YEGFITNESS - Jan/Feb 2017

HART’S TABLE GETTING HEART SMART

MAKING A SPLASH WITH WATER POLO

#IAMYEGFIT ULA KANIUCH

JAN/FEB 2017 YEGFITNESS.CA

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Sporty, progressive, spacious and functional. And fit. The Audi Q5 is the perfect fit for Edmonton streets. Visit Audi Edmonton North for the perfect Q5 experience that is truly north of extraordinary.

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contents 11 #IAMYEGFIT ULA KANIUCH

29 /FEATURE

15 WINTER RIDING REVOLUTION CYCLE

32 GETTING HEART SMART

HART'S TABLE + BAR

20 ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL

38 MAKING A SPLASH

24 THE BENEFITS OF ROWING HIVE FIT CO.

43 WORKOUT

28 GET BUFF NOT BROKE HOME GYM TIPS

WITH WATER POLO

WITH SHANE KOKAS

46 BEST OF YEGFITNESS

jan/feb 17

EJ PARRIS

ON THE COVER: EJ PARRIS PHOTO BY JEFF KELLY AT WORLD HEALTH

contributors ROSALYN FUNG

Rosalyn Fung is a Registered Psychologist with a specialization in Holistic Nutritional Psychology, a Masters in Marital and Family Therapy, and Certified as a Hakomi Therapist. She is the owner of Holistic Body Love and is passionate about helping you end the struggle between your mind, body and food.

CHRISTAL SCZEBEL

Christal Sczebel is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and the Owner of Pure & Simple Nutrition located in Edmonton, Alberta. She is also an avid blogger at her little space on the web, NutritionistintheKitch.com. Christal aims to help others discover their best health through nourishing and balanced eating, self-love, and developing sustainable habits that last!.

She is passionate about getting her clients and readers off of the dieting rollercoaster and into a place of balance and true enjoyment of whole foods. Christal lives in Edmonton with her husband and two fur-babies.

She loves to stay active, eat good food, travel, host dinner parties and blog about it all!

DR. BRIANA BOTSFORD Dr. Briana Botsford is a naturopathic doctor and family health care provider. Dr. Botsford treats everything from high blood pressure and the common cold, to digestive complaints, low energy and anxiety.

She works with people of all ages to help them feel and function at their best. Dr. Botsford is passionate about treating the root cause of disease and dysfunction rather than simply masking the symptoms. As an Ironman Triathlete, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Yoga Teacher, she integrates her in-depth understanding of movement, exercise and the mind-body connection into her writing and patient care. You can visit Dr. Botsford at Green Apple Health Care to get started on achieving your health goals

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Despite old school fears, research shows that strength training in young athletes is not dangerous and can improve performance and reduce sports related injuries.

Myth: Strength training is not LEARN TO LIFT

A 6 week in clinic program for youth aged 11-17 yrs. with emphasis on learning proper technique of all basic fundamental movement patterns including squatting, deadlifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying.

Learn proper form to train safely with your sports team or at the gym. Sessions are taught by Physiotherapists Darren Bishop and Ruben San Martin.

Each athlete receives:

• Complete Movement Assessment • Individualized Stability, Mobility and Core Exercise Program • Education regarding proper warm-up/cool-down, how to progress exercises and training

Small group and individual sessions begin January 16, 2017. Call us at 780.570.0225 to register or for more information.

healthy for youths and may stunt their growth.

Fact: There is no evidence that resistance training will harm growth plate cartilage and impact growth. Moreover, strength training has been shown to maximize bone mineral density, improve bone health and decrease risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

Myth: Weight training will slow youths down and decrease performance

Fact: Resistance training is actually one of the best ways to improve athletic performance in youth athletes. Weight training not only improves strength but also flexibility, anaerobic and aerobic endurance, power and motor coordination, meaning young players can sprint faster and jump higher.

Myth: There is a high injury risk

associated with weight training in youths.

Fact: Studies show that there is a very low injury rate in young athletes doing resistance training.

Key to this is ensuring that youth are taught to lift with proper technique by qualified coaches who monitor the progression of load and overall program.

editor’s note The fitness and wellness communities in Edmonton are stronger than ever. With so many different programs to keep people active and a multitude of options to treat people when they need to work out their aches and pains, we truly are lucky to live in this city.

With that in mind, we’ve decided to showcase some of the best in the business by combining our January edition with our Best Of YEG Fitness Awards. Our readers nominated their favourite fitness studios, trainers and wellness providers to share who they believe are doing great things in YEG. At our January Launch party we’re announcing the winners and if you’re in attendance, you’ll be there to help celebrate with us (winners will be announced on the YEG Fitness website).

Someone equally worthy of celebration is our cover model for January. EJ Parris needs no introduction to those who know the world of athletics. A former 4x100m Canadian Olympic team member, EJ inspires young athletes training in our city to become the next generation of sprinters with dreams of themselves one day making it to the Olympics.

As we all know, fitness in the winter can be a bit challenging. Gone are the days of running stairs in the river valley or riding the trails on our bikes. Or are they? With a little preparation and proper gear, we can all keep up with many of our outdoor pursuits throughout the winter with the added activities of snowshoeing, skiing and skating.

So don’t let the colder weather and shorter days get you down this summer. Our city is filled with some great places to check out and some amazing professionals to help you along your way.

EDITOR TJ Sadler tj@yegfitness.ca

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Chan Rin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joel Verhagen

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jenise Kropp jenise@yegfitness.ca Cody Yano cody@yegfitness.ca Sasha Wallach sasha@yegfitness.ca

PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Kelly

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Patricia Doiron

EDITORIAL INTERN Melissa Lilley

Printed in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

CONNECT WITH US @yegfit /yegfitness @yegfitness For advertising inquiries, contact info@yegfitness.ca

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 professional 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.

YEGFITNESS

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what's happening

FITFEST – Feb 4-5

EDMONTON EXPO CENTRE - gcfitfest.ca Your day at Fitfest will be filled with activities, education and fueling your body with healthy food and drink. Come prepared to sweat, learn and have fun. A coat/bag check will be available.

RIVER VALLEY REVENGE – Jan 21

ALFRED H. SAVAGE CENTRE - rivervalleyrevenge.com River Valley Revenge will challenge you with the best that the Edmonton river valley has to offer. Amazing single track, calf burning uphills and heart stopping downhills will make this a run to remember.

HYPOTHERMIC HALF MARATHON – Feb 12 & 26

HIGHLANDS GOLF CLUB - hypothermichalf.com The Hypothermic Half Marathon is part of a Canada wide series of races that happen early in the running season. If you like running in multiple layers of clothing and braving whatever elements the season decides to throw at you this is a race worth checking out!

DEEP FREEZE: A BYZANTINE WINTER FESTIVAL – Jan 14-15

118 AVENUE - deepfreezefest.ca The Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival is a free family event that brings together Ukrainian, Franco-Albertan, Franco-African, First Nations, and Acadian/East Coast communities to revel in the magic and beauty of winter. Come embrace our cold northern climate by melding artistic panache with authentic cultural and heritage winter games!

SWING ‘N’ SKATE SUNDAYS AT CITY HALL

EVERY SUNDAY IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY - 1-4PM CITY HALL - edmontonarts.ca Join the Sugar Swing Dance Club and local bands at City Hall for Swing 'n' Skate! Boogie-woogie inside or skate on the plaza.

SERVUS FREE SKI FRIDAY – Jan 6 - 5-9pm

EDMONTON SKI CLUB - edmontonskiclub.com Free skiing and snowboarding first Friday of every month, sponsored

by Servus Credit Union. Rentals and group lessons for beginners $10 each.

SIP & SLIDE SUNDAYS

SUNDAY AFTERNOONS IN FEBRUARY TOBOGGAN HILLS AROUND EDMONTON - exploreedmonton.ca Every Sunday in Feb, grab your toboggan, head to the hills, and sip a free hot chocolate courtesy of the City of Edmonton!

WINTER WALK DAY WEDNESDAY – Feb 1

CITY HALL - shapeab.com Walks held at City Hall, Provincial Legislature, many schools & other venues around Edmonton. Join fellow Albertans to celebrate winter and walking! Schools, work places, seniors’ centres, individuals and families can register.

WINTERUS MAXIMUS AT FLYING CANOË VOLANT – Feb 3-4

LA CITE FRANCOPHONE - joinmade.org Get your fat-bike, build a sled and join us for the world's 2nd annual fat bike chariot competition! Ride through winter in a whole new way! submit your event listings to info@yegfitness.ca

FATBIKES FOR MS – Feb 5

EDMONTON’S RIVER VALLEY - revolutioncycle.com A FatFondo through YEG River Valley raising awareness and funds for MS research. All funds go straight to the MS Society.

2017 CANADIAN BIRKEBEINER SKI FESTIVAL – Feb 10-11

canadianbirkie.com Come have fun, ski and be a part of a community! Enjoy fun and challenging cross-country ski events for people of all ages and abilities.

Are you Viking enough?

SILVER SKATE FESTIVAL – Feb 10-20

WILLIAM HAWRELAK PARK - silverskatefestival.org A winter extravaganza of free art, culture, recreation and sports programming. Play for the day and stay for a night of magic!

WINTER CITY GUIDE Outdoor Rinks

Check out the City website for locations, hours, amenities, and ice conditions before you go.

Skate rentals are available at William Hawrelak Park Pavilion.

Castle Downs Park City Hall Jackie Parker Park Rundle Park The Meadows Community Recreation Centre Victoria Park Oval William Hawrelak Park

Tobogganing Hills

Check the City website for conditions and notifications about City-maintained toboggan hills.

These hills have safe run-outs, safety signs and reduced hazards. Remember to follow all posted signs and safety rules, and consider wearing a helmet.

Emily Murphy Park Gallagher Park Government House Park Castle Downs Park Rundle Park – ACT Hill Rundle Park – Walton's Mountain Whitemud Park North

Good Snowshoeing Locations in Edmonton John Janzen Nature Centre Mill Woods Park Rundle Park

Other Parks That Allow Snowshoeing

Cross-Country Skiing in Edmonton

Groomed trails are located throughout the city, but are found primarily in the beautiful river valley.

Borden Park Capilano Park Coronation Park Emily Murphy Park Gold Bar Park Hermitage Park Jackie Parker Park Terwillegar Park Victoria Park Whitemud Park William Hawrelak Park

Capilano Park Gold Bar Park Gold Stick Park William Hawrelak Park Hermitage Park Kinsmen Park Riverside Golf Course Rundle Park Victoria Golf Course

The Backyard Basket The Backyard Basket is the design and passion of owner, Ryan Sieben. The name is derived from how most of the ingredients could be grown in your backyard (greens, veggies or sourced close to your backyard like chickens/eggs) and each meal is ready to cook in its own box (basket). In addition to delicious salads, soups and traditional meals, Ryan created Express Meals that allow families to eat healthy during busy evenings like parent/teacher interviews, sports practice or dance lessons. www.thebackyardbasket.com YEGFITNESS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE OPTIMIZE FOLLOWERS

optimizephysio.com 780-455-5068

mobilize • stabilize • optimize

your support towards the clinic and our vision to be an integral piece of the fitness community in this amazing city has been outstanding! The clinic is proud and humbled that Arri McWatt and Aaron Norris have been nominated for:

2016 YEG Fitness Best Physiotherapist!

For all of your physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, spinal decompression and nutrition needs, Optimize Physiotherapy is your full service rehab centre!

Battle Ice, Sleet and Snow With These Winter Shoes Serious trainers and marathon runners know that they can’t stop just because the weather is cold or there is snow on the ground or their running partner dropped off the face of the earth. This is Edmonton after all and going for the gold means keeping a training regimen that cannot be interrupted. That gusto isn’t going to grab itself, and you know who isn’t going to get it? The guy in his warm house when it comes time to start training for winter running.

To do that, you need to strap on your winter running shoes and hit the pavement.

Choosing a pair of shoes built for the winter weather conditions is probably one of the most difficult purchases that any runner will make. They need to have traction that can handle shifting temperatures as well as conditions that could change from moment to moment. They need to have warmth and water protection to keep your feet

healthy and dry. They need grips that can handle the snow without striking the pavement too hard. Whether you’re planning on a light jog or setting a new record up the mountain, we’ve got the 4 best winter running shoes for you.

MEN’S

Saucony Peregrine 6 ICE+ $189.99 The Men's Peregrine 6 ICE+ Running Shoe from Saucony is the brainchild of comfort and faraway trails. The outsole gives you the traction to conquer any terrain and the highly flexible midsole allows you to adapt to uneven surfaces. With shock-absorbent cushioning that assists you when you need it most providing protection from whatever may cross your path. A little clunky looking but definitely performed well on icy sidewalks.

RATING 4/5

New Balance 880V6 $149.99 The only way to get out there and take on the elements is to have a reliable shoe, something that the 880V6 provides in abundance. The comfortable upper enhances fit and not weight and the ABZORB technology enables a smooth foot strike. This is one of the most comfortable runners we’ve tested. Very comfortable cushioned feel. RATING 5/5

WOMEN’S

Brooks Ghost 9 GTX $169.99 With adaptive cushioning for that long run day hit the roads this winter in the Brooks Ghost 9 GTX. Featuring ultra soft, supportive cushioning, this daily trainer offers a smooth and responsive feel that adapts to

every step along the way. Offering durable traction the use of flex grooves further enhances this shoes flexibility. Waterproof material keeps your feet dry in wet conditions and synthetic overlays provides lightweight breathability for a snug, irritant free wrap. RATING 4/5

Mizuno Wave Catalyst $159.99 Give yourself a supportive upgrade in a performance package with the Mizuno Wave Catalyst.

A lightweight midsole provides a springy responsiveness at a variety of paces while a fan wave offers amazing support. Weight is kept at a minimum with a thin upper and an outsole helps increase durability and softness.

RATING 4.5/5

Check out the full selection of winter running shoes at your local Running Room.

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YEGFITNESS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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Reader Stories

What Inspires Me To #getYEGFit CAROLYN DICKSON At the beginning of August, I finally decided enough was enough. I needed to get into shape instead of keep talking about it. I've been doing yoga on and off for quite a few years but decided to up my game recently.

I bought myself a Fitbit, set up a routine and subscribed to everything fitness related in YEG so I can be first to sign up for classes. Living in Old Strathcona has really helped me maintain my goals! I'm going to Hawaii in February and plan on feeling comfortable as hell in a bathing suit. Regardless of my size, I'm already starting to feel that comfort due to sticking with my food and fitness regime.

KELSIE MARKS In June 2015, a friend told me about this group called November Project that met three times a week at 6 am to workout. My first thought was “Why would anyone want to get up that early three times a week to workout?!”. I decided to give it a try and I was instantly hooked. Not only are the workouts fun and challenging, the energy of the hundreds of people that are willing to #justshowup is incredible! You will not find this level of support and motivation anywhere else.

Before I joined November Project, I couldn’t run a block without stopping and gasping for air. This year, I have run 3 half marathons and am currently training for my fourth, all with the encouragement of the tribe that I consider my second family. Nothing pushes me more at a race than seeing a crowd of people decked out in grassroots gear cheering me on at the finish line.

CHRIS LIDDLE I've been active and fit before. In high school, I ran competitively and played on team sports but I was never as fit as I am today. In the years to follow, I had gotten comfortable with a beer belly and a "I'm not cut out for that" attitude and finally a switch went off in my head. Suddenly limitations were in my control. The only things I can't do now are what I'm not willing to work for. If I can't run a race, I haven't worked hard enough. If can't have abs, I haven't worked hard enough. If I haven't achieved that dream or goal, I haven't worked hard enough. Nothing is out of my reach anymore, I just know how to work for it now. I wake up with fierce determination that I'm going to work harder in all facets of my life. I work to achieve all my goals. It's not like everyday is a success, but when every day is better than yesterday, I'm winning. That's what inspires me.

big four

may

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calgary

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stampede

Calgary’s health & fitness exhibiton months left Limited sponsorship & exhibitor opportunities now available YYCfitexpo.ca

CHRISTINE KASTURI As a full time working Mom I love setting a goal and training for it! A race, a new program. Anything to take on a new challenge. I want to be a role model to my boys! They both play hockey and they see me training like they do :) It sets an example!

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YEGFITNESS

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YYCfit Expo

@YYCfitExpo

@YYCfitExpo

1. WHICH DO YOU PREFER? EXERCISE IN THE GYM OR OUTDOORS?

For workouts, outside. You can find me at the Westridge stairs in the summer. Yoga is different though. I rather practice in a simple space, inside. The best practice happens when I can hear my breath while moving. Even better when I can hear the whole room of students.

2. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR WELLNESS VACATION DREAM DESTINATION?

I would travel anywhere in the world as long as I have my mat and running shoes. Some of my favourite past vacation included surfing in Brazil, a hike up Arthur's seat in Edinburgh, and running through Central Park in New York. When I think of a wellness destination, I think of adventure and exploration.

3. STYLE OF YOGA YOU PREFER?

Whether leading myself through my own practice or going to a class in the community, a strong breath-focused practice is what I love. I find this with The Rocket and Sattva especially.

4. MONEY'S NO OBJECT. WHERE ARE YOU EATING YOUR NEXT MEAL IN YEG?

Simple, my mom's house. She is the best cook I know and everything she makes is made with love. My Second choice would be Cafe Mosaics for their Vegan Pho. 5. WHAT'S IN YOUR GYM BAG RIGHT THIS MINUTE?

I'm lucky, I get to wear workout gear all day. No bag needed. I do like to stash an extra pair of PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

runners and a yoga mat in my car, so I can be ready for a spontaneous workout. If you looked in my workbag you would find a peanut for emergency rolling and peppermint oil to make me feel energized.

6. FAVOURITE COLD WEATHER ACTIVITY?

Sitting in front of the fire reading. I will happily head outside in the cold for an activity, but only if it is bright. I shrivel in the dark.

7. COFFEE OR TEA? HOW DO YOU TAKE IT?

Americano. Black. Preferably from Da Capo with their gluten free cookie.

8. BAREFOOT OR SOCKED FEET IN YOUR RUNNERS?

Depends on the shoe and activity. My trail shoes are designed to be worn without socks (Vivo Barefoot), while my gym shoes (Strike Movement) I wear socks with.

9. SPA TREATMENT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?

I have at home rituals I can't live without; they help me balance myself as I live a full life. I treasure my PURA Botanicals body oils, and I make sure to leave a little time in every day to take care of myself.

10. FAVOURITE LOCAL ORGANIZATION YOU SUPPORTED LAST?

Be Free Project. I am inspired by Katie Jolicoeur, owner of Be Free Yoga. She is working to bring yoga and meditation into her community to support people with mental illness. I will always be cheering her on and finding ways to support her.

There's a common school of thought that says people get in shape for the summer and gain weight in the winter because we tend to show more skin in the warm months, while it's easier to hide a few extra pounds under sweaters when the temperature dips. We call shenanigans on that idea.

Want to know the real reason people work out from May to October and stop as soon as Thanksgiving hits?

It's because few things in life are more depressing than working out in the winter. Let us demonstrate.

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Summer: Kick start your new workout routine with a cute tank top you can wear to the gym and the beach!

Summer: Every yoga class becomes a hot yoga class when the heat wave is in effect.

Winter: Kick start your new workout routine with a moisture wicking toque, gloves, scarf, leggings, sweater, vest, socks, shoes that grip snow and headlamp to help avoid getting hit by a car while running at 4 in the afternoon. You will never wear these items anywhere else.

Winter: Sign up for an actual hot yoga class as an excuse to spend an hour lying in corpse pose and relishing in the heat.

Summer: Ride your bike to work, to the grocery store, to a friend's party and to the beach. You can enjoy the beautiful weather and get a great workout!

Winter: No. Summer: Finish work, drive to the gym, and burn the calories you consumed while sitting at your desk all day.

Winter: Finish work, drive to the gym, sit in locker room, and wait 30 minutes for your gym clothes to thaw before putting them on.

Summer: Cool off from the summer and get a great workout by doing a few laps in your neighbourhood pool. Maybe you'll even have some time to lie out in the sun to dry afterwards.

Winter: Spend 40 minutes drying your hair to avoid instant pneumonia upon leaving your gym. Oh, and that horrible chlorine smell that's stuck inside your nostrils and activated as soon as you step outside? That will stay with you all day.

Summer: Leave work, hit the gym, then enjoy four more hours of sunshine.

Winter: Leave work, see darkness, go home and watch TV. Summer: You just finished

a great fitness class and you're too sweaty to put your non-workout clothes back on. No problem!

Throw everything in a bag and head home.

Winter: You just finished a great fitness class and you're too sweaty to put your non-workout clothes back on. You make a mad dash for your car while still wearing your shorts, only to slip and fall on some ice.

You knock yourself unconscious and finally come to in time to see other people from your class running to their cars instead of helping you. They are too cold to help you.

Summer: From kayaking to hiking to water skiing, there are many fun ways to workout and enjoy the weather in the summer.

Winter: From shovelling your driveway twice a day to scraping ice off your car to putting up Christmas lights without losing a finger there are zero fun ways to work out and enjoy the weather in the winter.

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YEGFITNESS

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Unsheathe Your Light Sabre When The Snow Falls Fresh fallen powder, clean lines, and big backcountry rides call for the Arc’teryx Men's Sabre Jacket. Gore-Tex gives this light, thin, three-layer shell reliable waterproof breathable protection. Fully taped seams enhance waterproofing by preventing a single snowflake from entering the jacket.. Arc’teryx lined this jacket with flannel for additional lightweight insulation.

We teach an evolved style of Pilates that targets the whole body and mind to keep you long, strong & centred from the inside out. Classes include Pilates Mat & Machines, Yoga, Gravity Straps & Kettlebars, & SBM (Stretch, Breathe, Meditate). Our highly experienced & educated teachers are able to assist those with a wide range of abilities: from those with spinal, shoulder & knee issues who are taking their rehabilitation to the next level, to elite athletes wanting to keep their instrument finely tuned and balanced. Pilates keeps your whole body feeling young no matter your age.

10565 - 114 Street 780 421 9853 integrationpilates.com

The Sabre has a relaxed fit that includes gusseted underarms and articulated elbows that help you move down the mountain with ease. Long zippers under each arm provide plenty of ventilated airflow. The StormHood features adjustments, helmet-compatibility, and a visor that keeps snow off your goggles. There are more adjustments at the hem and cuffs and pockets designed for ski passes and electronics.

In terms of style, the Sabre follows the Arc’teryx timeless branding in a traditional Arc’teryx flashy colour. This classic Arc’teryx look isn’t going out of style anytime soon.

As we all know that style and skiing go hand-in-hand.

The cut is loose but not exaggerated. I don’t wear baggy clothes, but this jacket did not upset me in the slightest. In fact, it leaves the perfect amount of space for my Arc’teryx Elgin Hoodie.

The Sabre is a jacket that excels as much on the resort slopes as it does in the backcountry. The price may seem steep, but all the features of the Sabre make this jacket a steal of a deal.

Prop Up Your Practice

BY SARAH ZAROWNY OM YOGA

At Body Architects we’re helping people undo 5, 10, 15 years of abuse to their body. They’re finding out what it feels like to be younger, lighter, and stronger. It’s inspiring and incredible to see the changes people can achieve. Our role is to guide them on the right path, push them to realize their potential, and teach them how to maintain their new lifestyle. We all want to be able to perform - perform in every aspect of our lives - and continue to perform as we age. This is the mission for my personal fitness and for all the clients we coach at Body Architects.

People have to make a clear decision to change their lives, and once that decision is made, we’re the team to help.

10503 - 123 Street NW 780 996 1661 bodyarchitects.ca Instagram @bodyarchitects_yeg

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YEGFITNESS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

Whether it’s your first, fifth, or five-hundredth time stepping onto a yoga mat, any yoga practitioner can benefit from the addition of props to their practice. Not only are students able to find more space and stability in postures; props also help to facilitate a more supportive environment on the mat. Students with injuries, limited range of motion, or decreased flexibility may find they are able to access postures with more ease and confidence by adding props such as blocks, straps, and blankets. Contrary to popular belief, props are not ‘training wheels’ for one’s yoga practice, but rather used to encapsulate all of the possibilities that lie within a posture, making yoga more accessible to everyone and everyBODY. BLOCKS Blocks are great for beginners or those with limited flexibility.

They give students the freedom to move through postures, which they may not otherwise normally be able to access.

Such as postures that require lengthening of the spine and standing stretches. For students with tight hips, they may find comfort in seated postures by placing a block underneath the sit bones—elevating the hips and tilting the pelvis forward allows less pressure to

be placed on the hips and low spine. Placing a block underneath knees or upper thighs in seated postures such as bound angle pose (baddha konasana) decreases external rotation of the hips and alleviates pressure felt on the knees. In pigeon pose (kapotasana), putting a block underneath a raised sit bone will elevate the side of the hip, adding support and stability for the practitioner. Can’t touch your toes in a standing forward fold? No problem. Place a block in front of your feet to rest your hands on, which decreases the space between you and the floor.

STRAPS The purpose of using a strap is to support the practitioner in the posture while adding length to limbs. Straps provide support in postures like standing hand to big toe pose (utthita hasta padangustasana), adding length for students who cannot quite reach their toes with their hands. They are also excellent additions to develop arm binds as they allow students to keep their chest, shoulders, & heart open while maintaining correct alignment through the bind.

For a juicy low back release, try adding a strap to reclined twists to intensify the sensation felt along the lumbar spine. If you don’t have a yoga strap at home that’s not an issue – using a leather belt will provide the same benefits.

BLANKETS Blankets offer warmth, comfort, and support when other props such as blocks are sometimes too much. Opt for a blanket that provides more support, such as a Mexican blanket. The stiffer, thick material allows versatility in students’ practice as it can also be rolled up and used as a bolster. Place a blanket underneath knees or wrists for support if you experience any discomfort in postures such as tabletop or downward-facing dog (adho mukha svanasana).

In sphinx pose (salamba bhujangasana), a blanket may be rolled up and placed under the chest, similar to a bolster, to support the belly lift & encourage an open chest. They also offer a gentle pressure when laid over the body in corpse pose (savasana), which fosters a grounding, supportive environment.

WALL The wall offers stabilization through postures while maintaining openness throughout the body. It catches heels as students work towards headstand (sirsasana) and handstand (adho mukha vrksasana), as well as supports our limbs in legs-up-the-wall pose (viparita karani). The wall also aligns and orientates in forward extension postures such as triangle pose (utthita trikonasana). Invite playfulness and curiosity into your home practice as you explore the many variabilities the wall has to offer.

GET READY FOR WINTER RIDING Black ice, snowstorms, and darkness – winter cycling can be challenging in Edmonton. With the right clothes however, even coldest days can feel comfortable and totally doable.

Dressing for winter commuting takes care however. Layer too much, and you’ll overheat, wear too little and you’ll swear you’ll never be warm again. But with the right gear and some willingness to experiment, the winter road can truly be yours.

Here are some suggestions from the team at Revolution Cycle: 1. Layers are essential for cold-weather riding. A close-fitting, breathable base layer keeps your core warm without overheating.

SPECIALIZED TECH INSULATOR 686 Whether you're fat biking or exploring in the backcountry this winter, you'll benefit from the all-new 686 x Specialized Tech Insulator.

2. A waterproof shell is ideal for wet, cold conditions. Make sure that the jacket you’re using is fully seam sealed with back vents or underarm zips 3. Waterproof pants provide outstanding protection keeping the snow out and helping you stay dry. Look for pants that are cut slim through the lower leg and ankle.

4. Thermal and water-resistant cycling tights work well in the cold. Layer them over long johns on really cold days.

5. Headbands provide good warmth and ear protection while allowing plenty of airflow. In colder conditions, a slim beanie worn under your helmet provides warmth without too much bulk. In the harshest Edmonton cold snaps where full-face protection is needed, a balaclava keeps your neck, face, ears and head warm.

6. Cycling gloves often have durable leather or padded palms while extreme temperatures call for split-finger or lobster mitts.

7. Cycling-specific wool or synthetic socks feature strategic cushioning zones for added comfort.

8. A set of winter cycling shoes will help to add warmth and keep your feet dry.

For extreme temperatures, opt for insulated booties with a water-resistant shell.

WÖLVHAMMER 45NRTH The Wölvhammer transcends traditional cycling footwear, drawing conceptual inspiration from mountaineering boots.

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healthy living is too expensive?

LET’S RE-EVALUATE.

BY NICOLE AND LARA 2GFitness / Barre Fitness Fusion (BFF)

When you look at it on the surface, a fitness membership, personal trainer, healthy foods, plus child care while you sweat it out, looks rather expensive. It can add up and it may be easy to say "I just can't afford this!"

But ask yourself this, are you making your health a priority, not just for yourself, but for your family?

Using ourselves as examples, we list our top 3 priorities: 1. Personal health and well-being 2. Family 3. Work life and serving others Are you shocked that family is not listed first? Let us explain.

Our passion for healthy living really materialized when we realized that if we are not healthy—inside and out—our 2nd and 3rd priorities suffer. Maybe not this week or even this month, but eventually we noticed problems, aches and pains, lack of energy, little motivation, depression began to creep up. So with some time and effort, we got our acts together and made our health and well-being a priority! Once we readjusted our priorities we found the benefits naturally flowed into our 2nd and 3rd priorities.

And really, it’s fairly simple to live a healthier lifestyle by just tweaking a few minor things that make those seemingly expensive healthy-living choices much more within reach.

All you need to do to start is take 5 minutes and write down all of your ‘extras’. What’s an extra you ask? An extra is something you spend money on that: • Is not a necessity.

• Enhances your outward appearance (while makes you feel bad inside).

• Could classify you as a ‘shopaholic’ (the first step to recovery is admitting it!).

Be 100 per cent honest with yourself here and this is definitely not the time to analyze your extras. Just write them out.

Here are some examples: • Nails • The latest, greatest makeup (or so says the Kardashians) • Those ‘I have to have’ shoes • Specialty coffees such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons, etc.

• Hair such as salon colour and hair extensions • False lashes • Botox • Your seasonal clothing spending spree • Restaurants • Alcohol/Clubs

LEARN OLYMPIC STYLE WEIGHTLIFTING! What is Olympic lifting and why should I do it?

Why should you try Olympic Weightlifting? Simply put, because it's one of the most effective ways to work out!

Athletes around the world rely on Weightlifting training to improve performance and prevent injury. But Weightlifting is a also a fun, safe, and effective way to train for all ages and ability levels. Improve your strength, speed, flexibility and coordination all in one- without having to spent countless hours in the gym.

Check out our 8 Week Program Starting in January 2017 on Performance104.com

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Now, we are willing to bet that you wrote down at least two extras that focus on enhancing your external appearance? There aren’t too many women—and men—who don’t like to indulge and pamper themselves now and again. And we aren’t saying that you can never indulge!

Trust us. We also love getting our hair and nails done occasionally, or treating ourselves to a new outfit. But finally, after years of neglecting ourselves, we get that eating nutritious foods and doing a fantastic workout is going to benefit us and our loved ones just that much more.

So, rather than feeling buyer’s remorse, wouldn’t you rather feel good about yourself and your choices?

P I L AT E S

STUDIO

FIND YOUR CORE CONNECTION

Now hold on. This isn’t about trying to make you feel guilt or shame if you are spending on the extras! This exercise is simply meant to provide clarity and maybe help you realign your priorities, just a teeny bit, and see more value in you!

Think of how much money you could save if you cut back on a few of the extras on your list. Could you put that money towards a monthly fitness pass? How about writing out a weekly meal plan, buying the groceries and prepping so no food gets wasted?

Don’t wait. Decide today to make yourself and your well-being a priority. It’s never too late or too early to start. Avoid or minimize future trips to doctors and expensive medication by choosing to take care of yourself right now!

So, when you look beyond the surface (cost), cutting back on a few extras to allow you to afford that fitness membership, personal trainer or healthier foods is truly an investment in yourself. You are telling the world that you matter!

We believe that you and your health are totally worth it – now go and believe in yourself!

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2016

Feb 4th and 5th 2017 Edmonton Expo Centre T i c k e t s Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. g c f i t f e s t . c a

2016

THE TOP 10 MOST SOUGHT AFTER FITNESS TRENDS OF 2017 Starting at number 10 Exercise and weight loss, one of the main reasons people start to work out, but where do you begin? By creating a fun unintimidating environment Fitfest is enabling attendees to watch, ask questions, and tr y ever y activity from Axe throwing to Zumba.

For tickets check out www. g c f i t f e s t . c a u s e p r o m o c o d e YEGFIT to receive a 20% discount.

Jackie Winther - Co-Founder The number of personal trainers who are trained in Kinesiology is increasing which puts this trend at number 9. People are now seeking a safer way to move and strengthen the b o d y.

Wo r l d H e a l t h a c t i v e l y s e e k s trainers with these standards.

C h e c k o u t Wo r l d H e a l t h a t The Great Canadian Fitfest and see all of the other options they offer. If you are a personal trainer and want to have the opportunity to introduce yourself to 5000+ a t t e n d e e s v i s i t w w w. g c f i t f e s t . c a a n d s e e h o w.

G r o w i n g s t r o n g , Yo g a holds the number 8 spot which i n c r e a s e s F i t f e s t ’s v a l u e t o h a v e Yo g a l i f e a s o n e o f m a n y the facilities that offers this powerful fitness practice.

W h a t Yo g a s t y l e w i l l y o u t r y ?

Exercise is Medicine comes in at number 7. More and more people are dropping the pills as they find their health through fitness.

F i t f e s t ’s attendees can look forward to hearing many highly educated and well versed Guest speakers such as Mark Campbell and Ginette Biro who will enlighten their audience with their knowledge of healing the body f r o m t h e i n s i d e o u t . Wa n t t o be a guest speaker on Fitfest presentation Stage?

Sitting at number 6 Group training has played an essential role in the fitness industr y for years. Studies show that people that train with partners or in group settings are more likely to succeed in their fitness g oals.

Fitfest will be hosting a variety of 30min group classes on the main stage. Be sure to check out the YMCA they offer many g roup classes, bring a friend or family member and get ready to work out and feel good.

S t r e n g t h Tr a i n i n g i s 5 t h o n t h e l i s t t h a t ’s w h y F i t f e s t i s proud to have EJ Pow Par ris a t t e m p t i n g t o b r e a k a Wo r l d Record view featured article for more information.

360 Fitness will be among the many fitness facilities that will be bringing the

4th trend to Fitfest. Some of best educated and experienced Fitness professionals that Edmonton has to offer.

Due to t o d a y ’s fast paced lifestyle its no wonder HIIT classes is up to number 3 on the trends list and 4 Points Health and wellness has really stepped it up with their TRX/Moveball combo class we dare you to try it.

What do Calisthenics, parkour, and pole dancing have in common? Up there at number 2 Bodyweight training has increased in popularity and is only g rowing strong er.

Come and play on Peak Plays parkour park or try a flag with the girls at our Pole Fitness Booths.

Steve Capp - Co-Founder S o w h a t ’s t h e n u m b e r 1 F i t n e s s Tr e n d o f 2 0 1 7 … . . .

We a r a b l e t e c h n o l o g y.

Make sure to bring yours to enter your tracked activity in order to qualify for some Fitfest swag!

The Carrot & Berry Boom

Try this recipe inspired by our ambassador Maria Koutsogiannis!

Ingredients: 1 frozen banana 1/2 cup raspberries 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 1 cup carrots, fresh and chopped 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 cup ice 1 scoop greens powder Directions: Add all of your ingredients into a high-speed blender.

Blend till rich, smooth, and creamy.

! s u o i Delic Organic Frozen Bananas 2.99/10

Fresh and Delicious!

Enjoy!

Local Organic Carrots 5.99/2 lb

Botanica Organic Greens Powder 49.99/240 g

Did you know? You shouldn’t store your carrots with apples as the ethylene gas emitted by the apples will make your carrots taste bitter.

All grocery items available for home delivery from SPUD.ca

SAVE $10!

Use code YEGFIT10 at SPUD.ca to receive $10 off $40* on your first order of local, organic groceries & produce delivered right to your door. Free delivery, no contracts. 100% satisfaction.

*must live within delivery area, not to be combined with any other offers. New customers only. Expires December 28/2017

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

BY MARY-HELEN CLARK Not everyone enjoys lifting weights, or yoga. Maybe you’re not crazy for crossfit, or big on barre. Perhaps the thought of running makes you tired.

There’s got to be a solution for you, right?

Maybe what you need to do is dance! Dancing not only burns calories, but it works every muscle group. And it’s also a lot of fun.

“It’s really amazing because you can see the improvement, right from the first class,” says Maria Valencia Alvarez, a teacher at Pique Dance Studio.

“You don’t even realize that your body is working so hard. You have to listen to the placement of your body, and focus on what your body is telling you to do. You’re pulling yourself up, squishing those ribs, squeezing the booty all of the time, pushing those knees up, it’s amazing.”

Not only is dancing a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of work. Pole requires tremendous core strength to pull your body upwards into the spins. It requires leg strength to balance. Ballet strengthens all of the muscle groups, as well as improves hand-eye coordination.

“That’s why you see so many soccer and football teams encouraging players to take ballet. It helps them get stronger and more coordinated,” Valencia Alvarez says.

If you are looking to start out with dance, the best place to start would be an introductory class, which teaches dance movements, as well as stretching, to help prepare muscles for your dance classes. It is still an intense workout, and it’s important to find a coach with tons of enthusiasm, shouting out encouragements while correcting form.

You will always feel like you learn something, even after the first class.

Coaches try to help you so you feel like you accomplished something by the end of the class. You will never leave thinking ‘oh, I can’t do it.’

You will always learn something and hopefully think ‘I will do it better next time.

It doesn’t matter if you’re male, female, in great shape, just starting your fitness journey, or never danced a day in your life, dancing for fitness is for everyone.

Program Design Remote Coaching Nutrition Crossfit Email us for a FREE CONSULTATION info@saintcityfitness.com Subject line: “YEG Fitness”

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#103, 190 Carleton Dr. St.Albert, Alberta www.saintcityfitness.com

\’pi-v -t l\ e

e

pivotal adjective

READ YEGFITNESS ONLINE at yegfitness.ca

GET YOUR #IAMYEGFIT SHIRT AT YEGFITNESS.CA

of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else. synonyms: central, crucial, vital, critical, focal, essential, key, decisive

Your Pivotal Moment begins here at the High Performance Centre!

Now Accepting New Patients!

Brewery District #201, 11936-104 Avenue 1.855.5PIVOTAL www.pivotalphysio.com

SUBSCRIBE TO MY FITBOX LIFE AT MYFITBOXLIFE.COM

HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE

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HOW TO GET YOUR FIT TOGETHER IN THE NEW YEAR

Getting fit and staying active is as much about planning as it is about making a personal commitment.

Quite often a busy life is all it takes to hinder the success of your new year’s resolutions.

So to help you get on the right track, here are a few tips and tools to consider as you embark on the road to wellness in 2017.

WORK WITH A FITNESS TRAINER While a personal fitness trainer can apply unique knowledge and expertise to help you achieve your particular goals, they can also be important motivators, cheering you on as they pushing you towards the finish line. Having a standing appointment will also ensure there is always physical activity on your weekly schedule.

For more information on personal and group fitness training visit edmonton.ca/fitnessservices

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT You’ll never miss a class or appointment if you organize your fitness activities with The City of Edmonton Recreation Centres app. Add classes to your calendar and share you results on social media, stay informed with facility schedules and hours and even connect with users who share similar interests.

Download the City of Edmonton Recreation Centres app on iTunes or Google Play

BE SOCIAL Finding a workout buddy in your personal life or making “fitness friends” with people in your drop-in program will encourage long-term commitment and keep your experience positive.

Consider creating a community around your physical activity and it will keep you coming back for more.

Find registered and drop-in programs by using MyRecGuide.ca

THE BENEFITS OF ROWING

BY BRE BAKER

PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY AT HIVE FIT CO.

The benefits of any cardiovascular activity are well-known; increased endurance, improved heart health, reduced stress and an overall improvement in wellbeing, to name a few. These benefits are often the reason many of us choose some sort of cardio exercise as the first step in our fitness journey. In addition to the physical benefits, the mental aspect of exercise also plays a key role.

Rowing has been around for a number of years, but it is only in last decade or so that it has started to make its way back into mainstream fitness by bringing it indoors.

Why now? Rowing is truly one of the most effective workouts there is. Recognizing that it incorporates all of the above benefits of cardio exercise. It is also low impact, increases your stamina, all while building and toning muscles. There are few other exercises that can offer the same results. Many also enjoy the accountability factor with the console on each rower and the way the machine can mimic being out on the water, especially in a group rowing class where you work together to achieve your goals.

• Total Body Workout: The biggest myth about rowing is that it is an upper body workout only. While it does incorporate the upper body, 60% of the power actually comes from the legs, 20% from the core and 20% from the upper body. In total, nine major muscle groups are worked or 84% of your muscles with each stroke including quads, hamstrings, core, lats, shoulders, triceps, back, biceps and glutes.

• Low Impact: Perhaps one of the greatest things about rowing is that it can be considered to be easy on the joints, as long as you maintain good form. Your hands and feet both stay connected to the handles or footpads the entire time, minimizing the impact being placed on knees, elbows and shoulders, all which tend to be fairly prone to injury. This also makes it a very suitable exercise choice for those who are working through an injury or who are unable to participate in weight-bearing exercises such as walking or running.

• Maintain Control: The resistance created in rowing is generated by the user of the machine. The harder you pull back on the handles, the more resistance generated.

Nearly anyone is able to try rowing and can maintain control of how much or how little effort is exerted. This is one of the many reasons why rowing tends to appeal to a wide range of fitness levels; those who are looking to elevate their fitness or those who are looking for something to start out with that they can control.

• Efficient and Effective: Rowing doesn’t require a considerable amount of time for it to be effective. Unlike running, ultimate results can be achieved in a shorter amount of time as you are using your entire body during the workout. When combined with other body weight exercises, you can find new limits and ultimate fitness goals can be achieved.

As you can see, rowing is an incredible exercise. But like everything, it does need to be done with proper technique in order to be effective. The form is relatively simple to learn and becomes easier every time. However, before you go full swing ahead, be sure to get a proper rundown from a trainer in order to maximize your workout and reduce the potential for injury. Once you’ve completed this, go ahead and enjoy your new journey on the rower, it is pretty much guarantee you won’t look back. ​ Bre Baker is the owner of Hive Fit Co. YEGFITNESS

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Follow The YEGFit Street Team Each month, the YEGFit Street team checks out some awesome studios and fitness events around the city. We love meeting new people and mixing up our routines to keep fit and active and sharing those workouts with our followers.

Over the past couple months, we’ve been visiting Hive Fit Co, Sculpt Barre West and Moksha Yoga West. For some of us, it was our first time on a spin bike and for others, it was a sweaty month trying out hot yoga. We definitely earned our Glow juices after each workout.

So follow along with the YEGFit Street Team on Instagram and Twitter to see where we’ll be next. We’re bringing some great prizes with us and you could find your face in the next edition of YEG Fitness.

Providing Sport Specific Off Field, Off Court, Off Ice Conditioning and Strength Training “When you are not training, your opponent is, and somewhere down the line, you must face him.”

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Free Group Classes • Free Towel Service • Free Lockers • Private Change Rooms and Showers

• Cardio, Strength, Free Weight, Studio, and Functional Training area • Personal Training available

healthyedmonton.com (780) 757-3481 10469 - 80 ave (Beside No Frills)

10521 Kingsway Ave (South of Nait LRT Station)

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• One on One training • Small group training • Team training and baseline evaluation testing • In Gym or On Site (we bring the equipment to your location, even on ice) • Providing Sport Specific Trainers in various sports: •Hockey •Football •Rugby •Basketball

afelitetraining.com

SNOW SHOVELLING A CANADIAN RIGHT OF PASSAGE?

BY MILES MORGAN Canada’s unofficial winter sport? Love it or hate it, nearly all of us (usually begrudgingly) have picked up a shovel at one point to move the white stuff off our sidewalks and driveways. As a form of physical activity, snow shovelling places considerable demand on the body’s cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system. As a result, many individuals who shovel snow become injured.

A study published in 2011 by the American Journal of Emergency Medicine found nearly 12000 people per year are treated in hospital emergency departments in the United States for snow shovelling related injuries.

Researchers found that soft tissue injuries are the most common reason for hospital admission (55%), 34% of which are cited to be in the lower back. Slips and falls (20%), being hit by a snow shovel (15%), and cardiac related emergencies (7%) are also among the list of related injuries. Furthermore, approximately two-thirds of all injuries involved men.

Should we toss out our snow shovels and replace them with snow blowers? Not necessarily. By following a few simple snow shovelling tips, you can decrease your chances of getting injured.

STEP 1 CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHOVEL Avoid straight-shaft shovels. Straight-shaft shovels require users to repeatedly bend and twist to move snow. This causes compression on the lower back and spine, which commonly results in injury. Choose a curved shaft shovel instead.

The curved shaft decreases the need for forward bending and takes more stress off the lower back when lifting snow compared to a straight shaft shovel. A correct shovel length should allow you to have your knees slightly bent and your back nearly straight at the start of your shovel stroke.

You can also help make the job easier by choosing a shovel made with a lightweight material and applying lubricant to the shovel blade to prevent snow from sticking to it.

STEP 2 PREPARE YOUR BODY Snow shovelling requires co-ordinated, repetitive use of the body’s major muscles groups (legs, arms, chest, upper back). Ensuring these muscle groups are adequately trained prior to snow shovelling helps to avoid injury. Functional exercises including squats, dead lifts, standing chest press, bent over rows, and bicep curls are all great exercises to help prepare for the demands of shovelling.

Not sure where to start?

Contact a healthcare provider who is trained in func-

tional movement screens and exercise prescription to ensure your body moves at its best.

Throw the snow directly in front of you instead of twisting your body and throwing it to the side.

Snow shovelling also challenges your cardiovascular system. One study found that the heart rate of sedentary men exceeded the upper limits recommended for aerobic exercise after just 2 minutes of shovelling. Since snow shovelling is typically done in short intense bursts, ensure your cardiovascular system can meet the demands by incorporating interval training into your cardiovascular exercise routine. Sedentary, deconditioned individuals should also exercise caution when snow shovelling, as they are at a higher risk for heart failure with intense cardiovascular activity. In this case, discuss your current health status with your physician or health care provider before attacking a big snowfall.

Additionally, keep hydrated while shovelling, take frequent breaks and pace yourself. If possible, shovel in shifts as the snow falls rather than waiting until a heavy pile has built up. Get help with the shovelling!

Chat with your neighbours or family members in order to divide the load. Importantly, if you feel any cardiovascular warning signs such as lightheadedness, nausea, sudden shortness of breath, chest pain/tightness that may spread to the neck, jaw back or arms, heed these warnings and get emergency assistance.

STEP 3 USE PROPER FORM As with any exercise, proper form is key to prevent injury. Grip the shovel with your hands at least twelve inches apart for more leverage.

Push the snow as you shovel. When lifting snow, squat down with knees apart and keep your back straight.

Focus on using your legs and glutes to lift the snow laden shovel without bending forward at the waist.

Step into the direction you are throwing snow, keeping the load close to your body.

If you regularly need to shovel a lot of snow, you may want to trade the snow shovel in for a snow blower, but beware that snow blowing comes with its own set of injury risks. Or, if you are elderly, have a pre-existing medical condition, or are not in good enough physical shape to regularly shovel, there is always the option of hiring someone else to do the job.

By following these simple tips, you can allow your body to work smarter. Not harder. This will decrease your chances of suffering a snow shovelling related injury during our long winter season.

Miles Morgan, MScPT, MPA, is a Physiotherapist and owner of Resolve Physio and Wellness in South Edmonton. resolvephysioandwellness.ca

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Get Buff, Not Broke

HOW TO BUILD A BUDGET-FRIENDLY HOME GYM AT ANY PRICE

There are many reasons why people like the idea of having a home gym. For busy people, what better way to maintain an exercise routine when your gym is in the next room? For lazy people, having a gym ten steps away rather than ten minutes away leaves you with no excuses not to work out.

For the fitness enthusiast, the gym might have a limited selection of equipment and you may not always have access to the equipment you want to use.

The home gym is accessible, convenient and fully customized based on your needs and budget. Despite the winning combination of benefits, many people do not consider having a home gym as one of their options. Whether it’s a lack of space or the cost of commercial equipment most, opt for the local gym to stay in shape. But there is hope for those of you wanting to turn that unfinished basement into a home gym worthy of Arnold and Jillian’s approval.

Here are our suggestions for including some equipment in your own home gym to provide you with a great workout at any budget.

UNDER $100 Before you rush to your local sporting goods store, start by thinking outside the big box. Kijiji is great place to find great exercise equipment at rock-bottom prices. Most people have the best intentions when they buy a treadmill or elliptical for home, but the reality is most of them end up as glorified clothing racks—and their owners are happy to let you have it so they can reclaim the space in their bedroom.

Check with family and friends too. Some are even willing to give away a treadmill or elliptical if you pick the item up. While these are not essential pieces, if you find one and think you might use it, go for it!

If you’re unable to find a steal of a deal there, these are some great additions that won’t break the bank.

Stability ball: $20. A stability ball (or exercise ball) adds to your exercise library in 2 ways. You can do exercises with the ball itself, such as wall squats or hamstring curls. Or it can also serve as a bench. By using the stability ball instead of a standard bench, you'll engage more core and stabilizer muscles while performing classic strength exercises such as chest presses and dumbbell pullovers.

Dumbbells: pair $30 to $40. You'll also need a pair of dumbbells to start. One good pair of dumbbells allows you to do upper body exercises like the ones mentioned above, as well as adding a new challenge to body weight exercises such as walking lunges or jump squats. Don't think of dumbbells as a tool that have to be a matched set. Try training unilaterally (a single arm shoulder press, for example) for an extra core challenge. The weight you need to purchase will depend on your fitness level.

Kettlebell (15 to 25 pounds): $25 to $30. A kettlebell can serve two purposes. First, you can use it as another dumbbell for exercises such as rows and shoulder presses. Second, kettlebell swings are a great High Intensity Interval 28

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Training cardio workout. Make sure you learn to do a kettlebell swing correctly first to prevent injury.

Resistance band, medium to heavy: $10 to $15. Bands are easy to use and store, plus they travel well. They can be used not just for traditional pulling movements like rows but also to create multi-movement exercises. You can stand on the band and do a squat with a shoulder press, or you can anchor it under one foot for a split squat with a bicep curl at the bottom. By using multiple muscles groups in one exercise, you increase burn and save time.

UNDER $500 Looking to add a few more gadgets to fill out your space and burn some extra calories while strengthening your core and toning your muscles? Add these extra pieces of equipment to the items listed above.

TRX suspension training system: $200. While this item is a little pricier than others on this list, it’s actually a very cost-effective deal when you consider its multifunctionality. All you need is an overhead beam—or backyard tree branch— to anchor it and you’re in action. It gives you a solid fullbody workout, which challenges your core strength as well as your balance and coordination.

There are lots of tutorials on YouTube and other places to give you workout ideas with the TRX.

UNDER $1,000 Notice that up until this point, we haven’t really mentioned any equipment. No squat cages. No benches and racks. No multifunctional equipment or treadmills. Unless you can find these gems on kijiji or from a friend looking to part with their unused equipment for a bottle of Crown Royal, you probably wont find good quality equipment for under $1,000. That $299 treadmill you saw in that Boxing Day flyer last year probably didn’t last the year if you picked it up.

Remember that if you want something that is built to last, you need to pay for it.

Multifunctional Equipment: Approximately $500+. The XR 55 Home Exercise Gold’s Gym is a good example of a piece of equipment offering a variety of movements. Chest press, butterflies, high and low pulleys, and a leg curl piece, you can get a good full body workout using a piece of equipment like this without taking up a lot of room or costing a bundle for all the different pieces of equipment. However, a lot of the exercises you can achieve with a piece of equipment like this can also be achieved with the equipment listed in the under $500 and under $100 lists. You just need to be a bit creative.

So in the end, how you build your gym space is up to you and your budget. You can start by building a great space for under $100 to get started and add to it as time goes on. The point is it doesn’t need to cost a bundle to build your home gym. With some creativity and a limited budget, there really is no excuse not to #getYEGFit.

“POW”ERFUL WISDOM From EJ Parris Have you ever been at a party or an event and there was that one person that people just gravitate to?

They take over the room with their energy and make everyone around them feel amazing. Their voice carries through the room and the smile on their face invites you in to be part of whatever they’re selling. That’s former member of the Canadian 4x 100m men's Olympic team EJ “Pow” Parris.

AT WORLD HEALTH

We sat down with EJ to chat about the life of an Olympian and how he’s used those experiences to transition into his new life in YEG. YEGFIT: What has the transition been like moving from professional athlete to personal trainer and motivator?

EJ: The transition was what it was - If I had to give it a name, I would call it, "Oh no, what did I do? Why did I end my professional career so suddenly and prematurely?” I was unprepared or at least I felt that way. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go next.

For about five or six months everything was a blur... or at least it seems that way now. I remember rolling with the proverbial punches but always feeling like I was in the right place at the right time, and before I knew it I was the power and performance coach for a dozen NHL players at a dry-land hockey camp in St. Albert.

I began sharing the story of my life with those in my sphere of influence. I guess my story was fairytale enough to inspire my audience, clients, listeners; which in turn earned me the title of Motivational Achievement Speaker. The transition from pro athlete to personal trainer/ motivator has been very humbling.

YEGFIT: What sparked your interest in athletics?

EJ: Natural selection led me right to athletics. As far back as I can remember I was always outrunning my opponents, be it on the soccer pitch or in the schoolyard. After watching my sister take up the sport in high school, I was compelled to do the same. Not only did I want to follow in her footsteps, I wanted to go beyond that. I was addicted to the electric atmosphere of each track meet, and the powerful reflex called sprinting. I had chosen a sport that had naturally chosen me... I guess it was meant to be…

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YEGFIT: Competing at a high level takes a lot of prep.

How did you plan your day as a pro athlete vs. today?

YEGFIT: You're a damn happy, positive guy. What gives you such a happy outlook on life?

EJ: Lucky for me I had a very smart coach who did most of the planning for me. I would simply (hardly a simple task) bring action to his plan(s). Here is his winning formula: Train optimally (9:30am -12pm); eat a number of healthy meals throughout the day; use recovery modalities like massage, ART, acupuncture, mediation, naps, and get quality sleep every night.

EJ: Everyday, I wake with a heartbeat in my chest; the power to shape my reality through mentalism, and the ability to translate thought into action.

These days, I still use my former coaches winning formula but this time I have a few extra ingredients to add, such as work, studying and a social life. Each day I allot 2-3 hours to coaching, 2 hours to reading and writing, and 1-2 hours for movement and strength training. No longer am I planning to be the fastest man, I am simply training to become a better mover.

YEGFIT: Being a competitive athlete comes with a ton of pressure. How did you deal with this pressure and how has that helped you today?

EJ: For many years I had a bad relationship with pressure.

I wasn't mature enough to adapt to its imposition, and so the pressure would always beget breakdown. I would waste time wallowing until something lit a fire under my ass.

It wasn't until I heard the old proverb by George S. Patton Jr. "pressure makes diamonds", that I reformed my conscious response to pressure. I then began considering pressure to be the catalyst to growth. Now pressure begets breakthrough instead of breakdown - I now allow myself to be galvanized by pressure.

YEGFIT: What was your training regime like?

How about today?

EJ: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday was dedicated to sprinting, followed by a dynamic or near maximal effort lifting session. Tuesdays and Saturdays I would perform general strength circuit training; Thursdays and Sundays were rest days.

Training took precedence over almost every thing else in my day aside from my health. Now, I find myself squeezing my training sessions in between work and study time. I don't sprint much these days but I can hoist a small car over my head (just joking).

Now I train to improve movement literacy and I have a lesser focus on specialization. My training aims at building and maintaining a longstanding relationship with high quality pain free movement.

I am in charge of ME - I get to make the intimate choices/decisions. So I make it a habit to choose enjoyment, creativity and to be profoundly involved in life and it's many processes.

YEGFIT: What advice can you give to any aspiring athletes trying to make it pro?

EJ: It's your journey, make it fun and make it memorable.

Let passion be your guide and be the author of your destiny.

Don't allow excuse(s) to be your unmaking, and be ready to learn.

YEGFIT: Who or what motivates/inspires you?

EJ: Movement and its infinite possibilities are the perfect dosage of inspiration for me. I find a lot of my movement inspiration comes from watching martial arts and dance; particularly, B-boys, popping, locking, new style hip hop, contemporary, Krump style and house dance.

YEGFIT: Do you have any new projects in the works right now?

EJ: I'm working on developing my brand as a keynote speaker. I enjoy it so much... perhaps more than I do coaching.

My last speaking engagement was with a corporate audience at ATB Financial’s Private Wealth Management Conference, and since returning home from that engagement I have received a number of other speaking opportunities.

I'm excited!

On February 4-5th, Edmonton will get to experience its first ever fitness expo. At this event, called the Great Canadian Fit Fest yours truly will attempt to set a new world record in the weighted pull up. Since setting my sights on this record, back in the summer (which at the time was 206.2lbs) a young lad out of Spain toppled the record with his performance of 230lbs additional weight. His performance lit a fire under my @$$ that has inspired me to push the limits and believe in myself even more than I ever have before. I want this world record and on February 5th I plan on earning it, convincingly.

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Getting Heart Smart HARTS TABLE + BAR

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PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

MENU ITEMS: Red Thai Curry Salmon Atlantic Salmon - 6oz Broccolini - 4oz Sesame Basmati Rice - 5oz Spicy Cashew - 15g Red Thai Curry Sauce - 3 Fl oz.

At Harts Table + Bar their food is truly made with “Hart”! Nothing says quality like a finely crafted menu full of not only locally sourced ingredients, but also the majority of our offerings being house-made! Come, ‘Eat Your Hart Out’ is one of their slogans promoting a menu that is not only delicious comfort food but also healthy satisfying options. At Harts, they promote healthy eating not only because they feel it’s the right thing to do, but because a large part of the population within their community is turning to that healthy, active lifestyle. Occasionally it’s nice to take a break from snacking on wings and enjoy a great salad or a Hart healthy dish, believe me, your heart will thank you.

Harts takes pride in the fact that they use as many locally sourced products as possible. From one local company to another – it’s just the right thing to do and they know the love and care that goes into each of these specially chosen items.

To make a great dish, you need to use great ingredients.

With the growing gluten intolerant and celiac restrictions, they strive to ensure many of their menu items are easily accommodating to those guests. They work to offer great tasting vegetarian and vegan alternatives as well and their staff are all very knowledgeable and can recommend great alternatives to work with all requests.

RED THAI CURRY SAUCE We use a red curry paste and coconut milk for our sauce, we do not add any flour or starches to thicken we reduce the sauce to our desired consistency.

RED CURRY PASTE • Garlic - 21% • Dried red Chili - 19% • Lemongrass - 18.5% • Shallot - 14.5% • Salt - 13% • Galangal - 6% • Shrimp paste (80% shrimp, 20% salt) - 4.5% • Kaffir lime peel - 2.5% • Pepper - .5% We add 1/2 cup of paste to 2 litres of coconut milk, then reduce that down to about a litre / litre and a half.

SESAME BASMATI RICE We cook the basmati rice in seasoned water, we than use the sesame dressing to season the rice.

SESAME DRESSING INGREDIENTS • Ginger - 114g • Garlic - 114g • Gluten free Soy sauce - 500ml • Sesame oil - 250ml • Mirin - 500ml • Rice vinegar - 1L • This recipe makes two litres, we add a tablespoon of it to the 5oz portion of rice to order.

ATLANTIC SALMON We brush with canola oil and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Then we pan roast.

BROCCOLINI Brushed with canola oil and seasoned with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Then we grill to char slightly.

SPICED CASHEWS Whipped egg whites, Cajun spice, and Sriracha together than fold in cashews, roast to golden brown.

WIFE’S FAVOURITE SALAD • Mixed Greens - 110g • Fresh Berries (blend of strawberry, blueberry, black berry) - 100g • Goat Cheese - 50 g • Quinoa - 45 g • Sunflower Seed - 10 g • Lemon Herb vinaigrette - 2 fl. oz.

LEMON HERB VINAIGRETTE (yields 2L) • Lemon Zest - 1 cup • Lemon Juice - 1 L • Honey - ½ L • Dijon - ½ cup • Canola Oil - 2L • Cilantro - 2 cup • Basil - 2 cup • Salt - TT • Pepper - TT

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Building A Strong Base

Ask most elite athletes, like beach volleyball star Treanor, NFL receiver Larry Fitzgerald and former UFC woman’s champion Ronda Rousey, and they’ll all espouse the need for overall body balance.

So why do regular gym users tend to ignore their legs? Vanity, fear and lack of knowledge are contributing factors. Let’s face it, doing lower-body work properly is tough, physically and mentally. Those muscles burn and you know they’re going to be sore the next day. Consequently, we’ll see guys and gals working their chest and shoulders and arms every day of the week. But the legs? Somehow they seem to neglect those.

For example, you see a lot of people do hamstring curls or leg extensions but avoid the deadlift or the barbell back squat. I think a lot of it has to do with just being scared of the difficultly of the exercises that deal with training legs.

Why? Because moves like the deadlift or the barbell back squat do require coaching. It’s not something that you just have to look up on YouTube and have a guy talking about it. You have to be taught the right way. And some just don’t know how to the do that, or don’t know how to ask or are embarrassed.

Unfortunately, there’s also the fact that half the time a lot of this training just goes to people who just want to train the muscles people can see, purely for aesthetics. It’s unfortunate, but it’s a reality in the gym world.

The other thing we see is people go straight to machines.

They isolate one muscle for you so I see the benefit of that when doing rehab and stuff. But when we’re lifting weights, people who avoid working the legs don’t realize they could be doing a lot heavier is they had the support system of strong legs.

When I was younger I would mold to what they want. Now, right off the start I want them to know this is how we’re going to accomplish these goals.

Here are five exercises I recommend for lower-body workouts.

1. BARBELL BACK-SQUAT You’re going to have free weight resting on your back. Triple flex extension is the big thing. Flex extension of knee, hip and ankle. Benefit is not only are you squatting and getting the whole leg workout, all your core stabilizers are kicking in trying to stabilize that weight.

3. RESISTANCE BAND, LATERAL CUBE WALK This one is fun. A lot of people only work out the side they’re playing with, which is forward and backwards. But there’s so much lateral movement that is neglected, so with the resistance band we’re targeting adductor, abductor, glute … A perfect way to improve hip stability and strengthen the hip abductors.

2. ROMANIAN DEAD-LIFT Modified version of the dead lift - really targets the hamstrings and the hip-hinge, which is another huge aspect in training. I find the hamstrings a very neglected area.

4. BARBELL HIP THRUST This is training more glute stuff but still working the hip hinge so it can be very, very beneficial for core strength, can help strengthen your deadlift, your squat. It’s a difficult exercise but when done right it’s extremely beneficial to the lower back.

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PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

Triple Olympic gold medallist Misty-May Treanor calls them “nightclub bodies” – ginormous upper bodies and little sticks for legs. You see them everywhere in gyms. Guys and gals pumping iron to grow huge upper-body muscles while ignoring their legs. For them it’s all about the look.

5. WALKING LUNGES, BARBELL/DUMBBELL WALKING LUNGES Again triple flex extension except this time we’re going single leg, focusing on each side, really working on any imbalances.Using dumbbells targets the quads, gluts, hamstring and hip flexors and engages muscles that stabilize the core.

Robb Chalifoux is a personal trainer at Anytime Fitness Edmonton specializing in helping youth, to motivate them as a strength coach.

AT SAINT CITY CROSSFIT

Some Moms and Fitness Moms and fitness sounds like an oxymoron. I have talked to many women over the years and the biggest struggle I hear about is finding the time and not feeling guilty when you find the time! Women sacrifice so much (as do men, but I just want to focus on moms) to take on the role as a mother. They all have their own stories. Some have struggled to get to motherhood, while others never planned on motherhood.

We are, more often than not, already sleep deprived because of late nights, restless nights and early mornings.

The day begins often with an alarm at an early time (or perhaps a child serves as an alarm because they are up and hungry). We get up, drink coffee, feed the kids (often forgetting to feed ourselves), change diapers, do laundry, clean kitchens, chauffer children around

to school and extracurricular activities. We look at things on an ongoing basis for household projects and things we need to do. We live in a culture that seems to promote frustration no matter which way you try to live and parent. And yet what we should be doing is supporting healthy moms. I am pro healthy mom! We all have our strengths and that’s why we need community. I am a firm believer in supporting people to look after themselves so they can go out and support their communities and be better people. I am an even stronger advocate to support women to look after themselves through fitness so they can go home and be better moms, or be better in any other role that they take on.

years. However, finding a community at the gym has made me stick it out during some of the most miserable times in my life. I have not always been inspired to work out, but I have always known that I needed to do something for myself so that I could be a better person. Taking the mental break from reality helps to clear my head and refocus on the here and now. And eventually finding a group of moms (and non-moms!) who inspired me has helped to keep going day-by-day.

dearly about playing sports.

Competition with myself.

With my mind and body.

Can I do this work out?

Can my body really lift that much weight? Can I pull myself up on that bar? Heck ya I can! And it became about challenging myself and with that I left with an empowered attitude. I can mom better today. I can wife better today and I can do hard things more easily because I feel strong inside and out.

More than anything it gave me a group of people that inspire me.

So in hopes of inspiring some of you, I emailed a few of the women some questions and here are our answers:

I have the pleasure of working out with some of the most amazing people.

It has been fun to watch us all grow in different areas of our lives; not just in our physical strength. For me personally, as a mom, finding time for fitness has ebbed and flowed over the

Leanne: For me it began as a way to get back in shape and because there was childcare it was a way for me to get out of the house and do something for me without having to get a babysitter. Then CrossFit gave me the competitive spirit back that I missed so

Selena: Working out keeps my mind and body healthy and happy! Being with like-minded people is a great way to spend your workout. I always leave the gym tired from the workout but energized for the day.

I clear my mind and I am ready to tackle my day!

WHAT DOES WORKING OUT DO FOR YOU?

Nicole: Working out just makes me a better person in general. It makes me feel more confident, more energetic and helps create for my kids a positive role model when it comes to their health.

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Erin: Working out helps me relax and refresh myself.

It keeps me grounded and reminds me I'm human and some days I can handle so much more than others.

Skyla: I've always believed in taking care of yourself in order to take care of others.

My time at the gym allows me to give more to my family at home because I am happy.

HOW DOES WORKING OUT AFFECT YOUR ABILITY AT HOME? Leanne: Mentally and emotionally I am more balanced. Whether it be the stress release, the comradery of people. The small goals I accomplish and the way I feel physically completely changes my mood.

I feel better, and in turn am happier and the whole house is happier.

Erin: Working out helps me function better as a mom and wife. I get some me time which allows me to be more positive and productive at home and my kids also see how important it is to be active.

Nicole: Depending on the workout, sometimes I’m too tired to do anything at home! Usually though, I feel energized and ready to take on the day to day household upkeep, as well as running my kids all over the place.

Patty: I have found that taking the time to do something for myself helps me stay focused on the tasks at home. Clearing my head and pushing my body to do things I didn’t know were possible is empowering. I find that my husband and children get the best of me if I have taken the time to

look after myself.

HOW DO YOU FIND THE TIME? Leanne: Umm... still working on it. It was easy when I wasn't working to find the time. It was a matter of choosing to go. Now with full time work it takes planning ahead for sure. Lately my situations means I leave my gym bag in the car and I go on the fly when my schedule allows. And sometimes it means asking for help. For me time.

Selena: Well going to the gym is just like waking up or eating breakfast it's just part of my day that I will always have time for. I am lucky to have a home gym as well, so when I can't make the gym I do a WOD (workout of the day) at home.

Erin: At first it was hard because I would feel guilty for going and putting myself first but I've decided that I deserve some ‘off time’ for me so I have scheduled it into my day. I've promised myself to commit to three to five days a week. It’s now become routine which is great.

Skyla: Sometimes it's tricky, some days are missed, but overall I do my best to make it a priority. I feel very blessed to have the ability to make the gym a priority.

Nicole: I make the time.

Putting myself first is important, both to me as well as my kids. They need to see that a person should love themselves enough to put their health and happiness first so they can be a better human being for everyone else. I am a better mother and wife when I have taken care of myself!

Patty: I have worked out at 5:30 am right through to 9:30 pm. It takes scheduling and organization and it was much easier when I was home full time. Now I make sure to give myself grace and try to coordinate with my husband to make sure we both get to the gym three to four times a week.

I also have added running to my workout schedule because it is just so easy to go do that for 30 minutes.

WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED FROM WORKING OUT WITH THESE OTHER WOMEN? Leanne: Is it wrong to say we want to build a commune?

Kidding? Not kidding?

I feel bonded to these women for life. Because they are real. Firstly I am awestruck at their strength in the gym but even more so the inspire me to keep myself healthy by committing to something for me and still be a mom, a wife, friend, business woman etc. I have a group that I can be real with. Complain with. Laugh with. Cry with.

Rant with. And they all get it. Each one of them gets it.

Life is hard. These ladies are my tribe.

Selena: What has transpired is hard to actually put in words. When we walk into the gym and see each other it’s a surge of energy I can't get anywhere else.

We build each other up by pushing each other to be better athletes, people and mothers. We have developed deep friendships that have helped us all in many aspects of our lives.

We would do anything for each other except 100 extra burpees! I’m just kidding we have done that too!

Erin: I've made some amazing friends and some great memories. It's an amazing group of women. We all have kids and husbands and some have no job, and some five or six jobs and our lives are at such different stages yet we are so similar.

We want the best for each other and for our families.

We want each other to be successful and happy. Our group has gone through a lot together and yet we've always stuck together to help and protect each other.

Skyla: Connections have been made that are unlike any other. These women have become like sisters.

I know that whatever I am going through, big or small they have my back. I can't explain how much respect and love I have for them.

Nicole: A group of badass, crazy, amazing, lifelong friends! I have met more dear friends in the four years I have done Crossfit than at any other time in my life. There is something about the community that brings people together in a way that is very rare. These women inspire and challenge me daily, both in life and at the gym. The Crossfit workouts are what got me hooked. But the people are what made me stay!

Patty: I think being surrounded by women who are a couple of years ahead of you in parenting, or in the same situation, are able to empower you and lift you up. We’ve all had our moments and taken our turns of showing our best and our worst. I feel normal. I am inspired.

WHY CROSSFIT? Leanne: The challenge. The community. The sweat. The way it transforms your body.

Selena: I have always said my number one reason I do Crossfit is for my kids.

They see me working out and being committed to my health and well-being.

They love to make up workouts and copy what they see us do at the gym. It always makes me feel like I am doing something right!

Erin: I've worked out for as long as I can remember. I always found the same problems. I would get bored mostly because I would stick to what I knew. I didn't step out of my comfort zone because I didn't want to and didn't have to. I had a few acquaintances who did Crossfit and they would tell how great it was but it wasn't till one day a good friend of mine who I always admired said "Just try it! What have you got to lose?" And I haven't looked back since.

I love that I don't have to program my workout I just have to show up; and for me that's huge because I'm always being challenged to work harder than I did yesterday. There is no comfort zone in Crossfit.

Skyla: The constant variety, challenges, competition and support make Crossfit the perfect combination to keep me motivated. I love that I have been able to accomplish things I never thought possible. From pull-ups to handstand push-ups to Olympic lifts and heavy squats. I love it all.

Nicole: As I said before, it’s the community as well as the amazing workouts that you find at a Crossfit gym that keeps people coming back. I stepped into my first Crossfit gym about four years ago and I haven’t looked back. The workout absolutely crushed me. But instead of turning me off, all I could think about was how bad I wanted to get better. The transformation in my life (physically, as well as emotionally) was incredible! And the people I have met are the best part. If anyone was ever on the fence about it, I would

say go for it! It is one of the best decisions I have made regarding my health.

Of course it’s scary. Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying anything new always is. The most important thing is to get out there and try it! Crossfit, despite what naysayers or the internet tell you, is really for anyone. You can be a new mom getting to the gym for the first time since having a baby all the way to a regional level athlete but still all go to the same place to better ourselves. It is accessible, welcoming, and transforming in so many ways!

Patty: I tell people what to do all day. I tell my kids what they are doing.

I make all the plans. I love Crossfit because I show up for a workout that someone else has planned and they tell me what to do. I get workouts that include such variety that I am never board. And all while doing it with a community that is supportive of where I am at. A community that has become an extended family to me.

Skyla’s explanation resonated with me most of all, “As parents we have little eyes watching our every move and learning from us every day. We create the environment for our children, instilling values and boundaries, teaching them constantly how to live life. By maintaining our health and making choices to stay fit and take care of ourselves, we are in turn teaching our children the importance of living a healthy life. Mentally, physically, and emotionally. It also allows us to keep up with them, giving us energy to play and run with them, feeding that adventurous spirit in all of us.”

For us it is Crossfit. It is a destination. It has become another home. But it became another home because of the people, because of the community.

Find a fitness place to call home with people who will lift you up and inspire you to be the best you can be! It makes it a whole lot easier to look after yourself.

Be Inspired!

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A growing number of young Edmonton area athletes are enthusiastically diving into water polo, arguably one of the most demanding of all sports.

Combining the endurance of elite swimming, the physicality of wrestling and the agility of gymnastics, water polo is played in a two-meter-deep pool which requires players to battle for the ball without touching the bottom. Consistently rated among the most physically demanding sports, athletes of the Edmonton Tsunami Water Polo Club find that these challenges are what make the sport fun and keep them coming back to the pool for years. With U8 programming all the way to Masters water polo, Tsunami gives everyone the opportunity to play.

For Jovan Kostadinovic, Tsunami U19 athlete, water polo has been a major part of his life for the past ten years.

Throwing his first water polo ball when he was nine, Jovan describes water polo as an exciting and action-packed sport. Aside from his love for water polo, Jovan describes Tsunami as his family, not just his team.

“I’ve made so many memories in the sport that I will cherish, not only with my team but with players from opposing teams,” Jovan says.

Water polo is played with 14 players in the water at a time; six field players and a goalie for each team. Similar in tactics to basketball or handball, water polo players must strategize and work together to advance the ball up the 25-meter playing field in an attempt to score on the opponent’s net.

While its basic objective may sound simple, the inability to ever touch the ground makes it drastically more demanding for players.

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While Jovan and other Tsunami athletes have been playing the sport for years, others may have had their first taste of water polo in September at the start of a new season. Growing from 57 athletes last season to more than 90 this year, Tsunami is working to expose as many athletes as possible to the fast-paced sport and offers free trials in hopes to get more kids in the water.

The majority of Tsunami members are multi-sport athletes and the club encourages them to stay involved in other activities. While most are water polo players in the winter and swimmers in the summer, others also compete in hockey, football, basketball, Taekwondo, volleyball and cheerleading.

Riley Zilkie splits her time between cheerleading and competing with Tsunami at the provincial level. Coming from a swim background, Riley first tried water polo this past summer and became one of Tsunami’s many new members this fall.

“I started off at Tsunami as a newbie but all the coaches and players welcomed me into their family,” says Riley. “I usually don't like sports but I honestly love water polo and I will keep playing.”

Taylor Halbauer, Tsunami U19 and U16 athlete, is not new to the sport. Starting as a swimmer, Taylor is now in her sixth water polo season and her love and dedication to the sport is infectious among her teammates.

Competing across western Canada and playing at the national and international stage motivates Taylor and other Tsunami athletes such as Kendra Justice, a U12 athlete.

With a long-term goal of being a member of the Canadian women’s national team, Taylor’s coaches strive to help her and other athletes achieve their goals.

AT KINSMEN RECREATION CENTRE

Make A Splash With Water Polo

“Our coaching staff feels very privileged to have the opportunity to mentor and support our athletes,” says Raine Paul, Tsunami head coach who has returned to Edmonton after playing four NCAA seasons in southern California. “I can’t think of anything more rewarding than helping an athlete achieve their goal and being a part of that journey. We don’t take a timeout from being coaches just because practice is over, we are coaches 24/7 because for us coaching water polo isn’t a job, it’s our passion.”

Leah, a new Tsunami mom this season, is watching as her daughter enjoys water polo and makes friendships with her new teammates.

“My daughter joined the Tsunami this year and was warmly welcomed by the athletes, families and coaches. Having never played before, her coach is ensuring she is learning the skills needed, and is patient and encouraging with her development,” Leah says. “The sport is amazing for the whole person, and our daughter is happy and proud to belong to the Tsunami family.”

Whether athletes are returning for another season or putting on a swim cap for the very first time, water polo is a great way to develop swim skills in an interactive, safe and fun environment. As Edmonton’s oldest water polo program and celebrating its 35th anniversary this season, Tsunami hopes to see new faces at the pool soon.

BY RAINE PAUL Edmonton Tsunami Water Polo Club

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PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY

3 Tips to Faster Run Times First of all, let’s break the stigma: simply running more will not guarantee better race times. To reach your maximum potential, you need to mix things up and get stronger. I have 3 tips to incorporate into your training routine that will improve your race times.

CROSS TRAIN Change things up. Do not shy away from other forms of exercise. Make sure to occasionally supplement your running schedule with other forms of cardio like cycling or swimming. This is a great way to improve fitness, strengthen different muscles, and give your body a break from the repetitive stress of pounding the pavement.

SQUAT Perfecting the hinge, or squat pattern, is essential to strengthening your legs and glutes; this equates to easier hill runs. It’s imperative though, that you use proper form for your squat. This is something that should be taught by a certified trainer. A good squat is the perfect exercise to increase lower body strength and add longevity to your running career, while a bad squat will leave you feeling your back and knees on those long runs.

RESISTED RUNNING Marching while pushing a sled or tank is a great way to improve leg strength and running technique. Don’t just get behind a sled and run. Start slow, focus on bracing the core and pushing with each step. Push with the glute and quad muscles rather than pulling with the hamstring and hip flexors.

PLANK Plank, plank, and plank some more. The core is the source of all strength in the human body. The main core muscle, the transverse abdominis (TA), stabilizes the spine, creating a solid platform for the hips and arms to move from. If the core weakens, that platform becomes instable causing a change in mechanics. This leads to less efficient strides, loss of energy, and even impaired breathing. Planking is the best way to strengthen the TA muscles, so get on the floor and plank.

Most of all, don’t be shy to get in the gym. The right training regime should incorporate resistance, core, and aerobic elements designed to increase strength without mass gains.

BY DANA PERKIN Head of Training The BASE by RVH 40

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Finding Your Joy

BY MEAGAN HAZLEWOOD About 18 months ago my best friend, my dog Thai passed away. Thai was a daily example of unconditional love in my life; his loyal friendship and strength, his tireless love was what gave me the strength to face each day with a smile and a new determination.

I was absolutely devastated at the loss of my best friend and I really didn't know quite what to do with my life. I had a personal training business and clothing store that was struggling to survive and at the same time it was sucking the life out of me. I had no work-life balance, and my stress level was unmanageable. Then we hosted a memorial ceremony for Thai, and an animal communicator came up to me and told me she was getting a very strong message from Thai for me. His message was - find Joy. So started my journey of finding Joy. I started becoming more aware of what brought me Joy and asking myself what I could do daily to find Joy in my life. I was searching for this until the day one of my clients asked me if I would be willing to start personal training with a group of seniors at our parent’s home.

As I began to work with seniors I

learned the true meaning of joy.

Joy was watching somebody who relied on a walker every day coming to the fitness room with their cane! It was watching their smile as they recounted a story of surprising their friends with the strength they had created for walking. A strength they developed through hard work during their session and harder work on their own - Diligently following their home program day after day, week after week.

Specialized training is always available for seniors! We are all young in spirit and we all love hearing how increased strength, balance and positive lifestyles can make your 60’s, 70’s and 80’s the new 40’s!

Training for seniors can be customized to suit any lifestyle. However, committing to a fitness program is a big decision. You need to imagine yourself at your goal, commit to a realistic timeline and program, then work hard to find achievement. In order to take these steps we know that clients must be excited, dedicated and comfortable in their fitness environment. Understanding your health history, setting baseline fitness markers, identifying muscle imbalance to avoid injury, and other factors are key when a personal trainer is planning for your success.

Functional training can improve

strength, range of motion, mobility and balance for everyday activities.

Independence can be an important issue for us as we age and good health and balance can offer the security of reducing the likelihood of falls and sometimes aid individuals to stay in their own homes longer with less support.

incorporated into any program to promote your good health. Yoga can play an important part in this program supporting stretching and relaxation. Yoga can take many forms and even be practiced in a chair, which allows for people of all abilities to be active in this form of exercise.

Many doctors are prescribing exercise and personal trainers can work with doctors, physiotherapists, and chiropractors to ensure clients begin a safe workout program to improve health and assist with rehabilitation needs as they arrive.

Seniors can enjoy the social contact of a small group class or private sessions with one-on-one training.

This can promote both physical and mental health to get you to your goal in a timely manner. Many facilities offer programs strictly for seniors including programs offered in your community, some that are delivered at home or even in a gym or work-out room in your building.

Recovering from an illness, disease or injury can initially seem an overwhelming experience. However, I have had the joy of witnessing a recovery exercise program, built with only one individual in mind, begin to give a senior hope. As progress is achieved and the workout environment becomes a safe and engaging part of a daily routine that little flicker of hope grows larger. This helps clients to feel energized and encouraged to achieve their goal of renewed good health.

Programs can be personalized to help you play an amazing round of golf, chase your grandchildren around the park, experience a hike for a stunning view while on vacation or simply enjoy a leisurely walk on the beach. Your interests can be

If you know a senior that could benefit from exercise please try to encourage them to find a program that can inspire them, and assist them in finding the lifestyle they are looking for! If you are a personal trainer feeling burnt out in your career please step back and ask yourself - how do I find Joy helping others? The answer may lead you to have to travel a road of difficult decisions and heart ache, but when you awake each morning knowing your work is meaningful for you you will thank yourself for finding the strength to make those decisions so you too can have the joy you deserve in life!

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Ever wonder why northern animals like the caribou, hare and lynx have such wide feet? Strap on your snowshoes and you’ll find the answer. This ultra-efficient way to beat the snowdrifts is a winter adventure to be enjoyed by all.

Straddle the Great Divide in the Canadian Rockies and get your picture taken with one snowshoe in Alberta and the other in British Columbia. Hop on a helicopter and fly to the backcountry, then snowshoe to an island on a frozen lake for a gourmet lunch. Sign up for an organized outing or make your own tracks. Just pick up your shoes and go where there’s snow.

Our family New Year’s resolution was to find an outdoor winter sport we could do together. So, on New Year’s Eve we gathered our two girls – ages six and nine – and brainstormed ideas. We wanted an activity that was easy for everyone to learn, lots of fun, relatively inexpensive and could be done locally. Snowshoeing was the perfect solution.

Take Time to Taste the Snowflakes The key to snowshoeing with little ones is to make it fun.

Pack a picnic. My girls love warm chilli and chewy cheese buns. We burn a lot of energy tromping through snow so don’t forget the importance of drinking water – hydration is essential when snowshoeing. We’ll sometimes transport provisions in our toboggan. When we find a sled-worthy hill, it’s game on. Making snowmen and tossing snowballs are fun lunch break activities. Watching for wildlife helps keep my daughters engaged on our treks. They now know how the snowshoe hare got its name.

LAYER IT ON THICK Dressing in layers is critical for outdoor snow activities.

Avoid cotton – including underwear – as it will trap moisture and bring on a chill. Natural fabrics like silk and wool, as well as synthetic moisture- wicking materials are best. We start with a mid-weight base layer. Add a fleece insulation layer and finish with a waterproof outer layer and insulated boots to keep those tiny toes warm. Between accidental falls, snow angels and diving face first into powder, our girls seem to spend more time in the snow than on top of it. So

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even with the most expert layering, you’ll want to pack an extra pair of gloves and dry comfy clothes for the ride home.

At the end of the day, it’s safe to say that snowshoeing has moved to the top of the winter family fun list.

Top 5 Alberta Trails WINTER’S WONDERFUL WILDLIFE There are more than 200 km of snowshoeing trails in Waterton Lakes National Park, but the most popular locations are Cameron Lake and Crandell Lake. You won’t see many people, but wildlife such as elk, deer, bighorn sheep, moose, river otters, red squirrels, snowshoe hares and marten are common in the park during the winter months. Truly fortunate visitors might spot a cougar, bobcat or lynx.

HIKE TO A HUT Considered sacred by First Nations, Cypress Hills Provincial Park is criss-crossed with snowshoe and cross country ski trails. Visitors can snowshoe into one of two backcountry huts and spend the night.

SPECTACULARLY SCENIC Nestled among towering mountain peaks and evergreen valleys in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park, the Chester Lake Trail provides spectacular views of Burstall Pass. Visitors can overnight at nearby Mount Engadine Lodge.

DISCOVER THE ASPEN PARKLAND More than 18 km of trails wind through rolling parkland past stands of white spruce and aspen groves at J.J. Collett Natural Area, north of Lacombe, Alberta.

A WALK IN THE WOODS More than 130 km of maintained snowshoe trails make up the Birchwood Trails in Fort McMurray. The trails provide a close-up look at the boreal forest ecosystem.

STORY PROVIDED BY TRAVEL ALBERTA

10 Exercises

That Stand The Test Of Time

BY SHANE KOKAS PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY

Regular strength training is pertinent when trying to change your body composition, decrease stress, delay the negative effects of an aging on the body, decreasing injury and building strength. Strength within itself is a huge component to a healthy and able body.

There are hundreds of exercises you can incorporate into your routine, but only some exercises stand the test of time.

Coaches and personal trainers have been implementing certain exercises for many years, and will continue to do so in the years to come.

Where exercisers and personal trainers can get caught, is thinking they must do complicated exercises using new age modern fitness equipment. There is nothing wrong with wanting to incorporate new exercises or new pieces of equipment into a routine; you just don’t want to fully substitute them for the more traditional strength training exercises.

What traditional exercises are the best to build strength and how do you perform them?

I’ll answer these for you today.

1. DEADLIFT (VARIATIONS) Targeted Muscles: Quads, hamstrings, entire core, trapezius and grip.

Regardless of the stance or modality, the deadlift is an incredibly important exercise. The deadlift targets the exercisers grip strength, shoulders and upper back, core stability, glutes and the quads. In short it covers everything.

2. BENCH PRESS Targeted Muscles: Pectorals, deltoids, and triceps The bench press is a staple when developing upper body strength. The bench press targets mainly the pectoral major, anterior deltoid and triceps. Secondary muscles are the traps and back.

3. GOBLET SQUAT (OR VARIATIONS) Targeted Muscles: Quads, glutes and core The squat is a great exercise used to strengthen your legs. The back squat emphasizes more of the glutes and hamstrings. The front or goblet squat, emphasizes more the quads, core and hip mobility due to it’s more upright posture.

4. SINGLE ARM ROW (VARIATIONS) Targeted Muscles: Lats, mid-trap and rhomboids, biceps and erector spinae The row is the most popular back strengthening exercises as in hits many areas composing this region. The lats are the biggest muscle in the back, and are utilized the most along with the mid trap and Rhomboids, followed by the erector spinae as a spinal stabilizer.

5. SPLIT SQUAT / LUNGE (OFF-SET DUMBBELL) Targeted Muscles: Quads and glutes

8. FARMER CARRIES Targeted Muscles: grip strength and core stabilization

The targets for the split squat/lunge variation are the quadriceps and gluteus max. With the dumbbell in the opposite hand of the working leg, the emphasis is on the glutes, if the weight is in the same hand, the emphasis is on the quads.

The farmer carry is a popular exercise in the strength and conditioning world, but still one of the most underutilized exercises amongst exercisers. This exercise challenges the whole system. This exercise strengthens the grip strength, shoulders, core stabilization and cardiovascular system.

Grab a heavy set of weights, and walk around for 45-60 seconds; you’ll see what I mean.

6. PUSH-UPS Targeted Muscles: Pecs and deltoids

9. SIDE PLANKS Targeted Muscles: Transverse abdominis, gluteus medius and obliques

The push-up is great because it challenges the upper body immensely, and it also ties together both the upper and lower halves of the body. If an exerciser wants to challenge their chest, anterior core stability and legs, this is a great exercise.

7. PULL-UP Targeted Muscles: Lats and traps The pull-up is a major player when strengthening your upper body. The pull-ups targets mainly the largest back muscle, the lats, followed by the trapezius. An assistor muscle in this exercise is the bicep.

The side plank is a great core stabilization exercise that doesn’t get enough attention from general exercises. The side plank, when done properly really challenges everything from the external and deep internal core stabilizers to the outside of the hips, and the legs. An overlooked aspect to this exercise is breathing. It really places emphases on your inhales and exhales.

10. HIP THRUSTS Targeted Muscles: Glutes The hip thrust is an important exercise coaches and personal trainers utilize to strengthen the lower body. The hip thrust maximizes tension on the glutes and hits more of the upper fibers This exercise gaining popularity amongst big gym patrons too, thanks to Bret Contreras.

Crossfit 2.0

BY CHRISTINA HERBERS

After eight months and 80 classes of training at Crossfit Edmonton (CFE), this article tells the story of my Crossfit journey.

I recently tore both my meniscus and ACL in my left knee while coaching my daughters U8 soccer team. I was sprinting on the field, caught my toe in the grass, fell and twisted my leg, causing my knee ligaments to tear. It has been a heart wrenching couple of months, waiting for an MRI, specialist appointments and later, surgery. Followed by weeks of yoga and physio, and questions of when can I get back to the gym? When can I ride my bike? When can I run? Summer crept slowly by, as I sat watching Netflix, icing my knees. I was so impatient with myself after my injury. But, following the appropriate wait time after surgery, the amazing CFE coaches encouraged me to come back, and created modified Crossfit workouts that I could safely perform.

One of the key fundamentals that we focus on in Crossfit every week is the proper technique of a push-up.

Legs fully extended behind you, feet at hip width, hands under shoulders, and elbows tucked in at your sides. And I'm super proud to say that at age 38, I can finally do proper push-ups! Or, as I was taught earlier, ‘mens’ push-ups. My whole life in fitness and sport, I have been taught ‘women’s push-ups’, also called, push-ups from your knees. And in Crossfit I was told, if you practice push-ups from your knees, surprise surprise, you will get better at, push-ups from your knees! Thus, it follows that if we practice push-ups from our toes, we will get better at, push-ups from our toes.

Workouts of the day (WOD’s) are written on a big white board, and reviewed by coaches before a workout. Maybe it’s my engineering background, but if I don’t know what the acronyms mean, then I can’t figure out the math. Some days

I end up just staring at the board, and since I don’t want to seem dumb, I just watch other people do the workout until I figure out what we are supposed to be doing. My hope is that when you come to try a class, you can interpret what you're reading on the gym board.

These are some of the acronyms frequently used by our coaches and trainers at CFE. I hope that you find them useful.

KB AKB

RKB

DB BB

DL HR EMOM SU

DU

SB SA DE

ME

Kettle bell American kettle bell (swing), where your arm swing extends up above your head.

Russian kettle bell (swing), where your arm swing ends at your shoulder height.

Dumbbell, the smaller hand-held weights.

Barbell -the long-ass metal bar, typically 35 pounds for women, and 45 pounds for men.

Dead lift, a type of weight lifting.

Hand release, as in, hand release push-up.

Every minute on the minute, as in intervals.

Single under, as in, skipping rope, with 1 rotation of the rope for each jump.

Double under, skipping rope, with 2 rotations of the rope for each jump.

Sand bag, yep, sometimes we lift sandbags!

Single arm, lifting a weight with only one arm.

Dynamic effort, performing multiple sets of between 60-80% of your max rep Maximum Effort - as in, we will work up to a one rep max.

See, it’s like a whole other language, right? If you’re curious about trying Crossfit, I encourage you to check out an introductory class in 2017.

Wellness on Whyte Introductory Offer exclusive offer for new clients! to be used within 21 days

BALANCE Signature Massage 45 min

BEAUTY Wellness Facial 60 min

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$196 (valued at $280)

embrace your inner sanctuary YEGFITNESS

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CITY OWNED FITNESS CENTRE Clareview Rec Centre Commonwealth Coronation Kinsmen Meadows Rec Center Millenium Place Servus Place Credit Union Terwillegar Rec Centre

PERSONAL TRAINER Aiden Poole Brian Carter Chris Tse Dana Perkin Jordan Jeske Kaitlyn Chapman Kim Smits Laura Poburan Mike Clark Ryan Morrow Shane Kokas Shara Vigeant Tony Reid

YOGA STUDIO Bliss Yogaspa Empowered Yoga Integration Pilates Lahari Lion's Breath Moksha Navina Yoga Prana Yoga Sattva School of Yoga Yoga Central YogaLife

PRIVATE FITNESS STUDIO/GYM Aradia Fitness BFit Femme Blitz Conditioning Body By Bennett Crossfit Armoury Crossfit Edmonton Evolve Strength Healthy Rhino Man-Made Strength and Conditioning Pure Wellness Studio Ritual Conditioning Saint City Crossfit Southside Conditioning Club Spark Sport Conditioning SVPT Fitness & Athletics The Base by RVH TNP Fitness

SPIN STUDIO Exist Hive Fit Co Spinunity Tru Ride YEG Cycle

BOXING/MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO 9 Round Avenue Complete Fitness & Martial Arts Elite Taekwondo Hayabusa Training Centre Kamikaze Punishment Legends Family Training Centre Panther Gym Precision Martial Arts Academy (PMAA) UFC

BARRE STUDIO Barre Body Studio BFit Femme Xtend Barre Sculpt Barre Studio 124

FREE FITNESS GROUP Lululemon November Project River City Runners Running Room

SWIMMING POOL Commonwealth Coronation Fountain Park Jasper Place Kinsmen Mill Creek Millennium Place Queen Elizabeth Pool Servus Place Terwillegar Recreation Centre

SKI/SNOWBOARDING HILL Edmonton Ski Club Rabbit Hill Snow Valley Sunridge

FITNESS EVENT Bust A Move CIBC Run for the Cure Color Me Rad Down & Dirty 5k Edmonton Marathon Fight of the Fittest MEC Races Pride Run Rise Up Challenge Spartan Tough Mudder

PHYSIOTHERAPIST Aaron Norris Adam Geisbrecht Arri McWatt Grant Fedoruk Laurie Plouffe Miles Morgan Norm DeNault Tina Carter Tyler Gamblin

CHIROPRACTOR Ashley Todd Lanny Jamieson Melissa Young Dustie Steeves Jason Sabo Kevin Watson Melissa Gallant Thor Gilbertson

HEALTHY RESTAURANT/CAFE Cafe Mosaic Chopped Leaf Freshii Glow Juicery Good Earth KB&Co Noorish Remedy Café

MASSAGE THERAPIST Alanna Clark Camille Wallach Chelsea Oryniak Erin Olde Karen Zemanek Lynn Marie Mah Melanie Wilkinson Stephanie Stephen Sydney Turner Victoria Wood Yvonne Sanche

FARMERS MARKET Callingwood City Market Old Strathcona Farmers Market St. Albert Farmers Market

*YEG Fitness was not involved in the selection of the nominees or the choice of the winner. The winners in each category have been chosen by our readers and were voted on between September and October 2016.

BY DR. BRIANA BOTSFORD

If you're keen to start a 7, 10 or 15 day Detox Program this New Year, put the brakes on for just a minute. While it might seem like a good idea to follow a restrictive diet and take some highdose herbs or supplements for a short-term quick-fix to get you ‘back on track’ after the holidays it’s probably not necessary.

Your body has built-in detoxification functions and organs that work hard every day to help you get rid of toxins you’re exposed to and wastes your body naturally creates. If you choose to do a short-term detox program, you’ll likely return to many of your old habits such as drinking coffee, eating high-sugar foods and having a glass of wine on the weekend. All of these habits are fine in moderation when your body is detoxing itself daily. Learning how to optimize your body’s natural ability to detoxify itself each day will be more beneficial to you in the long term than a quick fix.

Your detoxification organs include your bowels, liver, kidneys, skin and lungs. Your bowels are responsible for the majority of waste excretion. This includes getting rid of cholesterol ad hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc.). Proper bowel function (at least one bowel movement daily) is essential to detoxification. Your liver is the true master of detoxification as it can turn potentially harmful substances such as alcohol or drugs into less harmful breakdown products or ‘metabolites’.

Once these metabolites are out of your liver and back in your blood stream, they need to exit the body by way of your stool, urine and sometimes in your sweat. Your kidneys help your body to get rid of water-soluble waste products. These include normal cell breakdown products and wastes that your body creates during exercise, minerals or vitamins that are in excess and sometimes more toxic elements or heavy metals.

Your skin and lungs are secondary detoxification organs.

Your lungs are constantly being used to get rid of carbon dioxide while your skin excretes some water-soluble wastes when you sweat. Occasionally, various skin reactions such as acne or eczema can be an expression of internal detoxification systems not functioning well. Now, how can you make sure each of these organs is detoxifying you daily? Good news, they’re probably already functioning because you’re alive! Since we want to thrive and perform at our healthiest, here are some tips to keep your detox processes working at their best.

HEALTHY BOWEL MOVEMENTS Technically you should have a bowel movement every time you have a full meal. Now that

might not be convenient or desired for many people, but it is a physiologic, bodily reflex for you to go to the washroom every time you eat. This is because of smooth muscle contraction within the upper parts of your digestive tract after a meal helps to stimulate action further down the line.

If you’re already having a daily bowel movement, keep up to good work. If you’re a little ‘slower’ in the bowel department, here are some tips to keep things moving.

1. Consume a tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in a small amount of warm water first thing in the morning.

The bitterness of the lemon or vinegar causes smooth muscle contraction and can stimulate a bowel movement.

2. Increase your dietary fiber by eating 7-10 servings of vegetables and high-fiber fruits such as apples, berries, plums or prunes.

Alternatively, you can add in a ground flaxseed or psyllium fiber supplement.

3. Be sure to drink adequate water throughout the day especially if you’re increasing your fiber intake. Fiber needs water to help it move through your system. Drink when you are thirsty and try to have 1 cup of water first thing in the morning and one cup of water before bed.

LOVE YOUR LIVER While it’s essentially impossible to feel your liver functioning, there are blood tests to ensure your liver is not diseased. Your liver function blood tests tell us if you have fatty liver, alcoholic liver, or any kind of hepatitis (inflammation and/or infection of the liver). In most healthy individuals the liver function tests will be normal, but you may still have symptoms of a sluggish or sub-optimal liver. These can include severe reactions to alcohol, scents or smoke, menstrual difficulty and even blood sugar control issues. Here are some tips to be kind to your liver and be sure it’s functioning well: 1. Decrease your alcohol and sugar intake. Both alcohol and sugar consumption in high amounts can lead to fat accumulation in the liver. When fat builds up, the function of the liver slows down and in advanced stages, scarring can occur.

While the holidays are a time of indulgences for many people and it’s unlikely that a couple weeks of sweets and treats did you significant damage, it’s important to break the cycle and not carry bad habits forward after celebration season comes to a close. Swap your nightly glass of wine or whiskey for a cup of herbal tea, and switch

the mid-afternoon sugar rush to a protein and fiber-rich snack.

2. Consider your supplements and over the counter medication use. If you’re regularly using supplements without the guidance of a health care provider, you can cause harm to your liver and other detoxification organs. Consider visiting a Naturopathic Doctor to review your current supplement use based on your health goals. Using high amounts of acetaminophen or Tylenol for pain management can be harmful for your liver.

If you’re in chronic pain, find a chiropractor, physiotherapist or acupuncturist that can help reduce your need for medication.

3. Swap one of your daily coffees for a dandelion or milk thistle tea or dandelion coffee substitute. Dandelion and milk thistle are very safe herbs when used in tea form. People using blood thinners and other medications should not use these herbs without contacting a health care provider first. Drinking herbal tea made with liver-loving herbs not only reduces your caffeine intake by taking the place of coffee, but it can also help stimulate both your bowels and your liver.

support to get your natural detox functions working well, seek the advice of a Naturopathic Doctor or health care provider.

Knowing that your body copes well when challenged with toxins such as sugar or alcohol doesn’t mean you should indulge in these items all the time.

Keeping your treats, sweets and boozy drinks in moderation while ensuring your bowels and other detox organs are working well, will keep you healthy longterm.

The kidneys are a very specific organ to treat. Little additional support is needed for your kidneys to function well beyond ensuring you’re drinking enough water. There is no scientific study that tells us how much water is enough to drink in a day. I recommend that you drink when you are thirsty, and consume an extra cup of water first thing in the morning and when you get home at night or before bed. Water and hydration requirements can be different for athletes based on activity level and sport. Adequate water helps your kidneys to detoxify and can also improve your bowel function.

To keep your skin functioning well as a detoxification organ, consider dry brushing three times a week before your shower. Using a natural bristled brush, gently exfoliate your skin, beginning at the bottom of your legs up toward your chest using small circular motions. Repeat the process on your arms beginning near your hands and working your way in toward your chest. Dry brushing helps rid your skin of dead skin cells, and also stimulates your lymphatic system which carries wastes from your blood out of your body.

By ensuring that your bowels, liver, kidneys, skin and lungs are working well each day, your body will naturally get rid of wastes and toxins without any quick-fix or seven-day program.

If you feel you need additional

Dr. Briana Botsford is a naturopathic doctor and family health care provider. Dr. Botsford treats everything from high blood pressure and the common cold, to digestive complaints, low energy and anxiety.

She works with people of all ages to help them feel and function at their best. Dr. Botsford is passionate about treating the root cause of disease and dysfunction rather than simply masking the symptoms. As an Ironman Triathlete, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Yoga Teacher, she integrates her in-depth understanding of movement, exercise and the mind-body connection into her writing and patient care. You can visit Dr. Botsford at Green Apple Health Care to get started on achieving your health goals

MEAL TIME //

PUMPKIN PIE PROTEIN SMOOTHIE I know I’m not the only soul who thinks that all things pumpkin = delicious.

Every year when pumpkin season rolls around I start adding pumpkin puree to my oatmeal, making pumpkin treats, and adding it to smoothies, just like this one!

Pumpkin is a great source of fibre, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and it’s LOADED with vitamin A… in fact just 100g of pumpkin provides 170% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin A. I think the key for delicious pumpkin recipes is also the pumpkin-pie spice mix with aromatic cinnamon, nutmeg, spicy ginger, cloves, and intense all-spice to really bring out that gorgeous pumpkin flavour.

For this smoothie I chose to combine naturally sweet banana, pineapple, and peaches (it sounds odd, but trust me, it works) to make a great smoothie base that blends perfectly with the slightly tangy, slightly earthy taste of pumpkin. Along with vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, pumpkin-pie spice, and almond milk, this smoothie becomes rich, filling, creamy, and velvety.

To add a little somethin’ somethin’ to the smoothie, I topped it with a dollop of vanilla coconut yogurt (because I was out of coconut whipped cream, which would work perfectly too!), a crumble of gluten-free graham crackers, and a little dash of cinnamon!

Cinnamon is naturally warming, stimulates circulation, and helps to regulate blood sugar levels! I never go easy on the stuff! Cinnamon has to be one of my all-time favourite spices.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Smoothie Base:

Place all of the smoothie base ingredients into a high-

1 scoop natural vanilla protein powder, vegan or grass-fed whey ½ banana, frozen ½ cup frozen pineapple ½ cup frozen peach slices

speed blender, and blend for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

You may add more almond milk if you prefer a thinner smoothie consistency.

Pour into a glass and top with the optional toppings.

¼ cup pumpkin puree ½ cup unsweetened almond milk ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice 2-3 ice cubes Optional Toppings: 2 tablespoons coconut vanilla yogurt or coconut whipped cream dash of cinnamon 1 teaspoon crumbled gluten-free graham crackers

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Serving size: 1 Calories: 240 kcal Fat: 2g Carbohydrates: 35g Sugar: 21g Fiber: 6g Protein: 28g

Christal Sczebel is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and the Owner of Pure & Simple Nutrition located in Edmonton, Alberta. She is also an avid blogger at her little space on the web: nutritionistinthekitch.com

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How to Set Goals

stick to them and achieve them!

BY ROSALYN FUNG

D

o you set goals with excitement and gungho attitude that you are will “crush” your goals.

Do you start with fantastic energy and momentum?

Do you make some great progress in the beginning but later, find yourself slowing down, or perhaps even unmotivated?

Why does this happen? And more importantly, how can you make sure to see your goals through?

To understand how our brain works, picture it as an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg that is visible symbolizes our conscious brain, which is only about 10% of our brain. This part of our brain stores both conscious and unconscious core beliefs. Core beliefs are the files we have that open up and have us react to situations in a certain way because of what we believe.

Our beliefs are formed unconsciously in childhood; they can serve us or work against our us. The rest of the iceberg, which is 90 per cent, is our unconscious brain, stores unconscious beliefs.

We consciously set goals, or another word for this is setting intentions. So for example, when it comes to weight loss, you may set an intention to lose twenty pounds to improve your health. Let’s say you manage to stay on track to lose ten pounds over the next 8 weeks. Then the next couple weeks, you find yourself starting to eat more foods that do not serve your goals, you are exercising less often and you find yourself giving into your excuses. You even gain back 4 pounds.

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What’s happening? Why are you getting off track from your intention?

Because somewhere in the unconscious part of your brain, you have limiting unconscious beliefs that are sabotaging your efforts. It may sound like, “I am not worthy of my desires”, “It is not safe to be in this body” (usually comes up in cases where a person has been abused as a child), “I do not deserve success”.

Again these messages were created unconsciously as a young child (usually) based on our family system, and experiences with peers, teachers, and other influential people in our lives.

So even though you consciously are telling yourself, “Yes I really do want to lose 20 pounds” there is somewhere inside, unconsciously that does not agree with this. It’s based on fear.

So then, how can you make sure to see your goals through? Here is a blue print for you: 1. Write down your intentions and goals specifically. Track your progress.

Remember, results are a reflection of what is happening in the unconscious brain. When you achieve results, your conscious and unconscious beliefs are in alignment. When you only make it up to a certain progress, then your conscious and unconscious minds are not matching.

2. If you notice you are plateauing, sabotaging, or regressing in your goals, take some time to write down honestly what is going on.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

So in the example above, it’s acknowledging what is going on regarding behaviors.

Writing down statements such as, “I am choosing to eat when I am bored, stressed or to reward myself.” “I am choosing to get distracted by unimportant things rather than work out.” Note the language that you are choosing to do these behaviors.

3. This next step can be a difficult one because you are addressing uncomfortable thoughts and feeling as you dig deeper into your unconscious.

Perhaps you do not feel safe in your body because of past experiences such as being bullied and teased for your body size, your body betrayed you someway with an illness, or you were sexually abused so you cannot trust that your body keeps you safe, because it did not.

Many times, what I see when my clients start losing weight, they start getting more attention. This makes them uncomfortable in their body because of their past experiences. This is a good step to connect with a trained professional such as a coach or therapist about to support you in this step to work through these unconscious core beliefs. We are wounded in relationships, so it only makes sense to be healed in relationships (starting with that of a trained professional).

4. Address how you will work through these limiting beliefs. A good start is to create a statement called an affirmation, that is the opposite of your limiting belief. So following the above example,

“I am safe in this body now”.

Repeat this statement consciously multiple times a day, especially when you are feeling triggered in feeling uncomfortable. In many ways, you are re-parenting your inner child.

You can also create concrete examples of how to cope with stress, boredom and rewards without turning to food. This is all about changing your self-talk and behaviors to support your new positive self-talk.

5. Get support. Once again, a mindset coach and/or a like-minded group can be extremely helpful to keep your accountability. Research shows that in the absence of the right support, unfortunately, environment always wins. So it’s important to surround yourself with like-minded, positive people who can cheerlead and believe in you.

I hope this article helps you create breakthroughs to crush those goals this year!

I’d love to support you if that resonates with you!

Rosalyn Fung, M.Sc., is Founder of Holistic Body Love Coaching Inc., a Self-Love Transformational Coach & Registered Psychologist. She loves inspiring others to be empowered in their relationship with food, body, money, health, confidence, and living a joyful and abundant life.

WEAR YOUR STRONG SUIT. EVERY DAY.

OTEIN THE PORU GE T H IT W Y Y ™ COVER O HELP OUR R®ESH A KES T Y E IZ IL K MA XIM SCL E M I N MU

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Y A D Y R E V E R E G N STRO

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHOOSING A PROTEIN POWDER

Vancouver Whitecaps dietitian Dana Lis gives tips on how to choose the healthiest, most effective protein to suit your workout and nutrition needs!

Protein powder is a great option if your training requires very quick, easy delivery of amino acids to optimize immediate recovery and adaptation. The key attributes an athlete should look for when buying a protein powder are type, quality, nutritional profile, taste, and mixability.

TYPE

• Whey protein powder is the go-to when athletes are looking to maximize quick delivery of amino acids, which may better support muscle protein synthesis and recovery.

• An isolate product is generally recommended for a balance of quick digestion, cost, and availability.

• Casein protein is more slowly digested, which is good for before bed to improve overnight muscle protein synthesis.

• Egg, soy, rice, pea, and hemp are inferior unless they include added leucine.

QUALITY

Not all protein powders are created equal, and some trigger gastrointestinal symptoms or have a poor texture, or poor protein yield due to the inclusion of more fillers.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

A product that offers 110–150 calories and 20–30 grams protein per serving, and is low in fat and carbohydrate, offers the most flexibility when combining with other foods. Look for an ingredient list that doesn’t resemble a chemistry textbook and also includes more natural sweeteners than artificial sweeteners.

TASTE AND MIXABILITY

If it doesn’t taste great and mix easily it will sit in your cupboard. Ask around for what sport dietitians and other athletes are using.

YEGFITNESS

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