Plea To Participate!

It is not often, I ask for your help to commit to a charity event. However, this event, although in existence a long time, has taken on a greater significance to us this year. I hope you can help.

TEAM Fitness is very excited to offer our support to the new directors of this years TERRY FOX Run! Shane and Lisa Worman came on as clients after winning our yearly Relay for Life top fund raiser prize, 3 years ago. They’ve been clients ever since. Both cancer survivors and wonderful community ambassadors, they have now taken on a wonderful yet, daunting cause.
With our help and yours we can help raise the awareness and participaton of this years Terry Fox Event. Help us help Shane and Lisa be a force for the cure.
Gather your family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. Spread the word and our story to bring this event back. Attendance is key to raise the awareness and funds.
If you are in town, we are counting on you, heck we’re expecting you to participate. Please step up and step out with your sneakers and your cheque book. Together we can launch our new directors on their first run with significant support! Thank you all for coming out! But, if you are out of town and can’t be with us please pledge CLICK HERE to make a donation to our team.
OR BETTER STILL
JOIN OUR TEAM HERE

Although I’ve never drank a cup of coffee, my black tea intake in a day is up there with the coffee addicts. Tea is steeped full of health benefits and their role in lowering the risk of heart disease and of a number of types of cancers is now evident. However,there in lies some nasty tanins in our tea. These polyphenol compounds can bind to iron and inhibit its’absorption. Particularly non-hemme (found in everything except red meat) iron.

So if you have poor iron levels, we encourage you to eat foods that boost iron absorption such as V-C rich foods, lean meats, fish and poultry and more importantly avoid drinking tea with your meal.

Banana dogs! Who knew? Need a quick on the go idea for you (and you know who your are) or your child’s breakfast. toast a whole wheat hotdog bun, toss in a banana and smear a tbls of peanut butter on and you’re good to go. Wash it down with a glass of 1/% milk and you’ve covered all basis. let me know if it’s a hit!

At midnight last night, I was not altogether too excited about riding to work @ 6:30am. The past week has been a full one, with time restraints, deadlines and obligations my life ramped up several notches. I’ve felt as though on ’speed’ all week. Fyi, in actuality, i’ve never been on ’speed’. Nonetheless, the thought of dragging myself out earlier than ususal, in the cold, without my mug of piping tetly and oatmeal to go was to say the least an unpleasant one.

Surprisngly, when morning finally came, I got so busy I didn’t have time to think about my thoughts of midnight past. I busted a move and before I knew it I was on my saddle, bag over shoulder, sun beaming on me and a chinook like breeze making my cheeks flush. I pinned my pedals with a pretty fine glow from the inside out. Who new?

This feeling is all too familiar and has occured long before today, when I saddle up to ride the trails, or hit the tarmac for that matter. I just never figured that a simple excursion to work would bring me the same simple pleasures as an adventure in the kelowna hills.

So, give it a go this week. Get on your bike. Ride it to work and enjoy a simple pleasure that will start your day on a high.

Follow some of these tips to keep stress levels low and the commute an enjoyable one:

~Have a pack or pannier dedicated to work only. That way you can leave things in it that are required on both ends regularly.

~Ensure the pack has more room than not. Chances are it may be lighter going or coming but atleast you have the room to add extra ’stuff’ to bring home or that you need to leave at work.

~Leave an extra pair of shoes and change of clothes for a save the day. You may need only one item, or if you were late getting out the door you can save some time by wearing the default change already waiting for you at work.

~Ride in your work clothes. Unless, you are working on a fitness ride to work, it may not be necessary to have a change of clothes. Although maybe not as comfortable, riding in civies is perfectly acceptable. You may want to invest in some clips for the bottom of your pants to keep them from getting caught in the chain.

~Invest in a good lock and use it every time!

~Prepare the night before: pack your bag and all that needs to be in
it, make your lunch, check your bike (particularly tires)and even prep your breakfast. This will ensure your morning stress levels are not triggered.

~Commit to the mind set and the lifestyle change. This is what you will do this week and hopefully more weeks to come. Buy into it and be accountable to ‘you’. You are doing a great service to your well being let alone the environment.

~And finally; spend the money saved on gas on your bike, gear and accessories till you have all that you need. There is nothing better than having all the right ’stuff’ to make your commute a great experience. Our friends at Union Cycle can help with that.

There you go. I would love to hear your bike to work/workout experiences. Share your comments below and thanks for keeping the earth green and your body prime!

Mother Knows Best

I’ve spent months talking to mom’s in our community about their obstacles, barriers and excuses that prevent them from taking action on healthy living practices; regular exercise, rest and mindful nutrition. This mom’s threw the book at me. But for every excuse they conjured up, there evolved a solution.

I didn’t say the solutions were going to be easy to accomplish, only that it was doable. Here lies the challenge. Most of the solutions required a change in habits, thinking and mental state. And for the record, it was the moms who came up with the solutions. I just asked the right questions.

Change is difficult for us all. Routine is easy, comfortable and familiar. But what if routine is not having you live the life that brings out the best in you so you may give your best to your family? To quote Dr. Phil “how’s it working for you so far?”

Just the thought of change is enough to escalate stress hormones. But if you really want to augment your healthy living plan you have to stop contemplating and start preparing. The preparation stage is an invitation to figure out what you want to change, gather knowledge and support, and implement your strategies and solutions.

These moms re-claimed their lives, time, energy and health first and foremost when they stopped over-scheduling their kids. Most importantly, their parenting skills soared along with their family relationships. Activities that have mom running from one end of town to the other dropping one child off only to burn rubber in the opposite direction to gather the other just dropped off, were eliminated or replaced by selections that have the flexibility to also accommodate mom’s lifestyle needs.

Realizing they did not have to be at every practice, they used that time for their own fitness. If the program commanded their presence they picked another one that allowed them the freedom to claim that time for themselves, or they engaged in fitness within the surroundings of their child’s event.

Weekend tournament nightmares were avoided by saying ‘no’. This meant opting for rec not select programs. Leave select for the latter years. Early morning practices before school! What were you thinking? Grade schooler’s and moms need sleep. Agreements were made for weekend only early am practices along with night before structure of no activities, early bedtime and only one early week day practice per week.

Dry land training for 8 year olds was ditched for skateboard parks, a game of grounders, family swims and bowling! That’s called play. More fun and less expensive!

Programs that push dinner to 7pm and bedtime seldom before 9 were punted to show respect to family values, teachers who school your children and to parents who need quality time to manage a house, their relationship and of course their personal wellness.

When children rested, so did mom. They surrendered to a less than perfect house.

Some used the money saved from less programming toward occasional big job housekeeping!

These mom’s now empower their children to participate in yard work and household chores right along with them, so that they can all get out the door for a family swim, bike or trip to the park.

These moms are a leading example in showing their children that mom’s wellness is not more important but as important as theirs! Their children will grow into adults who share these same values breeding healthy families and communities.

Let this be your mother’s day gift this year. Get out the stroller, bikes, skates, toboggans, backpacks and do it early in your child’s life. Even our little people quickly become creatures of habit and they will resist you over and over again until you positively show them how much more fun it will be to be with you than wii, xbox or Harry Potter (unless they are snuggled up with you and a hardcover copy).

When all else fails in getting your family on board with the change, tell them ‘mother knows best’

Everybody is on a diet. Some diets are just better than others. One of the difficulties in maintaining a healthy diet today is due to the abundant temptations and opportunities for overindulgence of food. Good food…really good food. When all of the choices and quantity is under your nose, how do you say no? The reality of it all is that one-day it will catch up with you. You will look back and wonder where the extra 20 or more pounds came from. By then you may not have the health or fitness to assist in the weight loss and your battle with food will take on a new dimension.

If you want to drastically lower your risk of lung cancer you would avoid smoking altogether. If you wanted to retire by the age of 55 you would live with less now to live with more then. If you want to get the best resale price on a car you have to treat it like it is always up for sale until the time actually comes to sell it. Preventive behaviour is also the answer for keeping a healthy weight throughout your life.

Eating Out
It happens all the time. Not just at restaurant but business functions, barbecues, coffee breaks, pot lucks, bridge, meetings. The temptations are everywhere. Eating away from home can undermine the most determined. When you are with friends and family, split orders. Meals are far too large for what most require. When splitting plates is not appropriate, such as a business meeting order half sizes or appetizer choices in place of a main course. Select a setting that offers a calorie conscious menu and avoid places that present an abundance of showcase indulgences that are calling your name as you are being seated. Stay away from fast food venues. If it can’t be helped, help yourself by choosing small sizes and fewer items. Make a promise to yourself at a buffet to have only one desert accompanied by fresh fruit for the filler. Treat yourself to Sunday brunch only once a year and go wild. Choose roasted, baked, broiled or grilled and seldom fried. Always ask for your dressing on the side. Avoid the dip sauce when ordering pizza…what were they thinking?

Skipping Meals
Try not to ever skip a meal. Especially breakfast. A growling stomach can overpower the strongest will. Smart snacks in between meals keeps the hunger at bay so you eat more sensibly at mealtime. It is also a way to keep not only your physical energy up but also your mental discipline. Don’t be afraid of self-talk. It is amazing what you can talk yourself out of or into.

Lead us not into temptation
If you are struggling with diet and weight loss, why even put yourself in a situation where you are fighting for control. Avoid situations that make it more challenge than you can handle. Never shop on an empty stomach, or let yourself become so hungry that you want to eat the box the food came in. Eat dinner before a party so you avoid snacking on junk all night. Avoid more than one alcoholic drink on a school night. You know the drill. Be conscious of what you are doing with food and drink by paying attention.

Get a life
Really. Being busy especially active hobbies helps keep the unwanted pounds at bay. Be an active participant in your own life and many of your issues with eating will miraculously get pretty slim.

February is the month of ‘love’…so here is my input for you on the love for exercise and self

The question really isn’t do you love to exercise? We know most of you don’t. But, do you love and respect yourself? Putting your health and well being on the top of your list may not be easy however, if you give more to yourself, you will be more and ultimately give more to everything in your world. Here’s my take on the self love approach.

Six years ago I read ‘Smart Women Finish Rich’ by David Bach. This book inspired me to change my financial habits. My new behaviour, principles, practises and strategies toward money changed my financial well-being and thus my life. So much so, that I adapted many of those principles into my lifestyle coaching methods with my clients.

Bach reminded me that I need to be responsible for ‘me’. I need to ensure that I live within my means, seek the right professionals, ask many questions to make informed choices and take the right action steps. The most important one; to pay myself first and believe that I deserved it.

You deserve to be healthy and live in the best state of well being possible. You can achieve this if you pay yourself first! Not with money but with time. Time spent enhancing your well being. My sage-bach principle suggests you allocate 10% of your waking time toward your well being: body, mind and spirit.

The average adult is awake approximately 15 hours each day. Allocate 10% of that time or 90 minutes to body, mind & spirit. Activity is such a way of life for me and I do ‘love’ it. When I am physically active my mind and spirit soar by default.

Yoga is an obvious activity that meets more than the physical, but trail riding on my bike keeps my spirit youthful. I find solitude, have had some of my most creative ideas and greatest moments of self awareness while hiking. I also like to read and write and ‘just be’, so I’m aware of opportunities in my day that I can achieve my 10%. This time doesn’t have to be solo time although I encourage you to make time for that too. When I include people I love in these activities my return doubles!

You have to be mindful, financially creative and disciplined to pay yourself first. The same applies when you ‘time’ yourself first. Try meeting your 10% while nurturing the other values in your life, like time with kids, friendships, faith, career, your garden, hobbies etc. A block of 90 minutes is not always necessary nor possible. Snippets throughout the day serve the same purpose, just work at building to 90 minutes each day.

Next time you drop the kids at the pool, stick around, swim for fitness, join the kids in the hot tub and make your exit. Let your teens take a bus to give you an extra 45 minutes of ‘me’ time. Eat at your desk and meet up with a co-worker or friend for a 30 minute power walk during your lunch break.

The challenge is to be aware of the time that is before you. You teach your children the importance of money. Lead by example and show them your physical activity and health is as important. Child activity programs are great. Do the same for yourself. It can be done. Turn off the TV. Avoid over scheduling your family. Re-visit your values and goals and most of all make changes, don’t just talk about them.

When you give at the very least 30 minutes every day to your physical body, your reward is instant! What else does that for you? Be consistent with that and the time you thought you didn’t have to exercise will suddenly appear now that you have the energy, strength, stamina, focus and overall feeling of wellness to give to all. A little bit of self love spills over in abundance to everyone around you. So, go on ‘feel the love’.

Christmas Day is over! However, the holiday threats to our lifestyle still challenge us! The invitiations for more gatherings are eminent. A few more tips to keep you on track.

6. Set yourself up for success:
Eat before you arrive at your social event.
Bevy up with soda between or to replace alcohol drinks(use a wine glass so friends don’t hastle you to have a ‘real’ drink)
Self assess your fullness factor then remove yourself from whatever keeps finding its’ way to your mouth
Keep your menu simple opting for only one indulgences per meal
If you can’t be successful avoid the invite altogether or take someone who will help you be accountable!

7. No Nonsense Nutrition: follow the golden rules
Use a small plate
Fill your plate and belly first with salads, veggies and fruit followed by a lean protein
Avoid pre dressed salads and condiments
No fried foods… period
Appie or desert but not both
Split a meal with your mate
Drink water before and during courses

8. Be Accountable:
You are your biggest critic but not always the best at being accountable to. Find someone to help keep you on track and check in weekly with them. When you feel pressured by hosts, tell them your on “weight watchers”. We all need the support for our challenges. So ask for it and accept it.

9. Strength In Numbers:
“ Few things affect how successful you will be as much as the people with whom you surround yourself”
Tony Robbins ~ Awaken The Giant Within
Support is all good and well, however it needs to be the right kind. You’ve heard the expression “you want to be a cowboy, hang with cowboys” Well the same is true for any association. If you want to live healthier and be slimmer, hang out with healthy slim people and watch and model their behaviour. You will be successful by default!

10. Clean House:
Purge the clutter that distracts you fromy truly living an active and healthy existence! People, stuff, procrastinated projects, pantry and your fridge!

11. “What the mind can conceive the body can achieve” Napoleon Hill:
Time to get rid of the ’stinkin thinkin’. Consider where you want your health and lifestyle to be this time next year. Get a clear picture in your mind’s eye. Do it today and get to work on it. We’ll be here every step of the way to keep you accountable and on track!

12. …and Finally: Be Prepared

….To blow it now and then. Forgive yourself, take action and pull it together. Now get off this thing and make something happen!

STAY IN TOUCH BECOME A FACEBOOK FAN

By TwitterButtons.com

The Christmas Holidays are a challenging time to avoid temptations, be true to your lifestyle savvy and make time for what should come first all year round…Your Health.

Here are a few strategies to help you be successful right through till the New Year.

1. No day but today to Take Charge. If you have a solid routine of fitness and healthy eating practises ’stick with the plan’. If not, spend an hour looking at the week ahead of you and figure it out before it disfigures you! Follow the golden rules: exercise, eat right and get plenty of rest! Take charge of your thinking, your schedule and your behaviour. Every choice you make has a consequence. Manage your choices well and the consequences will be favourable to your waistline, energy and sanity.

2. Be present. You need to be ‘in the ‘now’ to make decisions about the now. Take care of each day as it unfolds. Be conscious of distractions that challenge your consuption of food and beverage.

3. Know the right choice and make it. Yes, that means keep learning what is what about the food you consume, the impact it has on your health and weight and the tactics of activity that will allow you to keep your temple energized and stoic to the stresses of the season.

4. Learn to say NO to the excessiveness the holidays tempt you with. However, when you do choose to participate, bring the grown up to the party and invite him/her to stay. When the child appears unannounced take him home early and put him straight to bed.

5. Be prepared. You don’t want to wake up with a coulda, shoulda, woulda hangover. Arriving fashionably late and eating before you leave has you avoiding the lavish foods that set you backwards and wear clothes that fit so you’ll feel it when your full. Plan your course for the evening , do not succumb to peer pressure and have an exit plan. If you are the host, let your guests dictate their own agenda and don’t pressure them, have low cal options avalable and non alcoholic choices for the DD.

These will get you started. Stay tuned for the Part II.

“What we call failure is not the the falling down, but the staying down” Mary Pickford

We’ve all attempted at one time or another to succeed at a lifestyle change. Lose weight, get our 8 hours sleep, stop smoking, eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce fat in our diet, take our vitamins daily, floss daily, the list is endless.

No matter what you have tried and failed at, let it not defeat you from trying once again. The past 8 weeks Team Fitness Personal Training facilitated a lifestyle challenge. Inspired by the biggest loser this challenge didn’t resemble the reality TV program in any fashion. Much more than a weight loss camp, our challengers busted poor lifestyle habits, discovered fitness benchmarks and then worked at improving those scores. They became educated on nutrition and most of all they became accountable to themselves, not a couple of hard nosed trainers looking for TV ratings.

Some excelled and had weekly success while others struggled daily. Congratulations to those who excelled. You are to be commended. Those who fell short of their goals however; you need not despair. Everything that you learned along the way is in your archive and can be pulled out in a heart beat to be used when you pick yourself back up, regroup and set the next goal of lifestyle change.

If you stay down and never attempt to reach the lifestyle goals you set, that will be considered failure. Every day is a new day for new beginnings, new triumphs, perhaps another failed attempt. Nonetheless, each time you pick yourself back up is one more success than the day before.

So, keep working toward positive lifestyle change. One day you will reach the goal, check it off your list and start on the next one. We look forward to encouraging you onward and sharing in your next triumph!

I keep hearing the same line over and over…can we do more abs, I want to work on my stomach! I need to lose this fat around me waist!
Sure, we can work on the abs, but if you are looking to reduce the fat in the stomach, copious sit ups, curl ups, planks and tucks are not going to have your fat dissolving if those exercises are not preceded or followed-up by an exercise and active life that sees you using up more calories than you consume in a day.

If not….you will have some mighty strong abs under a belly of mush! Make no mistake, if you have a girth measure greater than 102cm (men) and 88cm (women) even if you are doing ab exercises there is absolutely no way…none…nada…that even though your belly is hard as a rock that the bulge in front is MUSCLE! Its fat, plain and simple, lots of it. The belly is hard because the skin is stretched so tight around the fat. This is more typical in men than women.

Excessive abdominal work with a heavy load up front places an overload risk on the spine. You are under great risk for back injury. Moreover; having a high proportion of abdominal fat is a powerful risk factor for diabetes.

If you are short for time and your goal is weight loss and you wish to maximize the burning of fat, I would encourage you to skip the ab section and replace it with cardio time. All modes of aerobic exercise use abdominal stabilizers, flexors and lateral flexors. When you are doing cardio you are functionally training the abdominals aswell. Double bang for your breath and you’ll start to see that waistline get trimmer!