Bootcamp Helps You Workout Smarter Not Longer

When it comes to changing up your body for the better, the key word is
intensity, the amount of effort you’re putting into your program, from changing the routine to kicking it up a bit.

Paul Katami runs a highly successful Group Exercise Program. Katami says just because you go to the gym doesn’t mean your workout is a success.

“I say all the time in class, ‘Stop making your grocery list in your head while you’re working out,’” said Katami. “Because your central nervous system actually connects the brain to the muscle while you’re working, so you really want to make sure that when you’re working that muscle that you’re connected to it and that you’re telling it to work and to drive.”

For more information on fitness and nutrition check out Lori Corbin @ www.facebook.com/FoodCoach

Get Out!

For the summer months it’s a great idea to move your workout outside. There are numerous benefits to working out in the fresh air, for example, you’ll get a better workout, it adds variety to your routine and it’s free!

Read more in the Vancouver Sun by clicking here.

5 Ways to Beat Stress

Here are five super-simple things you can try to achieve a more relaxed state:

1. Guided Imagery – Guided imagery harnesses the power of the mind to distract you from negative feelings or situations to produce a feeling of relaxation. It involves sitting quietly, breathing deeply and imagining yourself in a place that is relaxing, tapping into all of your senses to experience this place in your mind. With practice, you can return to this place of calm simply by recalling it.
2. Laughter – When you laugh, your oxygen intake increases, stimulating the heart, lungs and muscles and increasing endorphin levels in the body, which help elevate mood, reduce blood pressure and promote relaxation. Watch a funny movie, read comics or share jokes. Lighten up and lose the stress by making humour part of every day.
3. Music – Listening to music is known to calm brain waves, slow breathing and heart rate, lower blood pressure, release muscle tension, reduce anxiety and create a more positive frame of mind. Play music for a calmer workplace, a more enjoyable commute or to unwind after work.
4. Exercise – Exercise decreases levels of stress hormones like cortisol while stimulating the release of endorphins and other chemicals associated with feelings of well-being, like serotonin and dopamine. Feel happier now by stepping out for a brisk walk.
5. Yoga – The practice of yoga offers the combined benefits of controlled breathing, meditation, stretching and guided imagery. Its practice lowers heart rate and blood pressure, improves strength and flexibility and reduces anxiety and tension. Best of all, it’s accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

Read more articles like this at www.wellness-matters.ca

How Stressed Are You Really

Do you ever find yourself moving from one event to the next, never really having time to reflect on what you’ve just been through, whether good or bad? Sometimes we’re moving so quickly that we don’t realize how much stress we’re carrying around in our bodies. In the Women’s Health Encyclopaedia they’ve developed a stress test where you assign points to events that have happened in your life in the last year.

Take the test, add up the points and see where your stress level is at. Check off the vents that have happened to you in the past 12 months. Each successive event will add to your stress level and risk of illness. Once you have your total, check the scoring below to determine whether your stress is manageable or if you should seek some help to cope with the stressors in your life—and avoid future health problems.

Rank                Event                     Points

1. Death of a spouse or partner…….100
2. Divorce………………………………….73
3. Marital Separation…………………..65
4. Prison Term……………………………63
5. Death of a family member…………63
6. Personal Injury………………………53
7. Marriage 50 8. Loss of job………..47
9. Marital Reconciliation……………..45
10. Retirement…………………………..45
11. Change in health of family
       member……………………………….44
12. Pregnancy …………………………..40
13. Sexual Problems……………………39
14. Gain new family member………..39
15. Changes at work or
       in business…………………………..39
16. Change in financial
       circumstances ……………………..39
17. Death of a close friend …………..37
18. Change to new line of work……..36
19. Change in frequency of
        arguments with spouse
        or partner…………………………..35
20. Having a large mortgage……….33
21. Child leaves home………………..29
22. Trouble with in-laws…………….29
23. Outstanding personal 
       achievement……………………….28
24. Spouse or partner begins
       or ends work……………………….26
25. Begin or finish school…………..26
26. Change in living conditions…..25
27. Change in personal habits…….24
28. Trouble with employer………..23
29. Change in working hours
        or conditions…………………….20
30. Moving house……………………20
31. Moving school……………………20
32. Change in recreation…………..19
33. Change in religious activity….19
34. Change in social activity……..18
35. Having a small mortgage…….17
36. Change in sleeping habits…….16
37. Change in number of
        family Get-togethers………….15
38. Change in eating habits……….15
39. Going on holiday……………….13
40. Christmas/holiday
        season…………………………….12
41. Minor law violation……………11

0 to 100 points: Low stress rarely causes problems. At 100 points, there is a small risk of illness occurring over the next two years.

100-200 points: Moderate stress carries a 10 to 35 percent increase to the risk of an illness occurring over the next two years.

200-300 points: High stress carries a 35 to 50 percent increase to the risk an illness will develop over the next two years.

300-plus points: With extremely high stress, there is an 80 to 90 percent change of illness over the next two years.

I Just Don’t Have The Time…

How many times have I heard this excuse, but I just don’t have the time for exercise. Well, somehow we find time to watch Gray’s Anatomy or the new season of Lost so why is it so hard to find time for exercise, something that will actually improve our quality of life?

One way to make time for fitness, is be efficient with your time while you’re working out. It’s a lot easier to make time for 45 minutes or one hour at the gym than for one and a half hours or even two hours. Here are some tips on how to keep your time lean.

1. La-de-da Syndrome. If you’re not working hard enough to break a sweat or get your heart rate within the optimal range than you’re wasting your time. If you’re trying to maximize time at the gym, work at a higher intensity for a shorter time. If you can get and stay near 85% of your target heart rate, you’ll accomplish more for your total fitness.

2.What do I do next? Get a plan and stick to it. Never, and I repeat never show up at a gym not knowing you’re work out plan. Would you ever do a presentation at work without first having a plan…

3. Is this how you do it? If you aren’t doing your exercises right or aren’t sure if your form is good, then you’re wasting your time. This is your body we’re talking about let’s not play the guessing game. Invest in a personal trainer to get you started and you’ll be amazed at the difference.

4. Leave the cell phone off and put the ipod in: When you’re working out it’s not the time to be socializing. While it’s good to workout in a class or with a friend just make sure it’s not just your mouths getting the workout.

5. Doing the same thing over and over again: If you’re working out consistently vary your exercise program every six to eight weeks . This is enough time for the body to benefit from the routine without getting complacent.

6. Watching TV or reading: If you’re not concentrating on your workout then you’re not working out. If you need a diversion to make it through your session on the elliptical machine, try music. Music can invigorate your workout.

7. Don’t Diddle Daddle: Don’t rest for too long, you’re machine is being used…no excuse, do something to keep your heart rate up. If you keep resting for  long of periods of time you’ll lose the benefits.

8.If you’re not a body builder don’t work out like one: How are you supposed to fit in separate exercises for your biceps, triceps, deltoids and lats when you only have 30 minutes to work out? For body-builders, concentrating on two or three muscle groups per session might be fine, but this doesn’t work for the average person. There’s not enough time to get to all the muscle groups in three 30-minute sessions a week. Instead choose exercises that use several muscle group,like squats and push-ups. You’ll get a better workout in less time and you’ll also be training the muscles you use more on a daily basis.

9.Have your gym clothes ready: If your running around the house trying to find your workout pants then your wasting precious time that you could be spending at the gym. Have your clothes ready to go, you don’t want to be stressed for time at the gym this will hamper your ability to concentrate on your workout.

10. Working out at the end of your day: Now for some people there’s no choice you can only go to the gym after work,however, studies show that the earlier in the day people work out the more likely they are to stick to their routine.

De-Tox: Is It Really Necessary?

 

The organ responsible for keeping your blood clean is the liver. The liver not only cleanses the blood but it also regulates blood sugar, stores fat, breaks down hormones and drugs, regulates cholesterol and manufactures bile – which eliminates toxic substances from the body and helps with digestion.

So the question is do we really need to spend time and money on de-tox cleanses, not to mention the discomfort of going through one? According to medical research done by gastroenterologists and hepatologists the best way to de-tox is to take care of your liver, which means eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly,maintaining a healthy weight, avoid heavy drinking of alcohol, avoid taking excess medications, don’t mix alcohol and medications, and avoid getting hepatitis infections (vaccines are available).

If de-toxing isn’t your idea of a good time, then rest easy know that by taking care of your general overall health you are also protecting your liver which will take care of the de-tox for you.

Looking for an Easy Way to Cut Calories?

According to an 18 month study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 20 percent of the participant’s daily caloric intake came from beverages. This research suggestions that beverages such as juice (sweetened and unsweetened), alcohol, pop and specialty coffee drinks are accounting for too much of the total percentage of our daily calorie intake. For instance, 3 drinks can add up to 350 calories or more per day.

Dieticians are suggesting that cutting out these sugary beverages could be a significant first step in weight reduction. According to the study, participants who cut out just one sugary beverage a day lost about one pound of body weight in 6 months, and one and a half pounds in 18 months. This may not seem like much but if you can get results by just cutting out one drink a day imagine if you coupled this with an exercise routine and then gradually replaced those sugary drinks with water you could quickly start seeing results.

Tips to losing weight that actually work!

It’s simpler than you think.

12 simple tips that will help you lose weight and get in shape.

1. Set realistic and attainable goals
2. Gradual changes over time lead to noticable results
3. Don’t starve yourself
4. Eat more and weigh less – eat small healthy meals more often
5. Never skip breakfast
6. Write down everything you eat
7. Eat enough quality protien
8. Consume Fiber
9. Cut out processed foods
10. Drink water
11. Exercise: Cardio
12. Exercise: Strength Training

If you would like more information check out my website at www.newbeginngsfitenss.ca or contact me anytime.

Start out small…

Eating Healthy

According to Canada’s Food Guide, we should eat fruits and vegetables from all of the colour groups: Reds, Greens, Blues, Whites and Yellows. Such fruits as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, apples, cherries and veggies such as beets and red peppers are coloured by pigments called anthocyanins, which act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. They also contain high levels of Vitamin C that can help our bodies fight viral flu and colds. Fruits and vegetables as sweet potato, pumpkin, grapefruit, and pineapple juice offer the benefit of Vitamin B which contains folate and folic acid to help produce red blood cells, and niacin to help convert the food we eat into the energy.

Many of us seem to have a hard time keeping up our intake of fruits and vegetables, 3-5 servings a day of vitamin packed fruits and veggies seems totally impossible when you’re working and raising a family. Instead of trying to completely change how you eat, start out small. Gradually add more fruits and veggies to your daily diet. If you don’t currently eat any fruits or vegetables in a day try adding one or two servings. Create attainable goals for yourself instead of trying to change everything all at once as this may get too overwhelming.

The importance of nutrition…

 

If you need to lose weight and get in shape, you absolutely must have a plan in regards to your nutrition. A new study suggests that it’s your diet that plays a major role in how much weight you gain regardless of how much you exercise. (Full article)

When you sign on for personal training with New Beginnings you will also get a nutritional plan, one that is customized for you.

Nutritional Planning 101:

One Year Meal Plan – customized specifically for you, based on your goals, age, weight, body fat percentage, gender and food preferences.

Recipes – easy to prepare meals based on your food choices, with fast food(as in quick to make) and dessert options.

Shopping List – to make shopping easy.  It includes a list of all your ingredients daily/ weekly/ biweekly/ etc. If you have kids this will also be taken into consideration.

Starter booklet – information to help you understand what you will need to do in order to realize your goals.

Journal – to track your daily exercise, nutrition and keep you organized.

Coaching – guidance, motivation and encouragement provided throughout the program for both your eating plan and exercise routine.

Visit www.newbeginningsfitness.ca for more information.