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Greetings!
Welcome 2009!
It might not be very original, but resolving to change one's health and fitness is one of the hottest topics at this time of year. Resolutions really happen all the time. Sometimes a life event - a pregnancy, illness, death in the family or new relationship - is the catalyst to change. Other times, life chugs along ho-hum until the holiday season, with all its parties and small talk, and we start to anticipate that question, "What's your New Year's Resolution?"
Now, we all know that you, dear reader, are perfection embodied. But you simply can't tell people that you don't have a resolution because you're perfect just the way you are. At the very least, it would make for a very uncomfortable cocktail party. And it really is the time of year for making nice...
Have a glance over last year's day timer and a good look in the mirror. What are you neglecting? What are you not taking care of? If you're the average woman, it's yourself. Contrived and commercialized or not, the new year is as good a reason as any to set some new boundaries, delegate to your husband, coworkers, kids or housekeeper, and make the time to treat yourself as well as you treat the people around you. After all, a happy woman makes the world around her a better place. And a healthy, happy woman makes the world around her a better place for a long, long time - about 80 years on average! Happy Resolving!
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multiple-choice resolutions
fit family blog
Welcome, 2009! Welcome, fresh start! Welcome, new me! Farewell, bad habits...
Lacking inspiration? Tired of the same old resolutions that never seem to stick? Check out the fit family list of 25 great resolutions for better health and fitness in 2009 and get some tips for your own healthiest year yet!
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all cardio is not equal
tip of the month
This is our favourite time of year to hit the gyms and take off a few pounds. While the average Canadian gains just one pound over the holidays - not 5 or 8 as you may have heard - studies do show that the great majority of us keep that one pound of fat all year and add to it the following holiday season... over a few years, that's an extra notch in your belt! So you're ready to burn off that pound (and maybe a few others that have been lingering along with it...) and you know you have to do some cardiovascular exercise. But what is cardio? And is all cardio the same?
To put it simply, cardiovascular exercise is any continuous, usually upright or full-body movement that raises the heart rate to a significantly higher-than-usual level for at least 20 to 30 minutes. The most common examples of cardiovascular exercise are walking, cycling, jogging, aerobics, dancing, rowing and stair climbing. In a gym, you'll find the usual suspects: treadmill; elliptical trainer; rowing ergometer; stationary bicycle; and stairmill. All of these are designed to stimulate the cardiovascular system and improve fitness.
Some types of cardio and cardio machines are vastly superior to others. To learn about calories burned during cardiovascular exercise and how to really burn fat during and after your workouts, click here to read the rest of the article...
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fit facts
fact: of those who achieve their new year's resolution, 40% do it on the first try and 17% succeed after 6 or more tries.
fit: gaining and losing weight repeatedly can be hard on your heart (and your sanity). Plan your workouts in your calendar and your meals in advance, and announce your plans to your friends and family so you'll stick with them. Willpower is your #1 weapon for 2009!
Do it right and hit your goal the first time with help from an expert...
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rise and shine
fit in ten
You've made your fitness resolution, whatever it might be. These next couple of months is when your resolve will be highest. Squeeze in an extra ten minutes of exercise each morning with the workout below and take off another 2 pounds by the end of February. 2 pounds for ten minutes out of your day!
You'll need bare feet or sneakers and space to move.Complete 15 reps of each of the following exercises in order to complete one circuit. Repeat.
prisoner squat: see description and illustration here
push up: assume "plank" position on floor on toes and hands. Align hands under shoulders and keep abdominal muscles tight. Lower body until elbows form right angles, then press up to straight arms.
lunge: stand with feet together and step forward with left foot into "split" position. Bend both knees and lower your body until left thigh is parallel to floor. Complete all reps on left leg, then switch to right leg.
plank: see description and illustration here(note: do 1 rep only of 30-60 seconds)
jumping jack: stand with feet together, hands at sides. Jump and spread legs as you raise arms overhead to touch fingers. Jump back to starting position.
A quick stretch and you're ready to start your day, already fitter than when you woke!
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fit facts
fact: individuals who eat 4 or more times daily are 45% less likely to be obese than those who eat 3 or fewer times daily.
fit: don't get caught up in the cycle of starving & binging! Eat every 3-4 hours to boost your metabolism and to avoid getting so hungry that you throw all those great resolutions right out the window!
Download nutritional guidelines from Health Canada & the Dieticians of Canada...
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fit facts
fact: the average person walks only about 4,000-5,000 steps per day.
fit: experts recommend 10,000 steps per day for basic fitness. 30-60 minutes of brisk walking will tack on 4 to 5,000 steps to your total!
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top 5 resolutions you must make
fit family top 5
Making a set of several resolutions at the same time might seem daunting but it actually helps you stick to your plans and makes it more likely you'll really change your behaviour. If you resolve to exercise more and eat more vegetables, chances are you'll remember that great workout you had in the morning when the munchies strike at night and reach for some fresh, crunchy veggies. Here are 5 resolutions that should be on everyone's list!
- strength train twice weekly. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends healthy
adults perform 8-10 strength training exercises twice per week for
basic fitness. If you have specific weight loss or strength goals,
more is better! Just allow one day of rest between strength workouts
or train different muscles on successive days.
- quit smoking. If you are hanging on to this habit, there is no time like the present to kick it to the curb. A 1999 study showed women who exercised vigorously while trying to quit smoking were twice
as likely to kick the habit and gained about half the weight of women
who also tried to quit but didn't do the workouts.
- take 10,000 steps a day. You don't have to wear a pedometer to track each step - just move more! Take the stairs, walk to the store, take the kids for a stroll around the block after dinner or strap on your sneakers during your lunch break. Walking is great cardiovascular exercise and a safe, easy way to get moving if you've been inactive.
- drink more water. Most of us live in a constant state of mild dehydration. Thirst is a sign of dehydration and - what's worse - most of us don't even realize we're thirsty! Often when we feel "snacky" it's actually our thirst reflex being misunderstood by our bodies. Pay attention and drink up! Women need about 2 L per day and men about 3 L per day.
- stretch. You've heard it before and you probably still aren't doing enough of it. Flexibility training is the only form of exercise that Health Canada recommends be performed daily but most people don't do enough stretching, if they do it at all! Yoga, pilates, dance, martial arts and stretching are all great ways to ease stiff muscles and improve alignment and posture.
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tasty turkey chili
trainer-approved recipe
If you're entertaining for Superbowl Sunday or just looking for a simple winter supper that's healthy and hearty, this chili is for you. Canned baked beans and beef broth add richness to this turkey dish with fewer calories. It's my own concoction, tested on lots of chili fans and it's always a winner. My family prefers lentils to the traditional kidney beans but you may substitute whatever legumes you like. For an extra boost, I eat mine with a scoop of plain yoghurt for that sour cream flavour without the fat. It's a one-bowl meal that tastes like a treat! Yields 6 servings.- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1 bell pepper
- 1-2 carrots
- 2-3 stalks celery
- 1/2 zucchini
- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 can low-sodium beef broth
- 1 can lentils, rinsed
- 1 can baked beans in tomato sauce
- 1 can whole tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cayenne or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- yoghurt to garnish (optional)
1. Heat oil and brown turkey in large pot over medium-high heat. 2. Add garlic, onion and spices and saute 2-3 minutes. 3. Add remaining vegetables (except parsley), legumes and liquids and mix well. 4. Simmer on low 1-2 hours until desired consistency is reached. 5. Add parsely before serving and garnish with a dollop of yoghurt. To view nutritional information or for more recipes and tips, click here and visit the fit family blog...
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live chat with fit family
Got a burning fitness question?
Got an ache or pain and you're not sure how to work out around it?
Got a few minutes to kill at work?
Chat live with Dara at www.fitfamily.ca and get an immediate response to your questions and concerns.
Live, free and from a source you can trust!
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Thank you for being a member
of the Fit Family community.
Be well,
Dara
Duff-Bergeron
Fit Family Custom Fitness Training
call: 416.274.1020
email: dara@fitfamily.ca
visit: www.fitfamily.ca
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