Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Fitness Fashion Junkie

As a trainer and fitness instructor in Vancouver one of the best parts of my job is being among the obligatory Lululemon wear that runs rampant in my classes and makes my clients look amazing while they train. There is something inspiring about seeing 30 people sitting on bikes in front on me all wearing the latest bright tank top and cute pair of pants. At the end of class I rarely get questions about working out, but always get a comment on whichever top I wore that day... Sometimes going to the gym can be made 100% easier just by having the right outfit.


Double Back Lululemon top

Check out the Lululemon website for more of their latest goods:

Monday, November 22, 2010

The 13 Best Foods to Eat

If you want to....


Lose weight without trying:
- Lemon water, Artichokes, and Red Grapefruit

Make your skin glow:
-Watermelon, Figs, and Red Bell Peppers

Boost your immune system:
-Beans, Prunes

Prevent heart disease:
-Cherries, Dark Chocolate

Boost your brain power:
Blueberries, Cinnamon, and Plums

Monday, November 15, 2010

Turn Your World Upside Down

Adho Mukha Svasana Downward Facing Dog
Balasana Child's Pose

When I first started yoga the idea of holding a handstand was completely daunting and something only the real "yogis" did. However, since dedicating myself to a more vigourous practice as well as learning the therapeutic benefits of inversions, this pose is one I aim for daily.

Benefits include:
- Calming the mind to help with depression

- Stimulation of the pituitary gland- ie the control center in our brain that releases hormones which help us function properly

- Stimulation of the Pineal gland which is located at out third eye (in between the two eyebrows). Related to the 6th chakra the third eye promotes imagination, psychic ability and dreaming.

- Strengthens lungs

- Tones abdominal organs

- Improves digestion

- Helps relieve symptoms of menopause

- Therapetuic for insomnia and asthma.

Amazing that just flipping your body upside down can have such a positive affect on your health. The real beauty of inversions is that you don't have to balance in handstand to reap the rewards... Other variations of the same action include Child's Pose and Downward Facing Dog.... Add one or both to your stretching regimen and see what happens.




Friday, November 12, 2010

Welcome

I started this blog because as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I am always searching the internet for new exercises, tips, and pieces of inspiration to not only make my job easier, but also to challenge my clients and enrich the lives of the people around me. Over the years I have found TONS of great stuff that I typically write down on a random piece of paper and then inevitably lose, or just never look at again. I yearned for a single resource that would inspire me in one well organized site, but despite its vast reach, the world wide web kept coming up short... I had no other choice but to create my own: so here it is.
Welcome to FitnessJunkie.