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Bikini-Body Popsicles

They’re calling for a sweltering 30°C day! (That’s 86°F, for all of our American readers.) So I think it’s pretty official to declare that summer is finally here! Woot woot - cue the summer jams.

I need a sweet, icy popsicle – stat! But I could do without the sugar rush that store-bought popsicles hit me with. For a treat that won’t spike and dunk your blood sugar levels and can even boost your post workout recovery, make this quick and clean recipe, courtesy of Oxygen reader Lindsay Kent, a personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist from Burlington Ontario. (Pictured below)

Protein Pops
1 cup tropical frozen fruit blend (e.g. strawberries, pineapple, honeydew melon and peach)
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 cup water

Blend all ingredients in a blender and then pour into ice pop molds. Freeze for at least four hours or overnight.

Nutrients per one batch*:
Calories: 433, Total Fat: 2.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0, Trans. Fat: 0, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 0.52mg, Carbohydrates: 29g, Dietary Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 20 g, Protein: 23 g

*Serving sizes will vary depending on the pop size molds you use. And obviously, you don’t want to be eating the whole batch at once, so divide the nutritional info above by the amount of molds. According to Lindsay:


“These pops are a great post workout snack, and provide a great ratio of carbs to protein. We all know that our bodies are like sponges after we workout, ready to soak up all the nutrients lost through training in order to repair and recover properly. Also, fats should be avoided post workout, as they can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, and while there is a dab of fat in each pop, it is healthy fat, and not enough to interfere with the carbohydrate and protein synthesis. Finally, it is an easy, quick grab that you keep in your freezer, waiting for you after your sweat session - no mixing or making involved!”

Thanks, Lindsay! Send me your favorite recipe to myrecipebook@oxygenmag.com

Monica Brant's F.E.M. Camp!

Guest blogger: Marta Ustyanich, Oxygen's Copy Editor

Competing in fitness has hardly ever crossed my mind, let alone been an option, given my less-than-shredded physique. But when Oxygen’s editor-in-chief, Stacy Kennedy, offered up the opportunity to attend fitness icon Monica Brant’s three-day competition prep camp this May, I eagerly jumped at the chance to get my butt kicked by one of the best in the industry – and she delivered.

After just two sets of a lower-body circuit designed by Monica herself, I was sitting down for a much-needed break, while the girls all powered through every grueling rep.

But they didn’t come to just work their muscles – they came to flex them, too. Strapping on their clear heels, the girls slipped into bikinis or shorts – I wisely decided to sit this one out – and proceeded to parade around the room, with Monica calling for three-quarter turns and front poses (umm, say what?). Even as Oxygen’s copy editor (read “walking dictionary”), I was getting lost in all the industry jargon.

But it wasn’t long before I was dropping terms like “shredded” and “adrenal fatigue,” thanks to a lesson on supplementation from nutrition coach Nathan Harewood. And thanks to a makeup tutorial from Oxygen’s own makeup artist, Valeria Nova, I can even pick out the best foundation to match competition tans. In fact, with a little practice – and a lot of crunches! – I may just one day pass for a regular on the competition stage. Hey, a girl can dream!

Admittedly, outside of photos, I have never seen a live or televised competition. It was at F.E.M. Camp that I really began to understand the discipline, dedication and guts that it takes to make it up onto that stage. The strain on the girls’ faces as they repped it out on the gym floor, the meticulous hand placement as they delivered pose after pose, their dazzling smiles as they bared all – stretch marks included – in tiny shorts and bikinis – all this explained how they had come to earn this coveted spot training with an elite Figure competitor.

And that’s what makes me want to go for it (given, the chiseled core is a nice bonus!) – I love proving to myself how much I can accomplish simply by exercising my willpower. Competitive fitness entails a powerful fusion between the body and mind; not just anyone can do it. But I like to think of myself as one of those who can – and maybe (hopefully!) will – one day sculpt a stage-worthy physique. What about you? Do you have what it takes to compete? You can find out from the fitness icon herself by signing up for a weekend-long F.E.M. Camp in your area. Visit femcamp.net for camp dates near you.

As for me, it’s back to those crunches!

Meet Marta, Monica, and Dr. Oz (kinda!)

Our copy editor Marta Ustyanich – pictured here with me smooching my cherished photo of Dr. Oz (dotted with fluttering hearts, no less) – recently attended a boot camp event for aspiring fitness models and competitors hosted by fitness icon Monica Brant! Marta’s going to be guest blogging about it tomorrow so check back for all of the juicy details.

Preworkout Fuel

In my college days, I would nonchalantly scarf down bag of M&Ms and go full throttle on the elliptical. More often than not, I’d crash before I could burn off anything – barely making the 12-minute mark required to negate the 73 calories of pure sugar! Oh my nutritional naivety. One of the most important lessons that I’ve learned since working at Oxygen is the importance of pre workout nutrition, particularly what to eat before engaging in certain types of exercise. Here’s a brief breakdown of what to feed yourself before a session of...

Weights + cardio = mostly carbs plus a hit of protein
Rev up your energy with a carb-rich snack within an hour before your sweat session. Protein doesn’t need to be a huge concern at this point because you will be refueling after your workout with a more protein-rick snack (ah, that famed “postworkout window of opportunity”; more on that in a future post). Preworkout snacks should be roughly 60% carbs, 20% protein, 20% fat.

Try:
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable soup + 3 small whole grain crackers + ½ cup applesauce (pictured above)
• 3 rye crisp crackers + ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese + 1 small piece of fruit
• ½ whole grain English muffin + 1 tbsp hummus + ½ cup fresh berries
• 1. 5 cup chicken noodle soup (this food is more effective at improving fluid balance than electrolyte-spike sports drinks, shows a study from the American College of Sports Medicine).

Yoga = light is right
According to Jason Lu, co-owner of Yoga Tree (my neighborhood studio where he teaches Yoga for Athletes), “It’s best to do yoga on an empty stomach or eat something really light that’s easy to digest such as a small salad or a smoothie. Having a heavy meal, like a steak or burger, prior to your yoga session requires more energy to break down and you need this energy for your practice. This is especially important in hot yoga to avoid getting really dizzy and nauseous.”

A 5K run = everyday clean eating
Gels, gummies, electrolyte replacement drinks are not necessary, says Jennifer Sygo, MSc, RD, a regular Oxygen contributor. “Rather than fixating on carbs, try to focus instead on good day-to-day eating habits, which is important for maintaining your energy as you train,” writes Sygo in her regular National Post column (read the full story here).For early evening runs, she suggests eating an afternoon snack 1-3 hours before.
Try: a moderate fiber cereal (no more than 5 grams per 30 gram serving) with a cup of milk or soy beverage (5 grams of protein per serving is enough).

I'm curious, what do you eat before your workouts?

3 ways to cook a helluva lot less

I’m the world’s laziest cook. My motto is, if there’s a shortcut in the kitchen, take it. After all, consider this: a woman will spend an average of two and half years of her adult life cooking, according to a UK consumer study. In that time, you could pen a book, complete a Masters degree, travel the world over…you get the idea! But I guess it’s a welcome relief from 1960, when the average woman spent an average of six years cooking (yikes!). The market researchers credit the drop in figures to two factors: ready-made meals at the supermaket and labor-saving kitchen equipment. Mind you, the study was a touch bias, being commissioned by kitchen gadget manufacturer Breville. That said, I don’t think you need a counter full of fancy cooking gear to whip up clean, tasty meals in a flash. Take it from me, I’m faring through my big girl years not chained to the stove because I’ve mastered the art of lazy-girl-cooking with simple tools. Here, my top time-saving cooking secrets:

1. Single skillet meals. Hate washing dishes? Make full meals using just one skillet.
TRY: Heat a teaspoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. Saute cumin-spiced lean ground beef, then use the same pan to flash-fry yellow onions, chopped spinach, and oregano-dusted tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta cheese, optional. Serve in a whole grain wrap.
Here's another recipe.

2. Slow cooking. My Crockpot is my lifeline when it comes to meal making. Just toss in ingredients before bed and you’ve got a protein-packed lunch for work the next few days.
TRY: Line slow cooker with chopped sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and a can of corn. Add frozen chicken breasts and two cups of low-sodium chicken broth, and cook on low for eight hours. Serve with cooked quinoa.
Here's another recipe.

3. Bake “en papillote”. Don’t let the French words fool you, there’s nothing shi shi about this fool-proof cooking method. All you need is a roll of parchment paper, a cookie sheet, and an oven. Click here for a quick lesson.
TRY: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lay thinly sliced carrots, red onions, and zucchini onto parchment paper. Place a tilapia fillet on top of vegetables. Season with dill and drizzle honey mustard on top. Fold in edges of parchment to seal food in. Place package into oven for 15-20 minutes, until fish flakes. Open package carefully and serve.

How do you cheat?

Cupcakes are my kryptonite. So as my roommate spent the better half of the evening last night making them for a company bake sale, I had to leave the house. Even though I had already worked out during my lunch hour, I took refuge in my condo’s gym. I’ve never been one to do double workouts in a day but there was absolutely nowhere else to go at that hour, and in my opinion, there is nowhere better to go than a gym to kick temptation in the butt. Plus, Curb Your Enthusiasm was playing on the television sets in the cardio room (Larry David is my hero!). A 20-minute jaunt on the elliptical was all I needed to get those feel-good endorphins pumping through my body, which consequently killed my cupcake craving altogether.

This got me thinking about the concept of cheat meals.

I’ve researched this topic on-and-off and have yet to find hard evidence to support that cheat meals are good for your physique (your psyche, yes, no doubt). Yet there is ample anecdotal evidence from fitness models and those in the industry, who generally recommend one cheat day per week. Some fitness models say that they don’t cheat at all, while others swear by various diet strategies like carb cycling or carb tapering.

Tell me, how do you cheat? And how often? Do you set aside one full day to just pig out or do you treat yourself to one cheat food per day? And what is your go-to cheat meal?

Chime in. I’m dying to know!

Almonds: my weekend weapon

Happy Saturday!
If your willpower is wonky on the weekends, try my simple eat clean weekend tip: stash an Altoids tin full of almonds in your purse. The protein, fiber, and healthy fats content in a one ounce serving (about 23 almonds) will help ward off the urge to overeat those tempting weekend treats. (I’m looking at you macaroons!)
BONUS HEALTH BENEFIT: Research from the American Heart Association suggest that eating this amount of almonds every day for 30 days may help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) by about 4%.

How to eat to get fit

Recall those government food pyramid handouts you got in grade school? My mom had one posted on our fridge growing up. Having this quick reference looking back at me each time I went to the fridge made it easier for me to make healthier foods choices. Awhile back, we ran a story about food pyramids for women looking to build strength and muscle mass, and because of my love for visual reminders (thanks ma!), I have one of the images from that story tacked on my wall for reference. Thought I'd share it with you!

Calories for muscle

I’m freaking out! I have just one more month left to lean up for the company fitness challenge and my muscle development is less than impressive. My body fat is in check now but it’s crunch time for building a bit more mass. The clock’s ticking! So I sent off a frantic email to one of our fabulous nutrition writers, Tiffani Bachus (Pictured on right). Not only does she have a bomb body, Tiffani carries some serious fitness cred: she's a registered dietitian, a fitness competitor, and a mother of three to boot. Thought I’d share our conversation with you.

ME: Tiff, is there a simple formula I can use to calculate how many calories I need to build muscle?

TB: Hi Helen, I'm out and about today - no computer, so I'll type some info on my iPhone. Here are my general guidelines for women:

• For weight loss: 11 calories per pound of body weight
• For weight maintenance: 15 calories per pound
• For weight gain: a range of 17-20 calories per pound

I don't believe there is scientific evidence except SCAN recommends for building muscle – adding 200-500 calories extra. I always recommend the lower end (17 calories or an extra 200) for the first few weeks. This can be a challenge for some people because it really matters where those extra 200 calories are coming from.

ME: An extra meal? Yay! But I’m guessing it has to be clean, right? What do you suggest?

TB: Clean, of course! An extra 200 "clean" calories could be a turkey wrap (2 oz turkey, 1/8 avocado slice, one tomato slice, wrapped in a small whole wheat tortilla). That translates to approximately 14 grams of lean protein, 5 grams of healthy fat and 20 grams of carbohydrates. Oh and don't forget to about those pre and post workout meals. Eat approximately 10-20 grams of protein with a carbohydrate (10-15 grams is sufficient) 15-20 minutes before your strength training workout. Followed with a post-exercise snack 30 min to 1 hour after your workout.

ME: Thanks Tiff, super useful.

TB: I'm glad I can help you out! You got this win!! :) p.s. I’ve been boxing lately and it’s been doing wonder for my abs. I’m attaching a pic for you. [see above] I can’t wait to see your ripped abs!

Note to self: eat more (and take up boxing).

Pop a multi, eat the burger – right?

If you’re among the one-half of the adult population in North American that take dietary supplements every day, listen up.

An interesting study was just published in the journal Psychological Science that exposes an all-too-common relationship between multivitamin use and eating behavior. A Taiwanese scientist wanted to test if frequent use of dietary supplements had any influence on food decision-making after observing a colleague justify eating an unhealthy meal simply because he had taken a multivitamin earlier in the day.

Here’s what happened in his study:

Participants were divided into two groups. Group A was told to take a multivitamin and Group B was assigned a placebo. But what Group A didn’t know was that they were actually also consuming placebo pills. This duped group expressed less desire to exercise and more desire to overeat, citing that they felt okay with their decision because they had taken a multivitamin earlier.

We are constantly being told that dietary supplements are meant to complement a balanced diet, not make up for it. But what this study reveals is that people who pop supplements regularly may carry around a false sense of health protection that tends to lead them to make poor food choices.

It’s that “I can wolf down this Big Mac because I took my multi” mentality. I know a handful of people who operate this way, and admittedly, I too have been guilty of using multivitamins as a pig-out pass in the past.

Is this way of rationalizing unhealthy decisions more common than not?

Chime in!

Muffins for Memory and Muscle

I love experimenting with new recipes that use protein powder. And I have spent many Sunday evenings perfecting these suckers here.

These muffins deliver everything that I think any fitness-loving gal wants: muscle-building power, just enough sweetness, and a brain boost to boot. They’re perfect as pre-workout snacks. Give them a try and let me know what you think! Better yet, share your favorite clean muffin, cookie, or cake recipe with me – I’m on a baking roll right now.

Berry Protein Muffins
Ready in 30 minutes • Makes 12 muffins

2 cups frozen mixed berries
Wet ingredients:
2 eggs
¼ cup olive or canola oil
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup skim milk (set aside)
Dry ingredients:
1/2 cup chocolate soy protein powder
1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
¾ tsp sea salt
¾ tsp baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
12 almonds (set aside)

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 12-pan muffin tin with oil.
2. Defrost berries in microwave. Set aside.
3. In a small mixing bowl, mix together wet ingredients thoroughly (except for milk).
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (except for almonds).
5. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry mix bowl. Mix together with a wooden spoon. Stir in the thawed berries. Add milk to moisten the batter.
6. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Top each muffin with one almond. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 240, Total Fats: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 30 mg, Sodium: 340 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 32 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 12 g, Protein: 12 g, Iron: 3 mg

Fit Facts: Soy protein absorbs at a slow rate for sustained hunger control and muscle-building benefits. And recent research from Tufts University shows that the antioxidant compounds found in blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries help keep you sharp by turning on your brain’s housekeeping cells, which work to clean up toxic proteins that can mess with memory and mental function.

Celebrate the small stuff

This past Easter weekend, I conquered my fear of pushups.

And that’s no small feat for me! A month ago, I could barely muster out eight without feeling like throwing up.

It happened in my condo gym, with nobody in sight (I think every body left the city for the long weekend). I knew I wanted to work my arms but didn’t feel like hoisting the weights again. I was scratching my head for ideas when suddenly, I had a flashback: I heard the shrilling voice of my junior high school gym teacher, Mr. Howard, shout “drop and give me 20!”

Ok, Mr. Howard. I never liked you but here you go.

I grabbed a mat and flipped to the most cocky song on my iPod, and went for it.

Set #1
12 slow and steady reps
Paid close attention to my form in the mirror

Set #2
12 reps!
Form? Perfect
Took a short water break

Set #3
I wanted to challenge myself so I grabbed a stability ball and went into plank position.
Eked out 15 reps!
Muscles = Burning!

Set #4
16 reps, again on the ball. (The extra rep was for you, Howard.)
Gave myself a mental high five.

Lesson learned: Relish in the victory of every fitness milestone, no matter how small you think it is. Every small success will propel you towards your bigger goal. Now tell me about your most recent fit feat!

Eggs: Eat one every day

Want an energy upgrade? Consider switching your morning cereal to an omelet.

That’s what I’ve been doing for the past two months (because I’m loosely following the two-month abs diet plan that I mentioned in my last post, which starts your day off with 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites plus a mix of non starchy veggies), and let me tell you: I’ve got more zip than a Ziplock bag.

It must be all of those energizing vitamins (B12, folic acid, riboflavin), that high-quality protein (6 grams per egg) and those anti-inflammatory fats. Add the fiber from the veggies that I pack in (spinach, sprouts, tomatoes, chives) and you’ve got a recipe that’ll hold your hunger over until lunch.

What’s more, eggs are one of the few food sources that are replete with vitamin D, the rock star nutrient that has been shown to improve heart health, mental focus, and even your body’s ability to shed body fat and build lean muscle. There are few whole food sources of vit D and eggs are easily the cheapest and top sources of it. In fact, USDA scientists recently discovered that eggs have much more vit D than previously thought. The newly updated 2010 Dietary Guidelines note that today’s eggs have 64% more vitamin D and 14% less cholesterol than they did in 2002, thanks to improved breeding methods of hens over the decade.

(Finally, eggs have been ‘eggsonerated’ from their heart-wrecker rap!)

The consensus among nutrition experts is that active and healthy women should eat one whole egg per day; perhaps the revamped nutritional profile of eggs could change that recommendation to two a day in the future? Just a thought.

For now, if you’re not already eating a whole egg daily, get cracking.

FIT TIP: Treat your kids to a traditional egg hunt instead of giving them chocolate eggs this weekend. Then stash those colored eggs post-hunt in your fridge for quick protein snacks for the week ahead. Happy Easter!

Abs in 2 months!

Have you picked up our latest Abs special issue yet?

In it, you’ll find an incredibly effective meal plan called “Drop 24 pounds in 8 weeks.” Created by sports dietitian Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD, this plan can help you shed anywhere between 5–24 pounds of body fat, not just water weight.

Although I don’t have a lot of weight to lose, I’ve been following the basic tenents of the plan – lots of protein and healthy fats, and few carbs – for the past two months now, and my stomach has never looked flatter. I can’t report that I’m sporting a six-pack yet, but with that extra layer of belly fat gone, my motivation to hit the gym to etch out some abs definition is flying high.

As for the author of this plan, Susan is an authority on eating for strength and bodybuilding, and has been on our advisory board for years. She’s my port of call when I need the final say on anything food-related.

Convinced yet? Pick up your copy of our Abs special today. You won’t be disappointed, promise.

Now, time to eat my mid-afternoon abs-friendly snack: a hardboiled egg with salsa. (Spoiler alert: You’ll be eating one egg per day on this plan!)

Shakes vs. Smoothies

You’re probably thinking, “What’s the difference?” Well, it’s one of those nuances that separate fitness-minded people from sedentary folk.

Bet you didn’t know that?

I didn’t either until our executive editor, Diane Hart, corrected me at a one of our brainstorming sessions (nearly two and half years ago, when I was still learning the ins and outs of the fitness industry). There I was pitching a story to her about the benefits of protein “smoothies” when she stopped me mid-sentence to inform me that there’s a kind of unofficial lingo amongst fitness models: They drink ‘shakes’ not ‘smoothies’, she said. I thought, isn’t that kind of trivial? I likened it to fashionistas who insist that beige is totally different from white. Come on, really?

But then I got to thinking about the rationale behind it, and it does make a lot of sense...

Active people who train on a regular basis have nutrition habits that need to be different from sedentary people, particularly the food you eat around your workout – before, maybe during, and after. It is these meals that deserve special attention because they can make or break your results. According to one my trusted sources, sports dietitian, Heidi Skolnik, co-author of Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance (Human Kinetics, 2010), the meals you eat around your workout are considered “fuel”, which is different from regular meals. Special attention should be paid to timing of your intake of fuel as well as the nutrient profile. For example, pre-workout fuel calls for a carbs and a bit of protein that sit well in your stomach (not too much fiber!) whereas post workout fuel may call for quick-absorbing carbs and high quality lean protein (hello shakes!). Meals that you eat at the rest of times, lunch, dinner, or breakfast (not around your workout, says Skolnik) are more balanced with healthy fats and fiber. So an avocado smoothie made with say leafy greens, almond milk and rolled oats would be considered more of a ‘meal’ in the form of a smoothie. (Still with me?) It is recipes like these that are often recommended by dietitians as a meal replacement for busy people on the go – just like my gal pal and roommate, Michelle (that's her pictured above to my right). Michelle is a full-time nurse and yoga devotee, and has a daily ritual of making a big green smoothie every morning before dashing off to the hospital. There’s no protein powder in her smoothies but they deliver a mega dose of vitamins from an ever-changing mix of leafy greens and fruits (yesterday’s was a blend of kale, apples, ginger, and carrots). Her smoothies are so energizing! But I know that I need more protein in my diet in order to build that muscle that I’m after so when I get my chance at the blender, it’s a shake for me.

Because shakes are training fuel.

Often made with whey protein powder, shakes are an important part of an active diet. They do the job of refueling your body quickly and effectively so that your muscles repair and grow. There are also pre workout shakes that require more carbs for energy. All you need to do is mix a scoop of high quality protein powder with a cup of liquid (low-fat milk or water) for a basic shake. Depending on your goals and training intensity, you can add additional ingredients like berries or performance-boosting supplements. Right now, I love adding beta-alanine to my preworkout shakes, as it seems to give me that extra gusto I need for cardio. There are so many ways to make a protein shake! So many, in fact, that Oxygen features a new recipe every month in our Shake of the Month section – cause we know that a fit girl needs variety in her life to stick to a clean diet.

I love experimenting with new shake (and yes even smoothie) recipes so feel free to share yours!

Want muscle? I do!

Workout Wednesdays with Rachel (Left).

Hi, welcome to my first blog post.

I’m Helen, the office’s go-to nutrition girl for the past three years, and my main role is to spread the word about the many benefits of eating clean. From the way individual nutrients work to affect our bodies to how food connects people socially and culturally, I truly believe that what you feed yourself has a huge impact on how you look, feel and function. And yes, I practice what we preach. If you take a peek into my lunch bag, you’ll find: A hardboiled egg, whole grains, tons of leafy greens, veggie sticks, and lean protein (a piece of salmon, and some Greek yogurt for later).

Lately though, I’ve been trying to put the same focus I have on my diet onto my training. Why the shift? Back in February, I signed up for our company’s annual fitness challenge. The gist of the contest is this: The person who can make the most impressive changes in body composition within four months wins a modest amount of cash and some serious bragging rights. As the end date for this “friendly competition” is quickly approaching (June 1st), copping a spot in our company gym during lunch hour is nearly impossible. And boy, I’m up against some stiff competition: A personal trainer, a ski and snowboard instructor, and a marathon runner (we have one fit staff, I know)!

And me? I’m no star athlete. To give you an example of my lack-luster athleticism, consider this: I only just recovered from a bad contact hit to my face…from a game of dodge ball. Seriously, dodge ball. I ran headfirst into a wall after tripping over a ball (stop laughing). That embarrassing smash-up has sidelined me from the league for a month. Which, in retrospect, was a blessing in disguise because sitting out has left me with two good things:

1. A badass scar on my forehead.
2. More time to devote to my more serious fitness goals for the contest: building bigger biceps and carving out some abs.

So now, gone are my once-a-week games in an elementary school gymnasium spent dodging, ducking, and dipping, followed by celebratory beer. They’re now replaced with gym time with my fellow co-worker, Rachel Crocker, our wickedly funny fitness editor. With her help, along with quick access to some of the best names in the sports nutrition field, I’m surely going to make some progress, right?

Cross your fingers for me, and stay tuned for all the know-how on getting a body that wows.

These are a few of my favorite things

You might wonder what kinds of things Oxygen editors talk about when they aren’t discussing work. When we’re out to lunch or on a coffee run, anything goes. I’ve had chats with my fellow coworkers about everything from travel, politics, dodgeball, Justin Bieber, literature to mascara. We’re a pretty diverse crowd!

What makes me laugh is that, somehow, our chats always seem to circle back to the topic of health and fitness.

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a conversation with my “partner in crime” (we always bounce story ideas off each other!) Helen, Oxygen’s nutrition editor (who you’ll meet on Wednesday!) about some of our favorite health and fitness “must-haves”.

In the spirit of Oprah, I thought it would be fun to share a few of mine with you. Here they are:

Vitamin D drops. I keep these on my desk at work and take them with my first glass of water every morning (making it a part of a “routine” helps me to remember about them). Research is increasingly linking vitamin D to a host of health benefits including a lowered risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression, but it can be nearly impossible to get enough of it (experts recommend anywhere from 600 IU to 2,000 IU) through diet alone. You can read more about vitamin D in the March 2011 issue of Oxygen, and test your knowledge about this little vitamin by clicking here.

Sunscreen. Keeping my skin protected from the harmful effects of sun damage is important to me, especially now that the weather is starting to warm up and I’m spending increasingly more time outdoors. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is the most common form of cancer among young women my age (25 to 29) according to the American Academy of Dermatology, so I do my best to stay on the ball. My favorite sunscreen is B. Kamins Chemist Bio-Maple Sunbar Sunscreen SPF 30 because it’s oil free.

Green tea. I am definitely a tea kind of girl, and I keep a stash of different green tea flavors and brands at my desk, always. There’s nothing like sipping on a warm cup while working away on a story – or blogging! Not only is green tea comforting and tasty, but some studies have shown that it also has the potential to help fight cancer, burn fat, stave off dementia and even help to boost bone density. I’ll drink to that!

Things that make me laugh. I like to keep myself stocked up on items that give me a chuckle. It’s a great stress-reliever, and just a fun way to keep myself happy. I love posting funny pictures, articles and quotes around my cubicle. The latest addition? A photo of a pug puppy wearing a pair of pug puppy slippers that look just like him! (Thanks, Kim!)

What are some of your favorite health things? I’d love to hear from you.

What's your number?

Last week, I was speaking with a close friend about a recent visit to my doctor’s office where I had my cholesterol levels checked. She looked at me almost as if I said a swear word, and said, “Isn’t that something that only concerns older, overweight women?”

Well, in a word, no.

I’m not entirely sure how my friend would define “older” or “overweight”, but if I know anything about heart health (of which your cholesterol levels are one indicator), it’s that every woman, no matter her age or size, should pay attention.

Studies show that women of all ages, body shapes and fitness levels are impacted. In fact, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), coronary heart disease is still the single leading cause of death for American women.

Even though I’m 26, heart disease runs in my family, so I feel determined to take personal responsibility to take care of my health, and keep my heart in the best possible shape. In addition to making gym dates, adding avocados to my shakes, cutting down on sugar and sleeping more, I also try my best to stay informed about my heart health “numbers”.

Cholesterol is a good place to start, as it gives you and your doctor an indication of any fatty deposits or build-up in your arteries that could be problematic to your heart. In addition to your “total cholesterol”, the American Heart Association recommends keeping tabs on these other digits:

• LDL (“Bad”) Cholesterol
• HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Blood Pressure
• Waist Circumference

I’d love to know if you pay attention to your numbers, and what you do to keep your heart fit. Have any tips?

Getting fit from head to toe

There’s something I need to get off my chest.

I’m just going to come out and say it: I have a thing with feet.

In particular, I don’t like them very much.

They’re not attractive. They don’t smell good. They get calloused and sweaty and blistered. If I could go the rest of my life without ever having to touch one, I’d be thrilled.

Or so I thought up until a few months ago.

While working on this month’s health feature, “How fit are your feet?” (check it out on page 109 of Oxygen’s April 2011 issue!), I learned to appreciate my below-the-ankle parts just a little bit more.

Here’s something that I never gave much thought: The feet are, quite literally, the foundation to our health and fitness. Not only do these two little guys help us to run better, squat lower and support ourselves during a yoga pose, but they’re also a good indicator of our overall health and wellness. So, as much as this didn’t excite me at first, I’m starting to learn to take care of them and give my pair the attention they deserve (you should have seen me the first time I tried to give myself the DIY foot massage from page 110. I wish I had photos to share of my facial expressions. But it felt so so good!)

If you’re into living an active lifestyle, I think you’ll love the article. And if you’re a runner, check out our guide to picking the perfect pair of running shoes. Plus, here a few marathon-training tips from Tosca Reno!



And let me know: How do you feel about your feet? Do you show them love?

I’d love to hear from you!

Do you "fat talk"?

Have you ever had a “fat moment”?

Maybe it happened while you were trying on a new pair of pants in front of one of those terribly-lit mirrors in the mall. Or when a family member made a rude comment about your body. Or maybe a friend tagged you in a bad Facebook photo and you immediately untagged yourself, thinking you that you look too big/too chubby/not fit enough.

It happens to all of us: those brief little moments when, instead of focusing in on how proud we are of our efforts to eat clean, to exercise and to live a healthy life, we focus in on the way our calves look.

It’s called “fat talk”, and it can seriously derail your active lifestyle and bust your motivation to get to the gym.

So, how do you stop putting yourself down?

Change the way you talk to yourself, say the experts interviewed by Judi Ketteler in her motivational article in Oxygen’s Abs special issue (check her out on page 100! The issue goes on sale April 12.) In the article, she provides strategies for quieting your inner critic and becoming your own biggest support system – in fitness, in health and in life.

I love Judi’s tip about having a visual cue, something as simple as a sticker or a couple of words scribbled on your hand during a workout, that reminds you to switch over to positive self-talk. I have mine, “I am strong enough”, written on the inside cover of my workout journal. It’s such a small detail, but it always gives me the encouragement to stay positive and give it my all.

And here’s another tip that might help you be kinder to yourself: Instead of nitpicking at your body, find three things that you love about it. Write them down, if it helps. Is your core strong enough to hold your body in perfect form for a full minute while performing the plank? Are your legs capable of carrying through a 5K? Do your arms lift up your child 30 times a day? Focus on what you love about your body, and I’m positive you’ll get further in the gym too.

What do you love about your body?

Do you have your own motivational mantra?

I’d love to hear from you!

Energy makeover

“How’s your energy these days?”

It’s a question that my family doctor asks me during every check-up.

Like many women, I used to have low blood iron levels, and I know that my doctor is doing her due diligence by following up. So why does that question make me feel a little uneasy?

I think it’s because of a little thing I’ve heard being referred to as the “3 o’clock slump." My energy is great overall, but it’s that mid-day hump between lunch and dinner, between work and home, between office chair and being out and about, that gets me.

To tackle the “slump”, I find that little bursts of movement help. If I do something active during my lunch break, I always feel more recharged into the afternoon. A healthy snack with protein and whole grains also does the job. I love almond butter on whole wheat bread (or on a banana, or on a spoon – or an anything!). A good night’s rest makes a big difference too, especially during Project Runway season when it can be difficult to get to bed on time (To be honest, I think I watch to see the bad outfits more so than I do to see the good ones!)

So, how’s YOUR energy these days?

Are you facing any challenges? Have tips to share for staying peppy into the afternoon?

I’d love to hear from you!

Move it!

Here’s a bit of research that had me taking a stand: According to a recent Australian study, the more time that we spend sitting on our butts, the less likely we are to have healthy measures of HDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, fasting triglycerides (a form of blood fat) and C-reactive protein (an indicator of inflammation in our bodies that’s linked to heart disease).

Well great, I thought, as I read over the study, parked in my office chair.

Fortunately, there was good news: The same researchers found that taking short breaks from sitting – even for as little as one minute – is linked to improvements in health. People who made a habit out of moving around had healthier measures of C-reactive protein and (bonus!) smaller waists.

That’s a pretty impressive stat, so it got me thinking about all the ways I can cram some activity into a single minute, or two, or three, during my work day. I came up with these:

• Walk more. I know it sounds ridiculous, but when things get busy around here, so do I. I’ve actually picked up the phone before and dialed a co-worker’s extension instead of trekking over to see her. Want to know the worst part? She sits on the opposite side of my cubicle. (Hi, Rachel!)
• Get up a few times a day to stretch at my desk. I’ve done it twice today and it feels sooo good to feel my body stretch out and get relaxed.
• Use the downstairs kitchen, bathroom, etc. Stashing my lunch in a refrigerator on another floor will give me an excuse to take the stairs. (Sorry in advance to everyone in the downstairs kitchen who doesn’t love the smell of tuna.)

It feels great to know that these little bursts of exercise can add up to better health.

What do you do to move more at the office? What about everywhere else?

I’d love to hear from you!

Tell me about your success!

One of the perks of my job here at Oxygen involves connecting with readers who have made healthy lifestyle transformations and bringing you a set of Success Stories each month.

It’s always so inspiring for me to see what these women have accomplished with just a little bit of dedication, confidence and hard work. They kick butt!

It doesn’t ever happen overnight, and it doesn’t come without obstacles. But all the women we feature in Success Stories can attest to the fact that hard work does pay off, and that nothing can get in the way of a determined mindset.

Take Ellen Ichinose, for example.

{Photo courtesy of dougjantzphotography.com}

Her story originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Oxygen, explaining how she dropped 23 pounds of fat in her 40s. But what I found even more remarkable was the way she overcame her fear of strength training.

Ellen used to be a woman who was intimidated to step into the weight room with the “big guys”, so she stayed hidden in the cardio room. And now? She’s strong enough to perform pull-ups, fit enough to train alongside people half her age, and confident enough to walk into her gym’s weight room and ask the muscular guys to spot her as she lifts. I love that!

Ellen has maintained her fit body (and attitude!) since we ran her story, and the number-one tip she gives to women who are just on the brink of fitness goes something like this: “You must change the way you think of yourself. If you’re not careful, you can make excuses and listen to criticism, so learn to be content with who you are. You are a beautiful work in progress.”

So, here’s what I’d like to know: What fears are holding you back from accomplishing your full fitness potential? And what are you going to do to take action?

And if you have a success story to share, I’d love to hear it!

Simply fill out this form, or send me a line at success@oxygenmag.com.

How do you de-stress?

Have you ever come dangerously close to being late for work because you “temporarily” unplugged your Blackberry to charge up your electric toothbrush the night before…and forgot to plug it back in?

I’d like to say “Me neither,” but that’s exactly what happened to me this morning.

Running late always does something to me: It stresses me out, no matter how clean my teeth are.

The same goes for traffic jams, looming deadlines and (I admit it!) catching up on old episodes of Dexter. It all sends my body into stress mode.

And, apparently, I’m not alone. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, almost half of women in the United States reported feeling increased levels of stress in the past year.

That’s a staggering amount, especially considering the effect that stress can have on our bodies and health: Experts have linked it to everything from headaches, sleeping problems and reduced concentration to increased blood pressure and even belly fat (due to a spike in the hormone cortisol).

So, what are you doing to add more calm to your life?

I love to meet with a friend for a warm cup of tea, run a bubble bath on a Friday night or take in a really good read (Do you have any suggestions? I’m currently working through Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda). I also love to get outdoors. There’s a cute little park by a lake in my city, and when I take walks there, feeling the nice warm breeze against my face in the spring, I can feel the stress exiting my body, sort of like a wrinkle being ironed out of a shirt.

I’d love to hear your de-stressing techniques. Do you hit the gym? Listen to music? Relax with a copy of Oxygen? Let me know!

And if you’re looking for some expert tips, check out Oxygen’s Abs Special issue, on sale April 12. We’ve got a whole article devoted to cutting some of your most common stressors.

Be Fit and Healthy!

Welcome to my blog!

I’ve re-written my first post about 37 times, trying to figure out how to introduce myself to you, so here goes: My name is Kasia and I’m the health editor here at Oxygen. Each month, I get the opportunity to explore a health issue that is important to active women like you – and that’s definitely my favorite part of my job.

Why?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I cringe every time I see a trashy celebrity magazine on the newsstand that screams with a headline about the latest Hollywood starlet who dropped 25 pounds by eating nothing but beets, or by wearing the latest torture device slimming garment that keeps her sucked and tucked in (but can she breathe?).

To me, fitness is about more than just looking good. It’s about being healthy, feeling strong and knowing that the choices I make to jump on the treadmill, eat a balanced meal or break a sweat in the weight room don’t just impact my “muffin top”: they contribute to a longer, healthier and better life.

Less stress. More energy. Reduced risk of disease. That’s what it’s all about.

So, let me ask you a question.

You’ve probably thought a thousand times about your fat loss goals. But what are your health ambitions for the rest of this year?

Do you want to become more mindful, lower your blood pressure or get your heart health on track?

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what’s important to your lifestyle, and which health issues you’d like to explore together.

I’m up for discussing anything – as long as it doesn’t involve a pair of Spanx.

Arnold pics and cardio kicks

My time at the helm of Oxygen's staff blog is coming to a close, and honestly, it's been amazing fun sharing my thoughts, gripes and fitness plans with you. I hope that my stories were less "babbling," more "thought-provoking," but truth be told I'd even settle for "an okay way to waste five minutes." Kasia, our lovely health editor, is taking the reigns of this blog for the next four weeks. As always, don't be afraid to pipe in with your thoughts via the comments section!

Before I leave, there's two things that I want to share with you.

1) I only touched briefly on cardio training (care of my spinning post), but I have to admit that I am a cardio junkie - and if you add in some hardcore intervals, I'm in fitness-nerd heaven. Here's a sample of the routine I generally follow when I hit the treadmill, elliptical or StepMill. If I feel as though I could go longer during the harder intervals, I do - as with all exercise, it's best to listen to your body's cues as opposed to what your preplanned routine dictates. One last thing: If you are on the treadmill, don't keep your incline at 0; an incline of 1 or 2 will better mimic outdoor running conditions.

My 30-minute cardio fix

Minutes 0-3: Warmup

Minutes 3-5: Light jog (or an easy gait if you are on the elliptical or StepMill)

Minutes 5-8: Increase speed by one level each minute until you are sprinting during minute 8

Minutes 8-12: Decrease speed by one level each minute until you come back to your light jog.

Minutes 12-19: Repeat minutes 5 through 12.

Minuters 19-27: Repeat minutes 5 through 12, but add another minute to your fastest interval at minute 22 (so you are sprinting for two minutes; if you need to, sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 30 seconds, then repeat for your second minute)

Minutes 27 to 28: Light jog

Minutes 28-30: Cool-down walk; follow with a stretch

2) Here's some of my favorite pics from the 2011 Arnold. It was an honest-to-goodness blast and an event every fitness buff must experience! Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the booth to say hi to the Oxygen team!

(Top left) Models Natalia Muntean and Melissa Pittman demonstrate how to do the Bulgarian split squat on our stage.

(Top right) Stacy Jarvis, Oxygen's art director, and photographer Jason Breeze take a moment to pose for the camera.

(Top) Erin Smith, Stacy Kennedy, Wendy Morley and Diane Hart (in case you can't tell by their name tags) brought big smiles to the booth each and every day.

(Bottom) Mags, mags, everywhere!

(Top left) From left to right: Lindsay Messina, Rachel Crocker (that's me!), Amanda Adams and Stacy Jarvis representing short women everywhere.

(Top right) I look super pale next to the always radiant Lori Harder.

Burn, baby, burn!

If you are like me and you love to hate the next-day muscle soreness you feel from a good workout (obviously not to be confused with injuries, sports fans), you've come to the right place!

In my own training, I've found that the best way to really feel the burn on any part of my body is with supersets, which is done by following one set of an exercise immediately with a set of another. This can be done with opposing muscle groups, such as your chest and back, or by targeting the same muscle group with both exercises (which is personally my favorite way to go). By reducing your rest periods, you'll also decrease the length of your workout while increasing the amount of calories burned. In fact, they are so effective that I've considered starting a petition to rename them "superdupersets." (The petition will be circulated with another sheet for those who want me to stop renaming things; ten bucks says I can guess which will be more popular.)

Here's three of my faves for your upper body, lower body and core. Try them in your next workout and let me know what you think!

Armed and dangerous superset

Do three to four supersets, resting one minute between each superset. Instead of splitting my arm training into tri and bi days like I used to, I've taken to doing supersets, following one triceps exercise with a biceps exercise or visa versa.

EXERCISE ONE: Body-weight triceps dips; 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Dumbbell hammer curls; 10 to 12 reps

Boost my booty superset

Do three supersets, resting one minute between each superset. This one is great because following a weighted exercise with a body-weight one really lets you push your butt to its limits. The best approach is to do as many walking lunges as you can before your form gives out - along with your legs.

EXERCISE ONE: Plie squats with dumbbell (holding a single weight with both hands, arms extended to the ground or slightly bent); 12 to 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Body-weight walking lunges; 30 reps (15 on each leg)

Killer core superset

Do three to four supersets, resting one minute between each superset. For a strong core, targeting your lower back as well as your abs is super important, so this pairing kills two birds with one stone.

EXERCISE ONE: Bench knee tucks (sit on the end of a bench, extend your legs while leaning back, then bend your legs, bringing your knees toward your chest while hinging your torso forward from your hips); 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Lower back extensions (using the back extension bench at the gym - if you want, you can even hold a weight against your chest), or supermans; 12 to 15 reps

Snack on this

Well friends, the 2011 Arnold Sports Festival has come and gone. It was an absolute whirlwind, and I am still having trouble settling back into the monotony of real life. I'll be sharing pictures with you guys soon - stay tuned!

One thing that I love about the Arnold is the abundance of free swag from the expo hall (that's the cheapskate in me talking). Spend an hour meandering from booth to booth and you are guaranteed to walk away with a plethora of XXXL t-shirts, glossy brochures and quasi-nutritious food samples. The best freebies to grab by far are the protein bars, and even though I vowed after my umpteenth sample to never nosh on them again, I do have to admit that they are amazing fall backs for that mid-afternoon slump. Sure, I'd rather eat an apple or a hard-boiled egg - basically, something with an ingredient list that I can pronounce - but when there's nothing fresh in sight, I certainly won't turn down an enriched chocolate treat.

Of all the bars I tried over the weekend, here are some of my faves:

- Myoplex Lite, Chocolate chocolate chip crisp flavor (190 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 15 grams protein, 260 mg sodium) With a texture akin to a Rice Krispie square and a smaller-than-average calorie and fat count, this bar is tops in my book. I sometimes split one in half and have one part midmorning, the other midafternoon.

- Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar, Peanut butter fudge flavor (200 calories, 12 grams fat, 13 grams protein, 100 mg sodium) Okay, so this one is higher in fat - and comes with a not-so-ideal 5 grams of saturated fat - but the taste can't be beat. It reminds me of the wafer cookies that I used to steal out of the kitchen cupboard when no one was looking. (Sorry, mom!)

- Larabar, Peanut butter and jelly flavor (210 calories, 10 grams fat, 6 grams protein, 60 mg sodium) While technically this one is more of an energy bar than a protein bar, what impresses me is its 100% natural ingredient list. In fact, if you check out their website, you can see that all of the ingredients can actually be represented by easily recognizable pictures. You can't say that for maltodextrin!

Do you guys have any bars or powders that you consider your faves? Share them here!

No chip on my shoulder(s)

I treated myself to a massage over the weekend, and apparently it was desperately needed. The therapist told me, in not so many words, that the front of my right shoulder has more knots than a six-year-old's shoelace. (I'm a sucker for cheesy similes, if you haven't noticed.) This wasn't news to me - between my fifty-pound gym bag (sadly, I'm only half kidding) and my near-neurotic passion for delt training, I'm somewhat surprised that I haven't completely ruined my shoulders.

That being said, I'm pretty stubborn. Since shoulder days are the pride and joy of my training routine and I'm not technically injured, I decided to alter this week's press- and raise-fest to help even out my upper body.

My objectives:

a) To shift my focus to unilateral and alternating sets in the hopes of evening out my strength differences and

b) To perform more exercises for my rear delts, as I tend to lay it on thick when it comes to the front and lateral aspects.

Intrigued? Here is yesterday's exercise line-up, but first one quick note: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV; this is my own routine, and while I hope it will inspire you, if you are having issues with your shoulders or any other part of your body, get your bad self to a doctor ASAP. (Seriously, go now...but feel free to finish reading this entry first, of course.)

Superset One (performing one set of each move back-to-back, then resting for one minute)

Alternating dumbbell shoulder presses; 12 reps each arm

Alternating dumbbell front raises; 12 reps each arm

Three supersets total

Superset Two:

Unilateral dumbbell lateral raise, sweeping toward the front, then lowering; 12 reps on right arm, then switch to left

Bilateral standing dumbbell bent over rear-delt flyes (wow, that's a mouthful); 12 reps

Three supersets total

Finisher move:

Cable face pulls (perhaps better known as high rows) with rope attachment*; 15 reps, four sets, 30 seconds rest between

*Here's how: Standing in front of a high pulley with the rope attached, stagger your legs for balance. With hands together, pull the rope toward your head, opening your arms and retracting your shoulder blades until the middle of the rope is only a few inches away from your nose. Slowly reverse and repeat; switch forward leg with each set.

And that, friends, is how I spent my lunch break. How are you going to move today?

On the road again!

This week marks the beginning of one of the most well-known events in the fitness world: the Arnold Sports Festival, held in Columbus, Ohio. I'm as excited as a 12-year-old at a Justin Bieber concert to be tagging along with the Oxygen team and working the booth with my fabulous coworkers and some of our models. If you plan on attending, drop by to say "hi!"

There is one thing that has been on my mind, though. As much as I love traveling, adapting my normal workouts to fit within our erratic on-the-road schedule is a near-impossible task. In the past, I would try to pencil in workouts ahead of my travel date, but I've found that is a futile endeavour - all in all, more mental trouble than it's worth.

As I embark on this adventure, I have decided to be a bit more lax with my routine and go with the proverbial flow. Maybe I'll hit up a nearby gym once or twice over the course of the festival, go for a quick morning run, or perhaps throw a couple of resistance bands into my bag so I can squeeze in a few curls in a pinch. No stress - I'll do what I can and get back to my regular routine when I return after the weekend.

If you have any ideas about fitting in exercise during travel, speak up! I'd love to hear your get-moving tips!

A few of my favorite (fitness) things

The only thing I like more than hearing myself talk is hearing myself talk about my favorite fitness-related finds (sarcasm somewhat implied). Here's a list of my top five must-haves when it comes to moving my body; feel free to share your own!

1) My eclectic iPod playlist. Where can you find Phil Collins, Marilyn Manson, Alexisonfire and the mellow sounds of Cat Power? Why, on my iPod Shuffle, of course! I literally never leave home without it, and if I do, my demeanor is just not the same.

2) My slick Nike cycling shoes. They are pink. I know of no one else who has pink cycling shoes, so that alone is reason enough for me to love them. Bonus: I bought them brand new for under $30 on ebay. (My inner cheapskate rejoices every time I think of that steal.)

3) My economical laundry-soap bar. Okay, this one is a bit of a stretch, but hear me out: I go through a lot of workout tops and shorts, so to save time and water, I wash them in the shower before I scrub myself. Weird? Yes, but my laundry pile has never been smaller, which makes me one very happy weirdo.

4) My aluminum water bottle. I will admit - I am sometimes a scatterbrain. There was a period of time last year during which I lost upward of three water bottles within four weeks. Luckily, I have managed to hang onto the latest one for almost two months. It's a personal record that I am embarrassed to be proud of.

5) My library of fitness videos. Sometimes I just can't make it all the way to the gym, especially if Ontario's weather isn't agreeing with me or if TCM is playing Arsenic and Old Lace (seriously, it's a great movie). That's when my shelf of fitness DVDs comes in handy - once my television screen fades to black and I realize I've missed out on my gym's open hours, I can pop in one of my favorite instructors and still get an excellent workout from the comfort of my living room (most likely to the chagrin of the people living below me - plyo intervals tend to feature heavily in my DVD line up).

Facing the leg-training music

It’s the windmill to my Don Quixote, the Gargamel to my Papa Smurf, the Denzel Washington to my Ethan Hawke (à la Training Day): Leg training and I, we don’t get along.

Before you burn me at the stake for Oxygen blasphemy, let me assure you that my relationship with my quads, calves and glutes wasn’t always this way. Seven or eight years ago I would have considered leg days the cornerstone of my training plan, perhaps even the fitness equivalent of clean air or water. Now it pains me (quite literally at times) to lift a single leg and perform a half-hearted lunge.

Still, I have not let my personal dislike for working my legs and glutes get in the way of my physical growth. Leg days are necessary, and I have ensured that they become a part of my training – whether I want them to be or not.

So how do I trudge through the drudgery of my most hated training days, you ask? Well, here it goes:

1) Plan it out. I will admit: I am addicted to training my arms, shoulders and back. I get fast results, I can see my hard work even in the most winter-proof Canadian attire, and it’s easy to pick up a dumbbell and work every area of my upper half thoroughly. To stop myself from squeezing in yet another biceps workout, I schedule my week on Sunday, mentally planning when I will fit in my legs day and even marking it on the calendar. Simple, but it works.

2) Gentle reminders. In the past I would plague Brad, my husband, with complaints of sore lower-body joints on a near-daily basis. Once I started dedicating more workouts to my legs and glutes, however, the complaints mysteriously vanished – and he, being the doting spouse that he is, noticed and spoke up. He’s even (somewhat timidly) recommended that I up my frequency to twice per week, although I have yet to decide if this suggestion is earnest or a cover for an ulterior motive – like more solo time with the Wii, for example.

3) Be unbalanced. My leg routines used to look pretty much the same week in and day out: dumbbell squats, lunges, leg presses and the occasional hamstring curl or calf raise. What I needed was a shake-up, and I found that in the form of body-weight exercises, most of which incorporate a balance element (like walking lunges or single-legged squats). I can do them anywhere, they call on underdeveloped muscles I might not hit with regular lunges or squats, and they keep me interested through each (seemingly) never-ending set.

Opposites attract

When people find out I am married, I'm often asked, "So, do you and your hubby hit the gym a lot together?" I usually mumble something about how exercise is "me time" (which it is) or that Brad's work schedule doesn't always align with my own (which is also true), but the fact of the matter is that tagging along with me to the gym is not high on his list of priorities. Don't get me wrong - my husband looks great, thanks to a physically demanding job (his favorite line is, "I don't like to work out - I like to work") as well as his penchant for climbing the nearest rock, tree or building facade a la Spiderman. But trying to convince him to join me as I sweat it out in the weight room only amounts to me wasting my time and breath.

But where our relationship really gets complicated is our eating habits. While I admit that I do indulge occasionally - okay, maybe a bit more than occasionally - in sugar-coated confections, my husband seems to have created his own four food groups: white sugar, butter, processed cheese spread, and the most important of them all, bacon. Seriously, I have seen this man down an entire box of saltines in one sitting and proudly call it a meal.

Despite our differences, he's truly my best friend and ideal partner. (Cue mushy rom-com soundtrack.) In fact, if I had someone who was as stringent about exercise as I am to call my other half, I might frankly go insane. And the winds of change, they are a-blowing: A few weeks ago, while stocking our shelves with our latest grocery store purchases, Brad shook his head in dismay. "I never really knew how much sodium there was in everything until you started pointing it out," he said under his breath, quite likely mourning the loss of his dietary innocence. Score one for the nagging wife!

So here's my question: Does your lifestyle align with your significant other's, or even your best friend's? Do you find their habits rub off on you, or do you try to change them toward your way of thinking? What's best for your relationship in the long run? Let me know!

Here's Brad and I, doing one of our many "outdoor-themed" getaways - this time it was zip lining. In a few weeks, we plan on trying cave climbing. Hey, it's not the gym, but we sure are moving!

For the love of spinning

I used to think that indoor cycling classes were strictly for masochists – why would I ever voluntarily subject myself to an hour in a sweaty, dark room with a near-stranger barking orders at me from atopa stationary bike? But after trying some classes a couple of years ago, I am eating my words. Now I show up at least 30 minutes prior to class to claim my favorite bike – and to make sure that I get a coveted spot with the most popular instructors! (Yup, I’m a huge geek.)

I recently sat down for a chat with one of my favorite instructors, Jennifer King, at Goodlife’s Club One in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Our conversation took place prior to her 6 am Tour de France 2009 class, during which she takes us spinners on a condensed version of the race's stages. Here’s what I learned.

Spinning isn’t just for the advanced. Scared to try a cycling class like I was? Don’t be. Jennifer says that every class is modifiable to the individual exerciser. “You are really in control of your own destiny when you cycle in a group class, and it really helps to have people pushing you to go faster, harder,” she explained. Between the speed of your legs and the amount of resistance you turn up on your bike, you can customize your own ride. If you aren’t feeling up to that huge hill during your class, says Jennifer, you certainly don’t need to crank up your gear (ie. the dial that controls your resistance).

Get settled before you start. Jennifer recommends that those new to spinning show up to the class about 10 to 15 minutes early to chat with the instructor. “They can help you set up the bike so it feels right when you are spinning as well as what are some of the hand positions are,” she says. That means that you can enjoy your ride without having to worry about a learning curve.

Gear up. If you find you like spinning, there are two accessories that you might want to look into purchasing: a heart rate monitor to track how hard you are working, and a pair of cycling shoes. These shoes have clips that allow you to lock yourself onto your bike, which Jennifer says will “help you focus on the target muscles” instead of trying to catch your footing. A pair in the $120 to $160 range is a good investment as they will last a long time, especially if you only use them indoors. (Outdoor cyclists also use this type of footwear.)

Calories count. Okay, okay, we get it –when people exercise, they want to know exactly what their efforts are going to produce; with spinning most people are curious as to what their calorie burn will be. While it will vary from person to person and class to class – if you aren’t giving it your all, don’t expect the highest burn possible – Jennifer has found that she burns anywhere from 600 to 1000 calories in a 50- to 60-minute class. “That’s a huge range, and the higher end would be if you are doing a lot of intervals,” she notes, adding that “intervals are big-time calorie burners.”

Left: Jennifer King gears up for another spin class. (Get it? "Gears up?" No? Anyone?)

Right: Me at the gym with a ridiculously tall mannequin at 5:45 in the morning. We are both very happy to be there. (Picture taken by Nick. Thanks again!)

The universal appeal of exercise

Growing up, I wasn’t exactly what you would call a “star athlete.” The only sports I generally participated in were ones that could be stopped and started with the flick of a switch. (NHL 95, anyone?) In fact, I think that equating my athletic abilities to those of an overtly excited puppy would be spot-on – sure, I’ll jump for the ball you toss me, but there’s no guarantee I won’t miss it, fall flat on my bum or find an old slipper to chew on instead. (Trust me, don’t ask.)

But when I discovered fitness in my teens – first through exercise videos, then via a nearby gym – I found a place where I belonged. What I love about exercise is that it’s for everyone; if you don’t dig running, there’s the elliptical. If step aerobics turn you off, kickboxing is there to step up to the plate. You don’t have to have coordination or talent or a six-pack you could grate cheese on: exercise doesn’t discriminate. And the best part is, you can only get better at it.

Here I am this morning, jotting down my cardio and abs routine in my workout journal. Remember to bring yours with you when you go to the gym - otherwise you'll be stuck like me, trying fruitlessly to recall what you did after the fact. (Thanks to Kim for acting as photographer!)

Now, I know that not everyone shares my gung-ho attitude when it comes to fitness, so let me ask you: When you first started exercising, did you latch onto it right away or did it take some time for you to get into the groove? And once you got there, what did you find you liked the most about working out?

My fitness rights and wrongs

First off, welcome to my first post! I’m excited to talk to you guys about what floats my fitness boat and hear your questions and comments – don’t be afraid to speak up!

As Oxygen’s Fitness Editor, a job that I love more and more with each passing day, I try to live the Oxygen lifestyle to a T – but I will admit that things don’t always go as planned. Deadlines, nagging injuries and late night pizza runs creep up every now and again, forcing me to steer from the straight and narrow path I have set. It happens to everyone, and the only thing I can do is resolve to get back on that proverbial horse the next day!

Here’s a mental exercise that I find helpful when I’m facing roadblocks: Take a second to pat yourself on the back and applaud yourself for what you do right, and briefly look at what you need to improve on. I’ve shared a few of my own with you below – but I can assure you that the first list is a completely abbreviated version!

Where I’m lagging:

1. My diet is less than stellar. There’s not a gummy bear in the world that I would turn down, and I’ve never been one to say no to a cocktail refill. It’s getting better, but I know that improvements can still be made.
2. I consider myself a pretty understanding person when it comes to others, but I am often hard on myself for my shortcomings. Taking a look at what I’m doing right (see below) helps me overcome some of my personal anxiety.
3. I would rather sit through a Family Matters marathon than train my legs. I’ve got a post coming up on that very topic in the near future, so stay tuned! (As you can see, shameless plugs are another of my weaknesses.)

What I’m doing right:

1. Working out is no longer something I do to change the way I look – it’s how I relax, how I reward myself and how I learn more about what my body can accomplish.
2. I’m lucky enough to have the physical health to jump, swim, run and lift without any pain or discomfort. I realize that not everyone can say that, and it makes me thankful for what I’ve got.
3. I’m no longer scared to try new things; I don’t just think that I can do anything, I know that I can! Rock climbing? Bring it on! Hip hop dance classes? Me and my two left feet will be there with bells on! Greco-Roman wrestling? Well…maybe we’ll work up to that one.

Now I’m going to turn the tables on you. Fitness- and health-wise, what do you excel at and what do you have to work on?

5 Ways to Bust that rut

Ever get in a fitness funk? I do, and it can be a major setback mentally and physically. It always seems to happen after a few weeks of serious dedication, when I've got momentum on my side and I'm starting to see results. One minute I'm in the groove, the next, I'm phoning in my last few reps. Before I know it, I'm abandoning entire workouts in favor of, well, just about anything else. Does this ever happen to you?

It happened to me while I was prepping for my photoshoot for Fat Loss and it was so disheartening to watch that momentum - and my weight loss - come to a screeching halt. But my trainer, and Oxygen, helped me discover the culprit to my crashing motivation. My routine was becoming repetetive and both my mind and my muscles were getting bored. I was in a rut.

We're all guilty of getting too comfortable in our daily routines now and then. As creatures of habit, we tend to fall back on what's familiar, as it brings order to our sometimes chaotic lives. But when it comes to fitness, getting too comfortable in a routine means the muscles start to adapt, and cease to make progress.

Now, I've learned to beat boredom by shaking things up now and then. Every couple of weeks I'll toss something new into the mix to keep my mind interested and my muscles guessing.

Here are five of my favorite ways to change the game. Try them for yourself!

1. Take a class
I love zumba for recharging my motivation. The dancing is so fun I barely notice that I'm burning hundreds of calories and the contagious positive energy from the group makes me give it my all.

2. Play a sport
Why not grab your pals for a little friendly competition? After all, a workout doesn't have to be in the gym to be a workout. A competitive hour of soccer can burn around 600 calories.

3. Do a whole new workout
I frequently tote a copy of Oxygen to the gym and put our workouts to the test when I'm looking for a change of pace. Really! That's not a plug!

4. Make it a date
I'm a firm believer in the buddy system. Join a friend in the gym or on her run and try out her routine. Next week, challenge her to try your workout. Even if you prefer to train alone, the company and encouragement can be really motivating. And you can spot each other so you can squeeze out a few extra muscle-building reps.

5. Congratulate yourself
Make a list of your accomplishments so far. Compare your progress photos. Take your measurements. For me, a visual reminder than I'm finally doing it was often the push I needed to make me snap out of my slump. Remind yourself how much you kick butt, and get back at it.

Feel free to add to my list! What are your favorite ways to shake up your old routine?