New V-log Posted To The Train It Right Youtube Page
Working my butt off for an upcoming figure show - vlog002
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Tag: fitness
Last month I had the opportunity to model for Albedo100. It is a reflective spray that you can put on any clothing and stay safe running/walking etc at night time. This is me below in the photo:
Albedo100 was ranked #5 of the top 17 must have items for Canadian Winter ahead of winter coats, hats, slippers, touchscreen gloves, snow boots, winter tires, Advil and Netflix!
See link below:
http://www.canadianfamily.ca/parents/must-haves-canadian-winter/
Also check out the Albedo100 Canada Facebook page for more info:
https://www.facebook.com/Albedo100-Canada-1049189251867913/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
And the Albedo100 Canada webpage is www.reflectivespray.ca
CONTOUR® NEXT and Max Domi Scoring for Diabetes
Partners team up to mark Diabetes Awareness Month and raise money for JDRF
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Ascensia Diabetes Care Canada Inc. ("Ascensia") and CONTOUR® NEXT are teaming up with professional hockey player Max Domi to "SCORE for Diabetes" during Diabetes Awareness Month. Throughout the month of November, for every point scored by Domi, Ascensia will donate $1,000.001 to JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.
"Getting support from my team is a huge part of how I manage my diabetes on and off the ice," says Domi. "Every single goal I score is special. This month I get to celebrate the two things I am most passionate about, diabetes and hockey, every time the puck crosses the goal line."
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, a celebration focused on raising awareness for all forms of diabetes, its signs and symptoms, and gaining support for critical research toward preventing, better treating and curing all forms of the disease.2
"Lives are changed by raising awareness and funding research towards finding a cure for T1D and its complications," says Dave Prowten, President and CEO, JDRF Canada. "We are thrilled to be working with Ascensia and Max Domi to raise money throughout National Diabetes Awareness Month, and look forward to getting some goals in the net."
As the team progresses throughout November, the action can be followed off the ice through social media @Contour_diabetes and #scorefordiabetes.
Through their ongoing partnership, Max and Ascensia have also introduced CONTOUR® NEXT's Powered by Accuracy 16 Reasons Contest to continue to educate all Canadians about diabetes. Fans can also go to poweredbyaccuracy.ca and enter 16 reasons why they deserve to see Max play live. Fans can enter for a chance to win the grand prize of a trip for four to Edmonton, Alberta to attend the January 16, 2017 game.3
"As a company, we are dedicated to improving the health and lives of people with diabetes, and understand the vital role played by further scientific research and increased public awareness," says Russ Newsome, Region Head of North America, Ascensia. "We are thrilled to be working with all of these partners to not only raise money for the JDRF in Canada, but also to celebrate the power of the team that supports diabetes management."
For more information on how you can get involved and help raise awareness for diabetes in your community, please contact your local JDRF office. Help JDRF continue to raise awareness about and fund type 1 diabetes research http://www.jdrf.ca/T1DLooksLikeMe/.
About Ascensia Diabetes Care
Ascensia Diabetes Care is a global specialist diabetes care company, dedicated to helping people living with diabetes. Our mission is to empower people living with diabetes through innovative solutions that simplify and improve their lives. We use our innovation and specialist expertise in diabetes to develop high quality solutions and tools that make a positive, daily difference for people with diabetes.
Home to the world renowned CONTOURTM portfolio of blood glucose monitoring systems, our products combine advanced technology with user-friendly functionality that help people with diabetes to manage their condition. We are committed to continued research, innovation and development of new products and solutions. As a trusted partner in the diabetes community, we collaborate closely with healthcare professionals and other partners to ensure our products meet the highest standards of accuracy, precision and reliability, and that we conduct our business compliantly and with integrity.
Ascensia Diabetes Care was established in 2016 through the sale of Bayer Diabetes Care to Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd. Ascensia Diabetes Care products are sold in more than 125 countries. Following the close of the transaction in all countries, Ascensia Diabetes Care will have around 1,700 employees and operations in 38 countries.
For further information please visit the Ascensia Diabetes Care website at: http://www.ascensiadiabetes.ca/en/home/.
CONTOUR™ is a registered trademark of Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG.
1 Up to a maximum of $30,000.00
2 http://www.jdrf.ca/t1dlookslikeme/
3 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of Canada who have reached the age of majority as of the date of entry. Enter by completing all required fields in Contest entry form on www.poweredbyaccuracy.ca. Limit one entry per person. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received.
SOURCE Ascensia Diabetes Care
FinTech lender Health Smart Financial Services announces new senior credit facility with CWB Maxium Financial
Health Smart Financial Services ("Health Smart"), a technology-enabled specialty lender, announced today that it has closed a new senior revolving credit facility with CWB Maxium Financial ("CWB Maxium").
Health Smart's technology platform allows healthcare providers to offer their customers affordable monthly payments for services and products that require private out-of-pocket expense. Health Smart has a rapidly growing base of over 1500 merchant partners who benefit from the company's instant credit approval and paperless transaction capability.
"CWB Maxium is a great partner for our business," said Wayne Pommen, President & CEO of Health Smart. "This new revolving facility replaces our existing facilities and provides us with substantially increased funding capacity to grow our consumer loan portfolio. Combined with the growth equity investment we received from iA Financial Group last month, we are very well capitalized to continue our pace of growth in 2017 and beyond."
"We are pleased to be a funding partner for Health Smart as they capture the point-of-sale financing opportunity in Canada," said Neil Cruickshank, Vice President at CWB Maxium. "Health Smart has tremendous potential to attract quality financial assets. The transaction aligns with our strategy for creative and innovative financing, and supports our growing portfolio in the Canadian financing sector. We look forward to ongoing growth opportunities and collaboration."
About Health Smart:
Health Smart Financial Services is a leading Canadian point-of-sale consumer lender focused primarily on the healthcare sector. Using Health Smart's platform, healthcare providers can have their customers approved for affordable monthly payments on-location or remotely using desktop, tablet, or smartphone interfaces. By partnering with Health Smart, merchants provide their customers with greater access to services while growing their sales. Health Smart's major segments include dentistry, fertility, audiology, mobility devices, veterinary services, and cosmetic procedures, in addition to selected segments outside the healthcare sector. Health Smart has approved over $170 million in consumer credit since inception.
About CWB Maxium:
CWB Maxium Financial is a CWB Group company and offers creative structured financing that responds directly to the specific needs of each customer. Maxium Financial Services Inc. was founded in 1993, and on March 1, 2016, it became a CWB Group company. Today, the portfolio exceeds $1 billion. With over 35,000 customers, CWB Maxium is earning a reputation for innovative lending solutions coupled with an unparalleled ability to build long-term relationships. Learn more at www.cwbmaxium.com
Launching Soon Vlogs - Workouts etc on my Youtube
Im super excited to start my youtube channel and do it the right way! Ive been inspired lately by a lot of bloggers and v-loggers and I've decided to up my youtube game. I hope that I inspire more people and that you will enjoy getting to know me a little bit better!
GO SUBSCRIBE NOW
Squat Variations
Did you know that squatting is a fundamental human movement pattern that involves nearly every muscle in the body? Squatting improves fitness, performance, and mobility for daily-life tasks. But do you always do the same type of squat? You shouldn’t and here’s why:
Have you ever noticed that when you do an exercise you haven’t performed in a few weeks, you experience a much more intense delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for two or three days afterwards? Well that is because your muscles are moving in a slightly different plane of motion than what they are used to and they’ve become unaccustomed to this newly reintroduced movement. Don’t get stuck doing the same exercises each and every week! Change it up so that you can wake up muscles that may not be getting used if you are continually doing the same exercises week after week.
When you add variations into your workouts you can add strength faster and see more development and changes to your physique. Try new exercise movements, add extra weight or perform more sets and reps each workout. It’s all about the variation. Variations also help keeps you mentally stimulated and non-stagnant in your workout regime. This keeps the workouts fun and exciting as well as challenging. When you add variation exercises to your program you will hit the muscles from different angles, helping to stimulate more muscle fibers and create a nice, fully rounded muscle that really pops. Add variation – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Try these examples of variations for squats that can be built into your current training program. Remember to engage the mind-muscle connection and focus on the contraction, negative and stretch phase of the lift. Don’t rush through the reps, keep tension on the muscle through the entire range of motion to get the full benefit of each exercise.
Front Squat
Place the barbell at the upper chest height in the rack. Step forward and position bar in front of shoulders. Cross your arms and place hands on top of barbell with upper arms parallel to floor. Then move the bar from rack. Squat down by pushing your hips backwards while allowing knees to bend forward, keep your back straight and your knees aligned with your toes. Squat down until thighs are just past parallel. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Bulgarian Split Squat
This can be done with a barbell across your back or dumbbells in both hands. Stand with dumbbells in your hands or bar across your back. Extend leg back and place top of foot on bench. Lower yourself down by flexing both the knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to your starting position and repeat. Then switch legs.
Hack Squat w/ Barbell
Position barbell just behind your legs. With feet flat on floor shoulder width apart, squat down and grasp barbell from behind with overhand grip. Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension to stand up tall. Squat down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Squat down as far as you can possible while keeping your head and chest up. Repeat.
Heels Elevated Hack Squat
Place some plates or a step behind you. Position barbell just behind your legs. With toes on the floor and your heels on top of the step making sure that your feet are shoulder width apart, squat down and grasp barbell from behind with overhand grip. Lift bar by extending hips and knees to full extension to stand up tall. Squat down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward, keeping back straight and knees pointed same direction as feet. Squat down as far as you can possible while keeping your head and chest up. Repeat.
Goblet Squat
Stand holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest. Then squat down between your legs until your hamstrings are on your calves. Keep your chest and head up. At the bottom position, pause and make sure that your elbows are on the inside of your knees and legs. Return to the starting position, and repeat.
Sumo Squat
With bar upper chest height, position bar on the back of your shoulders and grasp bar to sides. Place feet wider than shoulder width apart and make sure to point your toes outward 45° to 30°. Begin by squatting down by bending hips back while allowing knees to bend forward. Keep your back straight and your knees aligned with the direction that your toes are facing.. Descend until thighs are minimally just past parallel to floor. Return to the beginning position and repeat
Curtsey Squat
Stand with your feet hip width apart and hands on hips, weights in your hands or barbell across your back. Move your right foot behind your left leg, as far past your left foot as is comfortable. Using a "curtsy" motion, squat down. Keep your weight in the front leg, head up and chest up. Return to the beginning position of standing and repeat.
Box Squat
From rack with barbell at upper chest height, position bar on back of shoulders. Grasp barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and back up until contact is made with box immediately behind. Stand with either a regular squat position with feet shoulder width or a wide stance with feet flared out slightly. Then sit back onto box by bending hips back while bending knees, keeping your knees in light with your toes and your head and chest up. Using a controlled movement then lower your glutes onto box. Once contact is made stand back up returning to the starting position and repeat.
Much of how you use the above squat variations comes down to what you are currently doing in the gym. While I am not suggesting to drop your current routine and start this one, there is value in adding some variation to your training sessions so that you can stimulate the muscle in a different way and keep it responding without hitting plateaus.
At the end of the day, it is important to realize that no matter where you are in your training experience, there is value in the occasional variation adjustment. Whether it is to bring up weak points or to keep your body healthy and in balance, varying stance and bar placement, using dumbbells instead of a barbell can add that missing element and help with your progress.
Happy Training!
The Great Train It Right Pumpkin Butt Challenge
Summer is over and fall is here. That meals its pumpkin season. And if you are like me you love all pumpkin everything. The problem is that most pumpkin treats are loaded with sugar. Here is the great train it right pumpkin butt challenge that will show you how to combat those delicious treats! Grab your workout gear and get your butt on the move!
Download the PDF version here:
Train It Right - Alicia Bell - October Challenge
Deadlift
Stand with shoulder width stance. Start holding the weights in a standing position with your legs straight. Lower weights toward top of feet by bending hips and keeping the weight close to your body. Hinge back to starting position while keeping the legs straight making sure to squeeze the glutes at the end range for 1 second. Repeat.
Single Leg Glute Bridge
Sit on the ground with your upper back against the floor, with your knees bent, place one foot on the bench in front of you. Lift the other leg and keep it straight. Squeeze your glutes as you raise your pelvis high enough off the floor to create a straight line between your knees, hips, and shoulders. Pause for 1 second at the top before lowering. Repeat for both right and left legs.
Squat Jump
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, drop down into a squat with your head and chest straight. Then power through your feet jumping up as high as you can. Return to the squat position and repeat.
Happy pumpkin butt training!
The Real-Time Nutritional Biosensor, One X, Nears $50K Funding Goal on Indiegogo to Give Individuals Control Over Diet and Lifestyle
One X measures antioxidant levels directly from one’s palm and helps individuals make healthier choices by tracking habits that impact their body
Mountain View, CA - One X’s Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for their nutritional biosensor has raised over $44K, putting them just $6K shy of their $50K funding goal. One X is designed with the most advanced materials and sensors to provide the most accurate insight on how habits, such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress, alcohol, pollution and sun exposure, impact the body and its health.
One X is the first real-time nutritional biosensor that measures skin carotenoids from fruit and vegetable consumption and the effects of eating well. By measuring skin carotenoids, One X’s feedback reflects what the body effectively absorbs and actually stores. One X has an elegant, functional design with a soft touch and ergonomic shape, and it’s the first non-invasive, consumer antioxidant tracking system.
“We believe in creating an accessible way for everyone to uncover how their lifestyle affects their daily wellness, and we want to provide them with ways to improve their health,” said One X CEO Anthony Weil. “One X is perfect for families, couples and anyone looking to improve their day-to-day health. We used the perfect blend of science and technology to develop something that’s simple, portable and affordable for most.”
Users activate the device through the finger-touch sensor to automatically pair their measurement with the One X ID. By using fingerprint recognition, it allows the tracking of up to five different individuals on one device. Users will then hold One X in the palm of their hand for 20 seconds and will start to see the lateral LED start displaying the ongoing measurement. One X automatically syncs with the mobile app so that users can easily check their previous antioxidant levels and quickly track their progress. Individuals can also set challenges with their friends and measure their family at home.
One X is available on Indiegogo and will give individuals control over their diet and lifestyle in ways that other diets, apps and tracking devices fall short. Early adopters can pre-order one for $109, which is over 50% less than the market retail price. For more information on all of One X’s features, visit http://bit.ly/OneXIndie.
ABOUT ONE X
Based out of Mountain View, California, One X was created with the vision to empower everyone to take back control of their health. One X’s non-invasive design was created to be simple and affordable so that everyone can measure how their lifestyle impacts their body. For more information, visit www.one-x.co.
I may have always been an athlete. But since moving to Toronto to be a personal trainer and fitness expert I’ve had many ups and downs in my life on my personal fitness journey. Big set backs continuously seemed to occur. They always needed up preventing me from reaching my fitness goals each time. However never did I get down on myself. I always picked myself up each and every time and kept going. I did not complain and I did not blame anyone or anything for my circumstances.
First I had a full and complete ACL tear. When this happened at the same time I also ended up rupturing my meniscus while fracturing the tibia at its plateau. It took me over a month post op to even be able to do a full cycle on a pedal bike. I had to have a second surgery less than a year later to remove scar tissue and shots of synvisc (a synthetic synovial fluid) as well. To this day I still don’t have full range of motion. Did this stop me? No. Does it prevent me from doing anything? No. Do I use it as an excuse? No.
Then the following spring I was on my way to coach my track team and a cab driver cut me off as I was riding my motorcycle through an intersection. I t-boned him and flew over the cab. Hit my knee that I had the ACL repair on pretty bad, got whip lash, hurt my back, got road rash and also had my hand caught in the street car track as I was sliding. Did this stop me? No. Does it prevent me from doing anything? No. Do I use it as an excuse? No.
Finally, as I was still going through physio for my motorcycle accident I had some crazy symptoms.The biggest and most obvious one was that I was exhausted all day long and had no energy (very unusual for me). So I went to the doctor and they did some scans and said you have to go to emergency now! I still had no idea why. They admitted me and performed an emergency surgery to remove a mass of cells in my stomach. This mass was very rare. And no it wasn’t cancer. From September until November I had to have blood work every week to monitor my body and make sure it didn’t come back. And it came back. Again very rare. Based on where it was my only option was chemotherapy. I had 7 rounds before I got to ring the bell that I completed my chemo! Wahoo! The whole time I kept on training my clients and I even began my very first prep while still undergoing chemo. The chemo made me very puffy and swollen but I didn’t get down on myself. I honestly didn’t even tell many people. Did this stop me? No. Does it prevent me from doing anything? No. Do I use it as an excuse? No.
I hope that you realize that sometimes the journey can be hard and tiring. There may be obstacles in your way but persevere, follow the plan, find a support system and be honest! Good things will happen and your consistency will pay off! Don’t give up and don’t let anyone or any circumstance bring you down!
A Third of People Track Their Health or Fitness. Who Are They and Why Are They Doing it?
A recent international GfK survey, conducted online in 16 countries, shows one in three people (33 percent) currently monitor or track their health or fitness via an online or mobile application, or via a fitness band, clip, or smartwatch.
China is well in the lead for monitoring health and fitness in this way, with 45 percent of the online population currently doing this. Brazil and the USA come next, with 29 percent each, closely followed by Germany (28 percent) and France (26 percent).
In most countries studied, men are ahead of women in this activity, but five countries stand out as having a higher percentage of their female than their male online population currently tracking their health and fitness in this way: China (48 percent of women, compared to 43 percent of the men), Russia (21 percent of women and 17 percent of men), France (27 percent and 25 percent), Australia (20 percent and 18 percent), and Canada (20 percent and 19 percent).
Looking at age, it is those aged 30-39 and 20-29 years old that are most keen on tracking their health and fitness - standing at 41 percent and 39 percent of each age group respectively. However, teenagers (15-19 year olds) and the 20-29 year olds both show almost a quarter of their numbers saying that, while they do not currently monitor their health or fitness in this way, they have done so in the past. This suggests potential for bringing this significant number of 'past users' back into the market, given the right offers or messages by retailers or manufacturers.
Reasons for tracking health or fitness
Over half (55 percent) of those who are currently tracking their health and fitness said one of the reasons they do it is "to maintain or improve my physical condition or fitness" - making this the most popular reason internationally.
The next most widespread reason is motivating themselves to exercise, selected by half (50 percent) of those currently tracking.
Several of the reasons given by those currently tracking health or fitness are a reminder that users of these trackers value them for benefits that are not exclusive to the world of sports. Over a third give "to improve my energy levels" or "to motivate myself to eat and drink healthily" as a reason for tracking their health or fitness, while 29 percent say "to improve sleep" and a quarter say "to be more productive". In addition, 22 percent say "because it's fun". Only 14 percent of those currently tracking their health or fitness say they are doing it "to train for an event."
Why are people tracking or monitoring their health or fitness?
To maintain or improve my physical
condition/fitness 55%
To motivate myself to exercise 50%
To improve my energy level 35%
To motivate myself to eat and drink
healthily 34%
To improve sleep 29%
Because it's part of my daily routine 29%
To lose weight 29%
To be more productive 24%
Because it's fun 22%
To monitor or track a specific health
condition 17%
To train for an event (race, sport, etc.) 14%
To compete with other people 8%
For some other reason 2%
Not sure 1%
Source: GfK survey of 4,900+ internet users (ages 15+) in 16 countries who currently track their health or fitness; multiple answers allowed. Fieldwork was conducted in the summer of 2016.
Jan Wassmann, global lead for wearables research at GfK, comments, "These findings demonstrate the attraction that health and fitness monitoring has within much wider groups than just the obvious young sports players. Manufacturers and retailers can use these insights - combined with our point-of-sales data on purchases of wearable devices - to understand who are their real-life users and why, and tailor their products to deepen that appeal."
Download charts showing the full findings: http://www.gfk.com/global-studies/global-study-overview/
About the study
GfK conducted the online survey with over 20,000 consumers aged 15 or older across 16 countries. Fieldwork was completed in summer 2016. Data are weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the online population aged 15+ in each market. Countries covered are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, UK and USA.
