Archive for the ‘Contests’ Category

Ooops! I said I'd post the name of the winner on Friday, but I forgot. I'm so sorry about that. But I'm here now to post the winner of the health book contest. Better late than never, right?

I asked you to share your 6-Week Slim-Down stories with us, and all the comments were amazing. I was so happy for the feedback and to read all your motivating stories. Congrats to you all for you positive changes, and keep up the good work.

Congrats to Trish for winning the suite of awesome health books. Trish said:

"Well, only lost 1 inch so far. However, I feel amazing!! I have energy to get through the day.  I do at least one 20 minute workout a day, sometimes two.  I definitely feel stronger.  The best part....my whole family is eating healthier thanks to my own diet/shopping changes."

Trish, you've won:

• Pilates Practice Companion, by Alycea Ungaro
• Carrots 'N' Cake: Healthy Living One Carrot and Cupcake at a Time, by Tina Haupert
• Eat Your Way to Sexy: Start Losing Weight in Just 7 Days!, by Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.
AND
• The Obvious Diet, by Ed Victor

We all need a little motivation when it comes to keeping our health in check. Here are 3 health, fitness and nutrition apps that will keep you moving toward your health and weight loss goals. (Giveaway info at the end of my post.)

3 awesome apps to keep you healthy

Get moving with Couch to 5k

1. Couch to 5k (by Felt Tip Inc.)
If you're looking to get to get off the couch, shed some pounds or are just hoping to get into running, Couch to 5k is just what you need. According to the description on iTunes:

"This workout training coach will help you get into shape using the C25K system, a series of interval workouts, each about 30 minutes, spanning 9 weeks, culminating in your ability to run 5 km (3.1 miles) without stopping or walking."

Apparently there's a nice lady who talks to you. One of my friends admitted she talks back to the nice lady (imagine how crazy she looks while running!).

There's also a Couch to 10k.

Price: $2.99

Available at: iTunes

Know Flo with Period Tracker Lite

2. Period Tracker Lite (by GP Apps)
Sick of trying to guess when your next period will arrive, only to - surprise! - get it when you're on a boat ride wearing white pants with zero tampons on hand (has this actually happened to anyone?). According to GP Apps, Period Tracker Lite:

"... is the easiest way to track your periods! Period Tracker™ is the SIMPLEST period tracking app and now, it's CUTER than ever!
* Press a button at the start of your period every month. Period Tracker™ logs your dates and calculates the average of your past 3 months' menstrual cycles to predict the start date of your next period.
* View your current and future period dates, ovulation and fertile days, your moods and your symptoms in a simple month-view calendar. "

You can also add notes to record your moods, symptoms, cravings or whatever you feel like!

Price: Free!

Available at: iTunes

Track your food and exercise with Lose It!

3. Lose It! (by FitNow)
I'm certainly not a fan of calorie counting, but I must admit: this app is cool! You can create your very own weight loss or maintenance plan, and track your food intake and exercise. Here's what FitNow has to say about Lose It!:

"Set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that enables you to meet them. Stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise and staying within your budget. It is simple and fun to use, but includes great features:
- Simple, attractive, streamlined interface
- Comprehensive database of foods and activities
- Quickly add new foods or exercises to the database
- Setup recipes for more complicated foods
- Quickly add to your log with previous meals, my foods, and other shortcuts
- Track nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, and more
- Email or print detailed reports directly from your iPhone or iPod"

Price: Free

Available on: iTunes

Great health apps our Twitter followers recommend:
• @geekmommymel: I love @loseitapp and @runkeeper for #fitness #nutrition #health apps. They are the best of the best!
• @susie_parker: LOSE IT
• @jennjam: Tap and Track. If only I had the motivation to use it properly though. I'm sure it's very effective!
• @SarcasticKliker: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ http://runkeeper.com/
• @melodiegardens: Anyone recommend any #fitness, #nutrition or #health apps?" <~~ @myfitnesspal is a gr8 website &app 4 nutrition & fitness
• @PLisaLou: MyFitnessPal is a great tool to track calories and exercise daily

A super fantastic giveaway!
Toronto's very own GelaSkins has offered to give away 5 skins for your digital devices. GelaSkins are removable covers designed to protect and customize your portable devices. They feature super fun graphics, and trust me, there is something for everyone. Check out their nifty skins here.

All you have to do to be eligible to win is leave a message here telling us how you motivate yourself to stay healthy. I'll announce 5 winners on Thursday, June 16.

Last week I blogged about the fab book Prevent, Halt & Reverse Heart Disease: 109 Things You Can Do. Now you have a chance to WIN this super-informative book. It will help keep your ticker in tip top shape.

Just leave a comment here telling me what you do to keep your heart healthy.

I'll announce a winner on Monday, March 14.

It feels like I've been fighting off a cold for a little while now. You know when it's at the stage where it hasn't quite hit you, but you know it's on the way? Yeah, that's where I am.

The sniffles are the worst!

How to beat a cold
I've been going a little research on how to beat a cold and came across some helpful advice I'd share:

• Eat chicken noodle soup. Apparently it eases sniffles and will boost your energy.

• Eat citrus fruits. Duh! Of course. When you're feeling under the weather your body needs a dose of vitamin C.

• Drink plenty of fluids. It's important to stay hydrated - it will ease congestion and keep your energized.

• Visit your local drugstore for some cold and flu necessities.

OR: Enter for a chance to WIN one of three Rexall™ Flu Ready Prize Packs worth more than $200 each by following Canadian Living on Twitter and tweeting this message: Follow @canadian_living and RT this for a chance to win a $200 prize pack from Rexall: http://cdnl.vg/fDrugU

Each prize pack contains a reusable bag filled with cold and flu-fighting goodies such as:
• Kleenex facial tissues
• Rexall antibacterial hand sanitizer, hand soap and wipes
• Hand sanitizing spray pen
• Cough lozenges
• Breathe Easy Tea
• Lipton chicken noodle soup
• Rexall Brand Vitamin C Chews
• Vicks VapoRub
• ColdFX
• Lip balm
• Rexall Hot/Cold Packs
• 200 AIR MILES reward miles bonus card
• $50 Rexall gift card

You have until Monday, February 28 to enter. We'll announce the winner on Twitter on Tuesday, March 1.

Good luck!

I've got some great last-minute gift ideas for that special someone in your life who loves being active.

I hope I get this snazzy shirt on Christmas morning!

4 last-minute holiday gift ideas

1. I'm in love with this Nike Livestrong Thermal Half Zip. Anyone will be running in style (and staying toasty) in this lovely shirt. It retails for $75 and is available in both men and women's sizes. You can find it at Nike or Sport Check stores.

2. Breathable gloves for folks who love to run, snowshoes or cross country ski in the winter time. These poly stretch gloves from The Running Room are perfect! And why not a hat to go with? (Glove: $25, Hat:$40.)

3. Encourage your athletic loved one to try something new, like snowshoeing. Mountain Equipment Coop sells a variety of different snowshoes, and anyone with a love for Canadian winters will appreciate the gift. Prices vary from $160-$300.

4. One of my fave gifts is an iTunes gift certificate. I love being able to download favourite songs and updating my exercise playlist on a regular basis. Lady Gaga always makes me run faster!

So, basically, I just shared my Christmas wish list with you. I hope my family is reading!

What's your go-to last-minute gift idea?

Don't forget to enter my Green & Blacks and Motts giveaways!

Do you usually need some last-minute holiday gift ideas? I do.

Two words: Dark chocolate.

Want to know a secret? Dark chocolate is also good for you.

I just high-fived you, because if the health gods tell me I can eat dark chocolate without guilt then I am one happy gal. I bet you are too!

Think how happy your loved one will be to get some tasty dark chocolate this holiday season. A healthy gift is a happy gift. I usually stuff my partner's stocking with dark chocolate, then eat it all myself. I have a dog, so it's really easy to pass the blame. (Don't worry, she actually doesn't eat the chocolate. I do. Chocolate is bad for doggies.)

1 reason why dark chocolate is healthy
Dark chocolate contains powerful antioxidants. And antioxidants are good for us because they help prevent disease and protect the heart.

It's all very scientific. And I don't really get science.

But who cares? Chocolate is good for you, that's all that matters here. So eat it (in moderation, of course).

Do you want to win some chocolate? Green & Blacks Organic Chocolate was thoughtful enough to provide me with 6 of their tasty and healthy dark chocolate bars. This fabulous prize back includes the following bars:
• Ginger
• Maya Gold
• 70 % Dark
• 85 % Dark
• Cherry
• Espresso

(I was tempted to keep them all for myself!)

For a chance to win, simply subscribe to The Health & Wellness Blog and leave a comment below telling us if you are coo coo for chocolate. Well, are you?

I'll announce a winner here on Monday, December 20.

Waaay back on August 25, I asked you to tell us about your favourite Health & Wellness Club workout and fitness video for a chance to win one of three mini-libraries featuring books from all nine of this year's Read for the Cure authors, including Ian Brown, Margaret Atwood, Linden MacIntyre and more. (For more information, visit readforthecure.ca.)

Congratulations to our winners, Jeanette R., Irene and Kara!

Jeanette R. says:
"I really got a lot out of viewing Boot Camp Workout - Week 2.  The "mountain climber" was just the challenge I needed, as I feel like my workouts have been feeling a little drab lately. This is an excellent video!"

Irene says:
"I love the Boot Camp Workout Video - Week 4 where Pam, the fitness instructor, teaches how we can increase our strength with simple equipment that is not too expensive. Simple exercises with dumb bells, which I already have, are very useful. I could do them even when watching TV."

Kara says:
My favourite video is the Boot Camp Workout - Week 5 video. I really like the wood chop move as it works your whole body and you can feel every one of your muscles working. The videos have definitely helped me tone my muscles and I have discovered many new moves, such as the wood chop, to vary my workout and keep me motivated!

Hey - have you checked out our fab, new Yoga 101 video yet?

Also! Did you know that we'll be running Sexy Boot Camp after the holidays? Starting January 3, it's time to shake those January blues and get your groove back with six weeks of free daily e-mails to inspire you to become your strongest, sexiest, most confident self in time for Valentine's Day.

You'll receive fun daily challenges and make-at-home menus for romantic Saturday night dinners. Plus you'll get great workout tips, style guides and advice for how to heat things up in the bedroom. Yeow! Sign up for the newsletter today!

Canadian Living boasts a library of fab Health & Wellness Club workout and fitness videos that you can use year-round to help you get and stay in shape. You can find all our Health & Wellness Club videos here.

Tell us which of Canadian Living's Health & Wellness Club videos is your favourite for a chance to WIN one of three mini-libraries featuring books from all nine of this year's Read for the Cure authors, including Ian Brown, Margaret Atwood, Linden MacIntyre and more. For more information, visit readforthecure.ca.

You have until Sunday, October 31, to post a comment to let us know which Heath & Wellness Club video is your favourite. I'll announce the winner here on November 11. Good luck!

On July 22, I asked you to tell us about what you do to enjoy life for a chance to win a copy of The Mayo Clinic Diet, by the weight-loss experts at Mayo Clinic.

Congratulations to our winner, Sue, who says:
"Here's what I do to enjoy life:

• I play beach volleyball (I started when I was 47)
• I camp and canoe
• I Rollerblade
  
• I bike
• I cook and bake
• I sew
• I spend time with my family
• I am lucky to have a fabulous, sexy husband!"

Wow, lucky indeed! Sounds like you enjoy an active life, Sue. Way to go!

You may have read reports online over the weekend that Health Canada's sodium advisory group says we need to cut our daily salt intake by one third, from about 3,400 milligrams to 2,300 milligrams daily (that's about a teaspoon of salt a day, max).

Sounds good to me. I'll just put away the saltshaker, right?

Hmm . . . turns out that's not going to cut it. In an editorial on Friday, A Roadmap to Less Salt, the Toronto Star reported:

Canadians are putting themselves at risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and other ailments by consuming more than twice the recommended intake of salt. But the culprit is not the shaker on the kitchen table. More than three-quarters of the salt we consume is added by the food industry during processing, long before dinner gets to anyone’s table.

And a Thursday editorial in the Globe and Mail, We're in a Pinch Over Salt, had this to say:

Reducing salt is the single best approach to saving lives, preventing disability and trimming billions of dollars from the health-care system.

"The vast bulk of the burden of cardiovascular disease is preventable through a single, inexpensive, cost-effective measure – primarily, through a strategy to reduce consumption of dietary salt across the population,” the Public Health Agency of Canada says.

Reducing salt intake would do as much for the heart as a reduction in obesity or cholesterol, or the decline in cigarette use. But Canadians can't reduce salt in their diets on their own; 77 per cent of salt intake is from processed foods. They need the government to show leadership.

So in addition to putting away the saltshaker, we need to cut down on processed foods. That means cooking from scratch at home more often and carefully checking the sodium content on your groceries' nutrition information label.

We're here to help

• Here are 44 things you can do with salt (besides eating it).
• Here are over 8,000 delish recipes you can make from scratch at home.
• And here's a fab and easy contest where you can WIN a collection of 10 McCormick Gourmet spices to help you spice up your food without reaching for the salt shaker:

For your chance to WIN, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about how you plan to cut down on your salt intake. You have until Tuesday, August 17 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Wednesday, September 8.