YEGFITNESS - September/October 2016

MIND AND BODY

ROGERS PLACE REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN

GREEN BEAUTY PURA BOTANICALS BRO BRICK

BUILDING CONFIDENCE ROSALYN FUNG

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 YEGFITNESS.CA

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contents

contributors

WITH GRANT FUHR

CREATING COMMunity in the downtown core ROGERS PLACE COMMUNITY RINK

THE commonly injured hockey player

BY DR. ASHLEY TODD

GREEN REVOLUTION PURA BOTANICALS + BRO BRICK

GETTING FIT FOR WELLNESS & HEALTH WITH SVPT FITNESS & ATHLETICS

2016

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plant based goodness comes to yeg WITH KB&CO

never give up. stay positive. love life.

BY BENVEET GILL

#IAMYEGFIT

WITH MEG STEVENSON

E-bike tours in e-town WITH REVOLUTION CYCLE

FALL FITNESS GUIDE

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STAY IN SHAPE THIS FALL

CATHERINE BANGEL

JESSE MUNDELL

DR. BRIANA BOTSFORD

Catherine has had a lifelong passion for fitness, and taught fitness classes with the City of Edmonton for a decade. Her other passions of health conscious cooking, gardening, design and fashion gives her the creative outlet to write and work in industries she loves. Including as the owner of her own public relations firm, Bangel PR: a boutique lifestyle PR agency specializing in publicity and event-driven media for small and medium sized businesses with lifestyle, design, health and wellness, fashion and fitness brands.

Jessie Mundell is the owner of JMG Fitness Consulting, a company dedicated to coaching women to improved health. Jessie teaches women how to exercise safely and strongly in pregnancy, and how to regain their core, confidence, and fitness as moms.

Dr. Briana Botsford is a primary care provider and treats conditions from high blood pressure and the common cold to digestive complaints and fertility optimization. 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.

ON THE COVER: Grant Fuhr - Photo by Vivid Ribbon Photography

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GET YOUR MIND RIGHT AND THE BODY WILL FOLLOW

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

YEG Fitness is also available on the web & mobile: yegfitness.ca/magazine

Editor’s Note The seasons are changing. The daylight hours are getting shorter. The temperatures are starting to drop.

The leaves are starting to change colour. Summer is winding down and we’re entering that transition between heading outdoors for our fitness pursuits and (for many of us) moving indoors to stay fit for the next 6 months.

EDITOR TJ Sadler tj@yegfitness.ca

But we’re from YEG. We’re a hardy bunch. This isn’t our first rodeo. We’ve been through a cool Edmonton fall or two and we know how to dress for the crisp chill that often hangs over the city for a few days in late September and into October before the snow flies. We make every day count in this city and we don’t let the temperature get us down.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Chan Rin

This month, we also get to see the return of hockey to Edmonton in the new downtown arena. Rogers Place is set to open with the regular season kicking off in October, and it’s something many, including myself, have been waiting for all summer long. The players have been training and setting goals for the coming season. They will continue working hard throughout the year and may have some ups and downs over that time, but they are always working towards performing and being their best. Just like you.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joel Verhagen

We’re so excited to be featuring Grant Fuhr on our cover this month. As a native of Spruce Grove, Grant knows all about growing up in the Edmonton area and a few things about what professional athletes today go through as they prepare for the year. He talks with us about his own training methods and offers advice for young athletes and YEGFit readers alike showing us that “the hardest part of sport is often the 6 inches between our ears.”

So whatever your plans are for the fall, whether they involve checking out a new rowing class, heading to the barre with a couple friends, or going solo in the river valley for a run or bike ride, follow Grant’s advice of doing whatever the body allows for. Keep pushing yourself to keep active and healthy and the body will follow.

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jenise Kropp jenise@yegfitness.ca Cody Yano cody@yegfitness.ca PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Kelly SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Patricia Doiron EDITORIAL INTERN Melissa Lilley Printed in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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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

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

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WHAT’s HAPPENING

GORILLA RUN – SEPTEMBER 10 The Edmonton Gorilla Run is a charity fun run with a difference. Everyone who takes part wears a full gorilla costume - from fluffy head to furry toe - and helps raise funds for the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund, the international charity working to save the world's last remaining mountain gorillas and keeping Dian Fossey's dream alive for the past 28 years.

THE CUPCAKE CLASSIC 5K ­– SEPTEMBER 24 The Cupcake Classic is a family oriented event will take participants on a route around Edmonton's beautiful Fort Edmonton Park and through some of the pristine River Valley. This event is a 5km fun run/walk for all levels of fitness. All proceeds raised will go towards opening a Girls on the Run Council in Edmonton. Every participant is awarded a cupcake at the finish line!

(edmontongorillarun.ca)

(thecupcakeclassic.com)

5 PEAKS NORTHERN ALBERTA RACE 5 – SEPTEMBER 10 This 5 Peaks event taking place in Devon features a variety of races including a 1K Childrens Challenge, a 3K Timed Kids Race, an 7.3K Sports Course, a 14.3K Enduro Course as well as a half marathon. We are proud to be racing in Devon again this year. Just minutes from Edmonton, near the junction of Highway 60 and Highway 19, Devon is scenically located on a bend of the North Saskatchewan River and offers the challenging Sport and Enduro terrain the 5 Peaks racers have come to enjoy! The race will start at the Devon Lions Campground, (1140 Saskatchewan Avenue East, Devon) which is adjacent to the Devon Golf & Curling Club.

NIGHT RACE EDMONTON – SEPTEMBER 24 Night Race is a 10k run or a 5k run/walk through city parks at night. Crazy? Maybe. Fun? You Bet! Running in the dark in a city park, we admit, seems a little sketchy.

BUT…deck out 2500 runners with headlights and you have a moving, living, breathing, light show! The conditions are set for a PR (party run) not necessarily a PB (personal best).

(5peaks.com)

TERRY FOX RUN EDMONTON – SEPTEMBER 18 The Terry Fox Run is an annual Canada wide event (actually hundreds of locally organized events) that helps raise money and awareness for cancer research.

The Terry Fox run happens in multiple locations on the same day. There are no entry fees, and while donations are encouraged, there are no minimum donations required. The simple act of support and continued awareness keeps the spirit and goal of the run alive. (terryfox.org/run)

submit your event listings to info@yegfitness.ca

(nightrace.ca)

CIBC RUN FOR THE CURE EDMONTON – OCTOBER 2 WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! Each year, hundreds of thousands of Canadians participate in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure and help to raise funds for important breast cancer research, education and advocacy initiatives. Register to run or walk 1k or 5k and know that every step you take and every dollar you raise helps the CIBC Run for the Cure fund the kind of vital research and programs that are creating a future without breast cancer. (cibcrunforthecure.com)

HALLOWEEN HOWL – OCTOBER 29 Taking place in Edmonton’s scenic River Valley and U of A Campus, this ‘spooktacular’ event features a 3 & 5 KM fun run/walk and a 10KM chipped/ timed run, along with prizes, a lifestyle expo and kid’s fun zone indoors at the Butterdome, it’s a howl of a good time for family, friends and colleagues! Costumes are encouraged! All proceeds go to support the Alberta Diabetes Foundation. Registration fees are $40 for adults and $20 for youth. (albertadiabetesfoundation.com/event/2016-halloween-howl)

THE BOOK OF JOY

The occasion was a big birthday.

And it inspired two close friends to get together for a talk about something very important to them. The friends were His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual masters and moral leaders of our time, they are also known for being among the most infectiously happy people on the planet, despite having experienced great personal and national suffering.

From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake, the first being their personal stories and teachings about joy. Both the

Xtend Barre Xtend Barre Edmonton is a boutique fitness studio nestled in the Strathcona Town Centre complex, just 2 blocks south of the iconic Whyte Avenue shopping and festival district and facing directly onto 104 Street/Calgary Trail.

Set to open with 30+ classes per week, we are excited to offer our signature Xtend Barre class, along with specialties including Babies on Board, Xtend Suspend, Xtend Fitball, and Circuit 7. We are thrilled to introduce Edmonton to this amazing heart-pumping, energizing workout, and can’t wait to meet you at the barre! xtendbarre.com

By Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu & Douglas Abrams Two great spiritual masters share their own hard-won wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity.

NEW BIZ IN TOWN

Dalai Lama and Tutu have been tested by extraordinary adversity, oppression, and conflict. The second layer consists of the exciting research into joy as well as the other qualities essential for any enduring happiness, like gratitude, humility, humour, compassion, generosity, and forgiveness. And the third encompasses practical exercises and guidance based on the Dalai Lama's and Tutu's own daily practices, which anchor their emotional and spiritual lives.

Most of all, during that landmark week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated by their own exuberance, compassion, and even wise-cracking humour, how joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of being.

YEGFITNESS

Hive Fit Co. At Hive Fit Co, we have open minds and open hearts. We seek to encourage, inspire and empower every single person who walks through our doors. Our strongest belief is that the energy in a room full of like-minded goal getters will change the world, and that’s exactly what we plan to do. With our first-class equipment and motivational instructors, you will receive a full body workout that you simply won’t be able to get enough of. Fifty minutes is all it takes to get your sweat on while working towards the goal of a vibrant, happy, inspired life. hivefitco.ca

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

7

Ladies: Do Not Compromise One evening after my run, I met up with some friends for a drink. It happened to be karaoke night at the bar we were at and as the night progressed we were dancing to some local talent at the mic. I was wavin’ my hands in the air, twirling and being dipped and all of a sudden—opps! Major wardrobe malfunction. My cute new sports bra lifted up with my arms and kept on going. Thankfully the lights were dimmed and I jerked it back down pronto but I was still mortified. I’d committed the ultimate sports bra crime—I compromised fashion over functionality. And I paid the price for it.

So how do you find your perfect fit? First and foremost, be realistic about your needs and do some serious self-analysis. Have you gained weight or lost weight? Had a baby or changed your workouts? Be honest with yourself and it will be easy to find the perfect fit and support.

Here are 4 tips to keep in mind when shopping for that perfect sports bra.

1. Watch out for jail-breakers! Make sure your bra is up for the job when you first try it on. The “jumping jack test” will give you an idea how your bra is performing. I’m going to recommend bras with a little more fabric

over the chest so the girls aren’t going to make an unwanted appearance. It should be tight enough so that your whole upper body bounces as one. Bras should never dig into you though. If you try the bra on for a few minutes and take it off and find red marks on your skin, it’s probably fitting you too tight. If your breasts try to escape the bottom of the bra try going down a size to keep things a bit tighter and properly corralled.

2. What’s your type? Just like finding your soul mate, you want to make sure you and your bra are hitting it off. If you’re on the smaller side, a compression type of bra that presses your girls up against your chest is likely the best choice. However, this is not the most flattering, because it may result in the not so sexy mono-boob look. But let’s be real ladies, sports bras are for functionality not to enhance the look of your bust.

A compression bra can help to minimize movement and increase support. For the well-endowed ladies you’re better off with a moulded encapsulation cup that clasps in the front or the back for more size options and shape. If you’re an average-sized B cup, you could use different types of bras for different types of sports. For instance, if you’re doing Pilates or yoga you will need less support than if you’re doing a high-impact activity such as soccer or running.

3. Beware the dead bra: Unfortunately all good things must come to an end. Even your

relationship with your perfect sports bra.

Be sure to invest in a bra made of quality materials that can stand the test of time and physical activity. Most importantly, avoid cotton! The “jumping jack test” is a good indicator of whether your bra is still able to provide the support you need. The average bra may stop supporting you properly in as little as six months depending on how wellused it is. Hand washing and air drying will ensure it lasts longer.

4. Take it off: If you have to wiggle and you feel like you’re going to dislocate your shoulder when taking your bra off in the dressing room imagine how hard it will be after a difficult workout! If it doesn’t come off easily, change the size—easy as that!

Last words of advice: Features you don’t want in a bra include arm holes that are too small and cut too tightly around your arms or shoulders, or anything too low cut that has your chest spilling out of the top. Remember, you’re not shopping for lingerie. You wouldn’t wear heels to the gym, nor should you wear a flimsy bra with poor support. When it comes to sports, don’t compromise. Always, always chose function over fashion.

BY SHARLEEN CHEUNG ELEVATE ACTIVEWEAR

Complimentary 30-minute consultations at Wellness on Whyte are designed to help you discover the best course of action to reach your specific healthcare goals.

When you come for your consultation, our healthcare practitioner will ask you questions about your wellness goals such as ‘if you could change anything about your health, what would that be?’

By gathering information about you, your ideas around wellness, what you’ve been doing to achieve wellness so far, symptoms or challenges you might have and what you’d like to see improve, our practitioner can help you determine the best course of action.

You will receive custom recommendations to help you meet your specific needs, including some take-home advice.

Book your free 30-minute consultation by calling us at 780.437.9355 We look forward to helping you achieve the health and wellness of your wildest dreams!

Roberta Shepherd, Holistic Health Practitioner

Grab your cape & join the Heroes for Zero!

Register at www.hivedmonton.com/events/aids-walk

WHERE

WHEN

McIntyre Park

September 17, 2016

104 Street & 83 Avenue Edmonton AB

Registration at 5pm Walk and Run at 6:10pm

WHY

Help us reach our fundraising goal of $85,000 going to support people living with HIV right here in Edmonton

AIDS WALK & SUPERHERO RUN 25th anniversary

EDMONTON

Join Nancy Carlson (Global TV) and Mike Chalut of The Bounce as they host the stage Family Friendly Beer Gardens sponsored by Yukon Brewing Entertainment by The Retrofitz Best drag show in Edmonton by the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wildrose @hivedmonton

#heroesforzero

BY HERB FLEWWELLING Canadian Olympic Coach

Should Taxpayers Pay for High Performance Sport Training Facilities?

Many people believe that of the multitude of athletes who start out in a sport, only a few make it to the level of high performance training. This is recognized as the sport pyramid.

Most children start out in soccer in the neighborhood park, gymnastics in the school gym, skating at the local outdoor skating rink and swimming lessons at the local “Y” or small city pool. These are the fundamental building block sport skill programs that are the base for the sports these children will choose a few years later. There are tens of thousands of Edmonton children in these fundamental programs starting as young as preschool age.

When we look at the numbers of athletes in these sports programs, we see what appears to be proof that the sport pyramid model is true and only a small percentage of these athletes continue to compete at the high-performance local, provincial, national or international championship levels.

This evidence appears in sports like soccer and gymnastics were numbers diminish significantly by the teenage years. These statistics seem to prove that high performance athletes are so few that the sport model is a failing endeavor.

However the picture of a handful of base sport pyramids with a small number of high performance athletes at the top is incomplete. What actually happens is that as athletes leave the base programs they don't quit but actually choose a different branch of the base program which results in not just a small number of high performance pyramids but a much larger number of secondary high performance pyramids.

For example, with the sprinting and agility learned in soccer those who

do not rise to the top of the soccer pyramid, may have chosen track and field, football, baseball etc.

Similarly other athletes will choose many other divisions and blends of the base sport programs on land, in the air, on ice and snow, and in the water.

Although there are only a small percentage of gymnasts at the high performance level by the late teens, there are thousands of former gymnasts who are divers, trampolinists, freestyle skiers, tennis players and athletes in other sports that require agility, balance, power, coordination and aerial awareness.

Athletes who learn to keep their balance on cold slippery surfaces will fill up the winter sports.

When swimming lessons are finished and everyone can swim safely, there is competitive swimming, water polo, triathlon, synchronized swimming and diving.

When these athletes started out they were in one hour a week programs.

A few years later they are training 10 hours per week or more in their high-performance training facilities.

So when you tally up the athlete hours of training for high performance athletes, with the many high performance pyramid peaks, the high-performance athletes use our sport training facilities much more than the larger number of base level sport participants in, for example, swimming lessons once per week.

The good news is the larger high-performance facilities are equally good for training beginners as well as Olympians and there is more room for more swimming lessons etc.

Sport participation at the high-per-

formance level is organized into clubs who for the most part raise enough revenue through training fees and fundraising to pay for the operating costs of the facilities they rent and could pay for the capital costs of their training facility over the period of a normal mortgage.

Gymnastic clubs rent existing warehouses to avoid having to pay the capital costs of a training center upfront.

However there are some sports that use facilities which are too expensive to build for a sport club. In particular, these are the ice sports and the aquatic sports. In the case of ice arenas if they are used fully all day long they can break even including both operating and capital costs.

Also, if swimming lessons were giving during school hours there would be enough money to pay for the specialized high-performance facilities like 50 m Olympic size pools, which also can be used for lessons, and 10 m Olympic diving platforms necessary for competitive diving training. A 10 m diving platform complex costs about a million dollars which is only a onetime payment of one dollar per Edmonton area resident.

The rental revenue from aquatic clubs will pay for the ongoing operating costs provided that the facilities are designed for the sports which will then use them ten or more hours per day as is the case at the Kinsmen Sport Center. However, unlike most cities we only have one such aquatic center and the population has doubled since the Kinsmen pools were built. Every time there is a major event or maintenance shut down our divers have to move to one of the cities with two pools with 10 m platforms in either Calgary or Saska-

toon. The rest of the time our aquatic athletes are overcrowded on their boards and in their lanes which reduces training time and success.

Recent medical research has established that the 30% cancer death rate in Canada could be reduced by 80% to only 6% if Canadians followed a life style where they ate nutritionally, exercised vigorously, kept a normal body mass index, minimized alcohol use and did not smoke.

“This is the lifestyle of an athlete.”

If we ensure that appropriate sport facilities are available for every sport at every level, including high-performance, we will be able to attract our children into a sport system which will keep them in their sport for a lifetime. Keep in mind once the athlete graduates from the fundamental building block skill programs they are all high performance athletes.

There are no unathletic deer, rabbits or human beings, so if you hear someone say: “my child is not athletic.” it is because they have been prevented from finding their sport for life at a young age. Let us not be part of this tragedy by leaving some sports without the facilities they need. “The tragedy is childhood obesity and early death.”

The annual cost of the scourge of cancer to the Edmonton community is $2.5 billion and 5000 cancer deaths. Just the single fact that no high performance athlete would take up smoking because of peer pressure from his or her teammates is enough of a healthcare cost saving to pay for the building and operating of all of our high-performance facilities.

So the answer to the question is “Yes!”.

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Battle of the Blenders If you are one of those people who didn't get a blender for Christmas, then surely the world's obsession with smoothies and juicing has you pining after your own right now?

NUTRIBULLET PRO

The best blenders aren't cheap but you should think about it as an investment in your future body. Once you’re ready to spend some of your hard earned money, how will you decide which one to go for?

The two hottest brands on the market right now are undoubtedly the Nutribullet and the Vitamix. Both are designed to pulverize fruit and vegetables and create easy, health-filled drinks.

VS.

There's a lot of chat about which brand is the best buy and while the Vitamix's $500 price tag will rule some of you out right away, for those of you with the cash to spend, we’ve tested the two against each other in a Battle Of The Blenders to see what the big deal is.

VITAMIX S55

We use the $100 Nutribullet Pro to test against the $539 Vitamix S55 in this contest to see if the price dictates the quality and performance, or if you’re simply paying for the brand name.

Like most people, we use our blender primarily to make smoothies. They are generally a fuss-free way to get fruit and vegetables, and therefore have a ton of health benefits. But there are several tricky areas that can be deal breakers when it comes to a smoothie blender.

We tested them both against some immense kitchen challenges like: kiwis, ginger, celery, carrots, and even nuts. Here are the results of our tests.

TEST ONE: Simple Green Juice

TEST FOUR: Kiwis

A green smoothie is the best way to get as much goodness as possible from your blender. I used a simple recipe – apple, kiwi, kale, cucumber, almonds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds - leaving all skin and stalks attached and adding seeds as recommended by both brands.

Eating the skin of these little guys might seem strange, but it actually triples the fruit's fiber content and adds extra Vitamin C to the drink. In a standard blender the skin is pretty hard to squish, but we decided to test what would happen when we blended the skins with 100mL of water.

RESULT: The Vitamix broke up the nuts, seeds and skin within seconds and delivered a smooth and creamy drink. Given the same time the Nutribullet couldn't quite pulverize everything, which makes for a more lumpy drinking experience.

RESULT: The fruit didn't even touch the sides in the Vitamix; it was pulverized into a greenish-brown liquid within 10 seconds. In the Nutribullet, one long blitz delivered a green, slightly furry sludge, but another 15-20 seconds and the result was almost a perfect match for the Vitamix's juice.

WINNER: The Vitamix

TEST TWO: Ginger & Carrots These two ingredients are brimming with good stuff and are included in an assortment of healthy drink recipes. They are both very fibrous though, which creates lumpy, stringy drinks if not dealt with properly. We added one carrot, several pieces of ginger and 100mL of water to each blender to see what would happen.

RESULT: In the glass the beverages look similar but the Nutribullet wasn't able to liquefy the carrot and ginger half as well as the Vitamix, There was a lot of stringy material left behind and nobody wants a mouthful of stringy stuff.

WINNER: The Vitamix

TEST THREE: Nut Milk A nice alternative to dairy and soy, nut milks like almond, cashew and hazelnut are a big deal to smoothie lovers. They offer protein, vitamins, good fats and a bit of calcium, with the added benefits of being low in calories. They are available “ready made” in your supermarket, but most have added sugar, and it's a lot cheaper to make your own on demand. We added one cup of cashews and one cup of water to each blender and blended for 10 seconds.

RESULT: A light, frothy milk in seconds from both of them.

WINNER: A draw.

12

YEGFITNESS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

WINNER: A draw (assuming you have those extra 20 seconds to spare).

VERDICT The overall winner in our test kitchen was easily the Vitamix, a super blender that takes no prisoners. BUT considering there is a $400 price difference, the Nutribullet didn't fair so badly. It definitely rates higher than your average kitchen blender. It's a bit like comparing a Porsche to Volkswagen– They both perform well, but the overall experience is quite different.

True, the Nutribullet drinks weren't quite as smooth, but they were very drinkable, and almost on a par with the Vitamix once they were blended for a bit longer.

If you're a serious chef with money to spend, the Vitamix is the one for you. But if you don't care about making ice cream, soup, hummus and the neighbours jealous, then there's no need to splash the cash, the Nutribullet may be your new best friend.

BUILDING YOUR CONFIDENCE MUSCLE TO GET (BACK) TO THE GYM

BY ROSALYN FUNG Are you thinking about joining a gym or fitness studio but feeling intimidated? Maybe you are new to the scene or maybe you have not gone to the gym or a fitness studio in a long time. Either way, you are not alone.

When it comes to joining a new gym or fitness studio, there are many common beliefs that become obstacles, such as: • “I’m not fit enough”.

• “I’m too self-conscious about my body, I’ve gained so much weight I’ll be out of place”.

• “I might hurt myself because I don’t know how to use the gym

equipment”.

• “I don’t want to look like a fool in front of others”.

• “I hate the gym”.

What are the solutions to break those limiting beliefs? Let’s explore a few.

Limiting Belief: “I’m not fit enough”.

Solutions: The bad news is that skipping your workout will only give more power to your fear. Instead write down the reasons why you are going to the gym to keep you focused, and also write down what would happen to your health if you do not change anything. You can also try writing a letter from your future-self, thanking you for all the health benefits you’ve received because you decided to commit to going to the gym/fitness studio. Research shows that this is a very powerful method to build your willpower muscle.

It also helps to write down your workout plan for the week. Plan what body parts you are going to train that day. Plan how you are going to train these body parts that day. You can always go on YouTube for suggestions as they have great video demonstrations. I suggest keeping your workout short and end on a good note! The goal is to get yourself into gym and prove that you can do it!

Make a playlist that gets you in the workout, kick butt mood!

Remember, everyone else is focused on themselves at the gym, not you!

Limiting Belief: “I’m too self-conscious about my body, I’ve gained so much weight I’ll be out of place”.

Solutions: The beautiful thing about YEG is that there are many studios that target beginners to fitness. Take your time to research different gyms and studios to feel the vibe and energy of it. Some things to take note: Are staff and members friendly and welcoming?

Is the gym clean and bright? You need to feel comfortable with the environment to help you stay committed.

Limiting Belief: “I might hurt myself because I don’t know how to use the gym equipment” and “I don’t want to look like a fool in front of others”.

Solutions: You can always ask a staff member to show you around and use the equipment or hire a personal trainer to work with you. I recommend sticking to equipment you know for the first few times, and as you get more familiar with the environment and your confidence increases, try equipment that is new to you. Be sure to ask a trainer or staff to help you if you are unsure how to use it. Many small fitness studios have beginner classes, so this would be a great idea to join a beginners or all levels class. Plus it’s a great way to meet people and be part of gym community!

Limiting Belief: I hate the gym Solutions: To get fit, you do not have to join a gym. You can get creative. If you prefer to be part of a fitness community, many fitness studios do not have a typical gym with weights and cardio machines.

As children, we did not need encouragement to play at the park, and yet, as adults, this suddenly changes because we forget how to “play”. So the KEY is to find a class or exercise routine that feels like playing to you. So that might be a dance class, a kickboxing class, a HIIT class, a bootcamp, yoga class, swimming lessons, a community team sport, and flipping heavy tires. Sometimes, I even use the outdoor playground as my gym – those monkey bars are challenging and can duplicate as chin up bar and a bar for ab raises! Find something that feels like fun and play to you, and you are more likely to stick to it!

In conclusion, what is most important is changing your mindset.

Speak positively to yourself, focus on the reasons why you want to get healthier and also think about what the future consequences of not doing anything will have on your health. Take baby steps, hire a professional to support you in your journey, and allow room for setbacks. Remember nobody is perfect! Build a supportive fitness community so that you stay committed to your goals.

Rosalyn is founder of Holistic Body Love and a Registered Psychologist. She’s the go-to person to help you discover freedom with food, body love confidence and being your own best friend.

Rosalyn facilitates successful Food & Body Image Groups online and in person.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

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Kiwi Lemonade

ORGANIC JUICING SERIES

Fresh and Tart!

Try this tropical twist on an old classic!

Ingredients: 5 organic kiwis, peeled 3 lemons Some sprigs of fresh mint Directions: Juice your kiwis first and save some of the pulp.

Then juice the lemons.

Mix with 3 cups of ice water, and stir back in some of the kiwi pulp for added fiber.

s u o i c i el

Garnish with fresh mint, and enjoy!

D

Organic Kiwis 4.99/1Lb.

Organic Lemons 4.99/1Lb.

Local Mint 2.49/1 count

All produce available for home delivery from SPUD.ca

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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.

*must live within delivery area, not to be combined with any other offers. New customers only.

It's no secret that children are born to move!

Join Performance 104 for our fun and friendly active-play program for toddlers aged 18 months to 3 years. Our lightly-structured program will feature active songs, movement play and simple games. This parented program is the perfect chance for you to interact with your toddler in a friendly and stimulating environment.

Toddlers use play to explore and learn about their world, but aren't yet ready for most organized children's sport and fitness programs.

Songs, dance, imagination, and toys will have you and your tot moving, grooving and laughing!

Join us at Edmonton's premier fitness studio, Performance 104, on Sunday afternoons. Our program will run from 3:30-4pm, with the studio being open 30 minutes before and after for free play.

Parental supervision is required, and interaction with your child is strongly encouraged. Both parents and children will require indoor shoes, and comfortable active wear is recommended.

ACTIVE TOTS AT PERFORMANCE 104 Register by going to performance104.com.

Fall 1 Session - 6 Sundays - Sept 18, 25, Oct 2, 9, 16 & 23 3:30-4pm (gym is open for parent & child free play 30 minutes before and after) Cost - $45+gst for the 6 week session Fall 2 Session - 6 Sundays - Oct 30, Nov 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4 - 3:30-4pm (gym is open for parent & child free play 30 minutes before and after) Cost - $45+gst for the 6 week session

YEGFITNESS LAUNCH PARTY YELLOWHEAD BREWERY JULY 5, 2016

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

STRATHCONA

RIVERBEND

JASPER GATES

ST.ALBERT

SHERWOOD PARK

TRY US FREE

VISIT US AT ANY OF OUR 5 CONVENIENT EDMONTON STUDIOS • MORE LOCATIONS COMING SOON •

CALL 780.640.1197

TAKE THE GUESS WORK OUT OF YOUR RUNNING PROGRAM

We help runners of all ages and abilities to run farther and faster without injury.

Whether you are just starting out or a seasoned runner, we’ll create a comprehensive program specific to you – helping you achieve your goals, improve your results and crush your PB’s.

RUNFIT is an in clinic program designed to help runners of ALL levels gain the strength, mobility and skills necessary to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury.

Each RUNFIT athlete receives: Complete Functional Movement and Core Assessment Custom Strength Mobility and Flexibility Programs Video Treadmill Analysis Review of Current Training Program Footwear Recommendations

DID YOUR RUNNING SEASON END EARLY?

We know weak, faulty movement patterns lead to injury and poor sports performance. Using detailed analysis, we capture how your body moves and identify where it’s breaking down and at risk of injury. Use your off season to retrain your body to move properly and be a stronger more efficient runner next spring!

Book your RUNFIT assessment today!

Call us at 780.570.0225 or visit our website at: http://bit.ly/29QHdn6

Many runners are reluctant to strength train believing that it will negatively effect their VO2 max and Anaerobic/Lactic threshold.

However current research indicates these markers are unaffected and strength training actually improves running economy up to 4.6%.

Running economy (RE) is the rate your body uses oxygen at a given pace. So improve your RE and you are either faster over a given distance or can run farther at a given speed. Either way research suggests strength training helps produce a cleaner more controlled stride resulting in less stress on the body. Better for performance and staying off the injured list!

How does RUNFIT take this information and use it to deal with running injuries?

A basic component of performance training is to see how closely we can stress the body without causing it to breakdown. This is just a continuation of the rehabilitation philosophy. When we recover from an injury, we give the injured tissue just enough load to adapt without re-injury and then keep increasing the load until it’s back to normal. When seen this way, performance training is a continuation of proper rehab and vice versa - a continuum more than isolated training stages. With this philosophy, we make our runners better than what they were prior to injury, from rehabilitation to performance and injury prevention.

To read more about resistance training and endurance running performance go to: http://bit.ly/29PP4xG

By James Greene, BPE, CSCS After competitively participating in hockey, James found his muse by seeking activity and adventure in the mountains, competing in trail ultra marathons. He believes that physical activity and movement are integral to maintaining balance in life and strives to enable others to achieve their personal peak performance in sport, physical activity and health.

GET YOUR MIND RIGHT AND THE BODY WILL FOLLOW PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY AT GLENDALE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Ahhhh, the glory days.

Those of us who lived in Edmonton since the 80’s remember them fondly. The days of the dynasty. The days when Edmonton was on top of the hockey world. The days of Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Coffey and‌ FUHR. Ranked by most as one of the top goalies of all time in the NHL, Spruce Grove native Grant Fuhr is a hockey legend not just in Edmonton, but around the world. Drafted in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, Fuhr played 10 seasons with the team winning the Stanley Cup four times in five seasons. He was in net for four Cups and has five championship rings because he was part of the 1989-90 Oilers team that Bill Ranford led to the title while Fuhr was injured.

His partying ways landed him in trouble resulting in a suspension from the league for 59 games in the 1990-91 season, which he outlines in his new book, Grant Fuhr: The Story of a Hockey Legend. His reckless drug use at the time led to his suspension from the league.

Now, nearly 30 years later, the Hall of Famer has no regrets and has moved on from that stage of his life to become the person he is today.

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In 1991, Fuhr was traded to Toronto before moving on a year-and-a-half later to join Buffalo where he helped a young Dominik Hasek break into the league. He was dealt to the Kings in the 1994-95 season before signing as a free agent with the Blues before the start of the 1995-96 season. Even though over the next three years he became one of the three winningest goaltenders in Blues history he never fully recovered from a knee injury that ended his playoff run in 1996.

After the Blues signed Roman Turek as their new number one goaltender in 1999, Fuhr was traded to the Calgary Flames where he announced his retirement prior to the 2000-01 season.

We sat down with Grant to have him share with us some of the challenges he’s faced since retiring and asked him to reflect on some of the differences athletes today face in their training regimen when compared to his days of glory in the crease.

“The training for goalies today isn’t much different from my days.” says Fuhr. He remembers spending time in the gym doing a lot of cardio, stretching and leg weights to be in top form. Not a whole lot has changed.

As a goaltending coach with both Calgary and Phoenix, he says that there is a lot more time spent today looking at video and working on hand-eye coordination and reflexes.

“Tons of work using the light board and working with tennis balls.” says Fuhr, According to Fuhr both of these exercises aren’t designed to make the athlete physically strong, rather work on their reflexes and improve hand-eye coordination. He remembers the Oilers being the first club in the league to bring in the light board. My brother-in-law was a junior goaltender in the 90’s and I remember him working on this piece of equipment ,which is like a super sized version of the ‘patty cakes’ game seen at Galaxyland in the old days where buttons light up and you have to tap them quickly to get points and win tickets.

Goalies today also do a lot more offseason training when compared to the days of Fuhr.

“They workout like mad in the offseason” he says “This is different from the way I played where I would often be heavier at the start of the season and play into my game shape.

My coaches didn’t always like this, but I felt it was necessary so that I could make it through a long season without injury.”

Transitioning away from a long career as a top professional athlete can be tough. Grant realized near the end of his career that he was spending more time in the trainer’s room than he was on the ice. After having numerous knee and shoulder injuries he realized it was time to start thinking about retirement.

“The first couple of years away from the game, I didn’t do anything. I wanted to heal the body” he says. He quickly gained 25 pounds largely due to not changing his diet after becoming less active. Many know that Grant is an avid golfer and kept up that part of his activity four to five days a week. He tried Pilates for a few years, but due to having a knee replacement, he found the movements too painful to continue.

Without the goal of training for the upcoming season and showing up at training camp in proper shape and normal playing weight, it was easy for him to gain that weight.

“There was nothing to push for,” he says.

“When I was playing, I could show up a little heavy at the start of the season and I knew I’d be good come playoff time. I’d use the season to train for the playoffs often starting the season over 200 pounds and finishing in the 180s.”

Today, Grant works out as the body allows or feels. “I love golfing” he says. “I do it mostly for the mental game putting in more than three miles a day four to five days a week” It’s a bit easier for Grant to do this year round in places like Palm Springs, where he was at the time of our interview.

Fuhr has some great parting words for young athletes hoping to make a big splash and excel in their sport. After a knee injury suffered in the playoffs while playing for the Blues when Nick Kypreos fell on him in the first round, he was told the chances of a comeback was highly unlikely. He credits his comeback to a lot of hard work and his personal trainer Bob Kersee, who is also the husband of American track superstar Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

“The body is a wonderful thing”, says Fuhr.

“It’s the mind that is the most delicate.”

Once he committed his mind to the process of training to comeback, his body followed suit. “The mind can easily shut down the body” he says. “Get your mind right and the body will follow. The hardest part of any sport is the six inches between your ears.”

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PHOTO: CITY OF EDMONTON

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The Downtown Community Arena is part of the development that fitness fans have been

The arena will be used by a number of different groups, but the City has committed to ensuring that a minimum of eleven hours per week will be dedicated to programing for people living in the neighborhoods around the facility. “We are tailoring our programming to fit the area as there are many people who can walk to the arena from home, work or easily take transit,” says Jodi Tauber, Communications Advisor with the City of Edmonton.

The programming being looked at includes: • early morning fitness skate • drop-in public skating • community skate time for surrounding neighborhoods • adult shinny hockey The arena will also be the home rink for the MacEwan Griffins men's and women's hockey teams, and will be rented as a practice space for the Edmonton Oilers and Oil Kings. People will have a chance to watch practices from the pedestrian walkway that overlooks the Downtown Community Arena.

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PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

The new Ice District, anchored

by Rogers Place has been the largest piece of that changing landscape. Initially faced with public concern about its design and who would foot the bill, we’re now starting to see the area take shape and businesses are noticing the financial benefits of all the construction. Condominiums and businesses are popping up at a rate never seen before in the downtown core.

looking forward to since it was first proposed. While not exactly the same design as the initial renderings showed, there are still a number of great things the Community Arena brings to the area.

Creating Community In The Downtown Core

Downtown Edmonton is changing. New restaurants, shops, and other developments are revitalizing the area and helping to discard the moniker of “Deadmonton”.

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Life's tough.

Work it out. edmonton.ca/tcrc

SKATING FUN AT CITY OF EDMONTON ARENAS Free Public Skating is available year round for everyone at arenas around the city. During our high season from September to April, we have additional opportunities including: PUBLIC SKATE For everyone.

PARENTS & TOTS SKATE (INCLUDING “STICKS & PUCKS”)

For parents and their 3-5 year olds. Half the ice is for Parents & Tots skating, and half for “Sticks & Pucks” (practice shooting at the net)

OLDER ADULT SKATE

Forolder adultsto skate and socialize.

EARLY MORNING FITNESS SKATE (ADULT ONLY)

Early morning fitness skating opportunity for adults (18 years +)

EARLY MORNING FIGURE SKATING

An opportunity for individuals to practice figure and choreographed free skating. Figure skates required.

OUTDOOR LEISURE ICE

Skating for everyone at the Meadows Outdoor Leisure Ice. Outdoor accessible change rooms are available 8AM-11PM daily and 7AM-9PM on Statutory Holidays.

ADULT SHINNY

18+ offered year round

MEMBER SKATE

Enjoy this public skate opportunity for City of Edmonton Recreation Centre members of all ages. Valid admission/membership is required.

Shinny/Open Hockey is an admission-based program. Patrons may arrive up to 45 minutes early to purchase admission for a spot to participate as we have a maximum capacity of 26 participants.

CHILDREN’S OPEN HOCKEY

Drop-in opportunity for children to use sticks and pucks. If participant numbers and demographics allow staff will provide organized play opportunities.

ADULT/CHILD STICKS & PUCKS

Designed for children ages 6-12 to have the opportunity to practice basic hockey or ringette skills. Children must be accompanied and actively supervised on ice by a parent/guardian.

Minimum of a CSA approved helmet and gloves required for adults and children.

The City of Edmonton also offers a Learn to Play Hockey program in partnership with NCHL (Non Contact Hockey League), which teaches the fundamentals of playing fun and competitive hockey through 12 on-ice sessions and 2 classroom instruction sessions. This is a registered program for adults 18 and over who want to learn how to play hockey.

Costs $399+GST

The Commonly Injured Hockey Player: Diagnosis, treatment and prevention

BY DR. ASHLEY TODD PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY

Some of the more commonly injured athletes that we see in the clinic are hockey players. We treat hockey players from all levels of hockey. Even this morning, I had three players from the Western Hockey League in the office from three different teams, yet they all presented the same issues. Hockey players are built big, strong, fast, BUT not flexible. All hockey players have very strong glute muscles and quadricep muscles, yet they all present to the office with tight hip flexors, hamstrings and a lack of mobility. This is where the problem begins.

A strong skating stride demands excessive amounts of strength from the legs, mostly derived from our glutes and quadriceps. Because of this, we train these muscle groups hard in the off-season. Once these muscle groups become strong they tend to overpower smaller muscle groups. As a result, our hip flexors and hamstrings become overloaded and get extremely tight. Because of this lack of flexibility in these two muscle groups, hockey players have limited their flexibility and set up a system bound for injury. I see this at all levels of hockey and at our clinic we have started addressing this issue so that we are not limiting their potential as athletes.

Flexibility and mobility are two of the most important aspects of athlete performance, as well as, injury prevention. When assessing these three hockey players that morning, who all came in with low back pain, I first had to assess the tight hip flexors and hamstrings. All of them were unable to touch their toes, squat past 90 degrees or lunge without bending their back in a forward position. Because of these flexibility issues, their low backs took the brunt of the force and over time became painful.

To treat this common injury, I started treatment with isolated PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching to the psoas and hamstring muscles groups. I have found this to be one of the most effective forms of therapy to address this issue (To add flexibility to this muscle group continuous work needs to be done). Once I had addressed the underly issue I was able to focus on the athletes pain. By performing Active Release Therapy to the low back muscles and glutes, along with focused lumbar spinal manipulation I was able to decrease the symptoms after only three visits.

All three of these players asked how they could prevent this from happening in the future.

Here are the injury prevention exercises that we went through.

1. SINGLE LEG STRAIGHT LEG DEADLIFT WITH A KETTLE BELL • Important to hold lumbar spine in slight extension to isolate hamstring.

•

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Stand on one leg, on the same side that you hold the kettlebell. Keeping that knee slightly bent, perform a stiff legged deadlift by bending at the hip, extending your free leg behind you for balance. Continue lowering the kettlebell until tension is felt in the hamstring, and then return to the upright position.

2. SEATED LACROSSE BALL LEG EXTENSION •

•

Important to hold lumbar spine in slight extension to isolate hamstring.

Find the area of tension and place lacrosse ball.

3. WALKING LUNGE WITH ROTATION

4. EXERCISE BAND LUNGE

• Important to keep strong posture.

• Let band pull the hip forward to isolate hip flexor muscle group.

• Too isolate the psoas keep glute muscles tight.

• Concentrate in squeezing glut muscles to push hip forward to increase the stretch.

With off-season training programs becoming more and more advanced every year in terms of strength and power, I feel that it is equally, if not more important, for hockey players to have a greater focus on mobility and flexibility. If we can have our young hockey players acquire strength, power and flexibility they will become better skaters that have more agility speed and are significantly less likely to become injured.

Postpartum

e v i t a i t i In We want to get new Mamas moving & feeling great again!

Now offering 4 weeks of Hot Mama classes FREE!*

*Can attend 2 FREE classes per week over 4 consecutive weeks between 8-16 week postpartum * 6 Locations in Edmonton & surrounding areas, find yours @ hotmamafit.com * Each with their own Facebook Page & Group, Instagram & Twitter YEGFITNESS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

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MEAL TIME //

RED CURRY DRAGON BOWL Sometimes I’m pretty certain that I’m just genuinely a weird person. Maybe we are all weird in our own ways, but I think I’m up a couple notches on the weird scale.

Like… the other weekend, when the hubby and I took a trip to the mountains and stopped in Canmore for a bite to eat. We went to Communitea Cafe and I ordered a Dragon Bowl. First of all, I was already in. my. glory. standing in a restaurant that had a menu FULL of food that: a) I could actually eat (ugh, allergy life) b) was genuinely, legit, comes-from-the-ground healthy c) had so many bright, raw, vegetable combinations it was like a rainbow explosion So, anyways, I ordered my dragon bowl to-go because the hubby had already eaten at another stop and wanted to get back on the road.

When the meal was ready I could barely make it back to the vehicle without digging in, and with each bite I was eeeking with excitement.

Yes, eeeking.

It was just SO FREAKIN’ GOOD! I’ll admit, the excitement I felt as I was literally mowing down on this amazing dragon bowl was a bit over-thetop. Is this normal? Probably not.

When it was over and my shirt/face/car was splattered with coconut curry sauce and bits of vegetable I looked up to see my hubby staring at me with a look, just this look, maybe it was disgust? bewilderment? amusement?

I don’t know. But that’s when I decided that I am officially weird.

Needless to say, I knew this dragon bowl would have to be recreated in the kitch.

Dragon bowls aren’t a new thing. According to Thrive Forward, a dragon bowl is simply a meal-in-a-bowl that consists of a high-quality protein and nutrient dense vegetables over a whole grain base like rice, or is sometimes served over roasted sweet potatoes and a bed of spinach.

I stuck with spinach and brown rice as the base for my bowl, and then chose to go with chicken, broccoli, snap peas, and peppers in a delicious red curry sauce (with peanut butter and tahini!) as the bulk of the bowl. Then I chose to use similar toppings as the bowl I enjoyed at Communitea – cabbage, carrots, cilantro, peanuts, and bean sprouts for that crunch!

The colours, textures, flavour combinations, mixture of warm and soft with cold and crunchy is honestly so amazingly good. I just can’t help but FEEL unbelievably nourished and satisfied after this meal. It’s definitely a keeper.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes COOK TIME: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS Sauce: • 1½ cups coconut milk (I mixed full fat and light) • 2 heaping tablespoons natural peanut butter • 1 heaping tablespoon tahini • 2 tablespoons red thai curry paste • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce • ½ tsp sesame oil • 1½ tablespoons coconut palm sugar • juice of 1 lime • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 teaspoons minced ginger or ginger paste Bowl Ingredients: • 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces (cook with coconut or olive oil - see instructions) • 1 red bell pepper, sliced • 2 cups broccoli crowns, chopped • 1 cup snap peas • 2 cups brown rice or quinoa, cooked Garnishes: • 2 cups spinach • ¼ head of red cabbage, sliced • 2 carrots, shredded • 1 cup bean sprouts • ½ cup cilantro. Chopped • ¼ cup peanuts, crushed

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INSTRUCTIONS

Begin by making the sauce. In a bowl add all the sauce ingredients EXCEPT the coconut milk and whisk until smooth.

In a large pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of coconut or olive oil and warm for 30 seconds.

Add in the diced chicken and cook, stirring frequently until browned.

While the chicken is browning, in another large pot/wok over medium-high heat add in the curry sauce and bring to a simmer. Stir in the coconut milk and bring back to a simmer.

Add in the bell pepper, broccoli, and snap peas and continue to cook for a few minutes until the chicken is finished browning in the other pan.

Add the browned chicken to the pot/wok with the red curry sauce and vegetables.

Simmer everything for 3 more minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from heat.

Take 4 large bowls and line each bowl with fresh spinach leaves.

Top the spinach leaves with warm cooked quinoa or brown rice (1/2 cup per bowl, cook the rice or quinoa ahead of time).

Divide the red curry chicken and vegetable mixture between the four bowls.

Top each bowl with the sliced raw cabbage, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, cilantro, and crushed peanuts.

Dig in!

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

Green Revolution

BY CATHERINE BANGEL PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

The beauty ritual. The act of carving out the time to pour a glass of wine and slip into a hot tub. You sensually lather up your favourite body wash producing aromatic bubbles of scented bliss. You then float through the ritual of cleansing, toning, mudding, and applying delicate creams, lotions and formulas. The whole routine makes you feel sensual.

But during one of those savoured beauty rituals have you ever been brave enough to flip over your coveted heaven in a jar? Have you

looked past the pretty coloured labels on your beauty products and read the tiny printed list of ingredients? Can you pronounce any of them?

Have you ever wondered if that product you placed all over your body in hopes of preserving youthful skin, might actually be harming you instead?

Well if you have, you aren’t the first.

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Lane Edwards is a women who went beyond the label, researched her heart out, studied botanical essences and aromatherapy, read about plant based medicine and determined the only safe beauty product for her and her family, was one she would create herself.

Her passion for potion making as a child, combined with an acute sensitivity to chemical additives after the birth of her first baby, led to the creation of Pura Botanicals: Edmonton’s first eco-luxe green beauty apothecary.

From the top of 124th street just around the Jasper Avenue bend, is where you can find Edwards concocting her potions with all natural ingredients in her ethereal second story beauty design studio.

From Canadian grown tea tree, neroli, lemongrass and Alberta rose, to eco-friendly ingredients from around the world; Edwards has designed and hand-crafted a rich line of beauty care products.

An Overnight Watermelon Mask that looks like pink icing and is enriched with watermelon peptides. A neroli eye treatment that minimizes lines with lavender, neroli and rosehip. Night Cocoon, a cream that envelopes your face in turmeric, vitamin E, pomegranate, coconut and sweet almond oil. They are ingredients that are wild-harvested, organic and natural and they smell so good you might be tempted to eat them.

“I wanted to create products that I knew were safe and non-toxic for my own family,” says Edwards. “And it grew. It grew from there.”

Edward’s has created a loyal following of health conscious beauty lovers that is growing by the week. They not only love Pura’s natural products, but Edward’s philosophy on growing old. It’s one that does not embrace the term anti-aging.

“We all age. But I want to promote taking care of ourselves in a holistic way. To be preventative while aging gracefully and comfortably in our skin.” says Edwards.

For those on the green beauty fence the question you’re thinking is, does organic green beauty work? Can you really decrease those nagging crows-feet and frown lines without chemical additives?

Edwards says you absolutely can.

“I want women to know they don’t need chemical based beauty products to slow down the aging process. There are so many all natural, non-toxic, nutrient rich ingredients that can promote and restore healthy youthful skin.”

Edmonton dermatologist and the head of the Canadian Dermatology Association, Dr. Mariusz Sapijaszko, supports Edward’s feelings.

“In the last five to 10 years, both scientists and patients have realized that there is tremendous power in nature around us. Older cultures knew the power of plants, fruits and vegetables, leaves, roots, bark and so on, and a lot of it has been forgotten.”

Dr. Sapijaskzo says while he fundamentally likes the concept of all natural and organic beauty products, most of the science done within the beauty industry has been on synthesized ingredients or cousins of naturally occurring compounds. He says the science does show those ingredients to be effective and the most bang for your buck.

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But when it comes to the effectiveness of natural and organic ingredients, Dr. Sapijaszko says, “We are just beginning to understand it. With modern science and being inquisitive, a lot of these products can have a positive impact for beauty and health.”

It is estimated the organic beauty industry will grow to over 13 billion dollars by 2018. The consumer’s desire to know has also led to new technology like, Think Dirty: a mobile app that scans the barcode of any beauty product and instantly tells you if it has harmful or toxic ingredients. And it isn’t just women jumping on the all-natural beauty bandwagon.

“I’ve tried Irish Springs and I can’t even use it anymore,” says MacKenzie Proudlove, the founder and creator of Bro Brick, an all-natural vegan soap company in Edmonton.

Proudlove starting making his own manly scented candles after only finding frilly flowery scents on the market. But when he discovered men don’t buy candles, he switched his focus to manly soap. A concept that has taken off.

His company, Bro Brick, with its catchy, “Smack the Filth Off” tagline features imaginative scents you won’t find anywhere else like rum and coke, whisky and chocolate, mint and honey, wasabi, and the all-popular root beer.

Demand has forced Proudlove out of his kitchen and into a new warehouse space where he can step-up his soap production. Proudlove attributes his company’s popularity to his unique soapy scents and his all natural and vegan ingredients.

“I wanted to find the best quality ingredients and the best quality for soap is an all-natural one. You just don’t come out feeling clean with a commercial bar soap. With an all-natural soap you come out squeaky clean without all that soap residue on your skin. And I hear all the time from customers how clean they feel out of the shower.”

It would appear how a product makes you feel is really the best test of whether it works or not and green beauty products may have the benefit of making you feel comfortable inside and out.

Edwards says, “It’s about feeling divine without having to pile things on. We want to nurture individual beauty, not cover it up.”

Pura Botanicals: Shop Online www.purabotanicals.com or in person at #204 10132 124 St NW Open to the Public Wednesday 10-4pm.

Bro Brick: Shop online www.brobrick.com or in person at 5964-87 street Canadian Dermatology Association: Programs, Resources, approved Product Lists and Skin Care tips: www.dermatology.ca

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WITH SVPT FITNESS & ATHLETICS PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

Sarah Jones I came to Canada from England in 1987, for 1 year, that was 29 years ago.

I am the mother of 3 grown kids 26, 20 and 19 and Grandma to 2 boys, and soon to be Grandma of a baby girl. I raised my kids by myself and spent many years getting them to their sports (hockey, soccer, football, track etc.) all the while neglecting my own fitness.

I understand the importance of fitness, but seem to lack the motivation to keep at it, even though I actually enjoy a few different physical activities. I go in spurts of stopping and starting.

The women in my family carry a breast cancer gene and sadly I have lost every woman older than me to the disease including my granny, my mother and most recently my older sister. My sister was 47 and my mum and granny were in their early 50's. I've had a bi-lateral mastectomy and a full hysterectomy. Since the hysterectomy I have steadily gained weight and am now the heaviest I have ever been.

I am turning 50 in October and am celebrating with a party and a trip to Hawaii. I started the past month wanting to drop some weight and get on track with my fitness so that I would be in better shape by that time. I wanted to get into a fitness routine that I can commit to and make part of my schedule. I want to feel more toned, feel stronger, tighten my core, thighs, arms...pretty much everything! I know this isn't going to occur in a month, but I am hoping that I can start the process in the next month and get on the path towards a lifestyle that includes daily fitness. I would also like to lose some weight, and be able to get some new summer clothes that actually fit me.

The staff at SVPT were wonderful. Ethan our trainer at was AMAZING. He really helped us in learning the correct ways to do basic exercises such as squats, and hinging for dead lifts.

He continues to keep us motivated and accountable to keep moving daily, walking, yoga, cycling etc. I would definitely recommend SVPT to anyone looking to learn about exercising and moving towards a healthier lifestyle.

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SUE HOPGOOD I have always led a very active lifestyle. I am a passionate (although that passion doesn’t necessarily translate to success) golfer. I love being outside, walking gorgeous courses and chasing the little white ball, which is often found under a tree or bush. I also love yoga and walking.

Currently, I am a restorative justice practitioner. This means that I facilitate conversations between victims and offenders after a crime or conflict has occurred. It is a privilege for me to be invited into people’s lives during this incredibly vulnerable experience. Although these conversations are transformative and life changing, it does mean that I spend a lot of time sitting! Sitting, listening. Sitting, conversing. Sitting, report writing. I recently heard that sitting is the new smoking. I completely agree.

When I first met with our trainer Ethan, I stressed that I did not want a program that made me feel like I was in police recruit class. Been there, done that. I wanted working out to be fun, not like a boot camp. Ethan did a fantastic job of making our sessions more like play and fun than working out. Even though I was sweating and tired at the end of the hour, I never looked at the clock to see, “how much longer????” It was great that we could laugh and have fun and that working out didn’t feel like a punishment. Every time we saw Ethan, each session felt better and better, and we got stronger and stronger.

In January of this year, I underwent a complete hysterectomy. I know no woman under 50 wants to discuss menopause, let alone surgically induced menopause. It hits like a truck almost over night. It is important that we talk about this critical life change for women.

My Dr’s and their teams told me all about different options, and what I should expect, but it did not translate into what actually happened. Even though I had an uneventful recovery from the surgery, the hormonal imbalance was a challenge. The depression and exhaustion just snuck up on me. I feel very blessed that I was able to incorporate exercise early in my recovery, before I developed weight, insomnia or other chronic issues. The combination of working out regularly, longer days, more sunshine, and getting outside again after a long winter had definitely contributed to getting back to myself again. Even though they are tiny, those little hormones are powerful! Get educated, be informed and make the choices that are right for you.

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SQUATTING IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENTS. YOU NEED TO SQUAT AS AN INFANT, AS A TEENAGER, AS AN ADULT, AND AS A SENIOR CITIZEN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT MANY OF US DON’T THINK ABOUT OUR FORM WHEN WE GET IN AND OUT OF A CAR, WHEN WE GO TO SIT DOWN ON A CHAIR, OR WHEN WE HAVE TO BEND DOWN TO PICK UP A BAG OF DOG FOOD FROM THE FLOOR. HERE ARE SOME BASIC TECHNIQUE TIPS TO MAKE YOUR SQUAT ALL THAT IT CAN BE! HEAD AND CHEST UP > This reinforces a tight core and a straight

back which will protect your spine. This will provide proximal stability and transfer more power to your hips and legs for moving big weight!

KNEES PUSHED OUT > Not only do you want your knees tracking about the middle of your foot, but you actually want to actively push them out to the side in order to engage your glutes to give you more stability and more power. The importance of hip activity in the health of your low back and knees is essential to a good squat.

FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR ANGLED OUTWARDS 0-15 DEGREES > Your foot position and weight

distribution set you up for everything that goes on above. Get those feet stable and angled properly to prevent your knees from caving in.

If the knees cave in, it can lead to hip impingement and rounding of the low back.… you get my point?

STRAIGHT LOW BACK >

Keeping your back straight and your core tight will minimize compression on the discs in your spine as well as minimize sheering forces on the vertebrae.

HIPS BELOW PARALLEL > Squatting to full depth is important to get your hips and knees through full range of motion but also very important functionally.

Developing power and strength in a deep squat position will make it easier to get up off a low/soft couch, off the toilet and off the floor should you find yourself there.

optimizephysio.com 780-455-5068

KNEE STAYS BEHIND THE LINE OF YOUR TOES > If your knees go out over your toes

you put a lot of tension on the patellar tendon (the tendon just below the knee), patellofemoral joint (your knee cap) and compression on the knee joint and meniscus. Repeated squatting in this position will set you up for hot and angry knees!

GET IT? GOT IT? GOOD!

kb&co

Plant Based Goodness Comes To YEG Offering organic, local plant-based foods that are delicious, relatable and nourishing, kb&co has recently opened its doors in downtown Edmonton on the ever-trendy 104th St. Owner Kristina Botelho uses the term relatable because she feels it’s been important in trying to reach the masses. “When I think about my menu offering, I ask myself whether this is relatable to what people are currently consuming,” she says. For example, they have a great plant-based protein smoothie on the menu called the “cookies and cream”. It tastes like a cookies and cream blizzard from dairy queen, only it’s 100% plant based, tasty and nutritious. “This is something that is relatable to most people and could create a healthy change in the way they eat that isn’t overwhelming.”

PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY

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Who is your target market or the audience in which you hope to reach?

Here’s Kristina’s take on the importance of people eating a plant based diet and the inspiration behind kb&co.

Where did plant-based eating begin for you and why?

Well, as mentioned on my website I’ve had digestive issues (i.e. IBS and Lactose Intolerant) for many years so I’ve played around with numerous diets in efforts to feel better physically and emotionally.

None of which really worked. Obviously, I avoid dairy based foods however IBS isn’t all that black and white. There are several triggers that differ for everyone and mine are extremely complicated.

I was gifted a book in 2006 called The China Study and it changed my life (well that and my Vitamix which I’ll get to). The China Study examines the relationship between the consumption of animal products (including dairy) and chronic illnesses. The authors conclude that people who eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, and reduce their intake of processed foods and refined carbohydrates will escape, reduce or reverse the development of numerous diseases. Say what?? I was intrigued by this notion and so I read on. The authors stated, “People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest”.

Whether you’re going vegan or not, they suggest putting as many plants on your plate as possible at every meal. From a sustainability standpoint this seemed easy enough to do right out the gate and so we did. Our family ate mostly plant based foods with the exception of a bit of seafood from time to time. The results were immediate and dramatic.

We all have never felt so good; I personally, had a ton of energy, zero bloat and felt more metal clarity than I’ve ever felt in my life.

This is where it all began for me I suppose. I had read the book, watched a few documentaries and purchased the Vitamix, which btw, if you don’t have one, buy one! I should have been given my own infomercial where I could speak about the Vitamix and its many functions. Oh my goodness, just talking about it gets me all fired up with passion, ha-ha.

I’m so glad you asked because it’s the masses… absolutely everyone! That answer had confused my banker, business consultant and most people I’d tell. The obvious assumption was that I wanted the market who currently consumes mostly plant-based foods which is actually quite small (I’ve done my homework, trust me). And I should also add that if my goal was to get more and more people eating plant-based foods, why wouldn’t I market to everyone as opposed to that niche market? That seemed the most logical thing for me to do. It started with the menu in keeping it relatable, then create a space that is modern, bright and inviting. I wanted all walks of life to come through the doors and wanted to create a space of zero judgement. I simply want to be the place that you think of when you need to get your plant-based on.

People refer to kb&co as a vegan concept here in Edmonton. How do you respond to that?

It’s become easier to answer; I’m not going to lie. At first it was a challenge given that I am not a vegan. I am human-being.

I don’t like labels. I just live and simply put, I eat to live.

“Plant-based” simply refers to whole, plant foods and NOT just foods considered to be “vegan”. For example, French fries or Oreos are in essence vegan, but are not considered to be “plant-based”, as neither product resembles that of their original plant form.

On the flip side, a “plant-based” meal may by definition be vegan, but a person who follows a plant-based diet is not necessarily a vegan – whereas they may consume only plant-based products but possibly wear/use products that are derived from animals.

Where is kb&co. in 5 years?

We have many location(s). Strong partnerships with communities. We’re educating. We’re offering up whole, organic and non-processed foods that make you feel incredible and we, without a doubt are extremely passionate about what we do!

LASIK And Athlete Performance A Winning Combination

Sports can feel like a distant dream if you wear eyeglasses or contacts.

For team sports such as football or rugby, the National Eye Institute recommends that you wear eye protection in addition to glasses or contacts, which often feel awkward and cumbersome. Individual sports such as running and golf do not require protective eyewear, but over the distance of a marathon or the time of eighteen holes, your glasses can begin to feel like lead weights or your contacts can start to itch and burn.

Want a better alternative? Consider LASIK. Glasses or contacts can often seem to be only minor irritations, especially if you are just starting out in a sport. As time progresses, however, many athletes start to feel frustration at the need to always carry a pair of protective lenses or to make sure they don’t lose a contact right before a big game. Corrective lenses steal part of your focus; if you lose a contact or break your protective eyewear, you will not be as effective on the field. In effect, you will not be able to reach your full potential, despite your talent. Your glasses or contacts are holding you back.

Not to mention the cost associated with buying new prescription sunglasses and protective eyewear. Basketball, badminton, baseball, kayaking, mountain biking; all those sports could require two or three different pairs of glasses. The costs of requiring corrective lenses for around the house, in the gym, out in the sun and on the water can definitely add up.

Athletes can benefit from 20/20 vision–not to mention 20/15 vision, which some LASIK patients achieve after the procedure. From soccer players to divers, from football receivers to hockey forwards, naturally clear vision helps them score goals, nail triple back flips and catch touchdown passes. But not every naturally gifted athlete also has the benefit of naturally ‘normal’ sight. As a result, LASIK and sports are starting to go hand in hand. Many athletes turn to laser vision correction from experts like LASIK MD to improve their game. NHL all-star forward Tyler Seguin, world-class triathlete Paula Findlay, and Olympic silver medalist Joannie Rochette are just a few of the professional and amateur athletes to have undergone the procedure with great results.

LASIK works by reshaping the outer layer of your eye, helping it focus light directly onto the back of your cornea. This will help bring your vision closer to the ideal of 20/20—in many cases even up to 20/15.

Using the newest excimer laser technology available, LASIK MD surgeons are able to improve your vision in less than 10 minutes, and you’ll notice a dramatic difference the very next day. Within only seven days, you are ready to get back on the field, strap on your skates or pound the pavement. But remember, with or without LASIK, you should still wear eye protection with certain contact sports.

Don’t let glasses or contacts hold you back. LASIK and sports are a winning combination that can help you maximize performance.

PHOTOS BY LASIK + CANADIAN OLYMPIC TEAM

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FULL SERVICE FITNESS CLUB PERSONAL TRAINING • NUTRITION COACHING P R I VAT E W O M E N ’ S W O R KO U T A R E A • G R O U P C L A S S E S F E AT U R I N G YO G A , Z U M B A , C YC L I N G A N D M U C H M O R E STEAM ROOM & SAUNA • KIDS CLUB • FREE AMENITIES

310-TRIM WORLDHEALTHEDMONTON.CA

"Where did you get that piece? Who made it?

It's beautiful!"

We did; and you did. Well, we all did.

This is from our very first ever Paint with your Heart. The creation of the art is a symbol of the community coming together and uniting for a common cause. The event was created in 2014 by a team of Wevive Ambassadors. We wanted to create something meaningful and fun and for the benefit of giving back to the community. In this case, we decided to sponsor the WIN House and haven't looked back since. "[The WIN House] provides emergency shelter and comprehensive support to women and children fleeing domestic abuse. The shelters specialize in culturally sensitive services and is the largest charitable, non-profit agency of its kind in the greater Edmonton region." (http://www.winhouse.org/about-us-2/)

If you haven't been yet: it's a catered party with a DJ, a bar, and a silent auction. 100% of the money is donated.

If you'd like to attend, donate money and/or items please contact our studio (780) 761 1860 or info@wevivefitness.com.

Accepting new clients now. wevivefitness.com

Never Give Up. Stay Positive.

Love Life.

BY BENVEET GILL PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY AT UFC GYM

I was born on January 9, 1982, the second child to my immigrant parents from India. My parents worked hard to give us the life they had only dreamt about. Growing up as a first generation Canadian was difficult at times, as my parents didn’t understand what it was like to grow up Indo-Canadian. At my elementary school Daly Grove, I was a minority. I dealt with racism and being secluded because I was “different,” little did I know that this would help shape the woman I have become.

For as long as I can remember I have always been “different” from my personal style to my way of thinking. I was always told that I could do anything I put my mind to. I think my parents wanted me to excel more in school but I was never that child, my interests were more focussed on fashion and boys.

I grew up practicing in the Sikh religion, which I have a lot of respect for but found to be very difficult because we weren’t allowed to eat meat, cut our hair, or remove hair from any part of our body. Not eating meat wasn’t that big of a deal since most Indian dishes are vegetarian and delicious. My sisters and I struggled with not cutting our hair or shaving our legs, we just wanted to be like the other girls at school, but that’s something my dad didn’t understand.

Junior high was an especially difficult time as it is for any tween going through their “awkward phase.” I attended T. D. Baker Junior High along with most of my grade 6 class. During those 3 years I grew so much, not only physically but emotionally as well, I made new friends, had drama with old friends and somehow found the confidence to talk to boy(s) I had a crush on.

Dating was strictly forbidden in our house, we weren’t even allowed to be friends with boys, we grew up knowing only about arranged marriages. No one in India dated or had love marriages

and we were no different, except for the tiny detail that we were NOT in India.

In high school at W. P. Wagner I put effort into my studies but not as much as I could have or that my parents would have liked. The last semester of grade 12 my whole family went to India and left me home alone with a vehicle and a debit card. My friend and I tried to be the bad kids and throw a party but we were too scared of the repercussions so we chickened out. I went to school everyday but didn’t make it to many of the classes, I was sure I’d get away with it except I made one rookie mistake, I forgot to clear the answering machine which was full of automated messages from my school alerting my parents I had skipped classes. Needless to say I got in a lot of trouble.

Because of my lack of attendance, I missed my opportunity to apply to post secondary schools, which didn’t bother me, as my grades were too low to be accepted anyways. I spent 2 years upgrading my high school marks before I was accepted into the Medical Radiologic Technology program at NAIT. In September 2007 I married who I thought was my soul mate but I was very wrong about that.

We were only married for 4 and a half years and in those years, we both changed and grew in different directions. The marriage ended violently in April 2012 and I left him. I had moved back in with my family and they welcomed me with open arms and gave me all the support and love I could’ve asked for. Another big change in my life at this time was I got a job at a private clinic as a supervisor. I loved the job, loved the people I worked with and loved the role of being a supervisor, little did I know that I’d only get to work in this job for 6 months before my life was flipped upside down, yet again. 2012 was the year of CHANGE!

"just try to move your toes, just keep trying."

I was going to Las Vegas for my friends stagette on July 11, 2012.

That day I was rushing around trying to get everything packed and ready to go, it doesn’t help that I’m a big procrastinator and I leave everything to the last minute. I went to the pharmacy to pick up a new Epi-Pen as I’m severely allergic to shellfish, and the last time I was in Vegas I had an anaphylactic reaction which landed me in the hospital, but this time I was prepared, or so I thought. We were in a rush to get to the airport because we were running late, when I was checking in at the counter I got a call from my mom, I had forgotten to go inside and give her a hug goodbye, I felt terrible but I’d be seeing her sooner rather than later.

Our first night there we went out and enjoyed the strip, the next day, Thursday, we shopped at the premium outlet ALL day, until we dropped. We woke up on Friday the 13th wanting to go to the pool but it was raining… in July… in Vegas, when does that ever happen? I laid back in bed with my friends and experienced the most excruciating pain in my low back that I have ever felt, and I have a very high pain tolerance. The pain only lasted about 5-7 minutes then started to settle. Almost immediately I couldn’t move my right leg, I didn’t know what was happening and I didn’t say anything

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to my friends either. I was bending my left leg up and down and moving it around, a couple of minutes later my leg went prickly from my hip to my toes and I was paralyzed from the waist down. At this point I said “hey guys, I can’t move my legs.” My friends were starting to panic but being an X-Ray tech I stayed calm and thought about what was happening in my spine.

I knew I had to call 911 and get to a hospital as soon as possible.

I called my insurance company first because as I learned from my last American hospital visit its best to check with your insurance company which hospital you will be fully covered at.

They told me to call 911 which I did immediately after hanging up with them. The ambulance came fairly quickly, they transferred me to the stretcher as I could barely lift my head and shoulders off the bed. Once I got to Spring Valley Hospital I had a full spine MRI, which came back normal, along with the majority of other tests that were done on day 1.

I didn’t call my family yet because I knew they would want answers and I didn’t have any at that time, I also didn’t think it was that big a deal, I truly thought that I’d just get up and walk out of there. During the night I overheard one of the nurses say that they were waiting for a bed to open in ICU, the intensive care unit. That’s when I got scared, you don’t go to ICU if everything is ok. I called my

sister and mom on Saturday morning and told them what happened. My mom kept saying “just try to move your toes, just keep trying,” I tried with all my might but got nothing. I could feel my legs, I felt all the needles and the tests the doctors were doing but I couldn’t move anything below my waist. I’ll never forget how scared and alone I felt that day sitting in emergency by myself unable to do anything for myself.

I was in the hospital for 12 long days and ran up a bill of almost $124,000.00 thank goodness I had coverage through work.

While I was in the hospital I had every test under the sun but they all came back “normal.” The doctors told me the only other explanation is that I have conversion disorder, which happens when you’re under so much stress that your brain tells your body to shut down. This is a real disorder that happens to a lot of people, paralysis is at the extreme end but it made sense because I was under a great deal of stress at that time.

I was freshly separated from my ex, and I was going to see him soon as we were both in the same bridal party. I guess it worked because I didn’t go to the wedding and didn’t have to see him, but I was paralyzed.

While in the hospital I was watching my leg muscles atrophy or shrink due to lack of use.

I was very healthy and worked out A LOT doing yoga, weight training and kickboxing before coming on this trip, next to becoming paralyzed the worst part was that I didn’t even get to wear a bathing suit or sit in a pool. I knew I needed to start physiotherapy as soon as possible but my attending doctor did not want me to start any programs as I was to return to Canada and I’d have to start over again. I was to be flown back to Edmonton by medi-vac but I was very low on the priority list as I wasn’t on any medications or have a life threatening injury. After a few days of talking to my insurance company, my attending doctor and my family doctor in Edmonton, I was finally able to be discharged from the hospital and fly back home on a commercial flight. I was so happy to be back in Canada.

The next morning after eating a delicious home cooked meal, I went to the Grey Nuns Hospital as I was told to go see a psychiatrist to help me through my “conversion disorder.” I waited for about 3 or 4 hours before I saw the psychiatrist, who judged me immediately upon meeting me because I had blonde hair. After telling him my story in full, he simply said to me “I don’t think there is anything wrong with you. Generally, people who have these symptoms have a large monetary gain coming towards them, do you?” I was very offended, I was NOT faking my paralysis, nor did I have any kind of monetary gain coming my way, in fact I was losing money as I wasn’t able to work anymore. I refused to spend another night in the hospital so after being in the psych room in the ER for 8 hours, I discharged myself and went home.

The next few weeks were full of appointments with physiotherapists, psychologists, a hypnotherapist, massage, acupuncture, a naturopath and a fraud “natural healer” that gave me four first degree burns and still didn’t “heal” me. About a month after being paralyzed my legs started to spasm, violently. I was happy with it because any movement is better than no movement in my books. I saw my family doctor who had a sneaking suspicion that I was mis-diagnosed so he sent me for another MRI. As I awaited my MRI appointment I was laying on my bed watching tv with my mom, I was trying really hard to concentrate on wiggling my toes when I thought I did it. I ripped the covers off of me and tried it again and THEY MOVED! I called to my mom and she started crying, making a video and called my sisters. That is a day that I’ll never forget.

A few weeks later I was able to rub my right hip and then it would internally and externally rotate. I was working very hard at getting my core strength back up along with learning how to do everyday things all over again, even brushing my teeth was hard because I had no core. I couldn’t balance without being supported, turn myself over at night, or transfer from my chair to the bed or vice versa.

It was very difficult giving up my independence, asking for help is not something I did very often but now I was forced to ask for help with literally everything. I had been seeing my psychologist twice a week, I am so grateful and thankful that I found such an amazing therapist to help me work through all the adversity I was facing and dealing with. She gave me the tools I needed to deal with my emotions and struggles, she also helped my family with one on one sessions because when something this big happens, it affects everyone in different ways.

I had my MRI in October 2012, by this time I’ve had about 20 MRI’s and they’ve all come back normal so I wasn’t expecting anything different with this one. It was thanksgiving weekend and I got the report of my MRI, I read it and it stated that there was a “lesion in the spinal cord at level T10 T11. Findings are similar to Transverse Myelitis (TM).” I regret what I did next which was google transverse myelitis, directly translated it means inflammation of the spinal cord at a certain level, mine was at my waist. It also said that TM can turn into MS multiple sclerosis. Once I read those words all I could do was cry, I cried for about 2 weeks when no one was around.

I had appointments with 2 different neurologists, one who told me I would “walk into his office in January,” which didn’t happen and was a huge let down. At the end of all the testing I was told that my lesion is like a scar, it didn’t appear on any previous imaging because it took 3 months to form. The disease process was done in July and luckily they had given me large doses of steroids to counteract any inflammation around my spinal cord. I was also told that my case doesn’t look like it would turn into MS, that it would be a “once in a lifetime scenario.” That made me feel better and this diagnosis kicked off a whole new round of doctor appointments and assessments.

I was doing physio four times a week and doing as much as I could at home to get my strength up. By this time, it was close to December, I had planned a trip to Puerto Rico with a bunch of my friends and my sister, Tin. I had to cancel my trip but everyone else was still going, I was so sad, jealous, and mad that this had happened to me and I had to stay back while everyone else was going to have such a great time.

I was in the height of my depression at this time. I deactivated my Facebook account because I was so sick of seeing everyone’s happy Christmas posts while I felt so bad about my life. December and January were the hardest months to get through, I was not a pleasant person to be around and the affect was felt throughout my whole family, not to mention I had gained over 20 pounds in these 2 months.

At the end of January, I was told that I had to be admitted to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in order for them to

remove my catheter and retrain my bladder. I was told that the other therapies would be very beneficial for me as well. When I asked the doctor if I’d be walking after my stay there he said, “some people have walked out of here.” I took that to mean that I would walk out of there, but that was another let down.

I did not want to live in the hospital, I cried all the way home because all I could think of was being alone in the hospital in Vegas and I did not want to feel that again.

I was in the Glenrose for 5 weeks and in that time I made a life long friend. My roommate Erica, who also had sudden onset paralysis and was diagnosed with NeuroMyelitis Optica. We got along great from the moment we met, we had a lot of fun; the nurses would say we had too much fun.

It was during a physio session that my physiotherapist told me about Project Walk, a paralysis recovery center. My mom did some research and found a similar gym in Regina called

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First Steps Wellness Center. We planned to go there for a week after I had been discharged from the Glenrose. My mom and I drove to Regina for the week and I worked out for 2 hours everyday with the spinal cord injury recovery specialists.

After just 1 week I saw improvements and was sold on this therapy. They made videos all week and gave me a comprehensive home program, which I was eager to get started.

When we got back to Edmonton, my brother and cousins made me a workout table and I bought the equipment needed for this home program that I did for about 3 months with the help of my mom or brother, as I need assistance with moving my legs. In July, my mom had three weeks of vacation so we decided to go to Project Walk in Carlsbad, CA. The improvements I saw in those three weeks were incredible.

The biggest change I saw was in my calves, since I started getting spasms my legs have had a lot of tone in them, extensor tone

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to be exact; because of this tone my calves were VERY tight and every time I stood I’d automatically pop onto my toes. At the end of the first week when I stood my heels stayed on the ground! I was astonished at how well this therapy was working for me. The science behind their methods is simple, the more you repeat a certain movement and think about the specific muscle as it contracts and relaxes, the easier it is for your brain to make the connection to that muscle. The lesion in my spinal cord is disrupting the messages going from my brain to my legs. With this method we are teaching the neurons to find a new way around the lesion thus retraining the neuropathways. Today we call this neuroplasticity. This process is proven to work as I have seen first hand; the only downside is that it takes a very long time for the nervous system to heal.

In October 2014 I was having a massage, which I have on a weekly basis, as I was flipping from my back to my stomach I had sudden crushing chest pain and pressure and it was very had to breathe. I started to focus on my breathing as the pain and pressure deceased, we continued the massage and I saw a doctor for the pain. I was sent for an ECG and was told there was nothing wrong. 2 weeks later after doing the makeup for my friends wedding and attending the wedding I noticed my left leg was a little bigger than my right, I didn’t think anything of it and went to bed. The next day my left leg was noticeably bigger, after measuring my legs my left leg was 1 inch bigger than the right. I did my workout at home with Nancy then went to CrossFit at Spark Sports Conditioning, I told my trainer Kim about my leg and he reluctantly worked out with me.

Before I left California I knew I needed to find a trainer to help me with my workouts when I got back to Edmonton. I found the practicum coordinator for the faculty of Phys Ed at the University of Alberta and told him that I needed to find a kinesiology student to train me, I sent him the information he requested and he fanned out my e mail to the whole faculty. I received quite a few responses and interviewed a few people before hiring two girls who would work on opposite days. Both girls, Chantelle and Nancy showed so much enthusiasm and passion in their work and I was seeing results faster than expected, working out 6 days a week for 3-4 hours a day was paying off.

As we were doing shoulder presses he expressed that my leg looked like it was getting bigger. He called the physiotherapist who works next door and we measured my legs again, this time Lopez was 2 inches bigger! I was told to stop working out and go to the hospital asap. If anyone knows me they know how much I HATE going to the hospital, so I delayed it for as long as I could but deep down I knew I had to go. I went to the Grey Nuns emergency room where they gave me blood thinners and sent me for an ultrasound the next day. During the ultrasound the technologist told me that I’d have to go back to the hospital to get my results, being an X- Ray technologist I knew what that meant, I had a DVT, a deep vein thrombosis or blood clot.

I decided that it would be best if I went back to Project Walk in January for a revision of my program as I have been doing it for 6 months. As great as Project Walk is, it is also very expensive; flight, accommodation, car rental and food all adds up. With the help of my friends we organized a fundraiser and raised just over $10,000.00, this helped tremendously and I am so thankful and appreciative of everyone who donated. In January 2013 my mom and I went back to Carlsbad, CA this time for 5 weeks. We were joined by Nancy for the last week so she could get some hands on training.

Once we got back we continued working hard together everyday, setting new goals and bashing them out of the water. I was gaining momentum and the connection to my legs was increasing on a daily basis. My left calf was still giving me a lot of problems, after talking to a spasticity specialist we decided to inject Botox in my calf. Botox works by paralyzing the muscle and since my muscles were very overactive I had faith that this would work, unfortunately it did not, it actually kick started a series of unfortunate events.

"If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it is to never give up, stay positive and love life."

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The doctors told me that 2 weeks prior when I felt the chest pain and pressure that I had had a small heart attack, a small piece of the blood clot broke off and ended up in my right coronary artery in my heart. I was shocked and got mad at myself for not taking it more seriously. I was in the ICU for 10 days this time and had 3 angiojet procedures where a tiny “drill” breaks apart the clot and sucks it out. It sounds like a simple procedure but I had quite a few complications including being anaphylactically allergic to the x-ray dye that was injected in me during the procedure.

I had tubes in both of my femoral veins which meant I had to lay flat the whole time, I also had 4 extra litres of fluid in me and a LOT of blood thinners which made me bruise all over. I was very uncomfortable during those 10 days and on top of that, my mom, grandma, aunts and uncles had a trip booked to go to India and had to leave while I was still in the ICU. It was a very difficult time but I didn’t want anyone to cancel their trip because of me, luckily I had my siblings, cousins and friends to help take care of me.

During this time my right leg stopped spamming, which made my muscles shrink, I also lost the connection to my hamstring, which to this day is one of my biggest struggles. When I got home and was able to start working out again I had a major breakthrough. My left leg started to bend on its own! Before this, Nancy would manually have to bend my leg and step it through for me, this was a huge milestone for me, walking on my own was a concept I could now see in the near future.

After months of continuous hard work, I reached a goal that I thought was not quite attainable yet…I walked with my walker without any additional assistance. It was a very slow walk but it felt so good to be “independent.”

I walk everyday with Nancy and then do a few laps of my house on my own. 2016 will be the year of Bean and I WILL conquer obstacles in my way and reach many goals I have set. A giant goal I’ve had for a few years now is to open a paralysis recovery centre here in Edmonton, and I’m proud to say that Nancy and I have teamed up once again to bring a Paralysis Recovery Centre to offer hope and support to all Edmontonians suffering from a Spinal Cord Injury or associated disorders. There is a huge need for an exercise based therapy program here. After you are discharged from the Glenrose Rehab Hospital there is currently nowhere to go to get direct one on one training with a certified kinesiologist who is educated and experienced in spinal cord injury recovery. We plan on helping people in every way we can. Though the core of our program will focus on intensive activity based training, we are looking to tackle recovery in a multifaceted way to maximize recovery opportunities which is why we are taking on the areas of nutrition, weight lifting technique/instruction, wheelchair skills and hot yoga adapted for those with physical disabilities. We want to create an inclusive, judgement free atmosphere where clients can come workout, learn vital information and feel better about themselves.

After going through all of these obstacles one thing has kept me going… I’m alive. There is a reason why I have gotten through all these adversities and that is to live life. I am not the type of person to give up and let life roll over me, as long as I have breath I will continue to push and fight my way through any obstacle in my way.

If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it is to never give up, stay positive and love life.

LET'S GO TO THE BARRE! Barre workouts are getting a lot of attention lately, and not always from the people you'd expect -professional athletes are getting in on the fun, too.

The hesitation to participate in a barre class is still common for the majority of people (mostly men)! While barre has origins in dance, the rhythmically challenged shouldn't worry: no tap shoes, tutus or any fancy footwear are required. In fact, a simple pair of grip socks is all that you need.

Is Barre For Anyone?

Barre is for all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels and for ANY gender.

Women are drawn to the newest trend, as men still need a little persuading!

Specific classes are designed for all fitness levels and some to attract men to the barre. Date Night and Boys at the Barre have drawn several males to participate with their significant others or even just their buddies for a men’s night out.

Barre Benefits Both Women and Men Once you get past the ballet-y terms you'll start to realize how beneficial barre is. Barre focuses on con-

trolled intensely concentrated, isolated movements, which help with injury prevention. Alignment and focus on strengthening the core helps correct poor posture habits, which is usually the culprit for injuries. Stretching after the muscles are warm and burnt to exhaustion not only creates the long lean look, but also creates flexibility, which is key to any successful athlete.

The Workout/Poses Barre combines the fundamentals of yoga, Pilates and ballet. It's truly a unique full body fitness experience.

You'll start with a warm up, and then do a series of arm exercises using one to four-pound weights (don't be fooled, you'll probably end up using the ones).

Using one-pound weights during arms WILL feel like fifty pounds. After the arm segment is done you'll be surprised how you've covered biceps, triceps, shoulders, back and chest in a short time. The main piece of equipment is a ballet barre. The barre is used in the majority of moves. Push-ups are always done at the barre not on the mats.

While in a chair position you're holding onto the barre. Otherwise, the barre is

PHOTOS BY JEFF KELLY AT SCULPT BARRE

there for slightly resting on and to assist you in keeping your posture aligned.

A small rubber ball may be placed between/behind your knees or a rubber tube. This adds extra resistance and engages the inner/outer thighs along with the hamstrings. A move we call the "pool", is done with your back against the barre facing the middle of the studio. Like all moves, your core needs to be engaged as this helps with proper alignment. All moves at the barre are “paperclip size” movements, this creates a burn in the muscles and eventually those muscles will start to shake!

Embrace the shake. This is where the body change (magic) happens! At this point, the instructors like to say, "you have made it to 'ballerina' stretch", and everyone sighs with relief. A series of core work followed by another stretch will finalize your BARRE workout.

BY TRACEY KALBFLEISCH Sculpt Barre Edmonton South 6115 Currents Drive sculptbarrestudio.com 780.439.0092

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MEG STEVENSON NAVINA YOGA

PHOTOS BY VIVID RIBBON PHOTOGRAPHY

My fitness philosophy is more about letting go of what it looks like, and focusing more on what it feels like. All too often we commit ourselves to routines that we just simply don’t enjoy and then find ourselves defeated because it simply comes down to a test of will.

This is not to say that willpower can not provide adequate fuel to propel you towards your fitness goals but our addiction to instant gratification usually tips the scale and our will runs out before we can see definite change. I believe your fitness routine should require some test of will as we have all heard the saying “if it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you”, however if you strictly operate from will, you will eventually be left depleted or injured. If you choose an activity that you genuinely enjoy then you begin to operate from a place of desire instead of will because you are focused on how it makes you feel. The modality is not important, whether it is through yoga, running, basketball or skateboarding, find something that you enjoy and instead of dreading your workouts or finding any little excuse to deter you from going you won’t want to miss them and will instead actually look forward to your time. My fitness goals are about embodying the balance between strength and grace.

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E-Bike Tours In E-Town There’s no better way to see Edmonton than on the seat of a bike. Cruising the bike lanes down residential streets and hitting the trails in the river valley can make you feel like you’re in Jasper or Banff and not YEG. But if you want to take it all in and check out all the landmarks and scenery you have to be prepared to break a sweat. One local company is about to change that.

Revolution Cycle has started a new E-Bike Tour service catering to travellers and locals alike. We tagged along for a tour with them to find out what the tours were all about and we were pleasantly surprised by the experience.

Tours begin from their Stony Plain Road location where participants get fitted for their bikes and gear. A short run through on the operation of the E-bikes and bike safety are discussed and a quick ride around the parking lot to familiarize yourself with the bike settings get your tour started.

We opted for the two-hour tour, although a longer five-hour tour is offered showcasing everything Edmonton has to offer. Our trip began with a ride through the Mackenzie Ravine and there’s no better view in the city than a ride through there. With the backdrop of downtown and the river valley awaiting us, our trip was off to a good start.

A little background on the E-Bikes.

There are a number of settings that you can operate your bike with. You can turn off the E-Assist all together and pedal manually or if you want a little help but still get some exercise, you can do like we did and use the “eco-mode”. You still had to pedal to

engage the e-assist, but it made the ride more enjoyable. For those wanting to just go at a relaxed pace and not deal with any of the challenging inclines, you can select the sport or turbo modes.

Next stop was William Hawrelak Park then Louise McKinney Park and a fun ride through the trails up to “End Of The World”. As someone who has lived in the Edmonton area his entire life, there were many sights I’d never seen and our guide shared some of the history and background of the various landmarks.

Our tour finished with a stop at the Valley Zoo and photo op at the infamous Talus Balls before some sight seeing of the beautiful properties in Laurier and Crestwood.

Two hours flew by and nearly twenty kilometers of distance were behind us without feeling overly fatigued.

It was a great way to take in the sights and get some exercise at the same time. Whether you’re showing some newcomers around the city, or looking for a great way to spend the afternoon with family or friends, we’d suggest giving the E-Bike Tour a look.

Every Wednesday at 6:30, meet at the shop for a group-ride covering shared use paths in the river valley. This ride is accommodating to all skill levels. A great way to learn our shared use network, learn to ride in a group, squeeze in some extra interval training, or to just have fun!

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Fitness and Wellness After Baby EXERCISE ADVICE BY JESSIE MUNDELL (BPHE, MHK).

NUTRITION ADVICE BY DR. BRIANA BOTSFORD (BSC, BPHE, ND) Pregnancy changes your body. After nurturing a baby from within for 9 months, you’ll be relying on resources from your body to sustain the baby’s growth once it’s born. If you’re breastfeeding, there are additional nutritional resources required from your body in combination with the demands of changing your sleep schedule, recovering from the birth process, and meeting the needs of your little one.

You might find it more challenging to meet your own nutritional, physical and emotional needs after baby. Listening to your body is extremely important as each person is unique, but here are some general guidelines for nutrition and exercise after the birth of your baby.

Three KEY Nutrition Points for New Moms 1. PROTEIN Protein isn’t just for muscles. Many people think they need to focus on protein when trying to lose fat or build muscle. Protein is also the main component of your immune system. It’s important if you’re breastfeeding because all of the antibodies provided to your baby in breast milk are made from protein. If you’re formula feeding, protein remains important to help your body heal and repair from labor or C-section. You can get animal-sourced protein from meats, fish and eggs. If you’re getting your protein from vegetarian sources, be sure to combine legumes with grains or nuts/seeds to get a complete spectrum of amino acids (protein building blocks). You should be consuming a protein source with every meal and snack if possible.

In general, whey protein isolate is safe in breastfeeding, as are many vegetarian sourced protein powders. It is important to check with a health care professional if you have questions about what is safe for you during breastfeeding.

2. KEEP ON TAKING THAT PRENATAL You may have been taking your prenatal vitamin for months prior to getting pregnant, but it is important to continue your prenatal supplement after you’ve given birth. Generally we recommend new mothers continue their prenatal supplement for up to one year after baby is born to replenish nutrient levels. Taking your prenatal can help keep your energy levels up, your mood steady and prevent colds and flus. Many new moms find it’s easy to get sick especially if they’ve got a toddler and a newborn. This can be due to decreased sleep, which contributes to a lowered immune system. Ensuring your immune system has all the building blocks it needs from your prenatal vitamin and adequate protein consumption can help to keep you healthy.

3. KEEP IT SIMPLE Whether you’ve got a newborn or a couple toddlers, keep in mind that your nutrition doesn’t have to be PERFECT. If all you’ve got time for is a hardboiled egg or a smoothie for breakfast, that’s good. If all you’ve got time for is a protein bar, that’s good. Just because you can’t sit down and have a full meal with protein and veg every time you eat does NOT mean you shouldn’t eat at all. Many moms find it difficult to want to cook for themselves when they’re feeding small children or newborns. Fair enough! Come up with a couple protein rich, quick and easy options that you LIKE and ENJOY, that

will keep you satisfied and nourished. Smoothies, hardboiled eggs, chicken breast, banana and peanut butter, hummus and carrots or crackers, there are lots of options. Do your best not to stress about being perfect and allow yourself to settle for something satisfying and somewhat nutritious.

Three KEY Pieces of Exercise Advice for New Moms 1. STRENGTH TRAINING IS A MUST FOR MOMS Even though a newborn baby might not weigh very much initially, not only do they get heavy quickly, but you tend to carry them in arms much of the day.

You are rocking, swaying, bouncing, holding, feeding, AND trying to recover, yourself.

Mom-ing is tough on the body!

Prioritize strength training as you return to exercise postpartum.

It will be extremely helpful to safely re-build your strength to help keep up with baby’s growth and weight gain, so you can avoid low back pain, aching knees, and a sore neck.

Tip: Pay close attention to your breathing when strength training! I cue my clients to “exhale on exertion”.

This means that on the toughest part of the exercise you’re doing, you are going to start your exhale breath and then push the weights.

You should feel tension or extra strength from your core muscles as you do this.

2. RESTORING FUNCTION TO YOUR CORE AND PELVIC FLOOR The most important thing you can focus on postpartum is regaining strength and function in your core and pelvic floor muscles.

Pregnancy, labor, and birth are stressors to your body. Your abdominal wall and pelvic floor have stretched, and they need gentle strengthening exercises to help them support your body as best they can.

A common approach to postpartum exercise is to want to ‘get your abs back’. While you are regaining your strength in the first few months postpartum, I would caution you against traditional abdominal exercises such as: • Traditional forward or sideways crunches or sit-ups • Bicycle abs • Double straight leg raises, from your back NOTE: For my pregnant and postpartum clients, I always refer out to pelvic floor/women’s health physiotherapists to help assess and treat any aches, pains, or symptoms.

In Edmonton, I refer to CURA Physiotherapy (http://www.curaphysicaltherapies.com) and Nurture Her (http://nurtureher.ca).

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3. A ‘WORKOUT’ MIGHT LOOK DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO And, that is perfectly fine! Over the last year of my 1-year old’s life, I have not been to the gym once. Not one time!

That being said, I’ve consistently strength trained twice a week since early postpartum, athome. Investing in some simple exercise equipment for the early postpartum months can make squeezing in a workout much simpler.

Some resistance bands, mini bands, and dumbbells are fantastic for your at-home gym setup.

Also note: a workout without interruptions may not be in the cards for some time.

Rest between exercises and sets now come in the form of diaper changes, feeding/nursing, soother replacements, toy fetching, etc!

Again, don’t stress. It’s perfectly fine to complete your workout in a couple ‘chunks’, to come back to the exercise you didn’t finish later on, or heck, to even finish your workout the next day if it got derailed by baby’s needs.

It won’t always be this way. Allow yourself to be in this season without extra stress!

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Getting Back Into Exercise After Baby Take Care Of Your Pelvic Floor!

Like many other women I was eager to get back to exercise after my first child was born. I attended my first mom and baby boot camp when my daughter was only five weeks old. The boot camp regime included sets of burpees, sprints, push-ups, and planks. Because of my competitive nature I was hooked immediately. In addition to the boot camp workouts, I also started running, which lead to me completing a 10 kilometer race on Mother’s Day—less than four months after giving birth.

With one hand on your lower ribs and one hand on your belly, take a deep inhale. Feel your ribs, belly and pelvic floor all expand. It may be hard to feel your pelvic floor at first so be patient. The connection will return with practice. Exhale and feel your ribs and belly contract while your pelvic floor lifts slightly. Repeat 10 times, one to two times a day.

2. HEAL SLIDES:

Looking back it is no surprise that I leaked urine while exercising along with experiencing achy joints and painful sex and eventually suffered a pretty major back injury at eight months postpartum.

No one told me that exercise for a new mom should be any different than the exercise she was used to before childbirth. I didn’t know that all of my hard work running and attending boot camps were actually preventing me from regaining strength in my core and pelvic floor.

THE CORE AND PELVIC FLOOR Your core is not just your abs. For a strong, well-functioning core, your abdominals, diaphragm, back and pelvic floor muscles all must be working together. For many new moms, this is not the case. This often creates an increased load on the pelvic floor leading to incontinence, painful sex and/or prolapse of the pelvic organs.

Starting on your back—modify with pillows if needed—take a deep inhale. Exhale and feel your pelvic floor gently lift towards your chest as you slide your heel and extend your leg. Inhale and allow your pelvic floor to relax. Exhale with a gentle pelvic floor lift and bring your knee back up. Repeat on the other side. Do about 10 repetitions on each side, five to seven times a week.

3. GLUTE BRIDGES:

Don't make the same mistakes that I did! Learn about your postpartum body and exercise to help heal your body so that years down the road you will continue to be strong, fit and feeling great.

GUIDELINES FOR EXERCISE AFTER BABY: 1. Wait to run Walking is a great way to get moving and add cardiovascular exercise. Running creates downward pressure that the pelvic floor is not ready to handle in early postpartum regardless of whether your delivery was vaginal or cesarean. I don’t recommend running for five to six months postpartum, and that is only if there are not any issues in the core/pelvic floor.

• Add 10 minutes of outside walking to your daily routine. Fresh air and sunshine help to generate endorphins, which can improve your mood and decrease anxiety. It is important to wait to start this routine until you feel ready. You can add a couple minutes every few days until you are walking approximately 30 minutes a day.

2. Choose the right exercises Begin core and pelvic floor strengthening as soon as you feel up to it. But be sure to keep the pressure off the pelvic floor. Sitting and lying exercises will be best in the early days and weeks. Avoid crunches, sit-ups, v-sits, prone positions such as push-ups and planks, or exercises that require jumping or holding the same position for a long period of time, such as wall sits.

Here are three exercises to start with: 1. BREATHING FOR HEALING:

Glute strength is key to core and pelvic floor health. Start on your back with your heels close to your bum. Exhale and feel your pelvic floor lift gently as your push through your heels and lift off the ground. Only go as far as you can without tucking your tailbone under. Inhale as you release your pelvis to the floor. Do about 10 repetitions on each side, five to seven times a week.

I also recommend all women make an appointment with a women’s health physiotherapist after birth. They can fully assess your pelvic floor muscles, screen for prolapse, and make sure you are doing a kegel correctly.

Above all, rest and patience should be your top priorities.

Everyone is different, but the pelvic floor usually needs about six months to recover.

Congrats Mama! Motherhood is one of the most amazing challenges you will ever face. You are doing great!

Kaye Burrows is the owner of Core Love, a fitness company dedicated to moms and moms-to-be. She provides strength training and fitness instruction that protects the core and pelvic floor and fits into the craziness that is motherhood. www.corelove.ca

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2016 YEGFITNESS

Summer’s coming to an end and the nights are starting to get chillier. With the changing seasons, it’s time to share some of our favourite trends and products coming your way this fall.

ARC’TERYX - ATOM LT HOODY - $270 Lightweight, breathable, insulated hoody; Ideal as a stand-alone piece in fair weather, or as a layering piece in cold conditions. Synthetic insulated mid layers. www.arcteryx.com

PRANA KILIMANJARO ORGANIC DELUXE CHOCOLATE TRAIL MIX - $5.77 Irresistible aphrodisiac blend of dark chocolate, crunchy nuts and dried fruits, this sumptuous snack will liven your tastebuds. Crunchy almonds, walnuts, salty cashews mixed with delicious Sultana raisins, naturally sweetened cranberries and PRANA's creamy chocolate chips. All this 100% vegan, organic and gluten free! www.prana.bio

FITNESS WISHLIST

LOLË TAYLA LEGGINGS - $95 In addition to offering an advanced level of comfort and support, these Lolë running leggings feature decorative trim on the side openings at the ankles for a sporty and trendy look! Their eco-friendly, moisture-wicking, four-way-stretch fabric firmly covers and contours the legs. www.lolewomen.com

S’WELL WHITE GOLD WATER BOTTLE - $42 Shining from the cap through the body, these premium bottles from the Metallic Collection come in a reflective lustre finish. www.swellbottle.com

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SOAP CO. JUICY ORANGE SOAP - $5.25 Oily and problem skin look out! This bar is made with real Orange Juice and Sweet Orange Oil to help rejuvenate dull or oily skin while helping to fight blemishes. Calendula flowers offer a gentle exfoliation to unclog pores. And who doesn't love the scent of freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning? This is the perfect morning cleanser to help you balance your problem skin. Oily to combination skin. Suitable for face, hands and body. www.rockymountainsoap.com

LULULEMON - SUNSHINE SALUTATION TANK - $58 This lightweight tank keeps you covered in the front and lets your bra colour pop under airy Mesh fabric in the back. Fabric is sweat-wicking and breathable. www.lululemon.com

TOESOX - HALF TOE BELLA GRIP SOCKS - $16-18 Ballet-inspired, barely there, barefoot experience. For all barefoot activities like barre, Pilates, yoga, and dance. www.toesox.com

NEW BALANCE - VAZEE PRISM - $129 Find the extra push you need to stay focused on your goals in the Vazee Prism running shoe. Designed for speed and surprisingly supportive, this newest addition to the Vazee running line-up features a medial post for extra stability when you need it. www.newbalance.ca

SPUD DELIVERY SERVICE – PRICES VARY We believe that food should be healthy, and SPUD partners with local producers and farmers who you can trust; real people who have integrity, who respect our environment, who care about our community, people who value sustainable farming practices and believe in the humane treatment of animals. They select local ingredients from partners who care about your food and our environment and ship direct to your door. www.spud.ca

FITBOX – SIGNATURE & CITY BOX SUBSCRIPTION - $49-54 Their hand selected favourite products delivered right to your door. Everything from fitness passes and nutrition samples to health and wellness products, they include an amazing assortment in each box. www.myfitboxlife.com

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For All That Moves You

The Best High-Tech Fitness Gear Logging sets and reps is so boring. With all the new cutting-edge fitness devices out there, we tested some of them to show how you could transform the way you work out forever. From tracking strength and power to aiding muscle recovery, this gear will turn you into a machine.

UP2 BY JAWBONE - $99 bestbuy.com A fitness tracker doesn’t need to take up your entire forearm to do its job. If you’re looking for a high-tech tracker that boasts a sleek, minimalist design, the UP2 is for you. Featuring a thin, adjustable band that switches modes with a simple finger tap, it keeps track of your daily steps, calories burned, and sleep quality.

If you want to see how you’re doing, just log on to their app, which stores all your info, and offers daily motivation and tips.

SPREE SMARTCAP - $199 spreewearables.com Retire your ratty baseball cap and throw on this high-tech hat during your next run. It not only monitors your heart rate, but also tracks your body temperature making it one of the most accurate calorie-burn calculators available.

YOUR HIGH PERFORMANCE CENTRE IS NOW OPEN!

JABRA SPORT PULSE WIRELESS EARBUDS - $199 – jabra.com These headphones cut the cord—and the heart rate monitor strap. Simply tap the left ear bud to hear your current heart rate. It’ll also announce your exercise time, pace, and distance. Another quick tap also allows you to take calls and control your music.

ATHOS SHIRT - $298 – liveathos.com This shirt is the world’s first piece of apparel that measures your muscle activity, heart rate, and breathing rate. Its real-time data tells you how hard specific muscles are firing to help you fine-tune your form.

Visit our website to set up an assessment at our Brewery District location pivotalphysio.com/contact Brewery District #201, 11936-104 Avenue Visit us at our Northgate or Fort Saskatchewan locations!

PUSH BAND - $189 trainwithpush.com This band measures how much power and velocity you generate during each exercise. That data can let you know if you’re lifting too much or too little, and can help you stay in the correct training zone for your specific goal.

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UNDER ARMOUR HEALTH BOX $400 – underarmour.com If you geek out on data, you’ll love this system. Inside the box you’ll find a scale, UA band, and heart rate monitor. These sync to your smartphone to provide such data as sleep duration, workout intensity, pulse, and steps taken, giving you a daily snapshot of your health.

SUBSTANCE BEFORE STYLE When starting to pick a running shoe it may not be best to adhere to the old saying of style over substance. For most, this shouldn’t be news but it is nonetheless a helpful reminder that when picking a running shoe one should focus more on functionality and comfort as opposed to the colour.

To find that desired comfort and functionality there needs to be a brief understanding of your individualized biomechanics. Figure out which shoe type is best suited to your foot- neutral: for a runner whose knee remains in a neutral central position when walking and running and arches are void of a collapse (aka pronation). Stability: for someone whose arches do collapse and pronate. Finally, motion control for whom the pronation levels are excessive and need to be weathered by substantial build-up of support within the arch of the shoe. The best way to figure out your place on the shoe wall is to have a proper foot assessment provided and then begin trying on shoes within the recommended category.

Something else to consider is how much cushioning and weight do I want? That’s up to the individual since they’re the ones choosing the distance, training methods, and the shoes. Heavier shoes tend to have more support and by virtue of more support means a higher level of durability which may be better for training on hard surfaces like pavement and gravel. The lighter the shoe the more responsive which translates to how quick the energy return is when your foot hits the ground and can be advantageous when it comes to speed.

That brings it all back home to where we started. Comfort. If the shoe is comfortable and meets your specificities when it comes to fit, training and desired support then you’ll find that substance, and even style, will be there in abundance.

David Falk is the Assistant Footwear Buyer for Running Room and freelance writer based out of Edmonton.

Glycerin 14

Nimbus 18

Triumph ISO 2

860v6

Gel Kayano 22

Hurricane ISO 2

Redeemer ISO

Beast 2015

Wave Rider 19

Top Fall Workout Songs Music is to working out as peanut butter is to jelly. You can’t have one without the other. Doing a quick Google search yields millions of playlist ideas and even iTunes and Spotify have playlists that focus on specific genres and activity types.

Let these heart-pumping beats push you through the toughest workout and let us know which ones help you #getYEGFit.

1400v4

Kinvara 7

BEST ROCK SONG NOMINEES: Elle King – Ex’s & Oh’s - WINNER Foo Fighters – Something From Nothing Sevendust – Thank You Alabama Shakes – Don’t Wanna Fight Florence & The Machine – What Kind of Man

BEST COUNTRY SONG NOMINEES: Carrie Underwood – Little Toy Guns - WINNER Reba McEntire – Going Out Like That Kelsea Ballerini – Love Me Like You Mean It Brothers Osborne – Stay A Little Longer Keith Urban – John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16

BEST POP SONG NOMINEES: Ellie Goulding – On My Mind - WINNER Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick L. – Bad Blood Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk Jason Derulo – Want To Want Me The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face

BEST DANCE/EDM SONG NOMINEES: Galantis – Runaway (U & I) - WINNER Hardwell – Birds Fly (Esquire Remix) Major Lazer – Lean On (feat. MO & DJ Snake) Skrillex and Diplo – Where Are U Now (with Justin Bieber) Disclosure – Omen (feat. Sam Smith)

BEST RAP SONG NOMINEES: Flo Rida – GDFR (feat. Sage The Gemini & Lookas) - WINNER Drake feat. Future – Big Rings Kanye West – All Day G-Eazy – Me, Myself, and I Nicki Minaj – Truffle Butter

YEGFITNESS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

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