The Answer to "How Can I get Toned?"

I have more then a few people stop me on the street or in the gym and invariably along with some wonderful compliments, I am always asked the same question..."How can I get Toned?, How can I get a Six Pack, How can I Lose Weight?"  It would be great if there was a one word answer to that one !!  
But no magic pill yet !  
The good news is that YOU are in control of your own Body - Weight Loss can often be a mental game and and is all about your approach and perspective.
Too many people do not have the discipline required to get to achieve their weight loss and nutrition goals.
5 Pointers to Get you Started !
1. TRICK YOURSELF - Use portion control to your advantage. Instead of loading up a huge restaurant plate for your meals and keep eating those appetizers, use a bread plate, salad bowl or cup. It might look odd but it is a great way to lower your caloric intake. Trick your mind !  It works !
2. LIFT WEIGHTS - Especially if you are a woman !  Way too many gals are afraid of weights and you don't  need to be !  Women don't have as much testosterone in their bodies as men so you WON"T look like Arnold !!!     For every muscle fibre you enhance, and fat ounce you lose, your body will reap the rewards of nice, tight, toned muscles !!!    Your metabolism will work faster to burn off fat and it's a great stress reducer !   Don't be tricked into thinking that skinny fat is OK - it's not !
3. HYDRATE / FILL YOURSELF - Water, Water, Water !  I can't say it enough ! It can aid in weight loss !  I see so many people every day that do not drink enough water ! They wait until it's too late and then your body it already dehydrated.  Simply drink two glasses with every meal.  Drinking water eliminates extra space in your stomach and make you feel fuller.
4. SPEED UP YOUR METABOLISM - Don't always feel you have to eat everything on your plate !!  Eat half and save half for later !  Most people are hell-bent on eating everything on the table....eat 6 - 7 small meals per day and you will have more energy and higher metabolism !
5 . SWEAT - NO PAIN NO GAIN - Cardio is a MUST - no way you win that argument with me !  It is essential for shedding body fat and showing off those hard earned muscles.  20 - 30 min per day of you can or 20 min 3 times per week will show results quickly !  SUAR - Shut Up and Run !!!
6. Do YOGA - I became a believer in Yoga after an injury a few years ago and have not looked back.  It lengthens your muscles (especially if you run) and gives you a leaner look.   Get out there and get bendy !!!
7. EAT CLEAN - you hear it all the time - but do YOU really know what it means ? It's a lifestyle, my religion - make it yours !!!  Buy the "Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno - it will change your eating habits forever !  The more you say - "oh, I'll just have a another glass of wine, or I'll just have a bit of dessert"....ADDS UP !!!   You keep saying that and think it's alright, but then you ALWAYS end up saying it !!!  It's a train wreck you don't want to be on !!! 

"Peace, Love and Fitness"

SWEATING SUPPRESSES HUNGER !!!

In a study published in the American Journal  of Physiology, it was found that aerobic exercise not only burns excessive calories, but also suppresses appetite. When you are active, your body diverts some blood flow from the stomach to the working muscles, which can reduce hunger.
During a 60 minute Cardio Session, the hormone Ghrelin was suppressed and the peptide called YV was elevated; both needed to suppress hunger levels.  Explains why after a run or heavy gym session sometimes thte last thing you want to do is eat....(this usually reverses within an hour).
What does this all mean ????
EXERCISE = SWEAT = reduction in APPETITE
However remember that eating 6 - 7 small meals a day is the best way to fuel your body and maintain blood sugar levels and healthy metabolism.
TRAIN your MIND, TRAIN your BODY !

Commitment is the First Step (or should I be committed ??)

On the List of "Top 5 Things Carole Anne wants to Do" has always been a Triathalon. Why ?  Because I think I can.  And, us A/ T Type personalities are not happy unless we have a "new" challenge / goal in front of us at all times; otherwise we get bored.   Daunting, scary as hell, massive commitment to training, and only for the extremely fit, I was prepping last winter to tackle my first one in the Spring of 2011. 

Then I was sidelined by a shoulder impingement ! (I tried to bribe my Physiotherapist but he was having none of it) - and told me to "shut it down" till 2012.  'Do not lift your shoulder over your head'.....uh, OK Bob...I will sleep in my clothes.... (he said he can't nag his wife so he would nag me).  

For those of you who are not aware, there are several types of Tri's to do. 

"Tri a Tri" - less distance but still 3 sports.  (300m Swim - 9km Bike - 3km Run) The usual format for a duathlon is run-bike-run, meaning you start with a run, then  transition to the bike, then transition back to running again.

  Duathalon -

Triathalon - 750 metre Swim, 20K Bike, 5 K Run.

Ironman - 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile - (this scares me to even type those distances)

I have decided on the Tri-A-Tri for starters.   Everyone has a "weak" part of a Tri.  Mine is the swim part.  Everyone who swims thinks they are "good swimmers" ("oh, yeah I swam in the lake when I was a kid, I was a flippin' dolphin" they will tell you...).  NOW take that mindset into a pool and try to do 14 lengths across without stopping.   YOU my friend are on the bottom of the pool and very humbled at just how bad a swimmer you really are !!!

However, I have a "secret weapon" to help me in my quest to be Marilyn Bell.   My sister, is going to be my swim trainer (either that, or she is thinking this may be the way to get rid of me..)

She is for some inexplicable reason, a great swimmer and can float like a beach ball)  - it blows my mind...( I have my theories about my she can float so well).

So she is going to make sure I don't go down like the Titanic on my first Tri (try) !   I feel better about my training with this part out of the way.

Running - no problem there - I can bang out 5K like a walk in the park

Bike - last summer I bought a wickedly awesome Giant Brand (all Canadian made) Road Bike which I LOVE !   This past spring I went to get "fitted" for it and also got "click in" shoes which look great and you have to have special shoes for....but are "FREAKIN' SCARY AS HELL".

You are "locked in" to the pedals and even though they put you on a "trainer" in the store, they forget to really tell you the steps to apply to get your foot out on time.

So off I go - "fitted" to my bike (we are one now) and on my first official ride.  Lance Armstrong, look out.  I tear off around Uxbridge stunned at how fast this bike will go, and eventually teh inevitable happens.....I come to a stop sign.  Brakes go on, I am stopping, but "oh Shit", I forgot to click one of my shoes out first !   In what can only be described as "slow motion", I start to fall to one side and down I go.  The only pain was to my pride....(I can almost hear the cat calls..."hey, first day on your new bike ?" ha, ha, ha. )  

Back home I come (on my bike as I finally get back on the thing) - sprained thumb and Bike "Cherry" broke !!  I feel slightly better when I read a favorite blogger of mine later who has a similar story.

I am now a Biker Chick and much more comfortable with that part of my training.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN !! 

So, I have committed; but maybe should be "committed" - IT'S ON !!!