How to Stay Young

Tonight I had a session with one of my favourite clients. He turned 50 this Saturday, and he is a walking example of age-defiance. He's very fit, very strong, and he eats mostly clean. But all this aside, it seems to me that the people who seem youngest are the ones who retain a certain playfulness. 

I have several other clients who stay active and continue to play and laugh like kids, and I plan to take a page from their book. We are all just large children, after all!

Listen to the Music

Yesterday I went to visit my brother, and his roommate gave me a bunch of songs that I haven't heard in some time but love. 

I now find myself looking forward to tomorrow's workout even more than usual. Music helps drive my workouts. It's proven that fast-paced tunes help your energy, while on the flip side, slower music helps you to be calm. I usually wind down by stretching, listening to Enya (don't tell anybody) or even classical music. I think the iPod is one if the greatest inventions in recent history!

If you don't listen to music while working out, I'm stunned! You should try it!

The Human Machine

I just watched a Ted Talk by Hugh Kerr. He lost both legs to frostbite while climbing, and now has the most amazing bionic legs I have ever seen - they appeared to move as normal human legs.

Cool! I am all for ending disability, but what I took issue with is his prediction that in the future, we will all be wearing bionic exoskeletons to enhance human experience.

Maybe I'm biased, but I think we should try to make our natural human bodies work as well as possible by natural methods. The human machine is a miracle, and I think, if anything is 'lacking', it's because we misuse it. 

We don't even understand it yet, and I feel as though trying to improve it may lead us down the same path as GMO foods. That seemed like a good idea at the time, but now we're saddled with the unforeseen consequences of messing with nature when we didn't really need to in the first place!

Wear It Well

Seven years ago, I hit a pothole and fell off my bike. I landed on my chin and broke my jaw in four places. It messed up my teeth, but I survived. 

If I hadn't been wearing my helmet, I might not be here now. No one looks good in a helmet, but no one looks good in a coma, either.

I see too many people wearing their helmet wrong. It should not be worn like a bonnet, with the entire forehead showing. Unless you plan to fall backwards, this is useless. Properly worn, the front edge of the helmet should be two finger widths above the brow. Even if you do fall backwards, your head will still be protected. As an aside, ALL cyclists should be wearing helmets. The risk is too great not to.

Happy cycling!

Ah, Spring!

At last! Here comes the rain again, to wags away the crud at the side of the road (what IS that, anyway?) and feed the trees. But with rain comes a drop in barometric pressure. This is why so many arthritis sufferers feel worse in this weather; in fact, much research points to the fact that higher pressure is needed to keep things from swelling, and that all the 'itises' get worse when it rains. I know for me this is the case. My tendonitis, arthritis and headaches get worse in this weather. 

My simple solution is to use ice or a topical ice salve to keep things from swelling. It helps a lot, and it's easy. Why suffer if you don't have to?

Have a Heart

On Sunday during the CPR course, we talked about what causes strokes. Stress is a big one. We all have stress in our lives, and some of it is okay, but much of it is not. Many people also create more stress by how they deal with it. For me, yoga and exercise are key. But when an incident occurs (often  this is a driver behaving recklessly and endangering my life), the instant reaction is important. In my twenties and thirties, I would swear, flip the bird, and remain angry and indignant for hours afterwards. I took thing like this personally. First off, the driver wasn't cutting off Allison, they were cutting off a cyclist. Secondly, my reaction made me more upset.
Stephen Covey, in his wonderful leadership books, reminds us that while we do not always have control over things that happen to us, we have freedom to react how we want. It takes practice, but I have learned, for the most part, to shrug it off. I don't know what that person may be going through - perhaps they are racing to the hospital. And if they are just a jerk, well, I'm glad I'm not like that, and I won't let it ruin my day. This has made me a MUCH calmer person.
By the way, this has helped me maintain a VERY healthy blood pressure and heart rate, which is part of the reason I look like I'm in my thirties, not nearly 42😃

Sugar, Sugar!

Yesterday I took a CPR certification course at the gym. I didn't realize it wasn't re-certification, so I only brought a little snack. Turns out, we were there for four hours, and I didn't bring enough food, and ended up having a low blood sugar attack.
If you've never had one of these, you're lucky! I get shaky, sleepy, irritable and a little stupid. This is due to hypoglycaemia. Upon eating again, I feel better, but only a little. The effects of the attack last until the next day, after a decent night of sleep.
To avoid this, small, frequent meals are necessary. This helps blood sugar stay stable, and prevents conditions like hypoglycaemia. See earlier post to understand why I have it...

Whole Body, Whole Brain

I do a lot of compound movements when I train, and I train most of my clients the same way. A compound movement is one in which more than one muscle group is working at a time. For example, a squat works the entire lower body, plus the arms and core muscles. I also use combination movements, like a lunge with a shoulder press.
Many of my clients complain "but I'm not coordinated!". Well, GET coordinated! The 'choreography' that everyone whines about has two functions - one, to burn more calories, and two, to make the workout more efficient. What's more, performing these exercises uses many parts of the brain. I'm working out their bodies and their minds!
So, if you hate Turkish get-ups, do them anyway. It's good for you - ALL of you!

Have A Heart This Spring

It's spring! Today. A lot of people go into panic mode around now, realizing summer clothing may be a bit tight. What to do? Exercise non- stop until June? Starve?
NO! Just change up your workouts. If you've been doing the same old routine all winter, or longer, try something new. Muscle confusion is the name of the game. Our bodies adapt very quickly to specific routines. If you've been lifting weights all winter, why not try a cardio class? And hot yoga is especially good at this time of year, not just for the stretching, but it is an excellent way to detox for spring.
When it comes to fat/weight loss, the best advice I can give is to get your heart rate up. Running, cycling, stair climbing - either at a sustained pace or in intervals. It doesn't even need to be traditional cardio. You can turn a weight routine into a cardio session by keeping moving so the heart rate stays elevated, or perhaps add a minute of skipping rope in between sets. It's not too late! Get that heart pumping and do what your body is made to do - MOVE!

Cyclist, Not Psycho!

Some people call me crazy because I cycle all winter. It's not that I love winter riding - I don't. But I do hate taking transit, and I don't drive. I'm smart about it. I have two sets of lights and all kinds of reflective gear, and I don't ride through snowstorms if I can help it.
I think I'm a careful cyclist. I have a rear view mirror and I try to be predictable; riding in a straight line a few feet from the curb if there's no bike lane. And STILL, I am honked at, sworn at, and given the middle finger on a nearly daily basis.
What gives? Am I any more 'in the way' than I would be in a car? If we counted how many cyclists there are in this city and added that many cars on the road, I truly think traffic would be much worse. Cycling is Eco-friendly, great exercise, and often faster than transit.
I know there are some cyclists who give us all a bad name, dodging in and out of traffic and so on, but most of us, for the sake of our own safety, try not to be stupid.
So give us a break! Read your driver's manual and learn the rules concerning cyclists, and maybe don't risk our lives to save 10 seconds.
Thanks!

Mia Is Not Your Friend

Do you know what bulimia is? Are you sure? I thought I did - it's binging on food and then throwing it up, right? Well, yes, but there are a actually two types. There's purging and non-purging bulimia. In non-purging bulimia, a person binges but instead of vomiting, they abuse/use extreme dieting and exercise and possibly abuse laxatives and fat burners to try to compensate for the binge.
I was surprised by this, especially since, under that definition, I was bulimic for four years! As a personal trainer, I have every reason to stay thin - I am the product I'm selling. But as a food addict since the age of six, it was very hard to break old habits. I would pig out on weekends (once I ate so much I threw up and then ate more), and then spend the week dieting and exercising like mad. First off, this is horrible for one's health. Spiking the blood sugar and then letting it drop gave me hypoglycaemia and messed up my hormones. And it doesn't work! By my frequent calculations of calorie intake and expenditure, I should have been able to maintain a trim 145 lbs, but it doesn't work like that. Second, it's a vicious cycle. Giving in to sugar cravings only led to more, to the point where I lived for my weekend binges and even dreamt about food.
Once I realized that I had a real problem, I took steps to remedy the condition. I went as long as I could without a binge, even attending Overeaters Anonymous meetings, and if I did slip, I was kind to myself and instead of beating myself up and starving as long as I could after a binge, I just started all over again. And this did work. After two weeks of clean eating, I not only started to drop weight, but I began to have more energy, and I came out of a 35-year fog.
If you think you might have an issue, I encourage you to read Anne Katherine's book, The Anatomy of a Food Addiction, and perhaps seek help. It has made a world of difference to me, and I believe it can help many others. The most important thing I learned was that I am NOT a weak, stupid pig. I have a true addiction that left me unable to control myself in spite of many negative consequences.
I do still occasionally pig out, but the difference now is, I ENJOY food rather than USE it. And you can too.

Hippy Hippy Shake

Do you have lower back pain? I did. For three and a half years I suffered, annoying my doctor with repeated requests for various exams. I even took part in a back pain study, where I finally got an answer. It was my tight hips; specifically my TFL and psoas muscles. I cycle year-round, and I had developed the habit of sitting cross- legged. In fact, sitting in general can cause this issue. And we are a society of sitters - in cars, at desks, on buses - we sit WAY too much.
So get up off your butt and stretch! The classic quad stretch works on the psoas, as does a runner's lunge, and for the TFL, a spinal twist. These are both yoga moves, which should be held for a minimum of 1 minute, but as many as five.
If you have mysterious lower back pain, try these stretches - I hope they help!

Party Pooper

Happy St. Patricks Day!
Now I'm going to poop on the party! If you are trying to lose weight, the very last thing you should be doing is...drinking! Sorry, but it's true. Alcohol has zero nutritional value, but does contain calories. It also turns quickly to sugar in the body. Your liver, in order to rid the body of this foreign substance, ignores all else and works overtime. This is why heavy drinkers often end up with liver problems.
And while your liver is busy cleaning out the alcohol, anything else you've ingested sits and waits. And weights, if you catch my drift. Certainly, some drinks are worse than others - a sugary, fizzy cooler is worse than, say, a Guinness, but in general, alcohol should be enjoyed in moderation.
If you must drink (as sometimes we all must) make sure to drink water as well and eat beforehand.
Cheers!

The Personal in Personal Training

Yesterday I got my hair cut. My stylist, Shannon, has lost over 100 pounds in the past few years and has become a bit of a fitness junkie. She takes classes, but says she's never pursued personal training because it seems to her that the trainers at her gym spend a lot of time chatting with clients.
I can see why this would be off putting, and maybe the trainers at her gym are lazy. BUT there could be something else going on. I told her that not every client needs a butt kicking. I have many clients with serious conditions or injuries. I don't put these people through intensive bodybuilding or cardio circuits, because my mantra is 'do no harm'. I have heard far too many stories about clients injured by over zealous trainers. I use yoga and Pilates for some clients because their goal may be to improve balance and flexibility. I also employ fascial release techniques and facilitated stretching with nearly every client because EVERYONE sits too much. Some people just want to maintain their level of fitness. And, honestly, some just need an objective sounding board and can afford to pay someone to make a necessary hour more pleasant.
One more thing - if you've noticed a trainer working with a client for a time and they don't seem to be improving, understand that we cannot control what a client does when they're not with us. I give homework and programs to be done on days when we are not together, but I cannot force people to do them. Like the woman who said to me 'Why am I not leaner? That's what I pay you for!', some seem to think having a trainer should work like a magic pill. But if I tell you you can't drink 3 glasses of wine every night and you do, is it my fault you aren't losing weight? I fired that client, incidentally, and she is now making life hell for another trainer😈

Being Angry Burns Calories...I Hope!

Okay kiddies, it's pet peeve time!  Last Friday, my 10 am appointment at the gym (not 3 Monkeys!) was late, so I called her. She said she had had an accident in the parking lot, so I told her I would wait until 10:30, which I did. She later asked if she would be charged (the club I work at, and most others, has a 24-hour cancellation policy), and I told her I would try to get it comped. But I had to think about it. It is up to the trainer whether we charge or not. Depending on the client and their previous behaviour or the circumstance, I often choose not to charge.
In this case, however, my previous appointment had finished at 7:30 am, so I ultimately killed three hours waiting.  Assuming I had charged her, she went into the gym, complained about me and asked for another trainer. She also cancelled our appointment for today late last night.
Many people are unaware of this, but trainers are paid by the session. If I am at the gym and not with a client, I am not being paid and it is my time. It seems a lot of people also think we make a lot more than we do. A senior trainer makes about 2/3 of the rate on a client they have signed up themselves and about a third of the rate when the gym 'gives' us clients.
Let me be clear - I LOVE what I do, but I do need to be paid. The reason for the cancellation policy is the same as your doctor - it's a slot that could potentially be filled by another if there were enough time to find someone. In our case, it is also to protect the trainer, who, as in my case, made all my plans, packed my lunch and even what to wear based on the sessions I had on my schedule. It is also to discourage clients from cancelling, because like I said yesterday, you have to show up to get results!
I know you're wondering, did I charge her for today? Damn straight I did, and wish I could retroactively nail her for last week as well😈

All You Have To Do Is Do It

For anyone wondering why I call myself Miss Abs, it is because when I transformed my body from160 lbs of mush to muscle machine, I got a six, then 8 pack, and people at my gym who didn't know my name called me Miss Abs.
But before I earned the name, I worked really hard for many months in the gym and in the kitchen.
I bring this up because there are many people who, just about now, are trying to get a six-pack of their own before summer.
GREAT! But...a word to the wise - don't expect results tomorrow! It seems to be human nature to be impatient, to want a quick fix, to want what we want now. Far too often, I see a new gym member toiling away in the gym every day for a few weeks...and then they disappear. You can't do it all in a day. The body needs time to adjust, especially for those of us who are not first-timers in the gym. That kind of overload can lead to a state of overtraining, which leaves you unable to train for some time and can lead to illness. So be patient, and be persistent, and keep the diet on track. It will happen.
One of the many things I love about training is that, with the right program, frequency and intensity, results are guaranteed. You just have to do it!
So, like spring (?) your fitter body is coming - it just takes time. Don't give up😊

Hi, it's me!

HI!  I'm a personal trainer with a journalism degree, so I have decided to marry my two loves and blog about fitness.
But wait, there's more!
From time to time, I might just write about pet peeves, interesting facts, or events in my life.
For example, today, I am very unhappy to look out the window and see more blowing snow. Sigh.  I know winter doesn't really end until May but SERIOUSLY?