With no week-by-week program, no instructor, no iPhone app.
If you’ve always felt like you need to run in order to get in shape, you’re not alone. Running is fantastic exercise, and runners tend to be very romantic about their favourite pastime, but it’s not for everyone. It takes time to build up to running and when it doesn’t go smoothly in the first attempt, many would-be runners give up.
You ask: But, aren’t all the “real” runners looking at me?
Are you giving your boot camp workouts your all every morning and then grabbing an iced coffee? Are you taking the kids to the park and packing juice boxes? Are you heading out for your evening run and following it up with a sweet vitamin drink?
Unfortunately, how you hydrate could be sabotaging your fitness goals. Your favourite “healthy” beverages might actually be packing more of a calorie punch than you think, adding back those calories you’ve slaved away to burn AND derailing your health goals.
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just a plain old omnivore, we can all agree that _____ [insert fave condiment, spread, veggie, meat, or fish] on toast could be its own food group. I mean, as kids, we ate peanut butter toast, cheese toast, tomato on toast, cheez whiz on toast, and jam on toast. Then there's the whole bagel-&-lox phenomenon... fish on toast! And Sweaty Hubby even grew up with a combo of melted cheese and relish on toast that makes me want to hurl but is his sick-day comfort food.
I know what you're thinking. Yes, your workout can be the perfect "check out" time. That daily run or lifting session in the gym is your chance to pop your headphones in and block the world out. Believe me, I get it. As a mom, escaping the noise and needs for even 20 minutes can make for a much-needed recharge. Some days, my workouts are not just improving my fitness, they are preserving my children's lives.
So you want your children to lead healthy, happy lives. You want your partner to join you in an active life and grow old, healthfully, with you. How do you lead your family to eat better, exercise, and prevent illnesses such as cancer without invoking nicknames like "The General"? Simple. You don't just talk. You DO.
Growing up, my mom was healthy and energetic. I remember many days of crafting, baking, walking, shopping, and playing together. However, it was different with my dad, he had multiple sclerosis (MS).
Cravings. We all get them. Some cravings are clockwork, like that 3 pm lull at the office when the vending-machine demons start to haunt, or the 10 pm siren call of the ice cream while you watch Netflix. Other cravings are based on real hunger, like the desire to down a giant, cheesy omelet after your early morning bootcamp class. Here's how to know the difference, and what your cravings might be telling you about what your body really needs.
New Year’s Resolutions. Who has the time? Between drop-offs and pickups—not to mention that 9-5 or all the stay-at-home-mom chores in between and after school sports, dinner, and occasionally catching up with the girls, it sometimes seems impossible to squeeze in a workout. The sad truth is, simply wanting to eat well and get fit is not enough (as those dying heads of kale and neglected running shoes can attest). You have to plan! The right tools and the right strategy can take you—yes, even you, busy mummy—from goals to results.
This amazing quinoa quiche combines 3 super-foods into one easy-to-make power breakfast! The eggs are packed with protein and healthy fats, particularly if you choose free-range or pastured eggs, or at least select omega-3 enriched eggs when free-range are not available. The quinoa gives you an extra hit of protein and omega-3 fats, plus some tummy-filling fibre to keep you full until lunch. Finally, the spinach gets you a vitamin-packed veggie serving before you're even out the door in the morning! All of this in one convenient slice that's easy to take on the go.
I will present to you 3 workouts, all under 5 minutes, that can be done in 3 rooms of your house, with common objects. Push yourself for 3-5 minutes and move on with your day. Squeeze 1-3 of these into your "non-workout" days and you can stop negotiating with your higher power when you actually make it to your morning spin class. Here's workout #2, with a quick recap of #1, and a peek at #3, yet to come.
It's that time of year again...the time when you skip your workouts in favour of shopping, baking, scarfing hors d'ouevres and wine, all the while imagining how ridiculously fit you're going to be...starting in January, of course. When you do get to a class or out for a jog, your bones creak like old floorboards and you get so lightheaded you actually consider rolling up in the corner and just heading into the light.
Hey, you, with the cup of coffee, iPhone, and protein bar in your hands. Step away from the laptop and get some lunch! After you read this blog, I mean.
Did that get your attention? How can resting make you fitter? After all, resting too much is one of our society's biggest medical threats. Knowing when and how to rest can make the difference between workout results that never quite come, and seeing regular, measurable improvements in your fitness level.
We all know snacks can make or break a healthy eating routine, so you wouldn’t be caught dead eating a chocolate bar for an afternoon snack. Well, what about that “healthy” granola bar you toss in your gym bag? Or your mid-morning coffee break bagel and cream cheese habit? Does it leave you feeling satisfied? Does it help you make better eating decisions later in the day? Does it help you achieve that lean, toned, and healthy physique you’re looking for?
Have you ever heard the term "managing expectations"? It's a big part of a personal trainer's job, since we are responsible, with our clients, for their ability to succeed at their goals.
Have you seen Jessica's Weight Watchers commercials?
She's not exactly known for her vision or intellectual prowess. To be honest, I've enjoyed some giggles at Jessica Simpson's expense over the years. I mean, let's just review, shall we?
"Twenty-three is old. It's almost 25, which is like almost mid-20s."
Breakfast is important. Your mom told you. Your teachers told you. The breakfast cereal people LOVE to tell you. The truth is, breakfast doesn't need to be inhaled the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning. Not everyone has an appetite immediately upon waking! If you are the six-small-meals-a-day type, you probably eat breakfast early. If you eat 2-3 solid meals that leave you full for several hours, you might not have breakfast until you've had a cup of coffee. Maybe you wait and eat breakfast until you're comfortably tucked into your cubicle.
It's noon at the gym. Don't hit me with a thousand "you're sexist" comments—because I've got some perspective on this industry—but most of the female members will be found in the fitness or spinning or yoga studio enjoying an instructor-led class.
Study after study after—admittedly—redundant study has proven that you can achieve almost all of the same benefits of traditional exercise by breaking your work outs down into 10 minutes. You just have to know how to do it!
