Kate Rita- Personal Trainer and Diastasis Expert

I had an opportunity to try a food delivery service called Hello Fresh. A lot of people have been talking about it and it is becoming a popular option for people who are too busy to shop and plan for meals. It is a much cheaper and healthier option to eating out.  Most meals cost approx $12 per person and the portions are generous. I am always nervous about subscription services, and in order to redeem the coupon I was gifted I had to signup with payment information. I reviewed the cancellation policy which seemed very uncomplicated. Further to, I can skip weeks as I choose, pausing my subscription. It seemed fair. My resident kitchen helper Ben volunteered to blog about the meal preparation. Ben is a fantastic creative cook and hobby chef. As we have prepared more Hello Fresh meals he has “beefed up” the ingredients to make extra portions from the same recipe, as well as kid friendly (plainer) versions. Here is Ben’s review of our first Hello Fresh Meal, a Pork Schnitzel...

Here is my go-to smoothie recipe for everyone who has asked me for it. I blend all the powders, oils and liquid before adding the fruit. Add water to thin to taste.  This is always very sweet and yummy and full of nutrient dense choices. I make a 9 cup batch each week and keep it refrigerated in the blender carafe. When I need a serving I throw it on the base and whip it; sometimes adding ice. I'm sure you could try any variation of this recipe, adding or omitting ingredients. I swear by this concoction; it keeps me feeling like a lean mean metabolic machine :) Smoothie  recipe: (my go to) 1/3 cup coconut milk powder (base) 1 cup water 1 cup almond milk (protein) 1 cup OJ (I use concentrate + 1 cup water) 2 frozen bananas (potassium + sweet) 2 scoops natural hemp powder or ancient grains powder (quinoa, millet etc) 1 Tbsp Coconut oil (energy) 1 Tbsp Flax oil (inflammation) 1 avocado (super food + healthy fat) 3/4 cup frozen fruit- I like pineapple, s...

Studying with Marc Lebert at the CanFitPro conference this summer I learned a new way to set goals. Marc's lecture was titled "flex your mental muscles" and I found it very interesting. The conscious minds drive the unconscious, and we live mostly in our unconscious mind. Think about brushing your teeth, driving your car, and other daily tasks that we do on automatic without conscious coordination. It's how we learn and function. It has a place, but we live too much in our unconscious mind. Let's analyze a goal such as "I want to lose weight". The only word that we can visualize is "weight". You cannot visualize "want" and "lose" is a negative thing. This encourages the conscious mind to drive the unconscious with images of "weight" and most likely, that weight you want to lose. This will create a mental image of an overweight self, accompanied by all the feelings surrounding that image. Beca...

Working out together is great for your relationship. I am lucky enough to have several couples on my roster and I absolutely love seeing the dynamic between them. One couple hires a babysitter so they can train 1 evening a week with me, followed by a post workout restaurant dinner. I ask them each week where they will be eating that night. It makes for a great date night. It can also be a quality hour on the weekend; one couple I train, workout on Sundays while their daughter naps. It is quality time. Whether it’s a home gym, basement or full facility, working out is intimate and provides a great forum to talk openly. I always say, “what happens in the gym stays in the gym.” There’s something about pushing ourselves physically that opens up emotions and dialogue. Partners who stay fit together stay young together and continue to nurture their physical relationship in a proactive way. Partners inspire and motivate each other to maintain the fitness status quo, and to n...

 I have been sorely absent from this blog due to my very busy schedule. I aspire to write full length articles on all of the activities I am preoccupied with this year, but for now I'll short hand it in point form: Bodybuilding: I have gained 5 lbs of muscle in 7 months. We started in April once/week and quickly bumped up to 2x. After a couple of months we started adding a 3rd weekly workout whenever we could. We started out on the universal machine and transitioned to free weights almost exclusively in August. I train with a friend of mine and defer to him regarding our set and workout formats. We always push to max.  Strength training has become the big physical push and mental checkout time that is keeping me sane.  It has been very demanding on my sleep and nutrition routine, which has forced me to improve my discipline in these areas, or risk suffering major recovery setbacks post workout. Hypopresives: Another intra-abdominal exercise program involving...

My blogging attention was devoted to Core Expectations this week, as we trainers submit articles for publication on the company's blog. It gives clients, both new and existing, a sense of who we are as trainers, and the insights we have to offer. I am posting it here to pass it on! Postnatal training – Becoming a mother can inspire you! – by team member: Kate Rita I am very happy to be writing this article as this topic comes up often in my work and this is a perfect forum to share that conversation with many more women. Women are very understandably concerned about the long lasting impacts of pregnancy on the body. The transformation we undergo physically to carry a baby is staggering; delivery is a difficult, physical, painful although wonderful experience which leaves us injured to some degree without exception. Compound that with the new emotions we must understand, increased demands on our depleted resources, as well as social pressure to be a bikini babe in 3...

I have been meaning to write this blog for weeks, as I am at another juncture with my running (currently barely running) schedule. Last year after completing the Mississauga Half Marathon in May I took my typical summer off from running, as I cannot run in the heat. It's the Newfie in me I suppose :) Usually fall rolls around and I get back in the swing of running. This year that did not happen. As a single mom I am finding it difficult to make time when I do not have my kids. I am busy with life and work, but really that is nothing new. I recognize that like everything, running is a matter of priority and I just haven't been making it one. I even have fancy new running gear! So what's the problem? As I weigh in I am 8 pounds heavier than I was last year at this time. It's all muscle. I work so very hard for my strength improvements- why am I always losing weight when I run? It must be a simple calories in and calories out break down. If I am unable to keep up wi...

It is Thursday and at 6PM tonight I started wondering why I am so TIRED! I am eating consistently with a huge focus on protein, and sleeping 6-7 hours solid every night. I realize I am a single mom who is effectively run-off-her-feet, but yesterday I had all my clients cancel with sickness and I had a down/administrative day AND a 1 hour nap. WTH? I decided I should count up my trainer reps for the week, and big surprise, I have logged +2000 reps in the past 4 days with 1 dedicated rest day. That is +500/day average, +650 for the 3 days I worked. No wonder I am tired and my core is sore :p I suppose when I have clients like this logging +700 reps/session it should be expected and I should feel fortunate to be challenged by my clients! How many reps are YOU up to this week? Please compete with me and get ripped!

On Saturday I went to my friend's place for dinner with the kids. He made a seafood feast with lobster pasta, crab and beautiful veggies. It was photo worthy and warranted some blog props. While I did not eat any of this handsome little fellow, the lobster pasta was to-die-for. Here is his recipe, c/p'ed from his FB page :) Cooked the shells for an hour with some chicken stock. Strained the shells. Reduced the liquid until it started to stick to the pan. De glazed it with a quarter of a cup of white wine. Added a cup of cream and simmered until thick. Served with chopped lobster bits on top of some penne. Steamed green beans tossed in garlic butter.   Thanks again, Ben!

In 2013 I am trying to quantify my "trainer reps"- reps I do every day in sessions with clients. I recognize that I work out all day every day, but my reps are as a trainer- I don't always complete the sets as I am spotting; I don't do every set with every client; the reps are not hard and fast, but they are reps nonetheless. This week I logged about 3800 trainer reps! That's an average of 545/day. For my personal fitness these reps manage my maintenance and contribute to small improvements. My dedicated workouts are gravy and 100% towards improvements. That is very motivating. It's easy when I have clients like this logging 600+ reps per session! Thanks to my clients for helping me to stay in shape!

I could live on soup. Seriously- it is an infusion of goodness full of electrolytes and soluble nutrition. It is hard to f*%$ up soup :) It's a go-to healthy choice. A small serving is very filling. It can be topped with bread, shredded cheese, sour cream or yogurt. It is a 2:00 reheat and great for a fast meal at home. It is a great "healthier" restaurant choice. I order soup all the time! It is delicious :) Ben made this amazing asparagus and broccoli soup. He brought me 2 containers which = 4 servings for me. I have 2 left for the weekend. It is a jam packing 300 calorie infusion- perfect fuel for training and a healthy food plan. Here is his recipe: Four cups of each potato, asparagus carrot and broccoli 1 bag of milk 2 cups chicken stock. I think he blended it. Serve with greek yogurt. After adding the cheese I thought it was a bit salty so perhaps 1 cup of stock could be replaced by 1 cup of water? Regardless, this is a simple and delicious healthy recipe t...

I have never been a fan of eating in my car. It always struck me as unfashionable and sloppy somehow. Perhaps this is because I most often see people eating fast food in their cars. I spend a lot of time driving between clients and am pretty busy every day. One of my resolutions this year has been to stabilize my blood sugar levels more consistently, and to this end I have started eating in my car. It is difficult to manage eating otherwise when I am gone from 7:45AM until 5PM each day, without a structured/regular "lunch break". Each day is different for me so lunch in my car is my strategy. I struggle with appetite and am a picky taster. I like a very broad range of flavors but only certain ones at certain times. I tend to get into cycles. My go-to in the car right now is a peanut butter and jam sandwich on my delicious homemade bread. I cut it into quarters and can graze on it between a couple of clients. Once I get bored with it I will switch to something else for a ...

Yesterday was a write off. I seemed to get behind the 8 ball early somehow,  and although I was mostly on time I seemed to be scrambling the entire day. I drove by an accident where a teen had been hit by a car at 8:15AM in my neighborhood. She was in the "recovery position" with 6 or 7 people assisting; the ambulance was on its way. I stopped my car to see if I could help but the situation was under control with a CPR person already attending. The poor girl looked really hurt. As I wasn't a witness I left the scene and tried to shake it off. By the end of the day clients needed particularly extensive notes and I actually had to cancel a PM session as an investment in getting my paperwork done- sorry Will! I am trying to get a solid 6-8 hours of sleep each nigh- these 2AM days are killing me! Yesterday I logged +600 trainer reps with 3 clients- full body as well as deep core work. Those add up! Today I am on track with the ladies tearing it up, logging 1100 reps b...

Today is the first official day back-to-business after an awkward holiday break in which Christmas and New Year's Day fell mid-week. This somehow made for a very odd work week all around; coupled with a pretty nasty virus going around, clients were dropping like flies. My die-hards checked in but it seems that most of my clients fell off-the-wagon a little bit both in nutrition and exercise. It happens. Now it's time to regroup and execute some damage control as we build momentum for 2013.  What a great line up I had today! Alison is 29 weeks pregnant and rocking 500+ reps including bilateral and unilateral work on the BOSU! She is one fit Mama who wrapped up our session today boxing it out. Here she is doing reverse flys on the BOSU- this is a great exercise to strengthen and stretch the upper back, chest and arms, with the added element of balance on the BOSU. Badass. Doesn't she look amazing? Be inspired! I am. Next was a new mom I am training, who is 6 months po...

Here is the workout I mapped out for myself yesterday. I had every intention of banging it out, no problem. However, as the day got on I noticed a little twinge in my left hip flexor/groin area which reminded me that I had felt the same thing the night before, with my feet on the inverted BOSU core set. A bit later I felt it on my right side also- nothing severe, just a twinge that made my hip joint feel a bit "off". That's enough of a reason to take a rest day in my opinion. It is a lesson. Although it's hard to be motivated and it is disappointing to skip a workout you are planning, it is devastating to be injured. The workout can wait; the way I see it "just give me a good enough reason to rest" hehe. I have been doing a lot of unilateral BOSU work as well as added more stability challenge to my core sets by placing my feet on the inverted BOSU. These are new and advanced (for me) positions I have worked up to, so it is reasonable that I am feeling ...

Following Satvir's lead, Lorie and I logged some serious reps this weekend so far. Yes I completed my goal set last night and I am certainly feeling it today. The assisted chin ups are definitely something I want to work on in 2013. Only by completing mass assisted reps will I build the strength to do a full set unassisted. At my peak I could complete about 10 pull ups. I am down to 4-5 :( I find it is one those exercises that you have to keep doing to maintain. They are hard. The knee raises were also really hard- well the total 100 of them anyway, and 60 of that suspended (no touch back). I love the "kill me now" moment(s) of every workout, and that moment came with 40/40 chin ups and knee raises to finish last night. It's the nature of the beast and the mental game is to just get through them and log those reps! I am happy that I was able to complete 20/20/20 core with my feet on the inverted BOSU: knee tucks, spidermen, leg lifts. Just a couple of weeks ag...

It's been a SLOW week! Sick kids, lingering holiday schedules and random interruptions seemed to have FUBAR'ed my training week. I still managed to log some serious reps with my die-hards, and it seems the boys are setting the bar for 2013. Way to go, guys! I have my one gal hanging in there with them, keeping me on my toes. As for me, I need to get my ass in gear and keep up with these 3. I am getting bored of the 4:00 HIIT set (blasphemy!) so I am taking to race the clock tonight. I have 500 reps planned- doesn't matter of what, just log them. I will post my whiteboard tomorrow. Lists- 2013 is the year of lists. I read a cliche on FB the other day stating that (amongst other things like reading every day) successful people keep lists. I put a whiteboard by my computer and broke out a notepad. I must admit it has value in staying on task and crossing off those items! Hopefully I can keep it up. This blog post will cross one thing off the current list, and I have 500 ...

Happy New Year! I am coining 2013 the year of "Digging Deep" as we pursue our loftiest goals and ambitions in all areas of our health and wellness. Goal setting is 101 in our strategies for success. Consider these aspects of your well being when planning for 2013: 1.) Exercise- Build towards 3-5x week and steadily increase workout frequency to that goal. 2.) Nutrition- KISS. Simplicity is key. Avoid empty calories. Make healthy choices. No fast food. Eat fresh. Every color is a nutrient. Portions are palm sized. Refined sugar is bad. Choose nutrient dense calories. These are simple rules for success. 3.) Work- We all have to do it. Find balance in the hours you have every day. Remember that over achieving is counter-productive. Balance is key. 4.) Personal- Do not overlook your social, mental and emotional health in your pursuit of balance. Check out once in awhile. Leave your cell phone at home. Spend time with your kids. Walk your dog. Have ...

Day 2. Here is the layout: Each Set 30:10 x 6 Alternating Exercises = 4:00 Use subs in lieu of having BOSU Round 1: BOSU Leans (sub mat Reptiles) 23/25/26 vs. BOSU Jumps 16/19/21   Round 2: Ball PU 20/14/13 vs. Ball Knee Tuck 18/14/13 Round 3: BOSU Pike jump overs (sub mat pike jump overs) 55/34/32 vs. Squat High Knee Twists 15/15/17 Total reps = 390 I did this on the road visiting a friend. I had to get it done and I roped him into logging some reps with me :) Get yours on!

In the hopes of making a push, I am hosting a daily 12:00 HIIT workout. Log your reps and post your results. Here is Day 1: Core Trio- I did this from the HALO (on floor) and feet on BOSU. You can shake it up as you wish or just hit the mat old school: 30:10 x 6 = 4:00 Plank Knee Tucks 47/46 Reptiles 30/26 Running Mountain Climbers 46/49 Total 244 Lower 30:10 x 6 = 4:00 Reverse Lunge High Kick L/R 15/16 Squat lats 15 Reverse Lunge High Kick L/R 14/14 Squat High Knee Twists 14 Total 88 Mat 20:10 x 8 = 4:00 Alternate exercises for 2 rounds Tricep PU L/R 14/13/14/13 Side Bridge Dip Outside Elbow Knee Touch R/L 11/11/12/12 Total 100 My total 12:00 workout = 432 Hard reps! What's your #? I earned my post workout banana, eggs & toast :)