Category Archives: Recommendation

Add Thanksgiving: for fat loss

As a fitness trainer extraordinaire, I have given suggestions for health, fitness, and fat loss on innumerable occasions.  I notice that quite frequently what I suggest sounds almost ‘too easy’, as there is a generally pervasive mindset that being healthy and losing weight is an onerous undertaking. The truth is, our thoughts, feelings and daily habits make all the difference and are entirely changeable starting in the smallest of ways. On Thanksgiving, a natural starting point is to appreciate all that we have in our lives, and the first step in making a difference. I invite you to consider making dietary and lifestyle changes from a positive approach of adding to your diet and lifestyle. The intention is to take positive action to take care of yourself at this moment.

Here is my top 5 list of Making Life Good concepts to add to your diet and lifestyle:

1. Notice and be mindful of all that you have in your life

2. Take time to truly enjoy food and drink

3. Eat more green vegetables

4. Drink herbal tea

5. Eat more fibre

 

Ps. The best part is the list above is easily applied anytime and for a Thanksgiving feast-Happy Thanksgiving!

Your Edge, Your Threshold

A client at our gym recently asked me if I had ever made anyone throw up during a workout, as he was on the verge. I shared that I have been on the verge of being ill on many occasions during a workout and the art of being a good trainer is bringing people to that edge threshold. All effective workout programs that exist to improve fitness and produce the result of a stronger, leaner body requires the hard work of reaching your edge, your threshold. The question is finding the right program for you at the moment, so you can reach your potential, your edge and your threshold today. Even better when working out hard is made fun, educational, interesting or enjoyable-this is where all the great fitness professionals in the world can help you. I have worked with so many amazing professionals in my career that have taken me to my edge, past my current threshold and as a result, I continually expand my physical learning.

Working out to your threshold needs to be balanced with easy physical activities and adequate relaxation. Once we get going on an exercise program, it is easy to get into the mindset that more is better. Balance is best. Being consistently active is the health priority, workouts where you put in your maximal, best effort are important, and so is enjoying life and the physical activities you choose…Making Life Good.

 

 

On Meditation

Many of us believe that meditation is good for us, as the prevalent belief is meditating can clear our minds. Meditation can help to clear our minds, especially when practiced on a regular basis. I strongly believe the first step in meditation is simply to observe what is on our minds. I have heard many times ‘I am unable to meditate, because I have too much going on in my mind’.

I invite you to sit for one to five minutes, breathe and simply notice what is going through your mind. The exercise is even more pleasant when you are outdoors or focusing your eyes on a photo or piece of art (we’ll call it scenery). See if you can focus on your breathing and the scenery. Then simply notice what is crossing your mind without judgement. This is a start to meditation and you most certainly can do it-

 

The McLobster

Lobster rolls are something I love. I try to get my hands on one whenever possible and I make a great lobster roll myself. Here we are in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland and Prince Charming notices that they are serving a McLobster at McDonalds-we screeched into the McDonalds instantly for the McLobster. We are very pleased to report that the McLobster is a great lobster roll. In fact, it edges out the last lobster roll we had at Rock Lobster in Toronto. The McLobster comes with lobster that has the right blend of mayo, celery, hint of lemon and most importantly, the right ratio of lobster on a slightly sweet toasted roll. Imagine our surprise when a friend told us the McLobster is available in Ontario as well. Try it while you can!

September 30, 2013 note:

The McLobster was actually quite difficult to obtain here in Toronto. And I must say somehow the one in Newfoundland was a better product.

The Italian Lean Program

The Italian Lean Program the fun name I gave to one of the most interesting workout and lifestyle programs I have tried in my career so far. Just before departing for Italy, my body fat was tested by exercise coach Adriano Martorano at Kx Yorkville www.kxyorkville.com I learned of some lifestyle issues to address such as sleep and minor nutrient deficiencies through Biosignature at Kx. This body fat test correlates with the hormonal profile of your body. Learning of possible hormone imbalances through fat storage patterns in my body was very motivating, especially since I was provided with strategies to improve my health. Following Adriano’s lifestyle and targeted supplementation advice held the promise of a leaner body for me. Adriano would know, as he is an exceptionally experienced coach, practices what he preaches and is in unbelievable shape. However, he suggested I start the program after my trip…I took that as a challenge, so we made a friendly wager at Kx on my returning from Italy leaner.

Even with my professional pride on the line, my love for food came first, so I could not comply with the strict dietary discipline that was suggested for the two week period. Actually, I preferred to eat clotted cream, pasta, gelato and anything else that struck my fancy. Having multiple servings of green veggies, fruit, increasing my protein intake, taking fish oil, working out and sleeping well was the extent of lifestyle discipline I could adhere to. Prosecco, cocktails, pasta, pizza, panforte, cheese, gelato and other Italian treats were all on the menu to be enjoyed.

A few days into the trip, it was time for me to put my fitness trainer skills to creative use. There was a vineyard close to where we were and I knew at first glance it was the perfect locale for hill sprint repeats-and was it ever! It was a 45 second hill where I felt that even if an animal were chasing me, I could not move any faster. Then, I designed some 20 minute strength workouts for the upper and lower body separately. Here is the workout: http://www.befiteveryday.com/the-italian-lean-workout/

Leisure time, yoga and meditation by the swimming pool were also on the list.

Poolside fun required-

Poolside fun required for the Italian Lean Program

I am exceptionally happy to report that I dropped 1.5% body fat upon my return from Italy where I ate pasta and gelato daily! This is the ultimate Making Life Good achievement, as I truly enjoyed being active outdoors, shared fabulous Italian food while becoming stronger and leaner! Making Life Good recommends the Biosignature program at Kx Yorkville-could anything be better than becoming leaner, stronger and healthier while enjoying life to the fullest extent in Italy?

 

Octopus, Wild Boar and Salami

Prior to my recent trip to Italy, I was given some dietary advice to increase my intake of protein in order to become leaner. I had some professional pride at stake, so eating more protein was one thing I could comply with. Now that I look back, the protein sources I consumed the most while I was in Italy was octopus, wild boar and salami. Most unusual.

It is often said that the average person eats only 12 different foods, as many of us have our habits and preferences. I make an effort to have a variety of foods for enjoyment and the variety of nutrients. I chose octopus, wild boar and salami, because they are foods that I truly enjoy. Fortunately, they also worked well for the dietary discipline I could comply with. Octopus is a lean protein, wild boar is fairly lean as well and salami is something to be enjoyed in moderation. I enjoyed various octopus salads, wild boar in stew, on pasta, and salami with cheese. In addition, I will say that choosing these different foods helped me  become leaner. Yes, octopus, wild boar and salami are some different delicious protein foods to try. I invite you to try a new food sometime this week and see how you respond.

Recipe: Kale Salad

Kale salad is something that I eat occasionally, and enjoy the most at Foxley restaurant in Toronto. My good friend Kathryn recently served me a kale salad in Tuscany based on the salad she frequently orders at a Toronto restaurant. Perhaps it was the Italian kale-her salad was a vast improvement on the restaurant version and inspired me to make it! This salad is incredibly easy to make and a delicious, healthy choice of greens. Kale contains vitamin A, K and C, antioxidants we all need. I brought home some fig flavoured pecorino cheese from Italy, which was a special touch. Otherwise pecorino cheese works well.

1 bunch of black kale, stems removed, cut very finely horizontally across the leaf

Juice of 1 lemon or more to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons currants

Grated pecorino cheese, to taste

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mix together kale and lemon juice thoroughly with your hands (‘massage’ the kale with the lemon juice). Drizzle olive oil and mix well. Mix in currants and toss with grated pecorino. Let stand for 15 minutes, or refrigerate covered, overnight. Add sunflower seeds and ground pepper before serving, enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Fast Diet

I learned of The Fast Diet when a client told me about a BBC special done by Dr Mike Mosley on the health benefits of fasting. Due to my prodigious internet skills, I was unable to watch even clips of the video, so I bought the book and read it. I read a fair amount of diet books in order to answer questions from clients intelligently.

The Fast Diet is one of the more scientifically and psychologically sound diet plans I have read. The premise is simple: fasting by eating 500-600 calories 2 days per week is conducive to weight loss, an improved insulin response and reduced risk of age related diseases. If you do not have much weight to lose, fasting for a day at occasionally can still offer the same health benefits.

Intermittent fasting is based on the premise that you can give your body a ‘break’ from the constant work of digesting food and essentially reset your hormonal response. The author of the Fast Diet points out that the eating pattern they suggest mimics that of a naturally thin person. A person’s appetite can vary from day to day, so their caloric intake can vary on a daily basis, and comes to a steady average over time.

I have not tried the 2 days per week of fasting that is suggested in The Fast Diet. However, I do notice I eat less if I’m not hungry, so I am naturally inclined to fast a little, very occasionally. In addition to the rare occasions that I have little appetite, I try to eat very lightly when I take long flights, as it helps me minimize jet lag. Airport food can be so unappealing that I choose to not eat and prefer to wait for a decent meal at my destination.

The Fast Diet is well worth reading if you want to learn more about intermittent fasting and/or try a doable eating program for health benefits and weight loss. If you don’t read the book, you can always try to listen to your body and eat according to your appetite, which most likely will vary. Eating less for just one day is doable for most of us.

Ready to eat? Check in with yourself-

We all know it is vitally important to ‘eat healthy’ and many of us make an effort to do so. In my opinion, one of the important aspects of healthy eating is to tune into your own energy levels and how you respond to the food you eat. There are many ideas of what is ‘healthy, healthier and healthiest’, however, how you feel and how food affects you personally is of utmost importance. Paying attention to how you feel before and after you eat is a practice that will allow you to find the best food choices for you.

Here are 3 questions you can ask when you are ready to eat:

-How is my energy level?

-Do I feel hungry? (physically, mentally, need a distraction)

-How do I feel about this food choice? (Is it healthy for me? A meal I love? Not enthused?)

Here are 3 questions to consider after you eat:

-How is my energy level?

-What is my level of satiety or satisfaction?

-What do I notice physically in my body?

As you practice tuning in, you may find that certain foods are better choices for you than others. I like to choose foods I truly enjoy eating, that enjoyment is very satisfying and most importantly I feel energized after I eat. Healthy foods and healthy eating is choosing foods that make you feel good-

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Making Life Good Recommends

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You may have noticed that there are a fair number of food, food product and service recommendations on this website. The purpose of these recommendations is to share ways to lead a healthy lifestyle, enjoy food and make life good. A lot of care and consideration goes into the recommendations you find here.

Making Life Good recommendations strive for great taste, nutrition, enjoyment, relative ease of preparation and most importantly a way to Make Life Good through healthy eating. The recipes you find here are created and tested myself and on various guests until there is a high level of taste enjoyment.

Our food and food product recommendations are discoveries that are found anywhere in the world, through a constant journey to locate amazing food experiences everywhere. Whenever possible, I have personal conversations with the purveyors of the product to learn the back story. If not, the products are tested myself and repeatedly with various friends and guests. Every product that I ever recommend here is one that I use regularly myself, share and purchase for others. I hope you enjoy our recommendations and they make life good for you-

Yours Truly,

Vivian Law