How Much is Too Much?

How to Tell When You’re Working Out Too Much

Over exercising or compulsive exercise is defined as feeling the NEED to workout.

Skipping out on spending time with friends, family and work just to exercise isn’t healthy.

Compulsive exercise is a problem with some people to take working out to the extreme working out 2-3 times per day!

Tips For Balanced Exercise:

-     30-60 min or cardio a day is recommended

-     1 Day of rest is always good for your body to recover

-     Always remember to warm-up before and stretch after your workout (so your muscles   don’t get as sore the next day)

-     Work different muscles to change up your routine so you don’t hurt yourself

Signs You’re Working Out Too Much:

-      Your muscles get tired by shaking

-      You’re in extreme pain (take a rest and stretch)

-      You feel like passing out

-      Click HERE for more information

If you, or someone you know, is an over-exerciser, talk to a professional-either a personal trainer or physician!!

Be safe when you exercise and know how much is too much!

Helpful Health Information is Everywhere!

The only excuse you have is YOURSELF!  Today there is so much helpful and credible information on the internet, in books and magazines, that it is hard to not know a thing or two about living a healthier life.

We have taken responsibility for you! Here are some reputable sites and sources for you to follow.  Try subscribing to RSS feeds, follow them on Twitter and Facebook.  Try learning something new everyday, so as not to throw yourself in the deep end'.  There is so much to learn about fitness and health, taking baby steps is your best way to learn and adopt good habits, and be able to incorporate them into your life.

We recommend following these people and sites! We are open to suggestions, so please feel free to add comments below!

TV SHOWS

The Dr. Oz Show

Discovery Channel

MAGAZINES

Oxygen

Fitness

SITES

Health Canada

Discovery Channel
Fitness Model- Jennifer Nicole Lee (JNL)

Check Out Jennifer Nicole Lee's Transformation!

We also recommend doing some research about healthy/organic grocery stores located near you.  You can 'Google' it or find it through the YellowPages.



Don't Hibernate! Stay Lean During The Winter!

Christmas and New Year's Parties Come Sooner Than You Think! Don't Let Cozy Sweaters & Track Pants Trick You Into Gaining a Few Pounds!

Here are some tips to maintain your lean summer body into winter:

1. At home; try to avoid wearing baggy sweaters and pants.  You're more likely to overeat.  Take it a step further and wear tight clothes- prevents snacking and makes you want to suck in right? (Draw the belly button in; good for tightening the waistline and improving posture)

2. Subsititute meals for hearty and healthy soups.  Visit the Canadian Living recipe webpage for some quick and easy recipes!  Soups are warm (increase body temperature, increase calorie expenditure) and tasty and you can all your food groups in one bowl! Just be mindful of the sodium content; water down that broth!

*Tip- If you "NEED" that carb, scoop your soup with some crackers, or toast a slice of multigrain bread without butter.  Substitute the beef in your chilli for lean ground chicken or turkey.

3. Embrace scraping you car, and shovelling the driveway! A 150 lb person will burn about 400 calories shovelling snow for one hour!  That beats driving to the gym for the treadmill, plus it's a good method of strength and endurance training. 

4. Toboggan! It's a fun way to get your heart rate up and your muscles working without even knowing it! (Same goes for skiing, snowboarding and any other winter activity) check out Blue Mountain, Snow Valley and Horseshoe Resort for activities!

5. Find out now why OMEGA 3 supplements are a good idea! (Can improve prevention of a variety of diseases, aid in weight loss in combination with other healthy habits, and improve appearance of skin- perfect for combat dryness from the winter)

What Are Your Tips To Stay Fit & Healthy During the Winter Months!? Share in the comment section!

Check Back for More Tips!

The Hottest Celebrity Bodies!

Studies have shown that you are more likely to achieve your fitness goals if you strive to look like someone who you think is beautiful! We have compiled list of celebrities that we think fit the image of "perfection".


Even though there is no such thing as PERFECT, let's admit it, some are pretty damn close!

Here they are (in no particular order) If you agree or disagree let us know by commenting below!

Kim Kardashian

Jennifer Aniston

Jessica Alba

Brooke Burke

Beyonce Knowles

Rachel McAdams

Rihanna

Alessandra Ambrosio

Salma Hayek

When doing your cardio try placing a magazine like USWeekly, People, or any other tabloid, in front of the screen so you're not focused on how many calories you've burnt or how much time is left.

What else works? Use magazines and video's like the one below as motivation! Next time you're too tired or lazy to get to the gym, just check out images video's of people you would like to look like, and use it as inspiration.  We aren't saying you shouldn't be yourself, but a little bit of envy or jealousy is a factor that keeps people going.

 Check Out Other Hotties HERE!

Skip the Gym Workout at Home!

Not everyone has the time, money or motivation to go to the gym. You may be like most people who want to workout but don't know where to start, here's a solution! Skip the gym and workout at home!

Start at home and work your way up to the gym. If you don't have the money or time for a gym then you can always stay home and workout!

Here are some tips on how to use things in your house as equipment:

-Use your stairs! Walk up and down your stairs to work your legs like a stair-climber machine that is at most gyms

-When doing floor exercises use a workout mat or a towel so you don't move around

-Two litre pop bottles (must be full) can be used as weights to work your arms, if you can get real weights use those but remember to workout on carpet so when you put the weights down they don't scratch the floor

-You can always buy some workout videos and do them at home!

Remember you can always skip the gym and workout at home

Here's a video of a chest workout you can do at home all you need is weights!

Turn It Up a Notch! ♫

There are TONS of articles out there that have scientific proof behind the theory that music boosts your brain power!  ♫

Have you ever noticed your body moves to the beat of whatever song is playing?  Well then, doesn't it make sense that if you are jogging on the treadmill, you'd want to go at a pace that matches the beat or rhythm?  Our homework for you is to go to the gym and test this theory out.  Let us know what you did and how you felt!  What song(s) did you listen to? Did you feel any different during or after?  Most importantly, did you notice the energy boost you got while listening to your music?

According to the study we provided below for you to glance at, music during exercise can increase your endurance by up to 15%.  If athletes are using this trick in their exercise routines, so should you!  It's free and guaranteed.  Something that is often hard to come by these days!

Check out this article!!

Jog To The Beat: Music Increases Exercise Endurance By 15%

 Be sure to look at the related articles on this website and remember to come back and tell us what you thought! We are dying to know ♫

Healthy Smoothie Recipes

5 Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipes!

Here are 5 healthy fruit smoothie recipes you can choose fruit to shake things up from your regular daily routine. Smoothies are great for people who are on the go and want something thats fast and healthy. They will give you energy to keep you going until your next meal. Try them for breakfast, lunch or even for that normally guilty snack after dinner; now you don't have too feel bad about it!

Here are 5 simple recipes you can choose from:

Banana and Peach Smoothie

2 large bananas
1 can (398 ml) peach halves in natural juice
200 g plain low-fat yogurt
1⁄3 cup chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon clear honey
1 1⁄4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

You can make this with fresh banana, peaches and low-fat yogurt, this smoothie is a great blend of vitamins and minerals—an excellent boost of energy, try it for breakfast or when you get home from work and need something before you hit the gym.

Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

4 cups (1 L) ripe strawberries
1 cup (250 mL) plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh orange juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar, or to taste

Refresh yourself in just five minutes with this low-fat pick-me-up to keep you going and hold you back from buying that bag of potatoe chips.

Banana and Mango Shake

1/2 ripe mango
1 small ripe banana
150 ml semi-skimmed milk
120 ml  orange juice
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp caster sugar
2 heaped tbsp vanilla frozen yogurt

With calcium, fibre, protein and vitamins B and C all swirled into this tempting smoothie, the Banana Mango Shake is an all-round great recipe for any time of the day, make it your guilty pleasure that's really good for you!

Mango, Peach and Apricot Fizz



1 ripe mango
1 ripe peach
2 large ripe apricots
500 ml (17 fl oz) ginger ale, sparkling water or your favourite fizzy mixer
Pamper yourself or impress guests with this delicious  drink. With fresh fruit and fizz, this refreshing concoction is only 55 calories per serving it will feel like nothing but taste great!




Smart Smoothie



3/4 cup (175 mL) low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup (125 mL) skim milk
1 banana
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh or frozen berries

This 270-calorie breakfast shake, packed with vitamin D so you don't have to stand in the sunshine all day waiting to get it.

My personal favourite is the Banana Peach Smoothie its great for breakfast and gives me energy until lunch time!
These 5 Healthy Fruit Smoothie Recipes will have you wanting more!

Images from http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/cooking/healthy-fruit-smoothie-recipes

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!

Enjoy Healthy Food Without Compromising Taste or Your Waistline!

Choosing healthy options can be deceiving, because although a product may portray that it is 'low fat' or 'sugarfree' it usually means it has more of the other.  For example, low fat products will contain more sugar and/or sodium as a result (which makes your body retain more water, making you feel bloated)

Sugarfree products tend to be higher in fat and/or sodium.  There are numerous articles created by reputable companies, like Canadian Living, or any health or fitness magazine, but just incase here are some more tips for you!  By substituting and incorporating these tips into your daily eating habits, you are highly likely to feel less bloated, consume fewer calories throughout the day and drop a few pounds in the long run.

We hope you enjoy them and would love to hear what you think! Feel free to comment at the end of this blog.
1. Substitute ice cream for frozen yogurt.  It tastes the exact same! Try (Chapman's Vanilla Frozen Yogurt)

2. Baked Lay's or Quaker Rice Cakes, instead of chips

3. Ween yourself off of coke, and switch to diet coke.  Eventually try adding Crystal Light to water, then start diluting the Crystal Light, and gradually you may start just drinking water instead of juice and pop.  I guarantee you, as soon as you get ride of sugary drinks and drink just water (tea and milk/chocolate milk are okay in moderation) you will lose 5 pounds in 2 months, if you do that and keep your diet and exercise ritual the same.

4. Breaded chicken.  Dip it in olive oil or dijon mustard (instead of eggs) and a few drops of melted butter and bake it in the oven instead of deep frying.  If that is a big step, try pan frying in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and then gradually switch to baking.

5. Eat a high fibre cereal and add cut up fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, banana) instead of sugar for a sweet taste.

6. Instead of fries.  Roast vegetables in olive salt and pepper, in the oven, to get that salty crunch.  Vegetables that do well for this are aspargus, peppers, and carrots!

7. Eat low fat muffins.  They have a fraction of the amount of fat of a regular muffin.  Or skip muffins altogether and eat an apple with a bit of peanut butter instead.

8. Have one meal, breakfast or lunch as a smoothie.  You can add frozen berries, or bananas, yogurt, and a pinch of your favourite juice (orange juice is a good option- calcium and vitamin c)
A personal favourite is cooled coffee, ice, bananas and a small scoop of chocolate frozen yogurt/ or chocolate milk.

9. Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.  East turkey/chicken bacon instead of bacon made from pork.

It is a good idea to refer yourself to Canada's Food Guide.  It tells you the recommended amount of food to consume from each food group!


These are just come tips to take home, if you would like more, please feel free to send us an email! Or use the comment box, and we will be sure to reply!

STAY TUNED FOR NEXT WEEKS BLOG! DRINKS! They're more complicated than you think ;)

Change Up Your Routine With a Class!

Work-Out Classes

Reason with yourself, you’re not always motivated to go to the gym after working all day and your gym partners can’t always get you pumped up to go.

Here’s a solution - Work-Out Classes there are many different classes are offered at local gyms or even the gym you currently go to, just ask an employee if they offer work-out classes and take a schedule home with you if they do.

Some beneficial things about work-out classes are:

-They’re cheap (About $5.oo per class) or sometimes free if your already a member at a gym

- Work-Out classes change up your workout and break your regular routine; you can burn more calories in a work-out class than by continually doing the same exercise routine, about 250 calories more!

- Do it with friends! It’s a fun inexpensive way to get your friends together and do something different

- So many different classes are offered from cardio kick-boxing to hip-hop dancing and everything in between, if you’re willing to try something new I’m sure there’s a class out there for you!

-Remember different classes are offered at different times so it doesn’t hurt to change up your schedule and go to an early morning class one day and an evening class the next time you feel the urge to work out. If you can find time to go work-out on your lunch break you’ll have more energy in the afternoon at work.

- Even just adding one work-out class to your weekly routine will get you more motivated and burn extra calories, so go to class and feel the difference!

Here is a list of some local clubs in your area:

LA Fitness https://www.lafitness.com/Pages/findclubresultszip.aspx

GoodLife Fitness http://www.goodlifefitness.com/FindAClub.aspx

Premier Fitness http://www.premierfitness.ca/

Extreme Fitness http://www.extremefitness.ca/

Burn Extra Calories Throughout the Day With These Tips!

Let's face it! There are some days where we just can't squeeze enough time in for the gym, or eat healthy at every meal.  Here are some simple tips to help you overcome these challenges!

Plus, it won't hurt doing these things everyday, because it burns more calories than you think, in the long run, and can be the difference between 5-10 pounds in one year.

• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator; focus on using your butt and legs to lift you up those steps instead of your feet or momentum!
• Posture breaks; throughout the day, at the desk or in your car, focus on drawing in your belly button, tightening your abs, and lifting your chest proudly.  This can increase blood flow to the muscles, which not only gives them a little muscle challenge, it will also help in keeping you more alert!
• Parking further away; as long as you feel safe.
• Taking a brisk 10 minute walk on your lunch break.  This will get your heart rate up, make you more alert, and maybe prevent you from overeating, or have an unhealthy meal, at lunch.
• Do exercises during TV breaks (pushups, situps, etc.)
• If possible, ride your bike to work instead of driving
• Try walking before dinner, or some point at night
• Replace sugary drinks with tea or water
• Bake instead of frying.  There are tons of recipes out there that don't sacrifice the taste.
• Some restaurants offer gluten-free menus, or healthier option choices.  Ask your server for these menu's, or simply ask for dressing on the side, less oil, no butter, and salad instead of fries/rice/mashed potatoes.  I like baked potatoes with salsa and chives on the side☺