I'm Back!!

I am back, dear readers!! Sorry for the long lapse without a post. I have been happily busy working on a new project which will consume most of my time. However, because its something I love to do, it won't seem like work. Nay! In fact it will feel more like just doing what I do best. (insert wink here)

I have been keeping up with my workout routine through all the changes to my schedule and work day. I am at the gym usually around 6:30 am through the week and work out for an hour. Weekends have become too busy for me, with summer being the main distraction so I have not been going to the gym on weekends.

As for my nutrition plan; while I'm not keeping to it strictly as I was for the first couple months, I am aware of the lessons I learned while on the plan. My food choices now try to best suit the nutrition plans ideals of low carbs, low fat, high protein and fresh vegetables and fruit. And I try to have at least 4 smaller meals per day.

I have actually lost weight; about 3 lbs. And I've lost inches again. My size 7 pants are now quite loose around the waist. I can't go to a smaller size because my legs and butt won't fit in a size 5. I'm not concerned, I wear belts when needed. Most of my tops are loose on me too. I suppose the only real draw-back of getting fit is that your clothes become too big and loose. I tend to prefer tighter fitting clothing, but since I'm on a budget, I will just have to settle for the clothes I have right now. Besides, I tend to gain weight over the winter months so there's no sense in spending on new clothes.

My elliptical workout sessions have also increased in intensity. I find I can now finish a distance of 3 miles in less than 20 minutes. Today I did 3 miles in 18 minutes. I wish I was able to actually run, as in run on pavement. The weather here has been so amazing lately, I'd love to take my workout outdoors. But my knees are not in the best condition, so its not advisable for me to run on pavement or trails.

The elliptical machine is a great substitute; since you can still get the cardio workout your muscles are capable of while not stressing your knees or hips or feet. Anyone with joint problems, try the elliptical machine. Its a great way to workout well without beating up your joints.

until next week......don't sweat the small stuff!!

The Importance of Proper Form During Exercise

The Importance of proper form during exercise cannot be overstated. Ask any personal trainer or fitness coach and they will tell you that doing 5 reps of any exercise using correct form and technique is more effective than doing 20 reps with poor form.

You might think this topic is pretty straight-forward, but actually it is fairly complex. The reason for this is because knowing and practicing correct form during exercise is a skill that requires learning and repetition.

Throughout this blog, I have extolled the virtues of exercise, regular daily exercise and being motivated to start an exercise routine. Motivation, determination and routine are fantastic and all necessary to achieve your fitness goals. However, you also need know-how; that is to say, you need to know the correct way to exercise. You need to learn correct form.

Think back to high school, or even grade school and Phys-Ed class (or Fizz-Ed class as I like to remember them as). Surely you can recall at least one well-meaning teacher who taught you how to do situps and push ups. Sit Ups were performed by laying flat on your back, then reaching up and across to touch your toes. Personally, I never really felt much going on in my gut, but my back sure did hurt afterwards. Push-ups seemed just as pointless to me, no one told me to squeeze my butt and keep my back straight not swayed. So again, very little affect for me at that time, except again to aggravate my back.

No fault to the Fizz-Ed teachers; they were simply teaching what was practiced at that time.

These days, physical fitness and nutritional health are not just for the fringe few. Fitness and health have become "buzz words" that are known by the general public. Yet sadly, only 15% of Canadians achieve the recommended weekly 150 minutes of physical activity; according to the Globe and Mail . What the Stats Can survey does not take into account is the quality of the exercise that the 15% are engaging in. I think its safe to say most people would prefer quality over quantity in most things; TV shows, movies, food, cars etc.

So I've kinda wandered away a wee bit from my original thought here, but the point is that correct form (aka: quality) is very important during your exercise sessions. So now the question is, how do you learn correct form??

You can research; like I've done here for you OR you can book a few personal training sessions with a qualified Personal Trainer at your gym.

If you decide to take the route I recommend most, which is work with a Personal Trainer; make the most of your sessions by asking outright what you want to achieve; that is TELL YOUR PERSONAL TRAINER WHAT YOUR FITNESS GOALS ARE. They can only help you if you tell them; so don't be shy. Second; during your training sessions, if you have any questions or are unsure about what you are doing ASK QUESTIONS!. The best Personal Trainers will respond to your questions and will be further inspired by your interest in your own physical health.

When I started my most recent personal training sessions, my trainer had me use free-weights for some of the exercises. I had never used free-weights before and I told him that so that he would know I was a beginner. This gave him the opportunity to teach me the correct form; thereby achieving maximum effect while performing the exercises AND most importantly; avoiding unnecessary injury or strain that can happen when you perform an exercise with poor or incorrect form.

Again; I want to repeat that last point:

Using proper form during exercise will help you to achieve maximum effect while performing the exercises AND most importantly; avoid unnecessary injury or strain that can happen when you perform an exercise with poor or incorrect form.

Of course, you can also learn correct form from books and videos. Be sure to check the dates to ensure the information is current and check if the author and their information is backed by a government agency or other qualified agency.

I found a few web sites and videos in a quick search for correct exercise technique:

Side Crunch

Squats: this one describes the squat technique I use which was taught to me by my personal trainer 

Abdominal Exercises: This video shows a series of exercises done together to achieve optimal results, I actually use about half of these exercises in my own routine. The demonstrator in the video is quite good at explaining the mechanisms behind the exercises

I'm pretty picky, these three were the only ones I found so far, that were easy to understand and also showed correct form during the exercise. I was trying to find some videos showing free weight exercises similar to the ones I have been taught. But I was not able to find any today.

Basically, I use a 20 or 30lb barbell for the first exercise. The idea is to hold the weight in front of you, allowing your arms to relax stretched down fully  in front of you while you stand with your legs hip width apart, knees very slightly bent, feet pointed forward. Slowly bend at the waist (do not bend at your knees); pushing your butt out behind you until your hands holding the weight lower past your knees. Be sure to keep your chest and head up, looking straight ahead. Hold for 1 second then come back up more quickly than you went down; squeezing your butt while doing so. Keep your core (tummy) tight during the exercise. If done correctly; you should feel the exercise work your butt, thighs, tummy and lower back. I had started with 20lbs several weeks ago and today I used 30lbs and was able to feel the exercise again. Do about 15 reps, then mix with 15 reps of two other exercises and repeat 4 times. 

If you find some great videos showing excellent proper form for exercises, please send me the links and I will post them here for everyone to share.

The summary of today is to remember that proper form is extremely important during your exercise routine. Whenever you are unsure, always ask a personal trainer or seek other professional advice. An easy rule to use is that if the exercise is causing you pain; then its probably not working correctly. The key is to know the difference between pain and the normal burn you feel when working the muscle correctly. A personal trainer can help you to learn this and they can help you to achieve your own fitness goals.

Until next time; don't sweat the small stuff... 

Todays Workout and Fitness Update

Well, it certainly is a beautiful Friday morning in May here in Hamilton. My workout this morning combined 30 mins of cardio with 30 mins of abdominal work  and some weight training. I've been getting alot of positive remarks lately on how I look. Everything from; "your skin looks so good since you've quit smoking", to "I hardly even recognize you, you look great, what are you doing different?".

Its nice to get positive feedback. I am incredibly self-critical, so hearing great things from people around me tends to cut through my own self-talk and brighten things up. I think one of the unexpected perks of exercising regularly and eating healthy is that even when things are worry-some or troubled in your life, you are able to manage the challenges more easily. I think that the reason for this is because exercise and healthy eating help to stabilize your body; sort of a buffer-zone to stressful events that occur in your life. The discipline, energy and determination that you "exercise" while exercising all overflow into your day to day life.

Its tough to describe completely, but if you are someone who has made healthy diet and exercise a regular part of your life, you know what I mean.

Next week, I plan on posting some updates on my Belly Fat challenge, including pictures. Yes, the dreaded pictures!!! But I think that the progress I've made is truly noticeable now.

Reality Check:

I just want to say one big thing about the hype you read and hear about diet and exercise. There are so many different products out there from miracle teas and pills to exercise machines that guarantee results!! All of these products have one thing in common: they promise huge results quickly. 

Seriously; do you, as a human being and informed consumer really think that in just 3 weeks all your fat will melt away like magic?????????????????????????

Think about it logically. Did it take three weeks for you to gain those 50lbs??? Probably not. I know when I was expecting my first child, I gained 80lbs over a 40 week period. It took me more than 10 years to lose the first 50lbs.(without trying)  The other 30 I only started losing since I adopted my exercise program two years ago. Of course, some people may have a quicker metabolism. But NO ONE has a metabolism that can burn 20lbs in 3wks. You would have to work out 10hours a day every day and diet like there's no tomorrow.  Definitely a very unhealthy way to lose weight.  

The hard truth is that achieving good health requires commitment. You need to commit time and effort. And you need to be determined to stick to it. A health program that helps you to lose weight, tone muscle, and eat healthy requires a lifetime commitment. Once you have achieved your goal (whatever you think is your "ideal" body/health) then you need to continue with the healthy lifestyle to maintain your health. Its not temporary. Its not a quick fix then-I-can-go-back-to-eating-burgers-and-fries-and-1000-calorie-shakes thing.  Its a new lifestyle. That means "for life". Embrace it. And Enjoy it.    

Until next time; don't sweat the small stuff...

Belly Fat Challenge: Progress Report

I am happy to report that there has been progress!!! Yessssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!

Afterall, that is the whole point, isn't it??

My size 7 jeans now fit me again, like they did before I quit smoking. Actually, they fit me a bit better as they are not quite as snug around the belly. I believe the reason for this progress is the addition of my personal training sessions into my workout routines AND the nutrition plan.

I know, you're thinking; "but she's only been on the nutrition plan for a week".......true, but I already feel really good. Having 5 small meals approximately 3 hours at each interval (starting at around 7am or whenever I get my lazy butt out of bed!) seems to be helping to regulate my blood sugar and has pretty much eliminated that woozy feeling I was getting periodically since I've quit smoking.

I believe when I started this quest, I set my birthday June 7th as the target date. That date was for both losing my belly fat and quitting smoking. And since I have quit smoking now all I need to focus on is getting fit.  All??? 

Agreed, its not easy to stick to a nutrition plan either. (just like it wasn't easy to quit smoking) And its not easy to get to the gym on a regular basis; okay I'm lying about this one but that's because I'm a weirdo and I love to workout. So I suppose its not easy for the average person to get to the gym everyday. BUT, this one small indication of progress has spurred me to continue the challenge.  

A reader commented on my last post asking me to share the nutrition plan. As you know, I've taken on the self directed task of reviewing fitness solutions for you, the reader. Therefore; until I can be certain that this nutrition plan is indeed working well and will continue to work for two more weeks, I will not reveal the plan.

Please note; I am not a nutritionist, doctor, therapist or expert of any kind in fitness whatsoever. I'm just an average normal mid 40's woman who is reviewing various fitness solutions and posting my personal experiences and opinions here for you to read. Which means that just because this plan is working for me, does not necessarily mean that it works for you.

BUT! If indeed you decide to take on the challenge yourself, AND you do indeed find that it is working for you then FANTASTIC!!!! Please let me and your fellow readers know about your progress by posting your comments here on my blog.

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

Nutrition Plan Day One

So I got my nutrition plan from my gym yesterday afternoon. The counsellor read it through with me, asked if I had any questions and off I went to the grocery store. I also picked up a bottle of whey protein to use in the protein shakes.

The nutrition plan consists of 3 days of meals, that I am to rotate. There are 5 meals per day. The idea being to keep my metabolism working to use energy. Prior to this, I ate sporadically through the day. Most days my first meal was around 1pm. Apparently that way of eating is bad, because your body will store every bit of energy you put in, because it doesn't know when the next round of energy will be put in.

The 5 meals are small and around 400 calories each, give or take. The emphasis seems to be on protein; low or zero fat, almost no carbs (except oatmeal and sweet potatoes). One thing I forgot to ask was what beverages I can have. Likely the answer will be water, but I will confirm next time I see her. Prior to this nutrition plan I almost never drank pop or carbonated beverages of any kind (maybe once or twice a year). I don't drink alcohol, I never drink milk (it bugs my stomach). Mostly I drink watered-down juices, water and water with a low calorie (no more than 10 per 500ml) flavoured sweetener. I also like tea, green tea and coffee. My coffee consumption has greatly reduced since I quit smoking, now I might have one or two a week in the morning. Most often now I drink green tea in the morning.    

I am to follow this plan for three weeks, then go back in for likely another menu plan, to change up things a bit. It is a bit tough to follow, I do feel hungry at times, but as I just quit smoking only a short time ago, my will-power is still very strong so I feel I will be able to stay the course.

Today I also went for a boxing class. The class was an hour long and most of it consisted of conditioning exercises. I plan on attending every Friday now, as part of my weekly routine.

So right now, my exercise schedule is:

Monday: 1hr personal training session

Tuesdays: 1hr cardio

Wednesday: 1hr personal training session

Thursdays: 1hr cardio

Friday: 1hr boxing

Saturday: 1hr cardio/weights

Sunday: 1hr cardio/weights

I will probably NOT go to the gym occasionally, likely on a weekend here and there. Sometimes as we all know, life gets super busy and schedules and routines have to be flexible and adjust to needs.

While my goal is to lose my belly fat, I know that there will be other benefits along the way to reaching this goal. My overall health will improve, my eating habits will improve, my energy will increase, my ability to sleep will improve, concentration will improve and more.

As always, I will post my progress here. I do plan to post another photo, at least once there is some noticeable improvements to my belly fat.

Until then, 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!!!

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!! 

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!! 

    

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.

    

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!!