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Marie and I are both competing in a fitness contest this spring. Both of us are total tomboys and were never really taught how to apply make-up, so we figured it was time to learn. Plus, applying make-up for stage and photos is completely different than applying the kind of make-up you would wear in real life. We were also warned that we should make sure our make-up and foundation matched the Cheetos-coloured tan that we’ll be sporting the day of the competition, so we figure we’d best bring in the professionals. After a quick call to Sarah, make-up artist extraordinaire, we had booked ourselves a three hour step-by-step private tutorial on the ins and outs of make-up application. All I can say is, do I ever feel bad for the Kardashians! Can you imagine living a life where you have to put all this effort into making yourself up every damn day just so that you don’t get published in the “Stars Without Make-Up” section in US WEEKLY. No thanks!

People often ask me what they should weigh and whether the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good benchmark to use. Personally, I think there is no set weight or even a range of weight people should aim for because everyone’s body composition varies so greatly.  For example, according to the BMI, most football players automatically qualify as being obese and just because your BMI falls in the right range, does not mean you do not have excess fat on your body.  After having searched the internet and several different books for a body fat rating scale I agree with, I finally found one on Tom Venuto’s site, www.burnthefat.com.  In my opinion, his chart gives a pretty good overview of what men’s and women’s body fat percentages should look like.  I also like his honest descriptions next to the percentages.  If you disagree with me, or have found a scale you like better, please let me know!

WOMEN:

• Competition shape (ripped): 8-12%
• Very lean (excellent): < 15%
• Lean (good): 16-20%
• Satisfactory (fair): 21-25%
• Improvement needed (poor): 26-30%
• Major improvement needed (very poor): 31-40%+

MEN

• Competition Shape (ripped): 3-6%
• Very lean (excellent): <9%
• Lean (good): 10-14%
• Satisfactory (fair): 15-19%
• Improvement needed (poor): 20-25%
• Major improvement needed (very poor): 26-30%+

I know it can seem harsh, but the truth often is.

So my timing sucks. I decide to train for my first fitness competition at the same time as I decide to enrol in chef school. Baking and pastry arts to be exact. For the next three months, I get to spend six hours every Saturday baking delicious cakes, pastries and chocolates. As if that wasn’t enough to test my will power, we also get to take home what we bake. On the bright side, if everything I bake sucks, I won’t be tempted to indulge. However, I really hope I don’t suck at this. Ah well, maybe I can bestow my homemade creations upon my colleagues…that should get the goodies out of my home and score me some brownie points (pun intended) at the same time. Now that’s a plan!

Great news! We’ve teamed up with ALIGN WELLNESS STUDIO at 2445 ST. Joseph Boulevard in Orleans, Ontario to offer you a wide variety of yoga classes. Align Wellness Studio is located right next door to Align Massage Therapy. Align Wellness Studio is a centre that offers yoga and wellness classes for the community. It is a place where people can come together to unite and to achieve balance between the mind,body, and soul – or just to get a good workout. We offer Power Yoga, Yin / Yang, Hatha, Pre-Natal, Mom and Baby Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Mother and Daughter Yoga and more. Our physical classes are an ideal complement to the massage therapy offered at the clinic. Whether you feel like taking a yoga class, attending a workshop or indulging in a massage, come by and see us! Check us out online at www.alignyourbody.com or call the clinic at (613) 830-1380 for more information.

What to wear

• Layer up – layering traps air between the layers and acts as insulation. Also, by wearing layers you can peel off clothes if you need to: Wear a long-sleeved base layer, an insulating layer (depending on how cold it is) and a lightweight top layer, such as a windbreaker.
• Stay away from cotton as it absorbs moisture and won’t wick the sweat away from your body
• Resist the temptation to overdress as this can lead to sweating which can drastically drop your body temperature in cold weather
• Invest in a good pair of running tights – ideally ones that are insulated and wind-proof
• Wear a hat – 40% of our body heat escapes through our head.
• Earmuffs with headphones built in are great for keeping your ears warm and your energy high
• Wear socks and gloves – again, 30% of body heat escapes through your hands and feet
• Wear trail running shoes or slip on cleats – they’ll keep you from slipping on the snow and ice
• Don’t forget the chapstick  - it’ll keep your lips from getting dry and cracked
• In extreme temperatures, use vaseline on exposed skin to protect against the wind and frostbite

Route planning

• Stay close to home – you can always run laps around your block – that way you can cut your run short and head inside if you need to
• If you’re not running laps, pick a route that passes you by a friend’s house or a store, that way you can jump inside to warm up if you need to (I like to pass by Tim Hortons)
• Keep it short – its hard to get into too much trouble if you keep your run under 45 minutes
• Run against the wind on the way out and with the wind at your back on the way home
• Try to plan your runs during the afternoons – its the warmest time of day

Before you leave

• Warm up at home for 3 – 5 minutes before heading out to warm up your body temperature
• Stick your clothes in the dryer for a few minutes before putting them on so that you are nice and toasty before you head into the cold
• Watch the weather network and pay attention  to both temperature and windchill
• Always bring money and a cell phone with you – that way you can always call for a ride, jump on a bus or take a cab (or buy a hot chocolate at Tim Hortons)
• Drink some water – its easy to get dehydrated in cold weather because when we feel cold, we tend to forget we’re still sweating
• Warm up a pot of tea or soup before you hit the road – that way a nice warm drink will be waiting for you when you get back
• Familiarize yourself with the signs of frostbite and hypothermia so that you are able to recognize if its happening to you

After you get home

• As soon as you get home, strip off your cold, sweaty clothes and jump into a nice warm shower
• Wait to stretch until after you get out of the shower so your body is nice and warm
• Have something warm to drink or eat, like tea or soup to help with warmth and re-hydration

Lets face it, most of us are pressed for time, so we cut corners where we can. Unfortunately, we are cutting the wrong corners. We’re buying processed foods and relying too much on meals you can buy at fast food restaurants or that you can cook out of a box. We are all looking for that quick fix and that instant gratification in terms of food and in terms of how fast we want our bodies to change.  I have news for you – if you fix your body quickly, your body will unfix itself just as fast and you will be back to where you were before in no time flat.

When was the last time you bought food fresh from the farm or from the farmer’s market? When was the last time you made a homemade meal – from scratch? When was the last time you actually listened to what your body was trying to tell you? If you take a second to slow down and actually listen to what your body really likes, you might be surprised. After years of doing what others thought I should do, I stopped.  I listened. And this is what I have found my body was telling me.

Personally, I generally eat 3 meals a day and I don’t snack.  I know there are a lot of proponents of eating every three hours, but I find that my body generally doesn’t need food every 3 hours unless I am participating in extra vigorous activity that day.  When I do extra activity, I snack on things like yogurt with fruits or nuts, hummus & veggies, soup, salad with nuts & seeds, cereal with milk, etc.

I always make sure that at least half of my plate is filled with veggies and I always use dessert plates to eat off of (unless we have company).  I prefer to start off every meal with either soup or salad (I use either balsamic dressing or no dressing at all) because it helps fill me up & it ensures I get my veggie servings in first. I do eat desserts, but only occasionally. If I feel like I need something sweet, I usually just sneak a few bites from my kids (who are allowed to eat dessert every night if they eat the healthy food first).

I also try to drink throughout the day to stay well hydrated because I find I have less cravings that way.  When I do feel like eating something I know my body doesn’t need, I try to head outdoors, away from the food, into the fresh air, and take a short walk. By the time I get home, I have usually lost my desire for whatever I was craving before. If I haven’t, I allow myself to eat it.

I don’t deprive myself, I don’t count calories and I always look forward to eating healthy, fresh meals.  When I listen to my body, I find it regulates itself and generally leads me in the right direction.  When it starts leading me astray, I usually find that it is because I am lacking in sleep or because I am over-doing it in some way (exercise, work, stress, not getting enough time to myself, etc). So I try to slow down, do less and pay attention more.  The key is not to keep ignoring what your body is trying to tell you. If you find yourself wandering down the wrong path, turn around and find the right one. Its never too late!

Below I have compiled 12 tips to weight loss that work for me. I encourage you to try them out and see if they work for you. Some might, some might not.  I have found that eating like this 80% of the time has made my body leaner, more efficient and more energetic. When I revert to my old eating habits (too many fat free food and too many foods containing white flour & sugar) my body reminds me by complaining very loudly (I get cramps, bloating and gas). So now I take the time listen to it and I retrace my steps to get back onto the right path.

1. Drink a glass of water first, then eat.
2. Don’t overeat; only eat until your stomach is 2/3 full.
3. Never have second helpings.
4. Don’t let yourself get dehydrated between meals.
5. Snack between meals if you like to, but keep the snacks small (100-200 cals)
6. Don’t snack on junk.
7. Get 7-8 servings of fruits & veggies daily.
8. Don’t drink pop or juice.
9. Stay away from artificial sweeteners.
10. Don’t eat non-fat foods, you’ll just end up eating more.
11. Eat protein & healthy fats with each meal & snack.
12. Stay away from processed foods.

It’s not always easy to get motivated and get healthy, but at MomMeFit, we truly believe we can make the world healthier one mom at a time. We hope to inspire moms by making fitness fun, challenging & interesting.  We believe in living in balance by following the 80-20 rule.  That means aiming to eat well and exercise 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time enjoy whatever it is that makes you happy.  Now, that might mean working out more, or it might mean taking a break, watching tv or splurging on cake.  Whatever.  The 20% is yours. So, listen to us 80% of the time, ignore us 20% and it’ll all works out in the end (get it?).