What is a Body Exchange? An awakening within that drives you to be the BEST you can be, physically and emtionally. Courage does not come with the absense of fear but rather the ability to achieve your goals regardless.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

THE SKINNY ON FAT

Here is the low down on FAT  Read through carefully......good fats will give you nice hair, skin and nails but bad fats can have a demising affect on our bodies when consumed regularly over time.
Education in KING.  Post by Andrea Guzzo, Body Exchange Fitness Coach.

Good Fat vs. Bad Fat


Unsaturated fats are known as the “good” fats. You want to choose unsaturated fats but be careful not to have too many. Unsaturated fats can lower cholesterol when substituted for saturated fats. Choose fish, flaxseed, wheat germ and walnuts more often – they contain heart healthy fats called omega 3 fatty acids

Monounsaturated Fats - are fatty acids that have a single double bond in the fatty acid chain some examples are;
Nuts/seeds and their butters
Non-hydrogenated margarines
Oil, Canola & Peanut Oil, Avocado

Polyunsaturated Fats - fatty acids in which more than one double bond exists within the representative molecule some examples are;
Non-hydrogenated margarines
Nuts/seeds and their butters
Safflower, Corn, Sunflower & Soybean oils

Omega 3 Fats - are members of a series of essential unsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon–carbon double bond in the n−3 position
Fish
Flaxseed & Wheat germ
Soybeans
Walnuts

Saturated Fats are known as the “bad” fats. Choose a diet lower in saturated fats. You can decrease the amount of saturated fat in your diet by choosing lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry and low fat varieties of milk and dairy products. Limit coconut and palm oils, butter, lard and tallow and bacon & sausage. Limit egg yolks as they are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. .

Trans Fats are the “worst” fats. Trans fats are made by a process called hydrogenation. Look for the word “hydrogenation” or “vegetable oil shortening” on food labels. Some examples are;
Donuts and Pastries
Deep fried & Fast Foods
French Fries & Chips
Hydrogenated margarines
Many commercial cakes, cookies and crackers

Cholesterol is a fat like substance found in foods of animal origin, mainly meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. It is especially high in foods such as egg yolks and organ meats. It is not found in any food that comes from plants. It is recommended that you eat no more the 200mg of cholesterol per day.

Read your labels!


Wednesday 6 April 2011

DRAGON'S DEN AND THE BODY EXCHANGE

So after 3 years of building my business there seems to be some major momentum going on here and people are starting to hear about what we are doing more and more.  This is my dream come true and makes all the hard work totally worthwhile.  The Body Exchange has been a labour of love and something I am extremely passionate about. My goal has always been to bring this program to as many Canadians and even Americans as possible but with just me at the helm it has been challenging to navigate.  That is why when my friend urged me to look into the Dragon's Den (several weeks ago), I took her advice and went to the website to check out what the process would be.  I was surprised to find out that auditions were taking place in Vancouver in just 3 days so I wavered back and forth and really struggled with my fear. Finally at the last minute my friend took me and my rehearsed spiel on the road to Abbotsford to pitch to the producers of the show.  After waiting for 4 hours and meeting some MAJOR characters and seeing some interesting ideas and other people's labour of love I felt proud to be amongst so many creative entrepreneurs. Then it was my turn to go in and strangely a calmness overcame me because I knew I was not just speaking on behalf of myself and my business but now on behalf of all the overweight people out there who are too intimidated to get started with a healthier lifestyle.  I thought my pitch went well and I knew they were impressed but I also knew I was auditioning with thousands of other people across Canada.  I left the audition feeling good not because I thought I was a shoe in but because I walked through some major fear to do the audition and I totally survived and felt great. 

Yesterday I received an email from one of those producers who sat in my audition, her words were: Congratulations out of 4000 Elite Canadian Entrepreneurs YOU have been chosen to come to Toronto and pitch to the Dragon's.  Holy #$@% !! 

I am still holding a lot of fear but I will walk through it and pitch like you have never seen before!  No matter what the outcome is, The Body Exchange will press on and I will be able to add this process to my top 10 experiences in my life and a side benefit expose my business to over 2 million viewers (If I make the TV cut - not everybody does).  Life is a journey, I have always enjoyed experiencing as much as possible and living big.
I went to this audition because I felt I must practice what I preach but I am also following a dream and no matter what I am not letting it out of my sight. Thank you to everyone for all your support over the last 3 years and believing in what I am doing, it means the world to me!  I want to thank my Mom most of all, she has always been a huge inspiration to me and doesn't allow me to think negatively EVER. 
Pitch date:  May 25th - wish me luck!

Wednesday 30 March 2011

LECTURE COMING SOON - CONCIOUS EATING - LIFESTYLE FIRST!

So when it comes to the overweight population we are usually bombarded with weight loss tactics everyday.  To name a few: cabbage soup, boxed foods, calorie restrictions, vitamin shots and more extreme, sometimes surgeries.  I receive e-mails all the time from the latest scheme that wants to align with my business to partner up and "help people". What they don't understand is The Body Exchange is not a weight loss program, although many just assume that we are since we work with overweight people. We are actually a fitness and lifestyle program.  We are a company that strives to provide a fitness community that promotes wellness at any size and if you lose some weight along the way and that makes you feel good, then BONUS!

Who we do align with are other professionals who provide expertise to contribute to all the pieces of the puzzle.  Many people are using food as a tool for coping, if you are familiar with the new show HEAVY on A&E almost all of the people on that show have had a traumatic event occur in their life, hence their morbid obesity. They go to the program to learn life skills as well as fitness and healthy eating primarily because it has become a serious health risk and they must lose weight.  Many times the show follows young people in their prime so the outcome after 6 months is fantastic because they have gained control of their lifestyle and in turn their weight and almost all of them say "they have their life back".  Great show...http://www.aetv.com/heavy/

At The Body Exchange we offer the fitness and can show you the healthy eating but if you are interested in digging deeper and examining your relationship with food and exploring "conscious eating" and the correlation between food and your emotions we invite you to attend our Emotional Eating Introduction Lecture with Heather Bach, MA, CCC.  Heather specializes in Emotional Eating and has been practicing for over 17 years with offices in Vancouver and North Vancouver.

If you desire weight loss and have attempted many times only to fail chances are it is more than calories in and calories out. Our previous lectures have been a huge success with many of our clients, the feedback has been that they gained life changing tools to move forward.

Weight loss does contribute to better health, it's not just about looking hot on the dance floor.  My stand on the subject has always been follow a healthy lifestyle first and the rest will follow.

Saturday, April 16th @ 2:00pm - 4:00pm in West Vancouver $55.00 (includes HST).  To register contact Louise Green:  info@bodyexchange.ca

Monday 28 March 2011

CHUBBIES? DOES THAT SOUND POLITICALLY CORRECT?

WOW, I guess we really have come along way!  I came across this old Lane Bryant Ad, it is truly amazing how far we have come.  No wonder people grew up with a complex about their bodies. Hey Chubbies, shop here!  Sounds really inspiring and inviting.  Doesn't really give the message of Celebrate your Curves! So glad times are changing.  And Change they have; check out the latest link for Lane Bryant below!

The Cacique lingerie ad that ABC and FOX did not want their viewers to see, this commercial was banned from these networks until such controversy overtook and they allowed it to run during specific shows only.
So over decades we have gone from Chubbies to way to Sexy and even racy (I like it)!  Interesting, check out the link:  Too Sexy for TV - Lane Bryant

Saturday 26 March 2011

THE POWER OF FELLOWSHIP


I am amazed at all the "fellowship" that is going on amongst our members outside of our regular program.  I think it is wonderful to hear about people hiking, snowshoeing, setting up runs, going to Zumba and Yoga, trading recipes and sometimes even crock pot meals and the list goes on. It is all amazing!
I set out to provide a welcoming place for people to come and get active without the intimidation so many people feel.  New clients usually immediately "hook in" and start to become a part of our active community because our members are so supportive and welcoming.
I cannot take credit for the fellowship these groups are cultivating but it definitely lies with my vision for The Body Exchange.  Suddenly when everyone around you is healthy and supportive and you are regularly active it is a clear indication that your lifestyle is changing.  Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new you!

Congratulations!

Thursday 24 March 2011

WORKING OUT YOUR CURVES! (Boobs and All)

Guest Post by Claire Dumican: Butterfly Collection Lingerie
The place for Canadian women to find beautiful bras in E cup and up!

Positive body image goes a long way to living a very happy life. Being proud of your physical and emotional self allows you to forge the professional and personal relationships you want and deserve. It also frees you from the wasted mental energy spent on wishing you were ‘different’.

Women who appear to have ‘perfect’ bodies may in actual fact have very poor body image, so it’s nothing to do with physicality. Positive body image in fact stems from your self-esteem. A positive body image allows you to look at yourself completely naked in the mirror and see your body as a beautiful vessel for your spirit, personality, knowledge and soul.

Every inch of your body is unique and is made up of more than your flesh. Your eyes, hair, smile even your posture all contribute to your physical presence.  Your confidence radiates out in more ways than a dress size.

Leading a healthy lifestyle is important for confidence no matter what size you are. Being thin doesn't necessarily mean you`re healthy and being plus sized doesn't necessarily mean you`re unhealthy.  If you have a bigger chest however, you must support your boobs when working out.  Breasts don't have any muscle in them, they are held in place by two things, ligaments and skin. The ligaments (technical name Coopers Ligaments) stretch and contract to accommodate your movements. Your skin also stretches to allow for the force and impact of your movements. Unlike muscles, there is little you can do to alter your ligament and skin elasticity and strength. The evolution of our breasts is mostly dictated by genes.

When you workout your boobs are moving more and greater distances than when you're doing everyday activities. During this time you need to protect your ligaments and skin from getting over-stretched. If you stretch them too far, they can't bounce back as effectively and this causes sagging. So to minimize the stretch factor you need to wear a sports bra that is designed to absorb the impact and protect your breasts.  CHECK THE FULL BUTTERFLY COLLECTION SITE HERE.

Supporting your boobs during your workout will allow you to achieve more and hurt less!

Sunday 20 March 2011

MEET ME IN PARADISE, TULUM MEXICO HEALTH RETREAT!

So we have been planning our Body Exchange Women's Health Retreat for almost 6 months and we are now 6 weeks away!  I am heading down to the Mayan Riviera on April 29th and my group will follow on April 30th for an extremely rare opportunity to focus on yourself with no distractions.  This is one of the world's most beautiful corners and is an amazing place to unplug and focus 100% on you.  The retreat end of my business was designed because I was often hearing from people that they feel like they are starting all over again when they return from a vacation (I am sure we can all relate to this).  Imagine visiting paradise and coming home feeling so empowered, healthy, fit and on track!  But the best part is, we still have room!  Join us, we have 10 ladies heading down, are you lucky number 11, 12 or ?
Included:  Air Flights, Transfers, Accommodation a stones throw from the ocean, Healthy Mediterranean Style Meals / non-alcoholic drinks, Fit Camps every morning, Yoga at every sunset, 2 spa services, a evening of private Salsa Dancing Lessons and a special Mayan-Shaman Spiritual Ceremony private to our group.  Additionally, there will be snorkeling and kayaking.  For more information contact me at louise@bodyexchange.ca
See the beautiful Hemmingway Eco Resort below:


Saturday 19 March 2011

BEAUTIFUL LADY ON A MISSION

The beautiful lady working the stair case in my header picture is one of our dedicated Burnaby members, Kristina Hoiles.  This women is on a serious mission, by that I mean, she is doing all angles of the deal to make sure her lifestyle changes and sticks.  She comes to our program regularly, she has connected with the other women in our Burnaby group and now takes part in additional activities with her new circle of friends. She attends health related educational workshops and has created an amazing blog to share her journey / mission.  All of the above creates accountability and I have found the entries in her blog to be some of the most honest writing I have ever read.  It is all part of her journey and it is working for her.  To read more about Kristina's "evolution" please visit her blog, it is truly inspiring.  Kristina's Blog of Evolutions

The changes in Kristina have been amazing so I recently asked her:  How did you get on track and start to get consistent with a healthier lifestyle?

Basically i think I am still a work in progress re: being consistent
But one of the biggest realizations/changes I think I have made is to NOT QUIT if i have a bad day food wise or if I miss a work-out or something. 
I go back the next time, or try to make the next meal/choice better. 
Before, I was very much stuck in an "all or nothing" mentality... which means as soon as I fell off the wagon of a diet I would throw in the towel. 
Or as soon as I came up against something physically that caused me pain or I wasn't good at, I would just give up. 
In some ways, it is also about surrendering to the fact that on this journey to better health, I am not going to be "perfect" 
And so if I mess up, I just try to do better the next time. 

Also, this second time around at bootcamp - I consciously reached out for more support, both from my own circle of friends & family, and from the other ladies at bootcamp. 
I made an effort to overcome my own initial shyness (and mortification that i was so out of shape) and really tried to get to know the ladies of the Burnaby group on a personal level. , They really are so awesome and encouraging, and hearing their stories and how far they have come on their own journey's is really inspiring. 
It really does help motivate me to know I am going to be surrounded by them - and more than once this has been the main thing that gets me off the couch and out the door.  

WHAT DOES YOUR JOURNEY LOOK LIKE?

Thursday 17 March 2011

"ONE LIFE" CONTEST - APRIL 4TH AND 5TH

On April 4th and 5th The "One Life" contest will launch at all four Body Exchange Locations.  This contest is to inspire people to get active, healthy, empowered and simply off the couch!
How Does it Work?

Register for our April program and along with your fit camp program you will be given a check list of 30 items.  They are tasks that will improve your health - mind, body and soul.  So not only will you feel fantastic from all the fitness but with all the health driven check points you will quickly feel a lifestyle turn over! Now we can't give up all the goods in this blog but here are some examples of the check points:


  • Attend all Fit Camp sessions
  • Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day
  • Organize a junk draw and send in a before / after picture
  • Make your lunch 4 out of 7 days each week of the contest
  • 7 consecutive days without alcohol
  • Attend one Body Exchange Adventure during the contest:  Snowshoe, Boxing, Hike!
The more check points you accumulate the closer you are to winning one of TWO grand prize packages!

Space is limited for this contest so if you want to improve your health and fitness by leaps and bounds,
Register today!  info@bodyexchange.ca

YOU ARE WORTH IT - LIVE YOUR "ONE LIFE" TO THE MAX!






Sunday 13 March 2011

ARE YOU WORTH IT?

Are you getting your needs met when it comes to your health and fitness? 
Deep down do you think you are REALLY worth it? 

Many of us, especially women, inherently look after the needs of others before ourselves and often feel spent by the end of most days with nothing left for ourselves.  This can go on for years and suddenly one day you wake up and you have lost yourself.  This can build feelings of just plain "badness".  You may feel tired because exercise and eating right actually gives you energy and feelings of empowerment.  You may feel resentment because you are giving, giving, giving and never looking after you.  Basic self care shows that you know you are worth it and everyone around you will benefit from you looking after yourself.

Here are some tell tale signs that you ARE or ARE NOT taking care of number one!

ARE: You consistently schedule in exercise for yourself and everyone in your house knows that this is your time SO BACK OFF!  You feel great and energized and ready to conquer the world.

ARE NOT:  You fall into bed every night totally drained and wake up feeling exactly the same way, each day blends into the next and you see no light at the end of the tunnel.

ARE:  You make time for special treats such as pedicures at your favorite spa, time out with your girlfriends, and projects that you are passionate about and that hold great importance to you (business or pleasure).

ARE NOT:  You feel like you are enduring each day and never enjoying each day, you tend to lean towards behaviours that make you feel worse such as eating unhealthy foods and negative thinking, you feel trapped in a cycle and don't know how to get off the merry-go-round (only it's not so merry).

ARE:  You surround yourself with people that you relate to and who you feel supported by (not people who co-sign you BS), you associate with like minded, positive people and you know that you can take on anything because YOU ARE WORTH IT.

If you are in the ARE NOT category, you can contact me and I can discuss some ideas to get you on track.  Hopefully you ARE!  You will feel sometimes shifts between ARE and ARE NOT's this is life simply doing it's balancing act!

Saturday 12 March 2011

YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST A GLOW, YOU NEED TO DRIP!

Many times people hire me because they want me to take them to a place they would not go on their own in regards to a physical push (and I am always happy to be of service).  Sometimes clients will say they are active and they don't understand why they are not seeing the benefits of physical fitness filter into their life.  The truth is, although activities such as walking and biking are great, you really need the heart pumping to get some good benefits such as better heart health, weight management and keeping health risks at bay.  It is recommended that we get 30 minutes of exercise per day and some of this needs to be heart pumping and sweat dripping.  Think about the last time your were dripping in sweat.....if you can't remember you may want to consider getting serious about moving.  Now this blog is not really a platform to promote my business but joining some kind of program is a great way to have the fitness pre-scheduled into your calendar, just like you would a business meeting, a dentist appointment etc.  One of the problem's with our North American health problem is that people fit exercise in when they have time and for many that is NEVER or at least not consistent.  It is really important for our longevity so I will give you some tips to incorporate into your weeks ahead.

  1. Start a walking or running group at your office. Get out for 30 minutes, have a small light snack 30 minutes before lunch then eat your lunch after the fitness.
  2. Instead of making social time with friends about eating or drinking, make it about fitness "Hey, let's hit a hot yoga class, then go for some tea after".
  3. At any time in your day, if you see stairs or any incline walk them.....yes, just for fun.
  4. Make family time active, get the bikes out, go to the basketball court and shoot and run with your little ones, they will love it!!
  5. Dates can be active, go for a hike or a kayak, both are very romantic!

Glows are good and you don't always have to drip, but 3 times a week make sure you get a good drip on!

Friday 11 March 2011

HALT THE SALT !

We have all heard the fear mongering buzz words in the media and from our health professionals:

Obesity or Hypertension (high blood pressure) but what are some of the contributing factors.....many health risks can be traced to Sodium.

SO HALT WITH THE SALT!

The above health risks can be combated with healthy nutrition and exercise.  But we ask, what has changed since the 1950's that suddenly so many people are overweight and falling into these health risk categories?  One major factor is that everyone got so busy, so the food industry had to start providing fast and easy meal solutions to keep up with the demands of the average family of the 21st century.  Overtime our whole food approach has turned into rising crust pizza where the crust is filled with cheese because there simply wasn't enough cheese on the pizza itself to satisfy?  Thankfully everyone is starting to realize that North Americans are in trouble and now the trend is to come up with healthy convenience food, it is still not whole food eating but moving in the right direction.  Overtime portion sizes have ballooned to obscene sizes and on the whole we are not taking time to treat our body like the temple it is (myself included).  When I ask my clients what their barriers are in this area, they all say the same thing....time.

What does this mean on a whole?  Packed in process foods is too much salt which has an adverse affect on our bodies overtime.  What is reasonable?  Some reports will say that 2300mg is acceptable but intakes should be even lower at about 1500mg to be low risk.  I ask my clients if they look at sodium on the labels of their food, many people monitor the fat and carbs but not so many monitor the sodium.

From a health perspective the sodium is key because it is a major contributing factor to high blood pressure which can bring on a whole slew of other serious health risks.
Any packaging that has more than 400 - 600mg per serving is too much.
Keep in mind the nutrition label does not include the whole can or package. For example, I will use soup because it is the most surprising of all.



If you have a can of "low fat" cream of mushroom soup, the label says "nutrition facts per 125ml, sodium reading is:  640mg !!!  That means if you eat the whole can (284ml) you are eating your whole daily recommendation for sodium in one sitting of low fat soup.  Marketing can be very deceiving and convenience foods along with restaurants are the worst.  Awareness is KING!

We will begin to feature quick and easy meal solutions to replace those that are not, your body is a temple and it is all we have!  CHALLENGE:  Try to eat whole foods for all your meals and snacks for 3 "Whole" days!  Let me know how it goes.....

Thursday 10 March 2011

Love This - Some Products You Just Need to Buy for Their Cause

Check this out:  Dove Self Esteem Campaigns

And another:  The Real Deal or The Not so Real Deal


PUT THINGS INTO CLEAR PERSPECTIVE!  Don't get distorted.

Top 5 Tips for Facing The Weather and Getting Outdoors

I am sitting at my kitchen table writing this while it is raining so hard there is a low roar within my house as the rain pelts off my metal roof.  My old timer dog is starting to pant louder as the noise levels are starting to make him feel like thunder is coming soon.  Within my business I often hear, "I don't want to go outside, it's raining".  That is a bit of a problem if you live in the rain forest region of  Canada.  If you limit your outdoor activity to when it isn't raining that is almost half the year when you are not moving in fresh air.  If you are truly committed to something, outside circumstances should be secondary and at most a small blip in the day. As human beings are ancient heritage comes from living outdoors and living a nomadic lifestyle with constant movement and fresh air, this is actually the environment our bodies prefer.  So you can understand when you have been sitting indoors for 8 hours behind a desk why you may not feel that energized.  I found this quote recently and want to share it with you: 

 
We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve. 
Maxwell Maltz

 
Totally true for me.

 
So to get outdoors and truly enjoy our amazing city and all it has to offer at all times of the year,
these are My Top Five Tips

  1. Like any good Girl Scout, "BE PREPARED" owning a good, breathable jacket is a must.  If you are shopping locally, I recommend The Running Room. They go up to XXL, you may need to go into a men's but they do have larger sizes.
  2. Know, 100% that when you are finished your outdoor rec.  that you are going to feel amazing, alive and very pleased with yourself!
  3. Layer your clothing, the best materials are wicking material or wicking wool. Wear a ball cap to keep the rain off your face and something around your neck to prevent water running within your jacket.
  4. Get moving, once you are moving and breaking a sweat - you won't even notice the exterior moisture!
  5.  Plan outdoor fitness with a buddy, when the weather is not favorable having accountability is key!

 
Have a great day and GET OUT THERE!      I am off!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

What is a "Body Exchange" Anyway?

The word on the street amongst larger women is that we are tired of the unrealistic images we see in the media of stick women who look like young boys when we know the average North American woman is a size 12.  Recently, we did an emotional eating Lecture with Heather Bach, MA, CCC, and in her talk she mentioned a surprising stat that 83% of women sometime in their life have practiced "Emotional Eating".  I often see women come to our program with low self esteem and overtime see them change completely through a "Body Exchange".  This does not mean trade your overweight self in for a new and improved thinner you.  What this means is to have an awakening within, to lose limited thinking, to get physically strong and to carry yourself with the utmost confidence through all areas of your life.  You may be thinking, can fitness really do that?  The answer is "YES", I see it happen all the time.  Fitness is a natural mood adjuster, which I use to my advantage all the time!  But more importantly, going to a place where you truly belong and fit, where everyone around you is rallying for your success, where you are amongst strong women with a common bond, this is just pure magic.

It is an awakening within ones self - A "Body Exchange"