Put Your Toys away Please!

Ah, got your attention eh?

Today I am going to express the benefits of "treat your neighbour as yourself" theory as applied to the fitness club that you are a member of.

Now surely most of this is common sense and most of you already do these things without even really thinking about it, your actions are just a normal reflex.

Cleanliness in your fitness club is probably, above all, the most important element next to excellent customer service, that you can expect to see each and every time you enter your gym. Cleanliness reflects a positive image and supports confidence in the gym organization.

Cleanliness also extends to keeping equipment clean and well maintained at all times.

Basic aspects of a clean gym include:

Clean and sanitized washroom, shower and changeroom facilities

Floors that are clean and free of visible dust and grit

Glass and mirrors are free of finger prints and smudges

Adequate and maintained air circulation and temperature control

Sanitation stations ALWAYS equiped with cleaner and paper towels

Fitness equipment stored neatly off the main floor space

Not only is the gym responsible for the cleanliness of the facilities, but also the members. How is that you say?? Simple. Treat your gym like your home. Respect others who use the facility by putting away the equipment when you are finished using it. I don't know how many countless times I have been in my gym, in the womens studio area and found myself picking up equipment that I didn't use, simply because it was scattered everywhere and in the way. Its really not difficult to replace the mats and free weights back where they belong. This helps the next person find the equipment easily, and keeps the gym safe and clutter free. Which all in turn elevates the appearance of the gym to visitors and promotes a growth in membership. 

So next time you visit the gym, remember to put away your "toys".  You will appreciate others doing the same for you.

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

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 Countdown Begins

With only 3 days to go before my birthday and the official end day of the Belly Fat Challenge I am now a bit nervous about the final results.  Why??  Well, being human, I have faltered from the nutrition plan here and there and indulged in a few more carbs than what had been recommended. Truth be told; I have also indulged in one or two chocolate bars very recently!! ARG!!!!

But wait!!!! Is this the end of the world????  Have I failed miserably???  Ummmmm, no; in fact these simple facts serve to demonstrate that our society still needs work at improving the image of health and fitness.  Its not just a fad for the severely bored and oppressed.  For those who have no imagination or who have insane prejudice for meat-eaters.  These are all stereo-typical ideas of those who are keen about health and fitness.  Its like the nerdy kid in class.  Everyone knows he's gonna earn waay more than anyone else in the class when he grows up; but he is still persecuted by his classmates simply because he is a nerd.  Thus does society poke fun and stereo-type those of us who make health and fitness a lifestyle choice. I know I get comments from time to time about the amount of time I spend at the gym.  However, I am committed to this lifestyle now and I am enjoying the benefits of being healthy.  Feeling good, having more energy, sleeping better, clothes fitting better, improved self esteem and improved overall outlook on life in general. 

Likely I will NOT post on my birthday, June 7th as I will be busy ....... however I will post final results and final comments on my Belly Fat Challenge this weekend, June 9th or 10th.

enjoy the rest of your week

until then; 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... 

Belly Fat Challenge: Week #11 update

So here it is, the long awaited picture of progress. In order to appreciate how much work I have done to lose the 3 inches I have lost from my waist in 11 weeks you need to review some of my posts which discuss my daily workouts. Yes, daily. I had been going to the gym everyday for about an hour each day since March 6th. Recently, I have had to scale this back to 6 days per week, due to a new commitment.

Here is the before picture taken
on March 6, 2012:

March 6, 2012

May 18, 2012

And over here >>is the after picture;  after 11 weeks of hard work taken today, May 18, 2012.

Wow, I wasn't even aware of the difference myself until just looking at these two pictures now.

It sure makes me feel good that all my hard work has translated into some really great results. This is not the end of my belly fat challenge, gosh no. It has now spurred me on to keep working hard and keep up my exercise routine and maintain my healthy diet. It feels great to be able to slip on my jeans now, rather than squeeze myself into them. LOL!!

I sincerely hope that by sharing my experiences here has inspired some of my readers to take up their own fitness challenges. For years I thought there was no way I'd ever lose the belly fat I gained through two pregnancies. The skin there was so stretched and the fat just didn't seem to ever want to go away. But now I've managed to change all that by working out more often and by changing my diet. For me, its not just about how I look, but how I feel overall.  And, its also about setting a goal and reaching that goal.

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