Low Carb Restaurant Review: Sunny's Vietnamese Restaurant

Those who know me well know how much I adore Vietnamese food, it's something about the fresh ingredients and aromatic flavours that just keep me coming back for more.  Now when most people picture Vietnamese food it's all about the noodles, but I decided to try a low carb experiment for lunch one day.

I love going to Chinatown for lunch, the food is great and it's reasonably priced.  Sunny's is a hidden gem that's located above a bubble tea house, it's not normal that you find a restaurant on the upstairs level of a building.  They are known for the Pho Satay, but since I was trying to low carb the meal, I had to order bun instead because Pho without noodles is a pointless.

Here's how I low carb'd the meal:

I ordered the barbecue pork with spring roll bun, but I had them hold the noodles and add more vegetables instead.  The vegetables normally consist of bean sprouts, lettuce and carrots, with some Thai basil and green onions mixed in. 

The waitress gave me the strangest look, but obliged with my request.  The dish actually tasted great and I didn't miss the noodles at all.  So if an Asian person can withhold the noodles from their Bun, then so can you!

107 2 AVE SE, CALGARY, AB T2G 0B2
Phone: 403-265-2210

Healthy Recipes: Chicken Ham and Cucumber Quinoa

Quinoa is my seed of choice, see my superfood article to understand why

Ingredients:
Pepper
1 cup of cooked tandoori chicken
1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth

Chop chicken into cubes
Slice cucumbers
Poor quinoa into pot with 2 cups of chicken broth
Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes
Fluff quinoa with a fork
Mix quinoa with chicken and cucumbers
Allow to cool and serve

The great thing about this recipe is that you can eat it warm or chill it and serve it like a salad!  Win-Win!

Healthy Tips: Food Combining Diet

I was talking to a coworker who's attempting to lose a bunch of weight and I gave him some advice on limiting the simple carbs in his diet and watching his portion control.  He's been using my tips and has lost 13 pounds in two weeks.  He also mentioned that along with my advice he's using a strategy called food combining.

I was perplexed by this concept until he explained it to me, and it's quite simple.  It's along the same lines as minimizing portions and watching the simple carbs in your diet.

When he eats, he now watches how he combines his food.  He won't eat starches with his meats, instead he'll only eat vegetables with his meats.  If he eats starches, he won't combine them with anything and eat the simple starch alone. 

This got me thinking, now I'm no scientist, but in my twisted mind, it makes perfect sense.  When one chooses to combine the wrong foods, you are actually creating an environment where your body is more likely to store food as fat.

For example, if you were to combine starches with meat, since meat takes longer to digest in your stomach, the starches will then sit in your stomach longer as it's working on the meat.  The longer it sits there, the more likely your body will break it down and store it as fat.  Whereas, if you just consume the starches on it's own, your body breaks down these simple starches very quickly and attempts to use them as energy first before storing them.

I think it's a great way to evaluate your eating, or maybe it's just my inner mad scientist trying to get out?

Training Tips: Building Lean Muscle Mass Fast Part 3

Here's the last post on building lean muscle mass fast, this part of training is usually neglected, but it's actually very important if you are to achieve your desired results.  It's something we do lots of anyways, but usually not enough, it's Sleep.  Getting a good night's rest can increase your results dramatically and also keeps you looking young and feeling good.  When we sleep our bodies are healing and repairing our muscles, so the more rest we get, the better chance you'll have at building your ideal body.

We are supposed to be getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night to be well rested.  It can be difficult with our busy lives and responsibilities, so here's a few tips to ensure you get some good shut-eye every night.

Eating Late:  Try not to eat anything 3-4 hours before bedtime because when you do, you're going to force your body to work overtime digesting the food, and as a result you'll have a less restful sleep since you're stomach will be churning away all night.

Winding Down:  Try giving yourself an hour before bedtime to wind down from the hectic day.  Whether it's reading a book or listening to some calming music, by not stimulating your body before bedtime, you'll have a better chance at good rest.

Schedule:  We have a natural biological clock and our bodies are amazing at adapting to things, so try to keep your sleep schedule normal.  Sleeping and waking at the same time every day will help you feel much more rested.  And you'll noticed that even on the weekends, you tend to wake up at your scheduled alarm time, even if it's only for a split second.  It's your body's natural attempt to stick to it's own clock.

So that wraps it up for this building lean muscle mass series, if you follow these three principles you should see great results.  Train, Eat and Sleep, that's all you need to do.

Training Tips: Build Lean Muscle Mass Fast Part 2

Yesterday we talked about how to train to ensure the most success when trying to build lean muscle mass.  Today we'll talk about the eating aspect of it.  Obviously, eating and training go hand in hand and one can't have success without the other

If you want to build lean strong muscles, you'll need to put good fuel into your body to do this.  What you eat will either help you reach your goal or sabotage your results. 

Here are a few key concepts to keep in mind for trying to achieve your goals:

Protein:  Protein is the building block of muscles, so if you want to build them, you'll have to eat alot of it.  It comes in many different forms and can be found in many different foods, lean meats, beans, milk, tofu and quinoa are a few good sources of protein.  It's important to consume a good amount of protein after your workouts, so that you can give your body something to build with.

Carbohydrates:  You do need to consume your carbohydrates, but you want to consume the healthy variety, which can be found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  Try to consume your carbs before your workout, so you can use it as energy.

Balanced Diet:  A balanced diet is important because there are many other foods required to build a strong and supporting frame.  Vitamins, minerals and healthy fats are also a part of a balanced diet.  They can be found in fruits, vegetables and fish to name a few.  Try to keep your meals well-rounded by including alot of variety throughout the week.  Essentially, you should never be eating the same things twice in  one week.

Training Tips: Build Lean Muscle Mass Fast

Since starting this blog, I've focused alot of my attention on trimming or burning fat and weight loss. There are many people out there who are looking at building lean muscle as well, so these next few articles are for you.

If you're looking to build up and around your existing frame, or bulk up or lean out so to speak, there are few key principles that you need to abide by if you want success.

The first thing you should be focusing on is your training. It is important to train hard, but equally important to ensure muscle confusion takes place as well. The goal is to build lean, dense and strong muscles which will not only help you look and feel better, but as an added bonus it actually boosts your metabolism too. 

Muscle Confusion - in order to attain the best results, you need to keep your muscles guessing.  This means changing up your workout every few weeks, whether it's increasing weights, increasing repetitions or vice versa.

Compound Exercises - since we're not training to be body builders you want to perform exercises that engage as many muscles as possible.  Things like squats, pushups, chinups and burpees are great exercises that burn lots of calories and build lean muscle.

Regularity - if you want the best results you'll need to stop making excuses for not going to the gym.  Training on a regular schedule will ensure that you're always building and improving on your existing framework.

Tomorrow we'll talk about eating, an equally important part to your success

Healthy Tips: Controlling Food Cravings

We all have cravings for things, whether it's something physical, emotional and especially food.  Satisfying your cravings isn't a bad thing, afterall we have to live and enjoy life.  However, sometimes we go overboard with our cravings and end up adding inches where we wish we didn't.  Here are some tips on keeping those cravings under control.

Set some rules - a key to controlling your cravings is exercising discipline, set some ground rules for yourself when it comes to your treats.  Perhaps you can limit yourself to one treat a day or only allow yourself to have that treat when you've accomplished something in return.  You should try to avoid giving yourself free treats just because you feel like it, this way you can attempt to condition your brain to only reward yourself intermittently.

Portion control - the serving size is probably the most important part of managing your cravings.  You should be eating small amounts, just enough to satisfy that sweet tooth or that savoury tongue.  For example, don't pull out the entire bag of salt and vinegar chips, instead put a few pieces on a plate and leave the bag in the pantry.  This way you're not unconsciously digging your hands into the bag every few minutes.  And when you're out, you get no more.  Again, you'll need to be disciplined.

Eat Better - there are some foods out there that are natural appetite suppressants, so because you won't be hungry, you most likely won't be craving anything.  I tend to have some tea or coffee if I'm trying to shed a few pounds because they can shrink my appetite.  Here's a good article on more natural appetite suppressants.  http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/natural-appetite-suppressants-1487.html

Fitness Tips: Funny Commercial

If you didn't laugh at this, there's something wrong with you, or maybe it's just my twisted sense of humour

Workout Tips: Ab Roller Product Review For a Flat Stomach

Everybody wants a flat stomach, it's probably the most sought after body part that people want to improve on.  Now I've told people this before that you can't target train a specific area, you'll have to shed the fat before you can see the muscles.  However, after burning the fat off, one of the most effective training tools that I've used for my abdominals is the Ab Roller.

It's a simple contraction that consists of a wheel with two handles on both sides.  The reason why I like this gadget so much is because if engages your entire abdominal plane when you use it.  You essentially force yourself to use your core to hold your body weight. 

You should feel the results of this the next day and if you don't, then you're probably not doing it correctly.  Here's a video of the proper form when using one of these bad boys.



For those that are beginners with this contraption, you don't have to go all the way down, just go down until you feel tension on your abs and come back up, otherwise you could end up kissing the floor.

The beauty of this thing is that it's dirt cheap and you could probably build one yourself if you were handy enough. You can pick one up from Wal-mart for $20 and I assure you that it will be the best $20 that you've ever spent on a piece of fitness equipment. Plus, it's portable so you can bring it anywhere. Or if you don't feel like battling the crowds at Wal-mart, you can also try Amazon.

Training Tips: Olympic Powerlifting Weight Training

So I'm getting bored of the usual routines at the gym and I decided to try something else this week. I've always admired the strength the powerlifters at the olympic games so here's a workout inspired by them.

This workout focuses alot on increasing the strength of your hips and core areas. The core/hips are the source of power for most sports, so it's an important part to train, if you're looking at taking your game to the next level.

****For this workout I would recommend that you get a trainer to teach you how to do the exercises properly, as improper form can result in injury****

Clean and Press - Perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions (45 second rest)

Single Arm Clean and Press - Perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions on each side (45 second rest)

Chinups - perform 5 sets of 10 repetitions (45 second rest) - for these chinups try to swing and kick your feet to force your body up instead of using your arms. This will engage your hips and your core instead.

Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts

Healthy Tips: A Different Type of Bucket List

This picture inspired me to write this post.

Life is short, we've all heard that cliche before, but it's true and nobody really knows when you're going to kick the bucket, it could be tomorrow, it could be a year from now.

People always ask what would you like to do before you die and we all come up with these extravagant bucket lists. But what if somebody asked you, what would you say to your loved ones if you knew you were going to die tomorrow?

Take a step back from all the distractions life has to offer and focus on those that are important in your life. You'll be surprised at how big a reaction that a simple act can create.

Healthy Tips: Zumba DVD Workout Review

I had the chance to get my hands on the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD workout set.  Since I was reluctant to attend a live Zumba class on my own because I have two left feet, I figured this would be my best alternative.  I could use the DVD's in the privacy of my own home and not worry about whether I was making the moves look as good as they do on the TV.  (I definitely don't).

You can also use this DVD to prepare yourself for a live Zumba class at your local gym, or Zumba in your hotel room while you travel.  Nevertheless, if you're looking to shed pounds in a fun way and you enjoy dancing, this set is definitely for you.  This isn't just for women, guys can do it to, and you may also learn a few dance steps to help you woo the opposite sex!

Here's the YouTube promo video if you want to learn more.


It comes as a 4-DVD, 6-workout fitness set designed to work your body from head to toe, and also includes a pair of maranga sticks as weights. My favourite DVD is the Sculpt and Tone, as I found it the most challenging. I'm also impressed that they include a "20 minute Express Workout" DVD, so if you feel like you don't have enough time in the day, I'm certain you can still spare 20 minutes.

You can buy the set at the Showcase/As Seen on TV stores for $99.99. Or you can order it online from Amazon for $64.95. I order stuff from Amazon all the time and have never had any issues, especially for a $35 savings.

So if you're looking for a change of pace from your regular workout, I'd definitely recommend this set.  It's just another new and fun way for people to stay fit.

Healthy Tips: What Not To Do Fitness Tip of the Week

If you try this at home, make sure the person doing the situps doesn't weigh more then you

Healthy Tip: Potential Caffeine Coffee and Tea Replacements

I was sent this awesome article from another blogger about foods that can replace your coffee.  It's a great read, I am a caffeine addict myself, and I would love to be able to ween myself off of it.  Although double-doubles and Starbucks caramel machiattos are so delicious! 

Enjoy!

Ditch the Coffee: 20 Foods That Give You Energy Naturally

http://www.mastersinnursing.com/ditch-the-coffee-20-foods-that-give-you-energy-naturally/

Workout Tips: Toning Workout for Your Butt

Get a tight toned tushie with this quick and easy workout!

Try your best to push out 50 repetitions without stopping.  When you've reached your 50, take a two minute rest in between sets

50 Squats x 2 sets

50 Leg Press x 2 sets

50 Lunges x 2 sets



Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts

Healthy Tips: Self Efficacy and Achieving Your Fitness Goals

Have you ever heard the cliche "Ask and you shall receive"?  It relates to putting what you want out there and asking the universe for it.  This concept plays a huge role in reaching your fitness goals, it's not only about the training, but about the mindset you have while training as well.

If you don't think you will achieve something, then you've already set yourself up for failure because you've planted the seed that you can't do it, so you won't.  Flip this thinking around and tell yourself that you will achieve all that you desire and it will happen.  It seems like an odd concept, but the only thing that is stopping you from achieving your goals is you.  Nobody ever said it would be easy and everything takes hard work, but it's your mind that will get you over that hump.

Self-efficacy is a term used in psychology, roughly corresponding to a person's belief in their own competence.  How much do you believe in yourself?

Healthy Tips: Mad Greens Restaurant Review

I'm in Denver this week and I happened to stroll past an appealing restaurant called Mad Greens.  They had a display in their window that said "Fresh Gourmet Salads", so I thought I would give it a try.  It's a neat concept, essentially they sell salads, soups and sandwiches and promote a healthy "tree hugger" type atmosphere.

I opted for the Crazy Ivan salad and it was delicious.  The only thing I would recommend is getting the regular size because I could barely finish the larger one, even though it was "just a salad".  I think it was the fact that I added chicken breast, along with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, that made this meal so filling.  I could barely shovel the last forkful into my mouth.

As usual, salads are definitely a healthy alternative when eating out, but always watch your portion size, as this is how those calories can sneak up on you.

Here's a breakdown of the nutritional info for the Crazy Ivan salad

Baby Greens, Roasted Beets, Pumpkin Seeds, House Croutons & Goat Cheese
572 Cal, 33g Fat, 776 mg Sodium, 42g Carbs, 28g Protein

Fitness Tip: What Not To Do Fitness Tip of the Week

This was too funny not to post

Training Tips: Body Weight Tricep Workout

I did this workout today at the gym.  It's a quick and fast way to burn up your triceps.  I only had 1/2 hour of free time to spare, so I had to make it a quickie.

Body Weight Dips - 3 sets of 12 reps

Bench Dips - 3 sets of 12 reps

Tricep Pushups - 3 sets of 20 reps

Perform each set with a 30 second rest in between.

Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts

Healthy Tips: Recipes for a Vegetarian Lifestyle

I was watching TV the other day and they had a program where the host and the guest were both vegans.  They were adamant that they were getting all their essential nutrients from this diet and had both been on it for over a decade and felt better then ever.  So I thought I'd write a post about the different types of vegetarian lifestyles. 

First off, there is a difference between vegetarians and vegans.  Vegans choose not to eat any products that come from animals, so they don't consume dairy or eggs and all of their food comes from fruit or vegetable sources. 
Vegetarians on the other hand, may eat dairy, eggs and even fish products, depending on the type of vegetarianism they choose to follow.  Vegetarians each have their differing reasons for choosing this lifestyle, ranging from the love for animals to health reasons, or they just don't like to eat meat.

I personally don't think that I could become a full fledged vegetarian willingly because I love my rare steaks.  However, it's not out of the question, as I've seen many health benefits from switching to this type of eating.  I do caution that before you start down this path, consult a nutritionist so you don't deprive yourself of some essential nutrients accidentally.  In order to get a balanced, healthy vegetarian/vegan diet, you need to know where you can get specific vitamins and minerals from.  For example, protein and iron are harder to come by through vegetables, so you'll have to include things like tofu and spinach to account for these nutrients.

Fruits and vegetables are good for you since they come directly from the earth, you just have to know which ones to eat to ensure good health.  I think that will be my next challenge, to consume a vegetarian dinner every night for a week and guage the results

Calgary Gym Reviews: Gold's Gym

I was fortunate enough to live really close to the first Gold's Gym that opened in Calgary in the NE.  It's located where the original Calgary Ikea was before they relocated down south, just off 36 Street.

The Positives:
They offered a monthly 20/month fee with no signup fee to try to draw in new membership for the brand new store.  How could I say no to that and it was a definite upgrade from the Village Square facility.  However, I believe the price is about 50/month now.
The facility was beautiful, but I wouldn't expect less from a brand new facility.  Obviously all the equipment was top of the line and they even had a gym where you could play basketball. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, plus they had an MMA cage (it's no longer there).  Tanning beds and a juice bar were also in the same building. 

The Negatives:
The brand attracts alot of bodybuilders, so if you get distracted by loud grunts and slamming weights, then either bring some earphones or go during non-peak times. 
Also, they claim that you can go to any Gold's Gym worldwide, but this is far from the truth.  Each gym is a privately owned franchise so it is up to each owner if they will let you in to use their facilities.  When I tried using the Northland location (owned by a different person), I was almost turned away, so take this "perk" with a grain of salt.

Overall, the Northland Gold's Gym is an awesome facility, so if you're in the NE or work close by, I would recommend that you sign up if you can.

Healthy Tips: Healthy Mind and Body

I often blog about training your body and ensuring that you treat it well to attain a long and healthy life.  However, I find alot of people neglect the one organ that is also essential for living well, your brain.  Working on your physical muscles and appearance is one thing, but working on the gray matter is important as well.

Here are some simple ways to keep your noggin' sharp and strong:

• Read a book - they are a great way to exercise your imagination and you actually have to use your brain unlike when you're watching a movie.  Besides, how many times have you heard that "the book was so much better then the movie"
• Do a puzzle - whether it's a board game with the family, a crossword puzzle or sudoku.  All these things help flex your gray matter
• Learn a new skill - try a new recipe, learn a new language or try to crochet.  Step outside your boundaries and challenge yourself to learn something new, your brain will thank you for it.

You should train your mind as much as you train your body, since they go hand in hand.  I talk alot about balance especially when it comes to eating, but there also needs to be balance from between body and mind as well.  Work hard on your waistline, but don't forget about what's between your ears.

Fitness Tip: Funny Workout Video

It's funny how many accidents are caused on a treadmill

Healthy Recipes: Bacon Onion Mushroom Zucchini Quinoa

This is one my newest and is now my favourite quinoa recipe so far.  Quinoa is my seed of choice, see my superfood article to understand why

Ingredients:
Salt/Pepper
2 strips of bacon
1/4 white onion
6 white mushrooms
1/2 cup of zucchini
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth

Pour a drizzle of oil into pan and heat until oil is hot
Add bacon and cook until it is crisp
Drain excess oil from pan
Add onions and mushrooms and stir until soft
Add zucchini and stir for 1 minute

Poor quinoa into pot with 2 cups of chicken broth
Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes
Fluff quinoa with a fork
Mix quinoa into bacon mixture and stir
Allow to cool and serve

Healthy Tips: Cardio Workout

I know alot of people, especially men prefer just lifting heavy objects and women prefer just running on a treadmill for the fear of getting bulky.  However, both weights and cardio are important to have a balanced weekly workout routine.

Cardio strengthens muscles that you cannot see, such as your heart and your lungs.  These two muscles are as vital to your health as your pectorals and biceps.  An important thing to keep in mind is to know what your maximum heart rate is and push it to 60-85% of this number.  A quick way to calculate MHR = 220-Age, so mine would be 220-31=189, this means that for my cardio workout to be most effective I want it to be between 60-85% of 189.  This is essentially the heart rate at which your body will burn body fat in the most efficient manner.  Below is a chart for a better understanding:

	Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR	High Intensity - 80-85% MHR
Total Calories expended per min.	4.86	6.86
Fat Calories expended per min.	2.43	2.7
Total Calories expended in 30 min.	146	206
Total Fat calories expended in 30 min.	73	82
Percentage of fat calories burned	50%	39.85%

From The 24/5 Complete Personal Training Manual, 24 Hour Fitness, 2000

Another important aspect of cardio is time.  It's all about endurance when doing cardiovascular exercises if you expect to see results from it.  They should be a minimum of 30 minutes long, and I tend to push my clients to go for at least 60.  At first it sounds like alot, but when you're on the machine and you feel like you can't run/elliptical/bike anymore, then drop the speed or the resistance on the machine, go for as long as you can and drop it again.  Just make sure that you push for extended distance and time.

Whether it's the bike, a run or even the rowing machine, I always recommend to my clients to push it for 60 minutes for the best results.

Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts

Healthy Tips: My Favourite High Protein Foods

Since I often preach about minimizing the processed carbs in your diet, here's a few of my favourite high protein food sources.  These items are staples in my fridge and I always keep the supplies well stocked. 

Eggs

These treats of nature can be cooked up in so many delightful ways, scrambled, poached, fried and many more.  I usually eat them hard-boiled because it's so quick and convenient and I still get a good amount of protein from them.  In fact one large egg contains up to 6 grams of protein, that's a good bang for your buck if you're looking for a quick protein fix, and they're tasty too

Quinoa

I've virtually replaced my white rice intake with this organic goodness. (Except for family dinner at mom's, she'd kill me!)  It's a seed and not a grain so it's protein and fibre content is much higher then regular rice. 

It cooks up just like rice with a two to one liquid to quinoa ratio.  I has a nice nutty flavour about it and has 5 grams of protein per 44 gram serving.  And it's classified as a superfood to boot.

Chocolate Milk

It does do a body good, I love this stuff and drink about half a litre daily.  It tastes good and has about 8 grams of protein per 250ml serving.  If you're looking for a lower carbohydrate alternative, try regular white milk.  I prefer chocolate milk because I get my chocolate fix without hurting the waistline.

My grocery basket isn't complete without these three items, perhaps yours shouldn't be either.

Healthy Tips: Wheatgrass Benefits for Your Health

Wheatgrass, what a wonderful thing.  I'm sure alot of you have heard of this stuff or at least seen it. It's literally grass that you grind down into a juice.  It looks like your elementary school science project, a patch of grass growing in a plastic tray.  It can provide the same amount of vitamins and minerals as one weeks worth of leafy green vegetables with one ounce.

I've heard of people take it for hangovers, skin issues or for just general health.  It's been marketed as tasting like sweet garden peas, but don't let it fool you.  It's grass, and that's exactly what it tastes like.  Now I know what old Bessie tastes while grazing in the pasture.  Think a freshly mowed lawn, yum yum. 

Foul flavour aside, this stuff is good for you.  I try to have a shot every two weeks, especially when I haven't had enough time to get my vegetable intake for the week.  You can buy it frozen from health foods stores, or fresh.  I prefer the Jugo Juice shots, since it's so convenient and less messy if you're grinding it up yourself, but it is more costly.  Give it a try some time, especially if you've been dining out a lot.

Healthy Tips: Funny Fitness Parody

Classic....and creepy

Healthy Tips: Healthy Fast Food Myth?

So after long consideration, I have come to the conclusion that there is very little truly healthy fast food out there.  For me, healthy means that it doesn't contain insane amounts of salt, sugars, caffeine, artificial flavours or colors, etc.  Healthy to me means, it comes straight from nature and is essentially served as natural as possible.

If you've read my previous posts where I went on a healthy fast food binge, I never realized how much salt all of these joints put into their foods.  Obviously, it's added to make the food taste more flavourful, but you can achieve the same result by properly marinating your food as well.  I guess that's why it's called fast food and all the care that mom puts into her cooking doesn't apply here.

In my perspective, the only truly healthy fast food I could find were plain salads served with balsamic vinaigrette dressing or some of the Jugo Juice salads.  However, not all salads are created equal, some salads are worse off for you calorie wise then burgers.  So don't just assume that it's healthy because they market it that way, do your own research and arm yourself with knowledge.  I personally think the best alternative is to learn to cook, which is the only true way you can control what goes into your meals.

Free Training Tips: Butt and Core Workout

Here's one specifically for the ladies.  Most girls I know always ask me how to get a toned butt and stomach.  Here's a workout that focuses on your core and bum, enjoy ladies!

Lunges with Barbell - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets

Squats - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets

Box Jumps - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets

Situps - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets

Leg Raises - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets

Air Bike - 20 repetitions X 3 sets.  30 second rest between sets


Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts

Healthy Living: Conquering the Insecurities

I had a conversation with a friend of mine about some stress in his life and it brought us onto the topic of insecurities.  We all have them and they stay with us for most of our lives and he made me realize how powerful and crippling they can be sometimes.  Unfortunately, they can leave you feeling battered and defeated, but humans are natural survivors and it's important to not allow something so miniscule to keep us down.

The insecurities usually start from an event from our childhoods that leads to particular behaviours in our adult lives.  Many fall victim to them and let them control their thoughts and actions.  However, many don't realize that you wield the complete power to change.  Now the change won't happen in a day, as it takes time, but if you continue to address them, your behaviours will eventually change. 

Here's some steps that I've learned and has helped me to not allow the insecurities to slow me down in life:
Awareness - be conscious of your negative reactions to things and question why you act in this way
Flip Your Thoughts - try to come up with a positive spin on things instead of a negative one
Practice Makes Perfect - it takes time to change, but the more you practice at something the better you will get at it.  By constantly trying this technique you can eventually reprogram your brains reactions to things

If you want to change, then make the conscious effort to change, it all starts with you.  You can live a fulfilling and happy life if you want it.

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Training Tips: Chest SuperSet Workout

I just had the best chest workout tonight at the gym.  It's a different approach to supersetting, here's what I did.

10 Chest Press off ball

10 Pushups off ball

30 second rest

Perform the above one after the other three times

10 Chest Flys off ball

10 Pushups off ball

30 second rest

Perform the above one after the other three times

10 Cable Chest Flys

10 Decline Cable Chest Fly

30 second rest

Perform the above one after the other three times

This will burn out your chest and you should get to a point of failure.  If you don't, try upping the weights. 


Note: anyone engaging in exercise for the first time should first consult a physician. Also, to ensure good form please consult with an experienced professional or personal trainer. As well, please use a spotter as an additional safety factor. Always warm up before workouts and stretch after workouts