Listen To Your Body

It's fantastic that technology has spoiled us with gadgets to make our workouts easier and more efficient. Electronic pedometers, GPS and heart rate monitors are a great supplement to any routine.

Still, don't rely on products like HR monitors to tell you when you have had enough. Similarly don't rely on your personal trainer or fitness staff at the gym to recognize when you are through.

Personal trainers have the training to be able to tell when you are exerted. However, there is a fine line between pushing someone more than they would on their own and pushing them too far that I'm sure any decent trainer has worried about and worked on through out their career.

When it comes down to it, you know yourself best. If your heart rate monitor tells you that your heart is beating at 120 beats per minute, but you feel like it's at 160 then you should stop.

I had my built in heart rate monitor on the treadmill take the pulse of my headphone cord the other day! Apparently it has a heart beat of 80bpm while running 8 min miles. GO headphones GO!

You know you best. So do what your body tells you!

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How To Take Your Own Measurements

An accurate way to test your fitness progress is by taking tape measurements. Weighing yourself on a scale is a harder way to tell if you are actually making progress and can easily become discouraging. The weight on the scale will fluctuate if you have more muscle or even if you had a big lunch.

Taking measurements and testing body fat every 3 months is the best way to see if you are getting closer to your goals. There's no denying that a smaller measurement and less body fat means you have lost weight. Or a bigger measurement and less body fat means you put on muscle!

How To Take Your Own Measurements

Neck- Measure around the middle or Adam's apple (men)

Shoulders- Can be taken from one shoulder across in a straight line to the next from largest to largest point or as a girth measurement, all the way around.

Chest- Measure around the nipple line (this one can also be called bust with chest being under the breasts. Personally, I do one measurement for men and women around the nipple line)

Waist- Smallest part of the waist. Usually around the bellybutton or an inch or two above. Relax when you do this measurement. Don't suck it in, but don't stick it way out.

Hips- Biggest part of your hips. This measurement goes from the bottom on the hip bone, around the top of your butt.

Midway- Measure from the top of your hip bones.

Thighs- The biggest part. Usually neat the top.

Knees- Measure right above the knee.

Calves- The biggest part of your calves. Usually right in the middle.

Upper Arm (bicep and triceps)- Measure the biggest part. Usually just above the elbow. If you are trying to put on muscle you can also do a flexed measurement. Do either arm out, arm bent, arm bent flexed or all three. Just make sure it's before a workout so you don't measure yourself with "the pump." In 3 months your results might not seem as good. Especially if you didn't workout before the next set of measurements.

Forearm- Measure the largest part. Usually under the elbow.

You can also get a friend to help you. Especially if you are prone to cheating yourself, by sucking in your stomach and taking a few inches off here and there:P

Pick and choose which measurements to do for yourself. Some people don't care about their neck and some people don't want to know their hip measurements. It's up to you to decide what is important.

Taking measurements is a great way to track progress. At the end of 3 months you will definitely know if you are on the right track.

Track Progress!

Fitness Enemy Number 1 - SUGAR!

A great and easy tip for getting a killer bod is to limit sugar in your diet.

Excessive sugar consumption is closely related to:

-Obesity

-Anxiety

-Irritability

-Heart disease

-Gout

-Tooth decay

-Type 2 diabetes.

First off, cut out refined sugar like in candy and coffee.

Sugars that are naturally occurring like fructose in fruit and lactose in milk, can still be consumed but in moderation. Meaning, eat fruit and drink milk but don't eat 2-3 pieces of fruit with a glass of milk before bed.

Don't be too confused by good and bad sugars. There are over 200 sugar compounds and some like glucose, are essential to the brain and body's functioning. I'm mostly talking about the sugar we all know and (unfortunately) love. The white, sweet stuff and all of its syrupy variations. I'd never recommend cutting out sugar entirely. Natural sugars are inevitable.

It's recommended that while 50-60% of your diet is carbohydrate based, only a maximum of 10% of that should be sugar.

How to Reduce Sugar

Read labels carefully. I recently bought granola bars without paying much attention to the label. It's green packaging and "whole grain" banner tricked me in to thinking it was a healthy snack. It wasn't until I brought it home, that I realized (to my disappointment) I was looking at over 30 grams of sugar per bar and 8 grams of fat! Sugar was the first ingredient. I won't be buying those again.

White bread, most cereal, fruit juice and pop are huge sugar offenders. Reading labels and making smarter buying decisions could really help shrink your waist line and prevent terrible conditions and disease.

Eat more nuts, seeds and lean protein in place of breads, white pasta and rice. They keep you fuller for longer and significantly reduce sugar intake on a daily basis.

Eating sensibly isn't hard at all when you put a bit of thought in to your meals by being on the lookout for high sugar content and reducing the amount of carbs in your diet in place of healthy protein and fats.

Eat Well!

Rainy Day Exercises

Canadians love to talk about the weather and we sure have a lot to talk about this year. Toronto is breaking records for annual and Summer Precipitation It was an incredibly snowy winter and now it's one soggy summer! As I'm sitting here now I hear a thunderstorm brewing in the distance!

Exercisers that prefer outdoor must really be razzed over every weekend being wet. Don't let it stop you from getting in a great workout.

Here are Five Activities that Are BETTER Indoors.

1. Weight Lifting. When it pours. hit the weights. Some people like to lift outside on their deck or in an open garage but a good majority weight train in their home or commercial gym. Weight lifting is great for everything from building muscle to burning fat. It's double the fun with the friend you had planned to go cycling with!

2. Exercise Videos. Fitness DVDs have come a long way since the days of leg warmers on VHS. Now there are videos instructed by marines, dance variations like Hip Hop Abs and a wide variety of Yoga and Pilates lessons.

3. Home Cardio Equipment. Many people prefer running, cycling, walking and rowing outside but when the weather does not permit, then home equipment has its advantages. If I didn't have these machines, I'd have way to many excuses to not go outside every morning from too much contraction, heat and of course, when it's raining.

4. Hit up a specialty class. Classes like belly dancing, kickboxing and group personal training are great exercise alternatives to participate in, to stay dry. Many times, if you are new to a studio they will let you try a class for free.

5. Try a new activity like rock climbing, martial arts or ballroom dancing. All of these activities would have a no obligation intro class, so you can get instructions and a feel for it. Who knows, a rainy day could lead to experience something new you may end up loving and taking all the way!

Exercise is not limited to running, cycling and rollerblading. See how creative you can be on a rainy day and you may be surprised when you find a new activity that motivates you. You can also find indoor swimming, volleyball, tennis and basketball courts if you don't want to give up your sport due to a rainy day!

Stay Fit!

Runners Knee- The What, Why and How to Recover

Runners knee or chondromalacia of the patella is a common but preventable condition.

Symptoms

-Pain around and (sometimes) behind the kneecap

-Pain running downhill or down stairs

-Reoccurring pain even after taking a few days off

-Stiffness and soreness after sitting for long periods of time

-Crunching and clicking when you bend and extend your leg

Basically, runners knee happens when your knee is not moving within its designed track and is rubbing on its sides. The grinding on the sides of the knee cap wears down cartilage and over time loses its cushioning effect. Then it gets painful.

Causes

-Weak quadriceps. Running really works, builds and strengthens the hamstrings. Unfortunately it doesn't work your quads nearly as well. If you are only running for exercise, this muscular imbalance starts to create problems for your knee. It's the thigh muscles that hold the kneecap in place. So an imbalance is enough to throw it off track and pull it to one side or another.

-Watch your feet for proper running technique. If you are rolling your feet in (overpronating) or rolling your feet out (supinating) you are at a greater risk of developing runners knee.

-Overuse. If you have drastically increased your mileage then you should cut back and take it slower. Runners are more prone to runners knee when they hit about 40 miles per week. Instead, work on speed, intervals and lower body strengthening before adding miles to your runs.

Treatment

-Put ice on your knees after a run for about 10-15 minutes.

-Take an anti-inflammatory like Aspirin or ibuprofen after you run.

-Wear good shoes that stabilize your feet.

-Put heat pads on and around the knee when you go to bed.

-Do squats and leg extensions to strengthen your quads.

When I first started running I started to get a crunchy and sore knee. I started performing lower body strength exercises and I have not had a problem since! Definitely add strength training in to your workout regimen if you are a runner. Just don't start when it already hurts!

Runners knee is not inevitable and can be prevented. It's an unpleasant condition and if you happen to get it, despite preventative measures treat it as quickly as possible so you can hit the road again.

Run Safe!

Quick Tip - Don't Lift With Sore Muscles

Ambitious fitness enthusiasts will design their routines and schedule them in to their week. If you planned to lift 3 times in a week, I know how much you want to achieve what you originally set out to do.

The thing is, if you lifted on Tuesday and you are still sore by your next scheduled day, say Thursday you are not doing your body any favours by lifting again when muscles are still tender.

Weight lifting results are a combination of lifting and rest. When you lift, you tear apart muscle fibers. The soreness experienced is due to these micro tears and a build up of lactic acid. The days after weight training is the rest required for the fibers to re-grow stronger and thicker than before. This growth process is necessary for bigger and stronger muscles.

If you lift over sore or stiff muscles you are re breaking the fibers before they have a chance to grow. This is counterproductive and will not promote strength progression and muscle development. You will only keep experiencing pain and put yourself at risk for over training injuries and fatigue.

Let your body do its thing. Take a few days off (especially when you are just starting out) to allow growth and strength gains. Come on, where else in life can you honestly say that doing absolutely nothing is the right and productive thing to do? Take advantage!

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Exercise With Your Significant Other

Working out with your partner is not only a lot more fun than exercising on your own, it's helpful to technique and results.

Five Reasons Couples Should Exercise Together

1. Spotting and technique correction. It can take another person to see your exercise form, to be able to properly make corrections. It also takes a second person to assist lifting heavier dumbbells in to starting position. With proper technique and being able to set up the weight you need, your workouts will be more safe and effective.

2. Healthy Pressure and motivation. Setting a workout date makes you accountable. It's too easy to blow off exercise days when it's just you that has to show up. You will also push yourself harder when you have your s.o. cheering you on.

3. You share a common goal that benefits one another. A lot of the time when people work out, it's to look and feel more sexy. Exercise IS sexy and if you and your partner are in it together to look and feel great for each other's benefit, then it adds to the fun and motivation of the program.

4. Exercise brings you closer together. On your lifting days, you work as a team. There is a certain degree of trust necessary for someone to spot you. You and your partner will also be participating in more activities together for cardio and general activity. Hiking, rock climbing and cycling are fun fitness dates that will make you both feel good to be around each other.

5. Success and teamwork will spill over in to everyday life. Think about it. You and your partner get excited over a common goal and work hard to be successful together. Two minds are better than one and when you and your s.o. learn to work together you will find your ambition and determination will overflow in to practical aspects of your life from finances to housework.

Working out as a couple is great idea for motivation, safety and bonding. It's helpful to have two people with different strengths and weaknesses (one is good at fitness and the other, nutrition) to help each other succeed. So grab your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse and get them in to fitness for health, results and a lot of fun!

Exercise Together!

How To Make A Meal Plan

If you have ever tried making your own meal plan, you know it can get rather confusing. Trying to balance caloric intake as well as the correct proportions of carbohydrates, protein and fat can seem overwhelming, to say the least!

Here Are Five Tips To Make A Great And Easy Meal Plan

1. Before trying a ton of new food just because you know it's healthy, work with what you have. Eating right is a lot harder if you are juggling new recipes and running all around town looking for special ingredients. For example, if you have pasta every Monday night with a cream sauce, switch to whole grain pasta with a cottage cheese sauce (1 cup crushed tomato, 1/2 cup-1 cup cottage cheese and basil) for a rich but healthy variation of an old favourite.

2. Reduce Portions. Sometimes it's not what you are eating that is bad, but how much. Measure your food for a couple of weeks to get a feel for portion size and train your body to eat less. It has always surprised me what is considered a portion of cereal. At around 200 calories for what looks like a small handful of what is mostly sugar, it goes to show where a lot of empty calories are coming from.

3. Pick out 5 meals for breakfast lunch and dinner and rotate them. If you have a set schedule of meals and if some share the same ingredients you will be set for weeks at a time. Pre-planning meals saves time and money. Pick meals that you already eat and make them healthier. Such as boiled instead of fried and more protein and vegetables to replace large portions of rice and pasta. It's easy (and even fun) to think of 5 meals for each time of the day that you enjoy eating.

4. Count calories and macronutrients as you go. After you pick out your meals and weigh your portions, it's best to keep track of calories, carbs, protein and fat a you go. If after every meal you see how much of everything you are up to, it's easier to see what's missing or what is not being consumed in moderation.

5. Work on calories first. Before trying to balance carbs, protein and fat First set your caloric limits for the day, based on your goals. Once you make a cut off point, say 1500-1800 calories you can eat your meals, figure out what you are eating too much of (probably carbs) and make the adjustments as you go. Trying to sit down and plan every meal calorie by calorie, gram by gram is really time consuming. It's easy by this point to make adjustments. For example: If you have been eating too many carbs in a meal, switch or reduce the carbs and replace it with vegetables.

After you get your base meals figured out pick out a few snacks like almonds, fruit and yogurt to take with you in between meals. Having a healthy snack on you, helps to fight the temptation of buying cookies and chips at the convenience store. It's also guaranteed that 5-10 almonds will keep you full until dinnertime way longer than chips ever could!

Meal planning is not very hard once you break it down and take it day by day. Having a solid diet is essential to any fitness goal a well as your energy levels and how you sleep at night. Check out my nutrition articles for food ideas and diet planning.

Eat Right!

Attention Sports and Fitness Fans

If you have ever wanted to learn or improve your game by yourself, you have to check out this article by Christina Laun that was brought to my attention by the folks over at the nursing school search blog.

100 Killer YouTube Videos to Help you Learn Any Sport.

This is a fantastic collection of quality how-to fitness and sport videos from yoga and weight lifting to golf and rugby.

I know where I'll be spending my free time over the next few days.

Check It Out!

P.S. Their 100 Food Blogs List is quite good too.

Balancing Motivation And Success As A Personal Trainer

Everybody is totally different. My programs are never alike because body types, preferences and goals vary so much from one person to the next. Some programs have 10 exercises that are repeated 3 times in an hour and others complete only 6 exercises in the same period of time.

It can take a couple workouts to find the type of routine that is going to be enjoyable for a client as well as give them results as quickly and safely as possible.

Personal training involves taking in all of the information you can and then analyzing every factor from equipment available, goals, strengths and limitations to design the perfect individualized program for results.

More than theory goes in to program design. There is also a "human factor." That is, what motivates people to keep going? What do clients want to see happen first? Will they feel successful if they see strength first, improve the discomfort of an injury or see definition in their body?

Here is a common example of the human factor. Coming from the perspective of someone who has lost weight, hearing other fitness professionals say that cardio i not necessary for fat loss, seems insensitive to what their clients really want. I know first hand that when you are in it to lose weight, the only result that will be motivating, is to see your body getting smaller.

When a thin person lifts weights, their body sculpts and tones as the muscles inflate and grow. They lift hard, eat right and watch their physique take its ideal shape. This body type should not do a lot of cardio at first and should focus on putting on muscle.

From my experience, when someone that needs to lose weight only lifts, they get heavier. This is due to gaining muscle mass, of course. Body composition changes by shedding fat and adding muscle. This is definitely a good thing. Still, getting bigger muscles under a layer of fat actually makes the body feel and appear larger, for a short period of time. Until the fat loss catches up with the new muscle mass, the feeling of being bigger in combination with the numbers on the scale going up, has to be the most demotivating approach ever.

It's just as important to design motivating programs as it is to deliver effective routines.

On the other hand I had a case where a fit client came to me, who was running a lot because she enjoyed it and was told it would help her lose weight. However she not losing the five pounds she wanted to shed. We started lifting, which was a new activity to her and she lost the weight in a few weeks. No goal has a program that works for every single person. You have to try different things until you find what works best for your body.

The point is, what works for one person may do nothing at all for the next. What motivates someone may be discouraging for another. I know personally diet changes alone don't work for me. I need the exercise to push my body toward change. My boyfriend on the other hand, lost 80lbs by diet changes alone. Everybody is unique and it's about doing what's right for you.

Finding the balance between what keeps you determined to succeed and what actually works takes time. It's a process of trial and error. If you truly want to change your lifestyle and work out consistently, you have a lot of time to experiment with different workout styles, activities and meal plans that change your body and motivate your mind.

If you are having trouble striking the balance between motivation and results hire a personal trainer to help you figure out how to approach your goals. Sometimes, getting advice from someone on the outside looking in, really helps to put things in to perspective.

Be Successful!

Cottage Cheese - A Fitness Food

Okay so cottage cheese doesn't look very palatable. While it is runny and lumpy it's also a great food for both weight loss and building muscle due to it's low fat and high protein content.

Cottage cheese can be made in to recipes as a cheese and dairy substitute like in lasagna, dips, on baked potatoes and in salads. It can also be added in to an egg white omelette, whole grain pasta and low fat desserts, like cottage cheesecake.

If you like the taste (many do!) then eating cottage cheese on its own is an incredibly healthy snack. Add some yogurt for a a more a creamy taste and some fruit for a nutritious but decadent snack.

Nutritional Content

per 4 oz or 113g
Calories- 120 g
Protein- 14g
Fat-5g
Carbohydrates- 3g

There are also low fat and no fat varieties which bring the fat down to 0-1.5g.

A fantastic lifting site is Stumptuous. I always find myself going back for the "cottage cheese shrine." Check out the easy and delicious recipes. The site is geared toward women but like The Men's Health Home Workout Bible, has valuable information for everyone.

Keep in mind that diet is always 50% of results. So eat cottage cheese for a low fat, high protein diet and reach those goals!

Eat Up!

Plyometric Training

Plyometrics are exercises designed to produce fast and powerful movements by loading the muscle and then contracting it, in rapid sequence. A common example of plyometric training is a push up where you spring up from push up position with enough force for your hands to come off the ground. Or the standing long jump, like in grade school phys ed.

Plyometric exercises are mostly used in sport specific training but can be performed by any experienced fitness enthusiast for these benefits.

-Improved nervous system functioning

-Maximum force, in as little time possible

-Improves speed

-Increases power

-Increases strength

-Raises heart rate quickly

-Improves stamina

-Improves muscle endurance

-Improves sport performance (jump higher, throw farther, run faster etc)

-Toughens muscle tissue

Examples of Plyometric Exercises

-Jumps. In a squatting position, jump in to the air as fast and hard as you can. You can reach straight up, twist in mid air or jump side to side. There are many variations of the plyometric jump.

-Plyometric push ups.

-Jumping off and on a step (or staircase) either side to side with one leg or off and on with both feet together.

-Medicine ball throws out from the chest or to the side with a twist.

-Plyometric lunges

Safety Considerations

-Before trying plyometric exercises it's recommended that you have at least one year of exercise experience to develop the strength and flexibility necessary for this type of training. Weight training experience is a must!

-You have to be strong to try these. It's best to try easier exercises (like jumps) with a low intensity to start out, instead of using all of your force.

-Do not do these exercises if you have/had an injury that could be agitated.

-Always perform exercises on a gymnastics mat of carpet, wear shoes that have good support and pay close attention to proper technique.

-Keep your knees bent when you land

-Plyometric training is an advanced activity. Start small and only perform once a week.

Plyometric training is great way to excel in your sport or to break plateaus in your fitness program. Research the exercises carefully before attempting, and make sure you take a day off from exercise after training. You will see why!

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Book Review - The Men's Health Home Workout Bible

I want to recommend a great book for anybody working out at home. I received The Men's Health Home Workout Bible as a gift from one of my clients. Even though it's about six years old, the information is just as valuable today as it was in 2002. It's one of the best I have read for any adult age, gender and skill level.

The book starts off explaining home gym equipment in detail from the basics such as dumbbells and stability balls to multistation home gyms. I really liked that the book discusses equipment types in detail but in a format that is easy to understand. The book even goes so far as to help you choose equipment from the weight benches to the right barbells (standard or Olympic, as an example) for your needs and budget.

Surprisingly the book also goes over program design, which is rare in an exercise book. I thought the information provided was enough for the do-it-yourself type to properly design their own routine safely and effectively.

The exercise section is organized logically and reads fluidly. It contains the start and finishing position and provides detailed instructions on the execution for every exercise. It starts with body weight exercises, then dumbbells, barbells, cables then finally multistation gyms. In each section the exercises are arranged in order from largest muscles groups to smallest, and lists beginner exercises first to advanced.

At the beginning of each section all of the exercises are listed under their appropriate skill category and the book lets you know how many exercises you should pick from each section. It's a fun mix and match approach to designing your own lifting routine.

After the exercises, the book goes on to explain a variety of common topics such as the benefits of personal trainers, the dangers of buying fitness gimmicks, exercise video recommendations, training logs and finally different lifting programs to try out on your own.

This is fantastic book. If you are going to learn to workout on your own, or want some new exercises to add to your existing home program, this is the book for you!

Check It Out!

Running With Weights

Here is an embarrassing confession. I bought wrist straps back when I was losing weight. They were 1-2lb each. I ran with them. I don't know what I was thinking. Was I getting more out of my cardio session? Not really...Was I doing weights? No. So what exactly was I doing?

I was tiring out my body. My shoulder hurt and kept crackling like roaring camp fire. I was giving myself a repetitive strain injury. When my arms were fixed in a running position, that little bit of weight was constantly weighing on my shoulders. It was at the point where when I moved my arm out of the 90 degree angle, I felt a sticking/suction sensation. Ew gross! I've felt this same sensation by holding on to my first generation PSP while running. I've switched to an IPod since!

I've seen many variations of running or walking with them but what this post is really about, is doing bicep curls/overhead extensions while performing cardio on a treadmill or StairMaster. These "little weight workouts" are basically pointless and I'm going to tell you why.

1-2lbs won't give you results. If you have been advised to use a weight this light you are most likely under medical supervision and your exercise goal is to strengthen connective tissue and improve circulation through low weight, high rep light cardio routines.

The only kind of workout where you can do cardio and strength training at once is a circuit training routine or boot camp style workout. Even still, you are doing purposeful body weight and strength exercises in combination with running on the spot, jumping jacks or something similar for cardio.

Doing 1000 bicep curls is considered cardio, not weight lifting. If you are already doing cardio, why in the world would you risk injury by lifting little weights? They throw you off balance and increase the chance of future joint problems.

My reason for running with weight was I thought that if I was carrying around a few extra pounds my body would burn more calories. Meaning, I was trying to trick my body in to thinking I was heavier, so it would burn more calories to support the extra weight. This may be true if you have a 20lb-40lb weight vest on. Some rock climbers, and professional athletes do weighted runs to improve endurance and stamina. 2-4 extra pounds won't make any significant difference to how many calories you burn or improve athletic performance.

Running with wrist and ankle weights is a controversial issue. It comes down to how strong your joints and muscles are. Some people can, some can't. No matter what though, I don't recommend running and doing strength training exercises.

Next time you exercise, ditch the extremely light weights. Strength train separately with weights that challenge your muscles before 15 reps can be completed and then perform your cardio. You will be doing you body a huge favour and will see faster, injury free results.

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Should I Do Cardio In The Morning On An Empty Stomach?

Effective cardiovascular activity for weight loss is controversial. Some people claim fat loss comes from long, slow and steady sessions while others will say that short, fast intervals will do the trick.

Another big issue trainers and fitness enthusiasts seem divided on, is whether or not you should do your cardio on an empty stomach, in the morning.

Why you should perform cardio on an empty stomach

When you burn calories by cardio exercise, you have to burn through your glycogen storage, before your body turns to fat for fuel. This takes about 20 minutes. The theory goes, that if you eat before you exercise, you will burn what you just ate and then start to burn the stored fat. So if you don't eat before cardio exercise while your body is still fasting in the morning, you will be more likely to burn fat sooner.

Why you should not perform cardio on an empty stomach

Food gives your body the energy to perform the most purposeful exercise possible. If you can only run 10 minutes on an empty stomach but 20 with a bit of breakfast, you may want to consider eating something small before exercise. Food also helps to clear your head, wake you up and provide you with the balance and co-ordination necessary to perform a safe workout. If you find you are seeing spots, getting dizzy or exercise outdoors where you need to be aware, then you should eat before working out.

Bottom Line

As usual I see the pros and cons to all of the exercise theories. Personally, I don't eat before I perform my cardio in the morning. This isn't so much because I want maximum fat loss but because if I don't do my cardio workout first thing in the morning, then it will be neglected. I'm also prone to cramping after eating or drinking and need to wait for the food to start digesting, Let's face it, myself and many others don't have all day to work out.

I usually work out inside and I feel energetic in the morning. I don't get dizzy or feel groggy, so it's never been a problem for me. I lost a lot of weight this way. So I feel the claims must have some truth to them.

On the other hand I have performed cardio in the evening and usually find I can run harder. Not so much longer, but faster. This is because I actually have glucose stores for the high intensity demands. So I have experienced the advantages to eating before cardio as well.

It all comes down to doing what's right an what works for you. Everybody has different bodies and exercise preferences. Unlike eating before weight lifting, which is an absolute must for so many reasons, this is an issue that is flexible. Do what's best for yourself and keep seeing those results!

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Weight Lifting Tip - Limit Front Raises

I tend to limit front shoulder raises in routines for my clients. The reason being, the front of your shoulders gets worked during many other exercises. Especially chest exercises where you push, such as the bench press and push up.

The shoulder muscles themselves, (although they look very nice) are pretty small muscles. I would hardly every dedicate a whole workout to them alone.

One thing to always consider with any of the smaller muscle groups, is that you are already working them with compound exercises for larger muscle groups. A bench press works triceps and shoulders, where as chin up also works your biceps. This is one of the reasons why it's best to start with larger muscle groups. You need those smaller muscles to support the work of the larger muscles. If you did bicep curls and then chin ups, you would find your chin ups would be not nearly as strong as if you had performed them first.

This also means that by the time you work the smaller muscle groups, they require less sets, as they have already been working.

I'm not saying to never do front raises. I like them and I do them. You can do an alternating front raise for more functional training, with a lateral raise in your circuits or even in combination with other exercises, like a squat. Just keep in mind that you don't have to every workout and especially on your chest days. It's more important to develop the sides and back of your shoulders since they get less attention from other exercises.

Next time you lift, pay attention to the other muscles working. You may realize you could be cutting back on sets, save time and still develop the body you want.

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Benefits Of Circuit Training

Circuit training is an effective workout plan for those who want to lose some weight, add tone to their body and tend to skip traditional cardiovascular activity. I'm not talking about the hydraulic circuit training equipment like at Curves or a similar establishment. I'm speaking of a more "boot camp" circuit that truly challenges every single muscle in your body.

Benefits Of Circuit Training

-Can be performed with minimal equipment at home, outdoors and even on vacation.

-A fun and fast paced workout for people that don't like waiting around in between every set.

-Burns calories, sheds fat and increases strength and muscle tone.

-Can be added in to any workout program, for any goal. It's an interesting change of pace.

-Helps to break plateaus for many goals.

-Can train for various skills in one workout such as cardiovascular capacity, sports conditioning and balance.

-Maximum results in minimal time.

Here is a sample circuit training workout you can do at home:

Equipment Needed: Chin Up Bar, pair of dumbbell that will challenge your back, arms and shoulders.
Time: 30-45 minutes
Reps: 15-20 of each exercise

1. Push Ups


2. Lunges + Shoulder Press


3. One Arm Row


4. One Leg Squat (holding on to a door frame)


5. Pull Ups, Reverse Pull up (chin up bar 3 feet off the ground with you under it) or assisted pull ups


6. One Leg Romanian Deadlift


7. Alternating Bicep Curls


8. Squat + Calf raise


9. Dips


10. Hanging knee raise or Russian twists


11. Opposite arm and leg raise back extension on hands and knees

After each cycle break for 2-3 minutes
Repeat twice

Circuit training is a fast and effective workout. It's great for people that are short on time and for enthusiasts interested in receiving the many physical and mental benefits of fitness, in one convenient workout style.

Try Circuits For A Full Body Workout!

Benefits Of Pilates

Pilates is a fitness system that was developed by Joseph Pilates to rehabilitate injured soldiers coming home from the first world war.

Pilates focuses on strengthening core postural and deep torso muscles to keep the body balanced and to provide support for the spine./

The goal of taking pilates is to stretch, strengthen and stabilize key muscles by performing the exercises using the pilates principals which are, proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, percision, breathing and flowing movement.

The benefits of pilates include:

-A great mind body workout

-Increased body awareness

-Build strength

-Gain muscle tone

-Improve flexibility

-Develop a strong core.

-Prevents injuries

-Improves or even cures back, neck and shoulder pain

-Improves posture

-Improves circulation

-Relives soreness and muscle tension

Pilates is a great supplement to any fitness program and fantastic for recovering from an injury. Pilates exercises range from raw beginner to advanced so there is something for everyone at any skill level.

Try It!

The Home Workout Advantage

Check out this article Dealing with Jerks at your Gym from CNN. If you have ever been a member at a gym and have had to deal with this behaviour, you will get a kick out of it.

One of the main reasons I'm huge on home and outdoor training is because working out at a gym can be frustrating. You are sharing equipment and space with people that can be very inconsiderate and rude.

For the most part, fellow gym members are great and polite people. I don't even think the others that are not so great, try or even know they are being jerks.

There are the grunter, the intimidator, the singers, strong body odour, machine hoggers, talking on cell phone, not cleaning machines and staring. Not to mention the ones that give you the evil eye when you use "their equipment" and the people that think the gym is a fashion show and take up the benches to look at themselves in the mirror for an hour.

Even when people are not being inconsiderate directly, there are problems. I can't count the times I have had a very specific weight routine planned, only to discover a crowded gym with line ups for equipment. It's not a huge deal to have to substitute exercises but nothing beats a planned program for specific results. In cases like this where a gym is just overcrowded, it is nobodies fault, but still inconvenient.

Working out at home has the advantage of being an uninterrupted and private exercise experience. You never have to worry about leaving the gym feeling annoyed or disrespected. Plus being at home means you never flake on your workouts by justifying yourself over traffic issues, time to get there and back and gym hours of operation.

If you feel the need for a change from the gym, try home workouts. They are a convenient, comfortable and effective way to get fit. I guarantee you will love it!

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Learn To Fly. Then You Can Soar!

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

C. S. Lewis

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Get Fit For Less

Getting in shape doesn't have to mean buying a special (and expensive) diet and becoming a member at the fanciest gym in the city.

Exercise can be effectively performed on a limited budget. You can get started for free and buy basic equipment for around $25 dollars.

Tips For Getting in Great Shape For Less $

1. Walking, running, stretching, calisthenics, and body weight exercises are free. You only need the weight and momentum of your own body. This is a fantastic start to getting in to shape.

2. The basics are a set of dumbbells and a stability ball. A stability ball can be used as a weight bench not to mention for various workouts targeting all muscle groups, flexibility and agility skills. The best ball I've purchased is only $8 at Canadian Tire. For dumbbells, if you buy new, they work out to about fifty cents to one dollar per pound. If you are not lifting very heavy to start, that's not very expensive. If you need a lot of weight consider buying them used.

3. Used equipment is a great way to save some money. A lot of people hardly touch their brand new equipment before giving up and selling them. You can get anything that is gently used, from a whole weight bench and weight set to a treadmill or elliptical trainer. Just make sure anything electric is in good working order. It's also well advised to research the model to see if it's still in production. In case you need spare parts or a technician in the future.

4. A pedometer is a very useful fitness tool. At only $5-$40 a pedometer counts how many steps you take in a day. If you reach 10 000 steps you have walked 5 miles, which the recommended amount of activity for weight loss and general fitness goals. Read more about pedometers in my post here.

5. Community centres are not luxurious facilities but they usually have pretty decent equipment, swimming pools and great classes. Memberships range from $30 for 3 months and up. Centres around the city have completely different equipment, prices and rules so it's best to call around your area to find one that suits you best.

Investing a little in to yourself for your health and well-being is well worth it. I don't think you need to dip too deep in to your savings to successfully reach your goals. Fitness isn't about the gyms with hair salons or the personal trainers with decals on their cars. That stuff is fun but it's not results. Getting in shape is about working out hard, eating right and never giving up!

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Benefits Of Yoga + $1 Classes!

Yoga is extremely beneficial to your fitness and overall well-being.

Some of the many benefits of yoga include:

-Increased flexibility

-Increased muscle tone

-Detoxification of the muscles

-Helps you sleep better

-relieves muscle tension

-Invigorating and rejuvenating

-Promotes healing for sore or injured muscles

-Relieves depression, stress and anxiety

-Increases cardiovascular efficiency

-Improved posture

-Improved reaction time

-Increased stamina

-Improves hand-eye co-ordination

-Increases energy levels

-More energy and stamina

-Improves balance

-Improves concentration

-Improves memory and concentration

Now check this out. If you live in Toronto or the GTA you have to check out Passport to Prana. For $30 you can attend 31 classes at any of the participating studios around the city! If you have ever wanted to give yoga a shot, you can't get a better deal than this one!

Try it!

Food Journals Rule Weight Loss

As my clients know, I'm a huge fan of food and activity journals. I owe my own weight loss and fitness success to keeping one. I still keep a weight and cardio workout record to continuously improve my fitness levels.

Here is my own Kalisthenix post on the Benefits Of A Food Journal.

Now here is a great article released yesterday by City Tv on weight loss journals. According to a study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, those who kept journals lost nearly double the weight, compared to the people that did not.

So grab a pen and some paper and start recording your exercise and diet habits for great results!

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Getting Back On Track

If you had goals and gave up, no worries. It's never too late to start again. The sooner you start, the better. A good thing to do the next time around, is to try preventing yourself from quitting by making your goals work for you.

Five Ways To Get Back On Track

1. Figure out where you went wrong. Did you always plan to work out in the morning when you know you are not a morning person? Was your diet too restrictive? Figuring out what gave you a hard time and changing it is a great first step to making sure round 2 is more successful.

2. Set Realistic Goals. Hoping that you will lose 15 pounds in a month is a little too ambitious and possibly even unhealthy. It's best to not weigh yourself at all! Take measurements and don't check again for THREE months. I know, it's a long time but it's 3 months longer that you will stick to exercising. If you weigh yourself after a few days and it is the same there is the chance of quitting because "it's not working."

3. Start Small. Maybe throwing yourself in the deep end didn't work. It helps to make things easier by taking little steps. Start by adding 1 hour of accumulated activity everyday. This could mean walking 15 minutes, 4 times a day while running errands. Also try small diet changes like switching from white to whole grain. Or to sorbet from ice cream.

4. If motivation was the problem, ask a friend to get fit with you. Go in together on personal training sessions or take classes together like belly dancing or kickboxing. It's a lot of fun getting in shape with a buddy. You can even look forward to social time afterward with a protein shake or healthy meal.

5. Write it down. Write down your goals and reasons for wanting to get fit. Keep it on you to remind yourself what you are in this for. Keep a work out and diet journal to write down what you did, what you changed and how you feel. There is something about writing a journal everyday that makes you feel like you have to keep at it. It also shows you how far you have come. Eventually you will notice patterns like how a bad sleep can effect your energy levels. It's a very helpful tool for goal management.

Getting back on the horse takes courage. It's not easy attempting something again but it's definitely not impossible either. Just tweak your original plan, take it a day at a time and stay positive!

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Top 5 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight

How many times have you sworn to get in to fabulous shape and months later, realized you never did get around to it? Or tried and did not succeed?

Top Five Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight

1. Cheating yourself. If you refuse to give up the bag of chips at lunch or seconds at dinner time, you are not doing yourself any favours. To reach your goals, you have to make a few sacrifices. I can promise you that it gets easier but you have to cut down on food intake if you really want to succeed.

2. Not working out hard enough. The few times I attempted weight loss before succeeding I would do a few wall push ups and then a few crunches and give up. To lose weight you need to work out hard. I finally lost weight after running for 30-45 minutes at a time, biking to and from work for an accumulated hour a day and lifting weights. Doing a 5 minute work out won't cut it.

3. Not having a strong support network. If you don't tell friends and family that you are trying to reach a goal then nobody will know if you give up. Having healthy pressure to keep at it, definitely helps you push through phases of boredom, cravings and frustration. Also, positive reinforcement when you start showing results, really gives you the confidence and reassurance to keep going. With everybody you know cheering you on, just try not working out!

4. Being inconsistent with your workouts. If you exercise once a week or every other week, the workouts won't accumulate in to results. If you are going to go for it, really go for it! If you have problems with motivation or sticking with a time to exercise, hire a personal trainer. Having an appointment booked with a trainer, will guarantee that you will work out hard and frequent enough and to lose weight. You will see results in no time!

5. Giving up. This one is so obvious but I see it happen all of the time. Someone is pumped over their goals and they work really hard at it for a few week and then simply give up. Exercise can be tough at first and results may not come as quickly as you like, but giving up really won't do you any good. Throwing in the towel is not only horrible for your self esteem but it really sets you back. Once you get motivated again you will have to start all over again. So keep at it, push through the tough parts and make your goals a reality.

Weight loss has to be the easiest fitness goal to achieve. It's all about reducing food intake, exercising hard, regularly and never giving up.

Reach Your Goals!

The Realistic Road To Success

I'm afraid that a lot of people set really high expectations on themselves. Some think working out will solve all of their body image issues. Thinking that exercise will make you perfect only leads to disappointment and ultimately, giving up altogether.

The thing is, we are predisposed to an extent. Our genetics play a huge factor in our body shape.

I really wanted a nice bulge in my bicep. You know the ones I mean. Those nice, perfectly formed round muscles. Well, my biceps are probably comprised of slow twitch muscle fibers, which means they are great for endurance but not so great for power. This makes them appear long and small but lean. Not big, round and powerful. So I don't have my ideal biceps but you know what? I'm very happy with my arms. They have come a long way! There was a time when I wouldn't even take a picture from the side because I was so self-conscious over them.

I remember when I started losing weight, I had these ideas that I would lose a few pounds and suddenly have a perfect body. Like a model from a magazine. No cellulite, no little bulges of fat anywhere etc. The reality is, nobody is ever 100% happy with their bodies. There is always things we think could be better. The quest to perfection is doomed for failure.

The point is, self-improvement is not about looking like the cover of a Fitness magazine. It's feeling satisfied with all the physical and mental changes you have achieved. It's about all the newly developed abilities and feeling good about yourself, that truly matters.

My main goal was to lose weight but through that goal I discovered my love of running, weight lifting, walking, sports and fitness related topics. I see these interests and abilities to be more satisfying than the original goal I set out to achieve.

Keep in mind that body builders like Arnold used steroids and models were born thin and they are still airbrushed and "digitally enhanced" to look perfect. The bodies you see in the media are not real. Nobody is perfect but everybody is beautiful.

Be Realistic!

Weight Lifting Tip - Don't Swing It!

Too many people trying to build muscle assume that the heavier they lift, the bigger their muscles will grow.

The aspiring body builder will pick a weight much too heavy and lift fast with a ton of momentum. When I see people performing bicep curls this way, it looks like they are about to throw the dumbbell across the room.

Lifting this way is an ineffective way to build muscle. Instead of the exercise targeting the desired muscle groups they are in fact, putting a lot of stress on the bones. This can cause fractures and ligament strains and tears.

The nicest set of biceps I have ever seen was on a 45 year old woman. She used what I considered at the time to be a "light weight" but every single rep was slow, controlled and focused. She squeezed her muscle at the point of contraction and watched every single rep. Her reps were planned and she was in control of every movement.

In her case she wasn't concerned about how much weight she could lift. Her main objective was to develop nice looking muscles and she definitely succeeded at her goal.

Next time you are lifting, drop the ego and focus on technique, control and contractions. Then you will see your physique shape out the way you have always wanted.

Lift On!

The Balance Board

The balance board or wobble board is a piece of equipment that has been used for years to train skiers and surfers in the off-season. It's relatively new to the fitness circuit and is now used to make dancers lighter on their feet, in rehabilitation and to make exercise fun for kids at school.

Balance boards come in different shapes, sizes and skill levels. Some only tilt about 10 degrees, which is great for young kids and those who want to get back in to shape. Standard ones tilt about 20 degrees.

Boards look differently. The original type looks like a surf/skate board with a sphere on the bottom. Some are square and pivot in two directions. While others are circular and move around in all directions.

Benefits of the Balance Board

-Training requires core strength. Practicing on the board strengthens your midsection

-Adds a challenge to old exercises. Even a basic, body weight squat is pretty tough!

-Improves balance and co-ordination

-Helps prepare for old age. Training on the board avoids falls resulting in serious injury.

-Prevents sports injuries

Exercises That Can Be Performed on the Balance Board

-Push ups with feet or hands on the board

-Squats

-Side squats

-Lunges

-Bicep curls, overhead extension or shoulder press standing on the board

-Timed on 2 feet or one to improve balance. When you get good at it, try with your eyes closed!

The balance board is great. It's small, affordable and really takes the workout to the next level.

Try It!

The Beer Belly

We've all seen it. The guy on the subway, or at the corner store. Maybe he's sitting beside you right now...And he looks...Pregnant! Not in the beautiful way either. This is commonly called a "beer bellly" or central obesity.

What is a beer gut?

A beer belly is not actually caused by beer alone. It's not found on just men either. It's caused by overeating and not exercising. There are two kinds of fat. The first is called subcutaneous fat. It sits below your skin, on top of your abs. The second type is called visceral fat. This is the "beer gut." Visceral fat sits between the abs and organs and is worse for your health than subcutaneous fat.

Health Concerns Linked to Central Obesity:

-Higher risk of heart disease

-High blood pressure

-Insulin resistance

-Type 2 Diabetes

-Makes a person "apple shaped" which is not a flattering physique.

To get rid of your "beer belly" it all comes down to a good diet and exercise. Lose the belly not only for a more appealing bod, but for your long term health and well-being.

Say Bye To The Beer Gut!

Chronic Pain - Causes, Prevention and Treatment

Most people experience back, shoulder and neck pain at some point in their lives. Chronic pain is aches and pains that will not go away. Some people suffer for many years without relief.

Some Causes of Chronic Pain

-Improper lifting

-Falls

-Bad posture

-Muscular imbalances

-Herniated discs

-Sleeping with an uncomfortable mattress or pillow

-Regularly carrying a shoulder bag

-Uncomfortable foot wear, such as high heels.

-Obesity

-Osteoarthritis (the wear and tear arthritis caused by many years of physical activity)

-Osteoporosis

Many times, people wait until they are are immobilized to seek treatment and they will usually reach for the pain killers, which not only stop working once your body adjusts to the dosage but are also addictive. Ask your doctor for pain killers as a last resort.

Here are ways to prevent back pain:

-Lift with your legs. To do this, squat down toward the object and lift like you are performing a squat instead of bending at the waist and lifting with your back.

-Be especially careful. Hold on the railing all of the time on stairs. Make sure your winter boots have good traction for ice.

-With many people working desk jobs or spending a lot of hours at a computer, make sure you sit up straight and stretch every hour.

-Don't sleep on an old mattress with your body's imprint moulded in to it. Don't sleep with a flat, lifeless pillow. Sometimes it helps to put a pillow in between your knees to keep your hips aligned.

-Wear a well fitted backpack instead of a shoulder bag. Try to pack light whenever possible.

-Wear comfortable shoes with support. Wear platforms instead of high heels.

-Don't try any activity that your body is not ready for. For example, don't attempt a back flip if you have never had training in gymnastics.

-Lift weights to strengthen bones, joints and ligaments.

-Lose weight to take pressure off the spine.

-Get your recommended daily intake of calcium to keep bones strong and healthy.

Even with prevention accidents happen. Here are ways to treat chronic pain:

-Strength training. It amazes me how many people complain of pain but won't try to fix it with strength training. A lot of the time back pain is caused my a weak core. When the abs are stronger than the back or vice versa the stronger side is forced to over compensate causing imbalances. Gentle exercises like crunches and back extensions will help to repair.

-Try pilates. Pilates was invented as rehabilitation for World War 2 veterans. It is fantastic for correcting injuries and imbalances.

-Heat. A heat pad will warm up the muscles. A heat pad in combination with an anti-inflammatory before bed will work wonders.

-Acupuncture and massage. Sometimes all you need is to get the blood circulating in the problem areas.

The good news is most pain (at its worst) goes away in a few days. The best thing to do to avoid a recurrence is prevention and treatment that doesn't hide symptoms but fixes the problem at its source.

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Dance Your Way To Fitness

The term "dancer's body" doesn't come from nowhere! Dancing is a fantastic way to get great abs, legs, a strong back and arms. I'll bet that everybody wants to learn at least one style of dance. From line dancing to breakdancing, there is something out there for everybody.

Benefits of Dancing

-Weight loss

-All over strength and tone

-Reduce stress

-Increase energy

-Increase balance and co-ordination

-Decrease blood pressure

-Lowers risk of heart disease

-Strengthens bones

-Increases blood flow to the brain

-Improves posture

-Improves flexibility

-Helps to prevent lower back pain

-Increases stamina

-Reduces toxins in the body

You can learn to dance a specific style at a dance school. Or you can try dancing fusion classes at your gym.

Here are some styles to consider:

-Belly dancing

-Hip hop

-Salsa

-Ballroom

-Square dancing

-Ballet

-Jazz

-Swing dancing

-Latin

-Breakdancing

-Ceremonial dances from various cultures

When you dance, it is so much fun you forget that it's exercise. You can dance to your own beat at home, purchase instructional DVDs or even get some friends together to learn a style that goes with your crowd's preferred music. That way the next time your group goes out, you will rock the dance floor.

Dance Your Way to Fitness!