No More BABY WEIGHT!

How many of you moms had every intention of working out while off on mat leave, having all this time to prep meals and workout with your baby? And how many actually have done that?!?! IT'S REALLY HARD! Babies don't sleep through the night, babies need fed ALL THE TIME, babies need held or get sick or your boobs are sore or you are healing from delivery...and so on.

First of all, THIS IS NORMAL! So don't worry about or feel bad that you haven't done what you intended to do because LIFE happens. Also, don't look at anyone else and compare yourself to them, you have no idea what they are struggling with or what their life is like. Your body created an incredible human being....HEEEELLLLLOOOOOO! That's WICKED! Be proud of that and let's work on creating a happy healthy you in the time that is reasonable for you to commit to,

I have recently revamped how I am doing my own workouts and how I train my clients to get optimal results in a shorter amount of time. EFFICIENCY is the key! And how do we do it??? TABATA Training.

Tabata Training is when you choose 1 exercise/movement and do it for 20sec then 10 sec rest and repeat that for 8 rounds (it totals 4mins), then you move on to a new exercise/movement. This doesn't sound like it would be that hard, but don't be fooled it's intense. The best thing is that people can wrap their minds around 20secs and knowing that after 4mins they never have to see that exercise again (that day) it makes it manageable. Tabata is so efficient because it burns a TON of calories in a very short period of time....THAT'S THE KEY.

25mins a day, 4 days per week...can you do that?! You need to ask yourself a question; How unhappy are you with where you are at and how badly do you want to change and feel back to the real YOU? If you are ready to make a change then you will MAKE time for these workouts.

Here is an example of a Tabata workout that can be done at home;
#1- wide squat with bicep curl and shoulder press (this one is great to start with because it warms up the whole body)
#2- Bentover Row
#3- Plank
#4- Plie Squat with Overhead Tricep Extension
#5- Push Up with Rotation (toes or knees)
Then stretch!!!


I combine tabata training with clean eating and many clients use the Transform30 to kickstart their routine for the first 30 days. I have a website, recipes, support and more during that program as well. Here is a link to the T30 healthy eating program if you're interested

If you'd like to really get yourself back on track, healthy lifestyle not just weight loss, fit not skinny and HAPPY IN YOUR BODY then email me and I'd love to connect via skype, zoom, Facebook, etc.

My "Wheat Freedom Adventure" Part 2

As you read earlier last week, my hubby and I are on a wheat free regime now and its going amazingly well. We have 1 meal a week that is our "cheat meal" and last night was that. We went out for sushi with friends and it was interesting, tummy felt fine but the puffy fingers today from water retention (which is common) made me feel "fat". I haven't felt that bloated feeling since Day 1!
Tonight at my parents for dinner it was burgers and chicken, so no bun for us and veggies with the burgers...a breeze. Then came dessert, yes we gave in. But HOLY CRAP did we pay for it; Nick was in the bathroom within 30mins of finishing and I had gut rot along with a sugar headache! I'm not kidding you!
So this is clearly an "Adventure" in how our bodies respond to food for sure. We are both learning what we just took as normal before is not that at all, its our bodies telling us "this is not what we want or what we need" to function properly.
If you have gone wheat free or are trying it let me know how you're feeling? And if you want to join me in this adventure..DO IT!
Until next time....

My "Wheat Freedom Adventure"

So as of Monday April 9th, 2012 I decided to embark on a new "food adventure" and test out some theories on the effects of wheat on my body. I have gone wheat-free for a few days/wk and little bouts here and there but never consistently for longer than a few days.
I work very long days and I had been noticing a real lull in my energy early afternoon as well as cravings for sugar or just food later at night light 9-9:30pm and I know from many years of education and research in my field that my body does NOT need to eat, its merely a habit or an imbalance in my body that starts to tell my brain I need it. Losing weight is not at all my goal out of this experiment; it is 100% for internal health of all my organs and my brain along with overall consistent energy throughout the day, no "brain-fog" for half the morning and no bloated belly half the time.
So I told my hubby about my plans and as usual he asks why I'm always so extreme and "one-sided" with what I try to follow. He told me that this "diet" was crazy. Once the word diet came out I proceeded to tell him about what I had learned from reading the research in "The Wheat Belly";
1) wheat/gluten crosses the blood-brain barrier and attaches to the same receptors at opium drugs! The ones that make people have the munchies and makes people addicted! So it is 100% an addictive food. They use a gluten-free diet to treat mental illness in some well known facilities...does that not set off a warning sign in anyone else’s head?! It did in mine
2) The insulin response our bodies have when we eat wheat specifically placed fat around our bellies but the scariest part is that the fat is visceral fat. That is the deep fat that surrounds your organs, the most dangerous fat
3) For men, it also increases estrogen production so not only is there belly fat but also "man boobs"...and the list goes on! So needless to say, he reluctantly has joined me on this adventure and I might add, is doing VERY well.
I have also been reading Dr. Natasha Turners "The Carb Sensitivity Program" and it has a very easy to follow meal plan with all recipes and LOTS of options to help you go wheat-free. She also then introduces carbs back into your diet one at a time so you can see if you have any sensitivities, I’m not doing that part...done that already.
The main guidelines we are following are:
1) Breakfast- scrambled eggs with meat and veggies (doesn't take long) or Smoothie with fruit, almond milk, vegan protein powder, ground flaxseed & spinach
2) Snacks- cheese, raw nuts (no limit), Greek yogurt, smaller smoothie, boiled eggs
3) Lunch- Salad or raw veggies and hummus, chicken or fish
5) Steamed or raw veggies with lots of protein (fish, chicken) avocados, salad, and lettuce leaf tacos
6) Evening- green tea

I am proud to say that I have not had a craving all week! Nick on the other hand would have given his left arm for some bread by Wednesday so he had a small portion of rice noodles with a meat sauce but then was fine! I have felt amazing this week, even with an insane work day wed (7:30am-9pm) I had lots of energy and focus. Also, NO BLOATING!! And a pretty cool side effect is I’m down 2lbs, so wont complain about that either.
This is definitely a commitment and not done easily so if you are thinking about it make sure you have time to plan your meals. I did a big shop on Monday for all our meat/fish, nuts, and avocados to make sure we were stalked up or we would crash and burn.
So YAY for week #1 on my Wheat Freedom adventure, I’ll keep you posted on how it goes each week.

http://www.performancefitnesstraining.com/

Exercise makes you a "whole new person"

Yesterday my hubby went out mountain biking with my brother and brother-in-law; I have always know the positive effects exercise has on our outlook on life and frame of mind but it was SUPER obvious to me yesterday in him. We had a really busy week-end of Easter festivities and we were both tired by sunday afternoon, but when he came home from being out in the fresh air, getting his blood pumping and having some fun with the boys...he was in such a good mood and that lasted for the whole rest of the evening. He was more relaxed with the kids, didn't let little things get to him and he even said that evening that he really felt like he needs to "enjoy" our time with the kids and our family more instead of feeling like we're "on top" of them for most of the week-end. To put this into perspctive for some of you, we have a 4.5yr old, and 3yr old and a 1yr old daughter so you can imagine what life can be like in our house at times!
So get yourself moving and enjoying this weather since spring has come early and not only will you feel the difference, others will SEE it!

"Take it outside the gym" by Paula Man

Take It Outside the Gym

Who says you need to have a gym membership to be in shape...NOT ME! There are so many great things you can do at home or outside that require very minimal cost or equipment. Many of them would be fun with your family as well!!

Cardiovascular activities, such as, biking, jogging, soccer, roller blading, basket ball, football and ultimate frisbee are great for burning calories and improving cardiovascular endurance. The key things to remember though are 1) you must get and keep your heart rate elevated for a 20 min+ period of time to see improvements in endurance and 2) you must do these types of activities 3-4x per week. If you follow those 2 guidelines you will see improvements in your endurance, increased energy levels, a more positive frame of mind and usually weight loss!

To gain more strength and tone there are also many options that you can do outside or in your home. In my opinion, the best and most cost effective pieces of equipment you should invest in are a stability ball (approx $25) and tubing (approx $15). With these 2 pieces of equipment you WILL gain strength, tone, and lose inches. With the tubing you can wrap it around a stair banister or support post at home and outside you can use a tree, fence or park bench as your anchor. The stability ball I would use in the house or possibly deck but not on grass in case something sharp pokes a hole in it. It is a great tool for core and legs though.

Here is a sample workout that can be done at home or outside...or ANYWHERE!

Equipment: Medium Tension Tube, yoga mat (optional) & YOU

Warm-up: do each of the following for 45-60sec

*stationary squats (not too deep, keep your weight in your heels), toe touches (opposite hand touches opposite toe then switch back and forth), arm circle (in both directions), plank (shoulders relaxed & pelvic tilt!)

Workout: perform each of these exercises for 60 secs; do as many as you can with proper form in the 60 secs

1) Chest press (with tubing anchored behind you)

2) Row (with tubing anchored in front of you)

3) Mountain Climbers (on hands and toes, body flat, Pull 1 knee into your tummy then switch)

4) Walking lunges (when stepping keep front knee over ankle when you drop down into lunge, both knees should bend to 90 degree. If you experience any knee pain don't go as low, modify to what suits your body)

5) Planks (on forearms and toes)

6) Bicep Curl (standing on centre of tubing)

7) Tricep kickbacks (tubing anchored in front of you, tip forward from the hip so your back is almost parallel to ground and keep elbows at your sides. Push hands back till arms straight then bend elbow to 90 degrees and repeat)

It is up to you whether you have enough time or strength to complete this circuit twice or more. If you are a beginner to exercise or haven't done much in a while start with one time through and see how you feel. This circuit should take you about 15-20 minutes total so ideally doing 2x through is still very manageable for a busy mom or dad. This type of workout should be done 2-3x per week in order to see the results quickly. There are MANY different options that can be given besides this workout so feel free to contact me if you need some modifications or variety.

I must say this as well though, no matter how hard you workout, if your diet is filled with processed carbs and sugars you are sabotaging your results. The eating plan should always go along with the exercise plan. When you put the two into action together you will be floored by how fast you will feel better and see physical changes. Healthy eating and getting active is the key.

So there is absolutely NO REASON why we all can't get active, get outside with our families and see that results we've been looking for. No gym membership needed! Recruit some friends to join you and the accountability is awesome! I have grown from 3hrs/wk of small group training to over 10hrs/wk just because of some pretty amazing results but even more so, the social aspect and accountability that the participants get.

If you have any questions about this article or Performance Fitness and the programs we offer, please contact me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com.

Get outside and get in shape! Have a great day!

Paula Man

I'm DEFINITELY Felling that run!!

I had an afternoon with no kids and no clients yesterday so i did a few errands but I then decided to put all my house hold chores aside and get out for a run! It was AWESOME! I have been trying to get my butt back in gear with my regular running so i can do another half marathon and within a year hopefully a full. For me its all about setting goals and booking the races and then I make time for it. I have many clients and members who are runners and it seems to the general consensus; book the race and you will train...talk about doing a race, you will make excuses.
So here is my plan ladies and gentleman, and you can hold me accountable; do a 10km before the end of the year, a half marathon by the spring or 2013 and a full by the end of 2013!! There, I said it so now I have to do it.
I will be starting a running group in May/June where anyone can come and run together from the studio. This will not have a fee to it, its just an accountability tool to get everyone back on track with their goals as well as myself and my training. So I'll keep you posted on the start date.

You Are Beautiful; Believe It!!

You are Beautiful; Believe it!!

How many times a day do you look at another woman and compare yourself to her? How often do you wish you just "had her legs" or "had the time like she does" to workout or “had more money to have a personal trainer?”

I have many female clients and recently I have had many discussions about our images of ourselves and how we are never happy with ourselves. I've seen so many people reach the goals that they have set but they are still not happy. I myself do the same thing and it has been on my mind a lot lately. Why aren’t we happy with ourselves? We are beautiful! We are special, individuals that have been created for a purpose and our families need us. We teach our children without even realizing it -- they see and hear what we say about ourselves and how unhappy we can be because of mere superficial images of ourselves.

One of the biggest and best parts of my job is to show my clients how amazing they are and how far they have come and just how important it is that they are taking time for themselves. I hear repeatedly how their family, husbands specifically, are 100% behind them being active and working out because they see the positive change in their wives. We are happier, more positive and our relationships are deeper when we are confident in who we are as women and individuals.

When you can take time for you and foster a good self-image and know what an amazing person you are inside and out that energy is felt by all those around you. Take some time to find out what makes you happy and what you love about yourself and your life. For me it’s my husband and my 3 beautiful daughters, as well as a passion for my clients and getting more people involved in a revolution in fitness and health. As far as what I love about myself, that takes longer to nail down. I'm happy with my figure and weight but many times I find small things to complain about but my husband always brings me back and I love him for that. Physical activity is not just for adults to gain back control of their lives and prevent or decrease physical health issues. Physical activity has been proven to increase self-esteem, self-image and decrease anxiety and decrease depression.

Many times we get so caught up in busyness of family, work, and programs for kids that we don’t take time for us. Once that happens things tend to head down hill physically and mentally. We need to “find ourselves” again and focus on what we love about us. Once you find what you love about "being you" then dwell on that, make time for yourself. Whether that is working out, yoga, massages, meditation, or many other forms of relaxation. Once you put these practises into place many changes will happen internally and externally. You will be more confident, you will show love easier, you will teach your children to love themselves for who they are and you will also help to balance out hormones internally which then helps us sleep better, have less belly fat, drop weight easier and have a healthy sex drive.

So many amazing changes happen just by focusing on the good in your life and getting back to the basics! You are worth the time, the focus and the results! Try these few easy tips and I promise, you will be smiling from ear-to-ear!

Paula Man
www.performancefitnesstraining.com