Health & Fitness: The Finale

of Selective Potential

Hi everyone! In light of the new year, I'd love to tell you my personal story of weight loss for Melissa's health and fitness feature. When I was in high school, I was always comfortable at an average weight for my height. During college, I got engaged my freshman year and between school, working a job, planning a wedding and trying to maintain a personal life - I was constantly stressed. My weight shot up higher than it had ever been before in my life. I was technically considered in the "overweight" range of the BMI calculator. I never felt comfortable in my skin and would awkwardly avoid photos where you could see my whole body. After we were married, I slumped into this comfort zone with my new husband of laying on the couch every night together, cooking at home together, eating dinner out a lot - my weight just kept increasing and increasing! I tried to make it my new year's resolution in 2008 to lose the weight and succeeded until Girl Scout cookie season came about in spring and I found myself destroyed on the couch with a sleeve of thin mints and vitamin D milk. I put myself right back on the gaining weight schedule and stayed that way until the following new year. In 2009, I knew I had to do something. I forced myself to purchase a gym membership (even though we couldn't afford it at the time) and stole all of my mom's Weight Watchers books and calculators... and I started on the journey of a lifetime. My motto during the process was "every day counts". I had to convince and force myself to believe that every single day really did matter. It is so easy sometimes to say, "Oops, I screwed up, I'll start my diet again tomorrow." You just can't do that! So from January to May, I worked hard every single day at tracking my points, keeping a food journal and exercising (with the elliptical machine, walking fast and eventually jogging/running), I lost 25 pounds and trained for a 5k, which I accomplished. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. My goal was ultimately 30 pounds, so I kept at it. I was so close and it was really easy to say, "Eh, I'm 5 pounds away, who cares?" but I wanted to really accomplish that goal of 30 pounds lost. So it was by my 23rd birthday in July, I was down to an amazing 120 pound weight. I felt like a brand-new person and felt after accomplishing that goal, I could do anything I wanted. I even lost 5 more pounds on top of that and have very diligently maintained my goal weight for the past two years. It's a constant struggle to maintain and I still (and forever will) consider myself on the Weight Watchers plan, but it has been so amazing to see my confidence grow from losing the weight I wanted to lose and finally feeling comfortable on the beach in a bathing suit. It was something I never thought I could do.. and I did it. That's the best part of all.

of Le Mode Du Jour

I think fitness is important for everyone because the bottom line is to keep yourself healthy so you can go for what you want in life. At least, that's the way I see it. If you don't have your health, you've got nothing. I don't think some people value their health as much as they should and when you think about people who are less fortunate, we really should consider ourselves lucky. And in that sense, we should do what we can to maintain a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle.

In terms of fitness, I try to work out 2-3 times a week. I like running and hot yoga. Running for cardio and hot yoga for an all-body workout that helps to detox my system and improve my posture and flexibility. I've tried some spin classes, which are fun yet challenging. I think the most challenging aspect of working out is making time for it. I know I have difficulties trying to fit in a run or a yoga class, and when you're working during the week, it's tough. Work days can be long and tiring, and by the time you're off, you just want to fall face first into bed. I think once you can get yourself into a routine that works, then the rest if downhill from there. I find that having a good play list of songs on my iPod helps to keep me motivated when working out.

With regards to health, I try to drink as much water as possible. 6-8 cups is a lot even though it's the recommended daily intake. I like my water with lemon juice because the lemon alkalizes the water, which means that it helps to increase the purity of the water by filtering out toxins and impurities. The funny thing is, I always liked my water with lemon, but I didn't know the benefits of drinking lemon water until my mom told me about it. I've cut back on red meat, saturated fats and sugary foods. I love fruits and vegetables, so I eat those to my heart's content. I'm also a big fan of tofu (I highly recommend the Sesamum Salad at The Foundation on Main St. - it's my favourite!) Lately I've been trying to maintain a more vegetarian-based diet, it's tough but I try to think of how it will benefit my health in the long run and that usually keeps me in line (I think). And when I'm craving dessert, I turn to frozen yogurt to satisfy those cravings :)

of Sterling Style & the Glitter Guide

When Melissa asked me to write something about health and fitness I was elated. I think it's crucial that bloggers take time to not only improve their own health, but teach others. Like many females I've struggled with body image issues and have suffered the effects of yo-yo dieting. I would often tell myself, "I will start a healthy lifestyle next week." and then quickly forget. While I've always been into sports and physical activity, it wasn't until a few years ago that I started taking my health seriously. I decided to start training for marathons and triathlons. It was a difficult challenge, but it taught me what I'm capable of. More recently I've started Crossfit. I go to Crossfit workouts about 4 times a week and run or do yoga on the others. It's an intense work out, but I can squeeze a short workout into my busy day and still get the results I was getting when i spent two hours at the gym! I also focus on my diet and limit starchy carbs and sweets (although I love a good splurge!). Since dialing in my workouts and diet I feel more confident then ever and I'm extremely happy. I want other women to feel the same way and that is why I make a point to talk about health and fitness on my fashion blog. I hope that by reading about my challenges and accomplishments I can inspire someone to take charge of their health!"

Health & Fitness: Part Three!

 of Solo Lisa

For 2011, my fitness resolution involves continuing the good path I began carving out in 2010 and just committing to it a little bit more. That sounds like a cop-out resolution, I know, but bear in mind that I just started a new job. January has been about trying to find a equilibrium and reconcile the new job with the current lifestyle. How much time (and energy) do I have to devote to salsa and yoga? The answer so far is not as much as I'd like to, but I don't want to let my health fall by the wayside. So far I've signed up for weekly salsa and hatha yoga classes. I'm also contemplating a cha cha class on top of that and I've resolved to go out salsa dancing outside of classes at least once a week. Oh, and I'm going to try to eat healthier by cooking my own lunches instead of eating out and packing healthy snacks for work (fruit anyone?).

Oh, and yes, that is a photo of the boy and me at a salsa event. (What, you couldn't tell from the sweaty hair?)

Photo credit: Daudi

 of Bonjour Bbydoll

When I got the email from Melissa asking me to write a little piece about health and fitness, I was excited and flattered. When I sat down to write my piece, however, I had a mini panic attack when I ‘remembered’ health and fitness is anything but my strong point. Oops... Let me explain:

I’m allergic to the gym. (At least I think I am, I don’t know this for sure as I haven’t set foot in one. Ever). I enjoy running about as much as I enjoy trips to the dentist. I signed up to a soccer team briefly after seeing Bend It Like Beckham but the only sport I partake in these days is extreme shopping (definitely a sport, right?) I had a quick and slightly embarrassing love affair with Turbo Jam in 2008, but my living room hasn’t seen any more dance aerobic activity since.
On top of my fitness phobic tendencies, I have a massive love for food. I love cooking, baking and most of all, eating food. My biggest girl crush is Nigella Lawson. I own an ice cream maker which means making and consuming copious amounts of fat laden frosty treats is all too easy. Plus... I just really, really love French fries. Fortunately for me, and for the sake of this article, there are a few things in my life that I like to think help counteract all of the above.

1. I’m a vegetarian. I am by no means saying that adopting vegetarianism equates to 100% healthy eating - pizza and my oh so beloved French fries can be vegetarian after all. But being a vegetarian has forced me to be creative in what I eat and find tasty and healthy alternatives to meat. In the past three years that I’ve been strictly vegetarian I’ve thought more about food and what I was putting into my body than ever before.

2. I became BFF’s with my bike this summer. Finally, a mode of exercise that I actually enjoy -although just secretly, I thought Turbo Jam was really fun and amazing. I look and feel like less of an idiot riding a bike, though.

3. I walk a lot. I have a boyfriend that enjoys dragging me off the couch and away from Gossip Girl to make me go for walks with him. I also don’t use my car unless I have to, but in honesty, this might be less health related and more because sometimes I kind of buy shoes instead of petrol... ahem.

So there you have it. My workout routine is pretty simple because I don’t have one. My only fitness tip is take the stairs, not the elevator. I eat a lot of ice cream, but I eat a lot of vegetables too. I gave dance aerobics a whirl but walks and bike rides are more my thing.

I think the important thing is that for the most part, I have good body image. Of course there are things I wish were different about myself and clothes I wouldn’t dream of wearing because they don’t suit my body type. I could certainly be healthier and I could certainly be fitter. But really, as long as I’m wearing clothes that flatter me, riding my bike every day and eating the food I love (most of it healthy, some of it not, and definitely including the occasional French fry) - I’m happy.

of Haus of Hybrid

Like most females, I feel that I need to be thin. Not 'thin' as in starve myself/deprive myself/endless dieting, but 'thin' as much as my body will let me. The thing with body image is that we are constantly bombarded with images of insanely beautiful people, that we feel the need to meet that ideal. Ironically, some of these beautiful people feel the pressure too, and consequently end up with eat disorders, drug habits, or plastic surgery. The difficulty here is trying to separate that fantasy world from reality. Let's face it, I'm never going to look like Jennifer Aniston or Gwenyth Paltrow no matter how hard I try. It's just not going to happen. My body type is not theirs. I'm more Cameron Diaz/Kate Hudson with Rhianna's thighs. I will never have Beyonce's hourglass figure, instead I look like a 15 year old boy (sexy, I know). And that's ok with me. As long as I'm healthy and feel good about myself, what more can I ask for? A tip to make yourself feel better, is knowing how to dress for your body (which I talked about here). Because of my body, I know its limitations. I can't wear Hunter boots because my calves are too big. In fact, I have a hard time finding knee high boots, period. I can't buy cropped pants at Zara because I can't get them over my calves. I have to find shorts that have wide leg holes because I have big thighs. I have to buy strapless dresses in a size too big and get them tailored, because I have a broad back. C'est la vie.

As for a workout routine....well, I don't. There are actually reasons why I don't, mostly because I'm super competitive (understatement) and normal people aren't, so I get bored.

I try to make up for my lack of exercise by taking the stairs wherever possible and power walking everywhere. I like going for walks when the weather is tolerable and I do play sports in the summer. But even that's hard for me because everyone wants to play "for fun". Don't people realize that winning IS fun?

Heath & Fitness: Part Two!

of Closet Full of Nothing

Sure, we all love to see glossy editorial spreads of it-girl on a yacht in a Gucci dress and Prada shoes, but it’s also nice to have an alternative! Style bloggers are real girls (and guys) in realistic sizes who send out the positive message that you don’t have to be size 2 to look and feel great. I’m proud to be a part of this positivity.

On that note, I believe that health & fitness is more than just achieving that ideal dress size. It’s about being more conscientious of the food you consume and exercising not only for weight loss but for overall health. To kick start the year, I’ve found a few Iphone apps to help me with my goals. I highly recommend:

Nike Training Club (Free) An app that acts as your personal trainer! You can start the program at the gym or at home with minimal number of equipments. The handy countdown timer and encouraging voice will guide you through 15, 30, and 45 minute workout combos.

My Fitness Pal (Free, Pro edition $2.99) More than a calorie counter, it provides a nutrition summary to help you develop healthy eating habits. The large food database means you never have to guestimate how many calories are in your favourite dessert again.

 of AliciaFashionista

I stared at the pile of clothing on my bed last week; a mound of dresses, tops, jeans, etc. All of which were not dirty laundry. Quite the contrary actually, the clothing that lay in front of me was all clean. What just occurred was one of my usual routines of try on, toss aside, repeat, repeat, repeat. Looking at my reflection with possible outfit number 13 on, I thought to myself, “Alicia, do you really have nothing to wear or is it how you feel in your clothing?” Reality set in. "So what if I’d gained 5 lbs LAST winter that I swore I’d work off?", I thought. But, there I was, over a year later and I looked…the same. The extra warmth hadn’t magically fallen off like I’d secretly hoped it would.

Instead of feeling guilty about it for another year, I have made some new (hopefully realistic) fitness goals. I call it, “Tone Up or Shut Up.” I have to either get into a steady workout regime, or stop complaining to myself that I don’t look my best.

As someone with curves who admittedly hates the gym (more about that here) I’ve had to find other ways to work up a sweat. I find that classes give me a better workout than the gym ever did, my favourites being kickboxing and yoga. The key for me is to mix up my workout routine. I recommend throwing in something a little different once a week like snowshoeing, aqua aerobics, hiking, or maybe even a dance lesson.

The important things I’ve learned lately are:

1) I DO have time to work out. I just had to shift a few things around and learn to say NO to plans and find a little extra ME time!

2) I have to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Sometimes I swear I have insomnia, but now force myself to turn off my laptop by 10 pm each night.

3) I can avoid dieting if I eat in moderation.

4) I have a bigger support system than I thought. My girlfriends have traded in our coffee dates to join me in workouts, so I can see them AND get some exercise!

5) The beginning is the hardest part, but if I can have a workout routine, then ANYONE can!!! And when in doubt, do as Melissa did and turn to others for advice and inspiration.

Hope that helps, and good luck with all of your fitness goals xoxo

 of Smelly Danielly

I’m one of those girls who has always been naturally skinny. Growing up I was always the smallest in the class, I weighed 50 lbs for years, and my Mom fed me Homo Milk every day to try to make me grow. She actually joked that she would throw me a party when I finally reached 100 lbs, that’s how underweight I was!

I was lucky, growing up, that body image was never a big issue for me. Sure there were things about my body that I wanted to change, but I never struggled with weight, other than being under weight. Fitness was never a big part of my life either, for that matter. Since I wasn't concerned about keeping my weight in check, I just didn't bother with exercise.

This all changed, however, when in 2009 I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. Sure it wasn't my diet or lack of exercise that got me sick, but it really did inspire me to start thinking about my body and what I was doing with it.

In seeing as how I am part of a big Italian family, food is obviously number one in our lives. A no carb diet, for me, is not an option. So when it comes to food, I always make sure that I surround myself with healthy options and portion control. Sure it's fun to indulge in a huge plate of pasta with some salami and cheese on the side, but if you did that every day it would kill you. Trust me, when we were in Italy, we tried. For me, I find it easy to keep my diet in check because I am naturally drawn to healthy foods and find I crave them when I'm in a situation where I don't have access to them (damn you Super Bowl Sunday and all your chips and dip! *Shakes Fist*). What I struggle more with is exercise.

Don’t let my body fool you, I may be skinny, but I can’t run up stairs to save my life. Yes, that’s right; I have the stamina of an 80 year old cat. Exercise has always been my down fall. I find the gym uncomfortable, I have no motivation to go, and I much prefer lying on the couch. I do try to keep active at home, however, in the small way that I can. You would actually be surprised how many calories you can burn by doing the dishes, or ironing that pile of clothes that has been glaring at you all week. But as much good as it is to have a clean house, I started to realize that I couldn't use that as my daily exercise routine for the rest of my life. I needed something else to keep me active. So finally, after months of talking about it, I signed up and started doing yoga.

I wasn’t sure how it would work out, in the grand scheme of things, and if I would actually enjoy it (given the fact that I hate exercising), but it definitely surprised me. Not only did I find it working almost every muscle in my body, but I found it to be an amazing way to relax and unwind my body after a long day at work. I’ve only just started to go, but I can already feel the effects it has on me. I’ve even started to do some yoga at home on the days I don’t make it into the studio, which has worked out well, as long as I stay away from any unsupervised back bends...

While my journey towards health and fitness has only been a short one, I’m proud of the steps I’ve taken towards making my life a healthier one. I’ve clearly learned that just because you’re skinny and have a bionic thyroid doesn’t mean you’re healthy. While I am lucky that weight has never been an issue for me, I still realize the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, because the older you get, the harder it gets. Eating right and working your heart are just as important as looking good in your favourite floral skirt!
 

 
Why am I doing a feature on health and fitness? Find out why here! Did you miss part one? Well that's just silly! If you're someone who doesn't love the gym, you'll definitely relate to the first three women!

Health & Fitness - Part One

of The Anthology

I have a confession to make: I hate going to the gym. I know it’s good for me, reduces stress, increases heart health, blah blah blah. But running on the treadmill makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel. And I’d much rather feel like a hamster in one of those really cool tube mazes.

Which is probably why I like hiking so much. Give me a mountain and a trail map and I’m the happiest person in the world. Especially with my pup Leroy by my side.

Even when I’m exhausted after hours of climbing uphill, scrambling over boulders and clambering up rope ladders, it doesn’t feel like a workout. What it does feel like is a really good excuse to hit the hot tub.

Take that, hamster wheel.

 of Kendi Everyday

I hate exercise and I love chocolate croissants. This is how I would like to live my life, eating chocolate filled pastries while lying down and watching television. I tried this lifestyle for a while and although my pants did in fact get tighter (this went against my theory), I pretty much felt like crap. Now that is an overgeneralization, I didn't just eat chocolate croissants -- there was a lot more fast food and junk food than that involved. But I'm serious about the exercise, I hate it. Walking to the kitchen and back to get ketchup for my french fries was about all my body could handle.

I quickly learned that this is the way my 17 year old body could live, but not my 24 year old body. I didn't feel good, I was tired, and cranky. (My husband can attest to that). And most of all I never felt comfortable in my own skin, let alone the clothes I put on to cover my discomfort up. Once I realized "hey Kendi, why don't you eat like a real person?" I started discovering that I actually liked to eat healthy. I became a vegetarian and starting cooking meatless meals at home. It turns out -- I am a good cook! Who knew this was even possible? Then my husband and I decided that we wanted to be runners. So we decided to train for a marathon. Two years later and we still haven't signed up for a marathon, but we still run and laugh about how we one day will run a 5k, even if we come in last.

All of that to say, I made a few small changes over a matter of 2 and half years and I no longer feel lethargic or cranky. I can run a mile without vomiting or crying or swearing that I saw "the light". I can wear clothes (my favorite thing ever) and feel comfortable in my own skin. I don't worry about my weight or diet because I simply take care of my body. The minute I stopped worrying about the words skinny or size, was the minute I became a healthy person. And guess what? I still hate exercise and I still love chocolate croissants.

 of A Haute Mess

"A Haute Mess" on health and fitness is like Stacy and Clinton talking fashion on TLC -- what NOT to do. Or to take what I do and do the opposite! I'm a classic work-aholic: I'm often (an understatement) on my computer from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed -- making no time for exercise. I'm also a major junk food aficionado and have never met a sauce or cheese covered carb I didn't like. I blame this on my Italian genes but seem to be the only one in my family with a disdain for veggies (how curious...). But I digress. I find it hard to motivate myself to work out during these colder months; I love getting exercise in the summer time because you can be outdoors when the weather is nice, enjoy the sun and get some fresh air. But sadly, working out this inconsistently or not for months at a time isn't doing much for my health and/or fitness level! So my New Year's resolution is to work out consistently. I don't mean chugging protein shakes and making the gym my second home, but I just want to make an effort to step AWAY from my work and do something active, if not every day but at least a few times a week. And if this fails, it's going to get sunny soon, right?

Health & Fitness Feature: Introduction

With January coming to an end, I thought this would be the perfect time to evaluate my New Years progress! While I didn’t make any formal resolutions, I was pretty convinced that 2011 would be the year where I would suddenly become extremely motivated and organized. Progress update: Doing okay with the organization... doing not so great at staying motivated.
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In an attempt to get re-motivated, I spent a disturbing amount of money on health magazines (women’s health, shape, self, fitness and any gossip magazine promising weight loss secrets), plopped myself down on the couch with a bag of m&m’s and started reading (don’t worry, the magic weight loss secret that I was bound to discover in one of those magazines would help me take care of the inevitable m&m weight).

Half way through the magazines I realized two things.

1) There is really nothing motivating about staring at a model in a bikini (at least not for me).

2) I’m not looking for a magical weight loss secret. I just want to be motivated to stay healthy and active.

The women I am motivated by are the women in my life. So I would just have to use my friends and the amazing bloggers I have come to know as motivation. Easy, right?

Not so much. This is a horrible time of year for me. Not only do I have to worry about winter pounds sneaking up on me but the gloomy weather makes my mind all negative and I over think everything. (refer to my last couple posts for proof of my whininess).

While I do read some blogs that focus on health and fitness, most of the blogs I read do not. So while I can always turn to these bloggers for inspiration on style, I don’t know what they do to stay healthy. And since I don’t know what they do, I assume they don’t have to do anything. And that's when my mind goes into overdrive! “She has it so easy!” “it’s not faaair… she probably likes the gym” “why can’t I eat whatever I want?”.  I have to remind myself that we are all human, and while it might appear to me after just reading their blog posts that some of these women have it so easy, everyone has their own battles. The key is to just be happy and that's something all of these bloggers seem to do so well!

I decided that the best thing I could do to get out of this negative (and slightly crazy) mind set would be to actually ask a small group of these bloggers about their thoughts on health, fitness and body image. And not only were they kind enough to share their thoughts with me, they agreed to let me share them with you!

Tomorrow I will start posting what some of my favourite bloggers (and soon to be your favourites if they aren't already) have to say about a topic that is on a lot of our minds! So stay tuned for a weeks worth of motivation!