How do I engage my core?

Many of my clients ask me what is my "core" or "pelvic floor" and how do I engage it. Here is some information I found useful after a recent fitness conference. The presenter Rick Kaselj is a physiotherapist in Delta.

What IS the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is a sling of muscles connecting the pubis to the ischial tuberosities that act to support the internal organs and maintain the alignment of the pelvis. These muscles are the levator ani (iliococcygeus and pubococcygeus) and the coccygeus muscles. Pelvic floor dysfunction is defined as excessive tightness or weakness of these muscles and is often associated with problems in the SI joint, coccyx, hip or low back. As was mentioned in a previous post, a common cause of pelvic floor dysfunction is pregnancy and childbirth, regardless of whether birth was vaginal or via C-section.  Conditions related to the dysfunction include urinary or fecal incontinence and possibly pelvic organ prolapse, among others.

Why do we need to worry about it?

Not only can pelvic floor dysfunction lead to urinary or fecal incontinence and possibly pelvic organ prolapse (to name a few conditions), the muscles of your pelvic floor are also part of the core’s inner unit.  In addition to their function in supporting the pelvic organs, these muscles work in concert with the transverse abdominus, multifidus and diaphragm in stabilizing the spine during movement.

How do we activate it?

To activate the pelvic floor muscles, inhale deeply, as you exhale use your diaphragm to push some more air out. Try it again and this time, imagine you are trying to push the air out all the way from your pubic region. Another way to achieve this is to try and stop the flow of urine when you have to ‘go’.  A way for men to figure out how to activate is for them to picture themselves wading into very cold water. There will be an elevation of the perineum and testicles to prevent them from touching the water.

Once you can activate your pelvic floor muscles, you can do a variety of exercises:

• Squeeze ‘ems – rapid contractions of the pelvic floor muscles
• Elevators – imagine going up an elevator to the 10th floor, stopping at every floor for a moment. Start with a small contraction and increase the intensity at each ‘floor’
• Long slow hold – can be done in time with a long, deep inhale and exhale. Tighten on the inhalation and relax on the exhalation.
• Stoplights – when you are driving, tighten and hold the contraction while the light is red. When the light turns green, slowly release the contraction as you do your traffic check before pressing on the gas.

To isolate portions of your pelvic floor muscles, think of them as being a baseball diamond. Home plate is right around the vaginal area, second base is opposite home plate – the muscles surrounding the anus, first base is on the left side of the pelvic floor and third base is on the right side. Try to activate these areas individually by ‘running the bases.’ Start by pulling up on home plate, relax them and pull up on first base, relax and pull up on second base, etc. Then try and run them in the opposite direction. It is harder than it sounds and is really difficult for pregnant women or other people who are ‘disconnected’ from their pelvic floor muscles.

But how do we deal with a tight pelvic floor?

It seems counter-productive to activate a tight pelvic floor and, to some extent, it is. Part of learning to relax these muscles, though, is to recognize when they are tight. Using the ‘long slow hold’ exercise mentioned previously, focus more on the relaxation portion. Lengthen the exhalation such that the pelvic floor slowly and almost completely relaxes. This becomes very important for women in the final stage of labour when they are trying to push a baby through a vagina surrounded by tight pelvic floor muscles!

Take home message

The pelvic floor muscles are not obvious to you or your client. In the absence of a pelvic ultrasound, you won’t truly know their condition unless your client experiences pain and dysfunction so it is important to practice prevention. In my practice and classes I get many prenatal women who are unable to ‘connect’ with their pelvic floor. This is pretty common due to the baby and uterus pressing down on the entire floor. It is still important for these mothers-to-be to continue to find the ‘connection’.

More info

• Chiarelli, Pauline. Postpartum stress incontinence: Prevention and rehabilitation. ISMJ. (2003); 4(6): 1-10.
• Herschorn, Sender, MD, FRCSC. Female pelvic floor anatomy: The pelvic floor, supporting structures, and pelvic organs. Rev Urol. 2004; 6(suppl 5): S2-S10.
• Price, Natalie; Dawood, Rehana; Jackson, Simon. Pelvic floor exercise for urinary incontinence: A systematic review. Maturitas (2010); 67: 309-315.
• Salvesen, K & Morkved, S. Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy. BMJ (2004); 329: 378-80.

5 Foods you MUST east Now!

 5 foods that are beneficial to your health, and you might not even know it.

Food #1 Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people.  Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process.  Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable.  Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight.   These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

Food #2 Pepper, Especially Capsaicin

So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list.  Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods.  Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.

Food #3 Wheatgrass
There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheatgrass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy.   Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections.   Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein.  This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle.   The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.


Food #4 Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium.  B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells.   B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger.  Tahini also holds a surprising amount of calcium, zinc, and copper.  The high levels of calcium can help keep bones strong and healthy, and might be responsible in fighting some cancers. Tahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.

Food #5 Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps tolower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

Top 6 Tips for Running in the Autumn

Here is a great post I saw on the Girl Get Strong Fitness website that I thought I would share. Top 6 Tips for Running in the Autumn Many runners will say that their favorite time of year to hit the pavement is fall, and I’m no different. There’s just something about that cool (yet, not cold) crisp air that makes you just want to get out there and, well, run! However, just like any time of year, there are a few quirks to running in the fall that you may not have thought of. Read on for six tips to make your next autumn run great whether you’re a seasoned jogger or new to the running game! 1. Dress in layers. I like to think of dressing for an autumn run like packing for a trip to San Fransisco — you can never have too many layers! This time of year the temperature can really vary from hour to hour and from in the shade to in the sun, so when in doubt, dress for colder weather with layers that you can shed as you warm up. One great tool for reference is Runner’s World’s What to Wear feature. 2. Pay attention to the time. The daylight hours are quickly dwindling, so don’t be surprised when your usual 7 p.m. summer run goes from bright sunshine to sunset. The same goes for the morning, as your usual sunrise run is now pitch black. While it’s always safer to run during the day, if you do choose to run in the dark, be sure to dress appropriately with bright colors and reflective gear. 3. Watch where you step. Sure the leaves falling around you are gorgeous, but unless you’re running on a flat track, those pretty leaves can cover up potholes on the roads, cracks on the sidewalks and other hazards that can cause tripping or, worse, face planting. (Been there, done that!) Wet leaves can also be slippery to run on, and it may even start to ice over or snow, so if you’re running during or after rain, be very careful out there. 4. Protect your eyes and skin. Now that the temperatures are cooler, you’ve probably pushed the sunscreen back to the depths of your bathroom closet, but don’t! The sun’s rays are less direct this time of year, but they are still plenty strong to cause damage or sunburn. Protect your eyes with proper sunglasses and all exposed skin with at SPF of at least 30. 5. Try a new route. There is no better time to switch up your running route than in the fall. Instead of running on a track or around your neighborhood, try trail running or a jog on a paved trail at a park with a lot of trees. Get out there and explore. 6. Enjoy the scenery. This is probably the easiest tip of all to follow — enjoy the natural beauty! Lace up those shoes and get outside somewhere new. The benefits of exercising outdoors are endless! What’s your favorite season to run in

Fat loss Workout Tip & Challenge

We all like to think we give 100% when we workout 

but the truth is that many of us (myself included) tend to slack of from time to time which means less fat burning and trouble staying at 

our desired weight, body fat, and fitness levels.

 

My job is to make sure you're working out as hard as you think you are ;-) 

With that said, why not try an outdoor challenge or a race 

like the Rubber Duckie Race here in Burnaby on Oct 16th.

Are you looking for a challenge 
or may be a qualitative test to see how strong and far you have progressed since joining bootcamp - THIS IS IT!

CardioCore will be at this race providing the warm up, water station and post stretch tent so come bye and say "hi!"

Need a bunny pacer? I would be happy to run a long side you to keep you company!
Give your CardioCore Conditioning Coach a call. They would be happy to help provide you will the tools to complete this race successfully!

The Rubber Duckie Race is 3 weeks away. More than enough time to train for the 5km (you run at least a quarter of that amount at bootcamp!)


For those who have attended a TRYevent before you can attest to the fun and scenic challenges TRYevents offers.

Can't make it to this race? They have a series of races all over the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island --> check it out here


Receive a $10 Gift Certificate when you REGISTER ONLINE WITH THE RUNNING ROOM.

 

Half Marathon, Half Marathon two-person Relay, 7 Miler, 5K & Kids Run

Race Course Description
This beautiful 21.1K & 7 Mile course circles Burnaby lake, giving you the opportunity to enjoy fresh air, exercise and more chances to view birds and animals in this wilderness environment. Join other walkers & runners on this scenic course throughout the trails of Burnaby Lake.  Located in the middle of the city, Burnaby Lake Regional Park is a stunning wildlife sanctuary. The lake was created by a glacier 12,000 years ago and its shores were home to sawmills in the late 1800's.

Event Name	Until Aug 1	Until Sept 6	Until Oct 11
Half Marathon	$50	$55	$60	Register Now!
7 Miler	$45	$50	$55	Register Now!
5K	$45	$50	$55	Register Now!
Half Relay (Teams of Two)	$80	$85	$90	Register Now!
Online registration closes on October 11th, 11:59 pm. You can still register during race kit pickup.

Receive a $10 Gift Certificate when you REGISTER ONLINE WITH THE RUNNING ROOM.


2011 Shirt, Clour, Design and Medal
TRY EVENTS is excited to pass on the news that our ROCK 10K Brooks woman & men sizing shirts were a huge sucess and we will be using them again for our 2011 Rubber Ducky Half race! Please register early to secure your shirt!

Shirt $25 value

Our new souvenir Brooks Workout Hoody $50
 

This is an extra option event souviner item that has a value by itself before the custom event screening of $60
We are able to offer you this with the custom event screening for $50. It is 100% Polyester and is crafted from moisture wicking yarns designed to ensure cool and comfortable performance like the shirts. These are unisex sizing and will have the event logo on the front and TRY EVENTS Follow the Leader on the back. (no names on the back like past events)

Parking

Finishing medals & Pancake Breakfast included!

How to do a Squat properly

Squats

This exercise targets your quadriceps, activate your core and just about every other muscle of your lower body including your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

How to Squat

1) Stand as tall as you can with feet spread shoulder-width apart. Your lower back should be naturally arched. Hold your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder level. Brace your core and hold it that way throughout the entire exercise.
2) Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Pause and slowly push yourself back to the starting position. Your torso should stay upright and your arms should stay in the same position from start to finish. The tops of your thighs should be parallel to the floor or lower.

• keep your core tight and don’t let your lower back round.
• Keep your weight on your heels, not your toes throughout the entire exercises. You should be able to wiggle your toes at any given moment during your squat.
• Knees should always follow the direction of your toes.

If you are a visual learner, here is a good video to watch:

How to treat a hip flexor strain

Your hip flexors serve an important purpose in regard to daily functions. They allow you to bend at the waist and lift your knees. Motions such as kicking, running and jumping are made possible by these tendons. Once diagnosed with a pulled hip flexor, there are steps that can be taken to help treat the injury and get you back to sports and other daily activities.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Ice
• Elastic bandage
• Anti-inflammatory medications

1. • 1
     Get plenty of rest. Rest will allow the tendon to heal and prevent further injury. Not allowing for a proper recovery time can further injure the tendon and may result in a tear. Typical recovery time for a hip flexor pull is anywhere from five days to several months, depending on severity.
   • 2
     Use ice to help reduce swelling and keep pain at bay. You should ice the area for 15 minutes at a time up to five times a day. Make sure not to apply ice to unprotected skin as this may cause irritation.
   • 3
     Consider using an elastic bandage to compress the area. This will further help to reduce swelling and help to stabilize the injured area. Keep the bandage tight enough to compress, but do not make it so tight that circulation is compromised.
   • 4
     Keep the area elevated. You can use pillows to accomplish this. This will help to keep fluids from pooling in the injured area and reduce swelling.
   • 5
     Take anti-inflammatory and pain medications as directed by your doctor. If the pain persists or gets worse your doctor should be contacted, so a new evaluation can occur.

Read more: How to run with a hip flexor strain http://www.ehow.com/how_8041346_run-hip-flexor-injury.html

What is a Hip Flexor Strain?

Hip Flexor Strain is a muscle (psoas) strain felt in the front part of the hip. It is often associated with speed training or compensating for another injury, especially Achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis. A ‘hip flexor strain’ or a ‘pulled hip flexor’ is an over-stretching or tear in the hip flexor muscle. The hip flexor muscle is actually made up of ‘two main’ muscles – the ilicus and psoas muscles. These muscles run from the back of the lower spine to the front of the thigh. The difference between a strain and a sprain - is that a sprain is an injury to a ligament, while a strain is an injury to a tendon or muscle.

Strains of the hip flexor muscle, like strains of the quadriceps, usually occur during sprinting or kicking, often as a result of an overload of the muscles, or trying to move the muscles too fast (as when kicking forcefully playing soccer or football or anytime sudden changes of direction are involved). 

Like all muscle strains, they maybe graded as mild (grade 1) moderate (grade 2) or severe, complete tears (grade 3).




What are the symptoms of a hip flexor strain?


 
The symptoms of a hip flexor injury can be graded 1, 2 or 3 depending on severity. 

• A grade 1 injury could consist of a ‘stretch’ of the muscle or a small micro tear in the muscle. 
• A grade 2 injury could be a partial tear in the muscle and,
• A grade 3 injury is usually a severe, complete rupture of the muscle. 

The player feels a grade 2 or grade 3 injury as a sudden pain the hip region during an activity requiring explosive muscle contraction (for example sprinting or kicking in soccer). There is local pain and tenderness and, if the strain is severe, swelling and bruising 

Grade 1: What are the symptoms?
The player may have tightness and pain in the front and very top of their thigh during a game but will still be able to walk properly. The player will usually notice the injury after cooling down or the following day. The player probably won’t have much swelling, but will have trouble or some mild pain when sprinting, kicking a football or changing direction quickly. Often the player may be able to finish the game.

Grade 2: What are the symptoms?
During training or a game, the player may notice a ‘sharp pull’ or ‘cramp’ in the front and very top of their thigh. The player may feel they have ‘strained their groin’. The player will probably be unable to walk properly and will not be able to sprint or kick a football effectively.

Grade 3: What are the symptoms?
The player will often feel a severe pain in the front and very top of their thigh while kicking or sprinting, which will almost always stop the player from playing. A static contraction of the muscle will be painful and might produce a bulge in the muscle. A player will be in severe pain and will notice swelling. However, complete tears of the hip flexor muscle are uncommon. In the long-term, they heal well with physiotherapy.

What can you do?

To see if you have strained your hip flexor muscle try the following maneuver: while standing, flex your hip such that your knee comes up towards the chest, then have a friend apply moderate pressure to pull the knee down while you resist. This test should result in pain similar to your symptoms.

If this is a grade 1 or 2 strain: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE), as well as some gentle stretching exercises

You may be able to run just fine at slower speeds and shorter distances, but as the distance or speed increases; watch out - it can bite. Be sure to fully recover before resuming progressive training.

If you suspect this a grade 3 strain, see a sports injury professional (a physiotherapist or sports doctor) - who can advise on the correct rehabilitation and guide them back to training.

Killer Leg Combo

Weighted lunge. 
Place a barbell behind your back on your shoulders or use dumbbells resting on your shoulders or to the side for added resistance, then step forward into a lunge. The key thing is to make sure your knee does not go past your toe on your front foot. Step back to your original position and repeat with the other leg. This move is great for shaping your quads, hamstrings and butt (glutes).

Plie squat. 
Stand with your feet apart, at a 45-degree angle, holding a dumbbell in your hands. Just like a regular squat, lower your body and try to get your thighs parallel to the ground. This exercise is great for working the inner thighs, in addition to your glutes.

Weighted bridge. 
Lie on your back and dumbbell or weight plate on your stomach, then push through your heels to drive your pelvis up. Lower your pelvis and repeat the motion.

Prisoner jump squat. 
Put your hands behind your head, with elbows out of your perifial vision, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then squat down and explode at the top into a jump. When you land go right into your next squat to absorb the impact before jumping up again. This will get your heart rate up get your calves involved, in addition to working your glutes, legs and core.

For a Killer leg workout do these exercises back to back with a break in between sets. Aim for 3-4 sets. Reps with depend on your fitness level, anywhere between 10-20 reps. Let your body guide you - do as many as you can without compromising your form.

Breakfast that keeps you FULL

Vegetarian Egg Bake
Ingredients

• 10 egg whites, beaten
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat (2%) organic milk
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup salsa

Preparation
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine egg whites, milk, and pepper in a large bowl and set aside.
Spray a large, heavy skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and spinach and sauté another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Transfer vegetables to egg mixture and combine thoroughly. Pour into a lightly oiled glass pie plate and bake 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Do not overcook.
Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature with salsa.
Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 96
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 315 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 11 g

Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas

If you are looking for meal ideas you MUST check out Jen-fits Playground!
She has a ton of free recipes and even more for members.

I love this recipe simply because it is super tasty, fast and inexpensive to make. Try it and let me know if you love this as much as I do :-D

*DON'T THROW AWAY THE CARCASS* Throw it in a crock pot and simmer for a few hours to make a useful stock fir future recipes or add veggies and quinoa to make a yummy soup.

Makes 5 servings (2 stuffed tortillas each)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup fat-free refried beans
• 2 cups green enchilada sauce
• 10 oz Rotisserie Chicken (Costco $4.99!)
• 1/4 cup fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped Cilantro
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt (VOSKOS is my favorite)
• 1/2 red or white onion thinly sliced and sauteed
• Cumin spice
• 10 low-fat, low-calorie corn tortillas

Directions:
Remove chicken breast from Rotisserie Chicken and shred. Distribute chicken evenly among tortillas.
Grease (spray) a small casserole dish.

Saute sliced onion for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add enchilada sauce and heat through. Pour a little sauce in each tortilla. Add a tablespoon or so of refried beans to each tortilla. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and Cumin spice. Roll tortillas and place (seam down) tightly in casserole dish.

Top with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with fat-free cheddar cheese.

Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through (chicken is already cooked, so it shouldn’t take too long).

Serve with fat-free sour cream or with nonfat Greek Yogurt. We used Greek Yogurt to help increase protein.

Nutrition:
Calories 326
Calories from Fat 63.6
Total Fat 7.07g
Saturated Fat 1.67g
Cholesterol 38.16mg
Sodium 1160mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.23g
Dietary Fiber 4.42g
Sugars 2.73g
Protein 22.28g

10 Reasons you NEED to Start Stretching NOW!

 
Every body type, age, gender, size, race, religion needs to stretch.  
So this means YOU!

1.) Prevent injury
2.) Increase muscle-tendon flexibility
3.) Enhance performance
4.) Improve range of motion
5.) Increase sleep
6.) Alleviate muscle soreness
7.) Enhance well-being
8.) Decrease low-back pain
9.) Improve circulation
10.) Post-exercise cool-down


How does stretching work? 
Muscles get sore when their fibers remain partly contracted, from either overuse (such as too many rounds of racquetball) or underuse (too much time in the car). Tight muscles also trigger the body's stress response, which prompts them to tighten even more. By systematically lengthening those fibers, stretching helps ease muscles out of this semicontracted state. That makes it a great way to "cool down" after exercise. And the act of stretching itself builds body awareness: In slowing down to focus on each movement, you become less apt to use your muscles in harmful or inefficient ways.
 

When Is The Best Time To Stretch?
The best time to stretch is when the muscles are warm. Either after exercise or after a warm-up activity. This gives the muscles a chance to heat up and become more flexible. Injuries usually occur when people stretch muscles when they are cold or not warmed up. Stretches should be held for approximately 20 seconds. Think of your muscles as a piece of taffy, cold taffy seems to break when you try and stretch it while warm taffy stretches very easily.

How often should I stretch?
Frequency: Try to stretch every day; start doing each stretch once and build up to doing each stretch 3 times

Intensity: Light pressure, about 30-40% of max

Duration: Hold each stretch between 10 to 60 seconds depending on your current flexibility, conditioning, and time. Start slow and gradually build up the time you hold a static stretch.

If you are unable to stretch on a daily basis, a post-workout stretch is necessary. Or, as I advice my clients, incorporate stretches DURING your workouts . Typically, that means stretching the bodypart that has just been exercised. For example, if you just did a set of bicep curls, follow it up with a bicep stretch. Or, if you're doing multiple sets, stretch the bicep after the first set. This is a very time efficient way to incorporate stretching and to ensure you're getting maximum benefit.

NOTE: Don't bounce as you stretch; that only tightens the muscle you're trying to extend. And try not to stretch "cold": Wait until you've taken a warm shower or moved around a bit.

Fun Summer Family Fitness Ideas

As an active mother, to an active family, I am always looking for fun and exciting ways to keep the kids entertained during the long summer days or on a rainy day.

I found this list and a cute kid-friend workout video by Natalie Heckert 

Who says fitness can’t be fun! 

It’s a great time to get together with your children to stay in shape. 

Here are some fun summer family fitness ideas so get up, get outside, and have fun!

1. Go to a local school track so that everyone in your family can walk and/or run at their own pace, and still be within 200 meters of each other. Make a game of it: map out a bunch of tracks in your area and try to go to all of them this summer. 

2. Find a safe place to ride and go for family bike rides. Rails-to-trails paths are awesome, safe, and pretty flat.

3. Go on family hikes at local state parks. Hit as many different trails and parks as you can. Save the maps so that at the end of the summer you can see all that you’ve done.

4. Go on walks together in your neighborhood, and then if you get bored with that, drive to other neighborhoods and walk around there. You’ll probably meet a bunch of new people and get some new landscaping ideas for your house (this may or may not be a good thing).

5. Go to your favorite swimming pool/lake/ocean and actually swim. Even flopping around in the water is good exercise, and it sure beats just lying there baking in the sun.

6. Sign your kids up for summer programs. The YMCA, city recreation centers, fitness centers, racquet clubs, sport facilities and schools have various day camps, classes and workshops that provide a variety of activities. They include sport like soccer and basketball to more nontraditional activities such as martial arts, gymnastics or table tennis. 

7. As a family, enter some local 5K run/walk events. Most events are put on for raising money for a particular charity or cause, and it’s a great way to hang out with other like-minded people.

8. Play Capture the Flag with your kids. They’ll absolutely love it! Kids love to have their parents play
with them and to see them act like kids again.

9. Do some simple exercise (push-ups, sit-ups, stretching) with your kids every commercial.

10. Rent canoes or kayaks and go out to enjoy some calm (or rough) water. Most rental kayaks are very stable and are made with inexperienced kayakers in mind. 

11. At home ideas: Keep a variety of games and sports equipment on hand. They don't have to be expensive an assortment of balls (soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, and playground), hula-hoops, and jump ropes can keep a child busy for hours.

12. Walking the dog to simply playing with it provide an opportunity for activity. The Internet has lots of sites that offer exercise, zumba, dance, kickboxing, pilates and yoga videos for kids to learn on their own. 

13. Local parks: You'll find basketball courts, tennis courts, football fields, baseball fields and soccer fields at area parks. Some offer more unique activities like Frisbee golf, croquet fields, horseshoe pits, miniature golf courses, and skateboarding areas. 

14. Other ideas: Bowling, laser tag, ice skating, roller skating, golf, in-line skating, canoeing, gardening, swimming, cycling or simply taking a walk are a few more simple ideas to keep your student active this summer.

Get up, get moving, and have some family fitness fun this summer!

 

Benefits of Balance Training

The Many Benefits of Balance Training
By Ryan Krane

In order to improve your balance, and a little thing called proprioception (which I'll explain in a moment), in comes BALANCE TRAINING. But what is proprioception, you ask? It's just a big word for the body's ability to use information about your body and joints are in space.

So what can balance training do for you exactly?
There are numerous benefits, actually! Through balance training, your agility is much increased. Furthermore, your risk of falling over is lessened, due to your improvement in being able to properly balance yourself and better proprioception. Your overall coordination, posture, and balance are all boosted through the proper training. Thus, you'll get injured less, become stronger, and your stability will increase, even as you grow older.

Now that you know more about balance training and how it can help you, how about trying out some exercises to get the ball rolling? Try using a balance/exercise ball, and exercises that require standing on one foot. Yoga and Pilates are two great ways to improve your balance, but try that if you're willing to work on something more challenging!

Here are some visual examples of how we train our proprioception at bootcamp:

Using a stability ball

Using a Bosu

Using your own body weight

Canada Day Long Weekend Challenge

Equipment: Dumbbell, mat, timer, water and towel

You have 4 minutes to repeat each super set, working your way down from 10 reps to one rep each.
Note: you may not be able to work your way through the entire pyramid in the allotted 4 minutes. This is okay - it's meant to be a challenge!  Do what you can :-)


ie. Round 1: Burpee 10 reps; push up 10 reps
     Round 2: Burpee  9 reps;  push up  9 reps
     Round 3: Burpee  8 reps;  Push up  8 reps

Take a minute rest in between each supper set. 

Set 1: Burpee - Push up
Set 2: Plank row - Mtn climb
Set 3: Side shuffle (4 steps each way) - Reverse lunge kick forward with opposite leg
Set 4: Tricep ext - V sit flutter kicks
Set 5: Side lunge - Squat jump
Set 6: Rock roll - Bird dog
Set 7: Pony kick - Clean press squat
Set 8: Jack press - Knee up punch
Set 9: Army roll with jump up - Split Lunge

If you push your self threw with minimal rest you should be able to do this under 45 minutes


HAPPY CANADA DAY!

DIET: Barbecue Survival Tips

Summer Barbecue Survival Tips

Summertime is a special time of year that finds us enjoying time with our friends and families at barbeques and picnics.

To keep to your weight loss plan this summer, follow these helpful tips for surviving summer barbeques. Use them to create healthier options for yourself, your family and your friends.

Appetizers
Share baked chips or non-starchy vegetables like snap peas, zucchini wedges and sliced yellow peppers. Choose fat-free dips or fruit salsa. Snack on frozen grapes, strawberries or pineapple slices while the food is cooking.

Beverages
Serve non or low-calorie beverages, such as sparkling water, iced tea or diet soda. Garnish with mint, raspberries, grapes or orange wheels. If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, opt for light beer or make wine spritzers with four ounces of wine and four ounces of club soda.

Fruits/Desserts
Prepare a fresh fruit plate, fruit salad or fruit kabobs for dessert using seasonal berries and melons. Serve grilled fruit, such as grilled pineapple or peach halves, as a side or a dessert.

Meats
Grill lean meats such as chicken, fish or steak (loin or flank) with little or no fat. Rub meats with herbs and spices before grilling to add more flavor without adding fat. Use low-fat or fat-free salad dressings as marinades for poultry, fish and lean meats.

Side Dishes
Make potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw with fat-free mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt; mix in chopped celery, cucumber, onions and carrots to add volume without extra calories. If you use a packaged rice or pasta mix, discard half of the seasoning mixture, use a lower-sodium mix or add in your own seasonings, such as garlic powder or red pepper flakes.

All you need to know about Protein Powder

While food sources of protein are plentiful, there will come a time in your busy day when eating a baked chicken breast or a hard-boiled egg just isn’t an option. Your easiest solution? 

Protein powders. Not only are they convenient (there’s nothing faster than adding a scoop of protein powder to your oatmeal, shake or yogurt) but also of the many types available, each one provides additional health benefits beyond just building muscle. In fact, whether you’re a meat-eating gal looking to reduce belly bloat or a vegan trying to meet your nutritional needs and get buff, there’s a protein powder for everyone.  

Find yours with this handy guide.

Key:
1. Repairs and builds muscle
2. Aids in fat burning
3. Boosts postworkout immunity
4. Improves general health
5. Vegetarian/vegan option

Whey

Repairs muscles, fast!
25 grams of protein per scoop.*
*Average scoop size is 30 grams.

When it comes to building lean muscle, research proves that whey’s the way. As the most popular protein powder on the market, whey provides an ideal array and proportion of amino acids to assist with muscle recovery and growth, as well as enhancing fat loss. Derived from milk, whey is considered the fastest-digesting “complete” protein, which means that it contains all the essential building blocks of muscle (amino acids), including high amounts of the all-important group of branched chain amino acids (BCAA). BCAAs become depleted after exercise and are needed for the maintenance of muscle tissue. That’s why it is so often recommended to consume whey within minutes after your sweat session to quickly repair muscle damage.

Health Benefit: May help fight cancer through its antibody content, shows research. Whey can also aid your body’s own production of disease-fighting antioxidants.
Best Buys: Whey concentrates and whey isolates. The concentrated version contains the protein itself, but also some carbohydrate (lactose) and fat from milk. Whey protein isolate is virtually only whey protein, with trace amounts of carbohydrate. Isolates are ideal if you’re lactose intolerant but they are slightly more expensive than concentrates.

Casein 

Builds muscle while you sleep!

15 to 20 grams of protein per scoop.*

The other milk protein, casein, is also a complete protein. However, casein has a lower biological value (BV) than whey, meaning that a lower percentage of protein is absorbed out of the total protein consumed. The plus? Casein provides a slower and prolonged release of amino acids over time. This slow release is important for reducing muscle damage, which can occur for up to 48 hours postworkout. (Do you recall ever being sore two to three days after a workout?) For women looking to maintain lean muscle tissue, casein may be more beneficial before bed because the slow absorption will supply the body with protein through the night when the body enters a catabolic state (breakdown of protein tissue for energy). This slow release can also help you to feel fuller longer, thereby supporting weight-loss efforts by helping you take in fewer calories.

Health Benefit: Extremely high in glutamine, an amino acid that boosts immune function.
Best Buys: Micellar casein (the natural, unaltered form of casein found in milk) and calcium caseinate, which helps to strengthen bones. Look for casein that has not been hydrolyzed as this actually turns it into a fast-acting protein, similar to whey.

Soy
Ideal for all women!
20 to 25 grams of protein per scoop.*
A popular vegetarian protein source, soy protein is something that meat-loving gals should also consider for boosting overall health. And although sports research shows that soy results in inferior strength gains when compared to whey, the differences are minimal for a healthy woman. At the end of the day, an elite athlete may need the slight edge of whey due to heavy training, but for the average active gal, soy protein powder provide the biggest bang for your “health” buck.

Health Benefit: Research shows that soy can lower cholesterol levels to improve your heart health. Soy isoflavones have been shown to combat menopausal symptoms and reduce breast cancer risk.

Best Buys: Soy isolates. They contain very little fat or cholesterol, and provide higher amounts of isoflavones than a soy protein concentrate.


Brown Rice
Easy on the stomach!
15 grams of protein per scoop.*

While much of rice seed is carbohydrate, it does contain some protein, which is extracted without the use of chemicals during processing to make brown rice protein powder. As with all plant proteins (quinoa being the exception), rice protein is incomplete. It lacks one of the essential amino acids, lysine, which helps manage triglycerides (a form of body fat) and is necessary for hormone production and bone growth. You can solve this problem by pairing brown rice protein powder with milk or soy to fill the missing link.
Health Benefit: Some people experience gas and bloating from animal-based powders, like whey and casein, but rice protein is hypoallergenic and easily absorbed, making it very well tolerated if you’re lactose intolerant or have a sensitive stomach.

Best Buys: Consider organic brands when purchasing plant protein powders to minimize your exposure to pesticides.

Hemp 

Great for vegans!

10 grams of protein per scoop.*
Suitable for active people who avoid all foods of animal origin, hemp protein also offers the inflammation-fighting power of essential fatty acids. For your training, the omega-3s in hemp aid in muscle recovery after your workouts. Whole hempseeds also contains about 25 percent of a highly digestible protein, however, the amino acid profile is not complete, but eating a variety of plant proteins throughout the day (a daily mix of beans, legumes and grains) may provide your body with all the essential aminos you need.

Health Benefit: Helps your heart by lowering cholesterol levels with fiber, and the anti-inflammatory omega-3s boost memory, focus and concentration.

Best Buys: Consider organic brands when purchasing plant protein powders to minimize your exposure to pesticides.

Try Them All
Because each form of protein works somewhat differently, choose them with the same care you would when picking out your daytime and nighttime makeup. Here’s a sample starter menu that takes into account the best times you should take each powder, according to research. Try any of these meal ideas as a part of a balanced diet that includes whole food sources of protein. You can reap the health and training benefits of each protein powder plus figure out which one pleases your palate the most.

Breakfast: Mix a scoop of hemp or soy powder into oatmeal.
 
Preworkout: Stir some whey protein into coffee to perk up for a morning workout.
 
Postworkout: Unless you are vegan, always choose whey for quick delivery to repair damaged muscles. Try a scoop in your favorite fruit juice.
 
Bedtime or as a meal replacement: Add casein protein to a cup of non-fat milk.


Fast Facts:

• Skim milk powder delivers both whey and casein. Bonus: It’s inexpensive.
• 30 Grams of protein per meal your body can metabolize at one time. Contrary to popular belief, taking any more than that won’t boost muscle gains.
• Brown rice protein is gluten free and a source of energy-boosting B vitamins

GO CANUCKS GO! Is Hockey Interrupting your workout schedule?

Has Your Workouts Suffered Through the Playoffs? 

Here are 10 reasons you need to schedule workouts around the games by either going to the morning class or on another "non-game" night.

1. To Prevent Disease
Exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of just about every single health problem known to man, from stroke to heart disease to cancer and osteoporosis. Exercise is also a great defense against type 2 diabetes, which is one of the most widely growing diseases of our time.

2. To Look Great
Exercise firms your body, improves posture and even makes your skin glow. Looking your best is a wonderful result of regular exercise.

3. To Lose Weight and Keep It Off
Exercise burns fat and prevents future fat storage. If you want to have a thinner, healthier body, exercise is the answer.

4. To Have More Energy and Mental Staminia
Anyone who exercises regularly will tell you that they are more energetic, less easily irritated and are more peaceful. Exercise has been shown to improve memory and other cognitive functions, and seems to have a protective effect against dementia. A Harvard University researcher called exercise “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”

5. To Sleep Better
Exercise boosts energy levels, but also wears you out. It makes you feel more vibrant during the day and sleep better at night.

6. To Age Slower
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to fight aging. When you age your body loses muscle and bone, while the loss of both are drastically reduced with regular exercise. Exercise also helps reduce inflammation.

7. To Relieve Back Pain and other Aches and Pains
In most cases, the best thing that you can do for back pain is to move and strengthen those muscles. By strengthening muscles around your damaged joints you’re able to use exercise to reduce joint pain and overall aches. Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program, especially if you have chronic joint pain.

8. To Ease Depression and Boost Confidence
Exercise has been proven to reduce depression – sometimes even as effectively as medication. Being fit, feeling healthy and having energy are all building blocks to having great confidence. There is no better confidence booster than sticking with a regular exercise program. Just chalk this up as yet another amazing benefit to exercise.

9. To Enjoy Your Lifestyle
Whatever it is that you love in life – your kids, travel, sports, fashion – it is all more enjoyable when experienced in a fit and healthy body. Exercise so that you are able to enjoy all the great things in life.

10. To Reduce Sick Days
People who exercise regularly are 50% less likely to call in sick to work. A regular exercise program reduces colds and upper respiratory infections.

Make Your Breakfast Better NOW!

Typical breakfast foods that most people now eat include:

•    Skim Milk and a Sweet Cereal
•    Toast and Jam
•    Bagel and Cream Cheese
•    “Breakfast Bar”
•    Pancakes and Syrup (usually sugar-free/artificially flavored)
•    1 Egg with Toast

In most of these meals (other than the one with the egg), the primary ingredient is fast-digested carbohydrate, which does nothing to help you lose weight or have the energy you know you should have in the morning.

Rather, instead of eating whole balanced food for energy, people today rely on coffee (often with fat-free creamer and artificial sweetener – you don’t get more artificial than that), which is not good at all for long-term health or body composition.

In order to have the body you’ve always wanted and the health status that others are jealous of, you need to know what you should eat for breakfast. These types of foods will help you feel good, curb cravings throughout the day, and allow you to have lots of energy for exercise and other physical activities you enjoy doing (which helps you look better in your clothes).
So, we’ve created 3 Top Ways to improve your breakfast and make your body a happy, healthy, fat-burning machine.

1.    Add high-quality complete Protein
Most breakfasts are sorely lacking in protein – and no, oatmeal does not have enough protein in one bowl.  This is even despite numerous studies showing that including protein in your breakfast meal, such as having 2 or more eggs, keeps you feeling fuller, and prevents hunger much better than having simple carbohydrates (like a bagel). Higher-protein meal plans are also well-studied for their ability to promote greater fat loss and a quicker metabolism than less protein.

So, at your next breakfast, ensure you include a complete protein choice on your plate such as:

•    Eggs  - 2 eggs a day actually keeps the doctor away. Eat them scrambled with fresh spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms and a side of fresh fruit and your day is going to be great! Or poach or boil them for a quick meal on the go.

•    Whey protein – mix a scoop of whey protein with milk or water and pour this over your favorite bowl of low-sugar cereal. Or, add whey to your blender with flax seed oil, almond milk and berries, for a high protein smoothie. You can also add a scoop of whey to plain oatmeal after cooking to give it a boost.

•    Natural nitrite-free sausage – enjoy this with fresh fruit, steamed vegetables, or toasted Ezekiel sprouted grain bread for a satisfying meal.

•    Organic cottage cheese – mixed with fresh pineapple or tomatoes is a perfect start to your day!

•    Organic plain Greek yogurt – combine this with organic fresh or frozen berries and slivered almonds gives you a perfectly balanced meal.

•    Natural peanut butter – paired with sprouted grain bread, 2 Tbsp of natural peanut butter provides 8-12 grams of complete protein and plenty of healthy fat.

2.    Embrace Fiber
Another important aspect missing from most breakfast plates is fiber. And no – whole wheat bread is not a good source of fiber. Neither are specialty fiber breakfasts bars that are so loaded with sugar that any fiber they do contain (usually from wood pulp) is not worth it. High-fiber meals are more satiating and filling than low protein. Fiber is also associated with lower rates of cancer and diabetes.

Here are ways to include body-beautifying, belly-filling fiber into your breakfast: 

 •    Beans – add 1/3 cup of beans to a breakfast egg burrito made with a sprouted grain wrap, or toss with scrambled eggs and add 5 grams of fiber to your plate.

•    Berries – organic berries are a great addition to oatmeal, smoothies, low-sugar cereal, and yogurt, and can add 2-3 grams of filling fiber.

•    Oatmeal – the problem with most oatmeal is all the added sugar, but 1/3 cup of oats has 3 grams of fiber and no sugar! It’s perfect paired with eggs, organic cottage cheese or whey protein for a complete meal.

•    Sprouted grain bread with nut butter – found only in the freezer section of your grocery store, sprouted grain bread has 3 grams of fiber per slice, and nut butter has ~2 grams for a total of at least 5 grams of fiber to start your day.

•    Fresh Fruit paired with a higher protein dish (yogurt, eggs) – one apple provides about 5 grams of fiber, ½ a medium grapefruit provides 6 grams of fiber, and 1 kiwi provides about 2 grams of fiber.

•    Ground Flax Seeds – toss a tablespoon or two in with your breakfast protein smoothie, or add to hot cereal.  Two tablespoons have 8 grams of fiber, and can help balance your hormones while lowering your bad cholesterol levels.

•    Avocado – this “skinny” fat food is great on eggs. When cut in half, it packs in a whopping 5 grams of fiber and plenty of healthy monounsaturated fat that help promote a flat belly and a healthy heart.

3.    Include Vegetables
Unless you have a vegetable omelet, most breakfast dishes include little to no vegetables at all. However, vegetables are low-calorie, nutrient-dense and prevent many, many diseases that inflict us today. As one successful weight-loss client told me, “You can eat as many vegetables as you can fit in your body and you’ll still lose weight.”

Try these easy ways to add more vegetables to your meal and make your breakfast perfect:

•    Spinach – add spinach to your eggs while cooking or stuff a large handful in with your favorite smoothie; it may make your smoothie green, but it also makes it thicker and more satisfying without ruining the taste.

•    Tomatoes  and cucumbers – add chopped to a bowl of organic cottage cheese for a crunchy, high- fiber breakfast.

•    Baked squash – gourds such as acorn squash and butternut squash are delicious vegetables to include at breakfast. Just sprinkle with cinnamon once cooked and eat with eggs and you’ll be in breakfast heaven.

•    Potatoes – no, potatoes are not evil, and yes, they can help you lose weight. Have a small side of homemade hash browns cooked with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, along with your favorite protein item, and you’re adding at least 2 grams of fiber, and plenty of hunger-fighting, fat-burning nutrients to your diet.

References:
Increased dietary protein consumed at breakfast leads to an initial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times.
Leidy HJ, Bossingham MJ, Mattes RD, Campbell WW.
Br J Nutr. 2009 Mar;101(6):798-803.

Consuming eggs for breakfast influences plasma glucose and ghrelin, while reducing energy intake during the next 24 hours in adult men.
Ratliff J, Leite JO, de Ogburn R, Puglisi MJ, VanHeest J, Fernandez ML.
Nutr Res. 2010 Feb;30(2):96-103.

 

Low Fat Passover Dinner -Roast Chicken with Cinnamon, Apricots and Apples

Roast Chicken with Cinnamon, Apricots and Apples

• 3 Roasting Chickens, thoroughly cleaned and cut into 8ths
• Salt, pepper and cinnamon
• Dried apricots, cut
• Cooking apples, sliced but not peeled

Spray bottom of roasting pan with passover non stick spray.
Place cut up apricots and apples on bottom of pan.
Rub chicken with mixture of salt, pepper and cinnamon.
Place chicken on top of apricots and apples.
 
Cover TIGHTLY and slow cook at 300 degrees until done (approx. 1 1/2 - 2 hrs.)
It is a good idea to check every 15 minutes and baste when necessary.

Remember, there are no specific measurements in this recipe. Use as many apples and apricots that you wish.

If you find that the apples do not provide enough liquid, you can add a bit of apple juice to pan.
Enjoy and Happy Pesach!

Low Fat Passover Breakfast

Skillet Matzah Brei

• Cooking spray
• 2 tsp. oil
• 4 matzahs
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and add 1/2 tsp. of the oil . Heat the skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, moisten the matzah with cold water and crumble into a bowl. Add the egg whites and seasonings. Spoon half the mixture into the hot skillet or griddle as one large pancake and brown. With a wide spatula, lift the matzah an add another 1/2 tsp of oil. Turn to brown the other side. Repeat with remaining mixture and oil. Serves 4.

Calories - 157; Saturated fat - 0 g.; Total fat - 2 g.; Carbohydrates - 27 g.;
Cholesterol - 0 mg.; Sodium - 202 mg.