Perfect Fit Personal Training- Health and Fitness Blog

Exercise and Aging- not an oxymoron! As we age, our needs change, our fitness level changes, and our energy also drops. Here is an article I wrote for Alive magazine on Exercise and Aging. I hope you enjoy this article on Exercise and Aging!

Physician Advises: Skip the Grains But Not the Treats This Holiday Season Cardiologist, Best-Selling Author Shares  2 Grain-Free Recipes At a time when we most want to look and feel our best, we seem to do everything possible to ensure we don’t, says cardiologist Dr. William Davis. “The weather starts to change and we reach for the pumpkin-spice cookies, cider doughnuts and beer, which launches us into processed carbohydrates season,” says Dr. Davis, author of “Wheat Belly Total Health,” ( www.wheatbellyblog.com ), the latest in his bestselling “Wheat Belly” series. “They make us tired and sluggish when we especially need energy as we prepare for all the fun stuff and preparation that lead up to Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hannukah, and they cause us to gain weight, which we immediately pledge to shed come New Year’s.”   People have been taught that the refined, processed carbohydrates in foods like white rice, white bread and traditionally baked ...

I love a smoothie in the morning, or the afternoon for that matter! But sometimes it's a mad rush in the morning and I just don't have time to make a smoothie. That's why this idea is so brilliant (so why didn't I think of it??) Prepare your smoothies ahead of time and freeze the whole lot of it! Not the pre-made smoothie, but all the "raw" ingredients. Find all the info here . This is just such a simple but brilliant idea. Some of my favorite smoothie add-ins are things like Spinach, Pineapple and plain greek yogurt. What are yours? I hope  you enjoy this link as much as I did, so get cracking!

If  you're still thinking about working out in a Fat Burning Zone or an Aerobic Zone for weight loss as opposed to cardiovascular improvement, you may want to rethink that. Nowadays there is so much research to prove that working out HARD at a high intensity will get you burning lots of calories, burning FAT and getting you FIT. Here are a few for your light reading: http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v32/n4/full/0803781a.html http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/the-fat-burning-zone http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8231750 Essentially, all of these articles are showing how during their studies, people who worked out a a high intensity for short bursts (High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT) burnt off more fat those people that worked out at a steady state, or consistent level; a lower level. How do you like to work out?

Don't have much time to prepare healthy meals? Here is a great link to some easy and quick HEALTHY meal ideas! I am so excited to try the chocolate blueberry smoothie! What's your favorite quick to-go meal?

These days it's getting a little warmer, and you may want something chilling with your breakfast or after your workout. Here is a really yummy smoothie that I tried today; it's very refreshing! Pineapple Frozen Yogurt Smoothie Ingredients 1 cup frozen pineapple (I chopped up a fresh pineapple and froze it in chunks) 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 1/3 cup milk 2 teaspoons honey 4 ice cubes Directions Place the frozen pineapple, yogurt, honey, ice cubes and milk in a blender blend 2 minutes or until smooth. Add more milk if too thick or ice if too thin. * taken from: http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/pineapple-frozen-yogurt-smoothie/ I hope you enjoy this smoothie as much as I did!

Stroller Fitt North Shore, starting up in May! Drop in for $8/class or prepay for 10 classes and get one class free! Stroller Fitt North Shore is run by a professional and experienced personal trainer and mother of three. One hour class consists of warm up, walk, toning, and stretch. Meet other moms, make connections, and get a great workout! Mondays and Wednesdays in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver Please see our Facebook page for waiver, Par-q and more info!  strollerfittnorthshore@groups.facebook.com 10 classes for the price 9! Classes start on Monday, May 5th, 2014.   Five Stroller Fitt Classes on Mondays for Monday, May 12- Monday, June 16th (Holiday Monday not included) Five Stroller Fitt Classes for Wednesday, May 14- Wednesday, June 11th Five Stroller Fitt Classes for Thursday, May 15th- Thursday June 12th.  AFTERNOON 1:30pm- 2:30pm 

Hi there, Just opened the mail and found two magazines...Women's Running April issue with my article called "A Decade of Diet Fads" which is geared for runners, but applies to anyone who's trying to stay healthy and active. Then I got a one time only issue called "Beginner's Guide to Running" which has my article called "Short and Sweet" on interval training. A great morning! I would love to help you get healthy too; with some guidance for better nutrition choices and a healthy activity routine, you can get back in better shape in a matter of weeks. Consultations are FREE! Come and see what you are missing; the healthy person that you want to be and CAN be. www.perfectfit.ws

Staying fit at work can be tough, especially if you have a desk job. Here are some easy tips to stay as active as you can while sitting at your desk: Get up- get up off your chair every 10-15 minutes and do 10 squats, alternate with 10 lunges Move your feet- sitting in your chair, move your feet up and down off the floor Squeeze your abs- staying in  your chair, pull your belly button to your spine and hold for 10 seconds. Do this on the hour, every hour for hard abs! Squeeze your butt- staying in  your chair, squeeze your butt muscles as hard as you can and hold for 10 seconds. Do this on the half hour every half hour. Make jokes- laughing is a great ab workout At lunch, go for a walk Get water frequently Getting to the gym before or after work will get you in shape even faster, but every bit counts!

Exercise to lose weight, or diet to lose weight? That is a very frequently asked question. So what's the right answer? Well, both are important. You can exercise every day and maintain your weight with the same diet, or you can eat nutritiously and have a lower volume of food and higher volume of exercise which will equal weight loss. You can exercise a lot and eat too much, and gain weight too! It's all about math. Calories have to be in a deficit to lose weight. Check out this study from Stanford University on what do do first; diet or exercise. Have a great day!

Protein bars may be a large part of your diet; before or after your workout, on the go, a quick lunch, or whatever it may be. What are you really eating though? Check out this informative article from the Globe and Mail on protein bars. I've found that most protein bars have way too much sugar and not enough good ingredients to make them worthwhile. I make my own protein bars at home; here's a recipe I really like: (I’d love to take credit for this recipe, but in fact, it is based on a “clean” recipe from last month’s (OXYGEN MAGAZINE. I’ll give you the original recipe and then offer you my substitutions) ORIGINAL: Pumpkin, cherry, pecan protein bars 3 scoops vanilla protein powder *I used chocolate* 1 1/2 C rolled oats 1/4 cups dried cherries *I used dried cranberries this time but have used cherries in the past, but would strongly suggest using up to 1 cup of either of these dried fruits* 1/4 cup pecans 1C pumpkin puree 1/3 cup of egg white (usually equals w...

You may have heard of kettlebells, or tried them out yourself. You might think that it's just like a dumbbell, so what's the point of using a kettlebell? Kettlebells distribute weight differently than a dumbbell, and can be used as both a strength training and aerobic workout implement. Check out this study here on kettlebells. According to a study endorsed by ACE, "I n addition to the predictable strength gains, kettlebell training was also shown to markedly increase aerobic capacity, improve dynamic balance and dramatically increase core strength." See the full study here . As well, during the ACE study, they found a 70% increase in core strength! Wow; so you get cardio, strength and core benefits all from swinging a weight around? YES! Kettlebells are easy to integrate into your current routine; you can add in a few minutes of swinging following your cardio or strength training program. You'll be suprised how out of breath you get the first t...

My latest article in Alive Magazine  is out! This magazine is free in health food stores across Canada, or you can view it online here . If you're a runner, or even just an avid exerciser, this article can help you avoid unwanted injuries. Hope you enjoy my latest article !

Yes, you heard me. I've been telling my clients this for years. And I don't mean just one diet drink here and there; it's a lifestyle, and it's only for people that are ALREADY OBESE.  Check out this video here for more Diet Pop

Personal Trainer - North Vancouver, British Columbia Nicole Palacios Training Specialties : boot camp training, functional training, group fitness, personal training, rehab training Hi there,I've been a key part of the fitness industry for 18 years; working one one one, as a group fitness leader, writing articles on health and fitness, and helping rehabilitate people with issues such as supraspinatous surgery, car accidents, hip replacement surgery, and arthritis. I've helped countless people lose unwanted fat and pounds with education, feedback, and support, and I can help you too! Training Since : 1998 Gender Female Philosophy Build up a strong foundation before you build the house; I don't jump into difficult exercises that are for advanced exercisers if I have a novice who needs the basics first. Languages spoken : English, Spanish Rates : 65 One on One Availability : Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday : 6am-3pm ...

Gotta Love Oprah! Her site has tons of great health tips including this one: Stop Mindless Eating Check it out now and see how Oprah's site can help you to stop mindless snacking.

Tough Mudder is right around the corner here in the Lower Mainland.  If you've signed up, and want to get in great shape before the big day, here's your chance!  I'm offering a group class called "Mud Ready" and it starts up here in North Vancouver in March! Run by an experienced personal trainer and group fitness leader...circuit style training in a beautiful and bright fitness room.  Get ready to hit the circuit; get stronger, faster and READY in a fun and motivating group environment.  Classes start on Monday, March 3rd in North Vancouver. They will go twice per week, Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:05-1:00.  Sign up now for twice per week and save!  Classes run for 6 weeks; that's 12 classes for $160, or drop in for $15/class. *Lockers and showers available  

Bodybuilding.com - 50 Fat-Torching Tricks: Fire Up Your Fat Loss! Check out this great article, it has a ton of fantastic tips on burning more fat! Hope your weekend was great.

Neck pain, it's really a pain in the neck! Ba dum bum. Sorry for the pun, I couldn't help myself. Neck pain is no laughing matter, really. How can you alleviate some of your neck pain? With my personal training clients here in North Vancouver, I like to do some neck rolls, side bends with the neck, and chin tucks. Here are some great videos on how to alleviate neck pain. I hope your neck pain improves with these exercises!

Your butt, buttocks, gluteals, booty, etc... Your backside can be a major point of contention. Maybe you have a tiny waist and a big booty, or a big waist and a small booty, whatever you may be, your butt may not be your favorite asset. Check out this article ! I've never seen a womens' magazine put it like this before... Your gluteus maximus, medius and minimus make your gluteals. Yep, three main muscles, not just one big one. With a few targeted exercises, you can help shape your backside into more of a rounded globe, rather than a flat map. Here are some of my favorites! Bridges and One legged Bridges Hip extensions Squats Lunges (rear, side, split on bench) Incorporating booty specific exercises into your workout can make all the difference. As women, we need to spend a little more attention on the parts that really shape us; for me, that's Butt, Abs, Hips and arms. No, you can't "spot reduce", but by working your nutrition...