Exercising on a Budget

If you can purchase healthy food on a budget using math and food smarts, then it stands to reason that you can also exercise on a budget if you exercise that big muscle of grey matter in between your ears.

It can be a challenge, but if you love a good puzzle then put your brains to work and you can find lots of frugal ways to exercise.

#1. Walk

Easiest and simplest way to exercise. Don't even need shoes, although if walking in the winter you should probably wear boots.

An one hour walk every day, walking 5 km, for a person weighing 200 lbs burns 371 calories. Do that every day for 100 days and you will burn approx. 10.6 lbs of fat. Over the course of a year that is 38.6 lbs.

And the more weight you lose the faster you will go. By the end of the year you will be walking closer to 6 or 7 km in an hour.

#2. Special Offers

Many personal trainers, gyms, yoga studios and bootcamps offer free trials or low cost trial options, anywhere from a free session, to one week or a free month at the gym. Local deal finders such as Toronto Groupon, Meetup Groups for Toronto, Living Social and Daily Deal Finder regularly offer fitness related savings.

#3. Hire a Personal Trainer who fits your Budget

If you can afford $35 per month for a personal trainer, then you can afford a private personal trainer. Its that easy. (Me for example, if you live in Toronto.)

If you try to hire a personal trainer in a gym it will be $80 to $90 per hour, but you can get one session per month with a private trainer for a lot less. (Gyms charge a lot of money for people to hire their personal trainers, and the trainer themselves often are only paid $20 per hour or less.)

You don't have to be a celebrity these days to hire a personal trainer. Anyone can afford them.

And when you consider a gym membership is $70 to $100 per month, plus parking and equipment, having a trainer and then training in your home or condo or beach or park is way cheaper. And the trainer provides all the equipment during sessions.

#4. Body Weight Exercises

If you explore my Frugal Exercises posts you will find no shortage of cheap and easy exercises you can do that use your body weight instead.

Thus even without a gym it is still possible to get into great shape by using your own body resistance. Exercises like push ups, squats and running up and down your stairs will get you fit really quickly.

#5. Outdoor Activities

Walking isn't the only activity you can do outside. Running, cycling, rollerblading, swimming, ice skating and even tennis will get you great results. Toronto has plenty of free tennis courts and ice rinks you can take advantage of. Tennis racquets can get expensive, but you can buy a new barely used one on Craigslist if you shop smart. I got my tennis racquet when someone in my building left it behind when they moved. Cost? Nothing!

#6. Abandoned Exercise Equipment

Honestly some people just throw this stuff out. You can also find stuff on Craigslist (and barter to get a better price sometimes by offering $5 less than what they are asking). You can ask around amongst friends or family if they have any equipment they aren't using. Easy.

#7. A Home Gym

Getting your own home gym doesn't have to cost a lot. A couple dumbbells, free weights, a mat and stability ball will do the job nicely. A skipping rope or football can be used for a variety of frugal exercises. If the equipment is always there, just put on some music and get to work!

#8. Make your Own Equipment!

Honestly, you can make your own dumbbells. It just requires you to be ingenious about your building methods.

Customized Personal Training Programs

I think North America's obesity epidemic has started to scare people into exercising more and being more health conscious. The problem is that there is so much false information being pushed by people, often just looking to sell their book, gadget or DVD - or just trying to make a name for themselves.

Thus I have a beef with the hotshot personal trainers who are trying to push their own vision of how they think people should be exercising - pushing their own biased agenda, geared towards sales.

Meanwhile us grunt personal trainers are doing the opposite - We create personalized training programs which are customized for the individual. Each program is unique and each personal trainer will have a different approach to how they help out their client, depending on their client's needs and desires.

Yes, its true, the fitness industry has exploded in North America over the past ten years as the Obesity Monster reared its ugly head... And exercise is now considered a pillar in the average person's weekly wellness regimen. (Because apparently people before the rise of cable TV and internet didn't need to be reminded to go outside and exercise.)

But just because its so high demand now doesn't mean hotshot celebrity personal trainers should be pillaging anyone foolish enough to give them money - and to do so by spreading false information that their exercise program / routine is special and is "one size fits all".

No exercise routine is one size fits all. Want to know how I know? Test it out on teenagers and see how many of them get bored in the first 5 minutes.

Creating a customized and personalized approach to exercising for the individual client is all about what personal training is supposed to be.

And its cultural too. What works in Toronto may not work as well in a different social setting where people have different priorities and customs.

The same goes with gyms.

Gyms will look very different depending on the cultural setting. A gym in Toronto will look very different from a gym in Beijing or Sri Lanka or Athens.

Many people still picture a gym or health club with a bunch of beefcakes on the free weights, acting all macho and betting on who can benchpress more. Plus the weight loss hopefuls on the treadmill, and ladies with 2 lb dumbbells in step class at the aerobic studio. Complete stereotypes, largely fueled by the advertising industry during the 1980s.

But each gym is different. Some gyms are more like yoga studios. Some are boxing studios. Some gyms have pools and saunas. Picking a gym that is closest to you is not really making a choice. Its just convenient. A gym that has all the facilities and equipment you want however makes a big difference in how often you will go and exercise.

And by the same token, personal trainers do the same thing. If your trainer makes the activity fun for you and challenges you then you will keep coming back for more. If they don't then you will eventually quit and/or find a different trainer.

And that is really a wise thing to do. Shop around and find the personal trainer that works for you.

Times have Changed

With the implementation of age appropriate exercises, personal training, more options and better programming, fitness has finally shed its image as an activity for people who are body obsessed narcissists, and is recognized for its other benefits such as stress management, vitality and longevity.

The industry has also been helped along by a not-so-gentle push from family doctors urging their patient's into the gym, by prescribing fitness to cure everything from reoccurring colds, high blood pressure and depression.

It has reached a point that if I walk down Yonge Street in Toronto its almost impossible for me to not see someone carrying a yoga mat strapped to their back.

And thanks to higher gasoline prices the number of cyclists on the road keeps going up.

Personal trainers can customize fitness programs based on age, goals, strengths and limitations - and how much fun you want to have while exercising. Trainers will work one-on-one with couples, children, the elderly, groups of friends and even entire families.

Even though you and your family / friends may have different goals, the personal trainer can compensate by giving you exercises that work on your combined goals and different exercises you can do simultaneously or when you are not with the trainer in person.

Having a customized approach makes a big difference for whether you succeed. Don't fall for any snake oil salesman selling an "one size fits all" exercise routine because you are not "one size". You are you and you are ever changing and unique.

Healthy Meal Plans for Work

Working a 9 to 5 doesn't have to mean a lifetime of fast food and chocolate bars. If you truly want to improve your health, plan to eat well and put the time in to make it happen. Many people struggle with meal planning and this leads into missed breakfasts, nutrition deprived lunches, and fast food dinners.

So how do you correct this problem and solve your lunch woes?

#1. Eat a BIG Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Make a large well balanced meal with fibre, fruit/berries/veggies, juice, milk and protein (eggs, bacon, pancakes). If you eat a healthy breakfast you won't be starving at lunch.

An omelette takes less than 3 minutes to make. (I've timed it.) And its healthy! Just have the veggies readied, the pan already on the stove... just add canola oil, turn on, add eggs, stir in veggies, and voila, done.

1. Make Double or Quadruple

By making extra for dinner, you can easily save additional portions for work the next day (and the next and the next...). Soups, stews and grain dishes work really well here. If you pack leftovers to reheat the next day, a sandwich to eat on the go, and some fruit, you already have your work days covered!

2. Make Snack that will survive the week.

By preparing healthy muffins, hummus with cut veggies, or trail mix, you can easily grab and go any time during the week. If you do the prep work on a Sunday, then these in between meals are quick and ready for work, when you are!

eg. Did you know Jell-O has protein in it? And for its size its mostly water, so it makes for a fairly healthy snack / dessert.

3. Stock Alternative Fruits

Buying variety for fruits at the supermarket make a difference when you want something different every day of the week. Apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, salads with peppers. Maybe not tomatoes however because they don't travel well.

4. Have Breakfast laid out and ready

Have your breakfast items on the counter, or pre-made in the fridge, speeds things up. I like the breakfast muesli. You can prepare it the night before and its ready to eat. Just add chopped fruit and milk. It is just like putting your exercise clothes out the night before - if its there you will wear it / eat it.

5. Make a plan while you are commuting

What else do you have to think about in the car or on the TTC subway? (Commute times in Toronto are the longest in the world.) You have lots of time to plan.

Even a loose outline of how you would like to eat during the week will help significantly. Plan for meals that will last, can be saved, and require little to no prep time at work.

Note: Having lots of quality packaging (easy to clean and use) makes a big difference too.

6. The lesser of Two Evils

There will be days when you are too busy and none of these tips will work. In the case of a failed fresh food day, grab a low cal frozen entree in the place of vending machine or greasy food court fare. While the sodium will be high, and the food will be pumped with preservatives, it's going to be better than anything you could buy in greasy food court portion sizes!

Weightlifting During Pregnancy + After Having Kids

Many women are now weight training seriously in ever-greater numbers. As a result it is inevitable that many will become pregnant and worry about how best to adapt their training to the demands of pregnancy and childcare.

The good news is that active women with normal, low-risk pregnancies do not have to give up their beloved weight training in order to keep themselves and baby healthy.

Years ago there wasn't much clinical research research on this topic, but there has been a lot more research in recent years and we have some good news on the topic.

The 1994 bulletin of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that there is no data to indicate that pregnant women should limit exercise intensity and lower target heart rates because of potential adverse effects.
In 2001 the Canadian guidelines were updated to indicate that regular exercise has a number of benefits and few drawbacks for pregnant women.

Ideally women should be fit and active before getting pregnant, so if you are thinking of conceiving, begin an exercise program now. Better sooner than later!

Here are some tips!

#1. Do not begin a new exercise program during pregnancy. Pregnancy is not the time to make any drastic physical changes.

#2. Stick to your current exercise routine. Don't become sedentary just because you are a few weeks pregnant.

#3. Around the 7th or 8th month you may wish to avoid highly strenuous activities. Switch to lighter weights or easier exercises.

#4. After giving birth you may wish to step up your routine to include more cardio and weightlifting, if you have the time. Ignore the old wives tales that exercise will cause you to sour the milk, your uterus will fall out, etc. Those are just nonsense.

“Muscle conditioning” exercise (i.e. weight trainng) is very low-risk and safe. Just ignore the myths.

Studies have shown no increase in acidity of breast milk after moms exercise. Regular postnatal exercise reduces or eliminates most of the unpleasant postpartum symptoms of physical and mental stress, depression, and so forth, as well as promoting a faster recovery. Postpartum exercise also helps promote insulin sensitivity.

#5. Exercise with your kids. Children of moms who exercised before, during, and after pregnancy were shown to be relatively leaner themselves five years later. Your kids are watching you and pick up your good habits.

#6. Don't Give Up After Having Kids. Many women cease exercising after having children. The two primary reasons for quitting exercise are significant weight gain during the pregnancy (which can be remedied) and the demands of care from children - who will themselves want to run around as they reach the walking age.

#7. Daddies Can Exercise Too! Your kids keep getting bigger... use them as weights! You will get stronger as they get older!

#8. Government Child Care and similar support systems for pregnant women can enable them to continue to exercise during and after pregnancy. You can find time to do these activities thanks to government help.

#9. Later in the pregnancy avoid exercises which involve lying on the back, or pressing against the stomach, or excessive bending forward. You may need to modify or eliminate those exercises.

#10. Avoid excessive head movement, such as stiff-legged deadlifts, if they cause nausea or dizziness. Avoid prolonged periods of standing. Balance will eventually be a concern, so in the second and third trimester, reduce and eventually eliminate Olympic lifts and perform demanding overhead lifts while seated.

#11. Avoid training too much. There is a lot of research into women training too much (or too little) and this resulting in a low birth weight. A higher birth weight means a healthier baby. Women who exercised more than 5 times weekly and fewer than 2 times weekly were both at risk for having lower birth weight babies. Aim for a happy medium of 3.5 times per week.

#12. Keep a Journal! Record eating, training, workout reports, notes on how you feel, heart rate, recovery, etc.

Common Concerns During Pregnancy

Joint Laxity

This is a crucial issue for weight trainers. The body “softens” connective tissue in order to prepare for delivery. Great for pelvic expansion during the crucial moments, not so great for folks trying to keep

their kneecaps stuck to their legs during training. On the plus side, strong muscles help to hold things together and improve overall stability, so strength training will be helpful as long as care is exercised.

Overheating

Another significant issue for weight trainers. Dress to stay cool, drink lots of fluids (even though you’ll feel like you have to pee every ten minutes), get a fan on you if possible, and monitor the situation

during your training sessions. If you need a break to cool down, take one. Oxygen will be less available to you, and you will find that in later months of pregnancy, the baby presses upwards on your diaphragm, making it harder to breathe deeply.

Nutrition

Good nutrition is essential during pregnancy, but hey, you knew that didn’t you? It is often difficult for female athletes to accept the inevitable weight gain that occurs during pregnancy, but this isn’t a time to diet or be nutritionally stingy. You may notice wild fluctuations in blood sugar (and sudden cravings), so try to eat at regular intervals and not go more than a couple of hours without a snack or small meal. In the first trimester you may be limited in what you can tolerate, and formerly appealing things may make you feel sick, but this is usually restricted to the first three or four months. You may experience an increase in appetite, including nearly uncontrollable cravings for carbohydrates (mmmm... donuts). This does not signify weakness or gluttony on your part; let the hormones do their work and get a balanced diet as best you can.

Don't enter pie eating contests however. That is just silliness.

Vitamin Supplementation

There is also a lack of research on the effects of Creatine during pregnancy, so don't use any.

Avoid caffeine, thermogenics and stimulants.

Hormonally-based substances, including prohormones, is a huge no-no at this time.

Fish oil is a highly recommended supplement for pregnant women, but there still needs to be more research on that topic.

NOTES

Medical supervision and ongoing monitoring = Regular checkups and keeping your doctor up to date with any symptoms.

One of the most common problems encountered by pregnant women is back pain. Their center of gravity shifts and extra weight is added over nine months. Women tend to slouch the shoulders and arch the lower back to compensate for these changes, which of course leads to discomfort due to bad posture. A strong abdominal column as well as a strong back gained through weight training before pregnancy can alleviate much of this problem, so resistance work geared to this need is helpful. Bodyweight exercises, such as unweighted squats, present a useful alternative as the pregnancy develops, as do exercises which take some weight off the joints, such as swimming or cycling.

Postpartum urinary incontinence - After giving birth, many women notice problems with mild to moderate urinary incontinence during exertion, such as squatting or deadlifting. Kegel exercises are a must during pregnancy and after delivery. Avoid caffeine, go to the bathroom before your workout, wear a pad, and remember that there are a lot of other women out there experiencing the same thing.

You may also notice hemorrhoids which are aggravated by lifting. Normal and treatable.

Sleep. Naps are good for you and your baby.

How to Bicycle in the Winter without getting Cold

I admit cycling indoors in the winter is pretty boring compared to the scenery and the constant threat of being run over by a car...

But on the plus side you can listen to music or watch a movie while you bicycle.

"Bike Trainers" as they are called are basically gadgets you can attach to your bicycle in the safety of your living room and then cycle to your heart's content.

If you are still feeling guilty about all the food you ate during the Holiday Season and want to burn some off via some heavy duty cardio exercise, a Bike Trainer might be just the thing you are looking for because they are a great way for people struggling to regain their fitness to do just that.

And the beauty of them is that it doesn't matter how much rain and snow is outside because attaching one of these things to your bicycle is so easy a 10 year old can do it.

Here is a short primer on bicycle trainers so you can stop sitting on the fence undecided and add it to your exercise routine.

Learn About Them First

People looking to buy cycling trainer should learn a few basics before they spend their hard earned cash on a bike trainer that might not meet their specific needs for winter exercising. They may choose a product that isn't 'enough' trainer for them, or on the other hand, they may waste money getting something that they don't have the power or resolve to make adequate use of. So try and find one that is right for you, not just the most expensive one you can afford.

There are three types of Bike Trainers: Wind, Mag and Fluid.

Wind Trainers

If you're a casual rider, a wind trainer may be enough for you. These are the simplest trainers with the least number of things that can go wrong. With a minimal number of parts, high quality (good metals and bearings) wind trainers from companies like Kurt Kinetic, CycleOps, Minoura, or Blackburn will last forever... and never need replacement parts

However wind trainers can be loud. Loud enough that some cyclists wear earplugs when using a wind trainer. Enough to annoy the neighbours.

But there's another downside to wind trainers (or upside if you are new to this). They don't produce enough resistance, even at high speeds, to provide a good workout for strong cyclists. They're great for beginners, but professional cyclists will want something with a lot more resistance to make them really strain their leg muscles.

Most people use their bike trainer for mild to moderate steady state workouts so a wind trainer may be all you'll need to burn fat. You aren't training for the Olympics so you don't need anything more than that, right?

Magnetic Trainers

Magnetic (mag) trainers have a bad reputation thanks to the internet being littered with old complaints from mag trainer owners who didn't appreciate their trainers clattering their way to the scrapyard. The newer Mag Trainers don't have this problem, but the old complaints are still there.

This class of bike trainer develops resistance by rotating repelling magnets past each other. Most Mag Trainers provide the ability to be adjusted through multiple levels of resistance.

The most common method of 'switching gears' is to dismount and change the resistance level at the trainer unit itself. But if you spend a few extra bucks you can get a Mag Trainer that has a lever which attaches to the handlebars, enabling you to increase or decrease the resistance while riding.

The latest innovation is the CycleOps Magneto, which is designed to 'progressively' increase resistance the harder the cyclist pedals. Using centrifugal force, the Magneto changes the configuration of its magnets without any input from the rider.

Mag Trainers are appropriate for moderately serious cyclists who want more resistance than a wind trainer can provide.

Fluid Trainers

Fluid trainers are the quietest and most expensive of the three types.

Fluid trainers are willing to motor along at low intensities, but are ready and able to fight back no matter how hard the cyclist wants to work them. Thus this category of bike trainer provides what could be termed an 'exponential' increase in resistance - the harder you cycle the more difficult it gets.

A chart of the type of resistance that fluid trainers provide, you'll see an ever increasing slope that gets steeper and steeper the more the speed increases. So if you want to burn calories hardcore, a fluid trainer will give you that challenge.

Fluid trainers are really only for serious cyclists who aren't afraid to spend lots of money on cycling equipment and who know they will be using their trainers for high intensity workouts.

Conclusions

So there you go! A complete guide to how you can bicycle in the winter without leaving the safety and warmth of your home, and a guide to what kind of bike trainer is right for you!

Happy Cycling!