Should you nap?

Interesting article on the pros and cons of napping. Link is below.

I am a skilled napper and I am a proponent of 30 minutes maximum. Any longer and I feel groggy and my night sleep is disrupted.

Naps are refreshing and control your appetite.

If you hit the mid-afternoon blahs try to catch a snooze, rather than wake yourself up with sugar and caffeine.

Naps are great, but as the article states, quality nighttime sleep is most important.

Hockey pre-game nap as outdated as wood sticks, wool jerseys: Calgary sleep doctor

Open up those hips - video

A great warm-up or stretch routine for your tight hips.

It is worth the 5:32.

2012 fit tip #4

Educate yourself on nutrition and discover what works for you.

You can take some advice from a friend/co-worker/dietitian/nutritional guru, but don't follow it blindly.

What works for someone, even a family member, may not work for you.

Also, make sure to enjoy food.

You need to make healthy choices 80% of the time, but make sure you devise a plan that lets you eat healthy food that you enjoy.

And remember, it is all up to you.

No one is forcing you to eat bad.

At the end of the day, it is you who makes good or bad food choices.

Staying motivated all year

How do you stay committed to training all year round?

Here is a short video on my approach.

2012 fit tip #3

Strength training 2-3 times per week is more important than "cardio".

If you want to drop weight, lose fat, and look good, then you need to get stronger.

Stick with the fundamentals.

Squatting, dead-lifting, pushing, and pulling.

All of these movements can be modified for any age and ability.

It never hurts to get stronger.

Weight Loss Scam

I came across this display yesterday while at a big box store in Kanata.

It is scary that weight loss pills are allowed to be marketed this way.

Essential winter supplements

Ascenta NutraSea is my Fish Oil of choice.

I am not promoting Popeye's, but they always sell it for the lowest price.

Make sure to take your vitamin D as well.

I upped my dose from 1000 to 2000 IU last week and have been feeling much better.

It may be a placebo effect but that is fine with me.

Don't let the January blahs get you down.

Programmed to be Fat - video link

I watched this documentary on The Nature of Things last night.

Fascinating look at how chemicals in our environment may be making us fat.

It's not all about calories in and calories out.

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/programmed-to-be-fat.html

Just get it done

On weekdays I usually start training clients at 6am.

January is always a challenging month to get people motivated to exercise, especially when it is so early in the morning.

It's cold outside and it's still dark.

Staying in bed seems like a better option.

Yesterday my 6am client explained it best.

She said that even though she didn't feel like working out, she knew it was best just to get the workout done.

I think that was a great way to sum up training in January.

Even if you feel like you are just going through the motions, it's better than doing nothing at all.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and just get it done.

2012 fit tip #2

Success comes to those are consistent with their workouts.

Don't think of fitness as an 8 week kick.

Fitness is a lifestyle, so you need to make it a regular part of your week.

25 to 35 minute workouts done three to four times per week are much easier to fit in than anything longer.

Make your workouts as convenient as possible.

Work out at home, or go to a location that is not too out of your way to reach.  

2012 fit tip #1

Don't buy a gym membership or a piece of exercise equipment this month.

If you want to committ to getting fit and healthy then use January as a time to establish better eating habits.

Don't start an unsustainable diet.

Focus on dramatically reducing sugary and highly processed foods.