What's the point of having a blog if it doesn't get a little personal every now and then. As some of you who follow me regularly you know that I am now prepping for OPA provincials. I am a figure athlete.
Prep is tough. Motivation is key. Seeing the positive comments and having you guys behind me and my boyfriend/Coach keeps me going. I want to show you guys that if you say you are going to do something you can do it! It helps keep me accountable and I know a lot of you are embarking on your own fitness journey in 2017 so I hope that I can inspire you! If you need help I do online training so email me alicia@trainitright.com for more information and we can discuss how I can help you!
If you haven't been following my vlogs go and subscribe now: www.youtube.com/trainitright it will give you an awesome look into my life at an even more personalable level. I share some of my prep friendly recipes, grocery shopping, workouts and much more. Life as a competitor, athlete, model and trainer is not as easy and glamorous as it looks on instagram so I want to give you a real look into my life and prep.
Although 20 weeks sounds like a long time away its not. The days go by so fast. The workouts are tough (for me anyway) but I love them. Each and every prep mentally has gotten easier for me so far so I am hoping this will be my best yet. Ive been implementing positive self talk, graphing progress and even using meditation. Prep is just as much mental as it is physical and nutrition is key. I have a few meetings this month so Im hoping to share with you guys some key things on the nutrition aspect soon.
Another hard part for me on some days not all is getting in all of my water. I got a jug from Popeyes to help me with that. If I drink two of them in a day thats my full 4L aka Gallon.
My biggest goal for this prep is to have my legs come in more and show some amazing definition. Its hard as a woman because of estrogen. Also I tend to do loads of cardio because of my track background my body is a bit stubborn so I get a lot of water being held there! My boyfriend/coach has implemented some great strategies in my program to combat that and I can't wait to see how we can improve on this sculpture!
Let me know anything that you guys want to read about/see etc! If you have any Questions or comments leave them below and maybe ill do a Q&A blog and video!
Canadians favour fitness over finances when it comes to 2017 resolutions
Research highlights motivations, plans to achieve fitness/nutrition goals
One in three (33%) Canadians say improving their personal fitness and nutrition is their top new year's resolution, compared with only 21 per cent who chose to focus on financial goals, based on a recent Ipsos survey.
The survey, conducted on behalf of GoodLife Fitness, also found 13 per cent of Canadians resolved to dedicate more time to travel and leisure, 11 per cent plan to quit bad habits like smoking or drinking, and 10 per cent would spend more time with family and friends.
"It's great to see more Canadians choosing fitness and nutrition as their number one resolution for 2017 because it suggests people are making positive choices when it comes to eating well and being active, with the goal of feeling better overall," said David 'Patch' Patchell-Evans, founder and CEO of GoodLife Fitness.
More than half (53%) of Canadians say improving their overall quality of life is the primary motivation for pursuing a health and wellness resolution. Preventing health risks (45%), losing weight (42%) and increasing their energy (41%) ranked as other top reasons to exercise more and eat better.
Many Canadians say they're willing to make lifestyle changes to achieve their fitness and nutrition goals. Nearly half (45%) say they would plan to change their eating habits by developing a healthy meal plan, while one in three (34%) say they would set a weight loss goal for themselves.
Other Canadians are looking to become more active. Four in 10 (41%) would spend more time outdoors, while one in four (24%) say they'd find a friend to be active with. One in five Canadians (18%) say they would join a gym.
"These are all concrete steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Whether it's joining a fitness club, consulting with a personal trainer, making a meal plan or just getting out for a walk, Canadians are finding ways to eat healthier foods and exercise more in 2017," said Patch. "The important part is to build healthier habits into your daily routine. That way you're more likely to stick with your resolution beyond the first few weeks."
To find out more about what helps Canadians stay motivated to work out, GoodLife Fitness polled 1,100+ longer-term members who have work out at the gym a minimum of 10 times per month, over the past two years or longer.
GoodLife Fitness' research experts conducted a topic-modelling analysis on the responses, and found the top three motivating factors for long-term members are:
The positive feeling or emotional boost that occurs after exercise – whether it's more energy, a productivity boost, a better mood or a sense of relaxation.
The community and people they meet when they go to the gym: their personal trainers, the group class instructors, the team trainers, the people in their group classes, and their friends. The members often looked to others for accountability and motivation.
The long-term benefits of exercise, including that chance to feel younger and have a better quality of life as they age.
When asked about the secret to long-term fitness success, the most popular response was to rely on a personal trainer or group fitness instructor to motivate them and keep them accountable. Another secret was to make exercise a non-negotiable part of the daily routine. Finding something you love to do is also a major part of success – whether it's running, yoga, weights or group fitness classes.
"Making a personal connection at the gym, by bringing a friend, taking a group fitness class, working with a personal trainer, or by signing up for a team training camp seems to be an essential step in establishing a fitness routine," explained Tracy Matthews, GoodLife Fitness Executive Director of Member Services. "We heard repeatedly that members feel better after a workout, and would actually push themselves to go to the gym to boost their mood and productivity. These immediate emotional and psychological benefits are major drivers in helping members stick with their routine."
About the research Ipsos survey Ipsos conducted a poll on behalf of GoodLife Fitness. A sample of 1,000 Canadians were interviewed between December 15 and December 19, 2016 as part of Ipsos' online panel. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/ - 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled.
GoodLife Fitness long-term member survey The survey of long-term members was led by Scott Leith, Ph.D, data scientist and research psychologist with GoodLife Fitness. GoodLife received 1,120 responses to an online survey of long-term active members, who have worked out a minimum of 10 times per month for two years or more. Members were asked a series of closed and open-ended questions and a topic-modelling analysis was performed to determine overarching themes in the open-ended questions. The average age of respondents was 45, and the 25th percentile age was 33. Respondents were approximately 55 per cent female and 45 per cent male.
About GoodLife Fitness Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife Fitness is the largest fitness company in Canada and the fourth largest in the world. With over 375 clubs from coast-to-coast, including 40 Énergie Cardio and ÉconoFitness Clubs in Quebec, approximately 14,400 employees and more than 1.3 million Members, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and wellness of one in 28 Canadians every day. GoodLife also provides workplace wellness programming and services to more than 3,000 corporate partners across Canada. www.goodlifefitness.com
SOURCE GoodLife Fitness
Want to burn belly fat, build testosterone and get lean — by eating chili? You can even use fatty ground beef. [Recipe below.]
Men over 40 with higher testosterone levels have more energy, more strength and less belly fat, according to Clark Bartram, 53, Performance & Nutrition Industry Expert for Six Pack Abs, and Lead Advisor to the International Sports Sciences Association. When men’s testosterone levels are low, they face muscle loss, low energy and loss of sex drive. Additionally, their body stores most of the food they eat as belly fat.
Clark Bartram cooks testosterone boosting, belly fat burning chili.
When a man turns 30, his testosterone levels can decrease by 1-2% a year. By the time he reaches his 40s and 50s, his testosterone production can be down to half of what it once was, according to Bartram.
“Giving you half the testosterone production and double the belly fat – that’s not good,” he says. “That’s why it’s so important for us older men to start boosting our natural testosterone immediately.”
Rather than get testosterone treatments or “legal steroids” (with frequent side effects) from a physician, Bartram says, “Let food be your medicine.”
The fats in red meat as well as salmon and tuna boost testosterone, he said. Other such foods are: almonds, garlic, eggs, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, avocados, bananas, watermelon, citrus fruit, grapes, and honey.
For chili, adding white button mushrooms are a key ingredient to blocking estrogen, the female version of testosterone. Estrogen can cause a man to bloat, develop breast tissue and store more fat around the waist. Rising estrogen levels also cause your belly fat to start producing a testosterone killing chemical that creates even more estrogen.
At TestMaxMeals.com, Bartram offers more testosterone boosting food tips, 3 so-called “healthy” foods that can dramatically decrease testosterone levels, and 3 “cheat” foods that boost testosterone. He also explains how to quickly prepare and cook an entire week’s worth of your favorite testosterone boosting foods in less than an hour and at a low cost.
Clark Bartram’s Testosterone-Boosting Chili Recipe
2 lbs. ground beef (15% fat) 1 can kidney beans
1 cup white button mushrooms 1 can black beans
1/2 cup chopped onions 1 can organic chopped tomatoes
2 tbs. chili powder pinch of salt
jar organic tomato puree garlic to taste
1.) Sauté ground beef until it is brown.
2.) Place meat into big pot and add all other ingredients.
3.) Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes.
Get fit with your partner/soul mate/swole mate/boyfriend/girfriend and sign up! We start January 15th!
Email me: alicia@trainitright.com for registration info and forms!
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7 steps to better posture to create a healthy workplace
Towards the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life!” Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey inferred a painstaking situation with the excitement of a college graduate. However, nothing stimulates as the taxing hours at work. If the back hurts? We tend to let out a screen rant from the epiglottis. Same tactic comes in handy while tackling jittery legs as well. What is the solution to release stress I used to wonder since forever? Call it a magical spell or random thoughts in the crooked mind, the following 7 postures occurred to me outa nowhere. For lovers of mystery, they are the archetypes to replicate Bedford Falls at Office. More or less.
7 sitting posture to replicate Bedford Falls at Office
Posture #1. At Par with the Eye-Line of the Computer
There. Our focal point on the monitor to which we stare all the time. Limitations are endless since dimensions lie within the top-half and the bottom-half of the screen. Once you figure that out, all you need to do is adjust the recliner for better legibility. This is an ideal posture for techies especially or the slouches who prefer working all day along on a computer.
Posture #2. At an arm-stretch from the work desk
Keeping a bare-minimum distance between your body and the desk is easily doable if you have an armrest on the chair. And, working involves lots of stretching and leaning forward one time too many. Which means, this is ideal for those with crutches on either side. Others? Try out, Posture #3.
Posture #3. The Un-Jog Posture.
The toes and the brain have certain inklings as perceived in Biology. Whereas, at Office, the toes on the ground and uncrossed legs awaken brain receptors. An expertise in Biology would brag about blood circulation in the brain and such. For the Un-Jog posture, though, the immobility is the selling factor.
Posture #4. Laid-back posture with the help of lumbar support
A lumbar support is anything but a pillow-equivalent that slants into your chair and facilitates the natural curving. Pick a good lumbar support for no one needs a curving that proves to be counterproductive. Meaning, this is ideal for slouches whose lumbar is as strong as an elephant.
Posture #5. Upright Posture: Hips loosened, head steady, legs apart.
The edge of the seat is what’s being called a sweet-spot. For easy explanation, it is the verge or the far end of the seating. Arms on either side. Loosened hips. And, the legs apart would lead to a steady head. There is something called “Peripheral vision.” For that, one must sit in a way he/she is paying attention.
Posture #6. Boredom-Posture.
Boredom posture isn’t as easy as the title has it. The routine standing posture to shackle boredom requires workstation cubicle with a solid plateau. It works evenly no matter you use a computer at work. Or, anything likewise.
Posture #7. Anything that won’t leave you posted.
Cannot overrule the importance of deep breaths at work. Depending on the quality of the furniture, one might as well stop contemplating wily ideas to breathe. For the furniture, should compensate lumbar support and lurch forward with the same utmost ease of performing it. I mentioned this mostly because once you figure out a sweet-spot it is advisable to stay there forever as possible.
Statutory Warning: Tweaking the seat height to figure out a “couch-heaven” would eventually lead you into a strangle.
The Importance of Stranglehold and Wrestling
In wrestling, wrestlers pull off strangleholds when the bout boils down to its denouement. Why do they do that? To win the bout by way of preemptive measures of course. Apparently, Merriam-Webster has it - “It is a position of complete control that prevents something from developing.”
Okay. What sport teaches you is to master the uncontrollable stuff with a strong base, self-confidence, maneuvering of arms and legs in ways that leads to winning. Hope you have figured a way or two to come up with your own stranglehold. Thank You. Welcome Comments. Please don’t strangle me with gasp-induced questions, for I have a wonderful life ahead after this blog too.
Author- bio: Levin George is a Search Engine Optimizer at OfficeRock.com. He actively pursues interests related to latest internet marketing trends. He spends his leisure time reading, meditating and enjoying the joys of technology.
It's the New Year so a lot of us are looking to jumpstart our weight loss journey for the year. One way that many around the world do so is my cleansing. Juice cleanses are cleanses that have grown in popularity in recent years.
I recently decided to purchase a juice cleanse system and my results were amazing!
I decided upon the Blueprint Organic cleansing system, specifically the Foundation Cleanse. I chose this cleanse because I desperately needed detox. Not only did I need to detox my body, I needed to detox my mind, body and soul which led me to the Foundation Cleanse. The Foundation Cleanse is centered around veggie based juices more so than fruit juices. According to their website, this cleanse triggers body digestion and detox that can help with managing weight.
I decided to do a 5 day cleanse which means that I ate no solid foods. I only drank 6 juices a day. I spaced the juices out to a juice every 2-3 hours.
The first day was easy, I believe it was due to my excitement. However, by the second day, things got a little harder. I was determined to stick to the cleanse no matter what because I wanted the results and I'm happy to say that by the 3rd day of the cleanse I no longer had a desire for solid food, instead, I craved the juices. As I stuck to drinking the juice 2-3 hours a part and drinking water, I must say I personally didn't experience much hunger during ANY of the days.
RESULTS
After the cleanse, I lost 8 pounds. My skin also appeared to clear up and I had a surge of energy by the 3rd day of the cleanse as well. By the 4th day, my brain fog was completely lifted and I found myself thinking clearer, feeling more positive and feeling lighter!
If you're looking for a cleanse to jumpstart your weight and to help you mentally, I would suggest this one. You never realize how much your eating is dictated and determined by your emotions until you do a cleanse. This cleanse helped me to become more mindful of that and helped me jumpstart my new healthy journey.
I do however suggest that you do research and speak to your doctor first before you start any type of extreme cleanse like this. I would also suggest that you research all of the cleanses that are on the market and know what you're looking to do to help you decide what brand and type of cleanse you want to do.
A major new study suggests that people living close to busy roads may have a higher chance of suffering dementia.
Research published in the medical journal Lancet indicates that as many as 11% of dementia cases among people living up to 100 meters from a highway with significant traffic could be due to vehicle emissions as well as other pollutants or traffic noise.
According to the Lancet, the researchers tracked all adults aged between 20 and 85 living in Ontario, Canada - approximately 6.6 million people - for over a decade from 2001 to 2012. The prestigious medical publication noted that ‘the risk of developing dementia reduced as people lived further away from a main road - with a 7% higher risk in developing dementia among those living within 50 metres, a 4% higher risk at 50-100 metres, a 2% higher risk at 101-200 metres and no increase in risk in those living more than 200 metres away’.
Lead author Dr Hong Chen, Public Health Ontario, Canada, was quoted in the Lancet as saying: “Increasing population growth and urbanization has placed many people close to heavy traffic, and with widespread exposure to traffic and growing rates of dementia, even a modest effect from near-road exposure could pose a large public health burden”.
Blueair, a world leader in indoor air purification technologies, believes that one immediate solution to contaminated air at home or work in urban areas with heavy traffic is to use an air purifier meeting high standards for removing airborne pollution such as those set by AHAM, the U.S. Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.
AHAM says room air cleaners that are certified through its Certification Program 'have been certified and verified by an independent laboratory, assuring consumers that the product will perform according to the manufacturer’s product claims for suggested room size'. The AHAM program also verifies the reduction of three common household particulates: tobacco smoke, dust and pollen, which are commonly referred to as the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR).
Creating a healthy workplace maximizing team happiness and productivity
Graphic designers in a meeting at the office
Those who embrace omens and adhere rules could pursue eternal workplace happiness. As in, it is the uncertainty of success which eventually lead even ‘The Kid’ to the far-side………
The Alchemy of workplace happiness
Rule #1. Draw a line for Rumor ----- of, course. One must.
Rumors tend to have a merger-effect on people. Based on situation, the same rumor can evoke laughter or bring about a molehill out of a molecule. And, moreover, most rumors tend to circle around leaders thus making grievance management a virtue of good leadership. Of, course. One must.
Rule #2. Embrace the odd showmanship
The HR should keep a watch on showmen whose hobby is to self-efface humorous stories. They should interfere if deemed, and differentiate good humor Vs. bad humor based on situations. And, embrace timely and appropriate reaction to humor sense for the cross-cultural Corporates or Office quorum.
Rule #3. Fulfill Self-Actualization Goals
Work satisfaction stems from the fulfillment, or the lack of it, of self-actualization goals. For that, the company HR should build a sizeable team of talent hunters who knows how to track careers. And, tackle professional ego without much personnel discretion.
Rule #4. Make HRM a Zero-Sum Game.
Best of HR makes Human Resource Management a zero-sum game it is being said. Meaning they must meet the economies of staffing and training and development, and form a healthy sync with clients. This would enact both the Company policy w.r.t financials, and an HR’s duty of employee motivation.
Rule #5. Allow seamless communication.
For that, there are many options like having an “Open Door Policy” in place. Empowering team leaders who knows their team inside-out. Providing platforms - Corporate Games - to break the railings in one-on-one discussions. And least of all set a benchmark between expectation and reality, performance and ‘post-truth.’
Rule #6. Provide Entertainment Value
Office ergonomics have influenced even SMEs (Small and Medium Scale Enterprises). And, thus, corporates are forced to invest on tawdry furniture which may add to the employee discomfort. Although, for a healthy workplace one must sacrifice money to simply buy the best branded furniture or suchlike. And, provide a couch for employees to endure long working hours. (Note: Ergonomics mean space and comfort.)
Rule #7. Mend outdated rules and regulations.
If a rule is in-sync with the new-millennials nobody would question its practicality. Here is an outdated rule as prescribed by NRLB - “Employees are not allowed to take unauthorized pictures” it says.
Of, course. The 2016 version of the same rule shall be apostrophe-d “Taking selfies on bathrooms are strictly prohibited.”
If anything happens, this would bring home clarity of thought and keep judgment to within confined limits.
Why Happiness Matters?
We keep hearing outrageous excuses to leaving one’s job to concur dreams. In fact, if you connect those excuses you could see an irony…….
Bottom line is it is the engagement, or the lack of it, which gives a healthy and productive work place from both an Individualistic point of view, and holistic. The takeaway from this blog should be plain and simple. You can maximize team happiness and productivity by limiting rumor (#1) with proper rules and regulations in place (#7) that has a tinge of humor in it (#2). And, by fulfilling self-actualization goals (#3) with tactical HR management (#4). The byproduct of it all would give you some entertainment value at the workplace (#6) it shall be deemed. Welcome Feedbacks. Thank You.
Author- bio: Levin George is a Search Engine Optimizer at OfficeRock.com. He actively pursues interests related to latest internet marketing trends. He spends his leisure time reading, meditating and enjoying the joys of technology.
It's the New Year!!!
Which ultimately means you're hearing around the office, "New Year, New Me", "I'm going on a diet", "I'll be hitting the gym tonight and every night until I get to my goal weight THIS YEAR! "I'm finally going to get out of DEBT" And that's great! But it's actually time to be practical. The New Year is a great time for new beginnings, but we really have to make sure that we stay realistic so that we never fall back into our old habits within a month... Below are a few tips that'll help you stick to your New Year, New You goals...
1. Be Realistic
Be real with yourself. Though it's possible, it's not healthy, nor realistic to lose a LARGE sum of weight within a short period of time. And though it's possible to win $40 million to pay off all your debt, the chances are slim. So be realistic with yourself and don't push yourself to failure by applying too much pressure on yourself.
2. Set short term goals... and stick to them
This is very similar to being realistic. We all have things we really and truly want to work on. So if it's weight, saving money, getting out of debt, or attaining any personal goal, how about set weekly and monthly goals for yourself in quarters. This way you're able to be realistic and feel accomplished. So an example of this would be to break the year down into quarters. That would give you January - March, April-June, July-September, October-December. Within those months, set up monthly goals for you to hit and things you need to do weekly to hit them and watch how amazingly you'll succeed.
3. Reward yourself
Anyone that's taken a psychology class, or lived for more than 2 years knows that positive reinforcement is a great tool to help change and shape behavior. So, with that being said, use your short term goals to reward yourself. But don't reward yourself with FOOD or SHOPPING if you're trying to lose weight or save money! Instead, reward yourself with a spa day, a pedicure, a walk around your favorite park, something worthwhile that won't set you back (remember, tailor this to your goals and end result).
4. Accept setbacks but don't stay there
Face it, you will encounter set backs, whether major or minor. But don't allow your setback to define you or deter you from your goals. You ate a cupcake when it wasn't time for your cheat meal, you couldn't resist a good deal on amazon.com so you bought something, you missed a week at the gym... Well, things happen. Accept it and move forward! You're not a failure until you quit trying, so just try again... You can do it!
5. Believe in Yourself
We've all heard it... Believe in yourself. It sounds so simple, but honestly, it's something that you really have to work at. Believe in yourself and believe that right now you have everything that you need to reach all your goals. Remember that and keep pushing through and before you know it, you'll be celebrating a year fulfillment next year at this time... So do yourself a favorite and believe in yourself and go for everything you want in 2017!
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A major new study suggests that people living close to busy roads may have a higher chance of suffering dementia.
