Hart Total Fitness

Are you one of the dedicated ones?

2012-01-20T01:59:00.000-08:00

If you had started your health-related New Year's Resolution (or goals which is a term I prefer) on January 1st and stuck with it without fail, as of today, you would be enjoying your first visible results. Be it the need for smaller jeans, a flatter tummy, a thinner face or more toned arms, something would be showing by now. I repeat, as of today you would have seen your first results. So the question is: who stuck to their goals, who kept their word and who is happier today because of it? Also, who didn't stick to their goals, who broke their word and who is still stuck thinking 'someday' they'll deal with their issues?

Which person would you rather be TODAY?

Happy 2012!

2012-01-11T02:53:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

I hope you had a safe, happy and healthy holiday season. I was priveleged to spend two weeks in the French Alps skiing and having fun with my family. In fact, this entire blog is sparked by the love I have for my kids and how watching them grow amazes me!

Take my son for starters. He's four. He turned 4 in late October and watching his motor skills develop from day one has been amazing for me. When I think that only 4 years ago all he could do was cry, scream, eat, fill a diaper, sleep, scream, cry and eat some more and now he can zoom down blue and red pistes on a mountain, it absolutely astonishes me. Everyone jokes that skiing is in my son's DNA being my child and all and there's a small part of me that loves this recognition of something my son and I both love and share a bond over, but I can't take credit. It's his efforts, his talent and his abilities that have pushed him past the levels that kids 2 years older than him are still working on passing. James, for all intents and purposes, is a natural on skis. I'm not going to push the superbaby or genius label on him, I am just flat out saying that I am proud of how accomplished he is for having just turned 4 years old. He shows muscle control, discipline, understanding, coordination and strength. All characteristics he should be proud of, especially since he only learned these not too long ago! On his last day of Flocon level with École du Ski Français his instructor asked if he was born with mini skis on his feet. We laughed then he said, "these French kids could stand to learn something from this little half-Canadian boy!" Know any French people in your life? Then you know how big of a compliment that was...to both Canadians and my son in particular!

Then there is my daughter, Milla. Last year at the exact same time we went to the exact same place for a holiday and she could not yet sit. She was too young to hold herself up for longer than 30 seconds before collapsing in a crying heap on the ground. She couldn't chew, she couldn't crawl further than a metre and she certainly was no where near walking. Fast forward 365 days and my daughter walks, talks, runs, giggles, chews, and now attempts ski jumping from a pile of pillows in the living room. Why and how she started this, we don't know, but she will stack a pile of pillows, crouch down with her arms straight back, mumble her best "un, deux, trois...allez" and jump. She hasn't tried skis yet in her 19 months on the planet but she'll get there soon enough. I have complete faith.

So why am I rambling about my kids on my work blog? Good question. The answer is probably a multi-layered one with subsections and the such, but the basic one is that I am proud of my family and even more proud that we have made ACTIVE VACATIONS part of our family's way of doing things. Skiing vacations (or snowboarding if the kids choose that as they age) are here to stay. Having an activity we share in common has been amazing and the first time I led James down a blue run this past holiday I was thrilled and nervous all in one. We put him in these concentrated lessons for a reason and to be able to go up the chairlift and swoosh down the piste with him and share a thrilling bond solidified that it was worth it to us. After skiing we would take both kids sledding and play in the snow. Doing things together, having fun, showing our kids that an active lifestyle is not a drag but something to enjoy makes it worth it for us. Too many families fail to put an emphasis on being active together and I think we can agree that children really DO learn from what they see. My son told me on the telecabine that he can't wait to be big so he can be a good skier like me. I told him to aim higher and to be better than me. He giggled and said "OK pourquoi pas!?" Exactly, buddy. Exactly!

The Holidays Are COMING...!

2011-12-14T02:20:00.000-08:00

Latkes. Egg nog. Stuffing. Chocolates. Sufganiyot.

It's the food that often makes people excited about this time of year...but it can also cause crazy amounts of stress and anxiety if you are new to navigating healthier living during the festive season. So, what's a newly-minted health buff to do when confronted by these choices?

MAKE A PLAN!

Decide ahead of time what you absolutely cannot go the holiday season without. I always say that if you know your weakness then you know how to conquer it. Take mine: chocolate. I'm a bonafide chocaholic who takes absolute pleasure in the stuff. In fact, other than the strawberry-filled Russel Stovers of my childhood, there are very few chocolates that have let me down in life. Except when it comes to my physique. So, I plan for it. I know chocolates will be handed out as gifts, at every party and passed around the various places I frequent. Heck, even people I know who never cook take it upon themselves to even make the stuff this time of year and give it out as a present!!! What's a chocaholic-running-fitness-health nut to do??? I allow myself one piece a day and go for the option that screams to me the most.

But what if you are in panic-mode over your Aunt's enormous platter of latkes? Or your Mum's famous sausage stuffing (I only just learned about this concoction)? Allow yourself some, but don't overdo it. Savour the taste, enjoy your moment, know you are not deprived and move on to something healthier. Enjoy the food you love, just don't abuse it or let it abuse you. A trick I like is to snack on healthier foods pre-parties to fill me up. When I am starving I tend to make bad choices so I prefer to set myself up to succeed rather than to fail.

Make deals with yourself: "I can have two sufganiyots after I eat 10 carrot sticks first". A full belly is less-likely to binge than an empty one. Remember, it can take up to 20 minutes for the brain to register the sensation of being full. Slow down, prepare to succeed and do not overindulge.

The holidays are meant to be enjoyed and I know some trainers and health nuts who are absolutely diligent about what they eat around this time of year. I aim for an 80/20 rule: 80% of what I eat throughout this time of year is clean, healthy and nutritious. 20% is stuff that makes this time of year a little bit extra special....like chocolates!

Image Source

Let's Talk: LBD (otherwise known as the Little Black Dress)

2011-11-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us and the invites for parties have started rolling in. This begs the question for many women of: "What am I going to wear?!"

My go-to for an occassion that is festive, fun, quasi-formal (is it business casual or cocktail attire!?) is the quintessential Little Black Dress (LBD). Ask Mr Hart Total Fitness and he'll confirm with, what I'm sure would be, a gross exaggeration of just how many LBDs I have in my closet (14).

So why is the LBD showing up on a Health and Fitness blog? Because I want to know, do you fit yours? The LBD rarely leaves much to the imagination as they tend to be form-fitting, short-ish and quite slim cut. The LBD takes no prisoners when it comes to how they fit: either you look great in yours or you are nervous about holding your stomach in all night.

If you find yourself 2 weeks out from a big event and your dress isn't fitting the way you'd like, take the time to increase your exercise, drink LOTS of water and cut back on all white processed foods: bread, sugar, pasta, rice, you get the picture, right? Sure things like Spanx can help you, but doesn't it feel better to KNOW your dress fits than to worry your Spanx hemline might show all night??? If you work hard, you have earned the right to feel pretty, sexy and confident in your LBD. Don't we all deserve to feel that way???

Want to run the Paris Half or Full Marathon?

2011-11-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

Paris Fit - Post-Group Running/Training Session

Perhaps it's a dream. Perhaps you feel you need the challenge. Perhaps as a runner you are sick of saying "No, I haven't done the Paris Marathon yet..." Whatever your reason, if you want to run in 2012 I have a few things to say.

1) Register NOW before it sells out. As of this morning there were only 1500 spots left. DO IT!

2) Consider running in a group! I am the Red Team leader for Paris Fit, a half-and-full marathon training programme here in Paris and we are training people up. We have an awesome group of coaches, 'students/runners', leaders, etc. We have access to a yoga instructor, nutritionist, massage and wellness expert, and so much more!! For more info, go here: www.parisfit.net

3) Training is EVERYTHING for a full marathon. You can fudge your way through a half/semi marathon without a lot of training but a full is a different story altogether. Trust me. I've done it.

Get motivated. Get moving. You will never regret finishing a marathon, but you may regret not allowing yourself the chance to try!

Your genes matter more than your jean size...

2011-10-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

My name is Jennifer and I am a wearer of glasses. Well, contact lenses mostly as they are a thousand percent more convenient, but it's true. I have some crummy vision, a whack job of astigmatism and a pretty grim ocular health history. My Grandmother had Glaucoma and lost an enormous percentage of her vision. Yes, we were bratty kids and made fun of her Coke-bottle glasses, but now the fact remains that her DNA lives inside me and now that I am in the 35+ range, I am required to have testing for Glaucoma every year.

You may wonder where this is going and I'll tell you right now. I was at the ophthalmologist today and had what I kindly refer to as the acid-based eye drops followed by blinding lights glaucoma exam. The doctor was lovely and assured me everything was within normal range (phew) but inisted on reminding me that I must be vigilant for the remainder of my life to make sure I am checked for this as glaucoma causes permanent vision loss and it is preventable. She said, "you are a healthy person with a job that promotes health. If you have any influence, tell people to get their eyes checked for this. Do you have siblings?"

So here I am.

Yes, I have siblings. Two brothers. Both wear glasses. Blackberry BBMs and emails will be on their way soon as reminders.

I am not sure about the influence part but even if one person decides to get their eye health checked because of this, well, then I'll be happy.

You see (no pun intended) eye health is something we fail to take seriously most of the time. We actually are at a disadvantage because we can lose up to 40% of our vision before we even notice it. At that point, it is too late.

Eye health IS your health. My two aforementioned brothers and I are higher risk for something like glaucoma due to our Grandmother having it but it can strike anyone. Just like having an annual visit to the the doctor and dentist, having regular eye exams (one, two or five years depending on your eye health history and what your doctor recommends) is part of taking care of yourself, as well.

Health today seems to be associated more with a flat tummy than actual preventative care measures. Do your future a favour and schedule an eye exam soon. Oh and for those that cringed over the word dentist up there, I bet you could use a visit to that doctor soon, too ;-)

Working Out: Solo Affair or Social Affair?

2011-09-15T00:49:00.000-07:00

Exercise classes or going for a run with a friend will make you feel better than working out alone, according to new research published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters*.

Does that really surprise anyone? Come to a major problem in your personal or professional life and people will often say "Two heads are better than one!" So why wouldn't the say philosophy spill over into your life with fitness? We ALL struggle with motivation at times. We ALL struggle to push ourselves harder sometimes. We ALL risk falling into exercise 'ruts' and falling off the wagon. Having a friend along for the ride can help keep you on track!

I know, I know. A lot of people feel working out is a very personal thing and don't want to feel hassled by others but try to see the flipside and potential positives. Knowing someone is meeting you for a workout or run means you cannot skip it! Unless you are actually ill or something truly has come up, letting down a friend is a difficult thing to do (let alone how crummy it is...just sayin') so the mere fact that you are more willing to keeping your fitness dates if another person or two are involved helps keep you on track!

Let's look at some other positives, shall we? Since I am a runner, I will use that as my example but this easily translates into yoga buddies, gym bunnies and all other forms of exercise:

1) Having another runner along with you makes the kilometres and time fly by. Whether or not you talk or run in silence listening to iPods, there truly is something about another person being beside you to make the distance and time not feel as long.

2) It is safer to run in numbers. This is particularly important for women especially now that the days are getting shorter and darker!

3) You may run faster than you normally do. No one likes feeling like the 'slow one' so with a partner we tend to push ourselves a bit. And it feels great!

4) You can catch up with a friend your busy life might not leave a lot of time for otherwise. Socializing with someone AND getting fit at the same time...seriously, what's better??

5) If you've hit running route boredom, you have someone beside you that you can ask to show you a new route!

Having people in your life who support your fitness desires and understand what you do and why you do it will help ensure you stay on target. Find new friends to add to the mix if you current friends don't 'get' or make snide comments about your fitness. Join a group class to keep you going or join a running group if that is your thing. Fitness buddies support you by valuing what you do and encouraging you to do more. This doesn't mean that every trip to the gym or run needs to be with someone else, but having others to throw in the mix from time to time is a great social way to keep accountable to your fitness and health. Try it. You might like it!

Sources:

*APA
Royal Society (2009, September 17). Work Out With Friends For A Natural High. Medical News Today. Retrieved September 15, 2011 from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/164265.php

Where do you get that energy, woman??

2011-09-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

The title of this post comes from a friend and it made me laugh out loud. Not because I found it particularly funny, but because I have been asked this repeatedly in the past few years. It's true, my job is physically draining (sometimes even extremely emotionally draining), my 2 kids are draining, exercising my dog is draining, training for my running events is draining, playing soccer is draining, and keeping a happy, healthy marriage is sometimes draining, too. However, I don't credit my energy from being an extremely well-rested person, I credit it with a healthy lifestyle, exercise and proper nutrition that starts with a hearty breakfast.

Yes kids. Your mama told you right. Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day it is PARAMOUNT to even metabolism and stable energy levels.

To be clear, I used the words "hearty breakfast" for a reason. I DO NOT do all I do on 30g bowl of Special K each day. There is no way I could survive on that, nor should you. I'm not even entirely sure that it is food. Your body NEEDS food in the morning. If I had a Euro for every person who tells me they "feel ill when they eat in the morning" I would be living in a water villa in Tahiti by now. You aren't fooling science, you've just trained your body to not like eating in the morning. Train it BACK! Coffee and a cigarette do not count as breakfast, either...just sayin'

So, a typical breakfast for me is rarely typical, however, there are a few key ingredients that tend to play recurring lead roles: flaxseed, wheat germ, oats, berries, low-fat yogurt, egg whites, bee pollen, honey, real maple syrup (be damned, Aunt Jemima!) and every single day I have a glass of warm lemon water* 10-20 minutes before I eat, before I have coffee, before I am even really awake.

What? Lemon water...why??

I started this in June after minor health annoyance and it was suggested as a natural way to ease the body into the day, alkalize the body, break the fast from the night before and HYDRATE! Don't judge, don't think, just try! It is SUCH an amazing energizer in the morning! Even my husband does it now!

Breakfast is good for you. Breakfast can play a part in better eating choices ALL DAY LONG as it stablizes your metabolism and breaks the fast you were going through during your sleeping hours. Breakfast is your friend. Be kind back to breakfast and feed your body some good, clean, healthy optioins early in the morning!

*recipe: warm water, 1/4 to 1/2 fresh lemon squeezed in. That's it! No sugar!

Does Muscle REALLY weigh more than Fat?

2011-07-19T01:41:00.000-07:00

NO!

I hear this all the time and before my head explodes let's talk some basic science. 2kg is 2kg (or lb, whatever you use to measure). How can 2kg of one thing be ANY different from the 2kg weight of another? Where fat and muscle differe is that muscle is tight, neat, compact and smooth. Fat is big, bulky and lumpy! 2kg of muscle takes less SPACE than 2kg of fat. So which one is on your body taking up space? Fat or muscle. I know which one I prefer!

Think about it. Myth debunked yet?

Post Marathon Thoughts...

2011-07-14T12:21:00.000-07:00

So...Let's be honest. I dropped off the blogging radar for a bit and I apologize for doing so. It wasn't intentional, I just kept thinking I wanted to have some amazing post-marathon things to say and welll...I didn't.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't that running a marathon didn't inspire, quite the opposite in fact. What it DID do, though, was scatter my thoughts into a million different directions in a way that I couldn't seem to get a clear picture of how to explain what I went through over the course of those 42.2KM. But now I know that this is quite normal. Challenging yourself to do something extremely difficult doesn't always come with a single post-event recap. In fact, I will be recapping the Ottawa marathon for the rest of my life because THAT is what it does to you. It changes you and once you are changed you can't speak about yourself from your old point of view and that was where I was having difficulties explaining the results. I was trying to think like pre-marathon me about what life is like for post-marathon me. The two people feel completely different from each other!

I may sound crazy but I've never felt clearer in my life. I ran 42KM and yes people look at me and say things like "I"ve done 23 marathons, will you do another" or "are you out of your mind, why would you run that long?" and to both I don't have an answer. What I DO have is immense pride in myself. I alone made myself do the training. I alone made myself show up that morning and tell my legs and feet to do this for me. I alone kept going with the flipping rain made everything in my body hurt. I alone crossed the finish line with an enormous smile and tears of pride in my eyes.

Me.

You can't cheat running a marathon...and if you try, you only cheat yourself of the resulting pride that comes with it.

A marathon is an acheivable goal that is extremely difficult to complete. The value is in NOT quitting on yourself. The pride is in knowing you did it. The change is knowing what you can do when you put your mind to it.

Find your own personal marathon and go for it. The results are worth it!

Amazing Mango BBQ Sauce!

2011-05-16T02:08:00.001-07:00

I religiously read Oxygen Magazine for fitness, training and nutrition tips. Rarely has an issue passed where I haven't tried the recipes included. This months was SO good I had to share with all of you! Aren't I nice?

First off, I have someone dear to me that is allergic to mangoes and I cannot (yet) dream up a way of making this without it so that it is just as tangy and punchy. I'll keep working on it ;-)

This sauce came with 4 different recipe ideas on how to use it. We used it to make a clean, low-fat, healthy BBQ Chicken pizza! DELISH!

Mango BBQ Sauce:
(note: the recipe came in imperial and I just made small adjustments and googled to make it metric at home)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 mango, pitted and chopped
2 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes
1 cup of water
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
1/2 cup authentic maple syrup (NO AUNT JEMIMA!)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of organic molasses
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp sea salt (I use Fleur de Sel de Guérande)
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

heat olive oil in a skillet or pot set on medium-high heat
add onions, garlic and mango. Sauté until soft (about 3 min)
Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer on low for 30 minutes
Remove from heat and allow to cool uncovered for 30 minutes
Blend using a hand blender or transfer in batches to a blender/processer.
Label, date, put in fridge or freezer! Due to the vinegar and molasses, this will last for several months in the fridge OR will freeze well!
Enjoy!

2 tbsp of this sauce has: 20Kcal, 5g Carbohydrates, 0.5g Fibre, 0g Protein, O.1g Fat

We (meaning I) used this to make a pizza!

I made a whole wheat crust, cooked it, added a thin layer of sauce then tossed some diced up chicken breast that i had pre-cooked into a couple tablepsoons of sauce. I added this on top of the pizza crust along with: yellow/green/red peppers, caramelized red onions, small amount of low-fat cheese (since decent low-fat cheeses are tough to find here in France, I used the low-fat mini-babybels that I then ground up) and cilantro. Cooked until the cheese had melted and the peppers started to give off their wonderful aroma. This was an absolute HIT at the Hart household! Can't wait to make it again!

In the magazine, other recipes included a mango/pineapple stuffed pork tenderloin basted in this sauce and grilled shrimp salad with the sauce. It's so versatile and tastes delicious! Enjoy!

Recipe Source: Oxygen Magazine Volume 14 Issue 5 (#145)

The Facebook Effect...

2011-04-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

I watched a funny conversation on my personal Facebook page happen yesterday. A few people were having (in my mind) a ridiculous conversation about how 'beautiful' I am. It made me blush. It made me uncomfortable. It made me scream "what are you talking about???" and most of all, it made me think. Rarely do we see ourselves the way others do. We see the bad (ie I've now had two kids and think my midsection resembles that FAR too much!), we see the ugly (ie I have my Dad's big nose) and we see the downright awful (ie my trunk has WAY too much junk in it!).

But, watching a conversation about me in a positive framework made me flip through old photographs and try to really see. And surprisingly, I came up with a few things that weren't totally self-bashing, self-depreciating, self-destructing and self-harmful to say! While I may not agree with the 'beautiful' remarks, I do see things that I thought were important to share.

1) My skin. I am knocking on 35's door and my skin has NEVER been better. I take care of myself and know that good skin starts from the inside. I know now, that at my age, what I put on the inside of my body shows on the outside. Late nights, beer, crap food, too much wine, not enough water...all of it makes me look pale, sullen, puffy and wrinkled!! Clean eating, fresh fruits and vegetables and organic meats make my skin glow. In fact, my skin is nicer now than when I was in my 20s. Luminous skin is something people notice...so I thank Tosca Reno and the Eat Clean Diet for that! One of the girls on my soccer team recently said she thought I was still in my 20s. While I have no desire to BE in my 20s again, looking like it is fine with me ;-)

2) My hair. Shiny, shiny, shiny! Is it all product? Nope! I think the same principles for my skin are working for my hair here, too. Better health = better hair. At least for me, it does!

3) Confidence. This is not something you can buy in a jar, swallow or detox your way to in 2 weeks! This takes time. This takes courage. This takes blood, sweat and tears. This takes setting goals and accomplishing them! Confidence makes people glow and it's something that can't be taken away.

4) Peaceful living. I used to be called a Drama Queen. It started out as a massive joke and stuck around. Drama Queens now are people who like to muster up drama for themselves, but this wasn't how it started with me, or so my Sherbourne apartment roomates say! ha! No, I used to just be someone who inexplicably walked into drama. One old roomate had a joke about me and why a man crossed the street but it's too crass to say on my blog! The point is, drama followed me everywhere and this created MASSIVE amounts of stress. I also enabled drama to be in my life through toxic relationships and friendships. Friends who never really supported me, but used me. Friends who's own lives and drama were always more important than what was going on in mine. I took on their problems, as doormats tend to do, and I was nervous, anxious, tense, you name it, ALL THE TIME! So, now this isn't allowed in my life. People with so many issues that their life story requires volumes, I just can't have around me. Maybe I'm coining something new here, but I fully believe I am a toxin-addict and bad relationships was my biggest addiction of all. So where does this leave point number 4: Peaceful Living? It leaves me relaxed, stress-free (most days), HAPPY, fulfilled and loved. I get support and am grateful, not uncomfortable by it now. I offer help when I can, not because I think it is expected of me. I am able to say No. I am able to give more of myself because I am not afraid of what others will think. I'm at peace and I think it shows.

Now that I've written what is starting to appear as a completely narcissistic review of myself, I want to encourage others to do the same. WHAT do you think others see in you? What are you beautiful characteristics (inside and out)? What is positive about you? Why are others friends with you? Learn your value...learn what is positive about you...learn why you make a difference! Without knowing what we are worth, we are unable to realize how and what we deserve!!!

What do you deserve? I guarantee it is more than you currently think! Be kind to yourself!

Return of the 5 A Day Challenge!

2011-03-29T03:17:00.001-07:00

I said it was coming back and it is HERE!! Back in the Fall I ran the 5 A Day Challenge to get MORE colour, more natural and more nutritious foods onto our plates (and ultimately into our bodies).

I'm back for more! I've had countless comments since I ran this Challenge the first time. Even if people have perhaps slacked on making sure 5 Unique Colours of Food are on their plates every single day, people tell me they are more conscious of it. They find the "all beige meal" unattractive and unappealing.

Let's do this again! Starting April 1st, reach for the healthy stars and get 5 Unique Colours of Food on your plate! Join me here or on my Facebook Page and let me know how it is going! Upload pictures or email them to me. I love hearing your stories!! Food is beautiful..in fact, here's the original post for you to devour:

5 A Day Challenge

To view the original posting of this challenge, click here: Hart Total Fitness Facebook Page

I was recently watching The Biggest Loser (USA Edition...and yes, I know there are lots of problems with this series) but something came up that I've been saying for a long time: why are so many meals these days BEIGE!?!? I don't like the colour beige under normal circumstances but on my plate it makes me crazy.

So, here's what I'm proposing. A one month challenge to get FIVE DIFFERENT COLOURS ON YOUR PLATE! Food, the real, natural kind is beautiful. The deep reds, the purples, the oranges, it's like a work of art yet we replace it for beige, bland, unhealthy food choices because they are 'convenient'. Ugh. Convenient. Just how convenient is diabetes? Heart disease? Cholesterol? Back and knee pain from excess weight?

Join me. Join the challenge to brighten up your plates. Feel free to check in and report back how it is going. Let's get more colour in our lives and stop the beige from taking over!!

Let's go!!! 30 days of a minimum of FIVE COLOURS A DAY (and ketchup doesn't count!)

The Beige Platter -- add some beige plum sauce and you're good to go!

I don't even know what this is! Fried chicken, french fries, onion rings and toast?? Beige galore!

Beautiful...you could almost frame it!

GORGEOUS!

Making Time or Making Excuses?

2011-03-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

So, I am coming off the high of completing a major goal. I just finished the Semi de Paris-Paris Half-Marathon (21K) 9 months after my daughter was born. I know Paula Radcliffe probably ran home from delivering her children, but I'm not her and I felt so proud of myself.

The thing is, I could NOT have done this without committing to seeing the goal through to the end. I had MAKE time. I started running again when my daughter was a newborn, when she fed every 3-4 hours, when my chest hurt from being a breastfeeding mom, when my 'down below' was sore, unhappy and still healing. On top of that, I had an older child that needed my love and affection. I had a husband that needed my love and affection. I had a dog that needed my love and affection. I had my own needs and my own self-esteem that needed my love and affection. I had to get my business going again after my maternity leave. I had obligations. I run a soccer club. I run a...well, a Running Group for Women. I had to do a huge overhaul of a PR Database for an organization I volunteer with. I had frienships that needed love and affection after my post-birth haze kept me out of the loop.

I.HAD.THINGS.THAT.TOOK.UP.ALL.MY.TIME.!

But, I made a commitment. I put my name, my reputation and quite literally, my chunky post-baby bum on the line and said on March 6th I'd show up and I'd run the entire 21K.

And that is exactly what I did because I did not make excuses.

I get up most days around 5-5:30am. This IS NOT FOR JOY! This is for dedication. This is for ME.

I run while my children and husband sleep (the dog joins me for this...tick, one family member cared for!).

I stick to my plan.

I smile and nod (but really shake my head inside) when people say "Oh go on, have that bit of cake, it won't hurt you..."

You're right. It won't HURT me but what if I actually don't want it!? What if I think that the benefits of amazing skin, boundless energy and a tight tummy far outweigh that one moment of dessert eating? I also shake my head because I KNOW that more often than not, people who enable bad behaviour do it because they feel your commitment to no longer doing that bad behaviour is a reflection upon themselves. A tip for people starting out on a healthier journey. You WILL encounter the nay-sayers. Smile, nod and shake your head on the inside. It's not about you. Besides, you don't have time for therapy and you don't need to convert anyone. You need to work on your own health, not theirs. Don't let their inability to accept "no" as an answer deter from your own goals. Their excuses are not for you to uphold!

I do NOT make excuses. Not anymore and here's why:

Excuses are not the reason for living. Excuses do not lift your self-esteem. Excuses do not see you fit into those jeans that hide in the back of your closet. Excuses do NOT make you feel good in public in a swimsuit. Excuses do NOT make people say "I'm so proud of you". Excuses will NOT allow you to feel proud of yourself. Excuses will not give you a longer life expectancy. Excuses will not help you chase after your children and not feel exhausted.

Why are excuses winning the battle for so many people then?

Stop with excuses and start with commitment. Make time for yourself. Make time to exercise. Make time to shop at that organic shop you've 'been meaning to get to.' Make time to generate more energy. Make time to STOP enabling your self-esteem to be in the toilet. Make time to clean up your eating and stop with things you already know are bad for you. Make it happen! No one else will do it for you.

Next month I'm doing a follow-up 5 A Day Challenge Could this be your first commitment you make without excuses?

Don't make excuses, make a new life for yourself!

Spring is in the air!!

2011-03-02T13:04:00.001-08:00

Ahhhh let's face it...we're all ready for longer, sunnier days, less clothing and less freezing hands! Good news, Spring is starting to show its earliest signs here in Paris and that means more incentive for getting outside, dusting off the bike/body/legs/hiking boots/etc and GETTING YOURSELF MOVING!!

I am a huge fan of Spring (my allergies are another topic...). It's hopeful, it's bright, it contains the early excitement of Summer ready to burst out at any moment. I encourage all of you to embrace the change of the season and get moving. Start running again. Take up power walking. Rent a Velib' and try biking to work instead of taking the metro! Have fun with it. You've got one life to live so maximize your time here by living life to the fullest!!

Shine on, Spring! I can't wait to get out and enjoy all you have to offer!

Image courtesy of this place

It's coming...are you prepared?!

2011-02-01T02:37:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day.

I've been on every point of the spectrum when it comes to this "holiday". I've been loved up, depressed, happy, broken up, blissful, angry and down-right resentful towards the sheer marketing machine that says we need to be in love and eat chocolate on this day. Sure it's lovely to be in love and eat some chocolate, but I remember the years I WASN'T so happy and I ate MORE of the blasted chocolate those years than the years I was supposed to get gifts from my various Valentines. Go figure!

It has already started in my neighbourhood. La Maison du Chocolat has an AMAZING window display that says to basically come in, eat chocolate and all will be well in the world. This is fine if you are immune to the power of chocolate but I, being like many other people I know, feel weak. Yes, weak. It gets to me. The smell of it, the texture of it, the taste of it...simply put, I love chocolate. It is just a wonderful thing.

So why does it make me feel BAD to like it?

This year, I'm preparing for it like I have done in the past. Mr Jennifer knows he can only buy top quality chocolate for me as I feel that I should drag out the tastings to maximize the financial impact of what top quality stuff costs these days! Maybe it sounds crazy but honestly, I love MduC's champagne truffles SO much but have never had more than 2 at once whereas a box of Cadbury's Buttons or Peanut M&Ms would go down in a flash if I had them around. I'm inherently too cheap to gorge on chocolate that costs the same as a pair of shoes. That's how it is.

So, basically, I know chocolate is coming. It's waiting for me to love it. It's waiting to be my faithful Valentine. For 34 years chocolate has been there for me on Valentine's Day. It's tradition regardless of my love life status. We love each other but we can only take each other in small doses-haha!

New Year, New You, New Lease on Life!

2011-01-12T11:42:00.001-08:00

So the new year came, a winner was selected (although they have asked to remain anonymous) and a new lease on life has been signed, sealed and soon to be delivered!! I thank everyone for their New Year contest submissions. It was heart-wrenching, exciting, funny and very impressive the way some of you laid your hearts out on the line. I wish I could have selected everyone as a winner, but, in the end I had to choose just one. So I did and we will begin our training shortly. I look forward to the particular challenges the winning client's health provides and hopefully we can have a long and fabulous relationship in health, nutrition, wellness and fitness!

Now, how is everyone else doing? I had a 50/50 holiday season. 50% was tragic (not being dramatic...just one of those times in life when things happen that challenge us or break our hearts) and 50% amazing. I am trying to focus on the amazing and move forward. During our ski holiday, I did irritate the heck out of my 2008 Weekend to End Breast Cancer knee injury, but so far it is holding up well and I'm taking it easy. Easier than I like to take it, in fact, but such is life! I can't preach the necessity of rest to all of you and NOT listen to my own advice!!

I leave you with a few things to think about: What is in store for you in 2011? What are your goals? What would you like to see change in the next 12 months? What challenges would you like to face?

Yours in health. Bonne Année à tous!

Hart Total Fitness Contest: New You for the New Year

2010-11-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

You can see it popping up in most stores these days, the constant reminders that the holiday season is coming soon!! The temptations of meals: turkey, stuffing, cakes, trifles, mincemeats, chocolates, latkes, sufganoits, cookies, doughnuts, egg nog, wine, champagne, galette des rois, foie gras...the list goes on and on and our waistlines tend to expand right alongside!

January comes like a harsh wake up call, many of us resolving THIS is the year we start an exercise programme and stick with it. THIS is the year we will finally lose that nagging 5kg (or more) and keep it off for good. But where to begin? Advertisments for products, shakes, weight loss programmes, points, gyms, etc., all pile up and you find yourself at a loss. An overwhelmed person without a clear goal is in risk of not following through with their resolutions to make this year the year they finally put health and their body first.

Here at Hart Total Fitness, we would like to help you. ONE LUCKY person is about to win an Assessment Package (value €250*) to start off their New Year right!

How to enter: write a brief (one page, single-spaced max) note or submit a piece of artwork (an example could be something like the pieces on Post Secret) about what having a personal trainer would mean to you. How would you benefit? Why is this YOUR time to shine? Be funny, be creative, be heartfelt, be angry, whatever your inner feelings are show them but most of all, be true to yourself. This is the time to sell yourself and your needs.
Optional: you may include one photo in your submission.

Email your letter/artwork/photo to: info@harttotalfitness.com with the subject line "Contest Entry"

Check the Hart Total Fitness Blog and Website on January 1st to see if you've won!

Good luck!!!!

*Package includes: a one-on-one consultation and health assessment plus 3 one-hour solo training sessions with Jennifer

Contest is open to all residents, male and female, of the ile-de-France region over the age of 18. One entry per person is allowed. Contest closes December 24th 2010 at 11:59pm/23h59.Winner will be announced on January 1st, 2011.

Photo credits
lznogood - Fotolia.com

Terry Fox Walk/Run in Paris November 21st

2010-11-09T00:12:00.000-08:00

For Canadians, Terry Fox is an unquestionable hero. He single-handedly changed the face of cancer awareness and fundraising. For the first time in 15 years, a Terry Fox Run/Walk will take place in Paris, France. Please click here to register, donate and join us: http://runforterry.yolasite.com/

For more information on Terry Fox, here is a video link for the ESPN story on Terry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjgTlCTluPA

A Family Who Eats Together...

2010-11-02T00:31:00.000-07:00

...has little time to get out and enjoy life!

I don't remember a time when food, diet, exercise, social pressure, parental comments, ballet instructors, gymnastics coaches, etc., HASN'T been on my mind. I think about food, exercise, health, nutrition, diet, weight loss, fat loss, body fat percentages, and so on non-stop. It's exhausting.

I have also spent a large portion of my time trying to figure out WHY I have this obsessive brain and I know a lot of it comes from my childhood. My parents are both (still) obsessed with weight and outward appearance but only recently, like less than a year ago, started pairing their restrictive eating with proper exercise. Meaning any attempts to lose weight before this focused on FOOD as the enemy, the one to declare war against and go after with a vengence. Whilst I understand bodies are primarily made by the mouth and what you eat WILL show up on your body, skin, etc., I also know that being healthy has to do with a combination of food and exercise, not just living on 1100 calories a day til you fit a specific dress.

So why the title of this post? Well, as I've been dissecting my past to understand my present and change my future, I started to think about how my family behaves when we are together. Food is everything. We eat breakfast and discuss what we will do for lunch and dinner. Snacks and TV are an afternoon requisite. More snacks and TV are a post-dinner ritual. In other words: we do nothing but eat, talk about eating, plan eating and then eat some more. Even when we were in my parents swimming pool last Christmas, there were snacks on the side table, ready for those finished with the cool water of winter in Florida 2009.

This has to stop. Immediately.

My father has laughed since 2002 about his high cholestorol diagnosis and my mother has undertaken so many new diets I fear for her body's overall health. Crashing and bingeing are not healthy!

So how do I get them to stop?

I have to be the example. I have to show them that there are things we can do that DO NOT involve food, talking about food or thinking about food. We can go hiking, bike riding, running, walking, shopping, go to a spa, etc. The list is endless and i don't want to finish my life someday thinking all I ever did with my family was focus on FOOD. I recently challenged my oldest brother to take up a fitness goal he would have never done on his own. I did that for a lot of reasons but mostly because he was someone I knew who would jump on the idea and be up for something different. He doesn't lead an unhealthy lifestyle when he is back home with his own family so challenging him to get together and have the sole focus be about something way bigger than eating seemed a no-brainer. I didn't word it to him like that because there were other reasons involved in wanting to share a tough, endurance event with him, but it is in my mind that together we can show not only our family that there is life outside of eating, but we can also show our kids that family visits are not just about food, food and shopping for more food. We have so much power right now to set good examples for the future generations and I'm excited about that!!

Eating is FUEL for the body, it is NOT the purpose of the body. We are designed to do so much more than we aspire and push ourselves to do. Fill up your tank with the best, freshest, organic and healthy foods and your body will show you just how much it can accomplish. Fill it up with crap and live a shorter, unhappy, inactive life.

Easy choice.

Photo

The down days happen to all of us...

2010-10-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Typo-freaks beware...I'm writing emotional and not editing!!

So, I'm coming off some pretty crushing news right now and when things like this happen, I'll admit it, I want to throw in the towel, cut my losses and say "I gave it a shot but obviously this isn't for me". That's the easy thing to do and right now, easy is looking pretty good.

But, easy isn't how I got where I am right now. Easy didn't get me through school, it didn't get me qualified and it doesn't keep me employed. Easy is a tempting b-tch who shows up when things go horribly wrong. She tempts you with her evil ways that would have your head buried in the sand and your self-esteem slightly glued back together.

Stuff it, Easy! I met your more liberating twin Hard and she and I hang out WAY more these days because she is worth it. Taking the Hard way is more rewarding, it provides more opportunities and it certainly heals the self-esteem in a way that glue cannot compete with.

Today, I am tempted by Easy but I won't let her win this time. Easy wants me to quit and if you know me, I am not a fan of quitting anything!! Taking the Hard Way through this minefield of emotional distress will be difficult but I know if I do it, I'll come out the winner here!

Just say NO to the Easy Way Out!! She doesn't have your back, she's only trying to get you to turn yours to the Hard Way Through!

Run for Congo Women is fundraising for Women for Women International UK

2010-10-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

Run for Congo Women is fundraising for Women for Women International UK

I am joinging Team Congo Paris to run 10K in November and raise awareness and funds for Congo Women. Please consider helping us! Thank you!

If you fail to plan...

2010-10-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

...you plan to fail.

I love these words for so many reasons but the simplest is because they are TRUE! If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Think about it. If you fail to plan your lunch at the office or on the go, if you fail to plan your workout into your day, if you fail to plan your weekly dinner menu, if you fail to plan your grocery list...you are planning to fail. What are you failing? Your health. Your waistline. Your fitness level.

Are these things you want to fail??

Pack a lunch. I know it's a PITA (that's pain in the a-- for those that don't require shortforms of swear words/phrases). But I've said it before, I'll say it again and I'll KEEP ON SAYING IT until people believe me. If you want to be in charge of your health, lose fat, trim up, tone up, etc., you MUST plan your lunches and snack for your time away from the house. The easiest method? Pack your own food. You know what is in there and can account for it.

Plan your evening meals in advance. Cook off food and freeze it (soups, sauces, stews, chili, etc) for the nights you KNOW you won't want to cook. But have a PLAN and abide by it. You are worth the effort, do you know that???

Make a grocery list and stick to it (exceptions include important things like toilet paper you forgot to add to your list). Do not be tempted by the bakery at the grocery store. In fact, if you stick to the fresh produce, meats, dairy (or alternatives to these) sections, you should mostly be done. A bit of oatmeal, some whole grains and staples added to the mix-et voila. Finished!!! Avoid the aisles full of crap: sugar cereals, cookies, cakes, chips, pop/soda, etc. No seriously, AVOID it! :-)

You are worth it. Your health is worth it. When will you believe it? Plan to succeed and see what happens!

The ADORABLE Lunch Cooler Handbags Courtesy of this link

5 A Day Challenge

2010-10-17T23:42:00.000-07:00

To view the original posting of this challenge, click here: Hart Total Fitness Facebook Page

Join me. Join the challenge to brighten up your plates. Feel free to check in and report back how it is going. Let's get more colour in our lives and stop the beige from taking over!!

Let's go!!! 30 days of a minimum of FIVE COLOURS A DAY (and ketchup doesn't count!)

The Beige Platter -- add some beige plum sauce and you're good to go!

I don't even know what this is! Fried chicken, french fries, onion rings and toast?? Beige galore!

Beautiful...you could almost frame it!

GORGEOUS!

It's MAY!

2010-05-03T03:12:00.001-07:00

So May is here and that means two things: one, we are moving in 2 days and two, my baby is due in 17 days!!! HTF Blog will be quiet for a while but don't despair...I'll be back when my wi-fi is back up and baby and I have found a routine which allows me some online time!! In the interim, stay healthy, enjoy the sun, take advantage of summer's fresh organic produce and be safe!!!

The Importance of Support...

2010-04-22T05:33:00.001-07:00

I know I am charged by support in my life. When I ran my last pre-pregnancy race, seeing my husband and son along the route inspired me to go further.

But, do you ever wonder why some people are quick to disregard your efforts to live a healthier lifestyle? There are lots of quick answers to this, their own self-esteem issues being one of them, but I wanted to know more. So, I am in the preliminary stages of a research project on reactions from loved ones after someone announces they will now partake in a new, healthier, fitter and hopefully happier, lifestyle. If you'd like to know more or have experience of nay-saying to share, drop me a line at: jennifer@harttotalfitness.com

Why women SHOULD lift weights!

2010-03-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

And I seriously don't mean the cute little pink 2kg ones!!

There is so much research that demonstrates that women SHOULD be lifting weights and/or heavier weights than they have been. So...why aren't you all DOING it!? The list of reasons women give me include:
1) I don't like it
2) I don't want to look like a man
3) I prefer cardio
4) I'm not into that

So, let's talk about that!

I understand the fear some women have about bulking up or looking like "a man" but the simple truth is, adding heavy weights to your regime will not accomplish either of those things unless you train your backside off in order to SEE that type of growth. There is a difference between creating healthy muscles and training for a body building competition. Think of it like this...do you think your 25 minutes on the treadmill has given you the ability to run a marathon with no further training? Probably not. So a few weights added to your routine will also not give you the ability to flex muscles like a professional bodybuilder.

So, why actually lift weights?

1) You will be physically stronger
2) You WILL lose body fat
3) You will tone up the wobbly bits (hello bikini and jeans!!!)
4) You can decrease your chances for osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, diabetes, etc
5) You will LOOK BETTER and as a result FEEL BETTER!!!

Ladies, take it from me. You need to drop the cardio bunny act jumping from the treadmill to the elliptical to the bike and get into the heavier lifting. Push yourself. You should be fatigued by then end of your set and and not whip through 12 repetitions like it's no big deal. If it isn't challenging your body in the moment, it won't challenge it to tone up in the long run!

**Image courtesy of Zazzle: Real Women Lift Weights

Post-baby Weight Loss and Body Transformation

2010-03-03T00:54:00.001-08:00

I admit it, now that I'm reaching the home stretch (literally) of this pregnancy, I find myself dreaming of things like button-up jeans, fitted clothing and lifting heavy weights. There is a preoccupation these days on how fast a mother can return to "normal" after she has her baby, and I am not immune to this either. There are some people who say to me, "but it's good weight gain" or "it will be worth it in the end!" Well, duh!? I know being pregnant is a blessing and I LOVE being a Mum but what woman do you know who is happy to ever have the numbers on the scale go UP? Numbers tend to dictate how we feel about ourselves; be it the numbers on the scale, the number sewn inside our jeans, the number relating to our bloodpressure, or the number of times we feel really good walking out of the house...

I'd like to be a model of difference and say I'm not affected by number-mood syndrome, but I'd be lying if I said I was.

British and North American tabloid magazines seem to fuel this post-baby obsession with photos of bikini-clad mothers claiming "how I got my body back!" These articles include secret tips and a few photos of a new mother doing exercises that she claims helps her return to her pre-baby size.

I DO accept the idea that if you kept up with working out and eating healthy whilst pregnant you will slim down faster than if you hadn't but let's get real...losing baby weight and more importantly, reshaping your body after a baby, does NOT happen overnight. I remember after having my son. I lost the weight according to the scales but clothing that SHOULD have fit me at those sizes didn't. Things were different...my hips were wider, my tummy had this blubber-y layer and I wobbled.

If I'm completely honest, it took 9 months to firm up and fit my pre-baby clothes. I felt good in my clothes at around 5-6 months, but by 9 months, I felt like ME!

So, here I am again. My stomach reaches places before the rest of me does, my chest is inflated, my backside is retaining water and my legs just look thick. This is not the ME that I feel happiest being but it's part of pregnancy for me and at least this time I KNOW it is can and will be reversed with clean eating and working out.

*Photo copyright US Weekly Magazine

Where or where do I find health products in France?

2010-02-22T04:37:00.000-08:00

If I had a Euro coin for every time someone tells me they cannot locate the products recommended by Eating Clean or particular ingredients for healthy living, I'd be rich. However, I'd probably also be dizzy from trying to explain to people that yes, these products and ingredients are available here but you have to look.

In Paris, Bio C'Bon is a FANTASTIC shop that carries a multitude of http://www.bio-c-bon.eu/ and I urge you to check it out.

Otherwise, Iuse http://www.bienmanger.com to deliver organic goodness to me! They carry such things as umeboshi, sucunat, agar agar, molasses, a variety of oats, flaxseed, etc.!

Many Naturalia stores carry difficult to find health products, just be careful not to get discouraged if you local shop doesn't. I find that each Naturalia tends to be a bit different in what they offer but definitely worth the look!

Yumminess made easy! Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-12T02:21:00.001-08:00

Single? Married? Engaged? None of the above? This is the time of year where red, pink and CHOCOLATES force themselves upon us. With so many good things to munch on, how do you avoid cravings? What do you do if someone in the office fills the candy bowl up with sweets?

PREPARATION!!

Pack your snacks for work. Prepare to be tempted and have a back-up plan. An apple with natural nut butter provides sweetness, crunching and long-lasting satisfaction. Not to mention all vitamins and minerals your body will get instead of the energy crash post-sugary snack indulgence!

What about a romantic dinner in with your Valentine? I am a big believer that if you feel deprived, you will act like a deprived person and go overboard. Again, prepare for a craving or being faced with unhealthy options. Strawberries dipped in antioxidant-rich dark chocolate (70% or higher) can provide the right balance between amazing taste, colourful display and sweetness.

Valentine's Day isn't just for lovers, marketing has made it for everyone. However, your waistline and health shouldn't suffer because someone decided this time of year is perfect for an abundance of sweets and chocolates!!

Indulge wisely. Reap the benefits of planning, preparation and smart choices!

Watch what you eat!

2010-01-29T00:54:00.000-08:00

We live in very busy times. Kids, careers, volunteer work, family, friends, obligations...everything sucks our time away and we find ourselves FAR too often eating 'on the go.' Sometimes, this can't be avoided and we can try to make the best out of bad situation. Pick a sandwich without mayo, cheeses, fatty meats, etc. Opt for salads and broth-based soups. Still, we are at the mercy of mass-produced food packed full of chemicals, sodium, hidden sugars, fats and simple carbs. Too much eating on the go can result in our waistlines increasing, our fatigue worsening and our overall health declining.

But, what if you planned in advance for eating on the go? Packing a cooler or brown bag lunch is an extremely pro-active way of avoiding busy lifestyle weight gain. When YOU are in charge, you have no one else to blame for poor choices of food. Pack fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, soups you can re-heat and whole grains. 20 minutes of preparation at night will NOT eat into your busy day like you think it will. It's not a hassle, it is just a new routine to get used to.

We all make poor choices when we are hungry and faced with limited options at the creperie, sandwich shop, daily Monop', etc. Set yourself up for SUCCESS and plan to avoid situations like this. Your collegues (especially here in France) might think you are crazy for packing a cooler for lunch, but who cares when you look amazing, feel great, have more energy and fit your clothes the way you like to?!

As always...keep a non-BPA plastic, glass (like the reusable bottle in the photo) or stainless steel canteen of water on hand. Sipping water all day can help you to avoid the all-too-familiar confusion between hunger and thirst.

The Eat Clean Diet

2010-01-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

When my clients come to me for nutritional advice (be it the want to lose fat, gain healthy mass, improve health, etc) I turn to one source and one source only: Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet. After I finished my nutrition training and was loaded with all the knowledge of macro and micronutrients, I still felt this was all a bit to mumbo-jumboish for the average person to put into practice. Alas, I discovered Eating Clean through my subscription to the Canadian magazine Oxygen for Women. So, what I do now is recommend the principles (and books via Amazon) to my clients, help them to re-design what is in their kitchens, teach them to shop and mostly, do all of this in the name of Eating Clean! Tosca, you saved my life and I am hoping you are saving the lives of my clients, too.

For more information on the Eat Clean Diet, click here: http://www.eatcleandiet.com/

I don't have the copyright for this image but think it is so important to share, I'm hoping Tosca Reno won't mind ;-)

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

The last of the champagne is gone, the food has been eaten and quite possibly, the post-holiday hangover has started to kick in. I don't mean only the affects of after-drinking, I mean the post-holiday weight gain, the bloating, the skin you haven't taken care of due to partying and passing out...and saddest of all, the gym bag that has been ignored for far too long.

Let's pick up the pieces and get moving together. Don't overwhelm yourself with big goals that seem unatainable. Tell yourself you'll hit the gym this week by Friday or go for a walk and go from there. You'll see how great you feel after a good sweating it out session and it will encourage you to do more. Make yourself some hearty soups to cleanse your system out. Be kind to your body, it probably let you have lots of fun over the past few weeks, but it is time now to give it a break and treat it right!

Don't forget to HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!

Happy New Year!

A New Blog for the New Year!

2009-12-15T00:29:00.001-08:00

OK so it is slightly pre-2010 but I've decided to create a new blog for Hart Total Fitness. My last one crashed so many times that even I had to admit something had gone awry!

I'm at home on a cold winter morning (-5C) having some organic, homemade apple cider and one (yes one) pancake. I had a pregnancy craving so I gave in...but only to a certain degree. I made a small batch but substituted the oil for applesauce and the egg for an egg white. I used a bit of ProActive spread on top and a touch of pure Canadian grade II maple syrup. Craving was satisfied and my eating was kept controlled. It CAN be done!

So how is everyone else? It's cold, it's dark until late in the morning and it gets dark again early in the evening. Motivation tends to dip in times like these so please try to muster the energy to keep up your exercise routines. Your body will thank you!!

Avoid temptation...keep a small ziploc bag of nuts and/or nuts and raisins on hand to snack on before going to a holiday party. NEVER GO HUNGRY!!! The crab cakes, foie gras and cheese will sucker you into thinking 'just one won't kill me'. No, one won't kill you. It's the 12 you'll have after that that are the problem ;-)

Take care...be safe and party responsibly!