yeg fitness - mar/april 2015
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FITNESS NUTRITION WELLNESS
ISSUE 5 Mar/April 2015WWW.YEGFITNESS.CA
MARK CONNOLLY
HOW A RADIO STAR KEEPS FIT
WEDDINGS STAYING FIT FOR YOUR BIG DAY
LADIES WHO LIFT TAKE ON THE TOUGH
WOMEN IN LIFTING
TOWNHOMESFROM
THE $270sLANED HOMESFROM
THE $370sDUPLEX HOMESFROM
THELOW $300s
FRONT GARAGE HOMESFROM
THE $470s
MARCH - APRIL 2015
Feel the ballet burn
with Ballet Body Fit
DISCOVER YOUR PERSONAL HULK
by Vanessa Goodman
Plant Based Nutrition
recipes by Brianna Jabusch
women who lift
Yvonne Sanche & Jennifer Neilson
Get fit with paul plakas
kids get fit with My Gym
Krav maga
everyday self defense training
LOLË WOMEN
spring fitness collection
UNLIKELY EDMONTON WORKOUT
by Shawna Dirksen
KEEPING FIT AT EDMONTON AM
with Mark Connolly
family fitness weekend
Jasper in January
mindful physical activity
the Why I Move Project
keeping your big day
stress free & enjoyable
Primp, polish, & Prune
before you say I DO
SWEATING FOR THE WEDDING?
with Barre Body Studio
THE COUPLE THAT TRAINS TOGEthER
stays together
MARATHON RUNNIng
the new counselling for couples?
Healthy menu options
with chef Serge Jost
start the rest of your
life with the fittest you
with BEYOUTIFUL YOU FITNESS
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Twitter : @yegfit
Facebook : facebook.com/yegfitness
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For advertising inquiries, contact [email protected]
No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the permission of YEG Fitness.
The fitness and nutritional information in this publication are not intended to replace profession-al medical advice. Readers are encouraged to consult a health professional before beginning or changing in their fitness or nutritional activities. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributor and not those of YEG Fitness or its employees and associates. Advertising in this publication does not indicate an endorsement by YEG Fitness.
YEG FITNESS
EDITOR’S NOTEYou made it. You survived the holidays. You made it through New Years. You set some fitness and wellness goals and you’ve stuck with them…. Mostly…. That’s ok because you’re showing that you’re still committed to those goals by reading our March/April edition of YEG Fitness.
At YEG Fitness, we’re committed to helping you along your wellness journey by providing you with insightful stories about and by people just like you. We’re local and it shows in the pages of each magazine edition.
Despite what any groundhog claims, Spring and Summer really is just around the corner, and with it comes wedding season. For those of you getting married in the coming months, we are featuring a num-ber of stories related to fitness and health that will help you look your best on the big day. Chef Jost from the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald fills us in on some of the great healthy food options banquet facilities are creating for their clients; everything from gluten free and calorie-re-duced options to healthy snacks for brides and grooms while they prepare for the main event.
If you’re looking to tone up to look and feel your best in that gorgeous gown, some great workout options from Barre Body, Ballet Body Fit and BeYOUtiful You Fitness are featured. Any of these studios offer brides and their bridal parties great options for improving their fitness level leading up to the wedding date.
If you need a little inspiration, we’re showcasing a couple who is getting married this year that prove that the couple that gets fit together, stays together. Their tips and advice are great motivation for couples that are looking to spend some quality time together and get in shape at the same time.
Not walking down the aisle? We have plenty of interesting articles for you in this edition too!
Many of you already recognize the voice behind Edmonton AM and the face of CBC for the past eight Olympic Games, but how much do you know about Mark Connolly? He’s passionate about sports and community and he’s focused on health and wellness education for his listeners. Learn more about this interesting Edmontonian on page 48.
Alternative fitness ideas, including the martial art Krav Maga and a new trend that recently came to Edmonton known as Surfset, offer you some alternatives to your typical gym workout. Also, we put the myths to rest about weight lifting for women with our story on two local lifters and how it’s helped them take their strength and fitness to a whole new level.
-TJ
TJ SADLER [email protected] (780) 504 - 7428
JOEL VERHAGEN Graphic Design
CHAN RIN Photographer
Modern basics for a sustainable future. We believe that fitness apparel should be a combination of form and function which is why we’ve partnered with Alternative Apparel to bring you the highest quality, fashion forward lifestyle brand. Designed from the fabric up, our styles offer simply designed, eco-friendly clothing for every-day wear. Using sustainable practices, all of our clothing using low-impact dyes,
organic cotton and natural enzymes for finishing.
yegfitapparel.com
We’ve all either experienced it firsthand or have nightmares thinking about the possibility. We are here to make sure there is no fear when bending doing that, oh so, flexible position in yoga or picking up a dropped item. Our products will “Cover your Buns” and we’ll make sure that they do.
Our clothing has always been the very heartbeat of KEYLIME. We’ve always strived to make our customers as happy and comfortable as they desire. A very integral part of that is making sure that you clothes function as well as they look.
Your trip to the store, yoga studio, crossfit gym, library, or around home should be never hampered by an improper fit. Fit for function is vital to your purchase; and our promise to you.
“Cover your Buns” is a prime example of the philosophy we head. You want to leave your house knowing that your pants are going to do what you require of them – covering your buns. Before you leave our store we need you to feel good and look good. We believe that using a few simply exercise techniques will help with that. The “squat” test, and the lunge” test are just two examples of ways to make sure we cover your buns.
Three of our top sellers we recommend from our KEYLIME brand are the “Mellow Short, the “Playful Capri”, and the “Legging Pant”.
The Mellow Short has a 7 inch inseam with a zippered pocket, to hold to any of your valuables (or lip gloss). This is a mid to high rise short, that won’t fall down while posing in your best downward dog, or bending to pick those misplaced toys.
The Playful Capri hugs the leg and has a flattering flare around the calf. The butterfly slit will show off those muscular calves you have. These Capris won’t budge while you’re busting out those impressive box jumps, or going for that run.
The Legging Pant is perfect for those days when you are doing everyday things. You can go straight from class or a meeting, to any type of fitness class.
When you come to our store and try any of these bottoms on, as well as all others, we will make sure they fit you properly and equally as important, that they function for whatever your day has in store for you. Fit for function is what we sell and who we are!
www.keylimecanada.com
BALLET BODY FIT
feel the ballet burn
by Nova Johnstone and Chelsea McKenzie Photography by Kristy L Photography
My first love was ballet. Although I’ve had countless other opportunities that I’m sure would have been both lucrative and challenging I’ve never quite let go of my first love and in September of 2014 launched to share that passion with fitness lovers in the form of Ballet Body Fit.
After 22 years of ballet training including a scholarship to The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School, a move at the age of elev-en from family and friends to train, acceptance to the National Ballet School of Canada and years of dedication to the demanding schedule of a ballet dancer in particular, I stopped performing after a major back surgery halted my ability to keep up with those demands.
I dabbled here and there, taking a few classes, doing my own training but my body never felt quite as good as it did when I was at my peak of training. How could I feel that again? How could I combine my passion and my love for startup business? How could I promote not only a passion for ballet but also a healthy lifestyle?
Ballet Body Fit became the answer. We launched and started immediately to spread our hash tag #itsnot-justaclass - we really stress the fact that after your workout we want you to take note of how great you feel and let that carry you through the rest of the week to make healthy choices. The class itself focuses on a balance between strengthening and lengthening doing most of the work in the centre and on the floor using basic ballet positions as starting points. Set to upbeat aerobic music you move through a series of classical arm movements (think Swan Lake to tone and sculpt those shoulders), pointed toes, stretched legs, dance abs, battements (kicks) and stretches in proper ballet form. The class is set in a way that has you warming up, cardio pumping, practicing resistance training, manag-ing core stability and challenging flexibility with a cool down at the end. Prerequisites of instructors are that they have a strong dance background in order to keep you on track with proper positioning, timing and tech-nique. For example, someone without dance knowl-edge may not advise you to control your leg on the way down out of a kick instead of simply dropping it to the floor. Gaining that control and ability works a different set of muscles that you may never have worked before. As dancers, we understand the full spectrum of each movement.
We have since been lucky enough to have Chelsea on board in Edmonton as an instructor and Marketing Manager as well as the opportunity to grow Nationwide with classes running in Alberta and Nova Scotia with upcoming instructors in New Brunswick as well.
For 2015 we’re focusing on growing classes, offer-ing promos and introducing some new classes that are more tailored to the yogi community - Ballet Hot Postures and adding a trainee curriculum.
We strongly believe in the program and hope that our clients will #feeltheballetburn just as we do.
Chelsea would like to share her Ballet Body Fit story, how she started as a student and got hooked to the point of teaching and doing Marketing and Media for us. From student to instructor…here’s Chelsea’s story:
I first heard about Ballet Body Fit online, and as an ex dancer, I was instantly intrigued. I had to find out what
this class was all about! After reading that it wasn’t your typical barre class and focused more in centre work, strength, balance, and technique, I knew I had to give it a try. My story is unique in that I danced for over 20 years and have overcome various injuries including bro-ken toes, strained ankles, shin splints, pulled muscles, hip dislocation (snapping hip syndrome or dancer’s hip) and my most recent injury - dislocation of my patella and tearing my MCL. All of these injuries happened in dance class, and can take a toll on one’s mentality of “is this what I should be doing?”. I thought my dance days were over and had moved on to other forms of ac-tivity including yoga, softball, and going to the gym 2 - 3x a week. After almost 2 years of rehabilitating my knee, I discovered Ballet Body Fit. I was very nervous to take my first class like most people are when going into something new, but as soon as I entered the studio I knew I was “home”.
Ballet Body Fit allowed me to bring out my newborn passion for over all health, wellness, and fitness as well as let the dancer in me soar. I walked in not knowing what to expect.. the word “ballet” can be intimidating, but what I discovered is it was a total mind and body experience. The moves were challenging and tech-nique based, but if you had no dance experience, you didn’t’ feel out of place! For any woman - that feeling of weightlessness and delicacy of a ballerina feels pretty amazing!
My spirits had been broken from the many injuries I faced, and Ballet Body Fit allowed me to release that demon and open my mind to making dance a part of me again, but with a bit a twist! I feel stronger, leaner, em-powered and have gained more confidence after taking this class. Nova brought me on board to help her with marketing and administration to really get the Ballet Body Fit name out there, and let people know there are different options than barre. Shortly after, I be-gan teaching and am now running classes a few times a week. It is my escape and something I look forward to going to each and every time! The feeling I get after class is indescribable!
My advice to anyone interested in taking this class…don’t feel intimidated, once you take the class you will be hooked, I can promise you that!
Twitter: @balletbfballetbodyfitfusion.com
Photography by Vivid Ribbon Photography
Your entire body demands that you quit. Every muscle fibre is hollering cease and desist. Every brain neuron is convinced you’re done. But you dig up just enough energy and fight to muster a silent ‘F-you fibres and neurons’. And you push forward anyway.
If you’ve experienced this moment, you’ll understand that although you’re not green, gargantuan, and busting out of purple shorts, it’s as close as possible to feeling like your own personal version of Hulk without actually being him.
If you haven’t, add this moment to your Things To Do Be-fore I Die list. Because your own personal version of Hulk is pretty damn amazing.
For me, this moment was recently discovered in obstacle course racing. Interestingly, the thought of running mul-tiple kilometres several days a week makes my adrena-line flow about as fast as dial up internet (I’m aware I just dated myself). In fact, my life’s running success cul-minated in elementary school at the annual Edmonton Journal Games. I wasn’t the team’s anchor. Nor did I par-ticipate because running was my thing. It was mostly the opportunity to go to the Butterdome, because in elemen-tary, that was beyond cool.
So how did I go from sixth grade relay team member to a self-proclaimed recreational obstacle course race junkie?
Enter: trying something new AND interval training.
Try Something New
A mud run was being held in my nearby community – the first ever Thorsby Mudslayer. It was convenient, our friends were going, and there was a youth race for our kids to enter. All decent reasons to partake. Worst case? I’ll walk if I get tired.
Turned out that every monkey bar rung, climbing wall, mud pit, and crawl under brought me closer to my own personal version of Hulk. That led to an adrenaline rush and subse-quent entry into the Mud Hero and Spartan Sprint in Red Deer later that summer. I was hooked, all because I tried some-thing new. As author Mark Manson says ‘Passion is the result of action, not the cause of it’.So, try something new. Start with a community race (high-ly recommend the Mudslayer on June 20…shameless plug). Worst case? Walk, or even crawl, if you get tired. At the Mud Hero, a lady was crawling inch by painstaking inch on her side up a steep, muddy portion of the course. Her fibres and neu-rons were hollering so loud, those of us around her could hear them. She wasn’t going to finish in the top 10, or even 100. While others entered that race to compete, she entered to complete. And I can guarantee she had a Hulk moment (or several) along the way.
Okay, let’s say you commit to your first race this summer. Now what?
You could argue it takes years of weights and sprints, kale and qui-noa to feel comfortable alongside hundreds of zen-filled, chiseled athletes brushing shoulders with you at the start line.
Find 12 Minutes
Get the Gymboss Interval Timer app and start with 12 minutes a day of interval training. That’s right, only 12. Navigating muffin crumbs, missing hockey neck guards, and dart gun battles like this mom of three boys, in addition to a communications consulting gig from my home office leaves virtually zero spare consecutive minutes in a day. I get it. Fitting in workouts is as easy as a two year old fitting a giant campfire marshmallow into his mouth – do-able, but requires lots of maneuvering and effort.
The short duration of interval training is a key advantage. Start with three rounds of four different exercises and build from there over time. If you can extend beyond 12 minutes on any given day, add a short cardio session of skipping or sprints, another round of exercises, or additional core work. For free workout ideas, try following a few of my favorite trainers: AthleanXX, Daily Hiit, and XNRGFit (all online and on social media).
Another key advantage – the space and equipment requirements, or lack thereof. My workout area is a 20x20 space in my basement. Much of my workouts are bodyweight only, but a few pieces of in-expensive equipment are handy. My favorites (skipping rope, Leb-ert Equalizer bars, TKO 10 lb ball, sandbag, TRX straps) are under $400 combined and will last years.
While interval training alone may not get you on the podium, you’ll definitely be somewhere between crawling-on-your-side and chis-eled athlete.
Prepare to Feel Green
Regardless of your motivation to try an obstacle course race, com-plete or compete, it’ll challenge you physically and mentally. That’s the beauty of it – the opportunity to feel green and gargantuan.
I hope you find yourself in that instant when you need to holler back at your fibres and neurons. Be sure to save just enough en-ergy and fight. And push forward anyway. Because everyone de-serves to experience their own personal version of Hulk.
Questions? Comments? Have a personal Hulk story to share? Connect with me on Twitter at @nessa_pearl or [email protected].
Vanessa in the midst of her favorite Hulk moment at the Spartan Sprint in Red Deer, where she achieved Top Female.Photo Credit: Spartan Race Canada
A Plant-Based Prescription
One of the most empowering, philanthropic, and health-con-scious choices you can make in today’s market is to increase the proportion of your diet that comes from plants. Vegetarian and vegan meal choices have made their way onto the list of North American food trends (1). Plant-centered or plant-based diets are sometimes said to be an alternative way of approaching chronic disease management and prevention, but this is one movement that you may consider being a part of – and here’s why.
Sustainable food goes beyond just choosing local produce and meats that are farmed with the most energy-efficient and Earth-friendly methods. Choosing to invest in locally produced meat, eggs, and dairy is one way to reduce your carbon footprint. However, it takes about one hundred to one thousand times more resources, like water, land, and labour, to produce a month of a meat eater’s diet than it does to produce the same food value of plant-sourced foods (1).
Antioxidants help to protect the body’s cells from being dam-aged by stress, excess sugar, smoking, alcohol, aging, and even exercise. Regularly eating foods high in antioxidants can pre-vent cholesterol from becoming dangerously oxidized into hard plaques. Heart disease occurs when oxidized cholesterol builds up in the blood and sticks onto the sides of blood vessels. There are many reasons to swap out at least some animal products for whole plant foods, and here are three:
1. A diet centered on plants drastically lowers the amount of cho-lesterol you consume, since plant foods contain no cholesterol.
2. Whole plant foods have been assessed to have, on average, 64 times more antioxidant power than animal-based foods (2).
3. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains contain plenty of fiber, unlike animal foods. Even moderate increases in fiber have been shown to lower the amount of cholesterol build-up in your blood vessels (5).
Recent research interventions have revealed that a low-fat vegan diet combined with exercise and not smoking can, in many cases, reverse coronary artery disease (5). Well-planned plant-based diets can be protective, preventative, or even curative of conditions like heart disease!
Studies on cultures around the world show low rates of heart disease and other chronic diseases in traditional French, Asian, and Mediterranean diets (5). A number of studies show that the Mediterranean diet helps to protect the body against strokes and heart disease progression, among other chronic diseases and con-ditions, largely due to high fiber and antioxidant content (6). CNN recently featured an article about longevity and aging in people following the Mediterranean diet throughout their lives. These people seem to live longer and have longer telomeres, which are DNA fragments that shorten with aging of the body’s cells. (7)
The Mediterranean diet is achieved by having:- Two servings of vegetables with every main meal- One to two servings of fruits with every main meal- Fish with high omega-3 fat content two or more times per week- Vegetarian entrees with lentils, split peas or beans multiple times per week- A small amount of olive oil with every main meal- Low fat dairy products- One to two servings of whole grain products at each meal, and - Red meat no more than twice a week.
You might also consider adapting the trend of “Meatless Mondays”. Plant-based entrees can be very delicious and vi-sually appealing, not to mention cheaper than the alternative. Remember that just as your taste buds grow accustomed to having less salt, meatless dishes can become an acquired taste! Here are some recipes to inspire your senses and guide you on your journey to better health!
Davis, B. and Melina, V. Becoming Vegan: Express Edition: the everyday guide to plant-based nutrition. Pages 4-20. Book Publishing Company, Summertown, TN. © 2013 Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.
Carlsen, M. H. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010; 9:3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2841576/
Dickens, R. “The Antioxidant Army – understanding how we can fight off free radicals and oxidative stress”. Copyright © 2015 The Conscious Dietitian. http://www.theconsciousdietitian.com/general-nutrition/antioxi-dants/
Tempest, M. “Antioxidants – Research continues to reveal their health-promoting effects”. Today’s Dietitian. May 2014;13:5, 32
Bach-Faig, A. Mediterranean diet pyramid today. Science and cultural updates. Public Health Nutrition. 2011:14(12A), 2274-84.
Cordova, A. C. Perfecting the plate: Adding cardioprotective compounds to the diet. J Am Coll Surg, January 2012: 214(1), 99-114.
Estruch et al. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet. N Engl J Med 2013l 368: 1279-90. Accessed from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303?query=featured_home&
by Brianna Jabusch, Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer
Farro and Quinoa Moroccan Casserole
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop all your vegetables and garlic and place in a large
plastic bag. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and chilli flakes and shake
to cover the veggies with oil. Pour the veggies onto a
roasting pan with parchment paper. Brush the vegetables very
lightly with cooking oil, then sprinkle with chili flakes. Roast the
veggies at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the peppers have
blackened at the edges.
While the veggies are roasting, mix the quinoa and farro in water
in a pot and boil, then turn down to a low heat and cover. Leave
20 minutes until the quinoa is soft and fluffy and the farro is
tender. Chop the mint leaves, and leave some for garnish. Mix
the mint and cumin in with the lentils, quinoa and veggies.
Sprinkle in more chili flakes if you can handle spicy flavours.
Heat in the oven if desired and then garnish, or chill and
serve cold. Drizzle with olive oil when ready to serve. This
recipe makes enough to fill a 9-inch casserole dish, equal to
6 dinner servings.
INGREDIENTS
2 small leeks, sliced thinly
1 red pepper, sliced thinly
1 cup button mushrooms, halved
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
½ white onion, sliced
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
¾ cup quinoa, rinsed, uncooked
¼ cup farro, uncooked (optional)
3 cups water
½ can chickpeas, rinsed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 handful mint, finely chopped
Olive oil for drizzling
Asian Red Cabbage Coleslaw
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix all ingredients up to and including the edamame beans
in a salad bowl. Blend the remaining ingredients in a food
processor to make the dressing. Serve immediately, or if
marinating, add the raisins or dates just before serving.
INGREDIENTS
¼ small red cabbage
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 ½ cups julienned or grated carrots
½ cup raisins or chopped dates
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup shelled edamame beans
3 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 inch peeled ginger
1 clove garlic
Mushroom Barley Risotto
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Add the onions
and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add
garlic and mushrooms, and cook to soften for 5 more
minutes. Stir in barley, vegetable stock, and turmeric, and
bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40
minutes, stirring occasionally until the barley is tender and
the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and serve with
cracked black pepper and a lemon wedge. Fresh Parmesan
cheese optional.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion,
chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups mushrooms (mixed variety
or cremini)
1 cup pearl barley
3 cups vegetable stock
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp black pepper
Salt-and-Pepper Tofu Cubes
INSTRUCTIONS
To press the excess water out of the tofu and create firm
cubes, place the tofu between sheets of paper towel on a
plate. Place another plate on top to press the tofu and store
in the fridge 4 hours or overnight. (Put a heavier item on the
plate to maximize the pressing!)
Cut the tofu into dice-sized cubes. Heat the oil in a frying
pan. Add the tofu cubes and fry until light golden-brown on
one side, then flip and brown the other side. Remove from
heat and press a paper towel over the tofu to remove any
excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and serve
as the protein portion of a meal, or as an appetizer with
toothpicks and dipping sauces. A great substitute for fried
chicken wings!
INGREDIENTS
1 package extra-firm tofu (one
package gives four servings)
1 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
Salt and pepper for sprinkling
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VIVID RIBBON Photography
I am a competitive powerlifter. I have been competing since 2013 and in that time I have qualified for and will be competing at the 2015 CPU Nationals being held in April in Newfoundland. I compete in the 84 kg weight class, which is anywhere from 72.1 kg up to 84 kg, and next year I will be competing in the Mas-ters I category which is 40-49 age range. My first competition was in August of 2013. It was a local Edmonton meet hosted by Lewis Noppers of Fitness Town. At that competition I won in my weight class and also won best overall female lifter. Some-thing I signed up to do for fun has turned into a passion of mine. Since then I qualified for Nationals at a meet back in August this year with a qualifying total of 307.5 kg. I squatted 110kg, bench-pressed 65kg and deadlifted 132.5kg. I train five days a week and each training session lasts about 90 minutes. I train out of Saint City Crossfit where owners Auty Brooks and Brian Carter keep me on track with my program. Avi Silverberg is my powerlifting specific coach that I started working with back in May. With his help he has gotten me to the National level. It’s a still pretty new to me, so to make it this far is a huge accom-plishment. It still feels surreal to me. I didn’t have much of a competitive athletic background growing up, so to be competi-tive as an adult is pretty spectacular to me.
I work full time as a registered massage therapist. I own and operate St. Albert Sports Recovery out of Saint City Crossfit. I work mainly on athletes of all levels and ages. My goal is to keep my clients moving and assist them in their recovery through their rigorous training. I think that having the athletic back-ground myself definitely helps me empathize with my clientele.
I was exposed to heavy lifting through Auty Brooks when I signed up for Crossfit back in 2006. I haven’t looked back since. In 2010 I ruptured my Achilles tendon while running. My sur-geon told me that I would be looking at a whole year before I would be completely healed. I knew I was good at lifting when six months post surgery I got a personal best on my deadlift and matched my personal best in my squat. After that I decided to get some personal programming from Brian Carter to help me get stronger. In the summer of 2013 I woke up one morning and decided on a whim that I would try a powerlifting competition. For me I felt like I was just wasting my time at the gym if I didn’t commit to a competition. There was a local competition being held out of Fitness Town and it was a great opportunity for new powerlifters to compete, which was good because I had no clue what I was doing! Everyone was more than welcoming and ex-tremely encouraging. At this competition I ended up winning best overall female lifter. I didn’t even go in with the mindset of winning; I just wanted to have a great experience and try some-thing new. Obviously it paid off!
In powerlifting there are three lifts that you compete in. Squats, bench-press and deadlifts and you have 3 attempts at each to lift the most weight. They take the highest successful attempt from each lift, add them up and a total is calculated. Obviously my training focuses on these lifts. I love each of these lifts for different reasons. My ultimate lift is the squat; to me nothing says strength and power like an awesome squat. Doing a squat workout just makes my day. I’m the most consistent with this lift and I see the most gains with the squat. I usually train in the morning so it sets my mood and my pace for the day. Peo-ple talk about that “runners high”, I get the lifting high.
I love bench-press because believe it or not, it’s very technical. I train bench press and accessory movements three times a week
and it’s all starting to pay off. I’m noticing gains I’m making and I feel that I broke through a plateau. It’s taught me to be patient through training and to stick to the program.
I love deadlifts because they mentally challenge me the most. This is the lift where I feel I need to stay focused throughout the training session. Sometimes you just got to dig deep and grind them out, so it’s important to be in the right frame of mind for them. In competition, you always want to be ramped up for the deadlifts, which is always the last lift of the day. As competi-tion day wears on, you deal with a lot of adrenaline rushes and crashes and by the time you make it to deadlifts you need to dig really deep. By this point you’re playing a mental game.
Powerlifting is a wave I’ve been riding for the last year and I’m going to keep going with it. I feel like doors are opening for me and everything is falling into place. I love powerlifting for many reasons. It gives me a goal to work towards. I find that I’ll lose motivation if I’m just working out with no intention to compete. I love the demanding training program I get from my coach Avi, and often I’ll compare programs with my training partners and we’ll be like “Oh I can’t believe you have that. That sounds dis-gusting and horrible!” But we all love it. Training for a compe-tition keeps things brutally honest. Strength doesn’t lie. That raw power is so addicting, once you see gains from your training you can’t wait for the next phase. I love the strength gains I’ve received in the last year and a half. I have never felt more confi-dant, or more fit in my life than I do right now.
Powerlifting is a sport for any age. I’ve been at a competition where there was a man in his eighties lifting. I just finished coaching a 63-year-old woman through her first competition and she set provincial records.
It’s a community that is so welcoming and encouraging. We’re always willing to help each other out where we can and often times train together.
Photos shot on location at Saint City Crossfit
Some tips for ladies when they are starting out lifting weights
If powerlifting is something that interests you, I would highly recommend volunteering for an event. You’ll see how competitions are run and you can get an idea if it’s something you want to pursue. If it is, I would hire a reputable coach. Ask around, contact powerlifting clubs.
If you just want to lift weights for general fitness then I would still find a coach/trainer to help you pinpoint your goals. Even if you have no desire to compete I believe you should have some realistic goals and someone who can guide you to get there.
Take the time to learn the right technique. Ask lots of questions and once you nail down that technique don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights. With the right training, you can adapt quickly.
Get in there; get your hands dirty with chalk and don’t be afraid of those callouses!
Don’t be afraid to try new things. People that love what they do are so eager to share it with you and will help you. Once you find what you love to do, go with it, follow that path, you never know where it’ll lead you. Just when you think you’re stuck or not making any progress, look back to where you started. Be proud of how much you’ve accomplished and keep forging ahead.
Photos shot on location at World Health
I’ve always been into nutrition as a vegetarian and over the last 10 years on and off with hot yoga, but previous to becoming a mom I wasn’t much into fitness. After my first was born I got really into running and completed a half marathon at 7 weeks pregnant with my second. After my second was born I really fell in love with fitness. I’m now finishing my sport nutrition and recently became a yoga teacher graduate.
When my second daughter was born I lost the baby weight quickly by doing way too much cardio. I had a treadmill in the basement that I would hop on when the kids were sleeping. I noticed I lost my “shape”, so I started lifting weights and stopped almost all cardio. It helped that recently my husband got into weightlifting and was positive support and was able to help me with information.
I love hip thrusts and barbell rows. I love what squats and deadlifts do for me, but they are certainly not my favorite to do!
I lift weights for so many reasons! Probably the best reason is because I get to eat more! Building and maintaining muscles burns a lot more calories and I love food! I love how strong and empow-ered I feel. I enjoy the challenge and competing with myself, chasing a better record, heavier lift or more muscle growth. This past fall I competed in a bikini competition and it’s something I am working toward doing again.
Don’t worry about other people in the gym and if they can lift heavi-er, do more reps or are covered in sweat. Everyone started his or her journey somewhere. If you are uncomfortable with machines or exercises/form, maybe look at hiring a trainer just to show you a few things. I like looking up exercises in books and online.
Just keep trying. If you miss some workouts or cheat on your diet plan, just get back on it. Don’t let a bad day or couple be your undoing. Be patient and kind with yourself and move on.
GET FIT WITH PLAKASby Paul Plakas
What are some great alternative fitness ideas besides going to the gym for a workout?
It would depend on what the person wanted from fitness. When people say fitness a lot of times they’re thinking about weight loss. The question is what do they want to do with their body. Some people can run for miles. Some people think they’re strong but can’t run very far. Everybody that does his or her own thing thinks they’re more fit than everybody else.
We used to have a Pilates instructor who thought she was really fit because she could do all of these Pilates moves. But we had her do a little workout on a Concept II Rower that we had and she was less fit than a 60-year-old woman we’d been training.
I know Marjorie O’Connor who does a Rebounder class and I al-ways have a little fun with her when she does the class saying, “Yeah, you’re teaching people to bounce up and down on a tram-poline.” She claims that all the people there are fit. They might be fit for a Rebounder but are they fit to run stairs, do they have good hand eye coordination, and can they lift lots of weight off the ground.
So in terms of alternative fitness, anything is good depending on what you want your body to do. If you want to lose weight, then you want to choose something that will burn a sick amount of calories. Get your heart rate up and work at your max for as long as you can, however you motivate yourself to do that.
For me it would be sports. When I play sports, I find I get the most intense workouts. I’m motivated to win a game and to combat against other players. The game goes by really fast so I’m motivated to keep going. It’s fun for me so I look forward to that the most.
Are there any great tips for ladies to train to look their best in their dresses for weddings or for brides?
The number one thing I think for women is they want to be smaller in their dress. When brides see other women in a mag-azine they seem to like the look of a smaller frame. Everybody has their own genetics so there’s a certain amount that they can do with it. You can get rid of body fat and that’s something that most women want. This can be achieved by getting on a real clean eating plan that can be sustained over a period of time. It might not be something you can be on forever, but by eating a diet that’s low in calories and nutritious, they will be able to get
unwanted size off of their body. This will make their arms look smaller and give a little more definition to their upper body.
When it comes to the wedding dress itself; most women are looking to expose their shoulders and upper back. Maybe even their mid to low back. What you want to do is perform some ba-sic posterior chain exercises. This will work things like your rear deltoids. Doing things like rear deltoid fly’s, cobras and rowing type exercises whether that’s body weight rows or barbell rows. Maybe chin-ups and things like that. For the most part the legs are typically covered so it tends to be the upper back, lower back, and shoulders that women want to work on. So I would focus on shoulder presses and lateral raises to really work the muscles in those areas.
Can you share any stress relieving ideas for brides and grooms as they go through the hectic time planning their weddings?
The key here is to identify in advance what the stress is going to be. A lot of times it turns out to be the family. If, for example, you have a hard time dealing with your parents and they’re going to be around you for a while, then you have to anticipate that this is going to be a stress. This way if you know it’s going to hap-pen, then on the day of the wedding it won’t be such a surprise.
You need a little quiet time. Maybe it’s your best man or just some friends that you can chat with and talk about your prob-lems with and get it off your chest. Remember that this is just a very short time period in your life and you just need to put on your best face and maybe hold back some of the things that you might say to the other person in normal life just to keep your bride or groom happy. As long as your brain knows that it’s going to end soon then you be able to deal with it better.
So identify the stress, anticipate that it’s going to be coming, and then find ways to deal with it. Maybe it’s talking to a good buddy. Maybe it’s exercise that helps. Perhaps it’s just getting away for a little bit. This way you won’t be around those people all the time that are causing you stress.
Paul and his team at Custom Fit Personal Training Studio are now accepting new clients for 2015. Check them out at customfit.ca
Since 1983, My Gym has opened facilities across North America where children learn and grow through exciting activities. They are developing healthy minds and strong bodies under the guidance of trained and loving instructors in a noncompetitive environment. It was only a matter of time before this fresh new concept found its way to YEG.
My Gym has developed an outstanding program to help children 6 weeks thru 10 years of age develop physically in an age where many kids are far too sedentary. With more than 350 locations they offer children structured, age-appropriate, weekly class-es that incorporate music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and more. Children have tons of fun as they gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem.
Jody Fehr, owner of the Ellersile location came across the idea of bringing the franchise to Edmonton after noticing it on a website that ranked it #1 out of the top 500 businesses in the children’s services category. “We wanted to by a franchise and My Gym is such a great concept and company,” she says.
My Gym programs focus on developing both the bodies and minds of children because they view each as essential build-ing blocks towards becoming a happy, healthy, well-adjusted human being.
With childhood obesity doubling in the last two decades, pro-grams like this help buck the trend by making fitness fun for little ones and their parents. The class we attended had kids in-teracting with their parents and being lead by a group of caring instructors who focused on fun and play. At the end of class, the kids we saw didn’t want to leave.
While many of their programs cater to younger children, there are some wonderful opportunities for older children to learn some of these same skills. “For older children we focus on team building, confidence and social skills and incorporating sports, gymnastics and games with constant movements,’ says Fehr. “For young-er children, we work on their developmental skills and gross motor skills as well and socialization and working on their attention and listening skills.”
My Gym Kids learn more about themselves as they develop independence, self-discipline, social skills and even a sense of humor, all of which lead to an increased feeling of self-worth. A child who feels good about themselves has a jumpstart on the path to success.
Healthy Body. Healthy Mind. Kids Get Fit With My Gym
KRAV MAGASELF DEFEnSE
TRAINING
David Crane’s long list of accomplishments during his four decades of martial arts training lent itself to the formation of Krav Maga Solution. As a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, David is a second-generation martial artist. He started learning Judo with his father in the 1970s and has also trained in wrestling, boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Kempo, Krav Maga, Kickboxing and MMA. He has attained black belts in Judo, MMA and Kickboxing, as well as a teaching certification in Krav Maga with the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) where he is currently one of the highest ranked instructors in North America. Additionally, he served in a Canadian military infantry unit in the late 1980s.
“After spending so much time training in several martial arts styles and traveling to train in different countries, I found the street- and self-defenses practicality missing,” he says. “Then I found out about Krav Maga and researched it, and the rest is history.“
He was drawn to Krav Maga’s legendary effectiveness and how easy it is to learn in a short period of time. However don’t be fooled by how easy it is, as it does still require a lot of work. “I still practice several hours a week, fly out of town for training, and bring Global Instructors in 3-4 times a year or more and I’m in constant contact with my counterparts from Israel, Canada and other countries,” says Crane.
When he found the International Krav Maga Federation (IKMF), he found that its techniques were easy to adapt for any gender, age or fitness level. For example, they are developing a new anti-bullying program helping kids to defend themselves. Not only are their top people involved, but professionals and experts in the field are as well so that they understand what makes bullies think and why they bully in the first place. It’s this willingness to evolve, change techniques to make them more effective and progress that sets the IKMF apart from other Self-defense systems.
Krav Maga techniques utilize the body’s natural movement and instincts as much as possible, and covers many situations and by doing so, it’s able to reduce the learning time and function effec-tively under very stressful and violent situations. The objective when confronted with a violent situation is to imply a devastating attack/counter attack to incapacitate the attacker(s) as quickly and efficiently as possible and become aware of your surroundings preparing for another attacker(s) and/or escape.
A one-hour Krav Maga class is estimated to burn more then 800 calories, compared to the gym at 290, Aerobics 516, Swimming 502, or Bicycling 472. Thus, you are getting a more effective workout in a short period of time. Krav Maga train-ing is a great way to relieve the stress that often accompa-nies our modern busy lifestyle. They focus on stress drills and interval training for fitness and learning enhancing the student’s muscle memory of Krav Maga techniques. By us-ing this method the student is able to learn and understand the techniques and prepare them to overcome all kinds of violent situations and attacks and achieve a high level of fit-ness, to tone, shape, strengthen and further condition the body and the mind which all prepares you for conflict in the street, stressful mornings in the office, or even demanding days with the kids.
Krav Maga is not just for adults. The IKMF Kids program is the best in the world and it goes beyond striking by teaching kids to think critically so that they can make the right de-cision weather to avoid, walk away, or in the last case, de-fend them. It’s also a great workout for women. They learn self-defense that accommodates their everyday lifestyle. They can do the techniques weather in high heels and a skirt, with yoga pants and tank top, jogging in the river valley or at their desk or workstation.
“Krav Maga is not a sport. It is a defense system,” says Crane. “Once you add rules or limitations to a system then it becomes a non-functional defensive system stricken by limitations.”
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sweat, laugh, squat and lunge it out through six energizing fitness sessions while raising valuable funds for the Cross Cancer Institute. BUSTAMOVE.CA
Lolë Women Spring Fitness Collection
Born in Montreal, Lolë is all about the woman: the active woman, the radiant woman, the urban woman. Whether jogging in the river valley, doing Yoga in one of the neighborhood studios or having a latte while walking along Whyte Ave, Lolë has something for a woman to wear that is comfortable, practical and stylish.
Their outerwear speaks for itself. Classy and sexy: you can be the confident woman you want to be on a daily basis with their outerwear. Natural fabrics, cute looks and immaculate silhouettes differentiate Lolë from other brands.
If you love to be on the move with fitness related activities you will be happy to know Lolë does a line of run and/or urban fitness wear. Stretch, technical fabrics will wick the moisture to outer layers keeping you cool and comfortable. If yoga is your guilty pleasure you will feel instantly at home in Lolë’s yoga collection with a nice mix of organic cotton, elastane, and a biodegradable wood pulp-based fabric.
Jennifer Meszaros Yoga Instructor and Lole Ambassador
Kara Bell PTS, RHN and Lole Ambassador
Jennifer Lumsden Certified Personal Trainer and Lole Ambassador
Photography by Vivid Ribbon PhotographyShot on location at Barre Body Studio
Luma Bra $60.00
High Impact Bra with iPod pocket and adjustable straps, Quick dry, Wicking, UPF 50 and 4 way stretch
Run Capri $80.00
Capris with mesh insert, zip pocket at back, UPF 50, stretch, quick dry and wicking.
kali Bra $50.00
Organic cotton low impact bra with adjustable straps, antibacterial, wicking and 4 way stretch.
PRASADA Capri $90.00Organic cotton capris with turn over cuff and secret pocket waistband, antibacterial, 4 way stretch and wicking.
Essential Cardigan $100.00Moves comfortably from the studio to the street in our 2nd Skin Light, a four-way stretch, moisture-wicking blend of nylon and elastane with a UPF 50+ factor.
Run Capri $80.00Capris with mesh insert, zip pocket at back, UPF 50, stretch, quick dry and wicking.
Kali Bra $50.00Organic cotton low impact bra with adjustable straps, antibacterial, wicking and 4 way stretch.
Violet Tank$60.00Buttery soft fabric, body-grazing fit and two-tone adjustable straps. A four-way stretch and moisture-wicking, natural antibacterial blend of organic cotton, Lyocell Tencel® and elastane.
Myrtle CapriThese relaxed-fit, low-rise capris go with the flow from the yoga mat to the dance floor. Four-way stretch, moisture-wicking blend of organic cotton, Lyocell Tencel™ and elastane.
Central Tank$70.00Classic scoop-neck top with its power mesh bodice, racer back and high-impact integrated bra. A form-fitting moisture-wicking, four-way stretch nylon/elastane blend.
Run Capri $80.00Capris with mesh insert, zip pocket at back, UPF 50, stretch, quick dry and wicking.
jade jacket$150.00Ecofriendly jacket with mesh insert at back. Stowable hood and iPod pocket. Breath-able, wind resistant, stretch, and durable water repellent.
Run Capri $80.00Capris with mesh insert, zip pocket at back, UPF 50, stretch, quick dry and wicking.
There’s no shortage of fun ways to keep fit in Edmonton. We’ve got winter activ-ities like playing hockey or cross-coun-try skiing. In the summer, we can take advantage of our excellent trail system or hit up the River Valley stairs. Plus we’ve got many indoor recreation centers that offer everything from swimming to team sports year round.
And now we can add something else to our list of fun Edmonton fitness options: Surfing.
“I’ve always had a thing for surfing and surf life,” says Natasha Watson, owner of Surfset in Edmonton. “I have gone to surfing camps and would incorporate surfing into my vacations.”
Natasha first discovered Surfset, an indoor surf-inspired workout, in a mag-azine article about the top five fitness trends in the US, “I wanted to bring it to Edmonton; I thought Edmontonians would love it.”
Turns out she was right.
Natasha launched her own Surfset busi-ness in Edmonton last August and it has been growing steadily ever since. “Clients
love that the classes are always chang-ing, but they always get a great workout and have a lot of fun,” Natasha says. “Clients also come in before they go on holidays where they plan to try surfing.”Natasha describes the workout itself as “low impact, high intensity” and offers four class types: Balance, Blend, Build and Burn.
Balance has a slower pace and is all about improving balance and body positioning on the board. It’s good for strengthening stabilizer muscles and fat loss.
Blend combines cardio and core work, and builds overall strength. The class simulates surf moves, including catching a wave, paddling, duck diving, pop-ups and surf stance.
Build has clients using their own body weight, and resistant bands or medicine balls to build lean muscle.
Burn is all about fat loss through cardio and interval training, but still improves core strength and overall balance.
Blend and Build are Natasha’s most pop-ular classes. “There’s a specific benefit to each class, but they all incorporate
balance,” says Natasha. “Clients are always amazed at how much their balance can be improved; [manipulating the board] looks easy, but it’s deceivingly challenging.”
Surfset classes are appropriate for almost any age and ability because the intensity of the workout can be adjusted to match individual fitness levels. Begin-ners will be able to complete the class and those at a more advanced fitness level will leave feeling like they’ve gotten a good workout.
Right now, Natasha offers 12 classes a week with a maximum of eight clients per class. Drop-in classes are $15.75 per class (students and seniors get 15% off). Or, clients can purchase five- or ten-class packages at lower per-class rates.
“The workout has a really fun vibe,” says Natasha. “Once people start [Surfset classes], they fall in love with it, which reassures me of my passion for it daily.”Surfset is located in south Edmon-ton at 4447 99 Street NW. Visit www.surfsetfitness-edm.com for more information or to reserve your spot in class.
An Unlikely Edmonton Workout By: Shawna Dirksen
Spinunity Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary!
March 24th marks the one year anniversary for us at
Spinunity cycle studio. It’s been an amazing year and we have our community of riders and community partners to
thank.
Opening our doors was such a thrill. Our amazing contractors built us a
beautiful and spacious facility with all the amenities – we were ready to bring our brand of spin class to the masses. With classes that incorporate upper body and full body strength training, hot playlists and positive, motivating instructors it’s definitely an environment where you can reveal your strength.
Being a newer niche in the fitness environment, we took our bikes out of the studio quite a few times over the summer, always bringing the party to show how much fun spin can be. We focus all our events around raising awareness for local charities, bringing fun (and sweat) into fundraising. First it was the cardioparty karma ride on whyte ave with lululemon, then our epic
Spin In The Square event with the ITU World Triathlon and teaming up with Ivivva in the middle of West Ed Mall. It’s amazing what a strong community can accomplish.
Brospin is our most recent of epic events held within the studio. We’re always encouraging bros to come and check us out knowing that they need their cardio too (and of course offering eats from Greenhouse Eatery, Famoso Pizzeria and beer helps). Spinunity’s vision is to grow a community who work together to push past limits. Boutique or designated fitness studios are doing an amazing job of this in Edmonton and surrounding areas.
We’re really excited to see what 2015 is going to bring. We can definitely guarantee they’ll be more amazing events and #cardioparties to come.
If you haven’t tried us out, all throughout the month of March and April, your first class at our studio is on us. Then you can get a taste of our different classes using our 1 week unlimited for $20 or 2 week unlimited for $40. For all our devoted riders, we’re offering specials on our class passes to say thank you. Now let’s clip in and rock out!
s p i n . c o m m u n i t y. l i f eC Y C L E S T U D I Os p i n . c o m m u n i t y. l i f e
C Y C L E S T U D I O
Let your adrenaLine soar as our motivating instructors chaLLenge
you to push your Limits.Our Commitment: We offer dynamic spin classes and strength training to help you
achieve a full body workout.
Our Services: child minding and full
service shower/change room facil it ies.
Find your ride Find your community
208 sioux rd, sherwood park www.spintunity.ca
c y c L e s t u d i o
New clieNts: try your first class for free duriNg march & april.
you can then sign up For our $20 unLimited Week pass or $40 unLimited 2 Week pass.
Mark Connolly
Keeping Fit At
Edmonton AM
Mark Connolly is a name Canadians recognize as being a sportscaster for CBC radio and television and as the face of the Canadian media contingent for the past eight Olympic Games including the recent Sochi Olympics. We first met Mark last April at the kickoff for our Spring Into Fitness Challenge at Barre Body studio in south Edmonton. He took that challenge head on being one of the few men to try out a barre class that day.
Photography by Vivid Ribbon Photography
Today, Mark is the host of Edmonton AM, CBC radio’s morning show, after spending 22-years as a sportscaster with CBC radio and television and news anchor at CBC News Edmonton from 2010-2013. He is an Edmonton native, growing up in the community and in his teens worked at CBC Edmonton as a janitor where he gained exposure to the CBC sports department, and discovered what he felt was the perfect career for him to pursue.
Mark’s first full-time job was in radio in Fort McMurray Alberta, as the play-by-play voice of the Fort McMurray Oil Barons in the AJHL. He continued his work in radio in both Red Deer and Edmonton before starting a weekend job at CBC Edmonton in 1988.
“I have always been involved in sports,” Mark says. “As a kid I played baseball, soccer, football, basketball and hockey with all my friends.” He did track and field in junior high, played on the basketball and football teams in high school and was an avid skier. This formed his love for being active and staying fit.
When he moved back to Edmonton from his job in Fort McMurray, he joined the Clansmen rugby club. “I really en-joyed it,” he says. “I also started playing hockey again, and I still play once a week during the winter. In my 30’s I ran a couple of marathons and I’ve done many 10K’s and a half marathon.”
His current job means getting up at 3:45 am. This has changed his fitness routine dramatically. A typical week for Mark looks like this:
Monday - hockey from 8:30-10 pm, which means he gets less than 5 hours sleep.
Tuesday – afternoon nap after the long night before and possibly some yoga.
Wednesday - work out from 3-4 pm with his trainer Craig Hamliuk at Custom Fit. His wife Alyson gave him personal training sessions as a Christmas gift seven years ago when he was trying to lose weight and has stayed with Craig ever since.
Thursday - cycling training with the Cops for Cancer group.
Friday - usually a day off.
Saturday - another cycling session with Cops for Cancer. When the weather warms up they will be head out on the road for 3-4 hour rides.
Sunday - another weight training session on my own at the Kinsmen.
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“Most of my workouts are strength training,” says Mark. “I always make sure I do a healthy warm-up, usually 15-20 minutes on the bike to get a sweat on, followed by dynamic stretches.” Most of his workouts are with dumbbells or body weight exercises but he also does dead lifts and squats with the barbell. Under Craig’s guidance there is a lot of variation to his routine.
“The one thing I can’t do is Pull ups. Strength to weight ratio - not good! I’m 217 pounds,” he says.
Having been part of the media team covering the past eight Olympics means he’s seen some of the best athletes Canada has ever produced. “In 2008 Clara Hughes was my commenta-tor for cycling in Beijing,” he says. Clara and Mark had worked together previously at the 2006 World Cycling championships in Salzburg, Austria. “In Beijing, we worked out together every day. We would go for a run and then hit the gym. It was amaz-ing to see her dedication and how hard-core and focused she was when she was working out.”
Craig has been a great trainer for him. “He’s not a yeller and explains each part of my workout and the goals of all the exer-cises we do. It’s very motivating to have him in my corner. As a sportscaster, I’ve seen the best athletes in the world using the best coaches, so why not have one of my own?”
Family Fitness Weekend With Jasper In January
Jasper in January may have come and gone, but as an Albertan, we all know there are still a few months of snow left this winter. With the snow and cold temperatures, there’s
still plenty of great things to do outdoors with your family a little over three hours west of YEG.
The YEGFit Family headed to Jasper at the end of January for the end of Jasper in January celebrations. We’ve been to Jasper dozens of times over the years, but this was our first time there during the annual event. This year, we were fortunate enough to stay at the beautiful Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge to take in some of the great fitness and wellness
activities and to hit the slopes at Marmot Basin for a great day of family fitness.
Marmot Basin
We know them. Friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances who all embark on a physical activity and exercise routine, yet weeks in, have already fallen off the wagon. Stopping due to the countless excuses and various barriers that can slow us all down. But why is that the case? What is it that keeps some exercising yet others not?
Physical Activity Behaviour ChangeThere is a lot of research that provides insight into behaviour change and embarking on a new exercise plan is certainly a change in behaviour! Many factors are at play and in many cases it is the unique combination of these factors that can be the difference between sticking with a routine and yet another failed attempt to stick with it. It is time to look at physical activity and exercise in a new light. Beginning to be mindful of our physical activity be-haviours is the first step. Asking ourselves key questions that dic-tate our level of commitment and willingness to change, not just making the plan of the “what” and the “how”. Long term success is built on how important the exercise plan is to you personally, how confident you are doing it and truly assessing if you are ready for a change in behaviour. Most of all, determining the individual reason “why” you move, is the key to ensuring physical activity habits and an exercise plan stay high on the ever growing to-do list.
Mindful Physical ActivityThree key questions will begin your journey of mindful physical activity. They include an assessment of importance, confidence and readiness.
ImportanceWhen you deem something important, it is something you value. Think about your current exercise plan or the one you want to try. On a scale from one to ten, how important is it?
Confidence or Self-EfficacyWhen you are confident in said exercise plan (also known as self-efficacy), it becomes easier to do. Again, think about your current exercise plan or the one you want to try. On a scale from one to ten, how confident are you in doing it? We often underes-timate the simple importance of being comfortable doing some-thing.
ReadinessMoving forward on your exercise plan can be the most difficult step. How ready are you to truly undertake a behaviour change? Again, think about your current exercise plan or the one you want to try. On a scale from one to ten, how ready are you to put your exercise plan into action? Now, you have three quantifiable num-bers at your finger tips. If you rate importance and/or confidence high (e.g., seven or higher), it is very likely that your readiness score is high and you will embark on your exercise plan. Yet, if you rate importance and/or confidence low (e.g., five or lower), it is very likely you will try the exercise plan but not stick to it for the long term. If either importance or confidence is low, what would need to change to bring your value higher? Taking time to list the benefits of your plan or changing your plan (e.g., a social volleyball league instead of a HIIT class) may be helpful. By identifying how important, confident and ready you are with your plan, you have made the first steps in being mindful and building a foundation for success.
The WHYThe key to taking mindful physical activity to the next level is to ask yourself WHY you move. When you ask yourself this key question, personal stories and values begin to shine through. It is no longer an abstract list of benefits of your exercise plan (e.g., weight mai tenance or aesthetics) but the combination of the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, functional and practi-cal gifts you personally receive by moving. Once your truly know WHY, long term physical activity and exercise behaviour is solid-ified and it becomes your lifestyle and no longer something you simply just do.
Mindful Physical Activity: The Why I Move Project
The Why I Move ProjectNot sure how to become more mindful about your physical activity? Struggling to find your story and reason behind your physically active behaviour? The Why I Move Project is your an-swer. Started in Edmonton in 2013, the Why I Move Project is a social experiment with the mission to answer the question of why you move (and everyone else too), one person at a time. On the website, a Forum has been set up where individual stories and inspiration are shared every week. With the intended pur-pose of being mindful of all the reasons why we move, why we need to move and why we want to move. Stories are powerful and your story might just speak to someone who needs that ex-tra budge to become physically active. Paying it forward is a core value of the Why I Move Project. Not only is there the Forum for inspiration, but the project strives to support local charities through physical activity and exercise events raising funds for worthy causes. Free resources also are available on the website, specifically ones to help assess your mindfulness.
Here is a taste of what people have said their reason WHY is on whyimove.com:
“I move because I love to explore and because I know the bene-fits of the journey itself in any adventure. I move because I am amazed by the body’s ability to adapt to various conditions and stimulus to become more efficient or to make new adventures possible. I move because it feels good and it is essential to hap-piness and health. I move because there is no better alternative.”- Josh K., 30
“My health is a gift that determines the quality of the rest of my life. If I want the most, it is my responsibility to keep my body fit.”- Lynn S.
“Some women in Africa have to take 80,000 steps every day to fetch water, so I wanted to go the same distance.”- Quinn, 11
Call to ActionTake time to assess your level of change and address your rea-son WHY. Help those in your social sphere to not only find the right fit for their exercise plan (the “what” and the “how”), but also to become more mindful about their behaviour. Visit www.whyimove.com and join the experiment! Submit your reason WHY via print, photo, and video too! Connect with the Project via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and use the hashtag #whyimove. And consider joining us for one of our upcoming charity events!
Happy Moving!
Lisa A. WorkmanM.A., B.P.E., CSEP-CEP, EIMC Level 2, AFLCA TrainerLisa is the creator and founder of The Why I Move Project. Recognized provincially by her peers with the 2012 Alberta Certified Exercise Physiologist award, Lisa lives and works in Edmonton, Alberta. For more information about The Why I Move Project and Lisa, visit the websites, www.whyimove.com and www.lisaworkman.com respectively.
YEG FITNESS
Wedding
Guide
Keeping Your Big Day Stress Free and EnjoyableBy Bianca Osbourne – The Vitality Kitchen
Weddings are joyous occasions, a reason to stop and celebrate love- what could be better? But for the bride-to-be, planning a wedding and ensuring that guests have a lovely time can often mean her wellness falls by the wayside.
We’ve all seen Bridezillas and wondered how anyone could let something so simple, like a wedding, turn her into a monster; but think about it, planning the day of your dreams and wanting everything perfect can see even the meekest among us turn into her scary alter ego.
But this does not have to be the case. It is possible to plan a wedding, keep your sanity and get to the BIG day as happy as the day you said “YES”!
EatNot eating is the worst thing you can do because your nerves will be heightened - ever heard of the term “hangry”? Eating small healthy meals throughout the day will keep you well nourished, calm, and your metabolism functioning optimally, which will
help maintain your body weight so you can still fit into your wed-ding dress and prevent your inner bridezilla from making an ap-pearance. Also, as soon as you wake up, make a reasonable sized breakfast with some carbohydrates and protein so in case you get wound up, anxious and nauseous during the day and don’t feel like eating. You will already have something in your system to provide you with fuel.
Stay OrganizedMaking an attainable list of tasks to complete throughout the day will help reduce your stress and the amount you have to think about; and I’m not just talking about the wedding to-dos. Plan your meals ahead of time. Look at your schedule and plan a day to prepare healthy snacks and meals so that when you are rush-ing from the cake appointment to the registry office, you have a healthy snack to reach for…trust me when I say that McDonald’s and Wendy’s will look really appealing when your blood sugar is lagging during your busy days. It’s paramount when making a plan that your list has an attainable amount of items so you do not overload yourself and cause more stress. When you do finish your list, you’ll feel more accomplished and at ease as tasks get completed.
Stay Within Your Comfort ZoneDo things that relax you. Self-care is a must. Stop and think about what you are planning. This day is about you and your soon to be spouse so you need to make sure you take care of yourself.. Now is not the time to start a new exercise or hob-by. Do activities that you love and that you are already comfortable doing- if this happens to be long bubble baths, get the water running!
Ask For Help and Trust The Help You ReceiveYou chose the people in your wedding party for a reason. They are there to help you make your big day everything you want it to be and to take some of the load off your shoulders. Ask for help, this is what they are there for.
After you have interviewed and selected your vendors, let them do the job for you. Micro managing solves nothing. Trust that you have chosen the right people for the job since they are experts at their profession and will likely do your big day justice. Check in every few weeks to put yourself at ease but let them do what they do best!
Keep Your Rehearsal Dinner SimpleTrying to plan one big event is stressful enough and can be quite the headache, so do yourself a favour and keep the rehearsal dinner simple and different from the actual event. Why not let your groom and his groomsmen plan the rehearsal dinner? It may not be exactly what you envisioned for the evening, but this sim-ple delegation can reduce your stress level. Also, try not to stay out too late on the night of your rehearsal dinner - tempting I know. What may seem like a great idea will result in a tired and groggy start to your big day. Say your goodbyes, exit gracefully and try to get a good night’s sleep. Everyone will understand!
Planning a wedding is a joyous time but also extremely stress inducing, but there are ways to manage your stress. Ask for help; delegate and let the professionals do what you hired them to do and, most importantly, take care yourself. It is YOUR day after all.
Weddings can be an extremely stress-ful time for both brides and grooms. Not because of the vows they are about to take, but because of all the planning that has gone into the event leading up to that day. The excitement, and accompanying stress, that comes with that planning can affect their mental and physical state. It’s important for them both to take time out for them-selves to get pampered and prepped for the big day.
Many Edmonton spas have special services just for brides and their bridal parties. We met with Traci Bateman, Co-Founder of Bliss Yoga Spa to ask her about what brides are asking for and how businesses are accommo-dating their requests to leave them feeling rejuvenated and relaxed while preparing for their wedding day.
“We do lots of groups at Bliss from Corporate Parties to Bridal Parties. The largest group we had was twenty-five people over the span of four hours with
two services each,” says Traci. They turn a typical day at the spa into an event for the ladies, bringing in food and giving them the run of the studio. “We bring in food from XIX, Harts Ta-ble or Original Joes and serve it up in the Pedi Room and the Spa Lounge,” she says.
For smaller groups they are able to put together custom packages. Brides may have special requests or want proce-dures specific to their needs or those of their bridal party to make the day truly memorable. “Some of the bridal parties have come to a yoga class be-fore they get their services, either a scheduled class or often a private one,” says Traci. A private class is a great way to truly have fun with their group and let loose together.
Massage, laser enhancements and mi-crodermabrasion procedures are great ways for brides to relax and look their best on the day they say “I do” and these are some of the services being
requested leading up to the wedding. Makeup, lash and brow services and even spray tans are offered to have brides looking their best in all those photos being taken that day.
We realize that the wedding is often all about the bride, but we don’t want to forget about the groom and his groomsmen. For this, we checked out the team from Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop. Grooms need to look and feel their best on their wedding day and their brides will appreciate having the man standing next to them in all those photos looking great.
Tommy Gun’s offers everything grooms and their groomsmen want in a barber-shop. They provide 5 star services in a casual atmosphere any guy would feel at home in. Their services make for a great event for the men in the wedding party to head to while the bride and her bridesmaids are getting ready be-fore the ceremony.
Primp, Polish and Prune Before You Say
“I Do”
Tommy Gun’s Original Barber Shop
They blend old-school services like hot towel shaves and facial detailing with a few bells and whistles just for fun. While waiting for their services, the group can check out the game on big screen TV’s, and even iPads and arcade style games in the waiting area.
Once their service has started, gents can keep up with the game they start-ed watching right on the in-mirror televisions at each station. Keeping entertained with the whole group of groomsmen never got any easier. A shave and a haircut while hanging out with their friends is a great way to relax prior to the hectic day to come.
Nothing feels better than a classic shave and Tommy Gun’s provides one of the best in the business. Attention to detail and a careful steady hand make this something the grooms-men will be grateful for and having the whole group together makes for a great bonding experience (and photo op) that won’t soon be forgotten.
So you see, there are some great opportunities for the bridal party to relieve some stress and rejuvenate their minds and souls after months of planning for their big day. Be sure to take some time together with the people who are celebrating the most important day of your life with you. You’ll look and feel great.
Photography by Jerry Jin & Vivid Ribbon Photography
Bliss Yoga Spa
Sweating For The Wedding? Have You Tried Barre?
Photography by Lauren Dary
Every bride wants to feel and look fabulous on their wedding day. You find the best venue, shop for your perfect dress, and find the perfect hairstyle and makeup look. Once the date is set it is time to get serious about working out and eating right.
The most important part in picking a workout for the wedding is to find something that you enjoy and want to get out of bed early on Saturday morning to attend. Barre Body Studio offers a variety of barre classes, which are a blend of simple ballet move-ments, Pilates and yoga. Barre classes are designed to target the small muscles, which create long and lean bodies like the covet-ed ballerina body.
All the classes are a total body workout with a focus on the small-er muscles surrounding the glutes, abs and arms. Barre classes are perfect for the bride to be as they will tone the shoulders, triceps and arms to help rock that dress. You will pulse, shake, burn and blast your body into shape in fun and motivating class.
Classes are low to no impact so the chance of injury is very slim which means that you will not be sidelined during your wedding prep. Clients have seen changes to their bodies in as little as 5 classes and because we constantly change up the routine your mind or body will never get bored.
Our classes work each muscle to fatigue–sometimes us-ing weights, bands or Pilates balls then we relieve them by stretching before starting all over with another muscle group. Barre Blast will get your heart rate up and your body blasting that fat away. Barre with bands will tone those muscle and make them burn like nothing else. Barre Body Fit blends the best of ev-erything and is a great class for all levels. After the honeymoon, we offer Baby Barre for Moms and Babies not yet crawling.
Colleen H is getting married April 10, 2015 and has been hitting the barre 5-6 times a week for over a year. It is the only work out that she hasn’t gotten bored and constantly sees changes to her body, specifically her hips, hamstrings and a stronger core. “It
tones the entire body plus its fun-You never get the same class twice,” she says. “You will definitely still see me after the wed-ding”
Camilla P was recently married and initially chose Barre as some-thing different to her routine. The low impact workout was a perfect way to tone the body while not aggravating a previous back injury. “I found new muscles I didn’t know I had,” she says.More about the barre? Barre classes work the accessory muscles in the body and allows these smaller muscles to help the larger dominate muscles move and thereby prevents injuries, muscle strain and increases strength. Using really tiny, isometric move-ments, while contracting specific muscle groups and keeping the rest of the body still, you will definitely feel the burn. Barre is a great compliment to many other fitness varieties. Barre Body Studio emphasises strength, flexibility and balance while im-proving posture, grace and flexibility.
Barre Body Studio Edmonton runs several challenges a year to encourage participants to make their health and fitness goals a priority in their life. Many of our challenges include a clean eating meal plan by Food.Fitness.Function to help participants see the maximum benefits and set them on a life path to better health. Many brides to be have completed the barre challenges, which have helped them feel their best on the big day. Join us in April for our first 6 week challenge
Looking for a fun and unique bridal shower or staggette idea? We offer private parties up to 20 people to have fun while get-ting the whole bridal party ready for the wedding. What better way to bond than working up a sweat and feeling that barre burn.
Bridal Package- 3 month’s unlimited barre for $375 Bonus for the Bride - if 3 or more of your bridesmaids sign up for this package you get an extra month free!
Photos: Lauren Dary from L Photography http://lphoto.ca/
As part of our wedding wellness theme in this edition, we sat down with a couple getting married this year. Aislin and Steven both lead active lifestyles and talked to us about how this benefits them both physically, but also affects their overall wellness leading up to the big day.
YEG FIT: Can you tell us a little about how you guys met?
Steven: I’m 26. I grew up in Vegreville then moved to Edmon-ton to go to university. We met through a mutual friend. One night at a country bar, I was the irresistible feeling-no-pain patron and Aislin was the patient employee. Love at first sight? Five years later, we’re getting married in Edmonton this August.
Aislin: I’m 24 and a born-and-raised Edmontonian. Steven pretty much aced the ‘how we met’; I usually skip that first part and talk about The Fray concert we went to, then men-tion how he kicked my butt at mini-golf and asked this sore loser to be his girlfriend.
YEG FIT: How do you guys keep fit?
Steven: I spend a lot of time at the gym – either GoodLife or Spark Sport Conditioning, where I do CrossFit. I play soc-cer twice a week and then as a couple, we try to make it to
as many spin classes as we can. In the winter, activities are mostly indoors (next winter I’d like to spend some time hit-ting the slopes), but spring through fall we try to get out-doors as much as possible; outdoor soccer, running, biking, and golfing. Keeping active is just a really important value. I also believe in planning. We both have really busy lives, most people do; meal planning is a must. Sometimes we’ll juice too. A typical Sunday starts with a morning spin class, a coffee run, grocery shopping and an afternoon of meal prep. It helps us to stay organized and ensures we have healthy meals all week long.
Aislin: I like to run. I really, really like running. I lace up my shoes, pop in my headphones, blare the classical music (I know, weird, but try it! I swear those piano crescendos make my legs move faster) and just go. Before getting into a groove with weight training all I focused on was running. Years ago, in passing, Steven had mentioned finding a train-er to get me more comfortable with weights and proper form and strength training so here is a shameless shoutout to Chris Tse at Blitz Conditioning for his guidance, knowledge, and never-quit attitude. Now that I feel at home in the gym I make a point to sweat heavy twice a week. We sweat while on vacation too; something I had never done before meeting Steven! We’ll take a spin class in a new city or actually make use of the hotel/resort gym.
The Couple That Trains Together Stays Together.
YEG FIT: Have you both set any fitness goals as you prepare for the upcoming wedding?
Steven: Not really. We always just focus on being healthy - the way we eat, the way we work out, and the way our lifestyles are. That’s a pretty good goal for us. So, just con-tinuing on the path we are on. Maybe more yoga? Maybe not losing sleep over the wedding? Mt. Kilimanjaro is on our list - that’s a good married couple goal.
Aislin: Let’s be real: I’d like to be toned as heck in my wed-ding dress. I want to look good and feel good. I also really like chocolate and, some days, need major motivation to get my butt to the gym. My fitness goal regarding the wedding is to stay dedicated to what already works for me. There isn’t much to change – sweat a bit more, cut down on the wine. On that day, I just want to focus on celebrating with Steven and our loved ones. I want to laugh lots. Plus, I get cranky on restrictive diets. *
YEG FIT: You both sound like you lead a healthy life-style. Can you comment about how important health and fitness is to both of you?
Aislin: Fitness has been a key piece of Steven’s life since long before we met. His passion for a healthy lifestyle brought a lot of good into my own life – I am so much kinder to my body
now. If your relationship changes your lifestyle for the better, find value in that. Be grateful for it. So, yes, I think health and fitness have definitely brought us closer. We spend a lot of time cooking together; we have fun with it. And it’s like we each have our own list: Favorite Ways to Sweat It Out. Spin is on both our lists while CrossFit is on his & Barre class is on mine. That’s important too, I think, when it comes to incorporating fitness into a relationship. It’s something you can do together and it’s something you can do yourself, and it’s also something you can do within a supportive commu-nity. We’ve found a good balance.
Steven: Living healthy is very important to me. You feel bet-ter, you have the energy and ability to do more, and, yah, it looks good. I strongly believe health and fitness can bring couples together – Aislin & I share the same values in how we lead our lives now and how we want to do so in the fu-ture. I’ve made a commitment to be here for her and keeping myself healthy will help keep that promise for a long time. We have aspects of fitness that we do together – our spin classes, summer hiking, and the occasional run. We also have our separate routines – I love CrossFit, she doesn’t. She’s always trying to get me to a yoga class and I’m always reminding her to drink more water. That’s teamwork.
* Correction, every one gets cranky on restrictive crash diets – every single person.
Photos shot on location at Tru Ride
Marathon Running: The New Counseling for Couples?
There comes a time when couples will experience tension in their relationship. Being with one person can pose new difficulties unheard of by those who may be single… but they do exist. For some, relationship counseling may be beneficial, for others, not so much. Fortunately, there is still hope for any relationship encountering friction – it’s just not something, which is often proposed, but should be considered. In this article, I’m going to be discussing how running a marathon with your partner can be a far more effective, natural way to build a strong and everlasting relationship, whether it’s currently on the brink of failure, or maybe just content.
1. You’re In It Together
When you run and train for a marathon with your partner, there is no “I” in the process. You go through the same routine (or slightly different) and can empathize with the pain, which may (will) be endured. Of course, this is the one exemption of “good” pain. The process of running a marathon is exhausting, but the training involved is even more so. Your body will ache. Your head will hurt. It will be tough, particularly in the beginning, but think of it as a reflection of your relationship. The beginning is always the hardest part, but as you journey more together, it gradually becomes easier. At least, I hope that’s what’s happened – it will once you begin training and running marathons, that’s for sure. In essence, when you’re putting your body through such pain, you know you’re not alone, which is the main part.
2. Understanding The Struggles
Running and training for a marathon allows each partner in the relationship to understand one another. There is no need to vindicate (justify) a purchase on an expensive pair of running shoes, kissing a sweaty face, or being exposed to such strange smells. Both endure the same process of becoming fit enough to run the marathon, and there are no reasons to feel alienated after a long, strenuous training session which may leave you in a state of dripping sweat, or a bit smelly.
3. Anger Outlet
Say you’ve had a rough day: your boss is angry with you, your friends are all busy, and there’s nothing good to watch on TV. So what do you do? You probably go on your computer to es-cape from all the bills and other unpleasant realities you could be facing. Maybe you even take it out on your partner. Howev-er, that is evidently not a productive way of escaping from life problems (not that there’s ever a productive way of doing so) and maybe you’d feel like you’re bettering your life if there was a purpose for your actions. This is why training for a marathon can be a good outlet for stress and anger you may have. You may even find that anger perishes, and becomes obsolete when you train and run marathons. You may even find that you become a more positive person in general – with your partner by your side throughout the process.
4. The Marathon Itself Is Worth It
Once you’ve gone through the grueling months of training and getting fit enough to run a marathon, it’s time to actually face the marathon. Your whole journey has led to this moment with your partner, and it’s time to face the 26.2 miles square in the face. Depending on which marathon you’re running will not only indicate the number of people not only running along with you, but also in the audience cheering you on. Let me just tell you: this experience is something you will never forget; even when you become old and your memory begins to fade. When you’re running with your partner from the start to finish, you can say, “we did it” (I propose this won’t be the only thing to happen). Let me warn you: things could get emotional really quickly. The amount of times I’ve seen people in tears once they reach the finish line is overwhelming, and most definitely worth the ex-perience. When you do something you love with the love of your life, the experience is even more incredible, and even more so with the crowd around, congratulating you in the process. Did I mention you’ll both get a medal for finishing?
5. Sharing Travelling Experiences
When you run marathons, it’s not just a one-off thing. It can be far more than that, and even become a long term routine, and may even become traditional. When you run marathons, they won’t all be situated in the same location. They will be distribut-ed all over the world, which can open up travelling opportunities. Whether it is in America, Australia, or any other location, there is bound to be marathons available for you to run. Grab this op-portunity with two hands, catch a flight to that location and get running! It will be worth it. Be sure to take some pictures, and even write about the journey. You’ll look back at these moments for the rest of your life, and be glad you did it.
Conclusion
Marathon running can be an excellent way to help build your re-lationship to a new level, and should be considered. Sometimes you may feel as though you’d have better luck running for prime minister than convincing your partner that running is a good idea, but with enough perseverance and commitment, your rela-tionship is destined to become enriched through the marathon running experiences.
Author Bio
Curt Davies is a marathon enthusiast and has built his own web-site located at www.marathondriven.com. It’s stacked with in-formation and other goodies regarding marathon running and training for those over the age of 30. If you want to find out more about Curt and what he writes about, you can freely open the link mentioned earlier.
Healthy Menu Options For
Your Wedding Guests
featuring Serge Jost Executive Chef
Fairmont MacDonald Hotel
Photography by Vivid Ribbon Photography
While it’s true that most guests come to your wedding to cel-ebrate your marriage, it has been customary to celebrate the nuptials with a meal of one type or another. This might be a lavish seven-course affair with a seafood tower and an amaz-ing Crème Brule, or just a simple Hors D’oeurve affair where guests mix and mingle sampling some small bites.
Though the food doesn’t need to be the main attraction, it definitely helps having something your guests will remember. Many people these days are developing their wedding menus with a health conscious theme in mind and chefs at wedding facilities are brushing up on their culinary skills to provide their guests an amazing assortment of options.
Serge Jost, Executive Chef at the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald tells us that guests at the hotel are asking more and more these days for something that tastes amazing, while keeping peoples dietary needs in mind.
“We bring healthy food options to our menus and our weddings as well,” says Serge. We recently returned from the Fairmont at the Jasper Park Lodge and we can attest to the fact that there are some great menu options available for those looking to live a health conscious lifestyle.
It’s an option that has carried over to weddings as well says
Jost. “People don’t want to go too healthy, but have some el-ements in their wedding meals. We try to avoid heavy stuff. Something light for an appetizer. Organic chicken breast and vegetables. For starches, we try to go with quinoa, but we can do polenta rather than potato.”
People are very conscious of gluten for a variety of reasons including simple avoidance of it in their diet, or for health rea-sons. Jost points out that the majority of sauces and soups at the Fairmont are gluten free. “This way our clients don’t need to worry about asking for it as an option,” he says.
“We go with some refined elements like soft-boiled eggs and grains,” says Jost. “Rather than grains, we add pumpkin seeds and nuts to introduce a crunch and they are full of proteins that are filling.”
People expect to leave a wedding feeling full and having a great experience. The meal often sets the tone for what guests take away from the wedding. The success of a wedding is often determined by the quality of the meal so it’s important to have something for all of your guests’ dietary needs.
“Vegetarian options are available,” says Jost. “We produce a cabbage roll with eggplant which is very savory. Spices and herbs are used to enhance flavor.”
The most enjoyable part of the meal though is often dessert. This course often comes with added calories from refined sugars and fats. It’s not impossible however, to create a tasty treat without the added calories. Jost’s team creates a raspberry shortbread for with pineapple gazpacho. “You can use honey or maple sugar rather than a refined white sugar,” says Jost. “Seasonal fruits can be used to add sweetness.” The Fairmont Hotel MacDonald has their own garden where they grow stevia and their own fruits to add to deserts.
Another great option for brides and their bridal parties are healthy snacks as they are preparing for the day. Ben-to boxes and light cold meals are offered to brides in their rooms as they primp and prepare to walk down the aisle. Vegetarian & cold meat options are available while they are getting ready before the wedding. This will help get brides through the day when they are not typically eating normally.
“We’re certainly getting lots of requests for healthy options these days,” says Jost. “Guests are asking to have lighter meals available while still having a heavier wedding cake. This way you appreciate the cake.”
We like your thinking Chef…
Start the rest of your life with the fittest YOU!With BEYOUTIFUL YOU FITNESS
Photography by Vivid Ribbon Photography
Whether you want to look strong in strapless, sweet in a suit or wicked in white, BeYoutiful You Fitness Wedding Bootcamps are customized to suit your goals to ensure that you look fabulous and feel fit long after the honeymoon is over.
From the moment that you walk down the aisle to the first dance, all eyes will be on you. You deserve to look and feel amazing. Our Wedding Bootcamps will help you meet your fitness goals and feel strong and confident as you start your new life.
But it’s not just about how you look on your wedding day, it’s all about how you feel. Our amazing staff will help you glow from the inside out and get ready to commit to your partner as your healthiest, most positive self. With classes in spin, strength training and kick boxing, our trainers focus on fun, fitness and a full-on sweat! We want you to feel comfortable in challenging your limits and pushing yourself to new heights in a safe and healthy environment.
New to fitness? No worries! Our certified trainers love working with all levels of fitness to make you feel comfortable and in-spired to find your inner athlete. We love showing beginners how to get healthy and be strong and we can’t wait to start work-ing with you. Don’t be afraid to make the best decision for your health and happiness and start your new life off with the best version of you.
However, it’s not just all about fitness! They say abs are made in the kitchen and we couldn’t agree more. Sign up for a 3rd weekly session to meet with our registered dietician who will guide you towards the meals that make muscles! They will help you clean up your diet and direct you towards clean, healthy foods that will help you get that wedding glow from the inside out.
And don’t do it alone! Your wedding party wants to get in on the fun too. BeYoutiful You Fitness’s custom Bootcamps for 5 to 20 people are designed for you and your wedding party to lose weight, tone up and support each other in your fitness journey. You all have to feel great on your wedding day, why not encourage and inspire each other?
One of the main keys to success is preparation and there’s no better way to get motivated to get fit than a new wardrobe! Our new Lole boutique helps you go from workout to errands in no time flat. A Canadian company born in Montreal in 2002, Lole’s philosophy focuses on well-being. Technical, versatile and re-sponding to the aspirations of urban women, Lole will outfit you for the many roles in your life .
Make a commitment to yourself to start the rest of your life off with your fittest, happiest self. You will always remember how you felt on your wedding day so make it fabulous!
Imagine. Commit. Achieve. BeYoutiful You Fitness.
Radiant Bride BootcampGrab 5 to 20 of your closest friends and meet 2-3 times a week for 8-12 weeks and kick your wedding glow into high gear!
Wedding Bliss Partner BootcampStart your journey to a fit and healthy marriage together and cheer each other on! Meet with our qualified trainers twice a week for 8-12 weeks to get you into wicked wedding shape!
Wedding Party Prep & Tough Groomer BootcampGet fit together with your 5-20 most important pals with a made-for-you custom bootcamp!
Custom Stag & Stagette PartyDitch the pub crawl! Sweat it out and get pampered with our amazing Custom Stag/ Stagette Parties! Then hit the town look-ing and feeling your best!
THANKS FOR READING
YEG FITNESS
Stay tuned for our next issueFeaturing:Clayton Bellamy – Road Hammers – Keeping Fit on the Road Al Hancock – High Altitude ClimberPreparing For Your First Fitness Event River City RunnersIron GoddessLululemon AmbassadorsRise of Organic Delivery