Health Class

Summertime in the city is here (woot woot!) and you know what that means: patios, food festivals, gabbing with the gals, strapless dresses, oh, and bathing suits.

Let me start off by saying the term workout is a painful one. I don't know about you, but I'd rather play outside than work out there. That being said, it was my mission this week to find all the random physical activities friends can do together around this city to get into that stellar one-piece swimsuit (click here to see my dream suit)

If playing team sports like beach volleyball, baseball or frisbee aren't really your thing, grab a pal and get physical (in a non-"me-so-horny" kind of way), with one of these mean activities:
Rowing
In crews of four or eight, the Toronto Argonaut Rowing Club teaches an adult learn-to-row class which kicks your butt with a full-body workout and an opportunity to meet some other random rowers.

Dancing
Want to pop it like Comfort on So You Think You Can Dance? Grab a friend and check out Toronto's hottest urban dance studio DLM Studio. They've got every level of reggae, hip-hop, popping and breaking that will add some zing to that booty and firm up those abs. If you prefer to salsa, tango or cha-cha, check out Danceology in Liberty Village.
Yoga on the Beach
On July 21st, try yoga outside for free. Downward Dog Yoga Centres is hosting a beach sesh with live drum beats to bring you closer to nature (or that dream swim suit). If you prefer holding the pigeon pose while overlooking a beautiful forest, check out Spynga for an end-of-day workout on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Virtual Golf
If global warming has rained on your outdoor physical parade, try swinging it like Tiger at an indoor golf simulator called Tee Times Indoor Golf . Don't worry if you don't have clubs, they rent them on location. FOUR!

Go. The sun is shining and there's playing to be done.

I always hear about this whole detox thing but to be honest, I have no idea what it is. I have a gal pal who swears by detoxing “to cleanse the body and mind” but for some reason, I roll my eyes and assume she is starving herself and only drinking water for two weeks. Ha. Give up food? Never. She’s mad.

According to Wikipedia, “a detox diet is a dietary regimen involving a change in consumption habits in an attempt to detoxify the body, by removal of toxins or other contaminants. Proponents claim it improves health, energy, resistance to disease, mental state, digestion, as well as aiding in weight loss.” So basically, I edit my consumption of Starbucks and chocolate for two weeks and I will have energy, sanity, healthy trips to the ladies’ room and drop a few pounds? I’m intrigued.

I did stumble across a few articles and studies about how detoxing is perceived as fasting. If you are attempting this at home, it may cause you to feel a little dizzy because you are drastically changing your diet. That being said, I will not fast (again, that whole giving up food thing is not really my shtick). I found a five-day cleanse that sounds like an easy introduction to the detoxing process. Here’s what you have to do:

1. Give up coffee. Boo. I know I found some deliciously exciting reasons to drink coffee, but giving it up for five days is manageable. Coffee can and will make you feel shaky while you are cleansing. Here’s an excuse to get close with some green or herbal teas.
2. Lean mean protein machine. Take this time to only enjoy lean protein options such as chicken, turkey, or fish at every meal. No red meat or dairy during these five days. Why? Proteins create the hormone that helps in fat loss.
3. Brussel sprouts and blueberries. Well, all types of fruits and veggies will help in the cleansing process because they give you a ton of energy and they are high in fibre. If you’re not a brussel sprout kind of gal, try some tomatoes.
4. Essential fats. Apparently these do exist but in the form of nuts, seeds and avocados (yum!). Add a few of these items into your meals or to your snack to add to the cleansing process.
5. Multi-vitamins. Take a multi-vitamin with your food to make for healthier digestion. It is recommended that you take a friendly bacteria called “acidophilus” that helps to maintain your digestive system.
6. Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Just simply drink eight glasses of water per day. This will make you feel full and fabulous.

You’re done! Cleansed and wholesome (ok, maybe not the latter but it was worth a shot).

Hopefully, after celebrating the glorious birth of Queen Victoria, you’re feeling a little exhausted from the weekend’s festivities. Now, now, I know you enjoyed some regal activity similar to that of a queen. Eating beef swords (also known as hot dogs to the average civilian), playing rocket tag, and enjoying a glass (or two) of this country’s finest pops is a lot to take on for even the fairest of women. Alas, I give you the best hangover remedies.

#1: Sports drinks
When becoming “overly-refreshed” during an evening, sports drinks can be the ultimate cure to rehydrating yourself. Because they are high in electrolytes, they will help replenish what the kidneys have excreted during drinking.

#2: This hangover is bananas
Apparently, eating a banana is the quickest way to cure a hangover. Bananas are rich in imperative electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, which are depleted during heavy drinking.

#3: Ginger ale
Ginger ale will simply sooth your stomach. Try taking this with some soda crackers and you will be ready to take on the day!

#4: McDonald’s
You know it. Greasy foods will definitely fight off that unwanted nausea. Greasy foods line your intestines, which slows down the rate at which your body absorbs alcohol.

#5: Zzz…
Want to avoid a hangover all-together? Sleep it off. If you have to go to work, call in sick. Yes, I’m condoning lying. You will indeed sound like crap on the phone so they will believe you. Just make sure they weren’t alongside you at the bar. Yikes.

Hopefully, after a sleepless night with your hunny (whether you’ve known each other for years or just met at the debauchery that was last night), the three words uttered under your breath are far less romantic than anything experienced the night before. “I need coffee.”

Sure, we’ve all heard it. Coffee stains your teeth, has you running to the ladies room for reasons other than powdering your nose, gives you bad breath, meh, meh, meh. Guess what? Coffee has some deliciously healthy benefits to it too.

Coffee helps to improves alertness, attention and wakefulness making it easier to get to work/school/play after an overly-refreshing evening. Would I suggest consuming a cup of coffee before hitting the sheets? Not unless you’re planning on counting backwards from 500 three or more times.

Planning on hitting the gym? Coffee helps fight fatigue in physical activity and gives you some peppiness to conquer that treadmill. Again, I wouldn’t propose trying out for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics if you’ve been hopped up on coffee to get there. It is considered a performance enhancer in the eyes of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).

Fluids are a crucial element to your diet and we all should be drinking 6-8 cups of liquid per day. Uh huh. This includes coffee. Moderate intakes of caffeinated liquids (like coffee, Rockstars, lattes) will have absolutely no effect on your hydration levels.

And the obvious benefit to coffee is being able to holler at your bestest pal, meet her/him at the closest coffee shop, and gab about the rendezvous from the night before.

Well this is it. The battle is done. Bootcamp is over. There have been so many struggles on the battlefield with shining moments and sweaty moments. As I leave BMO Soccer Field, I have three things that I will take with me.

Numero uno: The only way to get rid of your wobbly bits is to do something about it. The Best Body Bootcamp may have forced me to get out of bed at an ungodly hour but the three sweat-sessions a week were completely worth it. If you’re not an early-birdy, there is a new spring bootcamp time of 6:30 p.m. at various locations throughout the city. Check out the site so you can sign-up today: www.bestbodybootcamp.com

Numero dos: Combination training is the most enjoyable kind of training. If you’re like me, I despise running. I don’t do yoga to chill out. I hate swimming laps daily. Yes, hate is a strong word but I feel strongly about it. There was never a dull moment at bootcamp and I was able to take part in resistance training, cardio, yoga, Pilates, kickboxing and core training. Yes, variety is the spice of life. It is also the spice of a great workout.

Numero tres: Bootcamp is a really great way to get your ass into an old pair of pants. They are on, I feel great and I’m ready to dance the night away (wait, I’ve been doing that all along). Anyway, I was in the Best Body Bootcamp to get my ass into gear and quickly. This is exactly what went down. The funny thing about getting my butt back into my favourite slacks is that I’m going out to buy new ones. Goodbye skinny jeans, hello wide legs. So I guess in the long run, I was too good for my pants and I’ve kicked them to the curb (along with my poor attempt at Spanish).

Pick your fitness battles wisely. If you aren’t into working out at all, I will be delving into many topics to make us city gals look fit and feel great without the effort.

Getting up to attend an intense workout three times a week may be hard for some. I, on the other hand, have learned to embrace the Bootcamp challenge. I've also gained a deeper appreciation for sleeping in until 7:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays (the non-Bootcamp sunrises).

What has been challenging for me (other than resisting the urge to write a lame-but-equally-catchy army chant), is keeping up with my fellow soldiers. There are days that I really want to slack but I don't want to show weakness. They feed off of it. So, I push myself as hard as I can. I don't want to be the last one to finish laps around BMO Soccer Field, I don't want to do less push-ups than the scrawny guy next to me, and heck yes, I want to hold my plank position the longest. So the prize at the end of the Bootcamp tunnel? You remember. My pants.

Here are a few of the exercises conducted on the battlefield:

 a) Human plank hurdles: one must hold themselves in the plank position on their toes and elbows in a line of approximately ten people. The soldier at the end of the line must arise and jump over her fellow mates as they sustain this position. Once she has completed the course, she must resume the plank position for the next person to begin.

b) Tricep presses: ten soldiers must position themselves directly in front of a bench and sit right on the edge. Once Roger or Daniela, the drill sergeants, tell you to begin, you must lift yourself off the bench and lower yourself slowly to the ground while still holding onto the bench and back up again. Repeat this motion for one minute.

c) Oblique v-ups:  one must lie in a straight line on their side. While stacking their feet and crossing their arms, the soldier must squeeze both the top half and the bottom half of her body to meet in the middle. These will get rid of those dreaded love handles.

As for my dying relationship with my pants… you’ll have to tune in again next week to find out the result. Let’s just say I’m in, however, I look about as cute as that muffin (top).

(It’s almost bikini time! Get a spot for May while you still can: http://www.bestbodybootcamp.com/about.html)

Hi and welcome to Health Class. I am no means a health nut (I’m merely a seed) but I can tell you this: I’m a retired Canadian athlete who has fallen into a deep Starbucks/milk chocolate/Italian eatery/booze trap. I don't rock my Lululemon pants because I love wearing seaweed material or because "children are the orgasm of life" but simply because they make my tush look great.

Each week I will delve into a health myth, try a new diet regime, or provide an awesome excuse to indulge in some chocolate, red wine or caffeine.

On that note, please avert your attention to exhibit A, on my left. These slacks have an incredible story. About seven months ago, these pants and a 20-something were the best of pals. As a team, they would frequent Toronto’s hotspots to enjoy a few pops, dance the night away and break the hearts of a few 905ers. They were a fitting pair. One day, things drastically changed. I would like to introduce you to my rival: my skinny jeans.

I needed to reconcile this relationship. I was introduced to two people that potentially could make this happen: Roger and Daniela Nahas, the founders of the Best Body Bootcamp. I was told that for one month, I must arise from my beauty sleep on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to run around a professional soccer field at 6:00 a.m. Is this normal?

On my first day, Daniela assessed what physical shape I was in. After running around the entire field as fast as I could, trying to complete a certain amount of push-ups and holding the plank position as long as possible, I was ashamed. No wonder me and my pants no longer get along.

The hour-long workout that followed focused on toning and strengthening all muscles in my upper body with cardio drills to break up the sets. I was given a tension band to use in each toning exercise. While interlocking my band with different partners during the course of the workout, I learned many resistance techniques that were going to give me Hulk arms. Yep. I’m feeling the burn.

After my first day, I feel energized. The question is: can I get my pants out of the closet and onto a newly sculpted set of gams? Check in next week to find out if I win the battle.

http://www.bestbodybootcamp.com/about.html