DON’T LET THE HOLIDAYS DERAIL YOUR FITNESS

Prepare instead of repair

A hectic social schedule and social-event eating can derail efforts to keep workouts and nutrition on track. But planning is key, trainer Gidon Gabbay says. “I like to tell people to ‘prepare’ for the holidays, rather than having to ‘repair’ after, and work out regularly before the holidays start, so that it is already part of your regular routine when the festivities begin.”

Workout mode: Shorter, higher intensity

Don’t ditch the workout routine and decide to re-start in the new year. If you increase your workout intensity and frequency before the holidays and maintain it throughout, you can completely avoid the dreaded New Year’s resolution to lose weight, Gabbay says.

Making your workouts shorter, more intense and doing a lot of them at home all make keeping your workouts on track much more manageable. Heading down to the basement or setting up in front of the living room TV for a 30-minute circuit is much less daunting than driving 20 minutes to the gym in a blizzard, changing out of all your winter gear, waiting for machines and spending more than an hour there (not to mention showering, changing and the drive home). If going to the gym is part of your regular routine, keep it up; just make sure you have an at-home option for when you really can’t make it.

The home circuit holiday workout

Try a fast-paced circuit with no rest time in between sets, he suggests: Alternate a minute of jumping rope (or jumping jacks if you don’t have a rope or the space) with activities like squats, lunges, push-ups and tricep dips off the seat of a chair to keep your heart rate up. That way you can get a resistance and cardio workout in a short period of time.

Exercise to beat holiday stress

Taking 30 minutes for yourself each day and putting all your focus and energy into your workout is a great way to get your mind off the pressure and the hectic pace of the holiday season, he says. “You can use the time to regroup and refresh your mind so that you are recharged and ready to get back at it.”

Turn visits into exercise opportunities

Getting out for a brisk, extended walk is always a great way to keep fit, weather permitting. Making a walk a part of family gatherings is a great way to spend some time together and be active, Gabbay says. “Your health and fitness should be just as important as party planning and attendance.”

Should you still indulge?

As long as you don’t have an immediate goal that you are trying to reach, like a significant amount of weight loss in a set time-frame, there is nothing wrong with having a drink or two and a few sweets, Gabbay says. “Unless you have to, I wouldn’t use this as a time to try to lose weight. The goal should be to enjoy everything in moderation and maintain your health and fitness throughout the season.”

Wedding Bells Blog

Expert Training Tips

Posted September 17th, 2010 | 1:51 pm | By Stephanie Gray |

Gidon from G Force

Getting ready for your wedding is a lot of work — and I’m not just talking about the cakes and flowers. Whether that’s starting a new skin regime, timing your colour and cut hair appointments just right or making adjustments to your diet and exercise routine, the things that will make you feel your best are part of the process too. There are many of you out there that may be thinking about hiring a trainer, changing your diet or even increasing your workouts and that’s fantastic. Getting into a healthy routine now is something you can continue after the wedding day is over.

A couple weeks ago I had the chance to try something I’ve really never done — workout with a trainer. I love working out, whether that’s running outside, hitting the gym or even doing a yoga video at home. I always tell people that working out keeps me sane (endorphins are a wonderful thing!). Instead of meeting the trainer at a gym or workout centre, G Force Training came to me (this is what they do)! It was a gorgeous day, so when Gidon (founder of G Force), arrived at my door, I asked him if we could go to the park near my house and he happily obliged. With him? A bosu ball, yoga mat and backpack. I knew it was possible to get a good workout without much equipment, but I still felt a little skeptical.

On the short walk to the park, Gidon explained to me about G Force’s philosophy, which combines meditation and visualization with strength training and cardio. When it came to the workout, it was unlike anything I had done before. I warmed up on the bosu ball (running on and off it), doing squats and lunges and then boxing — gloves and all! We moved into upper body — doing pushups, flys with a resistance band, then abs (my weakness!), and finishing off with some meditation. By the end of the hour, I was wiped. So wiped in fact, that I was still sore two days later. What I liked about my workout was that I didn’t need weights, didn’t need much equipment and that Gidon pushed me beyond my comfort zone (the most important thing when you want to see results). Another bonus about G Force coming to you is that it saves you time — a lot. As soon as they arrive you can start working out, so no wasting time travelling to the gym. When it comes to the nutrition aspect, they’ll also help you out on that too and are all call for you 24/7. If you’re in the GTA, I would highly recommend you checking them out. Really want a kick start? G Force is offering a week-long health based retreat in Mexico (for anyone in Canada) this October.

I had a chance to also ask Gidon some questions and get tips and tricks to ensure you’re making the most out of your time!

Weddingbells: How should a bride divide her time between cardio and weight training if she wants to get the most fat loss/toning?

Gidon: The best, quickest and most time efficient way to train is to combine resistance training and cardio in each workout, to perform exercises which hit multiple muscle groups at once and use your largest muscle groups — chest, back and legs. Doing one exercise after another without rest in between allows you to keep your heart rate up, making anything you do into a calorie-burning, cardio workout.

WB: What’s the biggest mistake women make when trying to lose weight/tone up?

G: The biggest mistake women make when trying to lose weight and tone up is doing only cardio. This will certainly burn calories in the moment, but having lean muscle is what makes your body continue to burn calories all day long, even when you are at rest. Doing only cardio will not get you toned and firm at all, and will most likely result in the “skinny-fat” look – even though you may become a bit smaller, you’ll be mushier and softer too!

WB: What’s the easiest thing to do to speed up fat loss?

G: The easiest thing to do to speed up fat-loss is to increase lean muscle and clean up your diet. Muscle consumes tons of calories to maintain itself, and eating properly makes the most of your workouts and helps you build and maintain that lean muscle. Many women are intimidated or turned off when they think of the word “muscle,” because they think of the hulking guys they see at the gym with road-maps of veins bulging down their arms. Not to worry — this is not what will naturally happen to a woman when she incorporates resistance training into workouts and builds lean muscle. This lean muscle is what gives a woman’s body the shape and curves that everyone aims for. It’s what lifts and perks up the rear, narrows the waist to give that hourglass figure, and keeps common problem areas like thighs and the backs of the arms from jiggling.

WB: What foods are best for losing weight and staying full?

G: To lose weight and keep full, aim to consume lots of lean protein, (chicken, turkey, white fish), “good carbs”, (whole grains, yams, brown rice), “good fats”, (nuts, seeds, olive oil), and tons of fruit and veggies to make sure you are getting plenty of fibre to regulate digestion. There really is no magic diet or weight-loss secret out there. Eating fresh, natural, unprocessed foods is the only way to go. To keep yourself feeling full and your metabolism running high all day, make sure to eat small meals, every three hours or so. Avoiding sugar as much as possible is extremely important too — no white bread, white pasta, white rice, cookies, cakes or candies!

WB: Mindfullness/meditation are a key part to your program. Do you have any tips for how this can translate into everyday life?

G: Mindfulness is being aware and in the moment. In training, this means really focusing on your goals, your muscles, and your movements as you go through your workout. In daily life, we can use the same technique when feeling stressed, overworked, or overwhelmed in tough situations. When this happens, pause and take a step back. Breathe, regroup, refocus, relax. Meditation doesn’t have to be the mystical, sitting-on-floor-cross-legged event that many people imagine it to be. Meditation can be simply taking a minute to breathe and focus, to close your eyes and realign your actions with your goals, to reflect. It can be done any time, anywhere, even sitting at your desk at work.

Tags: fitness, g force training, health, toronto

Posted September 17th, 2010 | 1:51 pm | By Stephanie Gray |