success!

It's been a year in the making, but the recreation association I've been volunteering for - the HUB - opened the pool to the public yesterday!

It was awesome and worth every moment spent working on it!   Lots of kids, parents and seniors were able to splash around for the first time in years.  Swimming lessons start soon and I have to admit - I am stoked about getting back in the water on a regular basis.

And now that it's a little quieter, at least for a while, time to get back to working on some of my stuff.  More yoga practice, more teaching this fall, some studying (which has taken a major backseat), a little more writing and some work around the house.

It was a great feeling yesterday, knowing that I was able to contribute to something so special in our community and that people will get to enjoy for a long time to come.  

That's me, hanging out (read: working) at the pool one evening this past week before opening day.  The mural was painted by a local artist years ago and has held up remarkably well.  People are thrilled we were able to preserve it.

the joy of volunteering

Over the last year, I've had the opportunity to be involved in an amazing project - the creation of a community-based recreation association.   It's the brain-child of a dear friend whose dedication and belief in making fitness and movement available to everyone is unmatched.

It started out with a visit to a local facility that was closed by the province and then purchased by a local construction family. Their objective is to convert it into a community within a community and they're doing just that.  It's called The Gallipeau Centre and with over 800,000 square feet of buildings on more than 350 acres, it's a sight to behold.   A beautiful location just outside of town with mature trees and lots of greenspace.  Included on the site was a pool, gymnasium and numerous classrooms all in one area of the facility (starts to sound like a cool rec facility no?)  The catch?  The facility had been closed for a few years and the pool out of commission.

Over the last year, we participated in the Aviva Community Fund in which we won $99,000.00 to refurbish the pool, got access to some grant funding and have enjoyed the generosity of members of the community who have donated their time, money and expertise.  The result is a virtually brand new pool that will be opening in 3 weeks offering swimming lessons, public swimming, aquafit and the like.

The last year has involved significant time and effort from many of us; it has meant missed family dinners, time away from home at meetings or weekend events and festivals to tell people our story, countless hours working on a website, logo competitions, managing a facebook page and conducting interview.  There are days I've been exhausted and didn't even want to think about it.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day signing kids up for swimming lessons, adults for aquafit memberships and families for swim memberships.  It was one of the best days I've had all year.   It reminds me how important this is for the residents of our community and the surrounding communities who don't have access to this kind of facility today.  But they will.   In 3 weeks.  And that makes me exceedingly happy.

This has occupied countless hours of my time outside of my day job and teaching.  Now multiply that by about 10 - volunteers who run a regular Tuesday night BBQ to fundraise, board members scraping, patching and readying change rooms for paint, doing all the media interviews, working with contractors and the list goes on.  All of it done by volunteers.

If you want to learn more about us, check us out - we're called The Hub and our members affectionately known as Hubsters.

From this Hubster to everyone who has supported and continues to support us - thank you.  Without volunteers, this never would have happened.  

yay for vacation time!

Ah, just settling back in after a few days out of town.   Took a week off and headed to New York City for a few days.  It was my parents first visit to the Big Apple.   I think they liked it!

Vacation time is something to be treasured.  Not just because it's "vacation" but moreso because it gives a chance to take time away from work to spend time with family and decompress.  It's well documented that a great deal of vacation time goes unused.  In some cases, vacation time is taken but people work anyways, answering emails and phone calls.  The impact?   We start to feel stressed and overwhelmed because we never have a break.  That can lead to illness, feeling unhappy - none of it good.

Does this mean that work is bad?  NO!  Work can be enjoyable, productive, enriching and offer an opportunity to contribute meaningfully.  BUT, we can do all of those things more effectively and efficiently when we've had time away.  We also tend to enjoy work more when we've had some time away.  Time away gives us perspective, time to look at things differently, maybe even find a creative way of solving that problem that's been nagging at you!  The absence of time away can lead to increased stress, frustration, lack of creativity and worst of all - the potential to no longer enjoy the work that we do.

Vacations don't have to be lavish, expensive jaunts around the countryside or world.  They can be at home, with little day trips here and there to explore a local countryside, doing a project around the house that you've wanted to, or just sitting and reading the books that we haven't gotten to.  Vacation time is whatever you choose it to be.

So use those vacation days and enjoy your time off!  Put down the blackberry, turn it off, leave it behind.  It's good for your health and your happiness.

when did pant size become a marker of health?

By today's standard, the 21 year old college me would be viewed as healthy.  PFFT!!!   Not so much.  My diet consisted of ramen noodles (a lot of them), chocolate croissants from a pastry shop at the school, pizza, burgers and oh yeah, hot dogs from the street cart after a night at the bar (read: beer and cocktails) with girlfriends.  I worked out maybe 5 times a year.  But I wore a size 5, so all good right?!

Like it or not, that's the message women and girls are bombarded with today - size matters.  Size 10 is generally considered large and the insinuation is that = unhealthy.   (It would seem I am doomed).

When did this happen?  I honestly don't remember it.  When was it that pant size became an indicator of how healthy a person is?  And why the hell is it seemingly acceptable to judge people on that basis?   Slim = healthy and fit.   Size 10+ = not healthy, not fit.

I am not skinny; I likely never will be again (I was 20 for God's sake).  Am I strong?  Yep.  Have a lot of muscle?  Yep.  Do I eat well?  Yep.   Exercise regularly?  Yep.  High blood pressure?  No.  High blood sugar?  No.  Heart disease?  No again.

But I'm in the large category.   Pity the size 16.  And bigger than that?  Well, you're just a lost cause.

Pay attention - that's the message women and girls are getting.  You are a lost cause and you don't belong.  There's a reason people with weight concerns steer clear of gyms, studios or go for walks at night when it's dark.  Because they hear and society tells them you are a lost cause and you don't belong.   They hear it and see it in the looks they get; in the remarks made quietly when you think they can't hear you; when they can't buy a simple pair of workout pants because they aren't available in plus sizes; when you sneer at their food choices (an occasional ice cream treat doesn't get a 2nd glance if you're slim, but God help you if you're overweight, even if the rest of your week is spent eating kale and drinking lemon water).  In a million little ways, the same message gets conveyed over and over again.

So let's stop.  Please stop.  Change the message and stop judging.  It starts with each of us.   Don't judge.  Don't assume.  Be helpful.  Be compassionate.  Be kind.

I will never forget the story of a friend.  A family medical emergency was her wake-up call.  At the time, she weighed almost 250 pounds - at just over 5 feet tall, she was obese.  She decided it was time to get healthy.  She bought a gym membership.  She showed up, got on the treadmill and someone laughed at her.  She cried.  She didn't know how the machine worked.  Someone else took the opportunity to talk to her, to help her and offer her support.   It was thanks only to the person who helped her that she stayed.  She still wanted to run out of there every day.  But she stayed.  And she changed her life.

That's what each of us can do.  We can help change someone's life.

half way through 2013 and...

I haven't forgotten the commitments I signed up for at the beginning of the year.   Remember my poo-pooing of new year's resolutions?

If you don't remember, check it out here, but this is the abbreviated version:

1) eat better
2) leverage yoga as the learning tool it is
3) protect and spend time with family

So, how am I doing?

Pretty darn good I think.

1) There is far less junk food in my life.  When I do eat it, I am quickly reminded why I avoid it (migraines = unpleasant).  Our CSA is producing lots of awesome stuff and I'm eating more of the green stuff that shows up than I did last year (green smoothies are my current obsession)

2) So many great opportunities for me to learn from my fellow teachers, but even moreso from my students.  I am no longer frightened by the prospect of who might show up to class and whether I will be able to help them through my class because I know I can modify, modify, modify.  I'm learning to trust what I know, comfortable saying "I don't know" and learning more with every question that falls into the 2nd category (and there are lots of them!)

3) It's been a revolving door here since, well.... May.  Family visiting us; we're traveling to visit family; weekends away with great friends; Bryan and I are planning out more house projects that we're going to attempt together (stay tuned to see how that works out); dogs are happy (especially now that it's not 45 degrees with the humidex - that would be 113F for my American friends); we're accompanying my parents for their first trip to NYC in 2 weeks - YAY!!!!   The yard is a bit of a mess right now, but family BBQ's and time spent together is way more important (though the weeds are annoying me).

Anyways, just a quick realization for me today that the things that were important for me at the beginning of the year seem to still be the focus of my attention mid-year.   It's also confirmed that just paying attention to those 3 little commitments - not in excruciating detail or obsessing over them to be "perfect" - has resulted in a REALLY enjoyable first half of the year.

Here's to the 2nd half - cheers!
- amy

looking for your fitness guru?

So, you're trying to find the perfect personal trainer / yoga instructor / fitness instructor?   More like who isn't, right?! 

There's no magic equation to finding the perfect instructor (hint: there is no perfect instructor either).   But there are some key takeaways you can consider when searching out "the one" that is right for you.

1) Ask about Certification.  Here's my position on certification - recognized certification bodies, for example YMCA, canfitpro, ACE, Yoga Alliance provide a baseline in human anatomy, modifying for client needs, creating a safe environment and proper form (and that's just to start).  My personal view is that these are critical elements not only for optimizing your time working out, but for ensuring you enjoy a safe and challenging environment while minimizing risk of injury.  Are some of these a money grab?  I think that's a matter of personal opinion.  I do know that the organization I pay my fees to regularly provides industry related information, ongoing educational offerings, workshops and resource information.  It also requires that I teach a minimum amount over a period of time and complete continuing education credits to maintain my standing.  And it's $55 per year.  Not much of a money grab there. 

2) Be honest and forthcoming about injuries or illness.   This is a big one for me.  As a yoga instructor, I've got modifications coming out of my ears!  But I won't know to use them to help you if you haven't shared your specific circumstances or challenges.  I'm always watching for struggles, but often they aren't visible.  As a teacher, the thought of causing or contributing to injury is heartbreaking.  If something in class didn't feel right, let's talk about it and address that.  Please ensure we are informed so we can make it a safe and enjoyable experience for you.  

3) Provide feedback.  Feedback is a critical element to improving.  Be open to providing feedback, not just about what you didn't like, but also what you do like!  Feedback allows me to consider what I teach, how I teach, when I teach and how I might modify those elements.  And if your studio or teacher isn't open to receiving feedback, don't give up.   If it persists, remember there may be a different teacher or studio that is a better fit for you. 

4) Trust your instinct.  We've all done it.  Walked into a class or studio and immediately felt "this isn't for me".   But we go anyways.  And we hate it.  And we think "this is why I hate working out".  And we stop working out.  Again, don't give up!  Every studio is different and every teacher is different!  There is a very personal element to finding a teacher whose classes or teachings you enjoy.  Trust that, but don't give up.  I've had students come to my class and I know that another teacher would be a better fit for them.  And I'm more than happy to suggest they try out that other teacher so that they can reap the rewards rather than struggling through or being bored.  

5) Check out the physical space.  Take a look at the physical space, whether it's a gymnasium, yoga studio, fitness studio or other space you go to.  Is it clean?  Is it well maintained?  Is the equipment maintained and/or replaced and at what frequency?  Are there sprays or wipes to clean down the machines after use?  

6) Remember physical size does not equal competence.  This one bugs me.  A lot.  You can be totally ripped, six pack and all and be completely incompetent as an instructor.  I've experienced it.  It's not fun.  Don't discount the rounder bodies at the front of the room because they don't fit the stereotype.  Do your due diligence, go back to #1 above and understand the qualifications of the person you are working with.  We are not perfect, we too have health issues, injuries, etc.  You'll be the one missing out if you think there is actually a correlation between size and competence.

7) Have fun!  Finding opportunities to be physically active with the intention of exercising shouldn't be a miserable experience.   If it is, you're unlikely to do it over the long term which is definitely not what we want!  Find teachers who make exercise fun!   And remember that your definition of fun is going to be different than your friend's/sister's/husband's etc.  It's ok if you hate a boxercise or kickboxing class; maybe spinning is more up your alley.  That was me - I am terribly uncoordinated so group fitness just ain't my thang!  I found yoga and crossfit and spinning and VOILA!  It took years of fighting through group fitness classes, but I finally found what works for me.

More than anything, the key to finding a great instructor or personal trainer is the personal connection you make with them.   When you do, you will feel inspired, awakened, ready for the next challenge.  Like me and so many others, you may decide to become an instructor yourself as a result of that inspiration!  Do your research and trust your instinct more than anything else.  Where there's smoke, there's fire.   We all know it, we just have a hard time acting on it.   Remember, this is about you finding a sustainable, long term fitness regime so you can be a healthier you.  

If you've found great instructors or trainers, what made them great for you? 

helloooo shoulders!

They're awake.  Or have been awoken.  Or something like that.   Whatever it is, I know they're there.  They're talking to me.  And they're saying "it's about time!" (or maybe they're saying get an ice pack...)

I have the WEAKEST upper body in the world (yes, I've been known to exaggerate, but in this case I think not).  Push-ups are my arch nemesis.  If I am ever able to do a full "real" push-up I will... actually I don't know what I'd do because it seems that unlikely - it's almost like the likelihood of winning the lottery. 

As a kid I swam.  And swam.  And swam.  I was the fish who would not get out of the community pool, pleading "one more, puulleease or I'll die!!!!" or something dramatic to that effect.  Our driving holidays included hotels with a pool because, well, it just wouldn't be fair if my brother and I couldn't swim at the hotel pool!  So thanks Mom and Dad for indulging us.  But I digress.  10 or so years later I started swimming again - I went once to swim laps and I thought my arms were going to fall off.  I left the pool, got in my car and could barely turn the wheel.  I laughed.  Mostly because my arms and shoulders were throbbing.  But also because it (and I by extension) felt ridiculous that my arms and shoulders were throbbing!  A week and a half later, after recovering, I ditched laps and instead signed up for aqua fit.  Fabulous exercise, but not exactly a strength builder. 

Fast forward another 15 years (you're starting to figure out how old I am aren't you?)   Introduce Cross Fit.   Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?  I sure thought so.  WRONG!!!   SOOO wrong!  At CrossFit Conexus, the owner is committed to creating an environment focused on safety, learning, nurturing and growing.  And so I started out learning the basics (pretty similar to the stuff I did as an 18 year old at the gym with a personal trainer), repeating over and over until it was second nature.  And then came the weights.  And for the first time in a long time, I was comfortable, confident and more than anything not feeling like it was a chore to work on upper body strength!  Added bonus has been no throbbing or pain - I realize that's not really in the bonus category, but relatively speaking, it feels like it should be.  

Here's the mega-bonus though.  Every day things like lifting and picking things up, hauling myself into the truck (maybe we don't need running boards after all!), carrying heavy items and getting that 15L water jug into the water dispenser are all easier.    My posture has also started to improve which is already having positive impacts on my back health.  

So, those things from a fitness and health perspective that you might be reluctant to work on for whatever reason?  Throw those hesitations out the window and experiment (safely and by doing your research) - find the thing or the trainer that works for you and dive in - the water's warm!