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It’s always a great idea to start adding veggies to every meal, but it isn’t always obvious how to go about this. For those who aren’t used to including fruits and veggies into their diet, here are some tips to help you eat more with each meal:

• Breakfast: fruit smoothies are a great addition to any breakfast as they help give you that added energy boost for all of your morning tasks.
• Lunch: prepare a small salad with some of your favourite fruits/veg for a great side salad – it doesn’t have to be complicated.
• Dinner: steam or sauté peppers, broccoli or cauliflower for a more nutritious pasta dinner!

Unfortunately, one of the hard truths relating to health and fitness is that we simply cannot target areas of our body in which we want to lose fat. The body loses fat all over somewhat evenly. Incorporating core exercises into your workout program – for instance – will help to build your abdominal muscles; however, your muscles are encompassed by fat which means that a layer of fat is covering your abdominal muscles and “blocking” the view. To lose body fat, you must be eating at a caloric deficit (burning more calories than you eat), but you can’t control which areas to make the fat disappear from. Every body is different, and you will notice the fat loss in some areas sooner than others.

Alas, the last places women tend to lose fat are the thighs, buttocks and stomach. Men will usually lose their stomach fat last as well. The lower your body fat, the harder it is to continue losing it. To lose fat from those “stubborn” areas, you simply must stay dedicated to your dietary and exercise goals.

While it may not feel like it, your workout program (goals, intensity, etc.) relies heavily on the quality and amount of “fuel” your body is running on. Eating processed foods with little to no nutritional value will result in poor performance and will likely delay your progress in achieving your goals, whereas eating nutrient-rich whole foods will help your body meet the demands required to achieve your goals. If your goal is to improve strength then it may be important to re-evaluate your protein, carbs, caloric intake, etc. For more information on eating to improve strength, click here.

Do you find your energy beginning to wane? While your energy levels may be affected by non-dietary factors, there is no doubt that what you fuel your body with has a direct impact on your body’s ability to function properly. You can increase your energy by eating a well balanced breakfast, replacing empty calorie meals or snacks with nutritious foods (i.e. opt for natural not ‘sweetened’), selecting iron-rich vegetables and of course ensuring you eat enough throughout the day.

To ensure that you are following a good workout program, consider the following key components of fitness:

• Cardiovascular (aka cardio) Training: During aerobic exercise your heart is forced to work harder to supply oxygen to your muscles. As your cardio improves, your heart will become better at pumping blood throughout your body, which means that over time it will require less and less effort to meet the demands of your workouts, and even when performing everyday tasks and chores.
• Strength Training: Incorporating strength training exercises into your workout program is important because they help prevent the onset of many health-related issues including osteoporosis and stroke. Other benefits of strength training include – but are not limited to – stronger bones, improved circulation, and increased overall strength and muscular endurance.
• Stretching: It’s important to include stretching into your workout as it can help improve posture, reduce stress, and improve mechanical efficiency and your overall functional performance.
• Core Stability: As the core has a weight-bearing function for your lower back, when the core is weak, you are more likely to experience back pain. With a strong core, your back is better able to manage long days spent sitting at the desk and is better prepared for activities that require a well supported spine, such as heavy lifting, carrying groceries, or carrying a child.

Interested in starting your health and fitness journey? Contact us to book a consultation!

The February issue of our monthly e-newsletter – The Fitness File – is available now! This issue covers the following:

• how kindness impacts our health
• fitness tip: goblet squats
• nutrition tip: eating for your mental health
• club news: studio closure, mask policy survey and scheduling reminders
• staff spotlight: Nicki Mc Menamin (Personal Trainer)
• studio Q&A: how can I address back pain from working at my desk during the week?

Check it out here.