​You’ve added exercise to your weight loss plan and you’re committed. So why is the scale not moving, or even going up? This can be very frustrating but don’t despair; there are many reasons why…

• The type of training you’re participating in may be a big factor. Cardio is a great tool for weight loss and is certainly good for your health, but if you’re not including strength training in your workout routines - you should. Building muscle mass helps your body to keep burning fat long after you’re done working out.

 

• You may not be fueling your body properly. Avoid severe calorie restriction and be sure to include high-quality, nutritious foods in your daily meals. Your body needs fuel to burn, without this fuel your body will go into conservation and not want to let go of any weight.

 

• You must take time for recovery. With a serious exercise routine you need to take the time for rest days, this allows your muscles and tissues to repair. Also you must include stretching into your routine.

 

• It’s been said over and over. You must have a healthy sleep routine to make sure your gains are kept. This is another time your muscles are recovering from your workout.

 

• Too many processed carbs. You may be surprised how many carbohydrates you actually eat in a day. Although carbs are great for fueling you through your workouts (some healthy complex carbs pre-workout are great), be sure that you’re including plenty of high-quality protein and healthy fats into your meals as well. Figure out your daily macronutrients (Carbs/Proteins/Fats) this will help you to include the proper foods into your diet.

 

• Eating to match your calorie burn. First of all you could be overestimating how many calories you’re burning and eating more than you actually burned. This cannot be stressed enough, be sure to track your everything that goes into your mouth, food, water, drinks, including alcohol, and snacks, (MyFitnessPal is a great tracking app!). Secondly, stay at your recommended calorie intake regardless of your calorie burn.

 

• Be sure to drink enough water throughout your day. Drinking water helps weight loss by helping your body to carry out metabolic processes, flush your system and help ease cravings.

 

• Not being honest with yourself. It is imperative that you are self-aware enough to know that what you may eating isn’t good for you, or it’s just too much food. Are you in fact taking the necessary steps to reach your weight-loss goal? Only you know.

 
Need help reaching your weight goal? Contact Us at Functional Performance Fitness so we can discuss which of our programs, both fitness and nutritional will work best for you. Functional Performance Fitness has many programs for nutrition, exercise and recovery – contact us now!

Whether you’re just starting your exercise routine or have been exercising for awhile now there’s always the little voice in your head telling you there are other things you should be doing. But let’s face it, you don’t. Nothing is more important than doing something healthy for your body, which really translates into a happier you and being able to be there for those you love.
 
So what can you do to master the voice in your head?
 
•    Acknowledge that it’s an ongoing process. There’s no ultimate end goal, it’s a behavior that is fluid and changes as you master a movement, or a running distance. Don’t get frustrated at a perceived setback, it’s all part of the process.
 
•    Set reasonable goals, if you’re just starting your new routine don’t set your goals so high that you end up failing miserably. Your goal is to run a 5K? Don’t go out and buy the most expensive running shoes, start with a walk around your neighborhood for 20 minutes.
 
•    Treat your exercise as training. Once your reasonable goal is set, train for that challenge. You can hire a personal coach, or try one of the many apps available. Educate yourself about your choice of workout. Is it weightlifting, HIIT, or running? There is an abundance of information via the Internet and social media platforms to help you understand what you’re doing and how to improve.
 
•    Find a workout buddy or a gym that offers group classes (at Functional Performance Fitness we have many many group classes that are included in our gym membership). You won’t want to let down your workout buddy, they’re your accountability partner. As well, making friends in a group class makes going to class fun, enjoyable, and something you’ll look forward to going to.
 
•    Create habits that will help you to stay on track. Plan on training in the morning, track your daily food and exercise, put your gym clothes in your car, post about your workout on Facebook. All little habits will turn into a routine.
 
•    Create a recovery routine to help ease the soreness. You will be sore so don’t let that be your excuse to not do your training the next morning. Add stretching, foam rolling, proper nutrition, “rest days”, sleep, and hydration to your routine.
 
Remember this is a life long process that will change with your work and family life, your goals, your age, so relish in your victories, put the bad days behind you and stay on the right side of the mental side of getting and staying fit.

Looking to socialize while you’re working out? Looking for a change and master your mental side to get fit? Contact Natatia at Functional Performance Fitness to talk about all the new and fun group classes and the many other workout options being offered!

When you’re trying to lose weight what doesn’t get in the way right? Whether it’s work, play, kid’s activities, family obligations; the barriers are always there right? These are several of the pitfalls along the way, so let’s break it down to make your weight-loss journey a success.
 
1. So many of us focus primarily on what we CANNOT eat. Throw that idea out the door! First put your focus on eating less and then what you CAN eat. There are plenty of nutritious foods available that are easy to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Avocado toast is a great and delicious way to get a jump-start on your morning, a Hummus wrap for lunch, and a savory soup in the evening for dinner…all these are super easy to make and healthy too!
 
2. Guess what? It’s NOT all or nothing. Statistics show that depriving yourself of things you love will typically lead to failure. Don’t deprive, revive! Love pasta? Instead of a creamy fattening sauce, try a whole-wheat pasta with veggies. The herbs and spices will satisfy even the pickiest eater.
 
3. Don’t have a plan? You’re setting yourself up for failure. The pounds didn’t add up overnight and taking them off isn’t going to happen overnight. A solid plan of just a few attainable specific weekly or monthly goals at a time will help you make lifelong habits.
 
4. Don’t cut food groups. Eat balanced meals and snacks that include healthy protein, carbs & fats. Forget the latest diet trend, eat balanced and nutritious meals and you’ll beat the scale.
 
5. Don’t replace meals with green juices and smoothies. Often the ingredients in these are not satisfying leading to eating more later. They often don’t offer the right amount of nutrients and can be loaded with sugar.
 
6. Don’t restrict your calories. Eating less is typically the best way to lose weight, although this is because you’re probably eating too much. But actually restricting your calories can backfire. Think about the quality of the foods you’re eating first.
 
7. It used to be the trend…low fat…remember that? But research is now showing that this isn’t so good for you. There are plenty of healthy and delicious foods high in fat you should have in your diet such as, nuts, avocados, whole eggs, and extra virgin olive oil.
 
When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight there are more benefits than just weight-loss. Many of us will be able to better manage chronic diseases, manage our stress, make new friends, improve our mood, and protect ourselves from future health problems. And this is important for people of all ages! Start implementing healthy eating early in your child’s life, and it’s not too late for you either. Did you know one in four adult Canadians and one in 10 children have clinical obesity, meaning six million Canadians living with obesity may require immediate support in managing and controlling their weight? Don’t be a statistic…you can find delicious and healthy recipes with simple Google search.
 
At Functional Performance Fitness we also offer nutrition guidance, CONTACT NATATIA for more information about the challenges you have when it comes to eating a health diet. We also have some DELICIOUS RECIPES for you to check out!

It’s December 1st preparations for the holidays has officially begun. And you may have kept it together all year, and now with the holiday parties and the seemingly endless amount of treats available it can feel like all your hard work will go down the drain. We know you want to celebrate with your family and friends and you don’t want to be thinking about what you’re eating all the time so we have some ideas for you to prepare yourself.
 
Keep moving your body. Even at work, set a timer to move for five minutes at least every 30 minutes. If you’re planning on watching holiday movies or going out to eat, take a walk afterwards.
 
Have a game plan. Continue tracking your​ calories, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Your body needs water to function properly, and a large glass of water before a meal can lessen the amount of food you eat.
 
Keep moving your body. Even at work, set a timer to move for five minutes at least every 30 minutes. If you’re planning on watching holiday movies or going out to eat, take a walk afterwards.
 
Have a game plan. Continue tracking your calories, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Your body needs water to function properly, and a large glass of water before a meal can lessen the amount of food you eat.
 
Exercise early. With the holiday parties and fun community events you’ll be attending exercising in the morning will give you the energy for your day you’ll have plenty of time in the afternoon and evening to enjoy these events.
 
Be creative. Get creative with your exercise. This time of year there are a lot of activities to enjoy, ice skating, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding. When the kids are home on winter break include them in these activities for family fun.
 
Avoid overindulging. Eat before heading to the party, eat before drinking, and eat your veggies first. There will be irresistible food to eat, take your time and eat slowly and savor it.
 
Shop thoughtfully. You don’t have any control over what will be served at other’s homes so stock your kitchen with healthy foods, and keep healthy snacks on hand for those emergencies that are bound to pop up.
 
Don’t deprive yourself. Strike a balance and have a plan of action. Eat clean all week and enjoy the weekend party. Cancel the regular cheat days. Eat clean at a few of the parties you attend. Eat less. Don’t deprive, you can indulge without losing traction.
 
Happy Holidays from Natatia’s One On One Fitness!

So many of us have a goal to lose those extra pounds, and often we also think in order to lose those extra pounds we must slash our calorie intake. This is false. It is possible to eat too little and this will make it harder to lose the weight you want.
 
Did you know your body requires a certain amount of calories just to stay alive? This is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR is the number of calories for normal body function and rest. There are several BMR calculators online that can help you to determine the calories a day you’ll need to maintain or lose weight.
 
Keep in mind that severely slashing your calories can cause your metabolism to slow down; therefore your body preserves every calorie instead of burning them. Metabolism is a chemical reaction that maintains the living state of your cells and your body. A well burning metabolism means you’ll lose the weight you want.
 
If you have cut your calories and are experiencing symptoms such as lethargy, moodiness, constipation, or you cannot lose weight, you are eating too little.
 
Your body is fueled by the food you eat, to keep your energy levels (and metabolism) high you must be getting your daily carbohydrates, protein and fat.
 
Getting cranky? Carbohydrates are particularly important when it comes to your blood-sugar levels and mood stabilization.
 
Not using the toilet enough? You may not be getting enough fiber in your diet, and not enough food means your digestive system moves more slowly.
 
Can’t lose those last five pounds? Your body could be in self-preservation mode. Cut your calories by smaller deficits and you’ll see the pounds start to drop again.
 
When cutting calories remember that eating a diet of healthy proteins, fats, fruits and vegetables is still important. If you’re feeling challenged when it comes to cutting calories and eating the right foods, set up a consultation with Natatia. Natatia can assist you in putting together a nutritious and tasty meal plan!

 We tend to think of eliminating in order to lose weight, but when it comes to strength training, adding muscle can help you lose weight. Add strength training to your cardio routine and give your weight loss goals an extra boost.
 
Having strong muscle is important for so many reasons including that extra burn of calories your body experiences even while at rest. When you strength train you’re building lean muscle mass which helps keep your metabolism revving. Noam Tamir, C.S.C.S. explains, “Muscle is constantly being broken down, recreated, and synthesized, and all these processes require energy. The more muscle you have, the more energy it takes for this process.” So while you’re muscle is building you’re increasing your calorie deficit as well, and, you must have less calories to lose the weight.
 
And, don’t worry about losing out on cardio during your strength training, you can simply add cardio elements to any workout. For example, don’t rest between sets, increase the weight you use, and add cardio moves in between weights - high knees, jumping jacks or squats will do the trick.
 
In addition to the benefit of losing weight that strength training provides you an look forward to protecting your bone health and muscle mass. This is particularly important to women, as well as seniors – remember, if you don’t use it you’ll lose it. It also helps develop better body mechanics which can help reduce your risk of falling, can help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, and can increase your energy level and mood. And, the great thing is you don’t have to go to the gym to add strength training into your exercise routine, using your own at-home dumbbells is the perfect solution. You can find these at your local sports store and they often come in weights from one pound to 15. Start adding in strength training now and get ready for a leaner you!

Well guess what - you can slim down by adding a walking routine to your day. Simply adding steps to your day will help you obtain your weight loss goals. Your first step (pun intended) to success is being prepared. Keep your walking shoes in your car, at work and at home…then accumulate steps – this can be done while at work, take the stairs, walk the long way around to your co-workers office, schedule a walk at lunch. While doing errands, park in the furthest spot from the door, make an extra lap around the grocery store or mall. Even at home adding steps to your day is easy if you walk around the block after dinner, or simply march in place while watching your favorite TV show.
 
So, now you know how you can get your walking in, what does it actually do for you? Walking increases your aerobic health; this is good for the heart by lowering your blood pressure and decreasing heart disease. Because walking is a load-bearing exercise it also helps to maintain your bone density. We all know how important bone density is as we age. And because obesity can increase your risk for certain types of cancer, walking off the weight may reduce your risk.
 
“Fast-paced walking, when combined with healthy eating, is hugely effective for weight loss,” Art Weltman, Ph.D., director of exercise physiology at the University of Virginia, told Health.com.
 
Here are suggested ways to lose weight from walking:

• Walk fast: increase your walking effort to at least 5 out of 10.
• Walk at an incline: find a hill – this increases the intensity.
• Break it down: to avoid getting overwhelmed you can break your walks down to a minimum of three walks a week for 20 minutes with 30 minutes per day being your ultimate goal.
• Meet for a walk instead of drinks: want to get together with friends – meet them for a walk & talk.
• Find a beach or trail: you’ll burn more calories walking on uneven terrain.
• Alternate between fast and moderate walking: this can increase your calorie burn and keep you engaged. Try walking slow for 1 minute, increasing your speed for each of the next three minutes, and start over again for at least 20 minutes.

 
“There really is no single drug that can do anything like what regular physical activity does and that’s why [walking] really is a wonder drug,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention Director said. “It makes you healthier and happier. Even if you don’t lose any weight, getting regular exercise will decrease your risk of getting sick, getting diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and many other conditions.”
 
If you still feel that you’ll find it hard to commit to a walking routine, speak with Natatia about setting your weight loss goals and about a One On One Fitness Program that will fit your needs.

You may have found the pounds creeping on over the years. Or maybe you’ve been at a healthy weight and life got in the way and you didn’t find time to fit exercise and a health diet into your schedule. Or just maybe you worked really hard to get the pounds off but with some vacation time you found the scale crept up a bit. It’s scary, but all is not lost!
 
There are healthy ways to get back on track after gaining weight. First of all, don’t berate yourself for gaining the weight, you did, so move on, get started. Get started now.
 
Start by breaking down your weight loss goal. You do not have to lose 35 pounds all at once. Break it down in to five-pound increments. Really, all this takes is a commitment to exercising - just three times a week for 20 minutes for starters. As you gain confidence and see the number on the scale dropping pretty quickly, you’ll feel encouraged to do more – four days a week or 30 minutes!
 
Like we said before, do not berate yourself, stop beating yourself up over something you do have control over. Lose the guilt and embarrassment and you’ll gain focus on meeting your exercise and healthy eating goals.
 
When it comes to eating healthy it is important that this is scheduled just like your exercise. Create a meal plan that fits your schedule and abilities in the kitchen. If you’re shopping for your weekly menu be sure to include lots of lean protein, veggies, fruit and nuts. If you feel like you’re unable to fit into your busy lifestyle sign up for a food delivery service.
 
It will be important to reach out to your family and friends for support. They may join you or offer their support when you’re feeling challenged. It is important that your environment is hospitable to your fitness and health goals.
 
Looking to the pros may help get you jumpstarted as well. Your local personal trainer, or nutritionist. Your doctor or even a therapist can help you get on the track to a healthier and happier you. 

ac·count·a·bil·i·ty
əˌkoun(t)əˈbilədē/
noun
noun: accountability

1. the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility."their lack of accountability has corroded public respect"

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Do you find yourself setting personal fitness or nutrition goals only to be waylaid by, well, life? Working late, the kids’ activities, a birthday party, your tired, all of these everyday life things seem to really get in the way of our goals. This happens to so many of us so it’s reasonable to think that it’s just not possible. This is so far from the truth. Your goal setting must include accountability.

Know your ‘why’. Why do you want to run three days a week? Is it because you want a healthy heart, you want to lose a few pounds, you need ‘me time’, or you want to run a 5k? If your ‘why’ is not compelling enough you will not make it a priority. But if you believe in your ‘why’ it alone will hold you accountable.
 
Put it on your schedule. You want to eat a nutritious dinner four nights a week – schedule it. Planning your meals and writing them on your calendar commits you to the goal. A good meal plan and grocery list will hold you accountable to providing a healthy meal for you and your family – no one wants to delete the calendar event and let good food go to waste.
 
Find an accountability buddy. This could be your spouse, neighbor, friend or even your dog! Yes, even your dog…you are responsible for the total health of your family pet, food, health and exercise, and we all know how persistent our dogs can be when it comes to going for a walk - it’s nearly impossible to let Fido down!
 
Having someone in your corner is so important. They can help to remind you to get up and exercise, provide the encouragement you need and even do the exercising with you. Once an exercise date is made with someone it’s a reminder that you’ve set this exercise goal – and you don’t want to let your buddy down. And, a little competition never hurt anyone.
 
Need an expert as your accountability partner? Both goal setting and accountability can be achieved with your personal trainer. Talk to your trainer about your next fitness and/or nutrition goals and be sure your trainer will keep you on the right track towards your goals.
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At One On One Fitness Natatia will be happy to help you figure out your ‘why’, create a doable schedule for you, and be your main accountability partner. Find out more about the different Programs offered at One On One Fitness.

Heart disease basically means your heart is not working properly. Some people are born with heart disease but many develop the disease as they age. This development of heart disease is easily preventable by maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen. As well avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol use, and reducing stress will also help prevent any heart issues.
 
Per heartandstroke.ca 9 in 10 Canadians have at least one risk factor for heart disease and stroke and thousands die each year. Signs of a heart attack vary from person to person as well as between men and women. Below are the signs of a heart attack you should know are:
 
Chest discomfort
Sweating
Upper body discomfort
Nausea
Shortness of breath
Light-headedness
 
And remember women are more likely to experience some of the common symptoms such as shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
 
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms call 9-1-1, stop all activity, take your nitroglycerin (if already prescribed), take Aspirin, rest and wait, and keep a list of your medications in your wallet and by the phone. Treating a heart attack means preventing or limiting the damage to your heart, and this treatment begins in the ambulance.
 
Ultimately Natatia’s One On One Fitness would like to see you take the actions to avoid living with heart disease or the fear of having a heart attack. 8 in 10 cases of heart disease are avoidable with simple healthy lifestyle changes like eating well, increasing your physical activity, maintain a healthy weight and reducing your stress.
 
Natatia’s One On One Fitness has many fitness programs from small group personal training to one on one personal training. We even have a new Senior Group Program where fitness and fun come together!