posted by Fitness Focus |
May 16, 2012 01:13
Print your 2-week trial pass today. If you live in Saskatoon, we encourage you to print your free trial pass to Fitness Focus that gives you access to the Gym, Group Classes, Cardio, Tanning, Free Lockers and Towel Service. You can see and experience everything else we have to offer including personal training, diet and nutrition coaching, childcare, massage therapy, and much more. Before you start your trial pass, ask our staff how to get your first month free on a membership!
Print your pass today. Contact us with any questions about the club or memberships. by phone (306) 244-6413 or by email info@fitnessfocus.ca
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Gym Membership | Informational
posted by Fitness Focus |
May 15, 2012 00:34
Anytime someone is unhappy with their shape, they automatically think of diets first. I certainly can’t blame them, since they consume good portions of television programming, from news of post-pregnancy starlets returning to athletic shape in record time to late night infomercials that prey on our exhausted minds to facilitate an impulse purchase. And then there are those who always ask: will dieting work for me? The answer is yes. They were actually conceived to work for everyone. But there’s a catch.
Diets are designed to work in the short term. They’re not intended for sustained weight loss. This means that within a month or two your body has lost all it can lose and you’ve plateaued at about 85-90% of the original mass. This naturally comes with all the side-effects of hunger: grumpiness, weakness, chemical imbalance, low energy and the instinctive knowledge that you’re doing something wrong. That’s just your body’s way of telling you that without an actual lifestyle change, things just aren’t going to change. A reduction in the number of calories ingested is not the same as calories burned. In effect, it’s practically the opposite, since fasting brings with it fatigue, which makes it difficult to exercise enough to burn calories in the first place.
But the biggest reason for avoiding diets is their effect on muscle. They not only cause it to atrophy during periods of caloric restriction, but they destroy it by reducing the metabolic rate. This doesn’t cause muscle to turn into fat, but for all intents and purposes, once muscle mass has been reduced, the arrival of fat is a natural reaction to the panic mode that the body has been forced into.
According to a recent study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, the relapse and cravings suffered by dieters are not only behavioural but physiological. The body simply keeps producing hunger hormones even years after the diet, eventually leading to relapses. What’s more, according to a new report published in the journal Cell Metabolism, during caloric restriction certain hunger inducing neurons actually consume one another, further boosting the hunger signal and prompting the urgency to consume.
According to a UCLA study, dieting often has the opposite effect of the desired weight loss. Whether it is a fad diet, crash diet or other abrupt caloric restriction, your body will react negatively to it. In fact, several studies now show that dieting is a consistent predictor of future weight gain. The answer is simple: moderate consumption and regular exercise. It works. And let’s not lose sight of the fact that prevention works even better. This is why efforts should be focused on preventing weight gain initially – in particular for young people - rather than counting on the ability to lose it later.
Written by Claudiu Popa, in Canfitpro Magazine
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Tags: Saskatoon Gym, Saskatoon Gyms, Saskatoon Gym Members, Weight Loss, Health Club, Health & Fitness, health, Gym Memberships, Gyms in Saskatoon, Nutrition, Diet and Nutrition, Diet Tips
Informational | Nutrition | Weight Loss
posted by Fitness Focus |
May 14, 2012 17:15
You might be planning on starting a new vitamin regimen or you may have some questions about vitamin and mineral supplements you're currently taking. Here are some points to keep in mind when selecting your vitamins and when taking your vitamins.
1. BEGIN SLOWLY, particularly if you are taking any sort of medication, in which case it is especially important to inform your doctor of your plan so that you can be appropriately monitored. Start with one supplement type at a time, at the lowest dose. Increase dose and/or add a new one every 3 or 4 days or as required for necessary monitoring, watching for any adverse reactions. If you experience adverse reactions, discontinue for several days or until symptoms disappear. Then, if you wish, begin again at half the original amount.
2. Build dose amounts for specific supplements SLOWLY, over a period of several weeks, until you feel a benefit OR you have reached maximum dose. (One of the tasks of supplements is to help your body "detox" the toxins it has been forced to deal with over the years. The faster you increase dose amounts, the more toxins get flushed from their hiding places - and may actually make you feel quite ill! This is known as the "Herxheimer reaction" or "the healing crisis." To minimize the severity of this, go slow but understand you may take a bit longer to achieve benefits.)
3. If you have been taking supplements for a " targeted or special needs" category you can work your way down to your basic dose category once you notice a definite improvement in the way you feel. Start “cycling” in your supplement to monitor your response. This will be a process by which you will be able to reduce and hopefully ultimately eliminate the need for it altogether. (This process is dependent on your specific, individual needs and responses, however you will very likely need a minimum three months of full supplementing. It also excludes anyone engaged in extreme physical and/or mental activity since your basic dose is in the "special need" category - at least until you decrease your activity.)
4. Supplements should ideally be taken with meals to promote increased absorption (and to decrease feelings of nausea or illness).
5. Whenever taking an increased dosage of an isolated B vitamin, be sure to supplement with a B-complex.
6. Take digestive enzymes with meals to assist digestion. (If you are taking enzymes for other therapeutic reasons, be sure to take them on an empty stomach between meals.) And/or drink fresh-made juice, preferrably vegetable (or a high quality, enzyme-rich veggie drink), or take 1 tablespoon raw unfilterred apple cider vinegar with raw honey and water or, especially if you have a blood pressure problem, try fresh lemon juice with water.
7. Free-form amino acids such as glutamine, if taken as a general protein supplement, should be taken with meals to maximize utilization. However, certain aminos - such as phenylalanine, tyrosine and lysine (if taken to target specific conditions such as allergy relief or headache, etcetera) must be taken ALONE, on an empty stomach.
· Whenever taking an increased dose of an isolated amino it may be a good idea to supplement with an amino blend, such as low-heat, non-acid whey. Increasing protein and good fat intake should eventually eleminate the need for these kinds of supplements altogether.
8. It is preferrable to take supplements in at least two doses per day. If you are on an intensive plan or are addressing “targeted or special needs” you should make every effort to take your supplements in at least three doses per day.
9. If you become nauseated or ill within an hour after taking nutritional supplements, consider the need for a bowel cleanse or rejuvenation program prior to beginning a course of nutritional supplements. This can include a gentle cleanisng diet focusing on vegetables both cooked and raw, herbal remedies, and/or juice therapy, steam saunas, or mineral baths. Also as an alternative try supplements in liquid form, diluted in a beverage.
10. Last, but not least, remember the most important nutrients which include a good quality cod liver oil, healthy doses of “good” fats and best proteins and liquids such as naturally sparkling mineral water, raw milk, veggie drinks, and raw, naturally fermented drinks like kefir and beet Kvass
· Be sure to take all supplements with adequate, but not excessive, amounts of liquid to mix with digestive juices and prevent side effects.
· In general, a safe practice would be to take a single B in no more than 2 to 3 times the amount of B-Complex you are taking. So if you take a B-100 complex, it would be generally safe to take 200-300mg EXTRA of B-6.
· Fat-soluble vitamins (such as A, E, beta-carotene, and essential fattys) should ideally be taken with the meal which contains the most fat.
· Since fiber can decrease absorption of minerals, it is best, but not imperative, to take minerals away from high-fiber meals or supplements.
· C can be taken on an empty stomach. You can achieve higher absorption faster, which can be especially desirable when fighting an infection. But C taken with a meal will be absorbed more slowly and over time more of it will be absorbed that way.
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Informational | Nutrition
posted by Fitness Focus |
May 3, 2012 18:10
Saskatoon Well Being Magazine article of the month. This is something we see around the gym far too often; a mother-to-be giving up on her workout due to pregnancy. True, under some circumstances it is not safe for an expecting mother to put the extra demand on her body. The bottom line is that the rules don't change; to maintain optimal health, positive mental state and desired physical appearance, exercise is your best bet. To take better care of your family, you need to take care of yourself first.Staying Fit Before and After Baby
By Andrea Deopker-Gavidia
Exercise will give you a sense of control of your changing body throughout pregnancy and boost your energy levels by releasing endorphins, which increases your feelings of well being. Establishing a regular fitness routine before becoming pregnant may help you maintain a consistent plan once you become pregnant, as well as when you return to exercise after having your baby. However, if you have not been active in the past, there are still many physical activities that you can safely begin now that will help you stay fit and healthy throughout your pregnancy. When you become pregnant, your exercise priorities will change to adjust to the emotional, physical and hormonal changes that occur in your body.
The Prenatal Mother
Exercising while pregnant can be beneficial to improve your posture, strength and endurance, as well as help to relieve stress and prevent excessive weight gain. Consult your doctor throughout your pregnancy regarding your physical activity level and discuss any concerns should any complications arise. If you were active before becoming pregnant, continue with your program and listen to your body by making modifications as you need them. If you were not active before becoming pregnant, begin slowly and build gradually as you become more fit.
Use the “talk test” to determine your level of intensity while performing aerobic activities; if you cannot talk during your exercise, you are working too strenuously. Pay attention to your temperature, since overheating can cause problems for your developing baby. Use fans or air conditioning while exercising and avoid over exertion on hot days outside in the sun.
To help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, Kegel exercises can be performed throughout your pregnancy, which will help with bladder control. During your second and third trimester try core-strengthening exercises on all fours, by simply contracting and relaxing your abdominal muscles and avoid lying on your back, which decreases blood flow to your baby. Avoid rapid changes in direction and bouncing, as your joints are more lax with an increase of hormones during pregnancy. A focus on balance exercises is important as your center of gravity changes, especially during your last trimester.
During pregnancy, some effective forms of exercise include yoga stretches and Pilates movements, which use your own body weight, as well as resistance training using dumb bells and resistance bands. Using a body weight suspension training system, such as TRX, may also be useful since you can adjust the intensity of your strength training as your body and center of gravity changes. Using a TRX Suspension Trainer may also help you maintain balance for exercises such as squats.
Take action! Create a list of five positive affirmations such as “My core strength is helping me to maintain great posture and a healthy back throughout my pregnancy.”
The Postnatal Mother
If you had a Caesarean delivery, begin with light exercises, such as walking and stretching, slowly based on your comfort level. Your 6-week postpartum evaluation is an opportunity to discuss with your healthcare provider a safe reintroduction of exercise into your lifestyle. If you were active during your pregnancy and had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, you may typically begin walking and stretching within days after giving birth. You may have a gap in your abdominals and exercises like crunches should be avoided until this gap closes, usually 4-8 weeks postpartum. You may then begin strengthening exercises such as plank, side bridge and leg lowers lying on your back, which will help you regain posture and develop core strength.
Listen to your body and slowly introduce aerobic and strength training activities that you enjoy and are familiar with. Develop a realistic plan of incorporating 30 minutes of activity three days per week. Remain flexible so you can adjust your workout intensity or length of exercise sessions with your unpredictable schedule and the added fatigue of caring for your newborn. If you are uncertain where to begin and would enjoy the company of other new parents, search for postnatal fitness classes that are led by a qualified exercise instructor.
Take action! Write down any barriers to performing your workout and make a list of how you are going to overcome these barriers.
Naturally, your main focus is going to be caring for your baby, but it is also important to look after yourself. As you remain fit, healthy and relaxed, you will be better able to care for your baby. Continuing to exercise after your baby’s birth will also help you regain your pre-pregnancy shape and fitness level more quickly. Having a focus on core exercises both during pregnancy and after birth will assist you in staying strong while giving birth and then carrying your baby afterward. The key is to listen to your body and increase your exercise intensity gradually to return to your pre-pregnancy exercise routine.
Read more at: http://www.saskatoonwellbeing.com/
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Tags: Gym Memberships, Gym, Cardio, Saskatoon, Saskatoon Fitness Centres, Saskatoon Gym, Saskatoon Gym Members, Saskatoon Gyms, Health and Fitness, weight training, wellness, Workout, Health & Fitness, Health Club, Expecting Mothers
Gym Membership | Informational
posted by Fitness Focus |
April 6, 2012 15:41
It's time again for our favorite article from Saskatoon Well Being Magazine. Our Favorites usually revolve around diet andnutrition; and here is another great write up about healthy eating for those who are on a vegetarian diet, or wanting to incorporate a vegetarian aspect to their diet.
Vegetarians often return to meat after months or years because their lack of knowledge on how to be a healthy vegetarian catches up with them. To be successful at vegetarianism, you must understand what your body needs and where to find it. We have compiled a list of food alternatives and supplement suggestions so you can be a thriving vegetarian just like some of the staff of Saskatoon Well Being Magazine.
Meat AlternativesThe ever-growing popularity of vegetarianism has necessitated the appearance of companies that create meat substitutes that look, smell, feel and taste like real meat products. Some companies that produce realistic vegetarian meats include Yves, Amy’s Kitchen and Gardenburger. Non-meat versions of hamburgers, hot dogs, ground beef, beef and chicken strips, sandwich meats, sausages, roast beef, meatloaf, chicken burgers, chicken nuggets and even turkey are available. Many of these products can be used directly as substitutes for real meat. For example, instead of using ground beef on nachos, one could use the vegetarian version, ground soy. SeitanThis substance is made by rinsing wheat flour with water until the starch dissolves, leaving the gluten behind. The resulting gluten is a spongy mass with a similar texture to meat and can be used as a non-soy- based meat alternative. Seitan can be fried, steamed, baked or eaten raw. In North American grocery stores it can most commonly be found flavoured with shiitake or Portobello mushrooms, coriander, onion or barbecue and other sauces. TofuTofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the curds into blocks. Tofu has very little smell or taste on its own and picks up flavours from other foods easily. It is low in calories and fat and high in iron and protein. It can be used in a variety of both sweet and savoury applications and is featured prominently in many Asian cuisines. It can be used in soups and desserts and can easily replace animal proteins in many recipes, including stir fries and salads. TVPTVP stands for textured vegetable protein. This is an animal protein substitute made from defatted soy flour, which is a by-product created from the process of making soybean oil. It is fibrous and spongy in texture and comes in granules, chunks or flakes. It has little flavour of its own, but easily absorbs the flavour of whatever it is cooked with. It can be used to replace animal proteins from ground beef, lamb or even fish in dishes such as chili, spaghetti sauce, tacos and burritos. TempehLike tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but has a different taste and texture. Tempeh is shaped into patties or cakes and has a slightly nutty flavour. Tempeh also contains more protein, dietary fibre and vitamins than tofu. It can be used in chili, stir-fries, sandwiches, stews and soup recipes. You can even buy tempeh bacon! LegumesUsing legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts, soybeans and bean sprouts as an alternative to animal proteins found in meat is a great way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, since these foods are significantly lower in saturated fats. Legumes are valuable sources of protein, iron and fibre.Keep in mind that while beans are good sources of protein, they are not complete proteins, which means they don’t carry the entire spectrum of amino acids that your muscles need. Be sure to eat beans with rice or another carb source like cornbread to complete the proteins you’re ingesting.
Much more to read, go to How To Be A Healthy Vegetarian
By Tyler Kalmakoff & Sarah Stefanson
Fitness Focus Saskatoon
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Informational | Nutrition | Weight Loss
posted by Fitness Focus |
April 4, 2012 14:00
On the topic of nutrition, as far as informational websites go, there are thousands everywhere you turn on the net. Much of the information you do find is often contradictory to what you have read elsewhere. You may find it also tries to give you conclusive information without providing the raw data and tools for you to learn and improve your knowledge and understanding of proper nutrition.Nutritiondata.self.com is one of the best websites we have found for this very purpose. On Nutrition Data, you can learn the meaning and use of food nutrtion labels. You'll also find detailed nutrition labels with detailed food property information and different portion sizes for nearly any food that comes to mind. There are also unique analysis tools that tell you more about how foods affect your health and make it easier to choose healthy foods, as well as nutrition
Check out http://nutritiondata.self.com/ This is a great site if you are just starting a diet plan or to find quick answers to questions about your diet.
Fitness Focus Saskatoon
posted by Fitness Focus |
March 31, 2012 19:02
It's been a long journey to next weekend's SABBA Novice and Provicial championships (April 6th 7th and 8th), now only 6 days away. Competitors from around Saskatchewan have been training, dieting and pretty much living Fitness and Bodybuilding 24/7 for 12, 16 and even up to 20 weeks. They have reached levels of dedication and discipline that few of us can only imagine. For most, it will all be over this weekend; so we want to wish all our friends good luck on Friday at the Novice Classic and Saturday at the Provincial Finals.
Also, many thanks on behalf of all your competitors throughout Saskatoon to the Personal Trainers of Team Wawryk Training from here at the gym; Vince Wawryk, Jamie Polson and Chris Pylypchuk. Your knowledge and support has been invaluable. As for all the athletes, we have seen all the progress everyone has made in the last year, it has especially come through over last several weeks.
Fitness Focus Saskatoon
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Tags: bodybuilding, Diet and Nutrition, SABBA, SABBA Novice, SABBA Proivincials, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Training, Weight Loss, Workout, Saskatoon Gym
Informational
posted by Fitness Focus |
March 20, 2012 17:05
There are several benefits of nutrient timing. These involve maximizing your body’s response to exercise and use of nutrients. The Nutrient Timing Principles (NTP) help you do the following:
- Optimize fuel use so that you remain energized throughout your training
- Ensure that you repair and strengthen your muscles to the best of your genetic potential
- Ingest sufficient nutrients to keep you healthy and able to fight off infection, limiting the suppression of the immune system often experienced with intense training
- Recover from your training so that you are ready for your next practice, event, or training session with well-fueled muscles
When sports nutritionists talk about energy, we are referring to the potential energy food contains. Calories are potential energy to be used by muscles, tissues, and organs to fuel the task at hand. Much of the food we eat is not burned immediately for energy the minute it’s consumed. Rather, our bodies digest, absorb, and prepare it so that it can give us the kind of energy we need, when we need it. We transform this potential energy differently for different tasks. How we convert potential energy into usable energy is based on what needs to get done and how well prepared our bodies are; how we fuel endurance work is different from how we fuel a short, intense run. It is helpful to understand that you must get the food off your plate and into the right places in your body at the right time.
Clients consistently ask us, “What can I eat to give me energy?” For you, “energy” may have different meanings, depending on what you’re referring to and how you’re feeling. If you’re talking about vitality, liveliness, get-up-and-go, then a number of things effect this: amount of sleep, hydration, medical conditions, medications, attitude, type of foods eaten, conditioning and appropriate rest days, and timing of meals and snacks. Food will help a lack of energy only if the problem is food related. You may think that’s obvious, but it’s not to some. If you’re tired because you haven’t slept enough, for instance, eating isn’t going to give you energy. However, if your lack of energy is because you’ve eaten too little, your foods don’t have “staying power,” you go for too long without eating, or you don’t time your meals and snacks ideally around practice or conditioning, then being strategic with food intake can help you feel more energetic. What, how much, and when you eat will affect your energy.
Nutrient timing combined with appropriate training maximizes the availability of the energy source you need to get the job done, helps ensure that you have fuel ready and available when you need it, and improves your energy-burning systems. You may believe that just eating when you are hungry is enough, and in some cases this may be true. But, many times, demands on time interfere with fueling or refueling, and it takes conscious thought and action to make it happen. Additionally, appetites are thrown off by training, so you may not be hungry right after practice, but by not eating, you are starving while sitting at your desk in class or at work. Many athletes just don’t know when and what to eat to optimize their energy stores.
By creating and following your own Nutrition Blueprint and incorporating the NTP, your energy and hunger will be more manageable and consistent, whether you are training several times a week, daily, participating in two-a-days, or are in the midst of the competitive season.
During the minutes and hours after exercise, your muscles are recovering from the work you just performed. The energy used and damage that occurred during exercise needs to be restored and repaired so that you are able to function at a high level at your next workout. Some of this damage is actually necessary to signal repair and growth, and it is this repair and growth that results in gained strength. However, some of the damage is purely negative and needs to be minimized or it will eventually impair health and performance. Providing the right nutrients, in the right amounts, at the right time can minimize this damage and restore energy in time for the next training session or competition.
The enzymes and hormones that help move nutrients into your muscles are most active right after exercise. Providing the appropriate nutrients at this crucial time helps to start the repair process. However, this is only one of the crucial times to help repair. Because of limitations in digestion, some nutrients, such as protein, need to be taken over time rather than only right after training, so ingesting protein throughout the day at regular intervals is a much better strategy for the body than ingesting a lot at one meal. Additionally, stored carbohydrate energy (glycogen and glucose) and lost fluids may take time to replace.
By replacing fuel that was burned and providing nutrients to muscle tissue, you can ensure that your body will repair muscle fibers and restore your energy reserves. If you train hard on a daily basis or train more than once a day, good recovery nutrition is absolutely vital so that your muscles are well stocked with energy. Most people think of recovery as the time right after exercise, which is partially correct, but how much you take in at subsequent intervals over 24 hours will ultimately determine your body’s readiness to train or compete again.
More to come........
Fitness Focus Saskatoon
posted by Fitness Focus |
March 19, 2012 17:34
The SABBA Novice Classic and Provincial Championship Weekend is on April 6-8; thats just over 2 weeks away. Make sure you get your tickets early as it's sure to be a packed house at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. This year, Guest Speaker with be 6-Time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates! Visit the Official SABBA Website for more details on tickets and times. Competitors, don't forget to get registered for your SABBA membership and division. Good luck to all our competitors!
Fitness Focus Health & Athletic Centre
posted by Fitness Focus |
March 6, 2012 23:23
The third issue of Saskatoon Well Being Magazine is available right now, and each month we like to share with you, our favorite article from the current issue. This month features articles from mental health and positivity at work to childhood nutrition. We chose the article captioned on the cover: Why Your Diet Isn't Working (page 22), because this is a subject that we can all relate to. No matter what you think you know about diet and weight management, remember to always read and expect to learn something you didn't know before. When it comes to diet and nutrition, information is infinite, there is always something new to be learned.
Diet Fail: 6 Ways To Derail Your Weight Loss Plan
1 – Impatience
People tend to get off a diet program as quickly as they got on it. Give it one week? Not a chance. Two weeks? Yeah, sure, you’re getting closer. But if you can go three or four weeks, then you’ll definitely start to see a change in your body’s direction. Nothing is immediate except your expectations, so toss them. Changing your body isn’t like making your way through a drive-thru. It takes time for your body to adapt and for your metabolism to really kick in.
If you’re not seeing visible changes after 3-4 weeks, something is wrong. Your carbs might be too high, your protein might be too low and your fat intake might not be low enough. Maybe you’re not training hard enough or intense enough. Maybe you’re being lazy with the cardio. Maybe you’re cheating with too many meals. Then there’s always body function. If you think your training and diet are sound, go to the doctor and get your blood levels checked. Your thyroid output could be low, for example. Whatever the case, it takes time and patience before you can begin to interpret the results and modify them in order to keep moving forward. Prematurely quitting a diet won’t teach you anything.
2 – Neglect
We’re not sure when the calorie counting craze started, but Weight Watchers and the iPhone haven’t helped matters. People just punch their caloric intake and points into their phones meal after meal. Sure, they might be losing weight if they’re burning more than they’re taking in, but it doesn’t mean they’re any stronger or healthier. These people also tend to assume everything they’re losing is fat. Forget just counting calories if you ever want to achieve a physique you’re proud of, unless rail skinny is something to be proud of in your mind.
You cannot neglect to count carbohydrates, proteins and fats by the gram. These totals should be based off your lean bodyweight in the beginning. For example, 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight is the benchmark. From there you can add in your carbohydrates and fats and assign a percentage to each one of the three that make up your entire caloric intake portfolio. To do this properly and successfully you must know that a gram of protein contains 4 calories, a gram of carbohydrate also contains 4 calories and each gram of fat is denser and contains 9 calories. Someone eating 70 per cent carbs, 20 per cent fats and 10 per cent proteins is going to look far different—for countless reasons—than someone eating 50 per cent proteins, 30 per cent carbs and 20 per cent fats, though their overall calorie consumption is exactly the same.
Plenty more to read in this issue. To read more on the article and all other topics of the March issue, head to Well Being Saskatoon.
By Tyler Kalmakoff
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