Build a Beach Perfect Body - In The Winter!!!

It is November and it is starting to snow in Toronto maybe once per week. By December it will be snowing more regularly. By January there will be a foot of snow on the ground.

But if you count the months until mid June (the start of swimsuit season) then there is November, December, January, February, March, April and May - 7 months to get prepared if your goal is to lose weight and look fit for swimsuit season.

Now pay attention... most people only start trying to get fit a month or two before swimsuit season - and most of them FAIL to meet their exercise / weight loss goal.

The reason why is because they are focusing all of their exercise goals into a month or two month period and then wonder why they failed. When asked why they will point to reasons like not enough time, the workouts were too difficult, they fell off the wagon diet wise, lack of motivation and so forth.

I argue that they need to change their approach.

#1. Stop trying to do everything a month or two before swimsuit season. Start exercising NOW, many months before swimsuit season is even close. Thus their excuse that they didn't have enough time will be null and void.

#2. By doing the first it also means the workouts don't need to be quite so intense. People burn out and lose motivation if their workouts are too intense. In contrast if they start exercising over a 6 month period their workouts will be about one third the intensity of a 2 month workout regimen designed to accomplish the same goal. Thus the second excuse about workouts being too difficult will likewise be null and void.

#3. If you are going to make lifestyle / dietary changes you need to make permanent changes that you can stick with it. Now I admit that means making changes during the Christmas holiday season - a season during which many people are prone to binge eating on chocolate treats, xmas dinners, etc. But it can be done and you can do it if you give it an honest try. Start by making the switch to dark chocolate only (70% or better) - no more sugary chocolate or "white chocolate". Eat more veggies during xmas dinners and make fruits and vegetables part of every meal you eat, and every snack. Find the fruits and veggies you love and stock up on healthy foods you love.

#4. Find ways to motivate yourself. Music I find is a great motivator. Another way to motivate is to use fun activities that you enjoy doing. eg. Ice skating, downhill skiing, or just plain going for an afternoon walk and taking your camera with you.

Wait, its cold outside! I hate going outside in the cold!

Then invest in some thermal underwear. Learn how to layer clothing so you don't feel the cold. Get tight fitting clothes that fits really well and keeps you warm. Wear 3 or 4 layers under your jacket, get good thermal gloves, a neck warmer, hat, thermal longjohns for wearing under your pants/jeans, warm boots, thick socks - and voila! You will probably be so warm you will be unzipping layers!

Dressed like that and you can go jogging / winter walks / ice skating / tobogganing like when you were a kid and you won't really be bothered by the cold at all.

Next you need to avoid the temptation to just relax all winter indoors watching cable television, mucking around on Facebook and nonsensical videos on YouTube. Cancel the cable (33% of it is advertising anyway), take a vacation from Facebook, and go outside and make your own winter oriented videos and then post them on YouTube instead of watching other people's junk.

Things To Do This Winter!

#1. Cross Country Skiing - burns a tonne of calories! Burns 500 to 700 calories per hour depending on your weight.

#2. Take Up the Biathlon - cross country skiing with a rifle on your back! Yeehaw! Who says cross country skiing isn't a manly sport???

#3. Archery Biathlon - don't like guns? Take up the archery biathlon. Basically the same idea, but using a bow and arrow.

#4. Snow Shoeing - also burns lots of calories. Good for balance training too, plus it doubles as weightlifting for your legs. Try it and you will see how hard it is.

#5. Snowboarding - Good for cardio and balance. Works your abs too!

#6. Downhill Skiing - Same as snowboarding, makes for fun cardio.

#7. Ice Skating - Great cardio and balance training.

#8. Hockey - On skates or as Road Hockey, this sport will get you outside and having fun while also providing great cardio. Just don't forget to shout CAR!!!

#9. Shoveling Snow - Okay so technically it is not a sport... but it is very good cardio and weightlifting exercise. Shoveling snow is very hard so if you have a poor heart be certain to take it easy while shoveling snow because it is so difficult people are known to have heart attacks.

#10. Taking the dog for a walk - Seriously. Pets need to get outside and exercise too. So take the dog for a walk as often as you can. Or better yet, try competitive dog jogging.

300,000 Pageviews and 150,000 Unique Visitors

Earlier today, sometime around noon, CardioTrek.ca surpassed 300,000 pageviews from approx. 150,000 unique visitors. (Each unique visitor to CardioTrek.ca stays for an average of 2 pages.)

I realize it is not a popularity contest but it is nice to know the website is growing in popularity.

Most of our visitors come from Canada and the USA - and quite a few are from Toronto, possibly looking for a personal trainer or a sports instructor who teaches archery, boxing, ice skating, swimming and similar activities.

The great city of Toronto has a lot to offer for people looking to either stay fit or become more fit.

Toronto has many bicycle trails, lots of parks, our beaches are rated 5-star world class (betcha didn't know that, eh?), public ice skating arenas, tennis courts, swimming pools, university gyms, YMCAs, publicly funded recreation centres, an archery range, and numerous other things for Torontonians to utilize if they desire to go outside and exercise.

As a personal trainer I believe in spreading the knowledge of such locations - and giving away free frugal exercise advice - because if people want to exercise, then it is best they have those resources at their disposal. It helps my personal training clients, but it also helps anyone who is just looking for exercise advice - including people not in Toronto and therefore outside of my market demographic.

It is true I only make money when clients actually hire me to help them to lose weight, gain muscle or train for a specific sport - but that doesn't mean I don't also feel a certain amount of pride knowing that I helped thousands of other people who are just looking for good solid exercise advice.

So if I have helped 150,000 people to exercise and improve their health, then absolutely, I feel I should toot my horn once in awhile about how awesome free information is and that helping other people is always a good feeling even when you aren't getting paid for it.

The beauty of exercise is that anyone can do it. You don't need a personal trainer to exercise. Or a gym. Or your own exercise equipment at home. You just need the will to do it. But having the advice - especially free advice - available can make all the difference to some people who want to make the most out of their workout.

Sincerely,
Charles Moffat
Toronto Personal Trainer / CardioTrek.ca

Movember and Prostate Cancer

I just finished shaving off my beard - and my mustache.

I was tempted to grow a mustache for Movember (to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other male cancers), but I changed my mind because every time I have done so my mustache is so itchy it annoys me. (I even tried using conditioners and other things on it to make my mustache softer, but they don't work well enough to suit my needs.)

The Movember Foundation encourages men to be aware of any family history of cancer, to have an annual checkup with their doctor and to adopt a healthier lifestyle - all things which I heartily support for both men and women.

However since I am not growing a mustache myself I have instead decided to write a post - this one - promoting healthy food and some interesting facts / statistics.

The average person has cancer 40 times during their lifetime, the difference is that usually your body fights it off. As you get older however and toxins build up in your body the toxins make it more difficult for your body to fight off the cancer growing inside you. When it gets really bad the cancer becomes malignant and life threatening by shutting down one or more of your body's vital organs.

The connection between toxins and cancer growth in the human body are well documented. Alcohol, cigarettes, and other sources of toxins can build up the amount of poison in your system that leads to cancer.

So how do you get rid of these toxins?

The easiest and most effective way is through a healthy diet which includes lots of green vegetables. Foods like spinach, broccoli, peas, cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, brussel sprouts, etc. Other types of vegetables are also good, as long as they are high in alkaline.

Another thing that is super effective against cancer is Green Tea. A single cup of strong green tea has more alkaline than two cupfuls of broccoli.

Lastly you will want to avoid foods you know to be carcinogenic. Foods that are burnt for example contain carcinogens, so try to avoid eating meat that is burnt. Well done is good, but avoid any burnt pieces.

Which means that even if you cannot grow a great mustache like Tom Selleck, Burt Reynolds, Sean Connery, George Clooney, Hulk Hogan and others well then at least you can still eat and drink healthier - which in turn will decrease your chances of developing prostate cancer and similar cancers.

Want to learn more about this and similar topics?

Just Google something like green tea prevents prostate cancer and learn more!

Whey Protein + French Press

Do you get annoyed by the chunky bits of whey powder in your drink when drinking a protein shake?

Well, here is a hot tip.

Buy a French Press (typically used for making coffee) and use it for mixing your milk and whey powder together.

No chunky bits of whey protein. Huzzah!

The Lowly Chin Up Bar

If you have a chin up bar, or a place in your home where you can place a chin up bar, you should absolutely be using it.

The chin up bar is a great body-weight device for weightlifting. The concept is simple - lift your own bodyweight using your biceps.

This is something some people have simply never done. They don't have adequate strength in their biceps to physically lift their body - and their body is sometimes in ample proportions. Which is basically a polite way of saying a person is too fat to do a chin up.

But that doesn't mean a person will NEVER be able to do a chin up. With some weightlifting exercises over a period of two months a person who is overweight (but not obese) should be able to do a chin up after the two month period.

To achieve this they would need to do the following...

1. Bicep Curls with 20 lb Dumbbells - 12 sets of 8 reps, every 2 days for 60 days.

Rationale: Doing bicep curls will build up your biceps, the primary muscle used during chin ups. Doing 12 sets of 8 reps means your focus is on muscle gain, not on endurance. You can build endurance later...

2. Pushups (or Knee Pushups) - 12 sets of 8 reps, every 2 days for 60 days.

Rationale: Doing pushups will build your triceps and deltoids. The deltoids (shoulder muscles) are a secondary muscle used during chin ups. Even though they are secondary you will still need those muscles during a chin up.

3. Jumping Jacks - 10 sets of 100 jumping jacks, every day for 60 days.

Rationale: Lowering your body weight via cardio exercises will increase your chances of doing a chin up by reducing the amount of fat in your body. Jumping Jacks and Jogging are both good for this.

4. Jogging (or Jogging on the Spot) - 15 minutes, every day for 60 days.

In the morning of every day you should attempt to do a pushup. After 60 days of doing the above workout they should have lost some fat weight and gained some muscle weight - enough muscle that they can lift their body during a chin up.

You will also need to be eating a balanced diet. That means no binge eating on unhealthy foods, eat smaller portions, learn to snack healthily, cutting out sugary drinks and all those things you know are bad for you.

If you are more overweight (ie. obese) you will need to do a lot more jogging, jumping jacks, and other cardio activities to reach the point where you can do a chin up. So this process may take longer than you were hoping if you are severely overweight.

AFTER YOU ACHIEVE YOUR FIRST CHIN UP

Congratulations!

Now keep doing them! Now is the time to start building endurance and strength at the same time. Work your way up so you can do a set of 5 chin ups at a time.

Once you reach that point you can basically swap out the #1 exercise above (Bicep Curls with 20 lb Dumbbells) and replace it with the following:

1. Chin Ups - 20 sets of 5 chin ups, every day. Or 12 sets of 8 chin ups.  Or 10 sets of 10 chin ups. Or 8 sets of 12. Or 7 sets of 15. Or 5 sets of 20.

Rationale: Now that you can do chin ups you can keep doing them, and if you increase the number of chin ups you do per set then you will be building both your strength and your endurance simultaneously. So pick whichever set combination from above that you want to do and keep doing them. Upgrade to the next set combination when you feel you are ready for a challenge.

Note! Keep doing the pushups, the jumping jacks and the jogging.

Add other exercises to your routine. Yoga for example is great for core muscle strength. But you might also try swimming, ice skating, archery, marathon running, competitive sports...

Basically if you make doing that First Chin Up your exercise goal, and then once you achieve that chin up goal you need to start setting new exercise goals so you can keep progressing. Making recognizable progress will help you keep motivated and keep exercising.

 

Archery Segment for TSN

This morning I helped a film crew from TSN make a segment on archery for an upcoming TV episode about archery / accuracy.

Huzzah!

In other news I have added to me "To Do List" a series of YouTube How To videos on archery. Something for me to work on when Spring 2014 comes.

And in more other news I am not teaching archery any more in 2013. I am done for the season. See you in March 2014.

Yoga Injuries - Be careful, trying to perfect a pose can hurt

TORONTO - Sports injuries sounds normal for many more vigorous sports, including ballet dancing, but what about yoga?

It may seem ironic at first, but the exercise regime often recommended by doctors and therapists (aka yoga) as a rehabilitation tool to overcome a range of sports injuries can itself become a cause of sports injuries if people get "too into it".

Yoga, considered a relatively gentle means of building flexibility, muscle strength and endurance through physical poses and controlled breathing, can lead to a number of repetitive strain injuries and even osteoarthritis, Ontario doctors say.

"Most of the injuries I see are from repetitive strain," says Dr. Raza Awan, a Toronto sports medicine physician who's been practising yoga for about a decade.

The most common yoga-related injuries he sees in patients are rotator cuff tendonitis and tears; spinal disc injuries in the low back and neck; cartilage tears in the knee; hamstring strain and tears; and wrist injuries.

There are a number of reasons why yoga — in which practitioners generally perform a series of poses, called asanas — can cause injury, he says.

One of the causes is "definitely pushing too hard" to attain a specific pose, which can involve stretching the upper body into a forward or backward bend, twisting the torso, or performing an inversion, such as a handstand or headstand, balanced on the hands or forearms.

In other words trying to show off by doing handstands and headstands can get you injured. Gotcha!

"So, for instance, people who are too flexible or people who are too tight, they're at more risk, I find," says Awan. "If you're too tight and you try to force yourself into a pose and your muscles aren't flexible, then you might strain another area to compensate."

"Or let's say that you're very flexible and you get to the end range of a pose and you don't have the muscular support to maintain the pose ... you're holding the pose without muscular endurance, you're basically holding it on your ligaments or your tendons and you strain those structures that way."

Ego also can lead to injury, he says, explaining that in yoga classes, some people push their bodies beyond their limits trying to match or outdo the person on the next mat. Being a showoff is basically an excellent way to get yourself injured doing any exercise.

Even competing with oneself — for instance, trying to get the heels flat to the floor during the "downward dog" pose, despite having tight calf muscles from sitting at the computer for hours — can lead to strains or tears, he says.

"You strain yourself because you push yourself."

Sometimes, overdoing it in yoga may exacerbate an underlying problem called femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI, in which the bones of the hip are abnormally shaped and don't move together smoothly. The hip bones grind against each other during movement, causing joint damage over time and osteoarthritis.

Dr. Chris Woollam, a Toronto sports medicine physician, says he started seeing "an inordinate number of hip problems" about two years ago, including among women aged 30 to 50 who were practising yoga.

When range of motion in their hips was tested, not only was movement limited, but "they would jump off the table because of the pain," Woollam says.

MRI scans showed the women had joint damage resulting from FAI, which can be severe enough in some cases to require hip-replacement surgery.

And since yoga is becoming increasingly popular it is now ever more important to warn people about the dangers of trying to over do it.

"So maybe these extreme ranges of motion were causing the joint to get jammed and some to wear," Woollam says of certain yoga poses. "If you start wearing a joint down, then it becomes arthritic. So you're seeing these little patches of arthritis in an otherwise normal hip that seems to be related to these extremes of motion or impingement or both."

However yoga isn't entirely to blame. You just have to listen to your body. When it's saying there's a pain, then you have to recognize that and then take a break from whatever you are doing. Pain is a good signifier that you are overdoing it.

Vancouver chiropractor Robin Armstrong, who's been practising yoga since 1999, says the most common injury she sees among fellow enthusiasts are hamstring strains. Typically, they are overuse injuries and tend to occur more among experienced practitioners rather than beginners.

"I think it's also just repeating core movement patterns, and if you have a teacher who corrects the way you're moving, I think that can help prevent these types of injuries," says Armstrong, who also teaches anatomy and injury prevention to yoga instructors.

"I talk about where you have to use caution in certain poses and when appropriate use certain poses for certain people and when to avoid them altogether."

Some yoga teachers will encourage students to try a more challenging pose, while others may physically "adjust" a student to correct their posture and alignment. And that can take a person to a place their muscles and joints aren't ready to go. So sometimes it is the yoga instructor who is pushing the student too much.

But Armstrong says how far and how fast an individual advances in yoga is a shared responsibility between the student and the instructor.

"The teacher doesn't know what you're feeling in your body and you have to be comfortable enough knowing, 'OK, is this right for me? This might be right for the person beside me, but is this right for me at this moment?'"

"Don't get so attached to making the pretty picture with your body, you're still doing yoga even if you're not doing the full expression of the pose," she says. "And that goes back to not comparing yourself to others, because everyone comes with a different body and a different experience."

Yoga has many upsides, including sharpening mental focus, easing stress, and improving range of motion that can help avoid injuries while performing day-to-day activities or participating in sports.

"There's a lot of benefits to doing yoga for certain types of problems, but obviously any physical activity has its risks, too," says Dr. Awan, who is among those who uses yoga as a therapy for some patients and believes most yoga-related injuries are preventable.

"It's a great movement-based activity to do, but you have to try to keep safe, just like in other sports activities. Don't push your body beyond."

Tips for Marathon Runners

Running a long distance race like the Toronto Waterfront Marathon or the Ironman Competition takes months of hard training, proper diet and preparation. All competitive sports require that extra level of commitment. Here are 5 handy tips to get ready for a race with only a month to go:

#1. Buy New Shoes

Don't run your race in brand new shoes, or the old trainers you have been practicing in for months! One month is an ideal amount of time to find a new pair, and practice, to break them in. It will allow the time for the new shoes to feel comfortable, but remain relatively new for the race. (Wearing brand new shoes will feel uncomfortable.)

#2. Check Your Distance

You should be able to run at least 3/4 of your race distance with ease. It's not necessary to practice the full distance, but doing a practice run is a confidence boost. You will feel less nervous if you know you can complete the full distance having done 75% of it with barely trying.

#3. Merge Your Training Runs

Running intervals, for time, endurance, and speed are all necessary, separate, training techniques. However, now it's time to combine them. Start training with one run per week during which you "run your best." Have a session running fast and long, with little recovery time, if you require walking breaks, will be great practice for building your endurance.

#4. Plan for Race Day

Start planning for the morning of the race. Think about what you will eat for breakfast, and what snacks or gels to bring for the run. Decide what to wear and run a few times in the outfit to make sure it's comfortable, and nothing bothers you about it. Plan for rides or parking, and be sure to consider all of the practical matters like urinating before the race, what you will eat the night before, optional things you might wear depending on weather conditions, etc.

#5. Ask Friends and Family to Come Out

You'll need a cheer squad. Ask friends and family well in advance to come out and cheer you on. Plan for a celebratory big breakfast / dinner, for when you triumphantly cross the finish line and everyone can celebrate.

Being prepared for race day will ease nerves, and save time on the big day. This will leave more free time for training, and will have you relaxed at the starting line, and pumped for the race.

Eat Simple, Eat Small, Weigh Less

I try to write a lot about nutrition on here because that is often the biggest Achilles heel that people are facing when their goal is weight loss.

However the problem I find with writing about nutrition is trying to NOT sound preachy. I don't like preaching to people because it feels like I am trying to convince them to do something they don't want to do.

In the back of my head I sometimes even imagine what a 12 year old version of myself would say. "Booo! I hate vegetables! Give me more bacon!!!"

And sometimes the 12 year old in me wins, and I have bacon maybe once per month.

But if you consider I eat approx. 90 meals in a month - and the vast majority of those meals are healthy meals - I would argue I am winning most of the battles - and therefore winning the war.

And that is the piece of wisdom I want to pass on to other people out there struggling to control their inner 12 year old. Yes, you can still have bacon. But try to make it part of a healthier overall meal (like making a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich), keep the amount of bacon you eat relatively small. And don't go back for more.

Now take that philosophy and apply it to many of your other more unhealthy meals that you might enjoy.

#1. Pile on the lettuce for every hamburger you make for yourself.

Or if at a restaurant, ask for EXTRA lettuce on your hamburger. Pile it on there! Same with other healthy veggies you enjoy, get more of those on your menu item of choice.

#2. Learn how to make FAST HEALTHY FOOD. Examples below:

Pita Pizza. Spread canned diced tomatoes on a pita and season as you like, with pepper, basil, oregano etc. Spread a thin layer of shredded cheese. Add the toppings of your choice. Jalapeno peppers, mushrooms, green/red pepper, spinach diced onions and mushrooms are a few suggestions. Bake at 350 F for 4 to 5 minutes.

French Lunch. At the grocery store grab a whole grain baguette or bun, cheese and red grapes. This small meal is loaded with nutrition: Fiber, anti-oxidant fruit, healthy fats and protein. Remember to eat just a small amount of cheese.

Egg Muffin. Microwave an egg for 1 min in a cup. Add to a toasted whole grain English Muffin with a bit of cheese, thinly sliced turkey (or veggie alternative) and tomato. Season to taste.

Cottage Cheese. A good sized portion of cottage cheese (3/4 cup is ideal), diced tomatoes, and chopped scallion. Add some pepper. It is high protein and you will feel surprisingly full! Still hungry? Eat it on a slice of toast or with a side of carrot sticks.

Sandwiches. Learn how to make some unusual and tasty sandwiches that maybe you have never tried before. Apple slices, tomatoes, berries and more can make for some interesting, fast and healthy sandwich alternatives. Best served on whole grain bread.

#3. Eat Healthy Snacks Regularly.

It doesn't matter if it is apples, veggies, oranges, grapes or whatever. My personal favourite is carrot sticks. Just stock up on your favourite healthy snacks and make them your go to at 10 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM so you are eating healthy in between meals.

#4. Always remember the Small Portions Mantra.

You don't have to eat like a pig to fill yourself up. Try eating smaller portions and eat healthy snacks in-between meals. What you will learn over time is that you will eat less during the larger meals if you are eating healthy snacks in between. With time your stomach will also shrink in size and it will take less food to fill you up and mentally you will realize you don't need large amounts of food.

#5. Break your Cravings for Carbs.

Try going on a low carb diet for 30 days and see if you break your cravings. That means only eating small portions of bread, pasta, rice, sugary foods. In 30 days your cravings for such foods should be diminished. Your goal during this is to stabilize your diet by introducing more healthier food into your diet and using those foods as your source of energy instead of heading straight for the high carb / high sugar foods.

#6. Learn How to Grocery Shop Healthy

Eating healthy doesn't have to mean a trip to an overpriced specialty food store, surrounded by items you have never heard of. Your normal grocery store has everything you need. Healthy nutrition can start with the staples you have on hand, and foods that are readily available in the corner store. Eating healthy means you can eat more often, feel satisfied, and lose the weight you have been wanting to drop. All while eating healthy foods that you already enjoy - you just need to learn how to utilize those foods more and buy them more often.

November Motivational Quotes

"To all my little Hulkamaniacs, say your prayers, take your vitamins and you will never go wrong."
- Terry Gene Bollea, aka "Hulk Hogan"

"If I do hit that rope and do a hop, skip and a jump and get up as high as I can, I'm just going to hold my breath, because I know i'm going to hear all kinds of scar tissue popping."
- Terry Gene Bollea, aka "Hulk Hogan"

"Negativity and Hulkamania - 2 things that don't go together."
- Terry Gene Bollea, aka "Hulk Hogan"

"I train all the time and the weird thing is I'm in the gym with people between 20 and 25 years old and I look in the mirror and I look better than they do and they are young kids - either they haven't trained hard enough or they aren't serious enough."
- Terry Gene Bollea, aka "Hulk Hogan"

"I'm 58 years old and I just went through 8 back surgeries. They started cutting on me in February 2009, and I was basically bed ridden for almost two years. I got a real dose of reality that if you don't have your health, you don't have anything."
- Terry Gene Bollea, aka "Hulk Hogan"

"A healthy body is the guest-chamber of the soul; a sick, its prison."
- Francis Bacon

"Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is."
- Mary Anne Radmacher

"From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health."
- Catalan Proverb

"The concept of total wellness recognizes that our every thought, word, and behavior affects our greater health and well-being. And we, in turn, are affected not only emotionally but also physically and spiritually."
- Greg Anderson

"There are six components of wellness: proper weight and diet, proper exercise, breaking the smoking habit, control of alcohol, stress management and periodic exams."
- Kenneth H. Cooper

To all my little Hulkamaniacs, say your prayers, take your vitamins and you will never go wrong.
Hulk Hogan
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/hulk_hogan.html#lcKkjWYOzSkgm4Of.99