Here is her 3rd installment  be sure to follow along on her journey for the next 3 months ( read them all here )  ..maybe it will inspire you to take the first step on your journey to a healthier fitter you!

I am now into a regular 3 times a week schedule with Tim and not one work out session has been the same , I walk in not knowing what to expect and walk out exhausted and feeling glad it's over, but rather happy that I got through it in one piece.

Each session is a circuit - with different excercises to focus on different body areas...the excercises are done quickly and then there is a rest in between sets. So far I have mostly been in the fitness room rather than the gym itself working with simple equipment- everything from dumbells to steps to kettle bells and my least favorite item so far - big chunky Ropes!   

The ropes were part of a 5 station changing circuit -

1st station -Step - I had to do a variety of diferent step moves that changed each circuit - standard stepping up and down,  side to side across step, push ups and alternate knee to chest,  burpees and jumping burpees for 2 minutes high intensity

2nd Station - 15lb dumbell- variety of arm and chest excercises - 15 reps each arm

3rd Station- Ropes - big heavy ropes that i had to shake, twirl and pretend to do double dutch moves ..for 2 minutes- OUCH!   

4th Station - Mat - for a variety of different Sit Ups- for 2 mins

5th station- Bands - hooked up high for a variety of diferent pull ups

I was absolutely exhausted after this session and interestingly I found out that I am a grunter ...who knew! At one point after attempting pull ups where I had to bring my knees up to my chest i think I sounded like I was giving birth - one startled guy nearly walked into the wall when he passed by and heard the moans of pain, and Tim took a not very flattering picture of me laid on the floor, a sweaty mess reaching for my water bottle.

The next day my shoulders and arms ached...Tim is very good at pushing you past your 'I give up point' and working with him is so great , he explains everything and his focus is to make sure that I (and my body) never get bored with these workouts!   

Just 2 weeks in and I can feel and see a difference - I have lost 2% bodyfat already and my clothes are a little looser, which feels great .

I do have a confession to make though...Im finding the diet more tricky to stick to, and I have cheated a few times - Tim just sucked in breath`and shook his head when I admitted to having Fish and Chips for lunch on Wednesday ....my excuse ..I am from the UK, I can`t resist good fish and chips from Gibsons!

I am so busy with work and kids, and being on the move  that I am still forgetting to eat 5 times a day and end up eating too much and occasionally the wrong stuff - i need to plan my meals more and have healthy snacks with me all the time....and I do like wine....I mean I really LOVE wine ....but noone said this was going to be easy, I am not going to beat myself up about it.

This week I am going to make an absolute effort not to cheat in anyway, and I intend to fit some cardio into my schedule at home- I have a dusty hula hoop and a treadmill that hasn`t been turned on in months in the basement .... its time to get physical!  `

At Fitness Focus, the goal is to offer a fitness center with a welcoming,fun and safe environment that all ages can enjoy. They are a forerunner in the fitness industry in Saskatoon . With the ever changing fitness demands of new and improved classes, training; and nutrition. They are your TRUSTED SASKATOON FITNESS EXPERTS!  

Here Kristin helps Heather do the perfect squats - to get the booty in shape!

Print a Free 2-Week Trial Membership for you and your friends. If you're looking for a gym in Saskatoon and have never tried Fitness Focus, this pass is for you to come experience the great atmosphere, people and all the major ammenities Fitness Focus offers. For 2 weeks you will have access to The Weight Room, Cardio Theatre, All Group Fitness Classes, Unlimited Tanning, Free Towel Service, Free Lockers and more... click HERE to print yours

Find Fitness Focus Health & Athletic Centre at 1250 Ontario Avenue, or check out their listing here in the Saskatoon Fitness & Gyms Category on THE Saskatoon directory of excellence. They are YOUR Trusted experts right here in Saskatoon!

Half of Canadians don’t have Emergency Savings – Which half are you in?

An emergency savings account is the essential component of every successful financial plan. The key to an emergency account is to start allocating a dollar amount every pay period. Many Canadians are lulled into thinking that a line of credit or a credit card is their emergency account – it is not! If you have an emergency, such as a job loss or a medical crisis, the last thing you need is more debt that would only add to your stress.

Set up your emergency account separately from your other savings.

The savings could still be within your Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA), but in a separate, low risk fund. Start by contributing a regular amount from every pay cheque – you can have it withdrawn directly from your account so that is automatic and simple. Increase the amount every time you receive a raise. Your goal is to build it so that it could cover 3 months of your net income. Use it only for emergencies or opportunities and replace as soon as possible if you do have to dip into the account.

Here is another tip: Deposit half of every tax refund, bonus or any other lump sum of money that you receive into your emergency savings and then have fun with the rest!

When you have an emergency account in place – you will never have to cash in RRSPs, put debt on your credit card or line of credit. You will be able to handle emergencies with less stress or be able to take advantage of opportunities knowing that you have a cushion to fall back on. You will be able to sleep at night.

Q. DeAnne Robblee asked: Why is it important to use licensed Software and why can't we "borrow" it from a friend?

A. This depends largely on what kind of software we are talking about, but in general there are several reasons to legitimately purchase the software you use regularly. One is security updates. Sometimes faults in the software are found after the software is released, and to protect yourself from intrusion or system compromise you will require updates from the vendor to patch the faults, which they are unlikely to provide if you have not purchased the software. - The second reason is for features and support. Purchasing the software means that down the road if a new version comes out with new features likely you are entitled to receive those new features free of additional charge. - From a business perspective creating a product or offering a service using stolen tools can have legal consequences, and in the end typically costs you more to maintain than if you had just purchased licensing upfront.

Q. Julia Herperger asked :What are the things I need to do to keep my computer in tip-top shape? I'd like to know this, and I'm sure a lot of other people would, too! Thank you! 

A. Like a vehicle you should decide up-front when you buy your computer whether you plan to maintain it yourself or have it serviced by a professional. In a normal environment with normal use once a year is likely sufficient to keep your computer operating normally. On a highly used machine once every 6 months is more appropriate. Similarly in a dirty/hairy/dusty environment once every 6 months maintenance is needed. So on a highly used machine in a dirty environment where the computer is inside a closet or cabinet, probably once every 2-3 months maintenance should be performed. 

Maintenance consists of:

 Cleaning and inspecting your tower (hardware)

• Confirm that all your fans are spinning and free of dust / debris , take the side of your case opposite the mainboard off, turn your computer on and watch and listen to your chassis and component fans. Ground yourself before touching any of the components  . Tools like static straps and mats are available if you’re concerned that you are not grounded properly. 
• Most importantly your Graphics Processing Unit (Video Card) Fan and your Central Processing Unit (CPU) Fan must be clear of dust and debris and be operating normally o To remove dust/debris from your computer use compressed air. Do not use a vacuum. Using a vacuum can cause a build-up of static electricity that will likely discharge into the sensitive components in your case causing damage.
• After a thorough cleaning using compressed air (particularly from a can) make sure to leave your computer off for 30 minutes after blowing out your case before turning it back on. The compressed air from a can contains minute amounts of water vapour that can cause a short if not allowed to dry
• Inspect your components for visible signs of failure - Press gently on your RAM modules and hard drive / peripheral device connections to make sure everything is seated firmly
• Look at your mainboard and power supply for swollen or leaking capacitors
• Look at your components for discoloration or other signs of heat damage

 Cleaning and inspecting software - This is about maintaining the software you use regularly 

 Your operating system requires maintenance. If you are using a licensed version of Microsoft Windows this means performing vendor updates, removing temporary files and unused programs, checking for errors in the event logs and if they exist resolving them, and removing unused entries from the Windows registry.

 Backups of the system state are also part of maintaining your computer. These should be stored on a device other than your primary boot disk. Your applications and data require maintenance and backup. If you use the internet regularly you should be applying available vendor updates for your internet browser, cleaning out unneeded temporary internet files and uninstalling unused toolbars and favourites. If you use local email you should be applying updates to your email client and backing up your email data. If you use Photoshop or Word you should be applying their applicable updates and backing up your pictures and your word documents… etc and so forth.

 *There are many software packages available that will help you automate and document the software side of your maintenance, such as CCleaner and Malware bytes

Trusted Saskatoon.com THE Saskatoon Directory   is proud to be hosting a Talk to the Experts show " The Trusted Show' Every Month on Newstalk 650 ..the first show aired June 9th.  Find them all on our Trusted Channel on You Tube which is a fabulous resource of Tips , Interviews, Demos and Tours.

What this means is you can listen to all the shows ON DEMAND, you can share them with friends who may be interested in the shows subjects and this makes sure you never have to miss a Trusted Show - we think out of the Box when it comes to marketing, so we can provide the BEST Possible service for YOU the public- we are the Ony Local Directory that works for you!  

This latest show we are featuring is the TRUSTED SASKATOON  BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SHOW

The show that aired on Newstalk 650 CKOM in september 2012 features Sara the Trusted Founder chatting to Brent Loucks about Trusted and how it works,  along with some of the the Saskatoon Trusted Partners on the Saskatoon Directory of excellence. 

All of the questions on the show have been submitted by our wonderful Trusted saskatoon Facebook Fans  ad one lucky fans question was chosen by Brent to win the Prize package submitted by the 3 Trusted Businesses worth over $200!

 The 2nd part of the show featured Bridge City Computers your . Bridge City had the most questions submitted from the Trusted Saskatoon Facebook Fans, and he revealed some pretty interesting dos and dont's when it comes to looking after your laptop or home computer.

The show was wrapped up by Virgil Reed from Reed Securities our Trusted Saskatoon Alarm & Securities Company . Reed Securities have had an amazing 2012 and were revealed as the 2012 SABEX Award winners in 2 categories- Customer Service ( Go figure..they are Trusted !) and Small Business of the Year! Virgil built Reed Securities from scratch and he answers some great questions from our Clever fans...including the one we ALL wanted to know ...how come it only costs $5 a month for monitoring to be a REED Security domestic Client ?  

CONGRATULATIONS Trish Plancot Voldeng - your question was chosen and you won a $50 VISA gift Certificate from Bodnrus auctioneering, 2 x $25 Gift Certificates from Reed Securities and a fabulous Gaming Mouse from Bridge City computers- they are your Trusted saskatoon Business and Professional Services Experts!

Trish has been a winner in our Facebook contests more than once , winning concet tickets, Gift Certificates and more in the last 12 months alone -----WHY? Simple ..she always enters!

it always pays to be a fan or a follower  ( on twitter @Trustedcanada ) of Trusted! 

Contests and things to be won all the time!