Poor Posture Causes More Than Just Pain

In addition to the symptoms of pain listed above, poor posture and sitting consistently for prolonged periods can also contribute to:

• depression
• digestive problems such as constipation
• poor circulation
• reduced breathing capacity
• muscle wasting
• increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes
• Vitamin D deficiency (from lack of sunlight)
• irritability, fatigue, and eye strain

Outside of quitting your job and buying a farm what can we do to combat these effects?

In these very brief videos (only 30 seconds each) I provide Four Quick Tips to Improve Your Posture:

Do you have any additional posture tips you want to share? Post them below!

It seems counter-intuitive. We see the message on television commercials and in the grocery aisles – FAT FREE! Is it possible that you could actually be worse off eating fat free foods? Yes – in fact you may actually GAIN MORE FAT by eating fat free foods. How could this be possible?

War on Fat

The war on fat has been going hard-core for at least a decade now and marketers and consumers are listening. The other day I was at the grocery store looking for some ‘regular’ yogurt. By regular I mean fatty yogurt – the way it WAS MEANT TO BE! I spent almost 10 minutes trying to find it. I had to try and divert my attention from the flashy, slick labels professing zero fat and fat reduced. These products dominate the prime real estate of the yogurt aisle!

Reasons to Ingest Fat

Fat is one of the three macro nutrient classes that humans NEED to consume in addition to Protein and Carbohydrates. Fat is important for:

• proper brain/nerve functioning
• insulation and energy storage
• protection for our organs
• absorption of Vitamins D, E, A, and K
• hormone regulation

While it is true that excess fat intake is bad for you – certain fats are needed and actually HEALTHY! The Omega 3 fatty acids that are found in fresh cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are very good for us. We will go into more detail about Omega 3 vs Omega 6 in a future post. Other good fats include extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocados. Stay away from cooking oils from deep fried foods and anything that says hydrogenated vegetable oil. Basically anything that is processed. Hydrogenation helps preserve the product but this raises trans fat which has been shown to raise LDL (low density lipoprotein). Those fats ARE BAD!

5 Reasons to Stay Away From Fat Free Foods

1. Fat Substitute #1 – If there is no fat then how do you make it taste good? Add some fillers like starch or vegetable gums. Do you know what a lot of the tasty ‘fat free’ yogurts have in them? CORN!!! Check out ‘corn starch’ in the ingredient list. Mmmmmmm corn yogurt!
2. Overeating – Because there is no fat – there is nothing to tell the body that you’re full as fat satiates (indicates a feeling of fullness). So you end up craving other fatty foods like poutine. This results in more fat gain!
3. Nature – Good old Mother Nature doesn’t manufacture fat free animals so why should we? Butter, meat, ice cream, sour cream, cheese, mayonnaise etc. are SUPPOSED to have fat! That is why they are so delicious!
4. Vitamin Deficiency – Eating fat-free salad dressing will decrease or inhibit your ability to absorb D, E, A, K (the fat soluble) vitamins. That is why a good salad topper is extra virgin olive oil. Always remember to eat good fat with your vegetables.
5. Fat Substitute #2 – Another easy way to make it tasty without the fat – add sugar! Even worse are the artificial sweeteners. As in Fat Substitute #1, people tend to crave more sugary foods if they are ingesting artificial ones. It is more common for people to gain weight by taking in too many carbohydrates (sugars) rather than too much fat.

So – eat the good fats, reduce the bad ones and GET OFF YOUR ADIPOSE TISSUE and BE ACTIVE!!!

Laden with Antioxidants, Vitamins, Dietary Fibre, and Energy.

Ingredients (serves two)
Try and buy organic where possible.

• 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
• 5 strawberries
• 6 blackberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 2 figs (de-stemmed with skin on)
• 1 banana (not pictured above)
• 1 Tbsp flax oil
• 3 Tbsp yogurt (don’t buy fat free!)
• 1 Tsp Spirulina (dark green algae)

Mix them up in a blender and you have a delicious, nutritious smoothie to help jump start your day!

Health Benefits

In addition to the above mentioned nutrients, these shakes are very high in antioxidants which have been implicated in anti-aging strategies. The dietary fibre and yogurt bacteria (lactobacillus) will help aid your digestive system. Flax is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids (good fats). Spirulina boosts energy by unlocking sugar from the cells.

Note: this is NOT a meal replacement – just a fantastic nutritious drink!

For over a decade I have been helping people live healthier lifestyles. The cornerstone of my advice is YOU NEED TO EXERCISE! Exercise has many flavours which is great as a variety of activities is best for your body. Almost everyone understands the importance of cardiovascular fitness (cardio) but very few understand the importance of resistance training.

One of the most common reasons women give for not lifting weights is ‘I don’t want to bulk up.’ Ladies – please throw this common misconception away! Testosterone is the primary ‘muscle building’ hormone within the body and men produce up to 20 times as much as women. Therefore unless you, as a female, are lifting really heavy weights (low rep/high set) and consuming a diet really high in animal protein and calories – it is really hard to add muscle ‘bulk.’

Here are 5 great reasons for women to lift weights and take their body to the NEXT LEVEL!

1. Increased Metabolic Rate – By adding new muscle to the body you are increasing the body’s ability to burn calories even at rest. Let’s face it – when most women head to the gym, they are thinking – I need to burn calories! Muscle has a higher energy demand than fat so as you shave off fat and increase muscle, you will burn more calories per day and stay leaner.

2. Increased Tone & Bone – Want to firm up your butt? Try doing some squats and lunges with weights and tighten up those gluts! Lifting weights will start to create new muscle definition that you didn’t even know you had. Also, by adding muscle you will increase your bone density and be less likely to develop osteoporosis (weak, fracture prone bones) as you age. Speak to one of our trainers to make sure you have proper form.

3. Increased Libido – By lifting weights and improving your body image you will become more comfortable naked. A small increase in testosterone (don’t worry – it isn’t very much) can also make you crave ‘sexy time’ a little more often!

4. Increased Functional Strength – By increasing overall strength you will be able to perform the activities of daily living better. For example – you and your partner purchase a funky sofa. Now you can help lift it up the stairs instead of calling over the weird man next door that tends to creep you out with his longer than socially acceptable stares.

5. Decreased Chance of Injury – As long as you use proper technique you will decrease your chances of injury. For example – you’re walking on an icy sidewalk and your knee buckles slightly but you don’t fall down. Because you have strengthened your legs through resistance training the muscles provided stability in the knee. Compare that to someone with poor muscle development and they will likely have torn a ligament in the knee as their knee buckles and they fall down.

Some Tips to Incorporate Weights into your Workouts

If you decide on lifting weights a good set/rep combo is 3 sets of 8-12 reps. You should be using a weight that makes you fatigued as you approach the last rep. If you can easily do 10 or 12 reps than choose a heavier weight. Work each body part at least once a week. Multi-joint exercises are preferable, especially at the beginning of your workout (and more bang for your buck) than single isolation exercises like bicep curls. A few examples of multi-joint exercises are bench press, seated row, wide grip pull-downs, lunges, squats and deadlifts. For those intimidated by trying weights on their own, GoodLife offers a fantastic group exercise class – BodyPump. Try it out!

Incorporate resistance training in your workouts and get JACKED UP but not bulked up!

Note: If you are new to resistance exercise it is highly recommended you consult with a strength and conditioning professional.

Every year millions of people proclaim their New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. As a health and fitness expert I tend to minimize the usage of the term ‘lose weight.’

Why?

I don’t believe people should become too obsessive over a particular target weight. As long as you are exercising, which along with a proper diet is the BEST way to lose fat, then you will be adding muscle mass. Lean muscle mass weights more than fat. Did you know that one pound of fat occupies more space than one pound of muscle? Although you will be losing fat, you will also be adding on more lean muscle mass becoming both slimmer and stronger!

So how do I shred fat and keep it off for good?

Consistency

Exercising in a consistent pattern is habit forming. Your body likes to be in a pattern so if you regularly work out 4-6 times per week for a few months it will become the ‘new normal’ for you. You will feel like garbage if you go a week without a workout.

Workout Buddy

Having a workout buddy doesn’t necessarily mean you work out together. It could be a friend or co-worker at your office that you walk to the gym with and go your separate ways during your workout. This way someone is holding you accountable. On the days when you feel like skipping the workout, your workout buddy can help motivate you and vice versa when they are feeling low on energy.

Build Muscle

Don’t fall into the ‘fat-burning trap’ and think that the only way to lose fat is by doing cardio. A combination of resistance exercises (weights) AND cardio is the ticket to a smaller waistline! Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat does and therefore your metabolism will be increased.

Decrease Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is an often overlooked factor in those looking to lose weight and shave off fat. A big night of drinking can provide the equivalent of an entire daily caloric intake! Some of these extra calories can be stored as fat.

Eating

Those that skip breakfast are more likely to overeat later in the day. Look at your body like a furnace. It needs fuel to fire. Smaller more frequent meals are preferred over a massive dinner serving. While we are on the subject of food, increase your vegetable, fruit, seed and nut intake while reducing your grain, dairy, and sugar intake. Eat pastured meat (animals that graze in a field as they were intended as opposed to grain fed ‘super-farms’). Avoid processed foods and choose to make home cooked meals rather than prepared ones. Stop drinking pop too – that stuff is nasty!

Follow these 5 tips and you will be on your way to a leaner, healthier body in the New Year! Do you have any tips I’ve missed? I’d love to hear about them below.

Disclaimer: As you can appreciate entire books have been written on proper dietary considerations. This post only briefly touched upon a few of the changes that are beneficial to fat loss.

As we enter into the coldest and darkest months of the year, the temperature and amount of sunshine aren’t the only things that drop. Vitamin D levels in the blood drop as well, leaving many Canadians deficient and in most cases very deficient.

Why? Midday sunshine exposure on the skin is the best way to make Vitamin D but as winter arrives, our Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and the rays are less powerful. This makes the proper amount of Vitamin D synthesis almost impossible.

Vitamin D Implications

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with many diseases and conditions involving cardiovascular and bone health, the immune system and cancer.

But how do we make Vitamin D?

Ultraviolet Radiation B or UVB hits the skin triggering cholesterol into a hormonal pathway leading to Vitamin D synthesis. Conversely, cholesterol levels may rise due to lack of sunlight conversion into Vitamin D during darker months. Also – melanin, the determinant of skin, hair and eye colour is our body’s natural sunscreen. This pigment absorbs UV radiation from the sun.

Human Migration

Because humans evolved over many thousands of years in more equatorial (sunny) regions like the horn of Africa – darker skin (more melanin) was preferred as it is more resilient to solar radiation (less chance of sunburn). This also means that those with darker skin require higher levels of sun exposure for Vitamin D synthesis then that of someone with lighter skin colour due to higher concentrations of melanin absorbing UVB. So as humans started migrating into more northern and southern climates with less sunshine our need for darker skin wasn’t as strong. Therefore generations of living in less sunshine resulted in lighter skin colour which meant that the skin was more sensitive to UVB radiation. (Think of what happens when fair skinned individuals go to the tropics – sunburns!). Although these adaptations have helped fair skinned individuals synthesize Vitamin D with less sunshine, the amount of rays necessary in the winter months are not enough. Unfortunately sitting indoors all day staring at artificial sources of light does not help synthesize Vitamin D!

How Improve Vitamin D Levels

The only way to know for certain if you are deficient is to get a blood test to measure your serum 25 (OH) D levels. If you are deficient, as many of us are, start supplementing with cod liver oil – the best source of Vitamin D (1 Tbsp. = 1300IU). Shoot for at least 1000IU of Vitamin D/day. Vitamin D supplementation is extremely safe. Although milk is fortified with Vitamin D it isn’t the best source (1 cup = 120IU). Try and get out into the sun more and increase UVB ray exposure. Sunshine exposure guidelines – for those with light skin 15 minutes and those with dark skin up to an hour preferably in a more equatorial region. Use sunscreen if in the sun for longer periods. Even more reason to take a winter tropical getaway!

Just when I thought boot camps and military style training couldn’t get any more popular the Tough Mudder has brought it to a new level! The previous week I was busy preparing 15 patients to go to war (well, not quite). Tough Mudder is an endurance race of 25 obstacles spread out over 10-12 miles designed by British Special Forces. Their tagline is “Probably the toughest event on the planet.”

My patients were coming in prior to the race to get injuries looked after, muscles stretched out and certain body parts taped up with kinesiotape. I couldn’t help but feel excitement for their immense challenge. In fact – I started really wishing I had signed up. This year I did my first triathlon and although it was no easy feat – not participating in the Tough Mudder is making me feel inadequate!

It has been fascinating to watch the evolution of fitness over the past decade with bootcamps and more recently obstacle course training increasing in popularity. It seems new races are popping up all the time with Warrior Dash, Spartan Race, Dirty Girl, and Run for Your Lives in addition to Tough Mudder. As the trend continues so will other race companies.

Team Work

Although most of these races are more individual feats of athleticism, my patients have reported that the Tough Mudder has a team feel about it. I’ve been told that there is an unbelievable rush of camaraderie with everyone helping each other through the obstacles. Your finish time isn’t as important as completing the grueling event – I’ve heard times range from 2.5-6+ hrs depending on how large a team you have. An event like this can be life-changing as some people are pushed to overcome fears of height, claustrophobia, and swimming in addition to mental and physical tests of endurance. Participants report the amazing sense of accomplishment that if you can conquer this event – you can do anything!

It is no doubt that this fitness trend will continue to gain in popularity and become a more mainstream way of exercising. Maybe the increasing popularity of these extreme races is a backlash to our increasing levels of sitting and computing.

Now that the positive word of mouth is spreading like wildfire I have been inspired to do one of these events to challenge my mind and body. If you are looking at changing up your exercise routine this might be a great way to do it!

Have you participated in any of these obstacle course races? Please share your experience below – I’d love to hear about it!

Can you do one or two of the following relatively well: swimming, cycling, or running? Then you should definitely try a triathlon! In my case I’m an average runner and cyclist but a poor swimmer. Although I’m very comfortable in the water and can swim breast stroke for hours – that doesn’t make a good triathlon swimmer. In retrospect, because I had no formal training in front crawl/freestyle, I should have devoted at least three months to learning this important stroke. Ten self-taught swimming lessons didn’t quite cut it! After my experience, I can provide some helpful advice to you budding Triathletes.

Here are 5 tips to help you towards a successful first triathlon!

New research is revealing what many people have known for decades – the benefits of being outside in a natural setting. Over the years we have increased our time spent with computers, televisions and handheld devices, increased our commute times and flocked into urban areas. A side effect of these lifestyles is higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and obesity. Another side effect is a disconnect with nature. Richard Louv author of Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle makes the case that ‘nature-deficit’ is contributing to obesity, attention disorders and depression.

Why is nature good for the brain?

According to Andrea Faber, PhD, most of our work day is devoted to directed-attention ability activities which helps us stay on task, take an exam or drive in heavy traffic. Directed attention—while useful for success in many life functions—demands concentrated effort. It leaves us feeling mentally fatigued and even stressed.

Contrast that with the feeling you get when immersed in nature. Most people report feeling refreshed and recharged. Walking in a forest and noticing the way the sunlight shines through the leaves as they shimmer in the wind. Watching the perpetual flow of a stream or noticing a large hawk circling overhead. These visual stimuli activate our brains involuntary attention which can help restore our directed-attention ability. Another way of putting it is what some refer to as ‘flow’ or ‘being in the moment’. When you walk in forest your mind can just wander from different sights, smells, and sounds taking attention away from work and financial stress.

Dr. Alan C. Logan, co-author of Your Brain, On Nature reports brain-imaging techniques show that when healthy adults view nature scenes rich in vegetation, areas of the brain associated with emotional stability, empathy, and love are more active. These same pathways are activated when a person looks at pictures of a loved one. In contrast, viewing scenes of the built urban environment produced a significant increase in activity of the amygdala, an area of the brain associated with fear and stress. These findings support previous investigations showing that nature scenes can enhance brain-wave activity in ways that are similar to the benefits of meditation.

How to get health benefits naturally?

Make a concerted effort to get into nature more frequently. You don’t have to go up north into the wilderness for these positive mental effects. The studies have shown that walking in parks, waterfront trails, and ravines within cities still provide benefit. Instead of heading to the gym to run on the treadmill for 20 minutes – find an outdoor trail or park to run in. Skip the spinning class in place of an outdoor ride or hike in a ravine. Just try and find balance to your hectic lifestyle and enjoy nature the way we are programmed to do!

Choosing a running shoe becomes a lot easier if you know what type of foot you have. To determine your foot type – try the wet foot test. This can be done a number of ways. The most exotic and expensive way to figure this out is by flying to your favourite tropical beach and walking barefoot on the wet sand. Look at your foot imprint. Does it look really full as in #2 below? Is it skinny and narrow looking like #3 or somewhere in between like #1?

A cheaper and less glamorous test would be to place a piece of paper on the floor – dip your foot into a bathtub on step down on the paper. The best way to figure this out is to schedule a gait analysis with a professional who can also determine if corrective devices such as orthotics may be of benefit.

Regardless of how you figure out your foot type you should generally fall within one of the following three descriptions:

1. Neutral

The style of foot will generally follow proper biomechanics. As the foot hits the ground it lands on the outside of the heel (supination) and then rolls inward slightly (pronation). The pronation movement helps to absorb shock.

Shoe Choice? Stability shoe with minimal to no motion control.

2. Low Arch (Pes Planus aka Flat foot)

This is the most common type of foot I see in clinical practice due to faulty biomechanics resulting in overpronation (excessive inward rolling). This overpronation can lead to a number of issues including shin splints, knee pain, bunions, and hallux valgus (outward movement of the big toe). Having a flat foot can also lead to plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot).

If you fall in this category it is highly recommended you have your feet assessed by a professional to see if you may benefit from custom foot orthotics.

Shoe Choice? If you don’t have orthotics to help support your fallen arch you will want to find a shoe that has motion control/stability.

3. High Arch (Pes Cavus)

The high arched foot is less common. Generally the most common bio-mechanical fault with a high arch is oversupination (rolling outward of the foot). Usually lacking in pronation (shock absorption) these feet are exposed to higher levels of forces.

Excessive forces may also increase your risk of a stress fracture. Sprained ankles may be more common with this foot type with the rolling outward motion. As with the flat foot the high arch can also have plantar fascia and metatarsalgia.

Shoe Choice? Ample cushioning, minimum to no control/stability (neutral) and flexible to encourage motion of the foot.

Other Considerations

There are obviously other factors that can influence your choice in addition to the above. For instance – although I wear orthotics due to flat feet and overpronation I buy the best cushioning shoes I can find (Asics Gel Nimbus). This extra cushioning helps reduce wear and tear on my knee joint (I’ve had two surgeries to remove torn cartilage). Another reason to get assessed by a professional is your feet may not always be symmetrical. Although they may look like the same foot type one may behave differently bio-mechanically.

What if I wear custom made orthotics?

In this instance you should buy a running shoe that is neutral to minimum motion control as the orthotics are already correcting your faulty foot mechanics. If I, as an overpronator, bought a heavy motion control shoe and popped in my custom foot orthotics I would be over-correcting the problem which would lead to more harm than good.

What about barefoot running or barefoot type running shoes?

I plan on writing an entire post devoted to this topic but for now I will just say if your biomechanics are perfect and you do trail running and not concrete/asphalt running give it a try if you are so inclined. This would, however, be a very small percentage of the running population.

Choose the right shoe for your foot type and you’ll be less likely to run into foot pain.

These are preventable injuries if you follow these 5 tips:

1. Ease into it. If you are new to BODYPUMP or weightlifting make sure you do less weights than you think. It is common to put too much weight on the barbell because newbies don’t factor in the REP EFFECT (you do around 100 reps per body part). I remember the first time I did BODYPUMP – I had too much weight for the bench press track and halfway through my chest and triceps were screaming at me! This is a recipe for an overuse injury or muscle strain.

2. Remember to stretch. Get into a good stretching routine to help offset the muscle tightness that is part and partial to strength training. BODYFLOW and Yoga are great Group EXercise classes that compliment BODYPUMP. Ideally a good stretching routine would be done on a ‘non-PUMP’ day.

3. Mix it up. As fun and addictive as BODYPUMP is, don’t do it every day. Your body needs time to rest so that tissue repair and growth can occur. Instead of doing BODYPUMP every day – try and alternate workouts. Here is a list of other Group EXercise classes that can help round out a solid fitness routine.

4. Ice, ice, baby. When you feel an ache or pain after a class, apply an icepack for 10 minutes to the affected area. This can help reduce tissue inflammation. By taking a preventative, proactive approach will lessen your chances of developing a more serious injury. If you have always wondered whether to use ice or heat check out Icing Guidelines.

5. Don’t wait! When your body does tell you something is wrong listen to it. That nagging ache felt in the shoulder during BODYPUMP should be taken care of as soon as possible. Conditions like these respond quickly to early treatment. Sometimes when you think it will just heal itself you end up with a chronic condition that can last months or even years.

Follow these 5 tips and you’ll reduce your chances of a workout induced injury. Be safe and pump some iron!

Ever since the invention of electricity we have changed our human physiology exposing ourselves to more and more unnatural sources of light. Think about our massive televisions, bright computer screens, phone displays and home lighting, as well as street lights and car headlights (getting brighter and brighter). We have only had electricity for a small fraction of human’s time on earth.

For thousands of years our days revolved mainly around the sun. It dictated our sleep/wake cycles with few exceptions. In our current era – poor quality and quantity of sleep is increasing our health ailments. Light pollution is partially to blame for this.

Hormonal Regulation

Our bodies are synced up with the sun which helps set our circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycles). Prior to electricity, about half an hour after the sun went down our pineal gland in the centre of our brain would surge with melatonin. This influx of melatonin signalled to the body that it is time to rest and recover. In fact melatonin released while sleeping is closely associated with the release of the reparative growth hormone. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It has also been identified as having potential anti-tumor effects. Some preliminary studies have suggested that those working night shifts may have higher rates of cancer than the control groups. This is likely due to the decrease in melatonin release as night shift workers are exposed to light during the nighttime hours.

What to do?

The bottom line is that we are messing with an important physiological mechanism. Our exposure to ever increasing levels of light during the night can’t be good as our bodies weren’t designed this way.

To try and minimize light pollution and harness the natural restorative effects of melatonin follow these 5 tips:

1. If your schedule allows it – try not to stay up too late – especially in front of a computer or television screen.
2. Use black out blinds in your bedroom.
3. Make sure there are no bright sources of light inside your bedroom (including bright alarm clocks).
4. Install dimmer light switches in your house and keep the lights dim close to bedtime.
5. If you insist on using the computer, television or hand held device prior to bedtime try and dim the screen brightness.

Now stop reading this, dim the lights and get some rest! You will experience more of the healthy benefits natural melatonin can provide you.

Maybe you’ve already accomplished a weight loss goal? Over the last decade, I’ve seen many of my clients lose weight the right way – they make healthy, nutritional choices and exercise regularly. All too often, it’s easy to fall off – life gets in the way as they say. This relapse leads you right back where you started. You’ve gained back the weight you’ve worked so hard to lose. It’s more common then you may think.

Attempts to change lifestyle habits like quitting smoking or alcohol are prone to relapses. Weight loss is no different. Over a decade of treating clients I have noticed some patterns in addition to healthy eating that are essential to keeping the weight off and maintaining a healthy active lifestyle.

Protect your body from packing on the pounds with these 5 tips:

1. Consistency: Likely the way you lost the weight in the first place was by being consistent with your schedule. Make sure you schedule exercise into your week. Write it down, put it on your handheld or work computer. That way you see exercise every time you look at your schedule. You will be much less likely to skip workouts if you schedule exercise and maintain consistency.
2. Reward Yourself: You don’t have to stick with eating only vegetables for the rest of your life! Allow yourself one or two ‘cheat’ days per week. If you can eat very healthy for the rest of the week you will enjoy treating yourself guilt-free knowing that your workouts have jacked up your metabolism. If you don’t live a little you’ll be more likely to crack under the pressure of a very strict diet.
3. Support: Having a workout buddy such as a friend, significant other, or trainer/instructor will keep you motivated and accountable. You’ll be much less likely to miss a workout if someone else is expecting you. Your workout buddy can also enhance your sessions by spotting you during weightlifting, and by providing conversation to keep things interesting. Not only that, but studies have shown that having an exercise buddy makes you work out harder. This is likely due to friendly competition which helps motivate: “I can lift more/ run farther/ etc”.
4. Change it Up: Keeping things fresh is the key to warding off boredom when exercising. If you feel your routine is getting stale or you are plateauing – try something new like a Group EXercise class, a new sport, or varying up your workout. A stale workout can also impact your results. The key to growing stronger is by adapting to new challenges. New exercise experiences are not only good for the body but also for the mind.
5. Set Goals: These goals can range from minor like losing 5 pounds or lifting 10 more pounds in a seated row to larger goals like running a half-marathon or competing in a triathlon. By periodically setting goals to work towards you will have something to look forward to. This can be a great source of motivation – knowing that by this date you have to accomplish this task. As in tip 1 enter these goals into your schedule so you can visualize them.

Follow these tips and you’ll be more likely to keep the weight off and find optimal health and peak fitness!

Unfortunately many people ‘pull’ more than just the shovel out – pulling muscles and injuring their back!   While shoveling your driveway, you are likely pushing hundreds of pounds of snow. The� Ontario Chiropractic Association has a brochure entitled ‘Lift Light Shovel Right‘. It provides tips and strategies to reduce your chances of being injured when shoveling snow.

Key recommendations for safe shoveling

• Warm-up: It is a good idea to go for a 10-15 minute walk or go up and down your stairwell a few times followed by some light stretching to increase muscle temperature and flexibility prior to shoveling.
• Don’t let the snow pile up: If there is a large snowstorm – try and break the shoveling into parts. If you can shovel once or twice through the snowstorm and then again when it is done you’ll be moving less snow per session.
• Pick the right shovel: Use a lightweight pusher type shovel. If you are using a metal shovel, spray it with Teflon first, so snow won’t stick to it.
• Push, don’t throw: Always push the snow to the side rather than throwing it. That way you avoid lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow, and sudden twisting or turning movements.
• Bend your knees: If you find you have to lift a shovelful of snow, use your knees and your leg and arm muscles to do the pushing and lifting, while keeping your back straight.
• Take a break: If you feel tired or short of breath, stop and take a rest. Shake out your arms and legs. Stop shoveling immediately if you feel chest pain or back pain. If you have back pain that is severe or that persists for more than a day after shoveling, come see me. If you have chest pain that is severe, see a medical doctor immediately.

Follow these tips and you’ll be less likely to show up in my office after a large snowfall!

Dr. Jory Basso – a Sports Therapist, Chiropractor, and Level 4 Personal Trainer has an immense passion for living the GoodLife! For over a decade he has helped his clients towards optimal health and peak performance. Dr. Jory, an exercise enthusiast, has been serving clients at GoodLife Fitness Union Station since 2008. He has appeared on national television as a health and fitness expert, writes a health/fitness blog and produces monthly health/fitness videos for his website.

A patient of mine approached me a little over a year ago with a weight loss goal of 40lbs. After a thorough dietary consultation during the first week of workouts, we also discussed alcohol intake. What I found was my patient was a binge drinker. That is – he only drank once or twice a week but when he did, he went all out! This practice of alcohol consumption is more common then you may think.

The ‘eureka’ moment for my patient came when I took him through the calorie math of a big night of drinking. Let’s say he drank 10 bottles of beer – that would amount to around 1500-2000 extra calories. That is close to the average recommended daily intake! But wait – that’s not all. You are much more likely when you are inebriated to make poorer food choices such as wings, poutine, etc. So add these extra calories and fat as well (another 500 cal). After the big night of drinking and eating you wake up the next morning and surprise – you feel ill! Your B vitamins have been depleted so you crave more fatty foods (think bacon/eggs/cheese and another 300-600 extra cal) to make you feel better. Add to this – the next day you are more likely to be sedentary and lazy. You’ll likely take the day off exercise (let’s add another 300 cal that you would have burnt off if you had worked out). Now that the dust has settled how many extra calories did my patient take in compared to if he just had a drink or two? Let’s call it an extra 3000 calories!

How do you lose weight? It comes down to simple math – caloric expenditure must trump caloric intake! So, for my patient to maintain his current weight he would have to run an entire marathon (42km) the next day to burn off these excessive calories! Once I showed him this example he actually gave up drinking. After three grueling months of training and dietary modifications I helped him lose all 40lbs! So if you want to lose weight think about your alcohol intake and adjust accordingly. I guarantee you won’t miss those brutal hangovers!

Approximate average calories per alcohol type:
• Beer (12oz) - 150
• Red/White Wine (6oz) – 150
• Vodka and Soda (1oz with 6oz mix) - 80
• Caesar (1oz with 6oz mix) – 180
• Gin and Tonic (1oz with 6oz mix) – 200
• Rum and Coke (1oz with 6oz mix) – 200
• Vodka and Cranberry (1oz with 6oz mix) – 220
• Margarita, Long Island Ice Tea or Pina Colada - 500

Dr. Jory Basso – a Sports Therapist, Chiropractor, and Level 4 Personal Trainer has an immense passion for living the GoodLife! For over a decade he has helped his clients towards optimal health and peak performance. Dr. Jory, an exercise enthusiast, has been serving clients at GoodLife Fitness Union Station since 2008. He has appeared on national television as a health and fitness expert, writes a health/fitness blog and produces monthly health/fitness videos for his website.

Health Centres can help maximize your health and fitness by ensuring that your body is performing optimally.

Example 1 A new member starts up a workout routine. Her goal is to run a 5km race in the spring. She starts training and develops shin splints and pain in her knees after running for 10 minutes. If she had met with a Health Centre chiropractor prior to starting her workout routine she would’ve found that her flat feet may be the cause of pain (through overpronation). The chiropractor may have recommended a particular ‘control’ running shoe or a custom foot orthotic. As well, tight muscles could have been determined and relevant stretches recommended. Through utilizing the Health Centre this new member may have avoided the pain and been able to continue her training without interruption.

Example 2 This same new member has been increasing the intensity of her workouts. She decides that she will push herself and try and run for 45 minutes on the treadmill. She completes her goal but feels really sore after her workout. The next day she wakes up and can hardly walk because her muscles are so tight! She decides to call her gym’s Health Centre to book a massage during her lunch hour. She slowly limps her way to GoodLife at lunch for her massage. She is amazed when getting up that she can walk again thanks to the RMT helping flush out the lactic acid and increase circulation to the legs.

Example 3 A corporate executive wakes up with a kink in his neck. He usually sits with poor posture for hours at a time staring at a computer screen. He is unable to turn his head to the right. Unfortunately he needs to provide a presentation later that afternoon. He desperately calls up his gym’s Health Centre and books an appointment later that morning. The chiropractor assesses that his pain is due to a muscle spasm. The treatment consists of a few stretches and muscle therapy along with advice on proper posture at the computer. He happily walks out of the clinic with a large improvement in range of motion and successfully completes his presentation.

GoodLife Health Centres have created an added value to having a GoodLife membership. Members (and even non-members) can conveniently stop by before, during or after work. Let’s face it – it is hard to find extra time and combining a therapy session with a workout makes your schedule much more efficient! Another plus is most clients with health benefits have insurance coverage for chiropractic, RMT, and custom foot orthotics. Book a therapy session today and improve your health for tomorrow!

Dr. Jory Basso – a Sports Therapist, Chiropractor, and Level 4 Personal Trainer has an immense passion for health and fitness! He has been helping clients improve their overall health and fitness for over a decade. Dr Jory, an exercise junkie, has been serving clients in Toronto at the GoodLife Health Centre next to Union Station for the past 3 years. He has appeared on national television as a health and fitness expert, writes a health/fitness blog and produces monthly health/fitness videos for his website.