Perfect Fit Personal Training

A blog to enlighten you about health and fitness

Sunny Sunday

Hello all,

 

What a gorgeous day here in Vancouver today!

Sunshine really encourages and motivates us to get off our behinds and get something done.

Get outside and enjoy the extra vitamin D; the sunshine vitamin. Do some yardwork, go for a walk or bike ride, or just get moving outdoors today.

A half hour walk can be invigorating even if you are not moving really fast. You can make it a social occasion by inviting a friend.

Whatever you do, try to be active every day. The more you do, the more normal it will feel to be active regularly.

 

Happy Sunday!

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8 Minute Workout!!! Get it Done Fast

Hello there,

I hope you are all doing well today.

I wanted to share with you a quick and simple 8 minute interval training workout video.

Perfect Fit Personal Training 8 Minute Workout

If you are short on time but want a good workout, this video is for you! If you want to extend your workout and make it longer or harder, then repeat the video two or three times.

Interval training is a very effective way to burn calories and fat. It’s also more fun than doing eight minutes straight of the same thing; for example running or stationary aerobics.

I hope you enjoy this 8 minute interval training workout. I would love your feedback!

Nicole

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Relax…

Feeling tight, stressed, uptight?

I found this great yoga stretch that is so relaxing…what a great way to end your workday.

You can do it in bed or on the floor.

http://www.santosha.com/restorative-yoga.html

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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.

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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.

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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!

 

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Popcorn is a Great Snack Food!

Did you know that popcorn is healthy?

Yep, it’s true.

Not your movie theater popcorn of course; that is laden with saturated fat and calories (over 1000 in a large bag). Check out this article on movie theater popcorn from the CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2009/11/19/popcorn-movie-theatre-salt-fat.html

 

However, home popped corn without butter is a great choice for a healthy snack. Did you know it’s a whole grain?

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/food/articles/popcorn.html

 

So enjoy some popped corn today and eat up your whole grains the fun way.

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Looking for a Personal Trainer?

If you answered yes, then there are some questions that you should ask and things to look for in your personal trainer.

I just came upon this article that I wrote a few years back which talks about this very subject. Please see the link to view the article on finding the right personal trainer for you:

http://www.beautyandlace.com.au/chooseapt.htm

A trainer is an important part of your life for a short or extended period of time; it’s important to pick the right personal trainer for your specific needs and not one that everyone else is raving about.

Ask questions, get answers, and hire a trainer that is worthy earning their fee.

For more information on one on one or small group personal training with Perfect Fit Personal Training, give me  a call at 604-318 6534 or email me at: nicole@perfectfit.ws

Have a great evening!

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Avocado: High Fat, High Calorie…Great For You!

If you enjoy avocados as much as I do, you really like them!

Squish them up to make homemade guacamole, add them to salads, spread them on toast…they are a great healthy addition to many recipes.

Avocados do have a high fat content, but it is of the healthy fat denomination. 30 gms per medium avocado.

Calories? Yup, they have a lot of those too; about 230 per cup.

Don’t be scared to include this fruit in your diet, as the health benefits are outstanding. Just remember to keep your portion sizes small, around two tablespoons per serving.

Enjoy these articles below for more info:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/avocado-advantage

 

http://oss.mcgill.ca/everyday/avocados.pdf

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5

 

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Sweet or Regular; Which Potato is Better For You?

I have had clients ask me about eating potatoes versus sweet potatoes, and what the difference was health wise.

I always say that you can never go wrong with eating  your veggies, but all veggies are not created equally.

Potatoes are enjoyable as roasted, mashed, fried, and baked; skin on, skin off…they are great and tasty in many forms. However, they have a GI (glycemic index) value of between 56-111 (depending on the potato), which is at the top of the chart. For more info on the Glycemic Index: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index

Potatoes

Sweet potatoes, on the other hand are in the medium category on the GI, and have a host of other benefits such as antioxidants and high fiber content. For more info on sweet potatoes, check out this site: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=69

As with all carbohydrate rich foods, you should take care to eat only what your body needs, and keep your plate mostly loaded with high fiber, colorful veggies with low caloric values, such as spinach,  green leaf lettuce, and celery. For more lo-carb veggie options, check out this link: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/whatveg.htm

That’s all for now; remember to eat well most of the time to enjoy the benefits of your workout program. If you work out hard but eat a ton of junk, you may still remain at the same weight and not look any differently.

One more interesting link on potatoes and their contents: http://breastcancer.about.com/od/cancerfightingfoods/a/potatoes.htm

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