Workout at Home

To fit a quick workout in your day, the best thing you can do is workout at home. Having said this, there is minimal equipment that will vastly improve your exercise options. A Jump Rope, Dumbbells, a Fitness Ball and an Exercise Mat are all you need to have great variety and results in your workout.

Here are some simple, classic exercises to get you started:

Squat and Press
A full body move that will work everything from your major muscle groups, like your hamstrings and shoulders, to your minor stabilizing muscles. Do this move for a few days and feel enormous improvements in endurance and strength.







Side Plank with Arm Raise
Starting in regular plank position on your yoga mat, turn onto the side of your foot and your forearm. Once balanced, raise your other arm straight into the air. Looking up at this arm will help you maintain the position. This is great for every part of your body. Can especially whittle down those love handles and tone your back! Rotate from side to side.

Lunge with Bicep Curl

Just like the squat and press, doing a basic lung while again incorporating your arms is a great way to raise your heart rate and have a fast and very effective workout. Make sure you front knee does not extend past your toes and focus on stabilization and muscle contraction throughout the move. You do not have to incorporate stairs into this!

Butt Blaster on the Ball!

This is my fav ball move. With your back flat on the floor and your ankles resting on the ball, pull the ball towards you and lift your butt off the floor. Feel the burn and blast your butt!!





Any questions about specific workout moves, feel free to post a comment!

Kale - The newest Superfood

I love to try new foods. Many people relate healthy eating with bordom in the kitchen, but that doesn't have to be the case.

Kale has been named a superfood. Which means it is extremely valuable in your diet and definitely worth trying. One cup contains only 36 calories, and provides 192% of the daily value of vitamin A and almost 90% of your daily value of Vit C. The ten to fifteen organosulphur compounds it contains have been proven to be highly effective against many cancers. Kale also contains high amounts of B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and potassium. Enough reasons to try it yet??

So, how do you eat it? Well, some people find it can be bitter, but by chosing Kale with smaller leaves, you will find the flavor can be very complementary in many dishes.

Here's a recipe worth trying:

Raw Tuscan Kale Salad
If you don't have pecorino, freshly grated Parmesan would be a reasonable substitute.

1 bunch Tuscan kale (for ex: black or lacinato)
2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese, plus aditional for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (~1/4 cup)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.
If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.
Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss (Dressing is thick, so it may need to be well tossed).
Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

Adapted from the Raw Tuscan Kale Salad with Chiles and Pecorino recipe in Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite.

Move of the Day...Get the Wiggle out of your Wave!

Triceps Kickback!

Using a cable at the gym, or weights in your own home, this simple move will tone up your arms.

Set-up: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weight or the D-handle for the pulley. Bend forward to 45 degrees with your knees slightly bent.

Action: Keep your arm close to your body and extend your elbow posteriorly in a straight line. Do not lock your elbow and keep your wrist strong. Focus on the movement and the contraction of your triceps. Return slowly.

As with every exercise, focus on the movement and the muscles being used. Both contraction and relaxation should be slow and controlled for max benefits.


Pictures taken from Oxygen Magazine.

If you have 20 minutes..

I've always loved going to the gym. Often I wake up and it's the first thing I think about. Well, not so much right now. I'm busy and exhausted.

So, I was looking for a workout I could do in as little time as possible. I know I'm a little behind the times on this one, but Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred was my answer! It is a surprisingly challenging workout, especially since it is only 20 minutes long! All you need are a set of Hand Weights (for 8-Pound Neoprene - click here) and a Yoga Mat  and you're all set.

The DVD literally takes 20 minutes, will give you a good sweat, and RESULTS. I've been really happy with this and have found that I'm actually sore the next day. Her philosophy of mixing cardio and a bit of weight training is well documented and works, burning a lot of calories while improving your muscle tone. And who doesn't have 20 minutes?!

VACAY!!!!

This time of year always brings daydreaming about a winter vacation. Now that I live in Florida it doesn't seem quite as vital to get away in January or February as it did when I was living in Canada. A favorite vacay from Toronto is an all-inclusive Dominican Republic or Mexico trip. For seven hundred dollars you get to fly to a resort and eat and drink all you want while lying pool or beach-side. You come back tanned and rested. There are water sports and pool volleyball always available, with day trips around the area.

 

While this type of vacay can be a much needed break from a hectic schedule and snow shoveling, it can also leave you feeling chubby and lethargic when you come home. This is why I'm going to recommend (and daydream about) a few spa destinations that look like incredible vacays that include a lot of activity. 

Enchantment Resort Sedona Arizona

I LOVE Arizona. The dry heat is awesome. This spa just looks amazing nestled in the mountains. Horseback riding, bike riding and hiking with gorgeous, inspiring scenery. Sedona is known for it's "vortexes". Hot spots of energy from the earth that inspire all types of artsy (crazy?) people to gather here. Lots to see and do!

Getaway Fitness - Florida, California and Caribbean

This retreat looks incredible and I would love to go check out the one in St. Pete Beach, just a few hours from me. It's a boot camp! You get 5-6 hours a day doing personal training, beach workouts, yoga and pilates, biking, kickboxing, zumba - and it's all finished by 4:00 when you can have spa or leisure time. Three gourmet healthy meals a day. This place sounds like a dream. Come back rejuvenated and inspired to exercise and eat well.

If they gave me a few days there, I would blog about it....just throwing it out there :)

Green Mountain at Fox Run - Women's only Retreat

Considered a "life-changing experience", Green Mountain in Vermont has seminars and tonnes of activities to teach about healthy living. Cooking classes and group exercise in this beautiful setting surrounded by like-minded women can give you the support and motivation you need to make change in your life.

Banff - Alberta, Canada

 And why not a Chose Your Own Adventure!!
What kind of Canadian would I be if I didn't include one of our natural beauties!?

Downtown Banff, and the National Park it sits in is simply gorgeous!

There's lots to see and do. Go up into the mountains and hike a glacier, golfing, wandering around town...

Moraine Lake, in the Valley of Ten Peaks near Lake Louise is one of the glacial lakes in the area. I wish I could have one giant gulp of that cool, crisp air!






Whether you chose to go to a resort that has all the activities planned for you, or just go to an area that you know you will be doing a lot of walking, hiking, swimming or whatever type of activity you enjoy, planning a vacay that you know will leave you pooped at the end of the day is the best kind of vacay!!!