Fitness

Things to Keep in Mind When Discussing the Topic of Obesity

January 4, 2021

Obesity is a major health problem here in the UK, and one that has taken over many conversations – whether that be in hospitals, on the news, in schools or at work.

Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk of several common diseases, and considering that 28.0% of adults in England are obese and a further 36.2% are overweight, it’s no surprise that the topic is never too far from anyone’s mind.

Talking about obesity is fine if you keep in mind the below tips…

Don’t underestimate the power of the language you use

Regardless of who you’re discussing the matter with, be mindful not to use words that are stigmatising or negative. Sure, you might be talking to someone who’s visibly slim, but you don’t know what they’ve dealt with in the past, or if they have a close relationship with someone who is obese or overweight.

Educate yourself before getting too deep into conversations

If you get caught in a conversation about obesity, give yourself a moment to separate what you think you know from what you definitely know. It’s okay to take a step back and say: “I’m not entirely sure on that one, so I’ll stay out of this.” Not everything needs a response.

Understand it’s not helpful to blame anyone

While popular culture might have you think otherwise, there are many factors that increase a person’s risk of obesity – and not all of them are within their control. Yes, it’s so much more complex than just ‘eat less and move more’. When talking about obesity, understand it’s not helpful (or even factually correct) to blame anyone.

Speak up for those who may feel uncomfortable doing so

In life, it’s fundamental that we all stick together and look out for one another. So, if you hear someone speaking out of turn when the topic of obesity is bought up, don’t be afraid to ‘put them in their place’, so to speak. There’s no need to be horrible or aggressive, just explain that some of the words they’re using are insensitive, or that they’d benefit from learning more about the situation.

If you or somebody you know is obese or overweight, and looking to change this in a healthy and sustainable way, keep an eye out for the options that you have available. For example, if you’re looking at how to lose weight without exercise, your local pharmacy might be able to advise on products.

Why Are We Trying To Get Superhero Fit?

June 4, 2018

Superhero movies are now dominating the box office, as they capture the attention of the masses unlike any other genre. Crime-fighting and world-saving super humans represent an ideal version of ourselves: powerful and strong, just like the actors who train so hard to fit the bill. Naturally, people tend to do whatever they can to be like their idols, and the effect isn’t just for vanity.

Exercise is such a crucial part of life, as it affects overall health and well-being. Health Souls previously discussed the importance of setting goals and expectations. And when it’s time to take things a notch higher, working out like a superhero will provide a slew of benefits.

The cool part is that the trend is now inspiring lots of women, too. Female superheroes portrayed on the big screen like Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) influence women to work hard in the gym, changing the definition of what it means to be a sexy and empowered female. Here’s a run down on why women are now so keen with superhero workouts.

Whatever men can do, women can do too

Superheroes are lean, tough, and virtually unbeatable. That’s the kind of confidence brought about by strength, and it’s something which positively affects mindset. Female superheroes are a great source of inspiration for women, who are used to engaging in physical exercise. From being portrayed as damsels in distress who always needed saving to developing awesome characters like Mystique and Supergirl, it’s about time women were represented fairly in the physical department! The times are changing with the introduction of strong female leads who teach everyone that men and women are equals.

Promoting a can-do attitude

A lot of women who learned of Gal Gadot’s training for Wonder Woman were amazed by the rigorous nature of the training routines. Business Insider reported that the star trained for six months straight, and her sessions included fight choreography and horseback riding. She even filmed some of her scenes during the early stages of her pregnancy.

The same goes for the workout routines of other actresses in superhero and action movies, like Jennifer Lawrence for The Hunger Games and X-Men; and Alicia Vikander for Tomb Raider. The hard work they put into their training paid off because they were able to carry out their respective roles really well. If these amazing actresses can do it, then it proves that it isn’t out of reach, you just need to be dedicated.

Media’s role in female empowerment

Of course, social media deserves credit too because it plays a big role in continuing the inspiration started by movies. Fitness personalities like Kayla Itsines, Amanda Bisk, and Cassey Ho continue to promote the idea that women are strong too in their respective fields. Everyday Fitness stresses the importance of having a role model when it comes to hitting your fitness goals. It’s motivating, and a great reminder of what you want to achieve.

This social media trend goes hand in hand with advertising. In fact, sports brands like Under Armour and Nike have launched creative campaigns to debunk the myth that women are weak. Verily Mag discussed the success of the Nike #BetterForIt campaign, which even inspired a YouTube series called Margot vs. Lily. It followed the same narrative of women having a strong mental perspective, which pushed them to achieve their goals in fitness as well as life in general. This type of strategy is being seen across a slew of industries, including gaming, as the medium allows players to imagine themselves as strong female characters. Digital games provider Slingo hosts an array of slot titles that feature strong and powerful women. Black Widow puts the spotlight on the phrase ‘femme fatale’, and shows that ladies can be badass too, much like ScarJo’s portrayal of the Marvel character with the same name. Amazon Queen, meanwhile, showcases a mighty female warrior with a toned physique akin to Gadot’s depiction of Wonder Woman. All of this only goes to prove that women can excel given the chance no matter what industry they are placed in. Becoming superhero fit is a great start and that can lead to empowering yourself on the inside, which is an equally difficult endeavor.

All in all, women should continue to lift each other up, especially now with the abundance of tools for spreading inspiration. Even in something as simple as gym sessions, knowing that there are others who rock the same attitude as you can influence you to be as strong as you can be.

Entering the World of Charity Races

April 14, 2015

Author: Amber French

I have run several “fun-runs”, 5km, 10km, and even half-marathon tune-ups. I have entered several triathlons, a few trail runs, and have helped out at obstacle course races.
Once race season starts, from May to October, you can take part in something every weekend!

Charity races are super fun, they incorporate something for everyone from kid-runs to vendor alleys. The good ones have great post run food, activities, and swag bags. The best runs take you somewhere fun to run. My favourite is the Oasis Zoo Run in Toronto. They are sold out almost every year and they cater to everyone, from the beginner 5km to the elite 10km runners, and you get to run past the best cheering squad around (you even get into parts of the zoo not open to the public). If you are new to charity running, it is a great place to start; the animals, easy access for spectators, and post run celebrations are a great way to spend a fall afternoon.

Most charity races are done well and are very transparent about where the money goes, how much of it goes to the actual charity, and how much of it goes to putting on the race day festivities and administration (which can be a lot). Most use local run groups, running enthusiasts, and active volunteer organizations to help out with the day-of events. You will see a lot of students getting in a solid day’s worth of community hours.

Although the charity aspect is fantastic, for most people participating, it is a happy by-product. Most choose their races to accomplish a certain distance, a personal best, or to hold themselves accountable to get in shape.

Most races have great resources like training guidelines and even tune-up (pre-races) to keep you on track and properly trained. They also provide a GREAT chance to meet likeminded people and even deliver a great opportunity for your pack of runners to celebrate their milestones together.

For me, I have always loved seeing my kids and family at the finish line. I think it is super important (especially for women) to show our loved ones that we can accomplish new things at any age. Women don’t have as many opportunities to get together with other women and be active as men do. Men have more opportunities to play pick-up games, join leagues, and intramurals. Obviously these options are available to women, but they aren’t as popular or as widely subscribed to. In contrast, charity races are flooded with women, especially races that support other women, like cancer research, local shelters, or those highlighting women’s issues such as domestic violence.

If you are thinking about trying your hand at races this year, or even increasing your race distance, I highly recommend finding a run group or creating one of your own. It makes the race day so much more meaningful. Let your kids and family see you take on (and conquer) new challenges, even if you do walk a little slower for the next few days. Do your homework and find a charity or cause that resonates with you, recruit your best buddies and put in the mileage. This will lead to certain success and will pull you through the walls that come with pushing your body to new limits.

Happy Trails,

Amber

Is There a Yoga Pose That You Hate?

April 1, 2015

Author: Amber French

When I first started my Yoga journey, Downward Dog made me angry. Like, boiling angry! It brought up a lot of doubt and created resentment towards anyone lucky enough to be practicing with me that day. I hated the teachers who continually seemed determined to spend 50 percent of each class back at Down Dog and I won’t share with you the words that rang out in my brain when they decided we needed to be there for 5 breaths….

I thought the day that I perceived Downward Dog as a “resting” pose would never come. I quite often quit and lay down in Child’s Pose to give my burning shoulders, wrists, and hamstrings a break from this “restful” posture. But in every class I took, the teacher (a wide variety of teachers all coming to yoga through very different paths and teaching styles) insisted on Downward Dog and eventually over time I actually began to relax into it. I soon discovered that the tension this posture was trying to rid me of, was what was causing my muscles to burn and shake. Once I was able to relax into the posture and stop trying to hold all of my muscles and limbs “up”, the discomfort started to ease and I could go even deeper into the pose. When I began teaching Yoga and discovered why downward dog was so prevalent in classes taught in my neck of the woods, I actually appreciated and grew to love this pose.

For those of you new to Yoga, Downward Dog is the pose in which hands and feet are on the ground and your hips are pushed up and back toward the ceiling to create a lop sided/inverted V. Picture your dog getting up from a long nap and doing that crazy front-end-down, back-end-up stretch they do. That’s it!

This pose is great for everything that plagues the society you and I both live in. It is a great shoulder stretch to ease the tensions of the daily grind. It stretches out your lower back and hamstrings that have cramped from sitting too long at your desk or being behind the wheel. It grounds you, and your now elongated rib cage allows for full deep breaths as you rest between poses!!!! OH, OK, I get it!
This pose hits us where we all tend to lie in this day and age. It turns our gaze inward and upside down so that we can focus less on the perfect Yogi in front of us and more on our own core being. It is an inversion that most can handle and it engages most of the major muscle groups when performed properly.

Downward Dog also levels the Yoga playing field. It is accessible to most, and although to the trained eye there is a big difference between a seasoned down dogger and a new pup, it can be achieved by most and can offer benefits to even those who have been practicing since the 70s. Downward Dog releases tension from our wrists and allows our necks to hang, our shoulders tend to give our ears the space they deserve in this posture, and our lower back decompresses, all while we are at rest.
If you only have limited time for yourself today, hit the ground on all fours and allow your downward facing dog to ground, stretch, and relax you. Your stressed out body will thank you – eventually.

Namaste,
Amber

Becoming a Fitness Instructor – Living the Dream

March 30, 2015

Author: Amber French

I have worked with hundreds of fitness instructors over the years. Some are great, some not so much…. But all of them have their own story as to why they became an instructor. Lots have weathered their own health recovery journey. A few just need to pay the bills (they don’t tend to last very long) and others just want to help. You don’t need to be outgoing and coordinated. The best instructors find their own strengths and build on them instead of trying to emulate what they see on TV or in other instructor’s classes.

You can take courses and gain your certification fairly quickly. Most reputable programs require you take in-class and practical components. After you have completed the program you will need to pass an exam that covers both the theoretical and hands-on components. (See CanFitPro for a great general fitness instructor certification course www.canfitpro.com). CanFitPro offers not only a great foundation for group fitness instruction they offer great specialized add-ons like pre/post natal fitness and they throw the best Fitness Conference in Canada.

Quite a few of my instructors find a medium they fall in love with and pursue teaching and perfecting their craft in only that one area. Yoga, Pilates and Zumba instructors tend to have that primary focus.
The biggest bang for your buck (if you are only concerned about the paycheck) is a general fitness instructor course that allows you to have insurance and teach most types of fitness classes. But I recommend following your passion and letting the money follow (your students can tell what your true intentions are).

I LOVE the yoga instructor framework. Most recognized teaching programs in the yoga world need to be recognized as an official teaching program by the Yoga Alliance. In order for a school or studio to be recognized they must submit their training syllabus for review and agree to maintain a curriculum that meets Yoga Alliance Standards. Check them out and find a studio that can train you and get your dreams started. www.yogaalliance.org

Yoga instructor’s that have participated in their programs usually hit the ground running. They must do a minimum of 200 hundred hours of training including real life hands on experience. Studios like Power Yoga Canada www.poweryogacanada.com offer 2 week intensives or programs that span several weekends over a period of months. These programs not only set you up for a great teaching career they can be life changing for your own practice.

Other disciplines like spin (indoor cycling) and Pre/post natal fitness have their own processes and are great for adding on to a more comprehensive program. A really great instructor never stops learning.
You can take courses, once you are certified, that teach you how to work with special populations like seniors or rehab patients. There are great courses that teach you how to incorporate new equipment/props into your classes. They are great for keeping your classes’ relevant and top notch.

The most important thing a want-to-be instructor can do is immerse themselves in the culture of Group Fitness. Take classes all the time, take notes, try new things, develop your own style, review your classes for safety, functionality and fun. And once you are certified and have taken hours of classes to hone your skills. Continue to learn and keep yourself fresh. It is the best thing you can do for yourself and for your students.

If this is calling you. Don’t hesitate. Follow your dream.