Strength Training For Runners At Home

Strength training can supplement a runner's speed, endurance and prevent common injuries in the knees and hips. Lifting weights also helps to avoid a long distance "runner's physique" which can look stringy and waif-like.

Training for running should include the legs for endurance and strength. The core is trained for stability and running posture.

It's ideal to train 2-3 times a week. Include endurance and strength training for the lower body and abs, (see example below) and full body resistance workouts.

At-home strength training workout for runners:

Lower body: Endurance and Core Conditioning

Time: 30 minutes

Equipment: Stability ball and dumbbells

Body weight stability ball squats on the wall

20-25 reps, 2 sets

Body weight lunges

15-20 reps, 2 sets

Seated Squats (put a chair behind you, squat until you barely touch the chair and rise) with dumbbells at the shoulders

12-15 reps, 2 sets

Lunges with dumbbells at your side

12-15 reps, 2 sets

Stability Ball wall squat timed in seated position

See how long you can hold the squat x 2

Stability ball leg curl

15-20 reps, 2 sets

Stability Ball Crunches

15-20 reps x 2

Bicycle Crunch

15-20 reps x 2

Plank

Timed until failure

Side Plank

Timed until failure

Stability ball alternating back extension

15-20 reps X 1

Always warm up for approximately 5 minutes before a routine and stretch afterward. The best time to train your lower body is right before a run. Take the next day off from both strength training and running, for proper recovery.

Strong Bodies = Strong Runs!

Eating Before and After Weight Lifting

The pre and post meal is a huge factor in whether or not your routine will be as successful as it should be.

Pre Lifting Meal

Eating approximately 30 minutes before a workout ensures you have the energy to complete a purposeful lifting routine. If you have ever tried lifting weights on an empty stomach, and again with the right food in your system you can feel the difference in energy, strength and endurance.

30 minutes before you lift eat a combination of starchy carbs and protein. A fantastic choice is 1 cup of oatmeal mixed with protein powder. This combination is light enough that you won't feel weighed down, but more than enough carbs for energy and protein for muscular fuel. Drink a glass of water to wash it down for adequate hydration.

If you eat 1-2 hours before a workout then it is perfectly fine to eat a plate of whole wheat pasta or a bagel with peanut butter.

Post Lifting Meal

After you lift it's important to eat. This starts the proper recovery process. Rest and recovery are crucial for building mass. After a workout you are left feeling drained and depleted of all strength and energy.

30 minutes to 1 hour after lifting, drink a simple sugar to raise insulin levels. This helps carry nutrients in the muscles more quickly. Your muscles also need the glycogen put back in to them. If they don't have this restored, you risk muscle tissue breaking down for this purpose! Muscle glycogen can be restored by drinking fruit juice. Even better, mix some dextrose (glucose, a simple sugar derived from corn) in to juice, water or a protein shake.

Also eat protein to help build and repair torn muscle fibres so they will build back up to be stronger and bigger than before. 30-50 grams of lean proteins such as fish, brown rice, tofu and eggs will be more than enough to feed your muscles for recovery and growth.

Eating before and after a lifting routine helps aid the recovery process and gives you energy and strength. This way you don't feel tired and drained for the rest of the day. If you don't eat, your muscle size and strength will not progress nearly as much as it could and all your hard efforts in the gym will likely go to waste.

Eating and lifting go hand in hand. They are critical to success.

Eat For Results!

Fabulous Free Days

After losing 50 lbs, I wanted to eat junk food again. I also wanted to keep the weight off. What could be a bigger weight loss nightmare than gaining it all back? I felt like I deserved to indulge after a year of absolutely no fatty/sugary treats. I had to summon all of my willpower and more to stay away, especially with my sweet tooth! Now I wanted to enjoy myself a little bit.

I like the idea of a "free day." A free day is allowing yourself to "let go" one day of the week. It's permission to give in to the cravings without any guilt of ruining or cheating on your diet.

Benefits Of A Free Day

-If you have trouble staying away from junk food, having a free day to look forward to, will force you to control your cravings until that day.

-Many times I noticed that by the time the free day came around, I had lost the craving. Free days can teach you patience and control managing your nutritional habits.

-Having a free day is psychologically comforting. Being on a "diet" can seem restrictive and suffocating. Knowing that there is a day to be your old self makes for an easier transition in to a healthy lifestyle.

-A free day can stop you from "cheating" during the other six days of the week. If you are prone to giving in to cravings then it's much better to give in once, rather than seven times.

A free day still needs to be handled with your goals and progress in mind. It doesn't mean you should eat thousands of calories worth of sugar in a sitting. You don't want to blow a whole week of work and progress in a single day.

Eventually you will find that the new healthy you, starts to overpower the old unhealthy you. Even on a free day you will find yourself getting Becel on a small bag of popcorn at the movies, instead of butter on a large.

A free day is simply a security blanket and one day, you won't need it anymore.

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The Progressive Overload Principal

Nothing is more cringe worthy than to see someone lifting the same weights (that are too light) and doing the same exercises all of the time. Or cycling the same distance at the same speed everyday.

We are unfortunately, creatures of habit. Once we get used to a routine we stick with it. Going to "work out" turns in to the same old program that we breeze through without much difficulty. I'm sure completing the workout feels great but chances are, it's not making much of an impact on your physique,

What is Progressive Overload?

Simply put, progressive overload is constantly challenging your muscles and heart by putting them through different workouts on a regular basis, so they don't adapt to a routine. This includes:

-Regularly increasing intensity by adding weight, once it become too easy.

-Constantly changing number of reps and using the appropriate weights to match, to improve strength, size and endurance.

-Add more sets to each exercise performed.

-Add more exercises per a muscle group.

-Changing exercise types to hit your muscles in different ways.

-Training with different Program Modifications. This means doing upper/lower splits one work out, then full body, then focusing on only a couple of muscles etc.

-Progressing intensity of cardio sessions

-Progressing time of cardio sessions. You should be working on more intense workouts in less time, and less intense sessions, with more time.

-Changing equipment type for lifting and cardiovascular activity.

-Progressive overload can also include adding more days to your workout week.

Once your body gets used to a program, it stops showing results. Use some or all of these tips to progress, based on your goals. If you want strength and muscle, adding more sets, intensity and weight is a good place to start. If you are in it for endurance try more reps and the suggestions for progressing cardiovascular sessions.

If you have a hard time challenging yourself and designing different programs, consider hiring a personal trainer that will guarantee results!

Progressive Overload for Progressive Results!

Crazy About Chickpeas

The chickpea, also known as the Garbanzo bean or Indian pea is a delicious and nutritious legume. It is a fantastic source of carbohydrates and protein and can be used in numerous dishes.

Nutrition

-100g of cooked chickpeas contains 160 calories, 27.5g of carbs, 9g of protein and 2.5g of fat

-Chickpeas are a good source of zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and folate

-A great source of fibre

-A good source of calcium

Try Some of These Meals Made with Chickpeas

-Hummus

-Falafel

-Cold Salads

-Cooked in to stews

-Farinata

-Chana Masala

-Chickpea fritters

-Mixed in to brown rice for a meal containing healthy complex carbohydrates that is high in protein, fiber and low in fat.

The chickpea is an incredibly versatile food that can be made in to so many different dishes. They can be prepared raw, or bought ready to go canned in water. Add chickpeas in to your diet for any fitness goal!

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Benefits Of The Elliptical Trainer

The elliptical trainer is one of the most popular ways to get a fantastic cardio workout and lose weight. It's no wonder it's preferred by the majority of fitness enthusiasts. It has many unique benefits!

Benefits of the Elliptical Trainer

-The elliptical burns a lot of calories. Up to 800 an hour! It's one of the only pieces of cardio equipment where you are using both your arms and legs simultaneously.

-Easy on the joints.

-Great for beginners, pregnancy, older adults and anybody who is recovering from an injury or surgery. The difficulty level varies from extremely easy to incredibly intense.

-Using your arms to push and pull tones and defines both the biceps and triceps

-Many different workout options are available. You can use just legs going forward or backward or focus on the arms by either pushing or pulling. If your knees are strong you can perform elliptical training in a "semi-squat" position for extra burn.

-Ellipticals don't take up much room and are great for your home gym.

-Manual ellipticals are very affordable at around $200.

-The elliptical can be used as a fantastic cross training method. Use one in between run or cycle days.

-Many trainers are equipped with heart rate monitors and programs to get the most out of your cardio sessions, without having to do all of the work yourself.

-Newer models have incline and decline options to add challenge and lower body sculpting and toning.

The elliptical is a highly effective piece of equipment used by beginners right up to competitors. It's a fun and challenging activity to improve the heart, lungs and to shed a few pounds. The range of motion is quite enjoyable. It makes it easy to complete a thorough workout and leaves you feeling great all day.

Try It!

Sprinting - The Running Powerhouse

Runners tend to stick to jogging/walking combinations and steady pace runs. While running and jogging are fabulous activities for cardiovascular endurance and weight loss, the sprint has benefits beyond the leisurely jog in the park.

Sprinting requires power from the lower body and abs. It also feels amazing to run with everything you have, to test your lungs, heart and explosive force.

Benefits of Sprinting

-Increases metabolism for a longer period after exercise than jogging.

-Develops great hamstring muscles. I do my sprints in the sand at the beach and have been complimented on my hamstring development.

-Improves heart and lung recovery time.

-Improves endurance for long distance running.

-Sprints intervals within jogging sessions, aid weight loss.

How Do I Sprint?

Sprinting is all about speed. The right way to sprint is with your body slightly leaning forward at about 4-6 degrees from the feet, not the hips. Arms should be relaxed, swinging from the shoulders and flexed at a 90 degree angle. Feet should be hitting the ground heel to toe. Don't run on your toes because it provides no stability and can cause injuries.

While sprinting, your stride should start under the centre of gravity. Basically, don't let your feet come too far in front of your body. This is called over striding. Similarly running in baby steps is called under striding. Both under and over striding will slow you down. Throughout the sprint always stay relaxed. Tensing you body not only slows you down but it will also tire you out more quickly.

How Should I Start Sprinting?

I find the best way to work sprinting in to your runs is to to jog 2 minutes and sprint for 30 seconds-1 minute. Progress by changing the time intervals to 1 minute jog, 30 second sprint or any variation where you are jogging or walking longer than sprinting.

If you use a 400m track, sprint 50-100 metres, then walk at a brisk pace or jog the rest for recovery and repeat 5-10 times.

Start by adding sprints in to your runs 1-2 times a week. The impact caused by sprinting requires about 48 hours of recovery in between runs.

Sprinting can be done on a track, treadmill or outside. It can be performed on pavement, the grass, the sand and even in water. Adding sprints to your running sessions will enhance performance and improve lower body physique. Start small and work your way up to being a fast and powerful runner.

Sprint For Success

FIVE Ways To Get Six Pack Abs

Everybody wants a trim and toned tummy. Having a six pack is the ultimate fitness goal. It's also one of the hardest to achieve.

It's a common misconception that it takes a lot of crunches to get a rock hard midsection. Abs should be treated like any other muscle in the body. They need rest for recovery in between workouts and they require focused and concentrated reps to stimulate growth. So if you are doing 500 rushed crunches everyday, you won't see the ripped midsection of your dreams.

Here are FIVE ways to get six pack abs

1. Trim the fat. Everybody has an awesome six pack. The problem is that it's hidden under a layer of fat. The trick to seeing them, is shedding fat. To do this you need to be more active and take all cardio workouts up a notch by regularly changing time, intensity and the type of activity.
   


2. Perform various ab exercises. Just sticking to the basic crunch won't cut it. I've found the most effective six pack ab exercises are leg/knee raises from a chin up bar, concentrated stability ball crunches and any crunch variation with a weight plate on your chest/behind your head. Remember that you need to treat the abs like any other muscle. Adding weight to the crunch stimulates growth to the abdominal muscles. If the muscles are bigger and there is less fat, the abs will be more likely to show through.
   


3. Nutrition. It's common to be doing everything right in the gym but still not seeing rock hard abs. In most cases, the problem is in the diet. Results are 50% exercise, 50% nutrition. While you are working toward your six pack drink a lot of water, lower your fat and carbs intake and raise protein consumption. Eat small, balanced meals throughout the day to kick start your metabolism and limit sugar, salt and alcohol.
   


4. Don't neglect the rest of your bod. There is no such thing as "spot reduction." You can't work on only your stomach or any other part of your body. Performing full body weight lifting workouts is the way to results. Working every part of your body helps aid the six pack quest. It accumulates more calories burned and gets your bod looking fit and toned all over.
   


5. Time. Nobody gets the body of their dreams over night. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but a six pack could potentially take years to achieve. Unless you are on a radical training and nutrition plan you should expect progress to be quite slow. The trick is consistency and weight room progression.

As you can see, the path to the six pack is not impossible. It just requires a solid diet, cardio, consistent full body weight routines and patience. Try these tips all together and be on your way to sporting the abs of your dreams.

Try It!

An Apple A Day...

Apples are one of my all time favourite fruits. They are a refreshing and delicious snack to have around, especially in the summer. Apples go well on their own, with yogurt and granola, dried or even diced in to a fruit salad.

Of course there are candy apples, apple pie, cobbler and fritters...But that's another post on avoiding junk food and baked goods. :P

The apple was one of the earliest and is now one of the most cultivated fruits worldwide. The apple tree originated in Asia nearly 7500 years ago but there have been apple seeds carbon dated back to 6500 BCE and fossilized apple seeds from the Neolithic Era!

Apples are known in culture and art as a fruit of luxury, fertility, mystery and even as a symbol of sexual seduction, from portrayals of the forbidden fruit, in the garden of Eden.

Best of all, apples are very good for you. There must be some truth to that old phrase.

Keep the doctor away! Eat apples for these amazing health benefits:

• 3g of fibre helps you reach 20-30g of the recommended daily amount.
• May reduce the risk of colon, prostate and lung cancer
• Lowers risk of heart disease
• Aids weight loss
• Controls Cholesterol
• Digests easily
• Contains pectin, which encourages growth of good bacteria
• Antioxidant
• Contains traces of numerous vitamins and minerals
• Due to their high water content, shredded apples are great for reducing fevers
• Apples steamed and sweetened with honey, are great for a sore throat.
• Reduces blood sugar levels
• Cleans teeth and gums
• Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," used apples as one of his favourite remedies.

Apples come in a variety of flavours. They are a quick, take-anywhere snack. So grab an apple on your way out the door, for a nutritious and tasty snack.

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Are You Killing Your Libido?

Fitness, nutrition and well-being are directly linked to your sex life. Sex is a health issue, and to have a healthy sexuality, one needs to treat their bodies with care and respect. The healthier you are, the better your sex life will be.

The body is a temple, and if you find that your sex life hasn't been all it should be, one of these factors could be the culprit.

5 Factors that negatively effect the libido

1. Weight. Being too heavy or underweight, especially around the midsection, will decrease the libido due to hormonal imbalances. Be sure to exercise, and watch what you eat. Lose the weight and gain the stamina of a warhorse!

2. Nutrition. Good nutrition is the key to great sex. However, there are certain thing that should be avoided. Aspartame, caffeine and alcohol are vasoconstrictors. This means, they work against blood flow. Avoid vasoconstrictors 6-12 hours before sex.

3. Stress. Stress is a mood destroyer! When people feel stressed, they don't feel very sexy. Stress also triggers anxiety and depression, which are sure libido killers. To reduce stress check out my last post for tips to reduce stress in your life.

4. Psychological. If you are a man worrying about getting an erection or a woman too focused on trying to orgasm, you are setting yourself up for failure. Most causes for sexual dysfunction are not physical but in fact, mental. Next time things get heated, go with the flow, focus on enjoying yourself and don't think so much!

5. Inhibitions. If you are self-conscious you are probably constantly worrying about how your body looks, and less focused on pleasure. To love your body get used to seeing yourself naked by looking in the mirror, being naked more often (just close the drapes!) and by focusing on things you like about yourself. Confidence and a positive self image are definitely noticeable, and it makes a huge difference when things get physical.

It's important to pay attention to the health of your sexuality for yourself and your partner. Sexual dysfunction has become an epidemic. Pharmaceuticals such as Viagra are some the best selling drugs of all time! Common issues such as lack of sexual desire, vaginal dryness and erectile dysfunction can be helped and even cured by managing your physical and mental health.
Get Healthy, Get Horny!

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5 Ways To Reduce Stress

Stress levels play a huge role in general health and well-being. Stress can trigger conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and fatigue. So it's extremely important to relax and decompress everyday.

Here are five ways to reduce stress in your life

1. Exercise. Fitness is great for blowing off steam. It allows you to focus on something else other than worries, for the duration of the workout. Exercise also releases endorphins that make you feel mellow.

2. Meditation. meditating can be as simple as breathing exercises. You don't necessarily need candles, incense and a gong to feel the effects. Visualization in combination with breathing makes an excellent relaxation exercise. An example would be sitting down and imagining roots or light coming out of your body and in to the ground, "grounding" you on every exhale. Then coming back in, on the inhale.

3. Nutrition. Foods that are high in sugar may leave you feeling strung out. Fatty foods leave you feeling fatigued. Try eating fresh fruit for energy and feeling good. Eating a balanced diet will reduce stress levels overall and give you the mental boost to deal with anything life throws you.

4. Take a Break. Sometimes stress happens because people are too go-go-go for their own good! If you feel like there is always too much to do and you never seem to sit down, teach yourself to rest. Taking just 15 minutes a day to do nothing, is much better for your long term mental health, than how much you can get done in 15 minutes on a day to day basis. If you feel too guilty to take a "nothing break" than indulge in a hobby such as gardening for some well deserved "you time."

5. Reduce all stimulants. If you constantly feel frazzled there is a good chance you are consuming too much caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. Cut back on (or quit) coffee, pop, tea, cigarettes and alcoholic beverages. All of these products, are drugs. They increase panic, anxiety and therefore stress.

These are just five of many options for reducing stress. Whether you deal with stress by aromatherapy, massages, sex or even working on time management skills, it's very important for long term health and wellness that you are not only physically fit, but mentally fit as well.

Relax For Health!

The Dreaded Side Stitch

You are running your best lap. You feel like you are flying, like a bullet cutting through the air. Nothing can stop you until, OW! A stitch in your side.

What is a stitch?

A "stitch" or an exercise related transient abdominal pain (ETAP) is a cramp is your diaphragm, which is a large muscle located between the lungs and abdomen, that controls breathing. The cramp is caused when the diaphragm isn't getting enough blood during exercise.

Running or other activities which moves your legs, causes pressure to the abdomen. This pushes up on the diaphragm. Rapid breathing from the lungs, pushes pressure down on to the diaphragm. This pressure from above and below restricts blood flow, causing a pinching or cramping sensation.

Causes

-Shallow breathing

-Intense cardio activity before your abdominal muscles are strong enough to handle the exertion.

-Eating a heavy meal before exercising makes the stomach heavy and adds to the tugging on the diaphragm. This can also happen when you drink too many fluids before activity.

-Sometimes a stitch is caused by stretching the ligaments that extend from the diaphragm to the liver. When running, most people inhale every 2-4 steps when their left foot hits the ground. Inhaling on your right foot makes you more prone to cramping. This is due to the greater forces on the liver, which is located on your right side.

Treatment

-Put pressure (with two fingers) in the area of the pain, which is usually below the ribs on the right side. Point the pressure upward and exhale hard, with your lips pursed together.

-Raise your arms above your head. Inhale as you raise, exhale as you lower your arms.

-Prevent side stitches by breathing deeply through your stomach. This also helps to tighten your abs, to stop stitches before they start.

-Warm up properly. Sometimes a stitch can be caused by starting out too fast. Gradually increase your speed and don't exceed your limits until you have conditioned yourself for the intensity required for your desired routine.

-Avoid foods that take a long time to digest. This includes dairy and fatty foods. Wait 1-2 hours after eating, before intense activity.

-Dehydration can also cause stitches and other muscle cramping. Make sure you are well hydrated by drinking 1-2 cups of water 30 minutes before exercise.

-If you are in a race and don't want to stop, slow your pace until the pain subsides.

A side stitch sure can be a drag. The best thing to to is prevent it from happening by taking the necessary measures listed above. If you experience pain that won't go away or it's in your chest, back or shoulders see a doctor right away.

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How Many Sets Should I Do?

A set is the amount of times you perform a sequence of reps. With extra numbers of sets, more blood gets pumped in to a muscle, stimulating growth and changes to your physique.

Let's Get Started

Beginners

When you first start lifting weights it's advised that you perform one set of every exercise for every muscle group. This "wakes up" the muscles and helps them adapt to a new activity. This is usually called a straight set program. You start with a big muscle group like the chest, back or glutes. Then work your way down to smaller muscles, like the triceps, shoulders and calves.

Intermediate

Soon after you master the straight set program you should add an extra set to major muscle groups. From there you can start split training. This is where you work upper body one day and lower body the next. Or chest, triceps and shoulders one day and back, biceps and forearms the next. Performing up to 3 sets for major muscle groups and 2 for the smaller ones, is in the scope of the intermediate ability. This is the kind of workout you should be doing if your goals involve weight loss, strength gain and muscle tone.

Advanced

If you have advanced goals like body building, that require large amounts of muscle growth, it's recommended that you perform at least 3-4 sets of every muscle group. Sometimes athletes will have over 10 sets per muscle group. This would also be the time to break down your routine in to a 5 or six day split with only 1-2 muscles being worked a day. This works out to training each muscle group at a high intensity once or twice a week.

It's important to note that the more exercises per muscle group in your routine, the less sets you need to do. For example, if you are only doing a bench press, then you can do 6 sets. If you are doing a bench press and then pec flyes than do 3 sets of each exercise.

When performing sets you can switch up the routine by starting heavy and lightening the load as you go. Or starting light (warm up sets) and working your way to heavier weights.

Adding multiple sets to your routine triggers growth and results. It also takes the exercises up a notch to continually shock your body in to adjusting to a more intense work load. Remember to rest in between sets until you feel recovered. This way every set will be completed with maximum strength.

Progress By Adding Sets

Is The Treadmill Better Than Exercising Outdoors?

When asked, most people will say they prefer walking or running outdoors to the treadmill. At a glance, the treadmill seems boring in comparison to the scenery outside. However, there are definite pros to working out on the treadmill for maximizing results and keeping your routines consistent.

Why pick the treadmill over outdoor walking/running?

-The treadmill is available for exercises regardless of the time of day. People that prefer to exercise outside at night or very early morning, have to wear reflective clothing and choose routes in safe, well-lit areas.

-The treadmill isn't dependant on good weather. Rain, snow or humidity can really slow down exercise consistency. It can also be used as an excuse to not exercise.

-Using a treadmill is surprisingly challenging because you have to "keep up" with the belt. When you walk outside, your body will go at a comfortable pace. Even if it's a fast, comfortable pace. It's our nature to go easy on ourselves. You also get to stop and take breaks at every intersection and crosswalk. With the treadmill you are constantly trying to keep the pace, without rest. It makes a huge difference. Try starting a walk on a treadmill at 3.0 MPH and slowly move up to 4.0. This is a very brisk walk that will have you sweating and shedding the pounds in no time!

-The treadmill is easier on the joints. Walking or running on concrete is incredibly hard on the body. The treadmill gives you a great cardio workout without having to take days off the heal impact strains and shin splints. If you run outside, stick to the grass as much as possible!

-The treadmill helps you avoid things like garbage day, which from experience doesn't make the air you are breathing smell great. Not to mention having to hurdle bins and garbage juice! It also helps you to avoid big construction jobs which can be dangerous, or at a minimum slow you down while you try to find a way around it.

Personally I really enjoy running and walking outside and do both activities regularly. However, I use my electric treadmill primarily for cardio in the morning. It helps me to stick to my program and get the job done, without having to leave my house. This really works for me because I don't like have having to wash my face, brush my hair and teeth and in general, not look like a zombie, in case I bump in to my neighbours.

The treadmill seems underrated. Having lost weight using one and still using one to this day, it's been an incredibly beneficial machine to get and stay fit. Just remember to put on your headphones on, to forget you are staring at a wall!

Try The Treadmill!

Monday Motivation

"Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it."

-Unknown Author

Once you get in to the habit of exercising, it becomes much easier. If you never give your body the chance to grow accustomed to a fitness lifestyle, it won't make a difference to your physical condition. One day you might realize that fitness could have prevented a condition (like chronic pain) that is far more painful than lifting a few weights around.

All too often people put off working out, for another day. It's better to start while you can. Exercise increases your Independence when you age and improves immune function.

Be healthy for a long time.

Exercise!

8 Ways to Get Fit At Work

Some work schedules don't leave much time for working out. If you have the motivation but you don't have the time, it is still possible to accumulate activity through out the day to stay healthy. All you have to do is exercise whenever and wherever you can.

Eight suggestions to get in shape at work:

1. Go for a walk after you eat lunch. Convince your co-workers to come along, the extra motivation and company.
2. If your workplace has a gym, use it before or after work.
3. Use resistance tubes at your desk
4. Wear a pedometer to monitor your climb to 10 000 steps per day.
5. Always take the stairs over the elevator.
6. Walk everywhere. Hand deliver in-house messages instead of e mailing and walk instead of taking the car for local errands
7. Schedule your exercise. Make it an appointment and stick to it.
8. Stretch every hour to prevent stiff muscles, back and neck pain.

Find ways to add activity in to your busy routine. Exercising anytime you can, whether you are doing calf raises while waiting for photocopies or speed walking home will all add up. If you have the motivation, you will do it!

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How Much Cardio Should I Do to Lose Weight?

Cardiovascular activity is strength training for your heart and lungs, as well as the best way to burn fat. The amount of cardio you should be performing is entirely based on your fitness experience. Having lost 50lbs myself, I can say with certainty that you need cardio to lose weight. I've heard talk of losing weight by strength training alone or minimal cardio. This is not true. While weight lifting burns fat by speeding your metabolism on a long term basis, cardio is the fastest way to shed pounds and allow muscle to show through.

Beginners

The best thing about being a beginner, is that as long as you are doing something, you will see results! If you have never exercised before you may find cardio training to be a challenge. For the first couple of weeks, stick to an intensity where you can still just manage to talk without losing your breath. Try to maintain this intensity for 10-20 minutes. It takes approximately 20 minutes for cardiovascular activity to begin improving the condition of your heart and to start burning fat. Oppose to glucose/carbohydrates stored from your last meal. Once you can get to 20 minutes with ease, aim for 30.

Intermediate

If you have at least one year of exercise experience and you would like to lose weight aim for 30-50 minutes of cardio. You should also be regularly changing your routines. This can include choosing different programs on machines, running or cycling different routes and trying new activities such as hiking or fun runs.

Advanced

If you are cutting for a fitness competition or you are already very active but would like to lose a few pounds try performing cardio twice in a day at 30 minutes each. Ideally it's best to do this in the morning and then again in the evening. Try to make both workouts different from each other. For example, one session of cycling intervals, one session of high intensity running on an incline.

Cardiovascular training boosts your metabolism for up to 24 hours after a workout. If you stick to a consistent schedule of 3-5 workouts a week, at the recommended times and intensity you will reach your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that healthy, lasting weight loss happens at .5-2lbs per week.

Go Get 'Em!

Cycling- Road Safety

I love riding my bike. Even though Toronto isn't adequately equipped with proper bike lanes it's still a whole lot of fun. Of course, because Toronto is not the most bike friendly city, it's important to take proper precautions before heading out on to the streets.

Before you leave home

-Wear a helmet

-Have a bell

-Wear bright and even reflective clothes

-Tie or tuck or roll up your (usually right) pant leg, so it doesn't get tangled in your chain

-If you ride at night, bring a light

-Check your bike, test your breaks and make sure your seat is adjusted so it reaches your hip

-Have a good lock. Remember to lock your bike through the frame and both wheels.

On the Road

-One thing that scares me more than cars is other cyclists. Please, drive with traffic, not against it!

-Take up a lane just like a car, to make a left turn. If you are uncomfortable doing this, get off the bike, turn in to a pedestrian and walk the bike through the crosswalk at the intersection.

-Never swerve through cars or cut across lanes diagonally.

-Never ride your bike on the sidewalk. Always walk it.

-Move aside to let faster cyclists pass you safely.

-Most people don't know hand signals for left turn, right turn and stop. Instead always point out where you want to go.

-Always be aware. Look behind you whenever it's necessary. Don't assume the cars are looking out for you. They are not.

-Follow the rules of the road. Stop at red light, stop signs and allow pedestrians to cross at crosswalks.

Being a well mannered cyclist is important not only for safety but to encourage cities that biking is a safe and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. A lot of cyclists give us responsible enthusiasts a bad name.

The TTC has started the "Rack and Ride" program. This allows cyclists to attach up to 2 bikes on a rack, located on the front of the bus. Now you can travel further to bike paths and not take up a bunch of room on a crowded bus!

For more cycling safety and road rules info, visit the Ontario Ministry of Transportation website.

Ride Safe!

Five Muscle Building Mistakes

Putting on pounds of pure muscle is a challenge. Especially if you are not an "easy gainer." To gain mass a lot of factors have to be just right. Your diet, exercise technique and even your sleep can directly affect your results.

Here are FIVE common body building mistakes

1. Not eating enough. To gain muscle you need to feed muscle. The food you eat will grow in to muscle and increase mass. You should be eating at least 500 extra calories a day to accumulate a pound of weight gain a week. A typical weight lifting diet can contain around 3500-4000 calories. It's also important to put weight on by eating "clean" and healthy food. Grilled chicken, fish and other low fat protein, brown rice, egg whites and beans are good examples of the food you should be putting in to your body. Also, a low fat diet is not desirable for mass gaining. So make sure you get some healthy fats in there too.

2. Not lifting enough. To gain mass you must lift heavy enough to fatigue your muscles at around 8-12 reps. You also need to perform at least 3-6 sets of most exercises for major muscle groups. Working out everyday doing a straight set full, body routine will not result in big muscles. If you find it difficult to challenge yourself properly, hire a personal trainer to make sure you are working out at a 9/10 intensity every time.

3. Not concentrating on technique. If you just go to the gym and fly through each set, you are not getting the most out of your routines. Remember to control your reps. This means, no swinging and no body momentum. Keep each rep slow and controlled and always remember to squeeze the muscle at the point of contraction. An example of this would be to tense your bicep during a bicep curl, when the weight is at your shoulder.

4. Not Enough Rest and Sleep. This point is a two in one. Muscle grows while you sleep. It also grows in between days at the gym. The recovery process is crucial to muscle building success. Your body needs 48 hours in between a weight workout to recover properly. You also need to sleep for 6-8 hours a night, to release growth hormones. Remember, more is not always better.

5. Not keeping track. You should keep a food and exercise log. This is a fantastic fitness tool. Keeping a workout journal ensures you do not make the same mistakes twice. With this, you can evaluate everything from long term progress to high and low energy levels in the gym based on the your daily eating habits. Keeping a journal keeps you stay focused and in control of your results.

Building muscle can take a long time but it will take even longer if you make any of these common mistakes. All factors come in to play when you want bigger muscles and you can't leave anything out, for optimal results. To get the physique you have always wanted, you have to keep at it, eat clean and lift hard.

Go For It!

Are You Working Out Too Much?

Over training is a serious health concern. It also damages your chances of seeing results. You might think, more exercise equals more results but that's not the case. Progress comes from rest. Muscles grow and repair while you recover. Taking days off allows you to start fresh, with energy levels at their maximum capacity. It's far better to work out with all your strength three days a week, rather than half your strength for six.

Sign Of Over Training May Include:

-Fatigue. Feeling constantly tired, drained and lacking energy

-Irritability and moodiness

-Pain in muscles and joints

-Headaches

-Insomnia

-Depression

-Poor Performance during exercise

-Decreased immunity. Getting sick more often, like more sore throats and colds.

-Decreased motivation and enthusiasm

-Decreased appetite

-Increased injuries

To recover from over training the best thing to do, is to take a few days to a couple of weeks off from any form of vigorous physical activity. You can participate in low levels of activity such as walking. This is commonly called "active recovery." Movement without high intensities works to improve circulation and improve immune functioning.

During your recovery process, drink lots of water and eat a variety of nutritious food. You can even treat yourself to a massage by either an RMT or more specifically, a sports massage therapist. Not only will it physically help your muscles heal but your mind will feel refreshed and clear afterward.

If you exercise compulsively this is a serious problem. Similar to an eating disorder compulsive exercising is a condition that requires medical attention. If you feel like you can't skip a day out of fear of losing results or gaining weight and/or if exercising isn't fun anymore, merely an obligation, it's best to talk to your doctor for advise to help you overcome compulsive exercising and to start working out again because it's fun and makes you feel good.

If you are not sure if you have been over training please e mail me for instructions on how to test yourself.

15 Summer Treats Under 100 Calories

If this weekend is any indication of the rest of the summer, I'm stocking my fridge and freezer with summertime goodies! Nothing beats sitting outside in the summer heat with a delicious treat. However, you need to choose your summer snacks wisely. Ice cream and frozen snacks are not even that filling. When you indulge in an ice cream bar with over 400 calories and 30 grams of fat, it's just not worth ruining your effort in the gym.

Here are 15 Summer Snacks Under 100 Calories

1. Water. Okay, so it's not exactly a snack but put some ice in there and a slice of lemon and it's pretty darn refreshing!
2. Frozen Fruit Bar
3. Fruit Kabob
4. Diet root beer float made with a scoop of non-fat frozen yogurt.
5. Skinny Cow Fat Free fudge bar
6. Lite iced mocha
7. 1/2 cup of sherbet/sorbet
8. Sliced peach with 2 tablespoons of light whipped cream
9. 1/2 cup of low fat ice cream or frozen yogurt
10. Jell-O fat free pudding
11. 1 cup of cherries
12. 3 cups of air popped popcorn
13. 8 baked tortilla chips with 3 Tbs of salsa and non-fat sour cream
14. 50 small pretzel sticks
15. sugar-free Popsicles

Eating light snacks is the best way to stick to your fitness goals but not feel like you are missing out on the treats of summer. Making wise snacking choices guarantees fun without the guilt!

Snack Lite!

Benefits of Jumping Rope

Jump rope or skipping is most commonly remembered as a childhood playground game. It is also associated with wrestling and boxing training.

Jumping rope is an effective and challenging cardiovascular activity.

Benefits of jumping rope include:

-Raises the heart rate (HR) very quickly. Skipping makes a great warm up.

-Jumping rope burns 800+ calories an hour and is considered vigorous cardio activity.

-Ten minutes of continuous jumping is equal to running an 8 minute mile. This is quite good as is 7.5 MPH.

-Strengthens the upper body, particularly arms and shoulders.

-Improves co-ordination

-Jumping two feet at a time puts less stress on the knees than running.

Disadvantages to Jumping Rope

-It's hard! You will need to take breaks every few minutes. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing that skipping is a challenge but it's best to be prepared to feel winded and tired. Everybody gets that way, it's not just you!

-Jumping rope is best outside in a park or at the beach. If you live in an apartment or other shared space, then jumping over your neighbours might not be appreciated. Also, many people feel uncomfortable jumping in their gym on the aerobic floor.

-Individuals with bad knee joints and hips may want to avoid too much jump rope. The impact is quite hard. If you have knee problems always jump with two feet together.

Getting Started

Ideally it's best to purchase a thick rope with a bit of weight to it, intended for exercise. The colourful ones you can buy at the dollar store are too light and it's really hard to gain speed and momentum.

To use a jump rope, make sure the rope is the right size. If you step on the rope in its centre, you should be able to bring the handles up, under your armpits. If it's too long, just shorten the rope by wrapping it evenly around your wrists.

The proper technique for jumping is having your arms fixed (not making giant circles in the air)while your wrists make tiny circles. All of the power and movement comes from the wrists. Your upper body should be upright and your core tight.

Start a skipping workout by warming up for 2-5 minutes jumping with both feet together.

From there use any of these techniques:

-Jump forward

-Jump backward

-Alternating feet

-1 foot at a time (ex: 20 jumps one foot then 20 jumps on the other)

-Double Under - The rope goes under your feet twice in one jump

-Skiing - Feet together jumping side to side

-Jumping Jack - Feet together, feet apart

-Scissors -One foot forward, one back and switch

There are so many jumping techniques and a ton tricks to learn, when you become more advanced. Start out small by just warming up with two feet together and built your way up to an incredible cardio workout.

Jump In To Fitness!

Strength Training Tip

Before you perform any strength exercise, remind yourself which muscle you are using and then "activate it."

Activating a muscle is simply "waking it up," by focusing your energy in to where you are going to be doing the work.

For Example: It's a common mistake during a bench press, to lift primarily with your arms and shoulders when in fact, you need to lift with your pecs. Before you get in to the starting position on the bench, flex, stretch and even touch your chest muscles to remind your body what muscle is going to be doing the work.

Lifting with the improper technique and using the wrong muscles makes the exercise less effective and more dangerous.

By activating your muscles you can synchronize your brain and body to work the right body parts. This improves body awareness and concentration.

Try It Out!

Exercise Safety Tips For The Summer

This weekend is going to be HOT in Toronto. Friday was at 32 degrees! I know first hand that heat and humidity won't stop outdoor exercisers. We don't live in a climate that's always scorching and I think that makes us forget the damage the heat and sun can bring about. I mean, a good eight months out the year we are trying to stay warm.

FIVE Precautions to Take for Summer Activity

1. First and foremost wear sunscreen. Burns hurt! They can get quite serious too. Not to mention skin damage and increasing your risk of skin cancer. Wear at least an SPF 15 sunscreen. Apply it 15 minutes before heading out, for maximum UV protection.

2. Avoid exercising between 11-3 when the sun is strongest, hottest and can do the most damage. Aim for morning and evening workouts to avoid heat stroke and sun damage. Mornings in the summer are quite beautiful. If you live near the water, all the more visually appealing!

3. Drink Fluids. Most people are dehydrated at any given time. In the summer this increases your risk of heat stroke and in general, makes you tired and feel groggy. Drink a 1/2-1 cup of water 30 minutes before exercising and 1-2 cups after to replenish your body of much needed fluids.

4. Don't think you are safe from the sun in the water. If anything the water makes sun damage worse. The ray's reflect off the surface of the water. It's like being in one of those old, foil tanning beds. Make sure your sunscreen is water-proof!

5. Wear sunglasses. Your eyes can deteriorate over time without UV protection. Pick out a pair that has 99-100% UV protection. Price does not make a better pair of shades, unless it's for fashion. Even inexpensive pairs offer all the eye protection you need to get through the summer. For exercising choose a clear lenses so your vision is not obstructed. Especially while running or cycling in Urban areas.

If you are exercising outdoors in the heat and you feel dizzy, fatigued or nauseous, take a break. Sit in the shade or go indoors for a drink. Listen to your body at all times. The heat and humidity is no place to push yourself farther than your body wants to go.

Exercising outdoors in the summer is fun, beautiful and highly recommended. Just be careful, know your limitations and take the precautions necessary to have a safe and enjoyable workout.

Summer IS Here!

Five Reason To Eat Breakfast

How you start your day is important. If food is your fuel then why would you run on empty for half the day?

FIVE Benefits to Eating Breakfast

1. Breakfast means "breaking the fast." During the night you are not eating. Breakfast jump starts your system back in to "awake and alive mode." This gives you energy and helps you think clearly.

2. Eating in the morning speeds up your metabolism. Once you wait over 4 hours your metabolism starts to slow down. When you have a slow metabolic rate the food you eat is more likely to turn in to fat. Your body switches to starvation mode, thinking it might not get any more food for a while and converts the food energy in to stored fat.

3. Breakfast prevents afternoon energy lows. If you always feel like taking a nap in the afternoon you may not be eating a healthy breakfast. Eating breakfast keeps blood sugar (glucose) levels topped up, for the energy to take you right through the day.

4. Don't be fooled in to thinking skipping breakfast is helping you to cut calories. The less you eat in the morning, the more you eat at night. People who skip breakfast are more likely to binge eat later in the day and even get up during the night for snacks. It's better to eat in the morning and burn it off during the day, rather than eating right before bed and having it sit in you all night.

5. Breakfast includes a lot of healthy foods like whole grains, fruit and low fat dairy products. Eating healthy first thing, starts the day off right with food that is good for you. Setting the day up with good choices will help you to continue the trend until the evening.

Eating breakfast has been shown to help with losing weight and keeping it off. As well as lower (bad) cholesterol and reduce risks of heart disease. Whether you eat an apple or a big breakfast burrito, you are doing your mind and body a huge favour!

Start Your Day Off Right!

Food Quotes!

I've compiled a collection of quotes on food and diet. Some are serious and true but most are just plain funny.

Quotes On Food and Nutrition

"One should eat to live, not live to eat."

-Cicero, Rhetoricorum LV

"Reality check: you can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight. At your goal weight or not, you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems. You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life. Losing weight is not a cure for life."

Phillip C. McGraw, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, 2003

"Bigger snacks mean bigger slacks."

-Author Unknown

"In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale."

-Stephen Phillips

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year, but they really should be worried about what they eat between the New Year and Christmas."

-Author Unknown

Albert Einstein, who discovered that a tiny amount of mass is equal to a huge amount of energy, which explains why, as Einstein himself so eloquently put it in a famous 1939 speech to the Physics Department at Princeton, "You have to exercise for a week to work off the thigh fat from a single Snickers."

-Dave Barry, Dave Barry Turns 50

"Rich, fatty foods are like destiny: they too, shape our ends."

-Author Unknown

"The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat are really good friends."

-Author Unknown

"Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!"

-Author Unknown

"If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution."

-Author Unknown

"Food is like sex: when you abstain, even the worst stuff begins to look good."

-Beth McCollister

Enjoy!

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How Many Reps Should I Do?

I was asked a great question the other day. It's not only a common one, but it's also crucial to effective weight lifting.

"How many reps should I Preform? Is it better to lift heavier with less reps, or lighter with more reps?"

Let me start by saying that your muscles don't know how to count! What they do know is time and tension. A rep range, allows the muscles to work for approximately 40-60 seconds. This is the time the muscle needs to be under tension to promote change. 40-60 seconds at about 3-5 seconds a rep is equal to 8-12 reps. That's where these rep range numbers come from. It just makes it easier (and safer) than watching the clock while you lift. So the rep range doesn't have to be exact. It's simply a number to use as a lifting guideline.

What is more important is performing quality reps. Take your time and complete reps in a full range of motion (all the way and all the way down) instead of blasting through them just to reach the numbers you are aiming for. Similarly, lifters will stop at 10 reps hoping for strength gains, even though they are not fatigued and can still do 10 more. In this scenario, finish your set until you can't do anymore and then raise the weight for the next set. There's no point wasting a set because the weight was too light.

The general rule is that you want to pick a weight that will fatigue you before 15 reps. More than 20-25 reps is considered cardio. Lifting a light weight many times over a long period of time will increase your risk of developing a repetitive strain injury.

Typical rep ranges are as follows:
Endurance and tone 15-20 reps
Strength and size 6-12 reps
Power 1-5 reps

There are some exceptions:

Body Weight Exercises
Your lower body for example, is comprised of very large muscles. They are also mostly used for endurance to get your body around all day long. It's not unheard of to perform well over 20 body weight squats or lunges to hit fatigue. Once you start adding weight I'd stick with the 8-15 range. More reps in lower body exercises raises your heart rate. This keeps you warmed up and also promotes fat burn while lifting.

An exercise like push ups should be preformed until fatigue. Some people can do more than 50 push ups and this is absolutely okay. Aside from adding weight to a person's back more reps is push up progression.

Abs
Abs should be treated like every other muscle. Would you do 100 reps for your bench press? If you are performing crunches correctly you should not be able to do more than 25. If they are weighted crunches you shouldn't get passed 12-15. Abs also need breaks in between sets, anywhere from 10 seconds - 1 minute depending on the difficultly level.

I always say it but I'll say it again, weight lifting is most effective when reps, weight and exercises are regularly changed. Change promotes results. You never want to let you body get used to a routine. The human body adapts very quickly and once it knows what comes next it doesn't have a challenge.

Don't focus on the numbers too much. Just make sure you are working out hard enough to fatigue before 15 reps, do a few sets per exercise and change your routine regularly. If you feel uncomfortable designing a program than consider hiring a personal trainer to get you started.

Good Luck!

Benefits Of Popular Equipment - Part 3

In the last two posts I discussed the benefits of equipment types, in the order of popularity based on my poll for May. The category "other" came in last. "Other" equipment can be anything aside from the staples (free weights, body weight, cables and weight machines) that give you a great workout and supplement your fitness routine.

Effective equipment that can be used for a fabulous fitness program

Stability Balls

Going by many different names (core ball, balance ball, physio ball etc) the stability ball is best known for ab exercises but can actually provide a full body routine. The act of balancing to perform the exercises recruits abdominal core muscles for stronger abs and a better posture. Make sure to reduce your normal weight as the stability ball adds the extra challenge of balancing the weights toward your centre of gravity.
Read more about stability balls here

Resistance tubes/bands
Resistance tubes (or bands) are great fitness tools for home/outdoor workouts and the ideal equipment to take

with you on vacation. The tubes are portable, durable and affordable. Only one tube is enough for a challenging full body workout.
Read more about Resistance Tubes Here

Medicine Ball
The balls come in weights ranging from 2-15+lbs. They are best suited for power and strength drills. They can also be used to add resistance to abdominal exercises and for easy handling during compound exercises such as a lunge + tricep extension.
Read more about Medicine Balls here

Bosu Ball
The Bosu looks like a stability ball cut in half. The name stands for both sides utilized. You can use the Bosu ball side up or down to perform exercises such as squats, lunges, push ups or even as a weight bench for all your bench press and sitting/standing free weight exercises.
Read more about the Bosu Ball here

Jump Rope
Skipping is a fantastic way to increase your heart rate in a hurry.

You can receive the benefits of 30 minutes of running in 10-15 minutes of jumping rope. Using the rope improves speed, agility, co-ordination and also helps to shed some pounds. They are affordable, portable and very durable.

Punching Bag
Having a punching bag is an awesome way to take out aggression and get fit at the same time. Learning to punch and kick is great defense but it also helps you to lose weight and tone your whole body. I find the punching bag works best with some loud music and a good warm up before hand, so you don't pull your hamstrings.

Read more about boxing here

Russian Kettlebells
This piece of equipment is making a comeback. These are basically, weights with a handle. Kettlebells come in all weight increments and are fantastic for all weight lifting exercises. The kettlebell's main advantage is the handle. It can be placed on your foot for weighted pull ups and thrown in different ways than a medicine ball. Kettlebells are also wonderful for cardio. High rep swings, snatches and clean and jerks will get you sweating up a storm!

With so much effective equipment out there fitness enthusiasts and soon-to-be fans, there's no reason to get bored with your workouts. Try some new equipment for a change of pace and some positive changes in your physique.

That wraps up the 3 part series on popular equipment. Please participate in the new poll!

Try It!