Samantha Grice
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How I Stay Fit: Michelle Uy
Michelle Uy is a Certified Yoga Teacher and Owner of LoveActionYoga. Michelle is also certified to teach Yoga Thrive, a therapeutic yoga program for cancer survivors. Through yoga, we can cultivate loving kindness in all beings and make this world a better place! Q: What does your exercise routine look like?
A: Lots of yoga! I do my own practice at home, but I also love to go to yoga studios and ride off of the energy of the class. One of my favorite things about Toronto is you can walk from area to area; walking is one of my most favorite pastimes.
Q: Do you make an effort to maintain a healthy diet?
Absolutely. It's very important for me to stay healthy especially as a yoga teacher; you are a role model for your students. I truly believe in the saying "you are what you eat".
Q: Do you face any challenges in your efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
A: Of course, I find it most challenging when I'm in social settings. I love to eat all kinds of food, so I really have to practice discipline when I'm out. I'm trying to do 'healthy dating' with friends, such as going out and salsa dancing together or watching movies going to a yoga class and having a healthy bite to eat afterwards.
Q: What do you have for breakfast every day?
A: It changes, but for the most part I like to have oatmeal or Peace Cereal - Maple Walnut or Vanilla Almond, a banana and a soothing cup of tea!
Q: What is your favourite thing to cook when you have a cold?
A: I tend to not cook when I have a cold because when I'm sick, I feel my body is telling me to slow down and relax. But, if I were to cook, I would probably make myself a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of soup.
Q: Do you ever eat unhealthy?
A: Yes. My weaknesses are cheese, fries with mayo, cake and white wine. I believe it's important to treat yourself to foods you love and then balance it all out by exercise and healthy food. I accept that it's going to happen from time to time and avoid getting stressed about it; life is too short to not enjoy life!
Q: Lastly, do you have any healthy goals for the coming year?
A: I'd like to get some cardio into my exercise regime, if I could commit to running once/week, I'd be happy with that!
How I Stay Fit: Exercise Psychology Unit, University of Toronto
Guy Faulkner leads the Exercise Psychology Unit at the University of Toronto and the focus of his work and that of the graduate students is in the psychological aspects of exercise. They look at how to help people get and stay active along with the psychological benefits of exercise. As a team, they will contribute to That's Fit.ca
Q: As professionals in the Exercise Psychology Unit of the University of Toronto, we have to ask, are you all regularly reaping the psychological (and physical) rewards of regular exercise?
A: The Exercise Psychology Unit at the university consists of researchers conducting multidisciplinary research that addresses three critical questions: 1) What factors cause or prevent physical (in)activity? 2) How does participation in physical activity influence psychological well-being? and 3) How are effective physical activity promotion initiatives designed, delivered and disseminated for public health? As physical activity researchers, we like to talk the talk but also walk the walk! To celebrate the end of the year, many of us tried curling for the first time.
Q:. Do you think people underestimate the psychological benefits of fitness?
A: We think most people appreciate that when they exercise, or even go for a walk, they 'feel good' - other things can get in the way that makes regular exercise more challenging. The psychological benefits of exercise are important in their own right but these benefits may also be important for reinforcing the decision to exercise in the first place. Perhaps we as physical activity advocates need to do a better job in promoting that link for people.
Q: Why is it so hard to keep up a regular fitness routine?
A: There are many barriers to being as physically active as we would like. Some of these are external to us - it may not be easy to access or afford recreational facilities for example. Other times, issues of motivation or lack of time can be critical. Developing the skills to begin and maintain physical activity is the start for many people - learning how to self-monitor daily activity, set goals, and put plans in place to overcome barriers to physical activity.
Q: What is the most interesting finding related to your subject matter you've discovered in the past year?
A: We've been interested in the resurgence of the fitness versus fatness debate - That the risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality is lower in individuals with high body mass index (BMI) and good aerobic fitness, compared with individuals with normal BMI and poor fitness. This may not apply to individuals with high BMI but it does make the case that physical activity offers protection to health "no matter what weight you are".
Q: Can you give us one piece of inspirational advice regarding fitness to take into the new year?
A: We can give you 100's! Read these inspiring stories about how many Canadians have added more movement to their lives.
How I Stay Fit: James S. Fell
James S. Fell is a middle-aged family man with a desk job and not much free time, yet he's able to keep in shape because he loves exercise and doesn't mind eating healthy. He is the author of Body for Wife: The Family Guy's Guide to Getting in Shape. His column for That's Fit.ca focuses on weightlifting, running and exercise motivation. Q: You are a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, which begs the question, just how fit are you, James??
A: I pride myself on being pretty damn fit. I can run 10km in just over 42 minutes and bench press 315 pounds and I've only got a little bit of an ego. Plus, I can see most (but not all) of my abdominal muscles. I think this isn't bad for a family guy in his 40s. It helps that I'm married to a family doctor who keeps me on my toes.
Q: And would you say you are a healthy eater? Give us a snapshot of your daily diet.
A: As a fitness author, I feel the need to "look the part," and that means staying slim. I know that the easiest way to keep calories under control is to focus on eating healthy. Unlike most guys that are into weights I don't believe in high protein diets. I'm big into unprocessed carbohydrates, a moderate amount of healthy fats, and keeping my red meat intake down. All my grains are whole, my dairy is lean, and fruits and vegetables make up a large part of my diet. I also follow the old Chinese adage of "Eat until to you are eight-tenths full."
Q: What motivates you to exercise and be fit?
A: Love. My book may be called Body for Wife, but that's mostly a marketing gimmick. Sure, I like being in good shape for the love of my life, but the thing that gets me to lace up my runners in minus 30 is the fact that I really love exercising.
Q: Have you always been this way?
A: Not even close. Do you remember that guy who was a total spaz at every sport in junior high school? That guy was me. I sucked at everything athletic growing up and by the age of 25 was getting to be pretty chunky from a lousy diet and no exercise. Before proposing to my wife I decided it was time to get in shape, and through some luck I actually found out how to love doing it. Over time I dropped almost 50 pounds of fat and gained around 20 pounds of muscle.
Q: Do you face any challenges in maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
A: Time is always the big one, but I've gotten to be pretty creative. For example, I actually like having to taxi my kids to karate class because it gives me an hour to kill, and that hour involves running shoes and sweat. My other big challenge is beer. Mmmm... beer.
Q: What are your fitness goals for 2010?
A: I've always wanted a six pack. I've got a pretty good four-pack, but a six-pack would be awesome. The problem is that I seem to like drinking six packs more than having one on my torso.
Madonna Defends Her Workout Routine
What do you think of Madonna's body, specifically her pipes? Unfortunately, the quote that sticks in our minds is when her former husband Guy Ritchie said hugging her was akin to cuddling up to a piece of gristle. Well, he would know, wouldn't he? Or would he? If you believe tabloid gossip, the rest of the story goes that Ritchie was habouring resentment over his wife's daily four-hour workouts that left little time for him. The couple split up over a year and a half ago and Madge is now famously spending her time with 22-year-old Brazilian model, Jesus Luz, who we are going to guess doesn't have any complaints about cuddling up to his very rich, very famous girlfriend.While we admit to preferring a slightly softer female physique, Madonna is 51 and she is likely very healthy and she looks good. Thus, she has little reason to explain herself to anyone, yet, she recently told British TV show, GMTV why she is so dedicated to her exercise routine.
"(I do it) for health reasons, and for aesthetic reasons. If I have to go out on stage and, you know, jump around in a pair of hot pants I better look good and also when I perform I'm like an athlete and I have to be in good shape. I'm not panicked, I just know what my job is and I know that if I want to be able to wear whatever I want to wear on stage then my body better look good."
What are your thoughts? Is Madonna inspiration or cautionary tale?
Best Workout Songs: The Heavy Metal Edition
Some people simply cannot workout to twee rock songs or the latest sugary pop hits. In other words, Mariah Carey or Snow Patrol is just not going to help them bench press 300 pounds.Marshall Tully is one such person. Tully is a certified personal trainer and fitness coach who founded the fitness facility, Full Blast, in 2004. Here are his very particular thoughts on the kind of music he prefers to workout to.
"When I look back, I divide my adult life into two distinct parts: Everything that happened before I started weight training, and everything that happened after. I credit weight training for giving my life a full 180-degree turn. So when I go into the gym, I obviously take it pretty seriously. I own my own facility these days, so I have the luxury of being able to train in privacy. Working out is not a social thing for me. It's the one hour of my day when there are no interruptions or distractions. And even though it can be a really intense and aggressive experience, I think of it as a form of meditation. If I'm running on about four shots of espresso and I've got an amazing song blasting through my iPod, there's no better feeling in the world than lifting a heavy barbell off the floor.
I've been a consummate music fan and serious collector of music since I was about nine years old. I love just about everything; early Jamaican ska, Delta blues, funk, '60's R&B, jazz, punk, rockabilly, and classical. When I need to move a heavy barbell though, it's gotta be rock. And not just any rock. I want to hear a heavy, hypnotic guitar riff, and a band that can really hold it down. I can't stand the generic, auto-tuned "modern rock" that pollutes the radio nowadays, and I've also never been able to get into speed metal or stuff like that. I guess I'm a toe-tapper; I grew up listening to bands like the Beatles, so I like well-written songs that have verses and choruses.
I don't wear those little tiny earbuds when I train; they aren't loud enough, and they always fall out. I need those jumbo 70's-style headphones that stick to your skull really hard.
I don't think I could narrow down my all-time favourite training playlist to just ten songs, but here are a few that are usually in heavy rotation:"
p.s.Think of this list as a tasting sampler of good stuff to feed toyour MP3 player. Unfortunately, many of the songs only play for 30seconds.
Marshall's Workout Songs after the jump:
Best Workout Songs of the Week: Booty Camp Special
This week's guest DJ is Sammie Kennedy, the CEO and creator of Booty Camp Fitness, a women's-only boot camp with over 90 locations across Canada. For Sammie's thoughts on working out with music, keep reading."I pretty much always have my iPhone blasting tunes when I'm doing cardio and resistance training, there's nothing like an amazing song when you're doing a workout, it just gets you in the zone. Luckily I already love being active and staying fit, but the right song can really push it to the next level. Sometimes toward the end of a run I'm tempted to wimp out and jog instead, but a song like "Remember the Name" (see below) pumps me up and reminds me that you don't give up at the end - you go harder!
Music is an absolute necessity when I'm working out solo and I've seen how it can ramp up the atmosphere in a group setting. That's why it was so important to me when we were developing the Booty Camp Fitness program to incorporate music into the session. We've got certain songs for the warm-up, different ones for cardio and resistance, then some slower jams for the cool down portion. And to keep it fresh, we change the playlist up every two weeks. Recruits love it and always submit their favourite songs to us! A good music mix can make 60 minutes fly by!"p.s.Think of this list as a tasting sampler of good stuff to feed to your MP3 player. Unfortunately, many of the songs only play for 30 seconds.
Sammie's top 10 songs after the jump.
The Biggest Loser - the Dark Side
Are you a fan of The Biggest Loser? Do you tune in weekly for inspiring, tear-jerking tales of weight loss triumph? Or are you watching to see who will be the next contestant to be airlifted to the hospital after all 400+ pounds of them collapses in a heat-exhausted, dehydrated heap? Well, if the latter is what keeps you tuning in, you'll be interested to read this New York Times article that uncovers a dark side to the prime-time show that draws 10 million viewers each week. Here are a few of the scary facts the Times uncovered.
- On Wednesday night's reunion show, the winner of the first season, Ryan C. Benson, was notably absent. Benson, who started the show at 330 pounds, lost 122 of those, but is now back to over 300 pounds.
- Benson says he has been blacklisted by the show due to the fact he publicly admitted he lost weight by fasting and dehydrating himself to the point he began urinating blood.
How I Stay Fit: Alicia McAuley
Alicia McAuley is That's Fit.ca's new and lovely associate editor. It seems this healthy job came at just the right time in her life, as she is excited to get in shape for her upcoming wedding. We love when things work out like that. (p.s. she was not without a home before she started working with us, just a very enthusiastic journalist.)
Q: Do you currently make an effort to eat healthy?
A: I do! I am a huge fan of salads, especially when they're topped with healthy items like dried cranberries, blueberries, avocado, veggies and nuts. But I'm always looking for ways to eat healthier and get the most out of my diet.
Q: What is your current exercise routine?
A:Pre-journalism school, I was doing pilates and running at least four nights a week and I felt fantastic! But I developed some bad habits during school, and working out took a back seat to long days in class and an after-school job. Since graduation, I haven't managed to get my exercise groove back and fall into a regular routine. I walk every day, but walking alone isn't giving me the kind of benefits that I need to stay fit. Right now, I'm basically on the cusp of a total exercise makeover and it couldn't have come at a better time!
Q: Do you have plans to ramp up your routine before your wedding?
A: Absolutely! I used to work out much more regularly, but have had a hard time getting motivated to get back into the habit. At my wedding, I know that all eyes are going to be on me (and my husband-to-be, of course!), so I really want to look my best. Getting in shape is something that I've wanted to get serious about for a while, and my wedding was just the kick in the pants that I needed to really take it seriously and start challenging myself.
Q: What are your biggest weaknesses in the way of a healthy diet /exercise routine?
A: I have a wicked sweet tooth, which means that I don't always eat as healthy as I should. Combined with the fact that I am a procrastinator (why work out today, when you could eat chocolate and work out tomorrow?) my bad habits can be a major obstacle.
Q: Is the goal to fit into a slinky wedding dress?
A: That's definitely part of it. Who doesn't want to look fabulous while sashaying down the aisle in a killer dress that you'll only wear once? But I'm not just looking for some crash diet to drop pounds quickly. More important than that is my long-term goal: I want to look and feel my best, improve my self-confidence and enjoy a healthy life, not just on my wedding day, but every day. It's going to take time and hard work, but I'm really psyched for the journey!
Can You Burn More Calories Running or Jumping Rope?
Of course we're all about creating the optimal, well-rounded fitness routine, but sometimes it all comes down to what is going to burn the most calories. This week over at That's Fit.com, they're asking if three minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to 15 minutes of jogging. Sadly, that is a myth.But here's another reason the rope doesn't necessarily trump the run: while jumping rope works more muscles than running and has the potential to burn up to 18 calories a minute, explains Liz Neporent, few people have the stamina to jump that long and thus achieve a good workout.
On the other hand, a moderate jog can burn 13 calories a minute and that's something you can maintain for at least a half hour. Basically, it's quality over quantity. But if want to find out how to become a skilled rope jumper, check out these tips.
Workout Music: Best Running Songs
This week's guest DJ is National Post Arts writer and sometimes marathoner, Ben Kaplan. At the beginning of 2009, Kaplan embraced running in a serious way and wrote a series of columns about his progress for the National Post, one of which listed 99 excellent reasons why we should all take up the sport. Almost a year later, he is still running five days a week. Here he explains his running with music philosophy and the reasons behind his favourite tracks."Sometimes I run with music, sometimes I don't. It depends how tired I feel. Like, sometimes I'm trying to figure something out, then I don't use music, but when I want to have fun, like, take my jog as if I'm actually going to a party, then I bring my iPod. I have two actually, one that keeps track of my distance, this number correlates with my Nikes that I use on long runs because I can simulate marathons, and then a little iPod shuffle that I use for just tooling around. Some of my favourite tracks are these:
p.s.Think of this list as a tasting sampler of good stuff to feed to your MP3 player. Unfortunately, many of the songs only play for 30 seconds.
1. The Hold Steady, Atlantic City: Killer cover version of the Bruce Springsteen song from the War Child Presents Heroes cover record.
2. The Killers, All The Things That I've Done: Off their new live record, the crowd starts chanting, "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier," before Brandon Flowers even asks them, too.
3. Got Yourself A Gun, Nas: At one point I put Nas's entire greatest hits on my iPod and it just became, Too Much Nas. So then I edited a little, and just this morning this song got me excited.
4. Run, Snow Patrol: It's cheesy, so what. There's this part of my route through the woods where there's no one, and I love singing along and pretending how I'd perform this track at karaoke.
5. Combat Baby, Metric: My favourite Metric song. I can listen to this 50 times in a row.
6. Already Home, Jay-Z: Right now I have the Blueprint 3 taking up much of my iPod and this song and On To the Next One are my two favourites. Kid Cudi is on this track.
7. I've Been Asleep, Hey Rosetta!: I actually made a running video with the singer of this band, Tim Baker, and this is just a timeless anthem to endurance that bumps.
8. Swagga Like Us, T.I., Paper Trail: is probably my favourite complete track by track hip-hop album since, God, I can't even remember. I like to pretend when I'm running that I'm performing the various parts onstage with my friends. (Geeky, but sometimes my runs take over three hours, gotta do something to pass the time).
9. No Matter What, T.I.: This is just the hardest track in the universe. It's impossible not to throw your hands up like Rocky when this comes on.
10. Black, Pearl Jam: It's weird, sometimes, on longer runs, I can't just listen to hip-hop and Black was probably my first favourite song. I think every mixed tape I've ever made has both Black and. . .
11. Anything, Anything, Dramarama: If I had to pick a single song as my all-time favourite, it would be this. This is the best song for the end of a run, when it's time to sprint and you're exhausted.
