Fit for Life

This is the year of the fitness craze. And no, it’s not the 1980s and Groundhog Day. But this is the year where I’m hearing more and more people talking about making fitness and nutrition a much bigger part of their lives. Fueled by the realization that we are all getting older and possibly more importantly, that we are going to live longer, people are filing into gyms and nutritionists’ offices at unprecedented rates.

Nothing new you say, it’s the same every New Year. True, but this year feels different. Even Forbes commented on the increasing value of the VMS (Vitamin, Mineral and Supplements) segment “Produced about $32 billion in revenue for just nutritional supplements alone in 2012, the segment is projected to double that by topping $60 billion in 2021 according to the Nutritional Business Journal.

According to Partnership Capital Growth partner Brian Smith, a leading industry expert since 2000, the reason for the growth is it has gone mainstream. “Ten years ago, it was just the muscleheads and the weekend warriors. Now, it’s the full spectrum with men and especially women,” he said.

Former NFL player Brad Pyatt, founder of MusclePharm, “people see the need to stay healthy with the uncertainty of Medicaid and Medicare and so they were seeking alternative ways to do it.”

All this may be true, and maybe I’m feeling my age, but this is the year I am committed to living a full and active life with increased focus on fitness and especially nutrition. I’ve been working towards this point for a while. Last year I decided to put myself on an intensive fitness regime of working with a personal trainer three days a week. I know, it’s not cheap, but it’s an investment in myself. After a couple of months, my husband decided to join us. Now the two of us meet with Alexandra Bicanic at a local gym called Fitness Connection at least twice a week and try to supplement our training time with self directed workouts at least two more days a week. We’ve had our body fat measured (horrible) and our fitness and balance capabilities calculated.

I found my goals were changing from my younger days. Instead of watching the scale or measuring the width of my waste, I was now noting increased energy, muscle definition and strength. And my knees, not the sexiest part of the body (although I had often teased that if I hadn’t had a kneecap in my younger pre-teen days, I wouldn’t have had a figure) where a focus point. I had try to avoid straining them for years knowing that one was bad and the other worse. Almost twenty years ago I had been diagnosed during my cycling days with chondromalacia, often called Runner's Knee. Chondromalacia occurs because of irritation of the cartilage on the undersurface of the kneecap. The only advice given to me at the time was to not over-use the knees. Not advice I could take as I was on day four of a fourteen-day bike event. Now Alex was teaching me to make my glutes do the work to support my knees. She was working on balance of function and structure. A fluke of genetics and thanks to cycling and the afore-mentioned step classes, I had over-developed my quads and now needed to spend time working on the glutes. In balance they protect my knees. I’m able to run up stairs, twist and turn. It’s a wonderful thing.

After almost a year of working with Alex I am proud to say I was able to help my mother clean out her house (can I say pack rat?) and move into a retirement home without the need of chiropractic or RMT intervention. Alex’s focus on full-body movement or “functional training” is different from past experiences at a gym in the days of high-intensity step workouts. Those were the days of a set circuit of machines, pumping my arms and legs in a series of reps that required little thought or focus. Now we’re moving the whole body and largely using my own body weight – focus is everything.

I remember during the 1980s, Rachel Welch saying that if a sixteen year old does not have a good body, nature is not kind, but if a sixty year old does not have a good body, it’s laziness. That might be a bit harsh, but has elements of truth. I know that if I want to stay fit, I need to remain active every day of my life. The only way I can expect to stay in great condition is to work at it. Is it worth it? Sometimes it would be a lot easier to stay on the couch but I know if I want to face the next phase of my life with energy and good health, I have to stay with the plan.

Quote from Forbes

Green Skincare… what does that mean to you?

Green. What does the word mean to you? What does it mean to the cosmetic industry?

Is there any subject in the beauty industry more confusing than natural skincare?

Everybody wants to be “green”. At least that’s how it seems. But what does “green” or “natural” or “organic” really mean when it comes to skincare? The simple answer… in Canada, not much. That’s because Canada has no legal definition for what constitutes a “natural” ingredient or claim. Beauty and cosmetic companies are free to use the term as they like. And “natural” is a great marketing tool that increases sales.

So where does that leave you, the consumer? You want to look after yourself. You know that your world is getting more and more polluted and you’d like to “get back to basics”. It means you need to do a little research.

But that’s only part of the problem, even if a product is fully natural doesn’t mean that it’s the best for you to use. Some of the most irritating ingredients are “all natural”.

Yet with all this confusion, the “natural” skincare industry is growing 15 to 30 percent per year. That’s far faster than traditional skincare and beauty segments.

What to look for when buying natural skincare?

One way of finding quality green cosmeceuticals is to look for European products. Europe or the EU has very definite criteria for products to be labeled either “natural” or “organic”. Products with the “Ecocert” label from France or “BDIH” from Germany meet stricter standards that are administered by an independent institute. Products must contain only the safest natural ingredients, and be created and packaged in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Take a closer look at how a product is made

But being “natural” is only part of the answer. We are now living in an era of environmental and social responsibility, where it’s equally important to respect nature as it is to use nature. This means that not only what is inside the jar is important, but also how it’s made and packaged.

Look for effectiveness

Making sure a product lives up to its claims of effectiveness is almost as hard as making sure it’s green. This time look to the company and its guarantee of effectiveness. So what can you do? Begin by asking questions, visit websites and do your research. Remember, your dollars and where you spend them, have great influence. (Originally published in Elm Street Magazine 2001)

Positive self esteem is only a few words away

Simple everyday thoughts can lead to a greater sense of well-being.

The original idea for this post came from Leslie Goldman at ivillage.com. In her article, she was writing to 30 somethings. I think her concept needs to be applied to all women.

Somewhere around the end of the 1960s society seemed to move from optimism to pessimism. Now instead of the “Leave it to Beaver” world we lived in a “Sammie and Rosie Get Laid” land of pessimism and urban decay.

And all that negativity has had a correspondingly negative impact on our psyche. We tend to measure ourselves against unreasonable images and ideals only designed to ensure continued angst. But what if we focused on the positive and not the negative? What if we found reasons to smile instead of criticize? Think about it, if the message in a simple fortune cookie can bring a smile to your face –“The sun always shines after a downpour” – imagine what a whole month full of positive sayings can do for your self-esteem! According to Rosie Molinary author of “Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance”, changing our mindset begins by changing our language.

It all begins in the simplest of ways. Just think, the next time you’re at a party and someone asks you if you’re dating, instead of responding with the negative – “Only losers! I guess I don’t attract the good guys”, think of the positive “No one that deserves me.” Or when a friend comments on how hot you look in your new mini skirt, instead of the knee-jerk “Thank you Spanx”, think “Thank you and you look great too.”

Spreading the love also brings it home to you. If you’ve ever had a random woman on the street admire your sundress or ask where you get your hair styled, you know the power of an unsolicited female compliment. The next time you see something you like, say so. Reach out to a girlfriend, your mom or sister and compliment them on your favourite personality quirk or quality that you admire about them. They’ll feel better and so will you. Positivism begets positivism. Doing good things for others and yourself sets up a positive cycle of self affirmation.

You know that pricey perfume sitting on your vanity that you only use for ‘special occasions’? Or the really hot high heels that you save for weddings only? Or the chichi sports bra that still has the tags on it because you want to make it below 145 pounds before you wear it? Use ‘em now!

The reason for the break in posts

Just after I first started this blog, I also started blogging for work. I quickly found time constraints affecting the amount of blogging I could do for myself, so I'm going to reprint a couple of the articles that I most liked. Check back and find out about issues of self esteem, aging and menopause. All fun stuff, eh?

Raising funds for Mount Sinai Hospital

We're late getting involved so we need help with raising funds ASAP. Anything you can give will help. Please connect with this page http://my.e2rm.com/PersonalPage.aspx?registrationID=2202674&langPref=en-CA

Joe and I are participating in this year's Chef's Challenge® for the Mount Sinai Hopital. The money raised through Chef’s Challenge® supports care and research in women’s cancers at Mount Sinai Hospital. Support goes to physicians and researchers so that they can investigate new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat women’s cancers, bringing us closer to a cure.

Cancer has touched everyone's lives. My mother, sister-in-law, and many friends are all breast cancer survivors, so this is something really important.

Funds will help:
Support women’s cancer research at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital - one of the leading biomedical research facilities in the world, bringing a healthier future to Canadians through breakthroughs in health and disease.

Advance the work of the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre -a premiere facility specializing in breast health and disease that helps 33,000 women every year.

When love comes into your life - a dog is more than a perfect companion

To paraphrase from “Life with Marley” … “a person can learn a lot from a dog.” Molly (inspiration behind Molly Mine and my amazing “suckiepoo” named because she is a cross bread of toy poodle, Lhasa Apso and pure suck) has taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. She has taught me to appreciate a simple walk around the neighborhood, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight and her unbridled love of a fresh snowfall has almost made winter bearable. Mostly, she has taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering love.

Through her, I have met my neighbors – all those wonderful people, who would usually remain nameless as they hurried about their busy urban lives, I now know because they have dogs and we meet as we amble around the local park. It’s because of Molly that I know that there are stay-at-home-moms, nannies, work-from-home IT techs, doctors, lawyers, marketing execs, finance guys, entrepreneurs, sales reps, and so much more living around me. It’s because of Molly that we are invited to our first ever first birthday doggy party next weekend and our 5th annual Superbowl Party where we don’t have to drive and my dog can come along.

And all this amazingness was serendipity… maybe part of life’s bigger plan. We had taken our cat to the vet for some grooming when we were met at the door with “have I got the dog for you!” We weren’t planning on a dog. Our lives were too busy for that. We had talked of getting a dog in some dim future when things slowed down. But here we were and there she was, a tiny bundle of grey hair and big black eyes. She also knew how to snuggle (and that has remained her biggest skill).

It was a heart melting experience and so we became new “parents” without plans and without knowledge. We didn’t know how to “train” a dog so we signed up for “puppy training classes” at the local pet shop. Really should have been named “puppy parents’ training classes” because she has trained us well.

Now everything is not all lightness and wonderful, Molly has a tendency to not eat (which confounds the vet because he’s never known a dog that will hold out for the food she wants even when she should be starving), which used to send me into fits of despair and even a trip to the vet to be put on an IV drip for dehydration. Now I know to wait her out and no she can’t have cheese and prosciutto.

Molly is my constant companion. A source of solace and peace I’ve never known before. It is amazing how much love and laughter a dog brings into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them. My only regret… we didn’t adopt her sister at the same time.

Check out the 5 reasons why you need a dog (taken from some website that teaches you about dogs):

1) Provides constant companionship
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As long as their basic needs are met (food, water, etc...), a pet will provide round the clock love and affection without asking for much in return. It won't love you and then change its mind or ditch you at the last minute. It's there for you always and needs you.
2) Allows you to open up without worry

Maybe writing in a journal is not for you. You may want a living outlet where you can openly express yourself without fear of reprisal. A pet will not judge or disagree with you. It's only there to listen (even if it can't understand a word you're saying, at least you're getting things off your chest). No misunderstandings, no fuss, no having to wait until your turn to talk... what more could you ask for?
3) Gives you a reason to work out.

Even if you feel as though your life is fulfilled, you may want to burn a few extra calories and find an excuse to get some fresh air. Needless to say, a dog enables you to walk and run considerably more, thus healing your mind and body at the same time.
4) Offers distraction

A pet can serve to keep your mind off of the constant strain in your life. Playing with your dog or cat, or even watching your fish swim for 20 minutes, can keep you from thinking about your work pileup, the clothes that need to be washed, or the bills that have yet to be paid. Everyone needs that window of opportunity to escape from the hassles of daily life, and a pet can help.
5) Gives you a sense of purpose

For those who feel as though they're walking numbly through life, nurturing an animal companion may help you feel like you're accomplishing something. After all, you are taking care of another living thing. There's a certain parent-like pride you feel in watching your pet grow strong and healthy.

Waiting for Spring

“In a city with so many great pockets, and many more improving faster than you can say gentrification, the competition for the title of Number One Neighborhood is cutthroat…” That’s the opening line from Toronto Life’s recent listing of preferential neighborhoods in the city. With an overall rating of 70.0 (only really loosing points to a lack of effective transit – which many could argue applies to most of the city), Don Mills Branbury outshines all but Rosedale as the neighborhood of choice.

But ranking a community by arbitrary (albeit measureable) standards such as Entertainment, Health, Environment, Shopping, Housing, Crime and Transit doesn’t really tell the story of the neighborhood. It doesn’t talk to the community and the people who inhabit it. Our community toy chest does.

Instead of seeing the toys, neatly stacked under the community play set as plastic awaiting recycling, see instead a totally voluntary, non-orchestrated community toy chest. What started as a way for a young mother of three to reduce the chore involved in getting her children and their toys to and from the local park, she chose to leave the toys in the sandbox. Quickly the idea caught on. More and more families added to the growing supply of toys. And nothing makes a toy more interesting than it be something you haven’t played with before, something that didn’t come from your own home. Now, on any day when the temperature is above freezing, tiny hands swarm the play area gleefully running to find their favorite plastic treasure.

The small community park is the centre of the neighborhood. This is a neighborhood made up of all kinds of people who have arrived here from other parts of the city and other parts of the world. This is a community of people and families that enjoy the close living of urban life and enjoy watching the smallest of the community drive plastic trucks through the hills and valleys of the local sandbox.