Tips for Healthy Eating

Today my husband and I went out around Calgary to do some cheap furniture shopping and bounced from one Value Village to the next consignment store, wandering around, smiling at finds but eventually leaving empty-handed. In all the excitement, I didn't realize my creeping hunger that was steadily growing inside of my body (I'm a regular eater and my body is always clear when I'm getting low on fuel!). By the time we got home I was getting to the point of feeling on the verge of "I'm starved!" but dinner wasn't quite ready yet. So what did I do? Had a handful of chocolate-covered coffee beans. Then part of an apple. Then a cup of tea to try to quell the quivering inside. Good choices, or bad ones? Not listening to your body when it's telling you something is one of the worst things we can do to ourselves. We try to "just get through" to the next meal or "just finish up" that assignment or load of laundry before responding to our bodies needs. 

In our fast-paced lives, many of us find ourselves running out of time to eat right (or sometimes even at all!) and don't always make the best decisions because we're on the go. Whether it's for reasons of inconvenience, laziness, or not knowing, there are many reasons why we neglect to take care of our bodies as it pertains to eating. Here are a few ways for us to incorporate healthy eating into our lifestyles and tips on how to avoid situations like I found myself in today!


#1. Remember the Magic 3: aim to eat 3 meals, have 3 snacks, and drink 3 L of water a day.


#2. Avoid all white foods: Be wary of foods like white rice, instant oatmeal, white sugar, and white flour. There are so many whole wheat and whole grain options now that finding substitutes is easy. Also, next time you want to cut calories, don't eat just the egg whites - contrary to popular thought, the yolk is packed with proteins, vitamin A, and fats necessary to absorb that vitamin A.

#3. Avoid artificial sweeteners. Go natural! Honey (the less processed, more local the better!) or molasses are much better options than fake sweeteners with aspartame and other harsh sugar substitutes.


#4. When grocery shopping, try to buy food that has less than 3 ingredients. This is hard to do, but the more real your food, the better!  The less processed means the more original nutrients you'll get.

#5. Pre-plan meals for the week (and/or day). These choices aren't hard to make, they just take time and will become habit. The better you plan ahead, the better your results to stick with eating well!


#6. Keep a food journal. You'll be surprised at what you're really eating when you take the time to write down every handful of candy or extra bite of your kid's leftover macaroni! Writing down what you eat keeps you accountable for yourself and helps cut out extra empty calories.

And remember: your results will be slower if you're not eating healthy 80% of the time. You can do sit-ups until you're blue in the face and run on the treadmill until you can't run anymore, but if you're eating whatever you like before and after those workouts, it almost won't matter. Don't sabotage yourself! If you want to see real results and want to have more energy and be more positive throughout your days, what you eat will make all the difference.


It's a lifestyle change, so take small steps towards your goal of eating well to make it sustainable and not a 4-week-diet-mentality. Eat well, workout well, and live well. Here's to increasing your quality of life!

-bonnie

(thanks to Cliff Harvey and Anne Matthews & 

their respective articles in Can-Fit-Pro's Jan/Feb 2010 issue)

My Fitness Recommendation for Mixing It Up...

Ever feel bored of routine? Whether it's the daily grind that's got you feeling stale or the lack of new experiences in your weekends, I think it's easy for many of us to get stuck in a rut and we find ourselves growing stale. My husband and I always want to be people who live "uncomfortable lives" - who choose to embrace fear and uncertainty and try to keep edging our comfort zones further and further away from where we were last year. From big life changes to saying hi to the person who always eats lunch alone at work, it's important for us to take steps to change the ordinary and mix things up - even in our health and fitness routines!

This is where I want to highlight a piece of equipment that will change the way you view (and experience!) fitness called the TRX Suspension Trainer (www.fitnessanywhere.com).  The TRX is a unique fitness tool that is small, portable, and challenges your core strength and balance through functional, compound muscle movements. It is an excellent tool to have because you can take it and use it anywhere with you, it's great for everyone regardless of fitness level and experience, and because you can use the TRX for literally hundreds of different exercise combinations; you will not get bored using this piece of equipment!

After taking a certification course in Calgary last year, I have not been able to get away from using the TRX and am enjoying using the diverse opportunities it has to offer with my clients. Performing different movements (especially ones that throw off your balance) than your body is used to creates "muscle confusion" which means you're forcing your muscles to be used in ways they haven't. In other words, simply doing biceps curls and leg presses condition your body to do the same movements, and over time your muscles get used to the routine - and you probably get bored of it! So trying something new and changing up your routine challenges your body in fresh ways which delivers real results. The TRX is great because you're using just your body weight as resistance, which is not only safe but also helps to sculpt lean muscle. Moreover, the ability to incorporate cardio bursts into your workouts through jumps, squats, and lifts while engaging your core means real change!

...it's change that I can get behind, and after using and loving this product so much, I want to encourage others to check it out too! Book a free initial consultation with me if you're in the Calgary area and I will show you how the TRX can help change the way you approach fitness! If you're interested in learning  more,  CLICK HERE

Explore this new fitness option, change up your routine, and start seeing real results! Whether this is the first you've heard of the TRX or you've tried it before, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Stay consistent, push hard, and let's get strong together!

Find a Friend, Get a Break!

As part of my January incentive, I'm doing a push to get people working out together - greater accountability, more fun! So, if you find a friend, the two of you can work out for 1 session for only $30! Jump on this great deal to get fit with a spouse, family member, or friend and save money while doing it.

Great Deals for the New Year!

Hey everyone,

Well, to kick off my business around Calgary and because of the new upcoming year, I'm offering a great special for personal training! Each session is 45 minutes and includes a warm up, 30 - 35 minute high intensity workout, and cool down/stretching. Remember, I travel to you to make it more convenient for your life and with the ultimate purpose of increasing your quality of life. The special deal for January is:

$40 per session - for 24+ sessions! If you renew, pay the same price: $40!
$50 per session - pay as you go.

Cost includes travel fee, all taxes, and equipment. Join with me for unique, personal workouts at YOUR home. Let's get strong together - now's the time to take your body to the next level and live a better life in 2010!

My Personal Fitness Philosphy

I operate out of a “functional fitness” approach to personal training, that is, the movements I teach people are movements that make your life better, easier, and more enjoyable. My goal is to help improve your quality of life through  physical fitness, and to do so through unique, fun, and shorter, more high intensity workouts. 

High Intensity workouts (HIT) are another aspect of my fitness philosophy that I incorporate into training. These are simple, compound movements that recruit more muscle than isolated muscle movements and use primarily four moves: squats, pushups, dead lifts, and press-ups. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you burn - it's as simple as that! HIT workouts are functional; they improve your everyday life and tasks - from lifting your suitcase into the overhead bin to squatting down to lift up your child. These workouts get you sweating, breathing hard, and wiped out in roughly 18 to 30 minutes! New studies show that most people can focus for about 20 minutes of quality workout time; the importance of quality cannot be overstated. Quality over quantity in your workouts will improve your quality of life. 

Another tool I use is the TRX Suspension Trainer, on which I became certified and have never looked back! It's an incredible, versatile piece of at-home, go-anywhere equipment that gives you a total body workout and highlights core strength in every movement that you do. It combines strength, flexibility, and metabolic training to give you an intense, full-body workout in a new way!

Workout in the comfort of your own home with unique, high intensity workouts and improve your quality of life! 45-minute sessions include traveling fees, all taxes, and equipment. Let's get strong in 2010!