Nielsen Fitness - Personal Training Toronto

Written by Lars:Click to read profile

A lot of people come back from vacation worn out, sick, and feeling worse off then when they left, so here are a few things to keep in mind while on the road.

Drink plenty of water and make sure it and the ice is safe
Get enough sleep
Eat your fruits and vegetables
Try eating from a grocery store, you’ll eat better and save money
Avoid excess alcohol
Give yourself time to adjust to the new time zone
Dress appropriately
Bring appropriate footwear
Walk
Bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere
Be careful if you’re out in the sun
Take time to warm up and stretch before doing anything new
Take your vitamins
Make sure you’re not coming home to a mess
Leave the office at the office
Relax and enjoy the time off

I’m sure if you follow these few tips, and use common sense you’ll enjoy your holidays much more and not come back feeling like you need a vacation.

Recently a client of mine passed along a New York Times article called You Name It, and Exercise Helps It. As the name suggests, it outlines a long list of chronic health problems that can be helped with exercise.

The article quotes Frank Hu, epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health as saying: “The single thing that comes close to a magic bullet, in terms of its strong and universal benefits, is exercise.”

I was so pleased to see this article, and Dr. Hu’s comment, since I have long believed that exercise is hands-down the best preventative drug out there.

They always say proof is in the pudding, so I would like to share an example with you. Last September, Nielsen Fitness got a call from a woman named Fiorella (I have Fiorella’s blessing to tell this story, by the way) who was overweight, had out of control blood sugar and had been diagnosed as diabetic. Looking for a big change in her life, Fiorella signed on with Nielsen Fitness and began working out three times a week at her home with Lars. These regular training sessions combined with Lars’ nutritional advice and insight made all the difference in Fiorella’s life. Now, 7 months later, she is an amazing 65 pounds lighter and is no longer considered diabetic.

If that’s not proof of the healing powers of exercise, I don’t know what is. Congratulations Fiorella – keep up the good work, and thank you for allowing me to share your story!

Read more about Fiorella’s Nielsen Fitness experience here.

Written by Lars:Click to read profile

Generally speaking there are two ways to increase your rate of progress when working to improve muscle mass and muscle tone in the gym. You can increase the effectiveness of your training or you can increase your rate of tissue recovery after each workout.

Today I am going to address recovery. The faster your body can repair muscle, after its been agitated through the workout process, the more rapidly you will see positive results in your muscle development.

One way to speed up your recovery after a workout is to take an alternating hot / cold shower.

The pattern should be as follows:
Cold / Hot / Cold / Hot / Cold (3 cold, 2 hot)

Let your body soak in each cold segment for 30 seconds and each hot segment for 2 minutes.

This process will help in decreasing muscle tension from post workout stress. It also increases blood flow around the muscle, which facilitates a faster rate of recovery.

Remember, faster recovery means more rapid progress toward the body you want. Try this tip for 2 weeks and experience the results for yourself.

After a winter of record snowfall, most Torontonians are downright sick of shoveling. But if you’re a golfer, all that shoveling may very well pay off on the fairways…
It’s a fact that snow shoveling uses many of the muscles that help you hit a powerful long drive. These major muscles are part of what is referred to as your core and spinal rotational group. One of the key players of the group is called the quadratus lumborum. It is located along each side of your spine and acts as rotational and stabilizing muscle. If correctly conditioned, it will add power, speed and precision to your long drive.

I couldn’t write a about shovelling without touching on the aches and fatigue that can be associated with it. One thing you can do to help condition your body for shovelling, and to avoid discomfort and injury is to improve your flexibility. One movement I recommend is a Yoga stretch called the triangle pose.
If done correctly this movement will add flexibility, and promote stability and dynamic strength to you core – something you’ll need before starting a golf specific program – or tackling the next big snowfall! To learn more about the newly available Nielsen Fitness golf conditioning programs call 416.356.2658 or email golf@nielsenfitness.com. Check back often for more exercises.

Written by Lars:Click to read profile

For years I’ve worked at a horse farm, haying, cutting grass, raking leaves, digging fence posts etc. Getting outside, and into the fresh air while, trimming hedges, planting a garden, are all great ways to burn a few calories and get some great exercise too. While it may not be most peoples idea of exercise, it can definitely get you in shape. Some of the most fit people I know are farmers who spend their days throwing bales of hay, doing tree work, and working with their hands. Not only does it give your muscles a workout, it can help with flexibility, core strength, and in some cases be an aerobic workout for your lungs.

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Posted by: Poul

What is with our obsession with the scale?

I have never completely understood peoples’ obsession with the scale and their weight, when it is inches and body fat that really matter. Unless considered obese and at a health risk, I encourage people not to worry about what the scale says. I have trained dozens of people who have dropped dress and pant sizes without losing significant amounts of bodyweight. You’ve heard it before and it’s true — muscle weighs a lot more than fat.

And muscles burn a lot more calories than fat does, even if you are inactive. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, if you just sat in a chair all day an extra 12lbs of well distributed muscle can metabolize an additional 720 calories/week. That means by gaining that muscle and eating the same, you can burn an extra pound of fat in about a month! On the other hand, if you’re highly active and careful about what you eat, you can burn a lot more!!

Bottom line: Don’t be fearful of gaining muscle — or weight — when exercising. It can be a good thing!