Running and Powerwalking!

Running and Powerwalking!
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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

What I know now that I wish I knew then

After my last post, I was asked what I know now about nutrition and fitness that I wish I knew when I was younger. I thought this was a great question considering every day we are learning something new about health. One day caffeine is good for you, the next day it's bad. Not to mention all the crazy fad diets that have come and gone and some that are still around.  i.e. the grapefruit diet, Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, and  the Paleo Diet. It's no wonder we get confused!  However, there are some facts that have remained true over the years. i.e. too much sugar can cause weight gain, eating more natural foods (especially greens!) is better for your body than processed foods, too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, strength training builds muscle and can lead to weight loss and regular physical activity can decrease the likelihood of heart disease and mental stress.  But  here are the top 3 things I know now that I wish I knew when I was in my teens and early 20's.


1. The amount of sugar that is in one can of soda!

I remember the days when I would drink anywhere from 2-5 cans of soda a day! Especially during my college years when I would cram for an exam, or write a 20 page paper, or after having a late night with my girlfriends. Sometimes I would even start my day off with a can of soda for breakfast! Then when we hit the phase where "diet" soda was the more popular choice, I switched from regular soda to drinking diet, low calorie or zero calorie soda.  But now that I know how much sugar is in one can of soda, how awful aspartame is for the body,  and how sugar wreaks havoc on our body and mind, I can't remember the last time I drank a can of soda.

One 12 ounce can of soda has about 6 teaspoons of sugar (or HFCS, high fructose corn syrup).  That means, if I was drinking 2-5 sodas a day, I was having 12-30 teaspoons of sugar a day as well! No wonder I gained the infamous freshman 15 (pounds that is) during my first year of college.

Another downside of sugar is that it is highly addictive. After having it, you experience pleasure and satisfaction due to the release of dopamine, the pleasure hormone, in the brain.  However, this experience is short lived and soon after, you experience an energy and mental crash.  But because the pleasure we experience is so great, we want more of it. These symptoms are similar to what cocaine and heroin abusers have. i.e. cravings, withdrawal and relapse.  That alone made me reduce my sugar intake straight away! Now I chose more natural sugars such as whole natural fruits, organic maple syrup, stevia, or dark chocolate that is 70% or  higher.  Not only do I feel better, my waist line "looks" better too!


2. Why NOT eating makes you GAIN weight rather than lose weight

You have a special event coming up and you want to look great. You bought a knock out dress that would be the envy of all of your girlfriends and that could draw the attention of all the eligible handsome men. So what do you do to make sure you fit in that dress? If you were like me, you would stop eating for a few days to hopefully drop those few extra pounds. This is the WORST thing  you can do to lose weight. But that is what I did, not once, but a few times during my teenage years.

By starving yourself a few days in a row, you are essentially causing your body to go into "starvation mode." When this happens, your body tends to store food as fat rather than use it for energy. Why? Your body does not know when it is going to receive fuel again so it stores food for later use just in case it doesn't receive fuel again for awhile.

Another side effect of starving myself was that I ended up binge eating because I was craving food! I would eat just about anything (which was usually high calorie processed foods) because I was so hungry. As a result, I would end up gaining weight instead of losing it. Then I would get angry with myself for having no will power or discipline and for gaining the weight I wanted to lose. This in turn led to another side effect. I would lash out at others because I hungry AND angry. Hence, I became a HANGRY person.

What did I learn from this lesson? That starving myself does not work and that I could have saved myself (and others) a lot of grieve, heart ache and extra weight gain had I planned my nutrition more wisely.


3. Why I felt bloated, fat and had severe cramps after eating particular foods (including ice cream!)


We've all experienced feeling full, bloated and fat. I used to think it was a sign that I ate too much and that I lacked the will power to stop eating when my stomach was clearly telling me it was full.  I had no idea back then that these feelings might have been caused because of something else, food intolerance. For example, I absolutely loved peanut butter. I loved it so much that I would grab a large spoon and scoop large quantities of peanut butter straight from the jar and eat it. No bread or jelly required! After a few bites, my stomach would go into spasms. I would feel bloated and often I would have cramps that were so severe, I could not even sit up straight. But it never stopped me from eating it entirely. I would deal with the pain until it subsided and then a few days later, I would eat it again as if that painful experience never occurred.  I even switched to organic peanut butter just in case it was the hydrogenated oils that was causing me pain. (hydrogenated oil is a whole other topic!) T

This went on for years until I started to have the same symptoms (and sometimes worse) with other foods. Finally, I went to see a Naturopathic Doctor who ran some tests and low and behold, we discovered that I was intolerant to peanuts.  It didn't take me long to learn what other foods I was intolerant to as well and I slowly began to change my diet.  The result? I stopped eating food my body could not handle and I discovered new foods that by body could digest well and that tasted delicious!

So there you have it. The top 3 health lessons that I know now that I wish I knew then that would have saved me a lot of physical and emotional stress!







Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A letter to myself at 13



Dear Donna

It is hard to believe you are turning 13! You have grown to be such a lovely woman not just on the outside, but on the inside as well.

As you enter into your teens, I’d like to share some things I have learned along the way. I could write a whole book of my life experiences (good and bad) and the lessons I learned. But I will choose those that coincide with where I am in my life right now.

1.     Love yourself: Stop comparing yourself to other people and start embracing your own uniqueness! There is no else like you and there will never be. So enjoy being YOU!

2.     Take 10 minutes every day to reflect on what you are grateful for: As we get older, we often allow our daily responsibilities to take over our lives and before we know it, we lose ourselves.  By taking 10 minutes to reflect on our blessings, we realize just how blessed we really are. This in turn helps to keep us balanced and connected to our true self. 

3.     Laugh often:  How great do you feel after you have a good hard laugh? It feels wonderful! Learning to laugh at yourself is also very important. Never take yourself too seriously because no one else will!

4.     Be forgiving of yourself and others: We are our worst critics! By allowing yourself to be human, (which means you won’t be perfect!), you will enjoy life’s experiences much more. If you are forgiving of others, you’ll find that your life will be much easier as well. It takes way too much energy to carry around a grudge or anger or frustration! Besides, the person you are angry with probably has no idea how you feel and most likely will never change!


5.     Don’t judge: We often think we know what’s best for others and how people should behave. Unless you walked in that person’s shoes, you will never know their true situation.

6.     Be fearless: Never be afraid to dream big! Never let other people’s negativity affect you.  You don’t want to miss a great opportunity to shine and show your true abilities.

7.     Never be afraid to fail: I learned that it is through my failures that I am able to achieve even more than I ever imagined I could!

8.     Always take the time to let someone know you love them or to say thank you.  We often hear people say “I’m so busy”. Does it really take that long to send a quick email or text to let someone know you care? No one lives forever so don’t miss an opportunity to say I love you or thank you!

9.      Walk every day for at least 20 minutes: Walking has so many health benefits. But what I love most about walking is that it gives me time to enjoy nature and clear my mind. There’s something about being outside in the fresh air that makes me feel calm, alive and connected to the universe.

    10.   Eat real food 90% of the time: Our bodies are amazing machines. It works hard to keep us alive and the more healthy you eat, the stronger your body will become, the more efficiently it will work and the better quality of life you will live! 




Never forget how wonderful you are Donna! 

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

3 things we should be doing to enjoy life!

In today's society, it is so easy to become addicted to receiving constant, fast communication and stimulation. We find ourselves bound to our cell phones, iPads, and for some people, even head phones! If you look around you, most if not everyone you see is in their own world, with their heads down, texting, reading or playing a video game. If you're lucky, you might even find yourself sitting next to someone who's music you can hear through their headphones!

Today I'd like to tear you away from technology and recommend a few activities you can do to connect to your friends, family, community and even yourself.  Yes, this means putting down your cell phone or iPad or game toy for a few minutes or even crazier, longer!

1. Spend time with your friends or family IN PERSON.

How great is it to be physically close to a friend as they share a story about their most recent  date or their latest accomplishment? More importantly, how wonderful does it feel to be able to offer or receive support with a hug rather than words?  The human touch is so powerful and there is no technology in this world that can replace the impact of a warm embrace or touch, especially when it is needed the most. I know I'd rather cry on a friend's shoulder than on skype or facetime!

2. SIGN UP for a class instead of using Google.

How often have you googled a cooking recipe, or wanted to learn how to change a bike tire, or learn how to use your camera?  Why not register for a class and learn how to do it firsthand. You'll be able to ask questions and experiment under the guidance of an expert. You'll also be less likely to forget what you've learned and you'll be supporting your local community programs.

3. EXPLORE your neighborhood without using your GPS. 

Go for a nice walk with your dog, friend or on your own and discover what new places may have opened over the winter. Take some time to stop into shops you've passed by several times but never went in.  Or treat yourself to a tea or dessert at one of your local coffee shops that you've never tried before. The idea is to wander and explore your neighborhood without having a destination or agenda in mind. You might come across a hidden gem in your very own neighborhood.


Stay active and anything is possible!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Is Spot Reducing Possible?


Okay ladies, I know you are not going to like hearing this, but no, you can not spot reduce. In other words, you can not lose weight in specific areas.  This can be very disheartening for some women, but it doesn't have to be. Here's why.

By combining both aerobic exercise and strength training, you incorporate the use of more muscle groups. The more muscles you engage, the more calories you burn which can lead to weight and fat loss. You might be wondering why I said  CAN lead to weight loss instead of WILL.  A good exercise program has to coincide with eating healthy.  Exercising on a regular basis does not allow you to eat whatever you want without having some consequences. i.e. weight gain. However, the good news is that when you do combine a good exercise program with healthy eating, you CAN lose weight AND body fat.  It just may not be in the area(s) that you would like. But in the end, isn't the ultimate goal to live healthy so that you can have a higher quality of life?

Here's an example of a 10 minute workout routine that incorporates cardio and strength training without using any equipment! It also targets all of your muscle groups. Why not give it a try? The only thing you have to lose is calories!


Jumping jacks 1 minute
Push ups 30 seconds
Squats 1 minute
Tricep dips 30 seconds
Alternating forward lunges 1 minute
Plank 30 seconds
Plyo squats 1 minute
Side Plank 30 seconds
Alternating split plyo lunges 1 minute
Side Plank (opposite side) 30 seconds
Jumping jacks 1 minute
Push ups 30 seconds
Squats 1 minute


Stay active and anything is possible!








Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Keeping it Real



I thought I would share my weekend after reading the post going around FB regarding "Please don't Envy Me." Here's the link for the complete article. 

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/03/please-dont-envy-me-the-facebook-status-everyone-should-read/

This past weekend I chose to splurge. What does this mean for me? Here's a recap of my weekend. 

Friday: Powerwalked with 2 clients, studied, wrote 2 nutrition programs, responded to all of my nutrition clients, went grocery shopping with my husband, went for a micro brewed beer at a local pub and then had a vegetarian frozen pizza for dinner accompanied with red wine from Argentina while watching jeopardy we taped on tv. 

Saturday morning: Ran hills with a client and then we both went to yoga together. Ate a healthy breakfast and then headed to a baseball game with my husband and friends. Had 2 beers at the game and then went to an amazing fondue dinner with more friends. Enjoyed baguette and sesame seed bread with lactose free cheese and a variety of other cheeses as well! (FYI, I haven't had white bread or cheese for months!) Followed it up with seafood fondue of scallops, crab and shrimp, raw veggies and LOTS and LOTS of red wine! Fell asleep earlier than I planned to (I failed to pace myself) and woke up to winter all over again.  (Spring has not yet come to Montreal) 

Sunday: I didn't work out. I went to church, drank lots of water, had a good healthy breakfast but  later on the day, I couldn't resist my favourite blue corn chips ( a whole bag!) and tempernino red wine and skipped dinner all together.  

So what I am saying is, personal trainers have off days too and that is okay. We are real people that have unhealthy cravings. We splurge, eat foods and drink wines that are not always the best choice. Tomorrow is always a new day and I get right back on track with eating healthy and exercising. I had a great weekend with friends and my husband and I would not change that for the world. 

Tuesday:  Still keeping it real: 

Staying in line with the" Please don't envy me blog" this is me today at 12:20pm working on marketing Positively Active. I've been up since 4:15am to train clients, write programs and research more articles, theories, etc on health and fitness. Notice the nicely done hair, the mascara that is now down my face making my eyes look fabulous. Can't wait to take a picture after my workout. Lookout Oxygen magazine!

Stay active (and real) and anything is possible! 
Donna