Got Gas?

Do you suffer from bloating or gas throughout the day or after a meal?

Well, if so, there may be more to it then just the foods you are eating.  Digestion is one of the most important elements to good health and, if yours is off, then you'll want to make corrections as soon as possible.

But feeling bloated can also be caused by something other than improper digestion.  

Continue reading to find out what it is...

YURI

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder of uncertain causation. It is characterized by long-standing marked fatigue in the absence of physical or psychological causes.

CFS is thought to occur in 4 adults per 1,000 in North America and for unknown reasons it tends to afflict more women than men, as well as people in their 40s and 50s. Unfortunately, it remains a diagnosis of exclusion based largely on patient history and evaluation of symptoms and, thus, is difficult to accurately diagnose.

Nonetheless, some of the potential triggers of chronic fatigue syndrome may include...

Click here to continue reading

YURI

How to Prevent Spider Veins

by Amy Coates, BSc., RHN

Director of Nutrition, Total Wellness Consulting

Spider veins are small varicose veins that are red, blue, or purple in colour and threadlike in appearance. They are more prevalent in women, as high levels of estrogen and hormone fluctuations in pregnancy and menstruation play a role in their expression. Their prevalence also increases with age and weight, in those who have a family history of spider veins, and those who stand for prolonged periods of time.

If you have small spider veins with no sense of pain, there is no need to worry. Love yourself and all of your little quarks! However, if you notice that you are developing more veins at an uncomfortable rate, have pain around the veins, or symptoms such as leg swelling, heaviness of the legs, itching, leg cramps at night, or the development of large varicose veins, it may be time to get them checked out by a specialist.

Something known as venous insufficiency often occurs when spider and varicose veins are present. This simply means that your body not be adequately pumping blood back to your heart. This leads to the creation of more pressure in the veins, which causes them to become larger.

There are a few things you can do to prevent the occurrence of spider veins and improve venous blood flow. It all starts with daily exercise. Exercise is fabulous forgetting your muscles pumping and your blood flowing. Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables – such as raspberries, blueberries and greens – anything bright in colour will be bursting with antioxidants that will strengthen blood vessels and prevent further damage. To hit the point home, the prevalence of spider and varicose veins is higher in Westernized and industrialized countries, which points a finger directly at lifestyle and diet of processed foods.

Graduated compression stockings are great for preventing spider veins because they offer venous support where it is most needed. They provide the most compression at the ankle and pressure decreases as you move up the leg, working with the leg muscles to improve venous flow. Wear them under work pants and any time you will be sitting or standing for a long period of time.

Relax for at least 15 minutes each day with your feet up a wall and your torso at a 90° angle to your feet. If you’re watching TV or reading, put your feet up on a pillow and let gravity work for you, not against you! Both of these activities will take some pressure off of your venous system.

If you desire medical treatment, there are two types available: laser therapy and sclerotherapy. Laser therapy is painful and may require several treatments that produce still insufficient results. Sclerotherapy treatment involves injecting in irritant solution into the veins which causes them to become blocked and collapse, which makes them disappear. The procedure is uncomfortable, yet aesthetic results are usually more pleasing than laser therapy. Both treatments ignore the cause of spider veins, and more veins may develop over time.

So grab your running shoes, get that heart pumping, and be sure to relax with your feet up afterward!


References:

Craig F Feied. “Varicose Veins and Spider Veins.” Sep 29, 2005. Medscape. 23 Feb. 2009 http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1085530-overview

James Laredo. “Cause and Treatment for Varicose and Spider Veins.” MedStar Health, Georgetown University Hospital.

The Essentials of Good Running Form

In the Treadmill Trainer running workouts, I talk a lot of the importance of proper running form.

And the reason is that I see so many runners and exercisers running with poor form, meaning that waste energy and don't achieve their true running potential.

So I put this video together to give you some essential pointers that will make great improvements to your running performance.  Watch the video and take action today! 

=> Click here to get your hands on the Treadmill Trainer running programs!

The Ultimate Fat Loss Workout

Without hesitation, this fat loss workout is one of the most intense I've put myself through. It consists of only 4 full body exercises but is so effective because it allows no rest. That's right, no rest during the entire workout.

Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.

YURI

What's the Deal with Spirulina?

Have you heard the debate about spirulina?

Well, according to Dr. Young (author of the pH miracle), Spirulina and algae thrive in acid conditions. The toxins in algae have been found to harm the liver and nervous system -
one even spurs cancer tumors in animals. He also states that the vitamin B12 found in algae is there care of bird feathers and droppings...

However, there are always differing opinions and 2 sides to every story.  Spirulina is a complete protein, which means that it contains all of the essential amino acids. It's also rich in EFAs: GLA, ALA, LA, EPA, DHA, and AA. If you don't understand what those mean, don't sweat it. Just think Omega-3s!

Spirulina is also loaded with vitamins and minerals - just look at its colour. Anything THAT green is golden for the body.  All we can do is give you information from both sides. If the spirulina/algae is grown under controlled conditions, free of bird droppings and feathers, we don't see a problem with it.

And, there are even more benefits to adding spirulina to your diet.

Read more about spirulina here...

YURI

Eating for Energy Success Story

"Dear Yuri,

My health has suffered a lot in my life and didn't know why, and information was hard to find, but thanks to the Internet I now have Yuri and Adam and after studying "Eating For Energy" it explains so much and I now know why, and it all makes so much sense and so easy.

I started "Eating For Energy" just a short time ago and even though it hasn't been a very long time, I can tell you several things that I have noticed and changes in my body (my life) and my husbands.

Were still learning to change all our eating habits, I through away a lot of bad processes/packaged stuff, if you could have seen my pantry before " Eating For Energy" you would be picking your self up off the floor in a state of shock, because I thought those food/non-food items were healthy. 

Thanks to Yuri I have incorporated many new items from "Eating For Energy" Chia seeds, goji berries, spirulina, flax oil just to name a few. We Love, Love your "Smoothies" My husband works in Maintenance and works very hard so what a great way to start off our day with one of your "Yummy Smoothies". Thanks to you, I know we now have the greatest nutrition that I thought I was getting all my life.

I myself have lost a lot of weight and my husband has said he has "lost his belly" not to mention we both now sleep the full night through. In the morning I have your "Bananas, Berries, and Cream" for breakfast, later a smoothie, but the energy levels we both have are amazing, instead of dragging myself around all day I now have the energy to do all the little things and many other things through out my day and I find myself enjoy them. 

I now look forward to my day with a brighter outlook and I even want to start an exercise program, because I now have the energy to do these things I've always wanted to. How do I Thank you for so much?

God Bless You, and Thank You For All Your Doing!"

- Christine Cressley

=> Grab your copy of the best-selling Eating for Energy book here!

Do You Know Your Carbs?

A lot of people think carbs are the devil.  They say that carbohydrates make you fat, bloated, and tired.  As a result, many people avoid them for one reason or another.

Do you fit into this group?

If so, then you need to take my CARB QUIZ to find out the realities about whether carbs are good or bad.

Click here to take the carb quiz...

Healthy Snacking Made Easy

Ever wonder what comprises a healthy snack? 

Well, it's sure not popcorn, chips, or cookies.  Nope.  Instead, it consists of simple nutrient-dense foods that boost your energy naturally.

Continue reading here...

YURI

Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation - Is it Safe?

A lot of people ask me about creatine supplementation.  Unfortunately, most of those people are those who to build muscle mass and put on size. The reason I say unfortunately is that it is not a suitable supplement for building size that will last.  

On the other hand, creatine monohydrate for athletic performance is a bit different and perhaps even beneficial.

But are there risks to using creatine?  

Found out by reading the full article (click here).

Dynamic Stretching for Runners

A few weeks ago, I walked by a group of about 20 runners who were part of one of the Running Room running clinics.  I was astonished to see these runners doing static stretching before their run on a bone chilling -10 degree morning!

How on earth can people be condoning this type of nonsense.  And amazingly, pre-game or pre-workout static stretching is even apparent in some professional sports teams that I've seen warm-up.

Now whether you're a runner, athlete, or just into working out, you need to understand that static stretching is DANGEROUS to do before your run, game, or training session.  That's the reason I developed Stretching for Runners.  If you haven't gotten your hands on this program yet, I would highly recommend that you do so so that you can understand how to properly warm-up and dynamic stretch before your activity and cool down and static stretch afterwards.

In the meantime, here are 3 dynamic stretches that you can do before your runs.

YURI

Is Personal Growth a Pipe Dream?

Last night, I had a thought-provoking conversation with some good friends about our ability to change - both as individuals and as a population.

We first started discussing how change (at the level of a population/country/world) usually only happens when a major event has taken place. For instance, some of the greatest periods of innovation came about because of World War 1 and 2. 

Dramatic improvements in travel security have been made since 9.11.  

The examples are many but what is interesting is that it seems to be the same thing at the micro level - that is, at an individual level.  And we've seen it countless times where people make no improvements to their lifestyle until something dramatically painful happens.

Here are some examples that I've personally encountered:

• The hard working type A executive who suffers a heart attack in his early 50's...who then starts to eat well and exercise more regularly.

• The mother who takes of everyone else but herself, who then develops breast cancer and is forced to start "loving" herself and putting her needs first.

Again, these are just a few examples of how as human beings we are wired to behave in certain ways and have a very tough time changing who we are as we go through life. 

Now don't get me wrong. I'm a firm believer in continuous improvement, personal growth, and life-long learning but to be honest, it is very difficult to change unless you experience a tremendous amount of pain that forces you to adopt different habits and behaviours.

In fact, social psychologist Morris Massey's research has found that very few people make significant life changes after the age of thirteen!  Massey explains that by this point in life, our core values, beliefs, and strategies are locked in and we rarely change (if ever) unless  we experience what Massey calls a "significant emotional event."

Can you relate?  I'm sure there are areas of your life that just seem to never improve. You set a goal or vow to change the way you do something, but then fall right back into your "programmed" ways of behaving. I know this is true in my life. 

Unfortunately, in most cases, it takes such a painful event to truly change. This type of event causes us to step back, take an inventory of our life, and potentially choose a new direction. 

Such traumatic events can be life-threatening diseases, loss of a loved one, car accidents, or anything else that causes huge amounts of pain.

But why am I talking about this? 

Well, I'm the first one to believe in the potential of each one of us to make small incremental changes that can lead to incredible results.  But part of the strategy is to get uncomfortable with where you are right now. Take stock of your life right now. Get clear.  What are you happy about and what is in your life that is just not good enough.

Obviously, we don't want to have rely on traumatic events to change us.  

A simple strategy you can use right now is to simply ask yourself,

"What do I not want in my life?"

The answer to this question can help you gain perspective and clarity which can then help you focus on what you DO want in your life. Then, the goal is to focus on what you want, not on what you don't want, since what you focus on expands.

So why not take action today by getting clear on what's important to you and taking the initiative to make it your reality.  

Don't wait until it's too late. Be courageous and commit to being a better, healthier person each and every day!

YURI

3 Great Ab Exercises Using the Stability Ball

You probably know that I enjoy using the stability ball.  In fact, it is one of just a few needed tools for my Fitter U workout program. 

Whether or not you've used Fitter U, I put together 3 of my favourite ab exercises that you can do on the stability ball.  But beware - they are a bit challenging.  If you're a beginner, you may want to keep this on the back burner for a few weeks.  If not, let's do it.

Enjoy!

Give these abdominal exercises a go and let me know what you think in the comments.

YURI

Late Night Interval Training Workout

The other night I had the intention of going to the gym and doing the full Treadmill Trainer Volume 5 workout.  I just felt like going for a great run.

Unfortunately, when I got to my gym, it was ridiculously packed.  And I'm talking packed at 8:30pm!  Not one single treadmill was available. I was disappointed to the say least. But hey, I've got an arsenal of workout routines that I decided to pull one out my cranial archives and give it a go.

So here's what I did.  I hopped onto an upright (I don't like the recumbent ones - not natural at all) and cranked out 20 minutes of muscle burning, sweat-inducing intervals.  I started with a 5 minute warm up and proceeded to do 4 hard intervals lasting 4 minutes each with 2 minutes recovery between each one.

My goal during each 4-minute work bout was to maintain my heart rate between 165-170 bpm of my max heart.  This would reflect an intensity of about 90% of my max heart rate.  And believe it was hard as hell.

I could feel my legs fill with lactic acid but I committed to finishing all 4 intervals - no matter what!

The 2-minute recovery bouts were simply light pedaling to flush out lactic acid and allow my heart rate to come down a little bit.

After finishing the intervals on the bike, I climbed off and could barely bend my legs - they were that stiff.  I obviously walked it off and get them moving again.  

But I wasn't done yet.  I had some more fuel in the tank.  So by this point one of the treadmills had become vacant. Yes!  I grabbed it and immediately proceeded to do 10 minutes of sprint intervals.  I ran at 10 mph for 90 seconds and recovered with jogging for 60 seconds.  I think I did about 4 bouts so that it totaled 10 minutes. 

By this point, I happily conceded that I was finished for the night.  I felt great and had the endorphins pumping - probably one of the factors that didn't allow me to sleep until the wee morning hours.

YURI

=> Click here for the best interval training workouts!

3 Ways to Better Your Posture

Have you ever wondered why so many people fall prey to low back injuries, slumped posture, and an array of chronic overuse disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome?

Well, a lot of it has to do with the fact that most people spend most of their day sitting...and in a lot of cases, in front of a computer.

If you think about sitting, you're really sitting directly on your spine.  Not a great thing. When you stand, you at least have your legs to "buffer" or absorb whatever energy is being transmitted up your body. Not so when you're sitting. Over time, this creates recurring stress on the lower back.  Combined with improper sitting ergonomics, the results are surely unpleasant.

What about slaving over a keyboard all day. Consider the posture of being slumped forward with your shoulders rounded and head protruded. Over time, this can lead to what is known as "upper crossed syndrome", a condition whereby you end up looking like Quasimoto!

How Do You Counteract These Chronic Postures?  

Here are 3 ways that will help:

1. Take a break every 20-3o minutes. 

This means get up off your chair, walk around, and have a stretch. This is very important as it prevent your muscles and tissues from adapting to an undesirable posture.

2. Go in the opposite direction

Huh? Let me explain. If you are always seated, your are basically in what is known as "hip and spinal flexion".  This is one of the biggest precipitating factors of low back pain although most people never even think about sitting as the cause.

The goal then is to counteract this "flexion" position with one of "extension".  For instance, to counteract the sitting position lay down on your stomach and prop yourself up onto your forearms or hands.  This will put into "spinal and hip flexion" and has been shown by leading authorities, including back expert Dr. Stuart Mcgill, to help maintain and restore ideal vertebral (or spinal) health. 

3. Strengthen your posterior chain

The posterior chain is the back side of your body. It includes your back extensors, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.  One of the best ways to have better, more erect posture is to train thes muscles.  In so doing, they become more "taught" and, as a result, erect your body into it's natural posture.

Exercises to use include deadlifts, stiff legged deadlifts, back extension, planks, side planks, and upper back retraction movements like back rows.

Incorporating more of these exercises into your workout routines will help balance the excessive amount of sitting and pushing-type movements that most people do.  In return, your body will thank you with better posture and fewer repetitive strain injuries!

YURI

=> Click here to get more posture-friendly full body workouts

30 Minute "In and Out" Workout

Yesterday, I was in the mood for an intense workout but I didn't feel like spending more than 30 minutes in the gym. So I got in there on a serious mission and left the gym having done one of the best workouts yet.

Here's what went down.

11:00-11:05 

Jogging on treadmill to warm-up followed by a few dynamic stretches (ie. leg swings, frog walk-ins, inch worms)

11:05-11:15

Strength endurance tri-set consisting of deadlifts x 6RM, front squats x 6RM, and box jumps x 6.  This tri-set was repeated with absolutely NO rest for the duration of 4 sets.  

WOW, was my heart jumping out of my chest!

11:15-11:25

The next tri-set shattered my upper body and consisted of DB bench press x 6RM, kipping pull-ups (to failure), and stability ball roll-outs.  Again, repeated for 4 sets with NO rest at all.  

Needless to say, by this point I was pretty toast.

11:25-11:30

Crawled onto the bike to cool-down for about 5 minutes and rehydrate.

As you can probably tell, I killed my muscles and got a great cardiovascular workout as well.  If I were to monitor my heart rate during this workout I would say that I was definitely above 85% max HR for at least 20 minutes.  That's pretty intense!

I'm not a huge fan of spending a lot time in the gym.  In fact, I think I should get a discount because I spend so little time in there even though I go about 4-5 times per week.

YURI

P.S. This is a fantastic example of a calorie-crunching weight loss workout.

Twitter 10 Ab Exercises

Yesterday, I polled a bunch of my twitter followers to see what their favourite ab exercises were.  With their feedback I've compiled my twitter top 10 ab exercises.  I've even thrown in a few of my own favourites.  Warning - some of these are VERY challenging.  Try them at your own risk! I dare you.

Here we go:

1. Stability Ball Roll-Outs - great ab exercise that focuses on core and spine stability.

2. Hanging Knee Raises - this can be done with arm straps holding you in place or you can simply hold a 90 degree pull-up and raise your knees from there.  Killer exercise!

3. Stability Ball Ab Crunches - this is classic but a goodie.  Make sure you only come up high enough to bring your shoulder blades off the ball.  

4. Side Plank with Leg Lift - great core exercise for strengthening the quadratus lumborum (an important lateral spine stabilizer) while strengthening the often neglected hip abductors (ie. glutes).

5. L Pull-ups - By far, one of the most challenging ab exercises I've ever done!  Create an L shape with your body by having your legs parallel to the floor as you do a pull-up.  Talk about full body integration.  This exercise get everything - the lats, pecs, core, hip flexors, and more!

6. Side Plank with Knee Drive - I have to give credit to the German Mannschaft (National soccer team) for this incredible side plank variation that hits not only the core but the adductors (groins) as well.  This is a must for any athlete!  Simply drive the bottom knee in towards your chest while keeping the top leg planted.

7. Stability Ball Grasshoppers - This is guaranteed to WOW you friends.  Feet on the ball and hands on the floor (push up position).  Drive one foot up and off the ball, drive it through towards your chest, and then twist and extend it straight out to the side so that it forms a 90 degree angle with your body.  Tough as hell!

8. Spiderman Plank - The plank doesn't get much tougher than this.  Start in a push-up position and then gently move your feet and hands as far away from your midline as possible.  In essence you're creating an 'X' - like spiderman when he's stuck on the side of a building.  Get as low to the floor as possible while keeping your arms straight. Brace your core and love the burn.  I give you props if you can hold this for 30 seconds!

9. BOSU Deadbug - such a great and back-friendly ab exercise even without the BOSU ball. Try it on the BOSU and enter a whole new dimension.

10. Front Squats - what?  Squats you say?  Yes, I said it.  Front squats are very different from back squats.  The increased front load places huge demands on your core.  Not only that but your core and lats also to work to keep your elbows and arms in proper position throughout the movement.  Otherwise, the bar will fall right off your shoulders!  

There we go!  The Twitter 10 ab exercises.  If you have no idea what some of these ab exercises look like then hold tight - I'll be shooting a video shortly to demonstrate.

Enjoy!

YURI

Be Kind - Rewind Your Mind

by Amy Coates, BSc., RHN

Director of Nutrition, Total Wellness Consulting

Ever had a bad day? What if I told you that you didn’t have to have any more of them? Ever. Like everything else in your life - it’s your choice. Attitude is a choice.

We blame others for most bad things that happen in our lives. We just don’t want to take personal responsibility for anything. We blame our parents for this and that. We blame our school system for not teaching us better. We blame other drivers for the traffic. We blame everyone but ourselves. 

Here’s the secret: Blaming others is simply our way of excusing ourselves. We don’t want to own up to our part of our bad mood, or our bad day, so we blame others, and somehow - feel better about it. But trust me - no one wants to hear you complaining about others - not even all of the trillions of little cells that comprise your body. Anger, resentment, and negativity get deep into the cells. How are you supposed to have a good day if you’ve angered that many living things!

Here’s the solution: Be kind. See the good in every situation. Anytime you feel angry, ask yourself why you’re having such a strong reaction to the situation. Every situation is a chance for you to learn and grow. If you’re stuck in traffic, turn off the radio and belt out your favourite song. Not the only one in the car? Learn something new about the person beside you. This is your chance to really listen and get to know them. How often do you really talk to your husband, your wife, or your kids? Turn off the radio, and really talk. Start with: “You know, I’ve never told you this, but I’ve always dreamed of…” Or, alternatively: “Thank you for…” Have a meaningful conversation - you’ll both come out of it with a smile.

Be kind to the barista who makes your coffee. If you have a particularly good latte one day, take the time to share your gratitude with those who made it. Instead of barrelling down the sidewalk on the way to work in the morning, slow down your pace, take in some deep breaths, and choose 5 things in the moment for which to give thanks. 

Be kind to the person who butts in line, or cuts you off, or is rude to you “because they’re an “a******”. They are people, just like you, and you don’t know what’s going on in their lives. If you are kind and show people you truly care, you never know how they’ll respond - or how grateful they’ll be that you took a moment out of your schedule to show them you care. Step out of your “story” and take the time to simply be in the moment. Smile. Share a hug with someone who needs it. Hint: everyone needs a hug. Call your parents and tell them you love them. Thank them for all they gave you, and ask how they’re doing.

Don’t try to be kind to people. Feel it. Live it. Never try to do anything. Simply do. When you wake up in the morning, be the kindest person you know - and just see how your life can change in an instant.

My 3 Favourite Ab Exercises

Conventional ab exercises like sit-ups, crunches, and other “flexion-type” movements impose a great deal of stress on your low back. It’s important to understand that any abdominal exercise that involves flexion of the hips (ie. forward bending type movement) and heavily activates the abdominal muscles will also usually produce a greater amount of pull (or strain) on the lower spine.

Therefore, if you've ever suffered from low back pain or have not developed proper core endurance then it is best to avoid the traditional sit-ups and related ab exercises (ie. leg lifts, crunches, etc…).

But don't worry, I'm about to show 3 ab exercises that are so much better than those other ones.  These abdominal/core exercises will help you focus your ab workouts on developing endurance while keeping your spine in a neutral position. By doing so, you will lessen the strain on your low back while greatly developing the deeper abdominal muscles such as the tranverse abdominus and internal/external obliques.

So put away those gimmicky ab machines and shopping channel products and add the following 3 ab exercises into your workout routines if you haven't already.

Plank

The plank is a fundamental core exercise that helps to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. Here’s how to do it:

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.

2. Brace your abs by gently drawing in your belly button and tensing your abdominal muscles (this “abdominal brace”) is maintained throughout the entire exercise.

3. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.

4. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels. Tilting your pelvis (ie. tucking your tail bone under) can help with this.

5. Hold for as long as possible. The goal is to build up to holding the plank for more than 1 more with good form.

Side Plank

The side plank is another fantastic static exercise for strengthening the abdominals, back and shoulders. Isometric strength is important for stabilizing the trunk in various sports and exercises. 

When you are doing the side plank (as with all exercises in general), make sure to perform your “abdominal brace” by lightly contracting your abdominals and drawing in your belly button (like putting on a type pair of pants). This stabilizes the spine and pelvis and ensures proper form at all time.

Here’s how to do the side plank:

1. Lying on your side with your feet stacked, place one forearm underneath your shoulder and perpendicular to your body.

2. Lift your body off the ground and balance on the one supporting forearm and the side of your feet. Remember your abdominal brace. Hold this position for as long as you can (ideally more than 30 seconds) and then switch sides.

Dead Bug

This is an unbelievable ab exercise that does not impose a great deal of stress on your spine. For beginners, do this movement on the floor. If you are more advanced I suggest giving this a go on a BOSU (as shown in picture).  Get ready to feel a major burn!
Here’s how to do the dead bug:

1. Lie on your back and bring your knees up to your chest.

2. Place straightened arms towards the sky so that they are perpendicular to your body.

3. Maintain a neutral spine and brace your abs and, in a slow and controlled motion, extend your left leg toward the floor, straightening it while at the same time extending your opposite arm (right arm) behind your head so that it is now parallel to the floor. Ensure that the non-working arm and leg are stationary. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds and then switch sides. 

Aim for 12 to 20 reps depending on your abdominal and core endurance.

=> click here for more great ab workouts