Healthy Fast Food Challenge: Review

I decided to challenge myself to eating healthy fast food for a few days straight to see what I could find outside of salads and what it would do to my body.  So it's been a week and I've eaten healthy fast food four days straight.  I don't think my system agrees with this much eating out because I don't feel the same as when I cook myself. 

Although this food is deemed as healthy, I learnt that most fast foods contain way too much salt.  That would explain why it's so tasty and also explain why I would wake up in the middle of the night dying of thirst.  After this experiment, I personally believe the only major healthy fast foods available are salads because they can't load them with salt.  I also caught a cold this weekend and I don't get sick often, not sure if it's attributed to my eating habits this week, but that's up for debate.

This actually is quite a surprise to me as I always thought that soup and chili was healthy for me, but the salt takes away the healthy factor because salts increase the risk of many diseases.  So if you want to eat healthy while dining at fast food joints, go for the salads and if they don't offer them, try somewhere else.  There are lots of options out there.

Healthy Fast Food Challenge: Day 4: Mcdonalds

 

So it's day four and I felt I was running out of options, so I went to the most well known fast food joint in the world, Mcdonalds.  The only healthy options they have are really just their salads, so that's what I got.  They have a few to choose from and I ended up with the Sweet Chili Chicken salad.  I opted for the grilled chicken version and first impressions weren't good.

The chicken was drowning in sauce and I thought it was a bit too sweet for me.  I did like the chili though as it added a spicy punch to the meat.  Overall, it was alright, I've had much better salads and I'm still choked they got rid of the Mediterranean one, as that was my favourite. 

I have managed to eat this supposed healthy fast food diet for a few days now and I'll have my final thoughts posted tomorrow.  It was an interesting experiment, stay tuned.

Healthy Fast Food Challenge: Day 3 - Tim Hortons

I've decided to challenge myself to have fast food for dinner every night, however, unlike Super Size Me, I'm going to attempt to find healthier fast food instead of the artery clogging kind.

After running bootcamp class I decided I'd try one of Canada's favourites, Tim Hortons, aka Timmy Ho's.  Although this place is known for it's coffee and donuts, they also offer sandwiches and soups.  That's what I chose to eat today.  Soup!

I actually ordered three servings:  Chicken Noodle, Barley with Portabello Mushrooms and Tomato Medley.  Like Goldilocks trying the three bear's soups, I delved into my liquid dinner.  The tomato medley was overly sour, the barley and portabello tasted like dirty socks, but the chicken noodle was juuuuust right!  

Again I checked the nutritional information on their website and low and behold, low in calories, high in salt.  I think this is a trend at fast food joints, so they are "healthy" but high in salt, so is that really healthy? 

There isn't much to the soups and I really didn't feel satisfied, so I'll leave it at that and go rummage through my fridge for something with more substance

Healthy Fast Food Challenge: Day 2 - Wendy's

I'm on day two of my fast food challenge where I'm attempting to find healthy alternatives at different fast food joints around the city and share my findings at the end of the week. 

I chose to go to Wendy's today after my workout and have been thinking all day about what I'm going to eat.  I'm trying to find items other then salads as those are the obvious choices when somebody thinks about healthy food. 

Today, I chose to have a large chili with a side salad, as I always try to have some veggies at each meal.  I've always thought that the chili was a healthy alternative, but after looking up the nutrition facts I was appalled by the amount of salt that goes into a serving.  I knew that processed foods contained lots of salt, but had no idea that warm chili goodness was victim of the same fate.

The protein content and caloric content of the chili were pretty good, but the salt was way too much.  So if your doctor has told you to avoid salts, I wouldn't have the chili, but have a salad instead.  It's true that we learn something new every day, and I'll never look at their chili the same again.

Healthy Fast Food Challenge: Day 1 - Christy's Rotisserie Chicken

The long weekend is over and I've decided to challenge myself to eat fast food every day for dinner for the next five days.  My goal is to show you that you almost always have healthy options even if you're eating at a fast food joint.

Today was day one, thought I would have one of my favourite's, Christy's Rotisserie Chicken, it's not a big chain and I think it's only located here in Calgary, but it's one of the best chicken joints in the city.  I ordered their quarter chicken combo which comes with two side items.  For my sides, I decided to have a double serving of their marinated vegetable salad (I like this salad so much I made my own copycat version).

They've got a few locations throughout the city, Marlborough Mall food courts (that's where I ate), Market Mall food court, Lancaster Centre foodcourt (downtown) and they have a restaurant on 32 Ave and 27 Street NE.  If you've never had their chicken, give it a try and try not to eat the cornbread.

Low on processed carbs, high on protein, a meal fit for a trainer.  They make some of the best roast chicken ever, now if only I could get that recipe.  That's one day down, just four more to go!

What Not To Do: Fitness Tip of the Week

haha

Healthy Recipes: Wild Rice and Soybean Salad

I was inspired to try this recipe after having Jugo Juice's soybean and wild rice salad.  It tasted good, it's good for you and it seemed really easy to make, so I thought I would try it.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Dressing:

• 1/4  cup  vegetable oil
• 2  tablespoons  white wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  sesame oil
• 1/4  teaspoon  dried crushed red pepper

Salad:

• Sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup of wild rice
• 1/2 cup of frozen soy beans
• 1/8 red pepper
• 1/8 green pepper
• 1/8 yellow pepper

Instructions:

Whisk all above ingredients in a bowl to make the dressing for the salad

Pour wild rice into pot with 3 cups of water
Bring water to a boil and cook wild rice for 30-45 minutes or until kernels pop open at low-medium heat
Pour soybeans into water and let it simmer for 1 minute
Drain rice and beans in strainer
Dice red, green, yellow peppers
Mix all ingredients together with dressing in a bowl
Sprinkle with soy sauce
Allow it to sit in the fridge for 1/2 hour before serving

Healthy Tips: Seattle WA, the Gem of Washington

I had the fortune of going to Seattle for the weekend, I was overdue for a vacation.  I've never been there, so I really didn't know what to expect.  It was such a pleasant surprise after arriving, it has the beauty of Vancouver with the ocean in plain view, without the hustle and bustle.  The weather was moderate, though it did rain twice, one night I felt like I was caught in a typhoon!

Other then that it's a great place to visit.  I had a chance to visit the aquarium and their pike place market.  Imagine the Lilac festival and Farmer's market combined, but with fresh food and more unique vendors.  It's no wonder this city was where Starbucks was born, the atmosphere was extremely mellow and the people quite friendly. 

Unfortunately the hotel's gym was under renovations, so I had to come up with a way to not put on ten pounds over a weekend.  So I chose to focus on what I was eating instead and walk around alot.  I chose not to rent a car and instead walked all through downtown, not only was I burning calories, but I think it's the best way to explore a new city.  As for eating, obviously I had to have the seafood.  It was amazing, so fresh and delicious.  I avoided the processed carbs and just focused on the proteins. 

Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl - no I didn't eat the bowl

Raw oysters - packed with fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals

Even on vacation, you can make healthy decisions, there are no excuses because you always have healthy options.  I'd definitely recommending checking out Seattle, next time I'll try the summer and hope to see some killer whales.

Training Tips: Workout For A Strong Chest

Guys, if you're looking to fill in that shirt better or ladies if you're looking to tighten and tone the chest area.  Here's a great workout to do that. I usually do this workout once a week as the chest is my favourite and strongest body part to train.  It's a simple quick workout, but it gets the job done.

Dumbell Flat Chest Press

Dumbells Incline Chest Press

Flat Dumbell Chest Flys

Incline Dumbell Chest Flys

Routine:

Flat Dumbell Chest Press - 3 sets of 12 repetitions

Incline Dumbell Chest Press - 3 sets of 12 repetitions

Flat Dumbell Chest Flys - 3 sets of 12 repetitions

Incline Dumbell Chest Flys - 3 sets of 12 repetitions

That's over 100 reps on your chest and supporting muscles, so after this workout you should barely be able to do a pushup.  If you are able to, then next time add more weight or add more repetitions.

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

Calgary Gym Reviews: Village Square Leisure Centre

After graduating from university and being in mountains of debt.  I wasn't yet able to afford the luxuries of training at a fancy gym, so I had to settle for something else.  As a child this place was a magical playground with it's awesome wavepool and slides, but the gym, was nothing to write home about.  This brings me to my next gym, in the heart of the NE, it's the Village Square Leisure Centre.

Honestly there isn't much good I can say about this gym other then the fact that it was close to home.  The gym itself is quite small and had a funny smell to it.  The equipment was in okay shape, but was abused by users who had no idea how to use the stuff.  Imagine a person yanking on a cable with all their might, and it was only a matter of time before he pulled a muscle he didn't know he had. 

The patrons were another story, half of them walked in from the street and trained in their street clothes which consisted of jeans and steel-toed boots, maybe they were afraid they'd drop the weight on their toes?  The other half were barely past puberty, trickling in from the high school across the street.  The best part was the pools of sweat left on the gym benches after use, at some points I thought somebody poured water on it, there was so much.  I probably stayed here for about a year, but the minute I heard that a Gold's Gym was opening up across the street from my house, I couldn't wait to leave this hell hole of a fitness centre. 

I had to make due since it was what was affordable at the time, but would I ever go back?  Probably not.
Hopefully the city put some money to renovate the facility, but I haven't been back to check.

What Not To Do: Fitness Tip of the Week

First time on a treadmill

My Favourite Superbowl Commercial

I have to share this commercial for 3 reasons

1. I'm a Star Wars geek
2. This is my favourite commercial for this year
3. It's mini Darth Vader!

Healthy Recipes: Arugula and Beet Salad

Here's a salad that I enjoy making that's low in calories and tastes great.  It takes minutes to make since it's just a matter of mixing the dressing and cutting the vegetables, then you just toss it all together.

Ingredients:
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 pinch salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1/2 cup of sliced chicken or your favourite deli meat
2 cups of arugula
1/2 cup of pickled beets
1/4 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 tomato
1 tablespoon soft goat cheese

Instructions:
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a bowl with a whisk

Slice the tomato into wedges
Thinly slice the onions
Cut the chicken into small bite sized cubes
Mix the arugula, tomato, onions, beets and chicken in a bowl
Toss with dressing mixture
Top with small pieces of goat cheese and serve

Healthy Tips: Weight Loss Diet with Vegetables

If you're having trouble shedding the pounds perhaps you can try this technique?  I have had many clients  have success losing weight trying this simple technique.  They basically cut out starchy carbohydrates from their diets such as pasta, rice, bread, noodles, potatoes and replaced them with hearty vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, etc.

Next time you are thinking about trying the newest fad diet, try this one instead.  It could be an inexpensive, healthy and natural way to lose weight.  The best way to motivate yourself is with actual results, so before you start this eating regimine, try to take some initial measurements.

• Weigh yourself
• Take a body fat percentage measurement if possible
• Measure your chest, waist, hips and butt.  When taking measurements, ensure the measuring tape is tight and you have a point of reference.  For example, whenever I measure client's waists, I use their belly button as a reference point.  That way, you maintain consistency and accuracy when taking pre and post measurements.
• Make sure to write all this information down so that you have something to compare to at the end of the week

After you've recorded your measurements, you can start the eating portion.  The idea is to replace your refined simple carbohydrates with vegetables instead.  Here are some suggestions I've given clients on what to eat.

Breakfast: Omelettes with diced vegetables, freshly squeezed juices/smoothies (sweeten with natural yogurt), yogurt with granola

Lunch: Salads, Veggies and dip, Stuffed mushrooms, Sashimi

Dinner: Steak with asparagus, Chicken with green beans, Pork Chops with grilled zucchini

Snacks: Snap peas, baby carrots, celery sticks

At the end of the week, take your measurements again.  Most of my clients have noticed an average of five pounds lost, just from changing their eating habits.  Combine this with exercise and the results could be even better.  There is a reason why your parents told you to eat your vegetables.  Not only are they good for you since they contain oodles of vitamins and minerals, but they really can help keep you thin. 

I'd love to hear from anybody who's attempted this type of eating along with the results.

Training Tips: Strength Building Workout

If you're looking to build more strength from your workouts, sometimes you'll have to pick up some heavier weights.  This workout is valid for both males and females, and ladies don't worry about bulking up, the only way you'll bulk up is if you eat lots of protein in your diet, but you will get super strong with this workout.

There is something called a one repetition maximum, this is essentially the maximum amount of weight you can push, pull or press.  The goal of this workout is to use 75% of your maximum and move the weight 4 times with 6 repetitions, ending up with 24 repetitions in total and a 60 second rest in between each set.

Bench Press

Leg Press

Shoulder Press

Bicep Curls



Tricep Extensions

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


Calgary Gym Reviews: University of Calgary

University of Calgary

The only reason why I decided to use this gym was the fact that I was a student there otherwise I would have went somewhere else. Since it was free and I could kill some time between classes, it worked at the time.

The facility was actually one of my favourites, it was huge, had a running track and lots of machines to choose from. As well as an auxillary gym and rooms for classes. It's also clean, well lit and the staff were quite friendly.

However, the reason why they had so much equipment was because of the amount of people coming through the gym. I wouldn't recommend going there after work as it is jam packed. If you step away from a machine for a sip of water, there's always somebody waiting to steal it away from you. Also, you now have to pay for parking 24/7, which is a huge drawback.

If you're a student there, you have no excuse to not be using it. So cancel that gym membership, if you're actually able to afford one, and use the institutions gym, you're paying for it anyways. I'd definitely recommend this facility for students who attend or even alumni as I know they give you a discount on fees. Though, for others it's a hard sell because of their new 24/7 parking fees.

What Not To Do: Fitness Tip of the Week

Well this isn't a true fitness tip, but it's funny nonetheless.  Tennis game anyone?

Healthy Recipes: Asian Soup

I made a challenge to some of my clients to try some different vegetables that they've never eaten over the weekend, so I thought I would put up a recipe with some vegetables that not everybody is familiar with.  It's a ground pork, winter melon soup.  It reminds me of soup my mom would make during the cold winter months.  I bought all the ingredients at the T&T supermarket, they have a great selection of asian vegetables.  If you don't know what these vegetables are, I have pictures below

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground pork
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of ground pepper
1/4 of a winter melon
4 stocks of siu choy
1 cup of enochi mushrooms
1 litre of chicken stock

Instructions:
Marinate the ground pork with the pepper and fish sauce
Let it sit for 1 hour for added flavour
Cut up winter melon into 4 inch squares
Cut up siu choy into 2 inch long pieces
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in pan
Add pork mixture and stir until pork is cooked (changes color from pink to white)
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil
Add winter melon, siu choy and mushrooms and again bring to a boil for 2 minutes
Add salt to taste, let soup cool and serve

Siu Choy

Winter Melon

Enochi Mushrooms

Calgary Gym Reviews: Home Gyms

Having lived in Calgary my entire life, I've been around.....the gym world that is.  I've probably trained at almost all the facilities in the city's north-end from the Village Square Leisure Centre to the University of Calgary's gym.  They all have their advantages and drawbacks, so I thought I'd put together some posts in case some of you are looking for a gym to train at.  I initially wanted to just do one post on all of them, but that would be one super long article.  Instead of boring you, I decided to break them up and review a different gym each week.  They will be in chronological order from when I first started training, so what best place to start then my parent's basement. 

The transformer of universal machines

AKA:  The Home Gym

Most of us have more house then we can live in, and as a result, end up putting in some gym equipment to fill the void.  I had a small one, one York universal machine, a stepper and some free weights (the plastic ones filled with cement that slowly became lighter and lighter, not because I was getting stronger, but because the cement was slowly breaking down into powder).  It was nothing special but it did the job.

The Positives:
It was a great way for me to start training as I had a chance to learn the ropes, so to speak.  I was young, scrawny and too intimidated to go to a gym, so for me it was a good way to "practice" until I was ready for the big leagues.  It allowed me to try out different exercises without making a fool of myself in the privacy of my own home.  I didn't have to deal with other people's sweat, could train at my own pace and had plenty of food and fluids at my disposal.  Personally, I think it's a great first step for those who are just starting out and trying to get into shape.  Or for those with busy schedules and young kids because you can squeeze in a workout whenever time permits. 

The Negatives:
My parent's lived in a duplex (i.e. half a house), so it was small.  I had all my equipment cramped in a corner and I wasted alot of time adjusting the universal machine and attaching my weights instead of working out.  Also, being residential equipment, the stuff I had wasn't as sturdy as some commercial gear.  I learned first hand when one of those plastic clips slowly slid off and the cement disc landed on my toe.  Unfortunately, my strength and knowledge grew inversely to the use of the weights, I eventually grew bored with my starter set of equipment and was no longer getting a workout that I desired. 

Plastic clips and cement weights....the bane of my training

So all in all, I think home gyms have their purpose, they allow you the freedom and flexibility to exercise at your own convenience.  Or for those young kids too afraid to go to the gyms, they can be a a great starting point.  However, eventually they will be outgrown and boring like a favourite toy.  Besides, sometimes it just feels better to get out of your house and get some fresh air or be at a gym with other people.

Training Tips: Cardio Workout

This week's workout is a simple one of just cardio, I personally find cardio boring but I know it's good for me, so I force myself to do it.  Not only is it a great way to burn fat and calories, but it's one of the faster ways to lose weight.  We're going to extend this workout past the normal time of 60 minutes to 90 instead.  You'll spend half hour non-stop on each machine with no breaks in between.

Treadmill - half hour

Rowing Machine - half hour

Elliptical - half hour

I personally like to do my cardio workouts after dinner, so that I limit the chances of the calories consumed at dinner storing as fat.

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

Winter Weight Loss Challenge: World Health Club

The World Health Club is having a Winter weight loss challenge.  There's nothing like a good competition to bring out the best in a person.  If you don't want to do it alone, challenge a friend to do the same.  You'll have company while you train, somebody to push you and bonding time, all positives in my book.

If you're planning on joining or if you want to make your own weight loss challenge, I'd love to be a part of this journey with you, so don't forget that you have a trainer in your back pocket.  If you have any questions or need advice, all you have to do is ask!

Here are the details:  More details are on the World Health Club website

First, contestants will meet with a representative of World Health (WH) to be weighed, have their girth measured, and a front and side picture taken.

1. The above information and all contact information of the contestant will be recorded on an entry form and signed off by the WH representative and the contestant.
2. The WH representative will email the contestant their initial pictures.
3. The contestant will then visit the Virgin radio website http://calgary.virginradio.ca/Channels/contest/story.aspx?ID=1332754 and complete the registration process before 12:00am (MST) on February 1^st 2011.
4. Each contestant will have 12 weeks (plus or minus one day) from the original start date to demonstrate results. For example, a start date of January 10^th gives an end date of April 5^th, whereas a start date of January 31^st gives an end date of April 26^th.
5. Contestants will meet again with a representative of WH at 12 weeks (plus or minus one day) from the original start date to be weighed, have their girth measured, and a front and side picture taken.
6. The above information and all contact information of the contestant will be recorded on a results submission form and be signed off by the representative and the contestant.
7. The WH representative will email the contestant their final pictures.
8. The contestant will then visit the Virgin radio website http://calgary.virginradio.ca/Channels/contest/story.aspx?ID=1332754 and complete results submission. Deadline for submitting results will be 11:59pm (MST) on April 30^th 2011.

The Prizes
There is one (1) grand prize to be won and it consists of:

1. $10,000 CASH
2. A one (1) year membership to World Health
3. One (1) year of free pitas from Extreme Pita
4. A one (1) year meal management program from Simply for Life

There is one (1) second place prize to be won and it consists of:

1. A one (1) year membership to World Health
2. Six (6) months of free pitas from Extreme Pita
3. A six (6) month Nutrition Consulting Program from Simply for Life

There is one (1) third place prize to be won and it consists of:

1. A six (6) month membership to World Health
2. A $100 gift certificate from Extreme Pita
3. A three (3) month Nutrition Consulting Program from Simply for Life

There are seven (7) fourth place prizes to be won and it consists of:

1. A three (3) month membership to World Health
2. A $50 gift certificate from Extreme Pita
3. Six (6) one on one Nutrition Consultations and gift basket Simply for Life

This is a great way to kickstart your journey towards a new you.  You have nothing to lose but those inches and pounds that are unwanted anyways.  It's a win-win situation, you get into better shape and have a chance to win some money doing it.