Even if you're skeptical of the intentions behind Canada's $4.7-billion fitness industry, the science showing the benefits of moving our bodies can't be ignored: improved mood, better sleep and more energy are just a few. So why is it still so hard to fit movement into our days?
If new-year energy has you thinking about starting or recommitting to regular activity, here are some expert tips on how to approach your journey with curiosity and set yourself up to make your new habit stick. What to focus on It can be tough to separate the health benefits of regular movement from the idea of looking "better" or losing weight. "We sort of overemphasize that, or we conflate physical benefits with looking a certain way," said Leigh Potvin, director and assistant professor at the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. "I like taking the weight loss out of it for beginners," said Chloe Alleyne, a Toronto-based fitness and wellness coach and creator of the Sweat Movement. She says she frequently sees it become an unnecessarily discouraging measure for people, especially in the first few months of their fitness journey. It can be helpful to keep your focus on the benefits that have nothing to do with getting rock-hard abs. Regular activity can reduce the risk of disease in the long term, says Alleyne, but it can also improve your ability to do everyday activities like getting up from a chair or lifting heavy bags. "Move your body so that you can move more easily in your body," she suggested. It's also important, says Alleyne, to get clear about your "why" — what's your motivation for wanting to stay active? Maybe you want to improve your back pain or be able to keep up with your grandkids. Alleyne enjoys the boost she gets: "At the end of the movement that I choose to do," she said, "I always feel better than when I started." How to get started Alleyne suggests finding an activity that you enjoy doing and says that doesn't have to happen anywhere near a gym. "Movement can be meeting up with your girlfriend and going for a walk a few times a week. It could be doing a workout in your living room. It could be playing with your kids at the playground." "If there's like a little idea bubbling in your head," Potvin said, "like, 'Oh, I've always wanted to try this, but that seems silly' — no, try it!" Sign up for that indoor roller skating club or adult ballet class you've been curious about. It's also important to make an honest assessment of who you are, says Potvin. Do you like to work out at home or away from home? In the mornings, evenings or on your lunch break? "Really think about how this is going to fit into your life in a realistic way, and not in a, like, 'new year, new you,' you're gonna get up every morning at 5 a.m. [kind of way]." Potvin also discourages the common tactic of trying to guilt yourself into working out by paying for expensive equipment or a gym membership. "I don't think anyone is motivated that way," she said. "Then you just feel shame that you spent $5,000 on something you're not using." Setting up a dedicated space for staying active at home can be very inexpensive, says Alleyne. "There's so much you can do on … the actual area space of a yoga mat." Pick up a few dumbbells or resistance bands, and you're ready to go, she adds. You might also want to start small, says Alleyne: "If you're new to it, don't feel like you have to conquer this one-hour quote-unquote workout. Start off with 10 minutes and see how that feels." It takes about that long for the feel-good endorphins to kick in, she explains, so after those first 10 minutes, you might want to keep going. Alleyne also suggests considering group fitness classes, like the type you might find at a YMCA or public recreation facility. "Group fitness is amazing for beginners because there are so many different people at different levels in the class. And that socialization aspect of group fitness is just, I think it's unmatched." For some of us, says Potvin, a barrier to being active can be personal trauma; difficult feelings can come up when we move our bodies. And sometimes, movement itself can be the source of that trauma: "You talk to people, and they're like, 'I hated high school phys. ed.,' right?" she said. In that case, she suggests working with a therapist and finding a trauma-informed personal trainer if funds allow. Forget willpower Neither Alleyne or Potvin are fans of the concept of willpower. "Willpower just kind of tells us we have to constantly be pushing and pushing … [and] ignoring our bodies to achieve something," said Potvin. "But you can be working towards a goal and … still afford yourself kindness and rest." Alleyne said she used to be that "no pain, no gain" person, but she's since shifted her mindset. "Talking to yourself like that does more damage than good. So be kind to yourself, be compassionate. You know, talk to yourself as you would a friend." How to keep it up Before regular movement becomes a habit you enjoy, you might want to make use of a trick called temptation bundling, says Alleyne, and pair it with something you already take pleasure in, like a good podcast, music or TV show. She also suggests making things a little easier by reducing the number of choices you have to make around your movement. Lay out your workout clothes the night before, or even sleep in them. Make a high-energy playlist. Schedule your activity in your calendar. It can also be helpful to find a friend, whether you're working out together or just texting each other for support, says Alleyne. For Potvin, movement is a chance to socialize. "I'm officially the middle-aged woman who gets up at 6 a.m. to work out with her friends, but that's the time I get with my friends." An online community can be helpful, too, and there's something out there for everyone. "If you're 60-plus," Alleyne said, "there's a content creator out there creating workouts for 60-plus." However, she cautions that you want to be sure the accounts you're following are promoting sustainable wellness goals and not gimmicky quick fixes. On the days when you truly don't feel up to working out, Potvin says it's important to honour where you're at. "I really see movement as the ultimate celebration of the body," she said. "So how are you going to feel ready to celebrate if … you're being mean to yourself?" she asked. "That doesn't make me want to party — that makes me want to go take a nap."
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Small steps to creating new habits could be the key to keeping your New Year’s resolution.
Just a few days into 2024, many people have their new resolutions weighing heavy on their minds and it’s no surprise that getting into shape is a popular goal. Fitness and nutrition experts, however, say it’s important to think about your long-term health rather than just losing weight. According to multiple experts, the number one mistake people make is setting unrealistic goals and then feeling bad for failing. “They enter a gym for the first time in 20 years and then they (want to) go six times a week, two hours per session,” said Gabriel Hardy, general director of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada. “They cut everything. They don’t eat cake anymore, they don’t eat dessert, they don’t drink wine.” Dr. Henry Mahncke, a neuroscientist and CEO of Brain HQ, agreed. “I think the biggest issue is we treat it like a moral issue. You’re a good person if you stick to it and you’re a bad person if you fail and we should think about it like a learning issue,” he said. Experts on all sides emphasize the importance of speaking with a trainer before getting started. The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. “If you come in very high strung and high stress maybe a hard workout isn’t what you need right away. Maybe you need to meet with one of our mindfulness professionals and go over that first,” said U.N.I fitness owner and trainer Chris Ince. The same goes for nutrition. “Whenever possible, getting tailored advice is extremely important,” said registered dietician Vanessa Perrone. “Especially with the overwhelming amount of information that we have that is not meant to be individualized.” Science also proves that those who are ready to make being healthy a lifestyle rather than just trying to lose weight are the ones who succeed. “The majority of the work, and where people struggle the most is really behind the scenes,” Perrone added. “The consistency with the groceries, the consistency with the planning and getting the food on the plate is an essential part of being healthy,” she added. Perrone who is also the author of Everyday Mediterranean stressed the importance of where your food is coming from 80 per cent of the time. “Is it mainly fresh foods or processed foods?” Asked Perrone. “It doesn’t have to be 100 per cent of the time, mainly 80 per cent.” Whether it’s cooking more meals at home or setting realistic fitness goals it’s important to celebrate small wins. “That’s how the brain learns and rewires itself and that’s how we can build new habits that can actually become lifelong habits,” said Dr. Mahncke. It’s the same concept for fitness goals, when just beginning. “Go for a minimum of three times a week and just go exercising,” said Hardy. “Don’t worry about changing anything else in your life just start moving.” Both the fitness and nutrition industry agreed, the more the public shifts their focus from aesthetics to health the more successful they’ll be. * the following article was written by Global News Toronto . https://globalnews.ca/news/10204643/setting-realistic-goals-for-new-years-resolutions-is-key-experts-say/ Bacteria and viruses are the most common causes of food poisoning, which includes any illness or disease you may get from eating contaminated food. Food safety practices in the home address ways to stop or destroy these threats before you sit down at the table.
You can get food poisoning from any type of food. The CDC estimates that leafy vegetables cause more foodborne illnesses than any other type of food — about 22 percent of all cases. But poultry-related foodborne illnesses cause the most deaths — 19 percent. Dairy products rank second for both illnesses and deaths — about 14 and 10 percent respectively. Foods Responsible for Most Foodborne Illnesses Produce 45.9 Dairy 13.8 Meat 12.2 Poultry 9.8 Seafood 6.1 Eggs 6 Grains and Beans 4.5 Undetermined 1.1 Oils and Sugars 0.7 Read the full article here: https://www.consumernotice.org/products/food-safety-guide/ All the staffs at PWF dressed up halloween costumes and trained our clients on halloween weekend. It was a lot of fun and everyone had a great time taking photos with big smile and laughter.
Prime Wellness Fitness is hosting a walking event with all members and non-members October 16th 2021 Saturday 10am at Huntington Park. As the Season of Maple leaves has come to us, PWF would like to have some fun time as we still work for our fitness goals. We'll see you all there!
Prime Wellness Fitness is going to host ONLINE YOGA CLASS from April 6 - April 29 and it is ABSOLUTELY FREE!!
It's going to be on Tuesday & Thursday 9am and 6pm (4classes/week) and about an hour long. Anyone and any level can join these classes and have a lot of fun! If you're not PWF member and want to join these classes, visit our website www.primewellnessfit.com and register. Once you're registered, we will send you an email with a Zoom link to join. Any questions or inquiries, please email us info@primewellnessfit.com or call 365-597-4646 . Looking forward to seeing you soon Prime Wellness Fitness hosted a webinar last Saturday Feb 27 featuring a Melissa Ieraci (Sports Nutrition Specialist from Designs for Health) and talked about how to boost immune system during this Pandemic Lockdown. It was such an amazing time to see everyone loving the new information and knowledge they learn. Prime Wellness Fitness promise to continue helping our neighbours and communities around us to make their lives better and healthier.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Today is the day for your love and “maybe” some DARK chocolate that you’ve been craving.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go all out and consume lots of chocolate every day. It is still loaded with calories and easy to overeat. Maybe have a square or two after dinner and try to really savor them. Also be aware that a lot of the chocolate on the market is not healthy. Choose quality stuff — dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content Benefits of DARK chocolate are 1.Powerful Source of Antioxidants 2.May Improve Blood Flow and Lower Blood Pressure 3.Raises HDL and Protects LDL From Oxidation 4.May Reduce Heart Disease Risk 5.May Protect Your Skin From the Sun 6.Could Improve Brain Function Prime Wellness Fitness featured in a book called "The 100 pound war" written by our successful client James Rice. He wrote about how he could lose over 100 pounds and transform his body with the fat loss program designed by Prime Wellness Fitness.
Prime Wellness Fitness' Black Friday is just around the corner.
November 23-27, you can get upto 30% off on all supplements that you need! Don't miss this great chance. |
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