Running - A great solitary or group activity!

Hey everyone,

During the summer months, we often find it hard to fit running into our workout schedule, given the long hot days.  With an early work day, there is not much time to run in the morning and it is often scorching hot in the afternoons. 

Today, however, I took advantage of a beautiful (and cool) summer day to put on my running shoes when I arrived home from work and headed outside...

Lower Body Superset Workout

Hey everyone,

When we arrived home from work, neither of us were overly inspired to exercise.  We had both had long days at work and were exhausted (not to mention very sore from our upper body workout the day before!).  Despite this, we had no good reason to not workout, thus we decided to suck it up and exercise...

Basic Workouts: Lower Body Kettlebell Circuit

Hey everyone,

We received a request to put together and share a basic kettlebell workout.  Some of our readers have found certain exercises we perform too challenging, while others have been limited by the equipment available.  Many of you have access to a single kettlebell (while others can access a dumbbell, which is a good substitute for these exercises).  Thus, we have composed this workout using basic kettlebell exercises - minimal equipment and experience required.

Upper Body Bodyweight Circuit Workout

Hey everyone,

Years ago, Alex injured his lower back.  Lower back pain is very common, with some studies showing that 8 out of 10 people will experience it in their lifetime.  Unfortunately, Alex re-injured the area recently, which has posed some challenges to our training.  Rather than viewing this as a huge set-back, however, we are looking at it as an opportunity to try out some new styles of training.  For the time being, our training will focus on 'back-safe' exercises, primarily bodyweight movements, until his injury has healed.

A Versatile Workout for Either Home or the Gym

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One of our readers recently asked "I'd like to work out with the free weights instead of the machines, but I can't afford to have a personal trainer show me which exercises I should be doing. I'm looking for a series of free weight exercises, that work out both upper and lower body, that I can do by myself at the gym..."

Lower Body Circuit Workout in Winnipeg

Hey everyone,

When we were in Winnipeg recently, we tried out a new lower body circuit workout.  When we are travelling, we make a conscious effort to keep active, through walking and regular workouts.  It helps make the trip more enjoyable, keeps us on track for our fitness, and helps offset any extra calories that we might consume!

Another Great Bodyweight Workout!

Hey everyone,

For an upper body workout, we decided to stay with the bodyweight exercise theme and complete an AR7 workout.  We really enjoyed revisiting this workout style, which focuses on three exercises. 

The results of bodyweight training...

Are You Up For A Challenge?

Hey everyone,

We were looking for a challenging workout.  We wanted something that would be short duration, high intensity and require some real dedication to complete.  When we selected our workout, we designed it to include only bodyweight exercises and no special equipment.

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

Hey everyone,

Most of us are aware of the importance of proper nutrition in supporting a healthy lifestyle and the achievement of our fitness goals.  One common area of confusion, however, is what to eat before and after a workout.  As with many health topics, there is a lot of confusing and even conflicting information on this subject.

Bike + Circuit

Hey everyone,

With the extra time we had this long weekend Monday, we decided to complete a longer workout that consisted of both an upper body circuit workout, followed by a long bike ride.  It was a beautiful day to get out and enjoy the weather!

Another 5-Minute Workout!

Hey everyone,

Some days it is tough to find the time to workout.  On other days, even when you have the time, you may not have the motivation or energy for a full-length workout.  For these occasions, we encourage you to try to fit in a 5-minute workout.  This isn't a path to ultimate fitness (there's only so much you can realistically accomplish in 5 minutes!), but it is certainly a step in the direction towards fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

Long Weekend Workout!

Hey everyone,

When we arrived home from work on Friday, we were both exhausted from a long week and really not very motivated to exercise.  Despite this, we decided to push ourselves and do a lower body workout.

Testing the 'Ultimate 2-Exercise Workout'

Hey everyone,

Recently, we decided to try out a new exercise format that we discovered on the Men’s Health website (http://www.menshealth.com/deltafit/ultimate-two-exercise-workout).  Pitched as the ‘Ultimate’ 2-exercise workout, we were quite intrigued to see what this workout had to offer.

5-Minute Bodyweight (Beginner) Workout

Hey everyone,

How is your day going?  Many of us will say it's a busy day.  There's lots on the go, between work, family and other commitments.  Do you feel that you are too busy to fit in a workout today?  What if we could show you how to do a 5-minute workout - one that anyone could do, without any equipment.  Could you find 5 minutes in your day to improve your health and fitness?  Most of us probably could...

3 Scientifically Validated Tips For Weight Loss

Hey everyone,

Weight loss is an immensely popular topic in our society.  Everyone is looking for a quick-fix or simply for some clarity on what truly works.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths out there, as well as an industry which is profit-driven and not necessarily concerned with your health (or even with your weight loss).  Fortunately, there are many scientific studies on nutrition and healthy habits which can guide us towards achieving our weight loss goals.  Just recently, a new study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  It examined the contribution of several diet-related and self-monitoring behaviours on weight loss in an adult female population.

Upper and Lower Body Couplets

Hey everyone,

For two of our workouts this week, we decided to incorporate couplets.  These involve pairing two exercises and completing them consecutively (i.e. super-setting them), followed by a short rest. 

For each workout, we completed 3 sets of 2 different couplets, followed by a bonus of 3 sets an additional exercise, for a total of 15 sets.  This was a great workout style which allowed us to perform some good lifts without requiring too much time for the workouts.

A Five Minute Workout!

Hey everyone,

We recently received a request from one of our readers to suggest a workout that can be completed every day, in a very short amount of time.  Even if you only have 5 minutes to spare, you have no excuse to not exercise today!

Let's Do Something!

Hey everyone,

This week there has been some interesting media coverage of a recent series of studies, published in the British medical journal ‘The Lancet’, which show the tremendous worldwide costs of inactivity.  It is now estimated that inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death, even surpassing smoking.

A Beginner, Bodyweight Workout

Hey everyone,

The last time we posted a beginner, bodyweight workout it seemed to resonate with a number of readers (http://couplefit.blogspot.ca/2012/06/how-can-i-become-fit-and-lean-without.html).  We heard that it was a helpful starting point for exercising and even useful for more experienced fitness advocates when doing a workout at home without equipment or when travelling.  Thus, we have created a new beginner, bodyweight workout for you to try!

Sunday Afternoon Swimming

Hey everyone,

On Sunday afternoon, after getting back from an awesome weekend trip to Toronto, we went for a swim.  We tried lane swimming the previous week and were quite taken with the quality of the workout.  It hit a lot of muscles and we could instantly feel the cardio challenge.

While we were there, a young guy started talking with Alex, as they paused for a rest in between laps.  He asked how often we came swimming and then said he had been doing it for 4 months.  He said that in the process, he had lost over 50 pounds and had also started weightlifting.  This was his day off from lifting and he had made the choice to come to the pool to get an extra session of fitness in.

This guy would be unremarkable in a crowd.  You might notice that he was overweight.  You might get a sense that he was unhappy with his body or lacking confidence (an assumption since he was wearing a t-shirt while swimming).  If you heard him speak, you would likely say that he seemed like a nice guy - positive and upbeat.

What struck us was his dedication.  He wasn't sitting around, complaining, or wishing for a change - he was acting upon his wishes.  He was committed, he was consistent, and he was making remarkable progress in his fitness journey.  He is a good role model for us all.

- Tannys & Alex