Wholey Fit by Heather Lind

Benefits Of Practicing Gratitude

2017-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

Did you know that being grateful and thankful for what you have is good for your health and will enhance your well-being?

Have you ever caught yourself focusing on the negative and blaming people and things for certain things you don’t like in your life? I think we all do sometimes and it really doesn’t serve us in any way. Focusing on the negative puts you into a negative mindset and a negative mindset actually attracts more negativity. What if we all automatically focused on the positive?

Practicing Gratitude Improves Our Health

People who focus on the positive and practice gratitude in their life report feeling more alive, having a stronger immune system, sleeping better, and being able to handle stress better. People who write down what they’re grateful for before bed tend to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. When you go to bed feeling positive it’s much easier to relax and let the stress of the day disappear.

A study done by, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, showed that those individuals who practiced weekly gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives.

What Happens When We Practice Gratitude?

People who regularly practice gratitude experience:

·         More positive emotions

·         Lower levels of depression

·         Greater life satisfaction

·         Better health

·         Greater vitality

·         A more optimistic outlook on life

·         The ability to build stronger relationships

·         The ability to handle stress better

·         The capacity to empathetic and to be able to understand other’s perspectives

Let’s Be Grateful!

Like any skill gratitude requires practice. Keep a gratitude journal and write down a new thing every day that you’re grateful for. Don’t just write that you’re grateful for the same stuff every day. Look for the small things in life to be grateful. I don’t love having to work super early, but I’m grateful for the lack of traffic on the mornings that I go in early.

When you actively practice gratitude, a neat thing happens. Over time you’ll notice that you start to naturally see the positive in every situation – you’ll actually start to seek out the positive spin even when situations seem negative.

Anytime we set out to form a new habit there’ll be a few obstacles along the way so set yourself up for success. Find a time during the day where you can really focus on what you’re grateful for. Maybe first thing in the morning before everyone gets up. Or maybe use your commute to think about what you’re grateful for. Even if you don’t write it down just thinking about what you’re grateful for is very beneficial for your health. Maybe start a ‘Gratitude’ Facebook group.

What Are You Grateful For?

Find something to be grateful for right now. I’m grateful for spell check :D

Weekend Warrior Workout!

2017-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

Warm up for 5-10 minutes before you start and cool down & stretch when you're done.

Do 3 rounds (30 seconds work then rest for 15 seconds between exercises)

3 Rounds of (30s of Work 20s of Rest)

High Knees

Hold Single Leg Deadlift L

Suicide Tap Down

Hold Single Leg Deadlift R

Jump squats

Hold Lunge L

Speed Skaters

Hold Lunge R

Bodyweight Training Vs. Weights

2017-01-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

The great debate: which is better? Bodyweight training or training with weights? The truth is both are great and both will result in strength gains and body composition improvement….as long as you do them correctly.

In order to make changes in your body you have to push beyond what you can do comfortably. With body weight training this could mean changing the way you do an exercise (ie once you can significantly increase the number of pushups you can do from your knees it’s time to start doing them from your toes).

With weight training this could mean increasing weights when appropriate (ie you can do 15 plus reps without feeling fatigued).

Let’s take a closer look at both:

Bodyweight Training:

Anytime, anywhere! All you need is your body so you can do bodyweight training anytime anywhere.

Clutter free: If you’re using bodyweight to train you don’t need to worry about finding room to store any equipment.

Great for all levels: Beginners are able to gently start strengthening their muscles without adding any extra load. Squats and kneeling pushups are a great way for a beginner to get started. For the more advanced person, bodyweight exercises can be made tougher by changing position slightly, adding plyometrics (think jump squats), adding holds and adding pulses.

Real life moves: Bodyweight exercises mimic real life moves so it basically strengthens your muscles to be able to move in ways they need to in real life situations. For instance, squatting down to pick something up or even just the act of sitting and then getting back up.

Training With Weights:

Faster results: If putting on a lot of muscle mass is your goal, heavy weights with fewer reps is key. Lifting weights that are heavy enough to cause your muscles to fail after 6-8 reps will build muscle faster. This is not ideal for a beginner though. The risk of injury increases as you start to lift heavier and if you don’t know proper form this is a recipe for disaster. If you’re a beginner and you want to start lifting heavy you need to work with a professional.

Easier to progress: To progress with weight training all you need to do is lift heavier weights. With body weight workouts you have to be a bit more creative. There are other more complicated weight training techniques for the more advanced lifter but by just progressively overloading your muscles you’ll keep them challenged and keep seeing results. Note: you have to keep challenging yourself. If you stay with the same weights even as you get stronger you will plateau.

HUGE variety: With weight training you have a much larger variety of exercises you can do for each muscle group. For instance you can work on your chest by doing a bench press, an incline chest press, a decline chest press, an incline chest fly and there are still others you can do for that one muscle group.

As you can see both options have great benefits and what you choose will depend on your preferences, goals and access (or no access) to equipment. Personally, I like to do a bit of both. I like to change up my routine regularly so I don’t get bored and I find by mixing it up my body feels more balanced. Whatever you choose to do make sure it’s safe and if you’re a beginner make sure you have someone who knows what they’re doing to teach you how to do things properly so you avoid injury and muscle imbalances.

Fit In A Minute! Burpees & Pushups!

2017-01-26T08:45:00.001-08:00

Be sure to warm up for about 5 mins before you start and then cool down & stretch when you're done!

Can You Out Train A Bad Diet?

2017-01-25T17:39:00.001-08:00

Have you ever used your workout to justify eating something that you know you shouldn’t? Once in a while it’s okay but if you’re doing this regularly you’ll soon realize that it’s impossible to out train a bad diet.

Don’t Fall For This Common Belief

A lot of people think that if they exercise it gives them a free pass on what they put into their body. Unfortunately, this is not true. Physical activity requires proper nutrition in order for it to be effective. You could be training your butt off but if you’re not feeding yourself with high nutrient food your body doesn’t have what it needs to recover properly and get stronger. Pizza, nachos, cookies and other processed high sugar foods will cause your performance to suffer and you’ll suffer too.

Exercise

Our body needs exercise. Have you ever gotten up from your desk after hours of working and felt stiff and sore? Sitting for long periods of time is not what the human body was meant to do. In order to build strength and keep mobile without pain we need to move every single day. Also, regular exercise reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and some cancers by at least 30%.

Nutrition

Here’s something to consider: in the last 30 years, the percentage of people who exercise regularly hasn’t really changed that much. BUT the percentage of people who are overweight and obese has skyrocketed! The problem? Poor nutrition!

Why has nutrition been so poor? Over the past 30 years the number of processed foods have increased dramatically. Processed foods are very low in nutrition and are filled with artificial ingredients, sugar, preservatives and chemicals. A healthy body cannot be built with these ingredients. Unfortunately, these processed foods are super convenient and super addictive. No wonder a lot of us want to use exercise as a means to justify eating poorly.

If you are trying to lose weight, exercise alone will not be enough. Exercise is what sustains weight loss, but without proper nutrition you won’t lose the weight you want to lose. If you’re trying to be healthy exercise is not enough. What you put into your body is what your body is going to use to recover and rebuild – if your nutrition is substandard your body will be substandard.

Some Reasons You Can’t Out Train a Bad Diet

1. Not all calories are created equal. If you’re thinking that in order to indulge in high calorie junk foods all you have to do is burn off that amount of calories, I’m sorry to tell you that it doesn’t actually work that way. Also, most people highly underestimate the amount of calories they’re actually eating. It’s not as simple as calories in vs. calories out because different types of calories affect our hormones and metabolism differently. Of course over consuming calories whether healthy or not can lead to weight gain but you first want to focus on the quality of the food you are consuming.

2. You can’t fuel your body with junk and expect it to perform. What happens when you use low grade fuel to fill your gas tank? Your car doesn’t run as well. Same with your body! Your body needs certain building blocks in order for it to be able to perform optimally. If you want to see results and feel your best (at any age) you need to eat quality protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and the right amount of carbohydrates for your body and activity level.

3. Lack of nutrients will backfire on you. Don’t be tempted to cut our healthy macronutrients in order to lose weight. Cutting out too many calories and/or carbohydrates will leave you without the energy your body needs to train consistently. If your nutrition plan is super restrictive and you’re doing some hardcore training, you could be doing yourself some real harm and you won’t get stronger – you’ll get weaker. If you don’t feed your hard working body enough high quality nutrients your body will start to use muscle mass for energy. If this happens on an ongoing basis not only do you get weaker and are more prone to injuries, but your metabolism slows down making it harder and harder to keep weight off.

4. Doing one without the other will leave you feeling unmotivated. Ever notice how when you eat well, you are more motivated to move, and when you move you are more motivated to eat well. Eating junk leaves you feeling tired and bogged down. The last thing you want to do when you’re feeling that way is exercise. Nourish your body properly and enjoy your workouts.

5. Injury and illness. Poor nutrition can lead to a weakened immune system as well as micronutrient deficiencies and increased inflammation throughout your body. These will result in you being more susceptible to illness and injury leaving you unable to train. Studies have shown that not getting an adequate amount of healthy fats into your diet may raise your chances for overuse injuries (such as stress fractures and tendonitis).

You Gotta Eat to Support Your Training

I know nutrition can seem confusing so for now don’t get bogged down with all the numbers. Start making small changes in your diet such as cutting out processed foods the majority of the time and adding more whole foods. Start with small changes that you’re comfortable with and move on when you’re ready. If you let yourself get overwhelmed you won’t stick with it. And don’t make the mistake of telling yourself you’ll never eat your favourite, not so good for you foods ever again – this will only make you want them more. I like the 80/20 rule – eat well 80% of the time and indulge in your favourite treats 20% of the time.

Things you can do to optimize your nutrition and support your training.

1. Eat protein with each meal. We need protein! Protein is made up of amino acids that are the building blocks for muscle. Women want to aim for 1 palm size portion (20-30 grams) and males 2 palm size portions (40-60 grams) with each meal.

2. Eat 1-2 servings of non-starchy vegetables with each meal. Non-starchy vegetables are high in fiber and packed with phytonutrients. Eat them raw or only lightly steamed to get the most nutrient value out of them.

3. Eat starchy carbohydrates after your strength training sessions. If weight loss is a goal of yours have your starchy carbohydrates (yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc.) in the meal that follows your training session. If optimized performance is your goal, you may want to add in starchy carbs at each meal. Play around with it a bit to see what your body reacts best to. A starting point for women would be approximately ½ - ¾ cup and for men 1-1 ½ cups. You will likely need to adjust based on how you are looking, feeling, and performing so I’d suggest keeping a journal. You don’t hear this a lot but when it comes to carbohydrates LESS IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER!

4. Invest in a nutrient dense shake. Shakes have come a long way over the years and they can be a great post workout meal if you don’t have time to make a whole food meal. Because it’s liquid your body is able to absorb it more easily since it doesn’t need to break it down as much. Shakes can also be a great breakfast idea if you don’t like eating solid food first thing in the morning or if you’re having one of those days where you don’t have time to sit down to lunch and need to take it with you on the road. Not just any shake though. Make sure your shake has all the nutrients you need with no artificial flavours or colours. Even though shakes have come a long way there are still some really junky ones out there. Price is a good clue. If it’s cheap it’s because the quality of the nutrients is low which is why the manufacturers can afford to sell it so cheap. Don’t cheap out when it comes to nourishing your body because in the end it’s not worth it.

Eat Well, Train Well, Live Well

Being fit and healthy isn’t complicated but it does require balance. You need to eat right, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, manage stress and have the support of friends and family. It takes a bit of effort but isn’t it worth it to have a body that moves with ease and energy to keep up with life?

Fit In A Minute! Bicycles

2017-01-25T17:23:00.001-08:00

Health Benefits of Essential Oils

2017-01-24T17:22:00.001-08:00

Essential Oils

Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about essential oils. I’ve used essential oils in the past. When I was going through the worst of my depression and anxiety and was having more frequent panic attacks I had decided to look into aromatherapy. I didn’t study it extensively but I did start using essential oils to help lift my mood and I did find it very calming.

Hearing more about it lately piqued my interest so, as I do with everything that I’m curious about, I decided to do a bit of research to learn a bit more. First of all, I wanted to know exactly how scent affects our brain.

How Scent Affects Our Brain

Here’s the super simple explanation: When you smell something the scent gets routed through your olfactory bulb which is closely connected with the area of the brain that handles memory and emotion This is why a certain smell can transport you back in time or just make you feel a certain emotion for no particular reason. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious certain scents can help calm you and give you a feeling of well-being. This could be because your brain associates it with a time and place where you felt calm and safe although there are certain scents such as lavender that naturally have this calming effect. Scientists have discovered that scents can actually influence the biochemistry of your nervous system.

The Amazing Essential Oil

Essential oils are naturally occurring volatile aromatic compounds found in plants. (volatile just means they turn quickly from a solid or liquid to a gas at room temperature). Research shows that they can be particularly beneficial in such things as improving mood, alleviating stress, improving sleep, relieving nausea, relieving pain, improving your memory and increasing your energy. At the start of my spin classes I always ask how people are feeling and pretty much always at least one person says ‘tired’. By the end of the class everyone feels energized and great. Imagine if they could get that feeling of energy as they walked into my studio due to a few drops of some essential oils on a diffuser!

How To Use Essential Oils

Here are a few ways you can use essential oils:

· Put some drops on a diffuser.

· Massage into your skin. Massage onto pulse points for an alternative to perfume.

· Put a few drops in your bath water.

· Dietary supplement NOTE***only consume essential oils that are of clinical grade. Most are therapeutic grade and should not be ingested ***

Some Other Creative Uses For Essential Oils:

There are many other uses for essential oils that are worth looking at. Here are a few:

· Cleaning spray.

· Room deodorizer.

· Home-made soaps and lotions.

· Skin care – tea tree oil is great for pimples.

· Insect repellants – bugs hate citrus ;)

Worth Looking Into!

Essential oils have the power to enhance your physical and mental health in a natural, chemical-free way and are a great addition to your other healthy habits. Make sure you use high quality essential oils otherwise you could be using something that might be toxic. Look for a statement of purity – you want 100% essential oil meaning it hasn’t been diluted or mixed with anything. Price can be the big clue – if it’s cheap it’s most likely of poor quality.

If you want more information leave a comment below.

Fit In A Minute! High Knees Fast Feet!

2017-01-24T08:46:00.001-08:00

Make sure you warm up for a few minutes before you start and then cool down and stretch when you're done!

Want It? Then You Can Have It!

2017-01-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

You Can Have Anything You Want

Did you know that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to? A lot of people don’t believe that and that’s why they never reach for what they really want. Instead they ‘put up with’ what they have, believing that they don’t have the power to change their life.

Reaching for big goals is scary and there’s a lot of work involved but if there’s something in your life that you really want to change it’ll be worth it. All you have to do is believe right down to your core that you are capable of making these changes and you will achieve your goals. You have to jump all in and ignore any doubt you’re feeling – just keep pushing forward. If the end result is important enough to you, you will take the steps to get there and you will be successful.

Tips That Will Change Your Life:

Take complete responsibility for yourself.

Know that you are completely responsible with how your life turns out. No one is owed anything in life. If there’s something you want, you have to go after it and if you fail all you need to do is go at it at a different angle. You can’t blame people or circumstances for your situation. There have been many people who have overcome unimaginable obstacles to reach success. Once you realize that you are 100% responsible for your quality of life you’ll start making the changes you need to achieve the results you want.

Write down your goals.

Grab a pen and write down what you really want and 5 reasons why you want it. Become obsessed with your goal. Think about your goal and your reasons every day. When you do this an amazing thing will happen – without even thinking about it you’ll start taking steps that will lead to your goal and the people and knowledge you need will seem to magically appear. It’s not magic. The opportunities and tools have always been there for you but it’s not until you’re actually looking for them that they appear. Here’s a little exercise to try. Close your eyes and think about how many blue things there are in the room you’re in right now. Now look around the room and count how many blue things you can see. There’s probably a lot more than you realized because when you’re purposely searching for something and you’re focused on that one thing, all of a sudden it seems like you’re seeing more of it. Open your mind and eyes to the opportunities, knowledge and people you need to help you achieve your goal.

Commit to the process.

You have your goal written down and you’re ready to go after it. It’s important to keep your ultimate goal in mind but don’t just focus on the outcome. There will be a process involved in getting what you want and you have to fall in love with the process because it’s what you’re going to need to be doing every day to achieve the goal. Commit 100% to the process and you’ll be successful at getting what you want.

Block out self-doubt.

With any major change, there’s going to be times that you’re going to doubt your ability. Don’t let those thoughts take up residence in your brain. When you have those moments of self-doubt just understand that it’s normal to feel this way and it actually means that you’re on the right track. Push those thoughts out and just keep moving forward. I almost completely destroyed my business because I made a decision based on fear and self-doubt. Luckily, I was able to turn it around and it turned out the be a very valuable lesson for me.

Truly believe it is possible.

More and more studies are proving just how powerful the mind is. Napoleon Hill knew this and wrote about it in his book Think and Grow Rich, which he wrote in 1937. If you’re looking for some good personal development reading you have to read this book If you truly believe to your core that something is possible it will be possible for you. Humans respond to what the brain expects to happen, so if you expect success and honestly believe it will happen, it will happen! If you’re thinking ‘ya right, just because you believe in something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen’ than you’re in the wrong mind set. Start training your brain to believe that what you want is possible and learn how to shut down the negative thoughts. Decide what you want, know that you will achieve it and it’ll happen.

Your Life Your Way

I know that making changes is scary and sometimes it seems like it’s better play it ‘safe’, but when you think about the grand scheme of your life how do you really want that to look? Is right now good enough for you? Do you feel like you’re settling for something that’s not fulfilling? Is it worth settling for? Don’t settle for what you think you deserve, go for what you know you deserve!

Fit In A Minute! Up Down Plank & Reach!

2017-01-23T11:16:00.003-08:00

Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

2017-01-20T19:11:00.002-08:00

Getting Enough Sleep?

Do you wake up every morning feeling refreshed and energized? For a lot of us the answer is ‘no’. With our busy lifestyles, we’ve become used to feeling tired and sluggish and this is not good! It could be seriously harming our health!

Why Aren't We Sleeping?

Centuries ago, most people would get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each day. There was no such thing as 24 hour restaurants, fitness centres or pharmacies. There were no computers or smart phones to keep people’s interest when it got dark outside. Centuries ago when it got dark at night people went to sleep. When it gets dark the human body starts producing melatonin which is the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Before the invention of electricity and the ability to light your home when it got dark, people would respond to the natural increase in melatonin by going to sleep. Now, only about 25% of North Americans get 8 or more hours of sleep.

We work long hours, seem to have unending responsibilities, and we also try to make time for friends, family and fitness and entertainment. With these busy, days we ended up getting to bed a little later until we got to the point where most of us are chronically sleep deprived.

Dangers Of Sleep Deprivation

A lot of people try to eat right and exercise to improve their health but if they’re not getting enough rest the results could be deadly. On average adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Here are some of the consequences of not getting enough sleep:

· Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Did you know that if you get less than 6 hours of quality sleep each night, you have a 48% greater risk of developing or dyingfrom heart disease and a 15% greater risk of developing or dying from a stroke. Lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure, blocked arteries, kidney disease and dementia.

· Obesity: Did you know that sleep shortage is directly linked to obesity? Lack of sleep disrupts two powerful hormones that control hunger causing you to feel hungrier.

Lack of sleep also causes you to feel more stressed, which increases the amount of the hormone cortisol in your body. This hormone causes you to crave high-carbohydrate foods such as junk food, and then deposits those carbs as fat around your belly which is the most dangerous place to store fat.

Getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night can cause impaired glucose tolerance which will put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

· Compromised immune system: Did you know that sleep deprivation affects your immune system making you more susceptible to colds and flu? When you don’t get enough sleep, your immune system becomes stressed and compromised.

· Impaired exercise performance: Did you know that not getting enough sleep can negatively impact your fitness efforts? When you’re sleep deprived you just won’t have the energy to push through a good workout. Also, your muscles repair and rebuild while you sleep. If your body isn’t getting this time to recover, you will be at a significant disadvantage during your next workout.

Gotta Make Time For Sleep!

Lifestyle changes are never easy, but this one will be so worth it! Start getting to bed a little bit earlier each night – even if it’s just 10 or 15 minutes earlier until you’re consistently getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night. The payoff will be increased health, energy and productivity!

Weekend Warrior Workout!

2017-01-20T11:45:00.001-08:00

Warm up for about 5-10 minutes before starting and cool down & stretch when you're done.

Do all 10 reps of each exercise and complete 10 sets. If you lose your form take a break. If you can't make it through all 10 sets that's okay, but make a note on how many sets you did and repeat this workout at a later date to see how much your fitness has improved :)

10 Burpees

10 Hip Lifts

10 Bicycles

10 Plank Jacks

10 Plyo Lunges

10 Reverse Crunch

10 Knee Taps

10 Tricep Dips

10 Pushups

10 Pulsing Squats

Are Your Adrenals Fatiqued?

2017-01-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

Adrenal Fatigue

Have you ever heard of adrenal fatigue? Did you know that some experts suggest that 80% of the Western world will be affected by adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives.

The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys and their proper function is critical for such things as producing energy and balancing hormones as well as dealing with stress. Some of the many hormones that are secreted by the adrenals are adrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone.

If you’ve been dealing with periods of intense, prolonged stress (mental or physical) or chronic illness, your adrenal glands begin functioning below the level needed to maintain your health and well being. They still function but not as well as they could be. The result is adrenal fatigue.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

If you think you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue take a look at the list below. These are symptoms that are common in people with adrenal fatigue:

· Forgetfulness

· Feeling tired for no reason

· Craving salty or sweet snacks

· Weight gain, especially around the waist

· Decreased sex drive

· Mild Depression

· Low body temperature

· High or low blood pressure

· Inability to handle stress

· Dizziness

If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue.

Treatment

To treat adrenal fatigue you’ll be looking at making some changes to your lifestyle and diet, and it’ll take about 6-9 months to recover from a mild case. Moderate to severe adrenal fatigue can take between 1-2 years to heal.

Stress: You’re going to need to reduce this! Learning time management skills could be beneficial, as well as getting organized and not over extending yourself to other’s needs. You can’t be everything to everyone and trying to will put a lot of stress on your adrenal glands.

Sleep: You need to get enough of this! The main repair work on your adrenal glands takes place between 10 pm and 1 am. If you’re a night owl start practicing going to bed earlier. Do it in small time increments each night until you’re getting to bed early enough to get about 7 hours of sleep at night. Keep caffeine to a minimum and have it first thing in the morning, not later in the afternoon. You might even want to consider giving up caffeine all together (the horror!!)

Exercise: You need enough of this but not too much! Exercise regulates cortisol, relieves depression and increases blood flow which will contribute to your recovery. Don’t over train though because this will have the opposite effect. Aim for 30-60 minutes/day 4-6 days per week.

Supplements: You might want to try adding some of these! Calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, E, and B complex are recommended. Just make sure you’re getting your supplements from a reputable company – don’t look for the cheapest ones because you get what you pay for.

Nutrition: It’s gotta be good! Avoid junk food, or non-foods as I like to call them. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy protein and healthy fats. You may want to consider adding a nutrient dense shake to your diet as well – just make sure there are no artificial ingredients added to it.

If you suspect you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, try making some of the above changes to your diet and lifestyle. Just remember, it takes a long time to heal from adrenal fatigue so make a commitment and stick to it.

Fit In A Minute! Brazillian Lunge!

2017-01-19T08:46:00.003-08:00

Be sure to warm up first and then stretch when you're done!

Feeling Dirty?

2017-01-18T16:29:00.000-08:00

To Cleanse Or Not To Cleanse

Cleanses, or detox diets have been around for centuries. Some people swear by them others insist it’s a waste of time, money and may even be dangerous. Personally I think that if doing a cleanse or detox serves a purpose for you, you should go ahead and do it. If you feel that it’s a waste of time and potentially dangerous, don’t do it. Simple as that!

What Is A Cleanse

Basically doing a cleanse means eliminating processed foods, alcohol and caffeine and replacing them with organic vegetables, healthy fats and vegetable based proteins for a certain period of time. Some cleanses go a step further and eliminate all solid food. The idea is that you remove the things that are bogging down your system and only take in things that will help the body flush out built up toxins.

People who are against cleansing argue that your body is capable of cleansing itself and they are not wrong. There actually isn’t any scientific proof that nutritional cleanses are necessary or even work but for some people it’s a pleasurable experience that serves them well.

Pros And Cons Of Cleanses

Pros:

1. Increased energy and sense of vitality.

2. Revitalized mind and spirit.

3. Cuts out bad eating habits.

4. Makes you more mindful of what you’re putting in your body.

5. Helps you discover what foods you are sensitive to because once you finish the cleanse and go back to your usual diet you’ll notice right away if something aggravates your system.

Cons:

1. If you suddenly start eating a lot of high fibre fruits and vegetables you could experience gastrointestinal discomfort.

2. If you’re a teenager, or pregnant or very active following a low calorie eating plan even for just a few days could be detrimental to your health.

3. Cleanses are not meant for long term weight loss. The weight you do lose is mostly water and will come back when you go back to your regular eating habits. If you’re considering a cleanse as a weight loss tool, don’t. This type of thinking can lead to disordered eating and could potentially be life threatening.

4. Cleanses are not proven to rid your body of toxins better than your own bodily mechanisms.

Still Debating?

If you’re thinking about trying a cleanse make sure it’s a healthy one that you can fit into your lifestyle. Try to find one that includes solid foods as well as liquids and isn’t lower than 1000 calories. If you’re active plan to take days off or stick with very light exercise during your cleanse.

For some people, doing a cleanse makes them feel better. They feel energetic and have a greater sense of vitality. It also makes them more mindful of what they’re eating which helps set them on a path of healthier eating. If this is you, go for it! If you think cleanses are stupid then don’t do them.

Fit In A Minute! V-Sit Challenge!

2017-01-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

What’s Your Excuse For Not Exercising?

2017-01-17T16:54:00.002-08:00

Excuses Suck!

I think people make excuses when they’re afraid of the unknown and really afraid to be uncomfortable. It’s normal to want to avoid discomfort but what if avoiding discomfort was affecting your health? If you’re making excuses to avoid working out and eating healthy your excuses are causing you a lot of harm. Let’s look at some common excuses and I’ll provide some solutions for you!

EXCUSE #1

I don’t have the time to exercise: This is a VERY common excuse. A busy schedule can make it really tough and unappealing to fit in time to exercise but if you did find the time you’d be doing yourself a world of good. Studies have shown that working out relieves stress, depression and anxiety among other things.

Another thing to consider is this: if you don’t exercise, you’re almost guaranteed to begin experiencing the illness and disease that comes from an inactive lifestyle. You think a workout is time consuming? If you begin to experience illness due to an inactive lifestyle, you’ll have to make an appointment with the doctor, drive to your appointment, wait to be seen, possibly schedule additional tests at the hospital, and wait for your prescriptions to be filled at the pharmacy. If you develop a chronic illness, you’re going to have to do this on a regular basis – that adds up to A LOT of time! If you become ill you’re going to have to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate your illness. Why not just adjust your time now while your healthy to accommodate a healthy lifestyle that will help prevent you from developing chronic illness?

Exercise takes a lot less time out of your day than illness. Even with just 30 minutes a day you’ll be making significant changes in your health.

Some tips to fit in regular workouts:

· Set your alarm half an hour earlier and get in a quick workout before work. People who workout first thing in the morning tend to do better at sticking to their program because there’s nothing that’s going to get in your way of that workout – you get up, you workout, you get on with your day!

· Do a quick workout during your lunch break. Ask friends from the office to join you so you can keep each other accountable.

· Make it a new rule that you stop at the gym or do an at home workout right after work before dinner. If it’s an at home workout make sure your partner/family know that it’s your time and if they need you they’ll have to workout with you.

EXCUSE #2

I don’t like to exercise: Another pretty common excuse. But ask yourself this: Do you like having no energy? Do you like having achy joints? Do you like being overweight? Do you like having to take medications to deal with illness? Give it some serious thought and think about what you dislike more – a sweat session or a life of discomfort and no energy.

Some tips to get over your dislike of exercise:

· Find something you enjoy doing! Working out doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym and do stuff that bores you. Any activity can be your workout. Do you like playing sports? Biking? Skiing? Find something that excites you so you look forward to your workouts.

· Find a buddy. Even if you don’t like your workout having your friend with you will make it more fun. It’s a great way for the two of you to bond.

· Crank up the tunes!! The right music can power you through any workout! Studies have shown that when people listened to music they love during their workouts their effort level was higher.

EXCUSE #3

I don’t have the energy to exercise: Did you know that exercise will actually give you energy? Sounds weird but it’s true! If you’re feeling low on energy get up and start moving around. So many of my clients tell me how tired they are before a class starts. After the class I ask them how they’re feeling and they always tell me they feel SO much better.

Some tips to get you moving when your energy is low:

· Just move. Commit to do just the warm up. If you still have no energy after your warm-up call it a day. It’s almost guaranteed that once you start moving and start releasing some endorphins you’re going to want to stay and do the whole workout.

Mind over matter. Don’t let yourself even think about your low energy level. Just put your workout gear on and get on with your workout.

· Make a commitment. Whether it’s to a friend who you’re going to workout with or a personal trainer/coach or your family and friends, if you know you have someone who’s expecting you to do your workout you’ll get it done.

EXCUSE #4

The timing isn’t good. I’ll start working out when…

· I find the right gym to join

· I lose a bit of weight by dieting

· The kids go back to school

· The kids get older

· I have more time

· Work gets less busy

· The weather warms up a little

· The weather cools down a little

· Someday…Sorry! Someday is not an actual day.

Rather than spending your time coming up with reasons why now is not the right time to start a fitness program, just start!

Give up your excuses!

Here’s what I’m asking you to do: Simply decide to stop making excuses. Decide that now is the time and you’re going to do it no matter what. Everybody has excuses for not exercising. Everybody also has very important reasons why they need to be healthy. Choose health!

If gym schedules just don’t fit your schedule let me know and I’ll hook you up with an amazing at home program with built in accountability! You’ll belong to a group of people who are working on fitting in fitness and they’ll be your support and your motivation – I of course will be a part of this group ;) So really…..what’s stopping you?

Fit In A Minute! High Knees & Squats!

2017-01-17T12:06:00.002-08:00

Be sure to warm up and then cool down and stretch :)

How To Increase Your Chances For Fitness Success!

2017-01-16T17:23:00.001-08:00

The Quest For Fitness

I think most of us can relate to this scenario: you’ve decided to get fit and healthy. You’ve got a plan for your workouts and for meal prep. You’re totally gung ho and ready to go!

It starts off great – you’re making it to your workouts, you’re meal prepping every Sunday, you’re drinking tons of water and you’re feeling GREAT! Then one day it happens. You don’t really feel like working out so you decide to skip just this one day. Since you skipped your workout you tell yourself it’s okay to treat yourself to a sugary treat….just this once. All of a sudden you find yourself coming up with great excuses that totally justify not doing your workout and for eating unhealthy food. Then you find yourself feeling sluggish, disappointed and not motivated enough to get back on your healthy plan.

What happened? What happened is your motivation faded which is perfectly normal and you didn’t have anyone to hold you accountable so it was really easy to give in to your lack of motivation. This happens to A LOT of people.

How To Avoid Fitness Failure

People underestimate how important support is when deciding to adopt a healthy lifestyle, or make any major changes really. Humans are social beings. We need support from others especially when we’re doing work. Did you know that a study showed that couples who went to the gym separately had a 43% dropout rate over the course of a year. Couple who went together, regardless of whether they did the same workout or not, only had a 6.3% dropout rate! My clients who are most successful with their fitness are the ones who have friends for support. It can be friends that they meet for workouts, or even friends online who they check in with every day to share successes, struggles, ideas and inspiration. When you know that someone genuinely cares about how you’re doing with your fitness it all of a sudden becomes almost impossible to quit.

Workout Buddy Or Support Group?

Buddy:

If you have a buddy to workout with make sure they’re the right fit. If your buddy is always complaining about the workout or always coming up with excuses not to exercise and eat right this could completely sabotage your efforts. Having the same sort of fitness goals really helps so that your workouts make sense for both of your goals. If your friend is trying to bulk up and you’re trying to lose weight it can be difficult to agree on what sort of workouts you should be focusing on.

Group support:

But what if your friends aren’t into fitness and you can’t talk them into it? That’s when you need to find group support. This can be a group of your friends who can all workout at the same time, or the familiar faces in your group fitness class or an online group of like-minded people who are looking for some motivation – there is definitely strength in numbers!

It can be difficult to co-ordinate the schedules of a group of people so I suggest getting to know the regulars in your favourite group fitness class or join an online group.

Online group support:

An online support group is THE most flexible way to be able to be a part of a large group of people who share your goals and busy lifestyle. With online groups, you check in every day to let everyone know how you’re doing and to get motivation and ideas. You don’t have to worry about having to be at the gym at a certain time for your workout. You can do your workout whenever it fits with your schedule and you can even have a program that you do at home. You might think that it won’t be as motivating if you’re not physically with these people but you’d be surprised how important it becomes to you to stay connected with your group and let them know when you’re doing well and also let them know when you need someone to lean on. Typically, these groups have people in them from all over the country in different time zones so you can literally have a conversation any day at any time with someone. I’ve seen HUGE success with these groups.

Your Fitness Success

Sticking to a fitness and healthy eating plan can be tough and trying to do it on your own can be lonely. If you really want to be successful and your frustrated by all the times you’ve stared and then stopped a fitness plan find yourself a buddy or group and watch your life change!

Fit In A Minute! Pushup Variation!

2017-01-16T08:35:00.002-08:00

Don't forget to warm up a bit and stretch when you're done ;)

Confused About Nutrition?

2017-01-13T16:41:00.001-08:00

Confusion!!

Do you feel confused and frustrated by all the mixed messages out there regarding nutrition? Remember being told that fat makes you fat and that saturated fat was the worst culprit? Now we know that that was one of the BIGGEST nutritional myths of all time. Our bodies need fat! When people cut out fat from their diet we saw a huge increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes.

With all the false info out there it becomes really confusing as to what nutritional advise to follow. Here are some tips to help you figure out what advice to pay attention to.

1. When you read an article that cites a specific study, you need to look deeper into a few things. First of all, who funded the study? What do the funders stand to gain if you believe this info? When it comes right down to it, money is always a part of the picture. Big corporations can fund studies that will prove whatever they want in order to make financial gains. It’s also important to know that media will quite often only portray and publish parts of a particular study and therefore you are not getting all of the information. This is how they can steer consumers in the direction they want.

2. Use common sense. Your body instinctually knows what to eat in order to achieve optimum health. The problem is that we get too busy to listen to the signs and signals our bodies give us and we’re too bombarded with confusing and often conflicting information. You get so confused that you actually stop listening to your body because the messages we get from media are basically saying that they know better than mother nature so you better listen up and ignore your own body. Listen to your body’s signals. What happens when you eat sugar? For most people they feel sluggish and gross and then experience a sugar crash and feel even more sluggish and grumpy. This is your body telling you that sugar is not good for you so if you then see an article that says sugar is good for you, you know that this information is false.

3. Rates of obesity, diabetes and cancer have been skyrocketing. If all of the nutrition advice we have been given, including the Canada Food Guide and My Plate was true, then why are we seeing deteriorating health in our population?

4. There’s always going to be a ton of misleading information out there regarding nutrition. Most of it is misleading for the purpose of getting you to spend your money. What you need to do is find someone who has a nutrition background and has worked with hundreds of clients to help shed some light on what information you should pay attention to and what information that you should ignore. Please don’t be shy to reach out to me.

Weekend Warrior Workout! EMOM!

2017-01-13T08:59:00.001-08:00

Every Minute On the Minute!

Set your timer for 10 mins. Each minute you need to perform 15 mountain climbers and 5 burpees. If you finish before the minute is up you get a break. If you don't you keep going :) Just make sure you have proper form. If your form starts to fall apart pause the timer and take a break. My favourite timer is GymBoss!

Warm up for 5-10 minutes before you start and then cool down and stretch when you're done!

What's Moringa?

2017-01-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

Moringa

As a fitness pro who owns a small studio and teaches most of the classes at that studio I’m always on the hunt for anything that will help keep me as healthy as possible and as energized as possible. I can’t afford to burn out ;) I was recently introduce to Moringa Oleifera and was given some samples to try. I had heard of it before and knew it was a tree (not some weird supplement made in a lab) so I was totally open to trying it out. I’ve only tried a few of the products but so far I’m REALLY impressed. So impressed that I figured I’d better do a little research and find out a little more about this tree. Here’s what I found:

Some Benefits Of The Moringa Oleifera Tree

1. Moringa contains more than 90 nutrients, 46 antioxidants and 36 anti-inflammatory compounds. The leaves are about 25% protein (huge for a plant) and contain all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. It would be a great option for anyone who is vegetarian or vegan and struggling to get enough complete proteins in their diet. You can buy supplements but many are made with synthetic ingredients that your body can’t absorb. Always strive to get your nutrition from natural sources.

2. Check out the nutrition in the leaves! 7 times the vitamin C of an orange, 4 times the vitamin A of carrots, 4 times the calcium of milk, 3 times the potassium of bananas, 3 times the vitamin E of spinach, 3 times the iron of almonds and 2 times the protein of yogurt.

3. It gives you energy! Moringa is a rich source of iron, magnesium and calcium which all support energy yielding metabolism.

4. And the health benefits! Regularly consuming moringa has been linked to lower blood pressure, a stronger immune system, improved digestion, decreased inflammation and improved mood! It’s also a good weight loss aid because it’s high in fibre and low in fat and calories. The leaves have been used to treat asthma, bronchitis, anemia and even eye and ear infections. The bark of the tree and the seeds it produces can also be used for nutrition and for improving immune system strength which means you can fight off illness and infection better.

The Products I’ve Tried So Far

Vegan Protein Powder

It mixed well in a shaker cup and the taste was quite good (I tried vanilla). I experienced no stomach upset and wasn’t hungry again for hours.

Electrolyte Drink

Delicious!! Not too sweet like a lot of electrolyte drinks. With the large number of spin classes I teach and the large amount I sweat I need a good electrolyte drink!

Pre-Workout Capsule

I teach 1-3 spin classes every day and every now and then I need a boost. I’ve tried many pre-workout capsules and drinks and pretty much all of them made me nauseous and/or jittery and there was always a big crash later in the day. When I tried this one I was expecting the same thing but I was very pleasantly surprised! I felt INCREDIBLE! I felt very energetic, clear headed and focused and not at all jittery. There was no crash and 6 hours later I was still feeling energized – no need or a nap! Definitely need to take this early in the day though.

I still have quite a few things in my sample pack to try so I’ll keep you posted on what the rest is like. So far, I’m super impressed and really happy that I decided to try moringa out.

Fit In A Minute! Wall Squat!

2017-01-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to stretch!! ;)

Body Image

2017-01-11T17:04:00.000-08:00

How's Your Body Image?

Did you know that about 80-90% of women and about 30-40% of men report being dissatisfied with how their body looks?

It’s not really that surprising seeing that we are bombarded EVERYDAY with messages of how we “should” look.

And there’s no escaping these messages! You’ll see them all over social media and regular media. Even our friends, family, and significant others can directly or indirectly make us feel like we need to look a certain way.

This is not something to be taken lightly. Body dissatisfaction is linked to low self-esteem, low self-worth, and depression.

What if we could change the way we feel about ourselves and not allow the messages and images we see every day to affect our self-esteem?

Easier said than done but let’s try anyway.

Self-Acceptance

When I first started changing the way I ate and started working out it was purely because I wanted to lose weight and change the way my body looked. Those might seem like good motivators but really all I was doing was beating myself up and I was never satisfied with my progress.

Body dissatisfaction, and negative self-talk are NOT healthy motivators. If these are your only motivators you’ll most likely fall off the fitness wagon before long and be even more miserable. I did it MANY times.

Your body is amazing and whether you realize it or not it’s always doing the best it can at any given moment. If you only accept yourself as long as you look a certain way you are not practicing self-love and without self-love you’ll never be truly happy with any ‘progress’ you make.

Do you accept yourself for the way you are?

For a lot of years I was really unhappy with myself and my self-talk was terrible. It was almost like I felt like if I wasn’t hard on myself I’d never get the results I wanted and I’d never be happy with how I looked so I just kept telling myself what a failure I was in an attempt to motivate myself to stay on track.

That was a mistake that I wasted a lot of years on.

When I finally learned to accept myself for how I was everything changed. I felt happier and more energetic. My workouts started feeling like something I really wanted to do and not something that I was punishing myself with. It freed up the mental space that was once taken up with negative self-talk so I could make healthier choices and move forward.

There Needs To Be A Mindset Shift

Instead of thinking that you need to workout and eat healthy just so you can look a certain way, change that mindset and start thinking about how you choose to engage in healthy behaviors daily because they honor and support your body. This single shift will make you feel a new sense of freedom and motivation.

When your choices come from a place of love rather than a place of negativity and frustration your life will change.

Love and honor your body and celebrate every victory, no matter how small, instead of always looking for another physical flaw that you need to ‘fix’.

Do I still have days when I find myself engaging in negative self-talk about my body? ABSOLUTLEY!

But it happens much less often, and when it does, I remind myself that my negative self-talk isn’t serving me. Then I focus on something about my body that I am grateful for, or something that my body is capable of such as my strong legs that give me the ability to teach a kickass spin class, ride Gran Fondos and carry me everywhere I go!

Focus On Health First

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that health comes first. Check in on yourself often:

How is your sleep?

Is your energy good throughout the day?

Are you more emotionally stable?

How often do you get sick?

Are you able to focus clearly when needed?

All of these things are directly impacted by what we eat and how we exercise. Unhealthy eating habits and not enough, or too much exercise will affect your health negatively in the long run.

If you’re consistently practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors your body will change if it needs to and the best part is you will feel much better because your initial intention is one of self-love and self-acceptance.

When you let go of your body dissatisfaction your workouts will be more about keeping your body strong, flexible, and mobile versus fixing your appearance. You’ll be able to focus on ALL OF THE AMAZING things your body can do and that’s what’s really important.

Your life becomes so much more enjoyable when you shift away from trying to create the “perfect body,” because guess what? The “perfect body” doesn’t exist!!! Even the people you think have the “ideal” body, struggle with their own body image. Choose to accept and love your amazing body because it truly is AMAZING and not something to take for granted.