Monday Motivation - Health and Fitness

"Money is the most envied, but the least enjoyed. Health is the most enjoyed, but the least envied."

-Charles Caleb Colton

"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."
-Hippocrates

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"Breathing correctly is the key to better fitness, muscle strength, stamina and athletic endurance."
-Dr. Michael Yessis

"Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace begins with a relaxed body."
-Norman Vincent Peale

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
-La Rochefoucauld

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Power of Movement Yoga Fundraiser is Tomorrow!

There are over 100 forms of arthritis. It causes swelling, joint pain and stiffness. It affects any age or population, and there is no cure. While physical activity is part of prevention and treatment, more research needs to be funded for finding new treatment and information on this painful condition.

Tomorrow I will be participating in the Power of Movement Yoga Fundraiser here in Toronto. I want to thank everyone for their sponsorship, I raised more than my goal!

Please, if you are able, support my practice tomorrow morning, and let's band together to help our friends and family who are living with arthritis and autoimmune disorders.

Thank You!

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The Top Ten Fitness Icons Of All Time

Fitness icons have shaped fitness programs, products and trends throughout decades of everyday people trying to get fit. They have been in movies, endorsed our favourite products, and have helped and encouraged us to take the road to a healthier lifestyle.

This article from Masters In Health Care is a great read on the top fitness icons, with links to more information on the fitness greats.

Who's your top fitness icon?

One that was left out in the article is Kathy Smith. She has been a personal trainer, nutritionist and aerobics instructor for over 30 years. She has sold over 16 million of her fitness DVDs worldwide. They're fantastic workouts too!

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Healthy Food Choices - Making Every Meal Count

There has been plenty discussion of the issue of whether calories are, or are not created equally, and whether the amount of food consumed is more important than the specifics of what goes into the body.

While it is true that to lose weight, a dieter will eat less than he or she is burning through exercise, it's important to make quality food choices. On the most basic level, a calorie is created equally because sure, you can eat 1000 calories a day in pizza, and lose drastic amounts of weight. Is this the healthy way to lose the weight? Of course not!

Weight loss is about more than just keeping the calorie count lowered. Eating healthy is a lifestyle change that will take work, by figuring out how to make every calorie burn efficiently in your body. Take the pizza as an example. It has refined sugar in the white flour crust, saturated fat in the greasy cheese, and any meaty topping is sure to be high in sodium and fat. These foods are not helping your body for a long term slow releasing energy burn, digestive help, or assisting with lowering blood pressure and preventing illness and disease.

A slice of plain cheese pizza from a walk-in shop is roughly 600 calories. 600 calories is a lot more food when you are making every calorie count.

Instead of having the slice you could have:

-A bowl of mixed bean salad (1 cup) 200 cal

-With a side of 1% cottage cheese (1/2 cup) with 1 Tbsp of ground flax seed 200 cal

-Steamed vegetables (1/2 cup) 50 cal

-5 Brazil nuts 100 cal

-A small apple 50 cal

This amount of food could actually be two meals! It contains much leaner proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, dairy and healthy fats. Your body will be able to use this much more effectively than a slice of pizza ever could!

It just goes to show that while calories should be reduced to lose weight, healthy choices are still very necessary. In terms of health and well-being a calorie is not just just a calorie!

Eat Well!

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Recipe for Vegetarian Sweet Potato Sheppard's Pie

The best thing about this vegetarian sweet potato Sheppard's pie recipe is that there is always enough left over to have for lunch the next day!

Vegetarian Sheppard's Pie Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

-1 or 2 large sweet potatoes (depending on how thick you want the mash)

-1/2 block of low fat firm tofu

-about 10 medium cremini mushrooms

-mixed frozen veggies

-1 Large onion

-2 tsp dried sage

-1 tsp ground cumin

-1/2 tsp dried thyme

-1 Tbsp low sodium soy or tamari sauce

-black or white pepper to taste

Directions

1. Take frozen veggies out to thaw.

2. Cut sweet potatoes into cubes and boil covered for 10-15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile chop mushrooms and onions, add in a bit of olive oil and stir fry 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat.

4. Squeeze excess liquid out of tofu and crumble into a bowl. Then add it into the mushroom and onion mix with sage, cumin, thyme and soy sauce. Cook on low for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

5. Strain sweet potato cubes and mash. Add pepper.

6. Make the pie by greasing a large (or two small-medium) casserole dishes with olive oil. First, spread the mushroom, tofu and onion mix in an even layer on the bottom. Then distribute veggies, and top with mash. Bake on 400F for 45 minutes or until potatoes are browned. Let it sit 5 minutes before slicing in and experiencing a taste explosion.

Total prep time = 30 minutes

Total Cook and Sit time= 50 minutes

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Why Nutrition May Even Be More Important Than Exercise

To start this post with a bit of an anecdote, when I lost 50lbs in 2003 it was due to a drastic dietary makeover, coupled with running.

I had not learned to lift weights yet and the idea of having physical activities I enjoyed, still had not registered onto my reality radar. In retrospect I can guarantee that it was not the 40 minute runs that helped me to shed all of that weight in under a year. It was the diet!

Research now supports that nutrition is the larger factor in weight loss success. Don't get me wrong, exercise is necessary and important. First of all, when you lose weight, you will want to tone up. Exercise prevents heart disease, age related muscular degeneration, osteoporosis and balances mood, while decreasing stress levels. Not to mention, you won't get a hard-body or six pack by nutrition alone!

Throughout my career as a personal trainer, I have found that many people not only underestimate how much they eat, but don't have a good handle on food quality. The "trick" to eating really healthy is to make the most out of your daily caloric intake. For example, a 300 calorie meal could be a nutritionally void serving of white pasta and sauce or it could be a serving of brown rice with mixed vegetables and almonds, with and an apple on the side. It's a huge difference in the quantity of food, and overall nutritional profile. I will touch base on this topic in more detail next week.

The bottom line here, is that if you're having trouble shedding weight through your exercise regimen, the answer to your weight loss plateau may be rooted in the nutritional choices.

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Keeping High School Kids Healthy: What Parents Need to Know

Good grades and good times are important aspects of the high school years. However, parents need to play a strong role in ensuring their high school kids stay healthy. A lack of sleep and exercise, fatty snacks, and caffeine packed drinks don't produce a healthy teenager. Let's take a look at what parent can do to keep their high school sons and daughters in good health

Breakfast

don't let teenagers skip breakfast. Eating in the morning gets their metabolism going. What should they eat? How about some instant oatmeal, cream of wheat, fresh fruit, whole grain bagels, and/or low-fat yogurt.

Snacks

Snacking late at night puts on weight. The body's metabolism slows down during sleep, which causes much of the bedtime snack to be stored as fat. Fred Turek, professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology, showed that modifying the time people eat can greatly affect body weight. Mice that were fed a high-fat diet during normal sleeping hours had a 48 percent weight increase over their baseline, whereas the mice eating the same diet during normal waking hours gained just 20 percent over the baseline. There was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding the amount of activity or calorie consumption. Suggestion: Don't let teenagers have a late night snack!

Sleep

Many experts agree that teenagers need 9 hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, sleep isn't a major priority for busy high school students. To help ensure a good night sleep, teenagers should keep a regular bedtime. Most teens don't appreciate the benefits from sleep, such as improved mood, improved cognitive functioning, and better academic performance. The improved functioning gained from a good night sleep may actually off-set the additional sleep time. Also, insufficient sleep may cause a lack of motivation for studying.

To get a full nine hours, teenagers should avoid late night studying and caffeine drinks after 2 pm. They should begin winding down about an hour before bedtime. During this time they should avoid light sources, including looking directly into a computer screen or television. This also means no fast-paced video games in the late evening hours.

Many teens stay up late at night text messaging friends. A "no cell phone in the bedroom at night rule" may be unpopular with your teenager, but sleep is more important than unnecessary text messages.

Nutrition

Teenagers should eat a balance of vegetarian proteins or lean meats, whole grains, high fiber carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Teach your teens to eat only when they're hungry. Many teens eat due to boredom or stress.

Exercise

Experts suggest that teens get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day. They need a good balance of activities including aerobic, flexibility, and strength exercises. Some benefits teenagers gain from exercise are as follows:

• Building and maintaining healthy muscles, bones, and joints.


• Controlling weight.


• Reducing body fat.


• The production of endorphins, which help teenagers feel happy. Exercise can help teenagers who struggle with mild depression.


• Better sleep. However, teens should avoid exercising too close to bedtime.

Caffeine Energy Drinks

According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, some energy drinks contain a high amount of caffeine - many have almost double the amount of a cup of brewed coffee or over five times the amount found in a can of cola. These drinks have been linked to reports of abnormal heart rhythms, nausea, and emergency room visits.

The Journal of American College Health has published a report that links energy drinks, athletics, and risky behavior. Kathleen Miller, the author of the study and an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, says the study suggests high consumption of energy drinks is associated with "toxic jock" behavior; risky and aggressive behaviors including substance abuse, unprotected sex, and violence. The findings don't mean the energy drinks cause bad behavior, but, according to Kathleen Miller, "It appears the kids who are heavily into drinking energy drinks are more likely to be the ones who are inclined toward taking risks".

A pilot study that researched technology use and caffeine concluded that adolescents may be increasing their caffeine use (including energy drinks) to say awake, which can actually result in increased daytime sleepiness.

Most teenagers aren't too concerned about their health. Parents need to set rules to ensure their teens stay healthy. Set a "no cheese puffs/text messaging/caffeine cola/action video game before bedtime" rule!

Brian Jenkins writes about a variety of different career and education topics for BrainTrack.com. Check out BrainTrack's career planning guide to get your teenager thinking about the career path that's right for them.

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A Tip To Drastically Improve Your Triceps Kickback

There is a fantastic exercise called the triceps kickback. It's great for toning the underside of the arm (the triceps) which are notorious for well...Being flabby. It's only mid-February but it's not too early to prepare for tank top season, and last minute vacations to warmer destinations than cold, cold Toront

How To Do A Triceps Kickback

1. This exercise can be performed with one arm at a time, or both. If you have never tried this one before, or have any low back sensitivity, try one arm at a time.

2. Start by placing one knee and one hand (from the same side of the body) down onto a bench, the couch or a stability ball.

3. Your back should be really straight, parallel with the floor. The leg that is not resting on the bench is on the floor, stretched out of the way behind you. The free hand is holding a dumbbell, with the arm stretched down toward the floor.

4. Bring the elbow up as high as it can go but keep it close to your body. It should be able go higher than your back. Throughout the entire exercise the elbow will remain fixed in the position.

5. With the forearm only, bend back from the elbow as far as range of motion will allow, until the arm is straight out behind you.

This is a two arm triceps kickback.

1. For two arm, start with both feet together and knees slightly bend. Bend forward from the hips until your back is parallel to the floor. With a dumbbell in both hands, raise both elbows up and behind, higher then the level of your back. At the same time, bend the forearm back until both arms are straight out behind you.

What is wrong with the triceps kickback?

Unlike other triceps exercises such as: dips, skull crushers, push downs and overhead extensions, you are really fighting a resistance to move the weight. With the triceps kickback the most beneficial part of the exercise is at the very end of the movement, when the arm straightens.

At this point squeezing the triceps is how the exercise activates the muscle fibers. Even better, squeeze the muscle, and try to raise the whole arm just a little higher. I call this, "the kickback pump." You will see great results with this subtle adjustment!

Try It!

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Monday Motivation - Stay Focused

"A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it."
-Unknown Author

"Aim at the sun and you may not reach it; but your arrow will fly far higher than if you had aimed at an object on a level with yourself."
-F. Hawes

"Concentration is the secret of strength."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular."
-Tony Robbins

"We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right."
-Marianne Williamson

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Healthy Work Week Meal Plan Tips

Many people struggle with meal planning. This leads into missed breakfasts, nutrition deprived lunches, and fast food dinners.

Try these tips for more effective meal planning

1. Make Double

By making extra for dinner, you can easily save additional portions for work the next day. Soups, stews and grain dishes work really well here. If you pack leftovers to reheat the next day, a sandwich to eat on the go, and some fruit, you already have your work day covered!

2. Make a snack that will survive the week.

By preparing healthy muffins, hummus with cut veggies, and trail mix, you can easily grab and go any time during the week. If you do the prep work on a Sunday, then these in between meals are quick and ready for work, when you are!

3. Have breakfast laid out

Have your breakfast items on the counter, or pre-made in the fridge. I like the breakfast muesli. I prepare it the night before and when I'm ready to eat I just chop fruit in and add milk. If it's there waiting, you're going to eat it. It is just like putting your exercise clothes out the night before.

4. Make a plan

The most important part of the meal plan...Is the PLAN! Even a loose outline of how you would like to eat during the week will help significantly. Try to plan for meals that will last, can be saved, and require little to no prep time at work.

5. The lesser of two evils

There will be days when none of these tips will work. In the case of a failed fresh food day, grab a low cal frozen entree in the place of vending machine or food court fare. While the sodium will be high, and the food will be pumped with preservatives, it's going to be better than all of that anyway, in the food court portion sizes!

Working a 9-5 doesn't have to mean a lifetime of fast food and chocolate bars. If you truly want to improve your health, plan to eat well and put the time in to make it happen.

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Photo Caption Contest!

In preparation for swimsuit season, Swimtown Pools is urging individuals
to get up and get active with the Get Fit with Wii Fit and
Swimtown Pools Photo Caption Contest. Its a great way to get fit in
your own at home, similar to what Kaleena did!

The submission deadline for the The Get Fit with Wii Fit and
SwimtownPools.com Photo Caption Contest is February 21st, 2011. To enter
the pool caption contest, visit:
Photo Caption Contest

Updates on the contest can be found on the Swimtown Pools Facebook here:
Swimtown Facebook Page

For additional information, visit Swim Town Pools

Be creative, get fit and good luck!

Power Of Movement MEGA Yoga Session Fundraiser in Toronto

On February 27, 2011 I will be participating in a yoga fundraiser, to support arthritis and autoimmune research in Toronto. This fundraiser, organized by Power of Movement, is going on its fifth year. I'm very happy to be a part of it.

My fundraising goal is *very* modest. Please check out my pledge page and if you are able, make a small donation to support my practice.

Kaleena's Yoga Fundraising Pledge Page

Also, I encourage Torontonians and other Canadians (where Power of movement has organized a mega session) to join and be a part of this fantastic event. The mega session will be held at Ryerson University, led by Cynthia Funk from one of my favourite studios in Toronto, The Yoga Sanctuary.

However, anyone can get involved. By registering with Power of Movement for $5, you can participate online, and will receive a free one month subscription to My Yoga Online. This is a really cool site. Their best of the features include customized eight week yoga programs, and videos to help online students develop their practice.

Namaste!

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Fitness has gone mainstram and it's here to stay

Have you heard? Fitness has exploded in North America over the past five to ten years. It is easily considered a pillar in the average person's weekly wellness regimen.

I'm positive that many people will still picture a health club with a bunch of beefcakes on the free weights, weight loss hopefuls on the treadmill, and ladies with 2lb dumbbells in step class at the aerobic studio.

On the contrary, times have changed. With the implementation of age appropriate exercise, personal training and better programming, fitness has finally shed its image as an activity for the body obsessed, and is recognized for its other benefits such as stress management, vitality and longevity.

The industry has also been helped along by a not-so-gentle push from family doctors urging their patient's into the gym, by prescribing fitness to cure everything from reoccurring colds, high blood pressure and depression.

It's impossible to go out anymore, without seeing a yoga mat strapped to some one's back, or overhearing a group discussing their morning bootcamp. Fitness is everywhere and it's here to stay.

Not with the program?

No Problem!

Personal trainers can customize fitness programs based on age, goals, strengths and limitations. Trainers will work one-on-one with couples, children, groups of friends and even entire families.

Fitness studios offer specialty classes for men and women. Unlike the step aerobic classes of decades ago, classes are geared toward interests in the martial arts, dancing, and weight lifting.

Home DVDs such as p90X target a "hardcore" crowd. Various new fitness DVDs cater to a variety of interests from workouts off the reality show, "The Biggest Loser," to complete yoga practices that are so thorough, that you will forget that you're in the living room!

Outdoor activity is surging in popularity. It's not unusual anymore to go running on a Sunday afternoon or hit the boardwalk solo, for a bike ride.

Fitness is the backbone of health and wellness. There's literally hundreds of ways to make getting into shape fun, interesting and have it work for you, the way you like to exercise best.

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Monday Motivation - Quotes of Wisdom

"Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work of the soul, and good for either is the work of the other."

-Henry David Thoreau

"Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow."

-Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

"Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty."

-Frank Herbert

"The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile."

-Plato

"Excess on occasion is exhilirating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit."

-W. Somerset Maugham

"The vow that binds too strictly snaps itself."

-Alfred Lord Tennyson

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Budget Workouts To Get You FIT!

Not everyone wants to (or can) pay a small fortune to be fit. Here are five ways to work around the cost of fitness:

1. Special Offers

Many gyms, yoga studios and bootcamps offer free trials or low cost trial options, anywhere from one week to a month. Local deal finders such as Groupon, Living Social and Daily Deal Finder regularly offer fitness related savings.

2. Hiring a Personal Trainer

Personal training has evolved from a high priced celebrity status service, to the everyday crowd, cost effective way to get fit. In-home personal training is not expensive when you take into consideration that you do not need a gym membership, parking or equipment. Just hire the trainer, and we will provide the rest!

3. Body Weight Exercise

Even without a gym it is still possible to get into great shape by using your own body resistance. Exercises like push ups, squats and running up and down your stairs will get you fit really quickly. Using the body you are unhappy with, will give you the body of your dreams. Imagine that!

4. Outdoor Activity

By walking, running, cycling, Rollerblading, swimming and even tobogganing, you will see great results. The advantage of this budget approach to fitness is fresh air, scenery and the option to always try a new route and never get bored.

5. A Home Gym

Having a home gym doesn't mean buying thousands of dollars in expensive equipment. Simply owning a couple of free weights, a mat and stability ball will do the job nicely. Having a home gym is convenient. The equipment is always there, so put on the music and get to work!

Getting fit does not have to be expensive. Everyone should exercise, and anyone can!

Get Fit!

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Yoga Studio Review Toronto

It seems like I have been doing a lot of reviews lately. I have to say, I've really been getting out there, and trying many new activities. My latest mission is to find the ideal yoga studio to make myself at home in, for my regular practice.

I have tried three so far:

I AM Yoga at Yonge and Charles

I AM yoga is a hot yoga studio, which blends the traditional Bikram style poses, into the flow of a fast paced vinyasa style practice. Out of all hot yoga studios, I'm convinced these classes would make me sweat even without the heat. The studio itself totes heated wooden floors. In the evening it is not unusual for the staff to make good use of the huge windows overlooking Yonge Street, by having students walk into a candlelit studio. The staff are helpful and friendly. The teachers are fun and knowledgeable. A+ Experience!

Moksha Hot Yoga Studio at Danforth and Chester

Moksha has similar poses to Bikram, except the classes change and are a little bit more playful. Classes at Moksha range from their signature hot Moksha practice, vinyasa flow to reduced heat yin, focusing on deep stretching. The yin class was the most mentally challenging practice I had ever been to. By the end I fell asleep in savasana, and felt totally at ease in my mind, body and soul. The classes start in savasana. At first this seemed strange to me. I was worried I'd be tired to do the class but after a few, I really enjoyed the pre-class reflection. The teachers were phenomenal. I learned a lot there. My only "complaint" was that the change rooms are tiny! Grade A Studio!1

Yoga Sanctuary at Danforth and Broadview

This school has a studio on both floors, the upper being heated. After coming from hot yoga studios I was expecting hot yoga in the heated studio. This is not the case. However, the vinyasa classes I tried out there were BY FAR the most practice progressing classes I have attended to date. I learned how to do a lot of neat tricks. The most notable being an unassisted headstand! Seriously! At this studio I also took a couple vinyasa and one hatha class in the normal studio. The hatha was really not my thing at all! I don't think the class was "bad." It was just really fluffy. The two vinyasa classes were a little uninspired but the actual instruction was really well executed. The teacher made some adjustments on my poses that I will take with me forever.

I have come to the realization that even though I enjoyed sweating in hot yoga, I'm convinced that a "true" yoga studio will be more progressive and ultimately better for fitness. The hot yoga studios don't really try to improve your practice, relying on the sweating as their selling point. When it comes down to it, I sweat in a sauna, and when I eat soup. Sweat really isn't an indicator of hard work. Hard work is how I felt after the first vinyasa class in the heated studio at Yoga Sanctuary. Plus, I have to wonder how it would be to do hot yoga in the summer.

My quest continues...

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