It's been a while...

Hi Everyone!


So, it has been a little while since I posted (since April 20th, 2011) to be exact. 
Sorry for the delay, I have had quite the busy few months.  I am almost finished my PTS Certification with Can-Fit-Pro, I am almost halfway through my Photography course and I am writing a civilian exam.  I'm also kind of jumping between homes and staying with friends and visiting so I am sorry to have missed so many months :(

I have posted a lot of technical information up until this point, it was helping me learn/study.  But I want to kind of make this blog a little more personal.  

As a new Personal Trainer I want to find my "niche" in this industry...I want to find myself and my own style of training.  I want to attract people because I am unique and different but also because I am great at what I do.  Obviously, I will need to continue my training and always learn new things in order to help make programs that are specific to each individuals needs and wants.

I feel a little disheartened in the lack of support (on a trainer to trainer basis) but I am so enlightened by the support from my friends, family and even my clients.  I love to motivate people and help people.  My clients have no idea how much they drive to be more successful, more inventive and more educated.  And my friends and family have shown me nothing but support 100% of the way.

I am a bit of an unusual trainer when it comes to other trainers views (or so I'm told)...
I have had a huge struggle with weight myself.  Peaking at 230 pounds I was depressed, anxious, sad, lonely, and had no idea what to do at only 20 years old...
I moved back home with my Mom, changed my diet and started going to the gym.  Of course, I had no freaking idea what I was doing...so I just mainly stuck to the cardio.  And yes, I did feel like a 'fish out of water' and I hated going some days because I was so over-weight.   I kept going.

And one day, Chris Neal came into my life and changed it.  He started training me and I got smaller, I got stronger and most of all...I got happier.  I then met a never before seen weight of 155 pounds at 24 years old.  Then...I let it all go.  I peaked at 194 pounds in August of 2010.  I am currently weighing in at 178 pounds.   Now, I have gained quite a bit of muscle so that number doesn't mean that much to me anymore after I lost quite a number of inches.  

I bought a dress yesterday at Le Chateau...a medium.  I have never...bought that size in Le Chateau (and no, it's not a big make).

I feel like I need to tell MY story to you, mainly because I don't want to seem like a person who is a personal trainer because it has come easy to me.  I have worked so hard and struggled.  It is not only a weight loss journey but a mental journey.  Through this process you really need to do it in the proper and healthy amount of time and really find yourself along the way.  I don't want you to get to your goals and then stop and let go and creep back up.  We want you healthy on the inside and on the outside.  Now, I am not a dietitian or a psychologist...but I truly recommend those professionals.  Mind...body...soul...it's all a triangle and without one part, it all falls.

I eat as healthy as I can and I work out as much as I can.  I still struggle.  But I am highly motivating and supportive and I WILL get you to your goals.  I hope that me being human attracts a client base that can relate and appreciate my story and know that I will do whatever it takes for my clients to be happy and healthy.  My personal trainer changed my life and for that I will always be grateful.  I only hope I can do the same for even one other person.

I am not a fitness model.  I am not a competing weight lifter.  I am the average person who wants to look and feel amazing and have the self-confidence I never had.  To go shopping and feel great.  To wear my clothes and not have my clothes wear me.  I just want to have a happy, healthy life.

I can still work with you on whatever level you need or wish.  But I do not want to come across as fake. and I do not want to lead you to unsustainable goals.  I work out 3 hours a day MAX on a really good (or stressful day).  I do eat my snacks when I crave them.  I will not lie to you and say otherwise and I never have.  I will not put you in a gym for 6 hours a day and have you go on a crazy horrible diet to lose weight (diet is not in my scope of practice yet anyways).  If you want a crazy, unsustainable plan...I am not your trainer.  If you want to feel and look the best you ever have and get healthy from the inside out at a pace that works for you and your schedule...I'm your girl.  

I will be on your side 150% the whole way, fighting that battle with you and beside you.  I will be there for all the motivation and support you need.  I will not let you down and I will be there to pick you up when you fall.  This is a lifestyle change, something you need to be ready for and prepared for, it will not be easy...but nothing worth it ever is.  

Candice.

Why should you be active??? When you can just...be lazy?? Here's why...

 BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS>

The point of physical activity is not to be a fitness model or go to the extremes, although you can.
The point if it all is to be HEALTHY, HEALTHY, HEALTHY!!!  To be able to walk a flight of stairs and not get winded, to keep up with your kids, to be heart healthy etc.  Below is a list of the benefits associated with being ACTIVE.

1.  Reduces the risk of premature death (active people live longer, with a better quality of life).
2.  Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (strengthens the heart, cardiovascular system, and respiratory system to help fight cardiovascular disease).
3.  Decreases resting heart rate (reduces the daily wear and tear on the cardiovascular system).
4.  Keeps resting blood pressure normal (lessens the stress on the walls of the veins and arteries in teh vascular system and reduces the risk of stroke or other coronary event).
5.  Improves heart efficiency (improves the ability to perform daily activites at higher intensities with greater ease).
6.  Decreases body fat (reduces the risk of major life-threatening deseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes).
7.  Increases HDL (good) cholesterol and decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol (reduces the risk of the hardening of the arteries).
8.  Lowers the risk of developing diabetes (keeps the body fat in control, increases cellular sensitivity to insulin, and helps regulate blood sugar levels).
9. Promotes joint stability (increases strength of all connective tissue, decreasing susceptibility to injury).
10. Increases muscular strength (perform dailty activities with less effort). 
11.  Strengthens bones (reduce the risk of osteoporosis, injury and broken bones).
12.  Increases muscle mass and decreases body fat (improves physique with a more toned appearence, and the body burns more calories at rest as well as during exercise to sustain increased muscle - since muscle tissue is an active tissue).
13.  Increases resting metabolism (many calories are required by the body at rest, which helps with weight management).
14.  Improves core strength (develops strong abdominals and back muscles for better posture and less chance of back pain).
15.  Improves balance, coordination and agility (all movements in daily life become easier and safer when the body has better control).
16.  Improves body image and self-esteem (exercisers experience improved mental health and self-image).
17.  Reduces depression and anxiety (an improved outlook on life makes all activites more enjoyable).
18.  Assists in stress management (everyday life becomes more enjoyable because the person has a positive way to dealith stress).

After reading all of this?  Why are you still sitting on the couch???  Get up and get active!  You only get one bdoy and one life...why not have the best one you possibly can??

Candice.

A Plan for Good Nutrition!

Most Canadian's believe that they are well informed about Nutrition.  Here are the basic guidelines for developing a healthy diet:

1.  Eat a variety of foods.  Follow Canada's food guide, comsuming the recommended amounts from each food group.  You can find this online, and you can even use the site and entre your own information and it will give you your customized Food Guide.

2.  Choose a diet low in fat and limited saturated fat and cholesterol for heart health.

3.  Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and grains.

4.  Limit simple sugars!  There are two categories for carbohydrates, simple and complex.  Simple are the kind that come from unhealthy and processed foods (jams, honey etc) and fruits.  Clearly fruit is the only good option in this category.  Complex carbs come from vegetables, legumes, grains, potato, pasta, rice etc (all whole grain please)!

5.  Eat a moderate amount of salt and sodium (choose sea salt if you can).  Your body does need salt (other wise you will siffer from Hyponatremia).  However, if you eat a lot of precoessed foods, you're getting MORE than enough sodium in your diet.
6.  Drink alcoholic beverages in MODERATION!  If you msut have it!
7.  Balance food intake with physical activity.
8.  Monitor caloric intake (not just food, calories!  Food, drink, chewing gum, candy etc.) to regulate a healthy body weight.
I suggest keeping a food diary because people have a tendancy to overexaggerate physical activity and underexaggerate caloric intake.  It is important to do this so you can physically see what you are eating when you workout hard and don't lose weight for example.  Diet is 70% of weight loss, you can control it only if you know what you are putting in your body.  Food diarys people, it's a must!

P.S The color RED makes you hungry, so don't use red dishes or paint the kitchen red either! ;)


NOTE:  For more information, review Canada's Food Guide.  Visit online @:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html
Candice.

Think before you drink!

"People tend to turn a "blind eye" to the concept of liquid calories.  If a liquid has color, flavor and/or bubbles...chances are, it has calories.  The only liquid that definately has zero calories is unadulterated still water.  So, let's take this opportunity to discuss two calorific drinks, namely alcohol and flavored coffees.
Now, I'm sure most adults can testify to the unpleasent aftereffects of too much alcohol.  But in addition to the postbinge hangover, there's something else that fitness folk should be concerned about--consuming a calorie-loaded cocktail that kills your conditioning.  Newsflash:  Alcohol can be a big problem for fat-conscious bodybuilders.  Why?  There are several reasons.  Alcohol adversely affects exercise performance and recovery.  It can cause dehydration and nutrition deficiencies.  Alcohol is also a source of unnessecary calories.  It doesn't matter how meticulous you are with your diet, if you're drinking alcohol every day, you won'y get ultra-lean.  What's more, alcohol interferes with the body's ability to burn fat.  Your body uses alcohol as an energy source rather than deriving it from stored fat, so you body holds on to fat, contributing to that beer belly.  Think before you drink, and check out these facts:
1.  A regular beer has about 150 calories.
2.  A six-ounce (180 ml) glass of red wine has 120 calories.
3.  A margarita can contain 450 calories.
4.  Partygoers who drink a Red Bull with vodka slurp down 250 calories.
5.  Many cocktails contain more calories than a double cheeseburger.
6.  Drinking a glass of wine every day adds up to an extra 40,000 calories per year.
You also may be tempted by the lure of a refreshing jolt of iced java.  The trendy java huts have been busy creating new chilled recipes to tempt our taste buds during the hot summer months.  But for the consumer, there's a heafty price to pay.  These cold, flavored coffee drinks not only cost an arm and a leg but also pack a heavy caloric punch!  How many calories??  Well, make sure you are sitting down, because you're in for quite a shock.  Check this data out.  First up, let's evaluate a medium-size 16-ounce (480 ml) cup of black coffee.  As you might expect, this standard favorite contains only 10 calories from a couple of grams of carbohydrates.  Next, a 16-ounce cup of cappuccino bumps the calorie count up to around 150 calories on account of the steamed milk.  Now here's the shocker, a 16-ounce serving of one of those new blended iced coffee drinks contains nearly 300 calories.  And when you add whipped cream to that drink, it delivers a whopping 430 calories with a massive 16 grams of fat.  Yep, you read that right.  Quench your thirst with this baby and you'll gulp down almost 500 calories.  If you're looking for a fast-acting weight-gain supplement, this is it, my friend.  Sadly, you probably won't find these nutrition facts on display in the coffee shops -- and that ought to be a red flag for any calorie-conscious bodybuilder.  Personally, I think that any 500 calorie drink should come with a health warning on the cup!  If you want anything that resembles an abdominal six-pack, you best stay clear of the java hidden with a jolt of calories.  You could request that you drink be made less  calorific by using nonfat milk, but even then you still get a drink that tops 200 calories.  If you are serious about losing weight, choose a chilled ready-to-drink can of protein."
SOURCE:  Men's Body Sculpting (2nd Ed.) by Nick Evans, MD.

New Bread Recipe - Honey & Oat Whole Wheat Flax Bread

Ingredients:  (Makes 1 large loaf or 2 small - I doubled the recipe, twice.)

• 1/3 cup ground flaxseed.
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water (I used a bit more, I replaced some flour with oats and they soak up more water).
• 1 tablespoon honey (PURE, natural honey, not processed sugary shit).
• 1 package active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• Black and White Sesame Seeds )few tbsp)
• 1/2 cup Quick Oats
• 2 tbsp Wheat Germ

Directions:

1. Add the lukewarm water and tablespoon of honey to a bowl and stir until the honey is dissolved.
2. Add the yeast (depends on how big of a batch you are making, if you are just using the amounts above 1pk, if you are making twice the recipe 2pks...etc.)  You sprinkle the dry yeast into the water, and it comes alive – and once you add it to the sweet water, the yeast become active and feed on the sugars in the honey.   You want to let the yeast hang out and munch away in the water until it starts to create bubbles (CO2), which takes anywhere from five to ten minutes. 
3. Once your yeast is ready, stir in one cup of all-purpose WHOLE WHEAT flour, the SEA salt, and the ground flax seed. With a wooden spoon, stir vigorously in one direction until the batter is smooth.
4. In another bowl, put in the rest of the flour (so... 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat, 1 cup white), 1/2 cup of oats, 3-4 tbsp sesame seeds (black and white) and 2 tbsp of wheat germ.  Slowly add in this mixture, a little at a time to keep the dough smooth and clump-free, until it becomes difficult to stir. Then stir a little more, because it becomes very difficult to stir early on, and you sort of have to push through that. If you have a Kitchen Aid with a dough hook, more power to you. Once most of the flour is incorporated, you should have a shaggy ball of sticky dough (whole wheat flour causes the mixture to be more sticky than a white bread mixture - so YES, it should be sticky).
5. Place the dough in a large bowl oiled liberally with non-stick spray. Turn the dough to coat it well and cover with plastic wrap. Then stick the bowl somewhere warm and dry, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
6. Now, remove the plastic wrap and give the dough several hard punches to force the air out of captivity. Between all the kneading and punching, bread baking is really a good way to work out some stress! Anyhow, after you’re done with all your punching you’ll be left with a deflated disk.
7. Roll the disk up into a log or 3 balls (depending on how you want your bread to look), and place it in an oiled loaf pan. Cover with saran wrap again, and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until the dough is peaking the top of the pan… We’re just about ready to bake, so any last finishing touches should go down now. I topped my loaf with some of the remaining ground flax seed and some whole oats with white and black sesame seeds. Come on, after all that hard work, you at least want it to look pretty! Press these down into the dough a bit so that they don’t just fall right off the top of your loaf when it’s done baking.
8. Then, into a 400 degree oven this goes for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bread is golden and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Then remove from the pan onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Okay....this is NOT bread for anyone who LOVES white bread with the buttery, white floury, eggy, sugary goodness....this is a VEGAN, high protein, high fiber bread with complex carbs.  I made it for the first time and it is good...would be great as toast or as a lean protein sandwich with some spinach, white meat etc.  It's different, will take an adjustment if you are not used to eating it...but it is SO much better for you.  It is a little heavier and more dense then regular bread... I may add more wheat germ etc...try this the first time and make your own tweaks.  I found a recipe online and changed it.  So this is MY recipe.  Please give me credit for it :)

Boot Camp

I will be starting a Boot Camp in Hopedale later in the Spring, or as soon as the weather is warm enough to be outdoors exercising.  I'm very excited, because I am also starting my Personal Trainer certification in the next couple of weeks.  I'm also taking a photography course too and plan on using fitness as some of my work :)
I am back in Hopedale now and working out, it's an adjustment because there are no fitness centers and no access to gym equipment.  However, as we all know, you don't NEED equipment to workout, I've been using resistance bands and my own body weight with some hand weights and it has been quite the workout I must admit.  Lots of holds, planks, mountain climbers, burpees, push-ups, crunches, etc...
There are SO many things you can do with just your body to give you a great workout and I'm excited to share all of that in the Boot Camp.
I also will be opening up a line of New-Fit-Land Fitness products for anyone enrolled in my Boot Camp's or who are clients of mine.  Obviously it will take a while for this to grow into a business but I'm so looking forward to the next 1.5 years in Hopedale making that a reality.
Thanks for all the support, I look forward to working with some of you!
Commit to be fit, your life is all you have...take care of it!
Candice.

Wow...it's been a while!

Hello again everyone!

It's been a while since I last posted, I have been quite the busy little bee.  I hooked up with a trainer at the local gym here in Clarenville to get a new fitness routine and boy is he kicking my ass!!  Doing lots of squats, lunges and free weights so far, all kinds of fun painful stuff that I cannot wait to bring back to Hopedale for a Boot Camp this Spring! 

Weigh-in day was Sunday past and I am now the smallest and lightest I have been in 11 months (Whistler was a year ago Valentine's Day, and this is my goal - to be the same size one year later).  I have lost 1-2 pounds since weigh-in day, and am hoping that this Sunday I will be in the 170's.  I am currently 183.4, down from 192.5 during Christmas (and 194.5 in July).  I am hoping to be 179.9 or less on Sunday to make it to a new set of digits :)  I'm learning to embrace my numbers, taking it day by day and doing things to better myself and my health.  Eating healthy meals and snacks, not eating nighttime before bed, going to the gym 1-2 times a day, eventually I will get where I want to be.  I'm more focused on daily improvement.

I noticed a major flaw in New Year's Resolution's....they don't work.
My resolution was:  To lose 30 pounds by New Year's Eve 2011.
The problem:  Procrastination!
We all do it, and let's face it...we need to focus on the NOW and not the future when it comes to certain things.  Health and fitness is one of those things.  It is great to have long term goals, but you really need to make it an effort to change the daily activities that will get us to those long-term goals!  If we ONLY focus on the future, we will not fix the problems we face every day that discourage us from reaching that goal. 
It's easy to say, "I will have take-out today, I have a year to lose the weight" OR "I don't need to go to the gym today, I worked out twice this week which is ok, I'll go more next week".  But next week comes and the same excuses follow...

It starts with getting up in the morning (at a decent hour if you're not working) and exercising (this will boost your metabolism for the day).  And....EAT BREAKFAST!  Skipping meals can trick your body into thinking it is going into starvation thus storing more fat, which defeats the purpose of what you were trying to do (starve yourself skinny - it doesn't work...).  Eat egg white omlette or fritatta, boiled eggs, whole grain cereal (Vector is a great one - and has more protein than an egg), also Weight Control Oatmeal is GREAT!  Try and eat small meals every 4 hours to keep your metabolism up and controlled.  After working out try to eat something whole grain (good carbs and some protein).  Protein is IMPORTANT because it helps promote fat loss (Whey protein is GREAT for this)!  Smoothies with fruits AND vegetables can give you 50-75% the daily reccommended servings required (if you don't like Whey powder, put it in a smoothie).  Supper can be fish (great source of EFA's - just make sure to get WILD and NOT farm fish...the difference is wild fish each algea and plankton...which also have Omega's and Essential Fatty Acids...while farm raised eat whole grains and are dyed to get the right color and LACK Omega's).  It is important to watch the QUALITY of the food you eat.  Also, if you cannot afford organic fruits and veggies, be sure to buy the ones with HIGH pesticide ratings such as apples (which rate a 93 - the highest).  All of this information is available online and in bookstores (these books are GREAT investments). 

If you MUST eat at night, try a glass of water and wait 20 minutes if you are STILL hungry, have some protein (AVOID BAD CARBS!! and especially sugars and anything high in fat). 

What you must know about FATS....there are mono and polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats.  Mono and poly fats are in most things and are okay to eat, saturated fat is not the horrible monster everyone thinks it is, it just needs to be eaten in the right foods (like eggs and not potato chips).  The only fat you MUST avoid at all costs is trans fats...consider this poison!

And the more colorful your food, the better it is for you...there is all kinds of goodies like deer fried everything, chips, chocolate, take-out...the "EASY" meals.  This is a lifestyle change, there will always be temptations, and you can allocate your calories on a treat day...don't consider this a jail sentence and that it's going to suck and be gross, boring and hard to cook.  Cavemen lived fine on high protein, high carb, high fat diets and all kinds of variations of that...HOWEVER, they did not survive on BARCODE PRODUCTS!

I like chocolate...so when I crave it I eat a square of 70% cacao.  I LOVE chips, so I eat skinny sticks (the garden vegetable kind), Terra Chips (vegetables), or a dozen multigrain tostitos with a little bit of salsa...
Yes, I still eat Lays, and Pot of Gold....etc....but it's a treat to prevent the "nighttime binge".  Just try and make better choices...life is all about choices....and YOU make them. 

It's UNREALISTIC to think we will never eat another piece of chocolate, or another piece of pizza after a good drunk...but occasionally is fine...otherwise you will pig out one night and feel even worse. 
the main goal is to be healthy and a good diet and daily exercise will do just that!
You don't have to train hard and go all out, but cardio promotes a healthy heart...and you can di it ALL at home.  Get a couple of 5lb weights, a matt and exercise ball, resistance bands and your own body weight and you do a multitude of workouts home.  Workout DVD's are cheap and great (Biggest Loser, Billy Blanks, etc).

I could go on forever...but this is all for tonight :)  I look forward to hearing your stories and progress.

Commit to be fit!