The warm weather is upon us and it sure feels good to get outside.
Make sure to dress appropriately, stay hydrated, and protect yourself from the sun. Outdoor workouts can be a great way to enjoy the fresh air as well as save money. Some great places that I recommend to do your workouts in are backyards (depending on space), parks (use all the equipment, local track, and forest. If you prefer cardio over body weight exercises you can find many local trails or tracks to do walks and or runs at. To challenge yourself you can do intervals where once your warm-up is complete you can do three minutes at a moderate pace and one minute at a fast pace.
Body weight exercises that you can easily do without any equipment needed are: squats, walk squats, jump squats, walking lunges or stationary lunges, pushups on a park bench or off a wall, pullups on the monkey bars, step-ups work off park benches.
These are some great exercises that you can get started with. I recommend creating a little circuit, do about 15 reps (level dependent) and doing it two to three times through. Always make sure to stretch afterwards.
Also, don’t forget to check out your local community centre as many offer free outdoor classes and yoga in the park. If there is a fee it is usually minimal or by donation.
Don’t forget to always check with your doctor before taking on any exercise you haven’t tried before.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
Physical activity saves lives and dollars. Inactivity contributes to 1 in 10 premature deaths.
About 110,000 deaths could be prevented if adults increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by even 10 minutes per day.
The total costs of excessive sedentary behavior in Canada were $2.2 billion and $1.8 billion in 2021, representing 1.6% and 1.3% of the overall burden of illness costs, respectively. The two most expensive chronic diseases attributable to excessive sedentary behavior were cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A 10% decrease in excessive sedentary behavior (from 87.7% to 77.7%) would save an estimated $219 million per year in medical costs.
Immediate Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
A single bout of moderate-to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health.
Long-Term Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults
Regular physical activity provides important health benefits for chronic disease prevention.
● Brain Health
– Reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression
● Heart Health
– Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
● Cancer Prevention
– Lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach
● Healthy Weight
– Reduces risk of weight gain
● Bone Strength
– Improves bone health
● Balance and Coordination
– Reduces risks of falls
● Improved immune function
● – Helps ward off viral illness
Benefits For Children:
● Academic Performance
– Improves attention and memory
● Brain Health
– Reduces risk of depression
● Muscular Fitness
– Builds strong muscles and endurance
● Heart and Lung Health
– Improves blood pressure and aerobic fitness
● Cardiometabolic Health
– Helps maintain normal blood sugar levels
● Long-term Health
– Reduces risk of several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity
● Bone Strength
– Strengthens bones
● Healthy Weight
– Helps regulate body weight and reduce body fat.
How do you successfully incorporate exercise into your routine?
1. Identify a physical activity you actually like. There are many ways to work out other than boring yourself senseless on a treadmill. Find a physical activity you can look forward to doing, like tennis, swimming, dancing, softball, or even vigorously playing the drums. You are far more likely to stick with an activity if you genuinely enjoy doing it.
2. Invest in improving your performance. Instead of settling for “getting some exercise,” focus on mastering an activity instead. Mastery goals, which psychologists define as goals that center on achieving new levels of competence, have consistently been shown to predict persistence across a wide range of domains. So hire a coach, enroll in a class, and buy yourself the right clothing and equipment. The additional financial investment will increase your level of commitment, while the steady gains in performance will help sustain your interest over the long term.
3. Become part of a group, not a collective. One recommendation aspiring gym-goers often receive is to find an exercise regimen that involves other people. It’s good advice. Socializing makes exercise more fun, which improves the chances that you’ll keep doing it. It’s also a lot harder to back out on a friend or a trainer than to persuade yourself that just one night off couldn’t hurt.
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Citations
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, July 14). Why should people be active? Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. Retrieved April 28, 2023, from
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/activepeoplehealthynation/why-should-people-be-active.html#:~:text=Inactivity%20co
ntributes%20to%201%20in,even%2010%20minutes%20per%20day.
As women, I believe we sometimes forget some important things that we need to do regularly. I know for many when you become a mother you put your needs to the side and forget about them. I feel that we need to take care of ourselves first so that we can take care of others. If you are finding it hard to take time for your health, wellness, and fitness goals. Here are a few tips that I suggest, work out in the morning, it feels so good to have it done. I personally do not like night workouts as I am done for the day. I feel like I have given most of the energy I have and the last thing I want to do is do a workout. Make sure you begin with breakfast, do not skip this meal. Drink lots of water, and ensure you are getting 7-8 hours of sleep.
Regular appointments, if you have good benefits or can put aside money for a massage, I really recommend this service. Massage relieves tension and stress and it is a good option for self-care. Yearly check-ups include your doctor, eye, and dentist (about two to three), and as you get older don’t forget mammograms and paps are every three years.
Other great tips to improve your health and wellness are to make sure you schedule time for yourself each day if you can. I like to read while my daughter has quiet time. On weekends my husband and I discuss what we both need as well as what we need to do together and as a family. This way we are ensuring we have met everyone’s needs as best as possible.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
We have been hearing it for years that we need to protect our environment, and that there are consequences if we don’t. Leading Canadian environmentalist, David Suzuki warned us in the 80s that we need to start doing things then, but not many listened. It is never too late to start, and I will give you some very easy ways to start. Read More→
Gas, groceries, rent, you name it, it seems like everything is going up in price. We need to be more creative with our money, find ways to save, and still have fun. Here are some ways to save a few dollars, but still have a fun and eventful Spring Break. Read More→
The month of March is Nutrition Month, I thought it would be a great time to educate on how we can add more vegetables and fruit into our daily meals and snacks. Read More→
Black History Month also known as African American History Month originated in the United States 53 years ago. Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom all observe it for the month of February. Black History Month uses four colours, red, black, green and yellow. These colours represent unity and pride. In 1979, Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to celebrate Black History Month.
One book I read that I would recommend if you want to dive in deep and get into the history is ‘Roots the Saga of an American Family’ by Alex Haley. There is also a mini-documentary series based on his book.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
You don’t have to do a lot to make changes to our carbon footprints. Some of them are small changes and you can start today.
If you read my other blog for this month, you will learn new ways to recycle some household items that you may have been putting in the trash.
Another way that we can help make a difference is by using a reusable water bottle. Instead of always buying a plastic bottle, make sure you bring your own wherever you go. Many coffee shops now will take your reusable coffee container and fill it for you, that way you don’t take one of their paper cups.
Make sure to recycle and compost. I am sure many of you do, but there are still many that just put everything in the trash.
It’s January 2023 and as many of us begin to take down the Christmas décor, I find it is a great time to put out a few bins and begin the decluttering process. I have been doing some research and have found a few new ways to recycle some household items rather than throwing them in the trash. Here is how to get started, I recommend not doing it all at once as it can get overwhelming. Make a list of all the rooms, drawers, and closets you want to tackle. Put out boxes for garbage, recycling, goodwill, and things you want to hand off to others. I also encourage doing a full clean of the area that you declutter. Read More→
Hot chocolates, mochas, and all things gingerbread scream our name. These drinks bring friendships together, give warmth, and get us in the Christmas spirit. But are there ways to make our own and cut the sugar? Of course, and in my opinion, they taste just as good if not better. I like to find ways to keep the ingredients I don’t know out of my drinks and food. Here are a few of our family favourites.
Hot chocolate – steam your choice of milk in a steamer or on the stove, just ensure not to burn it. While milk is heating up, put a tbsp of cocoa in a cup, and sprinkle in some cane sugar. Add some of the milk and stir until fully mixed in, then add the rest of the milk and top with Dandy’s marshmallows. You can top it with whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle, but of course, this comes with added sugar. (Shhh my kids think it’s better than Starbucks)
Momma’s Mocha – make your desired Americano, add in 1 tbsp and stir completely. If it’s not sweet enough you can add in a sprinkle of cane sugar.
Gingerbread Latte – steam your choice of milk, while milk is heating warm on the stove half a tbsp of molasses and maple syrup and a sprinkle of powdered ginger. Mix together until completely mixed in. If you don’t like things as sweet omit the maple syrup or cut it in half. Options to the top with cinnamon and whipped cream.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
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