Winter is coming. Why exercise? Why now?

Posted on September 7, 2020September 9, 2020 by Sol

Winter is coming. Why exercise? Why now?

With a second wave of COVID on the horizon, now is the time to get into that winter exercise routine. As we move into the fall and temperatures drop, many of us will be forsaking our daily quarantine walks and wondering how we will make it through the winter. If you have been healthy, it’s time to lock down your exercise routine and recommit to yourself. So, let’s use this fall as your time to honour your goals.

Starting from what feels like from scratch can be daunting, but here are some things to keep in mind:

Forget about numbers

Some people have lost weight during this pandemic, others have gained. In the end, it doesn’t matter. If there was ever a time to ditch the scale, it’s now. You don’t need some artificial set of numbers driving your output and your effort. Every workout that you participate in means that you aren’t sick and are healthy enough to be exerting effort. Whether it’s a walk with a friend or an all-out sweaty virtual power yoga session, the time you put in is your time.

Focus on what you like

Forget about what you “should” be doing. Now is not the time to try boxing if you prefer a low impact weight session. But winter exercise can be a time to experiment. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try a boot camp class but were too afraid of looking like a complete novice. Take advantage of at home apps and classes to find something new. There is a bonus to learning on your own — you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone. You can play, replay, slow down, or speed through routines until you find one you like.

Exercise makes you happy

You may hate it when you’re in the middle of a workout, but science tells us that exercise relieves pain and stress. Physical activity also stimulates the release of dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These brain chemicals play an important part in regulating your mood. With all this uncertainty, who couldn’t use a brain boost right now?

Exercise builds community

When I opened TrainingSpaces over two years ago, I knew this wasn’t going to be an ordinary studio. I was passionate and focused on inclusion. I strongly believe that no matter your size, background, or experience, exercise is for everyone. Just showing up makes you an athlete — and every single person who walks through the doors of TrainingSpaces is valued. Clients and trainers alike, we are all striving towards our own goals. In this time where we’ve seen so much isolation, anxiety, and depression, having a safe space where you can work out is essential. Seeing a friendly, supportive face is what so many of us need right now.

I hope to see you back either in the studio or hear about your successes as you continue to train virtually with your trainer.

Self-care is about self-preservation, and self-isolation whenever necessary

Posted on April 6, 2020April 6, 2020 by Sol

Self-care: man receiving aromatherapy treatment / Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Self-care is about self-preservation, and self-isolation whenever necessary

As you may have noticed, we’ve been resurfacing previous blog posts when circumstances make it impossible to generate new content every week. Self-care may seem like an odd thing to be thinking about in these turbulent times, what with its connotations of laxity and self-indulgence. But that’s just one way to think about it. The preventative measures currently being urged upon us — social distancing, self-isolation and the like — are all about taking care of ourselves initially. We need to stay healthy in order to help the people around us — so self-care morphs into a broader sense of concern, support, and responsibility for the greater good.

This post originally appeared July 29, 2019. Stay safe.

With all those instagram posts tagged #selfcare and showing lovingly curated avocado toast and bubble baths, it’s easy to mock self-care as a millennial trend. However, the fact is that self-care isn’t just about getting massages and meditating in the sunset.

Self-care is how you take care of yourself. It’s the daily process of making sure you prioritize your emotional and physical needs. It’s how you manage demands on yourself and your time — from work to friends and family to ensuring you get in that workout. It is not selfish. It’s putting on your own oxygen mask before helping those next to you.

Self-care is not just about your mental health. It’s also about caring for your physical self, by eating healthy, taking adequate sleep, caring about your hygiene, exercising regularly, etc.

Sometimes it’s easy to know what we need. However, some of us are so depleted and disassociated from ourselves that we don’t even know where to start. Unless you are really good as establishing boundaries, shutting down technology, and saying “no,” you may need help acknowledging that you need to find time for yourself in your schedule.

Do you regularly:

Skip meals when you are busy
Use food to cope with stress
Cancel workouts to meet work deadlines
Automatically say “yes” to requests without thinking about how it will affect your schedule
Multitask when eating — working or watching TV, checking emails, or reading
Feel guilty if you are not productive

If you’ve said “yes” to any of these, it’s time for you to incorporate self-care in your routine. Easier said than done, right? There are many small ways you can start appreciating yourself immediately. Look for small ways you can include self-care in everyday life. From getting up a little earlier to go for a run to spending time on the weekend preparing meals, these are not tasks but ways to show you that you value yourself.

We need to condition ourselves to take breaks and moments for ourself. The idea that lunch is for wimps that fuelled the 80s culture should be left in the 80s. Being overscheduled and always on doesn’t lead to more productivity. It leads to burnout, heart attacks, and unhappiness.

Is it authentic, or just manufactured influencers? Be wary of ‘advice’ contrived via social media

Posted on March 30, 2020March 29, 2020 by Sol

social media influencers / Image source: appinstitute.com

Is it authentic, or just a manufactured influencer? Be wary of ads contrived via social media

This post originally appeared April 29, 2019.

If you are engaged in social media, and especially Instagram, you are probably familiar with the power of influencers. These are ordinary people, just like you and me, who lovingly curate their feeds with inspirational photos of their meals, exercise routines, glorious sunrises, and breathtaking sunsets. They tag their posts with #blessed, #fitspo, and #empowered — and offer us all a slice of a more perfect life. It can be fun to thumb through the feeds of people of all shapes and sizes living their best lives and offering us that push that we can do it too.

Influencers can be found in all corners of the online fitness social communities. From trainers to fit-at-any-size marathoners to mothers entering their first weightlifting competitions, social media has given voice to those who might not fit the stereotype of a typical fitness devotee.

Recently, high levels of Instagram user engagement have given companies an opportunity to capitalize on users with thousands of followers.These Instagram ads, for which influencers can be paid an estimated $1,000 per 100,000 followers, are selling not just a product but an entire lifestyle. They also might be selling bad fitness and diet-related advice.

9 out of 10 patients look to influencers and online communities when making health and wellness decisions. 94% of people share influencer-driven health information with others.

But let’s think about the reality of these influencers. Are they qualified to provide wellness advice? Or are they motivated by a desire to promote certain products or simply to further their personal brands? Because sponcon (sponsored content) can be positioned alongside other posts, it can be difficult to separate the paid ads from the personal stories.

As you scroll through different feeds, keep an eye out for these paid promotions masquerading as solid lifestyle advice. Because influencers are more likely to be ordinary people and not celebrities, they are more valuable to sponsors and appear more trustworthy. Having 100,000 followers does not make you a fitness expert. It does not make you a qualified trainer or a nutritionist. What it makes you is a person with beautiful photos and a performance of authenticity that appeals to your followers.

Before you take advice from anyone you follow on social media, take a moment to evaluate this advice. Is there a prominent brand name dominating the caption? Could these before and after photos be altered in any way? Are you taking advice from influencers you would never even consider if it came from your best friend, a neighbour, or a casual acquaintance?

If you said answered “yes” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time to click “unfollow”.

COVID-19 got you working from home? You can still work out

Posted on March 16, 2020March 15, 2020 by Sol

Woman meditating in bedroom / Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

COVID-19 got you working from home? You can still work out

With many offices and schools closing to slow down the spread of COVID-19, we are entering a new phase of how we combat the disease. While words like “pandemic” seem scary, we all need to find solutions to keep ourselves mentally and physically fit in this uncertain time.

Here are some suggestions on how to make the best of the current situation:

Build a routine

As much as we might like to think of ourselves as spontaneous, routines are extremely beneficial. They create structure in our lives, reduce the need to plan, help us prioritize, and work towards our goals. Routines also reduce stress and allow us to manage times of unpredictability. While many of us have routines centred around going to work, there is no reason why you can’t maintain a routine from home. It may be a little more difficult at first, but plan out your day. How will you break it down? Having set times to eat, stretch, exercise, and walk away from the computer will make you more productive.

Get dressed

While it might be tempting to stay in your pyjamas all day, you have a job to do. Treat your home office like you would your physical office.

While you might choose to wear something a little less formal and more comfortable at home, changing into a different outfit will have you feeling more professional. Or maybe, you want to put on your workout clothes … which leads me to …

Keep your workouts

Whether you’re scheduled to head in for a session at TrainingSpaces or picking up a fitness class, keeping active will help combat the general feeling of lethargy that you may face while working at home. Without the pressure of commuting, you actually have the luxury of using that time to exercise. Exercise will continue to give you that shot of energy and endorphins that we all need at times like this.

Try something new

This is a great opportunity to download a new fitness app. If you are concerned about leaving your house, there are a number of free apps that can keep you on track. For example, the entire suite of Down Dog fitness apps are completely free and cover a range of activities from barre to introduction to yoga.

Go outside

It can be tempting to hibernate and not leave the house without a real destination if you have no particular place to go. However, fresh air is essential. Evan a quick walk around the block in the middle of the day can break up the monotony of staring at your computer screen.

Eat properly

While it may be easier to pop a frozen meal in the microwave, you need to prioritize proper nutrition when you’re at home. A balance of protein, carbs, and fat will keep you focused and stop you from snacking on empty calories. Whether you’re coming from an office with lots of free snacks or you keep your cupboards full of high-calorie treats, food shouldn’t be an excuse to take a break. Be mindful of what you’re consuming — you’re in control. Find another way to take breaks that won’t have you heading to the kitchen.

Meditate and stretch

When things feel overwhelming, there’s always time for meditation. As we adapt to different desks, there are bound to be some new (or existing) aches that become aggravated. Take the time to wrap up your day with some gentle yoga or stretching to combat poor desk setup. Find a guided meditation podcast or app (like SimpleHabit or Calm) that focuses on breathing, slowing down, and grounding you in the present. Free versions of these apps should take you through basic breathing exercises and quiet your mind with breathing and relaxation.

So these are just some things you can do to maintain your energy and focus when working at home.

Pease take a moment to review how we’re handling COVID-19 to keep you safe and healthy.

How are we dealing with the coronavirus at TrainingSpaces?

Posted on March 9, 2020March 8, 2020 by Sol

coronavirus image / image source: LeeHealth.org

How are we dealing with the coronavirus at TrainingSpaces?

It would be irresponsible of me not to talk about COVID-19. With more and more cases popping up all over Toronto, and cities quarantining themselves, ignoring the impact of the virus won’t make it go away. People have asked me how TrainingSpaces is going to operate in the middle of this outbreak so I’ve put together this information for all my members.

I heard a Goodlife Fitness just closed because of Coronavirus. Will TrainingSpaces be next?

First some facts. A Goodlife Fitness closed temporarily because a potential contact with COVID-19 was reported elsewhere in the building. The North York Madison Centre Club thoroughly cleaned and then re-opened the same day.

TrainingSpaces has no intention of changing our hours or operating model. You can continue to work out and schedule your sessions.

Should I stop working out during this outbreak?

If you are healthy, there is no reason for you to discontinue your workout routine.

However, if you are sick, no matter how this illness manifests, you must cancel your session. As this is a shared space, please be considerate of others. We’re all in this together — so please do not come to the gym if you are not at your best. It only takes one person to infect others.

Nothing spreads faster than paranoia in a situation like this, and if you are exercising next to someone who is recovering from a cold, coughing and sneezing, you won’t feel comfortable.

People come to TrainingSpaces for a range of reasons, and some clients may be immunocompromised, have diabetes, lung or heart disease, or any other chronic condition. We need to work together so all of us are comfortable exercising in a shared space. If you feel a sneeze coming on, it’s best to stay home.

How can I protect myself at the gym and make it safe for others?

While transmission of coronavirus occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through contact with contaminated surfaces, you still need to wipe down all the surfaces you exercise on. Sweat cannot transmit the virus but high-contact surfaces, such as barbells, may be more susceptible. Make sure that you wipe down any equipment that you use. You may want to wash your hands more frequently during your workout or wear weightlifting gloves if you are concerned.

This isn’t coronavirus-specific behaviour, it’s just good gym etiquette.

What are the benefits of exercise during this outbreak?

Exercising boosts your immune system and releases stress hormones. If there was ever a time where this was needed, it’s now. This gym is a safe space and a place where you can work through any anxiety, turning it into physical progress.

What are you doing to keep the gym safe?

We are always focused on cleanliness. We will continue to make sure that all equipment is safe and in working order. We will continue to use industrial-grade cleaning products and ensure that soap, anti-bacterial wipes, and gel with high alcohol content are available.

In the meantime, please keep yourself safe and informed as we combat this virus together.

Data-driven performance tracking: a review of some of the latest technology

Posted on March 2, 2020March 1, 2020 by Sol

Data-driven performance tracking: a review of some of the latest technology

Have you heard of the quantified self movement?

Even if you aren’t aware of this term, you are probably taking part in it by tracking performance. If you have an AppleWatch or a FitBit, you are using data to improve your performance. Even charts where you write down your workout stats (how many reps, at what weight) are routinely used to track progress. Without these benchmarks, it’s difficult to quantify if our workouts are as effective as we would like.

As technology improves, there are more tools to track our body, mind, time, environment or whatever. It’s easier than ever to track a life. But which tools are worth the investment and which will become fads?

Let’s look at a few of the most popular ways you can track your activities.

AppleWatch

The AppleWatch has come a long way since it was first introduced. While not strictly a fitness device, it is extremely popular for capturing your fitness habit.

Pros: You can track activity through the Workout app which has built-in activities categories. It’s also a fairly accurate heart rate tracker that you can use to ensure that you’re working hard enough.

Cons: The AppleWatch does not come with the ability to track sleep. You can download sleep-specific apps but results may vary. Also, if you do not start the Workout app, the watch does not measure your activity. The AppleWatch’s value outside of fitness tracking is fairly limited. Once the novelty of sending email replies via Siri wears off, you’ll find the range of activities you can perform on a wristwatch fairly limiting for the $500+ you spend on the most basic model.

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So, there’s a lot to consider when looking to technology to measure and track our progress. Collecting data about yourself and your workouts can lead to a better understanding of where you’re spending your time and explain why (or why not) you’re progressing. While technology can provide you with specific stats, so can a notebook from the dollar store. You can also take pictures of your cardio machine displays. No matter what your budget, you can start keeping track of your fitness journey.

With weight training, it’s not how much you lift or how many reps, but how hard you work the muscles

Posted on February 24, 2020February 23, 2020 by Sol

woman athlete weight training / Image source: Leon Martinez/pexels.com

With weight training, it’s not how much you lift or how many reps, but how hard you work the muscles

This post originally appeared March 25, 2019.

Lifting weights is an essential part to achieving any fitness goal — and this includes losing weight. Once my clients embrace the benefits of weight training, they begin researching how they should lift weights. Apart from queries about good form, the most common question I get about weight training is: should I lift heavy or should I lift light?

And believe me … everyone has an opinion about this. Websites will debate this in forums with the bodybuilders encouraging people to lift as much as they possibly can with holistic fitness forums praising lighter weights at multiple reps. But I am going to set the record straight.

You might have heard that lifting heavy weights for a low number of reps builds muscle, while lifting lighter weights more times tones them. But what is muscle tone? This is just an expression to describe how firm a muscle looks. But the fact is that your muscle tone doesn’t change — exercise or not. The way your muscle looks depends on two things: the amount of fat that covers it and the elasticity of your skin. So your goal shouldn’t be toning your muscle. It should be reducing the amount of fat that covers the muscle. Muscles closer to the surface, without a barrier of fat, will be more visible — and look more “toned.”

But really, it’s not about how much your lift. You can lift heavy or you can lift light. What really matters is how much effort you put into the exercise. Regardless of how much weight you feel you should be lifting, the real key is to fatigue your muscles by taking each set to the point where you can’t do any more with good form. How hard you work is what it’s all about.

This means you have to get uncomfortable and challenge yourself through using a heavier weight or performing one or two more reps. Light weights will be effective in the beginning, but this will eventually wane. It can be hard to force yourself out of your comfort zone, but without gradually increasing weight or reps, your progress will stall. By lifting heavier weights, you build more muscle, and more muscle leads to a faster metabolism. Stay in the comfort zone and get used to being comfortable. You need to challenge yourself for real progress.

How hard you work is the secret to maximizing weightlifting efficiency. Forget heavy versus light. Like most things in life, with weightlifting what you put in is what you get out.

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

Posted on February 17, 2020February 16, 2020 by Sol

If the shoe fits, wear it out: what to look for in athletic shoes

When we think about workout gear, we like to make sure that it’s durable, supportive, and appropriate for the activity. But what about your shoes? For many of us, we have a designated pair of shoes that lives at the gym and only comes out for workouts. But how do you know when it’s time to say goodbye to those shoes? Do your shoes need to be falling apart before you replace them?

When judging if it’s time to consider buying new athletic shoes, you need to consider how often you use them, where you use them, and what they are used for. Here are some tips to help you decide if you need a new pair…and what to look for when you’re facing a rack of identical kicks.

Running

Average lifespan: 6 months

When should I get a new pair?

You can estimate your shoe lifespan by the distance you run and where you run. A shoe that’s being used outside in the elements will have a different lifespan from one that lives on the treadmill. If you find your shoes have less response on surface contact, there are visible signs of wear on the sole, and the upper part covering your foot is showing signs of breaking down, it’s time to invest.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Running shoes are designed for cushioning and to disperse forces upon landing. Look for shoes with a good cushion and a heel rise that is slightly higher than the toes to facilitate forward motion.

Weightlifting

Average lifespan: 1 year

When should I get a new pair?

Your weightlifting shoes have to be able to properly support your form. The upper part of the shoe will be the first to demonstrate wear, losing rigidity and offering less support.

What should I look for in a new pair?

Weightlifting shoes have a raised heel which allows you to squat into a deeper position through increased ankle range of motion. Weightlifting shoes are also more stable than your typical barefoot or minimalist shoe. This ensures you have a strong and consistent base to land on, push through, and push out into.

General Gym Activities

Average lifespan: 6 months

When should I get a new pair?

From jumps to lunges to squats to your treadmill warmup, your gym shoes do a lot of work. Lateral movements and weight-bearing steps also decrease the stability of your gym shoes. Usually the front or the side of the shoe are the first to show signs of wear. If you are seeing holes, it’s time to replace them.

What should I look for in a new pair?

A shoe with a basic cushion is all you need. An ankle cut shoe will support your foot as you go through your routine. This allows for maximum flexibility without compromising stability.

Take care of your shoes to make them last and remember that function should always come before fashion when purchasing athletic shoes.

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How accurate are the calorie counters on fitness equipment?

Posted on February 10, 2020February 9, 2020 by Sol

How accurate are the calorie counters on fitness equipment?

I don’t know if anyone accepts cardio machine calorie counters as 100% accurate. They are only a guide, based on assumptions and formulas of averages. However, there is an emotional connection to seeing our effort displayed numerically.

When you begin your cardio machine workout, the machine will probably ask you to enter in your current weight and gender. Based on these answers, it will estimate how much effort is required to burn calories. However, several essential factors are not part of this equation, including fitness level, body composition, muscle mass, body size, and age. Without these details, your calorie count is one-size-fits-all.

But are all cardio machines created equal when it comes to caloric misrepresentation? A recent study named the elliptical the least accurate when it comes to calorie counting estimates. Most machines overestimate your burn by almost 40%.

Stair steppers are also guilty of inflating effort because most people lean on the display. Stair steppers can decrease your total calorie burn by as much as 50%. Even if you stand up straight and avoid placing any pressure on the machine frame, most stair steppers are overestimating your total burn by about 20%.

But there is good news. Experts agree that the calorie counters on treadmills are reasonably accurate, especially if you have entered in your weight and don’t use the handrails. Using the bars, especially on higher inclines, can throw off your reading by as much as 40%.

Stationary bikes often calculate based on technical data like METs (metabolic equivalents) and watts (which measures power outputs). Stationary bikes are the most accurate of all cardio machines, with an overestimation of only 7%.

Cardio exercise is essential to a balanced fitness routine. It strengthens your heart, boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, helps sleep, reduces joint stiffness, and may help manage high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. When using a cardio machine to calculate effort, it’s best to use the number on the display as a guide. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about heart rate training and advised how you can make the most of your workouts by working in the different zones to assess effort. By applying this approach to your cardio workouts, you can maximize your time. By not using handrails, making your program instead of using presets, maintaining proper posture, and doing interval sprints, you can use these machines to your advantage.

It’s often hard for us to separate ourselves from the bright displays that reward us for our efforts. However, if you don’t have a heart rate monitor and are using calorie counters on your fitness equipment, you may be overestimating how hard you are working.

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Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Posted on February 3, 2020February 6, 2020 by Sol

Compression leggings / Image source: The Sports Edit

Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Many of us have a couple of outfits that we regularly wear to exercise and will rotate depending on the activity. Maybe you have a favourite top that stays in place during your downward dog or a pair of socks that gives you extra support on longer runs. And we don’t really consider how our clothing can help us achieve our fitness goals.

If you aren’t familiar with compression sport clothing, it’s time to learn about how these specialty design products may elevate our workouts.

Compression garments are skin-tight, yet flexible clothing made of supportive fabric like Spandex and Lycra. It is graded in its tightness to ease blood flow, it features wicking properties to reduce sweat pooling and keep you warm, whilst still allowing freedom of movement. Compression sportswear molds to your body to prevent the oscillation of the muscle during impact and increasing blood flow to the area. This is thought to prevent energy waste and assist in alignment. Additionally, the increase of blood flow ensures muscles are receiving a constant supply of oxygen, which helps sustain performance or enhance recovery.

Benefits of compression sportswear gear have been reported to include a reduction in muscle fatigue and soreness, faster recovery, reduction of swelling, improvement of blood flow, muscle strain prevention, skin protection, improved joint stabilization and muscle alignment, an increase in agility, and regulating body temperature.

That’s a lot to put on a pair of tights or a long-sleeved top … but is it true? Well, yes and no.

While there have not been conclusive studies on compression garments, and much of the evidence is with small groups of people or anecdotal, studies do exist that show the benefits of oxygen uptake to working muscles. There is also a small amount of research documenting how compression wear has reduced blood lactate levels after workouts.

And then, there’s our old friend the placebo effect. Any perceived performance improvements may be a result in how you feel wearing compression gear. Because you feel supported, you allow yourself to squat deeper or run longer. As we know, so much about exercise is mental rather than physical. Compression sportswear garments can stop the voices of self-doubt in your head and that’s a benefit we can all embrace.

Compression clothing is more expensive than what you’ll find in trendy workout stores or on the rack at Winners so you need to decide if it’s actually worth investing in a few key pieces to supplement your wardrobe. If you feel like a $150 pair of leggings is out of your budget (and for many of us it is), check the sale sections on websites like EC3D Sports or 2XU. You will be able to order last season’s products at a discount and make a decision if they are right for you.

If you have a race or big event coming up that will require extra support, a mental boost, and a speedier recovery, it might be time to treat yourself. After all, you don’t need to worry about hiking up your shorts as you dash through an obstacle at Tough Mudder. Just make sure that you have an opportunity to take your purchase on a test drive first to ensure that you like its fit and feel.