Nielsen Fitness - Personal Training Toronto

A common excuse that I hear from a lot of people is that they do not have enough time to exercise. As a personal trainer my goal is to change this perspective. Although I do advocate dedicated exercise sessions, I also do my best to encourage people to think in a new way about how, where and when to fit in exercise.

It is absolutely possible to work out while doing something else. One of my favourite multitasking exercises is the wall-sit.

The wall-sit is a static contraction exercise because the challenge lies in holding the contraction for a period of time. It’s an excellent way to target the glutes and thighs while strengthening the knee joint at the same time. A word of warning though – do not attempt this exercise if you have high blood pressure, and as always, I recommend that if you are starting an exercise program for the first time, you should consult your physician first.

Begin by selecting a wall that is strong enough to support your weight. Ensure that you are on a non-slip surface. With you feet hip-width apart and at least two feet from the wall, lean against the wall with your upper and lower-back. Slowly bring your hips down and bend your knees until you can feel a mild effort in your thigh muscles. Pause, keep you abdominals tight, remember to breathe and slowly continue to bring your body down until you feel enough challenge or until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Aim to hold this position for at least 20 seconds. Stand up and gently shake out your legs. If performed daily and with a realistic plan it’s possible for most people to hold a wall sit for 5 minutes or more.

For maximal postural benefit, make sure you keep your lower-back against the wall and your shoulder blades pressed back and down. If you have any questions about this exercise or are interested in learning more efficient ways to keep fit, we invite you to contact us to set up a no-obligation free personal training session. Stay tuned for more fun exercise suggestions in the future!

Written by Lars:Click to read profile

When it comes to using sweeteners, there is a variety of options. I believe that using artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, splenda, sucralose, etc are too good to be true. These sweeteners are chemically manufactured and amazingly enough contain no calories. There is a lot of studies and research showing the links between artificial sweeteners and certain cancers. I have heard and read that these sweeteners when broken down in your body turn into formaldehyde - which is an embalming fluid. I have also read that one of the ingredients of Splenda is in fact Chlorine. Why would you want to ingest such things? For more information check out www.truthaboutsplenda.com

Next time you need a little sweetener for your coffee or tea, use some real sugar or even try some honey. You are far better off with the few extra calories then you are adding chemicals to your body. These chemicals are tough to break down and have many possible side effects. Not only are these artificial sweeteners complete garbage, they are very addictive and can even slow down your metabolism.

Be cautious when you buy anything that says “low calories”, “diet”, or “sugar free” - they likely contain these artificial sweeteners. These also come under various aliases as well, so be careful.

Here are a few things that I would suggest for adding a sweet flavour to your favourite drinks and meals.

- Honey

- 100% real maple syrup

- Raw organic evaporated cane sugar

- Stevia

- Ground up dates

Be informed and eat healthy.

Written by: Micheline click to read profile

I spend many hours every week in the gym – training clients and working out myself – which helps me stay abreast of the concerns of today’s exercisers. Interestingly enough, many concerns – and myths – seem to be the same today as there were 10 years ago.

Where is all the study data going? Are people not reading it? Or are they reading it and not believing it?

One myth that I feel very strongly about dispelling is the belief that an over weight or obese person should only be doing cardio in order to achieve fat loss. Typically, the rationale behind this belief is that cardio produces faster results and therefore is the best use of exercise time.

I disagree. It’s true that regular cardiovascular exercise will help you to burn body fat, and when paired with a sound nutritional program, can result in significant change in body composition. But, it’s important to realize that the metabolic boost from cardiovascular exercise is only temporary!

On the other hand, the metabolic boost resulting resistance training is permanent and its affects will last as long as the muscle mass is maintained. Let me explain: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, which means it uses more calories all day, every day, even at rest. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’re burning at all times. Ultimately over the long run, this can lead to greater – and sustained – fat loss.

The catch – fat loss as a result of resistance training takes longer to realize. But it’s worth the time investment, and in the long run, will make fat loss, and the maintenance of fat loss, much easier.

So I recommend a combination of regular cardiovascular exercise and appropriate and safe resistance training as the best way for ANYBODY lose fat safely and permanently.

We’re excited to announce that our site now includes a section devoted to healthy and nutritious recipes. Nielsen Fitness welcomes your contribution, so feel free to post your favourite healthy recipes and/or nutritious snack suggestions.