Beef Boot Camp

Meet the Team!

2012-01-26T18:00:00.000-08:00

So far, there are four of us: Matt (pictured left), Dana (the one enjoying a ride in the blanket), Tom (oddly absent from Sports Day) and me (ever present in your nightmares).

Together, we will be taking on the Spartan Race on May 12, 2012 in North Vancouver at Inter River Park. It should be a fantastic event filled with obstacles, mud and beer. We've signed up to compete in the 11am time slot.

There's still plenty of time to register and plenty of room on Team Beef. So if you're thinking that this sounds like too much fun to pass up (it is) then go to the
Spartan Race website and sign-up (be sure to sign-up for the 11am start time).

Don't bother signing up under "Teams," simply use the "Individual Sign-up" link to register (they're not very organized on the Canadian technical side of things--Matt, maybe you can help them out?) OR if you want to get 10% off your registration fee, let me know and I'll send you a special link!

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Hope to see some more meat lovers join us. If not, I'll continue to harass you all until you do.

Spartan Race Update: All Hail "Team Beef!"

2011-12-29T01:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, so far there are three of us (me, Dana & Tom). Let's see if we can't recruit some more Spartans to take part in what looks to be a fun-filled, crazy, challenging event!

Details in a Nutshell:

- The Spartan Race is a 5km Obstacle Course consisting of various feats of strength, endurance, agility and craziness.
- It takes place in North Vancouver at Inter River Park.
- Call to action is May 12th, 2012 (plenty of time to train hardcore).

If you go to the
Spartan Race Vancouver page you can get more info and even watch video footage of previous races (I recommend registering first, before viewing and subsequently chickening out).

IMPORTANT EARLY BIRD NOTICE: If you register BEFORE JANUARY 1st, 2012 you pay the cheapest price ($45) and if we get enough people to create a team, then we will get anywhere between $5-$10+ refund (the more team members, the higher the refund).

So I suggest registering as an individual NOW before January 1st to get the Early Bird rate and then send me an email to let me know. Then, I will contact the Spartan people and create "Team Beef" and add you to the list of crazy people who love to do crazy feats of craziness.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email.

Now get moving and go register!

Spartans! Tonight we dine in...North Van?

2011-12-13T16:00:00.001-08:00

CHECK IT OUT...the next crazy obstacle course challenge is coming to Vancouver and it's the SPARTAN RACE!

It takes place on May 12th, 2012 and it looks to be even better than the Warrior Dash!

So who's with me?

You can sign-up now or closer to the date, but don't miss the deadline. Click on the link below and be sure to check out the different levels of Spartan craziness.

You gotta love a challenge called "Spartan Death Race" where you click on the link and it takes you to a site entitled: "youmaydie.com." Now that's MY kind of race! Yahoo! Bring on the insanity!!

Click Here for Spartan Race Home Page

P.S. Speaking of insanity...thought you guys would like to know that I did one entire lap of Connaught Park (not the half lap I make you guys do for warm-up, the WHOLE park, which includes the east and west fields and the high school) doing Walking Lunges. That's one mile of Walking Lunges to be exact. I was having one of those "what can I do that's a little crazy?" workout moments. And voila.

And even though I can barely walk today, the pain feels good.

It feels like...

TRAINING FOR THE SPARTAN RACE!!!!

And you thought Burpees were tough…

2011-11-27T23:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so maybe I had you guys do Burpees through each rung of the ladder the other day. Followed by Burpees on the move all the way down the path. And then Burpees all the way back up the hill. And then made you go through it all over again.

Well, that’s nothing compared to what these gentlemen did on their pilgrimage from Sichuan Kham to Tibet! How would you like to do "Burpees" for over 2,000 KILOMETERS for SEVEN MONTHS STRAIGHT? And the pilgrims didn’t stop there…check it out on this video (thanks, Tom for sharing) and be sure to watch till the end.

Pilgrimage from Sichuan Kham to Lhasa, Tibet

Beef Drill Sergeant's 411

2011-11-09T23:59:00.001-08:00

Many of you have been asking where I teach around town besides the outdoors with Beef Boot Camp. I always knew Beef Boot Campers were a sadistic lot, so if you're looking for more torture, here's the low-down on my most current schedule of regular classes:

MONDAY:
6:00AM - 7:00AM * Beef Boot Camp * Connaught Park, Kits CC
10:00AM - 11:00AM * Circuit Training * Dunbar Community Centre
12:15PM - 1:15PM * Circuit Training * Eastside Fitness (41st & Fraser)

WEDNESDAY:
6:00AM - 7:00AM * Beef Boot Camp * Connaught Park, Kits CC
9:30AM - 10:30AM * Fitcamp L2 * Eastside Fitness (41st & Fraser)
6:30PM - 7:30PM * Full Body Blast * Kitsilano Community Centre

THURSDAY:
6:15AM - 7:15AM * Fitcamp L2 * Eastside Fitness (41st & Fraser)
9:00PM - 10:30PM * Women's Floor Hockey * Kitsilano Community Centre

FRIDAY:
6:00AM - 7:00AM * Beef Boot Camp * Connaught Park, Kits CC
9:00AM - 10:00AM * Muscle Pump * Dunbar Community Centre
10:00AM - 11:00AM * Circuit Training * Dunbar Community Centre

SATURDAY:
2:00PM - 3:00PM * Women's Beginner Soccer Skills * Kitsilano Community Centre

SUNDAY:
9:30AM - 10:30AM * Indoor Boot Camp * Kitsilano Community Centre

If you have any questions on any of the above classes, please don't hesitate to email me at info@beefbootcamp.com.

All of the above classes offer drop-in rates.

Check out the new Eastside Fitness Studio at:
http://www.eastsidefitness.ca/

Hope to see you at a class soon!

Accomplishments, Milestones and Goals, oh my!

2011-10-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Goal-setting is an excellent way to achieve great things and enjoy success, especially when it comes to working out. Aiming for a particular number on the scale, attempting to beat a world record (yes, I will be going for the crunches record again) or fitting into an outfit deemed unattainable, are deliciously satisfying endeavors. It means you’ve got guts, moxy, chutzpah, strength and determination. It means you can do anything you put your mind to and nothing can stop you.

With that in mind, I’d like to congratulate our very own boot camper, Solen Roth for completing the half marathon in Victoria this past weekend in under two hours! The half marathon is 21.0975 kilometres (13.1094 miles) and Solen clocked in at 1 hour and 47 minutes. Not bad at all when you consider the records for the fastest women in the world are between 1:07:00 - 1:15:00. Bravo, Solen! Very impressive.

As for your drill sergeant, I just reached my one-year anniversary of doing consistent Bikram Yoga (every day for the first six months, then no less than 5x a week for the last six months…yes, I did it on my trips out of town too). Last year, I was getting t-shirts made to say: “F*** YOGA” and this year, I can almost touch my toes (that is the goal. Don’t worry, I’ll post it when it happens, with pictures and all). I’ve finally learned the importance of stretching: milestone reached.

And lastly, the Texas Rangers have made it to the American League Championship Series! What an accomplishment! And where do the best steaks in the world come from? That’s right! TEXAS!! Go Texas! You can do it! World Series, here they come!

Do you have a goal/milestone/accomplishment you’ve achieved? Let me know and I’ll post it to help inspire others!

9 Bad Foods You Should Be Eating

2011-09-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

We've heard all the arguments before: stay away from peanut butter (never!), coffee stunts your growth, all carbs are bad for you. Well, here's a list of foods that have gotten a bad rap over the years but rather deserve some positive reinforcement. All the items listed offer some nutritional value and in the end, it's about smart eating, not OVER-eating.

And yes, don't worry, Monica. Potatoes made the list.

Check it out:

9 Bad Foods You Should Be Eating

WARRIOR DASH - What a day!

2011-08-16T00:44:00.000-07:00

The Warrior Dash came and went last Saturday August 6th, 2011 up at Whistler, marking the event's debut in BC. For those of you who missed it, well, start training for next year (I mentioned it took place up at Whistler, right? Which means get ready for REAL mountain climbing). And for those of us who participated, let's just say we're still picking mud out of our belly buttons. Nevertheless, it was marvelously messy, grueling and fun. And I can't wait to do it all again. Here are some highlights, insider info and pics:

Warrior Dash Whistler and Warrior Dash Colorado are the toughest courses out of ALL of 'em.
What do both locations have in common? Mountains. Steep, steep, mountains. I'm considering doing Bear Crawl up the mountain next time to help compensate for the incline. (This photo does not do the mountain justice. At all.)

The fire pits were cool.
But they were not intimidating at all. I'd feel fine sending a little kid to jump over them. But the picture sure does a good job of making it look more death-defying than it really is. Still, it was fun pretending I was leaping over burning buildings!

Stretching is not enough. A proper warm-up is key.
The triple-threat consisting of the heat, the beer and the mountain will have your legs burning within minutes. Because I wanted to secure my spot at the front of the line, I neglected a proper warm-up. Big mistake. I know better for next time.

Over 4,000 people competed.
The average time was 1 hour. I finished in half an hour. The best time for men overall was 21 minutes. The best time for women overall was 25 minutes. Many people bailed HALFWAY up the mountain before even reaching the first obstacle. The rest of the bailers were mostly women who didn't want to climb the cargo nets near the end of the obstacle course (they're not as high as they look. Honest).

Best Part: The Mud Pits.
I've been told by several people that I must have been a Marine Core Drill Sergeant in a past life. Well, maybe I was because while most people were trying their darndest to carefully walk through the mud, I dove in with gusto and belly-crawled through the trenches like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator. It was so much fun. I was still spitting dirt an hour later. (Check out the girl to the left, she's barely dirty!)

Worst Part: The Fire Hose.
After crossing the finish line at your muddiest best, you make your way over to the Fire Hose line where everyone takes turns getting hosed off by a guy equipped with a state-of-the-art, concord-jet-powered fire hose who enjoys his job waaaay too much. He'll not only wash off all the mud but he'll also take off a few layers of skin as well as articles of clothing. I had to double-check to make sure my nipples hadn't been singed off following the ICE COLD skin-searing.

The one thing that would make this event even better...
...having other CRAZY WARRIORS join me. I couldn't convince anyone to come along the course, but here's hoping that now that you've seen what you missed out on, it'll be easier to recruit next time. Sharing the pain and laughs with others makes it that much more fun. So next year I expect a number of you to join me in conquering the mountain!

TOP 10 REASONS WHY I LOVE MY JOB

2011-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I won’t lie, I love what I do. Helping people reach their fitness goals while having an uproarious time doing so, plus being my own boss and having the freedom to work when I want, well, it doesn’t get much better than that. To me, it’s not work, it’s just what I love to do. So here’s the first half from the list of 10 things that make my “job” sweet (in no particular order):

10. Sau Wan’s Laugh:
No matter what I throw at Sau Wan, she’ll do it. Sometimes it’s with reluctance, but usually it’s with a laugh. And it’s such a genuine, full of enjoyment laugh that makes me crack up every time I hear it. Although she’ll deny it, Sau Wan always gives the competition a run for their money with her clever and artful moves on the tag playing field. I love it when her competitiveness comes out because that’s usually when her laughter comes out too.

9. Monica’s Moans:
Not a class goes by where Monica doesn’t moan in pure “Hear Me Roar” style when struggling through a grueling new exercise that I’ve conjured up. She’s put in her time to earn the “Super Mom” title, so it always makes me burst out laughing when a Tarzan-like wail escapes her tiny frame.

8. Insomnia:
Most of you know I don’t sleep much, but it’s during these times when I come up with my best ideas for class. I know, sometimes that’s a bad thing (like backwards Bear Crawl up the hill), but hey, in the end, you know it’s going to be original and it’s going to give you the results you want. So instead of fighting the sleeplessness, I embrace it.

7. Tom’s Compliance:
Tom never whines, complains, groans, moans or cries. He does every exercise without commentary. He doesn’t question or belittle. He knows what’s good for him and he brings 110% to every activity. Tom is every trainer’s dream client.

6. The Outdoors:
One thing that most bootcampers have in common is that they hate the gym. I’m no exception. I can’t remember the last time I stepped foot in a gym. I never take clients or friends there. Why confine yourself to a small, overcrowded space with limited equipment when you can be enjoying the fresh air and the limitless possibilities of the outdoors to enhance your workout? To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Stay tuned for the final five next time!

Water and Protein and Bars, oh my!

2011-06-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

As a trainer I get asked lots of questions about which foods and drinks are good for you and which you should stay away from. Whether it’s professional athletes, celebrity trainers, Oprah-endorsed gurus or brilliant marketing strategies, we are bombarded with information, theories and opinions from all sides on the matter. In this over-saturated media day and age, it makes it hard to decipher the good stuff from the bad. Well, I hope to shed a bit of light on the situation, so here are my conclusions:

Gatorade: I know you see the stuff on TV during baseball games, football games and funky-colored sweat commercials but that’s just Gatorade doing its job: endorsement. I highly recommend you stay away from this one altogether. It’s made up of sugar, food coloring (even vegetable oil in some variations) and other stuff that’s bad for you.

Option: You want something to replenish your fluids after a long, hard sweat session? Try coconut water. All natural, low on calories, packed with electrolytes, no added sugar, color, anything. You can get it at Choices or Capers; I’ve even seen coconut water at some IGAs as it grows in popularity. Coconut water is quite pricey so another option is just good ol’ H2O (my personal favorite). Squeeze some lemon slices into your water—lemons are also full of electrolytes.

Fruit Juice: Processed and packed with sugar (and hence, packed with unnecessary calories). I’ve never understood why people choose to waste calories on juice, thereby adding on the pounds for something that doesn’t fill you up (and doesn’t quench your thirst).

Option: You’re much better off simply having a piece of fruit. And I know I sound like a broken record, but water is the best for hydration. There are no calories to worry about so drink as much as you want. It’s really the only thing that you can never have too much of.

Protein Powder: Here are two good rules of thumb to go by when choosing the right food or drink. Rule #1: When reading a label, choose only products that list words you actually recognize. If there are words on there that look like Swahili, chances are they are substances/chemicals you do not want to ingest. Rule #2: The shorter the ingredients list, the better. If the ingredients list reads like a novella, steer clear. Food and drink shouldn’t be that complicated and should go through minimal processing (if any at all). Keep it simple and your body will be thankful. Protein Powder fails to observe the above two rules. Not only that, unless you want to look like Schwarzenegger, I don’t see the point in protein powder so I never recommend it to my clients; even the ones who want to bulk up.

Option: Your protein should be coming from the best food source there is: MEAT. As well as eggs, beans, nuts and seeds. If you want to gain muscle you have to eat enough protein and you have to train correctly (and that’s a whole blog in unto itself). The Schwarzenegger types who look like they’re about to explode do so by overloading on protein (and with the help of anabolic steroids). In the end, overloading on anything is not good for the body so that’s why I never recommend it.

Protein/Health Bars: Again, most of these bars are absolute crap and fail to follow my two rules of thumb (see above). It’s really hard to find a decent power/protein bar, and believe me, I’ve tried them ALL. Most taste like tar and come packed with additives that they probably use to make tar out of.

Option: I love Lara Bars. They are tasty and nutritious and I love that there are only two to three ingredients in each bar AND you recognize every single ingredient! Although Rebar has a long list of ingredients, they are all recognizable and good for you (i.e. carrots, cauliflower, spinach, etc.) so I’d recommend Rebar as well. And I just found out that a product by the name of “Honey Bar” makes bars that only list three ingredients as well and are quite yummy, but this is from an outside source. Apparently Safeway carries them so they may be worth checking out.

Dried Fruit: Packed with sugar and sulfates. You might think you’re eating a healthy snack because it’s fruit, but in reality, you’re just packing on the calories.

Option: Fruit on its own. ‘Nuff said.

If I missed something on the list that you’d like to know whether it’s good or bad, send me an email!

That’s all for now. Make good choices.

Hooray for Sports Day!

2011-05-25T00:05:00.001-07:00

It's that time of the year again...when elementary school kids around the city compete in some of the greatest feats and most death-defying challenges ever...like Potato Sack Races, Water Balloon Tossing, the Egg and Spoon Relay and the mammoth contest of them all: the Tug-o-war!

Recalling these wonderful memories of fun-spirited competition that were always capped off with hot dogs and donuts, I thought, why do the kids get to have all the fun?

So this past Monday, I declared it Beef Boot Camp Sports Day (minus the hot dogs and donuts) and even though Burpees somehow managed to make an appearance, we still had a blast. Check out some of the pics to prove it:

The 10 Worst Foods That Make You Gain Weight

2011-04-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

According to some of you, the link has expired (it keeps coming up on my computer though...weird). So, I've provided the entire article here for you. Enjoy!

There are plenty of foods to avoid when dieting, but everyone should avoid eating these foods. The top 10 worst foods to make you gain weight are not only horrible for the waistline, they are horrible for your general health as well.

Chocolate-Covered Donuts and Potato Chips

Donuts have very little nutritional value to begin with. They are typically a fried food, which makes them even worse than simply containing empty calories. Adding chocolate on top of donuts creates one of the worst scenarios for weight gain. Potato chips are simply fried starch--everything you should avoid when on a diet. It doesn't take many of these thin wafers of fat to make you pile on pounds.

Soda

Sodas have no nutritional value at all and are commonly loaded with sugar, corn syrup, and more sugar products. Between the caffeine and the sugar the "rush" of energy also triggers a rush of insulin released into the body.

Regular Pork Bacon

Avoid all fried versions of food. Deep fat frying adds unnecessary fat to the food and clogs arteries as well as adding inches to your waistline. Bacon is the worst offender in the fried foods category because it is basically belly fat from the pig.

White Flour Products

White flour products, including white bread and buns, are disastrous to your waistline. They are pure refined carbohydrates that have little value and boost your sugar levels, triggering an insulin release to help store the fat. As soon as that fast fix of sugar is depleted, you crash and your body screams for more sugar.

Whole Milk

Whole milk is a great source of calcium and even protein, but it is also loaded with calories. It is always better to eat your calories rather than drink them in the first place because liquid calories do not leave you feeling full or satisfied. Drink nonfat or 1 percent versions to get the nutritional value of milk with fewer calories.

Sauces, Regular Salad Dressing, and Margarine

Soy sauce tops the list because it is loaded with salt, but sauces and condiments are largely empty extra calories. Tomato-based sauces are worse than spice-based sauces such as mustard because they are higher in natural and artificially added sugars. Regular salad dressings are a particularly insidious food because they come on top of one of the most common diet foods: salads. Salads are good for diets, excellent for nutritional value, and fantastic for keeping pounds off, so people are often left wondering why the scale is going up instead of down. If your terrific salad is loaded with high-fat, high-calorie dressing, you are more likely to gain weight than lose it. Margarine is simply extra calories laden with trans fat to put on top of healthier food choices.

Beer

Alcohol is tough on the system, but beer tops the list. It is high in calories, carbs, and fat for a triple threat to your waistline.

The 10 Worst Foods That Make You Gain Weight

2011-04-26T00:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this article and see if any of your favourite foods made the list! Please note that NO BEEF products of any kind made the list. Beef beats pork any day!

http://www.ehow.com/about_5383207_worst-foods-make-gain-weight.html

April 1st, 2011: Warrior Dash Training Begins!

2011-03-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Warriors Unite!

So, the Warrior Dash up at Whistler is August 6th, 2011. Mark the day on your calendar. And Training Day for the event starts April 1st. That gives us 4 months to get into stellar shape for the big day. There are many things to consider in preparation for this event, such as the heat, cardio, breathing and specific strength training. Below, I've outlined my Training Regime so feel free to follow along or create your own based on what I've got. I'll give you lots of helpful tips and pointers to consider when designing your own Training schedule.

FOR CARDIO TRAINING (RUNNING SPECIFIC):
- Run (30 min. - 1 hour) 3x a week
The race is 3.07 miles so a minimum of 30 minutes to start. Progress to an hour. Incorporate hills into running course after 1-2 weeks.

FOR EXTRA CARDIO TRAINING:
- Soccer (1.5 hours) 4x-5x a week
- Hockey (1.5 hours) 3x a week

FOR STRENGTH TRAINING:
- Boot Camp style training (1 hour) 3x a week
Lots of Pushups, Squats, Lunges, Burpies, etc.

FOR PROPER BREATHING, HEAT TRAINING & INJURY PREVENTION:
- Hot Yoga (1.5 hours) every day

FOR BEER CONSUMPTION TRAINING (required at the end of the race):
- Baseball Beer League (1.5 hours) 1x-2x a week

Let's do it, Warriors!

Which Meat is Better for You?

2011-02-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

Chicken or beef? Which is the healthier choice? Well, you all know my stock answer, but now here's some more proof to back up my argument:

Q: Is chicken a better choice than beef?

A: Not always. A lot depends on how the chicken or cow was raised. Organic-fed, pasture-raised skinless chicken breast is remarkably healthy, but most of us don't eat chickens that roamed free and fed on grass. Today's birds are raised in a way that promotes fat growth. The result? The average piece of chicken has 266 percent more fat than it did in 1971, while its protein content has dropped by a third, according to researchers at the Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition at London Metropolitan University.

Similarly, many cows today are fed an unlimited supply of corn to fatten them up as quickly as possible. Grass-fed beef has a different taste and nutritional profile, with 16 percent fewer calories than conventional beef, 27 percent less fat, 10 percent more protein, and a healthier balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. So the better choice really depends on the quality of the cut you get, not the kind of meat it is.

So there you have it, all hail the Steak!

What Does a Trainer Eat - The Lost Question...

2011-01-25T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hey Meatlovers,

Thanks for the emails! All of which featured the same question (which I can't believe I forgot to answer in the previous blog...I was probably hungry at the time):

Yes, I have lost weight as a result of my food plan. I started at 137 lbs and now I'm down to 129 lbs.

Side note: Here's a little tidbit of info for you...did you know that protein is the number one food source to rev up your metabolism? It's true! (More on this in the next blog). So let's hear it for Beef!

What Does a Trainer Eat?

2011-01-25T02:16:00.000-08:00

I’ve been getting this question a lot lately from clients and class participants so I’m finally going to answer it wholeheartedly instead of just in little snippets of vague details.

First of all, don’t think for one second that all trainers are orthorexics who shun the sight of sugar and alcohol and eat under 1,500 calories a day. I know trainers who drink socially, binge on MacDonald’s and indulge their sweet tooth more often than they care to admit.

The last part about the sweet tooth applies to yours truly. Well, at least it did apply to me until 3 months ago. Thirteen weeks ago I decided to kick the sugar and crap foods from my diet. What does this entail? Here’s an extensive outline of my food plan:

LIST OF FOODS I CAN ENJOY AS MUCH AS I WANT:
- Beans (all types)
- Deep Sea Fish (tuna, marlin, halibut, sea bass, wild pacific salmon)
- Unsweetened Soymilk
- Eggs
- Chicken & Turkey
- Raw or soaked Nuts and Seeds (except cashews, peanuts and pistachios)
- Stevia (herbal sweetener)
- All Vegetables that are not overly sweet or starchy
- Garlic
- Soybeans
- Flax oil, Extra-virgin Olive Oil, Butter
- Almond Butter (raw preferably)
- Tahini, Soy and other raw nut butters
- Lemons
- Herbal tea (Chamomile & Peppermint)

LIST OF FOODS I ONLY HAVE 2-3 TIMES A WEEK (IN TOTAL, NOT EACH):
- Brown Rice (any kind)
- Whole-grain pasta (rice, kamut, spelt)
- Whole-grain yeast-free Breads
- Organic Oatmeal
- Oat, Spelt, or Kamut whole grains
- Sweet Potatoes & Potatoes
- Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Watermelon
- Red Meat

LIST OF FOODS THAT I DO NOT EAT AT ALL:
- All Pastries, Cookies, Bars, Pies
- All Candies including gum and mints
- Barley, Corn & rice syrup
- Honey, Maple Syrup, Molasses
- White, Brown, Date Sugar
- Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Lactose, Sorbitol
- Cheese, Cow Milk, Goat Milk, Yogurt, Kefir
- Alcohol, Pop, Coffee, Black Tea, fermented beverages & ciders
- Pickles, Olives
- White Crackers, Potato Chips, Corn Chips
- Muffins, Pancakes, Cereal
- Soy Sauce, Relish, Worcestershire, Sauerkraut
- Vinegar, Mustard, Ketchup, BBQ Sauces, Mayonnaise
- Smoked Meats & Fish
- Sausages, Ham, Bacon, Corned Beef, Pastrami, Hot Dogs, Lunch Meat
- Corn
- Peanuts, Cashews, Pistachios,
- Most Fruit, Dried Fruit, Canned Fruit, Fruit Juice
- White Rice, Refined Flours, Refined-grain Pastas
- Hydrogenated or refined vegetable oils
- All Shellfish

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a permanent thing. I don’t think I could live without my raw-cookie-batter fix every once in a while. My goal is to stick with it for 6 months to give my body a much-needed sugar break and then I’ll slowly start reintroducing treats in moderation. But ideally, I’d like to stick to my plan and hopefully I won’t go back to eating pints of ice cream in one sitting. I hope.

To be completely honest, the toughest week was the very first one. But after the self-pity party it got progressively easier each following week. Amazingly, the cravings subside. Now, you could dangle a Meinhardt’s bird’s nest cookie (my favourite) in front of my face (my sister did at Xmas time) and I won’t even let out a whimper.

And now, since I know you have them, here are some answers to your questions:

No, I haven’t cheated yet. Not once. Really. True story.

Yes, it’s a lot easier than it looks. When you eat good and you feel good, you really just want to keep it up because you know how crappy you feel when you don’t.

No, I’m not starving. In fact, I’ve been eating A LOT.

No, I’m not the perfect eater. I’m still a gluttonous pig. As mentioned above, I’m eating a lot, and often times too much, even though it’s all good for me, which is why I don’t beat myself up over it. But I still need to work on my portions!

Yes, the above list is pinned to my fridge for reference.

Yes, I have been tempted on a few occasions but these occasions consisted of the object of my desire being flung in my face by way of TV commercials or a cruel friend or family member. Otherwise, as the saying goes: “Out of sight, out of mind.” Truly.

Yes, I try and eat organic/free-range/grain-fed, etc. whenever possible. Especially my meat.

No, eating out at restaurants isn’t challenging. This is Vancouver afterall, so every restaurant in this city has at least a couple of dishes consisting of meat with veggies.

Yes, I have a weekly meal plan (also pinned to my fridge) and yes, I follow it. Why? Well, for one, because I don’t want to waste time with preparing/buying/thinking about food any more than I have to and secondly, because I love my food plan! It’s soooo good. I purposely created it so that it consists of all the foods that I LOVE the most (like meat, hummus, guacamole and more meat).

So there you have it. Now you know firsthand what this trainer eats. If you have any other questions or would like to learn more, send me an email at: info@beefbootcamp.com.

10 Bizarre Side Effects of Exercise

2010-12-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Check out this amusing article on fitbie.com

10 Tips to Surviving the Holiday Heftiness

2010-12-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s tough to get through Xmas and New Year’s without the inevitable weight gain, but if I can do 90 days in a row of Hot Yoga (that’s right, goal accomplished! But I’m not stopping there) then YOU can most definitely avoid the festive fat. Here are some tips to help you on your mission, should you choose to accept it:

1. Don’t Take a Holiday from your Exercise
Just because you’ve got time off from work, don’t take time off from exercise. Try something different from your regular routine. There are so many workout specials going on right now due to all the holiday shopping so treat yourself. Try a week of Yoga (first class is usually free at most places) or go skating at Robson Square. If you’ve always wanted to try snowboarding, now’s your chance. This workout, which mainly involves falling and getting up at least 100 times an hour, will leave your muscles sore for days.

2. Have a Bet with Someone
Bet your significant other that you can go through the holidays without eating any treats (or any other binging propensity you have over the holidays). If they know of your weakness for gingerbread houses they will have no problem taking you up on the bet. Avoid the $5 bets as these are easy to get over. Be sure and bet on something you’d hate to lose, like a week of foot massages.

3. Give to Charity
Every time you have a treat, give 20 dollars to a local charity. The reward is twofold: you’ll be committing selfless acts of kindness while quickly going broke and thereby unable to afford any more treats.

4. Skip Seconds
You have one plate. Whatever you can fit on that plate (without piling items on top of each other) is all you’re allowed to eat. No more. That’s it (which, by the way, constitutes a perfectly normal and ample-sized portion).

5. Eat Slowly – It works. You will be full.
You’ve never been the life of the party? Well, now’s your chance. Instead of focusing solely on the feeding, take some time between bites to strike up a conversation about origami with your troll-like uncle; ask your surly sister-in-law really inappropriate questions; do your best rendition of “Twelve Days of Xmas” using family members’ names. If you haven’t been kicked off the dinner table by this time, you’ll be full in no time.

6. Eat before you go to a party/big dinner
Have a light meal before any Xmas event where you know there will be lots of good food and sweets and you will be less inclined to overeat. You’ll get fuller quicker and therefore will have no room left for dessert.

7. Water, water and more water
Instead of helping yourself to another plateful of food, fill up your water glass and down the whole thing. Rather than reach for just one more shortbread cookie, reach for a refill on that water. If you’re thinking about an after-dinner snack, think about another glass of water. You get the picture.

8. Pick ONE
Before you go to a party decide whether you’re going to eat or drink and do ONE or the OTHER but not both. If you know your staff party is having an open bar, opt for a healthy homemade dinner on your own and then enjoy a few cocktails at the party (but steer clear of the appy trays). If your best friend happens to also be the best cook in town and she’s throwing a party, then enjoy the food but forego the drinks. Having both food and drinks doubles (and often triples) your calorie intake for the day bringing on the guilt, and the pounds, at a much quicker rate.

9. Change Your Thinking
Instead of embracing Xmas like Cookie Monster does cookies, try and view it as just another day. Don’t partake in Xmas as though it were a Roman orgy, eat and drink as you would during a regular day during the week. You don’t have to try every single new and delicious treat/chocolate/hors d’oeuvre/square/pastry/cocktail that passes your way. Newsflash: Xmas comes around every year so you’ll get another chance to try something new next year.

10. Become a Toboggan Volunteer
You want to burn lots and lots of calories? Hard labour. After a good dump of snow, stake out a park close by that is decked out with a tobogganing hill (the bigger the hill the better). Station yourself at the bottom of the hill. Offer free pulls back up to the top of the hill to all the children tobogganing. You’ll never run out of customers and you’ll burn right through that excess holiday weight.

Good luck and we'll hopefully see you in the New Year!

Beef Boot Camp’s Very First Snowfall!

2010-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought we’d been through it all—torrential rain, soaking mud, elephantoid mosquitoes, 90 km/h winds (I’ll never forget how Matt kept plowing through his sit-ups even as the wind threw a mat into his face), brain-numbing cold, pitch black darkness, spying skunks and the threat of zombies—in comes Old Man Winter and dumps a blanket of snow on our Friday morning boot camp class.

And guess what? They showed up…

Proving once and for all that NOTHING will keep Beef Boot Campers away from their early morning ritual!

To mark this momentous occasion, here’s a commemorative list of the 5 types of Boot Campers out there (Beef style). You know who you are:

1. The Sloth – Thinks Beef Boot Camp refers to a burger-eating contest; has larger than average thumbs (that TV clicker is quite the workout); would secretly love to try a Sprint—that’s the new nectarine-flavoured Sprite, right?

2. The Princess – Wears make-up to class; doesn’t like to get his/her hands dirty; works out just hard enough so that sweat doesn’t start forming; has to leave early because they need at least two hours to restructure their hair alone; isn’t completely sold on the idea that they won’t melt in the rain.

3. The Slacker – Shows up late all the time; has more absences than attendances; needs a water break after every single activity; gets chronic cramps; always asks for extra demonstrations of each exercise; possesses magic shoelaces that constantly come undone.

4. The Keener – Develops a very meaningful and loving relationship with their water bottle; occasionally questions their own sanity when their alarm goes off at 5:15am; can almost do Froggy Jumps non-stop without swearing; has come very close to puking on several occasions but has managed to hold it down without crying.

5. The Terminator – Arrives to class before the instructor, observes the “No Whining” Policy unswervingly, believes that there is only one religion: the Church of Exercise; can lift both feet off the ground during Plank; instead of stretching they do Burpees; looks at those who are doing modified pushups and thinks to themselves: “Wimp.” Performs boot camp in the wind, rain, mud, hail, sleet, pitch black and now, SNOW (anything else? Bring it on!)

Thanks for showing up, you guys are troopers!!

Things You Can Learn from your Fellow Boot Campers…

2010-11-02T03:32:00.000-07:00

That's right, I'm not the only one doing the teaching. Here are just a few valuable lessons you can learn from one another...

From Kylie – Sometimes the girls CAN beat the boys.

There’s a reason why Kylie has earned the nickname “Cylon.” She is a machine. And while most girls will contend themselves with thinking that men are genetically predisposed to physically outmatch women, Kylie kyboshes that theory with gusto. So stop making excuses, ladies. Kylie is living proof that women can step up to the challenge and beat the boys at many various feats of strength, speed and stamina. She does it on a regular basis. And she does so before 7am.

From Monica – You don’t really need that water break.

If you ever notice, Monica never brings a water bottle to class. Which is why you never see her using the excuse that she needs to take a break in order to hydrate. Her philosophy: “It’s only one hour, I can do without water and then replenish afterward.” And you know what? She’s absolutely right. I hate to tell you guys this but water actually takes 40 minutes to absorb into the body, so if you’re feeling thirsty during class it’s because you aren’t drinking enough water before and/or after class. So be sure to bring your water bottle with you everywhere during the day! Realistically, one hour without water is not going to kill you. In fact, sometimes water has the adverse effect during a high intensity class as you’ve got that added weight swishing around in your stomach which often leads to feelings of nausea, bloating and lethargy, all hindrances to peak performance. As long as you hydrate yourself at least 45 minutes before class and then drink as much as you can after class, you’ll be absolutely fine. I apply this same approach to my 1.5 hour Hot Yoga session and I’m amazed at how much easier it is to get through. It's okay, we trainers know EVERY trick in the book used to stall for a break and the “I need water” is the most common one. ☺

From Mike – Just breathe.

When the activities get tougher, Mike’s breathing gets louder. The opposite can be said for most people. People tend to hold their breath which makes it worse for your body. The reason Mike can do so many perfectly-executed pushups in a row? His muscles are getting the necessary oxygen because he is breathing properly. He exhales on the exertion part, always.

From Matt – Show up, Keep up, Shut up.

Matt is the epitome of every trainer’s dream client. He never whines, complains or provides unnecessary commentary. He gives 100% and even though he may be struggling, he knows--like a mother force-feeding her child brussel sprouts--that it’s good for him. He’s always on time, he listens to directions, he executes each drill wholeheartedly without wasting time chatting and he motivates others with his positive attitude and friendly competitiveness. Bootcampers like Matt are the reason I love my job.

From Brenda – Stick with it.

I remember Brenda’s first day of Beef Boot Camp several months ago. It was pouring rain and she could barely get through one froggy jump. Now, she can do proper pushups non-stop and sprint with the rest of ‘em. I’ve seen the transformation from a girly-girl who struggled with every activity to a toned female athlete who loves to drag a tire behind her while running around the field. Through her hard work and dedication she has reached many boot camp milestones and will continue to do so because she never gives up.

Keep up the great work you guys!

Playground Day Update!

2010-10-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

While most of you were suffering from turkey hangovers, Beef Boot Camp spent an hour kicking butt on the playground. Who knew there were so many wonderful exercises to keep your muscles aching two days later thus abolishing all happy memories of childhood? Oh, it wasn't that bad. We actually had a blast and a long-standing record was finally broken...Kylie (aka "The Cylon") has dominated the Obstacle Course with the fastest time (1 minute 19 seconds) until NOW!

Congratulations to Matt Gibson who beat Kylie's record by shaving off a Cylon-esque NINE seconds! The new record and time to beat is 1 minute 10 seconds!

Looks like there's a new breed of Cylon in the making. But fear not, Kylie has never been one to back down from a challenge and I'm thinking the original Cylon will want to reclaim her title.

Stay tuned for the next Playground Day...

Women's Soccer Skills for Beginners

2010-10-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Ladies...

Interested in learning how to play soccer? Then this program is for you!

I am running a Women's Indoor Soccer Skills for Beginners at the Kitsilano Community Centre (2690 Larch Street, Vancouver, BC).

The program officially starts on OCTOBER 23rd, 2010 and runs for 6 sessions each Saturday from 2-3pm (Oct. 23rd - Nov. 27th).

FREE TRIAL CLASSWomen's Indoor Soccer Skills for BeginnersSaturday October 16th 2:00-3:00pm. Please pre-register.
The Skills class is followed by Women's Only Recreational Indoor Soccer (3:15-4:45pm) so you can put your skills into practice through regular game play.

The Skills clinic is geared towards the beginner player (women with little to no experience). The Rec Play welcomes women of all ages and all levels (beginner/intermediate). You can sign-up or drop-in for one or both programs.

You'll have fun, get fit and learn a thing or two about soccer in a friendly, supportive environment. Whether you're a soccer mom or a wannabe Pélé, now's your chance to try it out.

Contact the Kitsilano Community Centre to register at: 604-257-6976 or click on the link:
http://www.kitscc.com/.

Feel free to pass this information on to others who may be interested. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Lisa at the above email address.

Hope to see you out there!

Blast from the Past!

2010-10-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Whether you've just started out with Beef Boot Camp or you've been coming for over a year (now THAT'S dedication!) you've undoubtedly discovered that there's always a new challenge to overcome each class.

Well, now it's time to revisit some of your old favourites. Whether it's the "Isometrics Class," "Plank Day" or "the one with the Chicken and the Cones," here is your chance to play it again, Sam.

Simply send an email to: info@beefbootcamp.com with "Blast from the Past" in the subject line and state the historic class that you'd love to do again (because you either enjoyed it or it killed you and you need to improve upon it).

If you can't remember all the details of a single class don't worry, do your best to describe it or even by listing several of the activities we did I can put them all together and voila, you'll have a class from memory lane. Then watch for your class to show up in the upcoming season and be ready to relive all the fond (or painful) memories!

While I'm away...

2010-08-29T01:11:00.000-07:00

Beef Boot Camp may be on hiatus for two weeks (and I know you’ll miss it terribly) but I know how dedicated you all are, so if you’re stuck on what to do for the time being here a few suggestions:

1. Go for a swim

The Kits outdoor pool will only be open for another week so now’s the time to enjoy it before it’s closed for the season. Or check out the new pool(s) at Hillcrest Park. Show off that bikini-ready body you’ve worked so hard at achieving with Beef Boot Camp. And get some practice in for the next drill with the scuba diving fins!

2. Try some Yoga

Hey, if I can do it, YOU can do it. It helps with injury prevention (and injury healing) as well as improving flexibility. A great supplement to boot camp.

3. Relax

It’s only two weeks so take the time to let your body recover, repair, relax. I make it a point at least once a year to take a break from the rigorous training regimen and sports to let my muscles “regroup.” Trust me, your body will thank you for it and no, you’re not going to gain an extra 10 pounds. Quite the opposite actually (unless of course, you’re spending the entire two weeks at MacDonald’s).

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Bikram’s Yoga – Hot or Not? (Take Two)

2010-08-20T01:51:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I am not a big fan of Yoga. Granted, I’ve never really done Yoga, but the thought of stretching and being one with my breathing is not very high on my list of priorities. I belong to the church of sports and athleticism. But, if I expect others to give Boot Camp a shot at replacing the gym, then I should practice what I preach and be open to other forms of fitness.

So, I went to my very first Bikram’s Yoga class and here’s what I discovered:

1. The Heat.

I loved it. Hands down, this was the best part of the whole yoga experience for me. I walked into the studio and to be honest, I thought it was going to be much hotter. Having lived in Vegas for three years, it felt like a normal June day out in the desert. I found the heat very soothing and welcoming and I thoroughly enjoyed it throughout the entire class.

2. The Smell.

I was expecting a wall of B.O. to hit me as I walked into the studio, but surprisingly the smell was quite tolerable. The air held a bit of a wet dog pungency to it but my cleats smell 10 times worse after a soccer game in the rain, so I had no problem with it. In fact, the worst smell I discovered came from my mat, as we put our heads down for Rabbit Pose I almost gagged. I guess that’s what happens after two years of using my mat for outdoor boot camp. Pee-ew!

3. The Instructor.

In walks this balding 40 year-old guy who couldn’t have weighed more than 90 pounds, wearing a Speedo. He walked to the front of the class, sat on his stool and turned on his microphone. And then…I was no longer inside a yoga oven. I had been magically transported to a live auction and the bidding had instantly begun on a beautiful Garurasana pose. I almost burst out laughing. Our yoga instructor, oops, I mean our auctioneer, had the worst case of verbal diarrhea I have ever heard. He talked so fast and nonstop that I was so confused by the onslaught of interminable instructions I’m surprised I didn’t end up with one foot up my butt and the other in my mouth. Here’s an excerpt (no exaggeration): “TakebotharmsupelbowsbackpalmsfacinghipsoutkneestogetherevenbreathbendlowIknowit’spainfulbutyoulovethepainstrengthofabengelltigerEnglishbulldogdeterminationtheonlywaytoeatanelephantisonebiteatatime.”

By the end of the class I expected him to say: “Sold! To the goofy lady in the corner for 200 dollars!”

4. The Participants.

More men in Speedos (there outta be a law) and women in bikinis with some of the hardest bodies I’ve ever seen. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. People even held the door open for you (a rare thing in Vancouver these days). Inside the studio it was like being at a poker table. There were people from all walks of life, of all different ages. The only difference was that these people were in MUCH better shape than the average poker player.

5. The Poses.

I nailed the standing tall and breathing pose! The rest, well, let’s just say, Twiggy the Auctioneer knew instantly that it was my very first time at yoga. In fact, he knew more about me than I cared to admit. When he saw me struggling to straighten my legs, he walked right over and upon giving some pointers and words of encouragement he said (and I’m not making this up): “Playing sports all your life as your only form of exercise. This is wrong. Yoga should be your exercise and sports should be what you do for fun.” My jaw dropped. He figured that out just by my inability to touch my toes???? I had no idea yoga gave you powers of telepathy.

6. The Verdict.

Did I enjoy it? To my sheer surprise, yes, absolutely. It was very challenging, but a) I love a challenge, b) my muscles loved the heat, c) by the end, I felt like I went 10 rounds in the ring (translation: an awesome hardcore workout).
Would I go back for more? Again to my sheer surprise, yes, I would, and I am. I have a 30-day pass and so far I’m two for two (days in a row). My intention is to go everyday until I leave town and then continue upon my return until my 30 days expires. After that, we’ll see how I feel about yoga then.

But I’m determined to touch my toes. One day.

Bikram's Yoga - Hot or Not? (Take One)

2010-08-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

Due to an unforeseen injury the Bikram's Yoga blog has been postponed until further notice. Please standby. And try not to get hurt. Ya.

Summer = Good. Mosquitoes = Bad.

2010-07-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, summer is indeed the best time of the year to be exercising outdoors but unfortunately the ONE bad thing about it is those damn mosquitoes!

You guys have endured the pain of sweating in long-sleeved clothing to avoid getting bitten, breathing in DEET rather than fresh air, and slapping the pests off your arms while doing push-ups.

So, I came across this article on Yahoo that may be of interest in shedding some light on new techniques for avoiding mosquitoes once and for all. Wish I could make them do Burpees as punishment.

http://www.10naturaltipsandtricksforrepellingmosquitoes.com

Enjoy! And do let me know if any of these tips are effective.

What are you drinking?

2010-07-12T11:41:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing and that means it's time for barbeques, picnics and patios. And what, naturally, goes hand in hand with these three summer staples? Alcohol.

It's okay. Don't feel bad. I know we all like to indulge in the occasional cocktail (or two or three) on any given hot summer night. The key is moderation of course (and a good calorie-burning workout afterward). And since you're all big boys and girls now, instead of lecturing you on the pitfalls of excessive alcohol consumption and what it can do to your toned physique, I thought I'd pass along this cool website I came across and let you decide for yourself.

http://www.wastedcalories.com/beercalories.html

I originally went to this site because of its extended beer list. Someone recently asked me which beer has the lowest amount of calories (Bud Light and Amstel Light, but I've seen ads for the new "Molson 67") and I had to do some research. This website is great because it not only lists the various beer brands but also popular cocktails, liqueurs and wine.

You should also check out the nifty "Calorie Calculator" where you can punch in all the drinks you enjoyed in a night and find out, in their words: "How much did that 'good night' cost you?"

Then again, maybe it's not such a good tool to use!

Seven Myths About Veggies

2010-07-06T01:13:00.000-07:00

I know you’re all preoccupied with vegetables so I thought I’d help put an end to the obsessing with this article from Yahoo!Green. Myth #5 is for you, Monica!

Is it healthier to eat raw veggies or to cook them? Is fresh broccoli more nutritious than frozen? Is eating iceberg lettuce a waste of time?

You may be surprised by the answers to these seemingly simple questions. In fact, there are several misconceptions when it comes to vegetables. The one universal truth is that most of us could be eating more of them.

As summer approaches, we have more vegetable choices than at any other time of year. Here's a guide to what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to eating your veggies.

Myth #1: Fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen

Fact: Studies show that sometimes you can get more nutrients from frozen veggies, depending on variety and how old the vegetables at your supermarket are. That's because produce starts losing nutrient quality as soon as it's picked.

Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen right after harvest so they are preserved at their peak of freshness when they are most nutritious. Your best bet in terms of taste, nutrition, and the environment is still local in-season produce. When that's not an option frozen can be a better choice (from a nutrient standpoint) than spinach that takes two weeks to reach your table.

Myth #2: Cooked veggies are less nutritious than raw

Fact: It depends on the vegetable. "Cooking destroys some nutrients, but it releases others," says Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat. It destroys vitamin C and folic acid, according to Nestle, which is why it's not a great idea to cook oranges.

On the other hand, she says, cooking releases vitamin A and the nutrients in fiber and makes them easier to digest. It's also easier for your body to absorb more lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant, in cooked tomato sauce than from raw tomatoes. Steam or roast veggies instead of boiling, which leaches out water-soluble vitamins into the cooking water.

Myth #3: Iceberg lettuce doesn't have any nutrients

Fact: Iceberg lettuce is mostly water so it's hardly loaded with vitamins, but a large head does contain small amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

You'll get more nutrients from other greens that have less water such as romaine or butterhead lettuce, but contrary to popular belief, iceberg lettuce does have some nutritional value.

Myth #4: Local vegetables are always cheaper

Fact: It's certainly true that local produce can be good for your budget. This is especially true during the peak of harvest when farmers need to get rid of an abundant crop and there is a lot of competition.
However, there are no guarantees. Local food "is not in any way subsidized so you are paying the real cost of producing the food, and the economies of scale are not there," says Nestle.

Some tips for finding the best deals at your local farmers' market: Shop at the end of the day when farmers are likely to mark down their prices in order to get rid of their inventory. (Go early in the day if selection is more important than price.) Ask your farmer for a volume discount if he or she doesn't already offer one. Take advantage of special deals on bruised or overripe veggies. Prices vary from farmer to farmer so shop around before buying.

Myth #5: Potatoes make you fat

Fact: Potatoes are virtually fat-free and low in calories. These delicious and inexpensive root vegetables contain a healthy dose of fiber, which can actually make you feel satisfied for longer and help you lose weight.

It's not the potatoes themselves that make you fat. It's how you cook them and what you slather on your spuds that can cause you to pack on the pounds.

Myth #6: Bagged salads are squeaky clean

Fact: They're not nearly as clean as you may think. Consumer Reports tests found bacteria that are "common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination" in 39 percent of the 208 packages of salad greens it tested. It didn't find E. coli 0157:H7, listeria, or other disease-causing bacteria in its samples.

But it's still a good idea to give greens a good rinse to remove residual soil before eating even if the bag says they're "pre-washed" or "triple-washed."

Myth #7: Farmer's markets only have organics

Fact: Just because a vegetable (or anything for that matter) is sold at a farmers' market does not mean that it's organic. It still must be certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a guarantee that it was grown without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Some farmers will say they are in the process of getting certified, they grow crops without synthetic chemicals but can't afford the certification process, or they only use chemicals when they have no choice and don't use them when it's close to harvest time. It's your call on whether you trust that farmer.

The Top Ten Best Excuses for Not Showing up to Boot Camp…

2010-07-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

And by “Best” I mean “Lamest.” I’ve heard them all: my alarm didn’t go off…my car wouldn't start…I didn’t get to bed till 2:00am…yada-yada-yada.

But here’s a list of the ones that have stood out over the past year. These excuses were scored on a scale of creativity, craftsmanship or sheer lameness.

To save you guys the embarrassment, I’ve left each one anonymous. It’s up to you to try and figure out who came up with what (and then harass that person ad nauseam about it). So without further ado, here’s the lamest of the bunch (in no particular order):

1. “It’s raining.” Last time I checked, the Wicked Witch of the West has not signed up for Boot Camp. It’s Vancouver, you’re gonna get wet, deal with it.

2. “I have to go to IKEA.” That’s funny because IKEA doesn’t open until 10:00am.

3. “My son is taking our hamster to school for Show & Tell and I have to make sure it doesn’t die.” You’re lucky if a hamster lives a month.

4. “I have gastrointestinal bleeding from drinking too much vodka.” Here’s the number for your local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter: 1-800-Stop-Drinking-As-If-You’re-19.

5. “I got into my car and puked and then kept puking every 10 minutes.” Please refer to the comment above. Or you might want to wash your car once in a while.

6. “My dog got sprayed by a skunk and he’s still recovering.” Wouldn’t some fresh air be the best thing for this?

7. “I have to go to a Hypnotism seminar.” Be sure and get hypnotized so that every time someone says your name, you show up to Boot Camp.

8. “I had this horrible nightmare and I couldn’t get back to sleep.” Let me guess, you were in a field doing 1,000 Burpees. Naked.

9. “My boyfriend kept me up all night.” And we’re supposed to feel sorry for you? Pleeeeease. That’s what you get for dressing up in a Princess Leia Slave costume.

10. “I hurt the top of my foot but I don’t know how.” I know how. By delivering one too many ass-kickings! Which means you're tough. Get to class already.

I’m sure I’ll hear many more as time goes by, so be prepared for a sequel of gems. I can’t wait.

Are You An Unhealthy Eater? Part Six: The Overexerciser

2010-06-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

In the sixth and final part of this series we take a look at the exercise-obsessed. Usually our busy lives get in the way of our workouts, but if you suffer from the opposite issue: life interfering with your workouts, you may be an Overexerciser.

5. THE OVEREXERCISER
Below is the #1 sign that you share this behaviour.

a) You Overdo Workouts.
If you do calorie math before you hit the gym (e.g., I ate X calories at lunch, so I need to burn off Y on the treadmill) or refuse to skip a workout—even if you’re injured, completely exhausted, or sneezing and coughing up a storm—then you may have taken this healthy habit too far. Though most people don’t exercise enough, in some cases there can be too much of a good thing.

Coping Strategy for the Overexerciser:
Some people use long gym sessions or workout at an extreme pace to get their weight unnaturally low, says Bulik. This is common among women with anorexia. Women who binge may also work out to burn off the calorie damage, which means they’re eating poorly as part of a vicious cycle that won’t lead to weight loss.

First, examine what’s driving your behavior, says Ressler: "Is it to feel better and live longer, or because you think your self-worth is based on being able to wear a size two?" Remember that exercise is about much more than weight loss. Cardio workouts get healthy, oxygen-rich blood coursing through your body, nourishing your heart, brain, lungs, and pretty much every organ. Strength training builds muscle tone, which maintains your strength and can even prevent type 2 diabetes. Yoga and other calming workouts relieve stress and improve balance, reducing your risk of injury.

Are You An Unhealthy Eater? Part Five: The Diet Addict

2010-06-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

The Tabasco Sauce Diet…the Cookie Diet…the Cabbage Soup Diet. You’ve not only heard of them, you’ve tried them all. If this is you, then you might be a Diet Addict. In Part Five of this six-part series, we delve into the diet-obsessed and look at methods to conquer this addiction.

5. THE DIET ADDICT
Below are 2 signs that you share this behaviour.

a) You make water a "meal".
Sipping water throughout the day to stay hydrated and full between meals is fine; downing a glass in lieu of lunch is not. Same with gum—it’s a great way to fend off an unexpected craving but shouldn’t replace a healthy snack, which provides crucial nutrients and boosts energy levels.

Using these "tools" to keep full may mean you’re trying too hard to override your body’s natural hunger signals—and may be cutting calories and nutrients too low.

b) You follow extreme/weird diets.
Are carbs banned from your pantry? Do you drink all of your meals? Are you on a regimen where you can’t eat certain food groups—like protein and carbs—at the same sitting? Extreme plans like these may seem okay for short-term results (say, a high school reunion or family wedding), but "these diets can be really dangerous," says Ressler.

Coping Strategy for the Diet Addict:
This is a form of restricted eating in which you may be missing important nutrients. Plus, it can slow your metabolism to the point where cutting calories becomes counter-effective. Also, extreme plans are difficult to stick to long-term, so you yo-yo: You regain the weight, then try something else to lose again.

Some people need structure to eat healthfully, and that’s okay. But if a plan sounds gimmicky or too good to be true, it probably is. Look for a program that emphasizes a healthy balance of all nutrients, with controlled portions to keep calories in check. Some people need structure to eat healthfully, and that’s okay. But if a plan sounds gimmicky or too good to be true, it probably is. Look for a program that emphasizes a healthy balance of all nutrients, with controlled portions to keep calories in check.

Next Blog: The sixth and final habit on the list of Unhealthy Eaters. Are you an Overexerciser? Find out!

Are You An Unhealthy Eater? Part Four: The Social Switcher

2010-06-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

If different social situations bring about different eating habits, then you might be a Social Switcher. In Part Four of this six-part series, we look at this common social eating pattern and ways to overcome it.

4. THE SOCIAL SWITCHER
Below are 2 signs that you share this social snacking style.

a) You eat differently when alone.
At dinner with friends, you order a leafy salad, pass on the breadbasket, and nibble on a shared dessert. On the couch in comfy sweats, you have no problem eating whatever you want—or how much you want.

"There’s sort of an unstated rule that women are always supposed to be on diets, that they’re not supposed to have hearty appetites," says Bulik. "These myths drive an enormous amount of female behavior."

b) You've dropped friends over food.
Have you cut back on evenings out with your margarita-swigging girlfriends in favor of being with people who are on the exact same diet/exercise page as you? Or do you spend more time seeking diet advice in message boards online instead of chatting with family and friends? These behaviors could indicate that your food relationship is taking a toll on your social relationships.

Coping Strategy for the Social Switcher:
"If you often eat differently when alone, that means there’s a fundamental discomfort with who you are," says Bulik. That can cause stress, anxiety, and self-esteem issues: "It’s as though you’ve divided your life into two parts, allowing yourself to be ‘good’ around others and ‘bad’ when alone." If friendships have changed because of food, that can be a sign of overly restrictive rules.

Think about why you approach food differently when you’re around others. If you’re worried about eating too much in public, remember that we’re meant to have an appetite. No one thinks more highly of you because you choose the mesclun greens instead of penne marinara. And research shows that you eat less when you take time to eat, chew, and digest between bites—something that’s easier when you chat away dinner with friends than when you dine alone.

Next Blog: #5 on the list of Unhealthy Eaters. Are you a Diet Addict? Find out!

Are You An Unhealthy Eater? Part Three: The Orthorexic Eater

2010-06-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Never heard the term before? Well, it’s becoming more and more common with obsessive eaters. In Part Three of this six-part series, we delve into the psyche of the Orthorexic Eater and learn how to maintain healthy habits for healthy eating.

3. THE ORTHOREXIC EATER
Below are 2 signs that you share this dietary behaviour.

a) You’re 100% organic, 100% of the time.
We know organic, unprocessed, whole foods are healthiest, but some people take the mantra to an extreme. This could be you if you refuse to shop for groceries or eat at places that don’t meet your healthy standards, you decode every ingredient label and deem all foods with "unnatural" ingredients off-limits, or you perceive all processed products as dangerous to your health.

b) You judge others’ eating habits.
Have you become such a health guru that you can’t help but comment on or judge others’ food choices? It’s one thing to be concerned about a loved one’s health and hide the salt shaker or insist on low-fat ice cream, but it’s another to become evangelical about it.

"If you create a hostile environment for others or violate their boundaries with your perspective, that’s not good," says Ressler.

Coping Strategy for the Orthorexic Eater:
This term, coined by a Colorado doctor more than 10 years ago, refers to people who are unhealthfully concerned with, well, eating healthy.

"This becomes a slippery slope as people restrict more and more foods from their repertoire," says Bulik. "For some it can stay at that level, but for many others, it evolves into a convenient way to justify anorexia." Another consequence: It can give kids a fear of food, as though there’s a danger lurking in every package. You may not realize how extreme your healthy ways have become, but your friends and family probably have. Ask them if they think you may have a problem.

Remember that nutrition science changes all the time. How you look and feel—not a daily consumption of flaxseed or avoiding high fructose corn syrup at all costs—is your best everyday measure of health.

Next Blog: #4 on the list of Unhealthy Eaters. Are you a Social Switcher? Find out!

Are You An Unhealthy Eater? Part Two: The Food Restricter

2010-06-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

In Part Two of this six-part series, we delve into the hunger habits of the Food Restricter. See if you share any of these traits and learn ways to break your restrictive food habits.

2. THE FOOD RESTRICTER
Below are 3 signs that you share this dietary behaviour.

a) There’s zero variety in your diet.
You’ve had Rice Krispies with fat-free milk for breakfast every day for 10 years. For lunch, it’s always salad with the same fat-free dressing. And for dinner, what’s wrong with grilled chicken and steamed broccoli Monday through Thursday?

"Someone who eats like this takes no pleasure in food," says Ressler. "The satisfaction comes not from the experience but from knowing they’ve met requirements on a nutrition label." Another danger: missing important nutrients. Different grains, dairy, meats, nuts, beans, vegetables, and fruit means you get a variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants every day.

b) You count every last calorie.
It’s one thing to watch your intake while you’re trying to lose weight. But over time, people can gauge how much to eat to maintain weight loss without poring over every label. If you’ve cut calories dangerously low (under 1,200 a day for most women) and your life revolves around your food "rules," then you’ve taken things too far.

Calorie hawks also feel guilty when they don’t follow their plans—"like the rest of the day is ruined," says Bulik. Severe restriction can lead to anorexia or thwart weight loss efforts by slowing metabolism—not to mention that you’ll feel hungry, exhausted, foggy, and grumpy if you don’t consume enough nutrients.

c) You view foods as "good" or "bad."
Bread is "bad"—so having a bagel for breakfast is a rare treat. Baby carrots are "good," so there’s zero guilt about eating them as a snack. If you compartmentalize food choices like this, you’re setting yourself up for a tricky tango later, says Bulik: "Once you have a ‘bad’ label on something, under certain conditions you’ll crave it more, lose all control, and binge." Research shows that people have only so much willpower; if you try to limit too many things at once, you’ll end up caving more quickly.

Of course, certain foods are inherently healthier than others—so this doesn’t mean you can eat fast food whenever you want. But that’s where portion control comes in. Train yourself to have just one Munchkin and then concentrate on something other than eating, says Bulik.

Coping Strategy for the Food Restricter:
Skimping on variety for predictability—a way to exert control—can shortchange your body of crucial nutrients, as can cutting calories too low. A Canadian study found that about 25% of women have what’s known as high cognitive dietary restraint, which means they think constantly about food and spend a lot of time deciding what to eat and avoid. Research shows that these women have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol; however, they’re no more likely to be thin than are the women who don’t think about food as much.

Unravel the strict behaviors, and be more spontaneous about your meals. Start small: Try something new for breakfast, and don’t count calories. Eyeball what looks like a sensible portion, and see how satiated you feel afterward. "A healthy approach to food is a flexible one," says Bulik.

Next Blog: #3 on the list of Unhealthy Eaters. Are you an Orthorexic Eater? Find out!

Are You An Unhealthy Eater?

2010-06-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Do you splurge on cupcakes and ice cream when you’re happy or are you a calorie-counting Nazi? Do you consider water to be a meal or do you only ingest organics?

In this 6-part series from PREVENTION, learn to identify your bad eating habits and discover tips on how to improve your foraging fixations.

Are you obsessed with food?

On any given day, 45% of women are on a diet, according to the National Eating Disorders Association.

On average, we think about our bodies 8 times a day, found one recent survey. About 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance, and what’s worse, 40% would trade 3 to 5 years of their lives to achieve weight loss goals.

No wonder many women report signs of disordered eating behavior—like excessively counting calories or working out just to burn off food—even if they never develop a full-blown disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

Problem is, there’s often a fine line between eating healthfully to slim down and becoming fixated with food, so we talked to top food behavior experts to understand the difference. Here are some red flags that could indicate a food/weight obsession. Ask yourself these questions, and then learn how you can adopt a healthier approach.

1. THE EMOTIONAL EATER
Below are 3 signs that you could be an Emotional Eater.

a) You eat in reaction to bad or good news.
You’re having a stressful day, so you treat yourself to Cheetos at the vending machine. Or you just nailed a big presentation, so you supersize your french fries as a reward.

"If food is your automatic reaction to dealing with any emotion—good or bad—it could signal an unhealthy relationship," says Cynthia Bulik, PhD, director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Another sign: When you’re upset, you turn to food before you call your partner or a friend.

b) You eat without feeling hungry.
It's 12:30, your usual lunchtime. But today you had a late breakfast and you're not feeling very hungry. Do you make a beeline for your favorite sandwich shop anyway? If so, this means you've detached eating from physical hunger, says Adrienne Ressler, LMSW, national training director for the Renfrew Center Foundation, one of the country’s top treatment centers for eating disorders.

"You may eat out of boredom, anxiety, habits, desire, or some other emotion," says Bulik. But going with your gut—literally—is best for your health. Women who follow internal hunger and satiety cues report higher levels of self-esteem and optimism and lower BMIs, according to a Journal of Counseling Psychology study.

c) You have out-of-control eating binges.
Everyone indulges in an extra slice of pizza or another handful of M&M’s. But if you regularly eat much more than you intended, stuff yourself until you’re uncomfortably full, or feel like you can’t stop eating, that could be something to watch.

Overeating like this can result from going too long between meals or restricting yourself, not to mention that age-old culprit: boredom. "Binge eating is often associated with eating rituals, like sitting down to watch TV," says Ressler. "You start with a bag of popcorn. All that salt makes you crave something sweet, like ice cream. Then you feel thirsty, so you have a soda."

Eat frequent, consistently sized meals to avoid binges and feel happier. Research from Liverpool John Moores University found that women who fluctuated between low- and high-calorie meals were less happy with their bodies than those whose plates packed a similar number of calories from meal to meal.

Coping Strategy for the Emotional Eater:
There are two main issues here, says Bulik: "One is that emotional eaters are more likely to have problems maintaining a healthy weight." The other is that you never develop positive ways to handle your feelings, such as taking a mind-clearing walk instead of reaching into your snack drawer or simply asking yourself if something is bothering you before you grab a cookie.

Start a food-mood journal to track the following whenever you eat: (1) what you eat, (2) your emotion at the time, and (3) the strength of that emotion (on a 1-to-10 scale). You’ll identify patterns that drive you to crave certain foods and can work on finding other ways to deal instead.

Learning to appreciate your body can also help. Even if you’re still a dress size or three away from your "ideal," try to focus on the features you do love—strong, shapely legs, perhaps, or shoulders that look great in strapless. Being satisfied with your shape may help prevent emotional eating, according to research in the Journal of Counseling Psychology. People who are content with their bodies tend to be more in tune with hunger signals.

Next Blog: #2 on the list of Unhealthy Eaters...are you a Food Restricter? Find out!

Honey, I shrunk my infection…

2010-05-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Many of you have already heard me sing the praises of honey, so now here’s the proof from RealAge to back it up. Enjoy (the honey…it’s soooo good…and good for you too so don’t feel guilty)!

More than just a natural sweetner, honey is a natural antiseptic, moisturizer and, thanks to all its antioxidants, an age-fighter too.

"The high concentration of sugars gives honey germ-killing power, which is why it's been used for thousands of years to encourage wound healing," says New York City dermatologist Amy Wechsler, MD.

Honey's thick, sticky consistency also makes it a natural protective salve, sealing out infection and creating a moist healing environment within. Use it in a pinch, Wechsler suggests, if you develop blisters on a camping trip and remembered your honey but forgot the Neosporin.

Honey is a terrific moisturizer for the face and body too. "Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it draws 'free water' from interior tissues to the surface layers of the skin," says Wechsler. That subtle fluid shift creates a plumping effect that temporarily improves the appearance of wrinkles--handy before a morning presentation or a big night out.

To see for yourself, try this moisturizing honey mask, which Wechsler says also sooths dry, sensitive or irritated skin:

• Mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of whole milk.
• Warm slightly in the microwave.
• Smooth the mixture onto the face and lie down for 10 minutes (relaxing, plus it avoids sticky drips).
• Rinse off with warm-not hot-water.

If you prefer a more cosmetic form, store shelves are swarming with honey-enhanced beauty products such as BeeCeuticals Organics' Honey Thyme Hand and Body Lotion, which is made from unfiltered, organic, non-irradiated honey ($9.95 for 8 oz. at www.healthfromthehive.com). It's made to be gentle enough to use even on psoriasis or eczema. And Benefit's Honey...Snap Out of It Scrub ($23 for 5 oz. at www.benefitcosmetics.com) has honey, vitamin E, and crushed almonds. Leave it on for three minutes and you've got a soothing and smoothing honey/almond mask.

As for the age-fighting effects, all types of honey contain antioxidants that appear to block skin-cell damaging free radicals, though dark honeys--particularly the honeydew and buckwheat varieties (check health-food stores)--have more of them than paler clover honeys. While there's still a debate on how effective antioxidants are when applied to the skin, Wechsler gives the thumbs up to swirling dark honey into your yogurt every morning. "It's a simple way to nourish your skin from the inside." Sweet!

Introducing: My Body, My Beef!

2010-05-24T13:36:00.000-07:00

As most of you are aware by now, Beef Boot Camp is all about mixing it up and keeping your body guessing, working different sets of muscles all the time ensuring that you never plateau.

Well, now it’s YOUR turn to pick!

If you’ve got a set of muscles that YOU’D like to really target (i.e. kick the poop out of) then send an email to info@beefbootcamp.com with “My Body, My Beef!” in the subject line and state which set of muscles you’d like to dedicate a class to.

Whether it’s your abs, butt, arms or heart, I’ll design YOUR class so that you’ll be sure to feel extra special that day (and by “special” I mean “really, bleepin’ sore”).

And don’t even try to suggest a class dedicated solely to stretching…this is BOOT CAMP after all!

So, whether it’s all about Burpees, beef, or a class solely dedicated to knuckles, feel free to throw anything out there that you’d like to focus on and watch for your class to pop up when you least expect it throughout the summer sessions.

Part Two: The Top 10 Most Memorable Moments in Beef Boot Camp (so far)

2010-05-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here are the final five from my Top 10 list of favourite moments in Beef Boot Camp:

6. Indoor Dodgeball – The object was to hit the moving target as many times as possible while the moving target’s objective was to run as fast as possible from one end of the room to the other and avoid getting hit. The end result: chaotic hilarity. Simon got taken out by a coat rack, Alex got taken out by the heater and Kylie beat all the boys with the best time and the least amount of sustained hits.

7. Jenn Lodato’s Loyalty – Swearing her unwavering loyalty to my “No Whining” policy, Jenn vowed to never let a single complaint fall from her lips. And she stayed true to her word. However, her whimpers, profanity, prayers, wit, crocodile tears and pleading facial expressions have served to make such a lasting impression that I always enjoy a chuckle at the memory of each.

8. Playground Day – Making each person swing across the monkey bars while the rest of the group held the plank right underneath, giving “the monkey” extra incentive not to drop lest they land on someone below. Needless to say, everybody succeeded, nobody dropped and each person’s arms were sore for a week. Monkey bars…who knew they were the best/hardest upper body exercise? And kids make it look so easy!

9. Tatyana’s Six-Pack – Proof that moms can have killer abs even after childbirth! I did a double-take when Tatyana removed her shirt to show me (and so did all the lucky young boys walking by on their way to school). Makes my drill sergeant methods worthwhile.

10. The 300+ Sit-ups – Matt, Kylie, Steph…you guys made me so proud. The wind was whipping in at what seemed like 90 km per hour; the rain felt like it was being pelted in from not just the sky, but from the ground and every which other direction; and although it was mid-April, the cold resembled a bitter January morning. But you all pushed through it and managed to do over 300 sit-ups in a row despite the unforgiving elements (Matt kept going even when the wind threw a piece of equipment into his face). Now that’s the mark of a true Beef Boot Camp soldier!

The Top 10 Most Memorable Moments in Beef Boot Camp (so far)

2010-05-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

These are in no particular order, but they stand out as some of my favourite moments over the past year…and I look forward to the next ten. Here are the first 5 in the list:

1. Matt and Jenny M. and the Rain – Probably one of the worst torrential downpours in Vancouver to date and Matt and Jenny M. were the only troopers who showed up to class. I provided them with a medicine ball and some really brutal drills. They executed each one without a single whimper, complaint or moment's rest. By the end, they were glowing with exhaustion, accomplishment and triumph. It was the best middle-finger salute to the weather that I've ever seen.

2. Monica Should’ve Had a V8 – A purely innocent moment wherein Monica and Tatyana were facing off doing the high-fivin’ plank. Except in Tatyana’s case, instead of hitting Monica’s hand, she accidentally smacked her on the head, just like in the commercial, prompting Monica to say: “I should’ve had a V8.” Everyone got a great ab workout from laughing so hard.

3. Alex & Michelle’s Tire Race – With tires in tow, Alex and Michelle were head-to-head in a tire-dragging race. As they came around the corner to pass each other, they cut it a bit too close. Their tires collided sending both parties flying into the air. A priceless moment where you’re left wishing you had a video camera on-hand.

4. Karen and the Iron Crucifix – A recent one, but most memorable because Karen became the first person to actually hold the Iron Crucifix for the entire 90 seconds without dropping her weights. In fact, she was able to successfully complete every 90-second exercise that day. Karen is the Isometric goddess!

5. Kylie and the Zombies – Discovering one cold, dark 6am morning that Kylie and I both share a fascination/fear of zombies. There was a comfort to be had knowing that someone (in excellent physical condition to boot) would have my back if the zombies suddenly attacked us during boot camp.

Stay tuned for the final five…

Water or Coke?

2010-05-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

I am a water ambassador. I can’t get enough of the stuff. I love it. Other than the occasional glass of wine or beer, it’s really the only thing I drink regularly. Coffee—yuck. Juice—gross. Milk—upset stomach. Gatorade—don’t get me started on that crap. But soda pop—I can’t even begin to describe my disgust.

I have a client who used to enjoy Diet Coke…that is until I found out about her addictive habit and proceeded to tell her how I use Coke to unclog my bathroom drain (and it works beautifully). As a result, I have successfully ruined my client’s enjoyment of said beverage (yay!) So then I thought, why stop there? If any of you were thinking about enjoying a Coke, let me do my best to dissuade you with the following…

8 FACTOIDS ABOUT WATER:

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (And this likely applies to half of the world’s population).

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism by as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water served to curb midnight hunger pangs in 99% of dieters in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day can significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

NOW, 9 FACTOIDS ABOUT COKE:

1. In many states, the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let it sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

8. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

9. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their commercial trucks for about 20 years.

So, now that you know all the benefits of these two beverages, which would you prefer? A glass of water or a Coke?

How Many Calories Should I Consume?

2010-05-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Do you really, really wanna know? Of course you do. It’s only the second-most popular question trainers get asked by their clients (the first being: “Did you say ‘Stop?’”) Therefore, because you demanded it, here it is…

So, you’re doing your boot camp classes regularly. That’s awesome. Keep it up. But even though you’re getting your exercise, you still need to watch what you put in your pie hole. To get a sense of what you’re eating, keep track for a month (you can use fitday.com or myfooddiary.com. Both online journals are free).

To get an approximate calculation of your daily caloric needs, multiply your weight in pounds by 14 if you’re doing regular activity (like boot camp 3x-4x a week). If you’re doing additional activity (5x-7x a week, moderate to high intensity) then multiply your weight by 15. And if you’re doing less exercise than mentioned above, multiply by 13.

So, let’s say Helga is 140 lbs and she goes to boot camp 3x a week. 140 x 14 = 1,960. This means that if Helga wants to maintain her 140 lbs then she can ingest 1,960 calories daily while attending her regular boot camp classes.

FYI: 3,500 calories = one pound of fat

Now, if Helga wanted to lose ten pounds at a rate of 1 pound per week, she would need to cut her daily caloric intake by 500 calories (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories = one pound of fat). Capiche?

This means that Helga would need to either eat only 1,460 calories a day (1,960 – 500 = 1,460) or continue eating 1,960 calories a day but add an additional daily exercise (45 minute run = 500 calories burned) to her workout regime in order to burn those 500 calories. And it would take her 10 weeks to do so at this rate (which is ideal as she will most likely be able to keep the weight off and maintain).

You can decide which method works best for you. Some people don’t have the time for more exercise in their daily routine so they cut the calories. Others (like myself) would prefer to do Burpees for an extra hour a day so they can keep ice cream and steak a regular part of their diet.

Just don’t obsess. Learn about your food intake, roughly how many calories you’re ingesting and proper portion sizes, etc., then do your best to maintain. All that time you spend filling in charts and measuring food you could be outside playing soccer. And remember, don’t deprive yourself. The key is balance and moderation. Once a week, indulge in a treat or a cocktail. It’s not evil and you’ll be less likely to binge (while enjoying life!)

Three simple tips for losing weight (and keeping it off)

2010-05-10T00:40:00.000-07:00

I came across this article online and I thought I’d share it with you! While #2 & #3 I wholeheartedly subscribe to (as mentioned previously: same thing for breakfast EVERY day…yes, I’ll share soon as promised), #1, as most of you know, I’m still working on. But it’s those wee hours of the morning when I conjure up activities like Human Hurdles and Chicken Races and others that I know you all love so much. So here’s the article without further ado…

#1 - Go to sleep. Getting enough sleep every night keeps you thin. Why? When your body doesn't get the 7 to 8 hours it needs every night, it doesn't get a full resupply of serotonin and dopamine, two feel-good brain chemicals it craves. So it looks for ways to replenish them, and guess what immediately releases both in the body: sugary foods. That's why when you're tired, you start craving sweets! So tuck yourself in early and stay slim.

#2 - Keep your hands full. You'd think that sitting around playing video games, solitaire, or surfing the net would be an invitation to putting on pounds. Nope. When your fingers are flying, they're not knuckle-deep in a bowl of chips. Now that's not to say that endless hours on your butt are good for anybody's waistline, but when you keep your hands and brain occupied, you're not reaching automatically for something to eat. In fact, you're probably not even thinking about food. So the next time you start to open the fridge door, turn on the computer, or pick up a deck of cards instead.

#3 - Pick and stick. Yeah, sure, variety may be the spice of life. But it can also be the death of maintaining a healthy eating style. When you have a lot of choices for a meal, it's a lot easier to slip out of good eating habits and into buffet binges. One way to avoid trouble is to eliminate choices for at least one meal a day. Pick the meal you rush through most and automate it. For most people, that's lunch. Find a healthy lunch - maybe salad with grilled chicken or a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread - and have it for lunch every day. Every day. Yes, every day. The less you think about food, the easier it is to control your appetite. And decreasing choices decreases temptations.

Add these tips to your eating habits and let me know how it goes!

A Good Food Model

2010-05-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

I was watching this guy on the Food Network named Alton Brown. He hosts a food show dealing with the science behind food which was very interesting. On top of that, he happened to mention his own personal weight loss story, which was also very interesting, especially since it involved the proper/healthy rate of weight loss (1-2 pounds a week max).

Brown used to be quite overweight, but he managed to lose 50 pounds over nine months (the realistic period of time for this much weight loss) by devising his own food plan (see below). The food plan is very reasonable to follow and it doesn’t have that element of deprivation which most diets do (because it’s NOT a diet) so you can still enjoy the things you love (in moderation, which is key). This is probably why Brown has been able to consistently keep the weight off (he looks great, body-wise). And since what you eat, not just how often you exercise, is integral to keeping the inches off, I thought I’d share it with you. It may give you some ideas to improve your own eating habits!

BROWN’S FOUR BASIC FOOD GROUPS:

EAT DAILY:
- Fruits
- Whole Grains
- Leafy Greens
- Nuts
- Coloured Veggies
- Green Tea

EAT 3x WEEK (at least):
- Oily Fish
- Yogurt
- Broccoli
- Sweet Potato
- Avocado

EAT 1x WEEK (no more than):
- Red Meat
- Pasta
- Dessert
- Alcohol

EAT 0x WEEK:
- Fast Food
- Soda
- Processed Meals (TV Dinners)
- Canned Soups (salt)
- “Diet” anything (because this is NOT a diet)

It’s the Weekend – Stay Strong…

2010-05-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

A big kudos goes out to those of you who attended today’s (Saturday) rescheduled class. The deceptive lure of the playground turned out to be quite an arduous challenge indeed. While we cursed the kids for making it look so easy, I hope you had fun revisiting the joy (and unimaginable pain) of your youth. You all did awesome.

Congratulations to Kylie “Cyborg” Cadwallader for achieving the best time in the Obstacle Course (1m19sec). This is the time to beat for next time! And there will be a next time…mwah, ah, ah! (Did that maniacal laugh come across?)

Since it is the weekend, and with a Canucks game on the agenda, many of you will be tempted by the dark side (i.e. dark beer, red wine, rum and coke, etc.) So, don’t forget all the hard work you do keeping your body fit and healthy throughout the week and try and maintain that level of excellence (which you all should be so proud of) by practicing moderation when it comes to the bevies. I wouldn’t be the Beef Drill Sergeant without hammering this message home, so here’s a quick reference list to keep you diligent:

- Beer (1 pint) = 182 calories
- Guiness (1 pint) = 170 calories
- Wine (1 glass) = 90 calories
- Vodka (1 shot) = 55 calories
- Gin (1 shot) = 56 calories
- Champagne (1 glass) = 89 calories
- Baileys (1 shot) = 137 calories

Judging from this list I know Tatyana will be very happy about her love affair with vodka…just don’t overdo it, Mother Russia! You know what happened the last time…

Enjoy your weekend along with a glass or two (not eight) of your favourite brew and we’ll see you all on Monday for the start of the May session!

3 Benefits Of Outdoor Exercise

2010-04-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Modern lifestyles have driven us to spend almost all of our time in indoor, air-conditioned environments. In fact, for many of us finding the time to get outside is a luxury, reserved for the little precious time we're free from our seemingly never-ending workload.

If the only outside time you get on a regular basis is the twice daily walk out to the car, you may want to give up your regular staring-at-the-wall-tredmill-run for an outdoor alternative. Here's why:

1. Soak Up The Sun

These past few years, sun exposure has gotten a bad rap. Like most things, exposure to natural sunlight is best in moderation, and will have unrivaled benefits on your health and well-being!

The Vitamin D from natural sunlight exposure naturally calcifies our bones, keeping them strong and healthy. Sun exposure also boosts the immune system and speeds up the healing process of cuts, bruises and rashes as it brings more blood to the skin surface. Sunlight just makes us plain happy - that's science.

2. Fresh Air = Clean Lungs

Your lungs are amazing. They allow you to breathe, talk to your friend, shout at a game, sing, laugh, cry, and more! So what are you doing to take care of them? Indoors, even in the cleanest of environments, you are exposing your lungs to dust, chemicals and other airborne pollutants and because our respiratory systems is like a sponge it is always absorbing these impurities.
When you exercise outdoors, you have heightened breathing patterns, flushing your lungs with tons of perfectly fresh, clean air which greatly boosts our energy levels and clears out our brains.

3. Exercise Your Mind

Physical activity is just as important for the brain as it is for the muscles. When you choose to workout outdoors you are giving your brain more to process, navigating different terrains and ever changing scenery will revitalize your brain power.

It's Been One Year...

2010-04-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

…and Beef Boot Camp is still mooing! And it’s thanks to all of you—you masochistic lot—who keep coming back month after month for more. Your dedication, strength, blood, sweat, tears, vomit (for some) and foolproof alarm clocks, have made it all possible. I’ve had a blast and I’ve learned a lot. I hope to keep up the good times and the learning curve. After one year with my biz, here a few things I’ve learned:

Food is Fuel vs. Food is Life
Growing up in an Italian household is all about the food. Friends, family, weekends, parties, good news, bad news, all give rise to a festive occasion requiring copious amounts of sustenance. You had a bad day? Mangiare! You got a promotion? Mangiare! You’re getting married? Mangiare! You’re getting divorced? Mangiare! Capiche? Hell, when I was a kid, I even made up a song called “Mangiare” that I would sing for my aunts and uncles. Thirty years later, I meet a guy who looks at food as a waste of time. If they could invent a pill that offered all the nutrients needed for the day, he’d pop it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never think twice. Food to him is an inconvenience, a basic human need to survive, that doesn’t require all the fanfare we associate with it. Say what???? Now how’s that for two worlds colliding? Upon learning this, I was instantly appalled. “I can’t introduce this guy to my parents, they’ll be shattered,” I initially thought. But it did get me thinking. Maybe that’s the whole problem with our food obsession and being overweight and compulsively counting calories. Maybe by making it such a big deal, such an event, we forget that food’s bottom line is just that: to fuel our bodies with energy to do the stuff we need to do. So I came to the conclusion that if I can find that happy medium between looking at food as fuel and not obsessing over it as one of the backbones to pure happiness, maybe I can look that bucket of ice cream in the face and say, “You’re good, but you’re not THAT good,” and be done with it. Maybe.

Burpees Never Get Easier
This is the second most uttered observation I hear from my clients (the first being: “Man, I feel so good after your boot camp class!”) But it’s true, Burpees stand the test of time when it comes to toughness because they work every muscle in the body while serving as a great cardio workout as well. Besides, if they were easy then everyone would do them and boot campers need to prove that they’re a special breed of workhorse who can accomplish the feats which the everyday mediocre man cannot. Frankly, I love Burpees. I feel like a Ninja when I’m doing them.

Vegetarianism - A Bunch of Bull
We are omnivores plain and simple. Our bodies need and want meat. I have never in my life encountered a healthy vegetarian. Every vegetarian I ever meet looks twice their age and malnourished (which I believe they are). And trust me, I used to be one. I never had so many health problems in my life. Sallow skin, low energy, brittle nails, thin hair, anemia, peeling gums, frequent sickness and more. Plus, I was always starving. I never felt satiated. NEVER. Until the day I finally broke down and had a steak. And I’ve never looked back (except to kick myself in the arse for being a vegetarian so long). To maintain a healthy vegetarian lifestyle requires so much work that you basically have to quit your job, get a degree in nutrition, give up parenting/soccer/piano lessons, not to mention sleep and other enjoyments just to ensure that you’re getting your daily required amounts of proper nutrients. Who has that kind of time? I’d rather play outside (and then have a barbeque). Do your body a favour and eat some meat already.

Stretch, Stretch and Stretch
Especially if you play lots of sports and do lots of hardcore exercising (like boot camp). Stretching not only increases flexibility but it prevents injury and reduces muscle soreness. You may be in denial, thinking that you’re athletic enough to withstand any physiological issues, but believe me, those overworked muscles will catch up with you and then before you know it you’ve got a hip injury which prevents you from playing your favourite sports and your friends start calling you “Gammy” or “Nanna.” Not fun.

Cows Aren’t Always the Best Exercise Model
You see them all over my website. I love them (yes, mainly for the purpose of what they provide nourishment-wise, but I never met a cow who wasn’t friendly); but let’s face it, cows aren’t exactly a role model for fitness. All they eat is “salad” and yet they’re morbidly obese. From the customer query emails asking: “Are you saying that all your clients are cows?” I’ve had to wonder (if not laugh over) the past year whether or not cows work as a brand for selling exercise. In the end, I think those with a good sense of humour, who can bear my meat analogies, and who share a love for beef, ice cream, cheese, butter and anything else cow, are the ones who get what Beef Boot Camp is all about.

Looking forward to another great year with all of you!

Who's the Beef?

2009-08-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Since it’s my participants who make Beef Boot Camp what it is, I’d like to take this opportunity and send a shout-out to my amazing boot campers who keep my job a blast and who make getting up at the butt-crack of dawn virtually painless.

This week, I’m spotlighting my veteran boot camper. She’s been with me since the launch of Beef Boot Camp in March 2009 and she hasn’t missed a class (okay, maybe just one). So without further ado…

Full Name: Tatyana Popova

Nicknames (if any): None that I know of

Family Status: Married with one child

Age: 29 years and 85 months

Occupation: Business owner

Your biggest pet peeve: Lack of table manners

One thing that no one else knows about you: I’m an open book, but you have to read between lines.

Can’t say “No” to: WINE and CHEESE

What does your weekly workout regime consist of:
Beef Boot Camp - 2 times a week every week since March 2009
Yoga - 1 class every other week
Grouse Grind - every Saturday (seasonal)

Favourite Exercise to do: BEEF BOOT CAMP

Least Favourite Exercise to do: Exercise machine at the gym

Your Fitness Strength: Duck walk (a Beef Boot Camp special)

Your Fitness Weakness: Cardio

Where were you born and raised? Russia

When did you move to Canada and why?
When I was 22 years old. To find a nice guy, get married, have 3 kids and have a secure future (I was very naïve).

What do you like most about Vancouver? What do you like least about it?
What I like most about Vancouver is the ocean, mountains, forests, lakes, parks and weather. What I like least is the price of housing and daycares.

Do you miss home, why or why not?
Sometimes on Saturday evenings. We have a great night life in Russia for people over 29 years old.

Why did you decide to try out Beef Boot Camp?
I love to exercise outside, plus the location and time (9am-10am) was just perfect for me.

Have you seen the results you want by participating in Beef Boot Camp, and if so, what are those results?
The results are better than I expected. I shrunk my body size, lost a lot of baby fat, and built muscles. I’ve received comments from a couple of women: “You don’t look like you have had a child.” Priceless! Since most of us spend most of the day inside, it is a great opportunity for your lungs and skin to get a lot of oxygen. One hour of morning sun will give you a very nice healthy glow.

What do you like most about Beef Boot Camp?
It is fun. Every class is different, for the past 6 months there have been no repeats (that must be the reason I’m still going to Beef Boot Camp). The Sergeant is so creative, it seems like she has nothing better to do but create new and fun exercise drills. The reason I don’t participate in other boot camps is because I hate jogging; Lisa incorporates plenty of cardio exercises in the class, without me being bored but tired and breathless. I get to do everything: cardio, strength training and body weight exercises. This is a workout for your entire body. The best thing for me, after every class (6 months, 2 time a week), my muscles are still sore. I love it.

How does fitness differ in Russia compared to Canada in terms of interest, mentality, way of life?
Women in Russia are more obsessed with exercise and diet (more so diet) than men. There are a lot of fancy and prestigious gyms open in Russia now, but not everybody can afford it. The ones who cannot afford it incorporate exercise in their daily life: in the morning they do cardio to catch a bus, then they warm-up and stretch in packed public transportation, they do weight and strength training by going to the market and carrying shopping bags home and then they relax and meditate by cooking a nice meal for their family.

What do you find is the biggest challenge for staying in shape?
My slow metabolism.

What works best for you when it comes to staying in shape?
Exercise, exercise, exercise and diet.

When you’re having one of those days where you just don’t feel like working out or eating healthy, how do you motivate yourself to do the right thing?
The reason I do my workout in the morning, is so I don’t have time to think about how I’m feeling first thing. You just get up and go. If you wait until the end of the day, then thoughts like “I don’t feeling like working out” will creep in. When I was in the process of losing weight, to motivate myself I would try to put on my pre-pregnancy jeans, being unsuccessful is good motivation to be “good.” After I lost the weight and got in shape, thanks to Beef Boot Camp, I put on my new skinny jeans (a size smaller than my pre-pregnancy jeans) and love the way I looked in them. So my motivation is jeans (or the way I look in them)!

What are some tricks, tidbits of information, etc. that you have learned for staying fit?
Exercise in the morning, when you’re fresh and full of energy. Find an exercise that you enjoy doing, then you’ll stick to it. For me it was Beef Boot Camp. For years I was a gym/ fitness drop-out.

Who are better hockey players, Canadians or Russians?
It's just too hard to say!

7 Fun Ways to Beat the Heat (and still get a good workout)

2009-07-31T02:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, obviously swimming is a given, but if you’re fed up with people grabbing your feet and smacking you in the head as you try and do your lengths in an overcrowded pool while perverted kids ogle you underwater with their new industrial strength snorkel masks, then try these various activities to keep cool and toned. Some are free and some require a little expenditure, but when it feels like Hell has relocated from the depths below to your own neighbourhood, there’s room for a little spending!

1. WINDSURFING
If you can do 1,000 reps of bicep curls non-stop then you’ll have an inkling of what windsurfing is like. The bonus if you’ve never done it before is that you’ll spend lots of time in the water (re: falling off the board). It takes a while to master the art of windsurfing, but the amount of work you’ll do just to get up on the board and balance for three seconds while fighting the crush of the wind is more effective than an average workout at the gym. After one beginner lesson I could barely lift my arms to feed myself (another added bonus if you tend to overeat). Plus, did I mention the water part?

Check out Windsure Adventure Watersports at the Jericho Sailing Centre in Kitsilano.
http://www.windsure.com/

2. GO FOR A RUN (THROUGH THE SPRINKLERS)
The key here is to make sure your route runs through as many residential areas as possible—there’s less traffic and more sprinklers. And if your run lasts at least one hour you’re going to want lots of sprinklers. Ideally you want to run through a sprinkler every 3-5 minutes before you’re completely dry and you start crying from the burning heat. If you have to maneuver onto someone’s lawn a bit to get the most of the sprinkler system, that’s okay too, people do crazy things in the heat. Just don’t trample any rosebushes.

3. WATERSLIDES
Go with some friends and make it a fun competition—see how many times you can go down the slides in one hour. The workout part: climbing the umpteenth amount of stairs to get to the top of each slide (think of how toned your legs will be). The fun part: seeing how fast you can go down the slide without incurring a self-induced atomic wedgie by the end.

Check out Splashdown Park in Tsawwassen.
http://www.splashdownpark.ca/

4. BIKRAM’S YOGA
Like the saying goes: “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!” So if you’ve been doing the yoga thing for a while now and you’ve been wanting to try out Bikram’s Yoga, but can’t justify paying the exorbitant cost (or dealing with the eye-watering stench), then now’s your chance to try it out on your very own for free! And you don’t even have to be locked indoors in a stinky, secluded room. You can enjoy the heat of Bikram’s while admiring the beautiful scenery of the outdoors.

5. SURFING
You don’t have to travel to Australia or Hawaii to catch a wave (although if you can afford it, by all means, travel away)! Just hop on a ferry and head over to beautiful Tofino for some board action. One of my all-time favourite water sports, surfing is a blast, and a fantastic workout (even if you are only able to stay up on the board for two seconds at a time). In addition to being an exhilarating activity, it is an intense upper body workout. From paddling out to pushing yourself up into a surfer-dude pose atop your board, it’s like doing a Burpee but without the jump-up at the end (although when you finally manage to get up on that board without falling over, you do feel like jumping for joy).

6. WATER BALLOON FIGHT
A really cheap and oh-so-fun workout. Enlist a group of friends and stock up on some balloons from your local dollar store. Big ones or little ones work well, but from experience, I say in this case, bigger is better. The little balloons are a bitch to fill up and induce serious finger cramping by the time you’ve filled your fifth balloon. Plus, they aren’t nearly as satisfying as the big balloons to throw at someone as they only deliver a tiny spray of water upon explosion. Pick your teams, add some water guns to the mix and you’re ready for all-out war. Try and pick a park that has some equipment (i.e. benches, bushes, a playground, etc.) so that you can run and hide for some real commando fun. You’ll find yourself running, jumping, sliding and diving (just like a regular boot camp class) in no time, all the while staying wet and cool and having a ball.

7. TREAD WATER FOR AN HOUR
You’re keeping cool in the water and you’re getting a full body workout. What more could you ask for? Be sure to pick a body of water that isn’t overheated and that hosts some hot beach-bod lifeguards so you have something tasty to look at as you struggle to stay afloat. If you start to get bored, try humming the theme from Jaws or dunk your head under water a few times while splashing spasmodically and you’re sure to get a closer look at the hot lifeguard.

Whatever activity you choose, just enjoy the heat while it lasts, thank your lucky stars it’s not as hot as India or Sri Lanka and have lots of water and sun block on hand.

Let's Hear it for the Boys!

2009-07-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

I believe that the most effective and successful boot camps are the ones that have an element of competition involved. Nothing pushes you to work harder or run faster than when faced with the challenge of winning or losing. Competition sharpens our skills and strengthens our weaknesses. Without it, we wouldn’t strive to be the best or achieve the impossible. The taste of sweet victory is one of the greatest experiences in life. This is where the boys come in.

I’ve had several participants come up to me recently to let me know that they love having the boys in class and I wholeheartedly agree. One of the first email inquiries I ever received when I started up Beef Boot Camp was from a girl who blatantly asked, “Is your boot camp for Lululemon moms who stand around and talk and can’t even do one proper pushup?” I laughed. I love this question and I love this person for asking it. I immediately responded with a decisive “NO” and assured this person that my target audience was the complete opposite of this stereotype. Thankfully, I have managed to weed out these “Lululemon Moms.” I think of my boot camp participants as athletes in training. While some of my female participants are indeed moms and others do sport Lululemon gear (you gotta love the camel-toe-prevention pant design), the women who attend my classes most certainly know how to do a proper push-up (even if they don’t always execute them as such) and would put the “Lululemon Moms” to shame. The women at Beef Boot Camp take on every single challenge I throw at them and work damn hard. There is no pussy-footin’ around with these gals whatsoever.

But if my classes were just made up of women, the competition factor would start to wane. And that’s because the girls can hold their own against each other. But when the boys come out to play, suddenly the girls are faced with a new challenge. The prospect of beating a guy at a race or lasting longer at a stationary squat is a very satisfying feat to accomplish. Because men are predisposed genetically to be faster and stronger, women can’t help but step up to the challenge of improving their own physicality by testing their speed and strength against the men.

My brother has been attending my boot camp classes for the past two weeks and it has been a blast for both me and my participants. It triggers memories of growing up, how we had on-going competitions in just about everything—first one to get dressed, first one to reach the car, first one to finish eating breakfast (typically followed by first one to puke), etc. As we entered our teens, this transitioned right into sports. Whether it was ping pong, tennis (he killed me every time—he’s a natural pro), baseball or hockey, we were always trying to best one another, and hence improve our game. But best of all, it reminds me how much fun it is to play with the boys.

Plus, the boys never complain, they’re up for anything. Most of them are very easy-going and they won’t bitch and moan if they get wet or dirty, they just want to have fun. And that makes it fun for the rest of us.

My brother and I (and my sister as well), still have a score to settle. For the past three years now, we’ve been postponing a Labour Day swim race that will pit us against each other for a winning pot of $250 (we each put in $50 and my parents put in the rest). Work and busy schedules have always played as excuses, but the fact remains that we keep putting it off each year because we want to be in peek physical condition for the race. We each want to win. Badly. And the idea of winning this race (not to mention the money) serves as motivation to reach our full potential. Which in the end, is the aspiration of all athletes in training.

Okay, and it would be so unbelievably gratifying to finally beat my brother at swimming!

Exercise Examination

2009-07-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

As a Boot Camp instructor, I get a lot of interesting questions thrown my way. Below, are some insights to the most common ones from friends and clients.

1. Should I stop eating after 6pm?

Only if your goal is starvation. This piece of un-expert advice was derived from the same folks who brought you the half-a-grapefruit-a-day diet. It’s not so much what time you stop eating before bed, what’s important is WHAT you’re eating. If you’re feeling hungry and it’s 10:00pm, avoid reaching for the chips and dip that are loaded with fat and zero nutritional value, instead, have some yogurt or a piece of fruit. You will curb your hunger until morning and those nutrients you just ingested will help repair and refuel the body. My cousin eats a bowl of Bran Flakes before bed every night and she’s never had a weight problem.

2. When you have a craving for something, it means your body is lacking certain nutrients, correct?

I’ve heard this one so many times and it always makes me laugh. Especially because I used to use it as one of my excuses for eating whatever I wanted. Cravings are 99% psychological. That means that when you’re craving chocolate, it is not an indication that your body needs calcium or magnesium or antioxidants or whatever trace nutrients can be found in chocolate, it means you want something that tastes good and makes you happy and chocolate is the perfect treat to trigger that pleasant response in your mind. We associate happy thoughts and indulgent rewards with food. Especially food that is high in fat and sugar, which is why it’s so yummy (fat = flavour). So the next time you get a craving for potato chips, don’t justify it by convincing yourself that your body is starving for carbohydrates, remind yourself it’s because you simply love the salty fat taste. Period.

3. I’ve been working out for a couple months now and I don’t see a big difference in my weight loss, what’s taking so long?

Don’t be discouraged. To lose weight at a healthy rate does take time. People who drop 10 pounds in a week are doing a serious disservice to their bodies in addition to starving themselves. And 99.9% of these dieters will put all the weight back on that they initially lost. Remember, you didn’t gain weight overnight, the weight gain happened over one, two or 10 years, so you’re going to have to be patient and commit to a long-term goal of weight loss and maintenance. I’m not saying it’ll take you 10 years to work off your accumulated extra pounds, but give yourself at least a year to get to where you really want to be. By that time you will have changed your lifestyle and as long as you maintain it, you will keep the weight gain at bay.

4. What is the secret to losing weight and keeping it off?

As a contestant on “The Biggest Loser” put it so eloquently: “There’s no secret to weight loss. All you have to do is shut your mouth and get moving!” And she is absolutely right. We have had the solution to weight loss, eternal youth and longevity in the palm of our hands all this time. There are no diet pills or surgeries or hypnotic voodoo remedies that will transform your body. If you eat healthy and exercise daily you will have accessed the Fountain of Youth. I look at my fellow trainers and fitness instructors as the perfect example of this. Those who trained me are well into their 50s and 60s but they don’t look a day over 30. Why? It’s not plastic surgery, it’s because exercise and healthy eating is their religion. They live and breathe fitness and it shows.

5. If I workout regularly, I can eat whatever I want, right?

Only if you’re a teenage boy who plays football, baseball, soccer and lacrosse respectively. Here’s a simple guideline: too much of anything is not good for you. Yes, there is good fat, but too much fat is not good for you. Yes, oranges are good for you, but too many oranges add up to just lots of unwanted calories. If you’re working out regularly you may feel hungrier, which means your body needs more fuel because you’re expending more energy. Makes sense, right? What doesn’t make sense is to go for a run and burn 200 calories and then ingest three slices of pizza totaling approximately 1,000 calories. Do the math. By doing this, you’ve just added 800 calories to your daily food intake and those extra calories turn into fat, which turns into extra pounds. It’s that simple.

6. I just can’t give up the bad foods, why is that?

For many of us, food is an addiction; and it’s easy to see why. It’s part of our culture. We’re ensconced in ads, commercials on TV and marketing on the internet, telling us to eat out, buy this brand of food and cook these special meals. We are conditioned from birth to view eating as a positive, social activity. It’s no wonder it’s always on our minds. Now, I know this is a considerable thing to ask of you, and believe me, I too struggle with it on a regular basis; but you have to completely change the way you look at food. You can’t look at eating as a fun, social activity, but as a means to an end. You can’t treat food as a reward or a pleasurable indulgence, but as strictly fuel for the body. I tell myself this everyday. Food is fuel, nothing more. I won't deny it is a challenge, but with perseverance, it gets easier every day.

7. Walking is just as good as running, right?

Walking to work instead of taking the car is good for you as it is a form of exercise, plus, it’s better for the environment. But if you’re comparing calorie expenditure, then you’re going to have to walk at least 3 hours to burn the same amount of calories as you would from running for half an hour. So it really depends on what your fitness goals are.

8. Does this dress make me look fat?

No. A poor diet coupled with no daily activity does.