tasty turkey chili

fish sticks for grownups (and kids too!)

trainer-approved recipes

Fish in its natural state can be a bit of an acquired taste.  Fish processed and deep fried (of the “filet-o” variety), on the other hand, is of questionable value.  Here’s a great compromise: a recipe from my own kitchen for the whole family that’s high-fibre, low-cal and makes perfect fodder for those dip-loving youngsters (and husbands).  And it’s fast!

the cure for stretch marks

personal trainer diary

If you have them, you know.  Whether 100 pounds or 300 pounds, 18 years old or postmenopausal, we are united by our stretch marks.

Some women, like myself, are doomed from the beginning.  My stretch marks began in my teens.  I grew so fast over my fourteenth year that I even have stretch marks on my knees!  I am used to my stretch marks.  They have faded to slim, silvery reminders of my adolescence and I barely notice them unless they happen to catch the light on a bright summer day…  I thought I would be prepared to deal with the mother of all stretches – the postpartum stretch.  “How bad can they get?”  I thought…

Not bad at all if your dream is to resemble a purple zebra.  For those of us who aim for a more human look, they’re pretty bad.  But maybe “bad” is the wrong word.  They’re pretty “extreme.”  But they’re a more-than-fair price to pay for the wonderful little person who gave them to me.

My stretch marks are now collapsed in on themselves, as only my fellow mothers will understand, into an ultimately even less appealing lump of crepey skin not unlike the back of my great grandmother’s nearly century-old hands.

How’s that for imagery?

As my husband, J, and I begin planning our first child-free getaway in more than two years, I feel myself becoming unusually preoccupied with my stretch marks.  This will be the first time I appear in public, stretched, as it were, and half-nude.  It’s a rite of passage of sorts.  My first inclination was to run out and snap up every decent one-piece swimsuit in a fifty-mile radius but, as I vowed aloud never again to wear a two-piece, my husband’s horrified look started to change my mind.  If he was so horrified at the prospect of my moratorium on bikinis, maybe I didn’t look quite so awful as I thought.  Sure, I don’t look the way I did five years ago, but I’ve worked hard in the last year to lose 40 pounds of baby weight and I am more motivated than ever to stay active and healthy.

I’m in the business of making people look good and – more importantly – feel good about the way they look.  Sometimes, in my own life, it helps to imagine my own problems are the problems of a client and imagine how I would respond as their coach and confidante.

I would definitely not let my client self resign herself to a bikini-free life.

Next week I will book a date with my most trusted advisor (my sister) and begin the search for a new bikini.  Wish me luck!

counting those holiday calories

reviews & resources

I love calorielab.com and I’m not afraid to say it out loud.

There are many, many, many websites out there with dubious databases of calorie “counts.”  I’m quite certain what passes as a “count” on these sites would not satisfy a mathematician.  They are often calorie “guesses,” since much of this information is actually submitted by readers who may mismeasure, misread and, ultimately, mislead you.

But not calorielab.  This website is chock full of information and it is all compiled by calorielab itself – no input from readers and no errors.  Type in a food – homemade, packaged or enjoyed in a restaurant – and calorielab spits out not just calories but fat, carbs, protein, vitamins, minerals and more.  You can even check the caffeine content of your favourite Starbucks beverage or the alcohol content of your usual hockey game brew.  My only caveat: the site is American and features more American chain restaurants and brands than Canadian.  That said, it does feature many brands available in Canada as well as generic information applicable to various similar products.  Check it out when you’re planning a menu or use it to total the calories in your food journal for the day.

Now, for your ease, a sampling of holiday treats and their basic nutritional values.

Keep in mind, the average women needs to consume only about 2,000 calories and keep dietary fats to approximately 60 g per day to avoid health risks and maintain a healthy weight.  Eat wisely!

The Personal Trainer Show: Dec. 1/08

Your friendly personal trainer.

personal trainer diary

As a personal trainer, I get countless questions about my own habits.  “How long do you spend in the gym?”  or “How many days per week do you work out?” are two popular questions.  Even more common are the exclamations phrased as questions: “You really eat that?”  or “You really do that?” are variations on the theme.  People are very interested to know whether their mentor really follows her own advice.

Well, I do, most of the time.  Here is your inside look at the life of a personal trainer.

I got to sleep in this morning until 6:00 a.m.  Blissful, blissful sleep…  Many mornings start between 5:00 and 5:30, so this morning felt like a Saturday to me.  My daughter awoke around 6:30 and we had a quick cuddle.  I plunked her into her high chair and gave her some raisin bran with milk.  She loves bran cereal.  Very strange.  But, then again, she’s never met a fruit loop.

I pack my peanut butter sandwich (on delicious omega-3 walnut bread; I heartily endorse Stonemill Breads) and my coffee – which I take with milk and a dash of cinnamon for some extra antioxidants – and head out in the rain to the car.  Clients await.  I relish this commute.  As a new mom, rarely do I get a half-hour uninterrupted to listen to the radio and drink a fresh cup of coffee.  And – don’t tell anyone – I love my coffee.  Caf, decaf, I don’t care – if it tastes like coffee, I’ll drink it.

After clients, it’s my turn to hit the gym.  My personal rule: Never miss a Monday workout.  It’s just a bad idea.  Monday sets the tone for the rest of your week.  I try never to miss a workout Monday through Wednesday.  I sit in the parking garage for a few moments to pull out my notebook and plan out this week’s workouts.  The truth is, I’m so busy planning clients’ programs that I sometimes have to wing it with my own workouts.  Some days I’ll be in the change room, planning my workout in my head.

That’s the essence of Fit Family: accept that life and exercise must co-exist.  Adapt accordingly but sacrifice neither.

Today I manage to find a couple of minutes to plan the week, so I head in for cardio and a combination of legs and shoulders.  I warm up for five minutes on the treadmill, then break into a 6-mph jog for 20 minutes, followed by 5 minutes brisk walking to bring my heart rate down a bit before I hit the weights.  Legs, shoulders, stretch… no shower.  That’s right. No shower.  I don’t have time.  Well, not until the afternoon when the baby is napping, at least.  Rest assured, dear friends, family and clients, I do squeeze in the odd shower here and there.

Shower.  Check.  I get paperwork done and feed myself a spinach salad with chick peas, some milk and a banana.  When the baby gets up, it’s time to play and cuddle.  Then I start on dinner.  I’m making homemade curried chicken with brown rice.  I am not a great cook, but I do have a great memory.  If I read a recipe once or twice, I remember it and adapt it over time.  My husband thinks he really lucked out.  I think it’s funny that he can’t tell there’s no beef in his chili.

That curry probably needs to be checked on…  I can’t remember how long it’s supposed to cook…