All posts tagged: #Lean

TEAM STRONG GIRLS Biweekly Progress

Published by

I am beyond proud of Jennine J’s amazing ‪#‎progress‬. She came to me a few short months ago looking to for strategies to eat better and feel ‪#‎healthy‬ as she suffered from headaches and migraines for years. Jennine is also on medication to combat early stages of Cervical Cancer so we had to be very strategic with her programming. After a few weeks of assessing her range of motion, biomechanics, and strength progress, we had identified a lot of tightness in her trapezius muscles that was the root of her headaches as a simple movement with a very light bicep curl would bring this on. I suggested to bring my findings to her Chiropractor and we put together a strategy to break apart the scar tissue that was built up in this area and, the great news is, she has now slowly resumed exercise for the purpose of Stabilization and Strength Endurance with simple band work and increased range of motion. Jennine says, “Hi Jenny!!! I’m very excited that finally at some point I might …

Appetite’s Connection to Activity Level

Published by

Awesome post by Coach Al: Here is a rhetorical question for you. Why is it that the people in the worst shape are the least active, and yet they often have the biggest appetite? Wouldn’t you think that if they have all that spare energy stored in their body (fat) they would be less inclined to eat bigger meals? Especially if the same person is relatively sedentary throughout the day. The reality is that often the most sedentary individuals have the biggest appetites. The answer lies in the connection between our appetite and our activity level. The reality is that they are closely linked in a U-shaped curve. A person who is very active on a daily basis has a big appetite and will eat food to support all of that activity. A person who is moderately active on a daily basis will eat less throughout the day but may have occasional binges in social settings or late nights i.e. during the periods when they are less active. A person who is totally sedentary (inactive) …

Dieting and being honest with yourself

Published by

A lesson that will always stand the test of time is – honesty is the best policy. Interestingly enough, this also rings true as it pertains to one’s fitness goals. If you haven’t achieved what you set out to accomplish ask yourself – have I really given it my all (as in 100%)? While it’s human nature to put blame on hectic schedules, weekend commitments, family, friends, holidays, your job, or make excuses that you’re too tired or it’s your genes (I hear that one a lot), it’s easy to blame something (or anything) and make excuses but when it comes down to it YOU’RE the one that knows the WHOLE TRUTH and the HARD FACTS. Even though we start a diet with the best intentions it’s more than likely the time will never right for dieting – there will always be birthdays, holidays, meetings and other commitments…that’s life and life will always get in the way. Success is dependent on how bad you really want something and what you are willing to sacrifice to …

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Published by

Yay! It’s Halloween and what better way to celebrate the festivities with a satisfying rich buttery festive soup. The pumpkin makes the soup sweet and fibrous while the curry and ginger gives it a nice kick. I love adding a fresh dollop of Greek Yogurt for the tartness to mellow out the spice and it’s also a great way to add more lean protein. This dish is packed with fibre, nutrients and is so quick and simple to make for the entire family. Serve with chicken or lean white fish a complete satisfying meal for the entire family. Ingredients: 1 onion diced 1 tbsp coconut oil 2-4 garlic cloves 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced 1 tsp curry powder 3/4 tsp coriander 1/2 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp cloves 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if you like spice) 1 can of pumpkin puree (unsweetened) 2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth 3/4 cup coconut milk (low fat optional) 1/4 Greek yogurt (0% Plain) for garnish with each serving 1 tbsp Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish with each …

Deadline Dieting

Published by

We’ve all heard someone say, “I’m giving myself (insert arbitrary number here) amount of weeks to lose some weight…” More than likely said person dropped a few pounds on the scale (whether or not it was entirely noticeable is another story altogether) by some silly starvation protocol or food restriction approach only to revert back to previous behaviours or, even worse, eat even more irresponsibly – This doesn’t work. This has never worked. This will never work. When it comes to weight loss and dieting, follow an approach that isn’t extreme. Create dietary structure, reduce calorie intake but use a wide variety of foods, increase activity through Weight Training, enjoy a FREE MEAL or 2 during the week with responsibility and no guilt for the purpose of sanity, then get right back on plan – This works. This has always worked. This will work in the long term too. “IF YOU ARE PERSISTENT, YOU WILL GET IT. IF YOU ARE CONSISTENT, YOU WILL KEEP IT.”

TEAM STRONG GIRLS Biweekly Progress – Lise G.

Published by

Lise G. continues to tighten up and even astonishes herself as the weeks go by! This STRONG GIRL is down 26 lbs and has also shredded 7 inches around her waist, 6 inches around her hips, and 8 inches off of her thighs following a sane approach to dieting that consisted of plenty of carbs and meals of her choice through the duration of her program…and very limited cardio. The best part of this awesome progress is…she’s still continuing to lean out even more. Lise says, “Hi Jenny, my abs are starting to come out and all of my Skinny Pants are starting to fall off…” Love it. No tricks. No short cuts. Lots of food. Lots of fun and a hot, tight body to boot that is just about ready for her photo shoot. I can’t wait to share this gorgeous STRONG GIRL’S story 🙂

Is STRESS preventing you from achieving your weight loss goals?

Published by

So you watch what you eat and go the gym regularly but still have trouble losing stubborn fat and increasing your energy levels? One of the things that could be hindering your progress towards your goal of better health and a leaner physique might be because of what is happening inside of you as opposed to outside. Our stress levels and the way our hormones function are very important factors that are often left unaddressed when it comes to fat loss. Hormones are really what makes up what we are and a little bit of who we are as individuals. The detailed information you can see through your hormone reports and brain chemistry patters are very revealing but as we don’t always have access to these reports, we all have general understanding of how your hormones are working by simply assessing how we feel – our energy levels, sex drive, our moods, our strength, mental clarity, our appetite and hunger cravings, etc. All of these come down to whether or not our hormones are working …