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Silver Icing Blog : Tips from a Personal Trainer

Get Ready for Weight Gain Season!

Whether you are ready for it or not, there's no denying the season is here. Retailers are already starting to inundate consumers with holiday advertising. And, that means another less desirable season is upon us- extra pounds season -- the time of year when a vast number of people pack on weight and inches.
Don't be one of the statistics this year. Prepare now for the season of indulgence and avoid it sneaking up on you. Right now is the time to put a game plan in place. If you wait until the season is in full swing, it will be increasingly more challenging to make good choices. Being proact ive is always more successful then reacting.
So take time today to create your game plan. It isn't complicated nor is it time-consuming. Take 15 to 30 minutes today to develop your outline. You can break it into three critical parts: what you eat, how you move and chaos reduction.
What you eat.
Just because you choose to be a mindful eater during the holidays doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself. While the old saying "everything in moderation" may sound like a broken record, it is absolutely accurate.
• When faced with a buffet, three points can help keep you on track. Choose a small plate which will automatically limit your quantity. Mentally divide your plate into four equal parts: one part should be filled with veggies, another with lean protein (like skinless turkey), a third part with fruits, and the final part with an indulgence (a cookie or brownie, etc). And, don't allow yourself more than one trip through the buffet line.
• The temperatures are chilly, the seasonal music is playing in the background - the perfect setting for a cozy, hot drink. But beware of these comfort drinks. Many coffee drinks are overflowing with empty calories. Even if you choose only a small sized sweet concoction, you most likely will drink the equivalent amount of calories as is found in an entire healthy meal. Alternatively, try a coffee with almond milk, stevia sweetener and a dash of cinnamon.
• Spend 30 minutes one weekend cutting up vegetables for quick on-hand snacks. Choose your favorites from carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, snap peas, etc. Have them washed, cut and placed in airtight containers. Keep some at home in the fridge and bring some to work with you. When the munchies come on, grab a container first before diving for the holiday cookies and snacks.
• Start a new tradition: Healthy holiday recipe exchange. Instead of the traditional cookie exchange or sweet treat preparation party, challenge friends and family to makeover a favorite holiday recipe. These days it is rather easy to search the Internet to find a healthy alternative recipe for one of your favorite holiday treats. Have everyone share a sample of their healthy treat along with the full recipe.
How you move.
• Most clubs and fitness professionals will confess that December often is the slowest time of year for new members. Yet joining a club, training with a trainer or joining a new class during the holidays can be a major advantage in your fight against holiday bulge. Seriously consider this option. You may even find that paying for a membership is a major exercise motivator.
• Exercise less. That's not a typo. Who couldn't use a little more free time to get their holiday to-do list completed? Decreasing your weekly exercise time can be beneficial at this time of year, with one caveat. You must increase the intensity. For example, if you run for one hour three times per w eek at a consistent, comfortable pace instead try decreasing to just 20-30 minutes but use an Interval Training technique. This technique requires that you push toward your maximum heart rate for short bursts throughout the entire workout along with periods of slower recovery. You will burn significant calories while also freeing up time for some of the holiday perks.
• Trick your muscles. If you indulge a little during these holiday weeks, you'll want ammunition to help fight against those extra calories. Breaking from your normal strength training routine can help confuse your muscles, which is a good thing. It can make your workouts more efficient. So, change up your strength program with different exercises, different equipment, different weight sizes or all of the above.
Eliminate the chaos that often comes at this time of year.
You do not have to be a seer to know that stress has a direct link to weight issues. Stress, of course, can lead to overeating. Also, stress alone has been linked to weight gain in some studies. How is this related to the holidays? Remember, that stress is your enemy in the weight gain battle so you must keep it in check.
• Many find themselves with more obligations this time of year. Don't let yourself feel overwhelmed. Cross items off your list that just aren't a necessity for your holiday enjoyment. Ask for help from others. For example, get family involved with the cooking, enlist the help of your kids with present wrapping, etc.
• Recharge your batteries. Amid the hectic schedule, make time to relax every day. Give yourself at least 15 minutes to do whatever is most relaxing to you. This could be a warm bath, uninterrupted reading time, meeting a friend for a quick coffee, going for a walk, or whatever lowers your stress.
• Stop trying to achieve perfection. Remind yourself that those celebrity television chefs have an entire staff to help them. Magazine decorating photos are designed by teams of professionals. Most likely you don't have those same groups at your disposal, so make sure your goals are realistic to your abilities and availability.

Get your head out of.....the sand

You've tried virtually every "diet" you can think of and still haven't lost weight. Or, perhaps you've lost weight only to quickly gain it back. You feel like you are in a never-ending battle that you just can't win. Does this sound familiar? Stop beating yourself over the head in frustration!

More than likely you just aren't armed with the right information to help you be successful in reaching your weight loss goals. There are so many diet misnomers floating about that it's easy to feel like your drowning. The first step toward success is distinguishing fact from myth and using the power of knowledge.
To help you get started on the path to permanent weight loss and healthy living read below to learn what's true and what's false in the world of dieting. Take the quiz below to test your knowledge and you'll learn what it really takes to beat the scale. Read each question and answer true or false. Then read below to find out whether or not you guessed right.

1. Skipping Meals Is a Good Idea
2. You Can Spot Reduce Certain Parts of Your Body
3. Eating Late At Night Makes You Fat
4. If Something Is Fat Free, You Can Eat As Much As You Want
5. Eating Less Than 1200 Calories Will Accelerate Weight Loss
6. Salads Are Always A Great Eating Out Choice
7. You Can Lose and Maintain Weight Without Exercise
8. If You Only Lose One Pound A Week You Need A New Diet
9. You Shouldn't Exercise Every Day
10. You Should Wait To Strength Train Until You' ve Lost Weight

1. False. The idea behind this myth is that you'll consume fewer calories in the entire day. The reality is that you probably will consume at least the same amount, if not more. Skipping a meal lowers your blood sugar. Low blood sugar usually makes you very hungry. In return you end up eating quickly and probably making poor food choices when those hunger pains come a knocking. Eating several small meals per day helps you stabilize blood sugars and control your appetite.

2. False. If you slave over 200 sit ups a day, it still isn't going to get rid of your spare tire. Fat is lost evenly throughout the body. You can't focus on one body part and only work it in an attempt to reduce that fatty area. To help a trouble spot you must focus on overall fitness - aerobic workouts, strength training, good nutrition and more . That's the only way to reduce extra fat.

3. False. Your body doesn't determine your weight based on WHEN you eat. It just cares how much you eat. What's important is determining how many calories are coming in versus how many are going out. You need to find the right balance based on how much your eating and exercising. If you take in more calories then you burn, then the extras will be stored as fat. That's true whether you eat at night or not.

4. False. For the most part, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Sure, it is a little more complex than that but just keep in mind that for every extra 3,500 calories that you take in and don't burn off, you will gain a pound. Does it matter if all of those 3,500 calories are fat-free? No! Your body just cares that the extra calories were consumed. Plus, fat makes you feel full. If you don't eat enough of it, you may find yourself constantly hungry and you may end up consuming more calories than if you had eaten something with fat in it.

5. False. In fact, it may have the opposite effect. Too few calories per day causes your body to adapt to a minimal amount of food, and slows down your metabolic rate. The body may think it's "starving" and actually hold onto every bit of food to ensure survival. Then, when you begin to eat normally, your calorie needs are reduced and you end up gaining more weight even though you are consuming less food.

6. False. Sometimes you'd be better off eating a burger than a salad. Many restaurant salads are dripping in high calorie, high fat dressings. Plus, they often add fatty t oppings like croutons and bacon bits. If you are going to choose a salad, be sure the dressing and extras don't sabotage your calorie counting.

7. True. When it comes right down to it, weight loss is about the difference between intake and output. As long as you are burning more calories then you are consuming, then you should be able to lose weight. So, exercise isn't a necessity but it certainly is the best approach. Study after study has proven that groups that both maintain an appropriate calorie intake and also exercise have better weight loss successes and are better at keeping it off. Plus, exercising provides SO many health benefits it would be crazy not to include it as part of a healthy lifestyle.

8. False. Losing 1 - 2 pounds per week is actually an excellent weight loss rate. If you lose more than that, then it's very likely that it won't be permanent. You'll just end up gaining it back. When you lose at rapid paces, typically you end up losing water weight and muscle weight. You want to lose fat. So, even thought the scale may show less, you won't be as healthy and won't look as good.

9. True. It's not necessary to exercise every single day of the week. Sure, it's great if you can get some type of physical activity in on a daily basis. But, it also is important to give your body rest time to recover and improve. For example, you don't want to lift weights every day working the same muscles. They need time to rest. And, intense cardio workouts daily can wear you down. Resting one day a week can actually help you.
10. False. Strength training is an essential part of good fitness. Virtually everyone should include some type of strength training in their weekly workouts regardless of whether they are wanting to lose weight, just maintain it, or build muscle. And, muscle actually helps your metabolism (e.g. helps you burn calories), so you should do it as part of a weight loss program.

Welcome to the Week #3 Challenge!

Hey Fitness Freaks, here is your week 3 challenge. Email me with how many days you got through and feel free to add details about what you liked, didn't like and how many rounds you completed in 20 minutes.

Remember, you can email tracy@Fitnessfreaks.ca if you want modifications to ANY of the exercises.

Get Busy!

Fitness Freaks Summer 2011 Challenge - Week 2!

I hope you all had a Fantastic Canada Day. I hope you celebrated in style and remembered how lucky you are to be Canadian! I myself enjoyed a beautiful lakeside run, but also had lots of great food including a community pancake breakfast and a great barbeque at night! Celebrations are always a time when it's so hard to manage what we eat, don't you think? After a long week-end of sun and fun, I'm guessing that more than just me and my family need to get back into our healthy eating habits.

So, this week's challeng is all about showing your true colors! (In your diet, that is).

Week 2 Challenge (2 parts):

1. Eat 5 different colors of fruit and Vegetables every day

2. Eat 5 servings (1/2 cup raw or cooked, 2 cups leafy greens) of vegetables every day

Send me the number of days you achieved Challenge #1 and challenge #2 and receive the same number of entries into the grand prize!

Here are some tips on getting those colorful fruits and veggies in:

1. Buy a pre-made veggie platter and leave it on your counter while you prepare meals.

2. Wash, cut and bag a serving size of veggies into 5 baggies (assorted peppers, carrots and cucumbers for example). Throw one in each day's snack pile

3. Keep fruit (already washed) on the counter in a bowl. You are many times more likely to grab it if you see it!

4. Toss spinich in everything from pasta sauces to eggs to your sandwich (instead of lettuce)

5. Keep pre-washed spinich and leafy greens ready to grab to throw into a bowl with a little oil and vinegar before every dinner you eat at home.

6. Buy frozen berries in the freezer aisl (psss, they are usually more nutrient rich than the ones that have been sitting for 4 days in your fridge). Throw them on top of yogurt or cereal. Better yet, throw them in a bowl and CRUNCH on them at night instead of chips or popcorn.

It doesn't take long to add up. Good Luck! :)

Summer 2011 Fitness Challenge Week #1

Hi Everyone

Welcome to the Summer Challenge. A new challenge every week until July 29th, with lots of chances to enter our contest to win the fitness prize pack. This week's challenge will focus on getting your heart rate up and using your whole body!

So, let your inner fitness freak out and complete the following. Post your results on the facebook page or email tracy@fitnessfreaks.ca to get your contest entries. Every day you do it, is an entry (so just post at the end of the week as to how many days you completed it!)

1. Warmup with 3-5 minutes of walking, jogging on the spot, jumping jacks, dancing...whatever gets your heart pumping

2. Complete as many pushups as you can in 1 minute (knees or toes is fine)

3. Complete 1 minute of jumping jacks

4. Complete 1 minute of squats with knee raise, alternating side to side

5 Complete 1 minute of running/stepping on a stair or step 8-12 inches high, leading with your right leg, then the same with your left leg

6. Complete 1 minute of Bicycle crunches.

That's a total of 10-11 minutes! Choose a time each day to do it, making sure to have about 24 hours rest in between workouts.

Here's a look at the strength exercises if you prefer a visual description :)

Happy Canada Day!

Contest Now, Contest Later

I promised you all a contest at the beginning of June, to be announced today, on the first day of summer! Well, there's a bigger project in the works so you'll have to wait a wee bit longer for the big contest .

But, not to disappoint, Fitness Freaks is STILL issuing a Summer Challenge and mini contest!

How to enter (and yes, you can get multiple entries!)

1. 'Like' Fitness Freaks on Facebook AND post a review if you are a past or current client or participant. Simply click on "reviews" on the left side of the page

2. Email tracy@fitnessfreaks.ca with a picture of you doing your favourite exercise. please include what you call it, why you love it, and how you do it

3. Post your results to the "exercise of the week" challenge on the Fitness Freaks Facebook Page. You get an entry every time you post!

4. Bonus entry: Post a healthy summer recipe on the Fitness Freaks Facebook Page under the discussion topic started just for this!

The prize you ask?

All entries will be entered into a draw to win a "fitness prize pack" that includes:

* $25 Gift Certificate to Lululemon

* SIGG waterbottle

* Ripcords Red Exercise Band COMPLETE with workout designed by Tracy!

Total Prize Value is ~$100!!!

How easy is that? So get "liking", get "posting" and get "exercising"

** Exercise of the week will be posted on the Facebook page and here on the Blog on Sundays beginning June 26th, 2011.

Contest Closes July 29th, 2011 :)

21 Days Later

so here we are! The summer solstice occurred this morning and WOW, what a glorious day to mark the first day of summer. As promised, I"m back to report on my progress restoring my "good habit" of drinking green tea without a bunch of treats at night.

It wasn't easy and I definitely am not 100% there, but I"m back to 4 out of 5 nights just having my tea. I still am enjoying the occasional tea biscuit or piece of dark chocolate, but I think I'm back under control - thanks in part to being so busy at night I almost don't have time to sit down.

With summer here and the temps warming up, I wanted to share some tips for exercising in the summer

1. Stay cool by stripping down. Just like in cold weather, layering is important for summer workouts outdoors. It doesn't take long to get warm so make sure layers are thin and easily carried if you are on the go. Also, the layer closest to your skin is a 'wicking' material that can pull sweat away from your body to the outside of the fabric, to evaporate.

2. Beat the heat. As hard as it is, try to get up and do your workout first thing in the morning. With the sun rising before 5am, it just may be the only time of day that is cool enough to actually enjoy your workout. Often it doesn't cool off in the evening and can actually get warmer in the last few hours of the daylight, so don't count on evening time to be the coolest time to workout.

3. Hydrate! 2 litres per day on average just to get you through the day. But be sure to add 1 cup of water for every 15-30 minutes of exercise during your workout. If it's windy out, your sweat can be evaporating off of you before you realize that you are dehydrating. Did you know that yawning is one of the first signs of dehydration?

4. Protect your skin, especially the top of your head. Whether or not you're a believer in sunscreen or prefer to use protective clothing, the top of the head and tips of the ears are very susceptible to burning. Throw on a light weight hat (like the kind you buy at the running store) and keep a bucket with some cold water nearby if you are just working out at home outdoors. Squeeze some cool water over your hat to keep your temp down and protect that "part" at the same time!. Throw on some wraparound sunglasses to make sure those nasty UV rays aren't sneaking in to the corners of your eyes

5. Don't be tempted to skip your athletic shoes. Though the feet get hot hot hot, it's so important to keep that base of support protected. Find ways to keep cool by loosening your shoes slightly, switching to extra thin, or no socks at all, but please don't workout in flip flops or sandals!

I hope the tips above are not just wishful thinking and we actually do get a chance to use them this summer! Here's hoping for sunny days and warm weather!

21 Days

They Say it takes 21 days to make a good habit, and less than 7 to break one. Here we are on the last day of May, and I'm here to challenge you to take the 21 day habit forming challenge. Why now? Why, summer of course! 21 Days from now, on June 21, the summer solstice arrives.

I only insert this very "textbooky" picture here because I think it's a great reminder that we are just about HALF WAY through 2011! That's right. The summer solstice also marks the half way point of 2011. How are you doing on your plans, your revolutions you made in January with me, with your hopes for summer racing, summer swimwear, summer hiking etc etc.

We have slogged through one of the coldest, wettest Winter and Spring in our history and many of us have taken comfort in staying home, sitting on our couches (watching great hockey of course) and possibly forming some not so great habits.

I for one, can count myself in that boat. My nightly "green tea" routine of making a huge pot of aromatic tea and sipping on cup after cup before bed, has slowly morphed into green tea and blueberries, to green tea and dark chocolate, to green tea and a cookie, and lately, to green tea and anything sweet!

I am taking the next 21 days to get BACK to a great habit. Back to the plain ol' Green tea. Will you join me in forming ONE new habit over the next 21 days that will benefit your health? Having trouble choosing? Email me for a fantastic tool that can help you narrow your focus and find the perfect goal. It could be nutrition related, fitness related, stress related, sleep related. Anything. Pick something and commit to the next 21 days.

Here's a few tips to help you along the way:

1. Tell someone, anyone, everyone! The more people you tell, the more likely you are to succeed
2. Keep it simple. This is not about giant goals. This is about ONE habit you want in place before that summer solstic hits
3. Write it down and post it somewhere where you will be reminded to focus on it. better yet, post it somewhere that you are likely to BREAK the habit. You might think twice
4. Buddy up and get someone to work on the same habit with you. Report to each other daily
5. Be positive. State your intentions in a positive way and do not beat yourself up if you slip up. Affirm for yourself why you are doing it and get on with it!

In 21 days, once summer arrives, I'll be back with news on how I did with my habit "re-forming" and I'll be bringing you a fabulous 100 days of summer challenge, complete with a prize package!!! So, if you think you'd like to take part, I seriously encourage you to get cracking with the mini '21 day habit former".

I'd LOVE to hear what you're working on, so send me an email at tracy@fitnessfreaks.ca or comment here! Tell your friends, spread the word and make some GREAT HABITS!

Good Luck

Power Recipe!

Anyone who doesn't think food is drug needs to listen up! Food is the most powerful drug you have access to every day. It can be used for good or bad and it's definitely addictive for some! I personally LOVE food. I love to eat, to try new foods, to cook and to enjoy. Lately I've been spending a lot more time trying to get the most "bang" for my buck. I get about 5 chances a day to eat and within those 5 chances, I am trying to get all my Canada food Guide servings, eat a rainbow, hit the major vitamins and minerals, and of course, satisfy some cravings here and there.

Going forward I will offer up some of the best, most power recipes I come across and think are worth sharing. This one today is truly the definition of super food. In five minutes of prep (and about an hour of chillin' in the fridge) you can hit 100% of your RDA for folate, 100% of your Vitamin C, and a host of benefits in terms of fibre, amino acids, lipase activity...need I go on ? Essentially this is a fabulous dish for flavour, fullness, and every nutritional quality going. Enjoy!

Chickpea and sprouted beans

1 Can Chickpeas Rinsed

1 whole Red Pepper, washed and diced

1 small bunch of cilantro , chopped

1 small bunch of flat leaf parsely, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

dash of sea salt

ground pepper to taste

combine and let sit 1 hour + in the fridge. A one cup serving is approximatley 200 calories.

Before serving, sprinkle/mix in a small handful of sprouted beans (buy them in the produce section of your grocery store...they look like beans with long stringy tails)

Enjoy!

The art of procrastination

"One of these days is None of these Days" (H.G Bohn) Though most of us will never paint a masterpiece or sculpt anything worth displaying in the home, I'm amazed how many of us have mastered the art of procrastination (I'm no slouch myself). In fact, my inspiration for tonight's blog is entirely based on my own self berating for not getting started on the list of 7-10 blog topics waiting for me patiently on my desk at any given time!

Although at this time of year, most people are busy procrastinating their taxes, it is safe to say that the greatest use of procrastination in general comes to people's health, diet and fitness. Let's take a look at some of the top 'reasons' (read: excuses) for putting off taking the next step in your health and how you might be able to put those reasons to rest.

1. I have been so busy// I am too busy today// I am the busiest person that every lived// . This is the most common reason I hear on a day to day basis. I strongly recommend you choose a friend or collegue who you admire for their commitment to their health, diet and exercise and take a close look at their life. ASK THEM how they stay committed with such a busy schedule. You are likely to hear things like a. They do it first thing in the morning (yes, even if that means getting up 30 minutes earlier) b. They schedule exercise in as if it is a meeting, or better yet they actually do make an appointment with a trainer c. They enlist the use of a buddy system d. They sign up and pay for a class to motivate them. While these all seem obvious, the key note is that those are 4 simple procrastination busters. Choose any one of them and see what a difference it makes 2. I don't have time. Although this is very close to reason #1, I like to address this one separately. No doubt you and I could argue for 30 minutes about whether or not you have time to exercise, but usually, once this 'belief' is ingrained in someone's head, it's tough to shove back out. What I recommend as a more effective attack agains the 'no time' excuse is to actually keep a time journal for 3 days. (Yep, you can even get a handy app for it on your iphone or blackberry...just beware, they may actually be what's sucking up your time!). It can be very eye openeing to see exactly where your time is spent. I once did this task with my coach, only to discover that I was spending upwards of 40 minutes per day mindlessly surfing around the internet. Just imagine what could be done with that time? Once you've kept your journal, take a close look at what you would consider your 1-2 biggest time wasters and see if you can't lump those little bits together into one solid block of 30-40 minutes to either have a workout, prep some healthy food, make your meal planning and grocery list or go to your annual physical! 3. I have a sore _______. I could fill this out with a hundred different options over the course of the year. Some of use are more prone to injury and/or are dealing with long term chronic pain. The trick here is to identify if this is a Global problem or a Local one. Sore left hamstring? How about a swim workout using a pull bouy, or simply a complete upper body strength training session. Torn rotator cuff? You can still walk, hike, run, and spin, not to mention lunge, squat and work your core. This REASON for putting off your health is one of the best, becuase it tends to get the most support from others around you. Validation makes the reason more valid and the procrastination more justified. So take inventory of your aches and pains and challenge yourself to work around them. OH, and for the record, a cold is actually not made worse by exercising, contrary to what your grandma told you. 4. I'm tired//I'm exhausted// I am falling asleep in my coffee//I only got XX number of hours of sleep last night// I'm only tired today - I'll start tomorrow. Unless you are truly sleep deprived on an ongoing basis, don't skip a workout or choose an unhealthy meal based on this reason. Instead of procrastinating, use the time you had planned to workout to do something that requires a little less energy but nonetheless benefits your health. Make your meal plan, do some yoga, read an article on wellness, practice a meditation, lay down and work your core. Not every workout has to be at 110%. Use these days as recovery instead of dumping the whole day and getting into a rut. 5. I deserve a break//I deserve a cupcake// I deserve ...... This is my all time favourite reason for procrastinating because I think it's the easiest one to beat! The next time you find yourself thinking "I deserve"...try switching that around to health. An "I deserve another cupcake" sounds pretty yummy, but what about "I deserve to feel fantastic tomorrow for eating healthy today" . "I deserve to live MY BEST LIFE" Don't you? I deserve is a very interesting phrase. We use it to justify bad behaviour, but those two words can be used for such good! They are the superheroes of vocabulary if you use them in their most positive and powerful way At the end of the day, procrastination is a very insidious disease. It is really scary how one junk meal can turn into 7 days of terrible eating; how one missed grocery trip can result in fast food for 3 meals, how one skipped workout can EASILY become a month of sedentary living. I'd love to hear what your procrastination "got to" is and How (if) you've managed to beat it back into a corner. In the words of the great Wayne Gretzky "Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases, and it's toll on success and happiness is heavy" Now get off the internet and go do what you need to do!