80's Fitness - Girls Who Just Want to Have Fun!

Think Cyndi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Jane Fonda, leg warmers, and tons of fun! Our boot camp today was all that and so much more. Thanks everyone for being such a great sport today. I've never laughed so hard or made a bigger fool of myself!!! I think we should make it an annual event. What about you?

Thanks Karen for bringing the thigh master & dressing for the occasion.

You looked amazing!

7 Reasons to Eat Chocolate

Do you crave chocolate? Well, I have some great news!

Dark Chocolate (with 65% or higher cocoa content) has many health benefits. Here's seven good reasons to indulge guilt free. Just don't eat a pound a day! It's still a high-calorie, high-fat food - so enjoy but only in moderation.

Benefit #1: It's full of many important nutrients like potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A1, B1, B2, D and E.

Benefit #2: It stimulates endorphin production and contains the "feel good" hormone serotonin, which can elevate your mood, reduce pain and act as a natural stress-reducer.

Benefit #3: It contains antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage, which can lead to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains eight times the antioxidant power that you find in strawberries.

Benefit #4: Studies show that small amounts of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Benefit #5: It's great for muscle recovery. That's why many athletes consider low-fat chocolate milk to be one of the best post-recovery snacks around.

Benefit #6: Research on rats has found that increased chocolate intake can lower a number of inflammatory chemicals in the brain, thereby suppressing migraine symptoms.

Benefit #7: It tastes great & even a small amount can help curve cravings.

Mix it Up!

To get the best results and ward off boredom, it's important to continually mix up your workouts. Going for a swim, bike ride, hike or playing a game of tennis or racquetball are all great workout options. With the winter months approaching quickly, you may also want to consider adding a new workout DVD to your collection or check out your local library.

Some of my recent picks include Jari Love's ' "Get Ripped 1000 or Get Extremely Ripped". I also love Jillian Michael's "30-day Shred". P90X's "Ab Ripper" is also a great core workout. I know Judy really likes Valerie Bertinelli's "Losing It and Keeping Fit".

If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear about them. Please post your faves below.

Are you Vitamin D deficient?

A study at the University of Calgary reports that 97% of Canadians are deficient at some point every year. Lack of vitamin D may be more serious than you think. It's absolutely crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which have various functions, especially the maintenance of healthy bones. Vitamin D is also a good way to arm yourself against disease, especially the common cold. Studies show that having adequate vitamin D will reduce your risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Low vitamin D, on the other hand, has been linked to higher body fat and decreased strength and can even lead to depression, muscle pain and birth defects.

How Much is Enough?

During your annual physical ask your doctor to test your vitamin D blood levels to see where you're at. No one knows exactly how much Vitamin D we need. Some say 400-600 UI per day is enough. However, the Canadian Cancer Society recommends 1,000 UI daily for all Canadians. Many vitamin D researchers now believe even more would be beneficial.

How to Increase my Vitamin D Levels?

Although increasing your sun exposure is a natural solution, in Canada‚ our northern climate means UVB levels in sunlight are too weak 4-6 months of the year for our bodies to produce any vitamin D. There are only a few food sources of vitamin D. Good sources of vitamin D are fortified foods like whole grain cereals and beverages like milk and soy beverages. Fish, liver, and egg yolk are the only foods that naturally contain vitamin D. If you do not eat vitamin D rich foods often, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement, especially in the winter months when exposure to sunlight is limited.

Is Hummus a Healthy Snack?

This middle Eastern delicious spread or dip is a great alternative to any of its mayo based cousins. That being said, the homemade version seems to be quite a bit better for you than the store-bought pre-packaged variety. Coming in quite a bit lower in fat and calories.

One tablespoon of typical homemade hummus has 23 calories, 1.3 grams of fat and 1.1 grams of protein. While an equivalent mayo-based dip has more than double the calories and is made up of 75% fat (most of it saturated) with little to no protein.

Hummus is a great source of protein, potassium and fibre. It is also rich in iron, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. It's a fave among diabetics with a very low glycemic index (around 12). This means it won't raise your glucose levels quickly and will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

To increase it's nutritional value even more, use it as a dip with a variety of veggies or stick to a moderate amount of whole wheat pitas. If you live in Edmonton, try the fresh-baked whole wheat pitas from "The Happy Camel" on the west end. They are out of this world! Thanks to Janice and my Dad I tried them yesterday for the first time.

Below is a delicious and easy-to-make recipe for you to enjoy over the holiday weekend. Thanks to Amel for sharing this delicacy.

Hummus

1 can chick peas

1/4 cup Tahini

1 1/2 clove garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh)

Drain chick peas but reserve some liquid. Add everything to food processor and blend until smooth. Add some of the reserved liquid if it is too thick. Drizzle olive oil on top with a sprinkle of paprika. Dress with chopped tomatoes. Delicious!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!