The 7-Minute Vacation Workout

When my personal training clients go away on holidays, some of them stick to their exercise programs and it's not an issue at all. But others find it hard to work out when they're away from their regular routines.

It's not a complete disaster when they get home (as long as they haven't overeaten...beware of the cruise ship buffet!), but those first few workouts back are always a struggle.

Instead of backsliding on your fitness gains, make time for the Scientific 7-Minute Workout, courtesy of the wonderful New York Times columnist Gretchen Reynolds.

It's a quick and thorough routine that's all about classic exercises that most of us already know. If one's not to your liking, modify it or repeat a previous one—just keep moving!

It's short, sweet and intense, and it lets you feel virtuous once you've completed it, even though it's a fraction of the length of your regular program.

Need more of a challenge? Reynolds offers an advanced version at the same link above.

Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

How Do You Measure Up? (Find out in 3 Minutes)

There's an old management adage that we use a lot in the fitness world:

"You can't manage what you don't measure."

What's it mean? Simply that if you don't start with a baseline you won't know if you're improving, staying the same or losing ground

When you get fit the right way, changes in the way you feel and look appear immediately but gradually.

And when anything happens gradually, it's easy to forget just how far you've come—unless you measured and recorded your starting point.

This is why I start all my personal training clients with a very brief (and painless) fitness appraisal. What I measure is different for each client and is always based on the goals we've set.

If you don't have access to a fitness professional (and even if you do), here's an interesting, quick and fun online alternative.

Norwegian rock-star-cardio-researcher Ulrik Wisløff has created a simple assessment, based on a huge and growing data sample, that lets you easily estimate your fitness level by answering a few basic questions.

Use his 3-minute questionnaire-style assessment to benchmark where you are today. Then get moving with a regular exercise program and revisit the questionnaire in three to four weeks to check your progress.

People I Love to Recommend

When I need a house painter, a new furnace or a dentist, I always look to my friends and acquaintances for referrals. It's an almost-foolproof way to quickly shorten a to-do list or resolve a problem.

Over the years, I've created my own list of Toronto-based health and wellbeing experts who I highly recommend. Here it is below.

If you connect with any of them, please say hello from me!

Riverdale Shiatsu - 416-466-7483
Trinity Dempster (registered massage therapist and shiatsu therapist) offers professional, stress-reducing massage at her Danforth/Broadview location.

Carol Bloemen, registered nutritionist - 416-932-9711
Contact Carol for assistance with managing your weight, improving your health and increasing your energy through improved eating habits.

Chance Ng, chiropodist - 416-536-7727, chanceng873@gmail.com.
Contact Chance for any foot or gait related issues.

Footsteps Reflexology
Manage stress and other medical conditions with a professional reflexology treatment with Janet Williams.

For Health Wellness Consultants
Wellness seminars, coaching, counselling and products. Contact Marla Warner for information on individual and group programs.

East Toronto Physiotherapy
Let Danny Kuzmich and his team of therapists help you with injuries at his Danforth and Coxwell clinic.

Pivot Sport Medicine and Orthopaedics
High-quality physiotherapy on Bloor St. West.

StepsCount
Buy high-quality, validated pedometers and stand/sit desks here.

Toronto Power Walkers
Learn proper power walking technique, train for local and far-away races and socialize with a great group of women.

Bio-Mechanical Advantage
I highly recommend Babs Aiyede for any foot/leg/gait-related injuries or issues.

About Me: The Full Spiel

While studying health and physical education at university, I never imagined that one day I'd be running my own personal training business,  travelling the country educating other fitness pros and writing for national magazines and newspapers.

But life takes some interesting turns.

My fitness career began with great stints at places like Toronto's Metro-Central YMCA and the prestigious Fitness Institute.

Later, I enjoyed many years managing Manulife Financial's large corporate fitness facility.

Things changed considerably when I took a 12-month leave of absence from Manulife to sail from Toronto to Trinidad and back.

After a spectacular and carefree year spent in flip flops and sarongs, I loathed the idea of returning to the corporate world. So instead I harnessed my entrepreneurial energy and sharpened my writing skills at Ryerson University to shape a new career.

Today, many years later, I happily spend my days working with personal training clients, writing health and fitness magazine articles, and editing and blogging for corporate clients.

I love teaching Urban Poling Nordic walking classes and instructor certification courses and making special appearances.

My 9-to-5 friends can't believe I get to have this much fun making a living.

Sometimes I can't believe it either.