The second most important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves how you fuel your body. The first article in the Leading a Healthy Lifestyle trilogy discussed the importance of exercise and the variety of ways you can maintain a regular exercise regimen while holding yourself accountable. Now it’s time to discuss how to hold yourself accountable for what you put in your body. The Canadian Food Guide recommends that females 19-50 years of age consume 7-8 vegetables and fruits, 6-7 grain products, 2 milk and alternatives, and 2 meat and alternatives per day. For males ages 19-50 the recommended consumption is 8-10 fruits and vegetables, 8 grain products, 2 milk and alternatives, and 3 meat and alternatives per day. If you haven’t seen the recommended guidelines you can visit the Health Canada website to see how you compare. As you read this article you are probably thinking that you’ve not eaten along Canada’s recommended food guidelines. Either you are eating too little or too much. The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology created a Canadian Obesity Report in March of this year. The committee found that the majority of Canadians do not following the food guidelines set forth in 2007. Rather, there has been an increase in consumption of processed, ready-to-eat and snack foods contributing to obesity, and less of the natural non-processed foods. If you’d like to see the results of the study and their recommended changes here. Your body is a temple, so treat it like one. Just as it’s crucial to make time to exercise, it’s even more important to pay mind to what you eat. Pre-packed ready-to-eat foods are not the way to go. Full of additives, sugar and unnecessary oils, pre-packaged and prepared foods just contribute to increased fat and weight gain. The best way to eat is to cook at home from scratch, with simple ingredients. This way you know exactly what you’re putting in your body and what you’re feeding your family. Turn your favorite recipes into healthier versions of themselves. There are a variety of ways to incorporate superfoods into things you are currently making at home. Black beans provide an excellent source of protein and can be used in place of flour. Other flour alternatives include the simple wheat flour substitute, coconut flour and nut flour or meal. Nut meal is a fancy way of saying ground nuts. If you have a food processor or really good blender you can make your own meal by just putting the nuts in the food processor and grinding them into a fine mixture. Sugar is always a tough one to substitute, but is also the most addictive component of many processed foods. Rather than using sugar try vanilla extract, stevia, unsweetened apple sauce, all natural honey or maple syrup. It typically won’t taste as sweet, but the effect is still the same. If you don’t want to use processed apple sauce you can make your own in a food processor or blender by just grinding the apples to your preferred thickness. There are many copycat substitutes out there for the ever dreaded butter, but margarine and the tubs of butter in the store can be even worse for you. It might sound strange to try mashed avocados or bananas in place of butter, however they are used as alternatives in a variety of recipes. Canola oil is another fat, like butter, that can be replaced with other things. If a recipe calls for canola oil try coconut or flax seed oil instead. When baking try replacing oil with Greek yogurt or applesauce, which is even better than using a different type of oil. Speaking of Greek yogurt, what a great replacement Greek yogurt can be for things like sour cream and mayonnaise. For those who don’t eat either sour cream or Greek yogurt you would never be able to tell the difference. Greek yogurt can replace items like sour cream and mayonnaise in potato, tuna and chicken salad recipes. Continuing with dairy, evaporated milk and unsweetened almond or coconut milks are a good alternatives to cream and heavy cream. Use evaporated, unsweetened almond, or unsweetened coconut milk in your sauces, coffee, tea, etc.… For those chocolate lovers out there just make a smart choice. Choose dark chocolate or cocoa nibs instead of milk chocolate, and maybe add a handful of almonds or dried fruit. Just because you have a sweet tooth doesn’t mean you have to cut it out, it just means you have to be more strategic about your choices. If you believe you already eat healthy, but can’t seem to get your weight under control or you are feeling sluggish, you may be forgetting one key thing. What you might be forgetting are those sauces and condiments that typically contribute to your daily intake of sugar and unhealthy fats. Salad dressings, pasta sauces, sauces on chicken and fish all contribute to your daily caloric intake. There is no need to worry that you have to dump the sauce! If you have children you might know how difficult it is to get them to eat healthy and how that can contribute to your unhealthy diet. There are ways to foods with better ingredients and you’re kids (or spouse) won’t notice. For example, check out this Fettuccini Alfredo recipe from the Food Network. The recipe utilizes Cauliflower in the sauce to add vegetables, while still maintaining taste. Other ways to “hide veggies” so they taste better is to put them into things you already like. For example, throw in a handful of fresh or frozen spinach or kale to a smoothie. Make sure to really grind it in with the rest of the ingredients to disguise the flavour and consistency. You can also add veggies to your omelettes, or make a frittata with veggies like peppers, spinach, broccoli and onions. Some vegetables can also substitute for noodles. Spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles are of the most common choices. You can also mask vegetables in casseroles, burgers and meatloaves. Chop them up finely so that they stir into the mixture evenly. The added spices will help distract you from the fact that veggies are already in there. If you enjoy vegetables then these ideas for hiding veggies are just a plus for some of your favourite recipes! Track What You Eat One of the easiest ways to ensure you eat the correct amount of each recommended daily serving from all of the food group is to track what you eat. Although it sounds tedious there are different tools that help guide you through the process. The simplest tracker can be found here on the Health Canada website. The EATracker mobile app or website, or My Fitness Pal mobile app are virtual ways to track your intake of food if you don’t want to keep a physical journal or log book. Not only does tracking your food provide you with a realistic idea of what you eat every day, it also provides accountability. Tracking your food is somewhat like regulation. If you can see what you’ve eaten for the day then you know which foods, and how much of each food group you will need to eat throughout the rest of the day. In addition, tracking allows you to visualize goals. Especially in the instance of trying to lose weight. The ability to see yourself meet a goal is invaluable. Or if you have yet to set a goal, begin with tracking your food to make the goals more realistic and attainable. Do you want to avoid being one of Canada’s poor food choice related statistics? If so, Warrior Packs can help! In addition to our outdoor boot camps and personal training we also feature nutrition counselling. Our supportiveness extends beyond our boot camp classes and onto your dinner plate. We don’t believe in judgement, deprivation, punishment, guilt or, all-or-nothing rules. Our nutrition counselling reinforces current skills, so that you can break free from dieting rules to move toward a more natural, balanced, self-led form of nourishing your body. Our motto for food is: eat what you like, learn to moderate certain foods and make informed food decisions. Whether you are looking for some advice or you are completing revamping your diet our nutrition counselling services can help. Contact us today to learn more about how our nutrition counselling could help you improve upon your eating habits. Make smart choices and your body will thank you for it! Take these food related tips and tricks and apply them to your plate so that you can fuel your body for success! The final Leading a Healthy Lifestyle article will discuss the benefits of taking care of your mental and physical health. It’s not just about how much you move and what you eat. Keeping up a healthy lifestyle also means taking care of your body and mind!
There are three key components of living an overall healthy life: an exercise regimen, proper diet and nutrition intake, and mental and physical well-being. This initial article on the trilogy of Leading a Healthy Lifestyle will focus on your exercise regime. Whether you are a veteran exercise enthusiast or new to an exercise program there are a few comfortable and motivational options to stay current in your exercise routine. Routine is the most important part of exercise. There are many of us out there that are really great about exercising three to four days per week for a while and then life happens. Things get in the way that interrupt your ability to make time for yourself. You have kids, a new puppy, a job, friends and family, you want to have a life! How is it even possible to fit exercise in? It’s definitely possible! Even more so it’s about making that little bit of time you are able to carve out for exercise count. Here are three effective methods of getting your exercise into your schedule: Personal Training Personal training as a form of routine exercise has a few positive attributes. First, you are held accountable. Your trainer will hold you accountable for showing up to workout. Most likely, you’ve also paid for training upfront. If you have already paid for a program then you want to get what you’ve paid for, right? In addition, they are typically more flexible to your schedule. They are likely to be able to meet with you early in the morning before work or at night after work. Personal trainers are knowledgeable and understand specific needs of individuals. This means your workout will be tailored to your needs without having to do your own research. Personal trainers can take away much of the added stress many experience in planning their own workouts. The downside to personal training is that personal trainers typically work out of fitness centers. If working out in the gym is not your scene personal training could make you feel even more uncomfortable and less motivated. They typically don’t bring training outdoors, which is unfortunate particularly in the spring and summer when the weather is nice enough to be outside. While a trainer is meant to hold you accountable, personal training could actually inhibit you from exercising. Although they are more flexible in their scheduling they probably have additional clients with similar schedules to yours. If you cancel a session it may prove difficult to reschedule due to conflicts with other clients, thus acting as a barrier to exercise. You are working one-on-one, this is considered a con as much as it is a pro. While you will have tailored workouts working on-on-one can be uncomfortable for some people. The focus is on you and you alone. If you don’t like “small talk” or someone hovering over you then personal training may not be for you. The “At Home Gym” These days there exist a plethora of ways to exercise from home. From workout DVD’s, to YouTube channels, quick posts on Instagram, blogs and Facebook pages, trainers and exercise fanatics alike are finding ways to reach out to you. The ability to work out from home is a positive choice in a few of ways. First, it’s the epitome of convenience. If you can make some space in your living room, or go outside why not bring exercise to your home? It also makes exercising regularly a bit more attainable especially when you have very little time to get a workout in. Finally, you can choose your entire workout. You can tailor it to what you prefer to do rather than forcing yourself to complete something you don’t enjoy. In this way you know the workout will be something you will like. While exercising at home offers you a way to workout in your spare time from the comfort of home there are a few things to be aware of. There is no one guiding you through a workout to help make adjustments as you go or offer you encouragement in person. Many people need someone next to them to push them along in the workout. Otherwise you can quit and who would know? You also have to be careful with the outlets you trust. Some people who post their workouts on social media don’t explain to you proper form, modifications, or understand what type of workout is best for you. While exercising from home is a great alternative when you cannot get to a gym and only have 30 minutes to exercise, it’s important to keep the following in mind:
Exercise to your level only! Just because you see someone in a video doing it doesn’t mean you can do it to.
Try to choose workouts with examples proper form and modifications.
Make sure the instructor you’re following is certified through an accredited association.
In addition to potentially being unsafe, there is a lack of the accountability that you find when exercising with others. When exercising at home the free (or paid for) workout plans through social media may not be very effective either. In which case, you might as well have paid for professionally guided training sessions. Group Training The benefits of group training greatly align with the benefits associated with personal training, but there are even more advantages. You are held accountable by your instructor, or trainer. It may not seem like they notice you working out in the back of the group, but they do. In addition to the instructor you will meet people in the group training environment who will hold you accountable for coming to class. If you’ve ever missed a group session then you’ve heard the questions: “where were you last week?” “Is everything okay? You missed class last week.” “Are you sick because you weren’t here last time?” While your training mates will never judge you for missing class they will express concern and make sure you show up in the future. Comradery becomes the new normal. Group training creates a bond between participants that cannot be broken. And although group training session times are typically set in stone, meaning they cannot be adjusted to your schedule, they are offered at a variety of times during the day before and after work. Warrior Packs makes Believe, Instinct, and Excel classes available before and after work, and also during the lunch hour. Although you don’t get to create your own workout and it may not be tailored to you specifically, group fitness classes are adjusted for everyone in the class. Modifications and safety cues are provided by trainers to provide you with a safe and effective workout. Warrior Packs trainers do an exceptional job of ensuring every participant receives the attention they need to have a fun and effective workout experience. Just like you have to pay for a trainer, you also pay for group fitness sessions. However, they are typically more realistic in price and you won’t run the risk of paying for sessions that may never happen. Warrior Packs classes are offered at a variety of times during the day year round. The sessions occur on a regularly scheduled basis for your convenience. Most likely group fitness classes are held in a fitness center. If you are intimidated by fitness centers and gyms group training can be a daunting idea. Warrior Packs group training classes are also held outside of the fitness center. These group training classes teach participants how to exercise beyond the walls of the gym. Forget About Weight Loss Those who intentionally lead healthy lifestyles incorporating regular exercise aren’t trying to lose those last 15 pounds. They simply want to be healthy. Research shows that a regular exercise regimen has proven to reduce cancer, improve digestive health, prevent and/or manage Type 2 Diabetes, build healthy bones and maintain organs, and keep a sharper mind. Exercise has also proven to reduce stress and anger, contribute to better interpersonal relationships, help with sleep, and develop your ability to think more clearly. Forget about losing weight! Think of the additional benefits of exercise for your body. What most people don’t realize is that leading a healthy lifestyle is less about losing weight and appearance and more about being able to live. What does it mean “able to live?” The ability to live is doing things you want to do and being able to do them for as longs as you can. As you age your body will let you know that you can’t go running anymore, or that you can no longer enjoy those long hikes or working in the garden. Those things are important. Maintaining an exercise regimen will assist in disciplining your mind and body to condition for age. Treat your body well by moving and your body will allow you to live a full, happy and healthy life in return. Stay tuned for part two of Leading a Healthy Lifestyle, which will discuss the healthy eating habits and offer great alternatives to “healthify” some of your favorite recipes!
