Fitness Force

Time (or lack thereof) is a reason (or excuse) for a lot of what we do in our busy lives. I promise this. If you have the oil and vinegar on your counter, you can have them mixed together in a jar just as fast as going to the refrigerator to gather the jars and bottles of commercial dressings.

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As the middle of February approaches, I sadly see many previously eager “resolution” exercisers start to lose their motivation. The enthusiasm of those New Years Eve promises of a healthy lifestyle start to feel like work. Why? Because it is -just-hard-work. Fitness and nutrition are so very important to our long term health that I urge you to keep plugging along until it becomes habit. This might take a few more weeks. The body you have today is the one you need to use for years to come. If you keep it fuelled properly and maintained starting from today it will be stronger and serve you better in future years. Here are 4 ways to stay on track.

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I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to hear Sandra E. Black, MD,FRCPC speak on her research and that of others on who gets Alzheimer’s disease, it’s links to other conditions, progression and diagnosis techniques. I cannot begin to repeat the names of the studies or use the medical terms but I can “dumb it down” into some key take away notes that left an impact on me and an opportunity for all of us.

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It’s time to liven up the recipe box again. Here is one that is loaded with nutrient rich ingredients and flavor. Some items might be a little obscure or inconvenient so you should feel free to alter it as you wish. There are lots of healthy recipes and ideas on this website I just found.

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I NEVER eat margarine. It’s far too processed and I read once that it’s only a molecule away from being the same as the container it comes in. I remember that when I was a kid, we lost the margarine container when we moved in August. It was found a week later in the garage…..as good as new. I’m afraid of a “food” product that is that well preserved.

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T’is the season for shopping and gift giving galore! The holidays bring with them the easy excuses for skipping exercise and making bad food choices. Somehow we manage to accomplish this not only for ourselves but also in many of the gift choices that we make for our loved ones. There is no lack of chocolate covered “everything except the kitchen sink” under most Christmas trees on December 25th. It can be a challenge to provide creative, healthy gifts that will bring the same joy as some of the more indulgent options. Here are 10 creative ideas that might fit your budget this year.

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The elderly and athletes may need to supplement their intake of B12 and other B vitamins due to problems in absorption and increased needs for energy production. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetics may also be advised to supplement thiamine. Also, Vitamin B9 (folic acid) deficiency in early embryo development has been linked to birth defects. Thus, women planning to become pregnant are usually encouraged to increase daily dietary folic acid intake.

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If you’re thirsty and looking for a refreshing beverage, water should be your choice. Smoothies are often sold as a drink to go with your meal. In that case you’re consuming a load of calories that are unnecessary. Consider your smoothie to be a meal and use whole food products to support that choice and satisfy your nutrition needs.

Here are two healthy smoothies that I often enjoy for breakfast or a mid day snack when convenience is the name of the game.

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A good question came up at the gym earlier this week. It was actually a bit of a debate that started in a class where some participants were discussing the pro’s and con’s of body type when doing certain exercises. The final question was “does body type or height, make a difference in the difficulty of exercises or is it all relative?” There were varied opinions and lots of sarcasm in the discussion and as followup, I did some research. Here is an overview of what I learned as well as some training guidelines to follow for each body type.

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I need to be clear that we are talking about plain yogurt with either option. The good stuff! Plain yogurt leaves you the opportunity to add your own fruit, seeds or nuts. The switch from fruit bottom or flavoured varieties may seem off putting at first. I guarantee that once you understand the amount of sugar and preservatives that are in the flavoured versions, your health-conscious mind will have a hard time justifying it.

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