My Physiotherapist

People often hear me talk about my amazing physiotherapist, well here she is, Andrea Dewar.

Andrea has been keeping me active for many years. In fact, I can't remember when I started seeing her it has been so long but I do know that she has healed me, of each and every injury and for that reason she is a huge part of my life. This picure was taken yesterday beside her lovely pool.

I have had Achilles tendonitis in both ankles on different occasions; a heel spur ( maybe in each foot); a slipped disc in my lower back and a budding shoulder problem last year that resulted in me having trouble driving and lifting my arm. These are just the things that I can remember off of the top of my head.  You see, as soon as something feels wrong or if I experience a new unusual pain, I do not head to my doctor I go to see Andrea first. 

Andrea has helped many members of my family and many of my students.  She just has this amazing sense and ability to zero in on the problem and give us the right exercises to reverse the injury.

Which leads me to my biggest point today.  When you visit a physio, if you have faith in her/him, you have to do exactly what they have instructed you to do or you will not heal.

So many people who come to me with bad experiences with physiotherapy proceed to admit that they did not follow through on their part of the deal.  You are given homework from the physio, it is hard to do but when you actually do it, the way it is laid out, you heal. I know this as I have lived through it time and time again. The key, whether you have to get a referral from your doctor first or not, is to go as soon as you can, while the injury is fresh. Do not wait years for the problem to compound and become bigger and harder to diagnose.

Listen to your body. Your pain experience is the baby crying out in the night, telling you it needs something. Listen and address the issue so you can continue living your life to the fullest!

 Andrea works out of the Action Sport Physio clinic on the West Island in Dollard des Ormeaux and in Vaudreuil. I now joke that I have sent so many people to her that I cannot get in....no worries, I am hooked up!

adewar@actionsportphysio.com

You can also find her on Facebook: Andrea Dewar.

Have a great weekend everyone.
Beth

The Power of Silence

This family picture is 6 years old. I want you to ignore my family, just for a minute, and take in the view.

If you look past the people, you can see a river, trees and a mountain.  This is the view from the front of my sister's cottage.The most amazing thing about this location is the absolute silence you experience when you climb out of your car after the long drive. You do not hear the traffic, construction noise, lawn mowers and people.

All you hear is nature.  You can literally "feel" the calm.  It washes over you like a wave, not to mention the fresh air! The air quality is uplifting.

At first it can be a bit unsettling because I believe we have lost that true sense of nature. We are so bombarded by noise in our homes and our work environment, we are a bit out of sorts when we really experience quiet.

For the last few months I have had no neighbours.  For various reasons the houses closest to me are empty. I now realize how the constant barrage of noise from those homes has been negatively affecting my health and I only know this because now I feel much calmer sitting on my porch. I sleep better and I am not as stressed out.

Before, there was a dog barking non-stop. When they first moved in, the dog was placed outside to live through all weather and seasons. The poor thing barked all of the time but once it knew nothing would change it would only bark when people walked by, however that meant all day to a certain extent.  So I would always know something was up outside if the dog was barking night or day and now I see that this was causing me to tense up all of the time. "Oh the dog is barking I have to go and see why? What is up?"Now I have no need to do this, I am not being constantly interrupted.

This particular neighbour loves/loved loud trucks, snowmobiles, ATV's. So there was always some sort of engine running. I kid you not. Yes, I live in paradise as well but people like their machines in the country. Well for me, life without this noise is lovely.

My point in all of this is to let you know that I now see how badly I was actually feeling and I only know this because the noise went away.

We only know how good we can feel once we experience something different. If you get a chance to experience true silence, please take it.

Twice a year I go to a "Silent Retreat." I pay to spend 6-8 hours in complete silence. We are lead through various activities and meditations and we are fed organic, raw, delicious food. People laugh when I tell them that I do this but once you experience it, and give yourself permission to slow down, you can observe how you are really feeling inside and this eventually can lead you to making better lifestyle choices, on your journey to becoming the best you can be.

 I often think that people who are supposedly too busy to exercise, or who think they are fine without going to classes etc, only think this way because they have no idea how good that they can feel. They are so busy feeling badly, they have no idea what they are missing.

Forcing yourself to slow down and be in silence, is a gift because you can actually hear your own inner voice and what it is trying to tell you, through all of your various aches and pains.

I hope you can experience a bit of calm and quiet today.
Make it happen.

Have a great day.
Beth

Do Not Become the Disease

Do you remember being in school and what it felt like to get back reports from the teacher that were all marked up with red ink?  Spelling mistakes and poor grammar highlighted.  At first, I would scan through the paper not reading the comments but trying to see how much "red" was on the pages. That would tell me how well or how poorly I had done. 

The above photo is an example of a report coming back from our doctor.

If you suffer from one of the conditions above, my guess is you that know how it feels to be told that you are not who you think you were....suddenly you have a disease!

I personally suffer from 7 of the conditions. Not all of them have interrupted the flow of my life but I can say that each time I received the news, it hit me hard.

Every month or so I have a student coming up to tell me that their doctor has told them that they have "xyz."  I can see the look of sadness in their eyes. Some have cried. At times I have cried with them. Depending on the disease and the severity sometimes they have to stop exercising with me and in many cases, their doctor has told them that the exercise has prevented the condition from being worse and that the prescription is more exercise!

No matter what the case, my message is always the same. " You must listen to your body. When something feels wrong, you stop. You are the boss of you in my class and whatever your doctor or physiotherapist says is more important than anything you hear come out of my mouth."

I then do my best to help them to forget their condition for an hour. We all need a break from worry and this is how I help my students.

I know what it is like to walk around worrying about hurting myself further by doing something to aggravate one of my many ailments.  Geeze it sucks to be worried all the time!!!  I am sure you can relate, so when we are altogether in class, I am smiling, telling jokes, playing music of many era's to get your mind off of the disease and on to how wonderful you are.

Please remember that as you are fighting the condition, you "ARE NOT THE DISEASE."

Yes, you have had to make adjustments. Yes, it has been hard but deep inside, you are still YOU.   Do not become the disease. Do not let it rob you and the rest of the world of your identity. The disease is just a tiny bit of you.

I actually have said that my disease has been the "best worst thing" to happen to me as it has helped me to help others with similar conditions. I am now more sensitive. I listen more intently and I am using my skills to try to make someone else's day a bit brighter.

This has helped me to heal and I know that it can help you as well.  So whether you just found out or you have been struggling for awhile, you are an amazing person with huge potential while you are on this earth. True joy lies in helping others. Get busy!!

Have a great day everyone.
Beth

When times are tough, a bit of advice.

Some people find me to be sickeningly happy. I am not every ones cup of tea. In fact, the one and only complaint I have ever received on an evaluation form said that I am too demonstrative about my happiness. "She is too happy!"

I took that to heart and the next time I taught that class I tried to be more reserved. I did not smile. I tried to be serious.  At the end of the class, once everyone had left, I told myself that if this is what the students want, then I have to quit.  Well, luckily I simply gave up that class at the end of the session and did not give up my career.

My life is not all butterflies and roses.  It has been wonderful so far but I have struggled as well.When I was going through a rough patch a few years ago, after the death of my parents and some job dissatisfaction, my health started to wane. It seemed as though nothing was going right. I found myself sinking into a hole of misery.  I found myself at the book store in search of some words of wisdom and Pema Chodron's book caught my eye, "The Places That Scare You - A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times."

What I learned from Pema's words is that what we focus on expands. So if we are feeling miserable and we focus on it, we will begin to only see misery which will make us feel worse and so on. The cycle is vicious and it leads to poor health in body and mind.

Well I had seen enough misery so I chose to do whatever it took to turn my life around.

I chose to focus on the things that were going right in my life even if they were small. In time, I began to see more and more amazing things, even though I was still feeling crappy a lot of the time. My day was filled with half misery and half joy which was better than all misery.  I chose to be positive. I chose to be happy.  It was hard work to pull myself out of the despair but I knew that I still wanted to make some of my dreams come true, so I had to make a change.

Now my life is filled with such joy that I really have a hard time not smiling constantly. I do not want to look like a complete idiot but I have learned to find joy in tiny things, like a hot cup of coffee or tea uninterrupted. A good read on a rainy day. Glorious sunsets and sunrises. Smiles from friends, family and strangers.

You see, life can be so disappointing if we let it.You can pile up all the crap going wrong in your life and find many people who will help you to do this! "Misery loves company," is not just a saying it is true because it is easy to add up life's challenges. " I do not have enough money. My kids don't listen. This job sucks. I am so fat. I hate my life."  It can be very hard to stop telling ourselves those things and find any instance of joy when we are so consumed by unhappiness.

With baby steps anyone can turn their life around. I started by changing my focus, searching for positivity. I began my day trying to come up with just one thing that I was happy for, even if it was just "my comfortable bed." Each day I would try to add one more item and then when I heard myself slipping into complaining mode I would say to myself, "but wait, I have a beautiful home and a lovely family and that is all that matters right now, I can keep going." 

It gets easier and easier, especially with wonderful books like Pema's.  I am not a Buddhist, but I love reading how different traditions handle life and then I choose to incorporate into my life, what works for me! I you are a bit down and need to try something new, pick up her book.

I hope this helps.

Have a great day everyone.
Beth

Is your poor posture making you sick?

                                                                                                       

                         

If you have been in my class than you are aware of how often I ask you to be mindful of your posture. If you exercise with poor posture you will get hurt over time. So I am constantly reminding everyone to maintain proper form and technique. In fact, this is why I end many of my classes with a upward stretch, saying, "take a deep breath in, reaching your arms up, making yourself taller than you were when you came in!" I am trying to combat the ill effects of computer and cell phone activities.

Last week, I visited with my physio because of some shoulder pain I was experiencing. After a proper evaluation she found that the problem was coming from my neck. I will spare you the details but I spend a fair amount of time working on my laptop and my cell phone which causes my neck to move in front of my shoulders. The above pictures demonstrate this posture. I am sure many of you can relate to sitting this way for at least part of the day.

Dr. Travis McDonough, ( Can Fit Pro Interactive), explains that this posture can lead to the following health problems:
                                   
* For every half an inch that the head moves in front of the shoulder, this increases the weight of the head by 20lbs. This can lead to neck pain, jaw problems and headaches, all of which I have had lately.

* In this rounded position we compress the chest which makes it harder to breathe. In order to breathe in this position, we have to raise our shoulders to allow the diaphragm to go down. When we do this with each breath, it leads to tightness and tension in the upper back and neck. I have had a few young people lately tell me they sometimes feel like they are having a heart attack because their chest feels so tight and hurts to breathe. In their case it was all related to poor posture.

*Our vertebrae are meant to stack on top of each other and when we assume this hunched position over time, the vertebrae at the front get compressed and this can lead to "Dowager's Hump" or a hunched back. It is most often associated with the elderly but in my work, I am seeing it manifest much earlier. Have a look at yourself in the mirror as you stand sideways. Stand normally. Is your upper back rounded and are you starting to see a "hump?"  None of us want this. Keeping your back straight will help you to avoid this.

* Shoulder problems can become quite serious when we assume this hunched over position as the muscles in our chest get tight and the muscles in the back get loose.  This imbalance can lead to rotator cuff injuries which are very painful, and costly to remedy with physio or surgery.

How can we fix this problem right now?

Dr. McDononough suggests the following to minimize the impact:

* "Chin Retraction Exercise." Move the chin back to it's natural position over the spine and then pretend you are balancing a book on top of your head. Do this for 3 seconds and then relax. Repeat.

* Squeeze the shoulder blades together and then relax. Repeat.

I recommend that if you spend most of your day on the computer, get up every 20 minutes and walk around. Do the above exercises and resume your activities.  Try to keep the head and shoulders back.

I hope that this helps you to avoid pain and chronic health problems in the future. 

Have a great day everyone.

Beth

My Pride and Joy

It is no secret that I love my kids and love talking about their accomplishments.  When you have kids, you give your all to them, to help them achieve their dreams and when they succeed, there is no greater joy! This is a picture of my oldest Josh, and Sarah, taken at my daughter's vernissage one evening this week.

Sarah, has finished her three year, Illustration and Design Program. I cannot believe that she is done. We dropped off a shy little girl three years ago and today she stands confidently and proudly in front of some of her work. Congratulations Sarah!

Yesterday I spoke about finding your talents and using them to spread joy. Well my sweet little girl has been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil. At her kindergarten interview, I brought in a sample of her drawings to show the teacher what she was in for!  At 4 years old she was already drawing "The Magic School Bus," complete with the lettering on the bus!

She has made countless get well cards and birthday cards for friends and family. She put her artwork on t-shirts at one point, hand painted. She has painted in icing on cakes.! Everyone is inspired by her art. I even pulled out Pictionary, this past Christmas thinking we could all take her on.  Nope!  I can still only draw stick men and even then, it is bad..ha,ha..but she makes us all want to try!

Sarah knew her greatest joy was going to be in studying art.  Instead of trying to be something she was not, she followed her heart and it is going to lead her down amazing paths! She is the perfect example of following your bliss!

So proud of you Sarah.

Have a great weekend everyone. See you Monday.

Beth

You are an original. Use your uniqueness to make the world a better place!

My backyard is filled with trillium's at this time of year and I was moved by the site of this purple flower amongst all of the white ones.

I truly believe that we have it all wrong, when we work so hard to be just like everyone else. We tend to want to look the same, dress the same and speak the same. At times, we may want to blend into the crowd and remain annonymous.

I was very shy as a child and in many ways I still am, though I may not look shy while I'm leading a class! However, when the music is on, I am the happiest I can be, either leading dances or teaching fitness. Suddenly any fears I have about public speaking or making mistakes, vanish and I am comfortable and at ease. My love of music and dance set me apart from the crowd and I'm so happy that I pursued this uniqueness.

This purple flower, growing amongst all of the standard white trilliums stands up and says, "look at me. I am different in many wonderful ways and yet similar all the same." I believe that we are supposed to celebrate what makes us different and use those gifts, to strengthen the ties between us.

In the last few years, I have learned that my success is not going to be in trying to imitate someone else. I have been educated in what I do. I have been in the field working with clients for 17 years. I know what works and what doesn't. In deciding not to follow the crowd, I have found personal strength and immeasurable happiness.

Perhaps I am feeling this way as I get older. I am 48. I have wrinkles. I will not try to wipe them away. I have had three beautiful kids, naturally, therefore I am never going to have that perfect, pre-baby, body (whatever that is?)  I spend all morning at the gym, helping others to be the best that they can be and this gives me in incredible joy. I get to dance and work with music and get paid for having fun! 

How do you recognize your gifts?  You will find those gifts in what makes you happiest.  Taking part in a favourite sport, reading, writing, singing, dancing, cooking etc. Perhaps you can find a way to share this joy with friends and family.

Life is meant to be lived and celebrated.

Celebrate the fact that you are original and use your uniqueness to make the world an better place!

Yours,
Beth

Farting in Stretch/Yoga class?

Yes, it happens. Passing gas or as it is commonly called, farting, happens to the best of people, in all of my classes.

I am actually happy for the students when it happens.  We all feel the urge to laugh because it is funny of course but on a more serious note, it has relieved that client of some built up tension and that is one of the benefits of yoga/stretch/fitness. No kidding. It feels great and if you can laugh at yourself a bit, that is great too!

This photo was taken in Florida in 2013. It is called a "Prayer Twisting Lunge," and it is one of my favourites. If you are in my ``Chair Stretch`` class we do this on the edge of the chair, using just our upper bodies and if you are in my Matt Stretch and Relax`` class we can also do this with the back knee on the ground and under our hip. We always make sure we are warmed up before heading into this pose and if something feels wrong, we stop.

As Beth Shaw explains, in her yoga course, `` this great detoxifying pose allows us to not only stretch and strengthen the core muscles-front, back and sides, it also creates a rinsing effect for our organs. The compression effect against our midsection allows fresh blood flow to move into the area upon the release of the twist improving digestion and immunity.``

Some people question whether the above statement is actually true. After practicing yoga for years, I see how great it is to move trapped gases out of the body and how relaxing it feels afterwards to be free of digestion problems. In fact, if I burp during class, it will occur to me that perhaps that is why I had been feeling a bit grumpy or cranky.

If you are suffering from some digestive issues, try taking a beginner level yoga class and see how you feel afterwards and do not be embarrassed should you fart.  It happens to all of us.

Have a great day everyone,
Beth

Why Dance?

I have been dancing since I was a little girl.  My Dad would play the piano and I would go crazy twirling and stomping my feet. I took Jazz Ballet as a teen, though I was not very good at it. Ballroom Dancing with my husband was extremely fun but when it got too serious, my husband lost interest.

Once our kids were in school, I decided to head back to school and become a fitness trainer. Learning to teach aerobics was a way that I could work with music and use my passion to help people get fit. In 2010, I attended my first line dance class as a student and I have been hooked ever since.

In the picture above, I had just finished leading a fund raising group through several line dances and because it was also my birthday, I was presented with a cake!  Ester thought I needed some on my face.

I am amazed at the reaction I receive when I say that I teach line dance. Most people think of country music and cowboys and laugh.

First, though I love country music, I use all sorts of music to get my students moving. My skill lies in breaking out of the mold and changing things up the way I think it will work best. Therefore I teach what I think will help my students to be successful and keep them coming back for more. My goal after all is get people out of their chairs, moving.

Sherri, one of my passionate line dance students, gave me an article she found entitled, "Dancing Makes you Smarter," by David Avocado Wolfe.  He suggests that dancing reduces the risk of dementia more than many other common exercise options. He also lists many of the reasons why dancing is good for us:

-Reduces stress and depression
-Increases energy and serotonin
-Improves flexibility, strength, balance and endurance
-Strengthens bones
-Increases mental capacity through cognitive processes


I can only tell you what I have learned in teaching dance.

I find that my Level 2 and 3 line dance classes have incredible balance and fabulous memory. When they first started years ago, it was hard for them to remember 32 count dances, and now they are able to remember 64 count patterns with tags and re-starts all while smiling and moving and laughing. The improvement in memory and the ability to move and think fast is amazing! My students range in age from 50 to 70 years old.

If you have never tried line dance, I suggest you find a class and give it a try, men and women alike. You do not need a partner and the moves are given to you, all you have to do is remember them! You will laugh and you will have fun. 

And if line dance is not your cup of tea, find any dance class that may be calling your name or put on some music in your living room and boogie.

Have a great day.
Beth

"Rest and be thankful."

"Rest and be thankful." - William Wordsworth.

On this holiday Monday, I wanted to show you a picture of one of the most grateful people I know, my husband, Peter.

I am sure that you have heard about the power of gratitude and how focusing on the good things in your life can change your perspective and make you happier. I have known Peter for almost 30 years and I swear he was born this way! He is by far, the happiest person I know.

Many years ago, while working on our home, I came outside to find Peter like this, in the wheelbarrow, taking a break. He was so happy to be resting his legs! He tried to convince me to climb in, by telling me how comfortable he was, but on this particular occasion I chose to take a picture instead.

Often, if there is a good song on the radio in his car, he will pull up to the front door, music blasting and insist I come out and sit for a bit and listen. Doesn't matter if I am doing the dishes or writing or cooking, I have to stop what I am doing and take a few minutes to surround myself with his joy! It always has a positive affect on my mood.

If the stars are visible one evening, he grabs my hand and gets me to come outside. He turns all of the house lights off and together we sit and appreciate the view. Nothing like country living to really see the beauty of the night sky!

Interesting bugs; rainbows; bird songs; you name it, Peter and I have stopped and paused to appreciate.

Moments like this are too numerous to recount. Suffice it to say that because of Peter, I am a much happier person.

I begin and end every day thinking of three things I am truly grateful for about my life.

I have been doing this for over three years. It is amazing the transformation that happens in your heart and health when you chose to focus on the good things, instead of all of the dreaded tasks you have to undertake in the day ahead or all of the things that went wrong in the previous twelve hours.

Will you join me in this?

As you sit here, think of three things that bring you joy.

One at a time, think of them, close your eyes and put a little 'Mona Lisa' smile on your face as you take in the good feeling of those things.  Breathe in the joy and suddenly you will feel lighter and brighter and happier!

If you are on holiday, as I am today, truly take in the rest and be thankful for the break.

Enjoy!
Beth

Evening Sounds Chez Moi.

 

This morning in my blog post, I promised that I would post a video of the sounds around my home in the evening.  Not only do we have a fabulous stream in the backyard to enjoy but the crickets and frogs lull us to sleep at night. 

This is a picture of our house 6 or more years ago. Many of you know that we built it ourselves over time. This is the second house that we have built. The porch and landscape are unfinished in this picture.

My objective in uploading these videos is to provide a meditation tool for you to use to relieve stress, even for just a moment during your busy day.

Copy and paste the link to head to my Youtube Channel and enjoy!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOElHiBzn4A&feature=youtu.be


See you Monday.

Beth

My Backyard.

This is the stream behind our home. I took this photo yesterday to show you how alive it is at this time of year. Many of us are rushing so much to get from point A to B that we don't often take the time to stop and see the season changing.

I have uploaded a video of the steam to Youtube.   http://youtu.be/QgBMkY598sM

Copy and paste the link into your browser and you will be able to see the stream and I would encourage you to then close your eyes and use it as meditation tool to relieve stress. It is only a minute long but when I sit down by the water's edge, I can instantly feel my shoulders dropping and tension leaving my body.

Over the harsh winter, trees die and slide into the stream but new life begins in the water above where the tree has taken its final resting spot. A small pond forms and fish can begin their new life.

My kids grew up playing in the stream, catching frogs and minnows. It is not high enough to swim in but when they were really little, it was a wonderful place to cool off.

Later today I will post a video of the night sounds at our country home.  The West Island and Montreal are so beautiful and full of "people life" but I am lucky to fall asleep every night to the sound of our stream and the crickets.

Have a great day everyone.

Beth

3 Stretches To Do Now.

 Stretching plays a big role in all of my classes. Most of the clients I meet, have tight hamstrings that can contribute to lower back stiffness and/or pain. Even if you are 'fit as a fiddle,' the following stretches are good for you. Many of us spend quite a bit of time sitting every day, use your chair to help you perform the following movements.

Ideally your muscles should be warm, so if you are at the office, do these stretches at your desk after your next long walk to your co-workers desk. Or perform them after being mildly active for 5 minutes, walking the dog etc.

Do the stretches in a pain free range of motion. Stretching should never cause pain.

Hold each stretch for 3-5 deep breaths. Do not bounce during the stretch. Simply find a pain free range of motion, where you can feel the muscles being challenged. Your breath should be smooth and long throughout. If your breath is short and shallow, the stretch is too intense, so ease out of it a bit.

Repeat on both sides of the body. You can do these stretches daily.

Sitting tall, sideways on the chair, turn slowly to face the back of the chair. Do not hunch your shoulders. You can look straight behind you instead of turning your head all the way to the side. If something hurts, STOP.











Sitting on the edge of the chair, hip hinge forward keeping your back straight and reach for the toes. Try to keep the knee straight. You should feel the muscles in the back of the upper leg.

Sitting tall on the edge of the chair, bring your knee to your chest. You can rotate the ankle one way and then the other as you stretch.






Incorporating more stretch time into your daily routine will help you to feel less stressed and over time you will begin to see an improvement in your flexibility.

Enjoy your day everyone!
Beth

Are you prepared?

Whether we are playing sports with friends or family or trying crazy stunts at the local BBQ, my mission is to make sure that my students are prepared for when things may go wrong.

I tell my students that I'm preparing them for disaster. I'm trying to hammer home the point that staying in shape is vital.

I can't prevent accidents from happening but my goal is to make sure that you are in such good shape when  they happen, that the impact on your life is minor, instead of major.

For this reason, we focus on keeping our core strong.

How many times have your lifted something beyond your abilities, because you did not want to wait until someone may be able to assist you? Or when was the last time, you played tennis or badminton?  A simple game can take a toll on our core when we have not trained it for many years. All is fine and dandy until someone slips a disc in the lower back!

In class we focus on our balance, by lifting one leg while we are performing certain exercises.

When was the last time you tried to stand still on one leg while closing an eye or both eyes. A year or two before my Mom died, she lost her vision in one eye.  Suddenly life became very difficult. We never know when we may need to have an operation on our eye and having good balance ahead of this, will certainly help to prevent falls.

I am always telling my students that we need to be able to lift ourselves off of the ground. 

Push-ups are so important. My Aunt died alone at the bottom of her basement stairs. She may have died suddenly from the fall or she may have suffered for days simply because she could not lift herself up. This event in our family history really affected me. The area at the bottom of her stairs was quite confining if I remember correctly ( I was very young), so I call Tricep Push-ups, "Auntie Alice's" exercise. Try this: lie on your stomach with your hands right beside your chest, keep your elbows close by your side, and lift your chest and belly off of the ground, coming onto your knees. Being able to do this is beneficial and being able to do it more than once is good, as it often takes us several attempts to get up after a fall.

We should be able to fight off an attacker.

When I was young, the minister of my parents, and his wife, died tragically after they were brutally attacked in their home. I will spare you the terrible details but this couple were elderly and my parents felt very vulnerable after this event. While I do not encourage violence, I have my students practice punching and kicking in our aerobics routines. Practice makes perfect and if you are used to doing something, your body will respond instinctively when needed. One of my students said she used to punch and kick her husband in her sleep. I guess she was practicing!


I love hearing the 'near disaster' stories of my students.  So many of them have told me how they almost slipped but caught themselves and avoided a terrible fall.  Last year one student, at the age of 75, had to use the fire escape to get out of her building. She was so proud to tell me that she was able to climb down! I get countless reports of doctor's being amazed at the leg strength of my students.  We do lots of squats and lunges to keep our legs in great shape.

Exercise has helped many of my students come off of medications for high blood pressure and diabetes.

These stories are the reason I get out of bed and head to work everyday.

This photo is of my oldest son, taken many years ago. He has absolutely no fear and is always doing crazy stunts, that none of us would ever consider trying, until someone dares us at the next party!

Don't worry!  You are prepared!

Much love,
Beth

How do you handle change?

 "To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest." 
 - Pema Chodron.

This is one of my favourite quotes and it is so appropriate with the recent celebration of Mother's Day.

Stress and unhappiness show up in our lives, when we are constantly trying to keep things in our lives the same.

The only constant, is constant change.  The seasons change ( if you live in Canada, you are saying "thank God,") our babies become adults and we grow older. Things are constantly moving despite our attempts to nail stuff down and keep everything 'perfect.'

If you were at the gym with me yesterday, you know that we have been thrown out of our 'nest.'  They are replacing the roof that has been leaking for many years.  We have all been complaining about this and finally it is being fixed but in order for that to happen, we were tossed out of our routine, our comfort zone, our nest.

I love watching people's reaction to change.

Some people are so flexible, others allow themselves to be upset. Our reactions to any event in our lives, are an indication to how we are feeling inside. Does our blood pressure get dangerously high? Do we get chest pains? Do we reach for junk food or alcohol to self soothe? Learning how to deal with the stress of change can help us to improve our health.

If you arrive as I did at work yesterday, and all that you had planned is no longer appropriate and you must start over again, what is your first reaction?

Do you swear?  Do you become angry at the world for once again "letting you down?" Do you consider your day ruined and carry it with you all day, talking about it with any co-worker that you can find?

Or do you laugh and get on with living, using all of the skills you have, to make everyone's day around you, the best that it can be?

 This book by Pema Chondron is a wonderful addition to any library.  I bought it when my life was in disarray and it really helped me to get through some difficult times. I was working so hard to create the perfect life, when suddenly I had become the main caregiver of my father.  I grew very depressed at having to give up all of my plans.  Pema's book, taught me to learn to embrace change and find joy there!

Use your unique set of skills, to help people have a fabulous day today! In the process, you will have a great day as well.

FYI, I could not get the photo of the book cover to straighten out and instead of getting upset, I posted it as it showed up! :))

See you soon.

Beth



 

My Family

The students who have been in my classes for many years, are always asking how my "kids" are doing.  Well here they are, all grown up!

At times, it feels as though I have over 100 Mom's to replace my own Mother who passed years ago.  This is a gift, I assure you!  For I have so many women in my life, who are willing to lend a ear and share some kind advice.

This was the most memorable Mother's Day yet, as our youngest, picked up the two older kids and then drove us all to a restaurant, in his newish car! I did not have to orchestrate the event, except to find a place that served gluten free food.  The kids are old enough to plan and execute without their Mom. My husband and I got to sit in the back seat before we picked up the fifth person.  Suddenly, we were the "kids" as our "kid" drove us around.  Although, I did do my share of backseat driving. (I tried to keep my mouth shut but wow, that is hard.)

They are all headed down exciting career paths and they exist, for the most part, without my interference.

It is hard at times, to sit back and watch them all doing their thing, regardless of what I have to say but I know that they are moving through this world, with grace and respect for life and that is really all I need to know.

I told them yesterday, that they have done so well in life, because I "got out of their way." Sure it was hard to sit back and watch them chose to do things that I did not like or agree with, but if I had held them back, then how would they have come to know their limits? Whenever they have approached me with a "crazy" idea, I would listen and wait to see them work it out on their own. Sometimes, the idea would grow ( much to my dismay occasionally), sometimes it would fail but in the process they got to know who they are and what they are all about.

We all have to test our limits and see what arises.  At times this means choosing to eat and drink things that we know are not good for us. At other times, it can mean being intentionally inactive or being up too late or partying too hard. It can also mean pushing ourselves way too hard at the gym and over training.

We all know when it is time to push the reset button and get back on track. Our bodies have a way of telling us, so that we hear loud and clear.

Yesterday was a welcome break from the routine. 


Have a great day everyone.


Beth

Why "Better Balance?"

Introducing my two oldest kids, Josh and Sarah, 5 years ago.  Josh used to lead people through zip lining adventures in the trees. As you can see, I am safely taking the picture from the ground.

Though I have a sense of adventure, I tend to ere on the side of caution in most things, including my work.

Though I have been teaching for 17 years in total, I started my own fitness business in 2007, just a short 8 years ago.

I refer to it as 'Better Balance,' as I was admittedly frustrated by the things I was seeing in my industry. Trends in the fitness world, that come and go and do not take into account the safety of participants, caused me great concern.

Yes, it is fun to try new ways of training but I always ask myself first, is the benefit of said equipment/training worth the risk?

Every teacher, deep down, wants to have the most popular class, doing the latest, greatest thing! At some point, I had to come to terms with the fact that being the " latest and greatest new thing" is not where my heart lies.

I decided all those years ago, that my clients are the focus of the class. All the exercises that I pick, are picked for them based on their capabilities. The success of my students is where I get my joy!  Seeing them improve over a 12 week session, is a gift that keeps me coming back. It is so rewarding!

Above all else, I try to fit into one hour of training, a full workout; cardio, muscle conditioning, flexibility training and relaxation. I take a very safe approach to my work as I want my clients to be with me for the long haul.

Considering that many of my students, have been attending my classes for over 10 years or more, I think I can say that I have succeeded in achieving my goal.

Try not to train in the same way all the time.  Mix things up but keep the core lessons that you know to be true at the centre of your work.  Weigh the risk involved based on your current condition and concerns.

And above all else, if you find yourself in a class where the teacher is more concerned about how she looks doing the exercise, than how you are feeling or doing, don't continue.

Seek a better balance in all areas of your life.

Have a great weekend everyone.

See you Monday morning!

Beth

Sharing the Love.

Can you feel the love?

That is my husband, Peter, thanking me for taking him on vacation.

It was years ago but I can still feel the love of that moment. We have been married for 25 years.  Getting him to take vacation is a difficult task but as you can see, once he has let go, he is extremely happy!

Yesterday I spoke about learning to "let go." You will hear me talk about stress often in this blog and how it can cause us to gain weight when we are doing everything we can to lose those pounds. As a trainer, I want to give you all of the tools necessary to help you achieve your goals. Often people are at a loss for why they cannot shed those last few pounds and I have to tell them, that they need to look at their stress level.


That is why I created my Stretch and Relax class. I know how much we all need to relax in order to improve our health. People are not doing it on their own time, so coming to a class helps to get this done! While teaching, I tell my students that the only thing that matters, is this very moment. Try to only think about what is happening in the class or during your workout. Focus on your breath.

As Eckhart Tolle says, "stress is caused by being 'here' but wanting to be 'there' or being in the present but wanting to be in the future.- The Power of Now.

I decided a long time ago, that I no longer want to wait for that one time a year to relax on vacation.  I want to experience a bit of vacation every single day. I encourage you to try this as well.

So this January, I decided to stop taking the highway to work, rushing in with everyone else, sitting in bumper to bumper traffic.  I now get out of the craziness and head down to the lake shore road and drive 40km an hour to work.  And while I am doing this, I am acting like I am on vacation!

I can hear you snickering but bare with me...It takes me the same amount of time to get to work but I am not being cut off and easily frustrated by inattentive drivers.

Doing this has improved my health tremendously. I arrive at work calmer and ready to share my joy with my students.

I love my job more. I love my life more. I am in love with moving slowly.

Can you take a different route to work or play today?

Try it. You may discover something new. You may get more in tune with yourself and improve your health along the way. Little tweaks like this can make a big difference.

Have a great day everyone...

Beth

Your Potential.

Can you see it?

The sun behind those clouds. I love this photo because though the day was cloudy, I felt so inspired knowing that soon the sun was going to burst through!

Each new day gives us the opportunity to change what we did not like about yesterday or to expand upon what we loved.

I feel it when my students are a bit down during the classes that I teach. When they have arrived with the weight of the world on their shoulders. I know that every day is not perfect.

What I do know, is that exercise helps us to change the course of those difficult days, especially if we focus on what we are doing, while we are working out. Learning to tune out the voice in our head, that wants us to think about what we have just done or what we have to do when the class is over, can help us to relieve some stress.

I find this to be the hardest thing for people to do. We are all so busy and often have a hard time "letting go" of our worries and concerns, even for just 30 minutes.

Moving the body and pumping the blood, brings on this shift naturally, if you let it.

It literally changes your mood.

The transformation is subtle at first, but once you committ to regular workouts, you will start to look for that after workout "high." You are a far nicer person after you exercise. I guarantee it. In fact, if I am on vacation from teaching for too long, my husband will sublty ask me to go workout.  Ha, ha.  I am probably not very pleasant to live with if I am not working off my stress.

Listening to the teacher's voice or some music during your walk or run, allows you to check out and give yourself a break.

I took the above photograph on Old Orchard Beach in August of 2011, 8 months after my father died. I made a promise to myself that day to be fully present all the tiime. To hear what is being said, to see all there is to see and to emotionally allow myself to be moved: to feel. Very often we move from point A to point B, not seeing, not appreciating what is happening around us.

Each day is a gift of new beginnings.

How will you use this day?



Enjoy!
Beth

The importance of friends.

Sometimes we can’t do it alone.

Sometimes we need a friend to help us along the way.

This is a photograph of myself and Rob, my nephew, taken by him last autumn.  We are just 5 years apart in age, so we grew to be friends before we even knew the importance of family.

Rob has been a sounding board to me through much of my life.  We are constantly talking about new and alternative methods to help us to relieve stress.

Rally the support of one of your friends to encourage you to try new things. Perhaps he or she would like to join a class with you. I heard a long time ago about two friends who would take each other’s right shoe home after the workout. This would require the other person to show up at the gym the next day, as not doing so, would let the other down! 

Rob is a Reiki practioner. I have asked him to share his knowledge of this healing art. Rob refers to it as another tool in your “personal toolkit for staying healthy.”

It is similar to massage however no hands touch you.  I will let him explain.  It is an hour of complete relaxation and quiet.  

You will find his explanation of Reiki under the Pages listed on the left hand side under my Blog Archive.

I hope you find a Reiki practioner and give this a try. It may make all the difference.

Have a great day!

Beth

3 tips for success!

The first truth you have to accept is that walking and watching what you eat is not enough. It is the beginning of the journey and it will remain a very important factor but you have to start muscular conditioning.  This is easily done in your home with guidance or you can do this in the gym but it is not optional if you want to stay active and healthy. I train clients from the ages of 18 to 85. I see into the future.

Tip#1:  “You are the boss of you!

My students have heard me say this to them all of the time. You know your limits better than any trainer does. If it feels wrong or painful stop. Walk away from any trainer who yells at you or does not listen to your concerns. There is a big difference between discomfort and pain.

Tip#2:  Basic is Better!

I have seen the fads come and go but my clients have stayed injury free for the last 10 years or more, by doing the basic exercises safely.  You do not need fancy equipment. To stay functional, you need to work your back, abdominals, legs, shoulders and arms and you need to stretch to stay flexible.  You can do this all in your home with guidance or head to a reputable gym and hire a trainer to help you.  It is not optional. Being active around the house is not enough. To stay injury free, you have to train your muscles in a balanced way.

Tip#3:  Be patient and give it a chance!

I learned a long time ago that if you are not having a good time, you will not be back!  It takes time to find a place or a routine that makes you feel so good after you leave, that you cannot wait to get back.  Be patient with yourself.  If you are new to a gym, give it two weeks to get to know people.  If new students show up in my class, I tell them to give me three classes before they quit because I know that I will make them smile and laugh enough over that time, that they will return and stay for life!  The fun will come but you have to give it more than one attempt.  

The truth is, as a fitness instructor, I have exactly 15 minutes to impress you. If you show up in my class, I have a zillion things on my mind and if you are new, you are instantly one of them! Give me more than one visit to help you. Teachers and trainers are there for you!  We want you to be successful. 

Have a great day everyone!

Beth