Why your desk job is slowly killing you

A great “Men’s Health” article on why your desk job is killing you.

Even if you exercise regularly, you are seen as “inactive” if you are sitting the other 10 hours per day.

Great read!

Why your desk job is slowly killing you.

Paleo Diet?

I have been hearing so much about the Paleo Diet lately.

Here is a great blog that discusses it at length:

http://paleoworks.wordpress.com/home/about-paleo-works/

Just meat and veggies/fruit; no grains, no sugars, etc. Do you think you could eat this way?

Give me your thoughts!

Emotional or Mindless Eating

Do you find yourself on the couch after dinner or the kids are in bed, settled in with a bowl of chips, or some other high fat food?

Is this a regular occurence? Are you hungry, or are you just excited about crunching on something while you shut off your brain to enjoy your show?

Nothing wrong with vegetating, it can be great once in a while. But if you are doing this all the time, you may be a mindless eater, or emotional eater. Let’s delve more into that here:

Can you tell me the ways to tell if you’re emotional eating?:
-You eat because you’re bored, not because you’re hungry
-You plan food around tv shows or other activities, not for nutritional purposes
-Certain foods make you feel happy when you’ve had a hard day, are stressed, etc so you seek those things out

What are the dangers of emotional eating? :
-Extra calories consumed mindlessly are usually from fat and sugar; foods that make you feel good
-Not paying attention to the volume of what you eat can cause you to eat way more calories than you should; causing weight gain
-There is a vicious cycle between feeling sad or depressed because you don’t like the way you look, eating high fat/calorie foods to make you feel better, then feeling guilty and sad about eating the bad food mindlessly, then punishing yourself by continuing the cycle again.

And how do we keep ourselves from emotional eating?:

-Keep a food journal and document everything you eat. Having to write it down makes you more aware of the foods you are eating.
-Don’t buy empty calorie foods, just simply don’t have them in your house. Mindless eating carrots or celery is probably not going to happen, but if it did you would be homefree!
-Try to find the root problem; why are you eating this food? Are you hungry or are you just bored? If you get to the real issues, you will stop emotional or what I call “mindless” eating.

If you recognize yourself doing any of these things, try to take a step back and reassess your eating habits. You may not even realize that you are mindlessly eating!

Give it a few days and let me know how you are doing with your newfound knowledge.

Nicole

Get Fit For a New You!

It’s January first; what better time to think about what you want to achieve for the coming year?

If you have some health and/or fitness goals that have been unmet in previous years, then it’s time to think about why those goals were not achieved, and perhaps a personal trainer could improve your chances of achieving them this time around.

For the month of January, Perfect Fit Personal Training is offering a two for one training special. Buy one session, get one session free!

What better way to get two sessions, than to pay only for one?

We will have a consultation to see what your goals are, to measure and weigh you, and figure out where we need to go to get you to your goals.

Then, enjoy two sessions, one on one, and get ready for a new you!

Call today to schedule your free consultation: 604 318 6534

or email me: nicole@perfectfit.ws

Your Weight Does Not Tell the Whole Story!

Your scale gives you a number, you feel a certain way.

A lower number? You probably feel pretty good. Your mood just changed for the better; it’s going to be a good day!

A higher number? You may feel disheartened, you wasted your time dieting/exercising, you feel discouraged.

Your number on the scale does not tell the whole story, however.

What is your body fat percentage? Do you have a lot of muscle? Are you tightening up and toning more than you were two months ago?

You need to look at the big picture when it comes to your weight and body composition. The way your clothes look tell the tale better than a generic number on the scale.

I found this photo on line and it really speaks to this:

 

Cheat to Stay on Track

Diet; it can be a bad word in some circles. If you’ve ever been on one, you know how it feels to be without your favourite treats and foods. So why go crazy depriving yourself of all the foods you love…just cheat!
Cheating on a diet is crucial if you want to stay focussed and stop pining over the chocolate bar in your cupboard, or the ice cream in your freezer. So how can you cheat without feeling guilty and going overboard?

Make a plan

If you have a plan in place, it’s harder to fail. Give yourself a set menu for the day, including your fruits and veggies, healthy whole grains and lean proteins. At the end of each day, give yourself something that you really enjoy, but that you know is bad for your diet. For example, one square of chocolate, or two tablespoons of rich ice cream.

Buy Less

If you have less of the bad things in your fridge or cupboards, you are much less likely to eat them! If you don’t have chocolate bars or ice cream pops in your freezer readily available, it’s much harder to go grab some when you’re watching your favourite show on the couch. If it’s not in the house, it’s a lot harder to indulge.

Best Splurges

If you’re going to cheat, but only want to cheat a little, what are the best choices you can make?
• 100 calorie pre-packaged treats. You know you’re getting the same taste as the treats you love, but in a much smaller package. Easier to cheat when you only have one; bigger sizes make it easier to eat more.
• Make Your Own- buy in bulk things like chocolate covered raisins or pretzels and figure out how many make up 100 calories. Make your own cheating snack-packs. Freeze the rest for later.
• Low calorie pudding- you can get your favourite flavours like chocolate or butterscotch in single servings of 60-100 calories.
• Fresh fruit- might not seem like a splurge, but it’s so sweet and tasty! Buy what’s in season and enjoy a variety like strawberries, watermelon, or cantaloupe.

Cheat Day

If you aren’t interested in doing the 100 calorie cheat every day, then why not take a day off from your diet once a week? That way you can enjoy the things you really love in their full capacity. For example, Saturday is your day off from dieting. Enjoy three meals that you really want and craved all week. Get those craving out of your system and get right back on track the next day.
Surprisingly, after you’ve been eating clean for a while, you may stop craving those treats and not even enjoy them anymore!

Depriving yourself of the foods you love for long periods of time can make you feel very unsatisfied. Keep your diet going by allowing yourself that little cheat every now and then. You will be better off in the long run; your diet will last longer and you won’t have so many cravings.

Emotional Eating; are you an emotional eater or a hungry eater?

I deal with emotional eating in my clients on a daily basis; we talk about it and try to problem solve how they can overcome this issue.
You may have been there on a Saturday night. You fought with your boyfriend, cancelled the date and stocked up on ice cream and chocolate bars. You sat in front of the tv and got a spoon and a bowl full of pity. As you ate your way through a gallon of chocolate rocky road and indulged in caramilk bars and a bottle of white wine, you started to feel pretty good. Your emotions directed you to the comfort food in your hands and now you felt great.

Then comes the “morning after”. You ate the junk, you feel heavy and “blah” and you regret your actions. Why did you eat all of that ice cream and chocolate? Your emotions told you too, and you listened. So how can you deal with your emotional eating, and why do you eat when you feel bad?

Here are some of the ways I help my clients deal with emotional eating:

*Make a food journal; every time you eat, you write it down. Writing it down can make you more accountable for your actions.
*Take note of how you’re feeling when you eat food. Are you relaxed, anxious, worried, happy. What are you eating when you feel those emotions?
*Don’t impulse buy when it comes to food. Plan your meals and stock your pantry with foods that have no emotional attachment to them.
*Eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re bored.

Emotional eating is very common, but if you want to lose weight and stay on track, you need to stop emotional eating.

Call me today to set up a consultation and get on the path to better health and fitness: 604 318 6534 or nicole@perfectfit.ws

Suing For Toning Shoes?

If You Purchased the Reebok Toning Shoes and/or Apparel Listed Below From December 5, 2008 Through October 12, 2011 Your Rights May Be Affected by a Proposed Class Action Settlement.

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Oct. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The following statement is being issued by the GCG, Inc., in its capacity as the Court-appointed Notice Administrator in In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, 4:10-CV-11977-FDS (D. Mass.).

If you purchased eligible Reebok toning shoes and/or apparel (listed below) from December 5, 2008 through October 12, 2011 your rights may be affected by a proposed class action settlement.

You are a Class Member and may be eligible to receive a payment if you purchased eligible toning shoes and/or apparel from Reebok and/or its authorized retailers and/or wholesalers from December 5, 2008 through October 12, 2011, with limited exclusions.

Eligible Shoes: Easy Tone, JumpTone, EasyTone Flip, SimplyTone, RunTone, SlimTone, TrainTone

Eligible Apparel: EasyTone Capri, EasyTone Long Bra Top, EasyTone Pants, EasyTone Sleeveless Shirt, EasyTone Shorts, EasyTone Short Sleeve Top

The lawsuit alleges that Reebok violated certain state laws regarding the marketing and sale of toning shoes and apparel. Reebok denies all wrongdoing. The Court did not decide which side was right. Instead, the parties have decided to settle. The parties believe the proposed settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate and it will provide substantial benefit to the Class.

The settlement utilizes the same $25 million fund announced recently with the FTC, less the costs of notice and settlement administration, to pay claims to eligible Class Members relating to the purchase of Eligible Shoes and Eligible Apparel. Reebok shall separately pay attorneys’ fees and costs and class representative awards. All payments under the settlement must be approved by the court. Reebok is also agreeing to make certain conduct changes. The Settlement Agreement and information on filing a claim is at http://www.reeboksettlement.com. ;

The lawsuit was resolved in conjunction with Reebok’s earlier settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which was announced on September 28, 2011. Working together, plaintiffs, Reebok and FTC agreed that the $25 million could be used to pay refunds to all consumers, less costs of notice and settlement administration. Consumers who heard about the FTC settlement and filed a claim on-line will receive notice about the class action settlement in the near future.

To be eligible for a payment, Class Members must send in a completed claim form electronically submitted no later than April 10, 2012 or postmarked no later than April 10, 2012. Payment amounts to eligible Class Members will vary depending upon, among other factors, the product(s) purchased, the number and amounts claimed by all Class Members and other adjustments and deductions. The amount could be more (up to double), the same, or less than $50 for each pair of Eligible Shoes, $40 for each EasyTone Capri and EasyTone Pants, and $25 for each applicable shirt, bra top and top.

If you are a Class Member, you may (1) do nothing; (2) exclude yourself; (3) send in a Claim Form; and/or (4) object to the settlement.

Claim Forms must be electronically submitted to the Claims Administrator no later than April 10, 2012 or postmarked no later than April 10, 2012. Objections must be filed with the Court by December 28, 2011 Requests to exclude yourself must be postmarked no later than December 28, 2011. Requests to appear must be received no later than December 28, 2011. The detailed notice describes how to file a claim, object, or exclude yourself and provides other important information. The Court will hold a hearing on January 17, 2012 at 2:30 pm in the federal courthouse, courtroom 2, Donohue Federal Building, 595 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, to consider final approval of the settlement.

The class is represented by Timothy G. Blood of Blood Hurst & O’Reardon LLP, Milberg LLP, and Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLC, which were all designated by the Court as Interim Class Counsel in In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, 4:10-CV-11977-FDS (D. Mass.).

To obtain a detailed notice, claim form or other documents, visit http://www.reeboksettlement.com or call, toll-free, 1-888-398-5389 or write to Notice Administrator, In re Reebok EasyTone Litigation, c/o GCG, Inc., P.O. Box 9770, Dublin, OH 43017-5670.

Text RBK to 247365 for more information; standard carrier message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to end/HELP for help.

HcG and Fat Loss?

What do you know about HcG besides that you need it to get a positive pregnancy test?

I have had clients asking me about this hormone, and if it can, indeed, help them lose fat a little easier.

Here is a study that shows hcg does help, but it was done on participants who ate a Very Low Calorie Diet (500 calories) http://www.indexmedico.com/english/obesity/hcg.htm

 

The Mayo Clinic talks about the hcg program, but does not seem to think that it works on it’s own, it’s the low calorie diet that is doing the trick.

WebMD doesn’t much like the hcg program either. Really, eating so few calories per day can lead to weight loss, but on what terms?

 

A quick fix would be great, right? However, it will take time, focus, determination and motivation to get you to your goals.

 

 

 

 

Cheat on Your Diet to Lose Weight!

Yes, that’s right, I’m encouraging you to cheat on your diet!

Diets, in a nutshell, are not really the best way to lose weight. Sure, you may see the pounds come off initially when you cut back on all the foods you love to eat, but over the long run, it’s impossible to live your life and be on  a constant diet.

Cheating, however, enables you to eat well MOST of  the time  ( 6 days per week), and gives you that one day to enjoy the “bad” foods that are usually forbidden (cake, icecream, whatever…)

Here’s the deal; every day of the week, eat your well rounded and regular meals including all the basic fruits/veg, lean protein and whole grains. Pick one day (usually a weekend day) to cheat. You can indulge in whatever you’d like and not feel guilty, because tomorrow you’re back to your “diet”.

Eventually you may find that your cheat day is getting more and more healthy; as you eat cleanly throughout  the week, your body will crave less and less of the “bad” foods that contain high sugar, fat and salt content. You will be able to enjoy those foods on your cheat day, but you may not even want to!

So I urge you to give it a try. Post your healthy foods up on the fridge for the week; make a plan! Then, give yourself the cheat day to eat as you please.

You will have less cravings during the week because you’ve already indulged, and your body will desire those unhealthy foods less and less.

Let me know how it goes!