Food Confessions

I am happy to announce both my hubby & I have been doing REALLY well with our recent change to a wheat-free lifestyle, we've been on track about 90% of the time no matter if we are away, working or at home.
Last night however, we fell off the wagon & paid for it. I had chips (empty calories) & Nick had some beer... I know it doesn't sound like much but just to show you how much wheat is in beer and the crap in chips, we both literally had stomach aches within 30mins. I even felt so awful it woke me in the middle of the night.
I love that Nick is now aware of what foods do to his body and admitting it! before he wouldn't admit that my eating recommendations were actually based on true research and not totally out of left  feild.
So we are both SO on the wheat-free band wagon, for life hopefully. I'm also aiming to lower my blood pressure (I have hypertension) with my decreased wheat, I'll keep you posted!!

Yummy Lunch Today!!

Tuna, Spinach, Romaine, red & green peppers, avocados, cauliflower & ground flax seed....DELICIOUS!!

This was our lunch today, my girls even loved it! They also had carrots dipped in Natural Peanut Butter & a chocolate chip pancake.

Don't make meals just for you, create a masterpiece that your whole family will enjoy and their tummy will say thank-you as well!

Have an awesome week-end & get out to enjoy the sunshine with some activity



Another Kick A** Day at the studio

As most of you know, I LOVE my job. Our clients at Performance Fitness are the best in York Region..hands down. But there was something about my sessions on Wednesday that made my 9hrs of training SO MUCH FUN! My morning clients always wake me up with some laughs, then my lunchtime ladies...what can i say other than "YOU ROCKED IT". My afternoon/evening was full of; new client, laughing, sweating, more laughing & maybe a grunt or two.
My clients make me want to be a better trainer! Continually educating myself, challenging in new ways, keeping things fresh and changing up the workouts even for those clients I've been training for 7+yrs! I know many of you have said to me recently "Do you just dream these things up?", well for some exercises..YES! If you have to do it, then I have tried it first on myself to make sure its up to our Performance Fitness standards so at least I've made myself sore too right?! lol
So thank-you to all of you that make our time at "work" so amazing and thank-you to everyone who has referred friends or family to us, we are so excited that you want to share your training studio with others and allow us to be in their lives as well.
Have an AWESOME rest of your week, and I'll see you in the studio.
P

Hormonal Blood Work DENIED by Doctor!!

I took 2 of my kids to get their needles yesterday and had set up to get a requisition for a complete set of blood work because I have not had it done since long before having my 3 girls. I wanted the "typical" blood work; cholesterol, iron, ect but I ALSO wanted to get my adrenals and hormone levels tested to really have a full picture of how my body is functioning. I have spoken to MANY clients who have had their hormonal blood work done and was warned about the hesitation doctors have in giving requisitions to do it. So low and behold, my doctor ask me why i would want that done and when I answered that i wanted a full picture of what is going on in my body after having 3 kids in 3.5yrs and being on birth control on-and-off for 9yrs...she proceeded to say "Its not accurate"! Can you believe that?! I was floored. As far as I know, blood work is your MOST ACCURATE picture of whats happening in your body. She was asking am I having certain symptoms that would lead me to think I need my hormonal or adrenals tested and I said no but I feel that knowing what is going on in my body is important. So in other words, If i had an issue she'd do it but since i don't, we'll wait for one!
I had my hubby and all 3 kids with me so i left it but i was thinking more after I got home; is my health care not about ME? If I ask for something to be done, no matter if its covered or I have to pay, isn't that up to me? Hormonal testing can show signs that could lead to certain cancers, immune issues, and SO MUCH MORE! Why is my asking for this blood work frowned upon?
I need to put a note about my doctor though; she is a great doctor and WONDERFUL with my kids and I've been going to her since I was 4yrs old so I'm not trying to knock her, I was actually just disappointed though.
I will be making an apt with a Naturopath soon and will get the requisition from them without an issue but I really am getting a sense more and more that traditional doctors want to treat symptoms and not be pro-active to make sure we don't get to a point where we are having problems, THEN fix it!
Be pro-active in your health care and don't just accept the answers from anyone, do your homework and educate yourself and I promise, your body will thank-you. I'm learning that a combination of traditional doctor and naturopathic doctors is an AWESOME team to have on your side for overall health.

Pilates and Yoga STARTING NOW!!

We are excited to announce that Performance Fitness now offer Pilates and Yoga! Patti O'Neill will be teaching these 6 week progressive classes in the middle basement of LifeSpring Physio Therapy.

Yoga- Monday mornings @ 9am
Pilates- Tuesday evenings @ 7pm

Each of these programs will  be kept to a maximum of 6 people in order to gear each class towards the participants needs and goals. There will be a focus for each week, for example:
Yoga: Hip Openers, Twists, Home Practises, Forward Bends, Back Bends & Balances

It is one hour per week commitment to making YOU better!

e-mail paula.performancefitness@gmail.com to register

Investment: $120 for 6wks or $25 to drop-in.

Your Hips don't Lie!!

I did a workout today and realised how imbalanced I was. I thought I was strong, relatively even with regards to my muscles, left side compared to right...well was I ever wrong! I had decided I was going to focus a lot more on single leg/arm work to isolate and even things out, what I didn't expect was how weak I was in certain areas. Single leg squat with a single arm press is a new favourite exercise of mine, it takes A LOT of focus but you feel those hip/bum muscles instantly! It tends to be mainly back and hips that create MAJOR issues if they are not balanced; but the cool thing is, it doesn't take a lot of time to feel the difference and then see he difference. Another great side effect to uni-lateral training is the Core workout you get along with a huge increase in balance.
So if you train with me regularly, be ready...its ON!! You will be challenged & have muscles isolated and "talking to you" that you haven't hard from in while...or EVER! The good new is though, whatever I make you do...I make myself do first :)

May Registrations OPEN! Check out our Programs!

May 90min Outdoor Bootcamp- Saturday May 5th; 8:30-10am
An Outdoor Adventure! Come and see how you can use the outdoor to challenge, change & energy your body!
ONLY 2 SPOT LEFT!!!

Couples Bootcamp;
This is the ultimate date night! We have had 7 different couples in our Boot Camps over the last 6 wks and there have be many spouses that do not workout regularly and they ALL have signed up for a 2nd bootcamp because they loved it so much. We make working out fun with your spouse; a little team work and a little competition and lots of laughs as a group. Only $30/couple
Saturday May 5th; 5:30-6:30pm- FULL
Saturday May 26th; 5:30-6:30pm- 1 spot left

Lunchtime Bootcamp; May 28th- July 2nd (6wks)
Mon/Wed/Fri at noon-1pm, participants can choose a 2day/wk or 3 day/wk option. $15/session

Evening/Week-end Bootcamp; (change days to mon/wed/sat)- Wed May 23rd- Sat June 30th
This Bootcamp runs Monday & Wednesday @ 7pm and Saturdays @ 8am, participants can choose 2 or 3 days/wk. $15/session

NEW Programs at Performance Fitness;

Stroller Fit Program; May 16th- June 20th (6 wks)
Wednesdays at 11am
This program will include jogging, strength, core and flexibility. This program is for moms with any kids that can be strapped into a stroller! Come enjoy the fresh air, the company and the workout!!
This 6 week session is only $75+hst!!
We will be meeting on the Tom Taylor Trail on St. John's Side road just East of Yonge

Running Group; Starting Sunday May 27th
Sunday Mornings at the Studio @ 7:30am; FREE!!
E-mail paula.perforamncefitness@gmail.com if you'll be attending

Spring Cleanse
Purchase the spring cleanse for just $35!!
Spring is the perfect time to clean out your life. So toss those lumpy sweaters, track pants, sugary foods, and harsh chemicals and lighten up!
It can be daunting choosing between the hundreds of cleansing programs available and determining which one will work for you. Stop right here because you have found the right one. This is a natural program that uses the most gentle and advanced principles to help you naturally experience healthy detoxification, weight loss (optional) and optimal health.
Email or call Debbie Allen, Homeopathic Physician and Registered Nutritionist,  today and get your cleanse started. 905 713 2427
The length of the program is two weeks and it will be a rapid, gentle and effective cleansing program.

Keep a Strong Core During and After Pregnancy

Keeping a Strong CORE During Pregnancy & After Delivery

During pregnancy

many women are very nervous to exercise, however, this is one of the best things you can do for your body and your baby! I highly recommend that you get a program designed by a certified and knowledgeable personal trainer once you find out that you are pregnant because there are modifications that need to be made the further along a woman gets into her pregnancy. As far as the Core goes, the best exercises for a pregnant woman are stability ball exercises and planks. With the stability ball you should modify the crunch to an incline position because once you pass approximately16-20 weeks you should not be doing anything lying flat on your back. The planks can be modified from toes down to knees (with traditional & side planks) as well. Planking is AMAZING for keeping the core muscles intact, holding the belly tight, supporting the low back, and recovering after you have a baby!

       

Post-baby

I'm sure many of you noticed that after you had your baby the core muscles that you had seem almost non-existent. Each pregnancy is different and each woman's belly expands differently. There are some women who are able to keep their core intact throughout their pregnancy and there are others whose belly grows at a very fast rate and their core just lets go, and then some women have abdominal muscles that literally separate. Every woman can still do core work but depending on the amount of separation (if any), your results can vary.

After you delivered your baby, your nurse/midwife most likely told you to start doing kegel exercises. I remember trying to do these exercises and physically not being able to contract those pelvic floor muscles! It was like the message wasn't getting from my brain to my muscles!! Eventually, the message does get there. Your pelvic floor muscles are just as important as the outer abdominal muscles that people tend to work on for ‘looks.’ The best exercise to start with, after you are able to do kegel exercises and have gotten the ‘okay’ from your doctor, is the plank. A plank is a full core exercise so it’s not just the rectus abdominal (your 6-pack muscles), internal & external oblique muscles or the transverse abdominal; which means the muscles down the centre of your stomach, the sides & around your truck. The plank encompasses all of those muscles! It is key to work all these deep abdominal muscles (transverse abdominals) and not just to focus on the superficial muscles. Your spine needs to be supported, especially when you are feeding, changing diapers, lifting car seats and more! All these activities require your body to be in a bent forward position or they require you to twist and turn while holding quite a bit of weight. Planking will help you save your lower back and keep your tummy pulled in tight.

As you see in the picture above of the plank, you are on your forearms and either knees or toes. Keep tailbone tucked under (pelvic tilt) then hold that position as long as you can. Side plank is shown above as well but you can come up onto feet if core is strong enough.

Now for those superficial muscles -- the flat, toned, defined abs that we all want. The most effective way to get those is to use a stability ball. If you don’t have a stability ball one can be purchased for approximately $25 and it is worth every penny. Using a stability ball makes every core exercise you do even more effective than on the floor because you are using an unstable surface. As soon as you lay back on the ball you’ll feel your core contract, without even doing an exercise! Imagine the benefit once you actually do crunches or crossovers. A bonus about the stability ball is your child will LOVE to sit on your lap while you bounce on it! It’s always a hit with the little ones.

When positioning yourself on the bal to do a crunch, ly back on the ball so it is in your lower back and just your head and shoulders are hanging off the top. Keep your hips up in a pelvic tilt then crunch the upper body up trying to get your ribs as close to your hip bones as possible without dropping your hips. Go back till flat then crunch up again.

If you incorporate these exercises into your daily routine 4-5 times a week you will feel stronger and tighter very quickly. The key to 'seeing' the results is incorporating cardiovascular and strength training with the core exercises to burn off any extra calories. Look for more information on this in a future article.

If you have any questions about core exercises or are already doing these exercises and want some new ones to try please feel free to contact me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com.

Don't EVER feel like you cannot workout or be active. If you have injuries or limitations that hinder you from doing these exercises there are ALWAYS modifications to fit every person.

Paula Man

Owner- Performance Fitness
CPTN certified personal trainer
Fitness & Health Promotion Diploma
Sport Movement Specialist

Don't Be a Slave to the Scale

Don’t Be a Slave to the Scale

If you are like most of us, your New Years resolution involved some sort of fitness & weight loss goal. It is the time of year for fresh starts & bright outlooks on what this year will hold. I'm here to tell you that you CAN make this year your best fitness/wellness year ever & you don't need to rely on your scale for happiness!

A scale is only 1 small part of measuring your success. Many people have a number in their head of where they would like to be. When I ask clients why "that" number it usually brings them back to a time in their life where they were happy with themselves physically as well as their life as a whole. The issue with ONLY using the scale to measure your success is that you don't take into account when you lose body fat but put on muscle. Muscle is more dense than fat and fat takes up more "space" than muscle. So even if your weight doesn't drop as fast as you'd expect, if you increase your muscle mass you will get physically smaller. I like to ask people after they tell me their goal weight, "what size do you want to be" and we also record that size when writing their goals.

I use measurements MUCH more than I use weight to show success and results. In the end, EVERY single client I have wants to get rid of fat/tighten up/tone a certain area or a few areas and if we can do that but the scale doesn't move as much as they expected; NO ONE CARES!

We all should be combining cardiovascular training, core work & strength to create a strong, stable & toned body. When you train functionally; that means you use movements that simulate your daily life and that incorporate many muscle groups instead of just one at a time, you will lose inches & weight. This way of training helps you perform daily tasks easier & increase your metabolism. It also allows you to burn a TON of calories while tightening your abs & building muscles! Many people do ONLY cardio to lose weight, and they will lose weight most of the time, BUT they will also lose muscle. In other words, their weight will go down but their body will still be lose & saggy instead of tight & toned. Doing functional training that combines cardio, strength & core will burn calories & tone up the whole body ALL AT ONCE! Also when you increase you muscle mass, your metabolic rate will increase which means you will burn more calories at rest.

There are tools like the TRX Suspension trainer, the TRX RIP trainer & kettlebells that are incredible for keeping your heart rate increased to the fat burning level while challenging your muscles so that they increase their fat burning capacity as well as firing your core muscles! What more could you ask for in an exercise?!

In summary, if you want to lose weight & tone up you need to use body measurements as well as a scale to measure your progress and results, NEVER just a scale. I recommend these measurements so you get a full picture of how & where your body is changing; chest, each arm (around the bicep), smallest part of your waist, belly button, hip bones, around the butt & each thigh(up high around the inner thigh). Doing these 9 measurements will show you exactly where you are changing & re-shaping your body. If you are not seeing changes in weight or measurements in 4wks and are working out 3+ times a week, changes need to be made to your program so that results happen. I do measurements with clients every 3 weeks and there are ALWAYS differences in that length of time. Going no longer than that will also keep you on track if you have been slipping, it will light a fire under you to get back on track again and start heading towards where you want to be.

If you have the proper program designed for you and the right tools you WILL be successful...I PROMISE!

Author: Paula Man
www.performancefitnesstraining.com
published in www.newmarketbaby.ca

Killer Bootcamp yesterday!

I decided that I was going to focus on some different areas and challenges for one of my boot camp groups yesterday; we only used a kelltbell and a ball/bosu. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that the workout was a VERY challenging one for my participants. If you think you can't get a good workout with what you have at home or you are currently working out at home and are so bored with what you have been doing but cannot afford more equipment; I say BRING IT ON!! Let me tell you what you can do to get the results you want with what you have.
There really is NO EXCUSE and my passion for my clients is to keep them working out even when I'm not there. I had a client tell me I need to make an app called VirtualPaula (thanks Kelly) and I think its an awesome idea! You can do it at home, in a hotel, on vacation, ANYWHERE. There is absolutely no reason for you to fall off the waggon or gain weight while you are away.

Biggest "Wheat Freedom" Challenge yet

So as many of you know, I have embarked on a wheat free eating plan after reading the Wheat Belly and realising the effects of modern day wheat after all the genetic modifications that have been made over the past 55yrs. If you haven't read it, DO IT! Its a very enlightening book for sure.
I have done very well over the last 2 weeks and without any cravings at all actually, my husband did have some cravings but overall has done really well too. We will do another weigh-in tomorrow morning and I'm not sure what to expect but I will tell you that my waste line and love handle area feels a whole lot tighter...all the time. Pants fit better, everything is flatter without having to suck it in and I will be taking a measurement cause it feels like i may be smaller cause I had to go to the next belt loop in on my jeans today! So many pleasant side effects with the wheat freedom along with increased energy, better digestion and overall "healthy feeling".
Here is my Challenge; Heading downtown for 2 days of restaurant food! I will be attempting to stay on my wheat free plan (there may be some champagne or wine involved!!) through this outing. I think i can do it and the reason I'm writing this is so you can keep me accountable! I will remember you all when I'm making my choices this week-end and I'll let you know how the restaurants did to accommodate my requests. I honestly don't think it will be too hard, restaurants are very good at making changes to suit different allergies, etc. I think my biggest challenge will be sitting at the spa in the cozy "chill room" before our massage with homemade pastries staring at me! I need to avoid that room i think.
Wish me luck and I'll see you in a few days with my success/failure story and how i felt.

My "Wheat Freedom Adventure" Part 2

As you read earlier last week, my hubby and I are on a wheat free regime now and its going amazingly well. We have 1 meal a week that is our "cheat meal" and last night was that. We went out for sushi with friends and it was interesting, tummy felt fine but the puffy fingers today from water retention (which is common) made me feel "fat". I haven't felt that bloated feeling since Day 1!
Tonight at my parents for dinner it was burgers and chicken, so no bun for us and veggies with the burgers...a breeze. Then came dessert, yes we gave in. But HOLY CRAP did we pay for it; Nick was in the bathroom within 30mins of finishing and I had gut rot along with a sugar headache! I'm not kidding you!
So this is clearly an "Adventure" in how our bodies respond to food for sure. We are both learning what we just took as normal before is not that at all, its our bodies telling us "this is not what we want or what we need" to function properly.
If you have gone wheat free or are trying it let me know how you're feeling? And if you want to join me in this adventure..DO IT!
Until next time....

Best date night EVER!

Last night was our 2nd  Couples Bootcamp and it ROCKED! We had 3 couples along with Nick and I who laughed, sweat & joked for the whole time. I love it when we end up sitting and talking for another 20+mins after the workout is done, means the company was enjoyed as much as the workout. Can you believe some people actually said it went by too fast I should make it 90mins! You guys keep me on my ties and so pumped about my job.
My arms are stiff today though! lol  Next time we'll plan dinner afterwards as well for anyone interested. Thanks for the fun EVERYONE!
www.performancefitnesstraining.com

My "Wheat Freedom Adventure"

So as of Monday April 9th, 2012 I decided to embark on a new "food adventure" and test out some theories on the effects of wheat on my body. I have gone wheat-free for a few days/wk and little bouts here and there but never consistently for longer than a few days.
I work very long days and I had been noticing a real lull in my energy early afternoon as well as cravings for sugar or just food later at night light 9-9:30pm and I know from many years of education and research in my field that my body does NOT need to eat, its merely a habit or an imbalance in my body that starts to tell my brain I need it. Losing weight is not at all my goal out of this experiment; it is 100% for internal health of all my organs and my brain along with overall consistent energy throughout the day, no "brain-fog" for half the morning and no bloated belly half the time.
So I told my hubby about my plans and as usual he asks why I'm always so extreme and "one-sided" with what I try to follow. He told me that this "diet" was crazy. Once the word diet came out I proceeded to tell him about what I had learned from reading the research in "The Wheat Belly";
1) wheat/gluten crosses the blood-brain barrier and attaches to the same receptors at opium drugs! The ones that make people have the munchies and makes people addicted! So it is 100% an addictive food. They use a gluten-free diet to treat mental illness in some well known facilities...does that not set off a warning sign in anyone else’s head?! It did in mine
2) The insulin response our bodies have when we eat wheat specifically placed fat around our bellies but the scariest part is that the fat is visceral fat. That is the deep fat that surrounds your organs, the most dangerous fat
3) For men, it also increases estrogen production so not only is there belly fat but also "man boobs"...and the list goes on! So needless to say, he reluctantly has joined me on this adventure and I might add, is doing VERY well.
I have also been reading Dr. Natasha Turners "The Carb Sensitivity Program" and it has a very easy to follow meal plan with all recipes and LOTS of options to help you go wheat-free. She also then introduces carbs back into your diet one at a time so you can see if you have any sensitivities, I’m not doing that part...done that already.
The main guidelines we are following are:
1) Breakfast- scrambled eggs with meat and veggies (doesn't take long) or Smoothie with fruit, almond milk, vegan protein powder, ground flaxseed & spinach
2) Snacks- cheese, raw nuts (no limit), Greek yogurt, smaller smoothie, boiled eggs
3) Lunch- Salad or raw veggies and hummus, chicken or fish
5) Steamed or raw veggies with lots of protein (fish, chicken) avocados, salad, and lettuce leaf tacos
6) Evening- green tea

I am proud to say that I have not had a craving all week! Nick on the other hand would have given his left arm for some bread by Wednesday so he had a small portion of rice noodles with a meat sauce but then was fine! I have felt amazing this week, even with an insane work day wed (7:30am-9pm) I had lots of energy and focus. Also, NO BLOATING!! And a pretty cool side effect is I’m down 2lbs, so wont complain about that either.
This is definitely a commitment and not done easily so if you are thinking about it make sure you have time to plan your meals. I did a big shop on Monday for all our meat/fish, nuts, and avocados to make sure we were stalked up or we would crash and burn.
So YAY for week #1 on my Wheat Freedom adventure, I’ll keep you posted on how it goes each week.

http://www.performancefitnesstraining.com/

Exercise makes you a "whole new person"

Yesterday my hubby went out mountain biking with my brother and brother-in-law; I have always know the positive effects exercise has on our outlook on life and frame of mind but it was SUPER obvious to me yesterday in him. We had a really busy week-end of Easter festivities and we were both tired by sunday afternoon, but when he came home from being out in the fresh air, getting his blood pumping and having some fun with the boys...he was in such a good mood and that lasted for the whole rest of the evening. He was more relaxed with the kids, didn't let little things get to him and he even said that evening that he really felt like he needs to "enjoy" our time with the kids and our family more instead of feeling like we're "on top" of them for most of the week-end. To put this into perspctive for some of you, we have a 4.5yr old, and 3yr old and a 1yr old daughter so you can imagine what life can be like in our house at times!
So get yourself moving and enjoying this weather since spring has come early and not only will you feel the difference, others will SEE it!

"Take it outside the gym" by Paula Man

Take It Outside the Gym

Who says you need to have a gym membership to be in shape...NOT ME! There are so many great things you can do at home or outside that require very minimal cost or equipment. Many of them would be fun with your family as well!!

Cardiovascular activities, such as, biking, jogging, soccer, roller blading, basket ball, football and ultimate frisbee are great for burning calories and improving cardiovascular endurance. The key things to remember though are 1) you must get and keep your heart rate elevated for a 20 min+ period of time to see improvements in endurance and 2) you must do these types of activities 3-4x per week. If you follow those 2 guidelines you will see improvements in your endurance, increased energy levels, a more positive frame of mind and usually weight loss!

To gain more strength and tone there are also many options that you can do outside or in your home. In my opinion, the best and most cost effective pieces of equipment you should invest in are a stability ball (approx $25) and tubing (approx $15). With these 2 pieces of equipment you WILL gain strength, tone, and lose inches. With the tubing you can wrap it around a stair banister or support post at home and outside you can use a tree, fence or park bench as your anchor. The stability ball I would use in the house or possibly deck but not on grass in case something sharp pokes a hole in it. It is a great tool for core and legs though.

Here is a sample workout that can be done at home or outside...or ANYWHERE!

Equipment: Medium Tension Tube, yoga mat (optional) & YOU

Warm-up: do each of the following for 45-60sec

*stationary squats (not too deep, keep your weight in your heels), toe touches (opposite hand touches opposite toe then switch back and forth), arm circle (in both directions), plank (shoulders relaxed & pelvic tilt!)

Workout: perform each of these exercises for 60 secs; do as many as you can with proper form in the 60 secs

1) Chest press (with tubing anchored behind you)

2) Row (with tubing anchored in front of you)

3) Mountain Climbers (on hands and toes, body flat, Pull 1 knee into your tummy then switch)

4) Walking lunges (when stepping keep front knee over ankle when you drop down into lunge, both knees should bend to 90 degree. If you experience any knee pain don't go as low, modify to what suits your body)

5) Planks (on forearms and toes)

6) Bicep Curl (standing on centre of tubing)

7) Tricep kickbacks (tubing anchored in front of you, tip forward from the hip so your back is almost parallel to ground and keep elbows at your sides. Push hands back till arms straight then bend elbow to 90 degrees and repeat)

It is up to you whether you have enough time or strength to complete this circuit twice or more. If you are a beginner to exercise or haven't done much in a while start with one time through and see how you feel. This circuit should take you about 15-20 minutes total so ideally doing 2x through is still very manageable for a busy mom or dad. This type of workout should be done 2-3x per week in order to see the results quickly. There are MANY different options that can be given besides this workout so feel free to contact me if you need some modifications or variety.

I must say this as well though, no matter how hard you workout, if your diet is filled with processed carbs and sugars you are sabotaging your results. The eating plan should always go along with the exercise plan. When you put the two into action together you will be floored by how fast you will feel better and see physical changes. Healthy eating and getting active is the key.

So there is absolutely NO REASON why we all can't get active, get outside with our families and see that results we've been looking for. No gym membership needed! Recruit some friends to join you and the accountability is awesome! I have grown from 3hrs/wk of small group training to over 10hrs/wk just because of some pretty amazing results but even more so, the social aspect and accountability that the participants get.

If you have any questions about this article or Performance Fitness and the programs we offer, please contact me at paula.performancefitness@gmail.com.

Get outside and get in shape! Have a great day!

Paula Man

I can't put "The Wheat Belly" down!

I have had MANY clients tell me about the book "The Wheat Belly" by william Davis but had't read it, well bought it and hooked! So interesting how our modern day "wheat" has been so genetically modified but yet was never tested to ensure it is still healthy for humans. There is now testing being done but it doesn't go back to the original grain, it only testing to ensure any future modifications are not harmful for our bodies. All for the sake of more yield per crop and more profit.

We need to get back to the basics people; Whole Foods & Real foods, not genetically modified or man made. If this is a topic you are interested in highly recommend this book.

I'm DEFINITELY Felling that run!!

I had an afternoon with no kids and no clients yesterday so i did a few errands but I then decided to put all my house hold chores aside and get out for a run! It was AWESOME! I have been trying to get my butt back in gear with my regular running so i can do another half marathon and within a year hopefully a full. For me its all about setting goals and booking the races and then I make time for it. I have many clients and members who are runners and it seems to the general consensus; book the race and you will train...talk about doing a race, you will make excuses.
So here is my plan ladies and gentleman, and you can hold me accountable; do a 10km before the end of the year, a half marathon by the spring or 2013 and a full by the end of 2013!! There, I said it so now I have to do it.
I will be starting a running group in May/June where anyone can come and run together from the studio. This will not have a fee to it, its just an accountability tool to get everyone back on track with their goals as well as myself and my training. So I'll keep you posted on the start date.