The Fitness Files
Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2011
Introducing SPARC Group Fitness Classes!
SPARC (Strength, Poise, Agility, Range of Motion, Cardio) is a boot camp style fitness class designed for anyone who is interested in a fun, motivating and challenging work out! SPARC classes are aimed to improve every aspect of your life through functional training, education and motivation and is designed for all fitness levels. Come join us and let the SPARC fire up your life!
Don’t miss out...register now!
February 2011 SPARC Group Fitness Schedule
Currie Barracks (SW Calgary) Mon/Wed 6:30pm-7:30pm
Feb 16, 2011-March 23, 2011
Deer Run (SE Calgary) Tues/Thurs 6:30pm-7:30pm
Feb 17, 2011-March 24, 2011
Shawnessy (SW Calgary) Tues/Thurs 9:30am-10:30am
Feb 17, 2011-March 24, 2011
More Details
Fired Up Fitness Deals
4 for 3—Buy 3 group fitness sessions and get one free
Bring a friend and save on the cost of your session. Bring 5 friends and get your session for fee!
Contact Us for more information and to register
10 Healthy Tips To Change Your Life in 10 Seconds or Less
Drink Your Milk
Think you're getting a nutritional boost from your morning cereal? Up to 40 percent of the vitamins in fortified cereals dissolve in the milk. If you don't drink the leftover cow juice, you're not getting the fancy-pants nutrients!
Ice It, Ace It
Drink a few glasses of ice-cold water before and during exercise. Studies show that the cold stuff can improve endurance by about 23 percent. And ice water forces your body to expend calories warming it up, boosting your metabolism as well.
Lift, Damn It!
Verbally expressing emotion while lifting increases muscle strength by up to 25 percent. (Of course, it also increases your risk of being tossed out of the gym by the same percentage…) Or get someone to scream at you: You'll be able to lift 5 to 8 percent more weight if you get verbal encouragement from a trainer or workout partner.
Bribe Yourself Fit
Bet a colleague (like the one who's not so secretly gunning for your job) 50 bucks that you can stick to your workout program for 6 months. Studies show that those who do achieve an average 97 percent success rate. Alternate plan? Schedule your workouts, then put a few bucks in a jar for each one you make. Pledge the money toward something sweet, like a new bike or a trip to Vegas.
Pick The Red One
Red cabbage has 15 times as much wrinkle-fighting beta-carotene as green cabbage. Red bell peppers have up to nine times as much vitamin C as green ones.
Spear a Hangover
To reduce the severity of a hangover, order a side of asparagus. When South Korean researchers exposed a group of human liver cells to asparagus extract, the extract suppressed free radicals and more than doubled the effects of two enzymes responsible for metabolizing alcohol.
Listen To Your Feet
If you can hear yourself running, you're setting yourself up for injury. Pounding the pavement comes from bad form. Keep your feet close to the ground and use a quick, shuffling stride.
Don't Buy Wheat Bread
Huh? Isn't it good for me? Actually, "wheat bread" is often just white bread dyed with molasses to make it look dark. Look instead for "100 percent whole wheat" or "whole grain." Even better: rye bread. Swedish researchers found that 8 hours after people ate rye, they felt less hungry than those who noshed wheat bread, thanks to rye's high fiber content.
Cheat With Your Weights
Lift a weight as many times as you can. Then, when you can't complete one more repetition, use your free hand (or a workout buddy) to help push your weighted hand through another rep. Once you're at the top of the move, remove your free hand and slowly lower the weight. Studies show that negative resistance exercises like this are more effective at muscle building than standard exercises.
Dry Off Head To Toe
After a shower, you'll prevent a chill by drying your head and neck first. You'll also reduce the risk of anything nasty from the shower floor making its way up your body.
Source: womenshealthmag.com
Move of the Month
Reverse Lunge with Overhead Press
Want a multitasking move? This exercise works six muscles at once!
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbells or full water bottles at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
Take a large step back with your left leg and bend both knees to lunge toward the ground. At the same time, press the dumbells overhead to full extension without locking your elbows. Press through the sole of your right foot to come back to starting position and lower the dumbells back to shoulder level. Repeat for 10 to 15 reps on each leg.
Healthy Eating
Add Lentils to Your Life! (by Heather Grant)
 Lentils are low in fat, high in fiber and low in calories. Considered one of the top five superfoods, lentils contain 18 of the 20 essential amino acids our body requires. Lentils aid in digestion, stabilize blood sugar and provide and slow and sustained energy release. They are rich in vitamin B1, folate, magnesium, calcium and iron. Lentils are a very versatile ingredient and are available in different varieties:
Red, yellow or orange lentils have been removed from the husk and become very soft when cooked. They are a wonderful addition to thicken soups, stews, rice and even mashed potatoes!
Green or brown lentils keep their shape when cooked and make a great base for salads, curries as well as the above.
Cooked lentils can keep in the fridge for up at a week, so it is a great idea to cook some up at the beginning of the week and keep on hand to quickly add a punch of nutrition to any meal.
Lentil and Wild Rice Salad
½ cup dried green lentils
½ cup uncooked wild rice
2 stalks celery
1 red, yellow or orange pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ cucumber
1 orange
¼ cup fresh cilantro, basil or parsley
¼ to ½ cup feta or goat cheese
Juice of one lemon
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: one can of salmon
Cook lentils according to package directions. Drain and cool.
Add rice and a pinch of salt to 2 cups of water and bring to boil. Lower heat to med-low and cover. Cook for 35 – 45 minutes, then remove from heat and let rice rest in pot for another 5 minutes. (The rice and lentils can be made ahead).
Put rice and lentils into large bowl. Chop celery, pepper, tomatoes, cucumber and orange and add to the rice and lentils. Add cilantro and feta/goat cheese. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 8 cups.
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