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Realistic Resolutions

Here we go again, New Year, New Me, this year I’m going to….

Be Better

Do Better

Live Better

Eat Better

Sleep Better

Move Better……

I have never been a New Year’s Resolution kind of person, I don’t believe in big resolutions, I believe in small steps, but that’s me.  Other people find the start of the New Year refreshing, they feel like they are getting a clean slate, that it’s time for a do over.  December is a kind of no man’s land, it’s a buffer between the old and the new where we fill up on cheese, wine and tourtiere and our exercise is stomping through shopping malls carrying bags of gifts and wine and cheese! 

We repeat that New Year New Me mantra in our heads out loud, “January I’m going to get back in the gym, January, I’m going to fill my fridge with healthy food, January I am going to get my arse to bed by 9pm. “  And many of us do start the year off right, the gyms are full, your belly feels nourished with loads of veggies, and you power through that 30 day challenge and feel super empowered for about 2 weeks and then old habits start to call your name, winter drags and chocolate is too delicious, that tv show begs to be watched and you start to slip off the wagon.  

Very few people ever end up sticking to their New Year’s resolutions through the long haul and that’s usually because the approach is overwhelming and unrealistic and you didn’t have a support system in place to make it through the tough times.  Many people think they have to start something new on a Monday or the New Year, because it feels like a new beginning. There’s also the tendency to think that once all the stressful stuff is out of the way, that’s when you can get back on track.  This idea that starting has to be done at a certain time, or that your life has to be settled before you can successfully do something has some merit to it but at the end of the day, if life being messy means you can’t adjust your habits, then you won’t be able to stick with those habits when life gets messy again.. And it will get messy, stressful, and busy again. 

Let’s talk specifically about exercise because that’s my area of expertise, there’s a lot to unpack here.  

How do you succeed in creating a healthy exercise habit?

With exercise, it takes discipline to succeed through the long haul.  There is no point starting a 30 day challenge and then going back to doing nothing afterwards, exercise must become a habit, a non-negotiable and part of your life for the rest of your life.  That doesn’t mean there won’t be ups and downs, of course there will be times where you get to the gym 4 times a week every week but then life comes up and you have to reduce that to 2 times a week or take a little break entirely because of illness or injury. Discipline is your ability to do the hard work in less than optimal conditions.  Maybe it means reducing the time spent at the gym one week because you have a lot to juggle but it doesn’t mean abstaining entirely.  

How does this apply to the New Year’s Resolution Mentality?

Most of the time, resolutions are too big, too unrealistic, they are viewed as a quick fix sprint to the finish line, not a long haul marathon.  You need to start slower so you can finish strong but most people start out sprinting and burn out quickly.  

So how then, do you make a New Year’s Resolution that you might actually stick with?

STEP 1:  Understand that improving any area of your life is not a temporary fix.  Stay away from the 30 day challenge and just concentrate on building on what you are already doing. Break your goal up into manageable steps or progressions.

Example: 

You haven’t exercised since Jane Fonda leotards were the height of active wear fashion.  Telling yourself you are going to start going to the gym 5 days a week for an hour is just not a sustainable goal.  Instead start with 1 to 2 days a week and get that habit ingrained into your routine.  It may take a few months but that consistency and discipline will help you add on when you are ready.  

STEP 2:  Make a resolution that is fueled by internal success rather than external acceptance (weight loss for approval-not for health).  Exercise because it will make you feel better both physically and mentally not because you want to achieve a certain body type or look good for someone’s wedding, etc.

Example:  

You have anxiety/depression and are a little overweight; your doctor tells you to start exercising to help with your mental health and weight loss.  You make yourself go to the gym because losing weight is your main motivation but within the process you discover that your symptoms of depression and anxiety are drastically reduced.  You discover that the best part about exercising are the endorphins and the blast of confidence you get from finishing a workout and getting stronger.

STEP 3: Find the right kind of exercise for you.  You don’t have to spend hours on a treadmill each week or go to every HIIT class available. Try out many options and choose the one that feels right for you. Strength Training is an optimal place to start, because it prepares your body for other activities that might help you reach your goals.

Example:  

You hate all things exercise and can’t be arsed to go to gym, you need to look for alternative types of movement.  For example, did you know there is a drumming fitness class called POUND?  There is no shortage of dance cardio classes, or even get yourself into an adult karate class.  Think about the sport(s) that you enjoyed the most (or hated the least) when you were young, and revive the hobby.In Montreal, we are blessed with parks a-plenty for skating and skiing throughout the winter and easy access to cheap equipment rentals. You just have to get off your butt.

STEP 4: Get yourself some professional help.  No really, the worst thing to see at a gym is someone using youtube or tiktok as a means to learn how to strength train.  While there is a plethora of excellent information out there, if you don’t know how to weed out the good vs the bad advice or demo videos, you are setting yourself up for an inefficient workout and/or an unsafe workout.  As a trainer, going to a commercial gym, I have seen many very fit looking people doing very incorrect/ineffective movements, so don’t assume that someone who looks like they know what they are doing, actually knows what they are doing. Invest in Personal training or Small Group (Semi-Private) training, that way you get individualized workout programs and the attention you need to thrive in the gym safely.

Example: 

You’ve read that strength training is beneficial to premenopausal women and you want to start lifting weights but you have never lifted more than a 2 lb dumbbell in your life.  Find a trainer or a small group training program that specializes in strength training. You want a trainer that understands your starting point and how to gently ease you into this new activity rather than one that forces you into doing things that are uncomfortable/painful solely for gains. 

STEP 5: Find a support system to keep you accountable.  Accountability will help with discipline and that is the number one factor for success because when the New Year New Me motivation wears off, discipline and accountability will see you through.

Example: You and a coworker decide it’s time to get fit, so you join a gym or studio together and make exercise dates each week to help each other go.  You walk/drive together and enjoy the conversation, you commiserate over the tough workout together and share laughs throughout.  You leave each workout fueled by endorphins from the workout but also the social interaction.

The best support system I ever had were a few exceptionally awesome gym buddies.  Trying to force yourself to class after a rough day of work can be too much to manage but if you’ve made plans to meet a friend there, you don’t want to let them down (and yourself) so you go and the more you go the easier it becomes to eventually get there by yourself. 

**If you don’t have a coworker or friend to workout with, hiring a Personal Trainer can help immensely with accountability and your success.  Joining a small group training program where you set your schedule and pay for a month in advance can also help keep you on track.

Whether you resolve to become a better version of yourself this year or next Monday, use these steps to make it worth your while.  At the end of the day you just have to get out there and do it!   Don’t worry about failure, if you don’t like the gym, try something else, just make sure you make your activity resolution a non-negotiable in the most realistic way possible.  Find a support group/friend/community of people who have similar goals.  Remember that in the long run, the things that are hard today will most likely be what you cherish the most later on. 

Finally, understand that most people don’t initially LOVE exercising, and we don’t love it all the time.  Today, I am struggling with the motivation to do my workout even as I write this but will I do it? You Bet! Because the reward for doing the workout is a better attitude, a stronger body and an overall better quality of life and the consequence for skipping it is a smidge of guilt and a little less patience with my kids today but over time…it adds up to slower progress, a more negative perspective and a less healthful existence.  

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GYM INTIMIDATION

Raise your hand if you’ve ever walked past a gym and thought” nah that’s not for me.” But the real reason why is not for a lack of interest but a lack of knowledge. You just wouldn’t know where to start..you’re not an athlete, or interested in being a beef cake, so why bother..walking is good enough right?!

Raise your hand if the idea of walking into a gym gives you cold sweats? Are you intimidated by the machines, by the people you imagine you’ll see in there, or the trainers who might push you beyond your limits?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that gyms give them anxiety, that they are afraid of being judged for not being fit enough, that they had a negative past experience and it makes them steer clear of fitness centres. I’m not here to tell you you’re wrong because I’ve been there. I used to go to a gym only to use the cardio machines (you just have to press ‘Start’ so easy peasy) and then use the mat for bodyweight exercises that I knew from doing Jillian Micheals videos in my living room. I also used to purposely not wear my glasses in the gym so that I couldn’t tell if anyone was looking at me (judging me). I completely avoided the entire weight room, all those crazy looking machines and big dudes; I exclusively used the colourful neoprene dumbbells and did not go near the squat rack. Needless to say, my progress was slow.

One day a trainer at my gym came up to me and asked if he could train me (for free), I usually came at 3 pm which was slow, so he didn’t have a client. He trained me for about 2 months, a few times a week. He taught me how to use almost every machine in the gym, how to set up the squat rack, how to lift heavy and know when and how to push my limits, he taught me proper posture and how to activate my muscles. Because of that trainer, I can walk into any gym with confidence and understand how to use every machine in the room. I learned how to welcome physical challenges and that lifting heavy wasn’t just for men. I understood that you have to start somewhere and it’s ok to not know how to do something, you just have to ask, because most trainers LOVE to share their knowledge and they LOVE it when people fall in love with fitness.

When it came time to set up a studio of our own, one of our first priorities was to create an environment that felt welcoming and to be coaches that people felt comfortable with. Of course we do strive for you to have a certain love/hate relationship with us (we wouldn’t be doing our job if you didn’t hate us a little). We also try to maintain a positive community spirit and work with people wherever they are at; no assumptions, no judgement; because the act of showing up is more than half the battle and for that we commend you!

So the next time you walk past a gym or a fitness studio, we hope you feel a little less intimidated and if you happen to be walking past Studio MoFitness, pop in and say hello!

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Your Life after Exercise

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Anyone who exercises regularly will joyfully tell you all about the benefits of exercise whether you want to hear it or not. As someone who falls into the active category, when someone asks me about exercise I will waste no time in telling them how much I love it, how great it feels, and why everyone needs to MOVE! It’s not because I think everyone should look a certain way, its not because I think everyone should act a certain way and I certainly don’t believe in a 1 size fits all, everyone should run, or lift, or bike, etc. It’s because I want everyone to feel as great as I do; as strong, happy, confident, and positive. I want the people I care about to have a chance at a high quality of life and one of the best ways to do that is to move your body, to sweat, to raise your heart rate, and to engage in things that help you achieve both tangible and intangible goals. Do I think exercise is a cure all for what ails you? Definitely not, but it will help.

When you think about the benefits of exercise, most people think about the big external changes like weight loss or muscle definition and we forget to think about how exercise can change us in the small, incremental ways that add up to big gains. When we only consider external benefits, we can easily get discouraged by the lack of fast results and we fail to realize that on an hourly, daily, and weekly basis, we are benefiting from consistent physical activity.

What kind of changes can you look forward to when you start a new exercise program? What are some things you need to take into account to truly appreciate your fitness journey? We all know that the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is usually inevitable after an extended period of inactivity, or after we ramp up the intensity of our workouts but how can exercise change us physiologically, psychologically, and how can exercise improve our quality of life? How can exercise affect us internally and externally? What are the short term and long term benefits of exercise?

This handy and informative timeline of your body responding to exercise will give you a more detailed look into the how but generally when you exercise you can:

  • Lower your Blood Pressure
  • Lower your Blood Sugar
  • Improve Bone Density
  • Increase your Metabolism
  • Improve your Sleep
  • Elevate your Mood and Regulate Emotions
  • Increase your Self-Confidence
  • Boost your Brain Power
  • Increase your Energy

Blood Pressure

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During exercise, your systolic blood pressure increases to keep up with the activity that is taking place, where your heart is now pumping out more blood to keep up with your oxygen usage. This rise in blood pressure is totally normal and once you go back to a resting state, your blood pressure will decrease; the faster your blood pressure decreases the healthier you are. If you’ve been in a workout class, you’ll notice some people bounce right back after a set and some people spend their rest period trying to get themselves off the ground. This process of increasing and decreasing your blood pressure leads to short term benefits like increased alertness. In the long term, it can help regulate your blood pressure so you decrease your risk of heart disease.

*if you have or are at risk of heart disease (high/low blood pressure, etc…talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program)

Blood Sugar

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Exercise is an important factor in the prevention of and treatment of diabetes. Consistent exercise lowers your body’s sensitivity to insulin and lowers your blood sugar level. When you exercise, your body burns your reserves of sugar stored in your muscles and liver and once they use that up, your body will replenish your stores with sugar from your blood. The more intense your workout, the lower your blood sugar will go. In my experience, after a rigorous hot yoga session, I often need to get to the nearest source of sugar in order to replenish what I’ve lost. You can easily go to far so if you are someone who falls into either end of the blood sugar spectrum you should first consult with your doctor, pack a snack in your exercise bag, and monitor your blood sugar before you exercise as well as after.

In addition to lowering your blood sugar, exercise can help reduce your risk of complications from diabetes and if you are someone who is at-risk of type 2 diabetes (for example women with PCOS), exercise can help prevent you from getting it altogether; (combined with a healthy diet of course).

Improves Bone Density

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Weight bearing exercises improve bone density by forcing your body to adapt to the increased pressure by building more bone (becoming denser). You need to back up your exercise program with adequate nutrition to support this process so consuming enough calcium and vitamin D also play a key role in optimal bone health.

Increase Your Metabolism

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Metabolism is the process of turning your food into fuel and how well your metabolism works will determine how efficiently you process the calories you consume. Most of your energy is burned at rest, every organ in your body uses your metabolism to keep it functioning. Your major organs use about half of your resting energy and your digestive system and your muscles use most of the other half. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (resting rate) accounts for over 60% of your energy burned and exercise or general activity burns between 10-30%. Your Basal Metabolic Rate depends on a variety of factors like age, gender (for women-the luteal phase), genetics, and how much lean muscle you have.

Unfortunately for cardio aficionados, the calorie burn you get from hours on the treadmill is actually a less efficient means of burning calories in the long run than strength training. Building lean muscle can have a direct influence on your basal metabolic rate because your muscles use energy even when you’re sitting on the sofa. Once you step off the treadmill though, your body is pretty well done burning energy. This is because the process of building muscle causes your muscles to tear and repair; after a strength training session, when you go back to your desk, your muscles will be using your energy stores to repair themselves. This is why, when you start lifting weights, you might find your food consumption increases.

If you are trying to lose weight, strength training will give you a major boost but if you over restrict your calorie intake you can actually work against yourself, slowing down your metabolism.

Improve Your Sleep

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There are studies that show that regular exercise can improve sleep quality, can decrease insomnia and that a lack of exercise can actually induce insomnia. There are 3 main theories that explain the exercise-sleep relationship; core temperature change, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, can reset your internal clock.

It’s no secret that many people’s mind will flip into hyper-drive when its time to lay down and get some rest, this can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety that can prevent people from falling asleep and staying asleep. Regular exercise can mitigate these symptoms through the release of endorphins which helps us think positive thoughts.

When you exercise, your body heats up, afterwards, at rest, it cools down; this process is similar to what your body does when you go to sleep. Thus your body will be triggered hen its time to wind down, to go to sleep.

Finally, studies suggest that when we are inactive, our circadian rhythm can be off, regular exercise can reset that internal clock, helping us get to sleep faster.

A lack of exercise has been linked to many factors of poor health like insomnia, stress, and the effects of ageing.

Rarely does exercise cause insomnia unless you exercise too close to bedtime since the endorphins you release after exercise pumps you up and it takes some time to settle down afterwards.

Elevates Your Mood and Regulates Emotions

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This is an easy one, exercise releases those super charged endorphins which has the power to make us happy, reduce irritability, and think positive thoughts. This is my favourite, most direct and immediate effect of exercise.

For those who may have difficulty regulating their emotions, exercise can be a powerful tool to help you deal with stressful situations in a constructive manner. Stepping away from the biochemical reactions we have to exercise, exercise can help focus your brain and provide a sense of accomplishment. Each time you make it through a workout is an accomplishment, kind of like the good feeling you get when you complete your ‘to do’ list for the day.

Exercise can help you better navigate negative emotions and stressful situations so that you react more constructively to difficult situations.

Increase your Self-Confidence

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Yesterday, I added 10 lbs to my back squat; I stared at the bar with determination, but at the same time questioning how this progression was going to feel, how many reps could I do at this weight, could I get to 10 reps, was I going to break form and hurt myself, would I have sore muscles the next day (YUP!)? I gripped the bar, got under it and lifted it off the rack, and got to work. Here is reenactment of what my brain goes through during a progression in weight: “Squat 1..ok this is heavy, Squat 2, my stance feels wrong..slight adjustment, there’s the sweet spot, Squat 3,4,5,6 I got this, Squat 7,8, this is tough, can I get 2 more? Squat 9…grunt…I can do it, Squat 10, mother of mercy…its over, I did it! “

Training people is one of the most rewarding jobs because when you’ve been working with a client and they successfully do something that they weren’t able to do when they started, their joy is contagious and the victory is mutual. “That’s the first time I did 10 plank jacks without stopping” Victory! “I went from a 5lb to a 44lb Goblet squat in a year!” Victory! “I feel so great after working out with you!” VICTORY! These accomplishments help you gain confidence in the gym but that can translate to other parts of your life. When things seem hard you know it’s temporary and you can get through it. When you exercise you build physical and mental strength and determination.

Boosts Your Brain Power

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Exercise makes your blood flow stronger sending nutrients to your brain to help it do its job. If you’ve ever had a difficult situation and solved it while in downward dog or pounding the pads, you’re not alone. Exercise increases alertness and improves cognitive function. You can have brains and brawn!

Improves your Quality of Life

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If you haven’t figured it out yet, exercise has the power to greatly improve your quality of life. From preventing and treating disease, relieving symptoms of insomnia, anxiety and depression, to boosting you intellect, energy, and self-confidence; exercise is something that all able body humans should engage in. Perhaps it will require some trial and error to find a way you enjoy moving, but you owe it to yourself to get up and move consistently. Being able to exercise is a privilege and one you should not take lightly, it is a celebration of what your body can do and you should be proud of yourself for moving no matter how fast or strong you are today.

Rewiring our brains to include daily movement as a fundamental part of the day is no easy task but prioritizing our health has a tangible, long lasting, and deeply beneficial effect on our quality of life.

*MoFitness does not offer nutrition or medical advice, all information above is from research done for the purpose of this blog post and is in no way meant to replace medical advice from a doctor.

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RECOVERY DAYS: Not Just For Your Muscles

What is a Recovery Day and Why is it Important?

At MoFitness, we know that you need to work hard to see results, you need to be committed to your goals and stay consistent through the process. We know that pushing your limits will create change but that you need to do it safely, progress steadily, and learn to rest when you need it. We also know that the fitness industry likes to tell you to go hard or go home, no pain no gain, and all that; and while there is a grain of truth to that, it does not mean you should be working out at maximum intensity 7 days a week and ignoring things that make you hurt.

What is the optimal weekly workout schedule?

First let’s discuss the optimal schedule for exercise; there is no one size fits all here. It will largely depend on your goals, your physical state/injuries, whether you are a beginner or advanced, and what your time constraints look like. However, the general recommendation is that you need 150 active minutes each week and that you should aim for 2-5 strength training days, and 3 cardio days per week depending on your fitness level. You should give your muscles about 48 hours of recovery, so you don’t want to do leg day 2 days in a row. Your cardio can be done on the same day as strength training and can be mixed into a strength training routine. For example, Kettlebell swings can be a cardiovascular exercise if you do enough reps to get your heart rate up. Lastly, you need 2 recovery days per week, and those days can be active recovery days or just plain old Netflix and nothing kind of days.

Why Are Recovery Days Important?

Recovery days are both mentally and physically integral to a balanced fitness regimen and overall lifestyle. Giving 110% everyday will certainly drain you, making you less likely to stick with your plan and much more likely to take extended fitness breaks to recharge. Scheduling in recovery days each week makes it much easier to get your workouts done when you know that tomorrow, you get to be a couch potato. However, you should keep your weekly workout plan somewhat fluid; if you are too sore to hit the gym, or feel overwhelmed, or burnt out; have an unscheduled rest day and appreciate every minute of it. Not only are recovery days essential but they are also supremely beneficial.

Rest Days Prevent Fatigue and Injury

If you are concerned that by taking a rest, you won’t be making gains, you could not be more wrong. Your muscles need time to rebuild. When you strength train, you create microscopic tears in your muscle tissue; the process of getting stronger is the breaking and repairing of your muscle tissue. Your muscles also use glycogen to fuel your workouts, during rest days, your muscles replenish their glycogen stores giving you more fuel for future training days. If you don’t give your muscles adequate time to recover you’ll end up over training your muscle groups which leads to injury and burnout. You are more likely to get injured if you overtrain because when your muscles are tired you are more likely to lose your form, compensate with the wrong muscles/joints or make a mistake.

Rest Days Are Mental Health Days

Sticking to a training regimen is not only physically demanding, but also mentally challenging. Maintaining the willpower to get to the gym, to do your best each time is exhausting. Some days our motivation can hit rock bottom and that is totally normal. It’s perfectly acceptable to say, “today I just can’t”. The key here is to make sure you don’t have too many “can’t” days in a row, making it a weekly habit. Motivation comes and goes, the key to success in fitness training is to be consistent with your practice. We all need days at the spa, days on the couch, days having coffee and cake with friends, and you should never feel guilty about those days. Those days keep our life balanced between our responsibilities and leisure time and make the grind worth it.

Rest Days help you Enjoy Exercise More

Forcing yourself to exercise every day will certainly lead to resentment after awhile. You’ll get bored and won’t leave yourself much time to explore new things. Rest days can free up time to discover new ways of moving that you might enjoy. Rest days also give you perspective on why you workout in the first place. After all, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”.

What Does a Recovery Day Look Like?

Recovery or Rest Days can be anything that gives your body and mind time to regenerate. Sitting on the couch watching movies is a totally acceptable rest day if that’s what you need. If you need some time in nature, taking a light hike or going for a leisurely bike ride, playing with your kids, is all a perfectly perfect way to spend your rest day.

Getting a massage? You bet!

Eating your weight in tacos? Certainly delicious, but not highly recommended.

Doing a gentle Yoga class? Absolutely. We even have a class for that! Check out Flow & Yin on Saturday at 4pm.

Laying by the pool? Yes indeed

Meditating? Most definitely!

Watching 3 seasons on Netflix and eating snacks? Yup, just maybe take some stretch breaks and snack responsibly.

You get the point. Almost anything can be a recovery day as long as it feels good and you are enjoying yourself. Sometimes active recovery is what you need and sometimes, actively avoiding movement is your main goal for the day. Either works. Personally I aim to have 1 active recovery day and 1 “lazy” day….On my lazy day I usually do groceries and some meal prepping for the week.

It’s 2022 and we are finally starting to learn that we can’t do it all, we have to give ourselves a break now and then and not feel guilty about it. Because “time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted”. -John Lennon.

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5 Steps to Getting Back on Track

September is already half way done, did you plan to get back into your fitness routine once the kids went back to school, or after vacation but you just can’t seem to get back at it? Maybe you need to get back on the fitness wagon or your present fitness routine feels just blah and you need to shake things up to stay motivated. Whatever your situation may be, here are 5 steps to take before you jump head first into something new.

Step 1: Find Your Why?

What’s your internal motivation? All too often we focus on external motivators like weight loss for appearance or to make someone else happy; but if you want to start a fitness plan that works for you and makes YOU happy, you need to identify your fundamental reason for being active.

What internally motivates you to move your body and seek a healthier, active lifestyle? For example: do you want to feel stronger, more confident, and energetic? Do you want to relieve aches and pains that come from leading a sedentary lifestyle? Or are you an avid endorphin chaser that has hit a wall and wants to make a change?

External motivators won’t keep you motivated for long because more often than not, goals like weight loss are too subjective and depend on a variety of other factors such as nutrition, sleep, stress, hormones, and much more. When we fail to attain these goals we get demotivated. However, once you find the root reason for being active and feel it working (energy, strength, mood elevation) you’ll be more likely to stick with your fitness goals.

Step 2: Baby Steps

You may have lofty goals but trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle (exercise, nutrition, sleep, water intake, etc) all at once will most likely leave you overwhelmed, drained and defeated. Start with what you can reasonably manage and add on from there. If you currently don’t exercise at all, eat a diet of processed foods and have a low water intake you shouldn’t start by buying a fridge full of whole foods, plan a 4 day a week gym routine and try to drink 2 L of water daily all at the same time. Try adding 2- 30 min walks to your week and cooking a healthy meal 1-2 times per week. Real, sustainable, and healthy change takes time because the outcome is to become more intuitively healthy for life. If you’re stressed about getting everything right from the get go; you’re more likely to fall short of your goals, feel like a failure and give up.

Ask yourself on a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to stick with a goal (Ex. Exercising 3 times/week) if the answer is less than 8 out of 10, you will most certainly not meet your goal. Adjust your goal until your answer is 8 or higher and you will most likely succeed.

Step 3: Don’t Overcommit

If committing to an hour long session at the gym or Bootcamp class feels daunting, then start with 20 minutes a few times a week. Some studios offer 30 minute classes, or you could work with a trainer to write you a 30 minute workout program. Heading out for a 20 minute bike ride or walk is better than doing 0 minutes and you will feel much better physically and mentally for having moved your body. You can gradually work your way up to the recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you feel like the only way you will commit to a fitness routine is to make it official, look for a 4-6 week training program that takes into account your fitness level, your personal goals, and keeps you accountable.

Step 4: Recovery is Essential

Often when people jump into a new fitness regimen, they have an all or nothing mentality; this mentality is certainly fed by the fitness industry telling you that to be fit you have to be 110% committed. This mindset can lead people into dangerous territory, particularly when it comes to over training. Rest days, and active recovery are just as essential to your training program as your gym days. Cool down, stretching and recovery help your body heal and ultimately get faster and stronger more efficiently. Recovery looks like stretching, yin yoga, taking a walk, getting a massage, stretching, meditation, gardening, etc. Your body and your mind will benefit from these recovery activities, giving you time to enjoy other things which creates a more balanced lifestyle.

Step 5: Find What you Love!

Getting to the gym is half the battle; if you hate running on the treadmill and find yourself dreading it then DON’T run on the treadmill! If you absolutely abhor gyms, cardio machines and lifting weights then by all means abstain from doing these activities. The most important thing you can do to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle is to find an activity that makes you happy. Go hiking, skiing, skating, biking, rock climbing, or dancing. Join a soccer league or learn a new sport. If nothing truly interests you, don’t underestimate the power of a workout bud to make the gym or a fitness classes more interesting. Most importantly, keep an open mind; just because your high school gym teacher made you run beep tests and you hated it doesn’t mean you won’t like running now. Or you might think yoga is for hippies, cross training is for bros and biking requires far too much spandex, but you’ll never know what you enjoy most unless you get out there, lay down your heart and give it a go!

***Depending on your situation, you may want to get a doctors clearance before you start exercising and its always good to consult a professional trainer to ensure you are setting out on the right path.

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Tips on How to Make Virtual Fitness Work for You!

I know, I know, virtual fitness is not for you, but hear me out; I didn’t think it was for me either, and then I did it and I liked it, not just as the instructor but as a participant and what we discovered last year, is that others liked it too.  There are some definite advantages to working out online but to make the most of it, you need to get yourself set up for it, mentally and physically.  This does not require loads of fancy tech and equipment, just simple adjustments and maybe a few purchases based on your budget.  

The Advantages of Virtual Live Fitness Classes:

Accountability & Commitment

  1. You must book your class in advance thus increasing the likelihood that you’ll attend the class.  If you don’t there will be consequences such as penalty fees, and losing booking privileges, etc.  Making this appointment gives you more accountability and helps to keep you committed to your goals.  If you are relying on yourself to turn on a pre-recorded class after a tough day of work, your success rate significantly decreases.  It takes a special kind of person to commit to home fitness regularly; if you’re that person, amazing, but many of us need to go to the gym, make the appointment, and look forward to the social interactions that come with group fitness.

Individualized Attention

  1. I have taken some online fitness classes from a few different places and certainly preferred the classes where the instructor greeted me by name, engaged with me while I was working out and where the other members were also engaged with each other.  It’s not the easiest thing to do when you have large groups, which is why I prefer small group fitness classes both in person and online.  With Studio MoFitness, even if we haven’t met you in person, we know your name when you sign up for classes and we learn about your strengths and weaknesses so that when you sign up for more classes, we know how to challenge you and what your limitations are.  Being a team of 3 Coaches, we share this knowledge with each other to make sure that every time you show up to class you get what you need from it.  

Safety

  1. With our small groups, we can check your posture and give you cues in real time tailored to you.  We can also answer any questions you have and address particular exercises that may not feel right for you.  We can also modify exercises based on the equipment you have at home.  

Social Interactions

  1. A Live Virtual class is more social; when you log in for class we usually have a few minutes to chat before we get started, last year we had members who had never met in person, start to engage with each other online.  Most everyone was working from home or just plain old stuck at home so this social interaction, however small, was something we all looked forward to each day.  PS…I’m open to starting an online drink and flow on Sat evenings where we can have a glass of wine or cup of tea, do a little yoga, have a little chat.  Let me know if that interests you!

Convenience

  1. A Live Virtual Class means you don’t have to walk your sweaty self home in sub-zero temperatures, you can go straight from workout to shower to pajamas with a cup of tea and movie without leaving the warmth and comfort of your home. 

It’s Just Better than the Alternative

  1. Finally, and probably most importantly, the gyms are closed for who knows how long and while it may seem easier to sit and do nothing, you will regret not sticking with your fitness regimen.  Winter is already a much more sedentary time; don’t give in to the sofa and the comfort foods without taking time to move our body in a positive and meaningful way.  It’s going to be hella cold this week, would you rather sit and complain about it or get up a move and feel great regardless?

Tips on How to Get the Most out of Virtual Fitness Classes

Screen Set Up

  1. It can be awkward to have to constantly adjust your computer screen so we can see you and you can see us.  The best option is to put your computer or tablet up in a high position that takes in as much of the room as possible.  If you can hook up your TV to act as a monitor, that’s a great system too!  My advice is to test out the placement of your technology so that you don’t need to adjust it throughout class.

Sound Set Up

  1. More on tech, sound can be an issue and depending on your home situation (roommates, kids, partners) you may not be able to have the sound on at full volume, in that case a pair of earbuds will be very beneficial.  If noise is not an issue, connect to a bluetooth speaker to increase the volume as needed. 

Space Set Up

  1. We know space is at a premium in our city apartments, some of you may be able to have a dedicated workout zone in your home but many of us have to push the coffee table aside and clear away the mountains of laundry, toys, paperwork, etc. First of all…no judgement on your clutter, we’re all living that life at some point.  For most of our virtual classes, you need enough space to lay down your yoga mat and put your equipment out of the way so you don’t trip over it.  You also want to be able to do jumping jacks without knocking things down.  We occasionally incorporate chairs and walls into our workouts so additional space for a chair is ideal.  I have had members leave the room to use available wall space, or have to go out of camera view to do an incline glute bridge, we just have to adapt as needed.

Noise Level

  1. Downstairs neighbours don’t like to hear you jumping around?  Another city living problem, one we try to rectify by reducing the amount of hard impact exercises we do online.  Don’t worry, you can still get a good sweat without shaking your neighbours photos off the wall. Some people may inform their neighbours of the potential noise if they are on good terms with them.  You can simply let them know (verbally or in writing) that you will be working out at a set time a few times a week and will try to keep the noise to a minimum but sometimes they may hear some banging.  Hopefully your neighbours understand and you can always invite them to join the workout too!

Equipment Set Up

  1. Finally, in terms of equipment; most of MoFitness Virtual workouts can be done with a pair of dumbbells and a resistance band.  If you can manage it, then a pair of light and heavier dumbbells will serve you well and you can use them like kettlebells.  An open end resistance band is the most versatile as you can tie it around your legs to use like a mini band or leave the ends open for pull and press exercises.  If you’re wondering where to get reasonably priced exercise equipment, our best suggestions are Decathlon (McGill Metro, Brossard, Laval, etc) and Canadian Tire.  Winners often has a pretty solid selection of resistance bands and most recently I saw a huge stock of bands, gliders, mats, dumbbells, and kettlebells at Provigo St Jacques (prices were a bit higher than standard).  I’ve seen resistance bands, small dumbbells, and yoga blocks at dollarama.  Some of our members last year used soup cans for dumbbells and that worked just fine so you don’t need a pile of fancy equipment to get a good workout.

Interact

  1. Engage with the instructor and the other members…we don’t really love to shout instructions at a screen all day long so interact with us with both verbal and non-verbal cues.  During group classes, we do ask that you keep yourself muted most of the time because the screen switches based on the noise being picked up and the other members need to have the instructor screen at full size. That being said, if you have a question, you want to compliment someone’s burpee or house plant, or just want to tell the Coaches that we’re crazy, unmute and speak freely!  Alternatively, you can use the chat feature to send us questions or encouraging messages to the group.

Challenge, Plan, Reward

  1. We know it’s hard to stay on track through these lockdowns and harder still to convince yourself to workout online so if you struggle with motivation, set yourself up a reward system (not food based).  For example, giving yourself a little leisure time post workout, or if you stick to your exercise goals for the month, reward yourself by buying a new pair of leggings or a weekly ‘me time’ session.  I quit smoking ‘cold turkey’ by setting up a reward system (after 3 days a small reward, after 3 weeks a medium reward, after 3 months a large reward, after 1 year do something to honour yourself). Sign up for a challenge or start one with a group of friends, a challenge should help you jump start a healthy and sustainable lifestyle change.   

Invite a Friend

  1. Lastly, if you feel like you might need some additional accountability or moral support, invite a friend to do it with you. The best part is that your friend doesn’t even have to be in the same time zone, so it’s a great way to stay in touch with a friend in another city.  Refer a friend and we’ll give you and your friend a free class to say thank you! 

Book a class here: http://www.mofitness.ca/bookings/

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Find Your Training Tribe at Studio MoFitness

Register now for our upcoming January session starting January 9th. Fill out this form and send us an email at mofitnessmtl@gmail.com to let us know your full name. We will confirm your spot once we have enough people to fill a time slot.

What is Small Group Training?
Small Group Training takes the best aspects of Personal Training and combines it with the very best parts of Group Training.  You’ll receive individualized attention and be able to work towards your specific goals but you will share the cost of training with 3 others and benefit from a positive community of like minded people.
Over 4 weeks, you’ll set yourself a personalized goal and we’ll create a progressive fitness program tailored to your needs and the needs of the group.  The program is set by Coach Chelsie and is overseen by Coach Mo who has more than 16 years experience as a coach. Check out our Promo Video

What You Get?
Your 4 week session training fee will include the following:
– Individualized Attention of a Personal Trainer 
-Your Set Training Time = Accountability, Stability, Commitment, SUCCESS!!!
-Comprehensive progressive 4 week training program based on your goals
-50% off our drop in classes (10$/class instead of 20$)
-1 Complimentary Flow & Yin Yoga Classes (Value 20$)
-Dedicated Team of Coaches who will be there to support you every step of the way


How Does it Work?
Fill out this form selecting your time and day preference(s) and we will match you with your Training Tribe.  You will train at the same time and day for 4 weeks.  You can choose to train 1,2,3 or 4 times per week. Sessions starting before 7:30 am or after 5:30pm need a minimum of 3 people to be confirmed. Weekday session can be 1 person.


How Much Does it Cost?
Less than 20$ per session, which is less than the price of a large group class in most gyms and studios.  Prices are listed on our website.

You can pay through our website, or at the studio by credit card or you can send an etransfer. (Wait for your schedule to be confirmed before making a payment.)

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8 Reasons Why it’s Better to Workout with a Friend or a Group.

Over the past 2 years we’ve seen people drop off the fitness wagon soon after the gyms shut down and reemerge in Spring feeling tired and weak but motivated to move their bodies.  Why was it so hard to stick to a fitness routine from your living room? Pandemic stressors aside, for most of us, it’s simply not motivating to workout in isolation when the only person cheering you on is yourself.  I’d rather eat ice cream and watch Netflix than perform yet another bodyweight squat in my living room.

Let’s examine 8 reasons why it’s better to workout with others.

  1.  It’s WAY more fun

In addition to the jokes, laughter, and the high fives, you can also do super fun partner exercises like partner ball slams and high five planks! You actually release more endorphins when you workout with a group because you are having positive social interactions with others.

  1. Accountability and Commitment

Working out with a friend or a small group means you are more likely to show up for your workout.  It’s harder to make a commitment to yourself than if someone is waiting for you at the gym.  

  1.  Shared Agony

After a particularly grueling workout, you can commiserate together over a post workout smoothie, coffee, or beer (no judgement).  Having a friend to talk about the challenges and triumphs of a workout is half the fun!

  1.  Reduces Stress

According to this study, working out with a buddy or in a group reduces stress levels by 26% compared to working alone.  This is likely attributed to all the laughing and smiling you do when working out with others.

  1. More Motivating and Adventurous

Watching others power through a workout on days when you’d rather snooze on your mat, helps motivate you to get to their level.  You’ll feed off the energy in the room, making you work harder than you would if you had to face your treadmill alone. You’ll benefit from others cheering you on when you just want to give up and you’ll be more adventurous seeing others try new things.

  1. More Likely to Succeed

Whatever your personal goal is, whether it’s simply to establish a fitness routine, to build muscle, or perform a pullup; you are more likely to succeed when you workout with someone else.  Due to the accountability and commitment factor, simply showing up is half the battle; when you don’t show up, you don’t make strides.  You’ll also have someone to celebrate your successes with, even when you don’t notice them yourself!

  1.  You Always Have a Spotter

Maybe you don’t have a friend that you can workout with because your schedules don’t match or your friends aren’t interested in fitness.  Finding a group class or small group training program that motivates you can help you build relationships with those that share similar goals and lifestyles as you.  The healthy actions of others can rub off on you.  Working out in a group means there is always someone around to spot you, to help you out if you’re not sure how to use a machine, or to teach you something new and fun.

  1. A Break from Reality

When our days are filled with responsibilities; work, school, kids, errands, family, etc; working out can feel like another item on your ‘To Do List’.  When you look forward to meeting up with your workout buddy or group, it can feel like a well deserved break from reality.  During that 1 hour sweat session, you’ll laugh, commiserate, sweat, groan, and chat with others who have little or nothing to do with your ‘real world” life.

We’ve looked at the benefits of working out with a friend or in a group.  But are there any drawbacks?  Of course, but there are also solutions!

When you work out in a large group setting there is often an assumed fitness level.  Meaning, it is assumed that everyone can perform proper squats, lunges, pushups, etc.  Hiring a trainer can remove this danger, however many people cannot afford this luxury.  That’s why we (Studio MoFitness) developed a Small Group Training Program where you can reap the benefits of working with a trainer but share the cost with a group so you may also experience those super charged group exercise endorphins!

Send us a message to find out more about our Small Group Training Program starting January, 2021 and our Early Bird Discount!

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EXCITING CLASS UPDATES!

We are starting our summer park class season off with a bang with all new classes in 3 different parks! We are incredibly pleased to an ounce that one of our original MoFitness members, Christina, will be leading Yoga and Zumba classes in the park this summer, starting Sunday June 6th. We have also started a Youth Kickboxing program to help get your kids off the screen and outside moving! Finally, we have added a Prenatal Fitness class in NDG Park, so join Coach Chelsie (6 months pregnant) for a safe workout to keep you healthy and happy throughout your pregnancy!

OUTDOOR CLASS SCHEDULE (Complete Schedule Here)

YOUTH KICKBOXING PROGRAM

In an effort to help parents get their children outside and moving more, we have started a Youth Kickboxing Program in Georges Saint Pierre Park on Saturday at 9am. At this time the class is full however we have the option to add classes depending on demand.

WHY KICKBOXING?

Kickboxing for anyone, is an incredible workout that helps to increase overall strength and cardio endurance. Combined with other fitness exercises (drills, strength training, etc), it is the best workout around. For children, kickboxing is a way to enjoy physical fitness on an individual level. Not all children wish to participate in team sports but there are few options available to those children. We do not teach competitive kickboxing, we teach children the basic techniques (kicks, pushes, blocking , and evading) but they do not spar.

BENEFITS OF KICKBOXING

  • Increase muscular and cardio strength and endurance
  • Increase agility, coordination, focus, and self-control
  • Improves mental, emotional, and physical health
  • Promotes confidence and self respect

Due to demand, at this time, the class is for children 7-12, however if demand allows, we would consider adding a class for older children (13-17)-Minimum 4 per group. Reach out if you are interested in enrolling your child/teen in Youth Kickboxing!

PRENATAL FITNESS

Group Instructor and Studio Manager, Coach Chelsie, is currently 6 months pregnant and decided to start offering Prenatal Fitness Classes in NDG Park, every Wednesday at 9am. The 30 minute class, focuses on safely maintaining your fitness level through maternity. We will work on upper and lower body strength, pelvic floor work, and mobility movements to aid with pregnancy symptoms, delivery, and recovery.

Benefits of Prenatal Fitness for Mom:

  • Reduce risk of pregnancy complications
  • Speed post-delivery recover
  • Lower odds of delivery complications
  • Boost your mood
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Ease back and pelvic pain
  • Fight fatigue
  • Improve sleep

Benefits of Prenatal Fitness for Baby:

  • Reduced odds of diabetes
  • Boost to brain health
  • Lower BMI
  • A fitter heart
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MoFitness: A Love Story

By: Jessica Desgagnes

What would become MoFitness originated when 2 strangers living abroad in Abu Dhabi – Chelsie, an art teacher at an international school, Moses, a freelance fitness coach –  had a most auspicious chance encounter.

  • Wedding in the Seychelles
  • Honeymoon
  • Wedding in Mwanza, TZ

Having energetically bonded over a mutual love of fitness, healthy and active lifestyles, and an obvious passion for imparting knowledge, it did not take long for a partnership to evolve beyond an obvious attraction to each other. Chelsie and Moses began to put their heads together to develop Moses’ freelance career into a small business beginning with Teacher Fitness Training together while in Abu Dhabi.

Teacher Fitness at Maplewood International School, Abu Dhabi

The bonded enthusiasts relocated to Montreal wherein Coach Moses worked at various gyms, building a professional network, while Chelsie took on the management and marketing of the to-be community studio. Their determination and hard work pushed them beyond obstacles, and in the summer of 2019 the duo ran a Family Fitness program and began developing a series of workshops.

During the initial pandemic lockdown in 2020 they continued to challenge themselves by filming “Daily Tips” videos, which led to the creation of their outdoor fitness class series, “SWEAT in the Park”. Their business took off and as luck would have it, a perfectly-located studio opened and they didn’t hesitate to jump at the opportunity. The studio remains open despite the challenging times as a result of the pandemic. The love for this fitness studio and its members never stops, as the small business owners continue to develop the programs and classes they offer, the newest being “Yoga Flow” and “Relax and Recharge”, a Yin class. Members continue to value one-on-one personal training, virtual small group training, and outdoor classes in the park, all in compliance with the safety codes. MoFitness is immensely thankful for it’s members both past and present, for their support and enthusiasm, which motivates them to continue inspiring an active and healthy community.

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Gearing Up for a Montreal Winter Weather Workout

MoFitness is super grateful that we can provide you with our outdoor Winter Boot Camp again, given the pandemic restrictions. In light of this, we thought it might be helpful for our fitness community, especially our new members, to have a quick rundown of helpful tips for outdoor classes.

Layer your clothing:

  1. Opt for a tighter fit, sweat-wicking base layer like tech or dri-fit shirts and leggings that are made of materials like polyester, which pulls moisture from your body, leaving you dry. Fleece lined and merino wool base layers are great for keeping you warm while wicking away moisture. Cotton will absorb your sweat and weigh you down, making you feel colder.
  2. Add a layer of insulation that will allow for full range of motion such as a performance vest or pullover.
  3. Finally, add a protective shell that is waterproof as it will be light and dry.

Consider the temperature and add about 20 degrees as this is closer to how you will feel while working out. Example: If it’s -10 degrees, you will feel as if it is +10 degrees. An added bonus to layering is you can easily remove items as you heat up and bundle up again when you’re done.

Protect your ears and consider investing in waterproof gloves.

Footwear:

Hiking boots are recommended and crampons might be helpful if it’s icy. You can wear sneakers, but know that they will get wet so have a warm pair of wool socks on and plan time to dry your sneakers out after.

Don’t forget to bring your mat and sunscreen!

Given that it’s cold outside the workout does not include a stretch or cool down period; instead MoFitness advises stretching at home post-workout. A good stretch in a warm shower after an outdoor workout feels amazing! 

There are plenty of perks that accompany an outdoor workout including: Vitamin D for your immune system, a boost in your metabolism, reducing symptoms of depression (being in nature helps in general), mental stamina (have you heard of Wim Hof?!), and the opportunity to socialize – safely distanced, of course.

Don’t let Montreal’s winter weather prevent you from meeting your fitness goals!

Winter Bootcamp Schedule: Saturday 10-10:45 am in Parc Georges Saint Pierre

Pay and Register Here

Winter Bootcamp Officially Ends March 30th, 2021 at which point we will resume our SWEAT in The Park Class Series

Check out our Winter Bootcamp Promo Video

Winter Bootcamp Classes are held in Park Georges Saint Pierre (Upper Lachine/Oxford)

OUR TOP WINTER FITNESS GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS:

We are not affiliated with any brands, we have just found that these brands offer warmth, comfort and are generally affordable.

UnderArmour Cold Gear. Base layer long sleeve shirts are a staple for me biking to work and conducting Winter Bootcamp classes. Go to the outlet at Marche Centrale for the best prices. We also wear their gloves for class.

Baleaf fleece lined leggings. Available on Amazon for about 40$, I wore these for every Winter Bootcamp class and also just on regular walk around days. They mute the bite of the cold on your legs.

Icebreaker Merino Wool Neck warmer

Quechua Hiking Boots from Decathlon If you don’t want to spend a ton on boots you won’t wear that often, the Decathlon brand is great. I actually ended up wearing mine more than my other boots!

Decathlon is a great shop that provides a lot of awesome gear at an incredibly affordable price. The sizes for clothing run a bit small (European sizing) but if you want to participate in Winter Bootcamp but don’t want to invest a ton of money, you’ll be able to find a lot here.

I also bought a fleece jacket from Old Navy that I wear as my insulation layer under my Columbia hard shell. On really cold days I just wear my regular winter jacket (Burton snowboard jacket). You will remove at least 1 layer during the workout. I usually ended up in my Underarmour base layer after about 10 minutes.

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How Regular Exercise and Yoga Help Me Conquer Negative Thought Patterns

woman doing yoga

By Jessica Desgagnes

Buddha said: “Life is suffering”. Not misery.

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I had convinced myself that I didn’t have to work at something to grow beyond whatever a 9-5 shift – or 19:00-2:00 – was bringing to my life, but it was apparent when I looked around me that I had.

I do, however, remember the day I decided to try something that I had dismissed.

An acquaintance had posted on social media that she was looking for a gym partner to join her for partner personal training at a fitness studio that offered small group training and for whatever reason, I decided to give it a shot. Did I believe I could do “it”? Nope. I was merely open to the possibility. I maintain the choice to show up is the hardest part, and continues to be, because the mind has the capacity to crush us more than any barbell can.

“I can’t do a push-up” – honestly though, I hadn’t the strength to do one, not even from my knees – reframed, became: “I can do a push-up with my hands on the wall.”

Maybe it was easier in the short term to feed that negative energy because it was what I knew. I’d been unwittingly doing it for years. The “I can’ts” are just one example of myriad voices I battle in my head. Not-so-breaking-news: I’m not so unique that I don’t share the same thoughts loads of people around me do. The difference is acknowledging the negative thoughts and choosing to challenge them.

Making regular exercise part of my lifestyle is a tool that translates to battling negative thoughts in other areas of my life as well. It’s as if that extra push to get just one more squat in when I think that I have nothing else left in me and the instant “kick” that comes with surprising myself builds strength of body and mind.

I combat negative thoughts via my yoga practice as well. Perhaps in part because my work is physically demanding, I find myself gravitating toward Yin yoga in particular; it is quite literally the match to my yang. It’s how I give myself time for introspection. I am increasingly learning to respond to situations rather than react, or lash out, if you will.

When I give in to negative thought patterns – and I must emphasize give in -, I increasingly hinder my potential; I cage myself. When I choose to challenge my fears (which are often a product of low self-esteem) with each seemingly miniscule personal milestone my confidence grows. When my mind and body are healthier, I can better serve myself, my inner circle, and my community at large. Neuroplasticity is real: build your mind, create your life.

I would love to read your stories on the MoFitness community Facebook page! We can all afford to learn from each other.

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OPEN HOUSE/JOURNÉE PORTES OUVERTES

Food and Fund Drive for the Food Depot

Studio MoFitness Mtl will be hosting an open house with the goal of raising funds and collecting food for the Food Depot of NDG. As a small business we aim to become a part of the community and help those in need around us.  One way we can do this is by using our platform to host an event to raise money for a program that helps provides access to nutritious food for our vulnerable citizens.  The need for nutritious food has only become greater due to the COVID-19 pandemic and many food banks and organizations are reporting unprecedented strain on their annual resources. They need help year round, so we have decided to use our Open House as an opportunity to raise money and collect food this September. We aim to hold 2 open house events per year at ‘off-season’ times in order to boost support and awareness for the Food Depot.

Throughout the day we will teach 30-minute sample classes, hold fitness-challenge competitions for prizes, kickboxing demos, and a 45-minute yoga session with Jewel Harini Lee.  There will be a minimum donation 10$ to participate in the classes and you must reserve your spot ahead of time; we do not guarantee space for drop-ins. Each class will end with a challenge and the winner will receive a free class at our Studio.    

The public is encouraged to drop by and chat with us outside the studio and can give monetary or food donations without participating in the class.  The Food Depot does prefer monetary donations as they can buy more than we can (1$ donated=3$ of food) and they can also buy bulk fresh food.  However, if you wish to donate non-perishable food items then we ask that they be as nutritious as possible (canned fish, beans, lentils, canned tomatoes, whole grains, whole grain pasta, etc…). The Food Depot does not accept non-food items.  Please make sure food items are not expired and are not opened.

Open House Schedule:

TimeClassInstructorMax Participants
9:30-10:00Circuit BurnChelsie Evans6
10:30-11:00SWEATMoses Nguno6
11:30-12:00Essential FitChelsie Evans6
12:30-1:00Abs and BootyMoses Nguno6
2:00-2:30Kickboxing HIITMoses Nguno4
3:30-4:15YogaJewel Harini Lee7
4:30-6:00Kickboxing demo drop insMoses and Chelsie2 per trainer/per demo

Between sessions we will run our fitness challenges for those who participated in the class and use the time to disinfect all equipment.  Wearing a mask is mandatory except during the workout.  Indoor shoes ONLY, please change once you arrive at the gym.  Try to bring your own mat, water bottle and towel. Respect the social distancing rules as much as possible. Sanitize your hands upon arrival and whenever you feel it is necessary.

We will also be announcing our official opening promotion rates and you can sign up for a membership or class package with a discount the same day.

Get in Touch to reserve your spot and support the Food Depot!

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STUDIO MO FITNESS MTL

We are over the moon excited about this new development with our small fitness business. Sometimes good things really do come to those who wait, just don’t wait passively! We’ve been keeping our ears to the ground, looking for a studio and we lucked out last weekend! The studio is located at 2023 Decarie Blvd (formerly Happy Tree Yoga), within a 2 minute walk to Vendome metro, close to the Super Hospital and easily walkable from lower and upper NDG as well as Westmount.

We will offer Personal training, small group training and workshops. The studio will also be available to rent to other trainers, yoga instructors, for events, workshops, etc… Contact Us for rates and availability!

Stay tuned for Early Bird Promotions for our classes and personal training!

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SWEAT In The Park!

What : Group Fitness (HIIT, Cardio Kickboxing, Abs and Glutes, Bootcamp)

Where : Parc Georges Saint Pierre (Upper Lachine/Oxford)

When : Tuesday and Thursday 6-7pm, Saturday 9:45-10:45 am

Price : 5$ Trial Class 10$ Single Class 5 Card Class 45$ (40$ each if you buy with a friend/partner/family) 10 class card 85$ (80$ each if you buy with a friend/partner/family)

***As we don’t have the reservation system set up yet, we will take bookings for Tuesday via email (mofitnessmtl@gmail.com) and you can send us the payment via etransfer. Once we receive payment we will send you a confirmation! Choose your package and send us your full name and phone number in the email. You must cancel at least 3 hours in advance to avoid losing your class or to get a refund (single class).

Rules

You must bring your own mat or towel; we will not be lending mats.

Don’t forget a water bottle as the park fountains are not open.

Spaces are limited due to Social Distancing obligations.

We are capping the groups at 10 people.

Reserve your spot in advance to ensure you get a place.

We encourage you to bring your own dumbbells so we can avoid equipment sharing as much as possible, but we will have equipment to use if you don’t have any dumbbells.

All equipment will be disinfected before and after the class, and all participants will be required to sanitize their hands before and after the class.

Cones will be set up to show you where to put your mat, you must stay in that space, away from other participants.

If you are feeling unwell in anyway then you must not attend class.

If you need to cancel, you must do so at least 3 hours in advance or be charged for the class.

If you have an injury or limitation, please let us know in advance so we can modify exercises accordingly.

* Failure to respect social distancing rules will result in a verbal warning and you may be asked to leave class and not be permitted to return.

If you would like to arrange your own group fitness class in a different park or at a different time, please contact us and we can arrange something for you!

Music By : http://www.bensound.com

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Fitness Basics: Discover Your Gym!

Recently I took on the challenge of creating workshops for people who walk into a gym and just don’t know where to start.  The machines can be intimidating, confusing and potentially harmful if you don’t know what you’re doing. Effective, safe training requires knowledge of how to properly sit on a machine, how to position yourself, and important reminders to not do certain things in order to avoid injuries.  

Squat and Press-Highly effective when done right…CHEST UP!

As a Personal Trainer, of course I will recommend you hire a trainer to reach your fitness goals, but I see poor form in the gym all the time, even with people who look like they were born in the gym.  

My wife and I gave a workshop at The Brix apartment building to help their residents get to know a few machines in their gym, the feedback we received was consistently the same; that they just never felt comfortable in the gym, that they only knew how to use a few things and would get bored easily.  We were so happy to be able to elevate their fitness experience in their home gym and look forward to continuing to increase their fitness knowledge.  We were excited to be able to motivate them to use their gym.

Push-ups 4 ways

YouTube videos can only take you so far, they won’t look at your form and tell you specifically what you are doing incorrectly, what you can do better and what you may want to focus on or be wary of for your specific situation.  We taught these 10 participants how to safely use the Lat Pull Down, how to use the Rowing Machine successfully, how to squat and press like a beast, as well as 4 different ways to do push-ups.   From their in the sessions to come, we will continue to give them the basics while adding on different movements to keep things interesting.

Working out in a small group setting means everyone can get the attention they need

We followed up the workshop with a mini-bootcamp to make sure everyone left with an endorphin high, eager to get back at it!

Meeting neighbours and forming a community

Here are the photos from the first workshop, contact us if you’d like to provide this service to your residents or employees!

With MoFitness we get fit and learn together!

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Preparation and Motivation

There are so many obstacles to getting to the gym, often they have to do with feeling ill-prepared for the class, or for the day to day things you need to get done.  Most of the time our own mind is our biggest enemy when it comes to making time for fitness; we can find a million excuses not to work out and that break in your resolve to get fit is what you need to condition yourself to overcome.  As a father of a 4 month old, with both my wife and I working; it is really easy to say, I’m too busy, I have errands, I need to wash diapers, I’m exhausted; sometimes those are very valid reasons and I do skip the workout but the best way to avoid these conflicts is to be organized. I wanted to share with you a few tips to help you get prepared for a successful and healthy week!  The following tips are from my personal life, what my wife and I do to make sure we both get in enough exercise throughout the week.

Meal Prep: Planning out your week’s meals means that you know exactly what you need to buy at the grocery store for the whole week thus eliminating multiple runs to the store.  You can chop and freeze your veggies ahead of time, prepare smoothie jars, prepack a few days of lunches, etc…weeks that we don’t meal plan are always way more hectic and I found that we don’t eat as healthy either.

Shakshuka!

Pack your bag :  Pack your bag the night before, that way it doesn’t feel as daunting or rushed when the time comes to go to your class. 

Don’t sit down :  Some days you can’t imagine leaving your sofa after you get home from work, the best way to overcome this mental obstacle is to power through and just do housework until you have to leave for class.  Clean the house, cook dinner…doesn’t matter what as long as you stay active.  Another way to motivate yourself for an evening class is to put your workout clothes on as soon as you get home.  

Drink a coffee/tea : My wife is a teacher and she says that at least once a week after lunch, she often feels like she knows she wants to skip the gym after work because she feels too tired.  On those days she will drink an afternoon coffee or green tea so that she has the energy to get to the gym.  

Drink water :  It’s a really good idea to hydrate through out the day.  When you don’t drink enough water, your body can feel sluggish, drinking enough water can keep you energized throughout the day and make sure you are properly hydrated for a sweaty workout.

Eat Properly :  Make sure you eat enough throughout the day to keep your body happy but don’t eat so much that you need a nap after lunch.

The 2 Hour Rule : Do not eat anything heavy within 2 hours of going to exercise…It’s best not to eat anything at all within that 2-hour period but sometimes with our chaotic life we can’t always plan things out so neatly. If you are STARVING then have something small and easy to digest like a banana, a handful of nuts, a piece of cheese. 

Get Enough Sleep : I know this is a tough one but getting 7 good hours of sleep consistently, lays the foundation for a successful day.  You’ll have enough mental and physical energy to accomplish what you need to do!

As with any good habit you want to adopt, consistency and frequency is key.  Prioritizing your health might feel like you have to sacrifice down time, or social time, but after a while it won’t feel like a sacrifice at all and you’ll find yourself looking forward to that endorphin rush.  Tell your friends you’ll meet them after your workout and they’ll admire you for your resolve and lament their inability to get to the gym.  On the days that it’s toughest to get to the gym, those are the workouts that will make you feel the best because not only will you have those happy exercise endorphins rushing through you but you’ll also have the knowledge that you put mind over matter and really earned an evening on the couch!

Moses

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ELUSIVE ENERGY: Why does expending energy create more energy?

Busy, tired, stressed, feeling down, overwhelmed, if I had a dollar for every time…well you know!  As a mother, a former teacher, a broke ass university student, an occasional couch potato; I’ve used all the excuses myself but somehow I always find my way back to exercise as a way to cope with anxiety, stress, and even low energy.  I’ve mastered the art of the mid-afternoon workout, when my brain and body really just want to shut down, I get up and move! It works too, because while you constantly tell yourself that you are simply too tired to workout, that sedentary life is causing you to be more tired than you would be if you got a little sweaty a few times a week.  Regular physical activity actually helps to increase the amount of energy you have for other activities!

6 Reasons Exercise Increases Energy

Studies show that people who exercise regularly have more energy than those who don’t. You don’t need to HAVE energy to exercise, you need to exercise to CREATE energy! There are 6 main reasons why movement can increase your energy and decrease feelings of fatigue or sluggishness:

  1. Improves Muscular Strength and Endurance
  2. Delivers Oxygen and Nutrients to your Organs so they Work Better
  3. Supports Mitochondria Production (energy cells)
  4. Improves your Digestion and Nutrient Absorption.
  5. Boosts the Immune System
  6. ENDORPHINS!!! 

Improves Muscular Strength and Endurance

When you get stronger and improve the length of time you can exert yourself (endurance), you can, quite simply, move more.  Physical activity takes less out of you the more you do it.  If your children want to play basketball with you but you haven’t done cardio since college, it’s going to be a tough time. But if you regularly engage in exercise, this becomes a fun rather than daunting family activity.

Delivers Oxygen and Nutrients to your Organs so they Work Better

When you exercise you increase your blood flow helping your blood carry oxygen and nutrients throughout your body.  When your vital organs receive more oxygen and nutrients they can do their job more efficiently thereby stealing less of your energy to keep your body functioning optimally and giving you more energy to do the things you want to do.

Supports Mitochondria Production (energy cells)

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Our mitochondria or energy cell health is critical to our overall health, they help our vital organs function properly.  They are especially important for your cardiac system which requires a lot of energy to work.  In fact, mitochondrial dysfunction can cause heart abnormalities. When we exercise, we boost production of our mitochondria cells which regulates metabolic energy and gives our heart and lungs more power to work properly, increasing our overall energy.

Improves Digestion and Nutrient Absorption

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Exercise will not directly help your food digest, it is not advisable to exercise immediately after a heavy meal; but overtime, as we increase our cardio and muscular endurance, our body needs less energy to do physical activity and can divert that energy to digesting food.  After we eat a meal, our blood sugar increases, exercise also aids in regulating blood sugar which helps us digest our food easily.  

Another way in which exercise can help with digestion is by preventing or relieving constipation.  When we more efficiently digest food, it moves through our digestive system faster.

Exercise can also help prevent or reduce instances of reflux, diverticular disease, and colon cancer.  

If you consistently feel bloated and sluggish after a meal and it takes a long time to digest, you won’t have much energy to exercise, but by being an active person in general, your body will be faster at absorbing the nutrients it needs and putting the rest to waste.  If you regularly strength train, you know how fast food gets used up and how often you feel hungry throughout the day.

Boosts the Immune System

We know that regular physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle for preventing and treating many non-communicable diseases (diabetes, heart disease) as well as physical ailments such as arthritis, lumbar pain, etc. However, more research shows that exercise improves our body’s ability to fight off infectious diseases such as Covid, the common cold, the flu, etc.  This is because our body’s response to a virus or bacteria is to fight it, but if our energy is being used up to support regular organ function then we don’t have enough leftover to attack the enemy entering our systems. By exercising , we help our organs function better thus giving our body more energy to fight illness.  Getting sick frequently drains the body of energy for days, if our body is more efficient at fighting the illness, we get over it faster, or don’t get sick at all!

ENDORPHINS

laughing woman practicing plank posture during training
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Many people feel tired frequently due to feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress, but when we exercise, we release those feel good endorphins which can give you a boost of positive energy to power you through your day.  If you struggle with mental health issues, try to bang out a workout before you get drained by the day.  For some people a morning workout will help immensely, for others it might be midday, and many enjoy working out in the evening so they are tired out for bedtime. Find a routine that works for you!

It’s Hard but Balance is the Key

man in gray tank top and blue shorts doing push up
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So the old adage, “I’m tired because I’m busy, I’m depressed, or stressed is not necessarily true. Of course when we have a lot on our plate, we get tired and overwhelmed, but when we don’t take care of our internal systems and our mental health, our energy deflates leaving us fatigued on the regular. 

I often have people ask me, how do I manage everything; being a mom of 2 under 5, running a business, household chores, exercise, and finding time for myself.  It’s incredibly hard and I definitely suffer from some stress, and even though my little monster still wakes up every night, I still power through my day because I know that sitting all the time works against my best interests, that not taking 20-45 minutes to workout will make me feel worse.  I’m telling you this for perspective, not a “you can do it all too” lecture.  We all lead different lives and it’s extraordinarily difficult to manage everything. Balance is the key to life, sometimes we order food, sometimes we eat peanut butter jam sandwiches and sometimes my kid watches too much tv but overall, if we find time to be active together, eat well as a whole, and spend quality time together, then the hardest choices usually work out to be the best choices in the long run.  

My final thought for you is:

Imagine spending 3 hours less a week with your family to work on yourself but the time you do spend with them is amplified by your upbeat mood, your energy to do, to play, and to engage.  Imagine your children watching you taking care of your health and growing up understanding the importance of movement and self care.  How many times are you going to put yourself last before you realize that by neglecting your own self care you are impacting your ability to be truly present. 

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Gym vs Fitness Studio

While there are many different types of gyms and fitness studios, in the most simplistic terms; the difference between a gym and a studio is largely based on client volume and training space.

Every gym is different, some may be devoted to a certain type of training, but usually they have an open training area for self training or working with a personal trainer and they often have 1 or more studios devoted to group classes like aerobics, spinning, yoga, and more. Some gyms are dedicated to one type of training like body building or Crossfit, while others are a 1 size fits all model. Many large scale gyms are chain gyms, here in Quebec we have Nautilus, Energie Cardio, EconoFit and World Gym, to name the most prominent.

Fitness Studios are often dedicated to a type of training such as yoga, pilates, or strength training, but some offer a range of classes to suit a variety of needs. Studios don’t usually have an open training area for drop in training, you must reserve your class spot ahead of time and you usually purchase a class pack or monthly membership.

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Studio MoFitness Pilates Class

Which type of training facility is right for you?

This will depend on a few key factors such as your preferred training style, schedule, budget, proximity to home, and your goals. If you only factor in economics or convenience; a large gym will be much more attractive to you as they are usually cheaper and have more available training times. Depending on where you live, you might have a studio very close to you and will be more likely to go there than have to travel farther to get to a large gym. You may also prefer the commitment of making a class reservation or an appointment with a personal trainer.

There are some major important distinctions between a gym and a fitness studio so let’s look at each one and see how they stack up.

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CONVENIENCE

We are all strapped for time so we need to take into consideration how easy it will be for you to train but also how likely are you to actually avail yourself of these conveniences.

GYMS:

Gyms sometimes offer 24hrs of service, or at the very least, early to late hours which means you can go whenever you have time. They also often have more class times available so you can catch a group session on your time than with a small studio. However that convenience may make it too easy for you to say “I’ll go tomorrow” or later, or “I was going to do a class but wasn’t motivated so I just walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes”. Its WAY easier to phone it in at a big gym. Finally, considering the busy hours in high volume gyms may make it impossible to follow a workout plan if the machines you need are always full.

Large gyms usually have parking which is a major bonus if you need to drive to your gym. But since they often need a massive amount of square footage and parking, large gyms are not as easily accessible in cities as studios can be.

STUDIOS:

Studios of varying sizes will offer a different variety of classes, an extensive or limited schedule and different types of services. For example, some studios only dedicate themselves to yoga so if you want to add some kickboxing to your workout schedule or strength training, you’ll need to find another studio that specializes in that. Unless of course you find a gem like Studio MoFitness that offers yoga, kickboxing, cardio dance, strength training and more! The main difficulty with a studio is matching your schedule to theirs. In some cases, it may not be worth it, but the benefit of committing to a schedule, is that you develop a consistent routine and consistency is your path to success when it comes to fitness. Cities are full of small, medium, and large studios and can often be much more accessible by public transportation, bike, or foot than large gyms.

Since COVID, many studios have developed hybrid class models which means if you can’t make it to the studio, you can follow a live class from home.

The bottom line is that both studios and gyms have different convenient factors to consider but at the end of the day, the most important thing is to remove as many obstacles between you and your workout as possible.

Studio MoFitness (Studio 2) SWEAT

BUDGET

As with anything and especially in these particularly expensive times, cost is a major deciding point for many. When I was first starting out, cost was the only thing that mattered but as I grew to value exercise more, I changed gears and learned to understand that the dollar amount is not the only cost factor to consider.

GYM: Usually large gyms cost less because they rely on yearly plans to lock people into regularly scheduled payments whether you are in town or not. They often do not allow you to purchase a group class pack and if you want to pay monthly without commitment it will be more expensive. These types of chain gyms rely on the fact that many people sign up with the best intentions but won’t actually go regularly past January. If every member showed up at the gym on a regular basis, they would simply not have enough space. Their business model thrives on the expectation that you will not succeed. In fact, the way they run their business almost ensures your failure. (Crowded spaces, little to no interaction with fitness professionals, no investment in your individual needs, highly objective/impersonal training environment. )

With as many as 30 or more people in a group class, the instructor may remember your face but likely has no idea what weight you lift, what injury you may have, and may not have time to correct poor posture making your workout inefficient and possibly dangerous.

When it comes to Personal Trainers, large scale gyms often don’t pay them what they are worth and don’t have guaranteed hours. Once such gym in Ville St Laurent, paid 13.89$ per hour (2019) and would have a trainer work an hour here and there, as needed so you could have a client at 8am and another at 11am and one at 2pm and they would only pay you for the 3 hours you worked. This means trainers come and go quickly, you may start a program with one trainer and go through 1 or 2 more during your prepaid sessions. This makes your training inconsistent making your goals harder to reach, and it becomes difficult to trust each new trainer’s style.

STUDIO: A monthly membership at a studio might cost between 130$-300$ but you will more often than not, be one of a few in a class and the trainers will put all their energy into creating an optimal experience for you. Studios rely on a small base of loyal clients and tend to spend years developing professional relationships with their members.

Many studios are owned and operated by independent trainers who are passionate enough to start their own business and become thoroughly invested in the success of their members. They carefully select trainers who are not only incredibly proficient at what they do but also motivated in making their class a success in order to keep it on the schedule.

When you hire a personal trainer at a studio, you will train exclusively with that trainer, in our case the owners. Your success is their success as studios rely on word of mouth to increase their member base.

Coaches will often relay important information about members to each other so that they can prepare classes according to who is attending. For example; if we have a new member who is post-partum, we will let the other trainers know so that they can plan safe alternatives to specific exercises.

At the end of the day, you have to consider what your fitness investment means to you, do you value quality over quantity. If you pay for a monthly membership, but aren’t disciplined enough to actually use it, then it’s a waste and perhaps you should spend more on your wellbeing by considering the cost of accountability.

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Studio MoFitness Small Group Training

GOALS

Presumably you have some type of goal for your fitness training and depending on what your starting point is you may need more attention to help you get there. Even if your goal is to simply become an active, healthy person by moving your body more, you still need some direction as to the optimal way to do this for you.

GYM: If you are a beginner, you’ll need specific instruction on how to use machines at the gym, how to safely squat, lunge, chest press, etc, in order to not only optimize your training but also do it safely. As trainers, we often see people who think they are doing something correctly, but are actually doing it poorly. So really, no matter where you think you are starting from or how much knowledge you think you have, hiring a certified and experienced trainer will only benefit your overall training. Even now, when I feel unsure of my form, I ask another coach or research it thoroughly.

STUDIOS If you have specific goals, they may not align well with the regular fitness class schedule and you may want to invest in personal or small group training. At Studio MoFitness we, offer both; the big difference being the cost and level of 1 on 1 attention. In a small group, you will get a higher level of instruction than in a regular group class but you may need to wait till the trainer is done working with someone else in the group to address your needs, this is why the cost is lower than with Personal Training. In Small Group Training, you still have your own progressive program as you would with private 1 on 1 or group training. Your progressive training is always modified in real time as we go, in case we find something that doesn’t work, or something that works better than we thought. However if you join our regular group training schedule, our class sizes are still small enough to benefit from personalized instruction and gives you the opportunity to ask questions.

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Studio MoFitness

LOCAL VS BIG BUSINESS

Finally your choice may come down to an ethical decision. You may choose to add to the coffers of a large corporation that prays upon failed intentions so the executives can live a lavish life while paying their employees poorly OR you can choose to support a locally owned, family operated business that celebrates their members successes, treats you as a whole human and not just a number and uses their hard earned gains to create opportunities for their employees.

A Studio generally offers a higher quality of service than gyms but you really need to ask yourself what is important to you and consider the options that are available based on your needs.

Want to join our Small Group Training Program or try out Personal Training?

Get in touch!