May
18
2011

Choosing a Running Shoe

Proper footwear can make all the difference

Today I popped into the new Running Room which just opened in my neighbourhood (like, opened today... can you say "exercise geek"?) to buy a new running watch and check out some new running shoes.

Watch for a running watch/fitness watch guide soon!

Read the whole post

May
11
2011

The Best Spring Sports to Get You Fit

Exercise With A Team For Great Results

top 5 spring sports

Yippee!  It's not snowing and there aren't salt rings on the bottoms of my yoga pants every day!

Spring is the perfect time to join a team and take up a new sport! Not all sports provide a great workout... you won't stay fit bowling or riding in a golf cart all summer. You will, however, have better access to beer. It's all about tradeoffs, people.

Read the whole post

May
01
2011

Cutting Calories To Lose Weight

Boring But Effective: Creating a Calorie Deficit

In my last blog, we tackled the most common question I get (other than "Mommy, can I have a glass of milk?"):

"How Many Calories Should I Be Eating?"

Read the whole post

Apr
12
2011

So You Got Sick and Lost a Few Pounds

How to Hang On To Your Weight Loss

Last week I spent most of my time being vomited and pooped on, and cleaning/laundering other things which had been vomited and pooped on. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of my high points. Both Sweaty Baby & Sweaty Kid came down with some terrible, head-spinning-360-degrees, Exorcist kind of sickness.  That's Sweaty Kid to the left... I pretty much didn’t leave the house for almost 96 hours and could barely get hand to mouth to feed myself, resorting to quick carbs and cup after cup of coffee.

Upside? I lost a pound or two.

Read the whole post

Mar
31
2011

Home Delivered Diets

Lose Weight Minus the Work, But How Does It Taste?

Generally, when a client is trying to lose weight, the question “How many calories per day should I eat?” will come up. The answer really depends upon a number of factors, including body size, desired body size, activity level, gender and body condition. That being said, it is generally accepted that one should not dip below approximately 1,200 calories per day when trying to lose weight.

Why? Anything less than 1,200 calories is so restrictive that it becomes quite difficult to get all the nutrients one needs in a day.

Read the whole post

Mar
21
2011

Juice Cleanse: Day Two

No Food & All Juice Make Dara Go Crazy

Well, in case you missed it, I'm on a 3-day juice cleanse

Why?

Partly because I'm a bit of a masochist (that comes with the job, folks... jump squats, anyone?) and partly because I'm interested to feel for myself whether the advertised benefits of such a cleanse are really true.  I'm suspecting they're not, but I might be a bit of a cynic.  Eleven years in the fitness industry has wizened me to fitness & nutritional "programs" and "systems" with big promises.  They usually don't deliver. 

Read the whole post

Mar
20
2011

Juice Cleanse: Day One

24 Hours, One Woman, 6 Bottles of Juice

A few weeks ago, I was approached by Rebecca Malen of Total Cleanse to sample a 3-day juice cleanse delivery service.  That's her below, featured in a Toronto Star article last fall.

I like to eat, so I didn't reply for a couple of weeks.  Plus, I get my fair share of offers and need to weigh each one (pardon the pun) to be sure I can fairly judge.

The more I thought about Rebecca's offer, the more interested I became.

Read the whole post

Mar
03
2011

Do YOU need protein powder?

The What, When, Why, How of Protein

protein powder

Have you ever wondered if protein powder is the secret to your workout success?  Do you have an old tub of protein powder in the back of the pantry from your pre-baby gym days?  Well, first, check the expiry date.  Then read this.

Read the whole post

Feb
09
2011

Read The Freaking Label

Slick Ad Execs vs. Clueless Mom

I can probably sum this blog up in one sentence: If it tastes like chocolate, smells like chocolate, and looks like chocolate, it's probably not that good for you.

Can I just interject with a completely unnecessary and maybe slightly inappropriate "YUM!"

God bless our friends to the south, but they will sue over just. about. anything.

Read the whole post