Fit Facts You’ve Got Time For

My newest child is just 3 months old and – I’m sure you can vouch for me on this one - I have to use my time wisely while he’s catnapping to tackle housework, regular work and the odd on-demand episode of The Biggest Loser.  As moms, sometimes all we’ve got time for are little snippets of information.  From one mom to another, here are a few great little fitness tips you have time to read and implement in your hectic, mommy life!

You’ll learn a little something for the water cooler and add some strategies to your healthy lifestyle armory.  Happy reading!

Enlist a walking buddy to keep you on track...

fact: the average person walks only about 4,000-5,000 steps per day.

fit: experts recommend 10,000 steps per day for basic fitness.  30-60 minutes of brisk walking will tack on 4 to 5,000 steps to your total!

Eat 'round the clock to stay in control...

fact: individuals who eat 4 or more times daily are 45% less likely to be obese than those who eat 3 or fewer times daily.

fit: don’t get caught up in the cycle of starving & binging!  Eat every 3-4 hours to boost your metabolism and to avoid getting so hungry that you throw all those great resolutions right out the window!  Download nutritional guidelines from Health Canada & the Dieticians of Canada…

Banish belly fat & the blues all at once...

fact: women who suffer from depression have, on average, 24% more belly fat than women who aren’t depressed.

fit: winter brings seasonal blues for many of us and can intensify depression for those who suffer year long. Stress hormones are powerful enemies against your metabolism and depression often manifests in women through overeating, making weight gain a common symptom of the blues.  See your doctor if you feel unable to cope with your everyday routines and consider adding exercise to your treatment plan. Not only will exercising rev your metabolism and help you remove any excess fat, it has been shown in several studies to be more effective against clinical (and mild) depression than medication alone.  For best results, exercise at a moderate to high intensity at least 3 times per week.

Finally Fit in 2010: Secrets from Belly Bootcamp

the trainer’s toolbox

We'll bet the farm this resolution is on your list....

Resolution déjà vu?  Make that fitness resolution for the last time this year and finally achieve it with these secrets from the popular Belly Bootcamp fitness classes for modern mommies.

Start by choosing a realistic goal with a specific timeline – instead of “I want to lose all my baby weight,” try “I will weigh 145 pounds by April 1” or “I will run a 10K race on May 20.”  Then break that goal down into manageable steps – figure out how many pounds you need to lose per week or per month, or how many minutes you need to run each week as you work your way up to your jogging goal, for example.

Got your goal set and your path laid out?  Every fitness achievement starts with effective workouts (and a healthy dose of willpower).  Take a page from the Belly Bootcamp bible and steal these women’s fitness secrets that help our mommies get their fittest ever:

1. super sets (and circuits) are super. Structure your workout so you perform two exercises working different muscles back-to-back.  Try pairing up one leg exercise with one upper body exercise or one core exercise with any large muscle move using the legs, back or chest.  Complete one set of each in succession, then rest 30-60 seconds before your next set. Cardio junkies will love squeezing in 1-5 minutes of sprinting, cycling or stepping as well – try completing one circuit of 8-10 different exercises, then a bit of cardio before completing a final set of each exercise.
2. power up your cardio. Interval training uses short bouts of high-intensity cardio (approximately 85% of maximum heart rate) with periods of active rest (65-75% of MHR) to blast off more calories in less time and boost your metabolism for hours after you step off the treadmill.  After a 5-10 minute warmup, try 1 minute running as hard as you can with 2 minutes jogging or speedwalking; repeat 6 times and cool down.
3. use your downtime. Instead of completing a set and resting 1-2 minutes before starting again, recover those lost minutes by performing a lighter exercise while you recover from your main move.  Try a standing shoulder press while you rest your legs or some crunches while you rest your back.  By the time you finish those crunches your back will be ready to go again! 
4. go for compound moves. These are the moves that really get your heart rate up in half the time and burn tons of calories by incorporating two exercises into one, such as a squat with a shoulder press or a bent-over row with a triceps kickback. Perform these moves as you would any others, in succession with no rest until you complete the set.  Not for the faint of heart!
5. know how much is too much. There is a difference between feeling “the burn” and feeling like you’re about to pass out.  Your workout should be challenging enough to make you grit your teeth a bit as you finish those last few reps or the last few minutes of your cardio.  If you breeze through it, it’s not stimulating your muscles and brain enough to make the impact you’re looking for.  If it’s downright painful or causes faintness, dizziness, or extreme fatigue, chances are you’ll burn out or become injured long before you’ve had a chance to reach that goal of yours. 

One last secret of Belly Bootcampers?  You can get fit without a gym membership, without much equipment and without spending a lot of money.  For tons of trainer-tested exercises you can do at home or to try a Belly Bootcamp class near you, visit www.fitfamily.ca or www.bellybootcamp.ca.

when jazzercise just won’t cut it anymore

the trainer’s toolbox

I was visiting with my sister yesterday – that’s the same sister who flubbed my delicious banana oat muffins – while my daughter, C, was napping.

Jazz Hands...

Normally I reserve those precious afternoon hours for work or, occasionally, a quick at-home workout if I’ve missed the gym that morning.  But yesterday was a cold, bustly day and we had already worked out so, instead… we watched TV.  Not just any TV but HBO’s Flight of the Conchords, a delightfully absurd sitcom (for lack of a better word).  I highly recommend it!  In the episode we were watching, the main characters were complaining that their band’s gigs were unfortunately coinciding with a jazzercise class – the character in question was choosing jazzercise over performing.

The idea of a straight, young man in a jazzercise class is almost oxymoronic.  If your idea of fitness classes is as outdated as HBO’s, here is a basic fitness class primer. The world has changed since the days of jazzercise and there are tons of great classes out there.  Most of them fall into the following types:

• step aerobics: moderate to high intensity movements on, over and around an adjustable step; usually involves some jumping and may not be suitable for those with joint conditions; set to music with a quick pace that burns 300-600 calories/hour, depending on intensity.
• high-low aerobics: high impact moves are those in which both feet are simultaneously off the floor; low impact moves are those in which one foot stays on the floor at all times – put them together with a soundtrack straight from Much More Retro and you’ve got traditional aerobics.  300-500 calories/hour (higher impact = higher caloric burn).
• abs/core: usually 15-30 minutes, these classes are crammed with sit ups, crunches, planks and other moves often borrowed from traditional yoga and pilates disciplines; set to music and faster than regular strength training to burn around 150 calories/half-hour.
• yoga: adapted from the traditional religious & meditative rituals of India, modern “yoga” classes are full-body strengthening & stretching sessions that build focus, balance, endurance and coordination without impacting joints.  The most common types, ashtanga & hatha, burn 300-500 calories per hour but do not offer the same cardiovascular benefits as more intense aerobic exercise.
• pilates: another adaptation, “pilates” classes are variations on the classic pilates dance training method; focus is on the core – abs, back, and hips – with high reps to build endurance and discipline; while not a cardiovascular workout, pilates burns 250-450 calories/hour.
• kickboxing: yet another adaptation, aerobic kickboxing mixes martial arts with conditioning exercises like push ups and jumping jacks at a quick pace set to music; tones most muscles of the body and works the cardiovascular system for 400-600 calories/hour.  May not be suitable for those with joint problems.
• pump/strength: basic weightlifting moves like chest presses, squats, lunges, and rows are set to music; weights are very light and reps are extreme – approximately 50-100 reps per body part – to build muscular & cardiovascular endurance.  Burns 300-500 calories/hour.
• spinning: one of the newest styles, spinning is just cycling set to music and usually involving various speed and resistance intervals to burn more calories than traditional cycling; performed on a “spin” bike at a very high intensity that burns 500-700 calories/hour.
• hip hop: aerobic dance classes, these are the jazzercise of the new millenium.  Aerobic dance builds coordination and endurance, sometimes with high-impact movements or complicated footwork that may frustrate some exercisers.  Burns 300-500 calories/hour.

Whichever you choose, fitness classes can be a great way to build longer cardio sessions into your exercise program.  The key, as with anything, is moderation.  Five spinning classes a week will not only become boring and easy (translation: you burn fewer calories as you get used to doing the same workout over and over), but it may even cause what we call “overuse injuries” that cause joint and muscle pain or even keep you from workout out altogether.  Mix up the classes and don’t forget to add traditional strength training at least twice weekly.

Jazz hands, everybody…

a home gym for the rest of us

reviews & resources

I occasionally have the pleasure of working with a client who has a real home gym – like the home gyms you see on MTV Cribs (did I just inadvertently confess to watching brainless prepubescent entertainment?) minus the Swarovski crystal-encrusted stopwatches.  Most of the time, my clients do not have a whole room they can afford to designate solely to the pursuit of fitness.  Sometimes we work out in their bedrooms, sometimes we work out in their basements, sometimes it’s a corner of the living room and the attached staircase…

You don’t need a “gym” to work out at home.  You just need a bit of creativity and a couple of basic props.  Check out this video from the American College of Sports Medicine all about setting up your home “gym”:

I recommend the following inexpensive pieces of equipment.  Most of these items can be purchased at any good fitness store – Fitness Depot is my local favourite – or even found in the sporting goods section of a large department store.

• mat, padded or yoga-style
• dumbbells of increasing increments – 5, 10 & 15 pounds are a good start but a single set of 10-15 pounds will do well if you have the guidance of an experienced personal trainer to show you some creative uses
• a resistance band of medium tension
• a bench or chest that can hold your weight (a sturdy kitchen chair or step will do in a pinch)

Cardio at home can be tricky.  A staircase is a great way to inject some aerobic exercise into your home routine.  If you are planning to purchase a piece of cardiovascular equipment, I recommend a treadmill or a rowing ergometer (find out which types of cardio burn the most calories here).  DVDs are another great way to do cardio at home.  And, of course, nothing beats lacing up your sneakers and heading out the front door for a walk, jog or hike.  It doesn’t get much cheaper and easier than that!

For specific questions about setting up your own home gym or to have a program customized to your home equipment and your fitness needs, chat live with Fit Family or send me an e-mail.  Have fun!

15-minute total body workout

family fitness

Today was not a nice day.  It was a balmy 10 degrees celsius here in Toronto, but Mother Nature has a cruel sense of humour and we were blasted with rain on this warmest day in months.  As I came in to the house from a morning meeting, I narrowly escaped falling on my ass on the skating rink we call a driveway.   A client, Erica, had to cancel her session to tend to her feverish son and had promised to get outside for a run.  I e-mailed her and suggested she skip the jog for today, stay dry and safe and do the following routine instead.

Once I had the baby down for a nap, I did a quick 20-minute cardio workout and did the exact same routine I gave Erica.  You’ll need a chair or bench to step up on and a mat or towel to lie down on; nothing else!

I did it in 12 minutes.  Can you beat my time?

Warm up: 5-10 flights of stairs or jog on the spot/dance for 3-5 minutes

Step up x 10

Push up x 10

Jump squat x 10

Jumping jack x 10

Crunch x 10

Complete one set of each exercise, resting only as needed or to take a drink of water.  When you are resting, continue moving – march on the spot or walk around to keep your body pumping blood and oxygen back up to your heart and lungs.  After completing 10 reps of all five exercises, rest 1 minute.  Repeat all exercises x 15 reps.  Rest 1 minute.  Repeat all exercises x 20 reps.

Cool down: march/jog/dance on the spot for 3-5 minutes.

As with any exercise program, please consult a physician before starting if you have a history of heart problems or any current or recent injury or illness.  The Par-Q Exercise Readiness Questionnaire will help you determine whether you are ready to exercise or if you should obtain clearance from your physician first.  If you have any questions about this program, chat live with Fit Family and clear things up before you get started.

Have fun!