Quit Smoking Update: Two Weeks!!!

It's been two weeks since I quit smoking. Wow! I honestly did not expect that I could do it. Really, I didn't. I sure surprised myself!!

The last couple days have been pretty normal. My thoughts are not as pre-occupied with cigarettes as they were at first. I rarely find myself thinking about smoking. However, when I do, the craves are still quite strong. Distraction has been key to keeping away from the temptation. And I login to my account at SmokersHelpline and read some posts in the forum. These always help because its good to know other people are going through or have gone through the same feelings and challenges. One theme that is repeated over and over is that smoking is a nicotine addiction; therefore, as an addiction you cannot never never ever ever have a single drag ever because it will start the addiction ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!!

And that; is definitely something I do NOT want!!!

An affect of quitting smoking that I was dealing with last week was the fluctuating levels of my blood sugar. I wasn't aware that nicotine was a drug that interacted with my bodys ability to process sugars and fats. I found some fascinating information on this site   Why Quit  which explains why and how nicotine and nicotine withdrawal affects your body's blood sugar.

I was experiencing some very heavy-duty spells during which I was dizzy and disoriented and had trouble focusing. These were due to my blood sugar levels being all over the map!!

Since about early yesterday though, I've noticed that it seems to be leveling off. The mornings are still a bit fuzzy but once I've had something to drink (I've been drinking green tea instead of coffee) I seem to be okay.

I also found out that another affect of nicotine withdrawal is bloating and water retention. Great, just what every woman wants to hear!!! LOL!! I'm hoping this part of the roller coaster ride ends soon too.

All things considered, I honestly wish I had attempted to quit smoking sooner. I did try, half-heartedly. This is the first time I was determined to succeed. It would appear that determination has made all the difference!!

Phoenix Fitness - Hamilton

Hamiltonians sure are lucky. We have alot of choice when it comes to choosing a gym membership. Today I was fortunate to visit two locations of Phoenix Fitness One is in Ancaster and the other is in Stoney Creek.

According to my research Phoenix Fitness was established in 1984. This is the only gym I have visited in two years that was completely up front about their fees right from the start. They're even posted on their web site! I found a couple web sites for Phoenix Fitness, both seem to have the same information.

The facility in Ancaster is quite small, however; the gym was bright and airy. The equipment was well maintained and the gym and changeroom areas were very clean.

The facility in Stoney Creek was about 4 times larger, was also bright and airy and very clean and well maintained.

Customer Service

I received excellent and friendly service at both locations. The staff at the front desk were both very knowledgeable about they gym, the various services and explained briefly the fee schedule.

Staff

At the Ancaster location I saw only one staff member at 7:30am this morning. He was incredibly friendly and helpful and was very enthusiastic about Phoenix Fitness. In Stoney Creek there was one woman at the front desk who was also very enthusiastic and helpful.

Changerooms

The changerooms are very basic. Members are provided with showers and lockers. Again I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the changeroom. 

Classes

I was given a class schedule at both locations. They were easily available right at the front desk and also are online. The variety of classes is pretty impressive. For me, its like looking at a buffet table; I will probably have to sample a bit of each one before I can decide which one(s) I like best.  

Personal Trainers

I did not see any PT's however I was at these locations pretty darn early. I did ask about personal trainers and was told that there were several available. You could book single sessions or purchase packages of 12 or more sessions. 

Hours & Parking

The Ancaster location is open:

Mon - Thurs Fri Sat Sun

5:30am - 10pm 5am - 9pm 7am - 6pm 7am - 5pm

Parking is shared at this location Staples and a few other stores in the plaza.

The Stoney Creek location is open: 

Mon - Thurs Fri Sat Sun

5:30am - 9:30pm 5:30am - 9pm 7am - 6pm 7am - 5pm

Parking here is also shared with other stores in the plaza. The only suggestion I have for this location is to get a more prominent sign that can be seen on Hwy 20. The building is actually behind several taller establishments and cannot been seen very well from the road.

 

Special Features

Phoenix Fitness does not have any "fancy" features like saunas and lap pools or running tracks. However, my first impression of this club is that they're emphasis is on making sure the members are happy with the gym and happy with their workouts. That, I would say, is a special feature. They also have a boxing area, which is very cool.

In addition, child care is included in the cost of membership, members have access to all three locations (Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek). Memberships are pay-as-you-go, which means no contracts. Another cool thing they offer, is they will pause your membership if you are out of town or unable to use the gym for whatever reason. During the "pause" you are not charged fees. Very nice!

Overall

Overall, my first impression of both locations is favourable. I was unable to actually workout today, but I plan to go in on the weekend and try out the equipment. I suppose some people prefer a larger gym establishment just like they might prefer a "big box" store. While others prefer a smaller gym, a local establishment. These people often prefer to support local companies and small businesses. There are pro's and con's to both. So you would have to try it out to see whether you like it or not. It costs nothing to "try it on".  

As always, I welcome all comments, suggestions and ideas

don't sweat the small stuff

What happened to the Fitness Tax Credit for adults in Canada?

Do you remember hearing about this back about a year ago? Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada "announced that a re-elected Conservative Government will introduce a new $500 Fitness Tax Credit for adults once the budget is balanced (Target 2015). In addition, Mr. Harper announced that he will double the existing Children’s Fitness Tax Credit from $500 to $1,000 dollars during the next Conservative mandate." Fitness Industry Council of Canada

I remember, and I was pretty excited about the prospect of being able to claim some of my fitness club fees on my tax return. Adult Fitness Tax Credit

Of course, like most, I failed to really hear the part about "once the budget is balanced". Sounds alot like, "when turkeys bark like dogs". Which, could be a really long time coming.

Sigh....... The FIC even made a really cool little poster to promote excitment and get people talking about the announcement.

The Child fitness credit has been in place since January 2010. Again, its been a great idea and sounds fantastic, but in reality it provides a max of $50 per child per year. My daughter is a competitive gymnast. Her training fees are almost $3k per year. Even a parent who's child takes swimming lessons at a recreational facility will spend $300-500 per year, if they attend sessions year round. So $50 isn't alot, but its more than what we got before.......

Governments are silly aren't they? They spend time and money on wonderful studies, but I wonder if they ever read the studies??

Here is a small exerpt from the Adult Fitness Tax Credit web site:

"... The federal government would save $2.5 billion over the next 21 years by extending the benefits of the current Children’s Fitness Tax Credit program to adults, according to Dave Hardy, President of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) following the release of an economic study on the effects of the program.

“The financial incentive offered by a federal adult fitness tax credit will encourage nearly one million more Canadians to get active and healthier,” said Hardy. “These healthier Canadians will need less health care and miss less work due to illness.” "

Seems like a no-brainer.

If you agree with the implementation of this new proposed (promised) fitness tax credit, why not contact your local MP and let your opinion be counted??

until next time; don't sweat the small stuff 

Membership: Rights and Responsibilities

As a fitness club member, or a member of any organization for that matter, you have rights and you have responsibilities. Its our nature to focus on our rights and to protest when we feel our rights are being ignored or trampled. And, its also our nature to forget, by-pass, avoid or downright ignore our responsibilities.

As a member, its our responsibility to report problems, errors, and needs to management so that these items can be address and fixed. Makes sense?  But do we do it? Probably not very well. And I am guilty of that also. When I see missing weight pegs, or magnets; broken treadmills or empty towel rolls, I probably should mention it on my way out, at the very least. Why whats the point??

Well, as a member we have the power to improve our club by reporting things that we see need attention.

Furthermore; as a member in a health and fitness facility we should be responsible for our own messes. Dispose of your garbage and wipe down the equipment when you're done.

Its such a small thing, but can make a world of difference in your club.

Again, I am not perfect and do forget to wipe down equipment; but 99% of the time, I do wipe down.

and that, would be the one and only rant I will post on this blog.................

until next time; don't sweat the small stuff

    

My Wishlist for Fitness Clubs

So my last post reviewed some items that are required and recommended for fitness clubs in Canada. Now I'd like to tell you about my wish list for fitness facilities. My "dream" fitness club, if you will.

First lets discuss briefly some aesthetics. Nice bright natural light coming from large windows and skylight(s). Large, open, airy main gym area. Brightly lit boxing studio with several different sized bags, including a speed bag. A quiet area with a padded floor for cool-down stretching. Equipment that is fully functional, clean and well maintained (so that you don't have to stop your workout partway thru because the treadmill you chose sounds like a walrus in labour!!)

Everything, all the floors, equipment, changerooms, washrooms, showers, everything everywhere is clean, clean, clean!!!! (there is a full time staff member(s) ensuring this is taken care of)    

This picture is actually a scene from a gym at a resort in Portofino. Not likely it is used very often. Probably not too many people will workout while on vacation. However, I would be one of the few. I did get to the gym while on vacation last year, three times during the week I was away.

What I like best about this picture is the bright atmosphere and the great view from the treadmills. How awesome is that?? I'm also a sucker for the woodwork, it gives the interior a warm and inviting appeal. But, it is also costly and not a top priority on my wish list.

Another awesome feature I'd love to see at my gym is one or two staff members who "float" the gym. Their job is to assist members when necessary. (if a member seems to be puzzled about how to use some equipment, or maybe they are using something incorrectly) They would also be able to see when an area needs to be cleaned, towels need to be replaced, cleaning fluid topped up. In addition to all that, they could also recommend personal training sessions to members throughout the day. Yes, why not offer services to existing members??? 

So many companies, not just fitness companies, offer "introductory" services and features to draw in new customers/members. Then, once a customer/member is signed up, the sales dept moves on to the next new customer/member. Hmmmmmm..........hey, what about customer retention?? Why not try to keep your current members happy by continuing to offer them services that will enhance their experience at the gym???

Happy members = more happy members

Remember???

Anyway, that's just my opinion...............

Here is my wish list, in list-able format:

My Dream Fitness Club is:

1) CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN facilities

2) Fully operational equipment and changeroom facilities  

3) Open early or 24 hours

4) Nice, clean, quiet boxing studio

5) Quiet area with padded floor for cool-down stretching

6) Staff available in the main gym to assist with questions about equipment, exercises etc

7) Comfortable facility temperature and ventilation system

Canadian Fitness Standards and your Gym

Is your gym clean??

Seems like a no-brainer, really.

Is the equipment in good working order??

These two statements are pretty basic and its likely most of us expect the answer to be yes, when it comes to the gym that we pay a monthly membership fee.

But sadly, its not always the case.

These days, especially in Ontario, the fitness gym industry is highly competitive and vieing for our hard earned $$.

Wonderful fixtures and mood lighting, fancy private showers and upscale interior and exterior design are all very nice; but they are meaningless if the facility is dirty and unkempt.

Read here for a listing of the Canadian Fitness Standards

For the purposes of this post, I will focus on standard #1 and #4 listed under "Fitness Environment".

Fitness Environment

Standard #1

All fitness related environments and equipment shall be clean, well maintained, and free from hazards. (S)

Standard #4All fitness testing equipment shall be checked, cleaned and calibrated as required. (S)

My last few visits at a gym facility have shown me some pretty sorry circumstances. Lack of paper towels and clean fluid, several machines with "out of order" posted on them, dirty and dusty floors and changeroom areas, these are just a few of the things I have experienced recently.

Quite frankly, its disappointing. I fully enjoy and look forward to my visits at my gym. But when I arrive and try to find a treadmill that works, ending up with one where the handles are sticky and gross. Then I try to find cleaner and paper towels to wipe down the handles and there's no cleaner!! I ended up using some water from my water bottle. Yuk!!

Maintaining a clean, well-stocked environment with reliable and well-serviced equipment does require time and effort, which in turn cost $$. But, truly this is an important investment to make because it ensures that your members are happy and happy members means happy chatter about their gym experience to their friends, co-workers, hairdresser, mechanic and anyone else who wants to listen.

And, as we all know; word-of-mouth is THE best advertising, EVER!!

At the same time, it can work against you.

I am not pointing a finger at any particular gym location or name; because I have witnessed unclean and unkempt conditions in every gym I have been too. Which means that the industry as a whole really needs to step up and raise the bar in this area.

Happy members = more happy members!!

Downloadable Checklist for choosing a gym

until next time; don't sweat the small stuff     

Exercise - Home vs Gym

Here it is, the long anticipated low down on exercise routines at home vs in a gym.

For years prior to my joining a gym, I was sure that I was getting enough exercise on my own at home. I wasn't a couch potato. I was busy all the time, going here and there during the week. My job was relatively sedentary. I sat in front of a computer 98% of the time. But on weekends I went out when the weather was nice. Walking, hiking, roller blading etc. Took my kids to the park. Did yard work. Washed the car (in my driveway). Housework.

I thought that I was at least as active as the average person, if not more.

(Activity Calculator)

Strangely, even with all this activity, I was still overweight. 

When I joined the gym; well, I've already explained here in another post, I lost 6" on my waist in the first 8 months. I found muscles!! My energy level increased. I slept better. And my overall mood was happier.

Why?????

Well, its a very simple matter of money and commitment. When you join a gym, you make a commitment, both with your cash and with your time. The cash commitment usually motivates you to keep your time commitment. Paying for something you never or rarely use seems silly. YET, there are many people who do just that!! Bizarre!! I know!!!

Even more common, are those who buy a gym for their home with great intentions that quickly fade to regret. Those home-use treadmills and fancy gizmo gym-in-one contraptions are not cheap!!  You bring it home. Like a proud parent. And the first few months or so, you actually stick to a routine. You plan your workouts and you commit to a schedule. Then something happens. You change jobs. You strain your knee. You meet a new partner. And now your "routine" is changed. So you put off your workouts. Reschedule your visits to your gym. Pretty soon the treadmill you bought is dusty and forgotten, or the membership card to your shiny new gym membership sits lonely on your dresser. Forgotten. Unloved.

HA!!

Only YOU can change your excuses into reasons to keep up your commitment to your exercise routine. You certainly didn't stop eating, or driving, or sleeping or talking when your lifestyle changed. Why would you stop exercising??? As I've said before; think of regular exercise as something that you do, like brushing your hair or vacuuming your house. Its a routine. Its part of your lifestyle. And its here to stay. No excuses!!

Bottom line??

Gym and home workouts are equally valuable. But neither have any value if you are not committed to exercising as part of your everyday/weekly lifestyle.

Home workouts may be more suited to those who:

-prefer privacy

-easily self motivated

-have a hectic and varied work/home schedule

Gym memberships may be more suited to those who:

-enjoy the social aspect of working out

-prefer to meet up with a workout partner to help motivate them

-have a work schedule that allows for some personal time during the week

-like to have a variety of equipment and activities available

-like to have the option of booking a personal training session 

Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Make a commitment to yourself and enjoy your workout.

don't sweat the small stuff......

Diet - Easy And Tasty Recipe #4

Today I was busy busy busy. No time for breakfast or lunch. I managed a quick and tasty brunch instead then out the door again to my next appointment.

I did remember to take a picture of my brunch so I can share with you.

Quick Crunchy Pita Sandwich
serves 1 or 2
2 pitas (Mediterranean style or whatever you have on hand)
3 slices 0% fat processed mozzarella
1/2 tomato, sliced
1/4 cup lettuce, diced
1/2 small onion, sliced
3 slices fat free deli roast beef (or whatever your favourite deli meat might be)
2 tsp Balkan style plain yogurt

Pre-heat skillet with 1 tsp canola or olive oil. Place one pita in pan. Add the cheese, deli meat, onion, tomato, lettuce and yogurt. Cover with second pita. Cover with lid.

When bottom is crisp, lay a small plate over the top of the sandwich and slide spatula underneath, carefully flip the sandwich onto the plate, then slide into the pan.

OR: If you have a panini press/maker; place all the ingredients into the panini maker and crisp until desired crispness is achieved.

Cut into wedges and enjoy!! 

I'm an Ex-Smoker

Okay. I am reasonably confident (88%) that I am now an ex-smoker.  Its been since midnight on March 14th, 2012 when I had my last cigarette. Today is day 6!!!

Honestly, I did not think I could do it. I tried so many times before and never got past the first day. What was different this time?? No clue!! Well, maybe the fact that my BF doesn't smoke, that I'm rarely around smokers anymore, that I was tired of smelling like a cigarette, I was tired of always making sure I had them with me (addiction), I was fed up with having to stop what I was doing to have a cigarette (addiction). I read a bit about cigarettes; discovered what I'd already suspected, which is that smokers become addicted to cigarettes. I didn't want to be controlled by my addiction anymore.  

Yes, I still get moments of intense craving. I expect that this will continue for a few more weeks. And I expect the moments will become shorter, further apart and less intense.

Last night, I had a dream where I was smoking in the dream. I became really annoyed and woke myself up. I was worried I had started back into the habit. Luckily, it was only a dream.

On the Smokers Helpline website, part of the information they asked me to fill out included giving myself rewards for reaching milestones, one day, one week, one month etc. I didn't put anything in there for my rewards. At the time, I was so focused on just getting thru hour by hour; I could not consider a day, a week, a month. So today, I decided to reward myself.

I got my haircut. Full deal; wash, cut, dry and style. Normally I only get a cut.

Heck, I deserve it!!!

Todays Workout - First Day of Spring

Wow!! I don't recall a spring this springy ever before!! I mean, 20 Celsius temperatures in mid-March?!? Not complaining, nope, not at all. In keeping with the turn to spring, tomorrow I will present an article about exercise outside of the gym.

Today, I will update you on my current workout routine. This week, I changed up my routine once again. Upon entering the gym, I spend 10 mins on the elliptical. Then I switch over to the treadmill. On the elliptical, my wonderful, patient BF explained to me the proper use of the settings. So now, I set my 10 min elliptical session to a "fat burn" setting. The computer asks you your weight, age and asks you to set the level (fat burn) and the duration (10 mins) The only thing I don't like is that its constantly asking you to check your heart rate. The reason for this is because the computer calculates what your heart rate should be at to achieve the maximum fat burn by using your age and weight. My optimal heart rate for a fat burn workout is 114 beats per minute. It seems a but slow to me, I was used to the overzealous pace I had set for myself previously.    

On the treadmill, I now start off with a 20 min fat burn session, inputting the requested information into the readout. After that, I switch over to a 20 min cardio session. I discovered my optimal heart rate for this is 140 beats per minute. I was able to make it thru the 20 minute cardio session yesterday. Today I didn't. No big deal. I will try again tomorrow. Never beat yourself up because you fail to perform up to some standard you've put out there for yourself. I mean, who is gonna know??? We are all, waaaay tooo hard on ourselves most of the time.

I finished off my workout with 15 mins on various weight machines; arms and legs. And of course, ended with my 10 min stretch.

I will keep this routine for a couple weeks now. Then change it up again. Most advice I've heard and read says you should change up your exercise routine every 3 weeks. The reason being, your body gets used to certain stresses (exercise) and will adjust over time, thus decreasing the actual results you will get from the workout. (weight loss, muscle build, toning etc)

Until tomorrow; don't sweat the small stuff!!

Smoke-Free - Day 4 Update

Its Day 4 since I quit smoking. Each day seems a bit less painful (cravings) than the previous day. Although I must say, I am right now in mid-wave of a very powerful craving fit. I'm a bit surprised at this, especially since the nicotine is supposed to be out of my system now. Typing this post and having a bowl of cereal is helping.

I did not go to the gym today. But I did go yesterday. I have not noticed a change in my endurance level yet. Probably still too early.

There have been a couple of bizarre things I've noticed during this early stage in the quitting smoking process. I was doing some household chores earlier and while doing them I was thinking, "okay, so I'll finish this, have a smoke then go ......................." Wait a Minute!! I don't smoke anymore!!!

Smoking was such a regular part of my daily routine, I conciously planned and arranged for when I would have my next cigarette. Wow!! That's Insane!!

So now, I actually have more time in my day. I figure each cigarette took me on average 5-7 minutes to smoke and I had on average 20 per day. That gives me 120mins extra per day. Holy Moly!! 2 hours of my day were spent smoking!!! Seriously?!?!?

Wow!! 

I Quit Smoking Yesterday

That's right. On March 14th at 11:59pm I finished my last cigarette. I have not had a single cigarette, drag, puff or whatever since that time. As of this writing, its been 35 hours.

Do I hear you say, "Big deal"? "Who cares"? "Anyone can quite smoking.......... "

Great!!

Then if you are a smoker, quit. Right now.

But wait!!

Interested in how the first 35 hours looks and feels without nicotine???

Let me tell, you its not been easy.

I went to the gym yesterday morning per usual only this time I had not had a cigarette prior to going. My previous routine was wake up and have a coffee and cig. Been doing that for more than 2 decades now.

I didn't post yesterday because I was having trouble focusing. Its hard to describe in words how I was feeling without nicotine. I was restless. My mind wandered constantly. I couldn't focus. I couldn't complete a single thought. I felt like I was under the influence, spaced out...... I felt slightly irritable and very impatient. Still do today.

I ended up falling asleep around 8pm last night. Sleeping was a relief from the cravings I was fighting with all day long.

When I first awoke this morning, I thought things would be easier. So far they are, but the difference is very slight. The only thing that may be slightly easier today is that I seem to have more control over my mental focus. Though that comes and goes.

Coping mechanisms:  I've been using lollipops as a substitute for the cigarette. Sounds bizarre, but its helping a bit. Had a weird experience a few times now during "having a lollipop". I started to grab the candy stick as if I was grabbing the cigarette from my mouth. Even tried to take a drag once. Bizarre. The habit of smoking had become so ingrained in my everyday routine that it had become an unconcious activity. I was probably unaware of the repetition of my smoking. Like tying my shoes. Or brushing my teeth. Except that I was repeating the ritual of having a cigarette once every 40-60 mins per day. It was an unconcious habit that had been deeply ingrained in my automatic behaviour that I carried out every day.

No wonder my brain is feeling buzzed and my body is confused.

I wonder how long this feeling of confusion will last.

I will up date you on Monday how I managed the weekend.

until then, don't sweat the small stuff

Quitting Smoking is Hard

Okay there, I said it. Quitting smoking is hard. Really hard. My "master plan" to cut down one cigarette each week seemed easy enough. But this week my ration is 12 per day, and I'm finding it really difficult to stick to. The worst part is that being my own worse critic (as we all are) I am beating myself up over each failure, which then feeds into a whole gamut of thinking. The thinking goes something like this: Well, I've failed, so I might as well just give in, I see no solution, no hope.

Crazy huh??

Certainly is.

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong. Smokers; whether we want to admit it or not, are addicted to our habit. So maybe I need to look at this as an addict. So now I google: "how to stop the addiction to cigarettes". Click!! And here's what I find:

Nicotine Addiction 101

I'm not going to reiterate everything from this site, you can read it for yourself. I actually found the the information here fascinating, especially the first section explaining how dopamine "the brain's primary motivation neurotransmitter" plays a major role in addiction.

Towards the bottom of the page, there is hope, "no crave episode will last longer than 3 minutes". Really??  Wow, that's doable. I just need a distraction during those three minutes............

The bottom line on this site is that they feel that quitting cold turkey is the best and most successful method. Weaning off the nicotine is not an effective method to quit. They say that your body and mind become nicotine free after 72 hours of non-use.

So maybe I'm going at this all wrong???

What to do, what to do..............................  

If you have experience with quitting smoking, or are trying to quit I'd love to hear from you.

Diet - Easy and Tasty Recipe - #3

I seem to be on a roll with recipes. I'm not a chef or trained cook of any sort, but I am creative and I love a challenge. So when I'm faced with a limited list of ingredients in my fridge or cupboard I manage to make my best meals. What I hope to achieve with sharing these ideas with you, is that you will see that healthy eating doesn't require special skills or ingredients. Its all about how you prepare food and your portion sizes.

There's lots of information about food, healthy food, healthy diets etc etc all over the Internet, in magazines, on TV and even at restaurants. (many restaurants have invented their own rating system for "healthy selections") But if you really want to eat healthy, its all about common sense and balance. I don't believe that you need to deny yourself cake, or donuts, or pie or ice cream or whatever your indulgence might be. I do believe that when you do indulge, be sensible. Have a piece of cake, but make the portion reasonable. And have only one piece. And only have cake once every few weeks at most. Foods that are known for their high fat and sugar content should not be banned from your diet, but rather be a very small part of an overall very healthy diet.

Why do I think its okay to have cake occasionally?? Simple. If you deny yourself entirely of these types of foods, eventually you will break down one day and end up eating waaay too much of this stuff and feel incredibly guilty about it.

The trick to enjoying the "forbidden foods" is when you do decide to partake, treat yourself to something that either you bake yourself, or that you get from a local bakery. There are even bakeries that use organic ingredients and low fat alternatives in their goods. You'd be surprised at just how awesome their baked goods are. Make sure your once-in-awhile treat is special, that way you will be satisfied longer and will not be tempted to make these foods a regular part of your everyday diet.

Now on to recipe #3; the omelette. Omelette's are awesome! Its one of those things that anybody can make at any time. I used mushrooms in this one, because I almost always have them on hand and I love mushrooms. But you can use anything you want to fill your omelette.

Mushroom Omelette with Potato Pancake

serves 1 or 2

2 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup mushrooms (or whatever other veggie you like)

2 tsp Balkan style plain yogurt (or whatever yogurt you have)

1 yellow (Klondike gold) potato (or whatever kind of potato you like)

sea salt and black pepper

1 tbsp canola or olive oil

Grate unpeeled potato with fine side of grater. Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Drop grated potato into the pan forming a pancake and gently flatten with spatula. When edges turn brown, gently lift the pancake and flip over. Cook until browned on both sides, about 5-7mins. Remove from pan and place on paper towel on a plate to drain off excess oil.

Add mushrooms to pan and saute until slightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add beaten eggs to pan and swirl slowly until bottom is covered with egg mixture.  When eggs are slightly set (still a bit gooey in the middle but dry on the bottom) lay mushrooms onto half of the egg. Add the Balkan style yogurt onto the mushrooms. With a spatula, gently lift the non-mushroom half of the egg and fold over the mushrooms. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow to stand for about 3 mins so that the egg will finish cooking.

Serve with the potato pancake, sliced vegetable or fruit and bread/toast or mini croissants (if desired)

Enjoy!! 

    

The Belly Fat Challenge: Week #2

To be honest, I've been procrastinating on writing this follow-up post because I know that in order for you to see any progress that I have been making on this challenge, I need to upload a "before" picture!! OMG! NOT my favourite thing.

Have you ever met anyone that says, "I absolutely love what I look like in pictures!!"??? Well, maybe a career model, but other than that I've never met anyone who likes what they look like in a picture. Not only do I have to post a picture of me, but its also a picture of my least favourite body part, my wobbly belly!!! Arrrrrrrgh!!!

So, without further ado, here it is!! (covering my eyes now)

 I'm trying to make this picture really really small, but its as small as it will go. LOL! At least I know I am not alone when comes to what belly's look like in adults over 40. Especially those of us who have had a kid or two. As you can see, I have a fair bit of loose skin and extra fat around my middle. And this is after doing 2 years worth of gym visits!!

Tough to get rid of?? You betcha!!

I am determined to reduce my belly fat by the end of this 15 week challenge. As I mentioned in my About Me page, I have lost 6" on my waist since starting my workouts at a gym. My goal at this point, is to be able to wear a bra top that does not cover my mid-section and be comfortable doing so. That means that I don't want my middle to wiggle. LOL!

This week, my workouts will continue to focus on aerobic exercises; treadmill, elliptical and boxing. These activities will keep my heart rate up and help maximize the fat burn.

How do you burn fat from a specific area on your body???

Well, the fact is you can't. There is no effective way to just burn fat in one area. So, as you continue to workout, what you see is a reduction in fat in all the areas that are known to collect said material. Such as; belly, butt, under upper arms(especially in women), inner and outer thighs and of course your waist.

As you lose fat, you will need to tone the areas that have lost the fat material. This is especially true for those who lost alot of weight. Skin will be loose and the muscles that were covered previously, now need to be toned.

There are tons of great machines at the gym to tone every area of your body. By week 10 of my challenge, I will likely be ready to start some of this toning focus. In the meantime, I do mix in about 10-20mins of light weight and resistance work into my daily workouts after my 30-40min aerobic periods.

I invite you to join me on this challenge; post your before pic and send me your comments, progress reports and ideas for exercises that work for you.

Until then; don't sweat the small stuff 

Diet - Easy and Tasty Recipe #2

Yesterday I was craving something yummy and healthy. Yes, these two adjectives can go together and describe the food you eat!! As you know, this blog discusses exercise and diet; both which are part of a healthy lifestyle.

Why should you care if your lifestyle is healthy?

Great question!

The answer is really up to you. The facts are out there and the proof of what will happen if you don't try to live a healthy lifestyle is as easy to see as sitting on the beach and looking around you. You know what I mean. And I don't need to spout off a bunch of statistics to convince you that living a healthy lifestyle is a GOOD way to live. (In 2005, 35% of Canadian adults were overweight, and 24% obese. )

Enough brow-beating; now on to the recipe!!

Last night I made this quick and easy dinner using ingredients I already had at home. It turned out very well and I hope you enjoy it also!

Baked Salmon with Mushroom Risotto

serves 4

salmon ( fillets, whole or half salmon, or salmon steaks - your choice!)

1 Lemon (grate 1/2 of the rind, slice other half into thin slices, using remaining half for juice)

sea salt and black pepper

arborio rice (for risotto)

chicken stock (low sodium or homemade)

1/3 c red pepper, diced

1 med carrot, peeled and diced

3/4 c sliced brown (or white) mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, crushed in garlic press

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (red or white)

1 tbsp canola or olive oil

To make the Risotto:

Heat oil in saucepan on medium heat and add the red pepper, carrot  and mushrooms. Cook slowly until carrots start to become soft. Add oregano, basil, garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 min. Add balsamic vinegar. Stir together. Add rice (uncooked) to the vegetable mixture, stirring to coat the rice evenly. Add 1 soup ladle of the chicken broth to the rice mixture.

**Put your salmon in the oven at this point. See below for prep instructions.**

The idea of a good risotto is to slowly add broth, one ladle at a time to the rice; wait for each ladle-full to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. Gordon Ramsay has several wonderful videos showing the easy technique required to make a really nice risotto.  Start at 1:35 if you just want to watch how he adds the liquid to the rice.

When the risotto is done, finish by sprinkling the grated lemon on the rice and squeeze the juice from the half lemon onto the dish.

Salmon:

I used a half portion of salmon, the bones were removed, and the skin was still on the one side. This portion of salmon was frozen at my grocers. I was lucky and found it on sale so I grabbed a few to keep in my freezer. The cost was about $4. Great deal!!

Using foil or waxed paper, cover a cookie sheet with the paper. Lay the salmon, skin side down onto the paper. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the lemon slices along the length of the fish. Carefully wrap the salmon with the paper. Put the cookie sheet with the wrapped salmon into a 350F (preheated oven). Note: When I made this, the salmon was still frozen solid. If you defrost the fish ahead of time, your cooking time will be less!! 

The salmon should be finished cooking when your risotto is also done. About 20-30 mins.

Serve with fresh sliced vegetables if desired.

Enjoy!!

What Do You want In your Gym Membership??

Today I visited the newly ordained Century Fitness at Upper Wentworth in Hamilton. Did my usual workout thing with a slight twist; I added 10 mins on the elliptical at the beginning of my workout. I still feel bizarro on that machine. Must get my bf to show me how to use this equipment properly. I find the staff here quiet friendly and helpful. I had a few membership questions this morning which they were very helpful with answering.

On to the topic of the day; "What do you want in your Gym Membership"?

With so many choices available, unless you have some previous experience at a gym, most people really aren't sure what they want. The obvious is clean facilities. I don't know how often gyms are inspected or even if that is a norm of the industry, but cleanliness can be a hit or miss thing. Overall, most gyms are reasonably clean. I mean, consider how many people are going in and out of that gym every day! While this is no excuse for a gym that is not clean 24/7, I can imagine it is a full time job requiring several full time staff to manage in order to keep a facility such as this at optimal cleanliness.

The not so obvious features of gym memberships include things like access to multiple locations, all inclusive memberships that include all features of the gym (group classes, main gym, specialized areas such as boxing studio, daycare, saunas, running track and/or lap pool ) Before you sign anything, make sure you ask if ALL the services are included. Some may not be included and its better not to be disappointed later when you find out that the saunas/pool/boxing studio are off-limits to you.

Some gyms also offer specialized services such as fitness tests, medical health exams, fat or cellulite reduction services and procedures, personal trainers and diet programs. Most of these programs require additional fees for the service. Some might be included in your membership as "introductory offers". If your membership includes one of these as an introductory offer, be sure to USE that offer, even if you don't intend to pay for additional services or treatments later. I mean, it is a perk of membership, and its being offered for free so why not give it a try?

Personally, the only additional service I have used so far is the personal training sessions. In my opinion, as a common average person; these personal training sessions are wonderful!! Why? Simply because the one-on-one attention you get from a trainer is a gentle kick-in-the-butt to get you started on your gym membership. A personal trainers job is not only to teach you proper technique on the various equipment at the gym, but also to encourage you to make your trips to the gym a regular part of your lifestyle routine. Just like diets don't work, neither does working out for 3 months before summer then not returning to the gym again until the following spring. Healthy diet and regular exercise are a part of a healthy lifestyle. Which means its just something you do, like combing your hair or taking a shower. But, I've already extrapolated on this topic once before in my posts, so I won't go on too much.

The bottom line is be sure to go in to a gym with a "shopping list" of things you want. Ask questions if you don't understand what the membership includes. And don't, don't, don't sign anything until you have had your 7-10 days trial period. If you live in Ontario, this website has some great tips and also lists and explains your consumer rights with regards to gym memberships. Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services

To the left of your screen, you'll find a quick little poll. I'd love you to take 2 seconds and check off the top two or three features you feel are most important  to you in your gym membership. I will post the results next week.

until then; don't sweat the small stuff

Proper Form on a Treadmill

I just have to talk about this subject. I've watched too many people holding on for dear life on the incline setting, their bodies at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Now, I'm no expert, but I'm thinking that if you were running or walking uphill on a real hill, your body would not be at a 45 degree angle to the ground. Because if it were, you'd probably fall backwards!! (hence why I see people holding on to the bars while at an incline on the treadmill) And then there's this thing called gravity, that tells to pull us downwards in a straight line.........

Of course, I just had to do some research on this, to see if my initial suspicions were correct, or if possibly I was the weirdo at the gym.

First off, the basic form for using a treadmill are generally the same tips found on any site I visited and are as follows: 

1) Posture and spine should be straight, that is at a perpendicular angle to the ground; don't hunch forward, don't lean back

2) Keep head up and looking forward

3) Hold your arms at 90% and at waist level, swing naturally from the shoulders

4) Relax your hands, don't clench your fists

5) swing your arms back and forth not side to side

6) Relax your shoulders and square them up forward to maintain good posture

7) Land in the middle of your foot and roll through to your toes to avoid foot and knee stress

Advice for using the treadmill at an incline:

I found many sites that recommended using an incline to maximize the fat burn of your workout. In general, the advice is to start off slowly, allow 5-10mins for a warm up at a slow speed and low incline and gradually work your speed and incline up. There is no hard fast rule as to what speed or incline works best. What is most important is to watch your heart rate. I try to work towards a heart rate of 140-150. I've found that each time I increase the incline a few degrees, my heart rate response by increasing an additional 10 beats per minute. As everyone is different; age, body shape, weight etc, you will need to experiment to see what is most comfortable for you. When I had a personal trainer, he would be happy when he started to see me sweat. He would say, "NOW you are starting to work!!". So I tend to use that as an indicator to whether I'm pushing hard enough. I find it takes me 15mins on the treadmill before I start to really sweat. So for me, I need at least 30 mins to have an effective workout. A word of caution, if you smoke or have not worked out much before or only visit the gym occasionally, you should see a professional trainer at least once but several times is better. The trainer can help you develop a workout routine that is best suited to your immediate capabilities and needs. Once you have learned the workout, you can use it yourself during your gym visits. After a few months, you probably want to book another session or two with a trainer, to revisit your workout so that you continue to benefit from your efforts.

Again, I have to make sure you understand that I am in no way a professional. I'm just an average person, like you. I know what has been working for me, and I see what other people do in the gym. What works for you is something that only you and your personal trainer can decide.

Finally, above all else, you should truly enjoy your time at the gym. If you hate going to the gym then its not going to work for you. Whatever activity you chose to get your recommended 60mins of daily physical exercise it needs to be something you enjoy doing. Strangely, I never expected to enjoy working out at the gym, but I really do like it and I look forward to my morning work outs every day.

    

Upper James Premier/PhysioMed

This morning I chose the Upper James location to work out. The gym and reception areas were very sparkly and clean. Nice job! I checked the paper towel and tp dispensers in the womens changeroom and found them all had been refilled.

Upstairs in the main gym, again all dispensers were filled. And, I remembered to bring my own towel and water bottle this time!! LOL.

Todays workout was curious. About halfway through my 40 min treadmill routine, the mid-aged gentleman that was on a machine perpendicular and to the left of mine casually strode over to the treadmill beside me. I tried not to smile too much as I watched out of the corner of my eye, while he tried to look casual and peered intently at the read-out on my treadmill. Funny! I guess he was wondering why I was pouring sweat?!?

I myself have been guilty of casually peering at someones read-out. Why? Mere curiousity really. I suppose that's how we learn, by observing what others around us are up to. 

I also finally found the pec machine I was looking for last week. So I did about 10 mins of weights after my treadmill. Then of course, finished with a nice stretch session.

Nice gym at this location, especially when freshly cleaned. Seems to be moderately busy most of the time too, which is also a good sign.

Until tomorrow; don't sweat the small stuff..... 

Diet - Easy and Tasty Recipe #1

I love Blogger, I only wish I could choose what page I want my posts to appear. Then, I could catagorize my posts into; Workout Updates, Freedom - updates on my journey to being smoke-free, Diet - Tips, food prep ideas and recipies. But until they introduce this into blogger, I will have to make do with all my posts being on the same page.
And now to the topic at hand!!
Today I enjoyed a tasty, healthy easy-to-prepare lunch. I'm not a nutritionist or a chef, just a normal average woman. I am creative, and was able to throw together a few ingredients and create a nice meal. Below are the ingredients and general preparation for a dish that had a Thai-like taste. Enjoy!

 Ginger and Orange Chicken
serves 2
2 - skinned and deboned chicken breasts
1 orange (grate rind set aside, cut in half, remove skin from half and dice, set other half aside)
1 brown mushroom silced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup red pepper (roasted or fresh) diced
1/4 cup chicken stock (low sodium or homemade)
sea salt and black pepper
rice stick noodles (thin or thick; whatever your preference)

• Heat 1 tbsp of canola or olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken and sear both sides till slightly brown. Remove chicken from pan and let rest. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Add to the saucepan the mushroom, red pepper and ginger. Saute until mushrooms are lighty cooked.

• Meanwhile bring medium pot of water to boil and cook rice noodles until done. Drain noodles and set aside.
• Add chicken back into the pan when mushrooms are lightly cooked. Add grated orange rind and chicken stock. Cover pan and simmer lightly for 5-10 mins or until chicken is nearly done. Remove lid and finish cooking chicken, sauce will thicken slightly.
• Place noodles on plate and arrange chicken on top, with sauted vegetables and sauce from pan. Squeeze the 1/2 orange that was not diced onto the chicken and add the diced oranges to the plate.

Serve and enjoy!!

  

Body Mind and Spirit

Today I visited the Upper Wentworth location of Premier/PhysioMed. First thing I noticed was the new sign. Inside I asked about it at the desk and the girl said yes, they are now called Century Fitness. I'm just glad they are still open and operating, the name really doesn't matter.

I kept my visit simple this morning, just a quick session on the treadmill and some stretching. According to the lovely read-out on the treadmill I burned 411 calories and travelled 2.48 miles during my 45 minute session (which also included 5 minutes of a cool down period)

I'd like to venture into another aspect of fitness which is often overlooked by most. There's more to being healthy and fit than just physical exercise and diet. Fitness also encompasses your mental and spiritual state. Worry, fear, stress, general unhappiness all affect your overall health.  Consider the last time you had a cold or flu. Were you feeling miserable before you were sick or only after you became sick?? Think about it, but not too hard.  Chances are when you are feeling worried or stressed you probably also started to feel physical symptoms. Tired, achy, and a general feeling of "blah". As a Canadian, I notice many people around me suffer from the "blah" during the winter months, especially when daylight hours are so short that most people who work rarely see sunlight.

Please note, I'm not a doctor or health professional of any sort, my writings here are just simple personal observations.  For me, getting regular physical exercise, especially in the mornings, really helps my overall sense of well-being. I feel more energized for the day ahead and I feel like I've already accomplished something by getting up early and getting to the gym. So my morning sessions improve both my physical and mental health.

You'll never know until you give it a try!

Paper Towels are a Nice Touch

Todays update is a brief recounting of my visit to Premier Fitness/PhysioMed at Upper James Street in Hamilton.

I was a bit late for my workout today, I had a few meetings this morning, so I decided to re-visit Upper James since I really wanted to use their super nice private showers. I cut my workout a bit short, choosing to do 40 mins of cardio and 10 mins of stretching. I was a bit distracted this morning, and forgot to pack my sweat towel and a bottle of water. Total bummer! I asked someone at the desk if they had towels, he said they don't provide towels. This seems to be a service that is provided by some locations but not all. I can see the disadvantages; extra costs for laundry and the likely possibility of towels not being returned. But the advantages to members is the additional perk of having towels available, if you happen to forget your own.

After my workout on the treadmill, I had difficulty finding paper towels in the section I was in. Both nearby dispensers were empty. I found some on the other side of the upper gym and diligently went about wiping down the treadmill I had been using.

Back downstairs I grabbed my bag and items from my locker and chose one of the nice private shower rooms. The room was quite nice. The shower itself was relatively clean. After I changed I looked for some tp but both dispensers were empty. The paper towel dispenser was also empty as was the soap dispenser for the sink. It was about 11:30am. I was a bit surprised that no one had gone around the gym and changerooms to check on these things. I know when I was a teen and worked for a well-known ice cream and burger place, one of the things we were required to do was check at the beginning and end of our shift to make sure tp, paper towels, napkins and hand soap dispensers were all topped up.

Hopefully next time this small inconvenience will be attended to.

Overall, I had an enjoyable workout and a very nice shower.

Music to Burn Fat By

I am a recent convert to using an MP3 player during my workout sessions. Until about 3 weeks ago, I relied on the music that was projected thru the sound systems at the gyms. But I have found that using your own music has its advantages.

When you rely on the broadcast music at the gym, you might be interrupted with radio babble; especially early in the morning. That tends to throw off my stride while I'm pushing my way up the hill on the treadmill. Honestly, I really have no interest in what so and so did last night in Hollywood at the trendiest club of the night.

So, I invested in a nice pair of wireless headphones and fed my blackberry some of the music I have on my DVD collection. Now, technically my tastes are more along the classic alternative rock styles; but I don't find that musically style especially motivational during my workouts. A sudden burst of Dream On lacks the urgency I need to keep moving. So instead, Ive loaded my BB Bold with selections of Lady Gaga, Madonna and Annie Lennox. Three power pumped divas who seem to have a penchant for amazing vocals and hard hitting beats. Perfect!

BTW; I truly love my wireless headphones. They are bluetooth and I could even receive calls if I wanted to .................. The freedom of wireless cannot be understated when in the gym. Now all I need is an armband to strap my BB to and I'm all set.

What's your favourite music to workout to???

don't sweat the small stuff  

The Belly Fat Challenge - Day One

Well, as you can see from the title of this post, I've decided to really make an effort to bust my belly fat before summer starts. This is not going to be an easy challenge. I'm a 45yr old woman who has had two pregnancies. The odds are stacked against me, my age, my gender and the fact that I still have extra skin on my middle from when I was pregnant. I suppose that's why its called a "challenge", if it was easy it wouldn't be a challenge. It would be a walk in the park, a ray of sunshine, a day at the beach.....you know what I mean!!  Wonder who coined these phrases anyway, not everyday I've spent at the beach has been.....well, a "day at the beach".

Anyway, I've digressed.

Day one workout of the BFC (belly fat challenge) I decided to flip my usual workout upsidedown. This decision was due to what I discovered yesterday about the best workouts to beat belly fat. (check out yesterdays post if you missed it)

I started off with 10 mins on the elliptical. I still think this machine is bizarre. I feel like someone/thing is pulling my arms and legs.  I managed to maintain an average 58rpm during the 10 mins. Then I went over to the treadmill. Normally I would do a gradual increase on this but after my research yesterday, I decided to start off more quickly and intensely. Most of what I found in my research suggested that a more intense cardio component was more effective to burn fat. So I started at 6.5 elevation and 3.5 speed. After 5mins I increased the speed to 3.8. At 10 mins I increased the elevation to 9. Then at 20 mins I increased the elevation to 11. At 30mins I hit the "cool down" button. I have no idea just how accurate the readings are on these machines, but I will tell you at the 25min mark my heart rate was 159. According to the readout, I completed 2.1 miles and burned 326 calories.

Up next in my workout, I wandered over to the weight machines. I did 10 reps on various arm machines, working my pecs, biceps and that wobbly bit that we women have under our upper arms. Charming.  Then I went to find the machines that work my legs. I did about 10-15 reps each of the inner and outer adduction machines. Then about 20 reps on the leg press machine. I was trying to find something where I could do ab exercises, where you raise your legs, rather than crunch in, but I didn't find anything. I will check again tomorrow.

Lastly, I wandered into the aerobics studio and finished my workout with 40 crunches (I place my feet on the wall with my knees bent at 90 degrees) I did 20 side rockers, on each side, left and right and then on my back also.

My final 10 mins was stretching, legs, arms, back and neck.

My plan is to do this workout, and alternate with my boxing working, 4 to 5 days per week until the start of summer, which is Wednesday, June 20, 2012. This gives me 15 weeks to try to decrease my belly fat.   

Diet: Yuck; my least favourite thing to keep track of. Like most people, I like to eat. Its one of the few pleasures in life that anyone from any lifestyle, background or social status can enjoy. Even if you cannot afford lobster and steak (personally I don't care much for lobster) anyone can prepare tasty meals from any combination of fresh, simple ingredients.

I am not going to post every single thing I eat in a day, each and every day over the next 15 weeks. That would simply make me crazy!!!! And likely bore you  to tears!!! Instead, I will post a summary of the highlights and the epic fails (like indulging in 2 sour cream dipped donuts).

This morning; I made myself a breakfast burrito. Using the food information on the packaging of the ingredients I used and information I found on the internet, my estimate of the total food value of my breakfast, including one cup of frozen prepared juice beverage is as follows:

Calories: 668

Fat: 26.5 grams

Protein: 23.3 grams

Sugars: 31.7 grams

I used this website to determined an estimate of the food value for my breakfast (and I also used the label information for foods that were labeled; like the tortilla)

Here are the ingredients for my burrito:

1 large white tortilla

2 large eggs

2 tsp canola oil

1 brown mushroom

1tbsp chopped leek

1tbsp canned tomato, diced, no salt added

3tbsp grated marble cheese

1 /3 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

So now on to the days to do list.

Until tomorrow, don't sweat the small stuff

The Skinny on Belly Fat: Part Two - Diet

What? Did you think I was just gonna discuss exercise and NOT diet? Gosh no! Everyone knows that a healthy lifestyle comprises of regular exercise and healthy eating. The tough part for everyone is to maintain that attitude and practice, FOREVER! Yep, you can't just "diet" or decide to exercise every so often. It needs to be a part of your lifestyle, just like waking up and going to work everyday; exercise and diet are an integral part of your daily life. "Diets" don't work. And exercising in the spring so you can fit into your two piece bathing suit this summer is fine and dandy, but if you make it a part of your everyday life, then you don't have to stress every spring. Make sense?

Again, I did some research and came up with some common sense dietary approaches to fighting belly fat:

I liked this site because it offered some very common food suggestions for diet.

Quick and Simple   

Oatmeal – not instant

Almonds and other nuts - Small quantities per day

Protein Powder – Contains amino acids that burn fat and build muscle, add to all natural fruit only smoothies

Olive and Canola Oil

Berries – fresh is best, canned fruit tends to be over processed and contain way too much sugar

Eggs – Contain vitamin B12 which your body needs to metabolize fat.

Beans and Legumes – Packed with protein and fibre.

Lean Meats and Fish – fish is best,  or lean cuts of meat

Whole Grains -  100% whole grain, keep away from instant rice which has little food value

Low Fat All Natural Peanut Butter - PB is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat.

Green vegetables -  Did you know that iceberg lettuce contains almost no fibre?? Choose leafy vegetable like spinach, arugula or romaine instead.

Dairy – choose low fat or fat-free  dairy products

Avocados

Tea – Especially green tea which is loaded with antioxidants which speed up metabolism

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – High in protein

Cannellini beans – Contain resistant starch that resists digestion, thereby digesting slower and burning more calories during the process. Who knew?  

The interesting thing I discovered here, is that most of this I already include in my diet. For breakfast, I usually have a couple soft-boiled eggs with whole grain toast. Oatmeal is great for a before bed snack, at least I think so. I love berries and try to have them in my fridge whenever they are affordable. I like beans in chili and I love lentil salad. Fish is awesome, I tend to only buy when its on sale though because its darned expensive otherwise. Drinking tea has become my new beverage of choice. Green tea is nice, but I've discovered so many other variety's out there, like berry flavoured teas. I've started experimenting more with these and can't wait for summer to brew up some strawberry tea for sipping with ice.  I think my weakest link here is dairy. Like alot of adults I know, milk is not my stomachs favourite food, so I tend to choose yogurt or cheese instead.

When searching for more general information on diet, I found most sites recommend diets that emphasis lean protein and low GI carbs (such as fruits, vegetables and high fibre/whole grains). The true revelation here? None really, this is the type of diet that is recommended for optimal health regardless of what your goal(s) are. The hard truth is food alone cannot and will not affect your overall health. A common sense balance of diet and exercise is what is most recommended.

Does that mean never eating cake, cookies, chips or chocolate ever again? Gosh no, but when you do, limit your intake to a very small portion. You will satisfy your craving and not add on needless fat and sugar to your body. Everything in moderation, right?

The key here is to be aware that your daily caloric intake should not exceed your daily caloric usage. So, if you just burned 400 calories on the treadmill, you probably don't want to go out and kill that effort by wolfing down a fast food burger.

But that's just common sense right?

As part of my belly fat fight, I am going to continue with my usual diet and I will let you know how that goes.

In the meantime; don't sweat the small stuff  

The Skinny on Belly Fat Burn

As promised, I have gathered some info regarding the best and most recommended ways to burn belly fat. In this article, you will find links to the sites where I've found the information/advice. As with anything you read, always consider the source. I am in no way an expert or professional. I am just like you. A common average person with common average belly fat.

Now on to the skinny:

It seems that the 160 crunches I do at the start of my work out are all for naught; "...the amount of calories you spend doing exercises like crunches and sit-ups just isn’t enough to make much of a difference to the appearance of your waist and stomach.

Developing your abdominal muscles is relatively easy. The hard part is getting your body fat low enough so that you can see them." from Beat my Belly fat

The concensus seems to be that a workout that combines high intensity cardio with resistance training is your best bet to burn fat.

Here's an interesting snippet; "...  don't think that you only need to work on your abs. This is another grave misconception. The truth is that when you work all the larger muscle groups, adding more mass to your muscles, you rev up your metabolism to heights it has never before reached. Your muscles need extra calories to maintain themselves, so more of the food you eat will be feeding your muscles instead of your trouble spots. Your conditioned heart (from the cardiovascular stuff) is more effective at burning calories as well, so you have the golden combination there. As the fat comes off your body, it will come off your belly. Your body fat is like one organ, located throughout your body, and you can't take it off of just one spot unless you have liposuction done. The large muscles that you should concentrate on are (in this order):

1. Front and back of thighs
2. Buttocks
3. Back
4. Chest
5. Triceps and biceps
6. Calves
7. Hips
8. Forearms
9. Shoulders

Always work your abs at the end of your workout. There's a good reason for this. You are indirectly using them for all the other exercises you do.
The abs are important stabilizer muscles that keep your form in check. If you do abs first, you will tire them out, and your whole workout will be less than optimal. Work down from the largest to the smallest muscles."
from Body Building.com

So it seems I've been totally doing this wrong!! No problem, I am going to adjust my mis-informed routine and follow the advice I found. This same site also mentioned that the abdominal muscle called the transversus abdominis, "... located at your sides, below the obliques. Often called "lower abs", this is the muscle that women who are trying to lose the belly after pregnancy should concentrate on. Exercises that call for raising the legs instead of the upper body are very effective at strengthening the transversus."

This site also recommends walking, weight training and yoga to reduce belly fat and tone your abs.

I found loads of other sites and recommendations. What I chose to include here were ideas and suggestions that were most commonly found on all the sites I visited. What I chose to not include were recommendations from sites that were directly sponsored by a particular product or company.

Well, I'm gonna try these new ideas, and track my progress here. Hopefully by summer I will have some improvement to show you.

don't sweat the small stuff

Todays Work-Out update

So as mentioned, I've been a gym guru now for about 2 years. I started with 30mins of boxing activities and exercises, and this winter I've added 20mins of weight machines and 30-40mins of cardio on the treadmill.

I've been doing the cardio for about 5 weeks now and I really expected to see more results than what I see. My belly is still jelly. Not happy about that. Maybe it takes longer?? I dunno really. I'm going to do some internet research later today and post my findings. Maybe theres something I'm missing.

I'm also considering booking more personal training sessions to kick-start my new work-out routine. The idea being that a professional will probably know what I need to do to get the results I want. I will let you know how that works out, when I decided to take this step.

So today I went to the Upper Wentworth Premier gym. I wanted to try out their boxing studio as I have not done this previously. I got the key at the front desk. It was attached to a 3 foot wooden plank, a 1X6 I think would be the term. LOL!!

I dragged it upstairs and got access to the studio. The studio is packed with lots of bags, all various sizes. They had a generous supply of gloves, I have my own so I didn't need to use theirs. In the center back of the studio is a small boxing ring, kinda cool, but not something I would use. I could never actually hit anyone, I just like the feeling of tension release when hitting the bag during a workout. One thing missing was a speed bag.

After about 20mins in the boxing studio, I locked up and brought the planked key back to the desk. I decided to try an eliptical. I'd never tried these before. I spent 5 mins on this. I found it felt odd to have my arms moving strangely while my feet were seeming to climb upwards. I could really feel my upper thighs start to burn so I kept it to a modest 5 min trial.

After the eliptical, I went over to the treadmills and did my usual 30mins.

One thing I've noticed since going to the gym, is that only a small percentage of members warm down or stretch after their workout. As I was a competitive figure skater in my youth, I was taught early on the importance of a proper warm down and stretch after each training session. Stretching after a workout is especially good, because the muscles are warm and will respond to a nice slow stretch. This lengthens the muscle and when you cool down, you don't feel knotted and sore. I usually spend a good 10 mins stretching my arms, legs and back after my workout.

Tomorrow,  I may check out another gym and post my findings here for you.

Until then, don't sweat the small stuff!