2011 Year End Contest!

Get ready for the year-end plank challenge and stay strong through the holidays!  During the month of December, improve your posture, core and upper body strength with the plank.

Just for getting stronger the winner will select one of the following prizes:

$50 Gift Certificate to their fitness store of choice

$50 Gift Certificate to Tabule, Middle Eastern Cuisine with a menu full of delicious & healthy options

A complimentary one-on-one or couples PT session

Who Can Participate:

Anyone in my area of service in Toronto. At the end of the contest I will visit the winner to verify their time at a mutually convenient location whether it be an office, home or gym.  You must be willing to show your planking skills in person and have it recorded.  All participants must email me to take part.. The deadline for registration is Monday December 5, 2011.  There will be two groups: a)  Public Group and  b) PT Group.  A winner will be selected from each group.  The public group is an open group and the PT Group will consist of clientele.  All PT Group participants should encourage friends and family to participate in the public group!

How Does It Work:

You can practice planking on your toes or your knees but the winner will maintain the full plank position for the longest time.  I encourage you to practice the plank every other day and push yourself a little more each time but do not work through back pain. This is a sign to stop. All participants must submit their progress on a weekly basis. All times within each group will be made available to encourage participant progress.

What Does the Plank Look Like?

See the link for full instruction and guidance: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/32/front-plank/ 

Have Fun, Stay Strong and Good Luck!

Great Balls of Goodness

After a great run today I decided to make some wholesome, energy packed pre/post workout treats.  Give them a try, let me know how they turn out for you!

2 Tbsp Natural Raw Almond Butter
4 Dates, chopped
2 Tbsp Kashi Go Lean
1 Tbsp Raw Sunflower Seeds
1 Tbsp Raw Hemp Seeds
2 Tbsp Pure Apple Juice
1 Tbsp Hemp Protein
1 Tsp 100% Cocoa Powder

Combine all ingredients, spoon out and roll. Makes 6-7 balls.
Nutrition Per Ball: 60 Cals, 2g Fat, 4g Sugar,  2g Protein, 1g Fibre

Year Round Survival Guidelines

Having worked with a number of people on the road to health and fitness there are certain things that consistently pave the way to success and then maintenance.  I believe you should be living while working towards your goals.  What I mean by that is that life goes on whether you like where you're at or not.  Nothing stands still until you reach success so embracing a new lifestyle is important. Exercise and eating well are not just things you do, it's the way you live.  That's why making changes to better your health and fitness really do change your life for the better.

1. Get organized.  Know your weekly schedule and decide ahead of time what your meals will be for the week. Leave nothing to chance.  This includes being prepared for personal commitments, children's activities, meetings, meals out etc.  If you are prepared and eat well the majority of the time, the "some of the time" that you don't won't kill you.
2. Don't run on empty - stock your refrigerator and cupboards.  Have a standard grocery list and know what items you will need for each meal.
3. Be prepared. Because days can be unpredictable have at your desk and in your car bottled water, easy to peel fruits and nuts.  Have containers and a small cooler ready to pack and go.
4. Ask for help and take it. Whether its with shopping, food prepping, washing, peeling or cooking. 
5. Always have veggies and canned goods readily available: celery, cucumber, various lettuce, spinach,  peppers, cauliflower, broccoli etc.  This is where frozen veggies are helpful.  Fresh is always best but easy go-to meals include canned beans, lentil, tuna.  Make them into salads and keep in the fridge to cover you for a few days.   
6. Visualization. Paint a mental picture of your week and see yourself as the person who is following through with the plan. 
7. Have available a variety of herbal teas and coffee substitutes like Caf Lif, Bambu or Krakus.  Green tea is a favourite.
8. When meeting friends never go hungry or thirsty.  Often we confuse thirst for hunger and always eat something before a night out.  This is something I do consistently.  Even if I'm going out for dinner I will eat something before hand and drink water or tea.  This keeps me from downing numerous buttered buns before the meal.
9. Something is better than nothing.  Don't throw all your efforts out the window if you can't have a "full workout".  Do something. Five minutes of high intensity intervals can fit every schedule.
10. It's not all or nothing.  If you feel you slipped with your eating and caved into that junk food for lunch don't let the rest of the day go.  Move on. You don't have to downward spiral, just make your next meals good ones. 

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

Beans Beans Good for Your Heart....

A traditional Greek dish that I like to make on a regular basis is Gigantes.  These are basically large white beans similar to Lima beans.  I was also excited to read some time ago that they are part of the Blue Zone diet.  Blue Zones are regions of the world where people live remarkably longer, healthier lives due in part to their "super foods".  Gigantes are a great dish for their high fibre content so they keep you feeling fuller, longer.  In addition to that the beans are a great vegetarian dish packed with about 21grams of protein per cup. They are also low in fat and high in iron.  Besides the beans themselves, the vegetables added to the dish make for a well rounded meal.

• 1/2 pack (about 400 grams) of beans, soaked overnight.
• 1 carton No Sodium Chicken Broth (optional)
• 2 white onions
• 2 carrots
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 red pepper
• 1-2 fresh tomatoes
• approximately 1/4 cup strained tomatoes
• up to 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Boil beans in enough water to cover. Skim the surface while boiling.  Beans should become slightly tender (approx. 20-30 minutes).  Remove from pot and save the water if you will not be using chicken broth when baking.
2. Place beans in large baking dish and add enough liquid to cover beans.
3. Chop onions, carrots, garlic and red pepper and saute in olive oil.  Puree tomatoes and add all ingredients to the beans. Add some olive oil.
4. Cover and bake at 375F  until all ingredients have softened and combined well. Add  remaining olive oil and strained tomatoes.  Remove foil and allow to bake further if there is a lot of liquid in the dish.  Add salt, pepper and dill if you like.

Gigantes can be served hot as a main meal or as a cold appetizer.  When serving warm my family likes Feta cheese on the side or sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Weekend Soup

I love soups and fall is a great time to experiment with vegetable combinations.  This weekend after picking up groceries I started combining and made a delicious, nutritious soup...

• 1 Bunch Swiss Chard
• 1 Bunch Spinach
• 1 Potato
• 2 Tomatoes
• 2 Carrots
• 1 White Onion, 1-2 Green Onions
• 1 Carton No Sodium Chicken Broth
• Olive Oil

1. Chop onions and carrots with food chopper
2. Puree tomatoes
3. Chop to desired size the spinach, swiss chard and potatoes. I like mine in larger chunks.
4. Saute the onions and carrots in olive oil.
5. Add the spinach and swiss chard and saute.
6. Add the potato and tomatoes and stir all vegetables to combine.
7. Add the chicken broth and additional water if necessary.  Boil.
8. Season with salt and pepper.  I like to also add cayenne pepper when serving.

Serve with toasted whole wheat pita slices drizzled with olive oil. I also made some orzo in a separate pot and added it to each soup bowl for the kids for a more filling meal.

Enjoy!

Younger By The Year

Judy 75 doing an advanced plank  hold

We hear so many amazing feats today of people defying the odds and succeeding at physical sports that seem impossible to many.  This past weekend 100 year old Fauja Singh ran 42k in eight hours. He set a new world record as the oldest person to complete a marathon. Surely if you've ever run a marathon you understand. Surely if you haven't run a marathon you understand. To put this into perspective a good night's sleep is eight hours. Or a day at work, mostly seated.  And that's just half the story. He has already set eight world age group records. So it seems that breaking records is not uncommon for some folk.

Push-ups on the TRX

Thirteen days after turning 80, Canadian Ed Whitlock set his first world record  for his age group. We are not talking about just a personal best – we are talking about WORLD records. This is amazing. Quite often I find myself referring to the book Younger Next Year wherein the process of aging is a state of growth or decay. If you're not looking after yourself by way of exercise and participating in actions that help to keep cells young – well you're basically on the slippery slope of decay. Too morbid? Maybe but it does send a clear message. You're far too young and it's too early to be a living, breathing cadaver. So what is holding you back? What is your excuse? It's time to set some goals. A five or 10k.  Maybe you want to skip all that and go for the 1/2 marathon. Do it! Maybe your goal is something different – maybe you just want to get up and exercise. Judy, my 75 year old client has made a commitment to fitness for the past four years. Four years of continued growth. It wasn't always easy for Judy though. There was a time when mobility was compromised and strength was more limited. But she didn't let these get in her way. There was never an excuse. As a matter of fact, she didn't let anything get in her way. And neither should you. Decide today that you will take action.

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

From Simple Goals to 540km and Beyond!

Success can be measured in many ways and as a trainer I see success on a daily basis with everyone I work with.  Success is not always the end result but rather the decision to get up, move and stay active. I'm around amazing people and over the past months I've witnessed my client reclaim her fitness and change her life. And that is just the beginning...

Joanne

Gena, before we started working out together I had the worse back problems due to standing all day at work and within our first month the pain started to subside and now its nonexistent. Reclaiming my fitness and taking control of my health was the best decision I made and it has changed me. I am confident and feel like I can reach any goal I set for myself – both physical and personal. I feel like I can do anything! Everyone comments on how great I look but what makes me so happy is that I now motivate my friends and family to get active and take control of their own situations. Receiving your motivating text messages about food, organization, rest or whatever - GOT ME THROUGH! I couldn't have really gotten back into it without your support and caring...that early morning you showed up for our workout and I was not at my best you looked be straight in the eyes and said - “we can work through this or talk about it” - I chose option number one and I continue to choose that option! I'm paying it forward – thank you! 

 

The Change 
As a competitive gymnast in childhood Joanne had a solid foundation. Now in adulthood Joanne maintained a somewhat active lifestyle through organized sports but we wanted to establish consistency and train without wearing out the body. The challenges Joanne faced were quite common and primarily around structure.  The desire for change was there but as a busy restaurateur work would often run late into the evenings and the demands were compounded by a busy life outside of work. Joanne and I set up a workout schedule and began to meet on a regular weekly basis. We also began to food journal on a daily basis and discuss eating habits.  We communicated very regularly to stay on track and maintain focus.   Today Joanne continues to stay on track with exercise and healthy eating. Is it easy? Not always but it's a lifestyle Joanne has embraced ten-fold! A few months ago we we're setting weekly goals around meals, snacks and workouts and today we celebrate an amazing 540km bike ride to Montreal followed by the upcoming Urbanathlon in Chicago. From simple goals come amazing accomplishments - Congratulations Joanne!

enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

Get Inspired, Get Fit!

One of the great things in life is witnessing change before your eyes. For me, seeing change happen is one of the many rewards of being a personal trainer. It's not just exercise - when you begin to move your body it can move you to life altering experiences. My wonderful clients inspire and motivate me to be better and I hope this story inspires you to get moving!

Raffaella

"Looking back to when we started training my first message to you was regarding your breakfast and snack suggestions and the realisation that I actually felt better from day one. I was so much more awake with energy all day and most importantly I was sleeping better! Today I can say that I'm an active person. I'm 3 sizes smaller, 20lbs lighter with improved body composition and BMI. I'm the healthiest and strongest I've ever been. Gena, thank you for following your passion and doing what you do, I couldn't do it with out a "Gena kick in the ass"... Honestly without your help I wouldn't have changed. I think I didn't have the tools or the guts. I needed a good push and you delivered, especially when you started taking me outside to work out. The first time I was truly too embarrassed to do it but you made it fun and I forgot how I was feeling. You really helped change my life. And yes with more goals I'm going to get where I want to be and never go back to how I was, that's my main goal. Thank you boss..."

The Change
When Raffaella and I met she had a very demanding lifestyle consisting of family, a new house and a full time schedule around work, comedy and writing. Time was very limited and so was sleep. When setting our goals we had to take all these demands into account. We set a realistic exercise program and schedule and discussed grocery shopping, meal planning and ways to get organized. In addition to that we also maintained a food journal and tracked progress. Open and frequent communication was something we did on a regular basis to help stay on track. A quick email or text can go a long way. With our continued weekly sessions and her independent exercise, Raffaella continues a gradual and healthy weight loss. Of course none of this would be possible without her determination, commitment and great sense of humour. It all begins with the first step. Make the decision and you too can change your life.

enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

The Uncomfortable Path to Success

Some weeks I eat better than I workout. Other weeks I workout better than I eat. But for the most part I'm pretty good at doing both simultaneously. When I consistently do both I get what I deserve and when I don't I also get what I deserve. I know that if I worked a little harder I could really "clean up". But I don't want to work that hard all the time. To some extent we have to be OK to just be. I like to chill here and there and I'm actually more comfortable to “just be” as I am than I am with the work and dedication needed to “clean up.” It's a kind of stalemate. A stand-off between the good, the bad and the ugly. And then something comes up and it's time for action. This occurs when doing nothing is more uncomfortable than doing something. The necessary work is more tolerable than the current physical state.

Recently I was contacted by someone who wanted to start training again. They felt they really need to "step it up" because the pounds had crept back and were too hard to lose. They asked with serious concern: what can i do? what went wrong? how did the weight come back?!?!?! ..."it's not fair! do i have to do this forever?!?!?!" they declared with a foot stomp. Well, simply put - yes. Yes you do. For the rest of your life. If you want to maintain a certain physique, strength and state of health you have to keep doing what you're doing and maybe a little more as you get older. Otherwise get comfortable with the increasing downhill slope to permanent discomfort. Me, I hate the daily tasks necessary to keep a home functioning and somewhat clean. I could do so much more with that time. But I'm more comfortable with the repetitive cleanups over the messy pile ups. New dust bunnies become old dust bunnies and accumulated mess becomes harder to rid over time. Just like our body. It's harder to change it the longer we live with it.

I read about people who have suffered serious health issues and still don't make changes. Why? Perhaps one reason is what I'm talking about – comfort. Medicating is easier than changing. But I also think that preparation and expectations are big factors. If you're not prepared to change and don't know what to expect its hard to stick with it. When I hear diets claim “never feel hungry” I think its b.s. If you're used to eating what you want, when you want at some point during weight loss you will feel hungry. I don't encourage this but I think it should be expected. And yes there are things you can do to get you through those times. I often ask clients if they're comfortable. Surprisingly this simple question is a great measuring tool. Change happens when we push our threshold. So next time you're out for a walk or run and find yourself smiling in the comforts of slight discomfort then you know its time to work a little harder. Throw in some intense intervals – speed up your walk or run for 30 seconds, just enough to feel uncomfortable and then find a recovery pace and repeat as many times as you can. Go ahead, don't be afraid of discomfort; its' paved the way to success and positive change.

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

Meditation, Deep Breathing and The Urge to Punch Someone

I'm working on my meditation skills. I practice deep breathing. I wake up with purpose and try to start the day with serene thoughts. I work on my energy. But recently while attempting to pull out of a parking spot I realised that I was caught in a congregation of bad drivers. And this was not my congregation - I wasn't one of them. While shaking my head I sat and witnessed an assembly of chaos from my rear view mirror. So as I cursed under my breath and felt the urge to punch someone, I quickly came to my senses. This scenario was just a frivolous moment in time. Sure I had a car full of groceries, kids waiting at home and a busy day planned ahead but really, nothing major was happening today. Actually nothing major is really ever happening. So I just sat and waited for this group of bewildered drivers to figure things out. And it was all over in a minute. Chump change in the big scheme of things.

When I tell people that they help to “make me better” quite often they smile warmly as if to say “thank you.” I then realise how misleading my comment is because it's not actually a compliment. It really means you're making me friggin crazy! And this makes me better because it forces me to take action from within and be non-reactive. I resist the urge to act without a thought process. I step out of the vicious cycle of mindless reactions and behaviours. Bad habits that form our day-to-day life. I am getting better at it, one day at a time.

So recently I came across a study that suggests “human evolution was driven by subtle shifts, not major sweeps.” This really struck me as I applied it to everyday life and our health and fitness. If small shifts can drive evolution then what can small shifts do for us now? If you can believe that humans evolved in this manner then imagine if you just made subtle shifts in your attitude, in your thoughts and in your health and fitness. In other words, the small stuff, the day–to-day stuff can have the most impact.

Yes, small changes can lead the way but many still find excuses and self fulfilling prophecies to fail. Making changes can be hard. But its hard only because there are options. Leaving a client's home one day I reminded them to schedule workouts for the week and follow through. They looked at me and insisted that “Its hard!” and I thought out loud and asked “Its hard compared to what?”...To being unhealthy? To being overweight? To high blood pressure meds? To the lack of energy? To not wearing great clothes? To just watching the kids run rather than actually running with them?” Don't even get me started on the devastation around the world. Yeah, it's pretty hard to be strong and fit and physically able to do whatever it is you want to do.... Invest in the daily small shifts. It all adds up to something greater. Really, it's not that hard.

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

Flying Stilettos, Sharp Objects and a Walk.

Today I walked. Generally walking is not my choice of exercise as I prefer to run but I realised that I was too frustrated to run therefor I walked. Or maybe I was hurt. “Mad” sounds tougher actually. Yes, I walked because I was too mad to run. Granted my walk was very fast. And firm. I walked with purpose. So as I walked, my arms in staccato, I started to replay the scenario in my head so I could find some resolution. Some time ago I made a decision that I will resolve what I can with myself first, not other people. Once I made that decision I had to view conflict and general annoyances as opportunities to be better. Why would I make such a decision? I ask myself that every day. It was so much easier before. But it's almost like bringing kids into your life - once you feel their goodness, you can't go back. It was in a few occasions that I “saw the light” and found it in me to really “rise above” and there is where I realised the freedom in being independent from reactions. It's not that I don't acknowledge what I'm feeling. What it really means is that I check my ego at the door.

So as I walked I was furious with the politics in relationships. Like politicians, people do it all the time – attack and minimize the others contributions or efforts. Strategically, it is not wise to accept, believe or acknowledge how much one party actually offers, it's always better to minimize it. Because in politics someone always wants to look like the hero and nobody want's to check their ego at the door. I suppose the concept of partnership is different for everyone and “equally valued” are not necessarily the operative words. So as the scenario became more involved in my head, I continued to walk quietly. I don't yell. I don't even like to raise my voice. So I thought about all the hurtful things I could say, all the ways I could retaliate, ways I could close myself off, be present but give nothing. Just detach. I will confess that I did consider taking sharp objects to significant artefacts. I also envisioned my six inch stiletto heels shimmering in the air like a G6. Imagine a game of darts – only better. Yes, I imagined retaliation with a sharp tongue because what I want is to be equally valued, respected, appreciated....and then it hit me...I want....I need....I...I....I....While walking on a steep uphill, this is what I realised.

So 90 minutes later (yes, I was THAT mad) I was a little clearer on the whole “ego” thing and how to rise above it all (slight eye roll here). It's not exactly that after my walk I suddenly had a solution but I resolved that making progress is a work in progress. And don't call me for Parenting 101. The whole 90 minutes both kids we're glued to the TV. It was like a scene out of Poltergeist – I was expecting to watch my kids disappear into the television. We all know to relieve stress you need coping mechanisms and a place to channel anger - and exercise is one of the best ways. At some point in my silence all I could hear was my rapid breath and feet and in a way the constant repetition became meditative. So soon enough I was relaxed and even smiley. Visions of flying shoes and sharp objects: gone. All because I decided to take a walk, and check me ego at the door.

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

Working Out The Worries

The feeling during a focused workout is vastly different than one interrupted by mental noise and scattered focus. I worry about everything and it's evident by that annoying crease between my eye brows. But because everything can change in an instant, I worry. So when I slip on my cross trainers I redirect my focus and I'm then able to grasp the potential of a worry free mind. If I could apply the “mind to muscle” connection, if I could just bottle that type of concentration and focus I would be soaking in it all day. A permanent Calgon moment. So I exercise more to worry less. And I try to live in the moment. I hear that all the time - “live in the moment”. I wonder if the people who say they are living in the moment really are. Do you need to go through some kind of transformation to be able to do that? To be garnished in the here and now all the time is a lot of work. You need to view the world and reality through different eyes. Don't you? I try to do it, I really do. The other day as I was chopping onions and garlic I was trying to embrace the experience as my nose burned and my eyes welled up. And as I was chopping, for a split second, I was one with the onion and garlic. I was worry free.

Blame it on our environment, genetics, our upbringing. Perhaps it's simply driven by the need to know that everything will be OK. But knowing that worry, which is a form of stress, is aging my cells actually causes even more worry. So I continue to work on “being in the moment” and I also focus on the things I can control: how I treat my body. Treat the body well and it won't betray you. Exercise and feed it good food often enough so that everything is balanced. When we don't do that our body reacts and we feel tired, shaky, hungry, angry, sad. It can feel like we actually have no control over how we feel. Sometimes I think that road rage would be minimized if people just had a sandwich handy. Sure you can do a lot with the the power of your mind – maybe you can think yourself happy - but if you're chemically off it's a losing battle. Stress is a big word because the causes of stress can be different for everyone but the results can be the same. Good thing is a that exercise can help combat stress and there is evidence that *exercise can buffer the effects of stress-induced cell aging Even if you hate it while you're doing it, your mind will actually be distracted from your daily worries and at the end of it, whether you like it or not, you'll get a boost of feel good endorphins. So have a snack, put your mind to your muscle, work up a sweat and don't worry about anything...

Enjoy yourself in good health and fitness/gena.

*http://www.ucsfhealth.org/news/2010/05/brief_exercise_reduces_impact_of_stress_on_cell_aging_ucsf_s.html

Elevated Heart Rate Spelt Banana Bread

As I was looking through some Banana Bread recipes and going through my Eat Clean cook book I mixed-and-matched various recipes to create my own with ingredients I had in my kitchen... Somehow I managed to mix in some inspiration to exercise. Try this or have some fun creating your own wholesome recipe!

Spelt Banana Bread

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cups of spelt flour *i like spelt because its higher in protein and lower in calories. I also like the nutty flavour

• 1 Tbsp baking power

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp baking soda

Wet Ingredients

• 4 liquid egg whites

• 2 ripe bananas (about 1 cup)

• 1 very large golden delicious apple or 2 small (puree in food processor)

• 1-2oz of orange juice (add to apple in processor )

• ¾ – 1 cup Balkan style all natural yogourt

• 1-2 tbsp of Kefir

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ½ cup maple syrup (add more if you prefer more sweetness)

I didn't add nuts to this because my kids take it to school, otherwise you can add walnuts, chocolate chips and/or raisins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and dust with some flour

Combine all your dry ingredients *do 10 alternating lunges

Mash your bananas and puree your apple with orange juice *do 10 push-ups

Except for the eggs, combine all your wet ingredients *d0 10 jumping jacks

Fluff your egg whites *plank as long as you can with good form

Combine wet and dry ingredients, fold in your egg whites *do 10 squats

Pour into your loaf pan *do 10 back rows

Bake approx. 55 minutes (the middle of loaf should still be moist after 55 minutes.)

Let cool before serving.

*While your loaf cools repeat all exercises for 10 minutes :)