Vancouver Fitness Trainer: Add Lemon Juice to Your Water

If you love the tangy taste of fresh lemon in your water, that may be reason enough to squeeze in a few drops every time your pour a glass. But what many people don’t know is how many health benefits they’ll get from this simple, tasty addition—just make sure you’re using the juice of a fresh lemon, not the stuff from concentrate.

If you sometimes have trouble after meals, you might like to know that lemon juice mixed in warm water is helpful with a variety of digestion problems, including nausea, heartburn, bloating, belching and parasites. Furthermore, regularly drinking lemon juice can take care of constipation problems by aiding in regular bowel movements. Lemon juice can even speed up the digestion process, as it helps the liver produce more bile.

It also helps to regulate and liquefy bile flow, which adds to the overall health of the liver. The importance of your liver function is often overlooked, but it plays an integral role in detoxifying the blood of alcohol and drugs, in maintaining energy between meals, and even in maintaining weight. The liver controls the metabolism of fat, which means it breaks fat down as your body needs it. This is why keeping your liver healthy is important for maintaining weight and helping with weight loss.

The potassium found in lemon juice is an excellent source of energy, so if you’re feeling a bit lethargic you can give your brain and nerve cells a boost with a few drops in your water. If you worry about your blood pressure, you might find also find some comfort in the potassium content; it helps to lower blood pressure, and thus is helpful for people with hypertension. The potassium also keeps dizziness and nausea from occurring, and reduces mental stress and depression. But potassium isn’t the only helpful vitamin; calcium, magnesium and vitamin C are all abundant in this citrus fruit. The calcium helps you build and maintain healthy bones, the magnesium helps to keep your blood healthy, and vitamin C increases the immunity power in your body.

It can seem like there’s no limit to the advantages of this simple drink. People with breathing difficulties, like asthma or other respiratory diseases, can benefit from the regular intake of warm water and lemon juice, as it works to clear chest congestion by loosening the accumulated mucous in the respiratory tract. If you want to fight wrinkles and blackheads, you’ll be interested in the anti-aging benefits of lemon. This juice helps to detoxify your body, which can often be seen through healthy, glowing skin. Fresh lemon also works to fight bacteria, so if you have a sore throat or tonsillitis, drinking some will help you beat your infection. Finally, lemon juice can even benefit an unborn child; it will help to build their bones when an expectant mother drinks it regularly.

Regularly drinking lemon water is one of the easiest—and tastiest—ways to look after your health. For taste, one lemon per litre is perfect; to reap the numerous benefits of lemon, make sure to squeeze the juice of the lemon into your water before enjoying.  As always, make sure to drink at least two liters of water per day to keep your system clean, and to keep your body hydrated.

Fitness Training In Vancouver: Lose the weight for good!

When most people are looking to lose weight, they go on a diet. They pick the latest low carb, no carb, high protein or low fat fad out there, and hope to stick with it long enough to lose 10 or 20 pounds. And, it will likely work. The problem comes after the goal weight is achieved, and they go back to their pre-diet lifestyle.

A lot of people can lose weight, but not many let their new eating and exercise habits become part of their everyday life. The problem is, without making an entire lifestyle change, as soon as you halt the diet the weight starts to pile back on. That’s not to say dieting won’t work; if you have a lot of weight to lose, a diet might help to kick start weight loss and get you thinking about your health. Plus, some people need a sense of deprivation to get them to realize what they are putting into their bodies, and to feel like they are making a change. But to keep the weight off, it’s important to change the way you eat in the long-term and transform it into a new, healthy lifestyle.

It takes 21 days to form a habit, or, in this case, to break the habit of unhealthy eating. This first part is the most difficult, because you have to consciously think of what you are, or are not, eating. There are many diets out there, but the truth is we all know what healthy eating looks and feels like. Concentrate on being healthy, not following a strict regimen you read in a book.

After accomplishing your initial weight loss, you need to remind yourself that achieving and maintaining your ideal, healthy, bodyweight will be a lifetime commitment. Now you can change your thoughts about eating from depriving yourself to being healthy. Focus on eating three meals and two snacks daily, controlling your portions, and making sure to take in a lot of fibre, protein and foods rich in anti-oxidants, as well as drinking plenty of water and green or white tea. You need to achieve an overall balance, not completely avoid carbs and fats.

Healthy eating is important in maintaining a healthy weight, but it is only half the equation. Exercise is key, especially when coming off of your diet. It is unrealistic and unhealthy to meticulously count calories, but you should still actively think about what you have to do to maintain a healthy body. Exercise a minimum of three times weekly, incorporating weights into your regimen. Keep yourself challenged by increasing your weights or repetitions every three or four weeks.

The key is to start looking at healthy living as a lifestyle change, not just a short-term solution to shed some pounds. It is not going to be easy: keeping your body healthy and active will be hard work. But with determination and persistence, you will continue to reap the benefits of your efforts, and will be on the road to a healthy body for life. Your body will feel better when you are eating healthy, and your body composition will reflect this change.

Fitness Trainer Vancouver: How to Design a Workout Schedule

One of the most daunting parts of deciding to work out is figuring out how often to hit the gym, and what types of exercises you should do. The options can seem endless and confusing, and which ones you should choose depend on what your goals are. Below are four sample workout systems to help you decide which type of workout is the best fit for your lifestyle.

Option One is for the non-athlete, for someone who wants to increase overall muscle tone without significant muscle gains. This schedule consists of three whole-body workouts weekly, preferably with at least one day between workouts. Ideally, you want to do 25 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and 35 minutes of strengthening exercises. The strengthening portion should include one exercise per major muscle group. With this system you can finish your workout in an hour. If you want to shorten your workout to 40 to 45 minutes you can perform the cardiovascular and strengthening in a circuit or interval, keeping your heart rate in your target zone the entire time. With either system you can get great results in a short period.

Option Two is the next level, for someone who has become comfortable and accustomed to Option One, or is already at an intermediate or advanced level. This option consists of three workout days. The first day includes a lower body workout, the second includes an upper body workout, and the third is a whole body workout. In this workout regimen, you are working all muscle groups twice: the lower and upper body separately, then the lower and upper body together. This workout schedule targets muscles to increase growth, and is an alternative for athletes who want to improve upon a particular muscle group. You can also add 20 to 40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on the days between your workouts. For example, of you’re doing your strengthening routines on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, hit the treadmill on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Option Three is for someone who is a workout veteran and does not get enough from working out three times weekly. This is a four-day workout that alternates between the lower and upper body. This is a more intense routine, as it targets both your upper and lower body twice weekly. With this system you could perform upper body on Mondays and Thursdays with one heavy day and one lighter day, and then lower body on Tuesdays and Fridays. You should also add 20 to 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise to the end of each workout.

Option Four is also a four-day split, but it is a more aggressive muscle building and strengthening approach. This routine consists of four workouts weekly. The first day focuses on legs, the second on your back and biceps, the third on your chest and triceps, and the fourth on your shoulders, calves and forearms. You should also complete 10 minutes of core work at the end of each workout. Although you are only working each muscle group once weekly, this schedule is far more intense than the former three workouts.

You do not need to pressure yourself to work up to Option Four; if you are just trying to stay in shape and keep yourself challenged, do not go beyond Option One or Two. Also make sure to add a cardiovascular component to your schedule, and keep active in the days in between. No matter what level you feel comfortable at, remember to stay consistent and stick to it!

Personal Trainer Vancouver, Get on Track with Workouts

You want to be healthy and stay fit but you always find yourself getting distracted. Life gets in the way; the regular pull of the nine-to-five and your kids’ extra-curriculars. Or sometimes it’s the unexpected distractions, like someone in the family gets the flu or you head on an impromptu trip to the country for the weekend. The key is working through the distractions. There are a few different things you need to do to successfully get your fitness routine back on track.

1) Get the first workout out of the way.

The hardest part is getting started. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way—you just have to force yourself to take that first step! It can be daunting, but the trick is to do it in pieces. Head to a yoga or aerobics class, but don’t worry yourself by thinking about the second or the third—just make it through the first! Or, it might be easier to ease yourself back into it by doing something you really enjoy— take a dance class, go for a hike, or try surfing or snowboarding. The most important thing is to focus on the first workout as something independent of your entire fitness program.

2) Find a friend.

Find someone else with similar goals, and help keep each other motivated. If you make a commitment to someone else, it’s a lot harder to turn your back on your workout—and on your friend. It’s not just yourself you’re letting down by hitting the snooze button instead of the stair climber, but someone else who is counting on you.

3) Set a realistic workout schedule.

It is fantastic to be ambitious and hope to attend the gym every day, five times weekly or even three or four times a week, but if it has been a long time since you maintained a regular workout schedule, it may be best to start small and work up to something ideal. Commit to twice-weekly workouts initially, and make one of them something fun that you’ll look forward to. It will become progressively easier to attend the gym more often.

4) Set goals.

One of the best ways to stick to a fitness routine is to set goals for yourself. But, make sure these goals are attainable. Don’t strive to lose 10 pounds in a week, but it’s not a bad idea to aim towards a longer distance on the treadmill, or a higher weight with the leg press. This will keep you motivated throughout the days and weeks, and you’ll experience a real sense of accomplishment when you reach your goals.

5) Develop a home workout.

You might aim to get to the gym most days, but there will always be those days when it just seems impossible. The good news it, it’s not as hard as you might think to develop a workout space at home. You can purchase dumbbells, mats, therabands, kettlebells, stability balls… the list is endless, and you can get a great workout with just a couple of pieces of equipment. Live near a playground? Get fit by playing on the monkey bars—and there are lots of other great exercises you can do there, too. Be creative, and make time for exercise no matter where you are.

6) Remember that every little bit counts.

Don’t forget, you can also find little ways to get exercise throughout your day. Walk to work, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Keep your eyes open for any small changes you can make to increase your activity level. Also, don’t be discouraged if you feel like you aren’t doing as much with your workouts as you should. You’re getting out there, and that’s the most important part! Be proud of yourself for making time for exercise at all, rather than beating yourself up about it not being enough.

Personal Trainer Vancouver: Increasing Productivity with Technology

When people think about getting fit and staying healthy, they usually picture themselves lifting weights in the gym, or hiking through the forest or up a mountain. People sometimes think that the more natural the workout, the better it is. And for many, technical devices to help their workout are limited to their iPod for some motivational, mood-boosting music. Unfortunately, if this is how you think, you could be missing out on some great little gadgets that can help increase the productivity of your workouts—no matter where you are when you’re breaking a sweat. Here are a few to get you started.

Pedometer: If you’re just beginning to increase your physical activity, one of the easiest ways to get started is by monitoring how much you are much you are moving. A pedometer is small electronic device you can wear all day that counts how many steps you take. It can be a great motivation tool, because you can easily compare your physical activity from day to day, and gradually work to increase it. Wear the pedometer on a regular day to gauge your starting point, then try to work up to 10 000 steps (or eight kilometers) per day, which is considered by many to be the benchmark for an active lifestyle.

Heart Rate Monitor: As a basic rule, when you are exercising you should be at 65 to 85 percent of your maximal heart rate. A heart rate monitor will tell you where you are at any point during your workout, so you can keep track of how your body it reacting to your routine. If you are just getting started with exercise, it will help you learn what different heart rates feel like, help you set limits, and help you monitor your progress. More advanced athletes will also find heart rate monitors useful in getting the most out of their training.

Body Fat Analyzer: If you’ve decided to introduce exercise into your life, there’s a pretty good chance you’re doing it to lose weight. But what many people don’t know is that your body fat percentage is more important than your weight when it comes to staying healthy. You want to make sure you’re losing fat rather than muscle, and this device will measure your body fat, and let you monitor your progress.

Abdometer: We all want strong, sexy abs, especially during the beach days of summer. The Abdometer is a digital core training device that it works specifically with your body type; when you turn it on, it inflates to perfectly adjust to your body. It targets all of your core muscles, not just the outermost muscles that form the six-pack like most ab machines. And the best part: it doesn’t let you cheat by using the wrong muscles, so you know you are getting the best abdominal workout possible. The Abdometer is also small enough that you can throw it in your backpack and take it with you anywhere.