Redefining 2014

We are exactly a month and a week into 2014 and I haven’t written my usual rant about “what-I’m-going-to-change-this-year-and-what-is-going-to-be-better-and-which-fitness-event-am-I-going-to-aim-for” like I do each year when a new year starts. I haven’t done so because I’ve came to a conclusion that will probably kill the entire purpose of this blog, but here it is: it is not always about fitness. Life isn’t all about fitness. There is so much more to life than being able to deadlift 300 lbs or to appear on the cover of Inside Fitness mag. And please, do not get me wrong – I got nothing against deadlifting or Inside Fitness nor posing for fitness magazines. I am not turning my back on fitness altogether, please, if this is the message you get after reading this post, turn around, slap yourself in the face once or twice, put a pillow on your face and scream as loud as you can, then, come back and read again. The conclusion I’ve came to over the past few months is that life isn’t entirely about fitness. Fitness isn’t the center of the world. Being ultra fit doesn’t mean you’re a better person. Being fit is great, but being healthy is what we should all aim for. You see, fitness is one thing and if you’ve been following my few posts over the past 6 months you’ll know that I’ve been going from competing on stage to just training for fun to crossfit to, well now you don’t know what I’m turning to because there’s a bigger picture here and that’s what I’m getting at. I have been unhappy with my fitness goals lately because I was looking for balance even though my goals remained focused around “competing while having a balanced lifestyle (which is impossible by the way because you always end up wanting more and focusing on the date of your show)” or “doing crossfit while training in the gym and maybe getting a shot at the Games in 2015”. It always seemed realistic to me and I would always make it my #1 priority in life, putting everything else second. As long as I got my crossfit or gym sesh in, everything else didn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter if my apartment was a mess or if I hadn’t finished my readings for school. That’s what it was all about, no matter what the goal was, I would train, go to work and see if I’d have time left for other things. That’s what big shot athletes do right? Eat, sleep, train, train and repeat. I used to look up to these people and think “That would be sweet, to be paid to train all day and just do what I love” but I’m sorry to say, these people are missing out. Yes they are big shot at what they’re doing, they’re super athletic and most likely popular and a lot of people look up to them. I am not taking away their achievements, but what happens to these people when they get hurt? Or when they can no longer perform in their sport?  I don’t know. I don’t think any of us truly know. They go back to their life and try to put it back together, trying to fix whatever injuries they may have and they try to cope with the fact that they can longer practice the only thing they were ever good at and now, they have to find an everyday job that doesn’t consist of training all day.

Let’s face it – I never came close to becoming a big shot athlete at anything. Sure, I am athletic. I love sports. But that doesn’t mean I have to stick to only one thing and have a goal to make it my #1 priority in life. I could compete for fun on stage, but I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I now know myself enough to say that I wouldn’t be able to. Because I’d always want more and wouldn’t be able to NOT make my life revolve around competing. I love crossfit and found new goals and ways to push myself with it, but let’s be honest here, no way I’m making it to the games. It’s like me starting to swim tomorrow, swimming everyday saying “I’ll make it to the Olympics in 2000-whenever the next summer games are”. Reality check here: life, for your average everyday worker, like me, doesn’t consist, and shouldn’t consist, of training for a high end fitness event because you are most likely to a. get injured b. get sick of the sport you picked up before you make it to the big league.

I’m not saying one shouldn’t aim high and have dreams. Because if nobody had that dream of being the best of the best, we wouldn’t have the Olympics at all. I’m just being realistic. Who doesn’t have a full time job, school, kids, a wife or husband, bills to pay, aspirations to be a better person, friends and goals for their career and their family? All I’m saying is that I, Sophie de la Sablonnière, am personally redefining fitness for myself because I got it all wrong all these years. Actually, I didn’t get it all wrong, I just grew up. Fitness shouldn’t be what I promote but rather health. Being fit is one thing, being healthy is another. I want to write about more than just my workouts and my goals for competing. Having a healthy lifestyle consist of more than the hours logged at the gym. It’s about having a warm home you love, taking time for your loved ones. I want to write about more than just fitness. My job, which takes up a big part in my life, where I learn so much more than just pricking people with needles, my life, where I rediscover being healthy through moving, I can run one day, practice yoga the other, and yes, maybe sign up for a race or two wanting to beat my own time. I know I’ll never finish first at a marathon, my blond hair and fair skin gave it away – I am not a Kenyan. I want to write about juggling it all together, time with friends, sex (oh gosh! I’m blushing!), having a baby (mom don’t worry when reading this, not pregnant…yet!), planning to buy a house, everyday stuff that makes my life healthy! This is my new aim for 2014; being healthy. I could change the name of this blog although, Healthy-Soph doesn’t sound as fun as Fitness-Soph, so just bare with me here.

If you want to keep following me, please do, because you’re going to get more bang for your buck! If you don’t, they are plenty of people our there making fitness and competing they’re #1 goals, I’m sure you’ll find one to follow. I’m just tired of chasing dreams that are unrealistic – they just end up making me feel like a failure, which I am miles away from! I am great at my job, I’m an awesome step-mother and I like to think I am a good girlfriend/fiancée when it’s not that time of the month (you all know what I mean). I think I’m funny, or just a loser thinking I am funny but who cares, I can live with that, I have nerdy tendencies but I don’t care and I am a hopeless romantic, and I love it! Basically, I have more to share than how to do a strict pull up and where to get a great tanning lotion for your next competition, if you know me personally, you know that already, and if you’re just reading me, well, my friends, you’re about to find out, because life is about more than fitness. Being healthy involves so many things and I want, I need, to write about them. So let’s do it! Who’s with me? 2014 won’t know what hit it!

Once you go Crossfit, you never go back

A couple of years ago, when Crossfit started blooming in Québec, I decided to give it a try. My verdict – I hated it! I thought it was too fast and too technical for anybody who had never lifted to just do it, and I had some lifting experience, just not the crossfit one. The true reason was, I wasn’t new to the training scene but Crossfit was an entirely different type of training than what I was used to and therefore, I completely sucked at it! Being the perfectionist that I am, I decided it wasn’t for me and that I didn’t like it. I took me years to get comfortable in a weight room, learning programs and new exercises every day. Why would I put myself through another type of fitness related stuff, looking like an idiot trying something new, when I had weight training and my competitions. My verdict at the time; Crossfit sucks! Now, don’t get all up on your horses here. That was 2 years ago when I was younger and couldn’t stand not being good at something new I tried right away.

A little over a month ago, I decided to give Crossfit another shot. Did I suck at it? Yes. Was it difficult? Yes. Did I hate it? Hell no! I fell in love with a brand new challenge along with the mentality coming with it. You see, in the world of crossfit, you do compete against others but your biggest challenger is yourself. Unlike fitness, nobody cares what you look like, what color suit you picked and how you did your hair. It doesn’t matter if your legs are more developed than your shoulders or if you’re not “dry enough” comes competition time. With crossfit you push yourself everyday to life heavier but also faster. It has a great mix between cardiovascular training and lifting as well as gymnastics.

Every day when I go in, I never know what to expect, I still get this tingling feeling in the pit of my stomach, a mix between excitement and fear, a good fear, more like a sort of good anxiety because I want to nail whatever will be written on the board that day. There’s always something new, wether it’s a snatch or a pistol. There’s always a time to beat, a weight to target or repetitions do to as many time as you can. It always changes keeping your body guessing.

Another positive point for crossfit is the amount of energy burned during a single session. Since I’ve started, my appetite went through the roof. I now consume probably twice as many calories as I used to and haven’t packed a pound. I’ve put on muscles, especially on my back, thanks to all those pull ups, but I’m almost as lean as I was when prepping for my last competition, and God knows I’m not counting calories anymore. I don’t eat junk, except for a pop tart here and there (seriously, it’s like I’m 5 and discovering pop tarts for the first time these days), but I also don’t follow a strict diet like I did a few months back. I just make sure to balance my proteins and my carbs and to throw in some veggies. I eat when I’m hungry and I eat until I’m full. I also eat thinking I want to have enough energy for crossfit, yes I am obsessed.

Crossfit has really given me a new perspective on fitness. It’s helping me on my new quest for a balanced and fit lifestyle. I incorporate 2 or 3 crossfit sessions in my week depending on how I feel and complete the week with some weight training. I don’t have a fixed workout program as I adjust it according to what we did during crossfit. Crossfit is truly my new obsession and for those of you who personally know me, once I’m obsessed, I’M OBSESSED!

If you haven’t tried it yet, you should give it a go for sure. Crossfit is challenging, hard and awesome!

 

Balance

The word I’ve been stressing the most lately to everybody around be, balance. That’s what it’s all about. You need balance in your life no matter what you do; balance between fun and work, between activity and rest, between time with your friends and alone time. You need balance in your diet, balance in your training – those chest and arms guys with no legs – you get the point. While getting ready for my competition, it hit me how I lost all sense of balance – and it hit me hard. I was so focused on getting results fast, I would do everything it would take thus neglecting pretty much everything else around me. I had no energy to make love to my boyfriend – or should I say, my fiancé – was dragging my feet around at work and would cry all the time for no reason. I still hear my coach telling me “It’s normal, only focus on the competition, you’ll cry all the time but that’s ok, stay focused”. Do you know what happens when you stare at something for so long, without blinking, almost forgetting to breathe? That thing you stare at becomes blurry until you can no longer recognize it.

Everything got blurry, I couldn’t recognize myself anymore, this impatient burned out girl obsessed with this one competition was not happy, and hey! I wanted to compete for fun! I’m not making a career out of it, I already have a job I love. My relationship suffered from it, my house was a mess and I could barely focus at work. It hit me in the face hard one day, at work, when I made the biggest mistake of my life and gave 10 times the dose of morphine prescribed to a patient. 10 times! Luckily nothing happened to this patient. Of couse admitting this huge error was hard, I had to face her family, the doctor and my boss. I take this mistake very seriously, and still apologize to the family and think about it every time I step into that room. That I get cold and hungry all the time because of a diet and intense training was one thing, but that the patients I care for get to pay the price for a hobby of mine was unacceptable. Under the light of this mistake, I told my coach I would no longer compete and that I got really scared and needed to get my act together. Still to this day, she doesn’t understand my reaction but that’s ok – I don’t think we see things the same way anyways. No need to say I cried for days because quitting competing wasn’t what I wanted to do and I still felt, and still feel, horrible about what happened at the hospital. I woke up one day and realized – fitness is my passion, it’s a hobby of mind and there’s got to be a way to compete without putting yourself to the street mentally and physically. I do understand that it’s hard and requires many sacrifices. But I’m also convinced there’s a way to do it and keep a healthy lifestyle while balanced meals everyday. That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m about to prove you all out there that you don’t need to eat tilapia and egg whites 20 times a day to step on stage in the shape you want.

So here’s the plan – let’s scratch the next competition on October 26th, it’s too soon. November 23rd, IDFA is where I’m aiming.

After discussing with Dylan, a friend of mine whom I’ve seen get in the craziest shape of his life over the past few years, I came up with a new way to look at things and a new force driving me. I’m gonna add variety to my diet and focus on macronutrients. I’m weighing in at 150lbs as I’m typing this (yes I actually ran to my scale to give you an accurate weight). When looking at macros, I want 1 to 1.5g of protein per pounds, 0.3 to 0.5g of fats per pounds and between 100 to 300g of carbs a day. Because my goal is to keep cutting some fat, I’m leaning towards the lower end of those number – 1g of protein would give me 150g a day. We’re looking at 60g of fat a day and 150g of carbs. If you take in consideration those numbers, knowing that 1g of carbs and 1g of proteins both equal 4 calories and that 1g of fat equals 9 calories, I would be eating 1 740 calories a day which is a bit low but tolerable. Still following? Keeping those numbers in mind, I would be able to write my diet and still eat things that are apparently “banned” from the competition world – you just watch me!

I’m not dissing everybody who has a very strict diet evolving around chicken and broccoli, if that’s your thing, go for it. I’m just taking a different route, trying to prove that it is possible to still enjoy food, family time, training and to not almost kill someone at work.

I now have 6 weeks to put my new plan and philosophy to work – balance is key! And for those of you who enjoy when I post recipes, you’ll be happy to know that with me eating things other than tilapia and chicken, I will have some more interesting recipes to post.

So stay tuned for some interesting changes, I’ve already came a long way and lost 20lbs. I would like to lose another 10 while still staying mentally stable. Let’s do this! Who’s with me?

To see pics of how far I’ve come so far, make sure to follow me on instagram @fitness_soph

Progress so far

 

Queen of comebacks

Let’s be real – I am the queen of comebacks! How many times did I put aside this blog, putting on hold all dreams and hope I had for a promising future in the fitness industry. I know – 3! This is the third time I’m sitting in front of my laptop full of motivation, trying to convince you that I’ll be the next Nicole Wilkins or Justine Munro. You know what they say, third time is a charm.

The thing is, I shouldn’t be worrying about who is reading this and who I’m convincing of whatever it is I’m trying to prove. I’m not trying to prove anything. I have to convince myself first. Throughout the past years, I needed to make sure I was ready to let fitness enter in my life. Sure, I’ve always been an active girl, but was I ready to make all the sacrifices necessary to do this? To invest time, sweat and let’s face it, money, into it? A year ago, the answer would have been no. A year ago, I was still trying to figure out which city I wanted to live in, what I wanted to do in life, struggling between nursing and personal training, thinking I could do it all. The truth is I carried way too many eggs in one basket – I dropped that basket and broke all my eggs. But eh, one’s got to break eggs to make an omelet, right? After thinking I had wasted my time moving from Montreal to Toronto, after thinking I wouldn’t be a good nurse because I was scared, I turned around and faced it all. I realized I’ve always had this “running away” mentality. I didn’t do on purpose. But it was easier to run away from my fears and pretend they didn’t exist than to face them.

A little over a year ago I moved back home. Back at mom and dad’s after 6 years of being away, it felt like a failure to move back there at 24 years old. Especially after saying over and over that I would NEVER come back to Quebec. I didn’t like who I was in my high school days when I lived there – this insecure, afraid girl, always hard on herself, binging and purging, hurting her body when she couldn’t take on more pain. An anxious girl, drinking from time to time to numb her feelings, pretending everything was alright when in reality, she hated herself. I know that everything I went through made me who I am today. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason so here I am. I got my nursing license, I now have a job which I love and where I feel like I make a difference.

Going through with my nursing license was a big deal for me as I thought I would never practice as a nurse, didn’t think it was for me. In reality, the license exam scared the living hell out of me. I hate feeling like I’m being watched and judged so imagine my feeling going from one room to another, being examined while acting like a nurse with an actor playing a patient. I use to vomit just thinking about the practical exam. I made it especially hard on myself since I decided to pass my exam a whole year after graduating, without practicing in the field and by writing the exam in French when I studied in English. Yes I’m bilingual but let me tell you, French and English medical terms aren’t always easy to interchange. Passing this exam is by far my biggest accomplishment.

With a nursing license in my pocket, a secured full-time job and more confidence, as well as a stronger relationship with my family (which was also one of the reasons I moved back to Quebec), I am now ready to fulfill my dreams of becoming a successful fitness model. I never put fitness aside as it is my biggest passion. But I watched, listened and read about it all. I come back stronger than ever, more confident and motivated to pursue my journey which I had barely started 2 years ago. Third time is a charm, I’m telling ya’!

So get back on this page, subscribe and follow me on my journey to become an IFBB pro. Starting in 19 days where I’m making my debut on the IDFA stage in Montreal followed by 2 competitions on later in October and at the beginning of November. My IFBB pro card is far down the road, I’m aiming to get it in a couple of years. In the mean time, follow me through my writing, my recipes, my photos (photo shoot coming up with the amazing Mark Bradfield next week!) and my little random rants.

Thank you for reading me,

Taking a step back only to explode forward!

That is exactly what will happen. Actually, the stepping back part has already happened. I mean, come on, not a single post since March? Wow! Time flies! I have to admit, although I was still in the gym 5 times a week, I put the whole dream of competing aside for a while. From a shoulder injury to an ankle injury, I just got fed up, sick and tired of entertaining a dream that seemed unattainable. I couldn’t even look at a fitness magazine anymore! All my favorites, from Inside Fitness to Oxygen and Muscle & Fitness Hers, I just couldn’t flip through the pages anymore because I felt like it was a world where I no longer belonged. Maybe I didn’t have what it takes, maybe I never wanted it hard enough. The truth is I stopped believing in myself. So I spent a summer by the pool,training whenever I felt like it, eating whatever, often skipping meals, always feeling like something was missing. That something was structure. The structure of a well designed program, the planning of a strict diet, who was I kidding? I LOVE all that stuff! So I took some time thinking about my next move; if I were to get back into it, I couldn’t let myself go halfway only to give up and feel like a huge failure again. Nor could I just give 90%, allowing I glass of wine or a cheat here and there. This time, it has to be 200%! And let me tell you, I think, actually no, I KNOW that this time is the right time for me. Everything in my personal life is in order and I have a sense of knowing where I’m headed career wise. I’m all set and so focused. We’re back on people! With the recipes and the interviews, the photos (eventually!) and maybe some videos, I mean, there is a video section! Might as well use it!

My food is all ready for the next few days, my new program is written and I’m good to go! Nothing will stop me this time. I feel like taking that step back this summer made me realize how badly I want it and what I’m willing to sacrifice to get it. I am seriously ready to explode forward! I’m aiming for the OPA Ottawa Championships on November 3rd in the figure category. I’m also doing this 90 day transformation using this new product called NV. I heard great reviews about it and I’m very excited to try it. I know it’ll give me more energy and help me drop for the big day. You can find out more about the product on the following link: www.trynv.com 

So make sure you stay tuned! Because a lot will be happening in the next few months and if you happen to be in the Ottawa area on November 3rd, make sure to come by and cheer for me on stage!

When your LIVER no longer deLIVERs!

It has been brought to my attention lately how important our liver is. In my opinion, the liver is probably the second most vital organ after our heart, and maybe our brain, but that’s debatable. A poor liver affects us in so many ways, if you take the time to sit down and think about it, it’s pretty scary. After reading this, you might think twice before your next binge drinking episode and you might want to start taking better care of your liver.

First off, let’s start with an anatomy 101 course; the many functions our liver occupies.

The liver plays a role in:

• Processing of digested food from the intestine
• Breaking down of food and turning it into energy
• Controlling levels of fats, amino acids and glucose in the blood
• Clearing our blood of particles and infections, including bacteria, thus fighting infections in the body
• Neutralizing and destroying drugs and toxins (for instance, after a night of partying)
• Making bile
• Storing iron, vitamins and other essential chemicals
• Manufacturing, breaking down and regulating many hormones, including sex hormones

There are many more other functions the liver does, but I don’t want you to feel like you’re reading a biology textbook, so I’m going to stop here. The liver is a big filter and it’s important to keep it clear so it doesn’t clog. On a side note, this is also why I don’t agree with eating liver…thing about all the crap that ends up in there, would you really want to eat that? It’s almost like going through your garbage trying to find something eatable.

Because the liver does so much, one can rapidly feel sick when it’s not properly functioning. Some of the symptoms of a liver in need of care and cleanse include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Decrease appetite
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Unstable blood sugar lever leading to hypoglycemia
• Decrease energy
• Headache
• Decrease in your immune system
• Skin rashes and dryness
• Mood swings
• Decrease in your sex drive

You see? Pretty much anything can be related to a difficult liver. Before you run to the pharmacy or the doctor’s office with your list of symptoms, why don’t you take a good look at your liver? With all the processed food going around, the alcohol and all the toxins we find anywhere nowadays, whether it’s in the air we breathe or the water we drink, our liver needs a break once in a while! There’s no point in taking vitamins or supplements if your liver doesn’t function properly because you won’t even absorb half of what you’re taking in. It’ll just go right through you as well as all the good nutrients you so badly want from your food.

I’ll admit, this may sound alarming and a bit over the top. But I’m just trying to make it clear that half of what some of you experience, from a simple headache to unexplained vomiting can be made better just by cleansing your liver. A simple and natural liver detox, twice a year, can help you tremendously. Ladies, you want shinier hair and a better skin? Clean your liver! You want more energy? Clean your liver! You can go to any health food store and ask for a liver cleanse, it’ll help. Also, investing in Milk Thistle is a good idea. Milk thistle, or “Chardon Marie” is a plant that does wonders to your liver, it promotes regeneration and repair of liver cells, reverses liver damage and is very helpful in the treatment of hepatitis and cirrhosis. It’s a powerful antioxidants and can help boost your liver function.

A messed up liver can bring a lot of bad news, but a healthy liver will bring you all the energy you want and need. So put that drink down, and start cleansing!

Women vs. Weights; the ultimate war!

Whenever I have girl friends coming to me asking me about their workout program, I get this all the time: “I don’t want to get big! I really don’t want huge muscles!”, “I just want to lose weight, I don’t want guns!”, ” Should I really eat protein after my workout? I don’t want to get big!”.

 I get it. Girls, we don’t want to get huge! But let me tell you this, it is INCREDIBLY  hard as a woman to get muscular! Unless you have Hulk’s genetics or you had a sex change, you’re not going to wake up tomorrow with massive traps and no boobs. On a side note, if you lose a significant amount of body fat, yes, you will lose breasts, (I know, it really sucks!), but genetically, us women, aren’t made to grow huge pipes. The simple reason for this is estrogen. Everything in our body has to be balanced, a wonderful state called homeostasis. We get our period, we have hips and breasts and we can get pregnant all because of estrogen, among other things. When estrogen levels are high, which they predominantly are in women, testosterone levels decrease. Men have an easier time getting a pump because, you’ve guessed it, their testosterone levels are higher.

There are so many reasons why woman SHOULD lift heavy without worrying! You want that sexy, round booty? You want nice, toned arms? Hell, you just want to lose weight? LIFT! It’s a known fact, muscle mass burns more calories than fat tissue. Cardio is a good way to burn extra fat but think about it this way; you wake up early for an hour of cardio and that’s all you do because you desperately want to lose weight but you don’t want to bulk up! You might throw a few sit ups here and there, and that’s it. By the time you’re done showering and doing your hair, your metabolism has gone back down to its original pace because all you did is get your heart rate up for a bit. Now, picture this, you start your day with a real workout! Throw in a few squats, some dead lifts (ladies, do not be afraid of dead lifting, it’s awesome for the booty!), some dumbbell chest press, maybe a few bicep curls and triceps kickbacks. By the time you’re done your shower, you’ll be starving!! And you know what that means? That your metabolism just switched gears and is in full speed! Lifting heavy breaks muscle tissue which requires more energy from your body because it will need to repair everything, thus keeping your metabolism burning calories ALL DAY LONG! (or all night long, depending on the time of day you workout at). Yes, your appetite will increase along with your metabolism, but keep a clean diet and you shouldn’t worry about feeling hungrier. And those protein right after your workout? They will help repair your muscles and get you ready for the next workout.

So unless you follow a very intense mass workout with a specific supplementation to gain mass, you shouldn’t worry about feeling the burn when you lift and you should always reach heavier. I’m not saying that it’s impossible for women to gain mass without turning to growth hormones or testosterone enhancers, I’m saying that it’s harder for a woman, it doesn’t come as easily, and that you have to really, really, REALLY want to get massive in order to do so. It is easier for some women to build toned muscles a bit faster then others, but that is due to genetics and the way your muscles show is linked to that, just like the way some women have more of a pear shape and some have bigger boobs than others…

So what do you have to lose? A few pounds, maybe? Stop being so afraid of lifting and do it! I promise, you’re not going to wake up looking like a somewhat feminine version of Jay Cutler! Step off that treadmill, go pick up a dumbbell and get back to me; you won’t regret it! LIFT! 

 

Do this, not that!

I’m sure you’ve all been there; at a point where you’re not sure what you should be doing workout wise and/or nutrition wise. Therefore, you ask around, having a load of questions is great! Congrats!..but this is what you often get: “Don’t do any cardio!”, “Do at least an hour of cardio a day”, “Cross fit is the way to go!”, “Eat this, forget about that”, “Train at least 2 hours a day”, “Quick workouts are better”,”Interval training is the way to go!”, “Do a full body circuit rather than split routines”…and so on. There are SO MANY different types of workout regimen and diet out there, it can leave you stressed out and confused and you might end up shying away for exercise altogether. “High protein, low carb”, “Carb cycling”, “High fat, low protein”, “No carbs at all!”, “Warriors diet”, “6 small meals a day”…is your head spinning yet?

While I’m not here to tell you exactly WHAT to do, there are a few things I can say. First of all, whatever way you decide to go with, STICK TO IT! There are hundreds of ways you can do something but you’ll NEVER get results if you keep on hoping from one method to another. If you do a little research, there usually are tons of articles backing up statements and methods. If you can’t find any, you might want to put this way of doing aside. As well as research supporting the most common ways of training and dieting, there are also tons of research against those same methods. For instance, you can find a lot of articles stating the negative effect of cardiovascular training on your body but you can also find a lot of article supporting running in many different ways whether it is for fat loss or stress reduction. You just have to do your research.

Also, if you decide to go with whatever one or 2 people say and practice, remember a few things.

1- Not everybody is the same; what works for your buddy might not work for you! We all know, everybody is different and it’s nearly impossible to guarantee the exact same results between 2 individuals.

2- If you magically find someone who practices what they preach and it works for you as well, quit asking around! It’s good to keep your knowledge up to par but if you constantly question what is being taught to you, you’ll end up running in circle comparing what one person says over the other. Health and fitness is a growing industry and numerous studies and beliefs always come out either supporting or shutting down other theories, it’s up to you to use your judgment when you adopt a theory. It’s almost like fashion, what is “in” one year gets kicked out the curb the following year.

Again, whatever you decide to go with, STICK TO IT! You should give at least 4-6 weeks to a workout program or a nutrition plan before you decide to shoot it down, claiming it either doesn’t work, or it isn’t for you. Also, make sure you fully commit to what you pick. Keep a journal, tell other people what you’re doing so you’re accountable for it and don’t come and tell me that this or that doesn’t work when you’ve done half of it properly and cheated on your diet half of the time or decided to switch some exercises to the program you’re trying. Of course you won’t get results if you’re winging it all. STICK TO IT and COMMIT a 100%!

It also comes down to knowing your body. After juggling different theories, and keeping track of them, you’ll be able to tell what works for you. But that takes years. So you better get started now, and remember to give it a fair amount of time before you decide whether or not you’re sold on the idea. Once you found what works, keep it, and make it better! Don’t jump from one style to another so rapidly; cross fit might be the hot thing on the block right now, but I can guarantee you that a few months from now, something new and exciting will come out. And it’s great to try it, but stay focused if results are what you want, and STICK TO YOUR PROGRAM!

When a good workout isn’t the only thing you get at the gym

We’ve all heard, or know, someone who’s a “gym rat”, ( as I proudly raise both hands). Gym rats are people who can’t get enough of the gym, getting their sweat on, pushing weights around, always wanting to lift heavier and heavier. But have you heard about “gym germs”? Doesn’t sound as cute as gym rats, and it’s not. Gym germs aren’t people, but they’re definitely a big problem to them. Just like the first category, gym germs love the gym since they thrive in a warm and sweaty atmosphere. With February around the corner, the weight room gets a little less busy as many New Year’s Resolution people are slowly starting to lose interest and get back to their busy lifestyle. What’s left? The gym rats, and the germs.

Now, you all know I’m all about being healthy and exercising and I’m being a bit of a hypocrite by writing this piece and you’ll find out why in a minute. Gyms are ranked as one of the highest places where people can get sick. Athletes and “gym rats” are at increased exposure to fungal, viral and bacterial infections.How ironic! We get a gym membership in the hope of getting healthier but we’re exposing ourselves to higher risks of diseases. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT suggesting people should use this as an excuse not to go to the gym. NOT AT ALL! But when you do, make sure you follow a few little tips that could avoid you a week in bed, not in a good way. This is the part where I consider myself a huge hypocrite. I live at the gym; I work and work out there. Guess who is now stuck in bed, writing this article, with pneumonia? (again, I’m raising both hands here!). So much for leading by example. So do as I say, or rather as I write, and not as do. I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve ever been sick for this long in my life. At least I can use this as inspiration to write. Trying to stay positive here…

1. Bring your water – Drinking fountains are the worst breeding ground for bacteria. Many studies have claimed that there are in fact more bacteria surrounding water fountains than there are found on public toilets! Another study showed traces of rota virus in water fountains. Rota virus causes diarrhea. How lovely? If you have to bring 2 water bottles in order to stay away from the fountain, do it! And speaking of water bottles, remember to clean them often.
2. Disinfect – I think by now, pretty much all gyms are equipped with sanitizer on every wall of the weight room. Great! Now make sure you use it! Us the sprays to wipe down your equipment but don’t forget about yourself, and use that hand sanitizer to wash your hands. A little tip – use it in between each exercises that you do. If that means walking across the weight room to get some and you’d rather not, carry your own. Pharmaceutical companies came up with so many cute little versions of hand sanitizers which you can carry everywhere. Bath and Body Works even has some that smell pretty amazing. And guys, don’t worry, you can also find the ones that only smell like rubbing alcohol, we get it, you’re guys, you can’t smell like tropical fruit in the weight room. But think about it, you’re already carrying your water bottle, a towel,a notepad if your track your workout, your iPod, maybe a stop watch…what’s an extra little bottle of hand sanitizer?
3. Wash – Hand sanitizers are great on the spot, and being a nurse, I’m all for them. But there’s nothing like a good scrub! When you’re done your workout, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
4. Carry more bags – Ok, ladies, I know some of us already have a lot to carry between purses, gym bag, lunch bag…shopping bags? But what I’m talking about is just a small bag which you can keep in your gym bag so as soon as you’re done working out, STRIP! Take all of your sweaty clothes off and put them in that extra bag to keep them separate from everything else in your gym bag. That way, you avoid spreading germs, let’s say on your hair brush which you’re going to take out at home and leave on the bathroom counter and use later…see where I’m going with this? Keep your dirty workout clothes separated from everything else in your bag so you’ll avoid spreading whatever you picked up at the gym in your home.
5. Stay home – This is probably where I’m the biggest hypocrite. This tip is, in my gym rat opinion, the hardest to follow. If, by any unfortunate event, you do wind up with a cough or a runny nose, stay away from the gym. One, because working out decreases your immune system and that’s when those germs become more powerful and a simple cold can turn into…let’s say…pneumonia! There’s no such thing as “sweating it out” when it come to germs. Stupid boyfriends? Maybe. Bacteria? NO! You need to rest. Give yourself a couple of days so you won’t end up losing and entire week of training. Two, by staying away while you’re sick, you avoid spreading your germs at the gym which is already crawling with them anyway, why add yours? And this is the part where I should apologize if, by my lack of control and intense desire of training I directly or indirectly contaminated someone. I’m sorry!
6. Relax – We all live busy lifestyles and training add stress to our body. Make sure your take time to relax and make time for yourself. Germs like stress because it also decreases your immune system. As prevention, make sure you take time for yourself whether it’s to sit down and read something, (such as my blog..just a thought here!), or go for a steam or a yoga class. Do something that is geared towards yourself because trust me, there’s nothing worst than being forced to spend time with yourself when you’re sick and bedridden.

I want to stress that again, I didn’t write this to discourage people from the gym, don’t use germs as an excuse not to workout. Unlike me, be smart about it! I tend to learn a lot by being stubborn and making mistakes. ” I’m not that sick anymore, I really want to go workout, I’m fine..!” Respect your body…and  sanitize those hands!

** Side note, if you use sanitizer a lot, congrats!, you might also want to carry hand moisturiser in your bag for later. Nothing like dry hands and gym calyces!

Beyond “hot and fit”

 

I recently got the opportunity to go to one of the hottest party in Toronto; Hot and Fit 100 Launch from Inside Fitness Magazine.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, over the past 3 years, out of thousands of picture submitted, Inside Fitness Magazine has been selecting the top hundred girls to appear in this special edition that gets guys, as well as us ladies, to run to the stand and get a copy.

As I’m standing in the room, surrounded by women incredibly toned, fit and, let’s be honest, hot as hell, I can’t help but wonder about the people who took months to select the top 100, let alone the top 10.  I’m flipping through the pages thinking I wouldn’t want to be the one having to decide which girl would make it to the top 10 – they all look so great!

It’s only a few days after the event that I’m flipping through my copy of Inside Fitness that I understood! Heather Robertson, last year’s title winner, wrote an article about how it felt for her to be number one and what in entails. It’s more than a 6 pack and a nice smile. Much more. Three words; inspiration, motivation and education. Throughout the years, Inside Fitness has been zeroing in on girls that work every day to make themselves better not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. As cheesy as it may sound. They also inspire people every day through their hard work and dedication. Now, THAT’s what make a top 10.

Heather’s article also reached me in terms of why I want to be a fitness model so badly. When asked in the past, I’ve always had somewhat of a hard time to answer why. Not because I didn’t know. But because I knew it’s comes from a deeper place than being fit and getting exposure, I just couldn’t put it in words. I want to be a fitness model because I want to reach people, and inspire. I want to help and educate. I do want a 6 pack and to be on the cover of a couple of magazines, but that’s just a perk. I want to write more, learn more and share all the experiences I go through. Nobody is perfect, we all make mistakes, we all go through harder times and I think we can all learn from one another through sharing those experiences. This is why I want to be a fitness model and this is why I will be part of the Top 100 Hot and Fit and many more.

I also want to take this time to congratulate all the girls who made it! Your hard work is inspiring to me, and after meeting some you at the party – I can see why your radiant personalities landed you in this year’s edition! I can’t wait to be a part of it! Terry Frendo – Be ready, I’m coming!

Make sure you pick up your copy of  Inside Fitness Magazine TODAY!! and Get inspired!