Jac Trac

EAT LESS CRAP!

C- carbonated drinks

R- refined sugar

A- artificial sweeteners & colors

P- processed foods

EAT MORE FOOD!

F- fruits & veggies

O- organic lean proteins

O- omega 3 fatty acids

D- drink water

Ok, so this is my new food philosophy.  I have managed to gain 20 lbs so far with baby #2, which I am fine with.  I know that healthy weight gain is important when pregnant, and healthy eating is important in life.  I am not a dieter, never have been (I like food too much to diet).  I am all for the ‘lifestyle change’.  I plan on making the change starting now (now or again, not too sure which I am doing here).  When pregnant with my first, I tipped the scales at over 200 lbs, I am not wanting to go there again, as the journey down the scales was definitely not as food filled or thought free as the journey up.  Eating is a non-negotiable, it is something we have no choice but to do, but how we do it, is up to us.

I’m not sure exactly where I heard that weight loss or maintenance is 80% what you eat and 20% what you do.  From a different viewpoint, that means if I eat a large fast food fries, I now have to jog, at 5 miles/hr for 43 minutes to work those calories off.  For my Blizzard (that really wasn’t worth it), an hour and a half on the elliptical.  Fad diets may get the pounds off, but probably won’t keep them off.  We’re all walking, awesome, so that’s 20% of how we can manage our weight, now we have to be mindful of what we put in our bodies.  That’s where I am liking the eat less CRAP and eat more FOOD.  The Canadian food guide is a great starting point, as I have never seen the pop category, or the Blizzards on there (guilty of BOTH of those on Friday!).

So, new week, new philosophy on food, new perspective on my weight gains.  With 12 weeks to go, my personal goal is to be mindful of my food intake, avoid the CRAP, and stay active.  I’ll keep you posted…

Kim Knight, Personal Trainer and Fit with Fido Instructor

You’ve started!  Your toughest challenge has been accomplished!  So many people don’t know where to start when it comes to their fitness, so they don’t.  Be proud of yourself for getting of the couch, putting on your runners and moving.  It may not feel so fantastic yet, but it will and you body will thank you (so will your pooch.)

So now what?  Where to from here?  15 minutes walks will start to become easier for you, and if you’re already walking more than 15 minutes, awesome work!  Keep it up.  Being pregnant (and somewhat lazier due to the fact), I’ve started breaking my walks into two parts (thanks to my Fit with Fido partner Jocelyn for opening my eyes to this).  I go for a half hour walk in the morning and then a longer one, about 45 minutes to an hour in the afternoons.  Breaking the walk into two parts also helps with my afternoon sacking (which I have always been terrible for, pre-pregnancy as well!!).  After work, I get out of the car, grab the stroller, hook up my dogs to the Jac Trac and go!  This way, I can’t talk myself out of a walk and into a bag of chips, which would be  my alternative.  I have a granola bar, an apple or some veggies in the car (carefully, to avoid a distracted driving ticket) before I head out.

A walk around the same block, every day, begins to get very boring.  When you’re doing the same think day in, day out, you’re more likely to stop doing it, regardless of what that task is.  There’s only so many times you can look at the same houses and same trees and same cars…So, change it up!  Explore your neighborhood.  Try a new route, turn left instead of right, go up the hill rather than down.  Make each walk a new adventure (as much as you can anyway).  Put the dogs in the car and go explore a green space in your city.  Grab a tea, head downtown and explore your local scenery.  You’ll get a chance to see new things, which not only you will appreciate, but so will your dog.  They too get bored with the same 15 minute walk each day.

So, try these two things out – 2 walks in the day, 15 minutes twice a day (if that’s where you are), and explore new territory.  By simply adding and altering your walks, you will be more interested, along with your pet and your cardiovascular strength will begin to improve.  Everything starts with one step!

Kim Knight, Fit with Fido Instructor through Clever Canines.

It’s that time of year again.  We look back to 3 months ago, and remember the New Year’s resolution that we made, and broke (if you’re still following through good for you!  A lifestyle change is establishing within you!).  Like most of us, I am also guilty of not sticking with my resolutions.   Why do these good intentions seem to fail us?  Are we setting our standards too high?  I really am not sure what we are doing wrong, but I do know that we can create a healthy change in our lives.

We all have dogs, hey, Jac Trac is our common bond here and let’s face it, they do make life a little easier.  So, let’s all resolve to walk our dogs every day.  I mean it, every day, it’s what I do, pushing a stroller to boot!  Are there days when I don’t want to go?  Absolutely.  I can find you any excuse really; it’s slippery, there’s snow on the ground, it’s cold, it’s hot, I’m tired, Tricia doesn’t want to go in the stroller, the dogs went on a really good walk yesterday, I’ll go tomorrow, I’ll send my husband out when he gets home from work, I’ll go when he gets home from work, dinner won’t make itself, my legs are kind of sore… shall I continue??  But really, once you get going, it’s always quite nice.

Let’s start here, with the walk.  It’s simple, achievable and its one of those resolutions that needs to be kept, not only for you, but also for your dog.  You chose them and they are important, and nobody has ever said moving is bad for your body.  Your dog deserves to have fresh air, get the cobwebs out of their joints and so do you!    You’ll feel better by just getting the blood circulating, and your dog will thank you.  A tired dog is a good dog!  Both you and your dog will sleep better after a good, long walk.

If you aren’t currently walking your dog, start, today.  You don’t have to begin this lifestyle change by walking 10 kilometers or moving at a pace comparable to an Olympic speed walker (always entertaining to watch though). just go.  Start with 15 minutes and build yourself, and your dog, up.  Add 5 minutes each week until you reach your goal.  Start with a realistic expectation, both realistic for your body and your dogs (it’ll hurt the next day if you don’t, and probably cause injuries which will make going tomorrow more difficult or impossible).  Any runner or exerciser will tell you, they did not start where they are currently, they built up to it.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get out for a long walk either.  Something IS better than nothing!! Go for what you can, but GO!

Kim Knight, Fit With Fido Instructor

We are going through so many changes with Jac Trac, and sometimes it can be so overwhelming to do everything it is that you want to do.  The key to doing something different is just to start doing it, so, in that spirit, here we go.

I have teamed up with one of my favourite personal trainers, and Fit with Fido  instructor Kim Knight to bring you something a just little different.

Kim is a mother to one, soon to be two (July 2012).  She also is a mom to two dogs, Jack (lab cross) and Ani (staffordshire bull terrier, maybe?).  Like most of us, and after her first baby, Kim found it difficult to fit in her workouts, taking the dog for a walk, and spending much needed time outdoors with her new baby.   After many discussions with her long time friend, and realizing this wasn’t just their problem, they came with a brilliant solution.   Workouts WITH your dogs!  Hence, Fit with Fido. Kim went on to complete her Personal Training Specialist program in 2010.  She and her business partner have been running Fit with Fido bootcamp style classes throughout Calgary ever since and truly love it!

I am so lucky to have Kim blogging with me, and hope you will get as much out of her wealth of knowledge as I do.  She will be regularly featured here on our blog, every second Thursday, starting this Thursday March, 22, 2012.  Her first post is all about getting started and taking that first step.

Nothing like a bunch of firsts to take us into Spring!

Rick has a new job, and in the process of deciding to take the job, we have been reviewing all the benefits.  Since we are not that far away from retirement….10-15 years…pension and savings are really important factors for us.

But, here’s the thing, all the pension and savings in the world mean nothing if you don’t have your health.  So at yesterday’s Fit with Fido class, my decision to continue was to think of this as making a deposit if you will, into my fitness savings account.  I’m building up my sweat equity so that when it is time for us to start spending our nest egg, not only am I around and but I’m healthy and fit enough to enjoy it.    

For me being social is important, and this class has been a fantastic way to re-connect with others.  It  happens that our group is all women…which I love…I love women empowering and supporting other women.  We are lucky enough to have a range of ages of some who are taking on a new phase of life with kids, babies, and careers, and others who are thinking about retirement and menopause!  It is such a great energy. 

All of this is possible with the support and encouragement of great instructors like Kim and Jocelynn.  Kudos to you guys for keeping us all on track!  

 The next few pictures are taken at class with Kim’s IPhone, which showcases my sweat equity, and also a bit of her thumb.

After jogging down a hill sweat was pouring from me, so much so, I was sure it dripping in my eye. Kim confirmed this for me, as she scanned my face for this waterfall of sweat I was excitedly claiming. Yes, I was indeed sweating. Not that I recommend this, but if you click on the picture and enlarge it, you can see the drop on my forehead. Just saying, you can see sweat.

Jac has a twin....Riggs....in the background. His "mom" is my inspiration.I grew up with the song Stairway to Heaven.....but this was in no way those stairs. It was my nemesis for this workout. Up and down...sprint up....push ups along the way...it was really hard.

I grew up with the song Stairway to Heaven.....but this was in no way those stairs. It was my nemesis for this workout. Up and down...sprint up....push ups along the way...it was really hard.

Today was the start of week 3 doing my Fit With Fido class.  And I’ll be honest.  I didn’t think I’d make it to week 3, which is why I didn’t start writing this until now.  My commitment level is not the best when it comes to these things.  I have never done a group fitness class, or any kind of fitness class for that matter, and I had no idea what to expect. 

Anybody not familiar with a class like this, it’s a simple concept.  You exercise with your dog.  Sounds easy and very fun and I convinced myself of this, while sitting on my couch with chips and dip in hand, and a glass of wine close by.  I had been specifically asked to join this class….staying fit is apparently so important to some people…they would even consider out of shape me and my very whiny dog….to be participants.  Or perhaps they needed a body and someone willing to pay.  Whatever the reason, I was flattered that I was asked….and….I replied yes to this request….with instant regret.

My first 2 weeks brought forth that conflict of brain versus body.  My brain, telling me how awesome I was doing this, and my body confused with this sudden burst of activity that was inflicting all sorts of pain in regions I had forgotton I had.  Talk about out of my comfort zone.  I’m sure Jac was thinking, what are WE doing here, this is not for you because look at us….we are at the back of the pack….do you know what happens at the back of the pack….things get eaten…please get moving! 

Fast forward 3 weeks, and here I am.  YAY!  I think Jac realizes at this point that we won’t get eaten being at the back, and he seems to be a little more comfortable with this postion for now.  His role is clearly defined as my coach, motivator, and supporter.  Always there with a big lick when I need it, and he’s doing a great job.  

This is the funnest exercise ever!