Understanding the Glycemic Index

You've probably never heard of the Glycemic Index. Well, now you have! The glycemic index is a relatively easy to understand rating system for ranking carbohydrate based foods.

A low rating on the glycemic index means that the food does not spike blood glucose and insulin levels quickly within the body.

Now you might wonder why that is important.

Foods that raise blood sugar levels quickly increase the chance of developing diabetes and heart disease but they also contribute heavily to weight gain. High GI carbohydrates are typically foods that don't keep you full for very long, like white bread and junk food, and instead you gorge yourself on half a loaf of bread or an entire bag of potato chips because you still feel hungry.



LOW GI FOODS

Breakfast Cereal All-bran Oat bran Rolled Oats Special K Natural Muesli Porridge Staples Wheat Pasta Shapes New Potatoes Meat Ravioli Spaghetti Tortellini (Cheese) Egg Fettuccini Brown Rice Buckwheat White long grain rice Pearled Barley Yam Sweet Potatoes Instant Noodles Wheat tortilla Dairy Whole milk Skimmed milk Chocolate milk Sweetened yoghurt Artificially Sweetened Yoghurt Custard Soy Milk

Bread Soya and Linseed Wholegrain Pumpernickel Heavy Mixed Grain Whole Wheat Sourdough Rye Sourdough Wheat Snacks & Sweet Foods Slim-Fast meal replacement Snickers Bar (high fat) Nut & Seed Muesli Bar Sponge Cake Nutella Milk Chocolate Hummus Peanuts Walnuts Cashew Nuts Nuts and Raisins Jam Corn Chips Oatmeal Crackers Legumes (Beans) Kidney Beans (canned) Butter Beans Chick Peas Haricot/Navy Beans Lentils, Red Lentils, Green Pinto Beans Blackeyed Beans Yellow Split Peas

Vegetables Frozen Green Peas Frozen Sweet Corn Raw Carrots Boiled Carrots Eggplant/Aubergine Broccoli Cauliflower Cabbage Mushrooms Tomatoes Chillies Lettuce Green Beans Red Peppers Onions Fruits Cherries Plums Grapefruit Peaches Peach, canned in natural juice Apples Pears Dried Apricots Grapes Kiwi Fruit Oranges Strawberries Prunes

MEDIUM GI FOODS

Breakfast Cereal Bran Buds Mini Wheats Nutrigrain Shredded Wheat Porridge Oats Special K Fruits Mango Sultanas Bananas Raisins Papaya Figs Pineapple

Bread Croissant Hamburger bun Pita, white Wholemeal Rye Staples Basmati Rice Couscous Cornmeal Taco Shells Gnocchi Canned Potatoes Chinese (Rice) Vermicelli Baked Potatoes Wild Rice

Vegetables Beetroot Snacks & Sweet Foods Ryvita Digestives Blueberry muffin Honey Legumes (Beans) Beans in Tomato Sauce Dairy Icecream

HIGH GI FOODS

Breakfast Cereal Cornflakes Sultana Bran Branflakes Coco Pops Puffed Wheat Oats in Honey Bake Team Total Cheerios Rice Krispies Weetabix Fruits Watermelon Dates

Bread White Bagel French Baguette Snacks & Sweet Foods Pretzels Water Crackers Rice cakes Puffed Crispbread Donuts Scones Maple flavoured syrup

Vegetables Pumkin Parsnips Staples Instant White Rice Glutinous Rice Short Grain White Rice Tapioca Fresh Mashed Potatoes French Fries Instant Mashed Potatoes

The glycemic index food chart above is a guide of which foods have a low, medium or high GI rating. By choosing healthier foods off of this list, it creates a very simple way to improve your nutrition without having to do a lot research/buying diet books/learning to count calories, etc.

The Glycemic Index is not just for weight loss. Regular exercise enthusiasts and athletes benefit from choosing low GI food. Low GI food before exercise maintains blood sugar concentration and increases the rate of stored fat being used for energy (fat oxidation). Low GI foods before exercise have been shown to increase endurance.

Stairs and Steps - Frugal Exercising

Using your steps or stairs at home or near your workplace in Toronto can give you a fantastic cardio and/or strength workout. By adding the stairs into your daily regimen, and by performing step exercises you will strengthen your legs and butt muscles, while using core stabilizing muscles for balance - thus giving you an almost full body workout which make you buttocks and legs look fantastic if you do these exercises regularly for a year.

And the best part is it will help build endurance so you don't get tired so easily while climbing stairs in the future.

And the bonus is that its very frugal. No equipment needed. And you don't need a personal trainer to tell you what to do. I've provided everything here.

Stairs Exercises Instructions

#1. Go slowly. Rushing or running up the stairs will more likely cause you to trip and hurt yourself. Possibly even result in falling down the stairs.

#2. If you are a beginner and don't normally take the stairs start out with no weight. Intermediate to advanced can use dumbbells, soup cans, or even tote bags filled with books.

#3. Start by standing at the bottom of the staircase and placing one foot on the bottom step.

#4. Step up each leg one at a time by placing all of the weight on your heel and by keeping your hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes strong while driving up through the foot until both feet are on the same step. Perform one set of 10 to 15 reps on the first foot and then switch sides, doing the other foot first.

Ideas for More Variety

#1. Alternate feet.

#2. Side Step. Turn sideways and step up the stairs facing sideways. Try adding a lateral raise while lifting the free leg out to the side.

#3. Reverse step up. Start by standing on the bottom step. Step off the stair with one foot. This will bend the knee of the leg remaining on the step. Straighten the leg to bring the foot back up to the step.

#4. Stairs can also be used for uneven squats (one foot on, one foot off) and lunges, by placing one foot on the step. The back foot on the step will make lunges much more challenging.

#5. Do Cardio and Weight Lifting Intervals. Time yourself for 2 minutes and try cardio intervals on your stairs in between weight lifting sets. Remember to wear running shoes and don't go too fast or else you will risk falling.

Yoga Class Etiquette 101

Practicing yoga is more than an exercise. Its meant relax the mind and bring peace to the body. Sadly not everyone knows about a number of often unspoken etiquette rules. There are many yoga instructors, many personal trainers and many yoga studios in Toronto. But sadly very few talk about etiquette for yoga or other exercise activities.

For many people their yoga practice is more than exercise. It is their whole mind and body well-being lifestyle. The studio is their sacred place, a place of quiet and relaxation. Here are a few tips on courtesy to avoid making a yoga studio faux pas:

#1. No Talking in the Studio

If you practice yoga with your friends, keep the pre and post catching up in the lobby. Some studio change rooms even discourage discussion because some people feel uncomfortable with talking while they are half-naked and changing their clothes.

#2. Bring a Yoga Mat Bag without a Zipper or Velcro

Walking into the yoga studio to set up and causing a loud ZIPPING NOISE is just as disruptive as talking! A bag with strings, a carrying strap or even a fabric sleeve is preferable.

#3. Give Others Plenty of Space

Personal space is important to people practicing yoga. In a crowded studio be sure to move your mat over as comfortably as possible to make room for other students. Don't hog space if the space is limited.

#4. Help put Straps and Blocks back

If you borrow equipment such as straps and blocks, be sure to put anything back as you originally found it. Don't expect the studio staff to clean up after you! If you rent a mat, disinfect and hang to dry.

#5. Don't Stare at Other People

Think of it like being on the TTC subway. Don't stare at the other passengers, or in this case, yoga practitioners.

#6. If you are new, head to the back

From the back you can see more experienced students and learn from them, without staring at them too much. If you are a new student and practice in the front, not only are you likely taking the spot that advanced students need to check form, but the students behind you may follow your lead without realizing you are an inexperienced yoga newb!

#7. Try to Arrive Early

Lateness and disrupting a class currently in session is a big no-no. You should also avoid leaving early and disrupting the class by quitting early and making noise as you leave.

#8. Turn your Cellphone OFF!

Easy. Press a button, turn off your cellphone. Its like being in a movie theatre. Avoid any unnecessary noises.

How to Stop on Ice Skates

You can't really learn how to skate by reading, but the instructions below should help teach you how to stop on ice skates the next time you go skating. Remember, practice makes perfect. While not easy, once you learn how to pull it off you will never forget.

Method #1. Make an upside down V by pointing / angling your skates together. This will cause you to slow gradually to a stop. This is sometimes known as a "V Stop".

Method #2. While skating forward at a medium or slow speed bend your knees a bit like you're going to sit down. Keep your knees about shoulder width apart. Then turn sideways about 60 to 90 degrees from the direction that you were going before and the action of changing direction will cause your skates to drag on the ice and slow you down. While doing this you will also lean away from the direction you were going. This is sometimes referred to as a Side Stop or Snow Plow.

Practice both of these methods of stopping while ice skating and with time you will be able to stop easily.

Once you have mastered both methods 1 and 2 you can attempt to learn more difficult methods of stopping - such as spinning 180 or even 360 degrees - but don't expect to do that if you can barely skate in the first place.

For private ice skating lessons in Toronto you know who to call!

Yoga can do Amazing and Inspiring Things

The following is an inspirational video which brought tears to my eyes.


If an over-weight and disabled war veteran can do that using yoga, just imagine what you can do when you exercise?

Arthur had given up. He didn't think he could do it. You might not think you can do it either.

But along came "DDP", Diamond Dallas Page, who is an American retired actor/wrestler for the WWE, personal trainer, fitness instructor and yoga instructor. I admit, not your normal yoga practitioner, but he is certainly an athlete.

DDP gave him the instructions and encouragement to do it. And I must say they both did an awesome job of getting Arthur back on his feet and walking again.

And that is proof of how a personal trainer can help change your life. Regardless of whether you live in Toronto or California.

Weight Lifting Sets + Self Control

Finding the motivation and energy to do all your weight lifting sets can sometimes be a challenge.

BUILDING ENDURANCE FIRST

Part of the problem is endurance. Many people who get into weight lifting at the beginning are trying to lift as much as they can, at the max, but after lifting 5 to 10 times need to take a break. After their break they lift another 10 times... then another break. They're lifting so much that they end up taking really long breaks in-between sets. Over a period of 60 minutes they might do this 10 times total (if the have the stamina for that), lifting the weight 100 times total, before giving up.

Trying to lift such large amounts is the first part of their problem. They see other (bigger) men at the gym lifting large amounts and they're trying to prove they can do it. This is more an ego problem for men than for women. Women might still try to prove they can do it, but they won't be so worried about it as the male ego will be.

What should be doing instead is a smaller amount of weight, but lifting it 50 times before taking a break. (Knowing math helps with this.)

Lets pretend for example that in 60 minutes you lift 10 sets of 10, of 300 lbs. Total 10 x 10 x 300 = 30,000 lbs. So at 30 minutes that is averaging 500 lbs per minute.

Instead what a person should be doing is 10 sets of 50, of 120 lbs. Total 10 x 50 x 120 = 60,000 lbs. So that is lifting an average of 1,000 lbs per minute.

Who do you think got the better workout? Who do you think will gain more muscle and/or more endurance?

During a strength training program there is a lot of benefits to building endurance first. If you're planning to be at the gym for an hour every day, but spend most of that time catching your breath and you run out of steam easily then you're not really lifting much weights, are you?

By building endurance first so you can workout the entire hour with minimal breaks, and then gradually increase the amount of weight you are lifting on a weekly or bi-weekly basis then you will be maximizing both your endurance and your weightlifting.

Tip! Having smaller free weights and dumbbells can help you to build endurance/strength faster because you can do a greater variety of exercises using free weights than you would with exercise machines.

SELF CONTROL + JOURNAL

When doing a strength training program, and trying to get beyond the level of absolute beginner, adding more than one set per muscle group is ideal. Doing multiple sets is a necessity. If you only do 1 set of 5, you aren't really challenging yourself. You need to give yourself a specific number of sets, a known number for each set, and a specific weight you want to lift for each set. For best results keep a JOURNAL of the total number of sets you did, how many repetitions, what weight you did, and you can even track how much rest time you gave yourself between sets. A good thing to track is also how well you were feeling when you got to the gym (eg. hungry, tired, upset, etc) because your mood and emotions can often effect your stamina and self control.

With longer sets and multiple sets there is an increase of blood flow to the muscle, and it stimulates better growth/development and therefore, strength building. The reason for this is because your body responds better to endurance strength building methods, building muscle faster than it would if you were just trying to lift larger amounts with only 1 set.

You also want to alternate which body parts you are focused on. A good technique is to alternate upper and lower body exercises on a daily basis. You also want to use a variety of different exercises that target different muscles. Only targeting 1 set of muscles (eg. biceps) won't really help you that much. You need to be thinking of muscle groups like dominoes. If you want to grow your biceps, then you also need to exercise all the other muscles surrounding the biceps if you want to get better results.

Only focusing on one specific muscle is also extremely boring. To maintain motivation and increase self control it helps to do a variety of different exercises. You get bored less and you will get better results.

In your journal make a list of exercise machines or free weight exercises you like doing. Then start tracking how many you do during an hour at the gym. Track your rest times too if possible.

Once you know what exercises you enjoy, try to make a routine or a circuit you can do every time you go to the gym. Track everything in your journal.

When bored, add extra exercises and try new things to spice up your weight lifting workout. Having the journal will help you keep focused and having a list of "chores" to do at the gym will help keep you on track with your goals.

Breathing Exercises during Yoga

Before a yoga class starts, it is a good practice to do some breathing exercises while waiting for the teacher. Breathing exercises help you to become more aware of your body. Perception and awareness is very important to yoga and as human beings we are basically trapped in our minds, we sometimes lose awareness of how our bodies are feeling and lose focus on what body parts might be paining us.

As you begin the class many yoga teachers will tell you to clear the mind (easier said than done), to leave the past and future behind and focus on the present moment. With practice such brain exercises can build your mental self-control, and knowing a few breathing exercises you can focus on helps build this self-control.

If you think about your breathing, practice different breathing patterns and do it consciously you will notice it requires your concentration to do. Trying to do so while distracted will cause you to revert to your natural breathing pattern and to daydream about other things.

When combined with yoga movements, you add an extra level of difficulty to your yoga activities - but after awhile it's amazing how easy that becomes.

When many people start a yoga class their mind is a mess. Even without thoughts of what needs to be done, they are probably stressing over the idea of being in a challenging class for 60 or 90 minutes. By the time class is over, you may feel that it not only did it feel like a mere 15 minutes, but you may feel mentally and physically refreshed. (Although to be fair, some yoga classes will be more exhausting and leave you tired, sweating and hungry.)

In which case breathing exercises are also good to do AFTER yoga. It will help keep you feeling relaxed and refreshed (or relax you after a particularly grueling yoga lesson).

TIP!

Try breathing naturally, at your own pace, and count your breaths to 10. Sounds pretty simple, right? Yet due to our wandering minds, most of us lose track many times along the way. When it happens, start over again without frustration or worry. Its the learning process and journey that matters, not how many times you fail. Counting your breaths is not a game to win or a skill to master. Instead, it's an instant, ever-handy way to deepen your awareness and concentration.

How to Buy a Yoga Mat

 I don't teach yoga myself, as a personal trainer I am really not qualified enough to be teaching it. But I have taken numerous yoga classes and can tell you that having your own yoga mat is an important thing if you want to be a serious yoga practitioner.

Why?

Mostly for hygiene. Some of the yoga mats at yoga studios are pretty gruddy looking, and while they do clean them and disinfect them sometimes, they sometimes get old and who knows who's been sweating all over them.

Thus when you are looking to buy your first mat, since you have evidently taken your practice up a notch and want to upgrade to a yoga mat of higher quality, there are many places to shop in Toronto and lots of people out there with tips on what makes a good mat.

eg. If you really want advice you can ask for an expert opinion at a local yoga studio. They will happily give it to you and probably try to push you towards their favourite company. Its a bit like pitting Coca-Cola fans Vs Pepsi fans. They're pretty biased on the topic.

So lets first dispel a myth about yoga mat purchasing...

#1. Don't Buy Just Any Old Mat - Buy the mat which best suits your type of yoga practice, whether it be hatha, vinyasa or Bikram. Why? Well you could just buy a generic mat, but it won't really do you that well. Its a bit like buying "all weather tires" for your car. They are basically mediocre all the time and never excel at anything. So aim to get a mat that is specially designed for your purposes.

#2. Shop Around Online First - Do your research. There are many different kinds of yoga mats available online.

Extra Thick Yoga Mats
High Density Yoga Mats
Extra Long Yoga Mats (for really tall people)
Extra Wide Yoga Mats (for people who hate touching the floor by accident...)
Memory Foam
Toxin Free
Bio-Degradable
Non Slip
Durable
Ultra Absorbent
Pilates
Durafoam
Odor Free
Non-Sticky

#3. Do you want it to come with a strap, a sling or a bag? - Or you can buy such things separately. If you are going to be carrying it a lot (some people carry them on their bicycles) then you want something you can easily carry.

#4. Buy in Person, Don't Buy Online - Two reasons... you want to be able to see and feel the mat for yourself, so you know its the kind you want. So find local places to buy a yoga mat.

Examples in Toronto

Moksha on Danforth or Yonge and St Clair

The Yoga Sanctuary on Danforth

#5. Think Colours - eg. If you're a man you will probably want a blue, red, green or black yoga mat. Most men would not purchase a pink yoga mat.

Exercise Quotes for February

"Just because somebody else has already done it doesn't mean you shouldn't do it too. When it comes to exercising just doing it is all that matters."
- Charles Moffat

"For every single thing that stirs up your passion, there is a positive way forward. Choose to find that way, to follow it, and to transform the energy of your passion into great and lasting value."

- Ralph Marston

"The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground."
- Author Unknown

"If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying. “Here comes number seventy-one!"
- Richard M. Devos

"The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places."
- Author Unknown

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"When the world says, 'Give up,' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'”
- Author Unknown

"Decide carefully, exactly what you want in life, then work like mad to make sure you get it!"
- Hector Crawford

"I feel younger now than when I was in my 30s and 40s and had all those problems."

- Ida Keeling, 95-year-old woman from the Bronx who set world record after running 60m in 29.86 seconds; she is the oldest woman to do so

"Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth."
- Martin H. Fischer

"The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth."
- Chinese Proverb

"When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life."
- Monty Python's Life of Brian

Have you given up on your New Years Resolutions yet?

February is probably the worst month of the year for people quitting diets and giving up on their exercise goals.

It has been thirty-one days since the New Year of 2013. And it is pretty easy to guess that a lot of people out there have probably already given up on their New Years Resolutions to exercise more and eat healthier.

Regular gym goers across Toronto are already beginning to complain less about equipment wait times and overcrowding in their local gym. January is a great time of year for Personal Trainers... but by February they may have discovered they counted their chickens before they had hatched.

Forgetting about resolutions is just normal - but honestly, it doesn't have to be "New Years" to make fitness resolutions. You could also make:


Spring Resolutions
Summer Resolutions
Autumn Resolutions
Winter Resolutions
Birthday Resolutions

And if you are Catholic or Christian you could also "give things up for Lent", a religious practice whereby you give up certain vices (such as fatty foods, junk food, cigarettes, etc) in order to demonstrate your level of faith/commitment.

Thus if you are finding that your original motivation is about to kick the bucket, just make a NEW Resolution for whatever works for you. "Valentines", "St Patricks" or even goal oriented resolutions like "Fit Into a Bikini".

TIPS / SAMPLE RESOLUTIONS

#1. You could make a new resolution every week.

#2. Try rotating weekly goals between nutrition and fitness.

#3. Focus on only eating food with one ingredient. eg. eggs, nuts, fruits, veggies, lean meat, brown rice, quinoa, cheese etc.

#4. Use your gym membership/personal training sessions/ yoga classes at least three times.

#5. Try not to eat anything processed, frozen or dine out.

#6. Try an activity you have always been meaning to try but never did. eg. Boxing, archery, ice skating, swimming, martial arts.

Don't give up just because you fell off the proverbial wagon or horse. Just get right back on it and keep trying!