Get the most out of EVERY workout

Most people have some sort of fitness and health goal but not everyone has a gym membership or cannot afford one. I'm here to tell you that no matter if you can get to a gym or not, you can change your body with VERY minimal equipment! Its all about consistency and challenging your body.

So as far what it looks like in your life here goes;

• Commit 45mins 4x week to YOU! Work with your partner/spouse and have them on your side, if they are not and you know this is a priority for you than maybe talk to other friends/family members who can help if you have children who need to be taken care of to give you time to workout
• Have a minimal repertoire of equipment at home; stability ball ($25) and tubing (medium tension- $20)
• Make an awesome play list to rock to and that will keep your "head in the game" when you're really working hard
• Get rid of the high sugar and processed foods/drinks from the house. Shop smart and be organised so you don't fall into the "I am too busy" to eat properly
• Get yourself a big water bottle and drink constantly! Your body requires and thrives off water so nourish it and it will reward you with some great results and energy.

So now that you have committed to these principles, you are ready to make some big changes! You will feel better mentally and have more energy as well as start to see those inches drop and weight go down. 

The main principles to follow when designing a home workout are; functional exercises (more than one muscle group working in each exercise), start with big muscle groups and work down to smaller, CORE CORE CORE, keep your heart rate up for as long as possible (no big breaks between exercises).

Check back soon for some sample home workouts using your body weight, stability ball & tubing.

If you want more specific info, e-mail me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com

Meet the newest edition t our family...Coming March 2013

 Man Baby #4 was waving when it saw Abby watching him/her.

 Abby loved it!

This little one is doing very well and  moving like a champ at 

only 19wks along. 

Can't wait to meet him/her in a few short months

What will people remember most about you?

My husbands Grandmother passed away this past week-end and we had the funeral today. It was such a celebration of her life with great stories, lots of laughs and smiles all around.
She lived a long life of 93yrs and has 36 great grand children and 2 more own the way. It's said family is your greatest blessing and I totally agree. She was a God-fearing, loving, inspirational and family center woman.
It got me thinking, not to be morbid, but what will people remember about me when it's my time to go? We never know when that will happen so we need to live everyday and every MOMENT to the fullest. Think selflessly, love passionately and give whole-heartedly.
Make your moments, days and years count !

How to prevent Diastasis during pregnancy

First of all, what is a Diastasis you ask? It is a separation in the abdominal wall that happens as a woman belly gets larger during pregnancy. It separates the abdomen into left and right along the linea alba. Some women don't ever experience a Diastasis and some women never recover from them!
There are some simple ways to work your core muscles to try and prevent this from happening and there are some things you should avoid to ensure this doesn't happen.

1) plank plank plank- this exercise is incredible for strengthening your core as a whole, not just one part of it. It holds everything tight from your spine rot around to your abdomen. It also doesn't cause any added pressure from the inside out during pregnancy and can be modified to suit any stage of pregnancy. Plank can also be done in conjunction with your keagels to ensure a solid core & pelvic floor for during and after delivery.
2) DO NOT CRUNCH! Crunches put added pressure on the adbdinal muscles and push from the inside as the baby can only move forward as you decrease the space while crunching. This pressure can cause the muscles to push apart. Once the separation starts you don't want to do anything to enhance it so all the core work should be holding your body in a straight position and contracting your core to hold on toes or knees.

Front planks and side planks are some of the most challenging and effective abdominal exercises. So the great news is that you can continue these exercises through your pregnancy! Stay strong and active throughout your pregnancy and you will have an easier recovery after labour, possibly easier labour and to get your body back to pre-baby condition is MUCH easier.

I am a mama of 3 young girls and pregnant with my 4th and I have been active through all my pregnancies, in many different ways. Having done this, I have been able to "bounce back" relatively quickly and I completely attribute my attitude, focus, patience (some days) with my kids and being able to balance family and being self-employed to my faith and my fitness.
So keep active whatever way you love and if you need more tips, ideas or modifications for pregnancy contact me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.Com

Happy Thanksgiving; enjoy but don't set yourself back

I always love thanksgiving, almost as much as Christmas. The time we spend with family, the laughter of cousins playing together and of course THE FOOD!
I try hard but lets be honest it is a holiday and there will be special treats, deserts and usually more alcohol that most week-ends. There are ways to still stay on track though, here are a few tips to keep in mind this thanksgiving:
1) aim for 2/3 of your dinner plate to be filled with protein & veggies
2) if you plan to have some wine, consider that your carbs for the meal
3) GET MOVING! Use the time off and go for a family hike, run or bike ride
4) be smart with you cooking/baking. Make foods that are low in fats & sugars but high in taste
5) take some time to reflect on what we are celebrating this week-end. We are truly blessed to be in this country and all the freedoms we take for granted. Let those around you know how much you appreciate them.

Have an amazing turkey week-end and drink LOTS of water!

Paula

My 3yr olds food sensitivity results were stagaring

So let me give you some background on my daughter and why we had her tested. This little one is VERY emotional, she has massive highs and then massive low and its always based around food, we know we can "fix" it with giving her something to eat. BUT we weren't sure if what we were giving her were triggering her emotions or helping. Her personality almost borders on ADHD some days.
So let me tell you, this was an enlightening experience for us. Her triggers were ALL THINGS PROCESSED! Everything man-made triggers emotions for her. White sugar, nitrates and artificial sweeteners are her biggest triggers. What blows my mind is the symptoms for her are not physical, like a stomach ache or diarrhoea, they are things stemming from the brain! That is how messed up the food is that we trust and eat from our "tested and good" government standards.
I will now take this opportunity to rant a bit; what is in our foods now that our bodies will physically have brain/emotional reactions to it?! SICK! I don't want you to think that I'm saying you need to only eat organic everything and never eat out, etc...i eat out and get the occasional McNugget meal for my kids but we CANNOT make the majority of our meals fast food because our bodies cannot thrive on it, it is not real protein or real grains, it has been processed and genetically modified to suit the needs of the suppliers to make money and cut the bottom line! Ok that's my own personal thoughts out there now, I feel better.
I have now have my 5yr old and my 3yr old tested because of different signs we see in them and I'll tell you, just from changing what my 5yr old was eating there hasn't been a single complaint of a tummy ache. I will be adjusting what my 3yr old is eating now and hoping to be able to communicate with her better and help her manage her emotions because it gets to the point where she can even express what she's feeling! It's so hard for us all.
Please educate yourself on food and know the benefits of taking the time to make your meals as much as possible at home, the cost is much less and it definitely does taste better and the benefits to your body are HUGE!
Thanks for listening to me rant :)

Paula

We are GROWING! Are you the one we're looking for?

Performance Fitness is looking to add another amazing, energetic, motivated & experienced Fitness Professional to our team.
We specialise in one-on-one training and group bootcamps/circuit classes. We have grown to a point where we need to add more programs to keep up with the demands of our clientele, what a great problem to have!
Performance Fitness is a leading personal training studio in York Region that prides itself on getting our clients results. We train hard and have a BLAST doing it. Our clients know that they will come to us and sweat, work their butts off but leave with a smile on EVERY session.

The qualified applicant should have/be:

• Certified Personal Trainer
• Kinesiology/Rehab Training background (recommended)
• Experience with functional training
• Knowledge of TRX Suspension Trainer & RIP Trainer, ViPR Training
• Experience with Small Group Training
• Willing to learn 
• Motivated and energetic
• Experience
• Willing to work early mornings and evenings

We look forward to adding some amazing new people to our team and to bring our clients more of what they love! Check out www.performancefitnesstraining.com for details of who we are and what we do.

Send resumes to paula.performancefitness@gmail.com or call 905-715-2666

Can't wait to meet you!