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Monday, August 2, 2010
In this issue...
What's New for August...
Welcome to the 'Specialty Equipment' edition of the SFA Press. In this newsletter, we will feature fitness
facts and tips regarding the use of specialized fitness equipment. It is our hope that this newsletter will
provide you with useful information to help you make the best choices in the equipment that you use in your
fitness programs to achieve your fitness goals and maintain your health for life!
Recently Stayfitanywhere's, Andrew Burchell, wrote an article for AskMen.com on office exercises.
Check out the article at
http://ca.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_400/412_5-office-exercises.html
Evolution Bootcamp is down to its last two months. Finish off your summer with a bang! To find out more or to register for this awesome
conditioning class, contact info@evolutionbootcamp.ca.
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30 Minute Activity - Diagonal Sprints
 There
are tons of fancy fitness gizmos and gadgets that claim to be the next greatest innovation in fitness since the
dumbbell. While these products make big claims, it is simple equipment like the cone that stands up to the test of
time. The cone is such a simple piece of equipment that you don't even actually need one to do the job. You can use
water bottles, dumbbells, shoes, balls, etc. The job of a cone is to act as a boundary, a starting point, a
finishing point or a change of direction/pace. Grab 4 cones and try one of my favourite speed and agility drills.
- Place 4 cones in a rectangular pattern.
- Start at one corner and run slowly along the long edge to the next cone.
- When you get to the cone turn into the rectangle and sprint diagonally across to the opposite cone.
- Turn and run slowly along the long edge to the next cone, turn into the rectangle and sprint to the opposite cone.
- You are now at the original cone, repeat steps 1-4 for 2minutes, rest 2minutes and repeat for 30mins!
To make this more fun convince some friends to come join you and be sure to run slowly along the outside edges
and run fast with your head up along the diagonals. If you have any questions about this conditioning drill
contact me at jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com.
Consult a physician if you have any medical conditions prior to attempting any exercises.
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Nutrition Corner - Fuel Your Workout
by: Alicia Woods, Holistic Nutritionist. Alicia operates a holistic nutritional consulting practice,
Blossom, in North Vancouver.
To get the most out of your workouts nutrition is paramount, but many commercial 'sports nutrition' products are
full of sugar, preservatives, additives and synthetic vitamins and minerals. To really fuel your workouts, follow
these guidelines for whole, natural, health-promoting pre and post workout nourishment:
Pre- workout:
- 1 hour - 15 minutes before a workout consume simple carbohydrates
- Simple carbohydrates are the easiest foods to digest, which is the key for the pre-workout period
- Fruits like dates are ideal, as they offer readily available glucose as fuel
- Look online for recipes which incorporate dates, and make your own bars, raw balls or energy puddings
- If you are going to workout at a high intensity, or for more than 1 hour, you will need to refuel with more simple carbohydrates. The general rule is to refuel every 20 minutes that you go beyond 1 hour.
Post workout:
- Eat (or drink) your recovery meal right away, within the first half hour after your workout.
- In the 15-60 minutes immediately following a workout, your muscles are primed to receive fuel to start the repair process
- This snack needs to be easily digestible too - as digestion is still impaired
- This snack should have some protein, some simple carbs, some slow-burning carbs, and some healthy fats
- A recovery smoothie, packed with fruits, greens, seaweeds or kelp powder to help replenish electrolytes, and either a high quality vegetarian protein powder, or a cup of plain, full fat yogurt is ideal.
- If you are on the go, and away from a blender - try plain yogurt with some fruit and ground flaxseed or hemp seeds and a few walnuts. Or pack some almond butter, high quality 100% whole grain bread, and some fruit.
Making your own pre and post workout snacks does take some forethought, but a diet based on whole, natural foods provides the body with the widest possible nutrient spectrum and is one of the best ways to see and feel results.
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Fitness and Fat Loss
Heart Rate Monitors can be a profound tool for any individual looking for an aid to lose fat, get extra
motivation, and more precision with their fitness training. Heart rate monitors provide a wealth of information
and can be used by any individual, regardless of fitness level. This tool will not only provide accurate measures
of one's current exercise heart rate, optimal cardiovascular training zones, and average exercise heart rate,
but also provide a 'total calories burned' measurement after a physical activity session. This caloric
expenditure reading is often highly motivating as it can serve as rewarding feedback to a hard workout. If fat
loss is your primary fitness goal, then the use of a heart rate monitor is an absolute must!
Want to find more calorie burning activities? Find the complete list by downloading your free copy of the '12
Keys to Fat Loss' ebook at www.stayfitanywhere.com
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Recipe of the Month - August Garden Gazpacho
This dish is bursting with fresh flavours of summer, and it comes together in just minutes using a food processor
(or blender). Be sure to taste the soup before serving to ensure it is properly seasoned. All recipes are courtesy of
Cory Richert, Personal Chef.
This month's recipe: August Garden Gazpacho
Cook Time: 10 minutes, Chill time: 15 minutes.
Serves 2 (meal) or 4 (appetizer)
Ingredients:
3 large ripe, juicy tomatoes, core removed
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion
1 green pepper (red, yellow or orange work too)
1 medium cucumber, peeled
2 Tablespoons freshly minced parsley, cilantro or basil (or all)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded (optional)
Cooking Directions:
Dice the tomatoes, onion, pepper and cucumber into large chunks. Slice the jalapeño into strips.
Place the tomatoes and garlic in the food processor and process until finely puréed. Next, add the onion,
pepper, cucumber and jalapeño to the food processor, along with the herbs, vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Pulse
until the vegetables are chopped but not yet puréed, still with a bit of texture. Add pepper to taste.
Chill soup and bowls in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Ladle into cold bowls and serve.
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Deal of the Month
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