Saturday 30 June 2012

The difference between Gluten & Wheat

I have been wheat-free (90%) for the last 2.5months and feel amazing! I have been able to reduce my blood pressure medication, feel more consistent energy throughout the day not a crash at 2pm and don't have the bloating after a meal. My husband has also been on this journey with me and has dropped 10lbs but the biggest change for him is his shape, literally his wheat belly is gone. He is slimmer, more toned, standing up straighter, you can even see it in his face!
Our decision to go wheat free was brought on after i read "The Wheat Belly". It was a very enlightening book and I was disgusted with what is put in our food and still labelled "heart healthy grains"! Anyways, I won't go off on a rant there cause that could take me a long time!
Since I have been on my wheat free diet I have also started seeing a Naturopath and after doing some testing I found out I'm Gluten sensitive. So I'm not allergic to it but my intestines will definitely get inflamed when I eat gluten.
Since I have been told this and have passed this info along to clients and friends, the #1 question I get is "Isn't that the same as wheat?" The answer is NO!

"A gluten free item will always be wheat free, however a wheat free item may not always be gluten free!"
Gluten is a component of wheat.

Wheat is made up ofalbumin, globulin, gliadin, and gluten. The majority of the reactions in a patient that has an allergy to wheat are caused by albumin and globulin.
Gluten on the other hand is an elastic protein that is found in wheat. Gluten is formed when moisture is added to flour. Gluten is commonly found in wheat, rye, barley and some oats. Gluten is what gives yeast based dough its elasticity.

Check out the website below for more info on Gluten-Free vs. Wheat-Free

Eat majority of your diet from fresh foods and read labels very carefully.

Paula



Friday 29 June 2012

Quick at home/cottage workout blitz- 10mins max

Hey everyone,
This is my first attempt at a video on my laptop so bear with me. I didn't talk at all through the workout, just a demonstration. So move your computer chair and make some space for a quick 10min blitz with me!
Repeat this circuit twice, take a 30sec-1min break once you are through the 4 exercises then repeat.

Lunge Jumps- 20x
Push-Ups (can be done on knees)- 15x
Squat Jumps- 15x
Moving Plank- 10x/arm

Enjoy!

Thursday 28 June 2012

Challenge Yourself...with me!!

I hear quite frequently from clients, friends, acquaintances..."Oh I could never do that" but i just want to grab their shoulders and say "YES YOUR CAN, Let me show you!".
I have registered for the Angus Glen 1/2 marathon this Nov (5 months away). This race also has a 5km & 10km race where you can run or walk with all distances. I don't expect everyone to run the 1/2 marathon with me but I'm putting the challenge out to clients and friends alike...show yourself what you can do.
The key to reaching longer distances is training. You don't EVER increase your distance of your long run by more than 10% per week and there should only be 1 "long run" per week. So during the week your distances will not be super time consuming and during the week-end take the time to get your longer run in.
If you have any questions about training schedules or just "Where should you start", contact me and I would love to help you.
You do not need to run the whole race or even 10min:1min, you do what your body can handle and allow you to feel challenged but successful at the end. It all about the challenge and the FINISH LINE! There is nothing line the adrenaline and emotion of all your training coming together to get you to that finish line.
If you are in York Region and want to join us on this Challenge, LET'S do it together.
paula.performancefitness@gmail.com

Race website www.angusglenhalfmarathon.com

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Do you plank properly?

Many of you have done a plank before, there are many different types of planks and modifications that can be made for any person/any injury. It is THE BEST core exercise bar none. The plank works your internal transverse muscle which is the deep core muscle that supports your spine and holds your tummy in tight & flat. So many people get so frustrated when they do hundreds of crunches, leg raises, cross-overs, ect but still have a tummy that doesn't hold in tight. Those exercises work the superficial (outer layer) of abdominal muscles, you need to hit the deep ones in order to have a strong & tight core.
A front plank is when you are on your forearms and toes or knees depending on your core strength, holding your body off the floor in a straight line. It is just a hold, so some people don't think its as effective because they don't feel "the burn" like you can get from crunches. If a plank is done properly though, you will feel the "shakes", your whole core will start to quiver because you are asking it to hold your body weight in a static contraction for a long period of time.
The #1 key part of the plank is holding the pelvic tilt, if you do not tuck your tailbone under and keep it there your lower back will ache and you will not gain the benefits in your abdominals. I have had SO MANY clients tell me they can't plank because it just their back, so usually I ask them to show me how they do it, one quick change in there hip position and the back pain/ache is GONE! I even have a client that has had back surgery because she popped a disc and when we adjusted her so she was in a proper pelvic tilt, no pain at all!
So make sure you relax your upper back & neck and keep your tailbone tucked under (pelvic tilt) and you will fire those lower ab and deep core muscles like nothing else.

Have a question? e-mail paula.performancefitness@gmail.com

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Personal Training through Skype!!

Many of my clients head up to their cottages over the summer and its very hard to be diligent and dedicated to your workouts when its so gorgeous outside and with entertaining friends and family a lot. So most often, these clients will come back to reality in Sept and take 4-6wks to get back to where they were at when they left and even more than that many times to get the weight they put on off!
So when i mentioned to a client that I was going to be investing in a new laptop for work and looking and adding workout videos to you tube for clients she asked if there was any way we could train over the computer! I NEVER would have thought of this idea without that question! So, needless to say, we will be skype training 1-2x per week through the whole summer and she won't miss a beat or lose any results she has gained over the winter and spring. 
Its exactly the same at a personal training session; clients book a time slot with me 30-45mins and then I will "call" them at that time and then we are off and running. I can view technique, change programs to progress, deal with issues that may come up as far a mild aches/pains and modify the program for them, and more!
So this idea could be done for anyone, anywhere really! I have dreamed of reaching more people but just haven't really figured out how yet...NOW IT BEGINS! I am so excited to be able to help so many more people begin their healthy lifestyle journey and many people reach the goals they have been trying to for so long! The Internet is an amazing tool people!
Let me know if you are interested in this service for yourself.
paula.performancefitness@gmail.com
Check out my website for other services we offer 

Monday 25 June 2012

Interesting Appt with my M.D. today

And the saga continues but today thankfully was a little bit better interaction with my M.D. than last time. I was quite nervous about my appointment this afternoon to discuss my results from the hormone testing that my Naturopath did for me because I had gone to my doctor asking for the requisition to have this same testing done and she had denied me. Well apparently my doctor didn't remember that conversation ever happened so that was a good start for me.
She took me back to my water pill for my blood pressure which I had wanted and hopefully work my way off any medication completely through diet changes, no questions at all there so I was pleased. Then i showed her the results from my saliva testing and how elevated my testosterone levels were and she said she has NO IDEA how the saliva testing is measured so she couldn't comment on it at all. So i spun my comment around very calculated to get the answer I wanted and said "well, I know you mentioned blood work is the most accurate testing so could you give me the requisition for my testosterone and then we'll know for sure?" and i got the answer I wanted without a single rebuttal! She did ask me why my Naturopath did the testing in the first place so I told her I asked. The main concern I do have about the blood work for my testosterone levels now is I was never told if I need to go on a certain day of my cycle or a certain time of day. So when she told me 2 months ago that i wasn't allowed to do the testing and when i spoke about she finally shot back "because its not accurate"...but shes totally fine allowing me to do it now. It just seems strange to me. I will now ask my Naturopath when in my cycle I should go to ensure accurate results.
The most interesting thing out of the whole conversation for me was when I asked her what elevated testosterone levels meant, she told me "well some people just have more" and I mentioned that there is some concern about possibility of ovarian cysts and high levels of testosterone can be a sign of that, she looked at me quite confused! Interesting!
I also asked her to go over my results from previous blood work so she read it all for me, I will be asking for a copy of that for my own person files as well.
Keep yourself educated people and go to your doctor prepared and informed about your options. Always know that you can ask questions if you don't feel like things have been explained fully. Understand what and why testing is being done and keep lines of communication fully open between you and your health care practitioner.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

How many calories do You burn in a day??

As some of you may have seen on our Performance Fitness facebook page, I wore my heart rate monitor from 9am yesterday to 9:20pm and burned 1920calories. This was based in my age, height, weight and heart rate continuously through that 12+hr period.
Before I did this I used a Basil Metabolic Rate calculator and figured out the calculation for me and it was approx. 2200calories/day, since I was up at 5:45am but didn't start the monitor till 9am, I know I burned 350-400 calories more than that. This is a really helpful tool on a journey for weight loss and just one piece of the puzzle to figure out the calorie requirement you have specifically, not the "average person of you weight". Then we can look at the activity and food intake to then get the weights coming off.
Here is the BMR (basil metabolic rate) calculator I used
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Step #1
You enter in your weight, height and age then it will give you your BMR
For Example:
I am a 5ft 6.5inch tall, 142lb, 32yr old female
My BMR is 1434.85
This means, my body requires 1434 calories to just be alive. If all I did was lay in bed, dead still my body would still burn that many calories.

Step #2
NOW, the next calculation is based on your lifestyle and how active you are to get your Daily Calories Needs;
  • If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
  • If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
  • If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
  • If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
  • If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
So for me I chose moderately active so it looks like this;
BMR: 1434 x 1.55= 2222.7 is what my body burns in a day

To lose 1lb you need to burn off or eat less to total 3500calories! So if you ate 250calories less/day and did enough activity to burn off 250 more/day, you would lose 1lb in a week. 250 calories less to eat isn't much if you like sugars or processed foods, cut out ice cream at night or the burger and fries at lunch and bring it with you and you'll cut out MUCH more than that! Also in a good 1hr workout, most women can burn 300-450 calories easily and men 550-700 for sure. It really comes down to being aware of your activity and get moving throughout the day and being conscious of what is going in your mouth. If you can keep a food diary you will get off to a GREAT start, who wants to write down the bad stuff we ate, that means we're admitting we ate it!
You can do this people! Calculate your BMR then find out your bodies Daily Caloric Needs and lets shed a few pounds!!
If you ever have any questions contact me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com

Sunday 17 June 2012

"Whine" & Dine!!

Another amazing Couples Bootcamp @ Performance Fitness last night. I focused more on the partner challenges and using your partner as part of the exercise more than just doing your own thing beside your spouse and it was so much FUN! I love seeing spouses laugh with each other and sweat with each other! I think being active together is a VERY important part of a relationship, it shows your spouse that you want to be healthy and feel good and look your best with and for each other. Its usually very hard to find activities that spouse like to do together; hockey is for the boys, spin class or workout classes are for the ladies, you get the gist.
For the first time though, last night we had all 5 couples go out for dinner together after the workout! I really do like making the social aspect just as important as the workout. Why not meet some new friends and other couples that are like minded in their want to stay healthy together. We had a BLAST!
If you are interested in a unique way to start off your date night and want to join some awesome people for laughs in the studio, e-mail me and we'll get you registered. We have 2 dates for Couples Bootcamp...which i may change the name is "Whine and Dine"...kidding!

July 7th- 5:30-6:45pm (Space for 2 more couples)
July 26th- 5:30-6:45pm (Space for 3 more couples)
e-mail me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com

ONLY $40/couple

See you in July!

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Burn crazy calories in NO time with intervals

I have been trying to figure out how to fit more running into my schedule these days so that I can cost through my 1/2 marathon in Nov. This can be a struggle with my schedule. I had a break between clients last night so i hopped on the treadmill, I was planning to run at a steady pace but soon realised that my distance wasn't moving along as fast as I'd like and I only have about 35-40mins before my next client...so out came the intervals!! Sprint for 1min: light jog or walk for 1min. I wore my heart rate monitor to keep an eye on how high I was getting during my sprints; I avg 165-170bpm at the end of the sprints. I know that seem high but you need to understand that you gage your body. At the end of the interval your body should be uncomfortable, it should be a struggle, but that's why you then get a 60-90sec "rest" between the intervals. I would bring my heart rate back down to 145-150 by the time I went up to sprint again. I burned HUGE calories in the 35mins on the treadmill, felt my core like crazy and got my 5km in too!
You can do an interval with ANY PIECE of cardio and you do NOT have to run. You can use incline on a treadmill or find a hill outside and speed walk up it, or just use speed walking with no holding onto the treadmill. You can do it on a bike, elliptical, anything! Do NOT use my heart rate as a gage for your intervals, the best way to gage is to rank how hard the exercise is for you from 1-10. 1= you could do it all day, 10=you have to stop immediately. On your low or "easy" interval you should be at about a 6=6.5 but during the high or "hard" phase you should feel like an 8-9.
Try and use intervals for your next cardio workout and see how many calories you will burn! Its awesome. They are also good to throw in 1-2x week in place of your steady cardio workout. It will allow you to increase your steady cardio level because you are used to pushing yourself beyond that in the intervals.
Try it for 20mins and see how you feel. Follow the guideline:

3-5 min- Warm Up with brisk pace to increase Heart Rate
20 min- Intervals (60sec high: 60-90sec low)
3-5min- Cool Down to decrease Heart Rate
stretch

if you are going to combine with a strength workout, so at the beginning

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Blog it or BUST!!!

I'm not sure what it is about today but I am just FULL of anticipation of what more Performance Fitness is going to do and what we can do to help our community become more active. I hear it over and over again "oh but i can't do bootcamp" or "I can't run" or "I'm too old for that now" or "i have too many injuries/limitations"...There is something for everyone! Whether its at our studio, your regular gym or outside, you can get active and lead a healthy lifestyle for yourself and be an example for your family.
I feel like I need to do more, which most of you know, I really don't have much more time! And I'm sure as my husband reads this he's going to roll his eyes and say I'm nuts!
I am trying to envision what Performance Fitness will look like in 2yrs and in 5yrs and it gets me VERY excited. Possible larger location, more equipment, specialised classes, athlete programs, TRX classes, ViPR classes, feild trips to local organic farms and honey houses, treetop treking...and so much MORE!!!
I feel so blessed to have the support of my amazing husband, my 3 healthy children and all the incredible clients I get to see each & every day. You are all why I do what I do and absolutely LOVE it!!
I'd love some input on new ideas for programs of partnerships with other businesses that would be beneficial for our clients and the studios mission.
We thrive to provide passion, enthusiasm, education and RESULTS for our clients. We understand busy schedules, family and work BUT we also know how much better you feel and are as a person for all those things you need to do each day when you workout.
We want to meet you!!

SMILE!!!

Monday 11 June 2012

July at Performance Fitness- Something for EVERYONE!!!

We have got MANY different Small Group Training Programs, Bootcamps, Mommy & Baby Classes, Running Groups and MORE! See the list of Upcoming programs and go to www.performancefitnesstraining.com to check out the dates and pricing!
  • "Hot Mama's"- Mommy & baby class
  • Couples Bootcamp- 2 dates in July
  • The "Ultimate" workout (6:30-7:15am)- early morning small group training
  • Lunch Bootcamp (mon/wed/fri @ noon)
  • York Region Employee Bootcamp (mon/wed/fri @ 5pm)
  • Evening/Week-end Bootcamp (7pm & Sat 8am)
  • 90min Signature Monthly Bootcamp
  • FREE Running Club
...and SO MUCH MORE!!
Check us out online and e-mail paula.performancefitness@gmail.com if you are interested or have any questions. Group programs are already filling up fast so contact us ASAP.

Saturday 9 June 2012

The Results are in & I was SHOCKED!

if you have been following my blog recently you will know that I went on a mission to find out how my body was functioning and if I was in optimal condition. I have had 3 kids in 3.5yrs, ran 6 marathons in the last 7yrs and opened my own business 1yr ago...I would only assume some hormones or adrenal glands are "off". WELL...I was right but not at all what I expected!!
So here is how my results played out:
1) Adrenals are a little off so I'm on some natural supports
2) Insulin levels are low- because I am off wheat, I tend to not eat many carbs in general so its not a serious concern right now
3) Gluten Sensitive- so it is official; I AM GLUTEN SENSITIVE!! This is NOT an allergy and I honestly assumed everyone would have the same result but when I asked my Naturopath that she told me there are not a huge amount of people who test positive for Gluten, but with the way our wheat is now...we ALL have a wheat issue.
4) My Testosterone levels are OFF THE CHARTS! This was alarming; when was asked if I was on any steroids my jaw dropped!!! My N.D. knew I wasn't but had to ask. So I now have to have a pelvic ultrasound to rule out Ovarian cysts!! Yikes! I will also be doing a liver cleanse and pumping antioxidants & phyto-nutrients into my system.
5) My Blood Pressure is GREAT! I am going to see my G.P. to decrease my dose of medication ad hopefully in 5-6months I'll be off them completely!!
6) For the stress I have put my body through recently I am doing really well!! My body doesn't look very stressed! Yay

So the craziness of trying to get my G.P. On board with these test results so she'll give me a requisition for the ultrasound to rule out ovarian cysts. Stay tuned, my apt is in 2 weeks..wish me luck!

Thursday 7 June 2012

Health Benefits of Bee Pollen

Health Benefits:
BEE POLLEN & YOUR HEALTH:

Bee Pollen is the world’s best-famous natural food.

Bee Pollen is a protein, a complete protein and is the only know food to contain all (22) amino acids, which includes all eight of the essential amino acids needed by the body that we do no produce ourselves in our system.

Bee Pollen contains vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6 and B-12 (this group of vitamins being more effective to us if taken all at once rather than isolated): also Vitamins C , D, H, K, E, Choline, Folic Acid, Panothenic Acid, Rutin.

Bee Pollen contains these major minerals such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Silica, Sulphur, Sodium, Iodine, Chlorine, Baron, Titanium, Zinc and Molydebenum.
Micro Nutrients – (28) minerals are found in the body. Fourteen are essential vial elements present in such small amounts they are called trace elements  or „micro nutrients‟. Pollen contains all (28) minerals.
The overall benefits to taking Bee Pollen:
-- It increases the bodies resistance to stress and diseases and speeds up the healing process.
-- It also possesses age-retarding and rejuvenative properties.
-- Great energy booster
-- Appetite suppressant
-- Weight management ( weight loss & control)
-- Help relieves “seasonal allergies”
-- Lowers blood pressure
-- Asthma
-- Fatigue
-- Pre-menstrual & Menopause
-- Skin Conditions
-- Feeling of Well Being
-- Alertness
-- Sexual Desire and Performance
-- Athletic Endurance
Bee Pollen is the only know food which contains every essential nutrient needed by mankind for perfect health

HONEY
Honey is nature‟s unrefined sweetener and is produced by the bees from the nectar of flowers.
Honey is mostly made up of (2) simples sugars, levulose and dextrose. It is (17%) water and contains traces of maltose, sucrose, vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
Honey is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and is an instant source of energy. Types of Honey:
Liquid Honey: Is extracted from the comb and strained for clarity. All liquid honey will naturally granulate and many be used in that state or be reliquified by placing the container in warm water on stove until all crystals are gone.
Creamed Honey: Is produced by crystallizing liquid honey under controlled conditions:
Comb Honey: Is as it comes “ packaged by the bees” directly from the hive.

BEESWAX
Beeswax is produced by “honeybees”  in their wax glands at a certain age of their life. It takes 8 lbs of honey to produce 1lb of beeswax. as one honeybee exudes was flakes, another collects them off her and after chewing the flake awhile to shape it , she construct their homes in their self-developed, highly efficient shape honeycomb, a shape that is the strongest with the most space and with the least amount of materials and is unsurpassed even by computer generated models.
Beeswax was used as one of the original forms of “light”. The light produced by beeswax is the full spectrum of light. Burning beeswax produces negative ions that circulate the room and attract pollutants, in much the same way as a magnet attracts iron filings.
Dust, odour, moulds, bacteria, viruses and other toxins are captured and then neutralized.

Burning paraffin candles, which are what every other candle that is not beeswax - produces toxic combustion by- products many of which are carcinogens. Parrifin is a petroleum waste product, leftover from the oil refining process. Paraffin produces no negative ions and therefore pollutes the air. The lead in candles is found in the wick for the purpose of making the wick stand up straight. People with respiratory problems should not use paraffin candles nor do those who do not want to develop such problems.

100% PURE CANADIAN UNPASTERIZED HONEY

Monday 4 June 2012

Try it once and you're SUCKED BACK IN!!

As many of you know, I am off wheat 90% of the time and really do feel amazing. I have not had any substantial cravings, weight fluctuations and mood swings. Well, this week-end I was at a retreat with a bunch of ladies and there was dessert at every meal, not to mention the amount of snacks 23 women can bring for the evenings back at the cottage! i tried so hard to be good but all my good intentions went out with window with the chocolate covered almonds! Why can't i refuse them?!
So needless to say I had...some. And now its Monday, back home, back at work and I'm sugar craving! This is insane. I feel like I need a detox from the amount of food I ate this week-end compared to my regular diet, even though the meals where healthy, its still the quantity that can hurt. I feel bloated and jiggly around my waistline...and it was only 2 days!
This just proved to me over and over again, how we need to get on track and stay on track or else we can slide back into old habits VERY easily. I even felt physically drained, mentally foggy and tired just from the food and lack of movement. I AM happy that I can sense what my body needs and how to fix it because many people just have a hard time knowing why they feel lethargic. Sunday morning I went out just for a 25min run and did hills! I got my heart rate WAY up, my breathing was heavy and I was sweating...that's all I need to clear my head and put myself into a MUCH better frame of mind.
So in conclusion, here are my life lessons I learn this week-end;
1) Bring healthy treats for yourself so you wont get tempted by the sugary treats. Then you also won't have to battle your own cravings for the week after
2) Keep moving! Get out side when you can, don't tell yourself you don't have enough time cause you don't need much

Stay on track my friends, i know you can! Summer is coming; cottage season, pool season, vacation time...everything in moderation.

Paula