The March Newsletter is available! Check it out for how to replicate a Ballet Barre workout, the Excercise of the Month Tabata Rolling like a Ball and the Recipe of the Month Hearty Vegetable Soup

Introduction

Spring is FINALLY in the air! Yay 🙂 Sunshine always puts an extra pep in my step.

I am excited to announce that I filmed nine new fitness videos for The Globe. In this new series I demo sample exercises from popular group fitness classes. Take a look at the first video. In it I explain how to replicate a Ballet Barre workout.

Also, I am excited to announce that instead of my weekly “Ask The Trainer” column I will be contributing regularly to the “Canada Asks” section, as well as writing longer, more research based pieces for the Health Advisory section of the paper. I am very proud of my first, slightly more substantive piece. Take a read.

I have two favorite “Canada Asks” columns so far. In this one I explain what foods and behaviors increase abdominal fat.
In this one I explain how even twenty minutes of movement will positively effect your health.

This month I have included Tara Postnikof’s recipe for ‘Hearty Gluten Free Soup’, as well as a brief explanation of what exactly gluten is. In my experience too many people go ‘gluten free’ without knowing what they are trying to free themselves from. Go ahead, decide to eliminate gluten, but make the decision from a place of knowledge.

The exercise of the month, ‘rolling like a ball’, is in honour of my recent trip to NY. I tried “rolling like a ball” at a core conditioning class at Equinox with my friend Jack.

Exercise of the Month

Tabata Rolling like a Ball
To do Tabata intervals you alternate between twenty seconds of intense work and ten seconds of rest for a total of four minutes. So, roll like a ball for twenty seconds, then recovery for ten seconds. For an added challenge, instead of taking a complete rest, hold a ‘V sit’.

Start seated on your tail bone, chest out, feet lifted and hands wrapped around shins. Let yourself roll backwards through your spine and then use a combo of momentum and your core to roll back up to seated. At the top of the motion lift your arms off of your legs and hold a V sit for a brief moment. Then roll backwards and repeat for twenty seconds. After twenty seconds, take a complete rest, or challenge yourself by holding a ‘V sit’ for ten seconds. Repeat seven more times for a total of four minutes.

 

Recipe of the Month: Hearty Vegetable Soup
         
Try this great Gluten free, protein rich soup. Use as a starter or a main course. Add haddock or sole fish for additional protein.

Ingredients
1 litre Water
1/2 large Onion, chopped
2-3 Carrots, sliced
1 cup Lentils
2-3 potatoes, chopped
3-4 cups Kale, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp mix of ground cumin & coriander
1 tsp all-spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 lemon, fresh squeezed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Method
In large pot, add olive oil and pressed garlic and cumin and coriander over medium heat on stove top.  Add chopped onions next and let cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add chopped carrots to the pot.  Pour in 1 litre of water and add 1 cup of raw lentils and chopped potatoes and remaining herbs and spices.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Cook for 20 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.  Add chopped Kale for last 3-4 minutes of cooking.

What exactly is Gluten?
Gluten is in wheat products, but contrary to popular belief, gluten and wheat are not the same things. Gluten is a protein molecule found in many foods including wheat, rye and barley. Many people feel better when they cut out gluten. Some people feel better because they are actually sensitive to gluten, others feel better not because they cut out the gluten per say, but because they cut out the processed foods that contain the gluten. Even if you aren’t sensitive to gluten I suggest limiting your processed foods. When you do consume grains, consider avoiding highly processed versions.