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| Body & Soul February 2020 Newsletter |
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| the benefits of exercise on our mental health |
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Exercising regularly helps to improve mobility, strengthen joints, lessen pain, address body composition concerns, etc. The list of physical benefits gained from committing to regular physical activity is a long one, and most people are well aware of how exercise affects our physical health, but did you know that regular exercise can be incredibly beneficial for your mental health?
During exercise, our bodies produce endorphins to help alleviate pain and stimulate the production of dopamine, a “feel-good” chemical in our brains. Research continues to show that physical activity helps increase self esteem, reduce stress and, in many cases, reduce anxiety and treat depression.1 Additionally, several studies suggest that being physically active can help delay the onset of some mental disorders and may actually help with treatment.2
If you aren’t seeing changes – physically – as soon as you’d like or expect, we highly urge you to consider how you are feeling mentally. Have you noticed a change in your stress levels, quality of sleep or level of energy? Identify how exercise makes you feel!
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| fitness tip: push, push, push it up! |
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| Push-ups are an incredible exercise that can be incorporated into pretty much anyone’s workout program (except perhaps those with shoulder or wrist problems). Push-ups measure an individual’s upper body strength and endurance, specifically working the pectoralis muscles, triceps and the anterior deltoids. If you are tired of performing push-ups from your toes, you can increase intensity by performing them on a bosu ball (ball-side facing down as you hold the edges of the base). |
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| nutrition tip: are you overcooking your veggies? |
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| Did you know that you can overcook your veggies, thus robbing them of their valuable nutrients? It’s true! Certain cooking techniques (applying too much heat or time, using certain cookware, boiling, over-stirring, etc.) can actually destroy the nutrients your body needs from veggies!3 How you go about cooking your veggies should depend on the vegetables themselves – certain veggies, for instance, will retain their nutrients better than others after, say, microwaving or steaming. Broccoli, for instance, was found to retain nutrients better when steamed (compared to boiled, microwaved and stir-fried). So, are you overcooking your veggies? |
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| club news |
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Studio Closure: Body & Soul will be closed Monday February 17th for Family Day. The studio will re-open Tuesday February 18th at 6am. We hope that you have a lovely long weekend.
Commit to Fit: The Commit to Fit package is back! If you can commit to completing 10 Personal or Partner Training sessions in six weeks (firm expiry), you may qualify for this new package and save money on your next training package! Conditions apply. Please speak with the front desk for more information.
Run, Row or Cycle: Remember, for $25/month Body & Soul clients can use the cardio equipment outside of their scheduled sessions. Conditions apply. Speak with our front desk to purchase a cardio package.
Testimonials: Do you absolutely love your training sessions, personal trainer(s) and/or the Body & Soul studio? Let us know! We are always looking for testimonials to add to our website. |
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| Michelle Wong |
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| Head Trainer |
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Michelle Wong, has a diploma in Sport Science from Douglas College, is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer and registered Osteofit Trainer, a certified Pre and Postnatal Fitness Specialist, is Menofitness certified and has been a BCRPA certified Group Fitness Instructor since 2001. She has played competitive tennis, volleyball, and softball.
Michelle’s goal is to make exercise fun by sharing her love for fitness one smile and one drop of sweat at a time. She is attentive and prides herself on listening to each client’s specific needs and goals and working to take them to their next level of fitness.
As a Head Trainer, Michelle helps lead our amazing team of personal trainers. She provides supplemental skills training, mentoring and support. She has been with Body & Soul for 10 years and her contributions have had a positive impact on dozens of trainers and hundreds of clients. |
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| physio’s corner |
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| Q: What can I do for a stiff neck? |
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A: In today’s world of portable devices, neck pain and stiffness, along with poor posture, are common place. Poor neck alignment can have many negative health consequences, including headaches, pain and dysfunction of the jaw, shoulder, arm, and back, sleep disturbance, and poor concentration.
The first step to improved neck health is postural awareness. An ideal neck position gives you a slight inward cervical curve, with your ears aligned over your shoulders, with about four fingers between your chin and sternum. Standing or sitting with a ‘proud’ chest, will also facilitate a neutral neck position. Developing postural self awareness when you are doing daily activities will go a long way to promoting a healthy cervical spine.
Sleeping positions that encourage a neutral neck are either on your back, or on your side with a single pillow. Sleeping on your stomach can lead to increased neck and lower back pain. Regular stretching of the cervical muscles, such as tipping your ear toward one shoulder, or turning your chin towards one armpit, are helpful in maintaining muscle length.
If you are experiencing neck pain, it is important to have a health care professional accurately diagnose your condition in order to give an appropriate individualized treatment plan.
Michael Hales is a registered physiotherapist and owner of Halestorm Physiotherapy here at Body & Soul. To find out how physiotherapy can help you, visit www.halestorm.ca. |
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