothing for your abs. When you see somebody sputtering about, flailing their torso back and forth within the confines of this product that some manipulative airhead has created to make a quick buck, please kindly show them a proper crunch. I will outline this below.
The reason why the Ab Roller does NOT work is that it is indirect. Your hands are to push a bar, so that your torso closes, so that your abs contract by default. Really, it encourages the exemption of your abdominals altogether. (The machines in the gym in which you are seated, and pressing forward against resistance, are not any better.) They are a waste of space, a waste of time, a waste of effort. If, of course, you are the type of North American who adores the superfluous, continue bobbing your head around like an idiot. But my nails will be dug into my hands in your presence.
Watch carefully as your fellow gym members "crunch" in this device. Your arms should be out of the equation, completely. Your abs' contraction should be the very first thing that happens, before any movement. From this contraction, the back is tightly clamped into the floor (and pelvis gripped and held still). The ribcage moves toward the hipbone, as you exhale. The chest remains expanded, shoulders back, and head completely neutral (the weight of your head is used as resistance for your abdominals). Pushing through the arms, to then move the head and shoulders, to then lightly shut the abs is just backwards. Try both, and report back.

*Sidenote - your arms can go behind the head, if you PROMISE not to support the weight of the head in the slightest. I prefer arms folded across the chest, simply adding weight to the load for the abs to press against, while they close and push through in an isolated force.

Perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh. It is important that people make an effort toward a stronger core and abdominal group. And I do pity those who pat themselves on the back for BEING (note the passivity) pulled through an exercise with good intentions. But hey - I'm here to burst bubbles and everyone will get over it... and be beaming, when they're finally strong. When their abs are assertive (not passive), wound tightly to protect an otherwise cranky back and to reveal a lean, delicious waistline.

Bottom line: If you have an ab roller, throw it out and use your brain.
Peace and love and kisses!

Stand Up Straight!

2010-04-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

Posture is really important. It changes the way energy flows through your body, it changes your mindset and psychological well-being and it changes the way people view and react around you.

Most of us (irony noted) spend hours and hours sitting at a computer. Deltoids (shoulders) wound forward, pectorals (chest) slightly closed, typing away. The shoulder blades are expanded and released. Too much time spent in this position leads to weakness in the muscles beneath the scapula in the back (sub-scapular muscles) and tightness in front. Also, most of the motions we humans engage in are focused in front of our bodies, therefore the back becomes neglected. It's important to make up for this, with proper training, to stand up straight and use our anatomies properly!

Every time you train your back (with exercises such as a seated row or a lat pulldown - and there are hundreds of exciting variations of these exercises), you need to set your shoulders first. My clients reading this are laughing. "Set your shoulders" is probably a phrase I say the most, while training. Its direction is to protract the shoulder blades, pulling your shoulders down and back, away from your ears. This expands the chest, and allows for proper closure in the back. You MUST be expanded on one side, in order to properly close / contract the opposite side. Makes sense, right? If you don't set your shoulders at the beginning of EACH REPETITION, you will be ripping yourself off of the most beautiful contraction the world has ever seen. You will stay slightly shut in front, and won't reach that deep, tight closure in between the shoulders blades.

Please, don't swing your body while training your back. Oh how that pains me. Keep the core tightly gripped, so that the proper muscles can take on all the range of motion that they are meant to, in isolation. Freeze the core, set the shoulders, exhale and allow the subscapular root muscles to take on all the load.
Poof - after a few weeks / month, you will be standing straighter and enjoying life in a whole different way. Perhaps I sound like I'm dramatizing the effects - just try it. You'll see.

Structure Shmucture - listen to what your body wants.

2010-04-01T06:53:00.001-07:00

It's been a while... I had to take a week or so off from my entries to get set up in a new city.
It's very difficult to stay healthy when you're thrown off your routine. Moving often means many meals out, and certainly skipped workouts! So how do you get back into it after you've taken a bit of a hiatus?
One of the first things I did was go grocery shopping, once my feet were planted in my new space. Let's face it - eating out over and over again starts to feel so dissatisfying. You know the restaurant has zapped the nutrients and blanketed the foods with sodium and sugar. I really start to miss real, fresh food from my own kitchen. It suddenly feels like a luxury to have your kettle set up, fresh fruit in the fruit bowl, and rye bread ready to hit the toaster.

Deciding what to do workout-wise when you're absolutely covered in bruises, the home to about 500 new muscle knots and throbbing forearms is a bit trickier. I know this labour has given my heart some pumping, and I know all that painting really kicked my shoulders' butts (yes, I'll go ahead and use that expression). Take three minutes to think about what your body wants, activity-wise. Sometimes it's just sleep. So day one, I took that route. Day two, I did twenty minutes of cardio (this day was also a painting day during which I'd done the equivalent of 30 minutes of heart-pumping cardio). Day three, I had to think for a minute. If you listen to your body, it tells you what it needs. My muscles were still a bit... angry, from the different kind of challenge they had been thrown (probably most specifically at the lugging of the new sofabed, solo - a hysterical episode for any of my new neighbours who might have witnessed it).
I decided upon a full strength workout (I skipped biceps and delts!) and an intensive yoga session. Yoga totally restored my body - I feel much more operational and fresh and mobile today. I suppose my connective tissue had been on its way to becoming stone...

The reason why I'm babbling about my past few days is just to assert the fact that the body really always knows what it wants. And what it wants is balance. If you've spent a day or two squatting, scrunching, pulling, pushing, lifting and struggling - it's probably a good time to follow with bending, breathing, opening and expanding.

So, even if you're on particular program, learn to listen to your body and be flexible sometimes with what you deliver. I often tell clients to reject what I've assigned for a day if they really feel like doing something else (ie going for a bike ride instead of doing a strength circuit). If you're changing it up often, it's all good. Just make sure you're engaging in something physical most days of the week. Because, well, that's what our bodies are for. Exercise their use.

And now I think my body is begging for a massage....

FOOD FAT

2010-03-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

There are four kinds of fat, and are listed from good to deadly: Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans. Mono and polyunsaturated fats are those that come from products of the earth. Nuts, avocados, etc. Saturated is from animals (bad) and trans is tampered with by humans (deadly). Even products that say 0 Trans Fats often still do (marketing is really messed up). Look in the ingredient list, and if you see the word hydrogenated or PARTIALLY hydrogenated, eat it as rarely as you can afford to.

So, although you need to include fat everytime you eat, try to choose healthy fats – most things that come from the ground.

Fat: Don't we all have a love/hate relationship with it? You need to include some fat everytime you eat (don't touch those Krispy Kremes yet, Chump - keep reading first). When your body gets everything that it needs (and it needs healthy fats), it doesn’t bug you for anything else. Your cravings go away. And, your body gets rid of what it DOESN’T need, which is excess fat. Healthy fat doesn’t = fat in the body, remember that. The same way that cholesterol in food doesn’t necessarily lead to bad cholesterol in the body… but saturated fat does.

Best Route for Fat Loss

2010-03-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

In the honour of a new client who remarked: "People have been telling me that weights are more important than cardio for fat loss."

This is what I explained:
First of all, this industry is probably one in which so many people think they know the absolute answer. "It's diet!" "It's cardio!" Try to quiet the voices around you... understand that many people have strong opinions, but that it's not necessarily what's going to work for you (and this doesn't just apply to this very topic).

Secondly, understand that each component has its role and its place in a lean, healthy and fit body.
Cardio strengthens your heart. The best cardio programs train the heart's endurance (the ability to be at an increased, yet comfortable level for a sustainable period of time), and also its recovery (with the use of intervals, the ability to hit a higher level, and then bring the heart rate back down quickly and safely). The endurance ensures that your heart will perform well with everything that you do in life, including your strength training, long walks, raking, mowing, activities in BED (honestly, just trying to use what will apply to everybody!), and intervals fine-tune your ability to avoid being out of breath after climbing stairs, running to catch a bus, running after your kids (or dog who has bolted out the front door - AHEM)...
Strength training is necessary to increase muscle mass, thereby increasing the metabolic rate. It ensures that muscles are strong enough to protect the joints to avoid arthitis, injury, or any other physical discomforts or limitations. While strength training, your heart rate is also elevated. When you're strength training properly, you will also attain cardiovascular gains. Strength creates SHAPE and FIRMNESS, if we want to discuss aesthetic benefits... Finally, it increases strength. And never underestimate how amazing it feels to be strong!
Nutrition is a way of getting in everything that we need, which also enables the body to dismiss that which we dont (excess fat, toxicity).

Nutrition, strength training and cardio need to be respected in their separate categories, but they also are a web of assistants to one another. We need all of these things working together for OPTIMAL fat loss.
To sum up, cardio conditions the heart, burns calories and ensures that we get the most from our strength training. Strength training boosts the metabolic rate, makes our cardio stronger and builds lean muscle mass. Proper nutrition ensures that our cell function is top-notch, that we are well-fueled and lean, as the body sheds the fat it does not need, as it is receiving what it does.

The good news is you don't need to eat perfectly, you don't need to log hours and hours and hours on a treadmill, and you don't need hours of strength training. Learn to do it all properly, for life, and your body will be at its most efficient (and its most aesthetically appealing)!

KEEP IT SIMPLE, #1

2010-03-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

There will be many "Keep It Simple" entries. North Americans have the tendency to search for the complicated... to believe they should be more stressed than they are, that they are always underachieving somehow...

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO WORK OUT?

When your energy is the highest, or when you can fit it in. Yes there are many theories about what time of day is best - but the real answer is when it works best for you, enough to be consistent.
Your workout is a great thing you're doing for your body. If you get something in for a day, pat yourself on the back. Every little bit is better than nothing, and is contributing to a healthier you.

And that is all.

Don't Be Crooked

2010-03-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

If you are just beginning to strength train or weight train, here are some pointers to remember:

When you train one muscle or muscle group, you need to also train its opposing group. For example, when you train chest, you MUST train back. It doesn't necessarily need to be on the same day, but it does need to be trained in balance with its opposition. Some people even need a few extra back sets to chest sets, to correct rounded shoulders (assuming the back exercises are performed correctly, and I will touch on this another day).

Start with the largest muscles or muscle groups first. If you are doing an upper body day, begin with back, then chest, making your way down to the delts, triceps and biceps. This allows all of these smaller muscles to become well warmed up, and used to assist the larger muscle group, so that you can really tackle them in isolation towards the end of your workout.

Always do a warm-up before your strength training. It doesn't have to be on a piece of cardio equipment. You can also do a couple of very light sets of the exercise you intend to undergo - the point is that you get blood pumping through the muscles you will be working, and use as many muscles as possible. Everybody has different needs in terms of the proper warm-up time, but 3-5 minutes is normally efficient, depending on the activity.

Don't hang around between sets. Honestly, if overall fitness is your goal, involve your heart rate. Keep it moving. Grab a drink between sets to stay hydrated and give your muscles a quick break, but don't lounge around. You are training your body to be more fit, to be stronger, to move better, right? So why would you sit around in the process? You want your heart and your muscles to be equally fit, so that one does not give out before the other in any given activity.

Fuel and re-fuel for your workout. I've found that most of my clients are comfortable eating a small meal (about 200-300 calories) about 45 minutes before their workout. A small bowl of cereal is excellent, or a yogurt and piece of fruit (plain yogurt is best). Basically you want to be a bit more on the carb side before your workout, and then re-fuel with a bit more protein afterwards. Remember to include all three macronutrients (carbs, protein and fat) each time you eat for optimal energy - but definitely get some good quality protein in within 30 minutes of finishing your workout. Strength training is the muscle breakdown part of the equation, and proper nutrition and sleep ensure the muscles repair themselves optimally. So, a hard boiled egg, a yogurt and some blueberries is sufficient, for example. (And I'll discuss supplements soon as well - they're not my cup of tea, but some are not necessarily all bad.)

Obviously program design is incredibly complex. If you're feeling a bit lost, hire a trainer. A trainer will take into consideration all of your anatomical imablances, work on your strong points, develop your weaker points, pick up the heart conditioning, structure everything so particularly to give you the very most bang for your buck. There is a lot to know, and don't underestimate how calculated a specific program can be! Everything is in place with good reason. And if you happen to doubt your trainer (honestly, sometimes it's good to question some of the ones out there), do your own reading. Invest some time in learning about anatomy and physiology, so that it makes sense to you.

And remember if you have questions... put me to work! Send 'em over. Happy lifting.

Choosy Moms Choose Jif?

2010-03-11T06:52:00.000-08:00

I'm about to break some hearts. Let's talk Peanut Butter.
Peanut butter is healthy, right? A health food? Because peanuts come from the ground, and things that come from the ground are good for our bodies. Well... not necessarily. Peanuts themselves are a source of fiber (however not significant), protein (though much less protein than fat), and healthy fats - the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated levels being much higher than the saturated. (Saturated = bad, increases bad cholesterol, unsaturated = good, increases good cholesterol and sometimes lowers bad cholesterol - another blog entry in intself. See how this stuff is all tied together?? And I could go into how to eat your nuts, which nuts are better than others and why... Another day, another day.)

The big thing to worry about is the additives.
I have brought up the websites of the products I'm discussing to reveal the ingredients in these "peanut butters". Jif, Kraft and Skippy are the most popular brands. You know, the ones that conveniently don't have separated oils, sit on the shelf forever and ever, melt on your toast and taste so deliciously sweet and salty?
If you are choosing a peanut butter that has anything beyond "just peanuts" in the ingredients list, chances are really good that it isn't a compatible product with your body. I don't have these items in my home to read the list out to you. Jif has listed theirs:
Peanuts and sugar, molasses, fully hydrogenated vegetable oils (grapeseed and soybean), mono and diglycerides, salt. THIS IS NOT A HEALTH FOOD - it is a trans fat-filled, kill-you-slowly kind of food.
Skippy and Kraft are much the same. Skippy I believe has icing sugar in it? And Kraft too has a bunch of sugar. If anyone would like to look in their cupboard and leave the ingredients under COMMENTS I'm sure SOME of us will appreciate it.
(I don't think my blog is popular enough yet to worry about being sued by one of these big names.)

I know from having had this battle with clients that it is one of the more depressing revelations. Some of my clients who have been with me for over four years have yet to give up their beloved oh-so-melty peanut butter (Alden and Anne, I'm looking at you...), in favour of the real kind that our body recognizes and embraces.
But, my job is to inform! When you're eating that shelf stuff, you're consuming trans fats. (Anytime the label says "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" anything, it has trans fats. Even when the cover of the product says TRANS FAT FREE - newsflash, they lie to make money.)
You have to acquire your taste to change peanut butters. It takes time, just like changing any nutritional habits. Try to appreciate the taste of the real food, and realize that what you're missing and feeling sad about is your tongue's relationship with the additives, preservatives, trans fats, sugar and salt. Which pretty much slows us down, bums us out, strips us of our vitality. A superficial relationship.

*Hate peanut butter altogether? Try almond butter. It is one of my favourite things, and not just in food!

(Apologies for the all the parentheses!)

Break the Fast!

2010-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Okay - I understand we're not all hungry in the morning. But, you need to eat within an hour of waking in order to jump start your metabolism so that your body starts working efficiently and starts burning calories. If you're trying to get away with not eating just because you're not hungry, because you think food = weight gain or fat gain, you're just wrong and begging for the backfire (which, I promise you, will hit hard).

A lot of people try to get by with just some juice, coffee or a smoothie. I am a very firm believer in a STARCH to start the day, as those fantastic complex carbohydrates fuel your brain (important in the morning, yes?), give you instant energy, and when done right, will give you a boost lasting a good 3-4 hours.
Although a slice of whole grain toast with some almond butter (mmm) is sufficient, with a latte or very small glass of juice (though juice is really a rip-off from the actual fruit - another blog entry in itself), my favourite breakfast takes ten minutes and its benefits last ALL day long.

LARGE FLAKE OATMEAL WITH BLUEBERRIES (and half a banana if you have it for some potassium!)
Oatmeal and frozen blueberries are things you can have on you at all times. Yes, you have to cook it stove-top, but do we really want to always "zap" heat into our food anyway? It's kind of nice to cook old-school. It feels more real, and a better way to deal with real food.
So, toss 1/2 - 3/4 cup of oats into a small pot. I like to add some milk and some water, because it tastes so decadent with a little milk.... cook it at 5. Stir every few minutes.
1/2- 1 cup of blueberries when it's heated. Stir around. Mm - look at the steam from the clash of temperature.
WARNING: it turns purple. Fun for the kinds though, right? It's so pretty!
Trust me, it's so delicious. Whole foods, jam-packed with nutrition. It is cancer-fighting, energy-boosting, mood-boosting and fat-blasting. What's not to love?

(Can you tell I just finished a bowl?)

Try it - because even if you just start with this one meal, it will completely change the way you feel, and the way you decide to eat for the rest of the day. If you've invested in yourself with a great first meal, why spoil the feeling and the benefits with the second?
You're on your way to great health and a better life. Trust me.

Yoga Makes Me Love Everything...

2010-03-09T18:22:00.001-08:00

It took me many years to get into yoga. I had decided strength training was my one major love, and that yoga was trendy, and that I didn't have the patience for it.
But, like in strength training, or running, or jumping on an elliptical... or dating or starting a new book, the benefits don't favour you or hug you at first, necessarily.
Tonight I went to a hot yoga class. Not only can you feel your muscles "hugging" you for warming and releasing them, but you can feel your cells renew, your body detoxify, the mental tensions of the day become meaningless...
This past year was by far the most difficult year of my life to date. I think this is what strikes us in our mid-twenties: stress, panic, frustration, worry, confusion, indecision - yoga makes us aware of how we carry these mental characteristics in our bodies. All of my panic, it seems, has gouged itself into my hips! (I must add, it is going to take many, many more hot yoga classes to get those suckers to calm down.)
Yoga is forgiving. Yoga allows your body and your heart and your mind to follow its course, whatever that may be. As my instructor tonight mentioned, "it is a challenge, but not a struggle". Yoga's physical challenge is important, because it mirrors the resistance and the new difficulties we face in life, which then are followed by release.
I love the physical challenge of the practice, but where I'm really seeing progress is that ability to follow the gut. To be pure and right and make better decisions. Another striking line by tonight's instructor: "Be aware of that which is in you and not serving you well... and let it go."
We all hang on to what does not serve us well, whether it be anxiety about money, toxic relationships, self-deprecating thoughts, fears... We need to be reminded to let these things go. And sometimes all it takes is some exhalations.

To sum up - yoga is pretty powerful in matching the physical with the mental. Mirroring the two, pushing through resistance, practicing the release. We all need it now and then, no matter what goes on inside us. We don't have the mind without the body and vice versa - there is no isolating each.
This practice of progression - constructively wrestling through the hold-ups, physical and otherwise - makes me love everything. And it sure makes me love ME a whole lot more.

Sorry for the cheesy entry this time, but how can you talk about these things without getting a little sappy? It is our BEING!

Yoga is a tremendous practice and a great release, and - well, yoga and my blog are great friends.

SNACKING as a SUPERPOWER

2010-03-08T13:15:00.001-08:00

Snacks have the ability curb cravings, fill nutritional gaps, pump us with energy, increase our metabolisms, stabilize our blood sugar levels and put us in a great mood! They help fuel our workouts, re-fuel us afterwards, prepare us for a great sleep... All of these benefits help our bodies operate at their most efficient level, and to shed excess body fat and support lean muscle.

So, it's worth learning how to snack right!
(Bear in mind, different things work for different individuals - most of my posts will apply to the general public, however personal trainers' jobs are to cater to individual needs and schedules.)

Snack should be about 150-250 calories, and they are used to bridge your meals (most people should be eating every 2-3 hours). This keeps your insulin levels released steadily, and wards off hunger, cravings, and blood sugar highs and lows. Remember that when insulin levels are jumping all over the place, the body stores more fat (and energy levels really suffer).

Another important thing to remember about snacks is to make sure each is balanced. You want a snack that offers all three of the macronutrients: protein, carbs and fats. Vegetables and fruit are some of the best quality carbs, and snacks are a great way to add in more of these vitamin/nutrient rich foods to deliver vitality.

BALANCED SNACKS:
An apple (red delicious is best) and 12-15 raw almonds
A banana and 7 walnuts
1 cup of raw broccoli and 1 oz. of lowfat cheese
1 cup of carrots and 2 tbsp of hummus
Tuna roll-ups (3-4 tbsp of tuna salad rolled in romaine leaves)
Small bowl of cereal (an entry on the best cereals is in the future...) with nonfat or 1% milk
An orange and a hard boiled egg
Half a sandwich (lots of veg, whole grain bread)
A latte and a piece of biscotti (this would be one to fight a craving!)
2 ryvita crackers with almond butter

Some of these foods you can keep on you all the time (like apples and almonds) so that you're never stuck starving anywhere, resorting to poor and energy-zapping choices.

Your days are about to get a lot better....

Jogging / Running continued...

2010-03-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

I almost forgot. Try not to let your arms swing back and forth in front of you. Again, you can lose energy laterally this way, when you want to keep it moving forward. Maybe I sound too picky and technical, but in athleticism every tiny detail contributes to either being held back or springing forward. Keep everything still, keep your breathing regulated and steady (for endurance), and keep the energy moving forward, led by the heart.
Have fun!

It's Jogging / Running Season!

2010-03-06T10:54:00.001-08:00

What a beautiful morning to take clients outdoors today! That sky was a mighty fresh blue. Training outdoors is invigorating, liberating, lifts the spirit, and feels limitless.
I'd like to touch on what I tweak in my runners. Many of us will be running races this spring - 5K, 10K, half marathons and full marathons. If you're an avid runner, a beginner, or somebody who is still toying with the idea of attempting the sport, follow these tips.

SET YOUR SHOULDERS - I use this expression often. Protract your shoulder blades, so that your shoulders are held in place and the chest is lifted. When you are participating in cardiovascular exercise, your heart is in the lead, much like when you are strength training, the muscle you are working needs to be in the lead. Shoulders stay down and back, so that you don't lose any of your energy in disorder.

PIN YOUR ABS IN TIGHTLY - This doesn't mean suck in. Do not suck in! Try pinning your abs now: exhale, and feel your ribcage press down toward your hipbone. That is a nice, compact partial contraction in the abdominals. The more frequently you hold your abs this way, the better you are contributing to a strong core and protecting your lower back. Also, in the case of running, it once again holds your muscles in order so that you are not losing any energy. It's much easier to endure your sport and stave exhaustion when everything is anatomically intact.

LAND SOFTLY - This is perhaps the most important one. Why do runners suffer knee injuries? From letting that impact shoot up through the joints. The knees must be soft, the muscles must absorb each landing. The softer your feet touch down, the more active your muscles are in absorbing the load and taking it off the joints. You should feel your quads grab that impact, use it to further strengthen the muscles, and never let that hit your skeletal system.

STRENGTH TRAIN - Again, the stronger your muscles are, the better they protect your joints. Your heart needs to keep up with your muscles, and your muscles need to keep up with your heart. You don't want your heart's work to be cut short because your muscle strength can't keep up! (Keep reading my blog, I will later discuss important principles of proper strength training routines and programs.)

I WOULD LIKE TO BOLD THIS NEXT ONE:
KEEP IT BALANCED!!! - This means, cross-train. Take days off. I personally don't like to run two days in a row. That doesn't mean that it is wrong... But my body doesn't like it. You need to throw in different ways of training your heart that doesn't have the same muscles moving in the exact same direction. Our bodies get cranky when we're forcing them to do the same thing all the time. Jumping rope is one of my favourites - again, land softly - the hip flexors aren't repeatedly closing the way they are in running, but the heart still gets incredible exercise. The elliptical or stair climber is also an amazing alternative for your non-running days. It gives your body a break from the same kind of impact.

Oh man, there's really so much else to say. Another day, I will post a running program for beginners, but I need to touch on this: if running feels really difficult, and you're not enjoying it, PLEASE alter your time, intervals or pace to make it more enjoyable. Exercise, although it is meant to be physically challenging, it really should always feel like INPUT and not just OUTPUT. You are benefiting your body. It should make you feel good.
Some days, you may need to shorten your time, lower your pace, take more walk breaks. That's fine. Listen to your body. You can't work against it, you must work with it. Otherwise, believe me, it will work against you!

So finally - get outdoors and do what you can. Enjoy it. Steady your breathing to keep the body calm and stabilize the heart rate to get better and better every time.
Many more running entries to come in the future...
J

Manifesto of Manning

2010-03-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

Hi friends,
I am a personal trainer and nutrition specialist. I'm starting a blog because I need an outlet. I've been reading and absorbing and wrestling with and loving and craving all of this stuff for over eight years now. And let's face it, everybody is looking for free tips and advice! As you scroll down, you'll see that I've shared why I am beginning this project. But, not all entries will be quite this personal. In this blog there will be info that applies to absolutely everyone of all ages, all athletic abilities, all levels of interest in that which interests me (trust me!).

GOING FORWARD, EXPECT TO FIND:
Discussions on current studies (caffeine or no caffeine?)
Recipes
Fast meal ideas
Discussions of nutritional value in certain foods
The best places to eat, and tips for eating out
Training tips (new exercises, in-home exercises, my favourite exercises for each muscles group, cardiovascular training and fine-tuning, outdoor training, etc.)
Advice for equipment and tools
De-bunking fitness myths (SO excited to start tackling this one - finally I can challenge the monsters in the industry!)
My favourite playlists
I'll be answering common questions that my clients pose all of the time
Postural Correction
CORE TRAINING!!!
Stretching
Yoga
Pilates
Sleep
Hydration
I could go on and on and on......

Really, there won't be much of a structure. I have just so much to say, it will be difficult for me write it all at once. I must categorize, divide and conquer.
Please feel free to send in any fitness/training/nutrition questions you may have. If for whatever reason I don't have the answer, I will find it.
And before you start reading or following the blog, do bear in mind that all the books and studies in the world are NOTHING without experience. I would not have the knowledge I do now without the help of my hundreds of clients over the years. Each and every client has been unique and presented me with new questions or challenges, particular anatomical structures or goals that have contributed to my skills and the content of my understanding of this field. An enormous thank you to everyone that has contributed to the most incredible and dominating part of me. Thank you, thank you. xo

WHAT BRINGS ME HERE?

I was the kind of child who daydreamed incessantly, developed stories and characters and sentences in my brain all day long, and then once I began to write, I could not stop. Really - I stirred up endless amounts of stories and never finished one. When I was forced to complete some of my writing (for school) it turned out terribly. I like the open-ended progression that a blog offers.

In late high school, after having spent years being void of nutritional consideration, and years being afraid of physical activity as I was awkward in organized sports and didn't know anything more, I stumbled upon a fitness magazine at my place of employment (a tea room / ice cream parlour). Needless to say, working at an ice cream parlour and not having the slightest inclination about proper eating, my body was craving some change. And as I read, I thoroughly understood fitness, better than I had ever grasped anything. I began to completely understand nutrition. I got used to tasting real food and not the imposter variety with its sugar, salt and additives. I got so excited about different creative strength-training exercises.
I don't know how to explain this bit... Resistance exercises, in their many categories, with their many details of form and particular movements introduced me to a world of colour. Nothing has ever hit me so hard. I never desired anything more than finding new execises, feeling the difference in my body, introducing them to others. Reading about different foods I'd never heard of, learning how to use them. And again, the more I learned, the more I was dying to teach and share.

So here we are. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist at times, and shamefully I can avoid things that I love the most because I don't like to come up short. Writing falls into this category. Fitness conditioning, nutrition and my role as a personal trainer has been the most important thing in my life. Because I never wanted anything more than to do this full-time, it used to make me nervous. The age of nineteen/twenty is a daunting time to tackle something that you know will be a lifetime commitment. I must say, I've never wavered, and I never let it take a backseat. That being said, the things that make us nervous are often the things most worth doing.
It's been years since I've written liberally like I used to as a child. So I've been putting off this bit as well. But, fitness has a funny way of teaching you to push through the things that you find tough. It is resistance... and you learn that after you push yourself through some resistance, well it just makes LIFE better. Let's hope my accomplishments in fitness will filter into my writing, and over time make it easier and easier.

I promise every submission will not be this lengthy. Perhaps this grande nonfat latte beside me is taking over a bit... but the origin truly is excitement.
I'm having a hard time deciding what to submit tomorrow - either the different kinds of FATS, or training techniques for postural correction. Both in the near future, anyway.

Thanks for checking in!
J