All posts tagged with: tips

Eating a healthy diet and managing your weight is not an easy task. Most people who attempt to loose weight do not succeed long term; they end up gaining the weight back after failing. Here are four tips that will help you stay on track with your diet:

1. Eat More and Plan: Before you get hungry, set out a meal plan. This will help you control what you are eating and when. You don’t have to eat the same thing day-in, day-out. You can mix up your meal plans with all kinds of different snacks and meals. Don’t restrict yourself too much either. It’s important to fuel your body with the right types of foods at the right time of day. Always have fresh cut fruit and vegetables on hand for a quick snack and don’t keep chips, chocolate bars or other fast-grab junk food around.
2. Support System: Many people have the same goals as you – to eat healthier and to loose weight. Work together and hold each other accountable. It can be as simple as asking a friend who also wants to loose weight, a gym partner or someone at your workplace.
3. Record Your Progress: Back to the food journal, track everything you are eating. It will help give you an insight into what you are eating and when. From there you can learn how to change your behaviours and be much more successful.
4. Know Yourself: Don’t worry or panic if you slip up. It’s ok. You need to plan for these types of situations. If you are like me and you know you can’t resist having ice cream after dinner, work it into your eating plan. By avoiding the things you love, you will crave them more and be prone to being off-track more often. No food should be off-limits – just remember portion control, planning and moderation are your friends.

This is the time of year many people begin their journey of training for their annual run – the BMO Vancouver full or half marathon, the Vancouver Sun Run, Vancouver Underwear Affair, or many of the other running races happening in your community. It’s a great way to shed some extra pounds, stick with a New Year resolution, and to meet new people through a running group or clinic. Here are 10 running tips to keep you safe during your training:

1. Run facing traffic
2. Run on the sidewalk whenever possible
3. Do not run alone at night; run with a friend or in groups
4. Wear bright, reflective clothing / headlamp
5. Do not run with headphones
6. Be aware of your surroundings
7. Bring cash and ID in case of an emergency
8. Do not wear jewelry
9. Let people know what your run route will be
10. Alter your run routes and times to avoid stalkers

Research has proven time and time again that those who track what they eat each day will loose twice as much as people who do not. Keeping a food journal is an easy way to keep track of your daily intake.

There are many ways to keep a food journal. You can write down everything you eat on paper, create a fancy spreadsheet, download an app for your smartphone, or sign up for one of the many free online tracking programs.

A detailed food journal kept over a period of a few weeks and recording everything you consume, right down to a tic-tac, can tell a good story about your eating patterns and behaviors. Keep track down to the half-hour increments of exactly what you ate.

A personal trainer, dietitian or family doctor can review your food journal and help make suggestions on how you can make changes to your eating and drinking behavior to help you reach your diet and fitness goals.

Nothing beats a great day of skiing – especially when there’s lots of fresh powder snow. But do you know what to wear to keep you warm and dry while you’re enjoying a day on the mountain?

Here are seven tips on what you need to wear for a great day of skiing / boarding:

1. Boots – Boots should fit firmly around your foot, but not cut off circulation or make your feet feel numb. Most resorts have custom boot fitting shops.
2. Socks – Should be warm and thin. Choose well-fitting socks, not ones that will bunch up and be uncomfortable for the entire day.
3. Pants – Waterproof! Chairlifts can have snow, ice or water on them – and you don’t want to have cold, wet pants on. Jeans are a big no-no!
4. Jacket – Choose a jacket that can be adjusted to be worn loose or vented on warmer days, or closed tight during cold, snowy weather. Make sure it is warm and wind resistant.
5. Thermal Underwear – Always wear thermal underwear, even on warm days to remove extra moisture.
6. Headwear – 70% of body heat is lost through the head – keep it covered by wearing a headband or hat. Choose a helmet for added safety. A facemask is a must on cold weather days.
7. Sunglasses / Goggles – Snow is extremely reflective and makes UV rays stronger. On sunny days they protect the eyes and on overcast or snowy days they can add protection and give depth. Special lens colours increase the contract of terrain features.

“I think everybody at one point in his or her life has wanted to do porn,” said 23-year-old gay porn star, Brian Bonds.

Yes, most people often fantasize and wonder what it’s like to work in adult entertainment and how they would ever get started.

When you make your decision to get into adult entertainment there are a lot of things you need to know, and Bonds has a few tips for anyone considering getting into the industry.

“Just know how far you want to go in this industry and what your plans for it are,” explained Bonds.

Setting your own expectations and limits is important. Like any career choice you have to know what route you want to go. Do some research online and understand the various options available.

Once you have established your game plan you have to get noticed.

“Get your name out there as early as possible,” said Bonds. “I would recommend using a free webcam site like Cam4 and to get a Twitter account. If you get a good amount of followers and promote yourself then you can have something to start out with.”

Bonds suggests to consider enlisting the help of an agent. He personally recommends Fabsout.

On the day of your big shoot you should know the studios rules and policies.

“When getting ready for a porn shoot, just remember to have fun and look sexy for the camera,” Bonds added. “Everything should come naturally. I mean, it is just sex.”

“My biggest personal challenge is just staying motivated to be in shape,” said Bonds. “I tend to get lazy and skip a couple days ever now and then.”

To be successful, models need to stay in shape and commit to their exercise routine.

It’s a big world out there and hopefully these tips from Brian Bonds will help you with your career in adult entertainment.

Brian Bonds is a gay porn actor and model from Little Rock, AR. He is 5’11”, 170lbs, has blond hair, blue eyes and has an athletic build.

Now that the temperatures are dropping and it’s much darker outside, here are some helpful tips for the long, cold, dark winter training months:

1. Adjust the intensity of your work-out
2. Keep your head covered – 50% of heat loss is through your head
3. Warm up your muscles – start slow and comfortable and gradually move up to your regular pace
4. Shorten your stride over ice and snow
5. Carry a cell phone in case you have an accident or get injured
6. Wear reflective and bright coloured gear
7. Run facing the traffic to be more visible
8. Carry water to rehydrate
9. Use lip balm on your lips, nose and ears
10. Dress in layers
11. Wear clothing with wind-breaking and insulating fabrics
12. Wear running gloves or mittens

Paying attention to your form and mechanics is critical to improving your speed and endurance. Here are eight tips from the Running Room’s John Stanton for beginner to advanced runners, to help train for a smoother, more efficient run:

1. Stay Upright – Head, shoulders and hips should all line up so your feet and legs and move forward with minimum effort.
2. Keep Your Chest Forward – When your chest sags or you slouch forward your lungs cannot perform at their maximum efficiency. Keep your head, neck and shoulders erect.
3. Hips Forward – Keeping our hips forward allows your body to move easier. If you find your hips falling back and your butt sticking out, take a deep breath in; it often pulls your hips forward and back into alignment.
4. Plant Your Foot – Run naturally. Don’t try to change your foot plant or stride; it will only cause injuries. Over time your gate will change as a result of training. Many irregularities work themselves out over time. Get a professional to help fit you with the right pair of shoes for your running type.
5. Arm – To start your shoulders should be low and relaxed and arms hanging completely vertical. Keep your thumbs pointed forward and upright. Arms should swing “long” for fast-walking and become march-like for power-walking. For running, the upper body should hardly move and the arms should be working forward-to-back, not up-and-down or side-to-side.
6. Turn-Over- Take faster, shorter strides than long, wider strides. Studies show that long strides are less efficient and make you run slower.
7. Head and Neck – Keep your head, neck and eyes forward. When you look down, your entire upper body will collapse downward causing increased fatigue. For outdoor running, look 20-30 meters ahead.
8. Practice – Constantly monitor your techniques. Pay attention to them during your practice runs. Conduct self-checks regularly and make adjustments to increase your performance.

During the cold, wet winter season (or adversely the hot, humid summer season), many runners get discouraged from running outdoors. There is an easy solution to keeping up with the regular scheduled running by running on an indoor treadmill.

The debate over outdoor running and the treadmill will go on forever. There are pro’s and con’s for both. Depending on your situation, they both offer great benefits.

Here are some great benefits of running on a treadmill:

• A warm, dry climate during the cold, wet winter months
• A smooth and stable surface
• The ability to develop a consistent pace over long periods
• Speed and hill training on the incremental setting
• The possibility to run with a partner who runs at a faster / slow pace than yourself
• The chance to control increased speed and resistance over time
• Watch yourself in a mirror and concentrate on perfecting your form
• You can visualize yourself running in your next race

When running on a treadmill keep focused by listening to music with a fast, upbeat tempo.

Do not watch TV while training on a treadmill; you will end up paying more attention to the program or surfing the stations instead of concentrating on your posture, form, breathing and pace.

A good tip for treadmill running is to stay in the center of the belt. Don’t drift too far to the left or right. When running, your feet are not supposed to push against the belt to move it forward. Instead, run so your body stays in the air as long as possible while the belt turns beneath you. Hit the belt slightly back with your mid-foot hitting first and rolling forward onto the ball of your foot.

Keep in mind that indoor running means there is a lack of air resistance, making it easier to run on a treadmill. The faster your pace, the steeper your incline should be to compensate for wind. For instance, keep a 0.5% incline on up to 6:00 / km and 1% for 4:30/km.

When transitioning back to outdoor running after an extended period of time remember that treadmills do not prepare the tiny muscles in your feet and ankles for the uneven terrain. It could take a few weeks for your body to adjust. Keep this in mind during your spring training schedule.

After spending 18 weeks of grueling training five days per week, the last thing you want to do is throw away all your hard work. Sure, your body is tired and sore, and it deserves a break, but you can easily maintain your training and level of fitness with a simple maintenance program while you ponder your new goal.

After finishing a race your body needs recovery time. For the average recreational running this is usually about two weeks for a 10km race, three weeks for a half-marathon and four weeks for a full marathon run.

For 10km racers, try to keep up with your long-distance runs, 8km, once per week. Use your new-found skill of 5km fast run as your base training. You can even run the 5km races to keep your training up.

Half marathoners can maintain their endurance by continuing with the regular 12km run each week and enter into 10km races as alternatives. This will keep up your speed, strength and confidence.

Full marathoners need to work the hardest. Running a 16km run every other week will help condition the body long term to keep up the endurance. Maintaining a 16km run can shorten training for your next marathon to as little as 12 weeks and faster half-marathons in six weeks!

Remember to set realistic goal targets for both races and runs. This will keep you motivated, boost your self-confidence and stimulate your performance on race day.

Vancouver blogger, Brian Webb, proudly wearing his 2011 BMO Vancouver Marathon finishers medal.

Running a 10k, half or full marathon takes a lot of training. On race day, participants are often full of excitement, nerves and focus. Similar to how hockey players get energized from an arena full of fans cheering for their favorite team, runners rely on the crowds to deliver positive encouragement and energy from the spectators.

Here are 5 tips to cheer on a participants at a running event:

• Cheer loud! Many runners are listening to music, but to hear people clapping and yelling words of encouragement builds positive energy.
• Signs or banners that say “Keep Going”, “Almost There”, “You’re Doing a Great Job”, and “I’m Proud of You”. Even if the runner doesn’t know who you are, the sign is still appreciated.
• Take photos! Runners love to have their photos taken as they run past.
• High-Fives. As you are standing along the sidewalk have your hand our and ready to receive a high-five from a runner, especially when there’s a large group of people standing in a row with their hands up. Please keep in mind not all runners want to be high-fived and to stay on the sidewalks, off the race course.
• Cowbells, clackers and thunder sticks. Grab your favorite noise maker to drum up some excitement, noise and energy. But please, keep the air horns at home; we don’t need anyone to have a heart attack.

Stuffing is an essential part of any traditional roasted turkey or chicken dinner.

Make your own dry bread cubes by cutting 12- 14 slices fresh bread into ½ cubes (makes about 8 cups). Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 300’c for 10-15 minutes, or let them air dry for 8-10 hours.

• 1 ½ cups celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tablespoon of fresh sage
• ½ tsp poultry seasoning
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 12 cups dried bread cubes
• 1 cup chicken broth

In a large pan, cook celery and onion in butter until soft and tender. When it’s done, add in fresh snipped sage, poultry seasoning and pepper.

In a large bowl, mix bread cubes with celery / onion mix. Mix well. Drizzle chicken broth to moisten, tossing lightly until it is all combined.

Place the stuffing into a casserole dish and bake covered at 325’c for 30-45 minutes.

Tips:

• Do no stuff the poultry in advance; stuff it just before you put it into the oven.
• It takes about ¾ of a cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey / chicken
• Don’t pack in the stuffing, keep it loose; otherwise it will not reach a safe temperature by the time the poultry is done cooking. It needs to reach at least 165’c (use a meat thermometer).

Gone are the days of old ladies wearing big hats sitting in a parlor sipping tea with their pinkies in the air. “High Tea” was for the British working class, who had tea as their supper, which was a hearty meal of sandwiches and scones. In many regions of the world, tea is an honour of tradition.

Over time, the tradition of afternoon tea has evolved. Today’s afternoon tea can range from casual to formal. Afternoon tea may be hosted from early to late afternoon and is enjoyed by both men and women.

Afternoon tea is a great alternative if you want to host a party. It doesn’t have to be as sophisticated or elaborate as a formal dinner party. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon catching up with friends, celebrating a birthday, baby or bridal shower, anniversary or retirement party, or a graduation.

Food is always prepared in advance of guests arriving. It can be served buffet style or served by passing plates at the table. Whether the occasion is casual or formal, the table should always be set with the best china, silver and linens.

To make a perfect pot of tea, pour cold water into a kettle and let it come to a hard boil. While the kettle is boiling, pour hot water into your teapot. When the kettle is comes to the hard boil, dump the hot water from the teapot, put in your fresh tea, and add the freshly boiled water. Cover and let steep for four minutes. When it’s done steeping, remove the tea and discard. Always keep an extra kettle of hot water to weaken strong tea, or to quickly make another fresh pot.

Here are some useful tips to help you plan and host your next afternoon English tea party:

• Choose the date of the tea party. Formal tea parties should have invitations mailed. For casual parties, include  a tea bag in the invitation, or send the invitation by email.
• Purchase tea supplies in advance. Have several teapots to make and serve a variety of teas.
• For casual mid-afternoon tea, prepare lighter snacks and small bites. If the tea party replaces a meal, serve a larger variety and heartier food. Traditional English tea has both savory and sweet fare served including scones, biscuits and tea sandwiches. Traditional tea sandwiches include:
  • Egg salad
  • Cucumber and cream cheese or cucumber and mint
  • Chicken salad
  • Smoked salmon
  • Tuna salad with capers
  • Asparagus and Prosciutto
  • Chicken Pate
  • Traditional English teas served include Earl Grey, English Breakfast and Darjeeling. Queen Elizabeth prefers Darjeeling, also known as the “Champagne” of teas. Loose-leaf tea is superior to bagged tea.
  • Serve milk, cream, sugar, lemon, and honey so each guest can enjoy their tea just the way they like.

Tea sandwich tip:

Use thinly sliced and good quality bread. A thin coating of butter keeps the bread from getting soggy. Trim the crust from the sandwich and cut into small pieces, typically no larger than two-bite size.

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Theme parties are a great way to get a group of friends together. With a few key items and attention to detail, you can turn a modern room into a disco inferno! Here are some tips to hosting a successful 70’s retro disco party.

The cheapest way to get a costume is to break into your parents, grand parents, aunt and uncles closets and attics – they are more than likely to have a few retro / vintage pieces that would work great. If that’s not an option, head to your local thrift store – there are always good finds if you look close. Alternatively, vintage shops have wide selections of authentic clothing, however, you’ll pay a higher price.

Having the right snacks on hand will help set the mood. Borrow retro dishware from friends or buy is from second hand stores –people will certainly notice the detail here. Here are some great examples of traditional 70’s party food to serve:

• Celery with cheese whiz
• Devilled eggs
• Triscuits with sausage, marble cheese and a olives
• Ritz cracker and cheese whiz
• Pickles – yum yum’s, gherkins, and sweet onions
• Jelly fruit salad

For décor, it’s easy to change the mood of the room by using fabrics. Look for brown, gold, orange, purple and lime green – fall colour palettes with contrasting bright colours work best. Use them to cover couches, tables and other furniture. Changing a lampshade is another easy way to take a room back in time. Don’t forget the disco ball!

Finally, set the tone by playing era specific music playing the in the background. Bee Gee’s,  Dr Hook, Village People, Gloria Gaynor, Sister Sledge, and Kenny Rogers are just a few of the artists to ensure you have loaded into your retro iTunes playlist.

Serve classic cocktails including Tom Collins, Greyhounds, fruit punch and Pink Lady’s!

Time to dust off your running shoes! The organizers of the Vancouver Underwear Affair want to ensure Vancouverites are primed and ready to go on race day, so they are hosting a pre-race 5km training run on Saturday, June 25 from 10:45am – 12:00pm in Stanley Park.

Participants of the BC Cancer Foundation’s Underwear Affair are invited to test their costumes, rally community spirit and stretch their legs.

Following the 5km training run there will be drinks, treats and fundraising tips from the Underwear Support team.

For more information, visit their website.

When I woke up on Sunday, May 1, I knew my four months of marathon training was about to pay off as I put on my gear to run the 40th Annual BMO Vancouver Marathon.

It was a perfect morning. Clear, blue sunny skies, cooler air for the rain the day prior, and a body that was full of energy for the day’s events.

Every race event I’ve been to has been full of energy, but this one was different. Jay and I had a well thought-out plan for the entire morning, we knew our responsibilities and we were prepared.

Also bringing peace, calm and harmony to the early morning start was seeing so many of the familiar faces of the members from the Denman Running Room who I had spent so much time training with. I put all my trust into their program and I was anxious to feel the results.

Although I had trained for a 3h 30m finish time, I had to re-evaluate after being out of training for over four weeks due to multiple injuries. As a result, I lost out on valuable speed and endurance training. As I approached the start line I was prepared to run with the 3h 45m pace group.

I remember June James from the Running Room telling us you have to set three goal times:

1. To complete the race
2. The goal time you think you will run and be happy with (3:45)
3. Whisper time – the time we secretly tell ourselves we want to achieve when we feel inside we are prepared for our best run day ever.

I had spend the days leading up to race day mentally preparing for “to complete the race”, but when I got up race morning and got to the start line for the 3:45 pace group, the energy felt wrong. Like I had the energy to do better. I shifted to the 3:40 pace group

When the shotgun when off to start the race I crossed the start matt with the 3:40 group. They were running 10 and 1’s; I had trained for 20 and 1’s. My training has taught me to start off slow and to trust the pace bunny’s speed. I did exactly that.

After the first 10km were over I felt like I had got into my rhythm and was ready to excel. From that point I was off on my own, managing the course on my own. I maintained my pace and moved to 20 and 1’s. I was paying attention to my hydration and nutrition levels and felt very confident.

I breezed through all the water and nutrition stations having learned in training that you should never rely on on-course supplies, especially because our bodies have been adapted to using specific products. Race day is not the day to try something new!

Along the route I had planned to see Jay and Ross, which they were anxiously awaiting me at every point and cheered me on. I also saw other friends along the route including Steve. When you see someone you know along the race route who is cheering you on, it gives a giant boost of energy and feeling of purpose, that you instantly forget your pain and continue on with renewed excitement.

During training I had only ran up to 32km. When I hit km 30, I could feel the pain in my legs. I popped an Advil and kept on running.

At km 32, I passed John, another member of my Running Room training group. He was already headed towards km 34.

At the top of the hill at km 33, the furthers point in the entire course from the finish line, my body was screaming for hydration. I stopped at the water station for water but was handed a sport drink. I could feel it instantly upset my stomach, which thankfully only lasted about half a km.

I felt in control the rest of the way through Kits. The crowds along the street helped keep me going.

I knew km 37 – 40 were going to be the toughest. It’s the point in the course with long, steep hills. I couldn’t maintain my 20 and 1 tempo and dropped back to 10 and 1’s. I could feel the lactic acid weighting down my legs and the gels in my stomach starting to sit heavy. By km 38 the 3:40 pace group had caught up.

As I approached the Burrard Bridge the 3:40 pace group over-took me. On the way up the bridge deck I could feel my heart sink as I saw the group get further and further ahead. By the time I had crested the bridge, the 3:40 pace group was easily two full city blocks ahead of me. It was at that point I had to make a decision – finish in advance of 3:40, go for complete.

I chose to go for it and by km 41 I had caught back up to the 3:40 pace group. With only 1.2 km left to go, I asked if there was going to be any more walk breaks and the pace bunny said no because there was only about six minutes left in the run.

Although I was extremely tired, my body was exhausted and my legs were in pain, I knew I had to push on. I mustered up what little energy was left in my body and continued to run ahead of pace towards the finish line.

So many times my body kept asking to take a walk break, but with the cheering from the people lining the streets and knowing I only had moments left before I would complete my first every marathon, I knew I could not stop.

I sprinted the last half kilometer to the finish line. I don’t remember hearing anything other than the beats of the music as my feet pounded forward. I knew there were friends waiting for me.

As I approached the finish line I remembered two key things:

1. To take out my ear buds as I crossed the first matt in advance of the finish line so I could hear them call my name – to which I almost cried
2. To listen to June’s advice to run across the finish line, ‘upright and smiling’, with my arms proudly above my head.

Once I crossed the finish line I wanted my medal so bad. I had worked so hard to wear the blue ribbon around my neck.

Making the moment even more exciting was to see Jeremy greeting me at the finish line. Jeremy was my 3:30 pace leader at the Running Room had he was instrumental in keeping me on track, motivated and focused during training.

Once I caught my breath I walked out of the finishers area and joined up with friends. Knowing there were people waiting to see me after my biggest athletic achievement made me feel so proud.

As accredited media for the BMO Vancouver Marathon, I also had the unique opportunity to be able to be on the finish line at the time Charlie Bewley crossed the finish line. Charlie is best known for playing the character, Demetri, in the Twilight movie series. It was exciting to hear first-hand Charlie’s first words and comments as he completed his ultra-marathon challenage (a 21.1km half marathon followed immediately by a 42.2km full-marathon).

I ended the morning event by rejoining my friends for a celebratory bottle of champagne and hugs.

This was by-far one of the most exciting running events I have ever attended and it was well-worth the four months of dedicated training.

My final stats: 

• Place Overall: 568/3225
• Place in Sex: 470/1827
• Place in Division: 81/246
• Pace in Minutes/km: 5:13
• Finish Time: 3:39:53

The night before a marathon you’ll be full of emotions; nervousness, excitement, happiness and more. Start off with having a lean, healthy dinner high in carbs and protein, such as pasta with tomato sauce with chicken. Sprinkle on some extra salt – your body will need it the next day. Remember to have water throughout the evening to hydrate your body.

It’s very important to set-out all your gear. It’ll help you be ready in the morning so you not forget any important items rushing out of the house to get to the start line on-time.

Here’s a check-list of items you’ll want to have ready to go:

• Water belt with bottle(s) filled with water and / or Gatorade
• Gels, shot  blocks, and / or sport beans
• Charged iPod and head phones
• Sports watch
• Advil
• Band aids (to cover your nipples to prevent chaffing)
• Put your timing chip on your shoe
• Pin your race bib on to your race shirt
• A large garbage or recycling bag with holes cut into it so you can wear it to keep warm at the start line
• Sunglasses

Remember, race day is not the day to try new things. Rely on your training and stick to what you know. Wear what you’ve been training in and what is comfortable. Use nutrition that you have used during training – experimenting on race day can be detrimental to your race.

If you have bag check or support staff, here are some extra things you will want to have packed:

• Water
• Protein bar
• Towel
• Socks
• Advil

Go to bed early so you can get a good night sleep and be refreshed for your big day! Go out, have fun, and enjoy your run.

In British Columbia, we are very lucky to have fertile land, clean, fresh water, and an ideal climate to grow bountiful crops to enjoy throughout the year. In recent years, it has become increasingly important to reduce our carbon footprint by making sustainable choices. Not only will it help the environment, but your health can improve by choosing high-quality, natural foods and preparing them yourself.

Choices Markets Dietitian, Desiree Neilsen and Antonio Cerullo have co-authored the book, “A Local Table, The Choices Market Cookbook”. The 160 page book is full of easy to follow recipes, colour photos and tips for seasonal meal planning in British Columbia.

Based on the information in the Choices Market cookbook, are ten easy steps towards sustainable nutrition:

1. Grow your own! Dig in, get dirty, and enjoy the freshest produce possible.
2. Avoid store purchased bottled water. Water is a natural resource in British Columbia. Purchase a filter jug and a reusable metal water bottle instead.
3. Avoid buying single packed items; multi or family packaged items use less packaging. Portion food into reusable containers.
4. Eat local at the peak of freshness. Try the 100 mile diet!
5. Eat organic. These foods preserve the health of the soil, air, ground water and genetic integrity of our food.
6. Choose sustainable seafood, such as the Oceanwise program from the Vancouver Aquarium.
7. Compost. Helps to reduce food waste and produces nutrient-rich fertilizer.
8. Eat vegetarian on occasion. Livestock production uses a significant amount of water and land.
9. Choose fair-trade. Sugar, cocoa, tea and coffee are often produced by developing nations. Fair Trade provides safer and more sustainable livelihoods.
10. Choose healthy meat from happy animals. Free range and organic meats ensure high standards and least environmental impact possible.

Contest

The BMO Vancouver Marathon is less than a week away, the months of gruelling training is done and it’s now time to prepare your body and mind for race day. Here are some helpful tips to prepare you for a successful race day:

1. Stick to your tapering run schedule. It’ll be temping to want to do additional training; you’ve trained for months and it’s time to store energy for the big day.
2. Drink an extra glass of water each day to increase hydration and cleanse the body.
3. Increase your salt level. Add an extra of extra salt to every meal. Your body will need it on race day.
4. Increase your carb in-take, including potatoes, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
5. Reduce or eliminate all fat from your diet. Stay away from ice cream, deep fried foods, donuts, etc.
6. Stick to a clean diet of fresh, natural ingredients including fresh vegetables and leaner meats like turkey and chicken.
7. Refrain from alcohol, smoking and drugs.
8. Decrease your caffeine in-take. Don’t have coffee, energy drinks, or soda the last two days before the race.
9. Gear check. The day before the race affix your timing chip to your shoe, set out your running gear and pin your race bib to the front of your shirt. Don’t forget to include bandaids to cover your nipples to avoid chaffing.
10. Prepare your water belt. Fill your water bottles and have all your nutrition planned out including gels, sport beans, blocks and your other fuel-replenishing supplements. Pack extra Advil for along the race route and the finish line.
11. The night before the race take Advil to reset your body’s aches and pains from training and to start out race day feeling fresh.
12. Get as much sleep as you can the night before the race.

For run training, speed work should account for 10-15% of your total weekly distance. Don’t add speed to endurance training sessions – it’s done separate from long distance and hill training.

Like hill training, start with a few repeats each week and add an additional interview. Speed training is about pushing yourself to your limit all while maintaining good form.

Pace for speed sessions should be 1 minute to 1:30 faster than your race day pace.

Stay light on your feet, do a form check, and consistently run each interval at the same pace. Resist the temptation to run the first one hard and then gradually slow down. Speed sessions build speed, pace and discipline.

High intensity exercise, like speed, generate a quick and high demand for energy at a fast rate. Aerobic metabolism is slow to supply energy forcing the body to produce energy at a faster rate. Anaerobic metabolism produces more energy in shorter period of time, creating chemical reactions that generate large amounts of lactic acid. So much lactic acid is produced that the body cannot get rid of it fast enough, causing it to accumulate in the muscles and blood. High levels of lactic acid causes a burning feeling in the legs and a queasy feeling in the stomach.

Speed sessions buffer the effects of anaerobic activity and improve coordination.

The Running Room has a fantastic training clinic for runners who want to build their speed, distance and endurance.

The tenth and final installment of 10 simple ways you can change and improve your diet to lead a healthier lifestyle. The tips and information from this series comes from Choices Markets Dietician, Desiree Nielsen.

This week’s tip: Cook Something New

We are becoming a nation of take out dialers and instant food assemblers. But if you can boil water, you can make yourself a simple, healthy meal in less time than it takes to stand in line for pizza. As an added bonus, you will save money and may even trim your waistline!

The average restaurant or quick service meal contains more salt, fat and calories than the same food made at home. This week, try one new recipe…that’s all there is to it! If you enjoy doing it, make it a weekly event!

5 Resources for Quick and Easy Recipes

1. Free and at your fingertips, www.eatingwell.com offers thousands of healthy recipes. Stuck for time? Search for their 5-ingredient or 30-minute meals.
2. A Local Table, the Choices Markets Cookbook, has plenty of “make it tonight” recipes – some of which can also be found at www.choicesmarket.com
3. The new Dietitians of Canada cookbook contains plenty of healthy, easy to prepare recipes along with cooking lessons for the novice chef.
4. Looking for more quick and easy recipes? Try www.canadianliving.com
5. Fitness magazines are another great source for health focused, simple to use recipes. Men’s Health, for example, always features “guys meals made easy”!