In 2001 D.C ambassador Errick McAdams found himself unemployed and overweight. His fitness “wake up call” came while watching one of those “E True Hollywood Stories” featuring Brad Pitt. “I realized he was 10 years older than me, and looked incredible!” Errick recalls. That’s when he decided to finally use his gym membership. Errick went in with the knowledge he gained from an athletics background and an “I will not fail” attitude.

my fitness wake-up call

Within the first 3 months, I lost over 30 pounds. Other gym members started to notice, and I began training some of them just for fun. I found that my passion for fitness and my personal transformation grew with each workout, and I decided to turn training into a career.

errick after training lululemon founder chip wilson

the key is nutrition

The real key for me, and for countless clients I’ve worked with over the years, is nutrition. Eating right not only affects my waistline, but I’ve found that it directly affects my mood too. While I am dedicated to an eat clean diet (although it's not so much a diet as it is a lifestyle) I’m not perfect. If I slip up on the weekend by indulging in dessert, I know I have to make it up by eating clean and working out harder the during the week. I teach my clients this same best practice as well.

3 tips for clean eating and staying motivated

1. every day is a new day

Start each day with the plan to eat clean, drink water and work out. I play every day like it’s the Superbowl. If you play hard you’ll stay ahead of temptation. If you don’t make it, start again the next day and do better.

2. pay attention to what you eat

If certain food is making you tired, eat less or cut it out of your diet completely. Your metabolism works like a paper shredder. With a paper shredder you can only put a certain amount of sheets through at one time. If you put more than that, the shredder runs funny, and if you continue to feed paper through it, the shredder will overheat and shut down. Sound familiar? If you eat more than what your body can handle at one time (everyone is different but the base rule is 500 calories per meal), you will start to run funny too.

3. abs are made in the kitchen not the gym

Keep good food in your house and you’ll eat good food. Stock your fridge with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, lean meats, salads, and lots of cold water.

playing hard

Without a doubt, my dedication to the combination of both vigorous exercise and eating a clean diet by avoiding processed foods, sugar and starches has changed my life dramatically. It has enabled me to become a successful husband, a happy/positive person and have the best job in the world.

Since talking to Errick, I’ve been paying more attention to what I eat and how it affects my mood. It also helps that every once in a while I get a motivational email from him reminding me to play a game changing day!

want more?

• follow Errick on twitter
• check out Errick's site for more motivation, fitness and nutrition tips!
• Errick's favourite way to stay on track is with livestrong's my plate
• the great debate: to cleanse or not to cleanse

there's an app for that!

livestrong Errick's personal favourite app to help achieve fitness and diet goals

lose it! set a daily calorie budget and stay on track to achieve goals

you asked

I am doing hot yoga and vinyasa. Sometimes I can’t hold a pose - not because I lack strength or balance – but because the arch of my foot hurts. Any clue what that is and what I can do about it?- melanie

a yogi answers

Dear Melanie,

When balancing, try to shift your focus to your core, for you may be placing too much strain on your foot, overworking it a bit. So, think of lifting away from the floor by creating a lift through the belly, which you keep tightly pulled in for a ‘lifting action’ relieving strain from your joints as well (ankles and knees). Always think of defying gravity, and avoid ‘sitting’ or ‘sinking’ into the pose.

You can also try lifting the toes to ensure that you are distributing your body weight across your foot as evenly as possible. In doing so, carefully press the big toe mounds and inner heels down into the floor, and powerfully recoil the arches up into the inner ankles. This may be difficult initially, but will eventually build the strength that you need in your arches.

A daily practice of Virasana, which stretches the top of the foot and strengthens the arches, will be beneficial. Do Virasana (with buttocks on a folded blanket or a block if necessary) whenever possible. While you practice this pose, massage the arches of your feet, pressing on the arches as if cultivating an arch with your thumbs. Also, spread your toes as far apart as possible to avoid foot cramps during Virasana.

- Grace, lululemon Queen St. ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

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