You only need yourself and a pair of running shoes. Let me give you some basic tips to get started.
First off want to ensure you have a great pair of running shoes. Read More→
Archive for Getting Outdoors – Page 2
Hiking in British Columbia has endless opportunities. Everywhere you turn there is a trail, a mountain, a river to explore. I would like to share with you some of the benefits of hiking, as well as some of my favourite spots in the greater Vancouver area. Read More→
Happy New Year. I hope you had a restful Holiday season. Here’s to an amazing 2024. Those mild temperatures were quite enjoyable, but this week has us digging out the parkas, grabbing the shovels and seeing the temperatures on the thermometer drop down below zero. It is easy to hibernate inside, but you truly can only do that for so many days before you get off track. Read More→
The clocks have gone back and when the alarm goes off all you see is dark. It’s normal to want to roll back over, to stay warm and cozy. Some days extra sleep is needed, but if you get into this pattern, then the morning workouts stop and more than likely you won’t go out at night because you will have one hundred excuses of why you can’t. Here are my tips for beating the dark, cold, rainy weather this season and still making sure you get those steps in.
- Go to sleep earlier – if you are finding it hard to get going in the morning, then go to bed a bit earlier. This will at least give you an extra boost for those dark mornings.
- Find a buddy – if you struggle more in the fall and winter months to work out – see if you can find someone who will meet you regularly to walk or run.
- Set a goal and reward yourself – if you get out 4 mornings a week, reward yourself with your favourite warm drink on the weekend.
- Be flexible – if your schedule is flexible, then wait until it’s light and then do your morning walk. Be consistent.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
Thanksgiving and Halloween are just around the corner.
The costumes are out and the pumpkins are popping up everywhere. It seems like every coffee shop has a pumpkin latte to offer.
Here are some great fall events to check out in the lower mainland. Read More→
No matter how good of a swimmer you claim to be, there are a few good tips for you to remember for your overall safety that you can remind your group you are with, whether it be grown adults, teens, or children.
- Review the swimming rules with your group before entering the water.
- Understand where you are swimming. For example, is it mud, seaweed, and or rock bottom? This can all make a difference in how you are in the water. Are there any sudden drop-offs?
- If have anxiety about swimming with children, I suggest you go to a life-guarded pool or beach.
- A rule that we always use for our children, is you don’t touch or bother anyone while swimming. Find rules that work for your family and stick with them – make sure everyone is aware of water safety.
- Everyone should always have a swimming buddy
- Children should be supervised at all times if you need to use the washroom – either bring everyone with you or get them out of the water.
- Listen to your body, if you get tired, make sure to take breaks. Keep well-fed and hydrated.
- Do your research and know where you are swimming. I recently took my family to an inlet of the ocean that had a posting for “Swimmers Itch”, apparently this happens every summer in this specific spot. We chose to go elsewhere. If it is a new place you haven’t gone to, it’s best to know about the place you are going to.
Happy Swimming!
MaryAnna xo
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
Not much rain in sight these days, what is heat stress? Heat stress is when your body’s cooling system can’t keep up with the heat, you end up dehydrated, and your temperature rises above 38 degrees Celsius. This is when heat-related illnesses can happen such as heat stroke, heat rash, and heat exhaustion. Read More→
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.
● Improves sleep quality
● Reduces feelings of anxiety
● Reduces blood pressure
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.
It is here, the rain has come. Do you find yourself staying in or are you motivated to get out? Whether the weather, we still need to move our bodies. Start with ensuring you have good rain gear. You need a good coat, pair of boots, and an umbrella. I always encourage my clients to get out first thing. Whether you work, are a stay at home parent or someone in between, the morning workouts are best because chances are you won’t find or make the time in the evening.
Lay out your clothes the night before and set an alarm. Unless it is a storm you need to get outside. If it is dark, wear reflective gear. I guarantee you will feel so good that you did it and it is complete. Take this time for yourself.
Another way to get outdoors in the rain is to move while your child has outdoor sporting events. You could walk the perimeter of the field while they practice. If you have any children at home with you, plan an activity each day. It could be the park, a hike, going to the river. It truly is mind over matter, just do it. Find joy in the rain.
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
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